Jul 14, 2026 City Council on 2026-07-14 5:30 PM

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GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.

[1. Call to Order]

THE TIME IS 5:30 PM. WE'RE HERE FOR THE REGULAR SESSION OF THE COPPELL CITY COUNCIL.

WE DO HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT, SO I'M CALLING THE MEETING TO ORDER. THIS IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TYPE OF MEETING BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN OFFICIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING FIRST. WE'RE GOING TO BREAK INTO WORK SESSION AFTER THAT.

THEN WE'RE GOING TO MOVE DOWNSTAIRS FOR THE REST OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND FINISH UP WITH AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AFTER THAT. SO, A LITTLE, A LITTLE OUT OF SEQUENCE, BUT THOUGHT IT WAS BETTER TO DO THE PRESENTATIONS UP HERE IN THIS CONFERENCE ROOM. ITEM NUMBER 2 IS, OUR WE'RE GOING

[2. Financial Strategy Session #1]

[2026-0282 A. Citizens’ Appearance]

WE DID NOT HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, SO WE'LL MOVE INTO

[2026-0275 B. Presentation and discussion regarding Service Organizations’ request. I. Coppell Community Garden Corporation II. Coppell Farmers Market Association III. Coppell Humane Society IV. Coppell ISD Education Foundation V. Coppell Community Chorale VI. Coppell Historical Museum]

WELL, I THINK EVERYONE HERE IS GOING TO BE SO EFFICIENT IN THEIR PRESENTATIONS, WE'RE GOING TO BE AMAZED. SO, MAYOR, I LOOK FORWARD TO IT.

KEVIN, JUST A QUICK TO YOUR POINT, IF, IF THERE'S DELIBERATION OR DISCUSSION THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN, WE CAN ALWAYS DO THAT AFTER THE REGULAR SESSION, MAYBE BEFORE OR AFTER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.

IS THAT CORRECT? ABSOLUTELY.

NO, THE REASON I ASKED WAS LAST TWO CONVERSATIONS WE PASSED MIDNIGHT HERE. OH, YES, SIR. I'M AWARE. SO, I DIDN'T WANT TO GO THAT FURTHER TODAY.

THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS TO SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, ESPECIALLY WE HAVE A BUNCH OF NEW SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS REQUESTING MONEY. I APPRECIATE YOU NOT WANTING US TO GO PAST MIDNIGHT. SO, WE'VE GOT A EACH OF THE SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS THAT'S PRESENTING TONIGHT HAS BEEN GIVEN SOME SPECIFIC GUIDELINES. THEY'VE GOT 5 MINUTES TO MAKE THEIR PRESENTATION.

AND THEN THAT GIVES US 5 MINUTES TO ASK QUESTIONS, WHICH WILL GIVE US ABOUT AN HOUR FOR THE SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS.

AND THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO THE OTHER 3 ITEMS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE VERY SHORT. 5 MINUTES ASKING QUESTIONS IS VERY SHORT. WELL, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE IT A TRY TONIGHT. AS I SAID, WE HAVE REQUESTED THAT SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS LIMIT THEIR CONVERSATIONS TO 5 MINUTES, AND THEN THAT WOULD GIVE US ABOUT 5 MINUTES TO ASK QUESTIONS AND GET ANSWERS.

SORRY. THAT'S OKAY. AT THE END OF THE AT THE END, THE STRATEGIC FINANCIAL ENGAGEMENT GROUP WILL LET EACH ONE OF THE SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS KNOW ABOUT THE RESOLUTION OF THE BUDGET WHEN WE HAVE MADE THOSE DECISIONS. SO, IT WILL COME FROM KIM'S GROUP OUT OF SFE. OUR FIRST GROUP IS ITEM 1, THE COPPELL COMMUNITY GARDEN CORPORATION, AND THAT WOULD BE TRACY FISHER AS PRESIDENT OF THE COPPELL COMMUNITY GARDEN. YES. OH, YES, SIR. THANK YOU, MAYOR. TRACY, IF YOU CAN JUST GIVE ME 30 SECONDS.

OKAY. MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING ME. I WANTED TO SHARE A COUPLE OF MY THOUGHTS AND CONCERNS BEFORE WE GET INTO THE PRESENTATION. SO, TRACY, MY COMMENTS ARE GENERAL, NOT SPECIFIC TO ANYTHING YOU ARE PRESENTING. I THINK IN COPPELL WE HAVE A WONDERFUL TRADITION OF SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS COMING TO US AND ASKING FOR FUNDING, AND I THINK WE ARE DOING A GREAT JOB OF MAKING SURE THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO SERVE COPPELL, THAT WE ENCOURAGE THEM AND HELP THEM SERVE COPPELL. I DO WANT TO KEEP IN MIND THERE'S SOME DARK CLOUDS APPROACHING US. OUR ABILITY TO COLLECT PROPERTY TAXES CAN BE CHALLENGED. SO, I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WATCHING WHAT WE APPROVE AND SPEND VERY CLOSELY. LAST YEAR, THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT WE APPROVED RELATIVE TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR WAS ABOUT 50% MORE. THE ORIGINAL NUMBERS THAT WE GOT THIS YEAR ALSO, IT SHOWED 50% MORE, BUT

[00:05:02]

AND MAYBE, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, IT SHOULD BE A PERCENTAGE OF OUR TOTAL GENERAL FUND.

SO, SOME YEARS, YOU KNOW, THE FUND CAN GO UP, AND SOME YEARS IT WILL COME DOWN. SO THAT WAY, WHAT WE APPROVE IS TIED TO THAT. AND I THINK THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE. AND IF WE DO DECIDE TO GO ABOVE A CEILING THAT WE SET FOR OURSELVES, WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIRST APPROVE THAT NUMBER BEFORE WE GO INTO HEARING INDIVIDUAL GROUPS.

SO, AND I ALSO WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF A GUIDELINE WHERE WE SAY THAT EACH OF THE SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS PUT IN THEIR EFFORT TO COVER THEIR OPERATING EXPENSES. THEY SHOULD FIND A WAY TO COVER AT LEAST A MAJORITY OF THEIR EXPENSE AND NOT DEPEND COMPLETELY ON THE CITY. AND THE REASON I SAY THIS IS WE COULD HAVE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN SET UP AS A NONPROFIT AND COME TO US AND IF THEY ASK US FOR 90% OR 100% OF THEIR EXPENSES, THEN WE WOULD BE IN A PLACE WHERE WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHY DO WE APPROVE X AND NOT Y. SO, WITH THAT, I CONCLUDE MY COMMENTS BY SAYING THAT LET'S BE REALLY INTENTIONAL ABOUT HOW THIS IMPACTS OUR OVERALL EXPENSES.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. ALL RIGHT, WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MS. FISHER. WELL, THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TONIGHT ABOUT WHY CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN THE COPPELL COMMUNITY GARDENS MATTERS. SINCE 1998, THE CITY OF COPPELL HAS HELPED MAKE SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY POSSIBLE. TONIGHT WE ARE ASKING FOR THE SAME COMMITMENT YOU'VE MADE EVERY YEAR SINCE 2005.

OUR FUNDING HAS NOT BEEN ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION YET OUR IMPACT HAS ONLY GROWN.

IN RETURN, COPPELL GETS 3 THINGS. FIRST, A COMMUNITY BUILDER. BY HOURS REPORTED, THE CITY'S LARGEST VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION, 100% VOLUNTEER-POWERED, REFLECTING THE FULL DIVERSITY OF COPPELL AND WELCOMING NEWLY AND NEW AND NEWLY RETIRED RESIDENTS. SECOND, A WELLNESS RESOURCE. FREE, MEANINGFUL OUTDOOR RECREATION FOR OVER 100 RESIDENTS, SOME LIVING ON LIMITED INCOMES, AT AN OPERATING COST OF JUST $2 TO $3 AN HOUR. OPEN TO EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF NEED. THIRD, A NATIONAL MODEL. THE LARGEST, MOST EFFICIENT BED-BASED DONATION GARDEN IN GREATER DFW, RANKED AMONG THE TOP 10 IN THE U.S., GENERALLY 3 WHOLESOME DOLLARS WHOLESALE DOLLARS OF ORGANIC PRODUCE FOR EVERY $1 THE CITY INVEST AND RECOGNIZED BY THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS AS TEXAS' BEST-IN-CLASS DONATION GARDEN.

NEARLY 30 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP, HARVEST VOLUNTEERS AND NEIGHBORS FINDING COMMON GROUND. THIS INVESTMENT ISN'T JUST GROWING VEGETABLES, IT HAS GROWN THIS COMMUNITY, AND WE ARE ASKING YOU TO HELP TO KEEP IT GROWING. OUR ASK IS SIMPLE. 22,000 IN TOTAL FUNDING FOR HISTORICAL 15,000 IN DIRECT FUNDS PLUS THE AVERAGE ANNUAL PUBLIC WORKS MATERIALS SUPPORT OF $7,000 PER YEAR. HERE'S WHY THAT SECOND NUMBER NOW MATTERS.

AS WE MOVE FROM THE KEEP COPPELL HEALTHY PROGRAM TO SERVICE ORGANIZATION GRANT FUNDING, WE WILL NO LONGER BE RECEIVING DIRECT SUPPORT MATERIALS FROM PUBLIC WORKS, INCLUDING IRRIGATION PARTS, SOIL, AND WALKWAY MATERIALS, ETC.

GOING FORWARD, WE WILL STILL NEED TO PURCHASE THEM. WE ARE FORMALIZING OUR RELATIONSHIP THROUGH A LAND LEASE AGREEMENT ONCE WE'VE REQUESTED ONE THAT WE REQUESTED BECAUSE IT'S THE ARRANGEMENT THAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR BOTH SIDES.

RECOMMENDED BY COG AND UTILIZED BY COMMUNITY GARDENS ACROSS TEXAS, WE'RE HOPING FOR A TERM OF 5 TO 10 YEARS, AND WE BELIEVE OUR NEARLY 30-YEAR RECORD HAS MORE THAN EARNED

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THROUGH 3 GARDENS, A GREENHOUSE, AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH CISD SCHOOLS, COPPELL COMMUNITY GARDEN HAS BECOME FAR MORE THAN A PLACE TO GROW VEGETABLES. OUR GARDENERS MIRROR THE DIVERSITY OF COPPELL ITSELF. MANY ARE FIRST-GENERATION IMMIGRANTS WHO FIND IN OUR GARDENS A PLACE TO BELONG, COMMON GROUND IN EVERY SENSE. WE'RE A 23 28-YEAR-OLD LIVING EXAMPLE OF THE INCLUSIVE NEIGHBOR-TO-NEIGHBOR OUTREACH THAT PROGRAMS LIKE ONE COPPELL ARE ACTIVELY TRYING TO BUILD.

HERE, STRANGERS BECOME NEIGHBORS AND NEIGHBORS BECOME COMMUNITY, SEASON AFTER SEASON, BIG WORDS. THIS IS WHAT VISION 2040'S PILLARS OF AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY FABRIC AND PERPETUATING A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT LOOKS LIKE IN PRACTICE. IN A WORLD WHERE HEALTHY LIVING OFTEN COMES WITH A PRICE TAG, OUR GARDENS OFFER SOMETHING RARE MEANINGFUL OUTDOOR RECREATION THAT COSTS OUR GARDENERS NOTHING. NO BED FEES, NO MEMBERSHIP DUES, FREE SEEDS, SEEDLINGS, SOIL, AND SUPPLEMENTS THROUGH DONOR SUPPORT.

FOR RESIDENTS, THE GARDENS ARE A PLACE THAT KEEPS THEM CONNECTED AND THRIVING. THE NUMBERS BACK IT UP. OPERATING COST IS $2 TO $3 PER RECREATION HOUR, WHILE EVERY HOUR IN THE GARDEN GENERATES ROUGHLY $6 OF FRESH ORGANIC PRODUCE DONATED TO METROCREST SERVICES. DEMAND SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. OUR 130 GARDEN BEDS ARE FULL. THE ONLY THING LIMITING GROWTH IS FUNDING FOR NEW BEDS. AND BECAUSE WE REMAIN COMPLETELY A FREE DONATION GARDEN, THE CITY OF COPPELL RECEIVES SPECIAL LIABILITY PROTECTION UNDER TEXAS STATUTES. RECREATION, WELLNESS, COMMUNITY GIVING BACK TO ITSELF PRICELESS. WHEN IT COMES TO DONATING, WE DON'T JUST PARTICIPATE, WE SET THE STANDARD. LAST YEAR ALONE, OUR ANNUALIZED HARVEST ACCOUNTED FOR 50% OF ITS NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK'S PARTNER GARDEN DONATIONS. OUR COPPELL COMMUNITY GARDENS DONATE AS MUCH AS THE OTHER 16 DONATION GARDENS IN THE REGION COMBINED.

THAT EXCELLENCE HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED. TODAY WE SERVE AS A REFERENCE MODEL FOR MUNICIPALLY SUPPORTED COMMUNITY GARDENS ACROSS THE REGION, VALIDATED MET BY AN IRVING CITY VISIT THIS SPRING, A DALLAS COUNTY GRANT, AND AN INVITATION TO PRESENT TO A REGIONAL COG USER GROUP THIS AUGUST. WHAT WE BUILT HERE IS BEING STUDIED, REPLICATED, AND CELEBRATED BECAUSE IT WORKS.

WORLD-CLASS IMPACT RIGHT HERE IN OUR BACKYARD. COPPELL COMMUNITY GARDEN HAS BEEN QUIETLY LIVING VISION 2040'S VALUES FOR NEARLY 3 DECADES.

WE ASK YOU TO CONTINUE OUR PARTNERSHIP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR SUPPORT.

WE WELCOME YOUR QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. I'M IN THE SECOND.

SO ARE YOU OUT OF BREATH? I AM. I'M NOT OUT OF BREATH. THAT'S THE WAY I WAS TOLD. YEAH, I KNOW. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO RATTLE ON.

COUNCIL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR TRACY? BIJU? THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, TRACY, FOR THE PRESENTATION. I REALLY LIKE WHAT YOU DO. ESPECIALLY THE PRODUCE GOES TO METRO TRUST. I'M THE LIAISON FOR THE METROCREST IN THE CITY. WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE STAFF.

IN THIS ORGANIZATION CHART, IT SHOWS $22,000 THIS YEAR, NOTHING ON THE LAST YEARS OR 2 YEARS PRIOR TO THAT. WHAT IS IT THE FIRST TIME ASKING THIS? THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR A GRANT.

THEY HAVE BEEN FUNDED THROUGH THE COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES BUDGET. THAT'S THE $15,000 COME FROM? YES. THANK YOU. OH, BRIANNA. YES, THANK YOU, TRACY. I APPRECIATE THIS. SO, I KNOW WE DO A LOT FOR METROCREST, WHICH I TRULY APPRECIATE, AND WE ALSO DO A LOT FOR THE SCHOOLS, WHICH I GREATLY APPRECIATE. IS THERE ANY FUNDING THAT COMES FROM THE SCHOOLS FOR COMMUNITY GARDENS? ONE.

AND SECONDLY, ON METROCREST, IS THERE ANY FUNDING FROM OTHER CITIES? GREAT QUESTION. FROM THE SCHOOL, SCHOOLS DON'T HAVE MONEY, HONESTLY. I CAN ATTEST TO THAT. THERE'S NO MONEY IN THE SCHOOLS. SO, WE DO WHAT WE CAN TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOLS. IT'S NOT A WHOLE LOT. I THINK THEY HAVE A $1,000 BUDGET, PLUS WE GIVE ONIONS AND POTATOES.

THOSE ARE THEIR BIG THINGS.

THEY HAVE VERY SHORT GROWING WINDOWS EACH SEMESTER, AND WE HAVE TO GET IT OUT QUICK AND GET IT IN QUICK. SO, IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM THE REGULAR STUFF. BACK TO OTHER CITIES, WE ARE THE COPPELL COMMUNITY GARDENS. I DON'T BELIEVE WE'VE EVER ASKED ANOTHER CITY FOR CONTRIBUTIONS, BUT WE'LL PUT THAT ON OUR LIST OF THINGS TO CONSIDER FOR SURE. AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION I HAD IS, DO YOU FORESEE THE $22,000 BEING THE NUMBER ON AN ON AN ONGOING BASIS VERSUS A ONE-TIME ASK? YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN OUR ONGOING BASIS SINCE 2005. I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT. WE ARE TRYING

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WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT KIND OF WORK. SO, ALL THAT INFRASTRUCTURE, ALL THAT BUILDING, IT REQUIRES DONATIONS AND SUPPORT. THANK YOU. AND WE'RE AGING. DID I SAY THAT? KEVIN? I DIDN'T HAVE MY HAND UP, BUT I WILL TALK. NO, YOU'RE MAYBE IT WAS DON.

EITHER ONE OF YOU. JIM AND MATT. I SAW JIM AND I HAD RAMESH. I THOUGHT I SAW ONE OF YOU TWO RAISE YOUR HAND. I'M SORRY. DON SET ME UP. JIM, GO AHEAD. THANKS, MAYOR. THANKS FOR THAT, TRACY. WHAT A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION. SO, THE REASON YOU'RE COMING TO US FOR FUNDS FOR THE FIRST TIME NOW IS BECAUSE OF THE SPLIT-OFF? OKAY. AND WHEN YOU REFERENCE THE STATE, THE LIABILITY PROTECTION UNDER STATE LAW, IS THAT BECAUSE YOU FORMED AN ACTUAL ENTITY, SOME TYPE OF 501C? WE ARE A 501C3. WE'VE BEEN THAT SINCE 2005. ARE THERE SPECIFIC TEXAS STATUTES RELATED TO COMMUNITY GARDENS. ONE RELATED TO IF YOU ARE FEE-FREE AND YOU DO CERTAIN ACTIONS, YOU BASICALLY ARE PROTECTED FROM ANY LAWSUITS BY ADULTS.

AND THEN ANOTHER ONE RELATED TO DONATED PRODUCE AND NO PRODUCT LIABILITY. SO, SO WE, THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE FOLLOW THE RULES AND THE 2 STATUTES, WE GET, THERE'S SPECIAL PROTECTIONS FOR COMMUNITY GARDENS. AND WE HAVE 1 MINUTE LEFT FOR QUESTIONS. AWESOME. OKAY.

AND SO, THE ENTITY WOULD BE BE THE CONTRACTING PARTY ON THE LAND LEASE? YES. OKAY, THANK YOU. RAMESH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. TRACY, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. HUGE FAN OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS DO.

I KNOW DURING THE VOLUNTEER EVENT, YOUR GROUP LIKES TO BRAG THAT YOU HAVE THE MOST VOLUNTEER HOURS, MUCH TO THE CHAGRIN OF OTHER GROUPS. I'M NOT PUTTING THEM OFF, YOU KNOW. MY QUESTION IS, HAVE YOU GUYS CONSIDERED CORPORATE SPONSORS. WE DO HAVE SOME WONDERFUL COPELL-BASED BUSINESSES. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT? CAN YOU GIVE ME AN UPDATE ON WHERE YOU ARE? YEAH, WE HAVE A LOT OF CORPORATE SPONSORS.

SELENESE, WE HAVE CORPORATIONS THAT COME IN AND THEY GIVE MONEY FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS.

TYPICALLY, IT'S GARDENS. THEY ALSO COME IN AND WORK DAYS.

THEY HAVE WORK DAYS. AND THEY HELP US REPLACE THE ECO-BAGS AND THAT KIND OF THING. SO, WE ARE AGING, OUR WOOD IS FALLING APART, SO WE'RE TRYING TO REPLACE ALL THOSE BEDS SO THAT THEY HAVE A VERY LONGEVITY.

SO YES, WE DO HAVE CORPORATE PARTNERS.

WE'RE WORKING WITH THE DALLAS FEDERAL BANK AND LOAN GROUP THAT'S RIGHT HERE IN LAS COLINAS. THEY'RE GOING TO COME OUT TO OUR GARDENS IN OCTOBER AND HELP US. WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR AND WE'RE GETTING READY TO HIT THE CHAMBER. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE ACCEPTED THIS WEEK, BUT NOT FOR THE CHANGE, BUT MAYBE FOR FISCAL. I'M THE TREASURER.

ABOUT 50% OF OUR FUNDING IS FROM PRIVATE DONATIONS. YES, PRIMARILY CORPORATE FOUNDATIONS. SOME WE'VE HAD SOME. THAT'S $11,000 THAT IS ON THE ON YOUR FINANCIALS DOCUMENT.

THERE'S $11,025 THAT IS LISTED AS DONATION GRANTS THAT IS NOT PART OF THE CITY OF COPPELL.

YEAH, AND THAT'S WHAT WE OUR BUDGET, IT'S VERY LUMPY. WE, WE'VE GOTTEN SOME REQUESTS THAT WERE SIGNIFICANT. SO, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR FUNDRAISING, IT JUMPS AROUND.

BUT IF YOU LOOK OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS, JUST ABOUT 50% OF OUR FUNDS HAVE BEEN FROM DONORS, AND OUR DONORS FUND THE INFRASTRUCTURE. SO, IF YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD OUR INFRASTRUCTURE TODAY, IT WOULD BE ABOUT $300,000 OF INFRASTRUCTURE. ALL OF THAT'S BEEN FUNDED BY DONORS AND BECOMES PROPERTY OF THE CITY OF BRONZEVILLE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR SITTING DOWN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT IS THE COPPELL FARMERS MARKET ASSOCIATION, MISS AMANDA AUSTIN. EXCUSE ME. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS AMANDA AUSTIN AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COPPELL FARMERS MARKET ASSOCIATION. THIS YEAR THE COPPELL FARMERS MARKET CELEBRATES ITS 23RD ANNIVERSARY. OUR FARMER'S MARKET HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR ITS EXCELLENCE OVER THE YEARS, AN ACHIEVEMENT WE KNOW WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE LONG-TERM SUPPORT OF THE CITY OF COPPELL. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR BOTH THE CITY'S FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS,

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DURING STRATEGIC PLANNING, WE IDENTIFIED TWO VISION 2040 PILLARS TO ALIGN WITH, THE FIRST BEING PILLAR 2, FOSTER AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY FABRIC AND UNIQUE COPPELL EXPERIENCE. OF COURSE, WE ESPECIALLY ALIGNED WITH THE CITY'S GOAL TO BUILD COMMUNITY COMMUNITIES BY COMBINING RECREATION AND FOOD TO CREATE SHARED EXPERIENCES.

WE SUPPORT THE HEALTH AND HAPPINESS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS BY IMPROVING ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOODS AND PROVIDING A SAFE AND WELCOMING GATHERING PLACE FOR ALL. MORE THAN 2,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM ACROSS NORTH TEXAS CONNECT AT THE MARKET EACH WEEK. OUR CUSTOMERS AND VENDORS REPRESENT A MULTICULTURAL INTEGRATED FABRIC OF THE COPPELL COMMUNITY. FACE OUR AI AND INDEPENDENT SURVEY DATA SUPPORT OUR CLAIM THAT THE MARKET IS A CRITICAL COMMUNITY HUB. THE MARKET WAS VISITED 6.6 TIMES IN MAY AND JUNE. 30% OF THOSE VISITORS RESIDE IN COPPELL. AND WHEN WE SURVEYED CUSTOMERS LAST YEAR, THE DATA SHOWED THAT 40% OF SHOPPERS RESIDE IN COPPELL. YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS MAP THAT CUSTOMERS COME FROM ALL OVER THE METROCREST TO SHOP AT OUR MARKET. WE'RE FURTHERING OUR INCLUSION GOALS BY FOCUSING ON NUTRITION NUTRITIOUS FOOD ACCESS FOR ALL. TO DO THIS, WE ARE CONTINUING TO GROW OUR DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TEXAS HEALTH RESOURCES AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD CENTER OF AUSTIN. THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS PEOPLE WHO QUALIFY FOR SNAP BENEFITS TO DOUBLE THEIR BUYING POWER. SNAP CUSTOMERS RECEIVE A DOLLAR-FOR-DOLLAR MATCH, UP TO $30 PER VISIT, TO SPEND ON FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

EARLY NEXT YEAR, WE PLAN TO BEGIN ACCEPTING WIC BENEFITS WOMEN, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN AND SENIOR FARMERS MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAM VOUCHERS.

THE SECOND VISION 2040 PILLAR, WE ALIGN WITH IS PILLAR NUMBER 4, CREATING ECONOMIC VITALITY AND SUPPORTING THE OLD TOWN AREA AND CONCEPT. CUSTOMER DATA WE GATHERED LAST YEAR SHOWS THAT 87% OF SHOPPERS ARE REPEAT CUSTOMERS, DEMONSTRATING THEIR POSITIVE AND COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR MARKET AND OLD TOWN AT LARGE. OF THE 87% OF COMMITTED SHOPPERS, YOU CAN SEE THAT MOST ATTENDED TWICE PER MONTH, AND 20% SHOP EVERY WEEK. HERE'S HOW THOSE VISITOR NUMBERS BREAK DOWN TO OLD TOWN IMPACT. 30% OF MARKET CUSTOMERS SAID THEY SHOP WITH OTHER OLD TOWN BUSINESSES ON MARKET DAYS, WHICH CONVERTS TO 600 TO 800 SHARED CUSTOMERS PER MARKET DAY. WE ARE HAPPY TO SHARE THIS GRAPH ON THE RIGHT, WHICH IS PLACE YOUR AI DATA FROM MAY AND JUNE SHOWING THAT THE CSM HAS MORE VISITORS FROM 8 TO NOON ON SATURDAYS THAN OTHER POPULAR SHOPPING DESTINATIONS. THAT INCLUDES GREAT BUY MILLS AND TRADER JOE'S EVEN. AND WE KNOW THAT THE MARKET IS THE PLACE TO BE ON SATURDAY MORNINGS AND WE ARE JUST REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THIS DATA THAT SHOWS OTHER PEOPLE AGREE. THE NEXT SLIDE, THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT'S OCCURRING INSIDE THE MARKET. WE'RE HAPPY TO REPORT THAT OUR VENDORS' GROSS ANNUAL SALES EXCEED $2.5 MILLION, AND MORE THAN HALF OF THOSE VENDORS RESIDE IN COPPELL AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. THIS MEANS $1.5 MILLION IS RETAINED BY LOCAL RESIDENTS RATHER THAN BEING TRANSFERRED TO LARGE GROCERY CORPORATIONS.

IN CONCLUSION, WE WANT TO ADDRESS HOW WE'RE BUILDING CAPACITY TO MEET OUR NEW GOALS.

IN THE NEXT 2 YEARS, WE ARE COMMITTED TO DEVELOPING OUR NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND FUNDRAISING STRATEGY. WE'RE ALSO PLANNING TO INCREASE STAFFING AND PROVIDE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS FOR THE FIRST TIME.

OVER THE NEXT 5 YEARS, WE'RE PLANNING TO INCREASE OUR EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS AND RESOURCES FOR CUSTOMERS, VENDORS, AND OTHER FARMERS MARKETS.

WE'RE REQUESTING TO CONTINUE, CONTINUE RECEIVING THE SAME FUNDING AMOUNT WE'VE BEEN GRANTED SINCE 2023, WHICH IS $131,000. THIS AMOUNT WILL COMPRISE 61% OF NEXT YEAR'S OPERATING BUDGET AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE SPENT ON STAFF SALARIES AND NECESSARY OPERATING EXPENSES. THANK YOU

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SO, MY QUESTIONS ARE GOING TO BE COMMON TO ALL THE TEAMS, SO DON'T FEEL LIKE I'M PICKING ON YOU GUYS. MY FIRST PART IS, DO YOU SEE THIS AS AN ONGOING REQUEST TO THE CITY, OR IS THERE A PLAN WHERE YOU'RE SLOWLY REDUCING THE DEPENDENCY ON THE CITY. THAT'S THE FIRST ONE. AND SECOND IS, IS THERE A STALL FEE FOR THE VENDORS, AND WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR TOTAL REVENUE DOES THAT ACCOUNT TO? SURE. THANK YOU. GREAT QUESTION. SO, WE HAVE OF COURSE BEEN FUNDED BY THE CITY SINCE OUR INCEPTION BACK IN 2003, AND GRADUALLY OVER TIME FUNDING INCREASED.

ESPECIALLY BEGINNING IN 2015 WHEN WE WERE GRANTED THE COST TO COVER THE SALARY OF A MARKET MANAGER, THE ORGANIZATION'S FIRST EMPLOYEE.

AND SINCE THEN, WE'VE INCREASED TO ADD ANOTHER EMPLOYEE, A PART-TIME EMPLOYEE, AND THAT BROUGHT US UP TO OUR CURRENT AT OF $75,000 FOR SALARIES. NOW, THIS IS KIND OF OUR BREAD AND BUTTER. WHEN OTHER FARMERS MARKETS ASK ME HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL, I CAN REALLY CONTRIBUTE OUR SUCCESS TO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SECURITY IN COVERING THE COST OF STAFFING. THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE BEEN OPERATING ON A SHOESTRING WITH OUR STAFF. IT'S JUST 1.5 TIMES 1.5 PEOPLE RUNNING THE WHOLE SHOW. IT'S A LOT OF WORK, AND OUR NEW VISION INCLUDES A LOT OF GROWTH. SO, THE NEXT BIGGEST GOAL FOR US IS ACTUALLY TO INCREASE TO TWO FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, AND OF COURSE, LIKE I MENTIONED, OFFER BENEFITS TO THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. SO, WHILE I DON'T SEE OUR ASK GOING UP IN THE IMMEDIATE YEARS, I KNOW THAT WE ARE HIGHLY FOCUSED ON CHANGING OUR FUNDRAISING STRATEGY TO SUPPLEMENT OUR BUDGET, BUT WE WILL NEED THE MONEY THAT WE RAISE FOR OUR GROWTH. SO, THE HOPE IS THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO RELY ON CITY SUPPORT FOR A LONG TIME TO COVER OUR VERY MOST FOUNDATIONAL BASIS, WHICH IS 1.5 EMPLOYEES PLUS A LITTLE BIT OF OPERATING. AND THEN YOUR QUESTION ABOUT STALL FEES. WE DO CHARGE STALL FEES AND I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT PERCENTAGE, ALTHOUGH I HAVE MY BUDGET HERE, I'M SURE I CAN DO THE MATH QUICKLY. IT IS WE'RE EARNING ABOUT $42,000 IN STALL FEES EVERY YEAR. WE CHARGE THE LOWEST STALL FEE FOR ALL THE FARMERS MARKETS IN THE REGION INTENTIONALLY.

WE TRY TO MAKE PARTICIPATION EASY. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS WE CAN REDUCE THE BARRIERS FOR PARTICIPATION. WE DO INTEND TO INCREASE OUR STALL FEES A LITTLE BIT NEXT YEAR BECAUSE IT'S JUST TIME, BUT CURRENTLY VENDORS PAY ABOUT $20 PER MARKET DAY.

THANK YOU. MM-HMM. BIJU? YEAH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. GREAT PRESENTATION. DID I HEAR THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN FUNDING FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS? THE CITY HAS BEEN FUNDING US SINCE 2003. IN 2015, WE RECEIVED A JUMP IN OUR FUNDING, AND AGAIN IN 2023, ANOTHER JUMP IN OUR FUNDING. OKAY, SO WHERE WAS THAT MONEY COMING FROM? IN COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE ALSO.

OKAY, IT WAS TOGETHER THEY WERE TOGETHER, THEY WERE ONE COMMUNITY GARDENS AND THE FARMERS MARKET CONSIDERED ONE, AND THEY HAVE CREATED THEIR OWN NONPROFIT. OKAY. SO, DO YOU HAVE A CPA FIRM AUDITING THE ACCOUNTS? YES. YEAH, WE DO.

THANK YOU. YEAH. BRIANNA? YOU MENTIONED AN INCREASE IN VENDOR STALL FEES. HOW LONG HAVE THEY BEEN AT THE CURRENT RATE AND WHAT WAS THE I GUESS MAYBE WHAT WAS THE LAST TIME WE ASKED FOR AN INCREASE? SURE.

WE STARTED AT $10 PER VENDOR, AND THAT WAS EXCEPTIONAL. AND WE STAYED AT $10 PER VENDOR FOR 20 YEARS. SO, 3 YEARS AGO, WE INCREASED, WE DOUBLED IT, WENT UP TO $20. AND I REALLY HOPE TO SEE US NOT EXCEED $30 TO $35, AT LEAST FOR THE NEXT 5 YEARS. ARE WE COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER FARMERS MARKETS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO US? AND THEN ARE WE AT CAPACITY? WE ARE, WE ARE NOT AT CAPACITY. WE ARE AT OUR CURRENT CAPACITY, BUT WE ARE GROWING EVERY YEAR.

SO, OUR CAPACITY IS A LITTLE BIT OF A MOVING TARGET. AND

[00:30:01]

WE KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON SUPPLY AND DEMAND, MORE OR LESS. AND WE ARE AT THE LOWER END OF THESE MARKETS ACROSS OUR REGION, INTENTIONALLY. THANK YOU.

RAMESH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. A QUESTION FOR OUR STAFF. SO, IT'S INTERESTING FOR ME TO DISCOVER DURING THIS PROCESS THAT THE FUNDING FOR FARMERS MARKET AND COPPELL GARDENS CAME FROM COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES.

SO, MY QUESTION IS, ARE THERE OTHER SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE BEING FUNDED BY COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES OR PUBLIC WORKS OR ANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS? SO, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT THOSE WERE CONSIDERED SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS. THEY WERE PROGRAMS OF THE CITY THAT HAVE NOW BECOME SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. NEXT IS THE COPELL HUMANE SOCIETY WITH WE'LL START WITH MICHELE GAFFNEY. OKAY, HI. I'M MICHELE GAFFNEY. I'M HERE REPRESENTING COPPELL HUMANE SOCIETY. WE ARE A NONPROFIT, 100% VOLUNTEER-RUN, FOSTER-BASED ANIMAL RESCUE THAT SERVICES THE DFW AREA. WE RESCUE DOGS AND CATS FROM NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS AND LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTERS AND PLACE THEM IN FOSTER HOMES WHERE THEY CAN RECEIVE MEDICAL CARE AND BECOME ACCLIMATED TO ADULTS, CHILDREN, AND OTHER ANIMALS. WE ALSO PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY IN THE FORM OF EVENTS, ANIMAL SUPPORT, EDUCATION, AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES. 6 YEARS BEFORE COPPELL ANIMAL SERVICES EXISTED, 2 COPPELL RESIDENTS WHO SHARE A LOVE FOR ANIMALS BEGAN PICKING UP STRAY DOGS FOUND IN COPPELL AND NEARBY SHELTERS AND WALKED THEM THROUGH THE CITY HOPING TO FIND HOMES FOR THEM. THEY VERY OFTEN SUCCEEDED. COPPELL HUMANE SOCIETY EVOLVED FROM THAT SIMPLE ACT OF COMPASSION AND DETERMINATION AND HAS SAVED THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS OVER THE PAST 37 YEARS.

COPPELL HUMANE SOCIETY IS CURRENTLY RUN BY A GROUP OF 8 VOLUNTEERS WHO SERVE ON OUR BOARD AND WEAR MANY HATS, SOME OF WHOM HAVE BEEN WITH DHS FOR ALMOST AS LONG AS IT HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE. WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 30 ACTIVE VOLUNTEERS AND FOSTER FAMILIES.

EACH YEAR, APPROXIMATELY 50 YOUTH VOLUNTEERS, ALMOST ALL FROM COPPELL, HELP WITH OUR FUNDRAISING AND ADOPTION EVENTS. WE ARE ACTIVE WITHIN COPPELL YEAR-ROUND AT EVENTS WE HOST AS WELL AS EVENTS RUN BY OTHER BUSINESSES IN OUR ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE CITY OF COPPELL, SUCH AS OUR YEARLY BOOTS AT THE COPPELL FARMERS MARKET FOR PHOTOS WITH THE EASTER BUNNY AND SANTA AND MRS. CLAUS. WE PROVIDE SERVICES TO PEOPLE AND ANIMALS IN OUR COMMUNITY BY WORKING WITH OUR LOCAL SHELTERS AND VETERINARY OFFICES, CARING FOR HOMELESS ANIMALS, CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH SERVICES FOR THEIR OWN ANIMALS AND STRAYS THAT THEY FIND OUT ON THE STREET, AND PROVIDING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH AND ADULTS. WE ARE FUNDED THROUGH PUBLIC DONATIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES THROUGH FUNDRAISING, SEASONAL GIVING EVENTS, AND ADOPTION FEES. WE DO NOT RECEIVE ANY OUTSIDE GRANTS, ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT, OR GOVERNMENT FUNDING. WE'RE ABLE TO WORK WITH A SMALL BUDGET BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE A PHYSICAL LOCATION, WE HAVE NO PAID EMPLOYEES, AND WE HAVE NO DEBT. WE DO NOT REQUIRE OUR FOSTER FAMILIES TO CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY AS WE COVER THE COST FOR ALL MEDICAL CARE, VACCINATIONS, SPAYING, NEUTERING, MICROCHIPPING, FOOD SUPPLIES, AND ANYTHING ELSE THEY MAY NEED. WE ARE ONE OF THE FEW ANIMAL RESCUES THAT TAKES IN CATS AND DOGS, IS NOT BREED-SPECIFIC, AND PROVIDES MEDICAL CARE BEYOND TYPICAL VETTING SERVICES. OUR VOLUNTEERS OFTEN USE THEIR OWN MONEY TO PURCHASE SUPPLIES AND PRINT MATERIALS TO DISTRIBUTE AT EVENTS, AND WE HAVE GENEROUS FOSTER FAMILIES WHO HELP FINANCIALLY SUPPORT OUR ANIMALS AS WELL. WE ALSO RELY ON IN-KIND DONATIONS FOR SUPPLIES AND GIVEAWAYS.

DUE TO OUR SMALL BUDGET, WE ARE LIMITED TO HOW MANY ANIMALS WE CAN TAKE IN. FUNDS FROM THIS GRANT WOULD ALLOW US TO RESPOND TO THE CALL WHEN PEOPLE COME TO US ASKING FOR HELP WITH STRAY ANIMALS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO REQUIRE MEDICAL CARE.

OUR GOAL IS TO HELP AS MANY ANIMALS AS POSSIBLE AND PROVIDE PUBLIC OUTREACH AND EDUCATION SERVICES. AS OUTLINED IN OUR PROPOSAL, UPDATED OUTREACH MATERIALS WOULD HELP US TO INFORM PEOPLE ABOUT HOW TO HELP STRAY ANIMALS, HOW TO HELP THEIR COMMUNITIES REDUCE THE STRAY POPULATION, RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP, SPAYING/NEUTERING INFORMATION, AND MICROCHIPPING EDUCATION.

FUNDS FROM THIS GRANT WILL ALSO HELP US INCREASE OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS TO HELP US CONNECT WITH PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER WITH US BY BECOMING FOSTER FAMILIES, ADOPTION COORDINATORS, ANIMAL TRANSPORTERS, FUNDRAISERS, AND EVENT COORDINATORS. THIS WILL HELP US GROW SUSTAINABLY TO MEET THE EXPANDING NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY. AS WE LOOK

[00:35:01]

FUNDS FROM THIS GRANT WILL HELP US MOVE FORWARD ON THAT JOURNEY. JUST A FEW QUICK STORIES. ODIN AND BLACKBEARD AND THEIR SIBLINGS STARTED OFF LIFE ON THE STREETS AND WERE TAKEN IN BY ONE OF OUR FOSTER FAMILIES. THEY HELPED CARE FOR THEM WHILE BEING TREATED FOR MULTIPLE MEDICAL CONCERNS, INCLUDING A VIRUS THAT DAMAGED ODIN'S EYE AND CAUSED BLACKBEARD TO HAVE ONE OF HIS EYES REMOVED. THEY'RE NOW THRIVING IN THEIR THEIR FOREVER HOME WITH THEIR STEPBROTHER HOODLUM, AND THEIR 5 SIBLINGS HAVE ALL BEEN ADOPTED AND ARE THRIVING AS WELL. WATSON AND DIESEL BOTH HAD DIFFICULT BEGINNINGS. WATSON'S LEG WAS CRUSHED AND COULD NOT BE SAVED.

DIESEL WAS COVERED IN MOTOR OIL AND FLEAS AND HAD AN INJURED LEG. THEY BOTH RECEIVED MEDICAL TREATMENT AND WERE NURSED BACK TO HEALTH BY THEIR FOSTER FAMILIES. THEY ARE NOW THRIVING IN THEIR FOREVER HOMES.

BETWEEN JUST THESE 4 ANIMALS, THE COST OF THEIR MEDICAL CARE WAS UPWARDS OF $10,000. SO THAT'S PROBABLY A VERY LARGE PORTION, ALMOST HALF OF OUR YEARLY BUDGET. AND THAT'S IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING US AND CONSIDERING US. WE ARE PROUD MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY, AND WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN THESE PAST 36 MONTHS. WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

COUNCIL, QUESTIONS? RAMESH.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. MICHELE, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.

ALL THE PICTURES OF THE DOGS BEING A DOG DAD, YOU HAD ME WITH THOSE PICTURES. CAN NEVER PUT A PRICE TO SERVICE YOU'RE PROVIDING.

HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE TO PUT A PRICE TO YOUR ASK HERE. SO, IN THE LAST 2 YEARS, YOUR ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN ABLE TO RAISE ABOUT $40,000. AND I'M SEEING THAT YOUR PROJECTED BUDGET IS APPROXIMATELY $40,000. SO, WHAT HAS CHANGED? IF YOU WERE ABLE TO RAISE BEFORE, WHY ARE YOU NOT ABLE TO DO NOW? WHY THIS ASK FOR $13,500? FIRST QUESTION.

AND SECOND, IS THIS GOING TO BE AN ONGOING THING OR IS IT A ONE-TIME ASK? DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT, TREASURER? BOB REYNOLDS. I'M THE TREASURER FOR THE GROUP. THE 40,000 VARIES, NUMBER ONE, AND IT IS ALL VOLUNTEER. A BIG PORTION OF THAT COMES THROUGH NORTH TEXAS GIVING DAY AND JUST DONATIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

WE DO HAVE SOME PEOPLE WHO DONATE MONTHLY, BUT THAT FLUCTUATES WILDLY.

AND AS MICHELE POINTED OUT, WE'VE HAD ANIMALS THAT HAVE COME IN WITH UNFORESEEN MEDICAL AND SO IT'S NOT OUR ABILITY TO FUNDRAISE AS MUCH AS THE EXPENSE SIDE HAS GONE CRAZY EVERY NOW AND THEN.

OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE'VE HAD TO GIVE UP OUR BOX TRUCK THAT WE USED TO USE TO TAKE TO EVENTS, ETC., BECAUSE WE COULDN'T AFFORD THE MAINTENANCE FOR IT ANYMORE. IT WAS 20 YEARS OLD, IT WAS FALLING APART, IT WAS GOING TO WE HAVEN'T BOUGHT ANYTHING NEW FOR OUR FUNDRAISING EFFORTS, FOR SAY, AT THE FARMERS MARKET OR ANYWHERE ELSE, BECAUSE MOST OF OUR BUDGET GOES TO OUR ANIMALS. OUR ADOPTION FEES COVER ABOUT 15 TO 20% ANNUALLY OF THE ANIMAL COSTS THAT WE SPEND, AND OUR ANIMAL-RELATED EXPENSES ARE APPROXIMATELY 65% OF OUR ANNUAL BUDGET EVERY YEAR. SO, IT'S TRYING TO HELP US COVER THAT AND BE ABLE TO DO THINGS GOING FORWARD TO HELP US BENEFIT, TO GET MORE PEOPLE IN VOLUNTEERING, TO HELP US GROW. AS FAR AS WHETHER THIS WILL BE ONGOING, IT'S HARD TO SAY BECAUSE THIS IS THE VERY FIRST TIME WE'VE EVER DONE THIS, AND A LOT OF THIS IS GEARED TOWARDS PEOPLE AND TRYING TO RELATE ANIMALS TO PEOPLE. IT'S BEEN A LEARNING CURVE FOR US, SO IT WOULD BE NICE IF IT COULD BE ONGOING, BUT WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW THIS YEAR GOES AND WE'LL GO FROM THERE. BUT AT THIS POINT, I COULDN'T TELL YOU FOR SURE.

IS IT COMMON? THANK YOU, MAYOR, MICHELE, AND TO THE TREASURER, YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF HOW, HOW THE DECISION GOES THIS YEAR, FOR NEXT YEAR, IF YOU CAN COME AND EXPLAIN TO US HOW A $13,000 INVESTMENT COULD HELP MULTIPLY YOUR FUNDRAISING. THAT WOULD BE, FOR ME, A GOOD VALUE-ADD IF OUR $13,000 CAN SOMEHOW BECOME $39,000 IN YOUR FUNDRAISING.

SO, IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS, PLEASE COME BACK TO US NEXT

[00:40:01]

THANK YOU. BIJU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. JUST A CLARIFICATION QUESTION. YOU SAID THE MEDICAL BILL HAS TO BE BORNE OUT, SO YOU TAKE CARE OF THE ANIMALS ALREADY BEEN ADOPTED? THEY GET ALL OF OUR ANIMALS THAT WE BRING INTO OUR FOSTER PROGRAM GET FULLY VETTED. THEY RECEIVE ALL THEIR VACCINATIONS. THEY ARE TESTED FOR HEARTWORM AND LETHAL LYMPHATIC, ETC. IF THEY NEED MEDICAL CARE, SUCH AS TREY, WHO WAS UP THERE, HIS NAME WAS WATSON, NAMED AFTER THE DOCTOR WHO TOOK CARE OF HIM WHEN HE WAS IN FOSTER CARE. BUT THAT WAS ADDITIONAL MEDICAL EXPENSE.

THAT WAS FOR HIS AMPUTATION AND HIS CARE. SO, ALL OF THAT IS OUR EXPENSE. NONE OF THAT GOES BACK TO THE FOSTER. THEY JUST PAY A FLAT FEE. OKAY. SO, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW A LOT OF OUR FUNDING GOES THAT WE BRING IN GOES TOWARDS OUR ANIMAL CARE, AND OUR OVERHEAD THAT WE HAVE REDUCES HOW MUCH WE'RE ABLE TO DO. AND SO, WHEN THAT EXPENSE GETS TOO HIGH AND OUR, OUR CASH BASICALLY GOES DOWN TO A CERTAIN LEVEL, WE HAVE TO STOP INTAKE OF ANIMALS, AND WE CAN NO LONGER BRING IN NEW ANIMALS UNTIL WE CAN RAISE MONEY AGAIN TO BRING IT BACK UP. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LISTENING. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I DO HAVE MATERIALS IF ANYBODY WANTS ANY MORE MATERIAL. OKAY, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THANK YOU. OR IF YOU WANT TO LEAVE IT YEAH, THANK YOU.

WHY DON'T YOU GIVE THEM TO LAUREN AND SHE CAN PASS THEM OUT? OH SURE. ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP IS THE COPPELL ISD EDUCATION FOUNDATIONS JULIE MCCONNELL, JILL HILL, SHANE JONES, AND ERIC ANTON. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I'M JULIE MCCONNELL, CO-PRESIDENT OF THE COPPELL ISD EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AND I HAVE WITH ME TODAY, JILL HILL, OUR GRANTS CHAIR, SHANE JONES FROM MARKETING, AND ERIC ANTON, OUR TREASURER. CEF WAS FOUNDED 26 YEARS AGO BY A GROUP OF COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO RECOGNIZED CISD'S NEED FOR ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT.

SINCE OUR INCEPTION, WE'VE GIVEN OVER $1.5 MILLION BACK TO THE DISTRICT, ALIGNING WITH OUR MISSION OF ENHANCING AND ENRICHING TEACHING AND INSPIRING LEARNING. THE CITY OF COPPELL IS KNOWN ACROSS THE METROPLEX FOR ITS SCHOOLS. THAT REPUTATION IS ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS FAMILIES MOVE HERE, AND IT'S BUILT INTO OUR PROPERTY VALUES. THE ED FOUNDATION IS HOW THIS COMMUNITY INVESTS DIRECTLY IN PROTECTING THAT, AND TONIGHT WE'LL SHOW YOU WHY A CITY INVESTMENT IN CEF IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RETURN EDUCATION DOLLARS COPPELL CAN SPEND.

EVEN WITH AN INCREDIBLY STRONG EDUCATION SYSTEM, OUR SCHOOLS ARE NOT IMMUNE FROM THE FUNDING CRISIS FACING TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THREE OF THE BIGGEST FINANCIAL IMPACTS COME FROM RECAPTURE, WHICH PULLS MILLIONS OF COPPELL TAXPAYER DOLLARS AWAY FROM OUR SCHOOLS, ASTRONOMICAL INFLATION WITHOUT A MEANINGFUL INCREASE TO THE BASIC ALLOTMENT, AND UNFUNDED LEGISLATIVE MANDATES THAT REQUIRE CERTAIN SERVICES AND PROGRAMS WITHOUT PROVIDING FUNDING TO EXECUTE THEM. CISD HAS PROACTIVELY WORKED TO CUT MILLIONS IN EXPENSES OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, BUT EVEN SO, OUR SCHOOLS REALLY DO FEEL THE IMPACT OF THESE FUNDING GAPS. CEF IS ABLE TO LESSEN THAT IMPACT BECAUSE EVERY DOLLAR DONATED STAYS RIGHT HERE IN CISD TO DIRECTLY BENEFIT CLASSROOMS. ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES OF THAT IS OUR FLAGSHIP PROGRAM CALLED GIVE FOR GRANTS. SINCE 2000, THIS PROGRAM HAS BROUGHT TO LIFE INNOVATIVE IDEAS TO ENHANCE CLASSROOMS ACROSS ALL GRADE LEVELS. THE PROGRAM WORKS LIKE THIS.

TEACHERS SUBMIT A DETAILED GRANT PROPOSAL.

AFTER SEVERAL LEVELS OF APPROVAL, THEIR GRANTS ENTER COMMUNITY FUNDING. DONORS CAN SUPPORT A SPECIFIC GRANT OR DONATE TO THE GENERAL GRANT FUND.

AFTER COMMUNITY FUNDING, CEF STEPS IN TO FILL GAPS WITH THE GOAL TO FULLY FUND ALL GRANTS IF POSSIBLE. ONCE THE FINANCIAL PIECE IS SETTLED,

[00:45:01]

FINALLY, THIS FUNDING WOULD HELP CEF ADD CAPACITY SO THAT WE CAN NOT ONLY CONTINUE TO FULFILL OUR GRANTS BUT ALSO IMPLEMENT NEW PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS. THIS SLIDE SHOWS A SNAPSHOT OF OUR GRANT FUNDING FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, REFLECTING THE SIGNIFICANT GROWTH TRENDS WE'VE SEEN. OUR GOAL IS ALWAYS TO FULLY FUND ALL GRANTS, IF POSSIBLE, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT LIFT IS GETTING HEAVIER.

AT THE SAME TIME, OUR CLASSROOM NEEDS CONTINUE TO GROW AS THE FUNDING CRISIS TIGHTENS BUDGETS YEAR BY YEAR. OUR NEED FOR CITY INVESTMENT IS HIGHEST IN THE UPCOMING 3 TO 5-YEAR WINDOW. WE EXPECT THAT OUR ASK OF THE CITY WOULD DECREASE PROPORTIONALLY AS OUR COMMUNITY AND CORPORATE GIVING GROWS IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR FUNDRAISING STRATEGY.

ADDITIONALLY, OUR GRANTS PROGRAM DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT WE ALWAYS FULLY FUND EVERY GRANT, WHICH GIVES US THE ABILITY TO BE FLEXIBLE AS FUNDING SOURCES FLUCTUATE. SO, IF YOU CHOOSE TO INVEST WITH US, HERE'S A LOOK AT THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT THE MONEY WOULD DELIVER. LAST YEAR, CEF FUNDED 45 GRANTS REACHING ALL CAMPUS LEVELS. AT CHS, WE FUNDED A STUDENT-RUN COFFEE SHOP THAT TAUGHT LIFE AND JOB SKILLS TO LEARNERS WITH DISABILITIES. SEVERAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS APPLIED FOR GRANTS THAT WE HELPED FUND FOR STEAM CLASSROOMS TO PROVIDE KID-SAFE EQUIPMENT FOR ENGINEERING PROJECTS.

AT CMS EAST, A GRANT ALLOWED SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS TO TEAM UP AND CONNECT CONCEPTS THROUGH TACTILE LEARNING EXPERIENCES. ALTHOUGH OUR GRANTS PROGRAM REACHES ALL CISD CAMPUSES, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THE ONES HIGHLIGHTED HERE ARE SPECIFICALLY WITHIN 75019. WE BELIEVE THAT THE SUCCESS OF CISD AS A WHOLE POSITIVELY IMPACTS THE CITY OF COPPELL, BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU MAY HAVE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS WHEN AWARDING THIS GRANT. SO, IF WE ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO RECEIVE FUNDING, WE CAN CERTAINLY ACCOMMODATE IF THE CITY NEEDS TO EARMARK THE FUNDS FOR SCHOOLS SIMPLY WITHIN THE CITY OF COPPELL ITSELF. WITH ALL THE INFORMATION WE'VE HEARD SO FAR, WHY DOES IT MAKE SENSE FOR THE CITY OF COPPELL TO AWARD FUNDING TO THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION? IN ITS SIMPLICITY, WE DIRECTLY ALIGN WITH TWO VISION 2040 PILLARS. PERPETUATE A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND FOSTER AN INCLUSIVE, INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY FABRIC.

IN ADDITION, WE HELP TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY FOR A LIFETIME THAT COPPELL IS STRIVING TO ACHIEVE. ACCORDING TO THE STANFORD INSTITUTE FOR ECONOMIC POLICY RESEARCH, MUNICIPAL AND LOCAL INVESTMENT IN K-12 PUBLIC EDUCATION FUNCTIONS AS A PREMIER CATALYST IN PRODUCTIVITY, PROPERTY VALUE APPRECIATION, AND LONG-TERM FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY. ALL OF THESE OUTPUTS RELATE TO WAYS THAT THIS INVESTMENT WILL HELP DRIVE ALL 20, 40, 2040 PILLARS IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. LET'S HELP OUR LOCAL DOLLARS TO FURTHER OUR CITY'S APPEAL IN NORTH TEXAS. WE'D BE HONORED TO BEGIN A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF COPPELL.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS? DON? THANKS. CAN YOU GO OVER THE BLACK BOX AGAIN OF THE $61,000, WHERE THAT NUMBER CAME FROM, HOW YOU DERIVE THAT NUMBER? I THINK YOU SORT OF SPOKE TO IT, BUT CAN YOU GO OVER THAT AGAIN? YES, SO THAT IS AN ESTIMATE OF ABOUT HALF OF OUR PROJECTED NEXT ACADEMIC YEAR GRANT PROPOSALS. SO, WE, WE ESTIMATE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ABOUT $123,000 IN ASKS NEXT YEAR. AND SO, OUR ESTIMATE IS THAT $61,000 WOULD REPRESENT WHAT CEF WOULD TYPICALLY STEP IN TO COVER AFTER THE COMMUNITY FUNDING PHASE, JUST KIND OF BASED ON OUR PREVIOUS TRENDS. YEAH, SO, SO IF THERE WAS THIS GRANT, CEF DOESN'T SPEND THE $61,000 TO FILL THE GAP. SO, WHAT, I GUESS, ULTIMATELY DOES THIS WHAT DOES CEF DO WITH THAT $61,000? $500,000, WHERE DOES IT GO? WHERE DOES, WHERE DOES IT GO NEXT? SO, THE FREED UP OPERATING FUNDS WOULD BE INVESTED INTO THE PRIORITIES THAT OUR STAKEHOLDERS IDENTIFIED. WE RECENTLY IN THE SPRING UNDERWENT KIND OF A STRATEGIC RESEARCH PROJECT WHERE WE INTERVIEWED AND SURVEYED FOLKS FROM ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS WELL. SO, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT EXPANDING OUR TEACHER SUPPORT AND RECOGNITION, GROWING STRUCTURED VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT ON CAMPUSES, STRENGTHENING OUR FUNDRAISING CAPACITY AND ENDOWMENT. SO MORE FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE AND INCREASING COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF CEF'S IMPACT.

IN OTHER WORDS, YOUR FUNDING WOULD SECURE OUR FLAGSHIP GIVE FOR GRANTS PROGRAM WHILE ALLOWING US TO BUILD A STRONGER ORGANIZATION AND SERVE IN OTHER WAYS. OKAY, THANKS.

AND ONE OTHER QUESTION, IF I REMEMBER, SO Y'ALL HAVE NOT HAD ANY GRANT FROM THE CITY BEFORE,

[00:50:01]

BRIANNA? CAN WE GO BACK? THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

CAN WE GO BACK TO THE SLIDE THAT HAS THE, THE NUMBER, THE 123? YEAH, THERE. OKAY, SO 25, JUST TO LOOK AT 25, 26, WAS $107,374 THE ACTUAL AMOUNT AWARDED, OR WAS THAT THE ASK? THAT WAS THE AMOUNT THAT WE AWARDED. THAT WAS ABOUT AWARDED. WAS WERE THERE DID THE ASK GO ABOVE $107,000, OR WERE YOU ABLE TO MEET ALL THE, ALL THE REQUESTS? WE WERE ABLE TO MEET ALL OF THE REQUESTS.

OKAY. AND THEN I GUESS HERE'S MY QUESTION IS, SO NOW YOU'RE PROJECTING $123,000, ASKING THE CITY FOR $61,000, BUT YOU WERE ABLE TO GIVE $107,000 LAST YEAR. SO WHY WOULD WE NOT BE BUILDING ON $107,000? SO, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE FUNDING CAME FROM, 107. SO, RIGHT, SO IT'S A COMBINATION OF CEF OPERATING BUDGET WE SET ASIDE.

WE KIND OF HAVE TO ESTIMATE WHEN WE SET OUR BUDGET EVERY YEAR HOW MUCH WE THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO CHIP IN TO BE ABLE TO FULLY FUND, YOU KNOW, JUST BASED ON THE PAST YEAR'S TRENDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND SO, THEN WE OBVIOUSLY GET, YOU KNOW, A VARYING AMOUNT FROM COMMUNITY SUPPORT DURING THE COMMUNITY FUNDING PHASE.

WE'VE REALLY, YOU KNOW, EMPHASIZED A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO GET THE ATTENTION OF THE COMMUNITY, AND WE'VE SEEN THAT REAP REWARDS FOR SURE. BUT THAT'S A VARYING AMOUNT THAT CAN GO UP OR DOWN DEPENDING ON THE COMMUNITY'S ABILITY TO GIVE IN OTHER AREAS THAT THEY'RE GIVING IN ALREADY. WE ALSO SEE, YOU KNOW, SOME CAMPUS PARTNERSHIPS AS PART OF OUR COMMUNITY FUNDING. WE REACH OUT TO PTOS AND OTHER CAMPUS ORGANIZATIONS. SO THOSE ARE THE THREE MAIN KIND OF PILLARS OF THAT FUNDING, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. OKAY, THANK YOU. AND I WOULD SAY THE COMMUNITY FUNDING COMMUNITY FUNDING HAS BEEN KIND OF STEADY OVER THE LAST 2 YEARS. SO, WHILE WE SEE THE REQUESTS GO UP, THE COMMUNITY FUNDING KIND OF SITS AROUND THAT 50-60.

THANK YOU. RAMESH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THE QUESTION THAT BRIANNA ASKED WAS WONDERFUL.

THAT'S ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD. THANK YOU FOR ASKING. AND THEN, GREAT PRESENTATION. YOU KNOW, I THINK EVERYONE HERE AGREES THAT PUBLIC EDUCATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND WE AGREE, UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE UNDERFUNDED. AND FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, THIS LOOKS LIKE IT IS NOT A ONE-TIME ASK AND THAT YOU COULD BE COMING BACK IN FUTURE YEARS, CORRECT? YES. SO GIVEN THAT, YOU KNOW, IN GENERAL MY OPINION IS THERE'S A REASON WHY WE HAVE A CLEAR LINE OF DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN SCHOOL DISTRICT AND CITY. I WOULD BE INCLINED TO BE MORE SUPPORTIVE IF YOU CAME BACK TO US WITH A SPECIFIC ASK FOR A SPECIFIC PROGRAM THAT RETURNS VALUE TO THE CITY OF COPPELL, OR IF YOU COME UP WITH A NEW IDEA THAT IS GOING TO GENERATE VALUE FOR COPPELL, I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. RIGHT NOW, THE WAY YOU HAVE SUBMITTED YOUR APPLICATION, THE MONEY IS GOING IN TO SUPPORT WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN DOING, RAISING THE MONEY THAT YOU'VE BEEN RAISING FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS. SO MAYBE, YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS THIS YEAR, FOR NEXT YEAR, IF YOU CAN COME BACK AND TELL US THE SPECIFIC THINGS THAT YOU PLAN TO DO WITH THE MONEY FROM THE CITY AND HOW WE CAN MEASURE THOSE RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT. THAT WOULD HELP ME A LOT IN THE FUTURE YEARS. THANK YOU.

BIJU? THANK YOU, MAYOR. GREAT PRESENTATION. I STILL HAVE MY SON GOING TO THE 9TH GRADE NEXT YEAR, SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU ARE DOING.

FROM 107 NUMBER FROM LAST YEAR, MAYBE YOU ALREADY SAID THIS, I DIDN'T HEAR HOW MUCH DID YOU RAISE FROM THE COMMUNITY LAST YEAR? 55, 56,000. OKAY, SO IF YOU STILL GET $55,000, YOU'RE ASKING $61,000 FROM THE CITY.

[00:55:01]

BUT IF WE DO RECEIVE FUNDING, WE WERE PLANNING TO DO SOME OF THOSE MORE EXPERIMENTAL PROJECTS WITH OUR OPERATING BUDGET THAT WE WERE PLANNING TO SAVE. AND, YOU KNOW, IN PREVIOUS YEARS, THE PAST FEW YEARS, I'VE ONLY BEEN INVOLVED IN THE ORGANIZATION FOR ONE ACADEMIC YEAR, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO MEET ALL GRANT REQUESTS, RIGHT? AND SO, IT MAY JUST COME TO PASS THAT BECAUSE OF THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE ARE ALL IN NOW AND INCREASING COMPETITION, THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT, RIGHT? AND SO, WE WOULD TRY TO DO THAT WITH, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE, BUT IF THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, HOW TO PARTIALLY FUND GRANTS OR, YOU KNOW, A MORE RIGOROUS APPLICATION PROCESS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT UP IS A COMMENT FROM COPELL COMMUNITY CORRAL, BETHANY HINTZ, LORI YOUNG, AND ANDY CRESPO. THANK YOU.

HELLO, THANK YOU. I'D RATHER BE SINGING TO YOU RIGHT NOW THAN TALKING, BUT I'M GOING TO DO MY BEST.

WE HAVE BEEN IN THE CITY FOR AT LEAST 40 YEARS, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT, SO I'M GOING TO DO THE BEST I CAN TO GO THROUGH THIS QUICKLY. WE ARE A MEMBER-LED, MEMBER-RUN ARTS ORGANIZATION WITH COMMISSION STAFF I THINK THAT YOU CAN CLEARLY READ. WE HAVE GOALS TO SUSTAIN WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING.

SINCE WE'VE MOVED INTO THE ARTS CENTER, OUR PROGRAM HAS NOT JUST EXPANDED, IT'S EXPLODED WITH HOW MANY PEOPLE WE SERVE AND HOW MANY PROGRAMS WE CAN FILL IN. A LOT OF THAT HAS BEEN DUE TO THE GRACE AND BENEVOLENCE OF VOLUNTEERS AND OF COURSE THE CITY. THE BIG HUBBUB THIS YEAR IS WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY. AND THAT DOES MAKE US, EVEN WITH THE THEATER, THE LONGEST CONTINUALLY OPERATING COMMUNITY ARTS ORGANIZATION IN COPPELL. WE'RE KIND OF PROUD OF THAT, KIND OF EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND THAT IS THE REASON FOR THE INCREASE IN THE GRANT ASK, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT SHORTLY.

WE ARE A PROUD RESIDENT COMPANY OF THE COPPELL ARTS CENTER. WE PRESENT 10 CONCERTS, 13 OUTREACH EVENTS. WE HAVE 5 DIFFERENT PERFORMING ENSEMBLES WITH VARYING LEVELS OF DIFFICULTY. 4 DIRECTORS, OVER 100 SINGERS. WE PUT ON A KIDS CAMP EVERY YEAR, ADULT EDUCATION WORKSHOPS, WHICH ARE COMING UP SOON IF YOU'RE INTERESTED. WE HOST THE COMMUNITY ELECTRONIC RECYCLING EVENT. WE PARTICIPATE IN VINTAGE CHRISTMAS, PATRIOTS DAY, HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

WHENEVER WE ARE NEEDED, WE SING A SONG. AND WE LEARN OVER 100 DIFFERENT ONES EVERY YEAR. SERVING AGES 8 THROUGH 84 IS THE CURRENT AGES THAT PEOPLE ADMIT TO ANYWAY. WE ARE VOLUNTEER-LED, VOLUNTEER-RUN.

SEVERAL, SEVERAL THINGS GO INTO RUNNING THIS ORGANIZATION.

AND WHILE THESE LOOK BORING FUNDRAISING, MEMBERSHIP, HOSPITALITY, LIBRARY IT'S ALL PASSION AND LOVE. WE DO THE BEST WE CAN TO ALIGN WITH THE 2040 VISION AND ALIGN WITH THE CITY'S PRIORITIES.

WE, THESE TWO IN PARTICULAR, MEAN A LOT TO US FOSTERING THAT INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY FABRIC AND THE UNIQUE COPPELL EXPERIENCE.

YOU WILL NOT FIND AN ORGANIZATION OR A CHOIR LIKE US ANYWHERE ELSE, I GUARANTEE IT. AND THEN SINCE WE HAVE MOVED INTO THE ARTS CENTER AND SINCE 2040 HAS BEEN ADOPTED, WE HAVE INCREASED OUR OUTREACH REACHED WITH THESE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.

SO, AFTER BRACK, WE HAVE THESE ARE TWO NON-AUDITION GROUPS: COPPELL COMMUNITY CHORALE, WHICH IS ABOUT 70-ISH MEMBERS, AND OUR COPPELL CHILDREN'S CHORUS, WHICH WE'VE CAPPED AT 25 BECAUSE MS. BAKER IS BUT ONE PERSON. THESE ARE AUDITIONED GROUPS: THE VARIATIONS, WHICH YOU SEE IN THE COMMUNITY AT EVENTS WHEN WE ARE ASKED TO SING, AND THEN THE VARIATIONS LADIES IN THEIR RED SHOES, BECAUSE WE'RE THE ONES WHO LIKE TO SING AND DANCE AS WELL.

[01:00:01]

THIS IS OUR SEMI-PROFESSIONAL GROUP, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THAT. AUDITIONS ARE IN SEPTEMBER. THIS IS OUR FULL SEASON FOR THIS YEAR. 10 EVENTS, 10 PERFORMANCES, 5 DIFFERENT ENSEMBLES. THESE ARE SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES. WE HAVE A CHILDREN'S CAMP THAT HAPPENED IN JUNE TO GIVE THE KIDS PERFORMANCE MUSIC EDUCATION EXPERIENCE. AND THEN COMING UP IN AUGUST, OUR MASTER CLASSES, ONE-ON-ONE, AGAIN, VOICE EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE.

WE GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IN LOTS OF WAYS BESIDES PERFORMING.

LORI HERE A FEW YEARS AGO SAID WE NEED A SCHOLARSHIP, SO WE HAVE A SCHOLARSHIP. WE AWARD 2 TO 4 EVERY SPRING, AND WE HAVE AWARDED 15 SINCE 2022. SHE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT.

BEYOND THE MUSIC, WE'VE ALREADY SAID RECYCLING EVENTS, WE HOST THESE 4 TIMES A YEAR.

IF YOU HAVEN'T DONATED, IT'S A GREAT WAY TO GET RID OF JUNK AND HELP YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL COMMUNITY CROWD. ALL RIGHT, OUR PROPOSED GRANT FUND USAGE.

THE INTERESTING AND THE ONE WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IS THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION BECAUSE AND THAT'S WHAT'S COMING UP THIS YEAR. WE, IN OUR CELEBRATION, OUR BUDGET FOR THAT IS ON THE NEXT PAGE, BUT I MAY NOT GET TO IT. OUR BUDGET FOR THAT'S AROUND $24,000. IN THAT WE WILL AND HAVE COMMISSIONED A WORK WE ARE GOING TO PERFORM. IT'S COMMISSIONED FOR THE CHORALE, ABOUT THE CHORALE, COPPELL COMMUNITY CHORALE SONG. WE ARE, HAVE A PUBLIC ART COMMISSION WE'RE WORKING ON TO PLACE PERMANENT ART IN THE COMMUNITY. THAT WOULD BE IN HONOR OF OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY. WE WILL HAVE CELEBRATIONS SURROUNDING OUR CONCERT ON NOVEMBER 7TH AND 8TH OF THIS YEAR, INCLUDING ALUMNI AND DIRECTOR REUNIONS. YOU'RE ALL GOING TO BE INVITED. IT'LL BE GREAT FUN. AND I'M ALMOST OUT OF TIME, SO I THINK YOU CAN ALL I THINK YOU ALL HAVE THIS, I HOPE AND THE ANNIVERSARY DETAIL EXPENSES THAT WE PROJECT ARE DOWN HERE, BUT THIS IS JUST OUR COLORFUL BUDGET. I RACED THROUGH THINGS. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HAVE TO ADMIT, WHEN YOU WERE WALKING UP THERE, OUR CITY MANAGER MADE A COMMENT, IS SHE GOING TO SING THIS? AND THEN YOU GOT UP THERE AND SAID, SHOULD I BE SINGING IT, SO HE WAS SITTING OVER HERE AND HE'S HIDING.

NEXT TIME I'LL BRING LYRIC SHEETS AND WE CAN ALL SING ALONG. ALL RIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? RAMESH.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY, AND SO YOU ASKED FOR AN INCREASE FROM THE USUAL $13,000 TO $25,000. SO, IS THIS A ONE-TIME ASK, SO YOU'RE GOING TO REVERT BACK TO $13,000 MOVING FORWARD? WE VIEW THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE WHAT WE'VE DONE, CELEBRATE COPPELL, CELEBRATE THE ARTS CENTER, PROMOTE OURSELVES OBVIOUSLY A LITTLE BIT. YOU HAVE 5 RESIDENT COMPANIES IN THE ARTS CENTER, AND THIS IS A WAY TO SHINE LIGHT NOT JUST ON US BUT ON WHAT COPPELL HAS TO OFFER. AND ALL THE RESIDENT COMPANIES. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I FORGOT TO MENTION, I'M GOING TO USE A SECOND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.

IN PART OF THIS CELEBRATION, WE WILL ALSO BE CURATING A HISTORICAL EXHIBIT ABOUT THE CORRAL. SO, DATING BACK FROM YESTERYEAR OF 1986, WE WILL HAVE THE ENTIRE LOBBY HISTORICAL ARTIFACT EXHIBIT, WE'RE CALLING IT. SO THAT WILL GO ON FOR A MONTH AS WELL. AND TO YOUR POINT, IT'S A ONE-TIME ASK BUT FOR A LASTING IMPACT. SO, THINGS LIKE THE COMMISSIONED WORK AND THE COMMISSIONED SCULPTURE, FOR EXAMPLE, WILL LAST IN THE COMMUNITY FOR A WHILE. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH HOW THE INNER WORKINGS OF A COMMISSIONED CHORAL PIECE WORKS, THE COMPOSER WILL THEN BE ABLE TO LICENSE THAT TO OTHER GROUPS, BUT FOREVER AT THE TOP IT WILL SAY COMMISSIONED WORLD PREMIERE FOR THE COPPELL COMMUNITY CHORALE. SO THAT'S A VERY COOL IMPACT THAT WILL LAST BEYOND THIS AS WELL. AND WHO WILL OWN THE IP TO THAT? WE WILL. I MEAN, WE IT WOULD BE OUR PIECE. WE IT'LL BE OUR PIECE, BUT THE COMPOSER CAN SELL IT BECAUSE HE WROTE IT. HE CAN SELL IT. WE DON'T GET FUNDS FROM THAT, BUT WE WILL FOREVER HAVE IT.

SO, THE CITY INVESTS, BUT THE IP IS NOT WITH THE CITY? WELL, THERE IT'S NOT IT'S THE ACTUAL SHEET MUSIC. WE WILL HAVE THAT, AND WE'LL HAVE OUR NAME ON IT NO MATTER WHERE IT GOES.

SO, IT'LL BE WE DON'T RECEIVE FUNDS FROM SALES. WE DON'T RECEIVE ROYALTIES. IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

IT SOUNDS LIKE HE OWNS IT AND WE HAVE A LICENSE BACK TO USE IT. THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING AS AN IP ATTORNEY.

THAT'S PRETTY EFFICIENT. IF I COULD WRITE MUSIC MYSELF, IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT. YEAH,

[01:05:01]

TYPICALLY, ON A GOOD ONE WE'LL MAKE ABOUT A COUPLE THOUSAND DOLLARS.

WOW. SO THAT'S A REALLY GOOD ONE. THAT'S A YEAH, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY ABOUT $1,500 TO $2,000. OKAY, THANK YOU. AND THAT'S FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL EVENT THAT WE THEN HOST 4 TIMES A YEAR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. OKAY, NEXT IS THE COPPELL HISTORICAL MUSEUM. MR. CHRIS LONG.

HELLO, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO PRESENT THIS EVENING. FIRST OF ALL, WHEN THEY GET THROUGH WITH THEIR HISTORICAL EXHIBIT, I'M GOING TO TRY TO GET IT SO WE CAN PUT IT IN THE MUSEUM. WE WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU, I THINK YOU KNOW, BUT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT US. THE TWO PHOTOS HERE ARE OUR INTERNS AT THE MUSEUM, AND THAT'S THE TABLE THAT SITS NEAR, BEHIND THE WILSON HOUSE. THE TABLE WAS BUILT BY MR. WILSON'S FATHER, AND SO YOUR PARKS DEPARTMENT IT WAS PARKS AT THAT TIME WERE NICE ENOUGH TO LET US, GIVE US TIME TO REMAKE THAT TABLE SO THAT WE COULD KEEP IT. AND DURING THE SPRING, FAMILIES COME AND ACTUALLY EAT PICNICS ON IT, SO WE'RE REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. AND IT'S JUST A GREAT TABLE. IT SITS UNDER A PERGOLA THAT, WAS BUILT BY AN EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT WITH A GARDEN BEHIND THE PERGOLA THAT WAS ALSO AN EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT, AND WE CALL THAT THE WILSON GARDEN BECAUSE IT'S BEHIND MR. WILSON'S HOUSE. SO, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT SEVERAL THINGS TODAY. AS YOU KNOW, WE APPLIED FOR MUSEUM STATUS AND WE RECEIVED THAT. WE HAD OVER 10,000 VISITORS IN 2025.

WE'VE GONE UP EACH YEAR SEVERAL THOUSAND, AND WE WORK REALLY HARD TO GET SCHOOLS, COMMUNITIES.

WE HAVE CLASSES THAT COME OVER FROM FORT WORTH AND COME AND BRING OLDER STUDENTS, SO IT'S KIND OF FUN. AND WE PARTNER WITH THE COPPELL ISD FROM THE STANDPOINT THAT THEY BRING BUSES WITH STUDENTS IN THEM, WHICH IS REALLY FUN BECAUSE WE THOUGHT WHEN PINKERTON SHUT DOWN, WE MIGHT NOT GET ANY MORE BUSES, BUT THEN WILSON STARTED DOING IT, AND SO IT'S A LOT OF FUN. AND WE HAVE BUILT EXHIBITS INTO THE MUSEUM THAT KIDS CAN PLAY WITH. LIKE, WE HAVE A BIG TYPEWRITER EXHIBIT, AND THAT SOUNDS REALLY BORING TO EVERYONE IN THE ROOM, BUT A KID'S NEVER SEEN A TYPEWRITER, AND SO THEY LOVE TO GO IN THERE AND TYPE ON THESE TYPEWRITERS. SO, WE'VE DONE SEVERAL THINGS THAT WE'RE PROUD OF THAT THEY CAN DO THAT WHEN THEY COME IN. THE SURREY THAT'S ON THE SLIDE, THAT SURREY IS FROM 1904. THAT IS THE YEAR THAT THE KIRKLAND HOUSE WAS BUILT. WE KNOW THE KIRKLANDS TOOK A SURREY TO GRAPEVINE TO BUY GROCERIES.

NOT THAT SURREY, BUT WE KNOW THAT. SO, WE LOOKED FOR ONE THAT WOULD ABSOLUTELY BE THE SAME YEAR. AND WHEN WE PARK IT OUT IN THE FRONT, PEOPLE ALWAYS STOP BY.

EVERYONE LOVES THE SURREY.

OKAY, SO THIS IS ACTUALLY THE CORRAL. I LOVE THE CORRAL. AND THEY COME OVER AND THEY HELP US AND SING AND DO A LOT OF THINGS FOR US THAT THEY CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE TO DO, BUT THEY ARE REALLY WONDERFUL.

AND SO, WE TRY TO INCLUDE INCLUDE ALL OF THE GROUPS FROM COPPELL INTO OUR ACTIVITIES BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE NEED EVERYONE TO HELP US TO DO THIS. AND ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT THE MUSEUM IS THAT WE PROVIDE SOMETHING BEING GOING ON IN OLD TOWN ALL THE TIME. ALL RIGHT, IT'S JUST A REALLY NICE THING THAT WE DO. AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, LIKE WE HAD AN ICE CREAM SOCIAL AT THE BEGINNING OF END OF SCHOOL YEAR. AND WE HAD ABOUT 600 PEOPLE IN THE PARK EATING ICE CREAM.

AND MOST OF THEM WERE FROM THE OLD TOWN AREA. AND SO, WE PROVIDE SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, THERE'S CARNIVAL MUSIC, THERE'S ALL THIS OTHER KIND

[01:10:01]

OKAY? AND SO THAT'S WHY HE DOES IT. SO, GRANT FUNDS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED IN THE PAST ARE FOR OPERATIONS AND EVENTS, AND WE STILL HAVE 5 EVENTS TO DO THIS YEAR. WE HAVE THE END OF SUMMER ICE CREAM SOCIAL, WHICH LIKE I SAID HAD ABOUT 600 PEOPLE, AND THEN WE HAVE THE LATIN FESTIVAL, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR BIGGER EVENTS. WE HAVE SCARE ON THE SQUARE, VETERANS DAY IN VENICE, CHRISTMAS. SO, WE STILL HAVE 5 THAT WE HAVE TO DO BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR. OKAY, WE ARE APPLYING FOR GRANTS IN SEVERAL AREAS. WE ARE A MEMBER OF GOODSTACK, AND THE REASON THAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT GOODSTACK SENDS YOU A LIST OF GRANTS BASED ON THE PARAMETERS YOU'VE GIVEN THEM TO TELL YOU WHAT'S OUT THERE THAT YOU CAN APPLY FOR. SO FAR, WE HAVE APPLIED ABOUT 15 GRANTS. WE HAVE NOT HEARD BACK.

IT'LL BE TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR. THE STATE OF TEXAS HISTORICAL SOCIETY, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T REALLY DO GRANTS AS MUCH AS THEY JUST LEND EXHIBITS, AND I CAN'T SEEM TO LAND IN THE SWEET SPOT FOR THE EXHIBIT. I TRIED TO GET OH, THIS IS BAD. I TRIED TO GET THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE, BUT WE'RE TOO BIG.

WE WEREN'T RURAL ENOUGH. SO, WE ARE ACTIVELY APPLYING FOR GRANTS. WE ALSO I KNOW I'M OUT OF TIME, BUT WE ALSO HAVE 3 DIFFERENT PROPOSALS OUT TO CORPORATIONS THAT I THINK 2 OF THE 3 WILL COME THROUGH.

IT'LL BE ABOUT $5,000 TO $10,000 EACH. THE THIRD ONE I'M NOT AS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT. SO, WE ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGING IN THAT AS WELL. SORRY. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS? RAMESH? THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERFUL PRESENTATION. I HAD A QUESTION. IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT THAT YOU HAD SUBMITTED LAST YEAR, YOUR ACTUALS WAS CLOSE TO ABOUT $90,000. SO, YOU DID GET $135,000 LAST YEAR FROM THE CITY, BUT YOU ONLY USED $90,000. SO THAT $45,000 IS AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO USE THIS YEAR? IT'S AVAILABLE AND WE'RE USING IT NOW. OKAY, AND ON TOP OF THAT, YOU STILL WANT THE $135,000? I DO, BECAUSE IT TAKES ABOUT $150,000 TO RUN IT EACH YEAR, AND I HAVE BEEN THROWING IN THE DIFFERENCE EACH YEAR PERSONALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE NUMBERS WORK. AND THIS YEAR THOUGH, WE'VE REALLY STEPPED UP THE FUNDRAISING, AND I FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT NEXT YEAR. I WON'T BE UP HERE ASKING FOR THE SAME AMOUNT. I THINK A COUPLE OF THINGS YOU SAID ABOUT THE GRANTS AND CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP, THAT REALLY ENCOURAGES ME BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE ABOUT 80%, 85% OF YOUR BUDGET IS BEING COVERED BY THE CITY, AND I'M HOPING THAT'LL CHANGE. I THINK IT WILL. THE TWO CORPORATIONS THAT ARE LOOKING AT I WOULD SAY THEIR NAME, BUT THEN I AND THEN I REALIZED THE PRESS WAS IN THE ROOM. AND SO, I DON'T THINK I I INTENDED TO SAY IT, AND THEN I THOUGHT, THAT'S BAD, IT WILL END UP IN HIS PAPER. I, THERE'S TWO OF THEM THAT I HAVE VERY CLOSE CONNECTIONS WITH, AND I THINK THOSE WILL COME THROUGH. THE THIRD ONE IS KIND OF A, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GAMBLE.

BUT WE'RE DOING THAT. WE'RE DOING THE GOODSTACK. IT'S ACTUALLY VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE IT SENDS YOU A REPORT EVERY MONTH, AND IT'S BASED ON PARAMETERS ORDERS THAT YOU'VE GIVEN THEM, AND THEN WE DECIDE FROM THAT WHAT WE CAN APPLY FOR AND WHAT WE THINK WE CAN DO.

SO, I DON'T THINK WE'RE ON THE SAME TRACK FOR NEXT YEAR. I DO NOT. THANK YOU. AND MY HUSBAND WOULD LIKE ME TO QUIT THROWING IN MONEY, LOTS OF MONEY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. A QUESTION FOR YOU, HOW MUCH MONEY DID YOU RAISE FROM THE COMMUNITY OR THE COPPELL SERVICE THIS YEAR? THIS YEAR WE DID NOT, BUT I HAVE 3 SPONSORS THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING TO THAT I THINK WILL COME IN BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, BUT I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE.

THIS YEAR WE ALSO, JUST FYI, ARE WORKING WITH THE, THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY TO SCAN THE ARCHIVES INTO WHATEVER YOU SCAN ARCHIVES INTO. YOU CAN TELL I DON'T DO THAT. AND SO, WE'VE TAKEN ON THAT PROJECT TOO TO HELP THEM. ALL RIGHT? SO, WHAT I THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN IS WE'LL GET THE GRANTS IN.

THESE GRANTS, YOU'LL GET SOME OF THEM, CERTAIN PERCENTAGE. I HAVE A GRANT WRITER OUT OF HOUSTON THAT'S WRITING ALL THE GRANTS FOR US. SO, I FEEL PRETTY GOOD THAT, YOU KNOW,

[01:15:02]

OKAY. IS THE STATEMENT THAT WE HAVE, IS THAT AUDITED BY A CPA FIRM? WE HAVE A CPA FIRM. AND YES, THEY DO, BUT I DON'T ALWAYS REPORT WHAT I GIVE BECAUSE IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER.

I JUST WANT IT TO WORK.

RAMESH? YEAH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. CHRIS, IN ONE OF OUR FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS, YOU HAD SAID IN TERMS OF THE LONG-TERM LEADERSHIP OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY THAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO HIRE A MANAGER. THAT'S CORRECT. AND SO THAT WOULD BE SALARY COSTS THAT WOULD BE ON TOP OF YOUR CURRENT EXPENSES, CORRECT? YES AND NO. WE HAD SOMEONE THAT WORKED AS KIND OF A QUASI-MANAGER AND SHE HAD TO LEAVE. SHE WAS ILL. AND SO, WE HAVEN'T REPLACED THAT YET.

AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE RUNNING A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, HIGHER THIS YEAR. SO, WE MAY HAVE TO PAY A LITTLE MORE WHEN WE WERE PAYING HER, BUT NO, IT'S NOT A TOTAL ADD.

OKAY, THANK YOU. AND THEN THE BOARD WE HAVE A VERY ACTIVE BOARD, AND THEN THE BOARD WILL SUPERVISE THAT. COUNCIL, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT, CHRIS. OKAY. SO, WE'VE HEARD FROM 6 DIFFERENT GROUPS. WHAT I'D ASK THE COUNCIL TO DO IS TO REVIEW THE GUIDELINES THAT ARE IN YOUR BOOK AND FOLDER ON OUR CHARITABLE GIVINGS. YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE GUIDELINES THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT Y'ALL'S GROUP PUT TOGETHER.

ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT HISTORICALLY WHAT WE'VE COMMITTED TO DO IN THE COMMUNITY. THOSE ARE ALSO IN THE BOOK. THE LAST THING IS, IF YOU'VE GOT OTHER QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT. I MEAN, OTHER QUESTIONS ARE WELCOME.

AND AS YOU THINK THROUGH WHAT YOU'VE HEARD TONIGHT, READ THROUGH THE LITERATURE, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO MIKE AND STAFF AND GET ANSWERS. AND WE'LL HAVE, WE'LL HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS ON THIS, AT A LATER MEETING.

YES, I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK QUICK QUESTION OF FINANCE STAFF, IF YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION. FARMERS MARKET AND THE GARDEN CURRENTLY ARE FUNDING OUT OF PRIMARILY COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES, MAYBE A SLIVER OUT OF PUBLIC WORKS, $7,000 OUT OF PUBLIC WORKS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IS IT ALL IT'S ALL OUT OF GENERAL FUND? IS IT ALL OUT OF PROPERTY TAX? THAT'S CORRECT. IT'S ALL OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND ALREADY, RIGHT? AND THEN OUR BUDGET IS OUT OF GENERAL FUND ALSO. SO, IT'S LITERALLY CHANGING THE ACCOUNT THAT IT'S COMING OUT OF. OKAY, JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.

THANKS. THANK YOU FOR THAT, BECAUSE THAT WASN'T CLEAR

[2026-0276 C. Presentation of Financial Strategy Session: Investing in Coppell’s Future.]

MISS TIM, THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THIS EVENING THE PRESENTATION IS NOT THE TRADITIONAL BUDGET 101 PRESENTATION THAT WE'VE PROVIDED AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH BUDGET WORKSHOP. AS YOU KNOW, THAT PRESENTATION FOCUSES ON THE MECHANICS OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, THE CALENDAR, THE TAX RATE CALCULATION, AND THE STEPS REQUIRED TO ADOPT THE BUDGET. BUT THIS YEAR THE FOCUS IS DIFFERENT.

COUNCIL HAS BEEN THROUGH SEVERAL BUDGET SEASONS AND UNDERSTANDS THE BASIC MECHANICS OF THE PROCESS. SO, THIS EVENING, BEFORE WE MOVE INTO THE FINANCIAL STRATEGY SESSION, WE WANT TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND CONNECT PAST DECISIONS TO THE CONVERSATIONS AHEAD.

AND SO, THE PHRASE I WANT TO CARRY THROUGH TONIGHT IS INVESTING IN COPPELL'S FUTURE. AND WHEN I SAY INVESTING, I'M NOT TALKING SIMPLY SPENDING MORE. I'M TALKING ABOUT MAKING INTENTIONAL DECISIONS TODAY SO THAT THE CITY CAN, OVER TIME, ADAPT SERVICES, MAINTAIN INFRASTRUCTURE, AND SUSTAIN THE QUALITY OF LIFE THE COMMUNITY RELIES ON.

TONIGHT IS ABOUT RECOGNIZING THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE, THE OBSTACLES THE CITY HAS MANAGED, AND THE POSITIVE IMPACT PRIOR DECISIONS HAVE HAD ON THE ORGANIZATION AND COMMUNITY. IT'S ALSO ABOUT REORGANIZING, OR

[01:20:01]

IT'S IN PUBLIC SAFETY, STREETS, WATER, PARKS, FACILITIES, TECHNOLOGY, COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, AND EVERYDAY SERVICES THAT RESIDENTS RELY ON. THAT IS WHY THIS CONVERSATION IS BIGGER THAN ONE FISCAL YEAR. EACH DECISION BECOMES PART OF THE INVESTMENT IN COPPELL'S FUTURE. THAT INVESTMENT BEGINS WITH COUNCIL'S POLICY DIRECTION. AND AS THE MAYOR SHARED AT THE TOWN HALL MEETING, COUNCIL'S ROLE IS IS TO SET POLICY DIRECTION, ESTABLISH PRIORITIES, AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE WHAT. AND THAT IS THE SERVICE EXPECTATIONS. IT'S THE COMMUNITY'S PRIORITIES THAT GUIDE STAFF'S WORK. STAFF'S ROLE IS TO DEVELOP THE HOW. WE DO THAT BY ANALYZING DATA, DEVELOPING STRATEGIES, AND PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CARRY OUT COUNCIL'S DIRECTION WHILE COMMUNICATING THE IMPACT ON PEOPLE, SERVICES, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF THE CITY.

THE FINANCIAL STRATEGY SESSIONS ARE WHERE THOSE PIECES COME TOGETHER IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGES TONIGHT IS THAT THE BUDGET YEAR IS ONE POINT IN A MUCH LARGER OR LONGER FINANCIAL STORY. THE DECISIONS MADE IN ONE YEAR CAN EITHER STRENGTHEN FUTURE FLEXIBILITY OR CAN LIMIT IT. THEY CAN REDUCE FUTURE PRESSURE OR CREATE FUTURE PRESSURE. THEY CAN HELP US EASE AND CHANGE OVER TIME, OR THEY CAN CREATE THE NEED TO MODIFY SERVICES MORE QUICKLY IN THE FUTURE. AND THAT'S WHY WE DON'T LOOK AT THE BUDGET IN ISOLATION. WE USE THE 5-YEAR FORECAST, WE USE CAPITAL PLANNING, FUND BALANCE ANALYSIS, REPLACEMENT SCHEDULES, REVENUE ASSUMPTIONS, AND SERVICE LEVEL CONVERSATIONS. AND THESE HELP US IDENTIFY ISSUES EARLY, EVALUATE ASSUMPTIONS, AND DEVELOP STRATEGIES BEFORE CHALLENGES BECOME IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS. THAT IS A KEY PART OF INVESTING IN CALPERS FUTURE.

AND THAT LONG-TERM VIEW REALLY DOES MATTER BECAUSE OUR ENVIRONMENT IS CONTINUALLY CHANGING.

OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE CITY HAS MANAGED FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES WHILE CONTINUING TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE MANAGED LEGISLATIVE LIMITS, SALES TAX UNCERTAINTY, INFLATION AND RISING COSTS, AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, TECHNOLOGY CHANGES, AND CYBERSECURITY EXPECTATIONS I'M SORRY, EXPECTATIONS AS WELL AS WORKFORCE CHALLENGES. THE IMPORTANCE, THE IMPORTANT POINT IS NOT SIMPLY THAT THESE OBSTACLES EXIST. THE IMPORTANT POINT IS THAT COPPELL HAS WORKED TO ADDRESS THEM THROUGH STRATEGY RATHER THAN REACTION.

THAT IS WHAT RESILIENCE LOOKS LIKE IN PRACTICE CHOOSING STRATEGY OVER REACTION. SO HOW HAS THE CITY RESPONDED? AND ONE OF THE CLEAREST EXAMPLES IS OUR APPROACH TO REVENUE BUDGETING.

FOR SALES TAX, WE CONTINUE TO BUDGET AS IF RULE 3.334 IS IN EFFECT. THAT MEANS WE'RE NOT BUILDING THE ONGOING OPERATING BUDGET AROUND REVENUES THAT MAY BE UNCERTAIN. WE ALSO BUDGET INTEREST INCOME CONSERVATIVELY DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY IN THE BROADER ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT AND ITS POTENTIAL IMPACT ON INTEREST RATES. WHEN ACTUAL REVENUES EXCEED THOSE CONSERVATIVE ASSUMPTIONS, THE CITY DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY TREAT THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE AS ONGOING CAPACITY. INSTEAD, WE EVALUATE HOW THOSE REVENUES CAN BE USED STRATEGICALLY, ESPECIALLY FOR ONE-TIME NEEDS AND TO SUPPORT FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY.

AND THAT DISTINCTION MATTERS.

AN INCREASE IN FUND BALANCE DOES NOT MEAN THE CITY HAS NEW PERMANENT MONEY. IT MEANS THE CITY CHOSE NOT TO SPEND UNCERTAIN REVENUE ON ONGOING COSTS AND IS INSTEAD PRESERVES IT FOR ONE-TIME OR FUTURE-FOCUSED NEEDS.

CONSERVATIVE REVENUE STRATEGIES PROTECT THE OPERATING BUDGET, PRESERVE FLEXIBILITY, AND ALLOW THE CITY TO ADAPT OVER TIME RATHER THAN REACT.

[01:25:04]

EXPENDITURE STRATEGIES HELP US MANAGE PRESSURE WITHOUT IMMEDIATELY JUMPING TO SERVICE REDUCTION. THEY GIVE US THE TIME TO ANALYZE DATA, EVALUATE OPTIONS, AND MAKE THOUGHTFUL RECOMMENDATIONS.

THEY ALSO HELP US DETERMINE WHETHER A SERVICE SHOULD CONTINUE AS IS, BE DELIVERED DIFFERENTLY, BE MODIFIED, OR IN SOME CASES BE REDUCED OR ELIMINATED. AND THAT'S NOT ABOUT STEPPING BACK FROM SERVICE. IT'S ABOUT FOCUSING CAPACITY ON THE WORK THAT MATTERS MOST AND CONTINUING TO ADAPT OVER TIME. WHEN OUR REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES STRATEGIES WORK TOGETHER, THEY REALLY CREATE SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT. AND THAT IS THE ABILITY TO BE INTENTIONAL. THE REVENUE STRATEGIES HELP PROTECT THE OPERATING BUDGET, AND CREATE ONE-TIME CAPACITY WHEN REVENUES PERFORM BETTER THAN CONSERVATIVE ASSUMPTIONS. THE EXPENDITURE STRATEGIES HELP US MANAGE ONGOING PRESSURE COST PRESSURES, EVALUATE HOW WORK IS DELIVERED, AND FOCUS RESOURCES ON SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES THAT PROVIDE MEANINGFUL VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY. AND TOGETHER, THESE STRATEGIES CREATE THE ABILITY TO INVEST IN COPPELL'S FUTURE AND ASSIST DISCIPLINED AND SUSTAINABLE WAY. AND ONE WAY THE CITY HAS DONE THAT IS THROUGH TRANSFERS. AND THIS SLIDE SHOWS THAT TRANSFER IS NOT SPENDING AND IT'S NOT NEW REVENUE. IT'S JUST SIMPLY MOVING RESOURCES FROM, FROM ONE FUNDER BUCKET TO ANOTHER. AND THIS SLIDE SHOWS HOW TRANSFERS HAVE BEEN USED TO INVEST IN COPPELL'S FUTURE. THE FIRST EXAMPLE IS THE TRANSFER OF APPROXIMATELY $31 MILLION FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE FUND FOR TRAFFIC AND CITY FACILITY PROJECTS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED OVER A 5-YEAR PERIOD. THE FISCAL YEAR '26 BUDGET ALSO INCLUDED A $5.5 MILLION TRANSFER TO THE MUNICIPAL DRAINAGE UTILITY DISTRICT FOR DRAINAGE PROJECTS, AND THE CITY HAS ALSO TRANSFERRED RESOURCES FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO REPLACEMENT FUNDS TO FULLY FUND CAPITAL REPLACEMENT NEEDS.

AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY REPLACEMENT NEEDS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 5 YEARS.

IN ADDITION, THE CITY HAS A PORTION OF THE GENERAL FUND SPEND BALANCE IN A STRATEGIC RESERVE. AS A WHEN AS ONE-TIME OPPORTUNITIES ARE IDENTIFIED THAT SUPPORT FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY, THOSE RESOURCES CAN BE TRANSFERRED TO THE APPROPRIATE FUND AND USED INTENTIONALLY. THE CITY HAS ALSO CREATED AN ASSIGNED FUND BALANCE AMOUNT FOR VISION 2040, SO THAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE FOR ITEMS THAT SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY'S LONG-TERM VISION AND STRATEGY.

THOSE DECISIONS MATTER BECAUSE THEY SHOW THAT THE CITY IS NOT ONLY FOCUSED ON THE CURRENT YEAR. WE ARE USING CURRENT FINANCIAL CAPACITY TO PREPARE FOR FUTURE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS, FUTURE TECHNOLOGY NEEDS, CAPITAL REPLACEMENT NEEDS, DRAINAGE NEEDS, AND COMMUNITY NEEDS. THOSE ARE EXAMPLES OF INVESTING IN COPPELL'S FUTURE.

BUT ANOTHER IMPORTANT PART OF COPPELL'S RESILIENCE IS THE CITY'S FUND BALANCE POLICY.

WHEN THE CHARTER REQUIREMENT OF 10%, COUNCIL'S 15% POLICY REQUIREMENT, AND THE 50% UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE POLICY ARE COMBINED, THE CITY MAINTAINS A STRONG FUND BALANCE POSITION TOTALING 75% OF BUDGETED EXPENDITURES. THAT RESERVE STRENGTH IS INTENTIONAL. IT GIVES THE CITY TIME, IT GIVES THE CITY FLEXIBILITY AND OPTIONS TO ABSORB UNCERTAINTY, RESPOND TO ONE-TIME NEEDS, AND SUPPORTS THE CITY'S LONG GRADING AND AVOIDS REACTIONARY DECISIONS.

WHEN YOU PUT THESE PIECES TOGETHER, CONSERVATIVE REVENUE ASSUMPTIONS, DISCIPLINED EXPENDITURE STRATEGY, FUTURE FULL-FOCUSED TRANSFERS, AND STRONG RESERVES, YOU SEE THE IMPACT

[01:30:02]

THIS DISCIPLINE HAS ALLOWED COPPELL TO CONTINUE DELIVERING HIGH-QUALITY SERVICE, PRESERVE FINANCIAL FLEXIBILITY, AVOID REACTIONARY DECISIONS, AND PREPARE FOR FUTURE INFRASTRUCTURE, TECHNOLOGY, EQUIPMENT, DRAINAGE, AND SERVICE NEEDS.

IT DOESN'T MEAN THE CITY HAS AVOIDED PRESSURE. IT MEANS THE CITY HAS BEEN ABLE TO MANAGE PRESSURE BY USING RESOURCES STRATEGICALLY INSTEAD OF BUILDING UNSUSTAINABLE ONGOING COMMITMENTS. THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF THIS APPROACH IS VISIBLE IN THE CITY'S ABILITY TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD, CONTINUE SERVING THE COMMUNITY, AND PLANNING FOR WHAT COMES NEXT. AND THAT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE.

BUT THE STORY DOESN'T THIS BUT THIS IS NOT WHERE THE STORY ENDS. THAT SAME DISCIPLINE THAT HELPED COPPELL REACH THIS POSITION OF FINANCIAL STRENGTH WILL NEED BE NEEDED FOR NEW CHALLENGES AS THEY EMERGE.

LEGISLATIVE CHALLENGES, ECONOMIC SHIFTS, AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, TECHNOLOGY EXPECTATIONS, AND RECRUITMENT CHALLENGES, AS WELL AS EVOLVING SERVICE EXPECTATIONS AND THE COST OF MAINTAINING COPPELL'S QUALITY OF LIFE, WILL CONTINUE TO REQUIRE THOUGHTFUL PLANNING AND STRATEGIC THINKING. THAT IS WHY THE FINANCIAL STRATEGY SESSIONS MATTER. THEY GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT REVENUE, EXPENDITURES, SERVICES, INFRASTRUCTURE, PEOPLE, TECHNOLOGY, AND LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY BEFORE RECOMMENDATIONS COME FORWARD. SO, THE MESSAGE TONIGHT IS ABOUT BOTH APPRECIATION AND PREPARATION.

APPRECIATION FOR THE WORK THAT HAS STRENGTHENED COPPELL'S FINANCIAL POSITION. WE PLANNED EARLY. WE PROTECTED FLEXIBILITY. WE MANAGED BOTH REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES WITH DISCIPLINE. WE MOVED CAPACITY INTO FUTURE-FOCUSED PURPOSES.

THOSE DECISIONS STRENGTHENED COPPELL'S RESILIENCE AND CREATED A POSITIVE IMPACT FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND COMMUNITY.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, THE WORK CONTINUES. THE SERVICES MAY LOOK DIFFERENT OVER TIME. SOME MAY BE DELIVERED DIFFERENTLY. SOME MAY RELY MORE ON TECHNOLOGY.

SOME PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES MAY NEED TO BE EVALUATED TO ENSURE THEY CONTINUE PROVIDING MEANINGFUL VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY. AND IF THE DATA SHOWS THEY DON'T, SOME SERVICES, PROGRAMS, OR ACTIVITIES MAY NEED TO BE REDUCED OR ELIMINATED.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN COPPELL IS STEPPING BACK FROM SERVICE. IT MEANS THAT WE ARE DOING THE WORK TO ADAPT THOUGHTFULLY, FOCUS RESOURCES WHERE THEY PROVIDE THE GREATEST COMMUNITY VALUE, AND PROTECT THE QUALITY OF LIFE OUR COMMUNITY VALUES.

THAT IS WHAT INVESTING IN COPPELL'S FUTURE MEANS. SO, AS WE MOVE INTO THE FINANCIAL STRATEGY SESSION, WHAT I HOPE WE CARRY FORWARD IS THIS.

COPPELL IS FINANCIALLY STRONG BECAUSE DECISIONS WERE MADE WITH THE FUTURE IN MIND. THE NEXT SET OF CONVERSATIONS SHOULD CONTINUE THAT SAME DISCIPLINE, UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT ON PEOPLE, SERVICES, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY BEFORE RECOMMENDATIONS COME FORWARD. RESILIENCE IS NOT A FINISH LINE. IT IS A CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO THOUGHTFUL DECISIONS TODAY WITH THE FUTURE IN MIND. DID I MAKE MY 15 MINUTES? THAT'S MY MESSAGE FOR YOU TONIGHT AS YOU START THE FINANCIAL STRATEGY SESSION, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS FOR KIM? THEY'RE ALL EXCITED TO GET INTO THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.

OKAY, GOT RAMESH AND THEN DON. THANK YOU, MAYOR. JUST A QUICK COMMENT, KIM. THANKS FOR STARTING THE PRESENTATION BY SAYING YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE BASICS BECAUSE OF ME. I APPRECIATE IT. GREAT PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DON? I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO HAVE NO, NO, DON. I APPRECIATE YOU LINING IT UP THAT WAY, AND I DO THINK IT'S I THINK STAFF HAS DONE SUCH A GREAT JOB THE LAST 5 OR 6 YEARS, AND EVEN BEFORE THAT, BUT SINCE I'VE BEEN AROUND, OF PREPARING US FOR THE FUTURE, AND KIM SUMMED IT UP NICELY. CITY MANAGER MR. LAND MENTIONED ONE TIME HE USED THE PHRASE, I THINK IT WAS WHEN WE FIRST GOT ELECTED GIVING US TIME TO LAND THE PLANE. SO, WHEN CRISIS HITS, WE HAVE TIME TO LAND THE PLANE. I'VE ALSO HEARD IT DESCRIBED AS PUTTING TOGETHER A FORTRESS BALANCE SHEET SO YOU CAN WITHSTAND WHATEVER ATTACKS COME IN THE FUTURE. AND I THINK STAFF HAS DONE A GREAT JOB DOING THAT, AND THEY CONTINUE TO LOOK AS WE HAVE TO ADAPT WHAT THE P&L IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE, THE BUDGET IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE. I THINK THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB AT DOING THAT. AND QUITE FRANKLY, THE CHANGES THAT ARE COMING AT US, EVEN THOUGH WE WEREN'T INVOLVED WITH CHANGES BEFORE, I GUESS CHANGES ALWAYS HAPPEN, RIGHT? THIS IS AN ONGOING THING. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING NEW JUST COMING OUT OF

[01:35:02]

YOU CAN FIND NEW WAYS TO STILL ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU'RE DOING, AND THAT'S WHAT STAFF DOES.

SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR KIM? SO THAT PRESENTATION IS WHAT I'D LIKE TO BE SEEN GIVEN AT TML AT SOME POINT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I CAN GIVE IT TO YOU. NO, I MEANT LIKE NOT ME GIVING IT,

[2026-0272 D. Presentation and discussion regarding Special Revenue Funds.]

THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO FOLLOWING MISS KIM'S DISCUSSION AND PRESENTATION, I WANT TO PRESENT THESE FUNDS IN A LITTLE DIFFERENT WAY TONIGHT, AND I WANT TO, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE WHAT THESE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS I'M GOING TO SPECIFICALLY TALK ABOUT THE 6 MAJOR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS WHAT THEY DO FOR THE COMMUNITY AND HOW THEY ARE SPENT, HOW THEY'RE USED, SOME OF THEIR LIMITATIONS. THEY'RE ALL LIMITED. IN THEIR REVENUE AS WELL AS THEIR EXPENDITURES.

AND I'LL ASK FOR SOME FEEDBACK AROUND SOME OF THE PROGRAMS. I'LL SPECIFICALLY HAVE 3 QUESTIONS THAT WE WANT DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL OR, OR SOME FEEDBACK ON AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION. BUT I HOPE WHAT YOU HEAR TONIGHT IS THAT THESE FUNDS ARE USED TO REINVEST IN COPPELL, TO BUILD RESILIENCE TO BUILD SUSTAINABILITY IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN BUILT.

YOU ALSO HEAR ABOUT HOW THESE BUDGETS HELP US COVER STATE MANDATES, UNFUNDED MANDATES, WHILE AND COVER THE COSTS OF THE IMPACTS OF RULE 3.334 AS 3.334 REDUCES OUR ABILITY TO, TO GENERATE REVENUE OR HOW WE BUDGET REVENUE. SO, I'LL BE COVERING THE 6 MAJOR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS FOLLOWED BY THE WATER SEWER FUND. AND AS A REMINDER, THESE DO HAVE LIMITATIONS IN BOTH THE REVENUES AND THE EXPENDITURES. AND I WILL NOTE THAT WHEN WE REVIEW THE SMALLER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT GOING TO SPECIFICALLY PRESENT THEM, THEY ARE IN YOUR PACKET, AND YOU WILL NOTICE THAT USUALLY THEY HAVE SMALLER REVENUE STREAMS, SMALLER NET BALANCES.

BUT WE DO REVIEW THOSE. WHEN NEEDS COME UP, WE LOOK AT THE ALLOWABLE USES FOR THOSE OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TO SEE WHERE WE CAN COVER SOME OF THOSE COSTS. YOU KNOW, ONE QUICK EXAMPLE, WE'VE DONE SOME AV EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT.

PORTS, WE USE ONE OF THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TO COVER SOME OF THAT EQUIPMENT. SO, WE DON'T LOOK AT THOSE FUNDS SITTING THERE AND SAY, WHAT CAN WE GO SPEND THIS ON? BUT WHEN WE DO IDENTIFY A NEED, WE GO AND LOOK AT THOSE SPECIAL REVENUES FUNDS TO FIND OUT IF THEY'RE AN ELIGIBLE EXPENDITURE. AND WHILE I WON'T BE SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT THE AUSTIN GAP, THESE ARE IMPORTANT FUNDS IN TERMS OF PROVIDING AN OUTLET AND OTHER ALTER AND OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR THINGS THAT ARE REALLY NEEDED. AND IF THESE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS DID NOT EXIST, THEN THEY WOULD NEED TO BE COVERED BY THE GENERAL FUND. RIGHT, SO THESE ARE THE MAJOR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS THAT I'M GOING TO, TO COVER. AND JUST ONE QUICK NOTE, I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT SPECIFIC DECISIONS AS I GO THROUGH EACH FUND, AND THEN I'LL AT THE END, WE'LL SUMMARIZE THE, THE FEEDBACK AND THE DECISIONS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE ASKING FOR, FOR COUNCIL. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THE NUMBERS IN YOUR PACKET, I'M GOING TO SPECIFICALLY TARGETING THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.

BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE NUMBERS, YOU CAN ASK US, OR YOU CAN ASK US LATER, AND WE'LL GET THOSE ANSWERS TO YOU. SO, I'M GOING TO START WITH THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUND, THE HOT FUND. IT IS A RESTRICTED USE FUND. IT CAN ONLY, ONLY BE USED FOR CERTAIN USES. THE CITY COLLECTS 7%, AND WE DO EXPECT SOME FUTURE GROWTH. CURRENTLY WE HAVE 5 HOTELS THAT ARE OPEN, 2 UNDER CONSTRUCTION, 6 APPROVED FOR CONSTRUCTION, AND 1 IN THE ENTITLEMENT PROCESS.

AND OF THOSE, WE HAVE 2 HOTELS THAT ARE CURRENTLY RECEIVING A

[01:40:02]

AND SO, ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS HIGHLIGHTED HERE IS THAT WE CAN USE HOT FUNDS TO INCREASE MARKETING SUPPORT FOR THE RESIDENT COMPANIES, SPECIFICALLY THE CORRAL, THE ORCHESTRA, AND, PETER COPPELL. SORRY. AND WHAT THAT WOULD BE IS INITIALLY A ONE-TIME, A ONE-TIME SUPPORT TO GET SOME MARKETING COLLATERAL FOR THEM THAT THEY COULD USE.

BUT THEN WE OBVIOUSLY COULD BRING BACK OTHER MARKETING SUPPORT IN THE FUTURE, AND THAT WOULD BE LESS THAN $50,000. AND WE DO HAVE WE DO HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY WITHIN THE HOT FUND. NEXT IS THE MUNICIPAL DRAINAGE UTILITY DISTRICT. THIS FUND IS ONLY USED FOR EXPENSES RELATED TO THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM. SO, WHETHER IT IS A, A CREEK THROUGH A PARK OR CITY-OWNED FACILITY, OR OUTFALLS AND HEADWALLS ASSOCIATED WITH STORM DRAIN, WE CAN ONLY USE THE DRAINAGE UTILITY DISTRICT BY STATUTE ON DRAINAGE-RELATED EXPENDITURES.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT NEEDS ARE OUTPACING THE REVENUES, AND WE HAVE WE ARE COMPLETING AN UPDATED DUD RATE STUDY CURRENTLY THAT WILL BE INTRODUCED TO YOU TO START A DISCUSSION AROUND THE DUD RATE STRUCTURE.

WE'LL BE HAVING THAT IN, IN A WORK SESSION IN AUGUST, AND SO WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THOSE LONG-TERM NEEDS, FUTURE NEEDS. BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE DUD IS USED FOR, WE USE IT FOR STREET SWEEPING. WE AS A MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEM, AN MS4. WE HAVE A STORMWATER PERMIT, AND WE HAVE REQUIREMENTS THAT HAVE TO BE MET UNDER THAT PERMIT.

THE DUD IS USED TO COVER THOSE EXPENDITURES.

WE HAVE OUTREACH REQUIREMENTS UNDER OUR PERMIT. THE DUD COVERS THOSE, THOSE EXPENDITURES. WE HAVE STREET SWEEPING THAT IS REQUIRED UNDER THAT PERMIT. WE USE THE DUD TO COVER THAT CONTRACT. SO, THE DUD DOES A LOT FOR THE COMMUNITY, NOT ONLY IN TERMS OF MAINTENANCE BUT IN TERMS OF MEETING THESE UNFUNDED REQUIREMENTS FROM THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. A FEW PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED, WE DO HAVE HEADWALL AND OUTFALL REPAIRS AND RECONSTRUCTION IDENTIFIED.

THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT AND GROWING ISSUE IN OUR SYSTEM.

YOU KNOW, OUR STORM DRAINS ARE 30 TO 40 YEARS OLD. MOST OF THEM ARE UNDERGROUND, PEOPLE DON'T THINK ABOUT THEM.

BUT WHERE THEY SURFACE, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE CONCRETE. THEY ARE USUALLY IN A CREEK OR A STREAM OR A CHANNEL, SO THERE IS EROSION THAT HAPPENS AROUND THEM. THEY DO DETERIORATE, SO WE HAVE TO GO OUT THERE, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THEM, WE HAVE TO REBUILD THEM, WE HAVE TO RECONSTRUCT THEM. THE DUD PAYS FOR THAT. WE HAVE AREAS WHERE HOMES HAVE BEEN FLOODED.

WE THAT'S NOT A COMMON THING IN COPPELL, BUT IN SOME OF THE OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE WE HAVE SURFACE DRAINAGE AND OPEN CHANNEL DITCHES, IN THOSE LOW-LYING AREAS, WE HAVE HAD HOUSES THAT HAVE FLOODED DURING STORMS. WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ON PROJECTS TO CORRECT THAT, TO CLEAN THOSE CHANNELS, TO IMPROVE CAPACITY. I KNOW WE'VE HEARD ABOUT AN AREA IN HEATHER GLEN WHERE THEY NEVER SAW FLOODING BEFORE, AND NOW IT OCCURS. WE DO SEE EVEN HIGHER INTENSITY STORMS IN THOSE AREAS. WE ARE WORKING ON A PROJECT TO GO IN AND MAKE IMPROVEMENTS. THE DUD PAYS FOR THOSE PROJECTS.

IF THE DUD DID NOT EXIST, THOSE WOULD BE GENERAL FUND PROJECTS, AND WE KNOW THE PRESSURES ON THE GENERAL FUND. KIM MENTIONED THE $5.5 MILLION TRANSFER TO THE DUD THIS FISCAL YEAR.

THAT WAS NEEDED TO PROCEED WITH SOME OF THESE PROJECTS.

AND THE DUD FINALLY FUNDS 1¾ OF POSITIONS. IT FUNDS A STORMWATER SPECIALIST WHO MANAGES OUR STORMWATER PROGRAM.

IT FUNDS HALF OF AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND A QUARTER OF ONE OF OUR CONSTRUCTION INSPECTORS.

I SHOULDN'T HAVE A FAVORITE.

THIS IS MY FAVORITE OF OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.

IT'S THE IMF,

[01:45:01]

OUR REVENUE REFLECTS BUDGETED SALES TAX, INTEREST INCOME, AND THE TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL, GENERAL FUND. SO, DUE TO THE RISING COSTS TO ASSOCIATED WITH OUR 3 FIRE STATION REMODELS, AS WELL AS A CHANGE IN SCOPE, WE ARE RECOMMENDING A, AN ADDITION, AND IT'S IN THE BUDGET, AN ADDITIONAL TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND, UNDESIGNATED FUND BALANCE, OF $5 MILLION TO THE IMF. SO, WE MADE THE $31 MILLION TRANSFER A COUPLE YEARS AGO. WE ARE RECOMMENDING AN ADDITIONAL $5 MILLION TRANSFER IN THIS CURRENT BUDGET, AND THAT IS REFLECTED IN, IN THE BUDGET. THE ROLLING OAKS MEMORIAL CEMETERY, THE RONC. ALSO, A RESTRICTED FUND USED FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE CEMETERY.

THE REVENUES COME FROM SALES AND FEES. AND ABOUT WE'RE ABOUT 6 MONTHS INTO THE SALE OF PLOTS UNDER THE NEW OPERATING PHILOSOPHY.

THOSE SALES ARE GOING WELL.

OUR BUDGET INCLUDES A $250,000 TRANSFER. SO, THIS IS A TRANSFER FROM THE ROC BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND. IT COVERS EXPENDITURES THAT THE GENERAL FUND MADE ON BEHALF OR INTO THE CEMETERY ORIGINALLY AND DURING PHASE 2. OKAY, SO THE ROC THE USE OF THE ROC IS FOR PERSONNEL COSTS. WE HAVE 03, 3 STAFF MEMBERS AT THE ROC. SERVICES RENDERED AND SUPPLIES AND MAINTENANCE FOR THE GROUNDS AND PURCHASE OF MEMORIAL ITEMS. PROJECTS PLANNED FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR OR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR WOULD BE THE ADDITION OF SECURITY CAMERAS IN AREAS WHERE WE HAVE GAPS IN THAT VISIBILITY. AS WELL AS, FENCE REPLACEMENT. SO, ON THE NORTH SIDE OF ROMC, THAT PROPERTY WAS DEVELOPED.

PRIOR TO DEVELOPMENT, THE TREES SCREENED THAT NORTH SIDE OF ROMC. WHEN THE DEVELOPMENT OCCURRED, A LOT OF THOSE TREES CAME DOWN, AND THE QUALITY AND, I GUESS, CONDITION OF THAT FENCE WAS EXPOSED, SO WE NEED TO REPLACE THAT FENCE. AND SO THAT EXPENDITURE IS, IS IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET. SO AGAIN, THE BUDGET DOES INCLUDE THE $250,000 TRANSFER OUT. THAT WILL BE ONE OF THE DECISIONS THAT WE ASK FOR AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION. CRIME CONTROL REVENUE COMES FROM QUARTER CENT SALES TAX

[01:50:02]

OTHER THAN THAT, NO CHANGES FROM WHAT YOU HEARD DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING. CRDC. THIS SPECIAL REVENUE FUND IS FUNDED FROM HALF-CENT DEDICATED SALES TAX, AND THE EXPENDITURES ARE RESTRICTED TO THE ARTS CENTER AND PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES MAINTENANCE AND STAFFING. SO, USES INCLUDE WAGON WHEEL WALL REPLACEMENT.

THIS IS A WALL THAT'S ON ALONG THE BACKSIDE OF THE TENNIS COURTS. IT IS FAILING. IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. COURT RESURFACING. WE'VE HEARD FROM SOME OF OUR USERS ABOUT THE COURT SURFACES. CORE INDOOR POOL PLASTER REPLACEMENT. WE REPLACED THE OUTDOOR POOL THIS YEAR. THIS IS FOR THE INDOOR POOL. STARTING TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE IT COULD BECOME A DANGER TO OUR USERS. ALSO, THE CORE FEASIBILITY STUDY. THIS IS TO STUDY THE LONG-TERM NEEDS FOR THE CORE, WHETHER IT'S EXPANSION, REMODEL, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. WE HAVE ANDY BROWN EAST FINAL POND RESTORATION, WAGON WHEEL SOCCER FENCE, AND THIS IS FOR THE PLAYING FIELDS. WE HAVE FENCE AROUND THE PRACTICE FIELDS.

THIS WOULD BE FOR PLAYING FIELDS, AS WELL AS INVESTIGATING AND HOPEFULLY CONSTRUCTING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ANDY BROWN WEST HIGH SCHOOL CONNECTOR. THE CONNECTOR THAT GOES UNDER THERE FLOODS AND GETS COVERED WITH MUD EVERY TIME WE HAVE A HEAVY RAINFALL.

SO, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND A LOT OF RESOURCES GOING OUT AND DIGGING THAT TRAIL OUT.

SO, THIS PROJECT WOULD BE TO FIX THAT PARTICULAR PROBLEM.

AND THEN, LET'S SEE, THE CRDC FUNDS 15 POSITIONS AT THE ARTS CENTER. THAT WAS REDUCED LAST YEAR FROM 15.5, IF YOU WILL RECALL, WHEN WE RECLASSIFIED 3 PART-TIME POSITIONS TO 1 FULL-TIME POSITION. DECISION REQUESTS. I HOPE YOU HEARD ME HIGHLIGHT THESE. IF NOT, THEN I MISSED ON THAT. CAN I MAKE ONE CLARIFICATION? THE $5 MILLION IS NOT REFLECTED IN THE IMF BUDGET YET. YEAH, WE WANT TO ADD IT TO THE BUDGET.

DECISION REQUESTS. SO, THE FIRST ONE IS PART OF THE HOT FUNDS. WE HAVE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO INCREASE MARKETING SUPPORT, NOT TO INCREASE $50,000 OR EXCEED $50,000. SUPPORT FOR $5 MILLION ADDITIONAL TRANSFER TO THE IMF FROM UNDESIGNATED FUND BALANCE AND $250,000 TRANSFER FROM ROMC TO THE GENERAL FUND. THE ROMC DOES HAVE, HAVE SUFFICIENT REVENUES AND FUND BALANCE TO MAKE THAT TRANSFER, AND IT WOULD HELP THE GENERAL FUND. I KNOW I RAN THROUGH THAT REALLY FAST, BUT YEAH. THANK YOU. I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. JIM.

THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANKS, KENT. APPRECIATE THAT. I JUST HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS BASED ON MY REVIEW OF THE MATERIALS BEFORE YOUR PRESENTATION. DO YOU KNOW, HAVE ANY IDEA WHY WE SAW A DECREASE IN THE HOT COLLECTIONS DESPITE THE GREATER NUMBER OF ROOMS. ARE THE VACANCIES THAT HIGH, OR ANY AND YOU MAY NOT, I JUST MAY BE A LITTLE OUT OF YOUR GARDEN. YEAH, I DON'T ARE THEY THEY DON'T REALLY SHOW US THAT. WE RECEIVE A REPORT THAT JUST SHOWS US WHAT THEIR REVENUE IS, AND THEY PAY THEIR AND THEN IT'S A FORM THAT SHOWS HERE'S WHAT WE MADE, HERE'S THE 7%, AND THIS IS WHAT WE OWE YOU.

YEAH, BUT WE DON'T. IT JUST MAKES ME WONDER IF THE ADDITIONAL ROOMS THAT ARE COMING ON WILL MANIFEST IN THAT MUCH MORE REVENUE.

BUT JUST, JUST A PRECAUTIONARY NOTE.

SO, CAN I MAKE ONE COMMENT? OF COURSE. SO, THE WAY THAT WE GET OUR PROPOSED REVENUES FOR HOTEL OCCUPANCY IS MINDY HAD MET WITH SEVERAL OF THE HOTELS, AND THEY WERE THEY PROVIDED US THEIR ESTIMATES, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE BASED THE REVENUE ON. AH, OKAY. SO MAYBE THEY GAVE US LIKE A 5-YEAR WINDOW, AND SO SHE'LL GO BACK AND SEE IF SHE CAN GET THEM TO DO THAT AGAIN. OKAY. YEAH, BECAUSE I WOULD THINK THE WORLD CUP MIGHT HAVE, YOU KNOW, HELPED

[01:55:01]

OKAY, THEY'RE STARTING TO BUY A CART. AH, OKAY, OKAY.

BUT THAT'S NOT GOING TO SHOW ON THE PROJECTED BUDGET FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR? OKAY, OKAY, OKAY. SO THERE THAT MAY CHANGE THEN ON THE PROJECTION FOR '27? HIS INDICATION WAS THAT THEY PLAN TO START USING THAT FUND MORE, SO I THINK YOU WILL SEE THAT FUND BALANCE COME DOWN. OKAY, OKAY, GOOD. OKAY, WELL, THANK YOU. THEN ON THE CRIME CONTROL PREVENTION DISTRICT, AND AGAIN, I WAS TOLD THERE'D BE NO MATH, BUT IS THERE A REASON THE CAPITAL OUTLAY INCREASED TO 06, ROUGHLY $6.5 MILLION, BUT THE AMOUNT FOR 2027 AS PROPOSED IS DOWN TO $1.275 MILLION. THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE, 911 CENTER. YES, SIR. SO, THIS YEAR WE AMENDED THE OR WE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET OUR PORTION OF THE PAYMENT. OKAY. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, SO THAT OKAY, THANKS. THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF ONE-TIME MONEY. YEAH, OKAY, THANKS, MIKE. AND THEN, DO WE KNOW WHY OUR EXPENSES IN THE WATER AND SEWER FUND DECLINED BY A LITTLE OVER A MILLION BUCKS? I HAVEN'T COVERED WATER AND SEWER. OH, OH, NEXT. SORRY, I DIDN'T HAVE A CUTOFF. I KNOW, ANSWER THAT QUESTION WHEN WE GET INTO IT. OKAY, FAIR ENOUGH.

THANK YOU. OH, SO QUESTION ABOUT THE, THE RESIDENT ART COMPANY. SO, THE $50,000 ASK, IS THAT A JUST LIKE A BLANKET MARKETING FOR ALL OF THE COMPANIES, OR WOULD THEY BE, WOULD THEY BE ALLOCATED? EACH, COMPANY WOULD RECEIVE AN EQUAL AMOUNT, PROPORTIONAL AMOUNT, AND THEN WHO IS ACTUALLY DOING THE MARKETING? NONE OF THE ABOVE. SO, AND I DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING. YEAH, SO THE IDEA IS THESE GOES THIS WOULD GO INTO STAFF'S BUDGET.

WE WOULD ENGAGE A CONSULTANT TO HELP EACH OF THE RESIDENT COMPANIES BUILD THEIR MARKETING COLLATERAL. SO, THEY'RE KIND OF ALL OVER THE PLACE. SOME OF THEM DON'T REALLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO GENERATE GRAPHICS, TO WORK WITH THEIR WEB PAGE.

SO, WE WOULD HELP THEM KIND OF LEVEL UP SO THAT THEY COULD THEN GO OUT AND USE THOSE MATERIALS AND THOSE TOOLS TO MARKET MORE EFFECTIVELY.

SO, IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, SO EACH COMPANY I MEAN, SO IT'S WHERE THAT SO THEY WOULD GET WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO CHOOSE WHAT SPECIFIC COLLATERAL THEY RECEIVE, OR WOULD THIS BE LIKE, HERE IS THE COLLATERAL THAT THIS THE COMPANY IS RECOMMENDING? OUR STAFF WOULD WORK WITH THEM. OKAY, CORRECTLY. AND THIS CAME OUT OF CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD WITH EACH OF THE RESIDENT COMPANIES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. AND CONSISTENTLY WE ASKED THEM, WHAT COULD WE HELP WITH, RIGHT? AND THEY SAID, WELL, WE COULD REALLY HELP WITH SOME MARKETING SUPPORT, OUTREACH SUPPORT. AND THIS WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED WITH THEM ABOUT, JUST TO HELP THEM GET LEVEL. ONE, ONE FINAL QUESTION ON THIS, IS THE IDEA YOU INCREASE THEIR MARKETING WITH THE GOAL OF MAYBE GETTING MORE TURNOUT TO EVENTS, MORE PARTICIPATION, SELL MORE TICKETS, ALLOW THESE, THESE COMPANIES TO GENERATE MORE REVENUE? IS, IS THAT SAFE TO SAY THAT THAT IS THE GOAL? THE GOAL IS TO HELP THE RESIDENT COMPANIES BE MORE SUCCESSFUL IN THE ARTS CENTER. GOTCHA, PERFECT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT, RAMESH. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

KENT, GREAT PRESENTATION. I LIKE THE FIRST BULLET, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SAY IS THE STAFF MARKETING SUPPORT, BUT ARE YOU THINKING EXISTING STAFF OR A NEW HEAD? OH NO, NO, WE'RE GONNA WE, WE'RE WORKING ON IDENTIFYING A CONSULTANT, MARKETING CONSULTANT COME IN AND HELP US. PERFECT. AND BECAUSE FROM WHAT MY READING OF THE DIFFERENT SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS HAS, ALL OF THEM HAD THE MARKETING SPEND THERE.

[02:00:04]

HOPEFULLY, FINGERS CROSSED.

SO, IF YOU CAN GO TO THE ON THE HOT FUND, IS THERE AN END DATE WHERE THE HOTELS WILL STOP PAYING THE 7% TO COPPELL? NO. OKAY, THANK YOU.

ON THE IMF SLIDE, CLEARLY THE EXPENDITURE SEEMS TO TO BE TWICE THE REVENUE RIGHT NOW. AND THE QUARTER-CENT SALES TAX IS CLEARLY NOT SUFFICIENT. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE MOVING IN $5 MILLION. IN THE FUTURE, SHOULD WE BE TALKING ABOUT INCREASING THE QUARTER-CENT TO THE HALF-CENT SO THAT IT'S SELF-FUNDED? WELL, SO WITH IMF, THE THING TO REMEMBER IS THAT WE WE DO HAVE THE FUND BALANCE AVAILABLE, AND IT WAS IDENTIFIED FOR A LOT OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE NOW SHOWING UP IN THE EXPENDITURES. SO, THE REVENUE REFLECTS THE ANNUAL REVENUE, BUT THE EXPENDITURES ARE GOING TO DRAW FROM FUND BALANCE AS WELL.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? CAN I ADD THAT YOU CANNOT BEING THE STATE LEGISLATION ONLY ALLOWS THE CITY TO GET 2%, NOT 2. YOU WOULD HAVE TO SOMETHING ELSE. I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND FINALLY, ON THE ROLLING OAKS, THE FENCE COST, IS THAT PART OF THE SERVICES LINE ITEM? IT WOULD BE PART OF THE MIDDLE ONE. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? NO, THE FENCE.

OH, THE FENCE, I'M SORRY. IS IT $725,210 MAINTENANCE. ? OKAY. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAN.

OKAY, DON. ON THE, ON THE DUD, YOU MENTIONED NEEDS ARE OUTPACING REVENUES, I THINK IS WHAT THE PHRASE WAS.

IS THAT RIGHT? DID I GET THE RIGHT FUNDS? IF I LOOK AT THE BUDGETS, THEY'RE ACTUALLY ALL SURPLUSES THOUGH.

SO HOW I MEAN, I GUESS I WOULD HAVE MAYBE I'M JUST CONNECTING WRONG DOTS THERE, BUT I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE SEEN US SPENDING MORE THAN WHAT THE REVENUES ARE IF THEY WERE OUTPACING. ARE WE JUST NOT DOING AS MANY PROJECTS AS WE SHOULD BE DOING, OR WHAT'S WE ARE WE HAVE PROJECTS THAT WE ARE ROLLING OUT ON AND WE HAVE, IF YOU LOOK OUT 5 YEARS, THE NEEDS DO OUTPACE THE REVENUE. AND I GO BACK TO THE $5.5 MILLION TRANSFER, THAT WAS TO MEET THOSE NEEDS IN THE CURRENT NEAR-TERM HORIZON.

BUT AS WE LOOK OUT, THE NEEDS ARE I SEE MORE NEEDS COMING.

YES, SIR. OKAY. AND THEN WHAT'S THE DEBT, THE ROLLING OAK DEBT BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND? AND I'M ASSUMING, IS THAT INTEREST BEARING OR NOT? NOT INTEREST BEARING. IT'S AN INTERNAL TRANSFER. WE DISCUSSED IT LAST YEAR AS WELL. THE BEGINNING, GENERAL FUND GAVE LIKE $3 MILLION TO ROLLING OAKS WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT ROLLING OAKS WOULD PAY BACK $250K EACH MONTH BACK TO GENERAL FUND. AND LAST YEAR WE WAIVED IT, AND THEY'RE ASKING IF YOU WANT TO WAIVE IT AGAIN. THERE'S NO CONTRACTUAL OR LEGAL OBLIGATION. IT WAS A COUNCIL DECISION. JUST TO BE CLEAR, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR YOU NOT TO TRANSFER. WE'RE ASKING WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO. IT'S THE COUNCIL'S CALL. HOW MUCH IS OWED? LET'S SEE. YES, $2.264 MILLION REMAINING. REMAINING TO BE TRANSFERRED. OKAY. SO, ON ALL THREE OF THESE, MARKETING SUPPORT, I'M CERTAINLY IN FAVOR OF THAT, HELPING TO TRY TO PROMOTE THE COMPANIES. AND I'M SUPPORTIVE OF NOT NECESSARILY TRANSFERRING THE MONEY. I MEAN, THERE'S ONE POCKET INTO ANOTHER. I JUST ASSUME JUST LEAVE IT OVER IN ROLLING NOTES. THAT'S SORT OF, I DON'T KNOW, EQUITY, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, AND JUST NOT NECESSARILY REQUIRE IT TO PAY IT BACK. AND I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE $5 MILLION TRANSFER TO IMF.

ANYTHING FOR PUBLIC WORKS OR TO ACCELERATE PROJECTS IF WE SEE NEED COMING IS CERTAINLY WARRANTED. SO, I'M IN FAVOR OF ALL THOSE. AND NO TRANSFER BACK FROM ROMC, JUST TO CLARIFY. SECOND. DO YOU WANT TO KNOW THE IMPACT ON THE GENERAL FUND? OF WHICH NOT TRANSFERRING THE $250,000 WILL PUT THE GENERAL

[02:05:02]

I KNOW, AND WE COULD BUT WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT. I JUST WANT YOU TO HAVE THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GENERAL FUND ON THE 21ST.

IT'LL PUT THE FUND BALANCE IN A NEGATIVE POSITION? NOT THE FUND BALANCE, OPERATIONS. OH, OKAY. SO, YOU NEED THE MONEY IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT ON THE 21ST. THAT TRANSFER DOES HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE GENERAL FUND AS WELL AS OUR OMC FUND. OKAY, BIJU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. CAN YOU MENTION THE MARKETING FOR RESIDENT COMPANIES? $50,000 FOR CONSULTING FEE, THEN NOT TO EXCEED. WE'RE GETTING QUOTES, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE'RE GETTING ESTIMATES RIGHT NOW. THEN YOU WILL HAVE AN ADDITIONAL REQUEST TO SPEND ON MARKETING? NO, NO, IT'S TO GENERATE THE MATERIALS SO THAT THEY CAN THEN MARKET FOR THEMSELVES. WE'RE NOT PLANNING TO MARKET. THIS IS NOT A PROPOSAL FOR THE CITY TO MARKET FOR THE RESIDENT COMPANIES. IT IS TO HELP THEM IMPROVE THEIR MARKETING. OKAY. HOW MANY RESIDENTS' COMPANIES REQUESTED THIS? IT'S 3. CHORALE, THE ORCHESTRA, AND THE THEATER COMPANY WERE THE ONES THAT PROVIDED THAT FEEDBACK. EVEN THE FARMERS MARKET AND THE GARDEN, THEY'RE ALSO SPENDING MONEY ON MARKETING. OKAY.

ANYTHING ELSE? NO, THAT'S OKAY.

RAMESH? THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO GOING BACK TO THE COMMENT ON, ON DIRT, YOU MENTIONED YOU'RE GOING TO COME BACK WITH A REVISED RATE. IS THERE A TIMELINE? AUGUST. IT'S WHEN YOU'LL FIRST SEE IT. THAT'S NOT I MEAN, THAT WON'T BE THE PROPOSAL.

IT'S JUST AND WHEN WILL IT GO INTO EFFECT FOR THE RESIDENTS? WELL, THE PLAN OR THE SCHEDULE THAT WE'VE LAID OUT. IT WOULD COME TO YOU FOR ADOPTION EARLY NEXT CALENDAR YEAR. THANK YOU, BEN. THE REVENUE OF THE WATER SEWER THE REVENUES ARE NOT BUILT ON PROJECTED REVENUES.

CORRECT. OKAY. IT'S ONLY BASED ON THE CURRENT FEES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY CHARGING. THAT'S TRUE. IN TERMS OF DECISIONS, MINE IS YES, YES TO ALL THREE. SO, WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO ADDRESS THIS DURING THE NEXT SESSION OF THE WATER AND SEWER BUDGET.

AND I'VE GOT A QUESTION FOR THAT. ALL RIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, ON THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS? OKAY, THE TIME IS 7:38. WE ARE GOING TO RECESS FROM THE SPECIAL FINANCE SESSION NUMBER 1 AND ENTER INTO REGULAR SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL IN THE

[Regular Session]

GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY, AND AGAIN, APOLOGIES FOR BEING A BIT LATE. THE TIME IS 7:48 PM, AND WE ARE HERE TO RESUME THE REGULAR SESSION OF THE COPPELL CITY COUNCIL.

JUST AS A REMINDER, PERSONS WISHING TO SPEAK DURING THE CITIZENS' APPEARANCE OR PUBLIC HEARINGS MUST SIGN THE REGISTERS LOCATED OUTSIDE THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS. I DID HAVE A, A QUESTION ON THE PUBLIC HEARING. MR. AND LOOKS LIKE MR. AND MS. AHMED SIGNED UP FOR A PUBLIC HEARING. THAT IS, THAT IS SPECIFICALLY FOR AN AGENDA ITEM. WERE YOU WANTING TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC OR THE CITIZENS'

[4. Invocation 7:30 p.m.]

OKAY, I'LL CHANGE THAT WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TONIGHT WE HAVE PASTOR ARTHUR MENDEZ OF VALLEY RANCH BAPTIST CHURCH HERE TO GIVE THE INVOCATION, AND THEN WE'LL RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

ALLEGIANCE, SO PLEASE REMAIN STANDING. PASTOR. MAYOR WES, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE. LET'S BOW OUR HEADS TOGETHER. DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WITH HEARTS FULL OF GRATITUDE FOR YOUR ENDLESS LOVE AND STEADFAST CARE OVER OUR LIVES. WE THANK YOU FOR THE INCREDIBLE BLESSING OF OUR NATION, ITS LEADERS, AND WE THANK YOU ESPECIALLY FOR THE BEAUTIFUL CITY OF COPPELL. LORD, WE LIFT UP EVERY RESIDENT WHO CALLS THIS GREAT CITY HOME. WE ASK FOR YOUR SPECIAL BLESSING UPON MAYOR WES AND THE DEDICATED LEADERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

THANK YOU FOR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE, TO GIVE THEIR TIME.

WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD GRANT THEM THE DIVINE WISDOM NEEDED TO GUIDE OUR COMMUNITY WITH INTEGRITY FORESIGHT, AND COMPASSION. FATHER, WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE LIVE IN CHALLENGING TIMES, AND OUR COMMUNITY IS NOT IMMUNE TO THE DIFFICULTIES OF THE WORLD AROUND US.

IN THE FACE OF THESE CHALLENGES, WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD UNIFY US,

[02:10:02]

[5. Pledge of Allegiance]

PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF 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. PLEASE BE SEATED.

[6. Citizens’ Appearance]

PRESENTATIONS MADE BY INDIVIDUALS SHOULD BE LIMITED TO 3 MINUTES EACH, DURING WHICH TIME THE SPEAKERS MUST REMAIN AT THE PODIUM, FACE FORWARD, AND ADDRESS ONLY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL. PERSONS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK WILL BE CALLED IN THE ORDER THAT THEY SIGNED UP.

IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN AN ORDERLY AND RESPECTFUL MEETING ENVIRONMENT AND TO CONDUCT THE PUBLIC MEETING AND BUSINESS, SPEAKERS WILL ADHERE TO THE STANDARDS OUTLINED IN ORDINANCE 2025-1633. THERE WILL BE NO COMMENTS OR DELIBERATION FROM THE CITY COUNCIL DUE TO THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT. WE DO HAVE PEOPLE, 4 PERSONS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TONIGHT, AND THE FIRST ON THE LIST IS JOHN MURPHY. MR. MURPHY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. YEP, MY NAME IS JOHN MURPHY. I LIVE AT 931 LAGUNA DRIVE. WHICH IS NEXT DOOR TO KROGER, RIGHT NEXT TO THE PHARMACY WINDOW. I'M HERE TO REALLY UPDATE YOU ON THE KROGER FUEL CENTER ORDINANCE THAT Y'ALL PASSED A COUPLE YEARS AGO. SOME GOOD NEWS: THE GAS STATION PHARMACY WINDOW THAT YOU DID IN 2004 IS NOT REALLY AN IMPACT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IN MY OPINION. DELIVERY TRUCKS AND NOISE ISSUES ARE RESOLVED BASED ON THE CITY INSTALLED SOME SIGNS OUTLINING THE ORDINANCE AND POLICING. SO, THANK YOU TO THE CITY STAFF, THE CITY POLICE, FOR THAT. THE, IT TOOK A YEAR AND A HALF OF KIND OF A LOT OF PAIN TO GET THE LIGHT FIXTURES FIXED AND THE GLARE FROM, FROM KROGER TO FINALLY GET THAT FIXED, BUT THAT SEEMS TO BE FIXED.

THERE ARE SOME OUTSTANDING ISSUES. THERE ARE CURRENTLY SEVERAL DEAD TREES, MISSING TREES, TREES THAT HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH SMALLER THAN 3-INCH CALIPER. THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM IS NOT REALLY FUNCTIONING. I KNOW IT FLOODED MY NEIGHBOR'S YARD.

I HAVEN'T HEARD IT RUNNING IN MONTHS. BUT I'M NOT HERE ABOUT THAT. I'M HERE BECAUSE THEY JUST GOT A NEW PERMIT AND HAVE INSTALLED TWO 40-TON AIR CONDITIONERS ON THE ROOF.

THOSE HAVE NOW TURNED ON AT MY BACK DOOR. BEFORE, OR AT IN THE MORNING, I MEASURED IT. IT WAS 48 DECIBELS. WHEN THEY'RE ON, IT'S 58 DECIBELS. THAT'S 10 TIMES THE NOISE INTENSITY OR TWICE THE LOUDNESS PERCEIVED SOUND. SO, THEY ARE BLASTING TWICE THE AMOUNT OF SOUND.

ALSO, IN THE ORDINANCES FOR THAT PROPERTY SINCE '96, IT ALWAYS HAD A LANDSCAPE AND A NOISE REQUIREMENT. AND I KIND OF QUOTE, APPLICANT SHALL CONFER WITH CITY STAFF TO DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE NUMBER AND TYPE OF TREES NEEDED TO BUFFER NOISE AND LIGHT ON THE NORTH AND WEST SIDES OF THE BUILDING. I DOUBT THAT WAS DONE JUST WHEN THEY'RE JUST DOING AN AC INSTALL, BUT IT SHOULD BE. THE LANDSCAPING ENCOMPASSES BOTH SOFT AND HARD EXCUSE ME HARDSCAPE. THE '96 ORDINANCE REQUIRED A BRICK WALL ON THE NORTH SIDE BECAUSE IT WASN'T THERE. THERE'S ONE ON THE WEST. FOR SOUND. THIS THE HARD SOLUTION, IF YOU REALLY LIKE TREES, WOULD BE A ROOF GARDEN. I REALLY DON'T THINK THAT'S THE APPROPRIATE SOLUTION. A VERY SIMPLE SCREENING WALL ON THE ROOF IS ALL THAT'S NEEDED.

KROGER DID THAT ON THE AIR CONDITIONING MECHANICAL UNITS ON THE OTHER SIDE, THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING. THIS IS A NEW UNIT THAT'S PUTTING OUT A LOT OF SOUND AND JUST NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I'M JUST REALLY, ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO JUST USE YOUR INFLUENCE WITH KROGER TO ACTUALLY DO THE RIGHT THING AND GET TO WHERE I CAN ENJOY MY BACKYARD WHEN THE WEATHER TURNS NICE. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT OUT THERE.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS HEARING IT, BUT THEY AREN'T REALLY IN UP IN ARMS BECAUSE THEY'RE REALLY NOT OUTSIDE AT THIS TIME. SO ANYWAY, IF YOU GOT QUESTIONS, I'M OPEN, BUT OTHERWISE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS TONIGHT.

SECOND PERSON SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IS THE STRATFORD LANE

[02:15:01]

WHAT'S THAT? YOU'RE GOING TO ARE YOU ONLY GOING TO HAVE ONE SPEAKER? WE HAVE THE PRESIDENT AND THE PRESIDENT'S WIFE. SO, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO I ONLY HAVE ONE PERSON SIGNED UP, SO IT GIVES YOU 3 MINUTES. SO NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.

OKAY, GREG MARTINEZ AND, MY WIFE MARY. WE LIVE AT 619 STRATFORD LANE AS WELL. THEY THE REST OF THEM, WE ALL LIVE ON STRATFORD LANE. WE HAVE A SMALL COMMUNITY, THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION.

IT'S ONLY 28 HOMES. AND WE JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS THIS SITUATION AGAIN.

WE HAVE ONE RESIDENT WHOSE HOUSE HAS BEEN VACANT FOR OVER 10 YEARS. AND AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE YARD NEEDS UPDATING. AND THEY HAD DAMAGE DURING THE 2020 FREEZE AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. AND OF COURSE, YOU'RE THE COUNCIL, THE COMMISSION, AND THE BUILDING CODES HAVE, YOU KNOW, NUMEROUS TIMES HAVE ADDRESSED THIS AND THEY'VE SCHEDULED THE DEMOLITION AFTER ALL THE DIFFERENT STEPS DUE PROCESS.

AND WE JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, EXPRESS OUR SUPPORT OF THAT BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE SITUATION. IT'S BEEN VACANT. IT DOES RISK, YOU KNOW, HAS A SAFETY RISK. YOU KNOW, NOBODY'S THERE, AND WE'RE JUST CONCERNED ABOUT IT OVERALL WITH THE LACK OF THE LACK OF ADDRESSING IT.

SO WE'VE HAD SEVERAL EMAILS HAVE BEEN SENT TO THE CITY. I KNOW DESIREE HAS GOT COPIES OF ALL OF THEM. I DON'T KNOW. YEAH, WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU ALL HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO READ THEM, AND THAT THERE'S ALSO FEAR OF RETRIBUTION FROM THIS INDIVIDUAL. AND SO SOME PEOPLE WON'T COME AND SOME PEOPLE WON'T SPEAK UP, AND THAT IS A SAD SITUATION THAT WE CANNOT BE CIVIL. AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE GENTLEMAN COULD YOU GIVE ME YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE? MARY KNIGHT TYLER, SAME ADDRESS, 619 STRATFORD LANE. YOU KNOW WHAT THE INDIVIDUAL DOING THE INVOCATION SAID, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE LIVE IN A BEAUTIFUL CITY, WE LIVE IN COPPELL, AND WE SHOULD UP HOLD, YOU KNOW, THE VALUES AND RESPECT OF EACH OTHER. AND I DON'T EVEN BELIEVE THEY ARE LIVING IN COPPELL ANYMORE. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY LIVE IN PLANO. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE ALL DESERVE RESPECT. WE ALL DESERVE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.

THERE ARE CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON, AND WE UNDERSTAND DUE PROCESS.

WE HAVE DOCTORS, WE HAVE LAWYERS, WE HAVE CFOS, WE HAVE CEOS. WE UNDERSTAND DUE PROCESS. THE DUE PROCESS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 5 YEARS, BUT THE HOUSE HAS BEEN EMPTY FOR MUCH LONGER THAN THAT. AND SO WE DO SUPPORT AND ARE IN FAVOR OF MOVING FORWARD WITH THE DEMOLITION. OH, GEORGE WANTS TO TALK. YOU HAVE TO GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.

HI, MY NAME IS GEORGE COOPER.

I'M A RETIRED PHYSICIAN. I LIVE AT 706 STRATFORD. I'VE LIVED THERE SINCE 2018. THE HOUSE THAT WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT HAS BEEN DESERTED FOR THAT AMOUNT OF TIME, BUT OUR CONCERN AS A GROUP HAS REALLY, REALLY FOCUSED DOWN OVER THE LAST 2 OR 3 YEARS.

WELL, AN EMPTY HOUSE IS NOT SUCH A PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY A NICE EMPTY A NICE EMPTY HOUSE.

THE PROBLEM OF CONCERN AROSE BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE STARTING TO LOITER AROUND THE PROPERTY. I MEAN, THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH AND I SAY IT WITH SOME TREPIDATION BUT MILLION-DOLLAR HOMES. AND A LOT OF US HAVE SMALL CHILDREN. A LOT OF KIDS PLAY IN THE STREET. THEY PLAY AROUND THE HOUSES. THERE IS A CONCERN ABOUT WHO'S STAYING ON THE PROPERTY. THERE'S CONCERN ABOUT THE ACTUAL STATUS OF THE BUILDING ITSELF, WHETHER IT'S ACTUALLY SAFE.

AND OVER THE TIME THAT WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS, I BELIEVE THAT THE HOUSE HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE UNINHABITABLE. AND NO ONE WANTS TO SEE A HOUSE LIKE THIS DESTROYED. I WOULD PREFER FROM AN ECOLOGICAL POINT OF VIEW THAT IT BE REHABBED.

BUT THAT HASN'T BEEN HAPPENING.

IT HASN'T HAPPENED AT ALL. AND SO WE'VE COME TO THIS PLACE NOW WHERE WITH YOUR ENDORSEMENT AND THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE COMMITTEE

[02:20:03]

BUT, YOU KNOW, UNLESS THERE'S SOME CLEAR PATH TO GO ANOTHER DIRECTION, I JUST CAN'T SEE HOW IT'S AVOIDABLE, YOU KNOW. AND MY WORST CONCERN IS THAT SOME 3-YEAR-OLD IS GOING TO GET CAUGHT UP IN THERE.

IT'S GOING TO GET BITTEN BY A COYOTE. BOBCATS LIVE THERE. WE'VE HAD EXTERMINATORS, COURTESY OF DESIREE, THEY WENT IN THERE AND THE PLACE WAS INFESTED WITH RATS, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, A CONCERN BECAUSE THAT AMOUNT OF PREY ATTRACTS PREDATORS. SO WE'VE GOT A BUNCH OF ISSUES WITH THAT. AND I HATE TO BE THE GUY WHO'S WATCHING SOME KID GET HURT OR WATCHING SOMEONE GET HURT BY THE STRUCTURE OR BY SOMEBODY INHABITING THE STRUCTURE THAT SHOULDN'T BE THERE. AND ALL THE KIND OF LIABILITY THAT PROBABLY OPENS UP EVERYBODY TO, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION FOR NOT DOING ANYTHING, WHETHER THE COUNCIL FOR NOT TAKING THE STEPS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO, THE HOMEOWNERS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT IS JUST A DEVILISH PLACE TO BE. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER A QUESTION IF YOU HAVE.

YOU ARE ACTUALLY AT THE END OF YOUR TIME. I WILL STEP AWAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. SALMAN AHMED. NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. SALMAN AHMED, 631 STRATFORD LANE, COPPELL, TEXAS. MR. MAYOR, RESPECTED COUNCIL MEMBERS, GOOD EVENING. I'M HERE TO PLEAD MY CASE TO SAVE MY HOUSE. I HAVE TRIED TO REACH OUT TO COUNCIL MEMBERS INDIVIDUALLY AND ALSO SENT AN EMAIL REGARDING THE CASE TO THE ENTIRE COUNCIL. I AM HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL SHOULD KNOW THAT WE ARE TRYING HARD TO FULFILL CITY'S CODE REQUIREMENTS.

TO ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL, WE HAVE SIGNED A CONTRACT TO START THE REBUILDING PROCESS. A DEPOSIT HAS BEEN PAID TO THE CONTRACTOR. I HAVE SHOWN THE PROOF OF AVAILABLE FUNDS TO THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY STAFF. ROOF AND FOUNDATION INSPECTION HAS BEEN DONE AND IS CLEARED OF ANY KIND OF DAMAGE. ROBOT CONTROL IS IN PROGRESS. I HAVE PAID TERMINEX $3,000 AND THEY ARE TAKING CARE OF IT.

EXTERMINATION IS DONE BY ORKIN. EXTERIOR OF THE HOUSE IS BEING MAINTAINED. I'M HERE TO INFORM YOU THAT SOME OF THE CITY STAFF HAS NOT BEEN FORTHCOMING IN ORDER TO HELP US MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT. EVERY TIME OUR CONTRACTOR TRIED TO APPLY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION PERMIT, HE WAS SHUNNED IN VARIOUS WAYS. MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, FOR WHICH THERE IS EMAIL EVIDENCE, I FORWARDED A ROOF INSPECTION REPORT ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, ROOF IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND NEEDS NO REPAIR. THERE IS EVIDENCE OF 2 HAIL STRIKES ON A WIND TURBINE. I RECEIVED A ONE-LINE RESPONSE FROM MS. DESIREE. THE INSPECTION REPORT SAYS THAT THERE IS HAIL DAMAGE TO THE ROOF. IT'S A BLATANT LIE. FROM THIS RESPONSE, IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT SOME ELEMENTS IN THE CITY WANT TO GO FORTH WITH THE DEMOLITION OF MY HOUSE. ANOTHER EXTREMELY DISCOURAGING ELEMENT WAS THAT POWER WAS DISCONNECTED MORE THAN 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE JUNE 30TH DEADLINE. WE REACHED OUT TO ONCOR. WE WERE INFORMED THAT CITY ASKED, POWER DISCONNECTED, AND EVEN METER REMOVED. FROM THE PROPERTY BECAUSE THEY ARE PLANNING TO DEMOLISH THIS HOUSE. THEY ARE PREPARING TO DEMOLISH THIS HOUSE. I DO HAVE A WRITTEN STATEMENT FROM THE CONTRACTOR REFLECTING WHAT HE FACED EVERY TIME HE TRIED TO APPLY FOR THE PERMIT. IF TIME ALLOWS, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO READ HIS STATEMENT TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.

IN THE END, I WOULD AGAIN LIKE TO REQUEST THE CITY COUNCIL THAT PLEASE GIVE ME AND

[02:25:02]

THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. CAN I READ MY CONTRACT? SIR, YOUR TIME IS UP.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ABSOLUTELY. WHAT'S THAT? HUH? IF YOU HAVE OTHER INFORMATION, YOU CAN LEAVE IT WITH MS. THOTEN. SHE IS ALSO ON THE YES, OUR NEXT S RUHI AHMED.

DID YOU WANT MY PHONE? LET ME GET MY GIVE ME ONE SECOND.

THIS IS YOUR COUNTING AGAINST YOUR TIME. I'M SORRY.

OKAY, CAN WE SORRY, CAN WE JUST FORWARD THIS STATEMENT TO YOU GUYS, TO YOUR EMAIL, THE STATEMENT GIVEN BY THE CONTRACTOR? SURE, ABSOLUTELY. OKAY, SO IN RESPONSE TO NAME AND ADDRESS. OH, MY NAME IS RUHI AHMED AND I LIVE AT 631 STRATFORD LANE IN COPPELL. NOT RIGHT NOW, BUT LIKE, THAT'S MY ADDRESS.

SO IN RESPONSE TO WHAT MY SWEET NEIGHBORS ARE TELLING YOU, WE MOVED OUT OF THAT PLACE BECAUSE WE HAVE A CHILD WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY AND WE WERE TRYING TO LOOK FOR THE SERVICES FOR HIM.

THAT'S WHY WE MOVED MOVED OUT.

BUT WE WHEN WE WERE PLANNING TO MOVE BACK IN, OUR HOUSE GOT LIKE DAMAGED BY FREEZE. AND, IN, IN REGARDS TO THE RODENTS, WE CALLED THE, TERMINIX AND TWO OTHER COMPANIES WHO INFORMED US THAT SINCE BOTH YOUR NEIGHBORS ON TWO SIDES ARE HEAVILY INFESTED WITH RODENTS AND RATS, THAT'S WHY YOUR HOUSE, SINCE IT WAS EMPTY. IT IS AFFECTED TOO, BUT WHEN WE WERE LIVING THERE, THERE WERE NO RATS IN OUR HOUSE, WHEREAS THE ENTIRE STRATFORD LANE IS INFESTED WITH RATS.

AND THEY ARE BEING TREATED.

AND ONE OF THE COMPANY TOLD US THAT SOMEBODY LEFT ONE MOUSE IN YOUR HOUSE AND IT'S LOCALIZED YOUR INFESTATION IS LOCALIZED TO JUST ONE ROOM BECAUSE SOMEONE LEFT A MOUSE HERE WITH SOME FOOD AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR HOUSE. AND I DON'T KNOW, I JUST WANT TO ADD ONE THING TO IT. MY DAUGHTER, I HOPE SHE'S NEVER DEVASTATED. I HOPE SHE ALWAYS STAYS HAPPY. SHE DID HER UNDERGRAD FROM HARVARD. SHE DID JUST GRADUATED HARVARD LAW SCHOOL, WILL BE JOINING AN ELITE LAW FIRM IN DC. WHEN I INFORMED HER ABOUT THIS DEMOLITION, SHE WAS IN TEARS, AND I AGAIN WILL SAY, MAY SHE NEVER BE DEVASTATED, BUT AT THIS TIME, PROBABLY SHE IS. SHE HAD BEEN WORKING ALONG WITH HER STUDIES. SHE SAVED $90,000 IN THESE 7 YEARS OF HER STUDENT LIFE, AND SHE HAS TRANSFERRED THAT $90,000 TO OUR ACCOUNT JUST TO SAVE OUR HOUSE. AND BECAUSE SHE WAS ONLY 18 MONTHS OLD WHEN WE MOVED TO THAT HOUSE, AND SHE WAS RAISED IN THAT HOUSE, AND SHE'S, SHE'S A VERY SENSITIVE PERSON.

AND RIGHT NOW SHE'S TAKING HER BAR EXAM, BUT SHE'S REALLY, REALLY IN BAD SITUATION. SHE WANTS TO COME HOME. SHE WANTS TO DO EVERYTHING TO SAVE OUR HOUSE. SO I WOULD AGAIN REQUEST, PLEASE DO NOT DEMOLISH OUR HOUSE AT THE REQUEST OF OUR RACIST NEIGHBORS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS. YOUR TIME IS UP.

[7. Consent Agenda]

FULL DESCRIPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE SCREEN, AND I APOLOGIZE TO THE COUNCIL FOR SKIPPING OVER THE, THE WORK SESSION TO DISCUSS THIS. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THE CONSENT AGENDA? OR WISH TO PULL AN ITEM? COUNCILMEMBER NEVELS. THANK

[02:30:01]

SECONDED BY COUNCIL OR MAYOR PRO TEM WALKER. SORRY ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU, SIR.

ALL IN FAVOR? WALKER, HINOJOSA-SMITH, CARROLL, NEVELS, PREMKUMAR, MATHEW,

[8. 2026-0265 PUBLIC HEARING: Consider approval of a Resolution granting a distance variance of two hundred and forty-one (241') feet to St. Ann’s Catholic Parish for a temporary event, from the 300-foot prohibited requirement, for the on-premise sale of alcoholic beverages, with an address being 180 Samuel Boulevard; and authorizing the Mayor to sign.]

ITEM NUMBER 8 IS A PUBLIC HEARING, SO I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION GRANTING DISTANCE VARIANCE OF 241 FEET TO ST. ANN'S CATHOLIC PARISH FOR A TEMPORARY EVENT FROM THE 300-FOOT PROHIBITED REQUIREMENT FOR THE ON-PREMISE SALE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES WITH AN ADDRESS BEING 180 SAMUEL BOULEVARD AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN. MS. THODEN. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

LAUREN THODEN, CITY SECRETARY, HERE TO PRESENT THIS ITEM TO YOU.

THIS ITEM HAS COME BEFORE YOU FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW. IT IS THE PUBLIC HEARING TO REQUEST THE 241-FOOT DISTANCE VARIANCE FOR ST. ANN'S FOR THEIR CARNIVAL. THE CARNIVAL IS GOING TO BE HELD THIS YEAR SEPTEMBER 11TH THROUGH SEPTEMBER 13TH, AND THE DISTANCE VARIANCE WILL ALLOW THEM TO SELL BEER AND WINE AT THE EVENT. SO WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS THE AERIAL OF THE SITE PLAN FOR ST. ANN'S WITH THE 300-FOOT RADIUS, AND YOU WILL SEE THAT THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE WITHIN THE 300-FOOT RADIUS AND SECTION 613 EXCUSE ME, 616.3 OF THE CITY'S CODE OF ORDINANCE PROHIBITS THE SALE OF ALCOHOL WITHIN 300 FEET OF A CHURCH, PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SCHOOL. SO COPPELL EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION IS LOCATED AT 103 SAMUEL BOULEVARD, AND NEW TECH HIGH HIGH SCHOOL IS AT 185 PARKWAY BOULEVARD, AND THEY ARE BOTH WITHIN THAT 59-FOOT PROXIMITY, THUS THE NEED FOR THE VARIANCE. THE REQUEST IS TEMPORARY. IF GRANTED, IT WOULD BEGIN AT 12:01 A.M. ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH, AND RUN THROUGH 12:01 A.M. ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH. ST.

ANN'S IS REQUIRED TO RECEIVE APPROVAL FROM THE LOCAL OFFICIALS IN ORDER TO PROCEED WITH THE TEXAS ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE COMMISSION TEMPORARY EVENT PERMIT. AND SECTION 616.4 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES PERMITS YOUR DISCRETION TO GRANT THAT VARIANCE. AND HERE IS THE THIS IS THE SITE PLAN FOR FOR WHERE THE ALCOHOL WILL BE SERVED. IT IS SIMILAR TO PRIOR YEARS. YOU'LL SEE THE, THE LOCATIONS OF THE PARISH PUBS ARE CIRCLED, AND THE REQUESTER HAS BEEN INFORMED BY THE VENDOR THAT PATRONS ARE ALLOWED TO MINGLE AND ROAM ON THE PREMISES OF SAINT ANNE'S WITH THE ALCOHOL, BUT THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE THE PREMISES. AND AGAIN, JUST NOTING THAT THIS IS A TEMPORARY GRANT I DID THIS, SO THIS NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING WAS PLACED IN THE IRVING RAMBLER ON JULY 4TH. AS OF TODAY, THERE WAS NO FEEDBACK RECEIVED BY CITY SECRETARY. I DID REACH OUT TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SPECIFIC TO EXCUSE ME, THE PRIVATE SCHOOL SPECIFIC TO THIS, AS THERE'S A SLIGHT OVERLAP, BUT THEY EXPRESSED NO CONCERNS.

SO AT THIS POINT, I LEAVE IT TO YOU FOR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL, YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. THOTEN? COUNCILMEMBER MATHEW. THANK YOU, MAYOR. QUESTION FOR YOU.

WE HAVE BEEN APPROVING THIS PERMIT FOR THE PRIOR YEARS. MY QUESTION IS, HAVE WE RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS OR DISTURBANCE CALL WHILE WE APPROVED WHILE THIS EVENT IS GOING ON? NO, SIR. AND I DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH CHIEF BARTON THIS AFTERNOON JUST BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO CONFIRM THAT THERE HAS BEEN NOTHING, NOTHING HAS CHANGED.

THERE HAS BEEN NO CONCERNS. HE SAID THE ST. ANN'S CARNIVAL IS, IS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NEVER BEEN ANY ISSUES FROM THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCILMEMBER NEVELS HAD A QUESTION, BUT APPARENTLY IT WAS THE SAME AS FROM COUNCILMEMBER MATHEWS, SO HE'S GOING TO DEFER THAT.

COUNCIL, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT IS IN THE AUDIENCE. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY? HI, KEN WHISTLER, 169 GLENDALE, HERE IN COPPELL. WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. WE LOVE THIS EVENT. THIS IS OUR 5TH YEAR SERVING BEER AND WINE. WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY INCIDENTS, AS WE FOUND OUT. WE TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY. WE'VE GOT A SECURE STAFF. WE PARTNER WITH MACKLIN'S CATERING TO PROVIDE THE PRODUCT,

[02:35:01]

SO WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE CARNIVAL. OKAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? WE HAD NOBODY SIGN THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, BUT WE DID NOT HAVE ANYBODY SIGN UP TO SPEAK. THEREFORE, COUNCIL IS BACK IN ON THE TABLE FOR YOU.

ARE YOU MOTIONING? NO, I WOULD HAVE A COMMENT. COUNCIL MEMBER NEVELS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. NO, I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, FROM AT LEAST MY PERSPECTIVE, IT DOES SEEM LIKE IT'S BEEN SUCCESSFUL. WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY ISSUES. I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW I WILL BE PERSONALLY INSPECTING THE PARISH PUB AGAIN THIS YEAR TO MAKE SURE THINGS ARE OF ORDER. THEY HAVE BEEN EVERY TIME I'VE BEEN. GREAT FOOTBALL, GREAT PEANUTS, AND VERY PROFESSIONAL STAFF.

SO I WILL BE AGAIN INSPECTING THE CARNIVAL. JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS PUBLICLY KNOWN AND MAKE SURE ORDER EVERYTHING IS IN ORDER AT THE PARISH PUB. COUNCIL MEMBER HINOJOSA-SMITH.

MAYOR, I WAS GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY OTHER COMMENTS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I THINK YOU'RE FREE TO GO. OKAY, MAYOR, I MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

AND APPROVE ITEM 8. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DO I HAVE A SECOND? COUNCILMEMBER NEVELS WITH THAT ENDORSEMENT. ALL IN FAVOR? WALKER, HINOJOSA-SMITH, CARROLL,

[9. City Manager Reports, Project Updates, Future Agendas, and Direction from Work Session ]

ITEM NUMBER 9 IS THE CITY MANAGER REPORTS WITH PROJECT UPDATES, FUTURE AGENDAS, AND DIRECTION FROM WORK SESSION. MR. LAND.

YEAH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, JUST A FEW UPDATES ON SOME CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.

FIRE STATION 3, RIGHT OUT HERE, YOU'VE NOTICED THAT THE CONTRACTOR HAS COMPLETED DRILLING THE PIERS AND THE GRADE BEAMS. NEXT UP IS THE SLAB WORK. THE JUSTICE CENTER REMODEL, THE HVAC UNITS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED. THE TILE IS COMPLETE IN THE LOCKER ROOMS AND THE RESTROOMS, AND THE MILLWORK WILL BE GOING ON IN THE NEAR FUTURE. AND THE SHADE STRUCTURES ARE COMPLETED.

THE PROJECT IS SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF AUGUST. ON ROYAL LANE, IF YOU'VE DRIVEN BY IN THAT AREA, THE STORM DRAIN INSTALLATIONS ARE IN PROGRESS. ATMOS GAS LINE RELOCATIONS ARE IN PROGRESS AND SUBGRADE WORK IS IN PROGRESS. BULLOCK AND HOWELL STREET CONCRETE POURS ARE COMPLETE. DRIVEWAY POURS ON HOWELL ARE COMPLETE.

DRIVEWAY POURS ON BULLOCK ARE IN PROCESS AND RESTORATION IS IN PROGRESS ON HOWELL. AND FINALLY, A THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES TRAIL MASTER PLAN. THE FEEDBACK WAS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. T.

NOLAN PERKINS IS COMPILING AND ANALYZING THE FEEDBACK RECEIVED, AND THE BOARD CONTINUES TO PROGRESS. THE MONTHLY PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING, WHICH IS HELD ON THE FIRST

[10. Mayor and Council Reports on Recent and Upcoming Events.]

THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ITEM NUMBER 10 IS COUNCIL AND MAYOR REPORTS ON RECENT AND UPCOMING EVENTS. I'D LIKE TO THANK THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY FOR THE OVER 15,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT CAME OUT TO CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE DAY, OUR 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED STATES. IT WAS A TREMENDOUS EVENT, AND IT DID WELL TO HONOR OUR NATION ON ITS BIRTHDAY. I WAS ESTIMATING THAT WE HAD MORE THAN THAT, BUT I'LL TAKE THE WORD I'LL TAKE 15,000 ANY DAY. IT WAS A GREAT EVENT, AND AND I DIDN'T SEE EVERYONE WAS HAVING A GREAT TIME. SO THANKS TO THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT GROUP FOR PUTTING THAT ON. IT WAS A TREMENDOUS DAY. ONE COPPELL'S TOGETHER WE DINE EVENT ON JULY 9TH WAS A STRONG SUCCESS WITH OVER 80 COMMUNITY MEMBERS PARTICIPATING. THIS INTEREST FAR EXCEEDED THE NUMBER OF AVAILABLE SEATS. AND THE GATHERING FOCUSED ON CIVILITY AND EXPLORING WHAT IT MEANT TO TO STAY CONNECTED AND MAINTAIN A COMMUNITY WAY OF LIFE. THE NEXT TOGETHER WE DINE WILL BE SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 5TH.

ONE COPPELL BELIEVES EVERYONE HAS A ROLE TO PLAY, INCLUDING OUR COMMUNITY YOUTH.

THIS SUMMER, ONE COPPELL PROBLEM SOLVERS AND BETA, WHICH IS DEBUG THE COMMUNITY SERIES, RAN A FREE 3-SESSION SERIES FOR COPPELL HIGH SCHOOLERS, 9TH THROUGH 12TH GRADE, WHERE THE YOUTH WORKED ON A REAL CHALLENGE SUBMITTED BY A CITY OF COPPELL DEPARTMENT. THEY'LL BE PRESENTING THEIR SOLUTIONS DIRECTLY TO CITY LEADERS THIS THURSDAY. WE'RE EXCITED TO ENGAGE THIS BRIGHT AND CREATIVE GROUP OF YOUTH AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING THE SOLUTIONS THEY'VE CONSTRUCTED.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS AND OTHER ONE COPPELL

[11. Council Committee Reports concerning items of community involvement with no Council action or deliberation permitted.]

ITEM NUMBER 11 ARE COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS CONCERNING ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT WITH NO COUNCIL ACTION OR DELIBERATION PERMITTED. ITEM A IS REPORT ON THE NORTH TEXAS COMMISSION. COUNCIL MEMBER PREMKUMAR. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THE NORTH TEXAS COMMISSION IS AN ASSOCIATION OF NORTH TEXAS CITIES, ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND SEVERAL INDUSTRIES

[02:40:01]

HAVE QUICK 4 BULLETS, MAYOR.

THE NORTH TEXAS COMMISSION, WORKING WITH, FIFA, WELCOMED INTERNATIONAL VISITORS THROUGHOUT THE 2026 WORLD CUP, AND THEY ARE RECEIVING POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON THEIR DIGITAL ADS SPOTLIGHTING OUR REGION'S VIBRANT ECONOMY. THE NTC IS ACTIVELY PREPARING FOR THE 90TH TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, ADVANCING REGIONAL PRIORITIES AND BRINGING TOGETHER LEADERS FROM BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT, AND THE COMMUNITY TO ENSURE NORTH TEXAS CONTINUES TO COMPETE AND WIN ON THE NATIONAL AND GLOBAL STAGE.

LAST FALL, THE NORTH TEXAS COMMISSION AND NCDCOG CONVENED LEADERS OF ALL MEMBER CITIES OF DART TO ADDRESS A LONGSTANDING GOVERNANCE CONCERN AND STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE TRANSIT AGENCIES AND ITS MEMBER COMMUNITIES.

AFTER MONTHS OF PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSIONS, A CONSENSUS WAS REACHED ON A NEW GOVERNANCE MODEL THAT HAS EARNED SUPPORT FROM DART AND EACH OF ITS MEMBER CITIES. AND FINALLY, MAYOR, SOMETHING THAT IS CLOSE TO YOUR HEART, THE METROPLEX MAYORS ASSOCIATION CONTINUES TO GROW AS THE PREMIER FORUM FOR MUNICIPAL LEADERSHIP IN NORTH TEXAS. BRINGING TOGETHER 47 MUNICIPALITIES AND PARTNERING BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING THE OPPORTUNITIES

[12. Public Service Announcements concerning items of community interest with no Council action or deliberation permitted.]

WITH THAT, I CONCLUDE MY REPORT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ITEM NUMBER 12 ARE PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS CONCERNING ITEMS

[13. Executive Session (Closed to the Public) 1st Floor Conference Room]

DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS? SEEING NONE, THE TIME IS 8:22 PM. WE WILL RECESS FROM THE REGULAR SESSION AND MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION IN THE FIRST FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM. WE WILL REJOIN THE REGULAR SESSION OR RESUME REGULAR SESSION AFTER THAT FOR ONE FINAL PRESENTATION ON OUR FINANCIAL STRATEGY CONCERNING OUR WATER AND SEWER FUND. SO WE ARE RECESSED INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD EVENING.

WE HAVE JUST ADJOURNED FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 9:10 PM.

THERE WILL BE NO ACTION RESULTING FROM THAT SESSION.

WE ARE GOING TO RESUME REGULAR SESSION OF PART 2E OF OUR FINANCIAL STRATEGY NUMBER 1 IN THE FIRST FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM. THE PUBLIC IS ENCOURAGED AND INVITED TO JOIN US. MR.

[2026-0274 E. Presentation and discussion regarding Water and Sewer Budget.]

WE WANT TO PLAN LONG-TERM, HAVE GOOD CAPITAL PLANNING, AND WE ALSO WANT THE CUSTOMER TO EXPERIENCE OUR STAFF AND THE SYSTEM AND THE OUTCOME OF THE WATER SEWER FUND IN A WAY THAT'S ALIGNED WITH THE COMMUNITY AND OUR CULTURE.

SO HOW THAT LOOKS IN PRACTICE IS, YOU KNOW, WE STUDY THE RATES AND WE COME TO SEE ALL OF YOU, TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE RATES EVERY FALL.

YOU ADOPT RATES EARLY IN THE CALENDAR YEAR COUNCIL HAS ESTABLISHED A TIERED RATE STRUCTURE THAT SHOWS THE LESS YOU USE, THE LOWER THE RATE YOU PAY.

THE MORE YOU USE, THE HIGHER THE RATE YOU PAY.

IT ENCOURAGES CONSERVATION. WE USE WINTER AVERAGING TO BE FAIR FOR FOLKS IN THE, THE AMOUNT THAT THEY PAY FOR THEIR SEWER. AGAIN, WE DO THE WATER SEWER RATE REVIEW.

WE'VE ESTABLISHED A CLEAR WATER SCHEDULE, MANDATORY WATERING SCHEDULE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO ENCOURAGE CONSERVATION AND GOOD USE OF WATER IN OUR IRRIGATION USES. AND THEN WHAT YOU'LL HEAR, AND YOU'VE HEARD TONIGHT, WE REINVEST IN THE SYSTEM.

WATER SEWER IS AN ENTERPRISE FUND, SO WE WORK HARD TO TRY TO OPERATE IT LIKE A BUSINESS. AND LIKE ALL GOOD BUSINESSES, WE TAKE THOSE REVENUES AND WE REINVEST IN THE SYSTEM. AND THEN THAT LEADS TO STRATEGIC RESILIENCY IN BOTH THE BUDGET AND THE SYSTEM ITSELF. ALL RIGHT,

[02:45:07]

THE 25-26 ADOPTED BUDGET. IS ON THE LEFT AND THE 2026-27 PROPOSED BUDGET IS ON THE RIGHT. REVENUES COME PRIMARILY THROUGH WATER AND SEWER SERVICE COLLECTIONS, WITH INTEREST AND OTHER INCOME ACCOUNTING FOR ABOUT $900,000.

NEXT SLIDE HIGHLIGHTS EXPENDITURES OR EXPENSES BY CLASSIFICATION FISCAL YEAR 25-26 2026 ON THE LEFT, 26-27 PROPOSED BUDGET ON THE RIGHT. EXPENDITURES COVER THE COST OF TREATED WATER AND SEWER TREATMENT. AS COUNCIL'S AWARE, WE PURCHASE OUR TREATED WATER FROM DALLAS WATER UTILITIES, ONE PROVIDER, AND TRINITY RIVER TREATS OUR WASTEWATER.

AND WE ARE CUSTOMERS TO THEM, AND THEY PASS ALONG THEIR RATES TO US. SO THAT GOES INTO THE RATE MAKING.

WATER AND SEWER SEWER OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE. IT PAYS FOR WATER SEWER OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, WATER QUALITY, WHICH THOSE STANDARDS ARE MANDATED BY TCEQ. IT COVERS PERSONNEL AS WELL AS A TRANSFER, ADMINISTRATIVE TRANSFER, TO THE GENERAL FUND. PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THE BUDGET INCLUDE WATER SYSTEM LEAK DETECTION, INSTRUMENTATION AND ELECTRICAL MAINTENANCE, AND WATER SEWER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS. FUTURE PROJECTS TO REPLACE AND REHAB WATER AND SEWER LINES ARE INCLUDED IN THE WATER SEWER FORECASTING. AND THEN PUBLIC WORKS IDENTIFIES FUNDING TO COVER THE UTILITY PORTION OF STREET MAINTENANCE PROJECTS.

SO WHEN WE GO IN AND WE RECONSTRUCT, WE USE THE QUARTER CENT TO RECONSTRUCT THE STREET, BUT WE LEVERAGE THE WATER SEWER UTILITY TO PAY FOR THE UTILITIES THAT ARE UNDER THAT STREET.

IN SOME CASES, WE HAVE TO GO IN AND REPLACE THEM IF IT'S AN OLDER STREET. LIKE BULLOCK AND HOWELL USED WATER SEWER TO COVER UTILITY COSTS FOR THAT PROJECT. THE WATER SEWER UTILITY IS ALSO USED TO COVER THE COST OF IMPROVEMENTS TO THE LIFT STATIONS IN THE WATER IN THE SEWER SYSTEM, VILLAGE PARKWAY PUMP STATION, AS WELL AS THE ELEVATED TANKS. AND I WILL SAY THAT EXPENSES IN THE WATER SEWER DO FLUCTUATE YEAR TO YEAR BECAUSE IT DOES COVER PROJECTS. THOSE COVER THOSE PROJECTS AND THE EXPENSES RELATED AND THE COST OF THOSE PROJECTS ROLLED INTO THE PROJECT, INTO THE BUDGET ONE YEAR. AND AS THE PROJECTS ARE COMPLETED, THEY WILL NOT BE REFLECTED OR PROPOSED IN THE NEXT YEAR, SO THEY NATURALLY GO UP AND DOWN YEAR AND THAT'S JUST PART OF HOW THE WATER SEWER SYSTEM WORKS. NOW THIS IS A SLIDE YOU HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE. AND SO THE DALLAS WATER UTILITIES CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF A NUMBER OF ITS CITIES. I DON'T THINK THIS IS ALL OF THEIR CUSTOMERS. BUT WHAT IT SHOWS IS A COMPARISON OF THE DALLAS WATER UTILITIES CLIENTS' TOTAL COST FOR WATER AND SEWER. THE WATER IS ON THE LEFT, THE WATER AND WASTEWATER FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS IS ON THE LEFT, WATER AND SEWER COST FOR COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS IS ON THE RIGHT. AND I'VE HIGHLIGHTED, SO GREEN IS THE CITY OF DALLAS, THEIR COST, AND RED IS THE CITY OF COPPELL. AND I REALLY JUST SHOW THIS TO TO YOU. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THIS AGAIN WHEN WE COME BACK TO YOU TO DISCUSS RATES IN THE FALL.

BUT IT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS THAT FOR BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS FOR DWU CUSTOMERS, COPPELL'S COSTS ARE TOWARDS THE BOTTOM.

YOU'LL SEE THIS AGAIN WHEN WE COME TO YOU TO TALK ABOUT RATES. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY WATER SEWER PRESENTATION.

RAMESH, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. TWO QUESTIONS, KEN. FIRST OF ALL, GREAT PRESENTATION. MY FIRST IS, IF YOU GO TO THE EXPENSES SUMMARY, AND THEN IS THERE IS A PORTION OF THE DUD INCLUDED IN THE EXPENSES? IF IF NOT, WHY NOT? YEAH, THE DRAINAGE UTILITY DISTRICT, BECAUSE THAT IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM OKAY, GO BACK ONE SLIDE PLEASE ON THE DW RATE COMPARISON.

THIS IS VERY INFORMATIVE. WHAT IS THE CITY ON THE RESIDENTIAL THAT'S COMPARABLE TO COPPELL IN SIZE? THE COLONY, I WOULD SAY, IS FAIRLY COMPARABLE.

[02:50:03]

I WOULD SAY THAT IT IS A WELL-MANAGED SYSTEM AND THAT WE HAVE MANAGED RATES WELL THROUGH THE YEARS. WE'RE ALSO A YOUNGER SYSTEM, AND SO AS INFRASTRUCTURE AGES, YOU HAVE TO TO INVEST MORE.

AND WHEN YOU'RE INVESTING MORE AND MORE PROJECTS, THE RATES TEND TO GO UP TO COVER THE COST OF THOSE BONDS IF YOU'RE SELLING BONDS, BUT JUST THE EXPENSE OF PROJECTS. BUT BY AND LARGE, WE HAVE BECAUSE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS RELATIVELY YOUNG, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PVC PIPE FOR THE MOST PART. OUR PUMP STATION IS RELATIVELY YOUNG COMPARED TO SOME OF THE OLDER CITIES. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WE JUST HAVE GOOD INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WE STARTED INVESTING IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE RELATIVELY EARLY. SO RAMESH, LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION. WHAT DOES THIS SHOW YOU? TO ME, IT SHOWS GOOD NEWS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE THE UNIT COST THAT WE ARE PAYING TO DALLAS IS LOWER COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES. SO THIS IS WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS PAY TO US.

OH, SO THIS IS THE RESULT OF A SURVEY. DALLAS WATER UTILITIES SURVEYED EACH OF THEIR CUSTOMERS, AND THIS IS A REFLECTION OF WHAT THE CITIES ARE CHARGING THEIR CUSTOMERS. AH, OKAY.

WATER BILL, CORRECT. THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING. I THOUGHT THIS IS WHAT WE ARE PAYING TO DALLAS. NO, THIS IS A COMBINED WATER AND SEWER COST THAT OUR CUSTOMERS PAY TO US. OKAY, THANK YOU.

ON AN AVERAGE WATER BILL, AVERAGE SEWER. THANK YOU, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT. I'M GOOD, THANK YOU. SO MY QUESTION, WHAT DOES IT SHOW YOU? THAT YOU UNDERSTOOD MY QUESTION? THAT I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE POINT? NO, NO. OKAY, WE'LL SKIP IT.

TO ME, IT'S SAYING THAT WE'RE UNDERCHARGING OUR CUSTOMERS.

WELL, WE'RE ON THAT PART DOWN ON THE BOTTOM END, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE THE, THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW THAT ARE COMING UP, WE'VE GOT SOME ROOM TO MOVE AT LEAST. AND I'M NOT SAYING MOVE UP TO THE TOP, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE WE'RE NOT OVERCHARGING ANYBODY.

MAYBE THAT'S A BETTER WAY TO PUT IT. YEAH. JIM, DID YOU HAVE A YEAH, SURE. IF I COULD ADD TO THAT, IT IS AN ENTERPRISE SYSTEM, AND SO WE ARE TRYING TO CHARGE CUSTOMERS THE RATE THAT IS NEEDED TO OPERATE AND REINVEST IN THE SYSTEM. AS OUR SYSTEM GETS OLDER, WE WILL PROBABLY I MEAN, COPPELL WILL LIKELY MOVE UP BECAUSE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE COST TO MAINTAIN AND REINVEST WILL BE MORE EXPENSIVE IN THE FUTURE.

BUT INVESTING EARLY IS GOOD.

IT'S RUNNING IT LIKE A WELL-RUN BUSINESS.

JIM. AND TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT TOO, KENT, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN RUNNING ALL SORTS OF PIPE REPLACEMENT. WE JUST INSTALLED THE LIFT STATION.

WE JUST DID ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS, GENERATOR AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF OUT THERE AT THE WHATEVER YOU CALL THE WHERE THE BIG TANKS ARE. RIGHT, THE PUMP STATION. YEAH, SO WE REALLY HAVE BEEN INVESTING QUITE A BIT CONTINUOUSLY. I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, WHY ARE OUR COMMERCIAL RATES, I MEAN, NOT ONLY AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE LIST, BUT I MEAN, LITERALLY, LIKE, WELL UNDER EVEN THE ONE RIGHT, I MEAN, WHATEVER, COCKRELL HILL, RIGHT ABOVE US? HE PROBABLY HAS ONE CLIENT.

WELL, AGAIN, IT'S JUST A BALANCE IN THE RATES. AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT. WE CAN USE THIS DATA WHEN WE COME BACK TO YOU FOR BUT AS AN ENTERPRISE FUND THOUGH, WITH RESPECT TO OUR COMMERCIAL WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICE, WE'RE, WE'RE BREAK-EVEN OR SLIGHTLY PROFITABLE AS IT IS.

AS A, AS A UTILITY ON THE WHOLE, WE ARE, YES, WE, WE ARE GENERATING ENOUGH REVENUE TO REINVEST IN OUR SYSTEM WITHOUT HAVING TO GO OUT AND SELL MORE BONDS. EVEN AT THE LOWEST RATE OF ANY OTHER DWU CUSTOMER? THE CURRENT RATE, YES, THE CURRENT RATE. WOW, THAT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE. I THINK, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE.

MM-HMM. BIJU? YEAH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. KEN, WHO CREATED THIS GRAPH? THE CITY OF DALLAS,

[02:55:02]

THEY DID THE SURVEY AND SHARED THE RESULTS WITH SFE. OKAY, READING THE THIRD LINE FROM THE TOP, IT SAYS 6,200 GALLONS WINTER MONTHS AVERAGE.

YEAH, THAT'S FOR, THAT'S FOR THE SEWER CALCULATION.

OKAY, RIGHT, THAT'S FOR THE WINTERTIME. CORRECT.

THAT'S 8,300 GALLONS PER MONTH IS FOR WATER. FOR WHAT? IS THAT A COPPELL AVERAGE? THAT WAS JUST THAT WAS THE SURVEY INDICATOR, RIGHT? LIKE, SO WE'D HAVE A RATE AND THEY SAID SEND US WHAT YOUR CUSTOMER WOULD PAY IF THEY USE THIS MUCH WATER AND YOU CHARGE FOR THIS MUCH SEWER. SO THAT WAY IT'S AN APPLES-TO-APPLES COMPARISON OF RATES APPLIED TO A REAL-WORLD CUSTOMER. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? OKAY, YEAH, SO THEY SAID, HEY, YOU, COPPELL, YOU HAVE RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS, SEND US WHAT THOSE CUSTOMERS WOULD PAY AT THESE, AT THIS VOLUME OR USAGE, BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE 12,000 RESIDENTS, RIGHT? NO, NO, IT'S OVER 14,000. OKAY, THAT'S INCLUDING COMMERCIAL, RIGHT.

YES. OKAY, HOW MANY RESIDENTS? SO WE HAVE, JUST UNDER 12,000 RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNTS, RIGHT? AND A LITTLE OVER 1,000 COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS.

OKAY, CAN I FOLLOW UP ON THAT, PG? SAY THAT AGAIN.

CAN I FOLLOW UP ON THAT? YEAH. OR DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? NO, GO AHEAD. DO WE COUNT THE APARTMENTS, EACH DWELLING UNIT, AS A SEPARATE RESIDENTIAL OR DO WE COUNT IT AS ONE COMMERCIAL? IT'S ONE COMMERCIAL. OKAY, THANK YOU. IT'S A MULTI-FAMILY BECAUSE THEY PRORATE IT, RIGHT? OR THEY, DEPENDING ON THE UNIT WE BUILD IN AND HOW ARE THEY, THEY HAVE A SHARED METER OR A SINGLE METER. THEY USUALLY HAVE GIANT WALL SYSTEMS PER BUILDING, AND THEY SEPARATE THE HOUSE.

OKAY, THANK YOU. SO JUST TO FOLLOW UP, KEN, THE SURVEY WAS SHOWING THE AVERAGE, SEND IT TO EVERY CITY. IT'S JUST IT'S SAYING FOR THIS USAGE OF THIS AMOUNT OF WATER AND FOR THIS WINTER AVERAGE USAGE OF SEWER FOR THAT CUSTOMER, WHAT WOULD THEY PAY? THAT WAY EVERYONE WAS DOING ALL THE CITIES WERE DOING THE SAME CALCULATION FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS, AND THIS WAS THE NUMBER. AND THAT'S WHAT THAT NUMBER REFLECTS. SO YEAH, RED OAK, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LIVE IN RED OAK, YOU'RE PAYING $224 FOR THE SAME AMOUNT OF WATER, SAME AMOUNT OF WATER, AND THE SAME AMOUNT OF SEWER.

YEAH, SAME TOPIC. YEAH, DON WAS FIRST. WHAT WAS DON GONNA ASK? OKAY, SO THE INFORMATION WASN'T IN HERE, I DON'T THINK, BUT IF I'M DOING THE MATH RIGHT, SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE THIS BUNDLE WILL OPERATE DEFICIT THIS YEAR. IS THAT RIGHT? SO, YEAH, AND I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THE WATER. SO IS THERE ENOUGH FUND BALANCE? RIGHT. SO WE DO SO REVENUES ARE SHOWING AT $23.9 MILLION, AND THEN EXPENDITURES ARE AT $24.8 MILLION. BUT THAT'S BECAUSE WE BUDGET THE COST OF WATER AT $19.5 MILLION WHEN WE'RE ONLY UNDER CONTRACT $18.5 MILLION.

BUT WE GO AHEAD AND BUDGET FOR THAT ADDITIONAL MILLION IN CASE WE NEED TO TAKE THE HIT. SO IF YOU BACK THAT OUT, WE SHOULD BE BREAKING EVEN.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I WAS JUST MAKING SURE, LIKE, AND THE FUND BALANCE WASN'T IN HERE, BUT THE WE HAVE SUFFICIENT FUND BALANCE TO YES, YES, JUST TO ABSORB ANY DEFICIT IF IT WAS TO HAPPEN. YEAH, WE HAVE. I'VE LOOKED AT IT. YEAH, I THINK I, I SHARED THE FUND BALANCE ON TODAY'S IT'S IN TODAY'S TIDBITS, AND WE ARE PROJECTING FOR FISCAL YEAR 9/30/27 TO BE AT 186 DAYS, AND POLICY IS 180. AND THAT'S AFTER WE HAVE WORKED WITH PUBLIC WORKS ON WHAT PROJECTS DO THEY SEE ARE COMING THAT WE CAN CASH FUND. SO WE'VE DONE A LOT OF THIS LINE RETURN, RETAINED EARNINGS. OKAY, SO THAT WAS MY NEXT CONCERN, IS IF, IF WE ARE A LITTLE BIT, I SAY, UNDERCHARGING, OR MAYBE NOT, WE WE COULD BE CHARGING MORE. ARE THERE PROJECTS THAT NEED TO BE FUNDED, OR ARE WE OKAY AT THE MOMENT? WELL, THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK AT IN THE FUTURE. IT WILL. YEAH, THAT'LL BE PART OF WHAT WE TALK ABOUT IN THE FALL, IS THE PROJECTS THAT WE SEE AHEAD. DOES THAT AFFECT RATES? DOES YEAH, YEAH.

EVERY, EVERY YEAR, WE, ONCE WE CLOSE THE YEAR, WE EVALUATE AND LOOK AT, ARE WE GOING TO NEED A RATE INCREASE? DO WE NEED TO GO TO COUNCIL AND UPDATE YOU, OR DOES IT LOOK LIKE WE'RE GOING TO BE FINE? OKAY. BASED ON WHAT WE'RE PROJECTING. AND THAT THE EXTRA MILLION DOLLARS IN WATER, IS THAT $350,000 OR SOMETHING? I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER HOW MUCH THAT WAS GOING TO ADD TO OUR COST IF WE HAD TO PAY FOR THAT EXTRA MILLION. WELL,

[03:00:01]

WE'VE ALREADY BUDGETED IN.

YEAH, WE BUDGETED THAT IN, AND, OF COURSE IF WE WOULD TAKE IT, THEN THAT MEANS WE'RE SELLING MORE WATER. YEAH, AND TO THAT POINT, I GUESS WE'VE DONE WELL WE'VE DONE PRETTY WELL ON STAYING UNDER THE 18.5. I MEAN, WE WE'RE NOT TO THE HEAT OF THE SUMMER QUITE YET.

CONSERVATION RATES HAVE DONE THAT AS WELL AS THE SMART METERS. YEAH, SO THE PORTAL WHERE PEOPLE CAN MONITOR THEIR WATER. I THINK THAT THE CONSERVATION RATES HAVE REALLY HELPED. SO WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN HAD A LOT MORE CUSHION THIS YEAR, OR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, I GUESS, RIGHT? AND YOU ALL KNOW IMF IS HIS FAVORITE. WATER STEWARDS IS MY FAVORITE. YOU HAVE ALL THESE.

IT'S HARD TO SIT HERE. WE'VE HAD SOME STRATEGIC RAINS THIS SUMMER. THAT'S TRUE. I MEAN, IT'S, YOU KNOW, YEAH, WE DO WANT TO SELL SOME WATER. WE NEED TO SELL THEM DURING SELL IT DURING THE SUMMER, BUT IT'S ALSO NOT NICE TO NOT BE SWEATING THAT EXTRA MILLION, RIGHT? SEEING IF THEY SEE THE TOWER RELOADS, RIGHT? RIGHT.

OKAY, THANKS. RAMESH? THANK YOU, MAYOR. I MEAN, GOING BACK TO WHAT BIJU WAS ASKING, THE WAY I UNDERSTAND THIS IS DALLAS CITY CAME UP WITH THIS WATER AVERAGE OF 08,300 GALLONS PER MONTH PER FAMILY AND THEN SEWER OF 06,200. THAT MAY NOT BE WHAT THE ACTUAL AVERAGE COPPELL USAGE COULD BE. SO THEY CAME UP WITH THAT NUMBERS, AND BASED ON THOSE NUMBERS, THEY PLUGGED IN COPPELL RATES AND THEN CAME UP WITH $87 IN TOTAL FOR WATER AND PLUGGED IT IN AND SENT IT TO THEM. YES.

AND THIS IS A MONTHLY COST OF $87 PER MONTH. OKAY, THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? JUST A, JUST A LITTLE NOTE, THE LITTLE TEENY TINY TOWN THAT I GREW UP IN USED THEIR ENTERPRISE SERVICES INCLUDING THEIR ELECTRIC BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ELECTRIC SUPPLIER FOR THE CITY. THEY SUPPLIED ALL THE WATER AND ALL THE WASTEWATER TO ALL OF THE RESIDENTS AT AS AS A PROFIT CENTER. AND BY DOING SO, THEY WERE ABLE TO REDUCE THEIR PROPERTY TAX.

SO IT WAS A DIFFERENT MODEL, BUT IT WAS VERY EFFECTIVE.

THEY MADE A LOT OF MONEY OFF THEIR ELECTRIC SYSTEM. AND THEN THERE'S TRINIDAD. YEAH.

BUT ANYWAY, JUST A DIFFERENT MODEL. YOU KNOW, AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THE FUTURE, DEPENDING ON WHAT HAPPENS DOWN IN AUSTIN, WE MAY NEED TO REVISIT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE ENTERPRISE FUNDS LIKE THAT. BECAUSE IF THEY'RE NOT THAT YOU WANT TO RAISE RATES, BUT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY THERE. BIJU? YEAH, JUST ON A LIGHTER NOTE, I'M JUST ASKING, CAN YOU DOING THE PRESENTATION INSTEAD OF THE KIM STAFF OR KIM, ANY, ANY REASON? EXPERIENCE. I DON'T GET IN FRONT OF Y'ALL MUCH ANYMORE. OKAY.

SO, YOU KNOW, YOU USED TO SEE ME A LOT WHEN I AS THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR PRESENTING PROJECTS, AND I DON'T KNOW, IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE BEEN IN FRONT OF YOU, SO OPPORTUNITY TO TALK A LITTLE. YEAH, WELL, WE DIDN'T PULL OUT OUR HANDGUNS, SO YOU'RE OKAY. GEEZ. SHARING THE LOVE, THAT'S WHAT IT IS.

WOULD IT BE OKAY IF WE DANNY BARTON DID. OH YES, YES, WE DID HAVE WE DID NEED A DECISION, I'M SORRY, ON THIS ONE TONIGHT. AND LET'S DO THESE. WE NEED BRIANNA BACK IN HERE. SHE'S COMING. SHE TRUSTS US. SNACKS! SO LET'S TAKE THEM ONE AT A TIME BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE THAT THEY'RE ALL GONNA WE'RE ALL GONNA AGREE ON EVERY ONE OF THEM. IS EVERYONE IN FAVOR, GIVE ME A THUMBS UP, OF INCREASING THE MARKETING SUPPORT FOR OUR RESIDENT ART COMPANIES? YEAH. I SEE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

OKAY, THANK YOU. I CAN TELL YOU FROM EXPERIENCE THAT THOSE GROUPS DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO MARKETING FOR THEMSELVES. THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST THIS WILL REALLY HELP THEM. AND JUST TO RESTATE, THAT'S COMING OUT OF POCKET. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

YES, CAN I, I'M HOPING THAT, IF BE, LET'S SAY, I AM USING A NUMBER, IF YOU SAY 50,000 FOR THIS MARKETING SUPPORT, THAT 50,000 WILL BE COMING FROM WHATEVER WE WOULD PLAN FOR THE SPECIAL, SORRY, SERVICE ORGS. SO, THE SERVICE ORGS UNDER HOT, THEY WOULD DEDUCT THAT 50,000 FROM THOSE 3 ORG UNITS, NO, SO WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM EVERYTHING THEY ASK FOR, AND ON TOP OF THAT,

[03:05:01]

TO HELP THEM WITH SOME MARKETING SUPPORT. I UNDERSTOOD. SO WHEN WE COME BACK AND FINALIZE THE NUMBERS WITH THE HOT SERVICE, WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT NUMBERS WE GIVE THEM. THAT'S OKAY. ALL RIGHT, SUPPORT FOR $5 MILLION OF ADDITIONAL TRANSFER TO THE IMF. WE'RE JUST CLEAR THAT THAT IS JUST FOR THE REFCO. THAT'S NOT FOR ALL IT'S FOR THE RESIDENTS. SO JUST THE 3 THAT WERE IDENTIFIED. OKAY, WE'LL GO BACK TO ALL THE RESIDENT COMPANIES AND OFFER THAT, BUT THOSE WERE THE 3 THAT ASKED FOR IT. OKAY, THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, ITEM 2, SUPPORT FOR $5 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL TRANSFER TO THE IMF. FUNDING SOURCE OF THIS? YES, SO THE FUNDING SOURCE OF THIS, THIS IS FROM UNDESIGNATED FUND BALANCE.

JUST IS THAT CORRECT? FROM THE STRATEGIC RESERVE OF THE GENERAL FUND. STRATEGIC RESERVE OF THE GENERAL FUND.

THANK YOU. JUST MAKING SURE THAT'S OUT THERE. GOOD.

EVERYBODY GOOD ON THAT ONE? I HAVE A QUESTION.

BIJU? YEAH, SO IT SAYS ADDITIONAL TRANSFER. SO WHAT IS THE TRANSFER ALREADY HAPPENED, OR HOW MUCH WILL IT BE? SO LAST FISCAL YEAR THERE WAS A TRANSFER OF $31 MILLION INTO THE IMS FROM THE STRATEGIC RESERVE TO COVER TRAFFIC FACILITIES AND STREETS PROJECTS. SO THOSE $30 MILLION FROM THE SALES TAX REVENUE WE PUT IT IN THE SEPARATE BUCKET. YES, SIR. OKAY, HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE LEFT OVER THERE SO THAT WE CAN MOVE $5 MILLION? SO WE WILL, WE'LL COVER THE GENERAL FUND WALK FORWARD IN NEXT WEEK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GENERAL FUND. AND ONE OF US IS GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT WALK FORWARD WHERE WE GO THROUGH ALL OF THE SET-ASIDES. SO I DON'T KNOW THAT DO YOU KNOW THE NUMBER? FOR THE STRATEGIC RESERVES, THERE'S YEAH, $21 $25 MILLION.

THAT'S THE PROJECTION. THIS PROJECTED FOR 2027, CORRECT? 2027. YEAH, AND THAT STILL RETAINS YOUR 10% CHARTER, YOUR 15% COUNCIL POLICY, AND YOUR 50% UNDESIGNATED POLICY.

SO 75% OF YOUR FUND BALANCE BUDGETED EXPENDITURES ARE JUST TO CLARIFY, THAT NUMBER DOES NOT INCLUDE THIS $5 MILLION, SO THAT, THAT NUMBER THAT YOU JUST SAID WOULD BE REDUCED BY $5 MILLION IF WE GIVE THE THUMBS UP TO GO AHEAD AND DO THAT. I JUST WANT TO I WASN'T SURE IF IT HAD ALREADY BEEN MOVED. YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION.

THE WORDS THEY USE IS PROJECTED. I'M ASKING TODAY, HOW MUCH IS BALANCE? OKAY, SO THE RETAINED SO FUND BALANCE AS OF OCTOBER 1ST, 2025, WHICH WAS AUDITED, WAS $147,619,521.

THAT WAS THE AUDITED FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR '25. ANYTHING ELSE I WOULD PROVIDE YOU WOULD BE A PROJECTION. FOLLOW-UP.

OUT OF THAT, YOU MOVED $30 MILLION. NO, THAT'S ALREADY BEEN GONE. IT'S GONE. SO IF YOU REMEMBER MY SLIDE THAT TALKED ABOUT THE TRANSFERS AND HOW IT'S A BUCKET OF WATER AND WE'RE JUST MOVING THE WATER TO DIFFERENT BUCKETS, IT'S NOT A REVENUE AND IT'S NOT AN EXPENDITURE. IT'S NOT AN EXPENDITURE UNTIL WE BRING IT TO COUNCIL AS AN EXPENDITURE OR WE BRING IT TO COUNCIL AS A BUDGET AMENDMENT. THAT IS WHEN IT BECOMES SPENDING. RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST TAKING A RESOURCE AND MOVING IT FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER. AND THE REASON THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO DO THAT IS ONE, IT PROVIDES TRANSPARENCY TO THE COMMUNITY OF COUNCIL'S DIRECTION, OF YOUR WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. IT PROVIDES DIRECTION TO STAFF TO KNOW WHAT YOU WANT US TO DO. AND IT ALSO PROVIDES YOU A WAY, IF THERE ARE CHANGES WITH THE LEGISLATION REGARDING EXPENDITURES, IT IS A TOOL THAT YOU CAN USE TO MOVE MONEY TO OTHER AREAS SO THAT YOU HAVE IT THERE AND YOU CAN USE IT. OKAY, MY SPECIFIC QUESTION IS, THE MONEY WE ARE PUTTING ASIDE FROM THE SALES TAX REVENUE, AND THAT BUCKET HAD HOW MUCH MONEY? WE MOVED $30,000. JUST FOR A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, ALL THAT IS NOT JUST SALES TAX REVENUE BECAUSE WE ALSO HAD OTHER REVENUES COMING IN, INCLUDING PROPERTY TAX, RIGHT? AND FOR THE LAST 3 OR 4 YEARS OR 5 YEARS, WE HAVE SPENT LESS THAN WHAT WE HAVE BUDGETED, RIGHT? SO I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE SO FOCUSED ON SALES TAX THAT IT'S ONLY SALES TAX. IT'S ACTUALLY THE SAME POOL OF MONEY. THE MAJORITY OF IT, YES, IT'S SALES TAX.

[03:10:01]

BUT THAT'S HOW YOU'RE SAYING TO ME, SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M RECEIVING THAT CORRECTLY.

BECAUSE WE ARE, JUST LIKE IN THE IMF, WHEN WE PUT THE MONEY OVER THERE AND WE'RE DOING PROJECTS, WE ARE SPENDING THAT MONEY.

RIGHT? IT'S NOT JUST SITTING IN A BANK EARNING INTEREST COMPLETELY. IT'S BEING USED. I UNDERSTAND. OKAY. THAT'S WHERE THE $30 MILLION CAME FROM, RIGHT? $30 MILLION. $31 MILLION. $31 MILLION, ROB.

RIGHT. THE REASON I'M ASKING THIS QUESTION IS WE ARE PUTTING ASIDE $20 MILLION SAVINGS OR SALES TAX REVENUE THAT WE ARE NOT TOUCHING. I KEEP HEARING THAT WE ARE RUNNING THE BUDGET BASED ON 3.1. YEAH, I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOUR $20 MILLION IS COMING FROM. THAT'S WHAT'S LOSING ME. SO WE PRE-SALES TAX LAWSUIT WE WERE SAYING WE WERE COLLECTING $40 MILLION OR $41 MILLION IN SALES TAX REVENUE.

OKAY, TOTAL CRDC? YES. OKAY, THAT'S RIGHT. THE REASON WHY I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING YOU IS BECAUSE WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND IT'S A GENERAL ONE FOR THE SALES TAX COMPLETELY.

SALES TAX? OKAY, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE WHOLE POOL OF MONEY FROM THE 40-41 MILLION DOLLARS? THAT'S THE WHOLE PULL OF MONEY.

OR 401. OKAY, BECAUSE THIS LAWSUIT, WE ARE SAYING WE ARE PUTTING THE $20 MILLION OR 50% THAT WE ARE COLLECTING ON A SEPARATE BUCKET. OKAY, IN THE LINE OF BUCKETS, THE PORTION IS GOING TO CRDC AND IT'S RESTRICTED FOR USES ONLY IN THE CRDC.

IN THE STREET DEPARTMENT, IT CAN ONLY BE USED FOR IMF.

YES, THOSE ARE ALREADY FROM THE $20 INDIAN PORTIONS.

OKAY, I'M TRYING TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE NOT TALKING THE SAME THING. OKAY, THEN WE'LL ALL TALK. I MEAN, TALK OFF TIME.

YEAH, OKAY. SO, WHERE WERE WE? 5 MILLION. 5 MILLION THUMBS UP.

ALL RIGHT, THEN LAST ONE, THE $250,000 TRANSFER FROM THE ROLLING OAKS TO THE GENERAL FUND. I'VE GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THAT. I BET SOMEBODY HAS AN ANSWER FOR YOU. WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? SO I KNOW IN THE PAST WE HAVEN'T, WE HAVEN'T TRANSFERRED THESE FUNDS. WE DID LAST YEAR. OH, WE DID LAST YEAR. WERE WE DOING IT BEFORE LAST YEAR? YES. OKAY, SO NOW WE'RE JUST GOING BACK TO WHAT WE WERE DOING, CORRECT? YEAH. OKAY, AND IT'S, IT'S REPAYING BASICALLY THE SEED MONEY THAT WE GAVE THE CEMETERY TO GET IT STARTED. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S I MEAN, IT WOULD HAVE SPECIFIC PURPOSES. A GOOD MOST OF IT WAS FOR PHASE 2 OF OUR LRC. THE REASON THIS IS BEFORE US IS BECAUSE WE DEVIATED LAST YEAR AND WE DIDN'T TRANSFER IT, RIGHT? SO THEY'RE JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WANT REVERT BACK TO THE TRANSFER. I'M GOOD WITH THE PAYBACK OVER TIME. I AM TOO. KEVIN? YES. OKAY. COMMENT. KEVIN? COMMENT. OH, NO, I THOUGHT YOU WERE VOTING YES.

YES, AND ALSO COMMENT. THE REASON I'M SUPPORTING THIS IS THAT I THINK IT'S CLEAN AND THEN WE CAN MEASURE OUR OMC PERFORMANCE BASED ON THE METRICS THAT WE DEFINED IT. SO THAT'S WHY I LIKE THIS TRANSFER. I THINK WE SHOULD GO BACK TO DOING THIS. SO I VOTE YES. I'M INDIFFERENT. I'M IN.

OKAY. YOU WERE THE ONE WHO WAS PUSHING IT LAST YEAR. I KNOW, BUT I WAS HOPEFUL. I DIDN'T HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION. IT'S WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO. WE HAVE A LOT OF TOOLS THIS YEAR THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE LAST YEAR.

TOLD I HAD THE WRONG ANSWER.

ALL RIGHT, I'M GOING TO GO OUT AND ADJOURN THE MEETING.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT. THANK YOU. HEY, THANK YOU, STAFF.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. THE TIME IS 9:46 PM. THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS BEFORE THIS COUNCIL, WE ARE ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.