[00:00:01]
WELL, GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH WORK SESSION FOR THE GARLAND CITY COUNCIL.
UH, WE HAVE MOVED OUR MEETINGS AROUND A LITTLE BIT, UH, THIS WEEK, OBVIOUSLY WITH THE LABOR DAY HOLIDAY YESTERDAY.
SO WE HAVE A VERY BUSY NIGHT AHEAD OF US.
WE HAVE A WORK SESSION, WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND A REGULAR SESSION ALL IN ONE EVENING.
[1.Public Comments on Work Session Items]
ITEM ONE IS PUBLIC COMMENTS ON WORK SESSION ITEMS. I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP THIS EVENING.[2.Consider the Consent Agenda]
TO ITEM TWO.CONSIDER THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR, I WAS GONNA SAY TOMORROW NIGHT, BUT, UH, HERE IN ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF.
UM, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY REQUESTS TO HAVE ANYTHING PULLED OR CON PULLED OR SEPARATED, SO HOPEFULLY THE NEXT HOUR AND A HALF, IF THERE IS SOMETHING, IT'LL, WE'LL, WE CAN RESOLVE IT.
UH, MOVING ON TO WRITTEN BRIEFINGS UNDER ITEM
[3. Written Briefings]
THREE THREE, A RENEWAL OF HEALTH AUTHORITY AND INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS.ITEM THREE B, HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT.
ITEM THREE C, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, SELECTIVE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM, 2024 COMPREHENSIVE GRANT.
ITEM THREE D, SPEED LIMIT CHANGES ON BOB TOWN.
ITEM THREE E REMOVAL, REMOVAL OF RIGHT TURN ON RED RESTRICTIONS.
ITEM THREE F, RENEWAL OF INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN GARLAND PUBLIC HEALTH AND PARKLAND HEALTH AND HOSPITAL SYSTEM.
AND ITEM THREE G, FACILITY CONDITION ASSESSMENT PROPOSAL FROM MCKINSTRY ASCENSION, L L C
ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO ITEM FOUR, VERBAL BRIEFINGS.
[4. a. FY 2023-24 Budget Discussions - Final Direction from Council]
A F Y 2324 BUDGET DISCUSSIONS.FINAL DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL ALLISON.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL.
I WILL GO GIVE YOU A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE CHANGES DISCUSSED TO DATE, UM, AND THEN OPEN IT UP FOR ANY FINAL DIRECTION.
OKAY, AS DISCUSSED, THERE IS A PROPOSAL TO INCREASE THE F Y 24 STORMWATER RESI RESIDENTIAL RATES, UH, BY $1 AND 50 CENTS IN COMMERCIAL RATES BY 0.02 CENTS.
I HAVE THE PROPOSED IMPACT TO STORMWATER UTILITY FUND REVENUE, SHOWN HERE, INCREASING, UH, STORMWATER UTILITY REVENUE BY ABOUT 1.36 MILLION, UH, TO 6.5 MILLION, AND ALL OF THAT GOING TO FUND BALANCE RESERVES TO BE USED FOR FUTURE DEBT SERVICE ASSOCIATED WITH DRAINAGE AND EROSION PROJECTS AS IDENTIFIED FOR OUR GENERAL FUND, WE HAVE A PROPOSAL TO MODIFY THE LANDFILL GATE RATE FOR AUTOMATIC UNLOAD VEHICLES AND TRAILERS FROM $44 TO $45.
THIS IS A PROJECTED REVENUE IMPACT OF A LITTLE UNDER 147,500.
WE ALSO HAVE TWO PROPOSED CHANGES TO EXPENDITURES.
UM, INCREASING AMBULANCE ASSIGNMENT PAY BY $10 FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EFFECTIVE OCTOBER ONE, AND IN, UH, ESTABLISHING A WILD FLOWER FLOWER PILOT PROGRAM IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WITH LOCATIONS TO BE DETERMINED AT A FUTURE DATE AND THE INSTALLATION OF EDUCATIONAL SIGNAGE.
BUT TO COMBINE, THAT'S AN INCREASE OF A LITTLE UNDER $141,000, UH, WITH AN ADDITIONAL FUND BALANCE REQUIREMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE PROPOSED EXPENDITURES OF $11,567.
IN SUMMARY, THIS IS THE PROPOSED CHANGE TO GENERAL FUND REVENUE OF $147,453 TO GET OUR COMBINED TOTAL GENERAL FUND REVENUE OF 226.9 MILLION, AND OUR INCREASE IN GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES OF $140,725 FOR OUR TOTAL GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES OF TWO TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY FIVE 0.5 MILLION.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT THIS TOTAL EXPENDITURE DOES INCLUDE 12.1 MILLION IN ONE-TIME EXPENDITURES, A PORTION OF WHICH IS GOING TO BE FUNDED BY BETTER THAN ANTICIPATED FUND BALANCE RESERVES AND F Y 22 AND THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
IN SUMMARY, UH, OUR PROPOSED REVENUE OVER EXPENDITURES OF SIX IS 6,000, UH, $728.
HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE AN INCREASE IN OUR FUND BALANCE REQUIREMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THESE ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES.
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ENDING FUND BALANCE RESERVE OF $38,454, THIS IS THE AVAILABLE AMOUNT REMAINING AFTER MEETING OUR 45 DAYS OF FUND BALANCE RESERVES.AS DISCUSSED EARLIER, WE WILL HAVE, UH, OUR REGULAR MEETING FOLLOWING THIS WORK SESSION WHERE WE'LL HAVE A FINAL PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND PROPOSED TAX RATE, AS WELL AS THIS SCHEDULE ADOPTION OF THE OPERATING BUDGET, THE TAX RATE, OUR RATE AND FEE ORDINANCE, AND THE CIVIL SERVICE ORDINANCE.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR RECEIVE ANY FINAL DIRECTION.
NICE BLANK SCREEN THAT WE END WITH.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS OR ADDITIONAL CHANGES? I USE THAT WORD LIGHTLY BEFORE WE RECONVENE.
COUNCILOR WILLIAMS? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I DON'T, DON'T HAVE ANY STATISTIC CHANGES.
CAN, CAN, UH, I JUST WANNA ASK, ASK YOU IF YOU PRIMARILY FOUGHT FOR OUR PUBLIC, WOULD YOU EXPLAIN JUST BRIEFLY WHAT, WHAT THE TAX RATE AND WHAT THE REVENUE TAX RATE DIFFERENCE IN, IN, IN LAYMAN'S TERM? I'VE GOTTEN THAT QUESTION.
SO WOULD YOU GIVE US A, A BRIEF, UH, CLASSROOM SESSION ON, ON THOSE, THOSE TWO TERMS? YES, SIR.
AND, UH, MR. CITY MANAGER HAD REQUESTED THAT I SPEAK ON THIS RIGHT BEFORE THE VOTE FOR IN THE REGULAR SESSION ON, OKAY.
I'M SORRY, BUT I'M HAPPY TO, IF YOU WANNA WAIT NOW AS WELL, MAYOR, WE'LL END UP DOING IT BOTH, SO GO AHEAD.
UH, SO STATE LAW REQUIRES SPECIFIC LANGUAGE FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE PROPERTY TAX RATE.
AS PART OF THIS LANGUAGE, THE PROPOSED TAX RATE MUST BE COMPARED TO OUR NO NEW REVENUE RATE FOR 2324, WHICH IS 63.64 CENTS PER A HUNDRED DOLLARS OF VALUATION.
THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS THE RATE, WHICH GENERATES THE SAME AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAX REVENUE AS RECEIVED IN THE CURRENT YEAR.
SO THAT WOULD BE FISCAL YEAR 2223.
THE 2324 PROPOSED RATE THAT YOU ALL ARE CONSIDERING TONIGHT IS EQUAL TO OUR 2324 VOTER APPROVAL RATE, WHICH IS THE TAX RATE ALLOWED BY SSB TWO WITHOUT GOING TO THE VOTERS, AND PROVIDES APPROXIMATELY 3.5% OF ADDITIONAL REVENUE TO THE GENERAL FUND BY REQUIRING THAT WE COMPARE THE PROPOSED TAX RATE YOU'RE CONSIDERING TONIGHT TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.
THIS INDICATES THAT WE ARE INCREASING THE TAX RATE AND ACTUALITY, THE 2324 PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX RATE OF 68.97 CENTS IS A DECREASE OF 2.69 CENTS FROM THE PRIOR YEARS, THE 2223 PROPERTY TAX RATE OF SEVEN 1.67 CENTS.
SO IN ACTUALITY, IT IS A DECREASE, BUT STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT WE COMPARE TO THE 2324 NO NEW REVENUE RATE.
THAT'S WHY THE LANGUAGE INDICATES THAT IT'S AN INCREASE.
AND THIS IS AS A STATE LAW, CORRECT? YES, SIR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE EXPLANATION.
ANYTHING ADDITIONAL BEFORE WE MOVE ON? ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL SEE YOU IN A LITTLE BIT.
[4.b. Developer Requirements for Traffic Impact Studies]
FOUR B DEVELOPER REQUIREMENTS FOR TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDIES.THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE TO EXPLAIN SOME OF THIS, UH, TO YOU TONIGHT.
UH, THERE'S, THERE WAS A REQUEST, I THINK, FROM THE COUNCIL, UH, A LITTLE WHILE AGO ABOUT, UH, HOW WE DETERMINE WHERE WE, WHEN WE DO REQUIRE TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDIES AND, AND KIND OF WHAT THE PROCESS IS.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA GO OVER TONIGHT.
UM, THERE'S REALLY TWO PURPOSES FOR A TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS.
UH, ONE IS, ONE IS TO DETERMINE WHAT THE IMPACTS ARE, UM, THAT, THAT ARE CAUSED BY THE DEVELOPMENT ITSELF.
AND THEN THE SECOND STEP IS TO FIGURE OUT HOW, WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO MITIGATE THOSE IMPACTS.
SO I JUST, I WANNA POINT OUT THAT, UM, JUST BECAUSE I, I MEAN REALLY EVERY, EVERY DEVELOPMENT IS GOING, WE HOPE WE WILL GENERATE A LITTLE TRAFFIC OR ELSE IT'LL GO OUTTA BUSINESS, RIGHT? SO IT'LL, THE, THE IDEA IS THAT, UH, TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT THE IMPACT OF THAT ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC IS, IS NOT, UM, UH,
[00:10:01]
A PROBLEM OR, OR IF THERE IS A PROBLEM, IT WILL BE MITIGATED.SO, SO THAT IT'S NOT A PROBLEM.
UM, WHEN IS THE TRAFFIC STUDY NEEDED? UH, GENERALLY THESE ARE THE GUIDELINES THAT WE FOLLOW.
IF IT'S OVER 2,500 TRIPS GENERATED PER DAY OR OVER A HUNDRED IN A PEAK HOUR, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S THE TWO CRITERIA THAT WE COME ACROSS THE MOST.
UM, IF THE, THERE'S, THERE'S, IF THE F A R IS GREATER THAN 0.75 OR, AND, AND REALLY ALL SCHOOLS REQUIRE ONE, UM, WE DO, I DO HAVE THE DISCRETION, UM, BY THE CODE, UH, ALL ENABLED ME TO USE DISCRETION TO EITHER, IF IT WERE OVER 2,500 TRIPS A DAY AND FOR SOME REASON WE JUST DIDN'T THINK IT WAS GONNA CAUSE AN IMPACT, WE, WE COULD WAIVE THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
OR THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES WHEN, UH, IT'S, IT'S WELL UNDER 2,500 TRIPS A DAY, OR EVEN A HUNDRED TRIPS IN AN HOUR, BUT WE COULD STILL REQUIRE IT BASED ON, UH, A CONCERN.
UM, SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS WOULD BE A COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND, AND WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THE, YOU KNOW, PARKING OR SOME TYPE OF IMPACT ON THAT RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, IF IT, IF THERE'S SOME SITE ACCESSIBILITY CONCERNS, LIKE IF IT'S A, IT MAY, MAY NOT GENERATE THAT MANY TRIPS, BUT IT HAS, UH, A, A KIND OF A STRANGE WAY TO GET INTO IT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THERE'S, UH, IF THE LAND USE IS DIFFERENT THAN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
UM, IF THE INTERNAL STREET SYSTEM THAT'S ALREADY THERE, IT'S NOT REALLY SUFFICIENT TO HANDLE IT, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S, UM, UPGRADED TO HANDLE THE, THE DEVELOPMENT, UM, THE PEAK HOUR DEVELOPMENT'S DIFFERENT THAN THAT OF THE ADJACENT STREETS.
SO SOMETHING LIKE A, LIKE A FOOTBALL STADIUM, THE, WHEN IT LETS OUT AT, AT, YOU KNOW, 11 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT DURING THE PM PEAK HOUR OF THE ADJACENT STREET, BUT IT MIGHT CAUSE OTHER KINDS OF ISSUES.
SO WE WOULD WANNA TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
AND THEN ANY, ANY KIND OF A CUT THROUGH ISSUE, TRAFFIC ISSUE OR, OR ANY OTHER ISSUES THAT COME UP.
I MEAN, EVERY, EVERY SITE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
SO WE, WE WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING ANY CONCERNS THAT THERE MIGHT BE.
UH, WHAT DO WE ANALYZE? I WOULD SAY PROBABLY, UM, 90, 95% OR MORE, THE OF THE TIAS THAT ARE DONE ARE ANALYZE THE, UM, MOTOR VEHICLE, UH, CAPACITY ANALYSIS.
I MEAN, THAT'S PRIMARILY WHAT IT IS.
UM, OVER 30 PLUS YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS.
UM, THE, THE, IF YOU TOOK A T I A FROM 30 YEARS AGO AND COMPARED IT TO ONE TODAY, THEY'RE, THE, THE, THE FORMAT'S THE SAME, THE, IT'S, THERE'S, THERE'S NOT A LOT THAT'S CHANGED.
SO, UM, IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD PROCESS.
UM, WE'LL LOOK AT, UH, TURN LANE ANALYSIS.
A LOT OF TIMES IF THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, RIGHT TURN VEHICLES INTO A DEVELOPMENT, A LOT OF TIMES WE'LL, WE'LL REQUIRE A RIGHT TURN LANE, UM, TO, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ADEQUATE SIDE DISTANCE AT ALL THE DRIVEWAYS.
UH, IF, IF A TRAFFIC SIGNAL, UH, IS, IS REQUIRED TO MITIGATE THE, THE ISSUES, THEN WE WILL, THERE'LL BE AN ANALYSIS OF THAT.
AND THEN PARTICULARLY IN, UM, SCHOOLS, DRIVE-THROUGHS, THINGS LIKE THAT, WE'LL WANT TO DO A QUEUING ANALYSIS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE QUEUES AREN'T SPILLING ONTO THE ADJACENT ROADWAYS.
AND WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THE TRAFFIC CIRCULATION PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, IT MAKES SENSE AND IT'S PEOPLE, WHAT, WHAT WE THINK PEOPLE WOULD ACTUALLY FOLLOW.
UM, SO WHAT IS INCLUDED? SO WE'LL WANNA KNOW WHERE IT IS AND WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE.
SO THAT'S GENERALLY A SITE PLAN AND AN AREA MAP, EXCUSE ME, THERE'S A, WE'LL, THEY'LL GO OUT AND DO SOME TRIP COUNT, THE EXISTING VOLUMES ON THE STREET.
UM, THEY'LL ESTIMATE THE NEW TRIPS BASED ON THE I T E TRIP GENERATION MANUAL.
THAT'S THE, THAT'S KIND OF THE BIBLE OF TRIP GENERATION.
I, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE ONLY ONES OUT THERE.
UM, WELL, THE, IF THERE'S ANY TRIP REDUCTIONS THAT ARE CAUSED BY, UH, THE TYPE OF, OF DEVELOPMENT, LIKE A TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, YOU, YOU STILL HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF TRIPS, BUT NOT EVERYBODY'S ARRIVING BY CAR.
SO WE'LL MAKE SURE WE TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT.
OR IF IT'S A MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT, IF YOU HAVE A, UH, A SIT DOWN RESTAURANT, A SHOPPING CENTER, AND A GAS STATION ALL IN ONE DEVELOPMENT, THEN THE NUMBER OF CHIP TRIPS THAT GENERATES WILL, WILL BE LESS THAN THE, THE SUM OF ALL OF THOSE PARTS.
BECAUSE SOMEONE MAY COME AND THEY MAY GO TO THE GAS STATION AND THEY MAY GO SHOPPING, AND THEY MAY GO EAT AT THE RESTAURANT.
SO THAT'D BE, THAT'D BE ONE TRIP INSTEAD OF THREE.
UM, THE NEXT THING IS TO TRY APPLY, UH, OR, OR ASSIGN THE TRAFFIC.
YOU KNOW, WE FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, 20 PERCENT'S COMING FROM THE NORTH, 50 PERCENT'S
[00:15:01]
COMING FROM THE SOUTH, AND THEN YOU GO DOWN INTO THE LEVEL OF DETAIL OF ACTUALLY HOW MANY, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL TRAFFIC IS TURNING LEFT INTO THIS DRIVEWAY VERSUS TURNING, GOING STRAIGHT.AND IT GETS INTO A LOT OF DETAILS.
UM, ADD ALL OF THOSE TRIPS TOGETHER WITH THE, WITH THE COUNTS THAT YOU DID ORIGINALLY, AND YOU HAVE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF TRIPS THAT ARE, THAT ARE ON THE SITE, YOU KNOW, THE DAY THAT IT OPENS, ASSUMING THAT EVERYTHING IS COMPLETELY BUILT OUT, UM, AT THAT POINT YOU ANALYZE THE CAPACITY OF THOSE INTERSECTIONS AND DRIVEWAYS.
UM, AND THEN IF THERE'S ANY, ANY ISSUES THAT COME UP, WE, WE WOULD FIGURE OUT HOW TO MITIGATE THOSE ISSUES BY ADDING, TYPICALLY ADDING TURN LANES OR TRAFFIC SIGNALS OR, OR DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I TOOK, I TOOK, UH, THIS IS THE ACTUAL, UH, T I A THAT WE DID FOR THE MALL BACK IN 2003.
UM, YOU CAN SEE IT'S, IT'S A FAIRLY THICK DOCUMENT.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT REALLY NEARLY THAT IMPRESSIVE.
MOST OF IT'S APPENDIX AND, UH, A LOT OF JUST COMPUTER PRINTOUTS OF ANALYSIS, SO IT'S NOT AS IMPRESSIVE AS IT REALLY LOOKS.
UM, JUST, JUST TO WALK YOU THROUGH IT REAL QUICK, THIS IS JUST WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
IT'S, YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE ROADWAYS THAT WEREN'T EVEN THERE AT THE TIME WERE DIFFERENT NAMES.
NORTHEAST PARKWAY AT THE TIME, NOT, NOT FIREWALL PARKWAY.
UM, WE, THEY DID THE EXISTING TRAFFIC COUNTS.
THEY COUNTED THE, THE, THE VEHICLES THAT EACH, EACH OF THE MAJOR DRIVEWAYS.
UM, THIS IS THE PICTURE OF THE TRIP GENERATION MANUAL THAT, THAT WE HAVE IN OUR OFFICE THERE.
IT'S, THERE'S ON THE 11TH EDITION, SO IF YOU HAVE ANY TROUBLE, UH, SLEEPING AT NIGHT, I'LL GIVE YOU A COPY AND YOU CAN GET ABOUT THROUGH PAGE THREE,
UM, THEN, SO YOU APPLY THAT TO THE TOTAL NUMBER, UH, AND IT, AND IT'S BASED ON SQUARE FEET, IN SOME CASES, DWELLING UNIT IN OTHER CASES.
UM, BUT THIS IS, THIS IS THE ACTUAL, UH, TRIP GENERATION TABLE FOR THE MALL.
UM, YOU SEE IT GENERATES ABOUT 90,000 TRIPS IN THE PEAK HOUR.
THAT'S, THAT'S IF EVERY, ALL THE TRACKS ARE FULLY BUILT OUT, SO WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET.
UM, AND WE, BUT IT GENERATES THE NUMBER OF CARS, YOU KNOW, GENERATED BY, UH, PER DAY.
AND THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE PEAK HOUR.
AND ON SATURDAYS, UM, THIS IS THE DIRECTIONAL DISTRIBUTION IT'S CALLED.
IT'S, SO THERE'S 20% PEOPLE THAT WE ASSUME THAT WERE COMING FROM THE NORTH ON 78, 20% FROM THE SOUTH, 27% COMING FROM, YOU KNOW, DOWN ONE 90.
AND, AND THEN THOSE FILTER DOWN INTO EACH DRIVEWAY.
AND SO YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, 1% TURNING INTO THIS DRIVEWAY AND 5% IN THAT ONE.
SO YOU TAKE THAT AND YOU APPLY THE THAT TO THE TOTAL TRIPS, AND YOU GET THE NUMBER OF TRIPS TURNING INTO EACH DRIVEWAY.
YOU ADD THOSE TO THE EXISTING TRAFFIC, AND YOU HAVE THEN BASICALLY THE NUMBER, NUMBER OF CARS THAT ARE GONNA BE ON THERE OPENING DAY IF EVERYTHING WAS FULL.
UM, YOU ANALYZE EACH ONE OF THOSE.
YOU LOOK AT THE LEVEL OF SERVICE, AND, AND THEIR CRITERIA IS BASICALLY THAT YOU CAN'T RAISE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE BY ONE, UH, LETTER.
SO EVEN THOUGH IT MAY BE, IF IT'S AN A, IT CAN'T GO TO B.
IF IT'S A D, IT CAN'T GO TO A F.
AND THEN BASED ON THAT, YOU COME UP WITH THE PROPOSED MITIGATION TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS WORKING.
SO THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT, UH, AND IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR, I'D BE HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER 'EM.
AND THANK YOU PAUL HEAVEN, AS WE HAVE CERTAINLY HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS
BEFORE I FORGET, WOULD YOU PLEASE SEND US THIS, THIS POWERPOINT? SURE.
UM, AFTERWARDS, IT WASN'T ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA.
UM, A COUPLE OF THE THINGS, WHAT DOES F A R STAND FOR? I BELIEVE THAT'S FLOOR AREA RATIO.
THAT'S NOT ONE THAT WE'VE, I DON'T THINK THAT'S EVER COME UP IN MY, SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, SO.
UM, AN I T E I'M ASSUMING IS INTERNATIONAL TRAFFIC SOMETHING INSTITUTE OF TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERS.
I JUST TOOK A WILD STAB AT IT.
I FIGURED T WOULD BE TRAFFIC, BUT NO.
UM, AND YOU AND I HAVE DISCUSSED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE, UM, TRAFFIC SIGNAL WARRANT REQUIREMENTS.
WOULD YOU MIND SHARING THOSE? DO YOU HAVE 'EM OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD? I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN LIST THEM ALL OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
THERE'S, UH, THE, THE PRIMARY ONES ARE VOLUME BASED.
UH, THERE'S, AND I, AND THERE'S TABLES AND GRAPHS AND ALL THAT FOR EACH ONE.
BUT, BUT THEN WOULD YOU MIND, WHEN YOU SEND US THE POWERPOINTS, CAN YOU JUST SEND US A PAGE SHOWING THAT I, AT LEAST I GET A LOT OF REQUESTS FOR TRAFFIC SIGNALS TO BE INSTALLED.
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I'M SUSPECTING OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, GET THAT AS WELL.SO IT WAS USEFUL AFTER YOU SAT ME DOWN AND KIND OF WENT THROUGH IT A COUPLE YEARS AGO TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU MAKE THAT DISTINCTION.
AND IF IT'S THIS HIGH, IT GETS A SIGNAL, AND IF IT'S THIS HIGH, IT DOESN'T.
SO IF YOU WOULD NOT MIND PROVIDING US WITH THAT INFORMATION AFTERWARD, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
HOW OFTEN IS TRIP GENERATION RECALCULATED AFTER A DEVELOPMENT IS COMPLETE? UH, ALMOST NEVER.
HOW COME? I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE, UM, TRIP GENERATION IS KIND OF A, A HYPOTHESIS IN THE BEGINNING JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ONCE, ONCE THINGS ARE KIND OF MOVING FORWARD AND THINGS ARE DONE, YOU HAVE INCREASED THE TRAFFIC.
SO, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, CENTERVILLE ROAD,
AND ONCE THOSE ARE COMPLETE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO KIND OF GO THROUGH AND SEE HOW TRAFFIC'S MOVING ALONG.
SO NOW I WOULD SAY, I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE WE DON'T LOOK AT THE TRAFFIC AGAIN MM-HMM.
SO, YOU KNOW, AS, AS THINGS PROGRESS AND, AND IF THERE'S ISSUES THAT COME UP, WE, WE DEFINITELY LOOK AT THE TRAFFIC AGAIN, AND THEN WE COULD ADDRESS ANY ISSUES THAT MIGHT COME UP.
BUT AS FAR AS THE ACTUAL TRIP GENERATION RATES, I MEAN, A LOT, A LOT OF THEM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME THAT HAVE A LOT OF, UH, DATA BEHIND THEM.
SOME HAVE VERY LITTLE, UM, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE ONES THAT ARE, THEY'RE MORE USED MORE OFTEN.
I'M LIKE A SHOPPING CENTER THAT HAS A LOT OF DATA BEHIND IT.
'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF SHOPPING CENTERS.
THE ONES THAT ARE, THERE'S SOME MORE OBSCURE THINGS IN THERE THAT ARE, THAT DON'T HAVE AS MUCH.
UM, IT, IT'S, IT'S A VERY, IT'S A VERY LABOR INTENSIVE, TIME CONSUMING, UH, PROCESS TO, TO DEVELOP THE DATA.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S PROBABLY THE MAIN REASON WHY IT'S NOT DONE.
UM, THEY'VE, I T E IS, IS CONSTANTLY TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO SEND IN MORE STUDIES, BUT IT, IT'S JUST NOT, NOT SOMETHING THAT'S DONE VERY OFTEN, UNFORTUNATELY.
AND, AND I, THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN DONE, I, I KIND OF HAVE SHOWN THAT IT KIND OF REINFORCES WHAT'S ALREADY THERE.
SO THE ONES THAT THEY HAVE DONE, I WOULD SAY KIND OF REINFORCE THE RATES THAT ARE IN THERE.
AND A LOT OF, A LOT OF THE RATES ARE FAIRLY KIND OF MAKE SENSE OR KIND OF COMMON SENSE.
AND JUST TO TAG ONTO THAT, NOT THAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU'RE, HOW YOU'RE THINKING, BUT I THINK THE QUESTION REALLY IS, UH, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPMENTS COME ALONG.
CENTERVILLE BEING A GOOD EXAMPLE, WHAT ANY PICK ANY ROAD, BUT THE, AND I'VE SEEN THEM COME BACK BEFORE THAT THE CENTERVILLE ROAD IS DESIGNED TO HOLD OR CARRY X AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC.
RECALCULATING AN INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT IS ONE THING, BUT WHAT THE OVERALL THOROUGHFARE IS DESIGNED TO CARRY, IT'S A TYPE E, F, WHATEVER, RIGHT? IS THAT, SO THOSE, I THINK WOULD BE, I MEAN OBVIOUSLY CENTERVILLE ROAD IS WHAT IT IS.
THE DEVELOPMENTS ALONG IT ARE GONNA COME AND GO.
IS, IS THAT GIVE OR TA? I MEAN, YES, THERE'S AN IMPACT TO CENTERVILLE ROAD, THIS VERSUS THIS, BUT WHAT IS, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH IT? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO CHANGE CENTERVILLE ROAD TO ACCOMMODATE IT, I GUESS IS THE QUESTION IS THAT, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I JUST SAID,
BUT OBVIOUSLY, I MEAN, I, A LOT OF THE DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD OF HIGH VOLUME TRAFFIC AREAS IS THE ROADWAY, BELTLINE, SHILOH, ARAPAHOE, SOME OF THESE ROADS ARE DESIGNED TO CARRY X NUMBER OF LOAD, RIGHT.
AND, AND, AND, AND YOU'VE GOT EACH YEAH.
EACH, EACH INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT IS NOT GOING TO HAVE A, A DRASTIC IMPACT ON, UNLESS IT'S A HU I MEAN, YOU KNOW, PUT A, A MALL OUT THERE WITH 90,000 TRIPS, THAT'S GONNA HAVE A HUGE IMPACT, BUT WE'VE ALSO GOT A, A TOLL WAY AND A LOT OF OTHER ROADS TO HANDLE IT, SO.
AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT THE T I A SHOWED.
UM, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO READ INTO YOUR QUESTION EITHER, BUT I, I THINK AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS WHOLE EQUATION IS HOW MANY CARS ARE ON THE EXISTING ROADWAY.
AND SO HOW, PAUL, IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO HOW MANY, OR HOW OFTEN WE TAKE TRAFFIC COUNTS ON OUR, ON OUR MAJOR ROADS.
'CAUSE THAT IS A FACTOR THAT, THAT PLAYS INTO, UH, HOW MANY, HOW MANY NEW CARS ARE WE ADDING TO THE ROAD? YEAH.
SO WE, WE DO, WE TRY TO COUNT ALL OF OUR ROADS, UH, ONCE EVERY TWO YEARS.
[00:25:01]
OF THE COUNTS AS WELL.SO WE HAVE PRETTY GOOD, UH, RECENT COUNT DATE ON ALL, ALL OF OUR ROADS.
SO, AND, AND THAT'S, THAT ALL DEFINITELY FACTORS INTO, UM, THE DEVELOPMENTS AS THEY COME ALONG.
SO, UM, THE, THE ONES THAT ARE OVER CAPACITY ALREADY ARE, ARE MORE CHALLENGING, BUT, UM, THAT'S NOT, IT TYPICALLY IS NOT THE DEVELOPMENTS ISSUE THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT THE ONES CAUSING THE PROBLEM.
IT'S KIND OF THE AGGREGATE OF EVERYTHING.
CUSTOMER WILLIAMS. YEAH, PAUL NOT BEING THE THIRD PERSON, NOT TRYING TO MIND READ COUNCIL LAND LUCK EITHER.
BUT, AND I KNOW YOU DON'T DO QUOTE TEMPORARY TRAFFIC STUDIES, BUT, BUT REAL WORLD THING MENTIONED CENTERVILLE NORTHWEST HIGHWAY, UH, WE'VE GOT A PROJECT GOING ON NOW THAT PROJECTION IS 2027.
THE 2028 WHEN IT'S GONNA BE DONE.
AND I WOULD TELL YOU, UM, THE CARS THAT AVOID L B J EAST, UH, FROM I 30 UNTIL THEY GET TO, I THINK THEY GET TO GRAPEVINE, UH, THROUGH THE SOUTHERN TEXAS CITY IS AMAZING.
NOW, I KNOW THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT, THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT WOULD, WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH IT'S TEMPORARY, IT IS REALLY HAVING A HUGE IMPACT ON THOSE STREETS, SATURN, ALL, ALL OF THOSE STREETS.
BECAUSE I TELL YOU, IT STARTS VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING.
IT GOES LATE AND IT'S SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
SO WHAT'S WOULD, WOULD THAT, WOULD THAT QUALIFY FOR ANY KIND OF LOOK, SEE, OR WOULD IT NOT, BECAUSE IT'S QUOTE, A TEMPORARY SITUATION? HOW WOULD YOU, 'CAUSE I'VE HAD, I'VE HAD THAT QUESTION ASKED OF ME SINCE AT, AT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN MOST HOPEFULLY MOST OF US ARE STILL ON THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN WHEN L B, THE RIBBON IS CUT ON L B J, BUT IF WE'RE NOT THEN, THEN WE'VE GOT A LOT OF CUT.
I THINK YOU USED THE TERM CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC.
WOULD THAT QUALIFY FOR ANY KIND OF LOOK, SEE ON WHAT IT'S HAPPENING ON SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS OR NOT? WELL, IN TERMS OF, OF THESE TYPE OF, UH, ANALYSIS, THIS IS FOR A, A NEW DEVELOPMENT.
RIGHT NOW, THE, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS, I, I KNOW I'M, I'M, I DON'T WANNA SWITCH GEARS.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT DEVELOPMENT.
I'M TALKING ABOUT TRAFFIC IMPACT CONS, PRIMARILY IN CONSTRUCTION, RIGHT? SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THAT CASE, WE'VE, WE'VE, AS BEST WE CAN, I MEAN, AND, AND THERE'S JUST, WHEN YOU'VE GOT A PROJECT LIKE THAT, IT'S, THERE'S, WHAT, WHAT YOU REALLY HOPE IS THAT PEOPLE ADJUST TO A LONG-TERM PROJECT LIKE THAT AND THEY CHOOSE SOMEWHERE ELSE TO GO.
AND, AND SOME OF THAT HAPPENS TO BE ON THE PARALLEL ROUTES.
SO, AND THAT'S, THAT'S JUST PART OF WHAT HAPPENS.
UM, AND, AND PEOPLE HAVE THAT CHOICE TO DO THAT.
UM, WE HAVE LOOKED AT THAT AND WE'VE, AND WE'VE, WE DO ADJUST OUR SIGNAL TIMING, UM, OVER TIME.
AND SO THAT'S, I MEAN, SHORT OF, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S A TEMPORARY ISSUE.
SO, UH, OUR, OUR, OUR EXPECTATION IS, IS THAT ONCE IT, ONCE IT'S COMPLETE, IT ACTUALLY WILL GET BETTER THAN IT WAS BEFORE THEY STARTED IT.
UM, AND, AND ANY KIND OF, UM, MITIGATION OTHER THAN SIGNAL TIMING, I DON'T THINK, WOULD IT, WOULD, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T ADD A FOURTH LANE TO NORTHWEST HIGHWAY, FOR INSTANCE.
I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE.
PLUS IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S BE FOR A, FOR A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.
SO, UM, AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT CAME ALONG, I MEAN, IF THERE'S OTHER, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC KIND OF BOTTLENECK LOCATIONS, WE CAN LOOK AT THOSE TOO.
AND, AND THEY MAY, MAY MIGHT MAKE SENSE TO DO SOMETHING, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT UNDER WORKS BY NOW, IT'S, IT'S BY THE TIME WE WOULD GET A SOMETHING LIKE THAT COMPLETED, IT WOULD BE, THINGS MAY BE BETTER.
SO, BUT WE HAVE, WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE SIGNAL TIMING AND I KNOW WE'VE, WE'VE ADJUSTED THAT SEVERAL TIMES BASED ON THE, THE TRAFFIC THAT'S BEEN REROUTED.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? UHOH? I, I, I DON'T WANNA READ INTO WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ALSO, BUT I'LL SAY THIS, THIS QUESTION COMES UP ALL THE TIME WHEN Y'ALL REVIEW YOUR ZONING CASES.
AND I'LL SAY THIS, WE'RE AT A POINT IN DEVELOPMENT.
THERE ARE VERY FEW EXTREMELY RARE SITUATIONS WHERE Y'ALL SHOULD EVEN CONSIDER TRAFFIC AT THIS POINT IN GARLAND, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE TYPE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S COMING IN ANYMORE TO EVEN CONSIDER THAT.
AND THE REDEVELOPMENT THAT'S COMING IN.
AS, AS PAUL SAID, MOST OF THE TIME WHEN A DEVELOPMENT COMES IN, CITIZENS WANNA SAY TRAFFIC.
'CAUSE TRAFFIC'S BAD'S EVERYWHERE.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN KEEP PRIVATE, A PRIVATE
[00:30:01]
A PERSONALLY OWNS PRIVATE PROPERTY FROM DEVELOPING THEIR PRIVATE PROPERTY.'CAUSE THE CITY HAS A TRAFFIC PROBLEM.
WE DON'T GET TO DO MORATORIUMS. THERE'S VERY FEW EXCEPTIONS UNDER STATE LAW WHERE WE GET TO DO A DEVELOPMENT MORATORIUM.
AND SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU'RE GONNA HEAR THAT MOST OUT OF CITIZENS.
'CAUSE TRAFFIC'S BAD EVERYWHERE IN DALLAS COUNTY, BUT IT'S REALLY NOT SOMETHING THAT AT THIS POINT IN THIS CITY'S REDEVELOPMENT THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER.
BUT SOMEBODY WANTED TO PUT A STADIUM SOMEWHERE.
IT'S A VERY LARGE DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS THAT, THAT, UM, MOMENT.
SO THOSE FREQUENCIES OF HAVING HIGH TRAFFIC, IT COULD BE, IF, IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO PUT A REGIONAL MALL SOMEWHERE, DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY HAD PUT IT, BUT IF THEY WANTED TO PUT A REGIONAL MALL SOMEWHERE IN GARLAND, YOU COULD CONSIDER IT.
BUT THERE'S VERY FEW EXCEPTIONS, AND QUITE FRANKLY, I HAVEN'T SEEN ONE IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, UM, TO WHERE TRAFFIC SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RULE CONSIDERATION FOR Y'ALL.
ALTHOUGH THAT'S WHAT Y'ALL HEAR THE MOST, THAT AND CRIME Y'ALL ARE GONNA CONTINUE.
SO Y'ALL PUT IN THIS POSITION WHERE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT A POLITICAL PROBLEM IN REALITY, THAT'S REALLY NOT SOMETHING THAT, UM, IS A REAL CONSIDERATION FOR Y'ALL AT THIS POINT IN GARLAND'S DEVELOPMENT.
THAT JUST MEANS WE ALL SPEND WAY TOO MUCH TIME TOGETHER.
ALL RIGHT, MR. LUTKEY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
[4.c. Garland Power & Light and Water Utility Customer Service Protocol and Procedures]
FOUR C, GARLAND POWER AND LIGHT AND WATER UTILITY, CUSTOMER SERVICE, PROTOCOL AND PROCEDURES.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL, HOLD ON.
WE'RE GONNA TRY TO READ YOUR MIND.
MAYOR, THE GOOD NEWS IS, I THINK I'VE GOT FIVE SLIDES.
MAYBE THOSE, THOSE DON'T LOOK LIKE YOURS.
I'M, I'M HERE TO VISIT WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, SUMMERTIME HEAT.
SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE SEEING FROM THE UTILITY PERSPECTIVE, THE UTILITY BILLING PERSPECTIVE.
I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF OUR SUMMERTIME PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES.
BUT, UH, AT THE END OF THE DAY, AS YOU ALL KNOW, IT'S BEEN VERY HOT AND VERY DRY.
AND SO THE LACK OF RAINFALL THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED, I MEAN, THE RAIN STOPPED ABOUT MID-JULY, AND WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY RAIN IN, IN PROBABLY 45 DAYS, 50 DAYS.
AND SO IT'S BEEN EXTREMELY HOT, EXTREMELY HIGH.
AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, THOSE TEMPERATURES WHEN YOU, UH, A MUNICIPALITY LIKE, LIKE CITY OF GARLAND, WE'VE GOT THAT ELECTRIC BILL, THAT WATER BILL, UH, WE'VE GOT SANITATION, UH, STORM WATER.
I MEAN, WE ROLL ALL THOSE UTILITIES ON ONE BILL AND SEND THEM OUT EVERY MONTH LIKE CLOCKWORK.
UH, SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, LACK OF RAINFALL INCREASES OUTDOOR WATERING.
UH, WE, WE ARE COMMONLY, WE VERY OFTEN ARE WE TALKING TO CITIZENS ABOUT IRRIGATION ISSUES? WE'RE TALKING TO CITIZENS ABOUT A, UH, YOU KNOW, AN AC REFRIGERANT LEAK THAT HAS CAUSED THAT AC TO RUN TRIPLE TIME.
I MEAN, THESE ARE SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE EVERY DAY WITH OUR CITIZENS.
AND THESE ARE ON TOP OF THE FACT THAT IT'S 110 OUTSIDE.
AND SO, AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, AUGUST WAS A BRUTAL MONTH FOR UTILITY BILLS.
AND, UH, I HOPE YOU WILL ALL AGREE, WE HAVE A VERY EMPATHETIC AND UNDER UNDERSTANDING STAFF.
UH, WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP OUR CITIZENS.
UH, YOU KNOW, I, I WON'T SPEND MUCH TIME ON THIS, BUT I, IN AUGUST, WE DIDN'T HAVE A DROP OF RAIN AND OUR, OUR AVERAGE HIGH AND LOW FOR THE MONTH WAS THE HIGHEST IT'S BEEN IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, PROBABLY.
IT, I MEAN, IT'S, YEAH, IT'S JUST BEEN VERY HOT AND DRY.
THESE ARE UTILITY DISCONNECTS.
AND, UH, I THINK, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, WE, WE, IF IF YOU, YOU DON'T PAY YOUR UTILITY BILL, UH, WE'VE GOT THAT DUE DATE OUT THERE, UH, AND THERE, THERE ARE CONDITIONS WHERE YOU GET YOUR SERVICES DISCONNECTED.
UH, WE DISCONNECT ELECTRIC AND WATER SERVICES.
UH, MOST OF OUR CITIZENS KNOW, BY NOW, I MEAN IT, IT'S KIND OF A STATEWIDE THING.
WHEN WE'RE IN EXTREME CONDITION WITH THE HEAT OR THE COLD, WE DO NOT INTERRUPT ELECTRIC SERVICES.
SO WE HAVE DONE VERY FEW ELECTRIC DISCONNECTS THIS SUMMER BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN SO HOT.
THERE ARE CONDITIONS WHEREBY WE DO INTERRUPT WATER SERVICES.
SO IF I'VE GOT A CUSTOMER THAT I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM FOR A COUPLE, COUPLE OF MONTHS THAT HAS NOT BOTHERED TO CALL US, I'M PROBABLY GONNA CUT THEIR WATER OFF, WHICH WILL PRO PROMPT A PHONE CALL FAIRLY QUICK.
SO WE ARE DISCONNECTING SOME WATER SERVICES OUT THERE, BUT ELECTRICITY, IF YOU'RE, UH, UH, AN
[00:35:01]
APARTMENT, IF YOU, IF YOU RENT AN APARTMENT, UH, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF THOSE IN THIS TOWN, UH, AND THOSE ELECTRIC METERS WE PROBABLY HAVEN'T TOUCHED ALL SUMMER, UH, WHEN THE TEMPERATURE BREAKS, TEMPERATURE STARTS DROPPING, LIKE WE MAY SEE NEXT WEEK, WE MAY REENGAGE THOSE ELECTRIC DISCONNECTS.AND IT MAY TAKE US A MONTH OR TWO TO CATCH UP, BUT WE WILL CATCH UP.
SO, UH, JUST KIND OF LETTING YOU GUYS KNOW, I MEAN, WE MAY HAVE SOME CUSTOMERS THAT MAY NOT HAVE PAID THEIR BILLS SINCE JUNE OR THAT LATE MAY BILL, THEY MAY BE AN ELECTRIC ONLY CUSTOMER BECAUSE OF THE HIGH TEMPERATURES.
WE HAVEN'T BEEN DOING A LOT OF ELECTRIC DISCONNECTS.
AND SO ELECTRIC ONLY CUSTOMERS, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT BILL IS NOT, IT'S STILL THERE.
AND WE'VE GOTTA DEAL WITH THAT.
THAT'S WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR CUSTOMERS TO CALL US AND LET US HEAR FROM 'EM.
WE CAN, WE CAN WORK SOMETHING OUT.
WE'LL FIGURE SOMETHING OUT IN THE LAST TWO SLIDES.
WE'LL KIND OF, KIND OF TALK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT.
I MEAN, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE PROVIDE EXTENSIONS AND PAY ARRANGEMENTS.
UH, IF, YOU KNOW, DURING THE PANDEMIC, UH, WE, THERE WERE, WE WERE PROVIDING PAY ARRANGEMENTS SOMETIMES UP TO SIX MONTHS.
WE HAVEN'T DONE ANY OF THAT YET.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE END OF THE SUMMERTIME'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.
I HOPE WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT.
UH, BUT TYPICALLY A PAY ARRANGEMENT IS, IS, UH, YOU KNOW, EXTENDING IT, UH, AN EXTRA TWO WEEKS PAYING, UH, YOU KNOW, THREE QUARTERS OF THAT UTILITY BILL THIS MONTH AND FLOATING THE OTHER, UH, THE OTHER PART OF THAT BILL TO THE FOLLOWING MONTH, OR SPLITTING A PAYMENT UP OVER TWO MONTHS.
I MEAN, SO WE DO HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY WITH PAY ARRANGEMENTS AND EXTENSIONS.
UH, WE WE'RE CONSTANTLY EVALUATING UTILITY DEPOSITS.
AND IF YOU'VE BEEN A GOOD PAYING CUSTOMER FOR, FOR A 12 MONTH PERIOD, WE'LL WE'LL WORK TO CREDIT THAT DEPOSIT BACK ON AN ACCOUNT.
AND WE ALSO, UH, DO PROVIDE A LOT OF IN-HOME AUDITS.
NOT ONLY CAN WE TALK THROUGH SOME THINGS WITH YOU OVER THE PHONE, TRY TO HELP OVER THE PHONE, BUT WE DO HAVE THE OPTION TO SEND SOMEONE, UH, AND REALLY SIT DOWN WITH YOU AT THE KITCHEN TABLE OR DO A WALKTHROUGH OF THE PROPERTY TO LOOK FOR LEAKS, TEST YOUR IRRIGATION SYSTEM AND DO SOME OF THAT KIND OF STUFF, YOU KNOW, IN HOME CHECK, CHECK COMMODES AND FUNCTIONING AIR CONDITIONING UNITS AND MAYBE EVEN TAKE A PEEK AT YOUR FILTER.
UH, JUST KIND OF HELP OUT AT HOME.
THERE'S A BIG NEED FOR THAT STUFF.
UH, HERE, UH, VERY IMPORTANT SLIDE HERE.
I MEAN, I THINK YOU ALL KNOW WE HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL DEDICATED TO WORKING WITH A LOT OF NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, BUT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE ALSO FAMILIAR WITH THESE PROGRAMS. AND IF THEY NOTICE IN THAT CONVERSATION, THEY NOTICE THE ACCOUNT, YOU KNOW, THEY, I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA INVESTIGATE THESE POSSIBILITIES FOR OUR CUSTOMERS, BUT I CAN'T MAKE THE CALL TO THE FRIENDSHIP HOUSE.
THE CUSTOMER HAS TO CALL THEM.
I CAN GUIDE THEM, I CAN GIVE THEM THE NUMBER, BUT I, I'M NOT GONNA CALL THEM.
AND THE HOPE IS THE, THEY WILL CALL THE FRIENDSHIP HOUSE, THE SALVATION ARMY, UH, MOUNT HE AND CATHOLIC CHARITIES, ST.
VINCENT DEPAUL, OUR DALLAS COUNTY HELPING HUMAN SERVICES.
'CAUSE RIGHT AFTER THAT CALL, I'M GONNA GET AN EMAIL FROM 'EM.
I'M GONNA GONNA GET AN EMAIL FROM THAT AGENCY AND WE WILL BEGIN THE PROCESS TO GET THEM ASSISTANCE TO CREDIT TOWARDS THAT UTILITY BILL.
AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS NOT TO IGNORE THE BILL.
I MEAN, YOU, YOU'VE GOTTA CONTACT US AND IF YOU WILL WORK WITH US, WE'RE GONNA DO EVERYTHING WITH OUR PA WITHIN OUR POWER NOT TO CUT THE ELECTRICITY AND THE WATER OFF.
UH, AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO.
AND SO THAT WAS KIND OF A QUICK OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE PROTOCOLS WE, WE RUN THROUGH AND WE WE UTILIZE TO HELP OUR, OUR CUSTOMERS.
AND, UH, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF OUR JOB AND OUR DUTY.
AND SO I'LL LEAVE IT WITH THAT.
I THINK THAT'S MY QUESTION SLIDE.
UM, REALLY APPRECIATE YOU PROVIDING THOSE PHONE NUMBERS ON THAT SLIDE.
UM, CAN YOU MAKE SURE WE GET A COPY OF THIS? YES, SIR.
AND THEN, UM, DO WE, DO WE HAVE THE BALANCED BILLING? G P L? WE DO.
IT'S, WE CALL IT BUDGET BILLING.
AND WHEN, IF SOMEONE IS IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY DO GET BEHIND, DO WE, DO WE SUGGEST THAT AS AN OPTION TO THEM AND KIND OF LIKE, LET'S SAY THEY'RE BEHIND WHATEVER, LET'S SAY THEY'RE BEHIND BY A MONTH.
IS THERE A WAY THAT THEY CAN PUT THAT INTO THEIR BUDGET BILLING AND SET THAT UP? YES.
AND I REGRET I DIDN'T INCLUDE THAT ON THAT SLIDE, SO THANKS FOR BRINGING IT UP.
[00:40:01]
AN OPTION, UH, TO GET ON BUDGET BILLING, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A ZERO BALANCE.OKAY? SO, UH, OUR, OUR CALL CENTER REP WOULD RECOMMEND, LOOK, UH, I'M UNABLE TO PUT YOU ON BUDGET BILLING AT THIS TIME, BUT ONCE YOU PAY THIS BILL THAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, OR WE GET OUT FROM UNDER THIS PAY ARRANGEMENT AND YOU HAVE A ZERO BALANCE, I'LL MAKE A NOTE, WE'LL PLACE YOU ON BUDGET BILLING.
SO BUDGET BILLING IS CERTAINLY AN OPTION.
UH, BUT OUR SYSTEM KIND OF STRUGGLES WITH THAT AVERAGE BALANCE AND COMPUTING THAT, UH, WHEN THERE IS A BILL DUE, WE, WE NEED TO HAVE A ZERO BALANCE ON THE ACCOUNT.
BUT WE HAVE A, HAVE A LOT OF CUSTOMERS ON BUDGET BILLING.
KEVIN, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR PAID PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY BE OF BETTER FINANCIAL POSITION AND ABLE TO ASSIST OTHER PEOPLE? YES, SIR.
UH, AGAIN, I I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT PUTTING THAT ON THERE.
AND WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION BEFORE.
IT'S PROVIDE EIGHT IN DOLLARS.
SO IF YOU HAVE A $295 AND 32 CENTS BILL, YOU CAN ROUND IT UP TO $296 OR YOU CAN ROUND IT UP TO $300.
AND WE WILL TAKE THOSE PROCEEDS AND PUT IT IN A LITTLE BUCKET.
AND THAT BUCKET IS, IS FUNDS THAT OUR CITIZENS, OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE PROVIDED TO BE USED TO HELP INDIVIDUALS STRUGGLING WITH THEIR UTILITY BILLS.
UH, THE LOCAL SALVATION ARMY ADMINISTERS THAT PROGRAM FOR US, AS WELL AS THE OTHER PROGRAM WE PROVIDE OVER TO THE SALVATION ARMY.
AND TOGETHER, WE, WE MANAGE, UH, OUR PAID PROGRAM.
SO ANY OF THAT MONEY THAT IS ROUNDED UP IS GOING DIRECTLY BACK TO GARLAND CITIZENS, THEN THAT IS CORRECT.
IT'S GOING TO GARLAND CITIZENS, GARLAND CUSTOMERS.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR THE, FOR THE INFORMATION.
AND, UH, THANKS TO MAYOR PRO TEM.
HE HAS ACTUALLY ASKED MY QUESTION
UM, YOU MENTIONED KEVIN, UH, HOME SORT OF, YOU DIDN'T YOU, HOME VISITS OR HOME INSPECTIONS? I T I HAD THAT, I MADE THAT REQUEST TWICE IN THE LAST, UH, 60 DAYS.
AND YOUR, YOUR TEAM AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS GOT TOGETHER AND ACTUALLY VISITED OUR COUPLE OF OUR SENIORS.
THEY WANTED TO LOOK AT LIKE THEIR AIR CONDITIONED VENT, UH, AIR, AIR, YOU KNOW, CAULKING BEING OLD AND FALLING AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND, UH, AND, AND YOUR SHOP AND, AND OTHER, WITH, WITH THE SUPPORT HELP OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS, ACTUALLY WENT INTO THOSE HOMES, WALKED THOSE HOMES, DID THAT REVIEW FREE OF CHARGE, BY THE WAY.
AND WE GOT VERY POSITIVE, UH, FEEDBACK FROM THAT.
SO REALLY YOU'VE MENTIONED THAT PROGRAM AND, AND IT WAS REALLY, UH, UH, IT WAS REALLY BENEFICIAL.
AND THE LAST THING, BUT THANK YOU FOR THIS, UH, BECAUSE WHEN THIS HEAT, UH, AND I'M NOT A BIG SOCIAL MEDIA CHASER, BUT THERE'S SO MUCH MISINFORMATION OUT THERE ABOUT CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THAT, SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS, UH, KEVIN AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS PRESENTATION TONIGHT.
UH, YOU TELLING PEOPLE WHO TO CONTACT, WHERE TO CALL, AND YOU, YOU NAILED IT WHEN YOU SAID, I'VE HEARD YOU SAID IT'S A THOUSAND TIMES, KEVIN, DON'T IGNORE THE BILL.
I'VE, AND THAT'S WHAT I TRY TO HEAR AT, AT LEAST THESE, THESE CALLS.
SO REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, YOU, YOU SHARING THIS INFORMATION, UH, WITH US, UH, HERE TONIGHT.
AND BEING ABLE TO GO OUT, GO OUT AND ACTUALLY SIT WITH, UH, SOME CONSTITUENTS AT THEIR HOMES AND HELP THEM THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
UM, KEVIN, WHEN YOU, UM, SEND US YOUR PRESENTATION HERE, WILL YOU PLEASE, UM, WOULD YOU MIND ADDING IN THE BUDGET, BILLING AND THE PAID PROGRAM? YES, MA'AM.
SO THAT WE JUST KIND OF HAVE IT ALL? YES MA'AM.
I'LL GET IT OUT TO YOU FIRST THING IN THE MORNING.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? I SEE NONE, KEVIN, THANK YOU.
OBVIOUSLY YOU AND I, UH, COMMUNICATE SEVERAL TIMES A MONTH, YEAR ROUND ABOUT UTILITY BILLING ISSUES THAT, THAT MAKE THEIR WAY TO ME.
AND I WILL TELL YOU, IN ALL THE YEARS I'VE BEEN DOING THIS, THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN ON THE CITY'S END.
IT WHEN SERVICES GET, HAVE BEEN DISCONNECTED FOR WATER, ELECTRIC, WHATEVER, YOUR TEAM KEEPS EXTENSIVE RECORDS OF EVERY CONVERSATION,
[00:45:01]
PHONE, EMAIL, WHATEVER, OF WHEN WE HAVE REACHED OUT AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'VE HAD BAD CHECKS AND THE WHOLE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE WHOLE THING.AND, AND I'M ALWAYS IMPRESSED WITH THE, THE LEVEL OF DETAIL, UM, THAT, THAT YOUR TEAM KEEPS ON EVERY ADDRESS THAT I'VE EVER HAD TO SEND TO YOU.
SO, AND AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, I WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN, UH, REMARKABLY WITHOUT A DOUBT ON THE CUSTOMER'S END.
BUT I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES, IF NOT EVERY TIME THAT WE FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET THEIR SERVICES BACK ON ONE, EITHER THROUGH ONE OF THE CHARITIES OR WE WORK OUT SOME SORT OF PAYMENT.
THA I MEAN, WE GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO GET THOSE SERVICES BACK ON, UH, EVEN WHEN SOMETIMES IT'S PROBABLY NOT A GOOD DECISION ON OUR PART, FRANKLY, GIVEN, GIVEN THE, THE, THE HISTORY THAT WE HAVE ON SOME, YOU KNOW, BUT WE DO IT.
ALRIGHT COUNSEL, THAT WAS OUR LAST, UH, VERBAL BRIEFING.
[5. Discuss Appointments to Boards and Commissions]
APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.WE HAVE QUITE A FEW THIS EVENING.
AND MAYOR PRO TEM BASS, IF YOU CAN ANNOUNCE MINE WHEN WE GET THERE, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
UH, THAT BRINGS UP ITEM SIX, ANNOUNCED
[6. Announce Future Agenda Items]
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UH, IS THERE ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS THIS EVENING? COUNCIL MEMBER HEDRICK.NOW THAT SEPTEMBER 1ST HAS PASSED, I'D LIKE A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE FOR ANY LAWS THAT ARE GOING INTO EFFECT, UH, EFFECT IN THE CITY OF GARLAND, MR. ENGLAND.
WE ARE ACTUALLY HAVING, UM, WORKING ON GETTING OUR STATE REPS IN TO COME VISIT WITH Y'ALL ON A WORK SESSION NIGHT HERE IN THE FALL.
SO THAT SAME NIGHT WE CAN DO A, UM, LEGISLATIVE UPDATE IF THAT WORKS FOR YOU.
OR WE CAN DO IT SOONER, BUT IT SHOULD BE IN THIS NEXT MONTH OR SO THAT WE'RE GONNA GET OUR STATE MONTH.
UH, ANY ADDITIONAL ITEMS? LET'S SEE.
[7. Council will move into Executive Session]
COUNCIL WILL MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.THE CITY COUNCIL WILL ADJOURN INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 5 5, 1 0.0 7 1 5 5, 1 0.087, AND 5 5 1 0.072 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE TO DELIBERATE OR DISCUSS ONE, THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE VICINITY OF THE HISTORIC DOWNTOWN DISTRICT AND ATTORNEY-CLIENT MATTERS CONCERNING PRIVILEGED AND UNPRIVILEGED CLIENT INFORMATION RELATED TO SAME.
ITEM TWO, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MATTERS RELATED TO COMMERCIAL OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION THAT THE CITY HAS RECEIVED FROM ONE OR MORE BUSINESS PROSPECTS THAT THE CITY SEEKS TO HAVE, LOCATE, STAY, OR EXPAND IN THE VICINITY OF SOUTH GARLAND AVENUE, INTERSTATE 6 35 AND WITH WHICH THE CITY IS CONDUCTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS AND ATTORNEY-CLIENT MATTERS CONCERNING PRIVILEGE AND UNPRIVILEGED CLIENT INFORMATION TO SAME.
UH, FOLKS, IF WE CAN ALL JUST HOLD OUR PLACES, WE'LL CLEAR THE ROOM, UH, SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD TO THIS, UH, WITH THIS EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO AT SIX 18, WE WILL RECESS, UH, THIS WORK SESSION, UM, AND MOMENTARILY RECONVENE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.