Jul 28, 2026 City Council Workshop Meeting

[00:00:01]

HELLO EVERYBODY. WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME. 630 LET'S CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.

[ Call to order: City Hall Council Chamber ]

ALL RIGHT. FELIX, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET UP OVER THERE. BUT WHERE YOU ARE.

WOULD YOU MIND LEADING US IN THE INVOCATION AND THE PLEDGE? SURE. IF EVERYBODY WILL BOW THEIR HEADS FOR ME.

LORD GOD, AS WE COME TOGETHER, FATHER. AND WE.

WE GET TO CONGREGATE TOGETHER. FATHER. IN YOUR NAME, LORD GOD, WE THANK YOU, FATHER, FOR THE BLESSING OF ANOTHER DAY.

WE THANK YOU, FATHER, FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, FOR OUR RESIDENTS, AND FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY WE CALL HOME.

THANK YOU, FATHER, FOR ALLOWING US TO BE FREE AND TO HAVE THE LIBERTY TO SERVE YOU WITHOUT ANY JUDGMENT OR RESTRICTIONS.

LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. IN THE PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS CHRIST WE PRAY.

AMEN. WE MAY PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.

ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU. FELIX. RICHARD AND AMANDA WILL NOT BE JOINING US TONIGHT.

RICHARD IS GOT A COLD AND I WAS SPEAKING TO HIM EARLIER.

AND I SAID, RICHARD, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE A COLD.

HE SAID, YEAH, I DO. I SAID, WELL, MAYBE YOU SHOULDN'T COME TO THE MEETING TONIGHT.

AND HE TOOK THAT ADVICE. BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO GET WHAT HE'S GOT.

SO I CAN'T AFFORD TO GET THAT RIGHT NOW. SO ANYWAY, WE HOPE HE FEELS BETTER ALSO.

AMANDA. SHE HAS SOMETHING GOING ON WITH HER LEG.

SHE WILL NOT BE HERE TONIGHT EITHER, SO. FELIX, WE GOTTA PUT IN A GOOD WORD WITH THE GOOD LORD FOR THEM AS WELL.

ALRIGHT. WE DO HAVE. A THIEF? NO, NO WE DON'T. WE JUST HAVE TO LOOK A LITTLE FURTHER FOR THESE.

NEVER MIND. THEN. ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE AN ADOPTION EVENT HOLLYWOOD

[ Announcements.  ]

JOIN US FOR HOLLYWOOD FEED ADOPTION EVENT WITH WAIVED OPTION FEES.

ADOPTION FEES. I'M SORRY. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5TH FROM 1 TO 3 P.M.

AT 13,574 UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD, SUITE 100, SUGAR LAND, TEXAS.

SO IF YOU'RE IN THAT AREA AND YOU'RE IN THE MARKET FOR A PET, COME THERE AND AND ADOPT ONE.

WE'RE HAPPY FOR THAT. AND WE APPRECIATE CAROLYN TYLER'S DILIGENCE WITH THIS ISSUE.

CAROLYN, I KNOW WE'VE SAID IT BEFORE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO SAY IT AGAIN.

THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. THAT IS DEDICATION.

SPEAKING OF CAROLYN, WE DO HAVE SOME SPEAKERS TONIGHT.

WE HAVE CAROLYN AND LORI. WHAT'S THAT? ITEM ONE.

WELL, THIS WE'RE RIGHT HERE AT THE ITEM. SO DO YOU WANT TO I THINK THEY PROBABLY BOTH KNOW THE RULES.

I DON'T THINK SO. JUST WHY DON'T YOU COME AND SPEAK? I MEAN, CAROLYN, IF YOU'D LIKE, YOU CAN GO FIRST.

LORI AFTER HER. AND Y'ALL PROBABLY HEARD THE RULES, SO JUST.

I'LL READ THE ITEM. HERE'S THE ITEM. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION REGARDING FISCAL YEAR, BUDGET AND FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET AND FUTURE BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS. SO WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE BUDGET.

TONIGHT IS JUST A WORKSHOP. WE CAN'T TAKE ANY FORMAL ACTION, BUT WE CAN GET A CONSENSUS EVEN THOUGH TWO OF OUR MEMBERS ARE NOT HERE.

I'M SORRY. JOYCE, ONE OTHER THING. WE HAVE GOT TO CONGRATULATE JOYCE.

CONGRATULATIONS. SHE HAD HER FIRST GRANDCHILD TODAY.

YEP. SHE'S NOT THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY HAD IT, BUT SHE IS THE ONE HERE THAT WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL FOR THAT. JOYCE. AND WE'RE VERY HAPPY FOR YOU.

[00:05:01]

[ COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE FOR WORKSHOP AGENDA ITEMS. Citizens who have registered with the City Secretary prior to the meeting being called to order and desire to address the City Council with regard to matters on the Workshop Agenda will be heard at this time, or the time the item is considered. Speakers may speak on up to three (3) specific agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three (3) minutes, except that a speaker who addresses the City Council through a translator is limited to six (6) minutes, regardless of the number of agenda items to be addressed. Speakers are not allowed to distribute documentation while addressing City Council. Speakers making personal, impertinent, profane or slanderous remarks may be removed from the room and shall be barred from reentering the Chamber during the session of City Council. Comments or discussion by the City Council Members will only be made at the time the agenda item is scheduled for consideration. It is our policy to have all speakers identify themselves by providing their name and residential address when making comments. ]

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCILORS. MY NAME IS CAROLYN SEILER AND I RESIDE AT 2625 CEDAR LANE IN ROSENBERG.

I COME TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES SURROUNDING THE UPCOMING BUDGET FOR 2027.

EVERYONE WANTS TO SAVE ON EXPENSIVE, BUT SOMETIMES IT DOES NOT PAY OFF IN THE LONG RUN.

CUTTING CORNERS CAN HAVE DEVASTATING EFFECTS.

I AM AWARE OF THREE OPTIONS. ONE OF THE OPTIONS IS TO GIVE TAX RELIEF AND TAKE FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO OFFSET THE DEFICIT, AS STATED IN THE PREVIOUS WORKSHOP. AT THIS RATE, THE GENERAL FUND WILL ONLY HAVE $8 MILLION, DOWN FROM THE CURRENT 23 MILLION BY 2029. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE GENERAL FUND GETS TO THE MINIMUM OR RUNS OUT OF MONEY? YOU CAN'T KEEP ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL. PETER IS GOING TO RUN OUT OF MONEY.

I NEVER. I DON'T WANT ROSENBERG TO BE IN THE PREDICAMENT, LIKE LEAGUE CITY AND OTHER CITIES WHERE THEY CAN'T PAY THEIR BILLS BECAUSE OF A LACK OF REVENUE. SALES TAX REVENUE IS ALSO FLAT. GAS PRICES.

GAS PRICES ARE ON THE RISE AGAIN. PROPERTY VALUES ARE DOWN OVERALL.

FOR EXAMPLE, ON MY STREET, 14 PROPERTIES. MOST WENT DOWN FROM 1 TO 10%.

ONLY THREE PROPERTIES WENT UP WITH THE BUSINESS INVENTORY.

WITH THE BUSINESS INVENTORY EXEMPTION RAISING TO 225,000 FROM 2500, THIS IS ALSO A LOSS OF REVENUE.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST LOSSES OF REVENUE IS IN THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, RISING TO 125,000 AND THE OVER 65 TO 100,000 AS ALLOWED BY THE STATE.

THAT ALONE ITSELF IS A BIG TAX RELIEF TO THE TO THE CITIZENS.

I WOULD RATHER PAY 25 TO $30 A YEAR TO KEEP OUR SERVICES AND OUR EMPLOYEES.

ONE PROPOSED IS TO NOT GIVE RAISES TO CITY EMPLOYEES AND CHARGE THEM FOR THE INCREASE IN HEALTH INSURANCE.

I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEER WITH STAFF AT EVENTS IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND AT THE 4TH OF JULY AT SEBRING SEBRING CREEK PARK.

IT WAS VERY HOT AND I HEARD NOT ONE EMPLOYEE COMPLAIN.

I WATCHED HOW HARD THESE STAFF MEMBERS WORKED TO MAKE IT A SUCCESS, BOTH BEFOREHAND AND AT THE EVENT.

I ALSO SEE AN EVERYDAY BASIS HOW OUR FAITHFUL EMPLOYEES PROVIDE NECESSARY SERVICES TO THE CITY, WHETHER IT BE TAKEN, TAKING CARE OF OUR STREETS, TAKING CARE OF OUR SANITARY SYSTEMS, FIGHTING CRIME AND PROTECTING OUR CITIZENS, RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES, BEING FIRE OR MEDICAL.

KEEPING OUR CUSTOMERS SAFE FROM STRAYS OR STAFFING THE OFFICES TO ANSWER OUR NEEDS.

WE HAVE GREAT EMPLOYEES. TIME AND MONEY HAVE BEEN INVESTED.

MAKE QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES TO DO THE WORK THEY DO.

IN. THE LAST THING WE NEED TO DO IS FOR THEM TO GO ELSEWHERE.

WE NEED TO KEEP STREET LIGHTS ON AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT KNOCKING OUT A FRONT END ALIGNMENT FROM HITTING POTHOLES.

ROSENBERG CITIZENS ALSO DESERVE AMENITIES LIKE OUR PARKS.

LAMAR SCHOOL DISTRICT APPROVED A 3% PAY INCREASE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES BACK IN APRIL.

RICHMOND HAS A 3% PAY INCREASE ON THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET, ALONG WITH A ONE TIME STIPEND.

FOR SOME, THEIR PROPERTY TAXES ARE CURRENTLY 63%.

COUNCIL MEMBERS RECEIVED A BIG INCREASE IN PAY.

SO I ASKED THAT THE COUNCIL KEEP THE EMPLOYEES IN MIND WHEN MAKING THE BUDGET.

THE EMPLOYEES DESERVE A RAISE, TOO. THEY HAVE INCREASING EXPENSES ALONG WITH EVERYBODY ELSE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CAROLYN. LAURIE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME FORWARD? SORRY. MY BACK IS OUT. MY MOM'S BEEN IN THE HOSPITAL.

OH, BOY. IT'S BEEN A LONG WEEK. TELL YOUR MOM WE ASKED ABOUT HER.

I SURE WILL. OKAY. I'M LAURIE COOK. I LIVE AT 1114 DYER AVENUE.

I'VE LIVED HERE ALMOST 59 YEARS IN ROSENBERG AND I'M, YOU KNOW, BEEN HERE MANY DECADES.

AS SOMEONE WHO HAS WORKED IN MUNICIPAL FINANCE FOR MANY YEARS, 27, I UNDERSTAND THAT BALANCING A BUDGET IS NEVER EASY.

EVERY DECISION INVOLVES TRADE OFFS, AND EVERY BUDGET REFLECTS OUR COMMUNITY'S PRIORITIES.

THE COST OF PROVIDING CITY SERVICES CONTINUES TO RISE.

PUBLIC SAFETY STREETS, DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE, PARKS, EQUIPMENT, EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION ALL COSTS MORE TODAY THAN THEY DID A FEW YEARS AGO. AT THE SAME TIME, ROSENBERG RESIDENTS CONTINUE DRIVING TO THE NEARBY H-E-B AND WALMART FOR GROCERIES BECAUSE THOSE OPTIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE HERE. EVERY TIME THEY DO SALES TAX REVENUE THAT COULD SUPPORT OUR POLICE, OUR PARKS, OUR STREETS AND OTHER CITY SERVICES GOES TO OUR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES INSTEAD OF ROSENBERG.

THAT REVENUE WE SHOULD BE WORKING TO KEEP HERE AT HOME.

THE BEST LONG TERM SOLUTION IS GROWING OUR COMMERCIAL TAX BASE BY ATTRACTING GROCERIES, RESTAURANTS, RETAIL AND OTHER BUSINESSES. BUT THAT WON'T HAPPEN IN TIME TO SOLVE THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

[00:10:04]

NO ONE LIKES A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE, BUT WE SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER CONSIDER WHAT THE INCREASE ACTUALLY MEANS.

I LOOKED AT MY OWN PROPERTY TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF A $0.02 TAX RATE ADJUSTMENT FOR MY HOME.

IT WOULD BE AROUND $39 A YEAR, JUST ABOUT $3 A MONTH.

I ALSO LOOKED AT MY MOM WHO IS 88 YEARS OLD. BECAUSE SHE HAS THE OVER 65 EXEMPTION, HER INCREASE WOULD BE $16 A YEAR, ABOUT $1.37 A MONTH. THOSE EXAMPLES SHOW YOU THAT A MODEST ADJUSTMENT CAN GENERATE MEANINGFUL REVENUE, WHILE HAVING A RELATIVELY SMALL IMPACT ON OUR HOMEOWNERS.

MANY LONG TERM RESIDENTS HAVE INVESTED IN ROSENBERG FOR DECADES.

THEY WATCHED MORE HOMES BECOME RENTAL PROPERTIES AND IN MORE CASES, IN MORE CASES, RENTAL RATES HAVE CONTINUED TO INCREASE, WHILE THE COST OF PROVIDING CITY SERVICES HAVE RISEN AS WELL.

THE QUESTION BEFORE US IS SIMPLE. IT'S WHETHER IF WE'RE WILLING TO INVEST LESS THAN $4 A MONTH TO MAINTAIN PUBLIC SAFETY, INFRASTRUCTURE AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR RESIDENTS THAT THEY EXPECT AND DESERVE.

FINALLY, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR CITY EMPLOYEES.

AND THEY ARE OUR GREATEST ASSETS. EVERY SERVICE WE PROVIDE DEPENDS ON THEIR DEDICATION.

IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE DELIVERING EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE, WE MUST OFFER COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION THAT HELPS US RETAIN EXPERIENCED EMPLOYEES AND ATTRACT TALENTED PROFESSIONALS. I KNOW THERE ARE DIFFERENT OPINIONS ON THE BEST PATH GOING FORWARD, AND I RESPECT THOSE VIEWPOINTS. MY HOPE IS THAT WE MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, INVEST IN OUR EMPLOYEES, STRENGTHEN OUR LOCAL ECONOMY, AND POSITION ROSENBERG FOR LONG TERM SUCCESS.

THANK YOU. WELCOME. THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENT.

THANK YOU. LOUIS. LOUIS, YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GIVE A PRESENTATION OR DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING?

[1. Presentation and discussion regarding the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget, the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget, and future budget considerations. (Luis Garza, Executive Director of Administrative Services)  ]

THIS ITEM PROVIDES AN UPDATE AND FOLLOW UP TO THE JUNE BUDGET WORKSHOP.

CITY COUNCIL WILL RECEIVE A PRESENTATION ON THE STATUS OF THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET AND THE KEY CONSIDERATIONS AS WE FINALIZE THE FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET.

THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET INCLUDED A $1.5 MILLION DEFICIT.

THE MOST VIABLE OPTION TO CLOSE THE GAP IS TO RELY ON POTENTIAL SAVINGS WITHIN DEPARTMENTAL EXPENDITURES, AS MINIMAL ADDITIONAL REVENUE SOURCES ARE ANTICIPATED TO OFFSET THE SHORTFALL.

DURING THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR FOR FY 2027 2027, PRELIMINARY PROJECTIONS SHOW FLAT TAXABLE VALUES DUE TO SLOWER GROWTH.

THE HOUSE BILL NINE BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY EXEMPTION INCREASE AND THE INCREASE TO THE SENIOR EXEMPTION SALES TAX REVENUES ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO REMAIN FLAT AS NO NEW REVENUE IS BEING GENERATED TO CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN THE REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES.

AND AT A MINIMUM, THE CITY SHOULD PROVIDE EMPLOYEES WITH COMPETITIVE SALARIES AND BENEFITS.

THE 1.5 MILLION GAP FROM FISCAL YEAR 26 INCREASES TO AROUND 2.5 IN FISCAL YEAR 27.

THIS WILL REQUIRE CAREFUL AND DIFFICULT DECISIONS JUST TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE SERVICE LEVELS, WITHOUT ADDING ANY ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL TO MEET INCREASED SERVICE DEMANDS AND SUPPLEMENTAL REQUESTS, OR ANY FUNDING FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS AND OTHER FUTURE OBLIGATIONS.

SO AGAIN THIS IS BUDGET PLANNING SESSION NUMBER TWO.

WE'RE FOLLOWING UP FROM THE LAST MEETING THAT WE HAD ON JUNE 23RD.

SO TODAY IS BUDGET DISCUSSION NUMBER TWO. WE WILL BE FOLLOWING A PROPOSED BUDGET ON JULY 31ST.

AND THEN NEXT TUESDAY IS BUDGET PRESENTATION NUMBER NUMBER THREE.

WE'LL GIVE A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND TAX RATE.

AND THEN IF WE HAVE TIME, WE'LL DISCUSS SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, CAPITAL PROJECT AND ENTERPRISE FOR WATER, SOLID WASTE AND CIVIC CENTER FUNDS. ON AUGUST 11TH, WE'LL HAVE DISCUSSION NUMBER FOUR, WHICH WILL BE A SPECIAL MEETING.

AND WE'LL GO MORE IN DEPTH IN THE GENERAL FUND DEBT SERVICE AND THE RDC FUND.

AND WE'LL ALSO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ADOPT THE BUDGET.

SO THE 11TH IS A SPECIAL MEETING? YES, SIR. SPECIAL WORKSHOP.

YES. SPECIAL BUDGET WORKSHOP. WILL WE BE ABLE TO TAKE ACTION? IT'S THERE. NO, IT'S JUST WE HAVE A MEETING IN A WORKSHOP THAT NIGHT.

THE MEETING IS TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE CSPD BUDGET AND TO APPROVE THE CSPD BUDGET BECAUSE IT'S ON A A TIGHTER TIME FRAME THAN OUR BUDGET BASED ON STATE LAW. AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT, WE'LL HAVE A WORKSHOP TO TALK ABOUT THE CITY BUDGET, BUT THERE WILL BE NO ACTION ON THE CITY BUDGET.

[00:15:02]

AND THE DECREASE FROM FISCAL YEAR 25, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 21.8 MILLION IN REVENUE.

AND IN FISCAL YEAR 2026 IT'S GONE DOWN BY AROUND 500,000.

SO WE'RE PROJECTING TO END THE YEAR AT 21.3. SO IS THIS THE PART WHERE WE GO AND REFLECT BACK FOR THE YEAR? LIKE WHAT OUR YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'S COME IN AND WHAT'S DOWN AND WHAT'S BELOW.

BECAUSE I'M GOING ONLINE, I'M LOOKING IN MY HISTORY TO FOR WHAT I PAID AND WHAT MY TAXES ARE.

OKAY. AND I'M GOING TO GO BACK IF I CAN FIND IT.

WE'RE GOING TO VISIT THAT TOO. SURE. BECAUSE WE HAVE TO KEEP EVERYTHING IN HISTORICAL CONTEXT HERE INSTEAD OF JUST POINTING POINTING OUT THE NEGATIVES AND GIVING THE PUBLIC THE IMPRESSION WE GOT TWO CITIZENS HERE THAT ARE FRIENDS GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT WE'RE GOING BROKE AND THAT'S NOT THE REALITY. MAYOR WE'RE GOING TO REPORT THE FACTS TONIGHT, AND THEN Y'ALL CAN MAKE OUR DECISIONS BASED ON THE FACTS.

GO THROUGH THEM. OKAY. GO AHEAD LOUIS. OKAY. SO JUST AGAIN, WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING SALES TAX.

THERE'S A DECREASE. SO THIS IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE.

WHEN WE PREPARE THE FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET, WE'RE NOT GOING TO PROJECT ANY INCREASES BASED ON THE DECREASE IN REVENUES FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT.

SOME SOME GOOD NEWS. MAYOR. JUST WHERE WE'RE PROJECTING TO END THE YEAR AT, WE HAD ORIGINALLY BUDGETED TO SPEND 1.5 MILLION.

THAT'S THE BUDGET COLUMN. WE ARE, WE HAD BUDGETED TO BRING IN 42.2 MILLION AND TO SPEND 43.7 MILLION.

SO BASED ON SOME SALARY SAVINGS AND A LITTLE BIT OF ADDITIONAL REVENUE, WE'RE GOING TO END THE YEAR AT.

AGAIN, THESE ARE CONSERVATIVE NUMBERS, JUST SPENDING SHY OF 500,000 INSTEAD OF THE 1.5 MILLION.

SO THAT'S A PROJECTION. THAT'S NOT ACTUAL THOUGH, RIGHT? CORRECT. BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T FINISHED THE FISCAL YEAR UNTIL SEPTEMBER. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO KNOW BY THE TIME WE SET THE TAX RATE IN THIS CITY WHAT THE ACTUAL IS NOT THE PROJECTION. OKAY, MAYBE WE WON'T KNOW THAT BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T SPENT THE MONEY THROUGH SEPTEMBER.

WELL, SEE, THAT'S THE PROBLEM. MAYOR THE FISCAL YEAR WILL NOT BE OVER WHEN YOU HAVE TO SET THE TAX RATE.

I GET THAT. WELL, IT CAN'T BE ACTUAL IF THE FISCAL YEAR IS NOT COMPLETE, BUT IT HAS TO BE AN ESTIMATE.

WE NEED TO GET AS CLOSE AS ACTUAL AS WE CAN. THAT'S WHAT LEWIS DID RIGHT HERE.

HE GOT AS CLOSE AS HE COULD FOR YOU. BECAUSE THAT THAT'S THE PROBLEM BY NOT BY NOT HAVING OUR TAX RATE THE SAME AS THE COUNTY'S APPRAISAL. WE WENT THROUGH THAT.

BUT BUT WE DO HAVE THE COUNTY APPRAISAL. WELL WE DON'T HAVE THE, THE SOLID EVALUATIONS IN TIME TO SET A CLOSE TO REAL TIME TAX RATE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO SET THE TAX RATE BEFORE SEPTEMBER 30TH.

THAT'S ALL BASED ON STATE LAW. IT'S NOTHING WE DO LOCALLY.

OKAY. LET'S KEEP GOING. OKAY. SO THIS IS JUST A DETAIL THAT IS GOOD NEWS.

YEAH. I MEAN, WE'RE SPENDING LESS THAN WHAT WE HAD PROJECTED. SO AN UPDATE ON THE PROPERTY VALUATIONS.

MAYOR YOU JUST MENTIONED THAT WE DO HAVE NUMBERS FROM THE C D THAT ARE CERTIFIED VALUES.

SO THE LAST ROW THERE IS YES CALENDAR YEAR TAX YEAR 2026, WHICH IS OUR FISCAL YEAR 27.

AND WE'RE JUST SHY OF 4.81 BILLION. SO THAT IS A SLIGHT DECREASE.

SO WE'RE JUST TAKING THAT AS A BUT LOUIS THAT'S NOT MUCH OF A DECREASE POINT.

BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE INCREASE 4% OF 1%. AND IT'S ABOUT TIME THAT OUR OUR VALUATIONS GOT GOT REASONABLE MAYOR WE'RE A GROWING CITY. THAT NUMBER SHOULD BE GROWING.

WE'RE GROWING COMMERCIALLY. NOT SO MUCH. WE'RE GROWING COMMERCIALLY.

THAT NUMBER SHOULD BE GETTING WAY BIGGER. NOT WELL, WE'RE GROWING COMMERCIALLY AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN APPROVING ALL THESE RINKY DINK HOUSING PROJECTS, AND THAT'S HURTING OUR CERTIFIED OR THESE MULTI-FAMILY DWELLINGS, WHICH ALSO TAX OUR CITY SERVICES AS WELL, PREDOMINANTLY WITH POLICE AND FIRE CALLS.

SO YEAH, THIS IS IN A WAY, IT'S GOOD NEWS FOR THE TAXPAYER THAT THEIR VALUES AREN'T GETTING JACKED AS THEY, AS THEY HAVE BEEN GETTING JACKED.

[00:20:01]

LOOK AT 2022 RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF COVID. SO IF YOU ADD UP THOSE FIGURES, IT ADDS UP TO ALMOST DOUBLING YOUR VALUES.

VALUES DOUBLE ABOUT EVERY SIX YEARS. MAYBE WE CAN GET A LITTLE RELIEF THIS YEAR.

OKAY. THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S A GOOD FIGURE. THAT'S A I MEAN, THAT'S A GOOD FACT.

AND SOME OF THE REASONS FOR THE VALUATION CHANGES WE NOTED HERE ARE PRIMARILY THE HOUSE BILL NINE, WHICH WAS THAT NEW BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY EXEMPTION. RIGHT NOW WE'RE REDUCING THE TAXABLE VALUE BY 60 MILLION.

AND THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL 20 MILLION THAT WE COULD ALSO THAT MAY BE DEDUCTED.

SO RIGHT NOW THAT'S $180,000 LOSS IN REVENUE.

WE DID ADD 123 MILLION TO THE PROPERTY TAX ROLL.

BUT AGAIN, THAT WAS OFFSET BY THE EXEMPTIONS FOR THE HOUSE BILL NINE AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL TAX RELIEF FOR THE OVER 65, WHICH REDUCED THE TAXABLE VALUE BY ANOTHER 36 MILLION.

THAT'S ALL THAT EQUATED TO BY BY INCREASING THE EXEMPTION WAS 108,000.

THAT HURT OUR REVENUE. THAT'S THE THAT'S THE EXTENT OF THE TAX RELIEF.

IF WE DON'T ADJUST THAT TAX RATE. THAT'S THE EXTENT OF THE TAX RELIEF THAT THIS COUNCIL WILL GIVE OUR OUR 45000 CITIZENS $108,000 SPREAD OUT OVER 45000 PEOPLE. IT'S ONLY 2400/65 ACCOUNTS.

OKAY. 24000 CITIZENS. 2400 ACCOUNTS. SO YEAH, 2400 HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE OVER 65.

ONLY 2400 HOUSEHOLDS. YES, SIR. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT ALL THAT TO SAY, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET, THIS IS A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE FISCAL YEAR 27 PRELIMINARY BUDGET BASED ON A 30 CENT TAX RATE.

AGAIN, ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE IS THE MONEY COMING IN FOR THE REVENUES.

THE SALES TAX IS FLAT. THE PROPERTY TAX IS ALSO FLAT.

THERE ARE SOME INCREASES IN LICENSES AND PERMITS, BUT RIGHT NOW, AS WE HAVE IT IN THE BUDGET, WE HAVE A TOTAL AMOUNT OF REVENUE OF JUST SHY OF 43 MILLION.

ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE IS WHERE THE MONEY IS BEING SPENT FOR THE EXPENDITURES, PERSONNEL AND BENEFITS.

IS 35.5 MILLION, WHICH IS 78% OF THE BUDGET. TOTAL EXPENDITURES 45.3 MILLION.

THE BUDGET DOES CURRENTLY INCLUDE INCREASING THE SALARY OF 2.5%.

WE DO HAVE PARTIALLY FUNDING THE HEALTH INSURANCE FOR THE EMPLOYEES 10%.

THE HEALTH INSURANCE FUND WILL COVER ANOTHER 10%.

AND THEN RIGHT NOW WE'RE PASSING ON 2.8%, THE REMAINING 2.8% ONTO THE EMPLOYEE.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY NEW PERSONNEL ADDED. WE HAVEN'T INCLUDED ANY SUPPLEMENTAL ITEMS OR THE 16 MILLION NEEDED FOR THE CAPITAL PROJECTS.

SO RIGHT NOW, THE MONEY COMING IN 4043 MILLION MINUS THE MONEY GOING OUT 45 MILLION.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A BUDGET DEFICIT OF 2.3 MILLION.

LOUIS, DO YOU HAVE A HISTORICAL SLIDE ON THE SALES TAX.

YES, SIR. IT'LL BE OKAY, SIR. SO HOW TO ADDRESS THE BUDGET DEFICIT? 2.3 MILLION. WE DO HAVE SEVERAL OPTIONS. I'LL BRIEFLY TOUCH ON THEM.

AND AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION WE'LL ASK FOR COUNCIL FEEDBACK ON DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

SO ONE IS ADJUSTED TAX RATE TO SUPPORT ESSENTIAL SERVICES.

WE COULD IMPLEMENT AN INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT FEE. YOU COULD REPRIORITIZE SERVICES AND ALIGN SPENDING WITH AVAILABLE RESOURCES.

OR YOU COULD CONTINUE USING FUND BALANCE AND MAYOR.

THIS IS THIS CHART LOOKS A LITTLE BUSY, BUT IT'S IT REPRESENTS THE THE GRAY REPRESENTS THE SALES TAX COLLECTIONS OVER THE LAST 14 YEARS.

AND THEN THE GREEN LINE GOING DOWN IS A PROPERTY TAX RATE.

SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE IN 23 THOSE RATES CROSSED PATHS.

AND AT THAT POINT IS WHERE THE SALES TAX STARTED TO FLATTEN OUT.

SO HAD WE KEPT A TAX RATE OF AROUND $0.35, WE'D PROBABLY BE A LITTLE BIT BETTER OFF.

AND NOT BE IN A BUDGET DEFICIT INSTEAD OF DROPPING THE TAX RATE EVERY YEAR BY PENNY OR TWO PENNIES.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR OPINION, LOUIS. I CAN ADD TO THAT AND EXPLAIN THIS A LITTLE MORE.

SO YES PLEASE. SO DURING THE YEARS WHEN THE SALES TAX WAS GOING UP, LIKE FROM 17 TO 22 THE SALES TAX WAS GOING UP. IT WAS PROBABLY FINE TO DROP THE PROPERTY TAX RATE A LITTLE BIT BACK THEN, BECAUSE THE INCREASE IN SALES TAX,

[00:25:01]

AND WE COULD OFFSET THE PROPERTY TAX. BUT FROM 2023 ON, WHEN SALES TAX LEVELED OUT AND WE CONTINUE TO DROP THE TAX RATE.

THAT'S WHAT GOT US INTO THE DEFICIT THAT WE'RE IN NOW.

AND LOUIS MAKES A REALLY GOOD POINT WHERE THOSE TWO PATHS CROSS IN 2023.

THE SALES TAX. I MEAN THE PROPERTY TAX RATE WAS AT 35%.

WHICH IF IT WOULD HAVE STAYED THERE, WE WOULD BE IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE RIGHT NOW. SO AS, AS SALES TAX IS GOING DOWN AND FLATTENING VALUES ARE GOING DOWN.

IT'S NOT THE TIME TO DROP THE TAX RATE. I DON'T THINK THE VALUES I THINK WOULD .24 PERCENT.

I WOULD CALL THAT GOING DOWN OF, OF IT'S NOT GOING UP.

BUT AS YOU SAID, IT'S STABLE. IT'S PROBABLY THE FIRST YEAR IN EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE THAT IT'S A NEGATIVE NUMBER.

SO THAT'S, BUT IT'S NOT A GOOD SIGN. IT'S A SMALL NEGATIVE.

YOU SAID THAT WAS GOOD NEWS. I THINK THAT'S TERRIBLE. I THINK IT'S GOOD NEWS. IT DEPENDS WHAT WHAT IN WHAT ASPECT YOU LOOK AT IT.

I DON'T THINK IT. I DON'T THINK IT'S THE ROLE OF.

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, JOYCE, I DON'T THINK IT'S THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT TO GROW EXPONENTIALLY.

I MEAN, IN THE SAME AT THE SAME RATE THAT YOUR POPULATION GROWS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ADD, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME YOU GET 100 PEOPLE IN THE CITY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY, WELL, WE HAVE TO EXPAND THE CITY BY THAT.

WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME. YOU THINK IF YOU GOT 100 NEW PEOPLE IN THE CITY, YOU WOULD HAVE A BUNCH OF NEW HOUSEHOLDS AND THOSE HOUSEHOLDS SHOULD HAVE VALUE.

SO YOUR YOUR VALUE SHOULD GO UP DEPENDING ON WHAT TYPE OF HOUSEHOLDS THEY ARE AND WHAT SORT OF SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED TO THEM.

BUT I DON'T, I DON'T AGREE WITH THE NARRATIVE THAT.

THAT WE SHOULD HAVE STOPPED REDUCING THE TAX RATE AT $0.35.

I DON'T I DON'T ACCEPT THAT. HOW? ALL DUE RESPECT TO YOU.

HOW FAR ARE YOU WILLING TO GO? JUST A QUESTION.

WELL, WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT THERE YET. I'M. I'M NOT WILLING TO GO TO THE GROUND.

YEAH. BECAUSE THAT WOULD CUT THAT WOULD SPITE OURSELVES.

BUT I, I, I DON'T AGREE WITH THE NARRATIVE. WHEN FOLKS HAVE HAD WEEKS OF PREPARATION TO PREPARE FOR THIS MEETING AND COME UP WITH ALL THESE FANCY SLIDES.

WE WALK IN HERE WITH OUR PHONES. OKAY. IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF DIFFERENT LEVEL OF PREPARATION, RIGHT? SO I'M NOT GOING TO ACCEPT THE NARRATIVE.

WE HAVE A LOT MORE DETAILS TO SHARE WITH YOU. AND MAYBE BY THE END OF THE PRESENTATION YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM. MAYBE SO. SO ONE OF THE FIRST OPTIONS TO KIND OF CLOSE THAT GAP WOULD BE TO SET A PROPERTY TAX RATE THAT SUPPORTS THE CENTRAL SERVICES.

SO FOR EVERY PENNY THAT IMPACT ON THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET IS 470,000.

SO FROM 31 TO $0.32, YOU'RE ADDING 940,000 UP TO $0.05.

AND THAT'LL BALANCE THE BUDGET OF 2.3 MILLION.

OKAY. SO A PENNY EQUALS 470 OUT OF THE BUDGET.

NO PENNY ADDS FOR 70. RIGHT. SO IF YOU TAKE AWAY A PENNY, YOU'RE TAKING AWAY 4.70.

YES, SIR. OKAY. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT'S WHAT YOU MEANT. OKEY DOKEY.

SO NOW WE JUST KIND OF PUT THAT INTO ON WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR THE AVERAGE HOMESTEAD.

AND THESE ARE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT CALL ROSENBERG THEIR HOME. SO IF WE WERE TO INCREASE THE TAX RATE BY A PENNY, THE YEARLY RATE, THE YEARLY AMOUNT WOULD BE $23 A YEAR AND A MONTHLY IMPACT OF LESS THAN $2.

AND IF WE WERE TO INCREASE THE TAX RATE $0.05, IT'S 116 A YEAR OR LESS THAN $10 A MONTH.

AGAIN, THIS IS ON YOUR AVERAGE HOMESTEAD VALUED AT 290, MAYBE HIGHER OR LOWER, DEPENDING ON YOUR INDIVIDUAL HOME HOME VALUE.

WE DID THE SAME THING ON THE SENIOR HOMESTEAD.

THEIR VALUES ARE A LITTLE BIT LOWER. $250,000 HOME.

IF WE DO A PENNY, THAT'S $10 EXTRA A YEAR OR LESS THAN A DOLLAR A MONTH TWO PENNIES WOULD BE $20 A YEAR, LESS THAN $2 A MONTH. AND AGAIN, IF WE INCREASE THE TAX RATE BY $0.05 TO BALANCE THE BUDGET THAT WOULD BE AN INCREASE OF $50 A YEAR OR LESS THAN $4 OR AROUND $4 A MONTH FOR THE SENIORS. THE SECOND OPTION WOULD BE TO IMPLEMENT AN INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT FEE, AND THIS WOULD BE USED TO IMPROVE THE ROADS, THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM OR OTHER RELATED PROJECTS.

SO THIS WOULD BE A FEE THAT WOULD BE ADDED ONTO YOUR WATER BILL FOR THE RESIDENTIAL.

[00:30:04]

JOYCE. OKAY, WELL, THERE'S MORE OPTIONS. THIS IS JUST ONE OF THEM.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S HEAR THEM. SO THE OPTION THREE WOULD BE TO REPRIORITIZE EXPENDITURES.

IT'S PRETTY MUCH REDUCING SERVICES. IF COUNCIL WENT THIS WAY WE COULD.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT SERVICES WE COULD REDUCE.

WE COULD REDUCE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS UP TO $1 MILLION.

WE COULD REDUCE THE MOWING SERVICES UP TO 550.

WE COULD REDUCE THE MOSQUITO SPRAYING, REDUCE OR ELIMINATE OTHER SERVICES, INCLUDING THE TREE TRIMMING.

THE SECOND OPTION WOULD BE TO EXTEND THE FLEET REPLACEMENT.

SO RIGHT NOW, ALL OF THE CITY, MOST OF THE CITY'S VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT ARE ON A REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE FOR 5 TO 7 YEARS.

WE WOULD EXTEND THAT TIME BY ANOTHER YEAR OR TWO YEARS.

BUT THAT WOULD MEAN OUR EXISTING FLEET WOULD STAY ON THE STREETS FOR LONGER.

LOUIS, I FEEL SO SORRY FOR YOU THAT YOU ARE THE THE BEARER OF THIS BAD NEWS.

I DON'T THINK SUGGESTING TO CUT ANY OF THESE SERVICES IS IS A GOOD IDEA.

I DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD I DON'T THINK THIS IS A GOOD SLIDE.

I DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO TO SUGGEST THIS.

I DON'T THINK THE PUBLIC WOULD ACCEPT THAT. YEAH.

AND I'M MAYOR AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE TO TRY TO CLOSE AT $2.3 MILLION GAP.

WELL, IT'S BETTER TO HAVE MULTIPLE IDEAS. I WON'T GIVE THEM HERE.

OKAY. MAYOR, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GIVE THEM TO US BECAUSE WE HAVE TO SUBMIT A BUDGET BY FRIDAY.

WE'RE GOING TO WAIT. WE'RE GOING TO WAIT TILL OUR OTHER TWO MEMBERS COME BACK.

WELL, WE HAVE TO MAKE WE HAVE TO GIVE YOU ALL A BUDGET BY FRIDAY.

ALL RIGHT. WELL, WE'LL. BUT WE'LL GO ON. WE'LL WE'LL SHOW YOU SOMETHING IF YOU DON'T GIVE US ANY ALTERNATIVE.

I HOPE THE REST OF THESE SLIDES AREN'T SUGGESTED ON CUTTING OUR SERVICES.

WELL AND WE'LL GET TO IT HERE IN A LITTLE BIT.

MAYOR. BUT IF WE HAVE A $2.5 MILLION DEFICIT AND YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO RAISE ANY TAXES AND YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO LOWER ANY EXPENSES, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? BUT IT'S BASED ON SPECULATION.

NO IT'S NOT. SORRY. WE CAN SHOW YOU THE NUMBERS.

SO THE LAST OPTION OR ONE OF THE OTHER OPTIONS WOULD BE CONTINUE USING FUND BALANCE.

AGAIN WE SHOWED THIS AT THE LAST MEETING. IF YOU LOOK AT THE THE CHART ON THE THE.

THE THREE YEARS ON THE FAR RIGHT, THE REVENUES ARE IN RED AND THE REVENUES ARE IN GREEN.

THE EXPENDITURES FAR OUTPACE THE REVENUES BEING COLLECTED.

IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING AGAIN. AND THE EXPENDITURES.

THAT'S INCLUDING A BASE BUDGET. SO WE'RE NOT PROJECTING TO INCLUDE ANY NEW PERSONNEL IN IN THESE PROJECTIONS.

SO THE YEARS WOULD THE GAP WOULD KEEP ON GROWING EVERY YEAR.

SO WE'RE WANTING TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK BASED ON THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT WE JUST KIND OF DISCUSSED.

ON IF COUNCIL WANTS TO IMPLEMENT AN INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT FEE SETTING A TAX RATE TO SUPPORT SERVICES UP TO $0.05, REDUCING SERVICES, REDUCING, REDUCING STAFFING LEVELS, REMOVING SALARIES, PASSING HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASES TO EMPLOYEES.

OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTINUE USING FUND BALANCE, CREATING FUTURE FISCAL YEAR CHALLENGES? YOU WANT OUR ANSWER NOW? YES, SIR. BECAUSE WE NEED TO PREPARE.

Y'ALL READY FOR THAT? I MEAN, ARE WE READY TO.

SURE. WE'RE READY FOR SOME INPUT. ALRIGHT. IS THERE ANY OTHER SLIDE AFTER THIS? THERE IS BASED ON WHAT Y'ALL SAY HERE. OKAY. WELL, CAN WE SEE THEM NOW? WELL, FIRST WE'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT Y'ALL ARE THINKING.

WELL, WHY? WHAT DOES IT MATTER? OKAY, SURE. WE'LL MOVE ON.

LET'S GO. LET'S MOVE ON. SO IF Y'ALL DON'T HAVE ANY INPUT OUR SUGGESTION THE BEST WAY TO FIX THIS IS TO DO A FIVE CENT TAX INCREASE THAT WOULD GENERATE $2.35 MILLION, AND THAT WOULD BALANCE OUR BUDGET.

WE WOULD MAINTAIN OUR EXACT SAME SERVICE LEVELS.

WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE A 2.5 CENT SALARY INCREASE.

WE'D PAY 10% OF A 22% HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASE FROM THE GENERAL FUND, AND AGAIN, THERE WOULD BE NO POSITIONS ADDED, NO SUPPLEMENTAL REQUESTS PAID FOR AND NO CIP FUNDING FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW.

THAT'S ONE OPTION THAT I'M SURE Y'ALL DON'T LIKE, BUT THAT WOULD BE THE EASIEST WAY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM.

[00:35:01]

WE NEED $2.5 MILLION TO BALANCE THIS BUDGET. AND AND THAT'S NOT SPECULATION.

THAT'S ACTUAL NUMBERS. WE SHOWED YOU SALES TAXES, FLAT PROPERTY VALUES ARE FLAT.

EXPENSES ARE GOING UP. RIGHT NOW THE, THE BUDGET IS $2.5 MILLION SHORT, LEAVING EVERYTHING ELSE ALONE EXCEPT CAN Y'ALL FLIP TO THEIR SLIDE? WE'VE ALREADY CUT $1 MILLION OUT OF THE BUDGET AND THAT IS THE NEXT SLIDE.

PLEASE GO RIGHT HERE. WE'VE ALREADY CUT 938,000 OUT OF THIS BUDGET TO GET TO A $2.5 MILLION DEFICIT. IF WE WOULD NOT HAVE CUT THIS OUT OF THE BUDGET, WE WOULD BE AT A $3.5 MILLION DEFICIT.

SO WE'VE ALREADY DONE ABOUT AS MUCH AS WE CAN EASILY DO TO TRY TO BALANCE THE BUDGET.

THESE ARE ALL EXPENSES THAT WERE IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, AND WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN THEM OUT BECAUSE WE WERE AT A $3.5 MILLION DEFICIT.

SO WE TOOK ALL OF THESE OUT. GO BACK TO TWO SLIDES.

ONE MORE PLEASE. SO RIGHT HERE IS WHERE WE'RE SAYING IF Y'ALL DON'T GIVE US ANY INPUT, WE'RE GOING TO PROPOSE Y'ALL A BUDGET WITH A TWO CENT TAX INCREASE, AN INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT FEE, AND WE'RE GOING TO REDUCE SERVICES ANOTHER $900,000.

AND THAT'S OUR WAY TO BALANCE THE BUDGET. IF Y'ALL DON'T GIVE US ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS.

OKAY. WELL, WE'LL GIVE THEM TO YOU. OKAY. MISS JOYCE.

HYPOTHETICALLY, THIS IS HYPOTHETICALLY, IF WE INCREASE TO FIVE $0.05, HOW MUCH WILL A HOUSEHOLD INCREASE ON THEIR TAXES? IT'S ABOUT 100 AND I'LL GIVE YOU A NUMBER. FOR THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD, IT'LL BE 116 A YEAR.

THAT'S THAT LAST ROW DOWN THERE. LESS THAN TWO.

THEY'LL BE PAYING $100 EXTRA. 116 EXTRA. AND THAT'S ON AN AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD OF 290.

NOW YOU'RE COUNTING HOUSEHOLD. WHAT ABOUT NON NONEXEMPT HOUSEHOLD? WE GOT A LOT OF PROPERTY IN ROSENBERG. THAT'S NOT HOUSEHOLD.

YOU HAVE YOU WHEN YOU'VE GIVEN THESE FIGURES HAVE YOU ACCOUNTED FOR ANY OF THAT OR ARE YOU JUST.

NO SIR. WE JUST SAID THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER, THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY LIVE HERE.

BUT WHAT ABOUT ALL THE COMMERCIAL THE COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT? LOUIS. WELL, THE COMMERCIAL THEY RECEIVED THAT BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY EXEMPTION OF 125,000.

WELL, THAT'S FOR INVENTORY, RIGHT? BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT FOR IMPROVED VALUE OF PROPERTY.

LOUIS, CAN YOU TELL US THE TOTAL NUMBER THAT THE BUSINESSES SAVED OFF OF HOUSE BILL NINE? I KNOW YOU HAVE THAT SOMEWHERE. 180,000. YES, IT COULD BE MORE.

WELL, I TALKED TO THE CADDY THIS MORNING. RIGHT NOW WHAT'S APPROVED IS 60 MILLION.

BUT THERE COULD BE AN ADDITIONAL 20 MILLION. IN VALUE CORRECT LOSS.

YEAH. SO RIGHT NOW IT'S 180,000. IN TAX RELIEF PROVIDED BY THE STATE.

YEAH. WELL THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT TOO BAD. BUT COUNCILOR VARGAS IT WOULD BE AROUND $120 NOW.

BUT WHEN YOU GAVE COUNCILOR VARGAS THAT ANSWER, YOU'RE NOT A YOU'RE NOT COUNTING IN DIVIDING THE COST SHARING TO INCLUDE OTHER PROPERTIES OTHER THAN HOMESTEAD.

RIGHT. A $290,000 HOME WITHOUT A HOMESTEAD, THE INCREASE WOULD BE $145 A YEAR.

OKAY, BUT WHAT ABOUT A BUSINESS? SO THE BUSINESS OBVIOUSLY IS GOING TO THE BUSINESSES OF ALL DIFFERENT VALUES.

BUT I MEAN, I WOULD THINK THE TYPICALLY WHAT WHAT WE LIKE TO DO IS PASS THAT COST ON TO OUR BUSINESSES RATHER THAN OUR RESIDENTS.

SO I MEAN, SOMEBODY'S GOT TO PAY THE COST. THAT'S MY, MY POINT.

I THINK THAT A LOT OF COST SHARING. THE BEST WAY TO, TO SHARE THE COST WITH BUSINESSES IS THROUGH PROPERTY TAX. THE BIGGER THE BUSINESS, THE MORE THEY PAY.

THAT'S CERTAINLY ONE WAY. YEAH. THE BIGGER THE BUSINESS, THE MORE THEY PAY.

BELIEVE ME, THERE'S A WHOLE MULTITUDE OF OTHER OTHER FEES THAT BUSINESSES PAY AS WELL.

SO, MR. LEWIS, HOW MANY YEARS YOU'VE BEEN WORKING HERE AT IN ROSENBERG? TOTAL OF 20 YEARS. BUT IN FINANCE, 15 YEARS. 20 YEARS.

OUT OF THOSE 20 YEARS, HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOUR PROJECTIONS BEING CLOSE OR DEAD ON.

FOR THE MOST PART, THEY'RE PRETTY SPOT ON, BUT THERE'S BEEN YEARS WHERE WE'VE RECEIVED ADDITIONAL REVENUE THAT WE.

BECAUSE WE ALWAYS BUDGET CONSERVATIVELY. SO WE ALWAYS BUDGET LOWER ON THE REVENUE, BUT THEY COME IN HIGHER.

[00:40:03]

SO WE WOULDN'T NEED TO ISSUE DEBT FOR THOSE PROJECTS.

SO BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING LET'S SAY WE, WE MAKE NO CHANGES AT ALL.

AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE PROBABLY WATCHING BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY, FOR THE HEALTH OF THE CITY. IF WE MADE NO CHANGES, HOW LONG CAN THE CITY OPERATE LIKE THIS? AND DON'T SUGARCOAT IT.

YEAH. I MEAN, I WOULD SAY, I MEAN, THIS HERE SAYS AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 29, WE'LL BE AROUND 8 MILLION, PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT MORE. BUT WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO HAVE MORE EXPENDITURES THAN REVENUES.

I MEAN, THAT'S JUST NOT BECAUSE WE'RE DIPPING INTO OUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT EVERY YEAR. SO AND THEN THAT GAP JUST KEEPS ON GROWING IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING ON THE REVENUE SIDE.

SO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN? WHAT'S THE WORST CASE SCENARIO? I MEAN, EVENTUALLY WE WOULD LIKE, YOU KNOW, RUN OUT OF MONEY.

IT WOULD GO. FELIX HANG ON. ONE MORE TAX. TAXES NEVER STOP.

YEAH, I KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW, PEOPLE. PEOPLE NEVER STOP.

PEOPLE LIKE TO HEAR THE BOTH SIDES OF THE NEVER STOP.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE LIKE TO HEAR BOTH SIDES. WE DON'T.

WELL, I'M I'M FOR TAX CUTTING. BUT ALSO I'M HERE FOR THE HEALTH OF THE CITY.

I JUST DON'T WANT THE CITY TO GO BANKRUPT. BUT WHEN YOU WHEN YOU ASK A QUESTION LIKE HOW LONG CAN THE CITY GO BY? YOU KNOW, IN THE CONTEXT NOBODY CAN FORESEE, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE THE GREAT DEPRESSION.

OKAY. OR IF A TORNADO COMES THROUGH, THAT'S A FOOT WIDE AT THE BASE.

YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN TORNADOES, BUT I'M SURE WE ARE FOOT WIDE AT THE BASE.

THEY'VE HAD THEM BEFORE. WIPED OUT A WHOLE TOWN.

YEAH, I'M SURE WE HAVE INSURANCE. WELL, YEAH, BUT YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD DO TO YOUR ECONOMY, RIGHT? SO. SO THE CITY WANTS TO BE IN A HEALTHY, SAFE SPOT IN THE EVENT OF EMERGENCIES.

AND THANK GOODNESS WE HAVEN'T HAD TOO MANY. THE LAST ONE WE HAD ECONOMICALLY WAS PROBABLY COVID WOULD ACTUALLY TURNED OUT TO BE A BOOM.

GOT ALL KIND OF FEDERAL MONEY. GOT ALL KIND OF STATE MONEY.

SALES TAX WENT CRAZY. AND WHAT DID THEY DO WITH IT? DID THEY SAVE IT? DID THEY WORRY ABOUT THE FUND BALANCE THEN? NO. ANYWAYS. SO NO. OKAY. LET'S GO BACK TO THE OPTIONS LIKE YOU SAY.

WAIT A MINUTE. WERE THERE ANY SLIDES PAST? DO WE WANT TO LET THEM FINISH THEIR QUESTIONS OR ARE YOU FINISHED, FELIX? I JUST HAVE ONE MORE. ONE MORE QUESTION REGARDING THE PAY INCREASES.

HOW? WHAT IS THE COST OF THE SALARY INCREASES? HOW MUCH IS THAT? RIGHT NOW THE TWO AND A HALF IS 725,000 225,000.

725. OKAY. THAT INCLUDES THE SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE, THE THE BENEFITS THAT GO ALONG WITH IT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. SO. 725 NEW TO THE BUDGET. CORRECT.

WOULD BE FOR. AND THAT'S WHERE THESE PROJECTIONS COME. IT'S LIKE WHERE THE PERSONNEL AND BENEFITS, WHICH IS 80% OF THE BUDGET IS GOING TO INCREASE EVERY YEAR BY AT LEAST 4%.

SO OR THE BENEFITS PART OF THAT. 725 NO, IT'S JUST THE SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE AND THE T MRS WE STILL HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE, WHICH IS SEPARATE. SO WHAT'S THE TOTAL COST IF YOU LEFT IT, IF YOU LEFT THE YOU KNOW, IF YOU DIDN'T COUNTING THE HIRING PAUSE, IF YOU WILL, WHAT IS THE TOTAL INCREASE WITH A 2.5% EXCUSE ME, AND A HALF PERCENT PAY RAISE, WHICH WE WANT TO TRY TO DO FOR THESE FOLKS.

AND WE DON'T WANT THEM TO BE. PENALIZED ON THEIR INSURANCE JUST SLIGHTLY OVER $1 MILLION THAT WE'RE ADDING TO THE BUDGET.

THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW. AND I WANT IT. THAT'S THE FELIX.

THAT'S A REAL NUMBER. THAT'S A SOLID NUMBER. THAT'S NOT AN ESTIMATE, I GUESS.

RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT, 2.5%. THAT'S WHAT, 2.5% PLUS THE AGAIN, THAT'S ONLY 10% OF THE HEALTH INSURANCE.

THE TOTAL ESTIMATE INCREASE IS ABOUT 23%. SO THIS IS JUST PAYING 10% OF THAT INCREASE.

ALL RIGHT. NOW ANOTHER GOOD THING. WHAT'S THE FUND BALANCE TODAY.

TODAY IS AROUND 23 MILLION. 23 MILLION. OKAY.

AGAIN. BUT AS YOU CONTINUE TO USE MORE AND MORE, THAT NUMBER IS GOING TO DEPLETE.

YEAH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT'S THAT'S THE WAY SPENDING GOES.

CAN YOU GO BACK AND DO YOU HAVE A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE FUND BALANCE? DO YOU HAVE THE GOING BACK? I DON'T HAVE IT IN THE SLIDE, BUT I COULD PROVIDE THAT AT THE NEXT MEETING.

WELL THAT'S GOOD. BECAUSE THAT'S THAT'S GONE UP TO NOW.

[00:45:01]

AND WE APPRECIATE FOLKS THAT DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THAT, DON'T WANT TO GO TO THAT MONEY AND GO TO THAT.

WELL, AT EVERY CHANCE THEY GET, OH, WE GOT 20 SOMETHING MILLION.

LET'S JUST TAKE IT OUT OF HERE. SO I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN AND I UNDERSTAND THE HESITATION ON DOING THAT.

ON THE OTHER HAND, AT WHAT POINT DO YOU SAY, WELL, OKAY, LET'S TAKE A LITTLE MONEY OUT OF THERE BECAUSE WE WERE TOLD LAST YEAR, THE DOOM AND GLOOM DON'T TAKE ANY MONEY THERE.

WE HAVEN'T AS OF JULY 28TH. WE HAVEN'T. SO. AND I HOPE WE DON'T HAVE TO. AND WHEN I SAY THAT, I SAY THAT IN GRATITUDE.

LET ME LET ME CLARIFY THAT. AND YOU MAY HAVE TO START IN TOMORROW.

I HOPE NOT, BUT SO I DON'T COMPLETELY BUY. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I DON'T COMPLETELY BUY INTO THE FACT THAT IF WE DON'T ACCEPT A. INCREASE IN THIS OR DECREASE IN THAT, THAT THAT, THAT FUND IS GOING TO BE SHORT. I JUST DON'T CONCUR WITH THAT NARRATIVE.

I'VE. MAYOR. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I THE OLD THING ABOUT CRYING WOLF, THAT'S THE PROBLEM. NOT ONE TIME WHEN I. WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THESE BUDGETS HAVE WE BEEN TOLD THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD A TAX RELIEF AND.

AND EVEN. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, YOU'RE SAYING THAT TONIGHT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE IN THESE PAST COUNCIL, SOME OF WHICH I WASN'T HERE. THEY REDUCED THE TAX RATE.

I THINK THEY DID THE RIGHT THING. I THINK WE DID THE RIGHT THING.

I THINK I THINK MOST MOST OF THE PROBLEM IN GOVERNMENT IS NOT A FUNDING PROBLEM.

I THINK THERE ARE A WHOLE ARRAY OF WAYS THAT GOVERNMENT CAN GET INTO YOUR POCKET.

THERE ARE SO MANY FEES. I DON'T THINK IT'S A FUNDING PROBLEM.

I THINK IT'S A SPENDING PROBLEM. TELL US WHAT YOU THINK WE SHOULD CUT.

WELL, WE'VE ALREADY CUT A MILLION AND WE HAVE A LIST TO PROPOSE ANOTHER MILLION IF WE HAVE TO.

JUST GOT TO KEEP WORKING ON IT. OKAY, WELL, AND THE OTHER THING IS, THE MORE WE CUT, THE VERY LESS LIKELY YOU'RE GOING TO SAVE THAT NEGATIVE FUND BALANCE.

WHY? WELL, IF WE CUT 2 MILLION OUT OF THE BUDGET, HOW DO YOU THINK WE'RE GOING TO SAVE ANY MONEY NEXT YEAR? WELL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 2027 BUDGET. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

AND LIKE I SAID, WE'VE ALREADY CUT A MILLION OUT OF OUR EXPENDITURES.

AND IF WE DON'T ADJUST ANYTHING ELSE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CUT A MILLION MORE.

IF WE CUT 2 MILLION OUT OF OUR EXPENDITURE SIDE, THERE'S NO WAY WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SAVE MONEY EVERY YEAR.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE SAFE GUARD. I MEAN, THE OUR FAIL SAFE MECHANISM, WHICH YOU COULD STOP ME IF I OR CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG HERE.

WE CAN APPROVE THE BUDGET AT WHATEVER RATE INCLUDING AND INCLUDING THE COST OF LIVING INCREASES WE WANT TO PROVIDE FOR THESE FOLKS. FOR, FOR GIVE THEM SOME RELIEF ON THAT HEALTH INSURANCE.

WE'VE DETERMINED TEMPORARILY TO PAUSE HOW MANY EMPLOYEES? 12. I BELIEVE 12 OR 13 GUYS, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO NEED YOUR INPUT ON THIS.

WE APPROVE THE BUDGET. WITH OR WITHOUT A.

KEEPING THE FUND BALANCE IN MIND IF WE COME UP SHORT.

BUT THIS IS JUST A PROJECTION ANYWAY. A 12 MONTH PROJECTION.

YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW FAR YOU'RE GOING TO GET.

I MEAN, HOW FAR YOU'RE GOING TO GO TO COMPLETION OF THAT BUDGET THAT YOU APPROVED BECAUSE NOBODY CAN SEE INTO THE FUTURE.

AND THROUGH THE YEAR. WHAT DO WE HAVE? WE HAVE IT HERE VIRTUALLY AT EVERY MEETING.

BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS. SO THE BUDGET DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SET IN IN ROCK.

IT'S IT'S A GUIDE. WOULD YOU AGREE, JOYCE. THE BUDGET IS A GUIDE, A BUDGET.

IS A BUDGET. OKAY? WELL, THE BUDGET, THE TAX, THE TAX RATE, THAT'S WHAT'S SOLID.

THAT'S WHAT YOU THAT'S WHAT HAS TO BE TURNED IN TO THE COUNTY.

BUT OUR BUDGETS ARE THE BUDGET IS BASICALLY A FLOWING KIND OF A FLOWING THING.

AND IT'S A GUIDE. HOW MANY HOW MANY DID YOU SAY HOW MANY OF THOSE POSITIONS DID WE PAUSE.

I THINK I BELIEVE IT WAS 13, 12 OR 13. OKAY. AND I, I FIGURED THEM UP.

THOSE CAME OUT TO OVER 1.5 MILLION. BECAUSE YOU HAD FIGURES ON THEM AND I COUNTED THEM UP JUST RIGHT HERE,

[00:50:08]

WELL I'M CONFUSED. HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU NEED TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS? WELL, YOU SAID IT WAS A TEMPORARY TWO WEEK PAUSE, SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU'RE GOING.

THAT'S RIGHT. SO THAT THAT'S THE POINT ABOUT OVEREXPANSION OF GOVERNMENT.

DO THOSE POSITIONS ARE YOU. THAT WAS ONE WEEK AWAY.

SO DO YOU. DO YOU KNOW FOR SURE THAT THOSE POSITIONS HAVE TO BE FILLED? NO. I MEAN, RIGHT NOW, WITH CERTAIN. I MEAN, OF COURSE WE.

WITH ALL CERTAINTY. DO YOU KNOW THAT EVERY ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS.

I'M NOT GOING TO SAY EVERY ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS HAVE TO BE FILLED.

BUT DO WE NEED HELP IN SOME AREAS? OF COURSE WE DO.

OKAY. BUDGET ADJUSTED IN THOSE AS. YEAH. LET'S JUST MAYBE GIVE US SOME SUGGESTIONS ON HOW YOU WANT TO BALANCE THIS BUDGET.

WELL, ONE THING, ONE THING. I WANT TO KEEP THE PORES UNTIL WE FINALIZE THE BUDGET AND FINALIZE THE TAX RATE INSTEAD OF SCARING THESE GUYS, OKAY, INTO THINKING THAT WE'RE BANKRUPT. MAYOR.

WE'RE NOT SCARING ANYONE. WE'RE GIVING YOU THE FACTS RIGHT NOW.

IF WE WOULD NOT HAVE REMOVED $1 MILLION, YOU WOULD BE 3.5 IN THE HOLE ON THIS BUDGET, WE'VE ALREADY REMOVED A MILLION.

DO YOU WANT US TO REMOVE MORE? DO YOU WANT TO INCREASE? INCREASE SOME REVENUES? WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO TO BALANCE THIS BUDGET? WELL, I THINK ONE THING WE WANT TO DO IS CONTINUE THE CALLS ON THOSE 13 POSITIONS.

THE PAUSE I'M SORRY, NOT THE CALLS. AND GEORGE WAS SAYING SOMETHING AND WE I INTERRUPTED HIM.

SO WE NEED TO AFFORD HIM AN OPPORTUNITY. GEORGE, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO SAY? WELL, MAYOR, IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT INVOLVED THERE, BUT THEY SEEMED TO KIND OF HOLD THEIR OWN IN SERIOUS.

HOLD YOUR OWN. AND PARKS DEPARTMENT. THE PARKS DEPARTMENT? YEAH. PARKS, BASEBALL. FOOTBALL, SOCCER. ALL RIGHT.

HOW DOES THIS PERTAIN TO THE BUDGET, THOUGH? WELL, IT'S PROBABLY IF YOU PROFIT OFF OF IT.

ALL RIGHT. I'M SORRY. JOYCE, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? NO, I DON'T THINK YOU'VE ASKED YOUR OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WHAT THEY THINK.

ALL RIGHT. SO WHAT DO Y'ALL WANT TO DO? DO Y'ALL WANT TO RAISE DO YOU WANT ME TO ASK.

I THINK THE BEST. CAN Y'ALL GO TO THE SCREEN THAT HAS THE QUESTIONS? OKAY, SO LET ME ASK. THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS WE NEED ANSWERED SO WE CAN COMPLETE THE BUDGET.

ALL RIGHT. SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO ASK THEM IS PROBABLY THE MAIN THING THAT THEY WANT TO HAVE AN IDEA TONIGHT.

AND WE'RE MISSING TWO MEMBERS. SO JOYCE WILL HAVE TO GET THEIR OPINION AS WELL.

IS AND LET ME JUST CUT TO THE CHASE, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO KNOW MOVING FORWARD SO Y'ALL CAN DO YOUR DEAL.

AS FAR AS THE TAX RATE, YOU WANT TO LEAVE IT THE SAME.

DO YOU WANT TO RAISE IT? IF YOU WANT TO RAISE IT, HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT TO RAISE IT? DO YOU WANT TO LOWER IT? AND IF YOU WANT TO LOWER IT, HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT TO LOWER IT? OR DO YOU WANT TO LEAVE IT THE SAME? WE'RE GOING TO START WITH SCOTT.

I'M LEANING TOWARDS LEAVING IT THE SAME RIGHT NOW.

I WILL NEVER VOTE FOR A TAX INCREASE. ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S MY PRINCIPLES. GOVERNMENT CANNOT GROW FASTER THAN THE PRIVATE SECTOR CAN AFFORD TO PAY IT.

THAT'S THE WAY I SEE IT. STEVE, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO? I DON'T SEE HOW WE CAN GET AROUND THIS WITHOUT RAISING TAXES.

YOU WANT TO RAISE TAXES? WHAT DO YOU WANT? HOW MUCH? I'M NOT SURE YET. ANYWHERE BETWEEN 3 AND 5. WELL.

WHICH ONE? ONE. TWO. THREE. FOUR. WE CAN. WE CAN SAY FIVE AND ALWAYS LOWER IT.

WE'RE JUST KIDDING. NO. YOU CAN'T. SHE NEEDS TO KNOW BECAUSE SHE'S GOING TO.

JOYCE. IF WE SAY FIVE, WE CAN LOWER LATER, RIGHT? YES, SIR. OKAY, THEN I'LL STICK WITH THAT. ALL RIGHT.

FELIX, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO? YOU WANT TO RAISE TAXES, LEAVE THEM THE SAME OR LOWER THEM.

I KNOW WHEN WE CAMPAIGNED, WE. WE SAID THAT WE WERE GOING TO CUT TAXES AND WHICH WE DID.

WELL, WE SAID TAX RELIEF. YEAH. YEAH. TAX RELIEF.

BUT AND WE DID. AND WE HELPED THE SENIOR CITIZENS.

BUT. SO YOU WANT TO TAKE IT BACK. HOLD ON. HOLD ON.

BUT I'M HERE FOR THE LIVELIHOOD OF THE CITY. I MEAN, IF IT'S NEEDED I WOULD HATE TO RAISE IT, BUT I MEAN, IF WE HAVE TO HAVE IT TO WHERE? I DON'T WANT TO CUT SERVICES FOR PEOPLE.

I DON'T WANT TO CUT PEOPLE'S, YOU KNOW JOBS OUT.

I'M NOT FOR THAT. WE'RE GROWING AS A CITY. WE NEED TO KEEP, KEEP UP WITH THE GROWTH.

AND IF WE NEED TO FOR A LITTLE BIT INCREASE IT, WE'LL DO IT.

[00:55:01]

WE'RE NOT IN A HOLE. FELIX, WE'VE GOT $23 MILLION.

YEAH, BUT THAT'S JUST ONE FUND. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF IT WAS JUST TAKE 2.5 OUT OF GENERAL FUND AND PAY THAT OFF? IT WOULD JUST KEEP ON GROWING EVERY YEAR. SO 2.5 MAYBE THIS YEAR, BUT THEN NEXT YEAR IT'LL BE 3.5 BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE NOT.

WE'RE GOING TO KEEP ON ADDING THE PERSONNEL SALARY INCREASES.

SO THAT'S JUST GOING TO BE ADDED EVERY YEAR. SO IT WOULD JUST BE KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD I WOULD SAY.

SO YEAH, IT'D BE A FUTURE COUNCIL PROBABLY. RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST KICKING THIS CAN DOWN THE ROAD. AND THE LONGER WE KICK IT DOWN THE ROAD, THE BIGGER IT GETS.

YES, SIR. STEVE, THAT'S NOT ACCURATE. WITH ALL DUE, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, LOUIS, THAT'S NOT ACCURATE.

YOU HEARD WHAT HE SAID. YOU'RE JUST GOING TO KEEP ON ADDING MORE AND MORE AND MORE PEOPLE.

WELL, THAT'S WHAT GOVERNMENT DOES. ALL RIGHT, FELIX, YOU SAY YOUR NUMBER.

WITH THE 5% YOU SAID WILL BE IN THE CLEAR. IS THAT.

NO, WE SAID $0.05. FIVE CENT. I'M SORRY. WE DID $0.05.

THAT WOULD BALANCE THE BUDGET WITH THE FIVE CENT TAX INCREASE.

AND HOW SOON CAN WE LOWER IT IF WE HAD TO LOWER IT ONCE A YEAR.

FELIX. YOU JUST HAVE TO REEVALUATE NEXT YEAR.

BUT IT'S ONCE A YEAR. ONCE A YEAR. WHEN WE DO THE WHEN THEY DO THE TAX RATE HERE.

YOU CAN'T SAVE $0.05 THIS WEEK OR THIS MONTH.

NO, I UNDERSTAND SIX MONTHS SAY, WELL, WE WERE WRONG.

SO JOYCE, JUST TO DOUBLE CHECK IF WE LET'S SAY WE SAY IT'S FIVE LATER ON, WE CAN STILL LOWER IT, BUT WE CAN'T GO OVER IT. RIGHT. YEAH. WELL I MEAN, TONIGHT I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO PICK A RATE, BUT NEXT TUESDAY YOU WILL HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT US TO PUBLISH.

AND THAT IS A MAXIMUM THAT WE HAVE TO PUBLISH.

SO, SO WE PUBLISH LIKE, SAY WHATEVER IT IS WE PUBLISH, WE CAN STILL GO DOWN.

CORRECT NUMBER. WELL, I THINK WHAT SHE MEANT IS TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT, NOT THE NIGHT WE VOTE ON IT.

TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT SHE'S POLLING US. RIGHT. I'M JUST TRYING TO GET SOME INPUT TONIGHT SO WE CAN FINISH THE BUDGET.

THAT WAY SHE COULD COME IN AND GET IT TOO. I MEAN, WE HAVE TO HAVE A PROPOSED BUDGET BY FRIDAY, BUT NEXT WEEK Y'ALL WOULD HAVE TO VOTE ON. YOU'RE NOT VOTING TO ADOPT THE RATE.

YOU'RE VOTING ON WHAT THE MAXIMUM RATE MAY BE SO THAT WE CAN PUBLISH OUR NOTICES.

AND THEN AFTER THAT, YOU CAN ADOPT ANYTHING AT OR BELOW THE PUBLISHED AMOUNT.

SO WHEN IS. I'M SORRY, WHEN IS THE DATE WHERE YOU CAN'T CHANGE? YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T GO HIGHER, BUT YOU CAN GO LOWER.

WHEN IS THAT? NEXT TUESDAY. Y'ALL GOTTA SET THE RATE THAT Y'ALL WANT TO PUBLISH.

AND YOU CANNOT GO BELOW. YOU CANNOT GO ABOVE THAT RATE, BUT YOU CAN GO LOWER.

THAT WOULD BE THE MAXIMUM RATE. YEAH. NEXT TUESDAY.

SO BASICALLY NEXT WEEK THE MAXIMUM RATE. STEVE YOU CAN PROBABLY GO DOWN A LITTLE LOWER IF YOU WANTED TO.

IF YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND AND HAD A CHANGE IN MIND AND THEN NEXT WEEK YOU SET THE MAXIMUM.

AND THEN THE FOLLOWING WEEK IS WHEN WE HAVE OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP AND WE GO OVER EVERYTHING IN DETAIL.

OKAY, WELL THEN I'LL DO FIVE. WE'LL WE'LL ENTERTAIN THE $0.05.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. GEORGE, WHAT'S YOUR WHAT'S YOUR NUMBER ON THE TAX RATE.

YOU WANT TO LEAVE THE RATE THE SAME, GO UP OR GO DOWN.

AND IF YOU GO UP OR DOWN, WHAT, WHAT AMOUNT WOULD YOU GO.

UP OR DOWN. I'M GOING TO GO WITH COUNCIL VARGAS ON THIS.

YOU'RE GOING TO RAISE TAXES TOO? YES, SIR. OKAY.

SO WE GOT THREE THAT SAY AND YOU GOT ONE THAT SAYS LEAVE THE SAME.

AND I WOULD SAY GO DOWN A CENT. AND THEN WE GOT TWO THAT ARE UNKNOWN.

SO WITH THAT $0.01, HOW WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES? WHAT IS WHAT ARE THE I GUESS THE PROJECTIONS WITH THAT $0.01.

SO YEAH, DROP IT. ONE 470,000 OUT OF THE 470 IS WHAT IS WHAT IT WOULD MEAN.

YEAH. YEAH. SO INSTEAD OF AT 2.3 COULD BE AT LIKE 2.8, 2.8.

OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NOW LET'S GO BACK TO THOSE OPTIONS BECAUSE WE.

SO LET'S SAY THEY GIVE YOU ONE AMOUNT. AND NOW LET'S CHANGE THE THE PAGE.

NO, LET'S GO BACK AND LOOK AT SOME OF THESE OTHER STUFF.

IT DOESN'T MEAN THE WAR IS OVER. LOUIS. ALL RIGHT.

WE UNDERSTAND ONE BATTLE DOES NOT A WAR MAKE.

ANYWAYS, LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF THESE THINGS. IMPLEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT FEE.

YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW OUR OPINION ON THAT? SURE.

YOU'D LIKE TO REALLY KNOW MY OPINION ON THAT.

I THINK I KNOW YOUR OPINION, MAYOR, BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR EVERYONE ELSE'S. OKAY, SO LET'S HEAR YOUR OPINION,

[01:00:06]

AND WHAT IS THIS SUPPOSED TO HELP WITH? JUST GENERATE MORE, GENERATE MORE REVENUE TO PAY FOR DRAINAGE AND STREET IMPROVEMENTS.

IT ALL GOES IN THE SAME TOOL FIELDS. SO THAT GENERAL FUND, RIGHT.

THAT'S WHERE IT GOES. I MEAN, THE SOLUTION IS REALLY A COMBINATION OF THESE THINGS.

OF COURSE, IF YOU WENT WITH THE FIVE CENT TAX RATE, YOU COULD SAY NO TO EVERYTHING ELSE ON THIS PAGE.

I WAS GOING TO SAY WHAT IF THEY SAID YES TO EVERYTHING.

NO. WOULDN'T THAT BE A GREAT DAY HERE. WELL, I WAS JUST ABOUT TO SAY THAT.

YEAH. NO, I'M JUST SAYING. I'M JUST SAYING I SARCASM.

THIS IS A IT'S A COMBINATION OF THESE THINGS AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE RIGHT COMBINATION IS.

BUT FELIX, YOU KNOW, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT IF YOU GET YOU RAISE OUR TAXES $0.05 ONE WAY WOULD BE TOTALLY ARBITRARY IN WHAT YOU GUYS ARE PAYING ON. RIGHT. BUT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE LIVELIHOOD OF THE CITY. WELL, YES, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LIVELIHOOD OF THE CITIZENS. THEY HAVE TO PAY THEIR BILLS.

YEAH. OKAY. IT'S $10 A MONTH. I DON'T WANT TO BE A CITY WITHOUT WITHOUT A POLICE FORCE.

JOYCE, I'LL MAKE IT EASY FOR. I'M GOING TO VOTE NO ON EVERYTHING.

OKAY, WELL, LET'S GO BACK TO FELIX. FELIX. DO YOU.

I'M SORRY FOR THE SARCASM. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE IMPROVEMENT FEE? IT'S PROPOSED. IT WAS PROPOSED AT $4. WELL, I MEAN, IF WE'LL BE BALANCED OUT WITH THE 5% I MEAN, WITH THE 5%, I THINK I THINK WE CAN GO WITH. NO.

WITH EVERYTHING PASSED. I MADE A MISTAKE. EXCEPT FOR NUMBER TWO.

ALL RIGHT. STEVE, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THERE? YOU WANT TO REDUCE STAFFING LEVELS? NO, I DON'T I'M GOING TO SAY NO ON EVERYTHING EXCEPT NUMBER TWO.

ALL RIGHT. OKAY. SO RIGHT HERE WHERE IT SAYS PASS HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASE TO EMPLOYEES. ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT OUR PORTION THAT WE PAY? YES. THE 10% THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN THE BUDGET, WE WOULD PASS THAT ON TO THE EMPLOYEE.

SO THE EMPLOYEE WOULD PROBABLY SEE LIKE A 13% INCREASE.

OH, WOW. HEALTH INSURANCE. YEAH. THEY'RE STILL GOING TO GET A 13% INCREASE IF WE DON'T INCLUDE IT WITH THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET.

THE 10% THAT WE'RE ALLOCATING WILL HELP OUT OF THE 28.

STEVE, YOU SAID NO TO EVERYTHING, AND I CONCUR.

BUT NUMBER TWO, EXCEPT FOR NUMBER TWO. YEAH. FELIX, YOU KNOW, ON EVERYTHING ELSE, TOO.

YOU WANT OUR CITY EMPLOYEES TO HAVE TO PAY MORE HEALTH INSURANCE? NO, I DON'T EITHER. BUT AS FAR AS ARE WE THE HOW ARE WE, I GUESS WAGES OR SALARY WISE FROM THE SURROUNDING CITIES? ARE WE THE LOWEST? I THINK MOST CITIES, FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN, AROUND 3 TO 4% THAT THEY'RE GIVING THEIR STAFF RAISES. YEAH. I THINK FOSTER IS 4%. THREE. THREE AND A HALF.

CAN YOU SAY. ARE WE ACTUALLY WHAT'S THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR.

COMPETITIVE OR ARE WE MORE IN THE BOTTOM. THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.

BUT HOW'S THE TURNOVER RATE? THE TURNOVER RATE IS AROUND 10% ACTUALLY.

YEAH, AROUND 10%. I MEAN WE'RE RELATIVELY COMPARATIVE COMPETITIVE.

BUT YEAH, ALL THE CITIES ARE DOING INCREASES PROBABLY FROM 2 TO 6%.

SO YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO DO THE SAME, BUT OVERALL WE'RE, I WOULDN'T SAY REMOVE SALARY COMPLETELY.

I WOULD, YOU KNOW, IF, IF PUSH COMES TO SHOVE, I WOULD TRY TO GIVE THEM INSTEAD OF A 3%, WE'LL DO A 2.5 OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, JUST TO I DON'T WANT TO YOU KNOW, EVENTUALLY IT'LL AVALANCHE INTO IT'LL SNOWBALL INTO.

WELL, I GUARANTEE YOU, IF Y'ALL RAISE THE, THE TAX RATE BY $0.05 AND YOU DON'T GIVE RAISES SALARY INCREASES OF AT LEAST 2% PEOPLE. I WOULDN'T BLAME EVERY ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE FOR WALKING OUT OF HERE.

OH NO, I UNDERSTAND. NO, I DON'T WANT TO REMOVE SALARIES.

SALARY INCREASES BECAUSE THEN IT BECOMES BAD MORALE AND PEOPLE END UP LEAVING, AND WE HAVE TO PAY EXTRA TO TRAIN SOMEBODY AND STUFF.

[01:05:01]

GO AHEAD SCOTT. IF THE TAX BASE IS SUFFERING OBVIOUSLY THE REVENUE PROJECTED REVENUE IS SUFFERING COMPARED TO THE EXPENSES.

WE GOT TO REDUCE EXPENSES. I THINK WE DID. THERE'S NO REASON TO FOR GOVERNMENT TO THRIVE.

IF THE TAX BASE IS SUFFERING THE TAX BASE WILL DRY UP.

WHAT PERCENTAGE. AT SOME POINT. YEAH I UNDERSTAND WHAT PERCENTAGE.

DID THEY REDUCE EXPENSES. DIDN'T YOU MISS JOYCE.

CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT SCREEN YOU CUT LIKE 1.2 MILLION.

IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? NO. WE CUT ONE MORE RIGHT HERE.

SO? SO RIGHT NOW WE'VE ALREADY REMOVED ALL OF THIS FROM THE BUDGET.

9.3. I MEAN 938,000. WE HAVE REMOVED FROM THE BUDGET.

AND WHAT'S THE TOTAL BUDGET BEFORE YOU REMOVED ANYTHING.

42 MILLION. 42 MILLION. SO DO YOU THINK THAT'S A LOT TO CUT OUT OF A $42 MILLION? YEAH, BUT WE NEED TO CUT 2.5 MORE IF WE DON'T RAISE REVENUES.

ONE THING YOU CAN DO IS NOT HIRE THOSE 13 POSITIONS THAT WOULD CUT OUT IS THAT WOULD CUT OUT 1.5 MILLION.

OKAY. IS THAT IS THAT IS THAT WHAT COUNCIL WANTS? I HATE TO TALK ABOUT AND ARGUE ABOUT MONEY ON STUFF.

I KNOW YOU DO, MAYOR, BUT YOU JUST SAID CUT POSITIONS.

DOES THE REST OF COUNCIL SAY THAT? I SAID HIT THE PAUSE BUTTON ON THEM UNTIL WE CAN GET THE BUDGET, UNTIL WE GET THE BUDGET FIGURED OUT, INSTEAD OF SCARING THE HECK OUT OF EVERYBODY THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THIS.

THESE EMPLOYEES ARE WORRIED. ARE THEY GOING TO GET ARE THEY GOING TO GET COST OF LIVING INCREASES? THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE. AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S HEALTHY.

I DON'T I DON'T THINK THIS IS A HEALTHY IT'S NOT HEALTHY TO NOT TALK ABOUT THIS AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO FIX IT.

WELL, YOU GOT $23 MILLION SITTING IN THE BANK.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CUTTING ONLY $938,500 OUT OF A 40 SOMETHING.

NO, WE HAVE TO CUT. IF WE DON'T TALK THESE GUYS INTO GOING BACK ON THEIR WORD.

IF WE DON'T RAISE, IF WE DON'T RAISE TWO POINT LOWERED TAXES, IF WE DON'T INCREASE REVENUES BY 2.5 MORE THAN WE'VE GOT TO CUT 3.5 MILLION.

CAN WE REACH FOR CANDY OVER HERE? OKAY, SO SO IF WE'RE GOING TO CUT 3.5 MILLION WE HAVE 938 THERE.

CAN YOU GO BACK ONE SCREEN, GO BACK TO THE WHAT IS THAT? NO, THIS THIS IS THE NEXT 900,000 WE'RE GOING TO CUT.

ARE Y'ALL GOOD WITH THAT? LET'S SEE. YEAH. WE CAN CUT SOME OF THEM.

WE'LL DO BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS AS THE TIME COMES.

THAT'S FINE. SO WE'RE GOING TO CUT ALL THIS. WELL SIDEWALKS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CUTTING 25,000 OUT OF THE STREET SWEEPING.

OKAY. SO IF WE CUT. SO YOU STILL GOT HANG ON.

YOU STILL GOT 100 000 IN STREET SWEEPING. MAYBE MAYBE THE STREET SWEEP CONTRACTOR.

STREET SWEEPING CONTRACTOR WILL BECOME A LITTLE MORE EFFICIENT AND SWEEP WHEN WE NEED HIM INSTEAD OF TIMES WHEN WE DON'T NEED HIM. SO THE TREE TRIMMING. SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT IF A TREE FALLS ON THE ROAD, WE'RE NOT GOING TO PICK IT UP? THIS MEANS WE ANNUALLY TRIM IN A IN A DISTRICT.

IN A COUNCIL DISTRICT, WE TRIM ALL THE TREES THAT ARE OVER THE RIGHT OF WAYS.

WE MAKE SURE THERE ARE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF FEET ABOVE THE SIDEWALKS, THE ROADS.

WE WOULD STOP DOING THAT, AND INSTEAD WE'D SEND THE CITIZENS A LETTER AND LET THEM KNOW THEY NEED TO TRIM THEIR TREE BECAUSE THE CITY IS NO LONGER TRIMMING THEM.

NOW, IF A TREE FALLS IN THE ROAD, WE'LL GO GET THAT.

BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRIMMING. HEALTHY TREES THAT ARE HANGING IN THE RIGHT OF WAYS.

JOYCE ON THIS WHERE IT SAYS STREET PROGRAM 900,000 IS THAT AFTER THE 500,000 HAS BEEN TAKEN OUT.

NO. 900,000. WELL, ACTUALLY THE CURRENT FUNDING A MILLION, I BELIEVE.

OH, IS THERE 900 IN THE BUDGET? WELL THERE'S A MILLION, BUT 900 FOR STREETS AND 100 FOR.

OKAY. SO YEAH, THERE'S 900 IN THE BUDGET, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CUTTING 500.

SO THAT WOULD LEAVE 400,000 FOR, FOR ALL OF OUR STREET REPAIR FOR THE YEAR.

YEAH. I THINK THIS IS A FAIR, YOU KNOW, OKAY.

AND HONESTLY, I WANT TO COMMEND YOU ON THIS, THIS AND I, AND THAT'S NOT SARCASM BECAUSE PROBABLY IN, IN ALL THESE CONTRACTS, YOU WE COULD DO A LITTLE TIGHTENING UP.

YEAH. I MEAN, HERE WE'RE CUTTING TREE TRIMMING COMPLETELY SPEED HUMPS COMPLETELY.

I 69 SWEEPING AND CLEANUP. WE'RE COMPLETELY CUTTING WE'RE CUTTING THE CITY NEWSLETTER.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE CUTTING. AND THEN THE REST WE'RE REDUCING THE AMOUNT WE DO.

I WOULDN'T WANT TO CUT SPEED HUMPS. THAT'S THAT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY. AND I WOULDN'T I WOULDN'T CUT THE NEWSLETTER EITHER. WHEN YOU DO THAT, CUT ANYTHING YOU WANT. CUT IT ALL. I DON'T CARE.

WE'LL GET THE BUDGET APPROVED AND THEN WE'LL WE WILL ACT ACCORDINGLY WITH BUDGET AMENDMENTS.

IF YOU WANT TO PUSH. THAT'S FINE. WE'RE GOING TO GET WE'RE GOING TO SET THE TAX RATE.

[01:10:03]

THESE FOLKS ARE GOING TO GET COST OF LIVING INCREASES, AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET CANCELED OR TREATED BAD ON THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE.

THAT'S FINE. JUST DON'T THROW EVERYBODY'S PHONE NUMBERS AWAY BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO NEED WE'RE GOING TO NEED SOME SPEED HUMPS.

WE'RE GOING TO NEED SOME, SOME TREE TRIMMING.

PEOPLE SHOULD TRIM THEIR OWN TREES TO BEGIN WITH, BUT THAT'S FINE.

IF THE GOVERNMENT COMES ALONG AND SAYS, I'LL TRIM YOUR TREE FOR FREE.

WELL, YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SAY THEY WON'T LET THEM CUT THEIR TREE, RIGHT? AS LONG AS THEY DON'T WHACK, YOU KNOW, CUT IT TOO BAD.

BUT I DON'T, YOU KNOW, JOYCE, PUTTING THINGS IN THERE LIKE $15,000 FOR THE NEWSLETTER I GOT GOTTA ASK WITH ALL SINCERITY. WHO'S MADE THAT ONE SUGGESTION? THAT ONE SUGGESTION. WHO DID THAT? WE WE'VE WE'VE DISCUSSED CUTTING THE NEWSLETTER TO, TO EVERY SECOND MONTH.

AND WOULD YOU DO THAT. AND CUTTING THE COST SOME.

WELL TANYA DOES THE NEWSLETTER. DID YOU, DID YOU DISCUSS THAT WITH TANYA.

YEAH. TANYA. TANYA SUBMITTED THAT. YEAH. TANYA.

THAT WAS YOUR SUGGESTION. IT WAS MINE AND HERS.

CUT THE NEWSLETTER. IT WAS AN IDEA. THAT'S YOUR SUGGESTION TO RAISE TO SAVE MONEY AROUND HERE? YEAH. WE HAVE TO CUT SOMEWHERE. WE NEED TO CUT 1.5 MILLION MORE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO FIND SOME MORE. LET'S FIND DIFFERENT ANOTHER WAY.

SOME OF THE STUFF, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE USE THE NEWSLETTER, THEY GET INFORMATION.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING OVER THE LIST. IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU DON'T, WE NEED TO GO. LET'S GO THROUGH.

LET'S ASK THE COUNCIL. WE'LL GO THROUGH THE LIST OF WHAT Y'ALL WOULD SAY REDUCE AND NOT REDUCE.

SO LET'S START AT THE TOP STREET PROGRAM. WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT THAT IS.

THAT'S THE MILLION. WELL, THAT'S WE USUALLY DO $1 MILLION OF STREET REPAIRS A YEAR.

ALL RIGHT. WE'VE GOT THE STREETS IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE RIGHT NOW, SO WE'LL DO 400.

AND BESIDES THAT, LUCKILY WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH FORT BEND COUNTY AS FAR AS RESURFACING.

SO. BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S A BAD SUGGESTION.

500,000. SAY WHAT CURRENT FUNDING 900,000. YOU WANT TO CUT 500,000 OUT OF THAT? YES. IT'LL BE, THERE'LL BE A $400,000. IT WOULD BE DOWN TO 400,000.

WE COULD START THERE. WE ALSO CAN LEAN ON THE COUNTY A LITTLE BIT.

ALL RIGHT. SIDEWALKS. WE HAVE 100,000. YOU WANT TO SUGGEST REDUCING TO 50,000? THAT'S FINE. WE HAVE OUR DC THERE. THEIR FUND IS VERY HEALTHY.

YEAH, WELL, I KNOW THERE'S LIMITATIONS. THE DC CHOSE TO NOT FUND ANY SIDEWALKS.

WELL, WE'LL TALK TO THE DC AND SEE IF IF MAYBE WE CAN.

RESIDENTIAL. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. MOWING. SO. YOU WANT TO YOU WANT TO GO FROM 483 TO 50 OR ARE YOU CUTTING 50. OUT OF CUTTING 50.

CUTTING 50 OUT OF FOUR. 83. THERE MAY BE SOME MORE.

YOU CAN GET MORE THAN 50 LEWIS OUT OF 483. THERE'S NOT MUCH DETAIL THERE.

LET'S ASK THE COUNCIL COUNCIL. IT'S SOMETHING WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT IN DETAIL, BUT I THINK WE GET MORE CALLS TO MOW MORE OFTEN THAN WE DO NOW.

SO WE THOSE CALLS WOULD HAVE TO GO AWAY. AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH THE MOMENT OF REDUCING IT, MAYBE EVEN REDUCING JUST THE NUMBER OF CYCLES THAT WE END UP GOING OUT AND TRIMMING.

I GOTCHA. WELL, LET'S LOOK AT THAT. AND IT'S THE SAME THING WITH THE STREET SWEEPING.

REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CYCLES THAT COME OUT WITH STREET SWEEPING.

INSTEAD OF DOING THE THE ALTERNATE LIST, JUST DO IT ONCE A MONTH, YEAR ROUND, INSTEAD OF THOSE 3 OR 4 MONTHS THAT WE DO IT MULTIPLE TIMES.

WELL, DO WE CONTRACT OUT THE MOWING? YES WE DO.

HOW MUCH? HOW MUCH AREA CAN WE COVER WITH 50,000.

EVERY CONTRACT IS DIFFERENT. OKAY, SO ON THE STREET SWEEPING, LIKE BETWEEN APRIL AND.

IT'S. YEAH, ACTUALLY MARCH, APRIL, MAY OR THE BIG SWEEPING MONTHS IN NOVEMBER.

DECEMBER. YEAH. WE, WE CAN TRIM IT DOWN TO JUST THE LEAFY SEASONS AND THEN CUT AND CUT EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE POLLEN SEASONS.

EARLY. EARLY APRIL. SO WE'LL END UP HAVING TO LOOK AT IT.

BUT THAT'S DIFFERENT WAYS JUST TO CUT IT. ALL RIGHT.

SO WE CAN LOOK AT THAT. WE SHOULDN'T CUT ANYTHING ON MOSQUITO SPRAYING.

THAT'S PUBLIC HEALTH HAZARD. YEAH. YEAH. WE WE ACTUALLY GET A LOT OF REQUESTS FOR MOSQUITO VERSUS MOSQUITO SPRAYING.

[01:15:10]

JOYCE. THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING HERE. YEAH.

THAT'S THE THE BI DISTRICT TREE TRIMMING. ALL RIGHT.

LET'S SEE. WHAT DO Y'ALL WANT TO DO. I THINK I THINK WE OUGHT TO BUY OUR SWEEPERS.

WELL WHO ARE AT THAT POINT. WE CAN'T WE CAN'T NOW.

NOT WITH NOT WITH THIS DOOM AND GLOOM WE GOT MAYBE LATER.

BUT WHAT DO Y'ALL WANT TO DO ON. SHE HAS TREE TRIMMING.

SHE WANTS TO ELIMINATE THE PROGRAM. YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T ALWAYS HAVE THAT PROGRAM? NO WE DIDN'T. SO WE CAN CUT IT AND THEN WE CAN ADD IT BACK NEXT YEAR.

WHAT I'M TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO Y'ALL, WE HAVE BUDGET ADJUSTMENT ITEMS VIRTUALLY EVERY MEETING.

THERE'S NONE OF THIS STUFF THAT WE CAN'T BRING BACK OR ENHANCE OR REDUCE TWEAK AT ANY TIME.

BUT I WANT TO GIVE HER AN IDEA BECAUSE SHE'S, SHE'S TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

SHE HAS TO PUT TOGETHER A BUDGET. SO MY SUGGESTION IS TO TAKE HER SUGGESTIONS HERE ON THESE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A FEW THINGS AND, AND LET HER FORMULATE A BUDGET.

DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER PAGE OTHER WITH SOME MORE SUGGESTIONS.

NO, WE CAN GO BACK. OH, SORRY. NO, DON'T GO BACK.

NO, YOU CAN LEAVE IT HERE RIGHT NOW. LET HIM FINISH. BUT WHEN WE FINISH THIS LIST, WE CAN GO BACK TO TO LEWIS'S LIST.

ALL RIGHT, SO SHE NEEDS INPUT FROM US. I 69 STREET SWEEPING CLEANUP ON THE FREEWAY? NO, IT'S ON THE FREEWAY. A COMPANY COMES OUT MONTHLY, AND THEY PICK UP ALL THE TIRES, GARBAGE, TRASH, AND THEY SWEEP THE FREEWAYS THAT DO THAT.

THEY DON'T DO THAT. THEY ONLY PICK UP AS NEEDED BIG THINGS.

THEY DO NOT CLEAN THE FREEWAYS. WHAT ABOUT WE CLEAN IT THROUGH TOWN? WHAT ABOUT RDC? RDC DOESN'T HAVE MONEY FOR ANYTHING ELSE.

THEY'RE THERE. I MEAN, THEY'VE ALREADY SET THEIR BUDGET. HOW ABOUT DOING LIKE AN ADOPT A BLOCK TYPE THING, WHAT HAVE YOU? I MEAN, YOU CAN'T DO THAT ON THE FREEWAY. OKAY. WE CAN SHIFT THAT.

I THINK WE SHOULD CUT THAT. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THAT STUFF'S ROAD HAZARD.

PEOPLE CAN DIE. EXACTLY. I WOULD, I WOULD KEEP THAT A TOTAL CONTINUATION OF THAT.

MAYBE LOOK AT RDC, MAYBE SHIFTING THAT WE CAN GO AND TALK TO THEM.

WHO HERE IS ON THE RDC? STEVE YOU'RE ON IT. OKAY.

WHAT ARE Y'ALL DOING CUTTING, CUTTING UNNEEDED STUFF HERE.

I HAVEN'T BEEN TO A MEETING. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. YOU'RE YOU'RE YOU'RE EXEMPT ANYWAY WHEN IT COMES UP, SCOTT. YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER FUNDING THAT.

THEY'VE ALREADY APPROVED THEIR BUDGET, SO IT'S NOT GOING BACK TO THE BOARD.

THEY DO BUDGET AMENDMENTS THERE TOO. CAN'T THEY? THEY CAN DO BUDGET AMENDMENTS. YES, SIR. MAYOR WE LOOK TO ANSWER RESOLVED.

I MEAN, PROBLEM RESOLVED. WHAT? WE LOOKED AT THIS ON THE RDC LEVEL ON MOWING.

THAT IS NOT AN APPROVED PROJECT IN RDC CAN DO NOT EVEN ON THE FREEWAY IN THE CITY OR APPROVED BY WHO? THE STATE YOU MEAN? YEAH, EXACTLY. IT'S IT'S A MAINTENANCE ISSUE IN RDC IS NOT SUPPOSED TO DO MAINTENANCE.

WELL, THAT TAKES CARE OF THAT. JOYCE ON ON THIS CITY WIDE TRAINING, $20,000.

GOD, IS THIS GOING TO AFFECT ANY, LIKE, REGULATORY TRAINING THAT WE HAVE? THIS IS OUR ANNUAL LIKE ETHICS TRAINING SUPERVISORY TRAINING.

THIS IS THINGS THAT THE HR DEPARTMENT PUTS ON FOR THE ENTIRE CITYWIDE STAFF.

I THINK TRAINING IS HELPFUL. YOU CAN MAYBE REDUCE IT, BUT I WOULDN'T ELIMINATE IT.

OKAY. Y'ALL WANT TO ELIMINATE OUR NEWSLETTER TO SAVE $15,000? GEORGE, WHAT DO YOU THINK? DO YOU READ THE NEWSLETTER? NO. ALL RIGHT. YOU WANT TO ELIMINATE IT? IS THAT A YES, SIR.

WOULD YOU MIND IF WE DIDN'T ELIMINATE THE NEWSLETTER? ALL RIGHT. CITY WIDE TRAINING. WE'LL. ARE Y'ALL OKAY WITH TAKING JOYCE'S SUGGESTION? REDUCING IT. 20,000 TO TO TO 20. I GUESS FROM 40 TO 20.

ALL RIGHT. FORCE MOWING. DANGEROUS BUILDINGS.

CAN WE NOT CUT THAT UNTIL THE OLD WENDY'S IS DEALT WITH? ALL RIGHT, JOYCE, TELL US YOUR VIEW ON THAT. ON FORCE, I MEAN, DANGEROUS BUILDINGS.

IT'S A LARGE COST. AND WE WOULD JUST NOT DEMO AS MANY BUILDINGS.

AND AT SOME POINT WE WANT TO TRY TO RECOVER THAT THOSE THAT EXPENSE.

SO GREAT. YOU'RE THE LAWYER, Y'ALL. WE FILE LIENS, BUT IT MAY TAKE TEN, 20, 30 YEARS BEFORE WE GET OUR MONEY BACK.

[01:20:04]

WE CAN. OKAY. WELL, Y'ALL OKAY WITH THAT? ALL RIGHT.

INFRASTRUCTURE INSPECTION. I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD TAKE ANYTHING OFF OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE.

WELL, LET'S FIND OUT WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THOUGH. I MEAN, I KNOW WHAT INFRASTRUCTURE IS. I KNOW WHAT INSPECTIONS ARE.

BUT IF YOU PUT THE TWO TOGETHER, LET'S LET'S GET SOME CLARIFICATION HERE.

YEAH. THIS WILL JUST TRY TO REDUCE THE, THE AMOUNT OF INSPECTIONS THAT ARE THIRD PARTY ENDS UP GOING DOWN PERFORMING ON ON WHEN THEY'RE BUILDING NEW SUBDIVISIONS. ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE BILL, JIM? SO THIS HIRING IN HOUSE WAS OUR NUMBER ONE POSITION WE WANTED TO ADD TO HELP WITH THIS, BUT SINCE WE CAN'T ADD ANY POSITIONS WE'LL HAVE TO CONTINUE WITH THIRD PARTY AND WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO CUT IT BECAUSE CUT THE AMOUNT BECAUSE IT'S SO EXPENSIVE WOULD JUST BE SEWER AND WATER DISTRIBUTION TOO. YEAH. SEWER WATER. YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T SKIMP ON THAT.

YEAH. WELL, YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO CUT 50,000 OUT OF A $300,000 BUDGET, RIGHT? THAT'S AN OPTION. I THINK WE CAN LIVE WITH THAT FOR NOW.

WE'LL FIND OUT HOW IT WORKS. IF WE NEED TO. WE CAN DO A WHAT A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT BECAUSE WHY THERE'S $23 MILLION IN THE FUND BALANCE. PARKS STRUCTURAL REPAIR.

YOU'RE SUGGESTING 20,000 OUT OF THAT. WHAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF PARKS STRUCTURAL REPAIR? IF WE HAD TO REPLACE A SWING SET OR LIKE THE PERGOLA THAT ENDED UP CATCHING FIRE, WE GOT TO REPLACE IT.

STUFF LIKE THAT PARK DEDICATION FUND CAN'T COVER IT.

DEPENDS. DEDICATION FUND. I THINK IT'S MORE FOR PARK IMPROVEMENTS.

IT MAY BE MORE FOR PARK IMPROVEMENTS, BUT CAN IT ALSO BE FOR SWING SETS? YES, IT CAN BE FOR SWING SETS. IT CAN'T BE FOR MAINTENANCE.

THIS ALSO PULL THIS ITEM OFF OF HERE. THEN THIS ALSO INCLUDES LIKE PUTTING NEW ROOFS ON OUR PAVILIONS AND STUFF.

YEAH. BECAUSE THAT'S A STRUCTURAL NOT PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT.

NOW THAT ROOFS AND STUFF NOW THAT WOULD BE NEEDED.

BUT 20,000 OUT OF 60,000. THAT'S NOT TOO BAD.

IT'S SOMETHING. PRESTON COMES UP. WE'LL. WE'LL DEAL WITH IT.

ALRIGHT, SO WE WENT THROUGH THE LIST. OKAY, LET'S GO BACK TO YOUR LIST OF OPTIONS.

JUST FOR CLARITY, SO I, I. THE IMPROVEMENT FEE, I THINK WE'VE ASKED ONE, 1 OR 2 PEOPLE.

BUT IS THAT A YES OR A NO OVERALL A NO. OKAY.

NO I'M A NO. GEORGE ARE YOU YOU WANT TO ADD YOU WANT TO CHARGE $4 A MONTH FOR AN EXTRA FEE? NO. OKAY. SO THAT ONE'S A NO. OKAY. SO THAT TAX RATE, I KNOW WE'RE KIND OF ALL OVER THE PLACE.

WE'RE AT $0.05. TAKE AWAY A COUPLE CENTS, STAY EVEN.

WE HAD ONE GUY SAY, BRING IT DOWN. $0.01 WERE FROM THERE TO TO $0.05.

SO THAT'S A SIX CENT SPREAD. SO SO MAYBE WE CAN MEET IN THE MIDDLE.

WE'LL PROBABLY STICK WITH THE ORIGINAL, THE RECOMMENDATION THAT I HAD ON ONE OF THESE SCREENS TO, TO DO $0.02. AND THEN WE'LL GO FROM THERE. LET'S GO, LET'S, BUT LET'S GO BACK.

YEAH, BACK TO YOUR SCREEN. WE GO, YOU GOT THE, THE REMOTE AND THEN REDUCE SERVICES AND EXPENDITURES.

WELL WE'VE DONE SOME OF THAT WE WENT THROUGH, WE'RE CUTTING ABOUT $2 MILLION OF SERVICES AND EXPENDITURES AND CONTINUE TO LOOK IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, WHAT ABOUT REDUCED STAFFING LEVELS? MAYOR, YOU MENTIONED THAT I DON'T I DON'T I DON'T WANT TO REDUCE ANY STAFFING LEVELS.

I DON'T WANT TO REDUCE ANY STAFFING LEVELS. I WANT TO JUST TEMPER TEMPORARILY, IN MY VIEW, IS CONTINUE THE PAUSE BUTTON UNTIL WE GET THROUGH AND SET THAT RIGHT.

AND THEN AS YOU NEED, AS SOMETHING COMES UP WHERE YOU NEED COULD BE THE PERMIT.

I MEAN, WITH THESE INSPECTIONS AND STUFF, FROM WHAT I, FROM WHAT I GET FROM THE PUBLIC, Y'ALL TELL ME IF Y'ALL FEEL THIS OR GET IT.

IT A LOT OF THE BACKUP THAT WE GET IS, IS, IS PERMITS AND STUFF.

WE GET, WE GET THOSE COMPLAINTS. SO WE DON'T WANT TO SHOOT OURSELVES IN THE FOOT THERE.

[01:25:03]

RIGHT? SO I SAID THE PAUSE AND NOT THE FREEZE.

WE HAVE A TEMPORARY PAUSE WHICH IS SAVING US A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY RIGHT NOW, SAVING US TIME.

YOU'RE SAYING WE'RE LEAVING THOSE POSITIONS IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, SO.

NO. WELL, YES. NO NO NO, DON'T. I WOULDN'T I WOULDN'T LEAVE HIM IN THE BUDGET.

SO SO WE'RE CUTTING THEM FROM NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.

CUT THEM FROM THE BUDGET. OKAY. NOW WITH WITH WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, THERE MAY BE 1 OR 2 OR MAYBE EVEN THREE THAT YOU THAT YOU'RE FOR SURE GOING TO KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO FOR SURE NEED.

OKAY. AND IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE HAVING TO DO WITH PERMITS AND INSPECTION.

THAT SEEMS TO BE THE MOST FEEDBACK THAT WE GET COMPLAINTS ON, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

AND I THINK THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL WILL BE WELL PROVIDED FOR WITH THE CCP.

SO I DON'T THINK WE'LL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.

SO SO YOU'RE SAYING CUT THE POLICE OFFICER THAT'S VACANT OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE CCP OFFICERS PROBABLY.

OKAY. NOW KEEP IN MIND, AND AMANDA AND RICHARD ARE GOING TO HAVE AN OPINION.

OKAY. ARE Y'ALL COLD? IS IT ME? I'M KIND OF HOT.

I, I WOULD SAY HOT ON THIS END. I'M SORRY, MISS JOYCE.

I WOULD SAY NO, DON'T CUT HIM OUT. BUT, I MEAN, WE ALL HAVE OUR OPINION.

I AGREE WITH THE THE TEMPORARY HIRING FREEZE AND I DON'T WANT TO LAY ANYBODY OFF.

SO YEAH, THAT'S WHY WE DON'T WE'RE NOT GOING WE DON'T NEED TO LAY PEOPLE OFF HERE.

IT'S JUST IT'S JUST HAS TO DO WITH LITTLE MANAGEMENT AND LITTLE SELF CONTROL.

THAT'S IT. ALL RIGHT. AND I THINK WE'RE CLEAR ON WE'RE LEAVING THE SALARY INCREASES.

AND WE'RE GOING TO HELP THE EMPLOYEES WITH PART OF THE HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASE.

WELL WE NEED TO LOOK MAYBE MAYBE HELPING THEM WITH ALL OF IT THAT WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT ALL OF IT IS.

WE NEED THAT FIGURE. YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO BECAUSE THAT COMES UP EVERY YEAR.

AND I KNOW YOU ALL DO YOUR BEST AT LIKE SHOPPING INSURANCE AROUND AND YOU WANT TO DO THAT? YEAH. WE HAD A REALLY BAD YEAR WITH HEALTH INSURANCE.

I MEAN, THE WHOLE MARKET'S BAD, BUT WE, WE HAD A BAD YEAR.

OUR, OUR CLAIMS WERE EXTREMELY HIGH, THE HIGHEST THEY'VE EVER BEEN SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.

THERE'S NOT A LOT WE CAN DO ABOUT THOSE RATES, BUT NOW WE'RE GOING TO FIND A WAY TO COVER IT.

FUND BALANCE AND. AND I THINK YOU NEED TO CHECK WITH AMANDA AND RICHARD ON THIS TOO.

I'VE GOT NO PROBLEM WITH GETTING INTO FUND BALANCE.

THAT'S A BANK ACCOUNT. I MEAN, IF YOU CAN'T, IF YOU CAN'T USE YOUR OWN MONEY WHEN YOU NEED IT, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO USE IT? THAT'S MY WE'RE GOING TO USE IT.

IF YOU REALLY WANT ME TO ANSWER THAT, WE'RE GOING TO USE IT WHEN WE GOT TO FUND CAPITAL PROJECTS BECAUSE AGAIN, THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE LAST THIS CURRENT YEAR AND NEXT YEAR WE'RE FUNDING ZERO CAPITAL PROJECTS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO REALLY NEED FUND BALANCE FOR SOME OF THOSE CAPITAL PROJECTS, SOME OF THOSE CAPITAL PROJECTS.

I'M NOT SURE THAT MY OPINION. THEY NEEDED HIM.

OKAY. OKAY. SO. AND AND LIKE, AND I CAN GIVE YOU SOME EXAMPLES.

I WON'T UNLESS YOU ASK. I'LL GIVE YOU SOME, BUT SO I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH GETTING INTO AGAIN, IT WAS WE HAD THE SAME DISCUSSION THIS TIME LAST YEAR AND, AND WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN INTO IT.

AND YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU'RE PROJECTING WE WILL AND MAYBE WE WILL, BUT I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH GETTING INTO SOME OF THE FUND BALANCE. LET'S LET'S ASK SCOTT, DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH GETTING INTO SOME OF THE FUND BALANCE? NOT A LOT OF IT, BUT JUST SOME OF IT SEEMS FINE TO ME.

IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAD $3 MILLION EXTRA THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

ALL RIGHT. HOW ABOUT YOU, STEVE? WE NEED BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS.

I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH ANY OF THAT. OKAY, FELIX, I DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES EITHER, BUT I DID HAVE A QUESTION AS FAR AS PROJECT CAPITAL PROJECTS. CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT? WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS? WELL, WE HAVE SEVERAL LIKE COUNTY MOBILITY PROJECTS WHERE THE COUNTY HAS ISSUE DEBT TO PAY FOR A PORTION OF A ROAD PROJECT. WE CURRENTLY HAVE JAY MEYER ROAD.

SPOT CHECK ROAD AND CUMMINS THE, THE EXTENSION OF SPOT CHECK.

RIGHT. YEAH. SO, SO WE HAVE SEVERAL I THINK THERE'S 1 OR 2 MORE OF MOBILITY PROJECTS THAT WE, WE'RE GOING TO NEED MATCHING FUNDS FOR. AND LIKE WHEN YOU LOOK AT JAY MEYER ROAD, WHICH IS PROBABLY SIMILAR, WELL, COLEMAN'S A BRAND NEW ROAD. BUT ANYWAY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, WE'RE GOING TO NEED MILLIONS TO MATCH THE COUNTY MONEY.

[01:30:06]

BETWEEN 22, 18 AND 36, AND I DON'T KNOW IF I WAS ON THE COUNCIL WHEN WHEN.

WHEN THE CITY OR WHEN THAT COUNCIL APPROVED COPELAND.

BUT IN HINDSIGHT NOW. THERE'S NOT ONE BIT OF COMMERCIAL.

THERE'S NOT EVEN A CHURCH. IT'S RESIDENTIAL ON EACH SIDE OF THE ROAD, RIGHT THROUGH A RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPER DEVELOPMENT, PROBABLY OF SOME MULTIBILLION DOLLAR COMPANY.

AND THEY SHOULD HAVE PAID FOR THAT ROAD. TAXPAYERS SHOULDN'T HAVE PAID FOR THAT.

THAT'S MY VIEW ON SOME OF THIS STUFF. SO WE GOTTA I HOPE FUTURE COUNCILS AND STAFF WOULD CONSIDER THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THESE BIG DEVELOPMENTS, AND MOST OF THEM ARE KIND OF THAT TIGHT STARTER HOME HOUSING ANYWAY.

HEY, LET THE DEVELOPERS PAY FOR IT. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT'S GOING OUT AND ACQUIRING THE PROPERTY.

NOW THEY DO DONATE THE PROPERTY. AND THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S IMPORTANT.

BUT THAT INFRASTRUCTURE, THOSE WATER AND SEWER LINES AND THAT CONCRETE IS MILLIONS.

AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE TAXPAYER AND THE CITY, THAT'S ALL BORROWED MONEY USUALLY.

NO, NO, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING IT WITH NO BORROW MONEY THOUGH, RIGHT.

IF WE HAVE FUND BALANCE, IF WE DON'T HAVE FUND BALANCE, THEN WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT BORROWING MONEY FOR THE MATCHING FUNDS FOR THE MATCHING FUNDS.

I MEAN THAT'S REALLY OUR ONLY TWO CHOICES. THE COUNTY, THEY CERTAINLY BORROW FOR THAT.

YES, THEY CERTAINLY DO. THEY DON'T HESITATE TO BORROW. AND THAT'S OUR CHOICE.

WE EITHER HAVE THE FUND BALANCE TO PAY FOR IT OR WE HAVE TO BORROW IT.

YEAH. WELL, THAT'S SO DID DID DID HAS THE A COUNCIL ALREADY APPROVED THE SPA CHECK.

HAS THAT ALREADY BEEN TURNED INTO THE CITY? TO THE COUNTY? I'M SORRY FOR MOBILITY. YEAH, THE COUNTY HAS ALREADY ISSUED BONDS ON IT.

ON IT. OKAY. WITH THIS BODY'S AGREEMENT. WHEN WAS THAT APPROVED? I'D HAVE TO LOOK, YEARS AGO. I HOPE I WASN'T ON THE COUNCIL, BECAUSE THAT'S ALL RESIDENTIAL STUFF OUT THERE, TOO. AS SOON AS YOU CROSS COPELAND, THAT'S ALL.

THAT'S ALL RESIDENTIAL. WE'RE WE'RE WORKING WITH SOME DEVELOPERS THERE TO SEE.

WHY DON'T YOU GET WHAT PORTION THEY CAN PAY. WOULD YOU MIND? WOULD YOU GET US A LIST OF THOSE CAPITAL. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE CITY.

THE COUNTY KNOW IN THE CITY. WELL, THE ONES THAT THIS GROUP THAT WE HAVE, EITHER ME OR I MEAN, NOT ME, BUT THIS COUNCIL OR FUTURE COUNCILS HAVE ALREADY GIVEN THE COUNTY OKAY AND SAID, HEY, YES, WE'RE GOING TO PARTICIPATE. OKAY, WELL, I CAN SEND YOU A LIST.

YEAH. IS IT THAT MANY? I HOPE NOT TOO MANY. IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT 4 OR 5 THAT ARE IN THE WORKS.

OKAY. I THINK JAY MEYER WAS ONE OF THEM. JAY MEYER.

COPELAND. CUMMINS. SPOT CHECK. I THINK THERE'S ONE MORE.

I THINK CUMMINS WAS ONE THAT WAS KIND OF A SAFETY DEAL THERE BECAUSE.

OH YEAH. YEAH. GREENBERG GOT REMOVED. SO IT'S JUST FOR THOSE AREN'T THOSE AREN'T PROBABLY FOR.

BUT I'LL SEND YOU A LIST. I THINK COPELAND WAS PROBABLY THE ONE.

AND THAT'S BEEN AN EXPENSIVE ONE. PROBABLY THAT ONE THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN THERE.

ALL RIGHT. LET'S KEEP GOING. SO WE DON'T WANT TO REMOVE THE 2.5% SALARY INCREASE RECOMMENDATION.

OR DO Y'ALL. DO Y'ALL WANT TO REMOVE OR LEAVE IN SALARY INCREASES FOR THESE FOLKS? I WANT THEM INTERESTED NOW. YEAH. LEAVE IT IN.

LEAVE IT IN. PASS HEALTH INSURANCE. WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT.

WE WANT TO. WE WE'RE REALLY WE REALLY RESIST PASSING THE HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASE TO THE EMPLOYEES.

THE THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS COMMITTEE WILL LOOK AT THAT ON THURSDAY.

I'M NOT SURE RICHARD WILL BE THERE. AND IF SO, YOU MIGHT WANT TO KEEP YOUR DISTANCE.

FUND BALANCE. OKAY. WE WE'VE ALREADY COVERED THAT.

NEXT SLIDE. I THINK THAT'S THAT'S FOR THE BUDGET.

SO WE'LL TAKE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON TONIGHT'S DISCUSSION AND FINALIZE THE BUDGET.

AND YOU'LL GET A COPY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR DILIGENT WORK ON THIS OF COURSE.

AND THANK YOU FOR BEING THE THE MESSENGER. YES.

[01:35:04]

KEEP OUR PLEDGES THAT WE MADE TO THE PUBLIC. I HOPE FOLKS UNDERSTAND.

YES. NO PROBLEM. ALL RIGHT. DO Y'ALL WANT TO TAKE A BREAK OR KEEP GOING? KEEP GOING. THEY SAID SHE SAYS SHE'S. SHE SHOULD KNOW.

ALRIGHT, LET'S KEEP GOING. ALRIGHT. SCHEDULE OF FEES.

AND I WANTED TO GO THROUGH THESE AND I DID GO THROUGH SOME OF THESE.

LET'S JUST CUT THROUGH THE CHASE ON THESE. SURE THING.

ANYTHING THAT STANDS OUT THAT YOU GOT QUESTIONS ON.

OKAY. SCOTT, DIDN'T YOU HAVE SOME CONCERN ABOUT SOME OF THESE FEES? LET'S LOOK AT THEM REAL GOOD. LET'S GO THROUGH THEM.

GEORGE, GO TO YOUR ITEM ITEM NUMBER TWO AND GO THROUGH AND LOOK HERE.

[2. Review and discuss proposed changes to the Schedule of Fees, and take action as necessary to direct staff. (Rigo Calzoncin, Assistant City Manager)  ]

OKAY. YEAH. AND WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS WE GO AHEAD.

SORRY. YEAH. SO WITH THE, WITH WITH THE RENOVATIONS THAT WE JUST HAD AT THE, AT THE CIVIC CENTER PART OF IT, WE ENDED UP PUTTING FRENCH DOORS IN BETWEEN ROOM E AND ROOM F, WHICH IS CREATING KIND OF A NEW ROOM G.

SO THIS IS JUST TRYING TO PUT A, A PRICE ASSOCIATED WITH.

NOW THAT NEW ROOM THAT WE HAVE. ALL RIGHT. I, I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING.

I GOTTA CATCH SOMETHING OFF SUBJECT HERE. SO WE DIDN'T GIVE UP ON US AND LEAVE.

I SEE DOCTOR IVES CAME IN. THANK YOU, DOCTOR IVES.

STAY HERE. DON'T LEAVE. DON'T GIVE UP ON US. WE'RE GOING TO GET TO YOUR ITEM BECAUSE I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO VENT IN FEEDBACK.

SOME FEEDBACK. FEED. FEED FORWARD. YEAH. OKAY.

SO THEY'RE HAVING TO RAISE THE RATES ON THE CIVIC CENTER.

THIS IS NEW RATES ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEW ROOM THAT WE CREATED OUT THERE, WHICH IS BASICALLY A COMBINATION OF ROOM AND ROOM F.

WELL, WHERE IS THAT ON? WHEN YOU WALK IN ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.

SO THE MULTIMEDIA ROOM THAT'S IN THE VERY BACK, WE ENDED UP CONNECTING IT TO THAT OTHER LITTLE ROOM TO THE OTHER ROOM.

SO WE ENDED UP PUTTING A FRENCH DOOR IN BETWEEN.

OKAY. WHAT WAS IT, IF YOU DON'T MIND ME, WHAT WAS THE REASON FOR THAT? JUST JUST TO CHANGE UP THE SPACE. THERE'S THERE'S EVENTS THAT SOMETIMES THEY END UP DON'T WANT TO BE IN THE MAIN HALL AND THEY WANT TO HAVE FOOD ON ONE SIDE AND, AND TALKING ON THE OTHER. SO I LIKE THE CIVIC CENTER.

I THINK IT'S A REAL GOOD ASSET TO THE CITY. PEOPLE LIKE IT.

IT'S NICE. IT'S GOT GREAT MANAGEMENT. SO I MEAN THAT AND EVERYBODY LIKES IT.

SO HEY, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT GO BY, IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD NOW.

AND YEAH, I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU SINCE THEY GOT NEW, YOU KNOW, BEEN WELL IT REOPENED THIS REPAIRED IF YOU WILL.

IT REOPENED THIS WEEK. OH OKAY. THAT'S GOOD. YEAH.

WELL, I HEARD BECAUSE YEAH, I HAVE A MEETING THERE WITH ONE OF THE GROUPS ON AUGUST THE 10TH.

I'LL GET TO SEE IT. THAT'S GOOD. ANY COMMENTS ON THIS PAGE? ANY OTHER COMMENTS? RICO, THERE'S REALLY A LOT OF PAGES IN HERE.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THEM ONE BY ONE, ARE WE? I'M JUST GOING TO PUT THEM ON THE SCREEN IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ON THE DEVELOPMENT FEES. OH DEVELOPMENT RELATED FEES.

SO THIS IS LIKE IF SOMEONE'S TRYING TO BUILD A BUILDING PERMIT, DEPENDING ON THE THE, THE VALUE OF THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE OUT THERE.

SO LESS THAN A THOUSAND TO GET THE PERMIT WILL BE $50 IF THE VALUATION IS FROM FROM 1000 TO 50,000, IT'LL BE $50 FOR THE FIRST 1000 AND THEN GO UP $8 FOR EVERY THOUSAND FEET.

SO IT'S JUST MOVING THE SCALES UP TO BE COMPARABLE TO WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE CHARGING.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS. AND IT GOES DOWN LIKE AT THE VERY END FOR THE SINGLE FAMILY HOME.

SO FOR LIKE NEW CONSTRUCTION, IT GOES TO $0.50 A SQUARE FOOT.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. NEXT. ANYBODY HAD ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? IF THESE ARE TOO HIGH OR TOO LOW OR IF IF YOU IF YOU DON'T SAY SOMETHING, WE'LL ASSUME Y'ALL ARE OKAY WITH IT.

YEAH. AND THESE ARE THE CHANGING THE STORAGE BUILDINGS.

LET'S SEE. CHANGING IT FROM A $0.50 A SQUARE FOOT TO $0.75 A SQUARE FOOT.

THE, THE PERMIT TO PULL A SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM OR SOLAR PANEL SYSTEM.

CHANGE IT TO 125. IF YOU'RE REPLACING YOUR MOBILE HOME, GOING FROM A 200 TO 2, 75 DIFFERENT PERMITS LIKE THAT. THE MAIN ONE ON THIS PAGE IS THAT WE'RE ADDING IS THE THIRD PARTY INSPECTION.

SO IF SOMEONE WANTS TO CALL A THIRD PARTY INSPECTOR, WE'LL CALL THE THIRD PARTY INSPECTOR BECAUSE WE NEED A CERTAIN INSPECTOR THAT HAS A

[01:40:02]

AND THAT WAY, THE CITY IS NOT OUT OF MONEY WHEN WE HAVE TO HIRE A THIRD PARTY INSPECTOR.

SO THAT'LL MAKE US EVEN. I HAD A QUESTION ON THAT.

ON THE MOBILE. I KNOW THE MOBILE HOMES. I HAD A RESIDENT TELL ME IF HE WANTED TO, I GUESS, UPGRADE HIS MOBILE HOME. IS THERE LIKE A AN ORDINANCE OF HOW MANY DAYS HE CAN.

HE HAS TO PUT A NEW ONE IN THERE. I BELIEVE IT'S SIX MONTHS, IF I RECALL.

RIGHT. SIX MONTHS TO REPLACE IT. SIX MONTHS. OKAY.

THANK YOU. SO Y'ALL CHARGE TO INSPECT A DECK? YEAH, DECK. WE HAVEN'T CHANGED THAT YET. $0.50 A SQUARE FOOT.

OKAY. THIS IS A THIS IS A LOT OF WORDING THAT WE ENDED UP TAKING OUT BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY IN THE PERMIT ITSELF WHEN YOU PULL IT.

AND IT WAS JUST BEING REDUNDANT. THE DEMOLITION FEE, WE ENDED UP JUST MAKING IT A FLAT $50 FEE INSTEAD OF IT BEING ESCALATION FEE. SO IT JUST MADE IT A LITTLE BIT SIMPLER. SO IF SOMEONE WANTS A DEMO, THEY CAN GO AND DEMO PLAN REVIEW FEES.

IF ONCE WE REVIEW PLANS AND IF WE CONTINUE HAVING TO KEEP ON REVIEWING REVIEWING PLANS, WE'LL END UP CHARGING THEM FOR, FOR STAFF'S TIME TO KEEP ON LOOKING AFTER THE SAME PLANS OVER AND OVER.

LET'S SEE WHAT'S ON HERE. FOR CULVERTS. YOU KNOW, THE CITY ENDS UP FOR RESIDENTIAL.

IF SOMEONE NEEDS A DRIVEWAY CULVERT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY USUALLY GOES OUT THERE AND PUTS THOSE IN, AND WE'RE INCREASING THAT TO 275 FROM 200. SO THAT WILL COVER THE IT DOESN'T EVEN COVER, BUT THAT THAT THAT COVERS THE ROCK, THE MACHINE, THE GUYS GOING OUT THERE, THAT'S STILL A PRETTY GOOD DEAL AT 275.

SO AND THEN IF THEY WANT TO EXTEND A CULVERT, IT'S $30 A FOOT.

AND YEAH, COMMERCIAL INSPECTIONS IS IS 100 ON ELECTRICAL PERMITS.

IT'S GOING UP A LITTLE BIT LIKE AN OUTLET GOING FROM $1 TO $1.25 FOR MOTORS INSTEAD OF ALL THE DIFFERENT RAISE ARRAY OF MOTORS, JUST MOTORS THAT ARE INSTALLED. THERE'S A FLAT FEE OF $10 PER MOTOR.

SO ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THESE FEES? ON PLUMBING.

WE ENDED UP DOING $10 PER PER FIXTURE FOR A SMALL FIXTURE, 15 FOR LARGE HVAC.

WE DIDN'T. WE LEFT THAT THE SAME. THE NEW ONE ON REFRIGERATION IS MORE LIKE A WALK IN COOLER.

WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT BEFORE. SO THAT WAY WE CAN ACTUALLY PUT AN INSPECTION OR A PERMIT ON ON THAT.

AND SAME THING WITH IRRIGATION. WE DIDN'T HAVE A PERMIT FOR PULLING AN IRRIGATION PERMIT.

CORRECTIONAL FACILITY FEES. IT'S PART OF OUR ORDINANCE.

NOT THAT I DON'T THINK WE HAVE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, BUT WE JUST ENDED UP.

WE NEED SOME. SO ADJUSTING THOSE TO TO INSPECT A CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.

AND THAT'S MORE FOR A FEE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY INSPECTION.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY. SO BUT JUST IN CASE SOMEBODY COMES IN, WE DON'T HAVE A ZONING.

JUST IT'S THERE. YOU WANT TO BE READY? OKAY. JUST JUST IN CASE.

THE SAME THING WITH THE ALTERNATE HOUSING FACILITIES.

OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU. DOES THAT COVER GROUP HOMES AND HALFWAY HOUSES? THAT ONE I DIDN'T GET. THAT'S THAT'S WHERE IT COVERS IT. HALFWAY HOMES. YEAH.

YES, SIR. GROUP HOMES. NO, NO. LIKE THESE. GOD BLESS THEM.

THESE HOSPICE HOMES. WE'RE GETTING THEM ALL OVER ROSENBERG.

AND I'M NOT SAYING CHARGING THEM. I'M NOT SAYING CHARGE THEM.

I'M JUST SAYING, IS THE CITY CHARGING THEM? I THINK THAT FALLS UNDER THE ASSISTED LIVING ONE, DOESN'T IT, FOR BOARDING HOMES. I'M SURE THERE'S THERE'S YEAH, THERE'S A THERE'S A DIFFERENT FEE FOR THAT FOR THE.

BUT THERE IS A FEE. YES. OKAY. SO THIS IS MORE LIKE ON THE PLANNING LEVEL WHEN WE REVIEW PLATS SUBDIVISIONS, JUST TO UPDATE SOME OF THAT IS COMPARABLE TO, TO SURROUNDING CITIES.

HANG ON. OH, SORRY. SO YEAH, WHEN WE'RE REVIEWING A LAND PLAN INSTEAD OF IT JUST BEING 1500 TO REVIEW IT, WE END UP DOING $1,000 BASE FEE AND THEN SO MUCH PER ACRE.

SO IF THEY END UP AMENDING THEIR LAND PLAN, CHANGING IT TO $1,000.

OKAY. LAND DISTURBANCE PERMITS CHANGING THAT FROM $15 TO.

[01:45:03]

AND THIS ONE, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF RED. THIS IS THIS IS JUST COVERED MORE ON THE ON THE FROM THE FIRE MARSHAL SIDE, JUST UPDATING THE FEES JUST, JUST TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE THE SURROUNDING CITIES.

AND WE'RE MISSING A LOT OF THE INSPECTIONS THAT WERE IN THERE.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE, AT THE BOTTOM, IT ADDED LIKE THE TEMPORARY FUEL FUEL TANKS THE HIGH PILE STORAGE PERMITS, HAZARDOUS MATERIAL PERMITS, DIFFERENT PERMITS THAT THAT NEED TO BE PULLED OR PEOPLE COME IN SO WE CAN GO OUT THERE AND INSPECT THOSE.

SO WE HAVE THOSE ADULT DAY CARE FACILITIES, ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES, DIALYSIS CENTERS.

AND YEAH, THIS GOES BACK INTO THE TO THE BOARDING HOMES, WHICH ARE THE LOCATIONS WHERE PEOPLE ENDED UP SPENDING MORE THAN MORE THAN 30 DAYS.

SO CHANGING THAT FROM 500 TO A TO A TO $1,000.

AND THE, THE TOBACCO, THE VAPE SHOPS FOR THOSE LICENSE FEES GOING FROM 150 TO 450.

GOOD. SO UNLESS YOU'RE A PROPRIETOR OF A TOBACCO SHOP OR A VAPE SHOP.

YES, SIR. SO IF THERE'S NOT ANY COMMENTS ON IT, WE'LL END UP BRINGING THAT BACK AT A FUTURE COUNCIL MEETING TO.

WE KNOW WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY NEW VAPE SHOPS AND STUFF, NOT.

NOT SINCE WE TIGHTENED DOWN ON THE ON THE ORDINANCE THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SO MANY FEET AWAY FROM, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER THE SPECIFICS. DO YOU REMEMBER GRADYS DID 1000 OR 2000 THE VAPE SHOPS.

YOU KNOW, WE WE PASSED AN ORDINANCE. YOU CAN'T OPEN ANOTHER SMOKE SHOP WITHIN SO MANY FEET OF ANOTHER SMOKE SHOP.

I THINK IT WAS I THINK IT WAS 1000. BUT I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND CHECK.

REMEMBER, IT WAS 2000. YOU REMEMBER BRIAN? BRIAN, WHATEVER IT IS, IT'S BETTER THAN WHAT? WHAT THEY HAD. AND FOLKS WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE TWO LESS MASSAGE MISOGYNIST IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. ONE, I WANT TO HAVE A NEW I AND ONE ON AVENUE H.

OKAY. WHAT ARE THOSE? WHAT DO Y'ALL CHARGE TO INSPECT THEM? THAT I'M NOT SURE. DON'T SAY FREE COMPLIMENTARY.

I'M NOT SURE. ANYWAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. LET'S SEE IF THE COUNCIL HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE FEES.

WE'LL START WITH FELIX. FELIX, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS, EVEN? NO, SIR. I'M GOOD. THANK YOU. STEVE. NO COMMENT.

SCOTT. NO. GEORGE STEPPED OUT. WHAT IS IT FOR, 2000? IT'S BETTER THAN. BETTER THAN NOTHING. DOES THE CITY REQUIRE WHEN SOMEBODY CHANGES A FAUCET. JUST A FAUCET, JUST TO, YOU KNOW, SINK FAUCET IN THEIR HOUSE OR A COMMODE THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE A PERMIT? ARE THEY HIRING SOMEBODY TO DO IT? I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE HIRING A PLUMBER TO DO IT.

THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A PERMIT. HOW MUCH IS THAT PERMIT? DO WE KNOW? WOULD BE LET'S SEE, $15. 30 BUCKS, $30. OKAY, SO YOU GO AND YOU PAY THE $30.

WHAT DO YOU GET FOR THAT? ONCE IT'S PUT IN, I BELIEVE THE OUR INSPECTORS GOES OUT THERE AND VERIFIES THAT IT CHECKS IT OUT, MAKE SURE THAT IT'S INSTALLED CORRECTLY. ALL RIGHT. FAIR ENOUGH. AND PART OF THE PERMIT, IF, IF THEY'RE A PLUMBER YOU KNOW, WE MAKE SURE THAT THEIR INSURANCE AND EVERYTHING'S THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY GOT INSURANCE AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

ALL RIGHT. BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PERMIT, I MEAN, IF YOU, IF YOU DO IT YOURSELF, YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T HAVE TO. DO YOU? YOU DON'T KNOW. I DON'T WANT TO ASK.

WHAT'S. WHAT'S THE RIGHT ANSWER HERE? NEVER MIND. YOU KNOW WHAT? LA LA LA LA.

NEVER MIND. ALL RIGHT, FORGET ABOUT IT. WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT LATER.

ALL RIGHT. I KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO. I WOULD CHANGE OUT THE TOILET.

YEAH. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. DOES SO IF EVERYBODY'S OKAY, THEY'RE ASKING IF THERE'S NO CHANGES.

[01:50:06]

THANK YOU SO MUCH. LOOKS LIKE SOMEBODY SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS.

I DON'T KNOW, WHOEVER IT WAS, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN YOU. JOYCE. ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, ALL THE DEPARTMENTS SUBMITTED THEIRS.

AND THEN WE WENT OVER IT AND CLEANED IT UP AND SUBMITTED IT TO Y'ALL.

WELL, SOMEBODY Y'ALL ALL SPENT A LOT OF TIME.

VERY GOOD. PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT IN IT. GREAT WORK.

OKAY. YES. BECAUSE IT WAS IT COVERED VIRTUALLY EVERYWHERE.

EVERYWHERE IN TOWN. I MEAN, MOST ALL THE DEPARTMENTS.

OKAY. DOCTOR IVES. ITEM. ITEM NUMBER THREE. REVIEW AND DISCUSS REVISIONS OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.

[3. Review and discuss revisions to the Code of Ordinances, Chapter 16, Article IV related to Solicitors, and take action as necessary to direct staff. (Jonathan White, Police Chief)  ]

CHIEF WHITE IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT.

CHIEF, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE TONIGHT. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

THIS ITEM HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE AGENDA AT THE REQUEST OF MAYOR BENTON, TO ALLOW CITY COUNCIL THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.

CHAPTER 16, ARTICLE FOUR RELATED TO SOLICITORS.

A COPY OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026-30 RELATED TO SOLICITORS IS ATTACHED FOR REVIEW.

THE RELATED MINUTE EXCERPT IS NOT INCLUDED WITH THIS ITEM.

IT IS AVAILABLE IN THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, SO YOU SHOULD HAVE A COPY OF THE ORDINANCE.

DOCTOR ROB'S, DO YOU MIND? CAN YOU COME TO THE MICROPHONE? SO I TOLD DOCTOR IVES. BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THESE SOLICITORS ARE STILL COMING DOOR TO DOOR.

I THINK THEY CAME ON CAROLINE STREET TO CAROLINE.

DID THEY COME AROUND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ALSO? OKAY.

SO THEY THEY'RE KIND OF SELECTIVE. AND THEY WERE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE HECTOR SAW THEM.

HE CALLED ME. THEY DIDN'T COME TO MY DOOR. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN OKAY IF THEY WOULD, BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING I DON'T THINK IT'S SAFE FOR THE SOLICITOR OR FOR THE HOMEOWNER TO HAVE THESE RANDOM FOLKS COME UP AND AND SOLICITOR'S DOCTOR WAS YOUR MAIN CONCERN IS THAT THE LACK OF PENALTY, IF YOU WILL, OR ENFORCEMENT IS IT IN A WAY ENCOURAGES THEM TO KEEP COMING BACK? CORRECT. IS THAT CORRECT? AND TELL US BRIEFLY WHAT HAPPENED.

THE TIMES THAT THEY'VE COME AND YOU CALLED THEM.

WHAT HAPPENED? DID. THE POLICE CAME, BUT THEY DIDN'T GIVE THEM A TICKET.

WELL, SINCE THE ORDINANCE WENT INTO PLACE THAT I'VE HAD, I'VE HAD THREE SOLICITORS SHOW UP, AND ONE OF THEM WAS RIGHT AFTER THE ORDINANCE WENT INTO POSITION.

AND SO I JUST ADVISED HIM, HE TOOK MY ADVICE AND LEFT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND SO THEN THE NEXT TWO, BOTH OF THEM THAT I INDICATED TO THEM THAT THEY NEEDED A PERMIT.

IF IF THEY HAVE A PERMIT, THAT'S FINE. WE KNOW THEY'VE BEEN CHECKED OUT AND THEY'RE LEGITIMATE AND THEY THEY'RE THEY'RE REGISTERED.

AND THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM. BUT NONE OF THEM HAVE A PERMIT.

I'D LIKE TO KNOW, HOW MANY PERMITS DO WE HAVE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW? INHERENT TO THAT IS THAT THEY, THEY'RE ADVISED AND THEY, THEY GO RIGHT OUT AND SAY THANK YOU.

AND, AND THEY JUST GO TO THE NEXT DOOR. AND THE POLICE IN BOTH CASES, THE POLICE HAVE BEEN THERE IMMEDIATELY AND THEY'VE RESPONDED.

IN BOTH CASES, THERE'S BEEN TWO THERE'S BEEN TWO SOLICITORS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AREA.

AND WE APPRECIATE THE RESPONSE. AND THEY'RE GONE.

BUT THAT DOESN'T KEEP THEM COMING BACK TO MY DOOR.

OKAY. SO THESE TWO SOLICITORS, YOU YOU TOLD THEM.

YOU ASKED THEM IF THEY HAVE TO HAVE A PERMIT.

OH YES. AND THEY SAID, OH, WE'VE GOT A PERMIT.

BUT OF COURSE THEY DON'T. THEY DON'T BECAUSE IF THEY HAD A PERMIT, THEY'D HAVE IT ON THEM.

SO AND THEN THEY, THEY LEFT YOUR DOOR AND THEY JUST KEPT GOING TO THE HOUSE TO HOUSE TO HOUSE.

CORRECT. CALLED THE POLICE. THE POLICE CAME. CORRECT.

AND DO YOU DID YOU HEAR WHAT THE DID THE POLICE GIVE THEM A CITATION OR JUST GIVE THEM A WARNING OR JUST RUN THEM OFF? IN BOTH CASES, THEY JUST LET THEM GO. RUN THEM OFF.

OKAY. ALRIGHT, SO WHAT ARE YOU SUGGESTING? BECAUSE I KNOW WE'VE HAD DISCUSSION AND YOU PROBABLY KNOW MY PREFERENCE.

[01:55:08]

WE'VE GOT TO ENFORCE THE POLICY AND WE'VE GOT A GOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT.

WE'VE HAVE EXCELLENT POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND INHERENT TO THAT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS OF WHAT THE THE CHIEF'S GOT TO GO THROUGH IN REGARD TO ACTUALLY GIVING THEM A CITATION IN REGARD TO SAY, DO THEY HAVE TO SEE THEM DO IT? OR IN OTHER WORDS, IF THEY SEE THEM GOING FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE, MOST OF THOSE GUYS WILL ADMIT, HEY, I'M SELLING FOR SOMEBODY. THEY DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.

AND SO IF THEY ARE, MOST OF THEM, YOU KNOW, THE COMPANY IS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.

AND THE ORDINANCE UNDOUBTEDLY GOES GOES TOWARD THE COMPANY.

THE CHIEF TOOK HIS TIME TO LOOK. LOOK FOR ONE ONE COMPANY.

AND THESE TWO GUYS THEY WERE OPERATING OUT OF THE COMPANY WAS OPERATING OUT OF AUSTIN, TEXAS.

SO THERE WERE NOT EVEN LOCAL. OKAY. LET ME ASK OUR ATTORNEY BECAUSE THIS COULD COULD, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY COME DOWN TO A LEGAL ISSUE. CAN DOES THE COUNCIL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DIRECT OUR POLICE CHIEF TO DIRECT POLICE TO CITE SOMEBODY FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS BECAUSE POLICE, OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE THEY USE THEIR OWN JUDGMENT. THEY HAVE DISCRETION. IS THERE DO WE HAVE DO WE HAVE.

AND I'M NOT SAYING WE WANT TO OR NOT WANT TO.

I'M JUST ASKING BECAUSE IF WE IF IF IF WE CAN'T GIVE THAT DIRECTION, THEN NO NEED STAYING HERE ALL NIGHT OVER THAT.

BUT BUT SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, DO YOU KNOW, DO YOU KNOW OR CHIEF WOULD, WOULD YOU KNOW, DO WOULD EITHER ONE OF Y'ALL KNOW I'M SORRY I DIDN'T PREPARE YOU TO TO RESEARCH IT.

THAT MAY BE USED TO IT. OKAY. BUT IS THERE ANY WAY YOU CAN CHECK THE, THE, THE, DO YOU HAVE THE, THE ABILITY TO DIRECT. YES. SHOULD, YOU KNOW.

OKAY, SO I'LL ASK YOU WHY WE SHOULDN'T IN A, IN A SECOND.

BUT, BUT WHEN YOU SAY WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DIRECT, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DIRECT THE CHIEF TO DIRECT HIS STAFF THAT WHEN THEY COME. SORRY. NO MORE WARNINGS.

YOU YOU YOU, YOU GOTTA CITE THEM. IS THAT INAPPROPRIATE? IN A WAY? YEAH. OKAY. YES. YES. ALRIGHT. WHY? AND I'M JUST ASKING IT. MAYBE IT IS, BUT YOU GOT TO TRUST THE PEOPLE YOU HIRE.

AND IT'S WHEN YOU'RE OUT IN THE FIELD, THEY HAVE TO MAKE JUDGMENT CALLS.

IT'S NOT ALWAYS BLACK AND WHITE. YEAH. AND SO, AND I THINK THE CHIEF HAS A SOLUTION THAT HE'S GOING TO.

ALL RIGHT. IN A SECOND. BUT YOU KNOW, IN THE LEGAL REALM OR IN A COURT, THAT'S PROSECUTORIAL DISCRETION ON WHETHER THEY BRING A CASE OR NOT.

SAME THING HERE. THERE MAY BE EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES YOU COULD HAVE.

DO YOU WANT TO ARREST A 17 YEAR OLD? WELL. NO SOLICITING.

IT'S NOT A REST. IT'S A CITATION. YEAH. NOW IT COULD BE A REST.

WELL, IT COULD BE A REST, BUT IT'S CITATION. WELL, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT.

SO YOU THE QUESTION IS, CAN YOU. YES, YOU CAN ORDER.

YOU CAN REQUEST THE POLICE TO ISSUE A CITATION AT EVERY TIME.

OKAY. SHOULD YOU. I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHY. AND THE REASON I SAY IS I'VE SEEN THESE COUNCILS ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, DURING BACK A FEW YEARS AGO, THEY WOULD SAY AND I, IT WAS A LOT YOUNGER, OBVIOUSLY, AND WOULD HAVE FRIENDS THAT OCCASIONALLY WOULD LEAVE THEIR CAR INSURANCE, YOU KNOW, WOULDN'T HAVE IT OR IT WOULD EXPIRE.

AND RICHMOND HAD A ZERO TOLERANCE. IT'S LIKE ZERO ZERO TOLERANCE.

IF YOU, IF YOU GOT STOPPED BY THE POLICE AND THEY SAY SHOW YOU THERE WAS NO PHONES TO SAY, HERE'S MY INSURANCE AND HERE'S MY DRIVER'S LICENSE, PLEASE.

WHEN WE WERE KIDS, IF THEY ASKED YOU AND YOU DIDN'T PRODUCE STUFF, THERE WAS NO SHOW YOUR PHONE.

OKAY? YOU WERE IN TROUBLE. THAT WAS THAT. ANYWAYS OF COURSE, NOW PEOPLE KEEP STUFF LIKE THAT ON THEIR PHONE.

I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT THEY DO. BUT RICHMOND HAD ZERO TOLERANCE.

IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE PROOF OF INSURANCE, EVEN IF YOU HAD IT, NOW THEY HAVE A WAY TO CHECK IT IF YOU HAVE IT AND DON'T HAVE PROOF.

BUT IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE PROOF, THEY TOWED YOUR CAR.

AND IF YOU GAVE THEM ANY LIP, THEY TOLD YOU TO.

[02:00:01]

IT'S NOT OPTICS. IT'S JUST THE ACTUAL APPLICATION OF IT IN PRACTICALITY.

I MEAN, IF IF SOMEONE CALLS A POLICEMAN AND SAYS THEY'RE HERE, IT'S NOT AN UNREASONABLE POLICY TO SAY THEY GET A CITATION BECAUSE THE HOMEOWNER IS OBVIOUSLY BOTHERED ENOUGH BY IT FOR IT TO GET OUT THERE. YEAH. BUT IF THEY SEE SOMEBODY AND THEY SAY, OH, I LEFT IT IN THE CAR AND WENT AND GOT IT.

ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO GIVE THEM A CITATION? IF THEY ACTUALLY HAVE IT, THAT'S FINE. YEAH, I THINK I THINK THE CONCERN IS AND, AND OUR POLICE HAVE HAVE A LOT MORE. ON THEIR MIND THAN THESE TYPE OF CITATIONS.

BUT. I DON'T THINK IT'LL STOP UNTIL THEY DO START.

THAT'S JUST MY PERSONAL VIEW. UNTIL SOME TICKETS ARE WRITTEN.

THAT'S JUST MY VIEW. NOW, CHIEF, YOU UNDERSTAND? YOU HAVE ANOTHER SUGGESTION? MAYBE ANOTHER OPTION.

WHAT DO YOU WHAT SAY YOU? WELL, WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK AT INTERNAL POLICIES.

I KNOW DOCTOR EYES IS BOTHERED BY SOLICITORS.

FIRST OFF, IT'S NOT ILLEGAL TO SOLICIT. IT'S ILLEGAL TO DO IT WITHOUT A PERMIT.

SO THAT'S THE ISSUE. IF THEY GET A PERMIT THEY CAN STILL DO IT.

THEY JUST HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF THE PERMIT. BUT INTERNALLY YOU KNOW, IF IT'S THE WISHES OF THE COUNCIL WE COULD LOOK AT OTHER PROCESSES WHERE IF THE HOMEOWNER REQUESTS A TICKET THAT ONE IS ISSUED AT THAT POINT RATHER THAN JUST TAKE COMPLETE DISCRETION AWAY BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU WILL HAVE THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE YOU MAY HAVE A TEENAGER THAT KNOCKS ON YOUR DOOR, ASKS TO MOW YOUR GRASS.

WELL, TECHNICALLY, IF YOU PASS THAT ORDINANCE, THAT'S GOING TO BE A MANDATORY CITATION, AND THE OFFICER'S GOING TO JUST BE FOLLOWING THE GUIDANCE OF THE COUNCIL AT THAT POINT, NOT MAKING A DISCRETIONARY CALL.

OKAY. SO. IN TERMS OF POLICY YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, YOU'RE THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR FROM US TONIGHT.

I'M NOT LOOKING FOR THAT. YOU PUT IT ON THE AGENDA. ALL RIGHT. I'M LOOKING FOR A LITTLE BIT OF RELIEF TO FOR A CITIZEN THAT'S REQUESTED IT.

SO IF THE HOMEOWNER SAYS YES, I THINK YOU SHOULD CITE THEM, YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT.

AND GIVEN WHAT I JUST AGAIN, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING INTERNALLY THAT THE COUNCIL DOESN'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY GIVE GUIDANCE ON THAT.

BUT IT'S SOMETHING I CAN LOOK AT INTERNALLY AND NOT WRITE IT IN THE ORDINANCE.

IF WE AS A GROUP TONIGHT AGREE TO THAT. YOU'RE OKAY WITH IT.

YES. ALL RIGHT. SO DOCTOR OZ, YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING BECAUSE I'M OKAY WITH IT.

BUT YOU'VE GOT TO REALIZE I'VE GOT A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT PROBABLY HAS A DOZEN PEOPLE THAT ARE 80 YEARS OLD.

YEAH. AND, YOU KNOW, ANYTIME THAT SOME STRANGER COMES TO YOUR DOOR AND AND DOESN'T HAVE A PERMIT.

YEAH. YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO, TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE AND SAY, HEY, THE WORD WILL SPREAD.

IT'LL GO QUICK. OKAY. IF WE DO WHAT HE SUGGESTED.

ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT? WHERE? I'M TAKING HIS WORD FOR IT.

OKAY. SO WHAT HE'S SAYING IS THE, THE, IF THE RESIDENT SAYS, WELL, WE THINK THAT YOU SHOULD GET A CITATION, THEN THEY WOULD GET ONE AND ON, ON THE OTHER HAND, THE, THE RESIDENT MAY SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO HAVE MERCY ON HIM. AND SO THEY LET HIM GO.

YOU KNOW, THEY GIVE HIM. WELL, THEY GIVE HIM A STERN WARNING.

IF A KID IF A KID COMES TO THE DOOR. IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE NOT TALKING.

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A KID THAT'S LAWN MOWING.

YEAH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMEBODY THAT'S SELLING SOMETHING.

YES. AND IF THEY COME TO YOUR DOOR AND YOU CALL THE POLICE, THAT OUGHT TO BE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO SAY, HEY, THEY DESERVE A CITATION. I AGREE. I, I DON'T THINK, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW THEY COULD.

I'M SURE Y'ALL GET CALLS, ALL KINDS OF CALLS.

I DON'T THINK MOST PEOPLE WOULD CALL THE POLICE FOR SOMEBODY COMING UP AND ASKING THEM TO MOW, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW. I MEAN, THEY MIGHT. WE'VE HAD SOME ODDBALL REQUESTS I'VE HAD.

WELL, EVERYBODY'S HAD THEM ANYWAYS. I THINK WE'VE COME TO AN AGREEMENT.

[02:05:03]

I WAS SOME RELIEF, BUT JUST A QUESTION FOR MR. GRADY. IF WE WERE TO TAKE AWAY DISCRETION FROM THE OFFICERS, COULD THAT OPEN US UP TO CIVIL LITIGATION? NOT ANY MORE THAN USUAL. I MEAN, WE'VE GOT INSURANCE, AND I DON'T MEAN TO BE FLIPPANT OR SARCASTIC, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO BE, BUT IT'S JUST THE DAILY GRIND OF LIVING IN A CIVILIZED SOCIETY.

THE POLICE ARE THERE AND THEY'RE GOING TO GO INTO HARM'S WAY AND DO STUFF.

AND, AND I'M NOT, I DON'T I DON'T PRACTICE LAW FROM A REFLEXIVE DEFENSIVE POSITION.

I THINK WE NEED TO LEAN FORWARD IN THE FOXHOLE.

I KNOW I'M STRINGING A LOT OF METAPHORS TOGETHER, BUT I WOULDN'T LET LIABILITY MAKE THAT DECISION.

OKAY. NO, I MEAN, I, I'M, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, GIVE YOU SOME RELIEF WITH, WITH THESE SOLICITORS BECAUSE THEY DO GET ANNOYING.

BUT ALSO I WAS JUST TRYING TO SHOW THE OTHER SIDE OF THE, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING THE CITY AS FAR AS BEING SUED FOR WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT. YES, SIR. BUT WHEN SOMEBODY WHEN WHEN SOMEBODY DOESN'T HAVE A PERMIT.

RIGHT. AND THAT THEY SHOULD DO THAT. WE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY WITH THAT ATTORNEY OVER THERE BEING ABLE TO PUT THIS ORDINANCE INTO PLACE.

RIGHT. IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO ENFORCE IT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE THROWN MONEY AWAY.

YES. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S IT'S JUST IT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.

YEAH. MAYBE JOYCE CAN TELL US HOW MUCH MONEY WE PAID THEM.

YEAH. WELL, THAT'S ANOTHER THAT'S FOR ANOTHER MEETING.

BUT AND THERE'S ALWAYS LIABILITY. YOU CAN'T GO ABOUT.

BUT I THINK WHAT FELIX IS ASKING IS WOULD, WOULD, WOULD A POLICY LIKE THAT JUST OUT OF EXPONENTIALLY.

WOULD IT INVITE THAT SORT OF LITIGATION. I THINK YOUR ANSWER WAS NO.

THAT'S WHAT I HEARD. YEAH. BUT BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S A FAIR QUESTION.

BUT BUT PROTECTING BOTH SIDES. YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF LAWYERS GRADUATE LAW SCHOOL EVERY YEAR.

RIGHT. AND THEY ALL LOOKING FOR CASES, CHIEF.

IF IF IF WE IF WE GO AT THIS. IN OTHER WORDS, EVERYBODY'S NOT GOING TO CALL THE POLICE.

OKAY. MOST PEOPLE DON'T BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID OF REPRISAL OR WHATEVER.

AND, OR THEY DON'T HAVE TIME TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

THEY SHUT THE DOOR AND KEEP ON GOING. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE WHEN YOU HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S GOT OLDER PEOPLE IN THERE, YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. OKAY.

AND WHETHER THEY COME TO THE DOOR OR NOT. AND SO IF, IF THEY LEAVE MY HOUSE AND HEAD TO ANOTHER DOOR AFTER I'VE WARNED THEM ABOUT US, THE PERMIT AND WHAT THE CITY PERMIT OR THE CITY CITATION OR THE CITY REQUIRES.

THEN WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND IT'LL EVENTUALLY, IN THIS PARTICULAR TYPE OF CASE, IT'LL BE DECREASED TREMENDOUSLY. THE WORD WILL SPREAD QUICK.

AND I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, DOCTOR IVES. SO WE'RE GOOD.

I MEAN WELL LET'S SEE. LET'S SEE EVERYBODY. YEAH.

OKAY. SO GEORGE ARE YOU OKAY WITH THE CHIEF TELLING HIS THE THE THE STAFF OR.

NO, LET ME LET ME BACK IT UP HERE. I HAD, I HAD A NEW PERSON LAST WEEK.

I CALLED IT IN AND Y'ALL CAME BY AND SEE HIM.

THE KID WAS LIKE PROBABLY 12. AND HE ASKED ME IF I HAD ANY WORK TO, TO HAVE DONE.

YEAH. AND I THOUGHT I SAID, NO, I DON'T. I SAID, WELL, IT'S MY MOTHER'S BIRTHDAY, MY MOTHER'S BIRTHDAY, AND I DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO BUY HER ANYTHING.

AND I SAID, WELL, IT CAUGHT ME TOTALLY OFF GUARD.

BUT I SAID, WELL, NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY EITHER, YOU KNOW.

AND THEN HE LEFT AND I CALLED Y'ALL. AND THAT'S, THAT'S A PERFECT EXAMPLE.

IF IT WAS WRITTEN IN THE ORDINANCE, THEY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO TAKE ENFORCEMENT ACTION IN THAT SITUATION.

OKAY. SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO WRITE IT IN THE ORDINANCE.

BUT WHAT WE'RE SUGGESTING TONIGHT FOR THE CHIEFS, I'VE REQUESTED THIS ITEM, AND THE CHIEF CAME UP WITH A SUGGESTION THAT UNLESS THE THE HOMEOWNER ASKS THE POLICE TO GIVE HIM A TICKET THEN IT WILL BE THE DISCRETION OF THE POLICE OFFICER, WHICH SOUNDS REASONABLE. ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT? YEAH. ALL RIGHT. SCOTT, ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT? YEAH, IT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD HANDSHAKE AGREEMENT.

JUST A GUIDANCE. WE DON'T NEED TO REWRITE EVERYTHING.

[02:10:01]

OKAY, CHIEF. YOU GOOD? YES, SIR. THANK YOU. WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT ITEM.

[4. Review and discuss the Animal Control and Shelter monthly report for June 2026, and take action as necessary to direct staff. (Omar Polio, Director of Animal Control)  ]

ADVISORY? NO. AN ANIMAL. LET ME READ IT. REVIEW AND DISCUSS ANIMAL CONTROL AND SHELTER.

MONTHLY REPORT FOR JUNE 2026. TAKE ACTION AS NECESSARY.

DIRECT STAFF. OMAR POLIO IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE ANIMAL CONTROL SHELTER.

THIS ITEM HAS BEEN REQUESTED TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CITY COUNCIL TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE JUNE 2026 MONTHLY ANIMAL CONTROL AND SHELTER DEPARTMENT REPORT. OKAY. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

GOOD EVENING COUNCIL. WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH THE REPORT.

TRYING TO MAKE THIS QUICK FOR YOU GUYS FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE 2026.

A COUPLE OF STORIES THAT WE HAVE. FIRST, SOME DUCK TALES WITH THE COOPERATION BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS HERE IN THE CITY.

WE WERE ABLE TO RESCUE A CLUTCH OF DUCKLINGS OUT OF ONE OF OUR STORM SEWERS HERE IN THE CITY.

IT WAS A FUN TIME. GOT THOSE GUYS OUT AND THEN TRANSFERRED OVER TO THE HOUSTON SPCA, WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO BE REHABILITATED AND THEN LATER RELEASED.

OH, DARN. HOME SWEET HOME. THIS IS ONE OF OUR LONGER STAY DOGS THAT WE'VE HAD.

HER NAME WAS BUTTER. SHE WAS A VERY AFRAID DOG.

THAT TOOK A VERY LONG TIME TO COME OUT OF HER SHELL.

WE DID NOT HAVE MUCH HOPE FOR HER. YOU KNOW, ABILITY TO BE ADOPTED QUICKLY, BUT THANKFULLY TO A LOT OF HELP, THANKFULLY. THANKFULLY, DUE TO THE HELP OF A FOSTER, WE WERE ABLE TO GET HER OUT OF THE SHELTER FOR ALMOST TWO MONTHS.

AND THEN SHE WAS ABLE TO FIND A HOME. AND SHE IS HAVING A GREAT TIME WITH A BRAND NEW DOG SISTER, AND SHE IS LIVING HER BEST LIFE. WE'LL GO AHEAD WITH THE NUMBERS.

FIRST OFF, WITH OUR INTAKES. FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE, WE DID HAVE A TOTAL OF 120 INTAKES, 31 DOGS, 81 CATS AND 16 OTHER, AND OUR OUTCOMES WAS A TOTAL OF 122 TOTAL OUTCOMES OF 37 DOGS, 69 CATS AND 16 OTHERS LEFT THE SHELTER. WE DID HAVE A COUPLE OF DEATHS. TWO DEATHS WERE KITTENS THAT WERE EUTHANIZED THAT WERE DEALING WITH UNTREATABLE DISABILITIES, OR PANLEUKOPENIA, WHICH IS AGAIN, THAT PRETTY BAD VIRUS THAT KITTENS CAN GET.

TWO KITTENS DIED. SO THOSE WERE NOT EUTHANIZED.

THEY JUST WE JUST HAPPENED TO FIND THEM, YOU KNOW, DECEASED, TYPICALLY DUE TO FAILURE TO THRIVE.

THEY'RE WAY TOO YOUNG OR AN UNKNOWN ILLNESS THAT WE DID NOT CATCH IN TIME.

AND THEN ONE KITTEN DID GO MISSING. WE HAD A MAMA CAT THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL HAVE BABIES.

AND SOMETIMES THE KITTENS GO MISSING AND WE CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT THEY WERE EATEN BY THE MOTHER.

SO WE DO HAVE TO COUNT THOSE. YES IT IS. IT IS A NUMBER THAT WE HAVE TO COUNT.

SO, YOU KNOW, UNBELIEVABLY, YOU KNOW, SOME CATS KITTEN WAS THERE.

AND THE NEXT DAY WHEN THEY CAME THERE, IT WAS GONE.

NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. TYPICALLY, YEAH. AND TYPICALLY IT'S BECAUSE THE MOTHER CATS DO SOMETIMES EAT THEIR BABIES.

AND WE AGAIN, WE KEEP A COUNT OF ALL OF THEM.

AND THAT IS A CATEGORY THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP TRACK OF.

WELL, WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, VERY SMALL ONE.

YES, SIR. SORRY TO HEAR THAT. WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, THAT DOES GIVE US A 90% 96% LIVE RELEASE RATE FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE.

100% CANINE LIVE RELEASE, 93% FELINE RELEASE, AND 100% OF ALL THE OTHER ANIMALS THAT CAME TO OUR SHELTER DID LEAVE THE SHELTER ALIVE.

058. DISPATCH FIELD ASSIGNMENTS. THOSE ARE AGAIN CALLS THAT OUR OFFICERS DO SERVICE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.

FIVE BITE CASES WERE INVESTIGATED, ALL IN PUBLIC, ZERO FORMAL COMPLAINTS, ZERO CRUELTY CASES INVESTIGATED.

AND WE HAD A TOTAL OF THREE ADOPTION EVENTS. ONE OF OUR MORE SUCCESSFUL ONES THIS LAST MONTH WAS AT LADIES LEGACY FORD.

THEY INVITED US TO COME OUT AND SEVEN ANIMALS DID LEAVE THAT SHELTER, LEAVE OUR SHELTER.

THAT DAY. PETSMART ALSO INVITED US OVER FOR AN ADOPTION.

WE HAD ONE DOG COME OUT AND WE HAD A HOLLYWOOD FEED ADOPTION EVENT AS WELL, AND WE HAD A TOTAL OF SIX SURRENDER DENIALS, ALL OWNER SURRENDERS. AND THERE AT THE BOTTOM IS JUST THE CALCULATIONS.

HAVE WE RECEIVED THESE NUMBERS? DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? HOW HOW OVERCROWDED ARE Y'ALL RIGHT NOW? WE'RE HOLDING STEADY RIGHT NOW.

ALL OF OUR DOG KENNELS ARE FULL. CATS ARE WE'RE DOING DECENT AS WELL.

LIKE I SAID, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF MOTHER LITTERS RIGHT NOW, SO WE'RE HOLDING ON TO THOSE UNTIL THEY'RE READY FOR ADOPTION.

ARE Y'ALL, ARE YOU GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE, THE BIG EVENT IN HOUSTON AND ALL? DON'T THEY HAVE IT USUALLY EVERY AUGUST, THE BIG ADOPTION, THERE IS AN EVENT TENTATIVELY PLANNED.

WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED MUCH DETAILS ON THAT, BUT THE PLAN IS TO ATTEND THAT AS WELL.

ALL RIGHT. LET ME ASK THE COUNCIL AND THEN WE'LL GET OUT OF HERE.

GEORGE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ANIMAL SHELTER REPORT? I THINK I THINK IT LOOKS REAL NICE.

ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. SCOTT. CURIOUS ABOUT THE SURRENDERS.

[02:15:02]

I KNOW WE RECENTLY RAISED THE FEE. I'M JUST CURIOUS.

THAT'S NOT GOING INTO EFFECT YET. FROM WHAT? OKAY.

AUGUST 1ST. OKAY. IT WAS 2025 WHEN WE REACHED UP TO 50.

AND IN THE FUTURE, I'M GOING TO BE CURIOUS TO SEE HOW THOSE NUMBERS COMPARE TO THE FEE ADJUSTMENT OVER TIME.

THANK YOU. YES, SIR. MY CONCERN IS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO STOP BRINGING THEM.

YEAH. MY CONCERN IS WITH THAT FEE INCREASE, THEY'LL JUST BE THEY'LL BE MORE STRAIGHT FROM THE FIELD UNLESS THEY CREATE MORE ANIMALS.

THEN WE GET COMPLAINTS AND WE HAVE TO CALL THE DOG CATCHER TO GO GET THEM.

YEAH. AND THAT COSTS MONEY. SO I DON'T KNOW. IT'S IT'S A CYCLE.

I'M JUST GOING TO KEEP AN EYE ON THOSE NUMBERS. THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

FELIX. NO. NO QUESTIONS. JUST WANT TO SAY GREAT JOB.

KEEP IT UP. AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

OMAR. LOOKS LIKE WE'RE THROUGH THE REPORT. I'LL GO TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE.

[5. Hold Executive Session to deliberate the potential purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real property pursuant to section 551.072; for economic development negotiations pursuant to Section 551.087 of the Texas Government Code; and, to consult with City Attorney to seek legal advice regarding pending or contemplated litigation pursuant to Section 551.071 of the Texas Government Code.  ]

SOMEBODY MAKE A MOTION. MAYOR, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TONIGHT. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. I WISH YOU WOULD HAVE TALKED. I DIDN'T WANT TO INTERRUPT YOU IN THE MIDDLE OF READING IT, BUT YEAH, WE DON'T HAVE. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED YOU. I'M SORRY. NO PROBLEM.

ALRIGHT, SO DISREGARD THAT. CAN WE ADJOURN? CAN YOU VOTE? CAN YOU VOTE?

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.