3. Public hearing and consider an ordinance to rezone the property described as Lot 2 of the Stonegate Shopping Center Addn from Heavy Commercial to Heavy Commercial/Specific Use Permit – Outdoor Seating Establishment. The property is generally located north of Bedford Road and west of Brown Trail and is commonly known as 1313 Brown Trail. (SUP-25-3) The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval by a vote of 7-0-0.

[3. Public hearing and consider an ordinance to rezone the property described as Lot 2 of the Stonegate Shopping Center Addn from Heavy Commercial to Heavy Commercial/Specific Use Permit – Outdoor Seating Establishment. The property is generally located north of Bedford Road and west of Brown Trail and is commonly known as 1313 Brown Trail. (SUP-25-3) The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval by a vote of 7-0-0.]

AND CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED AS LOT 2 OF THE STONEGATE SHOPPING CENTER.

ADD ON FROM HEAVY COMMERCIAL TO HEAVY COMMERCIAL SPECIFIC USE PERMIT OUTDOOR SEATING ESTABLISHMENT.

THE PROPERTY IS GENERALLY LOCATED NORTH OF BEDFORD ROAD AND WEST OF BROWN TRAIL, AND IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS 1313 BROWN TRAIL.

PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL BY A VOTE OF 7 TO 0.

I GIVE YOU DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR WES MORRISON.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT LOCATED STONEGATE SHOPPING CENTER.

I THINK MOST PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THIS IS LOCATED. AT CORNER OF BEDFORD ROAD AND BROWN TRAIL. HOME OF TURNING POINT BREWERY AND A FUTURE PICKLEBALL INDOOR PICKLEBALL COURT.

THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING THE SPECIFIC USE PERMIT TO ALLOW THE OUTDOOR PAVILION, OUTDOOR SEATING PAVILION.

THAT'S A REQUIREMENT OF OUR CURRENT ZONING ORDINANCE. THEY'RE ADDING ABOUT A LITTLE OVER 7000FT².

[00:15:04]

PAVILION THAT WILL INCLUDE OUTDOOR SEATING GATHERING SPACE, AND UP TO 4 FOOD KIOSKS.

THE AGAIN, THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT IS REQUIRED PER ZONING ORDINANCE FOR THE OUTDOOR SEATING PORTION.

FOR SOME OF YOU THAT WERE ON COUNCIL A FEW YEARS AGO, TURNING POINT BREWERY DID RECEIVE A SUP FOR THIS, SINCE THEY'RE ENLARGING THIS AND CHANGING THAT. THAT'S WHY THIS IS COMING BACK BEFORE YOU. OKAY. SITE PLAN THERE.

YOU CAN SEE IT'S VERY DETAILED AND HARD TO READ ON THE SCREEN, BUT THE AREA CIRCLED IN YELLOW IS WHERE THE OUTDOOR PAVILION IS GOING TO GO.

YOU'LL SEE THERE THE TOP LEFT HAND CORNER OF THE SCREEN IS THE RENDERINGS, AND I'VE GOT ANOTHER RENDERING HERE TO KIND OF SHOW YOU.

IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE IS THAT THEY'RE NOT REDUCING ANY PARKING BASED ON THIS ADDITION. SO THERE ARE NO PARKING CHANGES HERE.

THIS IS A LITTLE BIT BETTER CONCEPTUAL RENDERING OF OF WHAT THE AREA WILL LOOK LIKE.

THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP. AND THIS IS THE EXCITING PART TO ME.

THIS GOES HAND IN HAND WITH WHAT WE CAME UP WITH IN THE NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

FUTURE LAND USE MAP DESIGNATES THIS AREA AS VILLAGE CENTER WHICH THIS APPLICATION PRETTY MUCH CHECKS OFF A LOT OF THESE A LOT OF THE GOALS OF VILLAGE CENTER.

IN ADDITION, WHAT WE DID IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WAS IDENTIFY SEVERAL DISTRICTS ONE OF THOSE BEING THE STONEGATE DISTRICT.

AND IF YOU'LL REMEMBER, A LOT OF THESE CONCEPTUAL SITE PLANS WERE TOPICS OF CONVERSATION GOING THROUGH THE CONFERENCE OF PLAN.

YOU'LL SEE THAT THE CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN DOESN'T REALLY MATCH WHAT'S BEING PRESENTED TONIGHT, BUT THAT'S OKAY. IT KEEPS INTO A LOT OF THOSE SAME CONCEPTS.

SO WE KNEW THAT THE CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN WASN'T GOING TO MATCH, BUT THOSE CONCEPTS ARE BEING INTERJECTED INTO THE PROPOSED SITE PLAN.

SITE PHOTOS. AGAIN, I THINK EVERYBODY'S FAIRLY FAMILIAR WITH THE SITE. THE 2 PICTURES ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE ARE KIND OF WHERE THE SHOWING WHERE THE PAVILION WILL BE LOCATED ON THE SITE. WE NOTIFIED 19 PROPERTY OWNERS PLACED US ON THE PROPERTY AND NOTIFIED IN THE NEWSPAPER WE'VE NOT RECEIVED ANY OPPOSITION OR IN FAVOR OF THE REQUEST. PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION FOUND THAT IT MET THE GOALS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL BY 7 TO 0. I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. SOUNDS GOOD.

ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL. ANY QUESTIONS OVER THIS? YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER DONOVAN BRANDON. YOU GOT THE MAGIC TOUCH.

AND ARE THERE ANY REQUIREMENTS ABOUT LANDSCAPING FOR THIS THERE? THIS DOES NOT TRIGGER ANY REQUIREMENTS UNDER OUR CURRENT ZONING ORDINANCE.

HOWEVER, WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER ABOUT TRYING TO DO SOMETHING TO THE PARKING LOT.

1 OF THE CHALLENGES HE HAS IS HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY WATER ACCESS THERE.

BUT WITH THE RECONSTRUCTION OF BROWN TRAIL, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF MAYBE IF WE CAN PROVIDE HIM SOME WATER ACCESS THERE WITH THAT RECONSTRUCTION, THAT THEY CAN DO SOMETHING THAT MAY BE A FUTURE PROJECT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER GAGLIARDI. I'M JUST GOING TO SAY IN FULL AND I'M GOING TO JUMP THE GUN, BUT IN FULL SUPPORT OF TURNING POINT, I MOTION TO APPROVE.

GOT TO DO A PUBLIC HEARING. OH, DO WE REALLY? YES. OH, NO. THIS IS THIS. SOMETIMES IT MESSES ME UP.

AND THEN. AND THEN I'M LIKE, ALL RIGHT. YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH. WE SHOULD HAVE. WE SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT. OKAY. YEAH. OKAY. I SHOWED MY HAND PREMATURELY. MY APOLOGIES.

OKAY. SO WHEN P&Z WAS TAKING A LOOK AT THIS, ANY CONCERNS FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE, ANYTHING THAT THEY BROUGHT UP.

NOTHING COMES TO MIND REALLY. I MEAN, IT WAS IT WAS.

THERE'S PLENTY OF PARKING. THERE'S PLENTY OF PARKING. THERE WAS I THINK THEY WERE JUST EXCITED ABOUT THE PROJECT OVERALL. I THINK WE ALL ARE ACTUALLY YOU KNOW, TO THAT, TO THAT END, I THINK THAT SHOPPING CENTER NEEDED, NEEDED THIS ASPECT TO IT FOR FOR A FOOD OPTION CONSIDERING WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, PICKLEBALL AND THEN ALSO THE BREWERY THERE. SO YEAH, I CAN SEE THAT EVERYONE'S A LITTLE EXCITED FOR THIS.

SO ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL, ANY ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT ONE? I KNOW THE APPLICANT IS HERE IF YOU'D LIKE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. SURE. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:19.

SO IF YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK ON THE THIS ITEM, NOW WOULD BE YOUR TIME TO COME TO THE PODIUM.

SORRY FOR THE LATE ARRIVAL. THE FREEWAY WAS SHUT DOWN IN DALLAS.

CENTER POINT COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES. 50 THROUGHN 30 OFF ROAD IN DALLAS.

WE ARE WE'VE SPEARHEADED THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THAT SITE.

PURCHASED IT SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE TURNING POINT WAS THERE.

WE SAW THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVITALIZE THE CENTER.

WE'VE HAD SUCCESS DOING SIMILAR THINGS AND GOING INTO DATED, AGED RUNDOWN CENTERS.

[00:20:01]

AND WE'VE PROBABLY DONE ABOUT A DOZEN OVER THE LAST 7YEARS, AND EVERY ONE OF THEM HAS GONE FROM AN EMPTY DEAD, YOU KNOW, NO TRAFFIC CENTER TO VERY VIBRANT, LIVELY CENTER WITH A LOT OF NEW TENANTS.

AND SO OUR GOAL, OBVIOUSLY, THE PICKLEBALL WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A WAS A LITTLE LUCKY.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A LITTLE EARLIER THAN WE EXPECTED. SO WE'VE GOT THAT AND WE'VE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD INTEREST FROM SOME REGIONAL CHAINS THAT WANT TO GO NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND SO NOW THAT WE'RE KIND OF AT THAT POINT WRAPPING UP THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THAT SITE, WE'RE NOW REALLY STARTING TO PUSH MORE RESTAURANTS AND, AND TO RETENANT THAT BUILDING PROPERLY. SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO TO WHAT'S TO COME.

THAT IS THAT IS GOOD NEWS. THAT IS REALLY GOOD NEWS.

I KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN SINGING YOUR PRAISE DURING DURING HAVE UPDATES WITH THE PUBLIC BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN I TELL PEOPLE I'M LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A NEW A NEW OWNER OF THE SHOPPING CENTER THERE.

AND I SAID, THEY WANT TO DO SOME REALLY GREAT THINGS. SO OBVIOUSLY IT'S YOU'RE SHOWING US SHOWING US THAT YOU'RE YOU'RE COMMITTED TO THIS. AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU AND EXCITED TO SEE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT IN THAT CORRIDOR.

VERY GOOD. ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH. COUNCIL MEMBER SABOL.

DO YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN ANY OTHER PROPERTIES? [LAUGHTER] YES.

YOU KNOW, YES WE ARE. WE KIND OF GOT STARTED DOING THIS IN THE CITY OF MESQUITE AND SINCE THEN, WHICH WE DID IN 2017. AND SINCE THEN WE'VE ACQUIRED 6 PROPERTIES AND REDEVELOPED ALL OF THEM IN MESQUITE.

WE WOULD LOVE TO. WE WOULD LIKE JUST HERE IN BEDFORD.

YES. SO SO WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE GOT LEFT.

AND SO THIS IS OUR LATEST PROJECT. AND YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN GOOD TO WORK WITH SO FAR.

SO WE HOPE THAT CONTINUES. AND WE WOULD WE WOULD LOVE TO DO SOME MORE PROJECTS. ABSOLUTELY.

I WAS JUST BEING SMART. THANK YOU. NO, NO, ABSOLUTELY.

YOU KNOW, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK, YOU KNOW WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT OUR SHOPPING CENTERS? AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT JUST TAKES SOMEBODY AMBITIOUS TO COME IN HERE, START REDEVELOPING THEM.

AND A LOT OF TIMES THAT'S THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES. AND SO WE'RE GLAD TO SEE YOU, YOU KNOW, TAKING THAT INITIATIVE HERE.

AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN PARTNER SOME MORE BECAUSE I GOT A FEW IN MIND THAT WE CAN WE CAN SPRUCE UP.

SO THIS ONE'S GOING TO LOOK PRETTY COOL WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH IT. ABSOLUTELY. I BELIEVE IT.

ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MIC STILL OPEN IF ANYBODY WANTS TO COME UP.

ALL RIGHT. NOT SEEING ANYBODY HERE. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 06:22.

AND I KNOW WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER GAGLIARDI AND A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER FARCO FIRST.

SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON THAT.

THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY AS WELL. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU COUNCIL.

THANK YOU STAFF. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP, ITEM NUMBER 4, A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ANNUAL BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF BEDFORD,

[4. Public hearing on the annual budget for the City of Bedford, Texas for the fiscal period of October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026; levying taxes for 2025 tax year. ]

TEXAS, FOR FISCAL YEAR OF OCTOBER 1ST, 2025 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2026.

LEVYING TAXES FOR THE 2025 TAX YEAR IF YOU FINANCE DIRECTOR BRADY OLSON.

SURE. WE ARE GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT YOU PASS THE PROPOSED BUDGET, THOUGH.

YEAH. AS PRESENTED. AS PRESENTED. HERE'S A TIME FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.

ALL RIGHT. FANTASTIC. ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. WITH THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:23.

IF YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON THE BUDGET NOW'S THE TIME.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS ZACH HICKS. SEVERAL OF YOU HAVE KNOWN ME FOR YEARS.

I WAS ASKED TO SPEAK TONIGHT BECAUSE I AM A PAST PRESIDENT OF THE BEDFORD MUNICIPAL POLICE ASSOCIATION AND THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL POLICE ASSOCIATION. BUT IT WASN'T JUST POLICE EMPLOYEES WHO ASKED ME TO SPEAK. AT TMPA WE HAVE OVER 34,000 FULL TIME MEMBERS ACROSS THE STATE.

OVER 75 EMPLOYEES AND AN ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET OF AROUND $15 MILLION.

WE RUN THE SAME AS YOU ALL DO. OUR BOARD TELL STAFF WHAT TO DO.

SO I UNDERSTAND MAKING BIG DECISIONS AND IN THE PRESSURE OF HAVING TO STAND BEHIND THOSE DECISIONS THAT AFFECT OTHER PEOPLE.

BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT BEDFORD AND FACTS. BEDFORD DID NOT ENROLL INTO A COLA WHEN WE FIRST JOINED TRMS BECAUSE THE CITY MANAGER AT THE TIME WANTED TO KEEP US IN ICMA AND BECAUSE OF DECISIONS MADE BY PRIOR COUNCILS, WE SIMPLY COULDN'T AFFORD IT.

LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS YOU SAID DURING THE AUGUST 12TH MEETING, MR. MAYOR. YOU SAID, I DON'T LIKE GOING TO THE VOTERS.

YOU HAD NO PROBLEM COMING AND ASKING FOR OUR SUPPORT WHEN YOU WERE RUNNING FOR MAYOR. YOU SAID IT CAME AT A WRONG TIME IN MY MIND, REPEATEDLY. IS THERE A GOOD TIME, IN YOUR OPINION? YOU SAID I CAN THINK OF MORE THINGS TO DO WITH $760,000.

THAT WOULD DIRECTLY AND I MEAN DIRECTLY IMPACT OUR RESIDENTS.

YOU MENTIONED LOWERING THE YMCA COSTS. I'D LIKE TO REMIND YOU, YOU WERE ON THE COUNCIL WHEN THE DECISION WAS MADE TO HAND OVER OPERATION OF OUR BUILDING TO THE YMCA, AND THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR A COST SAVINGS TO THE CITY.

[00:25:04]

SO WHICH WAY DO YOU WANT IT? YOU WANT TO GIVE MONEY TO SHOPPING CENTERS TO CLEAN THEM UP.

TO BE CLEAR, YOU WANT TO GIVE TAXPAYER MONEY TO PRIVATE BUSINESSES.

HOW ABOUT ADOPTING ORDINANCES, LETTING NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES HANDLE IT? YOU MENTIONED RETENTION PAY.

IT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE TRMS COLA IS. YOU SAID WE HAVE GREAT EMPLOYEES, BUT THEY WERE HERE BEFORE WE HAD THIS COLA IN THE BUDGET.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE GOING TO STAY HERE TO RETIRE. AFTER ALL OF THIS, YOU WENT ON ANOTHER POLITICAL GRANDSTAND.

YOU FOLLOWED ALL OF IT BY SAYING THAT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY.

THAT'S THE SAFETY OF OUR RESIDENTS. THAT IS TRUE.

BUT LET ME ASK YOU, DO YOU WANT TO TURNOVER TO CONTINUE AND HAVE A 5 YEAR OFFICERS RESPONDING TO CALLS? OR WOULD YOU RATHER PEOPLE COME HERE, WORK HERE FOR 20 YEARS AND RETIRE? AND YOU EMPHASIZE WE HAVE OTHER NEEDS THAT WOULD DIRECTLY BENEFIT OUR RESIDENTS.

YOU CAN THINK OF NEEDS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE SAFETY OF OUR RESIDENTS.

AS THE CITY MANAGER ANDREW ROY POINTED OUT, THE COLA IS PART OF THE INCENTIVE PACKAGE TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN EMPLOYEES.

THIS IS A DIFFERENT FORM OF A SIGN ON OR RETENTION BONUS.

YOU'VE MADE IT CLEAR YOU ARE A POLITICIAN. YOU TALK ABOUT TAD, BUT YOU FAIL TO MENTION OVER 50 OR AROUND 50% OF THAT GOES TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. I KNOW YOU LEFT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT YOUR TRS HAD A COLA BUILT INTO IT.

YOU DID MANAGE TO DRIVE A WEDGE BETWEEN ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS WITH YOUR POLITICAL RHETORIC CONTINUALLY SPEAKING ONLY ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.

DOES NOT SIT WELL WITH PUBLIC WORKS, LIBRARY EMPLOYEES, PARK STAFF, OR ANYONE ELSE.

ANYONE WHO RUNS FOR A POLITICAL OFFICE KNOWS YOU WILL HAVE TO MAKE UNPOPULAR DECISIONS.

THE DECISION YOU NEED TO MAKE. I'M FINISHED. DO YOU WANT TO IMPRESS PEOPLE WITH LONG WINDED SPEECHES, OR DO YOU WANT TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR EMPLOYEES? THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP. HELLO. STEVE HALL. BEDFORD RESIDENTS.

AND LIKE YOU, A TAXPAYER. I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON ISSUES 4 AND 5.

UNLESS YOU WANT TO COME BACK AND TALK AGAIN, I CAN ITEM 5 THE TAX RATE.

I RECOMMEND THAT YOU APPROVE THAT. IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY. RECOMMEND YOU APPROVE THAT? I REALIZE I DON'T WANT TO PAY MORE TAXES.

I KNOW NONE OF YOU WANT TO PAY MORE TAXES, BUT THINGS ARE MORE EXPENSIVE.

IF YOU PRICED VEHICLES LATELY, A BRAND NEW TRUCK IS ON THE GOOD SIDE.

$60,000. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR ITEMS LIKE THAT, AND THEY COST MONEY.

AND SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SUPPORT THAT IN SOME WAY. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO PONY UP A COUPLE DOLLARS.

DON'T LIKE IT, BUT THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.

SECOND ITEM, ITEM 4 I RECOMMEND THAT YOU APPROVE THE PROPOSED BUDGET WITH ONE CAVEAT.

I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE TRMS COLA AT A 50% RATE.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO IMPROVE THE BENEFIT PACKAGE FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES.

OVERALL. I DID SOME RESEARCH TALKED TO A FRIEND OF MINE OUT AT FORT WORTH LAST YEAR.

THEY WERE SHORT 300 OFFICERS. THEY'VE DONE SOME WORK ON THEIR BENEFIT PACKAGE.

THEY'VE ALSO CHANGED SOME OF THEIR HIRING PRACTICES.

THEY WERE 300 SHORT LAST YEAR. NOW THEY'RE DOWN TO 150 SHORT.

YOU KNOW HOW THEY GOT THEM? THEY STOLE THEM FROM SMALLER AGENCIES LIKE YOU.

THEY HAD 2 VERY LARGE LATERAL ENTRY CLASSES. THEY USED YOUR AS YOUR AS IN GENERAL I'M TALKING ABOUT OTHER CITIES AS TRAINING GROUNDS FOR QUALITY EMPLOYEES THAT THEY DRAFTED INTO THEIR FOLD. AND NOW THEY SERVE THE CITIZENS OF FORT WORTH.

CONTINUE ON THE PATH YOU ARE AND YOU WILL HAVE OFFICERS WHO WON'T WANT TO STAY HERE.

THEY WANT BENEFITS. I WENT TO KROGER THE OTHER DAY AND TRIED TO GET SOME BREAD ON MY GOOD LOOKS.

IT DIDN'T WORK. I EVEN SAID SOME NICE WORDS TO THE EMPLOYEES.

IT DIDN'T WORK. SO I WENT TO ALBERTSONS. STILL DIDN'T WORK.

MAYOR. COUNCIL. I'M NOT HERE TO ATTACK YOU. I'M JUST HERE TO TELL YOU A FACT.

I STOOD BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL OF FORT WORTH ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO, WARNING THEM THEN THAT WE WERE FACING A CRISIS IN PUBLIC SAFETY.

POLICE, FIRE, PUBLIC EMPLOYEES AT ALL. IF WE DIDN'T TAKE CARE OF THEM, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET THEM TO COME IN THE DOOR.

AND THAT IS HAPPENING. CITY OF DALLAS. LAST WEEK, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE ON TELEVISION BEGGING OTHER CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

PLEASE, LET'S FIND A PAY INCENTIVE TO GET PEOPLE THROUGH OUR DOOR AND HIRE POLICE OFFICERS.

THEY ARE ACCURATE, BUT THEY SAY THERE ARE 900 POLICE OFFICERS SHORT.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT AS AN ACTIVE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, IT IS VERY DISHEARTENING TO PICK UP A TELEPHONE AND CALL THE POLICE AND WAIT 2 HOURS FOR POLICE OFFICER TO ARRIVE. BUT I KNOW IT HAPPENS BECAUSE IT'S HAPPENED TO ME.

YOU DON'T WANT THAT IN THIS CITY. YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO STAFF YOUR POSITIONS, GIVE THEM FAIR AND EQUITABLE TREATMENT.

AND ONE LAST COMMENT BECAUSE I GOT 10S. I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM STAND UP AND TALK ABOUT HOW GREAT THE P

[00:30:01]

HOW GREAT THE FIRE ARE. ARE THOSE EMPTY WORDS OR DO YOU REALLY MEAN IT? AND IF YOU REALLY MEAN IT, YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT THESE THESE DECISIONS YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE TODAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ALL RIGHT. MIKE'S STILL OPEN FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.

ANYBODY ELSE WILLING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TAX RATE.

THAT'S ITEM NUMBER 5. AT 6:30. I'M SORRY. ITEM NUMBER 4 AT 6:30.

ITEM NUMBER 5, PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED 2025 TAX RATE GIVE YOU FINANCE DIRECTOR BRADY OLSON.

[5. Public hearing to consider the proposed 2025 tax rate. ]

WE ARE RECOMMENDING THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE OF 0.526212.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT. SO THEN WITH THAT, I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM NUMBER 5 WITH THE TAX RATE AT 6:31.

ALL RIGHT. NOT SEEING ANYBODY COME TO THE PODIUM THERE.

I LIKE TO LET IT GO TO AT LEAST CLICK OVER TO 1 MINUTE.

SO. I THINK THIS IS OUR LAST PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE EVENING, SO. IT DOES LOOK BAD. IT DOES LOOK BAD IN THE MINUTES PEOPLE ACCUSE YOU OF CLOSING IT.

THEY MAY BE LIKE, HEY, DID YOU EVEN HAVE ONE? EXACTLY.

SO THERE WE ARE. I KNOW, I SHOULD HAVE WENT A LITTLE BIT QUICKER BECAUSE WE WENT THE FULL MINUTE.

ALL RIGHT. AND IT IS 6:32. WE'RE GOING CLOSED.

PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ONE. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN WE GO ON TO ITEM NUMBER 6.

[6. Consider an ordinance adopting the annual budget for the City of Bedford, Texas for the fiscal period of October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026; providing for intra-fund and/or intra-departmental transfers; providing for investment of idle funds; and declaring an effective date. ]

CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF BEDFORD, TEXAS, FOR FISCAL PERIOD OF OCTOBER 1ST, 2025 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2026. PROVIDING FOR THE INTERFUND AND OR INTER-DEPARTMENTAL TRANSFERS, PROVIDING FOR INVESTMENT OF VITAL FUNDS AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

GIVE YOU FINANCE DIRECTOR BRADY OLSON, THIS IS YOUR SHOW. BRADY.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. WE BELIEVE WE HAVE REALLY ONE OUTSTANDING ITEM FROM STAFF'S PERSPECTIVE THAT'S GOING TO BE THE TMRS COLA AND THE FUNDING AMOUNT, WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE, WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE 30% OR 50%.

SO WE ARE ASKING FOR SOME SOME GUIDANCE FROM COUNCIL ON THAT.

I THINK FROM OUR LAST FROM OUR LAST MEETING WHEN WE DISCUSSED THE BUDGET IN OUR WORKSHOP, I BELIEVE COUNCIL'S PROCEEDING TO GO WITH THE 50% TRMS COLA. BUT YEAH. COUNCIL MEMBER STEVES. THANK YOU.

MAYOR. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. MAYBE FOR THE CHIEF.

PART OF THIS FUNDING IS GOING TO COME FROM $60,000 CUT IN OVERTIME FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

YES, SIR. HOW IS THAT GOING TO AFFECT THE RESPONSE TIME? IS THAT THAT WON'T HAVE A PLAY IN IT.

GOOD EVENING COUNCIL. GOOD EVENING MEMBERS. SO THE FUNDING IS NOT GOING TO AFFECT OUR RESPONSE TIMES.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT MINIMUM WE DO STAFFING SAME EVERY DAY.

OVERTIME IS IS REALLY AS YOU'VE SEEN, YEAR TO YEAR IS A LITTLE BIT OF A GUESSTIMATE.

WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING TO, TO HELP WITH THIS IS TRY AND MAINTAIN FULL STAFFING.

SO BEING AGGRESSIVE AT, AT RECRUITMENT. SO WHEN WE, WE KNOW WE'VE GOT SOMEBODY THAT'S RETIRING OR LEAVING THAT WE CAN FILL THAT SPOT AND TRY AND AVOID SITUATIONS WHERE STAFFING IS DOWN. AND YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OVERTIME IN THE PAST. WE'RE A LITTLE SUBJECT TO INJURIES AND SICKNESS.

BUT BEYOND THAT, EVERYTHING WE CAN DO TO TO MANAGE IT AND STAY WITHIN THAT NUMBER.

THERE'S A FLUCTUATION. BUT WE'VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO BE TO BE FULLY STAFFED THIS YEAR.

WE'RE CURRENTLY FULLY STAFFED TODAY. SO WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE.

SO YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT. YES. YEAH, I MEAN I, I'M LIKE EVERYBODY OVERTIME MAKES ME UNCOMFORTABLE BECAUSE IT'S JUST A HARD THING TO KIND OF NAVIGATE.

BUT IT'LL ABSOLUTELY NO IMPACT ON RESPONSE AND STAFFING AND AND HOW WE SERVE THE COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU CHIEF. THANK YOU MAYOR. YEP. YOU GOT IT. YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER SABOL. BRADY, WE KIND OF BROUGHT UP THAT 50% SORT OF AT THE END OF THE DISCUSSION.

AND IT KIND OF PUT YOU I MEAN, YOU WENT THROUGH THE PLAN OF HOW MANY MONTHS AND HOW MANY IT TOOK YOU TO GET TO THE POINT.

SO WHEN WE DID THAT, WE KIND OF SCREWED YOU ALL UP, I ASSUME, WITH THE PLANNING.

AND SO NEXT YEAR, IT MAY OR MAY NOT COME FROM WHERE YOU'RE TELLING US.

IT MAY, BECAUSE YOU WILL HAVE THE INFORMATION RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU FROM DAY ONE, SAYING,

[00:35:01]

WE GOT TO HAVE A 50% COLA. AND SO WE CAN DEVISE WHAT WE NEED AND THERE WON'T BE ANY OF THIS.

WELL, WE GOT TO TAKE IT FROM HERE OR HERE BECAUSE IT'S NOT AN EASY PROCESS TO DO THE BUDGET.

IS THAT CORRECT? IT IS NOT AN EASY PROCESS. THAT'S CORRECT.

AND SO I THINK WE KIND OF THREW YOU FOR A LOOP WHEN WE ASKED YOU TO GO 50.

SO YEAH, I'M IN FAVOR OF THE 50. AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU DID TO COME UP WITH THE, THE CHANGE, BECAUSE THAT WAS NOT EASY, I'M CERTAIN WHEN WHEN WE WAITED UNTIL LIKE 2 DAYS BEFORE WE ALL STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT.

I THINK IT'S IT'S VERY VALUABLE ON YOUR PART THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO DO THAT FOR US.

SO WE APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. WE WERE ABLE TO DO SOME CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING AND WE HAVE A PLAN A NEXT YEAR, WHICH IS THE MOVING THE STREET TO THE STREET FUNDS.

BUT WE'LL CERTAINLY WORK ON PLANS B, C, D AND E AS, AS THE YEAR GOES ON TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SPENDING THE PUBLIC FUNDS IN THE MOST RESPONSIBLE WAY WE CAN. COUNCIL. COMMISSIONERS, COUNCIL MEMBER FARCO.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS.

I WANT TO THANK CARYN. I WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR THE SACRIFICES YOU GUYS MAKE, THAT WE CAN BE WITHIN A BUDGET THAT WE CAN LIVE WITH AND THAT I'M PROUD OF THE JOB YOU GUYS HAVE DONE, SOME OF THE SACRIFICES WE'VE MADE.

WE'VE GOTTEN RID OF A DILAPIDATED BUILDING, BUILDING B, WE'VE MOVED THEM IN. WE'VE MORE EFFICIENT IN THAT PART.

YOU GUYS ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THINGS TO MAKE US MORE EFFICIENT IN DOING THIS.

AND I WANT TO TALK TO OUR CITIZENS TOO. THIS IS NOT AN EASY DECISION ON US, BUT OUR IN MY MIND, OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR STAFF ARE WORTH IT. THEY WANT THIS.

THAT'S WHAT MAKES BEDFORD WHAT IT IS. THE BUILDINGS ARE THE BUILDINGS, BUT IT'S THE STAFF AND THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE US THIS COMMUNITY.

AND I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL THE THINGS YOU DO FOR US, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS.

AND THERE'S NOT A MEMBER ON THIS STAFF THAT TAKE IT LIGHTLY ABOUT WHAT YOU GUYS DO AND KEEPING YOU GUYS AROUND.

SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR INFORMATION. WE APPRECIATE YOU TALKING WITH US.

AND THAT'S THE BIG THING IS THAT COMMUNICATION.

LET US KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO. LIKE COUNCILWOMAN SABOL SAID, YOU KNOW, IF WE KNOW IN ADVANCE, WE CAN. WE'LL WORK ON IT TO HELP YOU GUYS FIGURE OUT THAT PROBLEM OUT.

BUT THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT, KAREN. THANK YOU.

I KNOW LAST MINUTE I CAME IN AND I DROVE THE REST OF THE MAYOR AND EVERYBODY ELSE CRAZY ABOUT THIS, BUT IT'S JUST SOMETHING IMPORTANT AND WORTH IT.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, I'M I'M IN FAVOR OF THAT 50% COLA.

MAYOR PRO TEM DAWKINS. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. AND I IN THE RISK OF BEING REPETITIVE, I DO WANT TO THANK BRADY AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER RIGGS FOR FOR THE FINANCIAL ACROBATICS AND GETTING THIS DONE, AND ALSO BEING MINDFUL OF, LIKE, THINGS. AND I CAN SAY, AS A MEMBER OF 4B, I PREAPPROVE, YOU KNOW, THE DECISIONS WE CAN MAKE TO IN ORDER TO I MAKE IT SO THE 50% COLA WORKS. I DO WANT TO APPRECIATE THE VOICES OF.

I CAN'T REMEMBER YOUR LAST NAMES, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY SPOKE ON THE BUDGET ZACH AND STEVE AS REPRESENTATIVES OF PUBLIC SERVANTS, ARE LETTING US KNOW AS CITY COUNCIL THAT THIS IS A DIRECTION.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY FELLOW CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

COUNCIL MEMBER FARCO AND COUNCILWOMAN SABOL. I WAS NOT HERE AT THE 1ST BUDGET WORKSHOP, BUT I CAME TO THE COUNCIL MEETING KIND OF SURPRISED, NOT REALLY KNOWING WHAT THE. BUT IT WAS REALLY YOU 2 SAYING, HEY, WE CAN DO BETTER FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.

AND INITIATING THAT CONVERSATION IN OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU GUYS ARE KIND OF DEMURE AND JUST SAYING, WELL, HERE IT IS AT 30%. AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD THE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF US, BECAUSE I THINK WE ARE CHAMPIONS OF MAKING SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN THE SERVICES THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND FOR THE HEALTH OF OUR EMPLOYEES.

I AGAIN, I WANT TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF THE FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT THIS IS NOT AN EASY DECISION, BUT ALSO REMIND RESIDENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T TAKE TAX INCREASES LIGHTLY, BUT I DO SEE THEM AS INVESTMENTS AND ALSO REMIND RESIDENTS WE LIVE HERE, TOO. SO IF WE VOTE FOR A TAX INCREASE, WE ARE SUBJECT TO THAT AS WELL.

THANKS, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU AGAIN. COUNCIL MEMBER DONOVAN BRANDON.

I TOO WOULD LIKE TO GO ON RECORD AS SAYING I'M IN FAVOR OF 50% BECAUSE I AM SO IMPRESSED WITH OUR STAFF.

I AM SO IMPRESSED. I SEE HOW HARD THEY WORK. I SEE THE SACRIFICES THEY MAKE IN THEIR TIME, AND I'M GRATEFUL. AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US IN ATTRACTION AND RETENTION OF GOOD STAFF TO MAKE THIS A REALITY.

I THINK IT'S A REALITY THAT THE PEOPLE HERE CAN JUMP CITIES EASILY.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE THAT MUCH FARTHER TO GET A BETTER DEAL.

AND I WANT THE GOOD DEAL TO STAY RIGHT HERE. IT'S A REALITY THAT IT'S GOING TO BE UNDER $8 A MONTH FOR THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD.

[00:40:05]

AND THINK ABOUT HOW FOR $8, PEOPLE DON'T THINK ANYTHING ABOUT SPENDING THAT AT THE COFFEE SHOP.

THERE'S NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR CITY AND OUR POLICE AND OUR FIRE AND OUR SAFETY.

THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT. THAT'S OUR FUNDAMENTAL JOB.

MAYBE WATER TOO, BUT BECAUSE WE DO LIKE WATER.

BUT THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO THAT'S MORE IMPORTANT AS A CITY COUNCIL THAN TO TAKE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE AND THE FUNDAMENTAL JOBS THAT WE, AS A CITY COUNCIL, ARE CHARGED WITH MAKING SURE THAT WE GET DONE ON A DAILY BASIS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE, WHICH INCLUDE US. SO I'M WILLING TO PONY UP MORE MONEY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THESE PEOPLE WHO WORK SO HARD FOR US.

AND IT'S JUST THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, AND I'M GRATEFUL. AND I AM IN FAVOR OF 50%.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BUDGET WITH THE 50% TRMS COLA, FROM COUNCIL MEMBER DONOVAN BRANDON, SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER FARCO. LET'S GO AND VOTE.

YOU HAVE VOTE. ALL RIGHT, THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

THANK YOU COUNCIL. THANK YOU STAFF. ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP WE HAVE CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE LEVYING TAXES FOR TAX YEAR 2025 FOR THE CITY OF

[7. Consider an ordinance levying taxes for the Tax Year 2025 for the City of Bedford, Texas; establishing the Ad Valorem Tax Rate of ____________ per one hundred dollars valuation; providing for the apportionment of taxes for interest and sinking and for general operating needs; providing penalties and interest for delinquent taxes; and providing an effective date. ]

BEDFORD, TEXAS, ESTABLISHING AD VALOREM TAX RATE, WHICH WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO PLUG THAT NUMBER IN PER $100 VALUATION, PROVIDING FOR THE APPORTIONMENT OF TAXES AND INTEREST IN SINKING FOR THE GENERAL OPERATION NEEDS, PROVIDING PENALTIES AND INTEREST FOR DELINQUENT TAXES, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. BRADY, IT'S STILL YOUR SHOW. YES. IN ORDER TO PAY FOR THE BUDGET YOU JUST PASSED, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET FOR THE PERSON WHO WANTS TO MAKE THE MOTION AFTER ANY DISCUSSION, I DO HAVE THE HANDY DANDY SHEET OF PAPER WITH THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE WE HAVE TO USE FROM THE STATE. RIGHT? OR YOU CAN YOU CAN ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS IT.

YOU GOT IT. OKAY. OKAY. MAYOR PRO TEM DAWKINS I THINK, IS GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE MOTION ON THIS ONE.

MAYOR, MAYOR, COULD I JUST INTERVENE QUICKLY AS WELL? SO IN ADDITION TO THE SPECIFIC WORDING THAT HAS TO BE READ, THIS REQUIRES A MINIMUM OF 5 AFFIRMATIVE VOTES IN ORDER TO PASS.

I DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT BEING A PROBLEM. BUT YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

APPRECIATE IT. WELL, THERE WAS THAT ONE TIME THAT MISS SABOL HAD TO LITERALLY COME BACK FROM WHERE SHE WAS AND GIVE A THUMBS UP IN THIS CHAMBER, AND WE WAITED FOR, LIKE, WHAT WAS IT, AN HOUR? WE COULDN'T FIND YOU. YEAH. AND SO WE TOOK A RECESS.

THAT WAS FUN. THAT WAS A FUN TIME. YEAH. YOU WEREN'T HERE FOR THAT ONE. YOU MISSED THE FUN ON THAT ONE.

ALL RIGHT. OKAY, TAKE IT AWAY. THANKS, MR. MAYOR.

I MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF 0.526212, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 3.83% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

DO I HAVE A SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER FARCO. GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON THE TAX RATE.

AND THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY AS WELL. THANK YOU COUNCIL.

THANK YOU STAFF. NEXT UP ITEM NUMBER 8. CONSIDER RESOLUTION TO RATIFY PROPERTY TAX INCREASE AS REFLECTED BY FISCAL YEAR 2025 FIVE 2026 CITY OF BEDFORD PROGRAM OF SERVICES,

[8. Consider a resolution to ratify the property tax increase as reflected in the FY 2025-2026 City of Bedford Program of Services (Budget). ]