Apr 14, 2026 City Council Regular Meeting

ALCOHOL AWARENESS MONTH, WHEREAS THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION SAYS THAT ALCOHOL IS THE MOST FREQUENTLY USED AND MISUSED SUBSTANCE IN THE UNITED STATES, ESPECIALLY AMONG PEOPLE WHO ARE COLLEGE-AGED AND YOUNGER, AND WHEREAS ACCORDING TO THE 2024 NATIONAL SURVEY ON DRUG USE AND HEALTH, 134.3 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES AGE 12 OR OLDER CURRENTLY USE

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ALCOHOL, AND WHEREAS ALCOHOL IS THE LARGEST CONTRIBUTOR TO THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE IN AMERICA.

ALCOHOL MISUSE STRAINS HEALTH CARE, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT SYSTEMS, AND ALCOHOL MISUSE IMPACTS EDUCATIONAL AND WORKPLACE PRODUCTIVITY.

AND WHEREAS SOCIAL PRESSURES AND CULTURAL NORMS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO EXCESS ALCOHOL USE, AND THAT WITH COMMITMENT AND SUPPORT, THESE AND OTHER SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES CAN BE PREVENTED.

AND WHEREAS THE FOCUS OF ALCOHOL AWARENESS MONTH IS TO ASSIST IN THE PREVENTION OF SUBSTANCE USE, AND PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH.

AND THROUGH ALCOHOL AWARENESS MONTH, PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE ARE ENCOURAGED TO BECOME KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN DO TO CREATE A HEALTHIER TOMORROW FOR THEMSELVES AND OTHERS BY HELPING TO PREVENT THESE PROBLEMS TODAY.

NOW, THEREFORE, WE, THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF APRIL 2026 AS ALCOHOL AWARENESS MONTH.

IN AMARILLO...

AND JOIN THE ANDREAS PROJECT AND OTHERS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES TO RECOGNIZE THE SERIOUSNESS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITIES, THE POWER OF PREVENTION, AND THE TIRELESS EFFORTS OF THOSE WORKING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

THANK YOU, CITY COUNCIL, FOR THE PROCLAMATION.

I AM DR. SHANNA JAMES, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ANDREA'S PROJECT.

ANDREA WAS A VIBRANT 17-YEAR-OLD.

ONE MONTH BEFORE GETTING TO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL TO EVER WALK THAT STAGE, SHE WAS KILLED FROM A DRUNK DRIVER.

ALCOHOL IMPACTS SO MANY LIVES, PROBABLY MANY IN THIS ROOM TODAY.

ALCOHOL IS ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH.

IN OVER 178,000 INDIVIDUALS A YEAR.

BUT WHAT IS VERY CONCERNING IS ONE IN FOUR YOUTH SAY THAT THEY DRINK ALCOHOL.

A LOT OF US KNOW OF ANDREA'S PROJECT FOR IMPAIRED DRIVING, BUT WE ALSO WORK ON YOUTH PREVENTION.

WE ARE ZERO TOLERANT WHEN IT COMES TO YOUTH.

IF YOUTH START DRINKING, THEY'RE FOUR TO FIVE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO HAVE AN ALCOHOL SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AS AN ADULT.

ANDREA'S LIFE COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED IF SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE STEPPED IN.

SO MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE AN ALCOHOL USE DISORDER GET BEHIND THE WHEEL.

IT'S NOT IF THEY'RE GOING TO, IT'S WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO.

SO WE ARE HAPPY TO PARTNER WITH PLACES LIKE CINECOR, NORTHWEST BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, OCEAN'S BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, WHO ALL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE STRUGGLING.

IF YOU ARE SOMEBODY YOU LOVE, IS STRUGGLING, THERE ARE RESOURCES OUT THERE.

BUT WE'RE ALSO NOT THE ONLY ONES WORKING IN PREVENTION.

CINECOR ALSO HAS A SEPARATE PREVENTION PROGRAM.

WHEN WE COME TOGETHER, WE CAN CHANGE THE CULTURE.

ANDREA'S PROJECT HAS ALSO PARTNERED WITH DEBOLT TITLE TO PROVIDE FREE UBER VOUCHERS FOR ANY EVENT.

LET'S CHANGE THE CULTURE.

LET'S SAVE LIVES.

ALCOHOL IS NOT SOMETHING TO USE TO SELF-MEDICATE.

FOR THOSE HERE FOR CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION.

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THIS IS A SPECIAL GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS, MEN AND WOMEN, FOR ME, BECAUSE I'M A PRODUCT OF THIS.

I GREW UP IN A FAMILY OF CHILD ABUSE AND IN FOSTER CARE.

WHEREAS THE CITIZENS OF AMARILLO RECOGNIZE THE CRUCIAL NEED FOR EFFORTS BY BOTH INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS TO PROMOTE AWARENESS OF THE PLIGHT OF ABUSED CHILDREN, TO WORK TOWARDS PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN, AND TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND TREATMENT TO THESE SMALL VICTIMS OF THEIR FAMILIES, AND WHEREAS AMARILLO AREA COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES, THE BRIDGE CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER, THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES, ADVOCATE FOR CHILDREN OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT, AND WHEREAS POTTER COUNTY AND RANDALL COUNTY COMBINED CONFIRMED 510 CHILDREN SUFFERED FROM SOME FORM OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT IN 2025.

AND WHEREAS OUR SOCIETY HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN AND HELP THEM THRIVE IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, AS EVERY CHILD IS ENTITLED TO BE LOVED, CARED FOR, FEEL SECURE, AND BE FREE FROM ALL TYPES OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT.

AND WHEREAS EFFECTIVE CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION PROGRAMS ...SUCCEED BECAUSE OF PARTNERSHIPS AMONG A VARIETY OF ENTITIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, SCHOOLS, RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, CASA, CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, THE BRIDGE, ST. FRANCIS AND FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES, PROSECUTION AGENCIES, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, VICTIM ADVOCATES, AND OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.

NOW, THEREFORE, WE, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF APRIL 2026 AS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AWARENESS MONTH IN AMARILLO AND URGE ALL CITIZENS AND INSTITUTIONS TO SUPPORT THE BRIDGE CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER, AMARILLO AREA CASA, AND DFPS AND OTHER PARTNER AGENCIES IN THEIR EFFORTS TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE SERVICE FOR ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY, GIVEN UNDER OUR HANDS AND SEAL OF OFFICE THIS 14TH DAY OF APRIL 2026.

HELLO, FIRST OF ALL WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR BEING A PARTNER WITH US AND BRINGING AWARENESS TO CHILD ABUSE.

LIKE IT WAS MENTIONED THERE ARE OVER 510 CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE IN AMARILLO AND CANYON AND WITHOUT PARTNERS LIKE THOSE STANDING BEHIND ME, THE BRIDGE, DFPS, ST.

FRANCIS, THE RAINBOW ROOM, WE CANNOT COMBAT CHILD ABUSE.

IT ALSO TAKES OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN GETTING INVOLVED PLEASE DO.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO INTRODUCE JUDGE CARRIE BAKER TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PREVALENCE OF CHILD ABUSE AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET INVOLVED.

THANK YOU ALL.

THANKS TO THE COUNCIL.

WAIT A MINUTE.

YOU'RE TALL.

I'M NOT.

THANK YOU ALL AND THANK YOU.

YOU'RE A SHINING EXAMPLE OF WHERE OUR FOSTER KIDS CAN END UP.

SO ANYBODY WANT TO TAKE A GUESS WHAT THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM IS FOR WHY WE HAVE SO MANY YOUTH IN CARE? DRUGS, DRUGS, YEAH, DRUGS OVERWHELMINGLY.

BUT THAT'S A SIGN TYPICALLY OF OTHER PROBLEMS. IT COULD BE JUST POVERTY.

IT COULD BE MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS. MOST OFTEN IT IS COUPLED WITH MENTAL HEALTH.

BUT WE HAVE WAY TOO MANY CHILDREN IN CARE.

WE WANT TO FIND FOREVER HOMES FOR ALL THE ONES THAT WE DO HAVE IN CARE.

WE NEED MORE FOSTER HOMES.

WE NEED MORE PEOPLE.

CASA VOLUNTEERS, WE'VE GOT VARIOUS REPRESENTATIVES OF CASA HERE TODAY, BUT THERE'S A WHOLE ARMY OF PEOPLE THAT YOU DON'T SEE HERE TODAY, AND THOSE ARE THE ADVOCATES THAT COME FROM OUR COMMUNITY, JUST LIKE ALL OF YOU.

THOSE ARE YOUR NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBORS AND YOUR TEACHERS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO GIVE THEIR TIME TO ADVOCATE FOR A CHILD OR A SIBLING GROUP.

AND IF YOU EVER REALLY WANT TO SPEND A FEW YEARS DOING SOMETHING EXTREMELY WORTHWHILE, IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN GO TO BED EVERY NIGHT AND THINK TO YOURSELF, I REALLY DID SOMETHING GOOD TODAY.

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BEING A CASA ADVOCATE IS IT, BECAUSE THESE CHILDREN, THEY SO NEED THE EXTRA EYES ON THEM.

YOU KNOW, I'M THEIR JUDGE.

I TRY TO HAVE EYES ON THEM.

I TRY TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE TAKEN CARE OF.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT THERE EVERY DAY, DAY IN AND DAY OUT.

I'M NOT HOLDING THEIR HAND.

I'M NOT WALKING TO SCHOOL WITH THEM.

YOU KNOW, I'M NOT TALKING TO THEIR TEACHERS ALL THE TIME.

SO, YOU KNOW.

THEY NEED THOSE EXTRA EYES AND THOSE EXTRA HELPING HANDS AND THAT GUIDANCE.

MANY OF THEM ARE OLDER KIDS.

THEY DESPERATELY NEED A MENTOR.

SO I ENCOURAGE YOU, TALK ABOUT IT WITH YOUR FAMILY.

IT'S NOT A DECISION TO MAKE LIGHTLY BECAUSE IT WILL TAKE TIME AWAY FROM YOUR PERSONAL TIME, YOUR FAMILY TIME, YOUR WORK.

SO IT'S A HUGE SACRIFICE, BUT IT'S ONE WELL WORTH THE MAKING.

I CAN'T SAY THANKS ENOUGH TO THE FOLKS AT THE BRIDGE.

YOU KNOW WE HAVE LOTS OF CHILDREN THAT UNFORTUNATELY HAVE TO GO THROUGH FORENSIC INTERVIEWS FOR DIFFERING REASONS, BUT THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB OUT THERE, AND THEY ARE A GREAT MODEL TO OTHER COMMUNITIES OF WHAT A CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER CAN LOOK LIKE.

OBVIOUSLY OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT, THEY DO SO MUCH.

OUR TEACHERS AND OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE REALLY OUR FRONT LINE.

WE GET LOTS OF INFORMATION FROM THOSE FOLKS.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE SINGLE-HANDEDLY RESPONSIBLE FOR SAVING WHO KNOWS HOW MANY CHILDREN'S LIVES EVERY YEAR BECAUSE THEY INTERVENE, BECAUSE THEY SHOW UP TO WORK AND THEY DO THEIR JOB, AND THEY DO IT WELL.

SO I REPRESENT 13, OR EXCUSE ME, 10 COUNTIES IN THE UPPER TEXAS PANHANDLE.

SO POTTER IS PROBABLY MY BIGGEST, YOU KNOW, COUNTY, AND I HAVE MOST KIDS OUT OF POTTER.

BUT I SERVE, I'M HERE TO SERVE CHILDREN THAT ARE IN ALL OF THOSE COUNTIES.

AND I JUST CAN'T ENCOURAGE YOU ENOUGH, GET INVOLVED, WHETHER IT'S CASA, WHATEVER IT IS, TRY TO GET INVOLVED BECAUSE OUR KIDS REALLY, REALLY NEED YOU.

THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH.

I APPRECIATE IT.

CAROLEE, THERE WE GO.

Y'ALL, BRING YOUR GROUP.

WHEREAS RELIABLE CHILD CARE IS ESSENTIAL TO WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION, BUSINESS STABILITY, AND THE HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG CHILDREN, AND WHEREAS THE FIRST YEARS OF LIFE ARE A PERIOD OF RAPID BRAIN DEVELOPMENT THAT LAYS THE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE...

LEARNING HEALTH AND SUCCESS, AND WHEREAS HIGH-QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION HELPS BUILD THE SKILLS, STABILITY, AND SCHOOL READINESS THAT SUPPORT LONG-TERM EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS AND A STRONGER FUTURE WORKFORCE, AND WHEREAS THE TEXAS PANHANDLE IS HOME TO 50,000 STUDENTS, 52,870 CHILDREN AGES 0 TO 8 AND 214 CHILD CARE PROVIDERS ACROSS 24 OF 26 COUNTIES WITH SHORTAGES THAT CONTINUE TO AFFECT FAMILIES AND EMPLOYERS ACROSS THE REGION.

AND WHEREAS THE STRENGTH OF THE CHILD CARE SYSTEM DEPENDS ON THE EARLY CHILDHOOD WORKFORCE, YET PANHANDLE EDUCATORS EARN AN AVERAGE OF $11.31 PER HOUR, WELL BELOW THE $18.41 LIVING WAGE ESTIMATE FOR POTTER COUNTY.

NOW, THEREFORE, WE, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO, TEXAS, DO

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HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF APRIL 11-17, 2026 AS WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILD IN AMARILLO AND ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY TO RECOGNIZE AND SUPPORT THE EDUCATORS, PROVIDERS, AND FAMILIES WHO HELP YOUNG CHILDREN THRIVE.

THANK YOU ALL.

I'M JUST THE LOUD MOUTH BEHIND THIS NEED.

THE PEOPLE BACK HERE ARE THE ONES DOING THE WORK THAT IS SO TREMENDOUS.

AS THE PROCLAMATION SAID, THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT YOUNG CHILDREN AGES 0 TO 5, WHICH IS 90% OF OUR BRAIN GROWTH HAPPENS BEFORE WE TURN 5 YEARS OLD.

SO THAT FIRST 5 YEARS IS CRITICAL FOR THE SUCCESS.

BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT OUR ECONOMY.

IF PARENTS CAN'T GET TO WORK AND STAY AT WORK, THEN WE CAN'T HAVE A THRIVING WORKFORCE AND ECONOMY.

IT'S ABOUT TODAY'S WORKFORCE AND IT'S ABOUT OUR FUTURE WORKFORCE.

BUT REALLY IT'S ABOUT THOSE KIDS WHO NEED A SAFE PLACE TO START, AND IT'S ABOUT THESE EDUCATORS THAT ARE DOING, AND THEY ARE PROFESSIONALS DOING PROFESSIONAL WORK, AND THEY'RE BEING PAID LESS THAN $12 AN HOUR ON AVERAGE.

SO THERE'S A SYSTEM CHANGE THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AROUND HERE.

SO WE'RE HOPING WE CAN START THE CONVERSATION.

IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH EARLY MATTERS PANHANDLE, WE'RE A COLLABORATION THAT IS WORKING ON THIS PROJECT AND ON THIS.

TRYING TO TACKLE THIS IN A SYSTEMIC WAY ACROSS THE 26 COUNTIES.

WE'RE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN BUSINESS OWNERS WHO KNOW HOW THIS AFFECTS YOUR WORKFORCE.

SO JOIN US.

WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO ADVOCATE, LIFT THIS PROFESSION UP, LIFT THESE PEOPLE UP, AND LIFT THESE BABIES UP SO THAT WE CAN ALL SUCCEED INTO THE FUTURE AS WELL.

I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD EXCEPT THAT I'VE BEEN AT OPPORTUNITY SCHOOL AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR 15 YEARS.

AND OVER THAT TIME, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF CHANGES IN OUR WORKFORCE, A LOT OF CHANGES IN THE NEEDS OF OUR AREA BUSINESSES, AND A LOT OF CHANGES IN OUR KIDS.

AND IT TAKES ALL OF US COMING ALONGSIDE PARENTS AND FAMILIES TO REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR OUR CHILDREN.

JUST LIKE THE PROCLAMATION ABOUT CHILD ABUSE, IT TAKES ALL OF US COMING AROUND CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

AND IF WE CAN DO THAT WELL, THEN OUR KIDS ARE GOING TO TURN OUT BETTER.

AND WE CAN'T PUT IT ALL ON THE SCHOOLS OR THE CHILD CARE PROGRAMS. IT TAKES ALL OF US.

SO THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT PROCLAMATION IS FOR NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATORS WEEK AND WE'RE SPECIFICALLY RECOGNIZING OUR PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS SO I KNOW MAX AND PART OF HIS TEAM WILL BE HERE.

WHEREAS THE SECOND WEEK OF APRIL HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATORS WEEK TO RECOGNIZE THE VITAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS PERSONNEL IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNITY AND WHEREAS THESE DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS ARE THE FIRST POINT OF CONTACT IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS SERVING AS THE CRITICAL LINK BETWEEN CITIZENS IN DISTRESS AND THE PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES THEY REQUIRE, AND WHEREAS THEIR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE, CALM UNDER PRESSURE, AND TYLER'S SERVICE PLAY AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN ENSURING THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF THE COMMUNITY, AND WHEREAS IT IS FITTING THAT WE TAKE TIME TO EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION FOR THE INVALUABLE SERVICE PROVIDED BY OUR EMERGENCY DISPATCHERS WHO WORK AROUND THE CLOCK TO SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE SERVICES, EMERGENCY MEDICAL.

PERSONNEL AND THE CITIZENS OF AMARILLO.

NOW THEREFORE, WE, MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF APRIL 12TH THROUGH THE 18TH, 2026, AS NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATORS WEEK IN AMARILLO AND ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN IN RECOGNIZING THE OUTSTANDING SERVICE AND DEDICATION OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UNFORTUNATELY, MORE OF OUR TEAM CAN JOIN US TODAY, BUT I DO JUST KIND OF WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT OF WHAT OUR TEAM DOES ON A DAILY BASIS.

BUT TO PUT IT IN CONTEXT, THIS YEAR WE'VE PROCESSED OVER 300,000 CALLS.

WHEN YOU COMPARE THAT TO THE ACTUAL POPULATION OF OUR COMMUNITY, THAT PUTS IT INTO PERSPECTIVE.

PUBLIC SAFETY IS SOMETHING THAT GOES WITHOUT QUESTION AS A MUST FOR

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ANY COMMUNITY THAT IS GROWING TO ANY COMMUNITY THAT WILL THRIVE.

OUR TELECOMMUNICATORS VERY MUCH...

WORK IN THE SHADOWS BUT THEY ARE THE CALM AND THE DARKEST OF DAYS FOR ANYONE WHO CALLS THEM NOT JUST FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS BUT THEY ALSO ARE THE THE GLUE THAT HOLDS THAT COMMUNICATION FROM OUR COMMUNITY MEMBER TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS IN THE FIELD AS WELL AS THAT ABILITY FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, IF THEY NEED HELP, THEY ARE THAT CONDUIT.

SO I KNOW OUR DISPATCHERS AND OUR TELECOMMUNICATORS, THEY WORK IN THE SHADOW, BUT THEY ARE SOME OF THE TRUEST FIRST RESPONDERS, PUBLIC SERVANTS THAT YOU WILL NEVER SEE.

BUT THEY KNOW THAT THEIR VOICE IS THE ONE THAT YOU WILL HEAR IN YOUR DARKEST MOMENT AND THAT THEY WILL ALWAYS BE THERE TO SERVE YOU WITH HONOR, DISTINCTION.

TIMELINESS TO ENSURE THAT THE HELP THAT YOU REQUEST WILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR YOU TO ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO SERVE THIS GREAT COMMUNITY OF AMARILLO THANK YOU SO MUCH ALL RIGHT, APPRECIATE YOU GUYS FOR COMING AND LETTING US DO THAT AND JUST THE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

[3. Announcements ]

SO WE WILL MOVE OURSELVES INTO ITEM NUMBER THREE, SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS.

MR. CITY MANAGER, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? I DO NOT.

DONNIE, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING? YEAH, SURE DO.

MR. HOOPER.

YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'M GOING TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME ON THIS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S WORTH TELLING A LITTLE BIT OF A BACK STORY ON THIS.

BUT TODAY, PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE'RE FORMALLY PROMOTING WILLIAM JOHNSON AND SHANNON TOLLESON TO PERMANENT DIRECTOR LEVEL ROLES WITHIN THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO.

THIS PROMOTION WAS OFFICIAL AS OF APRIL 2ND, AND THEY'RE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY.

BUT FOLLOWING THE DEPARTURE OF MICHAEL PRICE, WHO WAS THE DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES, LEFT US TO GO BACK OVERSEAS.

THAT WAS BACK IN NOVEMBER.

WILLIAM AND SHANNON HAVE STEPPED UP INTO THAT ROLE, INTO THE DIRECTOR'S CAPACITY, AND WENT WITH A SPLIT MODEL, IF YOU WILL, TO TAKE ALL OF THE OPERATIONS AND SOME OF THE REGULATORY ITEMS AND PUT THAT OVER ON ONE SIDE OF THE HOUSE, TAKE THE OPERATIONAL STUFF AND PUT IT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HOUSE.

AND THEY HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB DURING THAT TIME.

IN FACT, IT WAS ABOUT SIX MONTHS THAT THEY STAYED IN THOSE POSITIONS AS WE EVALUATED WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO MOVING FORWARD.

AND I CAN TELL YOU THE INTERIM PERIOD WAS VERY INTENTIONAL BECAUSE WE REALLY WANTED TO SEE WHAT WE WERE UP AGAINST.

WE HAD A LOT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.

WE DIDN'T WANT TO BREAK THE CONTINUITY, WORKING ON THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AND ALL THOSE THINGS.

AND LO AND BEHOLD, AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THAT, IT DID NOTHING BUT EXCEED MY EXPECTATIONS.

I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR MR. PATH AS WELL.

IT EXCEEDED ALL OF OUR EXPECTATIONS ON THE JOB THAT THEY WERE DOING AND PERFORMING THERE.

SO THAT INTERIM PERIOD WAS VERY MUCH INSIGHTFUL.

WE SAW...

FASTER DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES, SAW FEWER BOTTLENECKS IN OUR OPERATIONAL THINGS, AND MORE THAN ANYTHING, WE SAW A COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT THAT WORKED ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION, WORKING WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, WORKING WITH CP&D, WORKING WITH PARKS, WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS, THAT WE HADN'T SEEN IN A LONG TIME.

IN FACT, THE STAFF WILL TELL YOU THAT THEY HAVEN'T SEEN THAT.

SO BOTH WILLIAM AND SHANNON PLAY AN EXTREMELY CRITICAL ROLE COMING UP IN THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT PROJECT AS WELL.

AS WE START DOWN THAT PATH FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE PEOPLE IN PLACE THAT HAVE HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTAND THOSE PROCESSES, BOTH ON THE REGULATORY SIDE AND ALSO ON THE SIDE OF THE OPERATIONS AS WELL.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THIS STRUCTURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO, WHICH IS NOW A SPLIT MODEL.

WE'LL HAVE A DIRECTOR ON EACH SIDE OF THAT HOUSE PERMANENTLY NOW.

WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT IN A BUDGET-NEUTRAL MANNER, WHICH MEANS THAT WE ELIMINATED AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR POSITION TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, SO THAT BUDGET IS TOTALLY NEUTRAL IN THAT DEPARTMENT.

SO...

I'M GOING TO ASK WILLIAM AND SHANNON TO STAND UP.

I'M NOT GOING TO ASK THEM TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT I'LL TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BOTH OF THEM.

THEY'RE HERE IN THE FRONT ROW.

AND WILLIAM OVERSEES THE OPERATIONAL SIDE OF THE CITY'S WATER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEMS AND WILL HELP US GUIDE THE DESIGN AND START UP OF THE NEW TREATMENT FACILITIES.

HE HAS MORE THAN 15 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN OPERATIONS, ENGINEERING, AND PEOPLE MANAGEMENT IN BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS, HAS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING FROM FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY.

WILLIAM IS PARTICULARLY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE OPERATIONAL SAFETY COMPLIANCE AND HAS ALREADY DRIVEN DOWN THE COST OF CLAIMS ACROSS HIS ORGANIZATION.

WE RECOGNIZED HIM RECENTLY HERE BECAUSE OF THAT MASSIVE REDUCTION THEY HAD IN INCIDENTS, ACCIDENTS OVER THE PAST YEAR.

VERY PROUD OF THOSE EFFORTS THERE.

HE'S A COLLABORATOR.

HE'S A TEAM PLAYER.

HE'S EXACTLY THE TYPE

[00:30:02]

OF PERSON THAT I WAS LOOKING FOR IN THIS ROLE, AND SO THAT'S WILLIAM JOHNSON RIGHT THERE, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND GIVING HIM A HAND.

WILLIAM TOLD ME YESTERDAY, HE SAID, HEY, I'M BRINGING PEOPLE FROM MY CHURCH AND EVERYWHERE UP HERE.

SO APPARENTLY THAT HAPPENED.

WE HEARD IT.

AND I WILL SAY ONE THING.

ANOTHER NOTE ABOUT BOTH OF THEM, AND THAT APPLAUSE REMINDED ME OF SOMETHING.

GRAYSON CAUGHT ME A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.

IT WAS LAST WEEK WHEN WE ANNOUNCED IT TO THE MANAGEMENT STAFF OF WATER AND WASTEWATER.

WE HAD A MEETING UP HERE.

WE BROUGHT THEM ALL IN.

THERE'S PROBABLY ABOUT 13 OF THOSE EXECUTIVE-LEVEL POSITIONS IN THE MANAGEMENT.

I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE CHANGE, AND WITHOUT PROMPTING THEM, YOU HEARD THE SAME AMOUNT OF APPLAUSE COME FROM THEIR EMPLOYEES, AND THAT TELLS ME A LOT ABOUT BOTH OF THEM, THAT THEY'RE WANTING TO WORK FOR THEM.

THEY ENJOY WORKING WITH THEM.

SHANNON TOLLESON WILL BE LEADING THE REGULATORY COMPLIANCE ADMINISTRATION SIDE OF THE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING, REPORTING, LAB OPERATIONS, COORDINATING WITH STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES, AS WELL AS INTERNAL POLICY AND ORDINANCE OVERSIGHT.

SHANNON IS A CERTIFIED ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST WITH A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES FROM OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY, GO POKES, AND AN ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE IN BIOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY FROM NORTHERN OKLAHOMA COLLEGE.

SHE HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN LABORATORY MANAGEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS, AND UTILITY COMPLIANCE.

SHE'S ALSO A COLLABORATOR AND A TEAM PLAYER AS WELL, WITH A VISION THAT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE.

IF YOU EVER JUST SIT DOWN AND LISTEN TO WHAT HER VISION IS FOR THAT DEPARTMENT, IT WILL KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF.

SHANNON HAS A WELL-DEVELOPED RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR REGULATORY AGENCIES.

I'VE SAT IN MEETINGS WITH HER WHEN WE'RE MEETING WITH TCEQ OR SEEN THE CORRESPONDENCE COMING BACK AND FORTH, WHICH IS A VERY CRITICAL PART OF WHAT WE DO.

AND SHE HAS A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.

SO EXCITED TO HAVE HER, AND THAT'S SHANNON TOLLESON.

IF YOU ALL WOULDN'T MIND GIVING HER THE SAME ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

VERY PROUD TO RECOGNIZE HIM TODAY, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AND LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT WE HAVE IN THE FUTURE IN FRONT OF US.

AS DO WE.

THANK YOU, MR. HOOPER.

THANK YOU, SHANNON.

THANK YOU, WILL.

APPRECIATE YOU GUYS.

AND THEN EXCITED TO HAVE THE STRENGTH.

I KNOW SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.

FIVE YEARS, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF CHANGE, AND THAT IS ORGANIZATIONALLY KIND OF CORRECT.

IT'S NORMAL SOMEWHAT, BUT THEN I DON'T KNOW THAT IT IS NORMAL TO HAVE THE STRENGTH AND THE DEPTH CHART THAT WE SEE HERE.

AND SO YOU GUYS CONTINUE TO PULL PEOPLE FORWARD, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE THEM.

SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING A MINUTE TO ANNOUNCE THAT.

I WOULD LIKE TO...

YEAH, MAYOR, I APOLOGIZE.

I NEGLECTED, BUT I'D LIKE TO ANNOUNCE...

I KNOW I'VE TALKED TO YOU ALL INDIVIDUALLY, BUT I'D LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT TODAY IS OUR FIRST COUNCIL MEETING WITH US FOR DR.

LOLA OGUNREMI.

SO SHE HAS JOINED US AS OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.

SHE STARTED LAST MONDAY WITH US.

I KNOW SHE HAS BEEN BUSY, REVIEWING EVERYTHING, TALKING TO INDIVIDUALS, SO WE ARE SO EXCITED TO HAVE HER PART OF OUR TEAM.

SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US, LOLA.

I WOULD OFFICIALLY, DURING A FORMALIZED MEETING LIKE THIS, WE CAN ENTER THIS INTO THE MINUTES.

YEAH, THANK YOU.

SO IF YOU SHARE IN THE SAME LEVEL OF DYSLEXIA THAT I DO, HER LAST NAME MAY JUST BE MS. LOLA O FOR A MINUTE.

O-REN-GAMI, O-GEN-REN-E.

THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT WAYS TO MOVE IT AROUND.

AND SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED.

THIS LADY IS A DOCTOR AND A...

AN EXPERT IN HER FIELD, SHE'S GOT A LOT OF EXPERTISE.

WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE OF HER.

SO THANK YOU, WELCOME TO THE ORGANIZATION MA'AM, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE YOU.

MS. LOLA O.

OKAY, THANK YOU STAFF.

THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF OUR ANNOUNCEMENTS UNLESS WE'VE GOT ANYTHING ELSE.

[4. Public Comment]

ALRIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO PUBLIC COMMENT.

I WOULD ASK MS. CITY SECRETARY TO READ US INTO THAT PLEASE.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

WE VALUE YOUR INPUT AND APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS.

EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL DURING PUBLIC COMMENT OR ANY PUBLIC HEARING.

AT TWO AND A HALF MINUTES, THE TIMER WILL BEGIN FLASHING TO SIGNAL YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS REMAINING.

WHEN TIME IS UP, IT WILL BEEP CONTINUOUSLY.

PLEASE STAY WITHIN YOUR ALLOTTED TIME.

WE HAVE MULTIPLE PUBLIC HEARINGS TODAY.

IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM WITH A PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE SPEAK ON THAT ITEM EITHER DURING PUBLIC COMMENT OR DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT NOT BOTH, IN ORDER TO ENSURE ACCURATE RECORDS.

WE WILL BE USING BOTH PODIUMS TODAY.

WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE OPEN PODIUM.

WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN TO SPEAK, STATE YOUR NAME AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU LIVE WITHIN THE AMARILLO CITY LIMITS BEFORE BEGINNING YOUR COMMENTS.

FOR TOPICS NOT ON TODAY'S AGENDA, THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT LIMITS HOW COUNCIL MAY RESPOND.

COUNCIL MAY PROVIDE FACTUAL STATEMENTS.

ASK FOR THE ISSUE TO BE ADDED TO A FUTURE AGENDA OR REFER YOU TO THE CITY MANAGER SO STAFF CAN VISIT WITH YOU ABOUT YOUR CONCERN.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TODAY

[00:35:01]

BUT HAVEN'T SIGNED UP YET, PLEASE COME SEE ME NOW TO FILL OUT A FORM SO WE CAN ADD YOU TO OUR LIST.

AT THIS TIME, I WILL INVITE UP MATTHEW ALEXANDER, AND ON DECK AFTER MATTHEW WILL BE HAZIK AYAN.

EITHER ONE, AND YOU MAY BEGIN WHEN YOU'RE READY.

GOOD AFTERNOON, Y'ALL, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HEARING FROM ME TODAY.

I WANT TO START BY STATING THAT I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN POLICING, BUT INSTEAD AM APPROACHING THIS AS A CITIZEN WITH OBSERVATIONS.

MODERN-DAY POLICING IS EXTREMELY COMPLEX, AND I KNOW THAT THERE IS FAR MORE THAT I DO NOT SEE OR UNDERSTAND IN HOW THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED IN OUR CITY.

POLICING IS VITAL TO THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY, BUT FOR APD TO BE SUCCESSFUL, WE NEED TO SUPPORT THEM AND PROVIDE THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO ACCOMPLISH THEIR MISSION.

WHILE I CAN'T SPEAK ABOUT THE ACCOMPLISHMENT AND GOALS OF OUR AMARILLO POLICE DEPARTMENT, OF WHICH I KNOW THERE ARE MANY, I DO DRIVE ON OUR ROADS DAILY, LIKE MANY HERE IN AMARILLO.

I BELIEVE THAT A DEPARTMENT'S TRAFFIC POLICING EFFECTIVENESS CAN BE MEASURED BY THE DRIVING HABITS OF THE CITIZENS IN THEIR JURISDICTION.

AFTER ALL, A PERSON IS MORE LIKELY TO RUN A RED LIGHT OR SKIP A STOP SIGN IF THEY FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THERE IS NO CONSEQUENCES FOR THEIR ACTIONS.

DETERRENCE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR HERE.

IN RECENT YEARS ESPECIALLY, I HAVE NOTICED THAT THESE UNSAFE BEHAVIORS ON OUR ROADS ARE ON THE RISE.

THIS CHANGE HAS SLOWLY OCCURRED AND IT SEEMS TO BE PROGRESSING AS ACCIDENTS ARE MORE AND MORE COMMON, EVEN ON MY COMMUTE.

I HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MANY INCIDENTS OF SPEEDING IN SCHOOL ZONES.

RUNNING RED LIGHTS, ROLLING THROUGH STOP SIGNS, NON-USE OF TURN SIGNALS, DRIVING IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC, LANE CHANGES AND TWO TURNING LANE INTERSECTIONS WHILE TURNING, AND GENERAL DRIVING WITHOUT REGARD FOR SAFETY AS I HAVE IN THE LAST YEAR.

THESE ARE MOSTLY SMALL INFRACTIONS, BUT THEY LEAD UP TO ACCIDENTS WHEN OTHERS CAN'T REACT TO THE TRAFFIC VIOLATION FAST ENOUGH.

JUST FROM THESE OBSERVATIONS, I AM LEFT TO CONCLUDE THAT THE DETERRENCE TO THESE ACTIONS HAS FALLEN TO A POINT WHERE DRIVERS FEEL COMFORTABLE IN MAKING THESE RECKLESS DECISIONS.

JUST THE OTHER DAY I WAS DRIVING HOME ON HILLSIDE, JUST BEFORE THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE GOING WEST.

I WATCHED AS A CAR ENTERED THE TURN LANE TO ATTEMPT TO MERGE INTO THE LANE OF TRAFFIC I WAS IN, THE ONLY LANE THAT IS GOING STRAIGHT ON THAT ROAD.

THEY PUT THEIR BLINKER ON TO SIGNAL THE DESIRE TO MERGE AND CAME TO A STOP.

THIS CREATED A GAP.

BETWEEN THAT PERSON AND THE LINE FORMING THE TURN LEFT AT THE LIGHT AHEAD, WHERE THE CENTER LANE BECOMES THE TURNING LANE.

I THEN WATCHED AS MULTIPLE CARS ENTERED ONCOMING TRAFFIC IN ORDER TO SKIP PAST THAT MERGING CAR AND RE-ENTER THE TURN LANE JUST TO LINE UP AT THAT LIGHT.

THE LAST CAR TO DO THIS CAME LESS THAN 20 FEET FROM GOING HEAD-ON WITH THE NOW ONCOMING TRAFFIC FROM THE LIGHT THAT HAD TURNED GREEN.

THIS WAS A NARROW MISS THAT HAD THE POTENTIAL TO INVOLVE MORE THAN JUST TWO CARS OR, GOD FORBID, LIVES, AS HEAD-ON COLLISIONS HAVE GREATER POTENTIAL FOR HARM.

I'M LEFT WONDERING, WHY DID THESE DRIVERS FEEL IT WAS OKAY TO ENTER THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANES FOR ANY REASON? WHY ARE PEOPLE DRIVING WHOLE BLOCKS? IN THE TURNING LANE, WHICH SHOULD NEVER BE USED FOR DRIVING SIGNIFICANT DISTANCES JUST TO REACH A RED LIGHT SOONER.

I CAN SEE NO OTHER EXPLANATION OUTSIDE OF THEY JUST DIDN'T FEEL THERE WERE CONSEQUENCES FOR THESE ACTIONS.

THE DETERRENCE WASN'T THERE.

IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING THIS TIME AND LISTENING TO MY CONCERNS.

MY HOPE IS THAT PART OF WHAT I HAD TO SAY TODAY OPENS AN IDEA FOR SOMEONE THAT CAN POSITIVELY IMPACT THE ROAD SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY.

WITH ENOUGH DETERRENCE, WE CAN REDUCE...

AVOIDABLE ACCIDENTS, PREVENT PROPERTY DAMAGE AND BODILY DAMAGE, AND REDUCE THE WORKLOAD ON OUR HIGHLY CAPABLE OFFICERS WHO ARE HAVING TO SPEND HOURS CLEANING UP AND DOCUMENTING AFTER THESE INCIDENTS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERNS.

I'M GLAD TO TAKE THAT INFORMATION AND CONNECT YOU WITH SOME OF OUR STAFF IF YOU HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS THAT WE COULD IMPLEMENT.

ABSOLUTELY.

I RAN OUT OF TIME, BUT, YES, I HAVE COPIES FOR EVERYBODY.

YOU CAN HAND IT TO MS. CITY SECRETARY.

SO WE'VE CHANGED THE FORMAT.

CHANGED THE FORMAT A LITTLE BIT.

SO I'M JUST CURIOUS IF WE, THE ORIGINAL BEEP, WAS THAT THE THREE MINUTES OR WAS THAT THE 30-SECOND NOTICE? THAT WAS THE THREE MINUTES.

ARE WE STILL OFFERING THE 30-SECOND NOTICE? YES.

THE LIGHT TURNS FROM GREEN TO YELLOW.

IT FLASHES TO YELLOW WHENEVER YOU'RE AT 30 SECONDS.

DOES IT BEEP STILL OR NO?

[00:40:01]

IT DOES NOT.

DO WE HAVE A NEW SYSTEM? WE'VE GOT A NEW ONE THAT'S WIRELESS, AND WE CAN LOOK AND SEE IF WE CAN ADD A BEEP FOR NEXT TIME.

DO WE STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO PUT THE CLOCK UP? NOT ON THE SCREENS, NO.

IT'S JUST OVER THERE.

OKAY, SO YOU GUYS CAN SEE IT.

PERFECT.

AND THERE ARE LIGHTS RIGHT HERE THAT COUNCIL CAN SEE ON THIS LITTLE ONE.

WELL, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT...

YOU KNOW, ATTEND REGULARLY TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT.

WE'RE TRYING TO HOLD EVERYBODY TO THE SAME THREE MINUTES, SO FORGIVE US FOR GOING OVER THE TIME.

WE DO APPRECIATE EVERYBODY FOR RESPECTING EVERYONE'S TIME AND TRYING TO HOLD YOUR COMMENTS TO THE THREE MINUTES, AND WE APPRECIATE THE GENTLEMAN THAT SPOKE.

MS. CITY SECRETARY.

AND AFTER HAZIK, IF ADAM DADOSHTI WOULD LIKE TO COME TO THE EMPTY PODIUM, YOU MAY SPEAK NEXT.

HAZIK AYAN.

AFTERNOON.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR AND DEAR COUNCILMAN.

I AM HAZIK AYAN AND I ATTEND AMARILLO HIGH SCHOOL AND I WANT TO START TODAY BY THANKING GOD FOR THIS BLESSED DAY AND I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TO ALL OF YOU THIS AFTERNOON.

I GREW UP IN A SMOG-FILLED CITY, SO WHEN I MOVED TO AMARILLO FOR THE FIRST TIME, I ABSOLUTELY FELL IN LOVE WITH THE CLEAR, NEVER-ENDING BLUE SKY AND THE FREEDOM IT EXUDES.

AND I THINK I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE, BECAUSE WHEN I INTERVIEWED MICHAEL WALLACE, THE SHERIFF FROM CARS FOR THE 66 STORIES FROM ROUTE 66 PROJECT, HE HAD MUCH THE SAME TO SAY ABOUT AMARILLO.

THIS DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTIC OF AMARILLO AND THE TEXAS PANHANDLE, THE BLUE SKIES, ARE CURRENTLY BEING CONTESTED UNDER Y'ALL'S VERY LEADERSHIP.

MR. MAYOR AND COUNCILMAN.

I URGE YOU TO TERMINATE THE CITY OF AMARILLO'S PARTNERSHIP WITH FERMI INCORPORATED ON THE DONALD J.

TRUMP ADVANCED ENERGY AND INTELLIGENCE CAMPUS.

WHILE YOU TELL US RESIDENTS AND TELL US THAT EVERY DROP OF WATER COUNTS, BEHIND OUR BACKS YOU SELL US OUT LITERALLY BY SELLING THIS WATER OF THE EXHAUSTED OGALLALA AQUIFER AND THE DRYING LAKE MEREDITH.

OUR WATER IS FOR OUR PEOPLE, MR. MAYOR AND DEAR COUNCILMAN.

THEY'RE NOT FOR THE PROFITS OF WALL STREET TRADERS IN NEW YORK CITY.

MR. MAYOR AND COUNCILMAN, THE PEOPLE OF THE PANHANDLE ARE SOME OF THE MOST KINDEST AND FORGIVING PEOPLE I'VE EVER MET.

AND WHILE THE WATER DEAL HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE WITH THE CITY OF AMARILLO AND FERMI, ALL OF YOU SITTING UP HERE TODAY STILL HAVE THE POWER TO STOP IT.

IN LATE MARCH OF THIS YEAR, THE CITY OF AMARILLO APPLIED FOR A SUBZONING TO HELP FERMI AVOID PAYING TARIFFS.

PLEASE WITHDRAW THIS APPLICATION WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME.

PLEASE PRIORITIZE YOUR CONSTITUENCY WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME.

AND PLEASE PRIORITIZE AMERICA WHEN THERE IS STILL TIME.

BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU NAME THE DATA CENTER UNDER THE CURRENT PRESIDENCY, AND NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU ADVERTISE THE DATA CENTER AS AMERICA FIRST, AMERICA IS NOT AS DUMB AS YOU THINK.

DON'T LET FERMI GET AWAY WITH NOT PAYING TARIFFS ON FOREIGN IMPORTS.

DON'T LET FERMI GET AWAY WITH BUYING SOUTH KOREAN GAS TURBINES.

AND DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY WITH CHEATING HARDWORKING AMERICAN MANUFACTURERS AND NOT BUYING FROM THEM.

BUT THE MOST PRESSING REASON WHY YOU SHOULD STOP THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH FERMI IS BECAUSE YOUR LEGACY IS ON THE LINE.

THE FACILITY IS PROJECTED TO EMIT HARMFUL CONTAMINANTS THAT CAN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE RISK OF HEART DISEASE, CHRONIC LUNG DISEASE, ASTHMA, AND EVEN CANCER.

UNDER YOUR WATCH, UNDER YOUR INACTION, AMARILLO'S CLEAR, BEAUTIFUL SKIES WILL BE NO MORE.

THEY WILL BE THE POLLUTANT-FILLED AIRS OF CHICAGO OR L.A.

IN A SURVEY I CONDUCTED LAST WEEK AT SCHOOL, 58% OF STUDENTS SAID, THEY KNEW ABOUT THE NEGATIVE OUTCOMES OF THE FERMI PROJECT. MR. MAYOR AND DEAR CITY COUNCILMEN, THE FUTURE OF AMARILLO ARE WATCHING, AND THEY WILL GIVE YOU A HARD TIME IF AMARILLO IS RUINED BECAUSE OF THIS PROJECT.

PLEASE BACK OUT WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME.

PLEASE SIDE WITH THE PEOPLE OF AMARILLO, THE PEOPLE YOU TOOK AN OATH TO SERVE, AND THE PEOPLE WHO GENEROUSLY VOTED FOR YOU.

KEEP TEXAS FOR TEXANS, NOT ELSEWHERE.

APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.

ADAM DADOSHTI. AFTER ADAM WILL BE ALAN FEINGOLD. ADAM YOU MAY BEGIN. AFTERNOON, SIR. GOOD AFTERNOON MR. MAYOR AND COUNCILMAN, I'M ADAM DADOSHTI AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE WITH YOU TODAY UNLIKE MY FRIEND WHO IMMIGRATED HERE I AM BUT A CHILD OF AN IMMIGRANT AND AMARILLO IS THE AMERICA THAT I'VE BEEN SURROUNDED WITH MY WHOLE LIFE.

WHENEVER I WAS FIRST APPROACHED WITH THESE IDEAS OF THE AMERICA FIRST AND, YOU KNOW, BOOSTING THE ECONOMY OF AMERICA, I WAS ALL FOR IT.

BUT WORKING WITH NOTABLE FIGURES LIKE DR. BUTLER FROM WT, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE THAT IT WILL CAUSE TO THE CITY AND ITS CITIZENS ARE NOT EXCUSABLE

[00:45:03]

WITH THE ADVANTAGEOUS OF MONEY.

ALONG WITH ALREADY KNOWING PEOPLE IN THIS AREA WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE AIR QUALITY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE AMOUNT OF COWS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, WE ALREADY SACRIFICE A BIT OF THE PEOPLE'S HEALTH IN THIS AREA FOR ECONOMIC PROFIT.

AND I URGE YOU TO PREVENT THIS DEAL, TO BACK OUT OF IT, FOR THE PEOPLE OF AMARILLO THAT ARE MUCH MORE PRECIOUS THAN ANY MONEY COULD EVER BE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WHILE MR. FEINGOLD MAKES HIS WAY UP, I WILL GIVE A CLARIFYING STATEMENT OF FACT.

ALAN FEINGOLD.

THE FERMI PROJECT DOES RESIDE IN CARSON COUNTY.

IT DOES NOT RESIDE IN POTTER NOR RANDALL COUNTY NOR WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.

THE CITY OF AMARILLO HAS NO JURISDICTION OVER ANYTHING IN REGARDS TO THAT PROJECT.

THE ONLY THING THE CITY OF AMARILLO HAS IN REGARDS TO THAT PROJECT IS A 2.5 MILLION GALLON PER DAY ALLOWANCE FOR A WATER CELL.

SO JUST A SIMPLE STATEMENT OF FACT.

MR. FEINGOLD, HOW ARE YOU TODAY, SIR? WE INVITE TANYA WINSTON UP TO THE OPEN PODIUM, AND MR. FEINGOLD, YOU MAY BEGIN.

I WISH TO ADDRESS YOU WHEN YOU GET TO THE DISCUSSION ITEM 6.1, IF YOU WERE WILLING TO DO SO, RATHER THAN NOW.

MR. FEINGOLD, I DON'T BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AUDIENCE INTERACTION.

I WOULD REQUEST YOU TO GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOUR COMMENTS HERE, AND THEN LET US ENGAGE WITH YOU AFTER THE MEETING, SIR.

YOU ARE GOING TO DISCUSS THE WATER RATE AND THE WASTEWATER RATE.

THERE IS A SORT OF STANDARD WAY BY WHICH THIS IS USUALLY DONE, AND IT IS ONE THAT I DISAGREE WITH.

THERE IS A USE OF WHAT I CALL ACCESS FEES AND WHAT MOST OF THE INDIVIDUALS WORKING FOR THE CITY WILL CALL METER FEES.

I'VE GONE OVER THIS BEFORE WITH YOU.

I JUST WANT TO SAY AGAIN, I DO NOT THINK THERE SHOULD BE ANY ACCESS FEES, AND THE METER FEES SHOULD BE DRASTICALLY REDUCED.

I CAN GIVE YOU A FORMULA FOR THAT, BUT NOT AT THIS TIME.

WHAT I WILL SUGGEST IS THAT YOU HAVE A BASE RATE, AND THAT BASE RATE BE $4.40 PER THOUSAND GALLONS OF POTABLE WATER, AND THAT EVERY CONSUMER OF WATER, WHETHER RESIDENTIAL OR INDUSTRIAL OR COMMERCIAL, PAY THAT BASE RATE OR SOMETHING HIGHER.

YOU ALREADY HAVE A COMMERCIAL RATE OF $4.36.

PER THOUSAND GALLONS, THAT IS PER UNIT.

SO ESSENTIALLY, I'M JUST ASKING THAT YOU MAKE SURE THAT THE RESIDENTIAL USERS WILL PAY THAT, AND THE INDUSTRIAL USERS, AND THE COMMERCIAL USERS, SO THAT EVERYONE IS PAYING THE SAME RATE UNLESS YOU DECIDE THAT THE RESIDENTIAL USERS WHO USE MORE THAN, SAY, 20,000 GALLONS OR 30,000 GALLONS SHOULD PAY A GREATER RATE.

THAT IT'S A SEPARATE DISCUSSION, BUT WHAT I'M ASKING IS THAT YOU NO LONGER HAVE SPECIAL PRIVILEGES TO HAVE AN INDUSTRIAL USER PAY LESS THAN ANY OTHER TYPE OF USER.

THERE ARE A FEW LEGACY CONTRACTS THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO UPDATE, AND THE NEW RATES FOR FOR AN INDUSTRIAL USER WOULD NOT HAVE TO BE IMPOSED IMMEDIATELY, BUT THEY SHOULD BE IMPOSED OVER SAY THE NEXT THREE YEARS SO THAT EVERY USER PAYS AT LEAST THE BASE RATE.

I THINK THIS IS THE ONLY FAIR WAY TO TREAT THE RESIDENTIAL USERS AND I THINK YOU WILL FIND THAT THE RESIDENTIAL USERS WHO ARE MOST PRUDENT IN WATER USE WILL HAVE THEIR BILLS CONSIDERABLY REDUCED, BUT THE CITY WILL ACTUALLY OBTAIN THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE OR MORE THAN IT HAS NOW.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE INVITE MIKE FISHER TO THE OPEN PODIUM, AND MS. WINSTON, YOU MAY BEGIN.

GOOD DAY.

MY NAME IS TANYA WINSTON, ALSO KNOWN AS LADY BUTTERSCOTCH.

I LIVE HERE IN POTTER COUNTY.

THE REASON WHY I'M HERE TODAY IS BECAUSE SOMETHING...

THAT JUST MOVED MY WHOLE EVERYTHING YESTERDAY.

TODAY, Y'ALL TALKED ABOUT SUBSTANCE ABUSE, ALCOHOL, BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT OUR WHOLE

[00:50:02]

NATION IS DEALING WITH CRACK COCAINE, FENTANYL, METH, AND PRETTY MUCH IN JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY'S FAMILY MAY HAVE DEALT WITH SOMEONE IN THEIR FAMILY WITH...

SOME TYPE OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE.

IN MY FAMILY, I HAVE A RELATIVE THAT DEALT WITH CRACK COCAINE AND HE HAD TO LIVE WITH ME BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE IN THE FAMILY WANTED HIM TO COME HOME AND LIVE WITH HIM WHEN HE WAS PAROLED HOME.

SO I ALLOWED MY UNCLE TO COME AND STAY WITH ME.

HE VIOLATED HIS PAROLE, AND USUALLY WHEN PAROLE VIOLATORS...

VIOLATE IS USUALLY BECAUSE OF FAILING TO REPORT, FAILING A DRUG TEST, FAILING TO PAY FINES, LEAVING THE COUNTY, OR BEING ARRESTED FOR SOME TYPE OF DIFFERENT OFFENSE.

NOW, YOU ALL KNOW THAT A MONTH AGO, NORTH HEIGHTS HAD THIS MASSIVE SHOOTING.

ABOUT SIX PEOPLE GOT KILLED.

EVER SINCE THEY HAD THAT MASSIVE SHOOTING, AMARILLO POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE BEEN ON A MISSION.

THEY'VE BEEN INVESTIGATING, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO'S CONNECTED TO WHAT, HOW ALL OF THIS ALL CAME TOGETHER.

JUST LAST WEEK, THERE WERE SEVERAL BUS INVOLVEMENT WITH THE POLICE, PICKING UP PAROLEES, PICKING UP PEOPLE.

LAST WEEK, A MAN HAD MADE A U-TURN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.

HE GOT PULLED OVER.

AND THIS IS THE AREA THAT I LIVE IN, THAT I WAS RAISED UP IN.

I MOVED AWAY FROM THE NORTH HEIGHTS, BUT I MOVED BACK BECAUSE I'VE BEEN REMODELING MY GRANDPARENTS' HOUSE.

THAT'S WHERE I RESIDE NOW.

MY UNCLE MOVED IN WITH ME BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE TOOK HIM IN.

HE VIOLATED HIS PAROLE.

BUT WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE, I'M SITTING IN THE HOUSE YESTERDAY.

NORMALLY I LOCK MY GLASS DOOR.

THE WIND WAS HIGH, I KEPT LOOKING, AND I SAID, I NEED TO LOCK MY DOOR.

WELL, WHEN I LOOK BACK THE SECOND TIME, MY DOOR IS BLACK, AND I HAVE A SHINING LIGHT SHINING INTO MY HOUSE.

I SAID, WHAT IS THAT? IT WAS SWAT.

OUR AMARILLO POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THEY SAID, IT'S THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

I SAID, COME IN, THE DOOR IS UNLOCKED.

THEY ALL CAME IN.

NOW YOU ALL KNOW THAT I'M USUALLY ON THE SCENE WHEN THERE'S A FIRE.

YEAH, BUT I GOT TO GET IT OUT.

MS. WINSTON, I'M SORRY, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO STOP YOU.

I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO STEP ASIDE.

I WOULD LOVE TO CONNECT YOU WITH OUR CHIEF OF POLICE AND LET YOU CONTINUE WITH HIM.

HE'S RIGHT BACK OVER HERE.

GLAD TO WORK ON THIS SPECIFIC RESOLUTION FOR YOU.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

IF WE CAN DIRECT YOU BACK HERE WITH CHIEF HOVER, IT WOULD BE GREAT.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

MR. FISHER, GOOD AFTERNOON.

WE INVITE CRAIG GAULTIER UP TO THE OPEN PODIUM, AND MR. FISHER, YOU MAY BEGIN.

I LIVE IN THE PROVINCE OF AMARILLO.

MY NAME IS MIKE FISHER.

I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE...

TRAFFIC SITUATION FOR SEVERAL YEARS ABOUT THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND WE HAD LIKE TWO YEARS AGO TWO BARELY GRADUATED KIDS DIED AT 45TH AND SONSI JUST BARELY GRADUATED FROM FROM HIGH SCHOOL FOUR DAYS AGO WE HAD TWO PEOPLE DIE 26 YEARS OLD AND I MEAN, BACK TO, I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.

WHEN I TALKED TO MR. FREEMAN, MR. FREEMAN, ME AND HIM WERE KIND OF COOL.

WE WENT TO LUNCH, AND THEN WHEN THOSE TWO PEOPLE DIED, I SAID, MAN, HOW DO YOU LOOK IN THE MIRROR AT NIGHT? HOW DO YOU GO TO SLEEP? AND HE SAID I HAD SOME SORT OF NARRATIVE, AND THAT'S WHEN WE WENT SOUTH.

AND THAT WAS THE DAY THAT HE GOT MY CROSSHAIRS.

SO TODAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ACCIDENT THAT JUST HAPPENED FOUR DAYS AGO.

GABRIEL AYERS, 26 YEARS OLD.

CAITLIN WALLACE, 26 YEARS OLD.

[00:55:01]

I'M GIVING YOU THE FACTS.

THE INTERSECTION IS FORMULATED BASED ON CURB TO CURB, BUT DOESN'T, FROM WHAT I SEE, IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE ACCESS ROADS ON THE SIDE.

IF YOU DO THAT FORMULA, I GAVE YOU THE FORMULA ON HOW YOU FIGURE OUT.

IF YOU BASE IT ON JUST THE FOUR LANES WITH THE TURNING LANE IN THE MIDDLE.

THE TWO-SECOND ALL-RED DELAY SEEMS KIND OF LIKE GENEROUS BECAUSE THE FORMULA SAYS WE ONLY NEED 1.2 SECONDS.

BUT WHEN YOU FACTOR IN THE REST OF IT, THE TWO ACCESS LANES AND THE STOP LINE AND THE LENGTH OF THE CAR, YOU'VE GOT 120 FEET OR 100 AND IT'S ACTUALLY 128 FEET, I BELIEVE.

BUT WHEN YOU DO THAT, IT'S 2.3 SECONDS.

SO IF YOU ADDED .3 SECONDS TO THAT, THAT ACCIDENT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.

SO WHEN ARE WE GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT? I MEAN, SERIOUSLY, GUYS, WHAT IF THIS WAS YOUR KID, COLE? I BET YOU ALL HELL WOULD BREAK LOOSE IN HERE.

WHAT IF IT WAS YOUR KID? SOMEBODY TALK, MAN.

PEOPLE ARE DYING, BUT WE HAVE THIS OPTIC CRAP UP HERE WHERE WE GET UP HERE AND WE TALK.

WE'VE GOT ANDREA'S PROJECT, DRUNK DRIVING.

OH, WE DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO HAPPEN, BUT NOBODY'S DONE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS.

AND YOU HAD YOUR WARNING, BUT NOW TWO PEOPLE ARE DEAD.

I MEAN, COME ON, MAN.

ALL THIS OPTIC CRAP UP HERE, WHERE YOU GUYS, OH, DRUNK DRIVING, NO DRUNK DRIVING.

BUT THEN THIS HAPPENED.

WE DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A DRUNK DRIVER, BUT WE DO KNOW TWO PEOPLE DIED.

WE DON'T KNOW IF IT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH WHO RAN THE LIGHT.

BUT THE FORMULA SAYS THAT IF THIS HAPPENED THE WAY IT PROBABLY DID...

THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.

0.3 SECONDS.

THIS GUY'S DOING 100 MILES AN HOUR.

IT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.

THIS ACCIDENT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.

SOMEBODY PLEASE TALK ABOUT THIS.

PUT IT ON THE AGENDA.

I GAVE YOU A LETTER.

THE BEGINNING, THE FIRST PAGE IS THE FORMAL NOTICE OF HAZARD.

AND ALL THESE INTERSECTIONS NEED TO BE LOOKED AT.

SOMEBODY ASK ME SOME QUESTIONS.

I'D LOVE TO EXPLAIN THE FORMULA IF YOU GUYS DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.

MR. FISHER, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.

I KNOW THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE REQUESTING AND YOU'D LIKE TO ENGAGE, SO LET'S TAKE A BREATH.

I UNDERSTAND YOUR PASSION.

I APPRECIATE IT.

I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN.

WE ALL SHARE THE SAME CONCERN.

WE ARE IN NO WAY IN OPPOSITION TO HAVING SAFE OR SAFER INTERSECTIONS.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR ARE THE ABILITIES TO EVALUATE, ANALYZE THAT, IMPLEMENT THAT.

OKAY, SO THIS IS ONE INTERSECTION.

THAT YOU PERFORMED A PERSONAL STUDY ON, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.

AND THEN LET ME ASK MR. CITY MANAGER, HOW'S THE BEST WAY TO TAKE THIS ONE INTERSECTION AND GO AND PROOF IT OUT, MORE OR LESS PROOF OF CONCEPT, TO SEE, LIKE, WHAT DOES THE EXPERTS, WHAT WOULD THE EXPERTS SAY? I KNOW THAT IF I JUST SAID, HEY, LET'S JUST EXTEND THE DELAY TIME, THERE'S A CAUSE AND EFFECT TO EVERY ACTION, RIGHT? THERE'S A SIDE EFFECT TO EVERY EFFECT.

I DON'T KNOW THAT TO BE TRUE, BUT I'M WILLING TO ENGAGE.

MR. PAFF, WHAT DO YOU? YEAH, I CAN TURN IT TO DONNIE.

I KNOW WE DO INTERSECTION STUDIES, AND SO, DONNIE, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THIS? YES, WE CAN.

DO WE HAVE A CURRENT STUDY THAT HAS COME BACK IN ITS COMPLETION, OR ARE WE STILL? WE CURRENTLY ANALYZE ALL THE INTERSECTIONS OF MUTCD, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, BUT WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THIS ONE IS.

INCLUDED IN THAT STUDY AS WELL TO GO OUT AND LOOK AT THE TIMING SO THAT IF YOU'D LIKE US TO BRING IT BACK, WE CERTAINLY CAN.

I WOULD.

SO LET'S DO THIS.

MR. FISHER, YOU RECOGNIZED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS.

YEARS.

LET'S GO BACK.

IS IT CONVENIENT TO GO BACK MAYBE SIX MONTHS, PULL ANY INTERSECTION ACCIDENTS, AND JUST REANALYZE ALL OF THOSE TIMING SIGNALS? WE CAN DO THAT, AND WE EVEN HAVE SOME PAST ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE ACCIDENTS WHERE WE WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT TIMINGS ON THOSE AS WELL.

I THINK WE PRESENTED THAT TO COUNCIL AT SOME POINT IN TIME.

I KNOW LAST TIME YOU PRESENTED IT, IT DIDN'T HAVE AN ACTION ITEM FOR US.

THERE WASN'T ANYTHING ELSE WE COULD DO FURTHER OTHER THAN.

JUST KIND OF ERR ON THE SIDE OF LET'S JUST MAKE ALL THE INTERSECTIONS, YOU KNOW, HAVE A LONGER DELAY, AND THAT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED.

CAN YOU REMEMBER ANYTHING FURTHER IN THAT DISCUSSION? I WOULD HAVE TO GO LOOK AT THE REPORT AND LOOK AT WHAT WE BROUGHT TO COUNCIL.

SO, MR. FISHER, I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.

APPRECIATE THE CONCERN.

WE WILL GO BACK AT LEAST SIX MONTHS.

MAYBE IT'S EASY ENOUGH TO GO 12.

PULL THOSE ACCIDENTS, ESPECIALLY THE FATALITIES.

REANALYZE THOSE, AND WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO A COUNCIL MEETING.

I'D LIKE TO MAKE JUST ONE STATEMENT.

I CAN'T IMAGINE THE EFFECT OF ADDING ONE SECOND BLANKET

[01:00:03]

TO EVERY INTERSECTION.

CAN ANYBODY THINK OF THE WILDEST SCENARIO OF WHAT THE EFFECT MIGHT BE ON A NEGATIVE ONE? LET ME GET AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION BY AN EXPERT, SO I'LL BRING THAT BACK.

AND IF THERE IS NO GOOD ANSWER TO THAT, THEN YES, THE SOLUTION COULD BE TO EXTEND THOSE.

DELAYS.

SO, YES, SIR.

DONNIE, I WOULD ASK ALSO, AS YOU LOOK AT THOSE ACCIDENTS, IF IT'S EASY WITH APD, CHECK TO SEE IF THERE'S CONTRIBUTING FACTORS AS WELL.

I THINK THAT PLAYS A HUGE ROLE.

CHECK TO SEE WHAT? IF THERE WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS, SPEED, ALCOHOL ABUSE.

WE DO HAVE THAT IN THAT PREVIOUS REPORT THAT WE GAVE TO COUNCIL.

WE CAN DIG THAT DATA BACK UP AS WELL, BUT WE CAN FIND THAT.

I THINK IT WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE BENEFICIAL FOR US TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT.

MAYBE ALL THE FATALITY ACCIDENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE PAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS, BECAUSE WE HAVE DATA ASSOCIATED WITH THAT AS WELL THAT WE CAN BRING BACK.

BUT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER WHEN ALCOHOL IS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR, BECAUSE HE BROUGHT UP AN IMPORTANT FACT.

WE DO.

YOU DISMISSED THE FACT THAT THE ONE THAT HAPPENED IN FRONT OF UNITED, YOU TOLD ME YOURSELF, YOU SAID, WELL, THAT GUY WAS DRUNK.

BUT THE GUY THAT WAS HIT WAS NOT DRUNK.

MR. FISHER.

AS PRODUCTIVE AS I CAN BE RIGHT HERE FOR THIS PURPOSE, THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING AND I APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERN.

ALL RIGHT, WE INVITE RUBEN RIVERA UP TO THE OPEN MIC, AND CRAIG, YOU MAY BEGIN.

EXCUSE ME, CRAIG ALTIER.

GENTLEMEN, I GUESS YOU ALWAYS HEAR THE BAD FROM PEOPLE LIKE ME, AND SO I DO WANT TO GIVE A COMPLIMENT.

I KNOW THAT'S GOING TO ROCK YOUR WORLD UP THERE, BUT...

THERE WAS ACTUALLY THREE.

I'VE BEEN ON THIS PARKS, AS ALL Y'ALL KNOW.

I'VE BEEN ON THE SPECIALTY PARK, SCHOOL PARK RESTROOMS FOR OVER SIX YEARS.

NONE OF YOU WERE ON COUNCIL WHEN JARED MILLER AND GINGER NELSON CLOSED ALL OUR SCHOOL PARK RESTROOMS. I WOULD WISH, I JUST WISH THAT YOU WOULD FINALLY, MR. MAYOR, PUT IT ON THE AGENDA TO LET US TALK ABOUT IT.

YOU TALKED ABOUT IT ON THE RADIO THE OTHER DAY, AND YOU REALLY KIND OF MISSPOKE.

YOU SAID THAT THE SCHOOLS...

OWN SOME OF THESE RESTROOMS. THEY DON'T.

THE CITY OF AMARILLO BUILT THOSE.

WE OWN THOSE SCHOOL RESTROOMS. I WOULD LOVE FOR IT AND ALSO AS YOU SHAKE YOUR HEAD THREE MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL ASKED, ORDERED, DEMANDED YOUR CITY STAFF THAT BEING MR. YOUR CITY ATTORNEY AND CITY MANAGER TO RECTIFY THIS WHOLE SITUATION.

WHO OWNS WHAT? YOU GUYS MADE THAT REQUEST.

YOUR CITY STAFF ONCE AGAIN DEFIED YOU.

THEY HAVE NOT DONE THEIR JOB, WHAT YOU TOLD THEM TO DO, MR. SIMPSON, YOU, MR. STANLEY, YOU, MR. TIPPS.

THEY ARE DOING YOU A DISSERVICE.

AND THEN IN TURN, YOU DO YOUR CITIZENS A DISSERVICE.

YOU NEED TO START HOLDING THESE PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR HOW THEY NOT ONLY TREAT THEIR CITIZENS, BUT HOW THEY TREAT YOU.

AND ON TOP OF THAT, I'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT PARKS.

I'VE SENT ALL OF YOU.

MESSAGES ABOUT ALL THE PICTURES THAT I FOUND RECENTLY.

AND MY COMPLIMENT IS TO THREE OF THE FIVE OF YOU WHO ACTUALLY RESPONDED.

I GOT TEXT MESSAGES, I GOT PHONE CALLS, AND JOHNNY ON THE SPOT, BOOM, LIKE THAT, THERE'S CITY STAFF OUT THERE CLEANING UP OUR PARKS AS WE SPEAK RIGHT NOW.

MR. REID, MR. TIPPS, AND MR. SIMPSON ALL RESPONDED TO ME, AS THEY SHOULD, AS YOU SHOULD HAVE, MR. STANLEY, AS YOU, MR. PRESCOTT, SHOULD HAVE.

AND YOU SHOULD, AND THIS IS WHERE THE COMPLAINT COMES IN WITH YOUR STAFF.

YOU SHOULD, ALL FIVE OF YOU SHOULD NOT BE TAKING PHONE CALLS FROM IDIOTS LIKE ME.

YOUR STAFF SHOULD BE TAKING CARE OF THIS.

I BROUGHT THIS UP TO YOUR CITY PARKS AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING.

AND WHAT DID MR. KOSHUBA AND EVERYBODY DO? THEY BLEW ME OFF.

AND IN TURN, THEY'RE BLOWING YOU OFF.

THEY'RE DOING YOU A DISSERVICE.

AND YOU GUYS SHOULD NOT BE TAKING THE HITS FOR THIS.

THIS IS YEARS OF NEGLECT BY YOUR CITY STAFF.

THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN IN ONE DRY WINTER.

THIS HAS HAPPENED OVER YEARS.

IN NO WAY SHOULD ANY OF YOU FIVE SHOULD BE TAKING THE HIT FOR HOW CRAPPY OUR PARKS LOOK.

WHAT I'D WISH YOU TO DO, MR. MAYOR, IS NOT ONLY HAVE IT ON THE AGENDA TO TALK ABOUT OUR SCHOOL PARK RESTROOMS, SO WE CAN HAVE MORE THAN THREE-MINUTE DISCUSSION ABOUT IT, LET US TALK ABOUT OUR WHOLE PARKS.

AND LET YOU TALK AND LET US...

CONTRIBUTE TO WHAT WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING PEOPLE LIKE ME AND OTHER CITIZENS WHO ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO ARE SHOWING UP TO THESE PARKS BOARD MEETINGS SO I WOULD LOVE THAT COMMITMENT BEFORE I WALK AWAY FROM THIS PODIUM MR MAYOR THAT YOU'LL MAKE A COMMITMENT TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA I'M NOT SAYING THE NEXT AGENDA OR SOMETIME BUT PLEASE PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR US TO HAVE A PARKS DISCUSSION AND NOT JUST A THREE MINUTE BACK AND FORTH.

[01:05:02]

THANK YOU. MR. GALTIER. AS A STATEMENT OF FACT, I REQUESTED INFORMATION FROM CITY MANAGER EARLIER TODAY AND WE'RE WORKING ON IT.

I WILL DEFINITELY WAIT UNTIL I GET THE INFORMATION BACK AND THEN WE'LL TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION.

YES, MY NAME IS RUBEN RIVERA.

THIS IS THE 2019 ASSESSMENT BOOK.

WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING.

NOW WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF CLOSING PARKS, BATHROOMS, AND THIS AND THAT.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, MR. SIMPSON, YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE GOTTEN BACK TO ME ABOUT A YEAR AGO, A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.

WE HAD A MEETING AT THE FAIRGROUNDS.

YOU NEVER DID.

MR. STANLEY, WHEN YOU CAME ON IN 22, 23...

YOU SAID FOR MICHAEL KOSHUBA AND I TO STEP OUT OF THE ROOM.

I GAVE HIM ALL MY INFORMATION AND EVERYTHING ELSE BECAUSE I WANTED TO GO OVER WITH HIM ON SOME OF THE STUFF.

NOT A PHONE CALL, NOTHING FROM NOBODY, NOT EVEN GRAYSON PATH.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES, I BRING YOU PICTURES.

I PROVIDE YOU PICTURES.

I GIVE YOU A CD, WHICH I HAVE WHEN I HAVE BEFORE.

THIS IS A FARCE.

$70,240 WE PAID FOR THIS.

TEANCUR LAKE.

WE HAVE, WHAT, OVER, CLOSE TO 300 POLICE REPORTS TO THAT LAKE.

SIX DEATHS, APPROXIMATELY, GIVE OR TAKE.

THAT PROJECT DIDN'T COME TO FRUITION BECAUSE THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, LARRY ORPAHNDAW SAID THAT THEY HAD FOUND SOME INDIGENOUS BONES THERE.

WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'VE DONE MY RESEARCH.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY THERE.

I'VE DONE CHECK WITH THE HIGH PLAINS HISTORICAL MUSEUM, THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION.

THEY HAVEN'T COME UP WITH ANYTHING.

SO WHERE ARE THEY? I CHALLENGE ALL OF YOU TO GO LOOK FOR THEM.

ALL OF YOU.

THIS UNDERPASS ON 3RD STREET, BLAIR SCHAAF, OUR COMMISSIONER, OUR PRECINCT TWO, HE SAID THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO START SOMETHING ON IT THE FOURTH QUARTER OR THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR.

WHAT'S GOING ON? WHAT'S HAPPENING? Y'ALL KNOW THE DISASTERS.

THERE'S ALREADY BEEN TWO DEATHS AT THAT, UNDERNEATH THAT UNDERPASS.

WHY DO WE NOT GET OFF OUR ASSES AND DO SOMETHING? I MEAN, REALLY.

YOU KNOW, PARKS.

YOU'RE ALL GOING TO GET OLD.

YOU'RE ALREADY THERE.

WE'RE GOING TO NEED PARKS.

LOOK AT SOUTHEAST PARK.

ALL THE SIDEWALKS ARE ALL CRACKED AND EVERYTHING.

Y'ALL DON'T TREAT ALL SIDES OF THE CITY THE SAME.

Y'ALL DON'T, PERIOD.

I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.

AND I WALKED IT, BECAUSE I PUT BOOTS ON THE GROUND.

I DON'T JUST TALK ABOUT IT.

I WALK IT.

IT'S A DISGRACE FOR SOME PEOPLE SOMETIMES COME OVER AND SAY, LOOK, NOTHING'S HAPPENED.

THAT'S TRUE.

NOT A DAMN THING'S HAPPENED.

WE REDID OUR UNDERPASSES, I MEAN, OUR STREETS ON 10TH STREET.

MR. RIVERA, THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING HERE TODAY.

MS. CITY SECRETARY, DO YOU HAVE ANYBODY ELSE? THAT'S ALL THAT'S SIGNED UP, MAYOR.

I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR SPEAKING HERE TODAY.

WE'LL ASK IF I HAVE ANYBODY ELSE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO OFFER PUBLIC COMMENT.

THANK YOU, MR. RIVERA.

DO I HAVE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO OFFER PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY.

I'M GOING TO START RIGHT HERE WITH THIS GENTLEMAN IN THE BLACK SHIRT, AND THEN WE'LL WORK OUR WAY BACK.

SINCE YOU DIDN'T SIGN UP, SIR, WHAT I'M GOING TO ASK IS IF YOU'LL GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN SEE OUR CITY SECRETARY AND GIVE HER YOUR INFORMATION AFTER.

THANK YOU ALL FOR HEARING ME OUT.

I HONESTLY WASN'T PLANNING ON SPEAKING TODAY.

I JUST MOVED FROM DUMAS A FEW MONTHS AGO.

YOU KNOW HOW IT IS IF YOU'RE FROM A SMALL TOWN HERE IN THE PANHANDLE.

YOU COME TO AMARILLO OFTEN ON THE WEEKEND AND WHATNOT.

SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE ROADS HERE IN AMARILLO, AND I WASN'T GOING TO SPEAK UNTIL THE PREVIOUS...

PEOPLE WHO SPOKE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUES

[01:10:02]

WITH OUR PUBLIC ROADS.

AND I SERVE ON THE PANHANDLE REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION BOARD, THE PROMPT COMMITTEE, THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION BOARD.

AND ONE THING I'D LIKE TO DO IS ENGAGE WITH LOCAL OFFICIALS ABOUT THE COST OF CAR DEPENDENCY.

BECAUSE ALL THESE PEOPLE WHO PREVIOUSLY POINTED OUT THE ISSUES WITH OUR ROADS...

ALL THESE ARE BAND-AID SOLUTIONS.

THEY DON'T GET TO THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE ISSUE.

OF CAR DEPENDENCY.

FOR EXAMPLE, THAT ROAD HE WAS TALKING ABOUT, BELL OR WESTERN, WHICHEVER IT IS, IT'S JUST TOO WIDE.

I MEAN, EVERYONE IS FORCED TO DRIVE A CAR.

OUR ROADS HAVE TO BE WIDE.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TALK ABOUT, OLDER PEOPLE REMINISCE ABOUT AMARILLO BACK IN THE 40S.

AND YOU LOOK AT A PICTURE OF AMARILLO DOWNTOWN, YOU SEE EVERYBODY WALKING AROUND SHOPPING.

AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED? WELL, THE AUTO INDUSTRY, THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY.

DECIDED THAT WHAT'S BEST FOR US IS FOR EVERYONE TO DRIVE A CAR.

AND IT'S SAD BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF OLD FOLKS HERE IN THE PANHANDLE WHO DON'T HAVE A RELIABLE WAY TO GET AROUND BECAUSE, WHY? BECAUSE WE FORCE EVERYBODY TO DRIVE A CAR.

SO IT'S FUNNY, I TALKED TO A TEXTILE AREA ENGINEER IN DUMAS A FEW YEARS AGO, HARMS, AND HE TOLD ME THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HERE IN WEST TEXAS...

WHICH I TAKE OFFENSE TO THAT.

I DON'T CONSIDER IT AS WEST TEXAS. THIS IS THE PANHANDLE.

ANYWAYS, HE SAID, PEOPLE IN HERE IN WEST TEXAS, THEY LOVE FREEDOM.

IN RESPONSE TO MY SUGGESTION OF PASSENGER RAIL FROM DALLAS TO DENVER WITH AMARILLO AS A STOP, I RESPONDED AND THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT FREEDOM DOES CAR DEPENDENCY PROVIDE US WHEN WE HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST TRAFFIC INCIDENT RATES IN THE COUNTRY OR IN THE STATE? WHAT FREEDOM DOES CAR DEPENDENCY PROVIDE US WHEN SO MANY CHILDREN, ELDERLY, DISABLED, IMMIGRANT PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A RELIABLE WAY TO GET AROUND? AND IT'S NOT EXPENSIVE.

WHAT IS MOST EXPENSIVE IS CAR DEPENDENCY.

WHEN EVERYONE IS SO SPREAD OUT, YOU HAVE TO GO FURTHER OUT.

I LOVE USING THIS EXAMPLE.

AMSTERDAM HAS 800,000 PEOPLE AND IT IS 100 SQUARE MILES.

NO, AMARILLO IS 100 SQUARE MILES.

AMSTERDAM IS 90 SQUARE MILES.

AMSTERDAM HAS A POPULATION OF 800,000.

AMARILLO HAS A POPULATION OF 200,000.

JUST THINK ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT IN TERMS OF THE CITY FINANCES TO SUPPORT EVERY SERVICE.

PLEASE SEE OUR CITY SECRETARY.

WHO DID I SEE? MR. JONES, DO YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP? NO? YOU WERE POINTING TO THIS GENTLEMAN BACK HERE? YES, SIR.

YOU'LL COME FORWARD.

SAME REQUEST, IF YOU DON'T MIND SEEING THE CITY SECRETARY AFTER YOU SPEAK, SIR.

MY NAME IS TRENT ROSSER.

I LIVE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF AMARILLO.

I DON'T COME HERE VERY OFTEN, BUT I THINK YOU ALL MIGHT REMEMBER ME.

I CAME UP HERE BEFORE, AND I TALKED ABOUT HAVING A GUN TO A GUY'S BACK OF HIS HEAD WHEN HE TRIED TO ROB MY TRUCK.

THEN I SPOKE ABOUT HOW WE HAD TO CALL THE POLICE FOR MY NEIGHBORS, AND THEY NEVER SHOWED UP.

THE 911 CALL.

AFTER THAT CONVERSATION I HAD WITH Y'ALL, I MET WITH THE OFFICERS OUTSIDE.

THEY SAID THEY WOULD LOOK INTO IT.

WE'LL GO FROM THERE.

I STILL HAVEN'T HEARD A WORD BACK FROM THEM.

I DON'T WANT TO SAY I TOLD Y'ALL SO, BUT I TOLD Y'ALL SO.

I TOLD Y'ALL THESE GUYS NEED MORE BOOTS ON THE STREET.

THEY NEED MORE HELP.

THEY DON'T NEED $250,000 COMPUTERS.

THEY DON'T NEED NEW BICYCLES.

THEY NEED OFFICERS OUT THERE.

SHOWING THEIR FACE.

MAYBE IF WE HAD MORE OFFICERS, THERE WOULDN'T BE ALL THIS SPEEDING.

WE WOULDN'T HAVE ACCIDENTS.

I DON'T KNOW.

I'M NOT PSYCHIC, BUT I DO KNOW WE NEED MORE OFFICERS.

WE NEED MORE HELP.

MARCH 22ND WAS A BAD DAY FOR AMARILLO.

HOW MUCH, IF WE HAD MORE OFFICERS, HOW MUCH WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED? I DON'T KNOW.

I'M ASKING Y'ALL ONE MORE TIME.

HELP THE OFFICERS.

GET MORE OFFICERS.

INSTEAD OF SPENDING $250,000 FOR COMPUTERS, HOW ABOUT WE HIRE TWO OR THREE NEW OFFICERS? HAVE THEM WALK THE STREETS.

MAYBE KNOCK ON THE DOOR, INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.

GET PUBLIC INPUT WITH THEM.

HELP THEM TO DO THEIR JOB.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

MR. ADAIR, IF YOU'D COME FORWARD, SIR.

[01:15:10]

I WAS WANTING TO BRING UP SOMETHING THAT I BROUGHT UP LAST WEEK.

IN LIGHT OF THE SOD POODLE OR THE PRAIRIE DOGS, WE LEARNED THAT OUR BOARDS CAN SPEND MONEY, AND I ASKED YOU ALL IF WE COULD HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT OR SEE ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE THAT SEEMS LIKE A SITUATION THAT CAN PUT A BUDGET.

IN JEOPARDY.

AND THE NEXT THING I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WAS THE STREAMING OF BOARD MISSIONS THAT Y'ALL HAVE ON THE AGENDA.

WHEN WE MOVED INTO THIS NEW BUILDING, I REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE IN THE OLD BUILDING, WE WERE ALL TOLD, AND ONE OF THE BIG PROMOTING FACTORS WAS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THREE OR FOUR ROOMS THAT COULD LIVE STREAM.

AND HERE WE ARE.

HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN IN THIS BUILDING? TWO YEARS? A LITTLE OVER A YEAR, YES SIR.

A LITTLE OVER A YEAR, AND WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT WHY WE'RE NOT GETTING BOARD MEETINGS STREAMED.

SO WHEN YOU ALL TALK ABOUT THIS, I HOPE THAT SOMETHING'S BEEN DONE TO GET THIS DONE BECAUSE FOR TRANSPARENCY AND EVERYTHING ELSE, PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THESE BOARD MEETINGS INSTEAD OF LAST MINUTE WHEN IT COMES TO YOU ALL, AND WE'RE LIKE, OH, THIS HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR HOW LONG, AND WE'VE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

IT'D BE NICE TO HAVE ALL THESE MEETINGS STREAMED.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, JOHN.

APPRECIATE IT.

IF YOU DON'T MIND, WE KNOW YOUR NAME, BUT IF YOU'LL FILL OUT THE FORM, THAT WAY WE KEEP SOME UNIFORMITY WITH EVERYBODY.

JOHN? THANK YOU, SIR.

DO I HAVE ANYONE ELSE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? OKAY.

THANK YOU, GUYS, FOR SPEAKING HERE TODAY.

AS A VERY WHOLEHEARTED, SINCERE STATEMENT OF FACT, I KNOW THE GENTLEMAN ALREADY LEFT, BUT...

Y'ALL DO REALIZE WE ARE HIRING EVERY POLICE OFFICER THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN AND ARE TRAINING AND EQUIPPING THEM IN THE BEST WAYS WE KNOW HOW, AND WE RUN SOME OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL ACADEMIES.

AND WE HAVE A PRETTY THRIVING LOCAL, YOU KNOW, I'D SAY FORCE OF CRIME-FIGHTING LOCAL HEROES THAT DO A FANTASTIC JOB, AND I'M EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THEM.

AND YOU NEED TO BE AS WELL.

AND SO, YES, WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE OUR MONEY, BUT THAT MONEY THAT GOES TOWARDS THOSE COMPUTERS AND SOME OF THAT TECH DOESN'T GO IN PLACE OF THREE ADDITIONAL OFFICERS.

SO IF I'VE GOT THREE MORE WE CAN PUT OUT THERE, WE'RE PUTTING THEM OUT THERE.

AND SO WE HOPE TO GRADUATE THESE NEXT COUPLE ACADEMIES AND BE AS CLOSE TO FULLY STAFFED AS POSSIBLE, AND AMARILLO IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

OF OUR LOCAL HEROES.

WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.

I'LL ASK COUNCIL IF YOU HAVE ANY REMARKS YOU'D LIKE TO GIVE TODAY.

[5. Consent Agenda]

ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE REST OF THE BUSINESS MEETING.

BEFORE YOU, WE HAVE YOUR CONSENT AGENDA.

COUNCIL, DO I HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU NEED PULLED OFF OF THE CONSENT AGENDA? WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM FIVE, PLEASE.

SO MOVED.

I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

[6.1. Presentation of Water & Wastewater Rate Study ]

LET'S MOVE INTO SOME DISCUSSION HERE.

WE WILL START WITH ITEM 6.1, A WASTE AND WASTE WATER, I'M SORRY, A WATER AND WASTE WATER RATE STUDY.

MR. PATH.

WE ARE PLEASED TO HAVE TONIGHT WITH US CHRIS ECKERT REPRESENTING NEWGEN CONSULTING.

WE HAVE HIRED THEIR SERVICES TO HELP US ANALYZE OUR RATE STRUCTURE AND PREPARATION FOR OUR UPCOMING WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT PROJECT.

AND AS THE COUNCIL KNOWS, THERE IS A SERIOUS COST TO THAT PROJECT, AND SO WE ARE LOOKING AT OPTIONS FOR GETTING OUR COMMUNITY READY FOR THOSE RATE INCREASES.

AND SO NEWGEN IS AN EXPERT IN THIS FIELD.

THEY STUDY...

THEY STUDY OUR PORTFOLIO, THEY STUDY OUR FUTURE, OUR GROWTH, AND THEY HELP US DESIGN A FUTURE RATE STRUCTURE TO GET US INTO THAT.

SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO CHRIS AND HAVE HIM INTRODUCE HIMSELF AND HIS FIRM AND TAKE IT FROM THERE.

THANKS, CHRIS.

MAYOR, COUNCIL, CHRIS ECKERT WITH NEWGEN STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS.

PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU THIS AFTERNOON.

AFTERNOON, SIR.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

SO AS WE JUMP INTO THE PRESENTATION, I DO WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR TIME.

HOWEVER, I DON'T WANT TO COMMIT WHAT I REFER TO AS DEATH BY POWERPOINT.

SO AS I GO THROUGH THIS, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO STOP ME AT ANY POINT.

I WILL START WITH A DISCLAIMER

[01:20:01]

THIS AFTERNOON.

WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY IS REALLY AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE ON THIS STUDY.

WHEN YOU GO THROUGH A WATER AND WASTEWATER RATE STUDY, THERE'S A PROCESS TO THIS.

AND SO WHAT WE HAVE FOR YOU TODAY IS REALLY THE REVENUE SUFFICIENCY SIDE OF THE EQUATION.

I'M GOING TO BE BACK WITH YOU THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER A COUPLE MORE TIMES AS WE GO THROUGH AND LOOK AT THE POLICY SIDE OF SETTING RATES.

WE ARE STILL WORKING WITH YOUR STAFF LOOKING AT THIS FORECAST.

I KNOW YOU'RE STILL GOING THROUGH ENGINEERING.

YOU'RE STILL FINALIZING YOUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, STILL FINALIZING FUNDING.

SO THIS IS LIKELY TO CHANGE AS YOU MOVE TOWARDS RATE ACTION.

SO I DO WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THAT.

AGAIN, THIS IS AN UPDATE TODAY.

I WILL BE BACK WITH YOU AGAIN AS WE MAKE POLICY DECISIONS GOING FORWARD.

WHENEVER WE TALK ABOUT A WATER AND WASTEWATER RATE STUDY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE WATER AND WASTEWATER UTILITY.

I REMIND EVERY COUNCIL THAT I'M IN FRONT OF THAT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT A UTILITY, IT'S TRACKED IN WHAT'S CALLED AN ENTERPRISE OR PROPRIETARY FUND WITHIN GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS THIS IS A BUSINESS-TYPE ACTIVITY OF GOVERNMENT, SO WE NEED TO RUN IT LIKE A BUSINESS.

FOR A BUSINESS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, WE HAVE TO DO CERTAIN THINGS.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE.

THAT OUR REVENUES MATCH OR EXCEED OUR EXPENSES.

YES, WE'RE PROVIDING SERVICE TO CITIZENS, BUT WE ARE RUNNING A BUSINESS.

SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE SUFFICIENCY OF OUR REVENUE STREAM.

IN THE WATER BUSINESS, WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR RESERVES.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WATER, WHEN IT RAINS, WHICH HOPEFULLY IT WILL RAIN AT SOME POINT, WHEN IT RAINS, PEOPLE USE LESS WATER.

WE SELL LESS WATER.

WE EARN LESS REVENUE AT THAT TIME.

AT THE SAME TIME, WE STILL HAVE EXPENSES COMING IN.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT UTILITIES, WE'RE REALLY ABOUT AN 80 TO 90 PERCENT FIXED COST BUSINESS WHEN YOU DIG DOWN INTO THE COST STRUCTURE.

SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T RUN AROUND WITH ZERO DOLLARS IN THE BANK ACCOUNT.

WE HAVE TO HAVE ADEQUATE RESERVES.

THIRD THING WE HAVE TO DO, AS ANY BUSINESS DOES, WE HAVE TO REINVEST IN OUR BUSINESS.

WE HAVE PIPES, PLANTS, PUMPS, ALL OF THESE THINGS BREAK DOWN OVER TIME.

THEY'RE OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND.

WE DON'T THINK ABOUT THEM UNTIL THEY BREAK.

BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ADEQUATELY REINVESTING IN OUR BUSINESS SO OUR BUSINESS CAN LAST FOR YEARS TO COME.

SO AS YOU SIT HERE TODAY, YOU DO SIT HERE AS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF A BUSINESS.

AND SO WITH THAT IN MIND, LET'S LOOK AT SOME KEY BUSINESS ISSUES.

YOU'RE VERY AWARE OF THESE.

NUMBER ONE, WE'VE GOT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

RIGHT NOW, THE WORKING NUMBER IS $1.5 BILLION.

WE KNOW ENGINEERING IS STILL ONGOING.

WITHIN OUR ANALYSIS TODAY, WE HAVE WORKED WITH YOUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR, LOOKED AT THE POTENTIAL FUNDING FOR THIS GOING FORWARD.

AT THIS TIME, WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT WE WILL NEED TO USE SOME DEBT TO FUND THIS PROJECT.

BY USING DEBT TO FUND LONG-LIVED ASSETS, WE ACHIEVE WHAT'S CALLED INTERGENERATIONAL EQUITY.

WE SPREAD OUT THE COST OF THAT PROJECT OVER THE INDIVIDUALS, OVER THE RATE PAYERS THAT ARE USING THAT PROJECT.

AND SO YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME NUMBERS ON THAT TODAY.

THE SECOND KEY BUSINESS ISSUE THAT WE FACTORED INTO OUR ANALYSIS IS YOUR FUTURE WATER SUPPLY FROM CANADIAN RIVER MUNICIPAL WATER AUTHORITY.

CRMWA2, RIGHT NOW WE'RE ANTICIPATING THIS AROUND, I BELIEVE IT'S 2033, 2034, BUT CREMOIS HAS ALREADY TOLD US WE WILL START SEEING SOME COST INCREASES AS SOON AS 2027.

SO WE HAVE TO FACTOR THAT IN AS WE LOOK.

TO THE FUTURE IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ADEQUATE WATER SUPPLY.

SO THOSE ARE TWO KEY ISSUES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE VISITING ABOUT AND LOOKING AT IN NUMBERS TODAY.

BACKING UP ON THAT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, WHAT YOU SEE HERE AGAIN IS THAT ANTICIPATED FUTURE DEBT COMING ONLINE.

WE START IN 27-28 WITH SOME DESIGN, SOME HIGHER ISSUANCES IN 29-30 WHEN WE ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

WITH THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

BUT YOU SEE THERE ARE SOME ANTICIPATED NEEDS THERE GOING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE.

WE NEED TO START PLANNING FOR THOSE NOW.

AS WE LOOK AT THAT ANTICIPATED DEBT SERVICE OVERALL, THE GRAY BAR HERE, THAT'S YOUR EXISTING DEBT.

YOU WILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF EXISTING DEBT FALLING OFF, BUT IT'S THAT ORANGE BAR THAT COMES ONLINE AS WE LOOK AT THAT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT GOING INTO THE FUTURE.

THAT'S QUITE A HIT AS WE GO FORWARD.

WE HAVE TIME TO PLAN FOR IT IF WE START TAKING ACTION NOW.

AND SO YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT IN OUR FORWARD-LOOKING FORECAST HERE IN JUST A SECOND.

AS WE TALK ABOUT YOUR WATER SUPPLY FROM CREMOIS, YOU BEGIN TO SEE THAT FORECAST GOING OUT INTO THE FUTURE.

AGAIN, RIGHT NOW, 6% OVERALL INCREASE ANTICIPATED IN 27, 9% ANNUAL INCREASE IN 28.

YOU START SEEING SOME DOUBLE-DIGIT INCREASES.

[01:25:01]

FURTHER ON OUT.

WHAT THIS DOES IS BEGIN TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF YOUR WATER BUDGET THAT WE ANTICIPATE WILL BE GOING TO WATER SUPPLY.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT PURCHASED WATER FROM CREMOIS, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO OUR BUSINESS ANALOGY, PURCHASED WATER IS PART OF YOUR COST OF GOODS SOLD.

IF YOU DON'T PASS THROUGH YOUR COST OF GOODS SOLD, WHAT THAT DOES IS IT REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU HAVE TO RUN YOUR OWN BUSINESS.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE EXPERIENCE COST INCREASES FROM OUR WHOLESALE PROVIDER, THAT WE PASS THOSE ON TO OUR RATE PAYERS AS WELL.

WE HAVE BUILT IN NEW REVENUE SOURCES.

THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION EARLIER ABOUT THE FERMI CONTRACT.

WE HAVE BUILT IN A PROJECTION, A REVENUE PROJECTION, UNDER THAT CONTRACT GOING FORWARD.

SO YOU CAN SEE THAT NET INCOME POSITION OVERALL.

WITHOUT THIS, HAD WE NOT FACTORED THIS IN, THEN POTENTIAL REQUIRED REVENUE INCREASES WOULD BE EVEN HIGHER INTO THE FUTURE.

BUT WE DID BAKE THIS IN.

I WILL SAY I KNOW THAT THERE ARE STILL SOME ONGOING DISCUSSIONS HERE, BUT WE DID FACTOR THAT INTO OUR ANALYSIS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT WITHIN OUR BUSINESS IS WE LOOK AT WHAT'S CALLED DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE.

SO WE MAKE PROMISES TO BONDHOLDERS WHEN WE ISSUE DEBT.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ADEQUATELY PAY THAT DEBT AND MAINTAIN A MARGIN ON THAT DEBT, MAINTAIN COVERAGE ON THAT DEBT.

WE'VE WORKED WITH YOUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR.

THEY'RE RECOMMENDING A TARGET OF 1.5, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TRIED TO HIT WITHIN OUR ANALYSIS.

WHAT YOU SEE HERE ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW IS WHAT DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE LOOKS LIKE UNDER EXISTING RATES.

WERE WE TO NOT CHANGE RATES BUT GO FORWARD WITH THESE PROJECTS, YOU VERY QUICKLY SEE WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HIT THAT DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE REQUIREMENT.

THERE IS A RELATIONSHIP HERE AS WE THINK ABOUT DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE.

IF OUR DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE FALLS, WE BECOME A RISKIER BORROWER.

AS OUR RISK INCREASES, THEN OUR INTEREST RATE ALSO INCREASES.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN A GOOD CREDIT POSITION GOING FORWARD.

MANAGING RATES IS PART OF MANAGING THAT CREDIT POSITION.

IN TERMS OF CASH ON HAND, YOU DO HAVE SOME RESERVES RIGHT NOW.

YOU SEE THOSE QUICKLY RUN OUT.

IF WE WERE TO NOT ADJUST RATES BUT MOVE FORWARD WITH THESE PROJECTS, WE SIMPLY CAN'T DO IT.

WE DON'T HAVE THE CASH ON HAND TO DO THAT.

AND SO, AGAIN, THIS POINTS TO WE DO NEED SOME ADJUSTMENTS GOING FORWARD.

SO THIS IS REALLY WHERE WE COME TO AT OUR ANALYSIS AT THIS POINT.

THE GRAY BAR YOU SEE HERE, THIS IS REALLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS REVENUE SUFFICIENCY.

THAT GRAY BAR, THAT'S OUR PROJECTED EXPENSES FROM 2026 ALL THE WAY THROUGH 2036.

THAT SOLID ORANGE LINE, THAT IS YOUR CURRENT REVENUES UNDER CURRENT RATES RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S WHAT'S PROJECTED.

ANYTIME THAT BAR GOES ABOVE THE LINE, THAT SOLID LINE, WE ARE IN A REVENUE INSUFFICIENT POSITION.

IF WE DRAW A STRAIGHT LINE FROM 2026 TO 2036, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS ABOUT AN 8.4% OVERALL REVENUE INCREASE EVERY YEAR FROM 2026 TO 2036.

NOW I WANT TO STOP RIGHT THERE.

I SAID REVENUE INCREASE.

I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT RATE INCREASES TODAY.

THIS IS THE OVERALL REVENUE INCREASE IN THE UTILITY.

THE NEXT STEP IN THIS PROCESS IS TO GO IN AND TAKE THAT REVENUE NEED.

AND DIVIDE IT BETWEEN YOUR RESIDENTIAL, YOUR COMMERCIAL, YOUR INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS.

WE'LL BE BACK WITH YOU WITH THAT RESULT ONCE WE'VE FINISHED THAT ANALYSIS.

THEN IT ULTIMATELY COMES DOWN TO HOW DO WE DESIGN RATES TO RECOVER THAT AMOUNT OF REVENUE.

AS MUCH SCIENCE AS GOES INTO THIS PROCESS OF ALLOCATING REVENUE TO CLASSES, THERE'S AN ART TO RATE DESIGN.

THERE'S POLICY TO RATE DESIGN.

THERE ARE COMPETING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.

AND SO WE WILL NEED THE COUNCIL'S HELP IN ESTABLISHING THOSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES TO DETERMINE HOW WE SHOULD PRICE SERVICE GOING FORWARD.

SO AGAIN, RIGHT NOW WHERE WE'RE AT IS ABOUT AN 8.4% ANNUAL REVENUE INCREASE FROM 2026 TO 2036.

WE UNDERSTAND THIS NUMBER IS STILL BEING WORKED ON.

AS I SAID, THIS IS DRAFT WORK PRODUCT RIGHT NOW.

WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT MAYBE WITH ADDITIONAL ENGINEERING, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO BRING THIS DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

BUT THIS IS THE PICTURE RIGHT NOW.

SO WITH THAT, LET ME MOVE INTO SOME COMPARISONS FOR YOU.

EVERY CITY COUNCIL THAT I STAND IN FRONT OF WANTS TO KNOW, HOW DO WE LOOK COMPARED TO EVERYBODY ELSE? AND SO WE HAVE SOME OF THOSE COMPARISONS FOR YOU TODAY.

THAT SAID, I WILL TELL YOU THAT COMPARISONS LIKE THIS ARE NOT AN APPLES-TO-APPLES COMPARISON.

EVERY COMMUNITY IS DIFFERENT.

EVERY COMMUNITY HAS DIFFERENT GROWTH PATTERNS.

EVERY COMMUNITY HAS DIFFERENT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS.

THEY HAVE DIFFERENT WATER SOURCES.

THEY HAVE DIFFERENT METHODS.

TREATING WASTEWATER AND SO YOU

[01:30:01]

HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU NEED TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR YOUR BUSINESS WHAT'S RIGHT FOR YOUR COMMUNITY REGARDLESS OF WHAT OTHERS MAY BE CHARGING WITHIN THIS COMPARISON WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE ARE PRESENTING AN AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL BILL RIGHT NOW IF YOU TAKE ALL OF YOUR RESIDENTIAL USE DIVIDED BY ALL OF YOUR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS ON A MONTHLY BASIS THAT AVERAGE BILL 9,000 GALLONS WATER SERVICE 4,000 GALLONS WASTEWATER SERVICE.

THAT'S DONE ON A WINTER AVERAGE ON THE SEWER SIDE.

BUT 9,000 GALLONS WATER, 4,000 GALLONS WASTEWATER.

A CUSTOMER WITHIN THE CITY RIGHT NOW PAYS $65.36.

09,000 GALLONS WATER, 4,000 GALLONS WASTEWATER.

THIS COMPARISON, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF DUMAS, I'M NOT SURE HOW WE SNUCK DUMAS IN HERE, BUT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE ARE COMPARATIVE CITIES IN TERMS OF OVERALL SIZE THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

SO YOU SEE STARTING AT THE TOP THERE, MESQUITE IN THE DFW AREA, IRVING AT THE BOTTOM, DFW AREA, BUT THIS GOES ALL OVER THE STATE FROM BROWNSVILLE, CORPUS.

SO THIS IS COMPARATIVE IN TERMS OF LARGE CITIES WITHIN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

YOU'LL NOTE YOUR POSITION.

THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY WHERE WE WANT TO BE.

THIS, I'M SORRY, OKAY.

SO AGAIN, AS WE LOOK AT THAT 8.4% THOUGH, AN 8.4% INCREASE, WERE WE TO TAKE THAT 6536 AND INCREASE IT 8.4%, THAT'S ABOUT $5.50 A MONTH.

IT WOULD TAKE YOU TO ABOUT $71 ON THAT BILL.

AGAIN, THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M SAYING NEEDS TO BE CHARGED FOR YOUR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.

THAT IS YET TO COME.

I'M USING THAT AS JUST A NUMBER, JUST A DATA POINT WITHIN THIS COMPARISON.

BUT IF YOU WERE TO GO TO $71, YOU SEE YOU WOULD BE RIGHT BETWEEN MCALLEN AND IRVING, STILL AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS LIST.

THAT SAID, WE ARE WORKING WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES ON THIS CHART.

CITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE ARE GOING THROUGH THIS SAME PROCESS RIGHT NOW.

LOOKING AT WHAT THEIR RATES NEED TO BE GOING FORWARD.

SO THIS IS A SNAPSHOT.

I'M LOOKING AT EVERYBODY'S RATES TODAY.

EVEN IF YOU ADJUST YOUR RATES, OTHER COMMUNITIES WILL ALSO ADJUST THEIRS GOING FORWARD.

SO THAT'S ONE COMPARISON.

ANOTHER COMPARISON I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY IS OTHER CREMOIS COMMUNITIES.

THESE ARE OTHER CITIES THAT TAKE WATER FROM CREMOIS.

AGAIN, YOU SEE WHERE YOU FALL IN THIS.

MY FINAL COMPARISON FOR YOU IS A LARGER LOOK.

LOOK REALLY AROUND THE NATION.

WHAT WE DID HERE IS WE TOOK THE CITIES RIGHT ABOVE THE CITY OF AMARILLO IN TERMS OF POPULATION, THE CITIES RIGHT BELOW THE CITY OF AMARILLO IN POPULATION, AND COMPARED COMPARABLE BILLS, 09,000 GALLONS OF WATER, 4,000 GALLONS OF WASTEWATER ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND AGAIN, YOU SEE WHERE YOU FALL ON THAT COMPARISON.

SO WITH THAT SAID, AGAIN, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'M WITH YOU.

I WILL BE BACK WITH YOU AGAIN AS WE LOOK AT THAT OVERALL REVENUE REQUIREMENT.

WE ALLOCATE IT TO THOSE CUSTOMER CLASSES AND ULTIMATELY WORK WITH YOU TO DETERMINE WHAT RATES SHOULD LOOK LIKE GOING FORWARD.

BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE FOR ME TODAY.

QUESTIONS, COUNSEL? I WOULD SPECIFICALLY BE INTERESTED, WHEN YOU DO THE REGIONAL BILL COMPARISON, IF YOU CAN DO THE COMPARISON WITH ARID CITIES.

CITIES THAT ARE ARID.

MOST OF THESE ARE EAST OF THE 100TH MERIDIAN.

EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE HIGHER THAN WE ARE, IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT OTHER CITIES IN ARID AND RESTRICTED RESOURCES, SUCH AS OUR GROUNDWATER, PAY.

MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO THAT.

COUNCILMAN? A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

WE'VE HEARD VARYING FIGURES OF THE $1.5 BILLION.

DONNIE'S DOING HIS BEST TO GET THAT.

DOWN, AT WHAT POINT ARE WE, IN THIS PROCESS, ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO COMMIT TO A MORE SPECIFIC PRICE TAG? BECAUSE I'M GUESSING WE NEED THAT INFORMATION TO REALLY THEN COME UP WITH WHAT THE RATES NEED TO BE.

SURE, WE'RE WORKING CLOSER TO THAT.

WE ARE LOOKING AT PUTTING A DESIGN CONTRACT TOGETHER SOON FOR ENGINEERING.

WE'LL START ON THAT PROCESS PROBABLY IN JUNE.

WE WILL HAVE THE ENGINEER ON BOARD AND THAT'S ABOUT A TWO-YEAR DESIGN SO SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY AROUND THIRTY PERCENT OF THAT DESIGN WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A BETTER NUMBER WE USE THE ONE POINT FIVE TARGET NUMBER IN THIS ONE BECAUSE I WAS REALLY THE MAX NUMBER WE CAME UP WITH ANY ESTIMATES WE NEEDED SOMETHING FOR CHRIS TO PLUG INTO UH...

HIS SYSTEM TO BE ABLE TO USE SO AND AS YOU MENTIONED WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN UH...

VALUE ENGINEERING WISE NOW TO GET THOSE NUMBERS DOWN AS FAR AS WE CAN BUT I WOULD SAY YOU'RE STILL LOOKING AT SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE WE HAVE ANYTHING EVEN CLOSE TO A 30% DESIGN NUMBER THAT WE CAN USE.

AND THEN IT'S GOING TO GET TIGHTER.

THAT NUMBER IS GOING TO GET BETTER AND BETTER AS WE GO AND GET TO 60% AND 90% ON THAT DESIGN.

THAT'S JUST THE NATURE

[01:35:01]

OF IT.

AND SO AS THE PRICE GOES DOWN, WHICH WE HOPE IT WILL, THAT'S GOING TO LOWER THAT 8.37%.

YES, SIR, THAT'S CORRECT.

CAN I MAKE ONE OTHER POINT ON THAT I WANT TO SAY, TOO? YOU HAVE TO REALIZE, TOO, THAT 1.5, WE'RE CONSIDERING ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

ALONG WITH THAT, THAT'S NOT JUST FOR TWO WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT FACILITIES.

THAT'S ALSO FOR INTERCONNECTIONS.

IF THERE'S ANY INTERCEPTORS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR GROWTH, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE'RE PLUGGING INTO THERE AS WELL.

BUT IF WE STICK WITH THE 8.37, AND CHECK ME IF MY MATH IS RIGHT, FOR A 10-YEAR PERIOD, BASICALLY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE DOUBLE THE REVENUE THAT WE DO NOW IN THE 10-YEAR PERIOD.

NOT QUITE THERE, BUT IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE DOUBLE.

AND WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ROLL THAT INTO THE RATES.

BASED ON WHAT WE KNOW TODAY, YES, SIR.

BUT AGAIN, AS WE LOOK AT THAT FORECAST GOING OUT INTO THE FUTURE, RATE SETTING IS NOT A ONCE-AND-DONE EXERCISE.

WE DON'T ADOPT A 10-YEAR RATE PLAN.

WE ADOPT RATES FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

AND THEN WE COMPARE WHAT OUR FUTURE-LOOKING PROJECTION, WHAT THOSE ASSUMPTIONS ARE WITH WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

AND THIS PLAN WILL HAVE TO BE ADJUSTED.

IT WILL HAVE TO BE...

MODIFIED AS THESE ASSUMPTIONS BECOME BETTER KNOWN INTO THE FUTURE.

BUT BASED ON WHAT WE KNOW TODAY, YOUR CONCLUSION IS NOT WRONG.

AND THEN THE RATE INCREASE IS SO WHEN WE BILL OUT, THERE'S A SEPARATE BILL FOR THE WATER YOU USE, POTABLE WATER VERSUS WASTE WATER.

SO THERE'S A SEPARATE LINE ITEM FOR WASTE WATER.

BUT THE RATE INCREASE WILL BE FACTORED INTO BOTH OF THOSE RATES, NOT JUST THE WASTEWATER, BUT THE POTABLE WATER? WELL, SO THAT'S WHERE POLICY COMES INTO PLAY HERE.

SO RIGHT NOW, YOUR WATER UTILITY IS ACTUALLY IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE.

IF WE WERE TO LOOK AT JUST THE WATER UTILITY, YOU'RE IN FANTASTIC SHAPE.

ON THE WASTEWATER SIDE IS WHERE WE STRUGGLE.

AND THAT IS NOT ATYPICAL FOR MOST COMMUNITIES, FRANKLY, IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND REALLY AROUND THE NATION.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WASTEWATER, AS A SERVICE ON A PER UNIT BASIS, WASTEWATER IS ACTUALLY OFTEN MORE EXPENSIVE THAN WATER.

BUT AS WE THINK ABOUT HOW WE RECOVER COSTS FROM CUSTOMERS, THINK ABOUT A RATE.

IT'S DOLLARS DIVIDED BY BILLING UNITS, CUSTOMERS AND VOLUMES.

ON MY WATER SIDE, I HAVE MORE BILLING UNITS, WHEREAS ON MY WASTEWATER SIDE, I HAVE LESS BILLING UNITS.

AND SO WHEN YOU INCREASE RATES ON WATER, YOU GET MORE OF A REVENUE INCREASE THAN YOU DO ON THAT SAME...

PERCENTAGE INCREASE ON WASTEWATER.

AND SO THIS IS WHERE SOME OF THE POLICY COMES INTO PLAY.

IDEALLY, WE WANT THESE TWO UTILITIES, WATER AND WASTEWATER, TO STAND ALONE.

WE DON'T NECESSARILY WANT THEM TO SUBSIDIZE ONE ANOTHER.

HOWEVER, WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT OVERALL AFFORDABILITY TO CUSTOMERS.

WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF CUSTOMERS AND HOW DO WE KEEP THAT BILL AS LOW AS POSSIBLE? THAT MAY BE A POLICY DECISION THAT THIS COUNCIL MAKES TO COME IN AND POTENTIALLY, AT LEAST FOR A TIME.

HAVE THE WATER UTILITY HELP SUBSIDIZE THE WASTEWATER UTILITY WHILE YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THIS TREATMENT PLAN PROCESS.

SO, AGAIN, TAKING MORE TIME TO GET THE WASTEWATER RATES WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.

SO THAT'S SOME OF THE POLICY WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT IN SOME UPCOMING MEETINGS.

BUT THAT'S REALLY NOT GOING TO AFFECT THE OVERALL BILL.

I MEAN, HOW WOULD THAT MAKE THE BILL LOWER? IT CAN.

IT CAN, BECAUSE IF I DID 8.4% ON WATER VERSUS...

SAY 10% ON WASTEWATER OR 12% ON WASTEWATER, THAT MAY PRODUCE THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE I NEED.

I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GO UP MORE ON WASTEWATER TO GET THE SAME REVENUE GAIN THAN I CAN ON A SMALLER INCREASE ON THE WATER BILL.

DO WE KNOW OR ANTICIPATE OR DO WE HAVE ANYTHING? SO WE'RE LOOKING AT HAVING TO PAY FOR THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, AND THEN ALSO TODAY WE'RE TALKING TANGENTIALLY ABOUT CREMOIS. DO WE KNOW WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT RATES WHAT THE PRICE TAG ON THAT WILL BE? BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO KIND OF UNFORTUNATELY HAVE TO GO ON TOP OF THIS, I'M IMAGINING.

YES, SO THE CREMOIS BOARD MET THIS LAST WEEK, AND THEY'D APPROVED AN MOU AS A BOARD.

WE'LL BE BRINGING IT BACK TO YOU HERE VERY SOON FOR COUNCIL'S APPROVAL AS WELL.

ALL 11 MEMBER CITIES ARE BEING ASKED TO REVIEW AND CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THIS.

THAT WAY WE'RE ALL WORKING IN UNISON.

THAT INFORMATION DOES INCLUDE SOME ROUGH ESTIMATES AS CREMOIS IS WORKING TOWARDS DESIGN OF THAT PROJECT.

WE GAVE THAT INFORMATION TO NEWGEN, AND SO THEY'VE BEEN WORKING THAT INTO THIS PROCESS WELL.

BUT I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME TODAY, BUT WE'LL BE BRINGING THAT BACK TO YOU HERE IN ANOTHER MONTH OR SO ONCE CREMOIS CAN BE HERE TO TALK TO YOU ALL.

SO THE REPORT YOU'LL COME BACK WITH WILL FACTOR IN NOT ONLY THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, BUT...

THAT'S ACTUALLY FACTORED INTO OUR NUMBERS TODAY.

SO THAT 8.4% INCLUDES BOTH THE DEPTH OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AS WELL AS THOSE ANTICIPATED CREMOIS RATE INCREASES.

THAT IS ALL IN OUR NUMBERS TODAY.

WE TRIED TO GIVE THEM ALL THE KNOWN GROWTH AND FACTORS WE COULD THINK OF, WHETHER IT'S FERMI, CREMOIS, OUR TYPICAL INDUSTRIAL GROWTH.

WE TRIED TO GIVE THEM EVERYTHING WE CAN.

PLUS THEY LOOKED AT OUR HISTORY, LOOKED AT OUR TREND LINES.

SO THAT WAS FACTORED INTO THIS.

[01:40:01]

DO WE HAVE A CURRENT ANALYSIS OR DO YOU DO THE ANALYSIS TO SHOW WHETHER RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL AND BUSINESS CUSTOMERS ARE KIND OF PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE? SO THAT WILL BE OUR NEXT MEETING.

AGAIN, WE'VE GOT OUR OVERALL REVENUE PIE.

THE NEXT THING TO DO IS SLICE THAT PIE, DETERMINE HOW MUCH RESIDENTIAL SHOULD PAY VERSUS WHAT THEY ARE PAYING TODAY.

SO I WILL BE SHOWING YOU THAT IN OUR NEXT MEETING, LOOKING AT WHAT WE CALL THE INTER-CLASS SUBSIDIES.

DETERMINING IS EACH CLASS PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE.

SO I'LL BE BRINGING THAT BACK TO YOU AT OUR NEXT GET-TOGETHER.

AND IN GENERAL, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? I MEAN, IS IT, BECAUSE I'M SURE, I MEAN, ON ONE HAND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS THAT ARE WATCHING THEIR PENNIES.

WE WANT TO BE COGNIZANT OF THAT.

ON THE OTHER HAND, SOME PEOPLE THINK BUSINESSES HAVE ALL THIS MONEY, IT'S NOT GOING TO HURT THEM, BUT THEY'RE TRYING TO RUN A PROFITABLE OPERATION, HIRE AND EMPLOY PEOPLE.

SO I JUST WONDER.

WHERE THE BALANCE USUALLY LIES ON THAT, OR CAN IT VARY? WELL, SO THAT'S WHY YOU MAKE THE BIG BUCKS, AND YOU GET TO MAKE THAT DECISION.

ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, I WILL BRING BACK DATA POINTS FOR YOU.

I WILL SHOW YOU WHERE YOU ARE BASED ON THE TEXTBOOK ANSWER.

WHAT THE TEXTBOOK SAYS THE ANSWER SHOULD BE IS WE APPLY ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT FORMULAS TO THIS, BUT THIS IS WHERE THE POLICY SIDE OF THIS COMES.

YOU MAY LOOK AT THE RESULTS I BRING YOU AND SAY, WE SIMPLY CAN'T ASK THAT OF OUR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS, OR THAT'S TOO MUCH FOR OUR COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS.

THAT'S WHERE THE POLICY SIDE COMES IN.

COST OF SERVICE IS A DATA POINT.

I BRING YOU THE TECHNICALLY CORRECT ANSWER.

YOU TELL ME WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOUR CITY.

AND THEN BEYOND RATE INCREASES, WHAT OPTIONS HAVE WE EVALUATED AGAIN TO REDUCE THE COST? WHAT FUTURE...

WHAT FUTURE THINGS WILL WE EVALUATE TO REDUCE ON THE RATE PAYER SIDE? GO AHEAD.

YOU WANT ME TO TAKE THAT? YEAH.

AS WE'VE MENTIONED TO YOU BEFORE, COUNCILMAN, FIRST OF ALL WE'RE EVALUATING EVERY OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN WHERE WE FIND GRANT FUNDING, LOW INTEREST LOANS, THOSE THINGS LIKE THAT.

WE'RE STILL DOING THAT ON A CONSTANT BASIS.

IN FACT, WE HAD TWO OR THREE MEETINGS IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS ABOUT THAT.

SO THAT'S ONE AVENUE.

AND THEN THE SECOND IS GOING BACK IN, JUST LIKE WE DID WITH THE PIVOT IN THE DESIGN AND FINDING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TECHNOLOGY-WISE.

WE'RE SELECTING EQUIPMENT.

WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE WAY WE'RE DESIGNING THE FOOTPRINT OF THOSE PLANTS FOR MAXIMUM USAGE, WE JUST WENT TO A PRESENTATION LAST WEEK ABOUT NEW ENERGY-EFFICIENT VFDS THAT DON'T REQUIRE SO MUCH AIR CONDITIONING AND CONTROL.

THERE'S JUST SO MANY THINGS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT AS WE GO THROUGH THE DESIGN OF THIS.

ONCE THE CMAR GETS ON BOARD WITH US, ALONG WITH THE DESIGN ENGINEER, THAT'S WHEN THAT RUBBER WILL MEET THE ROAD, AND WE'LL START LOOKING AT THOSE MEASURES THAT WE CAN REDUCE EVERY COST THAT WE CAN IN THIS PROJECT.

AND TRUST ME, WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THAT HARD.

I'M JUST SAYING, WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER COMMUNITIES WHEN THEY'RE DOING THIS, I JUST WONDER, BECAUSE WHAT EVERYBODY SAYS, OH, THERE'S GOT TO BE GRANTS FOR THAT, THERE'S GOT TO BE THINGS FOR THAT.

WE DON'T WANT TO ALLEVIATE THAT.

ON AN AVERAGE PROJECT, I MEAN, IS IT EVEN A PERCENT OF THE TOTAL PROJECT THAT COMES FROM OTHER SOURCES? YOU'D BE VERY LUCKY.

TO GET THAT.

HONESTLY, WHEN WE LOOK AT ALL OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE DEMANDS THAT ARE OUT THERE, THERE ARE SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH AVAILABLE DOLLARS TO INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE WE NEED TO RIGHT NOW.

ONE THING I CAN TELL YOU, AND I'LL POINT BACK TO THIS CHART AGAIN, I WORK WITH COMMUNITIES ALL OVER THE STATE.

I WORK WITH COMMUNITIES ALL OVER THE NATION.

AND WHEN I SEE CHARTS LIKE THIS, THIS TELLS ME...

THAT YOUR STAFF IS DOING AN AMAZING JOB RIGHT NOW RUNNING YOUR UTILITY, PROVIDING CONTINUOUS AND ADEQUATE SERVICE TO YOUR CUSTOMERS AT A VERY, VERY COST-EFFECTIVE LEVEL RIGHT NOW.

AGAIN, EVERY COMMUNITY IS DIFFERENT.

OUR COST STRUCTURE IS GOING TO BE WHAT OUR COST STRUCTURE IS.

BUT WHEN I SEE A COMMUNITY THAT'S AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS LIST CONTINUOUSLY THROUGHOUT, WHETHER IT BE WITHIN A REGION, WHETHER IT BE WITHIN POPULATION, WHETHER IT BE WITHIN A STATE, THIS TELLS ME THAT YOU ARE OPERATING.

VERY COST-EFFECTIVELY THANK YOU.

COUNCILMAN.

CHRIS, HOW LONG HAVE WE ENGAGED WITH YOU AND NEW GEN? SO WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED SINCE LAST YEAR.

THIS ENGAGEMENT WILL RUN ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.

SO MY JOB IS TO BE BACK WITH YOU AND GET YOU IN A POSITION TO ADOPT RATES AS YOU GO INTO NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

SO THAT'S THIS ENGAGEMENT.

AND THEN WE'RE DONE.

WELL, IT'S UP TO YOU.

SO AT THAT POINT, YOUR STAFF CAN LOOK AT THIS ANALYSIS, CONTINUE TO KEEP THIS ANALYSIS UP, CONTINUE TO LOOK AT IT AS PART OF THE BUDGETING PROCESS.

THERE ARE COMMUNITIES I WORK WITH EVERY YEAR.

WE LOOK AT RATES EVERY YEAR AND GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

THAT'S COMPLETELY UP TO YOU, BUT THIS ENGAGEMENT FOR ME GETS YOU READY FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

SO THE OUTCOME THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO GET TO IS TO SEE WHAT RATE.

WHAT RATE ADEQUACY WOULD BE

[01:45:01]

TO BUILD A $1.5 BILLION WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, IS THAT CORRECT? I'M TRYING TO PROVIDE YOU A PLAN, A LONG-TERM PLAN.

SO WE WILL PROVIDE A RATE PLAN GOING INTO THE FUTURE TO GET YOU FUNDING FOR THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, GET YOU THE FUNDING YOU NEED FOR CREMOIS, TAKE INTO ACCOUNT INFLATIONARY PRESSURES ON YOUR O&M EXPENSES GOING FORWARD.

ALL OF THAT COMES IN AND WE PROVIDE YOU THAT PLAN.

SO OUR GOAL IS TO TAKE HIS PLAN, FIGURE IT OUT.

HE GIVES US A FORMULA, AND WE JUST DECIDE WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH OUR RATE PAYERS.

IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, THE PLAN I WAS PLANNING TO PRESENT TO THE COUNCIL IS TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH NEWGEN ON RETAINER AND SO FORTH FOR THE YEARS TO COME BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ONGOING PROCESS.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO INCREASE OUR RATES IN ONE SHOT TO GET WHERE WE'VE GOT TO GO.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A REVOLVING PROCESS HERE.

THAT WE NEED TO BE WATCHING EACH YEAR.

NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF WE USE THEM EVERY YEAR, BUT MAYBE EVERY OTHER YEAR, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT MULTIPLE PHASES OF INCREASES IN ORDER TO STAIR-STEP OUR CITIZENS INTO THIS, AND WHETHER IT'S CREMOIS II, WHETHER IT'S THIS OYSTER TWIN PLANT, AND EVENTUALLY OSAGE WAY DOWN THE ROAD, I DO THINK IT'S WELL WORTH OUR WHILE TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH NEWGEN TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS EVERY YEAR.

WE KNOW WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO.

SO WE KNOW WE'RE SHORT.

STROKE A CHECK FOR THIS.

SO THE SOONER WE LOOK AT THIS ADJUSTMENT, THE BETTER.

IS THAT WHAT WE'RE...

I MEAN, THE LONGER WE WAIT, THE BIGGER HOLE WE'RE IN.

YES? THAT'S FAIR.

ONE THING I WILL CAUTION YOU IS I GENERALLY DON'T RECOMMEND COMMUNITIES RAISE RATES IN THE SUMMER.

ULTIMATELY, YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE THAT ARE IRRIGATING, THEY'RE TRYING TO ESTABLISH YARDS, AND SO THERE'S QUITE A HIT TO RATE PAYERS IF WE RAISE RATES IN THE SUMMER.

MY RECOMMENDATION TO YOU IS THAT YOU TARGET...

OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR, COMMENSURATE WITH YOUR BUDGET ADOPTION, COMMENSURATE WITH THE NEW FISCAL YEAR, THAT YOUR NEXT RATES GO INTO EFFECT OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR, AND YOU CONTINUE THAT CYCLE GOING FORWARD.

I ALWAYS RECOMMEND THAT COMMUNITIES MAKE SMALL RATE ADJUSTMENTS EVERY YEAR.

THAT MAKES IT WHERE THERE'S LESS OF AN IMPACT ON RATEPAYERS' POCKETBOOKS.

THEY'RE COMING UP AND RESETTING THEIR BUDGET EVERY YEAR JUST AS YOU RESET.

YOUR BUDGET EVERY YEAR.

AND SO IF WE KEEP THOSE RATE INCREASES SMALLER BUT MORE FREQUENT, WE CAN GET YOU WHERE YOU NEED TO BE BUT TRY AND MITIGATE SOME OF THAT RATE SHOCK ON CUSTOMERS.

ON PAGE 23 OF YOUR PRESENTATION, I THINK A DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE DISCUSSION WOULD BE RELEVANT.

COUNCILMAN, BACK TO YOU.

A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

AND WHAT YOU'RE PREDICTING ON PAGE 23.

WELL, IT MIGHT BE PAGE 12.

I THINK MY NUMBERS ARE OFF WHEN THIS GOT INCORPORATED.

YEAH, THEY'RE DIFFERENT FROM MINE NOW.

SO LET ME.

SO LOOKING AT COMBINED FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE.

OKAY, LET ME.

THERE WE GO.

JUST IN LAYMAN'S TERMS, WHAT ARE WE SEEING HERE? SO WHAT DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE IS, IT'S BASICALLY A METRIC.

IT'S A CALCULATION.

WE GO IN AND WE LOOK AT.

OVERALL RATE REVENUES, WE BACK OUT O AND M EXPENSES.

THAT GIVES US WHAT'S CALLED NET REVENUES AVAILABLE FOR COVERAGE.

WE THEN STRIKE A FACTOR WHERE WE TAKE NET REVENUES AVAILABLE FOR COVERAGE DIVIDED BY OUR ANNUAL PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST PAYMENT.

WE WANT THAT METRIC, ACCORDING TO YOUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR, TO BE 1.5 OR HIGHER.

IF WE CAN GET THAT TO THAT 1.5 OR HIGHER, IT MAINTAINS OUR CREDIT QUALITY.

IF WE MAINTAIN OUR CREDIT QUALITY, WE GET A BETTER RATING FROM THE DEBT RATING AGENCIES.

THAT HELPS KEEP OUR INTEREST RATE LOW.

AND SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE IN 2027, BECAUSE WE FACTORED IN YOUR NEW CONTRACT, THE 2.5 MILLION GALLON CONTRACT, YOU SEE THAT REVENUE BUMP WITHOUT ANY RATE INCREASE.

AND SO WE GET ABOVE THAT TARGET IN 2027.

HOWEVER, AS WE ISSUE MORE DEBT GOING FORWARD AND WE DID NOT ADJUST RATES, WE SEE THAT COVERAGE FACTOR FALL.

WHICH IN TURN COSTS US MORE MONEY BECAUSE OUR RATES ARE HIGHER.

EXACTLY.

THERE IS, AGAIN, THERE'S AN INVERSE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOUR BORROWING COST AND YOUR CREDIT RATING.

THE LOWER YOUR CREDIT RATING, THE HIGHER YOUR BORROWING COST.

SO IT IS IN YOUR BEST INTEREST AND IN YOUR RATE PAYER'S BEST INTEREST TO MAINTAIN YOUR METRICS, FOLLOW YOUR FINANCIAL METRICS, AND MAINTAIN YOUR CREDIT QUALITY.

AND AGAIN, THE REASON FOR FISCAL YEAR 27 TO BE ABOVE THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE DEAL WE STRUCK WITH FERMI, RIGHT? YES, SIR.

CAN WE LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? NOT THE CASH ON HAND.

WOULD YOU EXPLAIN THIS ONE AGAIN? SO AGAIN, THIS IS RESERVES.

SO RIGHT NOW, AGAIN, THIS WAS AN ESTIMATE AS OF THE BEGINNING OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.

WE WERE ESTIMATING YOU HAD 41 DAYS CASH ON HAND IN THE WATER

[01:50:01]

AND WASTEWATER FUND.

IDEALLY, YOU WANT TO MAINTAIN 90 TO 120 DAYS.

WITHIN YOUR RESERVE FUND.

NOW IF YOU TALK TO THE RATING AGENCIES AND THEY LOOK AT UTILITIES ALL OVER THE NATION, THE HIGHEST CREDIT QUALITY UTILITIES OUT THERE MAINTAIN 360 TO 365 DAYS CASH ON HAND.

WHILE I APPRECIATE THAT, THERE'S A BALANCE HERE BECAUSE IF WE'RE TRYING TO INCREASE RESERVES, WE'RE ASKING OUR RATE PAYERS TO FUND THAT.

SO WE HAVE TO BALANCE OUR RESERVE POSITION WITH THE AFFORDABILITY OF SERVICE TO OUR CUSTOMERS.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE RECOMMENDING AND TARGETING MAINTENANCE OF A 90-DAY RESERVE FUND POLICY.

BUT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE ON THIS CHART, YOU'RE AT 41 DAYS CASH ON HAND RIGHT NOW.

WE DO NEED TO GET THAT RESERVE POSITION A LITTLE HEALTHIER THAN WHAT IT IS AT THE MOMENT.

YOU SEE IT BUMP UP HERE IN 2027 BECAUSE OF THE ADDITIONAL REVENUES THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING FROM THE CONTRACT.

BUT WERE WE TO EXECUTE ON THIS CAPITAL PLAN, WE QUICKLY, WITHOUT ADJUSTING RATES, WE QUICKLY DRAIN THROUGH THAT CASH POSITION.

YOU SIMPLY DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH CASH ON HAND TO BE ABLE TO EXECUTE AND DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO RELATIVE TO THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, RELATIVE TO CREMOIS II, RELATIVE TO ALL THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS YOU HAVE.

YOU CAN'T RUN YOUR UTILITY GOING FORWARD WITHOUT SOME TYPE OF INCREASE IN REVENUES.

AND WE'RE ASSUMING THAT FERMI IS GOING TO COME ONLINE IN 2027.

IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE THAT IF IT DID NOT.

SO I WOULD ASK ANOTHER QUESTION FOR YOU.

WE'RE BASING ON THE DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE, WE'RE BASING AN INCREASE THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY UTILIZATION ON YET, AND ALSO WE'RE BASING A DAY'S CASH ON HAND WITH AN INCREASE TO 63 VERSUS 41.

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IF THAT FERMI, IF THEY DON'T USE ANY WATER FROM US? LIKELY WHAT YOU'D SEE IS ACTUALLY A REDUCTION IN YOUR RESERVES WITHOUT AN INCREASE IN REVENUES.

AND LAST, WOULD YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? THANK YOU FOR GOING OVER THIS, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS REALLY WHERE THE HEART OF THE MATTER LIES, IF YOU WOULD LOOK AT THIS.

SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IS AN ESTIMATED 8.37% AVERAGE ANNUAL REVENUE INCREASE JUST TO KEEP UP WITH CREMOIS, RIGHT, AND THE COST OF ALL THINGS.

THIS IS CREMOIS.

THIS IS INFLATION ON YOUR O&M EXPENSES.

THIS IS THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

THIS IS EVERYTHING GOING FORWARD.

AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE REGIONAL BILL COMPARISONS REGIONAL CREMOIS COMPARISONS, POPULATION COMPARISONS, AND WE'RE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BUCKET.

IT'S PRETTY INDICATIVE THAT THAT'S WHY OUR BANK ACCOUNT IS OVERDRAWN.

THAT'S IT IN A NUTSHELL.

MR. ECKERT, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

YOU AS WELL, SIR.

SO DIDN'T RECOGNIZE YOU IN THE HALL BACK THERE.

NO WORRIES.

WELCOME BACK TO AMARILLO.

A COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS HERE.

DONNIE, I GUESS I WOULD ASK YOU, WHAT IS OUR CURRENT PLAN RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS WATER AND SEWER ENTERPRISE? HAVE WE BEEN CONSISTENT OVER THE PAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS INCREASING THAT ON A 5% AVERAGE? WE DID THAT LAST YEAR AT BUDGET TIME TO PREPARE FOR EXACTLY WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT, AN INCREMENTAL INCREASE.

SO THAT'S THE ONLY ONE THAT I'M AWARE OF THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, JUST SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS CAUSE.

RIGHT, BUT JUST NOT SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS CAUSE, BUT I'M BEING ON COUNCIL FOR FIVE YEARS NOW.

I BELIEVE, AND ANDREW, YOU COULD TELL ME, I THINK WE HAD KIND OF A SPOKEN POLICY OF 5%.

I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT.

THAT WAS FLOYD'S PLAN.

WE WERE DOING IT BASICALLY, I THINK, THREE OR FOUR YEARS IN A ROW.

AND I BELIEVE WE'VE HELD TO THAT PRETTY WELL.

AND CHRIS, YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE THOSE NUMBERS? YES, SIR.

SO I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE HEALTH OF OUR ORGANIZATION, AND I'LL DEFER TO OUR EXPERT HERE TO MY LEFT MORE ON THIS SIDE, BUT LIKE THE APPRAISAL QUESTION OF WATER RIGHTS.

DOES YOUR COMPANY DO APPRAISALS? LIKE IF WE WANTED TO KNOW MAYBE HOW MUCH WE HAVE AND OWN IN WATER RIGHTS, DOES YOUR COMPANY DO THAT? YES, SIR.

COUNCILMAN, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ASK.

SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF.

OF WATER RIGHTS ACRE FEET.

AND IT WOULD BE VERY INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THE ACRE FEET VALUE, TODAY'S VALUE IS OVER TIME.

SO IF WE HAVE A PURCHASE PRICE THAT'S DEPRECIATING WHAT WE PAID FOR THE WATER RIGHTS VERSUS WHAT THE MARKET VALUE OF THOSE WATER RIGHTS ARE, I THINK THAT'S A VERY INTERESTING.

AND RELIABLE SOURCE OF INFORMATION.

WE TALKED TO CLA ABOUT IT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, AND I WOULD, KATRINA, MAYBE, WE HAVE IT LISTED, WHAT, AT $71 MILLION WITH DEPRECIATION, WHAT OUR WATER RIGHTS ARE? YEAH, I KNOW THAT'S UNFAIR TO THROW THAT OUT AT YOU, BUT IN ALL REALITY, IF YOU LOOK

[01:55:01]

AT IT, THE STANDARD RATE, IT COULD BE SOMEWHERE NORTH OF $60 BILLION IN WATER RIGHTS.

SO IT WOULD BE VERY INTERESTING TO SEE THAT AMOUNT.

FORECASTED AS WE SEE CRIMINAL CURRENT CREMOIS IS THAT HORRIBLE THE CANADIAN RIVER MUNICIPAL WATER AUTHORITY IF THEY'RE GOING UP 8.5% A YEAR WE SHOULD DO THE SAME WITH OUR WATER RIGHTS AND HOW IS THAT ASSET GROWING IN COMPARISON AND HOW IS THAT BEING LISTED AND PUT INTO OUR? FINANCIAL STRENGTH IS A CITY I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT AND COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND ONE THING I WILL NOTE WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT RATES.

WE ARE LOOKING AT CASH WE'RE LOOKING AT CASH IN, CASH OUT, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SUFFICIENT CASH TO PAY OUR BILLS.

AND SO WHILE YOU MAY HAVE VALUE IN WATER RIGHTS, VALUE IN WATER RIGHTS DOESN'T GENERATE CASH UNLESS YOU SELL THOSE RIGHTS TO SOMEONE ELSE.

SO THAT'S ONE THING I WOULD NOTE.

WE CAN PUT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TERMS OF VALUE ON WATER RIGHTS, BUT THAT DOESN'T GENERATE CASH TO PAY BILLS UNLESS YOU SELL THOSE RIGHTS.

HAVE YOU SEEN OTHER ENTITIES USE THE WATER RIGHTS AS COLLATERAL TO FUND PROJECTS? THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT, BUT I CAN'T SAY IT HASN'T BEEN DONE.

I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE WATER GETTING CHEAPER.

GUARANTEE YOU WILL NOT.

YOU WILL NOT.

EXPONENTIALLY.

SO IF WE HAVE $80 BILLION IN WATER RIGHTS, WHAT DOES THAT DO AND HELP US WITH OUR CONSUMER THAT'S HAVING TO PAY THIS BILL? I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE SHOULD BE THINKING.

I UNDERSTAND.

THAT'S VERY, VERY HELPFUL, AND I KNOW YOU BROUGHT THAT UP IN OUR AUDIT COMMITTEE MEETING, AND IT GOT ME TO THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CHRIS, IF YOUR COMPANY CAN DO AN APPRAISAL, AN EVALUATION, WE WANT TO POSTURE OURSELVES IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY TO TAKE ON A LARGE AMOUNT OF DEBT.

AND SO IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, LET'S SAY IT'S $600 MILLION, $700 MILLION TO TAKE ON FOR A PHASE ONE, AND WE CAN EQUATE THAT WITH...

I DON'T KNOW WHAT ALL WE'VE GOT THERE.

HE'S GIVING ME THE NUDGE.

PHASE ONE, THE FIRST WATER TREATMENT PLANT, AND THEN PHASE TWO, SECOND WATER TREATMENT PLANT, INFRASTRUCTURE IN 1.5, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE.

SO LET'S HOPE THAT THIS THING GOES FROM 1.5 DOWN TO 1.2 OR WHATEVER.

BUT THEN YOU'RE ALSO FACTORING IN $300 MILLION FOR A CREMOIS BUY-IN FOR OUR PERCENTAGE.

IN ORDER TO HAVE MORE WATER RIGHTS.

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT AND WE'RE GOING TO LEVERAGE AN ADDITIONAL RATE PAY INCREASE WHEN WE DON'T NECESSARILY, IF WE HAVE A $70 MILLION TO $80 MILLION APPRAISAL VALUE ON THE BALANCE SHEET, WHAT CAN THAT DO IN BORROWING POWER AND BUSINESS ENTERPRISE ABILITY? IF IT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING, THEN IT AT LEAST COMMUNICATES TO OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT WE'RE VERY HEALTHY.

SO WE'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB AS A COUNCIL, THIS COUNCIL AND PREVIOUS COUNCIL, TO INCREASE WATER RIGHTS AND GO AND PUT THOSE MONIES IN AND BUILD THAT INTO OUR RATE PAY SYSTEM AND SO WE'VE CONTINUED TO BUY THOSE.

I'M NOT SAYING WE WOULD EVER SELL THEM, BUT I DO THINK YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FROM A BUSINESS ENTERPRISE POSITION.

COUNCILMAN, YOU HAD ONE OTHER THING? I THINK JUST FOR CLARITY THAT WE HAVE 71, 70 TO 80 MILLION IS WHAT WE HAVE IT LISTED AS, AND THAT VALUE IS 60 BILLION.

I HEARD YOU SAY 60 BILLION, BUT THEN IF YOU PROJECT TO 2036, YOU SAID 80 BILLION WITH A B.

YEAH, THE INCREASE.

AND SO I THINK WITH EVERYTHING THAT HAS...

COME TO OUR REGION AND EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO EVALUATE.

COUNCIL, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SEEING IF YOU GUYS COULD POTENTIALLY APPROVE WITH ME.

MAYBE WE DIRECT STAFF TO ENGAGE WITH CHRIS TO BRING BACK A NUMBER FOR WHAT HE WOULD CHARGE US TO DO AN EVALUATION APPRAISAL.

IS THAT SOMETHING YOU GUYS WOULD BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING? I THINK IT WOULD BE AN RFP TO GO OUT.

OH, IS THAT RIGHT? WELL, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, CAN WE KEEP THAT WITHIN? EXISTING AGREEMENT I BELIEVE WE CAN SO OKAY BUT I WOULD I WOULD ADD A HYDROLOGICAL COMPONENT TO THAT TO REALLY GET THE ACRE FEET AND THE FINANCIAL PIECE MAYBE A TWO-FOLD TYPE DEAL TO BE FAIR I AM NOT A HYDROLOGIST I'M A NUMBERS GUY SO MAYBE MAYBE MR. PATH IF YOU COULD LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE TO GET BOTH OF THOSE PIECES OF THIS PUZZLE FIGURED OUT TO BRING THAT BACK.

AND MAYBE IT IS AN RFP, BUT, COUNCIL, I WOULD JUST SEE IF YOU GUYS ARE ENCOURAGED BY THAT AND INCLINED, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE MR. PACK LOOK INTO IT.

SO WE WANT TO GET AN APPRAISAL ON OUR WATER VALUES.

SO HELP ME.

WHAT IS THAT GOING TO DO FOR US? WHAT DOES THAT DO FOR US? I MEAN, I CAN GET AN APPRAISAL ON MY HOUSE, BUT I DON'T GET ANY CASH OUT OF IT TO PAY FOR MY NEXT HOUSE UNTIL,

[02:00:01]

I MEAN...

THAT'S CORRECT.

I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR GETTING THE APPRAISAL ON IT.

IT'S AN ASSET ON YOUR BALANCE SHEET, FIRST OF ALL.

IT'S A COMMUNICATION PIECE TO NOT ONLY YOUR LENDER, WHO IS LOOKING AT YOUR OVERALL HEALTH AND YOUR RATINGS, BUT THEN ALSO TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS WHO UNDERSTAND...

WE JUST REPRESENTED THAT WE WEREN'T PULLING OUR RESERVES, SO I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT.

BUT WE DON'T WANT TO WALK OUT OF HERE FEELING LIKE THE ORGANIZATION'S NOT STRONG IN THAT ENTERPRISE.

IT'S VERY STRONG IN THAT ENTERPRISE.

AND SO IT'S THE SAME AS GOING TO THE DOCTOR AND KNOWING HOW HEALTHY YOU ARE.

I MEAN, LIKE, YES, YOU STILL WALK OUT THE SAME WAY YOU WALKED IN, BUT YOU HAVE ANOTHER BIT OF KNOWLEDGE.

I THINK IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HELP US.

SO WE CAN GET BETTER INTEREST RATES? WELL, SO THERE'S TWO PIECES TO THIS, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THIS INVOLVES YOUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR DETERMINING CAN YOU COLLATERALIZE DEBT WITH WATER RIGHTS.

SO THAT'S AN OUTSTANDING QUESTION IF WE COULD EVEN DO THAT.

THE SECOND QUESTION IS TO YOUR AUDITORS.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WATER RIGHTS, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT A MARKET APPRAISAL VERSUS WHAT GOES ON THE BOOKS OF THE ENTERPRISE FUND.

SO YOU ALMOST HAVE AN INTANGIBLE ASSET IN TERMS OF WATER RIGHTS.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR AUDITOR IS GOING TO ALLOW YOU TO BOOK ON YOUR BALANCE SHEET RELATIVE TO WATER RIGHTS.

SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS HERE.

WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FINANCIAL HEALTH AND WE'RE LOOKING AT DEBT-TO-EQUITY RATIOS AND WE'RE LOOKING AT CURRENT RATIOS AND LOOKING AT THE HEALTH OF THE BALANCE SHEET, THERE'S OTHER ADVISORS THAT NEED TO BE IN THIS PROCESS.

YOU HAD A VERY GOOD ANALOGY THERE, MR. SIMPSON.

I CAN OWN A $5 MILLION HOUSE.

THAT DOESN'T GIVE ME CASH UNLESS I SELL THAT HOUSE.

AND SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT RATES GOING FORWARD AND HOW WE COME IN AND SERVICE DEBT, HOW WE PAY OUR DAY-TO-DAY BILLS, WE DO HAVE TO LOOK AT CASH FOR THAT.

OR THOSE QUESTIONS WE CAN ASK OUR OUTSIDE COUNSEL AND AUDITORS TO DETERMINE.

I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH DOING IT, BUT I JUST DON'T WANT TO DO SOMETHING JUST TO SAY, OKAY, WE'VE DONE IT, UNLESS THERE'S A REAL.

TANGIBLE BENEFIT COMING BACK OUT.

YEAH, I CAN SPEAK TO OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR.

I'VE NEVER HAD A FINANCIAL ADVISOR SAY THAT'S AN IDEA WE CAN EVER USE, BUT I CAN SEE THAT THAT IS MAYBE POSSIBLE THAT NO ONE'S USING THAT.

IF WE DON'T DO IT, IS IT MAKING A DIFFERENCE, AND IS IT WORTH DOING IT IS WHAT MY QUESTION WOULD BE, JUST LIKE WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT.

SO FOR US TO MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION ON THAT, WE NEED A FEW MORE PIECES OF INFORMATION.

SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE, MR. PATH, IS FOR YOU TO LOOK INTO THAT, SEE WHAT THOSE TWO COMPONENTS COULD RUN.

LET'S PUT A DOLLAR VALUE ON THAT, SEE WHAT THE RETURN COULD BE, AND THEN ESPECIALLY IF WE CAN GET SOME COMMENTARY BACK FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT, OUR ADVISOR LETTING US KNOW THAT COULD BE VERY HELPFUL.

SO TWO THINGS I THINK I UNDERSTAND IS, ONE, IS TO TALK TO FINANCIAL ADVISORS TO SEE IF THIS IS A AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COLLATERALIZE, BUT THEN SECONDLY IS TO WORK WITH CHRIS ECKERT TO GET A SCOPE OF SERVICE AND SEE WHAT THAT WOULD COST.

WE WOULD COMBINE THAT WITH A HYDROLOGY STUDY FOR SATURATED THICKNESS IS WHAT I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE LOOKING AT.

I WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND YOU TALK TO YOUR AUDITOR RELATIVE TO, YES, YOU CAN DO AN APPRAISAL ON WATER RIGHTS, BUT WHAT ARE THEY ACTUALLY GOING TO LET YOU BOOK ON YOUR BOOKS AND RECORDS RELATIVE TO THAT BALANCE SHEET? AND SO IN CONVERSATIONS WITH CLA, THEY...

SAID THAT THEY'RE GOING TO START PUTTING IT AS A FOOTNOTE IN ALL OF THEIR LOCATIONS BECAUSE THEY HAD NOT LOOKED INTO IT SO GOING BACK TO THE ANALOGY OF THE FIVE MILLION DOLLAR HOUSE WE MIGHT BE ASSUMING WE HAVE A FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLAR HOUSE BUT IN ALL REALITY WE COULD SELL IT FOR FIFTY THOUSAND YES OR WE COULD PUT IT ON THE BOOKS AT FIFTY THOUSAND BUT REALLY THAT HOME IS WORTH FIVE MILLION YES SIR SO THAT WOULD BE THAT WOULD BE THE ANALOGY SURE AND AND I'M FINE WITH THAT NO OFFENSE.

I JUST DON'T WANT TO DO A STUDY AND SOMETHING, AND IT'S ON THE SHELF, AND WE SAID WE DID IT.

AGAIN, I'M NOT TRYING TO TALK MYSELF OUT OF A STUDY.

I UNDERSTAND.

I APPRECIATE IT.

NO, THANK YOU.

SO TO RECAP, WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON A 5% INCREASE PLAN.

WE HAVE BEEN FOR SOME TIME.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT SO THAT AS WE COMMUNICATE THIS POTENTIAL 8.4% INCREASE, WHAT YOU'RE REALLY NETTING OUT THERE IS ABOUT A 3.4% INCREASE FROM THE CHANGE IN WHAT OUR...

PAYERS ARE USED TO SEEING.

AND SO...

I JUST WANTED TO COMMUNICATE THAT AND THEN I WOULD LIKE IN THE ABILITY TO STRATIFY THIS POTENTIAL POLICY.

SO HAVE WE DIRECTED YOU WITH A TIER SYSTEM? AND WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT WOULD BE LIKE MINIMUM WATER USERS, MEDIAN, AND THEN LARGE.

AND THEN TO BIFURCATE THIS INTO, LET'S SAY, RESIDENTIAL, NON-RESIDENTIAL, I THINK IS THE TERM YOU WOULD LIKE TO USE.

AND SO IN THAT RATE-PACED STUDY, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'RE ALREADY WORKING ON? AND THE REASON BEING, WHAT WE WOULD HOPE TO DRIVE HOME IS THE ONES THAT ARE MOST AFFECTED BY A $5 PER MONTH INCREASE ARE THE ONES THAT THAT $5 EVERY MONTH IS ALREADY

[02:05:01]

SPENT.

IT'S BUDGETED, RIGHT? SO WHEN WE LOOK AT A LARGE WATER USER, ABC ENTERPRISES, AND THEIR BILL IS $10,000 ONE MONTH AND $18,000 THE NEXT MONTH AND BACK DOWN TO $8,000, THEIR POTENTIAL INCREASE IS NOT GOING TO HIT THEIR POCKETBOOK IN THAT ENTERPRISE QUITE LIKE WE WOULD HAVE OUR CONCERN FOR THAT SINGLE MOM WITH THREE KIDS.

SO ARE YOU WORKING ON THAT ALREADY? YES, SIR.

SO WHAT I'VE GOT ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW IS YOUR CURRENT RATE DESIGN.

YOU DO HAVE A TWO-PART RATE STRUCTURE, A FIXED CHARGE.

EVERY CUSTOMER PAYS EVERY MONTH REGARDLESS OF USE BASED ON METER SIZE.

YOU THEN HAVE A VOLUMETRIC OR VARIABLE RATE.

THIS IS UNDER WHAT'S CALLED AN INCLINING BLOCK OR CONSERVATION-BASED RATE, SUCH THAT AS YOU USE MORE WATER, THAT UNIT COST OF WATER DOES GO UP.

WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THIS VERY CLOSELY.

ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD NOTE RIGHT NOW, YOU INCLUDE 3,000 GALLONS WITHIN THE MINIMUM BILL.

SO FOR $19.15, YOU GET 3,000 GALLONS.

AT THE SAME TIME, YOU'RE NOT ENCOURAGING ANY RESIDENT TO CONSERVE.

LESS THAN 3,000 GALLONS BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING THAT WITHIN THAT MINIMUM BILL.

MANY COMMUNITIES DO THIS BECAUSE IT'S A PROTECTION FOR THAT LOW-VOLUME USER, WHICH IS SOMETIMES THE FIXED-INCOME CUSTOMER.

BUT IF CONSERVATION IS ONE OF OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, ONE OF THE THINGS WE MAY WANT TO DO IS PULL THOSE 3,000 GALLONS OUT OF THE MINIMUM BILL, START CHARGING FOR THAT.

AGAIN, JUST SOME CONSIDERATIONS IN TERMS OF POLICY AS WE GO FORWARD.

SO WE WILL BRING DIFFERENT OPTIONS BACK TO YOU.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES, THE PROS AND CONS.

THIS IS THE ART SIDE OF WHAT WE DO, AND WE'LL NEED YOUR POLICY GUIDANCE ON THAT.

SO CHRIS, YOU'RE AN EXPERT IN YOUR FIELD.

WE APPRECIATE THAT EXPERTISE.

WE ARE GOING TO WANT THE DATA TO BE REFLECTED WHERE WE COULD STRATIFY THAT OR TIER THAT AND GIVE US AS MANY OPTIONS AS POSSIBLE.

SO I THINK WE'RE COMMUNICATING THAT WELL TO YOU, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THAT BACK IN THAT WAY.

THE OTHER ISSUE THAT I WOULD WANT CLARIFICATION ON IS JUST TO MAKE SURE YOUR NUMBERS ARE CORRECT.

SO YOU HAD A CASH ON HAND AND YOU HAD AN ANALYSIS THERE.

SO, YOU KNOW, THEN GOING BACK THROUGH THE AUDIT, YOU KNOW, WE RAN THIS ENTERPRISE FOR ROUGHLY $100 MILLION IN TOTAL REVENUES.

WE HAVE A TOTAL EXPENDITURES SOMEWHERE, INCLUDING DEBT SERVICE AND EVERYTHING ELSE, OF AROUND $80 MILLION.

SO WE HAVE A...

A NET PROFIT THERE OR A CASH BASIS OF AROUND $18 MILLION IF WE'RE BEING CRITICAL, BUT LET'S CALL IT $20 IN AN AVERAGE.

AND SO OUR CASH ON HAND WAS AT $36 MILLION LAST YEAR.

WE HAVE A DISCREPANCY THERE THAT WE'RE GOING TO WORK THROUGH OVER THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS AND WE'RE LOOKING INTO.

BUT UNLESS WE HAVE SOME SORT OF A SHORTFALL, I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS ENTERPRISE.

WITH A 41-DAY CASH ON HAND STANCE.

SO WHERE DID THAT NUMBER COME FROM, SIR? SO AGAIN, WE'VE USED YOUR CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENT POSITION THAT WAS PROVIDED TO US.

IT COULD BE A DATED NUMBER.

I'LL GO BACK AND DOUBLE-CHECK MY NUMBERS TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M ACCURATE HERE.

IT'S POSSIBLE WE'RE WORKING WITH SOME OUTDATED OR BAD DATA.

I'LL CHECK IT AND BRING IT BACK TO YOU.

IF YOU DON'T MIND LOOKING INTO THAT, BECAUSE I THINK THE ACFER AND THE AUDIT WILL BE CONCLUDED.

WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT ON THE SHELF.

THAT WILL BE THE HARDEST DATA YOU COULD HAVE THAT EVERYBODY'S AGREED ON AND WE'VE PUT ON THE SHELF.

I HOPE THAT THE ONE THING THAT WE HAD CAUGHT, I THINK, WAS DEPRECIATION.

YOU'RE LOOKING AT A CASH ON HAND.

I'M NOT LOOKING AT DEPRECIATION.

THAT IS A NON-CASH ITEM.

WHAT I'M LOOKING AT IS O&M EXPENSES, P&I, CASH OUT THE DOOR.

SO THAT'S THE OTHER THING TO NOTE WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR INCOME STATEMENT.

PRINCIPAL DOES NOT HIT YOUR INCOME STATEMENT.

THAT'S A BALANCE SHEET ITEM.

SO I'VE TAKEN OUT DEPRECIATION, I'VE PUT PRINCIPAL BACK IN.

BUT AGAIN, I'LL DOUBLE-CHECK OUR NUMBERS AND MAKE SURE WE'RE SOLID BEFORE WE COME BACK TO YOU.

IF YOU COULD, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO RELY HEAVILY NOT ONLY ON YOUR DOCUMENTS AND YOUR DATA FOR POLICY.

BUT ALSO AS OUR CONSULTANT, LEAD CONSULTANT, ON HOW WE'RE GOING OUT FOR BORROW.

AND SO I DON'T WANT TO HAND ANYBODY A DOCUMENT THAT'S INACCURATE THAT, YOU KNOW, HAS THEM LOOK AT US IN A WAY THAT'S LESS HEALTHY OR THAT WE'RE NOT AS STRONG AS WE ARE.

SO THAT WOULD BE GREAT, I THINK, IF WE CAN GET THAT.

AND THEN I WOULD ASK IF WE HAD ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.

LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION, AND I'M SURE YOU'LL GIVE ME A GOOD ANSWER BECAUSE IT'S YOUR JOB.

BUT, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE MAY BE SAYING, THIS CAN'T BE THAT COMPLICATED.

I MEAN, WE'VE GOT THIS COST, WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH TO RAISE.

BUT I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE, WHAT IS THE DOWNFALL OF NOT DOING THIS CORRECTLY, AND WHY IS THIS REALLY A COMPLICATED THING THAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE SURE TO GET RIGHT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THESE FACTORS? WELL, I WILL TELL YOU WHAT WE DO IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE.

IT IS FRACTIONS, DOLLARS DIVIDED BY UNITS.

WHEN YOU COME

[02:10:01]

INTO YOUR RATE DESIGN, THOUGH, THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS TO SLICE THIS PIE.

THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS TO DETERMINE WHICH CLASS SHOULD PAY WHAT.

ULTIMATELY, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE IN THIS IS AN EQUITABLE RATE STRUCTURE.

IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE PRICE SERVICE APPROPRIATELY SO THAT WE'RE SENDING THE RIGHT ECONOMIC SIGNALS TO OUR CUSTOMERS BECAUSE THAT'S ULTIMATELY WHAT WE'RE DOING IN PRICING.

WE'RE SENDING AN ECONOMIC SIGNAL.

WHAT IS THE BEHAVIOR WE SEEK FROM OUR CUSTOMERS? HOW DO WE SEEK THAT BEHAVIOR WHILE ALSO BALANCING THE FINANCIAL CONDITION OF OUR BUSINESS? I'M WORKING WITH A CLIENT RIGHT NOW.

THEY WENT IN LAST YEAR AND HAD A RATE STUDY DONE, AND THE CONSULTANT THERE ACTUALLY RECOMMENDED LOWERING THE RATE AT THE LOWER TIERS.

SO IN THE EXAMPLE HERE, LET'S SAY WE TOOK THE 3,000 TO 10,000 GALLONS BILL AND WE LOWERED THAT.

WELL, THE PROBLEM IS NOW YOU'RE RELYING ON THOSE UPPER TIERS TO MAKE UP FOR THAT.

IF YOU RELY ON THOSE UPPER TIERS, WE'RE GETTING INTO AN ECONOMIC CONCEPT CALLED ELASTICITY OF DEMAND, MEANING AS YOU GET UP TO THAT POINT, THERE'S A CUSTOMER BEHAVIOR DIFFERENTIAL BASED ON THAT PRICE INCREASE.

AND SO IF I PUSH MORE REVENUE RECOVERY TO THOSE UPPER TIERS, I'M DESTABILIZING THE REVENUE STREAM.

I'M PUTTING MORE VOLUMES AT RISK OF CONSERVATION, AT RISK OF WEATHER VARIANCES.

AND SO WHAT THAT DOES TO YOU FOR YOUR BUSINESS IS YOU NOW HAVE A DESTABILIZED REVENUE STREAM.

YOU MAY NOT BE GENERATING SUFFICIENT CASH TO RUN YOUR BUSINESS.

THAT'S WHERE THE COMPLEXITY COMES INTO ALL OF THIS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BALANCING ALL OF THESE FACTORS.

ANYBODY CAN PUT PEN TO PAPER AND DO A FRACTION.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS AND POTENTIAL CUSTOMER BEHAVIOR TO MAKE SURE WE CAN STILL ADEQUATELY RUN OUR BUSINESS.

THAT WE CAN PAY OUR DEBT, THAT WE CAN PROVIDE WHAT THE STATE REQUIRES, WHICH IS CONTINUOUS AND ADEQUATE SERVICE.

WELL, YOU MENTIONED EQUITABLE, AND MY DEFINITION OF EQUITABLE, AS LONG AS I'M PAYING NO MORE THAN EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT I GUESS EQUITABLE IS GOING TO BE A POLICY.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE UP TO US TO DETERMINE, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ALL THESE VARIATIONS, AND HOW IS IT GOING TO BE EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTED THAT WE THINK IS FAIR TO PAY FOR THIS AND FACTORING IN THE FAMILY WITH CHILDREN AND ALL THE REST.

AND IT'S NOT JUST EQUITY, IT'S PERCEPTION OF EQUITY, BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S PERCEPTION OF EQUITY IS DIFFERENT.

BUT WE LOOK AT INTER-CLASS EQUITY BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL.

WE LOOK AT INTRA-CLASS EQUITY.

THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SMALL HOUSE OR A LARGE HOUSE OR A SMALL VOLUME USER AND A LARGE VOLUME USER.

WE'RE NEVER GOING TO ACHIEVE 100% EQUITY.

THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE.

BUT THAT'S WHY WE WORK WITH YOU AS THE COUNCIL TO TELL US WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOUR COMMUNITY.

WHAT DOES EQUITY MEAN HERE IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO? MR. ECKERT, REALLY GOOD PROPOSAL AND PRESENTATION, VERY HELPFUL, IN-DEPTH, BUT YOU COVERED A LOT OF GROUND.

SO WHAT YOU DIDN'T COVER WAS WHEN WILL YOU BE BACK? SO WE HOPE TO BE BACK VERY SOON WITH YOU.

WE'VE ACTUALLY GONE THROUGH THE COST OF SERVICE ANALYSIS.

IT'S A MATTER OF LOOKING AT THE SCHEDULE AND SEEING WHEN CAN I GET BACK HERE.

SO, AGAIN, IT WILL BE AS WE GO THROUGH THIS SUMMER.

I'M ANTICIPATING WE'LL AT LEAST HAVE TWO MORE PRESENTATIONS WITH YOU.

TO GO THROUGH THIS INFORMATION PRIOR TO TAKING ACTION ON RATES.

AGAIN, MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT YOU TAKE ACTION ON RATES, COMMENSURATE WITH YOUR BUDGET, IMPLEMENT THAT NEXT RATE INCREASE IN OCTOBER.

IF YOU WANT TO WAIT, YOU COULD CERTAINLY PUSH THAT TO JANUARY.

COUNCIL, ANYTHING FURTHER? I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION ON CLARIFY.

REALLY GOOD, SIR.

WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THE 8.37% INCREASE, THAT WAS INCLUDING THE 5% WE ALREADY DO? OR THIS IS GOING TO BE IN ADDITION TO...

NO, SO THIS IS NOT CONSIDERING THE 5%.

THIS IS, YOU WOULD DO 8%.

SO IF YOU WERE ALREADY GOING TO DO 5%, THEN THE INCREMENTAL DIFFERENCE IS THE 3.4.

SO IT WOULD BE 3.4 ON TOP OF YOUR POLICY OF ALREADY DOING 5%.

WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT A 13% INCREASE? NO, SIR.

NO, SIR.

THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO CLARIFY THAT.

SO IT'S A NET DIFFERENCE OF AN ADDITIONAL 3.5%.

BUT THAT ALSO INCLUDES $300 MILLION ASSUMPTION FOR CREMOIS.

AND I'M GETTING THAT NUMBER FROM YOU ON THE 1.8 VERSUS THE 1.5.

WE KNOW THOSE AREN'T HARD NUMBERS.

WE'RE WAITING TO GET THAT DATA BACK.

BUT WE JUST WANT TO KNOW THAT'S THE ENTIRE TACO.

AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NATION.

THAT'S THE ENTIRE TACO.

AS WE LOOK AT WATER PRICING THROUGHOUT THE NATION RIGHT NOW, IT'S THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CLEAN WATER AGENCIES.

THEY RUN AN INDEX, AND WE SEE THAT INDEX VARY ALL THE WAY FROM 4% TO 6%.

SO IF YOU'RE RUNNING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT, THERE ARE SOME YEARS YOU'RE GOOD, SOME YEARS YOU'RE OFF A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE ARE SEEING WATER PRICING INCREASING

[02:15:01]

ON AVERAGE MORE THAN 5% ACROSS THE NATION.

SO KEEPING THAT 5%, THAT'S A KEEP-UP, OR LET'S SAY THAT'S A...

IT'S NOT A CATCH-UP, IT'S A KEEP-UP IF YOU WOULD.

WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

JUST AS A MATTER, WHEN YOU REALIZE IN 12 YEARS OUR BILL DOUBLES.

I KNOW THAT.

YEAH, AND CURRENTLY THE PLAN THAT WE'RE ON, OUR BILL DOUBLES IN 20 YEARS.

AND WE'VE BEEN ON IT, I KNOW, FOR AT LEAST 5 OR 6, MAYBE LONGER.

BUT WE ARE KEEPING PACE WITH ADDITIONAL COSTS IN LOTS OF AREAS, LABOR INCLUDED.

THE COMMODITY.

IT'S GOING TO MORE THAN DOUBLE.

SO ARE YOU GOING TO DRINK WATER OR ARE YOU NOT? THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE CAN'T CONTROL THE PRICING, WE CAN'T CONTROL THINGS LIKE THAT.

THE REALITY IS THE COMMODITY WILL MORE THAN DOUBLE AS THE STATE CONTINUES TO GET INFLUENCE OF POPULATION PRESSURE.

WELL, AND RIGHT NOW TREATED WATER IN THE STATE RUNS ANYWHERE FROM $8 TO $11 A THOUSAND ON A RETAIL BASIS.

THE NEXT INCREMENT OF WATER SUPPLY THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE STATE THAT'S $24, $25 A THOUSAND FOR THE NEXT INCREMENT OF SUPPLY.

THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SEEING ALL THROUGHOUT THE STATE, ALL THROUGHOUT.

YOU MENTIONED THE ARID PARTS OF THE NATION.

UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S THE REALITY THAT WE'RE FACING HERE IF WE WANT CLEAN WATER, SUSTAINABLE SERVICE.

APPRECIATE THE TIME TODAY.

THANK YOU, MR. ECKERT.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU.

THAT'LL TAKE CARE OF ITEM 6.1.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A 15-MINUTE RECESS.

WE'LL COME BACK AND TAKE UP STREAMING OF BOARD.

[6.2. Streaming of Board and Commission Meetings ]

EVERYBODY GETTING SETTLED BACK IN? WELCOME BACK.

WE'LL OFFICIALLY CALL OURSELVES BACK INTO SESSION.

WE ARE ON 6.2.

MS. KRISTEN WOLBACH, DO WE HAVE YOU RUNNING THIS ONE? ALL RIGHT.

WE'LL ASK YOU TO START HEADING THIS WAY.

LIVE STREAMING CAPABILITIES FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND HOPING FOR KIND OF AN OUTLINE OF WHICH ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT.

EVENING, WHAT IS IT? WE'RE KIND OF EVENING NOW, HEY, THANKS MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

I HOPE TO KEEP THIS ONE PRETTY BRIEF.

MOSTLY WHAT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT IS THE EXISTING SCOPE OF THE SPACE THAT WE HAVE HERE AT CITY HALL.

GO THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF OUR ANALYTICS OF OUR EXISTING LIVE MEETING, WHICH IS CITY COUNCIL AND SPECIAL MEETINGS, AND THEN JUST THROW OUT A COUPLE OF OPTIONS.

BUT REALLY, I JUST WANT TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT YOU'RE KIND OF HOPING FOR.

EXISTING SCOPE.

OBVIOUSLY, RIGHT NOW, THE CITY OF AMARILLO IS COMPRISED OF ABOUT 42 BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

GRANTED, 10 OF THOSE ARE PIDS, SO WE KIND OF FACILITATE THOSE, BUT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

AND WE HOST ABOUT 20-PLUS MEETINGS PER MONTH ON AVERAGE.

THOSE VARY, BUT GENERALLY IT'S ABOUT 20-PLUS MEETINGS.

AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, MOST OF OUR MEETINGS OCCUR ACROSS MULTIPLE LOCATIONS AND TIMES.

MOST NOTABLY, THOSE INCLUDE CITY HALL, SIMS BUILDING, AND ALSO PARKS BUILDING, LIBRARY, SOME OF THOSE FACILITIES.

WITH THE EXCEPTION OF COUNCIL MEETINGS SPECIFICALLY, WE DON'T HAVE EXISTING STAFF THAT'S DEDICATED TO STREAMING OR RECORDING ANY ADDITIONAL BOARD OR COMMISSION MEETINGS.

THIS JUST GIVES YOU AN OVERVIEW OF AVERAGE ENGAGEMENT.

SO I PULLED THIS FROM OUR EXISTING YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

WHAT I DON'T HAVE ENGAGEMENT NUMBERS FOR IS IF ANYBODY'S WATCHING IT DIRECTLY FROM THE WEBSITE.

I DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE UNLESS WE HAVE SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, BUT THIS GIVES YOU AN OVERVIEW OF OUR EXISTING YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

SO FOR LIVE MEETINGS, ANYTHING THAT'S LIVE STREAMED TODAY, THOSE COUNCIL MEETINGS, SPECIAL MEETINGS, SOME OF OUR BUDGET MEETINGS, WE HAVE 34 LIVE VIEWERS.

THE EXPECTATION IS THAT MOST PEOPLE THAT ARE VIEWING LIVE ARE PROBABLY IN THE ROOM, BUT WE DO HAVE ON AVERAGE 34 PEOPLE WATCHING THESE MEETINGS LIVE AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

150 AVERAGE UNIQUE VIEWS, WHAT THAT MEANS IS 150 USERS.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT A MEETING RIGHT NOW, SOME MAY SAY 500 VIEWS, THAT USUALLY INDICATES THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE WATCHING THE MEETING MULTIPLE TIMES OVER, SO WE'RE ONLY GETTING THOSE UNIQUE VIEW NUMBERS.

AVERAGE DURATION IS ABOUT 8 TO 11 MINUTES.

AND A PERCENTAGE OF A MEETING WATCHED IS 5 TO 10 PERCENT.

AND SO WHAT THAT TELLS ME GENERALLY IS THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE TUNING IN JUST FOR A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM THAT THEY CARE ABOUT.

AND THEY'RE ALSO WATCHING THOSE WITHIN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF A MEETING.

AND WE SOMETIMES GET SOME VIEWS WELL BEYOND THAT TWO WEEKS, BUT GENERALLY IT'S ABOUT TWO WEEKS AFTER A MEETING HAS BEEN POSTED.

WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES, OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE A HOME REALTOR.

HOME RURAL MUNICIPALITIES SO

[02:20:01]

BECAUSE WE'RE A CITY WITH A POPULATION OVER 50 000 OR MORE WE ARE LEGALLY REQUIRED TO POST COUNCIL MEETINGS ANYTHING WHERE YOU GUYS ARE PRESENT AND THERE IS A POSSIBLE QUORUM WE'RE REQUIRED TO POST THOSE MEETINGS BY LAW AND YOU HAVE UP TO SEVEN DAYS AFTER THAT MEETING TO POST THAT ON A PUBLIC WEBSITE OR FORUM AND THEN WE ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO KEEP THAT ARCHIVED ONLINE AND AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS FROM A COMMUNICATION PERSPECTIVE.

THERE'S ALSO ACCESSIBILITY IN TECHNOLOGY CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EITHER A LIVE STREAMED MEETING OR A POSTED MEETING.

THIS IS BOTH ONE THAT'S SYNCHRONIZED SO IT HAS VIDEO AND AUDIO OR JUST AUDIO AS WE HAVE REQUIREMENTS BY LAW TO BE ACCESSIBLE.

THESE ARE DOJ GUIDELINES.

WE DON'T GET TO DECIDE IF WE ABIDE BY THEM, BUT WE HAVE TO.

AND SO IF WE POST ANYTHING, AND THIS EXISTS IN DOCUMENTS, THIS IS PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING WE POST ONLINE, HAS TO FOLLOW SOME TYPE OF LEGAL REQUIREMENT.

SO IF IT IS A SYNCHRONIZED VIDEO, IF IT HAS VIDEO AND AUDIO, BY LAW WE HAVE TO HAVE CAPTIONING.

IF IT'S AUDIO ONLY, WE HAVE TO HAVE TEXT ALTERNATIVES, WHICH BASICALLY MEANS A TRANSCRIPT OF THAT MEETING OR THAT RECORDING.

WE ALSO HAVE SOME LEGAL RESTRICTIONS THAT YOU SHOULD BEAR IN MIND.

THERE'S A RECENT, WELL, THIS ONE'S NOT A RECENT SENATE BILL, BUT THEY'VE MADE A RECENT UPDATE TO 1893.

IT INITIALLY WAS THE TIKTOK BAN.

SO THE STATE OF TEXAS HAD THE TIKTOK BAN.

WELL, THEY'VE NOW ADDED TO THAT BAN, AND IT LIMITS USE OF CERTAIN TECHNOLOGIES.

SO ESSENTIALLY, IF THAT TECHNOLOGY TIES INTO CHINESE TECHNOLOGY, WE AS MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS CANNOT PURCHASE.

OR UTILIZE THAT ON A CITY NETWORK.

THAT BECOMES IMPORTANT WITH SOME OF THE STUFF THAT OUR TECHNOLOGY IN 1500 POTENTIALLY TIES INTO.

SO IT LIMITS WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO PUT LIKE OUR CITY CREDENTIALS ON.

IT OPENS US UP TO FOREIGN CYBER SECURITY IMPACTS.

I WANTED TO PULL JUST SOME PURE CITY EXAMPLES.

THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WE USE AS FAR AS COMPARABLES.

I WILL CALL MYSELF OUT BECAUSE I LIED ON THIS, BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT I LIED ABOUT.

THESE ARE JUST CITIES THAT GENERALLY WERE COMPARED TO BOTH IN SIZE AND SCOPE.

WHEN SOMEBODY POSTS ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF JUST THAT COMMON CITY COUNCIL MEETING, A LOT OF TIMES IT'S YOUR P&Z MEETINGS AND YOUR TIERS MEETINGS OR THOSE SIMILAR ENTITIES.

KYLENE IS CLOSE-ISH TO US, A LITTLE BIT LESS AS FAR AS POPULATION.

THEY ARE COUNCIL MEETINGS ONLY.

LUBBOCK, THEY ACTUALLY, I SAID COUNCIL ONLY, THAT'S A LIE.

THEY ACTUALLY DO STREAM THEIR PNZ MEETINGS AS WELL, AND THOSE ARE HELD IN THEIR COUNCIL CHAMBERS.

MCKINNEY'S IN THE SAME BOAT.

FRISCO IS THE SAME.

KYLE, SURPRISINGLY, IS THE ONLY ONE THAT I COULD REALLY FIND IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND, AND THEY ACTUALLY STREAM ALMOST EVERY SINGLE BOARD.

GRANTED, IT'S A SMALLER MUNICIPALITY.

THEY DON'T HAVE AS MANY BOARDS OR COMMISSIONS THAT THEY MANAGE, BUT I WAS ABLE TO FIND AROUND NINE DIFFERENT.

BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT THEY STREAM REGULARLY ON THEIR YOUTUBE SITE AND USING THEIR COUNCIL CHAMBERS SO JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT FROM THE BEST PRACTICES STANDPOINT CURRENTLY COUNCIL CHAMBERS IS THE ONLY TURNKEY SPACE THAT WE HAVE FOR LIVE STREAMING BOARDS AND COMMISSION MEETINGS CONFERENCE ROOM 1500, THE ONE THAT WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH DOWNSTAIRS, IS LIMITED BOTH TO SOME OF THOSE TECHNOLOGY RESTRICTIONS THAT I NOTED.

BASICALLY, WHAT IT FORCES US TO DO IS IN ORDER TO USE THE PRESENTATION SCREENS IN THAT ROOM, IT FORCES US TO BASICALLY GO THROUGH FOREIGN TECHNOLOGY IN ORDER TO LOG IN.

SO IT PRESENTS SOME SECURITY CONCERNS FOR IT.

WHAT I WILL SAY IS WE'VE RECENTLY HAD AN EXTERNAL...

AV, SORRY, AN AV ORGANIZATION, AND THEY ARE EVALUATING THAT ROOM RIGHT NOW TO SEE IF THERE'S SOME TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE THAT WE'RE NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IN THAT SPACE, AND SO I HOPE TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION BACK FROM THEM SOON.

BUT CURRENTLY, COUNCIL CHAMBERS IS REALLY THE ONE THAT HAS THE MOST PRODUCTION VALUE FOR WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER A LIVE-STREAMED MEETING.

AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST OPTIONS TO CONSIDER.

THIS IS EITHER STUFF THAT I KNOW EXISTS CURRENTLY WITHIN THE CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE OR WOULD BE RELATIVELY EASY TO GET ON BOARD.

AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A SUGGESTION.

I'M HAPPY TO HEAR AND TALK ABOUT ANY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU'VE CONSIDERED.

BUT WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND, PROBABLY IF IT WAS ME TODAY, IS TO EXPAND A PILOT STREAMING OPTION, AND THAT'S TO EXPAND OUT TO THOSE BOARDS THAT I KNOW HAVE PUBLIC CONCERNS.

SO YOU'RE PLANNING AND ZONING.

TIERS BOARDS.

I ALSO KNOW THAT FROM A PUBLIC PERCEPTION,

[02:25:01]

PARKS HAS BEEN ONE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE RECOMMENDED AND SAID THAT THEY WANT TO SEE THOSE.

WHAT WILL THAT, THAT WILL ALLOW US TO DO? I OPERATE OFF OF NOT NECESSARILY OPINIONS, BUT DATA.

AND SO THAT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO COLLECT THAT DATA, TO SEE THE PUBLIC IMPACT AND TO CONSIDER OPERATIONAL IMPACTS.

AS I SAID, A LIVE STREAM MEETING, THIS, LIKE THIS SETTING.

MULTIPLE HOURS, WE DON'T HAVE A PERSON DEDICATED TO IT.

AND SO A LOT OF TIMES YOU'LL SEE OUR TEAM BACK THERE KIND OF SWITCH HITTING THAT RESPONSIBILITY.

EXPANDING THAT OUT TO MULTIPLE MEETINGS JUST OBVIOUSLY IS AN OPERATIONAL IMPACT.

ONE THAT I THINK IF WE EXPANDED, IT WOULD GIVE ME THE OPTION TO KIND OF EVALUATE BOTH THE METRICS ONLINE AND CONSIDER THOSE OPERATIONAL IMPACTS FOR LONG-TERM DECISIONS.

ANOTHER ONE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE SEEN OTHER PEOPLE DO.

IT WAS ONE THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AS A TEAM, AND IT'S DEVELOPING BASICALLY A MEETING KIT.

AND SO THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO TAKE PROBABLY MORE RUDIMENTARY MEETINGS.

SO LIKE YOUR, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN LIKE AN OWL, THOSE CONFERENCING DEVICES.

IT HAS SOME VIDEO.

IT HAS SOME MICS.

IS IT THE BEST SCENARIO? PROBABLY NOT IN REGARD TO PRODUCTION VALUE, BUT IF YOU REALLY JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE ROOM AND GET SOME AUDIO, THAT WOULD BE THE BEST CASE SCENARIO.

IT WOULD BE THE CHEAPEST WAY IN ORDER TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO STILL MEET WHEN THEY'RE MEETING, TO STILL MEET IN THE SPACES THAT THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH.

AND SO TO ME, THOSE BEST USES ARE PROBABLY THOSE ADVISORY BOARDS WITH MAYBE LIMITED ENGAGEMENT, BUT IT WOULD GIVE THEM AND GIVE THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY FROM THAT TRANSPARENCY PERSPECTIVE.

TO BOTH HEAR AND SEE SOME OF THOSE SMALLER MEETINGS.

AGAIN, THE CONSIDERATIONS IS INCONSISTENT QUALITY.

I THINK THE PRODUCTION VALUE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS IS SOMETHING PEOPLE ARE PRETTY USED TO, AND SO I'M ALWAYS A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT BACK-STEPPING.

ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, WE'D HAVE TO TINKER WITH THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE MAINTAINING THAT ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENT THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REQUIRES.

IT ALSO RELIES ON STAFF.

SO THIS IS STAFF THAT MAYBE ISN'T USED TO STREAMING OR RUNNING SOME OF THOSE RECORDINGS FOR MEETINGS TO GET THAT TRAINING.

SO THAT WOULD JUST BE A LEARNING CURVE.

AND THEN THERE WOULD BE A LIMITED TO ZERO CAPTURE PRESENTATIONS.

SO WHEN YOU HAVE SOME OF THOSE THAT ARE PRESENTATION HEAVY BOARDS, THAT WOULD BE A LIMIT THAT I COULD SEE FOR THOSE.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, THIS IS THE ONE THAT I THINK EVERYONE'S KIND OF SUGGESTED IS JUST CENTRALIZED RECORDING EVERYTHING IN CITY HALL EVERY SINGLE MEETING.

THAT WOULD REQUIRE UPGRADES TO THE SPACES, TO 1500.

THAT WOULD REQUIRE SOME ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGY THAT WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE DOWN THERE TO LIVE STREAM OR VIDEO AND AUDIO RECORD WELL IN THAT SPACE.

DO YOU THINK IT'S POSSIBLE? I JUST THINK IT WOULD TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGY.

THE OTHER THING TO CONSIDER IS THAT 1500 IS CURRENTLY A MULTIPURPOSE SPACE.

IT'S THE LARGEST MULTIPURPOSE.

PURPOSE SPACE IN CITY HALL SO A LOT OF TRAINING AND ORIENTATION HAPPENS IN THAT SPACE.

MOVING MOST OF OUR MEETINGS TO THAT SPACE WOULD PUSH SOME OF THOSE OTHER MULTI-PURPOSE FUNCTIONS OUT OF THAT SPACE.

SO SCHEDULING AND COORDINATION WOULD BE A CONSIDERATION.

AGAIN, PRODUCTION VALUE WOULD BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT PEOPLE ARE USED TO AND RELIANCE ON OTHER PEOPLE FOR THEIR TECHNICAL EXPERTISE.

AND AGAIN, ONCE WE HAVE THAT AV EVALUATION COMPLETED BY FORD AV, I'LL HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF KIND OF THE TECHNOLOGY THAT EXISTS DOWN THERE AND HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO IMPROVE.

ON ITS CURRENT FUNCTIONALITY.

BUT LIKE I SAID, I MEAN, THIS IS JUST SOME RECOMMENDATIONS BASED OFF OF THE SPACE THAT I KNOW IS AVAILABLE.

AND HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS.

DO WE CURRENTLY USE LIKE TEAMS FOR RECORDING? YES.

I MEAN, DO WE HAVE TRANSCRIPTS FOR EACH BOARD MEETING NOW? WE DO HAVE THAT? YES, SO THAT'S ACTUALLY THE BENEFIT TO TEAMS. HOWEVER, SO THE MAXHUB TV THAT'S DOWNSTAIRS, THOSE TWO PRESENTATION SCREENS, WHENEVER WE GO TO LOG INTO TEAMS, IT FORCES US TO USE BASICALLY, AND RICH CAN PROBABLY ATTEST TO PART OF THIS, IT HAS SOME CONCERNS BECAUSE OF THE ILLEGAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THROUGH A CHINESE COMPANY THAT IT FORCES US TO SIGN INTO.

SO I PERSONALLY DON'T REALLY WANT TO USE MY CITY LOGIN CREDENTIALS TO DO IT.

SO WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL TESTING ON THOSE SCREENS, THOSE MAXHUBS.

I MEAN, MOST EVERYONE HAS TEAMS ON THEIR PHONE, AND YOU COULD RECORD IT, AND INSTEAD OF HAVING 42 OWL KITS, WHICH IS A GREAT IDEA.

I THINK ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, RIGHT? I THINK IT'S JUST THE PALETTE OF CITIZENS AND YOU GUYS, REALLY.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH? DO PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GETTING THE CORRECT AUDIO? AND I THINK PILOTING THOSE OUT TO SEE IF IT WORKS IS A FANTASTIC OPTION.

THE OWLS.

THEY CAN GO AHEAD.

[02:30:07]

I THINK THEY HAD THEIR LIGHTS ON FIRST.

SO LET'S GO BACK TO GOVERNMENT CODE THAT REQUIRES US, IT'S ONLY TO VIDEO AND AUDIO, RIGHT, THE RECORDING, AND MAKE THAT AVAILABLE.

FOR THE COUNCIL MEETINGS, CORRECT.

FOR COUNCIL MEETINGS OR FOR ANY OPEN MEETING? THIS IS FOR COUNCIL SPECIFIC.

SO AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, IT'S FOR ELECTED OFFICIAL MEETINGS, ESSENTIALLY.

THE OTHER THING THAT YOU MENTIONED WAS SPACE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF SPACE IN THIS BUILDING, DON'T WE? AND WE COULD PICK A ROOM THAT WE COULD PUT THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE NEED INTO IT, OTHER THAN WHAT'S DOWN IN 1500, TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR RECORDING MEETINGS, RIGHT? YEAH, I MEAN, IN THEORY, I THINK IT WOULD TAKE JUST SOME COORDINATION ON DETERMINING HOW MANY.

OKAY, SO SPACE ISN'T AN ISSUE.

IN THEORY, NO.

I GUESS IT DEPENDED ON WHAT TECHNOLOGY WE DECIDED WAS BEST CASE.

BUT I THINK THAT, YEAH, ANYTHING IS DOABLE.

DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA, WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE TO UPGRADE? I KNOW AT THE TIME WE BUILT THIS, THIS WASN'T IN PLACE AS FAR AS CONNECTING TO A CHINESE DEVICE.

SO WE THOUGHT THAT WE WERE GOOD, AND AT THE TIME WE WERE GOOD.

WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO UPGRADE THAT? IS IT RIDICULOUS? THAT'S WHY WE BROUGHT FORD AV IN, TO DO AN ASSESSMENT ON WHAT WE COULD DO TO UPGRADE.

AND JUST BEAR IN MIND, IN THIS PARTICULAR SPACE, THAT'S ACTUALLY A PROBLEM.

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE THE COMPANY IS HEADQUARTERED.

I CAN THINK OF ONE COMPANY THAT DOESN'T HAVE CHINESE TECHNOLOGY DEEPLY IN THEIR SUPPLY CHAIN, WHETHER IT'S HARDWARE OR SOFTWARE, AND WE CAN'T AFFORD THAT COMPANY.

IT WOULD BE 8X THE COST OF WHAT WE DID HERE.

SO IT IS JUST IN AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, BEING VERY CAREFUL, TESTING THE SOFTWARE, AND THAT PARTICULAR SOFTWARE REQUIRED US TO GIVE RIGHTS, PERMISSIONS, OUTSIDE OF THE CITY THAT THEY'RE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH.

WELL, AGAIN, TO YOUR QUESTION, I THINK AS FAR AS...

JUST DOING LIKE A GENERAL LOOK AT TECHNOLOGY THAT EXISTS, IS IT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT? I DON'T THINK SO.

I THINK IT BECOMES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT WHEN WE TALK.

THAT'S A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION BETWEEN 32 BOARD MEETINGS VERSUS, YOU KNOW, IF I HAD IT MY WAY, IT'S A HANDFUL OF MEETINGS THAT I THINK HAVE SPECIFIC PUBLIC INTEREST.

I KNOW THAT THEY ALL DO.

I THINK THE BIGGEST QUESTION IS, AND IT'S ONE THAT WE HAVE AS STAFF, RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW ACTION ITEMS UNLESS SOMEONE TELLS ME FROM A PUBLIC MEETING, RIGHT? I'M NOT ATTENDING ALL OF THEM.

AND SO FOR THE SAKE OF TRANSPARENCY, I THINK IT'S GREAT.

IT JUST COMES DOWN TO PRODUCTION VALUE AND COORDINATION.

AND SO I THINK IF WE COULD COORDINATE LIKE A SINGULAR SPACE AND WE FELT LIKE WE COULD MAKE THAT WORK, I JUST DON'T.

I THINK THE QUESTION COMES AT 30.

YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? BECAUSE THEN IT IS MORE EXPENSIVE.

SO DO THESE LAWS APPLY? THIS CODE APPLY ONLY TO LIVE STREAMING OR IS IT RECORDINGS AS WELL? SO MY THOUGHT IS, SO THE BENEFIT TO THE PUBLIC IS NOT NECESSARILY WATCHING LIVE BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT AT THE MEETINGS, SO THEY CAN'T INTERACT, RIGHT? THEY CAN'T INTERACT ANYWAY.

BUT WHAT WOULD PREVENT US FROM RECORDING THE MEETINGS FAIRLY GOOD QUALITY? AND THEN UPLOADING THEM TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL SO WE'RE BYPASSING THE CHINESE.

I MEAN, AM I SIMPLIFYING THAT TOO MUCH? SEEMS SIMPLE TO ME.

I THINK THAT'S THE POINT KRISTEN WAS MAKING WITH THE MEDIA KITS IS, YOU KNOW, WE'D LIKE TO PILOT A KIT THAT YOU COULD GIVE TO A BOARD LEADER SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD RECORD AUDIO, VIDEO, AND THEN IT GET POSTED TO AN ARCHIVE LATER.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE IMMEDIATE OR LIVE STREAM.

YEAH, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY CONCERN.

I MEAN, AS FAR AS MY TEAM GOES ON BEING ABLE TO TAKE THAT RECORDING AND BE ABLE TO PLAY IT.

TO COUNCILMAN PRESCOTT'S POINT.

I THINK USING THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, LIKE TEAMS, THAT'S GOING TO PROVIDE THAT TRANSCRIPT ALREADY, THAT'S FANTASTIC, RIGHT? I DON'T HAVE TO DO THE LEGWORK.

YOUTUBE'S GOING TO BACK THAT UP EVEN FURTHER WITH THEIR CAPTION.

SO I THINK, YEAH, AND I THINK MY CONCERN IS ALWAYS, IS THE PUBLIC GOING TO FEEL LIKE WE'RE DOWNGRADING THE PRODUCTION VALUE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T SEE THE PRESENTATION OR THEY COULDN'T QUITE HEAR WHAT SOMEONE SAID.

YOU KNOW, AND HAVING TO WORK OUT SOME OF THOSE DETAILS.

BUT IT'S AN UPGRADE, BECAUSE AT LEAST THEY CAN WATCH THE MEETING.

BUT AGAIN, I DON'T THINK WE LOSE ANYTHING BY NOT STREAMING IT, BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE WATCHING, WHETHER IT'S LIVE OR NOT, THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING.

THEY CAN'T INTERACT.

SO IF WE HAD A, YOU KNOW, THE RECORDING'S FINISHED AND THIS WILL BE UPLOADED WITHIN WHATEVER, HOWEVER LONG, YOU KNOW, AN HOUR, WHATEVER IT TAKES.

IT SEEMS LIKE THAT THAT WOULD BE A GOOD SOLUTION, MAYBE, AND AVOID SOME TECHNOLOGY, BUT NOT ALL OF IT.

YEAH, I THINK IT'S A GOOD...

THING THAT WOULD BE WORTH TRIALING TO SEE HOW IT WORKED AND HOW EVERYONE FELT WITH IT, AND THEN DETERMINING HOW MANY DAYS DO WE FEEL WE'RE COMFORTABLE

[02:35:01]

WITH AND BEING ABLE TO GET THAT UPLOADED AND PRODUCED.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

SO THE TECHNOLOGY IN HERE.

SO WE ALREADY HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY TO LIVE STREAM AND BROADCAST.

IT'S IN HERE.

IN THIS SPACE, CORRECT.

SO MY QUESTION WOULD BE, TO ME IT'S NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT THE TEMPLATE TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.

WELL, WE'VE ALREADY GOT THE TECHNOLOGY IN THIS ROOM, SO WHY COULD WE NOT JUST USE THE TECHNOLOGY WE HAVE IN HERE TO HAVE THE BOARD MEETINGS? AND THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO BUY ANY NEW TECHNOLOGY.

IT'S ALREADY HERE.

AND THEN WHAT'S THE COMPLEXITY OF BEING ABLE TO OPERATE WHAT THEY'RE OPERATING BACK THERE? AND THE THIRD THING I WOULD SAY THOUGH IS I WOULD NOT WANT TO HAVE MEETINGS IF THE PEOPLE VIEWING IT COULDN'T SEE THE PRESENTATIONS.

I MEAN THAT'S KIND OF DEFEATING THE PURPOSE.

YOU CAN SHOW THE PRESENTATIONS IN HERE.

I THINK ON THE PART OF IT, I THINK TO ME THE KEY PART OF ANY MEETING IS, I MEAN I UNDERSTAND THE PRODUCTION VALUE OF BEING ABLE TO CUT TO THE SPEAKER AND CUT OVER HERE.

BUT I THINK THE CLEAR HERE, MORE IMPORTANTLY THAN SEEING EVERYTHING, I'VE GOT TO HEAR EVERYTHING, WHAT EVERYBODY IS SAYING.

I'VE GOT TO SEE THE PRESENTATIONS.

IF IT'S A STATIC CAMERA SHOT, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE SOMEONE THAT CAN, I SEE THAT AS A PRETTY EASY TRADE-OFF, AS LONG AS WE'RE SHOWING EVERYONE THE INFORMATION THAT THEY HAVE, SO WHY CAN'T WE USE THIS ROOM? SO I THINK THAT THAT KIND OF GOES BACK INTO THAT FIRST OPTION RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS MADE.

THE ONLY CONCERN I WOULD HAVE, AND I THINK STEPHANIE PROBABLY WOULD AGREE, IS AS YOU START TO EXPAND THAT OUT, THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH COORDINATION INVOLVED IN SOME OF THOSE DIFFERENT BOARD MEETINGS.

BUT I THINK IT'S, AGAIN, JUST DETERMINING WHICH ONES DO WE THINK HAVE THE MOST PUBLIC VALUE.

BUT I PERSONALLY DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUE WITH THAT.

I THINK IT'S JUST THE COORDINATION OF THE SPACE, MAKING SURE WE CAN COORDINATE ALL THOSE DIFFERENT MEETINGS.

WELL, I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER QUESTION TO, YOU KNOW, TIME, ENERGY, EFFORT, AND RESOURCES.

BECAUSE IF WE ARE GOING TO DO IT, I THINK WE NEED TO DO IT RIGHT SO PEOPLE CAN HEAR AND SEE AND KEEP UP WITH WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.

I MEAN APPARENTLY WE'RE NOT THE HIT OF YOUTUBE.

I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE GETTING, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE PEOPLE COMING IN AND VIEWING AT THE CITY COUNCIL.

I THINK ONE THING, YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T MIND SEEING A TEMPLATE FOR, YOU KNOW, IDEALLY IF WE CAN DO IT IN THIS ROOM AND PICK OUT SOME OF THESE HIGH-INTEREST ONES TO START WITH AND FIGURE OUT THE TEMPLATE TO WORK WITH, IT WOULD BE THE EASIEST.

IT'S THE QUICKEST.

WE ALREADY HAVE GOOD PRODUCTION VALUE IN THIS.

AND THEN TO ME, IT WOULD BE A MATTER OF, JUDGING, YOU KNOW, OUR PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, DO WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THIS? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE MORE PEOPLE THAT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT, THE MORE I WOULD SEE INVESTING IN OTHERS TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.

BUT IF WE START OFF WITH, LIKE YOU SAY, A COUPLE TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT HOW IT WORKS, AND THEN IF WE CAN ROLL IT OUT, YOU KNOW, TO MORE.

YEAH, YEAH, I MEAN, I'M ALWAYS GREAT AT LOOKING AT IT, EVALUATING IT AS THE JUICE WORTH THE SQUEEZE.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE THING.

BUT ULTIMATELY, I UNDERSTAND IT'S ALSO THE GOAL OF...

OF COUNCIL AND I THINK CITIZENS, LIKE WHAT IS A GOOD NUMBER OF PEOPLE WATCHING? I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DEFINE THAT.

I THINK THE OTHER KEY THING IS TO MAKE SURE, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THE TECHNOLOGY WORKS, BUT IF YOU'VE NOTICED, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT WATCHING IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

THEY'RE WATCHING IT ON AGENDA ITEM.

IS IT EASY TO INCORPORATE THAT? AGENDA ITEM FOR THE PARKS BOARD AND THE OTHER BOARDS WAS THAT BECAUSE THAT'S ANOTHER VALUE IT WOULD SEEM TO ME BEING ABLE TO USE THE EXISTING TECHNOLOGY IF I JUST WANT TO GO LOOK AT THAT ITEM AS OPPOSED TO USING OTHER TECHNOLOGY WHERE I MAY HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE IT'S COMING UP AS FAR AS LIKE TIME STAMPING IT SIMILAR TO HOW IT'S DONE BUT HERE IT'S ALREADY BUILT INTO IT THAT I COULD GO AND THAT SEEMS TO BE WHERE PEOPLE ARE USING IT IS TO GO TO LOOKING AT SOMETHING SPECIFIC YEAH AND THAT WOULD BE ONE THING THAT I ACTUALLY DIDN'T THINK ABOUT UM THAT I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU GUYS ON IS I KNOW SWAGET, THE COMPANY THAT WE CURRENTLY USE TO STREAM THOSE LIVE MEETINGS, AND IF YOU GO BACK ON THE WEBSITE AND YOU SEE THE ARCHIVE VIDEOS, AND IT DOES HAVE THOSE NICE MINUTE-TO-MINUTE TIMESTAMPS, I THINK WE ARE CHARGED BASED OFF OF THE AMOUNT OF MEETINGS.

SO THAT MIGHT BE ANOTHER THING TO CONSIDER, BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY INFORMATION I CAN FIND OUT.

I MEAN, I WOULD SAY IF WE COULD ROLL OUT A COUPLE OF AREAS THAT WE KNOW ARE OF HIGH INTEREST TO THE PUBLIC.

WORK OUT THE KINKS AND THEN AT THE END DETERMINE WHAT KIND OF TRAFFIC ARE WE GETTING AND YOU KNOW IS IT THE TYPE OF TRAFFIC THAT SAYS OKAY THERE'S AN INTEREST IN THIS PEOPLE ARE USING IT.

WHAT ADDITIONAL ONES WE YOU KNOW WE WOULD WANT TO OFFER.

I WOULD ASK DO WE NEED 42 COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS.

I DON'T KNOW IF I'M EQUIPPED TO ANSWER THAT.

YEAH I'M JUST CURIOUS THAT'S A LOT.

THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE HAVING I'M JUST CURIOUS.

WE CAN TALK OFFLINE ABOUT THAT PART IF YOU WANT.

NO.

DO WE HAVE DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL ON.

APPROPRIATE A METHOD AND GET A PLAN, A TEMPLATE TOGETHER FOR ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, OR LET'S IDENTIFY THE ONES THAT

[02:40:01]

ARE MOST RELEVANT, MOST NEEDED, AND THEN APPROPRIATE THAT.

SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVEN'T HEARD YET.

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE COUNCIL'S AT SO WE CAN GIVE GOOD DIRECTION.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE START SOMEWHERE.

I DON'T THINK WE DO ALL OF THEM BECAUSE, NUMBER ONE, I DON'T THINK WE COULD PUT ALL THE MEETINGS IN HERE.

OVER A TWO-WEEK PERIOD THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE CITY, BUT I THINK IF WE DO KIND OF A HIERARCHY OF OUR COMMITTEES AND BOARDS THAT HAVE MORE OF AN IMPORTANCE FOR PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW, THE TWO YOU LISTED I THINK ARE IMPORTANT ONES, THE AADC, PARKS AND REC.

AS WE GO DOWN THERE, I THINK WE CAN COME UP WITH THAT LIST.

AND THEN WE HAVE TO SCHEDULE THEM IN THIS ROOM.

YEAH, AND ONE THING TO THINK ABOUT, WE WOULD NEED TO VISIT WITH AEDC A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I KNOW THEY HAVE THEIR OWN BOARD MEETINGS, THEY POST THEIR OWN AGENDAS.

BUT WE COULD DEFINITELY HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM AND ADD THEM TO THAT LIST POTENTIALLY.

THERE'S ALSO A COUPLE OF LOGISTICAL ISSUES TOO.

PARKS BOARD HAS 11 MEMBERS ON IT.

SEVEN SEATS AT THE DAIS, TWO AT THE WINGS.

WELL, I MEAN, I THINK THEY COULD SIT DOWN THERE.

YEAH, WE COULD.

WE COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BUT I THINK IF WE DO IT IN HERE, IS THE TECHNOLOGY...

YEAH, EVERYTHING'S FIGUREABLE.

STARTING OFF WITH ONE OR TWO, I MEAN, WE COULD PROBABLY HAVE STAFF DOING IT, BUT I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT DOING A TEMPLATE OUT OF IT IN HERE WHERE THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL COST.

AND THEN IF WE DO GO TO OTHERS, BUT TO ME, IF WE GET A LOT OF TRAFFIC ON THIS AND THEN PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT IT...

THEN MAYBE WE COULD HAVE SOME MORE MEETINGS IN HERE.

BUT IF PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THESE THINGS, THEN I WOULD SAY, WELL, MAYBE WE BUY A COUPLE OF THESE KITS TO ROLL OUT TO THE OTHER ONES.

I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TRAFFIC OR WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A LARGE CONSUMPTION FOR THIS, I THINK IT'S WORTH THE INVESTMENT IF THEY'RE ONLY CONSUMING THE TOP FEW, THEN, YOU KNOW.

CRYSTAL, RESOURCE-WISE FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT, WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO RUN THIS? SO I WILL BE HONEST, THIS CITY HALL IS A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLEX.

OBVIOUSLY, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE UPDATED THAN THE OLD SYSTEM THAT WE HAD.

CONFIDENTLY, IT USUALLY TAKES ABOUT TWO PEOPLE TO RUN BOTH THE SOUND AND TO SWITCH VIEW.

HOWEVER, IF IT'S MORE OF A STATIC VIEW, ONE PERSON COULD EASILY PROBABLY DO IT THEMSELVES IF WE'RE NOT DOING A LOT OF CAMERA TRANSITIONS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

SO A BIG ADJUSTMENT FOR YOU.

FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT? IT WOULD BE SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.

IT'S A WILD THING, PILOTING IT OUT AND REALLY SEEING OPERATIONAL-WISE WHAT THAT WOULD TAKE IF IT REQUIRES AN ADDITIONAL PERSON.

SOME OF THOSE CITIES THAT I KNOW HAVE EXPANDED STREAMING CAPABILITIES HAVE A PERSON THAT'S DEDICATED TO THAT.

I THINK IN THE SHORT TERM, AS WE LOOK AT FIVE TO SIX BOARDS, I THINK MY TEAM AND I CAN TAKE THAT ON THE CHIN AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO COORDINATE THAT AMONGST OURSELVES.

I MEAN, IF WE'RE HAVING 34 PEOPLE WATCH, YOU SAID 34 PEOPLE WATCH COUNCIL? A LOT.

THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE WATCHING LIVE.

I WOULD SAY ON AVERAGE, AND I LOOKED OVER THE LAST YEAR, ANY LIVE MEETING IS ABOUT 150 UNIQUE VIEWERS.

PER LIVE MEETING.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

I THINK THAT ALL SHOULD BE RECORDED AND HAVE A TRANSCRIPT.

I THINK THAT WE WOULD GO BACK TO STAFF AND ASK FOR A TIERED APPROACH TO THE ONES THAT SEEM TO GET MORE SIZZLE, FOR A BETTER WORD, THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE HOT TOPIC, AND THEN WE FIGURE OUT SOME WAY TO...

USE A TEAM'S EFFECT.

WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE A HUGE COST, BUT WE SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO SEE THE TRANSCRIPTS OF EACH OF THE MEETINGS AT A MINIMUM AND THEN BUILD A TIER SYSTEM.

SO THAT MIGHT BE TIER THREE, TIER TWO IS AT A CERTAIN LEVEL, AND THEN TIER ONE WOULD BE IN THIS ROOM.

SO COULD WE IDENTIFY, BECAUSE THAT'S SIMPLE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY, RIGHT, RICH? LIKE JUST TO RECORD A MEETING AND HAVE AI TRANSCRIBE IT, YOU KNOW, CAN BE DONE REAL EASILY IF YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO RECORD WITH VIDEO AND AUDIO.

IF WE'RE TALKING LIKE AUDIO ON LIKE A TEAMS, LIKE YOU BASICALLY, LIKE YOUR TEAMS MEETING IS ANOTHER ATTENDEE? YEAH, LET'S SAY, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE LESSER VIEWED, LESSER CRITICAL BOARDS AND COMMITTEES IS JUST USING A DEVICE TO RECORD.

AND IT'LL TRANSCRIBE AND YOU GUYS ARE POSTING THAT.

IS THAT SIMPLER FOR YOU? THAT WAY THERE'S A RECORDING OF THOSE MEETINGS.

YEAH, IN THEORY.

AGAIN, I WOULD NEED TO LIKE CHECK AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS GOOD.

I MEAN, THE BIGGEST THING IS MAKING SURE ACCESSIBILITY WISE THAT THE TRANSCRIPT IT PROVIDES IS GOOD.

AND IT WOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CHAIR.

THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHAIR IS TO GET THE TRANSCRIPT DONE.

AND THEN AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THEN YOU'RE IN A GOOD SPOT.

ON THE ONES THAT HAVE HIGHER IMPACT.

WELL, WE'RE ALREADY RETAINING

[02:45:01]

MINUTES AT EVERY MEETING, RIGHT? CORRECT.

IS THERE ANY BOARD MEETING THAT DOESN'T HAVE MINUTES? NO.

SO THEY'RE ALL RETAINED? I JUST THINK THAT'S AN EASIER VERSION OF MINUTES, HONESTLY.

LET ME GO BACK ONE HALF STEP.

ARE WE OKAY WITH A CONSIDERATION TODAY OF JUST A PILOT ON THIS? WE PICK OUR TOP FIVE VERSUS TRYING TO START WITH...

ALL 40 BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

I WOULD SAY, I MEAN, BECAUSE, AGAIN, IN HERE IS THE IDEAL SITUATION FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.

I DON'T KNOW ON THE TEAMS PART OF IT.

I'M TRYING TO HAVE IT FIGURE OUT.

I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN TEAMS. I'M HAVING A HARD TIME KIND OF FIGURING OUT HOW THAT'S GOING TO BE THAT BENEFICIAL AND EFFECTIVE.

I THINK YOU ARE BALANCING, OKAY, YES, BUT, AGAIN, IF YOU'RE IN A TEAMS MEETING AND SOMEBODY HAS A PRESENTATION, I DON'T KNOW.

I JUST SAY LET'S START WITH SOMETHING TO GET SOMETHING ROLLING TO BE ABLE TO START IT.

AND AGAIN SEE YOU KNOW I MEAN I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GETTING THREE LIVE VIEWS ON PLANNING AND ZONING DO WE SAY WOW WE NEED TO DO EVERY ONE OF THEM BUT IF IT GETS I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GETTING 150 VIEWS AT EACH MEETING THEN WE MIGHT SAY OKAY THERE'S YEAH SO TO ME THE AMOUNT OF DEMAND THAT MAY BE FOR IT I THINK WOULD BE COMMENSURATE WITH THE INVESTMENT I THINK MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO PILOT PNZ AND PARKS AND REC IN HERE AND WORK AND HAVE KRISTEN AND HER TEAM WORK ON ON ON DOING THAT AND I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT EXPLORING OPTIONS FOR AUDIO RECORDING FOR TRANSCRIPT PURPOSES FOR ALL MEANING WE CAN LOOK AT THAT AS WELL AND I THINK A GOOD FIRST STEP WOULD BE TO PILOT THOSE TWO MORE VISIBLE BOARDS AND THEN WE CAN BRING THAT BACK TO YOU OFF TO A CERTAIN POINT IN TIME YOU CAN LOOK AT WHAT'S THE DATA SHOWING AND THEN YOU CAN START DECIDING YOU WANT TO EXPAND THAT DO WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO EXPAND IT TO A FEW MORE LIKE MAYBE AMW OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND GO FROM THERE BUT I THINK MAYBE STARTING EASIER SMALLER THOSE TWO BOARDS AND THEN GET SOME DATA AND BRING IT BACK TO YOU.

I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.

SO GOOD DIRECTION THERE, I THINK.

IF YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND START TAKING STEPS TOWARDS P&Z PARKS AND REC IN HERE AND THEN MAYBE BRING SOMETHING BACK TO COUNCIL ON THE AUDIO AND THE TRANSCRIPTION.

THE EASIEST WAY FOR YOU ALL TO DO THAT BEFORE WE ENACT THAT.

SO MAYBE FOR OUR AUDIENCE THAT'S HEARING THIS, MAYBE WE WORK THROUGH THIS OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS, KIND OF SEE WHERE IT'S AT, REEVALUATE THERE INTO SUMMER, FALL, HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE AT THAT POINT.

IS THAT A GOOD TIME FRAME? YEAH, I THINK THAT'S VERY DOABLE.

I IMAGINE WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT PROBABLY SOONER.

I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD ONE POINT.

IF ANY OF THESE BOARDS HAVE SPENDING AUTHORITY.

WE NEED THEM ALL SO WE KNOW WHERE THE DOLLARS ARE.

SO LET'S CLARIFY THE SPENDING AUTHORITY OF A BOARD.

SO COUNCIL IS THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.

COUNCIL APPROPRIATES MONEY ONCE A YEAR.

IT'S JUST A SMALLER LOOK AT BIGGER GOVERNMENT.

SO WE WATCH OUR BIG GOVERNMENT NOT PASS A CONTINUING RESOLUTION, AND THEY DON'T GET TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE IF THAT BODY DOESN'T APPROPRIATE THE MONEY.

SO HERE IT'S THE SAME WAY.

SO ONCE A YEAR WE APPROPRIATE A BUDGET.

THAT BUDGET THEN IS DEPARTMENTALLY HELD AND IMPLEMENTED AT THAT DEPARTMENT LEVEL.

NOW, ACTION CAN BE SOUGHT OUT THROUGH BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS CAN BE MADE BY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, BUT THAT STAFF MEMBER WHO IS WORKING WITHIN THAT BUDGET THAT'S ALREADY PREVIOUSLY APPROVED HAS THE AUTONOMY, THE AUTHORITY, AND THE CAPABILITY OF SPENDING DOLLARS WITHIN THAT BUDGET.

SO, MR. PATH, CORRECT ANY OF THAT THAT NEEDS FURTHER CLARIFICATION? NO, I THINK YOU NAILED IT, AND, YEAH, I THINK YOU'RE CORRECT.

SO IN THAT, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T THINK THAT A...

A BOARD AND COMMISSION OF, SAY, 10 PEOPLE CAN COME TOGETHER AND THAT THEY ARE SOMEHOW LIKE OUR CITY MANAGER.

IT'S UNDER $50,000, SO WE JUST HIRED THE CONSULTANT AND WE SPENT IT.

THEY DON'T GET TO.

THEY COULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, GO AND SPEND $10,000 HIRING A CONSULTANT.

THAT COMES ALL THE WAY UP THE CHAIN, AND HE ULTIMATELY IS THE ONE THAT IS APPROVING THAT IF IT'S A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES OR THERE ARE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS AND DIRECTORS THAT ARE WORKING WITHIN THOSE.

COMMUNICATION.

SO I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A SPENDING ISSUE.

I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE HAVE ANYTHING THAT WORKS OUTSIDE OF THAT ONCE-A-YEAR FISCAL BUDGET.

I THINK THE EXAMPLE OF MAYBE THE YOU KNOW THE PARKS AND REC ITEM THAT THEY WERE GONNA SOLVE A PROBLEM WITHIN A CERTAIN BUDGET I KNOW THAT THAT WAS COMMUNICATED TO CITY MANAGER AND DEPUTY AS WELL SO I JUST NEED TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO THE PUBLIC SO YOU GUYS HEAR THAT AND THEN IF ANYBODY'S AWARE OF SOMETHING WHERE A BOARD AND COMMISSION IS SPENDING MONEY.

PLEASE LET US KNOW BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.

SO STAFF, IF YOU WANT TO GIVE ANY FURTHER REMARKS

[02:50:01]

ON THAT OR WE'LL MOVE ON.

[6.3. Construction-in-Progress (CIP) Report Update (Cole Stanley, Mayor) ]

DO YOU HAVE GOOD ENOUGH DIRECTION? ABSOLUTELY.

WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO 6.3 CIP, CONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS REPORT UPDATE.

APPRECIATE YOU DOING IT.

ALL RIGHT.

I PUT THIS ONE ON THE AGENDA HERE TODAY.

IT HAS MY NAME NEXT TO IT, BUT I AM NOT NECESSARILY RUNNING A PRESENTATION.

I AM HOPING TO RECEIVE A REPORT.

SO, MR. CITY MANAGER, WHO DO I HAVE THAT WILL PRESENT THAT? SURE.

WE DIDN'T COME WITH A PRESENTATION, BUT WE CAME TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

I DID ASK STAFF TO BE READY TO PROVIDE A STATUS UPDATE ON CIPS, AND SO I THINK THE FIRST THING I'D DO IS I'LL PITCH OVER TO DONNIE AND TALK ABOUT OUR CIP SYNC COMMITTEE AND SOME OF THE WORK THEY'VE DONE THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.

SOME OF THE WORK HE'S DOING NOW TO PUT SOME THINGS IN THE POLICY AND TO REORGANIZE THAT COMMITTEE.

SO, DONNIE? AND MR. HOOPER, DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU'VE GOT TO GO BACK AND REHASH THE DETAILS LIKE IN THE HISTORY OF IT.

I AM LOOKING FOR AN UPDATE, AND SO IF WE CAN START WITH YOU, I THINK THAT'S GREAT.

SURE, WE CAN DO THAT.

YEAH, WITHOUT GOING BACK OVER THE HISTORY OF IT, JUST STARTED IN NOVEMBER OF 24. THAT'S WHEN WE STARTED GOING DOWN THE PATH OF CHANGING THE WAY THAT WE WERE.

EVALUATING AND LOOKING AT CIPS AND THE WAY THAT PROCESS TOOK PLACE.

THERE WAS ALSO A TIME PERIOD THERE THAT WE GAVE YOU A PRESENTATION ON, ON HOW WE WENT THROUGH AND WE CLOSED OUT CERTAIN PROJECTS, AND I THINK EVERYONE'S AWARE OF ALL THAT.

WHERE WE'RE AT NOW IS WE HAVE NOW TRANSITIONED THAT CIP SYNC COMMITTEE, AND LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS.

WE HAD WHAT WE CALLED OUR SYNC COMMITTEE, AND THAT'S JUST WHAT WE NAMED IT, WHEN WE FORMED THAT, AND IT WAS SO THAT WE HAD A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT COULD BRAINSTORM MOST OF THE CIP HEAVY USERS, UTILITIES, PUBLIC WORKS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

BRAINSTORM IDEAS, FIND OUT WHY, WHAT THE ISSUES WERE IN THE PAST, THINGS THAT WE COULD FIX MOVING INTO THE FUTURE, HOW WE GET THAT SHIP GOING IN THE DIRECTION THAT COUNCIL WAS GUIDING US.

AND SO WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME DOING THAT, IN FACT, SEVERAL, SEVERAL MONTHS GOING OVER THAT.

WE'RE NOW TRANSITIONING THAT INTO A CIP OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, WHICH WILL BE MUCH NARROWED DOWN TO ALL OF THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER.

IT'LL ALSO HAVE FINANCE COMPONENTS THE AUDIT OUR AUDITOR UH...

SANDRA, WHO WORKS DOWN IN THE COUNTY AND PUTS ALL THESE CIPS TOGETHER IN THE SYSTEMS SO THAT WE CAN EVALUATE ANY REQUEST THAT COMES FORWARD FOR A TRANSFER OF FUNDS FROM ONE PROJECT TO ANOTHER.

ALSO TO EVALUATE A PROJECT THAT'S GOING TO BE CLOSED OUT AND CAPITALIZED SO WE CAN ALL DISCUSS THAT AS A GROUP.

WE'LL TAKE ALL THAT INPUT AT EACH OF THOSE MEETINGS, INVITE THOSE DEPARTMENTS TO COME TO THOSE MEETINGS IF THERE IS A NEED THAT THEY HAVE SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THAT AS A GROUP.

OUR NEW CFO, OF COURSE, WILL BE A PART OF THIS PROCESS AS WELL.

AND THEN WE CAN ALL LOOK AT EVERYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH THAT CIP, ITS HISTORY, WHAT IT WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED FOR, WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT ANOTHER PROJECT, WHETHER THAT'S CLOSING BACK OUT TO RESERVES, WHETHER THAT'S CLOSING BACK OUT TO BOND RESERVES, SO THAT WE HAVE A REALLY CLEAN PROCESS THAT WE CAN TAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION THEN TO THE CITY MANAGER AND TELL HIM, HERE IS WHAT WE WANT TO DO.

A GOOD EXAMPLE WOULD BE...

WE HAVE A PROJECT THAT HAS $50,000 LEFT IN IT.

WE HAVE ANOTHER PROJECT THAT'S SHORT BY $63,000.

WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT MONEY PLUS $13,000 FROM OUR E&I ACCOUNT INTO THAT.

WE WOULD THEN TAKE THAT TO GRAYSON AS A RECOMMENDATION IF THAT COMMITTEE APPROVED THAT.

AND GRAYSON, OF COURSE, THEN WOULD GIVE INSTRUCTIONS FOR US TO BRING THAT TO COUNCIL IF THAT'S WHAT HE WANTED TO DO.

WE'VE HAD SOME THAT WE'VE EVALUATED THAT HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF PROJECTS THAT WERE REALLY IDENTIFIED AS THE SAME TYPE OF PROJECT.

AND SO COMBINING THOSE WOULD BE A DISCUSSION THAT WE WOULD HAVE.

THEN WE WOULD BRING THAT TO COUNCIL.

COUNCIL WOULD GIVE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT WHERE THAT NEW PROJECT IS AND WHERE THAT MONEY IS BEING APPROPRIATED.

ALSO WOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK AT WAS THAT AN EXISTING CIP? WAS THAT AN EMERGENCY PURCHASE THAT WE HAD TO MAKE? WAS IT SOMETHING THAT BROKE THAT WE WERE NOT EXPECTING? FULL EVALUATION OF THAT THEN WOULD COME BEFORE THE GOVERNING BODY SO THAT YOU COULD LOOK AT THAT AND MAKE THOSE DECISIONS MOVING FORWARD.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT OUR FOCUS HAS BEEN ON OUR END.

WE HAD A LARGE GROUP THAT WAS PARTICIPATING IN THIS ALL ALONG.

AND WE HAD SOME REALLY, REALLY GOOD IDEAS THAT CAME OUT OF THERE.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, MY ROLE RIGHT NOW IS WHAT ARE WE DOING FROM THIS POINT FORWARD? HOW ARE WE MOVING THE NEEDLE FORWARD TO HAVE A BETTER PROCESS WHERE WE HAVE BETTER ACCOUNTABILITY? AND WE REALLY LIKE THE PRODUCT THAT WE PRODUCE.

SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE.

AND I THINK NOW THAT WE'RE SHIFTING THAT TO AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE THAT HAS INTERNAL POLICIES ATTACHED TO THAT ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT, INTERNAL PROCEDURES ON HOW WE WOULD EVALUATE EACH OF THOSE REQUESTS, ET CETERA.

SO, THAT'S AT LEAST MY UPDATE ON WHERE WE'RE HEADED WITH ALL THE CIPS.

I THINK THAT'S GREAT.

AND EVERYTHING YOU'RE SAYING, NOT ONLY AM I THANKFUL FOR, LIKE I'M IN TOTAL AGREEMENT WITH IT, AND I'M NOT PUSHING BACK ON ANY OF THAT MOVING FORWARD.

I THINK THE PROCESS WAS IDENTIFIED IN A WAY PREVIOUSLY THAT YOU'VE GREATLY IMPROVED UPON.

AND I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU GOT TO SAY MUCH MORE THAN THAT, RIGHT? I KNOW THE AUDITOR SPOKE TO IT IN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A MORE TIMELY AND ACCURATE STATEMENT, AND THAT WILL BE INCLUDED, BUT THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'LL HAVE MOVING FORWARD,

[02:55:01]

AND HOPEFULLY IT WOULD GIVE KIND OF THAT DASHBOARD LOOK, WHICH WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR STAFF, BUT THEN ALSO FOR COUNCIL TO SEE, LIKE, WHERE WE'RE TRACKING.

DO YOU EXPECT THAT DASHBOARD? OR CIPS TO BE UPDATED MAYBE QUARTERLY? ARE YOU SAYING SEMI-ANNUAL, JUST ONCE A YEAR? WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD BE HEALTHY? WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR DOCUMENT NOW THAT WE'RE REVIEWING AT THE NEXT MEETING ON THE 21ST WITH THAT COMMITTEE STATES IN THERE THAT WE WOULD HAVE A MONTHLY UPDATE THAT WE WOULD PROVIDE.

AND WE CAN DO THAT EITHER WAY.

WE CAN EITHER PROVIDE THAT IN OUR WEEKLY MANAGEMENT REPORT SO THAT ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS COULD SEE THAT, OR WE COULD PROVIDE IT AND THEN COMBINE IT INTO A QUARTERLY REPORT AT COUNCIL MEETINGS.

IT'S WHATEVER REALLY THE COUNCIL DESIRES FOR US TO DO.

THE IDEA FOR US INTERNALLY IS TO HAVE A RUNNING DASHBOARD THAT'S COMPLETED EVERY MONTH WHERE WE'VE EVALUATED EVERY TRANSACTION THAT'S TAKEN PLACE.

WE ALSO, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'LL ALSO HAVE, AND YOU'LL SEE A PRESENTATION FROM MR. DANFORTH COMING UP AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, OF WHERE ARE WE AT WITH THE EXISTING CIPS THAT WE HAVE ISSUED FUNDS FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, THE ONES THAT ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY, IF YOU WILL, AND MAY INCLUDE SOME FROM THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT HAVE BEEN IN DESIGN THAT ARE NOW UNDERWAY.

WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THOSE, WHERE ARE WE AT, AND WHEN DO WE EXPECT TO COMPLETE THOSE? AND THAT'S ALL RELATED TO THE ARBITRAGE COMMUNICATION PIECES THAT WE'VE ADDED TO PROTECT THE ITEM AS WELL.

SO I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT FOR SURE ON THAT DASHBOARD AT LEAST IN A MONTHLY PRESENTATION AS OF NOW.

I ENVISION THAT BEING IN THE WEEKLY REPORT.

THAT'S PROBABLY THE EASIEST WAY TO DO THAT.

BUT WE WOULDN'T MIND COMING BACK QUARTERLY.

AND PRESENTING THAT TO THE ENTIRE GROUP AS WELL AND WHERE WE'RE AT AND WHERE WE'RE GOING OBVIOUSLY THERE'D BE A BIGGER DISCUSSION WHEN IT COMES TO BUDGET WHEN WE'RE PRODUCING THE NEXT YEAR'S LIST OF CIPS AND YOU'LL HAVE SOME PRESENTATIONS IN AS WELL SO MULTIPLE TIMES YEARS WHEN YOU WOULD SEE THAT OKAY? AND I THINK COUNCIL IF WE CAN GIVE CLEAR DIRECTION HERE TODAY THESE GUYS ARE WORKING REALLY HARD TO TO KEEP US IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD YOU KNOW YOU GET YOUR QUARTERLY INVESTMENT OR HOLDINGS REPORT EVERY QUARTER I THINK THIS COULD GO RIGHT IN LINE WITH THAT AND IF WE COULD GET THE DASHBOARD, THE PRINTOUT.

SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS TRANSITION THE CONVERSATION A LITTLE BIT MORE TOWARDS THE TEMPLATE.

SO LIKE WHAT I'M IN POSSESSION OF, WHAT COUNCIL HAS IS JUST THE EXISTING CIP WORK PRODUCT THAT GOES BACK AND GRABS ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT WE HAD POTENTIAL TRANSFERS.

AND WE HAD ORIGINAL APPROPRIATIONS FROM, YOU KNOW, YEARS AND YEARS AGO.

I THINK THE ONE THAT I LOOKED BACK THAT WAS THE FURTHEST WAS MAYBE 2014.

I'M NOT GOING TO SWEAR TO THAT.

SO WE'VE GOT SOME OLDER PROJECTS, AND THEN THESE PROJECTS ARE CUMULATIVE.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT EVERYBODY HEARS THESE PROJECTS CONTINUE FORWARD.

THEY DON'T JUST COME UP ONCE A YEAR ON BUDGET AND THEN IT WAS DONE.

THEY CARRY OVER INTO THE NEXT YEAR.

SO FINANCIALLY WE NEED TO BE TRACKING THOSE APPROPRIATIONS.

TO MAKE SURE, ONE, WE'RE RUNNING IN BUDGET, AND TWO, WE'VE GOT THOSE MONIES SITTING ASIDE SO WE DON'T REALIZE ANY KIND OF SHORTFALL.

AND SO ON THAT, COUNCIL, VERY CLEAR DIRECTION ON MAYBE A QUARTERLY UPDATE.

ARE YOU ALL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT? AND IT COULD JUST COME TO US AT A COUNCIL MEETING SO THAT WE COULD SEE THAT, AND THEN IT COULD ALSO BE GIVEN SAME TIME THAT FINANCE PUTS OUT THE HOLDINGS REPORT.

COUNCIL, I WOULD ASK IF THAT'S TOO MUCH, IF THAT'S ENOUGH.

I MEAN, DO YOU WANT MORE OR LESS? WOULD YOU CLARIFY THE ASK AGAIN? SO THE ASK WOULD BE QUARTERLY.

THE CIP DASHBOARD WOULD BE COMMUNICATED ON A REPORT THAT WILL TRACK, YOU KNOW, HERE'S THE AMOUNT THAT WAS APPROPRIATED, HERE'S THE PROJECT NAME, DESCRIPTION, HERE'S THE AMOUNT THAT'S SPENT, HERE'S THE AMOUNT REMAINING.

AND THEN, IN A GOOD SCENARIO, PROJECTS READY TO BE CLOSED OUT SO YOU'RE GONNA SEE IT ON YOUR REPORT.

SO WE APPROPRIATED TEN MILLION DOLLARS WE SPENT FIVE YOU'RE GONNA BE AWARE.

WE HAVE A FIVE MILLION DOLLAR SAVINGS THAT'S GOING TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL.

IT CAN'T BE SPENT ON ANYTHING ELSE IT'S GOT TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL TO BE APPROPRIATED TO THE NEXT PROJECT.

IT'LL COME WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FROM STAFF STAFF MAY SAY HEY, WE WE DON'T HAVE YOU KNOW, PROJECT CAME BACK BID AT $4 MILLION.

WE BUDGETED TWO.

WE NEED AN EXTRA $2 MILLION.

THIS IS SOME OF THE SAVINGS ON THAT OTHER PROJECT.

SO THAT CIP REPORT IS GOING TO CREATE A GOOD TEAMWORK ENVIRONMENT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

SO IT'S LIKE A FINANCIAL GANTT CHART ON EACH CIP PROJECT IS WHAT? PRETTY MUCH.

I MEAN, THE WAY WE ENVISION IT, AND YOU'VE GOT TO REMEMBER, TOO, WE'RE BUILDING ALL THAT INTO EBUILDERS NOW, AND EBUILDERS HAS THE ABILITY TO CREATE.

RUNNING DASHBOARDS THAT'S KINDA LESSEN THAT WORKLOAD FOR US TO SO WHEN AND NOW WE'VE GOT TO GET THAT INPUT AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE A WHILE TO GET THAT FINISHED UP BUT I THINK ONCE WE DO THAT UH...

THERE'S EVEN A POSSIBILITY THAT WE COULD HAVE SOMETHING ALIVE THAT YOU LOOK AT ALL TIME BUT WE WOULD LOVE TO COME BACK AND GIVE REPORT SHOW WE'RE OUT I THINK IT'S GREAT IS THAT

[03:00:01]

SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO? I MEAN, THE REQUEST ON QUARTERLY, IS THAT? SURE.

OH, YEAH, IT IS.

AND I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, HOW SOON WE'LL HAVE ALL THAT DATA IN.

IT'S GOING TO DEPEND ON THAT, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY DO IT AS SOON AS WE GET ALL THE DATA IN.

SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT IS JUST, AS I MENTIONED, EVERY ASPECT OF ALL THESE CIPS, BUT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THOSE SPECIFIC PROJECTS YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT.

WE HAVE A LIST OF CIP PROJECTS, NOT ONLY IN THE TWO- TO FIVE-YEAR PLAN, BUT WE ALSO HAVE SOME THAT ARE BEYOND THAT AS WELL.

SOME OF THOSE GET MOVED UP, SOME OF THEM GET MOVED AROUND.

IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THOSE WITH YOU AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

WOULD THERE BE ANY REASON WE WOULDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE DASHBOARD? WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THAT.

WE NEED TO GET ALL THE DATA ENTERED FIRST, BUT THERE MAY BE A POSSIBILITY THAT YOU COULD HAVE ACCESS TO JUST SEE THAT.

NOT TO ENTER DATA, JUST TO SEE THE DASHBOARD.

AND SO THAT WOULD SAVE THE TIME IF WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE DASHBOARD.

THEN ONLY WHEN QUESTIONS CAME UP, THAT WOULD BE EASIER THAN REPORTING OUT ON THE WHOLE THING EVERY QUARTER.

WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE WHAT THE CAPABILITIES OF THE EBUILDER ARE FOR DOING THAT.

DOES THAT SEEM LOGICAL? I THINK SO.

I THINK IF WE HAD THAT BUILT IN, I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO GIVE YOU GUYS ACCESS, BECAUSE YOU WOULD HAVE ACCESS IF YOU WERE ASKED FOR IT ANYWAYS.

AND SO, YEAH, IF WE CAN GET YOU GUYS VIEWER ACCESS, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

THAT WOULD SOLVE A LOT OF THE REPORTING, AND SO I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.

THE PART OF ALL THIS HAS BEEN IS JUST THAT IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO BUILD IT OUT.

AND SO, AGAIN, THE FOCUS THIS YEAR HAS BEEN LET'S DO THIS YEAR'S CFPS, LET'S GET THESE CFPS DONE SO I DON'T KEEP ADDING CFPS TO THE LIST.

THEN AS WE CAN, WE'RE STARTING TO WORK BACKWARDS ON OTHER CFPS.

ALL WHILE DOING WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS AND UTILITY BILLING PROJECTS AND TURN IT TO YOURS, ALL THOSE KIND OF THINGS, WHILE DOING ALL THAT STUFF.

SO THIS HASN'T BEEN THE PRIORITY FOR US.

COUNCILMAN PRESCOTT, WE ALSO REALLY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, IF IT'S CAPABLE OF DOING IT, A FORWARD-FACING DASHBOARD THAT THE PUBLIC COULD SEE AS WELL.

I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK THAT.

EXACTLY.

IF WE'VE GOT IT, WHY WOULDN'T WE WANT EVERYBODY TO LOOK AT IT? THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARD.

ELIMINATE ALL THESE ACCUSATIONS.

AGREED THAT WE GET.

WELL, I JUST, WHAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE IS, YOU KNOW, AND ACTUALLY, KRISTEN, YOU KNOW, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS SOUNDS LIKE, I MEAN, THE THING THAT I SEE US GETTING INTO SOMETIMES, AND I HAD A BOSS LIKE THIS ONE TIME, HE SAID, OH, DO THIS.

OH, THAT WON'T STOP IT.

COME ON, BE OPTIMISTIC.

HE'S STILL NEW.

COUNCILMAN.

HE THINKS IT'S AS SIMPLE AS JUST DOING IT WHEN WHEN YOU'VE GOT TO IMPLEMENT IT AND DO IT IT'S FAR MORE COMPLEX THAN THAT AND IT TAKES A LOT MORE MAN HOURS THAN HE REALIZED BUT WE FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO IT I MEAN IS THIS IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN YOU KNOW I JUST AS A COUNCIL I THINK WE'VE GOT WE HAVE A GOOD DUTY FOR OVERSIGHT BUT I THINK YOU KNOW BUT WE DON'T WANT TO BOG THE STAFF DOWN WITH COMING UP WITH THESE UNIQUE REPORTS OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT ARE TAKING ALL THIS TIME TO COMPLETE THEM.

WHEN I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD HAVE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE PRODUCED RELATIVELY EASY OUT OF WHATEVER SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE.

SO I'M JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY EASY, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO REQUIRE 05,000 MAN HOURS OF SOMEBODY TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE THE SYSTEM AND TO BE ABLE TO MANIPULATE IT IN THIS WAY.

GREAT OBSERVATION, GREAT QUESTION.

AND WE THINK THAT THE SYSTEM CAN DO THAT AUTOMATICALLY.

IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LIKED ABOUT.

THE DEMO OF EBUILDERS WHEN WE HAD THEM COME IN AND SHOW US THE AUTOMATIC DASHBOARDS THAT ARE CREATED.

IF YOU'VE GOT THE DATA IN THERE, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF SETTING UP THAT DASHBOARD A COUPLE OF TIMES, AND IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY AUTO-POPULATE THAT.

SO I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF LABOR INVOLVED WITH THAT.

NOW, JERRY MAY BE BACK HERE READY TO THROW DARTS AT THE BACK OF ME, BUT FROM EVERY DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE HAD, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE LABOR-INTENSIVE.

THE LABOR-INTENSIVE PART RIGHT NOW IS PUTTING ALL OF THOSE CIPS MANUALLY INTO THE SYSTEM.

YOU'VE GOT TO REMEMBER, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS SINCE NOVEMBER OF 2024.

AND I WOULD SAY THE EBUILDER IS PART OF THAT PROBABLY FOR THE LAST SIX OR SEVEN MONTHS TO TRY TO START GOING DOWN THAT PATH.

SO ONCE THAT PART IS DONE, THEN I THINK EVERY YEAR JUST ADDING THE ADDITIONAL CIPS FOR THE CURRENT YEAR THAT WE'RE IN FOR YEAR ONE IS NOT GOING TO BE THAT HUGE OF A CHALLENGE FOR US.

IT'S JUST GETTING THERE.

MY GOAL THAT I'VE HAD FOR THE TEAM FROM THE BEGINNING IS GETTING US TO A POINT WHERE COUNCIL HAS MORE VIEWER ACCESS TO THE CIPS.

IT'S JUST, THIS IS A BIG, BIG PROJECT.

IT GOES BACK YEARS AND YEARS, AND TRYING TO...

AGAIN, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE EXCUSES, BUT DOING THIS WHILE DOING EVERYTHING ELSE TODAY IS JUST TO BALANCE OUR PRIORITIES.

BUT MY GOAL AND MY EXPECTATION IS FOR US IS TO GET THE COUNCIL BETTER ACCESS TO WHATEVER DATA YOU WANT IN THERE.

YOU WANT TO KNOW PERCENTAGES.

YOU WANT TO KNOW ACTUALS.

YOU WANT WHATEVER IT IS.

AND SO PART OF MY TASK HERE, I'VE TASKED ANDREW WITH LOOKING AT IT FROM A COUNCIL PERSPECTIVE.

AND I KNOW THIS WAY THE TEAM CAN CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THE.

LOGISTICS AND GRIND OF THE CIPS.

I'VE ASKED ANDREW TO LOOK AT IT FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE.

[03:05:01]

OKAY, WHAT WOULD THE COUNCIL LIKE TO SEE AND THEN WHAT KIND OF PERSPECTIVE WOULD THE CITIZENS LIKE TO SEE? AND SO WHAT, BECAUSE WE CAN GIVE YOU TONS OF DATA, BUT WHAT DRILL DOWN MORE WOULD YOU, AGAIN A DASHBOARD IS MEANT TO BE SUMMARIZED.

NOT A THOUSAND DIALS, BUT LIKE THREE NEEDLES KIND OF THING.

SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND SO THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH.

I THINK YOU, ONCE YOU GET THE DATA, THEN YOU'LL...

IT WILL PRESENT THE QUESTIONS TO ASK, AND THEN WE'LL JUST WORK THE PROCESS OUT.

AND EXACTLY, THAT'S BEEN OUR PROCESS, IS TRYING TO GET OUR HEAD WRAPPED AROUND THE WHOLE THING SO WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT DOES THIS BEST LOOK LIKE.

IS IT AN E-BUILDER? IS IT AN AUTOMATED SHEET OUT OF WORKDAY? IS IT A SPREADSHEET? WHICH COLUMNS DO WE WANT TO ENTER? THAT'S THIS TIME TO GET OUR HEADS WRAPPED AROUND THE WHOLE THING SO WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE BEST SUMMARIZED WAY OF GETTING IT TO YOU ALL.

I THINK FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY WOULD BE THE...

WELL, I THINK ALSO, I MEAN, FOR US, I MEAN, BEING ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, EASILY SEE AT A HIGH LEVEL THE MAJOR THINGS THAT WE NEED TO BE SEEING AND HAVE ACCESS TO, AND THAT'S GOING TO NATURALLY, YOU KNOW, DRAW CONVERSATIONS OR QUESTIONS WHERE WE MAY NEED TO DRILL DOWN IN SOMETHING.

SO I THINK NOT ONLY JUST HAVING THE INFORMATION, BUT MAKE SURE THE INFORMATION IS SOMETHING THAT'S USEFUL AND CAN BE ABLE TO DO THAT, BOTH ON THE CIP AND...

I'M HOPING ALSO AS WE KIND OF REFORMAT THE BUDGET A LITTLE BIT THAT IT WILL PUT IT IN A FORMAT THAT, BOY, IT JUST ALLOWS US TO MUCH EASIER GAUGE WHERE WE ARE AS AN ORGANIZATION INSTEAD OF HAVING TO HAVE AN 800-PAGE NOTEBOOK THAT'S FULL OF ALL KINDS OF DETAILS.

YEAH, AND JERRY JUST REMINDED ME THAT IN HIS PRESENTATION ON THE 28TH, HE'S GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A LOOK AT THIS, WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO, WHAT WE'RE PUTTING, WHAT WE'RE WORKING IN EBUILDERS AND GET A GOOD IDEA OF THAT AS WELL.

SO I LOOK FORWARD TO IT.

SEEING THAT, HE SAID HE'S PROBABLY GOING TO ANSWER SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.

REAL GOOD.

SO, COUNCILMAN SIMPSON, I THINK IT'S EXCELLENT QUESTIONS AND REALLY GOOD TO KNOW.

MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE NOT BURDENING THE STAFF WITH ADDITIONAL REQUESTS.

CREATE A DIFFERENT DOCUMENT.

LET ME SEE IT THIS WAY, THAT WAY.

THEY HAVE A LOT THAT THEY CAN WORK WITHIN.

AND EBUILDERS, I'M FAMILIAR WITH, AND I KNOW THAT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE TOOL.

I THINK WHAT I WOULD LIKE THOUGH IS LIKE IN THE TEMPLATE IF WE COULD AT LEAST GIVE KIND OF THE OUTLINE OF WHAT I THINK WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

SO YOU WOULD WANT TO SEPARATE CLOSED AND OPEN PROJECTS.

I KNOW THAT CAN BE EASILY DONE AND THAT WILL HELP US BECAUSE IF WE SEE AN OPEN PROJECT AND IT'S IN A DIFFERENT COLOR, THEN WE WON'T IMMEDIATELY FEEL LIKE, OH, THERE'S MONEY LEFT THERE.

YOU'RE GOING TO KNOW, OKAY, WE'RE NOT FINISHED.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TOTAL BALANCE COULD BE.

BUT THEN NEXT WOULD JUST BE PROJECT NUMBER AND THE NAME OR THE DESCRIPTION.

AND THEN I WOULD LIKE THE REPORT TO SHOW THE APPROPRIATED AMOUNT.

SO IF COUNCIL APPROPRIATED $1 MILLION FOR PROJECT X, THEN WE CAN SEE THAT.

THEN WE WOULD HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

SO LET'S SAY WE APPROPRIATED $1 MILLION, BUT WE WERE EXPECTING, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY IT'S A 10% MATCH FOR AIRPORT, AND THEY'VE GOT A $9 MILLION GRANT FUND THAT'S COMING.

WE'D BE ABLE TO SEPARATE THAT SO WE WOULD KNOW WHAT WAS COMING OUT OF THAT ENTERPRISE OR COMING OUT OF THAT FUND, AND THEN ALSO ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

AND THEN THE ACTUALS TO DATE ARE GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT.

SO EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT THE ACTUALS TO DATE OF, LIKE, WHAT TODAY IS, MAYBE WE HAVE A ROLLBACK AND WE'RE A QUARTER BEHIND, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE.

WE WOULD NEED TO SEE WHEREVER THAT REPORT'S UPDATED, THOSE ARE THE ACTUALS.

THEN THE AMOUNT REMAINING OR THE AMOUNT PROJECTED WOULD BE NICE AND THEN ANOTHER LINE ITEM THAT JUST WOULD SHOW MONIES AVAILABLE.

SO LET'S ASSUME WE DO PROJECT X FOR $500,000.

IT WAS APPROPRIATED FOR A MILLION.

NOW WE KNOW TO EXPECT THAT $500,000 TO COME BACK.

AND THEN THAT IS EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MOVING FORWARD AND I THINK WE'VE HAD A GOOD DISCUSSION WHERE WE'RE ALL IN ALIGNMENT.

IS THERE ANY REASON THAT THAT WOULDN'T BE THE WAY STAFF WOULD HAVE ALREADY KIND OF...

NO, IN FACT, I THINK ALL OF THE ABOVE ACTUALS TO DATE, THE PROJECT NUMBER, DESCRIPTION, APPROPRIATED AMOUNT, AMOUNT REMAINING IS ALREADY BUILT INTO THAT.

WE'RE BUILDING IT THAT WAY.

THE ONLY ONE WE WOULDN'T HAVE IS LIKE MONEY AVAILABLE, BUT THAT WOULD JUST, REALLY, THAT'S THE AMOUNT REMAINING.

AND THERE COULD BE A CUMULATIVE TOTAL THAT COULD GO ALONG WITH THAT.

BUT I THINK WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW, JERRY, AM I RIGHT? IT PRETTY MUCH COVERS ALL OF THAT.

ALREADY.

SO I KNOW DAN FORREST'S ON IT.

HE'S WORKING FORWARD.

SO HERE IS MY REQUEST HERE TODAY.

I KNOW THAT WE HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF CLOSED-OUT PROJECTS.

AND I KNOW IN THE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE AUDITOR, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ASKING FOR A DETAIL SHEET THAT AGREES WITH PAGE 70 IN HIS AUDIT, RIGHT? AND SO THOSE HAVE TO AGREE.

AND SO IN A PREVIOUS MEETING, YOU KNOW, I HAD SAID THIS REPORT DOESN'T SHOW ACTUALS.

AND SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE LISTED 188 PROJECTS IN THE GENERAL FUND AND WE GAVE

[03:10:02]

BUDGETARY AMOUNTS, BUT THEN WE DIDN'T SHOW ONE ACTUAL ON ANY OF THOSE.

AND SO, COUNCIL, IS THERE ANY REASON THAT WE WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE ALL THOSE ACTUALS ON THOSE CLOSED OUT PROJECTS? BECAUSE WHAT I WOULD BE ASKING FOR IS DON'T DO ONE THING DIFFERENT, MR. HOOPER, THAT YOU AND DANFORTH ARE PLANNING ON GOING FORWARD WITH.

AGREE TOTALLY.

BUT THEN...

THIS TRUCK HAS A REAR VIEW MIRROR AND I'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO LOOK BACKWARDS TO THE FISCAL YEAR 24-25 AND BE ABLE TO SEE THAT THE DETAIL SHEET MATCHES WHAT THE AUDIT SHOWS.

AND THEN IF WE DO HAVE SAVINGS ON THESE PROJECTS, WHERE IS THAT MONEY SITTING AND DO WE NEED TO REAPPROPRIATE THAT? SO THAT HAS BEEN MY REQUEST THE ENTIRE TIME IN LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE OLD PROJECTS.

AND THEN IF WE HAVE A PROBLEM SOMEWHERE, I WANT TO TAKE THAT PROBLEM ON AS IT COMES UP.

I'M ASKING FOR THE REPORT TO INCLUDE ALL THE ACTUALS, AND THEN ONCE AGAIN, COUNCIL, I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU GUYS UNDERSTAND THAT WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE.

SO I'M NOT ASKING FOR ANY DOCUMENTATION TO BE GIVEN TO ME IN THIS TEMPLATE THAT UNIL AND HIS TEAM OR FINANCE HASN'T ALREADY PROVIDED AND DONE THE LEGWORK TO ACCOMPLISH THE AUDIT.

AND SO, MR. PATH, TELL ME IF I'M SAYING THAT.

JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, ARE YOU TALKING FOR THE PAST? PRIOR FISCAL YEAR 24-25, ARE YOU LOOKING AT GOING BACK FURTHER? WELL, THE ISSUE WOULD BE THE CLOSED-OUT PROJECTS THAT DID COME IN FROM PREVIOUS YEARS BUT WERE CLOSED IN THAT FISCAL YEAR 24-25.

AND YES, WE SHOULD BE CLOSING OUT ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS, RIGHT? SO EVERY OPEN PROJECT THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED...

YOU HAVE THE INTENTION OF CLOSING IT OUT? YEAH, NO, I THINK WHAT I WAS JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WAS IF WE CLOSE THAT PROJECT THREE YEARS AGO, YOU'RE NOT ASKING US TO GO BACK THREE YEARS AND FIGURE OUT WHERE THE MONEY WENT THREE YEARS AGO.

BECAUSE WE HAVE REBALANCED THE BUDGET SINCE THAT POINT, AND SO DOING THE RESEARCH, I THINK, TO FIGURE OUT THREE, FOUR, FIVE, TEN YEARS AGO, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT.

THAT'S A GREAT CLARIFYING STATEMENT, SO LET'S SAY IT THIS WAY, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS A GOOD POINT OF CONSIDERATION.

LET'S SAY IN 2020 PROJECT X WAS COMPLETED, AND IT WASN'T CLOSED OUT EVER.

UNTIL 24-25, THEN YES, EVEN THOUGH IT'S PREVIOUS YEAR, IT WASN'T CLOSED, IT WAS STILL ON THIS REPORT AS AN OPEN PROJECT.

SO YES, I THINK WE SHOULD CAPTURE THAT MONEY AND SEE WHAT DID WE SPEND, WHAT WERE OUR ACTUALS.

HOWEVER, LET'S GIVE THE OTHER SCENARIO.

PROJECT X IN 2020 WAS CLOSED OUT IN PROJECT X.

I'M NOT TRYING TO GO BACK AND PULL ANY DATA.

FROM PROJECTS THAT WEREN'T IDENTIFIED ON THE INTERNAL AUDITOR'S REPORT.

YEAH, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS A PROJECT WAS COMPLETED FOUR YEARS AGO BUT CLOSED OUT LAST YEAR, LOOKING AT THOSE, BUT A PROJECT WAS CLOSED OUT FOUR YEARS AGO, NOT LOOKING AT THOSE.

I THINK WE'RE SAYING THE SAME THING.

SO I'M UNAWARE OF PROJECTS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN CLOSED OUT PRIOR TO THIS REPORT.

AND THIS REPORT THAT CAME UP IN THE CIP COMMITTEE AND EVERYTHING Y'ALL ARE WORKING ON IDENTIFIED, LET'S SAY, 400-PLUS OPEN PROJECTS.

SO THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT I'M AWARE OF, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE ALL CLOSED OUT WITH ACTUALS, WITH THE HOPE THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY SOME OF THOSE ACTUALS.

LIKE WE HAVE AN ITEM TODAY, RIGHT? WE HAD ONE WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO FUND IT WITH PREVIOUS CIP PROJECTS THAT HAD REMAINING BALANCES.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, DONNIE WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY THOSE, BUT COUNCIL DOESN'T NECESSARILY KNOW THAT THAT'S HOW THAT WENT.

SO, IN TYING UP THAT LOOSE END.

THIS WOULD JUST BE GOING BACK TO CLEAN UP ALL OF THAT, BRINGING FORWARD IN ONE PULL ALL OF THOSE REMAINING MONIES TO THEN BE APPROPRIATED MOVING FORWARD.

AND THEN WE WOULDN'T HAVE THIS LOOK BACK REALLY ANYMORE BECAUSE OUR SOLUTION IS THE NEW POLICY AND PROCEDURE.

YEAH, NO, YEAH.

I THINK THE GOAL IS TO DO WHAT YOU SAID.

I JUST DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE TIMING OF DOING ALL THAT.

SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO TASK OUR COMMITTEE WITH, ME, DONNIE, ANDREW, JERRY, LOLA.

I THINK I'D LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO TAKE THESE THINGS BACK TO YOUR COMMITTEE ON THE 21ST OR SO AND START SEEING WHAT DOES THIS MEAN, I GUESS, AND SO HOW DO WE DO THIS? OKAY, SO LET ME CONSIDER SOME TIMING.

EVERYTHING THAT I'M ASKING FOR IN THE CLOSED-OUT PROJECTS THAT'S BEEN REPRESENTED ON THE WORKSHEET SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE AUDIT THAT'S READY TO BE SIGNED.

YEAH, AND I KNOW I LEARNED ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE MEETING, WE DO OWE YOU A COUPLE DOCUMENTS, AND SO LOLA'S WORKING WITH KATRINA AND THE TEAM.

THEY'VE STILL BEEN ANSWERING QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDITOR.

WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON GETTING THE AUDIT DONE, AND SO EVEN TODAY WE'RE STILL ANSWERING MORE SECOND REVIEW, SECOND REVIEW QUESTIONS AND SO, BUT, YEAH, WE STILL OWE YOU SOME DOCUMENTS.

I'LL GET TO THE WHOLE COUNCIL, AND, YEAH, WE'LL GET YOU WHATEVER WE GIVE THE AUDITORS.

OKAY, SO I WOULD SAY IT IN TWO PARTS.

ONE, WE HAVE SOME TIME TO WORK ON THE THINGS MOVING FORWARD THAT DONNIE AND AND MR. DANFORTH ARE WORKING ON, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY TIME TO WORK

[03:15:01]

ON THESE ITEMS THAT ARE IN RED THAT ARE ALREADY CLOSED OUT THAT HAVE BEEN REPRESENTED IN THE AUDIT.

I DO WANT TO BE ABLE TO VERIFY THAT THEY ALIGN WITH THAT AUDIT, AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO GET THAT AMOUNT OF DATA, THE ACTUALS SPECIFICALLY, SO THE APPROPRIATED AMOUNTS, THE ACTUALS ON THE CIP REPORT FOR ALL THE CLOSED-OUT PROJECTS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED.

YOU IS THERE SOMETHING I'M MISSING IN, LIKE, I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO GO DO ANY ADDITIONAL WORK.

I'M JUST ASKING YOU TO GIVE ME THE WORK YOU'VE ALREADY DONE.

YEAH, I THINK WE CAN GIVE YOU WHATEVER WE'RE GIVING THE AUDITORS.

OKAY, AND THEN ON THE INTERNAL AUDIT, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE I SPEAK CLEARLY TO THAT.

THE AUDIT ITSELF AS A CIP RECOGNIZES ADDITIONS, DELETIONS, AND HE'S IN NO WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM TRYING TO.

LOOK AT A PROJECT AND IDENTIFY THOSE MONIES.

SO WHAT I'M ASKING FOR WAS MORE OF THE INTERNAL AUDITOR'S REPORT THAT YOU KNEW WOULD COMPLETE THIS.

SO EVERYTHING HERE THAT IS MISSING IN ACTUAL, I JUST WANT THAT LINE ITEM FILLED IN.

AND I'LL HAVE TO TALK TO LOLA AND KATRINA.

THAT'S ACTUALLY A FINANCE DEPARTMENT PRODUCT.

INTERNAL AUDIT DOESN'T CREATE THAT SHEET.

AND SO THEIR JOB IS TO TAKE FINANCE DOCUMENTS AND AUDIT THEM.

I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN TRYING TO ASSIST THEM WITH THAT, BUT IT'S PRIMARILY A LOLA, KATRINA DEPARTMENT THING.

I CAN DEFER TO THEM.

I HAVE TO GET WITH THEM ABOUT GETTING YOU THAT INFORMATION.

OKAY, SO THE DOCUMENT, THOUGH IT CAME FROM YOU, NEAL, IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PRODUCED IN YOU, NEAL'S OFFICE.

CORRECT, YES.

SO FINANCE NEEDS TO PUT THE ACTUAL AMOUNTS NEXT TO THE PROJECTS AS LISTED ON A TEMPLATE THAT'S ALREADY CREATED, AND THEN YOU COULD GIVE IT TO ME? I HAVE TO, AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT.

I'LL HAVE TO TALK TO KATRINA AND LOLA TO SEE WHAT THAT ENTAILS.

WELL, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WOULD BE COMFORTABLE APPROVING THE AUDIT WITHOUT KNOWING THAT OUR CIPS MATCH ON THE DETAIL TO WHAT HE'S CLOSED OUT.

WELL, OBVIOUSLY YOU'D BE APPROVING THE AUDIT BASED OFF THE AUDIT'S OPINION.

SO THE AUDITOR HAS TO PERCEIVE WHAT HE'S COMFORTABLE WITH, AND SO THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE APPROVING IT ON.

AGAIN, IT'S HIS PRODUCT.

YOU'RE APPROVING HIS WORK PRODUCT, NOT OUR WORK PRODUCT.

OKAY, SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL LOOKING AT IT THE SAME.

YOU GUYS HAVE YOUR WORK PRODUCT.

WE HAVE OUR OVERSIGHT.

THE AUDITOR HAS HIS ROLE.

AM I OVERSTEPPING? AM I NOT SUPPOSED TO EXERCISE OVERSIGHT ON THESE CLOSED-OUT PROJECTS? AM I ASKING? AND, COUNCIL, I'D OFFER THAT UP TO YOU GUYS.

IF I NEED TO TAKE A STEP BACK, BECAUSE WE HAVE IDENTIFIED PROJECTS HERE THAT THANK YOU.

ARE REPRESENTED AS CLOSED OUT WITH NO ACTUALS NEXT TO THEM, BUT I KNOW THE WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

I WOULD JUST SAY FROM, WE'VE ASKED THE AUDITORS IN AUDIT COMMITTEE, IS THERE ANY DISCREPANCIES? IS THERE ANY RED FLAGS? AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY.

WE'VE HAD GOOD, CLEAN AUDIT REPORTS YEAR ON YEAR, PREVIOUS COUNCILS.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? SO SPECIFICALLY IT WAS THE DETAIL SHEET.

SO IN THE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE AUDITOR, WHAT HE SAID WAS, IS I JUST TOOK YOUR NUMBER THAT FINANCE GAVE ME AND I RECOGNIZE THAT, AND SO YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR STAFF FOR THE DETAIL SHEET, AND IT SHOULD AGREE WITH PAGE 70.

SO PAGE 70 GIVES AN AMOUNT OF ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS, AND THEN HE'S TELLING ME THAT THERE IS A SHEET THAT IS THE DETAIL, AND IT SHOWS THE DETAIL OF ALL THE PROJECTS WITH THE ACTUALS THAT WE SHOULD BE PRODUCING TO GIVE.

THIS IS CLA? THIS IS CLA.

AND VERY SPECIFICALLY, WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS, AND I HAVEN'T CHANGED VERBIAGE OR VOCABULARY AT ALL.

I'M JUST RESTATING WHAT I'M BEING DIRECTED AS, YOU KNOW, AN ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE WHO IS IN CHARGE AND ONE OF THE BODY THAT'S IN CHARGE OF THE OVERSIGHT, THAT THAT'S PART OF THE AUDIT.

AND SO, YES, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY AGREE.

YEAH, WE'LL GET YOU WHAT WE HAVE, YES, AND SO I'LL HAVE TO GIVE IT TO LOLA AND KATRINA, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE DETAIL SHEET IS, BUT WE'LL...

LET ME SAY IT A DIFFERENT WAY.

COUNCIL, IF Y'ALL WERE GOOD CLOSING OUT SEVERAL HUNDRED PROJECTS WITH NO ACTUALS AND JUST PUTTING IT IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR AND TELLING YOUR STAFF, WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU SPENT ALL THE MONEY OR NOT.

WE DON'T KNOW IF ALL THE PROJECTS WERE CLOSED OUT ACCURATELY OR IF THERE COULD BE A PROBLEM DOWN THE ROAD.

WE JUST WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.

AND IF YOU GUYS GIVE THAT DIRECTION TO THE STAFF, THEN THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY'LL DO.

BUT IF YOU DON'T GIVE THAT DIRECTION, WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS, NO, WE DO CARE ABOUT THE ACTUALS AS IT RELATES TO THE CIP, AND WE DO WANT TO KNOW IF THERE'S ANY MONIES REMAINING ON ANY OF THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN CLOSED OUT.

YOU HAVE A WHOLE COMMITTEE THAT'S WORKING ON THIS AND HAS SINCE 25.

SO WHAT HAVE THEY IDENTIFIED?

[03:20:01]

AND IF SO...

LIKE CAN WE HAVE IT SO COUNCIL THAT THAT'S AS BLACK AND WHITE AS I CAN MAKE IT IF THE ACTUALS IF THERE'S MONEY BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE GOING FOR DRIVING IT THIS IS IF THERE'S MONEY LEFT OVER WHERE IS IT THAT IS THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT MONEY SHOULD BE STILL SITTING IN THE CIP CORRECT BUT SO YOU WANT TO SEE IF A PROJECT WAS 80 MILLION DID WE ACTUALLY SPEND $80 MILLION OR DID WE CLOSE IT OUT AND THEY SPENT $75? OR DID THEY SPEND...

WE JUST SAID THAT IN WHAT WE SAID WE LIKED WHAT DONNIE AND MR. DANFORTH ARE DOING.

WE JUST SAID WE WANT TO CREATE ALL THIS, WE WANT TO DASHBOARD IT.

NOT ONLY DO WE WANT REPORTS AND UPDATES, BUT WE WANT THE PUBLIC TO SEE IT.

WE JUST SAID ALL THIS.

YOU WANT TO GO BACKWARDS.

I THINK KATRINA, SHE'S ASKED IF SHE CAN COME SPEAK REAL QUICK.

I THINK SHE CAN CLARIFY.

HOLD ON ONE SECOND, MS. KATRINA.

THANK YOU, THOUGH.

WHY WOULD WE NOT WANT TO GO BACKWARD SINCE WE'RE CLOSING OUT SEVERAL HUNDRED PROJECTS AND IDENTIFY POTENTIAL COST OVERRUNS AND POTENTIAL COST SAVINGS AS THOSE PROJECTS HAVE NOW BEEN CLOSED OUT? YOU'RE WANTING TO DO WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING THE DASHBOARD TO BE BUT GO BACKWARDS HOWEVER LONG YOU HAVE.

WE SHOULDN'T IMPLEMENT THE NEW SYSTEM WITH THE DASHBOARD AS THE BETTER WAY FORWARD IF IT WASN'T THE BETTER WAY FORWARD.

AND THEN WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM IN THE PAST THAT WE CAN'T GO AND...

AND LOOK AT BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY HAD TO DO THE WORK IN ORDER TO DO THE AUDITS.

SO, LIKE, WHY WOULD WE NOT GO BACK AND JUST IDENTIFY THE MONEY'S EITHER REMAINING OR NOT? KATRINA, WHAT IS FORCED TO HAPPEN IN OUR GENERAL ACCOUNTING WHEN THERE'S MONEY LEFT OVER IF A CIP IS BUDGETED AT 80 AND WE SPEND 75? WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT 5? IT JUST STAYS THERE, AND THEN YOU REBALANCE IT IN YOUR NEXT BUDGET CYCLE.

SO Y'ALL WOULD DO THAT AUTOMATICALLY? YES.

SO IT WOULD STAY, AND THEN WHERE WOULD THAT MONEY GO? WOULD IT COME BACK TO COUNCIL? IT WOULD.

SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENED.

IF THESE PROJECTS ARE CLOSED AND THEY CAME UNDER BUDGET, THEN THAT MONEY WOULD HAVE BEEN RE...

YOU WILL SEE IT THIS NEXT CYCLE.

WE WOULD HAVE SEEN IT THAT NEXT CYCLE.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.

YOU CAN'T SAY IT'S ALREADY HAPPENED BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE IT YET, RIGHT? SO YOU JUST SAID IT'S GOING TO COME INTO THE NEXT CYCLE, RIGHT? AND THEN YOU USED THE TERM REBALANCE.

I'M CURIOUS, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? SO WHEN I KEEP MENTIONING THE BUDGETARY CASH FLOW, THAT JUST A 90-DAY PROJECTION THAT WE TALK ABOUT, THAT 90-DAY CASH RESERVE.

CASH FLOW THAT YOU SEE ON WATER, SEWER, ALL THE ENTERPRISES, GENERAL FUND, THAT'S THE REBALANCING EVERY YEAR.

YOU HAVE YOUR PRIOR YEAR, YOU HAVE YOUR REVISED YEAR, AND YOU HAVE YOUR NEXT YEAR BUDGET.

YOU HAVE YOUR CASH, YOUR INVESTMENTS, YOU TAKE OUT YOUR DEBT, AND WHAT'S LEFT IN YOUR CIP, WHAT'S LEFT OVER, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO ONE TIME.

SO TELL ME IF I MISSPEAK AT ALL, AND I HAVE TO BE 100% ACCURATE IN THIS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE COMMUNICATING ACCURATELY.

YOU REBALANCED PREVIOUSLY.

YOU TOOK ALL OF THE ENTERPRISE MONEY.

LET'S JUST USE AN EXAMPLE AS THE ENTERPRISE FUND OF SEWER AND WATER.

SO YOU TOOK THE ENTERPRISE MONEY, AND YOU TOOK THE RESERVE BALANCE THAT WE NEED TO HOLD, AND YOU PULLED THAT OUT OF THE TOTAL.

THEN YOU TOOK THE EXISTING CIPS THAT WERE CONTINUING ON, AND YOU TOOK THE TOTAL AMOUNTS THAT HAD BEEN RESERVED IN THERE, AND YOU PULLED THAT OUT OF THE TOTAL.

SO THAT YOU COULD HOLD BOTH OF THOSE ASIDE.

THAT IS REBALANCING, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEN THE NET EFFECT OF WHATEVER'S LEFT OVER, YOU WOULD BRING TO COUNCIL SO COUNCIL COULD APPROPRIATE IT FOR FUTURE CIP PROJECTS.

OKAY, SO COUNCIL, WE JUST IDENTIFIED, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF PROJECTS THAT ARE CLOSED OUT THAT HAVE NOT BEEN REBALANCED.

BUT THEY HAVE BEEN REBALANCED EVERY YEAR.

THEY HAVE TO BE REBALANCED.

IT HAS TO BE REBALANCED EVERY YEAR.

WE DIDN'T CLOSE THEM OUT UNTIL...

THIS YEAR.

YOU WILL SEE IT IN THIS NEXT BUDGET WHEN WE BRING IT TO YOU.

THAT'S WHAT I MEAN.

SO YOU FOUND CFB PROJECTS, OLD ONES, ONE OF THE 2014.

THAT ARE CLOSED OUT.

NOT CLOSED OUT.

THAT WERE CLOSED OUT IN 24-25, CORRECT? YEAH.

SO NOW THEY'RE CLOSED.

WELL, WHEN WERE THEY CLOSED OUT? CURRENT BUDGET YEAR.

I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE DETAILS.

SOME OF THEM WERE AFTER IN 25-26.

SOME OF THEM WERE 24-25.

I'M NOT SPECIFIC ON WHICH STATES WENT WHERE.

BUT WE SHOULD SEE THEM IN THE FOLLOWING BUDGET.

ABSOLUTELY.

YOU'LL SEE.

NOW, AS FAR AS WHAT WE PROVIDED THE AUDITOR, WE HAVE THE EXACT DETAIL OF ACTUALS.

WE HAVE BUDGET IN ANOTHER PLACE.

SO WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, WE WILL HAVE TO TAKE THAT AND COMBINE IT AND GET YOU THAT DATA.

IT'S NOT ALREADY BUILT.

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE CURRENTLY? IT'S JUST A LIST OF PROJECTS, AND THIS IS THE ADDITIONS, THIS IS DELETIONS.

ARE THE PROJECTS? ARE THE PROJECTS LISTED, NUMBERED WITH THE ACTUALS NEXT TO THEM?

[03:25:02]

AND IT'S JUST ACTUALS.

BUT THAT TIES TO THE ACTUAL.

I MEAN, WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS.

SO WHAT DO YOU EXPECT WHEN WE REBALANCE THIS YEAR? WHAT DO YOU EXPECT THE SURPLUS OR DEFICIT TO BE? I'M MISSPEAKING IF I ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

I KNOW YOU CAN'T PROJECT WHAT YOU THINK THAT IS, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL HUNDRED PROJECTS THAT ARE CLOSED OUT HERE ON THIS REPORT THAT I'M LOOKING AT.

THEY WEREN'T CLOSED OUT AND REBALANCED PRIOR TO FISCAL YEAR END 24-25.

RIGHT, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A NEXT BUDGET THAT YOU BROUGHT THAT TO YOU.

CAN I PRESENT THEM? WE WILL SEE IT IN AUGUST.

LET ME.

WOULD, AND I HEAR WHAT COLE'S SAYING, IS IT, HOW MANY ARE THERE? THERE'S 200? WELL, JUST IN GENERAL FUND, THERE'S 188.

BUT THEN, LIKE, LET'S TAKE SEWER AND WATER AS AN EXAMPLE.

GO TO, WHAT IS THAT, 4,500? WHAT'S THAT NUMBER? 05,200, RIGHT? OH, THEY'RE NOT LISTED.

THEY'RE NOT BROKEN OUT THAT WAY.

I DON'T KNOW, BUT I'D SAY ROUGHLY 50% OF, WELL, PROBABLY NOT 50%.

I BELIEVE ON GENERAL FUND WE CLOSED AND TRANSFERRED $90 MILLION ON CIP.

NOW, I DIDN'T REALLY LOOK AT ENTERPRISES.

I DIDN'T HEAR THAT.

SAY THAT AGAIN.

WE HAD $90 MILLION THAT MOVED OUT OF CIP TO ASSETS.

SO THEY WERE CLOSED PROJECTS.

SO THE REAL SIMPLE QUESTION HERE IS IF STAFF HAS ALREADY DONE THE WORK AND THEY GATHER UP 188 PROJECTS, THAT ARE $90 MILLION WORTH OF CLOSED OUT, JUST ADD UP THOSE SAME 188 JOBS FOR THE APPROPRIATED AMOUNT, AND IF WE APPROPRIATED $100 MILLION, THEN WE NET THE 10, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD EXPECT COMING TO THE REBALANCING OF MOVING FORWARD.

POTENTIAL.

WHAT IF YOU JUST TAKE, INSTEAD OF DOING ALL OF THEM, JUST STATISTICALLY LOOK AT A RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR ON 20% OF THE PROJECTS, WHICH WOULD BE 30 PROJECTS, AND JUST SEE HOW THEY MATCHED UP.

WELL, WE COULD EVEN MAKE IT EASIER.

WE COULD JUST CHERRY-PICK 10 PROJECTS THAT ARE THE HIGH-VALUE, HIGH-DOLLAR PROJECTS AND JUST PULL THOSE.

YOU ALREADY HAVE THE ACTUALS.

YOU'VE ALREADY REPRESENTED IT.

THEY'RE CLOSED.

ALL YOU WOULD NEED THEN IS JUST THE APPROPRIATED AMOUNT.

WE COULD DO THAT.

THAT WOULD SAVE A LOT OF FTE TIME.

SO HERE'S MY WHOLE POINT FOR THIS DISCUSSION AND I WOULDN'T HAVE PUT THIS HERE HAD I HAD BEEN GIVEN THE ABILITY TO HAVE A PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION WITH STAFF IN A ONE-ON-ONE.

SO I'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH THE STAFF INDIVIDUALIZED IN A COUPLE DIFFERENT WAYS BUT ALL OF YOU GUYS TOGETHER HERE HAVE RECENT AND AND WHAT I WAS TOLD WAS LIKE WELL MAYOR YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE ASKING FOR IT SO LIKE I DON'T KNOW IF I NEED THE COUNCIL'S DIRECTION HERE OR NOT.

I ASSUME THAT AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, ANY OF THIS INFORMATION THAT I SAY I NEED IN ORDER TO DO MY JOB, YOU GUYS WOULD PROVIDE FOR ME.

BUT THEN THERE'S THIS ISSUE OF LIKE, WELL, THAT'S A LOT OF WORK OR WE DON'T HAVE ALL THIS TOGETHER.

EVEN THOUGH WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR OVER A YEAR, I STILL DON'T HAVE ONE ACTUAL.

I MEAN, THERE'S NOT AN ACTUAL ON THAT REPORT.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU WOULD BRING A REPORT THAT DOESN'T HAVE AN ACTUAL ON IT.

BUT IT SHOWS A COLUMN OF ACTUALS.

SO, COUNCIL, I'M NOT WILLING TO MOVE ANY WAY BUT FORWARD.

THIS IS THE ONLY WAY I KNOW TO GO FORWARD, AND I'M ASKING FOR HELP HERE.

I JUST WANT THE DATA, AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GET IT FROM STAFF, BUT THEY HAVE NEEDED, I GUESS, MAYBE MORE OF OUR DIRECTION.

SO THAT IS THE WHOLE PURPOSE HERE TODAY IS.

I AM VERY INTERESTED IN ASKING FOR YOU GUYS TO SUPPORT ME IN GETTING THE ACTUAL DATA ON ALL OF THESE EXISTING PROJECTS.

AND I'M NOT ASKING FOR ANY WORK TO BE DONE.

AND I'D BE HAPPY TO SEND YOU ALL OF IT, BUT IT'S ONLY ACTUAL.

IT WILL NOT HAVE THE BUDGET.

BUT WHY WAS THAT NOT ALREADY INCLUDED ON THE TEMPLATE? THAT WAS A DIFFERENT PRODUCT JUST FOR THE AUDITORS.

SO YOU HAVE THEM ALL, AND THEN YOU JUST DIDN'T PUT THEM ON THE REPORT? IT WAS BUILT FROM THE...

BUT THE ONGOING PROJECTS SHOW THE ACTUALS.

SO YOU DID INCLUDE THE ONGOING PROJECTS.

I LOOKED AT THAT.

WELL, THE ONES IN BLACK ALL SHOW, YOU KNOW, LIKE HERE'S FIRE APPARATUS EQUIPMENT.

YOU KNOW, HERE'S THE AMOUNT.

HERE'S WHAT WE BUDGETED.

HERE'S HOW MUCH WE'VE SPENT SO FAR.

SO THOSE ARE EASY TO FOLLOW, AND I CAN SEE WHERE THOSE ARE.

BUT THEN EVERY ONE OF THESE IN RED IS BLANK.

SO YOU HAD A QUESTION, I GUESS? WELL, I WAS GOING TO SAY, IF YOU HAVE THE ACTUALS...

AND IT'S JUST THE ACTUALS.

WE DON'T EVEN NEED TO PRODUCE A NEW REPORT.

YOU CAN JUST GIVE IT TO HIM, AND HE CAN FILL IN THAT COLUMN

[03:30:01]

OF ACTUALS.

YES? AND WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO FILL IT IN.

IT'S JUST GOING TO TAKE A MINUTE.

YEAH, AND I ACTUALLY HAVE A PREVIOUS REPORT FROM IA THAT SHOWS ALL OF THE APPROPRIATIONS AMOUNT.

SOME OF THEM I REMEMBER, BUT THEN OTHER ONES WE COULD GO BACK AND PULL A MINUTE AND SEE WHAT WAS PUT THERE.

BUT THE MATH PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE DONE, COUNSEL, IN MY OPINION.

NOW, IF THERE'S THREE OF US HERE THAT SAY, DO NOT DO MATH, WE DO NOT WANT TO KNOW IF THERE'S ANY MONEY LEFT OVER ON THESE PROJECTS, THEN TELL ME THAT.

I'M BLACK AND WHITE.

IF YOU WANT TO KILL THE BABY, GO AHEAD, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO KILL THE BABY.

I'M ABOUT TO THROW THE BABY OFF THE CLIFF.

I WOULD SAY WHAT I THINK I HEAR AFTER LISTENING TO THIS IS.

YOU BELIEVE THAT IN PROJECTS THAT WERE CLOSED OUT IN 24-25, WHICH IS OUR MOST RECENT YEAR OF CLOSEOUT, AND THAT COULD BE SEVERAL HUNDRED PROJECTS THAT WERE CLOSED OUT IN THAT YEAR, THAT THERE COULD BE, FOR WHATEVER REASON, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT REASON IS, INCORRECT ACCOUNTING, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, THAT IF WE RECONCILE THAT, THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THERE'S UNSPENT MONEY ON THOSE CLOSED-OUT PROJECTS THAT IS OUT THERE SOMEWHERE.

THAT WE JUST HAVEN'T IDENTIFIED THAT COULD BE USED FOR FUTURE PROJECTS.

I BELIEVE I'M SAYING THAT JUST LIKE YOU SAID IT AND THAT THEY'RE AGREEING WITH ME THAT THEY'RE EXPECTING THOSE MONIES TO COME BACK FOR A REBALANCING.

THAT WE WILL REALIZE THEM THIS YEAR THAT THERE'S NOT FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY.

SO THEN I GUESS WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR IF THAT'S COMING? I MEAN, MY THOUGHT WAS, I MEAN, LIKE YOU SAY, IF WE GO AND RANDOMLY SELECT 10% OF THESE PROJECTS, JUST TO, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE AUDITOR DOES.

THE AUDITOR DOESN'T GO LOOK THROUGH EVERYTHING.

NO, THEY DON'T DO THE BUDGET ASPECT.

THEY JUST PULL BACK.

YES, BUT I'M JUST SAYING WHEN THEY'RE DOING THE CHECKS AND BALANCES, THEY PICK RANDOM SAMPLES.

THEY DON'T GO LOOK THROUGH ALL OF OUR FINANCES, AND REALLY THEY JUST CHECK TO MAKE SURE.

THAT WE HAVE CONTROLS IN PLACE, PEOPLE THAT ARE APPROVING THAT.

I'M JUST SAYING IF WE LOOK AT A FINITE NUMBER OF SAMPLES TO BEGIN WITH AND WE JUST GO THROUGH THOSE AND THEN WE SAY, THERE'S NOTHING, I MEAN, IT'S ALL LINING UP, THEN WE CAN LOOK AT IS IT WORTH DOING THE REST OF IT.

BUT IF WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF VARIATION WHERE WE SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, THIS COULD ADD UP TO A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS, THEN MAYBE WE PROCEED AND GO THROUGH THE REST OF IT.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT LIVING IN A TIME WHERE THESE THINGS ARE KEPT IN LEDGERS.

THERE'S A THING CALLED COMPUTERS.

THE DATA IS VERY EASY TO GET AND MERGE.

ALL THE MAYOR IS ASKING FOR IS A COMPLETE REPORT OF ALL OF THESE THINGS.

TO DO 188 PROJECTS, TO DO 02,000 IS NO BIG DEAL, TECHNICALLY.

WE'RE JUST MERGING DATA.

SO WE SPENT ALL THIS TIME TALKING ABOUT THIS AND THAT'S ALL THE MAYOR IS ASKING FOR IS A COMPLETE REPORT WITH THE DATA THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE.

IT'S NOT A DIFFICULT THING.

I WOULD JUST REMIND COUNCIL THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS AND IT WAS OUR PRIMARY FOCUS IS FOR STAFF TO GET THE AUDIT DONE.

THAT'S VERY WELL SAID.

WE ALL TALKED ABOUT THAT AND THE AUDIT IS STILL NOT DONE.

WE ARE LAGGING BEHIND.

AND OUR ENTIRE INTENT WAS TO GET AUDIT DONE FIRST AND THEN WE WOULD REVISIT THIS.

SO TO PERCEIVE OR TO CONFER THAT WE HAVE NOT MOVED FORWARD WHILE THEY'RE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO GET THE AUDIT IS NOT FAIR TO STAFF.

NO, AND THEY'VE WORKED EXCESSIVELY AND EXCEEDINGLY HARD AND DONE A LOT OF WORK TO GET THE AUDITOR WHAT HE NEEDS.

THE WORK'S ALREADY BEEN DONE.

I'M NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN...

THE ACTUALS, AND THEN I BELIEVE THESE TO GO HAND IN HAND.

SO, COUNSEL, YOU HAVE A ROLE IN THIS, AND ONCE YOU VOTE FOR THAT AUDIT AND YOU FILE IT, I THINK IT'S EASY TO SAY, LOOK, WE'RE NOT LOOKING BACKWARDS.

WE DON'T WANT TO DO A MATH PROBLEM ANYMORE.

RIGHT NOW WE'RE SAYING WE WANT TO DO THE MATH PROBLEM.

LET'S JUST RESOLVE THIS.

LET'S JUST GET THE ACTUALS, AND WE'RE DONE, RIGHT? CORRECT? THAT'S IT.

LET'S JUST GET THE ACCESS.

WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THIS TALK ANYMORE.

NOW THAT THE AUDIT IS NEARING COMPLETION, WE HAVE THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE.

WE DIDN'T HAVE IT TWO MONTHS AGO.

WE DIDN'T HAVE IT THREE MONTHS AGO.

WE DIDN'T HAVE IT FOUR MONTHS AGO.

WE HAVE IT NOW.

WE CAN NOW GIVE IT.

WE HAVE GIVEN THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE WHEN ASKED.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

THERE'S A LOT OF CONTEXT.

WE'VE SKIPPED OVER AND ON THIS WHOLE SITUATION.

BUT, YEAH, WE WILL GET THE ACTUALS TO YOU ALL AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.

AND WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE AUDIT, WE'RE NOT VOTING THAT THAT AUDIT IS ACCURATE.

WE'RE ACCEPTING IT.

THAT'S CORRECT, YEAH.

THAT'S IT.

SO, YOU KNOW, FOR WHAT YOU ASKED FOR, THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.

THE AUDIT AND THE CIP REPORTS ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.

I DON'T SEE WHAT THE ISSUE IS, SO JUST GET THE ACCESS.

I THINK THE ONLY ISSUE IS THAT THE AUDITOR NEEDS TO AGREE WITH WHAT WE HAVE TO BACK UP THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS, AND I DON'T HAVE ANY SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS, AND HE SAID THESE ARE THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS YOU SHOULD ASK FOR.

SO, LIKE, TO CARRY THAT OUT PRIOR TO THE AUDIT BEING

[03:35:02]

CLOSED IS MY INTENTION.

THAT'S TOTALLY FINE.

I CAN GET THOSE, TOO.

WE BEAT THE DEAD HORSE, RIGHT? WE'VE GOT IT ALL OUT THERE.

WE'VE KILLED THE BABY.

LET'S KICK THE DOG ONE MORE TIME.

SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE CONVERSATION.

IS THAT CLEAR ENOUGH FOR STAFF? LIKE NO QUESTIONS FROM STAFF ON DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL? I THINK WE'RE GOOD.

CAN WE CLARIFY ONE THING ON THAT? AFTER THE AUDIT, WE HAVE TO GET THE AUDIT DONE, GUYS.

SO WE WILL MOVE FORWARD.

GOT TO GET THE AUDIT DONE.

WELL, THE AUDIT IS COMPLETE.

IS IT DONE? IT'S IN SECONDARY REVIEW.

I SEE IT DROPPED.

I SEE IT DONE.

AND WE'RE WAITING ON HIM TO SUBMIT IT BACK FOR OUR REVIEW.

NO.

I'M ANSWERING QUESTIONS ACTIVELY FOR LIKE THE LAST WEEK.

WE ARE THROUGH SECOND REVIEW.

WE ARE CLEANING UP SECOND REVIEW QUESTIONS.

THERE'S THREE MORE TOPICS AND TWO MORE FOOTNOTES.

CAN I ASK A QUESTION? YES.

AND THEN I WILL BE DONE.

HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE, TO MAYOR'S POINT, WITH THE DATA'S THERE? IT'S JUST BOARDING FOOTNOTES.

LIKE, I'M JUST SAYING YOU PROBABLY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO IMPORT IT INTO THIS.

NO, I CAN GET IT.

I MEAN, IF WE HAVE THE 188 PROJECTS, WHICH YOU DO, THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT, THE RED ONES ON THIS REPORT, WHATEVER THEY ARE, YOU CAN EASILY JUST.

I CAN TIE IT TO THE ACFER BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THAT WORK PAPER.

I KNOW FOR A FACT THOSE NUMBERS TIE.

SO THAT'S EASY.

AND JUST GET IT TO HIM.

SO, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO TAKE MUCH TIME.

IT'S JUST FORWARDING AN EMAIL.

BUT WHEN WE GET TO HIM, CAN WE PLEASE GET THE AUDIT DONE, GUYS? YEAH, BUT FINALIZED.

AND THEN THEN GO TO THIS.

IT SOUNDS LIKE WE CAN GET THE INFORMATION LIKE TONIGHT.

OR SHE CAN.

WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER THE AUDIT RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S IT.

IT'S IN REVIEW PHASES.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE CAN GET IT DONE.

SO IN THE MEANTIME, WELL, THEY WANT TO GET THEIR TIME RIGHT NOW TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND CONTINUE.

[6.4. Request future agenda items and reports from City Manager ]

SHE SAID IT'S PUSHING.

IT'S SENDING AN EMAIL.

I THINK WE GOT A RESOLUTION.

YEAH, I GOT IT.

6.4, FUTURE REQUESTED ITEMS. ANYBODY? I HAVE A COUPLE THAT I WOULD LIKE.

MS. OWENS, THANK YOU.

STAFF, THANK YOU.

I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE.

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME DEFINITIVE ANSWERS ON GETTING ALL OF THE BOARDS, HOW THAT'S GOING TO LOOK FORWARD.

I DIDN'T SEE RESOLUTION, LIKE TRUE RESOLUTION IN THAT.

AND THEN ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A REPORT OUT ON THE UM, TCEQ.

WOULD BE THE RIGHT WAY.

AGREED ORDER? AGREED ORDER, YES SIR, ON THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AND HOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.

I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE CITIZENS TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND THE HEADWINDS THAT WE HAVE IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS.

I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT PROCESS.

ABSOLUTELY, WE CAN DO THAT.

WHAT WAS THE FIRST ITEM AGAIN, COUNCILMAN PRESCOTT? JUST TO GET CLARITY ON HOW THESE BOARDS AND GROUPS THAT WERE WERE THE 42 BOARDS AND GROUPS, HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET THOSE GUYS.

I KNOW WE HAVE THE TIER PROCESS, BUT WHAT DOES THAT REALLY LOOK LIKE? WELL, I THINK WE DID RESOLVE THAT.

DID WE? I DIDN'T HEAR A RESOLUTION.

WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON A COUPLE OF THE MAJOR BOARDS.

WE'RE GOING TO USE THE TECHNOLOGY IN THIS ROOM AND DO IT IN THIS ROOM, SEE HOW THAT GOES, AND THEN DEPENDING, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S THE BIGGEST HIT AND PEOPLE ARE WATCHING IT OR WE THINK THERE'S ENOUGH VALUE IN CONTINUING TO ROLL IT OUT TO THE OTHER BOARDS.

BUT I THINK DOING SOMETHING, INSTEAD OF GOING FOR THE PERFECT MODEL, WE'RE GOING TO GO FOR THE GOOD MODEL TO BEGIN WITH.

THEN WE CAN WORK OUT THE TECHNOLOGY BUGS.

I THINK THAT WILL HELP US DETERMINE IF THIS ROOM IS A GOOD ROOM TO DO IT GOING FORWARD.

THEY MAY DO IT AND SAY, NO, THIS IS NOT A GOOD ROOM.

WE NEED TO DO IT.

SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF TEST, AND THEN HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

AND THEN AT THE POINT THAT THEY DO IT, THEY COME BACK.

BACK AND SAY OKAY HERE'S WHAT WE THINK WOULD WORK BEST GOING FORWARD IF I JUST FELT IT OKAY I AGREE WITH THAT I JUST FELT THAT IT WAS KIND OF OPEN-ENDED THE SECOND PART WAS EVALUATING TECHNOLOGY TO RECORD AND TRANSCRIBE OTHER BOARDS TO BRING THAT BACK ONCE WE HAVE A SOLUTION I THINK IT STARTED CLEAN UP A LOT OF MISCONCEPTION THANK YOU.

THAT'S MY TWO ITEMS. YES, SIR? WE GOT ONE OVER HERE.

I WOULD LIKE TO PUT SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA CONCERNING OUR PARKS AND RECREATION, AND NOT AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE PARKS DO.

WHAT PARKING RECS DOES AS FAR AS ACTIVITIES AND EVERYTHING.

I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE A VERY FRANK DISCUSSION ON THE STATE OF OUR PARKS AND WHERE WE ARE AND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HOW WE GOT THERE AND WHERE WE WANT TO BE IN THE NEXT FIVE, TEN YEARS IN OUR PARKS.

I HAD A I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN IT.

I WAS UP AT THE ZOO THIS WEEKEND, AND THE WAY WE LEFT THAT AND HOW IT HAS BEEN OPERATED OVER THE LAST WHO KNOWS HOW MANY YEARS.

I WENT FROM SHOCK TO ANGER TO DISBELIEF.

TO EMBARRASSMENT FOR THE CITY IN THE WAY THAT THAT ZOO WAS TURNED OVER.

[03:40:01]

AND I THINK NOW WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT ALL OF OUR PARKS AND HOW WE MAINTAIN THEM AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO ANSWER FOR THAT DOWN THE LINE BECAUSE I THINK ALL OF THEM ARE IN PRETTY BAD SHAPE, AND I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.

AND I WOULD, IF I CAN ADD TO THAT, I WOULD SAY AN EVALUATION.

I KNOW THAT WE'VE ALREADY TALKED A LITTLE BIT, BUT MAYBE AN EVALUATION FROM PARKS AND REC.

SO MAYBE IT'S NOT NEXT MEETING, BUT MAYBE THE NEXT.

BUT THEY COULD GO, WHICH I THINK WE'RE ALREADY TASKED-ISH, RIGHT? BUT MAYBE AN EVALUATION OF EACH PARK.

CAN I ADD ON TO THAT AS WELL? CAN WE REVIEW THE AMOUNTS OF MONEY THAT WE'VE GIVEN THEM EACH YEAR AND THE EXPECTATION WITH THAT SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

BUT DO THAT DEPARTMENT JUSTICE AND GO BACK SEVERAL YEARS AND SEE WHAT WAS WITHHELD OR PULLED FROM THEIR BUDGET.

AND THEN TELL ME IN ONE SUMMER OF NOT MAINTAINING...

YOUR OWN YARD, HOW MANY SUMMERS IT TAKES FOR YOU TO PUT IT BACK.

SO GO BACK TO 2020 IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT, BECAUSE THERE'S STILL PROGRESS OVER THERE, AND I'M NOT DISAGREEING WITH ANYTHING COUNCIL'S PUSHING ON, BUT WITHIN CONTEXT.

OF WE NEED TO HAVE REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS MOVING FORWARD.

AND, YES, THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, BUT LET'S AT LEAST GO BACK TO 2020 IF WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT BUDGETS.

AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE WERE ALREADY PLANNING ON PUTTING SOMETHING ON THE SCHEDULE TO DO THAT.

CAN'T GIVE YOU A TIME FRAME FOR IT YET.

WE NEED MICHAEL TO HAVE A CHANCE TO PUT ALL THAT TOGETHER, BUT WE'LL WORK AND BRING IT BACK TO YOU.

I WILL.

OH, I'M SORRY.

CAN WE ADD ONE OTHER THING ON THIS? WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE PASSED A BOND FOR PARKS IN THIS CITY SO WE COULD HAVE SOME REAL CLARITY? YEAH, IT'S BEEN A WHILE.

I WOULD SAY, AND I DON'T THINK I IMAGINED THIS, BUT I THINK, WAS THERE NOT A RECENT VIDEO PRODUCED, QUITE AN IN-DEPTH VIDEO, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN IT, ABOUT JUST IN THE LAST YEAR OR THE LAST SEVERAL, WHAT OUR PARKS HAS DONE? DONE.

SO I THINK LET'S BE SURE TO, I MEAN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S JUST MONEY.

THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT'S PREVENTING A LOT OF WHAT'S GOING ON.

BUT LET'S DON'T SHORTCHANGE, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE WE HEARD TODAY.

ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE'RE OPERATING WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS AND WATER FACILITIES ON THE LOWEST RATES IN THE STATE SHOWS WE'RE PRETTY ECONOMICAL AT BEING ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, TO DO THAT.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE NOT GIVING NEAR AS MUCH MONEY TO PARKS AND RECREATION, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THAT VIDEO, TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT BECAUSE I THINK IT DOES HIGHLIGHT A LOT OF GREAT THINGS THAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT ARE DOING.

WE CAN DO THAT.

[7.1. Public Hearing and Consideration of Ordinance No. 8243.]

ADDITIONAL REQUESTED ITEMS. ANYTHING FURTHER? MOVING ALONG.

PUBLIC HEARING.

THIS IS OUR NON-CONSENT AGENDA.

BRING UP OUR ALL-TIME FAVORITE PRESENTER, MR. BRADY KINDRED.

ITEM 7.1, SIR.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING IN CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE 8243.

THIS IS THE REZONE TO LOTS 1 THROUGH 3.

AND 9 THROUGH 12 BLOCK 46 OF AMENDED PLOT OF SAN JACINTO HEIGHTS ADDITION.

THIS IS LOCATED IN POTTER COUNTY, TEXAS, IN THE VICINITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA STREET AND SOUTHWEST FIFTH AVENUE.

THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING THE REZONE FROM RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 3 TO RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 3 WITH SPECIFIC USE PERMIT 209 FOR A DAYCARE FACILITY.

AND THE APPLICANT IS JOELLA MORGAN FOR YELLOW CITY ACADEMY LAND AND EQUIPMENT LIMITED.

THEY ARE PROPOSING TO REPURPOSE AN EXISTING CHURCH ON THE SITE THAT IS VACANT THAT WAS BUILT IN THE 1950S TO A DAYCARE FACILITY AND AN ASSOCIATED PLAYGROUND THAT'S LOCATED ON THE PROPERTY.

THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION FOUND THAT THIS REQUEST WOULD CONFORM WITH CITY PLAN 2045 AND SHARES MANY SIMILAR CHARACTERISTICS IN TERMS OF USE WITH THE CHURCH THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY THERE.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT SPECIFIC USE PERMITS, OFTEN IT'S BECAUSE IT SHARES CHARACTERISTICS WITH SOMETHING THAT...

WOULD BE POTENTIALLY APPROPRIATE IN THAT AREA, BUT JUST NEEDS TO BE ASSESSED ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS.

THEY WILL EMPLOY APPROXIMATELY 20 PEOPLE AND WILL OPERATE FROM 7 A.M.

TO 6 P.M.

MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION ALSO DID NOTE THAT THIS PROPOSAL WOULD PLACE A CRITICAL SERVICE FOR RESIDENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, ESPECIALLY ONE THAT'S BEEN SEEING A LOT OF REDEVELOPMENT EFFORTS.

THAT WOULD ALSO MEET ANOTHER GOAL, CITY PLAN 2045, TRYING TO LOCATE THOSE CORE SERVICES WITHIN NEIGHBORHOODS.

THERE WERE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM, AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST WITH A 5-0 VOTE.

OKAY, I'M GOING TO TEST MY MAYOR PRO TEM'S SKILLS IN RUNNING HIS FIRST PUBLIC HEARING HERE.

SO I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN AND STEP OUT IN BEING A BUSINESS PARTNER WITH THIS BUSINESS OWNER'S

[03:45:02]

HUSBAND.

SO BASED ON THAT, I'M JUST GOING TO STEP OUT AND ASK YOU TO OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING.

LET'S OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT.

PUBLIC HEARING.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY? HEARING NONE, WE'LL GO OUT OF PUBLIC COMMENT OR HEARING, RIGHT? OKAY, ALL RIGHT.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 8243 AS PRESENTED.

ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT.

4-0.

LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT THE MAYOR RECUSED HIMSELF.

[7.2. Public Hearing and Consideration of Ordinance No. 8244.]

ITEM 7.2, MR. KENDRICK.

YES, ITEM 7.2 IS A PUBLIC HEARING IN CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE 8244 TO REZONE 4.11 ACRES OF UNPLOTTED LAND LOCATED IN RANDALL COUNTY, TEXAS IN THE VICINITY OF ROSS STREET AND SOUTHEAST 34TH AVENUE.

THEY ARE PROPOSING THE REZONE FROM GENERAL RETAIL DISTRICT AND RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 3 WITH SUP 2 TO MULTIPLE FAMILY DISTRICT 2.

AND THE APPLICANT FOR THIS CASE IS OMER SARIG FOR THE LLANO CEMETERY ASSOCIATION.

AND THEY ARE PROPOSING TO DEVELOP THE PROPERTY WITH A APARTMENT COMPLEX AND AS THE REASON FOR THE REQUEST.

THIS WOULD CONFORM WITH THE CITY PLAN PLACE TYPE OF NEIGHBORHOOD HIGH IDENTIFIED FOR THE PROPERTY.

AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION BELIEVED THAT THIS REQUEST WOULD FIT EXISTING ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS FOUND IN THIS AREA AND WOULD BE A LOGICAL ZONING AND LAND USE TO ESTABLISH IN THIS AREA.

WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY PUBLIC CALLS ON THIS ITEM, AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION ALSO RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THIS ONE WITH A 5-0 VOTE.

AT THIS TIME, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. KENDRICK ON THIS ITEM? WE WILL GO AHEAD AND OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING.

DO I HAVE ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM? SEEING NO ONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 8244 AS PRESENTED.

MOTION AND A SECOND ON ITEM 7.2.

[7.3. Public Hearing and Consideration of Ordinance No. 8245.]

ALL IN FAVOR? PLEASE SAY AYE.

MR. KENDRICK, LET'S DO IT ONE MORE TIME.

ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING IN CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE 8245.

THIS IS TO CONSIDER THE REZONING OF A 27.48-ACRE TRACK OF UNPLOTTED LAND LOCATED IN RANDALL COUNTY, TEXAS, IN THE VICINITY OF SOUTHWESTERN STREET AND BEACON ROAD.

THE APPLICANT IS FURMAN LAND SURVEYORS, INC., FOR PEDA LAND HOLDINGS LIMITED.

THEY ARE REQUESTING THE REZONE FROM AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT TO RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 3.

AND THIS IS SIMPLY THE CONTINUATION OF THE BEACON POINT SUBDIVISION.

THIS IS THEIR NEXT PHASE OF THEIR MASTER PLAN THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION ON SOON, SO THIS IS THE FIRST STEP TO BEGIN THAT.

THE REQUEST WOULD CONFORM WITH THE EXISTING MASTER PLAN ON FILE, AND PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION FOUND THAT IT WOULD FIT EXISTING ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS IN THE AREA.

WE DID RECEIVE TWO PHONE CALLS THAT WERE GENERAL INQUIRIES ON THIS ONE WHEN THEY SAW OUR SIGNS WE POSTED FOR THE REQUEST.

THEY DID NOT EXPRESS ANY OPPOSITION, AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION ALSO RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM WITH A 5-0 VOTE.

OKAY, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. KENDRICK ON ITEM 7.3? OKAY, AT THIS TIME WE'LL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING.

DO I HAVE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST ITEM 7.3? SEEING NO ONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WOULD REQUEST A MOTION.

I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 8245 AS PRESENTED.

[7.4. Consideration of Resolution No. 04-14-26-2.]

MOTION AND A SECOND.

MR. PATH, YOU WANT TO RUN WITH THIS ONE? YES, SIR.

ITEM 7.4.

SO BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS A RESOLUTION.

THIS IS TO FOLLOW UP ON THE PRE-BUDGET WORKSHOP WE HAD ABOUT A MONTH AGO.

AS YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY THE BUDGET PROCESS IS RUN THROUGH MY OFFICE WITH THE CFO, BUT THE CITY COUNCIL DID REQUEST A SPECIFIC DISCUSSION ON COST RECOVERY MEASURES, AND SO WE BROUGHT A REPORT TO YOU ALL, BROUGHT A PRESENTATION TO YOU ALL.

THAT PRESENTATION INCLUDED A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I MADE, SOME THINGS THAT I DID NOT RECOMMEND WE PURSUE.

THERE WAS SOME COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON A FEW ITEMS ABOUT POSSIBLE YES, POSSIBLE NO.

SO THE GOAL HERE IS, GIVEN THIS WAS A CITY COUNCIL-INITIATED TOPIC FOR COST RECOVERY, IT MAKES SENSE THAT WE CAPSTONE THIS AND MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE CLEAR DIRECTION ON THESE SPECIFIC TOPICS

[03:50:01]

BEFORE WE GO INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS.

AND SO, AGAIN, IN THE RESOLUTION, YOU WILL SEE THAT I'VE IDENTIFIED THOSE THAT I BELIEVE WE HAD, THAT I BELIEVE I RECEIVED ENOUGH NODS OF THE HEAD FROM THE COUNCIL AND THE WORKSHOP THAT THESE ARE ONES YOU'D LIKE FOR US TO STUDY AND WORK ON.

AND SO BEFORE WE DO THE WORK HERE, I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR US TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNCIL AS A BODY, STAFF, WITH COUNCIL ARE ON THE SAME PAGE, SO THAT BEFORE WE DO THIS WORK HERE, WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE BRINGING TO YOU ALL THIS SUMMER.

AND SO WITH THIS, OF COURSE, THERE'S TOPICS HERE ABOUT ANIMAL MANAGEMENT AND WELFARE.

I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE THING, EACH ONE OF THEM, BECAUSE I KNOW THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN THROUGH THIS NUMEROUS TIMES.

THE CITY MARSHAL, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, FIRE, LIBRARY, PARKS AND RECREATION, PLANNING, POLICE, SOLID WASTE.

TRANSIT, VITAL STATISTICS, AND OF COURSE MISCELLANEOUS SECTION FOR THINGS THAT I TYPICALLY DO ANYWAYS.

AND SO WITH THIS, WE WOULD SEEK COUNCIL APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION SO WE HAVE CLEAR DIRECTION ON THE ITEMS TO BE DISCUSSED FOR THIS COMING SUMMER.

AND THIS DOES NOT LOCK YOU INTO APPROVALS OR DENIALS.

THIS IS JUST SAYING, HEY, GRAYSON, THANK YOU FOR WORKING ON THE COST RECOVERY.

YOU GUYS GOT THIS GOOD INFORMATION.

WORK ON THESE SO WE CAN DECIDE IN THE SUMMER.

SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

QUESTIONS FOR MR. CITY MANAGER.

NO, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU, I THINK, PUTTING THIS IN A DOCUMENTED FORM, PARTICULARLY ON THESE TYPES OF THINGS, WHICH ARE FEES THAT ARE GOING TO BE INVOLVED, IS A GOOD THING FOR US TO DO FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.

NUMBER ONE IS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.

I REMEMBER LAST YEAR'S BUDGET SESSION BEING A LITTLE ROCKY THERE FOR A TIME OR TWO BECAUSE MAYBE WE WEREN'T ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AND WE DON'T NEED TO REHASH THAT.

BUT I DO THINK THIS IS GOOD.

AND ALSO TO BE TRANSPARENT, ONCE AGAIN, WE'D HAVE A DISCUSSION.

WE'RE APPROVING THIS TODAY, NOT SAYING THAT WE'RE DOING ANYTHING, JUST PUTTING IN WRITING THAT THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

AND I THINK HAVING THINGS ON THESE HIGH-LEVEL ISSUES, PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT FEES AND ADJUSTMENTS, IS A GOOD THING FOR US TO, AS A COUNCIL, ONE MORE COME GIVE OUR BLESSING TO SAY THAT AND HAVE IT DOCUMENTED.

SO I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, AND I NEED TO PROBABLY DRILL DOWN IN IT AND MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE AGREEING TO.

SO THIS IS...

LIST OF ITEMS WE'RE NOT GOING TO LIST THESE TODAY WE'RE NOT GOING TO LIST THESE ARE ALL COST RECOVERY DEPARTMENTS THE RESOLUTION DOES IDENTIFY THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED AT THE PRESENTATION IN MARCH 10TH SO LIKE EXAMPLE ANIMAL MANAGEMENT WELFARE HIGHER DAILY SHELTER FEES INCREASE THE BILL SURRENDER FEES RETURNING ADOPTION FEES AND STRICTER PENALTIES FOR REPEAT IN POUNDS SO WE GO I GO THROUGH THAT IDENTIFIED THOSE THAT THAT WE DISCUSSED AT THE AT THE LAST PRE-BUDGET WORKSHOP SO I WANT TO ASK, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WITHIN THE WASH HERE YOU'VE GOT DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU DIDN'T ACCOUNT FOR, AND WE DON'T WANT TO GET OUT SOMETHING AFTER WALKING THIS THROUGH THAT WE DIDN'T PLAN FOR.

SO I WOULD TAKE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AS AN EXAMPLE.

IT'S A REALLY WELL-RAN DEPARTMENT, AND IT'S TOTALLY GRANT-FUNDED.

AND WE CAN'T REALLY SAY THAT, TOTALLY GRANT-FUNDED, BUT A LOT OF OUR GRANT FUNDING MAKES UP THE MAJORITY OF WHAT WE'RE DOING OVER THERE.

AND SO IF COUNCIL APPROPRIATES...

SAY $100,000 OF, LET'S SAY, TAX DOLLARS, RIGHT, AND THE GENERAL FUND TO GO TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE WE NEEDED THAT MONEY THERE FOR OUTREACH AND THINGS.

WE WERE SEEING A SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT FOR THE COMMUNITY.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DOESN'T GET WASHED OUT IN THE WASH OF, LIKE, WHAT WOULD WE JUST CATEGORIZE? LIKE, THESE ARE THE ITEMS THAT ALL HAVE TO BE? COST RECOVERY, AND IF NOT, THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT'S GOING TO THEM.

SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE I'VE ANSWERED THAT QUESTION, BUT IN MY REPORT THERE, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WAS ONE THAT WE IDENTIFIED $100,000.

MY RECOMMENDATION WAS TO KEEP THAT IN THERE.

AND SO UNLESS COUNCIL TELLS ME OTHERWISE, MY RECOMMENDATION WAS TO KEEP IT THERE.

SO SPECIFICALLY, WHAT ARE WE AUTHORIZING HERE? WHAT ARE WE APPROVING? YEP, AND SO AGAIN, CITY COUNCIL ASKED THAT WE DO A COST RECOVERY EXERCISE, AND SO WITH THAT WE BROUGHT TO YOU NUMEROUS IDEAS FOR YOU ALL TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS.

THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE, AGAIN, LOOKING AT FEES.

AGAIN, THE WHOLE POINT IS TRYING TO LESSEN THE PROPERTY TAX BURDEN ON OUR DEPARTMENTS THERE.

WHAT ARE THINGS THAT USERS CAN PAY MORE FOR? SO AGAIN, AT THE MEETING I IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF IDEAS THAT I RECOMMENDED WE DO.

I THOUGHT I HAD GOOD CONSENSUS OVERALL ABOUT THOSE LISTS.

THERE ARE SOME THAT I DID NOT RECOMMEND, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE TATTOO PARLOR FEE.

I DIDN'T RECOMMEND THAT ONE, SO THAT'S NOT IN HERE.

BUT THOSE I DID RECOMMEND MADE IT INTO THIS RESOLUTION, AND FOR YOU ALL TO APPROVE, MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE CLEAR DIRECTION ON THOSE.

BUT OTHERWISE, GENERALLY, AGAIN, I HAVE A MISCELLANEOUS SECTION IN HERE THAT, AGAIN, GENERALLY, WE WILL LOOK AT OTHER THINGS THAT WEREN'T DISCUSSED.

IF OTHER IDEAS COME UP, EITHER COUNCIL HAS A GOOD IDEA BETWEEN NOW AND THEN OR WE HAVE A GOOD IDEA BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, I WON'T EXCLUDE THOSE.

[03:55:02]

WE JUST DIDN'T THINK OF THEM AT THE TIME FOR THIS.

SO WE'RE BRINGING THEM INTO THE BUDGET FOR THE SUMMER.

THIS RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZES WITH SPECIFICITY THE THINGS THAT WE AGREED ON HERE AS A BODY AND TOLD YOU THESE ARE THE THINGS WE WANT TO SEE COST RECOVERY ON.

AND YOU DID ALREADY CONSIDER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, SO THOSE ITEMS THAT WERE CARVED OUT ARE NOT LISTED IN THIS? CORRECT.

AND WE'RE ONLY BEING SPECIFIC ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO DIRECT YOU ON TO BRING THE BUDGET FORWARD? FOR EXAMPLE, I MADE IT CLEAR IN THE MEETING THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO DO STREET MANAGEMENT VECTOR FEE UNLESS COUNCIL SAID OTHERWISE.

AND SO THAT'S NOT IN HERE, SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO LOOK AT THAT.

AND SO BECAUSE, AGAIN, IN A PUBLIC MEETING I STATED WE'RE NOT GOING TO LOOK AT THOSE UNLESS YOU TELL ME OTHERWISE.

AND SO I WILL NOT GO BACK ON THAT WORD UNLESS I HEAR OTHERWISE FROM YOU GUYS.

THESE ARE ONES THAT, AGAIN, WE IDENTIFY SPECIFICALLY THAT COUNCIL SEEMS FAVORABLE TOWARDS TO WORK TOWARDS.

TO BE CLEAR, IF WE PASS THIS RESOLUTION, DOES IT NOT RESTRICT YOU IF WE REVISIT SOME OF THOSE OTHER THINGS? ABSOLUTELY NOT.

IT'S NOT RESTRICTING YOU.

I THINK THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT.

WE CAN BRING OTHER THINGS UP.

ABSOLUTELY.

I HOPE YOU GUYS DO AS WELL.

SO, AGAIN, THIS WAS OUR...

BEST STAB AND A SNAPSHOT OF TIME OF IDEAS, BUT THERE COULD BE MORE IDEAS THAT COME UP.

AND SO AS WE DO THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE'LL KEEP THINKING MORE IDEAS.

AGAIN, THESE ARE ONES THAT I KNOW COUNCIL HAS SEEN AFFIRMATIVE TOWARDS, AND EACH ONE REQUIRES SOME WORK.

THERE'S DIFFERENT LEGISLATION CONSIDERATIONS, DIFFERENT IMPACTS ON THE COMMUNITY.

WE'VE GOT TO GO TO SOME BOARDS TO TALK ABOUT.

SO BEFORE I DO ALL THAT WORK, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, OKAY, YES, GRAYSON, WE LIKE LOOKING AT AMW'S SHELTER FEE, AND SO GO TALK TO THE BOARD ABOUT THAT.

REAL GOOD.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.

I MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 04-14-26-2 AS PRESENTED.

[7.5. Consideration of Resolution No. 04-14-26-3.]

MOTION IN A SECOND FROM THE OTHER RIGHT SIDE.

MR. RIDDLESPURGER, ARE YOU UP ON THIS ONE? TDHCA.

ITEM 7.5.

TELL US HOW THAT'LL HELP OUR COMMUNITY, SIR.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

YES, THIS IS OUR ANNUAL REQUEST FOR A RESOLUTION TO ALLOW US TO APPLY FOR A CONTINUING AWARD THROUGH TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, TDHCA, FOR THE EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT.

THE ESG GRANT PROVIDES ROUGHLY $100,000, GIVE OR TAKE, TOWARDS RAPID REHOUSING DOLLARS AND STREET OUTREACH.

SO ABOUT HALF AND HALF FOR THAT.

IT'S BEEN A GREAT GRANT FOR US.

WE'VE DONE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS WITH IT.

WE HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED AS A HIGH-PERFORMING COMMUNITY WITH THE ESG PROGRAM.

THAT HAS ALLOWED US TO BE INCLUDED IN THE CONTINUING AWARD RATHER THAN THE COMPETITIVE AWARD.

SO DOING SUCH A GOOD JOB WITH IT MAKES IT BASICALLY WHERE WE GET THIS EVERY YEAR.

WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE OUR RESOLUTION TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS ARE GOOD TO GO FOR US.

WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT GOOD WORK AND TO GET OUR APPLICATION COMPLETED.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. RIDDLESPURGER OR GENTLEMEN? OKAY, THANK YOU, SIR.

WOULD I REQUEST A MOTION? MAY I REAL QUICK MAKE A POINT? THIS IS A RECOMMENDED FIRST AND FINAL, SO IF YOU COULD INCLUDE THAT IN YOUR MOTION LANGUAGE.

OKAY, I MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 041426-3 AS THE

[7.6. Consider Award - Aircraft Rescue & Firefighting (ARFF) Simulator Hardware. ]

FIRST AND FINAL READING.

MOTION AND A SECOND FROM THE RIGHT SIDE.

APPRECIATE YOU WAITING PATIENTLY.

ITEM 7.6, MR. CONNER.

OH, NO, WE'RE HANDING IT OVER.

IT'S RICH, ISN'T IT? SURE.

IT'LL BE ME.

THIS IS ACTUALLY A JOINT PROJECT BETWEEN FIRE AND AIRPORT.

IT IS FOR THE AIRCRAFT RESCUE AND FIREFIGHTING TRAINING SIMULATOR.

IN 2018, THE FAA DETERMINED THAT OUR OLD SIMULATOR NO LONGER MET THE REQUIREMENTS.

TODAY, THIS IS ACTUALLY A REQUEST FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE METAL MOCK-UP AS WELL AS THE PROPANE SYSTEM INSIDE SO THEY CAN SET FIRES IN DIFFERENT PLACES.

I WANTED TO NOTE THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY DO THIS BECAUSE OF CONGRESSMAN RONNY JACKSON'S EARMARK GRANT, WHICH IS BEING PUT INTO THE FAA AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM IN ORDER TO FUND IT.

SINCE 2018, FIREFIGHTERS HAVE HAD TO GO TO LUBBOCK TO DO THEIR TRAINING BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE CERTIFIED IF YOU'RE GOING TO FIGHT FIRES ON AIRCRAFT.

SO WE'LL NO LONGER HAVE TO DO THAT.

WE MIGHT EVEN BE ABLE TO PULL TRAININGS HERE.

QUESTIONS FOR RICH?

[04:00:05]

WE ARE CONTAINING ALL THE FIREFIGHTING WATER, RIGHT? IT'S NOT GOING THROUGH THE GRAVEL.

WE ARE CONTAINING THAT, CORRECTLY? OH.

I THINK I CAN HELP ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

AS PART OF THIS PROJECT, THERE WILL BE A NEW PIT THAT IS DUG.

OKAY, SO THERE'S MULTIPLE SECTIONS TO IT AND EVERYTHING.

THERE'S SOME RETAINING PONDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO ALL THE WATER THAT COMES OFF IT AND ANY OTHER CHEMICALS THAT ARE USED GOES INTO THAT PIT AND THEN INTO THESE OTHER PONDS.

AND SO, IN FACT, WE'RE BUILDING, WE'RE NOT BUILDING ON THE SAME SITE AS THE CURRENT SIMULATOR BECAUSE THERE'S PFAS.

IN THAT AREA.

AND WE WANTED TO HAVE MORE OF A GREENFIELD SITE WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO REMEDIATE ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

SO GOING FORWARD, SO ALL THAT STUFF WILL BE COLLECTED AND THEN DISPOSED OF AS ACCORDINGLY.

AND OUR EXISTING ONE WILL STAY AS IS FOR NOW? FOR NOW, YES.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.

THANK YOU, MR. CONNER.

ITEM 7.6 IS BEFORE YOU, GENTLEMEN.

I MOVE TO AWARD THE CONTRACT FOR THE AIR FORCE AIRCRAFT RESCUING AND FIREFIGHTING

[7.7. Consider Award - Construction Services Contract for Osage Water Treatment Plant Chlorine System.]

EQUIPMENT AS PRESENTED.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

MOTION AND A SECOND.

ITEM 7.7, WE'RE GOING TO DO MR. JOHNSON.

MR. HOOPER, YOU'RE RUNNING THIS ONE? OKAY.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

SO THIS ITEM CONSIDERS THE AWARD OF CONSTRUCTION SERVICES TO CONTRACT AND BUILD, UPGRADE, AND REPLACE THE CHLORINE SYSTEM THAT'S AT THE OSAGE.

A WATER TREATMENT PLANT.

THAT PLANT, AS YOU KNOW, TREATS OUR WATER, AND THEY HAVE A CHLORINE SYSTEM THERE THAT PROVIDES A DISINFECTANT TO ENSURE THE WATER IS SAFE FOR ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS.

NOW, THIS IS A MAJOR CAPITAL PROJECT THAT'S JUST NOT A SIMPLE REPLACEMENT.

IN FACT, THIS IS A VERY COMPLEX PROJECT, AND THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THE COST IS SO HIGH FOR THAT.

REFLECTED IN A HIGH DOLLAR AMOUNT, DESIGNATED AS A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.

THE SCOPE OF THE WORK INCLUDES OUR TANKS, PIPING, SAFETY SYSTEMS CONTROLS, ASSOCIATED BUILDING WORK.

FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT, WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TO ME, THE EXISTING CHLORINE FEED SYSTEM AND SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN THE CHLORINE BUILDING PRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT RELIABILITY AND SAFETY CHALLENGE FOR OUR STAFF THAT'S WORKING OUT THERE.

AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, CHLORINE GAS IS DEADLY, AND EXPOSURE TO THAT CAN KILL YOU VERY QUICKLY OUT THERE.

SO THE CHLORINE FEED IS VERY AGED.

THAT EQUIPMENT IS OLD, JUST LIKE A LOT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE, AND IS NO LONGER SUPPORTED BY THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER, WHICH WAS CALLED DENORA.

WHAT THAT MEANS FOR US IS WE CAN'T REPLACE THE COMPONENTS AND HARDWARE OF THAT SYSTEM AND WE HAVE TO MAKE A REPLACEMENT THERE.

THE LIMITATIONS HAVE HAD SOME NOTABLE INCIDENTS OUT THERE AS WELL.

IN MAY OF 2025 WE HAD TWO CHLORINE LEAKS THAT OCCURRED THAT REQUIRED OPERATIONAL RESPONSE AND INVESTIGATION.

THEN AGAIN ON MAY THE 13TH OF 2025 WE HAD A CHLORINE LEAK WITHIN THE FEED SYSTEM THAT REQUIRED THE OPERATORS TO ACTUALLY ISOLATE THE SYSTEM AND SECURE THE AREA WHILE THE LEAK WAS ADDRESSED.

AND THEN ON MAY THE 29TH OF 2025, A SECOND LEAK OCCURRED.

WE ACTUALLY HAD TO HAVE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND HAZMAT TEAM SHOW UP FOR THAT AND TAKE CARE OF THAT.

SO COUNCIL IS BEING ASKED TO APPROVE THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT AWARDED TO STOLTZ MECHANICAL CONTRACTORS LLC FOR $4.95 MILLION.

THIS IS FUNDED OUT OF THE WATER AND SEWER FUND REVENUES, CIP 523440.

AND THIS ITEM WAS ACTUALLY INITIALLY APPROVED IN THE 23-24 CIP BY COUNCIL.

THIS IS WHAT THE MAYOR WAS REFERRING TO EARLIER.

THEY PUT A MILLION DOLLARS IN THERE IN 23-24 BECAUSE WE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THAT PROJECT WAS GOING TO COST.

THERE WERE TRANSFERS INTO THAT PROJECT IN THE PAST.

ANOTHER $1.9 MILLION WAS TRANSFERRED IN 2024.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAD $1.87 THAT WAS APPROVED IN OUR CIP FOR THIS YEAR TO MAKE THAT WHOLE AT THE $4.95 MILLION.

WE'RE READY FOR THIS PROJECT, AND IT NEEDS TO BE DONE YESTERDAY, IN MY OPINION.

WE HAVE IT FULLY FUNDED.

SO WE WOULD RECOMMEND COUNCIL WOULD APPROVE THIS ITEM.

DONNIE, ON THINGS LIKE WE'RE MAKING THE IMPROVEMENTS NECESSARY.

REPAIRS AND THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING TO OUR OLD FACILITY.

YOU KNOW WE SPEND FIVE MILLION DOLLARS ON THIS.

I MEAN IF WE'RE LOOKING AT A NEW FACILITY ARE SOME OF THESE THINGS CAN THEY WILL THEY BE ABLE TO BE REUSED IN THE NEXT? NOW THIS IS WATER TREATMENT IT'S NOT WASTEWATER SO YEAH EASY TO CONFUSE BUT YEAH THIS IS WATER TREATMENT.

THANKS FOR SAYING THAT'S EASILY CONFUSED.

YEAH HE WAS JUST CHECKING TO MAKE SURE YOU DID.

POINT WELL TAKEN THOUGH WE'RE LOOKING AT ALTERNATE METHODS FOR OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT THAT WOULDN'T BE QUITE AS EXPENSIVE TO MAINTAIN.

OKAY, SKIP THAT QUESTION.

NO, I'M DONE.

IT'S A GREAT QUESTION, THOUGH.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, SO, MR. HOOPER, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING PREPARED, AND SO I WANT TO GO THROUGH THIS AS A GOOD CIP EXERCISE.

YOU AND I, WE LOOKED

[04:05:01]

AT THIS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, DECIDED, WELL, WE NEED TO GO BACK AND VERIFY FUNDING.

AND SO IN 22-23, COUNCIL SAID THIS IS A PRIORITY, AND THEY PUT IT ON THE...

CIP PROJECTS LIST AND THEY THEY APPROPRIATED 1 MILLION DOLLARS.

2324 CIP.

2324 THAT WAS THE 1 MILLION.

OKAY SO IF I LOOK AT THIS CIP NUMBER THOUGH 523440 IT SAYS CHLORINE SYSTEM AND IT SAYS EXPENSE BUDGET 3.5 MILLION OVER HERE AND THEN IT HAS THE ACTUAL EXPENDITURE OF 410 936 THOUSAND.

AND SO THIS NUMBER THAT'S ON THIS DOESN'T NECESSARILY TIE TO THAT ORIGINAL $1 MILLION.

DO YOU KNOW THE NUMBER FOR THE ORIGINAL APPROPRIATION? OTHER THAN THE ONES THAT I GAVE YOU, I DON'T.

I KNOW THERE WAS $1.9 MILLION THAT WAS TRANSFERRED IN 2024 FROM A PROJECT 522-755, AND THAT WAS A PRIOR CLOSED REALLOCATION PROJECT THAT WAS PUT IN THERE.

522-755? 522-755.

AND THEN 22755.

SO WHEN YOU SAY IT WAS CLOSED, ARE WE REAPPROPRIATING THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY OR WAS THAT ALREADY APPROPRIATED? OR IS IT AN EXAMPLE OF LIKE MRS. OWENS SAYING, WELL, IT JUST SITS THERE, MEANING WAS IT REBALANCED OR NOT? I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN ANSWER THAT.

AND THE REASON THAT I CAN'T IS BECAUSE I WAS NOT OVER UTILITIES AT THAT TIME.

JOHN COLLINS WAS THE DIRECTOR.

HE WAS THE ONE THAT WAS MAKING THESE DIFFERENT TRANSFERS.

SO I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND PULL DATA AND GET MORE INFORMATION IF YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE IT AT A LATER TIME.

SO THIS IS NOT SHOWING UP.

THE 522755 IS NOT SHOWING UP ON THIS REPORT HERE BECAUSE IT WAS CLOSED OUT ALREADY.

BUT THEN THAT MONEY WAS NEVER RECOGNIZED FOR $1.9 MILLION, AND YOU STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO SPEND IT.

I THINK THAT'S CORRECT.

WE THINK THAT'S RIGHT.

I THINK THAT'S CORRECT.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE TODAY.

WE'RE REAPPROPRIATING THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY.

AND SO WAS THAT MONEY FOR A DIFFERENT PROJECT, LIKE SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS CHLORINE PROJECT? I DON'T REMEMBER.

WILL, DO YOU REMEMBER BY CHANCE? IT'S A REALLOCATION FUND.

SO JOHN COLLINS HAS SET UP A REALLOCATION FUND THAT WAS A CIP BACK IN THOSE DAYS.

SO ANYTHING THAT WOULD CLOSE OUT WOULD GO INTO THE REALLOCATION FUND.

THEY WOULD PULL IT BACK OUT OF THAT AND PUT IT INTO A PROJECT, IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE.

WE NO LONGER HAVE THAT REALLOCATION FUND.

BUT THIS $1.9 MILLION IS SITTING IN THAT REALLOCATION FUND, RIGHT? IT WAS.

IT'S BEEN TRANSFERRED INTO THIS PROJECT.

BUT NOT YET.

LIKE, WE'RE VOTING FOR IT HERE TODAY.

IT WAS TRANSFERRED INTO THERE IN 2024, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.

AM I CORRECT IN SAYING THAT? THAT'S CORRECT.

IT'S GOOD FOR US TO UNDERSTAND.

PRIOR TO THIS.

I GUESS I DON'T UNDERSTAND LIKE TRANSFERS.

STAFF TRANSFERS THAT OR COUNCIL TRANSFERS THAT? STAFF TRANSFERS THAT.

SO THAT'S NOT APPROPRIATED THOUGH, CORRECT? LIKE THE STAFF DOESN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO TRANSFER MONEY FROM ONE PROJECT THAT A PREVIOUS COUNCIL SAID THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH THAT MONEY.

MOVING FORWARD.

NOW, IF WE WOULD HAVE CAME TO COUNCIL WITH THAT PROJECT, COUNCIL WOULD HAVE APPROVED THE PROJECT.

WE NEVER CAME FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT.

SO WE'RE DRAWING A GOOD LINE HERE.

MOVING FORWARD, CURRENT STAFF DOESN'T TRANSFER MONEY FROM AN OLD PROJECT TO A NEW PROJECT.