[00:00:01]
WE ARE GATHERED HERE IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET, HERE IN THE GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, FOR A SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
IT IS NOW 2:02 PM AND THE MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR 2:00 PM UH, CENTRAL STANDARD TIME HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, UH, ON TODAY, TUESDAY, JULY 30TH, 2024.
AND YOU MAY ATTEND THE MEETING VIA, UH, TELEPHONIC AND VIDEO CONFERENCE, UH, MEDIUMS, HOWEVER YOU MUST FIRST DIAL 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7 OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9.
AND YOU WOULD, UH, ENTER THE MEETING ID CODE OF 8 8 0 8 2 1 9 3 7 3 0, AND THE PASSCODE OF 1 7 0 8 2 1.
AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE, UH, IN THIS MEETING.
ALSO IN THE MEETING WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
AND IF YOU HAVE A NEED FOR ANY, UH, REASONABLE, UH, ACCOMMODATIONS, SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS, UH, THEY WILL BE PROVIDED FOR YOU.
HOWEVER, YOU MUST FIRST CALL THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE AT 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5, AND MAKE YOUR WISHES KNOWN TO THEM, AND THEY WILL DO ALL WITHIN THEIR POWER TO PROVIDE YOU WITH YOUR SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS.
[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL ]
WE WILL BEGIN OUR MEETING IN OUR NORMAL FASHION WITH AN INVOCATION TO PLEDGE AND THE ROLL CALL, CONSTABLE FRANKLIN, YOU DO YOUR INVOCATION FOR US, PLEASE.GLADLY, SIR, LET'S BOW ALL, ALWAYS IN ETERNAL GOD, OUR FATHER, HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE FOR YET AGAIN, GIVING US ANOTHER DAY.
LORD, WE DON'T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED THAT WE ARE HERE, AND WE THANK YOU FOR THE PURPOSE THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN IN OUR LIVES.
NOW AS WE GATHER TOGETHER, WE PRAY FOR YOUR STRENGTH, FOR YOUR WISDOM, YOUR GUIDANCE.
AND WE PRAY, GOD, THAT PEACE MIGHT ABIDE IN ALL THINGS AND IN EVERY AREA OF OUR CITY.
WE ASK IT IN THE POWERFUL AND PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS THE CHRIST WE PRAY.
PLEASE JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I HAVE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, 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 CITY.
WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO ESTABLISH THE QUA MAYOR BARTEE PRESENT, MAYOR PRO TIMM BECKHAM, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, EVER FIELD COUNCIL MEMBER ETT HERE.
WE ARE HERE TODAY AND I'VE ALREADY STATED THAT, UH, OF THE REASON FOR THIS MEETING.
[II. PRESENTATION To Provide An Overview Of The Proposed Fiscal Year 2024 – 2025 Budget ]
AND, UH, WE HAVE NOW A PRESENTATION, UH, WHICH ACTUALLY WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR BUDGET FOR 20 24, 20 25, AND CITY MANAGER, UH, YOU MAY INTRODUCE WHOMEVER WE HAVE HERE FOR THAT.THANK YOU MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AS WE, UH, WE ARE ON TARGET AS FAR AS TIME IS CONCERNED.
SIMILARLY, LAST YEAR ABOUT THIS EXACT TIME WE PRESENTED THE COUNCIL WITH A PROPO, AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS AFTERNOON.
WE ARE PROVIDING YOU WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
MORE DETAILS WILL COME SOMETIME LATER.
I KNOW THAT WE WILL HAVE, UM, IN THE PAST PROVIDED YOU WITH A BINDER OF THE BUDGET, THE DRAFT BUDGET ITSELF, AND, UM, THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE IS WORKING, WILL BE WORKING ON THAT TO GET IT OUT TO YOU AS SOON AS, UM, AS, AS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UM, A KEY INITIATIVE OF A STRONG FINANCIAL FUTURE FOR THE CITY OF, FOR AFRICA IS TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP A STRUCTURALLY BALANCED OPERATING BUDGET OVER THE FISCAL YEAR.
A STRUCTURALLY BALANCED BUDGET IS ACHIEVED WHEN RECURRING REVENUES MATCH RECURRING EXPENDITURES, AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE DIRECTOR AND I HAVE SET OUT TO DO AT THIS POINT.
WE ARE NOT THERE AS YET, BUT WE WILL IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THAT.
UM, A FEW, UM, UM, PRECURSORS TO THIS IS TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE TAX RATE AND WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED.
SO WE WILL DELVE INTO THAT AT THIS POINT, INFORM YOU WHERE WE ARE, INFORM YOU AS TO THE, THE REVENUE INCREASES AS FAR AS THOSE ARE CONCERNED.
[00:05:01]
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO HOLD THOSE, MAKE NOTES OF THEM.IF YOU'RE PREPARED TO EMAIL US, EMAIL US AND THOSE SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH THE ANSWERS AS WE PROVIDE YOU WITH THE BINDER WITH THE BUDGET.
OKAY? AS WE SAID, WE ARE PROVIDING YOU WITH AN OVERVIEW TODAY OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET AS WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST.
THERE ARE AT THE END OF IT, YOU WILL SEE THERE ARE SEVERAL WORKSHOPS THAT ARE SET UP SO THAT WE COULD DELVE INTO IT.
THE FIRST PART IS THE TAX RATE BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND WHAT WE HAVE FOR YOU RIGHT NOW.
WHAT WE'RE SETTING TO DO IS KEEPING THINGS AS STATUS QUO AS IS POSSIBLE.
I DID WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THE INCREASED IN APPRAISAL VALUE.
THE ASSESSED VALUE HAS INCREASED OVER THE PAST YEAR BY 6.75%, AND WE DO EXPECT A SLIGHT INCREASE FROM THE CURRENT TAX RATE OF WHAT WE'VE GOT RIGHT NOW JUST DUE TO THE INCREASE IN PROPERTY VALUE.
WE WILL GET ALL OF THAT INFORMATION FROM JEFFERSON COUNTY.
WE HAVE THEIR APPRAISED VALUES FROM BOTH JEFFERSON AND ORANGE.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THIS IS MY FIRST TIME THAT JEFFERSON COUNTY WILL BE PREPARING OUR TAX CALCULATION WORKSHEET SO THAT I CAN HAVE THAT TO YOU.
THE NEXT PAGE TALKS ABOUT THE TAX RATES THAT WE'LL BE TALKING WITH YOU ABOUT THE NEXT TIME WHEN WE MEET.
HOPEFULLY IT'LL MAKE SENSE AT THAT TIME.
THE PREVIOUS EFFECTIVE TAX RATE, THE ROLLBACK RATE AND WHAT THAT, WHAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND AND WHAT IS ALLOWABLE BY LAW.
WE'VE, WE HAVE EVERYONE'S REQUESTS TO INCLUDE THE EQUIPMENT AND CAPITAL FROM ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
SINCE THIS IS A FIRST REVIEW, WE WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE DETAILS THAT WILL BE COMING IN YOUR BINDER AS WELL.
WE DO WANT TO LOOK AT THE ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR CURRENT RATE STRUCTURE FOR WATER AND SEWER.
AND I KNOW THAT I BELIEVE YOU ALL WILL BE HAVING ANOTHER WORKSHOP OR PRESENTATION FROM WATER WASTEWATER AND THAT THAT MAY INCLUDE THE RATE STRUCTURE AT THAT TIME AS WELL.
SO I'M NOT TAKING ANY GUIDANCE, NOR HAVE I ADDED ANYTHING IN TERMS OF THAT AT THIS TIME.
ALL THE DEPARTMENT REQUESTS ARE IN, AND AS I MENTIONED, THEY ARE ALL UNDER REVIEW CURRENTLY.
WE'VE GOT INCREASES IN THE REVENUE, BUT THE EXPENSES EXCEED THOSE INCREASES AND THAT'S MAINLY FOR THE GENERAL FUND AND THE ENTERPRISE FUND.
OUR BIGGEST FUNDS FOR ALL OF THE OTHER FUNDS.
I BELIEVE THAT THOSE ARE VERY MUCH BALANCED IN.
WE'LL, WE CAN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AT THE NEXT WORKSHOP AS WELL.
WILL, YOU'LL BE PRESENTED WITH ALL OF THE FUNDS, INCLUDING THE GRANT FUNDS THAT I'VE HAD TO ADD IN THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR THAT HASN'T BEEN IN THE BUDGET BOOK IN THE PAST.
SO YOU WILL HAVE ALL FUNDS IN THERE FOR THE PROPOSED CHANGES FROM LAST YEAR.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE CURRENT REQUEST IS AN INCREASED OF THE 16 AUTHORIZED POSITIONS.
YOU SEE WHICH FUNDS THOSE ARE COMING FROM THE GEN, THE GENERAL FUND, AND THE WATER WASTEWATER.
WE HAVE ALREADY INCLUDED IN HERE A 3% INCREASE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES EQUIPMENT PURCHASES, LEASE NEW TECHNOLOGY PURCHASES, AND A POTENTIAL INCREASE IN PROJECTED COST FOR HEALTH INSURANCE.
WE STILL WON'T KNOW THIS UNTIL LATER, POTENTIALLY EVEN AFTER THE BUDGET MAY BE APPROVED.
IN TERMS OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, THERE IS CURRENTLY 294 MILLION IN HERE.
AND I DIDN'T INCLUDE EVERY LITTLE THING THAT WOULD MAKE UP THAT 294 MILLION, BUT I DID GIVE YOU SOME OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE BIG PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, I DID, I DID ARRANGE THIS SO THAT YOU WILL SEE WHICH ONE WOULD BE COMING OUT OF EITHER GENERAL FUND OR OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND OR OUR CAPITAL RESERVE.
[00:10:01]
AND I SEPARATED THAT FROM OUR ENTERPRISE FUND.SO YOU WILL SEE HERE WE'VE GOT THE 40 MILLION IN STREET IN DRAINAGE, THE SAME FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS, FIRE ENGINES AND NEW CONSTRUCTION.
AND FOR THE WATER WASTEWATER, YOU SEE THE WATER UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.
I THINK YOU GOT A TASTE OF SOME OF THOSE REQUESTS FROM DR. HANEY AND MR. CALVIN.
THESE ARE PRIMARILY FUNDED WITH OPERATIONS GRANTS, NEW BOND ISSUES, WHICH INCLUDES THAT 19 MILLION CAPITAL LEASES AND OTHER FUND CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUNDING BREAKDOWN.
IN THE OPERATIONS SIDE, YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM AND IT'S THAT GENERAL FUND CON CONTRIBUTING 3.8 TO THAT.
THE WATER UTILITIES ONLY THE 2 MILLION, THE NEW BOND ISSUES, THE TAX SUPPORTED ADDITIONAL 19 MILLION CAPITAL LEASE CONTRIBUTION OF THE EDC SALES TAX AND THE EXISTING AND RESTRICTED THAT WE ALREADY HAVE OR WILL ATTAIN BECAUSE OF CONTRACTS AND BECAUSE OF GRANT REIMBURSEMENTS.
AND FINALLY, I DO HAVE THE IMPORTANT BUDGET DATES TO HELP US GET MOVING ALONG WITH THESE, AS YOU CAN SEE FOR THE 25 SCHEDULE AS WELL.
AND FINALLY, WE'D LIKE TO SET THAT NET NEXT WORKSHOP DATE OF AUGUST 6TH BECAUSE THAT IS WHEN WE DO HAVE TO APPROVE THE TAX RATE.
AND THE CITY COUNCIL PROPOSED BUDGET WORKSHOP, YOU CAN HOLD THAT RECORD ON THAT TAX RATE VIA RESOLUTIONS.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PORTION OF THIS OVERVIEW AND PRESENTATION OF THE 25 BUDGET.
UH, I SEE SOME LIGHTS ARE ON, UH, BUT I KNOW YOU SAID WE WANTED US TO EITHER, IF THERE WERE QUESTIONS TO EMAIL THEM TO YOU, I WANNA BE SURE I UNDERSTOOD IT CORRECTLY.
OR SHOULD WE PUT THAT SYSTEM SOME LICENSE ON, BUT THAT STILL DOESN'T BOTHER, THAT STILL DOESN'T BOTHER THE, UM, THE COUNCIL.
IF WE HAVE ANYTHING RECORDS THAT WE COULD MAKE RIGHT NOW, WE COULD TAKE IT DOWN.
YOU KNOW, UH, THE, THE THING IS, NORMALLY WE DID THAT AT THE COUNCIL MEETING.
LYNN IS NEW TO THIS AND IT, IT EVADED ME.
SHE, SHE, SHE, UM, SELECTED TWO HOURS FOR THIS.
BUT, UH, WHAT I, I TOLD LYNN, NORMALLY WE DO THAT IN ABOUT 15, 20 MINUTES WHEN WE PRO WHEN WE MAKE A PRESENTATION ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND WE ASK COUNCIL TO PROVIDE US WITH YOU.
BUT HERE WE ARE AT THIS TIME I WOULD, IT WOULD BE FINE.
THE OVERVIEW, WE GOT THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
WHEN WE GET THAT IN THE BUDGET, HOW ARE WE GONNA SEE THIS IN THE BUDGET? ARE WE GONNA SEE IT, UH, AS A GENERAL AND THEN WE COULD GO TO DETAIL WHERE WE ACTUALLY SEE THE WAY THAT IT'S GOING TO BE PRESENTED IS YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IT IN A COUPLE DIFFERENT WAYS.
IT'S GOING TO HAVE ALL OF THE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
IT'S GONNA HAVE WHAT THE PROJECTS ARE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE CURRENT CAPITAL BOOK THAT WE ARE WORKING ON IS NOT FIVE PAGES, IS NOT SIX PAGES.
IT'S GONNA HAVE MORE DETAIL BECAUSE THAT WILL HELP ME AS WELL.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT'S GOING TO HAVE THE GENERAL LEDGER NUMBERS, WHICH I UNDERSTAND IT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU, BUT IT MEANS A LOT TO ME.
SO WHEN I SEE GENERAL FUND AND WE'RE FUNDING SOMETHING FOR THE FIRE, I WANT TO KNOW THAT IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO NOT JUST CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND, BUT I WANT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
FIRE DEPARTMENT IS, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO SEE IN THERE BECAUSE THAT MAKES IT SO MUCH EASIER FOR US TO SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THAT.
[00:15:01]
MAY NOT INCLUDE THE NUMBERS FOR PRESENTATION PURPOSES.SO YOU MAY GET A VERSION THAT'S MUCH DETAILED BY THE TIME IT'S PUBLISHED ON THE BOOK.
WE MAY PULL THOSE OUT AND WE WILL HAVE OUR INTERNAL ONE BECAUSE WE DO WANT TO MAKE THIS A NICE COMMUNICATION TOOL.
BUT EITHER WAY, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO COMMUNICATE THE, IN THE MOST CLEAREST WAY POSSIBLE.
HERE ARE WHAT THE PROJECTS ARE, HERE'S WHAT THEY ARE CALLED.
HERE'S WHAT THEY ARE FOR AND WHAT THAT EXPECTED FUNDING THAT IS APPROPRIATED AND APPROVED BY COUNSEL AT THAT TIME.
WELL, THE REASON I'M ASKING 'CAUSE THAT'S THE WAY I CHECK THE FUNDING ON RESOLUTIONS.
I GO TO THE BUDGET AND I LOOK FOR IT.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING YOU BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD IT.
OKAY? AND, UH, THAT'S WHAT I'D BE LOOKING FOR.
THE FUNDS COMING FROM THE RIGHT PLACE, THE RIGHT TIME.
AND IF IT'S NOT, THEN IT'S PRESENTED TO COUNCIL IN SUCH A FASHION.
THE COUNCIL DETERMINES WHETHER WE ARE GONNA OKAY IT OR WE GONNA CHANGE IT.
NOT JUST, UH, GO IN DIFFERENT PLACES.
I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION MARK I HAD ON, UH, OKAY, WE, THE NEXT QUESTION'S GOING TO BE DEALING WITH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUNDING AND BREAKDOWN.
OKAY? CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, SEVEN, WE'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
YOU KNOW, WE SEE THE FIVE YEAR PLAN, BUT THE ONLY PLAN YOU REALLY IS WORTH ANYTHING IS THE CURRENT IS A COMMON YEAR.
OKAY? THAT'S WHERE I LIKE TO SEE HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE PUTTING INTO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND FOR 2025.
THAT'S GONNA BE IN THE BUDGET.
'CAUSE THAT'S THE MONEY WHEN WE REFER TO IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND, WE ARE REFERRING TO THE MONEY THAT WE PLACED IN THAT BUDGET FOR THAT YEAR.
OKAY? ANY MONEY WE DON'T PLACE IN THE BUDGET FOR THAT YEAR.
THEN IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT'S KEPT, WE NEED TO NOW BRING IT TO THE BUDGET.
YOU SEE? SO, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'LL BE LOOKING FOR WHEN YOU PRESENT THIS FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
WE NEED TO HAVE A BREAKDOWN AND WE NEED TO HAVE THESE PROJECTS GIVEN THEIR FUNDING SITE OR THEIR NUMBERS, NOT DO A PRO DO A PROJECT AND THEN ASSIGN IT A PROJECT NUMBER.
THAT'S NOT, WE, WE SHOULD HAVE A PROJECT NUMBER IN THAT BUDGET UNLESS WE HAVE TAKEN IT OUT OF ANOTHER FUND OR WE BROUGHT IT IN, PUT IT IN THE NEW BUDGET WHEN WE PUT IT IN THE CURRENT BUDGET RATHER, THEN WE'LL SIGN A NUMBER.
BUT WE ARE PUTTING THE MONEY IN THERE.
OKAY? SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, NEEDS TO BE VERY CLEAR AND WHETHER IT'S PART OF THAT BUDGET OR UH, ATTACHMENT, IT NEEDS TO BE SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE FUNDING.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET.
WELL, THE BUDGET IS THE MOST CRITICAL TIME.
'CAUSE WE GONNA DECIDE WHAT WE GONNA DO.
AND THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GONNA KNOW IF WE ARE STAYING WITH THE BUDGET, WE HAVE TO KNOW WHAT DID WE APPROVE.
OKAY? SO ALL OF THE MONEY THAT'S GOING TO ANYTHING, WE NEED A BREAKDOWN OF IT.
SO KNOW HOW MANY GOING TO VEHICLES? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PURCHASING VEHICLES.
WE NEED A LIST OF VEHICLES THAT YOU'RE GONNA PURCHASE.
MM-HMM,
WE NEED TO KNOW HOW THE VEHICLES YOU'RE LEASING THEM, WHAT DEPARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT I HAVE HAD THIS YEAR IN GOING THROUGH YOUR 2024 BUDGET, WHICH I DO NOT WANNA HAVE THIS CHALLENGE FOR 2025, IS WHAT WE'VE DONE WHEN I MENTIONED TO YOU THAT WE'RE TRACKING THIS DIFFERENTLY.
WE'RE GOING TO BE FUNDING, WE'RE GONNA BE ADDING SOME, SOME EXTRA NUMBERS TO HELP US KEEP TRACK.
ONE CHALLENGE THAT I I'VE HAD THAT HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT IS IF YOU'VE STARTED PROJECT, YOU DIDN'T TELL ME THAT YOU DIDN'T FINISH IT, I DIDN'T KNOW.
THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN THIS TIME.
I'M GONNA KNOW THAT THE PROJECT DIDN'T GET FINISHED.
WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE IN 26 IS I'M GONNA TAKE THOSE PROJECTS THAT DIDN'T GET FINISHED THAT YOU APPROVED THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IT IN WHAT'S CALLED A RESTRICTED ACCOUNT.
THAT WAY I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT THIS MONEY
[00:20:01]
AND YOU WILL NEED TO REAPPROVE THE RESTRICTED ACCOUNT THE FOLLOWING YEAR SO THAT YOU KNOW THAT YOU DID THIS.IT MAY GET, YOU MAY HAVE LESS MONEY IN CAPITAL THE FOLLOWING YEAR BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GET SOMETHING DONE OR WE DIDN'T GET ENOUGH MONEY COMING IN, ET CETERA.
I HAVE MONEY IF WE, IF WE APPROVE THE 25, IT'S BECAUSE THE MONEY IS THERE FOR 25.
IF THE MONEY IS THERE AND I KNOW THAT THIS DIDN'T GET FINISHED, I NEED TO KNOW WHICH PROJECTS THOSE ARE.
AND THOSE PROJECTS NEED TO BE RESTATED AGAIN FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
THAT HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE FOR ALL OF US, I BELIEVE IN, UH, IN ADMINISTERING YOUR 24 BUDGET.
SO IF YOU SEE ALL OF THESE BUDGET AMENDMENTS, IT'S BECAUSE I DIDN'T SEE THAT YOU APPROVED IT.
YOU MAY HAVE APPROVED IT IN THE PAST, BUT THAT EXPIRES AND I SEE THAT IT DIDN'T GET REAPPROVED OR REAPPROPRIATED IN 24.
IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SEE AND I'M JUST BEING SAFE BY ASKING YOU TO REDO THAT.
SO WE DO HAVE A, WE'VE PROVIDED TO THE CITY MANAGER A, A CAPITAL BOOK, AND THAT'S, UM, MUCH BIGGER THAN WHAT YOU HAVE IN THIS BUDGET FOR THAT EXACT SAME REASON THAT YOU ARE A QUESTIONING AS WELL, BECAUSE WE'VE ALSO HAD THOSE SAME QUESTIONS AND CHALLENGES TOO.
THE THE, THE OTHER THING TOO IS SHOWING US, I NOTICED THE 19 MILLION, UH, IS THAT THE, IS THAT THE 19 MILLION THAT WE TALKING ABOUT GETTING? YES.
YOU SEE, SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER, WE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S, THAT'S UNDERSTOOD.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S, WE HAVEN'T APPROVED THIS 19 MILLION.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE SAY TAX SUPPORTED BOND, WE MIGHT THINK WE ALREADY HAVE THE BOND, WHICH LEAD ME TO THE NEXT THING.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE MONIES FOR SOME REASON, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE IN A PARTICULAR FUND.
UH, FOR AN EXAMPLE, STREETS, YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE IN STREETS FOR THIS YEAR BECAUSE IF WE HAVE IT IN THERE FOR THIS YEAR, THEN AT THE END OF THE YEAR, IT DOES EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID.
IT GOES TO THE RESTRICTED, UH, UNCOMMON FUNDS, WHICH WE BRING FORWARD TO THE NEXT YEAR.
BUT YOU STILL HAVE YOUR, THE, UH, FUND THE NUMBER AND YOU JUST BRINGING IT OVER.
SO WE TRACKING, WE COULD KEEP A BALANCE, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE AT ALL TIMES.
BUT BEFORE WE COULD DO THAT TO ME, YOU HAD TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH WE HAVE TO START.
AND THAT'S THE QUESTION I'VE BEEN ASKING.
I NEED TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE.
WE SELL CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATIONS.
WE HAD ARPA, $10 MILLION WENT TO STREET.
OKAY? UH, YOU PASSED A, A CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION JUST AT THE TIME I WAS COMING ON COUNCIL 23 SOMETHING.
YOU OBLIGATED MONEY TO STREETS.
AND WHEN WE DO THAT, LYNN, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SAY HOW MUCH WE ARE DOING.
WE JUST CAN'T GET MONEY AND LIST FIVE THINGS FOR, FOR THE MONEY AND WE NOT KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY'S GONNA GO TO EACH ONE.
AND THEN WHEN WE DO THAT, THEN WE GOT IT, GOT TO GO TO THEM AND WE GOTTA TRACK IT, YOU KNOW? SO WHEN I LOOK AT THE BUDGET, I NEED TO BE ABLE TO READ THE BUDGET AND UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE IN EACH AREA.
OKAY? AND THAT'S ALL WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET.
DO THE AUDITS, THAT'S ALL WE GOT SOME COMING UP TODAY WITH WITHOUT AUDIT.
BUT THAT'S ANOTHER CONCERN I'VE HAD BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN DOING BUDGETS FOR THE LAST, WHAT, THREE YEARS? FOUR YEARS.
BUT WE HADN'T HAD THE AUDITS, SO IT'S PRETTY HARD TO GET ACTUALS WHEN YOU NEVER DID AUDITS.
SO YOU, YOU STILL GOT 2023 THAT HAS NOT BEEN AUDITED.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S GONNA BE KIND OF LIKE HURTING OF OUR PREVIOUS YEAR.
YOU COULD ALWAYS GIVE US AN ESTIMATED BY HOW MUCH YOU GOT LEFT AND WHAT WE DOING.
SO ESTIMATED IS GOOD, BUT THE PREVIOUS YEAR WE HAVEN'T DONE AN AUDIT.
SO THOSE ACTUALS SHOW WHAT WE GONNA HAVE WITH THE, WITH THE ACTUAL FOR 20 22, 23.
[00:25:02]
IT WOULD BE 23.AND THOSE NUMBERS ARE UNAUDITED NUMBERS THAT NEED TO GO INTO THE BUDGET.
BUT PRIOR TO, IT'S UNFORTUNATE.
HOWEVER, HOWEVER, THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING.
LAST YEAR WITH THIS BUDGET THAT SHOULD HAVE STATED UNAUDITED TWO BECAUSE ALL OF THOSE YEARS WERE ALSO UNAUDITED.
WE'RE IN THE, WE ARE RIGHT NOW IN THE MIDDLE OF THE THROES OF COMPLETING THAT 23 AUDIT AS FAST AS WE CAN CURRENTLY.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S GONNA BE DONE BEFORE THE END OF THE BUDGET, BUT BECAUSE WE COMPLETED 22, WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA FOR 23.
AND, UH, WE, I DON'T WANNA DO THIS AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW, I NEED TO HAVE THE AUDIT BEFORE WE DO THE BUDGET.
SO WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO GET THAT DONE.
THIS WILL BE THE THIRD AUDIT I WILL HAVE COMPLETED ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
WELL, THAT'S A KIND, THAT'S KIND I'M ASKING, I JUST WANT GET AN UNDERSTANDING WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE'RE GOING.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO, UH, BE LABELED WHAT'S WRONG, WHAT'S BAD.
I'D JUST LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD.
BUT IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD, YOU HAVE TO BE CORRECT AND KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
YOU CAN'T GO BACK IF THAT'S NOT RIGHT.
SO THOSE ARTISTS, SO WHAT, THE 2324, THAT'S OUR CURRENT YEAR RIGHT NOW.
SO BASICALLY WE FIXING TO APPROVE THE ONE FOR 2223.
AND THEN IT'LL BE ALREADY IN THE BUDGET FOR 25.
FOR THE 24 BUDGET THAT WILL BE ALREADY IN THERE.
AND I EXPECT TO BE ON TIME AND NOT, NOT BURDEN YOU WITH THREE AUDITS IN ONE YEAR AND THE COST OF THREE AUDITS IN ONE YEAR, WHICH IS WHAT'S HAPPENING.
WOULDN'T IT BE, WOULDN'T IT BE TO OUR ADVANTAGE IF WE JUST DARE 'EM KNOW AT LEAST WE'LL GET CAUGHT UP AND WE'LL GET IT OUT THE WAY.
I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THE COSTS, BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THESE AUDIT ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND YOU KNOW, WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO 'EM AT THE END OF EACH YEAR.
YOU KNOW, SO IF WE'RE BEHIND, THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
SO, SO FOR THE 23 AUDIT, I AM HOPING TO ONLY BE THREE MONTHS BEHIND INSTEAD OF A YEAR, 18 MONTHS, TWO YEARS, THREE YEARS.
SO THE DEADLINE FOR THE 23 AUDIT WAS JUNE, AND I BELIEVE WE JUST FINISHED UP THE 22 AUDIT.
IT'S VERY POSSIBLE WE COULD HAVE A DRAFT BY SEPTEMBER, BUT THE FINAL, PERHAPS FINAL ISSUED MAY NOT BE COMPLETED UNTIL OCTOBER, BUT AT LEAST IT'LL BE THE FINAL NUMBERS.
AND, AND AS I MENTIONED, I DON'T WANNA DO THIS AGAIN.
SO THE 24 BUDGET NEEDS TO BE DONE ON TIME AND THAT'S GOING TO HELP.
OR 23 AUDIT, DID I SAY BUDGET? I DUNNO WHERE I AM TODAY.
THE 24 AUDIT NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED ON TIME.
SO I AM MUCH MORE SURE WHEN I PRESENT TO YOU THE 26 BUDGET.
AND THE LAST QUESTION, THE LAST COMMENT IS THE SCHEDULE.
HEY MAN, THIS, THIS IS THE TIME I'M ASKING ALL QUESTIONS.
BUT WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO, COUNCILMAN, IF YOU DON'T MIND, WE CAN MOVE ALONG IF YOU DON'T MIND.
COUNCILMAN, YOU GO ON ABOUT 15 MINUTES IF YOU WOULD, IF, IF YOU WOULD JUST, JUST RELINQUISH AND LET ME CALL ON SOME OF THE OTHERS.
BECAUSE IF EVERYBODY HAS ABOUT 20 MINUTES BEFORE QUESTION, I'LL DO THAT.
MAYOR, WE'RE GOING TO BE PAST THE TIME.
YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE, UH, THE 2023 AUDIT.
WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING THAT COMPLETED.
WE'RE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT RIGHT NOW.
NOW WHAT ABOUT THE PREVIOUS YEAR? THE 22 AUDIT WAS FINALIZED, I BELIEVE, IN EITHER LATE JUNE OR EARLY JULY.
I I BELIEVE THE FIRST WEEK OF JULY THE 22 AUDIT WAS COMPLETED AND FINALIZED.
WERE THERE ANY, ANY AUDIT EXCEPTIONS IN 2022? YOU SAID IT'S COMPLETE.
SO WAS THERE ANY PROBLEMS, ANYTHING THAT NEEDED ATTENTION FINDINGS? YOU MEAN SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS? FINDINGS? YEAH.
IT HAD TO DO MOSTLY WITH OUR SINGLE AUDIT, WHICH IS OUR FEDERAL, OUR FEDERAL FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVE.
THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE THAT HAVE NOT BEEN TIMELY AND WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON THE DEPARTMENTS WITH THAT.
IT'S, THOSE ARE THE ONLY THINGS THAT I HAVE THAT I KNOW OF OTHER THAN THE HIGH TURNOVER MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR US TO DO OUR PROCESSES IN FINANCE.
THE ONLY ONE THAT I, I CAN'T SAY WITHOUT SEEING IT RIGHT HERE.
SO IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, MAY I
[00:30:01]
TAKE A LOOK AND THEN I CAN GET BACK YOU? YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT.AND WHY, UH, WHO, WHO IS, WHO, WHO IS OUR FINANCIAL AUDITOR? WHAT COMPANY AND HOW LONG THEY'VE BEEN WITH THIS? PATI BROWN AND HILL AND PAT.
PAT BROWN, PATILLO BROWN AND HILL.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THEY'VE BEEN WITH US, BUT THEY TOOK CARE OF OUR 2122.
THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF OUR 23 AUDIT AND THEY CAN ONLY DO FIVE OF OUR AUDITS AND WE HAVE TO DO ANOTHER RFP FOR A DIFFERENT AUDITOR.
SO WE STILL, WE STILL SWAPPING 'EM OUT THE END OF FIVE YEARS? THAT IS CORRECT.
YOU THROUGH COUNCIL, GO AHEAD.
SHE, SHE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING.
SHE, WHEN SHE FIND SHE'LL GET BACK WITH HIM.
UM, DIRECTOR, YOU KNOW, THE, THE BUDGET DRIVES TO TRAIN AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE, WE GO BACK AND FORTH AND THE COUNCIL HAS TO LOOK AT THESE ACTUALS AND COMPARABLES BETWEEN, UH, FISCAL YEARS.
I LOVE TO LOOK AT THE BUDGET AND SEE EXACTLY WHAT WE, UM, THE PROCESS OF THE CITY.
UH, YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, ABOUT THE $294 MILLION, UM, UH, CAPITAL FUNDING, ALL THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE.
UH, BUT MY THING IS THIS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ASKED THE CITY MANAGER BEFORE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THESE DIRECTORS ASK FOR CERTAIN THINGS AND ITEMIZE THESE NUMBERS AND PRESENT TO THE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
I DO TOO AGREE THAT WE NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY IE EQUIPMENT, UH, TECHNOLOGY, ANYTHING.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO LOOK BACK AT THE PREVIOUS YEARS AND DO, UH, COMPARABLES.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IN THE PAST OR WHY HAVEN'T WE NOTICED THAT, BUT I'VE BEEN BRINGING THIS UP EVERY TIME, THIS BUDGET TIME, THAT ONCE YOU APPROVE A BUDGET, ONCE HIS COUNCIL APPROVE A BUDGET, WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT ITEMIZED EQUIPMENT, WHAT ARE ITEMIZED, UH, UH, TECHNOLOGY COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEARS.
AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN DOING THAT.
WE'VE JUST BEEN GETTING COLLECTIVELY A NUMBER AND THEN, UH, UH, COMING TO THE COUNCIL AND SAYING, HEY, WE GOT, WE NEED YOU GUYS TO APPROVE THIS.
AND IT ALSO, UH, UH, REFERENCE TO, UH, UH, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO REALLY JUST BUTTON DOWN BECAUSE THE COUNCIL, THIS IS OUR LANE.
IT'S IN, UH, A COLLECTIVE COUNCIL TO MONITOR THE BUDGET, KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE DOING, INCREASE, UH, COMPARE FROM DECREASES TO INCREASES FROM PREVIOUS YEARS.
WHAT ARE WE DOING THAT DRIVES YOUR TRAIN YOUR BUDGET? SO WHEN WE ARE ASKED TO APPROVE A BUDGET, BECAUSE MOST OF US ON THIS COUNCIL, WE, WE LOOK AT THE BUDGET, WE SEE THIS BUDGET, AND WE GO BACK AND WE A, YOU KNOW, ANALYZE IT AND, AND, AND SAY, WELL, WE CAN DO WITHOUT THIS, A COUPLE OF MORE YEARS, WE CAN DO WITH THIS.
SO I, I DO TOO BELIEVE THAT AUDITS ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
SO WE SPEAK, WE ARE SPEAKING LIKE, YOU KNOW, SEPTEMBER, YOU SAID IN SEPTEMBER, IT MAY BE, UH, TAKEN CARE OF, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO GET A GRASP ON THESE AUDITS.
WE NEED TO STOP DOING WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S TO THE CITY MANAGER.
IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE YOUR DIRECTORS, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE TO YOU A LIST OF THINGS THAT THEY NEED, IE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, EQUIPMENT, TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES, ALL THOSE THINGS NEED TO BE BOUGHT.
NOW, IF YOU WANT TO SIT AND DO ALL THOSE FOR ALL YOUR DEPARTMENTS THAT YOU HAVE, THAT'S ON YOU.
BUT MY, YOU KNOW, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I'M GONNA ASK YOU DIRECTLY ABOUT PUBLIC WORKS.
I'M GONNA ASK YOU DIRECTLY ABOUT THE DRAINAGE DEPARTMENT.
I WANNA KNOW WHERE THIS VEHICLE, THIS FIRE DEPARTMENT, VEHICLES, ARE WE ORDERING TRUCKS EVERY YEAR? I'M GONNA ASK THOSE QUESTIONS BECAUSE THAT LETS THE COUNCIL KNOW WHAT DIRECTION THAT WE ARE GOING, THAT THIS IS COLLECTIVE COUNCIL WANT TO GO AS, UH, UH, FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
UH, I KNOW THAT WE, WE QUEST THAT WE HAVE DIRECTORS COME BEFORE US, EACH DEPARTMENT AND TELL US WHAT THEY WANT.
NOW, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ON YOU, UH, CITY MANAGER.
BUT FOR ME, I'M GONNA ASK THOSE TOUGH QUESTIONS.
AND WE NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE MONEY'S FOR BECAUSE THE BUDGET SHOULD NOT EVER CHANGE.
BUDGET SHOULD COME BEFORE COUNCIL.
WE APPROVE BASED UPON THE NEEDS OF THE CITY AND YOUR DIRECTION AS THE CITY MANAGER.
GLAD I'M VERY HAPPY THAT YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.
IF YOU GO TO PAGE 1 69 AND 180 2 IN THE CURRENT BUDGET, YOU WILL SEE THAT'S YOUR CURRENT BUDGET.
YOU'LL SEE WHERE ALL THE IT REQUESTS FROM THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE.
IF YOU GO TO THE VARIOUS PAGES AS IT RELATES TO EACH DIVISION OR DEPARTMENT, ALL THE EQUIPMENT IS LISTED THERE.
ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE ALWAYS REITERATED TO COUNCIL, I DO HAVE A SESSION WHERE I AM, I, I'VE ASSIGNED,
[00:35:01]
YOU KNOW, CERTAIN MEMBERS OF STAFF TO LOOK AT REQUESTS FOR NEW EQUIPMENT AND TO MAKE SURE THAT EQUIPMENT, THAT BECOMES REDUNDANT.WE GET IT OUT OF THE FLEET COMPLETELY, AND WE LOOK AT THE BEST WAYS POSSIBLE, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH RENTAL OF EQUIPMENTS OR LEASING OF EQUIPMENTS.
UM, ON OPPOSED TO JUST PUT ISING OF EQUIPMENT, AS I'VE SAID AT THE LAST MEETING, ONE OF THE LAST THINGS THAT I WANT TO DO IS SPEND $92,000 ON A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT'S ONLY OVER $24,000.
THAT'S, THAT'S JUST NOT GOOD BUDGETING AND, AND, AND GOOD, UM, FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING.
UM, SO WE ARE, WE ARE, WE ARE WORKING WITH THAT AS, UM, MS. LYNN INDICATED, MS. BOSWELL INDICATED THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF REQUESTS THAT HAS BEEN MADE BY EACH DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS AN OVERVIEW THAT WE ARE PROVIDING TO YOU.
I WILL GO THROUGH EACH DAY OR WE WILL GO THROUGH EACH DEPARTMENT AND LOOK AT THE UNREASONABLE, WHAT WE FIT.
THAT IS UNREASONABLE AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
BECAUSE AS I INDICATED IN MY OPENING STATEMENT HERE, REVENUES MUST BALANCE EXPENDITURES.
I MUST BRING A BALANCE BUDGET TO YOU.
REVENUES HAS TO E EQUAL EXPENDITURES.
SO IF SOME DEPARTMENT IS ASKING FOR A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, YOU KNOW, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, YOU KNOW, I'D HAVE TO SAY NO FOR NOW UNTIL WE CAN GET THE REVENUES TO BALANCE THE EXPENDITURES.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU EXPECT OF US.
YOU KNOW, SO WE'LL BRING IT TO YOU.
YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU VERY MUCH SAID, WE, WE'LL GET.
AND, AND THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, I I, I SAID WHEN I OPENED UP, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST AN OVERVIEW AND, AND A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, THE REQUESTS HAVE COME IN, BUT I, WE HAVE NOT USED THE READINGS YET.
AND TELL THEM, LISTEN, NOW, LET US PHASE IT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
AND THAT WILL ASSIST MS. BOSWELL AS WELL IN PROVIDING A MULTIYEAR STEP IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PART OF IT THAT WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU.
YOU KNOW, I HEAR WHAT, UM, COUNSELOR DO SAID IS SAYING ABOUT, WHICH IS RIGHT, WHAT IS IMPORTANT AT THIS STAGE IS WHAT WE HAVE APPROVED IN THIS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET GOING AHEAD.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS JUST PIE IN THE SKY.
BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS CONTINUITY AS WE MOVE AHEAD, YOU KNOW, CONSTANTLY CHANGE.
BUT THERE IS CONTINUITY BECAUSE WE HAVE A FIVE YEAR PLAN, WE HAVE A 10 YEAR PLAN AS WE MOVE AHEAD AND WE WANT TO ASSURE OUR CITIZENS AND THE NEXT COUNCIL COMING IN THAT THERE IS CONTINUITY.
AND A GOOD PART OF DOING THAT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE DO HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN IN PLACE, WHICH YOU APPROVED.
SO YOUR BUDGET WILL CORRELATE WITH YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN, WITH YOUR STRATEGIC IDEAS, AND WITH YOUR STRATEGIC VISION AS WE MOVE AHEAD.
YOU KNOW, AND, AND THAT WILL HELP CREATE TRANSPARENCY IN THE DOCUMENT ITSELF.
WELL, THANK YOU CITY MANAGER REAL QUICK, LYNN, UH, UNEXPECTED THINGS.
WHAT DO YOU BUDGET OR WHAT DO YOU, WHAT CATEGORY IS IT CALLED IN A BUDGET WHERE THAT WE MAY HAVE UNEXPECTED PERCENTAGE OF THINGS THAT HAPPENS THROUGH THE CITY? DOES THAT HAVE A SINGLE BUDGET ITEM NUMBER OR A SINGLE? WE DO NOT.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND THE ONLY THING THAT I'M, I'M REFERENCED THAT BECAUSE MOST BUSINESSES HAVE THAT THEY INCORPORATE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE FOR UNFORESEEN THINGS THAT MAY HAPPEN IN THE CITY OR THE MILITARY.
I'M JUST, IF YOU ALLOW US THE CONTINGENCY, THAT'S A LINE ITEM THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE IT IN THE MAJOR FUNDS.
THAT AGAIN, THOUGH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS WOULD NEED TO APPROVE.
I CAN ADD IT IN THERE, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT ME TO ADD IT WELL NOW OR LATER, BUT WE DO HAVE A LINE ITEM FOR THAT.
I WOULD MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION.
AND, AND, AND I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP BECAUSE YEARS AGO, AND I, I THINK COUNCILMAN LEWIS AND SAID, YOU'D REMEMBER THAT THERE WAS THE CONTINGENCY FUND THAT WAS PART OF THE CITY MANAGER'S FUND.
YOU KNOW, BUT THE CITY MANAGER STILL HAD TO COME BACK TO THE, TO THE COUNCIL AND INFORM YOU AS TO, UM, THE BUILDING.
WE GOT ON 30 49TH AVENUE FROM DR.
SINGH THAT YEAH, WE GOT A BUILDING THAT'S WITH $1.4 MILLION.
HOW DO WE GO ABOUT DOING THE APPRAISAL OF THE PROPERTY? HOW DO WE GO ABOUT REFURBISHING THE PROPERTY? IT'S WAS, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE BUDGETED FOR, BUT IT'S A GOOD TOOL AND IT'S, IT'S GOOD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RESOURCES THERE AVAILABLE THAT WE COULD USE IT, BUT WE WOULD COME BACK TO YOU AND INFORM YOU THIS IS WHAT WE ARE USING IT FOR AND WE STILL SEEK YOUR APPROVAL FOR IT.
I, I LOVE EVERYTHING THAT I'M HEARING, EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE SAID.
I THANK COUNCILMAN KINLAW, UH, FOR, UH, HIS COMMENTS ON WHAT HE WAS SAYING AS WELL AS, UH, COUNCILMAN ETT.
I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ACTIVITY BASED BUDGET WHERE WE ARE
[00:40:01]
TYING IN OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING WITH THE BUDGET THAT THEY GO HAND IN HAND, THAT THERE'S THAT KIND OF CORRELATION, UH, BETWEEN THEM SO THAT WE KNOW THAT THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING, THE MAIN THING IS FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT BE LISTENING OR FOR THOSE WHO, WHO, WHO, UH, DON'T, YOU KNOW, DON'T REALLY GET IT.AND THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND IT COMPLETELY THAT, THAT COMMENT ABOUT A ZERO BASE BUDGET, THAT BALANCED BUDGET, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TO BE SURE THAT WHEN WE PRESENT THIS BUDGET, WHEN WE, UH, APPROVE THIS BUDGET, THAT WE CAN SAY TO OUR CONSTITUENCY AND KNOW, UH, WITHIN OURSELVES THAT THAT BUDGET IS BALANCED.
LET ME, UM, JUST SHARE WITH, WITH THE COUNCIL AND, UM, I KNOW THE COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE, UM, UM, MADE MENTION OF IT, THAT, WHICH NOT TRYING TO REHASH WHAT'S IN THE PAST, BUT REMEMBER AT SOME POINT WE HAD VARIOUS CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF STAFF AND STAFF RETENTION IN THE FINANCE AND AND ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE A NEW FINANCIAL CONTROLLER.
UH, WELL, SHE HAS BEEN SEEN, BEEN PROMOTED TO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR BECAUSE IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS WE GOT IN A NEW INDIVIDUAL WHO IS OUR NEW CONTROLLER, YOU KNOW, AND MS. GIBBS HAS DONE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WORK WITH US TO GET US WHERE WE NEED TO BE, YOU KNOW, AS OUR CONTROLLER.
THEN HERE WE HAVE MISS, MISS MS. EDWARDS THERE WITH US, WHICH, UM, WE HAVE WORKED, LYNN HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY WITH HER TO MAKE SURE THAT MS. EDWARDS IS OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS MANAGER, NOT ONLY FOR STREETS, BUT TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE CAPTURES THE ENTIRE PICTURE OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND INVOLVE HER NOT ONLY AT THE CONSTRUCTION FEES, BUT ALSO AT THE REPORTING AND ACCOUNTING FEES.
SO THAT THIS PART OF IT IS SEAMLESS IN GETTING THE NUMBERS RIGHT.
AND COUNCILMAN DO SAID THAT WAS THE MISSING PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.
YOU KNOW, THE LEFT HAND AT SOME POINT DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT HAND WAS DOING, YOU KNOW, AND I, I THINK WE'VE GOT BOTH THE, THE DEPARTMENT OF THE, THE, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS MANAGER WORKING DIRECTLY WITH FINANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INFORMATION IS TRANSMITTED.
SO WE ARE GETTING TO A POINT WHERE WE ARE ALMOST SEAMLESS AND WE WANTED TO BE LIKE THAT.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOME OF THE REASONS WHY WE HAVE BEEN BEHIND IN THE PAST, BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WE WILL, WE ARE GETTING TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
I JUST WANNA TAKE A MINUTE, LYNN, JUST TO PERSONALLY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, UH, TO GET THIS PRESENTATION TOGETHER FOR US TODAY.
BUT ALSO JUST SINCE YOU'VE COME ON BOARD, I KNOW YOU'VE WORKED REALLY HARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU FOUND SOME THINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO ADJUST THE BUDGET FOR AND, UM, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
THIS IS MY SECOND BUDGET WORKSHOP TO GO THROUGH.
THE FIRST ONE WAS, WAS LAST YEAR BEFORE YOU CAME ON.
AND I JUST, I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ORIENTED THIS TIME AROUND.
I THINK IT'S GONNA HELP ALL OF US TO, TO GET TO THE END OF THE PROCESS.
UH, SEE COUNCILMAN, UH, ETT, YOU GOT SOMETHING ELSE? YES.
I ASKED THE QUESTION LAST TIME I WAS, WHERE'S THE RESOLUTION THAT GOVERNS THE CONTINGENCY FUND? EVERYTHING WE HAVE IS SOMETHING THAT TELLS US THE PURPOSE OF IT, A CONTINGENCY FUND.
AND YOU FIND MOST CITIES HAVE THEM, BUT AT ONE TIME, THAT WAS A RESOLUTION.
A CONTINGENCY FUND IS MONEY THAT YOU HAVE IN ORDER, YOU COULD SUPPLEMENT ITEMS THAT WERE ACTUALLY BUDGETED FOR IF YOU FALL SHORT.
THAT'S WHAT CONTINGENCY IS FOR, YOU KNOW, UH, AND WE SHOULD HAVE A RESOLUTION.
AND THE REASON WE SHOULD HAVE A RESOLUTION BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY HAVE A LINE ITEM IN THERE, AND IT SHOULD BE SOME REFERENCE TO WHAT THAT MONEY CAN BE AND HOW THAT MONEY CAN BE DISPERSED.
AM I CORRECT OR WRONG, LYNN? WE SHOULDN'T HAVE SOMETHING WHICH JUST SAYS CONTINGENCY.
WE SHOULD DEFINE WHAT IS CONTINGENCY.
'CAUSE UH, I LOOKED AT THE ONE IN BEAUMONT AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY DEFINE THEIRS.
YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY SAY CONTINGENCY IS ACTUALLY FOR ITEMS THAT ARE BUDGETED FOR YOU MAY FALL SHORT BECAUSE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT IN THE BUDGET, THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE DONE IS SUPPOSED TO BE BRINGING A RESOLUTION PLUS AN ORDINANCE WHERE WE PUT THE MONEY IN THE BUDGET TO COVER THAT.
THE STATE GOVERNS WHAT WE DO WHEN WE CHANGE THAT BUDGET.
OKAY? THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CO GOVERN THAT.
[00:45:01]
SAYS ONLY FOR EMERGENCIES, PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY OR SOMETHING WE CANNOT FORESEE WHEN WE DID THE BUDGET.SO IF IT'S DEALING WITH THAT, THEN THE STATE SAY WE CAN AMEND OUR BUDGET.
IF IT'S NOT DEALING WITH THE BUDGET, SAY WE CANNOT AMEND THAT BUDGET
SO THAT'S WHY THEY PUT US IN A BOX.
THEY PUT US IN A BOX THAT WHEN WE APPROVE THAT BUDGET, WE DON'T GET TO JUST SPENDING MONEY OR ADDING TO IT.
THAT IS WHY WE IN THE BOX, THAT'S WHY IT'S SO CRITICAL, BUT CONTINUE.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONE, YOU NEED ONE TO FIND HOW WE GONNA USE IT OR NOT.
AND LAST, THE ONE I WAS GONNA SAY WAS THE WORKSHOPS.
WE GOT A WORKSHOP IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE COUNCIL MEETING.
EVER SINCE THOSE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED, THEY'LL NEVER WORK OUT BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME.
THE LAST TIME WE DID IT, THE MAYOR GOT HUNGRY, THE MAYOR GOT SLEEPY, THE MAYOR GOT TONGUE TIED, AND HE SAID EVERYBODY ELSE WAS TIRED.
I LOOKED IN THE ARTIST AND HE WAS RIGHT.
THIS BUDGET IS GONNA REQUIRE QUESTIONS AND ANSWER.
SO WHEN WE DO A BUDGET WORKSHOP, WE NEED TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE OF THESE WORKSHOP WHERE WE COULD COME IN HERE AND ALL OF THE QUESTIONS WE HAVE CAN BE ANSWERED AND WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION.
WHEN YOU SCHEDULE THIS IN CONJUNCTION WITH A COUNCIL MEETING, WE ARE DEFEATING THE PURPOSE.
'CAUSE SOMEBODY GONNA START SAYING, HEY, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO GO OR WE TIRED.
YOU ONLY COULD KEEP OUR, OUR ATTENTION SO LONG.
YOU ONLY KEEP YOUR ATTENTION SO LONG.
WE NEED TO HAVE ONE OF THESE WORKSHOPS WITHOUT CONJUNCTION OF A COUNCIL MEETING WHERE WE TALKING? MM-HMM,
AND COUNCILMAN, I THINK AUGUST 6TH IS THAT DAY, AM I CORRECT? NO.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THE BUDGET WORKSHOP.
AND THERE'S NO COUNCIL MEETING.
COUNCIL MEETING IS ON THE 12TH, AM I CORRECT? THE SIXTH THAT THEY PRESENTED, I THINK 13TH, 13TH, ONE, THREE, 13TH, 13 ON THE 13TH.
AND COUNCIL MEETING IS ON THAT IS ON THE 12TH OR 13TH? 13TH.
NO, I WAS JUST, I DON'T HAVE A CALENDAR FRONT, SO, BUT, UH, COUNCILMAN DO SAID IS MAYBE PROPOSING AND ASK HIM, YOU WAS SAYING THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER JUST HAVING JUST THE WORKSHOP WITHOUT A CONDITION, AN EXCLUSION OF A REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, JUST A WORKSHOP SOLELY DEDICATED TO DISCUSSING THE, UH, NOW, SO ON THE SIXTH, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO ASK.
PROPOSED BUDGET WORKSHOP, WHOLE RECORD VOTE ON A PROPOSED, UH, IS, IS, IS IT POSSIBLE TO DO, BECAUSE THAT IS A DATE THAT IS NOT, OR, OR WOULD YOU ALL BE PREPARED ON THAT DAY? THAT'S LIKE SEVEN DAYS PROBABLY PRIOR TO WHAT YOU HAD ALREADY HAVE PROPOSED ON HERE.
WE, WE CAN DO THAT ON AUGUST 6TH, BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY THING, BUT THAT'S THE DATE.
WE HAVE TO APPROVE THE TAX RATE AS WELL.
SO WE CAN DO THE BOTH OF THEM TOGETHER.
YEAH, CAN, YEAH, BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY APPROVAL TAX RATE.
THE AGENDA DOESN'T TAKE VERY LONG.
SO, I MEAN, WHETHER YOU WANT TO DO IT FOR TWO HOURS OR THREE HOURS, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S DO IT IN, IN CONJUNCTION WITH FOUR.
WE DON'T HAVE TO STAY FOUR OR FIVE, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO GET TO WHERE WE STAY LONGER THAN EVERYBODY FALLING ASLEEP.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE WANNA BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH AND, AND, AND LOOK AT THESE DEPARTMENTS, THE EQUIPMENTS AND EVERYTHING.
THAT'S THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU DID THAT WITH YOUR DEPARTMENTS HERE.
BUT THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH YOU AND THE FINANCE.
I WANT TO LOOK AT WHAT THEY'RE ASKING AND I WANT TO SEE IF THAT'S MORE IMPORTANT ENOUGH THAN WE COULD DO SOMETHING OR WHY ARE WE SPENDING THE MONEY ON THIS? SO THAT'S OUR TIME TO PUT OUR INPUT INTO IT.
UM, LET ME ASK YOU ONE QUESTION.
AM I, IS COUNCIL GIVING A DIRECTIVE THAT WE GO BACK TO CONTINGENCY, WE PREPARE THE RESOLUTION FOR YOU AND WE CREATE A CONTINGENCY 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT I HEAR YOU SAY.
THIS, THIS ONE IN THERE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
WE DIDN'T BUDGET ANYTHING FOR CONTINGENT.
WE DIDN'T BUDGET ANYTHING FOR CONTINGENCY.
BUT I'M OKAY WITH THAT BECAUSE BUDGET'S A GO.
WE USED TO DO IT RIGHT, AND IT HELPED.
SO IF YOU WANT US TO GO BACK TO THAT AGAIN, I'M GOOD WITH THAT.
IS THAT OKAY? YOU KNOW, AND WE WILL PROPOSE, WE WILL PROPOSE A FIGURE FOR YOU, AND
[00:50:01]
THEN YOU WILL EITHER THUMBS IT UP OR THUMBS IT DOWN.WHETHER YOU WANT TO INCREASE IT OR WHETHER YOU WANT TO DECREASE IT, IS THAT OKAY? WE'LL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO YOU.
BUT NOW THAT, THAT DOESN'T TAKE A MOTION OR ANYTHING? NO, NO, NO.
IT'S JUST YOUR, JUST SO I WILL GET IT TO YOU.
SO I THINK, UH, THAT WOULD BE THE CONSENSUS OF THIS GROUP.
THAT, THAT, THAT YOU WOULD, UH, INC.
INCLUDE THAT AS IN THE BUDGET IN, IN, IN, IN THE PAST.
THIS ME, COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YES.
UH, DO ME A FAVOR, MARK THE PAGE, THE NUMBER OF PAGES THE NEXT TIME I, I SAW SOMETHING, BUT I, I DIDN'T NOTICE THE PAGE NUMBER, BUT WHAT, WHAT I, THEY ON THERE, IT IS ON THE BOTTOM.
IT'S ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.
I DO HAVE YOUR ANSWER IF YOU ARE READY.
AND I'LL, I'LL ASK MY QUESTION.
IS THAT OKAY WITH MAYOR IF I GO AHEAD AND ANSWER HIS PREVIOUS QUESTION? YES, MA'AM.
ONE WAS ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING.
AND IT WAS CONSIDERED A MATERIAL WEAKNESS.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONE WAS THE FEDERAL AWARD FINDING.
AND THAT'S CONSIDERED A SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCY IN INTERNAL CONTROL.
INTERNAL CONTROL THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE TIMELINESS OF GETTING THE REIMBURSEMENTS OR ASKING FOR THE REIMBURSEMENTS.
WE DID HAVE A PLAN OF HOW WE WERE GOING TO ADDRESS THAT.
I'M HERE 2024, AND THAT'S THE ONE THAT I'M GONNA BE MOST INTERESTED IN TO SEE IF THERE'S BEEN ANY MARKET IMPROVEMENTS ON ANY OF THESE FINDINGS AT THAT TIME.
NOW WE DEAL WITH A LOT OF, OF, UM, VENDORS.
WE DEAL WITH WHAT IS THE TURNAROUND TIME ON GETTING THOSE PEOPLE PAID ON VENDORS.
IT'S NOW STATE LOG SAYS THAT WITHIN 30 DAYS, DAYS, 30 DAYS.
BUT I'VE BEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, ARE WE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THAT? UM, WE HAVE NOT BEEN IN THE PAST, SO WHERE ARE WE WITH THE TURNAROUND TIME? TIME.
THAT'S WHY A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF COMPANIES HATE TO DO BUSINESS WITH US BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET THEIR MONEY.
SMALL BUSINESS PEOPLE, THEY GOT TO GET PAID OR THEY GONNA HAVE TO GO BORROW SOME MONEY TO MEET THEIR OBLIGATION.
AND, AND, AND THAT'S A BURDEN.
NOW, HAVE WE IMPROVED THE TURNAROUND TIME? UM, CO ALL Y'ALL GET UP HERE AT THE SAME TIME.
THE ANSWER IS YES, BUT, UH, LET COUNCIL, AND THIS IS NOT PART OF THE BUDGET PRESENTATION, BUT WE COULD, WE COULD, WE COULD ADDRESS THAT WITH YOU.
BUT, BUT THIS SOMETHING HERE, MY ORIGINAL IS PART OF IT, BUT I NOTICE AN INCREASE IN THE, IN, IN THE VALUES.
BUT I ALSO NOTICE AND INCREASE IN EXPENSES.
INCREASE IN EXPENSES, EXCEED THE, THE REVENUE.
SO WHERE ARE WE ON, WELL, YOU, YOU GOING NEXT TIME, YOU PROBABLY GONNA GIVE US A SOLUTION, BUT IS THAT ANY, ANY ATTRI ATTRITION INVOLVED GONNA BE INVOLVED AND DON'T CALL RIGHTS ATTRITION, PEOPLE GETTING RETIRING? WELL, NO, NOT THAT WE PROCEED.
AS I STATED EARLIER, I THINK WE HAVE BUILT A SOLID TEAM WITH, UM, INDIVIDUALS THAT THE POSITIONS KEEP POSITIONS THAT NEEDED TO BE FILLED, UM, OF CONTROLLER AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FINANCE.
SO WE, WE HAVE A FULL, BUT THAT'S ALREADY BUDGETED, RIGHT? YES, YES.
NO, I'M, I'M, SO, I'M, I'M, I'M TALKING, WELL, I'M TALKING ABOUT POSITIONS THAT WOULD AFFECT SERVICE DELIVERY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE.
CUSTOMER SERVICE, SERVICE DELIVERY, PAYING OUR BILLS ON TIME.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO, ISN'T THAT CORRECT? RIGHT.
I THINK THAT WE HAVE MADE CERTAIN ADJUSTMENTS AND APPOINTMENTS OF KEY POSITIONS THAT WERE VACANT IN THE PAST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ATTEND TO OUR DAY-TO-DAY CUSTOMER SERVICE TO OUR VENDORS.
AND IT'S, IT, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT SINCE WE HAVE THOSE POSITIONS FIELD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MEET THE STATE REQUIREMENTS OF 30 DAYS TO OUR, OUR VENDORS.
WE WILL, YOU KNOW, ONE MORE THING, ONE MORE THING.
LET ME REMIND COUNCIL AS WELL THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE MADE CERTAIN REQUESTS OF US IN THE PAST IN TERMS OF, LET ME BRING ONE EXAMPLE.
UM, ASSISTING IN KEEPING OUR, THE GATEWAY TO OUR CITY CLEAN, CUTTING THE GRASS AND THOSE THINGS, THOSE THAT, AS I INDICATED TO COUNCIL, THAT'S A RESPONSIBILITY WE CAN TAKE ON.
BUT THERE'S A COST ATTACHED TO IT.
THE AMOUNTS THAT WE WOULD BE REIMBURSED
[00:55:01]
BY TDOT WILL NOT MAKE UP FOR THE AMOUNTS THAT, UM, WE ARE GOING TO INVEST.SO WE WILL, THERE ARE ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE THINGS THAT YOU'VE ASKED US TO DO.
WE ARE GOING TO BRING IT TO YOU, AND WE ARE GOING TO SHOW YOU THE COST, THE, THE, THE, THE CREW, THE EXTRA CREW FOR PIPE BUSTED.
WE ALREADY HAVE THOSE FIGURES ON THIS.
WE ARE GOING TO BRING IT TO YOU AND LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST WITH FOUR MORE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, AND THE EQUIPMENT THAT'S NEEDED, YOU KNOW, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE RECURRENT REQUEST AND WE ARE GOING TO SEE HOW WE REDUCE IT, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER THAT WE CAN ACCOMMODATE COUNCIL'S PRIORITIES.
JUST REMEMBER EVERY DAY THAT YOU ALL HAVE, YOU ALL ADD TO THE PRIORITY.
OKAY? ALWAYS
BUT WE ARE GOING TO BRING THAT, WE ARE GOING TO BRING COUNCIL'S LIST BECAUSE I'M, I'M, I'M KEEPING, I'M KEEPING TRACK OF THE, YOUR LIST AND I'M ADDING NUMBERS TO IT AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WORKS.
YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? SO WHEN WE PRESENT YOU WITH YOUR BALANCE BUDGET, WE WILL TELL YOU THIS IS WHAT ADDITIONALLY THAT'S REQUIRED.
HOWEVER, THIS IS HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE IN THE BANK, AND THIS IS OUR FUND BALANCE.
SO WE ARE GOING TO ASK YOU WHETHER YOU WANNA MAKE A DECISION IN REDUCING THE FUND BALANCE OR WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO.
WE WILL HELP YOU TO MAKE THAT DECISION AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THIS COUNCIL WANTED.
I THINK THAT YOU, LAST TIME YOU PRESENTED IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL IS SPEAKING ABOUT TXDOT.
YOU STATED THAT THEY ONLY RESPONSIBLE CUTTING IT TWO OR THREE TIMES A YEAR.
WE'RE GONNA INCREASE IT ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE TIMES A YEAR.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE NEED TO TRY TO SEND SOME TYPE OF COMMUNICATION WITH THEM WHERE THEY CAN INCREASE THE CUT TIMES OF, OF, UH, IN OUR AREA, IN OUR CITY LIMITS.
WE WANT OUR CITY LOOKING GOOD.
I THINK EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER UP HERE WANTS THAT.
SO WHATEVER WE MUST DO, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TO, UH, TAKE IT ON WITH THE DEPARTMENT OR HIRE MORE EMPLOYEES.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT WHAT WE WANT AT THE CITY.
UH, THE CONTINGENCY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT DOUCETTE AND I REALLY ARE ON.
HOW ARE YOU GONNA, UH, DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF PERCENTAGE THAT YOU GONNA INCREASE IN THE CONTINGENCY PLAN? AND NUMBER TWO, HOW WILL IT BE MONITORED? I KNOW YOU SAID EARLIER THAT IT WILL COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
IS THAT ALL OR IS IT JUST A CERTAIN, I JUST WANNA KNOW FOR THE RECORD, I JUST WANNA KNOW FOR THE RECORD, BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST.
WE CAN MAKE SOME RE RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO HOW YOU WANT THAT CONTINGENCY TO BE.
THE ONES THAT I USUALLY DO ARE 3% OF.
SO IT MAY NOT BE THAT, BUT ALLOW US TO LOOK INTO IT AND GIVE YOU SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
THAT, THAT'S ALL I WANNA KNOW.
I, I, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WITHOUT IT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.
I JUST WANNA KNOW WHERE WE'RE GONNA GO WITH THE DIRECTION.
I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA BRING IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL, SO I JUST WANNA HAVE IN MIND WHAT PERCENTAGE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, WITH THE CONTINGENCY CLAIM.
AND, UH, IT IS NOW 3:00 PM I THINK WE THOUGHT, WE ACTUALLY THOUGHT ABOUT DOING THIS WITHIN THE TIMEFRAME OF ONE HOUR.
SO I BELIEVE WE, WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED THAT.
UH, AGAIN, BRINGING ON, UH, MS. LYNN SOME, UH, A NEW COMPONENT TO, UH, THE BUDGET BUDGETING, UH, ITEMS THAT WE ACTUALLY DEAL WITH, I THINK IS, UH, A PLUS FOR US IN THIS, UH, BUSINESS OF RUNNING THE CITY OF, OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND, UH, ALSO, I KNOW THAT YOUR COMING IN, HAVING TO WORK BEHIND ANOTHER PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH TO A COUNTY IS DIFFERENT AND, UH, MAYBE EVEN DIFFICULT.
BUT YOU ARE CHANGING, I BELIEVE, THE CULTURE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF OF FINANCE HERE IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, WHICH I BELIEVE IS AN ENHANCEMENT CITY MANAGER TO, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES THAT WE ARE COMPELLED TO DO.
AND, UH, WE ARE ACTUALLY LEGISLATED TO DO BY THE STATE OF TEXAS, UH, WITH, UH, LEGISLATION THAT ACTUALLY DIRECTS YOU ON HOW TO HANDLE CERTAIN, UH, ASPECTS OF, UH, HANDLING OF FINANCES FOR THE CITY.
SO WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF ARE DOING.
UH, WE APPRECIATE THIS ON TODAY, CITY MANAGER.
UH, WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAVE ACTUALLY, UH, DONE BEHAVIORALLY AND TAKING SUGGESTIONS FROM THIS, UH, BODY TO MAYBE, UH, IMPLEMENT SOME SORT
[01:00:01]
OF CHANGE IN HOW WE ARE GOING TO MOVE TO THE NEXT STEP IS AGAIN, APPRECIATED.AND, UH, MAYBE AT THE, UH, NEXT, UH, SESSION THAT WE WOULD HAVE THIS, I, UH, COUNCILMAN DEUCER WOULD NOT HAVE TO SAY THAT I BECAME HUNGRY AND IRATE OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.
BUT, UH, IF HE SAID IT, I'M, I'M NOT GONNA DISPUTE IT EITHER.
BUT WITH THAT IN MIND, BE THERE, ATTORNEY, UH, ANY OTHER, UH, ITEMS THAT COME BEFORE US ACCORDING TO THIS AGENDA? UH, NO, SIR.
IF THERE ARE NOT ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT WOULD COME BEFORE US, AND YOU ALL HAVE ACTUALLY, UH, PRESENTED TO THIS GROUP, EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL HAVE, UH, ACTUALLY WANTED TO ON TODAY, UH, I WOULD OKAY.
YOU HAVE SOMETHING MORE TO SAY.
SO MAYOR, WE'LL GET YOU THE BOOKS, WE'LL GET YOU THE BUDGET BINDERS.
WE'LL PRESENT THAT TO YOU IF YOU, WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THEM, YOU HAVE ANY NOTES, YOU CAN EITHER EMAIL US, YOU KNOW, OR MAKE YOUR NOTES SO THAT WE CAN ANSWER THEM AT THE NEXT WORKSHOP, YOU KNOW? OKAY.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO ASSURE YOU OF COUNSEL, IS TRANSPARENCY AND HONESTY IN WHAT WE'RE DOING.
YOU KNOW, TRANSPARENCY AND HONESTY.
AND I, I THINK WE WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH THE CORRECT INFORMATION SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION ON IT, ON THAT.
AND SEE THE SECRETARY, THE MEETING ON THE NINTH WITH, UH, 9:30 AM BE A GOOD TIME TO BEGIN THAT MEETING BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TWO DIFFERENT, NOT NINTH, I'M SORRY, THE SIXTH.
I HAD NINE IN MY, IN MY BRAIN.
I'M NOT GONNA SAY, I AIN'T GONNA SAY IT, BABE.
WHAT, WHAT'S, WHAT'S YOUR TIME OR AVAILABILITY ON THAT DAY? UH, IN THE AFTERNOON.
UH, THE AFTERNOON OR, OR ONE O'CLOCK.
ONE O'CLOCK ON THE SIXTH SO I WON'T SAY THE FIRST.
YOU GOTTA ASK DOUCETTE MAN IF IT'S, IF IT'S OKAY TO BE, YOU KNOW, PUT LUNCH IN THE NEXT QUESTION JUST TO MAKE SURE IT'S IN A BROWN BAG.
IF NOT, YOU KNOW, I BOUGHT GROCERY FOR THE, FOR THE HURRICANE, SO I'M STILL GOOD WORKING.
I STILL HAVE, SO WE CAN DO THAT.
SO IF THERE, IF THERE'D BE ANY OTHER, UH, OR NO OTHER, UH, INFORMATION THAT COME BEFORE THIS AUGUST BODY, I'M READY TO ENTERTAIN.
IT IS BEEN MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE WOULD, UH, ACTUALLY ADJOIN THIS SPECIAL MEETING WHICH BEGAN AT 2 0 2 AND IT'S NOW 3:05 PM ON TODAY, TUESDAY, JULY 30TH.
AND WE ARE, NO QUESTIONS ON THAT? NO.
SO IT'S ORDERED, WE ARE NOW ADJOIN AND WE WILL RETURN HERE IN ABOUT ANOTHER 54 MINUTES AT 4:00 PM TO, UH, BEGIN OUR, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION.