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THANK YOU.[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
MORNING.UH, WE ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS HERE AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET IN THE GREAT CITY OF FORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
AND WE ARE HAVING A SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING ON THIS DAY THAT MR. BEGAN AT 10:00 AM AND IT IS NOW 10:05 AM HERE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
THIS MEETING MAY BE ATTENDED AND ACCESSED THROUGH VIDEO CONFERENCE OR EVEN TELEPHONIC, UH, MEDIUMS. HOWEVER, YOU MUST HAVE THE MEETING CODE.
THE MEETING CODE IS 8 2 0 6 7 2 8 3 6 4 4, AND THE PASSCODE IS 9 8 3 3 5 2, AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND THE MEETING IF YOU DIAL 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7 OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9.
AND IN THIS MEETING, WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
AND IF YOU WOULD HAVE A, A DESIRE TO ATTEND THE MEETING AND YOU WOULD NEED SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS, YOU WOULD ONLY NEED CALL THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 4 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5.
HOWEVER, IT HAS TO BE DONE 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING, AND YOU MAKE YOUR REQUEST KNOWN FOR THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS TO THE STAFF IN THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, AND THEY WILL DO ALL WITHIN THEIR POWER TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THOSE SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS THAT YOU WOULD REQUEST.
NOW, WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE ASKING YOU TO MUTE OR TURN OFF ANY MOBILE DEVICES THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
THAT MIGHT BE A DISSERVICE TO THIS MEETING.
AND WE WILL BEGIN, UH, WITH AN INVOCATION, UH, COUNCIL BECK, WOULD YOU MIND GIVING US AN INVOCATION, PLEASE? OKAY.
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
WOULD YOU PLEASE BOW IN PRAYER? HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR TODAY.
WE THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AS LEADERS OF THIS FINE CITY, OF PORT ARTHUR, TO DISCUSS THE BUSINESS OF OUR CITY.
LORD, BE WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US TODAY AS WE MAKE DECISIONS, AS WE SPEAK.
LET US SPEAK, EMBRACE, AND IN TRUTH, AND FATHER B, WITH EVERY FAMILY THAT'S REPRESENTED HERE.
ALSO, BE WITH THOSE THAT ARE WATCHING, UH, BY VIDEO TODAY.
JUST BLESS ALL OF US IN YOUR SERVICE.
LET US RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
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 YOUR INDULGENCE IN OUR OPENING AT THIS JUNCTURE.
CITY SECRETARY ASSISTANT CITY SECRETARY, DAWN, TODAY.
WOULD YOU PLEASE ESTABLISH THE QUORUM FOR US? MAYOR BARTEE, PRESENT, MAYOR PRO, TIM HAMILTON, COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS.
[II. PUBLIC HEARING — 10: 00 A. M.]
WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS BEGIN OUR PUBLIC HEARING AT 10:08 AM ON TODAY AUGUST 28TH.UH, AND THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS TO RECEIVE AND CONSIDER PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ALL INTERESTED CITIZENS WITH REGARD TO THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR'S PROPOSED ANNUAL BUDGET, OPERATION AND BUDGET AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR THE FISCAL OPERATING BUDGET AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2023, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024.
THE PORT ARTHUR SECTION FOUR, A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COOPERATIONS OPERATING BUDGET WILL ALSO BE CONSIDERED, THE PUBLIC WILL BE ABLE TO VIEW THIS PUBLIC HEARING VIA THE CITY'S WEBSITE AT WWW.PORTARTHURTX.GOV GOV.
THIS BUDGET WILL RAISE MORE TOTAL PROPERTY TAXES THAN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET BY $4,707,414, OR 22.68%.
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UH, $53 AND $453,731, EXCUSE ME, IS THE, UH, TAX REVENUE TO BE RAISED FROM NEW PROPERTY ADDED TO THE TAX ROLLS THIS YEAR.YEAH, I JUST HAD A FEW LEGAL MATTERS AS WE START THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND YOU CAN TURN IT OVER TO THE PUBLIC JUST TO KIND OF CON UM, LET YOU KNOW ABOUT SOME LEGAL ISSUES THAT, UH, ARE INVOLVED WITH THIS.
BASICALLY PURSUANT TO 1 0 2 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE, UH, AFTER THE BUDGET IS FILED, A NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET HAS TO BE POSTED.
UM, AND WE HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DAYS TO DO THAT.
AND THE NOTICE ON THE PUBLIC HEARING OF THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS BOTH IN THE NEWSPAPER, THE CITY'S WEBSITE, AND ON THE INTERNET.
NOW, ACCORDING TO 1 0 2 0.007, EXCUSE ME.
JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SOME LEGAL REQUIREMENTS TODAY PURSUANT TO 1 0 2 0.007 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, UH, SUBSECTION A AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET, THE GOVERNING THE MUNICIPALITY SHALL TAKE ACTION ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
A VOTE TO ADOPT THE BUDGET MUST BE A RECORD VOTE.
NOW, UM, WHAT NORMALLY HAPPENS AT THIS POINT, SO THERE IS GONNA HAVE TO BE SOME TYPE OF MOTION, SO AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING, YOU CAN VOTE ON THE BUDGET OR YOU CAN POSTPONE IT.
UM, AND I HAVE SOME WORDING FOR A MOTION, UH, FOR WHEN, UH, YOU CAN POSTPONE IT.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT, THAT IT MAY, IT'S RECOMMENDED THAT IT BE POSTPONED UNTIL TOMORROW, UH, AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE TAX RATE, UH, PUBLIC HEARING.
JUST TO KIND OF GIVE A LITTLE EXPLANATION FOR THAT.
SO WE WON'T GET ALL THESE PUBLIC HEARINGS MIXED UP.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A LEGALLY YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET ACCORDING TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
YOU HAVE SET A PROPOSED TAX RATE, AND ON TOMORROW, YOU ALSO HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TAX RATE WHERE YOU ACTUALLY SET A TAX RATE.
AND, UH, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF VOTES IN ORDER TO THAT TO BE EFFECTIVE.
AND, UH, I'LL EXPLAIN THAT I GUESS TOMORROW.
SO YOU DO HAVE A, ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING SET FOR TOMORROW, BUT AT THE END OF THIS PRESENTATION AND AT THE END OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT, YOU HAVE TO TAKE SOME TO SORT OF ACTION.
IT CAN BE TO ADOPT OR TO POSTPONE UNTIL A DATE CERTAIN THANK YOU QUESTION.
YOUR, UH, QUESTION, GO RIGHT HERE.
OH, YOU, YOU MIGHT NOT PULL YOUR MIC.
UM, YOU SAID, EXCUSE ME, YOU SAID THAT YOU WOULD CONCLUDE, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU WOULD EXPLAIN THAT FURTHER ON TOMORROW WHEN YOU SAID THAT WE HAD TO ABOUT THE TAX RATE.
BUT THEN YOU SAID, UM, WE HAD TO HAVE, IS THERE A SUPER MAJORITY NECESSARY YES.
NOW FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, OCCUR IN THE, WELL, WITH REGARD TO THE TAX RATE, JUST SO YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET, BUT WITH REGARD TO THE TAX RATE, IF THE TAX RATE YOU'RE ADOPTING EXCEEDS THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, YOU WILL HAVE TO HAVE, I BELIEVE 60% OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, UH, VOTE TO, TO DO THAT INCREASE.
THERE'S A, UM, VOTER APPROVAL RATE, UH, AND THEN THERE'S A NO NEW REVENUE RATE.
SO IF YOU EXCEED THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, NOT THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, BUT IF YOU EXCEED THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, YOU WILL HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF VOTES IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
YOU'LL HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, IN ORDER TO APPROVE THAT INCREASE.
AND I'LL, I'LL ALSO, UM, GIVE YOU SOMETHING FOR THAT, UM, ON TOMORROW.
SO YOU, LIKE YOU SAY YOU HAVE TWO RATES.
YOU HAVE THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, AND YOU VOTED NOT TO EXCEED THAT, SO YOU WON'T HAVE AN ELECTION, BUT IN ORDER TO EXCEED THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE, YOU WILL HAVE TO HAVE, UM, WHAT COULD BE CHARACTERIZED AS A SUPER MAJORITY.
UH, I'D LIKE FOR US TO POSTPONE THE ADOPTION OF IT UNTIL, SINCE WE WOULD THIS TIMEFRAME AND ALL UNTIL AFTER THE MEETING TOMORROW.
BUT I WOULD ALSO INCLUDE THAT WE DO A, UH, WORKSHOP, UH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH AFTER THE MEETING, BECAUSE INITIALLY WE HAD SCHEDULED TWO WORKSHOPS FOR THE BUDGET.
THE FIRST WORKSHOP THAT WE HAD, THE
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BUDGET WAS INTRODUCED OR PRESENT, PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL AFTER THE PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET.AND DURING THE PRESENTATION, WE HAD A PRESENTATION ON THE REQUEST OR RECOMMENDATION TO INCREASE THE WATER RATES.
AND THEN AFTER THAT PRESENTATION, THEN THE MEETING WAS PRETTY MUCH, UH, ADJOIN AFTER I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, BECAUSE THAT WAS WHAT WAS SCHEDULED.
NOW, THE NEXT BUDGET MEETING WE HAD, WE SCHEDULED A WORKSHOP.
DURING THAT WORKSHOP, WE HAD A PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET, BUT THIS WORKSHOP WAS SCHEDULED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A REGULAR MEETING.
THE REGULAR MEETING LASTED MOSTLY ALL DAY.
SO WHEN WE GOT TO THE BUDGET, WE HAD A SHORT DISCUSSION.
AND, UH, THEY LOOKED TIRED AND STUFF.
SO IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT WE ADJOIN THE MEETING AND COUNCIL AGREED, AND WE ADJOIN THE MEETING.
SO IF WE GONNA ADOPT THE BUDGET, THERE ARE CERTAIN, UH, ITEMS IN THE BUDGET THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK.
I THINK THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE CAN, UH, RECOMMEND AND DO.
IT WON'T REQUIRE GOING BACK THROUGH THE WHOLE BUDGET PROCESS.
IT WON'T REQUIRE, UH, AN EXTENSIVE REVIEW, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED.
AND ONCE IT'S ADDRESSED, THEN WE COULD COME BACK AND ADOPT THE BUDGET, OR WE COULD ADOPT THE BUDGET AT THAT TIME BECAUSE WE CAN MAKE RECOMMENDATION AND APPROVE THE BUDGET WITH THE APPROVE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AM I CORRECT? I MEAN, AMENDED, UH, ARE, ARE WE, AM I CORRECT WITH THAT? YOU HAVE A PROPOSED BUDGET.
SO, SO WHATEVER YOU ADOPT WILL BE YOUR ADOPTED BUDGET.
BUT WHAT I'M SAYING THOUGH, WE CAN ADOPT THE PROPOSED, IF WE HAVE AMENDMENTS OR THINGS THAT WE CHANGING, WE CAN ADOPT IT WITH THE CHANGES.
I MEAN, YEAH, WHATEVER YOU YEAH, BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME AS ANYTHING ELSE.
WHATEVER THE FINAL OUTCOME IS YEAH.
AND THEN THE CHANGES COULD BE IMPLEMENTED, BUT THE BUDGET WILL BE ADOPTED AS STATED WITH THE CHANGES.
YOU'LL HAVE TO, WHATEVER CHANGES YOU MAKE YOU MAKE AT THAT TIME.
SO, SO THAT'S, AND THEN YOU VOTE, SO I RECOMMEND THAT WE, UH, HAVE IT FOR APPROVAL AFTER THE MEETING TOMORROW.
WELL, DURING THE MEET, AFTER THE MAIN MEETING, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES, BECAUSE THIS HAS NOT BEEN ENOUGH TIME.
UM, UH, LET ME, WHY DON'T YOU ALL GO FORWARD WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING? LET, GET READY.
GO AHEAD WITH THAT AND THEN WE CAN, OKAY.
WE'RE GETTING READY TO DO THE COUNCIL WHATEVER.
EVERYONE'S MADE THEIR REMARKS.
OPEN IT UP TO THE, YEAH, WELL, I THINK, UH, UH, YEAH, AFTER SHE DOES THAT, THEN YOU OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC FOR COMMENT.
YEAH, I WAS THINKING THAT WOULD BE THE PROPER WAY.
MADS, YOU BEGIN AND THEN WE WILL DISCUSS.
I HAVE JUST A LITTLE, UH, RECAP HERE FOR YOU OF THE BUDGET.
UH, SO EVERYONE WILL BE AWARE OF WHERE WE'RE AT.
AND, UH, JUST A FEW HIGHLIGHTS HERE.
UH, BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE A 4 CENT REDUCTION IN THE PROPERTY TAX RATE, A PROPOSED SALARY INCREASE OF 3% FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.
THE BUDGETS ARE ALL BALANCED IN THE MAJOR OPERATING FUNDS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TRANSFERS FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND EQUIPMENT.
THERE IS A 7% INCREASE TO THE CURRENT RATE STRUCTURE FOR WATER AND SEWER, BUT OVERALL OPERATING DEPARTMENTS ARE BUDGETED AT STATUS QUO WITH LIMITED ADDITIONS.
NEXT PAGE, UM, FURTHER CHANGES ALSO INCLUDE AN INCREASE OF EIGHT POSITIONS.
SIX FOR THE GENERAL FUND, TWO FOR E D C EQUIPMENT PURCHASES OF 5.7 MILLION.
THE LEASE OF 19 VEHICLES THROUGH THE ENTERPRISE PROGRAM.
NEW TECHNOLOGY PURCHASES OF 380,000, AND THERE IS ALSO A 10% INCREASE PROJECTED FOR HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS.
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UH, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDED ARE 40.5 MILLION, WHICH INCLUDES 10.7 MILLION FOR STREET RECONSTRUCTION, STREET RE, STREET STRIPING, AND SIDEWALK REHAB.9.9 MILLION FOR FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS.
THIS IS PRIMARILY 3 MILLION FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER AND 5.2 MILLION FOR THE PORT PORT ACRES FIRE STATION, THERE'S 8.1 MILLION IN WATER UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, 2.7 MILLION TO REPLACE TWO FIRE ENGINES.
1.3 MILLION IMPROVEMENTS TO CITY PARKS.
AND THIS WOULD INCLUDE PLAY SCAPES, UH, ROSE HILL, ADAMS, AND THE RECREATION CENTER.
THESE ARE PRIMARILY FUNDED WITH OPERATIONS, NEW BOND ISSUES, CAPITAL LEASES AND CONTRIBUTIONS.
UH, THIS IS THE SHOWS THE FUNDING FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
WE HAVE 3.8 MILLION COMING FROM THE GENERAL FUND, 2 MILLION FROM THE WATER FUND.
19 MILLION IS TAX SUPPORTED, AND 5.6 MILLION IS REVENUE SUPPORTED FROM THE WATER FUND.
UH, IT ALSO INCLUDES A CAPITAL LEASE OF 2.7 MILLION FOR THE FIRE TRUCKS AND THE CONTRIBUTION, UH, THE E D C SALES TAX CONTRIBUTION FOR A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE PARK IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, THIS, WE DID MAKE A FEW CHANGES TO THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT WE SUBMITTED TO YOU ORIGINALLY.
STAFF HAD A FEW PROPOSED CHANGES.
UH, THIS PAGE SHOWS THE GENERAL FUND CHANGES, UH, INCREASE IN REVENUES.
WE INCREASED THE TRANSFER FROM THE WATER FUND FOR ADMINISTRATIVE AND COLLECTION COST OF 587,000.
UH, WE ALSO INCREASED EXPENDITURES.
UH, WE INCREASED THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT, WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY 2% TO 3%, AND THAT'S 524,000.
UH, WE HAD TO INCREASE THE TRANSFER TO TRANSIT FOR THE CITY SHARE OF THE ADDITIONAL SALARY INCREASE.
AND WE ALSO INCREASED THE TRANSFER TO CAPITAL RESERVE TO PURCHASE A LYFT TRUCK FOR PARKS FOR 145,000.
UH, THIS SHOWS THE, UH, EFFECT ON THE OTHER FUNDS.
OF THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE, UH, INCREASE THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT FROM TWO TO 3%, PRIMARILY AFFECTED THE WATER FUND BY 96,000, SOLID WASTE, 34,000, THE PLEASURE ISLAND FUND, 6,000 TRANSIT, 22,000 E P C, 10,000, AND A VERY SMALL AMOUNT TO THE REGULATORY ENFORCEMENT FUND.
UH, THERE WAS ALSO THE INCREASE TO THE CAPITAL RESERVE FUND FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE LYFT TRUCK FOR PARKS.
THIS SHOWS THE CHANGES BETWEEN THE ORIGINAL PROPOSED BUDGET, THE PROPOSED CHANGES, AND THEN THE REVISED, UM, NUMBER THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING.
SO THE REVISED, UH, REVENUE NUMBER FOR THE GENERAL FUND IS 79.7 MILLION, WITH 75 MILLION, UH, OPERATING EXPENDITURES, 10.6 MILLION TRANSFERS, UH, LEAVING A NET, UM, REVENUES, UM, UNDER EXPENDITURES OF 5.9 MILLION, AND AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 22 MILLION.
THIS JUST SHOWS THAT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT HERE.
IT SHOWS THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE 23 AMENDED BUDGET, THE 23 ESTIMATE AT YEAR END, AND THE 24 PROPOSED.
UM, AGAIN, YOU SEE WE HAVE, UM, INCREASES IN, UH, REVENUES OF ABOUT 4.4 MILLION FROM THE 23 BUDGET TO THE 24 BUDGET.
OPERATING EXPENDITURES IS ABOUT A $1.9 MILLION INCREASE, ALTHOUGH THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS, UM, THE SALARY INCREASE, WHICH WAS 1.6 MILLION, AND THE NEW EMPLOYEES THAT WE WERE PROPOSING IS 540,000.
SO THE INCREASE IN STAFFING IS 2.1 MILLION.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S, UM, BASICALLY FLAT, UH, TRANSFERS 10.6 MILLION, AGAIN, SHOWING THE, UM, THE DIFFERENCE OF 5.9 MILLION REVENUES, UM, UNDER EXPENDITURES.
UH, WE HAVE $7 MILLION THAT WE'RE TRANSFERRING TO CAPITAL AND EQUIPMENT.
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SO, UM, THAT IS ALLOWED WITHIN THE CITY POLICY.AND AGAIN, UH, LEAVING US WITH AN ENDING BALANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 22 MILLION.
PAGE 10, THIS IS JUST THE BREAKOUT OF THE, UH, TRANSFERS TO OTHER FUNDS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE FIRST LINE IS, UH, FOR 24 $7 MILLION TRANSFERS TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND EQUIPMENT, UH, 2.6 MILLION TO THE GENERAL LIABILITY FUND.
THERE WAS AN INCREASE THERE, UM, DUE TO, UH, INCREASED COST IN THAT AREA.
UM, AND THERE WERE SLIGHT INCREASES.
UM, UH, IN THE OTHER, IN SOME OF THE OTHER FUNDS.
THE E D C TRANSFER OF 133,000, UH, TRANSIT OPERATING 673,000.
UH, THAT WAS AN INCREASE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR BECAUSE, UM, THERE WERE SOME COVID RELATED GRANTS THAT HE HAD THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE A GENERAL FUND CONTRIBUTION.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE WILL FOR NEXT YEAR FOR OPERATIONS.
UH, HEALTH GRANT, UH, 89,000 TRANSFERRED TO THE GOLF COURSE.
50,000 TRANSFERRED TO THE TURS, ABOUT 45,000 FOR A TOTAL OF 10.6 MILLION.
PAGE 11, THIS SHOWS OUR FUND BALANCE POLICY.
UH, THE TARGET FUND BALANCE IS 60 DAYS OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES, PLUS 1.5 MILLION ACCORDING TO OUR POLICY.
UM, THE GENERAL FUND ENDING FUND BALANCE PROJECTED IS 22 MILLION.
UH, THE REQUIRED AMOUNT IS 60 DAYS, WHICH EQUATES TO ABOUT 12.5 MILLION PLUS 1.5 MILLION MORE, LEAVING AN EXCESS OF $8 MILLION OR ABOUT 40 DAYS.
UM, THIS SHOWS THE RECAP OF THE WATER UTILITY FUND.
IT SHOWS THE AMENDED BUDGET FOR 23, UH, THE 23 ESTIMATE A YEAR IN, AND THE 24 PROPOSED, UH, WHICH HAS BEEN REVISED SLIGHTLY BASED, BASED ON THOSE, UH, CHANGES THAT I MENTIONED, UH, MOMENTS AGO.
37.5 MILLION OPERATING EXPENDITURES, 27.7 MILLION AND TRANSFERS OF 9 MILLION LEAVING A A, A NET REVENUE OVER EXPENDITURES OF ABOUT 830,000.
PAGE 13, THIS SHOWS THE SOLID WASTE SUMMARY AS WELL.
UM, THE AMENDED 23 BUDGET, THE YEAR END ESTIMATE, AND THE 24 PROPOSED WITH THE REVISED NUMBERS, UM, THAT WE MENTIONED EARLIER.
UH, REVENUES TOTALING 11.6 MILLION.
THIS IS ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS INCREASE, BUT IT'S PRIMARILY RELATED TO, UH, THE NEW CUSTOMER AT THE LANDFILL THAT, UM, WE HAVE MENTIONED IN THE PAST.
UM, OPERATING EXPENDITURES TOTALING 8 MILLION TRANSFERS OF 3 MILLION, LEAVING A $500,000, UM, POSITIVE BALANCE A YEAR END.
UM, AND THE LAST PAGE SHOWS THE KEY DATES THAT WE HAVE HAD.
UM, BEGINNING WITH OUR FIRST BUDGET OVERVIEW, WE DID HAVE A COUNCIL WORKSHOP ON AUGUST THE EIGHTH AND AUGUST THE 15TH.
UH, TODAY IS THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET AND PROPOSED, UM, TOMORROW TO ADOPT THE, UM, TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TAX RATE AND ADOPT THE TAX RATE.
THE BUDGET AND THE TAX ROLL TOMORROW EVENING IS WHAT IS PROPOSED.
SO, COUNTY, UH, DO WE HAVE ANY REMARKS FROM THE GALLERY FROM THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD WANT TO MAKE A REMARK DURING THIS, UH, PUBLIC HEARING? ANY REMARKS? JUST COME FORWARD.
STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS.
UM, MS. JOHN JONES, SIX 40 EAST 10TH STREET.
I NOTICED SHE SAID 3% AGAIN FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY.
AND AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN COMING HERE, AND FOR SOME TIME NOW, IT'S BEEN TWO TO 3%.
TWO TO 3%, YOU'VE ALL, YOU ALSO SHOWED THAT YOU ARE TRAINING THESE PEOPLE FOR SKILLED LA FOR SKILLED LABORS.
THEY'RE BEING, THEY'RE SKILLED LABORS AND YOU HAVEN'T RAISED THEIR, THEIR INCOME AT ALL.
AND THEN YOUR INSURANCE GO UP.
SO THEY'RE NOT RECEIVING ANYTHING.
AND I JUST THINK IT'S SO UNFAIR TO, THESE PEOPLE ARE DOING SUCH A GOOD JOB,
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EMPLOYEES, AND, UH, INSURANCE IS A BLESSING TO HAVE A JOB WHERE YOU HAVE INSURANCE, BUT YOU'RE NOT PAYING THEM.WHAT IS, I FEEL THAT THEY DESERVE FOR MANY YEARS, TWO TO 3%.
THEY'RE DOING WORK TO KEEP UP THIS COMMUNITY.
AND WITHOUT THEM, WE COULDN'T MAKE IT.
AND THE WATER, UM, THAT SHOULD HAVE CAME OUT A GRANT.
AND WITH THE, UM, WITH THE, UH, REVENUE THAT COME IN THIS CITY.
I WAS UP AT FIVE O'CLOCK THE OTHER MORNING AND I'M LOOKING AT THE REVENUE COMING IN THIS CITY, BUMPER TO BUMPER.
BUMPER TO BUMPER COMING INTO THE CITY.
WHERE ARE THEY GOING? WHAT THEY DOING? I DON'T KNOW.
BUT SOMEBODY'S, SOMEBODY'S OFF, OFF TRACK.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE, UH, THE BUDGET IS BEING RIGHT OR THEY ARE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT TAKING CARE OF THE BUDGET.
THE PEOPLE THAT DO THE GRANT, WHAT THEY ARE HERE FOR, ARE THEY MISSING OUT ON TAKING CARE OF THE GRANTS FOR US INSTEAD OF COMING IN THE CITIZENS' POCKET? IT'S, UH, IT JUST DOESN'T ADD UP TO ME.
I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO THINK ABOUT IT AND, AND, UH, THINK ABOUT WHAT I SAID, BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT, THAT YOU COULD TELL ME AND, AND, AND TO MAKE ME SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING, THAT IS FAIR, JUST LET ME KNOW.
YOU KNOW? 'CAUSE I'M VERY UNEASY ABOUT, UH, ABOUT THE COMMUNITY BEING SUCKERED IN BECAUSE WE WORKED SO HARD TO KEEP UP THIS CITY.
AND WE LIKE THIS CITY, BUT DON'T, DON'T MISUSE US BECAUSE YOU CAN.
UH, JUST TO ANSWER PROBABLY WHAT CITY MANAGER ON THE, UH, INCREASE THAT I UNDERSTAND SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT FOR THE EMPLOYEES.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO HER HOW THAT WAS ARRIVED AT AND WHY WE ARE THERE? IT'S, UM, IT'S, UM, IN CORRELATION TO THE COST OF LIVING.
MS. JONES, MS. JONES NEED YOU TO COME BACK RIGHT HERE.
THE COST OF LIVING IS TRUE, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO HAVE THE MONEY TO, TO, TO, TO LIVE TO THE COST OF LIVING.
AND IF THEY'RE DOING A FAIR JOB AND AND A HONEST JOB, YOU SHOULD PAY THEM FOR WHAT THEY'RE WORTH.
YOU UNDERSTAND? PAY THEM FOR WHAT THEY'RE WORTH.
THESE YOUNG, THESE YOUNG MEN AND FAMILY MEN, THIS IS THE ONLY THING WE HAVE.
THIS IS THE ONLY THING WE HAVE.
WE CANNOT GO TO THE COMPANIES, THE REVENUE IN HERE, ALL THESE COMPANIES, THESE BLACK PEOPLE ARE NOT HIRED THERE.
OKAY? SO YOU, YOU HAVE TO MAKE UP FOR THIS BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANNA KEEP, KEEP OUR COMMUNITY AND THEY'RE THE ONE KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.
DON'T CHEAT THEM OUT THEIR SALARY.
I'VE WORKED CONSTRUCTION BEFORE AND I KNOW WHAT IT'S WORTH.
AND THEN THE THINK NEXT CONCERN YOU HAD, MS. UH, JONES, I CAN UNDERSTAND YOU SAID ABOUT THE GRANTS.
UH, CITY MANAGER, CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT FOR HER IN THE, UH, C TURN YOUR MIC ON YOUR MAY.
WE HAVE MADE PROVISIONS IN THE, UM, NEW BUDGET FOR ONE NEW POSITION FOR A GRANT OFFICER AND, UM, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO ASSIST US WITH, UM, ENGAGING CONSULTANTS TO GO AFTER GOVERNMENT AND OTHER RELATED GRANTS.
SO HERE IT IS THAT WE HAVE MADE PROVISIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WHATEVER MONEY IS OUT THERE IN TERMS OF GRANTS, UM, WE ARE ABLE TO, UM, GO AFTER THEM IN A VERY EFFECTIVE MANNER.
ARE YOU GOING OUT THERE FOR THOSE GRANTS? YOU KNOW, UM, MAYBE I'M MISUNDERSTAND YOU.
'CAUSE I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH A LOT OF THINGS.
BUT I'M HERE TO ASK, ARE YOU GOING AFTER THESE GRANTS WHEN IT COME INSTEAD OF COMING TO US? OKAY.
MS. MS. JOANNE AND I THINK CITY MANAGER AND, AND WHAT, WHAT, WHAT HE'S SAYING IS THAT IN THE BUDGET, WE ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS YOUR CONCERN MM-HMM.
AND AS YOU SAID IT, WE WOULD GO AFTER THOSE GRANTS, MEANING THAT WE WOULD APPLY FOR THOSE GRANTS.
WE HAVE IT COVERED IN THE BUDGET TO DO SO.
HAVE WE BEEN DOING THIS? YEAH.
AND I BELIEVE THAT MAYBE THAT'S WHAT YOUR CONCERN NOT AT THE, UH, AT, WITH THE METHOD THAT WE
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WANT TO BEGIN TO EMPLOY.THAT'S BEING USED NOW ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES.
MONIES THAT CITIES RECEIVE IS ACTUALLY NOT THE WAY THEY WERE 10, 15 YEARS AGO, EVEN FIVE YEARS AGO, WHERE YOUR GOVERNMENT CARD RECEIVED THE MONIES, THEY MADE A DECISION, OR SOME STATE AGENCY TOLD THEM HOW TO DISPERSE THOSE FUNDS.
WHERE NOW WE HAVE CABINET LEVEL POSITIONS IN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GRANTING MONEY TO CITIES, TO MUNICIPALITIES, TO, UH, UH, TRIBES ON RESERVATIONS AND OTHER WHAT WE CALL COMPLEXES IN AMERICA, WHICH WOULD BE CITIES OR LARGE OR SMALL MM-HMM.
AND THEY'RE GOING ON GRANT APPLICATIONS.
SO I THINK IT'S WHAT THE CITY MANAGER IS PROPOSING IN THIS, TO ADDRESS WHAT YOU ASKED, IF I'M ANSWERING IT CORRECTLY, AND, AND GIVING YOU THE BEST UNDERSTANDING THAT I THINK WE POSSIBLY CAN.
IF SOMEONE ELSE ON STAFF CAN HELP ME TO EXPLAIN IT.
SO I'M CALLING YOU SOME OF, BUT WE WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT, YOU KNOW, BUT FOR YOUR GRAND PEOPLE, I THINK YOU NEED TO LOOK INTO IT A LITTLE CLOSER.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE THAT UNDER CONSIDERATION.
Y'ALL NEED TO LOOK INTO IT A LITTLE CLOSER BECAUSE IT'S NOT COMING OUT.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO ADDRESS IT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? AND I'LL, I'LL GET TO YOUR COUNSEL.
JUST WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE COMMENTS FROM, UH, THE GALLERY IF ANYONE ELSE HAS COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, UH, PRESENTATION DONE BY MS. DANIELS FOR THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
IF THERE'LL BE IT, NOT, IF THERE ARE NOT, THERE AREN'T ANY, RATHER, I WOULD SAY IT LIKE THAT.
UM, COUNCIL COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YEAH, MS. DANIELS, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
ON, UH, PAGE TWO, THE 7% INCREASE.
WHAT'S, WHAT, WHAT THAT BREAKS OUT TO? WHAT, WHAT'S ON INSIDE THAT, THAT 7% INCREASE? IT'S JUST FOR WATER AND SEWAGE.
IS WAGES INCLUDED IN THAT CITY EMPLOYEES WAGES INVOLVED IN THAT? WELL, THAT'S ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE.
ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE AND THE REVENUES, THEY'VE INCREASED THEIR RATES BY 7% FOR WATER AND SEWER.
YEAH, I UNDERSTAND, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
IF YOU LOOK ON PAGE, UM, LET'S SEE, I'M LOOKING AT PAGE SALARY INCREASE ON PAGE TWO, 3% MM-HMM.
THERE'S A 3% SALARY INCREASE FOR WATER AS WELL.
THERE IS A 3% SALARY INCREASE FOR EMPLOYEES IN ALL DEPARTMENTS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT IS THAT, ARE YOU GONNA RAISE THAT 3% REVENUE FOR SALARIES INCREASE? IS THAT INSIDE THAT 7%? YES, SIR.
IT SEEMS IT IT'S INCLUDED IN THE S YES, SIR.
IF YOU LOOK ON PAGE, UH, 12, YOU CAN SEE THE REVENUES TOTALING 37.5 MILLION IN THE EXPENDITURES OF 27 POINT.
YOU SAID PAGE 12, PAGE 12, 27 0.7, AND THAT INCLUDES THE 3% INCREASE.
SO IT IS IN THAT, IN BOTH OF THOSE NUMBERS.
OKAY, COUNCILMAN, UH, HAMILTON, GOOD MORNING.
MY QUESTION IS REGARDING THE WATER INCREASE THAT WAS, UM, APPROVED LAST WEEK.
AND SO MY QUESTION WOULD BE FOR DR.
THIS IS, MAY I INTERVENE SPECIFICALLY? WE'RE GONNA SAY SOMETHING JUST, JUST A MINUTE.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, BECAUSE THIS IS A STATUTORILY REQUIRED HEARING THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT ANY QUESTIONS WE ASK RELATE SPECIFICALLY TO THE BUDGET.
I JUST WANT TO, I DIDN'T WANT US TO GO OFF INTO A TRAIL.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO ANTICIPATE YOUR QUESTION, BUT I GOTCHA.
SO THIS IS SPECIFICALLY REGARDING THE BUDGET AND HOW IT IS GOING TO DIRECTLY AFFECT, UM, THE COST.
SO I'M GOING BACK TO THE 30 MILLION THAT WAS PROPOSED FOR OUR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
[00:35:01]
INCLUDED THE WATER RATE INCREASE THAT TOOK, TOOK PLACE, UM, THAT WAS APPROVED LAST WEEK.WITHIN THIS 7%, ARE WE ALSO, HOW ARE WE MAKING UP FOR THE TWO WATER RATE INCREASES THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN FROM THE, AROUND THE 2020 ELECTION AND ALSO BACK WHEN COVID HAPPENED.
SO WE COULDN'T DO THOSE INCREASES.
HOW DO WE MAKE UP, OR HAVE WE MADE UP? UH, GOOD MORNING.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO CATCH UP ON THOSE RATE INCREASES.
NOW, THE PROPOSED RATE INCREASE FOR THIS YEAR, THE 7% THAT GOES INTO EFFECT OCTOBER 1ST, IF YOU LOOK AT THE BUDGET THAT CANDY JUST PROPOSED, IT SHOWS, UH, 830,000 SURPLUS IN THE UTILITIES ACCOUNT.
IF WE TAKE THE PROPOSED REVENUE WITH THAT 7% INCREASE AND THE PROPOSED EXPENDITURES, THAT 7% INCREASE TRANSLATES INTO $2.45 MILLION BASED ON THE PROJECTED BUDGET.
SO IF IT'S NOT PUT IN THERE, THAT MEANS THE PROJECTED END OF YEAR OF 2024 WILL BE MINUS 1.7 MILLION.
SO WE WILL HAVE TO GO BACK AND CUT $1.7 MILLION OUT OF OUR PROPOSED BUDGET IN ORDER TO BE BALANCED.
SO, AND PART OF THAT 1.7 MILLION, IF YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE COST OF THE 3%, THE COST OF ADDITIONAL ELECTRICAL, CHEMICAL, AND MATERIALS, THAT ALONE ADDS UP TO 1.34 MILLION.
SO THE, THE RATE INCREASE BASICALLY IS BALANCING THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW AND GIVING US THE ACCESS FUNDS IN ORDER TO GO OUT AND BE ABLE TO BORROW, UH, THE MONEY WE NEED TO BORROW, WHICH IS $6 MILLION TO COMPLETE THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE ON THE CAPITAL PROGRAM.
AS FAR AS THE $30 MILLION, THAT'S ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE, WHICH RELATES TO 57 WATER LINES THAT WE HAVE DESIGNED AND ARE READY TO GO OUT TO CONSTRUCTION IN THIS PROPOSED BUDGET HERE, WE ARE ADDRESSING $1.5 MILLION OF THAT COST FOR THE ATLANTA WATER LINE.
SO THE CAPITAL PROGRAM THIS YEAR WILL TAKE A LITTLE BITE OF THAT 30 MILLION THAT IS NEEDED, WHICH IS 1.5 MILLION TO ADDRESS A WATER LINE THAT HAS BEEN FAILING.
AND IF IT FAILS, IT CAN BE CATASTROPHIC IN TERMS OF SUPPLYING WATER TO THE ENTIRE CITY.
UM, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.
IS THERE ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE BUDGET THAT WE CAN GET MORE THAN THAT 1.5 MILLION IN ORDER TO TAKE CARE OF MORE OF THOSE 57 LINES IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET? WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO HERE IS BALANCE, BECAUSE THE WATER LINES ARE NOT THE ONLY ISSUE THAT WE HAVE THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS AS A UTILITIES INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE HAVE SANITARY SEWER LIFT STATIONS WITH THE ROOFS FALLING OFF.
SO WE HAVE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THERE FOR THAT.
WE HAVE A, A AGREED AGREEMENT WITH THE T C E Q TO FIX $500,000 A YEAR WORTH OF SEWER LINES AND SABINE PASS.
SO WE DON'T GO UNDER ENFORCEMENT AND HAVE TO PAY FINES.
WE HAVE A DE GRID SYSTEM WE NEED AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
WE HAVE $380,000 TO FIX THE PLANT IN SABINE PASS THE SANITARY SEWER PLANT.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO GET AS MUCH FIXED AS POSSIBLE AND HIT AS MANY EMERGENCIES AS WE CAN WHILE ADDRESSING THESE WATER LINES.
DO WE HAVE OTHER OPTIONS TO DO MORE WATER LINES WITH THE FUNDING WE HAVE AND JUST THE 7% RATE INCREASE AS A UTILITIES, WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO DO MORE.
UH, ARE WE GOING AFTER OTHER OPTIONS SUCH AS GRANTS? LIKE THE CITY MANAGER SAID THEY'RE HIRING SOMEBODY JUST TO DO THAT.
WE ARE ALWAYS WORKING WITH OUR DOURA TO SEE IF ANYTHING OPENS UP, WE IMMEDIATELY APPLY FOR IT.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIND OPTIONS, BUT GRANTS AND FEDERAL FUNDING TAKES TIME AND EFFORT AND WE'RE TRYING, BUT THEY'RE NOT GUARANTEED.
UM, LAST QUESTION WITH, FOR REGARDING THE FUNDING, UM, I'M GONNA RESERVE THAT QUESTION.
I'M GONNA RESERVE YES, BECAUSE I JUST REMEMBERED OUR REMINDER FROM OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
I'M GONNA DEAL WITH THE BUDGET.
I DON'T, AGAIN, I WANT ASK CANDICE SOME QUESTIONS.
[00:40:01]
OH, OKAY.AS LONG AS ABOUT THE BUDGET, THEY SAID WE CAN GO REVIEW EVERYTHING'S ABOUT THE BUDGET.
YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING AT, LET'S GO TO GENERAL FUNDS.
IN YOUR BRIEF IN THE SLIDE 10, UH, GENERAL FUND TRANSFERS TO OTHER FUNDS.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE SAY TRANSFER, A LOT OF CITIZENS LISTENING AND PROBABLY COUNCIL MEMBERS, SOME PEOPLE REALLY DON'T KNOW, TRANSFER OUT JUST MEAN WE TAKING MONEY FROM THE FUND BALANCE AND PUTTING IT IN OTHER AREAS SO THAT WE CAN PAY.
BUT SEE, MY CONCERN IS THAT WHEN WE TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THESE THINGS, WHAT WE DON'T, WHAT I'M LOOKING AT IS WE BRINGING 10 MILLION, THEY'RE ACTUALLY TAKING 10 MILLION OUT THE FUND BALANCE.
SO, SO WE BALANCING THIS BUDGET MM-HMM.
WE'RE TAKING 5.5 MILLION, 5.9 MILLION IS COMING FROM THE FUND BALANCE BECAUSE YOUR OKAY.
EXPENDITURES, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PREVIOUS PAGE ON PAGE NINE NINE, OKAY.
YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE THERE.
YOUR REVENUES OVER, UNDER YOUR EXPENDITURES IS 5.9 MILLION.
OH, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO OF THAT, UM, ACCORDING TO OUR POLICY, WE DO ALWAYS HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TRANSFERS FOR CAPITAL AND EQUIPMENT.
UH, WHICH WHICH WE MEET THAT, THAT, UH, CRITERIA THAT THE REST OF THE TRANSFERS ARE GENERATED FROM OUR, OUR REVENUES.
SO, UH, OUR EXPENDITURES ARE UNDER OUR REVENUES ENOUGH TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING EXCEPT 5.9 MILLION.
SO THAT'S KINDA, I WANTED TO BRING OUT THAT POINT BECAUSE WE DON'T BALANCE A BUDGET FROM WATER UTILITY RAISES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
WE BALANCE A BUDGET BASED ON EXPENDITURES VERSUS REVENUE.
THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING IS, UH, COUNCILWOMAN, UM, HAMILTON WAS TALKING ABOUT FINDING MONEY TO, TO, UH, GET THE THINGS DONE THAT WE NEEDED.
THAT THAT, UH, WATERLINE, THE MAIN IS ON ATLANTA THAT WE TALKING ABOUT FUNDING THIS IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, AND WE'RE GONNA DO HALF OF THAT MAIN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WANTED US TO LOOK AT BEFORE WE APPROVE IT, UH, TOMORROW.
BUT I TALKED WITH THE MANAGER BEFORE IN REFERENCE TO LOOKING INTO THAT TO SEE IF WE COULD HAVE, UH, EITHER PIPE BURST THAT LINE OF WHAT COST IT'S GOING TO BE OR WHAT THE ACTUAL COST IS GONNA BE TO FIX THE WHOLE MAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FIXING HALF OF A MAIN, THAT MEAN THAT WE GONNA REPAIR HALF OF THE, THE, UH, WATERLINE, THE OTHER HALF IS GONNA REMAIN LIKE IT IS.
SO THAT MEANS IT'S, IT BREAKS, WE STILL IN THE SAME POSITION THAT WHAT EVERYBODY'S SAYING, YOU'RE SAYING IT'S GONNA BE CATASTROPHIC, IT'S GONNA BE BAD NEWS FOR US.
WELL, WHY DO HALF, IF HALF OF IT HAS COST ANOTHER $1.5 MILLION BEFORE WE DO HALF ON SUCH AN IMPORTANT MAIN, WE JUST COULD GO BACK INTO THE FUND BALANCE AND ACTUALLY FUND THAT.
THE REST OF THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT FUNDING IT FROM THE GENERAL FUND? YOU RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.
I'M TALKING ABOUT PUTTING MONEY INTO THE GENERAL FUND AND ACTUALLY FUNDING IT.
UH, HOW MUCH WE HAVE ACCESS, YOU SAID WITH, UH, IN OUR, WELL, THE, THE ONLY THING ABOUT THAT IS, IS THAT THE WATER FUND IS AN ENTERPRISE FUND, AND IT IS, HAS TO OPERATE LIKE A BUSINESS.
AND YOU, YOU SHOULD NOT TAKE MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO FUND THAT.
YOU KNOW, UH, EVEN THOUGH THAT HAS OCCURRED IN THE PAST, I, WELL, NOT ONLY THAT, BUT IT OCCURS IN ALL CITIES.
THERE ARE, THERE ARE YEARS WHEN, UH, CITIES MAY WANT TO DO SOMETHING DEALING WITH THE WATER UTILITIES, ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT A GENERAL PRACTICE, IT'S NOT AN UNUSUAL PRACTICE.
AND BECAUSE OF OUR SITUATION, IT'S NOT UNUSUAL.
I KNOW WE HAD BAD DEALINGS WITH IT IN THE PAST WHERE WE WAS DOING IT ON A REGULAR BASIS, BUT WE'VE CORRECTED THAT.
'CAUSE FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS IT HASN'T BEEN FUNDED OUR GENERAL FUND.
BUT IF WE GET TO A POINT WHEREBY WE ARE BEING TOLD THIS
[00:45:01]
IS CRITICAL, THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE.THE WALL YOU TILT IS FINISH IN THE, THE WATER UTILITY FINISH, UH, IN THE BLACK.
SO AT SOME POINT IN TIME WE HAVE TO START LOOKING AT HELPING AND FUNDING THINGS.
WE WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT GOING OUT AND CARRYING THE, UH, WALL UTILITIES ANYMORE.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS DON'T FIX HALF OF A LINE THAT'S PEOPLE ARE SAYING IS CRITICAL.
AND WE HAVE MONEY THAT IS LEFT IN OUR NO, WAIT, NO, I'M NOT.
THIS IS FOR THE MANAGER OF THE COUNCIL RIGHT NOW THAT I'M SPEAKING ABOUT.
I'VE, I'VE HEARD THAT PRESENTATION AND, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THINGS.
SO I'M TALKING FUNDING NOW, THE COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER WE WANT TO FIX HALF OF A, A, A A LINE, UH, AND WE GOT MONEY THAT'S IN ACCESS RIGHT NOW IN OUR FUND BALANCE.
WE HAVE IT IN THE FUND BALANCE NOW.
DUDE, WE WON'T TAKE A RISK RIGHT NOW THE WAY THINGS GOING WITH OUR WATER IN THE CITY.
IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE THIS SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND IT'S DEALING WITH $1.5 MILLION AND I HAVE AN EXCESS IN MY FUN BALANCE, I DON'T WANT US TO GO HALFWAY.
I DON'T SEE HOW WE GOING TO REALLY ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING BY FIXING PART OF SOMETHING THAT SOMEBODY IS TELLING US WE REALLY NEED TO FIX.
BECAUSE THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS I'M GONNA GO TO.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE AS A COUNCIL HAVE TO DECIDE.
THE MANAGER AND STAFF HAVE ALREADY PRESENTED TO US.
THEY SAY WE GOING TO FIX HALF OF IT.
SO WE AS A COUNCIL HAVE TO DECIDE.
IF THEY TELL US THAT THIS IS SO CRITICAL, ARE WE GONNA LET FIX HALF? ARE WE, ARE WE GOING TO MAKE A DECISION TO FUND THE REST OF THIS AND FIX THIS WHOLE MAIN THIS YEAR? THINK ABOUT IT.
A WATERLINE, YOU FIX PART OF IT.
WHAT HAVE WE ACCOMPLISHED? BECAUSE THAT HALF HAVEN'T DONE NOTHING.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, I WOULD LIKE FOR COUNSEL TO COMMENT ON WHEN I FINISH WITH THE OTHER THINGS.
I BASICALLY WENT THROUGH THE AREAS I THOUGHT WAS, UH, CRITICAL.
THE, THE AREAS WE'VE HAD PROBLEMS WITH, AND THAT'S LIKE SOLID WASTE WATER, UTILITIES.
I JUST HAD MY POINT ON WATER UTILITIES.
SO I'M GONNA MOVE TO SOLID WASTE NOW.
YOU SAID SALLY WASTE, YOU SAID, OH, IN THE, IN THE BUDGET DOCUMENT, RIGHT? SALLY WASTE? NO, NO.
WHICH, WHICH, WHICH SECTION YOU, OH, SOLID.
PAGE 74, SOLID WASTE, OR, UM, PAGE 13 IN THE PRESENTATION.
I WANNA GO TO THE, THE PAGE ITSELF.
THE SOLID WASTE, PAGE 76 IN OUR PROPOSED BUDGET, 74.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE REGULAR EARNINGS.
OH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE ON, YOU'RE ON ONE OF THE DIVISIONS.
THAT'S THE TRASH COLLECTIONS DIVISION.
PAGE 76 IS TRASH COLLECTIONS DIVISION, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
I'M GONNA BE TALKING TO ALL OF THEM.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'VE HAD PROBLEMS WITH.
THESE ARE THINGS I, I LOOKED AT IN THE BUDGET I LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION FOR.
FOR TRASH COLLECTION IN OUR ACTUAL, FOR 2020 1 22, WE HAD 300 AND WE SPENT 316,000, UH, FOR REGULAR EARNINGS.
AND WE ARE, WE SPENT 634 THOU, WELL, 635,000.
[00:50:01]
WHAT WE PROJECTING THAT WE GOING TO FINISH THE YEAR WITH.CAN YOU TELL ME HOW DID THAT DOUBLED? NO, SIR.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN LOOK INTO IT.
I'D LIKE YOU TO LOOK INTO IT BECAUSE THESE ARE THE TYPE THINGS THAT CATCH MY ATTENTION WHEN I'M LOOKING AT A BUDGET.
WHAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK FOR REALLY IS THE DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE.
SO IT'S BETTER TO LOOK AT SALARIES AS A WHOLE RATHER THAN TRYING TO LOOK AT ONE DIVISION, BECAUSE SOMETIMES POSITIONS DO MOVE BETWEEN DIVISIONS, BUT I'LL HAVE TO LOOK INTO IT TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED, WHAT, WHAT CANDY MAYBE.
SO, BUT IF I LOOK AT A BUDGET, RIGHT, AND I KEEP MY BUDGET UP DURING THE YEAR, IF, IF WE'LL PULL 316 OF REGULAR EARNINGS, IF WE FINISH OVER IT, THEN IT SHOULD TELL US WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM AND WHERE IT GOES.
IF WE ARE DOING A BUDGET, IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE ME TO APPROVE THE BUDGET FOR TRASH COLLECTION LINE BY LINE ITEM, THAT'S HOW I EXPECT IT TO BE, TO BE, UH, MANAGED.
SO I'M NOT GONNA LOOK AT A WHOLE SOLID WASTE BECAUSE WE ARE NOT APPROVING SOLID WASTE BUDGET.
WE ARE APPROVING IT BY DIVISIONS.
YOU APPROVE ONE, YOU APPROVE IT BY THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS ONE DEPARTMENT FOR SOLID WASTE.
ALTOGETHER, THE APPROPRIATION IS BY DEPARTMENT, WHICH THERE IS ONE DEPARTMENT IN SOLID WASTE.
THE, THE BUDGET IS NOT APPROVED BY DIVISION.
WELL, WHY DO WE EVEN RECEIVE THESE BUDGET JUST FOR REFERENCE? THE, THE, THE DIVISION PAGES ARE MAINLY FOR REFERENCE, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE APPROPRIATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TOMORROW OR WHENEVER WE DO IT, UH, IT IS BY DEPARTMENT AND YOU WILL SEE ONE NUMBER FOR SOLID WASTE.
UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK? COUNCILMAN? UH, YEAH.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, UH, I WANT TO THANK, UM, COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE FOR HIS, FOR HIS, UH, FORETHOUGHT.
UM, IT'D BE A WONDERFUL THING TO BE ABLE TO, UM, TO FIX THE ENTIRETY OF THAT PIPELINE, ESPECIALLY WHEN, UM, WE HAVE RECEIVED A REPORT THAT IT DOES CARRY, UH, WITH IT THOSE CATASTROPHIC, UM, IMPLICATIONS.
UM, BUT, UH, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN IN, UM, WE'VE GOTTEN OURSELVES IN QUITE SOME SITUATIONS WHEN WE'VE TRIED TO TAKE AN ENTERPRISE FUND AND FUND IT FROM, UM, OUR GENERAL FUND.
AND THAT HAS CREATED ISSUES FOR US IN THE PAST.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE SOMETHING, UH, IN THE FUTURE THAT WE WOULD NOT WANT TO REPLICATE.
AND SO I WOULD, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LEAN ON THE, UH, EXPERTISE OF OUR ATTORNEY AND OUR CITY MANAGER, UH, IN THAT REGARD.
UM, THE, THE THING THAT I WANTED TO ASK YOU, UM, MS. CANDY IS, UM, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE EIGHT POSITIONS, UH, AND SHARE WHAT THOSE EIGHT POSITIONS ARE, UH, GOING FORWARD.
THOSE NEW POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE CREATED AND HOW THEY ARE GOING TO BE, UM, USED, UM, TO SERVE OUR CITIZENS BETTER GOING FORWARD.
UM, THERE, LIKE I MENTIONED, THERE WERE SIX NEW POSITIONS FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
ONE POSITION IS AN ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER WHO WILL, UH, PRIMARILY FOCUS ON SPECIAL PROJECTS, AND THE MANAGER MIGHT, CAN, UH, GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE DETAILS ON THAT.
THERE'S TWO FOR THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, UH, AN ELECTIONS TECHNICIAN AND AN ADMINISTRATIVE CLERK.
ONE FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT POSITION.
UH, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, AS I BELIEVE WE MENTIONED EARLIER, HAS THE ADDITION OF A GRANT PROGRAM SPECIALIST.
AND IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THERE IS A PUBLIC HEALTH PREPARE POSITION, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY GRANT FUNDED.
AND WE ARE PROPOSING TO MOVE THAT INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THEN E D C HAS TWO ADMINISTRATIVE TYPE POSITIONS THAT THEY'RE REQUESTING.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE WATER AND STEWARD DEPARTMENT.
[00:55:02]
I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T EVEN RECALL HEARING YOU.WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST TO FUND THE BALANCE OF THAT LINE.
THE, THE, THE LINE IS NOW, EXCUSE ME, THE LINE IS NOW BUDGETED IN 2024 FOR 1.5 MILLION, 2025 FOR 2 MILLION.
SO THE TOTAL COST IS 3.5 MILLION.
THE PLAN AT THE MOMENT, THERE ARE NO ISOLATION VALVES THAT ARE OPERATING IN THAT AREA.
SO WHEN YOU LOSE THE LINE, YOU HAVE TO ISOLATE IT AT THE, SAY, UP AT 19TH, WHICH BASICALLY KILLS THIS PART OF THE CITY.
SO THE TOTAL COST IS HOW MUCH? 3.5 MILLION.
3.5 MILLION? CORRECT? YES, SIR.
FIRST I WAS GONNA EXPLAIN THE RATIONALE OF DIVIDING.
AND ONCE THIS IS APPROVED, THIS, UH, BUDGET HERE, WE ARE GONNA GO OUT FOR BIDS AND AWARDS.
SO IT'S GONNA TAKE ABOUT THREE MONTHS.
THEN WE GO INTO THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE, WHICH IS GONNA TAKE A MINIMUM OF SIX MONTHS.
SO THAT'S WHY WE PUSHED THE SECOND HALF OF IT TO THE NEXT BUDGET HERE.
'CAUSE IN AUGUST, IF EVERYTHING IS LOOKING GOOD, WE CAN START THE BIDDING PROCESS OF PHASE TWO.
SO BY THE TIME THE BUDGET IS APPROVED, ONCE IT'S APPROVED, WE CAN GO TO THE AWARD.
SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE RATIONALE WE ARE FOLLOWING.
SO WE CAN DO OTHER PROJECTS THIS YEAR AND FINISH THIS LINE BY NEXT YEAR.
COUNCILMAN ETT? UH, MAYOR
UM, CITY MANAGER FOR THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER THAT'S FOCUSING ON THE SPECIAL PROJECTS, ARE THE SPECIAL PROJECTS THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, OR LIKE CERTAIN WATER PROJECTS OR NO, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE THEY BEING NO BUZZING FOR? THERE ARE NUMBER OF LARGE PROJECTS THAT WILL BE COMING UP.
UM, AND THERE ARE NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT I THINK THAT, UM, UM, WILL NEED ACCELERATION.
I E WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE TWOS DISTRICT TO SEE HOW WE GIVE SOME MOMENTUM TO THAT.
UM, THE TWOS, AS YOU SEE PRESENTED TO YOU, THE TOOTH FUND AT THIS POINT ONLY HAS $44,000 IN THERE.
THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO FUND PROJECTS AS WELL AS, AS, UM, UM, UM, COUNCIL ART CONTINUE TO INFORM THE TWO COMMITTEE.
WE NEED TO BE EXPEDITIOUS WITH UNDERTAKING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS IN THE TWO DISTRICT.
SO THAT IS TO GIVE SOME SORT OF LEVERAGE IN THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE BEGIN THE PROCESS OF, OF GETTING THOSE GOING.
YOU KNOW, UM, AT THE SAME TIME, I NEED TO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE HAD A PRESENTATION ON, ON COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PLANS AS IT RELATES TO, TO OUR IDEAS TO SEE HOW MUCH MORE WE COULD HAVE LEVERAGE IN TERMS OF NEGOTIATING, LIKE EVERY OTHER CITY DOES.
THE CITY OF BAYTOWN GOT $65 MILLION FOR ITS, UM, SAFETY AND SECURITY COMPLEX.
AND IT WAS ALL BECAUSE OF DEVELOPING A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY, BETWEEN THE, UM, THE, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE WITH HIS ASSISTANT, UM, THAT HE COULD ATTEND IT TO THAT, YOU KNOW, AND TO BRING ALL THESE PROJECTS TOGETHER AS THEY'RE CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS.
YOU KNOW, UM, WE ALSO NEED TO, TO IMPLEMENT OUR, TO, TO, TO GO AFTER OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
IT'S BEEN ON THE BOOKS AND IT'S BEEN FUNDED FOR THE LAST YEAR OR TWO.
WE NEED TO MAKE A CONSISTENT EFFORT THAT THAT BECOMES PART OF THE POLICY DOCUMENT THAT NOT ONLY DRIVES THE BUDGET, BUT DRIVES OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
AND OUR, OUR, UM, ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE IN PLACE AS YET.
ALL THESE THINGS ARE GOOD POLICY DOCUMENTS WHERE WE CAN MAKE VERY IMPORTANT FINANCIAL DECISIONS.
LOOKING 10 YEARS DOWN THE LINE FOR, FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, EVERY OTHER 54 OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IN THE CITY OF PORT IN, IN, IN THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS THOSE POSITIONS.
UM, THE NEXT ONE IS, WILL THIS PER, WILL THIS PERSON OR SOMEONE ELSE BE ABLE TO HANDLE COMPLIANCE ISSUES THAT HE HAS? YEAH, I AM ALSO LOOKING AT THAT.
THERE WILL BE, UM, UM, I'M, I'M, I'M STILL WORKING ON DEVELOPING THE JOB DISTRIBUTION, BUT THERE WILL BE A MULTIPLICITY OF, UM, OF, OF, UM, TASKS, YOU KNOW, AS, AS I SET ABOUT AND PRIORITIES AS I SET ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE IN ALIGNMENT, UM, IN GETTING ALL OUR POLICY DOCUMENTS TOGETHER.
AND THE PERSON THAT'S BEING HIRED IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO FOCUS ON
[01:00:01]
GRANTS WILL BE SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON GRANTS DEALING WITH CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.UM, I NEED TO HAVE A VERY CLOSE LEVEL OF COLLABORATION.
UM, SINCE WE ARE AN ENTITLEMENT CITY, UM, WE RECEIVED ABOUT 1.2, $1.1 MILLION A YEAR FROM C D B G.
WE, WE NEED TO LOOK AT, RE-LOOK AT HOW WE ALLOCATE THAT MONEY TO SEE WHERE, HOW WE GET, UM, UM, A LOT OF THAT MONEY GOES TO, UM, UM, UM, NON-PROFITS.
BUT AGAIN, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THOSE TO SEE HOW WE GET A BETTER BANG FOR OUR BUCK IN TERMS OF, UM, INVESTING THAT, UM, WITHIN THE CITY.
SO WE KNEW, AND ALSO THERE IS A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, AS KANDY HAVE INDICATED.
UM, THE POSITION FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT MANAGER IS HOUSED IN THE, IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
BUT WE HAVE BEEN PRIMARILY FOCUSING ON STREETS.
YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO TIE ALL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WE CAN GET THE LEVERAGE THAT IS NEEDED AND WE CAN GET THE REPORTING THAT IS NEEDED TO TIE THE FINANCIAL SIDE OF IT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION SIDE OF IT.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO STREAMLINE IT AND DO A BETTER JOB.
WE ARE YOUNG, WE ARE STILL YOUNG AND WE ARE STILL IN THE INFANCY STAGE OF, OF HAVING A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND, AND PROGRAM.
IT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
IT, IT'S, IT'S BEEN TAKING ROUTE, BUT IN TERMS OF REPORTING TO THE COUNCIL AND REPORTING TO THE PUBLIC, IT NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT.
AND THAT'S MY INTENTION AS WE GO AHEAD.
WE CONTINUE TO ADD TRANSPARENCY AND EQUITY AND COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION SO THAT WE GET THAT SORT OF TRANSFORMATIVE APPROACH THAT, THAT WE DO INTEND TO ENGAGE IN DEVELOPMENT.
THAT THE RIGHT HAND KNOW WHAT THE LEFT HAND IS DOING.
THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND THERE'S NOT THIS HOT PO HO PODGE APPROACH TO WHAT WE ARE DOING.
'CAUSE I THINK ONE COUNSELOR MADE THE POINT, YOU KNOW, WHY SPEND $10 MILLION ON STREETS AND THEN WE ATTEND TO THE UTILITIES AFTERWARDS.
THAT REQUIRES PRIOR PROPER PLANNING AND COORDINATION IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE THAT TRANSFORMATION THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR.
SO, SO THAT'S MY APPROACH AT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE, WITH OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE PRESENT TO YOU AS PART OF THE BUDGET, AND WE'LL SEE HOW WE CONTINUE TO REFINE THAT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE TO MEET THE NEEDS, THE GROWING NEEDS OF, UH, AND, AND DEMAND, UM, BASED ON THE NUMBER OF PERSONS AT THAT TIME.
WE CONTINUE TO EMPLOY, I'VE AS A HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT AS WELL, WHILST WE'RE ON THE STUDENT DOING AN ANALYSIS FOR THE LAST 10 OR 20 YEARS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF PERSONS BEING EMPLOYED BY THE CITY, WHEN, WHEN THE CITY OF PORT ALFA GOT THE STATUS OF AN ALL AMERICAN CITY, WE HAD MORE THAN 707 70 SOMETHING.
SO 707 70 PEOPLE EMPLOYED BY THE, BY THE CITY OF PORTHA.
THAT HAS DECLINED DRASTICALLY OVER THE YEARS.
HENCE IT HAVING AN EFFECT ON THE QUALITY OF SERVICE THAT WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE TO PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT ONCE UPON A TIME HAD SEVEN PERSONS IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AS PLANNERS WHO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT VARIOUS ASPECTS OF PLANNING, TRANSPORTATION, PLANNING, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND ALL THESE, WE HAVE LOST ALL THOSE POSITIONS OVER THE YEARS.
IN ORDER TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, IF WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO ADDRESS TO QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION AND GAIN BACK TO POSITION OURSELVES TO BECOME AN ALL AMERICAN CITY AGAIN.
IT DOES NOT JUST HAPPEN OUT OF THE BLUE.
WE GOT, IT HAS TO BE PLANNED STRATEGICALLY, AND IT IT'S GOT TO BE FUNDED TOO AS WELL.
IT'S GOT TO BE FUNDED IN FOR US TO GET THERE.
YOU KNOW, LET, LEMME JUST SAY ONE THING WHILE WHILST I'M ON THIS, UM, AND I HOPE WE'RE NOT GOING, OF COURSE, MAYOR COUNCIL, THIS, THIS MEETING TODAY IS A MEETING FOR THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE PUBLIC IS BEING ASKED TO MAKE A COMMENT.
AND I SAY, SO RESPECTFULLY, IT'S NOT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COUNCIL.
YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC IS BEING ASKED, YOU KNOW, FOR COMMENTS.
YOU KNOW, UM, WHEN WE ADDRESS THE MATTER OF WORKSHOPS, WE DO, IT'S ALL INTENTIONED FOR THE, FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO INDULGE, YOU KNOW, IN MAKING SURE THAT THEY ADDRESS, YOU KNOW, THE ITEMS AS, AS THEY ARE, UH, UH, PRESENTED.
[01:05:01]
WE LOOK AT THE FUND BALANCE, YOU KNOW, THAT IS BEING MADE AVAILABLE IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN VERY CONSERVATIVE IN MAKING SURE THAT THE FUND BALANCE, UM, UM, UM, STANDS SOMEWHERE AROUND $21 MILLION.AND THE FACT IS, AS A MUNICIPALITY, WE SPEND SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR EXECUTING PROJECTS.
THE OTHER SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR WE PLAN FOR DISASTERS.
AND WE HAVE BECOME VERY GOOD AT THAT BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE ARE SO OFTEN, YOU KNOW, UM, AFFECTED BY NATURAL DISASTERS, I E HURRICANES OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, SO WE HAVE TO BE, WE HAVE TO BE CONSERVATIVE IN HOW WE PLAN, YOU KNOW, UM, UM, UM, THAT'S MY PARTICULAR DIRECTIVE TO CANDY AND TO THE ACCOUNTING STAFF.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF THERE IS NEED FOR A BUDGET AMENDMENT, WE WILL TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, UM, UM, TO, TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE AMENDMENTS ARE BEING DONE.
THERE'S FREQUENT COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT OR WHATEVER DEPARTMENT REQUIRES THAT AMENDMENT, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WE CAN UNDERTAKE THE PROJECTS AND THE PROGRAMS THAT, UM, WE HEAR THAT COUNCIL NEEDS TO BE IMPLEMENTED.
AND WE WILL DO THAT ON AN ONGOING BASIS, YOU KNOW, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE PRESENT IS FISCALLY PRUDENT AND TRANSPARENT.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ALWAYS TRYING TO DO TO PROVIDE YOU AS A, AS, AS A BODY WITH, WITH A DOCUMENT THAT'S FISCALLY PRUDENT AND, AND, AND VERY MUCH TRANSPARENT.
AND, AND SO AGAIN, LET US GO BACK TO THE FACT THAT THE, THE YEARS AGO IN 2016 TO 2017, WE HAD A TERM THAT WE USED A LONG TERM, LONG, UM, SERVICE, UM, INTER LOANS TO, UM, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE, UM, ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
WE NEED TO GET AWAY FROM THAT PRACTICE.
I'VE TRIED VERY MUCH TO GET AWAY FROM THAT PRACTICE OF LOANING MONEY TO THE ENTERPRISE FUND.
WE CAN DO IT THROUGH, UH, THE MEANS THAT'S MUCH MORE TRANSPARENT.
THAT WON'T GET US INTO TROUBLE.
AND I WOULD LEAVE THAT, I WOULD LEAVE IT TO THE EXPERTS IN THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS TO SIT WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND COME UP WITH A PLAN TO DO THOSE THINGS.
IT'S NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF COUNCIL TO DO THAT.
COUNCIL PROVIDES GUIDANCE AS TO THE GENERAL POLICY.
THAT'S WHAT YOU APPROVE THE POLICY.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE NITTY GRITTY OF THE STORY, IT IS FOR THE TECHNICAL STAFF TO TAKE CARE OF.
COUNCIL DOES NOT HAVE THAT EXPERTISE.
NO, YOU DON'T LEAVE IT TO THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE THE EXPERTISE AND STOP GETTING INTO THE WEEDS OF IT.
THE FIRST ONE, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT CITIZENS GET THE CORRECT INFORMATION.
THE WALL, THE WALL UTILITIES AND SOLID WASTE ARE ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
THERE ARE CALLED ENTERPRISE FUNDS BECAUSE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THEMSELVES.
THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE FUNDED THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND, BUT THAT SYSTEM HAS BEEN ABUSED WHEREBY THE CITY USED THE GENERAL FUND TO FUND THOSE TWO THINGS.
THAT WAS PROBABLY BECAUSE OF PROBLEMS WITH THE LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT, BUT CITIZENS SHOULD NOT BE TOLD, YOU CANNOT SU SUPPLY MONEY TO AN ENTERPRISE FUND FROM YOUR GENERAL FUND.
YOU COULD GO LOOK AT CITIES ON A WEBSITE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE CITY OF BEAUMONT AND YOU LOOK AT THEIR BUDGET, YOU'LL SEE THEY'RE ACTUALLY SUBSIDIZING THIS YEAR.
SO LET'S NOT LET'S NOT TELL CITIZENS THAT IF WE NEEDED TO DO THIS, THAT WE CANNOT DO THIS.
AND IF WE NEEDED TO DO THIS, THAT IS WHAT IT'S FOR.
WE CALL IT THE ENTERPRISE FUND, BUT THAT IS THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND WE FUND IT AS FAR THE DECISIONS, WE ARE THE COUNCIL.
AND THIS IS A COMMENT FROM WHAT THE CITY MANAGER JUST SAID.
WE ARE NOT TECHNICAL, WE NOT EXPERTS, BUT WE ARE UP HERE TO REPRESENT PEOPLE.
STAFF ARE THE EXPERTS, AND THEY MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION TO US.
BUT UNDERSTAND IT'S A RECOMMENDATION.
WE HOLD A RESPONSIBILITY TO REPRESENT CITIZENS.
WE HOLD THE, REPRESENT WE OR HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO CITIZENS TO SAY
[01:10:01]
YES OR NO.SO WHEN WE SPEAK, WE SPEAK FOR CITIZENS AND OUR VOTE COUNT.
NOW, I RESPECT STAFF, I RESPECT RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING DECISIONS, THIS COUNCIL MAKES 'EM NOT TECHNICAL, NOT EXPERTS, NOT MANAGERS, NOT STAFF.
SO WHEN CITIZENS HEAR US TALK, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE CITIZENS UNDERSTAND HOW THIS GOVERNMENT IS RAN, OUR CONSIDER RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT MY DECISIONS ARE BASED ON WHAT SYSTEMS PUT ME UP HERE FOR.
AND THE DECISION OF THIS COUNCIL IS FINAL.
AND THAT'S WHAT COUNT, NOT TECHNICAL AND NOT STAFF.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN, UH, FRANK.
OH, I SIMPLY, I I DID LEAVE MY LIGHT ON, BUT SINCE MY LIGHT IS ON, I APPRECIATE ALL THAT'S BEEN SAID.
BUT I WANT TO SAY FOR MYSELF, UM, THAT I LISTEN AND DEPEND UPON THE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE OF OUR CITY.
YES, I DO, UH, REPRESENT CITIZENS, AND I DO, I HAVE, I WAS ENGAGED IN A, UH, A LONG CONVERSATION WITH CITIZENS ABOUT THE 7% INCREASE IN WATER.
I WANT TO DO ALL I CAN TO IT AND, AND ALWAYS, AND ALWAYS ASSURE THE CITIZENS THAT I AM LISTENING, THAT I AM ENGAGED, AND THAT I AM A VOICE FOR MANY TIMES THE VOICELESS.
BUT YOU CANNOT DO THIS JOB WITHOUT THE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE OF, OF THOSE.
AND SO YOU HAVE TO TAKE ALL OF THOSE VARIABLES IN CONSIDERATION AS WE'RE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS.
AND SO, I, I WANTED TO SAY, UM, THAT, UH, I NEED ALL THE INFORMATION THAT I CAN TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE.
YOU CAN COME ON UP AFTER THAT.
MS. JONES, YOU CAN COME ON UP.
I FORGOT THE FIRST TIME I WAS HERE.
AND GETTING BACK TO THE HIRING INSIDE, I HAVE NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT YOU HIRING INSIDE, BUT IT'S MORE HARD INSIDE THAN YOU.
AND YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, THE MONEY IS SHORT AND EVERYTHING, BUT IT'S, IT NEEDS TO, THE MONEY IS ROLLING ON THE INSIDE THAT YOU KEEP HIRING TO TAKE CARE OF SITUATIONS.
AND I FEEL LIKE IT'S OVERLOADED INSIDE THE OUTSIDE IS WHAT NEED TO BE DEALT WITH.
FOR INSTANCE, YOU NEED A BARN FOR THESE MATERIAL THINGS, THAT BRAND NEW, UH, MECHANICAL THINGS THAT YOU ARE BUYING TO TAKE CARE OF THE CITY WITH.
I'M LOOKING AT A LOT OF, UM, I'M LOOKING AT A LOT OF MACHINERY OUT HERE THAT WE PAID MONEY FOR, THAT YOU HAVE NO PLACE TO EVEN STORE IT OR SERVICES.
SO YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU EVEN, YOU JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU, YOU'RE DOING THINGS ONE WAY AND HURTING YOURSELF ANOTHER WAY.
AND IT, IT, IT IS NOT THE RIGHT MANAGEMENT.
IT'S, IT'S BAD MANAGEMENT OUT THERE.
AND BECAUSE FOR THE SIMPLE REASON, IT, IT SEEMS AS IF YOU JUST DOING SOMETHING TO SHUT THE PUBLIC UP, YOU KNOW? AND I DON'T THINK IT'S RIGHT.
YOU, LIKE I SAY, YOU SAY YOU NEED 'EM INSIDE, GOOD, BUT MAYBE YOU ALL NOT WORKING HARD ENOUGH AND YOU'RE FULL EIGHT HOURS TO SEE, TO SAY YOU KEEP ON NEEDING PEOPLE INSIDE AND FINDING A SALARY FOR THEM, BUT YOU CAN'T FIND A SALARY FOR OUTSIDE.
ONE OTHER THING BEFORE I LEAVE HERE, WHEN THEY GOT READY TO DO THE WATER, UH, GO UP ON THE WATER BILL, I UNDERSTOOD AND LISTENING AT THE COMMUNITY THAT IT WAS A MONTH AHEAD, YOU ALL HAD ALREADY SETTLED.
SETTLED, AND SAID THAT YOU ALL WERE GOING TO, THAT IT WAS ALREADY DONE, THAT YOU ALL HAD WENT UP BEFORE YOU BROUGHT IT TO US.
WELL, THE COMMUNITY KINDA, AFTER THEY SEEN THIS AND FIGURED THIS OUT, WHAT YOU HAD ALREADY DID HAD SELL, UH, SELL IT ALL RIGHT? AND THEN GOING, COME TO US AND ACT LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE INTEREST, UH, YOU GOING TELL US OR ASK US IF WE WANT TO GO UP.
IT MADE US FEEL SO I I, AND DUMB THAT YOU ALL ALREADY TAKING CARE OF THE SITUATION, THEN YOU'RE GONNA COME TO BULL US.
DID, UH, YOU KNOW, SO I WANTED TO SAY TO THE COMMUNITY, THIS IS
[01:15:01]
HOW THEY FELT AND THEY FELT REAL BAD ABOUT THAT SITUATION.SO SOME THINGS CAN BE HEAD AND SOME THINGS CAN'T.
SO YOU NEED TO BE VERY, UH, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, BE CAREFUL ON WHAT YOU DO BECAUSE IT'S, YOU'RE CUTTING PEOPLE OFF.
DON'T WANNA, UH, PARTICIPATE UP HERE.
FOR INSTANCE, LOOK AT A HERE, YOU DON'T, DON'T WANNA PARTICIPATE BECAUSE THEY SAY YOU'RE DOING WHAT YOU WANNA DO ANYWAY, SO WHY SHOULD YOU PUT IN? SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT, HOW THE COMMUNITY REALLY FEELS AND THEY HEARD ABOUT IT.
I DIDN'T, MS. DANIEL GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU.
I DIDN'T SEE YOU ON THAT SIDE.
OH, I WAS JUST SITTING RIGHT HERE.
BUT ANYWAY, COUPLE OF THINGS THAT'S
OKAY? NOW THE, THE 7% INCREASE IS GOING TO IMPACT THE AVERAGE WATER BILL.
HOW MUCH I'VE HEARD SOME, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT BECAUSE THEY DID THAT, UH, ANALYSIS.
AND MY NEXT QUESTION IS TO YOU, THAT 4% REDUCTION OFF THE TAX RATE, HOW MUCH REVENUE THAT'S GONNA BE GENERATED, WE'RE GONNA COVER THAT TOMORROW NIGHT.
TOMORROW NIGHT AT THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TAX RATE.
I'LL GO OVER ALL OF THAT IN MUCH MORE DETAIL FOR YOU.
THAT'D BE FINE, BECAUSE IT'S, IT IS RELATED.
YOU OWN THE CHOPPING BLOCK, COUNCILMAN.
THE, THE EASIEST WAY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IS ON A 5,000 GALLON, UH, WATER BILL, THE INCREASE IS GONNA BE $5 AND 16 CENTS PER MONTH.
FIVE 16 PER MONTH, $5 AND 16 CENTS ON A 5,000 GALLON USAGE.
IF YOU'RE IN THE 3000 GALLON RANGE, IT'S $3 AND 58 CENTS.
IF YOU USE 3000 GALLONS, THE INCREASE IS $3 AND 58 CENTS A MONTH.
LET'S CLARIFY FOR SIMPLICITY, FOR THE PUBLIC TO CUT THE GRASS, THE TOTAL INCREASE, THAT'S 7% IS WHAT'S BEING IMPACTED.
THAT'S SPREAD OUT, CORRECT? IT'S A QUESTION.
WHAT, WHAT ALL GOES INTO THAT 7% FORMULA? RESTATE THAT 7% WILL BE AN INCREASE ON A PER THOUSAND GALLON OF WATER, A PER THOUSAND GALLON OF SEWER AND, UH, READY TO SERVE CHARGE.
SO IF YOU ARE USING 5,000 GALLONS A MONTH, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, AN AVERAGE FOR, UH, A THREE BEDROOM, TWO BATH HOME, FOR EXAMPLE, YOUR BILL IS GONNA GO UP BY $5 AND 16 CENTS.
IF YOU'RE AN INDIVIDUAL LIVING ALONE AT THE HOUSE, YOU SHOULDN'T BE USING MORE THAN 3000 GALLONS, UH, A MONTH.
SO THAT WILL GO UP BY $3 AND 58 CENTS A MONTH.
UM, THEY TIED TOGETHER WHAT THE, WHAT THE PROPERTY OWNERS GOING TO BE SAVING ON OFF THE TAX RATE WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY.
THAT'S, WE'LL DO, WE'LL DEAL WITH THAT TOMORROW NIGHT.
UM, ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO, I I, I'LL GET BACK TO YOU.
UH, ANYONE ELSE? COUNSEL? OKAY.
CITY ATTORNEY? NO, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
I'LL INSTRUCT YOU ON THE VOTE.
HOW WILL WE HAVE TO DO IT? JUST WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS, YOU, YOU WERE, YOU HAD SOMETHING ELSE? YES.
SO, GETTING ALL RUN TOGETHER HERE, I'LL, I'LL GET BACK WITH YOU.
I GOTTA SEPARATE SOME STUFF OUT HERE.
OKAY, ATTORNEY, GO RIGHT AHEAD.
UM, JUST WHEN YOU GET READY TO CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING, IF WHENEVER YOU'RE AT THAT POINT, IF YOU'RE GETTING CLOSE TO THAT POINT, YOU'LL HAVE TO THEN, UH, MAKE A SPECIAL MOTION.
AND IN THAT MOTION YOU CAN ADOPT THE BUDGET OR POSTPONE THE BUDGET UNTIL THE DATE'S CERTAIN.
SO, UM, I HAVE GIVEN THE WORDING, IF YOU CHOOSE TO POSTPONE, I'VE GIVEN THE WORDING TO COUNCIL MEMBER, FRANK, AND YOU CAN INSERT THE DATE, AND THAT IS THE DATE YOU WILL ADOPT A BUDGET WITH, YOU KNOW, SO YOU HAVE TO DETERMINE AT THIS POINT WHEN YOU WANNA ADOPT, WE HAVE TOMORROW'S DATE IN THE MOTION.
OKAY? BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO DO A ROLL CALL.
[01:20:01]
YES, SIR.WELL, WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO, I, I GOT DISTRICT ONE, IT'S AN OLD DISTRICT, PEOPLE DON'T FIXED INCOME.
LOAF OF BREAD HAS DOUBLED SINCE THE PANDEMIC.
IS THERE ANY POSSIBILITY THAT WE COULD, THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT WE COULD DISCOUNT TO SENIOR CITIZENS TO TRY TO OFFSET THIS INCREASE? IS THAT POSSIBILITIES FOR THAT COUNCILMAN? ACTUALLY, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD IDEA FOR OUR SENIOR CITIZENS.
MANY CITIES HAVE A DISCOUNTED RATE FOR SENIOR CITIZENS, AND THAT THE SENIOR CITIZEN WILL HAVE TO SHOW US THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE THE ONES THAT OWN THE HOUSE OR HAVE A LEASE TO RENT THE HOUSE SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THEM WITH THAT, UH, DISCOUNT.
AND, AND IF OUR CONCERN IS OUR SENIOR CITIZENS, AND IT'S OUR CONCERN AS A DEPARTMENT AS WELL, THAT WILL DEFINITELY BE AN OPTION WE CAN REVIEW AND LOOK AT.
BECAUSE THAT 7% INCREASE THAT WE ARE, UH, IMPLEMENTING, THAT'S GONNA GENERATE $2.45 MILLION IN REVENUE.
A MILLION OF THAT 2.45 IS COMING FROM THE BIG INDUSTRY.
SO IF WE SEPARATE OUR SENIOR CITIZENS WITH A DISCOUNT FROM EVERY OTHER BILL, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, THE COMMERCIAL, THE APARTMENTS AND ALL THAT, UH, IT MIGHT BE AN OPTION THAT WILL ALLOW US TO PROTECT THEM WHILE CONTINUE TO GET THE REVENUE WE NEED TO OPERATE AND DO CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO IT IS AN OPTION WE CAN LOOK INTO.
UM, AT THIS TIME, AND THERE WOULD NOT BE ANYONE ELSE WITH, UH, DESIRES TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, COUNCILMAN BECKER, MAY I GET A MOTION TO CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE? YES.
MAY I GET A SECOND? UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, DOUCETTE.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT BEGAN AT ABOUT 10 0 8 30 THIS MORNING.
UH, WE READY FOR QUESTION ON THAT? THERE AREN'T ANY QUESTIONS.
YOU READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO, AS ALL OF THE PUBLIC HEARING HAS NOW ENDED, NOW WE ARE IN A POSITION TO HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL ATTORNEY.
A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OR POSTPONEMENT? UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK.
I MOVE FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE PHYSICAL, UH, BUDGET FOR 20 23, 20 24, UH, FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
YOU MOVE FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE POSTPONEMENT.
THE RED, I THINK I WROTE IT IN RED UNLESS I WROTE IT WRONG.
YOU'RE MOVING FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE POSTPONEMENT, OF THE, THE BUDGET.
I MOVE THAT THE ADOPTION OF THE PHYSICAL YEAR 20 23, 20 24 ANNUAL BUDGET OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BE POSTPONED AT THIS TIME.
AND THAT THE FINAL VOTE ON THE BUDGET BE HELD ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 29TH, 2023 DURING THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
AND SECOND, THAT WE WOULD POSTPONE THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET UNTIL THE MEETING ON TOMORROW, AUGUST 29TH AND WHERE DECISION WOULD BE MADE.
UH, WE READY FOR QUESTION ON THAT? COUNCILWOMAN HAMILTON? NO QUESTIONS.
UH, WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? ROLL CALL.
THIS MEASURE PASSES AND WE WILL, UH, LOOK AT THE MEASURE AGAIN FOR APPROVAL ON TOMORROW AT THE REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, UH, BEGINNING AT 4:00 PM ON TOMORROW.
IF THAT BE NO OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THERE'S AUGUSTA BY THE, UH, COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE.
MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN FRANK? SECOND, IS IT MOVED TO SECOND THAT WE WOULD ADJOIN THIS MEETING? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSES? THANK YOU FOR YOUR INDULGENCE AND PRESENCE HERE TODAY ON THIS MEETING.
WE'LL SEE YOU ON TOMORROW AT 4:00 PM THAT YOU RIGHT, RIGHT TIME.