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GOOD AND WELCOME TO THE MONDAY MARCH 18 2024 WORK SESSION FOR THE GARLAND CITY COUNCIL. UH, THE FIRST ITEM TONIGHT? UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS ON WORK SESSION ITEMS. I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE
[CONSIDER THE CONSENT AGENDA]
ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK THIS EVENING. OK? MOVING ON. UH, THEN CONSIDER FOR THE CONSIDERATION OR CONSIDER THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR TOMORROW NIGHT. I'VE NOT SEEN ANY REQUESTS, BUT OBVIOUSLY[WRITTEN BRIEFINGS]
, I THINK EVERYBODY'S CLEAR ON THE PROCESS FOR THAT AT THIS POINT. UH, MOVING ON TO WRITTEN BRIEFINGS ITEM ONE LICENSING PERMITTING AND INSPECTION SOLUTION. ITEM TWO FY 2324 BUDGET AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO NUMBER THREE SALE OF PROPERTY AT 600 RAYBURN STREET. UH, AND LET'S SEE HERE NUMBER FOUR RESERVATION DIVERSION AND USE OF RAW WATER AGREEMENT WITH NORTH NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT. AND NUMBER FIVE VICTIM ASSISTANCE. FIRST RESPONDER PROGRAMS GRANT APPLICATION FY 25. ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO VERBAL BRIEFINGS. ITEM SIX.[6. Introduction of Ariel Traub, Managing Director of Legislative & Public Affairs]
MITCH. INTRODUCTION WE ARE PLEASED TO INTRODUCE TO YOU TONIGHT. OUR NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, UH ARIEL TRAUB IS HERE WITH US. SHE STARTED TODAY. SHE SHE HAS EVERYTHING FIGURED OUT AND SHE'S ALREADY READY TO GO FOR THE UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION. SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT A THING SHE'S GOT IT COVERED, SO, BUT YOU'LL BE SEEING A LOT MORE OF AERIAL AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE YEAR AND GET READY FOR OUR LEGISLATIVE AND FOR AUSTIN. WHAT'S A NEW SESSION COMING IN JANUARY? AND THEN, OF COURSE. ARIEL WILL BE HANDLING A LOT MORE THAN THAT, IN HER PUBLIC AFFAIRS, TOP THINGS WORKING WITH SOME OTHER NEIGHBORING ENTITIES AND THAT KIND OF THING SO WANTED TO INTRODUCE ARIEL AND ARIEL. AND I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO SWING THAT MICROPHONE AROUND A LITTLE BIT THERE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BEND DOWN. JUST SWING IT TOWARDS YOU. THERE YOU GO. HI MY NAME IS ARIEL. UM I GRADUATED FROM SAME HOUSTON STATE UNIVERSITY AND THEN MOVED TO THE AUSTIN AREA. UM I'VE WORKED FOR SENATOR SCHWERTNER. I'VE WORKED FOR THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE. UM AND THEN I MOST RECENTLY WORKED FOR THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN DOING A ROLE VERY SIMILAR TO THIS. SO UM, I HAVE THREE KIDS. WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF MOVING UP HERE, SO IT'S EXCITING AND I'M READY TO GET STARTE VERY GOOD MOVING WITH THREE KIDS. THAT'S GOT TO BE EXCITING. WELL WELCOME. WELCOME AND A YES, AS THE AS THE YEAR PROGRESSES, WE WILL CERTAINLY, UH HAVE MORE INTERACTION. SO THANK YOU. NEXT UP ITEM SEVEN STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS PLAN. AND COMMUNITY SURVEY. MR X. YOU[7. Strategic Communications Plan and Community Survey]
WANNA LEAD US IN? WELL TIFFANY'S GETTING GET SET UP FOR THE PRESENTATION. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SHE'S GONNA TALK ABOUT IS THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY SURVEY. UM SOME TIME AGO. I THINK SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, TALKED ABOUT DOING A COMMUNITY WIDE SURVEY. UH IN IN AN EFFORT TO REALLY GAUGE UH, HOW CITIZENS FEEL ABOUT THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE. AND , UM, TIFFANY IS GONNA SHARE SOME DETAILS ABOUT THAT, BUT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THIS IS IMPORTANT. AND IT ALL COMES BACK TO ALIGNMENT. UH, ALIGNMENT BETWEEN , UH, RESIDENT EXPECTATIONS, UH, COUNCIL PRIORITIES AND THE STAFF RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE TO SERVE THE PUBLIC SO WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING FUNDING DECISIONS WHEN IT COMES TO SETTING PRIORITIES AND SCOPING OUT AND ADJUSTING OUR MANY SERVICES, UH, WE WANT TO HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF HOW RESIDENTS FEEL ABOUT THOSE DIFFERENT SERVICES. AND THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY SURVEY IS REALLY, UH, REALLY PUT TOGETHER FOR. UM WHERE DO THEY FEEL THAT WE'RE DOING? WELL WHERE IS THERE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. UM AND THE DATA WILL ALSO BE BENCHMARKED AGAINST OTHER CITIES OF SIMILAR SIZE. SIMILAR BUDGET, UH, WITHIN TEXAS ACROSS THE NATION. UH, WE PLAN TO USE AOMPANY THAT DOES THESE SURVEYS NATIONWIDE, SO WE'LL HAVE A LOT OF BENCHMARK DATA TO COMPARE OURSELVES TO IN TERMS OF THOSE THOSE DIFFERENT SERVICE AREAS AND TIFFANY WILL TALK ABOUT THAT. THE OTHER IMPORTANT THING IS THAT AS WE DO THIS, UM I THINK THEY RECOMMEND EVERY OTHER UH, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT TRENDS. SO IF WE IN, FOR INSTANCE, PUT A LOT OF EMPHASIS INTO A PARTICULAR SERVICE AREA LIKE STREET MAINTENANCE. UH AND WE HEAR THAT'S AN ISSUE. WE PUT A LOT OF RESOURCES IN IN IT. YOU KNOW, IN TWO OR FOUR YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, WE HOPE THAT THAT THAT, UH, PERCEPTION, AND THAT SURVEY COMES BACK DIFFERENTLY, UH, FROM THE COMMUNITY, AND SO THIS REALLY PUT SOME RIGOR TO US BEING ABLE TO GAUGE WHAT RESIDENTS? UH, HOW RESIDENTS FEEL ABOUT THE CITY OF GARLAND AND THE MANY SERVICES WE[00:05:02]
PROVIDE, SO I GAVE JUST ONE EXAMPLE ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE. THE SURVEY IS GONNA COVER A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS. I THINK 10 DIFFERENT AREAS, UH, WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, WHETHER THAT'S PUBLIC SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, OUR CHARACTER, OUR COMMUNITY CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE. UH, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS ARE WHAT THE SURVEY REALLY GETS AT. SO JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE THAT A LITTLE AND THE OTHER IMPORTANT THING IN TERMS OF TIMING ON THIS IS WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET THIS DATA BACK BEFORE OUR WORKSHOP IN JUNE. SO WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING A LONG TERM FUNDING DECISIONS AND BUDGET DECISIONS FOR THIS UPCOMING OPERATIONAL BUDGET. WE'LL HAVE THAT IMPORTANT PIECE OF SOME PUBLIC INPUT ON ON WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO OUR TO OUR PUBLIC AS WELL. SO JUST WANTED TO GIVE THAT INTRO AND THEN, UH, TIFFANY CAN SHARE SOME MORE DETAILS.THANK YOU. MALE OR A CITY COUNCIL CITY MANAGER. REX APPRECIATE Y'ALL HAVING ME HERE TONIGHT? UM AS JUDD WAS JUST MENTIONING. WE HAVE SOME EXCITING, UM, COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVES, FIRST OF WHICH IS THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY SURVEY. IT'S A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTER AT POLK. UM IT'S ALSO THE ONLY RESIDENT SURVEY THAT IS ENDORSED BY MA, OR THE INTERNATIONAL CITY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION. SO, UM JUDD LIKES TO SAY THAT THE GOAL OF THE CITY I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD HIM SAY THIS, BUT THE GOAL OF THE CITY IS TO BUILD THE STAGE WHERE OUR RESIDENTS CAN LIVE THEIR BEST LIVES. AND SO THIS IS OUR, UM, WAY TO MEASURE THAT TO REALLY SEE HOW OUR RESIDENTS FEEL ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITY ABOUT CITY GOVERNMENT, UM, AREAS WHERE WE CAN IMPROVE AND THEN, OF COURSE, BEING ABLE TO USE THAT DATA TO, UH, STRATEGICALLY PLAN TO, UM, LOOK AT BUDGETING. UM, WHEN WE GO THROUGH THOSE BUDGET WORKSHOPS BUT THEN ALSO THE NATIONAL AND STATE BENCHMARKING HOW WE COMPARE WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES. SO PCO WORKS WITH, UM, HUNDREDS OF MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE NATION AND, UM, DOZENS IN TEXAS AND SO WE WILL GET BENCHMARK COMPARISONS THAT ALIGN WITH US BASED ON INCOME OUR MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD NATIONALLY AND THEN WE'LL GET ALL OF THE STATEWIDE BENCHMARKING SO THAT WE CAN SEE STATEWIDE AND, UM THAT THEY WORK WITH HOW WE COMPARE TO THAT. AS FAR AS THE SURVEY POLK REALLY FOCUSES ON WHAT THEY CALL COMMUNITY LIVABILITY. SO WHAT MAKES A COMMUNITY DESIRABLE? UM NOT JUST A PLACE THAT YOU LIVE BUT A PLACE THAT YOU WANT TO LIVE, AND SO THEY'VE IDENTIFIED 10 AREAS, UM, THAT AFFECT THAT AND DESIGNED QUESTIONS AROUND THEM AND THE 10 AREAS ARE WHAT'S ON THE SCREEN. WE HAVE ECONOMY MOBILITY, WHICH IS LIKE TRANSPORTATION STREETS, UH, COMMUNITY DESIGN, UTILITIES, SAFETY, NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, PARKS AND REC. HEALTH AND WELLNESS, EDUCATION, ARTS AND CULTURE AND THEN INCLUSIVITY AND ENGAGEMENT. UM AND SO ALL 10 OF THOSE AREAS ARE EACH BENCHMARKED INDIVIDUALLY AND HAVE MULTIPLE QUESTIONS WITHIN EACH. OUR SURVEY WILL BE OPEN TO ALL RESIDENTS. UM IT'S GOING TO BE AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH, SPANISH AND VIETNAMESE, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE OPTIONS TO TAKE IT BOTH DIGITALLY AND VIA PRINT. UM, WE DON'T HAVE THE EXACT SCHEDULE YET. WE'RE STILL IN THE BEGINNING, UM, PLANNING STAGES WITH POLK. UM BUT WE HAVE TOLD THEM THAT OUR EXPECTATION IS TO HAVE THE RESULTS BACK BY YOUR, UM, BUDGET WORKSHOP IN JUNE AND SO AS MORE DETAILS IN THAT TIMELINE IS FINALIZED, UM SHARE THAT AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE, SO THAT'S OUR FIRST EXCITING INITIATIVE. UM OUR SECOND EXCITING COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE IS OUR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS PLAN OR COMMUNICATIONS MASTER PLAN. I HAVE IT ON THE SCREEN BECAUSE I'M BEGINNING TO USE THOSE WORDS SO AS NOT TO GET CONFUSED WITH OTHER STRATEGIC PLANNING GOING ON ACROSS THE CITY. UM YOU WILL SEE TOMORROW ON YOUR CONSENT AGENDA, UM, A BID REQUEST FOR THE STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS PLAN. IT'S STILL HAS THAT WORDING THERE. UM BUT I WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION AND DETAILS ABOUT WHAT THAT ENTAILS. OF COURSE, OUR END RESULT WILL BE THE 3 TO 5 YEAR ACTIONABLE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, WHICH PRIORITIZES PROJECTS AND HAS METRICS FOR SUCCESS. BUT IT'S REALLY AT LEAST A 9 TO 12 MONTH, UM, PROGRAM BECAUSE WE WANT TO FOCUS HEAVILY ON RESEARCH AND DATA ANALYSIS, UM, JUST COMING IN IN AUGUST. UM, WE HAVE MULTIPLE WEBSITES AND COMMUNICATION. UH, SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS. UH, WE HAVE DIGITAL AND PRINT MARKETING, OF COURSE, NEARLY 250,000 RESIDENTS 2200 EMPLOYEES THAT ALL HAVE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION STYLES, SO WE WANT TO ASK THE QUESTION. UM, DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT COMMUNICATION CHANNELS? DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT INFORMATION ON KNOWS THE RIGHT CONTENT ON THOSE CHANNELS. UM HOW DO WE ENSURE QUALITY AND CONSISTENCY WHEN WE HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE
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COMMUNICATING ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, AND THEN? UM ARE WE REACHING EVERYBODY? UM SO HOW CAN WE INCREASE TRANSLATION? WE KNOW THAT WE MAY BE MISSING SEGMENTS OF OUR POPULATION.THAT'S A BIG PRIORITY THAT WE WANT TO FOCUS ON THROUGH THIS, UM, GATHERING OF FEEDBACK AND RESEARCH, SO WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT ANALYTICS. WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING FOCUS GROUPS WERE GOING TO BE DOING SURVEYING OR POLLING. WE WANT TO HAVE REALLY COMPREHENSIVE AND EXTENSIVE EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, UM, GETTING FEEDBACK FROM A TRUE REPRESENTATION OF OUR COMMUNITY AND NOT JUST PEOPLE THAT WE HEAR FROM ALL THE TIME. UM ANOTHER ASPECT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, THROUGH THIS COMMUNICATIONS MASTER PLAN IS OUR UM, IMAGE CAMPAIGN, SO WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSING A LOT ON THE PERCEPTION OF GARLAND AND WHAT WE WANT THAT PERCEPTION TO BE, BUT I WANT TO REALLY KIND OF HELP US TRANSITION AND FOCUS MORE ON THAT ACTIONABLE, UM, DESTINATION MARKETING GETTING PEOPLE HERE, UM, WHEN OUR RESIDENTS OR PROSPECTIVE VISITORS FROM ACROSS THE METROPLEX LOOK TO FIND A PLACE TO DINE OR SHOP OR BUY A HOUSE OR BUILD A BUSINESS. I WANT THEM TO DO SO IN GARLAND. SO UM, THIS MASTER PLAN WILL LOOK AT MESSAGING TARGET AUDIENCE PERSONAS. UM AND JUST WAYS THAT WE CAN REALLY ACTIVATE PEOPLE TO COME IN AND MAKE GARLAND A DESTINATION. SO THAT'S WHERE THAT IN GARLAND IS THERE, UM AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE A BID REQUEST ON YOUR CONSENT AGENDA. UH, TOMORROW EVENING AT THE REGULAR MEETING, WE CONDUCTED AN RFP. AND OUR RECOMMENDED, UH, VENDOR IS MAGGOT. THEY ARE A COMMUNICATIONS AND RESEARCH EXPERT WHO LEVERAGES, UM, DATA ANALYTICS AND THEN BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE. THEY DO A LOT. WITH BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE TO REALLY FINE TUNE YOUR STRATEGIES AND AGAIN. WE DON'T HAVE A FULL TIMELINE OR SCHEDULE THAT HAS BEEN DETERMINED AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT UM, WAYS WE'RE REACHING OUT. BUT AS THAT BECOMES AVAILABLE, I'LL COME BACK AT A FUTURE WORK SESSION IN IN AND GIVE THAT INFORMATION TO YOU GUYS BECAUSE YOUR FEEDBACK WILL BE IMPORTANT TO WE WANNA DO FOCUS GROUPS AND, UM SOME INTERVIEWS WITH YOU GUYS AS WELL. SO WITH THAT I WILL. OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS, ALL RIGHT. KER WILLIAMS. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. JUST JUST ONE QUESTION. SURVEYS AND SURVEYS OF SURVEYS. WE ALL GET THEM. I GOT TWO TODAY TO DO UM MY QUESTION IS IN ADVANCE OF THE ACTUAL ROLL OUT. TELL ME ABOUT WHAT ARE OUR PLANS TO, UH, MESSAGING THIS TO OUR OUR PUBLIC TO OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT IT'S COMING? YES. TO HOPEFULLY INCREASE THE PARTICIPATION.
RIGHT? OF SURVEYS BECAUSE MOST SURVEYS THE PARTICIPATION RATE LEAVES A LOT TO BE DESIRED. SO CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ON IRISH SIDE, THE CITY SIDE MESSAGING GETTING IT OUT THERE TO THEM THAT WELL, IT'S COMING AND THIS IS COMING AND WE WANT YOUR PARTICIPATION AND NOT WAITING UNTIL THEY GET SO ELECTRONICALLY OR HAVE SO CAN YOU TALK A BIT ABOUT YOUR YOUR PLANS FOR SORT OF DRUMMING UP THE BUSINESS DRUMMING UP THE MESSAGE? CAN YOU TALK TO THE BOX? YES AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE'VE DISCUSSED, UM, WITH MY TEAMS, YOU KNOW, FOR SURE. ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT NOT ONLY ARE WE NOT OVERLAPPING SURVEYS, UM WE'RE WE'RE TRYING TO BE STRATEGIC ABOUT THE TIMING OF SURVEYS. UM FOR SURE THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY SURVEY WOULD BE EARLIER THAN THE COMMUNICATIONS MASTER PLAN AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT ONE'S FINISHED BEFORE. UM THE MASTER PLAN EVEN STARTS. BUT THEN ALSO WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM WAYS TO REACH PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE'RE NOT JUST RELYING ON PUTTING IT ON OUR WEBSITE OR ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR IN CITY PRESS OR CITY. PRESS BRIEFS THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, FOR THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY SURVEY. PART OF WHAT THEY DO IS MAIL OUT. UM TO, UM THEY HAVE SOME HOUSEHOLDS THAT THEY WILL RANDOMLY, UM, CHOOSE AND PUT MAILINGS OUT THERE. WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO, UM HAVE BE SET UP AT EVENTS, SPECIAL EVENTS THAT WE'RE HOSTING WITH IPADS AND REALLY REACHING OUT TALKING TO PEOPLE AND HELPING THEM FILL IT OUT IN PERSON. UM FOR THE COMMUNICATIONS MASTER PLAN. I'M TALKING TO THE VENDOR ABOUT DOOR TO DOOR TYPE EFFORTS, UM, SETTING UP AT, UH, GROCERY STORES OR WASH AREAS. THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE GOING TO COMMUNICATE. OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE SAME CHANNELS WE HAVE, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT
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WE COMMUNICATE IN ADVANCE OF THE SURVEY COMING OUT SO THAT KNOW TO EXPECT IT IN OUR CLEAR ON WHAT THEY'RE FILLING OUT AT THIS TIME. UM BUT THEN WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE VARY OUR EFFORTS AND DON'T DO THE SAME THINGS THAT WE'VE TRADITIONALLY DONE. WE LOOK FOR THOSE OTHER PORTUNITIES TO FACE TO FACE GET IN FRONT OF PEOPLE. THANK YOU MUCH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND BECAUSE REMORSE THANK YOU, MAYOR . UM I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS . THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE I'VE SEEN. WE'VE NEEDED FOR A LONG TIME. AND IT'S LIKE FINALLY SO IT UH, REALLY MY ONLY QUESTION AND YOU? YOU PROBABLY ANSWERED IT. PARTIALLY UH, OUR CURRENT COMMUNICATIONS HEAVILY LEAN TOWARD EMAIL AND SOCIAL MEDIA AND WE ARE MISSING A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY. SO WHEN YOU SAY PRINT AND DIGITAL, AND YOU'RE SAYING PRINT GOES BEYOND THE CITY PRESS, YOU MENTIONED MAIL OUTS. AND ARE THERE ANY OTHER PRINT? UM, AVENUES SPECIFICALLY, I MEAN, IT'S REALLY FLYERS POSTERS, THINGS LIKE THAT. I MEAN IT. MAIL OUTS THAT ARE, UM I DON'T WANNA SAY ONE OFFS, BUT MAIL OUTS THAT ARE MORE, UM, TARGETED. THOSE ARE THE MAILINGS OTHER THAN CITY PRESS. THAT IS THE BLANKET DISTRIBUTION. UM, BUT THEN TARGETED MAILINGS OR POSTERS OR FLYERS. THOSE ARE REALLY MAINLY THE PRINT OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE. BUT WHICH IS WHY I WANT TO, UM TO ENSURE THAT WE REACH EVERYBODY. I'M REALLY LOOKING AT THOSE DOOR TO DOOR OPPORTUNITIES. THOSE UM WHETHER IT'S PHONE POLES THAT ARE CALLING PEOPLE OR OR JUST A WAY TO GET IN. PEOPLE WASH MATERIALS . UM SUPERMARKETS, THINGS LIKE THAT. OK AND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FLYERS, UM OTHER KIND OF THINGS THAT YOU WOULD PUT IN COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WAS IS THAT YOU WOULD LEAVE A STACK OF FLYERS THERE WHERE PEOPLE COULD TAKE THEM AWAY. NOT JUST IN PUBLIC FACILITIES. YES, YES, OK. ALL RIGHT. WELL UM IT'S A HERCULEAN TASK. TO FIND A WAY TO REACH OUT AND TOUCH. ALL OF OUR PEOPLE, BUT AS BEST IT CAN BE DONE. I'M VERY ANXIOUS TO SEE WHAT THE RESULTS WILL BE. SO I'M HAPPY ABOUT IT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. I SEE NONE. THANK YOU. NEXT UP, UH, ITEM EIGHT[8. Administrative Services Committee Report]
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE REPORT. AND MR MORSE. DO YOU WANNA KICK US OFF HERE? ALL RIGHT, UM, COUNCIL, SO WE REPORTING OUT ON 22 ITEMS TONIGHT. THE FIRST IS ABOUT, UM, BEST PRACTICES FOR THE TIP BOARDS. THE QUESTION THAT CAME WAS, UM, LOOKING AT THE TIP BOARD COMPOSITION, NOT THE NUMBER, NOT ANYTHING ELSE, BUT, UM, RELATED TO IF WE LOOK AT OUR ANIMAL ADVISORY SERVICES COMMITTEE, AND IT HAD THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT SPECIFIC CATEGORIES, LOOKING TO SEE IF WE WANTED TO, UM, CONSIDER CHANGING SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR TIP BOARD MEMBERS TO PERHAPS MIMIC THAT MORE SO PHIL HAS THERE'S TWO PAGES THIS WE DID A PRETTY DEEP DIVE INTO WHAT OTHER CITIES ALL AROUND US. THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT PAGES, UM, AND DISCUSS THEM AND, UM, THERE WERE SOME INTERESTING THINGS SO FIVE OF THE DIFFERENT CITIES INCLUDE THEIR MAYOR OR ONE OR TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THEIR TIFF BOARD APPOINTMENTS, UM, ALL THE WAY TO RICHARDSON THAT ACTUALLY PROHIBITS ANY ELECTED OFFICIAL, WHICH I KIND OF LIKE, UM, THEY, UH THERE ARE DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS. UM IN SOME CASES TO YOU HAVE TO LIVE IN THE TIFF IN ORDER TO SERVE OR WORK IN THE TAF. SO BASICALLY IN GOING DOWN THIS LIST AND CHECKING ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS. THERE ISN'T A SPECIFIC PATTERN OR IDEAL IF WE'RE LOOKING FOR BEST PRACTICES , AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, UM THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN IN TALKING ABOUT THIS WAS THERE ARE CASES AND PARTICULARLY THE, UH, THE MEDICAL TEST WHERE IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE SOME PEOPLE ON THAT TIP BOARD WHO, UM , HAVE SPECIALTIES IN MEDICAL FIELDS. THEY THAT COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THAT. SO AND OUR DOWNTOWN TIFF. WE HAVE A LOT OF OUR DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES WHO ARE APPOINTEES THERE. SO WHEN WE GOT DOWN TO CIRCLING IT AND SAYING, OK, DO WE EVEN WANT IF WE WERE GOING TO CHANGE THE COMPOSITION OF THE BOARDS AND SAY WE WANT CERTAIN CATEGORIES OF PEOPLE TO ATTRACT CERTAIN CATEGORIES OF PEOPLE AND MAKE THEM HAVE AREAS OF EXPERTISE. HOW WOULD WE DO THAT WHEN IT WOULD FIT? UH, TO MAKE IT ONE SIZE FITS ALL AND THE FACT IS WE DECIDED[00:20:06]
UNANIMOUSLY THERE IS NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL THAT WOULD NOT THAT WOULD NOT BE USEFUL. UM THERE'S ONLY ONE CITY, WHICH IS MESQUITE THAT ACTUALLY BREAKS OUT ONE OF ITS TIFF BOARDS AND REQUIRES THE MEMBERS TO REPRESENT AN INDUSTRY WITHIN THAT ZONE. BUT IF WE START GOING IN THAT DIRECTION, IT WOULD BECOME VERY COMPLICATED VERY QUICKLY. AND SO AFTER DISCUSSION, WE DECIDED TO SAY NO , NO CHANGE. CONTINUE AS WE HAVE DONE. SO UM, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS? I HAVE NO ONE IN THE QUEUE . UH, HE'D HAVE SOMEONE IN THE QUEUE. OH, THERE WE GO. YES, SIR WILLIAMS. THANK YOU. EXCELLENT REPORT. UM UM THANK YOU. FOR THAT. INFORM INFORMATION. JUST ONE SUGGESTION. THAT MEANT FOR CONSIDERATION. I THINK ALL OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE IMPORTANT. BUT YOU TALKING ABOUT THIS ONE JUST SUGGESTION WE COULD LOOK AT TRAINING. ITS IN THERE A LOT OF TOOLS OUT THERE.THAT SPECIFIC TO THE FUNCTION OF TIP BOARDS. PERHAPS IF WE CAN LOOK AT THAT AS A MECHANISM FOR, UH, UH, FOR THE FOR CITIZENS OR WHOMEVER. UH, WE POINT AS TIP TIP BOARD MEMBERS. I THINK THE TRAINING PIECE WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO THEM. HOW WE CAN CRAFT THAT LOOK AT THOSE RESOURCES TO STRENGTHEN. YOU KNOW THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF THE BOARD. THAT'S SOME FEEDBACK THAT I'VE RECEIVED FROM SOME MEMBERS THAT IT WEREN'T QUITE SURE OF EXACTLY WHAT YOU DO SO IF WE COULD LOOK AT THAT FEATURE, I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL. BUT THANK YOU FOR THIS INFORMATION HERE AND I AGREE WITH YOU. ONE SIDE DOESN'T FIT ALL. AND WHEN YOU START EXCLUDING PEOPLE BASED ON ANYTHING, YOU YOU ASK FOR TROUBLE. THINGS THAT YOU DON'T WANT. SO THANK YOU, MAYOR. VERY GOOD MAYOR IF I IF I MAY RESPOND TO THAT, AS WELL. YES. I'M SORRY I WAS I WAS BUTTONS UP HERE.
IT'S PAYING ATTENTION. NO, NO, NO. NO PROBLEM. UH, WE ARE TALKING WITH THE CITY SECRET'S OFFICE ABOUT DOING, UH, MORE GLOBAL TRAINING WITH ALL OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. AND IF WE HAVE SPECIFIC BOARDS SUCH AS THE ANIMAL SERVICES BOARD, UH, A TIFF BOARD, WE CAN PROVIDE TRAINING, BUT AT A MINIMUM, WE WANT TO LOOK AT, UH, OPEN MEETING ACT, UH, TRAINING ROBERTS TRAINING, SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DEFINITELY INCORPORATE INTO SPECIFIC BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS FOR THE TRAINING. THAT'S IT TO THEIR GROUP. YES AND I COULD HEAR MR REX TYPING BESIDE ME, SO I KNOW HE WAS TAKING NOTES. UH, ANYY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM, BUT THIS FIRST PART OF THIS ITEM, I SHOULD SAY. NO. NO. SORRY I TURNED YOUR MICROPHONE OFF. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU. UM ALL RIGHT. SO THE SECOND ONE THE AND AGAIN WITH THE TIPS. IT WAS.
IT WAS A UNANIMOUS VOTE. UM WITH THE NEXT THING THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT IS OUR ANNUAL THIS IS THIS IS OUR ANNUAL REVIEW OFRAL. PROPERTY TAXES AND EXEMPTIONS. SO UM, DO WE HAVE, UH OH, ARE YOU ARE YOU BEING THE MAN OF THE HOUR AND DOING ALL OF THEM? I SEE THAT. OK? SO UM, WE TOOK A LOOK AT LET'S SEE. OK, THIS IS AS GOOD A PLACE TO START AS ANY. WE HAD A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT, UM , SLIDE SHOWS. SO WE LOOKED FIRST AT, UM THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION LOOKED AT THE COST OF INCREASING THE EXEMPTION. THIS WAS A FAIRLY QUICK AND STRAIGHTFORWARD, UM, CO YOU KNOW THE QUESTION TO THE COMMITTEE AND THIS WAS UNANIMOUS THAT WE, UH, AGREED TO LEAVE IT ALONE.
JUST NO CHANGE FOR THIS YEAR. SO THEN GOING TO POTENTIAL. SENIOR EXEMPTIONS. UM I WILL TELL YOU THAT I'LL START AT THE AT THE, UH, THE END. THIS WAS A 2 TO 1 DECISION FOR NO CHANGE. I WAS THE ONE IN DISSENT. UM SO I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT BECAUSE I'D LIKE FOR THE WHOLE BODY TO SPEAK TO THIS. UM WE DID. DO YOU HAVE COREY'S, UM. I'M SORRY. WE LOOKED AT A LOT OF STUFF. SO UH, IF YOU CAN GET TO THE, UH, QUARTER PAY THAT BACK BACK. I'M SORRY I HAVE TO WHICH PAGE WERE YOU LOOKING FOR ME? YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT PAGE FROM THIS AND WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE. AFTER THAT, A COUPLE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOKED AT, UM AND THEY I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO FIND ALL THE SLIDES FOR THIS. BUT ONE FACTOR WAS THE NUMBER OF SENIORS IN THE CITY ARE STAYING ROUGHLY LEVEL
[00:25:01]
WHICH WAS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR TO ME, BECAUSE IF WE HAVE THE NUMBER OF SENIORS IN THE CITY GROWING AT A PRETTY RAPID RATE THAT CAN GET US IN TROUBLE, PRETTY FAST. UM, BUT THE REPORT WAS THAT THAT WAS NOT HAPPENING. UM THE TAX DEFERRALS, THOUGH YOU CAN SEE ARE GROWING AND TAX DEFERRALS ARE KIND OF THE LAST DITCH FOR SENIORS WHO ARE IN TROUBLE. UM AND YOU CAN SEE IN 2021. THERE WERE 100 AND 67 DEFERRED ACCOUNTS. IT ROSE TO 262 ACCOUNTS IN 2022 2023. IT ROSE TO 275 DEFERRED ACCOUNTS AND THESE ARE AGAIN. THIS IS WHERE SENIORS ARE IN FEAR OF LOSING THEIR HOMES. AND SO THEY ARE. THEY ARE CHOOSING TO. JUST, UM DEFER IT AND NOT SO AS TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES. UM THE OTHER INDICATOR THAT I SAW CAN YOU FIND THE ONE THAT'S GOT THE PAYMENT OPTIONS? UH CONTINUED. I'M SORRY. I MAY HAVE TO MAKE YOU GO BACK AND FORTH. IT'S GOT A BLACK. THERE YOU GO, UM, ANOTHER PAYMENT OPTION FOR SENIORS WHO ARE STRUGGLING IS CALLED QUARTER PAY, SO IT BREAKS IT DOWN INTO PAYMENTS. UH, THIS, TOO, HAS BEEN RISING THE LAST FOUR YEARS WHERE MORE AND MORE SENIORS ARE HAVING TO USE THIS BREAKING THEIR PAYMENTS DOWN IN ORDER TO, UM, TO STAY ON TOP OF IT. THOSE ARE TWO INDICATORS THAT SAID TO ME. THAT, UM SOME OF OUR SENIORS ARE ARE RUNNING INTO INCREASING TROUBLE WITH THE, UM WITH THE INCREASES IN VALUES THE CITY'S AVERAGE SENIOR TAX BILL HAS INCREASED 27% OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS. AND THAT'S BECAUSE OUR SENIOR EXEMPTIONS ARE A FLAT DOLLAR AMOUNT RATHER THAN A PERCENTAGE. SO OUR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION AT 10% IT FLOATS UP AS VALUES FLOAT UP. THE SENIOR EXEMPTION IS A FLAT DOLLAR AMOUNT. IT DOESN'T GO ANYWHERE, SO ITS VALUES GO UP THE IT BECOMES LESS AND LESS VALUABLE. SO THE LAST THREE YEARS UM OUR SENIORS HAVE BEEN LOSING GROUND. UM WHICH I THINK IS WHY WE'RE SEEING MORE DEFERRALS. UM I'VE CERTAINLY GOTTEN GOTTEN A LOT OF CALLS.I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF CALLS FROM SENIORS WHO'VE ASKED WHY WE'VE RAISED THEIR TAXES. TECHNICALLY WE HAVEN'T RAISED OUR TAXES. BUT THEY, UM APPRAISALS HAVE GONE UP AND HAVE OUTSTRIPPED THEIR EXEMPTION, THEIR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, AND SO THEY ARE FOR THE FIRST TIME GETTING, UH, BILLS AND BIGGER BILLS. UM I WILL TELL YOU AFTER 40 YEARS IN GARLAND. THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT MY CITY OF GARLAND TAX BILL HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST OF MY THREE BILLS. UM LARGELY DUE TO THE SCHOOL TAX. OF COURSE, COMING DOWN. WE'VE HAD A BIG REDUCTION IN THAT SO UM GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE. YOU CAN SEE HERE. THIS IS THE DALLAS COUNTY OVER 65 EXEMPTION COMPARISON. GARLAND IS RED IN THE MIDDLE. THE GREEN ONES ARE WHERE THEY HAVE FROZEN SENIOR TAXES. AND THAT IS NOT SOMETHING SEEING AS HOW THAT'S A ONE WAY TRIP. YOU IF YOU FREEZE IT, YOU CAN NEVER GO BACK.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I. I THINK GARLAND CAN OR SHOULD CONSIDER. BUT UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT SOME OTHER CITIES, FOR INSTANCE, MESQUITE HAS, UM UH, 61 OR 65. I DON'T HAVE IT RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. $65,000 EXEMPTION. UM A LOT OF THE OTHER CITIES AROUND US. UM I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY RICHARDSON, DALLAS. A LOT OF THEM HAVE MUCH HIGHER EXEMPTIONS THAN WE HAVE. AND SO YOU KEEP GOING HERE, UM CAN YOU FIND THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY VALUE? THERE WE GO. LOOK AT THAT . BUT YOU'RE GOOD. I BARELY EVEN GET IT OUT OF MY MOUTH. SO THIS IS THE PROPERTY VALUE COMPARISON ? UM BETWEEN GARLAND AND THE OTHER CITIES THAT YOU S SEE GOIG DOWN THERE, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THE RESIDENTIAL VALUE LOSS DUE TO OVER 65. EXEMPTIONS AND TAX BENEFITS. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT GARLAND UM, IS AT 4% THE AND IRVING IS LESS UM, MOSQUITOES MORE. RICHARDSON IS WAY MORE. UM THE AVERAGE IS 5% SO WE ARE SOMEWHAT BELOW, UM, THE AVERAGE AS FAR AS UH, THE VALUE LOST DUE TO OVER 65 NOW. I HAD BEEN LOOKING AT THIS FOR A WHILE, UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE NOT ON
[00:30:04]
COUNCIL BACK IN 2019. WE BROUGHT TO COUNCIL A REQUEST TO INCREASE THE SENIORS EXEMPTION FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 20 YEARS. I MAY FAILED. UH IT WAS A DIVIDED VOTE, AND IT FAILED IN 2019. WE BROUGHT IT BACK IN 2020. THIS TIME. IT WAS NOT UNANIMOUS, BUT IT PASSED. SO THE SENIORS AT THAT TIME GOT AN ADDITIONAL $5000 SENIOR EXEMPTION. IT WENT FROM 51,000 TO 56,000 WHERE IT REMAINS TO THIS DAY. OK WELL IN THE YEARS, RIGHT AFTER THAT, I STARTED WATCHING IT. UM SO IN 2021, THE 56 THE NEW $56,000 OF THE AVERAGE ASSESSED HOME9% VALUE. THE NEXT YEAR. IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN AN EXEMPTION OF 61,830 TO MAINTAIN THAT 29% THE SAME PERCENTAGE VALUE FOR THE SENIORS. SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS EACH YEAR THAT GOES PAST WHERE WE'VE GOT PRETTY, UH, SKYROCKETING VALUES AND THAT WE'RE NOT EVEN VAGUELY ADJUSTING THE SENIOR EXEMPTION. THEY ARE LITERALLY FALLING BEHIND EVERY YEAR MORE AND MORE. AND THAT IS A CONCERN. UM THAT'S A CONCERN TO MEIT'S A CONCERN TO A LOT OF THE SENIORS. SO ONE OF THE THINGS AND, UM I SHARED THIS DURING COMMITTEE ONE OF THE ARTICLES THAT CAME OUT JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. DALLAS HOME PRICES SOARED IN RECENT YEARS, ESPECIALLY IN THE LEAST EXPENSIVE AREAS. AND THE WHOLE POINT IS, IT SAYS PRICES ARE RISING FASTEST IN THE LOWEST COST NEIGHBORHOODS. AND THIS AGAIN IS STRIKING RIGHT AT THE HEART OF SOME OF OUR LOWER INCOME. UH SENIORS WHO ARE LIVING IN SMALLER NEIGHBORHOODS, MORE MODEST HOMES. UM THEY'RE GETTING A LOT OF INCREASES BECAUSE THOSE HOMES ARE SUDDENLY A LOT MORE VALUABLE. SO ALL THAT IS TO SAY, UM, AGAIN. THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION WAS NO CHANGE. AS AN INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBER. I AM, UH, ASKING FOR US TO DISCUSS, UH, AND CONSIDER A $3000 INCREASE AT THIS POINT, WHICH WON'T GO ANYWHERE NEAR TOWARD, UH, EVEN IN A EVENING IT UP WITH WHERE WE WERE, UH, FOUR YEARS AGO. BUT IT WOULD CERTAINLY BE A STEP. UM NOT A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY. IF YOU LOOK AT THE $3000 THAT COST LOST REVENUE OF $373,000. AND COUNSEL . I JUST HAVE TO SAY WE SPEND $373,000 ON A LOT OF THINGS. UM I DON'T WANT TO HURT THE CITY. DON'T WANNA HURT OUR, UH, OUR DEBT CAPACITY, BUT I FEEL LIKE GIVEN THE TRAJECTORY OF WHERE OUR OUR SENIORS IN THE CITY ARE GOING WITH, UM MORE AND MORE DEFERMENTS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US AT LEAST DO SOMETHING. SO WITH THAT I WILL. GET OFF THE HORN AND LET IT BE DISCUSSED. UH, FIRST DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TIM MOORE. THANK YOU, MR MAYOR. I'D LIKE FOR, UH, COUNCILWOMAN TO DISCUSS NOW THE OPPOSING VIEWS. YOU SAID IT WAS 2 TO 1. WHAT WERE THE THOUGHTS THAT RELATED TO THE OF THE TWO? CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT? OF COURSE. YES AND I'M SORRY, AND I SHOULD HAVE SO NUMBER ONE WAS THAT THE YOU KNOW THE BIG CHANGE IN SCHOOL TAXES? UH, THAT BROUGHT SCHOOL TAXES, WHICH HAS BEEN THEY'VE BEEN SKYROCKETING FOR YEARS. THAT BROUGHT IT WAY. WAY DOWN THAT, BASICALLY, UH, THAT WAS ENOUGH THAT WE DIDN'T NEED TO GET INVOLVED AS WELL. IT REDUCED A LOT OF TAX. UM A LOT OF TAX BILLS, AND IT'S TRUE IT DID. AND THE OTHER, UM THE OTHER IDEA WAS THAT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT COULD BE SAVED, UH, WITH THE SENIORS WAS NOT SIGNIFICANT AND THAT THAT'S HOW MUCH YOU KNOW A LOT OF US MIGHT SPEND ON COFFEE IN A WEEK. THOSE WERE THE TWO PRIMARY ONES. THANK YOU, MR BUT IT OK? UH, LET'S SEE HERE, CATHERINE WILLIAMS. I THINK THINK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM BECAUSE SOME MORE STOLE MY QUESTION. UM BUT AND THIS INFORMATION III. I SAW IT ON THE AGENDA THEN I. I GOT AN EMAIL.SOMEBODY BUT I THINK THIS IS A REAL CRITICAL ISSUE. THAT, UH, THERE'S SOME BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS THAT HAD TO GO INTO THIS. AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO SORT OF DEFER TO THE CITY MANAGER. TAKE A LOOK AT THE OPTIONS. I HEARD THAT, BUT I DIDN'T NECESSARILY HEAR THE
[00:35:06]
RECOMMENDATION THAT CAME OUT OF THE COMMITTEE. BUT I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT ENOUGH FOR THE CITY MANAGER. TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND GIVE US IMPLICATIONS IMPACTS ON ON ON BUDGET SERVICES. THOSE KIND OF THINGS IT'S. IT'S MORE THAN JUST ABOUT THE NUMBERS. HERE. SO, IS THAT SOMETHING? THAT BASED ON THIS COMMITTEE'S FINDINGS THAT WE COULD TAKE A LOOK AT AND COME BACK TO US.WITH WITH, UH OPTIONS IMPACT THOSE KIND OF THINGS. PLEASE SPONSOR SO II. I THINK MY BIGGEST CONCERN OR QUESTION ABOUT THIS IS ONE OF TIMING MORE THAN ANYTHING THAT THE THAT Y'ALL ARE. LOOKING TO MAKE A DECISION OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL BUDGETING PROCESS. AND SO WHEN WE THROW OUT 100 AND 70, TH YOU KNOW IF IT'S THE $3000 INCREASE $170,000 IN LOST GENERAL FUND REVENUE. WHAT ARE YOU GIVING UP? UH ON THAT, AND WE DON'T WE DON'T KNOW YET BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T. WE HAVEN'T STARTED THE BUDGET PROCESS AND SO, UH, WE? WE ALWAYS HAVE WAY MORE THAN 100 AND $70,000 IN NEW BUDGET REQUESTS. WE KNOW THAT, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE. AND SO I THINK TIMING IS AN IMPORTANT CONCEPT. UH, W WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING THE DECISION, AND SO WHEN WE GET INTO THE BUDGETING PROCESS IN JUNE AT YOUR AT YOUR WORKSHOP, I THINK THAT'S WHEN YOU'RE GONNA REALIZE WHAT WHAT THE DECISIONS ARE WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE.
THERE'S OPPORTUNITY COST INVOLVED, UM, THAT $203,000 IN LOST ANNUAL DEBT SERVICE REVEVEE . WHAT COULD THAT HAVE GONE TOWARDS? UH, SO I THINK FROM A TIMING STANDPOINT, THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING YOU ALWAYS WANT TO HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE A DECISION AND AGAIN. THIS IS TOTALLY COUNCIL'S DECISION TO MAKE EVEN ON THE TIMING. UH, IT'S I THINK IT'S WE CAN'T PAINT A FULL PICTURE OF WHAT THAT MONEY WOULD GO TOWARDS RIGHT NOW, IF IT'S UH IF IT'S AN FTE, IF IT'S UH, YOU KNOW, INCREASED OPERATIONAL EXPENSES, YOU KNOW, CAN'T SAY FOR SURE. SO TIMING IS THE MAIN THING THAT I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THERE. OK AND THE POINT THE POINT OF MY QUESTION IS, THAT'S EXACTLY IT. UM I, UH, I COMMEND THE COMMITTEE IN FOR A LOT OF INFORMATION UP THERE. BUT I THINK THIS THIS CONSIDERATION DISCUSSIONS TO TAKE PLACE WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS. I WOULD NOT WANT TO MAKE A DECISION ON THIS OUTSIDE OF THAT, BECAUSE I HAVE NO IDEA IMPACT RIGHT NOW, UM, HOW IT IMPACT THOSE THINGS THAT WE KNOW, AND I'M NOT LOOKING FOR AN ANSWER FOR THAT TONIGHT, BUT I THINK MY CONCERNS AS CITY MANAGER SIT. I WOULD WANT TO SEE THIS CONSIDERED AS PART OF OUR BUDGET CONSIDERATION. THAT IS A SEPARATE ITEMS. YOU KNOW, WE ALL I REPRESENT SENIORS, TOO. AND I TALKED TO SENIORS TOO. SO SO THEY HAVE CONCERNS, BUT I THINK THEY UNDERSTAND CONSIDERATION SO , BUT BOTTOM LINE WITH ME IS I.
I WOULD NOT WANT TO SEE THIS TAKEN OUT OF A SEPARATED FROM BECAUSE IT'S ALL CONNECTED. AND SO I THINK TIMING IS IMPORTANT AS IT MANAGER SAID. THAT'S WHY I'D LIKE TO SEE US. TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. GET AN ASSESSMENT FROM, UH FROM A GENTLEMAN WHO JUST TOOK THE CHAIR. SAY, MR WATSON, MR WATSON, AND THEN WE TAKE IT UP AT THE MOMENT TIME, MR WATSON YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? SURE I JUST WANTED TO COME UP AND CLARIFY SOME, UH, DEADLINES RELATED TO THIS, SO UNFORTUNATELY, THE STATE HAS MADE A REQUIREMENT FOR THIS TO BE DONE BY THE END OF JUNE. SO IT DOESN'T FALL IN LINE WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS. SO BY THE END OF JUNE, THIS DECISION NEEDS TO BE MADE ON SENIOR EXEMPTIONS AND HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS IF THEY'RE MOVING AND THAT THAT WOULD MEAN THAT IT WOULD HAVE TO GO AS A VOTE BY THIS BODY BEFORE JULY, 1ST. SO THAT DOESN'T FALL NECESSARILY IN LINE WITH OUR BUDGET PROCESSES THAT ARE GOING ON IN AUGUST. IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A DECI. IF YOU'RE WANTING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BROUGHT BACK WE WOULD NEED TO DO THAT WELL IN ADVANCE OF JUNE. WELL. LIKE I SAID, CHANGE SO MUCH, AND I FORGET ABOUT THIS ONE. BUT GIVEN THAT TIMELINE AND WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO. BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND MORE INFORMATION THAT WOULD BE NEEDED. WE CERTAINLY CAN'T MAKE THAT DECISION TONIGHT. BUT WITH THE JUNE DEADLINE, THEN I THINK WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT INFORMATION. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WE NEED EVEN WITH WITH THE NEW STATE LAW, AND I THINK EVEN WITH THE JUNE DATELINE DEADLINE UH, THEY SHOULD BE. EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT IN QUOTE THE FORMAL BUDGET CYCLE FROM YOUR SHOP. I THINK THEY THEY'RE I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT IMPACT. EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT IN THAT THE FORMAL PROCESS AND BAR NOW WITH ME IS WE CAN'T JUST THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED DECISION THAT HAS NO IMPACT, SO THAT'S I GUESS WHAT I'M WOULD BE SEEKING LOOKING FOR
[00:40:04]
FROM YOUR FROM YOUR TEAM. IS OK. IF WE DO THAT, IF WE DO, X, WHAT'S THE IMPACT? IF WE DO WHY WE DO Z? THEN THEN WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS BEYOND THE JUNE DATE? EVEN THOUGH THE DECISION ISN'T JUNE WHAT THE IMPACT WE'RE NOT START AND END IN JUNE. YOU AGREE WITH ME. RIGHT, I. I WOULD IF YOU DON'T MIND. I CAN JUST TELL YOU WHAT THE CONCERN WOULD BE THAT THIS IS ONGOING REVENUE SOURCE. SO IT'S HARD TO SAY EXACTLY WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE , BUT KNOW THAT IT'S ONGOING, SO THIS WOULD BE A LOST REVENUE SOURCE FROM THAT DATE ON AND YEAH, 100 AND $70,000 IS PROBABLY EASY, EASIEST TO EQUATE TO PERSONNEL BECAUSE A BODY IS ONGOING. SO WHAT THAT IS EQUIVALENT TO IS PROBABLY 1.5 TO 2 BODIES OF NEW FUNDING FOR PERSONNEL. OK AND THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST ANSWER I CAN GIVE AT THIS MOMENT OR EVEN EVEN IN A MONTH, HONESTLY OR TWO MONTHS. OK THANK THANK YOU. I ASK YOU SPECIFICALLY MORE QUESTIONS LATER ABOUT THIS.THANK YOU, MAYOR. NO. YOU'RE BACK HERE. OK? MET ANSWERED. ALL RIGHT, VERY GOOD. UH, LET'S SEE HERE COUNCIL HEDRICK. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO JUST CLARIFY A LITTLE BIT. I APPRECIATE THE CHAIR, UH, PROVIDING THE REASONS I JUST WANNA EXPAND UPON A LITTLE BIT OF THE DISSENT REASONS BEHIND THAT. UH, AND I TOTALLY SYMPATHIZE WITH THE SENIORS THAT WE HAVE AND HOW THEY'RE TAXES ARE FALLING BEHIND. I SEE THAT. LOOKING AT THAT THE ANNUAL NET CHANGE FOR THE $3000 LEVEL THAT'S $21. I DON'T I THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO SAVE SOMEONE FROM THEIR IF THEY'RE THAT, CUTTING IT THAT CLOSE FROM LOSING THEIR HOME ALL OF THE, UH, OTHER PRESENTATION THAT WE SHOWED HOW THE SENIORS ARE FALLING BEHIND. THOSE ARE ALL BEFORE THE EFFECT OF, UH, PROPOSITION FOUR, WHICH TEXAS VOTERS PASSED LAST NOVEMBER 83% 17% THAT RAISES THE SCHOOL DISTRICT EXEMPTION FROM 40,000 TO $100,000. YOU GOTTA LOOK AT THE PROPERTY TAX IN TOTALITY. YES, THE CITY'S PART OF IT, BUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S PART OF IT, AND THAT ALL GOES IN YOUR TOTAL TAX BILL THAT YOU PAY. AND HAVING THAT BIG OF AN INCREASE THAT'S GOING TO LOWER THOSE VALUE THOSE TAX BILLS FOR OUR SENIORS. I THINK THAT, UH $373,000 FIGURE THE CHAIR WHEN SHE MENTIONED THAT NUMBER DIDN'T OFFER ANY WHERE ARE THE CUTS GOING TO OCCUR? AS UH, OUR CITY MANAGER MENTIONED IT ALL COMES OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND ONE PROGRAM I'D LIKE TO SEE AND WE'VE DISCUSSED FOR US FOR THE COLA. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR YOU TALK ABOUT FALLING BEHIND OUR RETIREES HAVEN'T RECEIVED A RAISE TO THEIR RETIREMENT BENEFIT SINCE WE CUT IT IN 2008. THEY'RE FALLING BEHIND. UH, YOU LOOK AT WHAT ELSE WE COULD DO WITH THAT MONEY. THAT'S SEVERAL FULL TIME POLICE OFFICERS. THAT'S SEVERAL PICKLEBALL COURTS. THAT'S 1.5 PARKING LOTS DOWNTOWN. I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY WE COULD DO WITH THAT.
SO I JUST WOULD LIKE TO HOLD OFF ON THIS. I DON'T THINK THAT'S SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH. LET'S SEE THE EFFECT OF THE TAXES THAT WERE CUT FROM THE STATE. SEE THAT? AND LET'S LOOK AT IT AND MAYBE A YEAR FROM NOW. THANK YOU, MAYOR. SIR AND COUNCILOR LUCK. YES, I WAS ONE OF THE DISSENTERS AS WELL. AND I IT REALLY JUST CAME DOWN TO THIS ISN'T ENOUGH. UM EVEN AT THE $5000 LEVEL, $34 A YEAR IS NOT ENOUGH BECAUSE IF SOMEONE'S TRULY STRUGGLING TO, YOU KNOW, PAY THEIR TAXES. $34 ISN'T GOING TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE FOR THEM TO STAY IN THEIR HOUSE OR NOT. I MEAN, THAT'S THAT'S JUST IT JUST WASN'T ENOUGH. AND IF MAYBE THIS LOOKED BETTER TO WHERE THE SCALES WERE TIP MORE INTO THE SENIOR SIDE. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE ACCEPTABLE, BUT IT JUST WASN'T ENOUGH TO MAKE THIS CHANGE AND INITIATE ENOUGH CHANGE FOR A SENIOR CITIZEN IN OUR COMMUNITY. IT JUST IT WASN'T ENOUGH. SO THANK YOU. UH, ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON THIS? WE'VE CLEARED THE QUEUE. UM YOU KNOW? I, I I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN QUITE A FEW ROUNDS OF THIS DISCUSSION OVER THE YEARS. UM AND CERTAINLY THE DESIRE IS ALWAYS THERE. UM TO AIM TO MAKE INCREASES AND TO RELIEVE SOME OF THAT BURDEN. UM I ACTUALLY HAD SOMEONE CALL ME TODAY. UM, AND THEIR SUGGESTION WAS TO FREEZE THEM. THAT WAS THAT WAS THEIR OPINION, WHICH, UH, YOU KNOW IS
[00:45:01]
AS VALID AS ANY OTHER OUT THERE. UM BUTOU KNOW IN THE DISCUSSION WITH THIS INDIVIDUAL, JUST BASICALLY, YOU KNOW. THE POINT BEING OF THERE'S A TRADE OFF. THERE'S A COST. THERE'S A THERE'S A GIVEN, AND THERE'S A TAKE. UM AND YOU KNOW THE AT THE 3000 LEVEL OR NUMBER. WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT, UM YOU KNOW THAT? $373,000 DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A LOT. UM IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF WHAT THIS ORGANIZATION DOES, UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME. AT THE SAME TIME, THE AMOUNT OF RELIEF THAT THAT PROVIDES IS JUST NOT REALLY THAT, UH IMPACTFUL. AND I, AND I WISH THERE WAS A WAY TO BE MORE IMPACTFUL WITH IT, BUT I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS. UM UH, SO AT THIS POINT, I MEAN, II. I KNOW WE USUALLY HAVE THIS DISCUSSION LATER ON IN THE SUMMER. UM AS WE GET INTO TO, BUT YOU KNOW HIS BUDGET START TO COME TOGETHER. UM, I WOULD CERTAINLY, UH, ENTERTAIN IT. AS WE GET CLOSER IN. I MEAN, I KNOW THE DEADLINE IS TIGHT. UM AS FAR AS THE, UH, THE END OF JUNE DEADLINE BY JULY 1ST OR BEFORE JULY. 1ST. I GUESS I SHOULD SAY, UM YOU KNOW, I WOULD CERTAINLY BE WILLING TO ENTERTAIN IT AS WE GET INTO THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS IN JUNE, BUT AT THIS POINT, II I DON'T SEE MOVING FORWARD WITH A PERSON AS FAR AS MY OPINION OF MOVING FORWARD WITH IT. ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL EDDIE MORRIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE COUNCIL. I HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF PHONE CALLS ABOUT THIS AND WHAT I HAVE TOLD ALL OF THEM IS THAT I TRUST THE COUNCIL, THE WHOLE COUNCIL OF THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE TO NOT TAKE THIS LIGHTLY TO NOT JUST BLOW THEM OFF TO THINK ABOUT IT TO CONSIDER IT FROM ALL ASPECTS AND ANGLES AND TO MAKE THE BEST POSSIBLE. UM DECISION SO, THI, THIS IS NOT A UH UM THIS IS NOT SOME KIND OF AN UGLY CONFLICT. I JUST FELT LIKE WE NEEDED AS A GROUP ALL TOGETHER TO DISCUSS THIS AND LOOK AT IT. SO UM, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. AND UM, YOU KNOW, II. I WILL JUST SAY THAT THE 373,000. YEAH, THAT'S ONGOING, BUT THIS YEAR. ONCE AGAIN, THE SENIORS WILL SLIP EVEN FURTHER BEHIND AND EVERY YEAR WE DON'T NUDGE IT. THEY'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO SLIP FURTHER BEHIND. SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND AS YOU MOVE TOWARD THE FUTURE. UM THEY THEY FLAT RATE IT'S AN AUTOMATICALLY GONNA GO ANYWHERE IT IN FACT, IT'S AUTOMATICALLY NOT GONNA GO ANYWHERE AND THEY WILL FALL BEHIND MORE EVERY SINGLE YEAR.SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT, THAT ONE AND THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE AND THANK YOU FOR STAFF. THAT WAS OUR LAST VERBAL ITEM. VERBAL BRIEFING ITEM. UH, NEXT STEP IS ANNOUNCED
[ANNOUNCE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS IS OK. MAYOR PRO TIM BASS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WOULD LIKE, UH, STAFF TO BRIEF COUNSEL ON THE OUR CURRENT REGULATIONS, UM, RELATED TO, UH, LIMITED PEDESTRIAN ZONES WHERE THEIR DESIGNATED WHAT PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO STATE LAWS ON PANHANDLING. OK, WE WILL SCHEDULE THAT FOR A FUTURE WORK SESSION. AH DA DA DA. I CAN'T HEAR DUTTON. YOU, UM I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMITTEE TO REVIEW OUR POLICIES AND PROCESSES ON SITUATIONS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY AFFECT RESIDENTS' HEALTH AND SAFETY. YOU'RE WELCOME. THAT SEEMS FAIRLY BROAD. I'M NOT. I MEAN, IT IS THERE. IS THERE A IS THERE A MORE SPECIFIC POINT? UH, THAT THAT'S THAT'S PRETTY WIDE OPEN.LIKE OUR COMMUNICATIONS WHEN WE HAVE A SITUATION LIKE, HOW DO WE HANDLE THAT? IN AN EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. OK THERE WE GO. I'VE GOT MULTIPLE SECONDS, OK PUBLIC SECOND MORE DIFFICULT THAN IT NEEDED TO BE CERTAIN. THAT'S WHY I GET THE BIG BUCKS. UH, ANY ADDITIONAL FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. ALL RIGHT. UH WE WILL MOVE ON. WE DO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
UH, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL ADJOURN INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 551.0715, 0.087 AND 551.089 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE TO DISCUSS OR DELIBERATE THE FOLLOWING ONE[00:50:09]
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MATTERS REGARDING COMMERCIAL OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION THE CITY HAS RECEIVED FROM THE BUSINESS FROM A BUSINESS PROSPECT THAT THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY SEEKS TO HAVE LOCATE, STAY OR EXPAND. IN OR NEAR THE CITY IN THE VICINITY OF HOLFORD ROAD AND ARAPAHO ROAD WITH WHICH THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY IS CONDUCTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS AND POTENTIAL OFFERS OF A FINANCIAL OR OTHER INCENTIVE TO SUCH BUSINESS PROSPECT AND ATTORNEY CLIENT MATTERS CONCERNING PRIVILEGE AND UNPRIVILEGED CLIENT INFORMATION RELATED TO SAME IN TWO THE DEPLOYMENT OR SPECIFIC OCCASIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF SECURITY PERSONNEL, CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE OR SECURITY DEVICES AND ATTORNEY CLIENT MATTERS. RELATED TO SAME, UH, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A SHORT RECESS. LET'S HAVE EVERYBODY BACK HERE AT SEVEN O'CLOCK, PLEASE. AND WE ARE IN RECESS.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.