Aug 05, 2025 City Council Meeting

SHAY SWEENEY, ARE YOU PRESENT? ALRIGHT, GOOD.

UH, HECTOR WEIR.

ARE YOU PRESENT? CRAIG RADER? ARE YOU PRESENT? ALRIGHT, WELL WE GOT ACTUALLY ONE MORE.

DARREN WEBER.

ARE YOU PRESENT? UM, ARE Y'ALL ALL HERE FOR THE SAME THING? YES, SIR.

UP TO TWO ADDITIONAL SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.

SO WOULD YOU MIND JUST GO THROUGH THE RULES BRIEFLY? WE ALSO HAVE ONE FOR GENERAL COMMENTS.

FOR GENERAL COMMENTS.

THAT'S GONNA BE SHAY.

NO, WELL, THIS ONE HERE SAYS, I'M SORRY, WHO IS IT ACTUALLY SIGNED UP ON THE IT'S NOT OKAY.

ESTEBAN, ARE YOU HERE? HERE? ALRIGHT.

YOU WANT TO COME FIRST? WHERE ARE YOU? HERE? ALRIGHT, WHY DON'T YOU HEAD UP HERE AND SHE'S GONNA GO THROUGH THE RULES.

YOU WANNA READ 'EM? OKAY.

ALL SPEAKERS ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES, EXCEPT FOR, WELL, ACTUALLY, SORRY.

CITIZENS WHO DESIRE TO ADDRESS CITY COUNCIL WITH REGARD TO MATTERS ON THE CONSENT OR REGULAR AGENDA WILL BE HEARD AT THIS TIME OR AT THIS TIME, THE ITEM IS CONSIDERED.

CITIZENS MAY SPEAK UP TO THREE SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS OR A MAXIMUM OF MAXIMUM OF ONE DURING GENERAL COMMENTS AND

[00:10:01]

IS THAT MICROPHONE ON, SIR? IS THAT GREEN BUTTON IS A GREEN PUSH PUSH WHERE IT SAYS, UH, PUSH.

IS IT A GREEN BELIEVE? GREEN LIGHT.

AMANDA, CAN YOU LOOK UP THERE AND IT'S, IT'S PLUGGED.

THERE YOU GO.

AND THEN CHOKE UP ON IT.

JUST A LITTLE BIT LIKE THAT.

INSTEAD, I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM, CAN YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE? OH, I'M SORRY.

ESTEBAN LIA, 1321 BRA STREET, ROSENBERG, TEXAS.

I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT ABOUT DEBRIS ON MY YARD.

AND BECAUSE OF, UH, MEDICAL ISSUES, I WASN'T ABLE TO COMPLY.

AND I WAS ASKED, I ASKED, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT FOR AN EXTENSION AND THEY EXTENDED IT FOR A ONE WEEK.

AND I'M HERE TO ASK CITY COUNCIL AND ANYONE THAT CAN HELP, UH, FOR A LONGER EXTENSION BECAUSE OF MY MEDICAL ISSUE.

AND, UH, AND IF I NEED ANY, ANY MORE HELP OR EXTENSION, I'LL BE BACK TO ASK FOR IT.

YOU GOT MY NUMBER, SIR? GIVE ME, GIVE ME A HOLLER AND WE'LL VISIT ABOUT THAT.

OKAY? THANK, THANK YOU KINDLY, SIR.

OKAY, SO THE REST OF THE SPEAKERS WERE FOR ITEM NUMBER T OF THE CONSENT.

WAS THERE ANY OTHER, ANYBODY ELSE? JENNY, ITEM FOR ITEM T.

ITEM U, UU.

DOWN ITEM T IF IT HAS TO DO WITH THE, UH, PART ITEM U.

ITEM U.

ALRIGHT, SO LET'S PULL

[ CONSENT AGENDA ]

ITEM U IS THE ONE WE NEED TO PULL DOWN.

ITEM U.

LET'S PULL THAT ITEM DOWN.

AND COUNSEL, LET'S GO BACK, UM, AND LOOK AT THE OTHER ITEMS. AND THEN IF Y'ALL WISH TO, WE CAN RATIFY THOSE OTHER ITEMS. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

I'LL CONTINUE.

WELL HANG ON HECTOR.

LET'S, LET'S, LET'S GIVE FOLKS A CHANCE TO SEE IF THEY WISH TO, UH, LOOK AT THESE OTHER ITEMS. 'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER ITEMS ON THE CONSENT.

AND THEN GIVE 'EM 10 SECONDS AND IF NOT, YOU MAKE THE MOTION.

EVERYBODY.

ALL RIGHT, Y'ALL OKAY WITH HECTOR'S MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO PULL DOWN TO ACCEPT ALL CONSENT.

I CONSENT ITEMS EXCEPT FOR, UH, ITEM U I'LL MAKE A SECOND.

SO I'VE GOTTA GO TO, WE'RE GONNA PUT THE VOTING MECHANISM BACK ON IT.

IT IS WORKING SECOND.

THERE YOU GO.

MOTION MADE BY HECTOR.

SECOND BY JESSICA.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PUSH OR SAY GREEN? YES.

IF YOU'RE OPPOSED, SAY NO.

I'M PRETTY SURE THE YESES HAVE IT.

GIVE THE, GIVE IT A MINUTE TO, UH, GEORGE, YOU GOTTA VOTE.

MY SCREEN IS BLANK BY THE WAY.

CALL IT MY SCREEN.

MY SCREEN IS BLACK HERE.

DON'T PRESS AND HOLD IT, BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

GO TO ITEM NUMBER YOU U-U-U-U-U-U-U.

WE'RE TOO USED TO THESE SCREENS.

WE DON'T NEED 'EM ANYWAY.

SO, UH, WE'LL

[U. Consideration of and action on Resolution No. R-3937, a Resolution authorizing the City Manager to not extend and therefore terminate, for and behalf of the City, the Facility Use Agreement, by and between the City of Rosenberg and the Rosenberg Futbol Club, effective September 30, 2025. (Rigo Calzoncin, Assistant City Manager) ]

THESE ARE THE ONES WE HAVE THE SPEAKERS ON, RIGHT? I'M GONNA READ THE ITEM, THEN WE WILL HAVE THE SPEAKERS COMMENT AND THEN WE WILL, WE'LL GET INTO ITLL, YEAH.

ANY IT PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE? I GET ONE.

YOU'RE GONNA GET 'EM YES.

BY, OKAY.

ON SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2022, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED

ALRIGHT, WELL LET ME JUST READ THE ITEM AND THEN WE'LL GET TO THE SPEAKERS.

CONSIDERATION OF AN ACTION ON RESOLUTION NUMBER R DASH 38 37.

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZES CITY MANAGER TO, TO NOT EXTEND AND THEREFORE TERMINATE FOR ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.

THE FACILITY USE AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF ROSENBERG AND ROSENBERG FOOTBALL CLUB, EFFECTIVE AT THE END OF OUR BUDGET, WHICH IS SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.

RIGO.

BEFORE, BEFORE WE HAVE OUR, UM, SPEAKERS GO THROUGH THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY SURE.

AND, AND SEE IF THAT CAN SHED SOME LIGHT ON THIS.

THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

[00:15:01]

RESOLUTION NUMBER 33 25 ESTABLISHING A FACILITY USE AGREEMENT WITH THE ROSENBERG FOOTBALL CLUB FOOTBALL CLUB FOR A THREE YEAR TERM, COMMENCING ON OCTOBER 1ST, 2022 AND EXPIRING ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.

SET AGREEMENT ALLOWED THE FC TO USE THE DESIGNATED FIELDS AT RIO GARCIA PARK, SUNSET PARK, TRAVIS PARK, SEABORNE CREEK, UH, PARK REGIONAL SPORTS COMPLEX.

IT ALSO PROVIDED FOR BOTH PARTIES TO MUTUALLY AGREE TO EXTEND THE AGREEMENT FOR UP TO TWO ADDITIONAL TWO YEAR PERIODS.

DUE TO THE DEMAND OF THE FIELD USAGE BY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUAL STAFF IS NOT RECOMMENDING TO EXTEND THE AGREEMENT FOR THE OPTION FOR THE OPTIONAL TWO YEAR RENEWAL PERIOD AS REQUIRED BY THE AGREEMENT, A NOTICE OF INTENT TO TERMINATE THE AGREEMENT WAS PROVIDED TO FC 60 DAYS PRIOR TO THE TERMINATION DATE OF SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.

SUCH A LETTER AS ATTACHED AS EXHIBIT A TO RESOLUTION NUMBER 39 37 FC MAY CONTINUE USE OF FIELDS BY RESERVING THE FIELDS THROUGH THE STANDARD PARK RENTAL PROCESS.

STAFF RECOMMENDS CITY COUNCIL APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 39 37, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO TERMINATE THE AGREEMENT.

OKAY, WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH THE SPEAKERS NOW.

SHAY SWEENEY WILL DO YOU FIRST, IF YOU'LL STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS JUST FOR THE RECORD.

AND THEN YOU HAVE UP TO THREE MINUTES.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE IT ALL, JUST TRY TO KEEP IT UNDER THREE.

MY NAME IS SHAY SWEENEY.

I LIVE AT A HUNDRED HILLCREST DRIVE, RICHMOND, TEXAS.

AND I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AS A MOTHER WHO HEART BEATS FOR THE COMMUNITY, A DEDICATED COACH AND A WITNESS.

THE PROFOUND LIFE-CHANGING MAGIC THAT ROSENBERG FOOTBALL CLUB FOR 15 YEARS AS CITY HAS BEEN MY HOME AND IS WITH HEAVY HEART FILLED WITH BOTH CONCERN AND AN UNWAVERING BELIEF IN OUR CHILDREN, THAT I ADDRESS THE PROPOSAL TO TERMINATE THE SOCCER CLUB'S USE OF OUR CITY'S PARKS.

I'M HERE TO SHARE WITH YOU FROM THE DEATHS OF A PARENT, THE COACH'S, A COACH'S COMMITMENT TO RECONSIDER THE DEVASTATING DECISION TO TRULY SEE THE IRREPLACEABLE AND POSITIVE IMPACT THAT RFC WEAVES INTO OUR EVERY FABRIC OF OUR CHILDREN'S LIVES IN THIS COMMUNITY, RFC IS A LIFELINE FOR OUR YOUTH.

A VIBRANT SANCTUARY WHERE THEY CAN EMBRACE HEALTHY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

IN AN ERA.

IN AN ERA DOMINATED BY SCREENS.

ORGANIZED SPORTS LIKE SOCCER AREN'T JUST BENEFICIAL.

IT'S ABSOLUTELY VITAL.

THEY'RE OUR STRONGEST DEFENSE AGAINST CHILDHOOD OBESITY AND MOST JOYFUL PATH IN INSTILLING LIFELONG HEALTHY HABITS.

OUR PARKS ARE SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST A PATCHES OF GREEN.

THEY ARE HOLLOWED GROUNDS WHERE OUR CHILDREN WITH BOUNDLESS ENERGY AND OPEN HEARTS LEARN THE FUNDAMENTAL RHYTHMS AND THE ENER, I MEAN THE FUNDAMENTAL RHYTHMS OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION, THEIR DEDICATION AND PROFOUND POWER OF TEAMWORK.

OUR SOCCER CLUB DOES NOT MERELY SERVE AS OUR LOCAL FOR OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY.

IT PROUDLY CARRIES THE BANNER OF ROSENBERG ONTO BROADER AND NATIONAL STAGES.

OUR BOYS TEAM WHO ARE HERE TODAY HAVE JOURNEYED TO TOURNAMENTS ACROSS SEVERAL STATES.

AND WITH EVERY JOURNEY THEY HAVE RETURNED HOME, NOT WITH JUST GLEAMING TROPHIES, BUT WITH THE EVEN A BRIGHTER SENSE OF PRIDE.

WHEN WE TRAVEL, ONE OF THE MOST THINGS THAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT IS WHEN OTHER TEAMS SAY, WHERE ARE YOU GUYS FROM? AND WE GET TO SAY, ROSENBERG, TEXAS.

IT'S A MOMENT THAT WE ARE PROUD OF, AND IT IS A MOMENT THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE, BUT WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO IF WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE A PLACE FOR OUR CHILDREN TO PRACTICE.

OUR SEASON BEGINS IN THIS SEPTEMBER THE SAME MONTH THAT YOU GUYS ARE WANTING TO TERMINATE THE PARK ACCESS FOR US.

IT WILL NOT ONLY BE AN INCONVENIENCE, BUT IT'D BE HEARTBREAKING LEAVING OUR TEAMS WITH ABSOLUTELY NOWHERE TO PRACTICE.

BUT FOR MORE THAN THAT, THE VERY THOUGHT THAT OUR BELOVED CLUB IS NO LONGER WELCOME TO PRACTICE AT THE PARKS WHERE THEY LIVE, WHERE THEY HAVE POURED THEIR HEARTS AND THEIR SOULS INTO A GAME WHERE THEY HAVE FORGED FRIENDSHIPS AND DREAMS. IT'LL BE ABSOLUTELY AND UTTERLY HEARTBREAKING TO THESE KIDS.

LET US NOT SHATTER THEIR DREAMS AND LET US CONTINUE TO INVEST WHOLEHEARTEDLY, PASSIONATELY IN OUR CHILDREN, IN THE VIBRANT FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY.

WE ARE NOT JUST ANY SOCCER CLUB, WE ARE ROSENBERG FC.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, SHAY.

BEFORE YOU LEAVE, I WANT TO CLARIFY SOMETHING.

YOU SAID YOU LIVED ON HILLCREST? YES.

I AS, AS OF NOW I DO.

I JUST MOVED THERE.

WELL THAT IS RICHMOND.

WE'RE IN ROSENBERG.

BUT I JUST MOVED THERE.

COULD YOU, WOULD YOU MIND FOR THE RECORD, JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS? YES.

BUT MY KID PLAYS FOR ROSENBERG STILL.

[00:20:09]

UH, MY NAME IS DR.

HECTOR WEIR.

I LIVE AT 1401 GEORGE STREET TREAT, AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE MLS SCHOOL PROGRAM.

I COACH WITH ROSENBERG FC AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, A PARENT OF THREE CHILDREN WHO PARTICIPATE IN THE CLUB.

I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SHARE WHY I CHOSE ROSENBERG FC FOR OVER OTHER PROGRAMS, AND NOT ONLY FOR MYSELF AS A COACH, BUT ALSO FOR MY KIDS.

THE MODEL AND PHILOSOPHY WE FOLLOW AT RFC IS NOT DESIGNED TO STRIKE PROFIT FOR FAMILY FROM FAMILIES.

IT IS DESIGNED TO FOSTER A LOVE OF THE GAME, A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR THE SPORT, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR CHILDREN INTO RESPONSIBLE, KIND, AND OVERALL GOOD HUMAN BEINGS.

WE ARE AS COMMITTED TO BUILDING CHARACTER AS WE ARE TO BUILDING ATHLETES.

THAT'S THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE CLUB.

WE DO THIS BY PROVIDING QUALITY COACHES THAT RIVAL THE ONES THAT YOU WILL FIND AT COASTALLY PROGRAMS SUCH AS RICE, IMPERIAL, AND YOU CAN NAME IT.

OUR PROGRAMS ALSO FOSTER A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND BELONGING.

ONE OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL MOMENTS I WITNESSED LAST SEASON WAS A MOMENT THAT I EXPERIENCED DURING A LUNCH PERIOD WHEN I WAS VISITING MY DAUGHTER, WHEN ONE OF OUR YOUNG PLAYERS PROUDLY WAS TELLING HER CLASSMATE THAT SHE WAS A PART OF OUR TEAM.

SHE JUST DIDN'T TALK ABOUT LEARNING SOCCER OR PLAYING SHE WAS, OR PLAYING.

SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE FRIENDSHIPS, THE FUN AND THE PRIDE.

SHE FELT BELONGING TO THE TEAM.

AND THIS GIRL WAS A MEMBER OF THE LOWEST TIER OF THE CLUB.

THE STEP RECREATIONAL PROGRAM THAT I RUN MLS GO, WHICH IS THE FOUNDATION.

SO I ASK YOU THIS, DO WE WANT TO SEND HER AND HUNDRED OF CHILDREN LIKE HER THE MESSAGE THAT SHE WILL NEED TO LOOK OUTSIDE OF OUR OWN CITY TO CONTINUE PLAYING THE SPORT THAT SHE LOVES? DO WE AS A CITY WANT TO PUSH HER TOWARDS ANOTHER COMMUNITY AT BEST, OR TAKE AWAY THE OPPORTUNITY OF HER TO SHARE THIS BEAUTIFUL PASSION WITH HER FRIENDS? LET US NOT FORGET THAT NOT EVERYONE HAS THE FINANCIAL ABILITY TO JOIN ONE OF THE TEAMS IN SUGARLAND OR KATIE OR ANY OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES BECAUSE IT'S NOT ONLY THE COST OF ATTENDING, WHICH SOMETIMES GETS ALL THE WAY TO $2,000 PER SEASON, BUT ALSO INCLUDES THE TRAVELING COST AND THE TIME COMMITMENT FOR THE PARENTS.

AND THIS IS NOT ONLY FOR SOCCER, BUT SPECIFICALLY, SO PLEASE DO NOT CANCEL THE CONTRACT WITHOUT SETTING UP OR FACILITATING AN ALTERNATIVE THAT WOULD SUPPORT THE INITIATIVES THAT THE CLUB IS ALREADY PROVIDING TO THE COMMUNITY.

ENDING THE AGREEMENT WITHOUT A CLEAR AND VIABLE REPLACEMENT WOULD LEAVE A MAJOR GAP IN AFFORDABLE HIGH QUALITY PROGRAMMING FOR ROSENBERG YOUTH.

INSTEAD OF TERMINATING THE PARTNERSHIP, I ASKED THE COUNCIL TO REJECT ITS PROPOSAL AND TO CONSIDER RENEWING OUR AGREEMENT FOR AT LEAST TWO MORE YEARS, IF NOT LONGER, AS THE PERSON DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS.

MAYOR.

THAT WAS THE THREE MINUTES.

WAS THAT OKAY? EXCUSE ME, SIR, YOU MIND FINISH? YOU HIT YOUR THREE MINUTES.

UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WE'RE GONNA, UH, DEBATE THIS.

I MEAN, WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS IT HERE SHORTLY.

A CHANCE TO PLAY, UH, THE SPORT THAT THEY LOVE AND A SELF AND A SAFE AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT.

CRAIG RADER.

CRAIG, ARE YOU KATHY'S? I'M NOT.

I KNOW WHO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

WELL, WELCOME TO ROSENBERG CITY COUNCIL.

THANK YOU, SIR.

UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND, UH, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS CRAIG RADER.

I LIVE IN THE CITY LIMITS OF NEVILLE, UH, 32 14 SCHROEDER AVENUE.

I'M A FORMER RESIDENT OF ROSENBERG FOR MANY YEARS, UH, BEFORE I PACKED UP AND MOVED TO NEVILLE.

UH, I'M HERE TO RESPECTFULLY, UH, ASK YOU TO RECONSIDER TERMINATING THE FACILITY AGREEMENT, UH, BETWEEN THE CITY OF ROSENBERG AND THE ROSENBERG FC.

UH, IT'S ITEM NUMBER U.

SO I'VE LIVED IN NEVILLE, WHERE UNFORTUNATELY WE DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO SOCCER FIELDS AT ALL IN IN NAVILLE.

UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANY KIND OF LOCAL CLUBS THAT WE CAN JOIN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

WE CHOSE ROSENBERG FC UH, FOR ONE, IT WAS CLOSE.

AND OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN SEE THAT WE DEVELOPED A A PRETTY GOOD FAMILY HERE.

SO THAT'S WHY MANY OF US COME TO ROSENBERG.

AND IT GIVES US OUR CHILDREN

[00:25:01]

UH, FOR MY DAUGHTER, KYLIE FAITH, IT'S NOT JUST SOCCER TO HER, IT'S A PURPOSE.

IT HAS TAUGHT HER, UH, TEAMWORK, DISCIPLINE, CONFIDENT, AND HOW TO HANDLE BOTH VICTORY AND DEFEAT.

IT HAS GIVEN HER, UH, IT HAS GIVEN HER TEAMMATES ROLE MODELS AND SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO EVERY WEEK THAT WE GO THERE.

UH, IT HAS BECOME A PART OF HER IDENTITY THROUGH ROSENBERG FC.

SHE HAS NOT ONLY GROWN AS AN ATHLETE, BUT AS A PERSON ENDING THIS AGREEMENT WOULD TAKE AWAY A VITAL OUTLET OF, FOR DOZENS OF FAMILIES WHO RELY ON THESE FIELDS.

NOT JUST ROSENBERG, BUT FROM SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES, COMMUNITIES LIKE MINE.

SO PLEASE THINK ABOUT THE POSITIVE IMPACT THAT THIS PARTNERSHIP HAS HAD AND GIVE OUR KIDS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE PLAYING AND TO GROW HERE IN, IN ROSENBERG.

WE ARE ONE TEAM, ONE FAMILY.

NOBODY'S CANCELING YOUR AGREEMENT.

I WANNA MENTION SOMETHING THAT SAYS THIS AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2022.

UH, SOMEBODY FROM Y'ALL'S GROUP SIGNED THIS AND AGREED TO THIS AND IT'S SET TO EXPIRE.

YOUR AGREEMENT EXPIRES.

IT'S NOT BEING CANCELED, EXPIRED.

AND SOMEBODY WITH YOUR GROUP AGREED TO THIS EXPIRES SEPTEMBER 30TH, WHICH IS THE END OF OUR FISCAL YEAR.

WE'LL DISCUSS IT, NOT WE'LL DISCUSS TONIGHT EXTENDING IT, BUT TO BE SURE YOU'RE NOT BEING CANCELED.

YES, THAT IS CORRECT, MARY.

DARREN WEBER.

MR. WEBER, I SEE YOU WORK FOR THE COUNTY.

YES, SIR.

ROAD AND BRIDGE? NO, UH, FORT BEND COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS.

FAIRGROUNDS.

I WORK IN, UH, PARKS.

I LOVE THE FAIRGROUNDS.

SO MY NAME IS, UH, DARREN WEBER.

UM, DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHERS.

I LIVED IN PECAN GROVE RICHMOND, AND I MOVED TO ROSENBERG.

MY ADDRESS IS, UH, 1321 BROOKS AVENUE.

UM, YOU YOU MADE A GOOD CHOICE, SIR.

I, I DID.

I, UH, I WANTED TO LIVE WHERE THE CLUB WAS.

UH, SO JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, THE CLUB.

SO WE BUILT THIS CLUB ABOUT ROSENBERG.

UM, OUR LOGO IS, IT'S GOT THE TRAIN, IT'S GOT THE CITY OF ROSENBERG COLORS.

EVERYTHING WE DO, EVERYTHING WE PUT INTO THIS CLUB HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT ROSENBERG.

NOW WE DO OPEN UP THE CLUB TO KIDS FROM OTHER AREAS AND TOWNS AND, AND CITIES.

BUT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT ROSENBERG, EXCUSE ME.

IN THE FIRST YEAR, WE, UM, WE PURCHASED THE, UH, SOCCER GOALS.

SO WHEN WE CAME HERE, THERE WAS ONE EXCLUDING, UH, SEABORNE CREEK.

UH, THERE WAS ONE SOCCER FIELD.

UM, AFTER WE GOT THE CONTRACT, THERE WAS FIVE.

WE BUILT FOUR OF THEM.

SPECS THAT YOU NEED FOR A SOCCER FIELD.

WE, UM, INVESTED $17,500 IN THE GOALS AND NETS.

WE, UM, AT GARCIA PARK, WE BUILT A BRIDGE SO OUR KIDS AND OUR PARENTS COULD WALK ACROSS THE, UH, DRAINAGE AREA AND NOT HAVE SOAKING WET FEET BEFORE THEY START PRACTICE OR PLAYING A GAME.

AT WHICH, WHICH PARK? GARCIA.

GARCIA, YES, SIR.

UH, WE ALSO MOVED ABOUT 14 TO 24.

I CAN'T REMEMBER THE, THE NUMBER TREES THAT WERE PLANTED AS SOME TYPE PART OF A PROJECT.

WE MOVED THEM TO A BETTER LOCATION WHERE THERE WAS MORE WATER AND WE, WE BASICALLY SAVED IT.

WE DID THAT OUT OF OUR, OUR BACK POCKET.

UH, WE ADDED, UM, STONES AROUND THE BORDERS OF THE TREES AND WE MULCHED IT JUST TO MAKE IT LOOK BETTER.

UM, THAT PARK WAS A SCARY PLACE AND AFTER WE GOT THERE, IT WASN'T SO MUCH A SCARY PLACE.

UM, THE OTHER THING WE DID WAS, UH, WE ADDED LIGHTS TO LED LIGHTS TO THAT WALKING TRACK SO THAT PEOPLE WERE, THEY FELT SAFE ABOUT BEING OUT THERE AND, UM, WALKING AROUND THAT TRACK, IF YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT.

SO ALLAN SAID WE SPENT ABOUT $53,700 IN THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE PLAYED THERE, THAT WE PUT INTO NOT JUST GARCIA PARK, BUT GARCIA PARK AND SUNSET PARK.

THAT MONEY WAS, UM, OUT OF, FROM THE CLUB OUT OF MY BACK POCKET, MY PARTNER'S BACK POCKET AND, AND SUCH, UH, WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT EVERY YEAR.

WE SPEND ON AVERAGE ABOUT $33,000 TO CUT THE GRASS AND TO PAINT THOSE FIELDS.

NOW THE, AND, AND WE'RE NOT, I'M NOT SAYING THAT TO YOU TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ANYTHING THE PARKS DOES.

THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB, BUT THE JOB THEY DO, IT'S NOT TO THE

[00:30:01]

A SOCCER BALL HAS TO ROLL.

IF YOU CUT THE GRASS AT FOUR INCHES, IT'S NOT GONNA ROLL.

IT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL, BUT IT'S NOT GONNA ROLL.

SO WE HAVE TO DO THAT IN ORDER TO HAVE THE TYPE OF FIELDS WE NEED TO PLAY.

UM, SO LIKE I SAID, ON AVERAGE IT'S ABOUT $33,000 THAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO THAT PARK.

SO IF WE CANCEL, SORRY, IF I COULD JUST SAY ONE MORE SENTENCE, IF WE CANCEL THE CONTRACT AND YOU ALLOW US TO PLAY AND MAKE RESERVATIONS, ARE WE STILL EXPECTED TO PUT THAT $33,000 INTO THOSE PARKS STILL? WE TALK ABOUT ALL THAT.

GOOD.

'CAUSE CAN'T, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO DO WHAT WE DO.

AND I JUST HAVE A QUICK CLARIFICATION.

WHEN YOU SAY WE, ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE CLUB OR THE COUNTY? THE CLUB.

SO WHO IS, UH, THE HEAD OF YOUR GROUP? UH, I'M HALF OWNER AND, UH, RAPHAEL BEES IS THE OTHER OWNER.

SO WHY DON'T WE GET YOU TO HANG OUT THERE JUST A SECOND.

WE'RE GONNA GET TO, BECAUSE UM, LEMME SEE.

THE ONLY TWO THAT WERE HERE WHEN THIS AGREEMENT WAS MADE, I THINK WAS HECTOR.

I WAS HERE.

AND GEORGE, THE REST OF US, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, UH, WELL WE WERE NOT HERE SO WE'RE, WE'RE CONSIDERED KIND OF NEWBIES.

UM, SO THAT'S WHERE I WAS, MY MINDSET WAS, YOU KNOW, AS CONSERVATIVE, I I I I'M INTERESTED IN FUNDING THINGS LIKE THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO STRETCH OUT THE SERVICES FOR AS MANY PEOPLE, AS MANY GROUPS, AS MANY CITIZENS, WHETHER YOU LIVE HERE OR DON'T LIVE HERE.

SO MY FIRST QUESTION IS, DOES THE CITY CHARGE YOU OR TO USE THESE PARKS? DO Y'ALL PAY A FEE? FORGET THE MAINTENANCE PART.

I, I KNOW THAT'S IMPORTANT AND THAT'S A BIG DOLLAR TOO AND THAT'S GOOD.

BUT OTHER THAN THAT, YEAH, WE PAY A, WE PAY A, UM, REGISTRATION FEE PER PLAYER.

WELL, NO.

DO Y'ALL PAY IT TO THE CITY? TO THE CITY, YES SIR.

TO THE CITY.

SO THAT'S AN INTERESTING FIGURE.

THAT I, THAT WE NEED TO KNOW.

AND, AND THEN Y'ALL CHARGE, I'M SURE WHEN I WAS IN SPORTS AS A KID, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A REGISTRATION FEE, SO YOUR PARENTS ARE PAYING YOU.

SO, UM, YEAH, I THINK WE NEED TO KNOW SOME FIGURES, UH, IN ORDER TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.

UM, AND THEN RIGO, I SEE IN THE SUMMARY IT SAYS, DUE TO THE DEMAND FOR FIELD USAGE OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS, UH, STAFF IS NOT RECOMMENDING TO RENEW THE CONTRACT.

SO WILL THESE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS ALSO PAY A FEE AND WILL THEY KEEP UP THESE PARTS? I, I WANT, AS THESE FOLKS ARE DOING, I WANT THE, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING IN, THEY'RE GONNA END UP RENTING THE FIELDS OUT PER HOUR.

AND WE HOPE TO HAVE A WINDFALL ON THAT.

HAS ANYBODY ESTIMATED OR MAYOR WHAT THE HOPE IS? LET ME ADD TO THAT.

IF WE HAVE THIS AGREEMENT, UM, THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, UM, THEY HAVE FIRST RIGHT TO THE FIELD AND ACCORDING TO THE AGREEMENT, THEY WOULD NEED TO LET US KNOW WHEN THEY'RE USING IT.

UM, CURRENTLY THEY HAVE NOT BEEN COMMUNICATING THAT TO US.

WHEN, WHEN WE ASK WHEN Y'ALL NEED THESE FIELDS, WE USUALLY GET THE RESPONSE THAT WE NEED IT ALL MONTH, WE NEED IT EVERY DAY.

SO THERE'S NOT A SCHEDULE.

WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT GETTING A SPECIFIC SCHEDULE.

SO THEREFORE WE CAN'T RENT TO ANYONE ELSE BECAUSE SO BASICALLY WE'RE TIED DOWN WITHOUT A SCHEDULE.

AND, AND SO Y'ALL PLAY ALL YEAR ROUND? WE PLAY FOR, IN THE FALL, WE PLAY FOR FOUR MONTHS AND THEN WE PLAY AGAIN IN THE SPRING FOR FOUR MONTHS.

IS THAT SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER.

SO SEPTEMBER THROUGH DECEMBER.

AND THEN WHEN DOES YOUR SPRING SEASON START? FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL, MAY, FEBRUARY THROUGH MAY.

SO WE DO HAVE A COUPLE TEAMS AT PRACTICE, I BELIEVE THOUGH IN MAY.

BEFORE WE GET TOO FAR INTO COUNCIL'S DISCUSSION ON THIS, I THINK WE HAVE ONE MORE SPEAKER AND THEN YOU CAN CALL ANYBODY ELSE BACK UP AND ASK QUESTIONS.

OH, WELL IT'S NOT ON MY LIST.

YOUR, IT WAS THE ONE SHE SAID WAS HE SIGNED UP ON THE NEW SYSTEM.

IT'S UM, RAFAEL BENITEZ.

WELL I CAN JUST GO IN, YOU KNOW, THE SAME CONVERSATION.

YEAH, NO, NO, WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH IT.

I GOT THREE MINUTES.

UH, IF YOU'LL STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND THEN SAY YOUR THREE MINUTES AND OKAY.

THEN WE WILL GET BACK INTO IT.

MY NAME IS, UH, RAFAEL BENITEZ, UH, FOUNDER OF ROSENBERG FC AND WITH DARREN WEBER.

AND I LIVE IN 1333 BROOKS AVENUE IN ROSENBERG.

BEEN LIVING HERE FOR 26 YEARS.

WHAT DO YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADD.

ACTUALLY A LONGER TERM, UH, AGREEMENT BECAUSE IF WE GET A LONGER TERM AGREEMENT, LIKE MOST OF THOSE CLUBS THAT ARE IN THE AREAS OF THE OTHER CITIES NEARBY, THEY HAVE LONG TERM AND THEY CAN INVEST WITH CERTAINTY THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, USE WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, THE FIELD FACILITY OR INVESTMENT THEY DO, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU CAN, UH, ACTUALLY USE IT WITHOUT UNCERTAIN THAT YOU MIGHT BE ASKED TO LEAVE WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

SO WE'VE BEEN PLANNING TO COME BEFORE YOU GUYS FOR A WHILE ALREADY, BUT IT WASN'T ABOUT, OUR PLAN WAS TO COME OUT ACTUALLY AND ASK FOR

[00:35:01]

SO BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN EXPANDING THE CLUB TO ACTUALLY THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND THERE'S A LOT OF CLUBS THAT ACTUALLY WANTING TO JOIN WITH US TO BRING THE MLS NEXT.

I DON'T KNOW YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT, BUT THIS IS, UH, ACTUALLY THE NATIONAL CLUB CLUB, I MEAN FOOTBALL, SOCCER, UH, LEAGUE.

AND THEY, THEY'LL BE, THAT WILL BRING PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE STATE LIKE AUSTIN, SAN ANTONIO, DALLAS, ALL THE MAJOR CITIES.

AND, AND THEY HAVE BEEN ALREADY, UH, ESPECIALLY AT THE UH, SEABORN CREEK PARK LAST YEAR AND THEY ALL LIKED IT.

AND UH, AND THAT WILL ACTUALLY, WE CAN GET MORE FIELDS AT THAT PARK.

IT WILL BRING REMEDY TO THE CITY.

'CAUSE I CAN GIVE YOU EXAMPLE.

THERE'S A SMALL CITY NEAR AUSTIN THAT IS CALLED, UH, THE NAME IS, UH, ROUND ROCK.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY KNOWS.

THEY BUILD A 31 SOCCER FIELDS FACILITY THERE.

AND THE CITY, WHEN THEY COME FOR TOURNAMENTS, THEY ACTUALLY GET ABOUT 9,000 PEOPLE OVER A FOUR DAY PERIOD.

AND IT SPENDS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS JUST IN HOTELS, YOU KNOW, RESTAURANTS AND, AND FOR THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD.

COMMUNITY GETS MONEY FROM THAT.

AND EVEN THOUGH AS SMALL AS WE ARE HERE, WE BROUGHT FOR THREE WEEKENDS LAST YEAR THERE WAS AT LEAST 20 TEAMS IN THREE WEEKS.

AND EVERYBODY WAS SAN ANTONIO, YOU KNOW, AND THE SURROUNDINGS, MAJOR CITIES.

AND THEY WERE LOOKING FOR HOTELS, EATING ALL THE RESTAURANTS AND LOCALS.

AND THAT WAS IN SOME OF THE PLACES.

THEY WERE LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? BECAUSE IT'S SO MANY PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, YOU GET IT ALMOST 20 PLAYERS PER TEAM.

IF YOU BRING 20 TEAMS IN A, ON A, ON A FOUR DAYS, IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE AREA.

THAT MEANS HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, PEOPLE, SPENDING GASES.

I MEAN ALL, ALL SORT OF BUSINESS GETS.

SO IT IS ACTUALLY CAN BECOME A GOOD BUSINESS FOR THE CITY, FOR THE COMMUNITY.

THAT'S YOUR THREE MINUTES.

SO YOUR THANK YOU SIR.

I GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU.

HOLD ON.

UM, I SAW, HOLD ON, MAYOR, MR. MR, CAN I ASK ON SOMETHING ON, HANG ON A SECOND.

WE'RE GONNA GET MR. WEBER 'CAUSE HE THE LETTER, WELL I GOT, I GOT SOMETHING FOR MR. NITA.

WHAT DATES WAS IT LAST YEAR THAT YOU SET THE, Y'ALL HAD THREE WEEKENDS IN ROSENBERG? THAT IT WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE.

IT WAS IN DECEMBER.

DECEMBER.

WHAT? CAN I GET THE DATES? I DON'T HAVE IT WITH ME, BUT I CAN PROVIDE THAT TO YOU.

YOU CAN PROVIDE THE DATES.

CAN YOU RUN, PLACE YOUR AI TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE CAME IN? SO WE HAVE A NAP JUST TO LET YOU KNOW.

WE, WE WILL KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE AT THAT PARK AT THAT TIME.

SO THAT WOULD HELP US DETERMINE IT.

IS IT A GOOD INVESTMENT OR NOT? IT, IT WAS A SEABORN CREEK.

IT WAS A SEABORN, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, JULY 4TH AND THERE WAS A BASEBALL TOURNAMENT AND THEY HAD OVER 3000 VISITORS.

A LOT FROM OUT OF TOWN, NEW BROWNSVILLE.

THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM OUT OF TOWN.

SO THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING WHAT DATES SO THEY CAN RUN THE SOFTWARE FOR SURE.

WELL I, DARREN YOU CAN GET 'EM RIGHT, THE DATES.

YEAH, WE CAN GET 'EM.

ALRIGHT MR. WEBER, WOULD YOU MIND COMING, COMING TO THE, UH, DEAL HERE? SO DID, DID YOU SIGN THE AGREEMENT THREE YEARS AGO? WAS IT YOU THAT SIGNED IT? IT WAS, THAT WAS ME.

I'M SORRY MR. WEBER THAT HE'S HERE, SO THAT'S GOOD.

HE'LL, IT'LL WORK OUT.

'CAUSE I SEE THAT THE, THE LETTER THE CITY SENT WAS SENT TO YOU.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD TEAMS THAT PRACTICE MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY.

UM, ANYHOW, EITHER ONE, I'M SURE, I'M SURE BOTH OF Y'ALL ARE, UH, KNOWLEDGEABLE OF YOUR SITUATION.

UM, SO IN THIS BUSINESS IT'S ALL ABOUT THE PROVISION OF SERVICE AND SERVICES AND IN, IN THIS CASE, RECREATION TO AS MANY PEOPLE, UM, AS MANY GROUPS AS POSSIBLE.

UM, AND THEN OF COURSE YOU HAVE THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS.

SO WE'RE GONNA GET INTO, UH, SOME OF THAT.

BUT WHY DON'T Y'ALL ADDRESS THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE SCHEDULE, THE, WELL, THE SCHEDULE AND THE, YOU KNOW, I GUESS, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE THEY DIDN'T HAVE YOUR RIGHT NUMBER OR MAYBE, UH, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'S THE REASON THAT Y'ALL WERE HAVE NOT ANSWERED THE, UH, REQUEST OF THE CITY TO, TO PROVIDE A SCHEDULE? SO I, EXCUSE ME.

I ACTUALLY PROVIDE THE SCHEDULES AND I HAVE 'EM ALL SAVED SO I CAN SHOW YOU THE DATES AND TIMES I SENT THEM.

THEY'VE ALL, OKAY, THEY'VE ALL BEEN SENT, BUT, BUT YOU WERE CORRECT.

UM, THEY WERE, THEY WERE BROADLY DONE FOR A MONTH AT A TIME.

[00:40:01]

WE HAVE OTHER TEAMS THAT PRACTICE TUESDAY AND THURSDAY.

THAT'S FIVE DAYS OR FOUR DAYS A WEEK.

OUR GAMES ARE ON SATURDAY AND SOMETIMES SUNDAY.

SO THAT'S, AND AND WE DON'T KNOW AT THE TIME THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THE SCHEDULE TO YOU OR TO THE CITY.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, THE SCHEDULE FROM OUR HSA, WHICH IS THE HOUSTON YOUTH SOCCER ASSOCIATION.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT SCHEDULE IS YET.

YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T GET IT TO ABOUT A WEEK OR SO BEFORE THE SEASON STARTS.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE GETTING READY TO PLAY THE FALL SEASON NOW.

THE KIDS HAVE STARTED PRACTICING ALREADY THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER.

WE WILL HAVE THIS SCHEDULE FROM HSA, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS RIGHT NOW AND WE DON'T KNOW THE TIMES.

SO I CAN'T CAN CAN I ASK YOU IF YOU'RE PLAYING A HOUSTON LEAGUE, DO YOU HAVE ANY AWAY GAMES? YES.

HOW OFTEN ARE YOUR HOME GAMES VERSUS AWAY GAMES? SO IN, IN, WHEN WE'RE PLAYING DIVISION THREE HSA, HALF THE GAMES ARE AT HOME AND HALF THE GAMES ARE AWAY.

SO REALLY IT'S JUST HALF OF THE GAMES.

SO ROSENBERG'S YOUR HOME.

YES MA'AM.

SO HALF OF THE GAMES WOULD BE HERE? YES MA'AM.

BUT ALL OF THE PRACTICES? YES.

A COUPLE THINGS I WANT TO ASK THE COUNCIL.

'CAUSE I DON'T WANT, WE DON'T WANNA LEAVE THEM OUT IN THE COLD, BUT WE GOTTA FIND OUT WHAT THE, THE MONEY STUFF BEHIND THIS.

AND WE HAVE A LONG AGENDA TONIGHT.

THAT IS CORRECT.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT.

AND, UM, SO CALL POSTS FOR A DIFFERENT DATE.

MAYOR, I DO TOO.

AND I HAVE A, I HAVE ABOUT 15 QUESTIONS WRITTEN DOWN, BEGINNING FROM, FOR THE CITY.

WHO ELSE IS WANTING TO USE THE FIELD THAT SAYS THAT THEY CAN'T? AND I'LL JUST KIND OF PREVIEW IT TO YOU SO MAYBE YOU CAN LOOK INTO IT A LITTLE BIT.

I KNOW L-C-I-S-D HAS, I BELIEVE YOU COULD TELL ME IF I'M WRONG, UH, AN OPTION TO RENT FACILITIES FROM THEM AS WELL WITH PROPER NOTICE.

SO HAVE YOU GUYS EXPLORED ALSO TRYING TO UTILIZE ANY OF THE L-C-I-S-D FIELDS? SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, LIKE THE HIGH SCHOOL AND THE MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCCER FIELDS, RIGHT.

BECAUSE I THINK YOUR SEASON IS A LITTLE BIT OFFSET FROM THEIRS.

YES, IT WOULD BE FOR THE FALL, BUT THE PRICE TO DO THAT IS THROUGH THE ROOF FOR US, WE COULDN'T AFFORD IT.

AND THAT'S, I'M SORRY.

SORRY.

SO THAT'S THE KEY BEHIND THIS, HAVING THIS CONTRACT, THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN, IT GIVES US THE FLEXIBILITY TO ALLOW PARENTS, EXCUSE ME.

I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY PARENTS I HAVE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE INCOME TO, TO PLAY AND PAY.

AND SO WE, WE, UM, SCHOLARSHIPS SO MANY KIDS AND SO MANY DIFFERENT KIDS AND, AND FAMILIES, IT'S NOT FUNNY.

UM, AND FOR US TO CHANGE OUR MODEL NOW TO HAVE TO START PAYING FOR USE OF THE FIELDS AND SUCH, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

AND THAT'S THE BIG DRIVING FACTOR BEHIND ALL OF THIS.

BECAUSE YEAH, YOU'RE NOT KICKING US OUT.

WE COULD STILL GO THERE.

WE WON'T HAVE THE PRIORITY, WHICH IS GONNA GIVE US PROBLEMS WITH THE LEAGUES THAT WE PLAN, BUT WE COULD STILL GET IT DONE.

BUT THE PROBLEM IS THE INCOME IN ROSENBERG IS NOT AS HIGH AS SOME OF THE OTHER, OKAY.

WE GET IT.

WHY DON'T, WHY DON'T, HOLD ON JUST ONE QUESTION.

SO YOU'RE SAYING THE INCOME COMPANY, WHY DON'T WE MOVE THE ISSUE TO, YEAH, HOLD ON JUST RIGHT QUICK.

SO YOU'RE SAYING THE INCOME, DO YOU LEASE THESE BILLS TO SOMEBODY ELSE? NO.

IS JUST THE COMMUNICATION.

MAYOR.

UM, ANOTHER THING IS IT, THEY HAVEN'T RESPONDED.

WE'VE, WE'VE ASKED TO TALK, MEET WITH THEM LIKE SIX OR SEVEN TIMES AND WE HADN'T GOTTEN A RESPONSE, BUT IF THEY NOW RESPOND TO US, WE CAN GET SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

SO, AND PUT THAT TOGETHER FOR Y'ALL SO THAT WE CAN GIVE Y'ALL A GOOD SUMMARY DATE.

WE JUST WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET THAT.

WE'VE ASKED WHAT THEIR FEES ARE THAT THEY CHARGE.

WE ASKED HOW MANY ARE RESIDENTS AND HOW MANY ARE NON-RESIDENTS.

WE'VE ASKED ABOUT THEIR SCHEDULING.

THEY ALSO WERE BEHIND ON PAYING US FOR TWO OR THREE YEARS.

UM, THEY DID NOT PAY US UNTIL WE TOLD THEM WE'RE GONNA TERMINATE THEIR AGREEMENT.

BUT YOU KNOW, JOYCE, NONE OF THAT IS ON HERE.

NONE OF THAT IS IN THIS ITEM.

OH.

THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE JUST FINDING OUT.

BUT WE, WE HAVE NOT MET WITH THEM.

SO WE HAVE, SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO PROP POSTPONE THIS TO A DIFFERENT DATE, TO THE WORK MINUTE WORKSHOP.

WAIT A MINUTE.

I, I MOVED FINISH.

CAN SHE FINISH? WHY DON'T I TRYING HEAR, I'M TRYING TO HEAR WHAT ALL THE ISSUES ARE AND JOYCE KEEPS GETTING CUT OFF.

CAN CAN SHE JUST FINISH FINISHED? GO AHEAD.

I I MEAN, I WAS PRETTY MUCH DONE.

I MEAN THE, THE PAY WAS A BIG PART OF IT TOO.

IF, IF THEY'RE NOT PAYING LIKE THE CONTRACT SAYS, I MEAN THAT'S A REALLY BIG ISSUE.

UM, I MEAN ALL THE, ALL THE STUFF THAT HE SAYS THEY PUT INTO THOSE FIELDS, I MEAN, I WAS NOT EVEN AWARE OF THAT.

SO AGAIN, IF THEY WOULD'VE HAD A MEETING WITH US, I I WOULD BE MORE AWARE OF EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.

JUST HANG ON.

STOP PLEASE.

HECTOR, WHAT'S YOUR MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO PUT THIS IN A WORKSHOP.

I'LL SECOND THE MOTION AND THAT'S GONNA BE FOR JUST TO ON THAT THE UPCOMING WORKSHOP.

WELL THEN, THEN I'LL TABLE IT AND IT'LL BE FOR THE NEXT WORKSHOP TO THE UPCOMING WORKSHOP.

UPCOMING WORKSHOP.

THAT'S FINE.

I'LL SECOND THE MOTION.

SO NOTHING'S GONNA HAPPEN RIGHT NOW.

IT'S GONNA, IT'S JUST ON HOLD UNTIL WE CAN DISCUSS IT FURTHER BECAUSE I, I'LL MAKE A COMMITMENT THAT I WILL WRITE DOWN ALL MY QUESTIONS AND I'LL GIVE THEM TO MS. PASS.

AND SO I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU ALL CAN COMMUNICATE WITH HER.

'CAUSE I, I FEEL LIKE THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGER ISSUES

[00:45:01]

SO, YOU KNOW, I, I'LL WRITE DOWN ALL MY QUESTIONS AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET ANSWERS PRIOR TO THE WORKSHOPS SO THAT WE CAN HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY SUSTAIN THIS PROGRAM AND SERVICE EVERYBODY ELSE TOO AND JUST SHARE THE FIELDS.

THAT'S THE GOAL.

IF, IF I CAN, I JUST WANT TO ADJUST ONE THING, SIR.

EVERYBODY, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A MOTION AND WE HAVE A SECOND.

LET'S FINISH OUR VOTE HERE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.

CAN YOU PUT THE SECOND ON YOUR SCREEN? VOICE VOTE'S FINE, BUT IF YOU'RE OPPOSED, SAY NO.

THE A'S HAVE IT.

SO COME BACK ON AUGUST THE 26TH.

IN THE MEANTIME, IF THE CITY CALLS YOU, PLEASE TAKE THEIR CALL.

NUMBER 21 1 4 BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF ROSENBERG, TEXAS AND FORT BEND COUNTY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT SE SEGMENT OF COPELAND ROAD FROM THE INTERSECTION OF BAND ROAD TO HIGHWAY 36 TO A POINT APPROXIMATELY 2,800 LINEAR FEET WEST OF 2218.

OR, OR EMAIL OR WHATEVER.

THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

THE PHONE CALL NEVER COMES.

GOTCHA.

WELL IT'S GONNA COME.

HEY, IT'S GONNA COME NOW.

SO YEAH, SAME THING HERE.

I MEAN, I WAS TOLD.

ALL RIGHT, THANK Y'ALL ALL FOR YOUR INTEREST AND THANK YOU FOR COMING MY BOYS LIKE JUST THE BEVERAGE OF THE GROUND, THE BEVERAGE BARBECUE.

ALL RIGHT.

IF Y'ALL WANT TO, WE WILL KEEP GOING.

UM, OKAY, WE'LL GO ON TO ITEM NUMBER

[2. Consideration of and action on Resolution No. R-3892, a Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute, for and on behalf of the City of Rosenberg, Texas, an Interlocal Agreement for the Fort Bend County 2020 Mobility Project - Koeblen Road Seg. 2 - Project No. 20114, by and between the City of Rosenberg, Texas, and Fort Bend County, for the construction of the project segment of Koeblen Road from the intersection of Band Road and SH 36 to a point approximately 2,800 linear feet west of FM 2218. (Charles Kalkomey, City Engineer) ]

TWO.

I'LL READ IT.

ITEM NUMBER TWO, CONSIDERATION OF AN ACTION ON RESOLUTION NUMBER R DASH 38 92.

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE FOR ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF ROSENBERG, TEXAS AND INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR FORT BEND COUNTY.

UH, 2020 MOBILITY PROJECT COPELAND ROAD, SECTION TWO, PROJECT

[00:50:01]

MR. ALCHEMY, THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL, YOU MUST HAVE ANTICIPATED THIS ITEM 'CAUSE YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR US FOR FIVE MINUTES UP THERE.

I WASN'T GONNA HAVE YOU WAIT ON ME TONIGHT.

THE ITEMS INCLUDED ON YOUR AGENDA TO ALLOW COUNSEL THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH FORT BEND COUNTY REGARDING THE CONSTRUCTION OF COPELAND ROAD SEGMENT TWO PROJECT 2114, A PROJECT THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE COUNTY'S 2020 MOBILITY BOND ISSUE.

THIS PROJECT IS FROM THE INTERSECTION OF BAND ROAD AND 36 AND RUNS TO 2218.

IT'S ENTIRELY WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.

IT'S INCLUDED IN THE 2024 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

FRIENDSWOOD DEVELOPMENT, WHO'S THE DEVELOPER OF THE PRESERVE AT ROSENBERG IN FORT BEND.

MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NUMBER 1 47 IS CONSTRUCTING THE FULL FOUR LANE CONCRETE CURB AND GUTTER BOULEVARD SECTION FROM 2218 TO A POINT APPROXIMATELY 2,800 FEET WEST.

THE CITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE REMAINDER OF THE FOUR LANE CONCRETE CURB AND GUTTER SECTION OF COPELAND ROAD, INCLUDING THE BRIDGE CROSSINGS AT SEABURN CREEK.

GOING ALL THE WAY TO HIGHWAY 36 SECTION IS THE COPELAND ROAD SEGMENT TWO.

AND WE WILL BE MANAGED BY THE CITY AND FUNDED WITH SOME COUNTY MOBILITY AND CITY FUNDING FOR BEND COUNTY WILL PROVIDE MOBILITY FUNDS UP TO 50% OF THE ELIGIBLE CONSTRUCTION COSTS NOT TO EXCEED $3.21 MILLION.

THE TOTAL ESTIMATED COST AT THIS TIME IS $9.377150 MILLION.

THE CITY WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REMAINING ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COST OF $6,167,150.

FUNDING IS INCLUDED IN THE FI 2024 BUDGET FOR THIS PROJECT ON JANUARY 16TH, 2024.

THE RESOLUTION NUMBER R 35 84 COUNCIL APPROVED AN AGREEMENT FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES WITH CIVIL CORP LLC FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES RELATING TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT.

RESOLUTION NUMBER R 38 92 AUTHORIZES THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY FOR THIS PROJECT.

NUMBER 2 0 1 1 4.

IT'S INCLUDING EXHIBIT A OF THE RESOLUTION AND STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THAT RESOLUTION.

R 38 92 AS PRESENTED.

OKAY, LET'S SEE IF THE COUNSEL HAS ANY QUESTIONS.

WE'LL START WITH, UH, FELIX, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THE MOMENT.

UH, YOU CAN JUST SKIP ME OVER AND I'LL COME UP WITH SOMETHING.

ALRIGHT, WELL IT'S A HIGH DOLLAR, HIGH END PROJECT HERE.

UM, STEVE, UH, I THINK SOME OF THIS PRO WELL USED TO BE DISTRICT TWO, BUT NOW IT'S ALL DISTRICT THREE.

UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, HECTOR? UH, I THINK IT'S A GOOD PROJECT MAYOR.

IT'S GONNA CONNECT 2218 WITH HIGHWAY 36.

SO I THINK IT'S A REAL GOOD PROJECT FOR MOBILITY, YOU KNOW, I'M THINKING ABOUT FAIR TIME.

GIVE US AN EXTRA WAY TO GET IN, YOU KNOW, AROUND, WELL, KIND OF THROUGH THERE WITHOUT GOING ALL THE WAY AROUND THE WORLD.

UM, UH, ANYTHING ELSE? HE NO, THAT I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.

JESSICA.

WELL, I DO LIKE THAT WE'D BE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF UP TO $3.2 MILLION FROM THE COUNTY.

I THINK ANYTIME WE GET OUTSIDE FUNDING TO HELP US IMPROVE OUR MOBILITY OR ANYTHING IN OUR CITY, IT'S ALWAYS A WIN.

IT DOESN'T COME FROM SPECIFICALLY OUR, OUR ROSENBERG CITIZENS.

YEAH, WELL FROM OUR GENERAL FUND.

IT, IT COMES FROM US 'CAUSE WE'RE PART OF FORT BEND, BUT IT'S, WE GET A LITTLE HELP, SO I'M NOT YES, IT, IT, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A BIG POOL.

UM, RICHARD? NO QUESTION.

I JUST HAVE JUST KIND OF A, A LITTLE QUESTION.

IF YOU GO BACK TO THE MAP WHERE, WELL, WE CAN GO TO THE MAP, TO THE DOCKS.

THERE WE GO.

SO YOU SEE THE GREEN, YOU SEE THE RED DEVELOPER FUNDED.

IS THE DEVELOPER PUTTING CASH OR DOES HE'S BUILDING THE ROAD.

WHAT'S THAT? DEVELOPER'S BUILDING THE FULL ROAD.

SO HE'S PAYING FOR THE YES.

FOR THE CONCRETE AND, UH, DRAINAGE.

AND DRAINAGE.

THE WATER LINE THAT'S GOING IN WITH IT.

AND THE GREEN LINE REALLY GOES A LITTLE BIT FURTHER THAN IT DOES ON THIS MAP.

IT GETS CLOSER TO THE CREEK.

IS THE DEVELOPER'S COST FOR? UH, THAT, FOR THAT GREEN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HIS TOTAL COST HAVE RUN.

AND I'M SURE YOU PUT IT ON THERE.

WHAT

[00:55:01]

WE CAN, WE PROBABLY HAVE THOSE NUMBERS FROM THE VARIOUS, PROBABLY 'CAUSE THEY BROKE IT INTO FOUR SEGMENTS.

SO WE CAN GET YOU THAT NUMBER.

BUT I DON'T HAVE IT WITH ME TONIGHT.

SO HIS PORTION WOULD BE ABOUT HALF OF THE 50% OF THE 40.

HE'S LESS THAN HALF.

I BELIEVE HIS PORTION WAS, THE ESTIMATE WAS A LITTLE OVER 3 MILLION.

THAT SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT.

I, I'M HAVING A HARD TIME HEARING TONIGHT.

I GOT WATER IN MY EAR SO I IT IF I ASK THE SAME QUESTION MORE THAN ONCE OR SAY HUH, YOU'LL KNOW WHY.

UM, ANYWAY.

YEAH, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S FINE.

UM, SO IF IT WASN'T FOR THAT CONTRIBUTION FROM THAT DEVELOPER, THEN WE WOULD UM, BE PAYING MORE.

BE PAYING A LOT MORE.

SO ARE WE GETTING MONEY FROM THE DEVELOPER AND THE COUNTY? YEAH.

ALL THREE PARTIES WILL BE SPENDING MONEY AND THE MUD OR NO? WELL THE, THE MUD PROBABLY REIMBURSES THE DEVELOPER FOR WHAT? THE DEVELOPER'S SPENDING.

AND THEY'RE BUILDING HOMES ALL THROUGH THERE.

OFF J MEYER ROAD.

WHO IS THAT? DO LENAR HOMES? LENAR.

FRIENDS WITH DEVELOPMENT, RIGHT? FRIENDS WITH DEVELOPMENT.

WHAT ARE THE WISHES OF THE UH, COUNCIL? WE NEED A MOTION.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

EXCUSE ME.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

LEMME GET MY GLASSES.

SECOND RESOLUTION 38 92.

SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR VARGAS.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY PUSHING OR SAYING GREEN.

IF YOU'RE OPPOSED, PUSH OR SAY RED.

EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, 2025.

ALRIGHT, GEORGE.

ALRIGHT, IT'S UNANIMOUS.

THE MOTION PASSES.

WE'LL GO TO ITEM NUMBER THREE.

[3. Consideration of and action on Resolution No. R-3925, a Resolution updating the Schedule of Fees for the Annual Consumer Price Index Increase for Garbage Fees. (Rigo Calzoncin, Assistant City Manager) ]

UH, SCHEDULE OF FEES.

ANNUAL CONSUMER PRICE INDEX INCREASE FOR GARBAGE FEES.

CONSIDERATION OF AN ACTION ON RESOLUTION NUMBER R DASH 39 25.

A RESOLUTION UPDATING THE SCHEDULE OF FEES FOR THE ANNUAL CONSUMER PRICE INDEX.

INCREASE FOR GARBAGE SERVICE, GARBAGE FEES, RIGO ON MAY 3RD, 2022.

CITY COUNCIL APPROVED RESOLUTION 32 75 AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR SOLID WASTE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL SERVICES WITH WASTE CORPORATION OF TEXAS.

LP D-B-A-G-F-L ENVIRONMENTAL FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, 2022 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2032.

THE SOLID WASTE CONTRACT RATES ARE SET FORTH IN THE CONTRACT.

INCLUDE THE RATES, THE RATES.

THE CITY WOULD PAY GFL FOR AT LEAST THE FIRST TWO YEARS FOR THE CONTRACT TERM ON JULY 5TH, 2022.

THE CITY ESTABLISHES SCHEDULE OF FEES FOR SOLID WASTE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL SERVICES FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS FOR TWO YEARS, EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, 2022 UNTIL THE UNTIL ADJUSTED BY CITY COUNCIL IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 10 DASH OH TWO.

THE CONTRACT AT THE END OF THE SECOND YEAR OF THE CONTRACT AND EVERY 12 MONTHS THEREAFTER, THE FEE SHALL BE INCREASED AND DECREASED FOR A PERIOD BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST OF THAT YEAR.

IN NO CASE WILL THE INCREASE OR DECREASE OF THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX OR CPI EXCEED 2.5% IN 2024.

GFO SUBMITTED A REQUEST FOR MODIFICATION OF THE RATE, PROPOSING AN INCREASE OF 2.46% AND CITY COUNCIL INCREASED THE SCHEDULE OF FEES FOR GARBAGE SERVICES BY 2.46% ON JULY 15TH, 2025.

GFL SUBMITTED A REQUEST FOR MODIFICATIONS TO THE RATES, PROPOSING AN INCREASE OF 1.34% BASED ON THE ANNUAL INCREASE IN THE CPI STAFF HAS PREPARED AN UPDATED FEE SCHEDULE TO REFLECT THE ANNUAL CPI INCREASE OF 1.34% FOR SOLID WASTE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL SERVICES FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS.

A COMPARISON OVER THE CURRENT AND PROPOSED RATES ARE ATTACHED FOR REVIEW.

STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 39 25 AS PRESENTED.

SO AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, CURRENTLY, UH, THE FEE IS 1864 FOR A REGULAR RESIDENTIAL HOME AND IT'S GOING UP TO 1889 OR IT'S AN INCREASE OF 25 CENTS PER MONTH PER RESIDENT.

AND, EXCUSE ME, AND I THINK I'D RATHER DO THAT 25 CENTS AN HOUR WOULD BE LIKE HOUSTON WITH GARBAGE FOR MONTHS IN THE STREETS.

ALL DEPENDS HOW FLUCTUATED.

WE HANDLE ALL TRASH.

SO, SO ARE WE RENEGOTIATING THIS BECAUSE IT'S UP OR? NO? I THINK THE CONTRACT WAS THAT THEY CAN INCREASE THE RATE.

WHEN I REMEMBER THIS SIGN BACK IN 22, WE HAD A GOOD DEAL AND THEY COULD INCREASE THE RATE OR DECREASE.

[01:00:01]

SO WE HAD A GOOD DEAL AT THE TIME IN 22 AND I THINK IT'S STILL A GOOD DEAL COMPARED TO WHAT WE HAD BEFORE IN THE BEFORE 2022.

SO IT'S, THE CONTRACT IS 10 YEARS THROUGH 2032 SEPTEMBER 30TH.

CORRECT.

I DON'T RECALL TOO MANY TIMES IT WENT DOWN.

I THINK IT WENT DOWN WHEN WE WENT TO ONE DAY A WEEK SERVICE.

THIS IS BACK, UH, MAYOR VINCENT WAS THE MAYOR AND WE WENT FROM TWO DAYS A WEEK TO ONE DAY A WEEK TO THE BLUE CAN AS, AS THE GREEN AS OPPOSED? WELL NO, THEY HAD THE BACK LOAD WHEN THEY STILL HAD GUYS DOING IT AND THEY GOT A LITTLE CHEAPER, BUT THEN THAT WAS PRE COVID AND EVERYTHING.

SO THIS IS BASICALLY A PASS THROUGH FEE.

I HAVE TRASH SERVICE IN RICHMOND AND THE TRASH SERVICE IN RICHMOND IS SEPARATED OUT FROM THE CITY.

CITY DOES NOT HANDLE IT.

THEY DON'T HANDLE THE BILLING.

WE, I GET A SEPARATE BILL AND UM, IS IT CITY LIMIT? WHAT'S THAT? IS IT IN THE CITY LIMIT? YEAH, IT'S IN THE CITY LIMIT AND I GET A SEPARATE BILL FROM UH, GFL AND IT'S LIKE 30 SOMETHING DOLLARS FOR UH, WELL REALLY NOT THAT GOOD OF SERVICE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

IT'S MUCH BETTER HERE.

WELL, YOU GOT MORE.

WELL IT'S BECAUSE IT'S AT A BUSINESS.

YOU GOT MORE, UH, IF YOU'RE A RESIDENCE, YOU GET, YOU GET MUCH MORE SERVICE YOU GET.

SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION.

39 25.

ALRIGHT, SO HECTOR MADE THE MOTION, UH, WHO WILL SECOND HIM? STEVE.

STEVE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING OR PUSHING GREEN.

IF YOU'RE OPPOSED SAY PUSH, I FEEL LIKE SAYING NO, BUT UH, SINCE THIS, WELL, WE'RE IN A CON WE'RE IN A CONTRACT THOUGH.

WE UNTIL 2032, UM, FOR A PASS THROUGH.

IF WE'RE IN A CONTRACT, THEN WHY DO WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THIS? IT, IT'S, IT'S JUST A VARIABLE RATE INCREASE.

I'M NOT THE ATTORNEY.

IT, IT'S A VARIABLE RATE INCREASE.

THEY, THEY SENT US A LETTER SAYING IF WE ACCEPT IT OR IF WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, IF WE WANT TO CONTEST IT IN SOME WAY, WE WOULD TRY TO RENEGOTIATE WITH THEM.

BUT YOU ARE STILL UNDER CONTRACT EITHER WAY.

THIS ITEM, WELL, I'M CONTESTED.

I WANT TO CONTEST IT.

IS ANYBODY HERE FROM GGFL? THIS ITEM IS ACTUALLY TO APPROVE THE CITY'S SCHEDULE OF FEES, WHAT WE CHARGE OUR CUSTOMERS.

SO IF WE REJECTED IT, WOULD THE CITY ABSORB IT? MAKES SENSE.

SO YES.

THE, THE CITY WOULD JUST BE EATING THE COST IN THAT CASE.

THAT'S RIGHT.

SO IT'S A PASS THROUGH FEE? YES.

IN THAT CASE I WILL ABSTAIN.

CAN YOU NOTE THAT HE WANTS TO ABSTAIN? DID IT, DID IT GO THROUGH? IT ALREADY WENT THROUGH.

IT'S TOO LATE.

OH, IT ALREADY, IT IT ALREADY WENT THROUGH.

IT'S TOO LATE.

YOU PUT ME DOWN AS A YES, IT'S A YES OR I VOTED.

ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR THEN REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE PRESENTATION REGARDING FISCAL YEAR 2026, PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF ROSENBERG AND TAKE ACTION AS NECESSARY TO DIRECT STAFF.

I CAN'T HEAR YOU.

I GOT YOU VOTED.

I VOTED DID I VOTE YES ON THE SCREEN, BUT THEY CAN AMEND IT? YEAH, I CAN, I CAN UPDATE IT IN A MINUTE.

WELL, IF YOU DON'T MIND UPDATE AND PUT ME DOWN AS AN ABSTENTION EVEN THOUGH IT'S, IT'S, IT'S BASICALLY A PASS THROUGH FEE, BUT WE GOT A LOT OF PASS THROUGH FEES.

ALRIGHT, WELL WE'LL MOVE

[4. Review and discuss a presentation regarding the FY2026 Proposed Budget for the City of Rosenberg, and take action as necessary to direct staff. (Luis Garza, Director of Finance) ]

I GOT, I'VE GOT A, UH, I GOT A QUESTION, MAYBE EVEN A PREDICTION.

ARE WE GONNA SEE COMPARISONS OF ROSENBERG'S TAX RATE TO OTHER CITIES AROUND HERE AS Y'ALL USUALLY DO EVERY YEAR? AND HOW, HOW MUCH MORE? UM, UH, I GUESS GRATEFUL WE SHOULD BE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

NOT IN THIS PRESENTATION, NOT THE TAX RATES.

THANK GOODNESS.

WELL, THE LAST MOVED TOO ROSENBERG, SO THAT'S GOOD.

SORRY, THE WATER.

I SAID THE LAST SPEAKER SAID HE MOVED TO ROSENBERG, SO MAYBE IT'S WORKING COMPARED TO RICHMOND, ROSENBERG HAS A MUCH, UH, LOWER TAX RATE, A MUCH BETTER TAX RATE.

SO I WILL DO A QUICK PRESENT OVERVIEW.

THAT IS CORRECT.

IN FACT, COMPARED TO A, TO A LOT OF OTHER AREAS AND WE WANT TO KEEP THAT GOING.

I'M SORRY LEWIS, GO AHEAD.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

GOOD EVENING MAYOR.

MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, THIS ITEM IS BEING PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL FOR A PRESENTATION, UH, REGARDING THE FISCAL YEAR 26 PROPOSED BUDGET FOLLOWED BY THE CITY MANAGER WITH THE CITY SECRETARY ON TUESDAY, JULY 29TH FOR THE CITY OF ROSENBERG AND THE ROSENBERG DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

THE PROPOSED BUDGET WAS DELIVERED TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND A COPY WAS POSTED TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.

CITY COUNCIL WILL BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED BUDGET, A SCHEDULE SUMMARIZING FUTURE WORKSHOPS, PUBLIC HEARINGS, AND THE MEETING TO VOTE ON THE BUDGET AND TAX RATE WILL ALSO BE PRESENTED.

[01:05:01]

YES, SIR.

SO WE'LL JUST, UH, WE'LL JUST DO AN OVERVIEW OF THE BUDGET.

WE'LL DISCUSS WHAT'S NEW IN THE PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET.

WE'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE IN THE BUDGET.

GENERAL FUND HIGHLIGHTS, WATER WASTEWATER, AND THEN WE'LL, WE WILL END UP WITH BUDGET, SCHEDULE AND NEXT STEPS.

SO WHEN DEVELOPING THE BUDGET, WE JUST WANTED TO ALIGN ANY DECISIONS THAT WE MADE TO OUR CITY'S MISSION AND VISION STATEMENT AND ALSO ANY OF THE CITY'S STRATEGIC GOALS LISTED ON THE SCREEN HERE.

UH, BUDGET OBJECTIVES.

UH, THE FIRST ONE IS TO FUND THE DELIVERY OF EXCEPTIONAL CORE SERVICES.

FUNDING PRIORITY TASKS AND PROGRAMS THAT ADVANCE THE STRATEGIC GOALS.

AND THEN ALSO INVESTING IN OUR MOST IMPORTANT ASSET, WHICH IS OUR EMPLOYEES.

UH, ANOTHER OBJECTIVE IS TO MAINTAIN A TAX RATE THAT DOESN'T EXCEED THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE OR THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, BUT ALSO MAINTAINING A RATE THAT DOESN'T COMPROMISE THE ABILITY TO FUND THE CITY SERVICES AND THE CAPITAL AND INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS.

AND THE TAX RATE ITEM WILL BE A SEPARATE ITEM.

SO WHAT'S NEW IN THE PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET? WE ARE PROPOSING TO FUND FOUR FULL-TIME POSITIONS, AN INFRASTRUCTURE PLANS EXAMINER AND THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, UH, BUILDING INSPECTOR AND CODE AN EMS CAPTAIN IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND A M AND O TECHNICIAN IN THE WATER DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE SEVERAL RE CLASSES, UH, POSITIONS.

UH, THERE ARE NO PROPOSED RATE INCREASES FOR WATER SEWER.

THERE IS A 20 STATE INCREASE FOR THE SUBSIDE FEE IN THE BUDGET.

AND THEN THE 1.34 INCREASE THAT WE JUST DISCUSSED IN THE PREVIOUS ITEM FOR THE, UH, SOLID WASTE FEES.

THE NEXT LINE ITEM IS FOR HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS THEIR CURRENTLY BUDGET AT 15% TO INCREASE.

AND LAST WEEK THE FINAL INCREASE CAME OUT TO BE 20.7% INCREASE.

UH, BUT THE CITY IS, WILL BEAR THE COST OF THE ADDITIONAL INCREASE FROM 15 TO 20.7%.

AND WE'RE ALSO SHIFTING THE EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTION FOR DEPENDENT COVERAGE.

SO THE CITY'S GONNA BEAR 5.7% INSTEAD OF 15 OR 20? THAT'S CORRECT, YES.

SO THERE WILL BE NO INCREASE TO THE TO THE EMPLOYER.

UH, TO THE EMPLOYEE.

AND THEN ALSO IN THIS BUDGET, WE'RE CONTINUING TO FUND THE SALARY INCREASES FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH WAS 10% FOR POLICE OFFICERS, EIGHT FOR SERGEANTS, AND 5% FOR LIEUTENANTS, WHICH TOOK EFFECT ON JUNE 1ST.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO FUNDING THE ADDITIONAL 2.5% STEP INCREASE.

SO THAT 2.5 IS THAT, WHEN IS THAT GONNA HAPPEN? 'CAUSE I KNOW THEY JUST GOT AN INCREASE.

THEY DO IT ON THE ANNIVERSARY DATE OF THEIR, UM, OKAY.

THEIR T COLE.

WILL THE POLICE RECEIVE AN INCREASE OVER AND ABOVE THAT 10%? YES.

THAT TWO POINT A HALF PERCENT ON, ON WHICH ANNIVERSARY? FIRST 10TH.

UM, EACH, EVERY, EVERY YEAR ON EACH ANNIVERSARY IT'S STANDARD FOR ALL THE EMPLOYEES.

THAT'S NOT WELL, FOR T COLES, THAT'S NOT CORRECT, BUT NOT TWO, NOT NO.

THE TWO AND A HALF PERCENT STEP INCREASE IS FOR POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND WE HAVE NOW IMPLEMENTED THAT ALSO FOR THE DISPATCHERS.

DISPATCHERS.

CONTINUE.

AND THEN THE LAST, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, 5% SALARY INCREASES FOR ALL OTHER EMPLOYEES THAT ARE NOT ON A STEP, UH, PAY PLAN.

SOME CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE GENERAL FUND WERE, UM, THE REOCCURRING EXPENSE FOR THE STREET REPAIRS AND SIDEWALKS TOTALING A MILLION.

THE LAW ENFORCEMENT FUND, UH, THEY HAD A FEW, UH, BUDGET REQUESTS.

WE HAVE THAT IN THE BUDGET.

THE PARKLAND DEDICATION FUND, UM, IMPROVEMENTS TO TRAVIS PARK PAVILION ROOFS IMPROVEMENTS, AND THEN THE BALL FIELD LIGHTS PHASE TWO, UH, TO SEABORNE CREEK.

AND THEN WE HAVE SOME WATER WASTEWATER FUNDS, UM, PROJECTS THAT TOTALED 3.2 MILLION.

THE BASEBALL, YEAH.

GO BACK TO THAT A SECOND.

JUST TO ASSURE FOLKS, THAT'S ACTUALLY AN INVESTMENT THAT IS CORRECT.

UH, IN HOPES OF GENERATING WELL, IT WILL GENERATE MORE REVENUE.

THE SALES TAX AND THEN 24% IS FOR PROPERTY TAX.

AND, AND ASSURANCE OF WANT TO KIND OF ASSURE THE PUBLIC WE'RE GONNA MAKE OUR MONEY BACK ALL, UH, FROM THAT.

AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BALL LIGHT FIELDS, PHASE TWO? YES.

AND LIKE THE MAYOR SAYS, 'CAUSE UH, KNOW WE'RE HOSTING TOURNAMENTS HERE FOR THE ROSENBERG LITTLE LEAGUE AND THEY BRING IN, I THINK IT'S TANYA HERE.

I THINK SHE BOOKED A LOT OF HOTELS THAT WEEKEND.

UM, WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT HERE WHEN I ASKED.

I THINK IT WAS THREE TO 4,000 THAT WEEKEND.

JUST FROM SATURDAY TO MONDAY.

AND THAT, THAT'S ALSO BEING PAID WITH SPECIAL FUNDS, WHICH IS PARKLAND DEDICATION FUNDS.

THAT'S WHAT THE MONEY'S FOR, IS TO PUT BACK INTO OUR PARKS.

SO, OKAY.

NONE OF THAT AT A GENERAL FUND.

NOT FOR THE PARKS, NOT FOR THE PERFECT.

OKEY DOKE.

WE'LL KEEP GOING.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES, HOW ARE WE FUNDING ALL OF THESE, UH, PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AND THE EMPLOYEES? 49% IS FUNDED BY

[01:10:01]

AND THEN WE DO HAVE SMALL, UM, OTHER SOURCES OF REVENUES FOR FRANCHISE TAXES, PERMITS, COURT FINES AND FEES, AND THEN OTHER REVENUE.

SO THE MAJORITY OF OUR SALE, OUR REVENUES FOR A GENERAL FUND ARE SALES TAX AT 49%.

AND THAT HAS BEEN, UH, SHIFTING THE LAST, WELL, PROBABLY THE LAST 40 YEARS.

IN WHAT WAY? UM, FROM, UH, AS RETAIL MORE STORES.

LESS PROPERTY TAX.

AND MORE RETAIL.

LESS AVALOR TAX AND MORE, UH, LEWIS, I'M SORRY.

MORE SALES TAX.

WHAT IS THE OTHER REVENUE? YOU ELABORATE ON THAT? THE OTHER REVENUE? IT COULD BE LIKE INTEREST INCOME.

UM, WE MAKE MONEY OFF OF, UM, WATER BILL.

LATE.

FEES.

THIS IS SMALL, MINOR FEES, UH, FINES.

ALSO, UH, TRAFFIC.

HOW MUCH? WELL, TRAFFIC IS A DIFFERENCE.

WE HAVE MOTORCYCLE COPS NOW.

WE HAVE PROJECTED A SMALL INCREASE TO, UH, COURT FIND THE CASE.

WE SOME COMPLIANCE AROUND HERE TOO.

DOES THE, DOES THE CITY BENEFIT FROM THE POLICE? UH, TICKETS? WELL, REVENUE.

WE GET A SAFER GOTCHA TOWN.

AND WE JUST, UH, I, SORRY.

AT KENTON TRYING TO MAKE MONEY OFF PEOPLE.

WE'RE NOT TRYING TO MAKE, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE MONEY.

WE'RE COMPLIANCE.

WELL, SPEEDING.

SPEEDING IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST CAUSES OF FATALITIES ON THE ROAD.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT FUNCTION.

YOU TELL 'EM JESSICA, I JUST SAW A COMMERCIAL WHEN I WAS EATING LUNCH.

SO SHARING.

HEY AARON.

COUNSEL, IS THAT A GOOD NOT HAVING ON LICENSE PLATE ON YOUR CAR? PROBABLY DOES.

I DUNNO.

I HAVE ONE, SO I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU'RE LOOKING AT ME.

SO THIS NEXT SLIDE IS HOW ARE WE SPENDING THE MONEY? WE DO, WE HAVE FOUR DIFFERENT DIVISIONS.

UH, WE HAVE THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT DIVISION.

IT'S MOSTLY THE ADMINISTRATIVE TYPE DIVISIONS, UH, DEPARTMENTS.

OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIVISION, WHICH IS PLANNING CODE AND HEALTH.

OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH IS OUR LARGEST DIVISION FOR POLICE, ANIMAL CONTROL, FIRE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND FIRE MARSHAL.

AND THEN ALSO OUR PUBLIC SERVICES DIVISION FOR ALL THE ENGINEERING PUBLIC WORKS, FLEET BUILDING AND PARKS MAINTENANCE.

SO WHEN WE LOOK UP, UH, THE TOTALS ON THE EXPENDITURES BY DIVISION, NEARLY 60% IS ALLOCATED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.

AND THEN WE HAVE 20% FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE TYPE DEPARTMENTS.

PUBLIC SERVICES IS 18, AND THEN FIVE IS FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

AND THAT'S THE CHART ON THE LEFT.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE CHART ON THE RIGHT, EXPENDITURES BY FUNCTION, NEARLY 80% IS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES FOR PERSONNEL AND BENEFITS.

AND THEN 20% IS FOR OPERATIONS.

IT'S FOR OUR SERVICE CONTRACTS.

AND THEN A SMALL 3% FOR TRANSFERS.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THE GENERAL FUND? AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW.

SO BY DIVISION WE SPEND MOST OF OUR MONEY GO BACK.

SO BY DIVISION WE SPEND, UM, MOST OF OUR MONEY ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND PERSONNEL AND BENEFITS.

ANIMAL SERVICES, ARE THOSE CONSIDERED? YES.

PUBLIC SAFETY? PUBLIC SAFETY, YES.

THAT IS CORRECT.

WILD DOGS OR WHATEVER.

UH, AND DISEASE.

ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR? IF, IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT, UH, FUND, WHICH IS THE WATER WASTEWATER REVENUES, UH, 54%, WHICH IS THE LIGHTER GREEN, UH, SHADE IS WATER REVENUES.

AND THEN THE SECOND HIGHEST SOURCE OF REVENUE IS FOR THE SEWER REVENUES, WHICH IS, UH, 41%.

AND THEN SAME CHARTS, THIS IS JUST FOR THE WATER FUNDS.

ON THE LEFT BY DIVISION, YOU'LL SEE THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPART.

UH, I'M SORRY, THE TRANSFERS, WHICH IS THE, UM, LIGHT BLUE GREEN ON THE LIGHT.

GRAY BLUE, YEAH, GRAY ON THE LEFT, WHICH IS 48%.

AND THAT'S PRIMARILY FOR THE FUNDING FOR THE CAPITAL PROJECTS.

THAT 3.2 MILLION.

THAT WAS IN THE PRIOR, UH, SLIDE.

LEWIS, WHAT'S THE TOTAL ON THE, UH, REVENUE GENERATED FROM THE WATER WASTEWATER FUND? YOU, YOU HAVE IT BROKE OUT AND THAT'S GOOD.

DO YOU HAVE A TOTAL? I MEAN, I, I CAN ADD, BUT UM, IT IS, WE DON'T WANNA WAIT.

THE MAYOR A TODAY DIDN'T WANT, DIDN'T WANT Y'ALL TO SEE ANY SMOKE COMING FROM MY BRAIN.

UH, IT LOOKS LIKE ABOUT 14.8 MILLION.

THERE YOU GO.

I WAS GONNA SAY THAT.

SO 14.8 MILLION.

THEN SETTING THE PUBLIC HEARING DATES.

AND THEN THE CHARTER AND RIGHT IS BY FUNCTION.

AGAIN, THE TRANSFER DOES TAKE UP THE LARGEST, BUT THAT'S FOR FUNDING, CASH FUNDING THESE CAPITAL PROJECTS.

SO OUR BUDGET SCHEDULE, SO THE CITY MANAGER FOLLOWED THE PROPOSED BUDGET ON THE JULY 29TH.

TONIGHT WE'RE TALKING, WE'RE PRESENTING THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND DISCUSSING THE TAX RATE, AND

[01:15:01]

THE NEXT TUESDAY, AUGUST 12TH, WE'LL HAVE OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP NUMBER ONE.

AND THEN IF WE NEED, UM, A SECOND BUDGET WORKSHOP, THAT'LL BE ON THE 14TH, UH, AUGUST THE 26TH, WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET.

AND THEN WE'LL TAKE ACTION.

AND THEN SEPTEMBER 2ND, UH, WE WILL ADOPT THE, UH, 26TH BUDGET AND THEN ADOPT IT.

THAT.

SO JUST FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE AWARE, AUGUST 12TH IS BE AT SIX O'CLOCK, CORRECT? YES.

JUST SO EVERYBODY'S AWARE HERE.

LOUIS, YOU'RE DOING THAT ITEM AS WELL? YES, SIR.

ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR SUGGESTIONS FOR THIS ITEM? IF NOT, WE'RE GONNA GO TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE.

[5. Consideration of and action on the 2025 Certified Property Tax Roll; Taxable Value of New Property, Appraised Value of All Property, and Taxable Value of All Property. (Luis Garza, Director of Finance) ]

AND THEN THE TAXABLE VALUE OF ALL PROPERTY IS FOUR BILLION EIGHT HUNDRED TWENTY THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED FORTY THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED TWENTY THREE.

CONSIDER ITEM NUMBER FIVE, CONSIDERATION OF AN ACTION ON THE 2025, UH, CERTIFIED PROPERTY TAX ROLL, TAXABLE VALUE OF NEW PROPERTY, APPRAISED VALUE OF ALL PROPERTY AND TAXABLE VALUE OF ALL PROPERTY.

LEWIS.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

THE FORT BEND COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR CARMEN P TURNER.

REQUEST THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ACKNOWLEDGE IN THE MINUTES OF RECEIPT OF THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION, THE TAXABLE VALUE OF NEW PROPERTY FOR THE CITY'S 102,400,721.

THE APPRAISED VALUE OF ALL PROPERTY IS 6,875 MILLION 170,591.

AND THEN WE DO HAVE CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE FORT BEND COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR AND THE FORT BEND CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT IS ATTACHED FOR REVIEW AND STAFF.

DOES RECOMMEND THAT CITY COUNCIL ACCEPT THE 2025 CERTIFIED PROPERTY TAX ROLE AS OUTLINED ABOVE FOR THE 2025 TAX YEAR AS PRESENTED BY THE, UH, FORT BEND COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR? I HAVE NO REASON TO DISPUTE, I REMEMBER.

NO, THERE'S, WHEN MY, WHEN I FIRST JOINED THE COUNCIL THE FIRST TIME IN 2011, OUR VALUES WERE UNDER 2 BILLION.

GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW MUCH, HOW MANY, HOW MUCH THINGS HAVE GONE UP.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE 2025 CERTIFIED PROPERTY TAX ROLL.

ALRIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE, PUSH OR SAY GREEN? YES.

IF YOU'RE OPPOSED, PUSH OR SAY RED.

TRUTH AND TAXATION CALCULATIONS.

THE A'S HAVE IT, WE'LL MOVE ON.

[6. Consideration of and action on the 2025 Truth in Taxation Calculations: 2024 Excess Debt Tax Collections and 2025 Anticipated Collection Rate. (Luis Garza, Director of Finance) ]

ITEM NUMBER SIX.

OH MAN.

CONSIDERATION OF AN ACTION ON 2025.

2024, EXCESS DEBT TAX COLLECTIONS AND 2025 ANTICIPATED COLLECTION RATES.

MR. GARZA.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THE FOR BEND COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR CARBON P TURNER ALSO REQUESTS THAT THE SAFETY KNOWLEDGE IN THE MINUTES RECEIPT OF THE FOLLOWING CERTIFICATIONS, THE 2025 ANTICIPATED TAX COLLECTION RATE OF A HUNDRED PERCENT, THE 24 ACTUAL AT 99.52, THE 2023 COLLECTION RATE AT A HUNDRED 0.91, THE 22 COLLECTION RATE AT 98.86, AND ALSO THE 2024 DEBT TAX COLLECTIONS AT NEGATIVE 185,433.

UH, THE FORMER CORRESPONDENCE FROM MS. TURNER'S OFFICE IS ATTACHED FOR REVIEW AND STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL, UH, AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE 2025 TRUTH AND TAX SAFETY CALCULATIONS AS OUTLINED ABOVE.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE IT.

I'LL SECOND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PUSH OR SAY GREEN? YES, THE YESES HAVE IT.

WE'LL

[7. Consideration of and action on setting a public hearing date related to the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 Budget for the Fiscal Year beginning October 1, 2025 and ending date on September 30, 2026. (Luis Garza, Director of Finance) ]

MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.

HMM.

CONSIDERATION OF AN ACTION ON SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING DATE.

AND YOU'RE JUST LOOKING FOR A MOTION TO SET THE, THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO PROPOSED FINANCIAL HEARING.

2026 BUDGET.

ILL SET THE MOTION.

IF ANYBODY'S AGAINST THOSE DATES, YOU SHOULD VOTE NO.

TAX RATE AND TAKE ACTION IS NECESSARY.

I THINK I'LL, ALRIGHT.

THE AYES HAVE IT.

REVIEW AND DISCUSS 2025

[8. Review and discuss the 2025 Tax Rate, and take action as necessary to direct staff. (Luis Garza, Director of Finance) ]

DIRECT STAFF LEWIS.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

THIS I, THIS, THIS AGENDA ITEM WILL PROVIDE CITY COUNCIL AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE CITY'S 2025 TAX RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026.

FINAL VALUES HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FROM THE FORT BEND COUNTY, UH, APPRAISAL DISTRICT AS INCLUDED IN IN ITEM FIVE OF THIS AGENDA.

THE TAX RATE CALCULATIONS ARE

[01:20:01]

AS FOLLOWS.

UH, THE 32 CENTS FOR THE CURRENT TAX RATE, THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS 33.48287.

THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE IS 36 22 48.

AND THEN THE PROPOSED BUDGET TAX RATE IS 33 CENTS.

I'LL GO THROUGH A PRESENTATION REAL QUICK OUTLINING THESE DEFINITIONS AND WHAT THE, THE TAX RATE GETS US.

SO, KIND OF TAKING A STEP BACK ON WHAT IS THE, UH, PROPERTY TAX RATE? IT IS DIVIDED BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT COMPONENTS.

YOU HAVE THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RATE, WHICH IS USED TO FUND THE GENERAL FUND, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE DEBT RATE AND, UH, WHICH IS USED TO PAY THE DEBT SERVICE.

AND THAT EQUALS A TOTAL PROPERTY TAX RATE.

SO I WILL BE THROWING A LOT OF NUMBERS AT YOU.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, JUST FEEL FREE TO STOP ME AT ANY TIME.

UM, THE DEBT RATE, UH, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT FIRST, THIS IS A CALCULATED RATE.

SO THE CITY COUNCIL WON'T, UM, SET THIS RATE.

THIS IS JUST SIMPLY A, UH, AN EQUATION TAKES A REQUIRED DEBT SERVICE, WHICH IS IN PURPLE, AND YOU SUBTRACT ANY OTHER SOURCES, WHICH IS FUNDING FROM THE WATER AND RDC.

AND YOU DIVIDE THAT BY THE 2025 TAXABLE VALUE.

AND THAT EQUALS 11 CENTS, 11.70 CENTS.

SO IF YOU TAKE WHATEVER CITY COUNCIL SETS THE TAX RATE, SUBTRACT THAT CALCULATED DEBT RATE AND THAT GETS YOU THE BALANCE THAT'S USED TO FUND THE GENERAL FUND.

GOOD PRESENTATION THERE, LIZ.

SO WE HAVE ADDITIONAL RATES.

THESE ARE REQUIRED BY THE TRUTH AND TAXATION, UM, GUIDELINES.

THE RATE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE IS KNOWN IS THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, AND THAT'S THE REV, THE RATE THAT WOULD GENERATE THE SAME AMOUNT OF TAX REVENUE ON THE SAME PROPERTIES THAT EXISTED IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND ALSO IN THE CURRENT YEAR.

SO IF WE ADOPT THE TAX RATE OF 33 4 2 8 7, THAT'LL BRING IN THE SAME OF TAX, SAME AMOUNT OF TAX REVENUE ON THE SAME PROPERTY.

SO THAT'LL BE LIKE WHAT WE SAID LAST YEAR, LIKE 32 CENTS, THAT WOULD BRING IN THE SAME THING THIS YEAR, CORRECT? YES.

YOU'LL NEED 33 4 2 8 7 TO BRING IN THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE AND THEN THE VOTER APPROVAL.

IF I COULD JUST, YES, SIR.

HOW IS THAT THE CASE IF, UM, YOUR, OR IS THIS SUGGESTING THAT THE AVERAGE VALUE HAS GONE DOWN TO IN ORDER TO, IN ORDER TO REACH THE SAME LEVEL OF INCOME THAT YOU, THAT MEANS IT'S A, THAT WOULD IMPLY THAT OUR VALUES, THE AVERAGE VALUE WENT DOWN.

IT'S, IT CAN BE ANYONE.

UH, IT CAN CHANGE.

SO EVERY PROPERTY, SOME MAY HAVE GONE UP AND SOME MAY HAVE GONE DOWN.

UM, AND THAT'S WHAT THE CALCULATION DOES.

AND I THINK THERE'S ANOTHER SLIDE THAT KIND OF BREAKS IT DOWN.

KIND OF BREAKS IT DOWN.

LET'S HERE.

AND THEN THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, THAT'S THE HIGHEST RATE THE CITY COUNCIL CAN APPROVE WITHOUT TRIGGERING AN AUTOMATIC ELECTION.

AND THAT'S THE ONE MR, IT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT A THREE 5% INCREASE AND A M AND O, UH, TO THE MO AND ALSO A SALES TAX ADJUSTMENT.

SO CITY COUNCIL CAN GO UP TO 36.2248 WITHOUT TRIGGERING AN AUTOMATIC ELECTION.

ANYTHING BETWEEN THE 34, 33, 4 2 8 7 AND 36 WOULD BE CONSIDERED A TAX INCREASE.

BUT ANYTHING LESS THAN 33 4 2 8 7 IS NOT A TAX INCREASE.

SO.

SO JUST KIND OF, SO IF WE DID, IF WE DID 33 POINT 33 4, IS THAT NOT A TAX INCREASE? THAT'S CORRECT.

IT'S NOT A TAX INCREASE.

WE'RE AT 32 RIGHT NOW THOUGH.

CORRECT.

BUT WITH THE CALCULATION OF THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, WHERE VALUES WERE PRETTY MUCH FLAT OR THERE WAS A LOT OF PROPERTIES, I, I'LL GET TO THAT DATE A LITTLE BIT.

I THINK YOU'RE SAYING SOME PROPERTIES WENT DOWN IF YOUR PROPERTY DIDN'T GO DOWN AND, AND YOUR RATE WAS 32 AND NOW YOU'RE TAXING SOMEONE AT 33.

SO SOME BILLS WILL GO UP AND OTHERS WILL GO DOWN.

IF WE ADOPT IT 33 4 2 7, THERE'S, THERE'S THE PROBLEM LEWIS.

WE'RE PROPOSING 33 CENTS.

ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD.

SO JUST KINDA LOOKING AT IT ON A GRAPH, THE TOP RATE IS THE, AGAIN, THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, THAT'S THE HIGHEST WE CAN GO WITHOUT TRIGGERING AUTOMATIC ELECTION.

THE ONE RIGHT BELOW IT IS THE NON NEW REVENUE RATE.

3 3 4 2 8 7.

AND THEN OUR CURRENT TAX RATE IS 32 CENTS.

SO THE CURRENT, UM, FISCAL YEAR 2026 PROPOSED RATE IS 1 CENT, HALF CENT ABOVE.

IS IT A HALF A IT'S A 1 CENT.

LAST YEAR'S FISCAL YEAR RATE? CORRECT.

GO AHEAD.

I KNOW I'M BAD AT MATH.

DON'T CONFUSE ME.

32 31.

I GOT IT.

SO IS A 1 CENT INCREASE FROM THE

[01:25:01]

1 CENT.

AND THIS HASN'T, WE'VE, THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR IN A REALLY LONG TIME THAT I CAN REMEMBER AND MAYBE JOYCE AS WELL, WHERE THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE WAS HIGHER THAN THE CURRENT RATE.

SO WHY ISN'T, WELL IS IT BECAUSE WE DROPPED IT LAST YEAR.

I MEAN, AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR TERM WE DROPPED IT, RIGHT? YES.

I MEAN, THAT CHANGES EVERY YEAR.

IF YOU DECREASE IT EVERY TWO PENNIES EVERY YEAR, THAT'S GONNA HURT YOUR NO NEW REVENUE RATE.

AND THEN IF THE VALUES AND THE TAX RATE IS AN INVERSE RELATIONSHIP, SO IF THE VALUES DECREASE, THE TAX RATE NEEDS TO GO UP TO, TO GENERATE THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE.

SO WHAT EFFECT DID IT HAVE IN THE BEGINNING OF OUR TERM? I REMEMBER WE DROPPED THE RATE, RIGHT? YEAH.

WE, WE PROPOSED 33 4 0 7 7, WHICH WAS THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.

WE DROPPED IT TO 32 CENTS.

SO LAST YEAR, LAST FISCAL YEAR, 2025, IT WAS PROPOSED AS 0.334.

CORRECT.

AND YOU DID IT AT POINT 32? THAT'S CORRECT.

SO THIS YEAR, AGAIN, IT'S PROPOSED AT 0.334.

SO WE'RE BASICALLY IN THE SAME POSITION THAT WE WERE IN THE BEGINNING OF A TERM.

AND WE'RE PROPOSING 33 FLAT, NOT 3, 3, 4.

THAT'S A GOOD, THAT'S A GOOD ANALOGY BECAUSE WE MAINTAINED IT FOR A WHOLE YEAR.

WELL, NOT, NOT ONLY THAT WE REDUCED IT.

REDUCED IT AND MAINTAINED IT.

HEY, WE'RE ALL STILL HERE, AREN'T WE? WELL FOR NOW, FOR NOW.

THEY HAD THEIR PROPOSED RATE AT 33 AND WE WENT BELOW THAT.

WE HELD IT OFF FOR A YEAR.

SKY DIDN'T FALL IN ON US.

WE HELD IT, WE DELAYED AN INCREASE.

BUT NOW WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT IT AGAIN.

IS THIS THIS? I'M NOT WELL, THEY'RE ASKING US TO.

SO, OKAY.

ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE WENT UP IS AN ADJUSTMENT IN THE TAXABLE PROPERTY VALUE.

SO IF THE OVERALL TAXABLE VALUES OF THE PROPERTIES DECREASES, SUCH AS A DECREASE IN, UH, EXEMPTIONS PROTESTS OR MARKET SHIFTS THAT NO NEW REVENUE RATE MUST RISE TO GENERATE THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE.

AND THEN ALSO THAT SECOND BULLET POINT THERE ON THE LEFT, THE CITY HAS APPROXIMATELY 336 MILLION OF VALUE THAT'S IN LITIGATION OR UNDER APPEAL UNDER CHAPTER 42 FOR THOSE PROPERTIES IN 2024.

IS THAT THE EMINENT DOMAIN? NO, THESE ARE PROPERTIES WHERE THEY'RE SUING TO TRY TO UM OH, OH, CONTEST TO DECREASE.

CONTEST.

TAXES REDUCE REDUCE, THAT'S THEIR VALUES.

THEY'RE PROTESTING THEIR, SO THEY PROTESTED FOR THEIR 2024 TAX YEAR AND THEY WIN.

SO THEN THEY'RE GONNA GET A LOWER RATE RIGHT.

IN 2025.

AND THAT'S WHAT KIND OF HAPPENED WHERE THERE'S THOSE SHIFTS WHERE THEY WERE TAXED HIGHER, AND NOW SINCE THEY PROTESTED IT, THE 2025 VALUATION IS LOWER.

SO YOU'LL SEE SOME PROPERTY, IT'S KINDA LIKE WHAT WE STATED EARLIER.

SOME VALUES HAVE GONE UP AND OTHER VALUES WENT DOWN.

BUT TO MAKE IT EVIL E EQUAL, IT'S, IT REQUIRES THAT 33 4 2 8 7 TAX RATE.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT NOT LIKE, I KNOW THAT WAS A QUESTION THAT BILL HAD EARLIER IS LIKE, WELL FOR SOME PEOPLE IT'S GONNA GO DOWN.

FOR SOME PEOPLE IT'S GONNA GO UP.

BUT WE'RE KIND OF LOOKING AT IT GLOBALLY.

HOW DOES IT AFFECT THE CITY, THE CITY AS A WHOLE? BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S SITUATION IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.

WELL, RIGHT HERE IT SAYS 2025 ON YOUR, ON THE SCREEN, IT WENT UP 6.13.

AND SPENDING MONEY IN SALES TAX.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD THE PERIODS FROM 2020 TO 2024 WHERE WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE THAT INCREASE IN VALUATIONS, BUT WE ALSO DECREASED THE TAX RATE AT THE SAME TIME.

SO NOW WE'RE SEEING LESS OF AN INCREASE.

SO WE'RE NOT ABLE TO AFFORD THAT MUCH OF A DECREASE TO OUR TAX RATE.

AND A QUESTION I, I HAD, I THINK WHEN, AT ONE OF OUR PRIOR COMMITTEE MEETINGS WAS WHAT IS THE GROWTH IN TERMS OF NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND, AND NEW PROPERTY TAXPAYERS? LIKE AT WHAT RATE ARE WE WELCOMING NEW PEOPLE TO PAY TAXES? IT'S BEEN GOING DOWN.

UM, SO THIS 6.13% INCREASE, THAT INCREASE INCLUDES THE, EARLIER IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE IT WAS 102 MILLION IN VALUATION FROM NEW PROPERTIES.

SO IF WE DEDUCT IT FROM THAT 6.13, IT'S ROUGHLY 2%.

SO ARE WE GETTING, LIKE ARE THERE ANY NEW COMMUNITIES RIGHT NOW THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED THAT ARE WITHIN THE CITY LIMIT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THEM SAYING, WOW, ONCE THOSE HOUSES GET BUILT OR, OR ONCE THEY'RE OWNED BY RESIDENTS, WE'RE GOING TO START REAPING THE BENEFITS OF THE PROPERTY TAX? THERE ARE, UM, THERE ARE A FEW DEVELOPMENTS, RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE STILL BEING BUILT OUT.

UM, SO THEREFORE WE ARE GAINING SOME VALUE FROM, FROM THOSE, FROM THOSE, UM, DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE IN THE PROCESSES BEING BUILT OUT.

BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY NEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CITY FOR A WHILE.

SO JUST, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE ACTUALLY THE BENEFICIARY OF SOMETHING EVEN BETTER THAN THAT.

AND THAT IS FOLKS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, VERY CLOSE TO THE CITY THAT ARE COMING IN

[01:30:01]

AND IF THEY'RE NOT IN THE CITY, THEN WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS.

WE DON'T HAVE TO PROVIDE 'EM ANY SERVICES.

SO WHEN THEY COME IN AND GO TO ROADHOUSE, WELL, WE'RE PROVIDING SOCCER FIELDS APPARENTLY BASED ON THE LAST ITEM, .

BUT WE'RE NOT RECEIVING PROPERTY TAX FROM THOSE THAT WAS THE LAST COUNCIL THAT DID THAT.

WE, BUT WE'LL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THAT AS WELL.

SO, AND THEN ANOTHER, KINDA LIKE WHAT WE STATED EARLIER, SLOWER GROWTH PATTERNS IN THE CURRENT PROPERTY VALUES.

SO IF THE PROPOSED TAX RATE DOES NOT EXCEED THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, ALL WE NEED TO DO IS PUBLISH A NOTICE OF MEETING TO VOTE ON THE TAX RATE.

UM, AND THEN LOOKING AT THE BOTTOM HALF OF THAT SCREEN, AN INCREASE TO THE TAX RATE IS NOT A TAX RATE INCREASE UNLESS IT GOES OVER THE PROPOSED, OH, UNLESS THE PROPOSED TAX RATE INC EXCEEDS A NO NEW REVENUE RATE.

BUT YOU KNOW, LEWIS, THE PUBLIC REALLY DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THAT.

AND FRANKLY, I YEAH, AND I'M A LITTLE UNCLEAR TOO BECAUSE UH, IF YOU HAVE 32 AND THEN 33, THAT'S AN INCREASE.

THE, THE CALCULATIONS AND WHAT LEWIS IS SAYING IS ALL BASED ON STATE LAW.

IT'S STATE LAW THAT SETS THE CALCULATIONS, UM, TO COME UP WITH THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE AS WELL AS THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE.

SO EVERYTHING THAT LEWIS IS TELLING YOU IS BASED ON WHAT STATE LAW TELLS US WE HAVE TO DO TO CALCULATE.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE LAWYERS, EXCUSE ME, WE'RE NOT, UM, WE'RE NOT MAKING IT UP THAT IF WE'RE LESS THAN THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, IT'S NOT A TAX INCREASE.

THAT IS WHAT STATE LAW SAYS.

SO THAT'S THE LEGAL DEFINITION OF NOT A TAX INCREASE.

THAT'S RIGHT.

YEAH, I, I APPRECIATE THE, UH, HONESTY, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE EASILY SOLD TO THE PUBLIC OR TO THE VOTERS.

BUT I, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

'CAUSE I KNOW EVEN THOUGH WE'RE, I MEAN, I GUESS WHAT I'M HEARING IN BETWEEN THE LINES IS THAT YOU WANNA KEEP IT AT THE SAME RATE THAT WE DID LAST FISCAL YEAR.

I NEVER SUPPORT KEEPING THE TAXES AT A SAFE, SAFE, UH, SAME RATE AT 32.

I'M A, I'M A TAX TAX REDUCTION GUY.

YOU WANNA THAT YOU WANNA GO LESS THAN LAST YEAR.

SO THEN, SO THEN THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE IS ARE WE ABLE, HOW DO WE RECONCILE THAT? 'CAUSE I KNOW IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO WE'VE GIVEN INCREASES.

SO WE'VE EVEN RAISES WE'LL GET INTO THAT.

THAT'S, THAT'S MY QUESTION.

'CAUSE I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT MY, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION THAT MY MATH IS MATH.

YOU'LL, YOU'LL LIKE THE ANSWER.

I'M WAITING FOR IT.

ALRIGHT, SO LET'S LET LEWIS GO THROUGH HIS DEAL.

SO THIS SLIDE HERE IS JUST KIND OF LIKE OUR HISTORY OF OUR TAX RATE AND HOW IT'S BEEN DISTRIBUTED BETWEEN THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RATE AND THE DEBT SERVICE RATE.

AND AGAIN, WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DECREASE THE TAX RATE, UM, BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN VALUATIONS.

UH, BUT WE'RE AT A POINT NOW WHERE WE'RE NOT ABLE TO AFFORD THAT MUCH OF A DECREASE, IF ANY AT ALL.

SO WHEN YOU SAY DECREASE, ARE YOU SAYING GOING BELOW 32, GOING BELOW 33? 4 2 8 7.

SO YOU CONSIDER 32 A DECREASE? CORRECT.

FOR EVERY PENNY IT'S ALMOST 500,000.

SO I MEAN WE ARE ABLE TO OFFER PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS.

UH, WE DO HAVE THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, WHICH IS 20% OF THE VALUE.

AND THAT ON AVERAGE SAVES AROUND $200 A YEAR, UH, FOR THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL HOMESTEAD.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE OVER 65 AND THE DISABLED PERSON'S EXEMPTIONS, WHICH ARE BOTH AT 85 YOU GET ONE OR THE OR THE OTHER.

AND THAT SAVES AROUND THOSE WERE 75 LAST TIME.

RIGHT? WE INCREASED THAT LAST YEAR TO 85.

THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GONNA MENTION.

WE HAD ALSO INCREASED THAT.

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS DID.

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE DID WAS INCREASE THE EXEMPTION FOR UH, PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT ABILITIES AND PEOPLE WHO ARE AGE EXEMPT AND THEN WE CUT IT DOWN TO 32.

SO THAT SAVES THE OVER 65 OR DISABLED AROUND 280 A YEAR.

SO I KNOW THERE'S ALWAYS A QUESTION ON, YOU KNOW, OUR TAX RATES, OUR TAXES ARE INCREASING, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ONLY PIECE THAT WE CAN CONTROL, WHICH IS THE CITY OF ROSENBERG, OUR ALLOCATION IS JUST 21% OF THE OVERALL TAX BILL.

UM, IT'S EVEN SMALLER IF YOU LIVE IN A MUD OR UM, 'CAUSE THOSE, THAT'S A SEPARATE ENTITY.

WELL, AND WHILE YOU HAVE THIS PICTURE UP, THIS IS THE REASON I ASKED THAT QUESTION.

WHEN IT CAME DOWN TO THE SOCCER FIELDS ABOUT, I'M SURE ALL OF THE LCID FIELDS ARE NOT TOTALLY IN USE ALL THE TIME.

'CAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THIS, THE L-C-I-S-D DOES GET 51% OF THE PROPERTY TAXES RIGHT.

OVER THE OVERALL.

AND SO THAT'S MUCH MORE THAN WHAT THE CITY GETS, RIGHT? MM-HMM .

SO THAT'S WHY I PROPOSED JUST AS A SIDE NOTE, UM, THAT THEY INQUIRE WITH L-C-I-S-D 'CAUSE I'M SURE THEY HAVE PLENTY OF FIELDS AND, AND APPARENTLY PLENTY OF FUNDING TOO.

[01:35:01]

AND THIS MAY CHANGE A LITTLE BIT.

DID YOU HEAR HIS RESPONSE WHEN YOU ASKED HIM THAT? WHAT, WHAT DO YOU HE SAID THE, THE PRICE, IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE.

THE PRICE THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CHARGES HIM AS OPPOSED TO THE CUT RATES THAT THE CITY'S BEEN CHARGING.

WELL, MAYBE WE NEED TO FOLLOW SUIT WITH WHAT L-C-I-S-D DOES 'CAUSE THEY'RE DOING MUCH BETTER THAN WE ARE.

30% MORE.

MAYBE WE NEED TO LOOK AT THOSE RATES.

SO WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE, UH, ROSENBERG PORTION OF THE TAX BILL FOR A HOMESTEAD, UM, FOR AN AVERAGE HOMESTEAD VALUED AT 285,000, IT'S ROUGHLY 752 A YEAR OR $63 A MONTH.

AND THEN FOR THE AVERAGE SENIOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, UH, TAX BILL, THOSE VALUATIONS ARE AROUND 240,000 ON AVERAGE.

A LOT OF 'EM ARE A LOT LESS.

THEY ONLY PAY 353 A YEAR OR $30 A MONTH FOR ALL THE, THE SERVICES THAT THE CITY OFFERS.

AND WE DO THIS EVERY YEAR.

AND I LIKE POINTING THIS OUT.

UM, THE CITY'S TAX BILL, IF YOU BREAK IT DOWN ON A MONTHLY BASIS, IT'S $63 A MONTH AND IT PAYS FOR ALL THESE SERVICES FOR GENERAL GOVERNMENT, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, POLICE, ANIMAL SHELTER, FIRE, PUBLIC SERVICES, STREET IMPROVEMENTS COMPARED TO THE AVERAGE UTILITY BILLS OF THE INTERNET, CABLE, ELECTRICITY, AND CELL PHONE WERE PRETTY LOW, UM, FOR THE SERVICES THAT WE OFFER.

AND INTERNET IS NOT $75.

SO I PAY 150.

YEAH, I WASN'T SAYING THESE ARE ON THE LOWER END.

UH, BUT YOU KNOW, WE JUST WANT, WELL LEWIS, WE APPRECIATE THE FIGURES DOING IT FOR TRANSPARENCY, MAYOR.

WELL YOU DON'T HAVE TO EDITORIALIZE.

WE, WE, WE, WE'VE BEEN AROUND.

THANK YOU SO MUCH THOUGH.

AT SOME POINT WE NEED TO, I JUST HAVE A FEW MORE SLIDES MAYOR, IF I MAY.

WHAT'S THAT? I JUST HAVE A FEW MORE SLIDES.

ALRIGHT, WELL LET'S, SO OUR RECOMMENDATION, UH, STAFF IS SEEKING CITY COUNCIL SUPPORT FOR A PROPOSED TAX RATE OF 33 CENTS FOR THE 2025 TAX YEAR.

AND WHAT 33 CENTS GETS US IS A BALANCE GENERAL FUND BUDGET WITHOUT USING FUND BALANCE.

UH, IT ALLOWS US TO INVEST IN OUR EMPLOYEES FOR SALARIES AND BENEFITS.

UM, ALSO ADDING FOUR FULL-TIME POSITIONS, THREE IN THE GENERAL FUND AND ONE IN THE WATER WASTEWATER FUND.

AND WE'RE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE STATE, UM, MAXIMUM ALLOWED HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION OF 20%.

AND ALSO MAINTAINING THE OVER 65 AND DISABLED PERSONS EXEMPTION THAT 85 SOME OTHER ITEMS TO CONSIDER A RECORD ROAD ON THEIR PROPOSED TAX RATE IS NEEDED FOR, UH, POSTING THE PROPER NOTICE.

A TAX RATE OF 33 CENTS IS NOT A TAX INCREASE SINCE IT'S LESS THAN THE NON NEW REVENUE RATE.

AND THEN WE ALSO NEED TO CONSIDER LESS GROWTH IN VALUATIONS COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEARS.

AND THEN, UH, CITY COUNCILS SHOULD CONSIDER HOLDING THE BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETINGS TO DISCUSS AND UNDERSTAND THE PROPOSED BUDGET PRIOR TO REDUCING THE TAX RATE.

AND THEN THE RATE LOWER THAN THE PROPOSED TAX RATE OF 33 CENTS WILL REQUIRE REDUCTIONS OR REALLOCATION TO THE BUDGET.

AND IT MAKES IT CHALLENGING TO ADD ANY OTHER ITEMS REQUESTED BY CITY COUNCIL.

AND THEN JUST, UH, ONE PENNY OF THE TAX RATE EQUALS 492,000 OF EXPENDITURES.

CAN YOU GO, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT PRIOR SLIDE? YES.

AND THE SECOND TO LAST ITEM, A A, A RATE LOWER THAN 33 CENTS WILL REQUIRE REDUCTIONS OR REALLOCATIONS TO THE BUDGET AND MAKE IT CHALLENGING TO ADD ANY OTHER ITEMS REQUESTED BY THE COUNCIL.

SO WHENEVER, IF WE DO HOLD A WORKSHOP PRIOR TO REDUCING THE TAX RATE, ARE YOU ALL GONNA BE ABLE TO KIND OF WALK US THROUGH THE ITEMS THAT WE REQUESTED AND EXPLAIN WHERE AND HOW THAT'S WORKABLE BASED ON THE TAX RATE WE'RE PROPOSING TO ACCEPT? YES.

YEAH, WE WILL DO THAT NEXT TUESDAY.

AND THEN WE JUST KIND OF WANTED TO, UM, SHOW THE CO THE LEFT HAND SIDE IS THE COST INCREASES AND OUR INVESTMENT TO THE EMPLOYEES, WHICH IS THE INCREASE TO THE POLICE DEBT PLAN, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY $1 MILLION.

THE PROPOSED INCREASE TO THE EMPLOYEE'S SALARIES IS ANOTHER MILLION.

AND THEN THE CITY'S, UM, THE INCREASE OF THE HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS, WHICH THE CITY IS TAKING ON, SO THE EMPLOYEE'S NOT AFFECTED IS APPROXIMATELY 540,000.

AND WE'RE FUNDING IT WITH ADDITIONAL SALES TAX BY 1.1 MILLION, WHICH THESE FIGURES ARE, ARE RATING IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.

AND THEN THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUES AT 33 CENTS ADDS AN ADDITIONAL 1.3 MILLION AND THEN OFFSET TO SOME SMALL MISCELLANEOUS REVENUES, UH, TO OFFSET THE COSTS FOR THE INVESTMENT IN IN THE EMPLOYEES.

SO TODAY WE'RE TAKING A RECORD VOTE TO ESTABLISH THE PROPOSED TAX RATE.

WE'LL PUBLISH A FEW, A COUPLE OF NOTICES, AND THEN ON SEPTEMBER 2ND WE'LL VOTE TO ADOPT THE TAX RATE.

OR THE NEXT ITEM? 'CAUSE BOTH OF THEM PERTAIN TO THE, TO THE TRUTH AND TAXATION.

SO JOYCE, DO YOU WANT THE DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM

[01:40:01]

IT CAN GO EITHER WAY.

I MEAN, I THINK WE CAN DISCUSS IT ON THIS ITEM AND TAKE A VOTE ON THE NEXT ITEM.

I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA 'CAUSE THIS ITEM HAS MORE INFORMATION IN IT.

IF YOU DON'T MIND.

I'LL, I'LL MAKE A COUPLE OF POINTS HERE.

UM, AND WE APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK LEWIS.

I KNOW YOU WORK VERY HARD ON THE BUDGETS EVERY YEAR AND YOU HAVE FOR AS LONG AS I'VE KNOWN YOU AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, THE INTERESTING THING IS THAT EVERYBODY AROUND HERE HAS GOTTEN RAISES, WHICH IS GOOD BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PAY FOLKS TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT THE FOLKS EXPECT HERE.

BUT ANOTHER THING THAT FOLKS EXPECT IS A LITTLE TAX RELIEF.

AND I WANT TO ASSURE OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT THE PUBLIC, YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR SUPPORTERS THAT LIVE IN THE CITY, THE FOLKS THAT VOTED FOR YOU, THE FOLKS THAT PUT US HERE EXPECT A LITTLE RELIEF AS WELL.

SO I'M GONNA, I'M GOING TO GET TO THE POINT.

I'M, I MAY BE A LITTLE FIRM AND I URGE FOLKS, PARTICULAR THE MANAGERS AND THE DEPARTMENT HEADS DO NOT TAKE ANYTHING THAT I SAY PERSONAL, BUT I'M GONNA BE VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD.

UH, WHILE CITY EMPLOYEES HAVE GOTTEN RAISES AND WE'RE HAPPY FOR THAT.

NOW IT'S TIME FOR THE PUBLIC TO GET A LITTLE, A LITTLE HELP AS WELL.

SO THAT WASN'T TOO FIRM THOUGH, WAS IT? UM, BUT HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS.

IN THE PAST, THE CITY HAS, UH, AND MANY CITIES DON'T HAVE THIS BENEFIT, BUT THIS CITY HAS HAD THE BENEFIT OF BEING THE BENEFICIARY OF SURPLUSES EVERY YEAR, RIGHT LEWIS? YES.

ONE TIME SURPLUSES.

AND THOSE GO BACK INTO OUR FUND BALANCE.

THAT'S KIND OF THE RAINY DAY FUND.

SO THE PROBLEM WITH WHEN YOU SET THE TAX RATE IS, YOU KNOW, YOU SET, YOU SET, WE HAVE TO SET THE RATE WE TELL THE COUNTY BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THEY ASSESS IT.

AND THEY SEND US ALL BILLS.

AND YOU GET YOUR BILL ONE TIME IN THE YEAR AND IT'S DUE TO BE PAID BY WHAT? JANUARY 30TH? JANUARY 31ST.

WE CAN ADJUST OUR BUDGETS AND SUPPLEMENT IT WITH THE CURRENT GENERAL FUND.

JANUARY 31ST.

SO IF YOU'RE, IF YOU, YOU GIVE THEM AN RATE WHATEVER, 32 OR 30 OR 35 OR WHATEVER IT IS AND YOU DECIDE, OR THINGS CHANGE, LET'S SAY SALES TAX JUMPS UP, THINGS GO REAL GOOD AND YOU THINK, MAN, WE REALLY COULD HAVE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A TAX BREAK, BUT IT'S TOO LATE.

'CAUSE THEY DON'T LET YOU CALL 'EM BACK AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? THINGS HAVE BEEN, WE GOT A LOT MORE SALES TAX HERE.

I WANT TO, I WANNA DROP THAT RATE TOO LATE.

YOU SAID IT ONE TIME A YEAR.

YOU TELL 'EM THAT'S IT AND YOU HOPE.

NOW WE'RE HOPING THAT IF WE HAVE A CHARTER CHANGE HERE, THAT MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO CHANGE THE FISCAL YEAR TO MIRROR THE COUNTY'S APPRAISAL YEAR.

WHICH, UH, THEIR TAXATION YEAR IS JANUARY 1ST THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST.

AND I THINK IF WE DID THAT THEN WE'D HAVE MORE SOLID NUMBERS ANYWAY.

UM, SO THE QUESTION, I MEAN, AND I'LL GET TO IT IN A MINUTE.

'CAUSE THE QUESTION WILL BE WHAT Y'ALL'S NUMBER, BUT WE HAVE A SURPLUS IN OUR, WE WE'VE HAD SURPLUSES SEVERAL YEARS OF THAT.

THOSE FUNDS HAVE BEEN SAVED.

THEY GO IN THE GENERAL FUND.

UM, SO IF WE SET A TAX RATE AT 33 AND THEN WE'RE MISTAKEN AND WE'VE DETERMINED BY MARCH OR APRIL THAT WE'RE MISTAKEN, THAT WE COULD HAVE WENT LESS, WE CAN'T CALL THE COUNTY AND SAY DROP THE SALES, I MEAN DROP THE PROPERTY TAX IMMEDIATELY.

HOWEVER, IF WE DROP THE TAX RATE FROM 32 TO 30 TO 30, AND WE ARE MISTAKEN, WE WON'T KNOW IT UNTIL FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL TILL WE GET STARTED THE, TO THE END OF THE BUDGET,

[01:45:02]

THIS ALL IS GOING IN THE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GENERAL FUND ANYWAY.

SO THIS IS THE SAME FUND.

SO THE SURPLUSES YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE IN THE GENERAL FUND? YES.

UH, WELL WE HAVE, THANKFULLY WE HAVE SURPLUSES ON SEVERAL FUNDS, BUT THIS IS FOR GENERAL FUND HERE.

SO MY QUESTION LEWIS, WHAT IS THE CURRENT BALANCE TO THE GENERAL FUND TODAY? WITHIN COUPLE OF HUNDRED THOUSAND? IT'S AROUND 20 MILLION.

SLIGHTLY LESS.

ALRIGHT, SO A LITTLE LESS THAN 20 MILLION.

AND WE ARE TALKING, UH, ON YOUR LAST SLIDE YOU MENTIONED EACH PENNY REPRESENTS $492,000.

ALRIGHT, SO IF WE TOOK OUT A MILLION DOLLARS OUT OF THAT ALMOST $20 MILLION, THAT'S 2 CENTS OFF THE TAX BILL.

CORRECT? OFF THE TAX RATE? WELL, I GUESS MY QUESTION TO THE COUNCIL, AND IT IS TO THE COUNCIL, WHY DO WE HAVE A SURPLUS AND A FUND BALANCE IF WE'RE NEVER GOING TO USE IT TO GIVE OUR CITIZENS ANY TAX RELIEF? BECAUSE I THINK IT'S, 'CAUSE IF IT'S AN EMERGENCY FOR SOMETHING, IF WE HAVE A DISASTER OR SOMETHING THEY NEED TO GRAB IT FROM, IT'S LIKE YOUR SAVINGS.

YOU'RE NOT GONNA TOUCH YOUR SAVINGS JUST 'CAUSE OH, YOU KNOW WHAT? I WENT OVER MY BUDGET.

I'M GONNA GO GET GRAB IT FOR MY SAVINGS.

YOU GOTTA, THERE'S A BUDGET, THERE'S A REASON FOR THE BUDGET.

YOU GOTTA HAVE IT FOR EMERGENCIES.

I MEAN, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU LOSE YOUR EMPLOYMENT NOW YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE GONNA GRAB IT FROM YOUR SAVINGS.

NOW IF YOU WERE USING IT, OH, LEMME GO GET A NICE, UH, CADILLAC ESCALADE 120,000.

I'M, I'M WORKING, I'M PAYING 2000 A MONTH.

I LOSE MY JOB.

NOW I HAVE TO GO TO MY SAVINGS AND YOU GOTTA DRY IT OUT.

SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HAVING CUSHION JUST IN CASE.

NOT SPENDING ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ZERO.

I MEAN, YOU GOT JUST 'CAUSE CAN YOU KNOW HECTOR, IN IN, IN THE COMMERCIAL WORLD, IN THE PERSONAL WORLD, YOU'RE RIGHT.

I WOULD SAY YOU WOULD BE RIGHT.

BUT HERE'S THE DIFFERENCE WITH GOVERNMENT.

GOVERNMENT HAS POLICING POWERS FOR TAXATION.

YOU DON'T PAY YOUR TAXES.

WHAT HAPPENS? YOU TAKE YOUR HOUSE, RIGHT? AND, AND HERE'S WHERE THE POLICE PARK COMES IN WHEN THEY AUCTION OFF YOUR PROPERTY, YOU CAN'T TAKE IT.

I'M LEAVING, I'M STAYING HERE.

THEY CALL THE POLICE AND THEY HAVE YOU REMOVED.

SO THIS IS WHY THE STOCK, UH, THE, THESE FOLKS COME UP HERE AND THEY TR AND THE PAST COUNCIL, THEY HAVEN'T COME WITH THIS COUNCIL BECAUSE WE'RE NOT IN THE MARKET OF, WE'RE NOT INTERESTED IN BORROWING AND IN DEBTING OUR PEOPLE MORE THAN WE ARE.

SO WE DON'T WANT, WE DON'T WANT TO TALK TO THOSE FOLKS, BUT THEY'LL TELL YOU THAT GOVERNMENTS ARE GOOD BETS AND THEY'RE GOOD CUSTOMERS TO LOAN MONEY TO BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND EVEN MUDS HAVE THE POWER OF TAXATION.

AND IT'S A POLICE POWER.

SO IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, UH, THERE ARE MECHANISMS. ANOTHER THING IS IN THE EVENT, I GUESS LET'S SAY IF THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY, UH, PARTICULARLY A A NATURAL DISASTER, UM, WE HAVE OTHER A AVENUES WHICH WE'VE UTILIZED MANY TIMES, UH, THROUGH FEMA IN THIS.

AND IN THAT, THE ONLY DIS UH, ECONOMIC, I MEAN THE ONLY DISASTER THAT WOULD, UH, WOULD AFFECT THESE KIND OF ENTITIES THAT THE CITIES ARE, WOULD BE SOME SORT OF ECONOMIC DISASTER.

SOME LIKE THEY HAD, UH, LIKE COVID, WELL ACTUALLY THE CITY MADE CITY DID REALLY WELL IN COVID.

BUT PEOPLE, BUT PEOPLE DID IT OH SEVEN AND OH EIGHT WHEN THEY RIGHT.

BUT PEOPLE LOST THEIR JOBS.

PEOPLE WERE SICK.

PEOPLE HAD TO TAKE TIME OFF.

PEOPLE'S KIDS COULDN'T GO TO SCHOOL.

THERE IS NO WAY THAT I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO JUSTIFY TO TO, TO FOLKS THAT WE DIDN'T LOOK AT, AT THAT BALANCE TO GIVE FOLKS A LITTLE TAX RELIEF.

SO IT WAS HARD ON PEOPLE.

WELL PEOPLE DID, UH, IF YOU HAD, IF YOU HAD THE, UH, THE HOUSING DEAL WHERE, WHERE THE CITY ACTUALLY HAD TO LAY OFF, AND FOR THOSE OF THOSE THAT WERE AROUND HERE IN OH 6, 0 7, I REMEMBER I HAD A FRIEND THAT WAS ON CITY COUNCIL.

ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS LIVED THREE HOUSES DOWN AND THEY WERE FORCED TO, UH, LAY OFF SIX, SIX CITY EMPLOYEES.

AND WE HAD A STREET SWEEPING PROGRAM.

THEY CUT THE STREET SWEEPING PROGRAM, THEY CLOSED THE POOLS, THEY CLOSED BRAS, POOL, THEY CLOSED.

THEY WEREN'T BUILDING SPLASH PADS, THEY WERE CLOSING THE POOLS.

SO THIS CITY HAS HAD THOSE HICCUPS AND I GET THAT.

UM, HOWEVER WE GOT NEARLY $20 MILLION,

[01:50:03]

WELL, CAN I THINK WE'RE MISSING A NUMBER 'CAUSE I I THINK THIS IS A LITTLE BIT INCOMPLETE.

UM, YOU STATED THAT THERE'S ABOUT ALMOST $20 MILLION IN THE GENERAL FUND.

HOW MUCH MONEY, HOW MUCH SURPLUS IS THERE? HOW MUCH DO WE NEED TO RUN THE CITY FOR A FISCAL YEAR? AND WHAT IS THAT SURPLUS? BECAUSE I CAN'T JUST UNDERSTAND WITHOUT KNOWING THE NUMBERS, IF REDUCING THE TAX RATE.

I MEAN, HOW MUCH CUSHION IS THERE? WE, WE HAVE A, UM, 25%.

UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO, WELL WE HAVE TO KEEP IT 25%, WHICH IS AROUND NINE AND A HALF MILLION OF EXPENDITURES.

UH, WHICH IS LIKE 90 DAYS WORTH.

UM, BUT ALSO TO KIND OF ADD TO THAT, WE TYPICALLY DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE IN OUR BUDGET A MILLION OF ONE TIME EXPENDITURES.

SO TO REDUCE $1 MILLION, WE'D HAVE TO, THEY'RE REOCCURRING EXPENSES THAT ARE IN THE BUDGET.

WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT'S REOCCURRING TO ONE TIME THAT WE COULD TAKE OUTTA OUR BUDGET THAT WOULD SACRIFICE SERVICES.

I DON'T, I DIDN'T HEAR A NUMBER.

I, I WAS JUST ASKING HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE HAVE? HOW MUCH MONEY ARE WE GONNA SPEND? HOW MUCH MONEY IS LEFT OVER? SO WE HAVE 20 MILLION, JUST SAY ROUND ABOUT 20 MILLION.

WE NEED 10 MILLION TO KEEP IN OUR FUND BALANCE.

SO WE HAVE 10 MILLION IN WHAT, WHAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER SURPLUS.

BUT THOSE ARE TYPICALLY RESERVED FOR, UM, ONE TIME EXPENDITURES.

SO WE HAVE 20 MILLION IN THE GENERAL FUND.

WE NEED 10 MILLION TO RUN THE FISCAL YEAR BUDGET.

JUST TO HAVE 90 DAYS WORTH OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES.

IF YOU'RE GETTING ANOTHER FIGURE, HOW MUCH ARE YOU ESTIMATING? HOW MUCH WOULD YOU ESTIMATE THAT THE, THE, THE VALUES WOULD BRING IN AT A 30 CENT TAX RATE? THE 30 CENT TAX RATE WOULD BE BRING IN 1.5 LESS THAN WHAT WE'RE, YEAH, LET ME TRY TO NOT WORRIED ABOUT LESS.

I WANT TO KNOW THE NUMBER.

LET ME ANSWER, TRY TO ANSWER JESSICA'S QUESTION.

UM, I MEAN YOU'RE ASKING IF IT'S 20 MILLION NOW, WHAT WILL IT BE AT THE END OF THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING? NO, I'M ASKING.

NO, I'M, I'M TRYING TO ANSWER JESSICA.

I'M GOING TO LIKE SECOND GRADE LEVEL.

SO, SO WE HAVE 2 MILLION IN THE FUND BALANCE RIGHT NOW.

AND WE ARE BUDGETING, WE ARE BUDGETING TO TAKE IN AND PAY OUT THE SAME AMOUNT NEXT YEAR.

SO WE WOULD END AT 20 MILLION.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING? SO IT'S NOT GOING TO GO UP.

IT'S GONNA BE THE SAME.

WE A BALANCED BUDGET MEANS IT WOULD STAY THE SAME.

NOW WHAT LEWIS IS SAYING IS BY, BY POLICY WE'RE REQUIRED TO KEEP 25% BY POLICY.

WE'RE REQUIRED TO KEEP 25% OF OUR ANNUAL EXPENDITURES IN FUND BALANCE.

WHOSE POLICY? IDEALLY CITY POLICY.

MOST ALL CITIES HAVE THAT POLICY.

SO IT'S OUR OWN.

IT'S SO YOU HAVE AT LEAST 90 DAYS RESERVED.

SO IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, YOU CAN PAY BILLS FOR 90 DAYS.

FOR 90 DAYS.

THAT'S POLICY.

BEST PRACTICE IS TO HAVE MORE THAN THAT.

AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PUSHING FOR.

WE, YOU DON'T WANNA SPEND THAT MONEY DOWN.

SO THE MINIMUM IS 90 DAYS.

BUT YOU'RE SAYING BEST PRACTICE IS MORE.

NOT BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.

AND TO SAY THAT, UM, LOWERING THE TAX RATE, I MEAN THAT'S NOT A REASON TO USE YOUR READY DAY FUND.

LOWERING THE TAX RATE IS NOT AN EMERGENCY TO USE YOUR, YOUR FUND BALANCE.

UM, AND I'M GONNA ADD A COUPLE MORE THINGS TO IT.

ARE ARE, YOU KNOW, WHY'S THE FUND BALANCE SITTING THERE? WE USE THAT FUND BALANCE FOR SEVERAL THINGS.

THIS BUDGET THAT WE ARE PRESENTING TO Y'ALL THIS YEAR, PROBABLY FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE IN 15 YEARS, DOES NOT INCLUDE A SINGLE ONE.

TIME EXPENSE IS COMPLETELY OPERATIONAL EXPENSES.

WE HAD NO ROOM TO PUT EXTRA STREETS, EXTRA EQUIPMENT, EXTRA POLICE CARS, EXTRA ANYTHING.

IT'S AN OPERATING BUDGET AND THAT'S IT.

SO WHEN WE SAY LAST YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO, Y'ALL DROP THE RATE AND WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAD ONE TIME EXPENDITURES IN THERE THAT WE COULD REMOVE THIS YEAR.

IF YOU WANNA DROP THE TAX RATE AND REDUCE OUR REVENUES BY 1.5 MILLION, THAT 1.5 MILLION IS GONNA HAVE TO COME OUT AS SOMETHING THAT'S IN BLUE ON THIS SCREEN.

THE MONTHLY OF RECURRING, WE'RE EITHER GONNA HAVE TO CUT BACK ON SALARIES.

UM, I THINK THE MAYOR SAID THAT IS NOT TRUE.

I THINK THE MAYOR SAID THAT.

UM, THAT IS NOT TRUE.

WE HAVE, WELL WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CUT SOMETHING WE, WE SALARIES OUT THERE LIKE THAT 'CAUSE SALARIES IS SEVEN 80% OF OUR BUDGET.

WHAT ELSE ARE YOU GONNA CUT? JOYCE? JOYCE WE HAVE $20 MILLION IN A GENERAL FUND THAT IS NOT BEING USED.

THAT WE SHOULD NOT YOU YOU ON SPEND ON OPERATING EXPEND.

HOLD ON.

THAT'S YOUR OPINION.

THAT IS NOT THE WAY MY OPINION.

THAT IS YOU.

THAT IS, THAT IS A PROFESSIONAL FINANCIAL ACCOUNTANT'S OPINION.

IS IT STATUTE? NO, BUT THIS AIN'T STATUTE.

WELL THAT'S WHAT STATUTE WE GO BY HERE.

I AM I THAT IS YOUR VIEW.

IF YOU WANNA START GOING INTO OPINIONS, IT'S NOT AN OPINION.

BECAUSE I CAN ANSWER ANOTHER QUESTION AND THAT IS YOUR OPINION.

[01:55:01]

I GOT AN OPINION AS WELL.

IT'S A PROFESSIONAL OPINION.

I'VE DONE THIS FOR A LONG TIME.

WELL LET ME GIVE YOU MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION.

WE HAVE A FUN BALANCE AND IT'S $20 MILLION, HANG ON.

THAT WAS DERIVED TO ASSIST THE PUBLIC.

WE HAVE A COUNCIL THAT WAS, THAT WAS ELECTED, THAT WE'RE ELECTED AS FISCAL CONSERVATIVES AND WE'RE NOT, I HOPE GONNA PROPOSE A TAX INCREASE.

YOU CAN CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT TO, BUT A 30 33 IS MORE THAN 32.

IT'S A HIGHER TAX RATE.

WELL, WHATEVER IT IS.

AND SO, UM, THERE'S NO REASON TO KEEP A SLUSH FUND.

EXCUSE ME, WRONG TERMINOLOGY.

LET ME A GENERAL FUND BALANCE OF $20 MILLION IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO USE IT WHEN YOU NEED IT.

LET ME, LET ME TELL YOU WHAT ELSE.

THAT FUND'S FOR 10 MILLION.

WE HAVE TO KEEP A CASE THAT WE HAVE A EMERGENCY.

WELL I'M ONLY TALKING ABOUT 2 CENTS AND IT WAS FOUR.

I WROTE IT RIGHT DOWN.

ACCORDING TO YOUR DUE, IT'S 1,000,490 2000 PER CENT IS THE EQUATION.

I'M TALKING TWO OF TWO OUT OF THAT PLUS THE ONE THAT WE GOT.

ALRIGHT, THAT'S LESS THAN A MILLION DOLLARS.

NO, IT'S 1.5 MILLION.

1.5 MILLION.

BUT BUT THAT 10 MILLION THAT'S LEFT IS ALSO FOUR.

AND I'M JUST TELLING YOU THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE THREE OR FOUR OTHER COUNTY MOBILITY PROJECTS OUT THERE.

MM-HMM THAT THE COUNTY'S PAYING FOR HALF OF A PROJECT.

WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THE OTHER HALF.

WE PROJECTS, PROJECTS, PROJECTS.

THIS COUNCIL, WE DON'T HAVE TO BUY INTO ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS.

WE BROUGHT, BOUGHT INTO THEM A LONG TIME AGO WHEN WE TOLD THE COUNTY WE WANNA PARTICIPATE AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MATCH THAT FUNDING TO DO THOSE PROJECTS.

IT AND THEY'RE NEEDED PROJECTS AND THAT'S WHAT THAT MONEY'S FOR.

IF THE CITY IS NOT GOING TO ISSUE DEBT, THEN THAT FUND BALANCE IS GONNA HAVE TO BE USED TO FUND THOSE PROJECTS.

AND CAN YOU, I MEAN IF YOU KNOW OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, CAN YOU NAME SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS WE HAVE.

UM, BER ROAD IS A COUNTY MOBILITY THAT'S NOT FUNDED.

JAY MEYER ROAD COUNTY MOBILITY IS NOT FUNDED.

CAN YOU THINK OF ANYMORE FOURTH? IS IT FOURTH STREET EXPANSION? NO, NO.

GRAYER ROAD IS PART OF THE DRAINAGE PROJECT WHERE WE WOULD RECEIVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

THERE'S ALSO A GRAYER ROAD ROAD PROJECT TO EXTEND IT.

AND THAT IS, UM, COUNTY HAS FUNDING THAT WE HAVE TO MATCH.

THAT'S TWO OF THEM.

I THINK THERE'S TWO MORE.

SPOT CHECK SPOT CHECK ROAD IS ANOTHER ONE.

SO YOU'RE SAYING SPOT ROAD, WHAT YOU TALKING ABOUT THE EXTENSION OF SPOTCHECK ROAD? YES SIR.

THAT'S GOING OUT TO NEW DEVELOPMENT.

AND THE DEVELOPERS I'M SURE ARE GONNA PITCH IN ON IT TOO.

THEY WILL PITCH IN.

BUT WE WILL HAVE TO PAY A BOARD.

WELL, YOU KNOW THE REALITY HERE, AND I LOOKED AT COPELAND ROAD, I, WE, I SAW THAT MAP TONIGHT AND IT'S FINE.

NEW ROADS THROUGH PASTURES ARE FINE, BUT WE SHOULDN'T DO THEM AT THE EXPENSE OF LITTLE BIT OF A TAX BREAK.

AND THAT'S EMPIRE BUILDING.

IT'S JUST MORE AND MORE EMPIRE BUILDING.

AND MAYBE, UH, COUNCIL SHOULD BE A LITTLE MORE CAREFUL BEFORE THEY AGREE TO ENTER IN SOME OF THESE MOBILITY PROJECTS.

WE'LL TALK TO OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABOUT THAT TOO AND SEE AND, AND SEE WHAT UM, IF WE CAN GET SOME RELIEF THERE.

BUT TONIGHT THE QUESTION IS FOR OUR COUNSEL, DO YOU WISH TO UPHOLD OUR PLEDGES AND GIVE US A 2 CENT TAX CUT? GEORGE, WHAT? WHAT'S YOUR VIEW? I'LL SECOND THAT.

MAYOR, ARE YOU FOR A LITTLE BIT OF A TAX RELIEF? YES SIR.

RICHARD, JESSICA, I HAVE A QUESTION.

ARE WE COMMITTING TO A NUMBER TONIGHT? 'CAUSE I THINK IN THE PRIOR SLIDE IT SAID WE WOULD HAVE A WORKSHOP AND THEY WOULD PRESENT JUST TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW.

WE JUST HAVE TO LET THE STAFF KNOW SO THEY CAN PREPARE THE BUDGET TO GO BACK THROUGH THE BUDGET SO THEY CAN REDO IT TO TRY AND ACCOMMODATE.

THAT'S RIGHT.

A REDUCTION.

ACCOMMODATE A NUMBER.

MAYOR, RIGHT NOW THIS IS JUST, THIS IS LEWIS.

LEWIS RIGHT NOW I'M POLLING THE COUNCIL.

YOU HAVE TRIED TO CONVINCE US ENOUGH AND WE UNDERSTAND.

I'M, I HAVE BEEN HERE 15 OF THESE HEARINGS.

I UNDERSTAND.

NO, NO.

NOW, NOW I'M PULLING THE COUNCIL.

I'M RUNNING THE MEETING.

WE JUST NEED TO LET COUNSEL KNOW THIS IS A MAXIMUM THAT YOU'RE ADOPTING TONIGHT.

A MAXIMUM TO PUBLISH WHAT YOU NEED.

I UNDERSTAND.

WHEN YOU COUNSEL RIGHT NOW, I WANT TO PULL, EXCUSE ME, I WANT TO PULL THE COUNSEL TO GIVE Y'ALL DIRECTION, BUT THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS A MAXIMUM.

WHEN Y'ALL VOTE ON SEPTEMBER 2ND, Y'ALL CAN STILL VOTE FOR I UNDERSTAND.

BUT RIGHT NOW I WANT TO POLL THE COUNCIL.

IF YOU DON'T MIND, JESSICA.

SO THAT, THAT WAS MY QUESTION IS IF IT'S NOT SET STONE, ARE WE COMMITTING TO YEAH, I ARE WE SETTING IN NUMBER AND NOT JOYCE? LET, LEMME REITERATE BY.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S PARTIALLY TRUE.

YOU CAN COMMIT TO 33 AND A HALF TODAY AND ON SEPTEMBER 2ND WE

[02:00:01]

CAN SAY 29 CENTS.

BUT YOU CANNOT GO ABOVE IT.

WE CANNOT GO ABOVE A STANDARD TODAY.

SO IF YOU WERE TO SAY 29 TONIGHT, YOU COULD NOT NOT GO ABOVE 30.

WE, WE MESSED UP.

NO, YOU CAN GO LOWER THAN THE PUBLIC NOTICE.

SO TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO GO AT 33 AND A HALF.

RIGHT NOW I'M ASKING JESSICA THOUGH, HECTOR.

WELL, I'M, I'M ASKING.

WELL, WELL I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY A POINT 'CAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING.

'CAUSE SOMETIMES I GET A LITTLE BIT SECOND.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR, WE'RE LOOKING FOR A NUMBER.

SO YOU GUYS ALREADY SECONDED A NUMBER.

SO IS THERE A MOTION? THAT'S WHAT I WANNA UNDERSTAND.

I NO MOTION.

SO THERE'S NO MOTION.

SO WE'RE JUST, I'M GONNA MAKE MOTION ON ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.

I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION ITEM NINE.

I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO GO FROM 32 TO 30.

BUT RIGHT NOW I'M GIVING YOU ALL THE BENEFIT OF EXPRESSION.

MAYOR, WE JUST NEED TO READ ITEM NUMBER NINE FIRST.

THAT'S THE OFFICIAL VOTE.

DO WHAT WAS THE QUESTION THAT YOU ASKED ME? DO YOU WANT ME TO GO TO NUMBER NINE? BECAUSE I ASKED Y'ALL EARLIER, IS THIS THE POINT WHERE WE DO THE TAX RATE? THE, THE TWO CONVERSATIONS OVERLAP, BUT ALRIGHT, WE JUST NEED TO GO TO ITEM SECOND FOR THE VOTE.

JESSICA, DO YOU WISH TO PASS AT THE MOMENT? NO.

NO, BUT WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, WHICH IS WHAT I THINK I SAID LAST YEAR, AND I THINK I MADE YOU MAD LAST YEAR AND I MIGHT MAKE YOU MAD AGAIN THIS YEAR.

NO, NO.

I I I JUST WANT, I JUST WANT TO, I SAW THE SLIDES, I SAW THE PAPER .

I KNOW I MADE YOU MAD.

YEAH, YOU'RE GONNA SEE IT AGAIN.

BUT I'M, I'M GONNA PULL THE COUNCIL HERE.

WELL, I'M PART OF THAT.

I JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT YOUR VIEW IS.

DO YOU WANT ANY TAX RELIEF? BECAUSE I DO WANT TAX RELIEF.

I JUST HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF COMMITMENT ISSUES RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I WANNA SEE WHAT THEY REWORK UP IN THE BUDGET.

ALRIGHT, BECAUSE I, I DO KNOW THAT WE DID APPROVE A LOT OF INCREASES, BUT YOU DO WANT SOME TAX RELIEF.

I DO WANT TAX RELIEF.

SO I'M OPEN TO IT.

I JUST DON'T WANNA TO PUT US ALL THE WAY DOWN TO LIKE 24% AND THEN LATER GO UP.

I I WOULDN'T DO THAT EITHER.

THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW? NO, NO.

YES, NO, NO.

I, I RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE.

WHAT'S YOUR NUMBER, HECTOR? MY NUMBER'S 33.

ALRIGHT, STEVE, YOU WANT ANY TAX RELIEF? YES.

FELIX, YOU WANT ANY TAX RELIEF? YES, I DO.

BUT ALSO, UH, I NEED A NUMBER.

HANG ON.

UH, WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS I'M ALL FOR TAX RELIEF, BUT ALSO AT THE EXPENSE OF OKAY, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO GIVE A NUMBER.

LET HIM FINISH TALKING.

HE'S GOT LIKE, WE FINISH TWO SECONDS OF TALKING TO THE WHOLE NIGHT.

SO LOUIS, UM, IF WE STAY AT THE COURSE RIGHT NOW AT THIS RATE, WILL WE BE ABLE TO UH, RUN THESE THE CITY EFFICIENTLY? I MEAN, OR ARE WE GONNA HAVE TO CUT? IT'S JUST A BALANCE.

IT'S A BALANCE BUDGET RIGHT NOW IT, WE'RE ADDING SERVICES AND WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET.

I I MEAN I'M ALL 33 CENTS.

I'M ALL FOR TAX FOR TONIGHT.

IT'S LIKE WHAT THEY SAY, PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND.

YOU'RE, YOU'RE PICK WE PICKED 33 TONIGHT.

ALL OF A CEILING.

CORRECT? BASICALLY WE CAN ON, THAT'S CORRECT.

ON TUESDAY.

I CAN'T GO BACK AND SAY I WANNA DO 34.

WE'RE SETTING A BAR TONIGHT.

THAT'S A CEILING.

WHICH LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S A CEILING.

IT TONIGHT IT'S NOT, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, OH WE NEED, I'M, I WANNA REDUCE THE TAXES.

BUT TONIGHT WE JUST SETTING A BAR, WE CANNOT, I DON'T WANNA GO OVER 33 CENTS.

THAT'S IT.

SO IF YOU SAY I WANT, I DON'T WANNA GO OVER 30, THAT'S, THAT JUST MESSES EVERYTHING UP.

YOU GOTTA KEEP IT UNDER 30 OR UNDER, YOU GOTTA UNDER 30 NO MORE.

NOW YOU COULD SAY, OH, WELL WE WANTED, I WANTED MORE RAISES FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

YOU CAN'T DO IT NO MORE.

'CAUSE YOU LEFT IT AT 30, BUT YOU COULD PLAY WITH THE 33 NUMBER.

WE GOTTA UNDERSTAND THAT.

OKAY, HECTOR, HE'S, BUT NO, BUT YOU'RE EXPLAINING IT WRONG, MAYOR.

NO, YOU'RE SAYING 30 CENTS RIGHT NOW.

BUT THIS, I'M ASKING HIM IF HE WANTS ANY TAX RELIEF.

IT KIND OF, YEAH, YEAH.

BUT WE DON'T WANNA TIE OUR HANDS DAY, WE DON'T NEED TO TIE OUR HANDS BEFORE WE SEE THE BUDGET.

AND THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE LAST YEAR.

THEY'VE SHOWN US THE BUDGET.

NO, THEY HAVEN'T.

THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT, WE HAVE NOT SEEN THE BUDGET UNTIL NEXT TUESDAY.

GO BACK TO, I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA TIME MY HANDS BEFORE I LOOK AT THE BUDGET.

THAT'S HECTOR.

I MEAN, FELIX, DO YOU WANT ANY TAX RELIEF OR NOT? I DO.

UM, ALRIGHT.

SO ARE YOU GONNA GO AHEAD AND GIVE US A, ANOTHER BUDGET NUMBER OR NO? SO WE'RE GONNA GO OVER IT.

HERE'S MY MOTION.

IF WE, IF HERE'S MY MOTION.

IF THE, IF THE, IF THE TAX RATE IS SET AT 30 CENTS, WE WILL HAVE TO CUT GEORGE 1.5 MILLION OUT OF THIS BUDGET, GEORGE.

SO YOU ALWAYS, OR USE OUR FUND BALANCE, WHICH IS NOT, YOU CAN NEXT WEEK.

YOU CAN ALWAYS CUT IT TOO.

YOU CAN CAN SAY YOU THE BAR.

YOU CAN SAY 33 TODAY AND 29 NEXT TIME.

OH, SO WE CAN ALWAYS GO THIS, YOU CAN GO LOWER, BUT RIGHT NOW WE CAN'T.

IF WE SET 33 TODAY, WE CAN'T GO BACK TO THE WE JUST CAN'T GO, WE CAN'T GO HIGHER LATER.

HEY, WE PROTECT OUR, EXCUSE ME.

NO MORE DISCUSSION ON THAT.

WELL, WHY? THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT RIGHT.

THAT'S NOT, COUNCIL HAS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING.

YEAH, YOU CAN'T

[9. Consideration of and action to take a record vote on the 2025 proposed tax rate and to approve the Notice of Meeting to Vote on Tax Rate for the City of Rosenberg. (Luis Garza, Director of Finance) ]

DO THAT.

CAN I MAKE A MOTION ON THIS ITEM? NO, WE JUST NEED TO READ ITEM NUMBER NINE AND THEN YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION.

LET ME READ THE ITEM CONSIDERATION OF AN ACTION ON, ON TAKE A RECORD.

VOTE FOR 2025 PROPOSED TAX RATE AND APPROVE THE NOTICE OF MEETING FOR VOTE ON TAX RATE FOR THE CITY OF ROSENBERG.

33.

ALRIGHT, HERE'S THE MOTION I REMOVE.

I MOVE, WE REDUCE THE TAX RATE FROM 32 TO 30.

WHO WILL SECOND THE MOTION? ALRIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? IF YOU WANT A TAX RATE, TAX CUT.

PUSH OR SAY

[02:05:01]

GREEN.

MAYOR, IT'S NOT A TAX CUT TODAY, MAYOR.

IT'S NOT.

WELL, WHATEVER.

IF THEY'RE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, YOU PUSH OR SAY GREEN.

OR SAY NO IF YOU'RE NOT.

FAVOR.

IF YOU'RE OPPOSED, EVERYBODY'S DONE ANYTHING.

SO WE CAN'T DO NOTHING.

WELL, WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE MACHINE? YOU'RE NOT, SO YOU'RE MAKING A MOTION TO PUT IT WHERE AT 30, THAT'S MOVE, MOVE IT FROM 32 TO 30 AND THEY'LL GO BACK THROUGH THE BUDGET AND YOU'LL SEE EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE.

SECONDED BY GEORGE.

IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR, PLEASE PUSH OR SAY GREEN.

IF YOU'RE OPPOSED, PUSH OR SAY RED.

GEORGE, DO YOU WANT A TAX CUT? IF YOU DO YOU HAVE TO PUSH GREEN? YES.

CUT.

SAY NO.

I WANT A TAX CUT, BUT NOT TOO, NOT TOO BIG.

YOU DON'T NEED A TIE YOUR HAND TO WHERE WE'RE LOSING MONEY.

YOU DON'T NEED TO TIE YOUR HANDS TODAY, THEN YOU WOULD VOTE.

FELIX.

FELIX, IF YOU DON'T WANT IT, JUST SAY NO.

I KNOW WHAT I'M TELLING YOU.

PHOENIX.

SO THE, THE, THE ITEM PASSES FOUR TO THREE.

ALRIGHT, NOW THAT'S THE END OF THAT ITEM.

THERE'S NO OTHER ITEMS. THAT'S THE LAST ITEM.

WE WILL BE ADJOURNED RIGHT NOW.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

I'LL SECOND.

SECOND THE MOTION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.

IF YOUR OPPOSED SAY NO.