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TODAY IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2026, AND THE TIME IS 5:33 PM WE'RE HERE FOR THE REGULAR SESSION OF THE COPELLA CITY COUNCIL.
WE DO HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT, SO I'M GONNA CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
[2. Work Session (Open to the Public) 1st Floor Conference Room Citizen comments will not be heard during the Work Session, but will be heard during the Regular Session under Citizens' Appearance.]
INTO WORK SESSION IN THE FIRST FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM.THE PUBLIC IS INVITED AND ENCOURAGED TO JOIN US.
CITIZENS COMMENTS WILL NOT BE HEARD DURING OUR WORK SESSION BE HEARD DURING THE REGULAR SESSION UNDER CITIZEN'S APPEARANCE.
WE HAVE FOUR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
THE FIRST ONE IS DELIBERATION REGARDING THE AGENDA ITSELF.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, CONSENT, AGENDA OR OTHERWISE? I, UH, YES, I'D LIKE TO REQUEST AN OBJECTIVE SESSION FOR AGENDA ITEMS. I SECOND THAT.
THEN COUNCIL MEMBER MARK HILL HAS REQUESTED THE CITY COUNCIL MOVE INTO CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION REGARDING, SORRY, AGENDA.
ALL THE AGENDA ITEMS IS AUTHORIZED FOR SECTIONS 5 51 0 71 TO, UH, TWO OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE FOR THE PURPOSE OF SEEKING CONFIDENTIAL LEGAL ADVICE FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM FOR THE AGENDA ITEMS, YOUR HONOR, GUYS, FOR THE RECORD, WHAT ITEMS ARE THOSE? ITEM EIGHT.
FOR ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, THANK YOU.
WE HAVE RECESS FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION.
CONTINUING ON, UH, WE'RE STILL ON ITEM TWO A, UH, DELIBERATION REGARDING AGENDA ITEMS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE AGENDA? UH, I HAD A QUESTION ON THE AGENDA ITEM, UH, PERSON FOR THE STAFF ON ITEM D AS IN DOG ON 70 70.
UM, WITH, WITH THIS, UM, INITIATIVE, WILL WE BE COVERING ALL OF THE WORK REQUIRED? BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS A PHASE ONE AND THIS IS THE PHASE TWO JAMES.
SO, UM, WE, UM, THIS IS USING THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE ALLOCATED IN THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SO WE'VE GOT ABOUT 3,800 REMAINING.
WE'VE BEEN WHITTLING A LOT OF THOSE DOWN WITH OUR OWN STAFF ON OVERTIME.
SO THIS, WITHIN THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE THIS FISCAL YEAR, UH, GETS US THAT MUCH CLOSER.
AND WE HAVE MONEY BUDGETED IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR AS WELL, STARTING OCTOBER 1ST, SO THAT WE CAN USE THAT TO GET ANY FINAL ONES THAT WE ARE NOT ABLE TO DO WITH OUR STAFF.
SO, SO THIS YEAR FOR, FOR THIS 598,414, YOUR PLAN IS TO KNOCK OFF 2000 PLUS SOME MORE THAT THE STAFF CAN DO? CORRECT.
AND THAT WILL LEAVE SOME AND A SMALL NUMBER FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR? CORRECT.
AND WE HAVE ANOTHER 600,000 BUDGETED FOR NEXT YEAR, SO WE HAVE PLENTY TO BE ABLE TO FINISH THE PROGRAM.
ANYTHING ELSE ON THE AGENDA? ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON, THEN WE HAVE DELIBERATION REGARDING OUR FAVORITE TOPIC, ELECTRONIC ADVICES.
CHIEF, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
UM, YES, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT ELECTRIC BIKES, BUT, UH, I WANT TO KIND OF BACK UP A LITTLE BIT.
UM, OVER THE LAST YEAR TO TWO YEARS, WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING A LOT MORE COMPLAINTS ABOUT E-BIKES, ESPECIALLY IN THE SUMMER.
AND AS WE WERE LOOKING AT THE NATURE OF THE INCIDENCES THAT WE WERE SEEING, UM, WE STARTED TAKING A BIGGER LOOK AT A BIGGER PROBLEM.
AND, UM, SO WE, WE STARTED TO LOOK AT OUR, NOT ALL BICYCLES ARE CREATED THE SAME, RIGHT? YOU HAVE A LITTLE KID BIKES, YOU'VE GOT ROAD BIKES, YOU'VE GOT 10 SPEEDS, YOU GOT A BIKE, IS NOT A BIKE ANYMORE.
AND NOW WE HAVE ELECTRIC BIKES.
AND SO, UH, WE GOT WITH, UM, WITH BOB AND WE STARTED ASKING QUESTIONS AROUND WHAT IF OUR CITY ORDINANCE WAS TO CLASSIFY BIKES AS BIKES ARE CLASSIFIED VERSUS JUST A BIKE IS A BIKE.
AND THAT WAY WE COULD ATTACK THEM.
THE, THE BIGGER PROBLEM WE FEEL THAT WE HAVE IS IN OUR PARKS.
THAT'S WHERE WE FEEL THE MOST COMPLAINTS.
UM, BUT IS IF YOU JUST, IF YOU DON'T JUST LOOK AT E-BIKES, WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF COMPLAINTS ON 10 SPEEDS IN THE SAME PARK BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, A A A REALLY WELL-TRAINED
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RIDER CAN GO BY AT A PRETTY, PRETTY BREAKNECK.AND GOING BACK TO MY EARLIER YEARS, I REMEMBER WORKING SOME CRASHES OUT THERE WITH 10 SPEEDS.
AND SO WE GOT WITH BOB AND WE WERE SAYING, WHAT IF WE CLASSIFY THE BIKES AND THEN BY CLASSIFICATION WE CAN CARVE OUT WHICH BIKES CAN BE ALLOWED WHERE INSTEAD OF JUST ALL BIKES OR BIKES.
AND SO BOB'S BOB DID SOME WORK ON, ON THE DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS OF BIKES.
WE THINK IF WE TAKE CERTAIN CLASSIFICATIONS OF BICYCLES AND THEY, IT PROBABLY, IT WILL INCLUDE E-BIKES BECAUSE OF THE HIGHER SPEED BIKES.
AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR TONIGHT IS JUST MAYBE WE LOOK AT OUR PARKS RIGHT NOW AND MAYBE WE DON'T ALLOW, I'M NOT SAYING EVERY BIKE IS BANNED, I WOULD SAY THE MORE DANGEROUS BIKES.
AND IT'S DANGEROUS TO THE RIDER AND IT'S DANGEROUS TO THE WALKERS, IT'S DANGEROUS TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WALKING THEIR DOGS.
BUT THESE ARE JUST YOUR, YOUR FASTER LEVEL OF BICYCLES AND THEN YOUR E-BIKES, WHICH ARE, ARE EXTREMELY FAST.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN TERMS OF DIRECTION IS, UM, AGAIN, WE JUST, WE'RE NOT FOCUSED ON SIDEWALKS OR ALONG THE ROADWAYS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT OUR PARKS.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE SEEM TO GET THE MOST COMPLAINTS.
AND, UH, WE THINK THIS COULD BE A RESOLUTION, UH, TO THOSE, THOSE COMPLAINTS.
LUCKILY WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY REALLY BAD, UH, ACCIDENTS.
BOB, DO YOU WANNA? NO, I THOUGHT, UM, THANK CHIEF, UM, MAYOR COUNSEL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, AND I APOLOGIZE, I, UM, MY LACK OF, UH, COMPUTER, UH, SKILLS SEEM INTO PLAY AND I LOST MY SLIDE PRESENT, WHICH I'M SURE YOU ALL JUST DEVASTATED ABOUT.
UH, SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS, AND I'M GONNA HOLD THESE PICTURES UP THERE PRETTY BIG.
I'VE IDENTIFIED ROAD BIKES THAT YOU'LL RECOGNIZE, RIGHT TURN FRONT MODEL, RIGHT? IT INCLUDES GRAVEL BIKES AND ENDURANCE BIKES.
THOSE TERMS OF OUR GRAVEL BIKES, TIRES ARE A LITTLE WIDER.
THE FRAME GEOMETRY IS A LITTLE MORE ROBUST.
AND AN ENDURANCE BIKE, THE ACTUAL TOP, OR WHAT THEY CALL THE HEAD TUBE IS A LITTLE HIGHER.
SO OLD PEOPLE LIKE ME CAN BEND OVER AND AND RIDE THOSE BIKES, BUT THEY'RE BASICALLY THE SAME THING.
AND THEY'RE A HIGH SPEED BIKE.
THEY'RE BIKES THAT USUALLY TRAVEL IN EXCESS OF 15, 20 MILES WITH AN A PERSON OF AVERAGE SKILL.
SO THOSE ARE PRETTY, PRETTY FAST.
SO, AND THEN WE INCLUDE MOUNTAIN BIKES, WHICH ARE THESE GUYS.
THEY HAVE SUSPENSION SYSTEMS, THEY HAVE SHOCKS FRONT AND OR REAR OR A COMBINATION THEREOF.
THEY HAVE, UH, GEAR RATIOS AND FAIRLY BIG.
YOU'LL SEE THE REAR CASSETTES HUGE.
UH, THAT MEANS A PERSON OF AVERAGE SKILL CAN RIDE THAT BIKE FAIRLY FAST.
AND SO AGAIN, IT'S A HIGH SPEED BIKE.
UH, THESE ARE TRADITIONAL, WHAT I CALL A COMMUTER.
AND ALL THESE HAVE ELECTRONIC E-BIKE VERSIONS AS WELL.
UH, THAT'S COMMUTER BIKE, RIGHT? STRAIGHT HANDLE BARS ACROSS NONE OF THE CURVE HANDLE BARS THAT YOU SEE.
UH, BUT THEY CAN GET UP THERE TOO, BECAUSE OF THE GEAR RATIO, THE REAR CASS SET, THEY CAN, THEY CAN GO AT A PRETTY GOOD CLIP.
ANYWHERE FROM 15 TO 20 TO THE PERSON OF AVERAGE SCHOOL.
AND LAST, UH, OF THE BIKES THAT WE THINK DON'T BELONG IN THE PARK, IN THE PARK TRAIL SYSTEM ARE THESE GUYS, AND THEY'RE CALLED RECUMBENT BIKES.
THERE'S A THREE WHEEL VERSION AND THERE'S TWO WHEEL VERSION.
THESE ALSO CAN COME WITH FAIRLY WITH PERSONAL MUSLIM SKILL, UH, REACH PRETTY HIGH RATE OF SPEED, WELL OVER 50 OR 20 MILES AN HOUR.
AND YOU CAN SEE BY THEIR SIZE IN THEIR LOW BULK ONE THEY'RE HARD TO SEE.
SO THEY TAKE UP A LOT OF SPACE ON OUR TRAIL SYSTEM.
AND SO THAT'S, THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF BIKES THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED.
NORMAL BIKES, NOT E-BIKES, BUT ALL THEIR E-BIKE, UH, UH, COUSINS.
ALL THESE BIKES COME WITH ELECTRONIC FEATURE.
YOU CAN GET A ROAD BIKE WITH E-BIKE, YOU CAN GET A MOUNTAIN BIKE WITH AN E-BIKE, YOU CAN GET A GRAVEL OR ENDURANCE BIKE, E-BIKE VERSION, A RECUMBENT VERSION, AND A COMMUTER VERSION.
UH, SO THEY ALL HAVE E-BIKE COMPONENTS.
AND SO I HAD BEEN TALKING WITH PARK ABOUT KEEPING THESE BIKES RIDDEN OFF THE FIELDS 'CAUSE THEY'RE TEARING UP SOME OF THE NATURE OR NATURAL AREAS IN OUR CITY PARKS.
'CAUSE WE'RE RIDING THESE BIKES, UH, BOTH THE E-BIKES AND THE REGULAR BIKES, UH, ACROSS FIELDS ON THE SOCCER PRACTICE FIELDS
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ON WHAT I'LL CALL NATURAL AREAS.UH, AND THEN THE PROBLEMS THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE PROSECUTORS INDICATED WHERE WE WERE RIDING TICKETS.
MOST OF THESE TICKETS ARE 10 TO 13 YEAR OLDS, UH, OPERATING E-BIKES AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED ON THE TRAIL SYSTEM.
SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS TO KEEP BIKES.
YOU CAN RIDE YOUR BIKE TO THE PARK, GET OFF, YOU CAN WALK IT WHEREVER YOU NEED TO GO IN THE PARK, BUT NOT RIDE IT ON THE PARK, RIDE IT ON THE TRAILS, NOT RIDE IT ON THE, THE NATURAL AREAS, UH, BECAUSE OF DAMAGE TO THE FIELDS THAT Y'ALL DEDICATE A LOT OF MONEY TO KEEP UP IN THE PARK SYSTEM THAT YOU, UH, KEEP UP.
AND SO I'M, I'M GONNA WRITE AN EXEMPTION FOR CHILDREN'S BIKES.
AND THEY'RE GENERALLY ANYWHERE FROM 14 TO 26 INCHES AS MEASURED FROM THE TOP TWO.
SO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THOSE READILY.
UH, YOU WON'T GET A TICKET IF RIDE YOUR CHILDREN'S BIKE IN THE PARK, IN THE PARK OR ON THE TRAIL.
SO THAT'S HOW WE'RE TRYING TO TACKLE THIS.
THEN WE CLASSIFY E-BIKES THE SAME AS REGULAR BIKES.
WE'VE NOT, WE FEEL WE WILL MEET THE REQUIREMENT IN THE STATE LAW, BUT ALLOW US AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROTECT BOTH THE USERS OF THE PARK AND THE PARK ITSELF.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT PROPOSING.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO.
YOU CAN ESTABLISH SPEED LIMITS ON TRAIL SYSTEMS. YOU CAN ESTABLISH SPEED LIMITS ON THE SIDEWALK.
UH, BUT THAT MIGHT BE MORE THAN WE'VE GOT DEDICATED POLICE OFFICERS TO TAKE CARE OF THE ROADS WITH CARS, MUCH LESS, UH, BICYCLES.
BUT TRYING TO KEEP THAT CONFLICT DOWN.
UH, CHIEF BARTON, I, EVERY NOW THAT I IMAGINE THINGS, SO TELL ME IF I'M IMAGINING THIS, I'M GONNA SWORN THAT Y'ALL DID A, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DID A FLYER THAT SHOWED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN E-BIKE THAT WAS ILLEGAL, THAT DIDN'T HAVE PEDALS AND AN E-BIKE THAT WAS NOT ILLEGAL, THAT HAD PEDALS AND COULD BE PROPELLED BY PEDALS.
IS THAT, WAS THAT EVER ACTUALLY ENFORCED OR WHAT, COULD YOU KIND OF DESCRIBE TO US WHAT THAT WAS ABOUT? YES.
UH, THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT BIKES.
UH, MOST OF THE E-BIKES, THE CLASS ONE, TWO, AND THREE, THEY WON'T ACTIVATE WITHOUT THE PEDALING.
THE OTHER E-BIKES ARE NOT E-BIKES PER STATE LAW.
THEY ARE ELECTRIC MOPEDS OR MOTORCYCLES.
WE STOP 'EM CONSTANTLY OVER THE SUMMER.
UH, WE WOULD SEE 'EM PARK SOMEWHERE AND WE WOULD CALL THE PARENTS TO THE LOCATION AND SAY, THESE ARE NOT E-BIKES.
AND 90% OF THE TIME, THE PARENTS HAD NO IDEA.
BUT IT'S, UH, THE, THE SELLERS OF THESE BIKES ARE, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S JUST NOT ASKING ENOUGH QUESTIONS, BUT WE TARGETED MOST OF THE ILLEGAL BIKES BECAUSE THEY HAD THE PEGS AND THEY WERE QUICKER FOR THE OFFICER TO IDENTIFY.
UM, AGAIN, ALMOST, I'D SAY ALMOST A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TIME, THE PARENTS HAD TO COME PICK 'EM UP.
WE DIDN'T LET 'EM RIDE A HOME.
SO, SO THAT'S A SEPARATE ISSUE THAT WE'RE ALREADY ENFORCING WITH RESPECT TO BECAUSE THAT THE, THE E-BIKES WITHOUT THE PEDALS LOOK MORE LIKE A MOTOCROSS ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE.
ONES WE CALL WERE, UM, POCKET BIKES.
THE DISPLACEMENT AND THE NUMBER OF CCS THAT ARE GENERATED BY THE ELECTRIC MOTOR, IT'S A DIFFERENT BETWEEN A MOPED AND A POCKET BIKE, BUT THEY'RE BASICALLY THE SAME THING.
SO WE'RE STILL GONNA CONTINUE TO ENFORCE THAT.
AND THIS IS NOW ADDRESSING E E-BIKES PEDAL ASSIST INSIDE OUR PARK SYSTEM.
AND, AND THE DEFINITION THAT I WROTE SAYS PEDAL ASSIST ELECTRONIC MOTOR.
SO IT TAKES OUT THE, THE WHAT THE CHIEF'S IDENTIFIED AS POCKET BIKE OR A MOPED.
YOU GOTTA HAVE A TITLE, IT'S GOTTA BE REGISTERED AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
AND IT'S ABOUT THE DISPLACEMENT AND THE FACT THAT IT'S NOT PEDAL SYSTEM.
BUT BOTH THESE WILL APPLY AT THE SAME TIME.
HOW DO THEY CALCULATE A DISPLACEMENT ON AN ELECTRIC BIKE? IT'S JUST IN SIZE.
IT'S LIKE 40 VERSUS 50 CENTIMETERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
CUBIC CUBIC INCHES OR SOMETHING.
I JUST DON'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
I'VE GOT DON AND THEN BIJU, THEN BRIANNA, AND THEN KEVIN.
SO DON, UH, SO THE EXEMPTION ON THE CHILDREN'S BIKE MAKES SENSE.
YOU SAID 20 TO 26 OR, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT DON'T CHILDREN'S BIKES ALSO HAVE AN E-BIKE EQUIVALENT? I MEAN, BECAUSE I, I HAVEN'T SEEN, I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT SOME OF THEM WERE STILL LOW PROFILE.
LIKE THEY LOOK LIKE KIDS' BIKES.
I, I'VE SEEN SOME SMALLER VERSUS KIDS.
SO WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO DIFFERE
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BETWEEN A 26 INCH E-BIKE AND A 26 INCH STANDARD BIKE? I CAN, I DON'T KNOW IF I, AND WELL IN THE LAW, LEGALLY, LEGALLY, LEGALLY IN THE LAW THERE'S THE, THERE'S AN AXLE SIZE AND THERE'S THE DRUM IN THE BACK AND CONTAIN THE ACTUAL MOTOR THAT SPINS THE BACK CASSETTE OR THE BACK SPROCKET.DEPENDING ON WHETHER IT'S GOT MORE THAN ONE GEAR.
I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF YOU COULD DIFFERENTIATE AND STILL GET THE SMALL E-BIKES OUT OF THE PARKS ALSO WITH THIS.
UH, WELL, THE, THE, THE SMALLER THAT I'VE SEEN, THOSE KIDS ARE NOT RIDING VERY FAST.
I DON'T EVEN THINK THEY, I DON'T THINK THEY MAKE ONE FROM EIGHT.
SAY MAYBE WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO DIFFERENTIATE THOSE.
YEAH, I DON'T KNOW THAT A 14 INCH, 26 INCH BECAUSE WHAT WOULD AN ADULT BIKE, 28 INCH, 29 INCH, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
29 OR 26 WOULD STILL BE CONSIDERED KIDS OR YOUTH? A YOUTH BIKE.
THAT THEY MAKE A SIX 50 BUT THAT'S BASED ON WHEEL SIZE.
UH, AND 700 ONES THAT I SHOWED YOU PICTURES ARE, ARE 700 CENTIMETERS.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE WHEEL SIZE IS AND THAT'S WHAT GENERATES A ROAD BIKE.
THEY MAKE A SIX 50 ROAD BIKE, WHICH IS JUST A 10 BIT SMALLER.
THEY'RE LARGER THAN THE CHILDREN'S 26 INCH.
BOB, CAN YOU RESTATE WHAT YOU ARE ASKING FOR TODAY'S DELIBERATION? I'M ASKING YOU TO ALLOW US TO PREPARE AN ORDINANCE THAT PROHIBITS THE RIDING OF THE BICYCLE OR AN E-BIKE ON THE CITY TRAIL SYSTEM WITHIN ANDY BROWN PARK, WAGON, WHEEL PARK, TENNIS CENTER, MACARTHUR PARK, OR OVER ANY UNIMPROVED SURFACES IN ANY OF OUR CITY PARKS.
SO MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS, E-BIKES CAN OPERATE WITH POWER AND WITHOUT POWER.
THERE ARE PEOPLE USING E-BIKE, NOT USING THE BATTERY, BUT THEY ARE JUST RIDING THE CYCLE.
ARE YOU TRYING TO ABANDON OR REMOVE THEM FROM OUR TRAIN SYSTEM AND THE PARK SYSTEM? YES, BECAUSE THOSE BIKES ARE, IT'S NOT WHAT THEY CAN DO, IT'S WHAT THEY'RE CAPABLE OF DOING.
IT'S NOT HOW THEY NECESSARILY OPERATE.
SO I TREAT THEM ON THE ROAD BIKE, THE GRAVEL BIKE, THE ENDURANCE BIKE, THE MOUNTAIN BIKE, YOU CAN RIDE 'EM TO THE PARK.
YOU DO NOT RIDE 'EM WITHIN THE TRAIL SYSTEM WITHIN THE PARK OR ON UNIMPROVED SURFACES IN THE PARK.
YOU MAY RIDE TO THE PARK DISMOUNT AND WALK THE BIKE TO WHEREVER YOU NEED TO GO IN THE PARK.
ONE IS TO PROTECT PEOPLE USING THE TRAIL SYSTEM.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE HAVING AN ISSUE ACCORDING TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND PARKS DEPARTMENT TELLS ME THAT THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT BICYCLES BEING RIDDEN ACROSS THE FIELD AND CHEWING UP THE TURF.
NOT ONLY ON THE PRACTICE FIELDS, BUT IN WHAT I'LL JUST CALL COMMON WALKING AREAS WITHIN THE PARK.
BUT THEY CANNOT DISASSEMBLE THE BATTERY PACK FROM THE SITE.
YOU GET OFF YOUR BIKE AND WALK INTO THE PARK.
BUT HOW IS THAT FAIR TO THE KIDS ONLY HAVE ONE BIKE THEY WANT TO RIDE THROUGH THE PARK SYSTEM.
I, WELL THE INTENT IS TO TAKE AWAY AND TREAT THE BIKE.
AN E-BIKE AND A REGULAR BIKE THE SAME.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU, I'VE BEEN RIDING BIKES FOR 60 YEARS LONGER ACTUALLY.
AND A CONVENTIONAL BIKE ON A TRAIL SYSTEM BEING RIDDEN ANYWHERE FROM 15 TO 20 MILES AN HOUR IS A DANGER TO THE OPERATOR.
AND IT'S A DANGER TO ANYBODY WALKING ON THAT TRAIL.
AND IF YOU'RE A CHILD AND A YOUNG PERSON, YOU DON'T HAVE THE KIND OF EXPERIENCE IN HAND EYE COORDINATION THAT A 25-YEAR-OLD THAT'S EXPERIENCED IN CYCLING IS GOING TO HAVE IN THAT LIFE.
I'M, I'M JUST TELLING YOU AS A POLICY, YOU CAN MAKE A DECISION AND DISAGREE WITH ME.
I DON'T, BUT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU I WILL NOT RIDE ON A TRAIL SYSTEM IN BEL IN DALLAS, ANYWHERE ELSE.
'CAUSE THERE'S PEOPLE WITH DOGS, THERE'S PEOPLE WITH HEADPHONES, THEY WON'T HEAR ME.
THEY'RE A DANGER TO ME AS MUCH AS I'M A DANGER TO THEM.
AND SO, AND I SEE DOUBLES RIDING BIKES WITHOUT HELMETS, WHICH GOD BLESS 'EM,
BUT YOU STAY WITH YOUR OWN EXAMPLE.
YOUR EXPERIENCE 60 YEARS, YOU SAID I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE RIDING IN THE PARK AT THAT SPEED ON A REGULAR CYCLE AND ARE YOU TRYING TO THAT'S RIGHT.
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'CAUSE IT'S A DANGER TO WHOEVER'S WALKING ON THE TRAIL.I HAVE TO UNDER STATE LAW TREAT THE E-BIKE AND THE REGULAR BIKE THE SAME.
THE FACT THAT IT'S GOT A MOTOR AND PEDAL ASSISTED, THE STATE'S TOLD US A KINK DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THOSE TWO BIKES.
SO THE ONLY WAY I CAN KEEP E-BIKES OUT OF THE PARK IS THEY HAVE TO KEEP REGULAR BIKES OUT OF THE PARK.
SO YOU'RE TRYING TO MOVE THOSE E-BIKES AND THOSE PEOPLE TO THE, UM, THE ROAD 45 MILES PER HOUR TENDON TAB PLUS THE SIDEWALKS.
IF YOU ARE NOT GONNA ALLOW THEM TO BE ON THE, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO RIDE THE SIDEWALKS OR THE STREET TO GET TO THE PARK.
THEY'RE ALREADY ON THEIR BIKES.
IF A 13-YEAR-OLD IS RIDING THE CYCLE ON A 45 MILE PER ZONE DENT AND TAP, IT'S GOING TO CREATE MORE TROUBLE FOR THE PARENTS.
THE ONE THAT'S RIDING THE BICYCLE ON THE STREET.
YOU CAN RIDE IT ON THE SIDEWALK RIGHT NOW? YES.
BUT THAT SIDEWALK IS CONNECTED TO THE PARK TRAIL THEN STOP WHEN YOU GET TO THE PARK.
I, WELL YOU CAN'T DRIVE YOUR CAR IN THE PARK, BUT YOU DRIVE TO THE PARK AND GET OUT AND WALK.
I'M JUST ASKING INSTEAD OF PEOPLE RIDING THEIR BIKES TO THE PARK OR ON THAT TRAIL SYSTEM, IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IT'S A POLICY ISSUE.
I'M NOT TELLING YOU YOU HAVE TO DO IT.
I'M JUST TELLING YOU THAT'S A WAY WE CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE.
AND IT'S NOT TAKING AWAY YOUR ABILITY TO RIDE YOUR BIKE EITHER ON THE SIDEWALK.
BUT YOU HAVE TO GET TO THE, BUT ONCE YOU GET TO THE PARK, THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE OUT WALKING.
THEY TAKE THEIR DOGS, THEY TAKE THEIR FAMILY.
I MEAN, I RODE THE KATY TRAIL IN DALLAS TWICE.
THERE'S TOO MANY PEOPLE ON IT.
AND THERE I'M DODGING I ALMOST GOT KNOCKED OFF SEVERAL TIMES BY SOMEBODY LETTING THE DOG JUST SCOOTING ACROSS IN FRONT OF ME.
AND I DON'T WANT TO HURT THE DOG AND I DON'T WANT TO GO OVER MY HANDLEBARS ANYMORE.
I I'M JUST SAYING, BUT ULTIMATELY IT'S POLICY DECISION AND THAT'S THE ONLY WAY UNDER THE STATE LAW NOW THAT WE CAN ADDRESS IF WE HAVE TO TREAT THAT BIKE IN A REGULAR BIKE SAME WAY.
AND THE PROBLEM IS, IS THE ABILITY OF THE OPERATOR AND THE SPEED OF THE BIKES.
UM, I'M THINKING THROUGH THIS 'CAUSE BEG BROUGHT UP SOME RELATED POINTS.
UM, I'M ALL FOR OUR TRAIL SYSTEMS BEING SAFER AND I SAID THAT BEFORE, UM, AND MAYBE IT WILL HELP ME ONCE I SEE THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE AND I'M A VISUAL LEARNER, SO THE FACT THAT THERE'S NO SLIDES TO GO ALONG WITH THIS IS REALLY, I'M STRUGGLING KIND OF SEEING THE PIECES TO ALL OF THIS FOR YOU NEXT.
NO, NO, I KNOW, I KNOW, RIGHT.
BUT JUST UNDERSTANDING LIKE WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING AND WHAT WE CAN DO AND KIND OF WHAT THE OVERALL STRATEGY IS.
UM, AND SO I'M, I'M ALL FOR FIGURING OUT A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR TRAILS ARE SAFER.
UM, I THINK MAYBE WHERE I'M STRUGGLING HADN'T THOUGHT FULLY THOUGHT THROUGH THIS.
AND THE QUESTION JUST BE THAT BREEZE YOU BROUGHT UP AROUND LIKE WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO OR WHAT YOU CAN RIDE IN THE PARKS.
SO KIDS GOING TO SCHOOL AND USING OUR TRAIL SYSTEM.
WILL THEY BE SO THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING, IS THAT IMPACTED BY THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE? YES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, THEY'VE DONE IN OTHER CITIES, 'CAUSE I WAS ASKED TO LOOK AT OTHER CITIES, IS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT NOW PROHIBITED E-BIKES ON THEIR CAMPUS.
ONE, THEY'RE NOT RESTRAINED BY THE TRANSPORTATION CODE.
SO THAT, AND I'VE NOTICED THAT THERE ARE LESS E-BIKES DURING SCHOOL TIME RIGHT.
THAN WHEN SCHOOL'S NOT IN SESSION.
WHICH, WHICH I CAN, I CAN SEE THAT.
I THINK IT'S THE QUESTION OF THE KIDS WHO ARE PEDALING THE SCHOOL RIGHT.
AND GOING AND TAKING, RIDING THEIR BIKE.
ARE WE SAYING THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO THEN RIDE THEIR BIKE TO PEDAL THROUGH THE PARK SYSTEM? THAT, HOW, HOW ARE YOU DEFINING A KID, A CHILD? LET'S JUST SAY A MIDDLE SCHOOLER IS GOING TO MIDDLE SCHOOL.
IF HE'S NOT, THEN OKAY, SO AND SO MAYBE, AND, AND MAYBE WHEN YOU BRING IT FORWARD, I CAN FULLY BETTER
[00:25:01]
UNDERSTAND BECAUSE I THINK LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, YOU'RE, AND MAYBE THIS IS THE OTHER THING, AND MAYBE WE'LL PHASE THIS OUT, BUT COMPLAINTS AROUND, UM, PEOPLE RIDING E-BIKES.I'LL SAY PEOPLE, NOT JUST KIDS, RIGHT? BUT EVERYBODY RIDING E-BIKES IN PARKS VERSUS ON THE ROAD.
RIGHT? AND SO WHAT DOES, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? ARE WE GETTING EQUAL COMPLAINTS? IS IT THAT WE CAN OR IS IT MORE ON THE PARKS VERSUS ON THE ROAD? MOST OF OUR COMPLAINTS WE OUT OF THE PARKS.
UM, WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE SAYING HERE, WE'RE, WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE FASTER BIKES HERE.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ALL BIKES.
WE, I, I'M SURE BOB COULD DO, BUT IF, AND IT IS NOT HARD TO TELL IF A, IF A KID IS ACTUALLY PEDALING HIS BIKE VERSUS RIGHT MOTORS ENGAGED.
AND I WOULD TRUST MY OFFICERS TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.
SO IF THEY RODE THROUGH THERE AND THEY WERE NOT ENGAGING THE, THE BATTERY, THEY WOULD BE GOING AT A, I WOULD SAY A REGULAR BIKE SPEED.
THERE'S DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN 8-YEAR-OLD PEDALING A BIKE AND AN 18-YEAR-OLD PEDALING A BIKE THROUGH THEY RIGHT.
SO I GUESS I, AND I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I'M, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND TOO, BECAUSE WE'VE TRIED TO CREATE PATHWAYS FOR STUDENTS TO GET TO SCHOOL ON THEIR BIKES, PEDALING THEIR BIKES.
OF COURSE NOW WE, IT THERE'S THIS BLURRED AREA, RIGHT? AND SO, WELL GENERALLY PEOPLE THAT RIDE THEIR BIKES TO SCHOOL ARE NOT ENOUGH DRIVING AGE.
UH, THEY'RE STILL RIDING THEIR BIKES.
UM, AT SCHOOL, WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, I CAUGHT DEAD RIDING SCHOOL, NOT A KID ANYMORE.
I MEAN, DON'T, DON'T GET ME WRONG.
I MEAN THERE'S BEEN, THERE, THERE'S, I I'M SURE THERE'S DATA, BUT I KNOW THAT LIKE WHITE ROCK LAKE HAD ISSUES IN DALLAS AND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN, THERE'S BEEN FATALITIES FROM PEOPLE WALKING AND BEING HIT BY A SPEEDY BIKE THROUGH THERE.
SO I I KNOW THERE'S PIECES OF THAT.
SO MAY, MAYBE WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS WHEN WE GET THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE, UM, IS JUST UNDERSTANDING KIND OF HOW WE'RE CATEGORIZING WHAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IN THE PARKS, AND THEN WHAT'S THE NEXT PHASE? BECAUSE I THINK THEN THE QUESTION IS WHAT ARE WE GOING TO REQUIRE FROM THE STANDPOINT OF ON THE ROAD, UM, AND E-BIKES.
BUT YOU'RE NOT CHANGING ON THE ROAD.
I KNOW YOU'RE NOT RIGHT NOW I'M ASKING FOR, SO THE WORK SESSION DOCUMENTS THAT THERE'S A STRATEGY I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE STRATEGY.
STRATEGY IS OF WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO BECAUSE RIGHT NOW YOU'RE ONLY LOOKING AT THE PARK SYSTEM.
THERE'S GOTTA BE MORE, I WOULD THINK.
BUT WE, BUT WE NEED A, A BETTER SAMPLE TO SEE IF THIS ALLEVIATES THE PROBLEM.
WE MAY DO THIS IN A YEAR LATER.
DANNY SAYS, I STILL GOT THE SAME PROBLEM, SO THIS IS NOT FIXED.
SO WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
WE WANT THE SMALLER SAMPLES OR SIZE WHERE WE REALLY, I DON'T WANT TO PROPOSE SOMETHING WHEN WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM.
SO IT'S MORE OF THE ISSUE IS THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE PEDESTRIAN AND THE BIKE RIDER SEEMS TO BE PARK CENTRIC.
NOW THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT SOMEONE AM ME WALKING ON THE SIDEWALK AND GETS PASSED BY ME ON A, ON A ROAD BIKE GOING 25 MILES AN HOUR AND SECURING THE HELL OUT OF THEM AND ME.
BUT, BUT I'M ALSO HEARING IT'S HAPPENING AND I'M SORRY.
AND I KNOW OTHER PEOPLE WANNA TALK ABOUT THAT.
I'M ALSO HEARING IT'S HAPPENING IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
PEOPLE'S CARS ARE GETTING, YOU KNOW, HIT OR, OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.
SO, SO FROM A STRATEGY STANDPOINT, HE CAN'T ADDRESS THE ROAD USAGE.
WE CAN ONLY REGULATE THE PARKS.
SO PART OF THE STRATEGY THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR IS GOING TO CASSANDRA AND GETTING HER TO SPONSOR OR AT LEAST SUPPORT A BILL THAT CHANGES THE RULES THAT WILL THEN IMPACT THE ROADS.
SO THAT, I MEAN, HE CAN'T ADDRESS THAT 'CAUSE IT'S OKAY.
AND, AND I WANTED TO INCLUDE NATALIE, THE PARKS, BUT SOME, THERE IS AN EXCEPTION THAT YOU CAN LIMIT BICYCLE USAGE IN TOWN CENTERS OR TOWN SQUARES OR BUSINESS DISTRICTS.
WE REALLY DON'T HAVE THAT EXCEPT FOR MAYBE OLD TOWN.
AND I, I COULD SEE WE HAVE, I'VE RIDDEN THROUGH OLD TOWN ON SATURDAY MORNING WHEN, AND IT'S, I GO AROUND IT NOW BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE CROSSING THE STREET AND THEY'RE DOING THE FARMER MARKET
[00:30:01]
THING AND THEY'RE STANDING IN LINE AT, AT FOOD TRUCK.AND SO I, IT'S JUST, THERE'S A LOT OF CONFLICT BETWEEN PEDESTRIANS AND, UH, POTENTIAL BICYCLE USERS.
SO I THOUGHT THAT THAT MIGHT BE A, A GOOD AREA FOR US TO LOOK AT AND MAYBE LIMIT BICYCLE ACTIVITY.
I HAVE, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
UM, ARE SCHOOLS DOING ANYTHING TO, UM, LIKE ARE THEY LIMITING OR PROHIBITING E-BIKES AT SCHOOL? OKAY.
I STILL GOT KEVIN, RAMESH AND JIM.
UM, UH, FIRST OF ALL, BOB, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND CHIEF THANK YOU FOR, UH, PRESENTATION AS WELL.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION SPECIFICALLY ABOUT, UM, KNOWING WHAT TYPE OF BIKE, UH, AND AN ADULT IS USING, OR A, I'M SORRY, A BIKE LARGER THAN 26 INCHES.
AND THE EXAMPLE I'M GONNA USE IS, LET'S SAY THAT IT, UM, THERE'S A FAMILY THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, PARENTS WANT TO TAKE THE KIDS THROUGH THE PARK AND RIDE BIKES AROUND THE PARK, UNDERSTANDING THAT THE KIDS' BIKES ARE 26 INCHES OR SMALLER.
SO THEY'RE OKAY WITH THIS PROPOSED, UM, LANGUAGE IN AN ORDINANCE.
WOULD THAT PREVENT THE PARENTS FROM GOING AND RIDING BIKES WITH THEIR KIDS IN OUR PARKS? YES.
IS WHAT WE PROPOSED TO YOU YESTERDAY.
UH, IF YOU WANT, WE COULD CONSIDER WHAT I'LL CALL A DEFENSE THAT THEIR PARENT OR GUARDIANS PRESENT DURING THE OPERATION OF THE BIKE.
BUT IT KIND OF NEGATES WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO, WE'RE TRYING TO ELIMINATE AS MUCH CONFLICT BETWEEN A PEDESTRIAN AND CHILDREN AND BIKE USERS.
I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THE INTENT.
UH, BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS SOME OF MY FONDEST MEMORIES ARE RIDING THROUGH AND BROWN PARK WITH MY YOUNG KIDS, UH, AND ENJOYING THE, THE OUTDOORS.
NOW WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT, THAT IS BEFORE THE RISE OF E-BIKE.
SO I, I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM THAT WE'RE TRYING TO TACKLE, BUT MY CONCERN IS, IS THAT AS WE PROMOTE A FAMILY COMMUNITY FOR A LIFETIME AND WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE HAD HEAVY EMPHASIS ON PARK USAGE AND GETTING OUT AND LIVING HEALTHY LIFESTYLES AND THINGS, I, I FEEL LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, A, A BIG PORTION OF THAT WOULD BE LOST.
UM, SO I I, I DEFINITELY HAVE HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THIS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE THE CONCERNS ABOUT SAFETY.
UM, UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS, UH, A COUPLE OF THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM,
I HEARD THAT SOME CARVE OUTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU, I HAVE A, I HAVE A 13-YEAR-OLD SON WHO, UH, ALMOST 13-YEAR-OLD SON WHO, WHO DRIVE A RIDES BIKE TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY MM-HMM
AND CUTS THROUGH OUR PARTS EVERY DAY.
AND, UM, IT TENDS TO BE A SAFER ALTERNATIVE, EVEN THOUGH WE DO HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, THE NEW RAIL ON, DIDN'T TAP ROAD.
UH, HE'LL SOMETIMES USE THE PARKS, HE'LL SOMETIMES USE THE SIDEWALK.
UM, BUT THERE IS A, THERE'S A, AND, AND HE USES THE REGULAR PEDAL BICYCLE.
LET PUT A CLARIFIER OUT THERE, UH,
UM, BUT MY CONCERN WOULD BE, UM, THAT IF THOSE KIDS WOULD LOSE ACCESS TO THE PARK SYSTEM AND OUR FAMILIES WOULD LOSE THE ABILITY TO, TO MAKE THOSE MEMORIES AND ENJOY THOSE, THOSE TIMES IN THE PARK LOT BEING TOGETHER.
SO, UM, I HEARD ALL THE COMMENTS, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS ON THAT.
AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR LISTENING.
UH, BOB, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION CHIEF.
CHIEF, UH, FROM AN, UH, I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE COMPLAINTS FROM AN INJURY OR AN ACCIDENT STANDPOINT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY STATISTICS OF HOW MANY ACCIDENTS WE HAVE HAD THE LAST ONE YEAR? HAS IT BEEN TRENDING UP, DOWN, OR, OR, UH, EVEN, I DON'T HAVE THE STATISTICS WITH ME TONIGHT.
WE, WE ARE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME TRACKING E-BIKES BECAUSE OUR, OUR SYSTEMS ARE, OUR ACCIDENT SYSTEMS DON'T DEFINE E-BIKES VERSUS BIKES.
UM, WHAT WE DO KNOW IS MOST OF THE ACCIDENTS ARE NOT BEING REPORTED TO US.
UH, WE HEAR FROM THE ER DOCTORS, YOU KNOW, THEY, WE GOT KIDS COMING IN HERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, IF MY KID WRECKED ON A BIKE, I WOULDN'T CALL THE POLICE EITHER.
I'D PROBABLY JUST TAKE THEM TO THE ER, YOU KNOW.
AND SO, UM, I'LL TELL YOU, DURING THE SCHOOL, RIGHT, RIGHT NOW, THE SCHOOL YEAR, OUR COMPLAINTS HAVE DROPPED DRAMATICALLY.
[00:35:01]
WERE OFF OFF THE RAILS.AND, UM, IT'S JUST A FUNCTION OF MORE PEOPLE IN YOUR PARKS.
AND, UM, SO THAT WE JUST THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THIS RECLASSIFICATION OF CERTAIN BIKES WOULD, UH, WOULD HELP ALLEVIATE A POTENTIAL.
I MEAN, WE'VE HAD SOME PRETTY SERIOUS WRECKS OUT THERE WITH REGULAR BIKES AND CITIZENS, SOME OF 'EM LIFE THREATENING, UM, NOT IN THE LAST YEAR, BUT, UM, BUT IT CAN, IT COULD HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE WALKING AND PEOPLE ARE RIDING AT AN EXTREMELY HIGH RATE OF SPEED MM-HMM
AND THAT, THAT'S WHAT I DIDN'T, I'M NOT, I JUST CAME HERE ASKING, IS THIS SOMETHING YOU GUYS WOULD BE, WOULD WANT US TO CONSIDER? PUT, PUT SOME TEETH INTO RECLASSIFYING TO, TO, I'LL CALL IT FASTER BIKES.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THAT WITH THE E-BIKES, JUST TO MAYBE MAKE OUR OUR PARTS A BIT SAFER.
THAT'S, THAT'S ALL WE'RE ASKING.
AND, AND I, I APPRECIATE THE INTENT.
UH, I THINK STATE HAS TIED OUR HANDS AND YOU'RE TRYING TO FIND A PROBLEM SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM.
UH, PERSONALLY I AM WITH SOME OF MY PEERS, I HAVE SOME OF MY BEST MEMORIES OF BIKING WITH MY KIDS IN, IN THE PARK SYSTEM.
UH, AND, AND BIKERS ARE RESIDENTS TOO.
UH, SO WE, WE, WE HAVE TO, AND THEN, LIKE YOU SAID, BOB, UH, THERE'S RISK TO THE BIKERS AS WELL BECAUSE IF THEY GO HIT SOMEONE, THEY'RE GOING TO GET INJURED.
UM, SO I'M, I WOULD LIKE TO BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT MOVING FORWARD WITH IT.
BUT, BUT IT, IT IS A GREAT PROPOSAL.
UH, I THINK WE SHOULD THINK THROUGH IT.
I THINK WE SHOULD, UH, GIVE ENOUGH TIME FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO GIVE US FEEDBACK ON, ON THIS PROPOSAL WITH THAT ONE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING, DESPITE THIS ISSUE, WE STILL HAVE AN ISSUE WITH PEOPLE RIDING THEIR BIKES ON UNIMPROVED SURFACES IN THE PARK.
AND THAT MAY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
I, I DON'T CARE, HOW CAN I SAY THIS? THEY HAVE A PROBLEM ABOUT THE BIKE.
LIKE SAY IT RAINS AND THEN PEOPLE START RIDING ACROSS IT TEARS UP THE TURF.
AND SO THAT'S AN INVESTMENT THAT YOU HAVE MADE IN PARK SYSTEM AND THEY WANT THAT ADDRESSED.
SO EVEN IF WE DON'T BRING BACK WHAT DANNY AND I OR CHIEF BART AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT TODAY, THEN WE MAY BRING YOU BACK SOMETHING, UH, ALONG THOSE LINES JUST ABOUT RIDING THROUGH NATURAL AREAS YEAH.
ON UNIMPROVED SURFACES WITH ANYTHING.
UM, JUST A COUPLE QUICK THOUGHTS.
SO HAVING WALKED MY DOG PERSISTENTLY IN THE PARK THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THE E-BIKES AND FOR THE MOST PART ADULTS ON WHAT I CALL RACING BIKES.
AND I DON'T WEAR ANY HEADPHONES OR EARBUDS SO I CAN HAVE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.
AND IF THERE'S A GUY, LIKE JUST THE OTHER WEEKEND, HE MADE FOUR OR FIVE LOOPS ON THE PARK AND THE TIME IT TOOK ME TO WALK THE LOOP ONCE, UM, AND HE'S GOING, YOU KNOW, 15, 20 MILES AN HOUR PAST ME AND MY DOG'S ON A LEASH.
AND SO I ACTUALLY HAVE TO GO TO THE EXTRA STEP OF LIKE, IF MY DOG'S WALKING OVER THE LEFT SIDE, THEN I GO ON THE LEFT SIDE BECAUSE I DON'T WANT MY LEASH CROSSING THE PARK AND TRIPPING SOMEBODY.
AND I DON'T WANT HURTING MY DOG.
THE E-BIKES IN THE PARKS ARE HORRIBLE PROBLEM.
I MEAN, A KID PASSED ME GOING 40 MILES AN HOUR IN A FULL WEEDING ONCE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A REAL PROBLEM.
AND THEN TO ADDRESS THE POINT B YOU MADE I THINK IS A GOOD POINT.
WE'RE THE ONLY MUNICIPALITY I THINK THAT EXISTS IN NORTH TEXAS THAT HAS AN ORDINANCE.
IT'S BEEN ON THE BOOKS FOR A LONG TIME.
THAT REQUIRES THAT MOTORISTS TREAT BIKERS THE SAME AS ANY OTHER VEHICLE.
SO WHEN I COME UP ON A BIKE IN A STREET, I, I RESPECT THAT AS ANOTHER VEHICLE.
THAT'S WHAT THE ORDINANCE REQUIRES THAT I DO.
AND I DON'T WANNA HURT ANYBODY.
UM, AND SO WE ALREADY HAVE CARVED OUT VERY SERIOUS ALLOWANCE FOR BIKERS TO USE OUR ROADS.
NOW, I WOULDN'T WANT MY KID GOING ON DENTON TAP ON ANY, ON ANYTHING, BUT, AND I'VE SEEN KIDS ON, ON E-BIKES ON DENTON TAP NEXT TO ME GOING, YOU KNOW, 35 MILES AN HOUR.
BUT WE HAVE ALREADY ALLOWED ALL BICYCLES, E-BIKES, REGULAR BIKES, ALL BICYCLES 'CAUSE STATE LAW WON'T LET US DISTINGUISH TO USE OUR ROAD SYSTEM.
I I, I WOULDN'T BE IN FAVOR OF SOME TYPE OF CARVE OUT FOR CHILDREN WITH THE PRESENT WITH A GUARDIAN, LEGAL GUARDIAN OR PARENT SO THAT YOU COULD TAKE YOUR KID BECAUSE THE GUY MAKING FIVE LOOPS AND ONE, YOU KNOW, HOUR AND A HALF, TWO HOUR PERIOD GOING 20 MILES AN HOUR.
THAT'S, THAT'S VERY DIFFERENT FROM A DAD AND A 6-YEAR-OLD AND AN 8-YEAR-OLD GOING, YOU KNOW, FIVE MILES AN HOUR.
'CAUSE THE DAD'S NOT GONNA LEAVE THE KIDS.
[00:40:01]
RIGHT.SO I'M IN FAVOR OF A CARVE OUT FOR AN OR AN ALLOWANCE FOR, YOU KNOW, LEGAL PARENT OR GUARDIAN WITH THE, WITH HER CHILDREN.
UH, AND I'M, I'M EVEN IN FAVOR OF AN ALLOWANCE FOR A KID BIKING TO SCHOOL BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT THAT, JUST NOT THAT MUCH TRAFFIC, YOU KNOW, AT THE TIME.
AND I, AND I WOULD ALSO, I'D LIKE TO ACTUALLY PROPOSE THAT GIVEN THE COLLABORATION THAT EXISTS BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THAT WE ACTUALLY SENT A REQUEST TO THE SCHOOL BOARD TO ENACT AN ORDINANCE PROHIBITING E-BIKES FROM ANY, ANY CAMPUS.
UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, KEVIN'S 13-YEAR-OLD SON BIKING, YOU KNOW, THROUGH A PARK ON A REGULAR REAL LIFE BICYCLE IS NOT WHAT, EVEN IF I'M WALKING CRICKET OUT AT THAT TIME, THAT'S NOT THE PROBLEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE A PROBLEM AND JUST TRUST OUR OFFICERS THAT IF THEY SEE A 12-YEAR-OLD KID ON THE BIKE AT, YOU KNOW, 7 45 IN THE MORNING, HE'S PROBABLY ON HIS WAY TO SCHOOL.
YOU KNOW, AND LET, LET OUR PEACE OFFICERS USE THEIR BEST JUDGMENT.
AND THAT, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I ARRIVED, MARK.
UM, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORT TO TRY TO MAKE THINGS SAFER DUE TO THESE EBI BIKES.
UM, BUT CLASSIFYING OTHER TYPES OF BIKES, UM, AND LUMPING THEM ALL TOGETHER JUST BECAUSE AUSTIN HASN'T GOTTEN THEIR ACT TOGETHER.
UM, I, I, I DON'T THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
PERSONALLY, I LIKE TO RIDE ON THE TRAILS.
YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO GO AROUND ANDY BROWN ALL THE WAY TO THE VERY END, COME BACK, GO DOWN THE CAMPION TRAILS ALL THE WAY TO THE END, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, YOU GOT
AND YEAH, DO DO 30 MILES, BUT I DON'T LIKE TO DO IT ON THE ROAD.
I MEAN, I'M DIFFERENT FROM BOB.
I'M NOT A SPEED RACER, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING MAYBE 15 MILES AN HOUR AND IT'S USUALLY AT SIX IN THE MORNING BEFORE ANYBODY'S OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, AND THERE MAY BE ONE OR TWO PEOPLE.
SO I, I THINK NOT ALLOWING PEOPLE TO HAVE THAT RIGHT TO UTILIZE THE, UM, THE PARKS IS, IS UNFAIR.
UM, I THINK WE JUST NEED TO WAIT A LITTLE BIT LONGER 'CAUSE I, WE AREN'T THE ONLY CITY THAT'S ENCOUNTERING THIS ISSUE.
AND I, I FEEL THAT OUR LEGISLATURE WILL DO SOMETHING TO, TO RECLASSIFY THOSE E-BIKES.
I'M NOT SURE THEY'LL GET TO AN ANSWER ON IT, I THINK BECAUSE IT'S PRIORITY.
WELL, BUT THEY'LL CONSIDER IT.
I STILL BELIEVE IN THESE EASTER BUNNY
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, UH, KEVIN.
UM, IS THERE ANY ABILITY TO ADD AND ENFORCE A SPEED LIMIT WITHIN THE PARK SO THAT WAY WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT USING THE TYPE OF BIKE, RIGHT? BUT WE'RE JUST ENFORCING THE SPEED, SO THAT WAY IF ANYONE IS ON E-BIKE THAT'S GOING FASTER, OR IF THEY ARE ON A REGULAR BIKE THAT'S GOING FASTER, WE CAN GIVE THE POLICE THE TOOLS TO SLOW THEM DOWN.
YES, YOU MAY REGULATE THE SPEED ON SIDEWALK OR TRAIL SYSTEM.
I'LL TELL YOU, I WOULD BE MUCH MORE IN FAVOR OF DOING, GOING THAT ROUTE AND GIVING THE POLICE THE ABILITY TO ENFORCE THAT.
UM, AND ALSO I'M IN FAVOR OF PROTECTING OUR, THE GREEN SPACES AS WELL THAT WAS DISCUSSED.
UM, SO I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THE INVESTMENT ON THAT.
BUT, UM, YEAH, I, I, THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE EARLIER ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A DAD ISN'T GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, LEAVING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE KIDS TO DO LIKE, YOU KNOW, EIGHT LAPS REAL FAST WHILE THE KIDS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LAKE.
SO, UM, I WOULD, I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF TRYING TO GO THAT ROUTE VERSUS TRYING TO LIMIT THE TYPE OF BIKE.
AND I'LL LET CHIEF RESPOND TO THE ENFORCEMENT.
I MEAN, I CAN WRITE ALL KINDS OF ORDINANCES, BUT I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ENFORCING THEM.
SO I, I WANT THE CHIEF, BECAUSE HE AND I TALKED ABOUT THAT.
SO THERE, THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES ON SPEED LIMITS AT, AT THOSE SPEED LIMITS.
SO FORCING, UH, SPEED OUT IN THE PARK IS WE CAN DO IT.
UM, WE WOULD HAVE TO DEDICATE AN OFFICER OUT THERE WITH A RADAR GUN.
UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW OUR OFFICERS ALREADY DEPLOYED TO THE, TO THE, UH, PARKS.
OUR BIKE OFFICERS DURING REGULAR DUTY WILL RUN, RUN THROUGH THOSE PARKS.
UM, I DON'T HAVE RADAR GUNS FOR THOSE TYPES OF BIKES, UM, BECAUSE WE'D HAVE TO BUY, WELL, WE JUST HAVE TO BUY DIFFERENT RADARS, BUT I DON'T, IT, IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO BE VERY EFFECTIVE
[00:45:01]
IN KEEPING THOSE SPEEDS DOWN UNLESS WE JUST PARKED OFFICERS OUT THERE AROUND THE CLOCK.UM, MY, MY QUESTION TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT WOULD BE IF, IF, UH, WHILE UNDERSTANDING THAT, THAT IT CAN BE DIFFICULT, UM, NUMBER ONE, IT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT MIGHT THAT LOOK LIKE? AND THEN, YOU KNOW, FOR ENFORCEMENT, YOU KNOW, TO GET THE RADAR AND STUFF THAT YOU MIGHT NEED THAT'S BICYCLE MANAGE IS REQUIRED.
AND THEN NUMBER TWO, I, I DEFINITELY THINK THAT JUST HAVING RULES IN PLACE AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THOSE RULES ARE, ARE THERE AS NUMBER ONE A DETERRENT, AND THEN NUMBER TWO ARE ENFORCEABLE.
AND I THINK THAT THAT COULD HELP PUT SOME MORE REGULATION AROUND WHAT WE ALLOW OUT THERE.
SO I WOULD, I, I MEAN, I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO EMPLOY THAT AS A TOOL AND THEN WORKING TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT LEVEL OF ENFORCEMENT THAT WE CAN DO, UH, TOWARDS THAT.
BUT, UH, JUST KIND OF MY THOUGHTS ON IT.
BUT I, I WANT TO MAINTAIN THAT, THAT THAT FAMILY ATMOSPHERE OF THE PARK AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WITH UNDERSTANDING, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH UNDERSTANDING THAT, UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO CATCH EVERYONE TOTALLY GET THAT.
BUT I THINK IF I POSTED SPEED LIMIT OUT THERE, I THINK THAT WOULD HELP DETER.
I'M GONNA THROW MY TWO BITS IN AND THEN WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON.
'CAUSE WE'VE GOT TWO MORE ITEMS TO GO THROUGH TONIGHT.
UM, I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED WHEN I HEARD THE 26 INCH WHEEL SIZE.
UM, NO, THAT, THAT'S MEASURED FROM TOP TWO TO THE GROUND.
WHAT'S THAT? TOP TWO TO THE GROUND, TOP OF THE HEAD TO THE GROUND? OH, THERE ARE 26 INCH WHEELS.
YES, THERE ARE 29 INCH WHEELS.
AND THEN THERE'S 700 MILLIMETER WHEELS AND SIX MILLIMETER WHEELS, BUT THAT'S ON A ROAD BIKE AS A 700 CC.
SO ANYWAY, THE SIZES ARE FAIRLY LARGE.
THE SPEEDS ARE GONNA BE POSSIBLE WHEN YOU GET BELOW THAT.
UM, THE OTHER THING I'VE NOTICED IS A LOT OF THE E-BIKES HAVE SMALLER TIRES THAN, THAN THE ROAD BIKES.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE COULD SET UP A, A, A RULE LIKE SIX 50 OR WHATEVER THE NUMBER IS, AND THE E-BIKES WILL PROBABLY BE SMALLER THAN THAT.
MY BIGGEST THING THAT I LIKED HEARING THOUGH, WAS THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO REGULATE 'EM ON UNAPPROVED SERVICES.
I WAS AT A SUNSET SOCIAL DOWN IN OLD TOWN, AND THERE WERE THREE OR FOUR KIDS RIDING THEIR BICYCLES OUT AROUND THE PEOPLE.
AND THE, THE PEOPLE THAT WERE WATCHING THE SHOW WERE GETTING VISIBLY ANNOYED AT THE KIDS JUST RUNNING AROUND IT.
AND, UM, OUR POLICE OFFICERS PULLED 'EM ASIDE AND, UH, ACTUALLY GOT INTO A NICE LITTLE ARGUMENT WITH THE PARENTS ON THAT ONE.
SO, UH, ANYTHING THAT WE COULD DO TO, TO LIMIT THAT TYPE OF OFF ROAD OR OFF TRAIL, THIS WOULD BE, UH, WELCOMED AS WELL.
UH, WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS, WHAT WE MAY DO IS GIVE YOU, UH, CAFETERIA CHOICES AND TRY TO WRITE SOMETHING TO ADDRESS THIS CONFLICT IN THE PARK.
BEFORE YOU, MAY I MAKE A SUGGESTION, SIR, BEFORE YOU DRAFT ANY TYPE OF ORDINANCE, WHY DON'T WE COME BACK WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE REFINED, UH, REVIEW AND, AND DO THIS AGAIN.
I, I THINK I'VE GOT SOME INPUT TO, TO GET A, A MORE FOCUSED, UH, LOOK AT THIS ISSUE WHENEVER Y'ALL ARE READY AND I'LL TAKE MY CUE FROM THE MANAGER WHEN TO BRING IT BACK TO YOU.
ITEM C IS DELIBERATION REGARDING THE IMPROVEMENTS OF COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND TOWN CENTER, MR. COLLINS.
UM, SO WHILE JAMIE'S WALKING UP, I WANT TO SHARE, SHARE A COUPLE OF QUICK THINGS.
SO A, WE WANTED TO GET THIS, UH, BACK IN FRONT OF COUNCIL, UM, BEFORE YOU SEE IT FOR CONTRACT APPROVAL.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO MENTION A COUPLE OF THINGS.
SO AS WE WORKED ON THE DESIGN FOR THE AUDIO VISUAL IN THE NEW SPACES, SO THE NEW COUNCIL CHAMBERS BACK HERE AND UPSTAIRS, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE CONTROL ROOM THAT RUNS THE AV FOR OUR CHANNEL REALLY NEEDED TO BE COMPLETELY REDONE.
SO THAT'S, YOU'RE GONNA SEE A SEPARATE CONTRACT FOR THAT COME FORWARD.
WE HAVEN'T REALLY TALKED ABOUT THAT.
IT'S REALLY KIND OF THE BEHIND THE SCENES STUFF.
IT'S A BUNCH OF EQUIPMENT, BUT IT'S TO, TO RUN, TO PROPERLY RUN WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE INSTALLING IN THESE SPACES FROM ONE CONTROL CENTER.
THAT BOOTH NEEDED TO BE REDONE.
IT HADN'T BEEN REDONE IN 15 YEARS.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THE VARIOUS STAGE OF, UM, OBSOLESCENCE THAT THAT SITS BACK THERE.
THE OTHER THING, UM, THAT I WANTED TO MENTION, AND THIS IS A NEW, IS A RELATED PROJECT, UM, BUT IT IS NEW AND JAMIE'S GONNA BE ASKING AT THE END OF HER PRESENTATION FEEDBACK ON THIS.
AND THAT IS, WHILE WE ARE REDOING THESE SPACES, YOU'LL RECALL WE DID THE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS OUT IN THE ATRIUM, UM, TO GO AHEAD AND ALSO ADDRESS THE FOUR RESTROOMS IN THE TOWN CENTER.
IT'S THE ONLY OTHER PUBLIC SPACE THAT HASN'T BEEN REDONE IN 15 YEARS.
UM, THERE ARE SOME MINOR A DA ISSUES WHICH COULD BE ADDRESSED OUTSIDE
[00:50:01]
OF A FULL REMODEL.UM, BUT TO, IF WE DID THAT PROJECT, UH, THE FOUR RESTROOMS AS PART OF THIS OVERALL KIND OF WORK AND EFFORT TO BRING THEM UP TO THE, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE MODERN MATERIALS, UM, LASTING MATERIALS, COMMERCIAL MATERIALS, SO WE WOULDN'T BE DEALING WITH THEM.
UH, WE, WE DEAL WITH THOSE RESTROOMS ON A REGULAR BASIS 'CAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE FIXTURES, THE INSULATION, THE H THE HVAC IN THE WINTERS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE FREEZING.
SO WE INSTALL THESE SPACE HEATERS IN THE SUMMERS, THEY'RE WARM.
SO, UM, THAT'S MORE OF A REQUEST.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT COUNSEL'S INTERESTED IN PURSUING? WE ESTIMATE IT'S 75 TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS PER RESTROOM, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THREE TO $400,000 TO DO ALL FOUR.
SO JUST WANT TO INTRODUCE THAT.
YOU HAVEN'T HEARD THAT, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT JAMIE'S GONNA SHOW YOU WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK YET.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JAMIE.
UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, JUST FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, I'M JAMIE BARTON.
I'M THE CAPITAL PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATOR AND I GET THIS STARTED.
UM, SO THIS IS THE, UH, RENDERING THAT WE'VE COME UP WITH TO SHOW KIND OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON.
UM, AS YOU MAY RECALL FROM THE 2025 KICKOFF MEETING, THE GOALS THAT WE HAD OUTLINED WERE WITHIN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
WE WANTED TO MODERNIZE THE TECHNOLOGY, CREATE LIGHTING ENHANCEMENTS FOR THE PUBLIC BROADCASTING PORTION, IMPROVE SEATING FOR THE PATRONS, INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY FOR A DA, AND THEN APPLY MUTUAL FINISHES FOR A TIMELESS APPEAL.
AND THEN THIS SPACE THAT WE'RE IN, WE'RE CALLING THE SECTION CONFERENCE SPACE.
UM, WE WANTED TO REORGANIZE THE SPACE FOR BETTER SPACE UTILIZATION, EXPAND THE SPACE FOR ENHANCED PRESENTATIONS, AND CONNECT THE CHAMBERS FOR EASE OF USE.
AND SO THIS IS, UH, BASICALLY THE RENDERING AS A RESULT OF WHAT THE COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH FOR ALMOST A YEAR, I THINK, ON, UM, FOR FINALIZING THIS PART OF THE DESIGN.
AND SO THIS IS THE, UH, COUNCIL CHAMBER'S REMODEL SECTION OF THE FLOOR PLAN.
AND THIS IS THE PLAN THAT BKV ARCHITECTS USE TO ADDRESS THE PROJECT GOALS.
BASIC GIST OF IT IS WE'RE ROTATING THE, UH, COUNCIL CHAMBERS COUNTERCLOCKWISE.
THIS WILL HOPEFULLY ADD SOME BALANCE AND INCREASE THE SEATING SPACE.
UM, THE BALANCE RIGHT NOW IS THAT WHEN YOU WALK IN, IT'S KIND OF A TEARDROP SHAPE, SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN AWKWARD, UH, SPACE, WHICH IS WHY THERE'S STEPS AND RAMPS AND THINGS ALL OVER IT.
SO BY ROTATING IT KIND COUNTERCLOCKWISE, IT CREATED THAT BALANCE.
UM, THE AUDIENCE FLOOR ELEVATION WILL BE RAISED, SO KIND OF SIMILAR TO THE ART CENTER.
IT'LL CREATE A GENERAL SLIP FLOOR RATHER THAN STEPS.
UM, THE SESSION CONFERENCE SPACE, THE PRESENTATION SPACE IS MOVED FROM WHERE I'M AT BEHIND YOU TO UP FRONT.
AND SO THE, THE SPACE WE'RE USING THERE IS BEING CREATED BY REORGANIZING THE, THE KITCHEN SPACE AND THE HALLWAY TO CREATE MORE OF A HOSPITALITY AREA.
UM, AND THAT CREATES THAT EXTRA FIVE OR SIX FEET THERE UP FRONT.
SO WE CAN MOVE THIS, THIS PODIUM SPACE UP TO THE FRONT OF THE ROOM.
SO WHEN YOU'RE NOT HAVING TO LOOK BACK AND FORTH LIKE YOU ARE NOW BEHIND YOU TO, TO LOOK AT THE PRESENTER, THIS IS A THEME THAT WAS SELECTED BY THE COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE.
UM, THIS WAS CREATED TO, UH, OR THEIR INTENTION WAS TO CREATE A MORE INVITING NATURAL ENVIRONMENT WITH MATERIALS THAT WERE LOST.
AND THESE ARE THE FINISHES BASED ON THAT THEME.
THEY WERE SELECTED ALSO BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE BASED ON THE OPTIONS PRESENTED BY THE ARCHITECT.
AND THEY ARE, UH, INCLUDE ALSO THE SEATING THAT YOU GUYS ALSO LOOKED AT FOR FIXED SEATING.
AND THEN THE, UH, THE COUNCIL SEATING WOULD APPLY TO THIS ROOM.
AND THEN THE COUNCIL DIOCESE AS WELL.
THE PROJECT IS CURRENTLY BIDDING THAT THE, UH, BID OPENING IS SCHEDULED FOR THE END OF THIS MONTH.
BASED ON THE OUTCOME OF THE BIDDING, WE'RE EXPECTING TO BRING FORWARD A CONTRACT FOR APPROVAL DURING THE OCTOBER 13TH COUNCIL MEETING.
IT'S ANTICIPATED THE CONSTRUCTION SHORT START SHORTLY AFTER AND THEN CONTINUE THROUGH THE WINTER WITH THE GOAL OF FINISHING BEFORE FEBRUARY, 2027.
THIS IS JUST THE GOAL, HOWEVER, BECAUSE SOME OF THE DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CONTRACT REWARD, WE HAVEN'T AWARDED YET, SO WE'RE JUST MAKING ASSUMPTIONS ON WHAT WE FEEL THAT WE CAN DO.
UM, BUT IF THERE'S ANY UPDATES THAT WE'LL BE HAPPENING, WE WOULD BE COMMUNICATING THOSE WITH YOU.
[00:55:01]
TOUCHED ON THIS EARLIER WITH THE AV SCOPE EXPANSION AND, AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS WE'RE, WE'RE DOING THAT AWARD TO COUNCIL DURING THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING IN SEPTEMBER.AND THEN THE GENERAL, UH, THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR PRE-BED, WE, I ACTUALLY TODAY AT TWO O'CLOCK AND IT WAS IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND IT WAS PACKED.
THERE WERE FOUR PAGES OF CONTRACTORS THAT SHOWED UP.
SO WE HAD A REALLY, REALLY GREAT TURNOUT.
AND SO WE WENT THROUGH A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS AND NO ONE SEEMED TO HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THE SCHEDULE DURATION OR ANY OF THOSE THINGS.
SO IT WAS REALLY, REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK AND JUST TECHNICAL QUESTIONS, WHICH WE'VE BEEN LOOKING THROUGH AND GETTING SOME OF THOSE THINGS ANSWERED.
SO WE'RE ON PAR TO STAY ON, UH, SCHEDULE.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE BID OPENING AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
AND THEN, AS KENT HAD TOUCHED ON EARLIER, THESE WERE THE RESTROOM FINISHES.
THESE ARE THE ONES, IF YOU RECALL FROM WHEN DOING OUR, UM, OUR OPEN HOUSE AT THE SERVICE CENTER.
SO THESE ARE EXAMPLE, UM, THE JUSTICE CENTER'S KIND OF GETTING THEIRS WRAPPED UP.
THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR IN STYLE, UM, MODERNIZING THE PUBLIC FACING RESTROOMS. AND SO THAT'S KIND OF AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING FORWARD TO IF WE WERE DIRECTED TO PROCEED WITH EXPLORING THOSE OPTIONS AS WELL TO INCLUDE THOSE IN THE, IN THE PROJECT SO THAT MS. KENT MENTIONED THE TWO DOWNSTAIRS AND TWO UPSTAIRS RESTROOMS. SO I'LL JUST LOOK TO YOU GUYS TO SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I'LL BE HAPPY ANY OF THE STAFF.
SO WITH RESPECT TO THE HEATING AND COOLING PROBLEMS IN THE BATHROOMS, IF THE, HOW ARE WE GONNA ADDRESS THAT? THOSE WOULD BE ADDRESSED FOR THAT PROJECT.
SO WE, WE JUST SAW THE TOPICAL RIGHT.
REDESIGN, RIGHT, BUT ALSO, YEAH, ALSO THE, THE ACTUAL WATER HEATING PROBLEM AND THEN THE ACTUAL HEATING OF THE AIR PROBLEM.
SO I KNOW THERE'S TWO ISSUES IN THERE THAT, THAT WOULD NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
UM, HOW MANY SEATS WILL BE THERE IN THIS FOR THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS? THE COUNCIL? OKAY, SO LEMME GO BACK.
SO THE EXISTING WAS 98 AND THEN THE HAVE 109 NOW, SO IT INCREASED SEATING.
SO SAY THAT AGAIN, I DIDN'T OH, UH, ON THAT SLIDE IT HAS 98 FOR EXISTING AND THEN, AND 109 IS THE NEWS, SO IT DOES INCREASE AUDIENCE SEATING AS WELL.
AND THE DYES, ARE THESE ELEVATED FROM THE FLOOR OR IS IT ON THE SAME LEVEL AS THE FLOOR? THE, THE SPEAKER WILL LOOK, YOU, LET ME SEE, I THINK I PUT A SECTION IN HERE BEHIND THE END OF THE 12 INCHES.
IT, UM, IT IS THE ELEVATION THAT WHEN THE SPEAKER IS STANDING AND YOU ARE SEATED, YOU WILL BE EYE TO EYE WITH OTHERS.
SO IT'S RAISING THE FINISHED FLOOR OF WHERE THE SPEAKER, THE PRESENTER IS STANDING.
SO NOW YOU WOULD BE EYE TO EYE WITH THE PRESENTER MM-HMM
INSTEAD OF LOOKING RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE LOOKING UP AT YOU OR YOU'RE LOOKING DOWN AT THEM.
DO WE HAVE AN ESTIMATE COST? YES.
SO THIS, THIS PORTION THAT WE ARE, WE WOULD BE AWARDING ON 10 13 WOULD BE, UH, CLOSE TO 2 MILLION.
AND THEN YOU'LL SEE THE AV IS A SEPARATE COST, THE TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE.
AND SO IF YOU HAVE TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS, SHARE IN CASE YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THAT.
UH, JAMIE, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, WHEN WE HAVE, UH, A RESIDENTS ATTENDING, UM, I, I SAW MOCKUP PICTURES OF THE KIND OF SEAT, WILL THEY HAVE THOSE FOLDING TABLES AND NO.
WILL THERE BE ANY, UH, POSSIBILITY FOR CONNECTION TO, UM, LIKE A LAPTOP CHARGER? NO.
SIMILAR TO THE, SIMILAR TO THE LAYOUT THAT THE ARTS CENTER HAS.
BRIANNA, UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'M EXCITED TO SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD.
UM, WHAT'S THE, SO IT COULD BE AROUND OCTOBER.
HOW LONG WILL IT BE FROM START TO FINISH, DO WE THINK? SO WE, PART OF THE BIDDING IS THAT WE ARE WAITING THEM BY DOLLAR AMOUNT, NUMBER OF DAYS, AND THEN EXPERIENCE SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF MAKE SURE WE HAVE QUALITY CONTROL ON THE CONTRACTOR.
SO IT'S NOT JUST A LITTLE BID, WE'RE DOING BEST VALUE.
UM, SO THAT OPENS END OF SEPTEMBER, BUT WHAT WE'VE OUTLINED TODAY WITH SOME OF THE QUESTIONS WERE, YOU KNOW, CAN WE WORK EVENINGS? WE WORK AFTER HOURS.
AND SO SINCE WE'LL HAVE THIS ENTIRE AREA SECTIONED OFF WHERE THE, THE COUNCIL MEETING WILL BE MOVED OUT, UM, THAT OUR GOAL WAS TO HAVE YOU GUYS BACK IN FOR YOUR FIRST MEETING IN FEBRUARY.
AND THEN I ACTUALLY HAVE JUST A RANDOM QUESTION.
I KNOW THAT, AND IT'S SMALL, BUT THE CHAIRS IN HERE ARE RELATIVELY NEW.
[01:00:01]
WE REPURPOSE THEM IN ANOTHER FACILITY? OKAY.PUBLIC WORKS IS VOLUNTEER TO TAKE THEM.
I'M LIKE, THESE ARE ACTUALLY, THEY'RE NICE.
AS A PUBLIC WORKS TO STEP UP AND SAY
UM, I, I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE EYE LINE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I HEARD YOU TALK ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE, FOR A DA PURPOSES, WE'RE GONNA RAISE THE FLOOR AND THE, THE SPEAKER AT THE PODIUM THAT'S ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL WILL BE EYE LEVEL.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY, UM, WHAT ARE THE THOUGHTS ABOUT THE STADIUM SEATING, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE WAY IT IS NOW? UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IS REALLY GOOD EYE LINES FOR EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO SEE REALLY WELL, UM, WHAT ARE, WHAT WOULD THE EYE LINES LOOK LIKE, UH, WITH THIS NEW DESIGN? SO IT'S STILL SLOPED.
IT'S JUST NOT SLOPED AS GREAT AND, YOU KNOW, SO NOW IT'S STILL JUST A GRADUAL SLOPE.
SO IT WILL STILL HAVE GOOD SPIKE LINE OF SIGHT.
IT JUST WON'T BE REQUIRING STEPS.
IT IS, IT WAS KIND OF HARD TO SEE IN THE RENDERING, SO I, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
AND I ACTUALLY HAVE THE, IF ANYBODY NEEDS TO SEE THE ACTUAL DRAWING SET, WE CAN SHARE THOSE OUT.
BUT I HAVE THE ACTUAL FULL DRAWING SET TOO, IF WE NEED TO CAN SEE THOSE.
I HAVE ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
I BELIEVE, UH, BI YOU ASKED ABOUT THE CAPACITY OF THE, THE, THE, THE CHAMBERS.
UM, AND I APOLOGIZE, I I COMPLETELY MISSED THAT.
WAS THAT, UH, A GREATER CAPACITY SAVING LOWER CAPACITY.
SO IT GOES FROM 98 TO 1 0 9? YES, SIR.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
SO I KNOW A LOT OF THE REDESIGN HAS BEEN TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE A DA COMPLIANT, BUT THE WAY THAT THE RENDERING PRESENTS IT, THE PODIUM WOULD NOT ALLOW SOMEONE IN THAT WAS IN A WHEELCHAIR TO ACCESS THE MICROPHONE.
COULD WE HAVE LIKE A SIDE, IT'S A CUSTOM PODIUM, UM, THAT WE WERE, WE WERE MODELING AFTER, UM, THE GOVERNOR BECAUSE HE HAS A PODIUM THAT GOES UP AND DOWN.
SO WHEN HE HAS SOMEBODY SPEAK AND THEN HE COMES UP, IT JUST LOWERS.
SO IT'S NOT A DIFFERENT PODIUM OR THERE'S NOT A SIMILAR AREA, SO, OH, SO THAT, THAT'S A PODIUM WE WOULD BE USING.
THAT'S WHAT WE WERE WORKING ON.
AND, AND SO JOSH AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY PIECE OF THAT.
LIKE ALL THE TECHNOLOGY NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO MOVE UP AND DOWN WITH THE ACTUAL, YOU KNOW, THE MILLWORK.
SO IT'S, IT IS A CUSTOM, IT'LL BE A CUSTOM PIECE, BUT THE WOOD WILL MATCH THE DICE AND EVERYTHING WILL MATCH.
SO THAT WAS THE INTENTION OF THAT.
IT IS STILL JUST ONE UNIT, BUT THAT IT WILL GO UP AND DOWN, NOT SOME ORDER A VERY, UH, OKAY.
AS LONG AS, I MEAN, TO GO TO ALL THIS TROUBLE TO BE ACCOMMODATED, I WANNA MAKE SURE WE FOLLOW THROUGH ALL THE, THAT.
UH, JAMIE, UH, MEETING SPACES ARE ALWAYS IN DEMAND.
IS THERE ANY PLAN FOR US TO MAKE THIS A MULTIPURPOSE, UH, USE OR WOULD ONLY BE USED FOR PNZ AND, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS? RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST CITY COUNCIL
UM, WHEN THE, WHEN WAS THE SUBCOMMITTEE SELECTED? OH, GOSH, WE, WELL, WE STARTED THE WARD 12 NINE, SO I MADE NOTES AND THEN, UM, WE DID, WE STARTED 12 NINE WITH THE SUBCOMMITTEE.
AND THEN MET US, MET A FEW TIMES SINCE THEN.
IN OUR LAST SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING WAS AT 6 9 26.
I MADE SOME NOTES ON WHEN WE HAD MET AND GONE THROUGH.
UM, AND THE LAST TIME WE DID THE BIG, THIS ROOM WORK SESSION WAS FEBRUARY, 2026.
SO HOW WAS THE SELECTION PROCESS? MAYBE I MISSED IT.
UM, I ASKED FOR VOLUNTEERS AND TOOK WHOEVER RAISED THEIR HAND.
AND YOU MAY NOT HAVE BEEN HERE THAT, THAT MEETING YEAH.
BECAUSE IT WAS YOU AND I AND, UM, JIM, JIM AND THE MAYOR AND I, AND I FELT LIKE IT WAS AROUND THE SAME TIME.
YOU ALSO DID SERVICE ORG SUBCOMMITTEE.
I JUST REMEMBER WE WERE, I ASKED FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MARK AND BRIANNA AND JIM VOLUNTEERED AND I SAT THROUGH A COUPLE OF 'EM.
I WASN'T A CONSISTENT ATTENDEE.
I, I'LL TALK ABOUT ON THE NEXT, UH, ITEM ABOUT THE SUBCOMMITTEES.
I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, BUT NOT THIS.
UM, ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR JAMIE? UM, FEEDBACK ON THE BATHROOMS,
[01:05:01]
THE RESTROOMS AND TOWN CENTER.YOU WHAT? I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO SPEND THE MONEY.
WOULD IT BE CHEAPER IF WE HAVE IT ALL DONE AT ONCE? IS THERE ANY ECONOMY OF SCALE? WE, WELL, HISTORICALLY IT IS CHEAPER.
WE COULD POTENTIALLY CHANGE ORDER THIS PROJECT WITH THE RESTROOMS AND TYPICALLY GET BETTER PRICING WITH SOMEBODY WHO'S ALREADY MOBILIZED, ALREADY HAS A PLUMBER.
I MEAN, THEN IF YOU DON'T DO IT, THINK THERE'S A COST OF NOT DOING IF WE BID IT OR REBOUND TO, TO DO IT.
SO WE CAN SEE, YEAH, I'D LIKE TO AT LEAST, I MEAN, I MEAN, IF WE'RE GONNA GET IT DONE, I'D ASSUME GET IT ALL DONE AT ONCE AND HAVE THE DISRUPTION ONCE AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY ECONOMY OF SCALE.
THAT, THAT WOULD JUST BE MY OWN QUESTION.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE DID ANY REMODEL TO OUR BATHROOMS? I THINK IT'S BEEN A WHILE.
THERE WAS EVEN BAD THINGS HAPPENING HAPPENING IN THIS BATHROOM THAT IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.
SO MEAN THESE ARE, SAY THESE ARE ONE OF THE ORIGINALS.
WHEN THE SERVICE CENTER'S DONE AND THE JUSTICE CENTER'S DONE, THESE WOULD PROBABLY BE THE WORST RESTROOMS IN THE CITY.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT BID AS WELL.
AND THEN WE CAN, ONCE WE LOOK AT IT, DECIDE, I, I'D LIKE TO SEE IT BID.
WE'RE, CAN WORK ON GETTING SOME FIRM PRICING AND BRING THAT BACK TO Y'ALL.
AND OUR BEST BET IS TO FIND OUT WHO THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR THAT GETS AWARDED IS AND WORK THROUGH THAT WITH THEM.
ANY OTHER DON? NO, I WAS JUST, OH, I'M, I'M OKAY TO MOVE FORWARD.
KEVIN AND I'M OKAY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE BATHROOMS. LOOKING AT THOSE, UM, QUESTION ABOUT THE, UH, THE FUNDING SOURCE OF THE, UM, OF THE REGISTER REMODEL.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT FOR THAT? WE ACTUALLY HAVE GENERAL FUND MONEY AVAILABLE THIS YEAR THAT WE COULD UTILIZE, UM, IF WE CAN GET IT OBLIGATED.
LIKE, UH, IN THE, THE CURRENT? YES.
LIKE THE, NOT THE, NOT WHAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT LATER TONIGHT.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, UH, KEN, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THE YEAR THAT WE MODIFIED THE BATHROOM? OKAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO SEE A COST SEPARATE FROM THE DICE IMPROVEMENT SO THAT WE CAN MAKE A DECISION SHOULD WE DO TOGETHER OR NOT.
SO ONCE WE HAVE THE COST, I KNOW YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THE BIDDING PROCESS SOON, SO WE'LL HAVE MORE NUMBERS ON THAT, THEN WE WILL KNOW ALSO LIKE TO KNOW THE SOURCES YOU MENTIONED GENERAL FUND, BUT, UM, MORE DETAILS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FOR KEN OR JAMIE? SO ARE YOU PROPOSING TO DELAY THE BIDDING, UH, OF THIS PROJECT SO YOU CAN GET THE BATHROOMS DESIGNED AND THEN ISSUE AN ADDENDUM TO GET THAT ALL INCLUDED INTO THE, UM, NOT DELAY BIDDING? WE WOULD, WE WOULD WORK IN PARALLEL.
SO WE WOULD GET IT ADDED TO THE PROJECT DURING THE PROJECT, RIGHT? YEAH.
WELL IT WOULD BE JUST, YOU WOULD BE NEGOTIATING WITH THE WITH THAT CONTRACT.
ITEM D IS, UH, DELIBERATION REGARDING THE NON-PAR BUILDING NAMING POLICY.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR OF COUNCIL.
UM, I AM PLEASED TO BE HERE TONIGHT, UM, TO POTENTIALLY CLOSE UP THE CONVERSATION AROUND THIS POLICY.
I KNOW WE HAVE BEEN, UH, THIS IS, UH, WILL BE THE SECOND TIME THAT WE'VE TALKED THROUGH THE, THE POLICY AS A WHOLE.
UM, I WAS BEFORE YOU IN FEBRUARY TO KIND OF JUST TALK ABOUT THE BONES AND HERE'S WHAT THIS STRUCTURE COULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, SINCE MY LAST BRIEFING IN MAY, UM, THE FEEDBACK AND I PRINTED OUT THE HARD COPIES JUST IN CASE Y'ALL DID NOT HAVE PASS ON THAT WAY, PASS ON YOUR SIDE.
UH, THESE ARE THE FOUR AREAS THAT I DID RECEIVE SOME FEEDBACK, UM, FROM THE COUNCIL ON AREAS THAT YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, AT LEAST A CONVERSATION AROUND SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAT THAN WHAT IS CURRENTLY IN
[01:10:01]
THE EXISTING, UM, PROPOSED POLICY.UM, AND SO THEY ARE, UM, THE MINIMUM THRESHOLD TO, UM, APPROVE BOTH THE NAMING OF A BUILDING AND THEN REVOCATION OF A NAME THAT HAS, OR A BUILDING THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN NAMED, UM, A CONVERSATION AROUND, UM, ELIGIBILITY AND ROOMS WITHIN A ELIGIBLE BUILDING.
UM, A CAP ON HOW MANY NAMINGS PER YEAR THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD CONSIDER AND THEN AMENDING THE DEFINITION OF COMMUNITY LEADER.
SO THOSE ARE THE FOUR AREAS THAT I HAVE HEARD FEEDBACK FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, FOR YOUR DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION TONIGHT.
UM, I'M OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS MIGHT HAVE.
UM, I MAY TOSS IT OVER TO DON TO FOR ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTARY OR CONVERSATION.
UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE ANYTHING ADDITION.
I MEAN, I HAVE OPINIONS ON ALL FOUR OF 'EM, I GUESS SOME STRONGER THAN OTHERS, BUT, UM, AND I, I THINK WE HAD COME TO CONSENSUS ON THE PARAMETERS AND SO THESE ARE JUST SOME ADDITIONAL TWEAKS.
UM, BUT I THINK WE CAN RUN THROUGH, UH, YOU WANT ME TO RUN THROUGH 'EM? SURE.
OR DO YOU, ARE YOU I I, I'M HAPPY TO DO IT IF, ARE YOU OKAY WITH ME JUST WALKING THROUGH THIS LIST? UH, YEAH, THAT, THAT'S THE WAY I WOULD.
ALRIGHT, SO IF WE COULD TALK ABOUT THE SUPER MAJORITY, SO I USE THAT WORD LOOSELY IN THE POLICY AND THE CONVERSATION THAT WE INITIALLY HAD WAS REQUIRING MORE THAN JUST A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF FOUR FOUR OF YOU.
AND SO I USED A LOOSE PHRASE OF SUPER MAJORITY.
I DID SPECIFY IN THE POLICY, 'CAUSE WE DID TALK ABOUT HAVING A MINIMUM OF FIVE OF SEVEN.
AND SO THE PROPOSAL, I DID GET FEEDBACK FROM A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WANTED TO CONSIDER REQUIRING WHAT WE DEFINE FROM A PLANNING PERSPECTIVE AS THE SUPER MAJORITY OF SIX OF SEVEN.
SO I WILL, THAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE THAT IS, UH, PROPOSED FOR BOTH THE APPROVAL TO ACTUALLY NAME A BUILDING AS WELL AS TO REVOKE A NAME ON A BUILDING YOU'VE ALREADY APPROVED
UH, THANK YOU TRACY FOR BRINGING THIS BACK.
I WAS ABSENT ON MAY, UH, SESSIONS, SO THANK YOU.
APPRECIATE YOUR BRINGING BACK.
BEFORE WE GO THROUGH THESE ITEMS, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THREE COMMENTS ON THIS PROPOSAL.
UM, I DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH BOB ON THIS.
WE ARE NAMING THE PARKS THROUGH AN ORDINANCE.
I THINK WE SHOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE NAMING THE PARK AND NAMING THE BUILDING AS ORDINANCE.
AND BOB SAID IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL TO CONVERT THIS POLICY INTO ORDINANCE.
NUMBER TWO, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT HAD HER COMMITTEE APPOINTING WHO'S GOING TO BE WEARING THE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE GONNA BE SELECTING TO NAME AFTER.
AND THE THIRD IS THE ELIGIBILITY, UH, FOR A PERSON.
WE ALREADY HAVE A A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER, BUT I WANT TO GO MORE INTO DETAILS OF ELIGIBILITY ON THE PERSON WILL BE NAMING THE CRITERIA THAT WE NEED TO BE DISCUSSING.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S APPROPRIATE TIME NOW OR WAIT UNTIL ALL WE GO THROUGH THIS ITEMS. I'VE ADDED THOSE TO THE, I'VE ADDED THAT, THOSE THREE ITEMS TO OUR CONVERSATION.
THIS I THINK NOW IS APPROPRIATE.
IF WE'VE GOT TIME, WE'LL, WE'LL RUN THROUGH AS MANY AS WE CAN AND WE'LL COME BACK IF WE RUN OUT TIME, IF THAT WORKS.
SO REALLY THE FIRST ITEM UP FOR, UM, CONVERSATION FOR THE COUNSEL IS WOULD YOU LIKE TO STICK WITH THE 5 0 7 TO APPROVE THE NAMING AND REVOCATION REVOCATION, OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THAT THRESHOLD RAISED TO THE SIX OF SEVEN? UH, I WOULD LIKE SIX TO ONE.
SUPER MAJORITY MUST BE THAT I ALSO SIX SEVEN.
SO I'VE GOT SERIOUS ISSUE WITH SIX VOTE.
THAT'S THE, THAT BECOMES TYRANNY OF THE MINORITY AT THIS POINT.
UM, I MEAN, CLOTURE REQUIRES 60%, SUPER MAJORITY IS OFTEN IDENTIFIED AS TWO THIRDS.
AND EVEN CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS ONLY REQUIRES 75%.
AND WE'RE TALKING, I MEAN, EVEN FIVE OUTTA SEVENS ALMOST 75%.
SO I GUESS I FEEL LIKE SIX OUT OF SIX OVER ONE.
AND FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT, I BELIEVE FROM A ZONING OR P AND Z STANDPOINT, WE END UP DOING A SIX TO ONE VOTE ONLY WHEN WE ARE OVERTURNING
[01:15:01]
SOMETHING THAT ANOTHER BODY HAS ALREADY ESTABL, I MEAN, HAS ALREADY DECLARED.SO THAT MAYBE THAT DOES WARRANT MORE OF A, YOU KNOW, A HIGHER THRESHOLD, UH, WHEN WE'RE OVERTURNING SOMETHING.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS SITUATION IS.
I MEAN, OUR TAX RATE IS ONLY FIVE OUTTA SEVEN.
SO IT SEEMS TO ME THE SIX TO ONE AND THAT'S 60% BY THE WAY, WHAT THE THE FIVE OF SEVEN.
THE REQUIREMENT IS 60%, WHICH REQUIRES A FIVE SEVEN.
JUST TO GET OVER, JUST TO GET OVER THAT.
SO FOUR OUTTA SEVEN'S ALMOST 60% BY ITSELF.
SO I GUESS I FEEL LIKE SIX TO ONE, I CAN, I CAN SEE GOING MORE THAN JUST OUR NORMAL FOUR THREE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
BUT A SIX ONE I THINK IS AN AWFULLY, AWFULLY HIGH STANDARD.
UM, FOR, FOR THIS, FOR THIS SITUATION WHEN NOTHING ELSE THAT WE VOTE ON REQUIRES SIX TO ONE.
YOU WERE NEXT, BRIANNA? OH, DID I HAVE MY HAND UP? OH, I DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, TO ME THIS IS CAN BE VERY IMPORTANT TO SOMEONE WE'RE HONORING, BUT WE JUST HAVEN'T DONE IT THAT OFTEN.
SO THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA POP UP VERY OFTEN.
I'M CONTENT GOING TO FIVE TO TWO, UH, FOR REVOCATION AND APPROVAL.
I MEAN, TO ME IT'S KIND OF ONE OF THOSE THINGS.
YOU'LL KNOW IT WHEN YOU SEE IT IF IT'S THE RIGHT PERSON.
I DON'T THINK, YOU KNOW, AND TO ADDRESS SPECIES POINT, I I'M CONTENT, THE POLICY REQUIRES THAT THE PERSON HAS TO BE NOMINATED BY A SITTING COUNCIL PERSON.
SO I'M CONTENT THAT BEFORE ANY ONE OF US WOULD PUT OUR NAME BEHIND A NOMINEE OF, FOR THIS IMPORTANT, THAT WE WOULD BE VERY CAREFUL TO VET THEM.
AND I WOULD PRESUME THEY'D HAVE ENOUGH OF A CAREER IN THE PUBLIC EYE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY THAT THAT'D BE FAIRLY WELL VETTED OVER, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN 10 YEARS OF, OF SERVICE.
SO I, I'M FINE WITH FIVE TO TWO.
I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T KNOW KEVIN HAD OH, YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR HAND UP.
UM, YEAH, I WAS, AND NOW HE DOES.
I WAS, I GUESS I THOUGHT WE HAD HAD A PRETTY LENGTHY CONVERSATION AROUND THE FIVE TWO AND ANYTHING ELSE.
AND, UM, AS I, AS I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS, AND I THINK YOU BROUGHT IT UP, DON, WAS WHEN DO WE USE A SIX ONE? AND OTHER THAN, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IT IS WHEN THEY WERE OVERTURNING SOMETHING LIKE THAT, P AND Z HAS ALREADY REVIEWED.
UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT, AGAIN, WE'RE NOT GONNA ANYTHING TO JIM'S POINT, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE THIS OFTEN.
WE WERE PUTTING LIMITS ON LIKE, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THIS COME UP.
WE ONLY HAVE SO MANY BUILDINGS YOU CAN NAME.
AND THEN, UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE'VE WE'RE, WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS, WHOEVER'S BEEN BROUGHT UP IS SOMEONE THAT LIKE THE MAJORITY WOULD AGREE ON.
I, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO GO TO A A SIX ONE.
I GUESS I'M HAPPY WITH A FIVE TWO AND I FEEL LIKE IT WOULD'VE BEEN VETTED AND DISCUSSED.
AND, UM, IF SOMEONE HAS SERIOUS, UM, ISSUES WITH THE NAMING OF IT, RIGHT? LIKE LET'S TALK ABOUT IT AND HAVE CONSIDERATION ABOUT WHY YES OR NO.
I JUST, I JUST THINK I'M HAPPY WITH A FIVE TWO.
I WAS ALSO TRYING TO THINK ABOUT LIKE IF YOU MAYOR OR WHOEVER'S MAYOR, RIGHT? DEPENDING ON WHEN WE DO THIS, WHO WOULD BE, IF THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE A, A, A TIE BREAKER.
BUT, UM, I GUESS THAT WOULD ONLY HAPPEN IF IT WAS IF SOMEBODY DIDN'T SHOW UP, RIGHT? AND SO THEN YOU NEED SIX AND THEN YOU, THEN THE MAYOR WOULD HAVE TO COME INTO PLAY.
AND I DON'T KNOW, I JUST, WELL IF, IF IT WAS, IF IT WAS A TIE, IT WOULD FAIL.
EVEN WITH, EVEN WITH THE THE THREE THREE, EVEN WITH THE AIRBOAT, IT WOULD FAIL.
SO I DON'T THINK
I WAS TRYING TO THINK OF ALL THE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS AND I JUST DON'T, I, I JUST FEEL LIKE WE WOULD BE IN A GOOD PLACE JUST DOING FIVE TWO.
AND, AND BY THE WAY, WE HAVE CHANGED ORDINANCES ON MANY OCCASIONS WHEN IT'S NOT WORKING.
AND SO I WOULD THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT TIED TO.
AND IF WE NEEDED TO MAKE CHANGES BECAUSE WE FIND THAT IT'S NOT WORKING, WE COULD DO THAT.
UH, I HAD KEVIN AND THEN RAMESH, KEVIN, I THINK MAYOR.
UM, I AM, UH, I'M FINE WITH GOING WITH THE FIVE TO TWO THAT WE EVEN DISCUSSED.
UM, I'M SORRY, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, PLEASE.
UM, ON THE, I'VE BEEN TWO MISLEAD ME.
[01:20:01]
'CAUSE OOPS.KEVIN, YOU'RE CUTTING IN AND OUT.
IS HE UNSTABLE OR IS THAT CONNECTION? IS HE UNSTABLE?
WHILE WE WE'RE WAITING FOR HIM TO STABILIZE RAMESH.
UH, YOU KNOW, UH, AS I THINK ABOUT NAMING A BUILDING AFTER A RECORDING STOPPED, AFTER AN, UH, PROMINENT PERSON IN COPPEL, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE UNITY IN THAT DECISION, UH, RECORDING IN DRAMA TO ME.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT PERSON IS GOING TO REFLECT ALL OF COP.
IDEALLY IT SHOULD BE SOMEONE THAT IS SEVEN ZERO.
AND THEN FOR ME, UM, A SIX ONE IS A COMPROMISE.
SO I'M, I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT, UH, A SIX ONE WORD.
SO I'M GOING TO STICK WITH THAT MARK.
UM, SO THEN REPORTING IN PROGRESS, YOU MADE A POINT ABOUT, UM, OVERTURNING, UM, HAVING TO BE 6 0 1.
UM, IF YOU'RE DOING A REVOCATION, THAT'S GONNA BE IN ESSENCE OVERTURNING WHAT SOMEONE'S DONE IN THE PAST.
SHOULD THAT BE THE MARK? UH, THEN FOR REVOCATION SIX TO ONE OR FIVE TWO? I GUESS I HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT CARVING OUT THE REVOCATION, JUST THAT PIECE.
UM, UNDOING WHAT SOMEBODY HAS DONE PREVIOUSLY.
I MEAN, NOT TO MAKE THINGS MORE COMPLICATED, BUT YEAH, I GUESS THAT'S WHY I WAS, WOULD'VE STAYED WITH JUST THE, THE SAME STANDARD FROM BOTH.
'CAUSE IT IS A HIGHER STANDARD.
I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, SAYING THAT WE DON'T NEED, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT BAD TO HAVE THE HIGHER STANDARD.
UM, SO I GUESS I WOULD'VE SAID STILL FIVE TWO, BUT I HADN'T REALLY THOUGHT THROUGH THAT TO BE FAIR.
WHAT WAS YOUR THOUGHT? OH, RECORDING STOPPED.
I WAS WITH THE RECORDING IN PROGRESS.
SO CAN I ASK YOU A QUICK QUESTION? SORRY.
SO OVER OVERTURNING SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN DONE.
MAYBE THIS IS WHERE I AM GETTING CONFUSED, AND THIS MIGHT FIT IN LATER WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE CAP.
BUT LET'S JUST SAY WE DECIDE THAT WE'RE GOING TO NAME AND MAY, THIS IS WHERE I'M CONFUSED.
WE'RE GOING TO NAME, UM, TOWN CENTER, RIGHT? UM, AFTER CLAY PHILLIPS.
AND SO THEN THAT GETS PASSED FIVE, YOU KNOW, FIVE TWO OR SIX ONE OR WHEREVER WE LAND.
AND THEN KEN, WOULD IT TAKE TWO YEARS BASED ON THIS BEFORE THEY COULD, SOMEONE COULD COME BACK AND SAY, LET'S, WE DON'T WANT IT NAMED THE WAY IT IS CURRENTLY WRITTEN.
REVOCATION CAN HAPPEN AT YOUR DISCRETION AT ANY TIME.
SO AT ONE COUNCIL MEETING, WE DECIDE WE'RE NAMING IT CLAY PHILLIPS, AND THEN WE HAVE AN ELECTION, WE HAVE NEW PEOPLE AROUND THE TABLE AND THEY DECIDE WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE CALLED CLAY PHILLIPS.
SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO SAY THAT OUT LOUD.
I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK THROUGH THE, I'M TRYING TO THINK THROUGH THE MECHANICS OF THIS TO BE, TO BE FAIR, WE DON'T HAVE THIS ISSUE WITH THE PARKS THOUGH.
I MEAN, WE'RE NOT RIPPING ANDY'S NAME OFF THE PARKS.
WELL'S BE LIKE ANDY BROWN AND WE SEE HIM AT THE GYM.
SEE, I, I GUESS YOU STILL RELYING ON A REASONABLE COUNCIL BEING IN PLACE.
I WOULD SAY THE ONE DIFFERENCE, DON, IS UH, WE ARE A POLITICAL BODY, WHEREAS THE PARK NAMING, UM, THAT THAT SUBCOMMITTEE IS NOT POLITICAL.
SO THAT, MY CONCERN IS ANY DECISION WE MAKE CAN BE LOOKED UP FROM A POLITICAL ANGLE, BUT WE STILL HAVE SAY OVER THOSE.
I MEAN WE STILL APPROVE THOSE, RIGHT? YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD POINT THAT YOU BROUGHT IT UP.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A CONSISTENCY IN THE PART NAMING AS WELL AS NOT JUST THE BUILDING.
WE, I I READ FIRE STATIONS ROOMS IN THE BUILDING CAN BE ALSO NAMED AFTER PEOPLE.
SO THERE ARE VARIOUS THINGS HERE.
SO LIKE RAMESH SAID, WHO IS GOING TO BE NAMED WILL BE A PERSON ACCEPTABLE TO EVERY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
THAT'S WHAT I, I WOULD THINK, UH, ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA THAT I CONCERN IS THERE ARE MANY PEOPLES CAME ON THE NEWS RECENTLY.
THEIR NAMES WERE REVOKED BECAUSE WHAT THEY HAVE DONE IN THE PAST, UM, IN, IN THE NEWS MEDIA, NOT IN KAEL, I'M TALKING ABOUT GENERALLY SPEAKING AND BECAUSE
[01:25:01]
THE NEWSPAPER PEOPLE WENT AND DIGGED ON IT AND FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THOSE PERSONS AND THEY CAME BACK AND SAID, HEY, THIS IS THE PERSON THAT YOU VOTED TO NAME AFTER, AND HOW DO WE REMOVE THAT PERSON'S NAME WHEN WE COME UP WITH THE NEW FACTS? UM, SO THAT'S WHERE I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ELIGIBILITY OF A PERSON.UM, I MAYBE I'M JUMPING THE GUN HERE.
I, UH, BUT I LIKE TO SEE SIX TO ONE A SUPER MAJORITY TO NAME AFTER A PERSON FOR THE FIRE STATIONS, THE BUILDINGS AND THE ROOMS. ANYBODY HAVE ANY TRACE? SO I I I DON'T WANNA JUMP, I DON'T WANNA JUMP THE GUN ON YOUR CHAIR.
I I DID HEAR, I DID HEAR FOUR FOUR, UM, FOUR VOICES THAT WERE IN FAVOR OF THE FIVE TO TWO.
SO ROOMS WITHIN THE ELIGIBLE NON-PAR BUILDINGS.
SO THERE WAS A SUGGESTION THAT WE OPEN UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO NAME ROOMS IN THE BUILDINGS THAT ARE LISTED IN, UM, THE POLICY THAT WERE ELIGIBLE.
MY ONLY, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS SHOULD THE COUNCIL DESIRE TO OPEN UP ROOMS AS A POSSIBLE PLACE WHERE YOU COULD HONOR SOMEBODY, IS THAT THEY, UH, BE PUBLIC PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE.
SO THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE MEETING ROOM OVER AT THE LIBRARY, UM, THOSE ARE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE AREAS, UM, IN INDIVIDUAL OFFICES WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE.
SO WE COULDN'T MEMORIALIZE MIKE GLAND, THE MIKE GLAND, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
UM, THOSE WOULD BE, SO IF COUNSEL WANTED TO CONSIDER THAT, THOSE WOULD BE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE.
UM, MY QUESTION FOR YOU ALL IN THE DISCUSSION IS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO OPEN UP ROOMS AS AN ELIGIBLE AMENITY THAT COULD BE NAMED? I HAVE DON AND THEN RAMESH.
UH, I WAS, I DIDN'T COME UP WITH THIS ONE, BUT I, I, I WAS OKAY WITH THIS IDEA OF EXPANDING.
IT GIVES ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY IF WE DID THINK THERE WAS A CONFERENCE ROOM OR A MEETING ROOM OR SOMETHING THAT MIGHT WANT TO BE NAMED.
ONCE AGAIN, I, WE RELYING ON HAVING A REASONABLE COUNSEL IN PLACE THAT MAKES, YOU KNOW, HAS DISCERN DISCERNMENT WHEN THEY MAKE DECISIONS LIKE THIS.
SO I WOULD BE OKAY WITH OPENING THIS UP, BUT, OH, UP TO Y'ALL.
UM, WHEN THIS FIRST, WHEN THIS PROPOSAL FIRST CAME, I HAD ASKED YOU THE QUESTION, UH, IS IT, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO, UM, GET CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP TO, TO NAME THE, THE, THE INSIDE ROOMS MM-HMM
AND I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND YOUR ANSWER.
CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME WHY THAT'S NOT A POSSIBILITY? SURE.
SO THE CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS ARE ALL HANDLED, WOULD ALL BE HANDLED SEPARATE AND APART FROM THIS POLICY HERE.
SO THIS POLICY IS AROUND HONORARIUM AND RECOGNITION.
FOR THE CONTRIBUTION SPONSORSHIP WE WOULD CONSIDER WHOLLY SEPARATE AND APART.
SO, SO FOR THE NON-PAR BUILDINGS, THE COUNCIL AGREED THAT WE WILL NOT ENTERTAIN A CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SUBSET OF ROOMS WITHIN THE BUILDINGS.
YOU'RE SAYING THAT IS ALSO NOT GOING TO BE, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF THE COUNCIL DECIDED ON THAT.
UH, IS THERE ANY LEGAL REASON WHY WE DON'T DO THAT? TAXES? IT DEPENDS ON THE FACILITY.
SO IF THE FACILITY IS A BOND FUNDED, SO THAT WAS THE ISSUE THAT WE HAD OVER AT THE ART CENTER, RIGHT? AND SO WE WOULD JUST NEED TO BE VERY SPECIFIC AROUND WHICH FACILITIES COULD HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY OPENED UP IF WE WANT TO INCLUDE IT WITH THIS POLICY.
THIS POLICY SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDES, UM, SPONSORSHIPS.
AND SO THAT IS, THAT IS THE DRIVER BEHIND THAT RESPONSE FOR YOU ON, AND I'M NOT ELIGIBILITY, I'M NOT BEING ARGUMENTED TRACY, MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHEN WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION, UH, THE CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP WE RULED OUT FOR THE NON-PAR BUILDINGS AT THAT TIME WE WERE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE CONFERENCE ROOMS WITHIN A BUILDING.
IN MY OPINION, I THINK WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD TREAT THEM SEPARATELY.
IF WE CAN GET SOME MONEY FOR GENERAL FUND FROM GETTING CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP, WE SHOULD BE OPEN TO THAT.
NO, I'M, I GUESS I NEED CLARIFICATION 'CAUSE I DON'T, I DON'T, WE WEREN'T TALKING ABOUT SPONSORSHIPS.
SO FOR THE NON-PROFIT BUILDINGS, YOU ARE RIGHT, UH, THE FIRST TIME WE HAD A CONVERSATION, BUT IS IT, BUT YOU'RE SAYING IT'S RELATED TO THIS ROOMS WITHIN ROOMS WITHIN THE NON-BAR BUILDINGS WAS NOT SOMETHING WE DROPPED THE FIRST TIME AROUND.
I, SO THIS WAS INTRODUCED BY EMAIL, UH, MAYBE A MONTH AGO.
I GUESS I'M NOT CONNECTING IT WITH THE SPONSORSHIPS THOUGH.
[01:30:01]
I'M SAYING IS, UH, FOR A NON PARK BUILDING, I'M IN SUPPORT OF CITY COUNCIL, UH, INITIATING IT AND, AND NOT TYING IT TO, TO A MONETARY GAIN.WHEREAS, UH, FOR INDIVIDUAL ROOMS WITHIN A BUILDING, IF WE ARE GOING TO GO DOWN THE ROAD OF, UM, PUTTING A NAME ON IT, I'M SAYING LET'S BE OPEN TO THE IDEA OF LOOKING FOR CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP.
I MEAN, THAT'D BE A, THAT'S A COUNCIL THAT WOULD BE A SEPARATE DISCRETION.
SO A SEPARATE, WE WANT THAT OPEN THAT DOOR.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA FINISH THIS DISCUSSION TONIGHT.
SO WE HAVE BRIANNA AND THEN LET'S ROLL IT UP AFTER THAT.
I REMEMBER THIS BEING ABOUT BUILDINGS AND NOT ROOMS AND UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IN THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL THAT THERE'S EVER BEEN REQUESTS FOR BUILDINGS, BUT THAT DOESN'T SAY WE SHOULDN'T GO THERE.
I'M NOT READY TO GO INTO NAMING ROOMS. UM, I I I THINK WE SEE HOW BUILDINGS GO AND THEN, AND THEN, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE WE HAVE A SLATE OF PEOPLE, RIGHT, THAT ARE, WE'RE LIKE, WAIT, WAIT A MINUTE.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, YOU KNOW, UM, HAVE A PLACE FOR THEIR NAME AND THEN WE CAN RECONSIDER.
BUT I'M NOT CURRENTLY IN A PLACE THAT I WANNA BE NAMING ROOMS AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THOSE ROOMS ARE.
I KNOW IT IS PUBLIC, BUT I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE OVERALL AROUND ALL OUR DIFFERENT, UM, FACILITIES, WHETHER IT'S LIBRARIES OR TOWN CENTER OR, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A A, IF WE GO DOWN THAT ROUTE, I'D LIKE TO SEE LIKE A LIST OF ASSETS.
HOW MANY ROOM? ARE WE TALKING FIVE ROOMS OR ARE WE TALKING 20 ROOMS OR ARE WE TALKING A HUNDRED ROOMS? I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW.
SO I'M NOT READY TO DO ROOMS. RIGHT.
SO CAN YOU WRAP US UP SO THAT WE CAN COME BACK TO THIS AT A LATER DATE? YES, I WILL.
WELL, WE JUST HAVE TO KNOCK THESE TWO OUT THOUGH, RIGHT? IS THAT WHAT'S LEFT? UM, THE CAP ON THE NAMINGS AND, UH, WELL WE ACTUALLY HAVE FIVE THINGS LEFT.
SO I ADDED THE THREE THAT YES, OUR CONVERSATION ORDINANCE WITH THE LAST TWO.
SO WE WILL, I'LL BRING THESE BACK.
I HEARD DIRECTION ON, UM, SUPER MAJORITY.
WE'LL BRING EVERYTHING ELSE BACK TO YOU.
CAN WE TALK AFTER OUR MEETING? HUH? CAN WE TALK AFTER OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING? WE WE CAN COME BACK? NO.
I MEAN, WE POSTPONED IT LAST TIME, SO HOWEVER Y'ALL WANNA DO, IT'S FINE.
I JUST DIDN'T KNOW, BUT THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO EMERGENCY URGENCY.
UM, AND VIJU, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE ORDINANCE.
UH, WE WANNA BE CONSISTENT WITH THE PARK AND THE BUILDINGS.
WE ARE GONNA RECESS FROM WORK SESSION AND MOVE INTO THE REGULAR SESSION IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
[3. Invocation 7:30 p.m.]
THE TIME IS 7:36 PM AND WE'RE HERE FOR THE REGULAR SESSION OF THE ELL CITY COUNCIL.JUST AS A REMINDER, PERSONS WISHING TO SPEAK DURING THE CITIZEN'S APPEARANCE OR THE PUBLIC HEARINGS MUST ASSIGN THE APPROPRIATE REGISTER LOCATED OUTSIDE THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, ENLIST YOUR ADDRESS.
THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT EVENTS OR TWO DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
WE DO HAVE OUR, OUR CITIZEN'S APPEARANCE, WHICH ANYONE IS WELCOME TO SPEAK AT.
WE ALSO HAVE, UH, SEVERAL PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THE AGENDA ITEMS AND WE'LL GIVE YOU FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK RATHER THAN THE THREE MINUTES ON THE CITIZEN'S APPEARANCE.
I ONLY HAVE PEOPLE THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR THE CITIZEN'S APPEARANCE.
IF YOUR INTENT WAS TO SIGN UP FOR AN AGENDA ITEM, UH, LET ME KNOW WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, UH, FOR THE CITIZEN'S APPEARANCE.
SO, UH, TONIGHT WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE ORMAN ANDERSON OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS TO GIVE THE INVOCATION AND THEN WE WILL RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
UH, PLEASE PREPARE TO PRAY IN YOUR OWN FASHION.
GOD, OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THE FREEDOM TO PURSUE HAPPINESS AND TO WORSHIP YOU ACCORDING TO THE DICTATES OF OUR OWN CONSCIOUS.
THANK YOU FOR THE VIBRANT AND FRIENDLY COMMUNITY THAT WE LIVE IN.
THANK YOU FOR THE DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE MAY LEARN FROM AND RESPECT EACH OTHER.
WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THE EFFORTS OF FULL AND PART-TIME EMPLOYEES, VOLUNTEERS, AND ELECTED OFFICIALS TO ENSURE
[01:35:01]
COPPEL IS A SAFE AND SECURE PLACE TO LIVE AND EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN.WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR PARKS, TREES, TRAILS, AND COMMON SPACES THAT BRING US TOGETHER AND REMIND US OF THE BEAUTY AND TRUSTED TO OUR CARE.
WE PRAY TONIGHT FOR GUIDANCE FROM YOU AS WE COUNSEL TOGETHER ABOUT THE AFFAIRS OF THE CITY THAT WE MAY BE ACCOUNTABLE TO, THOSE WE REPRESENT, AND THAT WE MAY CONSIDER THE NEAR AND LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES OF THE DECISIONS MADE HERE.
WE PRAY THAT WE MAY LISTEN GENEROUSLY, SPEAK WITH RESPECT, SEEK UNDERSTANDING BEFORE JUDGMENT.
AND REMEMBER THAT THOSE WHO MAY DISAGREE WITH US ARE STILL OUR NEIGHBORS.
THESE THINGS WE PRAY IN JESUS' NAME.
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.
[5. Proclamations]
UH, FIVE ON THE AGENDA IS A PROCLAMATION, UH, PROCLAIMING THE MONTH, SEPTEMBER AS SENIOR CENTER MONTH.AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE, UH, DYLAN HERNANDEZ AND FRIENDS TO COME FORWARD.
SO IF YOU NOTICED, I HAD TO PUT MY READING GLASSES ON
WHEREAS OLDER AMERICANS ARE SIGNIFICANT MEMBERS OF OUR SOCIETY INVESTING THEIR WISDOM AND EXPERIENCE TO HELP ENRICH AND STRENGTHEN THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND WHEREAS THE COPPEL SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER HAS ACTED AS A CATALYST FOR MOBILIZING THE CREATIVITY, ENERGY, VITALITY, AND COMMITMENT OF THE OLDER RESIDENTS OF COPPEL.
AND WHEREAS THROUGH THE WIDE ARRAY OF SERVICES, PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES, THE COPPEL SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER EMPOWERS ADULTS 50 AND OVER OF COPPEL TO CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR OWN HEALTH AND WELLBEING.
AND WHEREAS THE COPPEL SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER WILL CONTINUE TO AFFIRM THE DIGNITY, SELF-WORTH, AND INDEPENDENCE OF ADULTS 50 AND OVER IN COPPEL BY HONORING THEIR EXPERIENCES, SKILLS, AND KNOWLEDGE AND ENABLING THEIR CONTINUED CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY.
NOW, THEREFORE, I MAYS MAYOR, THE CITY OF COPPEL, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER AS SENIOR CENTER MONTH IN THE CITY OF COPPEL.
AND I ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS TO RECOGNIZE THE SPECIAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE SENIOR CENTER MEMBERS AND THE SPECIAL EFFORTS OF THE STAFF WHO WORK EVERY DAY TO ENHANCE THE WELL BILL WELLBEING OF OLDER CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WITNESS THERE I HAVE SET MY HAND AND CAUSE A SEAL, A COPPEL TO BE AFFIXED THIS EIGHTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2026.
DID YOU HAVE A FEW WORDS TO SAY? YES, SIR.
UM, THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE.
SO, JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU GUYS A QUICK THEME.
YOU SEE SOME OF THE SHIRTS THAT ARE UP HERE.
UM, SO THE THEME IS ROCKING AROUND THE WORLD.
UH, SO WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR IS, UH, IT'S GONNA BE CELEBRATING OUR MULTICULTURAL MEMBERS AND MULTICULTURAL PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IN THE FACILITY.
UH, WE DO A MONTHLY POTLUCK WHERE TWO OF OUR LOVELY COUNCIL MEMBERS COME OUT OVER AND SHARE SOME INFORMATION WITH OUR SENIORS.
WE'RE ASKING ALL OF OUR SENIORS TO BRING A DISH FROM THEIR CULTURAL BACKGROUND.
UH, WE HAVE A FRENCH CANADIAN HISTORY, UH, SPEECH THAT MR. SHO'S GONNA BE GIVING AT THE CENTER.
UH, OUR SUPPER CLUB'S GONNA HAVE SOME CAJUN FOOD AND GET TO EXPERIENCE THAT.
AND THEN OUR GROUP EXERCISE CLASS ON SATURDAYS IS OUR LATIN BELLY FUSION.
SO ANYBODY INTERESTED IN DANCING WHO WANTS TO COME OUT? WE HAVE THAT ONCE A MONTH.
UM, BUT WITH IT BEING SENIOR CENTER MONTH, I WANT TO DO ONE THING
[01:40:01]
AND ACKNOWLEDGE A SPECIAL MEMBER OF OUR STAFF, MS. PAM WALKER.UM, SO THIS WILL BE HER LAST SENIOR CENTER MONTH WITH US.
SHE'S RETIRING AT THE BEGINNING OF 2027.
UM, SHE'S DEVOTED 16 PLUS YEARS TO OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE SENIORS OF COPPEL.
UH, SHE'S THE HEARTBEAT AND THE MAINSTAY OF THE SENIOR CENTER OVER THE LAST 16 YEARS.
SO WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE AND EVERYTHING YOU DO.
I DIDN'T ASK FOR ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT I SUSPECT COUNCIL MEMBER NEVILLES, WHO'S JOINING US REMOTELY, HAS A FEW WORDS TO SAY.
UH, WELL FIRST, UH, PAM, YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL.
I'M DEVASTATED TO HEAR THAT WELL OBSERVED.
UM, BUT JUST, UH, IT IS A REAL TREAT EVERY MONTH THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN KUMAR AND I COME OUT TO US TALKING WITH THE SENIORS AND LEARN ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AND, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST, IT'S AN, IT'S AN ABSOLUTE AMAZING AND SPECIAL PLACE FOR ALL OF YOU DO.
RIGHT? AND WE'RE TO CELEBRATING MORE WITH YOU.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THE, FOR THE KAPAL RESIDENTS, UH, WHO DON'T KNOW, UH, ABOUT THE KAPAL, UH, SENIOR CENTER, IT'S A FUN PLACE, ESPECIALLY THE ONCE A MONTH LUNCHEON THAT THEY HAVE.
UH, IT'S, IT'S A RIOT OUT THERE.
THEY, THEY KEEP YOU ON YOUR TOES.
UM, SO I HIGHLY, UH, RECOMMEND IF YOU'RE ABLE TO, UH, PLEASE JOIN THE SENIOR CENTER AND, AND DO SHOW UP.
AND THEN PAM, UH, WE WILL MISS, MISS YOUR SINGING VOICE
I, I HOPE YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND AND, AND CONTINUE TO, UH, BE PART OF THE THREE.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER HINOJOSA SMITH.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SENIORS AND I'M, I'M ONE TOO.
BUT, UM, WE HAVE A VERY EXCITING DYNAMIC, AMAZING CARING, LOVING GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT, UM, VISIT OUR SENIOR CENTER ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
Y'ALL ARE ALWAYS OUT THERE VOLUNTEERING, RAISING YOUR HANDS TO DO DIFFERENT THINGS, UM, WHETHER YOU'RE KNITTING OR SEWING OR, UM, PROVIDING OTHER, OTHER, UM, AMENITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WE REALLY, TRULY APPRECIATE HOW MUCH THAT EACH OF Y'ALL DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO BE ENGAGED.
THANK YOU TO OUR STAFF AND PAM PERSONALLY.
UM, I THINK I'VE BEEN HERE MOST OF THE TIME THAT YOU HAVE BEEN AT THE CITY AND I'VE SEEN YOU IN DIFFERENT ROLES AND CAPACITIES AND, UM, YOU HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB IN EACH OF THOSE ROLES AND ESPECIALLY AT THE SENIOR CENTER.
YOU ARE TRULY ARE, ARE THE HEARTBEAT OF THAT PLACE AND WE WILL MISS YOU.
BUT THIS IS A WELL-DESERVED RETIREMENT.
PLEASE KNOW THAT, UM, THIS IS ALWAYS YOUR HOME.
AND WE SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER NEVILLES AND PRIM KUMAR KEEP TELLING ME HOW MUCH I MISS OUT ON COMING TO LUNCH.
UNFORTUNATELY, WEDNESDAY IS MY GO TO WORK DAY THAT I ACTUALLY HAVE TO GO TO WORK
SO I, IF I, IF I, IF YOU SEE ME CUT IN, IT'S 'CAUSE I'M, I'M KIND OF LIKE CUTTING WORK SOME DAYS.
BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR PARTICIPATION AND WHAT YOU DO FOR THE CITY.
[6. Citizens’ Appearance]
SIX IS OUR CITIZEN'S APPEARANCE PERSON'S, UH, WISHING TO SPEAK MUST SIGN THE REGISTER AND LIST YOUR ADDRESS.PRESENTATIONS BY INDIVIDUALS SHALL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES EACH DURING WHICH TIME THE SPEAKERS MUST REMAIN AT THE PODIUM FACE FORWARD AND ADDRESS ONLY THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL PERSON SIGNED UP TO SPEAK WILL BE CALLED IN THE ORDER THAT THEY SIGNED UP.
IN ORDER TO, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN AN ORDERLY AND RESPECTFUL MEETING ENVIRONMENT AND TO CONDUCT THE PUBLIC MEETING, SPEAKERS WILL ADHERE TO THE STANDARDS OUTLINE IN ORDINANCE 20 25 16 33.
THERE WILL BE NO COMMENTS OR DELIBERATIONS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL DUE TO THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
I DO HAVE, UH, SIX PEOPLE THAT HAVE
[01:45:01]
SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON.THE FIRST ONE IS MR. KEN WHISTLER.
NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD PLEASE.
MY NAME'S KEN WHISTLER, I'M AT 1 6 9 GLENDALE.
UM, I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF HEAVY LIFTING TO DO TONIGHT, SO I'LL KEEP THIS BRIEF, BUT AS YOU CAN TELL BY MY INFORMAL T-SHIRT, IT'S CARNIVAL WEEK.
SO THIS IS OUR 33RD ANNUAL COMMUNITY CARNIVAL AT ST.
I SAY COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT OUR PARISH.
WE LOVE HAVING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY COME VISIT US.
SO, UM, TAKES ABOUT 40 COMMITTEE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND 1800 VOLUNTEERS TO MAKE THAT WEEKEND HAPPEN.
UH, WE'RE OPEN FROM ON FRIDAY FROM FIVE TO 11, SATURDAY FROM 10:00 AM TO 11:00 PM AND SUNDAY FROM ONE TO SIX.
WE HAVE STUFF TO DO FOR ALL AGES, INCLUDING FACE PAINTING, APPENDING ZOO, CARNIVAL RIDES, GAMES OF CHANCE, LIVE MUSIC AND OTHER PERFORMANCES, GREAT FOOD.
AND WE HAVE A RAFFLE AND HAPPY TO DRIVE BY THERE AT THE CORNER OF SANDY LAKE AND SAMUEL THIS EVENING.
AND THE RAFFLE, THE MAIN PRIZE OF THE LEXUS SUV, IS SITTING RIGHT THERE ON THE CORNER SO YOU CAN GO TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
AND I KNOW YOU'RE THINKING IT'S GONNA BE HOT THIS WEEKEND.
THERE'S LOTS TO DO INSIDE TOO.
WE'VE GOT A SILENT AUCTION WITH SEVERAL HUNDRED ITEMS. WE'VE GOT THREE SESSIONS OF BINGO WITH CASH PRIZES.
WE'VE GOT AN ARTISAN AND CRAFT VENDOR SHOP.
WE'VE GOT SOMETHING NEW CALLED A BOARDWALK AND I HAVE TO READ THIS.
IT'S GOT SAND ART, JEWELRY MAKING, HENNA HAIR COLORING.
I WON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT BODY MARBLING AND MORE.
WE ALSO HAPPEN TO HAVE A BEER AND WINE PUB WITH FOOTBALL GAMES AND OTHER SPORTS GOING ON THE WEEKEND.
I KNOW YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE FOR THAT.
UM, AND LASTLY I'LL SAY WE WILL HAVE A PRAYER TEAM THAT'S THERE ALL WEEKEND.
IF PEOPLE HAVE SOMETHING THEY THAT'S WEIGHING ON THEIR HEARTS AND THEY WANT TO COME PRAY, WE'LL DO THAT AS WELL.
THE SECOND PERSON IS ALLISON MATONE.
UM, ALLISON MATONE THREE 40 NORTHMORE.
SO I GUESS MY FIRST QUESTION TO YOU GUYS IS HOW MANY OF YOU GUYS HAVE CHILDREN AND HOW MANY OF THEM ARE UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE? AND MY THIRD QUESTION IS, WHEN THEY WERE UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE, HOW MANY OF Y'ALL WERE STAY AT HOME PARENTS? AND JUST STATISTICALLY SPEAKING, MOST MEN ARE NOT.
SO MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT NONE OF YOU GUYS WERE STAY AT HOME PARENTS WHEN YOUR CHILDREN WERE YOUNG, EXCEPT PERHAPS YOU
SO I'M A MOM OF THREE BOYS, EIGHT, SEVEN, AND TWO.
FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, THE SUNSHINE ROOM HAS BEEN A LIFESAVER ACCORDING TO DIFFERENT HEALTH AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WEBSITES.
REGULAR EXERCISE CAN REDUCE POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION BY 45% AND TAKING AN HOUR BREAK IS A VITAL BIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL NECESSITY FOR PARENTS.
IT HELPS PREVENT BURNOUT, RESTORES EMOTIONAL RESERVES, AND HELPS US AS PARENTS RECLAIM OUR IDENTITIES.
THE MAJORITY OF STAY AT HOME PARENTS DO NOT NEED A FORMAL PRESCHOOL OR DAYCARE SETTING.
THEY NEED AN HOUR OR TWO OF ME TIME.
SOMETIMES IT'S AS LITTLE AS ONCE A WEEK.
SOMETIMES WHEN I'M VERY LUCKY IT'S THREE TIMES A WEEK.
SOMETIMES I ATTEND A CLASS OR I USE THE TREADMILLS AND SOMETIMES I SIT ON THE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE COUCHES YOU HAVE THERE WITH THE GREEN TEA.
AND I READ A BOOK BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I NEED ON THAT DAY.
THE SUNSHINE ROOM HAS HELPED ME AND MY WELLBEING AND MADE ME A BETTER MOM THIS PAST TWO YEARS.
I WISH I HAD KNOWN ABOUT IT WITH MY OLDER TWO.
THOSE FEW HOURS OF FREEDOM HAVE BEEN GREAT FOR MY MENTAL WELLBEING AND HELPED SOCIALIZE MY YOUNGEST.
AND NOW I GO TO THE POINTS THAT YOU GUYS HAD MENTIONED.
YOU WANNA RENT OUT THE SUNSHINE ROOM BECAUSE YOU THINK IT'S GONNA MAKE SOME MONEY.
HOW OFTEN ARE ANY OF THE ROOMS IN THE CORE ACTUALLY RENTED OUT ON A WEEKDAY MORNING? BECAUSE I GO THERE MOST WEEKDAYS AND EXCEPT DURING THE SUMMER, THOSE TWO ROOMS ACROSS FROM THE SUNSHINE ROOM ARE ALWAYS EMPTY.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY VIABLE MONETARY REASON THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO FIND A WAY TO MONETIZE THAT ROOM ON A WEEKDAY SETTING.
UM, SO THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.
ADDITIONALLY, I THINK I UNDERSTAND THAT IT DOESN'T MAKE MONEY, BUT FOR US IT'S NOT ABOUT MAKING MONEY, IT'S ABOUT A CORE NEED THAT THE STAY AT HOME PARENTS NEED BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO GET A WORKOUT IN WHEN WE CAN OR IT LETS US JUST HAVE THAT LITTLE BIT OF BREAK TIME.
I WILL SAY THAT FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS I HAVE BEEN USING THE SUNSHINE ROOM.
THE WOMEN WHO WORK THERE ARE PHENOMENAL.
THEY GENUINELY CARE ABOUT THESE KIDS.
UM, AND A PERSONAL STORY, I STARTED WORKING OUT LAST YEAR IN MAY AND MY CHILD SCREAMED FOR THE FULL HOUR.
AND THOSE WOMEN, THEY, THEY BORE IT FOR ME.
THEY KNEW HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS FOR ME THAT I HAVE THIS TIME TO DO THIS
[01:50:01]
JOURNEY.THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS TONIGHT.
THE NEXT PERSON SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IS ANGELA KAISER.
MY ADDRESS IS 9 24 WEST WIND COVE.
I AM A RESIDENT IN CAPAL AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE PROPOSAL TO CUT THE HOURS OF THE CORE AND TO CLOSE THE SUNSHINE ROOM.
I READ WHAT CITY MANAGER KENT COLLINS SUGGESTED ALONG WITH THE STATISTICS THAT HE PROVIDED.
HE SAID THAT LAST YEAR 93 MEMBERS OF THE CORPS USED THE CHILDCARE OPTION FOR A TOTAL OF 2047 CHECK-INS.
THIS GENERATED ABOUT $5,900 WORTH OF REVENUE.
COLLINS SAID MORE MONEY COULD BE EARNED BY RENTING THE SPACE FOR PRIVATE EVENTS.
MY FAMILY AND I HAVE BEEN MEMBERS OF THE CORPS FOR FIVE YEARS.
MY TWO CHILDREN STARTED GOING TO THE SUNSHINE ROOM WHEN THEY WERE BOTH BABIES.
I GO TO THE GYM ALMOST EVERY SINGLE WEEKDAY.
EVERY TIME I DROP THE KIDS OFF AT THE SUNSHINE ROOM, I NOTICE THERE ARE TWO ROOMS DIRECTLY ACROSS THE HALL.
BOTH OF THOSE ROOMS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS EMPTY DURING THE HOURS OF THE SUNSHINE ROOM.
THE IDEA THAT RENTING OUT THE SUNSHINE ROOM FOR PRIVATE EVENTS COULD GENERATE MORE REVENUE, DOES NOT SEEM REALISTIC WHEN THE TWO ROOMS THEY ALREADY HAVE AVAILABLE FOR RENT ARE ALWAYS EMPTY.
THE OTHER ISSUE COLLINS BROUGHT UP WAS THE OPERATING COSTS.
I'M PROPOSING THAT WE HAVE OTHER OPTIONS.
WE CAN RAISE THE COST OF THE MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP FEE FOR THE KIDS CLUB.
CURRENTLY IT IS $20 PER KID PER MONTH.
WE COULD RAISE THAT TO $30 PER CHILD AND I THINK MANY PARENTS WOULD BE HAPPY TO PAY THAT TO KEEP THE SUNSHINE ROOM OPEN.
LET'S ALSO TALK ABOUT THE LOSS OF REVENUE AFTER THE FAMILIES THAT HAVE THE FAMILY MEMBERSHIP LEAVE THE CORE.
IF ALL 93 MEMBERS WHO USE THE SUNSHINE ROOM CANCEL THEIR MEMBERSHIP, THAT IS A LOSS OF APPROXIMATELY $46,000.
I KNOW THAT MY FAMILY AS WELL AS OTHERS, WILL UNFORTUNATELY HAVE TO CANCEL THEIR MEMBERSHIPS IF THE SUNSHINE ROOM CLOSES.
WE MOVED TO CAPAL FIVE YEARS AGO FROM HOUSTON.
AND THE REASONS WE MOVED HERE WERE BECAUSE THE EXCELLENT SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE FAMILY FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE.
IF WE ARE GOING TO TRY AND CUT BACK AND SAVE THE BUDGET, THERE ARE OTHER WAYS.
RATHER THAN SIMPLY ELIMINATING THE CHILDCARE CENTER AND THE COMMUNITY GYM THAT YOUNG FAMILIES DEPEND ON BY CLOSING THE SUNSHINE ROOM AND CLOSING THE GYM EARLIER, YOU ARE MAKING IT NEAR IMPOSSIBLE SPECIFICALLY FOR PARENTS WITH YOUNG CHILDREN TO COME TO THE COMMUNITY GYM AND EXERCISE.
AS A WORKING MOM WHO ENJOYS COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND EXERCISE, I LOOK FORWARD TO GOING TO THE CORE AND MY KIDS LOOK FORWARD TO GOING TO THE SUNSHINE ROOM.
IT HAS BEEN A CONSTANT IN OUR LIVES.
HAVING THIS SERVICE HAS HELPED TREMENDOUSLY.
WHEN I WAS A BRAND NEW MOM, I WAS ABLE TO WORK OUT FOR ONE HOUR ALL WHILE MY KIDS ENJOYED PLAYTIME WITH THE SUNSHINE ROOM.
THESE SERVICES ARE NOT LUXURIES.
THEY ARE ESSENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR COMMUNITY WELLBEING, SAFETY AND ECONOMIC STABILITY.
PLEASE, I AM ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER TO VOTE TO KEEP THE SUNSHINE ROOM OPEN AND THE CORE HOURS AS THEY ARE.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS ALEXANDER HARRIS.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ALEXANDER HARRIS.
UH, ADDRESS 5 0 9 ASHFORD DRIVE.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE SUNSHINE ROOM AS WELL.
UM, I'M A TEACHER AND A COACH HERE FOR, UH, WITH CHS NINE.
UM, I USE IT IN THE SUMMER WHEN I'M, YOU KNOW, STAY-AT-HOME DAD.
OVER THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER, I'VE SEEN THE AMAZING IMPACT IT'S HAD ON BOTH MY CHILDREN, MY DAUGHTER, UM, LEXI, WHO'S FIVE, SHE'S GONE THERE SINCE SHE WAS OLD ENOUGH TO, AND THEN MY CURRENT SON, UM, LIAM IS ONE.
UM, THE ABILITY TO SOCIALIZE AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, GIVE ME THAT BREATHER THROUGHOUT THE YEAR OR THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.
AND THEN ALSO IT'S BEEN AN INVALUABLE FOR MY WIFE.
UM, SHE DOES, SHE IS A WORKING MOM, YOU KNOW, AND SHE PUTS ON A WHOLE, SHE DOES 10 TIMES MORE THAN I COULD EVEN FATHOM.
AND IT'S HELPED KEEP HER SOMEWHAT SANE.
UM, I THINK, UM, SOME OF THE, UH, STATISTICS THAT I WAS HEARING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE MONETARY VALUE, I THINK IT'S CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS NO PRICE THAT YOU CAN PUT ON THE WELLBEING OF YOUR YOUNGER FAMILIES.
UM, ESPECIALLY COMING FROM AN EDUCATOR WHERE ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS WE TALK ABOUT IS OUR DECLINING, YOU KNOW, ABILITY TO BRING IN YOUNG FAMILIES AND STUFF WHO CAN, I KNOW IT'S AN AFFORDABILITY THING, BUT TO ALSO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.
IT'S WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE, UM, FOR THE EDUCATION, FOR ALL THE AMENITIES THAT WE PROVIDE.
AND SO BY TAKING THOSE AWAY TO NET,
[01:55:01]
WHAT A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS I THINK IS AN IRRESPONSIBLE DECISION, UM, IT MAY BE A SMALL IMPACT, BUT IT'S ONE THAT REACHES FAR AND WIDE THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.SO I HOPE YOU CONSIDER THAT RIGHT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. THOMAS BURROWS, THOMAS BURROWS, 1 38 WIND PAGE.
UH, MAYOR YOU MIGHT SPEAK UP A LITTLE BIT.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE SUNSHINE ROOM THING.
AND UM, OUR SUN IS MOVING OUT IN A MONTH OR SO AND SO THAT PEOPLE CAN COME OVER AND HANG OUT AT OUR HOUSE IF THEY WANT TO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.
ANYWAY, YOU KNOW THIS MONEY THING, YOU KNOW JOE SHIRLEY WHO PASSED ON, EVERYBODY KNOWS WHO HE WAS AND I TOLD YOU GUYS NOT TO BILL THAT EVENT CENTER OVER THERE AND NOW WE GOT THIS BIG PROBLEM ABOUT MONEY, YOU KNOW, AND THEN WE HAD THIS BIG TO DO ABOUT UMBRELLAS OVER A BRIDGE IN FRONT OF THE CORE.
YOU KNOW, THAT COST THREE OR $400,000.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME IT RAINED, YOU KNOW? AND NOW WE'RE WANTING TO CUT, CUT STUFF AT THE CORE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THERE I HEARD THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT THE LIBRARY, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY'S GONNA GET REPLACED ON CITY COUNCIL IF YOU CUT THE LIBRARY 'CAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT GO THERE.
I GO OVER AND READ THE WALL STREET JOURNAL AND YOU KNOW, CODE ENFORCEMENT, THE HIGHEST GRASS IN TOWN IS ACROSS FROM YOUR HOUSE.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE GONNA EXPLAIN TO LINDA WHEN THAT BURNS DOWN AND TAKES YOUR HOUSE DOWN, BUT THAT, YOU KNOW, MY HOUSE IS FAR ENOUGH AWAY AND THERE'S OTHER PLACES IN TOWN THAT, THAT NEED CODE ENFORCEMENT.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHY COMING IN ON BELTLINE, THE GRASS IS THIS HIGH ON, ON THE LEFT, RIGHT THERE OFF OF 6 35.
IF YOU GUYS NEED TO SAVE MONEY, CALL ME.
THERE'S TREES OUTSIDE THAT ARE DYING BECAUSE THEY NEED WATER YET.
WE HAD LIGHTS ON DURING THE DAYLIGHT TIME.
I'LL GO OUT THERE AND PERSONALLY WATER THE YARD AND I'LL EVEN KICK IN THE MONEY.
I, I MEAN I, I DO A LOT OF SPOT WATERING AT MY HOUSE BECAUSE IT SAVES MONEY AND I STILL SPEND 18,000 GALLONS OF WATER LAST MONTH.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S HOUSE IS JUST, YARDS ARE JUST DRY.
AND I WOULD BE COMING TO THE MORE STUFF AT THE SENIOR CENTER, BUT UH, YOU KNOW, I'M LEARNING TO PLAY THE PIANO 'CAUSE IT EXPANDS YOUR MIND AT 68 YEARS OLD.
YOU, YOU DON'T, MOST PEOPLE DON'T LEARN TO BELIEVE.
AND I'M THINKING ABOUT LEARNING TO FLY AGAIN, GOING BACK AND GETTING MY PILOT SWANSONS AND GO BACK TO ICE SKATING.
SO YOU, YOU KNOW, IF YOU NEED TO SAVE MONEY, DON'T, DON'T REMODEL THIS ROOM.
YOU KNOW, SPEND IT ON THAT SUNSHINE ROOM PLACE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS TONIGHT.
OUR LAST SPEAKER IS DAVIN SANCHEZ.
UH, YOU'LL HAVE TO EXCUSE ME, I LOST MY VOICE.
UM, DAVID SANCHEZ, 3 1 2 CROOKED TREE COURT.
UH, I AND MY FAMILY RECENTLY MOVED HERE A FEW MONTHS AGO.
UH, WHAT DREW US TO CAPEL WAS WHAT MAKES CAPEL SPECIAL.
THE COMMUNITY, THE STRENGTH OF ENGAGEMENT AND THE COMMUNITY SERVICES.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER PLACES ACTUALLY EVEN MORE EXPENSIVE THAN CAPEL THAT PEOPLE ARE MOVING.
YOUNG FAMILIES ARE MOVING TO SOUTH LAKE, MOVING ELSEWHERE.
UM, BUT WHAT MAKES CAPEL SPECIAL IS THOSE COMMUNITY SERVICES AND THE COMMUNITY.
UH, SO IT'S BEEN A LITTLE UNDERWHELMING SINCE WE MOVED HERE A FEW MONTHS AGO.
WE'RE HEARING ABOUT CUTS, WE'RE HEARING ABOUT CUTS TO THE SUNSHINE ROOM, CUTS TO THE CORE HOURS, POSSIBLY CUTS TO THE LIBRARY.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THERE'S A LOT OF US THAT JUST MOVED IN.
UH, FIVE HOUSES IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE LAST FIVE THAT SOLD IN THIS PAST YEAR ALL HAD YOUNG KIDS.
WE'VE GOT 12 KIDS, 10 UNDER THE AGE OF KINDERGARTEN OR KINDERGARTEN AND YOUNGER.
UH, THEY HAVE SOLD QUICK AND I THINK THE COMMUNITY AND PROXIMITY TO THE CORE HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THAT.
WE TAKE OUR KIDS FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
UM, BUT AS PARENTS WE HAVE TO ALTERNATE AND GO AT NIGHT.
UM, WE SUPPORT THE SUNSHINE ROOM.
WE SUPPORT WHATEVER WE CAN DO.
WHATEVER WE CAN DO, WE SUPPORT.
WE WANT TO INCREASE THE COMMUNITY SERVICES 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT DIFFERENTIATES CAPEL FROM THE OTHER PLACES IN THE METROPLEX.
SO I JUST WANTED TO VOICE MY SUPPORT AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS TONIGHT.
[7. Consent Agenda]
ITEM NUMBER SEVEN[02:00:01]
IS OUR CONSENT AGENDA.THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ROUTINE AND IN NATURE AND IS GENERALLY ACT ENACTED IN A SINGLE MOTION.
THESE ITEMS HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY APPROVED THROUGH THE BUDGET OR PAST COUNSEL ACTIONS.
ANY ITEM MAY BE PULLED IN, CONSIDERED SEPARATELY.
FULL DESCRIPTION ARE AVAILABLE ON THE COMPUTER SCREENS.
COUNSEL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR, UH, DESIRE TO PULL AN ITEM OFF? CONSENT.
SEEING NONE, I WILL ACCEPT A MOTION.
UM, I'D LIKE TO, UH, PROPOSE THERE TO BE APPROVED CONSENT AGENDA ITEM SEVEN A THROUGH E.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? BUT COUNCIL MEMBER CARROLL.
NEVILLES WALKER HINOJOSA SMITH, CAROL PREM KUMAR, MATTHEW HILL.
[8. 2026-0329 PUBLIC HEARING: To receive public comment concerning the proposed 2026-27 Municipal Budget and consider approval of an Ordinance approving and adopting the budget for the City of Coppell, Texas for the fiscal year of October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027; and authorizing the Mayor to sign. Taxpayer Impact Statement: Fiscal Year (FY)- Median-Valued Tax Rate Per Estimated (Tax Year (TY)) Homestead $100 of Value Property Tax Bill FY 2025-2026 Adopted 2025 (TY 2025) $585,944 Tax Rate: $2,607.31 .444976 FY 2026-2027 2026 No New (TY 2026) $605,309 Revenue Tax Rate: $2,553.68 .421881 FY 2026-2027 Proposed 2026 tax (TY 2026) $605,309 rate based on the $2,670.42 proposed budget for FY 2026-27: .441166]
NUMBER EIGHT IS A PUBLIC HEARING.SO I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
PERSONS WISHING TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MUST SIGN THE REGISTER AND LIST YOUR ADDRESS.
YOU'LL BE CALLED TO SPEAK IN THE ORDER YOU HAVE REGISTERED PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES PER SPEAKER.
AS A REMINDER, THE COUNCIL RULES AND PROCEDURES PROVIDE THAT THERE SHOULD BE A CUMULATIVE LIMIT OF 60 MINUTES FOR ALL THOSE SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF AN ITEM AND A SAME LIMIT FOR ALL THOSE SPEAKING AGAINST AN ITEM.
NO GROUP OR ORGANIZATION SHALL BE ALLOWED MORE THAN THREE SPEAKERS ON ANY AGENDA ITEM.
AND I'M GONNA ASK MS. TIAN TO READ THIS INTO THE RECORD.
UH, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT CONCERNING THE PROPOSED 20 26 27 MUNICIPAL BUDGET AND CONSIDER APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF COPPEL, TEXAS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR OF OCTOBER 1ST, 2026 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2027 AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN THE AGENDA.
ITEM ALSO IS A REQUIREMENT BY LEGISLATION PASSED LAST YEAR.
DOES HAVE A TAXPAYER IMPACT STATEMENT.
THE TAXPAYER IMPACT STATEMENT SHOWS THE MEDIAN VALUED HOMESTEAD WAS $585,944 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 25 26.
THE ADOPTED TAX RATE FOR THAT YEAR WAS 0.4 4 4 9 7 6.
AND THE ESTIMATED PROPERTY TAX BILL USING THAT TAX RATE WAS $2,607 AND 31 CENTS.
THE TAXPAYER IMPACT STATEMENT ALSO INCLUDES THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE AND THE PROPOSED 2026, UH, TAX RATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 26 27.
IT SHOWS THE MEDIAN VALUED HOME IT 605,309 FOR THE 27 FISCAL YEAR AND USING THE MAXIMUM PROPOSED TAX RATE OF 0.4 4 1 1 6 6.
THE ESTIMATED PROPERTY TAX BILL IS $2,670 AND 42 CENTS.
AND WITH THAT I WILL HAND IT TO MR. COLLINS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. COLLINS.
UM, SO I WANNA BEGIN, UH, TAKE A COUPLE OF MINUTES, UH, AND PROVIDE A BIT OF CONTEXT AROUND THE BUDGET THAT IS PRESENTED FOR APPROVAL TONIGHT, AS WELL AS SOME COMMENTARY ON FUTURE BUDGET PROCESSES.
AND FIRST, LET ME JUST SAY THAT THE CITY OF COMP OF COPPEL HAS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE IN A STRONG FINANCIAL POSITION AS A COUNCIL.
YOU HAVE RATED THIS AS YOUR HIGHEST PRIORITY GOAL.
THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE ORGANIZATION HAVE BEEN VERY PLANFUL AND CONSERVATIVE IN BUDGETING FOR CITY SERVICES.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE IN LOCAL CONTROL AND THE CITY CONTINUES TO DO THEM WELL TO ENSURE THE COMMUNITY IS SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT.
THAT SAID, STAFF AND COUNCIL HAVE DISCUSSED BUDGET PRESSURES BEING PLACED ON COPPEL BY DECISIONS BEING MADE BY THE STATE FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS OR SO.
THESE PRESSURES IMPACT THE GENERAL FUND AND SALES TAX REVENUE, WHICH THEREFORE IMPACT MOST OF THE BUDGET'S FUNDS.
THAT BEGAN WITH THE PASSAGE OF SB TWO, WHICH KEPT THE INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAX REVENUE YEAR OVER YEAR AND RULE 3.334, WHICH PROPOSED TO CHANGE HOW SALES TAX IS SOURCED.
BY ALL INDICATIONS, THE STATE IS NOT DONE AND BUDGET PRESSURES ARE NOT UNIQUE TO COP HELL.
AND THE NEWS HEADLINES DETAIL HOW SOME COMMUNITIES ARE STRUGGLING TO BUILD A, A BALANCED BUDGET, OR IN SOME CASES TO MAINTAIN, MAINTAIN A BALANCED BUDGET IN THE EXISTING FISCAL YEAR.
THE MID-YEAR CORRECTIONS THAT THEY'RE FACING DO NOT CONVEY RESILIENCY OR SUSTAINABILITY IN COPPEL.
THESE PRESSURES HAVE LED TO CHANGES IN THE CITY'S BUDGET, INCLUDING A REDUCTION IN PERSONNEL COUNT BY 29 FTES SINCE 2021.
[02:05:01]
THAT NUMBER INCLUDES FOUR FTES IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.UP TO THIS POINT, WE'VE MADE THOSE REDUCTIONS WITH MINIMAL IMPACT TO FRONT FACING SERVICES, BUT AS A RESULT OF THE COMMU CUMULATIVE BUDGET PRESSURES, STAFF HAS SHARED THAT SERVICES WILL BEGIN TO CHANGE IN WAYS THAT ARE MORE IMPACTFUL TO RESIDENTS AND CITIZENS.
WE KNOW THAT CHANGE CAN BE HARD, BUT I DO WANNA SHARE THIS.
THE CHANGES WE PROPOSE ARE IDENTIFIED BY THE FRONTLINE TEAMS THAT SEE AND DELIVER THE SERVICES FIRSTHAND, ALONG WITH THEIR SUPERVISORS AND DIRECTORS.
THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT AND THEY UNDERSTAND HOW THE SERVICE IS DELIVERED.
THESE CHANGES ARE FURTHER EVALUATED AND DISCUSSED BY THE LEADERSHIP TEAM PRIOR TO BEING PROPOSED IN THE BUDGET.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE NOT MADE LIGHTLY AND PUBLIC INPUT AND FEEDBACK IS CRITICAL TO THE BUDGET PROCESS.
AND WE KNOW THAT SOME OF THE PROPOSED SERVICE CHANGES FOR FISCAL YEAR 27 ARE NOT POPULAR WITH SOME USERS.
WE KNOW THAT EVERY SERVICE WE PROVIDE IS IMPORTANT TO THE USERS OF THAT SERVICE.
AND YOU'LL HEAR TONIGHT FROM MS. TIEN THAT WE HAVE TAKEN A CLOSER LOOK AT THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CORE, SPECIFICALLY INCLUDING THE HOURS OF OPERATION, THE SUNSHINE ROOM, AND ADULT ATHLETICS.
BASED ON THE FEEDBACK AND QUESTIONS WE HAVE RECEIVED, WE HAVE PROVIDED THE MOTION LANGUAGE NEEDED TO REVISE THE PROPOSED BUDGET TO KEEP THOSE SERVICES.
IF THE COUNCIL CHOOSES TO DO SO, THESE CHANGES CAN BE MADE WITHOUT IMPACTING THE PROPERTY TAX RATE.
THAT SAID, WE BELIEVED THAT WE HAD BEEN PREPARING THE CITY COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY FOR SERVICE CHANGES FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE.
BEGINNING WITH THE FY 27 28 BUDGET, WE WILL INTRODUCE AREAS OF POTENTIAL SERVICE CHANGES EARLIER IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.
THIS WILL HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND COUNCIL PRIORITIES, WHICH WILL BE COMBINED WITH DISCUSSIONS ON DECISION MAKING AND COMMUNITY VALUES.
OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS IN JANUARY EACH YEAR BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO EVALUATE POSITIONS AS, AS THEY ARE VACATED.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO EXAMINE RELATED SERVICES WITH A DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE THAT CHANGES TO THOSE SERVICES CAN BE MADE.
OTHERWISE, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE THE EXPENDITURE REDUCTIONS NECESSARY TO CONTINUE CLOSING THE BUDGET GAP.
IN CLOSING TO THIS POINT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PRESENT BALANCED BUDGETS WITH MINIMAL NOTICEABLE CHANGE TO SERVICE, BUT WE ARE NOT WORKING ON THIS YEAR TO YEAR OR MONTH TO MONTH.
WE'VE BEEN STRATEGIC AND PLANFUL SERVICES WILL NEED TO CHANGE AS WE CONTINUE TO CLOSE THE BUDGET GAP.
BUT OUR GOAL, AND I KNOW IS THE GOAL, THE GOAL OF THE COUNCIL IS TO WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD A BUDGET THAT IS SUSTAINABLE AND AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS RESILIENT, SO THAT COP HELL REMAINS A COMMUNITY OF CHOICE LONG INTO THE FUTURE.
WITH THAT, UNLESS COUNCIL HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL TURN IT BACK TO KIM.
MS. TIAN, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO FOLLOW UP ON? NOT ON THAT, BUT I DO HAVE, UH, THE BUDGET TO PREPARE.
SO, AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, IT IS CITY, UH, CITY COUNCIL IS REQUIRED TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE PUBLIC INPUT CONCERNING THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 26 27 MUNICIPAL BUDGET.
AS PART OF THAT HEARING, I WILL PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT YOU WILL BE CONSIDERING THIS EVENING.
BEFORE I BEGIN, I WOULD LIKE TO BRIEFLY SHARE WITH YOU THE PROCESS WE USE TO DEVELOP THE PROS PROPOSED BUDGET YOU ARE CONSIDERING TONIGHT FOR STAFF.
THE PROCESS BEGAN LAST OCTOBER WITH THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST FOR COUNCIL.
IT BEGAN WITH THE FEBRUARY RETREAT.
STAFF THEN TAKES THE INFORMATION FROM THE COUNCIL'S RETREAT AND INCORPORATES IT INTO THE BUDGET WITH THE FOUNDATION OF THEIR BUDGETS BEING WHAT EACH DEPARTMENT SUBMITTED FOR THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST, EACH DEPARTMENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET WAS THEN SUBMITTED TO THE STRATEGIC FINANCIAL ENGAGEMENT DEPARTMENT IN MID-MARCH.
DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET REVIEWS WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE WERE HELD IN APRIL, AND THERE WAS ALSO A TOWN HALL MEETING HELD IN APRIL TO RECEIVE COMMUNITY INPUT.
STAFF HELD TWO FINANCIAL STRATEGY SESSIONS WITH COUNCIL IN JULY AND A BUDGET WORKSHOP ON AUGUST 4TH.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET WAS FILED WITH THE CITY SECRETARY ON AUGUST 5TH AND MADE AVAILABLE AT THE KAPAL LIBRARY AND ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THE MANY WAYS OUR COMMUNITY INFORMATION OFFICE SHARED INFORMATION ABOUT THE BUDGET PROCESS AND WORKED TO MEET RESIDENTS WHERE THEY ARE.
OUTREACH INCLUDED THE LAUNCH OF THE BUDGET PROCESS WEBPAGE IN MARCH WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE BUDGET PROCESS AND DATES FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
WATER BILL INSERTS WERE USED TO PROMOTE THE BUDGET TOWN HALL, THE FINANCIAL STRATEGY SESSIONS, BUDGET
[02:10:01]
WORKSHOPS, AND PUBLIC HEARINGS THERE.THESE WERE DISTRIBUTED MONTHLY THROUGH SEPTEMBER TO APPROXIMATELY 12,000 HOUSEHOLDS.
BUDGET INFORMATION, NEWS FLASHES AND PROMOTIONAL BANNERS APPEARED ON THE CITY'S HOMEPAGE FOR APPROXIMATELY 110 DAYS BETWEEN APRIL AND SEPTEMBER, THERE WERE ALSO MEDIA COVERAGE, FOR EXAMPLE, 14 ONLINE AND PRINT, PRINT STORIES AND SOCIAL MEDIA SHARES BY THE RAMBLER GAZETTE, CAPEL CHRONICLE, AND THE COMMUNITY IMPACT.
WITH AN ESTIMATED CUMULATIVE REACH OF APPROXIMATELY 1.3 MILLION, THE CITY ENEWS WAS ALSO UTILIZED.
21 BUDGET SPECIFIC ARTICLES WERE DISTRIBUTED TO APPROXIMATELY 7,300 SUBSCRIBERS.
THERE WERE, UH, YOU REGARDING SOCIAL MEDIA.
THERE WERE 83 POSTS ACROSS THE CITY'S FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, X NEXTDOOR, AND WHATSAPP CHANNELS, DIGITAL SCREENS AND CITY FACILITIES PROMOTED THE BUDGET TOWN HALL FOR ONE MONTH ON ALL 29 CITY FACILITY SCREENS WITH FINANCIAL STRATEGY SESSIONS AND BUDGET WORKSHOPS PROMOTED FROM APRIL THROUGH SEPTEMBER.
BUDGET INFORMATION INVITATIONS WERE ALSO SHARED THROUGH THE CAPEL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT'S NEWSLETTER FROM MARCH THROUGH MAY, AND AGAIN IN AUGUST, REACHING APPROXIMATELY 7,500 SUBSCRIBERS.
ALL REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARING NOTICES RELATED TO THE BUDGET AND TAX RATE WERE PUBLISHED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY INFORMATION OFFICE, UH, TEAM MEMBERS FOR THEIR EXTENSIVE USE OF SO MANY DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION CHANNELS TO GIVE RESIDENTS OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN ABOUT AND PARTICIPATE IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK COUNCIL FOR THE MANY HOURS YOU HAVE SPENT WORKING WITH STAFF DEVELOPING THIS BUDGET.
YOUR QUESTIONS, INSIGHT AND DIRECTION SHOW YOU CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY OF THIS COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, THOUGHT AND ENGAGEMENT THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT TO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET PROCESS.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SINCERELY THANK OUR CITY MANAGERS TEAM, OUR DIRECTORS AND THEIR TEAM, AND THE SFE TEAM MEMBERS FOR THE THOUGHT CARE AND COUNTLESS HOURS THEY DEDICATED TO DEVELOPING THIS BUDGET.
THEIR DILIGENCE AND COLLABORATION REFLECT THE COMMITMENT THEY BRING EVERY DAY TO SERVING OUR COMMUNITY AND BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF ITS RESOURCES.
AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THEIR WORK AND HONORED TO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF PRESENTING THE FISCAL YEAR 26 27 PROPOSED BUDGET TO YOU THIS EVENING.
SO NOW I CAN BEGIN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET, WHICH DOES SATISFY THE PUBLIC HEARING REQUIREMENTS SAB ESTABLISHED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE 1 0 2 0.006.
SO FIRST, THE BUDGET PRESENTED TONIGHT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE INFORMATION YOU RECEIVED AT THE AUGUST 4TH BUDGET WORKSHOP.
THERE IS NOTHING NEW BEING INTRODUCED TONIGHT.
THIS WILL SIMPLY BE A HIGHER LEVEL SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY REVIEWED.
IT'S JUST PRESENTED A BIT BIT DIFFERENTLY.
SO FIRST, THE FISCAL YEAR 26 27 PROPOSED BUDGET IS A BALANCED BUDGET.
A BUDGET IS BALANCED IF THE REVENUE AND PROPOSED USE OF FUND BALANCE IS EQUAL TO OR EXCEEDS PROPOSED EXPENDITURES.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS ALSO BUILT AROUND THE DIRECTION COUNCIL PROVIDED THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR'S PROCESS.
SPECIFICALLY, THE PROPOSED BUDGET CONTINUES TO BUDGET SALES TAX AS IF THE RULE 3.334 IS IN EFFECT.
SINCE LITIGATION CONTINUES, IT INCREASES GENERAL FUND PROPERTY TAX REVENUE BY 3.499%, WHICH IS THE CEILING OF THIS REVENUE SOURCE AND NOT OUR STARTING POINT.
IT STRATEGICALLY USES GENERAL FUNDS FUND BALANCE FOR ONE TIME PURPOSES, AND IT MAINTAINS MARKET COMPETITIVENESS FOR OUR WORKFORCE.
THERE ARE TWO NUMBERS I WANT TO DISTINGUISH AT THE BEGINNING BECAUSE YOU WILL SEE BOTH THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION.
THE FIRST NUMBER IS FOR THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF ALL FUNDS OF THE CITY AFTER EXCLUDING ONE-TIME TRANSFERS AND STRATEGIC USES OF FUND BALANCE, TOTAL EXPENDITURES ACROSS ALL CITY FUNDS ARE INCREASING 6.75% OR APPROXIMATELY $10.2 MILLION.
THE OTHER NUMBER IS THE TOTAL OPERATING EXPENDITURES OF THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH ARE INCREASING 2.5 MILLION OR A 3.26% INCREASE, AN INCREASE THAT IS BELOW
[02:15:01]
THE MAY CPI OF 4.25%.I'M GOING TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THE INCREASE IN BOTH THE TOTAL FISCAL YEAR 26 PROPOSED BUDGET FOR ALL FUNDS AND THE FISCAL YEAR 26 27 PRO PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE GENERAL FUND OVER THE NEXT SE SEVERAL SLIDES.
SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE FISCAL YEAR 27 TOTAL PROPOSED EXPENDITURES OF THE CITY BY FUND, WHICH DOES INCLUDE THE GENERAL FUND IS ABOUT $178.6 MILLION.
THAT NUMBER INCLUDES APPROXIMATELY 16.6 MILLION IN ONE TIME.
TRANSFERS AND STRATEGIC USES OF THE GENERAL FUND FUND BALANCE FOR ITEMS SUCH AS THE FIRE STATION PROJECTS, TRAIL PROJECTS, A NEW PUBLIC SAFETY REPLACEMENT FUND, CAPITAL AND TECHNOLOGY REPLACEMENT NEEDS AND VISION 2040 INITIATIVES.
BECAUSE OF THOSE ONETIME, UH, BECAUSE THOSE ARE ONETIME USES OF FUND BALANCE RATHER THAN ONGOING OPERATING COSTS.
THE NEXT SLIDE REMOVES ONE TIME ITEMS FROM BOTH YEARS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE A MORE, MORE MEANINGFUL YEAR OVER YEAR COMPARISON.
SO AFTER EXCLUDING ONE TIME TRANSFERS AND STRATEGIC USES OF FUND BALANCE FROM BOTH FISCAL YEAR 26 ADOPTED IN FISCAL YEAR 27 PROPOSED BUDGETS, THE TOTAL CITY BUDGET AGAIN INCREASES ABOUT 10.2 MILLION OR 6.75%.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE REASON FOR THE $10.2 MILLION OR 6.75% INCREASE IN TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF ALL FUNDS OF THE CITY.
AS YOU LOOK AT THIS SLIDE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO DISTINGUISH THAT THE TOTAL CITY BUDGET IS NOT THE SAME AS THE GENERAL FUND.
AND SOME OTHER KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS SLIDE ARE THAT THE EXPENDITURES OF THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS PROPERTY, UH, WHICH IS PROPERTY TAX AND SALES TAX SUPPORTED, IS INCREASING 3.26%.
THE TOTAL CITY BUDGET INCLUDES THE GENERAL FUND DEBT SERVICE FUND, SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS, AND WATER SEWER FUND.
MANY OF THESE FUNDS RECEIVE REVENUES THAT ARE LEGALLY OR VOTER RESTRICTED FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES.
AS A RESULT, THE TOTAL CITY BUDGET CAN FLUCTUATE SIGNIFICANTLY FROM YEAR TO YEAR BASED ON THE TIMING OF INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT, TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT, AND EXPENDITURES FROM RESTRICTED FUNDS.
THE LARGEST CONTRIBUTOR TO THIS YEAR'S $10.2 MILLION INCREASE ARE APPROXIMATELY 7.6 MILLION IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE FUND, PRIMARILY FOR SCHEDULED INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
THERE'S ALSO A $2.5 MILLION, UH, INCREASE IN THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH WILL BE COVERED LATER AND APPROXIMATELY 2 MILLION IN THE CRIME CONTROL AND PREVENTION DISTRICT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND RADIO SYSTEM COSTS.
THERE'S ALSO A $1.1 MILLION INCREASE IN THE ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS REPLACEMENT FUND FOR SCHEDULED TECHNOLOGY REPLACEMENT AND ABOUT 400,000 INCREASE IN THE OCCUPANCY TAX FUND FOR THE DISCOVER COPPEL MARKETING CAMPAIGN, WHICH WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 26 ADOPTED BUDGET.
THOSE INCREASES ARE PARTIALLY OFFSET BY AN APPROXIMATE $3.5 MILLION, UH, DECREASE IN THE DRAINAGE UTILITY DISTRICT EXPENDITURES BECAUSE FISCAL YEAR 26 INCLUDED SEVERAL MAJOR DRAINAGE PROJECTS THAT DO NOT REPEAT IN FISCAL YEAR 27.
SO THE 6.75% INCREASE IN THE TOTAL CITY BUDGET IS LARGELY DRIVEN BY THE TIMING OF EXPENDITURES OCCURRING IN FUNDS OUTSIDE OF THE GENERAL FUND.
SO MOVING BACK TO THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF THE CITY, THIS SLIDE PROVIDES ANOTHER VIEW OF THAT SAME $178.6 MILLION BUDGET.
IT'S BY CITY FUNCTION RATHER THAN BY FUND.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, IT BREAKS DOWN HOW MUCH OF THE OVERALL BUDGET IS DEDICATED TO EACH AREA OF SERVICE AND, UH, OPERATIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THIS SLIDE SHOWS THAT PUBLIC SAFETY, THE WHITE BLUE AREA AND PUBLIC WORKS, THE GREEN AREA WHO ARE CONSIDERED FIRST RESPONDERS TOGETHER ACCOUNT FOR APPROXIMATELY 61% OF THE TOTAL PROPOSED EXPENDITURES, CULTURE, AND RECREATION ACCOUNTS FOR APPROXIMATELY 16% COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, THE BROWN BROWN AREA, ABOUT 2%, AND THEN GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROXIMATELY 21%.
NOW, GENERAL GOVERNMENT IS THE CATEGORY THAT INCLUDES THE ONETIME TRANSFERS AND USES OF THE GENERAL FUND FUND BALANCE THAT I DISCUSSED EARLIER OF THE APPROXIMATE 37.4 MILLION SHOWN AS GENERAL GOVERNMENT, ROUGHLY 16.9
[02:20:02]
REPRESENTS TRANSFERS AND ONETIME USES, UH, RATHER THAN ANNUAL OPERATING, UH, COSTS.SO NOW THAT YOU HAVE A HIGH LEVEL VIEW OF THE FISCAL YEAR 27 PROPOSED CITYWIDE EXPENDITURES, I'D LIKE TO TURN TO THE FISCAL YEAR 27 PROPOSED CITYWIDE, UH, REVENUES THAT WILL SUPPORT THE TOTAL CITY BUDGET.
SO TOTAL FISCAL YEAR 27, PROPOSED REVENUES ARE APPROXIMATELY 168 MILLION COMPARED WITH THE TOTAL PROPOSED EXPENDITURES OF APPROXIMATELY 178.6 MILLION.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES IS FUNDED THROUGH PLANNED USES OF FUND BALANCE.
THE CITY IS NOT USING FUND BALANCE TO SUPPORT ONGOING OPERATIONS.
MUCH OF THE DIFFERENCE REPRESENTS INTENTIONAL ONE-TIME USES OF FUND BALANCE FOR THE CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE AND THE VISION 2040 INITIATIVES WE JUST DISCUSSED.
IN ADDITION, SEVERAL SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS ACCUMULATE RESTRICTED REVENUES OVER MULTIPLE YEARS UNTIL AN ELIGIBLE PROJECT OR AN EXPENDITURE IS IDENTIFIED FOR THOSE FUNDS.
IT IS NORMAL FOR EXPENDITURES TO EXCEED CURRENT YEAR REVENUES IN A YEAR WHEN ACCUMULATED RESOURCES ARE PUT TO USE.
WITH THIS CONTEXT ESTABLISHED, I'LL MOVE TO THE INDIVIDUAL FUND TYPES.
THE CITY HAS 25 FUNDS THAT TO COMPLY WITH LEGISLATION AND OR GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS ARE CLASSIFIED AS EITHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS OR AN INTERNAL SERVICE FUND.
SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS HAVE DEDICATED REVENUE SOURCES AND THEIR EXPENDITURES ARE RESTRICTED TO SPECIFIC PURPOSES.
PROPERTY TAX IS NOT A REVENUE SOURCE OF THESE FUNDS.
THREE OF THESE FUNDS, THE CRIME CONTROL AND PREVENTION DISTRICT, THE INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE FUND, AND THE COPPEL RECREATION DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION RECEIVED DEDICATED PORTIONS OF THE CITY'S SALES TAX AND ALLOWABLE USES OF THOSE REVENUES ARE GOVERNED BY STATE LAW AND OR THE PURPOSE APPROVED BY VOTERS FOR THE CRDC OR KAMEL COPPEL RECREATION DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FUND.
UH, THIS IS WHERE REVENUES, UM, IS ALSO WHERE THE REVENUES OF THE ART CENTER AND EXPENDITURES OF THE ART CENTER ARE RECORDED.
THE ART CENTER IS NOT FUNDED WITH PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.
IN ADDITION, THE CRDC HAS A SEPARATE DEBT SERVICE FUND THAT RECEIVES A PORTION OF THE SALES TAX COLLECTED TO PAY THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ON THE CRDC RELATED DEBT INFORMATION CONCERNING THESE FUNDS WAS SHARED ON THE JULY, AT THE JULY 14TH FINANCIAL STRATEGY SESSION AND THE AUGUST 4TH BUDGET WORKSHOP.
NEXT IS THE WATER AND SEWER FUND.
THIS IS AN ENTERPRISE FUND, MEANING THE INTENT IS FOR THE COST OF PROVIDING WATER AND SERVICE SEWER SERVICE TO BE SUPPORTED BY USER RATES AND CHARGES RATHER THAN PROPERTY TAXES.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE FISCAL YEAR 27 PROPOSED EXPENSES TOTALS APPROXIMATELY 24.8 MILLION.
THIS SLIDE FURTHER BREAKS OUT TOTAL EXPENSES BY DIVISION.
FIRST, THE COST OF WATER DIVISION, THE LIGHT BLUE AREA, PLUS THE COST OF THE SEWER DIVISION.
THE GREEN AREA EQUALS 62% OF THE EXPENSES OF THE WATER AND SEWER FUND.
THESE EXPENSES ARE CONTRACTED COSTS FOR WATER PROVIDED BY DALLAS WATER UTILITIES AND WASTEWATER SERVICE PROVIDED BY THE TRINITY RIVER AUTHORITY.
NEXT, FOR REFERENCE, THE FISCAL YEAR 26 ADOPTED BUDGET TOTALED 24.5 MILLION, AND THE FISCAL YEAR 27 PROPOSED IS 1.2% OR ABOUT 300,000 MORE THAN THE FISCAL YEAR 26 ADOPTED.
THE REASON FOR THE INCREASE IN EXPENSES ARE PRIMARILY RELATED TO THE COST OF WATER AND THE COST OF SEWER, WHICH MAKES UP ABOUT 740,000 OF THE INCREASE.
HOWEVER, THIS INCREASE WAS PRIMARILY OFFSET BY A DECREASE IN THE UTILITY OPS BUDGET.
THE FISCAL YEAR 26 ADOPTED BUDGET INCLUDED FUNDING FOR THE ONE-TIME FEDERALLY REQUIRED LEAD AND COPPER RULE PROJECT, AND THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET DOES NOT INCLUDE A PROJECT OF SIMILAR COST.
I KNOW THAT YOU, IT WAS SHARED DURING THE WORK SESSION THAT THERE WAS, UM, SOME MONEY IN THE BUDGET.
IT, IT'S ACTUALLY NOT BUDGETED.
IT IS SET ASIDE IN A SIGNED RETAINED EARNINGS.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLARIFICATION.
THE BUDGET INFORMATION PRESENTED TO YOU THIS EVENING IS CONSISTENT WITH THE INFORMATION SHOWN, UH, AT BOTH THE JULY 14TH FINANCIAL STRATEGY SE SESSION AND THE AUGUST 4TH BUDGET WORKSHOP.
THIS NEXT SLIDE SIMPLY PROVIDES ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT THE FISCAL YEAR, UH, 20, UH, 27, UH, PROPOSED EXPENDITURE
[02:25:01]
OR EXPENSES OF THE WATER SEWER FUND, WHICH IS BY CLASSIFICATION.SO NEXT IS THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 27 REVENUE OF THE WATER AND SEWER FUND, WHICH TOTALS ALMOST 23.9 MILLION.
THE MAJOR SOURCE OF REVENUE IS THE SALE OF WATER REPRESENTED BY THE GREEN SECTION.
THE CITY RECEIVES ALMOST 67% OF THE REVENUE BUDGETED, OR ALMOST 16 MILLION FROM THIS REVENUE SOURCE.
THE NEXT LARGEST SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR THE WATER AND SEWER FUND IS THE CHARGE FOR SEWER TREATMENT SERVICES REPRESENTED BY THE, UH, BEIGE SECTION.
THE FUND RECEIVES ABOUT 29% OR ALMOST 7 MILLION FROM THIS SOURCE.
SO WATER SALES PLUS SEWER SALES EQUALS ALMOST 23 MILLION OR ABOUT 96% OF THE TOTAL FISCAL YEAR.
27 PROJECTED REVENUES OF THIS FUND.
THE REMAINING ROUGHLY 4% OR ABOUT 900,000, IS REVENUE FROM INTEREST INCOME, WATER, SEWER IMPACT FEES, AND OTHER REVENUES.
THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGETED EXPENDITURES OF ABOUT 24.8 MILLION DOES EXCEED THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGETED REVENUES OF 23.9 MILLION BY ABOUT $900,000.
WE DO CONTINUE TO BUDGET FOR THE DEMAND OF 19.5 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER PER DAY, BUT ARE CONTRACTUALLY ONLY ALLOWED TO TAKE THE 18.5 MILLION GALLONS RIGHT NOW.
SO THE COST OF THAT ADDITIONAL, UH, 1 MILLION GALLONS OF DEMAND IS ALMOST 385,000.
IF WE DID NOT BUDGET FOR THAT ADDITIONAL, 1 MILLION GALLON EX, UH, EXPENSES WOULD EXCEED REVENUES BY ABOUT 515,000.
SO EVEN WITH THAT PLAN GS OF RETAINED EARNINGS, THE FUND IS PROJECTED TO MAINTAIN APPROXIMATELY 187 DAYS OF OPERATING EXPENSES COMPARED WITH THE CITY'S, UH, POLICY REQUIREMENT OF 180 DAYS.
AND AS WE DO EACH YEAR, STAFF WILL EVALUATE THE FUND'S PERFORMANCE AFTER THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR CLOSES AND DETERMINE WHETHER A WA RATE RECOMMENDATION, UH, IS APPROPRIATE LATER THIS FALL.
SO NEXT IS THE DEBT SERVICE FUND, WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ON THE CITY'S OUTSTANDING PROPERTY TAX SUPPORTED DEBT.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS BOTH THE FISCAL YEAR 27 PROPOSED BUDGET FOR REVENUES, THE GRAPH ON THE LEFT AND THE FISCAL YEAR 27 PROPOSED BUDGET BUDGETED EXPENDITURES, THE GRAPH ON THE RIGHT.
A FEW ITEMS TO HIGHLIGHT ON THIS SLIDE, APPROXIMATELY 8.6 MILLION.
THE DARK BLUE SECTION OF THE THE REVENUE CHART IS THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE BUDGETED TO PAY THE PROPERTY TAX SUPPORTED PORTION OF THE FISCAL YEAR 27 DEBT SERVICE.
THE PROPERTY TAX RATE CAN ONLY BE SET AT THE AMOUNT NEEDED TO PAY THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST DUE ON THE PROPERTY TAX SUPPORTED DEBT DURING THE YEAR.
AN ADDITIONAL, UH, APPROXIMATE 3.4 MILLION SHOWN IN THE WHITE SECTION OF THE REVENUE GRAPH IS TRANSFERS FROM THE WATER AND SEWER FUND AND THE, UH, COPPEL RECREATION DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FUND TO PAY FOR THEIR PORTION OF THE PRINCIPLE AND INTEREST ASSOCIATED WITH PROJECTS BENEFITING THOSE FUNDS TOGETHER PROPERTY TAX REVENUE AND THE TRANSFER IN PROVIDE THE AMOUNT NECESSARY TO PAY THE FISCAL YEAR 27 PRINCIPLE AND INTEREST ON OUTSTANDING GENERAL OBLIGATION AND CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION DEBT.
THE BUDGET INFORMATION PRESENTED TO YOU THIS EVENING IS CONSISTENT WITH THE INFORMATION, UH, SHOWN AT THE JULY 21ST FINANCIAL STRATEGY SESSION AND THE AUGUST 4TH BUDGET WORKSHOP.
BEFORE MOVING ON TO THE GENERAL FUND, I WANT TO RECONNECT THE FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET TO THE LONGER TERM FINANCIAL PICTURE WE HAVE DISCUSSED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO THIS IS THE AUSTIN GAP SLIDE COUNCIL SEES EACH YEAR WHEN WE PRESENT THE FIVE YEAR FORECAST AND THEY SEE IT, YOU SEE IT DURING THE COUNCIL RETREAT AND THEN DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS.
THE AUSTIN GAP SLIDE IS UPDATED EACH YEAR AS PART OF THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST PROCESS.
THE INFORMATION IN THE CHART ON THIS SLIDE WAS FIRST SHARED DURING THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST PRESENTATION IN MAY, AND AGAIN DURING THE JULY FINANCIAL STRATEGY SESSION.
THE RED BAR REPRESENTS PROJECTED GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES, THE ESTIMATED COST OF SERVICES, AND MAINTAINING INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE BLUE AND GRAY BARS SHOW PROJECTED REVENUES UNDER DIFFERENT PROPERTY TAX ASSUMPTIONS.
THE YELLOW AREA REPRESENTS THE PROJECTED GAP BETWEEN EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES.
IF THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE GROWS AT THE STATUTORY 3.499% LIMIT.
[02:30:01]
SO WHAT'S CAUSING THE GAP AND HOW ARE WE WORKING TOGETHER TO CLOSE THE GAP? SOME OF THE CAUSES OF THE GAP ARE, FOR EXAMPLE, INCREASES IN INFLATION, WHICH INCREASES THE COST OF MAINTAINING INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROVIDING SERVICES.IN ADDITION, THE VARIOUS DECISIONS MADE AT THE STATE LEVEL ALSO HAVE A LONG-TERM IMPACT ON THE CITY REVENUES, CITY'S EXPENDITURES, THE CITY'S SERVICE LEVEL, AND THE CITY'S ABILITY TO MAINTAIN INFRASTRUCTURE.
DURING THE FINANCIAL STRATEGY SESSIONS, MR. COLLINS AND MS. LEACH SHARED HOW DEPARTMENTS USED THE STRATEGIES SHOWN ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THIS SLIDE TO CLOSE THE GAP FOR FISCAL YEAR 27.
THE YELLOW AREA WAS ELIMINATED THROUGH THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST AND BUDGET PROCESSES.
SPECIFICALLY DURING THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST PROCESS, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTORS USED THE STRATEGY SHOWN ON THE RIGHT TO REDUCE THE YELLOW AREA.
THEN DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS, THE FISCAL YEAR 27 YELLOW AREA WAS ELIMINATED AND A BALANCED BUDGET FOR THE GENERAL FUND PRESENTED.
THE IMPORTANT POINT IS THAT WORK DID NOT BEGIN IN FISCAL YEAR 27 AND IS NOT UNIQUE IN FISCAL YEAR 20.
UNIQUE TO FISCAL YEAR 27 FOR SEVERAL YEARS, STAFF HAS BEEN EMPLOYING STRATEGIES PROACTIVELY TO REDUCE EXPENDITURES OF THE GENERAL FUND OVER TIME SO THAT WE ARE NOT REACTIVE.
WHEN DECISIONS MADE IN AUSTIN REQUIRE US TO REDUCE REVENUES OR REDUCE EXPENDITURES.
WE HAVE TAKEN THIS APPROACH BECAUSE WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT DECISIONS AND STRATEGIES EMPLOYED TODAY WILL HAVE A CONTINUED IMPACT ON FUTURE YEARS.
SO NOW LET'S LOOK SPECIFICALLY AT THE GENERAL FUND.
WHEN ONE TIME USES OF FUND BALANCE ARE REMOVED FROM BOTH YEARS, FISCAL YEAR 27 GENERAL FUND OPERATING EXPENDITURES ARE APPROXIMATELY 78.6 MILLION.
THE TOTAL AMOUNT SHOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS, OF THE RIGHT HAND, UH, OF THE RIGHT COLUMN COMPARED TO THE FISCAL YEAR 26 ADOPTED OPERATING EXPENDITURES OF 76.1.
THE TOTAL AMOUNT SHOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LEFT COLUMN, THAT REPRESENTS A 3.26% INCREASE OVER FISCAL YEAR 26 AND INCREASE BELOW.
AGAIN, THE MAY CPI OF 4.25 FISCAL YEAR 26 INCLUDED ONE TIME USES OF FUND BALANCE FOR DRAINAGE AND VISION 2040 INITIATIVES.
AGAIN, FISCAL YEAR 27 INCLUDES ONE-TIME USES FOR FIRE STATION PROJECTS, TRAIL PROJECTS, CREATION OF PUBLIC SAFETY, REPLACEMENT FUND, ADDITIONAL CAPITAL AND TECHNOLOGY REPLACEMENT RESOURCES AND VISION 24 INITIATIVES.
THOSE ONE TIME I ONE TIME ITEMS ARE FUNDED FROM EXISTING FUND BALANCE RATHER THAN BEING BUILT INTO THE CITY'S ONGOING OPERATING BASE.
THE 3.26 IS THEREFORE THE MORE MEANINGFUL MEASURE OF THE YEAR OVER YEAR CHANGES IN THE ONGOING OPERATING BUDGET OF THE GENERAL FUND.
SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE 78.6 MILLION GENERAL FUND OPERATING BUDGET BY FUNCTION.
AS I SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT EACH FUNCTION, I WILL INCLUDE THE STRATEGY EACH TEAM USED TO CLOSE THE GAP.
I SPOKE ABOUT A COUPLE OF SLIDES BACK, STARTING WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY, THE BEIGE SECTION ON THE GRAFT.
IT INCLUDES EXPENDITURES FOR COST TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SAFETY RELATED SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY LIKE POLICE AND FIRE.
THE CHART ON THIS SLIDE SHOWS THAT PUBLIC SAFETY MAKES UP ABOUT 42% OF TOTAL OPERATING EXPENDITURES.
THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUDGET IS INCREASING ABOUT 330,000 OR 1%.
SO HOW WAS THIS ACCOMPLISHED? THE FIRE DEPARTMENT UTILIZED RE THE REORGANIZING ROLES STRATEGY TO REDUCE THE FIRE STAFF COUNT BY TWO POSITIONS.
THE REMAINING CATEGORIES IN FIRE ARE RELATIVELY FLAT.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOCUSED ON BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF RESOURCES OF THE COMMUNITY.
UH, ALSO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT UTILIZED THE REORGANIZING ROLES WHEN CREATING ITS BUDGET, WHICH HAD AN IMPACT ON SALARY AND BENEFITS OF THE DEPARTMENT AS MORE TENURED OFFICERS ELECTED TO MOVE TO THE SRO POSITIONS, LEAVING THE NEWER OFFICERS IN THE PD UH, GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
SO MOVING TO PUBLIC WORKS, THE GREEN SECTION OF THE CHART, IT MAKES UP ABOUT 14% OF TOTAL OPERATING EXPENDITURES.
THE PUBLIC WORKS BUDGET IS INCREASING ABOUT 200, 204,000 OR ABOUT 2%.
THIS TEAM ALSO UTILIZED RE REORGANIZING ROLES AND VACAN AS VACANCIES OCCUR AS IT ELIMINATED ONE VACANT SENIOR STREET MAINTENANCE POSITION.
[02:35:01]
ON THE CHART IS CULTURE AND RECREATION, WHICH IS ALL DIVISIONS OF THE COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES DEPARTMENT.IT MAKES UP ABOUT 17% OF THE TOTAL OPERATING EXPENDITURES.
THIS TEAM UTILIZED REORGANIZING ROLES AS VACANCIES OCCUR THOUGHTFULLY STOPPING ACTIVITIES AND REEVALUATING VENDOR SERVICES AND CONTRACTS TO LIMIT GROWTH IN EXPENDITURES FOR THEIR AREAS TO A TOTAL OF A 111,000, WHICH IS A 0.8% OR LESS THAN 1% INCREASE FROM THE FISCAL YEAR.
ADOPTED CHANGES TO THE COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE BUDGET INCLUDE THE REMOVAL OF THE FARMER'S MARKET AND COMMUNITY GARDENS FROM THE COMMUNITY, UH, EXPERIENCES COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DIVISION BUDGET.
THOSE TWO GROUPS DECIDED TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN NON-FOR-PROFITS AND INSTEAD WENT THROUGH THE CITY'S SERVICE ORGANIZATION'S GRANT PROCESS.
THE TEAM ALSO INCLUDED A REDUCTION OF ONE POSITION AT THE CORE, CLOSING THE SUNSHINE ROOM AND REDUCING THE CORE HOURS BY CLOSING AT 8:00 PM ON MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY INSTEAD OF 10:00 PM.
AND THEY ALSO, UH, INCLUDED STOPPING THE ADULT ATHLETICS FOR A TOTAL CURRENT YEAR SAVINGS OF ALMOST 169,000.
MOVING TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, THE BROWN SECTION OF THE CHART, IT MAKES UP ABOUT 5% OF THE TOTAL OPERATING EXPENDITURES.
THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUNCTION IS INCREASING ABOUT 125,000 OR ABOUT 3.6%.
THIS DEPARTMENT UTILIZED LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY TO HANDLE ROUTINE TASKS AS THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES TECHNOLOGY TO HELP THEM WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET OF ALL FOUR OF THESE FUNCTIONS IS INCREASING LESS THAN THE MAY CPI OF 4.25% AND WAS ACCOMPLISHED USING THESE.
THE STRATEGIES I SHARED NOW GOV GENERAL GOVERNMENT REPRESENTS THE REMAINING 22% OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET OF THE GENERAL FUND.
AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT IS WHERE IT, HR, FINANCE, PROCUREMENT, UH, COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER'S, OFFICE COMMUNICATIONS, LEGAL AND COMBINED SERVICES ARE LOCATED.
THESE ARE THE DEPARTMENTS THAT SERVE AND SUPPORT ALL FUNDS, DEPARTMENTS AND DIVISIONS OF THE CITY.
AND THE PRIMARY REASON FOR THE INCREASE, UH, IS THE INCREASE IN THE ANNUAL TRANSFERS TO THE CAPITAL REPLACEMENT FUND, ENTERPRISE POLLUTIONS REPLACEMENT FUND, AND TO THE IMF FOR FACILITY MAINTENANCE.
OVERALL, FOUR POSITIONS WERE ELIMINATED FROM THE GENERAL FUND AS PART OF THE FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET PROCESS, ALONG WITH CHANGES IN HOW SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES ARE DELIVERED.
SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS OPERATING EXPENDITURES BY CLASSIFICATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, UH, ADOPTED COMPARED TO FISCAL YEAR 27, ADOPTED BUDGET EXPENDITURES.
UH, THE ONETIME TRANSFERS AND ONETIME USES OF FUND BALANCE HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM BOTH YEARS.
SO AGAIN, THIS GRAPH IS ONLY SHOWING OPERATING EXPENDITURES OF THE GENERAL FUND.
AND JUST LIKE THE WATER AND SEWER FUND, THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY TO VIEW THAT SAME 78.6 MILLION OPERATING EXPENDITURES FOR THIS FUND.
SO LAST IS THE REVENUES OF THE GENERAL FUND.
TOTAL GENERAL FUND REVENUES ARE PROJECTED TO BE APPROXIMATELY 79.1 MILLION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 PROPERTY TAX.
THE BLUE AREA OF THE GRAPH REMAINS THE LARGEST GENERAL FUND REVENUE SOURCE AT APPROXIMATELY 48.5 MILLION OR 61% OF GENERAL FUND REVENUES.
THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, UH, PROPERTY TAX RATE THAT GENERATES THIS REVENUE IS 0.3 7 5 3 7 1 AND MORE WILL BE PRESENTED ON THE TAX RATE WHEN WE GET TO THAT PUBLIC HEARING SALES TAX, THE ORANGE SECTION OF THE GRAPH IS THE SECOND LARGEST SOURCE AT APPROXIMATELY 17 MILLION OR 21% OF TOTAL GENERAL FUND REVENUES TOGETHER PROPERTY TAX AND SALES TAX ACCOUNT FOR 83% OF GENERAL FUND REVENUES.
WE DO CONTINUE TO BUDGET SALES TAX AGAIN, AS IF THE RULE 3.33 IS IN EFFECT.
WHILE LITIGATION CONTINUES, THE STRATEGY AVOIDS BUILDING THE CITY'S ONGOING OPERATING BUDGET AROUND REVENUES WHOSE FUTURE REMAINS UNCERTAIN.
THE REMAINING SIX CATEGORY, UH, SIX REVENUE CATEGORIES PROVIDE APPROXIMATELY 17% OF THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE.
SO IN SUMMARY, THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET INCLUDES APPROXIMATELY 178.6 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES ACROSS ALL CITY FUNDS AND APPROXIMATELY 168 MILLION IN REVENUES FOR ALL FUNDS.
THE DIFFERENCE REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY 10.6 MILLION IN PLANNED USE OF FUND BALANCE, PRIMARILY FOR THE ONE TIME AND STRATEGIC PURPOSES DISCUSSED
[02:40:01]
THIS EVENING.THE GENERAL FUND'S ONGOING OPERATING BUDGET IS APPROXIMATELY 78.6 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF 3.26 OVER FISCAL YEAR 26 AND BELOW THE MAY CPI OF 4.25.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET REFLECTS COUNCIL'S DIRECTION, PROVIDES FOR CITY SERVICES AND PRIORITIES IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, AND STRATEGICALLY USES EXISTING RESOURCES FOR FUTURE NEEDS WITHOUT BUILDING THOSE ONE-TIME INVESTMENTS INTO ONGOING OPERATIONS.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UH, BEFORE COUNSEL RECEIVES PUBLIC INPUT.
COUNSEL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. TN OR MR. COLLINS? I SEEING NONE.
WE DID HAVE TWO PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
UM, SO I WILL CALL THEM IN THE ORDER THAT THEY SIGNED UP.
UH, THE FIRST ONE THAT SIGNED UP WAS MR. VINKY VINCA TRUMAN.
GOOD EVENING, MA MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, JUST TO UH, CLARIFY, I NORMALLY I HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO COMPLETE THIS SPEECH, CORRECT? YES, SIR.
I WOULD REQUEST THE COUNCIL FOR AN ADDITIONAL MINUTE IF I NEED IT BECAUSE NO SIR, WE CAN'T DO THAT.
I MAY HAVE TO RUSH SOMEWHAT AND MAYBE ONLY THE INDIAN COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING, BUT I'LL DO MY BEST.
ALRIGHT, SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME, THE FIRST TIME I CAME BEFORE THIS BODY WAS IN 2010, WHERE I CAME TO SPEAK BEFORE REGARDING THE RED LIGHT, UH, TRAFFIC ISSUE.
I HAD NO WHITE HAIR AND TODAY'S, AND I DIDN'T KNOW ANYONE ON THE CITY COUNCIL THEN.
TODAY I KNOW PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND I HAVE PLENTY OF GRAY HAIR.
SO HOPEFULLY I'LL MAKE A BETTER PRESENTATION THAN WHAT I DID 16 YEARS AGO.
I, I'VE COME HERE PRIMARILY TO SPEAK REGARDING THE CORE.
ALTHOUGH WE HEARD A, A LONG PRESENTATION REGARDING THE ENTIRE BUDGET, THE CORE IS ESSENTIALLY PEANUTS COMPARED TO THE TOTAL BUDGET.
SO UNLIKE, UH, SOME OF THE OTHERS WHO HAVE SPOKEN REGARDING THE CORE, I WOULD SPEAKING ABOUT THIS MATTER FROM MY BACKGROUND AS AN ENGINEER, MANAGER, AND A LAWYER RATHER THAN ON AN EMOTIONAL BASIS.
ALTHOUGH I DO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE WHO SPOKE EARLIER, UH, FAVORING RETENTIONAL SERVICES.
SO I REVIEWED THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET OF THE CORE CAREFULLY, UH, WHICH I HAVE WITH ME RIGHT HERE, SO I KNOW THE NUMBERS ARE CORRECT.
UH, I ALSO REACHED OUT TO THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, TRACY LEACH FOR CLARIFICATION.
SHE CONFIRMED THAT THE PROPOSED CHANGES, INCLUDING THE CORE HOURS, THE SUNSHINE ROOM, AND THE ATHLETICS ARE NOT LISTED AS SEPARATE LINE ITEMS BUT ARE, BUT ARE INSTEAD ENVIED WITHIN THE SALARY AND BENEFITS LINE AND THE STAFFING CHART.
THAT CLARIFICATION IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, THE SALARY BENEFITS LINE DOES NOT REFLECT A DRASTIC CHANGE THAT WOULD JUSTIFY CUTTING TWO HOURS OF PUBLIC ACCESS EVERY WEEKDAY, THE SUNSHINE ROOM AND OTHER THINGS.
UH, FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, 26, 26, THE CITY'S ORIGINALLY ADOPTED CODE BUDGET WAS 2,684,523 FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 27.
THE PROPOSED SCORE BUDGET IS $2,678,000 981.
THIS IS ESSENTIALLY FLAT COMPARED TO THE LAST YEAR'S ADOPTED BUDGET.
AND I'M ONLY TALKING ABOUT THE ADOPTED BUDGET.
I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE AMENDED BUDGET.
UH, THE SALARY BENEFITS LINE CHANGES FROM 1,807,828 IN THE ADOPTED BUDGET, UH, LAST YEAR TO THE PROPOSED BUDGET OF $1,878,000, $878,823.
THIS IS JUST A MODEST INCREASE OF $70,995, NOT THE KIND OF STRUCTURAL INCREASE THAT WOULD NORMALLY REQUIRE ELIMINATING TWO HOURS OF DAILY SERVICE, AS WELL AS THINGS LIKE THE SUNSHINE ROOM.
THE STAFFING CHART SHOWS MINOR RECLASSIFICATIONS, TWO RECREATION SUPERVISORS REPLACED BY TWO RECREATION CENTER SUPERVISORS, AND SMALL ADJUSTMENTS IN PART-TIME ROLES.
BUT AGAIN, NOTHING SUGGESTS A MAJOR OPERATIONAL CONTRACTION.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE DEMAND FOR CORE CONTINUES TO RISE.
MEMBERSHIP IS PROJECTED TO REACH 9,450.
ATTENDANCE IS EXPECTED TO HIT 220,000 VISITS.
THE CORE IS SERVING MORE RESIDENTS, NOT FEWER.
I ALSO UNDERSTAND THE BOARD OF FISCAL CONTEXT.
COPPEL IS NAVIGATING UNCERTAINTY FROM THE TEXAS CONTROLLERS REVISED TOOL 3.334, WHICH IS STILL UNDER LITIGATION AS THE PREVIOUS PORTION, UH, PERSON MENTIONED,
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WHICH I LOOK REALLOCATE SALES TAX AWAY FROM CITIES WITH FULFILLMENT CENTERS LIKE COPPEL TO DESTINATION BASED SOURCING.THAT IS A CITY WHERE THE BUYER RECEIVES A PRODUCT.
THIS IS A REAL CHALLENGE, BUT EVEN WITH THAT CHALLENGE, THE CITY'S OWN PROPOSED BUDGET DOES NOT INDICATE THAT THE CORE REQUIRES A REDUCTION IN OURS OR ELIMINATION OF THINGS LIKE THE SUN, SUNSHINE ROOM.
THE BUDGET IS STABLE, THE COMMUNITY'S USAGE IS INCREASING FOR MANY RESIDENTS, MYSELF INCLUDED, 9:00 PM IS ONLY TIME WE CAN EXERCISE DUE TO WORK AND FAMILY OBLIGATIONS.
CLOSING AT 8:00 PM WOULD ELIMINATE AN IMPORTANT HEALTH RESOURCE FOR WORKING FAMILIES, SHIFT WORKERS, AND ANYONE WITH A NON-TRADITIONAL SCHEDULE.
THE CORE'S MISSION IS TO SUPPORT THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL WELLBEING OF CITIZENS MAINTAINING FULL HOURS AND RETAINING THINGS LIKE THE SUN, SUNSHINE ROOM IS PART OF FULFILLING THAT MISSION.
GIVEN THE BUDGET NUMBERS, THE STAFFING CHART, AND THE CITY'S STATED PRIORITIES, I RESPECTFULLY URGE THE COUNCIL TO MAINTAIN THE COURSE WEEKDAY HOURS AT 10:00 PM AS WELL AS THE SUNSHINE ROOM.
THE PROPOSED REDUCTION IS NOT SUPPOSED BY, SUPPORTED BY THE FISCAL DATA AND WOULD MEANINGFULLY IMPACT RESIDENTS WHO RELY ON LATE EVENING ACCESS AND THINGS LIKE THE SUN, SUNSHINE ROOM.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS TONIGHT.
THE LAST SPEAKER IS CYNTHIA LINDER.
HELLO, CYNTHIA LINDER, 6 0 1 LOCK LANE.
I'M HERE, UM, TO TALK ABOUT THE SUNSHINE ROOM, AND WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF NUMBERS TONIGHT.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF COP HILL FOR 22 YEARS.
UH, MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE RUN A FITNESS BUSINESS HERE IN CUPEL FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS.
I'VE BEEN A MOTHER FOR 14 YEARS.
I HAVE SEVEN CHILDREN, AGES FOUR TO 14, AND I HAVE BEEN USING THE SUNSHINE ROOM FOR ALL OF THOSE YEARS.
EVEN UP UNTIL THIS PAST FRIDAY WHEN MY KIDS DIDN'T HAVE SCHOOL, I BROUGHT FOUR OF THEM TO THE WONDERFUL MARIA AND KEN WALL, WHO ARE THE MOST AMAZING WOMEN, UH, THAT TAKE CARE OF MY CHILDREN.
UH, AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, THE MENTAL HEALTH COMPONENT OF THE SUNSHINE ROOM, UM, IS EXTREMELY POWERFUL.
I'D SAY I'M NOT GOING TO WORK OUT TO GET A BIKINI BODY ANYMORE.
I'M GOING TO WORK OUT SO THAT I CAN BE A BETTER PARENT, UM, TO MY CHILDREN.
UM, SO I CAN HAVE THE STRENGTH TO PICK UP MY 4-YEAR-OLD, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, SIX MONTHS AWAY FROM 50.
I NEED TO BE ABLE TO EXERCISE AND HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY OF USING THE SUNSHINE ROOM IN THE MORNING.
UM, WITH THE RECENT CLOSURE OF KIDDING AROUND, THAT LEAVES PARENTS AGAIN WITH A, A PROBLEM OF WHAT DO I DO WITH MY CHILDREN SO I CAN GET THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS BENEFITS THAT I NEED AS A MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY, UM, WHERE MY KIDS WILL BE SAFE, THEY'RE GONNA BE CARED FOR.
UH, THERE'S BEEN MORE THAN ONE OCCASION WHERE I HAVE, UM, THANKED THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THE SUNSHINE ROOM WITH TEARS IN MY EYES BECAUSE I TELL THEM, YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH THIS IS DOING FOR ME.
AND I'M NOT POINTING TO MY ABS, I'M POINTING TO MY BRAIN BECAUSE IT IS SO ESSENTIAL.
UM, NOT JUST POSTPARTUM, NOT JUST WHEN YOU JUST HAD A BABY THREE MONTHS, SIX MONTHS AFTER, BUT JUST TO MAINTAIN YOUR HEALTH.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW THAT ONCE THOSE KIDS COME HOME FROM SCHOOL, BETWEEN THE HOURS FROM FOUR AND 10 IS A BEAT DOWN.
SO IF YOU CAN, I'VE ALREADY HAD THAT WORKOUT IN KNOWING YOUR KIDS ARE CARED FOR, THEY'RE SAFE.
UM, THEY'RE IN A CITY STRUCTURE THAT HAS, UM, EMERGENCY, UH, PROTOCOL IN PLACE.
UH, IT'S JUST SO ESSENTIAL FOR THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY, UM, THE MOMS, THE DADS, EVEN GRANDPARENTS THAT MIGHT WANNA USE THE SUNSHINE ROOM.
UM, AS WE KNOW THERE'S NOT YOUNG FAMILIES REALLY MOVING IN HERE AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED.
AND TO CLOSE THE SUNSHINE ROOM, I THINK WOULD, UM, INCREASE THAT NUMBER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS THIS EVENING.
UH, WE HAVE COMPLETED ALL OF OUR PRESENTATIONS.
UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY COUNSEL BEFORE WE GET INTO QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS? I DID WANNA POINT OUT THAT THIS IS GONNA BE A, A RATHER CONVOLUTED PROCESS UNDER THE ADVICE AND COUNSEL OF CITY ATTORNEY.
WE'RE GONNA, UH, OFFER REVISIONS TO THE BUDGET INSTEAD OF JUST, I'M, I'M NOT COMPLETE.
UH, WE'RE GONNA OFFER REVISIONS TO THE, UH, TO THE BUDGET.
SO THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS PRESENTED TO YOU BY MS. TIAN EARLIER TODAY, UH, WHERE IT SAYS AMEND, LET'S, WE'RE GONNA REVISE
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THE BUDGET.WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THAT BEFORE WE ACCEPT THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE BUDGET.
SO WE'LL DO A, ANY NUMBER OF, UH, REVISIONS THAT THE COUNCIL SEES FAVORABLE.
WE WILL ALSO NEED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN, UH, VOTE TO, UH, ON A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BUDGET.
SO ANY QUESTIONS ON PROCESS HERE? ALL RIGHT.
I'M JUST GETTING BETTER STATEMENT
COUNCIL MEMBER, DES, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR A COMMENT? NO QUESTION OR COMMENT.
UH, MAYOR, UM, JUST PREPARED TO MAKE A RE OR, UH, PROPOSE A, UH, REVISION.
UM, I WANNA START OUT WITH, I MOVE TO REVISE THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 26 27 BUDGET TO INCREASE THE FUNDING FOR THE CORE TO KEEP THE EXISTING HOURS, SPECIFICALLY 8:00 PM TO 10:00 PM MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY BY $24,000 FOR A TOTAL INCREASE OF $24,000.
UH, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HINOJOSA SMITH.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR COMMENT? COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEW? YEAH.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A STATEMENT.
UH, DURING THE WINTER CITY COUNCIL RETREAT, A MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL DIRECTED THE STAFF TO PREPARE A BUDGET BASED ON A 3.499% INCREASE, ALONG WITH AN INCREASED PROPERTY VALUES, NEW PROPERTIES ADDED TO THE TAX ROLL, AND ONE-TIME TRANSFERS FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO I-M-F-C-R-D-C, THE PUBLIC SAFETY REPLACEMENT FUND, CAPITAL FLEET REPLACEMENT FUND, ANOTHER FUNDS, EVEN WITH THIS ADDITIONAL REVENUES STAFF IDENTIFIED COST SAVING OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING REDUCING THE CORE HOURS FROM 10:00 PM TO 8:00 PM AND REDUCING YOUR ELIMINATING PROGRAMS. I BELIEVE WE SHOULD LOOK AT ALL AVAILABLE REVENUES FUND BALANCE TRANSFERS, THE OTHER COST SAVING OPPORTUNITIES BEFORE REDUCING CORE HOURS WHERE RESIDENTS ALREADY PAY MEMBERSHIP FEE AND PROGRAM FEES.
CRDC SALES TAX REVENUES HAVE HELPED THE MAJORITY COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENTS, THE FUND MAJORITY COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING COPI LIBRARY, ANDREW BROWN PARK TRAILS, GREEN SPACE, LIFE SAFETY PARK, AND COUPLE ART CENTER BEFORE REDUCING THE HOURS, WE SHOULD MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO IDENTIFY OTHER WAYS TO MANAGE THE BUDGET WHILE PROTECTING SERVICE OUR RESIDENTS VALUE AND PAY FOR IT.
UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK STAFF.
UM, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HAVE POURED NUMEROUS HOURS MORE THAN WE CAN EVER COUNT, UM, TIME, EFFORT, ENERGY INTO OUR BUDGET, AND WE TRULY APPRECIATE IT.
UM, AND THIS GOES FOR OUR FINANCE TEAM TO KIM AND HER TEAM, AS WELL AS TO OUR STAFF AND OUR DIRECTORS, WHO I KNOW THAT ARE ALWAYS, UM, ASKED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER? WHERE CAN WE MAKE, UM, HOW CAN WE CLOSE THAT OFTEN GAP, RIGHT? HOW CAN WE, WHERE CAN WE MAKE SOME CHANGES SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE A FISCALLY, UM, STRONG, STABLE, RESPONSIBLE COMMUNITY? UM, SO I, I THANK OUR STAFF FOR THAT.
UM, I ALSO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU MAKE HARD RECOMMENDATIONS TO US, UM, OR THAT WHERE WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME HARD DECISIONS SOMETIMES, OR WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THEM, AND THOSE AREN'T EASY FOR YOU TO BRING TO OUR ATTENTION.
BUT WE APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO DO THAT AND TO SAY, UM, YOU MIGHT WANNA CONSIDER THE FACT THAT THERE IS THAT OFTEN GAP, AND WE NEED TO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHERE WE MIGHT NEED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES AND LOOK AT THE DATA AND CONSIDER WHERE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO JUST MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS.
SO, TO ALL THE STAFF MEMBERS, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, UM, AND THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO EXPLAIN TODAY FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
[02:55:01]
GO BACK AND EVEN LISTEN TO IT AGAIN, AND I JUST APPRECIATE THE LEVEL OF DETAIL, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE DIFFERENT BUCKETS OF, UM, FUNDS WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES, UM, MISPERCEPTIONS, RIGHT? UM, OF JUST MISUNDERSTANDINGS OF, OF HOW OUR BUDGET WORKS.WITH THAT SAID, THOUGH, UM, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS, AND THAT HAS BEEN A PRIORITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CITY, AND HAS BEEN A CITY INITIATIVE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
THAT INCLUDES PHYSICAL EXERCISE, NUTRITION, MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL, SPIRITUAL, FINANCIAL WELLBEING.
AND I KNOW THAT THE CORE PROVIDES THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MANY OF THOSE PILLARS.
UM, I WAS A MOM WHO NEEDED CHILDCARE SO I COULD WORK OUT.
UM, AND FOR MY PHYSICAL WELLBEING, FOR MY MENTAL HEALTH, FOR JUST OVERALL HEALTH AND WELLNESS, UM, I'M ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO WORK OUT AT NIGHT BECAUSE OF MY WORK SCHEDULE.
AND SO A LOT OF TIMES IT MAY BE LATE, UM, ON WHEN I CAN ACTUALLY MAKE IT TO THE GYM JUST TO GET IN A WALK ON THE TREADMILL IF NEEDED.
AND SO, UM, AND WHEN MY SON IS HOME FROM COLLEGE, HE'S ONE OF THE KIDS WHO IS PLAYING BASKETBALL ON THE COURT WITH HIS COLLEGE FRIENDS AT THE CORE AND ENJOYING THAT AMENITY.
AND WHAT I LOVE ABOUT ALL THESE FACETS OF WHAT WE DO AND WHAT WE PROVIDE IS THAT IT'S PART OF US BEING A FAMILY COMMUNITY FOR A LIFETIME.
UM, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE ARE THE AMENITIES THAT WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT.
I ALSO KNOW THAT WE WILL AT SOME POINT, WHETHER IT'S THE COUNCIL UP HERE, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, OR THE COUNCIL IN THE FUTURE, THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE THOSE GAPS AS YOU SAW ON THE SCREEN EARLIER.
AND WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE SOME HARD DECISIONS.
UM, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING THEM IN A STRATEGIC WAY, THAT WE'RE THINKING THROUGH ALL THE WAYS THAT, UM, THAT THESE DECISIONS WILL IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE STILL AT THE CORE CONTINUE TO BE A FAMILY COMMUNITY FOR A LIFETIME.
UM, SO WITH THAT SAID, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE CORE, STAYING OPEN.
UM, WITH ITS CURRENT HOURS, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE SUNSHINE ROOM, CONTINUING TO STAY OPEN, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT HEALTH AND WELLNESS IN ANY WAY THAT I CAN.
UM, I, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A PAGE FROM, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HINO, JOSE SMITH'S COMMENT, AND, UH, THANK THE, UH, SFE TEAM.
UH, YOU ALL, UH, DO AN AMAZING JOB.
AND, AND THANKS TO, UH, THE CMO AND ALL THE, ALL THE STAFF, THIS IS A, A LONG, UH, PROCESS.
IT TAKES A LOT OF YOUR TIME AND, AND, UH, YOU HAVE YOUR DAY JOB IN ADDITION TO DOING THIS.
SO, UH, APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR EFFORT.
UM, I THINK, UM, UH, MR. HAN SHARED A BUNCH OF NUMBERS ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT SLIDES, IF I CANNOT APPROXIMATE USING RAW NUMBERS.
AND, AND, UH, FULL DISCLOSURE, I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU EXACT NUMBERS.
UH, THE REALITY IS, UM, THE EXPENSES ARE, ARE, UH, GOING UP BY ALMOST $2.5 MILLION, UH, YEAR OVER YEAR.
AND, UM, EVEN IF WE WENT TO THE MAXIMUM ALLOWED OF 3.499 PERCENTAGE INCREASE, UH, THE, THE CORRESPONDING INCREASE IN REVENUE IS ONLY CLOSE TO, UH, $1.5 MILLION.
SO YOU HAVE EXPENSES GOING UP ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS MORE PER YEAR THAN OUR ABILITY TO, TO GENERATE REVENUE THROUGH PROPERTY TAXES AND SALES TAXES.
SO, UM, THIS, THIS IS AN, UH, DARK CLOUD, UH, THAT'S NOT TOO FAR AWAY.
UM, AS RESIDENTS, WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS.
AND THEN YOU ALL, UH, ELECTED THIS EIGHT OF US HERE TO, TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS FOR YOU.
UM, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR, WE, WE HAD DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW ON, ON HOW TO, UM, YOU KNOW, FIT A SQUARE PEG IN A ROUND HOLE.
UM, I FOUR ONE WAS IN FAVOR OF, UM, CAPPING THE INCREASE OF SERVICE ORGANIZATION AT 3.5%, UH, OR ACTUALLY 3.499%.
UH, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ORIGINAL DECISION OR RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF TO REDUCE THE, UH, OUR AT CORE, I WAS ACTUALLY, UH, EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T LIKE IT, I WAS IN FAVOR OF IT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE OPTION STAFF BROUGHT TO US.
GIVEN THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE COURSE OF ALL THE MEETINGS THAT WE HAD, UH, WE HAVEN'T, UH, IN MY OPINION, DONE AN, UM, UH, SUFFICIENT JOB OF CUTTING DOWN OUR
[03:00:01]
EXPENSES.UM, SO I THINK, UH, COME, UH, JAN RETREAT, UH, HOPEFULLY, UH, ALL THE, EVERYONE ON THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE OPEN TO LOOKING AT ALL THE EXPENSES AND, AND, UH, TRYING TO BE FAIR IN, IN, IN CUTTING THOSE, UH, FOR THE FUTURE YEARS.
UM, SO GIVEN THAT WE HAVEN'T, UM, DONE, UH, IN MY OPINION, UH, GIVEN THAT WE ARE NOT CUT AS MUCH AS WE SHOULD HAVE, I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO BE IN FAVOR OF, UH, THE AMENDMENT THAT MISS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER NEVILLES PROPOSED.
I'M, I'M GOING TO BE IN FAVOR OF, UH, KEEPING THE CORE OPEN TILL 10:00 PM I'M GOING TO BE IN FAVOR OF KEEPING THE SUNSHINE ROOM, UH, OPEN.
AND, UM, HOPEFULLY WE'LL LOOK AT THIS, UH, DURING, UH, JAN RETREAT.
AND I, I ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO BE MORE INVOLVED.
UM, LIKE I SAID, OUR OUR EXPENSES ARE GROWING FASTER THAN REVENUE, WHICH MEANS AT SOME POINT WE'LL HAVE TO CUT SERVICES AND, UH, WE'LL NEED YOUR INPUT AND SUPPORT ON THAT.
WITH THAT, I CONCLUDE MY COMMENTS.
UM, I'LL START OUT BY SAYING I APPLAUD COUNCILOR NEVILLES, COUNCILOR OSA SMITH FOR
THE ONE WORD I APPRECIATED, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER COLLINS, WORDS ON SUSTAINABLE, USING THE WORD SUSTAINABLE.
WE HAVE TASKED STAFF TO MAKE SURE WE ARE SUSTAINABLE FOR THE FUTURE, WHICH IS A LONG TERM, NOT JUST THIS YEAR, 'CAUSE WE'RE CERTAINLY FINE FOR THIS YEAR, BUT FOR THE LONG TERM, WE NEED TO BE SUSTAINABLE.
AND HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE GREAT AMENITIES IN THIS COMMUNITY, UM, ON A, ON A SUSTAINABLE PATH, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN AUSTIN AND SOME OF THE RESTRICTIONS THAT ARE COMING DOWN ON US.
UH, AND SO I, I DON'T THINK THIS IS A VOTE ABOUT $24,000 OR $174,000, WHATEVER THE NUMBER IS, OR TWO HOURS AT THE CORE.
IT'S REALLY ABOUT WHAT IS THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE CITY TO BECOME OR TO REMAIN SUSTAINABLE LONG TERM INTO THE FUTURE.
UM, AND DECISIONS THAT ARE GONNA HAVE TO BE MADE, WHETHER THEY'RE MADE NOW OR MADE SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, WE HAVE TO GET TO THIS SUSTAINABLE LEVEL.
UH, AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT THIS DECISION, UM, IS ABOUT, MORE SO THAN THE ACTUAL DOLLAR 'CAUSE THE DOLLARS WE HAVE THE DOLLARS FOR TODAY.
BUT GOING FORWARD, THERE HAS TO BE A STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND MY, MY CONCERN IS WE RISK, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT UNDERCUTTING STAFF, WHEN THEY'RE READY TO BRING US PROPOSALS IN THE FUTURE, THAT QUITE FRANKLY, THIS IS PROBABLY THE EASIEST OF THE DECISIONS THAT ARE COMING TO US.
UH, MY GUESS IS THERE ARE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT DECISIONS COMING IN THE FUTURE.
THIS HAPPENS TO BE SORT OF THE EASY DECISION AT THIS POINT.
AND SO I, I'M FEARFUL THAT WE ARE GOING TO RISK UNDERCUTTING STAFF ON THEIR WILLINGNESS TO BRING US DECISIONS, OR WHEN THEY DO HAVE TO BRING US, THEY'RE GONNA BE MUCH MORE DRAMATIC MODIFICATIONS TO THE BUDGET INTO THE FUTURE.
UM, SO I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS NOT AS A BINARY DECISION, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THIS IS JUST A BINARY DECISION JUST BASED ON THIS ONE SET OF FACTS.
IT IS ONE PIECE OF A MULTIFACETED, MULTI-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, AND EVERY TIME WE PULL A PIECE OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN OUT, IT MEANS WE HAVE TO GO AND COME UP WITH A MODIFIED OR A NEW STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.
SO I, THAT'S WHAT I THINK IS MORE AT RISK HERE, RATHER THAN JUST A BINARY DECISION ABOUT SOME DOLLARS AND SOME HOURS FOR THIS YEAR.
DO YOU HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND? OH, I'M SORRY.
DO WE NEED TO READ THIS LANGUAGE OUT? NO, NOT, NOT FOR THIS ONE.
WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR? SO I, I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE WE RAISING? PLEASE ASK FOR A POINT OF POINT OF INFORMATION.
SO THIS IS THE DISCUSSION PART, RIGHT? WE'VE GOTTEN PAST THE DISCUSSION POINT.
WE'RE VOTING ON THE, ON THE MO, ON THE AMENDMENT.
SO THAT'S, WHAT ARE WE VOTING ON? UH, YOU'RE VOTING TO, UM, REVISE, UH, THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 26, 27 BUDGET TO INCREASE THE FUNDING OF THE COURT, TO KEEP THE EXISTING HOURS, SPECIFICALLY 8:00 PM TO 10:00 PM MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY FOR
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BY $24,000 FOR A TOTAL INCREASE OF 24,000.I DIDN'T HEAR THAT WHEN KEVIN MADE THAT MOTION, THAT'S WHY I ASKED.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING IF THAT IS THE MOTION.
SO IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? NEVILLES WALKER.
NEVILLES HINOJOSA SMITH PREM KUMAR, MATTHEW HILL, OPPOSED? WALKER CARROLL.
COUNCIL MEMBER HINOJOSA SMITH.
I'D MOVE TO AMEND THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2026.
WELL, I'M READING WHAT I WAS GIVEN CHANGE.
SO I, UM, MOVED TO REVISE A PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 20 27 BUDGET TO INCREASE THE FUNDING FOR THE CORE TO KEEP THE SUNSHINE ROOM OPERATIONAL WITH THE EXISTING HOURS OF OPERATION BY 35,760 PLUS 34,625 TO ADD BACK ADULT ATHLETICS, PLUS 74,211 TO ADD BACK THE RECREATION COORDINATOR POSITION FOR A TOTAL INCREASE OF 144,596.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? COUNCIL MEMBER, PRIM KUMAR.
UH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.
NEVILLES HINOJOSA SMITH, PRIM KUMAR, MATTHEW HILL OPPOSED? WALKER CARROLL.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO AMEND THE REVISED FISCAL YEAR REVISED, PLEASE.
THE WHAT? IN, IN, IN PLACE OF AMEND, USE THE WORD REVISED, PLEASE.
I MOVE TO REVISE THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 20 27 BUDGET TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR THE LOVE THY NEIGHBOR SERVICE ORGANIZATION BY $2,000, AND FOR THE COPPEL EDUCATION FOUNDATION BY $51,000 FOR A TOTAL INCREASE OF $53,000.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECONDED BY MAYOR PRO TIMM WALKER.
I STRONGLY SUPPORT OUR CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION AND GREATLY APPRECIATE THE SERVICE THEY PROVIDE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, THIS YEAR, THE FUNDING REQUESTS FROM ORGANIZATIONS INCREASE BY 25% OR MORE COMPARED WITH THE LAST YEAR.
DURING OUR WORK SESSION, COUNCIL INITIALLY GAVE THE DIRECTION TO PROVIDE 10,000 FOR THE FIRST TIME REQUESTS FOR KA ISD FOUNDATION.
HOWEVER, A SUBSEQUENT MEETING THAT AMOUNT WAS CHANGED TO $61,000.
THE ADDITIONAL FUND WOULD COME DIRECTLY FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
SO I BELIEVE WE SHOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE IMPACT ON OUR OVERALL BUDGET AND ENSURE THAT WE ARE BALANCING THESE REQUESTS WITH OTHER PRIORITIES AND SERVICE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
ANY OTHER DIS OH, COUNCIL MEMBER NEVILLES.
UM, OUR CITY ATTORNEY SHOULD HAVE SOME INFORMATION FOR ME ABOUT THIS.
SO AS I UNDERSTAND IT, YOU'RE GONNA RECUSE YOURSELF FROM THIS CONVERSATION? HE IS, YES.
AND THEN ONCE HE DOES THAT, THAT'S BECAUSE HIS WIFE IS ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE FOUNDATION THAT CREATES A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
SO MR. NEVILLES WILL NOT VOTE ON THIS ITEM ONCE, UH, THIS ITEM, IF IT DOES PASS, BECOME PART OF THE BUDGET, HE MAY VOTE ON THE BUDGET BECAUSE THEN THAT AMOUNT IS DE MINIMIS AND WOULD NOT CREATE A CONFLICT.
SO, QUESTION FOR YOU, MR. HAGER? YES, SIR.
SINCE HE IS RECUSED, THAT MEANS THERE ARE SIX COUNCIL MEMBERS VOTING.
UH, I'LL GIVE IT A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THIS, ON THIS ONE.
I THINK OUR SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS ARE A RELATIVELY SMALL AMOUNT OF OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
HOWEVER, THE IMPACT INTO THE COMMUNITY, UH, IS MUCH GREATER THAN THE, IN THIS CASE, $53,000 INCREASE WE'RE GONNA EXPERIENCE.
UH, IT IS NOT USING CITY STAFF, IT'S NOT USING CITY RESOURCES FOR THE MOST PART.
IT'S ACTUALLY LEVERAGING THOSE SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS AND THE VOLUNTEERS THAT THEY MAY HAVE, OR THE STAFF THEY MAY HAVE, UM, DIRECTLY FOR
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BENEFIT INTO THE COMMUNITY.SO I, I SEE THIS AS, UM, A, A HUGE BENEFIT FOR THE, FOR THE, FOR OUR CITY, FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND IN ADDITION, THIS IS, THIS IS, THESE ARE THE EXPENSES THAT WE REVIEW EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
AND WE CAN MAKE THE DECISION AT ANY POINT.
THERE'S NO INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND THESE DECISIONS.
THEY ARE A, THESE ARE SORT OF A BINARY YEAR TO YEAR TYPE OF DECISION.
UM, AND SO THESE, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WHEN IT COMES TO REDUCING EXPENSES.
THESE CAN BE REDUCED AT ANY TIME.
WHEREAS IF YOU HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE CITY, MUCH HARDER TO REDUCE INFRASTRUCTURE QUICKLY, UH, TO MEET SOME FUTURE NEEDS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
SO I WOULD BE, CERTAINLY, I MADE THE MOTION, BUT I WOULD BE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF, UH, ADDING THESE TO OUR SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER HINOJOSA SMITH.
UM, EVERY YEAR WE SOMETIMES SEE THE SAME ORGANIZATIONS THAT COME FORWARD AND ASK FOR, UM, SOMETIMES THEY ASK FOR THE SAME AMOUNT, SOMETIMES THEY ASK FOR SMALL INCREASES.
SOMETIMES IT'S A ORGANIZATION THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE.
AND, UM, THERE'S, AND, AND SOMETIMES WE SEE THEM EVERY OTHER YEAR OR JUST THE CADENCE MIGHT BE DIFFERENT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE APPRECIATED ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY IS THAT WE HAVE A REALLY STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR SCHOOLS.
AND THIS YEAR, UM, WHILE THE COP EDUCATION FOUNDATION IN PARTICULAR, 'CAUSE THAT'S THE BIG AMOUNT BEFORE US, UM, CAME FORWARD.
AT FIRST I WANTED, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE WE ASKED QUESTIONS.
THEY CAME AND GAVE A, GAVE A PRESENTATION.
I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE MONEY WOULD BE USED, AND IT GOES DIRECTLY BACK INTO OUR CLASSROOMS. AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT CONSIDERING WHAT IS HAPPENING IN AUSTIN.
AND IF THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS LIKE WE DO WITH OUR SROS, THEN THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I, I THINK IS, IM IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AS COUNCIL MEMBER CAROL MENTIONED, JUST BECAUSE WE APPROVE IT THIS YEAR DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO APPROVE IT NEXT YEAR.
LAST YEAR, I THINK IT, I BELIEVE IT WAS LAST YEAR THAT WE SAW THE BAND CAME AND ASKED FOR MONEY SO THAT THEY COULD GO TO IRELAND TO, UM, SUPPLEMENT THE MONEY THAT THEY WERE FUNDRAISING THIS YEAR, THE BAND DID NOT COME FORWARD.
AND SO, AGAIN, I JUST THINK THAT SEEING THAT THIS MONEY GOES BACK INTO OUR CLASSROOMS AND DIRECTLY IMPACTS OUR TEACHERS AND OUR CHILDREN, UM, IS AN IMPORTANT WAY FOR US TO GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT IS A FAMILY COMMUNITY FOR A LIFETIME.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER HILL.
SO SUPPORTING COP, LISD AND THE, UM, THE FOUNDATION IS REALLY CRITICAL BECAUSE WHEN YOU TALK TO ANYBODY ON THE STREET, YOU KNOW, WHY DID YOU MOVE TO COPPEL BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOLS.
AND IT IS SUCH A DRIVING ECONOMIC FACTOR HERE, AND IT HAS SUCH A BIG IMPACT ON OUR, OUR ECONOMY, OUR HOME VALUES.
UM, THIS IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY AS, AS WELL AS, UM, DIRECTLY AFFECTING, UH, THE CLASSROOMS AND GOING STRAIGHT TO HELP THEM.
SO, UM, I, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO SUPPORT THIS.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR? WALKER HINOJOSA SMITH, CAROL PREM KUMAR HILL HILL.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER REVISIONS THAT THIS COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO PLACE BEFORE THE BUDGET? JUST AS A REMINDER, UM, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT DOES REQUIRE THAT WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN VOTE ON THE REVISED ITEM.
COUNCIL MEMBER HINOJOSA SMITH.
I MOVE THAT WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVE ITEM EIGHT AS AMENDED.
ANY, ANY DISCUSSION AS AS REVISED, NOT AMENDED ACCORDING TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY, SORRY.
NEVILLES WALKER, HINOJOSA SMITH, CARROLL, PREM KUMAR, MATTHEW HILL.
[9. 2026-0330 PUBLIC HEARING: To receive public comment concerning the proposed 2026-27 tax rate of $0.441166 and consider approval of an Ordinance of the City of Coppell, Texas levying the ad valorem taxes for the tax year 2026 at $0.441166 on each one hundred dollars ($100) assessed value of taxable property, on which $0.375371 is for operations and maintenance and $0.065795 is for interest and sinking; and authorizing the Mayor to sign.]
A PUBLIC HEARING.I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ASK
[03:15:01]
MS. TIAN TO READ THE ITEM INTO THE RECORD.THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT CONCERNING THE PROPOSED 26 27 TAX RATE OF 0.4 4 1 1 6 6 AND CONSIDER APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF KAPAL, TEXAS, LEVYING THE VALOREM TAXES FOR THE TAX SHARE.
2026 AT 0.4 4, 1 1 6 6 ON EACH $100.
ASSESSED VALUE OF TAXABLE PROPERTY ON WHICH 0.3 7 5 3 7 1 IS FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AND 0.0 6 5 7 9 5 IS FOR INTEREST IN SINKING AND AUTHORIZING THE MERIT TO SIGN.
UH, FIRST I NEED TO SHARE THE VARIOUS LEGAL REQUIREMENTS THAT NEED TO BE COMMUNICATED BEFORE I PRESENT THE INFORMATION ON THE PROPOSED TAX RATE AND CERTIFIED PROPERTY TAX VALUES.
PURSUANT TO SECTION 26.05 D OF THE TEXAS PROPERTY TAX CODE, THE GOVERNING BODY OF A TAXING UNIT OTHER THAN A SCHOOL DISTRICT MAY NOT ADOPT A TAX RATE THAT EXCEEDS THE LOWER OF THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, TAX RATE, OR THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.
UH, TA RATE CALCULATED AS PROVIDED BY THIS CHAPTER UNTIL THE GOVERNING BODY HAS HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED TAX RATE AND HAS OTHERWISE COMPLIED WITH SECTION 26.06 AND 26.065.
THE PROPOSED TAX RATE OF 0.44166 IS HIGHER THAN THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE OF 0.42181, BUT LOWER THAN THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE OF 0.4 4 4 3 9 9, WHICH INCLUDES UNUSED INCREMENTS AND IS THE RATE REQUIRED TO BE PUBLISHED? THE TRUTH IN TAXATION WORKSHEET TRACKS THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE ADOPTED, UH, ADOPTED RATE AND THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, TAX RATE FOR THE PRIOR THREE YEARS.
THOSE DIFFERENCES ARE CONSIDERED UNUSED INCREMENTS AND THE SUM OF THE PRIOR THREE YEARS IS ADDED TO THE CURRENT VOTER APPROVAL RATE CALCULATION TO DETERMINE THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE WITH UNUSED INCREMENTS, THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE REPRESENTS THE HIGHEST PROPERTY TAX RATE THE COUNCIL COULD ADOPT WITHOUT GOING TO VOTERS.
THE VOTER APPRO APPROVAL RATE BEFORE UNUSED INCREMENTS IS 0.4 4 1 1 6 9.
THE PROPOSED TAX RATE, AGAIN, IS LESS THAN THIS RATE ALSO BECAUSE THE PROPOSED TAX RATE IS GREATER THAN THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, A PUBLIC HEARING IS REQUIRED.
SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE TOTAL PROPOSED TAX RATE OF 0.4 4 1 1 6 6 IS 0.86% LESS THAN THE CURRENT, UH, 20 25, 26 TAX RATE OF 0.4 4 4 9 7 6.
THIS SLIDE ALSO SHOWS THE TAX RATE IN TOTAL AND THEN BROKEN OUT BETWEEN MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS OR M AND O, WHICH IS SHOWN IN THE GREEN AREA OF THIS BAR GRAPH.
AND THE INTEREST IN SINKING OR INS SHOWN BY THE BLUE AREA OF THE BAR GRAPH, THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RATE OF 0.3 7 5 3 7 1.
THE GREEN AREA IS THE PORTION OF THE TAX RATE THAT IS USED TO MAINTAIN THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH INCLUDES STREETS, SIDEWALKS, ALLEYS AND TRAFFIC SYSTEM, AS WELL AS OUR FACILITIES LIKE THE CORE TENNIS AND PICKLEBALL CENTER, THE SENIOR CENTER AND THE LIBRARY.
IT IS THE RATE NEEDED TO CONTINUE PROVIDING THE SERVICES COVERED BY OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AREA, COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES TEAM, AND OUR POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
IT IS THE RATE NEEDED AFTER REMOVING THREE POSITIONS, UH, FROM THE GENERAL FUND, THE INTEREST IN SINKING RATE OF 0.0 6 5 7 9 5.
THE BLUE AREA IS THE PORTION OF THE TAX RATE THAT IS USED TO PAY FOR THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST PAYMENTS ON THE OUTSTANDING BONDS OF THE CITY.
THE REVENUE GENERATED FROM THIS PORTION OF THE TAX RATE, AGAIN, IS SHOWN IN THE DEBT SERVICE FUND.
THE TAX, THE TOTAL PROPOSED TAX RATE OF 0.4 4 1 1 6 6 WILL RAISE ABOUT 2.1 MILLION MORE IN REVENUE FROM PROPERTY TAXES THAN WAS RAISED IN FISCAL YEAR 26 WITH ABOUT 367,000 OF THE 2.1 MILLION INCREASE FROM NEW PROPERTY ADDED TO THE TAX ROLL THIS YEAR.
THE 2.1 MILLION INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAX REVENUE GENERATED BY THE PROPERTY TAX RATE IS ALLOCATED BETWEEN THE GENERAL FUND AND THE DEBT SERVICE FUND WITH A TOP ABOUT 2 MILLION ALLOCATED TO THE GENERAL FUND.
WITH ABOUT 312,000 OF THAT INCREASE FROM NEW CONSTRUCTION.
THE DEBT SERVICE FUND IS INCREASING BY THE REMAINING 100,000, UH, WITH ALMOST 55,000
[03:20:01]
FROM NEW CONSTRUCTION.SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS A COMPARISON TO PRIOR YEAR OF CERTIFIED VALUES BY CATEGORY AS A NUMERICAL COMPARISON.
AND AS A, AS A BAR CHART, THE CITY'S TOTAL TAXABLE VALUATION IS ABOUT ONE, UH, 13 BILLION, WHICH IS 4.5440000000000005% HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR.
THE 4.54% OR ABOUT 566 MILLION INCREASE IN TAXABLE ASSESSED VALUATION IS AS THE, THE NUMERICAL CHART SHOWS THE RESULT OF A 9.7% INCREASE IN COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUES.
A 2.98% INCREASE IN RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY VALUES AND A 2.6% DECREASE A 0.26% DECREASE IN BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY OVERALL RESIDENTIAL MAKES UP A 53% OF THE TOTAL PROPERTY VALUES AND COMMERCIAL AND BUSINESS PROPERTY MAKES UP, UH, 47%.
NOW THIS SLIDE BREAKS OUT THE 566 MILLION OF GROWTH AND PROPERTY VALUES BETWEEN NEW CONSTRUCTION AND REAPPRAISALS.
THE FIRST SECTION OF THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE BREAKOUT OF NEW CONSTRUCTION BY PROPERTY CATEGORY.
YOU CAN SEE THAT NEW CONSTRUCTION TOTALS ABOUT 83 MILLION OR ALMOST 15% OF THE 566 MILLION TOTAL INCREASE IN PROPERTY VALUE.
THIS CHART ALSO SHOWS THE VALUE OF NEW CONSTRUCTION BY PROPERTY CLASSIFICATION.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE COMM COMMERCIAL CLASSIFICATION MAKES UP ALMOST 73 MILLION OR ALMOST 13% OF THE 566 MILLION TOTAL INCREASE IN VALUE.
THE GROWTH FROM RESIDENTIAL NEW CONSTRUCTION, UH, ACCOUNTS ABOUT FOR ABOUT 10.5 MILLION OR JUST UNDER 2% OF THE TOTAL GROWTH IN PROPERTY VALUES.
THE NEXT SECTION SHOWS THE AMOUNT OF GROWTH ATTRIBUTED TO REAPPRAISALS REAPPRAISALS ARE INITIATED BY THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
RE REAPPRAISALS MAKE UP ABOUT 489 MILLION OR ABOUT 86% OF THE TOTAL INCREASE IN VALUE.
COMMERCIAL REAPPRAISALS MAKE UP ABOUT 299 MILLION OR 53% OF THE INCREASE IN TOTAL PROPERTY VALUES AND RESIDENTIAL MAKES UP ALMOST 190 MILLION OR 33% OF THE TOTAL GROWTH REGARDING BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY.
THE INCREASE IN VALUE FROM NEW CONSTRUCTION OF ABOUT 900,000 WAS OFFSET BY A REDUCTION.
UH, UH, RE WAS OFFSET BY A REDUCTION IN THE VALUE RELATED TO REAPPRAISALS OF ALMOST 6 MILLION, RESULTING IN THE DECREASE IN THE VALUE OF BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTIES OF ABOUT 5 MILLION.
HISTORICALLY, BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY INCREASES TWO OR 3% EACH YEAR.
HOWEVER, LEGISLATION WAS PASSED THAT SENT A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO VOTERS IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR THAT WOULD INCREASE THE BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY EXEMPTION FROM 2,500 TO 125,000 VOTERS APPROVED THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
AND IT IS THAT INCREASE IN THE EXEMPTION THAT IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE DECREASE IN THE VALUE OF BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY.
NOW THE NEXT TWO SLIDES, UH, THAT I WILL SHOW PROVIDE A COMPARISON OF A RESIDENTIAL TAX BILL FOR, UH, FISCAL YEAR 2026 COMPARED TO FISCAL YEAR 2027.
THE FIRST SLIDE, UH, WILL SHOW THE TAX BILL FOR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY BASED ON THE MEDIAN ASSESSED VALUE, AND THE SECOND WILL SHOW THE TAX BILL FOR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY BASED ON THE AVERAGE ASSESSED VALUE.
AND I'M SHOWING BOTH WAYS BECAUSE LEGISLATION PASSED IN 2025 REQUIRES US TO SHOW THE TAXPAYER IMPACT ON THE FACES THE AGENDA USING THE MEDIAN ASSESSED VALUE.
HOWEVER, THE TAX CODE REQUIRES US TO USE THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL VALUE IN THE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TAX RATE.
THE REQUIREMENT TO USE TWO DIFFERENT VALUES MAY CAUSE SOME CONFUSION.
SO I WANNA SHARE BOTH AND EXPLAIN WHY, WHY WE USE ONE ON THE AGENDA AND THE OTHER IN THE NOTICE.
SO NOW THAT YOU HAVE THE CLARIFICATION, I'LL SHARE THE SLIDE SHOWING A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE TWO YEARS.
SO IF WE USE THE MEDIAN ASSESSED VALUE, UH, FOR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY FOR BOTH FISCAL YEAR 26 AND FISCAL YEAR 27, THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE AMOUNT SOMEONE WITH A MEDIAN VALUE HOME WOULD PAY IN PROPERTY TAXES FOR BOTH YEARS USING THE PROPOSED TAX RATE, A PROPERTY TAXPAYER WILL PAY ABOUT $63 MORE THAN LAST YEAR, WHICH IS THE AMOUNT CIRCLED IN RED.
THIS EQUATES TO ABOUT $5 MORE PER MONTH.
THE $63 REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 2.4%.
SO ALTHOUGH THE MEDIAN ASSESSED VALUE INCREASED 3.3%, THE DECREASE IN THE TAX RATE OF 0.86
[03:25:01]
REDUCES THE INCREASE IN THE TAX BILL TO ABOUT 2.4%.I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT THE INFORMATION I'M SHARING IS FOR THE CITY'S PORTION OF THE TAX BILL.
ONLY THE TAX BILL RECEIVED BY PROPERTY OWNERS SHOWS THE PROPERTY TAX DUE, UH, TO EACH TAXING ENTITY AND THE TOTAL DUE TO ALL TAXING ENTITIES.
SO FOR SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN DALLAS COUNTY, THE CITY IS ONE OF FIVE ENTITIES LISTED ON THE TAX BILL.
PROVIDING ONE BILL IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF AGENCIES WORKING TOGETHER TO REDUCE COST, BUT IT ALSO DOES CAUSE CONFUSION.
NOW THIS NEXT SLIDE IS A COMPARISON OF THE TAX BILL USING THE AVERAGE ASSESSED VALUE FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 AND THE AVERAGE ASSESSED VALUE FOR FISCAL YEAR 27 USING THE PROPOSED TAX RATE AND THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL ASSESSED VALUE, A PROPERTY TAX PAYER WILL PAY ABOUT $93 MORE THAN LAST YEAR, WHICH IS THE AMOUNT CIRCLED AGAIN IN RED.
THIS EQUATES TO $7 AND 75 CENTS MORE PER MONTH.
THE $93 REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 3.4%.
SO ALTHOUGH THE AVERAGE ASSESSED VALUE INCREASED 4.31, THE DECREASE IN THE TAX RATE OF 0.86 REDUCES THE INCREASE IN THE TAX BILL TO ABOUT 3.4%.
AGAIN, THIS INFORMATION IS FOR THE CITY'S PORTION OF THE TAX BILL ONLY.
SO I DON'T HAVE A SLIDE, BUT FOR SOMEONE RECEIVING THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION AND AN OVER 65 EXEMPTION USING EITHER THE AVERAGE OR THE MEDIAN VALUE, THE PROPERTY OWNER WILL PAY ABOUT $441 LESS THAN SOMEONE WHO ONLY RECEIVES THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
I THINK IT'S WORTH ALS, UH, WORTH MENTIONING THAT THE CITY HAS NO INVOLVEMENT IN DETERMINING PROPERTY VALUES AS THIS IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THEIR APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT ESTABLISHES VALUES IN ACCORDANCE WITH, WITH LEGISLATION SET BY THE STATE.
SO THIS NEXT SLIDE PROVIDES A RECEIPT FOR THE TAX BILL THAT YOU JUST SAW THAT WAS BASED ON THE MEDIAN ASSESSED VALUE OF THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.
THE RECEIPT SHOWS THAT ABOUT 608 OF THE ANNUAL, UH, TAX BILL IS FOR FIRE PROTECTION AND PARAMEDIC SERVICES.
AND ABOUT 300 ANNUALLY IS FOR POLICE SERVICE.
PUBLIC SAFETY TOTALS ABOUT 958 ANNUALLY AND MAKES UP ABOUT 42% OF THE M AND O PORTION OF THE TAX BILL.
NEXT IS PUBLIC WORKS, WHICH TOTALS ABOUT $318 ANNUALLY AND MAKES UP ABOUT 14% OF THE M AND O PORTION OF THE TAX BILL TOGETHER.
PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC WORKS WHO ARE CONSIDERED OUR FIRST RESPONDERS MAKE UP 56% OF THE M AND O PORTION OF THE PROPERTY TAX BILL SERVICES COVERED BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TOTAL, UH, ABOUT $103 FOR THE YEAR AND MAKES UP 5% OF THE M AND O PORTION OF THE TAX BILL.
AND THEN CULTURE AND REC OR OUR COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES DEPARTMENT MAKES UP ABOUT $392 ANNUALLY, WHICH COVERS SERVICES OFFERED BY THE LIBRARY.
THE CORE, THE SERVICE CENTER, AND THE TENNIS CENTER.
THESE SERVICES MAKE UP 17% OF THE TAX BILL.
THE LAST AREA IS GENERAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH TOTALS APPROXIMATELY 502 FOR THE YEAR AND MAKES UP ABOUT 21% OF THE M AND O PORTION.
GENERAL GOVERNMENT, AGAIN, IS WHERE, UH, IT, HR, FINANCE, PROCUREMENT COUNCIL, CITY MANAGERS, THE COMMUNITY INFORMATION OFFICE, LEGAL AND COMBINED SERVICES ARE LOCATED.
THESE ARE THE DEPARTMENTS, AGAIN, THAT SERVICE OTHER FUNDS AND DEPARTMENTS.
ONE THING I'D LIKE TO NOTE IS THAT THE ONE TIME USE OF FUND BALANCE WAS REMOVED FROM THIS CATEGORY SINCE FUND BALANCE IS BEING USED FOR THOSE ITEMS AND NOT PROPERTY TAX.
THE LAST SECTION OF THE RECEIPT SHOWS THE AMOUNT PAID BY A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TAXPAYER FOR THE OUTSTANDING BONDS THAT WERE ISSUED TO FUND THINGS LIKE BELTLINE ROAD, ROYAL LANE, FIRE STATIONS FOUR AND FIVE, JUST TO NAME A FEW OF THE PROJECTS.
SO OVERALL, THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNER IS PAYING ABOUT $223 PER MONTH FOR BOTH THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE CITY AND AN INVESTMENT IN THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THAT CONCLUDES PRESENTATION OF THE PROPOSED TAX RATE.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
AND WE DO HAVE COPIES OF THAT RECEIPT IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE ONE.
COUNSEL, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. TIAN?
[03:30:11]
SEEING NO QUESTIONS, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.WE DID NOT HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
SO ITEM NUMBER NINE DOES HAVE SOME SPECIFIC LANGUAGE THAT IS REQUIRED TO BE READ INTO THE RECORD SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO MAKE A MOTION.
AND JUST AS A NOTE, THIS ITEM BY STATE LAW DOES REQUIRE A 60%, UH, RATE OR APPROVAL RATE BY THE SITTING MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, WHICH WOULD CORRESPOND TO FIVE OF THE SEVEN.
SEEING NO COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF 0.4 4 1 1 6 6, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 4.57% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? COUNCIL MEMBER HILL? ALL IN FAVOR DISCUSSION? UH, I, WE'D JUST BEEN DISCUSSING, BUT GO AHEAD.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A QUICK STATEMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW YOU'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING IN AUSTIN AND YOU'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE AUSTIN GAP.
UM, I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT LOCAL GOVERNANCE IS THE MOST RESPONSIVE FORM OF GOVERNMENT, PARTICULARLY IN RELATION TO OUR STATE GOVERNMENT AND CERTAINLY OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND I ALSO FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT LOCAL GOVERNANCE IS A FAIR REFLECTION OF LOCAL VALUES AND PRIORITIES.
EVEN NOW, EVEN THOUGH I WAS ON THE LOSING SIDE OF THAT ONE VOTE THAT THIS YOUNG LADY WAS SO, UH, PASSIONATELY SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF, I THINK THAT THE, THE AGGREGATE OF THE VOTE TAKEN IS A FAIR REFLECTION OF COMMUNITY VALUES AND PRIORITIES.
UM, AND, AND I THINK THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.
BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PROBLEMS, A LOT OF CHALLENGES AHEAD OF US, WHICH IS WHY I VOTED AGAINST IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF IS IN THE WEEDS ON THIS SORT OF THING.
WE DON'T SEE ALL THE THOUSANDS OF LINE ITEMS IN THE BUDGET.
AND IF WE DID, WE WOULDN'T BE COMPETENT TO CONSTRUE OR INTERPRET ANY OF IT.
I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING HARDLY AT ALL ABOUT MUNICIPAL FINANCE.
I'M USED TO PROFIT LOSS STATEMENTS.
I'M USED TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IN THE CORPORATE WORLD.
I'M NOT USED TO DIFFERENT BUCKETS OF DEDICATED FUNDS WITH THE GENERAL FUNDS.
SO THIS IS A VERY ARCANE, VERY COMPLEX AREA OF FINANCE.
AND THESE PEOPLE ARE SOME OF THE BEST YOU'LL FIND ANYWHERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THAT BECAUSE A BAD FINANCE DEPARTMENT COULD WRECK AN AWFUL LOT OF DAMAGE FOR A CITY.
AND THESE FOLKS ARE, ARE REALLY TOP RATE.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW IN AUSTIN, THERE'S THIS HUE AND CRY ABOUT ELIMINATING PROPERTY TAX.
LET'S STOP LEASING OUR HOME FROM THE GOVERNMENT.
SO EVERY TIME I HEAR THAT, AND IT'S FROM PEOPLE IN MY PARTY, FOR THE MOST PART, EVERY TIME I HEAR THAT, I ASK, OKAY, SO HOW ARE WE GONNA FINANCE POLICE AND FIRE AND EMT? HOW ARE WE GONNA REPAIR OUR ROADS? HOW ARE WE GOING TO PROVIDE FOR ANY OF THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE PROVIDING OUR, OUR, OUR CITIZENS THAT MOVED HERE BECAUSE THEY WERE ATTRACTED BY SOMETHING THAT WE OFFERED? YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE DO THAT? UH, WE'VE SEEN WHAT'S HAPPENED ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SIDE.
THEY TAKE ABOUT 25, $30 MILLION OUT OF THE DISTRICT IN OUR PROPERTY TAXES THAT WE PAY, AND THEN THEY DRIBBLE IT BACK TO US IN SOME PREASSIGNED PREDETERMINED AMOUNT THAT THEY DECIDE IS BEST FOR US.
AND OVER WHAT, A FIVE OR SIX YEAR PERIOD, THEY DIDN'T EVEN INDEX IT ACCORDING TO INFLATION.
SO THE AMOUNT THAT THEY WERE GIVING, GIVING US BACK ON AN ALLOTMENT PER STUDENT EACH DAY WAS ACTUALLY DECREASING IN VALUE BY THE AMOUNT OF INFLATION EVERY YEAR.
AND, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE HEADING.
UM, SO I WOULD JUST SAY THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE CRIES TO GET RID OF PROPERTY TAX, THAT WE REALIZE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT MORE SUCCESS GETTING RESULTS AND RESPONSES FROM PEOPLE ON THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL, LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL THAN YOU'RE EVER GONNA HAVE IN AUSTIN AND FORGET THE FEDS.
UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE HOPELESS.
SO TO ME, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT WE'VE SEEN TONIGHT IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THAT.
WE HAD A LOT OF REALLY GOOD PEOPLE COME IN AND ARGUE FOR A PROGRAM THAT'S OF, OF IMMENSE IMPORTANCE TO THEM.
[03:35:01]
AND EVEN THOUGH I DISAGREED WITH THAT, BECAUSE I HAVE SOME OTHER POSITIONS ABOUT, ABOUT WHY I THINK WE HAVE TO START LOOKING AT THESE NUMBERS AND AND ACCEPTING WHAT THE STAFF SAYS BASED ON ACTUAL DATA AND ACTUAL UTILIZATION RATES, WE NEED TO START TRIMMING BACK.AND EVEN THOUGH I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT THEM IN THAT EFFORT, I, I THINK AT THE SAME TIME WE SAW THAT RESPONSIVENESS WORK.
AND, AND THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE IN WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AND THAT'S WHY I'M SO GLAD TO BE INVOLVED.
BUT I GOTTA TELL YOU, THE BIGGEST CRITIQUE I'VE EVER HAD OF GOVERNMENT ON THE FINANCIAL SIDE IS KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
AND I DON'T WANT TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE GO FROM HAVING A SMALL CUT HERE AND A A LITTLE BIT LARGER CUT THE NEXT YEAR AS PART OF A STRATEGIC FIVE-YEAR PLAN TO WHERE WE HAVE SOME KIND OF FISCAL APOCALYPSE AND WE'RE LOOKING AT A 10% CUT ACROSS THE BOARD.
'CAUSE THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN HERE ALL WITH THE SAME PASSIONATE ARGUMENTS.
BUT THE ONE QUESTION THEY'RE GONNA HAVE THAT I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO ANSWER IS, WHY DID YOU WAIT SO LONG? WHY DID YOU KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD? WHY DID YOU NOT LISTEN TO STAFF WHEN THEY TOLD YOU BASED ON ACTUAL DATA AND ACTUAL UTILIZATION RATES, WHAT YOU NEEDED TO DO? SO THAT'S WHERE I FEEL LIKE WE'RE AT.
UH, SO I VOTED IN FAVOR OF THE BUDGET.
I'M GONNA VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE TAX RATE, BUT WE HAVE TO STEAL OURSELVES UNDERSTANDING THAT COME NEXT MAY, THE LEGISLATURE IS IN SESSION.
THEY'RE LOOKING AT GUTTING OUR, YOU SAW IT TONIGHT, WHAT 60% OF OUR FINANCIAL BASIS FOR RUNNING THE CITY.
AND THEN WE'RE SUPPOSED TO TRUST THAT THEY'RE GONNA DRIBBLE IT BACK TO US.
SO I TRUST WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT UP HERE WITH THESE PEOPLE AND WHAT RIGHT OUT HERE WITH YOU AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT BRING YOUR CONCERNS TO US AND ALL THE STAFF THAT WORK SO HARD TO MAKE IT WORK.
SO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU, UH, AND THANK ALL Y'ALL.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT ALWAYS ON THE WINNING SIDE OF IT, BUT I'M ALWAYS GLAD TO BE VOTING.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION? I'M GONNA ADD MINE IN MY, MY METROPLEX MIRRORS SEC SECTION
UM, THEREFORE, UH, ALL IN FAVOR, NEVILLES WALKER, HINOJOSA SMITH, CAROL PRIM KUMAR, MATTHEW HILL.
[10. 2026-0331 Consider ratification of the vote on the FY 2026-27 annual budget which results in more revenue from ad valorem taxes than the previous year.]
CONSIDER RATIFICATION TO THE VOTE OF THE FISCAL YEAR 26 27 ANNUAL BUDGET, WHICH RESULTS IN MORE REVENUE FROM AD VALOREM TAXES THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.MS. TIAN IS HERE TO EXPLAIN WHY WE HAVE TO DO THIS.
THIS SLIDE, LAST ITEM IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 1 0 2 0.007 C OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
WHEN A BUDGET RAISES ONE MORE DOLLAR OF REVENUE FROM PROPERTY TAX THAN WAS RAISED IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR, THIS SEPARATE VOTE OF THE GOVERNING BODY IS REQUIRED TO RATIFY THIS INCREASE.
THIS SEPARATE AGENDA ITEM IS REQUIRED BECAUSE THE FISCAL YEAR 26, 27 ANNUAL OPERATING OR A BUDGET WILL RAISE MORE REVENUE FROM PROPERTY TAXES THAN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.
THE STRATEGIC FINANCIAL ENGAGEMENT DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS AGENDA ITEM.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS ONE? COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEW.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE CITY STAFF FOR PUTTING TOGETHER A BALANCED BUDGET THAT MEETS OUR LEGAL REQUIREMENTS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, YOU HAVE ANSWERED MANY OF MY QUESTIONS AND I TRULY APPRECIATE THE TIME YOU HAVE TAKEN TO RESEARCH THEM AND PROVIDE TIMELY AND TRUTHFUL RESPONSE, PARTICULARLY ON BUDGET RELATED MATTERS.
WE ALSO HAVE A PENDING LAWSUIT AGAINST THE STATE OF TEXAS REGARDING THE TAIL TAX REVENUE, WHICH CREATES ADDITIONAL UNCERTAINTY FOR OUR FUTURE REVENUES.
OUR CITY MANAGER REMINDED THE COUNCIL OF AN IMPORTANT QUESTION AND I QUOTE, WHAT KIND OF CONVERSATION DO YOU WANT TO HAVE TODAY VERSUS BEING FORCED TO HAVE IN DEVELOPING 2030 BUDGET DURING THE SUMMER OF 2029? END OF QUOTE.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT REMINDER FOR ALL OF US.
WE NEED TO BE PRUDENT AND CONSERVATIVE TODAY SO WE CAN MAINTAIN A BALANCED AND SUSTAINABLE BUDGET IN
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THE FUTURE.GOOD FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP MEANS MAKING RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS NOW RATHER THAN BEING FORCED INTO DIFFICULT CHOICE LATER.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COUNCIL MEMBER CARROLL.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HILL.
ALL IN FAVOR? NEVILLES WALKER, HINOJOSA SMITH, CAROL PRIM KUMAR, MATTHEW HILL.
APPRECIATE Y'ALL GO TAKE THE NIGHT OFF.
[11. City Manager Reports, Project Updates, Future Agendas, and Direction from Work Session ]
11 IS THE CITY MANAGER REPORTS WITH PROJECT UPDATES, FUTURE AGENDAS AND DIRECTION FROM WORK SESSION.UH, ROYAL LANE RECONSTRUCTION.
UH, THE CONTRACTOR IS WORKING ON THE SUBGRADE PREPARATION.
THE JUSTICE CENTER REMODEL CONTRACTORS WORK, WORKING ON PUNCH LIST ITEMS FOR THE INTERIOR REMODEL IS WORKING ON FINISHING THE, THE PROJECT AND THEN FIRE STATION THREE, REMODEL AND EXPANSION.
UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED, THE VERTICAL STRUCTURAL STEEL WORK HAS STARTED THIS WEEK AND THAT'S AN EXCITING MILESTONE ON THAT PROJECT.
[12. Mayor's Report on the Metroplex Mayor's Association and the 2026 Texas Municipal League Policy Summit with no Council action or deliberation permitted.]
IS THE MAYOR'S REPORT ON THE METROPLEX MAYOR'S ASSOCIATION IN THE 2026, UH, TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE POLICY SUMMIT WITH NO COUNCIL ACTION OR DELIBERATION PERMITTED.UH, THE METROPLEX MAYORS ASSOCIATION MET THIS MORNING AND OUR SPEAKER WAS CHRIS WALLACE, WHO IS THE CEO OF THE NORTH TEXAS COMMISSION.
HE AND, AND, UH, UH, ANDREA COKER, UH, PRESENTED A VERY, VERY DETAILED, UH, LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR THE NORTH TEXAS COMMISSION FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.
AND I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO SEE HOW CLOSELY ALIGNED OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IS TO THE NORTH TEXAS COMMISSION.
UH, MUCH DISCUSSION WAS OCCURRED OVER TAXING AND THE TAX ENTITIES, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WALKER.
YOU WOULD'VE BEEN PLEASED TO HEAR SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS THERE.
MAYOR STEVE BAIK CARROLLTON MADE A COMMENT THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS DOING A DIVIDE AND CONQUER, WHICH I DIDN'T, HAD NEVER REALLY THOUGHT OF IT, BUT YOU REALLY HAVE TO TAKE SALES TAX AND PROPERTY TAX TOGETHER TO GET THE TOTAL TAX PICTURE.
AND WHEN YOU START SEPARATING THOSE OUT, YOU CAN START CONFUSING WITH CONFUSING, UM, THE ISSUE BY, YOU KNOW, CLAIMING THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE NO PROPERTY TAX.
WELL, AS COUNCIL MEMBER WALKER STATED EARLIER, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET THE MONEY FROM SOMEWHERE.
UM, IT WAS A VERY INTERESTING DISCUSSION.
WE ALSO DISCUSSED, UH, DATA CENTERS AND, UH, AI AND, AND A NUMBER OF OTHER ITEMS. UH, I WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH THE NORTH TEXAS COMMISSION'S LEGISLATIVE AGENDA THAT I'VE INVITED THEM TO COME PRESENT TO THE COUNCIL AND WORK SESSION AT A PRE DETER, AT A DATE DETERMINED, UM, UH, SOMETIME HOPEFULLY IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER.
SO, UH, THEY'LL BE COMING OUT AND PRESENTING TO US.
UH, THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE POLICY SUMMIT WAS A LONG TWO DAY EVENT.
WE WENT THROUGH 160 PAGES OF, OF LEGISLATIVE AGENDA ITEMS FOR TML.
THEIR AGENDA DOES NOT CHANGE MUCH FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
THEY DID, UH, UH, CREATE THREE NEW COMMITTEES.
ONE OF 'EM WAS ON DATA CENTERS.
UH, SO, UH, THEY DO EXPECT TO SEE QUITE A BIT OF, OF, UH, CONTENT IN THE 90TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION ON DATA CENTERS.
UH, THAT WAS, THAT REALLY ENDS MY REPORT ON THOSE TWO ITEMS. ITEM NUMBER 13 IS COUNCIL,
[13. Mayor and Council Reports on Recent and Upcoming Events.]
MAYOR AND COUNCIL REPORTS ON RECENT AND UPCOMING EVENTS.PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THIS FRIDAY IS SEPTEMBER 11TH.
WE HAVE OUR PATRIOT DAY CEREMONY HERE AT TOWN CENTER ON THE FRONT STEPS, UH, THAT WILL BE AT EIGHT 30 IN THE MORNING.
AND THIS IS TO HONOR THOSE INJURED OR KILLED DURING THE TERRORIST ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2021.
THIS IS THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THAT EVENT.
PLEASE COME AND PLAY TRIBUTE TO THE BRAVERY OF THE FIRST RESPONDERS AND OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL.
THEN ON, UH, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH, COME OUT TO OLD TOWN COPPEL FROM NINE OR SEVEN TO 9:00 PM FROM MUSIC, FOOD TRUCKS AND FUN.
ENJOY LAWN GAMES AND SINGING AND DANCE WITH THE DECADES.
THAT'S THE NAME OF THE BAND, A HIGH ENERGY COVER BAND PERFORMING TOP 40 HITS FROM CURRENT AND PAST DECADES.
UM, THE REMAINDER OF THE COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS WILL BE PROVIDED AT OUR SEPTEMBER 22ND CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
ITEM NUMBER 14, COUNCIL COMMITTEE.
ITEM NUMBER 15 IS, UH, PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS CONCERNING
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ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST WITH NO COUNCIL ACTION OR DELIBERATION PERMITTED.DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS? SEEING NONE THERE.
BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS BEFORE THIS COUNCIL, WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 9:48 PM.