[00:00:01]
IT'S 5:00. WE WANT TO WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE CITY OF BEDFORD BUDGET WORKSHOP.[CALL TO ORDER/GENERAL COMMENTS]
IT IS THURSDAY, AUGUST 10TH, 2023.WITH THAT SAID, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO OUR CITY MANAGER, JIMMY STATHATOS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, COUNCIL.
I'D LIKE TO THANK STAFF KAREN AND HER STAFF, ESPECIALLY FOR WORKING SO HARD AND SO DILIGENTLY TO PUT, I THINK, A VERY, VERY GOOD BUDGET TOGETHER. THIS WAS A, IT'S ALWAYS A CHALLENGING YEAR, I THINK, FOR EVERY CITY, BUT ESPECIALLY FOR MORE MATURE CITIES LIKE BEDFORD, BECAUSE WE ALWAYS HAVE MORE NEEDS THAN WE HAVE MORE RESOURCES.
AND I KNOW THAT ONE OF COUNCIL'S EDICTS HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO BE VERY EFFICIENT FINANCIALLY.
AND SO, I THINK YOU WILL SEE THAT AND HAVE SEEN IT IN THE REQUESTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.
AND SO, I DO APPRECIATE EVERYONE HAVING REALISTIC REQUESTS, IF YOU WILL.
BUT AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO KAREN.
SHE'S GOING TO LEAD, FOR THE MOST PART, THE THE WORKSHOP.
BUT YOU ALL FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
[1. Receive and discuss FY 2023-2024 budget overview.]
THANKS, KAREN. GOOD EVENING.SO, WE ARE HERE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, JUST TO KIND OF START THE BUDGET PROCESS.
YOU GUYS HAVE GOT YOUR BUDGET LAST WEEK.
WE ALREADY HAD THE DIGITAL BUDGET BOOK AND THAT JUST MADE OUR LIVES SO MUCH SIMPLER.
THIS YEAR. WE HAD SOME KINKS THAT WE HAD TO WORK THROUGH AND ALWAYS ABOUT YOU.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THAT REALLY GAVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY GET WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
AND I WANT TO JUST GIVE CLEAR GIVE A LITTLE SHOUT OUT.
THEY'VE BEEN REALLY RECEPTIVE TO OUR ENHANCEMENT IDEAS IF WE COME ACROSS THINGS.
AND SO, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING US TO PURCHASE THAT.
SO, BUT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MEG AND SHE'LL GET US STARTED.
THE IRREPRESSIBLE MEG JACOBI, THE KEEPER OF ALL BUDGETS.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
SO, YES, SO IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR WHERE WE COME THROUGH AND DO THE PUBLIC SIDE.
YOU LIKE SLEEP IN A CAVE NINE MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR AND THEN YOU COME OUT OF THE CAVE WHEN IT'S TIME TO WORK ON THE BUDGET? YEAH. NO ONE JUST SEES MY LITTLE HIBERNATION SPOT UNDERNEATH MY DESK.
YEP. NO, UM, YOU KNOW, BY THE TIME WE GET TO THIS POINT, OF COURSE, WE HAVE ALL OF OUR MEETINGS, AND WE WILL HAVE MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS THROUGH THE NEXT COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEETINGS, FINALIZING THE OFFICIAL LEGAL BLESSING OF THE BUDGET DOCUMENT.
THAT BUDGET IS NOT A ONCE-A-YEAR PROCESS.
FUTURE PLANNING BUDGET IS A PLANNING PROCESS.
AND SO, WE BEGIN WORKING AS EARLY AS MARCH WITH THE HARD NUMBERS, ASKING OUR DEPARTMENTS TO GO BACK, TELL US WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO OPERATE FOR THE NEXT YEAR. LOOK AT THOSE REQUESTS.
AND SO, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH FOR ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENT SUPPORT AND THE WORK THEY PUT INTO IT BECAUSE IT TAKES THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF RUNNING THEIR DEPARTMENTS IN ORDER TO PUT TOGETHER A POLICY PLAN THAT WE CAN PRESENT TO YOU.
AND SO, FROM THERE, LOOKING AT IT WITH FINANCE, WITH JIMMY, AND BEFORE WE THEN BRING IT TO COUNCIL, ONCE WE'RE ABLE TO FINALIZE THOSE NUMBERS, OF COURSE, SOME OF THAT IS ALSO WAITING ON OUR PROPERTY TAX APPRAISALS AND SO ON.
BUT REALLY BUDGET DOESN'T STOP.
AND SO WE JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS POINT AND REMIND THAT WHILE THIS IS THE CULMINATION OF A PROCESS AND WE MAY ONLY TALK ABOUT IT IN FORMAL MEETING SETTINGS FOR THE NEXT MONTH, TWO MONTHS, IT IS NOT THE ONLY TIME THAT STAFF IS WORKING TOWARDS PUTTING THAT TOGETHER AND TRYING TO MAKE A REALISTIC PLAN THAT WE CAN PRESENT TO YOU.
AND SO, FROM THERE, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO BRADY.
FLIPPING AROUND BETWEEN ALL OF US TODAY.
YEAH. WE DECIDED MAYBE WE WOULDN'T MAKE IT.
OH. SO, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO BRADY.
HE'S GOING TO GO OVER OUR NEXT FEW PIECES AND I'LL BE BACK UP SOON.
[00:05:02]
MEG, YOU HAVE.YOU NEED TO TELL BRADY HE'S GOT SOME BIG SHOES TO FILL TO DO THIS PRESENTATION.
NO, MEG HAS DONE THIS SINCE SHE WAS LIKE 12 YEARS OLD.
HAVE NO FEAR. THERE WILL STILL BE PLENTY OF MEG TONIGHT.
PLENTY OF MEG. DON'T WANT YOU TO BE WORRIED.
WE ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAINED OUR CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE.
WE BELIEVE WE DO A GOOD JOB AND WE WANTED TO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND THEN THE LAST WAS EMPLOYEE RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT.
WE DO BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL SEE BITS AND PIECES OF THIS THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET DOCUMENT.
BUT YEAH, IT WAS VERY BRIEF ON MY END.
THAT WAS 2018. IT WAS UPDATED IN 2021.
THIS IS LIKE A MISDIRECTION PLAY.
EXACTLY. WE'RE JUST GOING TO WAIT OVER HERE.
OH, WAIT, WHERE ARE WE GOING? SO, WE'RE JUST GOING TO WANT TO START OFF WITH TALKING ABOUT KIND OF OUR ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND KIND OF WHERE WE ARE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
IT'S KIND OF BEEN ALL OVER THE PLACE.
SO, IT WAS KIND OF BEEN A VERY INTERESTING YEAR.
WE'RE SITTING AT 3.8, SIX YEARS TO DATE OVER WHERE WE WERE AT THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
SO, WE FEEL LIKE 4% IS STILL RELATIVELY CONSERVATIVE.
WE DO HAVE SOME NEW BUSINESSES COMING ON.
SO, WE REALLY THINK THAT'S STILL VERY CONSERVATIVE.
BUT JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT WE WERE PLANNING IN REGARD TO SALES TAX FOR NEXT YEAR.
SO, I WAS GOING TO TURN THIS OVER TO MEG, BUT I'LL JUST KEEP TALKING.
SO, WE'RE NOT DOING THIS MUSICAL CHAIRS BACK AND FORTH.
SO, OUR TAXABLE VALUES, AS YOU CAN SEE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, HAS JUST CONTINUED TO GROW.
YES, 10.8% INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR YEAR.
SO, WE AND A LOT OF THAT IS CONTRIBUTED TO CURRENT VALUES, CURRENT PROPERTIES.
BUT WE DID HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF NEW CONSTRUCTION AS WELL.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CUMULATIVE PROPERTY VALUES OF THE ENTIRETY OF THE CITY OF BEDFORD.
CORRECT. AND SO, WHEN YOU SAY THAT NUMBER, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THE BILLIONS, NOT THE.
SO NEW CONSTRUCTION IS NOT QUITE WHERE IT WAS THE PRIOR YEAR.
IN 22, WE'RE AT A LITTLE OVER 14.
SO, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, A LITTLE BIT SLOWER.
THAT'S FROM THE TAX ROLL, CORRECT? CORRECT. SO, THINGS LIKE BEDFORD FORUM ISN'T IN THAT NUMBER YET.
IT MAY BE IN THERE AS VACANT PROPERTY, PROBABLY LAND.
I'M NOT SURE THAT IT'S GONE UP.
OKAY, I'M BACK UP HERE FOR A WHILE NOW.
SO, LET'S DIVE INTO THE BUDGET NUMBERS.
OF COURSE, YOU WERE PRESENTED.
WE HAVE PUT OUR BUDGET BOOK AVAILABLE ONLINE AND SO YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE LINK AND THROUGH IT CLICK AROUND TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT, INCLUDING INTO THE CHARTS AND WHATNOT. BEDTIME READING.
IT'S VERY GOOD INSOMNIA TREATMENT.
SO, BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT THE NUMBERS AND PUT THIS IN OUR PERSPECTIVE FOR THIS YEAR.
SO HERE CALLING OUT FOR THE MOST PART OUR MAJOR FUNDS, OF COURSE, GENERAL FUND TOURISM, WATER, STORMWATER DEBT SERVICE, THOSE FUNDS, THE FIRST FOUR WHICH HAVE OUR PERSONNEL IN THEM, AND THEN THE OTHER ONES THAT ARE MORE OF OUR MAJOR PLAYER FUNDS.
[00:10:03]
45,423,467 EXPENDITURES ARE ABOVE REVENUE THIS YEAR.BUT YOU CAN SEE AS YOU LOOK AT THESE MAJOR FUNDS WE'VE CALLED OUT AND THEN EVEN THE SUBTOTAL WITH THE OTHER FUNDS, WE ARE USING FUND BALANCE IN MANY OF OUR FUNDS AND THAT IS AN ALLOWABLE USE AS USED RESPONSIBLY.
SO, YOU CAN SEE, PARTICULARLY GENERAL FUND, THE WATER FUND, OUR 4B FUND, THREE OF THE MAJOR ONES THAT WE ARE USING FUND BALANCE MONIES, WHICH IS STILL CONSIDERED A BALANCED BUDGET BY ALL OF THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS.
ALL RIGHT. SO OF COURSE, THE BULK OF OUR REVENUES, GENERAL FUND, GENERAL FUND IS SUPPORTING ANYTHING THAT ISN'T OTHERWISE REQUIRED TO BE ALLOCATED ELSEWHERE.
AND THEN AGAIN, ALL OF OUR SMALLER FUNDS FROM THERE.
LOOKING AT OUR REVENUE COMPARISON.
OF COURSE, PROPERTY TAX IS OUR LARGEST SOURCE.
THAT'S FUNDING INTO GENERAL FUND AND INTO DEBT SERVICE FUND.
YOU CAN SEE THAT GROWTH THAT KAREN ALLUDED TO EARLIER.
OTHER TAXES ARE GOING TO BE OUR FRANCHISE TAXES.
WE ARE SEEING A FEW INCREASES HERE AND THERE.
SOME OF THAT IS TIED TO THE COST OF OUR ELECTRICITY, THE COST OF GAS.
THAT EQUATES TO FRANCHISE REVENUE FOR US OFF OF THOSE.
OF COURSE, OUR WATER AND OUR SEWER CHARGES, WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE BASED ON THE RATES THAT WE WERE DISCUSSING TUESDAY NIGHT AND ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR BUDGET NUMBERS HERE. AND JUST AS A NOTE, WATER AND SEWER TECHNICALLY ARE CONSIDERED A CHARGE FOR SERVICE, BUT BECAUSE IT WOULD SKEW THE NUMBERS SO DRAMATICALLY, WE PULL THOSE OUT SEPARATELY SO THAT IT'S A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO SEE FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT WHAT THE CITY IS DOING.
THE ONLY OTHER BIG NOTE LICENSES AND PERMITS WE ARE SEEING DECREASE.
THEY'RE NOT UNEXPECTED WITH WHERE WE ARE WITH BUILD OUT.
AND SO WE HAVE APPROPRIATELY DROPPED THOSE REVENUE PROJECTIONS AND BUDGET NUMBERS FOR NEXT YEAR.
AGAIN, FINANCE, WE WANT TO STAY PRETTY CONSERVATIVE.
SO SO WE HAVE MADE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS.
OTHER REVENUE, INTEREST INCOME.
SO THAT ACTUALLY GAVE US A PRETTY NICE LITTLE BOOST IN THAT OTHER REVENUE CATEGORY THAT NORMALLY IS SO SMALL WE DON'T EVEN CALL IT OUT, BUT WE'RE SEEING SOME VERY NICE RETURNS ON OUR INTEREST INCOME. WE DO EXPECT THAT TO CONTINUE FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
THAT DID INCLUDE AN INCREASE IN THOSE NUMBERS.
THOSE NUMBERS ARE REFLECTED IN YOUR BUDGET DOLLARS.
SO LOOKING AT FOR CLASSIFICATION, OF COURSE THIS IS ALL FUNDS.
AND SO PERSONNEL IS 41% OF THE BUDGET.
THAT IS BECAUSE WE ARE INCLUDING THE WATER PURCHASE, THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT.
THOSE MAKE UP BIG CHUNKS OF DOLLARS WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF THE FUNDS.
THIS GRAPH LOOKS DIFFERENT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE GENERAL FUND.
BUT THERE IS OUR OUR GENERAL BREAKDOWN SUPPLIES, MAINTENANCE, CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
SO PRETTY, PRETTY STANDARD BREAKDOWN TO WHAT YOU'VE SEEN IN THE PAST.
SO LET'S MOVE INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
[00:15:01]
AND WHEN WE THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH, REMEMBER WHEN WE STARTED SHOWING YOU THIS GRAPH, WE HAD CONCERNS BECAUSE OUR TRENDS WERE SHOWING THAT OUR EXPENSES WERE GOING TO OUTPACE OUR REVENUES.I DID AS COUNCIL IS AWARE, WE PURCHASED THAT PROPERTY LAST FISCAL YEAR.
I DID REMOVE THAT PURCHASE FROM THE NUMBERS AND THE TREND LINE BECAUSE IT WAS A VERY MUCH ANOMALY, ONE TIME EXPENSE, ALTHOUGH I DID LOOK AT THE GRAPH BEFORE I REMOVED IT, IT HAD NOT ACTUALLY FLIPPED IT BACK OVER, CAME UP PRETTY MUCH RIGHT IN LINE WITH REVENUES AND EXPENSES ON THE TREND. BUT IT HAD IT DID NOT ACTUALLY DO A FLIP EVEN WITH THAT PURCHASE EXPENSE IN THERE.
BUT TO LOOK AT IT MORE SPECIFICALLY TO WHAT IS OUR TRUE OPERATIONAL COSTS LOOKING LIKE, I DID REMOVE THAT FROM THIS GRAPH SO THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT A MORE TRUE PICTURE OF HOW OUR PACING AND TRENDING IS GOING.
OKAY, SO GENERAL FUND REVENUES.
COURSE THREE FOURTHS OF IT IS MADE UP BETWEEN PROPERTY TAXES AND SALES TAX.
WE ARE PROJECTING YEAR OVER YEAR COMPARISON ON THE BUDGET AMOUNT FOR SALES TAX.
IT IS ACTUALLY ABOUT AN 8% INCREASE.
THAT'S BECAUSE WHEN WE SET OUR BUDGET NUMBERS FOR LAST YEAR, WE EXCEEDED OUR BUDGET NUMBERS.
IF WE LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE ESTIMATING TO COLLECT FOR THIS YEAR, IT'S RIGHT AT THAT 4.8% INCREASE FROM WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN COLLECTING THROUGH THIS FISCAL YEAR.
WHERE THE MONEY GOES NOW? DIFFERENT FROM YEARS PAST.
THIS NUMBER ISN'T GOING TO MATCH YOUR BUDGET NUMBERS BECAUSE WE TOOK OUT THE ONE TIMES WE WANTED YOU TO LOOK AT WHAT IS THE BREAKDOWN SOLELY ON THE OPERATIONAL NUMBERS THAT WE'RE PROVIDING YOU.
SO WHEN YOU TAKE OUT THE ONE TIME AMOUNTS, WE'RE LOOKING AT A GENERAL FUND BUDGET OF 45,379,484.
TWO THIRDS OF THAT IS POLICE AND FIRE.
SO LOOKING AT WHAT THOSE CHANGES ARE.
SO, THE COMPENSATION PACKAGE THAT WE HAVE INCLUDED WITH THIS YEAR'S BUDGET REQUEST IS AN INITIAL 3% INCREASE FOR ALL GENERAL EMPLOYEES, A 5% INCREASE ON THE STEP PLANS BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST AND THEN ON APRIL 1ST. SO, SIX MONTHS INTO THE FISCAL YEAR, WE ARE ADDITIONALLY RECOMMENDING A 2% INCREASE FOR BOTH GENERAL AND PUBLIC SAFETY STEPS.
ADDITIONALLY, AS PART OF EVERY YEAR'S BUDGET PROCESS, HR DOES REVIEW OUR COMPENSATION LOOKS AT SPECIFIC POSITIONS IN RELATION TO OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES.
LOOKS TO SEE IS EVERYONE IN THE APPROPRIATE PAY BAND.
ARE WE COMPETITIVE IN THE MARKET FOR ALL THOSE POSITIONS? AND HR DID RECOMMEND SOME INCREASES TO SPECIFIC POSITIONS BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THAT STUDY.
SO THAT WAS A LITTLE OVER 162,000.
THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET NUMBERS YOU'RE PRESENTED AS WELL.
I'M CONTINUING ON WITH JUST SOME OF THE ONGOINGS.
MOLLY HAS REQUESTED FOR COMMUNICATIONS A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PLATFORMS. THE BE HEARD PLATFORM, WHICH WE INITIALLY USED WITH THE MASTER PLAN.
MOLLY WOULD LIKE TO BRING THAT AND EXPAND THAT USE TO OTHER PROJECTS IN THE CITY.
AND THEN A E DELIVERY PLATFORM FOR ELECTRONIC DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION.
WE DO HAVE INCLUDED IN YOUR BUDGET PROPOSAL AN ADDITIONAL FTE FOR FACILITIES, MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN AND JUST A LINE-ITEM INCREASE FOR BUILDING MAINTENANCE.
AND SO THAT'S JUST GIVING THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE BUDGET FLEXIBILITY.
WE HAVE SOME IMPROVEMENTS FOR IT.
LEVI HAD REQUESTED SOME NETWORK AUDITING SOFTWARE PLATFORM.
[00:20:04]
AND SO WE HAVE THAT INCLUDED DEVELOPMENT DID REQUEST AGAIN, ANOTHER BUDGET LINE INCREASE JUST TO HELP THEM BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO SOME OF THE SITUATIONS THAT THEY ENCOUNTER.THEY ACTUALLY REQUESTED $20,000.
WE WERE ABLE TO COMFORTABLY INCLUDE $10,000.
AND THEN OUR CITY MANAGEMENT DID LOOK AT AN EARLY, EARLY RETIREMENT PACKAGE FOR ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES.
AND SO WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER THE BUDGET DOLLARS FOR THEIR WHICH TRULY IS JUST A ONE TIME EXPENSE.
AND SO WE HAVE INCLUDED THAT IN THE NUMBERS THAT YOU HAVE PRESENTED QUESTIONS ON THIS.
OKAY. SLIDE TWO IS MORE CHANGES.
YEAH, A FEW TOO MANY TO FIT ONTO ONE SLIDE.
WHEN THEY HAD INITIALLY LOOKED AT THE SYSTEM, THEY AXON HAD RECOMMENDED A PACKAGE OF STORAGE, DIFFERENT RETENTION REQUIREMENTS, AND JUST ENSURING WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH OUR EMPLOYEES AND WITH OUR INTERACTIONS WITH THE CITIZENS.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO AN UNLIMITED STORAGE PLATFORM SO THAT THEY'RE NOT FACING A MAX OUT AGAIN.
AND THEN CLEAR SOFTWARE, WHICH IS ANOTHER SOFTWARE TO ASSIST THEM IN THEIR POLICE WORK.
THAT ANNUAL MAINTENANCE TELESTAFF THE IMPLEMENTATION WAS APPROVED WITH ARPA FUNDS.
THIS IS THE ONGOING MAINTENANCE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
MAYBE IT MAY EVEN BE LONGER THAN THAT.
AND THEN POLICE DEPARTMENT WOULD LIKE TO RESTART THEIR PARKING LOTS.
AND WE HAVE TWO REPLACEMENT MOTORCYCLES IN THE BUDGET FOR THAT AND A REMODEL OF THEIR FITNESS ROOM AND EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENTS MOVING INTO FIRE.
BOTH OF THEIRS ARE ONE TIMES EMS TRAINING, MANNEQUIN REPLACEMENTS.
THEY HAVE THREE TRAINING MANNEQUINS FOR OUR PARAMEDICS THAT THEY ARE GETTING RATHER OLD, AND SO THEY REQUESTED TO REPLACE THOSE AND THEN A REMOUNT FOR MEDIC 154. MOVING INTO THE LIBRARY.
THEY ALSO WOULD LIKE TO UPGRADE THEIR SECURITY CAMERA SYSTEM.
AND SO THIS WOULD BE CAMERAS ACROSS THE ENTIRE FACILITY AND OUTSIDE.
AND THEN AGAIN, ONGOING INCREASES.
THEY REQUESTED BUDGET LINE INCREASES FOR THEIR DIGITAL CONTENT AND FOR THEIR EVENTS AND PROGRAMING.
THE DIGITAL CONTENT BUDGET INCREASE, THE REQUEST WAS FOR 30,000.
WE HAVE INCLUDED 15 IN THE BUDGET.
BUT AGAIN, BALANCING NEEDS AT THIS POINT, WE DID NOT INCLUDE ALL OF THEIR REQUEST.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? TWO SLIDES BACK. YOU SAID YOU REDACTED THE ONE TIME AMOUNTS THAT 45 MILLION FIGURE.
IF WE ADD BACK THE 1 TO 5, THEN WE GET TO THE 46 MILLION THAT'S IN OUR PACKET.
SO, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WASN'T HAPPY WITH THE MEDICINE BALL WE GAVE THEM FOR THE EQUIPMENT ROOM.
I WILL DEFER TO CHIEF FOR THAT QUESTION.
WE STILL HAVE EQUIPMENT FROM THE OLD BRICK, RIGHT? 1950S WEIGHTLIFTING EQUIPMENT.
OR DID WE SELL IT? WE MAY HAVE SOLD THAT AT AUCTION, ACTUALLY.
IT LOOKS GOOD. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER. COGAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENTS.
WHAT POSITIONS WERE THOSE FOR? IT WAS A WIDESPREAD.
I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THE ONES WHO WERE STARING AT IT A LITTLE MORE FREQUENTLY THAN I WAS.
YEAH, IT WAS PRIMARILY IN THE LIBRARY AND IN DISPATCH.
AND THIS WAS ALL JUST TO GET THEM MORE IN LINE.
CORRECT. SO KIND OF ONE OF THE THINGS IS YOU DO YOU LOOK TO SEE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE WERE A COUPLE OF YEARS THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO RAISES.
[00:25:01]
SO IT WAS WIDESPREAD. WAS THERE ONE DEPARTMENT THAT GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THE OTHERS OR THE TWO LARGEST ONES WAS REALLY DISPATCH AND PD AND THE LIBRARY.OKAY. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT.
SO IS THIS THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS ITEMS IN THE GENERAL FUND? NOPE. YOU CAN ASK IT NOW OR WE CAN ADDRESS IT AT THE END.
WHATEVER WORKS BEST. COUNCIL MEMBER STEVE, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE EARLY RETIREMENT.
HAS IT TAKEN A POLL OR A SURVEY OF HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD IN WHAT DEPARTMENTS? WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE EARLY RETIREMENTS IF THEY TAKE IT.
WE DID. STEPHANIE SENT A POLL OUT TO THOSE THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE BASED ON THEIR YEARS OF SERVICE.
AND THAT'S HOW THESE NUMBERS CAME UP.
IT CAME BASED ON THE EMPLOYEES THAT SAID THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO TAKE THE PACKAGE.
AND IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IT IS.
AND IT'S AN INCENTIVE FOR WHAT THEY WOULD NORMALLY GET WHEN SOMEONE LEAVES.
BUT WE ALSO DID A 10% OF SICK LEAVE AT 10% OF SICK LEAVE AND TWO YEARS OF MEDICAL.
YOU'RE WELCOME. DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING, STEVE? NO. NO. MAYOR PRO TEM SABOL.
A FEW YEARS BACK, THAT VACATION BUYBACK WAS A HUGE PROBLEM.
WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT AS FAR AS OUR TOTAL LIABILITY? LET ME LOOK THAT UP.
I DON'T HAVE THAT RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I CAN LOOK THAT UP FOR YOU.
OKAY, I HAVE A FEW ITEMS. OKAY. SORRY.
RIGHT. SO YOU SAID EARLIER THE ESTIMATION ON SALES TAX REVENUE, YOU WERE TARGETING A 4% GROWTH FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR ON THE REMAINDER OF THIS YEAR? REMAINDER OF THIS YEAR. OKAY.
SO NEXT YEAR YOU'RE TARGETING A LITTLE OVER IT'S LIKE 5.5.
OKAY. YEAH. PAGE 83, YOU SAID 5%.
SORRY. YES. THE SUPPLEMENTALS UNDER GENERAL FUND WAS $740,000.
OKAY, I GOT AN ANSWER TO THAT.
YEAH. YEAH. SECURITY CAMERAS ARE A PART OF THAT CITY HALL COMMUNITY SERVICES.
AND IF YOU WERE LOOKING AT THAT SUPPLEMENTAL PAGE IN THE BOOK THAT DID IT, DIDN'T NECESSARILY INCLUDE EVERYTHING BECAUSE, FOR INSTANCE, MEDIC 154 IS TRULY A CAPITAL ITEM. AND SO YOU WOULD FIND IT IN THE CAPITAL SECTION, NOT ON THAT SUPPLEMENTAL LIST.
SO THAT SUPPLEMENTAL LIST YOU HAD IN THE BOOK, IN THAT PAGE THAT'S AVAILABLE IS TRULY THE MORE OPERATING OR MORE MINOR MAINTENANCE ITEMS. IF IT MET A TRUE CAPITAL THRESHOLD, YOU WOULD FIND IT IN THE CAPITAL SECTION.
YEAH. AND THEN YOU DID YOU DID A ONE YEAR AND A FIVE YEAR.
SO THAT WAS HELPFUL TO SEE THE DIFFERENCES AND PLUS THE ONGOING COST VERSUS THE ONE TIME COST.
WE'RE GOING ABOUT THIS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN I THOUGHT.
TELL ME ABOUT THE COMPUTER REPLACEMENT.
OKAY. I'M SORRY. THAT'S A DIFFERENT FUND.
DEVELOPMENT FUND. BUDGET INCREASE.
OKAY IF WE'RE TALKING GENERAL FUND.
ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR BOOKS FOR THE LIBRARY.
WE'RE LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL TEN.
WELL, WE'RE LOOKING AT $10,000.
WE ADDED $10,000 TO THEIR BUDGET THERE.
SO FROM PRIOR DISCUSSIONS, GIVEN SOME OF OUR UNIQUE SITUATIONS WITH CERTAIN PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE CITY, ARE WE COMFORTABLE WITH WITH WHERE THAT FIGURE IS AT THIS POINT? THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WHEN WE GET TO THE DISCUSSION POINT WHERE COUNCIL IS REQUESTING OR RECOMMENDING ANY CHANGES, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE ON THE LIST FOR CONSIDERATION.
DEVELOPMENT HAD REQUESTED 20,000 IN THEIR ORIGINAL REQUEST.
AT THIS POINT, WE RECOMMENDED TEN TO GET THEM MOVED FORWARD.
YOU DO HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY SHOULD YOU WISH TO ADD SOME MORE BUDGET DOLLARS THERE.
THE PAGE 98 EVENT AND PROGRAM BUDGET INCOME.
I SEE A $4,000 CORRECT LIBRARY HAD REQUESTED 8500.
AGAIN, TRYING TO TO LOOK AT AND BALANCING THE NEEDS.
WE WE PUT IN A PARTIAL AMOUNT TO START GETTING THEM THERE.
YEAH FUTURE COME BACK TO ABATEMENT WHAT IS DEFINED AS ABATEMENT? WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THAT? YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT REMEDIATION OF THE PROPERTIES, MOWING, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, TREE REMOVAL, THINGS LIKE THAT.
DEMOLISHING, UH, PROBABLY NOT.
[00:30:01]
I DON'T KNOW. IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE TYPICALLY WE'LL BILL THE PROPERTY OWNER AND THEN IF THEY DON'T PAY IT, THEN WE'LL PUT A LIEN ON THE PROPERTY.YEAH. AND IF WE DID Y'ALL WOULD BE VERY INVOLVED WITH THAT AHEAD OF TIME.
SO WHERE WOULD THOSE FUNDS COME OUT OF FOR DEMOLITION? YOU KNOW, CANDIDLY, IF IT WAS BIG, LIKE WITH GUPTA, WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT AMENDING THE BUDGET OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
MAYOR PRO TEM, I HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU.
WELL, I HAVE AN ANSWER AS OF OUR LAST AUDIT.
SO AS OF SEPTEMBER 30TH, THE VACATION LIABILITY ALONE ACROSS ALL FUNDS WAS 1.786.
SO. I THINK IT WAS HOLIDAY THAT WE WERE HAVING.
YES, IT'S STILL KIND OF BIG, BUT YES.
LATER ON IN THE PRESENTATION, WE'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU THE FINANCIAL FORECAST FOR THE GENERAL FUND AND KIND OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW WITH REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES JUST ON OPERATIONAL EXPENSES. AND WE DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY IF YOU CHOOSE TO FUND SOME OF THESE SUPPLEMENTALS THAT WE DIDN'T FUND.
WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF OF THOSE SUPPLEMENTALS, IF YOU SO CHOOSE.
SO KEEP IN MIND, THE BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR INCLUDED THOSE NETWORK SERVER.
I'M GRASPING FOR WORDS THAT SOUND TECHNOLOGICALLY.
THE CURRENT YEAR WAS A BUDGET AMENDMENT SPECIFICALLY FOR A PROJECT, THE COMPUTER REPLACEMENT FUND, AND THE WHOLE IS MEANT TO BE A SAVINGS ACCOUNT TYPE WITH ROUTINE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES. WE ARE PUTTING A BUDGET IN THERE FOR 50,000 FOR THIS YEAR, FOR THIS COMING YEAR TO BE ABLE TO DO DESKTOP COMPUTER REPLACEMENTS AND THE LONG TERM FUNDING VIABILITY OF THAT FUND IS ONE OF OUR LONGER TERM OUTLOOKS OF HOW DO WE ADDRESS THIS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE FUTURE NEEDS, NOT ONLY FOR THE CAPITAL SERVERS, THE NETWORK SWITCHES, ALL OF THAT EQUIPMENT, BUT ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REGULARLY AND ROUTINELY REPLACING STAFF, DESKTOP COMPUTERS SO THAT SO SOME OF THESE FUNDING SOURCES, IT'S THEY MAY NOT BE QUITE WHERE WE WANT THEM TO, BUT STAFF IS AWARE AND WE ARE LOOKING INTO THE LONGER TERM FOR HOW DO WE ADEQUATELY FUND THEM.
SO, I FIND MYSELF WITH A LOT OF QUESTIONS WITH RESPECT TO OUR PAY AND OUR BENEFITS RELATIVE TO BENCHMARKING OUR NEIGHBORS.
I THINK THIS CONVERSATION MAY TAKE A FEW MINUTES.
IS IT APPROPRIATE TO HAVE IT NOW OR PERHAPS LATER, WHATEVER YOU WOULD PREFER? SO I AM AWARE OF AND I'M SURE OTHERS ARE AWARE OF, THERE'S THERE'S AN ACTIVE PROGRAM TO POACH OUR PEOPLE FROM NEIGHBORING CITIES, AND I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT.
I'M CURIOUS ABOUT SOME OF THOSE FINDINGS AND I'M CURIOUS ABOUT IF THERE IS A LONGER TERM APPROACH TO HOW WE ENSURE THE VIABILITY OF OUR ORGANIZATION TO HAVE THE BEST PEOPLE.
YES, THIS IS A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION.
YES. AND I WANT TO BE REAL ABOUT IT.
I DON'T WANT TO FLUFF OVER THIS, BUT I LOOK AT THIS AS A BUSINESS.
YES. AND WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, IT'S A COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT.
AND COMING AFTER OUR PEOPLE EXPOSES ANY VULNERABILITIES WE MAY HAVE EITHER IN PAY OR BENEFITS.
SO, I WOULD KIND OF LIKE TO KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT.
KIND OF IN COMPARISON TO THOSE AROUND US.
CORRECT. SO, HR DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB OF REALLY DOING A SALARY SURVEY EVERY YEAR.
AND THEY REALLY FOCUS ON THEY TRY TO FOCUS ON A NEW DEPARTMENT EACH YEAR.
[00:35:04]
SO IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WANT TO BE AT THAT 60TH PERCENTILE COMPARED TO OUR BENCHMARK CITIES.SO IT IS AN EVER MOVING TARGET.
BUT THAT'S WHY WE WHEN STEPHANIE CAME AND TALKED TO YOU GUYS ON TUESDAY ABOUT OUR BENEFITS, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ALWAYS MEET THAT GOAL, BUT WE'RE GOING TO GO AND WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU OTHER BENEFITS THAT OTHER CITIES MAY NOT BE ABLE TO.
OR ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JIMMY TALKS ABOUT IS WHAT HE'S SEEN IN THE PAST.
SO YOU REALLY DON'T FEEL ANYTHING IN YOUR BOTTOM LINE.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT IT AND WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO ADDRESS IT.
AND SO IT'LL BE IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHERE WE LAND AFTER EVERYONE'S BUDGETS ARE APPROVED.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION, SOMETHING IN THE WAY OF A LONGER TERM.
ANTICIPATED APPROACH TO ENSURE THE VIABILITY OF OUR PAY STRUCTURE.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT EXISTS IN YOUR WORLD? YOU'VE STUMPED ME.
I MEAN. WELL, I THINK IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE SAYINGS.
AND IF THERE WAS A CITY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THAT GAVE, I THINK, 10% RAISES MID-YEAR, AND IT'S LIKE, WHOA, OKAY, YOU KNOW? AND SO YOU JUST KIND OF HAVE TO DO THE BEST YOU CAN.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT THE ANSWER YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, BUT WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING.
WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO BE BETTER.
AND THEN ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WAS ASKED ON TUESDAY IS I THINK IT WAS COUNCIL MEMBER VARCO ASKED IF WE DID THAT YEAR END STATEMENT TO SHOW OUR EMPLOYEES THIS IS THIS IS TRULY WHAT YOU MAKE IN ADDITION TO THE BENEFITS THAT YOU RECEIVE.
I'M CURIOUS, I DON'T WANT TO DO TOO DEEP OF A DIVE, BUT I'M A LITTLE CURIOUS.
IN THIS BUDGET, WE GOT 387 FTE SOMEWHERE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
HOW MANY PEOPLE DID WE LOSE DURING THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR AND WHAT DID THE EXIT INTERVIEWS TELL US IF WE LOST 50 PEOPLE? DID WE LOSE ALL 50 BECAUSE OF PAY OR BENEFITS OR DO YOU DO THAT KIND OF INTERNAL SURVEY? WE DO EXIT.
AND IF YOU COME TO THE. YEAH, YOU DO EXIT INTERVIEWS.
DO YOU DO IT IN EVERY SITUATION? WE TRY TO.
OKAY. BUT WE CAN'T FORCE PEOPLE TO DO SO.
WHAT INFORMATION ARE YOU GLEANING FROM THOSE EXIT INTERVIEWS? YOU KNOW, WE THAT MAY BE HELPFUL IN THIS BUDGET CONVERSATION.
I DON'T HAVE THAT DATA RIGHT NOW, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY GET IT.
IS IT A PREPONDERANCE OF PAY ISSUES? NOT NECESSARILY.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. BECAUSE INASMUCH AS WE'RE LOOKING FOR GOTCHAS OR INDICATORS OR YELLOW LIGHTS, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO I MEAN, IN CERTAIN AREAS LIKE LIBRARIES, BEEN A BIG AREA OF LOSING PEOPLE BECAUSE OF PAY.
PD THEY'VE LOST QUITE A FEW PEOPLE BECAUSE OF PAY.
SO, I MEAN CERTAIN AREAS THERE ARE, BUT THERE ARE OTHER REASONS, YOU KNOW, IN OTHER AREAS.
SO, I MEAN, I CAN PUT THAT TOGETHER FOR YOU IF YOU WANT TO SEE IT.
I GUESS WHAT I MY INTEREST IS IN ENSURING THE LONGER-TERM VIABILITY OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
SURE. SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE AT A HIGH LEVEL.
WELL, AND THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS, LIKE KAREN SAID, IT'S A MOVING TARGET EVERY YEAR.
BUT IS THIS SOMETHING YOU'RE GOING TO DO A SURVEY OF IN THE NEXT MONTH TO SEE WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING IN THEIR CURRENT BUDGET? WELL, I MEAN, CITIES ARE TRYING TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW YET.
SO WE. OH, I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD.
NO, I THOUGHT YOU WERE DONE. I'M SORRY.
GO AHEAD. SURE. I MEAN, WE LOOK AT IT EVERY JANUARY, WE START PULLING EVERYTHING FROM EVERYBODY TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT WHERE WE ARE AGAIN AND WORK ON THAT COMPENSATION STUDY BECAUSE IT TAKES A WHILE TO DO THAT.
BUT. I MEAN, WE CAN CERTAINLY LET YOU KNOW ONCE WE KNOW WHAT ALL OUR SURROUNDING CITIES HAVE DONE.
I'M JUST I'M JUST THINKING, DO IS THERE A TREND THAT YOU SEE WITH CERTAIN CITIES? LIKE IF YOU WERE WATCHING GRAND PRAIRIE, DO THEY HAVE A TREND OF THE PERCENTAGE THAT THEY INCREASE EACH AND EVERY YEAR OR DO THEY JUMP AROUND?
[00:40:07]
YEAH, I MEAN, MOST OF THEM JUMP AROUND, BUT GRAND PRAIRIE IS NOT ONE OF OUR COMPARISON CITIES, SO.WELL, I JUST THREW THAT NAME OUT THERE.
THEY'VE BEEN REAL POPULAR BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN REAL AGGRESSIVE.
SO IT'S FUNNY YOU MENTIONED THAT.
SO I JUST THOUGHT, WELL, HAVE YOU NOTICED BECAUSE TYPICALLY YOU DON'T SEE A CITY JUMP LIKE, OH, I'M GOING TO GIVE THEM 10% BECAUSE I JUST FEEL GOOD. IT'S USUALLY LIKE THERE'S SOMETHING THAT THEY THEY DO INCREMENTALLY AND THEY TRY TO STICK WITH THAT.
YEAH, IT'S USUALLY AROUND 2 TO 4%.
THEY JUST A LOT OF CITIES GAVE MID-YEAR INCREASES, SOME OF THEM AS MUCH AS 10%, WHICH I FEEL LIKE ALL THE GROUND WE HAD MADE BEFORE WE LOST.
BUT WE REALLY STRIVE TO DO A LOT OF THE FINANCIAL BUT NON-FINANCIAL THINGS LIKE MORALE.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU ALL, BUT I KNOW PEOPLE AT CITIES THAT ARE PAID VERY WELL, BUT WHEN THEY GET TO WORK, IT'S LIKE, MAN, I'VE GOT TO GET OUT OF THE CAR NOW, YOU KNOW? AND SO WE DO THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S EMPLOYEE LUNCHES, ICE CREAM TRUCK COMES AROUND, THINGS LIKE THAT SOUND NOT SILLY, BUT THEY DON'T SOUND BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE BIGGEST LITMUS TEST IS YOUR PAYCHECK.
I GET IT. BUT I MEAN, WHEN WE DO THINGS TO WHERE PEOPLE ENJOY COMING TO WORK, BUT NOT ONLY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BENEFIT PACKAGE, I WAS TELLING SOMEONE, MAYBE THE MAYOR, YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, AND I JUST USE IT AS A FRAME OF REFERENCE, THERE WERE EMPLOYEES THAT WERE ON CERTAIN VERY, VERY COMMON MEDICATIONS.
IT WAS 3 OR 400 BUCKS A MONTH.
AND SO WITH THE INSURANCE THAT YOU ALL LET US CHANGE TO TWO YEARS AGO, IT WASN'T A HUGE COST TO THE CITY OR THE EMPLOYEES, OBVIOUSLY, BUT THAT MEDICINE IS 20 OR 30 BUCKS NOW.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF A BACK DOOR RAISE, IF YOU WILL.
AND SO, WE LOOK AT STUFF LIKE THAT AND ALSO LIKE THIS YEAR WITH AND I KNOW NONE OF THIS IS APPROVED, BUT THE SHORT-TERM DISABILITY, WE'RE TRYING TO ENHANCE THE BENEFITS BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY MONEY'S GREAT.
BUT YOU KNOW AND LAST THING, WHEN I WAS WITH ANOTHER COMMUNITY, THERE WAS A NEIGHBORING CITY THAT HAD A LATERAL PAY PROGRAM FOR POLICE OFFICERS, AND THE PAY DIFFERENCE WAS ALMOST $10,000.
WELL, THAT CITY THAT DID THAT PROGRAM, THEIR INSURANCE WAS SO HORRIBLE AND SO EXPENSIVE THAT IT ATE INTO LIKE 60 OR 70% OF THOSE OF THAT RAISE BECAUSE OF THE INSURANCE COSTS.
BUT IT'S JUST WE WANT TO WE WANT TO DO LIKE KIND OF A FULL PRONGED APPROACH, YOU KNOW? OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT, STEPHANIE.
WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND FUND A $20,000 SATISFACTION SURVEY THAT'S BEEN A STANDING LINE ITEM.
SO IT'S AVAILABLE. IT'S NOT ANYTHING NEW.
PAGE 368 CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES AND IS INCREASING 28,000.
ALL RIGHT. YOU GOT ME TO THE POINT. I GOT A GENERAL.
YOU SAID THIS IS THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT GENERAL FUND.
WHAT PAGE NUMBER DID YOU SAY AGAIN, SIR? 368. ACTUALLY.
MAYOR. YEAH, IT'S. NO, NO, NO.
THE TOP, TOP NUMBER, NOT THE BOTTOM 368 AT THE TOP.
YEAH. NO, IT'S UP HERE. CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
OH, THAT'S TOURISM. THAT'S IN THE TOURISM FUND.
THAT'S NOT IN THE GENERAL FUND. THAT'S UNDER CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
YES, BECAUSE CHRISTIE'S DIVISION IS UNDER THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
AND I NOTICED, TOO, IT LOOKED LIKE THERE'S A LOT MORE LINE ITEMS FOR TRAVEL AND LIKE DUES AND OTHER THINGS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE BUDGET.
IT SEEMED LIKE IT WENT FROM ZERO TO NOW WE'RE IDENTIFYING LIKE AFFILIATIONS, ORGANIZATIONAL AFFILIATIONS TO ATTEND CONFERENCES, STUFF LIKE THAT'S BEEN IN THERE.
OH, YOU GOT QUITE A FEW ITEMS THAT WENT FROM ZERO TO POSITIVE NUMBERS THIS YEAR.
AND SOME OF SOME OF THAT CAN ALSO BE SOME OF THE REALLOCATION OF DIVISIONS.
[00:45:03]
I'M ALSO WHILE I DO LOVE CLAIRE GOV, THE ONE THING I LOVE ABOUT THEM IS THEY LISTEN TO US BECAUSE I'M GOING TO BE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FACT THAT THEY'RE MIXING ALL MY DIVISIONS TOGETHER REGARDLESS OF FUND, BECAUSE THAT DID MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO TRACK SOME OF THAT THAT YOU ARE USED TO SEEING.WELL, IT'S ACTUALLY A COMPLIMENT.
IT'S NICE TO IT'S A LOT OF DATA, BUT IT'S NICE TO SEE THOSE LINE ITEMS IN THERE.
YES. SO, COMMUNICATIONS PAGE 389, THEIR SUPPLIES IS INCREASING FROM 4200 TO 151,000.
YES. SO COMMUNICATIONS DID HAVE SEVERAL BUDGETS THAT WE JUST MOVED.
IT'S NOT ACTUALLY A BUDGET DOLLAR INCREASE TO THE FUND.
SO YES, IT LOOKS LIKE WE MOLLY WENT HAYWIRE WITH HER BUDGET.
SO DEVELOPMENT ACTUALLY IS ONE OF THOSE WHERE WE ARE COMBINING THE DIVISIONS.
AND SO THE ADMINISTRATION THAT YOU SEE UP TOP IS ACTUALLY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND EXPENSES.
AND SO ALL OF DEVELOPMENT, RATHER THAN BEING IN FOUR SEPARATE DIVISIONS, THE ADMINISTRATION PLANNING AND ZONING INSPECTIONS, NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, IT IS ALL NOW IN A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIVISION.
OKAY. AND SO, AGAIN, HAVEN'T ACTUALLY LOST THE BUDGET DOLLARS.
THEY'VE JUST BEEN DEPLETING OUR CAPACITY IN ANY WAY.
ADMIN SERVICES PAGE FOR 60 SUPPLIES MINOR APPARATUS.
I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY GUESS THAT'S PROBABLY ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE MOVEMENTS.
PAGE 462 THIS IS A KUDO DECREASE IN BANK FEES OF $104,000.
THAT'S US CHANGING BANKS, CORRECT? YES. ALL RIGHT.
I HAVE KIND OF AN ONGOING QUESTION THAT I SEEM TO HAVE HAD FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS.
CAN YOU GIVE CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT IS WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATE OF OVERTIME? I CAN GET SOMEONE UP HERE WHO CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR YOU.
CHIEF, THIS IN THE PAST, CHIEF, THIS WAS A PAINFUL CONVERSATION.
SO, THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A PAINFUL CONVERSATION.
BUT I GUESS I JUST WANT TO KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE ON TOP OF IT.
SO, IT'S, WE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE PUSHING OUR BUDGET ON THE ON THE OVERTIME.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE STILL WHAT'S IN YOUR BUDGET RIGHT NOW WHAT'S YOUR FIGURE I'M GETTING FOR YOU? I DON'T HAVE MY GLASSES TO READ THE SMALL PRINT.
SO, IS IT 358,000? I'M GETTING THERE. I'M GETTING THERE.
BUT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE SETTING MOST OF OUR OVERTIME IS COVERED TO COVER SHORTAGES.
273,000. SO LAST YEAR'S CAME IN AT 358.
SO RIGHT NOW, AS OF TODAY, I THINK WE HAVE FIVE OPENINGS IN THE PD POSITIONS.
I'VE GOT ONE ON MILITARY DEPLOYMENT.
I'VE GOT TWO THAT ARE INJURED, ONE THAT'S OUT.
WELL, SHE'S ON RESTRICTED DUTY BECAUSE SHE'S SHE'S PREGNANT.
AND THEN I HAVE THREE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE OUT BECAUSE THEY JUST HAD BABIES.
SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS, THEY CUT DOWN INTO OUR STAFFING.
SO WE END UP WE END UP HAVING TO SHIFT PEOPLE AROUND AS MUCH AS WE CAN WITHOUT SHORTENING OTHERS.
BUT WE HAVE TO FILL THOSE THINGS WITH OVERTIME AND THOSE SPOTS.
SO DO DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE RELATIVE.
YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE YOUR ARMS AROUND THAT, DO YOU? IS IT SOMETHING THAT YOU FEEL LIKE I DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER THIS? I MEAN, IT'S A MOVING TARGET.
AND WHICH ONE? TARGET MOVING TARGET MOVING TWO WORDS UNTIL WE'RE TRULY FULLY STAFFED AND WE'RE HEALTHY, IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO DETERMINE WHAT THAT NUMBER REALLY NEEDS TO BE AT. SO, I DON'T KNOW THAT OUR OVERTIME HAS INCREASED ENOUGH OVER THE YEARS TO KEEP UP WITH THE INCREASES IN SALARY, BUT WE'RE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO STAY WITHIN THE LIMITS.
[00:50:02]
SO, IT'S REALLY JUST A PRODUCT OF TRANSITIONAL ISSUES, JUST.SITUATIONAL SHORTAGES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
IT'S NOT AN INTRINSIC ISSUE TO WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH.
YOUR SCHEDULING IS AT QUESTION OR YOU'RE SHORTHANDED.
EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY SHORTHANDED, NOT EXTREMELY SHORTHANDED.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU WHERE I CAME FROM.
THIS OVERTIME BUDGET WAS A CONSTANT MOVING AND IT'S USUALLY OUR PATROL SECTION THAT'S COVERING IT.
OCCASIONALLY YOU WILL HAVE A BIG INCIDENT, A BIG CRIME THAT HAPPENS, THAT TAKES THE DETECTIVES.
IN THE PAST HERE WAS THE OPPOSITE.
WE WERE COVERING IT FOR PATROL IN THE PAST, SO WE MOST OF OURS COMES IN PATROL.
THAT'S WHERE THE MOST OF THE COVERAGE COMES FROM.
AND I WILL SAY, I WANT TO SAY THIS AND IT'S REALLY JUST OBSERVATIONAL.
I KNOW WE'VE BEEN A PART OF BUDGETS IN RECENT YEARS WHERE THIS NUMBER WAS 450 TO 550.
SO THAT'S TREMENDOUS IMPROVEMENT.
YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE TEN OFFICERS HERE AT ALL TIMES.
SURE. WE GIVE THEM NOW THE AUTHORITY TO LOOK AT IT AND SAY HOW MANY CAN THEY RUN WITH? IF IT'S AN EASTER MORNING, IT'S USUALLY PRETTY QUIET IN POLICE WORK.
SO YOU DON'T NEED TEN PEOPLE HERE THAT DAY.
SO WE CAN GIVE SOME PEOPLE OFF AND LET THEM LET THEM SPEND SOME TIME WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
WELL, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
THE DIFFERENCE IN THOSE NUMBERS OVER TIME IS NOTICEABLE.
APPRECIATE IT. QUICK QUICK QUESTION, CHIEF, JUST GOING BACK TO THOSE FIVE POSITIONS, YOU SAY THAT'S BECAUSE OF A PERSON'S DEPLOYED OR ON LEAVE, OR IS THAT IN ADDITION TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT, THOSE ARE FIVE HARD OPENINGS.
SO THOSE ARE FIVE FIVE HARD OPENINGS.
SO I'LL KIND OF CLARIFY WHAT WE'VE SAID.
WE'VE NOT LOST ANYBODY THAT I KNOW OF THAT'S DONE AN EXIT INTERVIEW BECAUSE OF PAY IN THE LAST FEW YEARS THAT LIKE I'VE SAID BEFORE, WE'VE LOST PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY'VE EITHER CHOSEN NOT TO LEAVE HERE OR THEY'VE CHOSEN TO LEAVE HERE BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T REALLY MEETING OUR VALUES.
SO, DO YOU HAVE PEOPLE IN THE PIPELINE FOR THIS BUDGET TO FILL THESE SPOTS WILLINGLY CHOSEN? YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
SO THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE PIPELINE.
I HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH CHIEFS ALL OVER.
EVERYONE IS IN THE SAME BOAT, YOU KNOW, GRAPEVINE WHO HAS MONEY FALLING OUT OF THEIR POCKETS? IT APPEARS THEY'RE IN THE SAME BOAT.
THEY HAVE MORE OPENINGS THAN WE DO.
NORTH RICHLAND HILLS IS PAID HIGHER THAN US.
THEY HAVE GREATER OPENINGS THAN WE DO.
SO, IT'S SLOW AND IT'S A CULTURAL THING THAT NO ONE REALLY WANTS TO BE A POLICE OFFICER RIGHT NOW.
SO, WE'RE JUST NOT GETTING THE NUMBERS.
WE SO WE'RE LOOKING AT TONIGHT, IT'S GOING TO GO A LONG WAY TO HELP POSSIBLY FILL THOSE SPOTS.
I'M SORRY. I HATE FOR THIS TO BE A LOVE FEST.
THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE DATA THAT SHOWS FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME HERE THAT PEOPLE HAVE NOT LEFT WILLINGLY TO GO TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT IS SUCH AN UNBELIEVABLE IMPROVEMENT FROM WHERE WE WERE THREE YEARS AGO, FOUR YEARS AGO, AND UNBELIEVABLE IMPROVEMENT WHERE SURVEYS THAT STEPHANIE HAD SHOWED THE TOP TWO REASONS PEOPLE WERE LEAVING WAS LEADERSHIP AND PAY.
KUDOS. WE TRY TO MAKE IT A GOOD ENVIRONMENT.
LIKE THE CITY MANAGER SAID, THAT IT'S WE WANT THIS TO BE IT SHOULD BE A FUN JOB.
THIS IS THE GREATEST JOB IN THE WORLD OF BEING A POLICE OFFICER.
SO, WE TRY TO MAKE IT WHERE WE DON'T MICROMANAGE OUR FOLKS AND THEY CAN GO OUT AND DO THEIR JOBS AND THEY CAN ENJOY BEING A POLICE OFFICER HERE AND BE PART OF A COMMUNITY THAT REALLY WANTS THEM HERE. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE UNIQUE THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN THIS AREA IS THAT WE HAVE A COMMUNITY THAT LOVES US.
THERE'S A PORTION THAT DOESN'T LOVE US, BUT A LARGE, LARGE MAJORITY OF US LOVES US.
I WAS GOING TO SAY SOMETHING ELSE. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, CHIEF. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT, MEG, I HAVE I NEED 30 MINUTES TO TALK ABOUT PENS AND PENCILS.
I'M DONE. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE ON GENERAL FUND? THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IT'S A QUESTION SLIDE, SO I FIGURE I'LL ASK IT.
OKAY. HEY, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO BRADY TO TALK THE TAX RATE.
[00:55:03]
THE TOP LINE STORY IS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO KEEP OUR OVERALL TAX RATE FLAT WHILE ALSO FUNDING THE BUDGET IN FRONT OF YOU.IS THIS THE PORTION OF THE PROGRAM WHERE WE START THROWING OBJECTS AT THE PRESENTER? I'M VERY GOOD AT DODGING SOME APPLES AND ORANGES.
OKAY. SO, OUR TAX RATE AND THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE ARE THE SAME AS WELL AS OUR PROPOSED RATE.
IT IS THE ONE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
AND THEN THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS SLIGHTLY BELOW THAT.
WE ARE PROPOSING TO EXCEED THAT NO NEW REVENUE RATE BUT STAY BELOW THAT VOTER APPROVAL RATE.
OKAY. THIS IS A BIT OF A HISTORY ON OUR TAX RATE OVER TIME.
OUR DEBT RATE IS INCREASING A LITTLE BIT THIS YEAR.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO FUND A LOT OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE JUST HAD.
IT WAS AMAZING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO FUND THOSE WHILE KEEPING OUR OVERALL TAX RATE FLAT.
SO WE ARE WE ARE PROUD OF KEEPING THAT ON THE LOW END.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TAX RATE IMPACT ON THE AVERAGE HOME.
EVEN THOUGH WE ARE KEEPING OUR TAX RATE FLAT, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS IN THE CITY WHO HAD THEIR TAXABLE VALUES GO UP, SO NOW THEIR HOMES ARE WORTH MORE THAN THEY WERE BEFORE. THIS MEANS THAT THEY DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER OF A TAX BILL BASED ON RATES SET BY WHO? RATES SET VALUES.
THE VALUES SET BY THE TARRANT COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
WE DO NOT KNOW. THEY ARE THE ONES WHO GO OUT AND GAUGE HOW MUCH A HOME IS WORTH AND THE STATE IS THE ONE WHO OVERSEES THAT AND MAKES SURE THAT THE HOMES ARE WORTH AS HIGH AS THEY CAN BECAUSE THE STATE PAYS FOR SCHOOLS AND THEY PAY LESS FOR SCHOOLS WHENEVER THE PROPERTY TAX VALUES ARE HIGHER.
THE STATE IS THE OVERLORD, IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YES. OKAY. BUT YES, A BASED ON THE TAXABLE VALUE OF THE AVERAGE HOME, A BILL WILL GO UP ABOUT 13 TO $14 PER MONTH FOR AN AVERAGE HOME IF IT'S THE FIRST YEAR OF A SENIOR FREEZE.
WE ALSO WANTED TO SHOW WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE FOR A PERSON WHO IS A SENIOR.
THEY WILL SEE A SLIGHTLY INCREASED BILL AS WELL IN THAT SAME $13 A MONTH RANGE, THOUGH IF A SENIOR DOES HAVE A FREEZE, THEY WERE NOT GOING TO SEE THEIR BILL CHANGE AT ALL. THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF A FREEZE.
SO ON THESE AVERAGE MONTHLY BILLS THAT BEDFORD RESIDENTS GET IS THE CITY OF BEDFORD THE HIGHEST TAX PORTION THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PAY? THEY ARE NOT? NO.
IN GENERAL, THE SCHOOL IS GOING TO BE ABOUT HALF THAT BILL AND THE CITY IS GOING TO BE ABOUT A QUARTER WITH THE COUNTY AND OTHER COUNTY SERVICES BEING ANOTHER QUARTER ALL AND THAT KIND OF GENERAL RANGE.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT SETS THOSE VALUES.
THE CITY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE APPRAISED VALUES.
WE SAY, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD THAT.
YES. YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO YOU RECEIVED THE APPRAISAL ROLL FROM THE COUNTY.
YOUR OPTION WAS TO SAY, YES, THAT WE RECEIVED THIS ROLL.
IT WAS NOT TO SAY WE SHOULD YOU SHOULD CHANGE ANYTHING IN IT.
I CHOSE OPTION THREE, WHICH WAS THE LIGHT, THE THING ON FIRE AND THROW IT IN THE TRASH CAN.
SO GOING INTO THE AVERAGE HOME IMPACT OF A BILL, I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT A RESIDENT GETS POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION, ACCESS TO THOUSANDS OF BOOKS AND DVDS, ACCESS TO PARKS AND TRAILS FOR A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN A CHICK FIL A BREAKFAST.
AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE ABILITY TO DO SO.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE TAX RATE.
NEXT UP IS THE DEBT SERVICE FUND.
THAT IS GOING TO BE THE OTHER PORTION OF THIS.
YOU WILL SEE AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT, WE DO HAVE TWO NEW ISSUANCES FROM THE LAST YEAR.
AND THEN THIS IS WHAT OUR WHAT WERE WE FUNDING THIS YEAR? A NEW CENTRAL FIRE STATION.
THE CAMPUS WEST PROJECT, A FIRE TRAINING SENIOR CITIZEN CENTER.
THAT'S A LOT OF REALLY GREAT A LOT OF GOOD THINGS.
A LOT OF VERY GOOD THINGS. YES.
GOOD JOB. YOU WILL SEE ON THIS CHART WE ARE AT A LITTLE BIT OF A PEAK THERE.
IT DOES DROP OFF NEXT YEAR AND THEN THE YEAR AFTER.
SO WE MAY HAVE SOME CAPACITY LONG TERM TO CONTINUE TO FUND PROJECTS IN THE CITY.
YOU MAY ALSO NOTICE THAT THERE IS THAT PEAK.
[01:00:02]
WE DID FRONT LOAD THE DEBT A LITTLE BIT.SO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY IF THE ECONOMY EVER TURNS.
SO THAT WAS A STRATEGY WE IMPLEMENTED WITH THE RECENT DEBT ISSUANCE.
IT PROGRESSIVELY TOOK A JUMP IN 2017-2018 BECAUSE OF GENERATIONS.
SO I JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO THE THE FIRE TRAINING CENTER.
SO I WAS AT A COMMUNITY MEETING.
IT'S GOING TO BE VAGUE AS I CAN LAST YEAR, AND WE HAD JUST TAKEN A TOUR OF THE FIRE TRAINING FACILITY AND THEY SHOWED US ALL THEIR ALL THE WELL, I MEAN, ALL THEIR EQUIPMENT.
IT WAS REALLY COOL, ALL LIKE SUPER STATE OF THE ART STUFF.
AND SO AND CHIEF WALKER, WE TALKED ABOUT THE NEED OF MAYBE A LOCAL TRAINING CENTER SO THE FIREFIGHTERS COULD LEARN TO SUIT UP BECAUSE THAT WAS LIKE THE MOST OF THE BURNS ARE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT SUITED UP APPROPRIATELY.
AND SO I MENTIONED THAT ABOUT POSSIBLY JOINING IN WITH A NEIGHBORING CITY.
AND THAT CITY COUNCILMAN LAUGHED AT ME IT IN A PUBLIC SETTING.
WERE YOU WEARING A PONYTAIL THEN? NO, I WASN'T. I HAD A BUN.
I HAD A BUN, AND I HAD A PROFESSIONAL SHIRT ON, A VERY NICE DRESS SHIRT.
MAYBE THAT WAS IT. AND HE LAUGHED.
LOOK AT US. LOOK AT ALL THE GREAT THINGS WE'RE DOING.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS A TESTAMENT.
I MEAN, IT REALLY STAFF TO ME.
I MEAN, IT STARTED WITH IT STARTED WITH THIS GUY TO THE RIGHT.
OH, I WAS GOING TO SAY CHIEF WALKER, BUT YEAH, WELL, I MEAN, ALL THESE.
SHOULD I MOVE? BUT NO, BUT SERIOUSLY, I MEAN, JUST I MEAN, AND YOU KEPT YOU KNOW, YOU WERE SAYING A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE LOSING ALL THOSE FOLKS BECAUSE OF LEADERSHIP REASONS. I MEAN, IT REALLY A FEW YEARS AGO, I WAS SAYING, PRAY FOR US.
THE CITY, THE CITY WHEN I FIRST JOINED COUNCIL AND NOW IS SO VASTLY DIFFERENT.
I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO EXPLAIN IT TO ANYONE BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T BELIEVE ME.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR DOING EVERYTHING YOU DO.
AND BECAUSE I MEAN THE CULTURE IS A BIG DEAL.
IT REALLY IS. SO ANYWAYS AND YOU KNOW THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES AND THERE'S TIMING.
AND REALLY IT'S AN INFLECTION POINT.
AND THAT AFFECTS THE CITY WE LIVE IN.
AND IT'S AND IT'S FUNNY AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS EARLIER TODAY THAT, YOU KNOW, OUT OF THE 50,000 PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE, RIGHT, ONLY ABOUT MAYBE 30 TO 50 ARE REALLY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND ONLY ABOUT 2000 PEOPLE VOTE.
RIGHT. BUT THE DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE IN THIS ROOM AFFECT THE OTHER 48,000 PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW.
AND SO I WAS AND THEN LIKE, YOU KNOW, I REALLY, I, I REALLY I REALLY BELIEVE THAT.
AND I'M GOING TO TURN MY MIC OFF NOW.
LIKE TO GO TO DINNER AFTERWARDS? I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY.
GREAT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. SURE.
SO, THESE CALCULATIONS THAT WE DO, THE STATE DO ANYTHING TO US WITH THEIR LOVELY LEGISLATIVE SESSION? NOTHING NEW. OKAY, SO THEY DIDN'T TOUCH US AND MAKE IT WORSE.
NOT ON THIS. OKAY, THAT'S GOOD.
SO, THE ONE SIGNIFICANCE ON THIS CHART IS WE'VE GOT A SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY IN 2025.
WE'VE GOT LIKE 1,000,001 A MILLION TO DROP OFF.
I'M GOING TO BE TURNING THIS BACK OVER TO KAREN.
WELL, ACTUALLY, BEFORE I CLICK OFF THIS SLIDE, MAYOR, YOU ARE 100% CORRECT.
IF YOU NOTICE FROM 24 TO 25, THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF A DROP OFF IN OUR DEBT.
AND SO I REACHED OUT TO NICK WITH HILLTOP TODAY TO ASK HIM TO RUN SOME SCENARIOS FOR US TO KIND OF SEE WHAT OUR CAPACITY LOOKS LIKE IN 24 AND IN 25 AS THOSE TWO, WE ACTUALLY HAVE TWO DEBT ISSUANCES THAT WILL BE WE'LL BE MAKING THE FINAL PAYMENT ON NEXT THIS COMING BUDGET YEAR.
SO IN 24, BASED ON OUR CURRENT GROWTH WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, CONSERVATIVE INTEREST RATES AND TRYING TO KEEP THAT DEBT RATE FLAT, WE HAVE A CAPACITY OF ABOUT 21,000,000IN 24 AND THEN IN 25, SAME SCENARIO, INCLUDING THAT 21,000,024, WE COULD ISSUE ANOTHER 3.2 AND 25.
[01:05:08]
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY GOOD TO KEEP THAT IN THE BACK OF OUR HEADS AS WE TALK ABOUT OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS THAT WE NEED TO DO AND THINGS LIKE THAT.WE KNOW WE'VE GOT SOME STREETS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AND SOME FACILITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WHAT WAS THAT CAPACITY AGAIN ON THAT DEBT DROP OFF? SO, IN 24, WE CAN ISSUE 21 MILLION AND IN 25, ON TOP OF THE 21 MILLION FROM 24, WE CAN ISSUE ANOTHER 3.2.
OKAY. BECAUSE YOU'RE BASED ON YOUR FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT MULTIYEAR PLAN, YOU'RE LOOKING AT 23 MILLION IN NEEDS AND 26, CORRECT? YEAH. AND ABOUT IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, I THINK 11 ALMOST 12 MILLION OF THAT IS STREETS RELATED.
OKAY. YEAH. SO, WE TWO YEARS AGO, WE ISSUED $4 MILLION IN BONDS FOR STREET IMPROVEMENTS. I THINK WE DID SIX.
WAS IT SIX? I THINK IT WAS SIX.
IN 21. WAS IT A FIVE YEAR? NO. NO, IT WAS.
TYPICALLY, THERE ARE ABOUT 20 YEARS.
YEAH. YEAH. SO, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR RAY? OKAY. I JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON 4B, SO WE HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE 4B BOARD.
SO, I JUST WANT TO PREFACE THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO MEET IN JULY DUE TO LACK OF QUORUM.
SO, WE HAVE A MEETING NEXT WEEK.
SO, YOU GUYS ARE GETTING TO SEE THE 4B BUDGET BEFORE THE 4B BOARD.
ANY TIME EXPENDITURES ARE MORE THAN REVENUES, I ALWAYS WANT TO POINT OUT WHY.
AND SO THAT IS REALLY BECAUSE OF TWO CAPITAL PROJECTS.
IT'S GREGORY ADDITION AND PHYLLIS STREET.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE WERE GOING TO PROPOSE THIS YEAR TO THE 4B BOARD, SO NOW WE'RE PROPOSING IT TO YOU IS TYPICALLY IN THE 4B BUDGET IS A $250,000 TRANSFER FROM FOUR B TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND.
SO, WE WERE THINKING THIS YEAR TO FOREGO THAT TRANSFER JUST FOR THIS YEAR AND GIVE THE FOUR B FUND BALANCE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROW A LITTLE BIT AND THEN WE CAN REEVALUATE IT NEXT YEAR AND WENT FROM 300 TO 50.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, INTEREST ARE DOING REALLY, REALLY WELL.
I THINK MEG OR BRADY, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO ALLUDED TO IT.
WE'RE DOING REALLY WELL THIS YEAR WITH OUR INTEREST.
AND SO THIS FUND IS ALSO GOING TO BENEFIT FROM THAT AS WELL AS OUR OTHER FUNDS.
I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MEG AND LET MEG FINISH UP OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT FOR ME? OKAY, PERFECT.
SO, WORKING THROUGH RELATIVELY QUICKLY THROUGH BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY GENERAL FUND IS THE LARGEST PORTION, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THESE OTHER ONES DON'T HAVE THEIR IMPORTANCE. AND SO JUST TO TOUCH ON THEM.
SO AS YOU RECALL A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, GIVEN THE DIVERSIFIED ATTENTION THAT OUR EVENTS PERSONNEL WERE DOING, WHERE THEY WERE SUPPORTING ON THE REC SIDE WITH EVENTS, WE HAD MOVED TO SPLIT THOSE THE COSTS OF THOSE POSITIONS, HALF IN THE TOURISM FUND, HALF IN GENERAL FUND.
IT WAS CAUSING AN ISSUE ON THE PAYROLL SIDE WITH RECONCILING.
WE'RE JUST NOT DOING IT THROUGH PAYROLL SO THAT OUR PAYROLL PEOPLE STOP THROWING THINGS AT US.
SO SO YEAH, SO IT REALLY JUST A LOGISTICAL ACCOUNTING PIECE THERE ON THE CHANGE.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE CHANGE, THE PERSONNEL NUMBERS DECREASED, THE TRANSFER NUMBER INCREASED.
THAT'S WHERE THAT IS COMING FROM, DOWN 102,000.
AND SO THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE DONE MULTIPLE YEAR BUDGETS, YOU'RE FAIRLY WELL AWARE THAT IT TAKES 1 TO 2 YEARS FOR THOSE BUDGETS TO KIND OF CATCH UP TO WHAT OPERATIONS ARE.
[01:10:01]
AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW YET REALLY WHAT THOSE EXPENSES NEED TO BE, WHAT THAT EXPECTED REVENUE REALLY, TRULY CAN BE.AND SO, FOR NOW, WE'RE JUST HOLDING STEADY WITH THOSE NUMBERS.
IT SHOULD BE MORE THAN ENOUGH BUDGET DOLLARS FOR WHAT MARK AND HIS TEAM NEED TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND WE'LL OF COURSE, WE'LL KEEP AN EYE ON THE FUND, BUT IT HAS A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE.
WE ARE STILL PROJECTING REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES.
AND SO FOR RIGHT NOW IT WILL HOLD AND THEN WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN SEPTEMBER.
AND SHOULD WE MAKE WARRANTED CHANGES, THEN YOU'LL SEE THEM IN 25.
SO WHAT KIND OF BIG EVENTS DO WE HAVE COMING UP? THE BEATS AND EATS.
AND WHEN IS THAT? THAT WOULD BE SEPTEMBER 2ND.
GENERATIONS PARK. COME OUT AND HAVE FUN.
AND SO JUST CALLING OUT SOME OF THOSE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE.
IT'S BETTER SUITED TO BEING IN ITS OWN INDIVIDUAL FUND.
SO, WE HAVE THE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENFORCEMENT FUND.
YOU CAN TELL VERY HIGH ON THE EXPENSES.
AGAIN, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE IT'S ONE TIME IT'S IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE BUILDING C MEETING ROOM, RIGHT, MOLLY? YES. SO AGAIN, ONE TIME IN FUND BALANCE IS SUFFICIENT THERE TO COVER THAT BEAUTIFICATION.
AND SO THAT CAN KIND OF BE VARIABLE.
THEN WE, OF COURSE, WE HAVE OUR PARK DONATION FUND.
AGAIN, DONATIONS ARE COMING IN.
THE EXPENSES ARE GENERALLY OVERSEEN BY OUR PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR MIX OF COURT FUNDS FOR THE MOST OF THOSE, THE REVENUES COMING IN.
AND THEN WE'RE TRANSFERRING BECAUSE WE'RE HOUSING THE OPERATIONS FOR THEM IN THE GENERAL FUND COURT TECHNOLOGY IS THE ONLY ONE THAT IS GOING INTO FUND BALANCE FOR THIS YEAR FOR SOME OF THEIR EXPENSES.
ALL RIGHT. AND THIS IS ONE WHERE I DO HAVE TO START OFF WITH A SLIGHT APOLOGY.
SO, OF COURSE, YOU HAD THE PRESENTATION LAST TUESDAY FROM CHRIS ECKERT WITH NEW STRATEGIES ON OUR RATES IN BETWEEN FINALIZING OUR NUMBERS AND ONCE WE GET OUR APPRAISAL DISTRICT NUMBERS SO WE CAN GET OUR PROPERTY TAX REVENUES.
SO THIS IS ALIGNS WITH THE OPTION ONE THAT WE DISCUSSED TUESDAY NIGHT.
IT JUST HAS TO COME DOWN WITH MATCHING THOSE THOSE REVENUE NUMBERS FOR WATER CHARGES AND SEWER CHARGES AND I APOLOGIZE THAT IT WE GOT THEIR FINAL MODEL NUMBERS AFTER WE HAD GONE TO PRINT ON THE BOOKS AND DISCOVERED THAT WE WERE SLIGHTLY OFF ON THE NUMBERS WE HAD PRINTED ORIGINALLY.
THIS IS THE ONGOING OPERATIONAL COSTS ONLY.
AND SO THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE EXPENSES IN THE FUND ARE THE PURCHASE OF WATER FROM THE TRINITY RIVER AUTHORITY AND THE PAYMENT FOR THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT ALSO TO TRINITY RIVER AUTHORITY. AND THEN WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF PERSONNEL SUPPLIES AND THE DEBT SERVICE THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE UTILITY FUND.
SO LOOKING AT THOSE CHANGES, MUCH LIKE THE GENERAL FUND, WE HAVE THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS.
WE HAVE THE COMPRESSION ADJUSTMENTS BASED ON THOSE SURVEYS AND THE PACKAGE THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING.
AND SO THOSE DOLLARS ARE IN THERE.
WE ARE ALSO LOOKING RECOMMENDING TO UTILITY MAINTENANCE WORKERS.
[01:15:01]
THESE WILL BE IN THE WATER DIVISION, BUT THEY WILL BE PRIMARILY ASSIGNED TO UTILITY BILLING TO ASSIST WITH METER READS, TO ASSIST WITH WATER CUT OFFS AND JUST HAVING TO PERSONNEL THAT WILL BE DEVOTED TO THAT FUNCTION, ABLE TO HELP OUT PUBLIC WORKS AS NEEDED TOO, BUT PRIMARILY SUPPORTING THAT UTILITY BILLING FUNCTION. SO WE'RE NOT HAVING TO DIVERT OUR OTHER CREWS FOR THAT WORK.AND SO, LOOKING AT THOSE RATES, PART OF THE REASON STAFF RECOMMENDS OPTION ONE IS IT STARTS TO MOVE THE RATES A LITTLE MORE INCREMENTALLY.
AND SO BY STARTING THAT CASH FUND A LITTLE BIT EARLY, IT BUILDS US IN A LITTLE BIT OF CAPACITY AND HOPEFULLY WILL KEEP US A LITTLE BIT OF LESS SHARP INCREASES INTO THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS WHEN WE KNOW WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME MOVEMENT FOR THAT WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING NEEDS.
OPTION TWO, WHILE CERTAINLY VIABLE AND CERTAINLY UP TO COUNCIL ON MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION, IT DOES MAKE IT MORE LIKELY THAT THE INCREASES WILL BE MORE SIGNIFICANT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO YOU MENTIONED METER READING.
SO ARE WE READING ALL THE METERS OURSELVES? NO, SIR. BUT IF SOMETHING FAILS OR THE ENDPOINTS NOT WORKING AND THEY HAVE TO GO OUT AND CHECK IT, HAS ALL THE THE ISSUES BEEN RESOLVED WITH? WHAT'S THE SERVICE? BADGER. WHO WANTS THAT ONE? I DON'T WANT. WITH THE CHIPS AND ALL THAT.
NO, WE'RE MAKING STRIDES AND WE'RE CONSTANTLY IN COMMUNICATION WITH BADGER.
IS IT I DON'T MEAN TO GO DARK HERE.
ARE THEY IN VIOLATION OF THEIR CONTRACT WITH US IN ANY WAY? I DON'T I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU ON THAT.
WE DO KEEP PUSHING BACK THAT THESE SHOULD BE UNDER WARRANTY.
SO WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES HAVING ISSUES.
OKAY. ARE WE HAVING TO EXPEND ANY RESOURCES OR MONIES BECAUSE OF THEIR FAILURE TO GET CONTROL OF THIS PROBLEM? JUST PEOPLE, PEOPLE.
OKAY. AND THEY'RE AWARE OF THAT, CORRECT? OKAY. I'M CURIOUS.
WE'VE HAD AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF WATER MAIN BREAKS AND ISSUES ALONG THOSE LINES.
WHAT IS THE IMPACT IN THESE NUMBERS, IF ANY? CHERYL TAYLOR WELL, COME ON DOWN.
I'LL LET HER TALK ABOUT HER CAPITAL PROJECTS.
WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
WE HAVE. AND THESE TWO POSITIONS WILL HELP US TO HAVE CREWS, FULL CREWS DEDICATED TO OUR TWO MAIN REPAIRS AND FIXES IN THE FIELD THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF.
AND THEN I HAVE A FULL CREW OF MAINTENANCE WORKERS, EQUIPMENT OPERATORS AND CREW CHIEFS THAT CAN WORK WITH THE OTHER WATER CREW TO HELP WITH THE WITH THE MAIN BREAKS AND, YOU KNOW, DAILY MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS OF LOCATIONS THAT WE KNOW NEED TO BE FIXED.
SO IT'S A PRODUCT OF AGING PIPES.
IS IT A PRODUCT OF THE WEATHER, OF THE HEAT? THE HEAT CERTAINLY DOESN'T HELP THE, YOU KNOW, THE SHRINKING AND SWELLING OF THE OF THE SOIL.
I MEAN, OKAY, SO, IS IT HAVING AN ADVERSE IMPACT ON YOUR BUDGET WITH RESPECT TO MATERIALS, SUPPLIES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE IN ADDITION TO THE LABOR? IT'S UNPLANNED.
OKAY. YEAH. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN THAT WE CAN PREDICT.
[01:20:02]
HAS IT FORCED YOU TO MOVE ANY OF THOSE EXPENSES HIGHER IN THIS BUDGET? THERE'S THERE'S A LOT OF THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF.COSTS TOWARD MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS THAT, LIKE I SAID, WE WEREN'T NECESSARILY EXPECTING.
THERE WILL BE THEY'LL CONTINUE TO BE MORE OF THAT IN BEDFORD BUILT OUT IN THE 80S.
SO THIS INFRASTRUCTURE IS 40 ISH YEARS OLD.
ANGRIER THAN YOU. SHUT UP, STEVE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, WITHIN WITH ANY INFRASTRUCTURE, WHETHER IT'S WATER, SEWER OR STREETS, KNOW FROM THE TIME THAT IT'S INSTALLED, IT'S BRAND NEW, BUT IT WILL ALWAYS CONTINUE TO AGE. YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO GET IT ALL FIXED.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT NEED CAPITAL MAINTENANCE AND THEN ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL LABOR.
BUT OLD PIPE IS QUITE MORE BRITTLE.
BUT ARE WE SEEING ANY IS IT ALL OLD PIPE THAT WE'RE HAVING THESE WATER MAIN BREAKS WITH? EVERYTHING'S OLD.
EVERYTHING. EVERY EVERYTHING IS OLD, UNFORTUNATELY.
I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR CIP AND YOU LOOK AT THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE BROUGHT FORWARD AND THE ONES THAT ARE COMING FORWARD BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, A LOT OF IT IS ON THE SOUTH SIDE, THE HARWOOD AND THE.
MARTIN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PROBABLY A NEWER AREA THAN, YOU KNOW, IN THE BELL MANOR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.
I MEAN, WE'RE LUCKY WHEN SOME OF IT IS ABLE TO LAST LONGER.
AND SOME OF IT'S ALSO PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, HOW IT WAS CONSTRUCTED YEARS AGO AND THE BACKFILL AND AGAIN, IN THE MOVEMENT OF THE SOIL AND THAT KIND OF THING, IT'S THERE'S SO MANY REASONS AND A LOT OF THE REPAIRS THAT WE ARE MAKING, THE ONES THAT YOU SEE LIKE DURING THE DAY, WE'VE GOT CREWS THAT ARE OUT THERE LOOKING FOR IT SO THAT EVERYTHING ISN'T AN EMERGENCY.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT OCCUR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, THOSE ARE DEFINITELY UNPLANNED, BUT SOME OF THE REPAIRS THAT WE ARE MAKING ARE THINGS THAT THAT THE CREWS ARE ABLE TO FIND AND PLAN FOR.
WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO KEEP UP WITH IT.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT, CHERYL.
WE APPRECIATE IT. GOING BACK TO THE BADGER THING, SO.
IT'S REALLY PRETTY BAD ABOUT HOW THOSE METERS ARE NOT OPERATING PROPERLY.
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THERE ARE SEVERAL THAT AREN'T THAT AREN'T READING WELL, AND THEY HAVE BEEN PROVIDING MATERIALS FOR US AND THEY HAVE BEEN PROVIDING LABOR TO HELP US OUT. WE DO HAVE TO HAVE CREWS SOMETIMES DEDICATED TO TO THOSE REPLACEMENTS, BUT THEY ARE STILL CONTINUING TO HELP US AND TO MEET WITH US AND TO WORK WITH US ON ON REPLACING METERS.
AND YOU'RE NOT SEEING ANY PUSHBACK ON NOT DOING IT ANYMORE.
NOT HELPING YOU. NOT YET, WHICH IS WHY WE CONTINUE TO KEEP WORKING WITH THEM AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
OKAY. BECAUSE I'VE GOT YOU KNOW, THAT WAS HUGE AND I HAVE NO PATIENCE FOR THAT.
THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE A AN IDEA OF HOW MANY METERS ARE DOWN? OH, WE HAVE THE EYE ON WATER.
ALLOWS US TO GO BACK AND LOOK TO SEE HOW MANY METERS ARE DOWN.
THE ONES THAT YOU CAN SEE ON EYE ON WATER ARE THE ENDPOINTS THAT AREN'T WORKING.
AND I DON'T RECALL WHAT THAT NUMBER IS.
BUT THEN THE OTHER ISSUE THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING ARE THE DISPLAYS, THE LCD DISPLAYS THERE.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE REPLACEMENT OF THE METERS THAT THEY'RE HELPING US OUT WITH.
SO IS THERE ANY END IN SIGHT ON A FIX ON THAT? I HOPE SO. SO IS THAT IF PEOPLE WERE GOING INTO THEIR EYE ON WATER SIGHT AND IT WASN'T WORKING, IT COULD BE ONE OF THOSE RESIDENTS WHERE THEIR METERS DOWN.
YES. BECAUSE I'VE HEARD SOME CHATTER.
AND SECOND THING ON THE NEW AND I HAVE IT'S THE NEW THE CRACK SEAL THAT WE DO ON THE ROADS.
I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF [INAUDIBLE].
YEAH. HIGH DENSITY MINERAL BOND, HD 5.
AND SO MY FEAR WAS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE GETTING IN AND OUT OF THEIR HOMES.
[01:25:07]
TURN. WE DO HAVE THAT IN THE BUDGET FOR THE NEXT FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.YOU ALL, YOUR CREW IS JUST AMAZING WHAT THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
I MEAN, I CHANGED MY YOU GOT TO COME IN EVERY NOW AND THEN WITH A LITTLE BIT OF DIRT ON YOU.
SO THEY INVITE ME TO COME OUT EVERY DAY.
OH, I JUST WEAR THE WRONG SHOES.
I GOT THE STEEL TOED SHOES IN MY OFFICE.
YOU CAN JUST GRAB THEM. THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE THAT. THAT WAY, YOU'LL BE IN COMPLIANCE AND A HARD HAT.
I HAVE A PINK ONE. IS YOURS PINK? NO. I DID SEE THE BARBIE MOVIE.
OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE DID SHOW THIS AGAIN.
THIS IS WHAT YOU SAW ON TUESDAY.
BUT JUST AS A REMINDER, THIS IS WHAT THE INCREASE IS LOOKING LIKE ON A SUMMER BILL.
AND TO REITERATE, IT IS INEVITABLE.
IF WE DO NOTHING, WE ARE GOING TO GO UPSIDE DOWN HERE PRETTY QUICKLY.
CORRECT? YES, BECAUSE TRINITY RIVER AUTHORITY IS INCREASING OUR COSTS LIKE THEY DO EVERY YEAR.
AND WE HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH THAT. AND WE'VE GOT TO BE AWARE OF OUR AGING INFRASTRUCTURE.
STORMWATER. AS YOU RECALL, THOUGH, WE ARE NOT RECOMMENDING A RATE INCREASE HERE.
SO, REVENUE EXPENDITURES, AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING WE DO EXPECT IS COMING, BUT IT'S ONE OF THOSE WHERE WE NEED TO HAVE THE DATA SO WE CAN PLAN APPROPRIATELY.
AND SO IN THE CURRENT YEAR BUDGET, WE DID HAVE THAT STORMWATER PLAN SO WE COULD HAVE A BETTER, MORE THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATION OVER HOW THAT GETS SPLIT OUT. AND SO WE DO EXPECT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS WE WILL BE HAVING SOME OTHER CONVERSATIONS, BUT NOTHING IS RECOMMENDED FOR THIS BUDGET.
SO QUESTIONS ON THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
OKAY. SO WITH THAT, THAT REALLY IS THE OVERVIEW ON ALL OF THE MAJOR OPERATING BUDGETS.
WE TOUCHED VERY LIGHTLY ON THE MINOR FUNDS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON ANYTHING YOU SAW IN LINE ITEMS IN THOSE BUDGET PRESENTATIONS ON THE WEBSITE, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
BUT FROM HERE NOW IT MOVES MORE INTO THAT DISCUSSION POINT OF THE POLICY DECISIONS THAT YOU AS A COUNCIL ARE CHARGED WITH MAKING AND APPROVING THIS BUDGET, AS WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST.
AND I'LL TURN OVER TO KAREN TO REVIEW.
WE DO HAVE THAT LONG RANGE PLAN AND THEN WE HAVE THE OPTION AND OPPORTUNITY AND INFORMATION PROVIDED FOR THINGS COUNCIL MAY WANT TO CONSIDER. AND OF COURSE, HOWEVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED ON RECOMMENDATIONS, REQUEST CHANGES TO THE BUDGET DOLLARS. OKAY.
I'M SORRY. EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT FUND? YES, SIR. CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THAT IS? SO WHAT THAT ONE IS PRIMARILY FUNDING IS IT IS THE LEASE PAYMENTS FOR ALL THE VEHICLES WE'VE REPLACED OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
WE WORKING WITH ENTERPRISE, WE REPLACED PRETTY MUCH THE MAJORITY OF OUR FLEET.
FIVE YEARS AGO, OUR AVERAGE FLEET AGE WAS PUSHING AROUND 25 TO 30 YEARS OLD.
SO WE'VE MADE GREAT STRIDES IN REPLACING THOSE.
BUT WE DO HAVE THE LEASE PAYMENTS AND I DO KNOW KAREN IS WORKING WITH ENTERPRISE AND CAN CERTAINLY, I'M SURE, ANSWER MORE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ADEQUATELY LOOKING AND FUNDING THAT FUND AND THAT THAT PROGRAM IS SERVING THE NEEDS OF THE CITY.
MISPLACED INCOME HAS SEEN A LARGE GROWTH THAT'S DUE TO INTEREST.
WHAT'S NEXT? YOU'RE TALKING. YOU'RE GOING TO TALK CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
WELL, INTO THE LONG RANGE PLAN ON THE GENERAL FUND.
[01:30:03]
THIS THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO HAVE THE OBLIGATORY CONVERSATION ABOUT DEBT.WE WILL GO IN WHATEVER DIRECTION YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO.
CAN WE ELABORATE MORE ON WHERE WE'RE AT DEBT WISE? LET'S TALK ABOUT WHETHER THAT'S HEALTHY OR UNHEALTHY.
I'M GOING TO LET KAREN, CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW TO MEASURE DEBT WITH RELATION TO WHAT OUR REVENUES ARE OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE? HOW DO WE ASSURE THE CITIZENS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE TOO MUCH DEBT AND THAT WE.
ARE RISKING THE POSSIBILITY OF NOT BEING ABLE TO MANAGE IT.
SO THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF HAVING HILLTOP AS A PARTNER.
THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HILLTOP SPECIALIZES IN.
AND SO AND THEN ALSO WE WERE UPGRADED THIS YEAR.
YOU'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME. I KNOW.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF YOUR YOU LOOK AT HOW WE'RE HOW OUR RATINGS ARE OF OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR RUNS THE NUMBERS, YOU KNOW, BASED ON GROWTH, BASED ON PROPERTY TAX RATE, THINGS LIKE THAT. THAT REALLY DRIVES HOME THAT STORY OF WE ARE BEING GOOD STEWARDS AND ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S KIND OF SOME JUST SOME REALLY HIGH LEVEL FACTORS KIND OF ARE THERE ANY MUNICIPALITIES OUT THERE THAT HAVE NO DEBT? NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF.
THAT'S STUNNING BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE THINK IT IS.
AND YES. BUT NO, NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF.
WHERE IS THE JIMMY? YEAH. YEAH, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, AND I'VE HEARD THAT TOO.
CAN I JUMP IN REAL QUICK, MAYOR? NO. OKAY.
SORRY. NO, I'VE HEARD THAT, TOO.
AND, YOU KNOW, CANDIDLY, IT'S VERY IRRESPONSIBLE IN MY OPINION.
IT IS. AND VERY FEW PEOPLE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY CASH FOR THEIR HOUSE.
WELL, AND PAY AS YOU GO. I TAKE CARE OF YOUR HOUSE.
IT'S LIKE THE WHY WE GOT TO KEEP IT CLEAN.
WE GOT TO KEEP PUTTING SOME MONEY INTO IT.
YEAH, EXACTLY. IT'S THE THING IS THAT IT PAY AS YOU GO.
IS IT REALLY IRRESPONSIBLE? BECAUSE IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, SAY, IF A RESIDENT IS LIVING IN BEDFORD AND WE'RE SETTING ASIDE MONEY EVERY YEAR FOR FIVE YEARS TO PAY FOR A PARK, WILL THEY MOVE? NOW WE'RE USING THEIR MONEY TO PAY FOR IT AND THEY DON'T GET THE BENEFIT.
AND SO BUT I'LL TELL YOU, AND I DON'T WANT TO STEAL TOO MUCH OF YOUR THUNDER.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT OUR RATE IS PROPOSED, IT'S 0.144.
BASICALLY, WE RAISED IT A LITTLE BIT OVER THIS LAST YEAR, NOT THE OVERALL RATE, BUT IF YOU TAKE OUT THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, IT'S THE LOWEST IT'S BEEN AND WE ONLY HAVE A DECADE, BUT IT'S BY FAR LOWER, I'D SAY 20 OR 30% LOWER THAN IT'S BEEN FOR AT LEAST A DECADE.
AND SO, I THINK TO ANYONE THAT MIGHT BE NERVOUS ABOUT IT THAT WE'RE MANAGING THE DEBT ON STEROIDS.
BUT ANYWAY, I'M SORRY TO JUMP IN, THAT TO YOU IS A MANAGEMENT TOOL.
IT'S A MEASURING TOOL, THAT SPECIFIC RATE? YES, SIR. ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE BEST, MOST OBJECTIVE ONES.
ABSOLUTELY. THE IS THERE IS THERE IN Y'ALL'S WORLD, IS THERE A FIGURE OR A RATIO THAT IS SOME SORT OF A BAROMETER THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO CROSS WITH RESPECT TO THE AMOUNT OF DEBT YOU HAVE IN PROPORTION TO REVENUE? YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW. ARE THERE RATIOS OUT THERE THAT YOU ALL APPLY TO? EVERY TIME YOU SIT THERE AND THINK ABOUT I.
OKAY. SO I REMEMBER COUNCIL MEMBER STEVES ASKED THIS QUESTION DURING OUR ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT AND THERE WAS A STAT TABLE THAT HE HAD POINTED OUT, AND I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER WHAT THAT FIGURE WAS ON THAT STAT TABLE BECAUSE WE DO HAVE WE HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THE HILLTOPS OF THE WORLD.
I KNOW THERE WAS AND WITH THE AUDITORS THAT BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT WITH THE AUDITORS AND OVER TIME I'VE COME BACK WITH THERE'S 12 TO 27 DIFFERENT MODELS THAT YOU CAN APPLY TO DETERMINE THE HEALTH OF AN ORGANIZATION BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF DEBT IT HAS.
YES. SO I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS WHAT OUR STANDARD IS.
THERE'S NOT A HARD AND FAST RULE.
91 MILLION, RIGHT? THERE'S NOT A HARD AND FAST RULE.
IT'S JUST MAKING SURE YOU MAINTAIN A A POSITIVE TAX RATE FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM.
EXACTLY. LACK OF A BETTER TERM.
WHERE WE ARE TODAY, IF WE ARE ABLE TO ADDRESS SOME LARGE CAPITAL NEEDS LIKE WE WERE THIS YEAR WITHOUT CHANGING OUR OVERALL TAX RATE, THAT'S A BIG DEAL. AND THAT'S ALL RELATED TO GROWTH.
NEW DEVELOPMENT COMING ON, NEW COMMERCIAL COMING ON.
[01:35:03]
AND SO, I THINK THAT'S WHERE I KIND OF GIVE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP A HUGE KUDOS, TOO, BECAUSE THE MORE COMMERCIAL THEY BRING ON THAT ONLY HELPS US TO.SO I DON'T HAVE A HARD AND FAST ANSWER FOR YOU.
SO THE FACT THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT'S BEEN SLACKING FOR THE LAST YEAR IS IMPACTING US.
YOU'RE ONLY SAYING THAT BECAUSE ANDREA IS NOT IN THE ROOM.
OKAY. SO WE HAVE WE HAVE SITUATIONS WHERE EITHER NEIGHBORS OR OTHER PEOPLE FEEL LIKE WE'RE ISSUING TOO MUCH DEBT RIGHT NOW.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I THINK PEOPLE SEE ALSO A REFLECTION OF OUR OUR TAX RATE.
IT'S A IT'S A REFLECTION OF OUR ECONOMIC CONDITION OF WHERE WE ARE.
AND I THINK WHEN SOMEONE SEES A $17 MILLION ISSUANCE, THAT IS A STICKER SHOCK TO SOME.
BUT I THINK WHEN WE CAN SHOW WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO, CORRECT, I THINK THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES OF JUST THE ECONOMIC STABILITY OF THE OF THE CITY. OKAY.
WELL, LET ME ASK. WE'RE STILL MAINTAINING THE.
WHAT AM I TRYING TO SAY? UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE AT 20%.
IS THAT CORRECT? YES. WE'RE NOT REDUCING THAT.
SO WE HAVE THE MONEY THERE FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE I MOVE ON? OKAY. YOU HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED.
THIS IS OUR STANDARD THING, IS TO TALK ABOUT DEBT.
SO THIS IS A SLIDE THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE.
SO, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO POINT OUT, SO OUR REVENUES ARE 45 FOR 23 AND OUR ONGOING EXPENDITURES, INCLUDING THE SUPPLEMENTALS THAT ARE IN THE BUDGET, IS 45.
SO, MAYOR, WHEN WE WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT SOME OF THE SUPPLEMENTALS THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO FUND OR WE PARTIALLY FUNDED, COUNCIL ACTUALLY HAS ABOUT $43,000 TO ALLOCATE TO SOME OF THOSE NEEDS IF YOU SO CHOOSE.
IF YOU NOTICE UP THERE WHERE IT SAYS TOTAL REVENUES, TOTAL EXPENDITURES AND THE REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES, YOU ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT BUDGETING MORE EXPENDITURES THAN YOUR REVENUES.
AND SO WITH THAT'S WHERE THAT 43,000 COMES FROM.
WE ARE STILL AT 23.9% OF OUR FUND BALANCE POLICY.
SO THAT'S REALLY GOOD AND IT STILL SETS US UP TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE FUTURE.
SO HOW WE KIND OF BUILD THE FORECAST GOING INTO THE FUTURE YEARS IS WE TAKE THE DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE BUILT INTO THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND WE ADD SOME ESCALATORS FOR BOTH EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES BASED ON HISTORICAL TRENDS.
AND THEN ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, IT'S ACTUALLY A 3.2, 3.3% INCREASE.
SO THAT AGAIN HAS BEEN FACTORED IN.
SO IF YOU NOTICE ALL OF THE ONE TIMES FOR THIS YEAR WILL FEED INTO NEXT YEAR.
AND WE'RE STILL SITTING AT ABOUT 20.65% FORECASTED OUT FOR NEXT YEAR IN 25.
SO WE'RE STILL IN A GOOD PLACE.
YOU WOULD THINK YOU'VE GOT A DROP OFF WITH THE YOU WOULD THINK YOU'D HAVE A DECLINE IN THE EXPENDITURES WITH THE DROP OFF IN TWO YEARS ON THE DEBT SERVICE. THIS IS JUST GENERAL FUND.
ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. SO HERE'S WHERE WE KIND OF GET INTO THAT DISCUSSION OF WHAT WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US TO BE ABLE TO FUND SOME OF THOSE SUPPLEMENTAL PACKAGES.
SO THESE ARE THE UNFUNDED SUPPLEMENTALS THAT WERE REQUESTED BY OUR DEPARTMENTS THAT WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS WITH THE CITY MANAGER, WE WERE KIND OF AT A STOPPING POINT.
WE WEREN'T ABLE TO FUND EVERY REQUEST THAT WAS SUBMITTED.
AND SO WE WANTED TO GIVE SOME FLEXIBILITY AND OPTIONS.
IT'S REALLY HOWEVER YOU CHOOSE.
SO THESE ARE JUST WHAT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED.
THE BOTTOM THREE, THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE PARTIALLY FUNDED IN YOUR SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET.
[01:40:02]
SO AND THEN AFTER THAT, THESE ARE JUST THE TWO CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WE DIDN'T FUND CAPITAL OR EQUIPMENT OR MAINTENANCE.SO. AND I WILL TELL YOU THE REASON WHY.
ON THIS SLIDE AND ON THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE TWO VEHICLES.
WE HAVE ONE FOR THE FACILITIES MAINTENANCE, AND THEN WE HAVE THE PARK'S FRONT LOADER.
UNFORTUNATELY, I DIDN'T GET QUOTES BACK IN TIME TO PUT THAT INTO THE PROPOSED BUDGET, SO I'LL PROBABLY BE COMING TO YOU OCTOBER NOVEMBER TIME FRAME TO DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE POLICE NEEDS FOR THEIR VEHICLES.
BUT THAT'S WHY THOSE TWO VEHICLES AND LARGE EQUIPMENT ARE NOT RECOMMENDED BECAUSE WE'RE STILL EVALUATING REALLY WHERE WE ARE, WHAT ARE OUR NEEDS, AND IS THERE OPPORTUNITY TO EITHER DOWNSIZE OR SHARE OR TRANSFER FROM A DEPARTMENT.
SO THAT'S WHY THOSE ARE THERE, THOSE TWO ON THE FIVE YEAR.
AND THEN THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOT FOR YOU.
AND THE NEXT STEPS ARE KIND OF JUST WHERE WE GO FROM HERE.
SO WHAT WAS THE RATIONALE OF NOT NOT FUNDING THE FLOCK CAMERA EXPANSION? SO WHEN I WENT TO CHIEF, I ASKED HIM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU COULD TAKE ALL OF YOUR BUDGET PACKAGES THAT YOU PUT IN AND YOU COULD RANK THEM, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR TOP PRIORITY AND WHAT WOULD BE ONE THAT WE COULD PULL OUT IN THE EVENT WE CAN'T FUND IT? AND THAT WAS JUST ONE THAT HE PUT ON THE LOWER PRIORITY.
IT WAS JUST ONE THAT HE'S LIKE, IF WE IF I HAVE TO GIVE SOMETHING UP, I'LL GIVE THAT UP.
OKAY. NOT TO PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH, CHIEF.
WELL, IN REFERENCE TO THAT QUESTION, SO WOULD THE BIKE UNIT BE ABOVE THE FLOCK CAMERA IF THAT WAS SOMETHING? IS IT PRIORITIZED? IS THE LIST PRIORITIZED? YEAH. IS THAT PRIORITIZED OR.
THE NON-FOR-PROFIT GROUP CAME IN AND AND FUNDED THE BICYCLE UNIT UP FRONT.
SO WE'RE PREDICTING EVERY FEW YEARS WE'RE GOING TO START REPLACING ABOUT A BIKE.
SO THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THAT'S FOR.
BUT THE FLOCK CAMERA WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOVE THAT ONE.
I'M NOT SEEING THE POLICE EQUIPMENT ON YOUR UNFUNDED.
DID YOU SAY SOME OF THOSE POLICE CARS OR POLICE VEHICLES? OH, IT'S BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A DOLLAR VALUE TO PUT ON THERE.
WILL IT BE UNDER $43,000? PROBABLY NOT, BUT IT WILL BE A ONE TIME.
SO WE CAN TAKE IT OUT OF FUND BALANCE AND NOT AFFECT THAT 20%.
OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? SO THIS IS THE POINT WHERE WE TAKE OUR BINDER AND WE GO PAGE BY PAGE.
SURE. IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO.
STARTING WITH ROB GAGLIARDI BINDER, PAGE ONE.
OKAY, FOLKS, ANY OTHER CURIOSITIES? SO I THINK THE MAYOR REMEMBERS THEY USED TO GIVE US THE IMPORTANT JOB OF FIGURING OUT HOW TO HOW TO SPEND THE MONEY ON THIS.
SO WE HAVE TO DO THAT, OR DO YOU GUYS, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING.
BUT SEE, I DON'T THINK WE DID IT LAST YEAR.
DID WE TELL YOU WHAT TO DO LAST YEAR? LAST YEAR WE ADDED THERE WERE TWO.
THOSE WERE THE TWO CHANGES FROM PROPOSED TO ADOPTED.
DID THE COUNCIL TELL YOU TO DO THAT? YES, WE DID.
I JUST THINK IT'S ALWAYS KIND OF FUNNY THING WAS AN UNBELIEVABLE SUCCESS.
THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY THAT WE GET TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH.
WELL, AND WHILE YOU'RE PONDERING, ONE OF THE THINGS I ALSO WHILE YOU'RE PONDERING, ONE OF THE THINGS I DID WANT TO JUST PUT ON YOUR RADAR IS SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT WHEN WE WHEN WE DISCUSS THE Y ON TUESDAY, WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT THAT $5 DISCOUNT IS COSTING US WITH OUR CURRENT MEMBERSHIP COUNT.
AND WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT THIS YEAR IT'S GOING TO COST US ABOUT 142,000.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANTED TO BRING FORWARD TO YOU WAS MAYBE TRYING TO DO A BIG MEMBERSHIP RAMP UP AND DRIVE AND REALLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO JOIN THE Y BEFORE THE END OF 2023.
SO WHAT ARE YOU BUDGETING RIGHT NOW WITH RESPECT TO THE FIVE? SO RIGHT NOW, WE KEPT WE KEPT THE BUDGET, WHAT WE BUDGETED THIS FISCAL YEAR JUST TO ACCOUNT FOR FLUCTUATIONS.
[01:45:01]
509 I THINK OVERALL TOTAL.SO IT'S JUST BAKED INTO THAT TOTAL.
OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE, FOLKS? SO WE CAN RELEASE YOU GUYS BACK INTO THE WILD.
OKAY, THEN THAT BEING SAID, TREMENDOUS JOB, TREMENDOUS JOB.
THANK YOU TO ALL THE DEPARTMENTS.
IT IS. I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A WHILE.
A FEW OF US HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A WHILE.
WE CONTINUE TO SEE UNBELIEVABLE IMPROVEMENTS IN WHAT YOU'RE PROVIDING.
COUNSEL. IT'S CLEARLY AN ORGANIZED EFFORT.
AND IT'S IT'S CLEARLY EVIDENT TO ALL OF US THAT YOU GUYS TAKE THIS ACT SERIOUS AND THAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO REPRESENT OUR CITIZENS WELL AND BE RESPONSIBLE WITH THEIR WITH THEIR INVESTMENT IN THIS CITY.
SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE.
I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION A FEW MORE TIMES, BUT THANK YOU TO EVERYONE'S EFFORTS.
EXCELLENT. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO I'VE GOT 646.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.