[ CITY OF BAYTOWN NOTICE OF MEETING CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORK SESSION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2022 5:00 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBER, CITY HALL 2401 MARKET STREET, BAYTOWN, TEXAS 77520 AGENDA CALL TO ORDER AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF QUORUM ]
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SO I'LL CALL THIS MEETING OF THE, OR EXCUSE ME, THIS BUDGET WORK SESSION OF THE BAYTOWN CITY COUNCIL ORDER.
WE ARE IN BAYTOWN CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
[a. Discuss the City of Baytown Fiscal Year 2022-23 Proposed Budget.]
ITEM ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING, UM, TO DISCUSS THE CITY OF BAY TOWN'S FISCAL YEAR 22, 23, PROPOSED BUDGET.UM, THERE IS A WORK SESSION, SO IF THERE'S ANY, UM, CITIZENS IN OUR AUDIENCE, YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY MORE THAN WELCOME TO SIT IN.
UH, BUT THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS, UH, THAT THAT OCCURS DURING WORK SESSION.
UH, BUT YOU CAN GO TAKE NOTES AND IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE, UM, YOU COULD EITHER CONTACT STAFF OR A COUNCIL MEMBER TO, UH, MAYBE FILL ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THE BUDGET.
SO WITH THAT, MR. CITY MANAGER? YES, THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
HEY, THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH YOU ON THE, UH, 23, UH, BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR.
WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE INPUT AND THE, UH, ASSISTANCE THAT WE'VE RECEIVED SO FAR, UH, WITH YOU JUST TO KIND OF FRAME THE ISSUE FOR YOU OR THE, THE SUBJECT AT HAND.
UH, WE ARE BOLDLY MOVING FORWARD, OF COURSE, AND AS A SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSAL THAT, UH, WE PROVIDED YOU LAST TIME, WE HAD MENTIONED THE ONGOING IMPACTS OF INFLATION, UH, ON OUR BUDGET.
THIS PROPOSAL CONTINUES TO CARRY A $20,000 INCREASE TO THE EXEMPTION FOR 65 AND DISABLED A PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION, UH, BY A HALF CENT.
THIS IS THE FIFTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR AND CONSTITUTES MORE THAN 4 CENTS OFF OF OUR PROPERTY TAX RATE.
THERE IS NO RATE RE, UH, RATE INCREASE FOR SANITATION OR STORMWATER FEES.
AND WE'VE ELIMINATED THE GENERAL FUND TRANSFER TO SANITATION BY $250,000.
UH, THERE'S NO RATE INCREASE IN WATER AND SEWER FOR LOW VOLUME USERS, AND WE ARE TARGETING 91 DAYS OF OPERATING RESERVES.
AND, UH, THIS PROPOSAL CONTINUES TO CARRY A DEBT ISSUANCE, A GENERAL FUND DEBT ISSUANCE OF $45 MILLION TO HELP FUND THE CAPITAL PROGRAM.
HOWEVER, UH, WE APPRECIATE THE WORK OF A AND E.
UH, THEY CAN CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR STAFF TO BRING YOU A REVISED, UH, NUMBER ON THIS.
THEY ARE BEING VERY HELPFUL IN SCRUTINIZING, UH, THESE PROJECTS AND HELPING US COME UP WITH A FINAL NUMBER FOR YOU.
SO MORE ON THAT, PROBABLY ON THURSDAY AT THAT, THAT WORK SESSION.
BUT, UH, FOR RIGHT NOW, UH, THIS, UH, THIS CURRENT PROPOSAL CONTINUES TO CARRY 40, UH, 0.5 FTE, UH, A SUMMARY OF THOSE, A DESCRIPTION OF ALL OF THOSE POSITIONS IS ON PAGE 37 OF YOUR BUDGET BOOK.
UH, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO FIND IT THERE.
IT DELINEATES MOST OF THOSE PO OR ALL OF THOSE POSITIONS.
AND, UH, THEY ARE MOSTLY FIELD FORCE IMPLI OR ORIENTED A LOT OF PUBLIC WORKS, PARKS AND RECREATION, AND REALLY REPRESENTS AN ONGOING EFFORT ON OUR PART TO KEEP UP WITH, UH, A INCREASINGLY COMPLEX DYNAMIC AND GROWING CITY.
UH, WE ARE, UH, PROPOSING A 5% SALARY INCREASE.
WE ARE GOING TO, UH, HONOR OUR COMMITMENTS TO CIVIL SERVICE THROUGH OUR CONTRACTS, UH, A EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM HOLIDAY.
AND WE'RE ABLE TO KEEP OUR COST TO OUR EMPLOYEES FOR HEALTH INSURANCE STABLE, UH, THIS YEAR.
UH, AND MOST OF ALL, THIS IS A VERY CAPITAL PROJECTS ORIENTED, UH, BUDGET.
WE CONTINUE TO PURSUE A VERY AGGRESSIVE SCHEDULE THAT REALLY OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, WE'LL BE TARGETING MORE THAN A BILLION DOLLARS IN, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, 800 MILLION RIGHT NOW IN DESIGN OR UNDER CONSTRUCTION, UH, AND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
AGAIN, UH, ASSUMING THE $45 MILLION DEBT ISSUANCE, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DISCUSS THAT WITH A AND E.
AND, UH, WITH THAT, UH, WE HAVE A BIT OF, I THINK, NEWS OR INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO WARMLY GREET AND WE HAVE SOME, UH, IDEAS FOR YOU ON HOW WE MAY BE ABLE TO FURTHER REDUCE PROPERTY TAX BURDEN FOR OUR CITIZENS AND TO DESCRIBE THOSE OPTIONS TO YOU.
I'M GONNA TURN SOME TIME OVER TO VICTOR AND THEN I'LL BE BACK.
UH, SO MR. RAMIRA, THE OPTIONS, UH, PRESENTED ARE PREDICATED UPON A REDUCTION IN THE LEVEL OF DEBT ISSUE.
AND SO THEY DON'T WANT TO PREJUDGE THE OUTCOME OF THE DELIBERATION OF, OF THE A AND E COMMITTEE.
BUT IF YOU WILL INDULGE ME, I HAVE
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ASSUMED THAT WE WOULD REDUCE THE OVERALL DEBT ISSUE IN SPY, UH, UP TO ABOUT 15 MILLION.SO TAKING IT DOWN TO AROUND 30, UH, IF WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT, AND AS I SAY, I DON'T WANT TO PREJUDGE THE OUTCOME OF, UH, THOSE DISCUSSIONS, BUT IF WE WERE, UH, WE COULD REDUCE THE TAX RATE BY A FURTHER HALF CENT, SO KNOCKING A FULL CENT OFF GOING INTO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
UH, AND THAT WOULD BE WITH, UH, AN OVERALL NIL EFFECT ON THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE AND NOT HAVING TO MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS WHATSOEVER TO ANY OTHER LINE IN THE BUDGET.
AGAIN, ASSUMING WE CAN WHITTLE DOWN THE LEVEL OF DEBT, WE COULD UTILIZE SOME OF THE GENERAL FUND CONTINGENCY.
AND REMIND, I'LL REMIND YOU, WE HAVE THREE AND A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS IN THE GENERAL FUND BY WAY OF CONTINGENCY, UH, IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
IF WE WERE TO UTILIZE ABOUT 350 OF THAT, YOU COULD TAKE THE TAX RATE DOWN ANOTHER HALF CENT TO 77.
AND IF WE WERE TO BE EVEN MORE COURAGEOUS, WE COULD TAKE A MILLION FROM THE CONTINGENCY AND TAKE IT DOWN TO 76 AND A HALF, WHICH WOULD BE A FULL 2 CENTS OFF THE CURRENT RATE.
AS I SAY, THAT IS PREDICATED ON A REDUCTION IN THE OVERALL LEVEL OF DEBT.
BUT I WANTED TO GIVE YOU THOSE AS, UM, AS OPTIONS TO CONSIDER AS YOU GO THROUGH YOUR DELIBERATIONS ON THE BUDGET.
I BE THE ANSWER QUESTIONS, MR. RAMIR.
ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING, I GUESS, SOME OF THE OPTIONS THAT ARE IN FRONT OF YOU? YES, MA'AM.
UM, SO ON BOTH OPTIONS TWO AND THREE, WHAT DOES THAT BRING OUR CONTINGENCY DOWN TO IN TERMS OF DAYS? 'CAUSE I KNOW WE NORMALLY STRIVE FOR 92, SO IT WOULD, SO, UH, THIS DOESN'T AFFECT YOUR GENERAL FUND BALANCE WHERE YOU WOULD STILL HAVE 90 DAYS.
THIS IS YOUR ADDITIONAL CONTINGENCY OVER AND ABOVE WHICH, WHAT IS IN FUND BALANCE.
SO WHAT WE WANNA PRIMARILY OF COURSE MAKE THIS MEETING ABOUT IS YOU, NOT US.
AND SO WE WANNA TURN SOME TIME OVER TO YOU, BUT I DID WANNA PO POINT OUT SOME CRITICAL, UH, DATES FOR YOU TO KEEP AN EYE ON.
WE ARE PLANNING ON ANOTHER BUDGET WORKSHOP ON THURSDAY WHERE WE WOULD, UH, LIKE TO DISCUSS PRIMARILY OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS WITH YOU ON, ON THURSDAY.
UH, IF YOU NEED ANOTHER WORKSHOP, ONE COULD BE AVAILABLE ON THE 23RD AND EVEN THE 25TH, ALTHOUGH I WOULD COUNSEL YOU, UH, TO STAY AWAY FROM THE 25TH, THAT'S A VERY BIG DAY FOR YOU.
UH, ALTHOUGH IN EACH ONE OF OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS LEADING UP TO ADOPTION, WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE ON THE WORK SESSION OR THE PRE-MEETING THAT UH, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO FURTHER DISCUSS THE BUDGET AS JUST KIND OF A CATCHALL THAT WE'LL HAVE ON EVERY ONE OF THE WORK SESSIONS, AS DISCUSSED, THE BUDGET, OKAY? YOU CAN CONSIDER BUDGET ADOPTION AS EARLY AS THE 25TH, UH, SEPTEMBER 8TH.
BUT THE, THE FINAL DAY TO CONSIDER, UH, ON OUR REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULE WOULD BE THE 22ND OF SEPTEMBER, WHICH IS THE SAME DATE WE WOULD PROPOSE SETTING THE TAX RATE.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA ALLOW YOU TO BOLDLY MOVE FORWARD AND PROVIDE ANY AND ALL FEEDBACK, ASK ANY QUESTIONS WE HAVE WITH US.
UH, UH, I THINK ALMOST ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS WITH US, UH, HERE TODAY, AND WE'RE EAGER TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK AND MAKE THIS THE BUDGET YOU COULD BE PROUD OF.
BUT THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
ALRIGHT, I GUESS I'LL OPEN UP TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE REGARDING THE BUDGET, ANY PROPOSED CHANGES.
THIS IS, THIS IS THE TIME, THIS IS THE WORKSHOP.
LOOKING AT THE CONTINGENCY OFF OF WHAT WE JUST HEARD, I DON'T KNOW IF WE WOULD HAVE THIS INFORMATION NOW, IF NOT, IF WE COULD FIND THAT, GET SOME ANSWERS FOR IT.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD TO DIP INTO OUR CONTINGENCY FUND AND FOR WHAT REASON? AND IF WE COULD ALSO KNOW HOW MUCH, IF WE DIPPED INTO IT, HOW MUCH WAS USED? SO INDEED WE DID, UH, IN THE LAST YEAR, WE USED ABOUT A MILLION AND A HALF OF THE CONTINGENCY TO, UH, MOVE AHEAD WITH THE ACQUISITION OF A LARGE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND THAT WAS A CALCULATED DECISION ON OUR PART BECAUSE IT AVOIDED THE RISK OF, UH, ENTERING INTO A LEASE FOR THE VEHICLE.
UH, I TOOK THE VIEW THAT THAT WAS A REASONABLE, UH, WAY TO, UH, TO FUND THE ACQUISITION AND THAT WILL BE REPAID FROM THE SPECIAL DISTRICT, THE FIRE, UH, CONTROL DISTRICT.
WE'LL REPAY THAT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO THAT WAS ONE USE WE MADE OF IT.
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COURSE OF THE YEAR, THERE WERE OTHER, UH, LESSER ISSUES THAT AROSE AND IT HAS BEEN USED FOR THAT, GENERALLY SPEAKING.HOWEVER, UH, WE DON'T UTILIZE MUCH OF THE CON CONTINGENCY IN WHAT I REGARD AS A NORMAL YEAR.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M SUGGESTING TO YOU THAT GOING INTO NEXT YEAR YOU DO HAVE SOME LATITUDE TO USE THAT FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
CAN WE GET SOME NUMBERS ON THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE DIPPED INTO IT FOR AND CAN WE LOOK BACK, LET'S SAY FIVE TO 10 YEARS YES.
TO SEE IF WE'VE DIPPED INTO IT BEFORE? YES, WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, UNTIL ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, YOU HAD, UH, A VERY, VERY SMALL CONTINGENCY INDEED THAT FROM MEMORY, I THINK WHEN I CAME HERE, YOU HAD ABOUT 250,000 IN THE CONTINGENCY.
NORMALLY, UH, THE CHARTER ALLOWS YOU UP TO 3% OF YOUR OPERATING BUDGET BY WAY OF CONTINGENCY.
AND IF YOU REMEMBER LAST YEAR, UH, YOU WENT UP TO I THINK ABOUT 2%.
UM, BUT YOU DO HAVE SOME LATITUDE, AS I SAY, SIR.
SO, IN, IN REGARDS TO THAT, I, I THINK THIS KIND OF PLAYS INTO WHAT LAURA'S PREVIOUS QUESTION WAS.
I UNDERSTAND CONTINGENCY IS SEPARATE THAN THE RESERVES, BUT IT, IT, THEY DO KIND OF HAVE SOME SIMILARITIES IN A, IN A SENSE.
SO WILL YOU REMIND US WHERE WE'RE AT ON RESERVES? BECAUSE I, I DO RECALL THAT WE'RE QUITE A BIT IN EXCESS OF, OF WHAT THE MINIMUM, UH, IS IN OTHER CITIES.
SO WHERE ARE WE AT ON RESERVES AGAIN? SO THE PROPOSED BUDGET ASSUMES, UH, RESERVES OF 90 DAYS, WHICH IS THE, UH, UH, AS THEY CALL IT, THE INDUSTRY STANDARD, THAT THIS WHAT IS RECOMMENDED BY THE, UH, THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION.
SO WE WILL BE AT 90 DAYS, BUT I THINK A NUMBER OF YOU HAVE ALREADY DETECTED THAT IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
WE HAVE OUTPERFORMED THAT SUBSTANTIALLY.
UH, I BELIEVE WE CLOSED LAST YEAR WITH, UH, AROUND 180 DAYS.
MAYOR, IF I CAN GET MY GREEN LIGHT ON, ON THE RESERVES.
YOU SAID INDUSTRY STANDARDS 90 DAYS.
I THOUGHT I READ SOMETHING IN HERE THAT GFOA RECOMMENDS 60 DAYS A MINIMUM OF 60.
60 A MINIMUM OF 2 90 60, YEAH.
UM, KIND OF GOING ALONG WITH THE CONTINGENCY ISSUE, I'D LIKE TO KNOW OVER THE LAST THREE TO FIVE YEARS WHERE WE'VE ENDED UP WITH OUR RESERVES.
'CAUSE TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE ALWAYS END UP QUITE A BIT MORE THAN WE TARGET.
AND SO IF WE WERE TO TARGET LESS THAN THE 90 DAYS, I THINK WE'RE PRETTY SOLID TO, UNLESS WE HAVE MAJOR CATASTROPHE.
BUT EVEN IN YEARS WE'VE HAD MAJOR SIES, WE'VE ENDED UP PRETTY GOOD WITH RESERVES.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE MAYBE SCOPING THAT DOWN FROM 90, CLOSER TO THAT 60, KNOWING THAT WE'RE GONNA END UP SOMEWHERE AROUND 90 TO A HUNDRED DAYS AT THE END OF THE YEAR ANYWAY.
IT'S JUST MONEY JUST SITS THERE.
AND, AND AGAIN, WE COULD UTILIZE THAT MONEY DOING OTHER THINGS, UM, ESPECIALLY IF WE'VE GOT ALMOST A $3 MILLION CONTINGENCY.
WE'RE DOUBLE DIPPING REAL QUICK, UH, FOR MAJOR ISSUES.
SO I'D, I'D LIKE TO SEE WHERE WE'VE BEEN OVER THE LAST THREE TO FIVE YEARS WITH RESERVES AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND, AND THEN THAT'LL HELP ME RETARGET OR REFOCUS THAT WE NEED TO TARGET 90 DAYS, OR LET'S TARGET 65 DAYS KNOWING THAT WE'RE GONNA END UP AT 95 A HUNDRED DAYS.
BUT IF WE'RE, IF WE TARGET 90 AND WE'RE ENDING UP IN 180 DAYS, HOW MUCH MONEY IS THAT? 180 DAYS WORTH IS ROUGHLY HOW MUCH? IT'S, UH, ABOUT 330 GRAND A DAY.
THAT, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S BIG MATH.
FIVE AND, AND 5.5 0.4 MILLION.
WELL, I, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHY WE ENDED UP, I MEAN, BECAUSE I, I THINK THERE WAS A REASON WHY WE ENDED UP WITH 180.
I, I DON'T WANNA GO INTO THE MINDSET.
'CAUSE WE KNOW WE'LL END UP WITH 90.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE MIND FRAME THAT WE WANNA HAVE.
BECAUSE GUESS WHAT, WE MAY NOT HAVE THAT NIGHT JUST BECAUSE WE'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST.
AND I'D HATE FOR US TO USE THE HISTORY IN THE WRONG WAY.
I KNOW THAT YOU'VE GOT EXPERIENCE FROM COMING ON STAFF, AND I APPRECIATE THAT EXPERIENCE.
BUT I'D LIKE TO MAYBE HEAR WHY WE ENDED UP WITH 180, UH, RESERVE BALANCE.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE MAIN CAUSES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAS BEEN, UH, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SO MANY STAFFING VACANCIES AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO, UH, UH, TO KEEP A, A FULL STAFFING COMPLIMENT.
I CAN'T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME THE CITY WAS ABLE TO DO THAT.
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HAS BEEN A HUGE PRESSURE.AND YOU SEE THAT NOT JUST IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THE UPSIDE OF IT IS WE DON'T SPEND THE MONEY.
THE DOWNSIDE OF THAT IS WE DON'T HAVE THE STAFF TO GET THE JOB DONE THAT YOU WANT DONE.
SO IT WAS FORECASTED MONEY FOR STAFF FOR WHATEVER REASONS, AND THEN WE COULDN'T, WE COULDN'T FILL THOSE VACANCIES, WHICH IS WHY WE ENDED UP WITH THE, WITH THE FUND BALANCE.
THAT THAT IS A LARGE PART OF IT.
THE OTHER PART OF IT IS, UH, I, I HAVE TO SAY THE, UH, THE UPTURN IN TERMS OF SALES TAX.
SO WE OUTPERFORMED, UH, BUDGETS ACROSS THE BOARD IN SALES TAX.
SO, BUT I, I WANNA CLARIFY, HOW MUCH A DAY IS IT? SO AT IT'S ABOUT 334 MILLION, $54 MILLION IN RESERVE, 54 MILLION FOLKS.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT IS CORRECT.
WE CAN'T JUST SIT HERE AND IGNORE.
I MEAN, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.
SO AGAIN, WE COULD SCOPE THAT DOWN.
AGAIN, YOU WANT TO HAVE TARGET SOME REASONABLE RESERVES, BUT KNOWING THAT WE'RE ALWAYS OVER AND IT'S CLAIM, OKAY, SO LET'S TREND THAT DOWN AND WE CAN PUT MONEY BACK ON THE TABLE TO DO SOME PROJECTS AND STUFF THAT, THAT WE'RE HURTING TO GET DONE NOW.
AND SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT FOR COS OR WHATEVER.
WELL, I DO, I DO AGREE THAT THE 180 IS, UM, A LOT.
UM, BUT I, I STILL WOULD BE WITH THE HAPPY MEDIAN OF MAYBE 70, 75, BUT, UM, I, I WANNA AT LEAST MEET SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE.
BUT THERE WAS A REASON WHY WE ENDED UP WITH 180.
SO THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST IF, IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY.
AND SO YEAR TO YEAR THINGS HAPPENED.
AND SO WE LEARN FROM THAT, RIGHT.
BUT I, I JUST DON'T WANT US TO BE AT THE POINT WHERE WE'RE, LET'S USE UP ALL OF OUR CONTINGENCY 'CAUSE WE HAVE IT.
AND, AND THE CONTINGENCY'S, ONE THING I'M TALKING ABOUT THE RESERVES.
WELL, THE RESERVE, WELL, TO ME, THEY'RE KIND OF THE SAME BECAUSE YOU HAVE A CONTINGENCY FOR DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
YOUR RESERVES ARE SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T WANNA SPEND.
BUT NOW WE'RE IN THE POINT WHERE LET'S SPEND IT.
SO TO ME, I'M SEEING IT AS ONE THING.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S WHY I WANT TO SEE WHERE WE'VE BEEN OVER THE LAST THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
BECAUSE AGAIN, IF, IF WE'VE ALMOST DOUBLED OUR RESERVE CAPACITY EVERY YEAR FOR THE LAST THREE TO FIVE YEARS, LET'S TRIMMED THAT DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND PUT THAT MONEY BACK ON THE TABLE SO WE CAN GET SOME PROJECTS DONE.
I, I WOULD MAKE A SUGGESTION, UM, MAYBE JUST, LET'S LOOK AT FIVE YEARS.
UM, YEAH, I GUESS IT'S GONNA BE BUDGETED, UH, RESERVES VERSUS ACTUAL WHERE WE ENDED UP, IF THAT, THAT'S MORE HELPFUL.
IF WE'RE THAT SHORT STAFFED AND WE HAVE SOME, UH, SUCH A HARD TIME HIRING STAFF, I'M THINKING HEALTH AND SAFETY NOW.
FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IF WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT LOWERING RESERVES OR CONTINGENCY, WHICHEVER ONE, WHY NOT PUT IT INTO HELPING FINDING WAYS TO HELP HIGHER UP FILL THOSE VACANCIES AND FIRE AND POLICE.
THE CONTRACT AMENDMENT FOR PD RECENTLY IS, IS THE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
GIVE BONUS PAYS, TRANSFER MOVING MONIES.
I MEAN, WE HAVE TO BE COMPETITIVE, BUT AGAIN, IF, IF WE TAKE 15 OR 20 DAYS OFF THE RESERVES, PUT IT BACK INTO SPENDING, WE'RE TALKING SIX, SEVEN, 8 MILLION BUCKS, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY TO PUT TOWARDS OTHER PROJECTS.
WELL, WE HAVE NEEDS IN PLANNING AS WELL'S.
I MEAN, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T DO THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT WE DO IF WE DON'T HAVE THE MANPOWER.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? NO QUESTION.
NO, JUST, I GUESS MAYBE A COMMENT.
SO IT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY, JUST SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, IT DOES SEEM THAT THERE'S ROOM, UM, TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF RESERVES.
WE'VE HAD HURRICANES DURING MY TENURE ON COUNCIL.
UM, I, I BELIEVE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BEFORE MY TENURE, BUT THEY HAVE RESERVES HAVE BEEN DIPPED INTO YEAH, WE DID DUE TO HURRICANES AT TIMES.
SO WE DID, FOR IKE, I THINK WE DID 7 MILLION.
WE HAD TO DO AN EMERGENCY MEETING AND DO 7 MILLION.
SO I WOULD, YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY PROBABLY WANNA BE AT, AT LEAST HALFWAY BETWEEN 60 AND 90, IF NOT MAYBE JUST A, A SMIDGEN CLOSER TO THE 90 THAN THE 60.
UM, BUT IT DOES SEEM LIKE WE'RE IN GREAT SHAPE ON RESERVES, AND THAT DEFINITELY, UM, KIND OF MAKES ME LEAN TOWARDS OPTION B OR C BECAUSE THE CONTINGENCY IS, IS NOT AS PARAMOUNT OR IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE ARE IN SUCH GREAT SHAPE ON RESERVES.
SO I, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE OPTIONS AND, UH, IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO CONTINUE TO SHAVE A PENNY OFF THE TAX RATE IF POSSIBLE.
SO WHAT I'M HEARING RIGHT NOW IS MORE JUST KIND OF OUR APPROACH ON HOW WE WANT TO EITHER LOOK AT TAX RATE AND CERTAINLY WHAT WE WANNA KEEP IN OUR RESERVES, WHICH IS GOOD.
UM, I BELIEVE WITH THE WORK FROM A AND E AND, AND FINANCE, TRYING TO GET THAT BALANCE OF, OF, UH, YOU KNOW, I WOULD AGREE, HAVING MONEY
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IN RESERVE, WE'RE NOT REALLY SERVICING OUR NEEDS, UH, FROM A CAPITAL PROJECTS STANDPOINT, BUT ALSO HAVING A BUNCH OF CAPITAL PROJECTS, EVEN IF THEY'RE FUNDED AND YOU CAN'T COMPLETE 'EM, THEN THAT'S ALSO BACKS US UP.SO THAT'S THE BALANCE THAT WE HAVE TO FIND.
SO, YOU KNOW, JUST IDENTIFYING AND PRIORITIZING PROJECTS IS ONE THING.
THE NEXT PART IS HOW CAN THEY TRULY BE CONSTRUCTED AND IMPLEMENTED IN A TIMEFRAME BECAUSE THEY JUST BACK UP AND WE JUST, WE GO THROUGH THIS YEAR AFTER YEAR MM-HMM
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF NEEDS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO DRAINAGE, UH, UH, SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOWS AS A SIMPLE EXAMPLE THAT WE COULD CERTAINLY GO AND CONTINUE TO INVEST IN AND, AND WORK WITH OUR PLAN.
UM, AND HOW WE DO THAT, CERTAINLY A LOT OF THAT WORK IS ALREADY CONTRACTED OUT.
UM, AND JUST LIKE ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION, A LOT OF THOSE CONTRACTORS, THEY ARE HURTING FOR LABOR AND, AND MATERIALS TOO.
SO, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMPONENTS.
IT'S WHY THIS BUDGET, UM, FINANCIALLY WE ARE IN GREAT SHAPE, BUT SERVICING OUR CITIZENS WITH WHAT SERVICES WE CAN DO, WITH WHAT CAPITAL PROJECTS WE CAN DO, AND PROVIDING, UM, HOPEFULLY A TAX RATE REDUCTION, WHICH IT LOOKS LIKE THAT MAKES SENSE.
UM, IS WHAT WE WANT TO TRY TO GET TO.
SO WE HAVE TO TAKE, GET, GET OUR KIND OF OUR PHILOSOPHY OF HOW WE WANNA APPROACH THIS BUDGET.
AND THAT'S WHERE A AND E AND AND FINANCE IS GONNA HELP WITH, UM, PROJECTS THAT, THAT NEED TO BE PRIORITIZED.
AND AT WHAT POINT DO WE SAY THAT'S PROBABLY ALL WE CAN REALLY HANDLE, AND I THINK WE CAN REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF DEBT ISSUED AND CASH FUND BASICALLY IS WHAT I THINK COUNCILMAN LESTER IS SUGGESTING.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE COMPONENTS, I GUESS FROM A FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK.
SO XENA, ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THAT? BECAUSE THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT PROJECTS ARE IN THE BUDGET THAT WE THINK WE CAN DO OR NOT.
AND THEN IF THERE'S ANYTHING FROM COUNCIL, WHICH I'M MORE INTERESTED IN, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT, THAT WE HAVE EXPRESSED IN OUR COUNCIL RETREATS AND WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM CITIZENS IS THAT IN THE BUDGET? BECAUSE IF NOT, THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THAT.
CAN, CAN WE JUST LEAD INTO OTHER, WE CAN GET ANOTHER STUFF, BUT I'D LIKE TO, I, I SEE ON PAGE 37, THE, THE LIST OF THE, I GUESS, POSITIONS.
BUT I, I'D LIKE TO KNOW THE NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, I KNOW WE MOVED A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF POLICE, UH, FROM THE CCPD FUNDS, WHICH MM-HMM
WHICH I SUPPORTED THAT PUSHED FOR THAT A LITTLE BIT AS WELL.
SO I'M NOT SO CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE NUMBERS.
BUT WE GOT, UH, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 POSITIONS IN PUBLIC WORKS.
WE GOT 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 POSITIONS IN PARKS AND RECREATION, TWO POSITIONS IN, UH, PLANNING DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
THERE'S A ONE LISTED, BUT IS IT JUST ONE PERSON? I DON'T KNOW.
AND THEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE NUMBERS, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY STAFF WERE ACTUALLY BRINGING ON.
UM, AND THEN AS FAR AS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, MY RECOLLECTION IS WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT SEVERAL TIMES AND WE REQUESTED IT TO BE INCREMENTAL.
AND, AND IT WAS TWO WERE REQUESTED ORIGINALLY, AND I THINK TWO ARE STILL IN THE BUDGET.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT MDD IS THAT CORRECT? THAT WAS, THAT'S WHAT IT'S BASED OFF OF.
IS THE FUND THERE FUND THAT? YEAH.
THE LAST MDD MEETING ACTUALLY WENT A A, IT WAS, THERE WAS MORE OF A SPLIT THAN THERE WAS, UM, AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL, AT THE MDD.
AND JUST I GUESS FOR CLARIFICATION.
WHAT OCCURRED WAS MDD BUDGETED A PORTION OF THE SALARY FOR TWO POSITIONS MM-HMM
BASED ON THE FACT THAT THERE WOULD BE SOMEWHAT OF AN EVALUATION OF THE FIRST POSITION OCCURRED MARCH OR APRIL OF NEXT YEAR BEFORE THE SECOND POSITION WOULD BE BROUGHT ON.
AND, AND MDDI GUESS, AND OR COUNSEL MAYBE.
AND COUNSEL WOULD, WOULD, UH, YEAH.
IT WOULD HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, HAVE A, HAVE A, AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO PARTAKE IN THAT EVALUATION BEFORE DOING SO.
SO LIKE I SAY, THERE WAS, THERE WAS MORE OF A, MORE OF A, UH, I THINK IT WAS A BUDGETARY DECISION MADE.
I MEAN, LET, LET'S, LET'S BUDGET FOR THIS.
YOU KNOW, YOU HIRE SOMEBODY THAT MAY TAKE A FEW MONTHS TO HIRE, I GUESS YOU'D SAY YOU POSITION ONE, YOU EVALUATE AND YOU, THEY MAY HAVE DIFFERENT SKILL SETS THAT MEET THE, MEET, MEET OTHER AREAS OF THE POSITION TOO, OR NOT, OR, OR NOT.
AND SO IT WAS MAINLY FROM A BUDGETARY STANDPOINT OF, BUT, BUT WHAT PERCENTAGE, UH, IS THIS MR. CITY MANAGER? BECAUSE ISN'T THERE A SHARE FROM THE CITY'S BUDGET AND MD'S BUDGET? SO THE MDD DOES NOT, DOES, DOES NOT COVER CHAMBERS COUNTY.
THIS, THIS IS A HARRIS COUNTY, UH, INITIATIVE.
SO PART OF THE MONEY HAS TO COME FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND SOME OF IT HAS TO COME FROM, UH, THE MDD.
BUT WHAT, WHAT PORTION IS THIS? THAT'S 75.
[00:25:01]
IS, I THINK THAT WAS THE SPLIT, WASN'T IT? 75%.SO THE BULK, THE BULK OF IT, THE BULK OF IT FROM THE MDD AND ACTUALLY WHAT THE MDD AGREED WAS TO SET YOUR BUDGET, UH, BUDGETING FOR BOTH POSITIONS, BUT NOT TO FILL BOTH POSITIONS TO FILL ONE NOW AND TAKE THE DECISION LATER IN THE YEAR WHETHER TO FILL THE OTHER ONE.
SO IT'S BUDGETED BUT NOT APPROVED TO ACTUALLY APPOINT TWO.
BUT, BUT FOR CLARIFICATION, WHAT MDB NOT APPROVED? WHAT IF WE APPROVE, IF WE APPROVE THE BUDGET, THE POSITION'S APPROVED AT THAT POINT IN TIME, CITY MANAGER CAN FILL THE POSITION.
I MEAN, THAT'S A STAFF ISSUE RECOMMENDATION.
THAT, THAT, THAT WASN'T THE CONSENSUS.
BUT KEEP IN MIND THAT WAS, IT WAS 25% THAT WAS APPROVED.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ANOTHER DISCUSSION THAT, THAT OCCURS ON THE 75%.
IT, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT WOULD BE A FAIR GAME TO ME.
WE JUST MDD JUST APPROVED WHAT WOULD BE 25%.
SORRY, MR. MAYOR, IF I CAN YES.
MAKE IT CLEAR IT'S 75 IN THE M-D-D-M-D-D 25 IN THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE THE, THE BULK OF THE COST FALLS MDD.
WITH TWO POSITIONS, 75% MDD, 25% GENERAL FUND.
THE, BECAUSE OF THE MDD CONFIGURATION.
AND MR. ROMERO, THE FIGURE, UM, PAGE 37, THAT IS THE TOTAL COSTS OF ALL THE POSITIONS FOR BOTH POSITIONS.
I MEAN THAT'S KIND OF, KIND OF CLEAR AS MUD.
SO I'M GONNA, 1 44 IS THE TOTAL FOR THE TWO POSITIONS.
THEY MAY BE FUNDED BY OTHER MEANS YEAH.
AND I HAVE TRUST IN OUR STAFF OKAY.
THAT THEY'RE GONNA DO WHAT WE WANTED THEM TO DO IS JUST AWAI AND HIRE THE NEXT ONE AT THE TIME THAT WE OR Y'ALL ALLOCATED.
'CAUSE I WASN'T AT THAT MEETING.
SO, BUT I AGREE WITH THE DECISION THAT WAS MADE.
ALONG THE SAME LINES WITH THE, THE POSITIONS I HAD THIS KIND OF THE SAME QUESTION.
'CAUSE SOME OF THESE DO LISTS SPECIALISTS OR TECHNICIANS ON A SINGLE LINE.
IT APPEARS TO BE PLURAL MORE THAN ONE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TWO, THREE.
UH, SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN JUST GET A TABLE THAT'S BY POSITION, JUST SO WE GET A GOOD FEEL FOR HOW MANY ARE BEING ADDED.
THIS LIST DOESN'T INCLUDE ANY OF THE TRANSFERS FROM OTHER, UH, THE OTHER DISTRICTS.
THIS IS JUST ACTUAL NEW POSITIONS.
ANYTHING ELSE ON NEW POSITIONS SINCE WE'RE ON THIS SHEET? SO I WILL ADDRESS ONE THING I BELIEVE, UM, IF I CAN, YOU KNOW, I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES CITIZENS AND, AND, AND EVEN OURSELVES, WE THINK LET'S JUST HIRE MORE POLICE AND HIRE MORE POLICE.
BUT I KNOW IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE, THEY'VE DONE AN EVALUATION AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT HIRING POLICE CHIEF.
HOW MANY OPEN POSITIONS DO WE HAVE RIGHT NOW FOR PATROL OFFICER? UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE 15, SIR.
I WAS JUST, JUST, UH, DON'T NEED TO COME TO THE PODIUM.
UH, SO THERE'S 15 OPEN POSITIONS.
SO WE, WE CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH 15 POSITIONS.
I KNOW MANY YEARS, OR MANY BUDGETS AGO WHEN WE WOULDN'T SEE, YOU KNOW, POLICE OR FIRE PERSONNEL IN IT, I WOULD GET WORRIED.
UM, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE WE WERE TRYING TO KEEP UP.
BUT NOW IT'S, WE JUST CAN'T FILL THE POSITIONS.
SO ADDING MORE POSITIONS IS NOT GONNA DO ANYTHING.
IT'S GONNA TIE MONEY UP AS, AS COUNCILMAN LESTER SAID.
UM, AND, AND IT'S PROBABLY NOT GONNA HELP US IN ANY WAY.
SO WHAT YOU SEE HERE IN THE POLICE POSITIONS, I THINK IS GEARED MORE TO, UM, REALLY PREPARING FOR THE NEW PUBLIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING AND POSITIONS WHEN THERE'S GONNA BE NEW, UH, OPERATIONAL FUNCTIONS THAT WILL TAKE PLACE.
SO I BELIEVE THIS IS A VERY GOOD, UM, PROPOSAL AS FAR AS PERSONNEL.
UM, BUT I WANT THE CITIZENS TO KNOW IF THEY SEE THAT WE'RE NOT PROPOSING ANY NEW PATROL OFFICER POSITIONS.
THERE IS A REASON WHY, AND WE HAVE 15 POSITIONS, UH, THAT ARE CURRENTLY OPEN.
UM, AND THEN I BELIEVE WE DISAPPROVED THE CONTRACT RECENTLY, UM, FOR, FOR SOME THINGS TO HELP US WITH RECRUITMENT AND ALSO, UM, I GUESS YOU WOULD SAY, UM, ACQUIRING OTHER EXPERIENCED OFFICERS FROM OTHER AGENCIES.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT WILL BE VERY HELPFUL AND HELP, HELP HOPEFULLY EXPEDITE US FILLING THOSE 15 OPEN POSITIONS.
[00:30:01]
IS THAT, DID I DO OKAY THERE, CHIEF? ABSOLUTELY.CAN I MAKE AN ADDITIONAL COMMENT, MAYOR? YES, SIR.
AND THAT IS THAT THIS BUDGET PROPOSES, UH, ACTUALLY HIRING SOME CIVILIAN PERSONNEL TO TAKE THE PLACE OF, UH, IN POSITIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY UTILIZING SWORN OFFICERS.
SO IT'S ALMOST LIKE ACQUIRING NEW OFFICERS OUT IN THE STREET BECAUSE IT'LL BE EASIER TO ACQUIRE THESE CIVILIAN WORKERS AND IT WILL PUT THE OFFICERS BACK ON THE STREET.
SO IT'S, IT'S MY, I THINK IT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF PLAYING OFFENSE, NOT JUST DEFENSE.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT'S EXCITING ABOUT THIS AND WHY YOU SEE SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS AS WELL.
IT'S LIKE NEW OFFICERS AND MAYOR, IF, YES, MA'AM.
IF I MIGHT ADD, AND, AND CHIEF CAN PROBABLY WEIGH IN ON THIS, THE, THE LAST TIME WE WENT THROUGH THIS, IN TERMS OF ADDING ON ADDITIONAL OFFICERS, I WAS TOLD THAT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ADDING OFFICERS, IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE ADMIN SUPPORT, UH, WITH THE INCREASE OF OFFICERS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'D HAVE TO THINK ABOUT AS WELL.
BUT DO, WOULD WE CURRENTLY, WITH THE 15, UM, OPEN POSITIONS THAT YOU HAVE FOR OFFICERS, DO YOU HAVE ADEQUATE ADMIN SUPPORT FOR THAT? UH, WE CURRENTLY DO.
THE, THE MOST PRESSING NEED WILL NOT ONLY BE ADDING, UH, SOME, IT WOULD BE ADDING THE, THE RECORDS CLERKS, BECAUSE AS WE INCREASE WORK PRODUCT ON THE STREET, WE'LL HAVE MORE PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS AND PROCESSING OF VIDEOS AND INFORMATION THAT GOES TO THE, UH, DA'S OFFICE.
JUST PART FOR, FOR THE, I GUESS FOR DOCUMENTING ANY COMMENTS, I GUESS IF THERE'S GONNA BE MORE THAN A, A NUMBER OR VALUE THROWN OUT, I GUESS YOU'D HAVE TO COME TO THE PODIUM UNFORTUNATELY FOR ANYBODY WHO, WHO, UH, IF A COUNCIL MEMBER INQUIRES, UH, PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM SO WE CAN HAVE IT RECORDED AND THAT WILL MAKE LLOYD VERY HAPPY.
I THINK HE'S BACK THERE WAITING AT EVERYBODY.
YEAH, JUST UNLESS IT'S JUST A, A NUMBER FIVE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEN, THEN GO AHEAD AND COME TO THE PODIUM.
ANYTHING ELSE ON YOU POSITIONS? I GUESS I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE ALL HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING, AT LEAST ON, ON ANY NEW POSITIONS THAT ARE PRESENTED TO US.
UH, AND THEN IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE THINK THAT THERE ISN'T ENOUGH, MAYBE, UM, PLEASE EXPRESS THAT I, I KNOW, UM, I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S REALLY THE AMOUNT OF, OF, UH, POSITIONS, BUT I CONTINUE TO, TO SEE SOME AREAS OF, OF MEDIANS.
AND I KNOW THE CITY MANAGER ALWAYS HEARS ME HARP ON IT, BUT I, I WANT CLEAN MEDIANS, I WANT ALL OUR THOROUGHFARES, EVERY INTERSECTION, UH, THINGS HAPPEN THERE, THERE'S ACCIDENTS AND THE CREWS TRY TO SWEEP UP WHAT THEY CAN.
BUT WHEN I SEE GLASS AND, AND YOU KNOW, GRAVEL AND CIGARETTE BUTTS ALL LINED UP AGAINST THE MEDIAN, IT DOESN'T MAKE ME VERY HAPPY BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE PERSONNEL DEDICATED TO THAT.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE CERTAINLY FOCUS IN ON THAT, UM, MORE AND MORE.
AND NOW WITH THE HOTEL, UH, AND OTHER THINGS HAPPENING, UH, PEOPLE WE REALLY WANNA LOOK LIKE IF WE'RE GONNA BE A DESTINATION CITY, WE REALLY NEED TO GO AND, AND REALLY APPEAR THAT WAY.
ANYTHING ELSE ON NEW POSITIONS? ALL RIGHT.
ANYTHING ELSE MR. LESTER? NO, JUST, THEY'RE GONNA GIVE US A BREAKDOWN OF THE ACTUAL NUMBERS, I THINK IN, IN CERTAIN AREAS WHEN YOU GO TO THE DIFFERENT FUNDS.
THERE WAS A BREAKDOWN OF, OF PERSONNEL, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, UH, BY, BY HEAD COUNT ITSELF.
I LOOKED PRETTY THOROUGH AND I WASN'T ANY CLEAR TO ME PROVIDED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I GUESS JUST ONE FINAL QUESTION RE RELATED TO THE PUBLIC WORKS IN ENGINEERING.
SO WHEN WE APPROVED THAT DRAINAGE FEE, UH, WHEN COUNSEL APPROVED THAT, UH, PREVIOUSLY, ONE OF THE, THE RATIONALE THAT WAS GIVEN IS WELL WE COULD USE SOME OF THAT MONEY AND, AND SOME OF THAT DRAINAGE FEE TO DO MORE DRAINAGE WORK IN-HOUSE AND HAVE A DEDICATED DRAINAGE TEAM, AN ADDITIONAL ONE YES.
TO ACCOMPLISH SOME OF THAT WORK.
SO IS THAT ACCOUNTED FOR IN, IN THESE NEW POSITIONS IN ANY WAY? BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT, WHAT WE WERE INFORMED OF.
SO THERE, THERE WAS SOME LAST YEAR THAT WERE, WE ADDED A DRAINAGE CREW LAST YEAR WAS BUDGET.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ARE THERE AREAS OF CONCERN? WELL, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, MAY AS WELL, IT'S NOW OR NEVER.
SO JUST CURIOSITY, IT'S, IT'S A SMALL EXPENSE.
IT, IT'S FAIRLY INSIGNIFICANT, BUT TOURISM TECHNICIAN, SO I KNOW WE HAVE A SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS DEVOTED TO TOURISM, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT, UH, PART-TIME TOURISM, TOURISM TECHNICIAN, UH, WHAT THE DUTIES ARE OR JUST SOME SORT OF BRIEF DESCRIPTION.
THAT HALFTIME POSITION WOULD BE PAID
[00:35:01]
FULLY OUT OF THE HOT FUND AND IT WOULD BE DESIGNATED AT THE BRUNSON AS SOMEONE TO ACT AS THAT FRONTLINE OF DEFENSE AND MARKETING PERSON FOR THE BRUNSON.MAKE SURE THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEONE THERE AT THE FRONT DESK.
ALRIGHT, OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE BUDGET? ANY MAYOR? YES MA'AM.
UM, THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET, I THINK FIRST AND FOREMOST, OKAY.
I HAVE TO SAY THAT BEING PART OF THE A AND E COMMITTEE REALLY ANSWERED A LOT OF MY QUESTIONS THAT I HAD BEFORE.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU, UM, PUTTING THAT TOGETHER.
I DID SEND, UM, TO STAFF BEFOREHAND, UM, SOME OF MY QUESTIONS, UM, UH, MAINLY DEALING WITH, UM, ON PAGE 44, ITEM 70 40, 56, UM, 200,000, UM, IN VACANT LOT CLEANING.
UM, THIS DOES CONTINUE, UH, TO COME UP.
AND SO MY QUESTION WAS REALLY, UM, DID IT COME, DO THESE VACANT LOTS, UM, ARE FROM BOTH CITY OWNED PROPERTIES AND, UM, WERE THEY ALSO PART OF SUBSTANDARD PROPERTY? SO I WAS TOLD IT COULD INCLUDE, UH, BOTH OF 'EM.
WE HAVE PROBABLY 60 PLUS LOTS THAT WE HAVE OURSELVES BEEN CONTROLLING.
AND SO I THINK AT SOME POINT I KNOW THAT THEY ARE WORKING, UM, ON TRYING TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO GET THOSE BACK ON THE LEASE ROLL AND, UM, DOING SOME SORT OF DIFFERENT INNOVATIVE IDEAS TO, TO TRY TO GET THOSE BACK ON.
WHETHER IT'S TRYING TO FIND DEVELOPERS THAT CAN DO HOMES IN, IN SLOTS RATHER THAN A HUGE DEVELOPMENT.
UM, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT COMMUNITY GARDENS AS WELL, BUT, UM, THAT'S ONE COST I THINK, AND IT'S 200,000, BUT 200,000 CAN BE ROLLED OVER TO SOMETHING ELSE IF WE FIND A WAY TO, TO TAKE THIS OFF THE BUDGET.
UM, SO I WAS HAPPY WITH, UM, THE RESPONSE THAT I GOT.
UM, AND I JUST HOPE THAT THAT NUMBER WILL CONTINUE TO REDUCE, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UM, IN, UM, FUTURE BUDGETS.
ANOTHER ONE WAS ON PAGE 44, SAME PAGE ITEM 70, 40, 61, AND THAT'S 500,000 IN DEMOLITION OF STRUCTURES.
UM, AND THIS IS BOTH, UM, CITY OWNED OR, UM, IN, IN CASE OF MAYBE EVEN THE BRUNSON AND, AND OTHER, THE, UM, THE BUILDING NEXT TO IT, WHICH IS IT CALLED CITIZENS BANK.
CITIZENS BANK, BUT IT'S ALSO A LOT OF THE SUBSTANDARD PROCESSES.
SO THEY'RE ALL KIND OF LUMPED IN TOGETHER.
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT WE GET A, A GOOD RATE WHEN WE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF DO 'EM IN, IN CLUMPS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME I'M WONDERING HOW MUCH OF THAT DO WE GET BACK FROM SUBSTANDARD? UM, HOW LONG DO THEY STAY ON SUBSTANDARD THESE LIENS AND CAN WE TACKLE, UM, A DIFFERENT, UM, WAY TO HANDLE THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED BY US? BECAUSE A LIEN CAN BE THERE FOREVER.
AND IF THIS PROPERTY OWNER NEVER SELLS, THAT'S THE PROBLEM THAT WE'RE HAVING IN, IN, I KNOW MY DISTRICT AND YOU HAVE SOME, SOME EMPTY LOTS IN AS WELL IN DISTRICT TWO THAT IF WE CAN JUST GET SOMETHING TO POP UP THERE INSTEAD OF HAVING TO DEMOLISH.
I JUST HAD TO DEMOLISH ANOTHER BUILDING IN MY DISTRICT AND I KNOW I REACHED OUT TO BRENT ABOUT A THIRD ONE THAT'S BEEN SITTING THERE EMPTY, LIKE I HATE TO CONTINUE TO DEMOLISH AND, AND EVERYTHING ENDS UP BEING ON OUR DIME.
SO, UM, I JUST HOPE THAT MAYBE WE HAVE SOME OTHER IDEAS IN HOW WE CAN DETER THAT.
SO I, I THINK TO CLARIFY THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT, UM, THAT THAT 500,000 IS THE SUBSTANDARD PROGRAM MM-HMM
UM, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT WOULD INCLUDE ANYTHING THAT THE CITY, UH, IT HAS ANOTHER CONTRACT FOR LIKE, UH, LIKE THE CITIZENS BANK MM-HMM
I THINK THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS PROBABLY ROLLED INTO THAT OTHER CONTRACT.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT CAME OUT OF THE, THE SAME CONTRACT.
UM, WE DO SAVE BY BY DOING SORT OF A BULK OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, EXCUSE ME.
AND IN TERMS OF, UM, HOW LONG THOSE LIENS SIT, THEY CAN SIT FOR, FOR YEARS AND YEARS AT TIMES.
UM, YOU'VE SEEN HOW MANY OF THEM THAT WE'VE, UH, THE STRUCTURES THAT WE HAVE DEMOLISHED IN THE LAST SAY FIVE YEARS.
AND HOW MANY OF THOSE HAVE REBUILT? NOT MANY.
AND WE'VE PROBABLY TAKEN OUT WHAT, PROBABLY 200, UM, LOTS BY THIS POINT.
SO, UM, WE DO HAVE 500,000 IN THE BUDGET THIS YEAR, THIS CURRENT FISCAL FISCAL YEAR.
UM, AND WE ARE ON COURSE TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THAT.
UM, OF COURSE WE ARE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, WE, OUR PREFERENCE WOULD BE NOT TO TEAR THEM DOWN, BUT YOU KNOW, THE CITY AND, AND SOMETIMES IT'S JUST NECESSARY.
[00:40:01]
UM, AND SO I I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE A GOOD ANSWER FOR YOU ON THAT.NO, I, I UNDERSTAND AND, AND I, I CERTAINLY DON'T WANNA COME IN, YOU KNOW, GUNG-HO AND TRY TO PUSH SOMEONE OUT OF THEIR PROPERTY.
UH, OF COURSE THESE ARE SUBSTANDARDS ARE NOT, UM, UH, THE TENANTS ARE NOT THERE.
SO THIS IS WHERE IT'S JUST AN EMPTY PROPERTY THAT HAS TO BE DEMOLISHED.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A PROCESS TO IT, UM, TO ENSURE WE FOLLOW THE LETTER OF THE LAW AND EVERYTHING, BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THEY JUST SIT THERE FOREVER.
I MEAN, WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE A MARKET STREET REDEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE DOING BAYWAY, UM, WE'RE DOING OTHER AREAS AND I, I JUST DUNNO WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO ABOUT THOSE EMPTY LOTS.
AND, UM, I JUST HOPE THAT MAYBE WE CAN COME UP WITH SOME NEW IDEAS, UM, TO GET THEM BACK ON THE LEASE ROLLS.
WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO BE CREATIVE AND, AND GET THERE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK ONCE IT GOES ON THE SUBSTANDARD LIST, WE FEEL AT THAT POINT WE'VE EXHAUSTED ALL OF OUR OTHER OPTIONS BECAUSE THEY'LL SOMETIMES BE ON JUST THE CODE ENFORCEMENT, UM, UM, ACTIONS FOR A YEAR OR TWO YEARS, OR SOMETIMES FIVE OR SIX YEARS.
IT, IT, WE, WE OFTEN WILL WILL, YOU KNOW, GO TO GREAT LENGTHS TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE CAN GET, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE LOOKING FOR COMPLIANCE.
UM, A LOT OF TIMES THE OWNERS JUST AREN'T LOOKING TO PUT MONEY INTO IT OR CAN'T PUT MONEY INTO IT.
I, IT'S, THERE'S A THOUSAND DIFFERENT REASONS.
SO YEAH, WE, WE'D PREFER THEY GET RE REDONE AND REHABBED AND, UM, SOMETIMES IT'S JUST NOT POSSIBLE.
AND MAYOR, IF I MAY? YES, SIR.
THE, UM, SOMETIMES WE, WELL, MANY TIMES WE'LL COME ACROSS A PROPERTY THAT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND OWNERSHIP.
UH, THESE ARE THIRD GENERATION HOMES AND IT'S HARD TO FIND THE DESCENDANTS OF, OF THESE PROPERTIES.
AND SO THEY COULD SIT ETERNALLY WITH A, WITH A LIEN ON THEM AFTER WE, WE DEMOLISH THE HOUSE.
I, I THINK MR. DAVIS BRINGS UP A A A REALLY GOOD POINT.
AND THAT IS SOMETIMES YOU'LL HAVE LIKE A DEATH IN THE FAMILY.
WE, A LOT OF THESE, WE COME ACROSS THEIR, THERE ENDS UP THE OWNERS DECEASED MM-HMM
AND THEN THERE'S FIVE RELATIVES THAT ARE LEFT BEHIND THAT ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH IT.
THEY'RE FIGHTING BETWEEN THEMSELVES AND THAT CAN SIT IN, UH, IN PROBATE FOR SOMETIMES A COUPLE OF YEARS WITHOUT ANY MOVEMENT AT ALL, AND WE CAN'T TOUCH IT.
AND, AND THAT I UNDERSTAND, BUT IF THERE'S A WAY TO INCENTIVIZE THESE THAT HAVE BEEN SITTING THERE FOREVER AND, UM, I I I, WE PROBABLY CAN'T HELP THOSE THAT ARE FAMILY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING.
BUT IF IT'S JUST ONE OWNER OR, OR IF WE FIND SOMEONE, I, I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO, BUT MAYBE IN INCENTIVES WILL WORK, YOU KNOW, TOUT OUR, UM, INVESTMENT ZONES OR BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT GRANTS, WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO JUST, YOU KNOW, GET THOSE DEVELOPED.
UM, AND MARY COUNCIL, WE, WE HONESTLY, WITH $500,000 HOPE WE DON'T HAVE, I MEAN, WE'RE COUNTING ON DEMOLISHING SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES AND WE HOPE DON'T COME ACROSS A, A HOSPITAL WE HAVE TO KNOCK DOWN OR A A, A LARGE COMMERCIAL, UH, BUILDING THAT COULD BLOW THROUGH THAT 500 GRAND.
WELL, I HAVE A CHURCH RIGHT NOW IN MY DISTRICT.
WELL, THERE'S, THERE'S A GOOD EXAMPLE.
WELL, THAT ONE WAS ALREADY KNOCKED DOWN, BUT I HAVE ANOTHER ONE THAT'S BEEN VACANT AND IT'S LIKE, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL STRUCTURE AND IT'S JUST BEEN THERE EMPTY AND YEAH.
I DON'T WANNA HAVE TO TEAR DOWN ANOTHER CHURCH.
UM, AND SO THAT'S REALLY, UH, I ONLY HAD ONE MORE MAYOR IN, UM, AT LEAST AT THIS POINT, UH, PAGE ONE 17 REGARDING THE HOT FUNDS.
UM, I, I DID SEE THAT THERE WAS AN ENTRY FOR, UM, UH, HISTORICAL, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
WHO, WHO ARE WE, WHO'S GETTING THAT 2%? IS IT THE MUSEUM, IS IT THE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION OR WHAT DOES HISTORICAL MEAN? UH, YOU'RE ON ONE 17? YES.
I'M LOOKING JUST THE GENERAL PIE CHART.
THE PIE CHART? YEAH, THE PIE CHART ON THE BOTTOM.
AND SO IT JUST SAYS 2% OF OUR HOT FUNDS ARE HISTORICAL.
SO THOSE ARE THE GRANTS THAT WE GIVE OUT EVERY YEAR TO RECIPIENTS IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE DIVIDE THOSE UP INTO HISTORICAL AND NON-HISTORICAL SO THEY CAN GO SPECIFICALLY TO HISTORICAL AND THEN OTHER EVENTS THAT WE HAVE IN TOWN.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE CDBG ONES WHERE THEY COME IN AND APPLY AND THEY GET HOT FUNDS.
AND IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY MORE AKIN TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD GRANTS THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WHERE FOLKS APPLY FOR THESE GRANTS AND EVERY YEAR WE GIVE THEM OUT.
[00:45:01]
SINCE YOU BROUGHT UP THE 200,000 FOR THE VACANT LOT CLEANING, UM, SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THAT IS UNDER PUBLIC HEALTH.I ALSO HAD TAGGED, UM, UNDER THE 72 31 IN PUBLIC HEALTH, THEIR, THEIR BUDGET FOR CHEMICAL SUPPLIES DOUBLED AND MM-HMM
MY QUESTION WAS, WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING FROM A RUNNING AN AVERAGE OF AROUND $190,000 EXPENDITURE IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET'S, 349,000.
NOW, CONSIDERING THE RAIN EVENT WE HAD RECENTLY, IF YOU'RE TELLING ME IT'S FOR MOSQUITO CONTROL, 'CAUSE THEY'RE ALL CARRYING US AWAY, UH, PROBABLY BE HAPPY.
BUT I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHY SUCH A SIGNIFICANT JUMP THAT'S ALSO INCLUDING THE CHEMICAL SIDE FOR THE SHELTER, UM, UNDER THE PUBLIC HEALTH PART.
UM, CLEANING AND CHEMICAL SUPPLIES IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MOSQUITO CONTROL CHEMICALS THAT I BELIEVE LAST YEAR WAS AROUND 180 9 OR 200 SOMETHING THAT 1 96 LAST YEAR AND 1, 180 THAT, AND THAT'S WHY IT CAUGHT MY EYE IS JUST DOUBLE.
BUT WE'RE BUILDING IN THE CLEANING SUPPLIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT FOR THE NEW FACILITY.
THAT'S A CHUNK, BUT THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE.
I JUST WOULDN'T ANY CLARIFICATION.
YOU CAN'T PUSH IT TOWARDS MOSQUITO CONTROL.
WE, WE CAN, UH, WE CAN ADJUST AND ADAPT AS NEEDED.
KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.
ANY OTHER AREAS? I GUESS JUST A GENERAL QUESTION, MAYOR.
SO I SEE ON THE HIGHLIGHT SHEET IMAGE CAMPAIGN AND MARKETING STUDY, AND I MUST CONFESS, I HAVEN'T LOOKED FOR THE EXACT BREAKDOWN OF THAT, BUT MAYBE JUST A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THAT IS AND WHAT THE COST WOULD BE.
$150,000 TO BRING IN A CONSULTANT WHO WOULD BE ABLE TO PERFORM RESEARCH, EXTENSIVE RESEARCH THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, INTERVIEWING OUR RESIDENTS, INVESTORS, DEVELOPERS, VISITORS, WHY DID THEY CHOOSE BAYTOWN? WHY DID THEY MOVE HERE? WHY DID THEY DEVELOP HERE? WHY DID THEY INVEST IN BAYTOWN? AND THAT WOULD CREATE, AND ALSO FINDING THE PEOPLE WHO CHOSE NOT TO MOVE TO BAYTOWN, CHOSE NOT TO INVEST IN BAYTOWN, DEVELOP IN BAYTOWN, AND WHY NOT? AND THAT WOULD PERFORM, THAT WOULD BUILD A FOUNDATION FOR A MARKETING STRATEGY GOING FORWARD.
HOW DO WE ESSENTIALLY SELL BAYTOWN TO THOSE AUDIENCES THAT WE SEEK? AND IT WOULD CREATE THAT VALUE PROPOSITION FOR BAYTOWN BEFORE WE GO INTO ADDITIONAL MARKETING CAMPAIGNS SUCH AS SEEDS THE BAY.
WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS THE BAYTOWN IMAGE, WHAT DO FOLKS SAY ABOUT US? WHAT IS THAT BRAND? AND SO THIS IS A COMMON STUDY THAT'S DONE THROUGHOUT THE, THE NATION THAT WE'D LIKE TO BRING HERE THAT WOULD GIVE US THAT VALUE PROPOSITION.
SO I, I DO HAVE JUST QUICK COMMENTS, MAYOR, AND THEY'RE ALONG THE SAME LINES AS COUNCILWOMAN ALVARADO.
THEY'RE SOMEWHAT GENERAL, BUT I I, I DO HAVE A DESIRE TO EXPRESS THEM.
SO, YOU KNOW, REPRESENTING DISTRICT TWO FOR NINE YEARS AND LIVING IN THE DISTRICT FOR 16 YEARS, I, I, I DO HAVE INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF, OF DISTRICT TWO IN THE, THE OLDER PART OF BAYTOWN.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS STUDIES GO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO HAVE THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS NOW.
AND, AND HONESTLY I THINK THAT'S THE CITY MANAGER'S LEGACY IN BAYTOWN IS WHAT HE'S BROUGHT TO THE TABLE AS FAR AS THAT PROCESS GOES.
AND ALL THE OUTREACH THAT WE'VE DONE, THE SURVEYS.
AND IN MY OPINION, IT'S JUST, IT'S UNPARALLELED.
AND I, I, I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT BEFORE.
AND, AND I, BEFORE I WAS ON COUNCIL, I FOLLOWED ALONG, BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT RICK BROUGHT TO THE TABLE IN A BIG WAY.
AND I, I WOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, CAUTION THAT WE'RE VERY VIGILANT IN SPENDING MONEY ON STUDIES AND, AND IMAGE CAMPAIGNS BECAUSE I DO AGREE WITH THE MAYOR AND I AGREE WITH COUNCILWOMAN ALVARADO THAT REALLY
AND IN THIS TOWN, WHETHER IT'S MEDIAN CLEANUP MAYOR OR VACANT LOT CLEANUPS, UM, EVERY NOW AND THEN DEMOLISHING SOME STRUCTURES.
AND I WOULD PROBABLY DISAGREE WITH COUNCILWOMAN ALVARADO SOMEWHAT.
IT, IT IS UNFORTUNATE, BUT IN DISTRICT TWO, FOR THE MOST PART, MOST OF THE DEMOLITION IS HEALTHY AND A VERY GOOD THING.
SO I'M ACTUALLY A PROPONENT OF, OF SOME DEMOLITION, UM, THAT'S NEEDED.
AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT GRAFFITI ABATEMENT BEFORE,
[00:50:01]
UH, FROM TONY AND, AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A, A LINE ITEM IN THERE FOR, FOR, WE TALKED ABOUT A PIECE OF MACHINERY OR, OR, OR ABATING GRAFFITI.
SO, YOU KNOW, FROM WHAT I SEE, AND NUMBER ONE, YOU NEED FOLKS TO STEP UP AND, AND WANT TO ACQUIRE SOME OF THE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE LIENS PUT ON DEMOLITION LIENS AND SUCH AS THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT THAT
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE FOLKS LIKE THAT STEP UP, WELL THE CITY'S IN A POSITION TO, TO RELEASE LIENS FOR FOLKS IF THEY'RE GOING TO, UH, CONSTRUCT A QUALITY PROJECT OR PRODUCT.
SO IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAY, I, I WOULD ACTUALLY PROBABLY WOULDN'T EXPRESS THESE COMMENTS
AND, AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS THAT ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND WORK HARD AT CITY HALL AND, AND ARE AFFILIATED WITH THE CITY ON A DAILY BASIS.
BUT HONESTLY, MAYOR, I FEEL LIKE WE, THERE'S NEVER ENOUGH OF THAT.
SO I, I DO AGREE WITH YOU THAT, THAT IT IS JUST THE SMALL THINGS, UH, THAT COULD USE A LITTLE MORE FOCUS AND, AND WHEN YOU DEVOTE ATTENTION TO THE SMALL THINGS, A LOT OF THINGS WILL, WILL FOLLOW.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST WHAT I SEE.
UM, IT'S, IT'S A CHALLENGE
BUT LIKE I, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAY THAT, THAT'S WHAT I SEE MAYOR AL, I DON'T EVEN KNOW THE LINE ITEMS WHERE THEY'RE AT, BUT WHATEVER WE CAN DEVOTE TO CLEAN UP VACANT LOT, CLEAN UP MEDIAN, CLEAN UP SUBSTANDARD STRUCTURES, GRANT PROGRAMS OR, OR WAYS TO RELEASE DEMOLITION LIENS SO THAT FOLKS CAN PUT THOSE PROPERTIES BACK ON THE TAX ROLLS AND, AND REBUILD, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT'S NEEDED IN THIS TOWN.
YOU KNOW, I'M JUST NOT SURE ANOTHER IMAGE CAMPAIGN AND MARKETING STUDY, UH, WE, WE DO STUDY.
WE, THERE'S, WE DO ENDLESS STUDIES.
SO, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAY, I, I'M NOT AGAINST IT.
I JUST HOPE THAT WE'RE VERY, UH, DILIGENT AND, AND STRATEGIC WITH IT AND, AND IT'S JUST NOT ANOTHER STUDY.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY ONLY COMMENTS AND I APPRECIATE THE TIME.
ANY, UH, ADDITIONAL AREAS OF THE BUDGET THAT WE NEED TO REVIEW HERE? WELL, THIS IS JUST A REALLY GENERAL DISCUSSION, BUT I'LL JUMP IN AS FAR AS THE LIENS AND STUFF LIKE THAT AND PUSH FOR YEARS TO CREATE A SYSTEM WHERE A, A LOT OF THE $200,000 WE SPEND ON LOCK CLEANUP IS FOR THE PERPETUAL LOT, RIGHT? MM-HMM
IT'S BEEN VACANT, IT'LL BE VACANT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S FOURTH, FIFTH, 10TH GENERATION OF NOBODY CARES.
AND WE CONTINUE TO SPEND MONEY ON IT.
AND I'VE PUSHED FOR A LONG TIME IS TO, FOR THE CITY TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN PUTTING THOSE THINGS UP FOR AUCTION.
THEN WE RUN INTO THE SUNBLOCK.
WELL, IT'S GOTTA BE DOWNTOWN, NOT NECESSARILY, YES, IT'S AN EXPENSE IF WE HOLD THEM HERE, BUT I'VE PUSHED FOR A LONG TIME IS HAVE AN AUCTION ON SITE.
TELL THE HOMEOWNERS ON EITHER SIDE, IT'S A BID PROCESS, HIGHEST BID, GETS IT, IT, AND, AND THEN WAIVE.
YOU KNOW, THEY BID 500 BUCKS ON A LOT.
WORK WITH BUILDING SERVICES AND HAVE THOSE TWO LOTS COMBINED TO ONE.
BUT NOW ONE PERSON OWNS THOSE TWO LOTS, MAINTAINS IT.
YOU TAKE THAT MONEY OFF THE EXPENDITURE LIST AND PUT IT BACK IN.
PLUS GUESS WHAT? THEY START PAYING TAXES ON THAT LOT TOO.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO DO THAT, TO CALL US SOME OF THAT URBAN RENEWAL THAT WE SEE IN SOME OF OUR OLDER DISTRICTS.
I DON'T HAVE AS MANY IN DISTRICT SIX, BUT I DO HAVE A FEW, BUT I KNOW DISTRICT ONE AND TWO ARE FULL OF THEM.
UM, EVEN DISTRICT THREE HAS A FEW, BUT YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE PERPETUALS AND, AND WE JUST NEED TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE AS A CITY.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE MY COLLEAGUE IS PUSHING.
WE NEED TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE TO TURN THESE THINGS AROUND, GET THEM BACK BEING PRODUCTIVE INSTEAD OF SITTING THERE.
AND WE SPEND MONEY ON 'EM EVERY YEAR, YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.
UM, BUT GENERALIZING THE BUDGET ALL, I'VE GOT A LOT OF THE DETAIL STUFF AND I'LL HOLD OFF ON SOME OF THAT, BUT, UM, 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA FINALIZE SOME OF OUR DISCUSSIONS ON THE, THE A AND E ISSUE TOMORROW SO THAT WE WILL BRING SOME OF THAT AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.
BUT I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF FUNDS LITERALLY SITTING ON THE TREE THAT WE CAN REARRANGE, MOVE AND, AND, UH, ACCOMPLISH A LOT IF WE JUST DON'T SIT BACK AND SAY, OH, WE'VE ALWAYS DONE 90 DAYS.
SO WE'VE ALWAYS HAD, OR LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD $3 MILLION IN CONTINGENCIES.
THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY SITTING ON THE GROUND FOR THE WHAT IF, WHEN WE HAVE TRUE NEEDS.
WE'VE GOT AREAS AND COLLEAGUE HASN'T CHIMED IN YET, BUT I'M SURE SHE WILL.
WE'VE GOT AREAS THAT NEED FUNDING, UM, PROJECTS,
[00:55:01]
SPECIFIC ISSUES.LET'S PUT SOME OF THAT MONEY TO WORK INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR TOMORROW.
'CAUSE TOMORROW WILL GET HERE.
YEAH, NO, I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS.
I GUESS I JUST, YOU KNOW, THE HARD THING THAT I STRUGGLE WITH IS THAT, UH, AND IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THE BIG PROJECTS, THE HOTELS AND, AND, AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT I DO STRONGLY BELIEVE WHEN WE INVEST IN, IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, I MEAN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, IMPROVEMENT GRANT, I MEAN, IT WAS A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY, BUT FOR, FOR SOME NEIGHBORHOODS IT'S PROBABLY THEIR, THEIR MOST RECENT IMPROVEMENT IN DECADES.
AND SO I, I JUST THINK THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE PLAY SMALL BALL ON THAT REALLY IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY, NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD IN SOME CASES.
ALEXANDER DRIVE, I KNOW WE'VE DONE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENT.
IT IS A TDOT RIGHT AWAY, BUT MAKING, YOU KNOW, THE SIDEWALKS.
AND I KNOW EVENTUALLY WE'RE GONNA DO THE, THE, THE SIGNAL CHANGE OUT AND ALL THAT, WHICH IS GREAT.
UM, BUT I CONTINUE WANT, I CONTINUE TO, TO WANNA FOCUS ON THOSE AREAS.
'CAUSE WHEN WE GO, I CAN, I CAN, YOU CAN TELL WHEN WE MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN AREAS, IF IT'S A NEW ROADWAY OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, UM, IT SPREADS VERY POSITIVELY TO OTHER AREAS OF THAT, OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD OR THAT COMMUNITY.
AND SO I WANT TO CONTINUE TO PARLAY ON, ON SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
UH, ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT GRANT, HOW MUCH DID WE BUDGET LAST TIME? WAS IT 50,000 OR A HUNDRED THOUSAND FOR THAT? WHAT WAS THE NUMBER? YES MA'AM.
I JUST THINK THAT AS PEOPLE GET TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM, I THINK THIS IS MAYBE AT THE END OF YEAR TWO OR THE SECOND CYCLE AT LEAST.
WE'LL BE GOING INTO OUR THIRD CYCLE IN THE FALL.
UH, YOU CAN'T SEE IT SPECIFICALLY IN THE BUDGET 'CAUSE IT'S IN ONE OF THE LIBRARY BUDGETS.
THE FIRST YEAR IT WAS 40, UH, OR THE FIRST YEAR IT WAS 35, THEN IT WAS 40.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE AREA I THINK THAT WE CAN INCREASE EVEN JUST A LITTLE AND MAKE REALLY A LOT OF, A LOT OF MORE IMPACT.
UH, AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO BEAUTIFICATION, I'M JUST GONNA CONTINUE TO HARP ON IT.
UM, AND IT'S A BALANCE, BUT I GET A LOT OF COMMENTS.
THEY CAN TELL THE CITY LOOKING BETTER AND CERTAIN PARTS DO AND SOME PARTS DON'T.
UH, YOU KNOW, PAIN IN THE, THE, THE, UH, TRAFFIC SIGNALS PUT IN, THE ILLUMINATED SIGNS IN OUR THOROUGHFARES.
DOING ALL THOSE THINGS MAKE A REALLY BIG IMPROVEMENT.
UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT, UH, WE, WE GO, OUR CITIZENS TELL US THAT WE, THEY WANT TO GET THINGS CLEANED UP IF IT'S RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL, BUT THEN ALSO GET CALLS FROM THE BUSINESS OWNERS.
WHY, WHY AM I GETTING A CITATION? WHY AM I GETTING A SECOND CITATION? SO IT, IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT, UM, BALANCE I GUESS ON THAT.
UM, AND SO WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH, WORK WITH STAFF AND WORK WITH OUR CITIZENS AND OUR BUSINESS OWNERS.
UM, BUT, BUT, BUT CODE ENFORCEMENT, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT HAS BEEN THROUGH OUR CITIZEN SURVEYS AND, AND OTHER MEANS THAT HAS BEEN A FOCUS OF, OF CLEANING UP BAYTOWN, RIGHT? SO IF THERE'S ANY AREAS OF THE, OF EVERYTHING I CAN FIND THERE IS BUDGETARY, BUDGETARY RESOURCES ALLOCATED FOR IT.
I JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING IT.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO SEE MORE, MORE OF.
SO, UM, IF THAT'S PERSONNEL OR MACHINERY, PLEASE LET LET YOU KNOW.
YOU HAVE A QUESTION? ANYBODY ELSE ON THAT? I, I JUST WANTED A CLARIFICATION, MAYOR, IF I MIGHT, UM, ON MY COLLEAGUE'S COMMENT REGARDING SUBSTANDARD, I'M NOT AGAINST DEMOLITION, SUBSTANDARD.
I MEAN, I, I GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO OUR, UM, CODE ENFORCEMENT AND PD WHO HAVE TACKLED SEVERAL BUSINESSES WITHIN MY DISTRICT AND WE'VE ACTUALLY CREATED TASK FORCE FOR, FOR THAT, A SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAD CONTINUED ISSUES.
SO, UM, I'M OKAY WITH THE PROCESS.
IT'S THOSE THAT CONTINUE TO JUST SIT THERE, UM, AND WE HAVE TO, UH, MAINTAIN THOSE.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLARIFICATION,
WHEN DO WE EXPECT TO HEAR THE REPORT FROM THE A NE COMMITTEE FOR CIP THURSDAY? SO I FEEL LIKE I CAN HOLD MY COMMENTS UNTIL I HEAR THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
YEAH, AND MAYOR, WE DID HAVE A, A REALLY GREAT MEETING YESTERDAY WITH THE DIRECTORS AND UM, THEY EVEN ANTICIPATED SOME OF OUR QUESTIONS.
UM, AND SO I THINK WE'RE, UM, GOING TO REALLY MOVE TO FINALIZE OUR COMMENTS FOR THURSDAY.
SO YEAH, IT'S MOVING IN THE DIRECTION THAT HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE A JOINT RECOMMENDATION FROM, FROM STAFF AND THE, AND THE COMMITTEE AS WELL.
SO IN, IN THE, IN THE GENERAL BUDGET, THERE IS SOME CIP STUFF THAT'S ALSO HERE.
UM, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT?
[01:00:01]
'CAUSE I HAVE ONE, SO, BUT YES SIR.UH, YEAH, I HAD A PHONE CALL WITH RICK TODAY ABOUT THE BAYWAY DRIVE WE REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT SAYING THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING IN THERE FOR LAST YEAR, BUT NOT THIS YEAR.
AND IF WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE SOMEONE COME UP AND GIVE COMMENT ON WHAT WE DISCUSSED TODAY THAT, THAT, THAT WOULD BE GOOD.
AND THAT ACTUALLY IS THE 700,000 THAT YOU HAD SEEN BEFORE.
AND FRANK COULD KIND OF EXPLAIN WHAT THAT'S GONNA BE USED.
700,000 IS IN FY 23 FOR DESIGN.
SO I JUST WANTED TO BE, IT WAS NOT IN THIS YEAR.
FRANK, WHAT DOES THAT GET? THE PER MM-HMM
THAT, THAT SHOULD BE FOR FULL DESIGN.
THAT CAME VERY LATE IN THE DAY.
AND UM, I KNOW SOME RESIDENTS HAD BEEN ASKING ME ABOUT IT.
I KNOW IN THE PAST I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, IF WE CAN PUT A COUPLE OF CENTS EVERY YEAR IN THE BUDGET, LET IT ADD UP.
AND HOPEFULLY, UM, FORESEE WHEN WE MAY HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO GET THINGS GOING IN A CONSISTENT MANNER, THAT'D BE GOOD.
BUT TO SEE THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD INCREMENTALLY IS GOOD.
ALSO, ROME WASN'T BUILT IN A DAY AND BAYWAY DRIVE ISN'T GOING TO BE REBUILT OR REDEVELOPED IN A YEAR.
THE WATER LINE REPLACEMENT JUST VERY EXPENSIVE.
AND OF COURSE THE STREET RECONSTRUCTION, UH, WE HOPE, UH, THAT WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A GREAT, A GRANT SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT WE, UH, RECEIVED FOR MARKET STREET.
THAT KIND OF PARTICIPATION FROM THE COUNTY WOULD ALLOW US TO PUSH THAT PROJECT UP QUITE A BIT.
BUT, UH, A SURVEY OF PRELIMINARILY OF WHAT THOSE COSTS WOULD BE TO DO BAYWAY WERE, UH, A LOT MORE THAN WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE.
EVERYTHING'S A LOT MORE THAN WE THOUGHT, UH, THESE DAYS.
SO, UH, WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA NEED SOME COUNTY PARTICIPATION, BUT IN SPEAKING TO OUR STAFF, THEY THINK IT'S A PRIME CANDIDATE FOR THAT KIND OF, UH, PARTICIPATION.
AND WHAT ABOUT LAND PARK, THE STREET RECONSTRUCTION THERE? WHAT, HOW, HOW ARE WE LOOKING ON IT? SO THAT, LET ME GET, UH, THIS ANDREA, TO GIVE YOU THE STATUS.
I KNOW WE, UH, SELECTED AN ENGINEER AND SHOULD BE READY WITH THE CONTRACT SOON.
SO WE HAVE NOT FINALIZED NEGOTIATIONS, BUT WE'RE VERY HAPPY WITH, UH, WHAT THEY'VE PRESENTED SO FAR.
THAT'LL BE COMING IN THE NEXT, UH, COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEETINGS.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON IS ACTUALLY WITH OUR, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STAFF AND WE'LL, WE'LL BE ENGAGING WITH THE RESIDENTS.
SO THAT'S A PART OF THE CONTRACT.
I'M SURE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN.
AND SO THAT ENTRYWAY TO THAT, UH, SUBDIVISION, BUT ALSO, UM, SOUTH CIRCLE WILL BE INCLUDED IN THAT BUNCH JUST IN CASE THERE WAS ANOTHER AREA THAT YOU ALL WERE LOOKING FOR AS WELL.
THAT, THAT AREA, THE MAIN STREET GOING IN, UM, WE, I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT WE'RE JUST NOW DISCUSSING THIS THIS YEAR.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN ON THE RADAR, BUT AS I SAID ABOUT BAYWAY DRIVE, IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN IN A DAY'S, NOT GONNA HAPPEN IN A YEAR PLANNING PROCESS THAT'S HAVE TO TAKE PLACE.
BUT I WOULD, I WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT IT IS INCHING CLOSER AND CLOSER WHERE THEY'LL BE SEEING WORK AND HOPEFULLY WE WON'T GET ANY NEGATIVE COMPLAINTS, BUT POSITIVE COMPLAINTS, HAPPY THAT THE WORK IS GOING FORWARD AND BEING COMPLETED BECAUSE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD REALLY NEEDED THIS WORK DONE ON THAT MAIN ROAD GOING IN.
IT DOES ALL, ALL THE STREETS IN THAT SUBDIVISION REALLY NEED IT.
WELL, WELL THANK YOU FOR, UM, FOR, UM, THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE ON IT AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEETINGS THEN SINCE THIS HAS POTENTIAL FOR MAKING THAT AGENDA, THOSE AGENDAS.
ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON ANY PARTICULAR PROJECTS? IF NOT, I'LL I'LL PUT MINE OUT THERE AND THE, UH, I GUESS ON PAGE TWO 13, UH, BLESS YOU, UH, FOR THE AMERICAN LITTLE LEAGUE PARK IMPROVEMENT, I, I CERTAINLY SUPPORT LITTLE LEAGUE IN BAYTOWN.
UM, AND CERTAINLY I LIKE, I MEAN IF THERE'S IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED THAT MAY BE THE CASE.
I GUESS MY, MY RESERVATION ON IT IS THAT, UM, I REALLY WANT TO GET A BETTER IDEA, MAYBE NOT A FULL BLOWN STUDY, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO KNOW WHAT, WHAT IS BASEBALL LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL GONNA REALLY LOOK LIKE IN, IN BAYTOWN? AND THAT'S NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA COME FROM STAFF ITSELF.
UH, IT NEEDS TO BE REALLY WHAT'S THE DIRECTION OF BASEBALL.
UM, I'D RATHER UTILIZE 1.5 MILLION AND, AND HOPEFULLY WORK WITH, WITH THE LEAGUES TO TRY TO DEVELOP EITHER AT RUSSELL PARK SELECT TEAM TYPE, UM, COMPLEX.
BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM Y'ALL AT LEAST WHAT THE 1.5 WAS EARMARKED FOR.
I KNOW WE DID SOME IMPROVEMENT TO THE, UH, CONCESSION AND SO ON, BUT I DON'T WANT TO CONTINUE TO, I DON'T WANNA INVEST IN SOMETHING IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE A, A BIGGER, UH, A POSSIBILITY OF A BIGGER, UH, COMPLEX AT SOME POINT.
[01:05:01]
I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ANSWER THE QUESTION ABOUT THE USE OF THE FACILITY TOO IN CASE, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF GOES IN TANDEM.BUT WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS SAT DOWN WITH THE LITTLE LEAGUE AND OUTLINED ALL OF THEIR, EITHER THEIR WISHLIST OR THEIR WANT LIST OR THEIR NEED LIST AND THEN ALSO LOOKED AT WHAT STAFF THOUGHT WAS, WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
SO THAT FACILITY IS VERY OUTDATED.
IT IS NOT BEING UTILIZED THE CAPACITY THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE IT WITH SPORTS TOURISM AND THE EMPHASIS THAT WE'RE PLACING ON THAT.
SO THE BUILDING ITSELF HAS A PRESS BOX THAT REALLY IS NOT A DA ACCESSIBLE, WE'RE LOOKING AT RECONFIGURING THAT SO WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE IT WAY HIGH IN THE AIR REQUIRING THAT SORT OF A DA ACCESSIBILITY IE BEING ABLE TO GET PEOPLE UP HIGH.
SO THERE'S A, A NEW KIND OF FORMAT THAT WE CAN STILL HAVE THE PRESS, KIND OF THE PRESS BOX OR THE UMPIRE AREA, UH, OBSERVATION STILL AT GROUND LEVEL OR CLOSE TO GROUND LEVEL WITHOUT, UM, HAVING TO MANAGE THAT.
THE RESTROOMS ARE NOT A DA ACCESSIBLE, THEY HAVE BEEN, WE'LL SAY, UH, HEAVILY USED AND ABUSED.
SO IT'S TIME TO REFURBISH THAT.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE PARK WITH THE AMOUNT OF PATRONS OR, OR USERS OF THAT, THAT THE NUMBER OF UNITS OR, OR COMMODES AND, AND ALL THAT IS THE NUMBER OF RESTROOMS IS, UH, ABLE TO MEET THAT.
SO IT'S KIND OF REEVALUATING THAT.
ALSO THE CONCESSION STAND IS BEEN HEAVILY USED AND WE REALLY NEED TO REFURBISH THAT TO MAKE IT WHAT WE NEED TO HAVE FOR THE USE OF THAT PARK.
THE LAST THING IS ALSO INCLUDED IS SOME, A SMALL CHILD PLAYGROUND SO THAT THE MANY AGE GROUPS CAN BE ENGAGED ALL AT ONCE.
AND JUST, AND JUST TO ADD TO THAT, THERE WAS A, UH, UMPIRE BREAK ROOMS AS WELL, LIKE EVERYTHING THAT A NEW FACILITY WOULD HAVE THAT, THAT WE JUST DON'T HAVE.
UH, I ALSO WANTED TO MAKE THE POINT THAT WE, UH, WE, THE LITTLE LEAGUES, UH, BASEBALL PROGRAMS ARE PARENT RUN ORGANIZATIONS AT BAYTOWN.
UH, WE WERE REALLY ADAMANT TO MEET WITH THE LITTLE LEAGUE, AS ANDREA SAID, AND REALLY FIND OUT WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT.
WE, WE AS A STAFF TRIED TO LEND SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE, BUT WE FELT THAT IT WAS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO BE REPRESENTED AND THEY WERE, AND THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS, NO, AND I DON'T WANNA TELL YOU, I DO APPRECIATE THAT 'CAUSE FOR MANY YEARS, YOU KNOW, THE NEED HAS BEEN THERE FOR MANY YEARS AND, AND WE KIND OF JUST, WE, WE DID ALLOCATE CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS, BUT IT WAS ALWAYS, I THINK 80,000 A YEAR OR SOMEWHERE IN THAT RANGE.
AND SO KNOWING THAT THAT, THAT IT DOES NEED THAT IMPROVEMENT AND IT CAN STILL BE, YOU KNOW, COULD COMPLEMENT ANY TYPE OF FUTURE COMPLEX ITSELF, UM, UH, MAKING AN A DA, UM, COMPLIANT CERTAINLY FOR THE RESTROOMS. I KNOW THE RESTROOM'S HAD MANY ISSUES FOR MANY YEARS AND SO THAT WAS A LOT OF THAT WISHLIST AND I'M GLAD THAT WE CAN IN A SENSE, ADDRESS A LOT OF THOSE THINGS.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE'RE MINDFUL THAT THERE IS A POSSIBILITY FOR, FOR, UH, A LARGER PARK AT SOME POINT.
I DON'T WANNA EXPEND FUNDS ON ONE THING AND THEN BUILD A WHOLE NEW PARK AND TEAR ANYTHING DOWN HERE.
AND, AND JUST ONE, ONE, UH, MORE POINT.
THE, UH, THE, THE FUNDING THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WAS WITHOUT MDD THAT THAT HAS GONE TO LIKE THINGS LIKE SCOREBOARDS AND FENCING AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT COST A LOT OF MONEY WITH UPKEEP THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, BUT YOU WOULDN'T NECESSARILY GO OUT THERE AND SEE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE FOR IT.
AND THEN THAT'S WHAT THIS PROJECT IS TRYING TO CAPTURE IS THAT BIGGER TICKET ITEMS THAT, THAT LITTLE BIT OF MONEY THROUGHOUT TIME DOESN'T, DOESN'T ALLOCATE OR DOESN'T COVER.
SO WELL, I WILL SAY I JUST, I DO APPRECIATE THAT Y'ALL REACHED OUT TO THEM AND, AND GAVE THEM OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THE NEEDS.
YES, AND I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING UP THE, THE LITTLE LEAGUE 'CAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE CONTENTION ISSUES THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED.
AND, AND I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND JUMP IN THERE.
AND I LIKE YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MAYBE A BIGGER, BETTER, YOU KNOW, FACILITIES AND, YOU KNOW, RUSSELL PARK WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT SPOT.
'CAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS WE HAVE IS WE GOTTA DO SOMETHING UP THERE TO GET RUSSELL PARK KICKED OFF.
THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE TREMENDOUS.
I I'M GONNA HAVE GREAT CONSTERNATION SPENDING A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS ON, ON THE PARK FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE THAT IT DOESN'T BELONG TO US.
WELL, SO, SO IF, IF WE'RE THINKING ABOUT SPENDING THAT TYPE OF MONEY, I, I'M ALL FOR, LET'S LOOK AT, LET'S PUT IT OUT AT RUSSELL PARK AND WITH THE CONCEPT OF BIGGER, BETTER, TRULY BEING A, A MAJOR COMPETITIVE SITE FOR THE LITTLE LEAGUES.
I MEAN, WHO, WHO WOULDN'T LIKE THAT IDEA? THE CURRENT LOCATION IS LANDLOCKED, IT'S SMALL.
SO THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THAT NEXT LEAP FORWARD, IF YOU WILL, IN THAT LOCATION, THAT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY.
BUT, UM, SPENDING A MILLION HALF DOLLARS OF CITY MONEY ON SOMEBODY ELSE'S PROPERTY IS GONNA BE A TOUGH THING FOR ME TO DO.
AND I KNOW THERE'S DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW TO DO OTHER THINGS, BUT IT CURRENTLY STILL DOES NOT BELONG TO US.
SO WHAT, WHAT I'LL, WHAT I WILL EXPRESS TO YOU ON THAT IS, IS I WOULD AGREE, UM, I THINK HOPEFULLY SOON WE'LL WE'LL HAVE CLARIFICATION ON THAT MM-HMM
TO, TO HOPEFULLY ADDRESS YOUR, YOUR CONCERN ON THAT.
UM, AND THEN EVEN RECENTLY I JUST, I JUST MET WITH GENE RUSSELL AND, AND, AND SOME OTHERS ON, ON UH, RUSSELL PARK.
[01:10:01]
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, THAT LAND WAS CONVEYED TO US AND, AND THE INVESTMENT WAS MADE MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.AND, AND I'M, I'M, I'M, UM, DISAPPOINTED I GUESS THAT WE HAVEN'T PROCEEDED, UH, TO, TO WHERE OTHER THAN JUST PUTTING A SIGN THERE.
AND SO WE WERE LOOKING AT, AT, AT UM, WAYS TO GO AND, AND MAKE THAT A, A PARK THAT OF COURSE, THAT THEIR FAMILY WANTED AND, AND HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE FINANCIALLY HAVE THE RESOURCES? 'CAUSE IT IS, IT'S, IT'S A LARGE SCALE PARK.
UM, AND SO THERE THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS, SOME OTHER FACTORS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CONSIDER WITH CHANGES IN THE AREA AND SO ON.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD TOTALLY, UM, SUPPORT A LITTLE LEAGUE FIELD COMPLEX OF FOUR OR FIVE FIELDS THERE.
OR THERE COULD BE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHER SPORTS THERE TOO.
AND THAT WAS ON THE ORIGINAL DESIGN.
IT WAS THERE, THERE MANY RENTAL PARK.
SO YEAH, THERE, THERE WERE MANY OPTIONS.
THE LAST OPTION THAT WAS IN A SENSE ACCEPTED DID NOT HAVE THE BALL FIELDS, BUT LOTS OF THINGS CHANGED SINCE THEN.
IN FACT, UM, I GUESS WHAT I CAN EXPRESS, THINGS HAVE CHANGED ENOUGH, UM, THAT, UH, WHEN I TALKED TO MR. RUSSELL LESS THAN A WEEK AGO, HE'S EVEN WILLING TO GO AND, AND, AND FUND, UH, A STUDY OR I GUESS TO, TO LOOK AT WHAT THE, WHAT THE, UH, SITE PLAN COULD BE SINCE IT'S, IT'S POSSIBLY CHANGED.
SO HE'S WILLING TO EVEN DO THAT.
SO, UH, WE'LL SEE WHERE THAT GOES.
BUT, AND AGAIN, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY WITH THIS FIELD SPECIFICALLY IF WE'RE GONNA PUT THAT TYPE OF MONEY INTO IT TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT NEXT STEP IS KINDA LIKE, LET'S DO IT BIGGER AND BETTER ON PROPERTY THAT WE OWN.
I WOULD AGREE AND, AND INITIATE SOMETHING AT, AT WHAT COULD BE ONE OF THE LARGEST PARKS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SYSTEM.
I THINK THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD TO THAT, I MEAN THERE WAS, THERE WAS SOME, UH, BASEBALL ORGANIZATIONS I WAS SPEAKING TO THAT, THAT HAVE RESOURCES.
THEY WOULD LOVE TO BUILD A BALL FIELD THERE.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE TO GET THE DRAINAGE WORK DONE FIRST BEFORE YOU CAN BUILD ANYTHING.
SO THAT'S, UM, KIND OF WHERE IT'S AT.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
ANYBODY ELSE ON ANY ITEMS? BECAUSE IF NOT, IF WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR A AND E'S RECOMMENDATION, I WILL SAY EVEN WITH THAT, THAT'S JUST GONNA GIVE US SOME FRAMEWORK OF KIND OF WHERE THERE'S, WHERE THERE IS GONNA BE DEBT ISSUANCE IN A SENSE AND, AND KIND OF WHAT THAT DOES TO THE FINANCIAL NUMBERS AND FRAMEWORK.
BUT AS FAR AS WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET, IS THERE ANYBODY THAT HAS ANY COMMENTS OF WHAT'S IN IT? ANYTHING THAT'S NOT IN IT, THIS WOULD BE THE, THE, THE BEST TIME TO, TO VOICE THAT.
UM, I GUESS MY OTHER ONLY COMMENTS I'LL MAKE, UM, SO THE 25TH WILL BE WHEN WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE, ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
BY THEN, I THINK WE'LL HAVE ENOUGH, UM, OF THIS DRAFTED WHERE, WHERE COMMENTS CAN BE MADE BY OUR PUBLIC.
I WOULD SUGGEST WE DO NOT ADOPT THE BUDGET THAT EVENING.
UM, THAT'S NEVER BEEN, I MEAN ALTHOUGH Y'ALL MAY POST IT THAT WAY, UM, IT'S NEVER BEEN MY PREFERENCE TO, TO ADOPT THE BUDGET THE SAME NIGHT WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC HEARING.
WE HAVE TRADITIONALLY DONE IT THAT WAY.
BUT IF YOU DO NOT DESIRE THAT, WE WILL PLACE IT FOR POSSIBLE ADOPTION ON THE NINTH.
WE'LL GET THAT SEPTEMBER IN A SEC.
SO I BELIEVE, UH, COUNCILWOMAN ALVARADO SAID THAT SHE WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE ON THE NINTH, IS THAT STILL CORRECT? EIGHTH ON THE EIGHTH OR EIGHTH WHATEVER, WHATEVER DATE IS THE EIGHTH.
BUT IT WAS OUR FIRST MEETING, OUR FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO ADOPT IN SEPTEMBER.
UM, UH, SHE ASKED THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN, IN THE VOTING OF, OF THE, UM, BUDGET.
SO THE NEXT MEETING WAS ON THE 22ND SO WE COULD ADOPT THAT NIGHT.
AND THAT'S OUR LAST OPPORTUNITY.
WELL, IT'S OUR LAST SCHEDULED OPPORTUNITY.
I THINK WE HAVE TO ADOPT BY THE 30TH, SO.
WE'D HAVE TO LITTLE SPECIAL MEETING.
SO I, I MEAN, I FEEL COMFORTABLE BY THEN WE'LL HAVE ALL OUR NUMBERS, RIGHT, ALL OUR PROJECTS AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADOPT THAT NIGHT FOR WHOEVER IS PRESENT AT THAT POINT.
IS THAT FAIR ENOUGH? COUNSEL? 26.
ALRIGHT, ANY, UM, OTHER STAFF COMMENTS? ANYTHING THAT WE MAY NOT BE MADE AWARE OF RIGHT NOW? NO, THIS PROCESS IS REALLY FACILITATED A, A GREAT DEAL BY YOUR EARLY PARTICIPATION IN IDENTIFYING THE PRIORITIES, UH, OF THE BUDGET.
I'M, I'M JUST GRATEFUL FOR YOUR, YOUR HELP, YOUR, UH, INVOLVEMENT VERY EARLY.
APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE UP TO THIS POINT AND LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING FURTHER INPUT FROM YOU ON THURSDAY WHEN WE WILL PRIMARILY FOCUS ON OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
BUT WE'LL OF COURSE WE'LL TALK ABOUT ANYTHING YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT AND, UH, THEN WE'LL MOVE FORWARD AS YOU PRESCRIBE TONIGHT.
ALRIGHT, WELL, BEING AT THAT, I GUESS THAT'S THE END OF THE DISCUSSION.
THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED.