Aug 13, 2021 City Council Special Meeting

[00:00:04]

MANY HOURS HAVE BEEN SPENT ON THE BUDGET AND THE THINGS THAT IT INVOLVES AND HEAVENLY

[INVOCATION]

WE PRAY, DEAR LORD, THAT WE WILL GIVE ALL OF US WISDOM AS WE GO OUT AND MEET OTHER PEOPLE AND VISIT AND SOCIALIZE ALL THESE THINGS WE ASK AND PRAY IN YOUR BLESSED NAME.

AMEN.

ITEM NUMBER ONE IS WITH REGARD TO A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TAX INCREASE, MR. CITY MANAGER, DO YOU WANT TO? DO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION WITH REGARDING TO THAT TOPIC OR DO YOU WANT ME JUST TO GO AHEAD AND CALL THE PUBLIC HEARING.

PUBLIC ADDRESS? I'M SORRY I SKIPPED RIGHT OVER THAT.

DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC ADDRESS, JEN? OK, WE DON'T AT THIS TIME, SO LET ME, IF THERE'S ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK, THEY MAY DO SO DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING.

ANYWAY, BACK TO THAT QUESTION THEN ON AGENDA ITEM 1A, DO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION OR ARE WE

[1A. PUBLIC HEARING ON TAX INCREASE]

OK, LET'S JUST GO STRAIGHT TO THE PUBLIC HEARING THEN.

AT THIS TIME WITH REGARD TO AGENDA ITEM 1A ANYONE PRESENT WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FOR, ON OR AGAINST A MATTER CAN DO SO.

WE'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES AT THE PODIUM.

LET'S START WITH ANYONE WHO'S HERE TO SPEAK FOR THE ITEM.

ANYONE, ANYONE WHO WISHES JUST TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.

ARE YOU ON THE ITEM MR. SKANK OR AGAINST THE ITEM? OH, OK, THEN COME ON UP TO THE PODIUM.

I DON'T THINK YOU CAN BE BOTH, ACTUALLY, YOU HAVE TO PICK ONE.

IT'S A STRANGE DESIGNATION.

IT'S DESIGNATED YOU'RE EITHER FOR THE ITEM YOU'RE JUST SPEAKING ON THE ITEM OR YOU'RE AGAINST.

NOBODY NEUTRAL. WHICH MEANS YOU'RE AGAINST, WELL I'M NOT GOING TO ARGUE HOW IT'S SET UP.

YOU CAN VISIT WITH THE LEGISLATURE ABOUT THAT.

BUT SOMETIMES THERE ARE LIKE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE WHEN YOU GO DOWN TO THE LEGISLATURE TO TESTIFY, YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING FOR OR AGAINST, BUT YOU'RE AN EXPERT IN THE FIELD AND YOU'RE SPEAKING ON THE ITEM.

SO I'M AN EXPERT IN THE FIELD.

WELL, HERE WE GO.

OUT IN A COTTON PATCH OR SOMETHING.

BUT OK, I WANT TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM AND I JUST HAVE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS THAT I WANT TO RELAY TO THE COUNCIL.

IT'S INTERESTING HOW THIS THING HAS BEEN PUT OUT.

TODAY'S NOTES ON THE AGENDA, TALK ABOUT A 24 PERCENT INCREASE, BUT THAT'S JUST IN REFERENCE TO THE CITY TAX.

THE PUBLIC HEARING WE HAD THE OTHER DAY WAS TWENTY TWO POINT SEVEN PERCENT AND THAT'S AN INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR'S BUDGET MAY NOT CONCERN YOU, BUT WHEN I TALK TO PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC, THEY GET CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO UNDERSTAND THAT? WHY IS IT NOT BOTH BASICALLY THE SAME? AND IF IT'S SOMETHING THE STATES MANDATING FOR YOU? WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE OUR REPRESENTATIVES, AND THAT'S CONFUSING, MUCH LIKE THE REST OF THE OF THE BUDGET, BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE SITTING HERE AND AS YOU DID, YOUR DEEP DOVE INTO OUR BUDGET, SOMETHING THAT'S ALWAYS CONCERNED ME THROUGH THE PAST OF WATCHING IT IS HOW MUCH WE ACTUALLY HAVE IN RESERVES AND ON SOME LEVEL WHY? AND YOU SAY IT'S BECAUSE YOU HAD THREE MONTHS OF MONEY YOU NEED TO KEEP, YOU KNOW, LIKE DAVE RAMSEY SORT OF SAY, BOY, YOU BETTER HAVE AN EMERGENCY FUND, BUT 100 BILLION IS A LARGE EMERGENCY FUND.

AND WHEN WE CONTRADICT OURSELVES IN THE FACT THAT WE HAVE NO MONEY TO LEAN TOWARD PARKS OF ABOUT THREE MILLION DOLLARS JUST TO SORT OF GIVE AN UPGRADE WITHOUT GOING FOR A BOND

[00:05:03]

PEOPLE DON'T TRUST THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'VE GOT MONEY SITTING AROUND IN ANYBODY'S BUDGET AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE AN ISSUE WHERE THE HEATING AND AIR WENT OUT, WELL, YOU'RE GOING TO DIG INTO YOUR SAVINGS.

THAT, TO ME, IS OUR LITTLE RAINY DAY FUND.

AND MY QUESTION ALSO IS, HOW DID WE ACCUMULATE THAT? WHERE DID WE CUT AND CUT OR ADD AND ADD OR SHELL GAME IT OVER TO A FUND? AND IS THERE IS IT A FUND THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY LOOK AT IN THE BUDGET THAT SAYS, HEY, THIS HUNDRED MILLION IS RIGHT OVER HERE AT AMB THAT WE CAN SEE THE RECEIPTS THAT WENT INTO THAT WAS HOW WE GOT THAT THERE, BECAUSE I FOLLOW THE MONEY AND SOMETIMES IT'S JUST THE LAST DECADE THAT I WATCHED THIS.

IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

AND I KEEP ASKING QUESTIONS AND I WILL CONTINUE NONE OF THE OTHER ENTITIES.

WELL, I HAVEN'T SEEN RANDALL YET, BUT POTTER IS GOING TO GO UP THERE THREE POINT TWO AND YOU KNOW, THE OTHER ENTITIES ARE FIXING TO RAISE.

BUT AC DIDN'T THEY WENT OFF OF VALUATIONS, WHICH IS ANOTHER VARIABLE THAT HASN'T BEEN EXPOSED IN HERE BECAUSE PROPERTY VALUATIONS WENT UP ABOUT EIGHT, SEVEN AND EIGHT PERCENT, WHICH ADDS TO YOUR REVENUE.

SO, ANYWAY,IS THERE ANYONE ELSE PRESENT WHO WISHES TO SPEAK AGAINST THE ITEM? YES, I LIKE LITTLE BIT OF TYPICALLY THE IN AUSTIN, THE SPEAKING ON AN ITEM IS RELEGATED TO STATE AGENCIES WHO ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST.

SO IT'S JUST A COURTESY EXTENDED TO MEMBERS OF STATE AGENCIES.

I'M ASSUMING YOU HAVE MEMBERS OF YOUR CITY CITY STAFF WHO PROBABLY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT SAME. MY TIME HAS ALREADY STARTED.

OK, SO WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH MY INTERRUPTION, SIR.

BUT FOR THE RECORD, WOULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME.

NAME IS MIKE FORD? COULD I RESTART IT? THREE MINUTES? I WAS WAITING FOR THE THINGS TO BE HANDED OUT.

DO YOU MIND? IT'S 2 MINUTES AND 30 SECONDS.

IT'S OK, GO AHEAD. WE'LL MAKE SURE YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME.

OK, SO SHE'LL RESTART IT FOR YOU.

THIS IS A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT ISSUE HERE TO CUT TO THE CHASE.

AND WE CAN GO THROUGH THE TIMELINE THAT THERE IS NO VOTE ON A TAX RATE INCREASE ON THE 29TH OF JULY.

AND I'LL GO THROUGH THE TIMELINE.

YOU CAN GO BACK AND ROLL BACK THE VIDEOTAPE, 50 51.

MAYOR, YOU INITIATED A CALL FOR MOTION.

MAYOR PRO TEM POWELL MAKES A MOTION TO ADOPT THE TAX RATE MOTION SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN SAUER 51 38 COUNCILMAN STANLEY REQUESTED AN EXECUTIVE SESSION 52 15.

CITY ATTORNEY DECLARES EXECUTIVE SESSIONS NOT ALLOWED DO THE ABSENCE OF NOTICE.

THAT WAS A CORRECT DETERMINATION.

THERE'S A [INAUDIBLE] FOR AN OPINION RIGHT BELOW IT.

FIFTY TWO THIRTY SIX, MADAM MAYOR.

YOU OVERRULED CITY ATTORNEY AND CONCLUDED THE EXECUTIVE SESSION WAS PERMITTED.

53 02 COUNCILMAN STANLEY MAKES A SECONDARY MOTION TO CONVENE EXECUTIVE SESSION COUNCILMAN SAUER SECONDS.

CITY ATTORNEY OR CITY COUNCIL ADJOURNS TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

THERE'S A STATEMENT HERE IN THE GOVERNMENT CODE.

GOVERNMENTAL ACTIONS TAKEN IN VIOLATION OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS ARE VOIDABLE 53 46 CITY COUNCIL RECONVENES AN OPEN MEETING ANNOUNCED AT 3:09 P.M.

BY CITY ATTORNEY. FIFTY THREE FIFTY, MAYORS RESTATES STATUS OF MAIN MOTION.

THE MOTION AND THE SECOND.

COUNCIL CITY COUNCIL RESUMES DISCUSSION.

FIFTY FOUR MINUTES INTO THE TAPE, COUNCILMAN SMITH MOVES TO CALL THE QUESTION MAYOR BEGINS DISCUSSION ON A NON DEBATABLE MOTION AND NEVER ALLOWS A SECOND TO BE CALLED.

SO ON A PREVIOUS QUESTION OR MOTION TO CALL THE QUESTION, WHEN SOMEONE SAYS I CALL, I CALL THE QUESTION. THEY'RE ASKING TO CLOSE DEBATE, VOTE IMMEDIATELY ON A MOTION THAT THAT'S ON THE FLOOR. IT'S NON DEBATABLE, REQUIRES A TWO THIRDS VOTE.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU GOT ON THE VOTE ON THE PREVIOUS QUESTION IS NOT A VOTE ON THE MAIN MOTION, WHICH IS A VOTE ON THE TAX INCREASE.

THE VOTE OF THE MAIN MOTION MUST FOLLOW IMMEDIATELY.

FIFTY SIXTY. AND THE MAYOR RESTATES COUNCILMAN SMITH HAS CALLED THE QUESTION IMMEDIATELY PROCEEDS OF THE VOTE VOTES FOUR TO ONE TO END DEBATE REQUIRED MARGIN IS TWO THIRDS.

MOTION PASSES, DEBATE IS ENDED.

MAIN MOTION, WHICH WAS THE CONSIDERATION OF THE TAX RATE INCREASE IS NOT CONSIDERED.

THAT MAIN MOTION DIED ON ADJOURNMENT.

IN THIS MUNICIPAL CODE YOU ARE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW.

IT SAYS THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LATEST RULES OF ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER.

OK, YOU HAD A MOTION TO CALL THE QUESTION.

YOU NEVER GOT TO THE MAIN MOTION.

FIFTY SIX THIRTY.

MADAM MAYOR, YOU WERE STATED THE COUNCILMAN STANLEY VOTED AGAINST THE MOTION BECAUSE HE

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THESE WERE SOME, THERE WERE SOME VERY TROUBLING STATEMENTS HERE.

IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS LIKE A CANVASING OF THE VOTE BEFORE THE VOTE EVER HAPPENED.

WE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS.

YOU NEVER SAID YOU WERE DEPARTING FROM CONSENSUS.

I'VE SHOWN YOU THAT I WAS A PART OF.

THE KEY THING IS THIS IS A THIS IS NOT THE PTA.

THIS IS ALMOST A HALF A BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET.

YOU'RE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THE ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER.

AND YOU DID NOT. AND YOU'VE BEEN MAYOR FOR FIVE YEARS NOW.

AND THIS IS SIMPLE STUFF AND MR. CITY ATTORNEY THAT THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN STUFF THAT THAT YOU CALLED OUT IMMEDIATELY.

SO THAT'S THE CONCLUSION OF MY COMMENTS.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO, BUT THIS CAN BE THIS CAN BE [INAUDIBLE] AND THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE.

I MEAN, YOU REALLY SHOULD TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY.

THIS IS NOT A THIS IS NOT A A MINOR ISSUE.

ANYBODY CAN WALK INTO THE DISTRICT COURT.

THANK YOU SIR YOUR TIME IS UP.

INJUNCTION. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM WHO WISHES TO SPEAK AGAINST THIS ITEM.

OK, AT THIS TIME, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER ON ITEM 1A.

MAYOR NELSON, COULD WE ASK MS. LAURA STORRS JUST TO GIVE US THE REQUIREMENTS IN REGARDS TO RESERVES THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP ON HAND, AS WELL AS THE TWENTY FOUR POINT FORTY EIGHT PERCENT INCREASE VERSUS A 22 PERCENT JUST JUST FOR CLARIFICATION SO THAT WE HAVE THAT MS. STORRS. YES.

SO THE CITY HAS AN ADOPTED FINANCIAL POLICY THAT REQUIRES A AT LEAST A MINIMUM RESERVE FOR ALL FUNDS OF A 90 DAY OPERATING AMOUNT AND ANY OF OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS, WHICH INCLUDES YOUR WATER AND SEWER FUND, YOUR AIRPORT FUND AND YOUR DRAINAGE FUND.

THEY REQUIRE A MINIMUM RESERVE OF THE 90 DAYS OF OPERATING COST PLUS ONE YEAR OF CAPITAL.

AND SO, YES, THOSE DO PRODUCE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT ARE HELD IN RESERVE, BUT THAT IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR FINANCIAL POLICIES.

IT DOES MEET BEST PRACTICES FROM THE GFOA.

THEY THEY ALLOW OR THEY ALLOW ANYWHERE FROM A TWO MONTH TO A FOUR MONTH RESERVE.

WE'RE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE AT A THREE MONTH RESERVE.

AND THOSE ARE ALSO ITEMS THAT ARE LOOKED AT VERY CLOSELY BY OUR RATING AGENCIES.

ANY TIME WE GO TO ISSUE DEBT TO THE QUESTION ON THE INCREASE OF THE TWENTY FOUR PERCENT.

SO ON THE NOTICE THAT IS THAT IS POSTED IN THE AGENDA TODAY, THAT IS PER STATE LAW.

WE HAVE TO INCLUDE THAT WORD.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO INCLUDE THE THE EXACT LANGUAGE AND THE SIZE EXACTLY AS IT IS IN THE AGENDA. WHAT THAT TWENTY FOUR PERCENT IS.

IT IS AN INCREASE FROM OUR IT'S OUR PROPOSED TAX RATE.

LOOKING BACK AT A NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE AND NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE IS SOMETHING THAT WAS PUT IN THE PROPERTY TAX CODE FROM SENATE BILL TWO.

IT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT THE EFFECTIVE TAX RATE WAS BEFORE SENATE BILL TWO.

WHAT THAT DOES IS IT LOOKS AT THE SAME PROPERTIES FROM THE CURRENT YEAR TO THE NEXT YEAR AND IT SAYS, WHAT RATE DOES IT TAKE TO PRODUCE THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAX REVENUE ON THE SAME PROPERTIES IN THE NEW YEAR AS COMPARED TO THE CURRENT YEAR THAT'S IN PLACE? THAT THAT'S PART OF IT.

SO THAT IS THERE'S NO THE NEW PROPERTIES ARE NOT IN IT.

AND AGAIN, AS THE APPRAISED VALUES ON EXISTING PROPERTIES GO UP, RIGHT.

IT TAKES LESS OF A RATE SO THAT NO NEW REVENUE RATE ACTUALLY COMES DOWN WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT.

SO LET ME FINISH SO THAT NO NEW REVENUE RATE COMPARE TO THE PROPOSED TAX RATE IS THE TWENTY FOUR PERCENT THAT'S INCLUDED IN YOUR AGENDAS.

THE TWENTY TWO PERCENT THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS THE CURRENT YEAR APPROVED RATE OF THE THIRTY NINE POINT SIX EIGHT ONE CENTS COMPARED TO THE PROPOSED RATE OF THE FORTY EIGHT POINT FOUR ZERO FOUR.

SO THERE IS A LOT OF TAX RATES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, BUT THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT RATES.

THEN NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS ACTUALLY LOWER THAN THE CURRENT YEAR'S RATE.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH IN THE VALUES RELATED TO WHAT PRAD DOES WHEN THEY GO OUT AND THEY VALUE THE PROPERTIES.

EVERY ONE OF THOSE NUMBERS IS THE NEW REVENUE RATE.

ONE OF THOSE NUMBERS IS HOW MUCH IS YOUR TAX RATE GOING UP? YES. RIGHT, AND SO THE PERCENTAGE AND THE LANGUAGE USED IN THE AGENDA TODAY IS DIRECTLY REQUIRED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE, THAT'S BY STATUTE.

[00:15:01]

AND IT'S SORT OF LIKE TELLING MY CPA TO MAKE SURE MY TAX RETURN IS SIMPLE.

I MEAN YOU CAN WANT IT TO BE SIMPLE.

I DO WANT IT TO BE SIMPLE.

BUT IN WALKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS, IT'S NOT FULLY IN OUR CONTROL.

IT'S A COMPLEX THING.

SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING A STAB AT EXPLAINING ALL OF THAT.

ONE LAST QUESTION.

HOW DID WE BUILD UP THOSE RESERVES LAURA WE DIDN'T DO THAT OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST 12 MONTHS? OBVIOUSLY, THOSE FINANCIAL POLICIES ARE DECADES OLD.

ABSOLUTELY. AS WELL AS THE RESERVES AS OUR CITY HAS GROWN.

WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, PUT THAT MONEY ASIDE GRADUALLY OVER TIME TO BUILD THE RESERVES.

BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTARY ON THAT? YEAH, IT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR DECADES.

AND SO AS OUR BUDGETS ARE CONTINUING TO GROW IN CERTAIN YEARS, AS YOU KNOW, APPRAISED VALUES GO UP OR SALES TAX GOES UP, IT DOES CREATE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF IT HAS AN INCREASE TO THOSE MINIMUM RESERVES.

AND SO EACH BUDGET CYCLE, WE PURPOSELY ALLOCATE FUNDS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY WITHIN THOSE MINIMUM RESERVES.

AND SO IF THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN EXPANSION NEEDED TO MEET THAT MINIMUM RESERVE, THOSE ARE DOLLARS THAT WE DO NOT PUT INTO THE BUDGET TO BE SPENT BECAUSE THEY NEED TO BE HELD BACK INTO RESERVE IN ORDER FOR US TO MEET OUR FINANCIAL POLICIES AND TO STAY IN COMPLIANCE AS WE ARE LOOKED AT BY OUR RATING AGENCIES AS WE GO THROUGH OUR EXTERNAL AUDITS, ALL OF THOSE ITEMS. OK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. MS. STORRS. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

SURE. AT THIS TIME, WE'RE READY TO RECEIVE A MOTION ON AGENDA ITEM 1A.

IT'S JUST THE HEARING WE DID CLOSE A PUBLIC HEARING.

THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO ITEM ONE B THANK YOU FOR THE HELP ON THAT, CONSIDERING AN

[1B. CONSIDER ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE CITY OF AMARILLO BUDGET FOR THE 2021/2022 FISCAL YEAR 2021/2022 FISCAL YEAR]

AND AT THIS TIME NOW WE CAN RECEIVE A MOTION ON THAT ITEM.

YES, MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT A PROPOSED BUDGET WHICH REFLECTS AN INCREASE IN THE REVENUE DERIVED FROM PROPERTY TAX REVENUES OVER LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.

SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MAYOR PRO TEM POWELL AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER TO APPROVE THIS ORDINANCE IN ITEM 1B.

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY AYE, AYE ANY OPPOSED? NAY. THAT MOTION PASSES WITH THE FOUR ONE VOTE ITEM ONE C IS TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE

[1C. CONSIDER ORDINANCE APPROVING THE CITY OF AMARILLO TAX ROLL, SETTING AN AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAX RATE AND LEVYING A TAX ON ALL PROPERTY SUBJECT TO TAXATION WITHIN THE CITY FOR THE 2021 TAX YEAR]

WE HAVE A PRESENTATION WITH REGARD TO THIS ITEM, MR. CITY MANAGER.

THIS IS AGAIN THE SAME INFORMATION THAT WE PRESENTED TUESDAY.

WE CAN PRESENT THAT AGAIN AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS COUNCIL HAS.

AT THIS TIME COUNCIL. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? ARE WE READY TO RECEIVE A MOTION? PROCEED, PLEASE. OK, DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THIS ITEM? YES, MAYOR, WE DO.

I MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF ZERO POINT FOUR EIGHT FOUR ZERO FOUR, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A TWENTY FOUR POINT FORTY EIGHT PERCENT INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE.

SECOND MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY MAYOR PRO TEM POWELL AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER TO APPROVE AGENDA ITEM 1C IN THE ORDINANCE SUPPORTING THAT, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL? ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? NAY. THAT MOTION PASSES WITH THE FOUR ONE VOTE.

ITEM ONE D IS THE RATIFICATION OF OUR TAX RATE AND BUDGET ANYTHING FURTHER TO ADD TO THIS

[1D. RATIFICATION – CITY OF AMARILLO TAX RATE AND BUDGET]

IT IS CONSISTENT WITH ALL THE PRESENTATIONS WE'VE GIVEN BEFORE.

SO ANY QUESTIONS COUNCIL HAS WE CAN TAKE THOSE AT THIS TIME ANSWERING IF THERE ARE ANY THAT WERE NOT ASKED IN PREVIOUS SESSIONS.

COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS OR MOTION.

YOU READY? YES, I'M READY.

IF IT'S A MOTION YOU WANT TO MAKE, ABSOLUTELY.

MAYOR, PURSUANT TO TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION ONE ZERO TWO POINT ZERO ZERO SEVEN C. I MOVE THAT WE RATIFY THE BUDGET AND TAX RATE AS ADOPTED.

RECOGNIZING SUCH A BUDGET WILL REQUIRE MORE REVENUE FROM PROPERTY TAXES THAN DID THE BUDGET ADOPTED LAST YEAR.

[00:20:01]

IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MAYOR PRO TEM POWELL AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE THE RATIFICATION OF THE AMARILLO TAX RATE AND BUDGET, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED.

NAY. THAT PASSES WITH THE FOUR ONE VOTE.

ITEM ONE E IS A RESOLUTION THAT ORDERS A SPECIAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION OF THE CITY OF

[1E. A RESOLUTION ORDERING A SPECIAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO TO BE CONDUCTED ON THE 2ND DAY OF NOVEMBER 2021 IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO, TEXAS; REGARDING THE ADOPTION OF AN AD VALOREM TAX RATE; RESOLVING OTHER MATTERS INCIDENT AND RELATED TO SUCH ELECTION]

MR. CITY MANAGER.

ANYTHING FURTHER FROM STAFF TO EXPLAIN THAT AGENDA ITEM? YES, MA'AM. WE'VE GOT LAURA STORRS, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, TO ADDRESS THE ITEM. ALSO, BEFORE SHE GOES THERE, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT SHE'S GOING TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO AS WELL, THAT WE WERE VERY SPECIFIC IN THE LANGUAGE FOR THE RESOLUTION.

IF YOU LOOK AT SECTION TWO, THE SECOND PARAGRAPH OR THE THE QUOTATION LINE THREE, WE GO IN A VERY A LOT OF DETAIL ABOUT WHAT ALL INCREASED TAX OR THE TAX RATE THAT'S SUBJECT TO THE VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE ELECTION IS GOING TO BE SPENT FOR AND IT'S FOR PARKS, ATHLETIC FIELDS, TRAILS, PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT OF THE PARKS FACILITY AND MAINTENANCE NEEDS SIX NEW POLICE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL.

SO CITY VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT, ADDITIONAL POLICE AND FIRE EQUIPMENT, STREET POTHOLE REPAIRS AND STREET RESURFACING, ADDITIONAL AMARILLO, EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER PAY ADJUSTMENTS AND A ONE PERCENT INCREASE IN COMPENSATION FOR POLICE, FIRE AND CITY EMPLOYEES. THE AMARILLO EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER PAY ADJUSTMENTS.

THAT'S A SECOND COMPONENT OF WORK THAT WE'RE DOING TO TRY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMPETITIVE WITH THOSE POSITIONS, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE ARE ALMOST 50 PERCENT DOWN IN STAFFING IN THAT IN THAT AREA.

SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SHORING THAT UP AND THAT'S WHY THAT'S IN THERE.

THE REASON WHY I WANTED TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THAT IS THERE WERE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT COUNCIL SAID WERE PRIORITIES.

AND WE MADE SURE THAT THIS LANGUAGE WAS EXACTLY CONSISTENT WITH WHAT COUNCIL TOLD STAFF DURING THE BUDGET CREATION PROCESS.

WE DID WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTOOD OR THAT WE WERE COMMUNICATING THAT THE ONLY THINGS THAT WERE IN HERE WERE PARKS.

POLICE, FIRE, STREETS, COMPENSATION.

SO, LAURA.

THE ONLY OTHER THING I WOULD ADD IS THIS LANGUAGE IS EXACTLY PRESCRIBED IN THE SENATE BILL 2 AND WE HAVE TO FOLLOW IT.

THE ONLY ITEMS THAT WE INSERTED WERE THE PURPOSES AND ALL THE DIRECTION THAT SENATE BILL TWO GIVES IS JUST THAT.

CITIES NEED TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION AND WORK WITH THEIR CITY ATTORNEY ON IT.

SO THE REST OF THIS IS WORD FOR WORD OUT OF A SENATE BILL 2 WHAT WE HAVE TO USE FOR THIS BALLOT LANGUAGE. THIS IS WHAT WILL BE SEEN ON THE BALLOT.

IT'S KIND OF A FILL IN THE BLANK.

IT IS. IT'S A FILL IN THE BLANK.

YES. AND BRIAN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD ANYTHING TO ADD.

NO, THAT'S GOOD. YES.

I THINK YOU'VE COVERED IT. OK, ANY QUESTIONS FOR LAURA? OK, WITH THAT, IF WE'VE GOT A MOTION WITH REGARD TO ITEM ONE E.

I NEED TO TURN THE MICROPHONE ON FIRST.

YES, MAYOR, I HEREBY MOVE THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 26 POINT 07 OF TEXAS TAX CODE, A SPECIAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO BE ORDERED AND CONDUCTED ON THE SECOND DAY OF NOVEMBER 2021 IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO, TEXAS, REGARDING THE ADOPTION OF AN AD VALOREM TAX RATE AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER OR HIS DESIGNEE TO ENTER INTO ALL CONTRACTS TO CONDUCT SAID ELECTION.

SECOND.

IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MAYOR PRO TEM POWELL AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH AND BY COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD ORDER A SPECIAL ELECTION WITH REGARD TO OUR AD VALOREM TAX RATE TO BE CONDUCTED ON THE SECOND DAY OF NOVEMBER IN 2021.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ITEM? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE, AYE ANY OPPOSED.

OK, THAT ITEM PASSES WITH THE FIVE ZERO VOTE, WITH THAT, WE ARE AT THE END OF OUR AGENDA FOR TODAY'S MEETING AND WE ARE HEREBY ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.