[00:00:01]
WE ARE READY.UH, IT IS NOW 10:48 AM AND WE ARE RUNNING A LITTLE BEHIND THIS MORNING, SO PLEASE EXCUSE US.
UH, BUT DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPENING.
WE'VE GOT TO DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
SPECIAL MEETING HERE IN THE CITY.COUNCIL CHAMBERS ARE AT 4 44, 4 FEET HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND THIS MEETING MAY BE ATTENDED, UH, VIA, UH, TELEPHONIC OR VIDEO CONFERENCE, UH, MEDIUMS. UH, YOU MUST DIAL 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7 OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9.
AND YOU'VE GOT TO ENTER THE MEETING ID OF 8 6 0 7 4 6 1 5 8 5 6 AND THE PASSCODE OF 1 9 7 0 8 1.
AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE MEETING AND, UH, PARTICIPATE IN THIS MEETING.
ALSO, WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, AND IF THAT WOULD BE A NEED FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS, YOU WOULD ONLY NEED TO CALL THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE AND 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5 AND INFORM THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE OF WHAT THOSE, UH, ACCOMMODATIONS ARE.
AND THEY WOULD DO ALL WITHIN THEIR POWER TO SUPPLY THE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR YOU.
WITH THIS BEING SHIT, WE HAVE AN INVOCATION AND THE PLATES, AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF COURT, CATHERINE MARK, TO DO THE INVOCATION FOR US.
WHAT'D YOU BOW, PLEASE, FATHER GOD, WE COME TO YOU THIS MORNING, THANKING YOU FOR ANOTHER DAY, THE GIFT THAT YOU GIVE US EACH AND EVERY DAY.
WE THANK YOU THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO BE HERE TO DO THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY OF PORT AUTHOR.
WE ASK THAT YOU BE IN OUR MIDST OF THAT.
WE DO THINGS DECENT AND AN ORDER, AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CITY AND ITS CITIZENS, WE ASK ALL THESE THINGS IN JESUS NAME.
LET'S SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TOGETHER IN UNISON.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN OUR OPENING CITY.
SECRETARY, MAYOR BARTEE, MAYOR PRO TIM HOLMES, COUNCIL MEMBER JONES, COUNCIL MEMBER, KEN LAW, COUNCIL MEMBER MARK'S COUNCIL MEMBER, MOSES COUNCIL MEMBER.
[II. PUBLIC HEARINGS — 10: 00 A.M.]
HAVE AND SHOULD HAVE BEGAN ABOUT 44 MINUTES AGO.UH, THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE AND CONSIDER PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ALL INTERESTED CITIZENS.
WITH REGARDS TO THE CITY OF PORT AUTHOR'S PROPOSED ANNUAL OPERATIONS, BUDGET AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL OPERATING BUDGET AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING, OCTOBER 1ST, 2022, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2023, THE PORT OFFICE UP, UH, PORT OUT THE SECTION FOUR EIGHT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS OPERATING BUDGET WILL ALSO BE CONSIDERED.
PUBLIC IS INVITED, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO VIEW THE PUBLIC HEARING VIA THE MEANS THAT I ANNOUNCED EARLIER AND ALSO ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AT WWW DOT PORT ARTHUR, TX.GOV.
NOW THIS BUDGET WERE RAISED MORE THAN MORE, UH, TOTAL PROPERTY TAXES THAN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET BY $2,909,794 OFF 13 POINT 45%.
AND OF THAT AMOUNT, $266,707 IS TAX REVENUE COULD BE RAISED FROM THE NEW PROPERTY ADDED TO THE TAX ROLL ON THIS YEAR.
IT WOULD BE TO CONSIDER ACTING UPON IN ADOPTING THE CITY OF PORT AUTHORS, PROPOSED ANNUAL BUDGET AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
[00:05:01]
WAS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING, OCTOBER 1ST, 2022, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2023.SO BASICALLY, UM, THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THE ACTION ITEM I ACTUALLY SEPARATE, BUT, UM, WE KNOW WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US, AND THEN THERE'S SOME OTHER ITEMS ON THE NEXT PAGE, BUT FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING, I JUST HAD SOMETHING TO SAY BEFORE FINANCE DIRECTOR AND CITY MANAGERS AND THEIR TEAM TOOK OVER, UM, JUST PURSUANT TO 1 0 2 0.07 AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING, THE GOVERNING BODY HAS TO TAKE SOME SORT OF ACTION.
AND, UH, IF WE DID ADOPT A BUDGET, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A RECORD VOTE.
SO THAT IS WHAT THE ACTION ITEM IS.
BUT BASICALLY, UM, PURSUANT TO THE, UH, 1 0 2 OF THE GOVERNMENT LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, WE FOLLOWED ALL THE STEPS AND HAVING ALL OF THE PUBLICATIONS IN THE PAPER OR GIVING NOTICE BOTH ON THE WEBSITE, THE TV, THE NEWSPAPER.
AND, UM, SO NOW WE'RE HOLDING A PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND ANY PERSON, UH, MAY ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE.
AND, UM, BASICALLY ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET.
AND THEN, UH, I MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO HELP WITH THE ACTION ITEM AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT WE CAN GO AHEAD WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME.
WOULD THERE BE ANY COMMENTS GO RIGHT AHEAD? THEY HAVE THE OPERATING TODAY.
WE DO HAVE A LITTLE PRESENTATION PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT IF THAT'S OKAY.
UH, JUST TO GO OVER, UH, THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BUDGET, IT IS THE, UH, PRESENTATION THAT SAYS PUBLIC HEARING ON THE FRONT.
UH, SO, UH, THE OTHER ONE WILL BE A LITTLE BIT LATER, UM, BUT THIS, THE ESTIMATED TAX RATE, UH, IS 69 CENTS.
THAT'S A REDUCTION OF 5 CENTS FROM 74 TO 69 CENTS IS INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET.
IT DOES INCLUDE A PROPOSED SALARY INCREASE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES OF THREE AND A HALF PERCENT.
UH, BUDGETS ARE BALANCED IN ALL MAJOR OPERATING FUNDS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TRANSFERS FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND EQUIPMENT.
UH, IT DOES ALSO INCLUDE AN 8% ADJUSTMENT TO THE CURRENT RATE STRUCTURE FOR WATER AND SEWER OVERALL OPERATING DEPARTMENTS ARE BUDGETED ON A STATUS QUO WITH LIMITED ADDITIONS.
NEXT PAGE, PLEASE, PAGE THREE, UH, THAT SOME OF THE CHANGES INCLUDE, UH, AN INCREASE OF SEVEN AUTHORIZED POSITIONS FOR IN THE GENERAL FUND TWO IN WATER UTILITIES AND ONE IN PLEASURE ISLAND.
IT ALSO INCLUDES EQUIPMENT PURCHASES OF 4.6 MILLION AND THE LEASE AT 37 VEHICLES THROUGH THE ENTERPRISE PROGRAM, NEW TECHNOLOGY PURCHASES OF 246,000.
ALSO THERE'S A NINE AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE, UH, INCLUDED IN PROJECTED COSTS FOR HEALTH INSURANCE.
PAGE FOUR, UM, TALKS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT SECTION THERE'S 36.5 MILLION TOTAL AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, 10.7 MILLION FOR STREET RECONSTRUCTION BRIDGE AND SIDEWALK REHAB 9.6 MILLION FOR FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS, 5.6 MILLION WATER UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, 5 MILLION TO THE SOLID WASTE, LANDFILL IMPROVEMENTS AND EQUIPMENT 2.1 MILLION IMPROVEMENTS TO PLEASURE ISLAND.
NEXT PAGE, UH, SHOWS YOU HOW THE FUNDING IS SPLIT UP FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THEY'RE PRIMARILY FROM OPERATIONS AND NEW BOND ISSUES FROM OPERATIONS.
THERE'S GOING TO BE 6.1 MILLION FROM THE GENERAL FUND, A 1.2 MILLION FROM WATER UTILITIES AND THEN A 24 1 MILLION BOND ISSUE, UH, CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION OF WHICH 15.2 MILLION WOULD BE TAX SUPPORTED.
AND 8.9 MILLION WOULD BE REVENUE SUPPORTED AND THE REVENUE SUPPORTED PORTION MAKES UP FROM WATER SOLID WASTE IN PLEASURE ISLAND.
SINCE THOSE ARE ENTERPRISE FUNDS, NEXT PAGE, UH, SHOWS OUR FUND BALANCE POLICY.
OUR TARGET FUND BALANCE IS 60 DAYS OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES PLUS ONE AND A HALF MILLION.
UH, THIS DOES LEAVE OUR ENDING FUND BALANCE FOR FISCAL 23.
IT'S 21.3 MILLION AND THAT'S 107 DAYS OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES.
AND WHEN EVEN AFTER YOU TAKE OUT THE REQUIRED AMOUNTS, YOU STILL HAVE AN EXCESS OF 7.8 MILLION OR 39 DAYS EXCESS THAT, UH, THAT'S INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET FOR THE GENERAL FUNDS.
NEXT PAGE IS A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT THE GENERAL FUND WOULD LOOK LIKE.
THIS SHOWS YOUR AMENDED BUDGET, YOUR CURRENT, YOUR ESTIMATE, AND THEN YOUR PROPOSED
[00:10:01]
FOR 23.SO YOUR TOTAL REVENUES PROPOSED FOR FISCAL YEAR OF 23 FOR THE GENERAL FUND, 75.3 MILLION.
WE HAVE OPERATING EXPENDITURES OF 72.8 MILLION AND TRANSFERS AND OTHER EXPENSES OF 10.8, AT LEAST A NET, UH, UNDER THERE OF 8.3 MILLION, BUT WE HAVE 8.6 MILLION TRANSFERRED TO CAPITAL AND EQUIPMENT.
SO THAT IS WELL WITHIN OUR POLICY REQUIREMENTS THERE, UH, THAT DOES LEAVE AN ENDING FUND BALANCE.
AS I MENTIONED A WHILE AGO OF 21.3 MILLION NEXT PAGE, UH, WE HAVE THE SUMMARY FOR THE WATER UTILITY FUND.
AS I MENTIONED, IT DOES INCLUDE AN 8% INCREASE ADJUSTMENT FOR REVENUES.
UH, THE TOTAL PROPOSED FOR FISCAL YEAR 23 REVENUES IS 34.5 MILLION WITH OPERATING EXPENDITURES OF 25.7 AND TRANSFERS OF 8 MILLION LEAVING A $670,000 POSITIVE BALANCE SOLID WASTE FUND IS THE NEXT PAGE.
UH, WE HAVE REVENUES OF 10.6 MILLION OPERATING EXPENDITURES, 7.6 AND TRANSFERS OF 2.3, LEAVING $705,000, UH, REVENUE OVER EXPENSES IN THAT FUND.
AND THAT IS YOUR, YOUR BASIC, UM, SUMMARY OF THE BUDGET.
THE LAST PAGE JUST SHOWS OUR KEY DATES TODAY, AUGUST 29TH, BEING THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET.
UH, AND LIKE I SAID, YOU WILL TAKE AN ACTION AFTER THIS.
AND THEN SEPTEMBER 1ST ON THURSDAY, HOPEFULLY WE'LL HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TAX, WRITE AND ADOPT THE BUDGET AND THE TAX ROLL AND THE TAX RATE THAT MORNING AT 10:00 AM.
UM, I GUESS, MOVED TO THE CITIZEN COMMENTS AFTER THIS, ANY, ANY FURTHER, UH, CITY MANAGER BEFORE WE PUT THAT PUBLIC INPUT, YOU SHARED US PUBLIC INPUT, ANY CITIZEN PUBLIC INPUT I GET, THERE ARE NOT ANY PREGNANT TO WHO WISH TO HAVE PUBLIC INPUT FROM COUNCIL COSMIN MARKS.
SO I CAN JUST WAIT AND TELL THEM, OKAY, I'LL WAIT UNTIL THE WORKSHOP.
YEAH, WE WERE GOING TO GO DOWN.
ANYONE ELSE ON THE PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.
SO I CAN, I WOULD ASSUME, UH, IN FACT, A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ATTORNEY.
UH, COUNSELING SESSION COST FROM HOME.
THE MOVES IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD END THE PUBLIC WORKSHOP.
IT NOW AT 10 54, A M R A QUESTION DOWN IN THE QUESTIONS, READY TO VOTE ALL IN FAVOR, ANY OPPOSED US AS AVERAGE OR HIS HONOR, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW ENDED.
AND NOW WE DO THINK YOU HAVE A COUNCIL.
MACAU JONES HAS JOINED THE MEETING AND SAW CITY SECRETARY AS YOU MAKE THAT NOTE AS WELL.
UH, WE'RE NOW, UH, ACTION ITEM AT THE BOWL, SORRY.
YOU AND I WAS GOING TO FAST OR CONSIDER TAKING ACTION ON ADAPTING THE, UH, CITY OF PORT AUTHOR'S PROPOSED ANNUAL BUDGET.
AND I DID READ IT, BUT CATHERINE MARKS YOU HAVE A MOTION.
W WE WERE GOING TO LET ME, I'D HAVE A QUICK ONE.
AND YET THERE IS A MOTION THAT I TYPED UP CAUSE UH, WE HAD TO HAVE SOME SPECIFIC LANGUAGE, BUT, UH, TODAY, UH, WE HAVE ACCORDING TO 1 0 2 0.06 B, WE HAD A PUBLIC HEARING AND THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET HAS TO BE BEFORE THE DATE OF THE TAX LEVY.
UM, WE HAVE HAD THE HEARING, IT WAS 15 DAYS AFTER, AT LEAST 15 DAYS AFTER IT WAS FILED WITH THE CLERK.
SO ACCORDING TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE AT THIS POINT, THE CITY MUST TAKE SOME SORT OF ACTION ON THE BUDGET.
AND ACCORDING TO 1 0 2 0.07, THE ACTION THAT WE TAKE TODAY COULD BE TO ADOPT A BUDGET OR A VOTE TO POSTPONE THE FINAL BUDGET.
UM, AND JUST AS A NOTICE, GENERALLY ACCEPTED THAT THE CITY DOES NEED TO ADOPT THE BUDGET AT THE END OF THIS HEARING.
SO NOW AT THIS TIME WE HAVE A MOTION, UM, CAUSE WE HAVE TO TAKE EITHER ACTION TO VOTE ON THE BUDGET OR POSTPONE IT.
[00:15:01]
WE'LL DO, UM, HAVE THE MOTION NOW AND WE WILL POSTPONE THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET UNTIL THURSDAY.YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR? OH, NO.
UH, WE HAD A MISPRINT IN THE PAPER.
SO THE TAX RATE WOULD BE ON THURSDAY.
MA'AM BUT IT WASN'T A MISPRINT.
WELL, THEY JUST DIDN'T GET THE RIGHT TERMS. OKAY.
WELL, WE MISS YOU DEARLY ON THAT PAPER.
NOT PUTTING OUR MEETING IN THE PAPER.
YOU SEE, BECAUSE IF I DID SOMETHING WRONG, EVERYBODY BE A PIT JUMPING OVER ME.
I SAW OUR STAFF WORK VERY HARD TO BE SURE THAT THIS MEETING WOULD TAKE PLACE TODAY BECAUSE OF THE DELICATE NATURE OF THE EMPLOYEES AND OUR NEWSPAPER.
THEY PUT IT ANOTHER CITY'S INFORMATION AND NOT PORT OFFICE.
I WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW, AND THEY SHOULD NOT TREAT THE CITY IN WHICH THEY OPERATE IT IN SUCH A DERELICT MANNER.
IT WAS A NO PRINT AND IT WAS ON THEIR PART AND THEY, THEY, THEY REALLY, THEY MESSED UP THE WHOLE SCHEDULE THAT WE HAVE GOING FORWARD.
NOW WE'RE READY TO A MOTION AND MOTION.
THE MOTION WOULD HAVE TO BE MADE AND THEY'LL HAVE TO BE A SECOND OR IN A ROLL CALL, VOTE TO GO RIGHT HERE AND COUNSEL THEM AT HOME.
I MOVED AT THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 22, 20 23 OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BE POSTPONED AND THAT THE FINAL VOTE ON THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET TAKE PLACE ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2022 SECOND, A SECOND EMOTION I MOVED.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD, UH, PASS.
AND EXCEPT THE MOTION HAS MADE STATED BY COUNCILMAN HOMES.
WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT AND OTHER DISCUSSION ALL IN FAVOR AND HE'LL POSES AS AMBIGUOUS, EXCEPT THAT MOTION TO DO A ROLL CALL THOUGH.
OH, THE MAYOR PRO TEM HOMES, COUNCIL MEMBER JONES, COUNCIL MEMBER MARKS, COUNCIL MEMBER, MOSES MAY YOUR BARR TEAM, MAY YOUR BARR TEAM.
[III. WORKSHOP]
WE'RE READY TO GO INTO THE WORKSHOP, UH, CALLS MEETING AND ALL THE CROWS EXECUTIVE SESSION.WE WILL MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION.
TO DISCUSS THE, UH, YEAH, I'M TRYING TO GET MY BAD.
I WAS TRYING TO GET OUT INTO THE OF ME.
TO DISCUSS THE POPE PROPOSED, UH, FISCAL YEARS, 22, 20 22, 20 23 BUDGET.
THE PRESENTATION, THE ONE THAT DOESN'T SAY PUBLIC HEARING ON IT IS THE ONE WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH NOW.
AND, UH, TO START OUT WITH WHAT, WHAT I WANTED TO GO OVER WITH YOU IS THE, THE CHANGES THAT WE'VE MADE SINCE THE TIME WE SUBMITTED THE BUDGET TILL NOW.
SO WHERE I'M GOING TO GO OVER ALL OF THE CHANGES, WE'D BE KIND OF IN A SUMMARY FORMAT SO THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT'S BEEN CHANGED SO FAR.
THE FIRST PAGE IS PAGE TWO, UM, SHOWS THE CHANGES TO THE GENERAL FUND, THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES, UH, THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IS BEING REDUCED BY 1.4 MILLION THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAD TO REDUCE THE PROPERTY TAX RATE FROM 74 CENTS TO 69 CENTS.
SO WE HAVE A REDUCTION THERE AND THEN THE EXPENDITURES FOR THE GENERAL FUND, THERE WAS A FEW THINGS THAT MADE UP THE CHANGES THERE.
THE FIRST IS THE REDUCTION IN THE COST OF LIVING INCREASED TO THREE AND A HALF PERCENT.
SO $260,000 REDUCTION IS THE DIFFERENCE THERE.
WE'RE REDUCING THE SPECIAL PURPOSE, UH, ACCOUNT, UH, FOR, UH, THE LEGAL FEES THAT ARE ACTUALLY BUDGETED IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT NOW.
THE NEXT THING IS 98,000 REDUCTION.
[00:20:01]
THE FUNDING OF THE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS POSITION FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.UH, THIS WAS PREVIOUSLY FUNDED BY CDBG AND WE PROPOSE TO FUND IT WITH THE ART FUNDS FOR ONE YEAR.
AND THEN THE LAST THING IS WE CAN REDUCE THE TRANSFER TO CAPITAL RESERVE FOR A GENERATOR FOR, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S H O MILLS.
UH, THAT WAS ALSO A DUPLICATION THAT IS PART OF A GRANT, THE BRICK GRANT PROGRAM.
UH, AND WE WON'T BE NEEDING TO MAKE THAT TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE FUNDED FROM A GRANT.
SO THAT'S A TOTAL OF 528,000 REDUCTION IN EXPENDITURES FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
YOU GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, LINDSAY, THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF THE CHANGES, THE LAST TWO COLUMNS.
UM, WELL, THE S THE FIRST COLUMN IS OUR CURRENT YEAR ESTIMATE.
THE SECOND COLUMN IS WHAT WE ORIGINALLY PROPOSED.
AND THEN THE THIRD COLUMN IS THE REVISED, UH, REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES.
SO WE'RE AT 75.3 MILLION, WHICH IS A 1.4 MILLION REDUCTION OPERATING EXPENDITURES.
WE'RE REDUCING 428,000 TO 72.8 MILLION.
AND THE 4 28 IS THE COMBINATION OF THE 260,000 COSTS OF LIVING THE LEGAL FEE REDUCTION AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT POSITION.
SO THAT'S YOUR 428,000 REDUCTION.
AND THEN THE NEXT LINE IS YOUR TRANSFERS TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND EQUIPMENT.
AND THAT HUNDRED THOUSAND IS THE GENERATOR THAT IS NOT NEEDING TO BE FUNDED FROM THE GENERAL FUND ANY LONGER.
AND THEN WE HAVE OTHER TRANSFERS OF TWO POINTS TO, UH, SO THAT YOUR NET UNDER IS 8.3, AND THAT IS AN $872,000 REDUCTION TO FUND BALANCE.
BUT AS I'LL SHOW YOU HERE IN A SECOND, THAT IS WELL WITHIN THE POLICY, UH, REQUIREMENTS.
WE DO STILL HAVE A VERY HEALTHY FUND BALANCE.
AND SO THAT WAS, UH, ADEQUATE, UH, NEXT PAGE, JUST DETAILS OUT THE TRANSFERS, UH, THE FIRST LINE, UH, THE SAME COLUMNS.
THE FIRST LINE IS TRANSFERS TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OF 6 MILLION AND THE CAPITAL RESERVE OF 2.5.
AND WE DO ADD THOSE TWO LINES TOGETHER, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND EQUIPMENT, UH, FOR THE 8.6 MILLION.
UH, AND THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY CHANGE IN THERE.
THE OTHER TRANSFERS WERE, UH, STAYED THE SAME, JUST THE GENERATOR, UH, IS THE ONLY THING WE TOOK OUT OF THE TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, LINDSEY, WE HAVE THE FUND BALANCE AGAIN, SHOWING YOU THE DIFFERENCE IN WHAT WE HAD.
WE ORIGINALLY PROPOSED A 22.2 MILLION ENDING FUND BALANCE OF 111 DAYS, AND THAT'S BEEN REDUCED TO 21.3 MILLION OR 107 DAYS.
THAT IS WELL IN EXCESS OF 60 DAYS, PLUS ONE AND A HALF MILLION, SO THAT OUR EXCESS IS STILL 7.8 MILLION OR 39 DAYS.
UM, THAT IS STILL A VERY, VERY HEALTHY FUND BALANCE.
AND WE FEEL THAT THAT IS ADEQUATE PAGE, UH, NEXT PAGE.
AND DOESN'T HAVE A PAGE SIX ON IT IS ACTUALLY PAGE SIX.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE WATER FUND HERE FOR JUST A MINUTE.
UM, AS, UH, HANEY DISCUSSED WITH THE, AT THE LAST MEETING, UH, THEY DO PROPOSE AN 8% RENT INCREASE, UM, RATE INCREASE FOR WATER AND SEWER.
THAT RIDGE IS ORIGINALLY 15% AND THEY REDUCED THAT TO 8%.
SO THAT DIFFERENCE IS, UH, THEY'RE ABLE TO, UH, THEY'RE GOING TO BE REDUCING THE REVENUES BY 2.4 MILLION.
AND THEN ON THE EXPENSE SIDE, THE COST OF LIVING, UH, IS REDUCED FROM 4% TO THREE AND A HALF.
UH, THEY'RE GOING TO REMOVE A VACTOR TRUCK FOR 480,000, WHICH, UH, I BELIEVE YOU SAID THEY WERE GOING TO PURCHASE ONE USED THIS YEAR.
SO THEY WERE NOT GOING TO NEED THAT AND TO REDUCE THE LIFT STATION CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS BY A MILLION DOLLARS, UM, THAT WAS GOING TO BE FUNDED FROM THE WATER FUND.
AND SO THAT'S A TOTAL OF $1.5 MILLION REDUCTION THERE IN EXPENSES.
THE NEXT PAGE IS THE SNAPSHOT OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, UM, REVENUES FOR FISCAL YEAR 23, OR PROPOSED NOW TO BE 34.5 MILLION.
THAT'S A $2.4 MILLION REDUCTION FROM WHERE WE ORIGINALLY WERE.
UM, WHEN WE PROPOSED THE OPERATING EXPENDITURES, GO FROM
[00:25:01]
25.7, UH, OR 25.8 TO 25.7, WHICH IS A $45,000 REDUCTION.AND THEN YOUR TRANSFERS ARE REDUCED BY A MILLION, FOUR 80, AND THAT IS THE VACTOR TRUCK, UH, FOR 480,000 AND THE LIFT STATION IMPROVEMENTS FOR A MILLION.
SO THAT IS A, THAT IS A TOTAL OF $900,000 REDUCTION THERE.
AND IT LEAVES THE $670,000 POSITIVE, UH, REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES FOR THE WATER FUND.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT, UH, I HAVE THE OTHER INCREASES IN DECREASES, UH, RELATED TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT EXPENDITURES, AND WE MADE SOME ENDS AND SOME OUTS HERE.
SO I WANTED TO COVER ALL, ALL THE DIFFERENT INS AND OUTS.
UH, THE FIRST LINE HERE IS THE GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS, UM, EMERGENCY GENERATORS.
UH, WE REALIZED WE HAD NOT BUDGETED FOR THE REST OF THE GRANT.
WE DO NEED TO APPROPRIATE, EVEN THOUGH THE FUNDING IS GOING TO BE COMING FROM THE GRANT, WE NEED TO APPROPRIATE THE EXPENDITURES IN THE EVENT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE GET THE GRANT, WE WON'T SPEND THE MONEY UNTIL THE GRANT ACTUALLY IS AWARDED, BUT I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLOSE.
AND SO WE WANTED TO PUT IN THE BUDGET OF 500,000 FOR THE DIFFERENT GENERATORS THAT THE GRANT COVERS, UH, THE WATER IMPROVEMENT LIFT STATIONS.
WE'RE REDUCING THOSE BY A MILLION DOLLARS.
AS WE MENTIONED, UH, THE ELEVATED STORAGE TANK REHAB IS REDUCED BY A HUNDRED THOUSAND AND THEN THE NEXT LINE SOLID WASTE, UH, EQUIPMENT.
WE NEED TO INCREASE THE COST OF TWO TRASH TRUCKS BY A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THERE IS A MEMO AT YOUR DESK THAT WE PASSED OUT THIS MORNING AS WELL.
WE BUDGETED 250,000 FOR TWO TRASH TRUCKS THIS YEAR, THINKING THAT WAS ENOUGH.
LAST YEAR, WE BUDGETED ONE 15.
AND WHEN WE GOT THE QUOTE, WE NEEDED 300 FOR EACH PRICES ARE JUST CONTINUING TO RISE AND RISE.
AND SO WE FELT LIKE IT WOULD BE BETTER TO GO AHEAD AND TRY TO INCREASE THE BUDGET AT THIS POINT.
AND THESE WOULD BE FUNDED FROM CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION.
SO THAT'S THAT INCREASE THERE.
THE NEXT LINE ON THE PLEASURE ISLAND IMPROVEMENTS, WE HAD A BULKHEAD PROJECT.
THEY THEY'RE FREE PRIORITIZE THOSE PROJECTS JUST A LITTLE BIT.
GEORGE DID, AND, UH, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THAT PROJECT TO FISCAL YEAR 24, AND THEN IN ITS PLACE, DO THE LAKEFRONT PARK PLAYSCAPES FIRST AND PUT THOSE INTO THE CURRENT YEAR.
SO IT'S A NET OF DOESN'T CHANGE THE NUMBERS ANY, BUT IT DOES CHANGE THE PROJECT.
SO I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THOSE PROJECTS WERE RE WE'RE CHANGING, AND IT'S A TOTAL, UH, DECREASE THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OF $500,000.
UM, THE NEXT PAGE, UH, WE HAVE THE OTHER, UH, INCREASES TO THE OTHER FUNDS, THE SOLID WASTE FUND.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO REDUCE THE COST OF LIVING AGAIN TO THREE AND A HALF PERCENT THAT REDUCES IT BY 16,000.
UH, THE COLA, UH, REDUCES THE PLEASURE ISLAND FUND BY 2000 REDUCES TRANSIT BY 10,000, THE REGULATORY ENFORCEMENT FUND BY $300.
I BELIEVE THERE WAS ONE PERSON THERE.
AND THEN, UH, THE CAPITAL RESERVE FUND, AS I MENTIONED, UH, WE'RE TAKING THE GENERATOR FOR AAO MEALS OUT OF CAPITAL RESERVE AND ADDING IT INTO CAPSULE, UM, IMPROVEMENTS TO BE, UH, FUNDED FROM THE GRANT RATHER THAN FUNDED FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE.
UH, THE OTHER LINE IS THE VACTOR TRUCK, WHICH WE'RE REMOVING FROM THE CAPITAL RESERVE FUND.
SOMETIMES IT LOOKS LIKE I HAVE THESE IN TWO PLACES AND IT'S BECAUSE IT GOES BETWEEN ONE FUND AND ANOTHER FUND.
AND SO YOU HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT BOTH FUNDS.
AND THEN THE LAST IS THE EDC FUND REDUCES BY 400,000 RELATED TO THE, UH, COST OF LIVING INCREASE CHANGE 4,000.
IS THAT WHAT I SAID? 100 OH 4,000.
AND THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE THE LAST STAGE IS JUST TO REHASH AND THE DATES THAT WE PROPOSE TO, UM, HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TAX RATE AND ADOPT EVERYTHING ON THURSDAY.
AND NOW IF Y'ALL HAVE QUESTIONS, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM GO RIGHT.
UH, UH, UH, THANK YOU, CANDY FOR THE REPORT.
UH, JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UH, I'VE BEEN OUT OF TOWN, SO I MISSED ALL THE OTHER, UH, WORKSHOPS.
AND SO, UH, ON THE, WHEN I LEFT THE LAST MEETING I WAS IN, THERE WAS GOING TO BE, UH, UH,
[00:30:01]
UH, COST OF LIVING INCREASE TO 4% AND WE REDUCED IT TO 3.5, SAVE $260,000.BUT IS THAT, UH, AS FAR AS THE FUND BALANCE IS CONCERNED, IT IS, IT WAS THERE NO WAY WE CAN LEAVE THAT AT 4% FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, YOU COULD LEAVE IT AT 4%, IT WILL REDUCE YOUR FUND BALANCE IN THE GENERAL FUND.
LIKE I SAID, ABOUT 400, 260,000, BUT 260.
AND, AND ACCORDING TO WHAT WE'VE BEEN PRESENTED TODAY, THE, THE FUND BALANCES IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE.
UH, SO AT $260,000 WOULD BE SPREAD OUT ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS, ALL EMPLOYEES, RIGHT, RIGHT.
THERE, ALL THAT IS THE 260,000 IS THE GENERAL FUND.
ONLY AS YOU SEE, I MENTIONED SOME OTHER FUNDS THERE, LESSER AMOUNTS IN THE OTHER FUNDS, BUT ALL OF THE FUNDS ARE, WILL BE AFFECTED BY THE CHANGE.
UM, LIKE I SAID, THE WATER FUND, I BELIEVE IT'S A $45,000 CHANGE AND IN DIFFERENT AMOUNTS FOR THE OTHER DIFFERENT FUNDS, BUT THE TWO 60 IS THE GENERAL FUND EMPLOYEES, BUT WE TEND TO DO ACROSS THE BOARD, WHATEVER WE DO FOR GENERAL FUND, WE DO FOR EVERYBODY.
AND IT JUST OUT OF, OUT OF FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND, AND HOPING TO DO WHAT WE CAN FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, AS FAR AS THE, UH, WHAT WE CAN DO TO, TO INCREASE THEIR, THEIR, THEIR, THEIR SALARIES BECAUSE OF INFLATION AND EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ESPECIALLY WITH, UH, IT'S GOOD TO SEE GAS PRICES AND THINGS GOING DOWN, BUT 4%, UH, $260,000.
AND, AND, UH, COMPARED TO WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE.
I JUST THINK THAT WE COULD PROBABLY DO THAT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
UM, YEAH, BUT THAT'S THAT'S TO ME.
SO SECOND THING IS, UH, ON, UH, SIX PAGE TWO, UH, OF THE WORKSHOP PROPOSED BUDGET, UM, SAYS, OKAY.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS EARLIER ABOUT REMOVING THE LEGAL SERVICES.
THEN YOU SAID THAT WAS A DUPLICATION, THAT $70,000 WAS A DUPLICATION, AND THAT WILL NOW BE HANDLED OUT OF LEGAL DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET.
AND THE, UH, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS POSITION FOR, UH, I GUESS, UH, FOR THE $98,000, AND THAT WAS GOING TO BE HANDLED BY AARP.
WE PREFER, WE, WE HAVE ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND THAT HAS NOT BEEN ALLOCATED TO ANYTHING OUT OF THE ARPA FUNDS.
AND WE PROPOSE TO GO AHEAD AND USE THAT FOR ONE YEAR AND, UH, EITHER, YOU KNOW, FIND SOME OTHER FUNDING SOURCES GOING FORWARD.
SO THAT AFTER THAT ONE YEAR, WILL IT BECOME A PERMANENT CITY YES.
UH, AND THEN ON PAGE FOUR, WHO TRANSFERS TO, UH, TO THE OTHER FUNDS? THE ONE THAT, THAT REALLY, UH, I'M LOOKING AT IS THE THIRD ONE FROM THE BOTTOM, UH, GOLF COURSE, AND, UH, THE $50,000 AS SHOWN HERE, THAT'S THE REVENUES THAT ARE PAID.
IT WAS A REQUIRED TRANSFER PER THE CONTRACT THAT THE GENERAL FUND HAS TO CONTRIBUTE $50,000 IN REPAIRS EVERY YEAR.
AND I GUESS WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS WHERE IS THE, THE REVENUES GENERATED FROM THE, THE GOLF COURSE FEES OR WHATEVER, WHERE'S THAT IN HERE? WELL, THERE'S NOT VERY MUCH, BUT IT'S IN, UH, IT'S IN YOUR SPECIAL FUNDS SECTION.
IF YOU GO, IF YOU GO TO YOUR DOCUMENT, YOUR ACTUAL BUDGET DOCUMENT GAVE US IN THE NOTEBOOK.
PAGE 1 0 2 IN YOUR, UH, IN YOUR BUDGET DOCUMENT.
MAY I ASK A QUICK QUESTION? DOES
[00:35:01]
IT GO GRAY BACK? WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE GOLF COURSE, DOESN'T THAT MONEY GO BACK TO THE CONTRACTOR, THE WAY THE CONTRACT RATES THAT SOME OF THE FUNDS FROM THAT DOES NOT GIVE BACK TO THE COLLEGE.I'M JUST TRYING TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING.
I KNOW I WAS ASKED TO SERVE ON A COMMITTEE.
WELL, WE HAVE, IF YOU LOOK AT PAGE 1 0 2 FOR FISCAL YEAR 23, WE HAVE $5,000 BUDGETED IN REVENUE COMING IN THIS YEAR.
I BELIEVE WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO RECEIVE ABOUT 15,000, UH, IN REVENUE BECAUSE I GUESS THE GOLF COURSE DID REALLY WELL.
WE DON'T GET ANY MONEY UNTIL IT GOES OVER CERTAIN AMOUNT.
I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE ANY OF THE SPECIFICS WITH ME.
UM, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE TRANSFER IN FROM THE GENERAL FUND UP THERE, THE 50,000 EVERY YEAR, BECAUSE IT IS REQUIRED FOR THIS CONTRACT, PUT IT IN HERE, AND THEN WHATEVER MONEY IS AVAILABLE IN HERE, THEY USE THAT MONEY TO MAKE REPAIRS OUT THERE.
SO, UH, THEY, THEY DO PLAN TO MAKE SOME REPAIRS WITH THAT 50,000.
I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT, AND I'M NOT SURE MR. MANAGER, IF THIS IS THE PROPER VENUE FOR ME TO ASK THIS QUESTION THOUGH, BUT THE, UH, AS A MAJOR DRAINAGE PROJECT THAT'S BEEN ON, ON THE TABLE FOR THE GOLF COURSE, UH, AND WE, WE KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE DONE IN PHASE, WHERE ARE WE? BECAUSE AFTER THE LAST RAIN THAT WE HAD OUT THERE, UH, ON, IN THE STONE GATE, TURTLE CREEK AREA, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ACTUALLY, THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY GOT A LITTLE BIT AWARD IN THEIR HOMES, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO PROCEED OR EVEN INITIATE THAT PROJECT WITHOUT THE OWNERSHIP, UH, NOT THE OWNERSHIP, BUT THE, THE LEASEE'S, UH, UH, APPROVAL.
UH, AND, AND THAT'S THE HOLD UP AND GETTING THAT, THAT, THAT MAJOR DRAINAGE PROJECT GOING OUT THERE AGAIN IS THIS, THIS MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT VENUE, AND WE MIGHT NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT THIS SOMEWHERE ELSE, BUT, UM, WHAT CAN, WHERE ARE WE WITH PROJECTS WHERE WE ARE IS ON FRIDAY.
WE HAD A MEETING, WELL, COUNCILMAN KINLAW AND MY STAFF, WE, WE MET, UM, AND THE DISCUSSION SURROUNDED, PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE.
I THINK WE NEED TO WORK VERY CLOSELY.
AND THAT WAS THE DECISION THAT CAME OUT OF THE MEETING.
WE NEED TO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH D D SEVEN, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PICK UP WHERE WE HAVE LEFT OUT IN THE LAST FOUR TO FIVE YEARS ON PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, BOTH BETWEEN THE CITY AND, UM, THE D SEVEN.
SO WHAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW, WE ARE SCHEDULING A MEETING THE FUNDING, AS YOU RIGHTLY SAID, YOU KNOW, THE FUNDING FOR THE, UM, FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT IS IN QUESTION.
UM, THERE WERE TWO PRESENTATIONS THAT WAS BEING DONE BY EURO, UM, AT THE TIME, UM, UPDATING US AS TO WHERE THE FUNDING WAS, BUT IN ORDER TO PROVIDE SOME SORT OF IMMEDIATE RELIEF TO THE PERSONS, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT ANYTIME FROM NOW, IT'S GOING TO RAIN AGAIN.
AND, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS GOING TO BE COMPROMISED UP TO THIS MORNING.
HANEY AND, UM, WE ARE PLANNING TO MEET WITH VD SEVEN, TO WORK VERY DILIGENTLY ON THE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE OF OUR FACILITIES, AS FAR AS WELL AS THE DD SEVEN FACILITIES, WE'RE GOING TO WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THEM TO DO THAT.
AND THAT WILL CERTAINLY BRING SOME RELIEF BECAUSE WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE LAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS, UM, WE HAVE NOT BEEN VERY DILIGENT IN DOING THAT.
PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCES IS, IS VERY IMPORTANT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THOUGH, I THINK WE HAVE A, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S TABLE READY, BUT THERE IS A DESIGN TO DO PHASES ON THE GOLF COURSE TO, TO, TO ENHANCE THE DRAINAGE, UH, CAPACITY IN THAT AREA, BUT IT'S GONNA REQUIRE, UH, US HAVING, UH, YEAH.
HAVING TO SHUT DOWN PORTIONS OF THE GOLF COURSE AS WE DO THESE THINGS IN PHASES.
AND I, I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE, THE, THE STICKING POINTS THAT, UH, THE ONE COMMITTEE MEETING THAT I'VE BEEN TO, THAT THE LESS THE LEASEES, UH, OR, OR, OR CONCERNED ABOUT WAS THAT IF THEY, IF WE SHUT DOWN PORTIONS OF, OF THE GOLF COURSE, THAT THAT REVENUES WERE GOING
[00:40:01]
TO DECREASE.BUT IN THE MEANTIME, UH, THE CITIZENS THAT LIVE IN THAT AREA ARE BEING INUNDATED WITH WATER.
WHENEVER THERE IS A HARD RAIN OR A, UH, LONG RAIN, AND I'M NOT SURE, UH, WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET ANOTHER ONE? I THINK THERE'S SOME, SOME WEATHER FORMING OUT THERE IN THE GULF RIGHT NOW.
SO MY CONCERN IS BECAUSE PORT PART OF THAT AREA IS IN MY DISTRICT, IS THAT WHEN, WHEN I GET CALLS ABOUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? AND WE TALK ABOUT, WE HAVE A, A PLAN AND WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT DESIGNS ALREADY LAID OUT.
UH, THERE IS MONIES ARE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THERE'S ALREADY MONEY IS LAID OUT THERE TOO, FOR US TO DO THESE THINGS.
WE NEED TO FIND SOME TYPE OF MIDDLE GROUND WITH, WITH THE PEOPLE THAT, THAT ARE WRITTEN ARE LEASING A GOLF COURSE TO GET THESE THINGS DONE, BECAUSE EVENTUALLY IT'S GOING TO BENEFIT THEM AS WELL AS THE CONSTITUENTS IN THAT AREA.
BECAUSE IF WE CAN GET THE DRAINAGE TO A POINT WHERE THE WATER IS FLOWING, WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO FLOW, THEN, THEN THE GOLF COURSE WILL BE OPEN MORE, MORE, MORE, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT DOING IT.
SO, UH, I JUST LIKE TO SEE US, ESPECIALLY SINCE I'M ON THE COMMITTEE, WHENEVER WE HAVE ANOTHER MEETING, I LIKE TO BE CONTACTED SO I CAN ATTEND A MEETING, UH, CONCERNING WE WILL.
AND, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS COUNSELOR WITH IT REALLY LOOKING AT AS WELL, UM, I THINK THE CONTRACT COMES UP NEXT YEAR.
I THINK WE NEED TO VIGOROUSLY REVIEW THE CONTRACT AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED, AND ALSO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INFORM THE, UM, THE LISIO THERE THAT, UM, WE, UH, IN THE PROCESS, UM, IF THE PROJECT CONTINUES, YOU KNOW, TO USE SOME PARTS OF THE GOLF COURSE FOR RETENTION SLASH DETENTION, I THINK THE WORD IS OUT THERE ALREADY.
THEY ARE AWARE OF THAT, BUT IN NEGOTIATING, IN RENEGOTIATING THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT.
ANY OTHER MARKS OR, UH, SOMETHING CATHERINE MARK BROUGHT UP THE CANDY AND INTO YOUR TEAM, UH, ABOUT THE 4% COST OF LIVING INCREASE.
AND I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT IT AND AGREED AND SAID, UH, UH, AGREED IN PRINCIPLE BROTHER ABOUT, UH, GOING TO 3.5 AND HOW IT WOULD BALANCED THE BUDGET.
HOWEVER, HE DID SAY SOMETHING, UH, AND I PROPOSED THE QUESTION AND MAYBE WE HAD THE HOUSE AND I DIDN'T, IT DIDN'T, UH, REALLY, UH, DAWN ON ME THAT AT THAT MOMENT, IF WE DID ANSWER IT IS THAT IF WE GO BACK TO 4%, UH, AND WE TALKING ABOUT YOU GET A MONETARY AMOUNT OF 250,000, I THINK YOU DID TWO AND 264,000 WOULD BE THE SAVINGS OF THAT FIVE PERCENTAGE POINTS OR FIVE TENTS OR WHATEVER IT IS, I THINK, UH, POINTS.
UH, AND OF COURSE YOU WOULD WANT THE EMPLOYEES TO BE COMPENSATED AND TO BE SATISFIED AND WANTING TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH RETENTION OF EMPLOYEES, BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ACROSS THE BOARD, A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS.
NOW, IF WE WERE JUST RECONSIDER THAT ONE ELEMENT THERE, I WANT TO ASK HIM FOR INFORMATION SAKE.
IF WE WOULD GO WITH 3.5, NOW WHAT OUR PLANS UP FOR AS WE ANTICIPATE AN INCREASE IN THE FUTURE, ARE WE PLAYING IT ON NEXT, UH, BUT, UH, CYCLE TO, YOU KNOW, GET THEM TO THE 4% OR FOUR POINTS UP IN A 5% OR D DO, DO WE HAVE ANY, ANY, ANY PLAN FINANCIALLY THAT WOULD KEEP US, YOU KNOW, ABOVE BOAT, I GUESS, IN THE BLACK AND YET, UH, KEEP THE EMPLOYEES IN, UH, UH, A WELL COMPENSATED, UH, ZONE.
UH, I KNOW SILVER SERVICE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THOSE BECAUSE THEY ARE CONTRACTUAL AND THEY HAVE A WHOLE DIFFERENT TYPE OF A PAY SCALE THAT THAT'S NEGOTIATED.
AND THE UNEMPLOYMENT EMPLOYEES ARE BASICALLY AT WHEEL.
AND, UH, WE ARE DEALING WITH SOME COMPETITIVE OR IN A COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW, ON SOME OF OUR DRIVERS WE'VE LOST IN SOME OTHERS.
SO THAT'S ALL I, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SAY THAT, IT MADE ME BEGIN TO THINK, AND WITH THE, UH, FUN BALANCE, UH, FROM WHAT I SEE, EVEN WITH THE FUND BALANCE, IF WE STAYED WITHIN,
[00:45:02]
UH, 21 MILLION OR SO HAVING THAT NUMBER, HAVING MET THOSE FUNDS AVAILABLE, AND I THINK WE'RE ABOUT 39 DAYS OVER WHAT THE STATE REQUIRES ABOUT IF I RECALL IT CORRECTLY.SO, UH, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE PROJECTED 3.5 RIGHT NOW, IF WE ADDED THAT BACK INTO IT, HOW WOULD THAT AFFECT US IN OUR FUND BALANCE? LET ME, LET ME ONSET GO AHEAD.
YEAH, LET ME, LET ME JUST MAY, I'M LOOKING AHEAD.
UM, MY DISCUSSION WITH THE SENIOR STAFF IS FOR THE FUTURE, WE CALL PRESENTLY CONTRIBUTE 5%, UH, TIM TORTILLA MERITS FOR EMPLOYEES FOR RETIREMENT.
AS I CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE INFLATION, UM, THAT'S ON THE HORIZON, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AND I KNEW IT WOULD BE SUBSTANTIAL, UM, TO SOME EXTENT, UM, BUT IN THE LONG RUN, I THINK IT WILL BENEFIT THE EMPLOYEES MUCH BETTER.
I'M LOOKING AT MOVING FROM 5% TO 7% OVER A PERIOD OF TIME THAT WILL TAKE A SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT.
WE ARE BEGINNING TO CRUNCH THE NUMBERS RIGHT NOW.
UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, UM, BEAUMONT HAVE DONE IT.
UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S BEEN, UM, QUITE AN INVESTMENT IN STAFF, BUT I THINK THEY DESERVE IT, YOU KNOW, UM, PUTTING THEM THROUGH, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR THE LAST 20 TO 30 YEARS, YOU KNOW, AND WHO CONTINUALLY INVEST IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR? I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD INVESTMENT.
UM, I WOULD HAVE TO SELL IT TO EMPLOYEES AND TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, BUT I THINK COUNCIL, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE, BUT I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD CONSIDER FOR NEXT YEAR.
SO I'VE BEEN CONSERVATIVE IN PROVIDING A 4% REDUCED TO 3.5%, BUT NEXT YEAR, MOVING AHEAD, WE WILL LOOK AT OUR REVENUE SOURCES AND SEE WHETHER WE CAN MOVE TO SIX OR 7%, WHICH WILL ENHANCE GREATLY, GREATLY THE PENSIONS THAT, UM, PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE, BECAUSE WHAT I'M ALSO DOING IS A SUCCESSION PLAN, SUCCESSION PLANNING, BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
UH, AND, UM, THEY DO NOT BENEFIT FROM ICME OR THE AMOUNTS THEY PUT IN, IN IT'S NOT AS SUBSTANTIAL, YOU KNOW, SO I WOULD LIKE TO ENHANCE THAT MEAL MOVING AHEAD.
AND THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION FOR NEXT YEAR TO MOVE FROM 5% TO 7%.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT'S ABOUT WHAT WAS THE NUMBER WE LOOKED AT CAN SIX OR $7 MILLION, AND THEN EVENTUALLY ABOUT $11 MILLION.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, I'M PLAYING IT VERY CONSERVATIVE THIS YEAR, BUT, UM, I'M LOOKING IN THE LONG RUN TO SEE HOW WE COULD PASS THAT BENEFIT ON TO OUR EMPLOYEES.
NOW THE 5% TO 7% THAT'S FOR TEMARES CORRECT.
HAVE MATCHING THE NAMES OF WOMEN.
THAT WAS STILL STAY I CMA IS A, IT'S ACTUALLY A SEPARATE THING, WHICH IS YOU CONTRIBUTE WHETHER YOU WANT TO OR NOT.
THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT THAT WAS.
I SEE THE INSURANCE IS INCREASING WHERE SELF-INSURED, BUT THE INSURANCE IS INCREASING 9.5%.
SO THE INSURANCE IS GOING TO GO UP THIS YEAR AND OCTOBER WHEN YOU HAVE OPEN ENROLLMENT.
SO WHEN THAT INSURANCE GOES UP, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE I'M AGAIN WITH THIS 4%, BECAUSE THE INSURANCE IS GOING TO GO UP, IS THAT INDIVIDUALLY 9.5% OVERALL, W W WE'RE COMING SOMETIME IN SEPTEMBER BEFORE OPEN ENROLLMENT TO MAKE A PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL ON THE INCREASE THAT THAT THAT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE, BUT FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE THE INSURANCE, BUT JUST DON'T REMEMBER WELL TO THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE THE INSURANCE, REMEMBER THAT EACH EMPLOYEE INSURANCE IS FREE, IT'S FREE, BUT IF THEY HAVE THE PENDANT COVERAGE, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A FEE.
THAT'S WHAT I'M ADDRESSING CITY MANAGER.
SO THEN WHEN THEY GET AN INCREASE OF 3.5% AND THE, HOW DO WE KEEP WE WE'RE SELF-INSURED SO WE CAN KEEP THAT COST DOWN ON THE INSURANCE BELOW 9.5% INTEREST.
I MEAN, I MEAN, INTEREST 9.5%, BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE THAT HAVE INSURANCE FOR DEPENDENCE, THEY WILL, THAT WILL, THAT 3.5% IS GOING TO GO RAISE.
IT'S GOTTA BE A WASH FOR THEM.
WELL, WHEN, WHEN WE LOOK AT W WE WERE ABLE TO CRUNCH SOME FIGURES AND WE'RE STILL CRUNCHING IT, IT'S ABOUT, UM, $8 OR LESS.
SO THIS, YES, IT DOLLARS, THE LESS WE ARE CRUNCHING THE FIGURES EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE DEPENDENT GUTS.
[00:50:01]
I KNOW THAT YOU CAN GET A 3.5 OR A 4%, BUT THEN THOSE PEOPLE THAT CARRIED THEIR CHILDREN OR ARE THOSE, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT HAD TO HAVE THE DEPENDENT COVERAGE, THEY WON'T SEE THAT INCREASE.AND THAT'S THAT'S, THAT WAS THE QUESTION I RAISED WITH.
SO I WANTED TO KNOW MY QUESTION IS THE DIFFERENCE IN AMOUNT OF MONEY, HOW CAN WE KEEP THAT INSURANCE LOW, THE DEPENDENT COVERAGE FROM 9.5, SINCE WE'RE, SELF-INSURED, THAT'S BUDGETED IN OUR OWN BUDGET, THAT MONEY FOR INSURANCE.
SO HOW DO WE KEEP THAT AT A LOW, LOWER THAN 9.5% SO THAT OUR EMPLOYEES CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE BENEFIT OF A 3.5 OR 4% INCREASE THAT I FINALLY GOT TO IT.
SO, ANYWAY, THAT'S MY QUESTION.
I WANT TO SEE THE DOLLARS, BECAUSE I LOOKED BOTTOM LINE.
I LOOKED AT DOLLARS ON MY PAYCHECK WHEN I WORKED HERE.
AND SO I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO SEE AN INCREASE EVERY YEAR, THOUGH, THAT WE HAD AN INCREASE, IT AFFECTED THOSE EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE DEPENDENT COVERAGE.
THEY NEVER SAW THE INCREASE BECAUSE, UH, THANK GOD.
YOU DID GIVE US SOME 3.5% AND THAT WE'VE GOT THAT, BUT YOU, YOU DIDN'T SEE IT BECAUSE BASICALLY, UM, THE, THE INSURANCE WENT UP AND YOU GOT A RAISE.
AND SO THE VARIANCE WAS JUST, IT WASN'T THERE.
SO BASICALLY I JUST LIKE TO SEE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY, UH, TAKE AN EMPLOYEE, GIVING ME AN AVERAGE AT THE NEXT MEETING.
UM, AND THAT WAY I CAN SEE, AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN SEE, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT WITH AN EMPLOYEE WITH FOUR DEPENDENTS AND WITH INSURANCE, WHAT THAT, UM, THAT WHAT'S, THAT PAYCHECK IS GONNA LOOK LIKE THIS, AND IT'S JUST A SAMPLE PAYCHECK.
AND WE WILL, UM, BECAUSE WHAT WE DID, WE DID OUR DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE THAT, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DOES NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE INDIVIDUAL ON THAT.
AND THAT WOULD HELP ME IN KNOWING WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM WITH THE 4%, IN ADDITION TO THE 7% THAT YOU'RE GOING TO OFFER FOR NEXT YEAR.
I'D STILL LIKE TO SEE EMPLOYEES, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT HAVE DEPENDENT COVERAGE WITH A 4% INCREASE.
IT LOOKS LIKE, YEAH, WE WILL, WE WILL, AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, WE'LL PROVIDE THAT TO YOU.
ANYONE ELSE? I JUST WANT TO COMMENT ABOUT THE TMRMS. I THINK THAT IS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO BECAUSE EMPLOYEES WHO'VE BEEN EMPLOYED 20 YEARS OR MORE, OR THE, WHEN YOU GO FROM 5% TO 7% IN YOUR RETIREMENT BENEFIT, IT MAKES A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE OF WHAT THEY WILL BE SEEING.
SO EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, AS MOST OF OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN, THEY WILL SEE A SIGNIFICANT, UH, DIFFERENCE IN THEIR RETIREMENT AND BRING HOME.
SO I THINK THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
I APPLAUD YOU FOR ATTEMPTING OR WANTING TO DO THAT AND TO BUILD THAT IN THE BUDGET, BECAUSE IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
COUNCILMAN JONES, ONE THING, ONE THING, UH, CANDICE, I'M LOOKING AT YOUR MEMOIR RIGHT HERE.
I BOUGHT THE TWO TRASH TRUCKS.
IF WE GET TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A BUDGET INCREASE, WE CAN GO ON BY THE TWO TRASH TRUCKS, 2023.
SO I'M GOING SHOOT, CAUSE WE NEED THEM.
ANY OTHER PARTICIPATION AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION? THERE WAS NONE.
NOW I JUST WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR THE, FOR YOUR SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN US IN, UM, PRESENTING A BUDGET THAT IS WELL BALANCED THEM, BUT STILL FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE.
UM, WE DON'T KNOW, AS YOU INDICATED, WHAT'S COMING DOWN THE LINE IN TERMS OF INFLATION, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HURRICANE SEASON.
IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO US, YOU KNOW, THAT WE CAN STILL CONTINUE TO RUN THE CITY AND PROVIDE INCOME TO AWAY EMPLOYEES, AS WELL AS TO TAKE CARE OF WHATEVER DISASTER THAT WE'RE BEING CONFRONTED WITH.
YOU KNOW, I WANT TO THANK THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR IN THE LAST FEW MEETINGS, WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY WITH MANAGEMENT TO SEE TO IT THAT OUR CONTRACTS, UH, PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING REIMBURSED BY FEMA, YOU KNOW, UM, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MONIES THAT WE EXPEND, YOU KNOW, DURING A DISASTER, WE STAND A MUCH BETTER CHANCE OF RECOUPING THOSE FUNDS.
UM, NOBODY EVER GOT WHATEVER THEY WILL, NOT ALL DEPARTMENTS GOT WHAT THEY WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, BUT WE MADE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PUT FORWARD A VERY HEALTHY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
THAT'S BEEN FUNDED FOR THE FUTURE.
AND, UM, WE MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ATTEND TO HELP EACH TORRANCE, THE TECHNOLOGY NEEDS OF THE DEPARTMENTS AND OTHER,
[00:55:01]
UM, UM, ENTERPRISE FUNDS, LIKE PLEASURE ISLAND THAT HAVE SEEN SOME SORT OF DOMINANCY OVER THE USE AND NOT TOO MUCH TRACTION OUT THERE.WE HAVE MADE SURE THAT WE HAVE LOOKED AT IT TO SEE HOW WE CAN PROVIDE SOME SORT OF FUNDING FOR THEM IN THE FUTURE, BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT THEY CAN BE A CATALYST FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, FOR THE CITY OF PORT ALPHA.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU IN SUPPORTING US WHILST WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AND AS WE MOVE AHEAD, WE'LL CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THOSE FOR THE FUTURE.
ANY OTHERS? I BELIEVE AT THIS POINT, I CAN ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING WORKSHOP.
IS REMOVING A SECOND CLOSE THE BUDGET WORKSHOP OR ANY QUESTIONS ON IT? ALL IN FAVOR AS EPISODES ON IT, THE BUDGET WORKSHOP HAS NOW ENDED.
[IV. * CLOSED MEETING ( EXECUTIVE SESSION)]
TO, UH, CLOSE EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, IN OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION.UH, WE WILL BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH 5, 5, 1 0.101 OF THE CHAPTER FIVE FIVE ON OVER MEETING AS LAW, THE STATE OF TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, FORMALLY 6 2 5, 2 DASH ONE, SET ONE SEVEN, A TWO, UH, SUBSTATION EIGHT, UH, PROJECT GOING INTO THE MEETING.
I MUST MAKE THIS, THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT, UH, IN THE CLOSE MEETING, RECOVER 5, 5, 1 0.07.
ONE OF THE GOVERNMENT GO TO DISCUSS AND RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY REGARDING POTENZA AND OUR PENDING CLAIMS LITIGATIONS AND OTHER LEGAL MATTERS INVOLVING THE CITY OF PORT AUTHOR.
AND IF THERE WOULD BE ANY ITEM OR ANY EXECUTIVE SESSION THAT MAY BE DISCUSSED AND ACTED ON OR WHATEVER THAT'S INCLUDED, WE WOULD RETURN AND HANDLE THAT IN OPEN SESSION.
NOW WE ARE READY AS YOU ARE RECESSED INTO THE CLOSE MEETING IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM DOWNSTAIRS, LIKE TO RECONVENE THE MEETING, UH, FROM THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, MAY WE HAVE THE ROLL CALL PLEASE? MAYOR BARTEE, MAYOR PRO TIM HOLMES, COUNCIL MEMBER JONES, COUNCIL MEMBER KINLAW COUNCIL MEMBER MARKS, COUNCIL MEMBER, MOSES COUNCIL MEMBER FREY.
THERE BEING NO MOTIONS COMING OUT OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, I'D LIKE TO CALL FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND TO JOIN, UH, THE AUGUST 17TH MEETING, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE, ANY OPPOSITION MOTION CARRIES.