[00:00:02]
[1. Call to Order]
IF YOU GUYS WOULD,[2. Invocation]
WE HAVE MR. MERRITT VAUGHN COMING IN TODAY.HE'S GOING TO LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION FOLLOWED BY OUR PLEDGES.
>> ALL RIGHT. AT ONE TIME I THOUGHT I MIGHT BE IN POLITICS, BUT I THINK PRAYING BEFORE MEETING IS PROBABLY A HIGHER HONOR, RIGHT? IS THAT RIGHT, COLE? ALL RIGHT. LET'S PRAY.
FIRST OF ALL, JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR JUST THIS BEAUTIFUL RAIN YOU'VE SENT TO OUR LAND. WE NEED IT B, LORD.
IT'S GOING TO HEAL OUR BURNED LAND.
LORD, THANK YOU FOR OUR LEADERS THAT ARE HERE TODAY.
OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MAYOR COLE.
GIVE THEM WISDOM AND DIRECTION, LORD, AS THEY MAKE DECISIONS FOR OUR CITY.
I JUST THANK YOU FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO, LORD, THE PLACE THAT WE CALL HOME.
I LOVE THIS CITY. ROMANS 8: 28 SAYS THAT YOU WORK ALL THINGS TO THE GOOD FOR THOSE THAT LOVE GOD AND THAT ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO YOUR PURPOSE.
WE ARE A COMMUNITY THAT LOVES YOU, LORD.
AS I CLOSE IN PRAYER TODAY, I WAS DRAWN THIS MORNING TO MATTHEW 5:14-16.
IT SAYS, YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
A CITY THAT IS SET ON A HILL CANNOT BE HIDDEN, NOR DO THEY LIGHT A LAMP AND PUT IT UNDER A BASKET, BUT ON A LAMPSTAND AND IT GIVES LIGHT TO ALL WHO ARE IN THE HOUSE.
IT SAYS, " SO LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN." SO, LORD, AS I CLOSE IN PRAYER, AMARELLO, I DECLARE THAT OUR LIGHT WOULD SHINE SO BRIGHT ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY, TO THE WORLD, AND OF ALL THE GOOD WORKS THAT ARE GOING ON IN OUR CITY, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, I PRAY THAT WE GLORIFY YOU, OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.
I PRAY THIS ALL IN JESUS NAME. AMEN.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. IF YOU GUYS JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE.
>> AND THE TEXAS FLAG, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU, GUYS. PLEASE BE SEATED.
[5. Announcements]
ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.WE DO HAVE ONE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT I KNOW OF.
MISS CITY SECRETARY, DO YOU MIND TO TELL US WE'VE GOT A NEW HIRE MAYBE WHO SHE IS AND WHAT SHE'LL BE DOING?
>> YES, I'M GOING TO INVITE OUR-.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
WE HAVE AN EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE.
WE HAVE RECENTLY HIRED A NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR.
SO KATRINA OWENS HAS JOINED THE CITY OF AMARILLO BACK ON MARCH 25.
KATRINA HAS WORKED ON THE CITY'S AUDIT SINCE 2012 AS ONE OF OUR EXTERNAL AUDITORS, SO SHE'S VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE CITY.
SHE DOES HAVE EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CITY'S FINANCIALS.
SHE ALSO HAS A BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND A MASTER OF PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTING DEGREE FROM WT, ALONG WITH A CPA LICENSE.
KATRINA HAS OVER 25 YEARS OF ACCOUNTING EXPERIENCE IN BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTING.
THERE SHE IS. DO YOU WANT HER TO STAND OR COME?
>> YEAH. PLEASE COME UP, MISS KATRINA.
I KNOW YOU'RE NOT BRAND NEW HERE.
YOU'VE GOT SOME GOOD HISTORY AND EXPERIENCE WITH US.
THIS IS A DEPARTMENT THAT WE DEFINITELY HAVE SEEN A LITTLE BIT OF TURNOVER AND WE NEED THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, AND SO WELCOME.
WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO GET TO WORK.
>> WELL, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANK YOU. MRS. STORES FOR THAT INTRODUCTION.
DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS, MR. HARTMAN? NO? MISS CITY SECRETARY, NOTHING ELSE ON YOUR LIST? OKAY. GREAT. AT THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TOWARD PUBLIC COMMENT.
[6. Public Comment]
I'D ASK OUR CITY SECRETARY TO GO AHEAD AND BEGIN WITH CALLING ANYONE UP THAT'S SIGNED UP ONLINE.THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
YOUR INPUT AND YOUR OPINIONS ARE IMPORTANT
[00:05:02]
TO US AND WE ARE GLAD YOU'RE HERE TO SHARE THEM.AT EACH POSTED MEETING, WE INVITE OUR FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ADDRESS CITY COUNCIL REGARDING POSTED AGENDA ITEMS OR TOPICS RELATING TO CITY POLICY.
EVERY SPEAKER TODAY WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.
AT THE END OF 2.5 MINUTES, YOU'LL HEAR A WARNING BEEP ALERTING YOU YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS LEFT TO WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS.
WE DO HAVE PUBLIC HEARINGS TODAY.
IF YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK ON A PUBLIC HEARING, WE WOULD ASK YOU SPEAK EITHER DURING PUBLIC COMMENT OR DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT NOT BOTH IN ORDER TO HELP US KEEP ACCURATE RECORDS.
IT'S YOUR DECISION AT WHICH POINT YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK.
WHEN YOU COME TO THE MICROPHONE TODAY, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU LIVE IN AMARILLO CITY LIMITS.
OUR ONLY SPEAKER SIGNED UP TODAY IS JIM CARTER.
IS MR. CARTER IN THE ROOM? IF NOT, I WOULD TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE MAYOR TO TAKE THOSE THAT ARE NOT SIGNED UP.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. MR. CARTER, JUST ONE FINAL OPPORTUNITY.
IF YOU'RE HERE, WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.
OKAY. SO HE IS NOT HERE TODAY.
BUT I WOULD ASK IF I'VE GOT ANYONE ELSE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
YES, SIR. PLEASE COME FORWARD.
IF YOU'D STATE YOUR NAME AGAIN, PLEASE.
>> I AM NATHAN SMITH. SORRY ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S WEIRD. ANYWAY, NATHAN SMITH.
I DO LIVE IN AMARILLO CITY LIMITS.
ONE TIMOTHY CHAPTER 2, VERSES 11 AND 12, "A WOMAN SHOULD LEARN IN QUIETNESS AND FULL SUBMISSION.
I DO NOT PERMIT A WOMAN TO TEACH OR TO ASSUME AUTHORITY OVER A MAN.
SHE MUST BE QUIET." MY PRIMARY PURPOSE HERE IS THE SAME AS IT'S BEEN FOR THE LAST A COUPLE OF WEEKS, A COUPLE OF MONTHS, WHATEVER.
I WANT THESE SANCTUARY CITY DUDES RAN BY MARK LEE DIXON AND HIS LITTLE GROUP.
I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE THEIR PROPOSAL TO GO TO DIRECT VOTE.
DON'T WAIT FOR THEIR PETITION, AND LET'S FIND OUT IF THE PEOPLE OF AMARILLO WANT TO MAKE THIS A SANCTUARY CITY.
THE THING IS I LOOKED INTO MARK LEE DICKINSON'S PAST AND I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO LONG SIMILARITIES, BUT WE SHARED ADULTHOOD, DEPRESSION, BOTH OF US.
ONE OF US CRAWLED THEMSELVES OUT OF IT WITH THEIR STRONG FAITH AND A BIBLE.
THAT, TO ME, IF I COULD HAVE DONE THAT, BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL THING. I WENT THE HARDER ROUTE.
SEVERE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, REHAB, LOTS OF LEGAL ISSUES.
IT WOULD BE GREAT IF HE LEFT IT THERE.
HE FOUND HIS FAITH AND THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
IT WOULD KEEP HIM HAPPY. YADA, YADA, YADA.
THE PROBLEM IS HE DECIDED TO MAKE IT MY PROBLEM WHEN HE DECIDED HE'S GOING TO GO CITY TO CITY AND MAKE SURE LOCAL CITIES, WE ALREADY LIVE IN A STATE THAT'S DECLARED MY DAUGHTER'S INCUBATE.
[NOISE] IT'S FINE. IT'S NOT FINE.
WE ALREADY LIVE IN A STATE THAT'S DECLARED MY DAUGHTER'S INCUBATORS.
NOW THIS GUY WHO IS NOT FROM MY CITY IS COMING TO MY CITY AND SAYING, WE SHOULD DOUBLE DOWN ON THAT.
DUDE HAS DECIDED TO MAKE HIS PURPOSE GOAL IN LIFE TO MAKE SURE ALL THE POTENTIAL WOMEN AND HALF THE POPULATION ARE LITTLE MORE THAN INCUBATORS.
I LIKE TO TAKE DUDE'S DONUTS LIKE SENSE OF PURPOSE.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO ONCE AGAIN CALL THE COUNCIL TO HAVE THAT VOTE.
FOR THE SECOND VERSE, I'M USING MATTHEW CHAPTER 6 VERSES 5 AND 6, "AND WHEN THOU PRAYEST, THOU SHALT NOT BE AS THE HYPOCRITES ARE FOR THEY LOVE TO PRAY STANDING IN THE SYNAGOGUES AND IN THE CORNERS OF THE STREETS, THAT THEY MAY BE SEEN OF MEN.
VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, THEY HAVE THEIR REWARD.
BUT WHEN THOU PRAYEST, ENTER INTO THY CLOSET, AND WHEN THOU HAST SHUT THY DOOR, PRAY TO THY FATHER, WHICH IS IN SECRET, AND THY FATHER, WHICH SEETH IN SECRET, SHALL REWARD THEE OPENLY." SO YEAH, I'M STILL TALKING WITH THAT DUDE, I'M NOT TALKING WITH HIM.
BUT THAT MESSAGE, GET RID OF THE INVOCATION AND REPLACE IT WITH A MOMENT OF SILENT REFLECTION WHERE YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT IN SILENCE.
AND I BRING THIS UP BECAUSE WE'RE NOT A THEOCRACY, AND THE FUNNIEST THING IS WE'RE NOT A THEOCRACY.
IF YOU'VE READ THE CONSTITUTION, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT.
IF YOU READ THE BIBLE, YOU KNOW THAT PAIRING IT WITH THE CONSTITUTION WOULD BE BLASPHEMY BECAUSE YOU'RE PAIRING THE SACRED DOCT.
OUR GOD EMPEROR REPUBLICAN NOMINEE, THE PARTY THAT REPRESENTS THIS CITY, THEY'RE NOW SELLING BIBLES PAIRED WITH THE CONSTITUTION AND THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.
IT'S A VERY USEFUL TOOL FOR MANIPULATING PEOPLE.
ANYWAY, YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY.
>> MR. SMITH, AS ALWAYS, WE APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THE WORD WITH US TODAY.
>> I SEE MR. JAMES SKINK HERE.
MAN, I'M GETTING A CON OVER MY PLACE, WE'RE FLOATING.
I COME TO SPEAK ON A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT'S GONE ON LAST MEETING AND I SAW Y'ALL,
[00:10:05]
WERE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT IT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU'LL HAVE DECIDED ON.THAT'S PROPOSITION 1, AND THE ONGOING DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT.
AS YOU KNOW, I KNOW THE HISTORY OF THIS FROM THE BEGINNING AND IT WAS DONE TWO GROUPS BEFORE YOU.
IT WAS DONE WITH HARPOL AND TERRY CHILDERS AND THAT GROUP THAT LAID A PRETTY MASSIVE BOND ON US.
I'M GLAD MOST OF IT DIDN'T PASS BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE STILL BEEN DIGGING INTO A HOLE.
FIRST OFF THAT'S JUST THE WAY I LOOK AT BOTH OF THOSE BONDS, THOSE TWO THINGS, PUBLIC SAFETY AND STREETS NEEDED TO HAVE SOME MONEY THROWN AT THEM SERIOUSLY JUST LIKE YOU'RE TRYING TO DO NOW WHEN YOU'RE PASSING THE BOND TO START A REGENERATIVE FLOW OF MONEY TOWARD STREETS.
IT SHOULD BE A LEARNING EXPERIENCE, SHOULD BE A LESSON TO THIS GROUP IS THAT YOU CAN'T PUT BLOATED BUDGETS, BLOATED BONDS ON FOLKS AND EXPECT THINGS TO HAPPEN.
TALKING WITH THE PEOPLE SHORTLY AFTER THAT HAPPENED, THERE'S NO WAY WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THOSE STREETS, AND SO HERE WE ARE NOW EIGHT YEARS LATER AND WE'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH THE LAST ANYWHERE FROM 30 TO 10 TO 20 TO 40.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MILLIONS, WE'VE GOT SOME MONEY TO PUT DOWN.
A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON THOSE ISSUES OF WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, I'VE GOT US A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
WELL, SEVERAL, BUT I NOTICED PROJECTS WERE DEPRIORITIZED AND I WAS WONDERING IF YOU ALL HAD ANYTHING TO SAY WITH THAT ABOUT WHAT WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM ONE AND PUT TOWARD ANOTHER, AND WHY DID YOU DO THAT? I'M SURE THERE'S REASONS ON SOME LEVEL, BUT IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE THAT ITEMIZED IN REASON IN FASHION TO SEE WHY CERTAIN QUADRANTS GOT A TON MORE MONEY.
I'VE TALKED TO MOST PEOPLE IN MOST QUADRANTS AND THEY DON'T SEE MUCH HAPPENING STILL.
THEN THERE'S ONE OTHER QUESTION GOING ON IS JUST A HERRING PLAZA.
I SEE SOMETHING THAT'S GOING ON ON ANOTHER GROUP OR TIERS 1 GROUP WANTING TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY TO DO SOMETHING.
WE WEREN'T INVOLVED WITH THAT WHEN BOB GOODRICH WAS TRYING TO GET HELP AND TRYING TO BE INCLUDED AND ALL.
NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS LITTLE THING GOES ON AND IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THE CITY SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN THAT, SO TREAD LIGHTLY, MY FRIENDS.
GOD BLESS THESE GENTLEMEN THAT ARE HERE TODAY TO PROTECT US AND SERVE FOR US.
>> YES, SIR, MR. SKANK. THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING.
I HAVE ANYONE ELSE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TODAY? YES, SIR.
IF YOU COULD STATE YOUR NAME, WHETHER YOU LIVE IN THE CITY LIMITS, MAYBE SOME FORM OF ID THAT WE COULD VERIFY.
>> I'M SURE A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW WHO I AM, UNFORTUNATELY FOR THEM, I GUESS.
CRAIG ALTER AND YES, I DO LIVE INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.
WHAT I'M GOING TO STATE HERE IS ON THE ADC, EACH ONE OF YOU I'VE CC'D YOU ON ALL MY OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS AND THE ANSWERS THAT I GOT.
BUT WHAT I WANTED TO DO WAS, IS I WANTED TO MAKE THIS PUBLIC FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AT ADC.
I SET THE ALARM BELLS OFF YEARS AGO ABOUT SOME DEALING, ESPECIALLY WITH THEIR TRAVEL BUDGET AND THINGS THAT THEY WERE SPENDING SOME MONEY ON.
WE GOT A LOT OF CHANGES THROUGH REFORM ON THERE, BUT I THINK WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE WORK TO DO.
NUMBER 1, THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW THAT THE ADC IS THE ONLY DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO THAT GAVE CASH BONUSES TO THEIR EMPLOYEES, SOME AS HIGH AS $25,000, $12,000.
THE PROBLEM WITH THAT, GENTLEMEN, IS THAT YOU HAVE OVER 2000 EMPLOYEES THAT DON'T HAVE THIS BENEFIT.
THEY HAVE THE BENEFIT OVER THERE, WHERE ALL THOSE JOBS THAT ARE OVER THERE ARE HIGHLY PAID JOBS.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO BRING UP A SANITATION WORKER UP OR A POLICE OFFICERS LOWER END SALARY UP.
THESE ARE VERY WELL COMPENSATED JOBS GETTING $25,000 YEAR JOBS.
TWO OF THESE EMPLOYEES OF THE ADC ARE IN YOUR TOP SEVEN HIGHEST PAID POSITION IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
[00:15:04]
NUMBER 2, ALL THE EMPLOYEES HAD EVALUATION FORMS AND EACH ONE OF THEM RECEIVED THE HIGHEST MARK YOU COULD RECEIVE.I'VE HAD HUNDREDS OF EMPLOYEES ALONG WITH MYSELF, I DON'T EVER REMEMBER ME OR ANY OF MY EMPLOYEES BEING PERFECT.
BUT THEY'RE PERFECT OVER AT THE ADC.
THEY ALSO RECEIVED ALONG WITH THE CASH BONUSES WAS A 4% COLA THAT EVERYBODY AT THE CITY RECEIVED.
OF COURSE, EVERYBODY AT THE CITY ALSO DIDN'T RECEIVE A CASH BONUS LIKE THEY DID.
THE REAL PROBLEM THAT I HAVE HERE IS OUR PRESIDENT OVER AT THE ADC, KEVIN CARTER RECEIVED A $49,200 CASH BONUS ON TOP OF HIS 4% BONUS, WHICH EQUALS TO BE ANOTHER $10,000 INCREASE IN HIS SALARY, WHICH MAKES MR. CARTER THE HIGHEST PAID PERSON AT THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
WELL OVER $300,000 IN TOTAL COMPENSATION.
MATTER OF FACT, HE MAKES DOUBLE OF WHAT OUR GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF TEXAS MAKES.
NOW, PROBLEM WITH THAT IS, THAT I HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THAT MR. CARTER RECEIVED AN EVALUATION FROM WITH THE BOARD, NO WRITTEN EVALUATION, IT WAS ALL VERBAL, AND THEN THE BOARD CAME OUT AND VOTED ON HIS RAISE.
WE CAN'T EVEN JUSTIFY HIS RAISE IN THE SENSE OF AS THE PUBLIC.
I ALSO HAVE SOME QUICK PROBLEMS IN REGARDS TO THEIR TRAVEL POLICY.
MR. CARTER USES HIS OWN CREDIT CARD FOR ALL OF HIS TRAVEL PURCHASES, AND THEN GETS REIMBURSED FROM THE CITY WITH THOSE TRAVEL PURCHASES, SO HE'S RECEIVING POINTS AND BENEFITS OFF OF USING BASICALLY, THE EXPENDITURES OF THE CITY.
HE HAS A COMPANY CREDIT CARD ISSUED TO HIM BY THE CITY OF AMARILLO THAT HE SHOULD BE USING.
MAYOR, I HOPE YOU CAN GIVE ME JUST ONE MORE MINUTE HERE AND FINISH UP.
>> ANOTHER THING IS THAT MR. CARTER, UNLIKE ALL THE REST OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, HE BELIEVES WHEN HE'S TRAVELING, THAT THE TAXPAYERS ARE JUST GOING TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING THAT HE DOES.
IF HE WANTS TO GO AND GET A CANDY BAR, COKE, A COUPLE OF HOT DOGS IN A BAG OF PRINGLES, HE DOES IT.
HE PAYS FOR IT WITH THE CITY'S CREDIT CARD OR HIS OWN CREDIT CARD AND GETS REIMBURSED.
BUT YET THE POLICY OF THE CITY IS, EMPLOYEES, WHEN THEY'RE TRAVELING, IF THEY GO AND BUY A HOT DOG OR THEY GO AND BUY A CANDY BAR AND A COKE, THAT'S THEIR MILK, BUT NOT WITH KEVIN CARTER.
MATTER OF FACT, KEVIN CARTER STOPS AT CVS ON HIS WAY TO THE HOTEL AND BUYS HIM SIX OR SEVEN DIET COKES AND TAKES WITH HIM TO HIS HOTEL AT TAXPAYER EXPENSE.
THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THAT THIS GUY MAKES OVER $300,000.
HE CAN'T PAY FOR HIS OWN COKE AND CANDY BARS, BUT THE TAXPAYER ARE GOING TO PAY FOR IT.
LASTLY, I'VE GOT A LOT MORE, BUT I'M GOING TO RESPECT YOUR TIME, AND I APPRECIATE THE EXTRA TIME THERE.
>> ONE OF THE OTHER PROBLEMS IS THAT MR. CARTER PAYS WITH TAXPAYER MONEY LUNCHES FOR CLIENTS, WHICH WE ALL THINK THAT THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT, BUT ALSO HE REFUSES TO GIVE ME OR THE TAXPAYERS TO LET US KNOW WHO HE BOUGHT THOSE LUNCHES FOR.
HE WON'T LOG DOWN THOSE WHO HE HAD LUNCHES WITH AND WHAT THE TAXPAYERS PAID FOR.
I'VE GOT A LOT OF OTHER ISSUES HERE, BUT AT LEAST THOSE ARE THE BIG HIGHLIGHTS.
ALL I'M ASKING FOR IS THAT MAYBE THE MAYOR, ALONG WITH CITY COUNCIL, WOULD PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL THE CHAIR, MR. HALL, OR CALL KEVIN HIMSELF, AND SAY THAT WE NEED SOME BASIC LITTLE OVERSIGHT CHANGES TO OUR TRAVEL POLICY, FOR INSTANCE.
THEN WE ALSO, WHEN IT COMES TO BUDGET, WE NEED TO LOOK AT CASH BONUSES IF THAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO WITH OUR TAXPAYER MONEY TO BE GIVEN PEOPLE CASH BONUSES WHEN OUR OTHER HARDWORKING 2000 CITY EMPLOYEES DO NOT HAVE THAT SAME LUXURY.
>> THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOU SPEAKING THERE, SIR.
THANK YOU. DO I HAVE ANYONE ELSE HERE TODAY THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL?
>> YES, SIR. PLEASE COME FORWARD.
RUBEN, IF YOU'LL GIVE US YOUR FULL NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE, SIR.
>> RUBEN, 1017 SOUTH OF WILLIAMS.
>> LET ME JUST LOOK IN THIS REAL QUICK.
I WANT TO SHOW YOU A FEW THINGS.
>> THESE ARE PHOTOS TO PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT TAKING PLACE WITH MY MOTHER AT ALAMO PARK.
>> CAN YOU GIVE US THE YEAR, SIR?
>> THIS IS JUST THIS 1920 SOMEWHERE ON THERE.
[00:20:05]
THIS IS CONCERNING THIS ASSESSMENT THAT WAS MADE?>> THOSE PHOTOS WERE TAKEN AND ARE NOT IN THIS ASSESSMENT BOOK, AS WELL AS THE OTHER PARK, EAST PARK.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO LOOK AT THOSE?
>> JOSH KRAFT HAS ALREADY SEEN THOSE PHOTOS.
>> MY CONCERN IS THE TAXPAYER ALSO PAID, WAS IT $170,000 FOR THIS ASSESSMENT? YOU HAD ASSIGNED MICHAEL KASHUBA TO GIVE ME A CALL BACK A WHILE BACK AT A MEETING. NEVER GOT A PHONE CALL.
THEN JOHN BARNES CALLED ME ON YOUR BEHALF, ASKED ME A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS AND THIS AND THAT.
THEN YOU TEXT ME BACK AND SAID YOU WANTED TO KNOW SOME MORE INFORMATION.
I HAD SPENT AN HOUR AND A HALF WITH JOHN BARNES.
HE SAID HE WOULD PASS THAT ON TO YOU.
WHETHER HE GOT THERE, I DON'T KNOW.
IF THAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO YOUR MOTHER, I'D BEEN HERE AND ADVOCATE FOR YOU TOO.
THAT'S NOT PRETTY. THAT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN.
THESE ARE ISSUES THAT I BROUGHT UP WITH LARRY ROD TWEET A LONG TIME AGO.
WHEN I WAS ON THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT BOARD, WE USED TO DO TOURS OF ANY OF THE FUNDING THAT WE GAVE TO THE WHATEVER ESTABLISHMENT IT WAS.
IF ONE OF YOUR MOTHERS CRACKED HER HEAD OPEN AT THAT PARK, I'D BE THERE ADVOCATING FOR YOU TOO.
IT'S NOT PRETTY. AMARILLO POLICE DEPARTMENT, AMARILLO FIRE DEPARTMENT, EVERYBODY, ALL THE EMERGENCIES WERE THERE.
THEY SAID, WHY THE HELL CAN'T THE CITY DO BETTER THAN THAT? TO THIS DAY, LAURA, YOU SHOW ME YOU'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE PARKS.
I JUST TOOK SOME PICTURES ABOUT THAT PARK TOO, ON EAST PARK.
THIS ONE GOT ADDRESSED ONLY BECAUSE I PUSHED IT.
IT'S NOT GOOD, MAN. IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO NOTHING, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE, AND WHY DO WE HAVE TAXPAYERS $170,000 HERE? WHY? THAT'S JUST WRONG.
ANCHOR LAKE, THAT'S ANOTHER PROJECT.
OVER 200 POLICE PHONE CALLS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THAT PARK.
FIVE OR SIX DEATHS HASN'T BEEN ADDRESSED BY ENGINEERING, BY ANYBODY.
THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP TO SEVERAL OF THESE COMMISSION MEETINGS.
I'M THE ONE WHO BROUGHT THEM UP.
THAT UNDERPASS HERE ON THIRD STREET, I KNOW IT TAKES TIME.
YOU GOT SEVERAL PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THAT PROJECT.
YES, IT TAKES TIME AND IT TAKES MONEY.
DEALING WITH TEXT IS NOT THE EASIEST THING TO DO, BUT THAT'S BEEN 20 YEARS AGO.
IN 2004, I BROUGHT THIS UP, NEVER GOT DRESSED, AM I RIGHT? I BROUGHT THAT UP.
MANY, MANY TIMES I BROUGHT THAT UP.
ON THAT UNDERPASS THERE ON THIRD STREET, GET THIS, I CALLED THE CITY ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, NO RETURNED PHONE CALLS.
CALLED THE STREET DEPARTMENT, NO PHONE CALLS.
I CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CHIEF, JASON MAYS, NO RETURN PHONE CALLS.
CALLED MARTIN BIRKENFELD, NO RETURNED PHONE CALLS.
I CALLED DC, HE CALLED ME IN NEXT DAY.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH US? IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH US? YOU BE THE JUDGE.
I KNOW THESE PROJECTS TAKE TIME AND I KNOW THEY TAKE MONEY, BUT THIS UNDERPASS HAS BEEN LIKE THAT FOR A LONG TIME.
>> MR. MAYOR, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE COMMUNICATION COMPONENT, BUT WE DO HAVE A CURRENT CONTRACT TO EVALUATE THAT UNDERPASS.
THAT IS THE OWNERSHIP COMPONENT.
TO KNOW WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT PIECE, WE DO HAVE THAT GOING.
>> I DO HAVE THE OWNERSHIP COMPONENT ON THAT.
>> WE'RE VERIFYING THAT WITH THE RAILROAD SO WE CAN DEFINE IT.
ON ANCHOR LAKE, WE DO HAVE THAT IN THE STATE FLOOD PLAN FOR THAT PROJECT TO GO AS A FLOOD PLAIN PROJECT.
THE COMMUNICATION COMPONENT, WE WILL WORK ON A FIXED.
[00:25:01]
>> MR. RIVERA, A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE, I THINK YOU MIGHT WANT THIS BACK.
I THINK MY NEXT STEP WITH YOU WOULD BE TO JUST SCHEDULE A MEETING, HAVE YOU COME IN, SIT DOWN IN THE OFFICE WITH STAFF.
THEN OUR LAST CONVERSATION WE TALKED ABOUT HAVING SOLUTIONS TO THESE PROBLEMS, AND YOU WERE DEFINITELY MAKING US AWARE OF THESE PROBLEMS AND YOU WERE ALSO WILLING TO BRING SOME SOLUTIONS.
WE'RE WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU.
I KNOW IT CAN FEEL ANTAGONISTIC, BUT WE'RE NOT ANTAGONISTIC TO YOUR CAUSE, AND I'LL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO HELP.
>> I BELIEVE YOU. I'M HOPING THAT THIS NEW COMMISSION WILL DO SOMETHING BECAUSE THE PAST HASN'T DONE NOTHING.
>> I'LL EMAIL YOU. WE'LL SCHEDULE THAT MEETING.
>> OUR ALLEYS, OUR TRASH CANS, OUR STREETS.
YOU CAN PUT $100 MILLION BUDGET IN THE STREETS AND STILL NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY.
WE APPRECIATE YOU SPEAKING TODAY.
>> IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE PICTURES, HERE THEY ARE.
SHE WON'T EVEN USE THAT POWER CHAIR I BOUGHT HER.
>> DO I HAVE ANYONE ELSE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS COUNCIL?
>> THANK YOU, SIR. I'LL BE IN TOUCH WITH YOU.
SEEING NO ONE ELSE, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
I DO APPRECIATE EVERYONE SPEAKING.
WE DON'T CLAIM TO HAVE THE ANSWERS.
WE JUST CLAIMED TO BE WILLING TO PRIORITIZE YOU AS A CITIZEN AND WILLING TO WORK ON IT.
I KNOW MYSELF AND COUNCIL, SOMETIMES THE ANSWER IS, I'M SORRY, I CAN'T HELP YOU.
IT'S NOT IN MY SCOPE OR IT'S NOT IN OUR JURISDICTION, BUT SOMETIMES IT IS AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS.
MOVING ALONG, WE ARE GOING TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT, MOVE ON TO SECTION 7.
[7.A. Review agenda items for regular meeting and attachments;]
AND I WOULD ASK IF COUNSEL HAS ANYTHING THAT THEY HAVE REQUEST ON THE AGENDA FOR REVIEW.>> SEEING NOTHING, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 7B.
[7.B. Update on meet and confer negotiations and associated budgetary impacts with Amarillo Police Officers Association and Amarillo Professional Fire Fighters Association]
WE DO HAVE A FEW RED SHIRTS IN THE AUDIENCE HERE, AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR DISTINGUISHED POLICE OFFICERS AND SWAT TEAM, AND SO WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS BEING HERE.MR. FREEMAN, IF YOU GO AHEAD AND LEAD US INTO THIS DISCUSSION.
>> YES, SIR. BEFORE I GET STARTED, I DID WANT TO THANK TODD PEDEN AND TOBY HUDSON, THEY'RE HERE REPRESENTING, AS WELL AS A LOT OF OTHER MEMBERS IN THE PUBLIC.
I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THEY PUT INTO THIS NEGOTIATION.
SO FAR, IT'S BEEN ABOUT 14 YEARS OR SO SINCE I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN A MEET AND CONFER NEGOTIATION, AND YOU ALWAYS HEAR HOW CONTROVERSIAL THEY CAN BE OR HOW TOUGH THEY CAN BE.
BUT THESE TWO GROUPS HAVE BEEN NOTHING BUT RESPECTFUL AND WE'VE HAD GREAT CONVERSATIONS UP INTO THIS POINT.
I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TOO.
TODAY'S MEETING IS REALLY TO GET COUNCIL UP TO SPEED ON WHAT'S TAKEN PLACE SO FAR, GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY AND REALLY DIG INTO THE BUDGETARY REQUEST, AND GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM COUNCIL MOVING FORWARD.
A LITTLE HISTORY ON MEET AND CONFER.
IT'S TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 1403 THAT ALLOWS CITIES TO ENTER INTO THESE AGREEMENTS.
JUST COVERING A LITTLE BACKGROUND.
THEN WITHIN THAT SAME SECTION ALSO SHOWS BASICALLY THE WHOLE POINT OF THESE AGREEMENTS, IS THAT YOU CAN EXCEED OR ALTER WHAT STATE LAW ALLOWS.
SO IT'S MORE OF A CUSTOMIZED AGREEMENT BETWEEN THESE ASSOCIATIONS BASED ON BENEFITS, POLICIES, ETC.
PREVIOUS CITY COUNCILS HAVE RECOGNIZED BOTH ASSOCIATIONS AS A SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE BARGAINING AGENT FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS AND THE POLICE OFFICERS, RESPECTFULLY, TO NEGOTIATE ON THEIR BEHALF, WHETHER THEY'RE UNION MEMBERS OR NOT.
ANYONE IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS ARE REPRESENTED BY THESE TWO GROUPS IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS.
AS FAR AS PREVIOUS AGREEMENTS, THE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION IS CURRENTLY IN THEIR SECOND MULTI-YEAR AGREEMENT.
IT'S SET TO EXPIRE ON 9-30-2024, BUT IT DOES HAVE A DATE MOVING TO 2025 TO GIVE TIME TO GET A SUCCESSOR AGREEMENT IN PLACE BEFORE IT FULLY EXPIRES.
THEN THE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION RECENTLY HAD THEIR FIRST AGREEMENT APPROVED JUST LATE LAST YEAR, AND IS SET TO EXPIRE ON 9-30-'24 AS WELL.
WHAT THESE AGREEMENTS TYPICALLY FOCUS ON IS BASE WAGES, SUPPLEMENTAL PAYS, CERTIFICATION PAYS, THOSE SORT OF THINGS.
WE CAN ALSO LOOK AT ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, AL VACATION LEAVE, BUYBACK PROGRAMS, THE HIRING PROCESS, WHETHER THERE'S GOING TO BE A SPECIAL HIRING PROCESS FOR LATERAL TRANSFERS BETWEEN OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS OR MAYBE IT'S A DIFFERENT PROMOTIONAL PROCESS THAT ALLOWS THE CHIEFS MORE FLEXIBILITY ON HOW THEY WANT TO ASSIGN THOSE POSITIONS, AND HIRE FOR THOSE POSITIONS.
THEN IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR A GRIEVANCE AND ARBITRATION PROCESS FOR ANYBODY THAT NEEDS THAT PROCESS THAT'S BEEN IMPACTED BY WHAT'S LAID OUT IN THESE AGREEMENTS.
[00:30:04]
AS FAR AS THE TIMELINE OF THE CURRENT NEGOTIATIONS, BOTH KICKED OFF IN EARLY FEBRUARY, AND WE'VE HAD FOUR MEETINGS SO FAR WITH BOTH GROUPS, AND WE ARE ON TRACK TO MEET AGAIN ON THE 16TH, NEXT WEEK WITH BOTH GROUPS AS WELL.WE SET THOSE SPECIFICALLY TO BE ABLE TO FOLLOW UP BASED ON THIS CONVERSATION, THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED TODAY.
THEN JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT ALL THESE MEETINGS ARE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE AND THEY'RE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ATTEND.
I KNOW WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS SENT IN ON VARIOUS NEGOTIATION MEETINGS SO FAR TO PICK UP MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS.
JUST A LITTLE HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW.
WE DISCUSS ALL KINDS OF TOPICS IN THESE MEETINGS.
MANY OF THEM DO NOT HAVE A FINANCIAL IMPACT, THEY'RE REALLY POLICY-ORIENTED OR ALONG THOSE LINES.
I JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON A FEW OF THE FIRE DISCUSSION TOPICS.
STAFFING MODEL IS REALLY THEIR CURRENT STAFFING MODEL THAT THEY OPERATE UNDER, SIMILAR TO THE PENSION CONTRIBUTION CAP, ZERO CALLBACK LONGEVITY AND CLOTHING ALLOWANCE.
THESE ARE EXISTING POLICIES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, BUT THE PURPOSE OF PUTTING THEM IN THE AGREEMENT IS THAT IT SOLIDIFIES IT AND DOESN'T ALLOW THE CHIEF OR ADMINISTRATION TO CHANGE IT WITHOUT VIOLATING THAT AGREEMENT.
IT GIVES A LITTLE MORE SECURITY OF EXPECTATIONS.
THEY'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THEIR INITIAL RANK OF HOSEMAN OR FIREFIGHTER, HAVE TO BE IN THAT POSITION FIVE YEARS BEFORE MOVING UP TO THE NEXT STEP.
THAT ALLOWS MORE TIME AFTER YOU COMPLETE THE ACADEMY TO GET ON THE JOB EXPERIENCE BEFORE PROMOTING TO THAT NEXT LEVEL.
WE'VE DISCUSSED THE ANNUAL LEAVE BUYBACK PROGRAM, WHICH IS AN EXISTING PROGRAM.
SOME POTENTIAL TWEAKS TO THAT ONE, THE ADDITION OF A SICK LEAVE BUYBACK BEING AN OPTION, WASHERS AND DRYERS AT EACH FIRE STATION.
WE ONLY HAVE THEM AT A HANDFUL NOW, BUT IT ALLOWS THEM TO CLEAN ALL THEIR STUFF ON SITE WITHOUT HAVING TO TAKE IT ON HOME, RISK THEIR HOME AND THEIR CLOTHES BY MIXING ALL THAT TOGETHER, WHICH IS REALLY A SAFETY ASPECT.
SINCE THIS IS A THE FIRST MAJOR MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENT WITH FIRE, THERE'S ALSO DISCUSSIONS LIKE ASSOCIATION BUSINESS LEAVE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY HAD THAT ALLOWS THEM TO PULL HOURS FROM THEIR UNION MEMBERS TO BE USED FOR UNION BUSINESS.
WHETHER THEY GO ON TRIPS TO ASSOCIATION CONFERENCES, TRAINING, OR EVEN MORE NEGOTIATIONS THROUGH THE MEET AND CONFER PROCESS, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT COULD BE COVERED UNDER THAT LEAVE.
CANCER SCREENINGS, ANOTHER ONE WE'VE LOOKED AT, AND THEN OF COURSE, WE LOOKED AT PAY RAISES AND INCENTIVE PAY.
AS FAR AS POLICE, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME JUST CLEANING UP THE EXISTING AGREEMENT LANGUAGE SINCE THEY HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF ROUNDS OF THAT, JUST CONTINUE TO CLEAN UP THAT LANGUAGE.
WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT UPDATING AND CLARIFYING THE PROMOTIONAL EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TAKE-HOME VEHICLES, WHICH WE THINK MAY BE A POSSIBILITY AS WE FURTHER EVALUATE THE LEASE ARRANGEMENT VERSUS BUYING VEHICLES OUT.
THAT WAS A TOPIC WE TOUCHED ON, NOT SURE IF IT'D REALLY BE BUILT INTO THE AGREEMENT, BUT MAYBE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT'S A LONG-TERM GOAL, OR MAYBE A SHORT-TERM GOAL FOR CERTAIN DIVISIONS OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE TALKED AGAIN ABOUT THE AL VACATION BUYBACK PROGRAMS, TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DRUG TESTING POLICIES AND MAYBE SOME REVISIONS TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFICIENT.
HAVE SOMEBODY COME ON SITE AND ALLOW EVERYBODY TO BE RANDOMLY SCREENED.
COMPARED TO NOW IF, SAY YOU'RE IN A MINOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT CURRENTLY, EVERYBODY HAS TO GO GET TESTED IMMEDIATELY, WHETHER THEY'RE AT FAULT TO REALLY INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT.
CLARIFYING SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT IN THE PAST HAVE KEPT FOLKS FROM BEING BACK IN THEIR VEHICLES TAKING CARE OF THESE CALLS AND INCIDENTS.
WE TALKED ABOUT A NEW IDEA AS FAR AS HAVING A POLICE OFFICER ASSOCIATION EMPLOYEE, BASICALLY FULL TIME ASSIGNED TO THAT ROLE.
THAT WOULD BE THEIR 8:00-5:00 JOB, UNLESS THEY'RE CALLED FOR OVERTIME OR SOME EMERGENCY DISASTER HAPPENS AND THEY NEED TO WORK.
BUT TALKING WITH THEIR TEAM, THESE AGREEMENTS, THEIR ROLE BASICALLY BEING A LIAISON FOR THEIR UNION MEMBERS REALLY HAS BECOME A FULL TIME JOB THAT IMPACTS DOING THEIR POLICE JOB.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BECOMING MORE COMMON WITH SOME OF THE LARGER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE STATE.
THEN WE, OF COURSE, TALKED ABOUT PAY RAISES, INCENTIVE PAY, IDEAS FOR FIELD TRAINING, OFFICER PAY.
THOSE ARE THE OFFICERS DEDICATED TO TRAINING UP OUR NEW CADETS BEFORE THEY GET OUT IN THE FIELD ON THEIR OWN.
ON DUTY WORKOUTS AND FITNESS PAY REVISIONS, SENIORITY PAY, AND THEN OVERTIME PAY, AND SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL PAY.
THEN WE ALSO TALKED A LOT ABOUT OUR TIME-KEEPING SOFTWARE.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE SWITCHED TO A NEW WORK DAY PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE HAD SOME CHALLENGES WITH, THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH.
WE'VE BEEN OPEN WITH DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM TO SEE IF THERE'S ANOTHER OPTION OR ALTERNATIVE THAT MIGHT WORK BETTER FOR THEIR NEEDS AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT SHIFTS THAT THEY HAVE ON DUTY.
THEN THE MAIN PART THAT WE WANT TO DISCUSS WITH YOU TODAY AND GET SOME FEEDBACK ARE THE PAY PROPOSALS.
[00:35:03]
I'M GOING TO WALK THROUGH THE ORIGINAL PROPOSALS, SOME COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT FACTORS JUST SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN COMPARISON, KNOWING THAT'S ONLY ONE FACTOR THAT WE LOOK AT WHEN WE'RE EVALUATING OTHER MARKETS.THEN I'LL ALSO GO OVER SOME OPTIONS OF THIS MIGHT BE PAID FOR, WHAT WE EXPECT FOR NEW REVENUE NEXT YEAR, WHAT ARE SOME OF OUR GAPS AND CHALLENGES? THE WAY THE PAY RAISE PROPOSALS WERE BROUGHT FORWARD REALLY BY BOTH GROUP, IT'S REALLY LOOKING AT A MARKET COMPARISON OF FIVE LARGER AND FIVE SMALLER CITIES.
WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN ARE VARIOUS CITIES LIKE LUBBOCK, LAREDO, IRVING, GARLAND, FRISCO, AND OTHERS THAT REALLY A SIMILAR POPULATION SIZE, SIMILAR DEPARTMENT SIZE, AND SO FORTH.
WHAT THIS ONE SHOWS, JUST TAKING ALL THE DIFFERENT RANKS AND COMPARISONS YOU SEE COME TOWARD THE BOTTOM, ABOVE THE FIRST BLUE MINIMUM, YOU'LL SEE THE PAY DIFFERENCE BY RANK.
ACROSS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, CADETS 13% PAID MORE THAN WE PAY, 38% WITH FIREFIGHTER, 15% FOR DRIVER, 18% LIEUTENANT, CAPTAIN, 17%, AND BATTALION CHIEF 16%.
BASED ON THIS MARKET STUDY, THOSE ARE HOW MUCH OTHER ENTITIES ARE PAYING COMPARED TO WHAT WE PAY TODAY.
AS FAR AS LOOKING AT IT WITH THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT FACTORED IN, WHICH LOOKS AT HOUSING, FOOD, UTILITIES, TRANSPORTATION, HEALTHCARE COSTS, TAXES, AND CHILDCARE PRICES.
WHAT IT SHOWS IS AN ADJUSTMENT FOR ALL OF THESE.
THE ONE THAT WE ARE LACKING THE MOST IN IS THE FIREFIGHTER PAY, WHICH SHOWS THAT WE PAY 8% LESS.
BUT IT ACTUALLY, WHEN YOU ADJUST FOR THIS FACTOR, WE PAY ABOUT 8-9% MORE IN THE OTHER CATEGORIES.
ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN, THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN SHOW HOW MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THESE PLACES ARE BASED ON THE COST OF LIVING FACTORS.
JUST AN EXAMPLE OF FRISCO, 34%; MCKINNEY, 34; GARLAND, 26; LUBBOCK, 9.2, THAT'S JUST BASED ON ALL THE DATA THAT THIS COMPANY PULLS TOGETHER FROM CENSUS MARKET STUDIES OF WHAT IT COSTS TO LIVE IN THAT CITY COMPARED TO AMARILLO.
AGAIN, THIS IS JUST ONE VIEWPOINT.
WE KNOW WE HAVE OTHER CHALLENGES.
JUST BECAUSE IT'S MAYBE MORE AFFORDABLE LIVE IN AMARILLO DOESN'T MEAN WE COULD STILL RECRUIT PEOPLE HERE BECAUSE THEY MAY PREFER THE QUALITY OF LIFE OR THE AMENITIES IN DALLAS AREA THAT WE DON'T HAVE HERE.
THEY'RE NOT JUST LOOKING AT WHERE IS IT MOST AFFORDABLE TO LIVE.
TO SUMMARIZE THE IMPACT OF WHAT THE REQUEST IS, IT'S 13.35% UP TO 38% DEPENDING ON THE RANK IS THE PROPOSED CHANGES.
THE WAY THE FIRE UNION PROPOSE IS BASICALLY, IT'S A MOVING AVERAGE, SO EVERY YEAR WE LOOK AT IT AND ADJUST BASED ON THOSE 10 CITIES, AND THAT WOULD IMPACT WHAT YEAR 2 LOOKS LIKE AND YEAR 3 LOOKS LIKE.
IT'S NOT A SET 15% ONE YEAR, 5% THE NEXT,4% THE NEXT.
IT MAKES IT MORE OF A MOVING TARGET, WHICH COULD BE A LITTLE BIT CHALLENGING.
BUT WHAT THIS SHOWS IS THAT THE BASE INCREASE BEFORE BENEFITS WILL BE 4.4 MILLION.
THEN THE TOTAL WITH BENEFITS TO COVER THAT INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS SLIDES IS $5.6 MILLION.
THAT'S JUST FOR THE FIRE SIDE.
GOING INTO THE POLICE PAY PROPOSAL.
A LITTLE TOUGHER TO READ THIS ONE, BUT EVERYTHING YOU SEE HERE IN GREEN IS WHAT PEOPLE ARE PAYING MORE THAN WHAT WE PAY HERE LOCALLY.
THE ONLY ONES THAT WE HAD, A SLIGHT FEW DEPENDING ON THE RANK THAT WE WERE PAYING MORE THAN WERE BROWNSVILLE AND MCALLEN.
WITH THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT, THAT'S WHERE IT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE WE PAY BETTER THAN ALL OF THEM.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S ONLY ONE FACTOR BECAUSE WE KNOW POLICE, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE BARELY FILLING ACADEMIES AND THEY DO TWO ACADEMIES A YEAR.
WE'RE CONSTANTLY ABOUT 25 SHORT.
THEN ON THE FIREFIGHTERS SIDE, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO FILL THEIR ONE YEAR ACADEMY, BUT IT'S GETTING TIGHTER AND TIGHTER EACH YEAR.
WE KNOW ONCE THIS ACADEMY FINISHES UP, THEY'RE ACTUALLY STILL GOING TO BE TOO SHORT JUST BASED ON ATTRITION.
EARLY ON, WE'VE ONLY DONE OUR THIRD ACADEMY, BUT THE TREND IS WE'RE NOT SEEING AS MANY APPLICANTS AS OTHER COMMUNITIES LIKE LUBBOCK OR OTHER PLACES.
ONE FACTOR OF THAT MAY BE THE PAY THAT WE OFFER.
AS FAR AS POLICE'S PAY RAISE PROPOSAL, THIS SHOWS THE YEAR 1 INCREASE OF 15%.
WHEN YOU FACTOR IN THE BASE INCREASE IN THE TOTAL, YOU'RE LOOKING AT 7.4 MILLION.
YEAR 2, THEY WERE PROPOSING A 6%, WHICH IS AROUND 2.6 MILLION.
YEAR 3, OVER 4% OF 1.8 MILLION.
A LOT OF THIS MAJOR INCREASE IN YEAR 1 IS REALLY TRYING TO GET CAUGHT
[00:40:03]
UP AND THEN THE SUBSEQUENT YEARS TRYING TO MAINTAIN.BUT LIKE LOOKING AT THE FIREFIGHTER SIDE, THERE'S A MOVING AVERAGE OF THE CITY, SO YOU COULD SEE THAT CONTINUE TO GROW BECAUSE WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES IN NEGOTIATIONS THIS YEAR, NOT THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE LOOKING AT PAY INCREASES.
I BELIEVE ON THE POLICE SIDE IN LUBBOCK, IT WAS A 15%, TOBY, THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
THEY'RE ALREADY GETTING DOUBLE DIGIT INCREASE.
THAT WILL JUST HAVE US FURTHER BEHIND.
AS FAR AS THE COMBINED ONE YEAR COST, WHEN YOU FACTOR BOTH OF THOSE, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT $13 MILLION TO FUND BASICALLY JUST THE BASE PAY INCREASES.
THAT DOESN'T FACTOR IN INCENTIVE PAY, CERTIFICATION PAYS, ANY OF THOSE.
IT'S FOR 297 POSITIONS AND FIRE, 379 POLICE.
THAT'S APPROXIMATELY, I THINK,5.2% INCREASE OF THE CURRENT GENERAL FUND BUDGET OF 250.
THEN WE JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU THE CONSERVATIVE NEW REVENUE AT THIS POINT IN TIME BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT PROPERTY VALUES ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE UNTIL JULY.
WE WANT TO HAVE PRELIMINARY NUMBERS FOR ANOTHER MONTH OR TWO.
IT'S VERY TOUGH TO GO OFF THE PRELIMINARY NUMBERS BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY PROTESTS AND CHANGES THAT UNTIL YOU GET THAT FINAL DOCUMENT IN JULY, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR FULL PROPERTY GROWTH IS GOING TO BE.
BUT WE HAVE ESTIMATED APPROXIMATELY 6.2 MILLION CONSERVATIVELY THAT WE MIGHT HAVE AVAILABLE.
THAT'S WITH A 3.5% PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.
THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO GO TO THE VOTERS.
THAT'S ALSO MOVING A PORTION OF YOUR WORKING BUDGET SALES TAX TO RECURRING REVENUE AND ALSO A SLIGHT SALES TAX INCREASE FOR SOME OF THAT GROWTH.
KNOWING WE BASICALLY HAVE SEEN SALES TAX STARTING TO FLATTEN OUT COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEARS, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SQUEEZE A LITTLE MORE GROWTH INTO THAT NUMBER.
IT'S BECOMING TIGHTER AND TIGHTER IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS.
THAT 6.2 MILLION, VERY CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE THAT WOULD BE USED ANY GIVEN YEAR TO MEET ALL YOUR GENERAL FUND NEEDS, NOT JUST PUBLIC SAFETY.
THAT WOULD COVER ONGOING ANNUAL OPERATIONAL COSTS, RAISES, INFLATIONARY INCREASES, NEW POSITIONS.
POLICE WOULD RECEIVE SOME OF THAT AS WELL FOR THEIR INFLATIONARY IMPACTS.
AN EXAMPLE OF A 3% RAISE, JUST ON THE GENERAL FUND CIVILIAN SIDE, THAT'S 1.85 MILLION OF SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD TYPICALLY KNOW ABOUT ON THAT SIDE OF THE LEDGER.
THEN IF WE WERE TO ALLOCATE THAT WHOLE 6.2 MILLION, WE'D STILL HAVE A SHORTFALL OF ABOUT 6.9, AND THAT'S WITHOUT FACTORING IN THE OTHER PAY REQUESTS I MENTIONED.
THOSE WOULD PROBABLY BE ABOUT ANOTHER HALF MILLION TO A MILLION, DEPENDING ON WHICH ONES WE SETTLE ON.
OF COURSE, TALKING TO BOTH GROUPS, OBVIOUSLY, THE PAY RAISES ARE THE MAIN PRIORITY, THE MAIN FOCUS.
IF WE HAD TO LOSE SOME OF THOSE OTHERS, I THINK THERE'D BE SOME WIGGLE ROOM THERE.
THAT'S THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION.
WE DID WANT TO BRING FORWARD SOME OPTIONS GOING INTO THE BUDGET OF HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO TRY AND COVER SOME OF THIS GAP.
OF COURSE, THE MOST UNPOPULAR WOULD BE A VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE, WHICH INITIALLY, WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM COUNCIL THAT WE DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN THAT PATH, BUT DID WANT TO PUT IT OUT THERE AS A TOPIC IN CASE PUBLIC SAFETY, POLICE AND FIRE WERE THE ONE TOPIC YOU MIGHT WANT TO GO OUT AND GO TO THE VOTERS FOR.
OF COURSE, THAT COULD COVER A PORTION OF THE GAP.
COULD COVER ALL OF IT BECAUSE YOU JUST PICK WHAT PROPERTY TAX YOU WANT TO GO FOR. THAT'S THE FIRST ONE.
THE OTHER IS POTENTIALLY DEVELOPING A NEW REVENUE SOURCE IN ORDER TO REALLOCATE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
ONE OF THOSE THAT'S BEEN EVALUATED IN THE PAST IS A STREET MAINTENANCE FEE THAT COULD BE UP TO $14 MILLION REALLOCATED, DEPENDING ON WHAT FEE YOU SET AND HOW IT'S SPREAD OUT AMONGST THE DIFFERENT PROPERTY HOLDERS, WHETHER IT'S RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, MULTI FAMILY.
IT'S A CALCULATION THAT'S RUN BASED ON THE TRAFFIC IMPACT TO COME UP WITH THAT FEE, SO A PORTION OF THAT COULD COVER IT.
WE'VE DISCUSSED, I BELIEVE IN THE PAST BUDGET SESSION, WHAT IF YOU SWAP FLEET PURCHASES TO BEING DEBT FUNDED INSTEAD OF CASH FUNDED? THIS COULD FREE UP CAPACITY IN THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE SIDE OF THE TAX RATE TO GO TOWARD PUBLIC SAFETY.
THIS WOULD REQUIRE MOST LIKELY, MULTIPLE RECURRING DEBT SCENARIOS TO MOVE THAT DIRECTION.
BUT IT COULD FREE UP TO $8 MILLION OF ONGOING GENERAL FUND EXPENSES.
THROUGH THE BUDGET YEAR PLANNING PROCESS STARTING THIS MONTH AND IN THE END OF THE SUMMER.
STAFF CAN ALSO REVIEW ALL OPTIONS OF OPEN POSITIONS OR EXPENSES THAT WE CAN CUT BACK ON TO FREE UP SOME GENERAL FUND TO BRING THE CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THROUGH THAT PROCESS, THERE COULD BE 1-$2 MILLION AVAILABLE THERE.
WE THOUGHT INITIALLY THERE COULD BE MAYBE MORE TO THAT NUMBER.
[00:45:04]
BUT THE OTHER PIECE THAT OVERAGES COVER IS TYPICALLY OVER TIME AND OTHER EXPENSES IN PUBLIC SAFETY.COST SAVINGS IN ONE DEPARTMENT TYPICALLY HELPS WITH OVERAGES IN ANOTHER DEPARTMENT.
REALLY TO WRAP UP FOR ALL DISCUSSION AFTER I FINISH IS GETTING SOME FEEDBACK, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE US TO TRY AND ACCOMPLISH AS FAR AS TARGETS? IS THERE A PERCENTAGE RANGE OR DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT WE WANT TO TRY AND GO AFTER BASED ON EVERYTHING YOU'VE LEARNED TODAY? JUST THIS INITIAL TAKE ON IT.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, JUST GETTING SOME DIRECTION ON SOME OF THESE OPTIONS I'VE SHARED.
BUT ALSO WE'D LIKE THE NEXT FEW MONTHS DURING BUDGET, TO REALLY HONE IN ON ALL OF THESE OPTIONS BASED ON ELSE FEEDBACK AND REALLY WAIT TO FINALIZE THESE AGREEMENTS.
I THINK WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THEM BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO FORMALIZE ALL THE LANGUAGE ON THE POLICY CHANGES AND JUST THE DOCUMENTS THEMSELVES.
BUT LEAD PLACEHOLDERS IN THERE FOR THE PAY RAISES UNTIL WE GET TO JULY, AUGUST, AND KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU ALL ARE WORKING WITH.
BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO BRING YOU AN AGREEMENT TO APPROVE THAT YOU CAN'T COMMIT TO PAYING, OBVIOUSLY.
BASED ON THAT, WE'D HAVE UNDERSTAND THE FULL IMPACT OF THE PROPERTY VALUES IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET, WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE A BETTER EXPECTATION GOING INTO NEXT YEAR AS FAR AS HOW WE CAN FUND THESE.
WITH THAT, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I KNOW TOBY AND TODD WOULD ALSO BE HAPPY TO COME UP AND GIVE THEIR FEEDBACK AS WELL.
>> I CAN JUST STATE MY POSITION.
I'LL BE PRETTY BLACK AND WHITE ON IT.
AS FAR AS TRYING TO MAKE A DECISION TODAY IS DEFINITELY NOT SOMETHING THAT I FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH AT ALL.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION THOUGH. WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT STAFF REVIEW OF ALL POSITIONS, DOES STAFF HAVE ANY IDEA OF MAYBE SOME POSITIONS THAT HAVE SAT VACANT FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS OR DO WE HAVE ANY NUMBER ON THAT THAT WE HAVEN'T FILLED?
>> WE HAVE STARTED PULLING THAT, AND THAT'S WHERE WE CAME UP WITH THE 1-2 MILLION.
BUT IT WOULD REQUIRE, I THINK, FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WITH THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
WHY HASN'T IT BEEN FILLED IS BECAUSE WE DON'T NEED THEM OR IS BECAUSE THEY ARE ALSO NOT PAYING ENOUGH SO WE CAN'T FILL THEM.
REALLY HAVING THOSE DEEP DIVE QUESTIONS TO SEE, CAN WE JUST CUT THEM OR IS THERE A NEED TO KEEP THEM? BUT YES, WE ARE RUNNING THAT ANALYSIS.
>> I'M SURE I'LL THINK SOME MORE. IT'S OKAY.
>> JUST A STATEMENT. I THINK WE'VE ALL MADE IT CLEAR THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS ONE OF OUR NUMBER 1 PRIORITIES, IF NOT THE TOP.
BUT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION ARE HUGE.
I THINK THAT THAT IS GOING TO START WITH BASE PAY AND GETTING THESE GUYS WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE, WHERE IT'S ATTRACTIVE.
I DON'T WANT OUR GUYS BEING TEMPTED TO GO TO A LESSER MARKET TO BE PAID MORE.
I THINK WE'VE GOT TO BE CREATIVE IN LOOKING AT THIS.
THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN OBVIOUSLY MAKE A DECISION RIGHT NOW.
I AGREE WITH YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT THE BUDGET, BUT TO LOOK FOR EFFICIENCIES, LOOK TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP MEET SOME OF THESE NEEDS AND A LOT OF THESE I THINK ARE EASY GIVEN.
IT'S THE BUDGET STUFF THAT WE'VE GOT TO TAKE A LOOK AT TO SEE.
BUT MY POSITION IS WE NEED TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO GET THERE.
>> FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, I LIKE THE PRESENTATION, BUT THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF WORK I HAVE TO DO TO SEE WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
I SEE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS, I HAVE SEEN WHAT YOU WANT.
BUT I WANT TO SEE THE HARD, REAL NUMBERS TO WHERE IT MAKES SENSE.
NOW, I BELIEVE ALL THESE PEOPLE DESERVE A RAISE AND WE'RE WILLING TO WORK THROUGH THAT.
BUT I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPTIONS WE'VE GOT AVAILABLE TO US BESIDES WHAT'S JUST PRESENTED HERE.
I KNOW AFTER I'VE SAT IN ON A COUPLE OF THEIR SESSIONS, I'VE LEFT AND GONE HOME AND DONE SOME WORK MYSELF.
AFTER LISTENING, SAW THE NEED, SAW WHAT THEY NEEDED, AND THEN I TRIED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE COULD DO TO MAKE IT BENEFICIAL TO OUR EMPLOYEES.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THIS, BUT WE NEED TO DO IT RIGHT.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS A ONE OR TWO MEETING DISCUSSION, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US REALLY GET INTO IT.
LET EACH COUNCIL MEMBER REALLY DIG WITH STAFF TO SEE WHAT IS POSSIBLE.
BECAUSE I KNOW TODAY MYSELF, AFTER LOOKING AT THIS, I THINK THERE'S A $0.5 BILLION BUDGET.
I'D LIKE TO SIT DOWN AND REALLY GO THROUGH IT.
I KNOW MYSELF, I'M LOOKING AT BUDGET FOR THIS COMING YEAR ALREADY AND I'VE BEEN DOING SOME STUFF AND SOME STUDIES.
[00:50:02]
I THINK WE JUST NEED TO REALLY TIGHTEN OUR BELTS, LOOK AT WHAT WE GOT TO DO, AND LOOK AT WHERE THE NEEDS ARE.WE CAN'T KEEP LIVING ON THE HIGH END.
WE GOT TO GET BACK TO LIVING ON OUR MEANS, AND THAT'S WHERE WE GOT TO GO. THANK YOU.
>> I WOULD AGREE WITH WHAT ELSE HERE.
I THINK WE'VE GOT TO MAKE A COMMITMENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
IT TAKES PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
WHEN YOU JUST LOOK AT THE NUMBERS IN THE ATTRITION AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE RETIRING, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING OUT OF THE END OF OUR PIPELINE VERSUS THE PEOPLE COMING IN.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO LOSE GROUND ON THAT.
I THINK EVERYBODY WOULD PAY IS NOT THE ONLY FACTOR IN THAT, BUT I WOULD SAY IT'S A MAJOR FACTOR IN THAT.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO LOOKING AT A NEW AND DIFFERENT WAYS TO BE ABLE TO COMPENSATE THAT.
THAT'S NOT ONLY TRUE FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT AGAIN, IT TAKES PEOPLE TO DO WHAT WE DO WITH THE CITY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE COMPETITIVE AND WE'RE COMPENSATING THEM WELL, TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
I COULD SEE ON ONE HAND, MAYBE A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.
I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE THAT HAS A FACTOR INTO IT.
BUT ALSO WHEN SPOUSES MOVE HERE, THEY MAY HAVE FEWER EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
WE MAY HAVE SOME MORE THINGS THAT MAY CHALLENGE JUST THE COST OF LIVING PART OF IT.
BUT I THINK I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SHERLYN.
IT'S NOT THIS SIMPLE BUT AT A HALF MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET, IF YOU'RE JUST LOOKING AT CUTTING YOUR OPERATIONS BY 1%.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE AND NOT ONLY WHAT WE COME UP WITH, BUT WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS ON THAT.
IF WE'RE LOOKING AT 1% CUT ON EXPENSES, WHAT WOULD THAT LIKE 2, 3, 4 BECAUSE IF YOU GO UP TO JUST A 4% LOOK AT THAT ON OPERATIONAL, WE MAY DECIDE, NO, THAT'S TOO DEEP INTO IT, BUT I THINK AT LEAST GIVING COUNCIL OPTIONS TO KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD BE LIKE WOULD BE BENEFICIAL IN ADDITION TO WHAT ELSE WE'RE COMING UP WITH.
BECAUSE I DO THINK WE'VE GOT TO INVEST IN OUR PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY OUR PUBLIC SAFETY HAS BEEN A PRIORITY.
BUT ALSO LOOKING IT ACROSS THE BOARD TO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING COMPETITIVE SALARIES.
NOT ONLY FOR THOSE IN PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT MAKING SURE WHAT OUR EMPLOYEES TO DO AND FIGURING OUT A WAY TO DO THAT.
I LOOK FOR YOU AGAIN, THIS IS GOING TO BE A COMPLEX PUZZLE TO SOLVE IN OUR UPCOMING BUDGET AS THEY ALWAYS ARE.
BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO COME UP WITH.
SOME OF THESE, I JUST DON'T SEE MUCH OF AN APPETITE FOR ON THESE OPTIONS.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO REALLY HAVE TO, REALLY LOOK AT SHARPENING OUR PENCILS AND SEE WHAT OUR OPTIONS ARE TO KNOW AND MAYBE THE OPTIONS WOULD COME BACK AND THEY'RE JUST TOO MUCH.
WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT OTHER WAYS TO DO IT.
BUT I THINK I'M COMMITTED TO LOOKING AT WAYS THAT THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE OUR COMMUNITY IS SAFE AND PROTECTED AND BY MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE COMPENSATING SO THAT WE CAN ATTRACT AND RETAIN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY.
CAN I GO BACK JUST A LITTLE BIT TO NON MONIES FACTORED INTO DIFFERENT NEGOTIATIONS? DO WE HAVE AGREEMENTS ON EVERYTHING THAT DIDN'T HIT THE DOLLAR VALUE?
>> I THINK WE'RE PRETTY CLOSE ON, IN PRINCIPLE, AGREEING ON EVERYTHING.
>> WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE HAD A PRETTY SUCCESSFUL MEET AND CONFER UP TO THIS POINT.
A LOT OF POLICY THINGS THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER ON, WE'RE COMING TOGETHER.
MAINLY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET TO HERE IS A FINANCIAL CRUNCH.
THIS IS NOT A POPULAR STATEMENT, BUT IT IS VERY REALISTIC.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT IN HAVING GOOD COMMUNICATION THAT WE SET EXPECTATIONS.
ONE REASON THAT I THINK THIS COUNCIL HAS TAKEN THE APPROACH OF WE ARE LIMITED TO 3.5% INCREASES AS WE MOVE FORWARD IS BECAUSE I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A CONSTITUENCY THAT WE CAN GO BACK AND WE CAN ASK THEM TO SUPPORT A BOND.
THE FACT THAT I WOULD HAVE MY FIRE AND MY POLICE AS THE ONE ENTITIES THAT I WOULD FEEL LIKE THEY WOULD VOTE FOR EVERY TIME I LOOK BACK OVER THE PROP 1 MONIES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN MANAGED CORRECTLY FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS AND I THINK IN REALITY I DON'T HAVE THE TRUST IN THAT ACCOUNT THAT I NEED POLITICALLY TO COME AND ASK FOR THEM TO TRUST ME AGAIN.
JUST POINT BLANK, I THINK THE WAY WE'VE GOT TO APPROACH THIS IS WE'VE GOT A SET AMOUNT OF MONEY AND WE'VE GOT TO WORK WITHIN THESE PARAMETERS.
YOU HAVE FIVE MEN UP HERE THAT ARE WILLING TO WORK HARD FOR YOU.
WE'VE ALREADY PRIORITIZED YOU GUYS AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF THE HEALTH OF THE REST OF THE ORGANIZATION, NOR WOULD YOU WANT US TO.
WITH THE MINDFULNESS OF UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THOSE CIVILIAN POSITIONS PAID FOR AND WE STILL NEED STREETS AND WE STILL NEED TRASH AND OTHER SERVICES THAT MAKE IT FUNCTION.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE REALLY WANT TO LOOK AT THIS IN THE WAY OF LIKE WHERE CAN WE CUT SOME OF THE FAT? I KNOW, I'VE BEEN TOLD EVERY TIME I'VE SAT DOWN AT BUDGET, WE'RE AS LEAN AS WE CAN GET, UNTIL ALL OF A SUDDEN WE FIND $1 MILLION SOMEWHERE.
[00:55:04]
PERSONALLY, I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE WE'RE AS LEAN AS WE CAN GET AND I THINK THAT THAT COMES DOWN TO ONE PRINCIPLE.IN BUSINESS AND IN TRYING TO RUN THE CITY LIKE A BUSINESS, THOSE PEOPLE THAT WORK HARD, WORK HARD AND DESERVE TO BE COMPENSATED FOR IT AND IN ANY ORGANIZATION YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT DO NOT WORK HARD.
IF WE CAN TRIM THAT AND WE CAN BRING MORE MONIES TO THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE EARNING IT, THEN MAYBE THAT'S WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE.
FOR THOSE OF US THAT ARE WILLING TO PULL TOGETHER, I THINK THIS IS AN OPTIMISTIC CONVERSATION.
I THINK IT DOES REQUIRE US TO HAVE MAYBE A DUE DILIGENCE ON HAVING SOME HARDER TOPICS.
ONE THING THAT I WOULD PROPOSE IS, WHAT WOULD YOU FEEL WOULD BE THE APPETITE FOR A SCALED OR A TIERED DECREASE? THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND AT THE BOTTOM LEVEL, I THINK WE GOT TO PRIORITIZE THEM FIRST.
THOSE ARE THE MONIES THAT WE'VE GOT TO HAVE FOR RETAINAGE.
BEING ABLE TO RETAIN POSITIONS, NOT TRAINING SOMEBODY, INVESTING WHATEVER IT IS, $100,000 OVER A YEAR AND THEN WATCHING THEM LEAVE.
BUT AS WE COME UP THE SCALE, WHEN WE GET UP, SAY OVER $120,000, $130,000 A YEAR.
DO WE HAVE A STAFF THAT CAN LOOK AT THIS MAYBE IN JUST A ONE YEAR LOOK WHERE YOU GUYS ARE LIKE, HOLD US FLAT.
MAYBE ACM'S DIRECTORS, CITY MANAGEMENT, THINGS LIKE THAT.
WHERE WE CAN SHOW OUR CORE AND OUR INNER CONSTITUENCY LIKE MAN, THE MONEY IS GOING TO GO WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO.
THAT'S PROBABLY VERY UNPOPULAR.
BUT I THINK THAT EVEN IF WE ARE LOOKING AT THE REST OF THE ORGANIZATION IN A SMALL COLLAR, WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO PUT THE PERCENTAGES WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO RETURN THE MOST ROI.
WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO GAUGE? HAVE Y'ALL EVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN THE PAST WHERE WE LOOK AT CUT OFF?
>> THE POLICE AND FIRE SPECIFICALLY OR ACROSS THE BOARD?
>> ACROSS THE BOARD ORGANIZATION.
>> IT'S A CHALLENGING. WELL, PARTICULARLY POLICE AND FIRE, BUT EVEN IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
ONCE YOU START ADJUSTING THEM, YOU BECOME A COMPRESSION ISSUE, AS FAR AS IF YOU GIVE ONE PERSON THIS INCREASE, THEN YOU'RE RIGHT UP NEXT TO THE NEXT PERSON.
THAT'S THE NORMAL CHALLENGE WE HAVE TO LOOK THROUGH, BUT THAT'S ALL STUFF WE CAN EVALUATE.
>> COMPRESSION, I THINK IS A FACTOR THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO SEE THE NUMBERS ON LIKE COUNCILMAN SCHERLEN SAID.
ANOTHER THING THAT I THINK CAN BE GOOD IN THE WAY IN WHICH WE WORK THIS FORWARD IS LOOKING AT MERIT ON THAT HIGH SIDE.
IF WE DO WANT TO RUN THE CITY LIKE A BUSINESS, AND I MEAN THAT IN THE RIGHT WAY WITH BUSINESS PRINCIPLES, THEN AT A CERTAIN LEVEL YOU'RE PAID TO PERFORM.
IF YOU'RE $150,000 A YEAR, GUY, I THINK YOUR PERFORMANCE NEEDS TO SPEAK TO YOUR INCREASE, NOT NECESSARILY THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION.
THAT MIGHT GIVE US A LITTLE BREATHING ROOM ON THE HIGHER END, AND I WOULDN'T EVEN BEGIN TO GUESS HOW MANY PEOPLE WE HAVE OR WHAT WE'RE AT THERE WHERE IF WE CARVE THAT OUT, MAYBE WE'RE LOOKING AT A MORE DIGESTIBLE NUMBER.
WHAT ARE THE LAST FOUR YEAR INCREASES? CAN YOU TELL ME, OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, WHAT THE WERE?
>> THIS YEAR WAS 4%, LAST YEAR WAS 5%, THE YEAR BEFORE WAS 3%.
I KNOW I WROTE DOWN THE OTHERS, BUT I DON'T HAVE THEM HANDY.
>> TWO AND A HALF, THREE OR LESS?
IT WAS 3% RANGE, I BELIEVE. MAYBE UP TO FIVE.
>> OVER THAT SIX YEAR TIME PERIOD.
>> I SAY THAT ON THE GOOD AND THE BAD.
AS A GUY WHO'D LIKE TO SAY, HEY MAN, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS. COUNCIL IS STILL MOVING.
YOU GUYS, YOU'RE GETTING PAID.
WE CAN SAY THAT BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE TO SAY, MAN, EVERYTHING ACROSS THE BOARD, THE TREND DOESN'T CHANGE.
YOU'RE STILL RIGHT THERE WHERE YOU WERE NOW.
>> THOSE SINGLE DIGITS, AND EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING DOUBLE DIGITS.
WE'RE JUST THAT MUCH FURTHER BEHIND.
AT SOME POINT, WE'VE GOT TO GET OURSELVES OUT OF COMPARING OURSELVES TO THE FIVE ABOVE AND THE FIVE BELOW AND WE'VE GOT TO COMPARE OURSELVES TO AMARILLO, WHICH IS WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO LIVE HERE AND WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO WANT TO BE A LIFETIME FIREMAN HERE? WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A SOLD OUT POLICE OFFICER HERE? THEN I THINK THAT IT SHOWS A LOT WHEN YOU DO THIS COST OF LIVING AND HOW EXPENSIVE IT CAN GET.
BUT NONE OF THAT'S RELEVANT BECAUSE IT ALL COMES DOWN TO WHERE YOU WANT TO LIVE AND YOU BASE THAT ON WHO YOU WANT TO LIVE AROUND MORE THAN ANYTHING, AND THAT'S THE ONE THING WE HAVE.
WE HAVE GOOD QUALITY PEOPLE HERE, BUT WE I BELIEVE ARE FIVE QUALITY INDIVIDUALS THAT WILL PRIORITIZE YOU GUYS ABOVE OURSELF AND WE'LL BE WILLING TO COME OUT HERE AND HAVE SOME DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS.
THE FLEET LEASE IS EIGHT MILLION.
>> THAT'S WHAT IT WOULD TAKE THE ONGOING CASH TO REPLACE THE FLEET.
>> WELL, I DON'T SPEAK FOR COUNCIL, BUT I LOVE THAT.
>> IT DOES TAKE AWAY THE OPTION OF DOING LEASE THOUGH, IF WE GO TO THE DEBT SIDE, BUT IT IS AN OPTION.
>> WHAT IS THE LEASE NET IN THE WAY?
[01:00:02]
>> THE IDEA WAS A LEASE IS WE WERE GOING TO GET MORE FOR OUR MONEY, SO WE'D GET MORE VEHICLES.
IF WE SWITCHED IT AS DEBT FUNDED, WE WOULD LOSE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE THE VEHICLE.
>> JUST THE OTHER CAVEAT ON THAT IS ON LEASING OR CASH FUNDING YOUR FLEET.
IT'S ON THE OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE SIDE OF THE TAX RATE WHICH IS WHERE THAT 3.5% CONSTRAINT IS EACH YEAR.
IF YOU WERE TO FUND THAT AND SET OUT OF THE DEBT SERVICE SIDE, IT CAN VARY AS NEEDED FROM YEAR TO YEAR AND IT OPENS UP MORE CAPACITY I GUESS ON THAT 3.5% RANGE. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?
>> A LITTLE BIT. I THINK IT'S NOT NECESSARILY WHAT IT SOUNDED TO ME.
I'M NOT SAYING THE REST OF COUNCIL DOESN'T GET IT.
BUT IF WE COULD GET SOME BETTER EDUCATION ON THAT VERSUS THE LEASE, BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SEE IF WE GET OURSELVES ON A LEASING PROGRAM WHERE WE'RE TURNING THESE VEHICLES BACK EVERY FIVE YEARS AND WE'RE REALIZING THIS MUCH CASH IN OUR GENERAL FUND, THAT'S ONE OPTION.
THE OTHER ONE WOULD BE THE DEBT, THE INS SIDE THAT YOU'RE SAYING AND I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SPLIT THOSE APART AND SEE THEM SEPARATE.
>> THANK YOU. I THINK THAT'S SOME GOOD HIGHLIGHTS.
I DON'T WANT OUR ASSOCIATION AND OUR PRESIDENTS HERE TO THINK THAT WE DIDN'T COME HERE WANTING TO MOVE FORWARD AND IT'S JUST A LISTENING SESSION.
I THINK WE'RE READY TO ENGAGE.
CAN WE GET FROM YOU GUYS? THESE ARE THE ASKS.
I'M GOING TO HOPE THAT THESE AREN'T THE WALKAWAYS WHERE YOU'RE READY TO WALK AWAY FROM THE TABLE AND THAT THESE AREN'T LIKE, THIS IS THE ASK, THIS IS WHAT WE NEED, THIS IS WHAT WE'D LIKE.
CAN I EXTEND AND ASK TO YOU GUYS IF YOU GUYS CAN MAYBE LET US KNOW YOUR APPETITE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE WILLING TO WORK AND PULL DIFFERENT THINGS TOGETHER.
HOW MUCH FLEXIBILITY DO YOU HAVE IN? LET'S TAKE THIS AT A YEAR, AT A TIME.
RIGHT NOW, THE ASK IS PRETTY HEAVY ON THE FRONT THIS CURRENT YEAR.
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IF YOU FOLD THIS OUT AND MAYBE WHAT'S YOUR APPETITE? TOBY, IF YOU DON'T MIND COMING UP? YES, SIR.
>> THANKS, MAYOR, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
IT HAS BEEN PRODUCTIVE SESSIONS WITH MR. FREEMAN AND HIS CREW.
THEY'VE BEEN NOTHING BUT PROFESSIONAL, AND I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH FROM ALL THOSE GUYS.
I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU GUYS SOME RELEVANT NUMBERS AND SOME HISTORY BEHIND THE ASKS.
I WANT YOU GUYS TO UNDERSTAND THE WHY.
WE DID THE 10-CITY STUDY, THE FIVE CITIES ABOVE FIVE CITIES BELOW IN POPULATION, TEXAS WIDE.
THOSE NUMBERS WERE UP THERE ROUGHLY 14.8% SHORTAGE.
THAT'S HOW FAR BEHIND WE ARE OF THOSE 10 CITIES.
THAT INCLUDES THE TWO CITIES THAT WE PAID BETTER THAN.
WE WANTED TO BE FAIR AND DO A WEST TEXAS REGION BECAUSE WE DO UNDERSTAND THE COST OF LIVING ARGUMENT.
ALTHOUGH THE COST OF LIVING TO ME IS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE HOUSING CHANGE AND THE PROPERTY TAX CHANGE.
SO IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT CHEAPER TO GET A HOUSE HERE IN AMARILLO THAN SOME OF THESE OTHER PLACES, ESPECIALLY DFW.
BUT I'VE LOOKED, I'VE CHECKED GAS BUDDY AND A GALLON OF GAS AND A CARTON OF EGGS AND A LOAF OF BREAD COSTS THE SAME HERE AS IT DOES IN ABILENE, OR DFW, OR HOUSTON, OR ANYWHERE ELSE IN TEXAS.
I THINK THAT IS A LITTLE BIT OVERBLOWN AS FAR AS THE COST OF LIVING.
BUT THE REGIONAL CITYWIDE STUDY WE DID, WICHITA FALLS, ABILENE, LUBBOCK, ODESSA, MIDLAND CONSIDERED THOSE ARE FIVE REGIONAL PARTNER CITIES, CITIES OUR SIZE, WE CAME IN ABOUT 11.1% BELOW THOSE CITIES, AND THAT'S WITH ONE CITY THAT WE PAID A LITTLE BETTER THAN THAT WAS WICHITA FALLS AT ABOUT 4%, BUT LUBBOCK CAME IN AT 12.3% ABOVE, ODESSA 15.9, MIDLAND 19.5, ABILENE 11.8.
ALL THOSE CITIES WHEN YOU AVERAGED OUT ALL THE RANKS ACROSS THE BOARDS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER.
WE'RE NOT ALWAYS JUST COMPETING WITH OTHER POLICE AGENCIES, WE'RE COMPETING WITH OTHER JOBS, ESPECIALLY PANTEX.
I DID SOME RESEARCH INTO PANTEX'S PAY, WHICH TAKES A LOT OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS.
I'M NOT SAYING WE CAN COME CLOSE TO THEIR STARTING PAY SALARY, BUT WITH THEIR COMPLICATED CONTRACT AND HOW YOU FIGURE OUT HOW THEY MAKE THEIR MONEY BASED ON THEIR OVERTIME AND THEIR REGULAR RATE, IT'S ABOUT $92,000 A YEAR.
OUR STARTING RECRUIT MAKES ABOUT 60,000.
ONCE THEY'RE ONE-YEAR POLICE OFFICER, THEY MAKE ABOUT $64,000 A YEAR.
SIGNIFICANTLY BEHIND THOSE GUYS, AND THEY DO TAKE A LOT OF OUR OFFICERS, A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE PUT A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY AND INVESTED INTO.
[01:05:02]
WE'VE DEFINITELY GOT TO TRY AND RETAIN THOSE.SOME OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENT NUMBERS I'D LIKE YOU GUYS TO KNOW.
WE HAVE AVERAGED OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS 30.4 DEPARTURES PER YEAR.
THAT INCLUDES RESIGNATIONS, RETIREMENTS, AND UNFORTUNATELY DURING COVID A FEW DEATHS, 30.4 WE AVERAGE ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT RETIREMENTS A YEAR.
THE REST OF THOSE GUYS ARE RESIGNING.
THEY'RE LEAVING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PRIOR TO THEIR RETIREMENT.
JUST OVER 30 DEPARTURES A YEAR.
THE WAY WE FILL PRIMARILY IS WITH POLICE ACADEMIES.
YOU GUYS KNOW THAT WE'VE BUMPED IT UP TO TWO POLICE ACADEMIES PER YEAR.
IT WAS ONE POLICE ACADEMY WHEN SOME OF US OLD TIMERS WENT THROUGH, BUT WE HAVE HAD TO MAKE THAT CHANGE TO TRY AND GET NEW RECRUITS IN.
I CAN REMEMBER 600 PLUS PEOPLE IN THE CIVIC CENTER APPLYING FOR THE JOB THAT I WANTED.
WE HAD A BIG POOL TO SCOOP OUT OF.
AUGUST OF 2020, THE ACADEMY THAT GRADUATED THERE, WHICH MEANT IT WOULD HAVE STARTED SIX OR SEVEN MONTHS PRIOR, WE HAD 258 PEOPLE SHOW UP FOR THAT TEST.
WE PAIRED THAT DOWN, 31 STARTED THAT ACADEMY AND 22 GRADUATED.
FAST FORWARD TO JANUARY OF 2024, THIS MOST RECENT ACADEMY THAT WE JUST GRADUATED, 64 PEOPLE TOOK THAT TEST; 600, 258, 64.
THAT'S THE SMALL POOL THAT WE'RE SCOOPING OUT OF.
TEN PEOPLE STARTED THAT ACADEMY, WE GRADUATED SEVEN.
THE LAST FEW YEARS WE'VE GRADUATED FIVE, NINE, AND SEVEN POLICE RECRUITS.
THAT'S A SMALL NUMBER, AND THAT'S NOT FILLING THE 30.4 THAT WE'RE LOSING EVERY YEAR.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE 30 SWORN POSITIONS BEHIND, 350 OUT OF 380 AND IT'S NOT GETTING ANY BETTER.
WE KNOW THE CITY KEEP A 90-DAY RESERVE OBVIOUSLY BY LAW, AND THAT PART IS GOOD.
2023, THERE WAS 69.6 MILLION UNASSIGNED DOLLARS AT THE END OF THE YEAR BASED ON THE AUDIT.
55.1 MILLION OF THAT IS THE 90-DAY RESERVE.
DOING THE MATH, THAT'S 14.5 MILLION DOLLAR THAT WAS IN EXCESS IN 2023, AND THAT MONEY WAS SPENT PROBABLY ON GREAT PROJECTS.
THE YEAR BEFORE WAS 74.9 MILLION UNASSIGNED, 2021 WAS 65.7 MILLION UNASSIGNED.
THAT'S UNASSIGNED GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.
I KNOW LAURA AND ANDREW CAN BETTER EXPLAIN THAT THAN I CAN, OBVIOUSLY.
BUT I KNOW THERE'S EXTRA MONEY THERE AND THEY'RE ALWAYS PUT TO GOOD USE.
MAYOR, YOU MENTIONED THE $30.6 MILLION IN BOND MONEY THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SPENT ON STREETS OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, AND FOR WHATEVER REASON WASN'T SPENT.
WHETHER THEY COULDN'T GET THOSE PROJECTS DONE OR COULDN'T IDENTIFY WHAT TO DO WITH THEM, BUT I FEEL THE SAME AS YOU.
I DON'T THINK THE PUBLIC IS READY TO VOTE FOR MORE MONEY NO MATTER WHAT IT IS.
I THINK THEY WANT YOU GUYS, US, TO SPEND THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE ON THE NECESSITIES THAT WE NEED.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS DEFINITELY THOSE NECESSITIES.
WE COST OUT ABOUT THE SAME THING.
WE ACTUALLY COST OUT THE POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE, NOT THE AVAILABLE POSITIONS.
AS WE'RE 30 PEOPLE SHORT, WE'D LOVE TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS, BUT WE ROUGHLY CAME WITH THE SAME NUMBERS THAT THE CITY DID AS FAR AS COST.
I KNOW IN 2021, THERE WAS A BOND TO BASICALLY MULTIPLY THE CITY PARKS DEPARTMENT TENFOLD, AND WE DID THAT, WE ACTUALLY SUPPORTED THAT.
AS FAR AS THE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TIMES WHERE WE MIGHT HAVE TO BUCKLE DOWN AND SPEND A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF MONEY ON A SPECIFIC PURPOSE, JUST LIKE WE DID THE PARKS DEPARTMENT BACK THEN.
I'LL CLOSE ON THIS, I'LL TELL YOU THIS.
I KNOW OF A 10-YEAR POLICE OFFICER RIGHT NOW, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT A BRAND NEW GUY, HE'S BEEN HERE 10 YEARS.
SO HE'S MAXED OUT AT HIS OFFICER RANK.
HE MAKES THE MOST MONEY YOU CAN MAKE AT POLICE OFFICER RANK.
HE'S IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW OF LEAVING.
HE'S APPLIED AND IS GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF GOING TO ABILENE PD.
WHEN HE GETS THERE, THEY'LL ACCEPT HIM AS A FOUR-YEAR POLICE OFFICER.
HE'LL MAKE THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY HE MAKES RIGHT NOW.
IN FOUR YEARS HE'S GOING TO MAKE ABOUT 16.4% MORE THAN HE MAKES RIGHT NOW DOING THE EXACT SAME JOB.
THIS GUY'S IN A PREMIER ASSIGNMENT RIGHT NOW.
HE'S GOING TO GO DOWN THERE AND GET BACK IN A PATROL CAR AND RIDE A BEAT.
HE DOESN'T HAVE FAMILY THERE, HE JUST KNOWS THAT HE'S GOING TO MAKE MORE MONEY GOING THERE.
WE'VE LOST OFFICERS TO PLANO, ALLEN, LUBBOCK, AND NOW ABILENE.
[01:10:04]
THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS REACHED A CRITICAL LEVEL.WE'VE HAD THREE GROUPS OF POLICE OFFICERS SHOT AT IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS.
IT'S BEEN A PRETTY ROUGH YEAR, TO BE HONEST, BUT THE CULTURE THAT WE HAVE AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS GOOD, THE LEADERSHIP IS GOOD, THE TRAINING IS FANTASTIC, AND THESE GUYS HAVE EXCELLED AT THEIR JOBS AND TAKEN CARE OF BUSINESS.
BUT IT'S GETTING WORSE, AND THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WILLING TO DO THIS JOB ARE MUCH LESS THAN IT WAS FIVE, 10, EVEN 15 YEARS AGO.
WE'VE SOUNDED THE ALARM BELLS FOR SEVERAL YEARS, THAT THIS IS BECOMING A CRITICAL PROBLEM.
WE ARE AT A CRITICAL STAGE RIGHT NOW.
WE ARE NOT HIRING WHAT WE ARE LOSING, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO FALL FURTHER AND FURTHER BEHIND THESE OTHER CITIES.
IT PAINS ME TO SAY THIS, BUT I'M GOING TO SAY IT ANYWAY.
I'M A THIRD GENERATION POLICE OFFICER IN THE CITY.
MY DAD DID THIS JOB, MY GRANDDAD DID THIS JOB.
THE JOKE IS, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO ANYTHING ELSE.
I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER SKILLS.
MY SON'S A 17-YEAR-OLD HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR RIGHT NOW, AND HE'S FIGURING OUT WHAT HE'S GOING TO DO FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE.
I'M NOT SAYING HE'S GOING DOWN THE POLICE PATH, BUT IF HE WERE, I WOULD SUPPORT HIM.
BUT I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THAT HE WORKED AT APD RIGHT NOW, NOT BECAUSE OF THE CULTURE, NOT BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE; IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK, BUT THEY SIMPLY PAY A WHOLE LOT MORE FOR GUYS TO GO OUT AND RISK THEIR LIVES OTHER PLACES THAN THEY DO HERE AND WE'VE ALL GOT FAMILIES TO THINK ABOUT.
THIS IS THE YEAR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BUCKLE DOWN AND FIND A WAY TO DO THIS TOGETHER.
I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS' TIME, I APPRECIATE MR. FREEMAN AND HIS CREW'S TIME, AND WE'RE WILLING TO WORK.
ANY QUESTIONS? ON THE LOW NUMBERS ON THE ACADEMY, DO YOU THINK THE DRIVING FORCE IS THE PAY? BECAUSE THOSE NUMBERS ARE ABYSMAL, THEY'RE TERRIBLE. IS IT THE PAY?
WHEN WE SEND GUYS TO RECRUIT, AND I'M TALKING 20, 25 YEARS AGO, WE GOT ALL OUR POLICE OFFICERS FROM THE PANHANDLE.
EVERYBODY FROM THE SMALL TOWNS AND WITHIN AMARILLO CAME HERE AND WENT TO THE AMARILLO POLICE ACADEMY, WHERE THE PREMIER AGENCY IN THE TOP 26 COUNTIES.
2016, WHEN ALL THE ANTI POLICE STUFF STARTED, THERE WAS A GIANT DIP.
COVID ALSO HURT EMPLOYMENT ACROSS THE BOARD, NOT JUST POLICE OFFICERS, BUT THIS IS A NATIONWIDE ISSUE.
OUR NUMBER STARTED TO DIP SERIOUSLY.
SO WE'VE HAD TO EXPAND OUTSIDE THE PANHANDLE.
WE SEND RECRUITERS TO ABILENE, COLLEEN, HOUSTON, DALLAS, OKLAHOMA CITY.
WE SEND THEM ALL OVER THE PLACE.
THE PLACES YOU GO ARE PLACES WITH COLLEGES, PLACES WITH MILITARY BASES, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BE 21 YEARS OLD TO BE A POLICE APPLICANT.
THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR YOUR RECRUITS.
ALL THE OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING THE SAME THING.
WHEN THERE'S 10 OR 12 POLICE DEPARTMENTS AT THESE RECRUITING EVENTS AND THEY'RE ALL LINED UP ON THE TABLE, IF I JUST GOT OUT OF THE MILITARY AND COLLEEN OR IF I JUST GOT OUT OF COLLEGE IN HOUSTON AND I DON'T HAVE A TIE TO AMARILLO, ALL I'M LOOKING AT IS THE BOTTOM LINE AS A RECRUIT IF I'M A BRAND NEW GUY.
WHY WOULD I LEAVE AN AREA THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH AND KNOW AND PAYS BETTER TO COME TO AMARILLO, TEXAS? WE CAN TELL THEM HOW GREAT THE PEOPLE ARE ALL WE WANT, WE CAN TELL THEM HOW AWESOME OUR DEPARTMENT IS.
BUT WHEN THEY SEE THE STARTING AND FINISHING PAY NUMBERS, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE BASING IT OFF OF AND THAT'S WHO'S GETTING OUR PEOPLE.
IT'S A RECRUITMENT AND IT'S A RETENTION ISSUE BIG TIME.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU, SIR.
>> MR. PEDEN, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD TO IT, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY.
>> YES, SIR. MS. MARY. AND COUNSEL, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET UP HERE AND DISCUSS SOME OF THESE ISSUES WITH US.
GOING BACK A LITTLE BIT, WE ENTERED MEET AND CONFER CONTRACTS BACK WHENEVER WE DID FOR THE REASON OF RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.
EXACTLY LIKE PD, JUST LIKE MR. FREEMAN SPOKE OF.
WHEN WE STARTED LOOKING AT SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS AND WE START LOOKING AT THOSE ACADEMIES, JUST LIKE TOBY SPOKE OF ON OUR LAST FIRE ACADEMY, WE ENDED UP HIRING 19 GUYS, BUT WE HAD TO GO THROUGH THE 41 PEOPLE THAT PASSED AND MADE IT TO THAT LEVEL.
I BELIEVE WE'VE ALREADY LOST ONE OUT OF THAT.
SO WE'RE ALREADY BEHIND THE NUMBERS.
WE AS WELL ARE NOT GETTING THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE TO COME IN THAT WANT TO COME HERE.
AND THEN ONCE WE DO GET SOME, IN THE LAST THREE ACADEMIES, WE'VE LOST SEVERAL MEMBERS TO GO TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE OF THAT PAY.
[01:15:03]
WE'RE JUST NOT ABLE TO RETAIN THESE PEOPLE WHENEVER THEY COME HERE.SOME OF THE NUMBERS THAT WE DISCUSSED THAT MR. FREEMAN PUT UP ON THE BOARD, WE'RE 38.72% BELOW ON THE CITIES THAT WE CHOSE TO CHOOSE OUR AVERAGE ON AT THE RANK OF FIREFIGHTER.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE RECRUITING PEOPLE.
ONCE WE PUT OUR NUMBERS INTO PEOPLE AND WE START GETTING TIME INVOLVED IN THEM AND WE GET TRAINING AND WE DO ALL THIS OTHER STUFF.
WE'RE AVERAGING 18, 17% WHERE THESE GUYS AREN'T GETTING THE PAY EITHER.
AND THEY CAN EASILY GO TO PANTEX AT THAT LEVEL.
THEY CAN GO TO THESE OTHER PLACES.
THERE ARE A FEW DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE STATE THAT OFFER SOME LATERAL TRANSFERS.
THAT'S LESS, BUT THESE PEOPLE ARE BEING ABLE TO GO TO OTHER PLACES AND WORK.
AND I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.
I DIFFER A LITTLE BIT TOO, JUST LIKE TOBY SAID.
THEY'VE HAD THREE INCIDENTS RECENTLY WHERE THEY'VE HAD INVOLVED SHOOTINGS.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOUR COST OF LIVING IS.
WHENEVER YOU GET SHOT AT, IT'S THE SAME.
WHENEVER WE RUN INTO BURNING BUILDINGS, IT'S THE SAME WHETHER THE COST OF LIVING IS DIFFERENT THAN IT IS HERE.
FIRE IS ALL THE SAME TEMPERATURE.
SO NO MATTER WHAT WE DO HERE FOR OUR JOB, IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE ON THOSE THINGS.
SO IF WE CAN DO THAT TO PROTECT OUR FAMILIES.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM.
ALL OF THE STUFF THAT WE HAVE ON OUR LIST OF ITEMS THAT WE WANTED TO DISCUSS WHEN WE WENT TO MEET AND CONFER WAS TO MAKE THE LIVES OF OUR MEMBERS BETTER.
THE ONLY ASK WE REALLY HAD THAT HAD A FINANCIAL BURDEN, BESIDES SOME FEW OF THE LITTLE SMALL THINGS, WAS THE PAY RAISES.
WHEN WE ENTERED IT, IT WAS FOR RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT, AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.
WE JUST WANT TO MAINTAIN THOSE AND INCREASE THOSE NUMBERS.
SO WE CAN KEEP THE GOOD PEOPLE HERE AND BRING MORE PEOPLE HERE.
WE CAN GET PEOPLE THAT WE WANT TO LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY HERE.
BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE PAY TO GET THEM THERE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID WANT TO BRING UP, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ASKED FOR AND WE'VE BEEN OPERATING UNDER THIS NEW STAFFING MODEL FOR A YEAR NOW, LAURA? IS THAT ROUGHLY ABOUT A YEAR WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS STAFFING MODEL? PREVIOUSLY, OUR STAFFING MODEL BASED A LOT OF OUR OVERTIME ON UNSCHEDULED OVERTIME.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE THAT NUMBER, I BELIEVE A LITTLE OVER ONE MILLION DOLLARS, $1.5 MILLION, WHERE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BE ADEQUATELY STAFFED AND WE'RE NOT HAPPEN TO TAP INTO THAT NUMBER.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO MANAGERIAL TO HELP OUT WITH THOSE THINGS.
OVER THE YEARS WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AT THE TIME OUR TRAINING IS INCREASED, EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IS INCREASED, THE THINGS THAT WE'RE ASKED TO DO DURING COVID.
WE MANAGED VACCINE CLINICS, WE WENT AROUND AND DID SHOTS, WE TOOK CARE OF GOING TO THE NURSING HOMES.
WE REALLY STEPPED UP TO THE OCCASION AND TRIED TO HELP OUT THAT COMMUNITY AND FOLLOW THAT MISSION THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FOLLOW ON A DAILY BASIS.
IT DOES GET HARD TO BRING THESE PEOPLE IN WHEN WE'RE ASKING THESE THINGS.
IF OUR TRAINING AND ALL THAT STUFF THAT'S INCREASED IS TO HELP US TO GET OUR ISO RATING HIGHER, WHICH IS GOING TO ALSO HELP THE COMMUNITY, WHICH ALSO BRINGS BACK AND HELPS OUR MISSION.
ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE THE PEOPLE TO DO IT AND WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THOSE PEOPLE TO STAY HERE.
ONE OF THE THINGS ON OUR COST OF OUR 10 CITY AVERAGE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS MOVING AVERAGE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, BUT IN OUR PROPOSAL, IT'S TO WORK ON THAT MOVING AVERAGE.
WE LOOK AT THAT NUMBER EARLY ON IN THE YEAR IN MARCH, AND WE SET WHAT THAT AVERAGE IS.
IT GIVES PLENTY OF TIME FOR A BUDGET TO LOOK INTO THOSE AND SEE WHAT THOSE ARE.
BUT IF WE GET THOSE NUMBERS RIGHT AND WE GET UP TO WHERE WE ARE WITHIN THAT STATE AVERAGE WHERE WE'RE COMPARABLE TO THOSE, IF WE MAINTAIN THOSE NUMBERS, THEN EACH SUBSEQUENT YEAR LIKE THAT, IT'S A MANAGEABLE NUMBER.
OBVIOUSLY, THE FIRST YEAR IS GOING TO BE TOUGH, JUST BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO GET TO THOSE NUMBERS WHERE WE CAN KEEP THESE PEOPLE.
AND WE CAN HAVE MORE THAN 41 PEOPLE TO CHOOSE FROM WHEN WE NEED 19 OR 20.
>> TODD, I'VE GOT A QUESTION AND THIS IS PRETTY MINOR.
I GET WE'VE GOT SOME BIGGER STUFF.
BUT I SEE ON HERE, ONE OF THE ASKS IS THE CANCER SCREENING.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE GOT BEHIND LAST YEAR, I KNOW WE FUNDED IT IN THE BUDGET.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHY THAT WASN'T DONE?
>> NO, SIR. I KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON LIVE SCAN.
I SAY THAT'S THE COMPREHENSIVE CANCER SCREENING THAT WE WANT TO LOOK AT.
EVERYTHING THAT WE DO AND TOUCH IN THE FIRE SERVICE CAUSES CANCER.
IT'S THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF DEATH IN FIREFIGHTERS RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S COMPANIES OUT THERE THAT OFFER THAT.
IT WAS BUDGETED, WE APPRECIATE THAT. SOME LOGISTICAL REASONS.
ONE OF OUR CHIEFS WENT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, LIVE SCAN, DONATED A COUPLE OF FREE VISITS FOR US TO GO TO TO. WE WENT DOWN TO LUBBOCK.
[01:20:01]
THEY'VE DONE IT FOR, I WANT TO SAY FIVE YEARS NOW.CAUGHT MULTIPLE MEMBERS OF THEIR DEPARTMENT IN CANCER PRE STAGE ONE.
SO THESE GUYS ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
AS FAR AS WHERE THAT MONEY IS RIGHT NOW, I DON'T KNOW COUNCILMAN TIPPS WHERE THAT IS.
>> SO THE PLAN IS TO GO THROUGH AN RFP PROCESS AND THROUGH THE MEET AND CONFER WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO PUT A MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATION ON THAT RFP PANEL TO EVALUATE THEM.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE CAN'T JUST GO OUT AND PICK LIVE SCAN.
WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH A FORMAL PROCESS.
BUT THE MONEY IS THERE AVAILABLE FOR THAT PROGRAM.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. PEDEN? THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE. EVERY ONE OF YOU APPRECIATE YOU GUYS ALL BEING HERE.
TO DIRECT STAFF, I THINK WE AS A BODY SEEM TO BE SAYING THAT WE DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE A THOROUGH LOOK AT IT FROM THE BUDGET SIDE, LOOKING AT EVERYTHING FROM A LEASE OR A DEBT OPTION ON FLEET, A 2% REDUCTION POTENTIAL.
WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, TIERED OR SCALED INCREASES ON THE HIGHER SIDE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE REDUCING THOSE AND THEN SOME OF THE OTHER ONES.
ONE QUESTION WAS THAT A FLAT SALES TAX PROJECTION OR DID YOU [INAUDIBLE].
>> BUT WE'LL KEEP WATCHING THE MONTHLY AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, BUT IT'S BEEN RELATIVELY FLAT.
>> WHAT WAS OUR INCREASED YEAR TO DATE OVER OUR BUDGET? DO YOU REMEMBER? I WANT TO SAY 7 MILLION.
>> BECAUSE WE INCREASED IT QUITE A BIT LAST YEAR AND WE'RE SEEING THOSE NUMBERS.
WE'RE NOT SEEING WELL ABOVE THOSE NUMBERS.
>> OKAY. BUT I THINK IF COUNSEL CAN GET ALL OF THIS TOGETHER, HERE'S THE SOLUTION.
THE SOLUTION IS NOT, WELL, LET'S JUST GO ASK FOR MORE MONEY AND LET'S JUST PAY FOR IT, AND WE'LL JUST PUT IT IN THERE.
THAT OBVIOUSLY IS SOMETHING WE ARE ALL ENGAGED IN THIS DISCUSSION AND WE REALIZE THAT IS PROBABLY NOT THE PATH FORWARD WE'RE GOING TO GET TO TAKE.
BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE, THERE'S NOT ONE SINGLE FIX TO THIS.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF DIFFERENT ADJUSTMENTS AND A LITTLE GIVE AND TAKE EVERYWHERE TO GET TO THE POINT TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
NOW, SOME OF THAT WILL BE A LITTLE GIVE AND TAKE ON YOUR END, BUT NOT NEAR PROBABLY WHAT YOU'VE BEEN TOLD.
I THINK WE'RE ABLE TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE SO THAN WHAT THE NUMBERS REFLECT AND WE'RE WILLING TO WORK.
AND SO I THINK WE JUST DIRECT STAFF TO GO BACK AND LOOK.
WITH THIS, DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU GOT CLEAR ENOUGH DIRECTION?
>> WE'LL PROBABLY NEED MAYBE A FULL DAY OF A BUDGET WORKSHOP ON THIS TOPIC.
>> THINK TO DIVE INTO ALL THE SOLUTIONS THAT WE'LL PLAN TO BRING FORWARD.
>> WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOU ALL BRINGING THAT BACK AND GIVING US A FEW OTHER OPTIONS.
AND THEN WE'LL BE CREATIVE AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT EVERYTHING WE CAN TO CONSIDER IT.
THEN HOPEFULLY WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, WE CAN HAVE A GOOD DIRECTION AND WE'LL BE GOING INTO BUDGET WITH OUR EYES WIDE OPEN AND KNOWING WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE.
THANK YOU GUYS ALL FOR BEING HERE.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM COUNSEL BEFORE WE MOVE ALONG?
>> NO. AND I THINK THE TIMING MAY WORK OUT WELL TOO.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING FOR A NEW CITY MANAGER.
WE'RE ABOUT TO GET FULLY ENGAGED IN THAT.
AND THAT MIGHT COINCIDE WELL WITH BUDGET TIME TO MAYBE GET A NEW AND DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT.
BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE A COMPLEX PROBLEM AND I THINK THAT PERSON, WHOEVER HE OR SHE MAY BE BEING IN HERE, IS GOING TO BE A CRUCIAL PART AND WORKING ALONGSIDE US TO KIND OF FIGURE THIS BUDGET COMPONENT OUT AS WELL.
>> AGREE. THANK YOU GUYS. APPRECIATE THAT.
IT'S 4:25, WE'RE A LITTLE HEAVIER ON THE FRONT END OF THE AGENDA THAN WE ARE ON THE BACK SIDE.
THE LAST NON CONSENT OBVIOUSLY PROBABLY WILL GO A LITTLE QUICKER THAN SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS.
SO I THINK I'M GOING TO TAKE ONE MORE AND THEN WE'LL BREAK FOR A RECESS.
SO IF I CAN MOVE US ALONG TO ITEM 7C,
[7.C. Possible Charter amendment election]
WE'RE GOING TO DO A POSSIBLE CHARTER AMENDMENT DISCUSSION.WE HAVE MRS. COGGINS COMING UP HERE TO GIVE US A LITTLE HISTORY ON WHAT WE DID IN THE PAST AND MAYBE WHAT COUNSEL COULD LOOK AT MOVING FORWARD.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. COUNSEL MEMBERS.
MAYOR STANLEY ASKED ME TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS IF WE WERE TO GO THROUGH A CHARTER AMENDMENT ELECTION AND HOW THAT PROCESS WORKED IN 2020.
YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE CHARTER.
IT WAS A DOCUMENT CREATED BY THE PEOPLE.
WE WERE THE FIRST CITY IN TEXAS TO ESTABLISH THE COUNCIL MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT IN THAT CHARTER.
DEFINES THE ROLES, DUTIES, AUTHORITIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF EACH BRANCH OF OUR GOVERNMENT, LEGISLATIVE, ADMINISTRATIVE, AND JUDICIAL.
IT DEFINES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER.
SINCE IT WAS CREATED BY THE PEOPLE, IT CAN ONLY BE UPDATED BY THE PEOPLE THROUGH A CHARTER AMENDMENT ELECTION.
THE LAST ONE WE HAD WAS IN NOVEMBER OF 2020.
THIS IS THE LAST SECTION IN YOUR CHARTER ON THE SCREEN HERE THAT JUST DEFINES WHEN YOU CAN AMEND IT.
[01:25:04]
THEN STATE LAW SPEAKS TO THIS.ON CITIES OVER 5,000 POPULATION, YOU CAN TAKE IT FOR ADOPTION OR AMENDING THROUGH AN ELECTION.
YOU CAN ONLY DO THAT ONCE EVERY TWO YEARS IF IT'S CHANGED.
IF YOU TAKE IT TO AN ELECTION AND NOTHING IS PASSED, THEN YOU COULD DO ANOTHER ELECTION WITHIN TWO YEARS.
THIS IS REALLY HARD TO SEE UP HERE ON THESE SCREENS, BUT HOPEFULLY YOU CAN SEE IT A LITTLE BETTER HERE, AND WE CAN SEND THIS TO YOU SEPARATELY AS WELL.
THIS IS A LIST OF ALL OF THE CHARTER AMENDMENT ELECTIONS WE'VE HAD SINCE 1980.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT 2013 ELECTION YOU SEE THERE WAS MOSTLY CLEANUP AND HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS. THERE WERE A LOT OF PROPOSITIONS THAT YEAR.
LET'S TALK ABOUT 20:20 AND HOW THAT PROCESS WENT.
IN CASE YOU WANT TO DO IT, THIS IS AN OPTION.
IF YOU WANT TO DO IT ANOTHER WAY, WE CAN DEFINITELY TALK OF OTHER OPTIONS TOO.
IN 2020, WE HAD A SUBCOMMITTEE OF TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WORKED ALONGSIDE A CITIZEN APPOINTED COMMITTEE.
WE HAD NINE CITIZENS APPOINTED TO THAT COMMITTEE.
THEY WERE APPOINTED IN JUNE OF 2020.
THEY REPRESENTED SIX UNIQUE ZIP CODES WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS AND THEN OUR TWO MEMBER SUBCOMMITTEE OF COUNCIL WORKED ALONGSIDE THEM.
THIS COMMITTEE WAS CREATED BY EACH COUNCIL MEMBER BRINGING NAMES FORWARD AND TALKING ABOUT IT IN A WORK SESSION.
AT THAT SAME WORK SESSION, THEY TALKED ABOUT THE TOPICS THEY WOULD LIKE THIS COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER, WHICH CREATED THE CHARGE TO THAT COMMITTEE.
FOR THIS COMMITTEE, THE CHARGE WAS FREQUENCY OF COUNCIL MEETINGS, HOUSEKEEPING MATTERS, COUNCIL MEMBER TERMS AND TERM LIMITS, AND COUNCIL MEMBER COMPENSATION.
THEN THEY ALSO OPENED IT UP TO THAT COMMITTEE TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE THAT THEY MIGHT WANT TO BRING UP.
THE COMMITTEE OF NINE MEMBERS MET FOUR TIMES, WHERE THEY WENT OVER THESE DIFFERENT ITEMS ON THE CHARGE, THEY WERE JOINED BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF COUNSEL, BY THE CITY MANAGER, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, AND THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR EACH OF THOSE MEETINGS.
AT THE END OF THIS, THEY CAME UP WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEY PRESENTED THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL ON JULY 14TH.
SO IT WAS ABOUT A ONE MONTH PROCESS FOR THAT COMMITTEE.
ON MEETING FREQUENCY, THEY PROPOSED AMENDING THE CHARTER TO REQUIRE 24 MEETINGS PER YEAR.
THAT'S WHY WE MEET TWICE A MONTH NOW.
ON HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS, THEY PROPOSED EIGHT PROPOSITIONS TO AMEND 31 DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF THE CHARTER, INCLUDING SOME OF THE THINGS ON YOUR SCREEN.
ULTIMATELY, COUNCIL DID NOT MOVE THIS FORWARD TO AN ELECTION.
THEN ON LENGTH OF TERM IN SERVICE, THEY PROPOSED AMENDING THE CHARTER TO INCREASE FROM TWO YEAR TERMS TO FOUR YEAR TERMS AND TO STAGGER THOSE TERMS. INITIALLY, NO MORE THAN TWO OR THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD BE ELECTED FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM SO THAT THEY COULD GET THAT STAGGERED.
THEY PROPOSED THESE CHANGES WOULD TAKE EFFECT WITH THE NEXT ELECTION.
THEN ON COUNCIL MEMBER COMPENSATION, THE COMMITTEE DECIDED NOT TO PROPOSE ANY CHANGES.
ON JULY 21ST, 2020, COUNCIL DISCUSSED THE PROPOSALS IN A WORK SESSION AND THEY DECIDED TO CALL AN ELECTION FOR TWO AMENDMENTS.
THEY CALLED THAT ELECTION ON JULY 28TH AND AUGUST 11TH THROUGH THE READING OF AN ORDINANCE.
THE ELECTION WAS HELD ON NOVEMBER 3RD.
ON YOUR SCREEN ARE THE TWO PROPOSITIONS.
PROPOSITION B WAS THE ONE RELATED TO EXTENDING COUNCIL MEMBER TERMS AND STAGGERING THEM.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT LOST BY A MARGIN OF ABOUT 2,000 VOTES.
PROPOSITION WAS TO UPDATE THE NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEETINGS PER YEAR, AND THAT ONE PASSED BY ABOUT 9,000 VOTES.
JUST AS YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT Y'ALL WANT TO DO IF THIS IS A PATH YOU WANT TO GO DOWN.
I'VE PUT TWO OF THE UPCOMING ELECTION DATES ON THE SCREEN FOR YOU HERE.
OUR NEXT ELECTION WOULD BE IN NOVEMBER.
THIS IS A FEDERAL ELECTION YEAR, SO WE WOULD HAVE OTHER PARTIES PARTICIPATING.
THE COST WOULD BE LOWER IF WE WERE TO DO SOMETHING ALONG WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ON THE BALLOT.
THEN MAY 2025, WE WOULD BE HAVING OUR NEXT CITY COUNCIL GENERAL ELECTION.
THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY ADDITIONAL COST TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEYOND WHAT WE WOULD SPEND.
UP HERE, I JUST PUT JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION, APPROXIMATE COST ON THE CITY TO HOLD AN ELECTION IS AROUND 70-100,000, AND THAT DEPENDS ON HOW MANY OTHER TAXING ENTITIES MAY BE ON THERE.
AT THIS TIME, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ON THIS PROCESS.
MAYOR, DID THAT COVER EVERYTHING YOU WANTED?
>> YES, MA'AM. YOU DID A GOOD JOB.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MISS CITY SECRETARY?
>>A COUPLE OF HOUSEKEEPING THINGS.
I GUESS THERE'S A COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON?
>> ON THIS ONE, IT WAS REALLY THE COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE THAT CHAIRED THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
THIS WAS ALSO KEEP IN MIND THIS WAS BACK DURING COVID,
[01:30:01]
AND SO WE HAD ZOOM MEETINGS.OUR SUBCOMMITTEE WAS MAYOR GINGER NELSON AND COUNCILMEMBER HOWARD SMITH.
>> BUT IF WE LEFT IT UP TO THE COMMITTEE TO DETERMINE WHO THEIR CHAIR IS OR IF WE PICK A CHAIR THAT IT COULD EITHER BE A COUNCILMEMBER OR MAYBE A CITIZEN, THEN THOSE ARE OPTIONS FOR US?
>> ABSOLUTELY, THOSE ARE OPTIONS.
I WILL TELL YOU, COUNCILMEMBER SIMPSON, WE DID HAVE A SPOKESPERSON THAT WAS ELECTED BY THE GROUP WHICH WAS BILL HARRIS, AND HE'S THE ONE THAT CAME AND PRESENTED THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL AT THE END OF THAT PROCESS.
>> IN GENERAL, CAN A COMMITTEE CONSIDER ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF WHAT THE COUNCIL ASKED THEM TO LOOK AT? IF IN THE DISCUSSIONS, ARE THEY LIMITED TO WHAT WE ASKED THEM TO ADDRESS?
>> I'M GOING TO LOOK AT BRIAN TO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I BELIEVE THEY COULD LOOK AT OTHER THINGS AS LONG AS IT RELATES TO THE CHARTER.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MRS. COGGINS WHILE WE GOT HER HERE? LET'S JUMP OFF INTO A QUICK DISCUSSION.
THIS IS NOT A MEETING FOR YOU GUYS TO TELL ME OR US TO DISCUSS AMONGST OURSELVES WHAT WE THINK WE WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE WITH THE CHARTER, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL ME WHETHER YOU'RE FOR OR AGAINST STAGGERED TERMS AND HOW THAT WORKS HERE TODAY.
BUT WHAT I AM TRYING TO GAUGE IS THIS IS GOING TO BE SOME WORK.
IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF WORK IN JUST THE MEETINGS AND THE DIALOGUE AND STUDY AND PUTTING FORWARD THESE IDEAS.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF WORK ON ANSWERING OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS, AND MAYBE AN AGENDA HERE OR THERE, OR A BIASED TOWARD SOMETHING.
I NEED A COUNCIL THAT'S WILLING TO TAKE ON, I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT'S A FIGHT, BUT I THINK IT'S A WRESTLING MATCH FOR SURE WITH THIS OLD DOCUMENT.
I THINK IT'S WELL WORTH OUR TIME.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE GREATLY COULD IMPROVE UPON THE WAY IN WHICH WE SAT DOWN AND WE SAID, WE WANT TO RUN THE CITY LIKE A BUSINESS.
NO BUSINESS WOULD FUNCTION LIKE THIS.
YOU WOULD NEVER TAKE YOUR ENTIRE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND LET THEM ALL LEAVE AND BRING ONE THAT'S YOUR NEW CHAIR, AND EVERYBODY ELSE SIT DOWN AND WITHIN TWO WEEKS GIVE A BUDGET UPDATE AND SAY, TELL US WHAT DIRECTION YOU'D LIKE TO GO.
LIKE IN THE WAY IN WHICH WE COULD POTENTIALLY ADD A COUPLE OF MEMBERS, MAYBE LEAVING IT AT LARGE FOR THOSE TWO POSITIONS.
NOT GETTING INTO THAT ARGUMENT OF SINGLE MEMBER VERSUS AT LARGE, JUST TAKING ONE BITE OUT OF THE APPLE AT A TIME.
DOING A STAGGERED TERM, WHETHER THAT'S A THREE YEAR OR A FOUR YEAR, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE, BEING ABLE TO ROLL THREE OFF AND BRING THREE ON AT ONE TIME WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
THE THREE YEAR TERM I LIKE BECAUSE IT'S SHORTER THAN THE FOUR AND I THINK IT HAS A BETTER CHANCE AT THE BALLOT BOX, BUT THEN YOU'RE HAVING ELECTION EVERY YEAR, SO SOMEBODY IS ALWAYS RUNNING.
FOR US, THEY'RE RUNNING ON A TWO YEAR TERM, I THINK IF WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB.
YOU GUYS ARE COMFORTABLE WITH FOUR YEARS AND WE DON'T HAVE TO CAMPAIGN 12 MONTHS INTO OUR TENURE OR TERM.
BUT THEN IF WE'RE NOT DOING A GOOD JOB, YOU GUYS SURE LOVE THE FACT THAT, MAN, IT'S ONLY 12 MORE MONTHS, BUDDY AND YOU'RE OUT OF THERE.
JIMMY JOE TELLS ME THAT ABOUT EVERY OTHER WEEKEND.
I THINK THAT THIS IS A DISCUSSION THAT IS JUST ABOUT, DOES COUNCIL FEEL LIKE THIS IS TIME WELL SPENT FOR YOU GUYS AT THIS TIME AND WE COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS NOVEMBER ELECTION.
I'LL ASK DOWN HERE ON MY RIGHT FOR PLACE ONE.
>> WELL, I THINK IT'D BE TIME WELL SPENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF RIGHT NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON WITH CITY MANAGER SEARCH AND DOING ALL THESE THINGS.
LIKE I SAID, I THINK IT'D BE SOMETHING TO DO, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THIS NOVEMBER WOULD BE THE RIGHT TIME TO DO IT.
>> I WOULD SAY IT WOULD BE MAYBE GOOD TO LEVERAGE THE NATIONAL ELECTION THAT WAY IT'S A LESSER COST.
STEPHANIE, DID WE TALK ABOUT IT'S LIKE ALMOST DOUBLE THAT IF IT'S NOT DURING ELECTION. CORRECT.
>> IT CAN BE PROBABLY NOT QUITE DOUBLE.
BUT IT'S GOING TO ADD AT LEAST 20 OR 30,000 MORE TO YOUR COST.
>> MY LOOK AT IT IS IF NOT NOW, WHEN?
>> I DEFINITELY THINK WE NEED TO GO THROUGH IT, WORK IT OUT,
[01:35:01]
MAKE THE CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE CHANGED, AND LET'S STOP TALKING ABOUT IT, LET'S JUST DO IT.[LAUGHTER] I THINK IT'S HEALTHY.
ONE THING I KNOW SOME COMMUNITIES LIKE DALLAS IS FOR ONE ACTUALLY, IN THEIR CHARTER, IT REQUIRES A REVIEW ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WHEN I LOOK AT OUR HISTORY, WE REVISED IN '80.
WE DID ONE THING IN '89, BUT THEN WE WENT 14 YEARS WITHOUT LOOKING AT IT AGAIN.
IF YOU THROW THOSE OUT, WE'RE ON ABOUT A 10 YEAR PERIOD.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE HAVE TO VOTE ON ANYTHING.
BUT I THINK WHAT WE'RE COMMITTING TO DO, LET'S JUST OPEN UP THE ISSUE AND EXPLORE WHAT THE COMMUNITY MAY THINK.
BECAUSE AFTER SERVING HERE, I DO SEE THERE'S A LOT OF CHALLENGES WITH THE WAY THAT WE DO THINGS.
THE BENEFIT IS IF YOU DON'T LIKE SOMEBODY IN TWO YEARS, YOU CAN GET THEM OUT.
BUT I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF CHALLENGES THAT WORK.
THE WAY IT WORKS, IT'S A LOT MORE SHORT TERM THINKING BECAUSE YOU'RE IN THERE FOR TWO YEARS AND LIKE I SAY, IT CAN ALL HAPPEN AT ONE TIME.
WHILE I THINK IT'S A GOOD SYSTEM, I THINK IT'S WORTH LOOKING AT, CAN WE DEVELOP A BETTER SYSTEM THAT THE CITIZENS WOULD THINK WOULD BE AN IMPROVEMENT ON WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW? I THINK IT'S A QUESTION WORTH ASKING AND GETTING INPUT FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
>> I OBVIOUSLY BROUGHT THIS FORWARD, SO I'M IN FAVOR OF TAKING ON THE CHALLENGE.
I THINK WE HAVE BEEN WILLING TO CHANGE EVERYTHING THAT'S NEEDED.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE TURNING A DISCUSSION AWAY, HONESTLY, AS COUNCIL.
LET ME GO BACK TO MY TWO ON MY RIGHT SIDE.
I UNDERSTAND THE CAUTION IN TIMING AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH THE CITY MANAGER.
I WOULD SAY THAT WITH A NEW CITY MANAGER AND A NEW SET OF EYES, WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO HEAR SOME FEEDBACK OF WHY DO Y'ALL DO THIS, WHAT IS THIS FOR? WHY WOULD THIS BE THE BENEFIT? I WOULD THINK WE'D BE ABLE TO CAPITALIZE HAVING UP UNTIL NOVEMBER, WHICH REALLY I GUESS WE PROBABLY SHOULD ASK.
WHEN WOULD THE FINAL DECISION BE MADE BEFORE YOU PUT IT ON, IS IT AUGUST?
>> AUGUST 19TH IS THE FINAL DATE TO ORDER AN ELECTION.
>> THEN WHEN YOU CALL THAT ELECTION, DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE THOSE EXACTLY WORDED PROPOSITIONS ON THERE?
>> YES, THAT'S PART OF THE RESOLUTION TO ORDER THE ELECTION.
AUGUST 13TH WOULD BE YOUR COUNCIL MEETING BEFORE, SO YOU'D WANT TO DO IT BY THAT REGULAR MEETING OR WE COULD CALL A SPECIAL MEETING.
>> [OVERLAPPING] THANK YOU FOR THAT. I GUESS WHAT I WOULD SAY IS IT'S WORTH THE EXERCISE TO GET THERE AND SAY, WE'RE NOT READY, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THE WORK STARTED, AND YOU PUSH IT OFF UNTIL EITHER THE MAY OR THE FUTURE ELECTION.
BUT I THINK WE COULD BE READY AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS WORTH GOING AFTER.
>> THAT'S JUST MY OPINION, MAYOR.
AUGUST IS GOING TO BE HERE PRETTY QUICK AND WE'LL BE COMING RIGHT OUT OF BUDGET.
I GUESS IF I HAD A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AS FAR AS HOW WE WERE GOING TO STRUCTURE THIS.
IF IT WAS GOING TO BE A CITIZEN LETTER, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS ON IT.
I THINK ONCE WE CAN FIGURE OUT THE STRUCTURE OF IT, I MAY HAVE MORE AND MAYBE MY OPINION MAY CHANGE.
>> LET ME ASK YOU JUST THE WAY IN WHICH THEY'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST JUST SO HAPPENS TO BE THE WAY THEY DID IT IN THE PAST.
COUNCIL COULD DO A SIMPLE WORK SESSION BRING IDEAS, DISCUSS THEM, GET STAFF INPUT.
COUNCIL COULD THEN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ONES THAT WE BELIEVE MOST REPRESENTS THE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S A REAL UP AND DOWN WAY TO DO IT.
WE COULD START THERE AND THEN WE COULD EXPAND FROM THERE WITH A LITTLE BIT BETTER DIRECTION WITH A CITIZEN COMMITTEE THAT COULD THEN COME AND ADVISE FROM OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
DO I HAVE ANY DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL ON, DO YOU GUYS LIKE THE CITIZEN LED COMMITTEE IDEA OR WOULD YOU LEAN MORE TOWARDS LIKE A WORK SESSION LIKE WE'RE DOING ON OUR GOVERNANCE AND END STOCKS?
>> IF WE ARE GOING TO TAKE ON THIS CONVERSATION AND WE'RE GOING TO GO TOWARDS PROPOSING THESE CHARTER AMENDMENTS.
EITHER WAY, I BELIEVE WE WOULD NEED TO FACILITATE THIS WITH A CONSULTANT THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO COME HERE AND HELP US NAVIGATE SOME OF THE NUANCES.
BUT ONE OPTION CITIZEN LED COMMITTEE, OTHER OPTION COUNCIL LED WITH THE POTENTIAL CITIZEN INPUT IN A DIFFERENT FORM.
>> I THINK I WOULD PREFER THIS TO BE A CITIZEN EVENT.
[01:40:01]
MAYBE A COUNCIL MEMBER OR TWO COULD BE PARTICIPATING IN THAT.BUT I DO THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT AND I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY DISCUSS THINGS THAT WE THINK ARE IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT.
BUT I ALSO LIKE THE IDEA THAT THIS COMMITTEE COULD LOOK AT OUR ENTIRE CHARTER AS THEY SHOULD AND COME UP WITH OTHER THINGS THAT THEY MAY SUGGEST THAT WE HAD NOT THOUGHT OF.
BUT I'D REALLY LIKE TO, I THINK DETERMINE WHAT A COMMITTEE COULD LOOK LIKE, HOW MANY PEOPLE IT WOULD BE.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE LET THEM DETERMINE A CHAIRMAN.
IF WE DETERMINE A CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO SEE MAYBE SOMEBODY OTHER THAN A COUNCIL MEMBER MAYBE CHAIR THAT.
LET THE CITIZENS REALLY TAKE HOLD OF THAT AND THEN THAT WE CHARGE THEM WITH HERE SOME THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER AND THEN LET THEM DO THEIR WORK AND A COUNCIL MEMBER OR TWO COULD BE PART OF THAT.
MAYBE SERVE MORE OF A LIAISON TO COUNCIL AND LET THEM COME BACK IN APPROPRIATE TIME WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
>> I THINK SOME OF THE PUSHBACK, WHICH IS A GOOD CAUTION FROM COUNCILMAN CRAFT, WHICH IS, DO WE HAVE TIME TO DO THIS RIGHT? ON THE CITIZEN LED SIDE, WE WOULD NEED TO KEEP IT SMALL AND WE WOULD NEED TO MAKE IT FREQUENT, TO PUSH HARD WITH THAT. YES, SIR.
>> WELL, SO LOOKING AT IT TIMELINE WISE, WE'VE GOT FOUR MONTHS BASICALLY.
IF WE DON'T GET IT DONE IN FOUR MONTHS, THEN WE'RE GOING TO THE ELECTION WHERE ALL FIVE OF US ARE UP FOR ELECTION.
THEN WE'VE GOT THE CAMPAIGN, WE'VE GOT ALL THAT THING TOO.
THAT WOULD BE MY CONCERN AS WELL AS JUST, WE'VE GOT FOUR MONTHS TO GET THIS DONE.
IF WE DON'T DO IT NOW, WE'RE PUSHING NEXT MAY, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> IT'S A BIG CHARGE FOR YOUR COMMITTEE, BUT LAST TIME AROUND THEY DID IT IN ABOUT FOUR WEEKS.
THAT STARTED OUT WITH A LETTER FROM OUR SUBCOMMITTEE SAYING, HERE ARE THE ITEMS WE WANT YOU TO LOOK AT.
THEN WE MET WEEKLY AND WE COVERED ONE OF THOSE ITEMS EACH WEEK.
>> IT CAN BE. I KNOW IT'S A BIG ASK, IT'S A TIME COMMITMENT FOR THOSE CITIZENS IF THEY'RE WILLING TO PARTAKE IN IT.
>> I THINK WE COULD GIVE THE DIRECTION OF LIKE IT'S LOW HANGING FRUIT IN THE WAY IN WHICH LET'S GO AFTER THREE, FOUR ITEMS THAT WE THINK WE COULD PUT ON THAT THICK BALLOT ALREADY.
THAT WE ARE GOING TO GET THE MOST RETURN HERE AT THE CITY IN THE WAY IN WHICH WE'RE DOING BUSINESS.
WHAT WE COULD DO, IF YOU GUYS ARE INTERESTED FOR THIS DISCUSSION, WE COULD DIRECT STAFF TO GO AHEAD AND PUT TOGETHER A LITTLE BIT OF A STRUCTURE AND BRING IT BACK AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING FOR A MORE IN DEPTH TO LOOK AT IT AND WE CAN DIRECT STAFF.
EACH COUNCIL MEMBER NOMINATES TWO CITIZENS, AND THEN COUNCIL WILL SIT DOWN AND SELECT SEVEN AND THEN WE'LL SELECT THE CHAIR.
WE'LL ADD TWO COUNCIL THAT'LL VOLUNTEER.
THEN THIS IS THE DATE THAT WE'RE GOING TO START AND WE WOULD NEED TO GET A CONSULTANT HIRED PRETTY QUICK.
BUT I THINK WE PROBABLY HAVE SOME CONNECTIONS THAT COULD FACILITATE.
IF THAT'S OKAY, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY PUSHBACK ON THAT, I THINK WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS BRING IT BACK FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.
>> ANYTHING FROM COUNCIL YOU GUYS WANT TO REDIRECT ON THAT OR CAN WE MOVE FORWARD WITH CAUTION?
>> NO, I WAS JUST GOING TO CLARIFY AT THAT NEXT COUNCIL MEETING YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT A COMMITTEE.
WOULD YOU ALL BE INTERESTED IN BRINGING NAMES TO THAT OR DO YOU WANT TO DO THE STRUCTURE AND THEN NAMES?
>> I THINK WE'D BE FINE ON THIS PACE IF WE HAD STAFF LOOKING OUT FOR A POTENTIAL CONSULTANT, AVAILABILITY, AND TIME FRAME, THE STRUCTURE IN WHICH WE WOULD DO THIS AND HOW COUNCIL WOULD OPERATE.
THEN WE'D BE LOOKING IN FIRST OF MAY TO NOMINATING AND CONTACTING THOSE POTENTIAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
THEN YOU PROBABLY WOULD MEET IN MAY, JUNE, AND THEN IT WOULD BE BACK IN JULY BEFORE COUNCIL.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
>> GO AHEAD COUNCILMAN SIMPSON.
>> THEN WHEN WOULD WE DISCUSS THE ISSUES THAT WE WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO LOOK AT?
>> I THINK THAT IN MY VIEWPOINT, I THINK THAT ONCE WE GET THAT STRUCTURE LAID OUT AND WE COULD GO AHEAD AND NOMINATE, I WOULD LOVE TO CALL A WORK SESSION WHERE COUNCIL COULD CONTRIBUTE ON THE FRONT SIDE VERSUS THE BACKSIDE.
I'VE ALWAYS FOUND IT A LITTLE HARDER THAT EVERYBODY JUST WENT, NOBODY REALLY TALKED ABOUT IT, AND THEN IT ALL CAME BACK SOMEWHAT PRE-BAKED.
I WOULD THINK WE COULD DO A WORK SESSION AND THEN THAT WAY THOSE COMMITTEE MEMBERS THEN WOULD HAVE A HEAD START.
>> THAT'S HELPFUL FOR STAFF TOO, BECAUSE STAFF WILL RESEARCH OTHER CITIES AND SEE WHAT OTHER CHARTERS DO ON THOSE AREAS TO GIVE THAT COMMITTEE SOME BACKGROUND AND TRANSPARENCY TO THINK THROUGH WHILE THEY'RE CONSIDERING IT.
[01:45:03]
>> IF WE ROLLED THAT OUT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, IS IT APRIL 23RD? WE DISCUSSED STRUCTURE AND CONSULTANT.
MAY, LET'S SAY NINTH I DON'T KNOW THE DATE.
WE COULD GO AHEAD AND GET SOMETHING SCHEDULED THERE TO WHERE WE WE WOULD HAVE A WORK SESSION NOT LONG AFTER THAT WITH THE COMMITTEE SPUN UP.
SOMETIME IN MAY WORK SESSION, THAT'D GIVE THEM JUNE TO GO THROUGH IT IN JULY TO BRING SOMETHING BACK.
IT'S AGGRESSIVE, BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH IT. CONCERNS?
>> I THINK JUST TAKING IT ONE STEP AT A TIME, THE FIRST THING WE DECIDED, IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK AT.
IF THEY CAN COME BACK WITH US IN THREE WEEKS AND SAY WE'RE READY BUT IF THEY SAY WE NEED MORE TIME, THEN I THINK TO ME, WE'RE JUST ACROSS THE ELECTION TIME FRAME, WHEN THEY'RE READY TO REPORT TO US.
WE'D LIKE TO CONSIDER A NOVEMBER ELECTION, BUT THERE'S NO NEED IN RUSHING THIS PROCESS IF THERE'S ISSUES THAT THEY NEED TO LOOK AT.
I THINK JUST TAKING IT ONE STEP AT A TIME OF APPOINTING THEM, GIVING THEM THE CHARGE, AND THEN KEEPING UP WITH THEIR TIMETABLE AND HOW THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE GOING.
>> AGREED. ANYTHING FURTHER ON THIS ONE, GENTLEMEN? OKAY. IT IS 4:50, WE'LL RECESS UNTIL 5:00.
APPRECIATE YOU GUYS HANGING AROUND.
IT'S 5:02, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL OURSELVES BACK IN AND WE ARE MOVING ON TO ITEM 7D,
[7.D. Possible park sponsorships]
WHICH IS TITLED A POSSIBLE PARK SPONSORSHIP, BUT IS JUST A QUICK DISCUSSION ON HOW WE SUPPORT SOME LOCALS.>> YES, MAYOR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THANK YOU.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE HISTORY OF THIS AGENDA ITEM.
YOU MAY HAVE BEEN APPROACHED FROM SOMEONE ABOUT FEES IN PARKS OR OTHER FEES RELATED TO EVENTS.
WE WANTED TO BRING THIS DISCUSSION FOR YOU.
ON LAST BUDGET, WE BROUGHT FORWARD TO YOU ADJUSTMENTS TO THE PARK FEES THAT WERE COST RECOVERY RELATED.
THAT HAS INCREASED SOME OF THOSE FEES SIGNIFICANTLY FOR SOME OF OUR CITIZENS, AND USE OF PARKS, ESPECIALLY.
THAT'S WHAT HAS PRECIPITATED, AT LEAST RECENTLY, SOME REQUESTS.
THERE'S OPTIONS FOR THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED TO PUT OUT HERE FOR YOU TODAY WAS ONE OF THE OPTIONS FOR THAT WHERE PARK FEES DON'T APPLY IS WHEN THE CITY IS ACTUALLY A SPONSOR OF AN EVENT.
THOSE TYPES OF EVENTS ARE LIKE 5TH OF JULY CELEBRATION, WHERE THE CITY ACTUALLY IS A SPONSOR OF THE EVENT.
OTHER ENTITIES, OTHER CITIES HAVE WAIVER PROGRAMS AVAILABLE, THOSE DON'T EXIST IN OUR ORDINANCE, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER IN DIRECTING US TO DO OUT OF THIS.
BUT THIS DISCUSSION TODAY IS ABOUT THAT RELATIONSHIP OF WHAT TYPE OF EVENTS WOULD BE GOOD FOR YOU TO SPONSOR AND WHAT TYPES OF EVENTS SHOULD WE HAVE A WAIVER SYSTEM IN PLACE? THE DIFFERENCES AS I SEE THEM AND THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENCES IN THOSE, BUT THE PRIMARY DIFFERENCE IS THAT A SPONSORSHIP IS USUALLY DRIVEN AT COUNCIL DIRECTION 4TH OF JULY, 5TH OF JULY CELEBRATIONS.
THE WAIVER IS USUALLY MANAGED BY STAFF, A MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE WAY TO DEAL WITH A VOLUME OR A DIVERSE GROUP WANTING DIFFERENT REASONS FOR FEES TO BE REDUCED.
THERE WAS A COMMUNITY THAT I FOUND THAT HAD A REDUCED FEE BASED OFF OF INCOME LEVELS TO PROVIDE SOME RELIEF FOR THAT.
THIS DISCUSSION IS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE ONE EVENT THAT HAS BEEN REQUESTED, MAYBE TO MORE THAN ONE OF YOU, BUT THEN ALSO GIVE US A LITTLE CLARIFICATION HOW YOU WANT THESE HANDLED.
WE WILL TRY TO JUST DISCUSS IT HERE IN THE WAY IN WHICH THIS CAME ABOUT.
LET ME START BY TALKING ABOUT MR. KASHUBA.
I KNOW A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THREE, FOUR YEARS AGO, YOU'RE GIVEN A DIRECT, HEY, PARKS IS NOT SELF SUPPORTING, YOU'VE GOT TO GET YOUR COST RECOVERY UP.
SURE ENOUGH, HE GOES AND HE DOES THE STUDIES, AND IT TURNS OUT WE'RE CHARGING $100 AND THEN WE'VE GOT $1,200 WORTH OF MANPOWER OVER THE WEEKEND AND WE'RE DOING ALL THIS.
HE'S DOING HIS JOB BY PUTTING VALUES ON THINGS HOWEVER, IN THE WAY IN WHICH WE NOW HAVE A BOX THAT EVERYBODY'S GOT TO FIT IN, IT CANNOT ALLOW FOR EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE AND SO THIS IS THE HUNDRED CLUB THAT'S BRINGING THIS TOPIC UP.
NOW THEY DIDN'T BRING IT UP I'M BRINGING IT UP BASED ON THEY HAD REACHED OUT AND SAID OUR PRICE TO RESERVE THE SOFTBALL FIELD WAS $500 LAST YEAR,
[01:50:05]
THIS YEAR IT'S $4,000.IN THE WAY IN WHICH I THINK IT'S A TWO DAY EVENT AND PROBABLY HAS A LOT GOING IN IT.
BUT THE DISCUSSION THAT I'D LIKE TO HAVE WITH COUNCIL IS WAIVERS ARE AN IDEA AND THAT PUTS IT ON STAFF AND IT BECOMES ONE MORE THING.
THE STAFF HAS TO EXERCISE SOME JUDGMENT IN.
ON ONE HAND, THEY'RE BEING DIRECTED GET YOUR COST RECOVERY UP, BUT ALSO GIVE AWAY A FEW EVENTS IF YOU FEEL THE NEED TO.
IT DOESN'T NOT COME TO COUNCIL IT ALREADY HITS COUNCIL WHETHER WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO OFFER SOMETHING OR NOT.
THE HUNDRED CLUB IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF A NONPROFIT THAT IS DOING A GOOD WORK FUND RAISING FOR THOSE LINE OF DUTY OFFICERS, AND THEY'RE MEETING THOSE DIRECT NEEDS SO IT'S COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO DIP INTO THAT POCKET.
BUT THEN WE'VE GOT OUR PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY'RE LIKE LOOK, THIS IS AN EVENT, IT REQUIRES ALL THIS, HOW DO I TREAT YOU DIFFERENT THAN I TREAT THE FOR PROFIT COMPANY THAT WANTS TO COME OUT AND BOOK THE PARK FOR AN EVENT? OR THERE'S A CONCERT AND THEY'RE MAKING THE MONEY OFF OF THE CONCERT, THE VENUE, TACO TRUCK, YOU NAME IT THE LIST GOES ON AND ON FOR MR. KASHUBA.
THE IDEA WAS THIS, COUNCIL, WHAT IF COUNCIL WERE TO ALLOW FOR EACH COUNCIL MEMBER TO HAVE ONE EVENT PER YEAR? THIS DOES A FEW THINGS.
THIS LIMITS OUR AVAILABILITY TO THE PUBLIC SO NOW IT'S NOT A NEVER ENDING WAIVER REQUEST WHERE WELL, YOU DID IT FOR CRAIG, I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU WON'T DO IT FOR ME, WELL, HE ASKED FIRST OR WHATEVER.
THIS WOULD LIMIT IT TO ONE TIME PER YEAR.
IT SAYS PARKS, I HAD ACTUALLY ASKED IF THERE WERE OTHER VENUES THAT WE HAD, PAVILION, CIVIC CENTER OTHER TYPE THINGS THAT IF THE COUNCIL MEMBER CHOSE TO, THEY WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY DEPENDING ON AVAILABILITY, JUST FOR A FEE, EITHER A DISCOUNT FEE DEPENDING ON WHAT THE COST WOULD ACTUALLY BE TO THE ORGANIZATION, OR A FULL FEE WAIVED A SPONSORSHIP TYPE DONATION ON BEHALF OF THAT COUNCIL MEMBER.
THE PROS ON IT IS IF I'M ASKED BY A NONPROFIT, HEY, CAN YOU DO THIS AND I SAY, WELL, I ALREADY DID IT FOR 100 CLUB, I DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY.
THEN IT DOES GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF A BUFFER IN NOT CONSTANTLY GETTING ASKED.
OR MAYBE NEXT YEAR I COULD DO YOURS.
HOWEVER, THE CON ON IT IS, WELL, LET ME ASK DON IF HE'LL GIVE ME HIS OR IF I CAN TALK HIM INTO GIVING YOU HIS OR WHATEVER.
I DO THINK WE'RE IN A LITTLE BIT OF A PICKLE IN THE WAY IN WHICH THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE.
I'VE GOT MY PARKS DIRECTOR, WHO'S DOING HIS JOB, AND HE'S CHARGING FULL PRICE TO ONE OF OUR BEST NON PROFITS THAT'S OUT THERE DOING THE WORK AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY LATITUDE.
ALL THIS IS IS A DISCUSSION OF LATITUDE WITH THE IDEA.
I THINK COUNCIL CAN PUT THEMSELVES IN THE CROSSHAIR A LITTLE BIT AND GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF A BUFFER TO STAFF WHERE IT GIVES US FIVE EVENTS PER YEAR OF LATITUDE, BUT DOLED OUT INDIVIDUALLY.
SO NOT AS A BODY, BUT EACH INDIVIDUAL COULD OFFER THAT IF THEY WERE ASKED.
I THINK I CAN JUST LEAVE IT THERE AND JUST SEE, DO YOU GUYS SEE A PROBLEM IN THE WAY IN WHICH WE'VE GOT SOME NONPROFITS AND SOME GOOD STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE HAVING TO FIT IN A BOX THAT THEY DON'T FIT IN? IF SO, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER IDEAS THAT MAYBE A BETTER IDEA THAN THIS ONE? OR IF THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD IDEA, HOW DO WE MAKE IT BETTER AND MOVE FORWARD? YES, SIR.
>> DO YOU MIND TELLING US ABOUT, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE THERE WAIVED THREE EVENTS A YEAR OR HOW IS THAT ONE?
>> THAT'S CORRECT. MAYOR COUNCIL, I'M MICHAEL KASHUBA, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND REC.
WE STARTED THE PILOT PROGRAM LAST YEAR AFTER WE RAISED FEES AND WE GOT SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY.
WHAT WE DID WAS WE STARTED A PILOT PROGRAM WITH THOSE RECOGNIZED NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS WHERE THEY COULD AS AN ASSOCIATION, WAIVE THREE EVENTS A YEAR.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE DID IN RESPONSE TO THAT WAS WE ACTUALLY WENT OUT AND DID MORE EDUCATION TO THE PUBLIC.
WHAT WE SAW WAS A LOT OF THE NONPROFITS THAT WERE USING THOSE SPACES COULD JUST GO USE THE PARK.
THEY WEREN'T ASKING FOR EXCLUSIVE USE, THEY WERE ASKING FOR JUST BASICALLY THE USE OF THE SPACE AND THEY WANTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BE THERE.
THEN THE RECOGNIZED NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE RECEIVED ONE YET FROM THOSE GROUPS, BUT WE HAVE THAT OFFER.
I THINK WE'RE GETTING ONE THIS YEAR FOR ONE OF THE EVENTS.
THAT'S DEFINITELY A PILOT PROGRAM THAT'S WORKED WELL AND I THINK SOMETHING SIMILAR COULD WORK.
>> HOW MANY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS DO WE HAVE RECOGNIZED?
[01:55:01]
>> I THINK THERE'S THREE AT THIS POINT. FOUR.
>> IT DOESN'T ENCOMPASS THE ENTIRE OF THEM.
BUT THEY CAN ASK IT HAS TO BE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, CORRECT?
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT WE SPECIFIED THAT.
WE SAID THAT THEY COULD WAIVE IT.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD NECESSARILY.
>> THEN JUST TO CLARIFY, WHEN YOU WANT TO RESERVE THE PARK AND NOT ALLOW ANYONE ELSE TO USE IT, THAT'S WHERE THE FEE COMES IN.
>> IF YOU ARE JUST USING THE PARK AND YOU'RE SCHEDULING YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY THERE, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO MONOPOLIZE THAT SPACE, THEN THERE'S NO FEE.
IT'S PAID FOR, OBVIOUSLY BY YOUR TAX DOLLARS ALREADY.
JUST A LITTLE CLARIFICATION THERE.
LET'S JUST KEEP THE TOPIC ON PARKS.
LET'S NOT TALK ABOUT ANY OTHER SPACE OR ANYTHING ELSE WE MAY HAVE.
BUT IS THERE ANY REASON WHY WE WOULD FEEL LIKE IT'S A NEGATIVE TO ALLOW EACH COUNCIL MEMBER TO HAVE ONE ANNUAL SPONSORSHIP THAT'S OFFERED BY THAT COUNCIL MEMBER? I THINK JUST THINKING THROUGH THIS, AND WE HAD A TALK YESTERDAY, IS COULD POSSIBLY OPEN US UP FOR ALLEGATIONS OF DISCRIMINATION OF LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? I ASK COLE EVERY YEAR AND HE NEVER SAYS YES, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? HE ALWAYS SAYS YES TO THIS PERSON.
IT COULD CREATE SOME POLITICAL BACKFIRE THAT WE DIDN'T REALLY INTEND.
RATHER WE INTEND TO BE GOOD FOR EVERYBODY.
BUT YET AN ALLEGATION IS MADE BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE THAT YOU'RE NOT BEING NICER.
I'M NOT BEING NICE BECAUSE I SAY NO, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DO WITH THAT.
WHEN SOMEBODY ASKED AND IT'S LIKE MAYBE SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T AGREE WITH.
YOU'RE LIKE, WELL, I DON'T REALLY WANT TO GIVE YOU THAT.
>> HOW WOULD THE WAIVER PROCESS WORK IF WE WERE ASKED BY SOMEBODY, WE WOULD HAND THEM OVER TO YOU.
THEN ARE YOU GOING TO ASK US WHETHER WE WANT TO SAY YES OR NO?
>> ACTUALLY, TYPICALLY IN A WAIVER, THE ANSWER TO THAT IS NO.
WHAT YOU DO IS YOU HAVE A WAIVER PROGRAM THAT DEFINES THE PARAMETERS THAT YOU WAIVE THAT ARE DEVELOPED IN RELATION TO STATE LAW AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS.
THEN ANYBODY THAT QUALIFIES GETS THE WAIVER.
IT'S NOT THE SAME SCENARIO AS PICKING FIVE OR PICKING THIS ONE OR THAT ONE.
IT'S LIKE A WAIVER WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE AN OBJECTIVE EVALUATION THAT APPLIES TO ALL.
THE WAIVERS ARE JUST UNLIMITED?
>> WELL, YOU WOULD HAVE TO CREATE YOUR WAIVER WHERE IT COMPLIES WITH ALL THE REQUIREMENTS IN LAW AND BE EQUITABLE.
ONCE YOU CREATE THAT, THEN YOU HAVE SET STANDARDS BY YOU GRANT THE WAIVER.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE ONE THAT I RESEARCHED THE MOST WAS BASED OFF LOW INCOME, SO IT JUST HAD INCOME LEVELS THAT AUTOMATICALLY QUALIFY FOR DISCOUNTED FEES.
>> BUT IF IT'S A NONPROFIT, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL.
>> YOU'D HAVE TO DEVELOP A SET OF CRITERIA OF WHAT THAT NONPROFIT WAIVER WOULD DO AND THEN ANY NONPROFIT THAT MET THAT CRITERIA WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE WAIVER.
>>THEN WE'D LOSE A LOT OF REVENUE OFF THE PARK.
>> IT COULD COST YOU SOME REVENUE AND THEN OVER TIME YOU COULD ADJUST THAT.
IF YOU LOST SO MUCH REVENUE AND IMPACTED THE BUDGET, YOU WOULD HAVE TO REEVALUATE YOUR CRITERIA AND YOU COULD ADJUST OVER TIME.
THE WAIVER HAS A COMPONENT WHERE STAFF IS MANAGING IT, BUT YET IT'S MORE DEFINED. DOES THAT HELP?
>> AT FIRST MAYOR, I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT IDEA.
THEN AS WALKING THROUGH IT, I THOUGHT MIGHT BE SOME PITFALLS HERE THAT WE'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT BECAUSE IT'S GREAT FOR THE COMMUNITY, BUT THERE MIGHT BE SOME PITFALLS AS WELL.
WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING GOOD, MAYBE WE END UP, MAYBE NOT, OR PUT YOU IN A TOUGH SPOT.
>> NOW, I WOULD CLARIFY A SPECIFIC EVENT LIKE THE ONE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH 100 CLUB.
SOME OF THE PEOPLE THEY'RE RECOGNIZING WERE PAST CITY EMPLOYEES WHO WERE DECEASED ON DUTY AND THAT IS A VERY LEGITIMATE REASON TO SPONSOR.
YOU RANGE FROM VERY LEGITIMATE REASONS TO BE A SPONSOR TO NEEDING THAT CONSISTENCY IN A WAIVER.
>> IF IT'S SPONSORSHIP BY THE CITY, THEN THE FEE IS WAIVED.
>> YES. IT'S ACTUALLY YOU OWN AND YOU'RE A SPONSOR OF THE EVENT.
>> WE'RE PROVIDING A PARK THAT WE OWN.
>> JUST THE SAME REASON WHY YOU DON'T PAY THE FEES FOR 5TH OF JULY.
OTHER THINGS THAT WE ARE SPONSORS ON, AND IN THE WATER UTILITIES SIDE, WE ARE A SPONSOR OF THE BIENNIAL WATER SYMPOSIUM IN THAT THE WATER UTILITIES ACTUALLY PAYS FOR USE OF THE CIVIC CENTER.
THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF EVENTS THAT YOU'RE SPONSORS ON.
MANY OF THE EVENTS THAT YOU'LL BE APPROACHED DON'T RISE TO THE LEVEL OF BEING A SPONSOR.
>> WELL, NO, I DON'T THINK THE CLARITY ON THE SPONSORSHIP.
PROBABLY CLARITY ON HOW IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY
[02:00:03]
HIT OUR DIRECTOR THAT THIS IS A SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITY, MEANING HE'S JUST DOING HIS JOB.THEN IF THEY DON'T SAY ANYTHING TO US, WE DIDN'T KNOW AND THEY'VE PAID A FEE.
NOW THEY MAY HAVE A BAD TASTE IN THEIR MOUTH, THEY MAY HAVE QUALIFIED AS A SPONSOR, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A DIRECTIVE TO OUR DIRECTOR WHO LOOKING FOR THOSE SPONSORSHIPS.
>> IF ANYONE WHO IN MY VIEW WOULD BE A SPONSOR, WE WOULD BE BRINGING THAT TO YOU.
A WAIVER DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE THAT.
A WAIVER WOULD BE EVALUATING A SET CRITERION.
BUT ANYTHING THAT'S SPONSORED JUST LIKE 5TH OF JULY, OR THE WATER SYMPOSIUM, WE BRING THAT TO COUNCIL FOR AWARENESS THAT WE'RE A SPONSOR OF EVENT LIKE THAT.
THE AWARENESS COMPONENT OF A SPONSORSHIP IS SUCH THAT COUNCIL SHOULD BE AWARE OF IT.
THIS IS THE CITY SPONSORING AN EVENT.
NOW, WAIVERS WOULD BE ADMINISTRATIVELY HANDLED THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT.
>> I THINK THE SPONSORSHIP, THAT ALREADY EXISTS, RIGHT?
>> THE SAME POLITICAL BIAS CONCERNS EXIST ON THAT AS WELL AS LIKE, WELL, YOUR CITY SPONSORED IT AND THAT'S AN EVENT THAT MAYBE SOMEBODY DIDN'T AGREE WITH.
OR IF WE CHOOSE NOT TO SPONSOR IT, WE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE.
ALL WE'RE SAYING IS, THEY COULD ALWAYS GO AND ASK FOR A SPONSORSHIP IF THEY QUALIFY, COUNCIL WOULD HAVE FIVE TO GIVE AWAY THAT ARE COUNCIL SUPPORTED, INTENTIONAL.
THEN WE HAVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS WHICH AREN'T REALLY HAVING TO USE THESE YET.
>> LET ME JUST SAY ON THE SPONSORSHIP, IF YOU LIMIT IT TO FIVE.
THAT'S JUST A POLICY OF YOUR SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM.
IT'S JUST A POLICY THAT YOU ALL ABIDE BY.
>> OTHER CONCERNS ON IT FROM ANYONE ELSE? YES, SIR.
>> WELL, AGAIN, ON THE SPONSORSHIP THING, IF YOU HAVE ONE, A GOOD GROUP COMES AND ASK YOU AND YOU'RE, YEAH OR IF YOU'RE LIKE, MAN, I WANT TO KEEP IT IN MY BACK POCKET JUST IN CASE.
I DON'T KNOW WHO ELSE IS GOING TO ASK ME. I DON'T KNOW.
I'M JUST THINKING THROUGH. I'M NOT SAYING I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
DON'T HEAR ME SAY, WE'RE UP HERE TALKING BUT I MEAN, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? THEN SOMEBODY ASKED YOU LATER AND THEY'RE, YOU'RE, OH MAN, I ALREADY DID MINE.
BUT I WOULD HAVE DONE IT, MY PLAN WAS ALWAYS TO TELL THEM, HEY, GAVE MINE AWAY CALLED DON, AND LET YOU TELL THEM NO.
BUT I THINK I'M ALWAYS GOING TO BE GIVING IT AWAY.
BUT I LIKED THE ASPECT OF, SORRY, I CAN'T ALREADY DID ONE VERSUS THE, HEY, CAN YOU HELP ME GET SPONSORED STAFF DIDN'T THINK IT DID THIS OR THAT AND THEN WE HAVE THAT.
BUT DO WE NEED ANYTHING FROM STAFF'S OPINION ON DIRECTION FOR A SPONSORSHIP? IS THAT A BETTER OUTCOME TO THIS CONVERSATION?
>> I THINK THE ONE THING FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE IS JUST FOR COUNCIL AWARENESS, OUR PORTFOLIO IN PARKS IS EVERYTHING FROM GOLF COURSES TO THE TENNIS CENTER TO THE POOL.
JUST LOOKING AT WHAT THAT SCOPE ENTAILS BECAUSE WHEN WE DO GOLF TOURNAMENTS, TYPICALLY THOSE ARE PREMIUM EVENTS BECAUSE YOU'RE KEEPING OTHER PARTICIPANTS FROM USING THE GOLF COURSES.
AGAIN, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS, I JUST, FOR COUNSEL'S AWARENESS, JUST CONSIDER ALL THE DIFFERENT PIECES TO THIS.
BECAUSE IT COULD BE TENNIS, IT COULD BE SWIMMING POOLS, IT COULD BE ATHLETIC FACILITIES, IT COULD BE THE ZOO, IT COULD BE ANY OF THOSE, SO JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND.
>> YEAH. BECAUSE DON COULD BE DOING A NONPROFIT PICKLE BALL TOURNAMENT FOR THE HEIGHT IMPAIRED BECAUSE HE'S A SHORTER GUY.
BUT YOU'RE GOING TO GET ALL THESE DIFFERENT ONES.
MAYBE WE'RE STEPPING OUT THERE A LITTLE TOO FAR AND WE NEED TO BACK UP.
I'M HAPPY TO LISTEN A LITTLE MORE.
>> I THINK TO HELP ON THAT COMMENT.
HISTORICALLY, SPONSORSHIPS ARE SOMETHING THAT IS INTEGRATED WITH CITY.
THIS SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT HAS A COMPONENT THAT'S PARTIALLY THE CITY RECOGNIZING THOSE POLICE OFFICERS FOLLOWING THAT WERE CITY EMPLOYEES.
YOU DON'T TYPICALLY SPONSOR THE NONPROFIT THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THAT GOES IN OTHER ENTITIES, USE THAT WAIVER FOR THOSE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER CITIES, THEY HAVE WAIVER PROCESSES IN PLACE FOR THOSE NONPROFITS OR THE INDIVIDUAL FUNDRAISERS FOR CERTAIN EVENTS, FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS.
THOSE ARE MORE WAIVER COMPONENTS.
WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN SPONSORSHIPS ARE SOMETHING THAT'S INTRICAL TO THE CITY AND ITS FUNCTION.
THAT IS A JUDGMENT IN MY OPINION OF MANAGEMENT ADVISING THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR ON THAT COMPONENT.
IN THIS ONE CASE RIGHT HERE, I WOULD ADVISE YOU THAT A SPONSORSHIP WOULD BE APPROPRIATE,
[02:05:03]
RELATED TO THAT THEY'RE RECOGNIZING PAST CITY EMPLOYEES PLUS OTHERS.OBVIOUSLY, YOU ALL HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE FIFTH OF JULY CELEBRATION, AND IT JUST AUTOMATICALLY BECAME THAT YOU'RE A SPONSOR OF IT.
THOSE COME GENERICALLY THROUGH THOSE TYPES OF DISCUSSIONS.
WAIVERS ARE A WHOLE DIFFERENT PROCESS, AND THEY'RE MORE FORMAL AND AGAIN, THEY'RE OPERATED BY STAFF.
DOES THAT HELP DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE TWO?
>> YES, SIR. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNSEL?
>> WE HAVE A CHECKLIST SOMEWHERE THAT SAYS, TO QUALIFY FOR A SPONSORSHIP, HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO BE DOING OR IS IT JUST.
>> NO. IT'S AN INFORMAL DISCUSSION BASED OFF PAST PRACTICES.
>> WELL, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT JUST SO PEOPLE HAVE EXPECTATIONS AS TO WHETHER INSTEAD OF IT JUST, WHATEVER THE CITY, I DON'T KNOW.
IT JUST SEEMS TO BE THE EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE BY BEING SPONSORS OF IT AND PARTNERS IN IT.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, THE PROBLEM THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE IS.
>> WELL, WE HAVE ONE REQUESTER WHO WANTS BASICALLY A WAIVER OF THE FEE FROM THE 4,000 TO SOMETHING MUCH LESS.
>> IS THAT SOMETHING FROM HERE ON OUT, IT'S A PROBLEM THAT WE'VE UPPED THE FEES SO MUCH THAT PEOPLE AREN'T PREPARED THIS YEAR TO SPEND THAT MONEY.
>> THAT'S ONE ASPECT I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER TO THAT INDIVIDUAL.
IF THAT'S A PERMANENT CHALLENGE OR A ONE YEAR CHALLENGE.
>> PROBABLY EVERYBODY IS GOING TO TELL YOU IT'S A PERMANENT CHALLENGE, BUT IT'S A TEMPORARY PROBLEM BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE'RE DEFEATING THE PURPOSE OF TRYING TO DO COST RECOVERY IF WE'RE THEN SAYING, EVERYBODY'S GOT TO PAY THEIR WAY.
BUT NOW WE'RE PROVIDING WAIVERS AND EXEMPTIONS AND THEN SOME GET IT, SOME DON'T.
THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY FAIR TO ALL THE CITIZENS NOW.
MAYBE A SHORT TERM SOLUTION, BUT IT MIGHT BE AN ORDER, BUT I MEAN LONGER TERM.
IF PEOPLE NEED TO GET THAT MONEY, CAN THEY FUNDRAISE IN THE COMMUNITY, I UNDERSTAND MAYBE IF THEY DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS COMING IMMEDIATELY, BUT IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON SOLVING A SHORTER TERM PROBLEM WITH THE EXPECTATION AT SOME POINT YOU'RE GOING TO BE EXPECTED TO PAY BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE FAIR TO ALL CITIZENS.
>> I THINK THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING ONE OF THE FIRST RESPONSES TO THIS AND IT'S GOING TO BE CHALLENGING TO SAY HOW MANY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OVER THE NEXT YEAR.
I THINK IT'S A SHORTER TERM PROBLEM IN ONE ASPECT, HOWEVER, I THINK AN ONGOING REPEATING EVENT ANNUALLY LIKE THIS ONE, THEY MAY HAVE THE EXPECTATION THAT THEY GET IT EVERY YEAR.
YOU'LL HAVE TWO DIFFERENT VIEWS IN THAT, SOME WILL SEE IT AS A SHORT TERM.
THERE ARE OPTIONS FOR THEM TO GO FUNDRAISE PRIVATELY OR OTHER METHODS JUST AS THERE ARE IN OTHERS.
IT'S HARD TO PUT EVERYBODY IN THE SAME BOX IN THE ANSWER. DOES THAT HELP? I THINK THERE IS A SHORT TERM IMPACT OF THEY'RE NOT USED TO IT.
THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THE FEES AROSE THAT MUCH, THAT FAST.
>> I JUST THINK IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE TO GO DOWN, AND IT'S DEFEATING THE PURPOSE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE BEGINNING TO SAY, WE LOVE PEOPLE TO USE OUR PARKS, BUT PEOPLE THAT DON'T USE OUR PARKS ARE HAVING TO SUBSIDIZE THAT.
>> I THINK THAT'S WHY IT'S HERE FOR DISCUSSION BECAUSE IT IS THAT SLIPPERY SLOPE AND WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND EVERYBODY'S PERSPECTIVE, MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS, AND THE ELECTED OFFICIALS CONCERNS.
>> I THINK LISTENING TO THE CAUTION IN IT, IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAD WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A GOOD IDEA UNTIL I TALKED TO DON.
SOMETIMES YOU JUST GOT TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND RETHINK IT.
I THINK PROBABLY THE RIGHT STEP FORWARD WOULD BE IT'S MORE OF A LACK OF EDUCATION ON OUR SIDE I THINK THAN ANYTHING.
CAN WE GET A LIST AN UPDATED CRITERIA ON WHAT THE WAIVER CRITERIA WOULD LOOK IF THAT'S SOMETHING COUNSEL WOULD WANT TO PUT INTO THE ORDINANCE?
>> YES, WE DON'T HAVE ONE, SO WE CAN PROPOSE CRITERIA.
OBVIOUSLY, YOU'D HAVE A GREAT AMOUNT OF INPUT TO THAT CRITERIA.
>> I THINK THAT AND THEN THE SPONSORSHIP THAT ALREADY EXISTS AND THE WAY IN WHICH WE DO CERTAIN SPONSORSHIPS, IF WE COULD GET THAT LISTED, WHAT IS THAT SCORE FUNCTION SPONSORSHIP CRITERIA THAT YOU GUYS ARE WORKING OFF OF TO BE ABLE TO SAY, 100 CLUB IS OBVIOUSLY ONE WE SHOULD BE SPONSORING.
>> WELL, LET ME ASK ANDREW LAURA, DID YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE OF WHY WE SPONSORED BESIDES IT JUST HAD SOME IMPACT TO CORE CITY FUNCTION?
[02:10:04]
THAT WAS JUST HISTORICALLY WHAT WE VIEWED IT AS FROM MANAGEMENT.WE DON'T HAVE A WRITTEN POLICY, IT WAS JUST CERTAIN EVENTS WERE SPONSORSHIPS AND CERTAIN EVENTS WE DID NOT HAVE THE WAIVER.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HOW WE'LL PUT THAT IN WRITING FOR YOU AND PROVIDE IT TO YOU AND THAT COULD FORMALIZE THAT PROCESS, BUT WE'LL GET THAT TO YOU.
>> WELL, I THINK DEFINITELY IF WE COULD PUT SOMETHING IN WRITING AND HAVE IT FOR FUTURE, THAT WAY IT'S NOT AS ARBITRARY PLUS WE WOULD LIKE TO LIMIT IT.
I BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT IF YOU QUALIFIED FOR YOU WOULD HAVE AN EXPECTATION OF, WELL WE QUALIFIED, WE'RE BOOKING IT, WE KNOW EVERY YEAR WE'RE GETTING THIS VERSUS NEXT YEAR WOULD BE.
BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO MAKE KASHUBA'S JOB EVEN HARDER.
LAST YEAR YOU SPONSORED ME, IN THIS YEAR YOU NEED FULL PRICE.
IT'S GOING TO BE A MOUNTAIN FOR HIM.
THE MORE WE CAN CLEAN THIS UP.
THEN I THINK TAKING IT OUT OF COUNSEL'S HANDS, PUTTING IT ALL IN A FORMALIZED PROCESS, BETTER THAN MY IDEA.
>> I HEAR THAT PROPOSED CRITERIA FOR WAIVER.
>> SPONSORSHIP AND WAIVER, WHAT I WOULD THINK.
>> YES. THOSE STILL BE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
>> APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION ON IT, GENTLEMEN.
>> I WOULD SAY, I MEAN, I'M EMPATHETIC TO THE CHALLENGE OF PEOPLE GETTING STICKER SHOCK ON THAT.
I'M NOT SAYING IT'S, AND MAYBE THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LOOK AT DOING IN THE SHORT TERM BECAUSE I THINK IF PEOPLE GOT GUILT OF, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT SETTING UP THEIR EXPECTATION IS FOR LONGER TERM BECAUSE AGAIN, JUST BUT NO, TOTALLY.
WHEN PEOPLE ARE SUPPORTING OUR PARKS AND THEY GET THE STICKER SHOCK, MAYBE THERE'S A SHORT TERM SOLUTION FOR IT OR FIGURING THAT OUT, BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO JUST TURN THEM AWAY.
BUT THE EXPECTATION HAS GOT TO BE, I MEAN, WE CAN HELP IN THE SHORT TERM, BUT ULTIMATELY TO BE FAIR TO OUR TAXPAYERS, WE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT.
>> THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT, MR. KASHUBA.
>> THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE GOOD DISCUSSION ON THAT.
[7.E. Updates from Councilmembers serving on outside boards and commissions]
MOVING ON TO ITEM 7E, WE HAVE A UPDATE FROM TOM SHERLIN ON OUR CONVENTION VISITORS BUREAU.>> IN CASE I MESSES UP, I GOT SHERMAN BASS IN THE BACK TO BAIL ME OUT.
HOPEFULLY I CAN GET THROUGH THIS WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM.
IN OUR LAST MEETING, WE TALKED ABOUT THREE KEY ISSUES.
THE CV BOARD APPROVED THE CHANGE IN LANGUAGE IN THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION AND THE 501 STATUS AND FILING BY LAW AMENDMENT.
NUMBER 2 THING. THE CVB MARKETING TEAM GAVE A PRESENTATION ON THE IMPACT SOCIAL MEDIA HAS ON OUR MARKET.
THE CVB HOSTED INFLUENCERS FROM LONDON, ENGLAND WHICH RESULTED IN 56,000 ESTIMATED MEDIA VALUE.
THE CVB ALSO EXPLORE THE WESLEY WHICH RESULTED IN 48,700 ESTIMATED MEDIA VALUE.
THEN THE VISIT BOARD PRIMARY SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM OR FACEBOOK, TIKTOK, INSTAGRAM.
NOW, EFFORTS WERE BEING MADE TO FOCUS ON GROWING YOUTUBE SHORTS AND PINTEREST.
LAST THING WE TALKED ABOUT WAS THE 2024 ROUTE 66 FESTIVAL.
PLANNING IS UNDERWAY AND THE CVB STAFF HAS BEGUN MEETING WITH ALL THE APPROPRIATE CITY DEPARTMENTS, TOURISM PARTNERS TO ENSURE EVERYTHING PLANNED WELL.
THE CVB WILL AGAIN PARTNER WITH THE OTHER COUNTIES ON TEXAS ROUTE 66 FOR THIS YEAR'S FESTIVE.
IF ANYBODY HAS GOT ANY QUESTIONS, YOU CAN DIRECT THEM TO SHERMAN.
>> A VERY ENTERTAINING UPDATE, SIR.
APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT AND KEEPING IT BRIEF.
SO THAT TAKES US THROUGH ITEM 70.
[7.F. Request future agenda items and reports from City Manager.]
ANY REQUESTED AGENDA ITEMS FROM COUNSEL? NO, SIR. NO, SIR.OKAY. MOVING RIGHT ALONG, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO SECTION 8, OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
[8. Consent Items]
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT YOU NEED PULLED OFF FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION ON? OKAY. SEEING NONE, I WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION.WE ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IT APPEARS ON THE, WHATEVER THIS IS.
>> SO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
[02:15:07]
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.>> ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES.
MOVING ON TO OUR NON CONSENT ITEMS, ITEM 9A.
[Items 9.A & 9.B (Part 1 of 2)]
WE HAVE MR. BRASFIELD HERE COMING FORWARD TO TAKE US ON THIS ONE.I GET THE PLEASURE OF HELPING YOU KNOCK TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE.
MY PRESENTATION WILL COVER ITEMS 9A AND 9B BECAUSE THEY ARE BOTH COMPANION RESOLUTIONS.
I FELT LIKE IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND AND GET EVERYBODY CAUGHT UP TO SPEED AS TO WHAT BROUGHT US HERE TODAY.
THE APPLICANT IS JES DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, AND THEY STARTED THIS PROCESS ON THEIR PROJECT BACK IN 2022 WITH AN APPLICATION FOR SOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS.
SO THE HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM IS ADMINISTERED BY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.
DIRECTS PRIVATE CAPITAL TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT AND PRESERVATION OF AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING FOR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.
THESE TAX CREDITS ARE AWARDED TO ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS TO OFFSET A PORTION OF THEIR FEDERAL TAX LIABILITY IN EXCHANGE FOR THE PRODUCTION OR PRESERVATION OF AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING.
THERE'S TWO TYPES OF HOUSING TAX CREDITS THAT YOU MAY SEE AS COUNSEL.
ONE IS THE COMPETITIVE 9% AND THE OTHER IS THE NONCOMPETITIVE 4%.
I REALIZED I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE CLICKING THROUGH ALL OF THESE.
>> GO THAT WAY MORE. THERE WE GO.
SO THIS PROGRAM, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, WAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A SOURCE OF EQUITY FINANCING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT MAXIMIZES THE NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE UNITS ADDED TO THE STATE'S HOUSING SUPPLY.
IT ENSURES THAT THE STATE'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUPPLY IS WELL MAINTAINED AND OPERATED.
IT ALSO HELPS PREVENT LOSSES IN THE STATE SUPPLY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
CITY COUNCILS ARE OFTEN ASKED TO PROVIDE RESOLUTIONS, EITHER IN SUPPORT OR AS A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION.
IT HELPS THE APPLICANTS EARN MORE POINTS IF THE COUNCIL PASSES A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT AND THEY GET FEWER POINTS IF IT'S JUST A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION.
ESTACADO ESTATES IS THE PROJECT.
THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO BE LOCATED AT SOUTH WASHINGTON STREET AND SOUTHWEST 58.
THE PROJECT IS GOING TO BE A $13.7 MILLION 46 UNIT, 55 PLUS COMMUNITY, I THINK IS HOW THEY'RE OFTEN REFERRED TO.
THE RENT RANGE FOR THESE APARTMENTS IS GOING TO BE SOMEWHERE IN THE $399 TO &1,104 A MONTH LEVEL.
THEIR TARGET AUDIENCE ON THIS IS GOING TO BE THOSE WITH INCOME LEVELS OF &15,000 TO &34,000 ANNUALLY.
THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM JES HAS COMPLETED OVER 120 AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND ALL THE IMAGERY IN THIS PRESENTATION ARE FROM THEIR PROPERTIES.
THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTION ON THIS WAS PASSED BY THE COUNCIL IN FEBRUARY OF 22, AND IT SUPPORTED THEIR APPLICATION FOR THE HOUSING TAX CREDITS.
BUT DUE TO RECENT ECONOMIC FACTORS, THEIR FINANCING GAP IN THEIR NOI NEEDED TO BE MADE UP BY ELIMINATING PROPERTY TAXES.
ON THE AGENDA TODAY, RESOLUTION 24-2 WOULD SUPPORT THEIR APPLICATION TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM TO ASSIST THEM WITH OBTAINING THOSE FUNDS AND HELP THEM MAKE UP THAT GAP IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT COST.
RESOLUTION 24-3 IS IN SUPPORT OF THE PARTNERING WITH THE PANHANDLE REGIONAL HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION TO CREATE FEASIBILITY THROUGH TAX EXEMPTION.
AS PART OF THIS PROCESS, JES HAS COMMITTED TO RETURNING 25% OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT FEES GOING BACK TO THE PANHANDLE REGIONAL HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, THEREBY RETURNING SOME OF THAT SAVINGS BACK TO THE AMARILLO COMMUNITY.
FOR REFERENCE, THIS IS AN IMAGE WHERE THEY ARE PROPOSING TO CONSTRUCT THIS, AND HERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF SOME OF THEIR PROJECTS.
IN CONCLUSION, JUST TO RECAP, ALL OF THIS 24-2 IS IN SUPPORT OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM FUNDING REQUEST, AND 24-3 IS IN SUPPORT OF THEIR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSING CORPORATION.
[02:20:06]
IT WOULD ADD ADDITIONAL AFFORDABLE ELDER HOUSING OPTIONS IN THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT OF AMARILLO.IT DOES MEET WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN GOALS OF DIVERSIFYING AMARILLO'S HOUSING STOCK, WHICH INCLUDES WELL MAINTAINED, AFFORDABLE ELDER RENTAL UNITS.
THE PROPOSED USE IS CONSISTENT WITH USES ALLOWED IN THE GENERAL ZONING DISTRICT.
AGAIN, 25% OF THE PROPERTY TAX SAVINGS WILL BE GOING BACK TO THE PANHANA REGIONAL HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.
PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY IN THIS PRESENTATION, NO CITY FUNDS ARE BEING REQUESTED WITH THIS PRESENTATION AND AS SUCH OUR STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL AS PRESENTED.
IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS SPECIFIC TO THIS PROJECT.
MIKE ASH IS HERE FROM JES AND BLACK COUNCILMAN SHERMAN I BROUGHT BACK UP. THERE YOU GO.
>> SO THESE BUILDINGS WOULD NOT EVER HIT THE TAX ROLL IS THAT CORRECT?
>> I DON'T BELIEVE SO, MR. RASH.
>> GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR THE WELCOME, PARTICULARLY FOR THE PANHANDLE WEATHER WELCOME.
I DROVE UP FROM SWEETWATER THIS MORNING.
LIVED IN WISCONSIN FOR A LONG TIME AND MY DRIVE THIS MORNING WAS AS TERRIFYING AS ANY WINTER WEATHER I EVER HAD IN WISCONSIN SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
IN TERMS OF YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE TAX ROLLS, IT MAY AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, GO BACK ON THE TAX ROLLS.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS WE WILL PROBABLY LIVE WITH THE PROPERTY FOR 15 YEARS THAT'S THE COMPLIANCE PERIOD FOR THE TAX CREDITS.
AT THE END OF 15 YEARS, THE PROPERTY MAY BE SOLD, MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
THE PANHANDLE REGIONAL FINANCE COMMISSION WILL GET A RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL, SO THEY MAY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUY IT OR IT MAY BE A MARKET RATE TRANSACTION THAT'LL HAPPEN AFTER 15 YEARS.
>> SO THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS IT WOULD BE TAXABLE PROPERTY?
>> THEN THE GAP IS WHERE WE NEED TO FILL IN THAT.
>> YEAH. YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE THEN.
I LOOKED UP THE NUMBERS THAT WE SUBMITTED OUR APPLICATION AT THIS MORNING.
WHEN WE SUBMITTED THE APPLICATION IN 2022, THE ESTIMATED COST WAS ABOUT 10 MILLION, IT IS NOW UP TO 13.5 MILLION.
WHEN WE SUBMITTED THE APPLICATION IN 2022, THE INTEREST RATE WAS IN ABOUT 5.5% IT'S NOW ABOUT 8.5% WHICH REDUCES HOW MUCH WE CAN BORROW FOR THE PROJECT.
WHEN WE SUBMITTED THE APPLICATION, THE PRICING THAT SOMEONE PAID FOR THE TAX CREDITS WAS $0.88 PER DOLLAR OF CREDIT IT HAS NOW DROPPED TO ABOUT $0.80 PER DOLLAR OF CREDIT.
WE'VE LOST THE ABILITY TO BORROW AS MUCH AS WE COULD, THE COST HAS INCREASED, AND WE'VE LOST THE ABILITY TO BRING IN AS MUCH INVESTMENT AS WE COULD.
YES, I REGRET THAT I'M HERE ASKING FOR THE TAX EXEMPTION, THE ONLY THING THAT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT IS THAT IT IS WITH THE PANHANDLE REGIONAL HFC.
IT IS A LOCAL GROUP, THE BENEFITS WILL STAY IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE HOUSING IS NEEDED IN THE COMMUNITY WILL BE A HIGH QUALITY HOUSING PROJECT FOR A LONG TIME.
>> THE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF YOU'RE GETTING IS JUST THE PART THAT THE CITY CHARGES OR IS IT ALL OF IT?
>> I BELIEVE IT'S ALL OF IT. I THINK BECAUSE OF THE HFC OWNING IT, THEY WILL BE ENTITLED TO A FULL TAX EXEMPTION.
>> BUT IT ONLY REQUIRES APPROVAL FROM US, NOT THE OTHER TAXING ENTITIES.
>> YES. WHAT WE NEED THE APPROVAL FROM YOU FOR IS WHEN WE FINALIZE THE PARTNERSHIP WITH PANHANDLE HOUSING, WE'LL HAVE TO GO BACK TO TDHCA TO GET THEIR APPROVAL FOR THE CHANGE IN OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING REALLY WANTS TO KNOW IS THAT THE COMMUNITY STILL SUPPORTS THE PROJECT AND SUPPORTS THE TAX EXEMPTION.
THERE ARE OTHER INSTANCES WHERE HFC'S OR COMMUNITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS HAVE COME IN AND CRAMMED DOWN THE TAX EXEMPTION ON LOCAL COMMUNITIES, WHICH HAS THEN RESULTED IN UPSET PEOPLE, RIGHTFULLY SO THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TALKING TO YOU AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU STILL SUPPORT THE DEAL IN THE EXEMPTION.
>> THIS MAY BE A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
WHEN THIS EXEMPTION WAS CREATED, WAS THERE A REINVESTMENT ZONE MADE FOR THIS OR NO? SINCE IT'S BASICALLY PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT.
>> THIS TYPE OF INCENTIVE DOESN'T REQUIRE A REINVESTMENT ZONE.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF INCENTIVES THAT REQUIRE A REINVESTMENT ZONE, BUT THIS IS STRICTLY RELATED TO THIS PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT AND GETTING THE TAX BREAK THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR AS DESCRIBED.
>> DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW WHAT THE TOTAL ABATEMENT IS? YOU'RE SAYING 13.5 MILLION FOR THE,
>> YES. WHEN WE ORIGINALLY SUBMITTED THE APPLICATION, WE PRO FORMED THE TAXES AT ABOUT $39,000 PER YEAR.
THAT WOULD BE THE TAX EXEMPT THE TAX LOSS THAT
[02:25:02]
YOU WERE GIVING UP ACROSS ALL OF THE TAXING ENTITIES.A TAX CREDIT PROJECT IS ASSESSED USING A DIFFERENT METHOD THAN JUST MARKET RATE DEVELOPMENT IS.
THERE IS A STATE MANDATES, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY MANDATE THE CAP RATE, BUT THE STATE BASICALLY HAS PASSED A LAW SAYING THAT THE LOCAL ASSESSING JURISDICTIONS HAVE TO DEVELOP A CAP RATE EVERY YEAR THAT THEN GETS TO APPLY TO NOI.
TYPICALLY, THE TAX ASSESSIBLE VALUE OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS IS LESS THAN MARKET RATE HOUSING AND I GUESS I'M SAYING THIS TO SUGGEST THAT THE LOSS TO THE CITY IN TERMS OF THE FOREGONE REVENUE WOULD NOT BE AS MUCH AS IT MIGHT BE WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OR PROJECTS.
>> IT'S A $40,000 A YEAR ABATEMENT, CITY PORTION ONLY I'M ASSUMING.
>> THAT'S THE ENTIRE PROPERTY TAX.
>> I THINK THAT WOULD JUST BE THE CITY PORTION.
BUT ARE YOU ASKING THE OTHER TAXING ENTITIES?
>> WE'RE NOT AT THIS POINT, NO.
>> OKAY. HERE'S KIND OF MY STICKING POINT, AND I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT AS A BUSINESS GUY.
THE DEAL CAN'T HAPPEN BECAUSE OF A GAP AND IT'S A 13.5 MILLION DOLLAR DEAL BUT $40,000 PER YEAR IS WHAT'S CONNECTING THIS?
>> THE $40,000 PER YEAR ALLOWS US TO BORROW PROBABLY $800,000 EXTRA JUST BECAUSE OF THAT DIFFERENCE.
THE OTHER THING WE'RE ASKING FOR IS WE'RE ASKING FOR A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING OUR APPLICATION WITH THE FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK.
WE'RE ASKING FOR 1.6 MILLION DOLLAR FROM THEM, WHICH WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL LATER IN THE YEAR.
BUT BETWEEN THOSE TWO, AND THE AMOUNT OF DEFERRED DEVELOPER FEE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING, THAT WILL MAKE THE PROJECT WHOLE.
WE'LL END UP PAYING OURSELVES BACK OVER TIME OVER THE 10-15 YEARS TO MAKE THE PROJECT.
>> SO YOU HAVE SOME LENDING BENEFITS THAT HAPPEN ALONG WITH THIS AS WELL.
>> THE WHOLE DEAL, THERE'S MORE GOING ON THAN JUST THE TAX ABATEMENT?
>> YES, SIR. IT'S NOT JUST THE TAX ABATEMENT AD THAT 40,000 PER YEAR, IT'S HOW MUCH IT ALLOWS US TO BORROW EXTRA.
>> OF THE 40,000, 10,000 A YEAR GOING TO THE PANHANDLE HOUSING.
>> MORE THAN 10,000 PER YEAR, THEY'LL BE TAKING 25% OF THE DEVELOPER FEE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
BUT THEY ALSO WILL BE GETTING A FEE FOR USING THEIR NONPROFIT STATUS TO BUY MATERIALS AND SAVE US ON MATERIAL PRICINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT SO THEY'LL BE GETTING MORE THAN JUST THE 25% DEVELOPER FEE.
>> OKAY, FURTHER QUESTIONS COUNCIL?
>> STAFF, NOW YOU ARE COMING IN AND YOU'RE RECOMMENDING THIS BASED ON WHAT? WHY ARE YOU RECOMMENDING THIS? I GET GOT THE PRESENTATION, I DON'T THINK I DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION, I DID.
BUT RECOMMENDATION, HOW DO YOU SEE THAT THIS BENEFITS?
>> WELL, GIVEN THE LOCATION, NUMBER ONE, WE NEED MORE HOUSING IN THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT OF AMARILLO.
THIS DOES PROVIDE THE 55 PLUS AGE GROUP AN ADDITIONAL OPTION.
PERSONALLY, I'VE SEEN THE BENEFIT TO IT BECAUSE MY OWN MOTHER LIVES IN ONE OF THESE TYPES OF FACILITIES OR FOR LACK OF BETTER TERMS. AGAIN, IT'S MORE FROM A HOUSING PERSPECTIVE, I THINK THAN ANYTHING ELSE, YOU KNOW WHY THIS WAS RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL.
>> SO YOU FEEL LIKE THERE'S A BIG NEED, A NEED IN THE CITY, THERE'S A GAP HERE IN THIS TYPE OF HOUSING? IS IT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX OR IS IT EXTENDED? NOT NECESSARILY ELDERLY, 55 PLUS IS WHAT YOUR TARGET IS? CORRECT? IS THAT CRITERIA FOR SOMEONE TO RENT AN APARTMENT THERE?
>> YES, SIR IT'LL BE 55 PLUS, EVERY MEMBER OF THE HOUSEHOLD WILL HAVE TO BE 55 PLUS.
IT IS INDEPENDENT SENIOR LIVING, SO IT'S NOT ASSISTED LIVING.
THERE WILL BE A LEVEL OF SERVICES, MOSTLY SOCIAL SERVICES, FITNESS CLASSES, COMMUNITY GET TOGETHERS.
THERE'LL BE LIGHT CHORES, VALET, GARBAGE REMOVAL, CHANGING LIGHT BULBS, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS SO THERE'LL BE SOME SERVICES THERE FOR THE SENIORS, BUT NOT ASSISTED LIVING.
>> THE QUESTION, I GUESS, MAYBE THIS WOULD BE A STAFF QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE DON'T PASS THIS, WHETHER THE PROJECT FALLS THROUGH, WHICH COULD MEAN THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL SENIOR LIVING.
BUT FROM A TAXPAYER STANDPOINT, HELP ME UNDERSTAND, THERE'S A GAP HERE.
THEORETICALLY, YOU'RE EXPECTING TAXPAYER TO HELP FILL IN THE GAP FOR THAT.
WHY IS THAT BETTER FOR THE COMMUNITY?
>> A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED.
FIRST OFF, THESE RESOLUTIONS ADD POINTS TO THE PROJECT.
IF THE PROJECT QUALIFIES FOR POINTS IN ANOTHER MANNER, IT COULD BE SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT THE RESOLUTION.
THAT VERY SELDOM HAPPENS BECAUSE THEY NEED ALL THE POINTS THEY CAN GET TO GET THERE.
[02:30:05]
SECOND IS THAT UNDER CURRENT CONDITIONS IN AMARILLO HOUSING, THIS IS TARGETING THE LOWER LEVEL INCOME, YOUR SEGMENT OF YOUR COMMUNITY THAT HAS SPECIAL RENT NEEDS THAT DON'T HAVE SUFFICIENT OR QUALITY HOUSING IN EXISTENCE TODAY.THERE IS A PORTION OF YOUR COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS BENEFITING.
HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THE TAXPAYERS? PROBABLY IN A POSITIVE WAY, RELATED TO OTHER SERVICES THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS MAY NEED IN OTHER ASSISTANCE MANNER, SUCH THAT THEIR INCOME ALLOWS THEM WITH THE REDUCED RATE TO PAY FOR OTHER THINGS, UTILITIES, FUEL, EVERYTHING ELSE THAT THEY PAY.
IT ALLOWS THEM TO LIVE IN A STANDARD THAT'S ACCEPTABLE, RELATED TO THE REDUCED RENT.
YOU SAW IT WAS 399 TO 1,100 AND SOMETHING.
IT'S PROBABLY BASED OFF THEIR INCOME LEVEL.
THE LOWER THEY ARE ON THE INCOME LEVEL, THE MORE BENEFIT THEY GET ON A RENT ASSISTANCE, BASICALLY, UNDER THIS PLAN, AND THAT'S HOW IT BENEFITS THE CITIZENS, THAT YOU HAVE THE LOWER INCOME PORTION OF YOUR COMMUNITY THAT HAVE A QUALITY LIVING OPTION. DOES THAT HELP?
>> YES. HAVE WE DONE THESE BEFORE?
>> NOT REAL COMMON IN AMARILLO.
IT'S NOT REAL COMMON THAT THESE ARE SUCCESSFUL IN AMARILLO.
WE'VE DONE RESOLUTIONS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
I MAY NOT REMEMBER, BUT THERE'S ONE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF TOWN NEAR I-27 AND THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE ON NORTH GRAND.
THEY'RE TYPICALLY LOCATED IN THESE AREAS WHERE THEY BOTH BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY.
>> YOU SAY NOT SUCCESSFUL, WHAT DID THAT MEAN?
>> THAT MEANS THAT WE PASSED THE RESOLUTIONS AND THE ENTITY DID NOT SCORE ENOUGH POINTS AND THE PROJECT DID NOT PROCEED.
THAT'S STILL A POSSIBILITY IF YOU PASSED THIS RESOLUTION THAT THEY'RE NOT SELECTED.
THEY DON'T SCORE ENOUGH POINTS FOR OTHER REASONS.
BUT THIS HELPS THAT PROCESS TO SCORE POINTS TO GET THOSE TO QUALIFY.
I KNOW IN SOME CASES IN THE PAST THERE WERE APPLICATIONS IN AMARILLO AND LUBBOCK, AND LUBBOCK SCORED HIGHER.
>> DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW UNDER-SERVED WE ARE IN THIS TYPE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING?
>> I CAN TELL YOU WHEN WE SUBMITTED THE APPLICATION, WE ALSO HAD TO HAVE A THIRD-PARTY MARKET STUDY DONE, AND THE THIRD-PARTY MARKET STUDY FOUND THAT THE CAPTURE RATE, WHICH IS WHAT PERCENTAGE OF POPULATION THIS PROPERTY NEEDS TO ATTRACT TO BE SUCCESSFUL, WAS VERY LOW.
THE RATES WERE 2.7 TO 5% SOMEWHERE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
TYPICALLY, TDHCA DOES NOT GET WORRIED ABOUT CAPTURE RATES UNTIL THEY GET UP TO 20%.
THE RATES ARE PRETTY LOW, SUGGESTING THE DEMAND IS THERE.
I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OTHER THINGS, IF I MAY, THAT JUST HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP.
THERE ARE TWO RESOLUTIONS BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
ONE IS FOR THE FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK AND THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM.
I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT RESOLUTION DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY COMMITMENT FROM THE CITY.
NO FUNDING, NO DOCUMENTATION, NO RISK OF ANY SORT.
NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE TAX EXEMPTION, IF I COULD ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THAT RESOLUTION SEPARATELY AND PASS THAT, THAT WOULD BE A HELP.
IF THE TAX EXEMPTION IS CAUSING YOU SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS THAT WOULD RESULT IN YOUR VOTING AGAINST IT, I WOULDN'T MIND IF WE TABLED IT AND CAME BACK TO THIS AFTER WE DID A LITTLE BIT MORE OF ANALYSIS AND TRIED TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS.
IN TERMS OF WHY YOU MAY NOT HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE, IT'S BECAUSE WITH THE 9% CREDIT, HISTORICALLY, THE 9% CREDIT HAS NOT NEEDED ANY ASSISTANCE FROM LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
THE DEALS THAT WERE APPROVED IN 2021 AND, 2022, AND 2023, HAVE ALL BEEN IMPACTED BY WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE WITH THE INTEREST RATES AND THE INVESTMENT RATES AND CONSTRUCTION COSTS.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING THROUGH ALMOST ALL OF THOSE DEALS RIGHT NOW.
I WAS IN SWEETWATER THIS MORNING.
AGAIN, THIS IS NOT TO SUGGEST ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT A LOT OF COMMUNITIES ARE FACING THIS AND HAVING THIS DISCUSSION.
WE'RE TALKING TO, I THINK, ALL OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE DID DEALS IN 2021 THROUGH 2023 WITH, WHICH INCLUDES GRAND PRAIRIE, SWEETWATER, WACO, TYLER, LOCKHART, ABILENE.
NOW WE'RE NOT DOING ABILENE BECAUSE IT'S GOT HISTORIC CREDITS AND IT'S OKAY.
IT'S OBVIOUSLY SPECIFIC TO THE CITY, BUT NOT A PROBLEM THAT IS UNIQUE TO THIS CITY.
IT'S A PROBLEM WITH THE TAX CREDIT DEALS FROM 2021 THROUGH 2023, BASICALLY, ACROSS THE STATE.
>> CAN I ASK YOU A BUSINESS QUESTION? WITH THE LOW INCOME THAT YOU'RE HITTING, I'M GUESSING YOU'LL GET SUBSIDIZED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT?
[02:35:01]
>> THERE'S NO SUBSIDY FOR THE INCOME OR FOR THE RENTS.
WHAT HAPPENS IS IF WE BUILD A, LET'S JUST SAY, A $10 MILLION PROJECT AND RESTRICT IT TO THE INCOME LEVELS THAT ARE TARGETED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THEN WE GET CREDITS BASED ON THE CONSTRUCTION COST.
THAT CREDITS USED TO BE SOLD AT $0.88 PER DOLLAR, IN WHICH CASE WE WOULD GET $8.8 MILLION IN CREDIT.
WE GET $8 MILLION IN CREDIT THAT WE WOULD SELL AND THEN APPLY IT TO THE PROJECT COST.
TYPICAL DEAL YOU'D PROBABLY HAVE TO BORROW SEVEN MILLION ON A $10 MILLION PROJECT.
WE'D BE BORROWING $2 MILLION FOR THE PROJECT INSTEAD OF THE SEVEN MILLION.
>> WE MAKE MONEY THROUGH THE DEVELOPER FEE.
WE ALSO ARE THE MANAGEMENT AGENT, SO WE'LL HAVE MANAGEMENT FEES.
WE BRING IN THE INVESTORS FOR THE TAX CREDITS. WE'LL MAKE MONEY ON THAT.
WE'RE A FULLY INTEGRATED DEVELOPER OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE HOPING TO MAKE MONEY ON IT AS A DEVELOPMENT FEE. RIGHT NOW WE'RE NOT.
>> I APOLOGIZE AHEAD OF TIME, I'M NOT TRACKING ON THIS ITEM.
THE FIRST RESOLUTION BASICALLY IS JUST STATING THAT WE SUPPORT YOU TO GO APPLY FOR A LOAN, CORRECT?
>> THEN IN THE SECOND RESOLUTION, I'M NOT FINDING ANYTHING IN HERE WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT TAX ABATEMENT OR ANYTHING OF THAT MANNER.
CAN YOU HELP EDUCATE ME ON THAT PORTION?
>> SURE. WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH PANHANDLE HOUSING ABOUT A PARTNERSHIP THAT WOULD BRING THEM IN AS A GENERAL PARTNER AND ALLOW THE PROPERTY TO BECOME A TAX EXEMPT.
I BELIEVE THE RESOLUTION DOES TALK ABOUT SUPPORT FOR TAX-EXEMPT STATUS, MAYBE IN THE LAST OR SECOND TO LAST LINE.
BUT IT'S OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PANHANDLE HFC THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO HAVE THE TAX-EXEMPT STATUS.
>> I DID NOT SEE IT. NO, SIR. I APOLOGIZE. UNLESS, BRIAN, YOU CAN HELP ME, IF YOU CAN HELP WHERE IT SAYS THAT ON HERE.
>> I DON'T HAVE THAT RESOLUTION PRINTED OUT.
ACTUALLY, WHAT I'M LOOKING AT IS A PRINTOUT.
LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE BOTH AHP RESOLUTIONS.
>> IS THIS A DUPLICATE YOU THINK 9A AND 9B DUPLICATED THE RESOLUTION?
>> YES, SIR. WE JUST FOUND OUT THERE TO BE A MISTAKE IN THE PACKET.
WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN PULL UP THE CORRECT SLATE FOR YOU.
>> YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT CATCH. COUNCILMAN CRAFT.
>> I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE PUZZLED. SORRY ABOUT THAT.
>> NO WORRIES. I'M LEARNING JUST LIKE ANYBODY ELSE.
>> AGAIN, IF WE NEED TO COME BACK TO FINISH THIS DISCUSSION OR BECAUSE IT MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY POSTED, I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THIS TABLED AND COME BACK.
>> LET ME ASK YOU. YOU MAY KNOW ON THE TOTAL POINTS, AND I'M TOTALLY UNFAMILIAR WITH HOW THE POINT SYSTEM WORKS, BUT YOU WOULD NEED OUR SUPPORT AND THEN YOU WOULD STILL NEED TO GO AND GET THE REMAINING POINTS.
COULD YOU GIVE US A STATUS ON WHERE YOU'RE AT ON THAT SCALE AND WHAT THE PROCESS LOOKS LIKE AFTER YOU LEAVE HERE?
>> SURE. WHAT YOU'VE HEARD IS NOT NECESSARILY ENTIRELY CORRECT.
IN 2022, THE RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT WAS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL FOR THE PROJECT'S SUCCESS.
IF WE HAD NOT GOTTEN THAT RESOLUTION, THEN THE PROJECT WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN CREDITS.
SO THE RESOLUTION WE'RE ASKING FOR NOW DOESN'T AFFECT THE SCORING.
IT DOES AFFECT TDHCA'S WILLINGNESS TO LET US INTO A PARTNERSHIP WITH PANHANDLE.
THE RESOLUTION WE'RE ASKING FOR TODAY IS INSTRUMENTAL TO THE PROJECT GOING FORWARD.
IF YOU DECIDED NOT TO PASS THE TAX EXEMPT RESOLUTION, WE'LL STILL CONTINUE LOOKING FOR OTHER FUNDS TO PLUG THE HOLE.
BUT AGAIN, CERTAINLY WOULD APPRECIATE THE HP RESOLUTION TONIGHT.
>> WOULD YOU SAY YOU HAVE ALL OF THE CREDITS THAT YOU NEED TO MOVE FORWARD?
>> WE HAVE ALL THE CREDITS WE'RE GOING TO GET. THAT'S NOT ALL WE NEED.
WHEN TDHCA CAME OUT AND ASKED DEVELOPERS ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO MAKE THE PROJECTS WHOLE, DEVELOPERS TOLD THEM WE WOULD NEED 50% BONUS CREDITS.
TDHCA CAME BACK WITH 15% BONUS CREDITS, WHICH IS NOT ENOUGH TO MAKE THEM WHOLE WHICH IS WHY WE'RE HERE TRYING TO PLUG GAPS.
>> THEN COUNSEL GREATLY APPRECIATES WITH THE LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THIS,
[02:40:08]
YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SAY, HEY, LET ME GO DO A LITTLE MORE WORK AND I'LL BRING IT BACK.MAYBE WE WOULDN'T MOVE TO TABLE.
MAYBE WE WOULD MOVE TO POSTPONE INDEFINITELY JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'RE COMING BACK.
I WOULD ASK IF THERE IS, DO YOU HAVE A PREFERENCE ON WHAT THE MOTION WOULD BE OR DO YOU NOT, BRIAN?
>> POSTPONED. BUT NOT TAKE ANY ACTION TODAY.
>> BUT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING IS FOR US TO APPROVE ITEM A, CORRECT?
IS A OR B THE ONE THAT WOULD BE THE APPLICATION AND THE WILLINGNESS TO PARTNER?
>> SO ITEM 9A IS THE APPLICATION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM FUNDS FROM THE FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK.
9B IS A RESOLUTION OF CONTINUING SUPPORT FOR THEIR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PANAMA REGIONAL HOUSING AND FINANCE CORPORATION.
>> IN THEORY, WE COULD TAKE NO ACTION ON 9A BECAUSE IT'S NOT REPRESENTED CORRECTLY? WE DON'T HAVE THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS.
>> A IS CORRECT AND B IS NOT CORRECT.
YOU ARE SEEKING THE FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK?
>> THAT'S WHERE YOU NEED TO GO?
>> WE COULD TAKE ACTION ON 9A, TAKE NO ACTION ON B, OR WE COULD POSTPONE B DEPENDING ON WHETHER YOU WERE.
>> I'LL BE BACK. WHENEVER YOU CAN SCHEDULE ME. WE'LL BE BACK.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNSEL?
>> THANK YOU GENTLEMEN. APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
>> MR. BRASFIELD, YOU GOT ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO CLEAR UP ON THIS ONE?
>> WELL, JUST FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS DISCUSSION, I DID HAVE SOME OF THE NUMBERS SENT TO ME.
AS FAR AS AMARILLO GOES, ACCORDING TO THE 2021 HOUSING STUDY THAT WAS DONE, SENIOR HOUSING CHOICES ARE LIMITED FOR RENTALS BY INCOMES AND AVAILABILITY.
THERE'S CURRENTLY 645 UNITS LOCATED WITHIN SEVEN PROPERTIES, AND THEY'RE ALL, EFFECTIVELY, 100% LEASED AT THIS POINT.
BASED ON THIS STUDY THAT WAS DONE, THE CITY OF AMARILLO CAN ABSORB COMFORTABLY ANOTHER 200 AGE AND INCOME RESTRICTED UNITS.
JUST ANOTHER TIDBIT OF INFORMATION.
>> I THINK THAT'S GOOD INFO TO HAVE MOVING FORWARD.
I WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION ON ITEM 9A ALONE. PLEASE.
>> I MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 0409242 AS PRESENTED IN THE AGENDA.
>> I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
>> WE HAVE A 4-1 VOTE ON THAT ONE.
MR. BRASFIELD, DO WE NEED TO DO ANYTHING FURTHER WITH YOU ON
[9.B. CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NO. 04-09-24-3 (Part 2 of 2)]
ITEM 9B OR ARE YOU OKAY WITH OUR INTENTION?>> WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION ON ITEM 9B PLEASE.
>> I'M MAKING A MOTION ON ITEM 9B TO POSTPONE.
>> I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO POSTPONE ITEM 9B.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED? ITEM PASSES 5-0.
THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
YES, SIR. WE'LL SEE YOU WHEN YOU GET BACK.
[9.C. PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NO. 04-09-24-4]
WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING HERE, SO WE HAVE MISS SHANNON TALISON COMING FORWARD TO LEAD US INTO THIS ONE.THEN WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
>> COUNSEL, MAYOR, GOOD AFTERNOON. HOW ARE YOU ALL? I COULD NOT HAVE PICKED A BETTER DAY TO BRING THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS, [LAUGHTER] SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO PRESENT THIS INFORMATION TO YOU TODAY.
RIGHT OFF THE BAT, WE ARE IN AN AREA PRONE TO DROUGHT.
OBVIOUSLY, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS PEOPLE THINK OF, OF THIS AREA IS THAT THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN IS VERY SPECIFICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH PROTECTION OF THE QUANTITY OF WATER AVAILABLE.
FUNDAMENTALLY, THAT'S INCORRECT.
IT'S ALSO PROTECTION OF THE QUALITY OF WATER AVAILABLE.
OVERALL, THE INTENT OF THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN IS TO ENSURE THAT WE STILL HAVE THE PRIMARY CORE COMPONENTS, WHICH IS SANITATION AND FIRE PROTECTION.
THAT WE HAVE PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH THROUGH AGAIN, THE QUALITY ASPECT OF IT.
WE HAVE WATER THAT IS FREE FROM CONTAMINANTS AND MICROBIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY FOR WELFARE AND SAFETY.
[02:45:03]
THEN TO MINIMIZE ADVERSE IMPACTS FOR YOUR STORAGE AND EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.IN THE EVENT, WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE LARGE SCALE DROUGHT BUILD UP OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
WE HAVE THE ABILITY AND RESOURCES FOR FIRE PROTECTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH AND USAGE. WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? BECAUSE THE STATE TOLD US WE HAVE TO HAVE A DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN.
YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW CERTAIN STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES.
THE TEXAS WATER CODE AND THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE BOTH CITE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN REQUIREMENTS PERTAINING TO HOW YOU HANDLE THE USE OF YOUR WATER RESOURCES DURING LIMITED CAPACITY TYPE SITUATIONS.
THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN MUST BE FORMALLY ADOPTED BY YOUR GOVERNING BODY FOR THE WATER PROVIDER, AND THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION MUST ALSO BE DOCUMENTED ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
WE ARE SUGGESTING NO CHANGES FROM THE 2019 DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN, SO IT WILL BE A CONTINUATION FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS.
THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN HAS TO BE RENEWED EVERY FIVE YEARS OR MODIFIED EVERY FIVE YEARS.
THE LAST APPROVAL WAS IN APRIL OF 2019.
AGAIN, JUST THE GENERAL CONSENSUS IS THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO PROMOTE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY AND THE OVERALL WELFARE OF THE WATER RESOURCES WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US IN THIS AREA.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY, THE LAST IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN, WE WENT INTO STAGE 1 DROUGHT CONTINGENCY IN JUNE.
ON 22ND OF JUNE, IN 2022, WE WERE UNDER STAGE 1 CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR SEVEN DAYS.
STAGE 1 IS ENTIRELY VOLUNTARY.
WE RECOMMEND REDUCTION OF WATER USAGE AND RECOMMEND THE STAGGERING OF IRRIGATION SUPPORT.
LIKE ODD ADDRESSES, ONE DAY, EVEN ADDRESS IS ANOTHER DAY, BUT IT'S ENTIRELY VOLUNTARY.
WITHIN SEVEN DAYS OF THE FIRST TIME WE ISSUED IT IN THAT AMOUNT OF TIME.
SUBSEQUENTLY, WE WERE BACK DOWN UNDER DROUGHT CONTINGENCY CONDITIONS, JUST BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY ACTUALLY HELPED US FROM THAT VOLUNTARY STANDPOINT AND THEY WERE SUPPORTIVE OF THE OVERALL FUNCTION.
NOW THE REQUIREMENTS, WE DO HAVE TO CONSULT WITH RETAIL AND WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS.
WE HAVE TO PROVIDE NOTICE TO THEM.
WE HAVE TO HAVE OPEN COMMUNICATION WITH THE PUBLIC TO PROVIDE SUGGESTION ASSOCIATED WITH THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN.
WE HAVE TO DO CRITICAL REPORTING.
WHENEVER WE RUN INTO THOSE REDUCTION OF QUALITY OR QUANTITY AVAILABILITY AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO SUBMIT ROUTINE REPORTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
ONE INSTANCE WOULD BE LIKE A RESERVOIR LEVEL REPORT.
I CAN HAPPILY TELL YOU TODAY, RIGHT NOW, THE RESERVOIR CAPACITY IS TYPICALLY 28 FEET AND WE ARE SITTING COMFORTABLY AT 27 FEET RIGHT NOW.
ACTUALLY, WE PROBABLY JUST INCREASE THAT RATE RIGHT AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
IN A CONTINUATION OF VERY DIFFICULT TO VIEW CHARTS, HERE IS THE STAGES OF THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN.
ALL OF THIS IS IN THE ACTUAL DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN THAT WILL BE POSTED.
BUT ESSENTIALLY, THIS IS JUST THE LIMITATIONS OF WHAT STARTS IN EACH STAGE OF DROUGHT CONSERVATION PRACTICES.
FOR INSTANCE, STAGE 1, THAT IS THAT OUR RESERVOIR HITS 60% CAPACITY OR 30 MILLION GALLONS.
SUBSEQUENTLY, OUR USAGE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY EXCEEDS 84.7 MILLION GALLONS IN THAT POINT IN TIME AND THAT CONTINUES CONSECUTIVELY FOR FIVE DAYS.
AFTER THAT TAKES PLACE, THEN THE DIRECTOR IS AUTHORIZED TO ISSUE STAGE ONE OF DROUGHT CONTINGENCY, WHICH AGAIN IS ENTIRELY VOLUNTARY.
IT ISN'T UNTIL STAGE 2 THAT THE SWITCHING OF ADDRESSES BECOMES MANDATORY.
IT ISN'T UNTIL STAGE 3 THAT WATERING, AND THE TIME OF 8:00 PM TO 6:00 AM BECOMES MANDATORY.
MAYOR STANLEY, YOU DON'T GET INVOLVED UNTIL STAGE 5.
AT THAT POINT IN TIME, YOU'RE IN A WATER EMERGENCY, YOU HAVE 95% REDUCTION IN YOUR VOLUME AND AVAILABILITY.
AT THAT POINT IN TIME, IT'S ISSUED AS AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION FOR WATER MANAGEMENT AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
>> QUESTIONS FOR MISS SHANNON.
WHAT'S THE HIGHEST STAGE THAT WE'VE EVER BEEN ON THE CONTINGENCY SEQUENCE?
>> YES. WE DO A VERY GOOD JOB OF MAINTAINING OUR WELL FIELDS AND OUR RESERVOIR IN OUR WORKING RELATIONSHIPS REGARDING THE CRIMWALL WATER RESOURCES.
STAGE 1 IS HISTORICALLY THE HIGHEST LEVEL WE'VE REACHED.
[02:50:02]
DO YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW HIGH I'VE REACHED DOWN THERE?>> I'M SURE. NO, I'M GOOD. THANK YOU.
>> MISS SHANNON, GOOD PRESENTATION.
APPRECIATE THAT AND THE EDUCATION ON IT. THANK YOU.
WITH NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MISS TOLLISON, I WOULD GO AHEAD AND OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM? SEEING NO ONE, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ASK FOR A MOTION ON ITEM 9C.
WE ACCEPT RESOLUTION 04-09-24-4.
>> I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
WITH NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.
ITEM 9D, WE HAVE MR. KENDRICK COMING UP HERE TO WALK US THROUGH,
[9.D. CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 8128]
IT LOOKS LIKE AN EASEMENT VACATING.>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THIS ORDINANCE IS CONSIDERING THE VACATION OF A TOTAL OF THREE EASEMENTS, 10-FOOT WIDE PUBLIC UTILITY EASEMENT, A 10-FOOT WIDE PUBLIC UTILITY AND DRAINAGE EASEMENT, AND A 20-FOOT WIDE PUBLIC UTILITY AND DRAINAGE EASEMENT.
THIS IS ALL IN THE VICINITY OF JOHN DAVIS CIRCLE AND PLUM CREEK DRIVE WITHIN A LOT 11 G OF QUAIL CREEK ADDITION UNIT NUMBER 37.
>> THE THREE EASEMENTS ARE LOCATED ON A VACANT TRACK CURRENTLY THAT IS UNDER DEVELOPMENT FOR A NEW MEDICAL FACILITY, AND THESE EASEMENTS ARE LOCATED WITHIN AN AREA WHERE THE BUILDING IS PROPOSED TO BE PLACED.
THE REQUEST WAS REVIEWED BY THE CITY DEPARTMENTS AND LOCAL UTILITY COMPANIES THAT HAVE UTILITIES IN THE AREA.
THERE WERE SOME UTILITIES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THESE EASEMENTS, HOWEVER, THEY ARE BEING RELOCATED AT THIS TIME, BOTH CITY AND PRIVATE FRANCHISE UTILITY COMPANY.
ALL PARTIES WERE AGREEABLE THAT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO PROCEED WITH THIS REQUEST TO ALLOW THESE EASEMENTS TO BE ABANDONED.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THIS REQUEST WITH A UNANIMOUS VOTE.
>> QUESTIONS FOR MR. KENDRICK? GENTLEMEN? THANK YOU, SIR.
>> WITH NO QUESTIONS ON THIS GUY, I WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION.
>> I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 8128.
NO PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ONE.
>> I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 8128 AS PRESENTED ON THE AGENDA.
>> I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ONE? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ITEM 9E, WE HAVE MR. HOOPER COMING UP HERE.
[9.E. CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 8129]
WE TASKED HIM WITH THIS ONE ON OUR MASSAGE ORDINANCE, SO HE'S GOING TO GIVE US AN UPDATE TO SEE WHERE WE'RE AT.>> THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
A LOT HAS HAPPENED SINCE OUR LAST MEETING AND THIS ITEM HERE TODAY IS CONSIDERED REPEALING ORDINANCE 8-09-2.
I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE DONE SINCE THE LAST TIME THAT WE MET.
LAST TIME WE TALKED TO COUNCIL, LET ME GET FORWARD TO MY STUFF HERE, WE ACTUALLY MET WITH FIVE LOCAL LICENSED THERAPISTS.
WE JUST REACHED OUT TO A COUPLE OF THEM THAT I KNEW AND SAID, HEY, CAN YOU PRODUCE A FEW OTHER NAMES SO THAT WE CAN GET TOGETHER AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS AND JUST SIT DOWN AT A TABLE AND WE DID.
WE SPENT ABOUT AN HOUR UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEY WERE GOING THROUGH, UNDERSTANDING THEIR CONCERNS, AND ALSO LEARNING A LOT.
WE LOOK BACK AT THIS AS GOING BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD FOR US AND STARTING OVER.
I WANTED TO GO OVER AND I PROMISED THEM THAT I WOULD DO THIS BECAUSE THEY WERE IN ATTENDANCE FOR THE LAST MEETING.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY REQUESTED IS THAT WE BRING THIS INFORMATION THAT WE TALKED ABOUT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS UP TO THE PUBLIC AND TO YOU AS COUNCIL SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY WERE STANDING FROM.
A LOT OF IT IS A MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE ORDINANCE LANGUAGE AND WE GOT THAT, TALKED ABOUT.
YOU'LL SEE THERE ON THE FIRST BULLET, LONG TERM CLIENTS ACTUALLY STARTED BECOMING A LITTLE BIT UNCOMFORTABLE WITH CALLING THEM AND SCHEDULING.
THEY SAID THEY'VE HAD SOME CLIENTS THAT HAVE BEEN WITH THEM FOR SEVERAL YEARS THAT HAVE SAID, I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT MAKING AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOU RIGHT NOW. WE ADDRESSED THAT.
REPUTATION OF LICENSED THERAPISTS BEING GROUPED INTO THE SAME CATEGORY AS ILLEGAL MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENTS.
BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO OF THOSE THAT WE LEARNED.
THE ONLY THING IN COMMON ABOUT IT IS JUST THE WORD MASSAGE, BUT TOTALLY DIFFERENT, AND I'LL BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THAT TO YOU AS WE GO.
WE ALSO DISCUSSED THE CHALLENGES WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND WITH THE ENFORCEMENT OF EXISTING LAWS AS THE OCCUPATIONAL CODE 455 VERSUS THINGS THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER TO BE CRIMINAL OFFENSES.
THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT THINGS THERE.
THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF MATCHED AREA IN THOSE, BUT THEY ARE TWO TOTALLY SEPARATE ITEMS. SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS THAT CAME FROM THAT MEETING WERE THE REPEAL OF THE EXISTING ORDINANCE TO CREATE SEPARATION FOR THE EXISTING LANGUAGE.
IN OTHER WORDS, TAKE THAT COMPLETELY OFF, PUT IT BACK ON THE DECK, AND START ALL OVER AGAIN.
CREATE SOME NEW LANGUAGE THAT WOULD EXEMPT THE LICENSED THERAPISTS.
[02:55:03]
ALSO JUST AGAIN, AS I SAID THAT THEY MENTIONED, TO CLEAR THE SLATE TO PREVENT ANY FURTHER CONFUSION ABOUT THE ORDINANCE.THEN THE SECOND PIECE WAS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC.
IN THIS MEETING, RIGHT HERE IS EXACTLY WHAT IT TAKES TO BECOME A LICENSED MASSAGE THERAPIST AND WHAT THE OCCUPATIONAL CODE SAYS IN SECTION 455.
I'M GOING TO DO THAT NOW, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
ALSO, THEY DID PRESENT TO US A WEBSITE THAT WE LOOKED AT.
IT'S CALLED LOOKBEFOREYOUBOOKAMASSAGE.COM, AND IT IS ACTUALLY VERY INTERESTING TO GO TO THAT WEBSITE AND READ SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE ON THERE.
WAS VERY EDUCATIONAL BECAUSE IT EVEN HAS SOME INFORMATION IN THERE ABOUT ENFORCING THE LAWS, HELPS LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THERE'S TOOL KITS IN THERE FOR CITIZENS.
THERE'S TOOL KIT FOR ALL KINDS OF STUFF IN THERE. GOOD STUFF.
WHAT WE DID LEARN, OCCUPATIONAL CODE 455 HIGHLIGHTS AND DEFINES THE LICENSE REQUIREMENTS.
THEY SPECIFY DETAILED QUALIFICATIONS FOR VARIOUS PROFESSIONS SUCH AS MASSAGE THERAPY, ENSURING INDIVIDUALS MEET THOSE EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS AND TRAINING STANDARDS, AND ALSO ESTABLISHES REGULATORY STANDARDS FOR COMPREHENSIVE GUIDELINES FOR PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT, INCLUDING THEIR ETHICAL STANDARDS, LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, BEST PRACTICES, AND SO FORTH.
ALSO ENSURES PUBLIC SAFETY AND PRIORITIZES THE WELL-BEING OF THE CUSTOMERS.
MANDATES ADHERENCE TO SAFETY PROTOCOLS, HYGIENE STANDARDS, AND OTHER MEASURES TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF THE CLIENTS.
THEN FACILITATES LICENSING PROCESSES, WHICH INCLUDES STREAMLINING THE PROCEDURES INVOLVED IN OBTAINING THE PROFESSIONAL LICENSE REQUIRED TO BECOME A MASSAGE THERAPIST.
WITH ALL THAT SAID, I WANTED TO GO OVER THE REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME A LICENSED MASSAGE THERAPIST. WE LEARNED A LOT.
IT WAS EYE OPENING TO SEE THAT THEY HAD 500 HOURS OF SUPERVISED COURSEWORK IN THERAPY STUDIES, 200 HOURS TAUGHT BY A LICENSED MASSAGE THERAPY INSTRUCTOR.
DEDICATED HOURS IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THERE, ANATOMY, PHYSIOLOGY, KINESIOLOGY, PATHOLOGY, HYDROTHERAPY, THE LAWS SURROUNDING MASSAGE AND BUSINESS PRACTICES, PROFESSIONAL ETHICS AND STANDARDS EVEN ALL THE WAY TO CPR, AND THEN A 50-HOUR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO GET THEIR LICENSE.
PASSING REQUIRED EXAMINATIONS.
THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO THAT TOO TO PROVE THEIR PROFICIENCY AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WERE REQUIRED OF THEM.
WITH ALL THAT SAID, GET TO THE MEAT OF ALL OF THIS PRESENTATION, THAT IS TO ASK COUNCIL OUR STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS TO REPEAL ORDINANCE NUMBER 8092.
WE CAN GO BACK AND FORM A COMMITTEE.
WE CAN BEGIN INCLUDING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE POLICE OR THE CITY MARSHAL, CITY MANAGEMENT, LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO START WORKING ON SOME SOLUTIONS TO GET TO THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM.
THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM IS NOT LICENSED MASSAGE THERAPY OFFICES, THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM IS THE OTHER ITEMS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, SUCH AS HUMAN TRAFFICKING, SUCH AS ILLICIT MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENTS, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE'D LIKE TO FORM THAT COMMITTEE AND BRING BACK A NEW ORDINANCE AT A LATER DATE FOR CONSIDERATION WITH SOME OF THOSE SOLUTIONS THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT AND AGREED TO, AND THEN ALSO, IF WE CAN, WE MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BRING BACK AN ORDINANCE TO YOU.
WE MAY BE ABLE TO USE THE EXISTING LAWS.
WE'RE LEARNING A LOT ABOUT THAT.
IN THAT CASE, WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE A TACTICAL APPROACH TO IT TO BE ABLE TO USE THE EXISTING LAWS THAT WE HAVE.
IT WOULD PROBABLY COME TO YOU IN THE FORM OF SOMETHING OTHER THAN A PUBLIC MEETING SO THAT THE TACTICAL ISSUES ARE NOT DISCUSSED AT THE MICROPHONE HERE.
WITH THAT SAID, AGAIN, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO REPEAL ORDINANCE NUMBER 8092, AND I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE THEM.
>> YES, SIR. QUESTIONS? DONNY, CAN YOU TELL ME THE REASON FOR THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE? I KNOW THE ORIGINAL, ORIGINAL WAS 86, BUT THE REASON THAT THE REVISION CAME THROUGH.
>> I WASN'T HERE AT THAT TIME, AND WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION, BUT THE WAY THAT I UNDERSTAND IS THERE WAS A REQUEST FROM COUNCIL TO ALSO CHANGE SOME OF THE LANGUAGE ONCE STAFF GOT TO LOOKING AT THAT WAS TO CHANGE THE LANGUAGE OF THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE SO THAT IT WAS MORE MODIFIED TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS THAT WE WERE LOOKING TO ACCOMPLISH.
THAT WAS TO FIND THE ILLEGAL ESTABLISHMENTS AND TO GO AFTER THEM.
BUT I THINK IN THE PROCESS SOMEWHERE, THE LANGUAGE WAS EASY TO READ ON ONE SIDE OF IT, WE JUST DIDN'T SEE THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT LANGUAGE AND WHAT IT WAS DOING TO THE PEOPLE WHO WERE ACTUALLY LICENSED FOR THAT OCCUPATION.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK IS YOUR TIME FRAME?
>> WELL, WE'RE GOING TO START IMMEDIATELY.
IF WE REPEAL THE ORDINANCE, I THINK WE'LL GET THE COMMITTEE SET BY THE END OF THE WEEK.
WE'VE ALREADY HAD DISCUSSIONS, EVERYBODY KNOWS WHO THOSE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE, AND WE'LL START THE DISCUSSIONS AND START DIVING INTO IT, WHICH WE ALREADY HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION, SO I'M THINKING THAT WE'RE PROBABLY A MONTH OUT FROM BEING ABLE TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN EITHER BRING BACK TO YOU HERE OR THERE.
>> MAN, THAT'S GREAT. DONNY, I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THIS, AND LEADERSHIP, AND WILLINGNESS TO GET IN THERE AND HAVE A GOOD DISCUSSION.
>> WELL, WE WANT TO GET IT RIGHT. ONE OF THE THINGS I MAY ADD TO IS THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WE DID MEET WITH,
[03:00:02]
THEY SAID WE WOULD BE GLAD AND HONORED TO HELP YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY, THEY PROVIDED OTHER NAMES FOR US.THEY EVEN WOULD PROVIDE INFORMATION TO US ON THE ESTABLISHMENTS THAT THEY BELIEVE ARE NOT LICENSED.
WE'VE CREATED SOME GREAT PARTNERSHIPS FROM IT.
YOU TRY TO LOOK AT THE POSITIVES THAT CAME OUT OF ALL THIS AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THEM.
>> REAL GOOD. APPRECIATE YOUR TIME ON IT. THANK YOU, SIR.
>> IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ONE, I WOULD ASK IF WE WANTED TO MAKE A MOTION?
>> I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 8129 AS PRESENTED.
>> I HAVE A MOTION FROM PLACE 4, SECOND FROM PLACE 3.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ONE? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES 5-0.
ITEM 9.F IS OUR LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
[9.F. PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 8130]
IT IS A PUBLIC HEARING AS WELL, AND WE'LL START WITH MR. FREEMAN.>> YES, SIR. TODAY, I'M GOING TO TRY AND IMITATE KEVIN CARTER.
[LAUGHTER] HE WAS UNAVAILABLE TO COME PRESENT TODAY, SO I VOLUNTEERED TO PRESENT THIS ITEM FOR YOU ALL'S CONSIDERATION.
IT IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION ITEM FOR OUR NEWEST REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 24, NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, IT HAS A DIFFERENT PROCESS.
REALLY, THE PURPOSE OF DESIGNATING THE REINVESTMENT ZONE IN THIS CASE IS TO ALLOW FOR TAX ABATEMENTS TO BE CONSIDERED.
THERE'S A PROCESS WE HAVE TO FOLLOW BEFORE COUNSEL CAN ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH PROSPECTIVE BUSINESS.
STEP 1 IS TO NOTICE THE TAXING ENTITIES, AS WELL AS PUTTING A NOTICE IN THE PAPER THAT YOU ALL ARE CONSIDERING CREATING A ZONE.
ZONES CAN BE MUCH LARGER, THEY CAN BE PROPERTY-SPECIFIC.
WE ENDED UP IN THE LAST FEW YEARS GOING PROPERTY-SPECIFIC BECAUSE THERE IS CRITERIA THAT BASICALLY REQUIRES IF YOU HAVE A ZONE AND ONE PERSON HAS GOTTEN A TAX ABATEMENT, AND HERE COMES ANOTHER BUSINESS, THEN YOU HAVE TO OFFER THE SAME LEVEL OF TAX ABATEMENT.
OUR PREFERRED PATH MOVING FORWARD WAS TO DO THE ONE-OFFS DEPENDENT ON AN ACTUAL PROJECT TAKING PLACE.
THEY ARE DESIGNED TO ATTRACT NEW INDUSTRY AND COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES.
THEN, AS I MENTIONED, IT'S REQUIRED TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO OFFER A TAX ABATEMENT.
IN THIS CASE, IT IS LOCATED IN THE CITY LIMITS AND NOT IN THE ETJ.
FOR OUR OTHER TAXING PARTNERS THAT ARE ALSO INTERESTED IN OFFERING TAX ABATEMENT, WE HAVE TO BE THE ENTITY THAT GOES FIRST, WHETHER WE OFFER A ONE-YEAR, FIVE-YEAR, TEN-YEAR TAX ABATEMENT, THAT GIVES THEM THE ABILITY TO OFFER DIFFERENT TERMS IF THEY SO CHOOSE.
THAT'S ANOTHER UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON THIS ONE.
IT IS 20 ACRES THAT IS BEING PROPOSED FOR REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 24.
IT'S LOCATED AT AUGUSTUS DRIVE AND SOUTH GEORGIA.
THE REASONING IS TO PROVIDE THE COUNCIL THE OPTION, AGAIN, TO OFFER AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE THAT'S BEEN PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED WITH COUNSEL FOR A PROSPECTIVE MANUFACTURING FACILITY WITHIN THE ZONE.
AS I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.
WE HAD A SEVEN-DAY WRITTEN NOTICE AND WE PUBLISHED IT IN THE PAPER AS WELL SO EVERYONE KNEW THAT THIS WAS BEING CONSIDERED.
WITHIN THE APPROVAL PROCESS, THE COUNCIL HAS TO MAKE CERTAIN FINDINGS THAT THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE FEASIBLE AND PRACTICAL AND THAT THEY WOULD BENEFIT THE ZONE AFTER THE TAX ABATEMENT IS COMPLETED.
THE CRITERIA, IN THIS CASE, WHICH IS LAID OUT IN THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, IS THAT THE DESIGNATION WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE RETENTION OR EXPANSION OF PRIMARY JOBS, OR TO ATTRACT MAJOR INVESTMENT IN THE ZONE THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE PROPERTY AND THAT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY.
IT IS JUST NORTH OF CACIQUE IN THE SOUTH GEORGIA BUSINESS PARK.
TODAY, AGAIN, IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING AND FIRST READING, NEXT STEPS WOULD BE SECOND READING AT YOUR NEXT MEETING, WHICH IS ALSO WHEN THE ACTUAL PROJECT AND TAX ABATEMENT WILL BE PRESENTED BY AEDC.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE?
>> QUESTION I HAVE IS YOU'RE WANTING US TO ZONE BASICALLY 20 ACRES FOR TAX ABATEMENT.
I REALLY DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO ZONE 20 ACRES.
I DON'T MIND ZONING FOR A PROJECT, BUT THE THING WE HAVE HERE IS I DON'T KNOW IF THE NEXT COUNCIL WANTS TO, IF WE HAVE ANOTHER BUSINESS COME IN, WANT TO HONOR WHAT WE DO, AND WHEN WE GO AHEAD AND MAKE A ZONE TAX-FREE, WE'RE PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE, AREN'T WE?
>> WELL, THE ZONE ITSELF DOES NOT APPROVE THE TAX ABATEMENT OR MAKE ANYTHING TAX-FREE, IT'S JUST CREATING THE BOUNDARY AND THEN A TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENT CAN COME LATER.
THAT'S WHAT WOULD BE COMING NEXT MEETING.
BUT IF YOU CHOSE NOT TO APPROVE THE TAX ABATEMENT, THE ZONE STAYED IN PLACE, IT COULD SIT THERE FOR FIVE YEARS TILL IT EXPIRES WITHOUT ANY TAX ABATEMENTS BEING APPROVED.
SO COUNSEL WOULD HAVE OPTIONS AS FAR AS THAT GOES.
[03:05:04]
>> SO WE HAVE TO APPROVE JUST BECAUSE WE APPROVE THE ZONE, JUST CURRENT COUNCIL, IF A PROJECT COMES FORWARD IN THAT ZONE, THAT COUNCIL HAS TO APPROVE.
>> THE ABATEMENT. IT JUST MAKES IT AVAILABLE. [OVERLAPPING]
>> YOU HAVE TO DESIGNATE THE BOUNDARY TO EVEN OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS OR CONSIDER A TAX ABATEMENT.
>> WHY DO WE HAVE TO DO THAT AHEAD OF TIME?
>> JUST A STATE LAW REQUIREMENT.
YOU COULD DO IT YEARS IN ADVANCE OR YOU CAN DO IT THE WAY WE'VE BEEN DOING IT THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AS WE KNOW.
WE HAVE A PROJECT, WE'RE DOING IT SITE-SPECIFIC.
IN THE PAST, THE ENTIRE AREA AROUND CENTER PORT BUSINESS PARK WAS A REINVESTMENT ZONE.
NOW THAT THAT HAS SINCE EXPIRED, NOW WE DO THE ONE-OFFS FOR THAT VERY SAME REASON THAT FUTURE COUNCILS HAVE TO DEAL WITH OFFERING TAX ABATEMENTS, MAYBE AT DIFFERENT LEVELS THAT THEY WEREN'T INTERESTED IN.
THIS WAY, YOU CAN CUSTOMIZE IT BY PROJECT AND BY ZONE.
>> I'VE BEEN DOING SOME THINKING ON THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS AND I WAS WONDERING, A LOT OF TIME, THE WAY WE HAVE THIS THING GOING NOW, ACTUALLY, TAXPAYERS ARE GETTING HIT TWICE.
WE'RE GIVING LAND AND MONEY AND THEN WE GIVE A TAX ABATEMENT.
I WOULDN'T, MY OPINION IS IF AEDC WANTS TO GIVE A TAX ABATEMENT WHICH THEY RECOMMEND, I WOULD RATHER SEE THEM PAY THAT MONEY THEIRSELF INSTEAD OF PUTTING THE BURDEN ON THE TAXPAYER.
IF THERE'S $100,000 AND THEN THEY GOT TO PAY 10,000 A YEAR IN TAX, I WOULD SAY AT THE END OF THE YEAR, AEDC, IF THEY WANT TO MAKE THAT KIND OF COMMITMENT, WHETHER THEY WANT TO CALL IT A TAX REBATE OR WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A $10,000 INCENTIVE, I WOULD RATHER SEE IT SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT THE WAY WE'RE DOING IT NOW, WE'RE ALREADY GIVING AEDC X FROM HOT TAX.
>> THEN THEY'RE COMING BACK TO US WANTING US TO GIVE THE CITY TO GIVE MORE.
ACTUALLY, THE TAXPAYERS IN AMARILLO ARE GETTING HIT TWICE WITH THIS.
I WOULD RATHER SEE US LOOK AT SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO DISCUSS THIS TODAY OR WHAT, BUT.
>> IT PROBABLY WOULD BE A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, I THINK MAYBE FOLLOWING UP ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE GUIDELINES IS REALLY HOW COUNCIL'S GIVEN THEIR MARCHING ORDERS.
I KNOW THE MOST RECENT DISCUSSIONS WE'VE GONE TO THE STEP DOWN OR TRYING TO MINIMIZE THE TAX ABATEMENT STANDPOINT.
BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY ANOTHER CONVERSATION TO BE HAD OF TRYING TO REDUCE IT FURTHER AND OFFSET IT WITH SALES TAX INCENTIVES IN ITS PLACE.
>> I THINK WE'VE DEFINITELY MOVED AWAY FROM THE LONG-TERM ABATEMENTS, WHICH WE DON'T LIKE BECAUSE IT'S HURTS THE CITY, YOU KNOW.
BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER, IS THE PROJECT COMING FORWARD, DO WE KNOW WHAT IT IS?
>> YES. IT'S A PROJECT SAGE THAT YOU ALL HAVE DISCUSSED.
IT'S POSTED FOR THE TAX PAYMENT ON THE WEBSITE, SO IT'S A MANUFACTURING FACILITY, LOCAL BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION PROJECT.
ABOUT AN $8 MILLION INVESTMENT.
YOU ALL ARE ONLY PLANNING AS PROPOSED TO DO A ONE-YEAR 10% ABATEMENT, SO IT'LL BE THE LOWEST ABATEMENT, I THINK IN THE HISTORY OF THE CITY COUNCIL [OVERLAPPING] EVER.
WE JUST HAVE TO DO SOMETHING SO THE OTHER TAXING ENTITIES CAN DO MORE IF THEY SO CHOOSE.
>> THAT WAS QUALIFYING FOR A FEW OTHER TAXING ENTITIES.
>> WE INITIALLY THOUGHT [OVERLAPPING].
>> I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS $4,000, WHAT IT NET [OVERLAPPING].
>> AS FAR AS OUR TAX [OVERLAPPING].
>> A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY.
>> IT WASN'T MUCH, AND IT WAS A ONE-TIME ABATEMENT LIKE IT WAS [OVERLAPPING].
THERE'S NO WAY THAT THE COUNTY OR THE COLLEGE COULD CREATE THEIR OWN REINVESTMENT ZONE INSIDE THE CITY.
>> WE HAVE TO TAKE THE LEAD ON IT.
>> BY CREATING THIS, IT ALLOWS THE COUNTY, IF I REMEMBER CORRECT, THE OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER THEIR ABATEMENT, BUT WE JUST WEREN'T INTERESTED [OVERLAPPING].
>> I THINK THAT WAS GOING TO BE 60% ANNUALLY FOR SIX YEARS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
>> RIGHT. BUT THEY WERE NEEDING THAT IN ORDER FOR THIS TO GO FORWARD.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCIL?
>> THEY NEED THE FULL 20 ACRES.
>> MICHAEL KITTEN IS ACTUALLY HERE.
HE MAY KNOW BETTER. I THINK THAT MIGHT BE FOR A FUTURE PHASE PLAN.
>> WE'VE STAIRSTEPPED IT TO WHERE THERE'S A PERFORMANCE MEASURE THAT'S 12 ACRES AT FIRST, AND THEN THEY HAVE TO DO A CERTAIN PERFORMANCE TO GET THE OTHER EIGHT, SO THEY'RE GOING TO DO TWO PHASES.
IF THEY DON'T PERFORM TO A CERTAIN MEASUREMENT ON THE FIRST 12, THEY WON'T GET THE OTHER EIGHT.
>> OKAY. YOU KNOW HOW MUCH ROOM THEY'RE USING AFTER WHERE THEY'RE AT NOW?
[03:10:01]
>> I KNOW THAT THEY PURCHASED 10 ACRES TO THE NORTH OF WHERE THEY'RE AT NOW AND THEY PROBABLY HAVE ABOUT THAT SAME AMOUNT, 10-12.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER SCHERLEN, YOUR SCENARIO, IF THEY DO NOT PERFORM, THAT EIGHT ACRES WOULD STILL BE INSIDE THE ZONE, BUT WITH SOME OF THEM, THEY'D HAVE TO COME ASK IN THE FUTURE TO GET A TAX ABATEMENT AGAIN.
>> THIS WAS IN MY OPINION, WE'VE STRUCTURED THIS WELL WITH AEDC, WE LIMITED WHAT THEY GOT BUT MADE IT AVAILABLE FOR THE OTHER TAXING ENTITIES TO DO WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO, WE JUST WEREN'T INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING.
>> YES, SIR. CORRECT. BECAUSE THAT WAS THE DIRECTION COUNCIL GAVE US.
WE JUST WANT TO DO THE LAND AND AEDC AND NOT THE OTHER, BUT WE HAD TO COME BACK FOR THAT REASON.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? I WOULD SAY IN THE WAY IN WHICH THIS COUNCIL HAS AN INTEREST AND INFLUENCE IN GUIDING POLICY, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT NOT TO GET HUNG UP ON THE PROCEDURAL.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE WORK ALONG WITH OUR PARTNERS AND THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THEY'VE DONE IT WELL ON THIS ONE, BASED ON WHAT OUR GUIDANCE WAS, AND SO INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO PUSH FORWARD IN THAT WORK SESSION THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE COMING UP AND THOSE GUIDELINES.
>> APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING.
DO I HAVE ANYONE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST ITEM 9.F? YES, SIR. COME ON UP.
>> CRAIG GUALTIERE. I GUESS AS A MATTER OF, I GUESS, IDEOLOGICAL BELIEFS, I'M 100% AGAINST A REINVESTMENT ZONE.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT I THINK THE CITY SHOULD HAVE ZERO BUSINESS IN THE TAX ABATEMENT BUSINESS.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AREN'T ALLOWED TO GIVE TAX ABATEMENTS.
YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY? BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT, AND WE CAN'T AFFORD IT AS TAXPAYERS TO DO THE SAME THING.
YOU CAN SAY YOU'RE DOING THIS AS A FAVOR FOR THE COUNTY OR WHATEVER YOU WANT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE PICKING WINNERS AND LOSERS WHEN IT COMES TO TAXES.
ALL THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, WE DON'T GET TAX ABATEMENTS, BUT WE GIVE THEM TO THE RICH AND WE NEED TO STOP THAT.
WE NEED TO START COMING UP WITH A PHILOSOPHY OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO HANDLE THINGS IN OUR CITY AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO GIVE TAXES AWAY.
THIS PARTICULAR COMPANY HAS HAD ITS HANDOUT AND HAS GOT MANY HANDOUTS THROUGH THE LAST 20-SOME-ODD YEARS FROM THE TAXPAYERS. WHERE DOES IT END? WE DON'T HAVE A JOB CREATION PROBLEM IN THIS TOWN, WE HAVE A JOB FILLING PROBLEM IN THIS TOWN.
ALL WE'RE DOING IS SHIFTING THE SEATS AROUND FOR $50,000 A YEAR PAYING JOBS, THOSE AREN'T REAL JOBS.
NONE OF YOU UP THERE MAKES $50,000 A YEAR AND COULD AFFORD TO RUN YOUR FAMILY ON $50,000 A YEAR.
WE NEED TO SET OUR STANDARDS UP HIGHER IN AMARILLO, NOT $50,000, NOT $45,000 JOBS, WE NEED $100,000 A YEAR JOBS.
WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE BUSINESS OF PICKING WINNERS AND LOSERS.
THAT'S WHAT WE DO WHEN WE GIVE BUSINESS SOCIALISM HANDOUTS TO BUSINESSES AND KEEP ON GIVING THE RICH THE TAX BREAKS WHILE SCREWING THE POOR FOLKS.
THE MIDDLE CLASS IS WHERE WE PUSH THAT TAX BURDEN ONTO.
AS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE, I'M 100% AGAINST DOING WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL THIS REINVESTMENT ZONE, IT JUST GIVES OPPORTUNITIES OF GIVING MORE HANDOUTS TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T DESERVE IT.
IF YOU WANT TO CREATE OPPORTUNITY, THEN CREATE OPPORTUNITY.
THESE ARE PHONY JOBS, THESE ARE PHONY ACTS.
IT'S ONLY PEOPLE WHO BENEFIT ON CREATING $50,000 A YEAR JOBS ARE THE OWNERS OF THESE COMPANIES.
ALL YOU'RE DOING IS SUBSIDIZING THEM WHILE YOU'RE PICKING ONE BUSINESS OVER THE OTHER BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
AS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE, I'M 100% AGAINST TAX ABATEMENT.
MY ARGUMENT, WHAT YOU COULD DO IN REGARDS TO WHAT YOU COULD DO WITH TAX ABATEMENT, YOU PUT THAT ON THE AEDC.
IF THEY WANT TO GIVE CASH INCENTIVES IN THE PLACE OF TAX ABATEMENTS, THEN LET THEM DO IT.
THAT KILLS YOUR BUDGET EVERY YEAR BY GIVING A TAX ABATEMENT.
IF KEVIN CARTER AND THE AEDC THINKS IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO GIVE $100,000 TAX CREDIT TO THEM, HAVE THEM COME UP ONCE THEY'VE DONE THEIR PERFORMANCE, HAND THEM THEIR TAX BILL INTO THE YEAR, AND LET THE ADC STRIKE A CHECK FOR THAT.
NOT YOU GUYS. YOU GUYS ARE WONDERING WHY YOU'RE TRYING TO GET RAISES FOR FIREMEN AND POLICEMEN, IT'S BECAUSE THE PAST THREE DECADES, WHAT THE AEDC HAS BEEN DOING, SHOVING THAT TAX BURDEN OFF ON THE POOR PEOPLE, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A PROBLEM,
[03:15:01]
WHY YOU HAVE AN INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEM.WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO BY CREATING ANOTHER TAX INCREMENTED ZONE HERE IS YOU'RE GOING TO HAMSTRING FUTURE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, CITY COUNCILS IF THEY WANT TO DO IT OR NOT, AT LEAST IN MY OPINION.
CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT. IF AEDC FINDS IT SO IMPORTANT TO GIVE TAX ABATEMENT, THEN LET THEM STRIKE THE CHECK.
WHEN YOU GUYS START THINKING ABOUT THIS NEXT BUDGET YEAR, YOU START WORRYING ABOUT YOUR CASH FLOW AND THEY BRING YOU THE NUMBERS, WHAT YOU'RE COMING UP IN CASH.
START THINKING ABOUT ALL THESE BUSINESSES LIKE AMAZON AND ALL THESE OTHER BUSINESS PRODUCERS OWN BEEF WHO AREN'T PAYING ANY TAXES, 50,000 A YEAR JOBS ARE NOT BUYING HOUSES TO MAKE UP FOR THAT TAX ABATEMENT.
START THINKING ABOUT IT, GENTLEMEN, START PUTTING THE PRESSURE ON YOUR AEDC TO PUT THEIR THINKING CAPS ON AND BECOME BETTER NEGOTIATORS.
YOU'VE GOT TO DEMAND IT FOR YOUR TAXPAYERS.
>> MR. GUALTIERE IS A BUSINESS OWNER HERE IN TOWN AND ALSO SAT ON THE AEDC BOARD.
AS ALWAYS, IT COMES ACROSS AS A COMPLAINT.
WE WELCOME COMPLAINTS AS LONG AS YOU BRING SOLUTIONS, AND SO YOU'RE INVITED TO OUR WORK SESSION, IT'LL BE A PUBLIC MEETING.
WE'LL HAVE THAT FOLLOW UP ON THOSE CRITERIA AND GUIDELINES, WE WELCOME YOUR INPUT. THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING.
DO I HAVE ANYONE ELSE HERE TODAY THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THIS PUBLIC HEARING? AT THIS TIME, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ASK FOR A MOTION ON ITEM 9.F.
PERHAPS I SHOULD ASK A SPECIFIC PERSON FOR A MOTION ON ITEM 9.F.
>> I MOVE WE ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 8130 AS PRESENTED.
>> I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
WITH NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
>> OKAY. WE HAVE A 3-2, THREE AYES ARE FOUR, MAYOR, AND THE TWO NOS ARE ONE AND THREE. CONFIRMED?
>> [INAUDIBLE] SECOND WAS THAT?
>> OKAY. I HAD A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN TIPPS.
THAT ITEM PASSES WITH A 3-2 VOTE.
I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION AND THE COMMENTS AND EVERYTHING HERE.
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING THROUGH THE REST OF THIS AS WE CONTINUE TO WALK THAT PROCEDURE OUT.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR MEETING TODAY, WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN AND WE'LL GET OUT OF HERE.
>> I MOVE TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING.
>> MOTION AND A SECOND. YOU'RE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.