[00:00:01]
NOW I'LL CALL THIS ORDER OF THE BAYTOWN CITY COUNCIL, UM, SPECIAL BUDGET WORK[Items 1 & 2]
SESSION TO ORDER.WE ARE BAYTOWN CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
AND SO OUR ONE ITEM TODAY IS TO CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN FISCAL YEAR 2021.
AS YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK LAST MEETING LAST WEEK, WE COVERED A LOT OF GROUND, UH, MAINLY CONCERNING A LOT OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS. UM, DIFFERENT, UH, BUDGETARY ITEMS, MAINLY FROM AN ADMINISTRATIVE AND STAFF PERSPECTIVE.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO GET INTO TOO MUCH, UH, COUNCIL DISCUSSION OR ADDITIONAL, UM, INQUIRY.
SO TODAY, I THINK THAT'S WHAT THIS WILL BE MORE SO OF, UM, I THINK THERE WAS, UH, COMMUNICATION FROM STAFF TO INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS ON ANY QUESTIONS THAT WERE, UM, UM, I GUESS WAS THE OUTCOME.
I PUT IT ALL TOGETHER AND I GOTTA OUT TO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
RIGHT? AND SO, SO SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN, I BELIEVE THEY ALL BEEN ADDRESSED.
IF NOT, WE CAN, WE CAN TRY TO ADDRESS 'EM THIS EVENING, BUT AT THIS POINT WE'LL OPEN UP TO COUNCIL DISCUSSION.
UH, UNLESS WHAT, DO YOU HAVE ANY FEW THINGS TO SAY IN THE BEGINNING, NICK? UM, REAL QUICK, UM, JUST KIND OF AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE'RE AT.
UM, YOU GAVE THE PERFECT INTRODUCTION TO IT.
WE GOT THE COUNCIL QUESTIONS EMAILED OUT TODAY.
UM, TONIGHT IS FOR ADDITIONAL COUNCIL FEEDBACK.
UM, WE WILL HAVE THE NOTICE OF, OF INTENT FOR THE COS THIS THURSDAY.
AND THE LAST THING IS REALLY JUST KIND OF A, AN UPDATE ON IMPACTS OF SB TWO.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, UM, AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH IT.
UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING ON SOME THINGS WITH THE TAX OFFICE ON TAX RATE CALCULATION.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT AND SOME OTHER FACTORS, THE ACTUAL BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING IS GOING TO BE MOVED BACK TO AUGUST 13TH.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THAT.
THAT DOES MAKE IT SO THAT THE BUDGET COULD NOT BE ADOPTED THIS THURSDAY.
SO THE EARLIEST THE BUDGET COULD BE ADOPTED IS AUGUST 13TH.
SO THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA COME BACK TO YOU WITH BASED ON OUR INTERACTIONS WITH THE TAX OFFICE.
UM, BUT NOTHING FOR YOU TODAY.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, WE ARE, UH, WILLING TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS Y'ALL HAVE.
OH, THE OTHER THING REAL QUICK, UM, WE DID UPDATE THE, SORRY.
WE UPDATED THE TAX BURDEN CHART WITH THE, UH, THREE COMMUNITIES, UM, THAT COUNCIL MEMBER HENSEL ASKED ABOUT.
SO WE'VE GOT TEXAS CITY, PASADENA, AND DEER PARK.
NOW OUT ADDED ONTO THE SLIDE, UM, YOU CAN SEE NOT A LOT OF CHANGE, YOU KNOW, RIGHT IN LINE WITH THE TWO THAT ARE ON THE BOTTOM.
UM, AND THIS IS FOR THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER.
THEN WHEN YOU MOVE OVER TO THE SENIOR AND DISABLED, UM, WE'RE STILL AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CHART.
SO I'LL, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO DISCUSSION.
UM, JUST, UH, RAISE YOUR HAND SO I CAN, I CAN RECOGNIZE YOU AND, AND WE'LL JUST KIND OF JUST, UH, HAVE AT IT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I GUESS AT THIS POINT, I ONLY HAVE A COUPLE OF, OKAY.
UH, I WAS LOOKING AT THE, THE POLICE AND FIRE ON THE OVERTIME AND I, I UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET AND WHY IT, IT IS LISTED AS IT IS, BUT THIS IS MORE OF A STATEMENT THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE HIRE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD NEED TO FILL THOSE OPEN POSITIONS FOR THAT WHEN YOU'RE BUDGETING A MILLION DOLLARS FOR OVERTIME, THAT, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S WAY TOO MUCH.
YOU SHOULD BE HIRING THESE PEOPLE DOING WHATEVER YOU CAN TO HIRE THESE PEOPLE.
AND I WOULD PUT A VERY HIGH EMPHASIS ON MAKING THAT HAPPEN TO OUR, BOTH OUR POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND I KNOW WHAT YOU THEY'RE DOING, YOU'RE TRYING TO GET THE QUALITY PERSONS THAT YOU NEED TO PUT OUT THERE ON THE STREETS.
BUT FOR NINE YEARS NOW THAT I'VE BEEN UP HERE, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THE ENOUGH STAFFING THERE.
SO THIS OVERTIME WILL GO DOWN AND THAT'S A COST SAVINGS TO THE CITY OF BAYTOWN IF WE GET THE RIGHT NUMBERS IN THOSE TWO DEPARTMENTS.
AND I COMMEND THE LIBRARY FOR BUDGETING ZERO OVERTIME.
UH, YES, MS. ARDO? NO, I WAS GONNA ASK IF THIS WOULD BE, UM, A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR MAYBE CHIEF TO, TO TALK ABOUT, UM, WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING FOR OUTREACH.
UM, 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD NOW HIRING, YOU KNOW, OUT THERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND, AND WHEREVER ELSE THEY MAKE PLACE.
BUT, UM, WHAT, WHAT OTHER THINGS CAN WE DO OR HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF SINCE YOU'VE COME ON BOARD FOR RECRUITMENT? SO, SO FROM THE FIRE CHIEF OR FROM FIRE CHIEF.
AND THEN, AND SO, YEAH, SO AGAIN, THE IDEA THAT THIS IS, UH, TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE BUDGETARY ALLOCATIONS IN A SENSE, I MEAN, WE DON'T WANNA GET INTO EVERY PROGRAM BECAUSE RIGHT.
NOT, NOT EVERYTHING AS A WHOLE.
BUT I KNOW THAT THIS WAS BROUGHT UP BEFORE OKAY.
UM, AT THE LAST BUDGET SESSION.
[00:05:01]
SO, ALRIGHT, SO I GUESS EVERYONE'S FIGURED OUT IT'S QUITE A CHALLENGE TO, UM, PHILLY'S POSITIONS.WHEN I STARTED, I THINK ALMOST THREE YEARS AGO, WE HAD ABOUT 25 VACANCIES.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THOSE.
AND IN FACT, LAST YEAR, AT THE END OF LAST FISCAL YEAR, WE HAD TWO VACANCIES.
WE HAD JUST A HANDFUL OF FOLKS WHO SHOWED UP.
UM, WE, I THINK WE HIRED THREE OR FOUR OFF THAT LIST.
AND SO WE'RE WORKING ON ANOTHER TEST RIGHT NOW.
SO IT IS A BIT OF A CHALLENGE.
WE HAD TALKED ABOUT MAYBE CHANGING REQUIREMENTS, CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS, BUT, YOU KNOW, HIRING FIREFIGHTER NON PARAMEDICS AND PUTTING THROUGH PARAMEDIC SCHOOLS A LONG PROCESS.
SOME DON'T MAKE IT, YOU INVEST A LOT OF MONEY IN THOSE FOLKS.
AND SO WE'VE REALLY BEEN LOOKING AT HIRING PARAMEDICS AND PUTTING 'EM THROUGH FIRE SCHOOL.
IT'S, WE'VE HAD A LITTLE MORE LUCK WITH THAT.
AND NOW WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT HITTING THE PARAMEDIC PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THE LAST COUPLE YEARS WE'VE HIRED QUITE A FEW FOLKS FROM OUTTA STATE.
AND SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT TO FOCUS ON IS SIT IN THE PARAMEDIC PROGRAMS, TRYING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME WORKING ON A VIDEO AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
BUT REALLY LONG TERM, WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO GET INTO THE SCHOOLS AND MAYBE WORK ON SOMETHING LIKE AN EXPLORERS PROGRAM AND GET SOME OF OUR, OUR LOCAL FOLKS TO GET INTERESTED IN THE FIRE SERVICE EARLY ON.
GO THROUGH SOME OF THE PROGRAMS, MAYBE DO SOME, SOME HAVE SOME SPONSORSHIPS AND SCHOLARSHIPS TO HELP THEM GET IN THERE SO WE CAN BRING SOME LOCAL FOLKS IN THERE.
SO IT'S KIND OF A BATTLE RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 10 VACANCIES AND WE'LL BE GIVEN A TEST IN OCTOBER.
YOU SAID 10 VACANCIES? YOU HAVE 10? YES.
AND I KNOW IN THE PAST I'VE, UM, I'VE ALSO TOURED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND CHIEFS DID A GREAT JOB OF TAKING ME THROUGH THE WHOLE THING.
AND SO I THINK ONE, ONE KEY THING, UM, THAT HE SAID TO ME IS, YOU KNOW, WE INCREASE PATROL OR POLICE OFFICERS, WE ALSO HAVE TO INCREASE ADMIN TO SUPPORT THOSE OFFICERS.
BUT IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU MAY WANNA ADD AS TO OVERTIME AND HOW IT RELATES TO NEW, NEW RECRUITS AND OPENINGS? NO.
UM, A LOT OF OUR OVERTIME IS SPENT A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THAN THE FIRE SERVICE.
UH, THE PROJECTS THAT COUNCIL PUT FORTH THAT WANT US TO ACCOMPLISH ARE USUALLY ALL OVERTIME PROJECTS.
AND SO WE FILL THOSE WITH, UH, IN, IN THAT REALM.
YOU KNOW, I GUESS WHEN I ORIGINALLY BROUGHT THIS UP, I WAS LOOKING AT HOW IT, THEY'RE PROPOSED IS ALMOST DOUBLING OUR, OUR COST ON OVERTIME.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA BUDGET NOW OUR ESTIMATED 29, 19 20 IS 2,000,002.
UM, I GUESS TO BOB'S COMMENT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO, TO FIX THIS SOMEHOW.
AND YEAR AFTER YEAR, AFTER YOU WENT BACK, DID YOU GO NINE YEARS, YOU SAY? MM-HMM
NINE YEARS IS A LONG TIME TO HAVE A PROBLEM.
THAT'S NOW GETTING TWOFOLD WORSE.
YOU KNOW, AND I'M NOT SAYING IT'S A POLICE PROBLEM, BUT IT WOULD ALSO BE NICE TO SEE THAT BROKEN DOWN.
WHAT IF THERE WAS A SUBHEADING THERE, YOU KNOW, POLICE, FIRE.
AND SO WE SEE WHERE IT'S AT WOULD BE A LOT MORE EDUCATIONAL FOR US.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU KNEW WHERE EXACTLY WHAT THE BREAKDOWN WAS WOULD BE GOOD.
BUT, UM, I MEAN I MET WITH RICK AND, AND, AND THE FINANCE PEOPLE AND STUFF, AND THEY WERE VERY INFORMATIVE ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES GOING ON WITH THIS.
BUT YEAH, WELL, VERY, I DON'T KNOW.
VERY RARELY DO WE FILL VACANCY OR VACANT POSITIONS WITH OVERTIME.
WE, UH, WE ADJUST OUR SCHEDULES AND ADJUST SHIFTS.
SO OURS IS NOT A BACKFILL PROBLEM.
OUR OVERTIME IS, IS OVERTIME THE PARKS AND TRAILS PROJECTS, THAT'S ALL OVERTIME.
THE, UH, GARTH ROAD CORRIDOR FROM THANKSGIVING TO NEW YEAR'S, THAT'S ALL OVERTIME TO, UH, AUGMENT THE, UH, THE PATROL.
SOME OF THOSE OTHER SPECIAL PROGRAMS. THE OUTREACH PROGRAMS THAT COUNCIL IS INSTRUCTING US TO PERFORM ARE ALL OVERTIME POSITIONS.
UH, THE OFFICERS WORK, YOU KNOW, THEIR 40 HOUR WEEK.
BUT A LOT OF THE COUNCIL, UH, DIRECTIVES TAKE PLACE ON WEEKENDS.
AND SO THAT'S OVERTIME POSITIONS.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DO WITHOUT THOSE OTHER EXTRA THINGS, THEN YOUR OVERTIME WILL DROP.
WHAT, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE? DOES ANYBODY JUST, COULD THEY GUESSTIMATE? I KNOW WE DIDN'T PREPARE Y'ALL FOR THAT.
DOES ANYBODY KNOW POLICE, FIRE, WHAT IT WOULD BE ROUGHLY? WHAT DO YOU MEAN PERCENTAGE? THE BREAKDOWN, YOU KNOW, WHO'S USING THE OVERTIME? THERE'S, YOU KNOW, WELL WHEN YOU HAVE A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS, WELL, WHEN YOU HAVE US, THE, UH, PART OF THE OVERTIME IS YOU HAVE A CALL WITH DETECTIVES THAT GO OUT, UH, TACTICAL THINGS THAT GO OUT.
THOSE ARE MORE OF OUR OVERTIME.
SOMETIMES OFFICERS, UH, WILL STAY TO FILL A VACANCY BECAUSE OF, LIKE WITH THE, THE COVID SITUATION, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE PEOPLE WHERE YOU HAD TO FILL VACANCIES AND SINCE THEY WORK 12 HOUR SHIFTS REGULARLY, YOU CAN'T HAVE THEM WORK FULL SHIFTS.
SO YOU'D BE BRINGING PEOPLE IN FOR PARTIAL SHIFTS OR PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING IN ON THEIR OFF DAYS.
[00:10:01]
OVERTIME PERSONNEL COSTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE, ARE VERY HIGH.AND THAT'S NOT ABOVE THE REALM OF, UH, NORMAL BUDGETS TO, TO AUGMENT THAT WITH OVERTIME.
BUT WE DON'T ALWAYS SPEND ALL THAT, YOU KNOW, SO WE, WE TURN MONEY BACK IN TOO.
BUT YOU HAVE TO BE BUDGETED TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THAT PREPARED FOR THAT.
COUNCILMAN, I THINK MY QUESTION THOUGH, TO YOUR QUESTION, SO FIRE TO BREAK IT FIRE'S ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS.
UH, POLICE IS ABOUT 700,000 AND THERE'S, THERE'S OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE IN THERE.
PUBLIC WORKS HAS PROBABLY GOT SOME OF IT IN THERE AS WELL.
SO THIS, THIS YEAR WE'RE GONNA SPEND 2 MILLION TOO.
AND IT'S A 60 40 MIX FIRE USING MOST.
IS THAT WHERE WE'RE AT? ROUGHLY? THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING.
BUT YES, CHIEF, MY POINT THAT I'M TRYING TO MAKE HERE IS YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THE OVERTIME AS A PERCENTAGE OF WHAT YOUR REGULAR SALARY IS.
'CAUSE AFTER YOU GO UP INTO SO MUCH PERCENTAGE OF OVERTIME INTO YOUR DEPARTMENT, IT JUSTIFIES OTHER PEOPLE TO BE ON STAFF.
WHETHER WE SAY WE HAVE, WE WANT YOU TO PATROL THESE AREAS OR WHAT, AND IT NEEDS TO BE A FULL-TIME IN THE PARK OR WHATEVER.
THAT'S JUSTIFICATION TO COME BACK TO US AND SAY, I NEED TWO MORE PEOPLE ON STAFF.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET ACROSS HERE.
IT'S EASIER TO HAVE 'EM ON STAFF THAN IT IS TO PAY A BUNCH OF PEOPLE OVERTIME AND WORK ON THE DEBT.
I'D RATHER SEE YOU COME BACK AND SAY, OUR PERCENTAGE OF OVERTIME GOES BEYOND 15% AND IT'S JUSTIFIABLE TO ADD ONE MORE STAFF PERSON, OR TWO MORE STAFF PERSON, A POLICE OFFICER, OR TWO.
AND I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THE PHILOSOPHY ON THAT.
UH, YOU KNOW, FOR YEARS WE ADDED OFFICERS EACH YEAR AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WERE DOING THAT.
BUT IT GETS TO A POINT ALSO WHERE YOU HAVE TO WATCH THE, UH, FUNDING FOR THE ENTIRE CITY TOO.
THAT, UH, WHEN YOU'RE ADDING ALL THOSE PERSONNEL COSTS ARE THE SAME FOREVER.
YOU KNOW, IT'S UNLIKE A CAPITAL PURCHASE.
WELL, WELL, BUT, BUT THOSE PROGRAMS DON'T ALWAYS GO ALL THE TIME.
I, I THINK BOB'S POINT IS, I KNOW YOU, WE GOTTA WATCH THE COST FOR THE WHOLE CITY.
I GOT THAT WE'RE SPENDING IT, WE'RE PUTTING THOSE PEOPLE IN THE PARKS WE'RE IT'S GETTING DONE.
LET'S JUST DO IT IN A MORE EFFICIENT MANNER.
AND NINE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING NOT, I'M NOT BEATING YOU UP AS A GROUP, WE'RE GETTING WORSE AND WORSE TO THE, TO THE RATE OF ABOUT TWO X.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IF IT, IF IT CONTINUES, I DON'T KNOW IF THE BUDGET NEXT YEAR YOU GOT ESTIMATED THIS YEAR IS 2,000,002.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA SPEND NOT PROPOSE.
WELL, WE'RE GONNA SPEND THAT LAST, THE YEAR BEFORE THAT WE SPENT 1,000,003.
SO WE'RE, IT'S RATCHETING UP, WE HAVE A PROBLEM, WE NEED TO FIX IT.
THAT'S JUST ALL THERE IS TO IT.
LET ME, WHAT PAGE ARE YOU ON? UH, THERE ARE THEY EVEN NUMBERED RIGHT THERE?
AND THEN WHO KNOWS WHERE IT WOULD GO? I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW.
OH YEAH, LAST TIME I THINK THEY WERE NUMBERED.
I'M JUST, BECAUSE I'M LOOKING STRAIGHT AT, I'M LOOKING AT IN THE GENERAL FUND ITSELF ON THE, THE SERVICE LEVEL BUDGET.
AND I WAS TRYING TO SEE YOUR NUMBERS HERE AND THEN WHAT'S, WHAT'S IN, IN THIS OTHER SECTION, IN THE GENERAL FUND.
'CAUSE OVER TIME, WHAT I'M LOOKING AT HERE IS 700,000.
IS WHAT I'M LOOKING WHEN I GO TO THE, THE, WHEN I GO TO THE POLICE ITSELF, THEIR BUDGET, AND THEN I'M TRYING TO, THAT MEANS AS FAR AS THE REST OF IT, THEN THAT MEANS IT'S, THIS WAS OVERALL 70.
IF YOU'RE JUST SAYING THIS IS OVERALL, THIS IS OVERTIME OVERALL.
700,000 AND, AND, UH, FIRES A MILLION.
I KNOW THIS IS, I THINK THIS IS A ROLLED UP NUMBER OF PERSONNEL SERVICE.
HE YEAH, HE WAS LOOKING AT THE GENERAL FUND TOTAL OVERTIME.
SO, AND, AND I'M JUST, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT A RULE OF THUMB IS, IT'S JUST WHEN I LOOK AT IT, WHAT I SEE IS IN A SENSE, REGULAR WAGES, UM, 52 MILLION IN, IN WAGES THAT WE PAY EMPLOYEES.
REGARDLESS, I'M, I'M ASSUMING THAT'S CIVIL SERVICE, NON-CIVIL SERVICE INCLUDED.
AND SO WHEN I SEE 2.2 MILLION, AND YOU ALREADY DID THE CALCULATION FOR ME, LIKE YOU SAID, ABOUT 4%, 4.3, 4.3.
I MEAN, UM, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT INDUSTRY IS AND STUFF, BUT TO ME, 4% DOESN'T SEEM IT, IT'S NOT ABSURD.
BUT YOU ALSO HAVE, YOU COMPARE THE OVERTIME OF YOUR PATROL OFFICER TO THE REGULAR HOUR PAY.
YOU DON'T TAKE THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO IT'S PATROL OFFICER AND HIS OVERTIME WITH THE REST OF THAT PATROL OFFICER.
AND I KNOW THE HR GROUP, I, MAYBE THEY CAN INPUT SOME ON THIS.
THERE IS A FORMULA THAT IF YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE PAYING BY THE HOUR AND THEY'RE WORKING OVERTIME PAST A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE RATE IS JUSTIFIABLE FOR ANOTHER PERSON ON STAFF.
BUT NOT ALL OF OURS IS, IS PATROL.
AND YOU'VE GOT DETECTIVES THAT HAVE A LOT OF OVERTIME.
YOU HAVE TACTICAL UNIT PEOPLE THAT HAVE A LOT OF OVERTIME.
IT'S NOT JUST FILLING PATROL POSITIONS.
SO IT'S, IT'S DEPARTMENTAL WIDE AND
[00:15:01]
YOU, WE TRY TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE TAXPAYER'S MONEY.UM, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ASKED PREPARE A BUDGET, WHICH WE THOUGHT WAS, UH, PROPER, UH, FOR BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THE, THE BUDGET.
UH, THERE'S NO NEW PERSONNEL IN THIS YEAR'S, UH, BUDGET.
SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHERE WE'RE AT.
NO, I JUST, I WAS JUST, I MEAN, I WAS ON THE BREAKDOWN PAGE JUST FOR, FOR POLICE IN A SENSE, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
I JUST, I MEAN, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I WOULD THINK ROUGHLY 4% DOES NOT SEEM ABSURD.
I KNOW YOUR POINT IS, WHERE'S THE OVERTIME, AT LEAST WHEN IT COMES TO POLICE OR FIRE, HOW IS IT BEING SPENT? WHY IS IT BEING SPENT AND WHO IS IT BEING SPENT ON? THAT WAS MORE OF YOUR POINT, I BELIEVE.
WELL, AND I THINK HIS WAS JUST FROM AN OVERALL SUMMARY STANDPOINT, WELL, NO, NO, NO.
MY POINT IS, LOOKING BACK AT THE HISTORY MM-HMM
WHAT CONCERNS ME IS NOT THE NUMBERS, BUT IT'S THE HISTORY.
AND I'LL, I'LL, I'LL SAY IT THE LAST TIME, YOU KNOW, 18, 19 IS 1.3 RIGHT THERE.
AND THEN 20 20, 19, 20 ESTIMATED FOR THE, YOU'RE IN RIGHT NOW, IT RUNS UP TO 2.2.
WHAT NUMBER ARE YOU USING ACTUAL OR ARE YOU USING BUDGET? ESTIMATED? ESTIMATED.
THAT'S LIKE, THEY DID IT THIS PAST WEEK AND THAT'S WHAT THEY THINK WE'RE GONNA USE THIS YEAR AND HALF THE YEAR'S GONE.
AND HOW MUCH? SO IT'S PROBABLY FAIRLY ACCURATE.
SO LOOK AT THE INCREASES IS WHAT GETS ME, I, I DON'T LOOK SO MUCH AT SOME OF THE OTHER STUFF, BUT I JUST SEE IT GOING YEAR TO YEAR.
AND THAT'S, AND I DON'T WANT TO, I'M NOT, SOME OF THAT, THIS THING UP ALSO, SOME OF THAT ALSO IN THE ESTIMATED AND, AND LOOKING FORWARD IS THE UNKNOWN, WELL, THE UNKNOWN MOVING FORWARD TO COVID, BUT THIS YEAR THERE IS ADDITIONAL OVERTIME IN THE CURRENT YEAR WE'RE IN BECAUSE OF COVID COULD BE SOME, YEAH.
WHICH WILL LIKELY BE, UH, ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT.
WHICH IS ANOTHER BUDGET THAT NEEDS TO BE WORKED ON THE NEXT ONE UP.
WHAT ABOUT THE, UH, COUNTY STATE GOVERNMENT? ANY OTHER SPECIFIC QUESTIONS WE CAN ADDRESS ON THE BUDGET? YES, SIR.
SO WE ASKED TO SEE SOME OPTIONS ON THE COMPENSATION STRUCTURE, THE, THE RAISES FOR NON-CIVIL SERVICE, SOME OF THE LOWEST LEVEL EMPLOYEES HAVE.
HAVE WE HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT YET? CAN YOU, CAN YOU SAY THAT A LITTLE BIT LOUDER THERE? SO THE LAST SESSION WE DISCUSSED SOME OPTIONS TO LOOK AT SOME MERIT RAISES, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT, COMPENSATION INCREASES FOR SOME OF THE LOWEST LEVEL EMPLOYEES.
HAVE WE LOOKED AT ANY OF THOSE OPTIONS YET? UH, NO.
WILL WE LOOK AT 'EM BEFORE WE ADOPT THE BUDGET QUESTION? WHERE, WHERE DO YOU, WHERE DO YOU WANT TO DRAW THE LINE OR WHAT SPECIFICALLY ARE YOU? I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFICS.
I, I THINK THAT'S WHY WE HAD TALKED ABOUT MAYBE SOME OPTIONS AT, AT THE LAST MEETING.
I MEAN, THERE'S, DO YOU HAVE IT HERE ON THE HIGHLIGHTS OF, UH, OUR COMMENTS DISCUSSION FOCUSED ON SOME LATITUDE ASSOCIATED WITH PROVIDING LOWER LEVEL OF EMPLOYEE RACES? SO IT LOOKS LIKE YOU WANTED VERY LAST ONE.
THAT, THAT'S THE DATA WE PROVIDED YOU ALREADY.
DID YOU, I MEAN, I, WHAT ELSE DID YOU WANT? YOU WANT US SOME ESTIMATE? DO YOU WANT US TO DRAW SOME LINES AND ESTIMATE? I, I'M SORRY.
I JUST, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
WHAT, UH, WELL, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO, I MEAN, HOW, WHAT KIND OF GENERAL APPROACH WOULD YOU LIKE AS I THINK THE APPROACH I WAS ASKING FOR IN LIGHT OF THE WORD COVID CAME UP EARLIER WOULD BE SOME OPTIONS TO WHERE THE, THE LOWEST LEVEL EMPLOYEES WOULD BE AT A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THRESHOLD THAN THOSE FURTHER UP ON THE PAY GRADES.
SO MORE OF A SLIDING SCALE, SO TO SPEAK.
WA WAS THE OPTIONS THAT I HAD IN MIND, BUT, UH, WHO KNOWS MAY MAYBE THAT THAT WASN'T WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH THE OTHER'S MINDS WHENEVER WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AT THE LAST MEETING.
I MEAN, APPARENTLY IT, IT DIDN'T SEEM TO BE GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND.
NO, WHENEVER WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT, I THOUGHT WE HAD ANSWERED YOUR QUESTIONS ON THAT.
HE SENT ME, SENT YOU SOME STUFF, CHRIS.
NO, WE HAVE GIVEN NO THOUGHT TO THAT.
WHAT? WHEN I SAW THAT, BUT THEY SENT YOU SOMETHING.
WELL, I MEAN THEY, THE, THE INFORMATION THAT WAS RECEIVED WAS HISTORICAL DATA EMPIRICAL OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS.
IT, IT WASN'T ANY OPTIONS REGARDING THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
SO, I MEAN, I DID RECEIVE THE DATA OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, BUT WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT WERE SOME OPTIONS FOR THIS CURRENT BUDGET, NOT LOOKING AT HISTORICAL DATA OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS AND CALLING IT A DAY.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I HAD IN MIND WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT OPTIONS.
WELL, LET ME ASK THE 3%, UM, I GUESS, UH, WAGE INCREASE FOR EMPLOYEES.
WHAT WOULD, WHAT IS, WHAT DOES THAT RELATE TO IN DOLLARS? WHAT IS, 'CAUSE IT'S NON CIVIL SERVICE.
[00:20:01]
THAT, WHAT, WHAT THAT IS? AS FAR AS TOTAL AMOUNT? IT'S ABOUT 1.5 FOR ALL OF IT.THE ACTUAL CONTROLLABLE EXPENDITURE IN THE GENERAL FUND IS ABOUT 600,000.
FOR THE, FOR NON-CIVIL SERVICE.
NON-CIVIL SERVICE IN THE GENERAL FUND.
SO, SO THE 3% EQUATES TO $600,000 IN, IN, IN THE INCREASE OF WAGES.
IS THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBER PRESS? THE, THE REASON THE REASON NOT TO DO THAT IS THAT THIS PAST YEAR WE JUST DID A NEW COMPENSATION STUDY AND WE'VE GOT A, BASICALLY A BRAND NEW STRUCTURE WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.
SO IF YOU START, IF YOU START MESSING WITH CERTAIN LEVELS, IT KIND OF SKEWS THE WHOLE STRUCTURE BASICALLY.
SO, UM, IF YOU PASS THE BUDGET AS ADOPTED, EVERYONE WOULD GET TO 3% SO FROM BOTTOM ON UP AND IT WOULD KEEP THE STRUCTURE IN PLACE.
SO THAT, THAT WOULD BE THE REASON NOT TO DO WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING, UM, IS THAT WE'VE JUST GOT A BRAND NEW STRUCTURE IN PLACE AND YOU, YOU WOULDN'T NECESSARILY WANNA MESS WITH THAT ONE YEAR INTO IT.
SO ANYWAY, SO 600,000 WOULD BE, AGAIN, THE AMOUNT.
SO WHAT HAPPENS, WHAT I'VE SEEN, I I MEAN I'VE SEEN THIS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S TIMES IF IT'S FOR ECONOMIC REASONS, BUDGETARY REASONS WHERE WE'VE HELD BACK, BUT THEN IN, IN FUTURE YEARS, WE HAD TO PLAY CATCH UP.
AND SO KIND OF THE SAVINGS YOU SAW IN ONE YEAR, UM, YOU, YOU HAD TO GO AND, AND KIND OF MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS BECAUSE WE, WE COMPETE, WE COMPETE WITH INDUSTRY, WE COMPETE WITH, WITH, UH, OTHER LOCAL EMPLOYERS.
SO I UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE.
SO LIKE I SAY, I WAS JUST LOOKING AT SOMETHING THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY COMPENSATE SOME OF THE LOWEST LEVEL EMPLOYEES A LITTLE MORE THAN, THAN, THAN SOME OF THE OTHERS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, MESSES UP THE SYSTEM.
I GUESS I'LL TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
WE, WE FIND OURSELVES IN A, UH, I THINK BECAUSE OF, OF, UH, PRUDENT MANAGEMENT OF THE BUDGET, WE FIND OURSELVES IN A POSITION BEING ABLE TO GIVE, UH, AN INCREASE AT ALL THIS YEAR.
I THINK IT'S QUITE, UH, QUITE EXTRAORDINARY.
UM, I, UH, I DO COMPETE FOR TALENT ON ALL LEVELS OF THE CITY, AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, BEYOND, UH, THE STRUCTURAL DIFFICULTIES, INCLUDING COMPRESSION THAT, UH, I'LL CALL IT, UM, UH, PICKING AND CHOOSING WHICH GROUPS TO, TO COMPENSATE IT AT WHAT LEVEL, UH, BESIDES THE STRUCTURE DIFFICULTIES, IT, UM, IT UNFORTUNATELY SENDS ALSO A MESSAGE THAT MORALE IS SOMETIMES HARD TO OVERCOME.
I MEAN, LOOK, THE, THE PRINCIPLE WAS, THE THEORY WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S BEEN IN THE COVID STORM TOGETHER, BUT NOT EVERYBODY'S BEEN IN THE SAME BOAT, SO TO SPEAK MM-HMM
SO THAT WAS THE PRINCIPLE BEHIND LOOKING AT SOME OF THE LOWEST LEVEL EMPLOYEES AND AND REWARDING SOME OF THE, THE LOWER, THE LOWER TIERS, SO TO SPEAK.
BUT IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE REALLY HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THAT OPTION.
AND IF WE HAVEN'T, WE HAVEN'T.
I MEAN, UM, I WANTED TO KNOW KIND OF WHAT, WHAT, WHAT POOL OF MONEY ARE WE LOOKING AT AND, AND IF IT HAS TO BE STRUCTURED DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, SOMEBODY THROW AN OPTION OUT THERE, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, BUT, UM, WE NEED TO AT LEAST, AT LEAST UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT AMOUNT ARE WE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF DEALING WITH.
SIX, 600,000 IS, DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A LOT.
YEAH, WELL, I THOUGHT IT WAS MORE THAN THAT ACTUALLY.
YEAH, I THOUGHT THAT THE OVERALL WOULD BE MUCH MORE THAN 600001.5 FOR EVERYTHING.
THAT'S CIVIL SERVICE, NON-CIVIL SERVICE, RIGHT? YEAH.
MR. WELL, YOU KNOW, I, I CAN AGREE WITH WHAT MR. MR. PRESLEY'S SAYING AS FAR AS THE CATCH UP.
WE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE PLAYING CATCH UP WITH EVERYONE IF WE DID JUST GIVE LOWER END EMPLOYEES THE RAISE.
UM, AND AS HE SAID, EVERYBODY WENT THROUGH IT TOGETHER, BUT EVERYONE'S NOT IN THE SAME BOAT.
I MEAN, LOOKING AT IT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW THAT YOU HAVE LOWER END PEOPLE MAKING LESS MONEY, HIGHER END PEOPLE MAKING MAYBE SIX DIGITS.
THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY RIDING THAT SAME BOAT.
THEY'RE NOT GOING THROUGH THE, THE PANDEMIC THE SAME WAY AS LOWER LEVEL EMPLOYEES.
SO I CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT HE'S SAYING IS 600,000 FOR NON-CIVIL SERVICE, FOR NON-CIVIL SERVICE.
IF WE JUST DID LOWER END EMPLOYEES AND WE DREW THE LINE SOMEWHERE, WHAT WOULD THAT NUMBER BE? AT THAT POINT? YOU SAID THIS IS 600,000 FOR NON-CIVIL SERVICE, EVERYONE INCLUDED IN THAT NON-CIVIL SERVICE.
IF THE LINE WAS DRAWN SOMEWHERE, WHAT WOULD THAT NUMBER LOOK LIKE AT THAT POINT? DEPENDING ON WHERE THE LINE IS.
WELL, AND, AND DRAWN THAT LINE IS QUITE ARBITRARY.
UH, COULD WE GET, COULD WE GET SOME INFORMATION ON THE LINE BEING DRAWN IN DIFFERENT AREAS? THAT WAY WE COULD AT LEAST HAVE SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.
IS THERE AT ONE TIME, THERE USED TO BE, UM, I THINK IT WAS, IT'S OUR PAY SCALE, LIKE KIND OF THE PAY SCALE BY, UM, WHAT'S IT CALLED, PAY GRADE? DO WE HAVE, IS THAT IN,
[00:25:01]
IN OUR BUDGET AS A PIECE OF INFORMATION? HAROLD? ANSWER THAT.DO, IF WE, IF THERE IS ONE, CAN, CAN I GET FORWARDED TO COUNCIL AND THEN I WOULD LIKE, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF THEY WANT, DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND AND I WILL ASK THEM TO DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE, IF IT'S A GRADE 50, 60, 70, 89, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE.
BUT I WOULD, LET'S PROVIDE THEM THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW.
I WILL PROVIDE THEM WITH THAT.
I'D LIKE YOU TO DO, DO WE NOT HAVE ONE OF THOSE ANYMORE? OKAY.
SO, AND THEN, AND THEN AS A COUNCIL, WE'LL HAVE TO DECIDE, YOU KNOW, UM, I WILL TELL YOU, I, I VALUE OUR EMPLOYEES MM-HMM
I, I BELIEVE 3% IN A SENSE IS PRETTY MUCH JUST THE COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE FOR THE, FOR THE MOST PART.
FOR GOODS AND SERVICES, UM, MAYOR.
BUT YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT'S A DECISION THAT WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE AS A COUNCIL.
I DO WANT YOU TO CONSIDER THAT MY SENIOR MANAGERS AND WHAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER SENIOR MANAGERS ARE THE, ARE THE ONES THAT DON'T GO HOME FROM WORK A LOT OF THE TIME.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT SPEND AN EXTRAORDINARY NUMBER OF HOURS OFF TIME.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT WORRY, UH, ABOUT THE CITY AROUND THE CLOCK.
AND, UH, THERE'S A, A VALUE, THEY ALSO ARE, THEY HAVE TREMENDOUS RESPONSIBILITY.
EACH ONE OF 'EM RUNS A COMPANY, YOU KNOW, UH, AN ENTERPRISE.
AND, UH, SO THEY, THEY ARE AMONG OUR MOST VALUABLE EMPLOYEES MM-HMM
AND, AND, AND THE, THE POINT IS THAT EVERYBODY VALUES THE EMPLOYEES.
I THINK THAT, THAT SOME FOLKS THAT COME IN CONTACT WITH THOSE THAT AREN'T IN THE OFFICE AFTER HOURS, BUT ARE DOWN IN THE HOLE TRYING TO FIX THE WATER LEAK OR TRYING TO FIX THE, I I JUST THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AT TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
SO, YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S A, THERE'S DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES OF THAT.
AND I, I WOULD PROBABLY BEG TO DIFFER ABOUT EACH ONE RUNNING A BUSINESS WHEN THERE'S THE POWER OF TAXATION.
I CAN TELL YOU PRIVATE ENTERPRISE DOESN'T HAVE THE POWER OF TAXATION.
SO IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN BUSINESS.
BUT, BUT LIKE I SAY, IF, IF, IF THERE'S SOME OPTIONS TO LOOK AT, GREAT.
IF THERE'S NOT, WE'LL JUST, WE'LL, WE'LL VOTE IT UP OR DOWN AND BE DONE WITH IT.
SO IT'S NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL.
SO WHY THE LAST COUPLE YEARS WE HAVE GOT THAT RATING SHEET THAT, THAT LIST OF, OF, OF WHAT WE PAY MM-HMM
WHY WAS, WHY WAS THAT LEFT OUT THIS YEAR? I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS IT? I'M THE, THE SHEET THAT SHOWS US COMPENSATION BY THE PAY, THE PAY GRADE CHART.
HOW, WHY WAS IT LEFT OUT THIS YEAR? I DID NOT, I DON'T KNOW.
WE'LL GIVE YOU AN ANSWER UNLESS SOMEBODY FROM OUR BUDGET TEAM CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
HUH? I MEAN, WE'VE ALWAYS GOTTEN IT.
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN IN THE BACK OF THE BOOK, RIGHT? MM-HMM
IT'S CALLED A SALARY SCHEDULE AND IT'S NORMALLY MANY PAGES.
AND NOW THE STRUCTURE HAS CHANGED TO WHERE IT'S JUST A ONE PAGE DOCUMENT.
IT'S NOT BROKEN UP THE WAY, BUT WE'LL GET IT AND WE'LL HAVE IT FOR YOU TONIGHT BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
IT'S JUST A ONE PAGE DOCUMENT.
I'LL GRAB IT SO YOU GUYS CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
BUT IT'S WAY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU EXPECT TO SEE IN THE PAST.
IT WILL BE IN THE FINAL BUDGET, BUT WE DIDN'T PUT IT IN JUST IN THE DRAFT.
BUT WE'LL GET IT FOR YOU HERE SHORTLY.
MISS, MISS GUILLORY, THEY, IT'S USUALLY LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE PAID GRADE AND THEN USUALLY HAVE LIKE A LOW, IS IT LIKE LOW, MEDIUM? MM-HMM
EXCEPT THAT PAGE YOU USED TO HAVE, I THINK THE GRADES WAY WENT UP TO LIKE A HUNDRED.
THERE WERE A LOT OF GRADES, RIGHT? IT'S NOT THAT WAY ANYMORE.
IT'S BROKEN UP TO LIKE SIX NOW, BUT I'LL GET IT FOR YOU AND I'LL GET IT TO YOU SHORTLY.
UM, MR. JOHNSON, YOU, YOU HAD AN ADDITIONAL COMMENT OR YOU ALREADY MADE IT? I'M DONE WITH MY COMMENT.
I HAVE SOME OTHER THINGS, BUT OKAY.
WELL, DO YOU HAVE SOME? YES, SIR.
COUNCILMAN, YOU GOOD? NO, I'M GOOD.
UM, MY QUESTION WAS ABOUT CITY HELD EVENTS, RELE FEST, HOW MUCH IS SPENT ON RELE FEST TOTAL? $58,000.
UM, I DID MENTION THIS EARLIER TODAY.
I DO APPRECIATE THE AMOUNT THAT WAS SET ASIDE FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE CELEBRATIONS.
I THINK THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH.
I LIKE TO SEE AN INCREASE IN THAT IF WE CAN FIND IT IN THE BUDGET.
UM, LOOKING AT ENTERTAINMENT, PROBABLY GET AN ENTERTAINMENT FOR ONE EVENT IS GOING TO READ THAT BUDGET OF EVERYTHING THAT IT HAS IN IT.
[00:30:08]
AND THEN I, I'D LIKE FOR IF, IF THE CHIEF DOESN'T MIND LOOKING AT THE EMAIL THAT I RECEIVED, IT SAYS THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR DEESCALATION USE OF FORCE OR MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING, BUT THERE IS ROOM IN THE BUDGET ALREADY FOR THIS TYPE OF TRAINING.COULD WE, COULD WE GET A ELABORATE ON THAT? BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF CONFUSING TO ME.
I I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS.
BASICALLY, SOME OF MY CLASSES I, I PAID ARE PAID FOR BY HGAC, SO IT'S NOT COSTING THE CITY ANYTHING.
I USE IN-HOUSE INSTRUCTORS FOR SOME OF THE CLASSES, SO IT DOESN'T COST ME ANYTHING MORE THAN THEIR REGULAR SALARY FOR THE INSTRUCTION OF THE CLASSES.
SO THE CLASSES ARE BEING TAUGHT, BUT IT'S JUST NOT, I DON'T NEED TO BUDGET MORE MONEY FOR IT 'CAUSE WE'RE TEACHING 'EM IN HOUSE.
WHERE I SEND PEOPLE OFF TO SCHOOLS OR THEY'RE CHARGED, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE THAT OTHER TRAINING FUNDS IT.
THE, UH, $40,000 THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LAST TIME IS THAT POLICE ONE THAT THEY GET EVERY DAY.
BUT THEN THEY'LL GET ONLINE COURSES THAT, THAT PAYS FOR EVERYTHING.
AND, UH, WE'LL GIVE THEM, UH, A LOT OF, UH, TESTED CLASSES.
NOW IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GO OUT AND FIND GRANTS? MAYBE ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL LEVEL, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE MAY HAVE SOMETHING THAT WOULD HELP OUR OFFICERS RECEIVE MORE MONEY FOR TRAINING AND ESPECIALLY OUR PATROL OFFICERS, NOT NECESSARILY IN-HOUSE.
I, I ALREADY USE THE DOJ AND SEVERAL OTHER GROUPS AND THEY DON'T CHARGE ME FOR THEIR SERVICES.
SO, OR OR IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE THEM MORE IN THE COMING YEARS? UH, JUST, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF SCHEDULING, SIR.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I DO SCHEDULE 'EM IN AND WE PROBABLY PUT THE TRAINING CALENDAR OUT, YOU KNOW, FOR THE YEAR.
UH, THIS, UH, COVID HAS MADE A LOT OF THOSE CLASSES THAT WERE IN-PERSON CLASSES, MORE OF WEBINARS MM-HMM
AND ONLINE, BUT THEY PARTICIPATE IN THOSE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRAINED IN PARAMOUNT, BUT THE STYLE IN WHICH WE HAVE TO TRAIN IS CHANGING, UH, IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
AND NO, NO NEWS WHEN IT'LL CHANGE.
BUT THE TRADITIONAL TEACHING IS, UH, A LOT OF THAT'S ON HOLD.
BUT THE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO THE NON-TRADITIONAL TEACHING OR MORPHING OUR CURRENT TEACHING TO BE, UH, HYGIENICALLY SAFE FOR EVERYBODY.
AND, BUT, SO I'M VERY MINDFUL OF, OF WHAT YOU WERE ASKING.
SO ARE, HAVE, HAVE WE INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF TRAININGS THEN SINCE THEY'RE GOING TO BE ONLINE? YEAH.
RIGHT NOW WITH THE, LIKE THE POLICE ONE PRODUCT EVERY DAY THEY GET SOMETHING MM-HMM
AND THEN, UH, WE WILL ACTUALLY DO THE COURSES.
AND THEN THEY HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME TO COMPLETE THE COURSE AND WE CAN TRACK THAT.
SO WE'LL BE DEVELOPING THAT CURRICULUM.
I, I DID, UH, ASK, UH, ASSISTANT CHIEF WHITAKER, UH, TODAY TO HELP FURNISH THE LIST OF THE TRAINING SO THAT YOU COULD HAVE THAT.
UM, AND I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN THAT, BUT I JUST DIDN'T HAVE ANY OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT MYSELF TODAY.
SO, BUT I'LL, I'LL GET YOU THAT.
BUT I DIDN'T FEEL THAT IT WAS, UH, RIGHT FOR ME TO ASK FOR MORE TRAINING FUNDS WHEN I DON'T REALLY NEED THEM, YOU KNOW, THAT I CAN GET THE ADEQUATE TRAINING AND ADDITIONAL TRAINING WITH, UH, THE RESOURCES THAT I HAVE.
I'M A PAST PRESIDENT OF THE TEXAS FBI AND THEY HAVE INSTRUCTORS SINCE I AM A PAST PRESIDENT THAT WILL COME IN AND, AND DO INSTRUCTION, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO, THEY'RE NOT DOING IN PERSON INSTRUCTIONS.
SO I'M TRYING TO CHANGE SOME OF THOSE.
UM, AND THE SAME WITH SOME OF THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS I BELONG TO.
UH, AND THE STATE T COLE, WHICH IS IN AUSTIN, THAT MONITORS OUR TRAINING.
THEY ALSO HAVE INSTRUCTIONS INSTRUCTORS THAT COME IN.
SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY THAT IS IN FRONT OF US, UH, TO, UH, MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL THE TOOLS WE HAVE TO DO, UH, AN EXCELLENT JOB.
'CAUSE THAT'S THE WHOLE IDEA BEHIND THE TRAINING, IS TO GIVE THE OFFICERS THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO DO A GOOD JOB.
UM, SO WHEN WOULD, WHEN WOULD WE BE ABLE TO FIND OUT IN REFERENCE TO THE EVENTS FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE? IF WE ARE ABLE TO FIND THE FUNDING FOR THAT, WE WILL FIND IT.
THAT'S, WE'LL MAKE THAT NECESSARY ADJUSTMENT.
I JUST WANNA MAKE A, A COMMENT.
I SAID IF, IF WE CAN GET MORE MONEY, GREAT.
BUT, UM, I ALSO, JUST TO ADD COUNCILMAN JOHNSON, UM, I THINK SOMETIMES EVENTS TAKE TIME AND THE BIGGER THEY GROW, THE MORE MONEY WE ADD YEAR AFTER YEAR.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION, WE GET NEW EVENTS, ET CETERA.
IT EVEN HAS ITS OWN COMMITTEE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S GONNA BE A COMMITTEE FOR, UM, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN, UH, HERITAGE, BUT OVER TIME WE HOPE TO POSSIBLY INCREASE THE BUDGET AND MAYBE HAVE IT MORE FORMALIZED.
[00:35:01]
RITO FEST.BUT IT DID TAKE SOME TIME AND A LOT OF WORK WITH PARKS AND RECS.
SO WE HAVE A, UM, AS I MENTIONED, AND THE MAYOR'S MENTIONED IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS, THERE IS A COMMITTEE, BUT IN ORDER TO HAVE IT ON THE SCALE THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT ON, AND AFTER GIVING SOME CONSIDERATION TO IT, $30,000 FOR TWO EVENTS IS NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH.
UM, YOU'RE LOOKING AT 15,000 PER EVENT.
YOU NEED SECURITY, YOU NEED ENTERTAINMENT, AND SH YOU NEED, UM, PORTA-POTTIES, THAT'S NOT GONNA BE ENOUGH MONEY FOR IT.
SO RICK, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOU, UM, SAYING THAT THE MONEY WILL BE FOUND.
WELL, DOES THE CITY FULLY FUND GREDO FEST? DOES THE CITY FULLY FUND GREDO FEST? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT COVERS ALL THE COSTS, SCOTT.
THAT THERE RIGHT TO BE, WELL, YOU HAVE THE, THE BULK OF IT IS THE ENTERTAINMENT.
YOUR TECHNICAL IS THE NEXT BIGGEST LINE ITEM THERE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE, UH, THE SECURITY AND THEN ABOUT $1,500 FOR MISCELLANEOUS, UH, TYPES OF ITEMS. BUT, UH, FOUR, FOUR MAJOR CATEGORIES.
SO THAT ALL TOTALS UP TO ABOUT 58 GRAND.
JUST FOR THE RECORD, CAN WE DO, CAN, CAN IT BE SHARED WHAT ENTERTAINMENT FOR GREDO FEST AND 4TH OF JULY NORMALLY COSTS? I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT 4TH OF JULY AT THE LAST BUDGET MEETING, WHAT IT NORMALLY COSTS, WHAT IS, WHAT IS IT NORMALLY FOR GREDO FEST? I DON'T HAVE MY NOTES THAT I TOOK DOWN EARLIER TODAY WITH ME.
CURRENTLY, CURRENTLY WE ARE, UH, SCHEDULED RIGHT AT, UH, 38,000, 39,000 FOR OUR ENTERTAINMENT FOR, UH, THE GRIDDLE FEST.
UH, HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET TO HAVE IT AND, UH, UH, 12,012, 13,000 FOR SOUNDING LINES.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE 30,000, THAT WOULDN'T EVEN BE ENOUGH TO FIND QUALITY ENTERTAINMENT FOR IT FOR ONE EVENT.
SO THAT'S WHY I WAS MAKING IT ASKING FOR MORE MONEY FOR THE TWO EVENTS THAT WE PLAN ON HAVING SOMETHING FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING OR AFRICAN AMERICAN, UM, HISTORY MONTH AND JUNETEENTH.
WE, WE, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE PUT WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS AN AMPLE AMOUNT OF MONEY IN THERE AS A PLACEHOLDER MM-HMM
NOT KNOWING WHAT THE EVENT WOULD EVEN LOOK LIKE.
SO, YOU KNOW, AS LAURA MENTIONED, SOME OF THIS IS OUR REACTING TO HISTORY MM-HMM
UH, AND SAYING, OH, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO THIS YEAR.
IT'S KIND OF AN ORGANIC PROCESS, BUT WE CAN BE PROACTIVE.
AND REMEMBER EVERYTHING WE ASKED FOR IS, IS REALLY NOT MONEY.
IT'S AN AUTHORIZATION TO SPEND UP TO OKAY.
AND CERTAINLY WE WEREN'T GOING TO, WE DON'T WANT TO DO AN EVENT THAT'S HALF BAKED AND IF IT COSTS THAT MUCH, THAT'S WHAT WE COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL.
WELL, WE HAVE, UH, SOME LATITUDE, DISCRETIONARY LATITUDE BUILT INTO THE BUDGET TO RESPOND TO THESE TYPES OF CONTINGENCIES.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, IN A, A CITY LIKE OURS AND A STATE LIKE OURS, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GO BACK AND MM-HMM
SO WE TRY TO PUT AMPLE AMOUNT IN AND ALSO HAVE SOME LATITUDE TO REACT TO, UH, THE SITUATION.
SO WE DIDN'T INTEND, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE NOT TO FUND IT COMPLETELY.
AND, UM, JUST THE FINAL POINT, MAYOR, I THINK, UM, ONE OF THE, AS YOU KNOW, I'M DOING A, A COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT SURVEY THROUGH WORK AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS, DOES THE CITY OF BAYTOWN HAVE ENOUGH, UH, PROGRAMS AND EVENTS THAT WOULD SUPPORT YOUR CULTURE, CELEBRATE YOUR CULTURE? AND, UM, THAT ONE QUESTION HAS BEEN A HIGH NO.
AND SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE TAKING THAT DIRECTION, UM, TO CELEBRATE THE DIVERSITY WITHIN OUR OWN CITY AS WELL.
SO, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I HAVE, I HAVE ONE JUST TO BRING UP.
I THINK I BROUGHT, I THINK I BROUGHT IT UP IN A, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF, IF IT WAS IN, IN A MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT MEETING OR NOT, BUT, UM, I WAS CONTACTED BY THE, UM, BABO COMMITTEE IN IN PARTICULAR, COACH, UH, DICK OLAND IN REGARDS TO HOSTING, UH, FOR NEXT YEAR, NEXT JUNE.
UM, THE, UH, THE BABO HERE IN BAYTOWN.
UM, BEFORE I PROCEED, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE, I'D LIKE, UH, TO SEE IF WE CAN BUDGET APPROPRIATELY.
AND MAINLY THAT'S, THAT'S JUST IN ADVERTISING.
USUALLY IT WAS A HOTEL MO HOTEL MOTEL TYPE, UM, FUNDING, UH, SOURCE, UH, IN THE MOST PART.
AND THEN WE USED TO FUND IT LIKE AT 60,000 AND WHEN WE WERE DOING IT EVERY YEAR, UM, I THINK, I THINK IT'S KIND OF TAKEN A CYCLE WHERE IT, UH, IT ROTATES BETWEEN, UH, SUGARLAND, UH, LEAGUE CITY AND, UH, AND AGAIN, THEY WANNA COME BACK TO BAYTOWN.
[00:40:01]
I BELIEVE, UH, THIS WILL BE COACH OLAND'S LAST YEAR, SO HE WANTED TO END IT WHERE HE STARTED IT AT LEAST.SO I WOULD, UH, I WOULD ASK IF THERE'S, IS, UH, IF THERE IS FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR 25,000 FOR THE BAYOU O SO WE CAN AT LEAST PUT THAT IN THERE.
AND THEN IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT COMES TO FRUITION, THEN IT WOULD BE BUDGETED.
NOT THEN OBVIOUSLY IT WON'T BE USED.
WE NEED TO, I MEAN, I KNOW WE CAN'T APPROVE IT, BUT WHERE CAN, HOW DOES THAT GET, UH, HOW DOES THAT GET APPROVAL? I KNOW WE CAN TAKE COUNCIL ACTION IN A FUTURE COUNCIL MEETING.
IS THERE A FUNDING MECHANISM TO PUT THAT SOMEWHERE, IS MY QUESTION? WELL, WE, WE WILL FIND A FUNDING MECHANISM AND WE, WE WILL BRING BACK THESE CHANGES THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT UP TONIGHT.
AND, UH, THERE IS ANY FURTHER AMENDMENTS TO THE BUDGET YOU COULD MAKE THAT PRIOR TO, UH, ADOPTING THE BUDGET.
SO, UH, BUT THAT WOULD TYPICALLY NOT BE A CITY FUNDED.
THAT WOULD TYPICALLY BE MDD OR HOT.
UM, AND I THINK WE HAVE ASKED 'EM TO GO THROUGH THE GRANT PROCESS JUST TO MAKE SURE, 'CAUSE FOR AN EXPENDITURE LIKE THAT, YOU, YOU WANT IT TO BE VETTED A LITTLE BIT AT LEAST.
UM, AND SOME OF IT MAY BE HOT ELIGIBLE, SO WE WOULD LOOK AT THAT AND SEE, AND IF IT'S NOT, YEAH.
AND IT COULD BE A COMBINATION.
IF IT'S NOT, THEN WE BRING IT TO THE MDD BOARD.
'CAUSE HE NEEDS TO TELL, I THINK HE NEEDS TO TELL THE, THE, UH, THE GREATER HOUSTON COACHES ASSOCIATION THAT 'CAUSE THAT'S WHO RUNS BY YOU VOTE NOW, UM, A THUMBS UP OR NOT FOR BAYTOWN, THAT'S ALL THEY'RE REALLY TRYING TO WORK THROUGH.
WE'LL TRY TO FIND THE RIGHT MECHANISM, THE RIGHT AVENUE.
BUT THERE, AND AND I, AND I DO AGREE, I I KNOW, UM, I KNOW WE'RE EXCITED NEXT FOR NEXT YEAR FOR, FOR HAVING SOME TYPE OF CELEBRATION FOR, UH, BOTH, UH, YOU KNOW, MARTIN LUTHER KING.
AND, UH, DAY AND ALSO FOR, UH, JUNETEENTH.
UM, I, I THINK THERE IS A PLACEHOLDER COUNCILMAN.
I THINK WE JUST WANTED A STARTING POINT.
UM, IF, IF, UH, IF THE COMMITTEE COMES BACK WITH SUGGESTIONS, THEN WE COULD, WE HAVE SOMETHING TO WORK WITH THIS KIND OF, AS MS. ALVARADO MENTIONED, THERE'S MM-HMM
BUT LET'S START WITH, WITH WHAT, WHAT THE VISION IS.
AND YOU GOTTA START, EVEN THEM, THEY HAVE TO START WITH KIND OF WHAT IS THE BUDGET AND YOU KIND OF TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHERE, WHERE WE, WHAT WE CAN DO.
BUT LIKE I SAID, $30,000 FOR TWO EVENTS AND IT TOOK $38,000 TO GET ENTERTAINMENT.
UM, JUST AFTER SOME INDIVIDUALS SAW THE MEETING, THEY WEREN'T HAPPY WITH IT.
AND WHEN I REALIZED THAT IT WAS 30,000 AND AFTER HEARING TODAY THAT ONE EVENT WAS GONNA TAKE THAT MUCH, AND WE WANT QUALITY HERE IN BAYTOWN, WHY NOT JUST GO AHEAD AND START OFF WITH QUALITY AND BUILD FROM THERE.
AS CITY MANAGER SAID, IT'S MUCH EASIER TO GO AHEAD AND BUDGET FOR IT NOW THAN IT IS TO COME BACK AND ASK FOR AN AMENDMENT TO THE BUDGET TO GET MORE.
SO I JUST WANT TO BE SURE WE HAVE A GOOD BASELINE TO START AT MOVING FORWARD.
SO LEMME ASK, WHEN, WHEN DO YOU THINK WE CAN HEAR BACK FROM YOUR, FROM THE COMMITTEE? I THINK YOU'RE, WELL NOW THAT THEY, NOW THAT WE KNOW, WELL, THEY KNOW, THEY'LL BE HEARING THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE BUDGET? ANY ITEMS, ANY ADDITIONAL DIRECTION THAT WE WANT TO GIVE STAFF ON? FINAL COMMENT? I'LL, I'LL GET WITH, WITH RICK OR HR OR WHATNOT AND, AND LOOK AT SOME OF THESE LOWER PAY GRADES, THE A 12, A 13, SOME OF THE BS.
YOU KNOW, THE POINT WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, I SEE THE MINIMUM IS $12 AND SOME CHANGE AN HOUR.
I MEAN, IT'S LESS THAN, LESS THAN 50 CENTS AN HOUR.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT JUST, I I DON'T REALLY CONSIDER $12 A LIVING WAGE, HONESTLY.
SO I, I'LL DO SOME MORE DUE DILIGENCE ON THAT AND IF THERE'S ANY WAY WE COULD INCENTIVIZE OR REWARD SOME OF OUR LOWEST LEVEL EMPLOYEES, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
MAYBE THE NUMBERS DON'T BEAR OUT.
I'LL LOOK AT THE PAY GRADES AND, AND THE PROBLEMS THAT WOULD CAUSE, BUT, BUT I'LL, I'LL GET WITH STAFF ON THE SIDE.
COUNSEL, ANY OTHER QUESTION, COMMENTS, FINAL COMMENTS? NOPE.
SO I'M ASSUMING, UM, AT THAT POINT, UH, ALL QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL HAVE BEEN, UM, ADDRESSED OTHER THAN SOME STUFF THAT WE ALREADY KNOW IS PENDING.
SO WITH THAT, UM, ANY, ANY ANYTHING FROM STAFF AS FINAL AS FAR AS FINAL COMMENTS? ANY ADDITIONAL DIRECTION THAT YOU'RE SEEKING? IT'S BEEN A LONG ROAD.
UH, WE STARTED THIS, UM, WAY EARLY IN THE YEAR AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE MOST VALUABLE ROLE THAT YOU PLAY IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS ACTUALLY ISN'T AT THIS POINT.
IT'S AT THAT BEGINNING WHEN YOU SET THE VISION, YOU SET YOUR PRIORITIES AND INITIATIVES AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR VISION, YOUR LEADERSHIP IN DOING THAT.
OUR JOB IS THEN TO CARRY OUT THAT VISION AND TO SEEK FROM YOU THE AUTHORIZATION FOR THE RESOURCES THAT WE BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO, UH, NEED TO FULFILL THAT VISION AND TO GET THAT DONE.
THE COUNCIL THIS YEAR IS, UH, I THINK APPROPRIATELY SO
[00:45:01]
VERY AGGRESSIVE IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING SOME OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES THAT, THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.UH, THIS IS $190 MILLION WORTH OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
THERE ARE IN MANY CITIES THAT ARE GOING AFTER IT LIKE THAT.
UH, SO I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AS, AS WE CONTINUE TO TRULY BUILD BAYTOWN AND MAKE A BETTER BAYTOWN.
AND WITH THAT, I'M ASSUMING, UH, SO WE, WE'VE ADDRESSED THE ONE ITEM FOR TONIGHT.
IF YOU, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THAT COUNSEL COMES UP WITH IN THE MEANTIME, PLEASE UH, PLEASE DIRECT HIM TO, UH, OUR CITY MANAGER.
SO WITH THAT, THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED.