[ CITY OF BAYTOWN NOTICE OF MEETING CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL BUDGET WORK SESSION TUESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2025 4:00 P.M. CLASSROOM B, FIRE TRAINING FIELD 7022 BAYWAY DRIVE, BAYTOWN, TEXAS 77520 AGENDA CALL TO ORDER AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF QUORUM ]
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AN NOW CALL TO ORDER THE CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL BUDGET WORK SESSION TUESDAY, AUGUST 5TH, 2025, CLASSROOM B FIRE TRAINING FIELD AT 7 22 BAYWAY DRIVE, BAYTOWN, TEXAS.
AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF QUORUM AT 5 0 3 4:03 PM UH, WE'RE GONNA
[1. CITIZEN COMMENTS Notice is hereby given that in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 551, prohibits the City Council from discussing, deliberating, or considering, subjects for which public notice has not been given on the agenda. Issues that cannot be referred to the administration for action may be placed on the agenda of a future City Council Session.]
HAVE CITIZEN COMMENT.DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR CITIZEN COMMENT? NO, SIR.
[a. Receive a recommendation from the Baytown Citizen Bond Advisory Committee.]
ON TO TWO A, RECEIVE A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE CITY OF BAYTOWN CITIZEN BOND ADVISORY COMMITTEE, MR. SANTANA.UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, MAYOR JOHNSON, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY MANAGER, JASON REYNOLDS.
UH, GOOD TO BE WITH YOU TODAY.
I BELIEVE THAT SINCE I MET WITH YOU LAST TIME, I GAVE YOU A PRETTY GOOD UPDATE ON WHAT WE HAD DONE UP TO THAT POINT.
SO I WON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT WE, UH, WE SPENT THREE MONTHS GOING THROUGH, BUT I'LL JUST TAKE THIS FROM THE END OF THAT PROCESS.
UH, JUST TO RECALL, UH, DECEMBER OF 24 THROUGH MARCH OF 2025, THE, UH, STAFF AND I THINK IT'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS COMMITTEE, UH, DID AN EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL BOND PROJECT.
SO THAT WAS ALL THE WORK THAT LED UP TO FORMING THE COMMITTEE, WHICH STARTED IN APRIL OF 2025.
AND WE WENT THROUGH JULY OF 2025.
DURING THAT TIME, WE HAD 10 MEETINGS.
THE FIRST THREE MEETINGS WERE SPENT, UH, GETTING INFORMATION ON, ON THE POTENTIAL PROJECTS, THE BOND PROCESS, THE, UH, THE LEGAL AND FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF A BOND.
UM, DURING THAT TIME, UH, A CHAIRPERSON AND VICE CHAIR WERE ELECTED, AND I CAN SEE THAT BETTER.
AND WE WENT THROUGH MOST OF THE, OF THE MEETINGS.
WE DID A LOT OF EVALUATION OF PROJECTS.
WE CLARIFIED SCOPE, TALKED ABOUT WANTS AND NEEDS.
I DISCUSSED THAT WITH YOU LAST TIME.
AND THEN WE RANKED THE PROJECTS AND CAME UP TO A FINAL RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL.
SO, AS YOU'VE SEEN, HOPEFULLY, UH, THAT, THAT'S BEEN COMMUNICATED THROUGH, UH, CITY MANAGER JASON REYNOLDS, UH, I GAVE YOU A WORK LIST SO THAT YOU CAN SEE WHAT WE STARTED WITH AND HOW WE EVALUATED EACH PROJECT AND HOW THEY WERE RANKED, AND THEN HOW WE ENDED UP WITH THE FINAL RECOMMENDATION.
TODAY'S FINAL RECOMMENDATION WILL BE JUST THE 15 PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THE $151 MILLION, UH, SCOPE OF WORK AND NOT ALL THE OTHER PROJECTS.
BUT IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ANY PROJECT THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT ON THE LIST, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER THAT FOR YOU.
SO WE STARTED WITH 28 PROJECTS WITH A TOTAL, UH, UH, VALUE OF $281 MILLION.
THIS, UH, FINAL RECOMMENDATION DID RECEIVE UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FROM THE COMMITTEE.
I DID PROVIDE YOU WITH A LIST OF INDIVIDUAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO MAY NOT HAVE AGREED WITH ONE, TWO, OR THREE OF EACH OF THOSE PROJECTS, BUT DID CONSENT TO THE OVERALL RECOMMENDATION.
SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY THEY DIDN'T AGREE WITH THE PROJECT, UH, YOU KNOW WHO TO ASK IF, UH, THEY'RE YOUR, YOUR REPRESENTATIVE.
SO THE FINAL PROJECT, UH, RECOMMENDATION INCLUDES 15 PROJECTS FOR A TOTAL BOND AMOUNT OF $151 MILLION.
OKAY? SO, UH, ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT, THAT WE DISCUSSED TURNED ON WAS, UH, A POTENTIAL TAX RATE IMPACT.
AND THIS WAS IN OUR SECOND OR THIRD MEETING WHERE BOND COUNCIL CAME AND ALL THE SMART FINANCE FOLKS SHOWED UP AND TOLD US, UH, WITH, YOU KNOW, PROJECTED, UH, VALUE GROWTH AND INTEREST RATES AND ALL THAT YOU COULD FORECAST, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE COULD POSSIBLY DO WITHOUT A TAX RATE IMPACT.
AND FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, $150 MILLION WAS, WAS THAT TARGET TO NOT HAVE A TAX RATE IMPACT.
UH, ALTHOUGH WE KNEW THAT WE WORKED VERY HARD, NOT, I'M SORRY, I FAILED TO RECOGNIZE MIKE BEARD AND DENISE GRAVES WHO WERE ON THE COMMITTEE.
UH, THEY'RE HERE WITH US TODAY.
BUT, UH, WE TRIED VERY HARD NOT TO FOCUS ON THAT DOLLAR VALUE, BUT TO FOCUS ON EACH PROJECT INDIVIDUALLY AND ITS MERIT, UH, AND NOT TRY TO TOTAL UP AS WE WENT.
SO WE DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB THERE.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ALSO HAPPENED WAS THERE WAS SOME CHALLENGE TO SOME OF THE, THE GROWTH VALUES EARLY ON, THE 9% NUMBER WAS USED, AND, AND IT ALLOWED US TO GO UP TO $250 MILLION WITH ABOUT 1 CENT OR 2 CENTS.
AND NOT THAT WE WERE GONNA GO THAT HIGH, BUT, UH, THIS, THIS, UH, SHOWS THE 6% ANNUAL, UH, VALUE GROWTH, 5% INTEREST RATE, AND NO PROJECTED INCREASE.
UH, THE SLIDE I WAS LOOKING AT HAD A, HAD A AND FINE PRINT, A HIGHER NUMBER YOU COULD GO TO WITHOUT A TAX RATE IMPACT, BUT FIT 1 51 IS DEFINITELY WITHIN THE NO RATE IMPACT.
OKAY, SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THESE AND PROPOSITIONS.
AND THESE ARE, THESE PROJECTS WERE PUT TOGETHER BY THE, THE, UH, FOLKS, THE LEGAL FOLKS ON HOW THEY WOULD BE PACKAGED UP TO THE PUBLIC BY PROPOSITIONS.
SO THIS ONE WE CALL THOROUGHFARES.
UM, AND, UM, THIS ONE INCLUDES, UH, PROBABLY THE TOP RATED PROJECT
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OF ALL THAT WE HAD THAT WAS A CONTINUATION OF THE GARTH ROAD RECONSTRUCTION.UH, AND THIS IS PHASES C AND D, A AND B WERE ALREADY STARTED FROM, FROM INTERSTATE 10 DOWN TO, UH, ARCHER ROAD, I BELIEVE IT IS.
AND THEN, UH, THIS WOULD TAKE IT FROM ARCHER ROAD ALL THE WAY DOWN TO JUST SOUTH OF BAKER ROAD.
NOW, THIS IS TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET OF $89,645,000.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM, THE BOND PORTION WOULD BE 35,858,000.
AND THE REST OF THE PROJECT FUNDING COMES FROM GRANT.
SO WE KNOW THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT IS THE SAME AS IT IS TO THE NORTH, AND THAT'S JUST TO WIDEN GARTH ROAD FROM FOUR TO SIX LANES.
AND, UH, THIS IS DONE FOR MOBILITY AND SAFETY AND JUST, UH, ENHANCING OUR, OUR ABILITY TO DRIVE SAFELY ON GARTH ROAD.
YOU CAN SEE THE PAVEMENT CONDITION INDEX OF SOME OF THESE ROADS ARE FAIR, FAIR AND SATISFACTORY, UH, BY THE TIME WE GET TO THESE PROJECTS, AND AGAIN, THIS WAS NOT BASED ON THE ROAD WAS BAD, THIS IS BASED ON THE ROAD NEEDED TO BE WIDENED.
AND ALONG WITH THIS PROJECT GOES ALL THE UTILITIES AND EVERYTHING THAT, THAT IS ENCOMPASSED IN THAT RIGHT OF WAY AND THE SCOPE OF WORK.
SO THIS PROJECT WAS PRETTY HIGH ON THE LIST, OKAY.
CEDAR MILE LYNCHBURG WIDENING.
THIS IS A PROJECT THAT WILL WIDEN, UH, WEST CEDAR MILE LYNCHBURG FROM JOHN MARTIN ROAD ALL THE WAY BACK TO GARTH ROAD.
UH, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW IT'S A TWO LANE ASPHALT ROAD WITH DITCHES, AND IT'S A HEAVILY TRAVELED ROAD, UH, PROBABLY IS TO GO BEYOND JOHN MARTIN, BUT THIS SCOPE OF WORK TAKES, UH, THE TWO LANES AND CONVERTS IT INTO A FIVE LANE BOULEVARD WITH A TRAIL ON THE SOUTH SIDE AND ALL UPGRADED UTILITIES THROUGHOUT THAT ENTIRE CORRIDOR.
NOW, HERE AGAIN, THE BENEFIT IS TO FACILITATE MOBILITY AND AND SAFETY FOR OUR TRAVELING PUBLIC.
THIS IS ANOTHER PROJECT THAT HAS A BIG BUDGET OF $46 MILLION.
UH, THE CITY'S PART OF THIS PROJECT WOULD BE 27 MILLION, 53,000 WITH I BELIEVE, UH, HARRIS COUNTY GRANT FUNDING BEING AT 19,000,053.
SO THESE FIRST TWO PROJECTS HAVE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS FROM OTHER FUNDING SOURCES TO GET THESE TWO PROJECTS DONE.
OKAY, AND IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION WHILE I'M PRESENTING, JUST, JUST POP IN WEST LOBIT AVENUE.
UH, THIS IS ONE OF, OF A FEW PROJECTS THAT WERE NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS, BUT A LONG LENGTH OF NEIGHBORHOOD STREET WEST LOBIT, UH, IS PLANNED TO BE RECONSTRUCTED FROM DECKER DRIVE TO NORTH MAIN.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE PAVEMENT CONDITION INDEX IS POOR ON THIS ENTIRE STRETCH OF ROAD.
SO THIS WILL BE A FULL DEPTH, UH, PAVEMENT REPLACEMENT, UH, WITH UTILITY UPGRADES AS NEEDED.
UH, AND YOU CAN SEE THE PROJECT BUDGET AT $6.9 MILLION.
UM, JUST TO POINT OUT, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE TWO OTHER PROJECTS IN THIS AREA, UH, WEST STERLING AND DFE, UH, THAT WERE IN THE SAME AS EAST WEST CORRIDOR, YOU KNOW, MAJOR THOROUGHFARES THAT WE, WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T RECOMMEND THOSE FOR.
WE JUST HAD TO CUT BACK A LITTLE BIT.
AND THOSE TWO STREETS ARE A LITTLE BIT BETTER CONDITION, UH, BUT WILL PROBABLY BE NEXT ON THE LIST NEXT TIME THIS GOES OUT.
OKAY, SO PROPOSITION B, UH, WE START HERE WITH THE ANNUAL RENEWAL OF ASPHALT.
THE CITY'S BEEN DOING THIS FOR, FOR DECADES.
UH, THIS PROJECT ALLOCATES $20 MILLION, BASICALLY $4 MILLION A YEAR FOR FIVE YEARS TO GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE CITY AND, AND UPGRADE, REPLACE THE WORST STREETS THAT WE HAVE IN TOWN.
THERE IS A LIST OF PROPOSED STREETS.
NOW, KEEP IN MIND, THIS IS NOT AN ENTIRE STREET.
IT COULD BE A BLOCK OR TWO OF, OF A STREET.
SO THIS IS A MUCH DIFFERENT SCOPE OF WORK THAN THE
UH, THIS IS JUST GONNA CONTINUE TO RESTORE THE DRIVABILITY OF LOCAL STREETS, LIMITING POTHOLES AND BROKEN PAVEMENT.
AND THIS IS THROUGHOUT ALL THE CITY.
THIS IS ONE OF OUR, OUR TRAFFIC PROJECTS.
NORTH ALEXANDER DRIVE FROM EAST TEXAS AVENUE IS THE, UH, TRAFFIC SIGNAL, RELOCATION AND IMPROVEMENT.
I BELIEVE THIS, THERE'S A PHASE THAT'S ALREADY STARTED ON THIS PROJECT THAT'S TO THE SOUTH FROM EAST TEXAS AVENUE, DOWN TO 1 46 OR, OR 99.
BUT THIS IS WORKING FROM EAST TEXAS AVENUE ALL THE WAY UP TO JUST NORTH OF HIGHWAY 1 46.
THIS WILL BE REPLACEMENT AND REPROGRAMMING OF ALL THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS ALONG NORTH ALEXANDER.
AND THIS IS TO JUST IMPROVE THE, THE, THE TRAVEL, UH, AND MOBILITY IN THAT PART OF TOWN.
CHICKEN PARK, UH, TO GOOSE CREEK TRAIL CONNECTION.
YOU MIGHT WONDER WHY THAT'S, THAT'S IN THIS SCOPE OF WORK.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A, A PROJECT, $451,000 TO DO SOME DESIGN WORK TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CONNECT THE GOOSE CREEK TRAIL SYSTEM FROM THE, UH, WEST SIDE OF THAT LITTLE YELLOW CIRCLED AREA TO THE EAST SIDE, WHICH IS THE JENKINS PARK AND ALL THE WAY TO RACCOON SIDE.
AND ALSO AT THE SAME TIME TAKING THE BLUE HERON INTERSECTION, WHICH IS JUST NORTH OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS.
AND THE PARK ENTRANCE, WHICH IS JUST SOUTH OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS AND HOW TO MAKE ALL THAT CONNECTIVITY HAPPEN HAPPEN.
A DA COMPLIANT, WHICH MOST LIKELY WILL BE AN OVERHEAD STRUCTURE.
AND I BELIEVE FRANK, UH, YOU'VE GOT UNION PACIFIC APPROVAL ALREADY.
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THAT RIGHT? UM, CLOSE.UH, YEAH, WE HAVE, WE HAVE APPROVAL TO GO OVER APPROVAL TO GO OVER UNION PACIFIC.
SO THAT, THAT'S THE HARDEST PART, USUALLY TO GET SOMETHING DONE.
THIS MONEY IS TO SIMPLY COME UP WITH A PLAN ON HOW TO DO IT.
SO IT WILL NOT BUILD IT, WE'RE NOT GONNA PRESENT IT AS BUILDING IT.
IT'S ONE OF THE PROJECTS WE HAVE IN HERE TO PUT MONEY INTO SOME PLANNING FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF AVAILABLE MONEY.
SIDEWALK PEDESTRIAN CROSSING A DA IMPROVEMENTS.
THIS IS ALLOCATING $2.5 MILLION, 500,000 PER YEAR FOR FIVE YEARS TO CONTINUE UPGRADING OUR CITY'S SIDEWALKS AND ENTRANCE RAMPS TO BECOME A DA COMPLIANT BASED ON FEDERAL REGULATIONS.
UH, THIS IS AN ON, THIS IS LIKE THE STREET, UH, RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
THIS IS SIMPLY GOING ALL AROUND TOWN.
I KNOW THAT, UH, PUBLIC WORKS HAS SIDEWALKS EVERYWHERE THAT, THAT ARE CONTINUALLY BEING UPGRADED, AND THIS IS PROVIDING FUNDING ANNUALLY AT A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR TO CONTINUE IMPROVING OUR SIDEWALKS.
SO, PROPOSITION SEEDS, DRAINAGE, UH, THIS INCLUDES THREE PROJECTS.
THE FIRST ONE, AGAIN, THIS IS ONE FOR DESIGN AND LAND ACQUISITION.
I WANNA SAY THAT UP FRONT, $1.5 MILLION FOR DESIGN AND LAND ACQUISITION IN THE WEST MAIN AND LEAD DRIVE, UH, PART OF TOWN.
UH, THIS WILL, UH, BE DESIGNED A LAND ACQUISITION TO ENLARGE THE STORM SEWER SYSTEM TO HANDLE MORE WATER AND REDUCE ROAD FLOODING WILL INCLUDE, UH, DETENTION PONDS AND SOME OTHER, SOME OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE.
BUT AGAIN, THIS IS NOT CONSTRUCTION.
THIS IS SIMPLY THE DESIGN AND ANY LAND ACQUISITION THAT MAY NEED TO TAKE PLACE FOR THIS PROJECT TO BE CONSTRUCTED DOWN THE ROAD.
UH, WE, WE TRIED TO BALANCE A LITTLE BIT OF PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE WITH, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE NEED TODAY.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS.
SO THE NEXT PROJECT, NOW, THIS IS A BAYTOWN DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, PHASE TWO AND THREE THAT TELLS, TELLS YOU THAT PHASE ONE'S BEEN DONE.
SO THERE HAS BEEN SOME DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS IN, UH, IT'S CALLED WEST BAYTOWN.
I'M OLD SCHOOL, IT'S OLD BAYTOWN TO ME, WEST BAYTOWN, IT'S HARD TO SEE, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S A PURPLE LINE THERE.
AND THAT'S A TRUNK LINE, A NEW TRUNK LINE THAT WAS PUT IN DOWN OKLAHOMA STREET.
THE PROBLEM IS NONE OF THE OTHER SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE CAN GET TO IT EASILY.
SO THIS PROJECT'S GONNA COME IN AND YOU CAN SEE $22 MILLION OF PROJECT VALUE, BUT THE CITY'S PORTION IS 10.5 MILLION WITH A GRANT FUNDING OF 12 MILLION TO GET ALL THIS WORK DONE.
THIS WILL IMPACT, UM, HALF OF THE ORANGE AREA THAT YOU SEE THERE IN TERMS OF IMPROVING DRAINAGE.
AND WHEN DRAINAGE WORK IS DONE, WHEN IT'S ALL FINISHED, NOT ONLY DO YOU GET FLOODING MITIGATED, BUT YOU GET NEW STREETS, NEW SIDEWALKS, NEW CURBS, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT COME ALONG WITH PREPARING WHAT YOU'VE DUG UP.
AND SO THIS PROJECT HAS, UH, A GRANT, UH, FUNDING COMPONENT AS WELL.
SO THE CITY'S A LITTLE LESS THAN 50% IN GRANT FUNDING WITH THE REST OF IT.
SO THIS IS ANOTHER, UH, PLAN FOR THE FUTURE PROJECT.
THIS IS THE ROLLING BROOKS STREET AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, BASICALLY FROM, UH, ABOUT NORTH MAIN OVER TO GARTH ROAD.
UH, YOU CAN SEE THE PAVEMENT CONDITION INDEX AT 65 IS FAIR, BUT IF YOU'VE DRIVEN DOWN THAT ROAD, IT, IT'S A FAIR, BUMPY ROAD.
THIS PROJECT WILL, UH, UH, HAVE $2 MILLION TO DESIGN A, A NEW SYSTEM FOR DRAINAGE IN THIS AREA.
SO THIS IS A, A MAJOR CORRIDOR, EACH WEST CORRIDOR BETWEEN GARTH AND MAIN, AND WE ARE ALLOCATING $2 MILLION FOR THAT.
AGAIN, NO CONSTRUCTION MONEY IN THIS BUDGET.
THIS IS SIMPLY DESIGN AND LAND ACQUISITION.
SO PROPOSITION D IS A STANDALONE PROPOSITION.
THIS IS ONE, UH, ONE PROJECT, AND IT'S FIRE STATION NUMBER FOUR.
UH, WE'RE ALL AWARE THAT FIRE STATION NUMBER FOUR IS PROBABLY THE LAST OLDEST FIRE STATION IN BAYTOWN ON THE EAST SIDE OFF OF FAIL.
UH, THE INFORMATION WE RECEIVED FROM THE, THE, THE FIRE CHIEF AND HIS TEAM WAS, UH, THIS FACILITY DOESN'T HAVE FEMALE FACILITIES, DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM FOR, FOR EQUIPMENT.
THE ENTRY AND EGRESS OF THE THE FIRE APPARATUS IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE IT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD STREET.
AND SO $4.25 MILLION FOR DESIGN AND LAND ACQUISITION OF A REPLACEMENT OF FIRE STATION NUMBER FOUR.
WE WOULD HOPE THAT IN FIVE YEARS, UH, WE WOULD BE GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE WE WOULD BE GOING OUT TO GET THE MONEY TO CONSTRUCT THE NEW FIRE STATION.
BUT THIS IS PLANNING AHEAD PROPOSITION E THE BAYTOWN WETLANDS CENTER EDUCATION FACILITY IN ARRE GARDENS.
THIS PROJECT, UM, GOT A LOT OF ATTENTION.
YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND THERE WE GO.
THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION TO READ HERE.
BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TAKING THE EDDIE GRAY WETLAND CENTER LOCATED ON MARKET STREET, WHICH HAS BEEN THERE FOR QUITE A WHILE IN AN OLD BOWLING ALLEY BUILDING.
AND IT SERVED ITS PURPOSE, BUT, UH, THE CITY AND THE COMMITTEE BELIEVE THAT, UH, RELOCATING AND BUILDING A NEW FACILITY AT THE BAYTOWN NATURE CENTER, UH, ON THE HIGH SIDE OF THE NATURE CENTER UP OFF OF SHREK, WHERE THE WEST LITTLE LEAGUE PARK FIELDS WERE.
UH, IT IS A GREAT PLACE FOR THIS, UH, NEW, NEW FACILITY.
UH, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE WETLAND CENTER, UH, WILL, WILL PROVIDE MODERN EDUCATION,
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INFRASTRUCTURE AND CLASSROOMS, LABS, AND DIFFERENT SPACE FOR STEM-BASED LEARNING.WE ALL KNOW THAT ALL, UH, ELEMENT, A LOT OF ELEMENTARY STUDENTS, I FORGET THE AGE GROUP, BUT THEY COME THROUGH THE WETLAND CENTER EVERY YEAR.
UH, ISDS FROM OUT OF BAYTOWN COME THROUGH THE WETLAND CENTER.
THIS WILL ALLOW, UM, OKAY, Y'ALL AREN'T RUNNING, SO I'M NOT WORRIED.
THIS, THIS, THIS WILL ALLOW THE, THE WETLAND CENTER AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO GROW AND SERVE NOT ONLY OUR COMMUNITY, BUT BUT THE COMMUNITY AROUND US.
UM, THERE IS AN ARBORETUM COMPONENT.
IT'S NOT A BUILDING, IT'S GARDENS.
AND THIS IS THE FIRST PHASE OF BRINGING THE ARBORETUM, UH, PROGRAM AND GARDENS AND, AND INFRASTRUCTURE OVER TO THE BAYTOWN NATURE CENTER.
SO THIS PROJECT'S BEEN ESTIMATED AT $13 MILLION, ALL INCLUSIVE.
NOW, THIS, THIS IS PART OF THE ARBOREUM GARDEN, WAS PART OF THE 2030 PARK AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN.
I JUST WANNA POINT OUT, I DIDN'T POINT OUT ON THE DRAINAGE PROJECTS, BUT THAT'S ALSO FOLLOWING THE CITY'S MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
SO EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE, EVERYTHING WE'VE LOOKED AT THE CITY DID A REALLY GOOD JOB OF EXPLAINING HOW IT RELATES TO THE CITY'S MISSION, VISION, AND PRIORITIES.
SO WE BELIEVE THAT THESE PROJECTS WILL HELP US GET THERE.
UM, I TOLD YOU WHEN WE MET LAST TIME, UH, HOW WE DISCUSSED NEEDS AND WANTS, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT PARKS REALLY BEING WANTS.
BUT AS WE WENT THROUGH EACH ONE OF THESE PROJECTS AND WE STARTED LOOKING AT THE CITY AS A WHOLE, UH, THE COMMITTEE REALIZED THAT, THAT WE NEED, WE NEED PARKS AND WE NEED AMENITIES FOR OUR CITIZENS.
AND WE HAD A LOT OF INPUT FROM OUR COMMITTEE ON THAT.
WE HAD SOME THAT DIDN'T AGREE, BUT WE HAD, WE HAD A LOT THAT DID AGREE.
SO THE FIRST PARK PROJECT ON THE LIST IS DWAYNE GRAY SPORTS COMPLEX.
WHAT GOT OUR ATTENTION HERE IS ONE, IT'S $5.45 MILLION AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT IT'S FORESIGHT IMPROVEMENTS COVERING NATURAL TURF FIELDS WITH SYNTHETIC TURF PARKING AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.
THERE'S A LOT MORE TO THIS PROJECT, UH, IN DETAIL THAT WE WERE GIVEN.
WE WERE TOLD 67% OF THE TOURNAMENTS SCHEDULED AT THIS FACILITY GET CANCELED EVERY YEAR.
THAT'S 67% OF TOURNAMENTS THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED, FOLKS IN BAYTOWN, IN HOTELS, IN RESTAURANTS, SHOPPING, ET CETERA.
THAT DIDN'T COME BECAUSE IT RAINED ONE DAY THAT WEEK AND THE FIELD WAS WET ALL WEEKEND.
SO NOT ONLY THAT, BUT IF YOU'VE DRIVEN BY THERE, YOU'VE SEEN THE PARKING, THEY'RE PARKING UNDER THE TREES AND THE GRASS AND EVERY PLACE THEY CAN GET THE TRUCKS INTO, BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PARKING AT THIS COMPLEX, THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL PARKING, NOT JUST ON THE SOFTBALL FIELD SIDE, BUT OVER ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE PARK.
BUT THE, THE POINT HERE IS TO PROVIDE, UH, THESE FACILITIES TO NOT ONLY OUR CITIZENS, BUT EVERYONE ELSE WHO COMES TO TOWN TO ENJOY THE COMPLEX THAT WE HAVE.
THIS WAS A VERY INTERESTING PO PROJECT WHEN WE FIRST REVIEWED IT, IT WAS, IT WAS ALL THIS ACREAGE.
HOW MANY ACRES OF LAND IS THAT? 65? HUH? 65.
IS THAT OKAY? ALL THIS ACREAGE OF LAND DONATED BY THE RUSSELL FAMILY, UH, ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CITY'S 9 1 1 EMERGENCY CENTER.
AND THE PROJECT WAS $5 MILLION, AND IT WAS BASICALLY FOR DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.
YOU, YOU CAN SEE WHERE A $5 MILLION DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FOR A BIG PIECE OF LAND DIDN'T GET A LOT OF TRACTION, RIGHT? BUT AF AS THE PROCESS WENT ON, UH, CITY MANAGER JASON REYNOLDS CAME BACK TO US WITH AN UPDATE ON THIS PROJECT, WHICH INCLUDED A PUBLIC, PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH HARRIS COUNTY AND THE, AND THE FAMILY OF STATE.
AND SO THEN WHAT WE WERE GIVEN, AND WE WERE SHOWN HOW IT ALL WOULD LOOK, IS FOR THE CITY'S $5 MILLION ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS FOR DRAINAGE THAT THE FAMILY AND THE COUNTY WOULD BUILD OUT THIS PARK.
AND THIS PARK WOULD INCLUDE A CHAMPIONSHIP BASEBALL FACILITY, UH, A BASEBALL COMPLEX, I THINK PROVIDED BY THE, THE FAMILY OF STATE.
I THINK THEY PURCHASED ADDITIONAL LAND THAT'S MAY NOT TO THE WEST.
YEAH, THAT'S TO THE WEST UP IN THAT AREA.
AND SO THE COUNTY WOULD THEN COME IN AND PUT ALL THE, THE ENTRANCES AND THE PRACTICE FIELDS AND THE PARKING AND THE TRAILS TO GET BACK TO THE LAKE THAT'S DOWN HERE.
UH, AND SO FOR $5 MILLION OF CITY INVESTMENT, WE GET, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE VALUE OF, OF THE WHOLE PARK WOULD BE, BUT IT WOULD BE WELL IN EXCESS OF 15 TO $20 MILLION.
AND SO, AS WE, AGAIN EVALUATED THE FACT THAT YOU KNOW THIS, THERE ARE NO CITY PARKS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF INTERSTATE 10.
WE KNOW THE CITY LIMITS DON'T GO TOO FAR BEYOND INTERSTATE 10, BUT, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE UP THERE.
THIS WOULD, THIS WOULD COMPLIMENT THE CITY WITH ANOTHER REGIONAL TYPE PARK.
THIS WOULDN'T BE A NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, OBVIOUSLY.
AND SO WE WOULD HAVE THIS REGIONAL FACILITY ON THE NORTH SIDE OF INTERSTATE 10 JENKINS PARK, KIND OF ON THE EAST CENTER SIDE.
AND THEN, UH, WE WOULD LOOK AT OTHER FACILITIES TOWARDS THE SOUTH SIDE.
SO THIS PROJECT, TOWARDS THE END OF OUR PROCESS, GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE ATTENTION.
UM, IT, IT WASN'T AS UNANIMOUSLY AGREED TO, BUT IT WAS MAJORITY AGREED TO AND INCLU TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS RECOMMENDATION TO YOU FOR 5 BILLION.
SO THE LAST, UH, PROJECT WE HAVE ON THE LIST OF 15 IS UNI DOG PARK IMPROVEMENTS.
THIS IS ANOTHER ONE THAT, THAT TOOK SOME CONVERSATION.
UH, WHEN IT WAS PRESENTED TO US, UH, IT WAS ABOUT ADDING AMENITIES TO A PARK THAT WE CURRENTLY
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DON'T HAVE IN BAYTOWN, AND THAT WAS FOOTBALL FIELDS.WE APPARENTLY HAVE A LOT OF SOCCER FIELDS, A LOT OF BASEBALL FIELDS, BUT THERE AREN'T A LOT OF LIKE AMERICAN FOOTBALL FIELDS, UH, NOT EVEN FOR PRACTICE.
AND SO THE, UH, WHERE IT SAYS
IT'D BE, UH, TWO FOOTBALL FIELDS, UH, LIGHTING BLEACHERS, A NEW MAINTENANCE SHED, ADDITIONAL PARKING.
AND THERE'S ALSO A NEW PUMP TRACK.
UH, I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THAT WAS, BUT APPARENTLY YOU GET ON A BICYCLE AND YOU RIDE DOWN AND GO UP.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE A SKATEBOARD, BUT ON A BICYCLE.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE ADDED TO THIS.
WE DON'T HAVE ONE IN BAYTOWN, IS THAT RIGHT? CORRECT.
THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST IN BAYTOWN, UH, AND ALSO EXPAND THE SKATE PARK AND PROVIDE DRAINAGE AND DETENTION FOR THIS AREA.
SO AGAIN, THE BENEFITS WOULD BE, UH, ADDING NEW PROGRAMMING FOR ADDITIONAL SPORTING OPPORTUNITIES, AND THEN ALSO EXPANDING THE EXISTING PARK FACILITIES.
SO THESE ARE THE 15 PROJECTS AND $151 MILLION THE COMMITTEE COMMITTEE CAME UP WITH.
UM, AS YOU SAW INITIALLY, THE COMMITTEE, AFTER ALL THE REVIEW, DID COME UP WITH ABOUT $173 MILLION WORTH OF, OF PROJECTS.
UH, AND TO GET DOWN TO THE 151 MILLION, WE CUT BASICALLY THREE PROJECTS FROM THAT SCOPE.
ONE WAS DFE, ONE WAS STERLING THAT I, THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.
AND THE THIRD WAS THE BAYTOWN, UH, BAYTOWN NATURE CENTER PROJECT FOR $14 MILLION.
AND SO THAT GOT US DOWN FROM WHAT THE WHOLE COMMITTEE AGREED.
LET'S PRESENT ALL THIS TO THE 1 51 NUMBER.
SO WHERE WE ARE TODAY IS, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING, UH, AT YOUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, AUGUST 14TH, TO SEE IF YOU CALL FOR THE ELECTION.
IF YOU DO CALL FOR THE ELECTION, IT WILL HAPPEN ON ELECTION DAY, WHICH IS ALREADY SCHEDULED NOVEMBER 4TH.
UH, AND THEN WE BEGIN THE EDUCATION CAMPAIGN BY THE CITY WHO CAN PROVIDE, UH, TANGIBLE, UH, RELATED EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION.
AND THEN THE, UH, BOND ADVOCACY CAN HAPPEN, UH, BY THE CITIZENS BOND ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE THAT WOULD BE FORMED.
NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME WITH OUR RECOMMENDATION ON THESE 15 PROJECTS AND THE ONE $51 MILLION VALUE WAS THAT WE WOULD ASK, UH, COUNCIL THE FORM OF CITIZENS BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, UH, IF THEY, IF THIS WERE, UH, APPROVED BY THE VOTERS.
THIS IS VERY CONSISTENT WITH ALL OTHER GO BONDS THAT HAPPENED IN, IN THE, WE DID IT IN 2007 WITH THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.
IN FACT, I GAVE THE FINAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL IN 2014 OF THE SEVEN YEARS OF, OF BOND WORK THAT TOOK PLACE FROM OH SEVEN TO 14.
AND ALL THAT DOES, IT SAYS, YOU KNOW, IF, IF, UH, NOT THAT, UH, THE, THE FOLKS WOULDN'T DO WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, BUT IF ISSUES DO COME UP, NATURAL DISASTERS THAT CHANGE THE COURSE OF SOME OF THESE PROJECTS, THERE'S, THERE'S A REASONABLE WAY TO INVOLVE CITIZENS AND THE OPTIONS, UH, THAT COME TO YOU, UH, TO MAKE DECISIONS.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, IT'S FOLLOWING THESE PROJECTS.
UH, IF THERE ARE, UH, ANY, ANY PROBLEMS WHERE CITIZENS CAN HELP, THEY'RE AVAILABLE FOR, UH, UH, JUST SUPPORT.
SO, UH, NO DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY, BUT THAT'S PART OF OUR FORMAL RECOMMENDATION.
IT'S TO FORM THAT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
SO, UH, VOTER INFORMATION WILL GO OUT WITH, WITH, UH, POLLING LOCATIONS AS YOU SEE THERE.
AND IF YOU WANNA KNOW MORE ABOUT IT, LOOK AT CITY'S WEBSITE.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE? YES, THE, ALL OF THE GRANTS THAT WERE MENTIONED ARE THOSE FOR SURE, OR HYPOTHETICAL.
SO I BELIEVE FRANK CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
UM, SO I THINK THE ONES THAT MENTIONED GRANTS WERE, UM, GARTH ROAD, UH, SEGMENT C, D AND E.
AND THAT ONE IS NOT FOR SURE, BUT, UH, STAFF DEALS THAT WE HAVE VERY GOOD, UH, CHANCE OF GETTING THAT GRANT, UM, FOR A FEW REASONS.
UM, ONE, YOU KNOW, THE ORIGINAL APPROVED PROJECT FOR GARTH ROAD WAS FROM I 10 TO 1 46, THE ENTIRE CORRIDOR, UH, WE SCALED IT BACK JUST BECAUSE OF THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE INCREASED COST.
UM, SO, AND WE'VE ALSO DONE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE OF ALL THAT, UM, AREA ALREADY ALL THE WAY TO 1 46.
UH, AND WE HAVE, WE'RE PAYING FOR THE DESIGN.
SO THE DESIGN IS AT, UH, LIKE 60% COMPLETE.
UH, AND WE'LL START DOING RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION, UM, SHORTLY.
SO THAT PUTS US IN A VERY GOOD POSITION WITH, UH, HJC TO BE COMPETITIVE ON.
AND SINCE THEY'VE ALREADY APPROVED THE PROJECT, YOU KNOW, WITHIN SEGMENTS, WE FEEL LIKE IT WILL COMPETE WELL.
UM, WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER ONES THAT WEREN'T RELATED? SO THE OTHER ONES, UM, CEDAR, HARRIS, CEDAR, UM, THE CEDAR WEST, CEDAR BY LYNCHBURG.
UH, WE DO HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH HARRIS COUNTY, UH, ON THAT PROJECT.
SO, UH, I, I'M NOT CERTAIN IF IT COVERS CONSTRUCTION.
UH, I BELIEVE IT DOES, BUT, UH, HARRIS COUNTY IS LEADING THAT PROJECT.
THEY'VE ALREADY, THEY'RE IN DESIGN, UH, IT'S, UH, ON THE CITY TO DO RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION.
UM, BUT I, I FEEL LIKE THAT ONE IS PRETTY MUCH A SURE THING SINCE THE COUNTY'S ALREADY AGREED TO IT.
SO WHEN THE BOND PASSES AND IF THERE'S ANY GRANTS THAT AREN'T PUSHED THROUGH,
[00:25:01]
WHAT DO WE DO IN ORDER TO AFFORD THE COST OF THE DIFFERENCE? I, I CAN TELL YOU WHAT I THINK MOST LIKELY THAT PROJECT WON'T HAPPEN.AND YOU WON'T ISSUE THE BONDS.
BECAUSE UNLESS YOU CAN COME UP WITH 20, $30 MILLION TO COMPENSATE, IT'S PROBABLY NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
UH, AND THERE, THERE WAS A FEW OTHER ONES.
THERE WAS, UH, THE DRAINAGE PROJECT, WEST BAYTOWN, UH, DRAINAGE PHASE TWO AND THREE MM-HMM
UM, SO, UH, GILBERT SAID THAT THE TRUNK LINE WAS COMPLETE, IT'S ACTUALLY COMPLETE DESIGN.
IT HADN'T STARTED CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE WE, UH, WE WERE SHORT FUNDING ON THAT ONE.
IT IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH HARRIS COUNTY, BUT WE WERE STILL SHORT FUNDING.
UM, SO WE JUST RECENTLY GOT, UH, AN ADDITIONAL GRANT, A FEDERAL GRANT TO SUPPLEMENT THAT.
SO, UH, SO PHASE ONE OF WEST BAYTOWN IS FULLY FUNDED, AND IT WILL START SOON AS THE GRANT, UH, CONTRACT IS, UH, APPROVED BY COUNCIL.
NOW PHASE TWO AND THREE, UM, WE'VE, UM, APPLIED FOR A GRANT AT WHERE WE'VE ALREADY APPLIED, AND WE'RE WAITING TO HEAR BACK IF WE RECEIVE THAT GRANT.
SO, UM, I, I CAN TELL YOU I'M, I'M, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BETTER THAN 50% CONFIDENT WE MIGHT GET THAT GRANT.
UM, ANOTHER ONE WAS THE ROLLING BROOK GARTH DOMAIN.
WE MENTIONED, UH, THAT THAT WAS JUST DESIGN, BUT WE WOULD PLAN ON APPLYING FOR A GRANT FOR THAT.
UH, I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANY OTHER ONES THAT MENTIONED THAT WAS VID, DID VID HAVE A GRANT? VID DID NOT, NO.
UH, THE ONLY OTHER ONE THAT HAD SOME PARTNERSHIP MONEY THAT WASN'T IDENTIFIED IN VALUE WAS THE, UH, GINA LORETTA RUSSELL PARK.
UH, WE, WE, WHAT WE WERE TOLD WAS HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT THREE DIRECTLY FUNDING THAT.
HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT THREE FUNDING THAT.
AND THEN THE ESTATE HAVE ALREADY BEEN WORKING WITH HARRIS COUNTY.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE EVALUATION CRITERIA, UH, STAFF USE TO, YOU KNOW, PUT FORWARD PROJECTS.
AND WHAT WE BRIEFED THE COMMITTEE ON WAS HOW LIKELY THOSE GRANTS, UH, GRANT FUNDING WOULD COME THROUGH.
SO YEAH, WE, WE, WE KNEW IT WASN'T A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT WE KNEW THAT IF THE CITY BELIEVED THESE PROJECTS WERE IMPORTANT AND THEY WERE AGGRESSIVELY PURSUING, UH, THAT THEY WOULD GET IT.
AND IF THEY DIDN'T, THEN THAT'S JUST A PROJECT THAT THAT WOULDN'T HAPPEN.
CAUSE OF THE CITY, BUT BECAUSE OF THE BLACK GRANT FUNDING.
BUT WE WERE, FRANK DIDN'T GUARANTEE, BUT HE, HE FELT CONFIDENT THAT IT WOULD HAPPEN.
UH, SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF STAR ONE AND THEN KINDA LET PEOPLE GO.
BUT ON THE FIRE STATION, IT'S THE 4.5.
I KNOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CONSTRUCTION PROBABLY IN FIVE YEARS.
I KNOW WE HAD DISCUSSED IN THE CIP THAT WE WANTED TO SEE THINGS THAT WERE ONLY GONNA BE APPROVED BE DONE WITHIN THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
AND IF IT WAS, SO I, I, I AGREE.
THE FIRE STATION FOR THAT PART, BUT WHAT WAS JUST THE COST FOR THE ENGINEERING AND THE UPFRONT COST, NOT THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION? UH, I THINK THE, SO IT WAS FOR DESIGN AND, UH, LAND ACQUISITION.
I BELIEVE THE ENGINEERING PORTION WAS ABOUT ONE, THE 1.25 AND THE LAND WAS MAYBE THREE.
THAT'S KIND OF, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT'S WHAT WAS ON THAT PART THAT WE HAD KIND OF, I KNOW WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THAT AND KIND OF MAKING SURE, AND THEN I'LL GET SOME OF THE OTHER ONES LATER.
BUT, UH, WELL, I GUESS WE'LL GO FOR IT RIGHT NOW.
SO, YOU KNOW, I, I, I GET SOME OF THE STUFF AND LIKE, SO I KNOW WE HAD ALREADY TALKED TO THIS BEFORE, AND IF Y'ALL WANNA WATCH CIPV AND YOU CAN HEAR MY COMMENTS ON THAT PART, BUT ON THE UNIT APP PARK, WE WANTING TO GO TO FOOTBALL.
TRUST ME, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH, WITH, WITH, UH, WITH THE OPTIMIST SINCE I PLAYED AND BEEN INVOLVED IN COACH, MULTIPLE TEAMS IN THERE AND BEEN INVOLVED, REALLY INVOLVED WITH FOOTBALL STATIONS.
UH, FOOTBALL FROM 20 2006 TO 2016, YOUTH FOOTBALL DROPPED FROM 8.2 MILLION TO 4.6 MILLION PE KIDS PLAYING.
RIGHT NOW IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, IT'S DOWN 15%.
YOUTH FOOTBALL IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN GROWING.
UH, THERE IS PLENTY OF OPEN FIELDS FOR KIDS TO PLAY.
UH, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A YOUTH FOOTBALL LEAGUE HERE ANYMORE.
UH, WE HAVE SOME SELECT LEAGUES.
UH, AND THERE'S TONS OF THINGS.
AND I, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE LIGHTS, BUT THAT'S ONE THAT'S GONNA BE VERY TOUGH FOR ME TO SEE THAT GOING FORWARD ON THAT PART.
TRUST ME, I'M A HUGE LOVER OF FOOTBALL.
THAT ONE KIND OF WAS A LITTLE LIKE, I'M JUST KIND OF THINKING ABOUT THAT.
UH, THE JENKINS PARKS, THE 450, THAT'S FOR JUST THE ENGINEERING COSTS, JUST TO KIND OF DESIGN THE BRIDGE ONLY.
IS THAT ALSO, YOU SAID ALSO CONNECTED, BUT MAINLY THE BRIDGE? CORRECT.
WHICH I GET THAT YOU GOTTA GET THE IN THERE AND GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO BUILD A BRIDGE ACROSS YEP.
JUST LIKE YOU SEE ON FREEWAYS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
IT'S KINDA UNDERSTANDING ON THAT PART.
UH, 'CAUSE I MEAN, WE, WE REALLY WANTED TO SEE, YOU KNOW, COMING AT CFP, WE REALLY WANTED TO SEE A LOT OF CUT AND DRY.
THIS IS JUST WHAT NEEDS TO GET APPROVED, JUST TO, TO GET THE COMMUNITY TRUST BACK.
'CAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND, THIS IS OUR FIRST GO BOND IN A LONG TIME, BUT WE HAVE BEEN PASSING CO BONDS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
SO THIS IS NOT THE FIRST BONDS THAT THE CITY IS GOING THROUGH.
[00:30:01]
IT IS JUST A DIFFERENT PROCEDURE HOW WE'RE DOING IT.AND WE'RE LETTING THE CITIZENS HAVE MORE INPUT AND MORE COMMENT ON THESE BONDS INSTEAD OF JUST APPROVING 'EM WITHOUT THEM KNOWING EVERYTHING GOING ON IT.
SO, UH, I'LL KIND OF END RIGHT THERE FOR RIGHT NOW.
WHAT ELSE SHE GOT? THAT'S IT, THAT'S IT FOR RIGHT NOW.
SO NOTHING ELSE DEALING WITH THE BOND.
NOTHING ELSE DEALING WITH THE BONDS RIGHT NOW, NOW, OH, UH, FOR ME, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE ELECTION IN MAY.
THE SCHOOL BOARD IS GETTING A NEW SUPERINTENDENT.
THEY ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING NEXT YEAR.
THEY'RE NOT DOING A BOND FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
I THINK WE NEED A LITTLE MORE TIME TO GET MORE INPUT TO THE CITIZENS MM-HMM
THIS, THIS, THIS NOVEMBER, NOT NECESSARILY A BOND, YOU KNOW, UH, I THINK THERE JUST NEEDS TO BE MORE TIME, MORE INPUT, MORE INFORMATION, MORE EDUCATION OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S WHY I MENTIONED THAT ON MAY 8TH WHEN WE HAD OUR FIRST WORK SESSION ABOUT THIS.
I'M RIGHT THERE WITH YOU ON THAT.
UM, SO I KNOW JACOB'S NOT HERE, HE'S OUR FINANCE CHAIR, BUT THE, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS DID COME TO OUR FINANCE COMMITTEE AND PRESENTED.
AND, UM, WE WERE ALL OKAY WITH WHAT WAS PRESENTED, BUT WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THERE WERE, LET'S SAY THERE WAS A PROJECT ON THERE FOR 9,000 AND THEY FINISHED EVERYTHING WITH SEVEN, UH, OR 7 MILLION.
AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THAT MONEY? JASON, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS, BUT WHAT WE DISCUSSED IS, IS, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, PUTTING IT BACK INTO A PROJECT THAT MAY NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE, BECAUSE THE DIFFERENCE IN PUTTING IT BACK INTO THE BOND IS NOT AS MUCH AS TRYING TO GET A, A PROJECT FINISHED.
AND, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, ANYTHING HAPPENS, UH, WEATHER AND SETBACKS, ET CETERA.
AND SO WE, WITH THE, THE CHANGE ORDERS THAT MAY COME THROUGH, IF THERE'S MONEY LEFT OVER FROM A PROJECT, THEN IT WOULD BE ADDED TO ANOTHER ONE.
UM, SO JASON, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA EXPAND ON THAT.
THE, THE OTHER PIECE TO THAT, THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT WAS THAT'S WHERE THE CITIZEN BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WOULD COME INTO PLAY.
IF THERE WAS ANY MONEY THAT WAS NOT SPENT, OR YOU HAD AN OVERAGE OR WHATEVER THERE, WHATEVER THE, THERE'S A, A POSITIVE FINANCIAL DELTA.
UM, THE FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WOULD BE LIKE, HEY, I DO SEE THAT THIS ONE IS OVERRAN.
I, I SEE THAT THIS ONE COULD USE A LITTLE BIT MORE HELP, OR WE NEED TO FOCUS MORE ON THIS PROJECT.
AND THAT WOULD BE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CIP COMMITTEE AND TO THE COUNCIL, AND THEN MAKE AN ULTIMATE DECISION THAT WAY.
THE CITIZENS HAD CONTINUED INPUT ON THE MONEY THAT WAS BEING SPENT, AND IT WASN'T JUST, IT WASN'T JUST, UM, UH, PUT INTO SOMETHING.
AND IT DID TALK AGAINST ABOUT PAYING THE DEBT DOWN.
PAYING THE DEBT DOWN WAS AN OPTION AS WELL.
BUT TO YOUR POINT, DID YOU GET MORE BANG FOR THE BUCK TO ACTUALLY PUT IT TOWARDS A PROJECT? YES.
INSTEAD OF PAYING THE DEBT DOWN.
AND, UM, OUR COMMITTEE DID NOT DISCUSS, UM, PUTTING IT TO A MAY A, A MAY BOND.
AND, AND I THINK THAT THE BOND COMMITTEE HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK, AND WHEN WE FIRST INTRODUCED THIS BOND, WE WERE PREPARED TO GO INTO A NOVEMBER ELECTION.
UH, I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ALL ALONG.
THEY DID THEIR DUE DILIGENCE, THEY'VE GOT US TO THIS POINT, AND, UM, WE LEAVE IT IN THEIR HANDS.
WE LEAVE IT IN, YOU KNOW, UM, THE PACK THAT'S FORMED, THE, THESE ARE GENTLEMEN THAT HAVE WORKED ON THE PREVIOUS BOND.
AND, AND IF I, AND, AND I DON'T MEAN TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, UH, GILBERT, BUT I MEAN, IF YOU TELL US, BECAUSE Y'ALL ARE THE ONES THAT HAD THE MOST EXPERIENCE, IF Y'ALL TELL US WE NEED TO WAIT TILL MAY, THEN I'M OKAY WITH THAT.
BUT THAT CONVERSATION HAS NOT COME UP.
AND SO I FEEL THAT WE NEED NEED, WE NEED TO JUST KEEP MOVING FORWARD AND, AND LEAVING IT UP TO THE VOTERS AND THE PAC COMMITTEE AND, AND COME WHAT MAY I, I GUESS I'D HATE FOR IT TO FAIL.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT WE'VE COME THIS FAR AND WE'VE DONE THIS MUCH LEGWORK, AND AS WE ALL KNOW, UM, PROJECTS, COSTS GO UP.
AND SO THAT COULD MEAN THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY, UM, EVEN THOUGH IT'S, YOU KNOW, 10 MONTHS OR SO, THAT THE, THE AMOUNT WILL GO UP AND, UM, MAY NEED TO CUT EVEN ADDITIONAL PROJECTS OFF OF THE, THE BOND.
I HAVE, I JUST HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE, THE, UM, GRANTS.
WHEN IS THE, UM, THE EXPECTED TIME DO YOU THINK WE WILL HEAR BACK FROM THESE GRANTS THAT ARE KIND OF UP IN THE AIR? UH, SO THEY'RE DIFFERENT FOR DIFFERENT GRANTS.
UH, GARTH ROAD WOULD BE, UH, WE WOULD EXPECT TO GO THROUGH THE, UH, TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, WHICH IS MANAGED BY THE HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL.
AND THEY, UH, UH, JASON MAY HAVE A BETTER TIMELINE ON THAT, BUT I KNOW THEY UPDATE THEIR PROJECTS, I BELIEVE EVERY TWO YEARS.
[00:35:01]
AND THERE'S A, A FUNDING CYCLE THEY USE.UM, SO WE HAVE BEEN TALKING TO THEM CONSISTENTLY, AND WE THINK WE CAN GET ON THE NEXT CYCLE, WHICH WOULD BE WITHIN THE FIVE YEAR WINDOW.
SO, UM, AND LIKE I SAY, I, I FEEL FAIRLY CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN GET ON THAT, GIVEN THE WORK WE'VE DONE ON THAT PROJECT.
UH, HARRIS COUNTY ON WEST CEDAR BY LYNCHBURG IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT'S AN AGREEMENT WE ALREADY HAVE WITH HARRIS COUNTY.
SO, UH, I FEEL PRETTY CERTAIN ON THAT ONE.
THE, UH, DRAINAGE GRANT FOR, UM, UH, WEST BAYTOWN PHASE TWO AND THREE, THAT IS A FEDERAL GRANT WE APPLIED FOR, AND I KNOW WE APPLIED FOR A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. I DON'T REMEMBER SPECIFICALLY WHICH ONE, BUT, UH, WE WERE EXPECTING TO HEAR SOMETHING THIS YEAR ON, ON THAT.
SO, UH, REALLY HOPEFULLY BEFORE THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, WE SHOULD KNOW IF WE'VE GOTTEN THAT GRANT.
UM, WHAT WAS THE OTHER ONE THAT, THAT'S THE ONE I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
UM, THAT WAS, UM, UM, TO MY, I KNOW THERE WAS A FOURTH ONE, BUT THANK YOU, THANK YOU TO MY, UM, MY CALLING MR. FRANCO'S POINT.
YOU KNOW, I, I DO LIKE TO SEE MORE A PROJECT THAT'S MORE CENTERED TOWARDS OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, I KNOW WE'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND I, I GUESS I'LL JUST, I'LL LEAVE IT THERE.
MAYBE, YOU KNOW, THE WAY THAT THE, THE BOND IS SEPARATED, IT'S VERY SEGREGATED FROM PARTS TO, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE AND WELL, I GUESS WE'LL LEAVE THAT TO THE VOTERS TO DECIDE WHETHER, UH, WHAT, WHAT'S PRIORITY FOR THEM, UH, TO HIS, TO THE POINT THAT, UH, FOR A MAY ELECTION, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M HEARING TWO DIFFERENT SIDES.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT GONNA BE A, AND THIS WAS OF A POINT FOR ME IN THE APRIL DISCUSSIONS ON WHETHER TO HAVE A BOND IN, UH, NOVEMBER VERSUS MAY WAS THE HINGE POINT WAS WHETHER OR NOT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL BE GOING OUT FOR A BOND IN MAY.
AND THAT WAS THE DECIDING FACTOR.
I'M HEARING TWO DIFFERENT STORIES FROM THE SOURCES THAT THERE MAY BE A BOND, IF NOT BOND THERE, BE A NEW SUPERINTENDENT, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA HAVE BE GOING OUT FOR A BOND IN NOVEMBER.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO KNOW.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I'M, DON'T CONSIDER MYSELF A GAMBLING MAN.
SO I THINK IN, IN THAT LIGHT, I THINK WE SHOULD GO WITH WHAT WE KNOW THAT THERE'S NOT GONNA BE A BOND IN NOVEMBER, AND I KNOW THERE'S, THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT FOR THE VOTERS TO DECIDE ON.
AND IF WE KEEP, UM, UH, EVERYTHING CLEAR TO THE VOTERS, I THINK, I BELIEVE HAVE THE FAITH IN THE VOTERS THAT THEY'LL, THEY CAN MAKE THE DECISION WITH THIS NOVEMBER ELECTION.
UM, BUT WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT SAID, I JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO THINK THAT ALL THE WORK Y'ALL HAVE DONE, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK DONE.
UM, CONCERN ALSO ABOUT WHAT DOES THIS DO FINANCIALLY FOR THE PROCESS OF MOVING THE COMMITTEE AND MOVING THE BOND TO A MAY ELECTION.
UM, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE CITY AS FAR AS WHAT WILL TAKE FINANCIALLY TO EXTEND THAT? WE'LL HAVE TO PAY FOR ANOTHER ELECTION IN MAY.
WE'LL HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT TO ADJUST THE BUDGET TO PUT MONEY IN FOR WHATEVER THE ELECTION IS.
IT'S AN UNKNOWN AT THIS POINT.
WE DON'T TYPICALLY RUN, UH, ELECTIONS IN MAY, SO WE'D HAVE TO LOOK WITH HARRIS COUNTY TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYBODY THAT'S GONNA BE SHARING THE COST WITH US.
UH, IF NOT, WE'LL TAKE ON THE FULL COST.
UH, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING I CAN'T FULLY ANSWER AT THIS POINT.
BUT WE WILL HAVE TO ADD SOMETHING TO THE BUDGET IF WE DO HAVE A MAY ELECTION.
SO WITH ALL THOSE VARIABLES THAT WE DON'T KNOW WITH THE MAY ELECTION, I FEEL MORE CONFIDENT MOVING FORWARD TO, UH, A NOVEMBER ELECTION.
SO, MAYOR, I'LL RETIRE TO THAT MAY COMMENT ON YES, SIR.
SO THE COMMENTS, FIRST OF ALL, I CAN TELL YOU THAT GOOSE CREEK DIDN'T HAVE ONE THIS YEAR BECAUSE THE CITY WAS PLANNING TO HAVE ONE.
SO IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE GONNA HAVE ONE IN MAY, BUT THEY'RE WAITING.
AND I, THAT'S THE CONVERSATION I'VE HAD WITH THE CITY, I MEAN, WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOLKS WHO MAKE THOSE, UH, PLANS.
UH, SECOND OF ALL THE, UH, THE COMMITTEE'S FEELINGS AREN'T HURT IF YOU DON'T HOLD THE BOND ELECTION IN NOVEMBER, WE WERE CHARGED TO GIVE YOU A RECOMMENDATION.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT.
UH, I DO FEEL THAT A CONCENTRATED EDUCATED EFFORT FROM AUGUST TO NOVEMBER IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN SIX MONTHS OF PEOPLE THINKING ABOUT IT AND NOT REALLY FOCUSING ON WHAT'S GOING ON.
UH, IT'S, IT IS BEEN COMMUNICATED OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
UH, LOCALLY, UH, PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT.
UH, PEOPLE AT CHURCH ARE ASKING ABOUT IT.
PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE ASKING ABOUT IT.
UH, NOT EVERYONE'S A HUNDRED PERCENT ON BOARD BECAUSE YOU NEVER HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT.
[00:40:01]
BOND PASSED OVER 70%, UH, FAVORABLE.UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, 75% OF THESE PROJECTS ARE ROADS OR DRAINAGE, 75% OF, OF THE TOTAL VALUE HERE, UH, ANOTHER 19% ARE, ARE FACILITIES.
AND THE WETLAND CENTER IS INFRASTRUCTURE.
IT'S, WE DON'T CONSIDER IT A NEW BUILDING.
WE CONSIDERED IT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT EXISTED TODAY THAT NEEDED TO BE UPGRADED, REPLACED, AND RELOCATED TO CONTINUE SERVING THE COMMUNITY THE WAY IT HAS BEEN.
UH, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY THE ONLY PROJECTS THAT WE'VE RECOMMENDED, UH, THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY IN EXISTENCE WOULD BE THE EXPANSION OF PARK FACILITIES.
WAYNE GRAY IS AN INFRASTRUCTURE NEED THAT THAT'S NOT EXPANDING THE PARK.
IT'S EXPANDING THE PARKING AND, AND, AND RESURFACING THE FIELDS TO BE USABLE.
GENOME RED RUSSELL PARK IS, IS A BRAND NEW PARK.
WE WERE LOOKING AT WHAT'S HERE TODAY, WHAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
UH, WE COULD HAVE SPENT $150 MILLION ON NOTHING BUT STREETS.
UH, BUT IN ORDER TO BALANCE, UH, THE NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND I BELIEVE THAT THE STAFF DID THE SAME THING, AND THERE WERE 28 PROJECTS THEY PRESENTED WAS THEY TOUCHED IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF NEED.
AND PARKS WAS ONE OF THOSE AREAS OF NEED, UH, BASED ON THE PARKS MASTER PLAN.
SO I, I UNDERSTAND THAT A LOT OF FOLKS WON'T SEE A, A PARK EXPANSION AS AN INFRASTRUCTURE NEED, BUT WE DO BELIEVE WE CAN COMMUNICATE IT AS A NEED THE CITIZENS HAVE FROM THE AMENITY STANDPOINT.
UH, OUR COMMITTEE HAD THE SAME THOUGHTS.
WE HAD FOLKS WHO WERE NOT IN FAVOR OF, OF ANY PARKS, BUT WE HAD FOLKS WHO SAID, I GO TO THE PARK, I GO TO PARKS TWO OR THREE TIMES A WEEK.
RIGHT? SO WE GOT A MIXTURE OF CITIZENS OUT THERE.
I DON'T GO TO A PARK EVERY WEEK, BUT I SEE PEOPLE OUT AT THE PARK EVERY DAY.
SO 75% STREETS DRAINAGE, ANOTHER 19% ON FACILITIES RELATED FIRE STATION AND THE, UH, THE WETLAND CENTER.
AND THEN, UM, I FORGET THE, THE BALANCE OF THAT IS, IS, IS PARTS RELATED, UH, WHICH I THINK WAS LIKE 11%.
SO, UH, COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED THIS PROCESS KIND OF WITH THE SAME MINDSET.
I THINK MIKE AND DENISE CAN TELL YOU THE SAME THING.
WHEN WE STARTED, AND IT WAS A FOUR MEETING SCHEDULE, IT WAS LIKE, GET IT DONE, RANK 'EM, AND, AND WE'RE, WE'RE OUTTA HERE, RIGHT? UH, ONCE WE GOT INTO THE DETAILS OF EVERY SINGLE PROJECT AND LOOKED AT THE SCOPES AND LOOKED AT THE IMPACT IT HAD TO, TO THE CITY IN A POSITIVE WAY, IF WE DID IT, WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE IMPACT TO THE CITY IF WE DIDN'T DO IT, IF WE DIDN'T DO THESE, THESE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND SO, UH, WE CANNOT DO ANYTHING AND CONTINUE TO SEE THINGS DETERIORATE OR WE CAN DO, UH, SOMETHING TO START IMPROVING OUR, OUR CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE KNOW THE CITY'S BEEN DOING INFRASTRUCTURE WORK FOR DECADES, RIGHT? IT'S NO SURPRISE THIS IST THE FIRST TIME.
WHAT WE HAVE TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY IS WE'RE DOING EXACTLY THE SAME THING YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS.
WE'RE JUST DOING IT THROUGH A GO BOND SINCE 2007 INSTEAD OF CO BONDS.
IT'S THE SAME WORK I'VE MET WITH THE FINANCE, UH, DEPARTMENT TO GET THAT INFORMATION ON THE CO BONDS.
AND THE CO BONDS ARE FOR EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS AND THINGS THAT THIS GEO BOND IS GONNA ADDRESS IN THE SAME WAY.
SO, UH, I KNOW THERE'S CONCERN ABOUT FAILURE.
UH, I WOULD HOPE THAT, UH, IN THE LAST THREE, THREE AND A HALF MONTHS, UH, THE COMMUNITY'S MINDSET HAS CHANGED ABOUT SEPARATING THESE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS FROM EVERYTHING ELSE THAT, THAT YOU GUYS GET HIT ON.
AND I THINK WE CAN COMMUNICATE THAT NEED TO, TO THE CITIZENS.
UM, I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF CONVERSATIONS TO GROUPS.
THEY'VE ASKED QUESTIONS, AND THESE ARE FOLKS THAT CARE ABOUT THE CITY, UH, JUST LIKE EVERY ONE OF OF US DO.
SO I REALLY BELIEVE WITH A COORDINATED AND PRECISE PRECISION, UH, YOU KNOW, EDUCATION, UH, EFFORT IN THE NEXT, UH, FEW MONTHS THAT NOVEMBER 4TH WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL FOR THE CITY.
UH, WE TALKED ABOUT TRUST, YOU KNOW, IF, IF VOTED ON YOU GO DO IT.
DO WHAT YOU SAID YOU WERE GONNA DO.
AND TRUST IS GAINED AND WE MOVE ON.
WE'RE IN BETTER SHAPE FIVE YEARS FROM NOW.
SO, UM, I WILL ALSO SAY THAT THE, UH, THE BOND FOLKS DID POINT OUT THAT IN FIVE YEARS WE ASKED THE QUESTION IN FIVE YEARS, WHAT WOULD WE LOOK LIKE? AND THEY SAID, GREAT SHAPE, BE ABLE TO GO OUT AGAIN WITH ALMOST NO TAX IMPACT.
SO, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING'S FINANCIALLY IN GREAT SHAPE RIGHT NOW FOR THE CITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE IN A UNIQUE SITUATION WHERE ALMOST EVERY BOND PRECEDING NOW ALWAYS CAME WITH A TAX RATE INCREASE.
ALWAYS SCHOOL DISTRICT, LEE, COLLEGE CITY, IT DIDN'T MATTER.
THERE WAS ALWAYS A TAX RATE INCREASE TO ANY BOND AND THEY STILL VOTED FOR IT OVER 70%.
TODAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NO TAX RATE INCREASE.
ANYTIME YOU ISSUE MORE DEBT, YOU'RE GONNA BE PAYING LONGER.
SO IT'S A TAX INCREASE, BUT IT'S NOT A TAX RATE INCREASE.
AND IT'S NOT A, A PLAY ON WORDS.
NO, NO IMPACT AT THE TAX RATE AND YOU GET ALL THIS WORK DONE.
[00:45:01]
ANYWAY, YEAH, I APPRECIATE, UM, I WILL SAY WHEN YOU LOOK UP INFRASTRUCTURE DEFINITION IS RESOURCES REQUIRED FOR AN ACTIVITY.WE ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THAT WHEN WE WANT TO SAY WANTS AND NEEDS.
AND THAT IS PRACTICALLY, UM, DEPENDENT UPON THE PERSON WHO IS USING THAT RESOURCE.
IF I USE THE PARK, I'M GONNA SAY THAT I NEED THAT PARK.
IF I HAVE KIDS BIRTHDAY PARTIES THERE TALKING ABOUT FOOTBALL FIELDS, I KNOW SOME ORGANIZATIONS WHO HOST GAMES OUT HERE AND THEY'RE WISHING THAT THEY HAD SOMEWHERE NICE WHERE THEY CAN INVITE THE LEAGUES THAT THEY PLAY IN TO COME PLAY.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BRINGING PEOPLE INTO THIS CITY TO WORK, LIVE AND PLAY.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BRING PEOPLE INTO THIS CITY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE, WE LOOK AT ROADS AND, UM, SIDEWALKS AND THINGS OF THAT, UM, WATER PLANTS AS INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S NEEDED.
BUT THE THING THAT DIFFERENTIATES CITIES FROM OTHER CITIES ARE THE AMENITIES, IS THE WANTS THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY THE THINGS THAT EVERYBODY USE.
BUT, BUT SOME PEOPLE MAY USE IT, SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT USE IT.
THAT WOULD BE THE PARKS, THE TRAIL SYSTEM.
UM, WHATEVER'S NEEDED TO CON TO CONNECT IT.
I'VE TALKED TO SOME PEOPLE, I'M NOT A PERSON WHO'S GONNA GO OUT THERE AND RUN.
BUT I'VE TALKED TO THE PEOPLE WHO RUN AND THEY SAID IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE SOME CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THOSE PARKS ON THE OTHER END OF TOWN.
IT'D BE NICE TO HAVE ANOTHER REGIONAL PARK.
I LIVE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF TOWN AND THE ONE THING THAT I HEAR A LOT OF IS WHEN ARE WE GONNA GET SOMETHING HERE SO WE DON'T HAVE TO GO SOUTH OF I 10? IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NEEDED.
YOU MAY NOT USE IT, BUT WE SHOULDN'T, UM, THINK LESS OF IT BECAUSE WE DON'T NEED IT.
WE, WE NEED TO THINK OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY WANT AND WHAT THEY WANT TO USE.
I LOVE HEARING, WHEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS BACK IN, WAS IT FEBRUARY WHEN WE HAD OUR RETREAT? YES.
EVERYONE UP HERE CAN TELL YOU I WAS NOT IN FAVOR OF A, OF GOING OUT FOR A BOND BECAUSE I WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE TAX RATE TO HEAR THAT THE TAX RATE IS NOT GOING TO INCREASE AND WE CAN GET THESE THINGS DONE, UM, THAT THE BOND COMMITTEE DECIDED TO DO.
AND I THINK I THANK Y'ALL FOR DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB.
HOW MANY MEETINGS DID YOU ALL HAVE? 10.
10 MEETINGS? THEY WERE TOLD FOUR.
AND HOW LONG WERE THOSE MEETINGS? YEAH, AT LEAST THE HOUR AND A HALF.
HOUR AND A HALF ON A TUESDAY? YEAH.
YOU COULD HAVE, YOU COULD HAVE BEEN DOING OTHER THINGS WITH YOUR FAMILY, BUT YOU TOOK THE TIME TO ANSWER THE CALL OF, UM, CITY COUNCIL.
SO FOR THE REST OF COUNCIL, AS EVERYONE SAID, I WANNA REITERATE THE THANK YOU, UM, FOR EVERYONE THAT PARTICIPATED IN THAT.
UM, I LIKE WHAT THE REPORT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN.
WE TALKED ABOUT ONE 50 IS 1 51.
I THINK THAT IS A, THE PERFECT NUMBER.
UM, I'M STILL UP IN THE AIR ABOUT MAY OR NOVEMBER.
I'M, I'M GONNA HAVE TO THINK MORE OVER THAT, BUT WE'RE NOT MAKING THAT DECISION UNTIL AUGUST 14TH, SO WE HAVE SOME TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT.
UM, WHAT ELSE DID I HAVE WRITTEN HERE? COULD WE GET INFORMATION BY BEFORE THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING ON WHAT IT HAS COST TO DO MAY ELECTIONS? I WILL HAVE THAT FORWARD.
I MEAN, WE WILL LOOK INTO WHAT WE CAN GET.
YEAH, I CAN'T GIVE YOU AN EXACT COST, BUT WE'LL LOOK INTO A ROUNDABOUT COST OF IT, BUT YES.
IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN LOOK AT MATERIAL INCREASE, UM, IN OVER A SIX MONTH PERIOD, GOING BACK FROM NOVEMBER OF 23 TO MAY OF, UM, 24 OR SOMETIME AROUND THERE, JUST SO THAT WE WILL KNOW, TALKING ABOUT THE, UM, INCREASE IN COST FOR EVERYTHING JUST SO THAT WE COULD HAVE SOME TYPE OF, UM, THOUGHT ON WHAT IT MAY BE.
IF, IF IT IS GONNA PUT US OUT OF THAT 1 51 RANGE, WOULD THAT BE POSSIBLE? I COULD GIVE YOU A A PERCENTAGE.
I, I THINK THAT WOULD HELP HELP US MAKE A, A A, A GREAT DECISION.
WHAT YOU THINK? I I THINK IT'S BEEN PRETTY FOR MY, ON OUR SIDE OF CONSTRUCTION, WE'VE BEEN PRETTY STEADY AT THAT COST.
I THINK WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY COST INCREASES IN REALLY? OH YEAH.
WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD SOME DECREASES.
WELL THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE TO CONSIDER.
I KNOW ON THE STEEL SIDE, SO I'M GONNA SAY ON THE STEEL YEAH.
NO, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE OTHER TRADES.
NO, I DON'T DO A LOT WITH THE PLASTICS PART, BUT ON THE STEEL, BUT THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION IS INFORMATION I THINK WE WOULD NEED TO HELP US MAKE A DECISION.
[00:50:01]
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY MY STATEMENT EARLIER.I WAS IN FAVOR OF THE, THE MAY BOND WHEN WE FIRST STARTED THESE TALKS MM-HMM
BUT MR. SANTANA HAS, AND, AND THE REST OF THE COMMITTEE HAS GOT THE WORK DONE AND WE ARE READY FOR NOVEMBER.
I JUST ORIGINALLY THOUGHT THAT WE WERE GONNA NEED MORE TIME, BUT THAT'S TRUE.
AFTER HEARING WHAT, WHAT EVERYBODY SAID AND ALL THE FEEDBACK FROM ALL MY COLLEAGUES UP HERE, UH, THE WORK'S BEEN DONE AND, AND POSSIBLY WAITING.
AND I, I THINK YOU SAID, YOU SAID CONCENTRATED AND EDUCATE, UM, THE PUBLIC BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER IS THE WAY TO GO, SO MM-HMM
MAYOR, IF I MIGHT, 'CAUSE I CAN'T HELP THINKING LIKE YOU GUYS DO.
UH, YOU MIGHT ALSO ASK FRANK WHAT THE IMPACT MIGHT BE TO GRANT REQUEST IF YOU DON'T HAVE MONEY IN HAND.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU WAIT TILL MAY AND YOU'RE APPLYING FOR A GRANT IN FEBRUARY, YOU DON'T HAVE MONEY IN HAND, THEN THAT MAY, YOU MAY LOOK AT THAT AS WELL.
UM, THE PROJECT THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE AN ISSUE WOULD BE, UH, WEST CEDAR BY LYNCHBURG.
UM, AND WE WOULD HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, LET THE COUNTY KNOW ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S KIND OF, I DIDN'T MEAN TO JUMP IN AFTER YOU.
I, I'M FOR NOVEMBER ELECTION, YOU KNOW, THE COMMITTEE'S WORKED VERY HARD.
THE CITIZENS OF PUBLIC IS, THEY'RE, THEY'RE READY FOR NOVEMBER ELECTION.
UM, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF CONCERNS, UM, ABOUT IF A PROJECT COMES IN UNDER BUDGET THAT WE CAN SHIFT THAT MONEY SOMEWHERE ELSE.
UM, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE PUBLIC'S GONNA LOOK AT, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU TOLD US.
AND NOW YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
SO I WOULD BE VERY CAUTIOUS, EVEN IF WE HAVE A CITIZEN COMMITTEE THAT SAYS, OH YEAH, THAT'S OKAY WITH US TOO.
AS A CITIZEN, IF I VOTE FOR A STANDALONE PROJECT AND IT COMES IN UNDER BUDGET AND YOU TAKE THE REMAINING MONEY AND SHOVE IT TO ANOTHER PROJECT THAT I MAY NOT HAVE VOTED FOR, I'M NOT GONNA BE HAPPY.
AND SO, SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS WITH THAT.
I, I LIKE THE IDEA OF WE TAKE THAT EXTRA MONEY AND PAY DOWN THE DEBT, WHICH AS A CITIZEN, I WOULD, I THINK THEY'D RATHER HAVE.
CAN I CLARIFY JUST BEFORE YOU MOVE ON? SO WE, WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT USING IT FOR ANY OTHER PROJECT.
LET'S SAY FOR INSTANCE, YOU GOT MORE MONEY, UH, THE 20 MILLION, YOU GOT MORE ROAD DUN THAN YOU PLANNED ON AND YOU GOT MONEY LEFT OVER, YOU DO MORE ROADS, MORE ROAD REPLACEMENT.
UH, IT WOULDN'T BE TAKEN AND PUT IT IN A PARK.
ROAD PROJECTS ARE PRETTY SIMPLE.
BUT 75% OF THIS ARE ROAD PROJECTS.
SO THE, THE BIG DOLLAR PROJECTS ARE IN ROADS, I THINK.
I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, WELL THE PARKS ONES ARE VERY SPECIFIC.
SO THE LANGUAGE COME UNDER BUDGET, THOSE, THOSE MONIES.
SO THAT, THAT WOULD BE A CONCERN.
DEPENDS ON THE PROJECT, DEPENDS ON THE MONEY.
BUT WE GOTTA BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THAT.
SO WE WE'RE NOT WELL, WE WOULDN'T BE IN FAVOR OF.
THE THE OTHER SIDE OF IT IS, AND I TELL YOU, I'M PUSHING THE, THE WANTS VERSUS NEEDS.
I'VE, I'VE ADVOCATED THAT THIS BOND HAS TO BE AN ABSOLUTE NEED BOND.
NO OFFENSE TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE PROJECTS HAVE VALUE, BUT THEY'RE NOT NEEDS.
I COULD ARGUE THAT IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE GONNA DO THE, THE, UH, THE PARK ON THE NORTH SIDE OF TOWN THAT'S GOING TO COMBINE WITH HARRIS COUNTY AND, AND THE FAMILY TO CREATE A LEAGUE QUALITY CHAMPIONSHIP BASEBALL PARK.
WHY WOULD WE NEED TO SPEND MONEY ON WAYNE GRAY? 'CAUSE NOW YOU HAVE TWO MAJOR PARKS.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A LEGITIMATE WANT, BUT CAN WE GET PAST THAT? SO THE SPENDING MONEY TO DO THE ENGINEERING TO GET AROUND OVER THE, THE RAILROAD TRACKS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, THAT TO ME IS, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT ONE, BECAUSE THAT IS A MORE PUBLIC UTILIZED PARK.
WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THESE LEAGUE PARKS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, IT'S THE LEAGUES THAT USE THOSE.
THE AVERAGE CITIZEN DOESN'T GO AND USE WAYNE GRAY OR DOES ISN'T GONNA GO USE THE ONE UP NORTH.
SO, SO AGAIN, WE HAVE TO DIFFERENTIATE THE ACTUAL RESIDENTIAL USE OF PARKS VERSUS THE LEAGUE USE OF PARKS.
SO, SO I HAVE CONCERNS OVER THAT.
THE NATURE CENTER, AGAIN, IS ANOTHER ONE.
I COULD SEE THAT'S A, I'D LOVE TO HAVE THAT, BUT THAT'S A WANT.
THAT TO ME, THAT'S NOT A NEED.
AND I'VE BEEN PUSHING MY SUPPORT FOR THIS BOND IS IT'S GONNA, THIS FIRST BOND IS GONNA BE NEEDS ONLY.
SO I COULD HAVE SIX OTHERS VOTE AGAINST ME ON THAT.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU I'M GONNA BE A NEEDS ONLY SUPPORT FOR THIS BOND.
I MEAN, WE GOTTA, WE GOTTA KEEP IT TIGHT AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TELLING THE PUBLIC TO DO.
'CAUSE THEY, I HEAR ALL THE TIME, WELL, Y'ALL JUST GONNA GET ALL THAT MONEY AND SPEND IT THE WAY YOU WANT TO.
WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO THE WAY WE, YOU AND I HAD THAT DISCUSSION.
THIS IS THE WAY WE USED TO DO BUSINESS A, A WHILE BACK, AND WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO THAT.
BUT THERE'S NOT THAT LEVEL OF CITIZEN TRUST OUT THERE THAT WE'RE GONNA DO WHAT WE SAY.
SO WE'VE GOT TO BE VERY CLEAR AND VERY EXACT WITH WHAT WE DO, AND THEN COME BACK IN THREE
[00:55:01]
TO FIVE YEARS, SAY, HEY, WE'RE DOING IT.WE WANT TO GO FOR ANOTHER BITE OF THE PIE.
THE PUBLIC WILL SAY, YOU'RE DOING WHAT YOU SAID, JUST LIKE CCPD AND FIRE CONTROL.
THOSE DO WHAT WE SAY THEY'RE GONNA DO.
AND THE CITIZENS NORMALLY PASS THAT 80, 90% EVERY TIME.
SO WE GOTTA BE CAREFUL WITH HOW WE DO THIS FIRST GO BOND.
THAT'S THE SAME THING YOU'VE BEEN SAYING ME AND YOU'VE BEEN SAYING SINCE MARCH 13TH AT OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS COMMITTEE.
AND IF ANYBODY WANTS TO WATCH THAT, WE GO BACK AND FORTH SO MUCH ABOUT NEEDS VERSUS WANTS.
UM, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN BONDS THAT HAVE HAD WHAT I THINK ABSOLUTELY YOU WOULD CONSIDER A ONE.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR TONIGHT.
UM, I THINK THE MAYOR SAID IT BEST.
SOME OF US, UM, I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO ARGUE THAT PARKS ARE GOING TO TO BE A NEED FOR SOME OF US.
DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH PROPERTY YOU OWN AND WHERE YOU GET TO SPEND YOUR LEISURE TIME AND, AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND AS FAR AS, I, I WAS VERY CONFUSED.
I THOUGHT WE TOOK THE NATURE CENTER OFF OF THIS.
DID YOU MEAN THE WETLAND CENTER? THE WETLAND CENTER, THE WET WETLAND CENTER, WHICH IS GONNA BE MOVED TO THE NATURE CENTER.
SO IT'S ALL TO ME, THAT'S THE NATURE CENTER.
THE WETLAND CENTER, BECAUSE THE NATURE CENTER WAS TAKEN OFF THE NATURE CENTER.
THERE'S GONNA BE, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT TAKING THE WETLAND CENTER, PUTTING IT IT DOWN AT YOUR CENTER.
THAT STILL NATURE CENTER BUDGET.
MY, MY QUESTION IS, YOU SAID COULD, COULD, COULD, COULD MONEY BE USED TO PAY DOWN THE DEBT? I DIDN'T THINK THAT BOND MONEY COULD BE USED TO PAY DOWN TO ITS OWN.
SO FOR PROPOSITION A, YOU BORROW WHATEVER, $40 MILLION.
YOU BORROW $40 MILLION, YOU ONLY SPEND 37, UH, YOU THE 3 MILLION LEFT OVER, WOULD YOU WOULD DEFE THAT YOU WOULD JUST PAY, YOU WOULD GIVE THAT BACK.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO CLARIFY.
I JUST, FOR THE PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT HAVE UNDERSTOOD.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE OPTIONS WE DISCUSSED.
AND, AND KIND OF TO FOLLOW BACK ON, ON ON COUNCILMAN, UH, COUNCILMAN CHER'S COMMENTS.
I MEAN, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THAT STUFF, AND, AND MY, MY BIGGEST THING IS I DON'T WANT US TO GO OUT FOR THIS BOND AND DO SOMETHING SIMILAR TO OUR COLLEAGUES THAT WENT AND PUT A BOND AND BUILT A SCHOOL IN A LOCATION, AND THEN THREE, THREE YEARS LATER, CLOSE ANOTHER SCHOOL THAT THEY DIDN'T NEED TO BUILD.
AND NOTHING AGAINST SOME OF THE PARK WHERE
AND I'M JUST SAYING, I GET IT.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
I HAVE, I HAVE FOUR, FOUR PARKS IN MY DISTRICT.
AND ALL THE GROWTH IS RIGHT NOW IS GOING TOWARDS THREE AND FOUR.
EVENTUALLY, LAURA'S DISTRICT WILL GO ALL THE WAY TO BAKER AND MY DIS DISTRICT FOUR WILL MOVE.
IT'S GONNA CONTINUE GROWING THAT WAY.
SO DENTAL, YOU'RE GONNA PICK UP THE PARTS THAT ARE IN MY DISTRICT.
SO WE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT IF WE'RE PUTTING SOMETHING, WE'RE PUTTING IT WHERE THE CITY'S GROWING.
I DO NOT WANT TO, I'M NOT TRYING TO SAY ANYTHING BAD WAY TO THAT PART, BUT IT, IT, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST, THAT'S JUST THE REALITY OF THE BEAST THAT WE'RE HAVING.
WE'RE WE GOTTA SEE WHERE OUR COMMUNITY GROWTH IS IN WHERE WE'RE PUTTING OUR MONEY.
WE GOTTA INVEST PROPERLY INTO IT.
AND I GET WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO WITH RUSSELL PARK.
I GET THAT PART, BUT LIKE, AGAIN, LIKE YOU SAID ON JUNE, BACK TO OUR MARCH 13TH MEETING, YOU CAN SEE WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT ON THE CIP COMMITTEE, HOW WE TALKED ABOUT HOW THESE THINGS WERE, WHERE WE, WE WANTED TO PUSH AND WANNA BE IMPORTANT AND HOW WE CUT THINGS BACK AND SAID, WE ONLY WANT ITEMS THAT ARE GONNA BE COMPLETED INTO THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD, NOT STILL ONGOING.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE, THAT THESE BOND BONDS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING BEFORE.
THIS IS THE FIRST, THIS IS A CHANGE IN HOLD.
WE ARE NOT GOING OUT AND DOING THESE BONDS UP WITHOUT COMMUNITY APPROVAL.
THIS IS A NEW WAY OF DOING IT.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BONDS, THIS IS NOT, OH, THEY'RE COMING OUT FOR A BOND FOR THE FIRST TIME AND NO, THE BONDS HAVE BEEN ISSUED BY THE CITY BEFORE AND THEY'VE BEEN BEING ISSUED SINCE BEFORE.
THIS IS JUST US BEING MORE TRANSPARENT TO YOU AND WE WANNA BE COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT WITH YOU AND WANNA SPEND YOUR MONEY PROPERLY AND FOR THE RIGHT THING FOR THE CITY TO GET DONE AND IMPROVE THE CI THE CITIZEN'S LIFE HERE IN THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.
ANYONE ELSE? JUST REAL QUICK, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A BACK AND FORTH ABOUT NEEDS ONCE NOT, AND I THINK I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, BUT, UM, I THINK A MORE OBJECTIVE SET OF TERMS WILL BE PRIORITIES, RIGHT? SO IF YOU HAVE A LEAKY ROOF AND YOU KNOW, DO I FIX A LEAKY ROOF OR DO I BUY MYSELF A 2020 LEAKING NAVIGATOR? AND THAT PRIORITY WOULD PROBABLY BE TO FISH ON LEAKY ROOF.
SO, I MEAN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE, I SEE A LOT OF PROJECTS THERE WITH INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S PAST LIFE AND POOR AND THOSE, AND THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT IS NOT ON THIS BOND, THAT COULD BE ON THAT BOND THAT IS POOR.
AND FOR ME, IT'S A PRIORITY ISSUE.
WHAT ARE THE, WHAT ARE THE CENTRAL CORE PRIORITIES? AND THAT'S, I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF CITIZENS ARE LOOKING AT, IS THIS BOND OF REALLY ATTACKING THE CORE PRIORITIES OF THE CITY.
[01:00:01]
NOT SO MUCH NEEDS.ONCE YOU, THAT'S, THAT'S SUBJECTIVE TERMS, RIGHT? I, I COULD RE I REALLY NEED A 2020 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR, RIGHT? BUT MY PORT, RIGHT? BUT MY, BUT MY PRIORITY IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, MY LINCOLN PLUM PLUMBING.
SO TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, THE HEART OF IT IS WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES? WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR THE CITY TO GO ON AND FOR THE QUALITY OF LIFE TO IMPROVE.
WHEN PEOPLE TRAVEL ON ROADS, ARE THEY SAFE WHEN THEY GET INTO THAT PARK OR TO THAT AMENITY? OR ARE THEY SAFE? CAN THEY EVEN GET THERE WITHOUT HITTING A POTHOLE AND, YOU KNOW, DESTROYING THEIR TRANSMISSION? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT POINT IS THAT? SO PRIORITIES, UM, JUST MY FINAL WORDS.
UH, I, I, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING IS EXACTLY WHAT OUR STAFF DID.
THEY WENT THROUGH, THEY LOOKED AT THE PRIORITIES FOR EACH OF THEIR DEPARTMENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, PARTS, WHATEVER THEY WENT THROUGH AND SET PRIORITIES.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT SAYING THAT THEY DID WELL, THAT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY DID TO PREPARE FOR THIS BOND.
UM, AND FROM THAT POINT ON, IT WENT TO OUR COMMITTEE THAT WE FORMED THAT WE TRUSTED TO GO THROUGH AND SELECT WHETHER IT'S PUTTING SO MANY OUT THERE, SCALING BACK.
WE GAVE THEM AN AMOUNT THAT WE WERE COMFORTABLE WITH AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DID.
UM, I UNDERSTAND SOME OF Y'ALL'S COMMENTS AND SOME OF YOUR CONCERNS, BUT ULTIMATELY THEY DID WHAT WE ASKED THEM TO DO.
UM, I AM HAPPY WITH THE PROJECTS, UH, AND I'M HAPPY THAT WE ARE HOPEFULLY GETTING ADDITIONAL GRANTS AND SOME ADDITIONAL GRANTS MAY EVEN COME OUR WAY, UM, THROUGH HDAC AND WATER RESOURCES.
AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE CAN STILL COME EVEN AFTER WE ISSUE THE BOND.
AND SO WE CAN ALWAYS PAY IT DOWN WITH ANY ADDITIONAL MONIES.
AND SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY DID WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO.
OUR STAFF WENT AND HIGHLIGHTED THEIR PRIORITIES TO PUT ON THIS BOND.
UM, AND SO I'M COMFORTABLE WITH IT.
I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.
UM, THE TRUST THAT WE ALL SAY THAT WE WANT TO DISPLAY, UM, ALSO COMES FROM US AND BEING COMFORTABLE ENOUGH WITH THIS BOND.
WE DON'T LAY THAT TRUST JUST ON OUR RESIDENTS.
WE ARE ALSO VOTERS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
AND SO I FEEL THAT THE TRUST THAT WE GIVE THEM SHOULD ALSO COME FROM US AS WELL.
THAT WE ARE MAKING THESE RIGHT DECISIONS AND WE FEEL CONFIDENT IN WHAT WE OURSELVES ARE ALSO GONNA VOTE ON, NOT JUST AT THE S BUT WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, THE ELECTION ITSELF.
AND SO, MAYOR, UM, THAT'S ALL I'M GONNA SAY TONIGHT IS RE IN REGARDS TO THE BOND, WE STILL HAVE MORE TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT, DIGEST, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO US AT THE, UH, AUGUST 14TH MEETING.
YOU MENTIONED THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
BOND COMMITTEE MET WITH FINANCE COMMITTEE, WHAT, TWO WEEKS AGO? A WEEK AGO.
AND WHO SERVES ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE? SO OUR US TWO.
SO YOU ALL ACTUALLY, UM, WENT THROUGH THESE PROJECTS LAST WEEK AND TOLD THEM, UH, GAVE YOUR RECOMMENDATION THAT TO GO AHEAD AND BRING IT TO US.
SO I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO YOU ALL FOR COMING IN TO THE, UM, COUNCIL MEETING EARLY, WELL, COMING IN EARLY ON THE DAY OF THE COUNCIL MEETING TO, UM, TO DO THIS.
THANK YOU TO THE BOND C WHO, WHO'S ON THE BOND COMMITTEE, UM, DENISE, MS. GRAVES.
MAN, YOU SERVE ON A LOT OF COMMITTEES, DON'T YOU? OLD
WHY DID I HAVE THIS CONVERSATION LAST NIGHT? REALLY? SO YOU'RE GONNA STILL CONTINUE TO SERVE.
WELL, WELL THANK YOU FOR, FOR SERVING ON THIS COMMITTEE AND FOR THE OTHER COMMITTEES THAT YOU HAVE SERVED ON.
SHE DID TELL ME IF I EVER RUN FOR ELECTION, SHE'S GONNA DIVORCE ME.
SO JUST SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO, SO YOU'RE NOT WARRANTED FOR ELECTION.
I CAN JUST MAKE A CLOSING COMMENT.
UM, IT'S BEEN MENTIONED, WE STARTED WITH WHAT WE WERE TOLD WERE THE 28 PRIORITIES OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.
THOSE PRIORITIES INCLUDED STREETS, FLOOD MITIGATION, PARKS AND BUILDINGS, FIRE STATION, AND THE WETLAND CENTER.
SO WE STARTED WITH, WHAT WE WERE GIVEN WERE THE 28 MOST IMPORTANT PROJECTS THE CITY HAD.
UH, IF THERE WERE OTHERS WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT 'EM.
UH, THERE WERE A FEW THAT WE, WE BELIEVE THEY'RE, THEY'RE NECESSARY, BUT THEY'RE DOWN THE ROAD.
BAYWAY DRIVE, FOR INSTANCE, BAKER ROAD FROM CLARK, ALL THE WAY TO DECKER, ET CETERA.
UM, IF YOU MET NINE MORE TIMES LIKE WE DID, YOU WOULD HAVE THE SAME CONVERSATION ABOUT NEEDS AT ONCE.
RIGHT? AND THAT DEFINITION WOULD CHANGE AS YOU HAD MORE CONVERSATION, MORE UNDERSTANDING.
UH, YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THERE
[01:05:01]
WERE NO DOLLARS IN HERE FOR NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS.ALL THREE OF THESE ARE REGIONAL PARKS.
THEY WEREN'T INTENDED TO BE FOR THE CITIZENS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE WAS A PROJECT TO, TO, UH, PROVIDE SAFER ACCESS.
THAT PROJECT DIDN'T MAKE IT, EVEN THOUGH IT HAD THE WORD SAFE IN IT, BECAUSE IT WAS SPECIFIC TO CERTAIN CITY PROJECTS.
THESE THREE REGIONAL PARK LOCATIONS ARE NOT INTENDED JUST FOR THE CITIZENS OF THE BAYTOWN.
THEY'RE INTENDED TO BRING PEOPLE TO BAYTOWN.
WE MAY NOT HAVE A FOOTBALL LEAGUE HERE, BUT I CAN TELL YOU I TRAVEL EAST, NORTH, WEST AND SOUTH TO MY SON'S, MY GRANDSON'S FOOTBALL GAMES BECAUSE THERE ARE NO FIELDS HERE.
UH, SAME THING WITH ALL THE OTHER AMENITIES THAT OTHER FACILITY MIGHT ADD.
SO THOSE WERE THREE REGIONAL PARK NEEDS, NOT, NOT NEIGHBORHOOD PARK NEEDS.
SO ALL I CAN SAY IS AT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, UH, YOU COULD HAVE ASSEMBLED A GROUP OF 15 OTHER PEOPLE AND MAYBE COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT LIST OF 15 PROJECTS.
UH, BUT I THINK IN THE END, ALMOST EVERYTHING WE RECOMMENDED WOULD'VE BEEN ON THAT LIST.
WE, WE HAD CONVERSATION AMONGST OURSELVES.
UNIDAD PARK WAS ONE, RIGHT? UNIDO PARK WAS NOT LOOKED AT AS A NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
IT WAS LOOKED AT AS A REGIONAL PARK ACCESSIBLE FROM 1 46 AND THREE 30 AND I 10.
AND, AND FOLKS CAN COME AND GET THERE OR OUT OFF THE FEEDER ROAD, NOT GOING DOWN EARHART DRIVE.
SO THERE WAS A LOT OF THOUGHT PUT INTO THESE.
IT DOESN'T MAKE 'EM ANY MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE OTHERS, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY THAT WHATEVER YOU GUYS DECIDE TO DO, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT'S YOUR CALL.
I THINK WE AS CITIZENS STAND READY TO, TO GO OUT AND, AND DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO, TO PROMOTE, EDUCATE, ADVOCATE, UH, FOR THE PASSAGE OF THIS GEO BOND.
I THINK IF WE CAN RECALIBRATE PEOPLE TO HOW THINGS USED TO BE, UH, I THINK WE'LL BE SUCCESSFUL.
I KNOW THIS CONCERN ABOUT FAILURE AND ABOUT HOW DO YOU FUND THESE PROJECTS, SHOULD THEY FAIL.
UM, I KNOW THAT IN THE, UH, WITH THE BOND COUNCIL FOLKS, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT YOU CAN'T GO GET OTHER FINANCING FOR THESE PROJECTS, BUT YOU CAN RETOOL IT AND GO OUT FOR ANOTHER GEO BOND IF YOU FOUND OUT WHY SOMETHING FAILED.
NOW THERE'S SIX PROPOSITIONS HERE, SO IT'S NOT LET'S ALL ONE BIG PACKAGE, RIGHT? IF SOMETHING FAILS AND YOU FIND OUT WHY YOU MAY NOT GO BACK OUT FOR IT.
MAYBE NOBODY WANTS THE, THE WETLAND CENTER MOVED.
NOBODY WANTS THE PARKS UPGRADED.
BUT THAT DOESN'T IMPACT THE ENTIRETY OF THE BOND.
AND I THINK WHEN 75% OF THESE DOLLARS ARE IN THE, WHAT PEOPLE DEFINE AND IDENTIFY AS INFRASTRUCTURE, ROADS, SIDEWALKS, FLOOD MITIGATION, TRAFFIC CONTROL, THAT'S, THAT'S THE BIGGEST OF ALL THESE PROPOSITIONS.
SO ANYWAY, I'LL LEAVE IT WITH YOU.
I JUST WANTED, FOR THE RECORD, SAY THAT I WRAPPED UP MY PROGRAM IN 30 MINUTES.
MRS. ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ME? NO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
I, I WOULD LIKE OR APPRECIATE GENERAL DIRECTION ON WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO WITH THE BOND, BECAUSE THE NEXT MEETING IS AUGUST 14TH.
IF WE DON'T HAVE GENERAL DIRECTION TONIGHT, THAT MEANS THAT AUGUST 14TH, IT WILL BE ALL OF IT.
UNLESS YOU WANNA HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING AFTER AUGUST 14TH, BEFORE AUGUST 18TH TO CALL THE BOND ELECTION.
AND SO, LIKE WHEN I, WHEN SPEAKING GENERAL DIRECTION IS LIKE GENERAL QUESTIONS ON DO YOU LIKE ALL SIX PROPOSITIONS AS THEY ARE, ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THE 151 MILLION THAT'S PROPOSED? THOSE ARE LIKE GENERAL DIRECTION AT THIS POINT.
JUST SO THAT WE CAN START PREPARING.
THERE'S A LOT OF EXTRA WORK THAT HAS TO GO INTO PREPARING THE BOND LANGUAGE, THE BOND, UH, PIECES FOR COUNCIL TO ACTUALLY VOTE ON, ON THE AUGUST 14TH MEETING.
WE GOT A MEETING SCHEDULED TOMORROW IF WE NEED IT.
SO IF WE DON'T MAKE THAT DECISION, DO YOU ALL FEEL LIKE YOU NEED A, SOME MORE TIME MAYBE A DAY? OR ARE YOU GOOD WITH WHAT YOU'VE SEEN? I'M GOOD WITH WHAT I'VE SEEN TODAY.
I, I'M, I'M, ME, I'M, I'M GONNA STAY WITH WHAT I SAID ON MARCH 13TH OF THE CIP COMMITTEE.
I WANT TO ONLY SEE, I I, I MADE MY COMMENTS.
I I'M GOOD WITH THE NOVEMBER 4TH IF, IF THAT'S A CONCERN.
UH, AND I HAVE CONCERNS ON, ON THE PARK PROJECTS.
I, IT'S NOT GONNA MAKE THE CUT WITH ME.
YOU NEED AGAIN, I'M JUST ONE VOTE.
FOR ME, IAN F IS NOT GONNA MAKE, IS NOT GONNA, I DON'T, I DON'T NEED, NOT THAT I DON'T WANT 'EM, I JUST, I'M NOT, THAT'S NOT GONNA BE THE CUT FOR ME.
I SEE SOME ROAD PROJECTS THAT DON'T HAVE THE GUARANTEE, YOU KNOW, GRANTS ARE TO MR. SIMON'S POINT IS, YOU KNOW, 50% THAT WE MIGHT GET THE GRANT, YOU KNOW, MAY MAYBE LOOK, CUT THOSE, THOSE PARK PROJECTS AND ROLL SOME OF THAT BOND AMOUNT TO MAYBE COVER THE GAP.
WELL, IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO, IF WE DON'T GET THE GRANT, WE DON'T DO THE PROJECTS, WE PUT THE MONEY BACK IN.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE SPENT ON ANYTHING ELSE.
I THINK WHAT HE'S TRYING TO SAY IS, THE
[01:10:01]
PROJECTS NEED TO BE DONE, INCREASE THE PROJECT AMOUNT, AND IF WE GET THE GRANT, THEN YOU CAN PAY IT BACK.SO WE WOULD INCREASE THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE BOND.
THEN I THINK WHAT MR. GRIFFITH IS SAYING IS THAT, UM, THE MONEY THAT WE'RE GOING OUT FOR UHHUH, THE PARK PROPOSITION E AND D MM-HMM
OR DE, YOU TAKE THAT MONEY AND YOU REALLOCATE THAT TO A AND B.
SO HE'S CHANGING FROM YOU CLOSE THE GAP.
YOU, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GUARANTEED THAT GRANT'S 50%.
WE'RE ROLLING THE DICE ON THE GRANT.
SO, BUT I SIR, WELL, WE TALKED DNE IS GOING BACK TO WHAT? HGAE AND L WHAT? HGAC IS THIS GARTH ROAD? IT'S NO, NO, NO.
SO PRO CAN WE, IT'S THE TWO PARKS.
IS WHAT, CAN WE, CAN YOU GO BACK TO PROPOSITION E AND PROPOSITION F? SO PROPOSITION F IS 19.7 AND PROPOSITION E IS 30 IS 13 MILLION E AND F, SORRY.
AND SO THAT'S 30, UH, 32.7 MILLION.
THAT WOULD BE REALLOCATED TO POSSIBLY, IF YOU GO TO PROPOSITION A AND LOOK AT GARTH, IT HAD A GRANT COVERAGE OF ROUGHLY, UH, SIX 40 MILLION OR 50 MILLION OR SOMETHING.
IT WAS ALSO GONNA BE, UH, WHAT'S IT CALLED? SORRY.
AND SO THAT 32 MILLION WOULD BE ADDED ON TOP OF THE 35 MILLION HERE.
AND THEN YOU WOULD HAVE A, A BOND ISSUANCE FOR PROPOSITION A OF ROUGHLY 60, UH, $67 MILLION.
AND YOU WOULDN'T HAVE PROPOSITION E AND F IS WHAT MR. GRIFFITH IS PROPOSING.
SO THIS IS GONNA BE FOR MR. SEMINO.
UM, ARE OUR CHANCES ARE WE MORE LIKELY TO GET IT IF WE HAVE MONEY IN THE BOND TO TELL THEM THAT WE ARE PLANNING TO DO THAT? UM, ALL WE HAVE TO GUARANTEE IS THAT WE HAVE A LOCAL MATCH.
SO THIS, THIS, UH, GRANT IS GENERALLY A 80% FEDERAL 20%.
AS LONG AS WE GUARANTEE WE HAVE THE 20%, THEN HAVING MORE THAN 20% DOESN'T, I DON'T THINK THAT GIVES US A BETTER CHANCE.
I MEAN, WE WERE UNANIMOUS ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE THAT THAT'S TRUE.
AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WERE UNANIM ABOUT.
WE'RE UNANIMOUS ABOUT THE WORDING WE, WE MADE UNANIMOUS.
WE DID GO THROUGH THE WORDING OF THE WORDING OF THE PROPOSITION.
WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT NECESSARILY WHETHER ALL THE PROJECTS WOULD BE AGREED UPON JUST THE WORDING ON HOW WE WE'RE GONNA WORD IT.
WHETHER IT'S GONNA BE A BROAD WORDING OR A SPECIFIC WORDING.
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MR. REYNOLDS.
MR. REY, THE, THE, THE DISCUSSION REVOLVED AROUND THE WORDING OF THE PROPOSITIONS.
NOT WHETHER WE NECESSARILY AGREE ON THE PROJECT OR NOT.
THAT DISCUSSION WASN'T HAD IN FINANCE AND WE WERE UNANIMOUS ON THE CIP MEETING.
I WAS ABSENT FROM CIP, THAT WAS THE ONE MEETING THAT I MISSED.
UM, BUT I'M ASSUMING BOTH OF YOU GENTLEMEN, WERE YOU UNANIMOUS? YES.
UM, I AM OKAY WITH NOVEMBER BASED OFF, IT WOULD COST THE TAXPAYERS MORE MONEY IF WE HAD TO MOVE IT TO MAY.
AND THAT WAS ALREADY DISCUSSED, UM, EARLIER THIS SUMMER.
AND BECAUSE THE BOND COMMITTEE WAS ABLE TO GET ALL THEIR WORK DONE, UM, AS FAR AS ALL THE PROPOSITIONS, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT ALL OF THE WORK THAT THE ENTIRE BOND COMMITTEE PUT TOGETHER, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE 10 MEETINGS MM-HMM
AND, UH, TWO HOURS A PIECE, GIVE OR TAKE OF YOU DISCUSSING THE NEEDS AND WANTS, PLUS US SEVEN BEING ABLE TO REPRESENT ALSO WHEN WE GO, UM, TO, TO VOTE ON WHETHER WE'RE GONNA DO THIS OR NOT.
FOR ME, I'M COMPLETELY OKAY WITH THAT BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO PUT IT IN THE TAXPAYERS, UH, THE VOTERS' HANDS AND LET THEM DECIDE.
AND THERE IS A, UH, A GREAT VARIETY OF THINGS FOR THEM TO LOOK AT AS FAR AS ALL THE PROPOSITIONS GO.
SOMETHING YOU JUST SAID IS, AND SOMETHING I'VE HEARD ALL OF US REITERATE FROM FEBRUARY UP UNTIL NOW WHEN IT COMES TO THIS, IS THAT WE SHOULD TRUST THE VOTERS, TRUST THE CITIZENS.
THE BOND COMMITTEE WAS MADE UP OF VOTERS WHO WERE CITIZENS, AND WE PICKED THEM AND ASKED THEM TO COME UP WITH THIS.
SO IF WE'RE GONNA TRUST THEM, WE NEED TO START TRUSTING THEM NOW WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATION.
TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THEY'RE THE ONES WHO PUT THIS TOGETHER AT 1 51 WITH THESE PROJECTS.
THEY'RE THE ONES WHO SPENT 20 PLUS HOURS OF THEIR TIME.
I'M GONNA, I'M GOING TO GO, I'M WILLING TO GO WITH WHAT THEY DECIDED TO DO AND LET THE VOTERS DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO GO WITH THIS MAYOR.
FOR ME, IT FEELS LIKE A SLAP IN THE FACE TO HAVE HAD THEM MEET ALL THOSE HOURS MM-HMM
AND THEN START PICKING APART EVERYTHING THAT THEY'VE DONE.
THEY'VE ALREADY BROUGHT DOWN IT.
I MEAN, WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL NUMBER? IT WAS A CRAZY AMOUNT TO TWO 80.
AND GOT IT DOWN TO 1 51 OF GOOD SOLID PROJECTS.
LET'S LET THE VOTERS OF BAYTOWN DECIDE
[01:15:01]
ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT PROPOSITIONS.AND IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE A WANT OR A NEED, THEY'RE GONNA LET US KNOW BY THEIR VOTE.
AND BY NO MEANS GILBERT, I KNOW EACH OTHER.
BY NO MEANS AM I DISCOUNTING ANYONE ON THAT COMMITTEE? NOPE.
BUT AS GILBERT SAID, EACH INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS ON THAT COMMITTEE, THERE WERE SOME THAT DISAGREED WITH THE INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS.
THEY REACHED A CONSENSUS FOR THE OVERALL PACKAGE.
SO THAT'S WHERE I'M GOING IS, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, IT'S JUST GONNA COME TO A VOTE ON THE 14TH, MAYOR, AND, AND I THINK YOU HAVE A CONSENSUS OF WHERE A COUPLE OF US ARE GONNA GO.
SO THAT'S MY ONLY POINT, IS EVEN THE COMMITTEE HAD DISAGREEMENTS WITH SPECIFICS.
THEY REACHED A CONSENSUS OVERALL.
THAT'S SO THERE'S NO SLIGHT ON THE COMMITTEE.
THE COMMITTEE DID A FANTASTIC JOB.
I MEAN, WITH THE CONSTRAINTS, WE PUT THEM UNDER TIME LIMITS AND, AND THE PROJECTS, I THINK THEY DID A PHENOMENAL JOB.
AND, AND I WAS GLAD THEY STEPPED UP, BUT WE'RE HAVING THE SAME DISCUSSIONS THAT THEY DID.
AND, AND NOT ALL OF US ARE IN AGREEMENT.
AND JUST AS THEY, NOT ALL OF US ARE IN AGREEMENT.
SO A VOTE ON THE 14TH IS GONNA BASICALLY DECLARE WHAT IT IS AND WE'LL JUST GO FROM THERE.
THE DIRECTION IS NOVEMBER FOUR FOURTH FOR ELECTION.
THE CITIZENS ARE READY FOR THAT.
I, I THINK DRAGGING IT OUT TO MAY, IF WE, IF WE WERE GONNA DO THAT, WE SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT EARLY.
SAY GIVE THIS COMMITTEE AN EXTRA THREE MONTHS TO WORK VERSUS CRAMMING IT ALL IN AND SAY, OKAY, NOW WE'RE GONNA WAIT SIX MONTHS.
I AGREE WITH GILBERT'S COMMENT.
THAT'S TOO MUCH TIME FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND GO WITH THEIR THOUGHT PROCESS.
SO, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE I AM.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE LAST I'LL HAVE TO SAY ON THE ISSUE TONIGHT.
HE, HE JUST REMINDED ME OF SOMETHING.
SO WHAT, WHAT IS IT? I'M JUST WONDERING IF, IF WE PUT ALL THE PROPOSITIONS ON THE BOND AND IT'S GONNA BE ON THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S HURTING TO LET THE, THE WORK'S BEEN DONE.
ALL THE PROPOSITIONS ARE GONNA BE ON THE BALLOT IF THEY VOTE IT DOWN OR THEY'RE DIFFERENT PROPOSITIONS.
SO THEY CAN VOTE FOR ONE VER VERSUS THE OTHER.
SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND FROM MY COLLEAGUES, BECAUSE BASED OFF OF OTHER VOTES AND FROM FROM THIS DIOCESE HERE, I HAVE A FEELING WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN BASED OFF OF PREVIOUS VOTES IS THAT IT'S GONNA BE A FOUR THREE, UH, REMOVING SOME OF THESE, WHAT SOME CONSIDER WANTS VERSUS NEEDS.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, AND I WOULD LIKE SOME FEEDBACK FROM Y'ALL, IS AT THIS POINT, WHAT IS IT GONNA HURT TO LET THE ENTIRE CITY OF BAYTOWN VOTERS JUST VOTE ON THEM? IT'S NOT GONNA, BECAUSE EVEN IF PROP A PASSES, THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT WE'LL GET THE RENT.
WELL, THERE'S NOT THAT JUST ALSO, AND THEN WE GO FOR A BOND AND, BUT IF THE CITIZENS, YOU'RE GONNA GET PERSPECTIVE FROM THE VOTERS BECAUSE YOU WENT OUT AND YOU THEY'RE GONNA VOTE PRO.
I'M PROBABLY GONNA SAY MOST PEOPLE WERE PRETTY MUCH IN AGREEMENT WITH MOST OF THE A AND A AND B, YOU DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF PUSHBACK ON A AND B FROM YOUR, FROM THE COMMITTEE.
THAT'S SIDE CONVERSATIONS GOING ON OVER HERE.
WHAT WERE Y'ALL SAYING? THAT'S, WELL, NO, HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON.
SOMETHING ABOUT ALL LOGISTICS.
YEAH, YOU KIND OF HAVE, WE'LL GET BACK PRETTY MUCH UNANIMOUS ON THE A AND B, RIGHT? SO THAT IS GONNA BE AN EASIER VOTE FAST.
SO I'M GONNA TAKE SOMETHING TO THE VOTERS.
IT SAYS WHO, RICHARD, YOU WANT ME TO, SORRY.
GILBERT JUST SAID, AND PRETTY MUCH A AND B WAS PRETTY MUCH UNANIMOUS AMONGST THE, AMONGST THE, THE COMMITTEE.
SO WHEN YOU GO OUT TO VOTE, IF I'M GOING TO THESE VOTERS, THE VOTERS, LOOK, WE, WE HAVE CHANGED HOW WE'VE DONE THINGS IN YOUR COUNCIL.
MOST OF THE COUNCILS HERE HAVE BEEN HERE TWO TO THREE YEARS.
CITY MANAGER COMING UP ON TWO, GOING ON 30 YEAR PROBABLY.
SO A LOT HAS CHANGED IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
AND I'M WANT TO GO TO, I WANT TO GO TO THE VOTER AND SAY, LOOK, I'M BRINGING YOU SOMETHING THAT IS RESPONSIBLE, PHYSICALLY RESPONSIBLE, HAS BEEN LOOKED AT.
AND THIS IS WHAT IS, WHAT I FEEL IS BEING OPEN AND HONEST AND TRANSPARENT AS I CAME WITH YOU.
GIVE ME THIS, PASS THIS FOR ME AND TRUST THAT I'M GONNA FINISH IN FIVE YEARS.
THEN WHEN I DO THAT IN THREE MORE YEARS, WHEN I GO FOR ANOTHER BOND AND SAY, HEY LOOK, YOU KNOW WHAT? I WANT TO ADD THIS PART BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS GONNA BE AN MINI.
THEY NOW HAVE THE TRUST THAT WE DID WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO.
AND THIS IS ME GAINING THE TRUST BY GOING, I'M ONLY GIVING YOU MY BASICS THAT YOU FEEL, I FEEL YOU NEED.
I THINK WE CAN DO THAT WITH ALL THE PROPOSITIONS.
BUT IF YOU PUT 'EM OUT THERE, THEY'RE GOING, OH LOOK, THEY'RE ALSO WANTING THIS AND WANTING THIS.
YOU'RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF NEGATIVITY PUT, BUT, BUT THEY CAN VOTE IT.
THAT IS HOW MY PERSPECTIVE'S GONNA BE ON.
IF IT'S OUT THERE AND IT DOESN'T PASS.
IT'S JUST, IIII CAN SEE WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
IT IS JUST LIKE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
SO WHEN YOU PUT, HOLD ON, I'M STILL TALKING DISTRICT.
EVERYBODY LOOKED AT THE STADIUM AND TO PUT THE NEGATIVE ON THE TALKING, THE MAYOR IS STILL TALKING.
IF WE PUT IT OUT THERE AND THEY VOTE ONE OF THEM DOWN, THEY DIDN'T WANT IT.
WE'RE NOT GONNA GET A HUNDRED PERCENT AGREEMENT ON ANYTHING.
WE KNOW WE WE'RE NOT GONNA GET A HUNDRED PERCENT AGREEMENT
[01:20:01]
ON ANYTHING THAT'S PUT TO A VOTE.IT DIDN'T HAPPEN IN THE BOND COMMITTEE.
IT IS NOT GONNA HAPPEN AT THE BOND ELECTION.
SO TAKING IT OFF, LIKE I SAID, THE BOND COMMITTEE DID GREAT WORK.
JUST BECAUSE EVERYBODY DIDN'T AGREE ON IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT SHOULDN'T BE THERE.
JUST LIKE WHENEVER EVERYBODY DIDN'T VOTE FOR YOU.
EVERYBODY DIDN'T VOTE FOR ANY OF US.
WE DIDN'T GET A HUNDRED PERCENT OF ANY VOTE WHEN WE HAD AN OPPONENT.
BUT ONCE THE CITIZENS SPOKE, WE MOVE FORWARD AND WE SEE WHAT WE'RE GONNA GET WITH IT.
I, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I CAN UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT OF VIEW, BUT IF, IF THEY'VE DONE THE WORK, PUT IT OUT THERE, LET THE CITIZENS VOTE ON IT.
AND IF THEY DON'T LIKE IT, THEN WE SAY, HEY, THEY DON'T LIKE IT.
IF THEY DO LIKE IT, WE AT LEAST NEED TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING, WE'RE NOT GONNA PUT IT OUT THERE BECAUSE WE DON'T LIKE IT.
WE'VE GOT THE BOND COMMITTEE TOGETHER ASKED THE BOND COMMITTEE TO BRING IT TO US.
IT WENT BEFORE FINANCE COMMITTEE IS BEFORE US AGAIN.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO PICK THIS THING APART ANYMORE.
PUT IT OUT THERE AND LET THE VOTERS VOTE ON IT.
THERE WAS STILL MORE, THERE WAS STILL MORE CONVERSATION GOING OVER HERE AND I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS IT.
THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS SAID, AND I'D LIKE Y'ALL TO REPEAT.
IF WE, IF WE WERE GONNA PUT THESE AND WE SHOULD HAVE PUT OFF 56 PROJECTS OR THERE WAS A NUMBER, YOU SAID SOMETHING BEFORE I, BEFORE THEY STARTED TALKING, THAT IF WE WERE GONNA DO THESE PROJECTS, WE MIGHT HAVE PUT 'EM ALL OUT THERE.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT WOULDN'T HAVE MADE, AND I DIDN'T, YOU CAN REPEAT WHATEVER WAS SAID.
WHAT WAS IT? SO, WELL, I SAID, WHAT I SAID TWICE ALREADY IS THAT IF E AND FL OR WHATEVER, IF, IF EVEN IF WE PASS A AND B, WE DON'T HAVE A GUARANTEE OF THE OTHER GRANT MONEY.
IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? CORRECT.
OH, THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
WHEN HE INTERRUPTED, WHEN HE INTERRUPTED ME.
I'M I'M SAYING Y'ALL WERE SAYING IF, IF YOU WERE MAKING A POINT TO MY COMMENT, I SAID WE SHOULD JUST PUT ALL PROPOSITIONS OUT THERE.
AND THERE WAS SOMETHING SAID BETWEEN YOU TWO, BUT I WAS ASKING Y'ALL TO REPEAT IT ABOUT, WELL, IF THAT WAS THE CASE, WE SHOULD HAVE JUST PUT ALL THE PROJECTS OUT THERE.
LET THE WHOLE PUBLIC VOTE ON ITS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WELL, IF THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU SAID, I I, THERE WAS SOMETHING LIKE THAT SAID, I GUESS I'LL GO BACK AND WATCH IT.
NO, THAT'S NOT WHATEVER IT WAS.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE, WE DID, THE COMMITTEE DID DO THE WORK.
THEY TOOK IT DOWN FROM THE 250 MILLION DOWN.
I DON'T WANT TO PRESENT THE PUBLIC WITH THAT MANY PROJECTS.
I DON'T WANT, I DON'T WANT US TO GET IN A SITUATION.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO COMPLETE PROJECTS WITHIN THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
BUT THESE PROJECTS, THEY'RE SAYING CAN BE DONE IN THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
I, I THINK NOBODY MADE THAT ARGUMENT.
I I DON'T, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE DISCUSS.
I MEAN, NOBODY MADE THAT ARGUMENT.
I MEAN, WE'RE DISCUSSING PROPOSITIONS A THROUGH F OKAY.
NOT WHAT'S PRESENTED ON THERE.
SO I, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT CAME FROM, BUT IF, OKAY, WE PASS ALL THE PROPOSITIONS AND NORTH ROAD FAILS, THAT MEANS WE'RE GETTING, EVERYTHING ELSE GETS FULLY FUNDED.
THOSE PARK PROJECTS WILL GET FULLY FUNDED.
BUT WE STILL, AND WE DON'T GET THE GRANT.
SO, SO THE CITIZENS GOT PARK PROJECTS, BUT STILL GARTH ROAD, IF THAT DOESN'T GET FUNDED RIGHT WITH THE GRANT MONEY, THEN WE DIDN'T, WE FAILED TO DELIVER.
'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO FINISH GARTH ROAD OR WEST CEDAR BOX.
I AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT THE GRANTS.
I'M THE ONE THAT FIRST ASKED ABOUT THIS.
I MEAN, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT MY POSITION HAS BEEN ALL THE TIME.
LET'S NOT TRY TO REFRAME IT 'CAUSE WE HAD A CONVERSATION.
THAT'S THE POSITION I'VE HAD MR. REYNOLDS.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M CONCERNED WITH MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
THE GENERAL DIRECTION THAT I'VE, THAT I'VE GOTTEN FROM THE CONVERSATION IS THAT WE ARE GONNA PREPARE THREE SCENARIOS.
ALL ARE GONNA BE A BOND PROPOSITION IN NOVEMBER.
THE FIRST SCENARIO IS ALL ITEMS A THROUGH F WITH THE FULL 1 51.
WE WERE GONNA PREPARE A SECOND SCENARIO AS PROPOSITIONS A THROUGH DI DIDN'T HEAR ANY DISCUSSION ON NOT HAVING A THROUGH D.
UH, THOSE ARE THE STREET DRAINAGE AND FIRE STATION FOUR.
UM, AND THAT'S MINUS THE 32 MILLION.
THEN THERE WILL BE A THIRD SCENARIO WHERE IT'S PROPOSITIONS A THROUGH D PLUS MOVING THAT 32.7.
THAT WAS IN PROPOSITION E AND F TO PROPOSITION A FOR THE GARTH GRANT.
THOSE ARE THE THREE SCENARIOS THAT I'VE HEARD DISCUSSED HERE.
UM, IS THAT CORRECT? IS WHAT I'M ASKING? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO THAT Y'ALL CAN CHOOSE ON ONE OF THOSE SCENARIOS FOR AUGUST 14TH MEETING.
I STILL WANT THE INFORMATION I ASKED FOR ABOUT ME.
I FEEL LIKE WE WERE BACK AT THE STATE REP'S OFFICE WHEN HE'S, YOU KNOW
WHEN HE SAID, LET'S GET RID OF PARKS.
AND Y'ALL ALL KNOW HOW WE FELT.
AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED? THEY STARTED CUTTING PARKS PROJECTS.
[01:25:01]
I I FEEL LIKE WE'RE RIGHT BACK WHERE WE'RE AT AND, BUT I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.UM, I KNOW Y'ALL WERE PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS, BUT THE COMMENT THAT YOU MADE THAT WELL, THEY'RE JUST LEFT WITH PARKS THE WELL, BECAUSE THEY VOTED ON THAT, AMEND THAT PROPOSITION.
IT'S NOT, THEY WERE JUST LEFT WITH PARTS.
BUT ANYWAY, I THINK WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.
I THINK WE, WELL THAT'S WHAT WE GONNA DO.
SPENT SO MUCH TIME ON THIS, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO TWO B TOO MUCH TIME.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AND, UM, YOU WANNA TAKE A QUICK BREAK, MAN? DO WE TAKE A SMALL BREAK? YEAH, LET'S TAKE A SMALL BREAK.
IF YOU DON'T FOR WHAT? I GOTTA USE.
OH, WE, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND RECESS, TAKE A SHORT BREAK.
[b. Discuss the City of Baytown Fiscal Year 2025 - 26 Proposed Budget.]
WE WILL NOW GO WITH TO B DISCUSS THE CITY OF BAYTOWN FISCAL YEAR 20 25, 20 26.AND I SEE MS. THERESA CITIZEN.
UM, SO, UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
WE JUST BRIEFLY WANTED TO GO OVER THE BUDGET TIMELINE.
UM, WE HAD A BUDGET WORK SESSION ALSO SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 14TH IF WE NEED IT.
UM, ON THE 28TH WE'LL DO A, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE 26TH BUDGET.
ON SEPTEMBER THE 11TH, YOU'LL BE ADOPTING OUR POSTPONING.
TYPICALLY, YOU DON'T DO IT ON THAT NIGHT, YOU JUST DISCUSSED.
AND YOU'LL ALSO RECEIVE THE APPRAISAL ROLLS AND THE UM, UH, FROM THE HARRIS COUNTY AND CHAMBERS COUNTY.
AND THEN ON THE 25TH, YOU'LL UH, BE ADOPTING THE BUDGET AND ALSO ADOPTING THE TAX RATE.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT WE WANTED TO MENTION WAS YOU GOT A PACKET IN YOUR, UM, ON YOUR, IN FRONT OF YOU.
AND THIS IS RELATED TO, WE WENT BACK THROUGH AND REVIEWED SOME OF THE BUDGET ISSUES THAT WERE, UM, UM, ONE OF 'EM WAS MENTIONED AT THE LAST, UH, COUNCIL MEETING WHERE THERE WAS A DUPLICATION OF AN AMOUNT FOR GENERAL FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF 1.7 MILLION.
SO WE CORRECTED THAT AND WITH THAT WE WENT THROUGH THE ENTIRE BUDGET TO MAKE ANY OTHER CORRECTIONS THAT WERE NEEDED.
AND THAT'S WHAT IS, UH, IN FRONT OF YOU.
THE OTHER ITEM THAT YOU'LL NOTICE THAT WASN'T REALLY A CORRECTION WAS WE DID A TRANSFER FOR 1.35 MILLION TO AQUATICS, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO COVER OUR P TWO THREE AGREEMENT, WHICH SAYS THAT WE HAVE TO PAY UP TO 750,000.
AND SO WE DIDN'T WANNA LEAVE THAT FUND IN A, A NEGATIVE WORKING CAPITAL.
AND THEN WE ALSO DID A TRANSFER FOR FLEET MAINTENANCE IN THE AMOUNT OF 450,000 TO ALSO COVER THE NEGATIVE WORKING CAPITAL.
AND ALSO IN YOUR PACKET, THIS LAST THING, I'M NOT GONNA READ ALL THE CORRECTIONS.
THEY'RE THERE WITH, UM, ALSO THE, UM, SCHEDULE THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE CHANGES.
UM, BUT ALSO IN YOUR PACKET YOU ALSO HAVE THE UTILITY SERVICE FEES THAT WE DISCUSSED.
WE DID THE REVISED UTILITY FEE SCHEDULE BASED ON YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
UM, AND WITH THAT, UM, JASON IS NEXT TO DISCUSSED OR WE HAVE THE, UH, COMMENT
THANK YOU THERESA MAYOR COUNCIL.
UM, WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE BUDGET WORKSHOPS TO GET HERE TODAY.
UM, AND THROUGH ALL THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS, WE HAVE ADDRESSED ALL THE POLICY ISSUES, UH, THAT THE COUNCIL SET FORWARD TO BE ABLE TO BUILD THE OUTLINE OF THE BUDGET.
UM, WITH THE BUDGET, WE STARTED AT AN ENDING FUND BALANCE, A RESERVE DAYS 61 DAYS, UH, WITH THE GOAL OF INCREASING THAT RESERVE BALANCE BY A MINIMUM OF ONE DAY.
YOU CAN SEE AT THE END THAT IT IS ON THIS SLIDE IS 78, BUT WITHIN THE CORRECTION THAT'S BEEN GIVEN TO YOU TODAY, UH, IS 81 DAYS ON PAGE.
IT DOESN'T SAY PAGE NUMBER, BUT IT'S THE ONE TWO THIRD PAGE IN THIRD, THIRD PAGE IN 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, PAGE FIVE.
UH, BUT YOU CAN SEE IT'S 81 DAYS.
BUT AS WE WENT THROUGH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ALL THE REVENUE POLICIES THAT GO, UH, THAT GO FOR BUILDING THE BUDGET AND THAT THE BUDGET IS BUILT ON THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE.
HOWEVER, BEFORE THE TAX RATE OR BEFORE THE TAX RATE IS ADOPTED, COUNSEL WILL CONSIDER UP TO THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, BUT THE BUDGET IS BUILT ON THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.
AND SO COUNSEL WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO WORK WITHIN THAT, THAT, UH, SPAN, UH, WHEN THE TAX RATE COMES UP FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, FOR NUMBER THREE, ARE THE REVENUE ACUTE
[01:30:01]
IN THE FORMULA THAT YOU SEE COUNSEL HAS DISCUSSED, UH, AT LENGTH, THE DIFFERENT FEES, UH, AND THE PROPOSED CHANGES IN THE FEE RATES, UH, THROUGH MULTIPLE BUDGET WORKSHOPS.WE HAVE THEN, OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, WORKED TO REDUCE EXPENSES.
IS THE, UH, UH, THE SECOND OR THE, BASICALLY THE THIRD BUDGET IN AT THIS POINT, UH, REDUCING FEES.
THERE'S A TOTAL OF, OR EXPENSES, A TOTAL OF $3.4 MILLION IN EXPENSES THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, REDUCED WITHOUT MAJOR SERVICE DELIVERY CHANGES.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE DID ADD SIX FIREFIGHTER, FIREFIGHTER EMS PERSONNEL IN THIS BUDGET AS WELL.
AND WE HAVE FUNDED SUPPLEMENTALS, UH, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A FEW YEARS, UH, BASED ON THE SAVINGS THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET PIECE.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO TELL YOU THAT THIS IS A STRUCTURALLY, UH, A STRUCTURALLY BALANCED BUDGET FOR, UH, THE CITY.
AND YOU WILL SEE ON THAT, ON THAT WORKSHEET THAT WAS HANDED TO YOU, THAT THE REVENUES ARE ACTUALLY OVER THE EXPENDITURES, NOT USING THE RESERVES TO FUND THE EXPENDITURES AT THIS POINT, UH, WITH A LARGE DECREASE OF THE OVERALL BUDGET OF OVER $3 MILLION FROM FY 25 BUDGET TO THE FY 26 BUDGET AND STILL ABLE TO ACHIEVE THE COUNCIL'S GOALS.
I JOKED THAT THE LAST MEETING, THAT THE BUDGET WAS COMPLETE.
UM, HOWEVER, UH, COUNSEL LET ME KNOW THAT, UH, WE STILL NEED TIME TO JUST HAVE AN OPEN DISCUSSION OVER ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE.
UH, I WAS JUST TRYING TO BRING LEVITY TO THE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS.
IT'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK BY THIS BODY, UH, TO GET TO THIS POINT.
UH, SO WITH THAT MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THAT IS GENUINELY ALL THAT I HAVE READY TO PRESENT TONIGHT FOR THE BUDGET AND IS OPEN FOR THE COUNCIL TO, UH, TO GO OVER.
Y'ALL DID GET A, A BREAKDOWN OF ALL THE DIFFERENT SERVICES EACH DEPARTMENT OFFERS, AND THEN YOU GOT A BREAKDOWN OF ALL THE LINE ITEMS IN THE BUDGET.
UH, AND WE ARE HAPPY TO, UH, WE HAVE PREPARED TALKING POINTS IF Y'ALL BRING THEM UP FOR CERTAIN THINGS THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN EMAILED TO Y'ALL ABOUT.
UH, IF THEY'RE NOT BROUGHT UP, WE DO NOT PLAN TO PRESENT, SO IT'LL BE UP TO THE COUNCIL AT THAT POINT.
WELL, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR, UH, FINDING THE MISTAKES IN THE BUDGET.
UM, I KNOW THAT THIS IS A LOT AND THOSE NUMBERS CAN PROBABLY RUN TOGETHER FROM TIME TO TIME.
SO I, I DO APPRECIATE YOU ALL GOING BACK THROUGH WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB AND JUST MAKING CORRECTIONS SO THAT WE WOULD, UH, BE WELL INFORMED.
SO, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UM, I, I REITERATE THOSE COMMENTS, BUT I THINK BEFORE, AFTER ANYBODY HAS INITIAL COMMENTS, I THINK WE ACTUALLY NEED TO GO TO THE CITIZENS COMMUNICATION.
SO ARE, ARE WE GOING TO CITIZEN COMMENTS BEFORE WE NO, YOU CAN MAKE A COMMENT.
UM, I DID HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE DITCH MAINTENANCE IN THE CITY.
UM, WERE ALL, DID STAFF GET A CHANCE TO LOOK THAT OVER AND PROVIDE OPTIONS? SO THE TEAM IS READY TO TALK ABOUT THE, UH, THE DITCH STUFF.
MR. GRIFFITH? THE, I I WOULD PERSONALLY TELL YOU THAT IT, IT IS A VERY LARGE, THE, THE ACTUAL THING THAT YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT IS AN OPERATIONAL PIECE ON SWITCHING FROM, UH, CONTRACTING OR CONSULTING THAT, OR CONTRACTING THAT OUT OR STAFF DOING IT.
UM, CLIFF AND CLIFF AND THE FINANCE TEAM HAVE WORKED PROBABLY THIS LAST YEAR REDOING ALL OF THEIR MOWING PIECES AS PART OF THE $3.4 MILLION, UH, REDUCTION IN PIECES TO REDO WHERE THEY FELT THE CONTRACTORS WERE THE BEST FIT AND WERE HIS PARK PERSONNEL WERE THE BEST FIT.
AND CLIFF, AM I SAYING THIS CORRECTLY? UH, CONTRACTORS ARE THE BEST FIT, PARKS ARE THE BEST FIT, UH, SO THAT BOTH SIDES GET THE BIGGEST BANG FOR THEIR BUCK, UM, AND KEEP A BETTER SERVICE STANDARD TO WHERE, UH, TO AREAS THAT ARE, WE FEEL ARE IMPORTANT TO THE CITIZENS.
THE, UH, THE DITCH MOWING SPECIFICALLY WASN'T IN THE CONTRACT THOUGH.
THE DITCH MOWING IS, THAT'S ONE THAT Y'ALL KEPT THOUGH, RIGHT? YEAH, CORRECT.
SO IT'S DONE BY HEAVY EQUIPMENT.
AND SO WE HAVE A STAFF AND EQUIPMENT FOR THAT.
AND SO PART OF PART OF MEETING THE FINANCIAL GOALS IS THAT THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE'VE APPROVED SUPPLEMENTALS, UH, FOR THE FY 26 BUDGET.
AND, UM, THE QUESTION TO ME WAS CAN WE LOOK AT, UH, CONTRACTING DITCH DITCH MOWING OUT INSTEAD OF PERSONNEL DOING IT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT TO KEEP UP.
OUR PARKS EQUIPMENT IS CURRENTLY OUT OF OPERATION DUE TO BREAKING DOWN AND IT'S BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, AND IT IS THAT WITH THE WEATHER HAS PUSHED TO THINGS BEING DELAYED.
THAT WAS THE, THE FRAMING OF THE QUESTION.
UM, TO ME IT'S A VERY LARGE POLICY PIECE AND THE, THE TEAM HAS STUFF READY TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE POLICY PIECES THAT GO WITH, UH, UH, MOWING, UH, BECAUSE IT'S PROBABLY MORE EXTENSIVE THAN Y'ALL IMAGINE ON HOW MUCH ACTUAL JUST RIGHT OF WAY MOWING TAKES PLACE IN THE CITY.
[01:35:01]
BASED OFF THE VERY LITTLE I KNOW ABOUT THIS, WOULDN'T IT BE JUST BETTER FOR US TO FIX THE EQUIPMENT OR MAYBE GET THE NEW EQUIPMENT? WE ARE, SO THE SUPPLEMENTALS WERE APPROVED FOR THE FY 26 BUDGET, THE QUESTION RIGHT NOW, SO WE HAVE NOT HAD THE MONEY TO PUT INTO SUPPLEMENT OR TO LARGE REPAIRS, UH, THROUGH THIS PAST TWO YEARS BECAUSE WE'VE REDUCED THE BUDGET BY ALMOST $10 MILLION AT THIS POINT OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS.UH, SO THERE WAS NOT ANY EXTRA FUNDING TO GO TOWARDS, UH, LARGE MAINTENANCE OR LARGE EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT.
UH, SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT THIS COUNCIL, BECAUSE OF THE REDUCTION IN OUR BUDGET, CREATED AN ISSUE FOR THE CITIZENS WHERE DITCHES ARE NOT GETTING MOWED? I I, I DON'T KNOW IF I WILL NECESSARILY FRAME IT THAT WAY.
THE WORDS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF MY MOUTH BEFORE THAT QUESTION PROBABLY ARE SAYING THAT, RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD FRAME IT THAT WAY.
I WOULD SAY HOW WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT THE, UM, KEEPING EVERYTHING UP TO DATE IS USING EVERY ASSET THAT WE HAVE UNTIL IT IS FALLING DOWN AND CAN NO LONGER OPERATE.
BECAUSE WE WERE MEETING A FINANCIAL GOAL OF, OF REDUCING THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE WAS TAKING A VERY LARGE TAXING PIECE ON THE, THE CITY'S BUDGET.
AND TO BE ABLE TO MEET THOSE FINANCIAL GOALS, WE HAD TO MAKE CHANGES WHERE WE COULD MAKE CHANGES.
ONE OF THOSE WAS NOT WORKING ON OR NOT APPROVING SUPPLEMENTALS BECAUSE THOSE SEPARATE FUNDS THAT WE HAD THAT WERE HELPING DO ALL THE CAPITAL REPLACEMENTS WERE BEING USED TO OFFSET SOME OF THE EXPENSES IN THE BUDGET WHILE WE WORKED ON REDUCING THE EXPENSES IN THE BUDGET.
SO LIKE HOW I SAID, THERE NO RESERVES WERE CH WERE TRANSFERRED IN TO, TO OFFSET SOME OF THIS THAT WAS HAPPENING.
AND IF Y'ALL REMEMBER THIS, AT THE LAST BUDGET MEETING, WE TALKED ABOUT TRANSFER INS FROM PREVI FROM OTHER FUNDS.
THOSE OTHER FUNDS WERE BEING TRANSFERRED IN TO FUND OPERATIONS AND THAT'S WAS ANOTHER REASON OF TRANS OF SPENDING OR REDUCING THE EXPENSES BY $10 MILLION.
SO THAT WAS PART OF LIKE THE COUNCIL'S WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE OVERALL FINANCIAL PIECE IS LIKE, WHERE CAN WE STOP SPENDING? LET'S DO, LET'S DO THE SERVICE LEVEL THAT IS THE, LIKE THE EXPECTATION FOR THE CITY AT THIS POINT WHILE WE'RE ALSO REDUCING EXPENSES WHERE WE DON'T NEED TO ACTUALLY DO THINGS ANYMORE.
AND THAT REQUIRED THAT GROUP OF PEOPLE OUT THERE TO LOOK IN DEPTH AT EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO AND FIND OUT WHAT THEY COULD CUT AND WHAT THEY COULD NOT CUT.
AND PART OF THAT WAS JUST HOLDING THE LINE ON OUR EQUIPMENT.
SO OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE CAPABLE OF DOING THE JOB, WE JUST NEED TO EMPOWER THEM WITH THE MONEY TO FIX THEIR EQUIPMENT.
DO WE HAVE THE MONEY IN THIS BUDGET TO GET THAT EQUIPMENT FIXED? SO THE, UM, YES, THE, THE ANSWER IS YES.
SO WHAT HAS BEEN PASSED ON AT THIS POINT IS WHERE WE HAVE MONEY SAVED THIS YEAR.
GO AHEAD AND BUY THAT EQUIPMENT IF WE CAN TO START THE MOWING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
HOW LONG HAS THE EQUIPMENT BEEN OUT OF SERVICE? ABOUT THREE WEEKS, SIR.
IT HASN'T BEEN LONGER THAN THAT.
WE HAVE, UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE FOUR, UH, PIECES OF EQUIPMENT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE HAVE FIVE, WE HAVE FOUR IN OPERATION AND A SPARE OF THOSE FIVE, THREE OF 'EM ARE DOWN.
UH, SO IT'S NOT FAIR TO SAY THEY'RE ALL DOWN, BUT WE'RE AT A VERY LIMITED, UH, ROTATION.
WE'RE UTILIZING A SPARE, WE'RE ONLY BEING ABLE TO MOW HALF THE CITY IT RIGHT NOW.
BUT BOTH THE, UH, OR ALL THE OTHER EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME WITH, IF YOU WANNA GET REALLY INTO IT, IS THE HYDRAULIC, UH, PORTIONS OF THE, THE SLOPE MOWER, THE ARM THAT, UH, BOTH TRACTORS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE.
IT'S KIND OF A, A KNOWN ISSUE RIGHT NOW, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE IN TWO DIFFERENT SHOPS EVEN SO THAT WE CAN SEE WHICH SHOP CAN GET IT DONE FASTER AND THEN START USING THAT ONE MORE OFTEN.
BUT, UH, THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE SHOP.
BUT I NEED, SO, UH, I I, I'M SORRY, I JUST WANT TO CLEAR.
WHAT, WHAT IS THE, IS IT DITCHES OR IS IT BECAUSE I IT, IT'S, IT'S THE, IT'S THE SWELLS FOR THE DRAIN, THE DRAIN DITCHES.
BECAUSE I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS, YEAH.
SO I DIDN'T REALIZE PART OR ASK QUESTIONS, BUT YEAH, SO I, I GUESS WHAT I'M, I MEAN, I KNOW THERE'S ANOTHER PIECE OF THAT, BUT I GUESS I'D LIKE TO LOOK TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE, THE MAINTENANCE FOR THIS EQUIPMENT VERSUS IF WE OUTSOURCE DITCH TO WHERE WE'RE NOT HAVING TO PERHAPS, UH, PAY FOR MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP OF THE EQUIPMENT IF IT GOES DOWN TO HAVE THE GUARANTEE THE COMPUTER'S ACTING UP.
DIDN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT TODAY.
SO THE, THIS WAS ONE OF THE PIECES, MAYOR, THIS WAS ONE OF THE, THE POLICY PIECES THAT WE WANTED TO GO OVER IN FEBRUARY.
BUT IF Y'ALL REMEMBER, WE COVERED A, A TON OF POLICY PIECES.
UM, THIS IS ONE THAT I THINK IS, THAT I BELIEVE THE PARKS TEAM
[01:40:01]
CAN HANDLE.THIS IS THE REASON THAT WE'VE APPROVED SUPPLEMENTALS, UH, AT IN DEPTH.
WE, WE'VE PROBABLY DONE $6 MILLION IN SUPPLEMENTAL RE MACHINERY, UH, REPLACEMENT THIS YEAR TO CATCH UP FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS.
I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL HAVE THE EQUIPMENT NECESSARY TO GET WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
I BELIEVE THE PARKS TEAM CAN DO A VERY GOOD JOB OF HANDLING DITCHES.
I WOULD LIKE TO BRING THIS ONE BACK TO THE COUNCIL TO DISCUSS IN DEPTH ON THIS.
I THINK THIS IS A FULL DAY CONVERSATION IN AND OF ITSELF.
JUST BECAUSE OF IT INVOLVES PEOPLE'S RIGHT OF WAY IN THEIR FRONT YARDS AND HOW THAT, THE CITY COUNCIL WANTS TO HANDLE THAT WITH, THROUGH AN ORDINANCE TO NOT DO AN ORDINANCE.
IT'S, IT IS THE NUANCE TO NUANCE CAN BE, AND I, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD HANDLE TONIGHT.
I I DON'T THINK WE, I'M NOT GONNA SAY I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD DISCUSS IT TONIGHT, BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT I WOULD HOPE THAT WE ARE, ARE, WE DO NOT PUT, WE DO NOT PUT STAFF IN THE POSITION TO SAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE MONEY FOR REPAIRS OF EQUIPMENT.
WE TALK ABOUT, UM, A LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT OUR CITIZENS EXPECT.
AND I, I'M, I'M NOT HAPPY HEARING THAT, UM, THAT BECAUSE OF BUDGET, WE COULDN'T REPAIR EQUIPMENT, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
I THINK THAT IF, UM, JUST ABOUT EVERY ORGANIZATION HAS A MAINTENANCE BUDGET, AND I DON'T THINK WE SHOULDN'T BE CUTTING ANYTHING OUT OF A MAINTENANCE BUDGET WHEN IT COMES TO EQUIPMENT AND DELIVERING A QUALITY OF SERVICE TO OUR CITIZENS.
SO I, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING, BRINGING THAT UP.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET OUR RESIDENCE UP THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
I'M NOT GONNA ASK YOU TO COME TO THE PODIUM, BUT IF YOU WOULD, WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, STATE YOUR ADDRESS FOR, UH, RECORD AND, UM, WELL, LET ME MAKE SURE I READ WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO READ.
UM, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
PLEASE STATE YOUR ADDRESS FOR, UH, FOR THE RECORD.
AND WE'RE GONNA START WITH, AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THREE MINUTES.
IF YOU NEED MORE THAN THREE MINUTES, WE'LL TAKE A VOTE TO SEE IF WE'RE GOING TO EXTEND IT.
UH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO STAND MS. STANSKI, YOU'RE GONNA BE FINE.
JUNE STANSKI, 46 0 1 LAKEWOOD DRIVE.
UM, I HAVE BEEN ATTENDING THE PAST FEW MEETINGS AND, UM, I HEAR FROM COUNCIL VARIOUS WAYS TO PUT THINGS OFF, WHETHER IT'S, OH, I THINK WE SHOULD GET PEOPLE TO, UM, APPLY FOR GRANTS OR, OH, I THINK WE CAN ADD MONEY LATER.
I'M HERE TO POINT OUT PLACES WHERE PLENTY OF MONEY HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE BUDGET AND A LITTLE 150,000 THAT WAS CUT OUT OF THE BUS SERVICES AFTER HAVING OVER LIKE 20 PEOPLE AT THE BUDGET MEETING AT THE POLICE.
UM, UH, FACILITIES, UH, CAME AND SAID HOW DESPERATELY THEY NEEDED BUS SERVICE IN THE CITY.
AND COUNCIL SAID, OH, WELL, WE'RE GONNA DO A FEASIBILITY STUDY.
YOU'VE PATTED THE BUDGET, PUT IN THE 150, AND IF THEY DON'T NEED THE 150, TAKE IT BACK LIKE YOU'VE BEEN SAYING ABOUT ALL THESE OTHER THINGS.
SO LAST MEETING I POINTED OUT THAT THE CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET WAS OVER, UM, 240,000, 200, $400,000 OVER BUDGET, BUT WE'VE CORRECTED IT AND PUT IT BACK IN SOMEBODY ELSE'S BUDGET.
UM, CITY FACILITIES, THERE'S AN EXTRA $800,000, BUT THAT HAS GONE UP SINCE LAST YEAR.
UH, HEALTH INSURANCE HAS INCREASED, UH, 202 MILLION, $300,000.
UM, RETIREE BENEFITS OVER THE PAST YEAR HAVE GONE UP FROM 1.6 MILLION TO 3.2 MILLION.
HOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE RETIRED THIS PAST YEAR? THAT, THAT HAS TO DOUBLE.
150 OF THAT COULD GO 150,000 THAT COULD GO TOWARDS BUS SERVICES.
UM, REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY, THAT'S UP ANOTHER 300,000, UH, CONTINGENCY.
NEW INITIATIVES WENT FROM 400 TO A MILLION THERE.
THERE'S AN EXTRA PADDING IN THE BUDGET.
2,167,000 THAT WAS NOT IN THE BUDGET LAST YEAR, BUT YET WE'RE ADDING THAT INTO THE BUDGET.
AND ALONG WITH THAT, WE'VE GOT THE, UH, CAPITAL OUTLAY FOR THE COMPUTER SYSTEM, FOR, UM, FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
[01:45:01]
FOR 2,217,000.YOU MOTOR VEHICLES, AGAIN, ANOTHER $300,000 UP FROM LAST YEAR.
GO AHEAD AND FUND THE BUSES, FUND THE CITY'S PARKS, UM, FESTIVALS.
ALL THIS STUFF ABOUT, OH, WELL WE GOTTA GET THIS STUDY, OR, OH, WE'RE GONNA GET GRANTS.
IF YOU GET A GRANT FROM SOME CORPORATION, APPLY IT TO 2027.
DON'T MAKE 2026 SUFFER BECAUSE OF ALL THESE LITTLE EXCUSES THAT ARE BEING GIVEN BY COUNCIL.
IS THAT ONE MINUTE OR IS THAT THAT'S THREE MINUTES.
NEXT WE WILL HAVE MS. SHAUNA JOSEPH, PLEASE STATE YOUR ADDRESS FOR RECORD.
YOU CAN COME HERE IF YOU LIKE.
SO IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, IT'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT COMMUNITY EVENTS AND WHAT'S GOING ON IN BAYTOWN.
AND ONE THING I'VE REALIZED, I'VE HEARD ALL THE ARGUMENTS, AND I'M HERE TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE ARGUMENTS.
THE FIRST ONE I HEARD IS JULY 4TH CELEBRATES EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE.
AND THE WAY I WOULD SAY, NO, IT DOES NOT, BUT I DON'T GET ME WRONG, I LOVE JULY 4TH.
IT'S PART OF OUR CULTURE, IT'S PART OUR HISTORY.
BUT AS A MOTHER, ALL LIFE STARTS WITH A MOTHER.
AND WITH ME BEING A MOTHER, IF I SAID I'M NOT GONNA CELEBRATE FATHER'S DAY BECAUSE I'M THE ONE WHO BROUGHT LIFE IN THIS WORLD, FATHERS WOULD FEEL ALIENATED, THEY WOULD FEEL LEFT OUT.
THEY WOULD FEEL LIKE THEY DID NOT MATTER.
YOU DON'T EXCLUDE ANYONE BY SAYING, I'M ONLY GONNA CELEBRATE THIS.
AND THAT ONE EVENT OR THAT ONE PERSON CELEBRATES EVERYONE.
WE ENRICH LIFE AND BUILD COMMUNITY.
THE BEST WAY TO BUILD A COMMUNITY IS TO PUT EVERYONE TOGETHER.
THE SECOND, UH, THING I WANTED TO ADDRESS IS THEY, UH, OUR PARKS AND RECREATION.
I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYONE REALIZE OUR PARKS AND OUR PUBLIC WORKS.
JUNETEENTH HAVE WON TWO AWARDS STATEWIDE, 2021 AND 20 23, 20 25.
BRITO FEST HAS ALREADY WON AN AWARD FOR LAST YEARS.
THE ONE THING OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT DOES IS WE'RE LEADERS IN OUR FIELD.
LAPORTE CONSTANTLY IMITATES US.
MONTE BE VIEW, IMITATES US, ME WITH HAVING A SMALL BUSINESSES.
I WAS EVEN AT THE BIG GALVESTON EVENT.
NOTHING COMPETES WITH WHAT WE DO HERE IN BAYTOWN.
WE'RE KNOWN FOR BEING LEADERS IN THESE COMMUNITY AMENITIES.
THAT'S WHY WE BUILT FAMILIES HERE.
THE LAST ISSUE I SAW WAS CLEVER.
AND WITH FUNDING I'VE HEARD, WE WITH FUNDING, I'VE SAID HEARD, HEY, LET'S DO SPONSORSHIPS.
WE DO DO SPONSORSHIPS IN BAYTOWN, BUT THE, WE ARE NOT FULLY SPONSORED.
BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE HOT, THE HOTEL SEAT TAX, THAT IS WHAT SHOULD BE USED TO SPONSOR OUR EVENTS BECAUSE ORDINANCE 11.0 2.0 STATES, THOSE FUNDS WILL GO TOWARDS OUR EVENTS.
WHILE WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS ON GIVING RAISES AND DOING THINGS, WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND HAVE TAKEN MONEY FROM THE HOTELS TAX AND JUST PUTTING IT IN PLACES LIKE IN 2023, THE HOTEL TAX WAS HAD, UH, IT WAS OPEN 900,000.
THIS YEAR WE HAVE A SURPLUS OF 560,000 BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR WHAT ELSE SHE HAS TO SAY.
AND THIS YEAR SHOWS OUR HOTEL TAX WILL HAVE A 600,000 SURPLUS NEXT YEAR.
IT IS SUPPOSEDLY OUR HOTEL TAX WILL HAVE 840,000 SURPLUS.
EVEN WITH THAT, THAT'S WHAT US TAKING AWAY.
THE 400,000 GRANT, THE HOT GRANT THAT'S USUALLY GIVEN TO NONPROFITS AND SMALL BUSINESSES.
THAT MONEY'S BEING TAKEN AWAY.
THIS YEAR WAS THE LAST YEAR WITH THAT, OUR SERVICES WENT UP 250,000 AND OUR PERSONAL
[01:50:01]
SERVICES OUT THERE, MONEY WENT UP 300 AND THOUSAND.I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CANNOT FUND THESE EVENTS WITH THIS MONEY WHEN THAT IS WHAT THIS MONEY'S ALLIGATOR FOR.
THAT IS WHAT WE TELL THE HOTELS.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE THESE EVENTS AND BRING THESE PEOPLE OUT HERE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO USE THAT MONEY FOR.
IT SHOULD, IT SHOULDN'T BE A GENERAL FUND.
IT SHOULDN'T BE, IT SHOULDN'T BE TAXPAYERS MONEY.
THAT'S WHY THE HOTEL THE HIGH, THAT'S WHY THE TAXES DID WE, HE GAVE OUR CITY MANAGER A RAISE, WHICH IS, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT WE GAVE HIM A RAISE IN 2024, 6%.
AND WE DECIDED TO EXTEND HIS CONTRACT AND GIVE HIM ANOTHER RAISE WITHOUT EVEN LETTING HIM FINISH OUT HIS FIRST CONTRACT AND GIVING THEM A PERSONNEL REVIEW AND A DEVELOPMENTAL PLAN.
SO IF WE'RE GONNA SPOIL ONE, WE HAVE TO SPOIL EVERYONE.
IF WE'RE GONNA DO IT FOR ONE, LET'S DO IT FOR OUR WHOLE CITY.
SAYING THAT BAYTOWN DOESN'T DESERVE IT.
OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DOES AN AWESOME JOB AND THEY MAKE THE SHINE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO ANYTHING ELSE YOU ALL WANT TO DISCUSS WITH THIS BUDGET? I THINK MY, MY COLLEAGUE HERE HAS SEVERAL TAPS,
OH, Y'ALL ARE PICKING ON ME NOW.
NO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I LOOKED AT THE, THE GENERAL FUND SUMMARY BY DEPARTMENTS AND, AND WAS RELATIVE.
YEAH, THEY DON'T HAVE PAGE NUMBERS ON THIS THING.
JAY DOES EVERYTHING HE CAN TO MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO READ THROUGH THIS STUFF.
YEAH, NO, I, I LOOKED THROUGH THAT AND I WAS VERY PLEASED.
AGAIN, THIS IS A SECOND AND THIRD YEAR PRETTY TOUGH BUDGETS FOR DEPARTMENTS.
I WAS VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT ALMOST ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, UM, SHOWED REDUCTIONS AGAIN THIS YEAR.
I MEAN, THIS THIRD YEAR IN A ROW, YOU GUYS HAVE REALLY CRUNCHED THE BUDGET.
AND, AND, UM, AND A COUPLE OF THE DEPARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, POLICE AND FIRE OBVIOUSLY INCREASED A LITTLE BIT, BUT FIRE WAS BECAUSE WE'RE ADDING ANOTHER AMBULANCE, WHICH IS SORELY NEEDED.
UM, PD HAD SOME OTHER PERSONNEL ISSUES, WHICH IS SORELY NEEDED.
UM, BUT, UH, OVERALL GOOD JOB AS FAR AS THAT.
I DID NOTE, UM, AGAIN, AS THE MAYOR BROUGHT OUT MAINTENANCE ISSUES, YOU KNOW, ALL THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE MAINTENANCE BUDGETS, BUT AS CLIFF WILL TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T EXPECT THREE OUT OF FIVE OF THEIR, THEIR BOOM MOWERS TO HAVE HYDRAULIC PROBLEMS. AND THAT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN'T PLAN FOR.
UH, YOU KNOW, HAVE YOUR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE.
UM, BUT ALL THE BUDGETS, ESPECIALLY IN, IN, I JUST PICKLE PARTS AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MOWING.
I THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA TALK TO PUBLIC WORKS ABOUT DIGGING OUT DITCHES, BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS MOWING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, A DEPARTMENT WITH A $10 MILLION BUDGET, THE CITY MANAGER AND CLIFF CAN WORK TOGETHER TO, TO MOVE SOME FUNDS AROUND TO, TO PAY FOR EXTRAORDINARY EXPENSES.
AND, AND IF THERE'S NOT THAT FLEXIBILITY, THERE NEEDS TO BE MM-HMM
UM, AGAIN, UNANTICIPATED CLIFF DOES A GREAT JOB.
IT'S JUST YOU, THREE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT GO DOWN AT THE SAME TIME.
UM, I HAD A TREE FALL IN MY HOUSE YESTERDAY AND HAD TO GO BUY A NEW CHAINSAW 'CAUSE MY CHAINSAW STOPPED.
SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE THINGS HAPPENED.
UH, SO AGAIN, I I THINK EVERYBODY'S DOING A GOOD JOB.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE GENERAL POLICY WISE, WE, WE'VE COMMITTED, AND AGAIN, LIKE THE ENTERTAINMENT ISSUES, I, I AGREE.
PARKS DEPARTMENT DOES A GREAT JOB WITH ENTERTAINMENT.
I DON'T SUPPORT ELIMINATING ANY OF THE PROGRAMS WE HAVE.
UM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE MISSION CREEP, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA DO BIGGER AND BETTER EVERY YEAR.
WELL, WE'RE A POPULATION OF ABOUT 85,000 AND WE, WE KIND OF, WE NEED TO REACH A PEAK AS QUALITY ENTERTAINMENT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO BE, WE DON'T HAVE TO BE HOUSTON, UH, TYPE MENTALITY.
SO WITH THAT, THERE WAS ONE, UH, ISSUE IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET.
UH, WE REDUCED A STAFF MEMBER FOR MOSQUITO CONTROL.
WE WENT FROM HAVING THREE TO TWO.
IS ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THAT MR. GRAY? YES, SIR.
I'M GONNA START CALLING YOU WHEN THE MOSQUITOES ARE DRAGGING ME DOWN THE ROAD,
YEAH, I GET 'EM TOO AT LAKEWOOD.
HERE, HERE'S THE, HERE'S HERE'S THE FOUR DISTRICTS THAT REALLY GO, OKAY, MOSQUITOES ARE BIG AND MEAN.
UH, BUT IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT, THAT'S OKAY.
I DIDN'T SEE MUCH OF REDUCTION IN CHEMICALS.
SO HOPEFULLY THINGS ARE IN GOOD SHAPE.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I DID, I WENT THROUGH, YOU KNOW, ME, I, I GO THROUGH IT.
I'M NOT AS TOUGH AS SOME COUNT FORMER COUNCILS MEMBERS USED TO BE TRUE, BUT I, BUT I GO THROUGH PRETTY DILIGENTLY AND, AND LOOK AT IT.
UM, SO AGAIN, I, I OVERALL THINK THE BUDGET'S IN GOOD SHAPE.
BUT AS FAR AS EXTRAORDINARY, YOU KNOW, AGAIN,
[01:55:01]
WE HAVE CONTINGENCY FUNDS IN GENERAL ADMINISTRATION THAT IF, IF WE HAVE A DEPARTMENT LIKE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR WHATEVER, THEY HAVE A TRUCK, AN AMBULANCE GET GETS DESTROYED AND THAT'S HAPPENED IN ACCIDENTS, WE GOTTA BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO DO SOME EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES TO, TO PROVIDE THAT CUSTOMER SERVICE.UM, AGAIN, I THOUGHT THE DITCH DITCH ISSUE, I WASN'T AWARE OF IT.
I THOUGHT IT WAS MORE GEARED TOWARDS, UH, FRANK'S CREW WITH THE DITCH DIGGING AND, AND THEY HAVE A GREAT PROGRAM WITH THAT.
SO I WAS GOING, DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WAS, BUT THE MOWING, THE MO, I GOT SEVERAL CALLS FROM THE, WITHIN THE LAST, I GOT 425 LINEAR FEET OF RIGHT OF WAY.
IT'S NOT MY PROPERTY, UH, THAT NEEDS TO BE MOWED.
'CAUSE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS NORMALLY VERY GOOD ABOUT KEEPING THAT WHOLE STRETCH DOWN KILGO ROAD DONE.
THIS IS EVERYWHERE ELSE THAT HAS THE DITCHES.
SO, UH, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT TO, TO LIGHT.
SO, UH, I THINK WE'VE HAD A, A TENSE ENOUGH ARGUMENTS TONIGHT OR DISCUSSIONS TONIGHT THAT I'LL, I'LL LET SOME OF MY OTHER HIGHLIGHTED.
AND AGAIN, I DIDN'T MARK TOO MANY DOWN, BUT, UH, ACTUALLY YOU DIDN'T.
THAT'S, THAT'S AN IMPROVEMENT.
THAT'S AN IMPROVE IMPROVEMENT.
IT'S I'LL, UH, AGAIN, I WAS VERY PLEASED WITH, WITH THE BUDGETS, KNOWING THAT THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR THAT THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE REALLY CRACKED DOWN AND YOU'VE MET OUR REQUEST AND THAT THEY WEREN'T EASY REQUESTS.
I KNOW JAY HAD A TOUGH TIME MEETING OUR REQUEST, SO GOOD JOB GUYS.
I WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR PARKS REAL QUICK ON THEIR BUDGET.
UH, MR. LESSER, YOU'RE CORRECT.
PARKS IS ONE OF THE BUDGETS THAT DID SLIGHTLY INCREASED.
IT WAS LIKE 70, UH, $71,000 THAT IT INCREASED.
UH, JUST FOR THE RECORD, UH, THEY DID SAVE MORE THAN $300,000.
THEY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND TWO YEARS AGO WHERE THEY SAVED OVER A MILLION DOLLARS WHEN THE REQUEST WAS ONLY 300,000.
AND SO THE, THE MONEY THEY SAVED THIS YEAR FOR THE 300,000, UM, WAS COMBINED WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT BASED ON JUST HOW PURCHASING GOES.
AND SO THEIR SAVINGS AREN'T NECESSARILY REFLECTED JUST IN THE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF YOU, AS EVERYBODY ALWAYS SAYS, THE NUMBERS ARE JUST ONE PART OF THE STORY.
AND SO I DO WANT TO, THEY HAVE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND FINDING MONEY, UH, JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT IN HERE HAS.
AND, UH, JUST, IT DOESN'T SHOW THAT ON HERE, BUT I JUST WANT TO POINT THAT OUT.
UH, JUST KIND OF REITERATE MY COLLEAGUES COMMENTS AND, AND YOU KNOW, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING ELSE THE FARM HAS DONE.
I KNOW WE'VE BEEN PRETTY, PRETTY TOUGH ON Y'ALL TRYING TO GET THESE STUFF BUDGETS DOWN AND, AND YOU KNOW, PARTS, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND.
THEY, THEY'RE MORE THAN PARKS.
THEY DO A LOT OF MOWING FOR THINGS AND PICK UP A LOT OF SLACK FROM TECH STOCK AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
SO THEY'RE, UH, AND, AND EVEN OUR TRANSPORTATION PARTS.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THEY'VE DONE.
UH, APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, THE TIME AND ENERGY Y'ALL PUT IN, UH, TO THIS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, I APOLOGIZE, MY HIGHLIGHT WHEN SITTING ON MY DESK AND KATIE HAD RAN IN THIS MORNING FOR AN AFTERNOON FOR AN EVENT, NOT FOR MEETING.
UM, SO I HAD A LOT OF MORE IN MY NOTES, BUT I REALLY DO APPRECIATE WHAT, WHAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE AND, AND WHERE WE'RE HEADED FOR THE CITY AND, AND, AND KIND OF JUST, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND SOME DECISIONS WERE, WE'RE RIDING OUT THE STORM.
UH, IT WAS, IT WAS KIND OF NASTY COUPLE WHEN I FIRST GOT ON, KIND OF COMING TOWARDS WHERE WE'RE, WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY NOW KIND OF IN A POSITIVE HEAD OF THAT WAY.
AND WE CAN SEE THAT TREND GOING THAT WAY THEN WE CAN KIND OF START SEEING WHAT WE CAN DO TO INCREASE SOME OF THESE THINGS.
'CAUSE WE DO HAVE A LOT OF AGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND FRANK IS DOING WONDERFUL JOBS WITH WHAT HE HAS WITH BUDGET.
HE HAS CLIFF'S DOING GREAT WITH WHAT HE HAS.
I KNOW HE WANTS TO GIVE A LOT OF THE, TO CREDIT TO HIS, TO HIS TEAM, BOTH OF Y'ALL.
GREAT JOB, UH, OF WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.
UH, I'M GLAD TO SEE WE'RE GETTING SOME MORE.
EMS REALLY HELPED ME OUT LAST WEEK.
SO KIND OF KEN, THANKS TO YOUR GUYS OUT THERE.
THEY HELPED ME ON, ON, ON WITH THE, NOT WITH AN ISSUE I HAD, UH, AND GOT ME TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM LIKE I NEEDED TO.
AND, AND YOU KNOW, CHIEF STRINGER HAS DONE AMAZING JOB WITH HIS STAFF AND WHERE HE'S TURNED HIS AND USED THE USE THE MONEY HE HAS.
AND A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS, IS, IS OUR TECHNOLOGY IS, IS BEING MORE USED AND MORE MM-HMM
SO WE'RE GONNA SEE A LITTLE BIT OF INCREASES IN OUR TECHNOLOGY BECAUSE IT, IT, IT LOWERS THE COST OF OUR STAFF.
UH, SOME OF THE AI THINGS THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH SOME OF THE PROGRAMS CAN CUT THAT MAKES IT FASTER.
SO SOMETIMES THAT LITTLE INCREASE IN THE BUDGET CUTS A, CUTS A PAYROLL BUDGET.
AND, AND, AND, AND WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF STUFF.
WE'RE ALSO SEEING THAT WITH LEAST WITH YOURS IS, YOU KNOW, HOW WITH WE'RE TRYING TO GET MORE, UH, PROGRAMS TO SO THAT CITIZENS CAN PAY FOR THEIR STUFF ONLINE, WHICH MAKES IT MORE CONVENIENT, WHICH CAN CUTS FEES, WHICH IS GONNA ALSO BE IN THE INTEGRATION OF THE SOFTWARE THAT WE'RE SEEING, THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET THAT SITUATED.
SO WE, SO WE CAN MAKE IT EASIER FOR OUR, OUR, OUR, UH, CITIZENS TO PAY THEIR, PAY THE WATER BILL AND PAY THE OTHER BILLS.
IT MAKES IT A LOT MORE, MORE CONVENIENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THIS STUFF.
I'M GLAD TO SEE SOME OF THE FEES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT WE TALKED ABOUT INCREASING OVER AT THE GREEN CENTER.
'CAUSE I'M TIRED OF SEEING YOU
[02:00:01]
GO THERE AND SEE SOMEBODY WITH A AC AC TRUCK WITH A TRAILER FULL OF AC EQUIPMENT IN THE BACK AND THEY'RE THROWING IT IN OUR DUMPSTERS LIKE, EH, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT WHAT IT WAS MEANT FOR.SO THEY, THEY NEED TO PAY THEIR FEES ON THAT PART.
SO I APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE WHAT Y'ALL DONE.
I KNOW WE'VE BEEN, BEEN TOUGH Y'ALL THE PAST TWO YEARS, BUT THERE'S LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL AND WE'RE HEADED THAT DIRECTION, SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
ANYONE ELSE? UM, JUST, JUST COMMENTS FROM ME, MAYOR, BECAUSE I, I WENT THROUGH THIS WHOLE THING AND I'M USUALLY THE ONE THAT, THAT GOES LAST, OR I GO TO JASON WITH ALL MY PREPARED QUESTIONS AHEAD OF TIME AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY THIS GO AROUND BECAUSE, UH, I FELT THAT THEY'VE PUT A SOUND BUDGET TOGETHER.
I DO UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS FROM, UM, SOME OF OUR CONSTITUENTS IN TERMS OF WHERE BUDGETS ARE INCREASING AND THOSE ARE NECESSARY INCREASES.
I AGREE WITH THE SOFTWARE INCREASES, UH, THE BUDGET.
UM, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE NECESSARY.
AND WE'RE DEALING WITH A CYBER WORLD WHERE WE HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY PER, UH, PROTECT ALL OF OUR SOFTWARE, CONTINUE TO UPGRADE IT.
AND I'VE GONE THROUGH SO MANY SEMINARS FROM OTHER CITIES THAT WERE CAUGHT, YOU KNOW, BEHIND THE BALL AND THEY HAD TO IMMEDIATELY PUT PEN TO PAPER BECAUSE THEY WERE, THEY HAD A CYBER ATTACK.
AND SO THAT'S NOT THE SITUATION THAT WE NEED TO BE IN.
UM, UM, AFTER THOSE SESSIONS, I DID COME AND, AND SPEAK TO, UH, CITY ADMINISTRATION, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO PROTECT OURSELVES FROM THAT? AND SO THEY HAD A REALLY GREAT PLAN AND I DIDN'T KNOW, BUT I'M GLAD THAT THEY WERE ALREADY THINKING OF THAT.
AND THAT'S WHERE ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT UPDATES COME THROUGH.
AND SO I HAVE NO QUALMS ABOUT THOSE UPDATES AND I WILL CONTINUE TO CHAMPION PARKS JUST AS YOU, UM, MR. CITY MANAGER IN, IN ENSURING THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS THE AMENITIES THAT THEY NEED.
UM, AND, AND YOUR, AND FOR MAYOR YOUR COMMENTS IN THE TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY NOT USE THAT PARK, BUT OTHER PEOPLE DO.
AND SO IT, IT IS BASED ON WHAT'S USED.
I WOULD LIKE TO ENSURE THAT, UM, THE EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT ON BY THE PARKS, WE'LL CONTINUE.
UM, I, I'M HESITANT TO SEE WHAT CUTS MAY BE COMING.
UM, I DO AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, HEY, IF WE HAVE A SINGER, THAT PERFORMER, EXCUSE ME, THAT COSTS THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY VERSUS ANOTHER ONE, THEN WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT ONE.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS PUT ON BY, UH, PARK PARKS FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND I, I'LL STAND BY MY WORDS THAT I'VE SAID BEFORE, IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE PERFORMERS DON'T ATTEND, UM, AND, UH, OR BE PART OF IT EARLIER ON, UM, AND, UH, THROUGH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, UH, MEETINGS WHERE THEY DISCUSS ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PARKS, YOU CAN PARTICIPATE AT THOSE AND GIVE INPUT AT THOSE.
BUT I THINK THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB SO FAR.
AND I WOULDN'T SEE ANYTHING BEING CUT FROM THAT AT THIS MOMENT UNLESS THERE'S A TRUE CONCERN LATER DOWN THE ROAD.
I AM INTERESTED TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE ABOUT THE HOT FUNDS.
UM, BUT I KNOW OUR PRIORITIES CHANGE, UH, FROM TIME TO TIME WHEN IT COMES TO THE HOT FUNDS, UH, CASE IN POINT WITH THE EDAC COMMITTEE, WHICH I KNOW THAT WE'LL BE A BIGGER DISCUSSION LATER ON.
UM, AND SO WE MAY NOT HAVE, UM, FUNDS FOR EDAC NEXT YEAR.
WHO KNOWS? UH, MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN, THAT CAN BE REDIRECTED BACK INTO PARKS.
UM, BUT, UH, RIGHT NOW I FEEL THAT THE BUDGET THAT'S BEEN PROPOSED BY ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS, UH, I FEEL THAT WE'RE STILL HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
WE ARE NOT WHERE WE WERE IN 23 AND 24.
UM, AND, UH, I, I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE ON IN THAT TRAJECTORY.
NEIL, ANYONE ELSE? NO ONE ELSE.
I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, AND I DISCUSSED WITH, WITH, UH, WITH STAFF BEFORE AND WITH JASON, UH, WITH, WITH THE EVENTS, I KNOW WE'VE HAD A LOT OF, UH, SOME ISSUES KIND OF WITH SOME OF THE SAFETY CONCERNS WITH SOME OF THE PEOPLE.
ONE THING I WOULD KIND OF LIKE TO SEE IS, AND I, I KIND OF LOOKED AT THE COST TO SEE WHAT IT WOULD BE RIGHT BEFORE I WENT AND ASK THIS, WHAT IT WOULD BE, UH, OF GATING THE EVENTS AND HAVING EASY EGRESS AND ACCESS BECAUSE THAT PUTS A LITTLE BIT EASIER, MORE SAFETY CONTROL FOR THE POLICE AND FIRE AND, AND JUST THE COST ROUGHLY WOULD BE, IF WE BOUGHT THE FENCING, IT WOULD BE LIKE 70,000 IF WE RENTED IT.
SO IF YOU'RE GETTING 10,000 PEOPLE, THE EVENT, IT'S THREE BUCKS TO ENTER THE EVENT.
AND THAT WOULD KIND OF MAYBE CONTROL A LITTLE BIT OF THIS AND GIVE THEM SOME, GIVE THE POLICE AND FIRE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTROL BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHO'S COMING IN AND OUT OF THE EVENT.
[02:05:01]
THE BACKPACKS.WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THOSE COOLERS.
WE SAW THAT ON JULY 4TH WITH SOMEBODY THAT WE, WE HAD THAT COMMENT ABOUT LIKE, HOW DID SHE GET THAT IN HERE? AND IT DIDN'T LOOK, IT ISN'T IN A GOOD LOOK.
IT WASN'T A GOOD LOOK FOR THAT PART.
AND YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT'S IN COOLER, SEE WHAT'S IN BACKPACKS, MAKE SURE THAT YOUR YOUTH, YOUR, YOUR ADOLESCENTS ARE BEING AS ARE BEING ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE JUST KIND OF A LITTLE BIT MORE SAFER CONTROL.
AND I THINK PEOPLE WOULD FEEL SAFER COMING TO THOSE, SOME OF THOSE EVENTS.
IT MAY BE SOMETHING, UH, THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US LOOK AT.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT A MAJOR INCREASE PER EVENT AND I THINK IF WE JUST RETURN THE COST AT FIVE BUCKS A PERSON IS NOT A LOT TO ENTER, ENTER AN EVENT, THREE BUCKS A PERSON JUST TO COVER THE FENCING COSTS FOR, FOR THOSE EVENTS.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE A LOT OF DETERRENT AND HELP ON OUR, ON OUR POLICE FORCE TO KNOW WHAT'S COMING IN THE EVENT THAT THEY CAN CONTROL IT, LOOK, NOT CONTROL IT, BUT HAVE MORE, MORE SAY.
SO WHAT'S COMING IN, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE COMES IN WITH A BACKPACK AND IT'S LIKE, HEY, YOU GOT OR COOL AND THERE'S ALCOHOL IN THERE.
WELL WAIT A MINUTE, YOU CAN'T COME IN WITH THIS.
YOU HAVE TO GO PUT IT BACK IN YOUR CAR.
COULD THE BACKPACK, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GONNA FIND.
THAT BACKPACK COULD BE PARAPHERNALIA, COULD BE SOMETHING THAT'S A WEAPON THAT DOESN'T NEED TO BE AT THOSE EVENTS.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A SMALL FEE THAT WOULD PUT A LOT MORE SAFETY AND PUBLIC SAFETY INTO OUR CITIZENS AND, AND BRING MORE, I THINK TO THE EVENT.
'CAUSE THEY WOULD FEEL A LITTLE MORE SAFER COMING TO SOME OF THESE EVENTS.
SO ARE YOU SAYING THREE TO FIVE TO COVER THE PURCHASE OR THE RENTAL? RENTAL DEFENSE? BECAUSE A RENT TO RENT IT, WHEN YOU RENT IT, THEY PUT IT UP AND THEN THEY COME BACK AND TAKE IT OUT.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE ANY, THERE'S NO COST FOR US TO PUT IT UP OR COST TO PUT IT DOWN.
STORAGE CHARGE, NO STORAGE, NO OTHER THING.
THEY PUT IT UP, THEY COME BACK ON SATURDAY OR WHATEVER THE NEXT DAY AND TAKE IT ALL DOWN.
AND WE DON'T THAT WAY CLIFF DOESN'T HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE OUT THERE MAINTAIN IT UNLESS CLIFF WANTS TO DO THAT.
I'M GLAD YOU YOU BROUGHT SOME OF THAT STUFF UP.
UM, I, I WANTED TO START WITH THE BUDGET.
I'M VERY IMPRESSED AND, AND PROUD OF EVERYTHING THAT EVERY DEPARTMENT HAS DONE, BUT NOT JUST FOR, FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
I THINK I SAID IT LAST TIME, THE LAST FEW YEARS THAT THAT I'VE BEEN, UM, INVOLVED IN GETTING TO SEE AND WORK THROUGH THIS.
UM, I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND A LOT OF GOOD CHOICES MADE, BUT AS WE'VE SEEN MOVE ALONG, LIKE TALKING ABOUT THE SUPPLEMENTS AND STUFF TODAY, STILL MORE WORK TO BE DONE.
THAT'S PROBABLY WHY WE HAVE TO DO IT EVERY YEAR.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS THE EVENTS, I, I DIDN'T WANT TO, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DISCUSS FOR 2027, NOT FOR 2026.
AND THERE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE A LOT MORE AROUND THIS, BUT FOR ME, WE'RE HAVING THE WRONG DISCUSSIONS.
I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS TO BE ABOUT, UM, TAKING AWAY SOME OF THE FUNDING.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE DISCUSSING SAFETY.
UM, I THINK WE NEED TO BE DISCUSSING, UM, LOOKING INTO MORE SPONSORSHIPS.
BUT YOU KNOW, THAT BRINGS UP ANOTHER TOPIC IS THAT WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN, THERE'S BEEN SOME TALKS ABOUT NOT SOME PEOPLE NOT LIKING PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS.
WELL THAT'S TECHNICALLY WHAT A SPONSORSHIP IS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE WE'LL JUST HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IN DETAIL BECAUSE, UM, I DO THINK THAT SPONSORSHIPS WOULD BE GOOD, BUT I WANT TO LOOK MORE AT THE SAFETY OF IT.
AND FRANCO, YOU ACTUALLY COVERED EVERYTHING THAT I WANTED TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
I THINK GETTING THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO SIT DOWN TO GET, AND I KNOW THEY ALREADY DO THIS, BUT TO DISCUSS WHAT IT REALLY WOULD LOOK LIKE TO, UM, TO SET UP A PERIMETER, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE SOME THINGS IN PLACE THAT, THAT TAKE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN CHARGE OF OUR SAFETY, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FEEL A LITTLE BIT MORE SECURE IN WHAT THEY'RE DOING OUT THERE.
UM, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU DON'T FEEL SECURE NOW, BUT THE EVENT HAS GOTTEN LARGE.
I THINK ONE OF THE EVENTS, UM, I'M NOT SURE IF IT WAS JUNETEENTH OR JULY 4TH, ONE OF THE NUMBERS WAS LIKE 22 TO 30,000 PEOPLE OUT THERE.
UM, WHEN WE'VE GROWN TO EVENT THAT BIG, IT'S GREAT, EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
BUT WE, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT SAFETY A LITTLE BIT MORE MM-HMM
AND, UM, THAT ACTUALLY MIGHT INVOLVE, UM, MORE FUNDING, NOT LESS FUNDING.
HOWEVER, WE CAN LOOK AT SPONSORSHIPS AND SOME THINGS LIKE THAT FOR THAT.
BUT I JUST, I WANT TO, I WANNA HAVE THE CORRECT CONVERSATIONS AND, UM, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT SHOULD EVER BE AROUND, UM, CANCELING THEM, WHICH I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WANTS TO DO THAT OR, UM, OR DEFUNDING THEM.
UM, I JUST, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT CONVERSATIONS.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO THROW YOUR CHIN THOUGHT OUT, BUT, UM, ONE OF THE, THE KINKS THAT WE FOUND OUT, UH, WHEN GOING AFTER SPONSORSHIPS IS THAT DEPENDING ON WHO WE'RE GOING AFTER OR WHO WE'RE APPROACHING, UM, THEY IN TURN HAVE ASKS OF US THAT, WELL, WE NEED THIS, THIS, AND THIS.
AND THEN WE FOUND OUT THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO GO OUT, OUT FOR A BID
AND SO THAT WOULD PUT A KINK DEPENDING ON, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE CAN'T ANTICIPATE THAT.
YOU WANT ME TO EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE MORE? YEAH,
[02:10:01]
IF SO, WITH DR.PEPPER THAT, UM, WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING FOR ABOUT A YEAR, I GUESS I DON'T WANNA PUT A TIMELINE ON IT.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY CAME BACK AND ASKED IS, FIRST OF ALL, THEY LOVED THE FACT THAT WE HAD, UM, SUCH A DIVERSE GROUP OF EVENTS HERE.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT DREW THEM INTO BAYTOWN SPECIFICALLY.
UH, THEY, THEY LIKED THE FACT THAT WE HAD, AND I THINK, I THINK THE FIRST SPONSORSHIP AT G***O, IS IT 15, 15,000 FOR G***O? UM, BUT ONE OF THE ASKS IS, OKAY, IF WE'RE GOING TO SPONSOR, WE'RE GONNA PUT MONEY TOWARDS THIS, THEN WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE VENDING MACHINES WITH JUST DR.
UM, AND THAT'S, THESE ARE THINGS THAT COME UP IN NEGOTIATIONS AT YOUR SPORTS FACILITIES, RIGHT? SOUNDS OKAY.
BUT THEN WHEN YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE GOVERNMENT, WELL THAT HAS TO GO OUT FOR BIDS.
WELL, SPONSORSHIPS, IF THEY'RE ALREADY COMING IN AND WANTING TO SPONSOR, THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO ALSO GO THROUGH THE BIDDING PROCESS.
WELL, IT'S NOT THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH THE BIDDING PROCESS, THEY'RE A SPONSORSHIP.
AND SO, UM, IT JUST, IT'S LIKE EARLIER WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE MOWING AND SAYING THERE'S ALL THESE NUANCES.
UH, AS WE ALL KNOW WITH ALL GOVERNMENTS SITUATIONS AND MONEY, THERE'S NUANCES.
AND SO IT'S GONNA BE A MUCH BROADER TALK.
IT'S NOT JUST AS SIMPLE AS, OH LOOK, THEY WANNA GIVE US 15,000, THEY'RE GONNA SHOW UP, PUT UP A BANNER AND WE MOVE ON.
IT'S, THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO IT.
UM, AND, AND I, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE MORE OF THESE DISCUSSIONS, BUT I, I DON'T WANNA GET CAUGHT UP IN, UM, NICKEL AND DIMMING EVERY SINGLE THING THAT I THINK MAKES THIS COMMUNITY SPECIAL.
AND, UM, THAT IS OUR EVENTS AND OUR PARKS AND, UH, MS. ALVARADO, I THINK THIS IS GONNA BE THE ONE THING THAT, THAT WE FOR SURE, UM, WILL CONTINUE TO STAND THE SAME AS THAT I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO CHAMPION FOR PARKS AS WELL.
AND I, I WOULD HAVE TO AGREE THAT, UM, IT IS A MUCH BIGGER DISCUSSION.
UM, MAYBE YOU HAD TIME TO LOOK UP THE DIFFERENT BARRIERS, UM, BUT JUST 'CAUSE I READ THEM.
BUT AT, AT THE SAME, AT THE SAME TIME, A GOOGLE MAP, PICK A LINEAR FOOT, LIKE I KNOW AT THAT COST ADD 20% AND THAT SHOULD COVER IT DEPENDING ON THE BARRIER THAT'S THERE.
UM, IN MY MIND, SIX FOOT 12, IT'S, IT'S DIFFERENT OUTLETS.
I, I JUST FEEL THAT A BARRIER FOR A PLACE LIKE BICENTENNIAL THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE ENORMOUS.
AND, UM, KEEPING PEOPLE OUT OF A COMMUNITY PARK.
AND I UNDERSTAND THE SAFETY ASPECT, THAT'S WHY I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT.
UM, IN, IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE MY PARENTS LIVE, THEY JUST STARTED DOING THAT AND PUTTING BARRIERS AND IT WAS SO NEGATIVE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND A LOT OF PEOPLE CHOSE NOT TO GO AND THEY DID START CHARGING AS WELL.
SO I'M NOT SAYING I'M NOT SHUTTING ANYTHING DOWN, BUT I THINK I HAVE TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND BOTH SIDES AND I AGREE, YOU KNOW, BIGGER CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN PARKS AND ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND I, I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE, UM, A ONE AND DONE.
I, I DO FEEL THAT THIS IS PERHAPS FOR 2027 AND NOT NECESSARILY FOR 2026 BECAUSE IT IN, IT ENTAILS A LOT MORE CONVERSATION IN MY OPINION.
NO, AND SORRY, BUT YEAH, BECAUSE CITY OF HOUSTON DID IT.
THEY CHARGED WITH THEIR EVENTS, THEY VACATED IT OFF AND IT'S ACTUALLY GOTTEN BIGGER AND BIGGER THAN DONE THAT THEY WENT TO THAT.
AND, AND, AND YOU KNOW, KIND OF YOUR COMMENT FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE VENDORS AND HAVING TO GO OUT AND THAT'S WHERE THIS GOES TO.
YOU COULD HAVE PRIVATE PEOPLE DO PUT ON THESE EVENTS WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH CFPS.
I MEAN, SO SOME STAFF KNOWS WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON HERE FOR THE PAST FIVE WEEKS.
I'M WORK, WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS TRYING TO GET AN EVENT OVER HERE THAT HOPEFULLY HOPE CAN'T SAY MUCH ABOUT IT 'CAUSE IT'S STILL SOME OF THE NEGOTIATIONS, BUT IT'S AN EVENT WHERE WE'LL BE CHARGING TO GET INTO THIS EVENT AT A PARK THAT WE HAVE THAT HAS A LOT OF AREA AND IT HAS THE POTENTIAL OF ABOUT AN $8 MILLION REVENUE AT ABOUT A THREE TO 4 MILLION COST, WHICH MEANS THE CITY COLLECTS $4 MILLION.
DOES THAT INCLUDE THE SOFT COST OF ALL THE YES.
ENTERTAINERS ARE ROUGHLY WILL BE ABOUT A MILLION STAGES.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING'S SET UP IS ABOUT A MILLION TOO.
AND THE POLICE, THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE THAT COMES IN THAT THE OTHER FOUR I PRETTY MUCH TWO TO 3 MILLION IN THE OTHER PART.
SO THESE EVENTS CAN BE DONE HERE WHERE THEY'RE PROFITABLE.
AND I TALKED TO, I TALKED TO, UH, I KNOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S HIS NAME KNOW, I CAN'T THINK OF IT RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW WHO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
YEAH, I KNOW, I KNOW, BUT I CAN'T THINK OF THE MAN.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THAT BACK THERE.
AND HE WAS LIKE, HE WANTED TO CHARGE THE EVENT.
HE'S LIKE, I'D LOVE TO CHARGE FOR THE EVENT AND MAKE THIS A PROFITABLE EVENT FOR HIMSELF IN, IN THAT, IN THE, AND WHERE HE, 'CAUSE WE HAVE THAT DEBATE, RIGHT? THERE'S, THERE'S KIND OF CONVERSATION ABOUT WHO SHOULD BE OVER CONTROLLING THAT.
IF IT'S HIS EVENT, IT'S HIS EVENT.
IT'S NOT US AND HE'S NOT CONTROL
[02:15:01]
IT.HE CAN PUT WHATEVER HE WANTS THERE.
WE'RE, WE'RE NOT PUTTING, THAT'S ALL ON HIM AND HE CAN MAKE THE MONEY OFF OF IT.
AND THAT'S JUST GETTING IT AND CHARGING FOR IT.
ARE YOU MEANING FOR THE NEW EVENT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? NO, FOR JUNETEENTH, HE CAN DO IT THAT WAY.
HE SAID HE IS BEEN WANTING TO CHARGE FOR IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S BEEN WANTING TO CHARGE FOR IT.
AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, I GET WE WANT TO HAVE EVENTS, WE WANT TO BRING PEOPLE HERE, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO WITH, WITH WITH OUR OUR PARKS AND WITH OUR STUFF, THINGS WE'VE ALL HEARD, RIGHT? WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT THE BOND AND WE'RE DEBATING ABOUT CUTTING WEST DEFI AND OTHER STUFF BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR IT AND IT'S NOT GONNA BE IN THE BOND ASPHALT OCCUR.
THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WE STILL NEED TO GET DONE IN KIND OF THAT BASICALLY WHAT ARE OUR PRIORITIES RIGHT NOW AND, AND WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THAT STUFF.
AND YOU CAN USE THE PART AND MAKE IT A PROFITABLE THING FOR YOURSELF TO COVER ITS COST.
AND THAT'S I THINK WHERE A LOT OF THE CITIZENS AND WHERE WE'RE WE'RE, WE'RE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE'RE NOT TALKING TAKE ANYTHING AWAY.
LET'S MAKE THEM NOT LET'S MAKE IT WHERE THE PRO THESE THINGS ARE TAKEN CARE OF THEMSELVES.
IT'S SELF, IT'S SELF-FUNDING THEMSELVES.
THAT BEING SAID, WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE TYPE OF THINGS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CITY'S DONE AS A CELEBRATION OF PEOPLE.
AND THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO WANT, WHO WANT TO COME OUT BECAUSE THEY KNOW IF IT'S A CITY EVENT, IT'S GONNA BE WELCOMING FOR EVERYONE, BOTTOM LINE.
UM, IF IT'S NOT, IT MAY NOT BE.
SO LIKE, UM, I THINK THAT IS, I I LIKE THE SAFETY ASPECT OF IT.
UM, I THINK THAT IS A DISCUSSION WE SHOULD HAVE CHARGING FOR THE FENCING.
JUST TALK ABOUT THAT IN GENERAL AND SEE WHERE WE GO FROM THERE.
UM, BUT I DID WANNA BRING UP SOMETHING ELSE.
IF YOU ALL ARE DONE TALKING ABOUT THIS.
UH, ANY MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THIS SUBJECT HERE? COMMENT.
THERE'S THE, THE, THERE ARE NO PROPOSED CHANGES TO SPECIAL EVENTS IN THE BUDGET THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU RIGHT NOW, HOW WE CURRENTLY OPERATE.
SO YOU, YOU HAVE SOMETHING ABOUT THIS? 'CAUSE I, I HAD SOMETHING IN THE BUDGET I WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
SO THERE'S NO CURRENT CHANGES.
I DON'T, I I HAVE NOT RECEIVED OFFICIAL DIRECTION FROM THE CITY COUNCIL, LIKE FROM THE DAAS TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE BUDGET.
I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH EACH OF YOU ON THIS, BUT FROM THE DAIS, I NEED DIRECTION TO BE ABLE TO MAKE CHANGES THERE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE POLICY DISCUSSIONS ON THE, ON WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN BEFORE ANY CHANGES CAN BE MADE.
SO RIGHT NOW I'LL SAY SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, JUST TO GET THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS,
BASIC STUFF WITHIN OUR PARTS THAT CAN'T FIT FIXED.
AND YOU KNOW, IT GOES BACK TO PRIORITIES.
UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, THERE'S, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S MORE, THERE'S MORE THAN ONE WAYS TO GET THIS FUNDED AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO INVOLVE THE GENERAL FUND, UM, FOR ALL OF OUR EVENTS.
SO, I MEAN, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A PROPOSAL THAT, THAT, THAT DOES TAKE SOME CONSIDERATION, SOME CUTS TO THAT EVENT AND MAYBE REALLOCATE SOME OF THOSE FUNDS TO GETTING OUR EQUIPMENT UP AND RUNNING SO WE COULD CUT, CUT PEOPLE'S LAWNS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A PRIORITY.
IT COMES DOWN TO A PRIORITIES THINGS, YES, THESE EVENTS ARE NICE.
YES, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FUNDING, BUT YOU KNOW, I HEARD A CITIZEN TALK ABOUT WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING.
OTHER CITIES ARE DOING THESE EVENTS ON, YOU KNOW, A FRACTION OF THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE.
AND IF WE COULD LOOK TO KIND OF GETTING CREATIVE ABOUT HOW WE FUND THESE EVENTS AND, AND ROLLING BACK, I THINK THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL.
UM, SO THE, THE DITCH THING IS ACTUALLY FROM PARKS NOT BEING ABLE TO SUPPLEMENT INTO THEIR BUDGET.
SO WHY NOT? I, I JUST, I I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING RIGHT.
CUTTING THE BUDGET FOR THE SAME DEPARTMENT THAT NEEDED THE MONEY TO CUT TO SUPPLEMENT.
IT'S ALREADY THINGS IN THE DEPARTMENT.
IT'S FOR ME, I AGREE WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS FOR 2027, BUT WHAT I THINK THAT WE'RE FORGETTING IS THE BIGGER PICTURE HERE.
UM, WE WENT FROM 61 DAYS TO LOOKING AT, WHAT, 78 DAYS? 81.
I THINK WHAT'S IN THERE NOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT THREE YEARS AGO, AND I, I THINK IT'S ON ONE OF THESE FORMS THAT, THAT THEY PUT OUT HERE TODAY.
AND I JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYBODY OF THIS, AND I KNOW THAT THE PUBLIC DIDN'T SEE THIS, BUT THREE YEARS AGO, EACH DEPARTMENT WAS ASKED TO MAKE THREE, FIVE AND 8% CUTS AND THEY WERE PRESENTED TO US.
WELL WE WERE, OUR FISCAL OUTLOOK THREE YEARS AGO WAS NOT AS GOOD AS IT IS TODAY.
AND THREE YEARS AGO WE WEREN'T TOYING WITH THE IDEA
[02:20:01]
OF REALLOCATING FUNDS OR MOVING FUNDS OUT OF THESE EVENTS.NOT ONLY WERE WE NOT DOING THAT, BUT JUST BECAUSE THE PARKS WANTED TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND, THEY TOOK G***O FROM TWO TO ONE.
THEY TOOK JUNETEENTH FROM TWO TO ONE AND JULY 4TH FROM TWO TO ONE, CORRECT? MM-HMM
UM, AND SO THEY DID ALL OF THAT ALREADY AND SLICED THAT BUDGET AND STILL HAD AN ISSUE SUPPLEMENTING THEIR MOWERS.
I'M JUST MAKING IT TO THE POINT OF, OF THE PRIORITIES TALK.
SO EVEN MAKING ALL THOSE SLASHES, I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS ABOUT REALLOCATING FUNDS MORE SO THAN IT IS BEING MORE RESPONSIBLE WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE MONEY THAT'S ALREADY IN THE BUDGET AND ALLOWING FOR THESE SUPPLEMENTS, WHICH YOU'VE ALREADY TOLD US IN FEBRUARY, WE'LL VISIT IN DETAIL FOR MO.
I KNOW YOU WERE LOOKING AT SOMETHING ELSE, BUT I JUST LOOKING AT OTHER WAYS TO, TO GET SPONSORSHIPS AND TO FUND AND ALL OF THAT IS GREAT, BUT I JUST, I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BIG PICTURE IS HERE BECAUSE THEY KEEP CUTTING, CUTTING, CUTTING, CUTTING, CUTTING TO FOR PRIORITIES.
BUT THEN EACH YEAR WE'RE IN THIS GREAT PLACE.
NOW WE'VE GOT THIS, YOU KNOW, EXTRA 20 ISH DAYS AVAILABLE.
UM, WE'VE MET GOALS THAT WE THOUGHT WERE GONNA TAKE FIVE YEARS AND THREE YEARS.
SO, UM, I JUST DON'T KNOW IF IT'S MAKES SENSE TO CUT THAT BUDGET IN THE BIG PICTURE.
I THINK, I THINK WHAT HE, FROM WHAT I KIND OF GATHER SO IS THAT HE'S NOT TRYING TO CUT PARKS BUDGET.
HE'S WANTING TO ALLOCATE MORE MONEY FROM THE PARKS FUNDS TO MORE TOWARDS HIS MOWING FUNDS TO MORE EQUIPMENT AND MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS.
BUT I THINK PARTS, KNOWING THE SITUATION IN DETAIL, NOT CUTTING ANYTHING, NOT CUTTING IT WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT PARTS WITHIN THE SAME DEPARTMENT.
THE EXPERTS THAT WORK ON THEIR BUDGETS IN DETAIL AND, AND FOR THREE YEARS HAVE PRESENTED US WITH A THREE AND A FIVE AND AN 8% BUDGET.
THEY'RE TELLING YOU THAT THEY CAN, THEY CAN DO THESE THREE EVENTS FOR THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY AS LONG AS THEY CAN GET, TAKE CARE OF THEIR EQUIPMENT THROUGH THE OTHER ROUTES THAT THEY USED TO.
I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO TRUST THE STAFF LIKE WE DO ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO TELL US WHAT THEY NEED AND, AND AND FOR US TO ENABLE THEM AND EMPOWER THEM TO GET IT DONE.
I MEAN, I THINK CLIFF, MAINTENANCE WISE, YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD ENJOY ANOTHER 150,000, 200 FOR MAINTENANCE ON YOUR EQUIPMENT.
I WOULD ENJOY HUNDRED 50,000 TO GO ANYTHING THAT'S NOT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
I KNOW TRYING CITY MANAGER CAN'T.
WHY DID I BUT BUT IF YOU HAD IT OVER THERE, WOULD THAT EQUIPMENT BE UP AND RUNNING RIGHT NOW? SO THE THE EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE REALLY ISN'T AS, AS BIG OF AN ISSUE.
IT, THE SHOPS ARE IN THE, THE, AS MR. LESTER POINTED OUT, ALL THREE MACHINES GOING DOWN IS BAD LUCK.
ALL THREE OF THOSE SHOP MACHINES ARE IN THE SHOP AND THERE'S MAINTENANCE DOLLARS TO FIX THOSE MAINTENANCE.
THE CAPITAL REQUEST IS WHAT, UH, JAY WAS OR MR. REYNOLDS WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, WHICH IS REPLACING THAT LARGE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
WE HAVE MAINTENANCE DOLLARS TO MAINTAIN 'EM.
IT'S JUST DUMB LUCK THAT THREE OF 'EM BROKE AT THE SAME TIME.
SO IT'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT MONEY THAT YOU'RE NEEDING.
WELL, I NEED TO APOLOGIZE 'CAUSE I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT THAT Y'ALL DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY.
SO Y'ALL HAVE THE MONEY'S THERE, YOU'RE ASKING FOR MONEY TO BUY NEW EQUIPMENT, BUT THE QUESTION WAS ASKED IF WE SHOULD CONSIDER CONTRACTING THAT OUT.
JUST AND, AND IT TO CLIFF'S POINT, IT WAS A, IT WAS A FREAK THING FOR THE THREE MOWERS TO GO DOWN AND JUST KIND OF WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS THAT THE END OF THE YEAR RIGHT NOW IS VERY CHALLENGING FOR BUDGETS JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT YOU CAN GET THE CAPITAL PIECES TO GO BUY EVERYTHING BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR AND HAVE SUCH A QUICK TURNAROUND.
SO LIKE TO MR. GRIFFITH'S POINT, YES, WE MAY BE ABLE TO CALL, CALL A CONTRACTOR, BUT, AND JUST LIKE GO OUT THERE AND DO IT.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT WE HAVE MADE VERY LEAN BUDGETS, ESPECIALLY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS A VERY LEAN BUDGET AT THIS POINT.
SO THEY DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO JUST GO CALL A CONTRACTOR TO GO DO EXTRA JOBS, WHICH HAS CREATED THE SCENARIO WHERE WE'RE KIND OF JUST WAITING THREE WEEKS FOR IT TO BE REPAIRED RIGHT NOW.
IT'S JUST, IT'S AN UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCE.
SO WHAT WOULD THE COST BE? WOULD IT COST MORE TO CONTRACT? WELL, IT WOULD COST MORE TO CONTRACT IT OUT IS WHAT I'M ASSUMING ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WELL, I, WE WILL BRING ALL THAT BACK.
UH, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT MIGHT, COVERING THE MAINTENANCE COSTS DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MAINTENANCE FOR THE AND DOWNTIME.
WE HAVE A DOWNTIME RIGHT NOW IF THE CONTRACTORS, Y'ALL LET HER THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT'S ON THEM, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
THERE ARE PLACES THAT ARE, I MEAN, I THINK WE NEED TO VISIT, JUST LIKE YOU SAID, BUT THERE ARE PLACES RIGHT NOW BASED TOWN THAT ARE CONTRACTED OUT AND UM, THE COMPLAINTS THAT WE GET FROM, FROM THOSE AREAS AND WE HAVE TO GO OUT FOR BIDS.
IT'S IF, IF PARKS IS SAYING THAT THEY'RE CAPABLE, WE JUST NEED TO GET THAT EQUIPMENT FIXED.
I MEAN, WE NEED TO GO WITH WHAT THEY'RE SAYING, BUT I MEAN, WE NEED TO SEE THE NUMBERS TOO.
AND I WILL SAY LISTENING TO MR. LESTER AND, UM, WHEN HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND HE ASKED,
[02:25:01]
CAN YOU DO IT WITH TWO, TWO PEOPLE? AND THEY SAID YES, HE HAD COMPLETE CONFIDENCE IN HIM AND HE'S WHAT WE WOULD CALL A SCHMEE, A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT.AM I RIGHT? YEAH, BECAUSE YOU, YOU WERE OVER THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT USED TO BE, WELL IT USED TO BE.
WELL, IF HE COULD DO THAT AND WE'RE NOWHERE, I LIKE TO GO PLAY IN PARKS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO PUT A PLAYGROUND IN OR WHAT IT, WHAT IT, WHAT IS NEEDED TO MAINTAIN THAT PARK.
I'M NOT A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT.
A REALLY BIG TEST FROM THE STATE, A LOT OF OTHER STUFF.
THERE'S A PLAYGROUND TEST AND I'M NOT WILLING TO DO THAT.
SO IF IF THEY THINK THEY CAN DO THIS, I'M GONNA TRUST THEM AND, AND GO WITH IT.
UM, I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO ASK MY QUESTION, BUT I DON'T WANT Y'ALL TO THINK THAT I'M TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM THIS.
SO CAN WE GIVE HIM SOME DIRECTION? CAN I, CAN I GET A, A QUICK QUESTION OR CLARIFICATION FROM, UM, MR. CITY MANAGER? UM, OUR LAST CONVERSATION REGARDING, UH, 4TH OF JULY AND HOW COUNCIL MEMBER SAID THAT WE WENT FROM TWO TO ONE DAY AND WE DID TAKE AWAY THE, UM, THE 4TH OF JULY PARADE, BUT WE STILL HAD INCLUDED THE AWARD AWARDS FOR PARADES AND THEN I WASN'T SURE IF ANY UM, UH, SIGNAGE OR UH, SECURITY WAS ALSO INCLUDED OR, OR TAKEN AWAY.
AND SO DID WE GET HER CLARIFICATION ON THAT? I DON'T KNOW OFF OF MY HEAD.
FOR THE 4TH OF JULY WE HAD LISTED THE, UH, AWARDS, UM, FOR THE PARADE.
BUT SINCE WE NO LONGER DID A PARADE, IF YOU REMEMBER WE DID A, UH, CAR SHOW A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
AND, UH, BASICALLY THAT'S JUST A, A PLACEHOLDER FOR SOME TYPE OF ENGAGEMENT THAT WAY.
EITHER PARADE A CAR SHOW OR WARTIME DISPLAY, ANY, WHATEVER THAT IS THAT A LOT OF TIMES IT'S THE COUNCIL THAT'LL PICK THE WINNER.
AND THAT'S JUST FOR THE AWARDS FOR THAT.
WHATEVER, WHATEVER THE STAND IS STAND IN IS FOR THAT EVENT.
ARE WE PLANNING TO DO THAT FOR 26? ARE WE DOING A CAR SHOW? WHAT GETS DEPENDING ON THE BUDGET.
WE'RE NOT DOING A CAR CAR CLUB.
MAYBE WE CAN GET A CAR CLUB TO SPONSOR THE CAR SHOW AND RUN THE WHOLE THING.
I KNOW WHAT I THINK THE LINE ITEMS WERE THE AWARDS FOR THE CAR SHOW.
WERE THERE AWARDS FOR FILL IN THE BLANK.
OKAY, SO ON THE, I KNOW WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THAT ALSO THAT WE WANTED TO SEE IF COMPLETE COSTS ON HERE.
IT INCLUDED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S COST THE FIRE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S.
AND ALL IF YOU HAVE ALL THAT IN HERE, BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S, WE DO LISTEN TO Y'ALL WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD IT ALL BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAD TALKED ABOUT, I THINK, BUT KIND GETTING IN THERE.
OH, THAT INCLUDE CONSTABLE COST, NO COST, FOOD ISSUES, GIVEAWAYS, THAT, THAT'S ALL IN THERE.
THAT'S A SUMMARIZED, UH, VERSION OF THE LIST.
WE GOT A ACTUAL, BUT THE, UH, THE THE LIST THAT, THAT I PROVIDED THAT I THINK WAS EMAILED TO YOU HAS, IT WAS, UH, EVERY ACCOUNT THAT IS MATCHES THE ACCOUNT IN OUR BUDGET.
YOU CAN LITERALLY GO LINE FOR LINE AND SEE EVERY CONSTABLE COST, EVERY, UH, PORTA POTTY, RENTAL COST.
EVERY, EVERYTHING YOU WANT IS, IS IN THERE.
IF YOU HAVE THE JUSTIFICATION LINE ON YOUR BUDGET THERE.
IT'S GOT LIKE 25,000 FOR CONSTABLE COSTS FOR THE EVENTS, BUT IT'S GOT YEAH.
THAT AND THAT'S FOR ALL OF THE EVENTS.
THE, UH, THEY'RE EACH INDIVIDUAL EVENTS I REMEMBER RIGHT DAY TOGETHER.
THE ONE I SAW WAS, YEAH, IT, EVERYTHING'S IN THERE THOUGH.
LIKE, AND I, I'LL BE HAPPY TO SIT DOWN.
THE SUMMARY SHEET THAT I, THAT I SENT OVER THERE HAS EVERY SINGLE ACCOUNT THAT WE USE, 20,300 HARRIS COUNTY CONSTABLES FOR SPECIAL EVENTS.
SO I'M ASSUMING IT'S FOR THOSE THREE EVENTS.
SO, AND CHRISTMAS PARADE AND ALL OF THAT ALSO, OR JUST THOSE THREE EVENTS THAT, THAT SHOULD BE JUST FOR THE, THOSE THREE EVENTS.
THOSE THREE EVENTS WE WERE ASKED TO PROVIDE A BUDGET FOR, I MEAN, A BREAKDOWN FOR THE THREE EVENTS.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING IS THAT 20,000 UP THERE? MM-HMM
SO MY QUICK MATH WITH WHAT I SAW ON THE BUDGET WE SPEND OVERALL FOR OUR THREE MAJOR EVENTS, JUST A LITTLE LESS THAN A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
THE THREE MAJOR EVENTS IN TOTAL IS 631.
IS THAT THE NUMBER YOU GOT THERE? THAT'S 6 31.
AND I ADDED STUFF THAT I DIDN'T SEE ON THAT ONE.
NO, BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THAT LIST BEFORE.
THAT THAT LIST ENCOMPASSES EVERYTHING FROM THE ORIGINAL LIST.
WHERE'S THE 20,000 FOR CONSTABLES SPECIAL
[02:30:01]
SERVICES? YEAH, IT'S UNDER SPECIAL SERVICES IS THE, WHICH ONE ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? YOU, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT EVENTS IN GENERAL OR YOU, YOU DON'T WANT TO SEARCH FIREWORKS ENTERTAINMENT.SO IF YOU, IF YOU, UM, ON HERE CLIFF, LIKE IF YOU WANNA LOOK, I'M LOOKING AT, THERE'S A SECURITY 12,000 FOR JULY FOUR.
IS THAT THE SECURITY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? IS THAT THE CONFIDENCE? I'M LOOKING RIGHT HERE.
HE'S LOOKING AT THE BLIND OUT BUDGET.
YEAH, I'M TALKING ABOUT THIS ONE HERE.
YOU CAN SEE EACH, UM, HARRIS COUNTY CONSTABLE THEY SAW.
BUT, AND THAT'S WHY I'M IMAGINING, I'M NOT ARGUING YOU'RE 6 31.
I'M JUST LOOKING AT WHERE IT IS.
AND THAT'S FOR JUNETEENTH ALONE.
YEAH, THIS ONE RIGHT HERE IS FOR 4TH OF JULY.
WELL AGAIN, I WAS LOOKING AT THAT AND I DIDN'T SEE IT UP THERE.
NO, THAT'S, THIS HAS CONSOLIDATED.
SO IT SHOULD BE WHAT LINE ITEM UP THERE OR HAS IT IS MY QUESTION.
SO THE 2 33 FOR JULY 4TH, A PORTION OF THAT IS CONSTABLE COST.
SO YOU'RE SAYING IF WE WANT TO LOOK AT THE LINE ITEM, WE LOOK AT THIS.
BUT IF WE WERE LOOKING AT THAT UP THERE, THAT'S THE TOTAL.
WE JUST NEED TO KNOW THAT THE ET CETERA UNDER SPECIAL SERVICES IS ALL OF THIS.
AND, AND HONESTLY, UH, MR. LESSER, THAT'S WHY I BROKE IT OUT ON THAT OTHER PAGE THAT WAY BECAUSE IT IS CONFUSING THAT EACH ONE OF THOSE LINES, LIKE FOR FOR SPECIAL SERVICES, UH, YOU MIGHT NOT EXPECT A CONSTABLE TO BE IN THERE.
YOU MIGHT EXPECT THAT TO BE THE FIREWORK DISPLAY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
YOU KNOW? 'CAUSE THAT'S WHY I GAVE YOU THE, THE FULL BREAKDOWN.
AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT HAS EVERY ACCOUNT THAT WE UTILIZE FOR EVERY EVENT.
SO IT'S A, A TRUE, UH, SNAPSHOT OF EACH ONE OF THOSE EVENTS.
SO AS FAR AS DIRECTION, I'M FINE.
CAN I ADD ONE MORE THING, MA'AM? YES, SIR.
JUST, JUST, I I THINK THIS IS ALSO ANOTHER VERY BIG CONVERSATION.
UM, ONE OF THE CHANGES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER IN THE YEAR IS THAT PARKS HAS TAKEN ON A NEW IDENTITY IN A WAY THAT PARKS AND REC, KYLE PARKS AND REC IS NOW PARKS AND REC AND TOURISM.
AND SO THE TOURISM BUDGET IS DIFFERENT THIS YEAR BECAUSE IT IS CHANGING THE IDENTITY OF WHAT THE PARKS AND REC AND TOURISM DEPARTMENT IS.
AND SO THAT WITH IN TANDEM WITH PROJECT VECTOR, UM, PARKS AND REC AND TOURISM IS TAKING OF WHAT BRINGS PEOPLE TO BAYTOWN.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT BRINGS PEOPLE TO BAYTOWN ARE, IS OUR, OUR LOVELY PARK SYSTEM, OUR RECREATION ASPECT THAT WE HAVE, OUR GREEN SPACES THAT WE HAVE AND THE SPECIAL SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
AND THEN THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT IS KIND OF THE UMBRELLA THAT IS HIGHLIGHTING ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE DO.
AND SO THE TOURISM PIECE OF PARKS, REC AND TOURISM AT THIS POINT IS GOING TO BE THAT SPOTLIGHT FOR BAYTOWN SHINING A DIFFERENT LIGHT ON WHAT WE ARE DOING.
AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT THROUGH THAT LENS, DOES THAT START TO CHANGE YOUR POLICY VIEW THAT Y'ALL WANT? DOES IT TIE INTO LARGER SPECIAL EVENTS LIKE MR. FRANCO WAS TALKING ABOUT? DOES IT CHANGE ON HOW YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THE, THE THE PARK SYSTEM? CAN YOU, CAN YOU RE-IDENTIFY WHERE SOME OF THE TOURISM DOLLARS, THE HOT FUND MONEY IS GONNA GO AT THIS POINT? AND THE ANSWER TO ALL THAT IS YES, WE CAN CHANGE ALL OF THAT STRUCTURE, BUT IT IS A VERY BIG CONVERSATION AND WE'RE AT THE INFANCY OF, OF THAT TRANSITION FOR THE PARKS, REC AND TOURISM DEPARTMENT AT THIS POINT.
SO DO Y'ALL LIKE I'M OKAY WITH HOW IT IS RIGHT NOW.
I MAYOR, I I KNOW THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IT, THERE'S DIFFERENT VIEWS, SO NO, I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I'M JUST, I'M LISTEN TO Y'ALL
RIGHT? I'M OKAY WITH IT AS IT IS RIGHT NOW.
WE CAN HAVE FUTURE DISCUSSIONS FOR THE OTHER YEARS.
HOW DO YOU ALL FEEL ABOUT IT? I I WANT TO SEE, I I'D LIKE TO, I'M NOT SAYING THAT KIND OF, I, I WOULD, I JUST KIND OF WOULD LIKE TO GET A ROUND NUMBER OF A HALF A MILLION FOR ALL OF THEM AND SEE SOME CORPORATE MORE SPONSORSHIPS.
I MEAN THAT, FOR ME IT LOOKED, I KIND OF BASICALLY WENT 2 50, 1 25, 1 25.
YOU, YOU THINK WE COULD DO THAT IN THE NEXT THREE WEEKS? I THINK WE'LL, FINE.
I YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT EVENTS FOR NEXT YEAR.
NO, BUT THE BUDGET HAS TO BE APPROVED.
THAT WAS PART OF THE ISSUE WITH ONE OF THE PERFORMERS, IS THAT THE ANSWER WHEN WE WERE QUESTIONING WHAT WAS GOING ON, SPECIFICALLY COUNCIL MEMBER GRIFFITH, THE RESPONSE FROM THE CITY MANAGER WAS, WELL, YOU DID APPROVE IT.
YOU APPROVED IT ON THE BUDGET.
SO WHEN ONCE WE APPROVED THIS BUDGET, THAT WAS FOR THIS YEAR'S.
BUT NO, BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS ALL THE THINGS YOU'RE WANTING TO DO, YOU WANT THE STAFF TO HAVE ALL OF THAT READY FOR US BY OCTOBER? WELL, ALL YEAH, OCTOBER 1ST.
I, I THINK WE HOLD WHERE WE ARE NOW, BUDGET IS, WE START HAVING THOSE DISCUSSIONS
[02:35:01]
IN 2020 NOW THROUGH 2026, AND WE IMPLEMENT 'EM IN 2027 AND, AND WE'RE, WE'RE BETTER OFF QUICKER THAN WHERE WE WERE THREE YEARS AGO.IT'S NOT GOING, WE'RE NOT GONNA SET OURSELVES BACK.
WE'VE HEARD AT THE OTHER BUDGET MEETING THAT WE'RE ALMOST ABLE TO SEE THE LIGHT AT THE TUNNEL.
I MEAN, WE'VE ACTUALLY CUT MORE THINGS, WE'RE MORE PHYSICALLY RESPONSIBLE.
AND WE CAN STILL HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND ALSO GET THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO COME IN FOR, UH, CITIZEN COMMENT.
I, I DEFINITELY WANT TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND VISIT WHAT WE NEED TO DO WITH THE, WITH THE EVENTS, UM, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE UP HERE WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
BUT I WANT TO DO THIS AFTER WE ARE ABLE TO DISCUSS IT IN DETAIL AT THE RETREAT.
I DO NOT WANT, THI THIS IS TOO BIG OF A CONVERSATION AND I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO MAKE A SOLID DECISION ON THIS IN THE NEXT THREE TO FOUR WEEKS OR THREE TO SIX WEEKS.
THERE ARE SOME MOVING PIECES IN THIS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE TIED UP FOR A NEXT 4TH OF JULY.
AGREED FEST AND JUNETEENTH, PARTICULARLY WITH SECURITY AND THE, UM, TYPE OF ENTERTAINMENT THAT'S BEING SCHEDULED THERE, THAT'S BEING ENDORSED BY THE CITY AS FRIENDLY, FRIENDLY.
UM, IF THERE'S A WAY WE CAN CONTROL THAT TO THE BUDGET, WE COULD HAVE THESE HISTORICAL EVENTS AND, AND NOT HAVE CONTENT THAT HORRIFIES VIOLENCE AND DRUG USE.
I DON'T SEE HOW THAT TIES INTO JULY 4TH, GRADLE FEST OR JUNETEENTH OR PARTICULARLY FOURTH JULY AND JUNETEENTH, UM, ALL US HOLIDAYS TO ME ARE, ARE HOLIDAYS WERE CELEBRATED FOR EVERYBODY.
THE ROAD TO THE ROAD TO 18 70, 18 63 STARTED AT 1776.
AND UM, IT ALL SHOULD BE CELEBRATED IN THAT CONTEXT, WHETHER IT'S FOURTH JULY OR JUNETEENTH OR ANY OTHER AMERICAN HOLIDAY.
AND ALL OF THEM DESERVE EQUAL REPRESENTATION TO SAY THAT IT'S NOT GONNA BE THAT WAY BECAUSE WE CUT THE BUDGET, IN MY OPINION, IS ABSURD.
AND, UM, WE NEED TO, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE USING PUBLIC DOLLARS FOR THESE EVENTS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IT'S SAFE.
NOT ONLY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE VISITING, BUT FOR OUR VENDORS WHO I'VE HEARD VERY A LOT OF FEEDBACK AFTER JULY, WELL AFTER JUNETEENTH AND EVEN ON JULY 4TH, YOU KNOW, VENDORS WERE SAYING THEY WILL NEVER COME BACK TO BAYTOWN TO HAVE A, A BOOTH OR AN EVENT.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
THAT'S NOT WHAT, THAT'S NOT THE NAME THAT I WANT TO SEE ON A, ON A BAYTOWN EVENT.
SO TO MY COLLEAGUE, UH, FRANCO'S POINT, I, I WOULD CHAMPION LOOKING AT WAYS TO MAKE IT MORE SECURE.
WE'VE HAD THREE EVENTS OUTSIDE OF THESE THREE EVENTS.
WE'VE HAD CHRISTMAS PARADE JUNETEENTH, JULY 4TH, WHERE UM, ADOLESCENTS HAVE, UM, RESULTED IN, RESULTED IN FIGHTING FROM ADOLESCENTS.
AND THAT'S A TREND AND THAT'S A TREND THAT WE NEED TO GET A HOLD ON WITH THESE EVENTS.
SO I'M ALL FOR, YOU KNOW, DO SOMETHING.
PUT SOME SECURITY UP, CHARGE ENTRY FEE, UM, COVER THE COST OF OUR, OF THE, OF THE SECURITY FENCING AND, AND PROVIDE A, A, A SAFE PLACE FOR OUR VENDORS TO OPERATE AND PEOPLE TO COME AND CELEBRATE THESE WONDERFUL EVENTS, UM, WITHOUT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT, UM, SOMETHING, UM, GETTING EXPLOSIVE AND GOING PLACES THAT IT DOESN'T NEED TO GO.
'CAUSE IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME TILL SOMETHING HAPPENS.
AND THEN THESE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WILL ALL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BECAUSE THAT LOGO AND THAT NAME IS TIED TO THAT EVENT.
YOU KNOW, SPEAKING OF THE ENTERTAINMENT, I THINK IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE, UM, VISITED WITH THE BUDGET.
I THINK THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE VISITED WITHIN THE CONTRACT.
WE NEED TO HOLD THE ENTERTAINERS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT WE WANT THEM TO REPRESENT WHEN WE HIRE THEM.
SO I THINK THAT CAN BE DONE WITH JUST SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS PUTTING IT IN THE CONTRACT THAT YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH THINK THAT'S IN THE CONTRACT.
WELL, AND, AND, BUT, SO IF IT'S IN THE CONTRACT, HAVEN'T STOPPED, YOU JUST HAVE TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE, THEN WE HAVE TO HOLD 'EM ACCOUNTABLE.
BUT THAT'S ALSO GONNA, SO HOW DO YOU HOLD THAT? HOW DO YOU, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ENTERTAINERS, ANYTHING THAT WE LISTEN TO IS GONNA TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT OTHERS MAY NOT
[02:40:01]
AGREE WITH, OTHERS MAY NOT AGREE WITH.BOTTOM LINE, UH, NO MATTER WHAT GENRE IT IS, IT'S GONNA HAVE SOME THINGS THAT OTHER PEOPLE MAY NOT AGREE WITH.
AND MAYOR, I, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT ASPECT.
MY, MY SIDE OF THIS IS, AND, AND KUDOS TO PARKS, THEY DO BIGGER AND BETTER EVERY YEAR.
IT, TO ME, IT'S A MISSION CREEP ISSUE.
AND IT'S KIND OF, WE'RE A CITY OF POPULATION AROUND 85,000.
WE DO NOT NEED TO BE IN A POSITION OF TRYING TO COMPETE WITH HOUSTON OR OTHER REGIONAL THINGS.
WE NEED TO START SCALING THIS BACK.
AND THIS REALLY CAME TO HOME WHEN WE STARTED GETTING THE CALLS ABOUT, I CAN'T BELIEVE Y'ALL DID THIS.
AND IT'S LIKE, WELL, WE AS A COUNCIL DID NOT MAKE THAT DECISION.
AND, AND I'M PICKING ON THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY MANAGER.
SO YES, YOU DID WHEN YOU APPROVED THE BUDGET.
SO HERE WE ARE LOOKING TO APPROVE THE BUDGET.
IT'S KINDA LIKE, I'M GONNA TAKE MISSION CREEP AWAY FROM YOU.
I WANT YOU TO SCALE BACK NOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY, BUT IS THAT A PERCENTAGE TO SCALE BACK? YOU KNOW, AGAIN, Y'ALL DO SUCH A GOOD JOB AS FAR AS DOING BIGGER AND BETTER EVERY YEAR.
WELL, WE, WE HAVE GREAT EVENTS.
LET'S, LET'S PULL IT BACK AND HAVE A WONDERFUL, GREAT EVENT.
BUT LET'S STOP TRYING TO BE THE BIGGEST AND BADDEST BECAUSE WE'RE NOT, WHENEVER WE STARTED WITH JUNETEENTH, AND I CAN SAY THIS, I'M, I'M GONNA GO OUT IN THE LIMB AND SAY THAT THIS IS WITH EVERY EVENT.
WE WEREN'T TRYING TO BE THE BIGGEST AND BEST.
AND EVERY YEAR GOING FORWARD, WE WERE NOT TRYING TO BE BIGGER AND BETTER.
WE WERE JUST TRYING TO HOLD THE LINE WHERE WE WERE AND PEOP AND WHEN WORD GOT OUT ABOUT HOW GREAT THE EVENT WAS, BUT OUR COSTS CONTINUED TO GO UP.
I'M SAYING NOT, NOT, NOT WITH JUNETEENTH.
IF YOU LOOK AT JUNETEENTH, WELL, ALL OF THEM ACTUALLY.
THEY ALL WENT, THEY ALL WENT DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY.
DOWN THEY WENT, THEY WENT WAY DOWN.
THAT'S WHAT I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING.
I THINK HE'S SAYING ORIGINALLY FROM THE ORIGINAL FIRST TO, FROM, LET'S SAY WITH A FIVE YEAR, FIVE YEAR PERIOD, UH, YOU ARE RIGHT.
IN THE PAST SIX YEARS OR SO, IT WAS A GRADUAL CONTINUE.
YOU ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT RIGHT THIS PAST YEAR AS PART OF THE BUDGET CUTS THAT MR. REYNOLDS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER FOR THIS FY TWO FIVE THAT THE YEAR WE'RE IN NOW, IT WENT DOWN PRETTY SUBSTANTIALLY.
AND THAT WAS PARTLY DUE BECAUSE OF THE TWO DAYS OF ONE DAYS.
BUT IT'S ALSO THE ENTERTAINMENT.
SO BACK, UH, UH, THE GROUP WE GOT FOR THE 4TH OF JULY THIS YEAR, UH, WAS HART YEAH.
RAY HART WAS SUB, SUB SUB A LOT LESS THAN, UH, THAN BRETT YOUNG THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
I THINK IT WAS LIKE 70 OR 80,000 LESS.
AND IT'S TOUGH TO COMPARE GOING FROM A TWO DAY TO A ONE DAY AND SAY, WELL, WE CUT THE BUDGET IN HALF.
SO, BUT OVERALL, IT'S KIND OF, WE NEED, WE NEED TO PULL SOME OF THAT MISSION CREEK BACK AGAIN.
BUT, AND WHEN WE NEED TO KIND OF DRAW A LINE THAT, OKAY, IF IT IS THIS YEAR'S BUDGET OR WHAT WE HAD LAST YEAR, BUT AGAIN, I, I'M NOT, I I SUPPORT DOING ALL OF THE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE.
WE JUST NEED TO SCALE IT BACK A LITTLE BIT WHEN IT COMES.
I DON'T, WHEN IT COMES TO THE ENTERTAINERS, I JUST DON'T WANNA SEE MISSION CREEP.
IT'S THE SAME ARGUMENT WE HAVE WITH HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT.
HOW IN THE WORLD DID WE GET TO WHERE WE WERE AFTER SO MANY YEARS? IT WAS MISSION CREEP WHEN IT COMES TO THE ENTERTAINERS.
HOW MUCH DID WE SEE ENTERTAINMENT JUMP UP AFTER THE, AFTER COVID SPREADSHEET? BECAUSE I DO REMEMBER HAVING THAT DISCUSSION AND YEAH, IT WAS LIKE AFTER COVID, EVERYBODY STARTED, STARTED CHARGING MORE AND WE ACTUALLY, WE DIDN'T EVEN GET TOP LEVEL ENTERTAINMENT FOR JUNETEENTH GOING FORWARD.
BANDS UH, BANDS HAVE GONE UP A LOT, UH, SINCE COVID.
BUT WE HAVE, UH, THIS IS A COMPARISON OF JUST THE ENTERTAINMENT COSTS.
UH, FOR, UH, FOR JUNETEENTH, FOR INSTANCE, UH, WE WERE AT, UH, 40,000, 25,000.
WE JUMPED UP TO 60,000 IN 2024.
AND WE WENT DOWN TO 46 THIS YEAR.
UH, AND 4TH OF JULY FOR ENTERTAINMENT FOR FOURTH ONLY.
WE WERE AT 2 0 2 AND FY TWO FOUR, AND WE WENT DOWN TO 1 22 AND FY TWO FIVE.
SO THAT'S A BIT OF A REDUCTION.
AND THEN OVER, UH, AND RETO FEST ACTUALLY IS THE ONLY ONE THAT WENT UP, UH, FOR ENTERTAINMENT ONLY.
BUT, UM, RETO FEST IS KIND OF A WEIRD ONE TOO THOUGH, BECAUSE IT FALLS THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER.
SO SOME OF IT IS PAID THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
SO THAT WAS STILL THE OTHER WAY.
BUT JUNETEENTH, THE 4TH OF JULY HERE, TO YOUR POINT, HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION.
AND IF YOU COMPARE JUST ENTERTAINMENT 4TH OF JULY FROM FY TWO FOUR TO FY TWO FIVE, IT'S 2 0 2 TO 1 22.
AND THEN IF YOU, TWO YEARS BEFORE THAT, WHAT WAS IN 23? UH, UH, IN 23 IT WAS 99.
SO IT WENT, IT TOOK A SIGNIFICANT JUMP.
AND, BUT THAT'S A LITTLE BIT WEIRD ON THAT YEAR BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN WE HAD THE TWO DAY
[02:45:01]
FESTIVAL AND WE WOULD SOMETIMES PUT MORE ENTERTAINMENT INTO THE THIRD OR THE FOURTH.SO TO TELL ME WE WENT FROM 200 TO TO ONE 20.
THAT'S A COMPARISON OF JUST THE ENTERTAINERS FOR THE FOURTH.
THAT YEAR, THAT THE YEAR THAT'S A LITTLE OFF IS THE YEAR.
THAT'S LESS THAN A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
WE HAD A, UH, THE YEAR THAT THE, THAT'S DIFFERENT IS THE ONE THAT WE PUT MORE, UH, INTO THE 3RD OF JULY THAT YEAR.
'CAUSE WE COULDN'T FIND TALENT FOR THE FOURTH.
SO WE ACTUALLY DID A BIGGER THIRD ONE YEAR AS AN OUTLIER.
BUT, SO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, LIKE I DID RECEIVE SOME PO SOME POLICY DIRECTION TO HELP, LIKE, FACILITATE THE CONVERSATION IF, IF SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL WERE LOOKING TO HAVE TONIGHT.
AND I DID EMAIL Y'ALL THIS ON THE, BECAUSE THERE WERE DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEWS FROM THE COUNCIL THAT, THAT I SPOKE TO.
BUT THE GENERAL CONSENSUS WAS KEEPING ALL THREE EVENTS.
THAT WAS THE GENERAL CONSENSUS THAT THE OTHER POLICY PIECE WAS FAMILY FRIENDLY.
UM, AND STAFF WILL ENSURE THAT THE, THIS DIRECTIVE IS MET THROUGH CONTRACTS WITH THE VENDORS AND MAY MAYBE ADDITIONAL INPUT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ON WHAT Y'ALL WOULD LIKE THAT TO BE MAYBE UPDATED IN THE CONTRACTS.
THAT WAS KIND OF THE, THE CONVERSATION PIECE, UH, ABOUT THE, ABOUT THE EVENT.
SO LIKE FOR JULY 4TH ENTERTAINERS, WE SEE A LIST THAT THEY PUT OUT BEFORE Y'ALL PICK, DO Y'ALL DO LIKE SURVEYS WITH THE PUBLIC AND STUFF? WE DID A SURVEY A FEW YEARS AGO AND WE DIDN'T DO A SURVEY THIS PAST YEAR BECAUSE THE BUDGET WAS REDUCED SO MUCH THAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO BRING FORTH OPTIONS THAT WEREN'T ON THE SAME LEVEL AND THINK THAT WE DIDN'T WANT THE COMMUNITY TO THINK THAT WE WERE, WE COULDN'T GET WHAT WE USED TO GET.
WE WERE TRYING TO STILL PROVIDE THE BEST THING WE COULD WITHOUT SURVEYING.
SO KEEP HEARING YOUR TRUTH BECAUSE OF THE, SO WITH JUNETEENTH, JUNETEENTH WAS WHERE THERE WAS MORE TALK OF PROBLEMS WITH THE ENTERTAINER.
UM, I'VE NEVER SEEN US PRESENTED HERE IN BAYTOWN BEFORE I WAS IN COUNCIL WITH ANY KIND OF, UH, LIST OF ENTERTAINERS FOR JUNETEENTH.
AND SO I THINK THAT IS WHAT PROMPTED THIS ENTIRE CONVERSATION, UM, AND, AND WHAT GOT US DOWN THIS ROAD.
SO I THINK THAT FOR JUNETEENTH, YOU KNOW, WE, I KNOW IT WAS BROUGHT UP ABOUT THERE BEING A SEPARATE COMMITTEE.
I PERSONALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT PIECE EITHER.
WITH, UM, THE PARKS AND REC COMMITTEE, I, I COULD, IF WE HAVE MORE TALKS ABOUT THIS, I COULD FORESEE US LETTING PARKS AND REC COMMITTEE AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT OVERSEE THE THREE EVENTS THAT ARE STAMPED WITH OUR NAME.
UM, THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR MORE OVERSIGHT.
I, I JUST AM NOT SURE THIS IS A BUDGET ISSUE MORE SO THAN MISMANAGEMENT BY US.
I WOULDN'T EVEN SAY MISMANAGEMENT.
I THINK IT'S BEEN MANAGED VERY WELL.
I THINK, UM, SOME OF THE ISSUES WE HAD, IT WAS BROUGHT, IT STARTED AT THE CHRISTMAS PARADE WITH THE ADOLESCENTS, AND WE REALLY DIDN'T, THERE WAS FENCING THERE,
BUT WHEN IT, WHEN IT COMES TO THAT, WE, UM, I, SINCE IT, SINCE IT HAPPENED AT CHRISTMAS PARADE, I THOUGHT WE, WE MAY HAVE THOUGHT IT WAS A ONE OFF THING.
JUNETEENTH CAME AROUND, IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND THEN, BUT, BUT, BUT EVEN WHEN IT, BUT WE, I THINK WE DID A MUCH BETTER JOB JULY 4TH, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, BECAUSE I, UH, IT, IT WAS LESS, AND YOU, SOME OF THIS IS GONNA GO BACK TO PARENTS.
'CAUSE EVEN IF THEY WALK IN WITH PARENTS, ONCE THEY GET IN THE GATE WITH PARENTS AND THEY GO DECIDE TO DO THEIR OWN THING, GUESS WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN? SOMEBODY'S GOTTA BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THOSE KIDS.
SO I SAW IMPROVEMENT FROM JUNETEENTH THROUGH JULY 4TH, AND I GOT OUT THERE AND WALKED THREE MILES, UM, BOTH AT BOTH EVENTS.
AND I EVEN TOLD THE CHIEF, IF WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT MUCH, IT WAS, IT, IT WAS MUCH BETTER.
AND I'M, AND I'M HOPING THAT WITH THE GREEN OFFENSE, WE'RE NOT GONNA SEE ANY OF THAT BECAUSE WE'VE APPROVED, AFTER THE INITIAL, UM, INCIDENT AT THE CHRISTMAS PARADE, JUNETEENTH, WE SAW, OKAY, THIS IS A TREND JULY 4TH, WE STEPPED IT UP.
I THINK GREEN FEST IS GONNA BE A LOT BETTER, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
WELL, AND THEN, AND AND TO THE, TO CHIEF SPRINGER'S POINT, THAT JULY 4TH THERE WAS A, A, A, A BIGGER AMOUNT OF SECURITY THREATS.
IT WAS, ESPECIALLY ALONG MARKET STREET, IT WAS, THERE WAS A FIGHT THAT WAS ABOUT TO POP OFF.
I I SAW DEALERS, SOME TEENAGERS, AND YOU KNOW, THE POLICE WERE RIGHT THERE.
TO STOP A BAD SITUATION FROM GETTING EXPONENTIALLY WORSE.
AND, AND THAT'S KUDOS TO CHIEF STRINGER'S, UH, TACTICAL, YOU KNOW, LOGISTICS ON THAT, ON THAT EVENT.
AND WE NEED, WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO BE ALSO MORE PREVENTATIVE.
AND THEY, AND THEY DID THAT BECAUSE JUNETEENTH, THEY HAD THE SAME AMOUNT OF OFFICERS THAT THEY'VE HAD PREVIOUSLY.
AND WE HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR JULY 4TH, IT SEEMS LIKE.
UH, WE ACTUALLY HAD, UH, WE HAD 20 OFFICERS FOR THE JULY 4TH MM-HMM
UH, WE HAD MANY MORE OUT ON FOOT.
[02:50:01]
HAD ADDITIONAL, UH, UH, UH, DRONE COVERAGE SO THAT WE COULD, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD WHAT WE CALL THE EYE AND THE SCOTT.AND WE HAD A BETTER, UH, BETTER VANTAGE POINT OF WHAT WAS GOING ON.
AND, UH, ONE OF OUR SERGEANTS ALSO HAD A REALLY GOOD IDEA ABOUT GETTING OUR PATROL VEHICLES PARKED UP ON MARKET STREET WHERE THE VENDORS WERE.
AND THAT ACTED AS A DETERRENT AS WELL.
BUT WHAT WE DID WITH THIS ONE THAT, UH, I BELIEVE MADE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IS WE WENT UNDER WHAT'S CALLED A TRUE UNIFIED COMMAND STRUCTURE, WHERE WE HAD ALL THE DECISION MAKERS FROM THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS SITTING IN THE SAME COMMAND POST ACROSS, UH, ACROSS THE TABLE FROM EACH OTHER WHERE THE INFORMATION COULD BE EXCHANGED READILY AS OPPOSED TO HAVING SOMEBODY FROM PARKS AND REC SEEING A POTENTIAL ISSUE OUT IN THE CROWD AND HAVING TO RADIO IT BACK TO SOMEBODY ELSE WHO HAD TO FIND A POLICE OFFICER.
AND THEN THERE'S A DELAY IN THE COMMUNICATION ON THAT.
WE HAD GOOD COMMUNICATION, WE HAD GOOD PLANNING, AND, UH, WE ACTUALLY HAD A COMBINED BRIEFING THIS YEAR AS OPPOSED TO EACH GROUP BRIEFING THEIR OWN PEOPLE.
SO EVERYBODY WAS ON THE SAME SHEET OF MUSIC.
AND, AND YES, I DO BELIEVE THAT OUR PEOPLE, AND I GUESS I'M A LITTLE, LITTLE BIASED TOWARDS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I THINK THEY DID A REALLY GOOD JOB.
THEY HAD A, A, A BIAS FOR PROFESSIONAL ACTION, AND THEY QUELLED ANY POTENTIAL, UH, UH, DISTURBANCES.
IT WAS, IT DEFINITELY FELT SAFER AT JULY FOUR THEN.
I KNOW THAT'S JUST QUALITATIVE THAT, YOU KNOW, BUT IT, JUNETEENTH SEEMED A LITTLE WILD.
AND THE CHRISTMAS PARTY, I WAS WALKING AROUND AT THE, AT THE CHRISTMAS AT NIGHT DURING THE DAY.
I MEAN, WELL YOU HAD, YOU HAD MORE PEOPLE SHOW UP.
BUT AT THE CHRISTMAS PARADE, I WALKED AROUND THE, ON BOTH OF THEM.
I WALKED AROUND THE CHRISTMAS PARADE AND WAS JUST SHOCKED AT WHAT I SAW AFTER MANY YEARS OF BEING OUT HERE.
I'VE NEVER SEEN KIDS ACT THE WAY THAT THEY ACTED BEFORE AT THE CHRISTMAS PARADE.
COME VISIT ME AT A HIGH SCHOOL ANY DAY DURING TIME.
WELL, THAT'S, THERE'S, THERE'S A PROBLEM.
THERE'S A TREND THOUGH, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF, AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I SAID THE, YOU KNOW, AT AN ENTRANCE WHERE THEY HAVE TO COME IN, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE, YOU'RE RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, PARENTS ARE GONNA COME IN WITH THEIR CHILD.
BUT YOU ALSO HAVE A, WHEN IT'S OPEN EVENT LIKE THIS, A LOT OF KIDS COME ON THEIR OWN.
AND, AND, AND I AGREE WITH THAT.
THAT'S WHERE THE ISSUE OF IT GETS INTO.
AND I, AND I LIKE THE IDEA OF WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE FENCING AND THE SAFETY.
I, I THINK THAT WILL KEEP US FROM HAVING ANYTHING MAJOR THAT'LL ALSO HELP OUT OUR PD.
AND, AND, AND THAT'S HOW I, I I THINK THAT WOULD, WELL, AM I WRONG, CHIEF STRINGER DEFENSE? UM, I THINK IT BEARS FURTHER DISCUSSION.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PROS AND CONS THAT YOU COULD TALK ABOUT WITH BOTH OF IT.
UH, AND I WAS, I WAS SITTING HERE WRITING SOME NOTES ON THAT WHEN IT CAME UP.
UH, IT CERTAINLY WOULD HELP TO KEEP CONTAINED, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE WOULDN'T BE ADDITIONAL ANCILLARY COSTS.
UH, AS FAR AS WHO'S GONNA BE DOING THE BAG CHECKS, YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER A, UH, FOURTH AMENDMENT ISSUE.
UH, POLICE OFFICERS CAN'T JUST DO THE BAG CHECKS BECAUSE IN UNIFORM, IN OUR OFFICIAL CAPACITY, WE'D BE ACTING UNDER COLOR OF LAW.
AND TO BE, AND TO JUST, UH, JUST TO CHECK SOMEBODY'S BAG BECOMES A VIOLATION OF FOURTH AMENDMENT.
SO YOU WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO HAVE PARKS AND REC STAFF DO THAT, OR, UH, HIRE ADDITIONAL SECURITY FOR IT.
SO, UH, TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU A VERY SIMPLE ANSWER AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT, UH, IT, IT IS JUST A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT.
I THINK THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO BE CONSUMED.
THAT'S HOW WE STARTED THIS CONVERSATION.
IT NEEDS MORE, MORE CONVERSATION.
LIKE I SAID, IT'S NOT A BUDGET ITEM.
IF I MAY, I THINK I, I THINK IN THE TREND THAT WE'RE MOVING TO, UH, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OUR PARKS AND REC BOARD SHOULD MAYBE START, UM, AND HAVE THEM IRON OUT SOME OF THOSE IDEAS.
AND THEN IT COMES TO US BECAUSE I, I THINK WE, WE KEEP TURNING OVER THE SAME COMMENTS AND THE SAME THINGS.
AND, AND, UM, I'D RATHER JUST PUSH THAT ONTO THE PARKS BOARD BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT WORK ON ALL OF THE DIFFERENT MM-HMM
AND, UM, WE'LL STILL HAVE OUR WORD, WE'LL STILL HAVE OUR OPINION WHEN IT COMES TO US, BUT ULTIMATELY I THINK IT, IT SHOULD START WITH THEM.
SO AS OF NOW, I'M KEEP, I'M GONNA TRY TO GET TO THIS ONE MORE TIME BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T WANT TO FORGET WHAT I WANNA TALK ABOUT.
UM, I'M IN FAVOR OF PROCEEDING AS WE ARE RIGHT NOW WITH NO MORE CREEP.
HAVE THE DISCUSSIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE CREEP AND WE CAN GET IN, IN DEPTH CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE SAFETY FOR 2027.
HOW DO YOU ALL FEEL ABOUT THIS? I WANNA SEE THE SAFETY FOR 2026.
[02:55:02]
WHAT WAS THAT? I WANNA SEE THE SAFETY FOR THIS BUDGET.WELL, YOU GOT BASED ON LAST YEAR THAT THAT'S, THAT'S, I REALLY DO.
BASED ON WHAT I SEEN LAST YEAR, I'D LIKE TO SEE MR. MAYOR.
IF I MAY ONE MORE THING AND JUST KIND OF COMPLETE THAT.
MY THOUGHT BARRIER FENCING IS YES, IT, IT WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SAFETY AND CONTROL, BUT TO BE ABLE TO GET TO, LIKE I SAID, TO GET THAT ANSWER RIGHT NOW AND TO MAKE IT A VERY SIMPLE ANSWER, UH, THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT I WOULD JUST FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE FOR EVERYBODY TO CONSIDER JUST IN CASE THERE ARE ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT ARE UN UNFORESEEN.
UH, BUT AS FAR AS BEING ABLE TO CONTAIN IT, YES, IN THEORY IT'S GREAT.
UH, IT GIVES US MORE CONTROL ON WHO COMES IN, WHO, WHO, WHO, WHO STAYS.
AND, UH, BUT, UH, THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL ISSUES WITH, UH, WITH, WITH, WITH TRAFFIC BEING BACKED UP FURTHER IN LINES.
THERE'S JUST THINGS THAT, THAT WE JUST DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT.
SO, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S PROS AND CONS TO IT.
I CAN SEE IT GOING EITHER WAY.
AND, UH, WE WILL CERTAINLY MAKE IT WORK EITHER WAY.
AND AS WE LOOK AT IT MORE, WE MAY HAVE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT MAY HAVE A MORE DEFINITIVE OPINION AND AS WE REALLY EXPLORED.
WELL, LIKE I SAID, THEY CAN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AND BRING IT BACK TO US.
THEY'VE IMPROVED FROM THE CHRISTMAS PARADE UP UNTIL JULY 4TH.
AND I'M, AND I'M, I'M, I'M GONNA SAY THIS, I'M NOT EVEN GONNA SAY I'M GOING OUT ON A LIMB.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN EVEN BETTER EXPERIENCE WITH G***O FEST BECAUSE WE PROGRESSIVELY GETTING BETTER.
GIVE THEM TIME TO LOOK AT IT, TO BRIEF US ON IT.
GIVE THE PARKS BOARD TIME TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO WITH STAFF.
AND THEN WE REVISIT THAT AGAIN.
WHAT IS THE GENERAL DIRECTION FOR THE PARK SPORT TO LOOK AT THOUGH? UM, I WOULD SAY ENTERTAINMENT.
THAT, THAT WOULD BE PARKS AND, AND, AND PD AND FIRE.
AND, UM, IS THERE A MAX BUDGET THAT THEY NEED TO LOOK AT? I THINK WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW TALKING ABOUT MISSION CREEK, LET'S HOLD THE LINE TO WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
WHAT'S IN THIS BUDGET AND NOT GO OVER THAT.
WHAT ABOUT REGIONAL FOCUS OR LOCAL FOCUS? WHAT WE'RE GONNA DRAW PEOPLE REGARDLESS WHEN YOU SAY REGIONAL OR LOCAL, WE'RE, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DECIDE.
WE WANT TO GO TO BAYTOWN BECAUSE WE LIKE WHAT BAYTOWN IS DOING.
4TH OF JULY HAS BEEN DRAWING PEOPLE FOR TENS OF YEARS AND FOUR DECADES.
IF IT IS, IT, THEY'VE BEEN PARTS DOES A GREAT JOB.
UM, I DON'T WANT TO TRY TO TELL THEM NOT TO DO WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING.
NO, I'M JUST GETTING GENERAL GUIDELINES FROM THE COUNCIL RIGHT NOW.
I'M FINE WITH IT BEING, I'M GONNA SAY REGIONAL, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT WE CAN DO, I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD TRY TO SAY WE DON'T WANT OTHER PEOPLE COMING IN.
WHAT, WHAT DOES, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN LOCAL? I KNOW YOU'VE HAD SEPARATE CONVERSATIONS, BUT WE'VE HAD BRANDY HOLMES, SHE WAS LOCAL, RIGHT? WE JUST HAD, UM, GRADUATED WITH HIM.
I MEAN, I, I DON'T, IT'S HARD TO FIND.
IT'S, IT'S THE IDEA OF THE CROWD SIZE.
AND SO, UM, IF YOU WOULD SAY LOCAL, YOU WOULD SAY, LET'S START IN BAYTOWN AND FIND ANYBODY THAT'S FROM BAYTOWN THAT WOULD WANT TO PERFORM FOR AN AUDIENCE.
WE'RE PROBABLY EXPECTING TWO TO 5,000 PEOPLE TO SHOW UP.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO DO TALENT SHOW.
WELL, THAT'S, BUT THAT'S, I, YOU, WHEN YOU ASK THE PARK BOARD TO, TO, IT'S, WE DON'T WANNA SET UP THE STAFF OR THE PARKS COMMITTEE OR BOARD OF FOR FAILURE.
AND SO THE MORE DIRECTION THAT YOU CAN GIVE JUST ON A GENERAL LEFT OR RIGHT BOUNDARY, THE BETTER THAT THEY HAVE TO WORK WITH.
AND SO WHEN WE'RE SAYING WE DON'T WANT A LOCAL TALENT SHOW, BUT WE DO WANT A REGIONAL DRAW WHERE WE CAN GET UP TO 20,000 PEOPLE, NO MORE, OR 10,000 PEOPLE, I WOULD SAY LET THEM HASH IT OUT AND BRING IT TO US.
AND THEN WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSIONS.
LET, LET, LET THEM GIVE THE PROS AND CONS OF REGIONAL AND LOCAL.
THEY CAN DEFINE IT AND HOW THEY SEE IT AND THEY BRING IT TO US AND WE MAKE A DECISION.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A WHOLE YEAR TO TALK ABOUT THIS.
WHAT, WHAT IS, SINCE YOU HAD THESE SEPARATE CONVERSATIONS, WHAT IS THE GOAL TO PUT ON AN EVENT LIKE THIS FOR LOCAL ONLY FOR FOUR, 4,000 PEOPLE? WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE THE GOAL? THAT'S THE POLICY PIECE THOUGH.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DECIDE.
LIKE THE GOAL IS WHAT DO Y'ALL, WHAT ARE Y'ALL TRYING TO ACHIEVE? ARE Y'ALL TRYING TO ACHIEVE A, A, A, AN EVENT THAT IS MOSTLY FOR BAYTON? ARE YOU TRYING TO ESTABLISH AN EVENT WHERE YOU'RE DRAWING PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE INTO BAYTOWN TO EXPLORE BAYTOWN?
[03:00:01]
ARE YOU TRYING TO HAVE A, ARE YOU TRYING TO HAVE A CELEBRATION FOR ALL PEOPLE? ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO COME, PEOPLE THAT COME STAY IN HOTELS, IS THIS A, IS THIS AN EVENT THAT'S AN ECONOMIC DRIVER? LIKE THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE AS A BODY HAVE TO DISCUSS BEFORE YOU ASK THE HEARD FOR A LOCAL, IF IT'S BRINGING PEOPLE FROM OUT OF TOWN, IT'S GONNA BE AN ECONOMIC DRIVER.WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM THE UK COME DOWN FOR ONE OF OUR EVENTS.
BUT THEY'VE TRAVELED IN FROM THE UK NOT BECAUSE WE ADVERTISE IN THE UK.
THEY HEARD ABOUT IT, WORD OF MOUTH, LIKE THEY'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT IT AND THEY DECIDED, I'M GOING TO BAYTOWN.
I DON'T THINK WE CAN DO ENOUGH.
WHY WOULD WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM COMING TO BAYTOWN? WE SAID, WE WANT PEOPLE TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY HERE.
THE ONLY WAY THEY'RE GONNA MAKE THAT DECISION, IF THEY COME AND VISIT US AND DECIDE, IS THIS THE PLACE I WANNA STAY? ARE LOCAL TALENTS GONNA KEEP PEOPLE FROM COMING FROM BAYTOWN? LOCAL TALENT, LIKE I SAID, IS MORE THAN LIKELY GONNA BE A TALENT SHOW.
WE'VE DONE DONE LOCAL TOWN AND WE'VE DONE LOCAL TOWN SQUARE AT TOWN SQUARE AND A LOT OF OTHER PLACES.
AND IT'S NOT GOING TO DRAW LIKE THAT.
IT'S NOT GONNA DROP LIKE THAT.
WE DO IT ALMOST ONCE A MONTH RIGHT NOW AT EIGHTH DISTRICT.
AND IT, IT, I MEAN, I, I WANT TO KNOW WHEN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT SITS DOWN RIGHT NOW.
'CAUSE YOU'RE ASKING US THIS QUESTION.
WHEN Y'ALL SIT DOWN RIGHT NOW? OR ARE Y'ALL GOING, ARE WE GONNA DO A LOCAL OR ARE WE GONNA DO A REGIONAL? I MEAN, I IS IS THAT YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS WHEN Y'ALL ARE SITTING DOWN DECIDING HOW THESE EVENTS ARE GONNA GO ON? UH, WILL BE FULLY TRANSPARENT ON IT'S, IT IS A LITTLE BIT LIKE WHAT LESTER WAS, UH, REFERRING TO.
LIKE WE DO ALWAYS WANNA RAISE THE BAR.
I MEAN, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
UM, THAT'S JUST OUR DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S WHAT WE, WE STRIVE TO DO, RIGHT? WE TRY TO DO THE BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY AND VISITORS AND EVERYBODY TO COME OUT AND RECREATE HOWEVER THEY FEEL.
THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT IS, UH, WE LIKE OFFERING A VARIETY OF EVENTS, UH, DEALING WITH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT COMMITTEES.
'CAUSE THOSE COMMITTEES ARE INGRAINED IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.
UM, SO YEAH, WE, WE TRY TO MAKE IT AS, AS SUCCESSFUL AS POSSIBLE IS WHAT WE TRY TO DO TO EVERY EVENT WE DO.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER AS WHAT, HOW DOES PARKS AND REC MEASURE WHAT IS SUCCESSFUL WHEN YOU HAVE THESE EVENTS? SO FOR THE THREE EVENTS AT BICENTENNIAL PARK, FOR INSTANCE, THIS YEAR, UH, WITH THE ADDITION OF TOURISM THIS YEAR, WE IMPLEMENTED THE STAY AND PLAY WHERE WE WORKED WITH LOCAL HOTELS, THE, UH, PACKAGE ROOM DEALS THAT, UH, ALLOWED VIP ACCESS.
RIGHT? SO WE HAD, UH, WE HAD, UM, PEOPLE WHO, WHO BOOKED A HOTEL ROOM, WE PACKAGED THAT DEAL WITH THE 4TH OF JULY HOTEL, HOTEL ROOM AS IN THE HYATT? YEAH.
WELL, NO, ANY, ANY LOCAL HOTEL THAT PARTICIPATES IN THE, IN OUR HOT FUNDS.
UM, BUT THEN THE NEXT DAY THEY HAD HALF PRICE DISCOUNTS AT, UH, AT P TWO THREE.
SO LIKE, WE WERE INCENTIVIZING PEOPLE TO COME TO BAYTOWN TO TRY THESE OUT, TO STAY AT OUR HOTELS, TO EAT AT OUR RESTAURANTS, TO GO TO OUR GAS STATIONS, ALL THAT STUFF.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE ARE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO RAISE THE BAR IN THAT REGARDS.
AND TO MR. LESTER'S POINT, UM, THIS YEAR WE TOOK A GIANT STEP BACK AS FAR AS THE, THE BUYING POWER, UH, FOR THE EVENT.
AND WE STRATEGICALLY DID THAT BY GETTING A LOCAL ACT LIKE THE SPASMATIC OR RELATIVELY LOCAL ACT LIKE THE SPASMATIC.
THAT WAS A DRAW AS AN OPENER AT A LOWER PRICE POINT.
THEN GETTING A, A BAND, IF YOU, IF YOU THINK ABOUT A BELL CURVE, WE WERE CATCHING 'EM ON THE WAY DOWN, RIGHT? LIKE PEOPLE THAT WERE POPULAR, UH, BACK IN, YOU KNOW, EARLIER, BUT IT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY CHEAPER.
THEY STILL HAD NAME RECOGNITION.
UH, SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE TRIED TO, UM, WE, WE JUDGE IT ON THE, THE, THE ATMOSPHERE, THE, THE CROWD SIZE, THE ENGAGEMENT PRIOR TO THE ENGAGEMENT AFTERWARDS, THE, THIS YEAR WITH THE STAY IN PLAY, UH, WE STARTED THE STAY IN PLAY, UH, WITH JUNETEENTH THIS YEAR.
AND I THINK WE ONLY HAD, UH, LIKE 10 PEOPLE I THINK STAY OVER.
UH, WE HAD TO SHUT IT DOWN BECAUSE WE RAN OUTTA HOTEL ROOMS ON THE FIRST TRY.
'CAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT TO GROW THE VIP AREA SO BIG.
I'M SURE YOU REALIZE THE VIP AREA THIS YEAR WAS EXPANDED UP FRONT, HAD THE EXTRA STAGE THERE.
THAT WAS BECAUSE WE'RE ALL TRYING TO CAPITALIZE ON THAT TOURISM AS ELEMENT AND TO EXPAND OUT THAT WAY.
SO TO MR. LU'S POINT, YEAH, WE DO CREEP IS, IS A HUNDRED PERCENT A REAL THING BECAUSE WE DO KEEP TRYING TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND.
BUT THE BUDGET WAS CUT SIGNIFICANTLY LAST YEAR, THIS YEAR.
SO, BUT GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND DOESN'T MEAN RAISING HOW MUCH YOU'RE SPENDING.
THE BUDGET WAS REDUCED THIS YEAR, BUT WE STILL, I MEAN, WE TRIED TO DO EVERYTHING.
LIKE, SO WE ADVERTISE, UM, LOCALLY, WE ADVERTISE, UH, REGIONALLY, WE ADVERTISE ACROSS THE STATE.
WE STRATEGICALLY GEOFENCE OTHER, UH, FESTIVALS SO THAT IF YOU'RE AT A MUSIC FESTIVAL IN GALVESTON, YOU'LL GET AN AD THAT POPS UP AND SHOWS THAT WE HAVE SIMILAR BANDS IN BAYTOWN.
WE, WE DO ALL KINDS OF THINGS LIKE THAT.
WELL THEN MY VOTE FOR REGIONAL AND TO KEEP THE BUDGET THE SAME AND THEN HAVE BIGGER DISCUSSIONS AT THE RETREAT.
THAT'S MY, MY INPUT WOULD NOT VOTE.
I KIND OF GAVE YOU MY DIRECTION ON AS FAR AS FUNDING.
I STILL WANT TO SEE, I WANT TO SEE THE FENCING AND SAFETY ASPECT THIS YEAR.
I, I JUST, I MEAN IT'S, WE HAVE PLENTY OF, WE HAVE UNTIL JULY 4TH, WE HAVE TOOL HOLDING, SORRY, OF JUNE.
[03:05:01]
RIGHT.CAN I CLARIFY THAT FOR, FOR THE ONES THAT ARE LOOKING AT THE SAFETY PIECE? WE'RE SAYING AFTER RETO, BECAUSE GRITO BY AND LARGE IS DONE.
AND SO WE SAY, OKAY, ALRIGHT, FUTURE AFTER GREEN THIS YEAR IS ABOUT 2025 AFTER GREEN.
BUT THAT'S, EVEN THOUGH IT'S IN 2026 WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
BUT THAT'S BASED OFF OF PDS RECOMMENDATION.
I DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING THAT I, I DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING.
I WANT TO HEAR FROM THEM TO SEE WHAT THEIR RECOMMENDATION IS TO MAKE THE DECISION.
BUT HE CAN ALLOCATE A BUDGET TO IT.
WE KIND OF KNOW WHETHER IT IS 30,000.
FIGURE ANOTHER 30,000 FOR, FOR FOR LABOR TO, TO, TO CHECK BACK IF, IF IT'S GONNA BE THAT.
HE SAID IT COULD BE OTHER THINGS ADDED TO THAT.
IT COSTS NOT TO EXCEED 65,000, 70,000, 60,000 EXTRA.
I I I'M NOT COMFORTABLE JUST PULLING NUMBERS OUT.
I'M JUST SAYING I KNOW THIS IS YOUR BUSINESS.
I BRING UP YOUR BUSINESS AND I APPRECIATE THAT THAT'S KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU BRING.
BUT I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH JUST PULLING NUMBERS OUT AND SAYING, OKAY, ADD THIS, ADD THAT.
BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE FURTHER INPUT.
THERE'S A LOT MORE THAN JUST ADDING A FENCE.
LET'S PUT IT THIS WAY, ADDING THE FENCING, BUT IT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL COST.
SO IF WE SAY IT COMES OUT AND IT COMES OUT TO BE 150,000 AND IT WOULD BE $15 A TICKET, WE CAN TALK AND WE SAY NO, BUT IF IT COMES OUT AND IT'S A HUNDRED THOUSAND, IT'S COSTING US EIGHT OR 80,000, IT COSTS $8 A TICKET, THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT DISCUSSION.
AND IF WE AGREE, NO, THEN IT'S NO FENCING.
BUT AT LEAST LET'S BRING IT TO BE READY FOR NEXT YEAR.
THE, IT WON'T INCREASE THE BUDGET YEAR.
IT'LL BE COVERING ITS OWN COST.
BUT HE SAID HE'S TOLD US THAT HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW THAT FENCING.
WE NEED TO HEAR FROM HIS RECOMMENDATION.
BUT I'M JUST SAYING IF IT'S NOT HIS RECOMMENDATION, THEN WE DON'T MOVE FORWARD ON IT.
BUT AT LEAST WE HAVE IT READY AND GOING FOR IF IT DOES HAVE A RECOMMENDATION, WE'RE READY TO GO ON JUNE, WE'RE NOT WAITING FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
AND THEN SOMETHING HAPPENS NEXT YEAR.
AND WE, LIKE, LIKE COUNCILMAN SAID, THAT, THAT THAT LOGO UP THERE, ALL OF US ARE GONNA HAVE TO ANSWER SOMEBODY.
SOMETHING HAPPENS NEXT YEAR AND IT'S NOT A MATTER OF IF, IT'S A MATTER OF WHEN IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO GO WITH REGIONAL AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ANY CHANGES OR FUTURE CONVERSATIONS FOR 2027.
SO, UH, IF WE COULD LOOK AT SECURITY THIS YEAR, I WOULD SAY REGIONAL.
WE COULD LOOK AT SECURITY FOR THIS YEAR MM-HMM
FOR JULY, FOR JUNETEENTH AND JULY 4TH.
FROM THE DISCUSSIONS GOING ON, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY, AND, AND I DIDN'T MAKE G***O FAST OR OR JULY 4TH, I WAS OUTTA TOWN ON BOTH OF THEM.
UM, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A CONCERN FOR SECURITY MM-HMM
NOW WHETHER IT'S ADDITIONAL FENCING OR ADDITIONAL STAFFING, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.
AGAIN, I THINK I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE, I THINK WE NEED TO DEAL WITH THE CHIEF IS TO COME UP WITH A GOOD PLAN THAT NEEDS TO BE EMPHASIZED THAT THAT ADDITIONAL IS GONNA STAY.
THAT'S MY NEXT QUESTION IN THIS, WITHIN THIS BUDGET.
WHICH MAY MEAN THINGS GET CUT.
'CAUSE WE GOTTA ADD X AMOUNT AND I AGREE WE DON'T NEED TO PULLING NUMBERS OUTTA THE HAT.
IT IT, ADDITIONAL SECURITY, WHETHER IT'S ADDITIONAL OFFICERS OR WHATEVER COST THAT I'M NOT GONNA GO OVER THE 6 31.
SO AS FAR AS WHETHER IT'S LOCAL OR REGIONAL, MY PUSHBACK WOULD BE WE DON'T NEED TO BE TARGETING 20,000 PEOPLE FOR 4TH OF JULY.
LET'S, LET'S SCALE THAT BACK BECAUSE THEN THAT ADDS INTO THE SECURITY ISSUE.
THE CHIEF DOESN'T HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH 20,000 PEOPLE.
HE KEEPS UP WITH HALF THAT NUMBER.
AGAIN, MISSION CREEP AGAIN, I'M NOT TAKING ANY WAY FROM CLIFF OR OR PARKS, IT'S JUST PART OF WHAT THEY DO.
THEY HAD A GREAT TIME THIS YEAR.
AND NEXT YEAR'S GONNA BE BIGGER AND BETTER.
LET'S, LET'S, LET'S JUST HAVE GREAT EVENTS AND KIND OF DRAW A LINE WHEREVER THAT LINE HAPPENS TO BE.
BUT WE NEED TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THAT COST.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT INCREASED SECURITY.
LET'S NOT GO FOR TOP NAME ENTERTAINERS.
LET'S, LET'S KEEP IT REASONABLE AND, AND GO FROM THERE.
BUT YEAH, THAT'S GOTTA BE FOR NEXT.
I'LL STAY AT THE 6 31 WITH ADDITIONAL SECURITY.
SO WHAT I GOT MAYOR AND COUNCIL BUDGET STAYS AT OR BELOW 6 31 HEAVY FOOT PARKS COMMITTEE WILL BRING BACK A RECOMMENDATION FOR COUNSEL WITH THE, WITH THE INTENT WORKING WITH PARKS STAFF TO HAVE A SECURITY PLAN FOR JUNETEENTH AND JULY 4TH.
UH, POSSIBLY LOOK AT COST, SOME KIND OF COST RECOVERY.
[03:10:01]
A, A SMALL CHARGE TO GET IN AS A CONTROLLED ACCESS POINT AND THAT'S PART OF THE SECURITY.LOOK AT THIS POINT, ENTERTAINMENT OVERSIGHT AND FIND A WAY TO HOLD, UH, ENTERTAINERS ACCOUNTABLE IF THEY WERE TO BREAK THE CONTRACT.
AND THEN A REGIONAL, REGIONAL ISH, UH, FOCUS FOR THE ENTERTAINERS OR, OR, OR PROMOTIONS AND ENTERTAINERS AT THIS POINT.
IF WE CAN DO, HOLD ON A SECOND.
IF WE CAN DO THE SECURITY IN THAT BUDGET, WE WON'T NEED TO CHARGE.
BUT WE WILL TALK TO THE PARKS BOARD.
I JUST WANT BECAUSE TO THE, TO THE BODY'S RECOMMENDATION HERE, WE DON'T WANNA PULL ANYTHING OUT OF THE HAT.
BUT IF THEY COME BACK AND, AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT AND PARKS TEAM WORK WITH THE PARKS BOARD AND THEY SAID, HEY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL 50 GRAND FOR ADDITIONAL ADDITIONAL ACCESS POINT.
WILL THE $3 A HEAD TO GET INTO THE THING COVER THAT IS THE COUNCIL OKAY WITH THAT? AND I WANT TO KIND OF LEAVE THAT OPEN.
I, I'M SAYING IT'S FINE, BUT IF EVERYTHING COMES BACK AND WE, AND WE CAN COVER THAT.
NOW CAN I DO MY QUESTION NOW? NO, WE'RE GOING.
UH, WE'LL JUST COME BACK TOMORROW FOR MY QUESTION.
I WANT TO LOOK AT THE MOWING CONTRACT.
HOW, HOW ARE WE STANDING WITH THE MOWING CONTRACTS FOR THE, UM, THE HIGHWAYS AND WELL TECH STOCKS PROPERTY RIGHT NOW? I BELIEVE THAT'S INCLUDED, RIGHT? IT'S IN THERE.
I DON'T KNOW OFF TOP OF MY HEAD.
THE MODIFICATIONS FOR MOWING CONTRACTS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET.
BUT THAT INCLUDES TECH STOP MOWING STILL, RIGHT? CORRECT.
WE SENT A RED LINE COPY OF THE CONTRACT, THE TECH SIDE LIKE A MONTH AND A HALF AGO, FOLLOWED SIMPSON BACK.
WE'RE WAITING TO HEAR BACK AND HOW, WHAT IS THAT MODIFIED CONTRACT? THE, THE TECH SIDE? MM-HMM
THE PARKS AND REC TEAM WOULDN'T BE MOWING OR DOING LITTER ABATEMENT ALONG TECH SIDE RIGHT AWAY, SITTING LONGER THAT IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD FALL ON HARRIS COUNTY OR SORRY, IT WOULD FALL ON TECH SIDE.
WE COULD SEE GRASS UP TO THREE FOOT HIGH, I DON'T KNOW.
THREE FOOT HIGH AND ADDITIONAL LITTER ON THREE 30 AND ADDITIONAL AND 1 46.
SO A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WAS GOING OUT.
I KNOW, I BELIEVE IT WAS CORNELL'S CORNELL AND HIS TEAM MM-HMM
UH, THAT WERE GOING OUT ON THREE 30 AND PICKING UP LITTER OR HELPING ABATE ALL OF THAT.
AND IT WAS A LOT OF THAT WHEN THEY MOW, THERE'S A TON OF LITTER IN THE GRASS ALREADY.
SO THERE'S ADDITIONAL CLEANUP.
UM, AND IF I'M GETTING THE TEAMS WRONG, I APOLOGIZE Y'ALL, I JUST KNOW THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WAS DOING IT.
UH, THAT WOULDN'T BE HAPPENING.
SO YOU WOULD'VE TALLER GRASS ON THREE 30 AND OTHER AREAS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE CONTRACT, UM, AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, IF THAT'S SOMETHING COUNSEL WANTS TO CHANGE, WE WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO ADD, UH, TO, I'M, I'M GONNA SAY UP, PULLING IT OUT OF MY REAR END RIGHT NOW, I THINK IT WAS LIKE 200 GRAND THAT YOU'D HAVE TO ADD BACK IN.
FOR, I WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER THAT FOR THIS, FOR THIS REASON, THAT'S OUR IMAGE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT PEOPLE TRAVELING INTO THE CITY.
PEOPLE TRAVEL THROUGH THE CITY AND THE FIRST IMPRESSION THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET IS BAYTOWN IS DIRTY OR TRASHY BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO PICK UP ANY OF THAT, ANY OF THE TRASH WE WANT LEAVE IT, WE WANT TO PUT IT OFF ON TEXDOT.
AND IT MAY BE TDOT'S RESPONSIBILITY, BUT WE REALLY SHOULD HAVE A SENSE OF PRIDE OF WHAT WE DO HERE AND HOW, HOW WE LOOK TALKING ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE WANT BUSINESSES TO COME IN THAT YOU THINK OF BUSINESSES GONNA WANT TO COME IN AND BE ANYWHERE ALONG THREE 30 WITH THE TRASH LOOKING THE WAY THAT IT DOES.
WHENEVER WE HAD, UM, WE STARTED HOLDING SOME BUSINESSES ALONG GARTH ROAD ACCOUNTABLE FOR PICKING UP TRASH AND THEY STARTED DOING A BETTER JOB.
UM, AND EVEN WITH SOME OF THE PROPERTIES THAT WERE VACANT, I, GOING TO MY CLEANERS, THEY WERE MAKING COMMENTS ABOUT, MAN, THAT PROPERTY ACROSS THE STREET, NOT GONNA SAY WHO IT IS, IT LOOKS A LOT BETTER.
AND THE PROPERTY UP THE ROAD LOOKS A LOT BETTER.
THANK Y'ALL FOR GETTING ON TOP OF THAT.
UM, BUT WHEN IT COMES,
BUT, BUT LOOKING AT, BUT THINKING ABOUT THAT, I WOULD ASK THEM HOW, WHAT WOULD Y'ALL THINK IF THE HIGHWAYS WERE TWO FOOT HIGH, TWO AND A HALF FOOT HIGH? THEY SAID THAT WOULDN'T BE GOOD.
UM, AND WE HAVE PEOPLE LOOKING TO BRING BUSINESS FROM OUT OF TOWN HERE.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE REALLY NEED TO CONSIDER.
WAS THAT ONE OF THE DECISIONS WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE LAST RETREAT? MM-HMM
SO I JUST, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, WE TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT I, WE DECIDED TO CUT IT.
WE DECIDE, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUDGET
[03:15:01]
AGAIN.AND WE HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO CHANGE OUR MIND ABOUT THINGS.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO LOOK AT AND TALKING ABOUT ECONOMIC.
UM, WHEN WE WENT TO TX STOCK MM-HMM
TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE WANT THEM TO BE MORE RESPONSIBLE, UM, WITH THEIR EASEMENTS.
WHAT DID, WHAT HAPPENED, WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT CONVERSATION? SO IF Y'ALL REMEMBER THE LAST BUDGET MEETING THAT WE HAD, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, I GAVE A WARNING THAT WE WENT TO SLAP THEM AND SAY, HEY, YOU NEED TO PICK UP YOUR PAY OR YOU NEED TO PICK UP YOUR SLACK.
THEY SLAPPED BACK AND SAID, UH, NO, IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
AND, UM, THAT'S WHY THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS ARE GOING BACK AND FORTH AT THIS POINT.
SO I, I GAVE THE WARNING ORDER THAT WE MAY HAVE TO PICK IT UP REGARDLESS IF WE WANT TO OR NOT.
UM, BECAUSE IT, IT COULD BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT'S IN NO MAN'S LAND.
AND ARE THEY SO CONTRACT MEANS THEY PAY US? NO, NO, NO.
THEY JUST, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SAYING THAT, UM, OUT OF THE KINDNESS OF THEIR HEART, THEY ARE MOWING FOUR TIMES A YEAR AND UM, THEY CAN, THEY DON'T HAVE TO MOW FOUR TIMES A YEAR.
AND I'M, I'M PARAPHRASING ALL THIS MM-HMM
FOR SURE, BUT, UH, THEY DON'T HAVE TO MOW FOUR TIMES A YEAR.
BUT IF THEY WANTED TO MOW FOUR TIMES A YEAR, THEY COULD GIVE US, I THINK IT WAS 50 GRAND OR 60 GRAND OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UM, TO, TO MOW THAT FOUR TIMES A YEAR.
AND THAT'S WHERE I'M BASING MY 200 OFF OF JUST BECAUSE FOUR, FOUR TIMES A YEAR IS ONLY 50 GRAND.
AND SO WE WOULD DO IT MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
UM, AND, BUT I THINK OUR PARKS PERSONNEL WERE ACTUALLY DOING IT.
AND THAT'S PART OF THE RECONFIGURATION OF HOW THEY DID THE, SO IT WOULD BE A, IT WOULD BE A COMPLETE OUTSOURCING OF THAT TO THE CONTRACTOR AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE THE PARKS TEAM HAS ALREADY RECONFIGURED HOW THEY, UH, DO THEIR OPERATIONS CURRENTLY.
I, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THAT RESPONSE.
UH, I THINK WE DO NEED TO GO BACK EVEN HIGHER UP, UM, TO TALK TO TDOT.
YES, IT IS OUR IMAGE, BUT WHY DO WE KEEP HAVING TO DO THEIR WORK? SO I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
I'D LIKE TO SEE IF WE CAN GO HIGHER UP WITHIN TDOT TO, TO TRY TO WORK OUT SOME SORT OF AGREEMENT, WHETHER THEY PAY US FOR THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING ON THEIR EASEMENT OR THEY PICK IT UP.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE HAVE HIGH GRASS.
AND UM, YOU KNOW, BUSINESSES COME, THEY DRIVE AROUND OUR CITY AND THEY LOOK TO SEE IF BAYTOWN IS THE RIGHT PLACE TO PICK THE, ALL THE STORES THAT EVERYBODY WANTS HERE.
SO I, I DEFINITELY SEE THAT'S, I MEAN, GOOD POINT.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW,
WELL, ONE BUSINESS, A TAX ON A BUSINESS PER YEAR COULD COVER THAT, THAT 200,000, THE PROPERTY TAX ON THAT THING.
WELL, I I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING HAPPEN TO, UH, THE MAYOR'S POINT TO WHERE, UM, WE ARE MAINTAINING THAT STRETCH WHEN PEOPLE COME AND, AND THEY SEE BAYTOWN.
THAT'S A, A LOT OF PEOPLE GET THEIR FIRST IMPRESSION FROM SPUR THREE 30 AND I 10.
THEY GET THEIR IMPRESSION WHEN THEY COME OVER THE HARMON BRIDGE AND SEE OUR BEAUTIFUL BAYTOWN SIDE AND THE BEAUTIFUL SIGN ON 1 46 OFF OF I 10.
I'M SURE THAT DIDN'T COST, IT WASN'T CHEAP.
SO I'M KIND OF WITH YOU ON THAT 200.
YOU SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING, YOU SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
GONNA MOVE THAT SO THERE'S NO REMINDER
BUT YEAH, THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
SO I'M JUST HEARING KEEP THE BUDGET AS IS RIGHT NOW, BUT SEE IF THERE'S A POSSIBILITY TO KEEP THE RESPONSIBILITY WITH OC, IF NOT COUNSEL'S OKAY.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING RIGHT NOW.
I'M OKAY WITH, I'M OKAY WITH IT.
WE GOT THREE, WE ONLY HAVE SIX OF US HERE, SO I KNOW I'M OKAY WITH ABSORBING COSTS.
WHERE, WHERE ARE WE ABSORBING IT FROM? I DON'T KNOW YET.
I'D HAVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE COMING FROM.
WHERE'S IT GONNA COME FROM? I JUST SAID THAT THEY'LL BRING SOMETHING BACK TO US.
THEY'LL BRING SOMETHING BACK TO LET US KNOW.
WE'LL HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION.
YEAH, I'D LIKE TO SEE WHERE IT'S GONNA COME FROM.
YEAH, WE'LL KNOW, RIGHT? JUST GENERAL DIRECTION RIGHT NOW.
WE WANT TO SEE WHERE IT'S COMING FROM.
SO, ANYTHING ELSE IN THE BUDGET? MIKE, YOU GOOD? I'M GOOD FOR NOW.
I'LL, I'LL WAIT TILL WE START VOTING ON THINGS.
ALRIGHT, WELL SINCE WE HAVE EXHAUSTED EVERYTHING IN THIS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? JUST ARE WE MEETING TOMORROW OR NO, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TOMORROW.
[03:20:01]
NOT, MR. LESSER.UH, WE'VE EXHAUSTED EVERYTHING IN THIS BUDGET NOW DURING THIS MEETING.