Sep 10, 2026 CITY COUNCIL AND MDD JOINT MEETING

I'D LIKE TO THANK ALSO LAURA ALVARADO WHO SPEARHEADED THIS ALSO.

SHE'S, UH, WE WERE TRYING TO GET A LIST.

SO THERE WAS, THERE WAS MULTIPLE OFFICERS, UH, WHO ARE NOW RETIRED AND FIREFIGHTERS WHO ACTUALLY WENT TO NINE 11, UH, TO NEW YORK TO HELP WITH THE RECOVERY EFFORTS IN THOSE.

AND UPON GOING THROUGH AND FINDING THE LIST OF THESE NAMES OF THOSE, UM, WE ACTUALLY HAVE DETECTIVE LANCE WATKINS, WHO WAS A MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT DURING THE NINE 11 TRAGEDY.

AND I'VE ASKED HIM TO SAY A COUPLE OF WORDS IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE 2,977 SOULS WE LOST.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, DETECTIVE WATKINS.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME OKAY? ALRIGHT.

SO MAYOR, CITY MANAGER, COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY FELLOW FIRST RESPONDERS AND MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AS WE PAUSE TO REMEMBER SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2001.

BEFORE I READ THIS SPEECH, WHICH I WAS ACTUALLY NOT GOING TO PREPARE ONE, AND I WAS JUST GONNA SPEAK FROM THE HEART BECAUSE I WAS ACTUALLY THERE, BUT THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT DAY.

TOMORROW'S THE DAY, 25 YEARS.

I DIDN'T WANT TO MISS A BEAT.

SO PARDON ME, I WILL READ FROM THE SCRIPT THAT I HAVE.

SINCE OUR NATION WAS ATTACKED.

UM, SO 25 YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE THAT MORNING, 25 YEARS

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25 YEARS SINCE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE BEGAN.

WHAT THEY BELIEVED WOULD BE AN ORDINARY TUESDAY GOING TO WORK, TAKING THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL, BOARDING PLANES, AND BEGINNING THEIR DAILY ROUTINES.

BUT SEPTEMBER 11TH WAS NOT AN ORDINARY DAY.

IT BECAME A DAY THAT CHANGED OUR NATION FOREVER.

AND FOR THOSE OF US WHO SERVE AS FIRST RESPONDERS, IT BECAME A DAY THAT FOREVER CHANGED THE MEANING OF SERVICE, SACRIFICE, COURAGE AND DUTY.

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT SEPTEMBER 11TH, WE REMEMBER THE IMAGES, WE REMEMBER THE AIRPLANES, WE REMEMBER THE BUILDINGS, WE REMEMBER THE SMOKE, WE REMEMBER THE PEOPLE TRYING DESPERATELY TO ESCAPE.

AND WE REMEMBER THE FIRST RESPONDERS RUNNING TOWARD THE DANGER.

BUT TODAY I WANT US TO REMEMBER MORE THAN THE IMAGES I WANT US TO REMEMBER.

THE PEOPLE, THE FATHERS, THE MOTHERS, THE WIVES, THE HUSBANDS, THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS, THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS, THE FRIENDS AND COWORKERS, AND THE FIRST RESPONDERS WHO LEFT HOME THAT MORNING AND NEVER RETURNED.

NEARLY 3000 PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES ON SEPTEMBER 11TH.

AMONG THEM WERE FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE OFFICERS, EMERGENCY MEDICAL PERSONNEL, AND OTHER FIRST RESPONDERS WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE WHILE TRYING TO SAVE OTHERS.

THEY WERE NOT STATISTICS, THEY WERE PEOPLE.

THEY HAD FAMILIES, THEY HAD DREAMS, THEY HAD PLANS FOR THAT EVENING.

THEY HAD PEOPLE WAITING FOR THEM TO COME HOME, BUT WHEN THE CALL CAME, THEY ANSWERED.

THAT IS WHAT FIRST RESPONDERS DO WHEN SOMEONE ELSE IS RUNNING AWAY FROM DANGER.

WE ARE TRAINED AND CALLED TO MOVE TOWARD IT.

WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHAT WE ARE GOING TO ENCOUNTER, BUT WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION.

AND WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHETHER WE WILL MAKE IT HOME.

BUT WE RESPOND BECAUSE SOMEONE NEEDS OUR HELP.

THAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY WE ACCEPT.

WHEN WE PUT ON THE UNIFORM ON SEPTEMBER 11TH, THAT RESPONSIBILITY WAS DEMONSTRATING ON A SCALE OUR NEV, OUR NATION HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

POLICE OFFICERS ENTERED THE BUILDINGS, FIREFIGHTERS CLIMBED STAIRS.

PARAMEDICS ESTABLISHED TREATMENT AREAS, DISPATCHERS CONTINUED ANSWERING CALLS.

EMERGENCY PERSONNEL SEARCHED FOR SURVIVORS AND HELPED PEOPLE EVACUATE.

THEY CARRIED THE INJURED, THEY COMFORTED THE FRIGHTENED, AND THEY CONTINUED WORKING AS THE DANGER AROUND THEM INCREASED.

THEY DID NOT KNOW HOW THE STORY WOULD END.

THEY SIMPLY KNEW THAT PEOPLE NEEDED THEM AND THEY ANSWERED THE CALL.

THAT IS COURAGE.

COURAGE DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU ARE NOT AFRAID.

COURAGE MEANS THAT YOU RECOGNIZE THE DANGER, BUT YOU CHOOSE TO SERVE.

ANYWAY.

ON SEPTEMBER 11, THOUSANDS OF FIRST RESPONDERS DEMONSTRATED THAT KIND OF COURAGE.

SOME SURVIVED, SOME WERE INJURED, AND SOME GAVE EVERYTHING THEY HAD FOR THE FAMILIES OF THOSE WHO WERE LOST.

SEPTEMBER 11TH DID NOT END THAT AFTERNOON.

FOR MANY FAMILIES, THE LOSS CONTINUES EVERY DAY.

THERE ARE CHILDREN WHO GREW UP WITHOUT A MOTHER OR FATHER.

THERE ARE SPOUSES WHO HAD TO LEARN HOW TO LIVE WITHOUT THE PERSON THEY PLANNED TO GROW OLD WITH.

THERE ARE PARENTS WHO HAD TO BURY THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS, AND THERE ARE FAMILIES WHO CONTINUE TO CARRY THE SACRIFICE OF A LOVED ONE WHO GAVE THEIR LIFE WHILE SERVING OTHERS.

SO TODAY, ALTHOUGH IT'S OFFICIALLY TOMORROW, AS WE REMEMBER, THOSE WHO WERE LOST, WE MUST ALWAYS REMEMBER THEIR FAMILIES.

THOSE FAMILIES DESERVE OUR CONTINUED RESPECT AND REMEMBRANCE.

SEPTEMBER 11TH ALSO TAUGHT US SOMETHING POWERFUL ABOUT COMMUNITY.

IN THE DAYS FOLLOWING THE ATTACKS, AMERICANS CAME TOGETHER.

POLITICAL DIFFERENCES SEEMED DIFF SEEMED SMALLER, PERSONAL DISAGREEMENTS SEEMED LESS IMPORTANT.

PEOPLE STOOD SHOULDER TO SHOULDER.

NEIGHBORS HELPED NEIGHBORS, STRANGERS HELPED STRANGERS.

PEOPLE DONATED BLOOD VOLUNTEERED, PEOPLE PRAYED.

FLAGS APPEARED EVERYWHERE.

AND FOR A MOMENT, OUR NATION REMEMBERED SOMETHING IMPORTANT.

WE BELONG TO ONE ANOTHER.

THAT LESSON REMAINS IMPORTANT TODAY.

OUR COMMUNITIES STILL EXPERIENCE EMERGENCIES.

PEOPLE STILL FACE TRAGEDY.

FAMILIES STILL NEED HELP.

AND EVERY DAY FIRST RESPONDERS ANSWERED THOSE CALLS.

POLICE OFFICERS RESPOND TO DANGEROUS SITUATIONS.

FIREFIGHTERS RUN INTO BURNING BUILDINGS.

PARAMEDICS CARE FOR PEOPLE DURING SOME OF THE WORST MOMENTS OF THEIR LIVES.

DISPATCHERS ANSWER CALLS FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE FRIGHTENED AND DESPERATE.

EMERGENCY PERSONNEL WORK NIGHTS, WEEKENDS, HOLIDAYS, AND SPECIAL OCCASIONS.

THEY LEAVE THEIR OWN FAMILIES TO HELP SOMEONE ELSE'S FAMILY.

AND MOST OF THE TIME THEY DO IT WITHOUT EXPECTING RECOGNITION.

THEY DO IT BECAUSE THEY HAVE ACCEPTED A RESPONSIBILITY TO SERVE AS A FIRST RESPONDER.

I BELIEVE THAT IS ONE OF THE GREATEST RESPONSIBILITIES A PERSON CAN ACCEPT.

THE BADGE IS NOT ABOUT POWER.

THE UNIFORM IS NOT ABOUT STATUS.

IT IS ABOUT RESPONSIBILITY.

IT IS ABOUT PROTECTING PEOPLE WHO MAY NEVER KNOW YOUR NAME.

IT IS ABOUT HELPING PEOPLE ON WHAT MAY BE THE WORST DAYS OF THEIR LIVES.

IT IS ABOUT REMAINING

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CALM WHEN OTHERS ARE AFRAID.

AND SOMETIMES IT MEANS PUTTING SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE BEFORE YOUR OWN.

SEPTEMBER 11TH REMINDS US WHY THAT COMMITMENT MATTERS.

IT ALSO REMINDS US THAT PEOPLE BEHIND THE BADGE ARE HUMAN BEINGS.

WE HAVE FAMILIES.

WE EXPERIENCE FEAR, WE BECOME TIRED.

WE CARRY DIFFICULT MEMORIES, AND SOMETIMES WE NEED HELP TOO.

WE HAVE LEARNED MUCH ABOUT FIRST RESPONDERS WELLNESS SINCE, SINCE SEPTEMBER 11TH.

WE UNDERSTAND BETTER THAT TAKING CARE OF THOSE WHO TAKE CARE OF EVERYONE ELSE IS PART OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

SUPPORTING OUR FIRST RESPONDERS MEANS MORE THAN PROVIDING EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING.

IT ALSO MEANS SUPPORTING THEIR WELLBEING.

IT MEANS MAKING SURE THEY KNOW THAT ASKING FOR HELP IS NOT A WEAKNESS, AND IT MEANS RECOGNIZES THAT SOME CALLS STAY WITH A PERSON LONG AFTER THE REPORT HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

THERE IS ANOTHER RESPONSIBILITY WE HAVE.

AS WE REMEMBER SEPTEMBER 11TH, SOMEONE IN HERE HAD MENTIONED IT TO ME EARLIER, WE MUST TEACH THE NEXT GENERATION.

THERE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY WHO WERE NOT ALIVE WHEN THE ATTACKS OCCURRED.

THEY KNOW SEPTEMBER 11TH AS HISTORY.

THEY HAVE SEEN PHOTOGRAPHS, HEARD STORIES, BUT THEY DID NOT EXPERIENCE THE UNCERTAINTY OF THAT MOURNING OR WITNESS THE NATION, EXCUSE ME, THE WAY OUR NATION RESPONDED.

THOSE OF US WHO REMEMBER HAVE RESPONSIBILITY TO TELL THE STORY, NOT TO CREATE FEARS, NOT TO OPEN WOUNDS, BUT TO PRESERVE HISTORY.

WE MUST TELL FUTURE GENERATIONS ABOUT THE LIVES LOST.

WE MUST TELL THEM ABOUT THE COURAGE OF THOSE WHO RESPONDED.

WE MUST TELL THEM ABOUT THE FAMILIES WHO SACRIFICED.

AND WE MUST TELL THEM ABOUT THE UNITY THAT EMERGED FROM TRAGEDY.

BECAUSE NEVER FORGET IS MORE THAN A PHRASE.

IT IS A COMMITMENT.

NEVER FORGET THE LIVES LOST.

NEVER FORGET THE FAMILIES LEFT BEHIND.

NEVER FORGET THE FIRST RESPONDERS WHO SACRIFICED EVERYTHING.

NEVER FORGET THE COURAGE DISPLAYED THAT DAY.

AND NEVER FORGET WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE CHOOSE TO STAND TOGETHER.

AS WE GATHER HERE TODAY IN THIS COUNCIL CHAMBER, WE ARE REMINDED THAT PUBLIC SERVICE COMES IN MANY FORMS. ELECTED OFFICIALS SERVE FIRST RESPONDERS, SERVE OUR PUBLIC.

EMPLOYEES, SERVE AND CITIZENS SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES IN COUNTLESS WAYS.

WE MAY HAVE DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT WE SHARE ONE COMMON PURPOSE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.

SEPTEMBER 11TH REMINDS US THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE STRONGEST WHEN WE PROTECT ONE ANOTHER, SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER AND STAND TOGETHER.

SO TODAY, LET US REMEMBER THE NEARLY 3000 PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES.

LET US REMEMBER THE FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE OFFICERS, PARAMEDICS, DISPATCHERS, AND OTHER FIRST RESPONDERS WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE.

LET US REMEMBER THE FAMILIES WHO CONTINUE TO CARRY THEIR LOSS.

LET US REMEMBER THOSE WHO SURVIVED AND THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO LIVE WITH THE PHYSICAL EMOTIONAL CONSEQUENCES OF THAT DAY.

BUT LET US ALSO REMEMBER WHAT SEPTEMBER 11TH BROUGHT OUT OF PEOPLE.

COURAGE, COMPASSION, UNITY, SERVICE, SELFLESSNESS.

AND I'LL TELL YOU, THOSE QUALITIES ARE NOT JUST THE QUALITIES BELONGING TO NEW YORK.

THEY BELONG TO ALL OF US, AND THEY ARE QUALITIES WE CAN CHOOSE TO DEMONSTRATE.

EVERY DAY.

WE CAN CHOOSE TO SERVE.

WE CAN CHOOSE TO HELP LISTEN.

AND WE CAN CHOOSE TO STAND WITH OUR NEIGHBORS.

WE CAN CHOOSE TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND WE CAN CHOOSE TO REMEMBER 25 YEARS LATER, OUR NATION HAS MOVED FORWARD.

BUT MOVING FORWARD DOES NOT MEAN FORGETTING.

WE CAN BUILD FOR THE FUTURE WHILE HONORING THE PAST.

WE CAN TEACH OUR CHILDREN WHILE REMEMBERING THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE THEM.

AND WE CAN LIVE OUR LIVES IN A WAY THAT GIVES MEANING TO THE SACRIFICES MADE ON SEPTEMBER 11TH TO THE FAMILIES WHO LOST LOVED ONES.

WE REMEMBER THEM TO THE SURVIVORS.

WE REMEMBER WHAT YOU ENDURED TO THE FIRST RESPONDERS WHO CONTINUED TO SERVE.

WE HONOR YOUR COMMITMENT.

AND TO THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES, WE WILL NEVER FORGET YOUR SACRIFICE.

25 YEARS LATER, THE MESSAGE REMAINS THE SAME.

WE REMEMBER, WE HONOR, WE SERVE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE WILL NEVER FORGET.

OFF WITH CITIZEN COMMENTS.

WE'RE GONNA START

[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.]

WE HAVE ONE PERSON SIGNED TO SPEAK.

UH, THE PURPOSE OF CITIZEN COMMENT IS TO GIVE ALL INTERESTED CITIZENS THE RIGHT TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS.

EVERYONE DESIRING TO SPEAK HAS EITHER

[00:15:01]

SIGNED THE APPROPRIATE LIST ON THE FOUR YEAR OR EMAILED THE CITY CLERK PRIOR TO THE POSTED TIME OF THIS MEETING.

EACH CITIZEN SHALL GIVE HIS OR HER NAME AND ADDRESS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A PROPER RECORD OF THESE COMMENTS.

THE RULES ALLOW EACH PERSON ONE MINUTE TO SPEAK.

A CITIZEN MAY PASS HIS OR HER TIME TO ANOTHER PERSON WHO IS REQUESTED TO ADDRESS COUNSEL.

NO CITIZEN REMARKS SHALL EXCEED THREE MINUTES IN TOTAL.

EITHER THE ONE MINUTE OR THE THREE MINUTE LIMIT MAY BE EXTENDED BY MAJORITY VOTE OF COUNSEL.

I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO BE AS BRIEF AND TO THE POINT AS POSSIBLE.

AND PLEASE KEEP IN MIND COUNSEL CANNOT DISCUSS OR DELIBERATE ON ITEMS FOR WHICH PUBLIC NOTICE HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN ON THIS AGENDA.

AND THE PERSON THAT WE HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IS MR. LARRY DAIGLE.

PLEASE STATE YOUR ADDRESS AND SINCE THIS IS CITIZEN COMMENT, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT ITEMS TO A CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ALLIANT INSURANCE SERVICES INC.

YEAH, MY NAME'S LARRY DLE.

I'M AT FOUR 10 PARK STREET AND I WANT TO LET THAT GENTLEMAN KNOW BACK THERE THAT HE DID A WONDERFUL REMINDER OF WHO WE ALL ARE.

BUT FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS I'VE BEEN FURTHER INVESTIGATING THIS COMPANY CALLED FLOCK.

AND THE WAY THAT HE DESCRIBED OUR COUNTRY 25 YEARS AGO IS NOT THE WAY THAT I WOULD DESCRIBE IT TODAY.

WITH RESPECT TO THIS COMPANY, SPECIFICALLY THIS COMPANY, NO MORE MY CONTENTION.

I I HAVE A DATA NETWORK BACKGROUND, SO I KNOW DATA NETWORKS AND WHERE THEY GO.

AND I WOULD CONTEND THAT THIS INFORMATION ULTIMATELY ENDS UP IN THE HANDS OF THE CHINESE AND UNTIL THEY PROVE DIFFERENTLY AND UNTIL THIS NETWORKS ARE DISMEMBERED, THAT'S THE WAY IT IS.

BUT SINCE I WANTED TO MENTION ONE QUICK THING AND BRING UP THE, THE 10 COMMAND, 10 COMMANDMENTS, AND IT SAYS, THOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST THY NEIGHBOR.

AND WHAT THIS PRODUCT DOES IS EXACTLY THAT IN MY TIME ZONE.

THANK YOU MR. DAGEL, HAVING NO ONE ELSE DESIRING TO SPEAK.

THIS CONCLUDES THE CITIZEN PORTION COMMENT OF THE AGENDA.

WE'RE NOW ON TO THE

[a. Consider a resolution authorizing Alliant Insurance Services, Inc., as broker, to secure agreements for insurance coverage policies for the Baytown Municipal Development District's property for Fiscal Year 2026-2027.]

AS BROKER TO SECURE AGREEMENTS FOR INSURANCE COVERAGE POLICIES FOR THE BAYTOWN MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT'S PROPERTY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 AND 2027.

MR. LOPEZ.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.

YES, THIS IS ALLOWING ALLIANT TO SECURE THE PROPERTY COVERAGES THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE FOR THE HYATT HOTEL.

AND I'M HIRED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY.

UM, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION.

YES, SIR.

HOW, UM, THE POLICY, HOW MUCH IS THIS POLICY FOR? THIS POLICY IS $945,000 FOR THE, THE PROPERTY COVERAGE FOR THE HYATT.

AND HAS THIS PROP, HAS THIS, UM, POLICY DECREASED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS? IT HAS DECREASED, YES.

FROM THE 1.8 MILLION.

IT ORIGINALLY WAS DOWN TO THE 945,000 THROUGH THE USE OF OUR ALLIANT INSURANCE BROKER.

EXCELLENT.

SO WE'RE ABOUT HALF OF WHAT WE WERE SPENDING BEFORE? YES, SIR.

YES, SIR.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I NEED A MOTION.

I MOVE.

UM, THREE A CONSIDER APPROVING THE MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION AND CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING HELD ON AUGUST 13TH, 2026.

THANK YOU MR. LOPEZ.

COUNCIL ITEMS,

[a. Consider approving the minutes of the City Council Work Session and City Council Regular meeting held on August 13, 2026.]

PRESENTATION FROM THE GULF COAST PROTECTION DISTRICT.

MOTION TO APPROVE MINUTES AS WRITTEN.

NOW WE WILL HAVE A

[a. Receive a presentation from the Gulf Coast Protection District.]

MS. NATALIA ALANIS.

HI EVERYONE.

UM, GOOD EVENING COUNSEL.

MY NAME'S NATALIA ESE AND I'M WITH THE GULF COAST PROTECTION DISTRICT.

I SERVE AS OUR COMMUNITY RELATIONS SPECIALIST.

SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE GULF COAST PROTECTION DISTRICT, ALSO KNOWN AS GCPD.

WE ARE, UM, OH, WE GOT IT.

OKAY, COOL.

UM, WE ARE A SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICT THAT WAS CREATED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS LEGISLATURE BACK IN 2021.

OUR MAIN PRIORITY IS TO OVERSEE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COASTAL RESILIENCE STRATEGY FOR THE UPPER TEXAS COAST.

UM, TWO OF THOSE PROJECTS INCLUDE THE COASTAL TEXAS PROJECT, WHICH I WILL SPEAK MORE ABOUT THIS EVENING, AS WELL AS THE SABINE PASS TO GALVESTON BAY PROJECT.

WE ARE GOVERNED BY OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, HALF OF WHICH ARE APPOINTED BY THE COUNTIES WE REPRESENT.

SO THAT IS HARRIS COUNTY, UM, GALVESTON COUNTY, CHAMBERS, JEFFERSON, AND, UM, ORANGE COUNTY AS WELL.

UM, AND THEN THE OTHER SIX MEMBERS ARE APPOINTED BY OUR GOVERNOR.

UM, WE SERVE AS THE NON-FEDERAL SPONSOR, WHICH MEANS THAT WE ARE, UM, THE LOCAL ENTITY THAT PARTNERS WITH THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO

[00:20:01]

HELP OVERSEE AND FOLLOW THROUGH ON WATER RESOURCES PROJECTS SUCH AS FLOOD PROTECTION.

SO SOME OF THOSE KEY RESPONSIBILITIES ON OUR END INCLUDE COST SHARING, LAND AND ACCESS, PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, CONSTRUCTION COMPLIANCE, AND THEN LATER DOWN THE LINE.

UM, LONG-TERM MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, AS YOU KNOW, IN OUR REGION AND WHERE WE ARE TODAY, UM, IN BAYTOWN, IS HOME TO SEVERAL CRITICAL ASSETS THAT KEEP OUR COUNTRY MOVING IN MORE THAN ONE WAY.

SO, UH, PROTECTING THIS STRETCH OF THE COAST REALLY MEANS PROTECTING NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, WHICH INCLUDES LIKE OUR PORTS, OUR REFINERIES, PETROCHEMICAL FACILITIES THAT SUPPLY OUR NATION'S, UH, GASOLINE REFINERY CAPACITY, AS WELL AS MILITARY GRADE FUEL.

UH, SO ONE SINGLE MAJOR STORM EVENT DOES PUT THESE CRITICAL ASSETS AT REACH, UM, AT RISK, INCLUDING, OF COURSE, THE ECONOMY, THE JOBS, THE PEOPLE, AND OUR ENVIRONMENT THAT MAKE OUR REGION, UM, SO GREAT.

OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED 25.

WE HAVE EXPERIENCED 13 STORMS WITH ALMOST 600 LIVES LOST, $212 BILLION IN ECONOMIC LOSS.

THERE IS TOO MUCH AT RISK HERE AND, UM, IT IS TIME TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A SOLUTION.

SO WHAT IS THE COASTAL TEXAS PROJECT? THE COASTAL TEXAS PROJECT IS THE LARGEST COASTAL STORM SURGE PROTECTION EFFORT, COMBINING ENGINEERED BARRIERS WITH, UH, NATURE-BASED FEATURES TO PROTECT THE UPPER TEXAS COAST.

SO THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS TO THIS.

OUR ELEMENTS, WE HAVE THE SOUTH PADRE ISLAND BEACH NOURISHMENT PART OF IT, WHICH IS DOWN IN SOUTH TEXAS.

THAT IS OVERSEEN BY OUR PARTNERS AT THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE.

AND THEN GCPD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GALVESTON BAY SHORELINE AND ISLAND PROTECTION PIECE OF IT, WHICH IS WETLAND AND ISLAND RESTORATION WORK, AND THE GALVESTON BAY BARRIER SYSTEM, WHICH A LOT OF US HERE IN THE AREA KNOW AS THE IKE D**E.

SO THAT IS THE LARGEST ELEMENT OF THE PROJECT.

AND IT ACCOUNTS FOR 85% OF THE PROJECT'S TOTAL COST, BUT ULTIMATELY THERE ARE SEVERING FEATURES WITHIN IT.

UM, TWO WHICH ARE MOVING FORWARD, THE BEACHES AND DUNES, AND THEN, UM, THE GATE, THE BOULEVARD, UH, ROADS GATE SYSTEM.

SO A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON THIS YEAR, UM, SINCE WE HAVE A LOT OF MOMENTUM GOING ON AT THE MOMENT BACK IN 2025.

UH, GCPD AWARDED TWO ENGINEERING DESIGN CONTRACTS FOR THE GATE AND FOR THE BEACHES AND DUNES THAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT, JACOBS WAS AWARDED FOR THE WORK OF THE BOLIVAR ROADS GATE SYSTEM.

THAT IS A TWO ALONG THE TWO MILE WIDE WATERWAY BETWEEN GALVESTON AND BOLIVAR PENINSULA.

UM, AND IT'S A STORM SURGE BARRIER GATE AND ALSO ACTS AS FLOOD MITIGATION TOOL WHEN IT'S, UM, WHEN ENCLOSED AT LOW TIDE AND IT CREATES A DETENTION RESERVOIR IN GALVESTON BAY.

HDR WAS AWARDED FOR THE ENGINEERING DESIGN OF THE BEACHES AND DUNES.

THAT'S A NATURAL FEATURE THAT IS, UM, ALONG BOLIVAR PENINSULA AND WEST GALVESTON ISLAND.

SO THAT INCLUDES WIDENING BEACHES AND CREATING A DOUBLE DUNE FEATURE, ACTING AS ANOTHER FORM OF, UM, STORM SURGE BARRIER.

IN GENERAL, THIS PROJECT WAS, UH, OR IS AUTHORIZED FOR $34 BILLION, AND THIS YEAR WE HAVE SEEN, UH, CONGRESS APPROPRIATED $6.75 MILLION, UM, FOR COASTAL TEXAS PROJECT IN THE FY 26 BUDGET.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS ALSO IDENTIFIED COASTAL TEXAS PROJECT, UM, IN THE PRESIDENT'S BUDGET FOR FY 27, WHICH IS A BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR A PROJECT THIS SIZE.

UM, AND WE'VE ALSO SEEN CONGRESS PROPOSE $10.6 MILLION FOR THIS WORK AS WELL THROUGH THE, UH, ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS BILL.

UM, IN ADDITION TO, UM, THE FEDERAL SUPPORT, WE HAVE TEXAS SUPPORT OF APPROPRIATED $950 MILLION TO GCPD TO ADVANCE, UM, THE PROJECT, SOMETHING THAT I'M PARTICULARLY EXCITED ABOUT IS OUR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS.

SO THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE BRING ON FULL-TIME COMMUNITY RELATIONS STAFF, SUCH AS MYSELF, AND WE ARE ACTIVELY HIRING, UM, ANOTHER POSITION AS WELL TO JOIN OUR TEAM.

UH, WE HAVE LAUNCHED TWO STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY COMMITTEES, ONE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE AND THE OTHER REPRESENTING INDUSTRY.

SO THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH BOTH SIDES HAVE BEEN REALLY INTERESTING, VERY IMPACTFUL ALREADY TO THE WORK OF OUR DESIGN.

AND, UM, ACTIVELY ENGAGES OUR ENGINEERING FIRMS AS WELL, SO THAT WAY THEY CAN, UM, ACTIVELY SHARE THEIR INPUT AND,

[00:25:01]

UM, INCORPORATE THAT INTO OUR DESIGN WORK.

WE'VE HOSTED SOME WORKSHOPS THIS SUMMER, WHICH ONE, UM, THAT THE CITY OF BAYTOWN WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN.

AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR LOCAL LEADERS, OUR CHAMBERS, UM, AND MUNICIPALITIES ARE INFORMED AND AWARE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE PROJECT AND THAT IT UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S ACTIVELY MOVING FORWARD.

WE'RE ALSO MEETING ONE-ON-ONE WITH CITY LEADERS AND PROVIDING PUBLIC UPDATES SUCH AS WE ARE THIS EVENING.

NEXT, WE ARE ALSO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT OUR COASTAL RESEARCH COUNCIL.

THIS WAS CREATED EARLIER THIS YEAR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TEXAS A AND M GALVESTON.

IT INCLUDES, UH, RICE UNIVERSITY AS WELL AS TU DELVE OUT IN THE NETHERLANDS.

UM, AND WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE, UH, POSSIBILITY OF OTHER ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS JOINING THIS WORK IN THE FUTURE.

BUT ULTIMATELY, THEY SERVE AS OUR SCIENTIFIC ARM OF THE PROJECT, AND THEY'LL CONDUCT KEY SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, KEY RESEARCH AND SCIENCE, UH, PROJECTS ON THE ENGINEERING, THE ENVIRONMENTAL WORK AND SOCIETAL CHALLENGES RELATED TO THE PROJECT.

LAST, LASTLY, BACK IN MARCH, OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVED A RESOLUTION TO REAFFIRM THE DISTRICT'S COMMITMENT TO NAVIGATION SAFETY.

UM, THIS IS ALSO PART OF OUR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT WORK, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE IN CLOSE COORDINATION WITH ALL OF THE PILOTS AND PORTS ACROSS OUR REGION TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE NOT IMPEDING TWO-WAY TRAFFIC OR NAVIGATION SAFETY.

UM, AND SO WE, THEY'RE PART OF OUR COMMITTEES.

THEY'RE ACTIVELY, UM, ENGAGING IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS ONE-ON-ONE AND WITH THE LARGER GROUPS, SO THAT WAY WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER ACROSS THE REGION.

WITH THAT, I DO ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT, AS WELL AS FOLLOWING US ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO STAY UP TO DATE WITH ALL OF THE LATEST NEWS ABOUT THE PROJECT AND GULF COAST PROTECTION DISTRICT.

UM, AND WITH THAT COUNSEL, I WILL WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.

I DO REMEMBER WHEN THIS PROJECT WAS FIRST COMING INTO FRUITION.

AND WE'VE COME A LONG WAY, BUT I AM HAPPY TO SEE IT CONTINUE TO PROGRESS.

ARE NOW MOVING ON TO FIVE A, GONNA CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING.

ANYONE ELSE? GOOD DEAL.

THANK YOU MS. ALANISE.

[a. Conduct a public hearing on a proposal to adopt a tax rate of $0.69803, which is effectively a 8.03 percent increase in the tax rate.]

THE PUBLIC HEARING TODAY IS BEING HELD FOR THE PURPOSE OF GIVING ALL INTERESTED PERSONS THE RIGHT TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS REGARDING THE SUBJECT OF THE PUBLIC HEARING.

EVERYONE DESIRING TO BE A PART OF TODAY'S HEARING SHOULD HAVE EITHER SIGNED THE APPROPRIATE LIST IN THE FOUR YEAR EMAIL OF THE CITY CLERK PRIOR TO THE POSTED TIME OF THIS MEETING.

EACH PARTICIPANT SHALL GIVE HIS OR HER NAME AND ADDRESS INTO PRO IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A PROPER RECORD OF THE HEARING.

THE RULES ALLOW EACH PERSON THREE MINUTES TO PRESENT INFORMATION.

HOWEVER, I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO BE AS BRIEF AND TO THE POINT AS POSSIBLE.

IF YOU'RE A GROUP OF PERSONS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNSEL ON THE SAME SUBJECT, PLEASE SELECT A SPOKESPERSON TO PRESENT THEIR INFORMATION.

AND IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE DIRECT THEM TO ME.

WE ARE NOW GOING TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON A PROPOSAL TO ADOPT A TAX RATE OF 0.69803, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY AN 8.03% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE.

IT IS NOW 7:01 PM AND I CALL TO ORDER THIS PUBLIC HEARING CONCERNING A PROPOSAL TO ADOPT A TAX RATE OF 0.69803, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY AN 8.03% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE.

I'D LIKE NOW TO ASK STAFF TO SUMMARIZE THE SUBJECT OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING.

MS. MCKENZIE, UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNSEL.

UM, AS YOU KNOW, BEFORE YOU TODAY IS THE TAX RATE, WHICH YOU JUST SAID, UH, 0.69803.

UM, THIS IS THE TAX IMPACT STATEMENT, UM, THAT YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE, WHERE WITH THE NEW RATE PROPOSED RATE IS THE SAME RATE AS OUR RATE OF LAST YEAR.

BUT, UH, DUE TO THE WAY THE CALCULATION IS, IF YOU HAVE A CHANGE IN YOUR MEDIUM VALUE HOMESTEAD, YOU WOULD STILL INCUR A TAX INCREASE.

AND THAT $43.87 A YEAR EQUATES TO ABOUT $3 AND 65 CENTS A MONTH.

UM, IF WE KEEP THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, WHICH IS 0.68517, THE CHANGE REDUCTION IS $16 AND 88.

UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NONE.

WE DO HAVE ONE PERSON SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AND THAT IS MS. DESIREE KLAUS,

[00:30:01]

PLEASE STATE YOUR ADDRESS.

YES, DESIREE KLAUS.

UH, 9 0 2 6 BLUE STAR LANE, BAYTOWN, TEXAS.

UH, GOOD EVENING.

UH, I'M A LIFELONG BAYTOWN RESIDENT AND CANDIDATE ALSO FOR TEXAS HOUSE DISTRICT 1 28.

FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, TEXAS WORKFORCE HAS RECENTLY RECORDED.

BAYTOWN HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATES AMONG THE 19 TRACK CITIES IN THE GULF COAST WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AREA.

THE CITY COUNCIL HAS ALSO PROPOSED A TAX RATE INCREASE OF 8%.

SO WHILE WORKING FAMILIES ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING TO FIND STABLE WORK AND PAY FOR EVERYDAY EXPENSES, I ASK THE CITY COUNCIL BEFORE ADOPTING THIS 8% INCREASE.

I WOULD LIKE THE COUNCIL TO EXPLAIN WHAT ADDITIONAL SERVICES RESIDENTS WILL RECEIVE.

AND I WOULD ALSO END, WILL THE CITY PRIORITIZE LOCAL LONGTIME JOB OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN HARRIS COUNTY TAX INCREASE AND NOW THE CITY OF BAYTOWN TAX INCREASE? FAMILIES ARE TAKING ON A BURDEN THEY'RE NOT PREPARED FOR.

I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THEIR TAX DOLLARS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

MUNICIPAL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026.

THERE BEEN NO ONE ELSE DESIRING TO SPEAK.

AND NOW CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING AT 7:04 PM CONCERNING THE PROPOSAL TO ADOPT A TAX RATE OF 0.69803, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY AN 8.03% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE.

GOT YOU.

NOW WE'RE ON TO SIX A

[a. Consider an ordinance to adopt or postpone the City of Baytown Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Proposed Municipal Budget. ]

2027.

CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE TO ADOPT OR POSTPONE THE CITY OF BAYTOWN FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 20 27.

PROPOSE MUNICIPAL BUDGET.

MS. MCKENZIE, UM, MAYOR AND COUNSEL, UM, BEFORE YOU, UM, IS A DOCUMENT THAT INCLUDES A LIST OF OUR MULTI-YEAR CONTRACTS.

AS WAS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY.

WE'RE DOING A NEW PROCESS THIS YEAR WHERE WE'RE HAVING YOU APPROVE THESE CONTRACTS WITH THE BUDGET SO THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING TO BRING THEM TO YOU ANNUALLY.

UM, THE UPDATE IS TO, UH, TWO OF THE CONTRACTS THAT HAD, UM, RED FONT PREVIOUSLY.

AND SO THEY WERE MISSING SOME INFORMATION AND WE'VE INCLUDED THAT INFORMATION IN THAT DOCUMENT.

UM, THOSE WERE THE ONLY CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE BUDGET.

THE BUDGET IS THE SAME.

UM, AND THIS IS THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GENERAL FUND.

REVENUE IS STILL ONE A HUNDRED AND FORTY NINE 0.4 MILLION.

THE OPERATING EXPENDITURES 144.9.

UM, I WON'T READ ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS, BUT, UH, NOTHING ELSE HAS CHANGED OTHER THAN THE DOCUMENT BEFORE YOU WHERE WE'VE ADDED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT WAS MISSING.

UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES, MA'AM.

UM, SO I KNOW THAT WITH THIS BUDGET WE ARE ADDING NEW POSITIONS.

CORRECT.

'CAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY NEW OR BUDGET ITEMS TO ADD NEW EMPLOYEES TO OUR BUDGET IN A LITTLE WHILE.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN LIKE A, UH, A VACANCY AND THEN WE FILL THOSE VACANCIES.

BUT WE DO HAVE SOME NEW POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THIS BUDGET.

THERE ARE TWO POSITIONS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADDED, UH, AS PART OF THE HOMELESS INITIATIVE.

UM, FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT THAT ARE, THAT ARE SUPPORTING, UH MM-HMM .

THE PD, UH, STAFF HAD RECOMMENDED ONE APPROVED OR ONE NEW EMPLOYEE FOR, UH, THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH WAS THE E-BUSINESS SOLUTIONS, UH, ANALYST, I, I BELIEVE WAS THE TITLE.

UM, THAT IS THE ONLY ONE THAT STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED FOR THE GENERAL FUND.

AND THEN THERE WERE THREE POSITIONS THAT WERE ADDED FOR THE WATER SEWER FUND, UH, TO BETTER CARE FOR THE LIFT STATIONS, UH, ALIGNING THE STAFF WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.

OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY NOT, UH, WANT TO WORK IN SOME OF, UH, THESE OTHER BUSINESSES LIKE SAM'S, ET CETERA.

SO WE DO HAVE NEW POTENTIAL JOB OPPORTUNITIES, UM, NOT JUST WITHIN THE CITY OF BAYTOWN, BUT WE HAVE SENT IN A MARKETPLACE, UM, WHO WE'VE HEARD THAT SAM'S IS ALREADY HIRING.

UM, AND SO WE HOPE THAT, UM, INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR JOBS ARE STARTING TO SYNC UP WITH SAM'S.

UM, AND THEN AS THE NEW STORES START COMING INTO PLAY, THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL JOBS THERE.

UM, AS A COUNCIL, WE'VE ALWAYS, UM, HELD ANY NEW DEVELOPMENT, UM, TO HIRE FROM WITHIN THE CITY.

UM, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S NOT GONNA BE A GUARANTEE, SO WE CAN'T HOLD THEM TO THAT.

UM, BUT WE DO ASK THEM TO DO THAT.

SO THERE ARE JOBS THAT HOPEFULLY WILL BE AVAILABLE TO CITY OF BAYTOWN RESIDENTS.

IT JUST, YOU KNOW, FOR THEM TO APPLY THERE IS, UM, AS WE HEARD AS WELL, UM, COMPETITION, UM, IN TERMS OF PAY AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OTHER, UM, UH, BUSINESSES WITHIN THE CITY THAT MAY PAY MORE.

AND SO THAT MAY ATTRACT

[00:35:01]

BUT THE, ULTIMATELY THE JOBS ARE THERE.

UM, I HAVE HEARD OF THE NUMBER FROM GULF COAST, UM, SOLUTIONS OR, UH, RESOURCE GULF COAST RESOURCE.

AND, UM, OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATES COULD BE A LITTLE SKEWED BECAUSE OF THE FACT WE ARE A HEAVILY INDUSTRY CITY, UM, WITH A LOT OF THEM IN CONTRACT POSITIONS.

AND SO I KNOW FOR ONE, MY FAMILY, WHEN WE MOVED HERE, THAT'S WHAT WE MOVED HERE FOR.

AND MY DAD WOULD WORK A CYCLE AND THEN HE'S OFF.

HE WOULD DO UNEMPLOYMENT UNTIL HE ENDED UP GETTING A NEW CYCLE WITH A LOCAL COMPANY.

AND SO I, I BELIEVE THOSE NUMBERS, IF, IF WE WANT TO AS A CITY, UM, KIND OF LOOK AND WORK TOGETHER WITH, UH, GULF COAST, UM, THAT WE CAN MAYBE LOOK TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN CHANGE WITH THOSE NUMBERS.

BUT I'VE HEARD THAT AND I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT FORWARD BECAUSE THAT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE TELL ME IS THAT WE HAVE A LOW, I MEAN A HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE.

BUT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE HAVE INDUSTRY WITHIN A COMMUNITY.

AND TO SAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY JOBS AVAILABLE, WE DO, WE, WE ARE ADDING SOME WITH THE CITY OF BAYTOWN AND WE HAVE SOME NEW RETAIL THAT'S AVAILABLE, UM, FOR FOLKS WHO WOULD WANT TO GET A JOB.

I THINK OUR, UM, SCHOOL DISTRICT IS DOING AN AMAZING JOB ALSO WITH THEIR ACADEMIES WHERE STUDENTS COME OUT ALREADY JOB READY.

UM, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HOPEFULLY FINDING THE RIGHT COMPANIES THAT WE CAN KEEP THEM HERE LOCALLY INSTEAD OF, UH, THEM MOVING OUT TO OTHER COMMUNITIES.

BUT THAT IS AN ONGOING THING.

UM, THE FACT THAT GOOSE CREEK, UM, STARTED THOSE COMMUNITIES, UH, THOSE ACADEMIES HERE SAYS A LOT.

UM, AND HOPEFULLY THEIR COMMITMENT TO BAYTOWN WILL CONTINUE.

SO JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.

ANYONE ELSE? OKAY.

CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING.

THIS IS STILL PUBLIC HEARING, CORRECT? NO, WE ALREADY CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING.

OH, THAT'S RIGHT.

WE'RE ON SIX.

I DO HAVE TWO PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

DR.

JUNE STANSKI, MY APOLOGIES.

WHERE IS SHE? THERE SHE IS.

AGAIN, I'M GONNA HAVE TO ASK YOU FOR YOUR ADDRESS BECAUSE I JUST CAN'T REMEMBER IT.

HI.

I'M STILL AT 46 0 1 DRIFTER DRIVE.

UM, MY CONCERNS REMAIN THE SAME WITH THE BUDGET.

UM, ON LINE 54 0 0 7 UNDER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, THERE'S A 1,260,000 UM, FUND SITTING THERE, WHICH INCLUDES THE HARRIS COUNTY, UM, BUS SERVICES, WHICH WE NEED MORE OF BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE A MARKETPLACE AND MAYBE AN ACTIVITY CENTER AND PEOPLE NEED TO GET TO AND FROM THOSE PLACES.

SO IT'S CURRENTLY SET AT 250,000.

UM, THEN THERE'S ALL KINDS OF OTHER CONSULTANT SERVICES INCLUDING, UH, 200,000 FOR PROJECT VECTOR, WHICH WE JUST PAID 5 MILLION FOR AN ARCHITECT TO DO THAT.

UM, SO MAYBE THAT 200,000 COULD GO BACK IN THE BUS BUDGET.

AND ONCE WE GET THE MARKETPLACE OPEN, WOULDN'T IT BE NICE IF WE HAD PARK AND RIDE THAT WOULD GO BACK INTO HOUSTON SO PEOPLE COULD GO TO THEIR JOBS AND THINGS LIKE THAT? SO I THINK WE NEED TO INCREASE THE BUS BUDGET EVEN THOUGH IT REALLY DOESN'T HAVE ITS LOAN, UH, ITS OWN LINE ITEM ON THIS BUDGET.

IT SHOULD AND, AND I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE UNDER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.

UM, I'VE MADE CONTACT WITH, UM, HARRIS COUNTY TO GET RIDERSHIP NUMBERS.

I DON'T HAVE THOSE YET FROM HARRIS COUNTY, BUT I HAVE REQUESTED THOSE.

SO I WILL CONTINUE TO PURSUE THE HARRIS COUNTY RIDERSHIP NUMBERS, BUT I'M HOPING COUNSEL WILL CONSIDER INCREASING THE BUS BUDGET.

BUS SERVICE PRICE TAG OF 250,000 SEEMS TO BE A REAL THORN IN THE SIDE.

MR. TROY WHITE NECK, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STATE YOUR ADDRESS.

TROY WHITE NECK 9 9 4 6 BAYOU WOODS DRIVE.

CITY COUNCIL'S ABSENCE OF HUMAN DECENCY, HUMANITARIANISM AND CHRISTIAN DUTY ARE NOW ON FULL DISPLAY FOR THE CITIZENS OF BAYTOWN AND THE SURROUNDING AREA BUS SERVICE.

BAY TOWN'S

[00:40:01]

THE CITY COUNCIL.

Y'ALL CLAIM THAT YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN'T GET.

STUPIDITY IS A LAME EXCUSE.

INFORMATION HASN'T BEEN A PROBLEM FOR YOUR PET PROJECTS.

MILLIONS SPENT ON TWO FAILED GOLF COURSES OVER A MILLION DOLLARS MISTAKE IN THE HYATT REGENCY INSURANCE AMOUNT.

$559,262 FOR EXPOSED UNDERLYING CONSTRUCTION DEFECTS IN THE HYATT REGENCY AND THE BAYTOWN SUN REPORTED $560,000 FOR THE HOMELESS.

AND THEN A FEW DAYS LATER IT WAS UP.

THE BAYTOWN SUN REPORTED 580,000.

OH, I'M SORRY.

THAT HOMELESS MONEY DIDN'T GO TO THE HOMELESS.

IT WENT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO HASSLE AND INTIMIDATE THE HOMELESS.

THE CITY SPENT 5 MILLION ON BLUEPRINTS FOR A NEW LIBRARY WITH NO BATHROOMS. ONE COUNCIL MEMBER WAS FILM BRAGGING ABOUT, UH, VOTING TO CUT FUNDING FOR FREE CHILDCARE SERVICES SO THE PARENTS COULD WORK AND CUTTING FUNDING FOR THE BUS SERVICE, CANCELING A BUS ROUTE.

A YEAR AGO WHEN CITY COUNCIL CUT 150,000 FROM THE BUS SERVICE CANCELING THE BUS ROUTE, A BUSLOAD OF ACTUAL BUS RIDERS SHOWED UP TO TELL COUNCIL WHY THEY NEEDED THE BUS SERVICE.

AND A MAN WAS THERE THAT GAVE YOU ALL RIDERSHIP NUMBERS.

THAT WAS INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE NOW ASKING FOR.

SO I STAND CORRECTED.

STUPIDITY IS A LEGITIMATE EXCUSE.

Y'ALL BECAME PUBLIC SERVANTS.

THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.

SERVE THE PUBLIC, EVEN THE DISADVANTAGED.

UNLESS EVERYONE THAT HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

SO NOW I'M GONNA ASK ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NONE.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

OR CITY ATTORNEY? YES MA'AM.

'CAUSE WE ARE ON, UM, SIX A MM-HMM .

RIGHT.

UM, CAN YOU REMIND ME, 'CAUSE I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THIS THE NIGHT THAT I HAD TO RECUSE MYSELF.

UM, SINCE THE BUDGET DOES INCLUDE, UM, UH, THE BUS SERVICE, CAN I APPROVE THE ENTIRE IF I WANT TO OR DO I NEED TO YES, OF COURSE.

TAKE THAT ONE OUT.

IN THIS CASE, UM, YOU ARE NOT BEING DIRECTLY BENEFITED THROUGH YOUR OTHER EMPLOYMENT BY DELIBERATING OR VOTING ON THIS ITEM.

THERE IS NO, UH, ACTUAL OR EVEN A PERCEIVED CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

SO THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH YOU PARTICIPATING AND VOTING ON THIS MATTER.

ANYONE ELSE? OKAY.

MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM SIX.

A SECOND.

AYE.

CONSIDERING ORDINANCE APPROVING

SIX B.

[b. Consider an ordinance approving the ad valorem tax rate for the City of Baytown, Texas, for fiscal year ending September 30, 2027. Approval of the ordinance will set the property tax rate at $0.69803 per $100 valuation for the 2026 Tax Year. The General Fund maintenance and operations tax rate will be set at $.43812 per $100 valuation and the debt service tax rate set at $.25991 per $100 valuation.]

THE AVALARA TAX RATE FOR THE CITY OF BAYTOWN, TEXAS FOR A FISCAL YEAR ENDING IN SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2027, APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE WILL SET THE PROPERTY TAX RATE AT 0.69803 PER 100 VALUE $100 VALUATION FOR THE 2026 TAX YEAR.

THE GENERAL FUND MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS TAX RATE WILL BE SET AT 0.43812 PER $100 VALUATION.

AND THE DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE SET AT 0.25991 PER PER $100 VALUATION.

MS. MCKENZIE, UM, SO MAYOR AND COUNSEL, UM, YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU A VERBIAGE THAT YOU MUST SAY OR SOMEONE MUST MAKE A MOTION.

SO I WANNA EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE UH, PERCENTAGES.

UM, THE 8.03% IS, IS BASED ON THE M AND O RATE.

SO YOU KNOW, THERE'S A M AND O RATE AND A DEBT SERVICE RATE.

THE STATE MAKES US RECORD THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE M AND O RATE FOR THIS YEAR OR WHAT WAS CALCULATED IN THE CALCULATION AND WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO THE CITIZENS.

AND THAT'S WHERE THE 8.03% IS COMING FROM.

THE ACTUAL PERCENTAGE CHANGE FOR THE PROPERTY TAX RATE IS 1.88% BECAUSE IT IS 0.69803 MINUS THE 0.68517.

NO NEW REVENUE RATE.

THAT IS 1.88%.

AND SO, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE TO POST IT THAT WAY, BECAUSE THAT IS THE STATE REQUIREMENTS, IT IS ACTUALLY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE M AND O

[00:45:01]

RATE, WHICH IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE DEBT SERVICE RATE.

SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE, PROVIDE CLARITY ON THAT.

, IS EVERYONE CLEAR ON THAT ABOUT YEAH, I ACTUALLY ASKED THAT IN MY MEETING EARLIER THIS WEEK.

BECAUSE I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT WAS POSTED LIKE THAT.

AND, AND THAT WAS A QUESTION I ASKED JASON.

I ASKED THAT WE GIVE THE EXPLANATION MM-HMM .

SO THAT THE CITIZENS WOULD UNDERSTAND.

AND IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, GUESS WHAT YOU CAN DO? YOU CAN CALL US OR YOU CAN CALL THAT MAN RIGHT OVER THERE.

THE CITY MANAGER, HE KNOWS THIS STUFF VERY WELL AND HE CAN EXPLAIN IT TO YOU.

HE ACTUALLY GAVE A GOOD PRESENTATION.

WAS THAT AT OUR LAST BUDGET MEETING WHERE WE DID THE FORMULA OR THE MEETING BEFORE THAT? I THINK IT WAS THE LAST ONE, MARY.

THEY ALL RUN TOGETHER.

YEAH, IT WAS, IT WAS ONE OF THE BUDGET MEETINGS.

BUT YOU CAN GO BACK AND WATCH THOSE MEETINGS AND, AND SEE WHAT THE FORMULA IS AND THEN YOU CAN EVEN PUT A PEN OR PENCIL TO IT.

I WOULD ADVISE PUTTING A PENCIL TO IT.

'CAUSE YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA HAVE TO USE YOUR ERASER.

UM, THAT BEING SAID, QUICK QUESTION.

YES SIR.

SO IF WE WOULD'VE, THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE WOULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED A WHAT? 7% INCREASE THE YES, THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE WOULD STILL BE CONSIDERED AN INCREASE JUST BECAUSE THE IT TO MS. MCKENZIE'S POINT, IT'S, IT'S BASED OFF THE M AND O RATE.

AND SO PART OF OUR, PART OF OUR BALANCE WITH THIS, UH, MAYOR TO YOUR POINT, IT, IT, IT IS A, UH, A GIVE AND TAKE AND WE DON'T, WE WOULD PREFER THAT THE TAX RATE DIDN'T GO UP AND DOWN, UP AND DOWN ALL THE TIME.

AND WHEN WE DID THE BOND EDUCATION TWO YEARS AGO, A YEAR AGO, WHENEVER THAT WAS AT THIS POINT, UM, WE TALKED ABOUT KEEPING THE TAX RATES STEADY AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR OVER A YEAR NOW, TO KEEP IT STEADY AND, UM, WHEN YOU DO THIS, YES, IT DOES MAKE A SMALL BUMP IN THE M AND O, BUT THAT GIVES THE, THE CITY THE ABILITY, IF WE HAVE TO ISSUE DEBT, IT'S ABSORBED AND THE TAX RATE STILL DOESN'T HAVE TO GO UP.

AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO, WE'RE TRYING TO CALCULATE EVERYTHING WHERE IT CAN BE AS FLAT AS POSSIBLE FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.

THAT WAY IT DOESN'T, UM, THE CITIZENS DON'T CONTINUE TO SEE, UM, UH, UH, AN INFLUX, INFLUX IN A TAX RATE OVER TIME.

AND THIS, THIS WILL SUSTAIN OPERATIONS IF IT CONTINUES TO DROP, AS WE'VE TALKED NUMEROUS TIMES, UH, AT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, SERVICE DELIVERY WILL HAVE TO CHANGE IN THE CITY.

AND I, I I, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT AD NAUSEUM AND ALL KIND OF STUFF, AND WE'RE MAKING SURE WE DON'T HAVE HIGH TIDE AND LOW TIDE WHEN IT COMES TO THE TAX RATE.

ANYONE ELSE? I MAKE A COMMENT, MAYOR, AND, AND I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.

OVER THE LAST ALMOST SIX YEARS NOW, WE'VE, WE AS A COUNCIL HAVE LOWERED THE TAX RATE.

I LOOKED AT IT TODAY, IT'S ALMOST 12 CENTS OVER THE LAST FIVE AND A HALF, SIX YEARS THAT, THAT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.

BUT OVER, AS I TRIED TO STRESS LAST YEAR, AND I'LL STRESS AGAIN THIS YEAR, IF WE CONTINUE TO LOWER THE TAX RATE FOR OUR CITIZENS, AS IT'S INDICATED, IT'S ABOUT A $40 A YEAR IMPACT BY LEAVING IT STEADY, THE REAL ENTITY THAT GETS THE TAX BREAK.

OR OUR INDUSTRIES, AND I'M NOT ANTI-INDUSTRY, I LOVE OUR INDUSTRIES IN THIS AREA, BUT WE HAVE THEM IN INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT AGREEMENTS, IDAS, AND THEY PAY APPROXIMATELY 65% OF THE TAX RATE BASED ON A NEGOTIATED VALUE FOR THEIR INDUSTRY.

WHEREAS A, AS A HOMEOWNER, MY VALUE GOES UP, THEIR VALUE STAYS THE SAME, BUT THEY PAY LESS.

SO THERE'S THE BIGGEST NEGATIVE IMPACT WHEN WE START, CONTINUE TO LOWER THE, THE TAX RATE.

WE'VE, WE'VE HEARD OUR CITIZENS, AND WE ALL KNEW THE TAX RATES NEEDED TO BE REDUCED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS BECAUSE WE HAVE, WELL, I'LL SAY IT THIS WAY, THERE WAS LOTS OF MONEY IN LOTS OF EXPENDITURES.

WE HAVE TRIMMED THE BUDGETS, WE HAVE CUT COSTS, WE'VE TRIMMED AS HARD AS WE CAN, BUT NOW THAT TAX RATE IS AT A BALANCE POINT.

SO REALLY THE ONLY ENTITY THAT'S GETTING THE BIG TAX BREAK IS INDUSTRY.

WE NEED THEM TO CONTINUE TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE, IN MY OPINION.

AND SO WE, WE HOLD THE TAX RATE STEADY, THEIR FEES STAY STEADY, BUT THE DISADVANTAGE TO OUR CITIZENS IS OUR VALUES GO UP.

IT MAKES A $40 A YEAR DIFFERENCE.

AND I'LL USE THE SUBSIDIES WE USED TO HAVE MM-HMM .

FOR, FOR THE TRASH SUBSIDY AND, AND, UH, SEWER SUBSIDIES USED TO BE 10, $20 A MONTH.

WELL, OKAY, SO IT COSTS ME $40 MORE A YEAR FOR MY TAXES, BUT I LOST $240 A YEAR IN SUBSIDIES.

LOWER THE TAX RATE, AGAIN, INDUSTRY GETS A BIG CUT AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIND THAT DIFFERENCE IN, IN SERVICES OR FEES.

SO THAT'S NOT FAIR TO OUR CITIZENS.

CAN WE GET THAT BACK? WE HOLD IT STEADY.

PROBABLY NOT BECAUSE WE'VE TRIMMED IT TO THAT POINT.

BUT IF WE

[00:50:01]

BECAUSE I, I HAVE YET TO HAVE A CITIZEN TELL ME THEY WANT LESS SERVICE.

THEY NORMALLY WANT MORE, THEY WANT THE STREETS REPAIRED FASTER THAN WITH DITCHES DUG OUT MORE OFTEN.

I I HEAR YOU.

AND WE'RE DOING ALL WE CAN, BUT OUR COSTS GO UP AS WELL.

SO TO HOLD THE TAX RATE STEADY, YES, IT'S GONNA COST US A LITTLE BIT MORE.

COUPLE OF DOLLARS A MONTH IS WAS THE EXAMPLE, OR A FEW DOLLARS A MONTH.

BUT INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO PAY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT MORE.

AND THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR CITIZEN TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE AT THAT TIPPING POINT NOW THAT REALLY THE ONLY ENTITY THAT GETS THE REAL BREAK IF WE CONTINUE TO LOWER OUR TAX RATE IS INDUSTRY.

AND AGAIN, EVERYBODY DESERVES A BREAK, BUT INDUSTRY CAN MUCH BETTER AFFORD TO PAY THEIR SHARE THAN OUR CITIZENS.

AND, AND, AND I HARPED ON THAT LAST YEAR, MR. REYNOLDS AND I HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ON IT AND, AND I JUST WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR THIS YEAR THAT I'M, I SUPPORT KEEPING THE TAX RATES STEADY.

UM, AS HE INDICATED, YES, A LITTLE BIT EXTRA COMES INTO TO OUR COFFERS, BUT WE ALSO JUST PASSED A BOND THAT WE'RE GONNA BE STARTING TO ISSUE DEBT ON, AND THAT LITTLE BIT EXTRA CAN PAY SOME OF THAT DEBT SO WE DON'T HAVE TO RAISE TAXES.

I THINK THAT'S A GOOD TRADE OFF.

THANKS, MAYOR.

UH, WHENEVER WE TALK ABOUT A REDUCTION IN SERVICES, WHAT, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? CITY MANAGER, UM, MAYOR AND COUNCIL? IT'S, UM, GOODNESS GRACIOUS.

UM, RIGHT NOW, UH, TO MR. LESTER'S POINT, OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, WE HAVE REDUCED THE BUDGET.

UH, I'D BE, I BELIEVE BETWEEN 10 AND $12 MILLION IN EXPENSES.

UM, THERE WERE, THERE WERE SOME AREAS THAT WERE EASY TO LOOK AT.

THERE WERE SOME AREAS THAT WERE NOT EASY TO LOOK AT, AND THOSE WERE THE PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT WE HAD.

UM, ONE OF THOSE WAS HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT.

UH, OTHER ONES WERE SUBSIDIES.

WE HAD TO RAISE FEES IN THE GREEN CENTER.

WE HAD TO RAISE WATER RATES, UH, WATER AND SEWER RATES BECAUSE WE WERE SUBSIDIZING THOSE.

UM, THERE WERE PROGRAMMING CUTS IN PARKS AND RECREATION AND TOURISM.

THERE WERE PROGRAMMING CUTS IN THE LIBRARY OR REDISTRIBUTIONS OF THE PROGRAMS, THAT MAYBE IS A BETTER WORD.

UH, THE CITIZENS DID NOT SEE A LOT OF THE CHANGES, UM, BECAUSE WE DID EVERYTHING WE COULD TO REALLY TRIM WHERE WE CAN WITHOUT ACTUALLY IMPACTING THE CITIZENS.

BUT THE NEXT STEP IS ACTUALLY CUTTING THE HARD THINGS IN THE ORGANIZATION.

THE NEXT STEP IS AN AS AN EXTREME EXAMPLE, RIGHT? MM-HMM .

IF, IF, UM, IF WE WENT TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS, WE ROUGHLY HAVE, WE HAVE CREATED A DELTA WITH THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, WHERE ANYTIME THE INDUSTRY IS GROWING, IT TAKES THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, NEGATES THAT GROWTH OF INDUSTRY, OKAY? AND SO WE GROW BY ROUGHLY $2 MILLION IN REVENUE, BUT OUR EXPENSES GROW BY 4 MILLION TO $5 MILLION A YEAR.

AND SO IF WE HAD TO DO MAYBE ADDRESS A, A $2 MILLION, UH, THAT'S CUTTING 1%.

SO IF WE HAD TO CUT 1% IN THE ORGANIZATION, THAT'S ROUGHLY $2 MILLION THERE.

THAT IS ONE DEPARTMENT.

SO YOU COULD CUT A WHOLE DEPARTMENT AND THAT, AND THAT DEPARTMENT IS FULL OF PROGRAMMING AND JUST GOES AWAY LIKE THAT.

AND SO IF YOU HAD TO MAKE THAT UP, NOW COUNCIL'S PRIORITY HAS BEEN PUBLIC SAFETY.

AND SO WITH PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU HAVE POLICE, FIRE, PUBLIC WORKS BECAUSE PUBLIC WORKS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ELEMENT.

AND THEN, UM, FROM THERE YOU HAVE THE SUPPORT SERVICES THAT GO, UH, THAT HELP SUPPORT THOSE ONGOING.

THE OTHER STUFF THAT HAS TO BE LOOKED AT ARE THE SERVICES THAT ACTUAL CITIZEN SEE THAT ARE THE, UM, WHAT SOME PEOPLE CALL THE AMENITY PIECE OF FOR BAYTOWN.

SO THOSE WOULD BE THE FIRST THING THAT WOULD BE LOOKED AT, UH, TO ADDRESS THOSE THINGS.

AND THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE NOT THE, THE PUBLIC SAFETY ELEMENTS.

WELL, I JUST WANTED THAT EXPLANATION TO GO ON RECORD.

SO ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK AND WATCH THIS, YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION YOU CAN RESEARCH.

THAT BEING SAID, I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF 0.69803, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 1.88% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE.

I NEED A SECOND.

ONE SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR? I MADE THE MOTION.

I CAN MAKE THE MOTION.

OF THE SERVICE AND ASSESSMENT PLAN AND ASSESSMENT ROLE FOR THE BAY CREEK PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, INCLUDING THE COLLECTION OF THE 2026 ANNUAL INSTALLMENTS, MR. MORAN.

ANY OPPOSED? AYE.

WE HAVE ONE NAY ON RECORD.

MOTION CARRIES ON TO SEVEN

[a. Consider an ordinance approving the 2026-2027 Annual Update of the Service and Assessment Plan and Assessment Roll for the Bay Creek Public Improvement District, including the collection of the 2026 Annual Installments. ]

A PROPOSED ORDINANCES.

CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE 20 26 20 27 ANNUAL UPDATE

[00:55:01]

HEY, GOOD EVENING, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, BRIAN MORAN WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

UM, AS YOU INDICATED, UH, MR. MAYOR, FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR ALL'S CONSIDERATION TONIGHT, UM, WE DO HAVE THE 20 26, 20 27 ANNUAL ASSESSMENT PLAN AND, AND, UM, SAP FOR BAY CREEK PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.

UM, THIS IS REQUIRED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS BY THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.

UM, WE DO HAVE, UM, MARK AND ABDI FROM UNICAP WHO ARE OUR PUBLIC, EXCUSE ME, OUR, UM, PIT ADMINISTRATORS, UM, WHO HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION, UH, TO GO WITH YOU TONIGHT.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.

ABDI IS SEEN WITH V CAF, YOUR PAID ADMINISTRATOR.

AS, UH, BRIAN JUST MENTIONED.

UH, WE HAVE PRESENTED BEFORE YOU AN ANNUAL SERVICE PLAN AT BAY FOR THE BAKERY PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.

THAT PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT WAS ESTABLISHED BACK IN 2021 BY COUNCIL TO FINANCE SOME PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE BAKERY SUBDIVISION.

UH, BACK IN 2024.

JUNE OF 2024, COUNCIL APPROVED, UH, AN A LEVY OF ASSESSMENT AGAINST THE PROPERTIES IN THAT PARTICULAR SUBDIVISION AND APPROVED A SERVICE AND ASSESSMENT PLAN FOR THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.

SO THAT SERVICE AND ASSESSMENT PLAN IS REQUIRED TO BE UPDATED EACH YEAR.

UH, UH, PURSUANT TO A CHAPTER THREE SEVEN OH, THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, UH, PARTICULARLY ABOUT FIVE COMPONENTS OF THE SERVICE AND ASSESSMENT PLAN ARE REQUIRED TO BE UPDATED EACH YEAR.

UH, THOSE COMPONENTS, UH, INCLUDE FIRST, UH, THE THE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE COST.

SO, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SEE IN THE ANNUAL UPDATE THAT WE PREPARED IS THE BUDGET FOR THE, FOR, FOR THE DISTRICT.

UM, THE TOTAL PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE COST ABOUT $7.7 MILLION OF WHICH H THE DEVELOPER HAS, UH, PROVEN OF ABOUT 5.9 MILLION SO FAR.

SO THE BALANCE IS EXPECTED TO BE PROVEN UP, BUT, UH, PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THAT FIRST PHASE OF DEVELOPMENT IS COMPLETED.

UH, THE SECOND COMPONENT IS THE ANNUAL, UH, BUDGET FOR THE DISTRICT.

THE AMOUNTS THAT THE DISTRICT NEEDS TO COLLECT TO, UH, PAY ITS OBLIGATIONS.

UH, A TOTAL OF 380,490 WILL NEED TO BE COLLECTED FROM THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN PHASE ONE OF THAT SUBDIVISION OF THAT AMOUNT, 333,672 WILL BE USED TO PAY INTEREST IN PRINCIPAL ON THE, THE DEBT FOR THE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND 46,818 WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR PAYING A DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION EXPENSES.

SO THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT DOES NOT IMPOSE ON THE CITY, DOES NOT TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND.

UH, ON A, UH, ON A PER UNIT BASIS, UH, UH, 60 FOOT LIGHT PROPERTY OWNER WILL PAY ABOUT, UH, $2,900 AND, UH, UH, UH, 50 FOOTER WILL PAY ABOUT $2,600.

UH, THE OTHER COMPONENT THAT NEEDS TO BE ALSO LOOKED AT EVERY YEAR AND UPDATED IS THE ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY.

SO, UH, THE ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY HAS NOT CHANGED.

THE ASSESSMENT IS STILL BEING ALLOCATED ON A FRONT FOOT BASIS.

SO THE ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY ORIGINALLY APPROVED BY COUNSEL IS STILL INTACT.

UH, THERE HAVE BEEN NO ADDITIONAL SUBDIVISIONS, THE ENTIRE PHASE ONE OF THAT, THAT SUBDIVISION HAS BEEN PLATTED.

SO THERE ARE NO PARCEL SUBDIVISIONS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THIS, IN THIS UPDATE THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU, UM, UH, ONE PROPERTY OWNER HAS CHOSEN TO PAY OFF THEIR ASSESSMENT IN FULL.

ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT A BID IS A PROPERTY OWNER HAS THE OPTION OF PAYING OFF THEIR ASSESSMENT IN FULL IF THEY DON'T WANT TO PAY AN ANNUAL AMOUNT, INCLUDING INTEREST.

SO ONE PROPERTY OWNER HAS CHOSEN TO DO THAT.

SO AS, AS OF, UH, UH, FOR THIS PARTICULAR CYCLE, WE HAVE ONE OWNER THAT HAS, UH, CHOSEN TO PAY THEIR ASSESSMENT IN FULL.

UM, SO HOPEFULLY YOU'LL HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE, THE ANNUAL UPDATE THAT WE PRESENTED BEFORE YOU.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO, TO, TO ANSWER ONCE YOU APPROVE THAT.

IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO SO, WE WILL GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THE GURICK TAX TAX COLLECTOR SO THEY CAN PUT DOWN ON THE TAX BILL AND THEN COLLECT IT FROM THE PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN THE BID.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ASK.

I WAS GONNA SAY THANK YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? GOOD DEAL.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES ON TO SEVEN B.

THANK

[b. Consider an ordinance for the second reading of the proposed voluntary annexation of approximately 0.998 acres at 8820 North State Highway 146 (SH 146), located on the east side of N SH 146, south of Pine Meadows Boulevard.]

YOU, SIR.

1 46 SOUTH OF PINE MEADOWS BOULEVARD.

CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE FOR THE SECOND READING OF THE PROPOSED VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION OF APPROXIMATELY 0.998 ACRES AT 8 88 20 NORTH STATE HIGHWAY 1 46, LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF NORTH STATE HIGHWAY

[01:00:01]

MR. SCRIBNER, THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNSEL FOR THE RECORD.

MARTIN SCRIBNER PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

UH, SO THIS IS, UH, JUST UNDER AN ACRE AGAIN AT 88 20 NORTH STATE HIGHWAY 1 46.

UH, THIS IS THE FINAL STEPS IN ANNEXATION OF THIS PROPERTY.

UM, JUST ONE QUICK, UH, NOTE, AND THAT IS THAT IN THE PREFACE OF YOUR, UH, WORK, OR EXCUSE ME, OF YOUR, UM, STAFF REPORT THAT WAS MENTIONED, UH, CERTAIN DATES FOR THE NOTICES THAT WENT OUT FOR THIS.

THOSE DATES ARE, THAT DATE IS ACTUALLY THE 25TH.

UM, IT IS IN ALL THE OTHER DOCUMENTATION AS THE 25TH.

SO JUST A REAL QUICK, UM, CORRECTION ON THAT.

UM, OTHERWISE I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

THANK YOU, MR. SCRIBNER.

SO MOVE SECOND.

SEVEN C CONSIDERING ORDINANCE, ADDING THE NEWLY ANNEXED PROPERTIES GENERALLY DESCRIBED AS APPROXIMATELY 0.998 ACRES LOCATED AT 82 20 NORTH STATE HIGHWAY 1 46 TO CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT NUMBER FIVE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES ON TO

[c. Consider an ordinance adding the newly-annexed properties generally described as approximately 0.998 acres, located at 8220 North State Highway 146 (SH146) to City Council District No. 5.]

MR. SCRIBNER.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THIS IS, AGAIN, THIS IS THE SAME AS THE LAST ITEM.

THIS IS JUST PLACING IT IN ONE OF THE COUNCIL DISTRICT DISTRICTS, UH, THE SURROUNDING AREAS, ALL DISTRICT FIVE.

SO STAFF IS PROPOSING TO PLACE THIS IN DISTRICT FIVE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS? I HAVE A QUESTION.

UM, ONLY BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENED BEEN IN THE PAST.

UM, WHAT IS THE PROCESS ONCE WE APPROVE IT, WHAT IS THE TIMEFRAME FOR, UM, THE JURISDICTIONS THAT NEED IT TO ENSURE THAT THE RIGHT PEOPLE ARE IN THE RIGHT DISTRICTS OR THE PEOPLE ARE IN THE RIGHT DISTRICTS? EXCUSE ME, .

SO WE, WE ACTUALLY WORKED THROUGH THAT.

UH, MARTIN HAS BEEN LOOKING AT THAT.

UM, WHEN WE, THE PROCESS AS IT IS RIGHT NOW IS BY AND LARGE, WHEN SOMETHING'S XANAX, IT, IT CURRENTLY ALIGNS WITH THE BOUNDARIES THAT ARE IN PLAY, RIGHT? MM-HMM .

WE, WE CAN SAY IF IT'S ON THIS SIDE OF THE STREET OR THAT SIDE OF THE STREET, UM, AS THROUGH OUR CONVERSATIONS, UM, I DID NOT WANT STAFF TO HAVE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION OF WHERE A, YOU KNOW, A PARCEL WOULD GO INSIDE OF A ZONING DIS DISTRICT.

THAT, THAT KIND OF PUTS US INTO LIKE CHOOSING RIGHT.

YOU KNOW.

UM, AND SO WE JUST WORK ON THE CURRENT BOUNDARIES THAT WE HAVE THAT CURRENTLY, UH, BASED ON THE STREETS MM-HMM .

AND WE PUT IT IN THERE.

AND THEN AS WE SPOKE, UH, THROUGH THIS PROCESS WITH THE ATTORNEY, UM, I BELIEVE AFTER THE CENSUS THERE'S A FORMAL PROCESS WHERE COUNSEL, WE HIRE, UH, UH, A THIRD PARTY AND THEN THEY REDO THE BOUNDARIES, UH, FOR COUNSEL TO DECIDE ON.

THAT'S THE CURRENT PROCESS AS IT IS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND, AND KEEP IN MIND TOO, THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY IS GOING TO BE A COMMERCIAL IS ANTICIPATED TO BE COMMERCIAL, SO WE WOULDN'T SEE ANY LIKE VOTER REGISTRATION ISSUES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT WITH THAT PROPERTY.

MOTION TO APPROVE SEVEN C.

A, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE CITY OF BAYTOWN 20 27, 20 29 LIST OF PRIORITIES FOR THE 90TH TEXAS STATE LEGISLATURE SESSION.

MR. SCRIBNER CON EIGHT

[a. Consider a resolution adopting the City of Baytown 2027-2029 list of priorities for the 90th Texas State Legislature Session.]

MR. REEVES.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

IT'S TIME THE 90TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS UPON US.

YES, I HEARD SOME EXCITEMENT, KEITH DORIS.

EXCITED.

UH, SO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE DRAFT, UH, PROGRAM FOR YOUR ADOPTION THIS EVENING.

THERE'S SO MANY METAPHORS THAT WE CAN USE TO DESCRIBE THE LEGISLATIVE, UH, LEGISLATIVE SESSION HERE.

I'LL, I'LL SPARE YOU, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW THEM, YOU KNOW THEM WELL, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT OF THE PROGRAM EVERY TWO YEARS.

AND SO TONIGHT I WILL ADDRESS HOW WE GOT HERE, WHAT LED US TO THIS POINT TODAY, THE WORK THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY DOING, AND THEN THE WORK THAT'S COMING UP NEXT.

THIS PROGRAM THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE US IS BUILT FROM PREVIOUS SESSIONS, AND WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS IN MIND, I LOOK AT WHAT WORKED IN THE PREVIOUS SESSIONS, WHAT DIDN'T WORK, WHAT PASSED, WHAT ALMOST PASSED, WHAT DIDN'T PASS, AND WHAT BILLS AND POLICIES WOULD HELP OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS BETTER SERVE OUR CONSTITUENTS.

WE ALSO USE THE ADVICE OF THE LEGISLATIVE AD HOC COMMITTEE, WHICH YOU, UH, BUILT, UH, A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.

AND THE MEMBERS OF THAT COMMITTEE, OF COURSE, COUNCIL MEMBER ALVARADO, COUNCIL MEMBER GRAHAM, AND COUNCIL MEMBER GRIFFITH, HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL.

WE MET IN JULY TO REVIEW THE PLAN.

THAT IS BEFORE YOU AND I RECEIVED ADVICE AT THAT TIME AND AGAIN, ADVICE FROM

[01:05:01]

STAFF AS WELL.

AND SO SINCE THAT TIME, I'VE KEPT THE AD HOC COMMITTEE IN THE LOOP.

AS WE LOOK AT THAT, UH, REFINING THE PROGRAM, UH, WE'VE WORKED AND HAVE DONE MEET AND GREETS WITH A COUPLE OF LEGISLATORS ALREADY.

AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE MET WITH OUR NEW STATE SENATOR LIGON AND REPRESENTATIVE TERRY LEO WILSON JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO.

AND THEN WITH THE POLICY SUMMIT THAT TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE PUTS ON IN AUGUST, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF REPRESENTING BAYTOWN AS A DELEGATE TO THAT SUMMIT, WHICH IS AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REPRESENT BAYTOWN AND OUR INTERESTS TO ALIGN WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE ALSO, UH, IN A SIMILAR SITUATION.

AND WE RECOMMEND POLICY POSITIONS AIMED AT SUPPORTING OUR, OUR, UH, SUPPORTING CITIES ACROSS THE STATE.

SO THE PROGRAM THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS DIVIDED INTO THREE SECTIONS.

THE FIRST SECTION IS THE LEGISLATION THAT'S THE CITY INTENDS TO ACTIVELY PURSUE DURING THE NEXT SESSION.

THE SECOND SECTION IS ISSUES ON WHICH THE CITY WILL ACTIVELY ADVOCATE DURING THE SESSION.

AND THEN THE THIRD SECTION IS ISSUES THE CITY WILL MONITOR DURING THE SESSION.

AND I'LL EXPLAIN BRIEFLY EACH OF THOSE.

SO, SECTION ONE LEGISLATION THE CITY INTENDS TO ACTIVELY PURSUE.

THERE ARE TWO PIECES OF LEGISLATION, WHICH IS NEW FOR BAYTOWN.

WE'VE NEVER DONE TWO BEFORE.

AT THE SAME TIME, WE WILL PURSUE TWO PIECES OF LEGISLATION SPECIFICALLY, AND ONE IS WITH THE HELP OF SENATOR ALVARADO, WHO HAS INDICATED HER SUPPORT OF THIS.

AND THAT IS THE PROCUREMENT MODERNIZATION FOR SPECIAL DISTRICTS, AND SPECIFICALLY THAT CCPD AND F-C-P-E-M-S-D.

AND THAT, UH, ALLOWS FOR, IT WOULD AUTHORIZE THE PROCUREMENT BIDDING THRESHOLD TO MATCH THAT OF THE MUNICIPALITY THAT SPONSORS IT.

AND SO THAT'S JUST MODERNIZING THAT THRESHOLD.

AND THEN THE SECOND IS THE DESIGN BUILD AUTHORITY FOR REGULATORY COMPLIANCE AND, UH, FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, SPECIFICALLY IN, UH, REPRESENTATIVE HERNANDEZ HAS INDICATED HER SUPPORT OF THAT, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH HER OFFICE ON THAT PIECE OF LEGISLATION.

WE'RE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THAT.

THERE HAVE BEEN DRAFTS THAT ARE, ARE BEING WORKED OUT AS WE SPEAK.

AND OF COURSE, I WILL SHARE THAT WITH YOU AND WE WILL ADVOCATE TOGETHER FOR THAT.

AND I WILL LET THE AD HOC COMMITTEE KNOW WHEN THAT PROGRESSES THROUGH BOTH OF THOSE OFFICES.

SECTION TWO, UH, I'M NOT GONNA READ THROUGH ALL OF OUR POSITIONS WITH REGARDS TO EACH SECTION, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE BASIC THEMES FOR SECTION TWO.

THAT IS LOCAL AUTHORITY AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNANCE, INFRASTRUCTURE, UTILITIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESILIENCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INDUSTRIAL COMPETITIVENESS, TRANSPORTATION AND FREIGHT MOBILITY, PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY AND COMMUNITY STANDARDS, OPEN GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING.

THESE ARE THE ISSUES THAT WE WILL CLOSELY MONITOR AND WE MAY FORMALLY OFFER OUR SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION OR TESTIMONY IF BAYTOWN WOULD BE AFFECTED BY ANY BILL THAT COMES THROUGH THAT WOULD TOUCH THESE THINGS.

AND AGAIN, I WOULD USE THIS PROGRAM AS A GENERAL GUIDE FOR OUR SUPPORTER OPPOSITION.

AND IF THERE'S EVER A TIME WHERE I NEED SOME HELP ADVISING OR INTERPRETING, I WOULD USE THAT AD HOC COMMITTEE, AS WE DISCUSSED AT OUR RETREAT SECTION THREE.

AGAIN, THESE ARE ISSUES WHERE BAYTOWN WILL STAY INFORMED AND ENGAGED AS NEEDED, BUT THE SCOPE OR COMPLEXITY OF THE ISSUE MIGHT MAKE ACTIVE ADVOCACY A LOWER PRIORITY.

AND THAT'S GROWTH AND HOUSING POLICY, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, CYBERSECURITY AND GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY, ELECTION ADMINISTRATION, AND PUBLIC INFORMATION, HEALTH, FOOD SERVICE, AND LOCAL LICENSING, UTILITY AND ENERGY POLICY, AND MUNICIPAL FINANCE AND SPECIAL DISTRICT GOVERNANCE.

THESE ISSUES ARE VERY IMPORTANT.

WE ARE WATCHING THEM, BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT BAYTOWN WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE THE LEAD ON.

SO WHAT'S NEXT? JANUARY 12TH IS WHEN THE SESSION BEGINS.

I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE THAT MARKED ON YOUR CALENDAR.

YES.

SO AS WE GO FORWARD, I'M GONNA MAKE SURE THAT COUNCIL IS INVOLVED AND AWARE OF THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING INDIVIDUALLY ON THOSE SEPARATE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

FEBRUARY ONE THROUGH THREE IS BAYTOWN DAY AT THE CAPITOL.

AND SO THAT IS WHEN WE WILL TAKE A GROUP OF SUPPORTERS TO BAYTOWN OR TO AUSTIN TO ADVOCATE FOR BAYTOWN TO MEET WITH OUR SIX LEGISLATORS.

WE WILL CONTINUE OUR ADVOCACY ON LEGISLATION WITH EDUCATION.

AND FINALLY, I WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP THE AD HOC COMMITTEE WORK, UH, INFORMED.

AND, UH, A SPECIAL NOTE ON THAT AD HOC COMMITTEE.

MY GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR EFFORTS, EVEN OUTSIDE OF BAYTOWN, WHETHER YOU'RE INVOLVED IN A COMMITTEE OR A BOARD, OR A COMMISSION THAT YOU ARE A PART OF, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE POLICY WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING THERE IS ALSO CAPTURED IN OUR NOTES AND IN OUR REPORTING.

AND

[01:10:01]

AND SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT AS A GROUP AT OUR AD HOC COMMITTEE MEETING.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ANYTHING.

THANK YOU, MR. REEVES.

WE ARE OVERWHELMED WITH EXCITEMENT.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CONFETTI? OH, WHAT SHEET DOORS? BUDGET CUT.

BUDGET CUTS WE CAN'T AFFORD CONFETTI.

WOW.

I GOT WATER THOUGH.

NEVERMIND.

UM, WE PASS IT ON.

THOMAS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK, UM, AND YOUR TEAM.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAD TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THE ITEMS AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE, THE COMMITTEE IS COMMITTED , UM, TO ENSURING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE STAY FOCUSED AND LOOK AT THESE ITEMS. UM, WE, WE HAD AN AMAZING PREVIOUS CHAIR AS WELL THAT WORKED CLOSELY.

ONE OF THE TOP ITEMS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT WAS THE TRUCK TRAFFIC ON 1 46.

AND I'M SURE THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE, UH, TO BE A, A FOCAL POINT.

AND, YOU KNOW, THROUGH OUR PREVIOUS, UH, UH, CHAIR'S HELP, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO GET THE EAR OF, UM, UH, UNION PACIFIC AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND IT TAKES THAT CONTINUING PUSH.

AND I, I THINK AS WE'VE SAID BEFORE, BAYTOWN IS UNIQUE BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SIX LEGISLATORS THAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH.

UH, OR LET ME REPHRASE THAT, THAT WE GET THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH.

UM, AND SO TRYING TO GET ALL OF THEM ALL AT ONCE, UM, HAS BEEN A LITTLE DIFFICULT.

BUT I KNOW THAT, UM, THEY CONTINUE TO HAVE, UM, US IN MIND AND WITH YOUR CONTINUOUS WORK, YOU KNOW, WE ONLY MEET WHEN YOU ASK FOR OUR HELP, BUT YOU ARE CONTINUOUSLY MOVING THE NEEDLE.

UM, AND FOR THAT, I DO APPRECIATE YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I'LL MAKE A COMMENT.

MY COLLEAGUE MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SIX LEGISLATURES IN THIS CLINIC THAT JUST SHOWS YOU HOW IMPORTANT WE ARE.

'CAUSE EVERYBODY WANTS A PIECE OF BAYTOWN.

THERE YOU GO.

YEAH, I'LL ADD MAYOR, I, I JUST WANNA APPRECI, UH, SAY THANK YOU, THOMAS FOR, UM, THE WORK YOU AND THE, THE AD HOC COMMITTEE DID.

UM, I THINK WHAT YOU'VE DONE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, THE BAYTOWN DAY OF THE CAPITOL, AND THEN BRINGING LEGISLATORS HERE.

UM, JUST GREAT IDEA TO, TO BRING 'EM HERE AND LET 'EM SEE BAYTOWN.

UM, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO THANK THOSE THAT PARTICIPATED.

UM, I KNOW WE HAVE SIX, NOT ALL SIX, UH, SOMETIMES RECIPROCATE, UH, THE, THE EXCITEMENT TO WORK TOGETHER, BUT I APPRECIATE THOSE THAT DO.

UM, AND SO YEAH, JUST THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR WORK.

MOTION TO, UM, APPROVE.

AYE.

RESOLUTION DISSOLVING THE BAYTOWN STRATEGIC PLANNING ADVISORY COMMITTEE, OR SPAC AS PART OF THE CITY'S REVIEW OF BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES.

THANK YOU, MR. REEVES.

NOW WE WILL CONSIDER

[b. Consider a resolution dissolving the Baytown Strategic Planning Advisory Committee (SPAC) as part of the City's review of boards, commissions, and committees whose mission has been completed or that are no longer necessary to conduct the operation of city government.]

WHOSE MISSION HAS BEEN COMPLETED OR THAT ARE NO LONGER NECESSARY TO CONDUCT THE OPERATION OF CITY GOVERNMENT? LAUREN, SARAH.

THIS POINT, UM, WE FEEL THAT WE'RE READY TO DISSOLVE THIS PARTICULAR, UM, COMMITTEE, BUT AGAIN, REITERATING THAT, UM, WE ARE NOT DOING AWAY WITH THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT WAS DONE AND THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF SPAC AND, AND WORKING, UH, AND FINDING A WAY TO INCORPORATE SOME OF THOSE ITEMS INTO, UM, UH, THE FUTURE OF BAYTOWN.

WELL, OH, NO, THAT'S NOT IT.

UM, SO IF Y'ALL REMEMBER, UH, SARAH AND I WORKED, UM, REALLY HARD, UH, ON ALL OF THE COMMITTEES, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT WE HAVE, UM, WITHIN THE CITY THAT, UM, OUR CONSTITUENTS SERVE ON.

UM, STAFF SERVES ON SOME OF THOSE.

AND ONE OF THE ONES THAT, UM, WE LOOKED AT, UH, ORIGINALLY WAS THE SPAC COMMITTEE.

AND SO, UH, THANKS TO THOSE C UH, MEMBERS THAT SERVED PREVIOUSLY, WE DID HAVE, UM, KIND OF A SHORTFALL ON OUR END, UH, IN RECOGNIZING, UM, THE WORK THAT THEY DID.

UM, UH, THEY, THEY DID A LOT OF, UM, GOING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND ADVOCACY AND, AND HEARING FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS ON WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM TO BUILD, UM, ESSENTIALLY THIS FIVE YEAR PLAN.

UM, AND THEY DID AN AMAZING JOB.

AND AS WE LOOK TOWARDS WHAT'S NEXT FOR BAYTOWN, AND IN MY OPINION, WE ARE NOT DOING AWAY WITH THE WORK THAT WAS DONE, WE'RE INCORPORATING THAT AS WE GO INTO OUR NEW INITIATIVES.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE MEMBERS WHO HAVE SERVED, UM, ON THIS COMMITTEE.

SOME OF THEM ARE CONTINUING TO SERVE IN OTHER CAPACITIES AND, UM, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT WE HAVE.

AND SO I, I, I JUST APPRECIATE THIS COMING TO LIGHT AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY, AGAIN, JUST THANK THE MEMBERS OF THAT COMMITTEE.

AND I THINK AT

[01:15:01]

SO JASON, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD.

WELL, I, I GOT A QUESTION.

WHEN WAS THE SPAC, UM, STARTED WHEN, WHEN WAS IT COMMISSIONED? I BELIEVE IT STARTED IN 2021.

20 20 21 OR MAYBE EARLIER.

THAN THEY, THEY WORKED, UH, FOR A FEW YEARS TO GET THE, UM, FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN GOING.

UM, FOR 22 TO 27.

AND SO WE'RE IN THE 20, WE HAVE ANOTHER YEAR OF THAT FIVE YEAR PLAN.

UM, THAT IT, IT, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, THAT PLAN IS COMPLETE, BUT TECHNICALLY, YES, WE HAVE ANOTHER YEAR.

TO THE REST OF FY 27.

AND JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF SPAC AMONG SEVERAL OTHERS WAS THE NEW ANIMAL SHELTER.

UM, AND SO, UH, THE SPAC OR THE PRODUCT OF SPAC, UM, AT THAT TIME THAT WAS PROPOSED TO US IS THAT WAS GOING TO BE, UH, KIND OF A GUIDE FOR US TO LOOK AT THE NEEDS AND PRIORITIES MM-HMM .

UM, TAKING THAT SWOT ANALYSIS BACK INTO THOSE QUADRANTS.

AND ALTHOUGH IT FELT LOWER ON THE QUADRANT, THERE WAS STILL A, A HIGH AMOUNT OF CONSTITUENTS THAT SAID, NO, WE WANNA MOVE THAT UP.

AND SO HAVING THE, HAVING IT AS A GUIDE ALLOWED US TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE COULD JUST SAID, NO, IT, IT'S TOO LOW ON THE PRIORITY FOR THE CONSTITUENTS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE FEEDBACK, BUT WE ESSENTIALLY DID TAKE THAT GUIDANCE AND SAID, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA MOVE IT UP AND WE'RE GONNA BUILD THIS NEW ANIMAL SHELTER.

I WAS ON COUNCIL WHEN, WHEN THAT HAPPENED MM-HMM .

AND I DON'T THINK THAT WE WOULD EVER TELL THE CITIZENS NO, AFTER THEY ELECT US.

UM, OUR JOB IS TO HEAR THEM LISTEN TO THEM AND TRY TO DO THE THINGS THAT WITH US WITHIN THE BUDGET THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO DO IT.

AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT EXAMPLE OF US LISTENING TO SOMETHING THAT STARTED OUT LOWER THE, ON THE LIST, BUT WHEN THEY SPOKE UP, WE STEPPED UP AND PROVIDED SOMETHING THAT WAS NEEDED.

SO, UM, ANYONE ELSE WITH ANY COMMENTS? GOOD DEAL.

SO I NEED A MOTION.

MOTIONS ARE APPROVED.

ITEM EIGHT B, SECOND.

WE NEED TO PULL ANYTHING FORM FROM CONSENT AGENDA? NOTHING.

WE ARE ON TO CONSENT AGENDA.

[9. CONSENT All Consent Agenda items listed are considered to be routine by the City Council and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a Council Member requests, in which event the item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered in its normal sequence on the agenda.]

MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS NINE A THROUGH L.

AND BRINGING ON A TROPHY AS WELL.

NOW WE ARE ON TO

[10. MANAGER'S REPORT Notice is hereby given in accordance with Section 551.0415 of the Texas Government Code, the City Council of the City of Baytown may receive a report about items of community interest from City staff and/or a member of the City Council, but no action or possible action shall be taken or discussed concerning the subject of such report, except as provided by Section 551.042 of the Texas Government Code.]

CITY MANAGER'S REPORT.

YES.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY RECOGNIZING SEVERAL TEAM MEMBERS FROM PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING FOR THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENT AT PWX, A NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE HOSTED BY THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION.

UH, SEVERAL, SEVERAL OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS WERE SELECTED FOR LEADERSHIP POSITIONS ON PW X'S WORKING COMMITTEES, INCLUDING DAVID KIRKPATRICK, UH, ALI MAS, AND NIKKI SWEARINGEN.

THE TEAM ALSO BROUGHT HOME SEVERAL AWARDS, WHICH I, I DO GET TO SHOW YOU ALL THESE THINGS.

UM, SO THE BARBECUE COOKOFF TWO THIRD PLACE AWARDS, UH, TWO FIFTH PLACE AWARDS AND FOURTH PLACE OVERALL.

OUT OF 11 TEAMS, THE PARTICIPANTS INCLUDE BLAKE, UH, BLAKE ODIN, RONALD DEMPSEY, CAROL HADDOCK, PAUL SINGLETON, AND SCOTT FISHER.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE EQUIPMENT ROAD DEAL, UM, WE HAD KP WITH HIS THIRD PLACE IN THE BACKHOE, AND THIS WAS HIS BELL BUCKLE.

AND, UH, THAT'S PRETTY COOL.

AND THEN WE HAD FIRST PLACE IN THE PIPE CUP CUTTING ALI MAS AND FIRST PLACE WOMEN'S COMBINED BACKHOE AND MINI EXCAVATOR, BLANCA RUBIO.

AND, AND THEN THIRD PLACE, UH, WOMEN'S COMBINED BACKHOE AND MINI EXCAVATOR ALI MAS.

OH, THIS IS FOR THE BARBECUE.

NICE LITTLE, UH, BARBECUE, UH, UH, TROPHIES.

MY GOODNESS WORDS.

UM, ALL RIGHT THEN, UH, FOURTH PLACE, WOMEN'S COMBINED BACKHOE AND MINI EXCAVATOR, NIKKI SWEARINGEN.

AND SO A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED AND PRESENTED THE BAYTOWN.

UH, SO WELL, WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION.

I KNOW THEY HAVE A GOOD, UH, A GOOD TIME WITH THAT.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, CAROL, THANK YOU FOR, UH, SUPPORTING YOUR TEAM AND GETTING THEM OUT THERE.

AND THANK YOU FOR GETTING INVOLVED

[01:20:01]

I'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE BAWA OPERATOR ANDREW GONZALEZ, FOR HIS OUTSTANDING COLLABORATION DURING THE ONGOING PLANT INSPECTION.

ANDREW HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB COORDINATING WITH A DESIGN BUILD CONTRACTOR, AND HIS EFFORTS HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL TO, TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT.

SO THANK YOU ANDREW FOR ALL THAT YOU DO AND, UH, UM, LIKE ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL Y'ALL DO.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THAT IS ALL I HAVE TONIGHT.

NEIL DEAL, COUNCIL MEMBER DISTRICT REPORT,

[11. COUNCIL MEMBER DISTRICT REPORT]

UM, COUNCIL MEMBER JAMES FRANCO, DISTRICT NUMBER FOUR, WE'RE GONNA GO QUICK.

DISTRICT FOUR CONTINUES TO SEE NEW, UH, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, UH, WITH THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS IN PROGRESS.

AND NOBODY'S GETTING MING TONIGHT, BY THE WAY.

DEVELOPMENT UPDATES.

COTTAGE GREEN ON HUNT ROAD HAS TWO ACTIVE PERMITS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE BUILDING, UH, SWIMMING POOL AND THE PICKLEBALL COURTS.

UH, MAPLEWOOD INDUSTRIAL ON 75 0 5 GATEWAY BOULEVARD CURRENTLY HAS TWO PERMITS ISSUED FOR CONSTRUCTION OF HARD GRAY, UH, SUBSTANCE TILT, WALL SHELL BUILDING, AND ASSOCIATED SITE WORK.

CONSTRUCTION IS MORE THAN HALFWAY COMPLETE ON THE BAYTOWN VETERINARIAN HOSPITAL.

UH, ON I 10 GARTH ROAD CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, FROM I 10 TO HUNT ROAD.

FINAL SUB-GRADE PREPARATION IS UNDERWAY.

THE RAIN IS NOT HELPING THAT BY THE WAY.

UH, FOR THE, FOR THE PAVING TO, TO CONTINUE, UH, WEATHER PERMITTING.

THE NEW PAVE IS ON TRACK FOR COMPLETION THE END OF SEPTEMBER, FOLLOWED BY STRIPING AND SIGNAGE.

UH, THE GOAL IS TO MOVE TRAFFIC ONTO THE NEW PAVE BEFORE THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

THAT IS REALLY GONNA BE IMPORTANT.

UH, CREWS ARE REPLACING A PORTION OF, OF THE, OF A PANEL ON AND DRIVEWAY SECTION AT 47 10 BURNING TREE DRIVE.

UH, THEY'RE ALSO REPLACING A SECTION OF PANEL AT 47 16 ANDREW STREET.

UH, A CONTRACTOR IS CURRENTLY REPLACING THE WATER LINES ON VILLAGE LANE, WHICH IS ACTUALLY IN MONT DISTRICT THREE.

BUT THAT DOES AFFECT, UH, RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT FOUR IN THE COUNTRY CLUB AREA.

UH, AS WE SAW, THEY JUST, UH, WERE AT FOOD TOWN.

THEY HAD SOME ISSUES A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.

UH, SO, UH, APPRECIATE THE STAFF ACTUALLY GETTING ON THAT AND FIXING THAT RIGHT AWAY, UH, TO GET THAT WATER BACK TO OUR RESIDENTS FOR AN ISSUE THEY HAD THERE.

UH, WAYNE GRAY SPORTS COMPLEX CONTINUES TO SEE HIGH USAGE, UH, THROUGH ADULT LEAGUES AND TOURNAMENT PLAY THIS SUMMER.

THIS SUMMER THE COMPLEX HOSTED 8 43 ADULT TEAMS, INCLUDING 35 SOFTBALL TEAMS AND EIGHT KICKBALL TEAMS. UH, AN ADDITIONAL 16 TEAMS PARTICIPATED IN A ONE DAY ADULT SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT.

UH, LOOKING AHEAD, FIVE TOURNAMENTS ARE SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER AND REGISTRATION IS UNDERWAY FOR FIVE NEW ADULT LEAGUE SUPERVIS ADULT LEAGUE SESSIONS BEGINNING AT THE END OF THE MONTH, UH, P TWO THREE OVER AT BY BAY.

UH, THEY'RE STARTING THE 2027 SEASON PASS, ALLOWING CURRENT PASS PASS HOLDERS TO RENEW IT AT A DISCOUNTED RATE OF 39.9 $39 AND NINE 9 CENTS.

THE COMPANY ALSO PARTNERED WITH BAYTOWN FIRE DEPARTMENT TO CONDUCT A SWIFT WATER RESCUE TRAINING AT THE FACILITY AND PLANS TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING FUTURE EMERGENCY RESPONSE EXERCISES.

ALSO, TOM, UH, TOMORROW 8:00 AM AT THE FIREFIGHTER MEMORIAL AND BICENTENNIAL, WE WILL BE DOING A MEMORIAL.

THE FIREFIGHTERS WILL BE DOING A MEMORIAL FOR THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF NINE 11.

SO PLEASE, IF Y'ALL COULD ATTEND, UH, GO OUT THERE.

REMEMBER THAT OUR FALLEN HEROES.

THAT'S IT FOR ME.