[00:00:01]
WE ALREADY THINK WE ARE EXPERIENCING SOME POWER DIFFICULTIES.
SO THOSE WHO MAY BE TUNING IN, IF SOMETHING GOES AMOK IS BECAUSE OF THE POWER DIFFICULTIES THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING HERE IN THIS CARD, OR HERE, UH, YOU MAY SEE THAT I DO HAVE ON A CAP.
I'M GOING TO REMOVE IT IN THE MOMENT.
I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE MY TIE IS STRAIGHT.
UH, THIS IS IN HONOR OF THE WORLD SERIES THAT IS ACTUALLY GOING ON ABOUT 90 MILES FROM HERE.
AND I AM, UH, DAWN IN MY ASTRO ATTIRE.
IF THERE ARE ANY BRAVES, YOU HAVE MY DEEPEST SYMPATHY.
[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
THE NEXT THING WE HAVE, WE ARE CALLING THE MEETING TO ORDER THAT'S OKAY.ATTORNEY I'VE ALREADY SAID IT.
WE CALL IT, CALL IT, MEETING ALL THE, WE HAVE A SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING HERE, UH, TODAY PARKS OVER 26, 20 21.
THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF 3:00 PM.
BUT I THINK WE HAD SOME ELECTRICAL TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
BUT, UH, WE, UH, THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL HERE AT PORT ARTHUR AND WE WILL CONDUCT, AND WE ARE CONDUCTING THIS SPECIAL MEETING OF THE SCHEDULED FOR THREE ON TODAY, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26 OF THE, UH, TELEPHONIC AND VIDEO CONFERENCE, UH, MEDIUMS IN ORDER TO, UH, ALLOW PERSONS TO ATTEND WHO CANNOT ATTEND, UH, PERSONALLY OR QUORUM HIGH OF, UH, OF THE CITY COUNCIL MUST BE PRESENT HERE IN THE CITY HALL, UH, IN THE, IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
AND WE OUGHT TO BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT HERE, BUT YOU CONDUCT IN HERE ON THE FIFTH FLOOR OF THE CITY HALL LOCATED HERE AT 4 44 50 FOURTH STREET.
EXCUSE ME, HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
NOW YOU MAY PARTICIPATE, UH, BY DIALING 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7 OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9.
YOU WOULD ENTER THE MEETING ID 8 6 7 1 5 2 3 5 8 4 0 AND USE THE PAST CODE OF 3 3 1 5 9 2.
AND WE ARE ALSO IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, AND WE WILL PROVIDE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS NEEDING THESE ACCOMMODATIONS.
I HAVE A, YOU MUST CONTACT THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THIS MEETING, AND YOU WOULD CALL NINE, EIGHT I'M SORRY.
MAY, COULD YOU GIVE US JUST TWO SECONDS? WE NEED THE MICS TO BE ON TEAM FOR OUR REPORTING TESTING.
ARE YOU ALL TEST ALL YOURS TEST TEST.
THANK YOU, MAYOR BARTINI PRESENT.
[00:05:01]
MAY I APPROACH HIM FRANK COUNCILMEMBER HOMES HERE? COUNCIL MEMBER JONES, COUNCIL MEMBER, KEN LAW, COUNCIL MEMBER MARKS HERE.SO KINDLY SEE THE SECRETARY AND
[II. A Workshop Regarding The Financial Status Of The Solid Waste Divisions]
NOW WE WERE MOVED TO A WORKSHOP REGARDING THE FINANCIAL STATUS OF THE SOLID WASTE DIVISION.I BELIEVE THIS WORKSHOP CITY MANAGER IS GOING TO BE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, OR WE DO AN OPEN, OPEN SESSION.
IT OPENS UP MY, MY, MY, MY TOTAL, UH, MISUNDERSTANDING OF IT.
YOU HAVE STAFF HERE WHO WOULD BEGIN, UH, THIS PORTION OF OUR WORKSHOP.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
HOW YOU MEET ON MY, WITH THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE CONSULTING ENGINEERS, WORKING FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AS A CONSULTANT.
AND A FEW MONTHS AGO, THE CITY MANAGER TASKED ME WITH, UH, OVERLOOKING THE LANDFILL AND DETERMINING, UH, WHAT STEPS DO WE NEED TO MAKE FOR MAKING THINGS LIKE THEY SHOULD BE, WHICH IS AN ENTERPRISE FUND THAT SHOULD BE SUSTAINING ITSELF FINANCIALLY AND BE ABLE TO OPERATE AND PROVIDE SUPERIOR CUSTOMER SERVICES TO OUR CITIZENS.
THIS FUND HAS BEEN THROUGH A LOT OF UPS AND DOWNS AND THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND SOME OF THE REASONS ARE WEATHER STORMS, UH, MAJOR EQUIPMENT FAILURES, BUT ALSO ONE OF THE MAJOR ISSUES WAS EXPECTATIONS THAT THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE ANY CONTROL.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE PREPARED BUDGETS IN THE PAST THAT DEPENDED ON MONEY COMING FROM SEMPRA, WHETHER IT IS THE DIRT THAT THEY WERE GONNA SUPPOSE BRING TO US OR THE DIRT WE WERE GONNA USE AND NOT PAY FOR, FROM WHAT THEY'RE BRINGING TO US.
SINCE THESE EXPECTATIONS DID NOT COME TO FRUITION AND WE DID NOT GET THAT FUND.
AND WE ENDED UP THIS PAST YEAR WITH A BUDGET THAT'S NOT BALANCED, OR THE FUND HAD TO DIP INTO THE GENERAL FUND TO PAY ITS BILLS.
WE CAME UP WITH A PLAN THAT IS MORE IN OUR CONTROL THAN ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE OUTSIDE.
IT'S A PLAN THAT THE CITY STAFF, THE CITY MANAGER AND THE COUNCIL, IF THEY APPROVE IT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO END UP HOPEFULLY WITH A BALANCED BUDGET THIS YEAR.
AND THE WAY WE STRUCTURED IT IS NOT ONLY THROUGH RATE INCREASES ON OUR CITIZENS, BUT THROUGH DIFFERENT COMPONENTS WHERE WE HAVE SOME SAVINGS GOING AFTER NEW CUSTOMERS DOING THE RATE INCREASES ON COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS AS WELL.
AND THIS IS WHAT WE WERE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING TODAY TO SHOW YOU WHERE WE ARE, WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO, AND IF IT MEETS YOUR APPROVAL WHERE IT WILL TAKE US AT THE END OF THE BUDGET YEAR ON THE FIRST SLIDE, IT'S A SUMMARY OF WHAT DID WE GENERATE IN REVENUE IN 2021? IT'S AN ESTIMATED NUMBER BECAUSE FINANCE IS STILL WORKING ON THEIR FINAL NUMBERS.
AND WHEN THEY GIVE YOU THAT REPORT THIS AFTERNOON, THAT 9.18 MILLION IN REVENUE IS GOING TO BE SHOWN AS 10.3 MILLION BECAUSE THERE WAS A MILLION DOLLARS TRANSFERRED FROM THE GENERAL FUND INTO THAT REVENUE FUND.
BUT THE ESTIMATED REVENUE IS AROUND $9.2 MILLION FOR THIS PAST BUDGET HERE.
WHAT WE APPROVED FOR THIS COMING YEAR, OR WHAT COUNCIL APPROVED IS $10.5 MILLION IN REVENUE AS A PROJECTION.
AND THAT COVERS THE EXPENDITURES THAT YOU SEE ON THE BOTTOM FOR SOLID WASTE, THAT 10.487.
SO THE PROJECTION FOR THE REVENUE WAS MADE BASED ON WHAT THE EXPENDITURE REALISTICALLY IS GOING TO BE.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE REVENUE FROM LAST YEAR, THERE'S $1.3 MILLION DIFFERENCE THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE UP.
AND THIS IS THE SCENARIO WE FACE THIS YEAR THAT WAS NOT MADE UP.
SO THE GENERAL FUND HAD TO SUBSIDIZE IT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WHERE IS THIS 1.3 MILLION GONNA COME FROM? DO WE WANT TO MAKE THE CHANGES WE NEED TO MAKE TO GET THERE? OR DO WE WANT TO KEEP DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING AND DIPPING INTO THE GENERAL FUND? SO THE FIRST THING WE LOOKED AT IS THE TOTAL RATES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES.
THE THING WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO IS
[00:10:01]
WE ALSO HAVE IN THE WATER BILL, A DOLLAR 75 CHARGE FOR HEAVY TRASH, BUT THE ORDINANCE OF THAT FIRST DAUGHTER RATE AS $18.SO I'M SHOWING IT AS $18 IN THIS CASE.
SO WE ARE ACTUALLY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CHARGE WHEN IT COMES TO CITIES, COMPARABLE TO US IN SIZE AND LOCATION.
THE AVERAGE ON THAT FIRST DAUGHTER IS 2143.
SO WE ARE WAY BELOW THE ACTUAL AVERAGE.
IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE ON THE GRAPH, WE ADD THAT DOLLAR 75 TO OUR CHARGE.
SO THE RED, WHICH IS WITH CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IS, IS BUILT AT 1975 TO INCLUDE THE HEAVY TRASH DOLLAR 75 CHARGE.
AND WE'RE STILL BELOW THE AVERAGE IN OTHER CITIES THAT ARE PROVIDING THIS TYPE OF SERVICES.
SO WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO DO IS INCREASE THE COST OF THE FIRST DAUGHTER BY $2 AND 50 CENTS PER DAUGHTER.
WHAT THAT WOULD DO IS BRING THAT RATE UP TO $20 AND 50 CENTS, BUT WE HAVE 21,383 ACCOUNTS.
SO WE WILL GENERATE AN ADDITIONAL $641,490 THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THAT 1.3 MILLION.
WE ARE TRYING TO FULFILL THE AVERAGE ON THESE RATES IS STILL AT 2178.
SO WE ARE STILL IN A GOOD RANGE.
AND IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE TO THAT $20 AND 50 CENTS, IF WE ADD THE DOLLAR 75, WE'RE STILL ABOUT CLOSE TO THE MIDDLE COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES THAT ARE PROVIDING THIS TYPE OF SERVICES TO THEIR CITIZENS.
WE GO TO THE COMMERCIAL CONTAINERS.
MR. MOORE HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB ON RALLYING UP WHAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE, HOW MANY ACCOUNTS, HOW MANY CONTAINERS PER ACCOUNT, WHAT SIZES THEY ARE.
SO ALL THAT INFORMATION WAS USED TO DETERMINE HOW SHOULD WE ADDRESS THE COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS.
SO IF WE COMPARE OURSELVES TO OTHER CITIES THAT ARE PROVIDING THESE COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS AND, UH, CONTAINERS, AND IF WE USE THE EIGHT CUBIC YARD, UH, AS A SAMPLE WE HAD AT THE $135 AND 45 CENTS A MONTH WHERE OUR OTHER CITIES ARE ONE 40 TO ONE 60 AND 1 62, AND ONLY HANCEVILLE IS CHEAPER THAN US AT 1 34 98, WHICH IS FEW CENTS CHEAPER.
BUT ANOTHER THING WE OFFER IS ON THE SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH, AND FIFTH, QUITE A COMMERCIAL CONTAINER.
THE CLIENTS ARE GETTING A 50% DISCOUNT.
SO IF YOU'RE PAYING 1 35 ON THE FIRST ONE, YOUR NEXT ONE IS 1 35 DIVIDED BY TWO.
AND IF WE COMPARE IT AGAIN ON THE GRAPH, WE CAN SEE THAT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR'S RATES IS REALLY LOW COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES.
SO WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO DO WHEN IT COMES TO THE COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS IS ONE ELIMINATE THAT 50% REDUCTION ON THE ADDITIONAL CONTAINERS THAT THE CLIENTS MIGHT NEED.
AND ALSO ADDING A 10% INCREASE TO THE EXISTING RATE THAT REMOVAL OF THE 50% DISCOUNT WILL GENERATE APPROXIMATELY $84,000.
THE 10% INCREASE WILL GENERATE $276,800.
SO THE TOTAL INCREASE FROM THE COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS WILL BE $360,812.
SO NOW WE GET OUR 6 49 FROM THE FIRST TOTAL INCREASE.
WE GET OUR 360 FROM OUR COMMERCIAL RATE INCREASES AND BASED ON THIS PROPOSITION, AND IF THE COUNCIL CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT AND APPROVE IT, OR ARTHUR'S RATE FOR THAT EIGHT CUBIC YARD WOULD BE $149 A MONTH, WHICH PUTS US IN THE MIDDLE COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES, OUR SIDE, AND IN OUR AREA.
AND OUR GOAL IS TO STAY WITHIN THAT AVERAGE RATE TO STAY IN THE MIDDLE.
[00:15:01]
LOWEST PRICE.WE DON'T WANT TO BE THE HIGHEST PRICE BECAUSE WE KNOW IF WE STAY SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE, THE CLIENTS ARE NOT BEING IMPACTED, UH, HIGHLY BY OUR RATES.
AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO GENERATE ENOUGH FUNDS TO PROVIDE SUPERIOR CUSTOMER SERVICE.
SO ON THE LAST SLIDE WE WILL DISCUSS, WHAT ARE THE OTHER COMPONENTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IN ORDER TO GENERATE THE $1.3 MILLION WE NEED? ONE OF THE FIRST ONES IS TO PURSUE NEW CLIENTS.
WE HAVE A LANDFILL TODAY THAT'S OPERATING AT OPTIMUM LEVEL.
THE ROADS HAVE BEEN IMPROVED OR DRUGS ARE NOT HAVING TO REPLACE, UH, TIRES WHEN THEY DRIVE UP THAT LANDFILL.
SO WE ARE GOING AFTER NEW CLIENTS, COMMERCIAL LEVEL CLIENTS, UH, VERY VIGOROUSLY AND WE EXPECT TO GENERATE $300,000 OUT OF THAT ALONE.
OUT OF THAT $300,000, WE ALREADY HAVE A CLIENT THAT WE ATTRACTED.
UH, THEY STARTED, UH, THIS LAST WEEK AND THEY'RE GOING TO GENERATE BETWEEN ONE 20 AND ONE 50.
SO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BUDGET YEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO ATTRACT ONE GOOD CLIENT AND THAT'S GOING TO HELP US REACH THAT 300,000 GOAL.
AND WE HAVE ANOTHER CLIENT I'M NEGOTIATING A DEAL WITH RIGHT NOW THAT GOT THE JOB AND THEY'RE WAITING ON THEIR CLIENT TO DECIDE THE VOLUMES THEY WANT TO REMOVE OUT OF THEIR FACILITY.
SO WE HAVE A VERY STRONG SECOND CLIENT THAT I'M SURE IF WE MAKE THAT DEAL WILL BRING US TO THAT $300,000 LEVEL.
AND HOPEFULLY MORE, WE ARE GOING TO BE USING THE TAURUS AND THE BIO COVER FOR DAILY COVER, WHICH IS GOING TO SAVE US ABOUT $150,000 IN DIRECT COST.
OUR DO IT BUDGET THIS YEAR IS $900,000.
SO WE ALREADY ENGAGED WITH AN ENGINEERING COMPANY THAT IS PREPARING ALL THE TCEQ PAPERWORK AND AMENDMENTS WE NEED FOR THE PERMIT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT BIO COVER.
SO THAT SHOULD HAPPEN IN THE NEXT 60 DAYS.
AND THEN WE CAN START SAVING ON THE DIRT.
WE'RE STILL TALKING TO
SO I DIDN'T PUT A DOLLAR AMOUNT TO IT.
AND IF WE CAN MAKE THAT WORK, WE CAN SAVE SOME MORE MONEY ON THE DIRT COST.
THAT WILL BE A REALLY GOOD, BUT I DON'T WANT TO PUT A DOLLAR AMOUNT TO IT BECAUSE IT'LL BE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID WITH SEMPRA.
WE PUT THESE DOLLAR AMOUNTS IN THE BUDGET THAT COULDN'T BE ACHIEVED.
AND IF THAT COMES ALONG THOUGH, IT WILL BE JUST SOME MORE ICING ON THE CAKE AND THE RESIDENTIAL COLLECTION, WHICH IS AT 6 41, 4 90, THAT WE JUST SPOKE OFF.
WE'RE ALSO, UH, PROPOSING AN ADDITION TO THE ORDINANCE FOR A SPECIAL WASTE RATES.
UH, THERE ARE TYPES OF WASTE THAT NO OTHER LANDFILL IN THIS AREA IS TAKING TODAY.
UH, THE CLOSEST ONE IS IN HOUSTON AND WE DON'T CAPITALIZE ON THAT TYPE OF WASTE.
WE TAKE IT CAUSE OUR PERMIT ALLOW US TO, BUT WE CHARGING THE REGULAR RATE FOR IT.
AND THE CLIENTS ARE MAINLY COMMERCIAL CLIENTS, INDUSTRIAL CLIENTS THAT WILL HAVE TO GO TO HOUSTON IF WE STOP TAKING THAT TWICE.
SO WE'RE CREATING A SECTION IN THE ORDINANCE TO ABSORB THIS WASTE AT THE $28 PER CUBIC YARD, UH, CHARGE.
AND THAT'S SUPPOSE BASED ON SOME OF THE NUMBERS WE HAVE OF WHAT HAS GONE TO THE LANDFILL LAST YEAR, IT SHOULD GENERATE APPROXIMATELY $120,000 IN REVENUE.
AND LASTLY IS THE 10% INCREASE ON THE COMMERCIAL CONTAINERS AND THAT HE MOVE LOT OF THE 50% DISCOUNT, WHICH WILL GENERATE $360,812.
SO THE TOTAL THAT WE ARE PROJECTING TO GENERATE IS 1.5, 7 MILLION.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN THE 1.3 WE NEED.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE WORK IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS UNPREDICTABLE AND I'LL GIVE YOU ONE SIMPLE EXAMPLE.
WE HAD ONE OF THE COMPACTORS CATCH FIRE INSURANCE IS GONNA PAY ABOUT 450,000 TO BUY A NEW ONE.
IT'S ABOUT 850,000 TO RENT ONE FOR FIVE MONTHS UNTIL WE CAN GET ONE IT'S 130, 3000, WHICH THE INSURANCE WOULD PAY FOR.
[00:20:01]
WE'RE STARTING THIS YEAR WITH A NEGATIVE $400,000 ON THAT COMPACTOR ALONE.SO WE WANT TO WORK REALLY HARD THAT GETTING NEW CLIENTS, UTILIZING THE NEW RATE FOR THE SPECIAL WASTE RATE TO GENERATE MORE THAN 1.57, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT ALONG THIS YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME SURPRISES THAT WE DIDN'T ACCOUNT FOR.
AND WE DON'T WANT TO END UP LIKE WE DID THIS LAST YEAR.
COUNSEL, PLEASE SUBSIDIZE THIS ENTERPRISE FUND.
IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
UH, AND THESE ARE ITEMS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ON THE AGENDA ON, UH, DURING THE FIVE 30 MEETING FOR THE RATE INCREASE AND A SPECIAL WASTE RATE, UH, ADDITION.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? GO AHEAD, COUNCILMAN JOHN.
I HAVE A, I GUESS A COMPLIMENT, UH, UH, A STATEMENT ON THE, UH, FIRST TOTAL IS GOING TO BE TWO 50 A MONTH TO $2 15 A MONTH FOR THE FIRST TOTAL, TOTAL WE'RE REQUESTING.
AND WE'RE PROPOSING AN INCREASE OF TWO 50 PER MONTH.
WELL, I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU INCREASE THE THREE AROUND $3 A MONTH.
I TALKED TO A BUSINESSMAN RECENTLY.
HE TOLD ME, SAY, COFFMAN JONES, I JUST WORK.
SHOULD I BE C8 WOULD NEED SOME INQUIRIES ON HIS, A COMMERCIAL, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE TOLD THAT IN THE COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS, HE STAYED, I WOULDN'T MIND PAYING MUCH MORE MONEY TO GET THE CITY GOING, YOU KNOW, MORE MONEY IN THE CITY.
SO I WOULD SEE AND GO TO RONALD WITH $3.
AND MOST OF THE TWO PFT I DON'T SEE MANY BUSINESSES GOING TO BANKRUPTCY.
I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE IN BANKRUPTCY AND THEN GO OUT OF BUSINESS.
PEOPLE IN THE CITY IS MAKING MONEY.
SO COUNCILMAN, AS, YOU KNOW, JOINING THE FIVE 30 MEETING, IF YOU WANT TO AMEND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING AND CHANGE IT TO THAT, AND YOU ALL AGREE TO IT, IT'S JUST MORE, MORE BENEFIT TO US BECAUSE I'VE ACTUALLY RUN THAT DIVISION NEEDS EQUIPMENT.
THAT DIVISION NEEDS ATTENTION, SO.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE HAD A RATE INCREASE? UH, WHAT TOTERS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? HOW MANY YEARS AGO WAS THAT? A FEW MONTHS AGO WE HAD THE RATE INCREASE ON THE SECOND TOTAL, UH, THAT WAS AT $5 AND IT WAS BROUGHT UP TO TWO 50, BUT IT'S BEEN FEW YEARS BEFORE WE HAD AN INCREASE, I BELIEVE ON THE FIRST DAUGHTER.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHEN I'M NOT THE ONE WHO DID THAT ONE, BUT I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT FIRST ONE.
THE LAST ORDINANCE CHANGED OR WHATEVER WAS IT EATING? THE ORDINANCE WAS 2018.
THERE WAS AN ADJUSTMENT IN 2018, I BELIEVE TO THE ORDINANCE ITSELF.
SO, YEAH, AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS ALLUDING TO WAS ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, WHEN WE DID THAT, WE'RE GOING TO ASK THE PUBLIC TO GO BACK AND JUST HELP OUT WITH WHAT THIS, A NEGATIVE THAT WE HAVE THIS $1.3 MILLION.
AND I'M ALSO LOOKING AT SOME OF YOUR, YOUR PROPOSED NEW CUSTOMERS.
AND, AND YOU SAID, WE WANT TO HAVE CONTROL OF SOME OF THOSE THINGS OURSELVES, BUT YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE 300,000, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HOPE WE CAN DO, YOU KNOW, AS A POSSIBILITY, JUST LIKE SEMPRA, YOU KNOW, IT FAILED THROUGH, BUT YOU KNOW, IT WAS PRESENTED TO THIS COUNCIL THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE NEXT BEST THING TO SLICED BREAD.
AND NOW IT HAVE US IN THE RED.
SO I'M KIND OF CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE CHANGE OF ORDINANCE OF SPECIAL WASTE RATE.
UH, YOU GOT 120, 120 K YOU KNOW, THOSE THINGS ARE STILL NOT WITHIN OUR CONTROL AS A CITY.
THAT'S THINGS THAT WE HOPE THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY GET A HOPE THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY BRING IN, IN A CITY AS REVENUE.
UH, MAYBE WE NEED TO LOOK AT SOME OTHER OPTIONS, JUST NOT BE SO WITHIN THIS BOX WHERE WE CAN GET SOME OF THESE RATE, UM, UH, IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, THE, THE TWO ITEMS I HAVE, UH, NOT JUST WISHFUL THINKING, UH, AND THERE'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BETWEEN THEM AND SEMPRA, THE SEMPRA, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT $10 MILLION.
IN THIS CASE, WE PUT THAT 300,000 BECAUSE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS WE HAD WITH THOSE TWO CLIENTS THAT WAS ONGOING WITH ONE OF THEM ALREADY IN, AND ONE OF THEM IS ALREADY HOOKED HIS CLIENT AND JUST WAITING ON WHEN THEY START.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE SHOOTING IN THE DARK AND THINKING I'M GOING TO GO FISHING AND MIGHT CATCH FISH A FISH OR NOT.
THOSE ARE TWO CLIENTS THAT ARE GOING TO MEET THAT 300,000 RANGE.
AND THE 1 24, THE SPECIAL WASTE, WE CAME UP WITH THAT NUMBER BASED ON WHAT, WHAT CAME TO THE LANDFILL LAST YEAR, THAT IS A SPECIAL WASTE.
BUT WE TOOK AS, YOU KNOW, A REGULAR WASTE AND CHARGE THEM SIX 50 PER CUBIC
[00:25:01]
YARD.SO THEY'RE NOT TOTALLY SHOOTING IN THE DARK.
THERE'S, THERE'S SOME BEEF BEHIND THEM.
AND I'M HOPING WHEN I GO AFTER NEW CUSTOMERS, WE'RE GOING TO EXCEED THAT 300, BUT YOU KNOW, THEY CAN CHANGE THEIR MIND TOMORROW.
LIKE YOU SAID, COUNCIL MANANA.
AND I, SO I AGREE WITH YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT.
UM, YES, SIR, OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I WANTED TO ASK, WHERE ARE WE WITH THE WEIGHT SCALE? WE'VE BEEN WAITING ON THAT FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW.
WE'VE WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT AND TALKING ABOUT BRINGING THAT ONLINE AND WE'VE HAD SOME DIFFICULTIES, WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT? THE NEXT QUESTION IS HOW LONG IS TCEQ, UH, GOING TO ALLOW US TO USE THE TARPS? I KNOW THAT WE HAD TO GET A SPECIAL, A SPECIAL EXEMPTION TO USE THAT.
IS THAT GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO ALLOW, UH, CONTINUALLY THAT WILL ALLOW US THAT SAVINGS? AND LASTLY, THE THIRD QUESTION I HAVE IS THAT SPECIAL WEIGHT, THAT SPECIAL WAIST RATE YOU SAYING THAT NO ONE ELSE ALLOWS THAT EXCEPT IN HOUSTON, WHAT IS THAT MATERIAL? AND IS IT HAZARDOUS WASTE? UH, FIRST ON THE SCALE THAT OUR TWO ITEMS SPENDING THAT ARE PURCHASING RIGHT NOW, AND ONE OF THEM IS FOR THE WATER AND WASTEWATER TANKS AND PURCHASING ALREADY GOT A BID, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ANOTHER ONE, SO THEY CAN AWARD THIS PART OF THE PROJECT.
AND THE SECOND PART IS FOR THE WALKWAY AND THE COVER, WHICH THEY ALSO HAVE A BID ON.
SO THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN BURIED THERE IN THE PROCESS, AS FAR AS WHAT ELSE RELATES TO THE SCALE.
I THINK WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT SEPARATELY AT A DIFFERENT SESSION BECAUSE WE'RE GATHERING SOME INFORMATION AND WE'RE GOING TO PUT UP PRESENTATIONS, YOU ALL ABOUT THE SCALE AND ITS FUTURE PRESENT AND HOW CAN WE UTILIZE IT TO MAXIMIZE OUR REVENUE.
SO LET ME NOT JUMP INTO THAT PART OF IT UNTIL WE FINISHED DOING THE RESEARCH WE'RE DOING ON THIS SCALE.
YOU DO RECOGNIZE THOUGH THAT IT'S BEEN A, IT'S BEEN A MINUTE.
I MEAN, IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN WAITING ON AND WAITING ON AND WAITING ON.
AND OF COURSE, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WAITING, BUT, UH, IT IS, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE DO WHAT IS NEEDFUL AND NECESSARY TO GET IT DONE.
IT'S BEEN ABOUT A THREE-YEAR MINUTE COUNCILMAN.
AND, UH, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT OPINION ON THAT SCALE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO EXPRESS IT YET UNTIL WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION TOGETHER.
SO JUST GIVE US A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO GET ALL THAT TOGETHER.
THEN WE CAN SIT DOWN AND TALK WITH IT INTELLIGENTLY.
CAN YOU COME BACK TO, AND YOU COME BACK TO US AT THE NEXT MEETING OR TO BRING IT BACK TO A CITY MAN? YES.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THE RESEARCH AS DR.
HANEY SAID, UM, THAT WILL REQUIRE TO PLEASE SOME ATTENTION TO THE POLICY AS WELL, THE ORDINANCE THAT GOVERNS IT AND, UM, METHODS OF CALCULATION.
AND WE'VE GOT TO BE SOME PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE METHODS OF CALCULATION THAT WAS USED PRIOR TO THAT, TO GET WHERE WE WOULD NEED TO GO.
AND AS SOON AS WE'RE THROUGH DOING THAT, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE W WE CAN GET THE BALANCE THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
AS SOON AS WE REDO THAT, WE'LL BRING IT UP.
I TOLD HIM, COULD YOU ADDRESS THE, UM, CAN YOU ADDRESS THE COVERS WITH TC? YES, SIR.
UH, THE COVERS WITH THE TCEQ ARE ONLY SENSITIVE.
IF THEY REALIZE WE ARE NOT USING THEM APPROPRIATELY, FOR EXAMPLE, WE CAN ONLY OPEN UP 2000 SQUARE FEET OF FACE AT THE LANDFILL AT ANY TIME TO BE WORKING IN.
THEY GO OUT THERE AND THEN THEY SEE WE HAVE 4,000 SQUARE FEET.
HALF OF IT COVERED, HALF OF IT IS NOT, THAT'S A VIOLATION.
IF THEY GO OUT THERE AND, AND SEE TARPS THAT HAVE BEEN TAUGHT UP INTO PIECES, BUT WE'RE STILL TRYING TO USE THEM.
SO WHAT WE ARE DOING TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING ONE TO MAKE SURE OUR STAFF IS TAKING IT SERIOUSLY AND TO, TO SATISFY THE CQS REQUIREMENT EVERY NIGHT, WE USE THE TARPS WITH TAKING PICTURES AND DOCUMENTING THOSE STORMS TO SHOW, TO PROVE AND TO DOCUMENT HOW THEY'RE BEING USED APPROPRIATELY.
AND AS LONG AS WE ARE DOING THAT, WE CAN GET OUR FIRST SIX MONTHS TO USE THEM.
AND THEN WE CAN EXTEND THAT SIX MONTHS SIMILARLY TO THE BIO COVER.
SO IT'S HOW, IF WE USE THAT RULE APPROPRIATELY AND DON'T ABUSE IT, WE WILL BE ABLE TO USE IT FOR A LONG TIME.
AND LASTLY, THOSE SPECIAL WEIGHTS, IS IT HAZARDOUS WASTE? NO, SIR.
NONE OF THE SPECIAL WASTE IS HAZARDOUS IT'S ITEMS LIKE INSULATION THAT REQUIRES MORE ATTENTION AND MORE WORK ON OUR SIDE IN ORDER
[00:30:01]
TO COVER IT, UH, SAND THAT HAVE SOME CONTAMINANTS, BUT ARE WITHIN THE LIMITS THAT OUR PERMIT ALLOWS.SO WE ARE NOT PERMITTED FOR HAZARDOUS WASTE AT OUR LANDFILL, AND WE WILL NEVER TAKE AS OF THIS WASTE.
WELL, DOC, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT WAS ONE MATTER SAID IN THE NEXT MEETING OR SO YOU WILL COME BACK AND ANSWER THAT AND CLEAR THAT UP FOR US.
HE MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD BEFORE WE ARE JOINED.
I'D LIKE TO, UH, THANK YOU HANEY FOR THE REPORT.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARITY AND THE INFORMATION.
UH, WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU'RE ABLE TO SEE WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE STARTED.
I WENT BACK THROUGH TO SEE THAT WE'RE AT THE BOTTOM OF, UM, CURRENT MONTH WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY.
AND SO THE PROPOSAL IS TO GET US IN LINE AND TO BRING US THERE AND UTILIZING THE CITIES THAT YOU SAID A COMPARABLE TO US.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY, THANK YOU.
I LOOKED THROUGH THE INFORMATION AND THE PRESENTATION.
HANEY, UH, A GOOD REPORT AND YOU NEED, YOU NEED TO RESEARCH REAL GOOD.
THE RESEARCH IS PLAYING REAL GOOD.
I COULD TELL YOU, YOU DID YOUR HOMEWORK AND, UH, I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT.
AND, UH, YOU GAVE US SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO, TO GIVE US, UH, YOU KNOW, DIRECTION THAT WE COULD MOVE IN AT THAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW THAT DIRECTION PERSONALLY.
I'M IN FAVOR OF ALL YOUR PRESENT TODAY, I'M SUPPORTED BECAUSE I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT.
THERE WAS NO, BUT THANK YOU AGAIN.
DOCTOR AND CITY MANAGER, UM, MAY HAVE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
UM, I THINK WE ARE ON THE CORRECT TRACK OF GETTING THE LANDFILL TO BE AS SUSTAINABLE AS IT COULD BE.
AND IN TERMS OF BALANCING THE BUDGET, UM, WE HAVE DONE ALL THE RESEARCH THAT WE NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO TAKE US WHERE WE ARE, THIS BUDGET AND FUTURE BUDGETS.
HOWEVER, AS WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT, AND AS WE CONTINUE TO PLAN, WE WILL BE VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE RESOURCES THAT WE CONTINUE TO EMPLOY IN THE LANDFILL ALSO TO, TO ENSURE THAT WE MEET WITH THE EQS COMPLIANCE, BECAUSE IN THE PAST A LOT OF THE MONIES THAT WE ARE BUDGETED HAS GONE INTO TCQ VIOLATIONS, YOU KNOW, UM, FOR THE PAST BUDGET OR TWO THAT HAS NOT IMPACTED OUR BUDGET GREATLY.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, MY INTENTION IS TO MAKE THAT ZERO, YOU KNOW, SO WE WILL BRING TO THE COUNCIL ALL THE BEST PRACTICES THAT ARE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO EMPLOYMENT IN THE LANDFILL SO THAT OUR LANDFILL CAN BE SUSTAINABLE.
AND THAT WE OPERATE AS AN ENTERPRISE FUND, AS IT SHOULD BE OPERATING.
YOU KNOW, UM, MAYOR, WHEN I CAME HERE YEARS AGO, 15 YEARS AGO, AT ONE TIME THEY LEFT THE LANDFILL HAD $54 MILLION THAT WE OWED TO THE GENERAL FUND.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO GO BACK THERE ANYMORE.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THE PRUDENT FINANCIAL PLANNING THAT WE NEED TO DO IN ORDER FOR US TO REMAIN ON THE COURSE AS AN ENTERPRISE FIRM.
AND IF I SEE THAT WE'RE GETTING OFF TRACK, I'LL COME TO YOU AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE KIND OF CONSULTATION AND WE DO THE KIND OF RESEARCH THAT WE NEED TO DO TO BRING US BACK ON COURSE.
HAVE ANY OTHER REMARKS OR STATEMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL IF THEY ARE BEATEN IN, UH, THIS WORKSHOP? AS FAR AS I WAS AGENDA FOR THE WORKSHOP WE HAVE ACTUALLY ADDRESSED THE MATTER AT, UH, THAT WAS BEFORE US AND WE WILL BEGIN TO MOVE.
WE GOING TO JOIN THIS MEETING.
NOW I'M READY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION PLEASE, FOR A GERMAN COUNSEL REMARKS.
SECOND AS COUNCILMAN MOSES IS REMOVED.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD HAVE JOINED THE MEETING, UH, A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE APART, THE CITY COUNCIL, WHICH BEGAN AT 3:10 PM, UH, READ UP, OF COURSE YOU MAY QUESTIONS ON, ON READINESS, ON IT ALL IN FAVOR, THEN HE'LL POSES AS HABIT.
SO IT IS AUDIT AND DECLARED, UH, CITY ATTORNEY.
UH, WE HAVE A 4:00 PM SPECIAL EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UH, MAYBE YOU GO INTO THAT NOW WE HAVE ABOUT FIVE BUT EIGHT, NINE MINUTES POSTED.
SO WE ARE JUST, UH, JOINED IN FOUR.
WE HAVE ABOUT EIGHT MINUTES, RIGHT? IT MEANS BREAK.