[00:00:05]
OKAY, I'M READY TODAY.[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
GOOD MORNING.UH, WE ARE GATHERED HERE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS HERE AT 4 44 FOURTH STREET, UH, AT CITY HALL ON THE FIFTH FLOOR IN THE GREATEST CITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND TODAY IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH, IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2024.
IT IS NOW 10:17 AM AND THIS IS A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COUNCIL ON TODAY.
IN THIS MEETING, YOU MAY ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE VIA TELEPHONIC OR VIDEO CONFERENCE 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.
YOU WOULD ENTER A MEETING ID OF 8 1 8 4 0 9 3 8 6 8 4, AND THE PASSCODE OF 0 1 9 2 5 6, AND YOU WILL BE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING.
WE'RE ALSO IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT IN THIS MEETING.
AND IF THERE IS A NEED FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS TO BE REQUESTED BY YOU, YOU MUST FIRST CALL THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT AREA CODE 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING.
AND THE CITY SECRETARY'S STAFF WOULD DO ALL WITHIN ITS POWERS TO ACCOMMODATE YOU WITH YOUR REQUEST.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE WOULD BEGIN IN OUR NORMAL FASHION WHEN I WOULD MEETING, UH, THE INVOCATION TO PLEDGE AND, UH, THE ROLE CALLED COUNCILMAN KIM.
WOULD YOU DO INVOCATION FOR US, PLEASE? YES, MA'AM.
WILL YOU BOW WITH ME, PLEASE? OH HEAVEN.
FATHER, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO BLESS THIS GREAT CITY, THIS COUNCIL, THE STAFF, ALL THE WORKERS IN THE OF MY VOICE, CONTINUE BLESSING US THAT WE WILL MAKE GREAT DECISIONS AND THE MOST EFFECTIVE DECISIONS FOR THE CITY.
WE'RE ACTUALLY CON, CONTINUE BLA, UH, BLESSING OUR COUNTRY, OUR STATE, OUR CITY.
PLEASE, UH, BLESS OUR CITIZENS.
WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN US NOW IN RECITING 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 SO KINDLY FOR YOUR INDULGENCE IN OUR OPENING CITY SECRETARY.
WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO ESTABLISH A QUARREL? MAYOR TI PRESENT? MAYOR PROTE BECKHAM.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, EVER FIELD PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, YOU HAVE A COURT MA'AM.
[II.A Presentation To Provide An Update On The City’s Animal Services Center Located On Gates Boulevard (Requested By Councilmember Kinlaw)]
WE HAVE AT BEGINNING OF THIS MEETING PRESENTATIONS AND WE HAVE A PRESENTATION, UH, TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE CITY'S ANIMAL SERVICES, UH, CENTER LOCATED ON GATES BOULEVARD.AND THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW.
ARE WE PREPARED FOR THAT PRESENTATION? GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
SO I'M HERE, UH, DARLENE THOMAS PIERRE, CO COMPLIANCE MANAGER.
AND I'M HERE, UH, TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW ANIMAL SERVICES CENTER AT 36 15 GATES BOULEVARD.
THIS IS THE TIMELINE OF THE PROJECT, AND YOU DO HAVE IT IN YOUR PACKET IF YOU WANT TO, UM, LOOK THROUGH IT OF, UH, MOST OF THE ACTIONS THAT HAVE HAPPENED.
OF COURSE, THERE'S BEEN MANY MORE MEETINGS AND OF COURSE, UM, WE HAVE HAD OTHER ACTIVITIES, DRAINAGE STUDY AND OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE.
BUT THAT'S THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TIMELINE OF THE PROJECT.
THIS IS A, UM, A TIMELINE OF THE OAC MEETINGS WE HAVE HELD
[00:05:01]
TO DISCUSS THE PROJECT TO KEEP IT MOVING FORWARD.AND THIS IS THE BUDGET FOR THE PROJECT.
ON THIS SLIDE, IT SHOWS THE EXPENDITURES, UH, THAT WE HAVE PAID TO, UH, CONSTRUCTION ZONE AND TO P GAL ARE ARCHITECT FOR THE PROJECT.
AND ON THESE NEXT FLOOR FOUR SLIDES, YOU WILL SEE THE DEMOLITION DEBRIS THAT WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED, UM, WHEN DOING THE DIRT WORK AND, UH, ATTEMPTING TO DRILL, UH, TO POUR CONCRETE.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE, UH, THAT THE CONTRACTOR DISCOVERED.
AND ON THIS PICTURE, YOU CAN SEE, UH, WHERE THE RED DOTS ARE ON IT.
THOSE ARE LIKE 12 PILES IN EACH OF THE HOLES THAT WHERE THE FOOTINGS WERE.
AND THESE ARE JUST PICTURES THAT SHOW, UH, WHAT THOSE, UH, DEBRIS PILES LOOK LIKE.
AND ALSO THIS IS THE OVERLAY OF THE, UM, PRIOR EXISTING BUILDINGS THAT WERE THERE.
AND THEN THE OVERLAY IS THE FOOTPRINT OF THE NEW ANIMAL SERVICES CENTER.
SO IT SHOWS YOU WHERE THOSE FOOTINGS WERE, UM, ACCORDING TO WHERE THE BUILDINGS WERE SITUATED.
AND HERE'S ANOTHER OVERLAY FOR YOU.
OKAY? AND THESE NEXT FOUR SLIDES ARE DRONE PHOTOS THAT GIVE YOU A BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF THE SITE AND WHERE THE CONCRETE FOOTINGS AND POLLINGS WERE SITUATED.
SO, UH, THE PROJECT OVERVIEW, WE HAVE COMPLETED DIRT WORK.
WE HAD INITIAL MATERIALS TESTING A DRAINAGE STUDY.
SOME CONCRETE HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THE SITE ALREADY.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS TESTING WAS PERFORMED.
UH, TEMPORARY POLES HAD BEEN SET BY ENTERGY.
UH, TEMPORARY SERVICE WAS JUST INSTALLED LAST WEEK.
UH, THE GENERATOR HAS BEEN RE REQUISITION.
ELECTRICAL PANELS HAVE BEEN REQUISITION.
THE METAL METAL BUILDING HAS BEEN REQUISITION AND TECHNOLOGY PLANS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST AN, UH, THE HIGHLIGHTS OF, UH, THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
AND OUR NEXT STEPS, UH, WE JUST RECEIVED THE DRAWING FROM THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEER REGARDING THE MODIFICATION TO THE SPREAD FITTINGS BECAUSE OF THE EXISTING, UM, ITEMS THAT WERE UNDER GROUND, UH, WE HAD TO GET A MODIFIED, UM, PLAN.
AND SO WE ARE READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FOUNDATION.
UM, ALSO WE HAVE A CONSTRUCTION ZONE, UH, WHO IS CONSTRUCTING THE BUILDING.
AND ALSO WE HAVE A ARCHITECT, UH, ARCHITECT P GAL IS HERE AS WELL.
IF YOU SHOULD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, THE UPDATE.
UH, YES, DIRECTOR, IF YOU CAN HAVE THE, IS IT ONE OF THE GUYS, THE GCS OR ONE OF YOU GUYS? THE GC? COME ON UP IF YOU DON'T MIND.
I'M SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT SOME OF THE, UH, THE LAST TWO WEEKS.
UH, I'VE BEEN KIND OF MONITORING, UH, THE PROGRESSION OF, OF THIS PROJECT, UH, IN TWO WEEKS.
HOW MANY IN, UH, THE LAST TWO WEEKS? HOW MANY DAYS HAVE YOU ACTUALLY WORKED ON THAT SITE? IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS? YEAH.
UH, I DID EXPRESS THAT TO THE CITY MANAGER.
I'VE BEEN GOING BY THERE EVERY DAY, JUST FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
WHY WERE YOU SHUT DOWN AND, UH, FOR THAT REASON? WELL, DUE TO THE UNDERGROUND OBSTRUCTIONS WE ENCOUNTERED, AND THEN THE, UH, ARCHITECT AND ENGINEER REDESIGNING TO GO WITH THE SPREAD FOOTINGS INSTEAD OF THE DRILL PIERS, THERE WAS SOME TIME THERE.
AND WE WERE GONNA HAVE SOME COST INVOLVED IN THIS THAT WE NEED TO GET APPROVED BY THE CITY AS WELL BEFORE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
WELL, SOMETHING TO THAT MAGNITUDE, I THINK SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN TO THE COUNCIL A LOT SOONER.
I KNOW THE LAST TWO WEEKS I STARTED TO, UH, MONITOR BECAUSE OF THE PHONE CALLS THAT I WAS GETTING FROM RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA.
WANTED TO SEE SOMETHING THAT WAS, WE, WE APPROVED THIS WHAT, FEBRUARY MARCH TIMEFRAME? MM-HMM.
I KNOW WE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME UNEXPECTED THINGS THAT MAY COME, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE THESE HICCUPS OR MODS, WHATEVER THING, I THINK THE CITY COUNCIL WAS, SHOULD BE THE FIRST TO KNOW ABOUT THAT.
AND I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THAT UNTIL I STARTED INQUIRING WITH THE DIRECTOR THERE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.
AND SHE STARTED TELLING ME ABOUT THE PILE ON.
SO PRIOR TO THE TWO WEEKS, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU GUYS WORKED ON SITE? UH, SAMMY YOU A LITTLE BIT? MM-HMM MM-HMM.
[00:10:01]
YOU DON'T MIND, IF YOU, SO WE CAN GET IT FOR THE RECORD.SAMMY HAS BEEN OUT THERE ON CERTAIN DAYS TRYING TO PUMP WATER BECAUSE AS SOON AS WE GET THE GO AHEAD TO PROCEED, WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO GET BACK ON SITE.
I MEAN, WE, WELL, WE WANT YOU ON SITE.
THE THING IS, YEAH, WE DON'T, AND BELIEVE ME, WE DO NOT WANT TO BE IN THIS POSITION WHEN, WHEN WE HAVE DAYS THAT ARE SUNNY, SHINY, I GO OUT THERE, WE PAY, IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH GETTING PAYMENT, YOU NEED TO LET COUNSEL KNOW.
UH, BUT OUR JOB IS TO ENSURE THAT WHEN WE PAY FOR THINGS, WE GET 'EM IN A TIMELY MANNER.
WE DON'T WANT THE SAME THINGS WE WERE GETTING IN THE PAST WHERE ON THE BACK END THEY START SAYING, RAINY DAYS OR ALIBI DAYS WE USE IN THE MILITARY, WE'RE GONNA ATTACK IT ON THE BACK.
UH, BUT WE HAVE A SIGNED AGREEMENT WITH YOU GUYS OR WITH SOMEONE TO GET THIS WORK DONE.
AND IF YOU GO 14 DAYS, WHAT I NOTICE WITHOUT ANYONE BEING OUT THERE, I HAVE A CONCERN.
SO THAT'S WHY I PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA.
SO, YOU KNOW, DO WE ANTICIPATE ANY MORE BLOCK DAYS OR DO WE AN ANTICIPATE ANY OTHER TYPE OF HICCUPS WHERE THAT AS A COUNCIL, COLLECTIVE COUNCIL, WE CAN HELP OUT, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO KNOW.
BUT WHEN WE DON'T SEE WORK GOING ON, AND I, YOU KNOW, I ENJOY YOUR COMPANY.
I'VE SEEN YOUR WORK BEFORE, BUT WE NEED TO KNOW AS A COUNCIL WHEN WE HAVE THESE TYPE OF HICCUPS.
SO MY QUESTION TO YOU GUYS, WHEN ARE YOU GONNA HAVE GUYS OUT THERE? WHEN ARE WE GONNA START SEEING MAJOR? WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT GROUNDWORK.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A WHOLE TWO MONTHS OF POLL ONS.
I MEAN, IT'S, TO ME, I CAN'T PHANTOM THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE PROFESSIONALS.
SO WHEN ARE WE GONNA START ACTUALLY SEEING WORK BEING DONE ON THIS BUILDING WHERE THAT PEOPLE COULD SAY, WELL, THEY'RE SPENDING THEIR MONEY, THEY'RE SPENDING THE TAXPAYERS MONEY WISELY.
THERE IS STUFF GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES, YOU KNOW, WITH THE ORDERING OF THE BUILDING AND GETTING OTHER MATERIALS SECURED SO WE CAN GET PLACE ORS ON THEM.
SO ALL THAT'S STILL BEING DONE.
WHEN WILL WE ACTUALLY BE ON SITE WITH EQUIPMENT MOVING DIRT, FILLING IN HOLES, POURING CONCRETE? WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET THIS CHANGE ORDER APPROVED BEFORE WE CAN DO THAT.
THERE IS NOTHING ELSE WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW.
SO EVEN WITH THIS DRY WEATHER, AND WE HATE IT BECAUSE WE HIT A LOT OF RAIN DURING THIS, THAT TIME THAT WE WERE OUT THERE TRYING TO DRILL UNDER REAMS AND MOVE FORWARD AND GET WHAT WE COULD DONE.
BUT WE GOT TO A POINT THAT WE COULDN'T GO ANY FURTHER.
SOMETHING HAD TO CHANGE IN ORDER FOR US TO NOT SPEND ANY MORE OF THE CITY'S MONEY, UH, WORKING AROUND THESE EXISTING FOOTINGS.
OKAY, WELL, I'M GONNA GET WITH THE CITY ENGINEER.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEN THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'M SAYING.
I EXPECT CERTAIN AMOUNT OF HICCUPS ON ANY PROJECT, EVERYTHING'S NOT GONNA WORK.
BUT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CHANGE ORDER.
YOU GOT MY ATTENTION BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, I REALLY DON'T LIKE THOSE.
I REALLY DON'T, BUT, WELL, WE DON'T KNOW.
UH, IT, IT'S MUDDY THAT Y'ALL DIDN'T EXPECT TO SPEND OF COURSE.
AND THIS, THIS WHOLE SITUATION, IT, WELL, I MEAN, IT'S AFFECTING YOU GUYS.
IT'S AFFECTING US TRYING TO GET OUR JOB DONE.
AND IT'S NOBODY EXPECTED THAT WE WERE GONNA HIT.
WHAT WE FOUND, WELL, I'M GONNA REVIEW THE CONTRACT.
I'M GONNA BE HONEST WITH YOU, CONTRACT WITH THE CITY.
UH, AND I'M GONNA LOOK FOR THOSE THINGS BECAUSE THOSE PRE UH, QUALIFICATION THINGS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE.
SOMEONE SOMEHOW SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THEY HAD CONCRETE STILL THERE.
THAT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S TWO FOLDS ON THAT PART.
AND I UNDERSTAND CONSTRUCTION, UH, UH, MAINTENANCE.
TOMAN THAT YOU, YOU WANT TO HAVE, YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY REAL QUICK BECAUSE DOC, WE, WE CAN'T KEEP GOING DOWN THIS RABBIT HOLE LIKE THAT.
ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO IS WHEN WE STARTED ENCOUNTERING THIS, UH, CONCRETE THAT'S UNDER THE DIRT.
AND THE FOUNDATION THAT WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED REQUIRES THE PILINGS TO GO IN 8, 9, 10 FEET.
SO WE DIDN'T WANNA GO THROUGH A REDESIGN AND WE TRIED TO ACTUALLY REMOVE SOME OF THESE CONCRETE BLOCKS TO SEE IF THAT WILL HELP US PROCEED FORWARD.
BUT WE REMOVED SOME AND THEN WE KEPT ENCOUNTERING THEM.
AND THAT'S, AT THAT POINT WE SAID, OKAY, THERE'S NO SENSE IN CONTINUING IN THIS PROCESS.
'CAUSE WE CAN HAVE AN OPTION OF A SPREAD FOOTING FOUNDATION THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE THAT DRILLING AND DOES NOT REQUIRE THE REMOVAL OF ALL THESE BLOCKS.
SO WE WENT BACK TO THE ENGINEER, THE ENGINEER WENT TO THEIR STRUCTURAL ENGINEER AND REDESIGNED THE, UH, FOUNDATION TO HAVE A SPREAD FOOTING TO ELIMINATE ENCOUNTERING THESE CONCRETE BLOCKS.
WE RECEIVED AN ESTIMATE FROM THE CONTRACTOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO FOR THE CHANGES
[00:15:01]
IN THE COST AND THE WORK ORDER THAT'S GONNA BE TAKING PLACE TO GO TO THE SPREAD FOOTING.AND YESTERDAY WE REQUESTED A BREAKDOWN FOR THAT COST.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CHANGE ORDER MAKES SENSE AND WE CAN PROCEED WITH IT.
AND THE CONTRACT DOES HAVE A CONTINGENCY OF $300,000 IN IT, AND THERE IS ENOUGH MONEY IN THAT CONTINGENCY TO ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD.
IT'LL LEAVE A LITTLE BIT, LEAVE ABOUT $32,000 MAYBE, OR IN THAT RANGE FOR FUTURE CHANGE ORDERS IF NEEDED.
SO WE HAVE THE OPTION OF USING THE CONTINGENCY AT THIS POINT IN ORDER TO MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD FASTER.
BUT WE WANT THE BREAKDOWN BEFORE WE TELL THE CONTRACTOR MOVE ON.
BUT IN ALL FAIRNESS, IT IS NOT THE CONTRACTOR'S FAULT.
UH, WHEN THAT JOB STARTED, YOU KNOW, THE ENGINEERS SENT, UH, GEOTECHNICAL FOLKS THAT WENT OUT THERE, TOOK SAMPLES, YOU KNOW, TESTED, DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING.
SO IT WAS, IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO, I MEAN, IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO DETERMINE THAT ALL THIS STUFF IS UNDERGROUND BECAUSE NONE OF THE TESTING THEY DID SHOWED IT THANK YOU, DOC.
BUT WE PAY THESE PEOPLE TO BE THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS TO FIND, AND IF THEY FIND IT, LET US KNOW.
BUT YOU'RE SAYING THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING, BUT THEY'VE BEEN PAID AND THEN NOW WE HAVE AN EXPENSE TO THE TAXPAYERS OR TO THIS COUNCIL THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A CHANGE ORDER, YOU KNOW, RIGHT.
AT 200 SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLARS.
I, I JUST WANNA KNOW, YOU KNOW, I REALLY LIKE THE COUNCIL TO REVIEW THE CONTRACT AGAIN, UH, THEIR CONTRACT WITH THE CITY, UH, TO FIND OUT THE CONTINGENCY DAYS, UH, AND ALSO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE IT BETTER.
SO I'M VERY CONCERNED WITH THIS PROJECT.
I GET A LOT OF CALLS ABOUT IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, DIRECTOR, IF YOU CAN JUST KEEP US ABREAST OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE DON'T LIKE TO HEAR HICCUPS WHEN WE PUT SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA, AND THAT'S THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HEARD ABOUT A HICCUP.
BUT THIS PROJECT, WE, WE BLESSED OFF ON THIS WHAT, FEBRUARY, MARCH TIMEFRAME WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS SEPTEMBER.
BUT THE, UM, THE ACTUAL, UH, NOTICE TO PROCEED WAS IN APRIL.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH GETTING THINGS SIGNED, GETTING INSURANCE IN AND ALL THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, WHICH TAKES A LITTLE TIME.
SO IT ACTUALLY, THE NOTES TO PROCEED WAS IN APRIL, WE ACTUALLY STARTED, UH, IMMEDIATELY DOING MATERIALS TESTING AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
SO THAT MONEY WAS NOT WASTED BECAUSE THE REPORTS THAT THEY GAVE US, WE WERE ABLE TO KNOW WHAT WAS THERE AND WHAT TYPE OF FOUNDATION COULD BE ON THE PROPERTY.
SO EVERY DOLLAR THAT WAS SPENT WAS SPENT FOR A PURPOSE.
AND TRUST ME THAT WE ARE WATCHING EVERY DOLLAR, I HAVE MANAGED MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACTS AND I AM WELL AWARE THAT, UH, WE HAVE TO, TO BE SURE THAT WHAT WE ARE PAYING FOR IS WHAT WE ARE GETTING.
AND, UH, WE WILL BE SURE THAT WHEN WE PAY, WE'RE PAYING FOR WORK THAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT WHEN THEY SEND A PAY APP, IT GOES TO OUR ARCHITECT AND THE ARCHITECT VERIFIES THAT THE WORK HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE WE PAY THEM.
SO THERE ARE CHECKS AND BALANCES IN PLACE AND WE ARE NOT PAYING ANYONE FOR WORK.
AND IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME AND THE CONTRACTS THAT I'VE MANAGED IN THE PAST, YOU'RE NOT GETTING PAID UNTIL IT'S DONE.
WELL, I'M GONNA DEFER TO, I SEE, UH, WE GOT ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER AS WANTING TO SPEAK, BUT IF, UH, I'LL COME BACK.
I HAVE SOME MORE QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL DEFER TO UH, UH, MY COLLEAGUE MAYOR.
MY BIG CONCERN RIGHT NOW IS THESE PYLONS MM-HMM.
SO THEY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN WHO SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THE ENGINEER, THE ENGINEERING.
THAT'S SOMETHING I SEE AS BEING FORESEEN.
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FORESEEN THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF PROBLEMS DOWN HERE.
EVEN IF THEY TOLD THE BUILDER DOWN WHEN IT WAS BUILT, THEY HAD TO BE IN THE GROUND IN ORDER TO HOLD THE STRUCTURE.
SO WHEN WE HAD SOMEBODY TO DO THE DESIGN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED BECAUSE THEY COULD LOOK AT THE GROUND AND TELL PYLONS WASN'T TAKEN OUT.
YOU MAY NOT UNDERSTAND, BUT THOSE THINGS ARE REAL DEEP IN THE GROUND.
[00:20:01]
THEY TALKING ABOUT MORE MONEY AND THE PROBLEM THEY HAVE.SO IF THEY HAD TAKEN DOWN, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD'VE BEEN SOME TYPE OF EVIDENCE.
WELL, WHAT, LET ME FINISH SPEAKING PLEASE.
OKAY, SO IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THEY WERE PYLONS DOWN THERE.
THE NEXT THING IS, IF WE KNEW THE HOSPITAL WAS HERE AND THEY PROBABLY BUILT ON PYLONS, WHY DIDN'T WE MOVE THE STRUCTURE TO ANOTHER LOCATION ON THE PROPERTY AND NOT DEAL WITH THESE PYLONS? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I'M JUST HEARING AN ADDITIONAL COST AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE COST GOING TO BE, BUT, UH, I'M HEARING IT'LL TAKE ALMOST $300,000.
SO I JUST THINK WE, WE MISSED THAT ONE ON THE FRONT END.
UM, WHEN WE RECEIVED THE BUILDING, UM, WE WERE TOLD IT WAS GREEN SPACE, AND I DON'T KNOW WHO ACTUALLY THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT HANDLED THE TRANSFER OF THE BUILDING.
SO THE, WITHOUT THAT INFORMATION, NO ONE HERE WOULD KNOW WHAT WAS LEFT BEHIND.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHAT THE TESTING AND EVERYTHING IS FOR, TO DETERMINE, UH, HOW TO MOVE FORWARD.
COUNSEL, ONE SECOND BEFORE YOU SPEAK.
WELL, WE'VE SPENT ENOUGH TIME, THIS IS A PRESENTATION.
WE ARE GOING INTO SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THIS EITHER IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE COULD SPEAK WITH THE ENGINEERS AND WITH OTHERS ABOUT THIS.
BUT WE, WE, WE'VE EXPEND ENOUGH TIME ON IT.
YOU DON'T NEED TO SPEAK ANYMORE.
UH, THINK WE HAVE, WE, IT, IT'S BEEN TOLD YOU'VE GIVEN A PRESENTATION AS TO WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND WHY AND WHAT THOSE ON THE COUNCIL, WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
WE CAN PUT IT ON EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO DISCUSS IT IN A, IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
IS EVERYONE UNDERSTAND THAT? BOY? OKAY.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.
BUT BUT'S, WHAT? THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PROBABLY NEEDS TO GO IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, NOT IN HERE.
ALRIGHT, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S MOVE ON.
NOW WE HAVE A WORKSHOP, BUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS MOVE TO, UH, THE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS THAT WE HAVE ON THE, UM, FOR RESOLUTIONS.
OKAY? AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS WHAT MOVE TO THOSE ITEMS BEFORE WE WOULD GO INTO THE WORKSHOP THAT DEALS WITH THE BUDGET.
[IV.A.(1) P.R. No. 23910 – A Resolution Approving The Continued Use Of The City Of Port Arthur Type A Economic Development Corporation Sales And Use Tax Funds To Be Used For Enhancements At Adams Park, Rose Hill Park, And The Recreation And Senior Citizens Center Pursuant, To §505.152 Of The Texas Local Government Code At A Rate Of $1,000,000.00 Per Year For An Additional Three (3) Year Period As Authorized By The Voters At The May 1, 2021 Election]
ACTUALLY WE HAVE PR NUMBER 2 3 9 1 0, AND IT IS A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CONTINUED USE OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR TYPE A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION SALES AND USE TAX FUND TO BE USED FOR ENHANCEMENTS AT ADAMS. OKAY, WELL, MAYBE SOMEONE, OKAY.I WAS AT, UH, THE PART WHERE AND AND USE TAX FUNDS TO BE USED FOR ENHANCEMENTS AT ADAMS PARK, ROSE HILL PARK, AND THE RECREATION AND SENIOR CITIZEN CENTER PURSUANT TO, UH, 5 0 5 0.152 OF THE, UH, TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE AT A RATE OF, UH, $1 MILLION PER YEAR FOR AN ADDITIONAL THREE YEAR PERIOD AS AUTHORIZED BY VOTERS ON MAY 1ST, UH, 2021 ELECTION.
NOW, MAY I GET A, A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN KEN LAW? SO WILL MAYOR, MAY I GET A SECOND? COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE RESOLUTION 23 9 1 10.
READY FOR QUESTION? COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE? YES, I, WHEN I LOOKED AT THE, UH, BACKGROUND, I SEEN THE, UH, DOCUMENTATION, BUT THE, UH, DAY FOR APPROVAL OF THE BOARD OVER THERE WAS BLANK.
DID THEY, DID THEY APPROVE IT? UH, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT'S NOT, IT'S BEEN PRESENTED TO THE BOARD, BUT IT WAS NOT AN ACTION ITEM AT THAT TIME.
WELL, WELL, YOU KNOW,
WE JUST CAN'T PASS SOMETHING TO SPEND FUNDS FROM EDC.
LYNN BOSWELL, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE FOR THIS PARTICULAR ONE.
YOU GUYS ARE THE ONES THAT ACTUALLY TELL THEM THAT THEY NEED TO GO AHEAD
[00:25:01]
AND BUDGET IN THAT 1 MILLION.IT DOESN'T COME THE OTHER WAY AROUND BECAUSE OF THE BALLOT QUESTION AND THE BALLOT LANGUAGE THAT ACTUALLY FALLS.
JUST THIS ONE ITEM FALLS TO COUNSEL, NOT TO THE EDC.
AND ONCE, IF COUNSEL APPROVES, THEN THE EDC WILL BE REQUIRED TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO THEIR BUDGET.
LYNN, YOUR, YOUR INTERPRETATION OF THE ORDINANCE WHEN YOU, WHEN IT SAYS COUNSEL MUST APPROVE IT BY TWO THIRDS, RIGHT? THAT'S, I MEAN, THAT'S THE PART THAT YOU'RE SAYING IT COMES FROM US.
IT SAYS COUNCIL MUST BY TWO THIRDS.
SO BASICALLY IF, IF THE COUNCIL, COUNCIL, COUNCIL NEEDS TWO THIRDS OF A VOTE YES.
TO APPROVE IT, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO ALLOCATING AND APPROVING MONEY, SEE, BECAUSE THE BALLOT SAID IT CAN BE RENEWED FOR THREE MORE TERM, FOR THREE, THREE YEAR, UH, PERIODS.
IT SAYS IT CAN BE RENEWED AND IT TAKES TWO THIRDS OF CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL.
MEANING IF THEY SENT IT TO US, THE ONLY WAY IT'LL PASS IS ABOUT TWO THIRD VOTES.
IF WE DON'T HAVE TWO THIRD VOTES, CAN'T PASS.
THE REASON I'M SAYING THAT IS, WHAT IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY? THAT'S WHY ISTS I, SO THE, I MADE SURE THAT THEY HAD THE MONEY.
WHAT THEY, WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, AND WHAT THEY'VE BEEN INSTRUCTED IS IF THERE IS THAT TWO THIRDS VOTE TODAY, THEN THEY'RE REQUIRED TO PUT THE MONEY IN AND THEY'VE GOT ABOUT 9 MILLION IN RESERVE.
IT HAS TO TAKE 1 MILLION OUT OF THAT RESERVE IN ORDER TO FUND IT.
BUT THAT IS ACTUALLY YOUR DECISION ON THIS.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT GONNA HOLD UP ANYTHING.
I'LL JUST HAVE TO CHECK INTO THAT I NEVER SEEN, SO WE'RE NOT GONNA HOLD IT UP.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSES? YOU? OH, YOU SAID I ALSO COUNCILMAN EVER FIELD? YES, SIR.
ALRIGHT, SO WE APPROVE PER NUMBER 23 9 10.
NOW WE MOVE TO THE SECOND PAGE.
WE HAVE TWO ORDINANCES ON THE SECOND PAGE, TWO ORDINANCES THAT BASICALLY APPEAR TO BE THE SAME WITH SOME CHANGES IN THE NUMBERS.
[IV.B.(1) P.O. No. 7280 – An Ordinance Amending Chapter 110 (Utilities), Article II (Water), Division 3 (Service Charges And Billing), Sections 110-91 (Rate Schedule) And 110-92 (Consumers Outside City Not Having Special Contracts) Of The Code Of Ordinances Of The City Of Port Arthur, As It Pertains To A 7.5% Rate Increase For Residential, Commercial And Industrial Customers, And Providing For Publication]
I LIKE TO DO IS SEE IF WE CAN GET A MOTION TO REMOVE PO NUMBER 72 80.AND IF WE WERE GOING TO VOTE ON SOMETHING UP OR DOWN, WE WOULD VOTE ON 72.
IS IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO GET A MOTION TO REMOVE 72 8 0, UH, ANYONE? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
YOU MOTION TO REMOVE THAT ONE, SIR? YES, I MOVE TO REMOVE.
AND SECOND THAT WE, WE WOULD REMOVE 72 80.
WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? NO QUESTIONS.
READY TO VOTE? ALL THEM OF FAVOR OF REMOVAL? AYE.
ANY OPPOSE, ANY OPPOSES? OKAY, NOW THAT, UH, EXCUSE ME, 72 80 HAS BEEN AND IS REMOVED NOW WE WERE ACTABLE
[IV.B.(2) P.O. No. 7281 – An Ordinance Amending Chapter 110 (Utilities), Article II (Water), Division 3 (Service Charges And Billing), Sections 110-91 (Rate Schedule) And 110-92 (Consumers Outside City Not Having Special Contracts) Of The Code Of Ordinances Of The City Of Port Arthur, As It Pertains To A 7.0% Rate Increase For Residential, And An 8.5% Rate Increase For Commercial And Industrial Customers, And Providing For Publication]
ON PO NUMBER 72 81.IT IS AN ORDINANCES AMENDING CHAPTER 10, UTILITIES ARTICLE TWO, WATER DIVISION THREE SERVICE, SERVICE CHARGES AND BILLING SECTIONS, ONE 10.91 SCHEDULE OR, UH, RACE SCHEDULE AND ONE 10 DASH 92.
CONS, UH, CUSTOMERS, UH, OUTSIDE CITY NOT HAVING SPECIAL, UH, CONTRACTS OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AS IT PERTAINS TO A 7% RATE INCREASE FOR RESIDENTIAL AND AN 8.5 RATE INCREASE FOR COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL, UH, CUSTOMERS AND PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION.
MAY I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? COUNCILMAN KINLOCK? SO MOVED.
I GET A SECOND, UH, MAYOR PRO TEMP SECOND.
AND SECOND THAT WE WOULD APPROVE PO NUMBER 72 81 AS PRESENTED.
UH, WE'RE READY FOR VOTING ON THIS.
IT APPEARS THAT NO WOULD BE IN THE, UH, MAJORITY.
[00:30:01]
COUNCIL MEMBER.AND WE ARE NOW MOVING BACK TO PAGE ONE.
AND WE WOULD GO TO, EXCUSE ME, ROMAN NUMERAL THREE, WHICH IS A WORKSHOP.
AND THIS WORKSHOP WOULD BE TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.
UH, I WOULD ASSUME, I DON'T KNOW IF SOMEONE'S COMING FOR THE CITY MANAGER.
CITY MANAGER HAD A MEDICAL, UH, EMERGENCY THIS MORNING.
HAVE HIS IS IS ABLE ASSISTANCE HERE ALONG WITH THE, UH, FINANCE DIRECTOR AND HER ASSISTANCE.
THE ONE THAT WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH TODAY IS GOING TO BE THE POLICE.
LET ME TELL YOU WHAT PAGE THAT ONE IS ON.
PAGE SE 73 STARTS THE SUMMARY.
WOULD THESE BE IN THE HAND THAT YOU GAVE TODAY? NOT I LEFT MY, UH, MY, MY BINDER DOWNSTAIRS.
THIS WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW IS NOT IN NO, BUT YOU HANDED IT OUT.
NO, I, I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE BECAUSE I LEFT MY, I LEFT MY BINDER DOWN FROM MY OFFICE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO? NO, NO, MA'AM.
I, I I CAN GO GET MINE IF Y'ALL CAN.
LET, LET'S JUST TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK, EVERYBODY.
IT IS NOW 10 59 AND WE ARE READY TO RECONVENE.
CITY SECRETARY, YOU WILL ESTABLISH MIKE
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, EVER FIELD PRESENT.
FRANK, YOU HAVE A COURT MAYOR.
[III. WORKSHOP]
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.THIGPEN, YOU HAD SOMETHING THAT YOU WANTED TO ABRE APP APRIS THE COUNCIL OF WELL, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL AGAIN, GOOD MORNING.
UH, AS YOU INDICATED EARLIER, UH, THE CITY MANAGER IS ILL AND, UH, WILL NOT BE WITH US TODAY, BUT MS. LANGFORD AND MS. BOSWELL AND I ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE BUDGET.
THE MANAGER WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE REMAIN ON SCHEDULE THE ITEMS THAT WE, WE HAD FOR TODAY.
UH, THE FIRST IS GOING TO BE AN EXPLANATION, UH, BY, UH, DR.
TOME REGARDING THE IMPACT OF A RATE INCREASE OR NOT HAVING AN INCREASE.
WE'RE GONNA FOLLOW THAT WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUDGET DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, BUDGET, AND THEN STREETS SO THAT WE CAN, UH, COMPLETE OUR, OUR BUDGET PRESENTATION.
WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE RATE INCREASE AND WE'RE GONNA DEAL WITH THAT.
WE'LL DEAL WITH THAT AFTERWARDS.
BUT COUNCIL, COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN? I ASKED HIM.
THE COUNCILMAN, PLEASE, PLEASE, COUNCIL, PLEASE, PLEASE, POINT OF ORDER.
THE POINT OF ORDER IS WHAT'S YOUR POINT OF ORDER? I THINK WE NEED TO MOVE ON.
SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS I WISH TO APPEAL TO THE COUNCIL TO DECIDE WHETHER WE WANT TO DO THE WORKSHOP OR WHETHER WE WANT TO HEAR THIS ON THAT.
SO LET'S TAKE A VOTE ON WHETHER THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO GO.
OKAY, SIR? SIR, JUST ONE MOMENT.
NOW, THIS, THIS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S CHAIRMAN OF THE MEETING AND I ACTUALLY HAVE THE AGENDA.
I'M NOT TRYING TO OVERLOOK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
KEN LAW TO DO WHAT HE'S DOING.
NOW, I GUESS IN YOUR ABSTINENCE, YOU WISH TO CONTROL EVERYTHING AND THAT'S QUITE ALL RIGHT, SIR.
BUT AT THIS JUNCTURE, I'VE ASKED HIM TO ALLOW THEM TO SPEAK ON THAT.
[00:35:01]
FOR ONE MOMENT, ALLOW US TO DO WHAT IS PROPERLY RIGHT, WHAT IS PARLIAMENTARY CORRECT? AND THAT IS ALLOW THE CHAIR TO CALL HOW THE MEETING SHALL FLOW.THAT'S JUST WHAT I EXERCISED, SIR.
WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO.
I SAY WHAT WE'LL DO I APPEAL IT.
MAYOR, WE CAN JUST RECESS THIS ENTIRE SESSION TODAY AND MAYBE WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'LL BE READY TO FOLLOW THE RIGHT RULES ON HOW TO CONDUCT BUSINESS.
I, ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS WHAT WE'LL DO.
POINT OF ORDER I TAKE MEETING IS OFFICER.
NOT GONNA DO WHAT WE THERE'S NO QUORUM WITHOUT FOUR PEOPLE.
OKAY, SO WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM.
ALL RIGHT, MS. SHERRY, I HAVE A QUESTION.
CITY SECRETARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE ESTABLISH A QUORUM? MAYOR BARTEE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MAYOR PRO TEM BECKHAM.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, EVER FIELD PRESENT.
WE ARE GONNA RECONVENE THE MEETING AND, UH, RESUME AT ROMAN NUMERAL THREE, WHICH IS OUR WORKSHOP ON THE BUDGET.
CITY MANAGER CHIEF, I'M SORRY? YES.
UH, MAYOR PRO TIM, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD.
WE'RE GONNA START WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
WE'RE ON PAGE 59 AS A SUMMARY FOR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND THEN THE DETAILS AFTERWARDS.
MS. LANGFORD, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR PRO TEM COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
OH, MAYOR PROTO, CHIEF COUNCIL MEMBER KINLAW.
MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, PAM? YES, SIR.
ARE WE CONSIDERING HIRING, UH, ANY MORE EMPLOYEES IN THE NEAR FUTURE? UH, WESTSIDE POISE, UH, POSITION ON DOING THAT? I SEE WE KIND OF PRETTY MUCH JUST STAND THE SAME WITH THAT AS WELL.
UM, OUR CONCENTRATION RIGHT NOW IS, UM, TO COMPLETE, OF COURSE THE CONSTRUCTION OF OUR NEW ANIMAL SERVICES FACILITY.
UM, UPON THAT TIME WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO TRANSITION OVER INTO THE NEW BUILDING AND START TO, UM, INCREASE OUR PROGRAMMING, UH, WE WOULD TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AT THAT TIME.
AND PAM, UH, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH I SEE A DEDUCTION ON INSPECTION PERMITTING, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT? UH, ARE WE'RE DOING SOMETHING BETTER OR, YOU KNOW, THE LAST NO, SIR.
WHAT THIS IS, IS, IN THE PAST, UM, INSPECTIONS AND PERMITTING AND DEMOLITIONS BUDGET WAS INCORPORATED TOGETHER.
UM, WHAT WE HAVE DONE THIS FISCAL YEAR SEPARATED, UM, THAT IS CORRECT.
IF YOU REFER TO PAGES 63 AND 64, WE SEPARATED THOSE TWO BUDGETS.
[00:40:01]
MUCH IN LINE WITH WHAT WE REQUESTED LAST FISCAL YEAR.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? I HAVE A QUESTION.
FOR THE, UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE I'M IN THE RIGHT SECTION WHEN WE ARE DEALING WITH COMPLIANCE TO CONFIRM THE, I KNOW THAT I THINK MY QUESTION MAY BE UNDER CODE ENFORCEMENT.
THIS MIGHT HAVE CODE ENFORCEMENT, BUT I KNOW THAT IT TAKES INSPECTIONS TO GO OUT TO CONFIRM IF A CODE VIOLATION ACTUALLY HAPPENS.
THAT'S PAGE 65 OF THE BUDGET ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, CORRECT? YES, MA'AM.
SO IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY, WHY HAVE WE NOT INCREASED OUR STAFF IN THAT AREA? WE HAVE EXPANDED AND YES, THIS, THE CITY IS GROWING, BUT WE HAVE MORE AND MORE DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS 'CAUSE THE CITY IS GETTING OLDER TOO, WHICH WILL REQUIRE MORE INSPECTIONS.
AND SO ONE, I THINK THAT WE'RE LEAVING A LOT OF MONEY ON THE TABLE WITH FEES THAT WE ARE NOT COLLECTING AND WE ARE CREATING, WE ARE DEALING WITH MORE HAZARDS THAN WE SHOULD WITHOUT INCREASED INSPECTIONS.
HOW CAN WE ATTACK THAT BETTER? YES, MA'AM.
UM, WITH THE NEW CITY ATTORNEY ON BOARD MS. CONTRA, UM, SHE'S WELL VERSED IN, UM, CODE ENFORCEMENT.
UM, SHE HAS, UM, MET WITH, UM, OUR STAFF AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MEET, UM, TO SPEAK IN REGARDS TO, UH, WHAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE SERVICES.
UM, WHAT TYPES OF, UM, TOOLS, UM, THAT CAN BE USED BY CODE ENFORCEMENT.
SO WE'RE KINDA WORKING THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
UM, IN REGARDS TO, UM, WHAT WE CAN DO, UM, OUTSIDE OF WHAT OUR CURRENT ORDINANCES, UM, CURRENTLY DICTATE.
UM, ONCE WE GET THE FULL GAMUT, UM, AND HAVE THOSE TOOLS IN OUR TOOL BELT, AGAIN, WE WOULD GO BACK AND, UM, ANALYZE AND MAKE A RE UH, A REQUEST, EXCUSE ME, FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF IF NEEDED.
I'M SORRY THAT MY QUESTION WAS A BIT CHOPPY, BUT I'M TRYING TO THINK THIS THROUGH AND MAKE SURE I'M ASKING THE RIGHT THING.
WHEN IT COMES TO US HAVING INSPECTIONS THAT WERE DONE IN THE PAST AND CODE ENFORCEMENT VIOLATIONS THAT WERE DONE IN THE PAST, IS THERE SOME WAY THAT WE'RE GOING BACK TO CAPTURE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN BRING THAT FORWARD? UM, I THINK RIGHT NOW PART OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED IS EVERYTHING FALLS ON CODE ENFORCEMENT, ALTHOUGH IT MAY NOT BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CODE ENFORCEMENT.
UM, SO WE ARE NOW IDENTIFYING, OR GOING BACK, LOOKING AT THE ORDINANCES, IDENTIFYING, UM, WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE, UM, ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE'LL TALK ABOUT, UH, TOS.
UM, THERE IS A CITY ORDINANCE, UM, THAT REQUIRES TOS TO BE PUT OUT AT 7:00 AM BROUGHT BACK IN BY 7:00 PM WE RECEIVE QUITE A FEW PHONE CALLS IN REGARDS TO PEOPLE WHO, OF COURSE, WHO VIOLATE THAT SECTION OF THE ORDINANCE.
THE QUESTION BECOMES IS THIS, UM, IN TERMS OF ENFORCEMENT, IS THIS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OR THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SOLID WASTE? A LOT OF TIMES ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, THEY ARE CALLED IN TO ADDRESS THOSE THINGS, BUT DON'T HAVE THE JURISDICTION TO ADDRESS THOSE THINGS UNDER ORDINANCE.
SO WE NEED TO REVIEW ALL OF OUR ORDINANCES FIRST TO FIRST IDENTIFY WHO'S THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY, UH, FOR A LOT OF THESE, UM, VIOLATIONS THAT WE SEE.
UM, IF THE DECISION IS THAT ALL VIOLATIONS, UM, OF COURSE THEN GO THROUGH CODE ENFORCEMENT AT THAT TIME, OF COURSE WE WOULD MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO INCREASE STAFF BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED RESPONSIBILITIES.
SO WE ARE WORKING AGAIN WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT IN REVIEWING A LOT OF THESE THINGS SO WE CAN MAKE THE RIGHT RECOMMENDATION BASED ON THE FACTS.
I I APPRECIATE THAT AND I'M ENCOURAGING US TO PLEASE, PLEASE, UM, ATTACK THIS HEAD ON BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE LIVING IN SPACES WITH HOLES IN THE ROOF AND IS ROACH AND RODENTS INFESTED IS JUST NOT SAFE.
AND I KNOW IT'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD.
AND THAT AGAIN, UM, WHEN WE SPEAK ABOUT
[00:45:01]
PROPERTY MAINTENANCE, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT BEEFING UP THE ORDINANCES.IT WOULD MORE THAN LIKELY FALL UNDER, UH, OUR BUILDING INSPECTIONS DEPARTMENT.
UM, NOT NECESSARILY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH BUILDING INSPECTIONS, MORE THAN LIKELY, UM, TO ADDRESS THOSE TYPES OF ISSUES.
BUT IT JUST REALLY GOES BACK, UM, TO MY PREVIOUS EXPLANATION IS REALLY REVIEWING THESE ORDINANCES AND DETERMINING WHAT IS THE RIGHT PATH FORWARD.
YEAH, PAM, YOU THREW A LITTLE WRENCH IN THERE FOR A MINUTE.
UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT SEEMS SIMPLE.
ALL OUR ORDINANCES DEALING WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT FALLS UNDER A CERTAIN, UH, CODE OR CERTAIN ORDINANCE IN THE CITY.
SO WHY IS THERE SHOULD BE TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OF THIS AND THAT WHEN IT COME TO CODE ENFORCEMENT, CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE THE ONES TO ENFORCE OUR CODES? YES, SIR.
IF YOU REFERENCE A LOT OF THE ORDINANCES, UM, WITH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, UM, IT NORMALLY REFERENCES, UH, TALL WEEDS AND VEG VEGETATION, JUNK MOTOR VEHICLES, AND LITTER ABATEMENT.
UM, THOSE ARE THE ORDINANCES THAT SPECIFICALLY TIE INTO ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND THE, UH, THE, UH, REGULATIONS FOR ENFORCEMENT.
WHEN YOU GET INTO CERTAIN OTHER ORDINANCES, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, SWIMMING POOLS, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, THAT NORMALLY FALLS UPON THE SANITARIUM BECAUSE IT'S THE NATURE OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE ENFORCED.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE VARIOUS DIFFERENT ORDINANCES IN THE PAST, WE'VE JUST KIND OF REACHED OUT TO WHO, WHO'S BEEN EFFECTIVE.
YOU KNOW, ANYTIME YOU CALL JAMES BROWN, HE'S GOING TO ADDRESS ANY ISSUE THAT, THAT YOU MAY ASK OF HIM.
IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THE ORDINANCE GIVES CODE ENFORCEMENT THE AUTHORITY TO, UH, TO, UH, OR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, EXCUSE ME, LET ME REFRAME THAT.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICER, THE AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE UPON THAT, A LOT OF TIMES HE HAS TO CALL UPON THE SANITARIAN, SOMETIMES THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SOMETIMES SOLID WASTE TO COME OUT AND AID AND VICE VERSA.
SO WE WORK COLLECTIVELY, BUT DIFFERENT ORDINANCES FALL UNDER DIFFERENT IMPORT, UM, DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN THE ENFORCEMENT OF THEM.
THIS IS WHY WE HAD FORMULATED THE, UH, THE, UH, GROUP THAT WAS GOING IN AND REVIEWING THOSE VARIOUS ORDINANCES.
COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW SERVED ON THAT COMMITTEE SO WE COULD GET A LOT OF THOSE THINGS CLEAR.
THIS, THIS IS GONNA BE TIME, UH, I'LL GO BACK TO, UH, GET WHAT YOU ON THERE BECAUSE CODE ENFORCEMENTS IS TO ENFORCE THE CODES.
DON'T CARE WHAT, WHO DETERMINES IT, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE THESE DEPARTMENTS AND STUFF LIKE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THEY DETERMINE WHAT'S GOOD AND WHAT'S BAD.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, SOMEBODY HAS TO ENFORCE IT.
CODE ENFORCEMENT OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT? YES, SIR.
THE OTHERS ARE NOT ENFORCEMENTS.
SO I'LL TALK WITH, I'LL PUT THAT AT FOR A DISCUSSION DURING, DURING COUNCIL MEETING WHEN WE COULD DISCUSS THAT.
UH, ON THE, UNDER THE, WHAT I NORMALLY DO ON THE CODE ENFORCEMENT, I, I NORMALLY CALL DARLENE AND THEY WOULD DIRECT ME TO WHERE I NEED TO BE.
FOR EXAMPLE, I HAD PROBLEM WITH PRINCE HALL.
WELL, DR. SMITH TOOK CARE OF THAT.
UH, THE BUS BARN DOWN THERE WHERE, WHERE THE CRABS, THE CRAB WAS SMELLING UP THE PLACE.
UH, SAN ANTONIO TOOK CARE OF THAT.
UH, LEWIS MANOR, WHAT I THOUGHT WAS, WHAT I THOUGHT WAS WATER, THE KIDS WAS PLAYING BASKETBALL.
WHAT Y'ALL, THE COURT FOR ME DIRECTED ME TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
BUT WHAT I, WHAT I APPRECIATE, IT'S LIKE WHEN I, SOMETIME I CAN'T CATCH UP WITH CERTAIN PEOPLE.
HANLEY, YOU KNOW, I'LL CALL HIM AND HE'LL DIRECT THE TRAFFIC FOR ME.
'CAUSE THEY KNOW DIRECTLY AND QUICKLY WHERE, WHERE IT NEED TO BE.
WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT THE WAY, THE WAY IT'S STRUCTURED, I CAN CALL ONE LOCATION AND IT BE DONE.
OR THE CHIEF OF I COULD CALL THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND ABOUT AN ISSUE.
HE WOULD DIRECT IT THE WHERE IT GOES.
HE DOESN'T COME BACK TO ME AND SAY, WELL, I WELL I DON'T DO THAT.
[00:50:01]
LIKE DR.WELL, I'M THE ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY, BUT OUR NEW CITY ATTORNEY HAS BEEN WORKING VERY HARD WITH, UM, THE HEAD OF ENVIRONMENTAL.
AND WE'RE COMING UP WITH A REALLY, SHE HAS DESIGNED, SHE AND MS. DARLENE HAVE DESIGNED A PLAN, I FORGET WHAT IT'S CALLED, IT'S CALLED ACT.
BUT ANYWAY, WE'RE WE'RE, IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME TIME, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT IT VERY IN A VERY DETAILED WAY AND SHE'S LEADING US IN A VERY GOOD WAY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME TIME, BUT WE'RE GONNA GET THERE.
BOTH DEPARTMENTS ARE WORKING HARD TOGETHER.
ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE TO THE NEXT TOPIC ON THE BUDGET.
CAN WE, CAN WE LIMIT OUR, OUR COMMENTS ABOUT BUDGET ISSUES AND NOT ABOUT INTERNAL DEPARTMENTAL WORKINGS? WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY LIMITED ON TIME THIS MORNING.
YOU GOT BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND NOW THIS IS MY LAST TIME.
YOU GOT GARBAGE TRUCKS, TRASH TRUCKS, CODE ENFORCING PEOPLE ON THE STREET.
WHY WE HAVE SO MANY BLIND CORNERS, WHY WE HAVE SO MANY POTHOLES THAT'S NOT, HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED.
THOSE PEOPLE SHOULD TURN THAT IN.
YOU GOT, YOU GOT BOOTS AND EYES ALL OVER THE PLACE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT BUDGET ITEM AND IF WE COULD KIND OF TAKE 'EM OUT OF ORDER, IF WE COULD DO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET NEXT PLEASE.
MAYOR, THAT STARTS ON PAGE 74 OF OUR BOOKLET.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR PRO CHAIRMAN, COUNSEL.
I AM HERE FOR QUESTIONS, I GUESS ON THE BUDGET.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? NO QUESTIONS ON OUR BUDGET.
WELL, CHIEF MAYOR PROTO COUNCIL MEMBER KEN LAW.
UH, CHIEF, I SEE THAT WE HAVE AN INCREASE IN THE BUDGET AGAIN THIS YEAR.
UH, JUST KIND OF GIVE US THE HIGHLIGHTS OF YOUR BUDGET AND WHAT'S CAUSED FOR THIS INCREASE.
UH, I WAS KIND OF LOOKING AT YOUR VEHICLES.
YOU, WHERE IS YOUR VEHICLES AT? UH, AS FAR AS, UH, REPLACEMENT VEHICLES, Y'ALL SEE THAT? IT'S KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PAGE.
ACTUALLY SPEAK, SPEAK ON THE MIC 'CAUSE I WAS LOOKING FOR THAT.
UH, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR, COUNCILMAN? UH, VEHICLES.
UH, I KNOW THAT, THAT THAT'S A HEALTH EXPENSE THAT WE HAVE WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND AS, AS WELL AS OVERTIME.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS I WANT TO KIND OF ZERO IN ON.
UH, FINDING OUT, YOU KNOW, THE ONE, IF WE CAN HIRE MORE, UH, OFFICERS, WHAT WE CAN DO.
I KNOW THAT YOU CAME UP WITH A PLAN A COUPLE YEARS AGO WITH DESCENDANTS, UH, TO, TO HIRE OFFICERS TO HAVE THEM COME IN THE CITY, UH, TO MOVE BACK INTO THE CITY.
UH, THOSE ARE THE THINGS, THE TOUGH QUESTIONS I LIKE TO ASK TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN SUPPLY YOU WITH THE NEEDS OF THE CITIES AND TAXPAYERS OF PORT ARTHUR.
BUT IF YOU COULD GET THAT DIRECTOR AND KIND OF GIMME THOSE NUMBERS ON THOSE CARS FOR THE RECORD, THAT'S ON PAGE 2 0 9.
WHILE YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING FOR THAT, WE APPRECIATE, UH, WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE AND ALL THE, UM, INCENTIVES THAT YOU ALLOW US TO OFFER TO POTENTIAL CANDIDATES.
UM, AND I THINK TO THIS POINT, IT'S WORKED.
WE WERE LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS THE OTHER DAY AND WE'RE, WE'RE DOWN 10 NOW AS OPPOSED TO 15 TO 18.
UH, AND WE'RE, WE JUST HAD A TEST ON SATURDAY WHERE WE AT 49 SIGN UP TO TAKE THE TEST, 21 PASS.
UH, AT THE END OF THE DAY WE END UP WITH 17.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT 17 CANDIDATES NOW.
SEE, AND, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING, CHIEF, YOU, YOU'RE DOING SOME POSITIVE AND GOOD THINGS OUT THERE.
UH, WE WANT TO ASSURE THE RESIDENTS OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH THE POLICE BUDGET IS THE HIGHEST BUDGET IN THE CITY, BUT WE, I KEEP SAYING THAT, BUT I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WE ARE UTILIZING THE TAXPAYER'S MONEY WISELY AND WITH THAT TYPE OF, UH, INFORMATION THAT SHOULD BE BROADCAST OUT TO THE CITIZENS.
UH, I'M UNDERSTANDING THIS, UH, YOU HAVE LEASED VEHICLES AS WELL, RIGHT? YES.
THAT'S FAR AS THE, THE NARCOTICS GUYS, THE UNDERCOVER VEHICLES
[00:55:01]
THAT THEY CHANGE OUT PERIODICALLY TO BE ABLE TO, UH, BLEND INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN THEY'RE DOING OPERATIONS.AND THE SECOND FOLD OF MY QUESTION IS THE RADIOS THAT WE HAVE, UH, THOSE RADIOS COME WITH A YEAR WARRANTY.
AND THE RADIOS THAT, THAT YOU SEE, WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THOSE RADIOS UP FRONT.
BUT THE CITY ENDS ENDS UP AT THE END OF THE DAY GETTING REIMBURSED THROUGH GRANTS TO GRANT FUNDING.
AND WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR OVERTIME BUDGET.
OF COURSE OUR OVERTIME BUDGET WAS DUE TO SHORTAGES AND ALSO DUE TO NUMBER OF TRAININGS WE HAVE TO SEND OFFICERS TO.
ALSO, WE HAVE OVER A HUNDRED AND SOMETHING OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE TO REPLACE YEARLY BECAUSE THEY GET FIVE WEEKS OF VACATION AND WE HAVE MINIMUM STAFF AND, AND WE JUST CAN'T LET 'EM GO WITHOUT REPLACING THEM.
SO WE'VE ALSO REPLACING THEM WHILE THEY'RE, UH, ON VACATION, WHICH IS A MUCH NEEDED VACATION.
WELL JUST, JUST FOR RECORD AND JUST FOR MY, YOU KNOW, MY OPINION OF YOU, UH, CONTINUE DOING THE RECRUITING PROCESS.
GET THOSE NUMBERS DOWN OVER TIME.
IT ALL BALANCE OFF, UH, VEHICLES, RADIOS.
WE WANT TO ENSURE THE OFFICERS ARE EQUIPPED WITH, UH, WHAT THEY NEED TO DO THE SERVICE IN PORT ARTHUR.
SO, UM, I'VE BEEN LOOKING OVER YOUR BUDGET FOR THE LAST, UH, THREE DAYS.
UH, I REALLY DON'T SEE ANY REALLY HIGHLIGHTS.
I KNOW WE INCREASING THE BUDGET ABOUT WHAT, ONE AND A HALF, TWO MIL.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, THAT'S BASED ON THE S AND BENEFITS.
UM, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB WITH ALLOWING US TO INCREASE THE SALARY, WHICH ALLOWED US TO INCREASE THE MANPOWER THAT WE HAVE.
ALRIGHT CHIEF, UH, APPRECIATE YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND, UH, KEEP ON WORKING FOR THE CITIZEN.
THANK COUNCILMAN, UH, MAYOR PRO.
COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS LOSE MAN, THIS IS NEXT TIME.
WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THE WARRANT OFFICER AND HOW EFFECTIVE IS A WARRANT OFFICER OR DO WE HAVE A WARRANT OFFICER AND WE DO NOT HAVE A WARRANT OFFICER AT THIS TIME? UH, WHO'S HANDLING IT? THE OUTSTANDING WARRANTS.
BASICALLY, I THINK MUNICIPAL COURT HAS, HAS CONTRACTED WITH A COMPANY TO WHERE THEY'RE SENDING LETTERS OUT TO INFORM PEOPLE THAT THEY NEED TO COME IN AND PAY.
UH, I DON'T THINK THE WARRANT OFFICER PROGRAM WAS REALLY SUCCESSFUL 'CAUSE THEY COULDN'T REALLY DO IT ALL THE TIME.
'CAUSE THE GUY THAT WORKS WARRANTS, HE'S ALSO THE BAILIFF OF MUNICIPAL COURT AND WITH THE NEW JUDGE THAT YOU GUYS PUT IN PLACE, UH, MUNICIPAL COURTS NOW MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
SO HE'S SEEING, UM, CLIENTS DAILY AND YOU NEED THAT WARRANT OFFICER THERE TO ACT AS SECURITY OFFICER.
IF WE WERE TO ADD SOMEBODY TO THAT EQUATION, THEN IT WOULD COST US OVERTIME TO COVER THAT SPOT.
WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THE OVERTIME LIMIT.
WELL, I CAN UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE OVERTIME THING, BUT IT'S NOW ENOUGH OUTSTANDING WARRANTS TO, TO WARRANT PUTTING SOMEBODY SPECIALIZED ON IT AND PAY 'EM FROM THOSE REVENUES.
I WOULD SAY, AM I MAKING SENSE? I, I WOULD'VE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE WORTH PUTTING THAT IN PLAY AT THIS POINT BECAUSE WHAT WE WANT TO DO, NO, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THE TRAFFIC THAT WE'RE WE'RE HAVING IN THE CITY, I WOULD PRIORITIZE THAT AND PUT A TRAFFIC OFFICER OUT THERE TO DEAL WITH THE DUMP TRUCKS AND THE 18 WHEELS.
AND OF COURSE THE SPEED IS IN THE AREA.
WE GOT PEOPLE COMING FROM ALL SORTS OF, I MEAN DIFFERENT AREAS RUNNING THROUGH OUR CITY.
AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO COMBAT THAT BY PUTTING A, UH, WE TRAFFIC OFFICERS OUT THERE.
WHY DON'T WE DO THAT, THIS BUDGET FOR ONE, FOR ONE SEASON TO GET THE ATTENTION AND MAYBE THE NEXT ONE TIME THEN YOU MAY BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO WHAT YOU WERE DOING NOW.
BUT YOU GOTTA GET THE ATTENTION.
YOU GET THE ATTENTION IS WHEN A, WHEN SOME A, A LAWYER, UH, AN ENFORCEMENT OFFICER COME UP, COME TO THEIR DOOR, THAT GETS THEIR ATTENTION.
SO YOU MAY WANNA TRY IT FOR ONE SEASON AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
WE'LL, WE'LL PUT A LIKE A PILOT PROGRAM IN IN PLACE YEAH.
BUT I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, COUNCILMAN, I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DEDICATE AN OFFICER FULL-TIME TO THAT.
WELL, I COULD UNDERSTAND THAT IN PLACE.
UH, BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COST OF THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SPEND OVER $125,000 A YEAR JAIL COSTS AND A LOT OF THAT IS ON CLASS C MISDEMEANORS, SOME OF THOSE WARRANTS THAT IT DOESN'T REALLY BALANCE OUT THE END.
UM, BUT WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND, AND, AND, AND WHILE YOU'RE DOING THAT, AND THIS IS MY LAST, WHY DON'T YOU BROADCAST THAT PARTICULAR DAY, WHAT'S GOING TO BE TAKING PLACE? WELL, THE WARRANT OFFICER GONNA BE SERVING WARRANTS.
THAT'S GOING TO GET FOLKS ATTENTION.
IF YOU GOT AN OUTSTANDING WARRANT, YOU NEED TO COME ON IN OR YOU'RE GONNA SEE A BLUE, SOMEBODY IN THE BLUE UNIFORM KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR AND GOING TO ESCORT YOU TO THE COURTS IN THE, TO THE SYSTEM TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR BUSINESS.
I, I'LL WORK WITH, UH, THE CITY SECRETARY AND UH, AND DIETRICH JONES.
[01:00:01]
AND WE'LL COME UP WITH SOMETHING.BUT SHE'S DONE A GREAT JOB TO THIS POINT.
'CAUSE SHE'S DONE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BY PUTTING IT OUT THERE.
AND WE PUT OUT THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE RUN A STAY UP THE CLICK OF THE TICKET PROGRAM, UM, THIS OPERATION SLOW DOWN.
WE PUT IT ON FACEBOOK AND AND IN THE MEDIA AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER ETT, CHIEF CON, OTHER CONTRACTOR SERVICE.
WHAT IS THAT? WHICH ONE SIR? OTHER CONTRACTOR SERVICES.
WHAT IS THAT? THAT'S, UM, LEMME GET TO IT.
THAT'S OUR, THAT'S OUR BODY CAM SYSTEM.
UM, AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TOO NOW IS, AS YOU'VE SEEN ON TV, LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER AGENCIES, THEY'RE GOING TO THE LICENSE PLATE READER SYSTEM WHERE WE'RE GONNA COVER EVERY, EVERY, EVERY AREA IN THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
LIKE IF YOU'RE COMING INTO PORT ARTHUR, IF YOU'RE LEAVING PORT ARTHUR, WE'RE GONNA AT LEAST CAPTURE LICENSE PLATE AND, AND VIDEO FOOTAGE.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO PUT THAT PROGRAM IN PLACE TO HELP US CATCH PEOPLE.
AND ALSO WITH THAT LICENSE PLATE READER, IT WOULD NOTIFY US IF SOMEONE'S WANTED FOR A TRAFFIC VIOLATION.
WE CAN ALSO ADD THAT TO THE SYSTEM.
AND THAT'S GONNA COST US PROBABLY ABOUT 60,000 OR SO.
IS THAT THE 18,000 MARK YOU SAID THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? PARDON ME? IS THAT THE 18,000? I'M, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
I'M JUST TRYING TO FOLLOW YOU.
PAGE 74 UNDER, UH, CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
THE ONE THAT SAYS OTHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
SEE THAT'S WHAT HE WAS EXPLAINING.
UNDER, UNDER JUST ABOVE TEMPORARY SERVICES.
UH, WHY, WHILE SHE'S LOOKING AT THAT CHIEF, UH, WHAT ABOUT SUPPORT OF PRISONERS? MM-HMM,
'CAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S LIKE A ROLLERCOASTER.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS I SAID EARLIER, WE ARREST PROBABLY ABOUT LAST TIME I LOOKED 1300 PRISONERS A YEAR.
AND IT COSTS US AROUND 120,000 A YEAR FOR THAT.
BUT PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL HERE, THERE WAS SOME KIND OF DISCREPANCY IN CHARGING RIGHT WHERE THE COUNTY WAS.
WAS CHARGING US A FEE AND WE, WE WERE SAYING WE SHOULDN'T BE PAYING THAT FEE.
AND FINALLY, AT SOME POINT THEY DECIDED TO SETTLE SO THAT THIS IS PART OF A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE TO PAY.
UH, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, BUT WE TOLD 'EM THAT WE COULDN'T DO IT BECAUSE OF BUDGET PURPOSES.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY THAT IN OCTOBER.
SO YOU'RE GONNA PAY IN OCTOBER AND THAT'S WHY WHAT FOR THIS YEAR WE DIDN'T HAVE NOTHING WHAT, LIKE 2,500
FOR THIS YEAR IT'S SOMETHING LIKE 2,500.
SO WHAT HAPPENED FOR ALL OF THOSE? SO WE'RE GONNA PAY IN OCTOBER.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.
IF WE'RE GONNA PAY IN OCTOBER, DO WE PAY YEARLY? WE'RE GONNA PAY THE, THE BALANCE OF THAT SETTLEMENT, BUT WE PAID THEM MONTHLY.
OUR BILL USUALLY AVERAGE AROUND 10,000 TO 11,000 A MONTH FOR PRISON SUPPORTIVE PRISONERS.
SO THIS, THEY CHARGE A CERTAIN AMOUNT.
SO, SO THIS AMOUNT WILL, THIS AMOUNT WILL NOT ONLY HAVE MONEY TO PAY FOR THE, FOR THIS COMMON YEAR, IT WILL ALSO PAY FOR THE BALANCE WILL, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME? YES SIR.
I SEEN THE INCREASE OF THAT AN AMOUNT AND I KNEW THAT WE HAD A BALANCE TO BE O UH, TO BE, UH, UH, PAID.
NOW REAL QUICK ON, UM, BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND FUEL AND LUBRICATION, WE HAVE AN INCREASE ON THAT.
KIND OF JUST BRIEFLY TELL ME, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENCE AND WHY, HOW, UH, WHAT DO YOU USE IN THE BUILDING? MAINTENANCE? UH, I, I KNOW WE'VE HAD SOME SITUATION WITH THE ROOF AT ONE TIME WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE.
COUNCILMAN DE SAID, AND I, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME OVER THERE.
WE KNEW YOU HAD SOME, BUT WHERE IS THIS, WHAT'S NOW, WHAT'S GOING ON NOW WITH THAT BUILDING? IT IS ABOUT TO FALL DOWN.
NO, WE, I WAS TRYING TO, WE NEED ANOTHER CHIEF.
I WAS TRYING TO BE, NEED THE POLICE STATION.
CONSTABLE, I WAS TRYING TO WALK THE DOG AND YOU WENT STRAIGHT TO THE PARK.
YOU WANNA GO STRAIGHT TO THE PARK CHIEF AS A PART OF, AS PART OF UH, BUILDING.
AS A PART OF BUILDING MAINTENANCE, SIR.
UM, WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT WHOLE BLOCK, SO, GOT IT.
WE, WE COVER THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PORTION.
WE COVER MUNICIPAL COURT AND WE COVER THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO I I'M GONNA GET OFF THAT CHIEF RIGHT NOW 'CAUSE UH, I WANTED TO WALK THE DOG.
[01:05:01]
YOU GO STRAIGHT TO THE PARK.UH, I I JUST WANT TO SHOW THAT WE, WE HAVE A LOT OF NEEDS IN THAT BUILDING.
SO AND WE'VE BEEN DOING, FIGHTING THOSE NEEDS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO WE MAY NEED TO, UH, PAM, DR.
THINK OF A THANKS FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT TOO.
AND WHAT ELSE DID I HAVE FOR YOU, CHIEF? THAT WAS IT.
UH, CONTRACTUAL SERVICE AND SUPPORT OF PRISONERS.
UH, JUST IF THAT, WHAT HE DESCRIBED ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE ON THE BUILDING, YOU, IT'S ABOUT TO FALL DOWN.
WELL, IF IT WAS, HE WAS CALLED, I'D BE CALLED RUSS AND RATTLES.
WITH NO MORE QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL.
YOU HAVE A QUESTION? UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT TRAINING? WHY DO WE NOT HAVE A TRAINING BUDGET? DOES IT COME FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE? TRA TRAVEL, TRAVEL AND EDUCATION? WE HAVE, AND WE ACTUALLY, AND WE ACTUALLY, AND LOOKING AT LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, WE ACTUALLY CUT THAT BUDGET SOME CUT SOME OF, OF, UH, OUR REQUESTS DOWN BECAUSE WE AVERAGED IT OUT OVER THE YEARS.
AND THE NEXT THING IS, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY? UM, I KNOW THERE WAS PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HAVING NO NOISE MONITORS IN THE POLICE CARS.
DO WE HAVE THAT AS A PART OF OUR BUDGET? UH, N NO, MA'AM.
WE, I THINK WE CAN GET THAT FOR LIKE TWO OR $300.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO GET THE, THE BEST THAT'S OUT THERE.
NOW WE, WE'VE SPOKEN TO ATTORNEY JOE SANDERS ABOUT IT, AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOME, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA PUT 'EM IN EVERY CAR COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE 'EM AVAILABLE.
BUT IS THAT THE TWO OR $300 FOR HOWEVER MANY YOU WANT TO PUT IN CARS? IS THAT INCLUDED IN THIS QUESTION? IF SO, WHICH LINE ITEM WE DID NOT INCLUDE IN THE BUDGET? I THINK WE'RE GONNA PULL IT OUT OF SOME OTHER FUNDS THAT WE HAVE THAT, UH, WE CAN PULL FROM.
AND IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A POLICE OFFICER TO BE, TO HAVE DEDICATED ATTENTION TO SUPPORT CODE ENFORCEMENT? UH, NO.
NOT AT THIS TIME, BUT WHENEVER THEY CALL US, WE ALWAYS GO OUT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT'S ONE OF THE PRIORITIES OF THE CITY.
AND, UM, WE HAVE A REAL GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT.
SO WHEN THEY CALL, WE'RE THERE.
THAT'S USUALLY DONE BY THE, THE OFFICER THAT'S IN, IN THAT BEAT IN THAT AREA.
AND WILL YOU PLEASE TELL ME, UNDERSTAND IT WAS A RADIO SYSTEM CO-OP, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE WITH SOUTHEAST TEXAS REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND, AND, UH, AT ONE POINT THEY WERE FUNDING US A CERTAIN AMOUNT, AND I THINK WE WE'RE TO THE POINT NOW WHERE WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA BE CLOSE ON OUR OWN.
SO WE'RE, LOOK, WE'RE, LOOK, WE'RE LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL GRANTS FOR THAT TO BE ABLE TO HELP US WITH THAT COST.
AND WHAT SPECIFIC SERVICE DID THAT SYSTEM PROVIDE, UM, PROVIDED I DON'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILS.
I CAN GET WITH YOU LATE ON THAT, BUT THANK YOU, SIR.
THAT WAS ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAD.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT BUDGET ITEM.
COULD WE MOVE ON TO THE STREETS BUDGET? THANK YOU.
AND I BELIEVE THIS STARTS ON, IT'S ON PAGE 84 OF OUR NOTEBOOK.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR OUR CITY ENGINEER? I BELIEVE WE ALSO HAVE A PACKET THAT WAS PASSED OUT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING.
I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN INTO THE, YOUR OFFICE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SINCE I COME ON COUNCIL FOR ABOUT A YEAR, OVER A YEAR NOW.
I'VE BEEN IN THERE ABOUT TWO TIMES.
EACH TIME I'VE COME TO YOUR OFFICE, I'VE TALKED ABOUT THE STREET PROGRAM THAT WAS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL AND HOW IT WORKED.
AND IT, EACH TIME I WAS, I, I STRESSED THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A LIST OF STREETS THAT HAD BEEN DONE AND A SEPARATE LIST.
THE SEPARATE LIST BEING THE LIST OF STREETS IN THE DISTRICT THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS FOR US TO DO THAT AND MONITOR THIS MONEY IN STREETS.
[01:10:01]
THAT WAS ADOPTED BY THE CITY WAS ADOPTED FOR SEVERAL REASONS.THE FIRST REASON IT WAS TO BRING ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.
THE SECOND REASON IT WAS, WAS TO MONITOR THE SPENDING OF THE MONEY.
AND ALSO TO HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THAT WAS A FAIRNESS AND THAT WE WORKED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF ADOPTING THE STREET PROGRAM.
SINCE I STARTED FOLLOWING IT AFTER I LEFT COUNCIL IN 2021, I SEEN WHERE WE GOT AWAY FROM THAT.
I CAN'T CONTROL IT 'CAUSE THAT'S COUNCIL'S RESPONSIBILITY.
BUT IMMEDIATELY FOR CON, UPON COMING TO COUNCIL, I STARTED QUESTIONING WHY WASN'T FINANCE THE FIRST QUESTION I ASKED OVER A YEAR AGO, HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE HAVE IN STREET FUND CITY? UH, FINANCE DIRECTOR, LYNN, I'VE ASKED THAT QUESTION WHEN I FIRST CAME ON UNTIL THIS DAY, WE NEVER GOT AN ANSWER.
YOU WOULD SAY THAT YOU HAVE TO WAIT TILL THEY GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION.
WELL, WHEN TALK, WHEN IT COME TO MONEY, THAT'S WHY WE ADOPTED THIS FREE PROGRAM.
'CAUSE IF WE HAD BEEN FOLLOWING IT, THAT INFORMATION COULD BE GIVEN AT ANY TIME.
IF STREET THAT IS FUNDED IS A PROJECT, THERE'S AN ESTIMATED COST.
I'VE HEARD, I HEARD HER SAY THINGS LIKE, WELL, WE CAN'T DO STREETS THAT GOT UTIL, UH, PIPE OR SURGE UNDERNEATH IT BECAUSE WE'LL COME BACK AND WE'LL BREAK THE STREET UP.
WELL, WHEN WE ADOPTED THIS PROGRAM, IF YOU GO BACK AND LIFT TO SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS, THAT WAS ALL DISCUSSED, AND THE THING THAT WAS DISCUSSED IS IF WE GOT UTILITIES UNDER IT, WE FIXED THE UTILITIES TO EXTEND PAST THE STREET AND GO IT ON AND THEN FIX THE STREET.
BUT WE DON'T WAIT TO FIX THE STREET BECAUSE WE HAVE UTILITIES ON IT.
NOT ON THAT, BUT WE SAID WE COULD USE THE STREET FUNDS TO DO THAT.
SO THEN THAT STOPPED THE UTILITIES FROM HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT A BUDGET BECAUSE THAT WAS RELATED TO THAT STREET BEING RECONSTRUCTED.
THAT WAS A PROGRAM IN GENERAL.
SO FOR A YEAR NOW, I HAVEN'T GOT THAT ANSWER.
I LOOKED AT THE BUDGET WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS.
I'VE BEEN ASKING TO MEET AND SELECT STREETS FOR DISTRICT FOUR FOR THIS YEAR.
WE PUT $10 MILLION IN THE BUDGET LAST YEAR WHEN I CAME ON COUNCIL.
AND WE SAID, WE GONNA WAIT THIS IN THE VIDEO.
WE WANT TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE AVAILABLE FOR THE STREETS THAT ALREADY BEEN FUNDED, AND LET'S MAKE SURE WE HAVE MONEY TO DO THOSE WITH THE REST OF THAT MONEY.
WE WANT TO DIVIDE IT AMONG THE DISTRICT AND SELECT STREETS FOR THIS YEAR.
THIS YEAR'S GONE NOW, HAVE 'EM BEEN DONE.
OKAY, SO THIS IS WHAT I'M BEING PRESENTED FOR THIS YEAR.
WHEN I LOOK AT DISTRICT FOUR FOR THIS YEAR.
JOHN, THIS HAND OUT HERE, JOHN, THIS ONE HERE? YES.
YOU WANT TO CALL IT UP? UH, DISTRICT FOUR, I LOOK ON HERE AND I SEE 15TH STREET ALLEY, NORTHEAST OF HOUSTON AVENUE TO FORT WORTH.
IS THAT A CONCRETE STREET? PRESENTLY? YES, SIR.
I SEE 12TH STREET, AUSTIN TO SAVANNAH.
GIL CIRCUIT, KNEELING AVENUE, 13TH STREET.
WHEN I FIRST CAME ON BOARD, WE WERE GIVEN A LIST OF STREETS AND WE LOOKED AT 'EM AND SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS REMARKED THAT SOME OF THOSE STREETS ARE NOT IN OUR DISTRICT.
WE SAID WE NEED TO GET THAT LIST STRAIGHT.
THAT WAS WHEN I FIRST CAME ON BOARD.
SO NOW A YEAR LATER, DISTRICTS ARE STILL IN DISTRICT FOUR.
I HAVEN'T PICKED THE STREET YET, BUT I'M, BUT I'M BRINGING, BUT I'M GETTING THIS TO SAY THAT THIS IS
[01:15:01]
FUNDED.SO HOW MUCH MONEY IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUNDED FOR DISTRICT FOUR FOR THIS COMING YEAR? HOW MUCH MONEY THEN YOU, LYNN, YOU WANT ME TO ANSWER THAT? YES, PLEASE, JOHN.
SO IN DISTRICT FOUR, THE TOTALS FOR RE REHABILITATION WOULD BE $6,517,958.
AND THEN THERE'D BE ONE PROJECT FOR $456,000 FOR, UH, RECONSTRUCTION.
SO THAT'S A TOTAL OF 7.79 MILLION IN DISTRICT FOUR IS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING FOR NEXT YEAR.
WHERE JOHN, WHERE THAT NUMBER, THE SHEET I'M LOOKING AT PAGE 1 99 OF A BUDGET.
HOLD, LEMME GO THROUGH THAT ONE, JOHN.
SO, AND, AND WITH THAT BUDGET, WE GOT, LET'S SEE, ONE, TWO, WE GOT NASHVILLE STREET, TWO RAILROAD AVENUE.
THOSE ARE NOT IN DISTRICT FOUR.
AL, ALSO THE STREETS I NAMED EARLIER.
12TH STREET, TWICE 13TH STREET, 15TH STREET AND AUGUSTA AVENUE.
THOSE ARE NOT DISTRICT FOUR STREETS.
OH, I, LET ME, LET ME GET, LET ME, LEMME SEE.
OKAY, THAT'S 80, THAT'S 337,000, 81,260 1000, WHICH WE TALKING OVER A HALF A MILLION OF THAT.
NOT EVEN DISTRICT ONE STREETS DISTRICT, I MEAN DISTRICT FOUR STREET.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS, FOR A YEAR, I JUST KEEP EXPLAINING THE PROGRAM.
IF I DON'T TELL PEOPLE TO LISTEN TO WHAT I SAY, READ WHAT WE HAVE IN THIS CITY.
THIS CITY HAS A ADOPTED PROGRAM FOR STREETS.
WE'VE HAD COUNCIL MEMBERS CHANGE.
BUT JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE CHANGE, WE DON'T CHANGE WHAT'S BEEN ADOPTED.
OR IF WE DO, WE AMEND IT, BUT WE JUST DON'T ARBITRARILY NOT DO IT.
THAT'S WHY WE CANNOT KEEP UP WITH THE MONIES, BECAUSE THE OILINESS SAYS FOR EVERY PROJECT, WE HAVE EXPENDITURES THAT MEAN EVERY STREET IS A PROJECT THAT MEAN WHATEVER WE DO TO THAT STREET, WHETHER WE DO IT OR CONTRACT TO DO IT, WHATEVER IS SPENT IS KEPT.
I SHOULD KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY IS BEING SPENT IN MY DISTRICT FROM THE STREETS THAT HAVE BEEN FUNDED.
BECAUSE IF WE DO THAT, WE WILL BE ABLE TO MONITOR.
COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN MONITOR EXACTLY HOW MUCH MONEY BEING SPENT IN THEIR STREETS.
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH STREETS IN THEIR DISTRICT.
WE WORK WITH, WE WORK WITH STAFF, BUT STAFF DOESN'T DO IT.
WHEN WE, WHEN WE START LOOKING AT THE MONIES, CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATIONS, WE'VE HAD CERTIFICATE OBLIGATIONS FOR 50 MILLION.
WE HAD CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATIONS FOR OUT OF, UH, 19.5 WHEN WE SAID STREETS WERE GONNA BE INCLUDED.
UH, WE HAD THE, A APA, WHEN WE HAD APA, WE TOOK, WE SAID 10 MILLIONS OUT OF THAT.
WERE GONNA BE DEDICATED TO STREETS AND MAINTENANCE.
SO THAT 50, 60, $70 MILLION, OKAY? BUT ALL THIS MONEY WE GETTING IS FOR STREET RECONSTRUCTION AND CONSTRUCTION.
THAT'S WHAT WE SAYING WE GETTING THIS MONEY FOR.
THIS MONEY DOES NOT GO TO NEW STREETS AND STUFF.
[01:20:01]
JOHNSON THE OTHER DAY.THAT IS CONSIDERED A NEW STREET.
THERE ARE WAYS WE DEAL WITH THAT.
WE COULD DEAL WITH THAT EITHER WITH THE, UH, DEVELOPER PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT AND WHICH HAS ONLY COST US 30, 30% INSTEAD OF DOING THE STREETS.
WE PUT MONEY IN OUR GENERAL FUND BECAUSE THAT'S AN INCENTIVE.
WE DON'T TAKE MONEY FROM THE STREETS PROGRAM.
OKAY? SO THIS TOTAL MONEY I'M WILLING TO BUY, BUT DISTRICT FOUR, I'M GONNA SELECT THESE STREETS THAT'S GONNA GO ON HERE FOR THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY.
I'M WILLING TO VOTE FOR THE MONEY, BUT THAT'S SEVERAL MILLION.
IT'S GONNA BE FOR STREETS IN DISTRICT FOUR, NOT OTHER STREETS.
AND ONCE I DO THAT, WHETHER THE CITY DOES IT OR CONTRACTOR, DOES IT MONITOR HOW MUCH MONEY IS BEING SPENT ON EACH STREET? IN MY DISTRICT, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THE PROGRAM SAYS IF I DIDN'T COMPLETE ALL THE STREETS IN THIS DISTRICT, WE REAPPROPRIATE THE MONEY AND THE STREET.
THIS IS A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
YOU JUST SLIDE IT TO THE NEXT YEAR.
BUT IT DOESN'T GO BACK INTO NO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND FOR STREETS, AND IT'S NOT GONNA BE USED.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT WAS ADOPTED AND THAT'S WAS THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE STREET PROGRAM.
SO WHERE WE ARE WITH THIS RIGHT NOW, THAT'S NOT STREETS AND DISTRICT FOUR, BUT I'M NOT GONNA HOLD UP.
THE AMOUNT OF MONEY'S GONNA BE ALLOCATED PER DISTRICT.
AND I'M NOT CONCERNED WITH THE OTHER DISTRICT.
THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL WORRY ABOUT AND MANAGE THEIRS.
BUT MY MONEY, I WANT TO PICK THE STREETS.
I WANT AN ESTIMATION OF THE COST OF STREETS.
AND IF WE GOT UTILITIES UNDER IT, LET'S DO THAT AND LET'S FIX IT.
I WILL, I WILL, I WILL STEP THEM OUT WITH NO QUESTIONS.
BUT THOSE STREETS, THAT'S GONNA BE ACTUALLY LISTED IN THIS BUDGET AND FUNDED.
AND THE LAST THING IS A BIG THING FITTING TO HAPPEN THIS COMING YEAR.
WELL, IN 26, MAYBE BEFORE WE DO THE BUDGET NEXT TIME, JIMMY JOHNSON BOULEVARD, THE FUNDING TO RESURFACE IT, YOU MENTIONED THE OTHER DAY, WE'RE GONNA REDO IT FEDERAL, AND WE'RE GONNA RAISE IT THREE INCHES.
IS IT INCLUDED IN FEDERAL FOR THAT? UH, YES.
NOW WHAT ABOUT JADE, JOHN JADE? WE'RE REBUILDING IT, IT THE SAME CONDITION IT IS NOW.
BUT I'M SAYING, IS THE FUNDING IN THE GRANT, THE FEDERAL GRANT? RIGHT.
THAT'S, IT'S KIND OF A COMPLICATED STORY.
WHAT HAPPENED WAS THE STREET WAS GONNA BE REBUILT AS PART OF THE FEDERAL GRANT, BUT IN ORDER TO GET SOME COST SAVINGS, WE TOOK SOME OF THE ASPHALT OUT OF THE PROJECT.
SO THE CITY WILL HAVE TO COVER THE RESURFACING OF JAY.
NOW, THE ROAD BED ITSELF, FEMA WILL COVER THAT COST THE RULE BED.
WHEN YOU SAY THE ROAD BED, JOHN, WHEN YOU THE BASE.
THEN THOSE THINGS I WANT TO CLARIFY BECAUSE WHEN I'M SITTING THERE WITH YOU, THAT'S, THAT'S TO BE CONSIDERED BECAUSE THAT'S A MAJOR, THE FACTOR.
I'M SORRY THAT, THAT'S A MAJOR THERAPIST.
SO SOME OF THE MONEY FOR JADE IS IN THE FEDERAL.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE ABOUT STREETS.
AND I'LL GET WITH YOU AND STUFF.
BEFORE I RECOGNIZE ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR LYNN.
HOW HARD WOULD IT BE TO GO BACK AND REVISE THE SPREADSHEETS THAT HAVE, UH, IN DISTRICT FOUR? THERE'S SOME STREETS THAT ARE ACTUALLY DISTRICT ONE.
HOW HARD WOULD IT BE FOR YOU TO REVISE ALL OF THAT FOR US? IT'S NOT GONNA BE VERY DIFFICULT.
I JUST NEED THE INFORMATION AND I CAN TAKE THE INFORMATION UP TO THE END OF THE MONTH.
HOWEVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO IT.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THE APPROPRIATION.
AND I COULD DEFINITELY PUT THE, MAKE SURE THAT THE DETAILS ARE IN THERE BEFORE THAT ACTUALLY GETS PUBLISHED.
I, I WOULD APPRECIATE IF YOU WOULD DO THAT.
ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS.
I KNOW THIS, UH, I NEED TO GET WITH YOU ON DISTRICT ONE, DISTRICT ONE STREETS.
WHENEVER WE CAN AFTER THIS MEETING OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO PROLONG THIS.
[01:25:01]
I NEED SOME CHANGES MADE FOR DISTRICT ONE.SOME THINGS NEED TO BE REVERSED THE ORDER.
BUT I NOTICED, UH, IN-HOUSE, IN-HOUSE, I'VE ONLY GOT THREE IN-HOUSE STREETS, YOU KNOW, AND I ALSO LIKE TO VISIT WITH YOU ABOUT THE AVENUES THAT I TALKED ABOUT A WHILE BACK.
YOU KNOW, SO TRY TO SPEED THINGS UP.
YOU GOT THREE, THREE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET TO YOUR HOUSE.
IN OLD, IN THE OLD CITY, THE THOROUGHFARE, WE GOING TO CONTINUE TO RECONSTRUCT IT AND DO ALL THE THINGS.
CONTINUE THAT WHEN THEY DON'T DISRUPT THAT.
BUT THOSE AVENUES, THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE BUILT UP TO OUR STANDARDS.
WE CAN PUT 'EM UP TO COUNTY STANDARDS.
AT A CHIP, CHIP SEAL OVERLAY, UH, WE CAN GET A LOT MORE MILEAGE, BUT I'M LOOKING AT DISTRICT FOUR, MAN, THAT'S GOOD.
THEY GONNA GET A LOT OF MILES.
THAT'S, THAT'S GOING, THAT'S GONNA HAVE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT.
AND YOU'RE GONNA SAVE A LOT OF MONEY FOR, TO DO OTHER THINGS IN DISTRICT FOUR.
I WILL POINT OUT AGAIN THAT FOR US TO DO A STREET IN-HOUSE IS PROBABLY A THIRD OF THE COST TO CONTRACT IT.
AND SO, WHEN MR. BATES GETS OUT THERE AND DOES THE STREETS, HE GETS A LOT MORE DONE FOR A LOT CHEAPER COST.
WITH, WITH, WITH THAT 21 HOUSE, 21 STREETS DOING THE IN-HOUSE, THAT MEANS NEXT YEAR, DISTRICT FOUR HAVE LESS OF AN IMPACT ON THE BUDGET, I WOULD THINK.
I WANTED TO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE PROCESS.
JUST, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I THINK AND HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.
IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT, AN ENGINEERING FIRM WENT OUT TO TEST THE STREETS AND GAVE US DATA, WHICH HELPED YOU ALL DETERMINE WHICH STREETS WERE THE WORST.
YOU SHOWED US THIS CHART THAT GAVE, UH, I THINK IT WAS GREEN, YELLOW, RED, TO SHOW ON A SCALE, LET'S SAY OF ONE TO 10 HOW BAD THAT STREET WAS TO DETERMINE WHICH ONES NEEDED TO GO FIRST.
SO I THOUGHT THAT WE WERE CHOOSING STREETS ACCORDING TO THE DATA, NOT ACCORDING TO WHAT EACH COUNSELOR SAID THEY WANTED DONE IN THE DISTRICT.
WELL, THE STUDY BY IMS WAS DONE IN, WAS IT 2021? IT, IT SERVES AS A GOOD TOOL FOR US TO LOOK AT WHAT STREETS ARE IN BAD SHAPE.
NOW, SINCE 2021, WE'VE HAD, UH, LIBERTY AVENUE.
IT WAS RANKED SIX, IT WAS ONE OUT OF SIX.
IF YOU DRIVE IT TODAY, IT'S HORRIBLE.
SO, I MEAN, IT'S A TOOL THAT WE USE.
UM, THERE WAS PROBLEMS WITH SOME OF THE DATA.
I GUESS WE HAD SOME STREETS OUT IN THE FAIRLEE EDITION THAT RANKED 10.
ARE WE GONNA GO FIX A STREET IN FAIRLEE EDITION? NO ONE LIVES OUT THERE.
SO, LIKE I SAID, WE USE IT AS A TOOL, BUT THIS LIST WAS COMPILED BY MYSELF AND THE PUBLIC, THE STREET DEPARTMENT.
WE GET COMPLAINTS ON A LOT OF STREETS AND WE TRY TO IDENTIFY THE ONES THAT WE FEEL LIKE ARE MOST NEEDED.
BUT AGAIN, THAT WAS, THIS IS JUST TO PUT IT OUT THERE FOR THE CITIZENS.
IT WAS ACCORDING TO THE DATA OF WHAT STREETS HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED TO US.
AND THEN FROM THERE WE MOVE FORWARD ON WHICH ONES WE'RE PRIORITIZING.
WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF, UH, WHAT'S, WHAT'S OUT THERE AND HOW CONDITIONS HAVE CHANGED IN THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
AND IN THAT DATA, DOES IT ALSO INCLUDE WHAT THE UNDERGROUND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE WAS LIKE? WHAT WAS EXPECTED TO BE REPAIRED? TO BE REPAIRED PRIOR TO THAT STREET? NO, NO MA'AM.
UM, MYSELF AND THE WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENT HAS DONE A QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE STREETS ON THIS LIST.
AND WE'VE COME UP WITH, UH, SOME NEEDS TO, TO LOOK AT WATER AND SEWER.
AND WE'RE HOPING TO TACKLE THOSE NEXT YEAR WITH THE STREET PROJECTS.
SO JUST AS AN EXAMPLE FOR DISTRICT TWO, I'M JUST RANDOMLY CHOOSING SOMETHING.
SO WE SAY ON, UM, SABINE AVENUE, THAT'S ONE SET FOR, UM, RE REPAIR OR REHABILITATION, AND THE WATER LINE HASN'T BEEN TESTED PRIOR TO THAT.
UH, AND WE'VE MADE SOME ALLOCATIONS FOR DOING SERVICES, REPLACING
[01:30:01]
SERVICES.UM, LEMME GIVE YOU ANOTHER EXAMPLE.
LIKE TRINITY AVENUE, WHICH WE JUST COMPLETED IN YOUR DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, THE WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENT GOT OUT THERE AHEAD OF TIME AND REDID THE SEWER LINE BEFORE WE DID THE STREET.
SO, I MEAN, THERE'S A COORDINATION THAT GOES ON BETWEEN US AND IT'S GETTING BETTER.
AND, UM, IF WE HAVE THE FUNDING, I THINK WE ORIGINALLY TALKED ABOUT ABOUT $5 MILLION NEXT YEAR TO PUT INTO WATER AND SEWER.
BUT WE, WE'VE GOT, UH, THE NEW, THE NEEDS THAT WE'RE GONNA ADDRESS.
AND THEN IF THERE'S OTHER FUNDS THAT ARE NEEDED, WE'LL BRING IT TO COUNCIL AND ASK.
WELL, I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ON MY REQUEST FOR THE DISTRICT FOR, FOR TWO, FOR WHATEVER STREET NEEDS TO HAVE RECONSTRUCTION REHABILITATION.
I AM ASKING THAT BEFORE A NEW STREET IS LATE, THAT WE DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE IN CONFIRMING THAT THE UNDERGROUND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE DOES NOT FIRST NEED TO BE REPLACED SO THAT WE'RE NOT BEING INEFFICIENT WITH OUR FUNDS HAVING TO COME BACK TO TER STREET.
I KNOW THAT THE INTENT HAS BEEN TO, TO HAVE THAT AS A PART OF THE PROCESS, BUT I'M SPECIFICALLY ASKING FOR EACH TIME, LET THAT HAPPEN FIRST PLEASE.
WHAT IS THE, AND THE LAST QUESTION IS, UM, PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE OF THE STREETS.
FOR EACH DISTRICT IT SAYS ZERO.
WILL YOU TEACH ME THE DIFFERENCE OR TEACH ME WHY PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE IS NOT IMPORTANT? OR MAYBE IS IT LISTED SOMEWHERE ELSE? YES.
I, I REALLY NEED TO DEFER TO THE, I I NEED TO DEFER TO THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR ON PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE.
RIGHT NOW, I'M, I'M TACKLING THE NEW STREETS AND, UH, AND, AND THERE'S A ONGOING PROGRAM I KNOW TO REPAIR POTHOLES, BUT THAT'S NOT MY DEPARTMENT.
LYNN, ISN'T THIS IN A DIFFERENT PLACE IN THE BUDGET? YES.
THAT'S, I THOUGHT THAT WE PUT STREET MAINTENANCE.
I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT'S ANOTHER 3 0 7.
THEN IT WOULD BE, AND MS. ROBERTS WOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT.
SO THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE, I CAN CALL DIRECTLY.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER DE SAID, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE? YES.
JUST, JUST ONE CLAR TWO THINGS I'VE HEARD THAT WE NEED TO CLARIFY.
ONE, THIS, THIS STUDY THAT THIS TRUCK DID, THIS COMPANY DID.
I DON'T KNOW WHY WE DID IT, BUT AFTER THEY FINISHED 90% OF WHAT THEY FOUND AND RAIDED THE STREETS WERE ALREADY RATED THAT WAY BY OUR CITY ENGINEERS.
I DON'T KNOW WHO INSTRUCTED THAT OR WHY WE SPENT THAT MONEY, BUT THEY EVEN ADMITTED WHEN THEY GAVE US OUR REPORT THAT IT WAS PRETTY MUCH IN LINE WITH WHAT WE HAD.
THAT REPORT WAS ONLY TO TELL US THE CONDITION OF THE STREET, NOT HOW TO DO STREETS OR WHAT STREETS WE DO FIRST.
THE OTHER THING IS, COUNCILMAN LEWIS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE DO STREETS, ALL THESE STREETS SUPPOSED TO BE DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH WHAT THEY ARE.
ANY OTHER METHOD OF SOMETHING TO DO WITH ANY STREETS, WE NEED TO BRING IT BEFORE THE COUNCIL BECAUSE WE DON'T WANNA PUT SOMETHING IN THERE LESS THAN WHAT WE HAVE.
SO RIGHT NOW OUR PROGRAM CALLS FOR ASPHALT.
IF IT'S GONNA BE ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAN THAT, THE COUNCIL IS GOING TO HAVE TO DO THAT.
WE'RE NOT GONNA DO THINGS DIFFERENT NO MATTER WHAT'S WHAT THE DISTRICT, BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S IN THE DISTRICT AND WHAT'S GONNA COST US.
THAT'S ALL THAT COUNCIL MEMBER KINLAW.
WELL, JUST TO KIND OF, UH, TO GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND OF WHY I WAS ON THE COUNCIL, AND AT THE TIME, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND ALONG WITH, UH, STAFF MADE A RECOMMENDATION.
I THINK WE PAID ABOUT $90,000 FOR THAT TRUCK OR AN X-RAY TRUCK TO GO THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
BUT IT WAS TO TAKE, UH, THE DECISIONS OUT OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S HAND.
THAT'S BASICALLY SAYING, UH, WELL, I WANT TO GET YOUR STREET DONE.
I WANT TO GET YOUR STREET DONE.
AND IT WAS GOING OUT WAY BEFORE WE GOT ON COUNCIL.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION CAME FROM STAFF TO HAVE THIS X-RAY X-RAY TRUCK TO GO THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND TO X-RAY, UH, THE STREETS AND GIVE THAT, UH, RED, LIKE, UH, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, EVER FELT STATED EARLIER TO GIVE THAT RED, YELLOW
[01:35:01]
OR GREEN RATING ON THERE.BUT WE KNEW, WE, WE'VE DONE OUR OWN STUDIES.
YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WE DID DO OUR OWN STUDIES, BUT IT WAS TO TAKE OUT OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S HAND TO SAY, WELL, I'M GONNA DO THIS STREET.
I'M LOYAL TO THIS PERSON, OR WHATEVER.
SO ONCE YOU GET THIS LIST AND IT WAS COMPILED AND TURNED OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, IT WAS GIVEN TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE DISTRICTS TO SELECT THE STREETS THAT THEY WERE, UH, IN, IN DIRE NEED.
BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANNA FIX A STREET IN, UH, DISTRICT FOUR AND IT'S NO BUSINESSES, BUT IT'S THE X-RAY TRUCK SAID IT'S A RED.
AND, UH, IT GAVE, IT GIVES THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, WELL, LOOK HERE, I GOT THE MOST COMPLAINTS.
I GOT A HIGH VOLUME OF TRAFFIC.
THAT'S WHY WE UTILIZE THE TRUCK TO, TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE US THE RAW DATA THAT WE, WE NEEDED TO, UH, IMPLEMENT IN THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS.
UH, I APPRECIATE YOUR EXPLANATION, BUT I, WHEN THAT CAME ABOUT, I KNEW THAT WAS A DUPLICATION FROM THE BEGINNING BECAUSE THE STAFF HAS ALWAYS, HAS ALWAYS RATED THE STREETS THE WORST.
YOU KNOW, AND GAVE AND ASSIGNED A NUMBER.
COUNCIL'S THE ONE THAT CHANGED IT, BUT THAT $90,000, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS COULD HAVE BEEN WELL SPENT SOMEWHERE ELSE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S ANOTHER STORY.
UH, A COUNCIL, YOU BROUGHT UP SOMETHING ABOUT JUST CHANGING THE, THE MECHANICS OF WHAT WE DO.
WHAT I WANT TO DO IS, UH, IN A MEETING WITH YOU ALL, SOME POINT IN TIME, THOSE AVENUES, SOME OF 'EM DON'T EVEN HAVE ANYBODY LIVING ON, I WOULD HATE TO RECONSTRUCT AN AVENUE THAT NO ONE'S LIVING THERE.
WHAT I WANT TO DO IS LOOK AT, AND I'M RIGHT BEFORE COUNCIL MILLER ACCEPT OR REJECT IT.
UH, I WANT TO HAVE THOSE, EVEN THOUGH WE, WE MAY HAVE ON EARPLUG THINGS ECHOING IN MY EAR
BUT ANYWAY, I WILL BRING, BRING MY PROJECTS BEFORE COUNCIL BEFORE WE MAKE ANY, ANY KIND OF CHANGES.
I'D RATHER TEAR A CHEAP STREET THAN HAVE TO TEAR THE STREET THAT'S BEEN AND, AND, AND DO THE, UH, WATER AND SEWER LINE THAT HAS BEEN RECONSTRUCTED.
SO, AND THAT THREE TO FIVE YEARS, I STAND STRONGLY ON THAT, EVEN IF I HAVE TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT.
THREE TO FIVE YEARS WE'LL DO A, WE'LL BRING THE, THE AVENUES UP TO, UP TO YOUR COUNTY STANDARDS.
AFTER THREE TO FIVE YEARS, WE'LL LOOK AT IT.
AND THE ONES THAT WHAT WILL PEOPLE LIVING THAT IS CONCENTRATED WITH, WITH POPULATION WILL GO AHEAD AND OVERLAY TO DO WHAT, WHAT'S NECESSARY.
BUT THE ONES THAT DON'T HAVE ANY HOMES ON IT, WE GOING TO CLOSE THOSE IF WE'RE GONNA GET THAT DONE, IF I HAVE TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT.
I'M ASSUMING THAT WE STILL HAVE UTILITIES LEFT, IS THAT CORRECT? I WOULD LIKE TO, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE, UH, MS. ROBERTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SPEAK JUST BRIEFLY ON HER PORTION OF THE STREETS IS, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
BEFORE WE DO THAT, I NEED TO CALL A RECESS OF THIS MEETING.
UH, I HAVE TO LEAVE, BUT OUR MAYOR HAS RETURNED TO COUNCIL CHAMBER, SO IF HE WILL COME BACK UP AND RESUME HIS RESPONSIBILITIES, THE MEETING CAN CONTINUE.
BUT WE'LL CALL A BRIEF RECESS FOR NOW.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMILTON, EVER FIELD PRESENT.
FRANK, YOU HAVE A COURT MAYOR.
I BELIEVE WE, UH, MS. KAY, WE'RE GONNA START WITH, UH, STREETS OR, OH, OKAY.
WELL, COUNSEL, UH, UH, IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT STREETS, UH, THOSE WERE THE ONLY THINGS THAT WE WERE PLANNING TO PRESENT AS IT RELATES TO THE BUDGET TODAY.
YOU KNOW, YOU ALL, YOU ALL YOU ALL TALKED ABOUT, UH, STUFF IN THE INDIVIDUAL.
YOU ALL DIDN'T COVER PERSONNEL.
HOW MANY POSITIONS THAT YOU ARE
[01:40:01]
INCREASING THIS YEAR.DO YOU HAVE ANY HOW MANY NEW POSITIONS WE HAVE? YOU ARE ASKING.
OKAY, MS. BOSWELL, YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD IN DETAIL WITH THE POSITIONS WE HAVE? SO DO YOU GOT A PAGE NUMBER WE CAN REFERENCE THAT AS WELL? IT'S, UH, IN THE BACK.
AND THE FINAL NUMBER FOR GENERAL FUND IS ON PAGE TWO.
AND I HAVE, HAVE FOR THE TOTAL OF GENERAL FUND AS EIGHT PERSONNEL, I CAN HIGHLIGHT WHICH ONES I CAN HIGHLIGHT VERY BRIEFLY, WHICH ONES THEY ARE IN WHICH DEPARTMENT? NO.
WE JUST GONNA FUND EIGHT NEW POSITIONS.
NOW, ONE QUESTION I HAVE ABOUT POSITIONS.
I GO DOWN THE PERSONNEL SCHEDULE EVERY YEAR.
WHEN, WHEN, UH, WE DO BUDGET IT ON COUNCIL.
WHAT I'VE SEEN HISTORICALLY IS I'LL SEE A DEPARTMENT ELIMINATE A POSITION, BUT THEN YOU ADD IN A POSITION.
AND IN MOST CASES, IN MOST CASES, WE ARE ELIMINATING A LOWER RANGE POSITION AND WE ARE CREATING A HIGH RANGE POSITION.
AND IN MOST CASES, IT'S STILL A PERSON WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
OKAY? SO I DON'T HAVE TO BE A ROCKET SCIENCE TO FIGURE OUT IF A PERSON REACHING A RANGE WHERE WE NO LONGER GIVE NO INCREASES, THEN WE DO AWAY WITH THE POSITION, CREATE ONE WITH A HIRE, AND THEN WE NOW WE PAY 'EM MORE MONEY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THIS SCHEDULE AND YOU GO BACK TO PREVIOUS BUDGETS, YOU'LL FIND A LOT OF THAT THROUGHOUT.
SO IF WE CREATE THESE POSITIONS, AND THOSE ARE OUR POSITIONS, AND I'M GONNA GO BACK, LET'S SAY FIVE YEARS, WHATEVER WE ESTABLISHED, IF THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES WE HAVE AND WE GOT ALL OF THEM IN THESE POSITIONS, AND WE HAVE A RANGE.
A RANGE, WHY DO WE CONTINUALLY ELIMINATE THE RANGE AND THE POSITION JUST TO CREATE THE SAME POSITION WITH A HIGHER RANGE? AND COUNCILMAN IN GENERAL, WHEN THAT OCCURS, IT MEANS THAT THE DUTIES OF THE PARTICULAR POSITION NO LONGER MATCH WHAT THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS FOR THAT PERSON TO BE ABLE TO DO.
AND SO WHAT YOU WOULD DO THEN IS YOU DO HAVE CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FUNDING IN THE BUDGET FOR A SAY AS YOU SAY, A LOWER LEVEL POSITION.
BUT IF YOU NEED SOMEONE WHO'S GONNA HAVE TO HAVE THEIR DUTIES EXPANDED, YOU'RE GOING TO INCREASE THE REQUIREMENTS.
YOU'RE GOING TO INCREASE, UH, THE, UH, CREDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ACTUALLY CAUSE A CHANGE IN THE RANGE.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT REALLY.
BUT IF YOU LOOK THROUGH THIS SCHEDULE, YOU LOOK THROUGH THE LAST YEAR'S SCHEDULE AND YOU GO BACK TO THE YEAR BEFORE THEM SCHEDULE, IT'S A WHOLE BUNCH.
SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE POSITIONS IN THIS CITY AND DUTIES THAT WE HAVE AND WE HIRE PEOPLE FOR.
BUT THEN EVERY YEAR WE GO THROUGH DOING THIS AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.
BECAUSE THE OTHER THING THAT I UNDERSTAND ABOUT PERSONNEL AND SCHEDULING, WE APPROVE THOSE.
OKAY? SO IF YOU ARE CHANGING A SCHEDULE AND STUFF, THIS SHOULD BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL.
BUT THE WAY YOU'RE DOING IT NOW, YOU PUTTING IT HERE.
AND I DOUBT IF ANYBODY ELSE REALLY CAUGHT CATCHING ON TO THE FACT THAT YOU'RE NOT TELLING US, AND YOU'RE NOT GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT POSITIONS.
[01:45:01]
THAT'S A, THAT'S A BUDGET IMPACT.BUT WHERE'S THE JUSTIFICATION? SO IN THE FUTURE, WHEN IT COMES TO PERSONNEL, THE NEXT SCHEDULE I SEE, WE SHOULD DEAL WITH THAT PRIOR TO US GETTING TO THE BUDGET SO THAT WHEN WE GET TO THE BUDGET, WE DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH YOU JUSTIFYING EVERYONE OF THESE, BECAUSE I'M NOT GONNA DO THAT TODAY OR ANY OTHER DAY BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY IN HERE THAT IT JUST, IT JUST GONNA TAKE UP A LONG TIME.
AND WE TOO FAR IN THE BUDGET CYCLE TO START ADDRESSING THIS.
BUT THE NEXT, NEXT YEAR, YOU ALL NEED TO COME BEFORE US BECAUSE ALL POSITION IN THIS CITY IS APPROVED BY COUNCIL.
ANY CHANGE IN RANGE IS APPROVED BY COUNCIL, NOT BY HR, NOT BY MANAGER.
ALL POSITIONS AND RANGES IS APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL.
BRING IT TO US, SEE IF WE APPROVE THEM.
SO THEN WHEN YOU COME WITH THE BUDGET, WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT AND WE DON'T HAVE TO DISCUSS IT BECAUSE IF WE'RE COMING BACK NEXT YEAR, WE GONNA GO THROUGH EVERY ONE OF THEM.
LAST YEAR, THE YEAR BEFORE, WE NE WE NOT GONNA DO BUSINESS LIKE THAT NO MORE.
OKAY, LET'S SEPARATE WHAT WE HAVE TO APPROVE.
LET US APPROVE, THEN WE GET HERE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO ASK FOR JUSTIFICATION.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT PERSONNEL.
COUNCILMAN KEN? HEY, THANK YOU MAYOR.
UH, GO TO PAGE 2:19 AM MY UNDERSTANDING.
UH, LOOK ON THE, JUST, UH, OKAY.
YOU SAID IT WAS ONLY EIGHT ADDITIONAL, UH, JOBS THAT WERE JUST IN GENERAL FUND.
YOU SEE WHERE I WAS GOING WITH THAT, RIGHT? MM-HMM,
SO APP, UH, I I TOTALLY AGREE.
JUSTIFICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT AND OPPORTUNITIES, RANGE STEPS NEEDS TO BE APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE ARE DOING IT NOW, BUT ONCE THOSE JOBS AND BUDGET TIME, WE NEED TO KNOW BECAUSE LIKE, UH, COHORT HAS STATED THAT WE DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW UNLESS I, I'M LOOKING FOR IT.
SO IT'S KIND OF HARD FOR US 'CAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WE LOOK FOR.
UM, IF YOU CAN'T ENTERTAIN ME, DOC, UH, WHEN WE HAVE THOSE TEMP SERVICES, HOW DO WE ACCOUNT FOR THE NUMBERS OF TEMP EMPLOYEES THROUGHOUT THE CITY? UH, ARE WE ADDING THOSE NUMBERS ALONG WITH, WITH THE CITY, UH, EMPLOYEES OR IS THAT SEPARATE ACCOUNT THAT WE PAY A TEMP SERVICE A CERTAIN AMOUNT AND THEY MAINTAIN ALL THOSE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO DO VERSUS WHAT WE HAVE TO DO AS A CITY? SO HOW DO WE ACCOUNT FOR THOSE NUMBERS BEING EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY? IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT JUST, UH, EMPLOYEES FROM A TEMPORARY SERVICE THAT'S LIKE ANY OTHER CONTRACTOR, SERVICE, ANY AND THE INVOICES FOR THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE AND WE PAY THE INVOICE.
ALRIGHT, MAYOR, THAT, THAT'S IT FOR ME.
WHAT, UH, WHAT THE TWO COUNCILMAN VISITING ABOUT THE CEILING? USUALLY IF YOU WANT TO GIVE AN EMPLOYEE, IF AN EMPLOYEE'S BEEN STUCK IN A RANGE, THEN TAPPED OUT CEILING AND SCREAMING AND HOLLERING ABOUT, THEY CAN'T GET A RAISE, EVERYBODY ELSE IS GETTING A RAISE.
SO WHAT THEY WOULD DO WOULD COME TO COUNCIL, AND COUNCIL WILL AUTHORIZE A RANGE CHANGE, BUT IT HAD TO CHANGE THE SCOPE OF THE EMPLOYEES.
JUST LIKE YOU SAID, WE CHANGE, WE CHANGED THE SCOPE OF THE EMPLOYEES RESPONSIBILITY AND THAT, AND THAT'D BE THE, WHERE THEY AT.
IT'D BE THEIR LEVEL ONE INTO THE SECOND TIER.
UH, IT'S, IT'S COMMON, BUT WE HAVE TO JUSTIFY IT THOUGH.
DON'T, DON'T DO LIKE WE USED TO DO TO GIVE EMPLOYEES OR THE DEPARTMENT HEADS A RAISE.
THEY WOULD, UH, GIVE 'EM A CALL ALLOWANCE.
ANY OTHER, UH, INFORMATION THAT YOU ALL NEED TO DISCUSS AT THIS TIME? JUST A QUESTION.
AM I TO UNDERSTAND THAT? AM I TO UNDERSTAND THEN DISCUSSION, UH, OR PRESENTATION ON THE RAID BRIEF WOULD BE AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING THAT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE ON WHAT YOU, YOU CAN DO IT NOW IF YOU
[01:50:01]
WISH.IF COUNCIL'S PERMISSION, I'D LIKE TO HAVE DR.
TOMAN COME UP AND JUST TO BRIEF THE COUNCIL ON THE IMPACT OF THE RATE INCREASE OR THE IMPACT OF NOT HAVING THE RATE INCREASE.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THE BUDGET THAT WAS PRESENTED TO Y'ALL, UH, THROUGH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT INTEGRATED IN IT, THE RATE INCREASE BASED ON TODAY'S VOTE, THIS BUDGET HAS TO BE REVISED IN ORDER FOR US TO IMPLEMENT A NO RATE INCREASE IN THE BUDGET.
SO THE THREE ITEMS THAT THE RATE INCREASE WAS GOING TOWARDS IS ABOUT 4.33% TO DO 25 MILLION OF CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATIONS, 1.3% TOWARDS DOING THE PIPE BURSTING SECOND CREW.
AND THE BALANCE OF THAT 7.5% WAS TO GO TOWARDS EMPLOYEES RAISES AND INFLATION.
SO WE HAVE TO REVISE THIS BUDGET AND COME BACK TO YOU WITH A REVISED BUDGET THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE ALL THESE ITEMS IN IT.
AND BASED ON THE NUMBERS WE DO HAVE TODAY AT A NO RATE INCREASE, THIS BUDGET IS GONNA BE IN THE NEGATIVE.
SO THE PROPOSED 2025 BUDGET WILL HAVE MORE EXPENDITURES AND THAT'S PURELY FOR OPERATIONS AND TO PAY THE DEBT WE ALREADY HAVE.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE MORE EXPENDITURES THAN REVENUE.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A DEFICIT, THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING.
WE WILL HAVE A DEFICIT WITHOUT THIS RATE INCREASE.
AND THE, THE PROPOSED RATE INCREASE HAD A VERY, VERY TIGHT BUDGET.
SO WE WERE, WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO WORK VERY HARD TO EVEN BALANCE THAT BUDGET.
SO IT'S NOT, WE JUST ARE NOT GONNA HAVE, WE ARE GONNA HAVE A DEFICIT AND THEN WE ARE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO EVEN BUILD UP THAT FUND TO HAVE ANY KIND OF CONTINGENCY IN IT.
WE GONNA HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET.
WELL, WHAT I MEAN THE MORE IMPORTANT TO US THAN THE BALANCED BUDGET IS TO DO THESE PROJECTS THAT ARE NEEDED.
JUST LIKE JOHN SAID, WE'RE GONNA START DOING WATER SEWER, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE UNDER THE STREETS.
WE ESTIMATED 5 MILLION THIS YEAR OF THAT WORK THAT WAS IN OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM THAT, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT THE RATE INCREASE, IT'S GOING AWAY.
WE, WE DON'T HAVE 25 MILLION TO SPEND, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SPEND WITH OUR RATE INCREASE ON CAPITAL PROJECTS.
JUST DON'T DO IT ON THE BACK OF THE EMPLOYEE.
WE SAID, UH, $5 MILLION, UH,
WAS IT $5 MILLION? UH, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO DO.
SO MY, MY QUESTION IS, AND I ASKED THIS, I ASKED THIS AT THE FIRST WORKSHOP WHEN YOU FIRST BROUGHT THE 75, I ASKED THAT YOU ALL BRING TO COUNCIL A DOLLAR FIGURE FOR EVERYTHING I SAID, TELL US HOW MUCH THE PIPE BURST IN AND EQUIPMENT WOULD COST US.
I ASKED THAT YOU ALL BRING BEFORE US.
THE AMOUNT IS YOU ARE ESTIMATING THE SENIOR CITIZENS REDUCTION THAT'S GOING TO COST US.
SO HOW MUCH ARE WE TALKING ABOUT IF WE HAD A PIPE PERSON, EQUIPMENT AND SENIOR CITIZENS, HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH MONEY IS THAT REQUIRING? THE, THE BUDGET WE PROPOSED INCLUDE ALL THESE NUMBERS COUNCILMEN THAT YOU ARE ASKING FOR ON THE CAPITAL PROGRAM.
IT LISTS EVERY PROJECT THAT WE WANTED TO DO IN 25 AND THE ESTIMATED COST OF THAT PROJECT.
WE ALSO INCLUDED A 1.3%, UH, INCREASE THAT WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THE PIPE BURSTING CREW, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY $570,000.
AND WE ALSO DISCUSSED LAST MEETING THAT THE COST FOR THE SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNT IS UNDER $50,000.
NOW WHAT IS THE PIPE BURSTING CREW AND EQUIPMENT COST ON THE PIPE BURSTING CREW? THE NEW CREW IS GONNA BE SHARING THE MAIN EQUIPMENT, WHICH IS THE FUSING MACHINES AND THE PIPE BURSTING EQUIPMENT WITH THE EXISTING CREW.
SO WE ESTIMATED ABOUT $570,000
[01:55:02]
THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE TO, UH, BUY THE TRUCKS, TRAILERS, AND LITTLE TAKEUCHI EQUIPMENT.AND THEN THE SALARIES IS INCLUDED IN THE, UH, ESTIMATE FOR SALARIES WITH THE REST OF THE EMPLOYEES.
THAT 570 INCLUDES THE SALARIES? NO, SIR.
THE SALARIES ARE INCLUDED IN THE SALARY PART OF THE EMPLOYEES.
AND WE ORIGINALLY REQUESTED SIX NEW POSITIONS FOR THE PIPE BURSTING CREW.
WHAT WAS COST? BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE PROPOSED POSITIONS WE ASKED FOR TOTAL IS FOUR BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO USE SOME OF THE EXISTING POSITIONS TO CREATE THAT SECOND CREW.
HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH MONEY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? I'M ASKING YOU COST IF WE ARE ESTIMATING EMPLOYEES INCLUDING BENEFITS, RETIREMENT? YES.
UH, MEDICAL AND THREE OF THEM ARE GOING TO PIPE BURSTING.
I WOULD SAY AROUND 300,000 AT THE MOST.
OKAY, SO THAT COMES OUT TO 1.3 MILLION, RIGHT? YES SIR.
I BELIEVE THAT THE PIPE PERSON IS IMPORTANT TO US.
AND, UH, THAT'S WHAT THE WHOLE SELLING POINTS FOR ME.
PIPE BURSTING AND SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNT.
AND WE TALK ABOUT 3.1 0.3 MILLION.
SO WHY, WHY IS IT NOW IF WE DON'T GET THESE TWO THINGS THAT WE ASKING FOR, THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.
WE WANT YOU TO DO THE 1.3 MILLION.
SO IF WE CAN'T DO THAT, THEN WHY IS THIS SUCH A TRAUMATIC THING? YOU KNOW? UH, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.
WE WANT THE 1.3 MILLION AND THE PROJECTS THAT YOU HAVE, RIGHT? UH, BASED ON 25 MILLION.
WE SAID WE GOING TO DO, WE WE WANTED 30 MILLION, BUT WE SAID WE WILL DO WHATEVER REVENUE THAT WE HAVE AND THAT MEANING SOME YEARS WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO OVER 30 MILLION.
SOME, SOME YEARS WE MAY BE UNDER 30 MILLION.
SO EVIDENTLY THIS IS THE YEAR IT'S UNDER 30 MILLION.
SO TO PUT US ON A SPOT WHERE WE EITHER GOTTA DO 30 OR 50, YES, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT.
I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT.
AND THE PLAN IS WE HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING 30 MILLION OR 50 MILLION.
SO IF WE SAID 30 MILLION, WE ALSO SAID 30 IS WHAT WE WANT.
IT'S A TARGET, BUT WHAT WE ACTUALLY DO IS GONNA BE BASED ON AVAILABLE REVENUE.
SO I THINK WHAT HAPPENED, WE, WE WENT TOO FAR WITH THIS.
WE'RE NOT GETTING A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE WANTED.
BECAUSE WHAT WE WANTED FROM THE BEGINNING WAS NOT RAISE THE RATE.
AND I THINK WHAT WE REALLY NEEDED WAS A CLEAR PICTURE OF WHAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AND WHAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO.
AND THEN WE WOULD'VE JUST SAID, OKAY, WE UNDERSTAND WE CAN'T DO THAT THIS YEAR, WE'LL HAVE TO DO IT NEXT YEAR.
BUT YOU KNOW, I I I THINK IT WAS A MISCOMMUNICATION.
I THINK COUNCIL MADE ITSELF PRETTY CLEAR WE WERE NOT IN FAVOR OF A RAISE FROM THE BEGINNING.
UH, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN AN ALTERNATE AND, AND ALSO PRESENTED TO US WHAT THE BUDGET FOR Y UTILITY IS GONNA LOOK LIKE THIS YEAR WITHOUT THE RAISE.
SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE STAND NOW.
SO WHATEVER, WHATEVER YOU'RE GOING TO DO, I THINK WHAT WALL UTILITIES IS GONNA HAVE TO DO IS GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE PRESENT BUDGET AND WHAT THEY'RE PROJECTING AND COME BACK AND LET COUNCIL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WALL UTILITY IS GOING TO DO.
I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO VOTE ON BECAUSE WHATEVER THE MANAGER AND WATER UTILITY PRESENT TO US WITHIN A BALANCED BUDGET, WE GONNA APPROVE BALANCED BUDGET.
YOU KNOW? AND IF THIS, AND IF THE MANAGER, UH, GETS TO THE POINT WHERE HE FEELS HE NEEDS TO COME TO COUNCIL AND ASK COUNCIL TO, UH,
[02:00:01]
TAKE MONEY FROM THE FUND BALANCE TO BALANCE A BUDGET BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED.YOU KNOW, WE VERY, WE VERY SENSITIVE WHEN WE SAY WALL UTILITIES IS AN ENTERPRISE FUND AND IT STANDS ALONE AND THAT'S THE TRUTH.
HOWEVER, WALL UTILITIES AND
SO THAT MEANS ANYTIME THAT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING FOR WAR UTILITIES OR SOLID WASTE THAT IS DEALING WITH, WITH CITIZENS' HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY, WE CAN'T FUND WAR UTILITIES AND PUBLIC WORKS.
BUT IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S DEALING WITH CITIZENS AND IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY FOR THEIR HEALTH AND SAFETY, WE CAN FUND CERTAIN THINGS.
FOR AN EXAMPLE, THE PIPE PERSON, WE NEED THAT PIPE PERSON TO FIX THESE SEWS THAT KEEP BACKING UP INTO THEIR HOMES.
IF WATER TILLERS CAN'T FUND IT, THEN WE NEED TO FUND IT IF WE WANT IT.
YOU MENTIONED THE FACT THAT YOU PUT 5 MILLION, I THINK YOU SAID, UH, 1 MILLION I THINK FOR STREETS.
IF YOU HAVE TO DO YOUR, WHAT WAS THAT AMOUNT THAT YOU GAVE ME? 5 MILLION.
THAT SHOULD BE BECAUSE WE AGREED THAT WHEN WE SELECT STREETS, YOUR ESTIMATES FOR THAT STREET REPAIR IS SUPPOSED TO INCLUDE IF IT'S SOMETHING WE HAD TO DO UNDER UNDERNEATH IT.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE 5 MILLION IS FOR THE S3 SAID, MR UH, CAN I TELL A PROPOSED THAT'S INFRASTRUCTURE UNDER THEM.
BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE SAID THAT WHEN WE SELECTING STREETS, THE ESTIMATE THAT WE SUPPOSED TO GET, IT'S SUPPOSED TO ALSO INCLUDE NOT THE WHOLE THING, BUT JUST UNDER THE STREET.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU GOT A A, A MAIN LINE COMING THERE, CUT IT SO THAT IT EXPANDS PAST THE STREETS.
SO IF WE HAVE TO TIE THE LINE AND WE DON'T BREAK THE STREET UP, WE JUST TIE IT IN.
BUT WE SAID THAT COST CAN BE TAKEN FROM STREET.
SO WHEN YOU GIVE THE ESTIMATE, IF I SELECT A STREET THAT HAS IT UNDER IT, YOUR ESTIMATE FOR THAT STREET SHOULD TELL ME THAT IT'S INCLUDED IN THAT.
AND THEN IT GOES BACK TO LIKE MR. CONELLO SAID, IT CALLS FOR COORDINATION BETWEEN THEM AND WAR UTILITIES.
WAR UTILITIES GO IN THERE AND FIX THAT BEFORE THEY GET TO FIXING THE STREETS.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO HOLD UP ON STREETS.
AND THAT AND THE FUNDING FOR THAT UNDERNEATH IT COMES FROM STREETS.
WE CAN'T FIX THE STREET UNLESS WE FIX THAT.
NOW THAT'S RELATED TO STREET IMPROVEMENT BECAUSE WE CAN'T FIX THE STREET AND LEAVE IT UNDER THERE BECAUSE WE GO BACK AND BREAK IT.
IT SAYS CURVES, GUTTERS, DRAINAGE RELATED TO FIXING THAT STREET.
IT'S UNDER THE STREET, IT'S THE STREET.
SO WHAT I BELIEVE NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE HERE IS INSTEAD OF CONCENTRATING ON US, NOT HAVING SOME OF WHAT WE'VE ASKING FOR, YOU ALL GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND FIGURE OUT WHAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE IN ORDER TO GET THE MAJORITY.
IT IS NOT GONNA BE A WIN SOLUTION FOR COUNCIL.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE A WIN SOLUTION FOR, UH, THE CITY.
BUT I THINK RIGHT NOW WHAT WE AT A STANDSTILL BETWEEN COUNCIL AND STAFF ON WHAT WE GONNA DO BECAUSE, UH, COUNCIL HAS TAKEN A STAND.
WE'RE NOT GONNA PUT CITIZENS OUT THIS YEAR.
THAT'S NOT TO SAY WE NOT GOING TO EVER CONSIDER OR, OR OR RATE INCREASE IN THE FUTURE, BUT I THINK AT THIS TIME IT'S GOTTEN SO TO THE POINT THAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE ON THE SAME SHEET OF MUSIC TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER AND TO TRY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
AND I THINK WE CAN DO SOMETHING THAT'S WITHIN RANGE AND USING PROPER APPROPRIATION AND USES THE MONEY IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THIS THIS YEAR.
THIS YEAR WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING SHOULDN'T BE SOMETHING WE WANT TO DO EVERY YEAR LIKE PREVIOUS COUNCIL DID.
[02:05:01]
BUT I THINK WITH A SITUATION THAT WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW, I THINK THOSE ARE THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE ON THE TABLE.SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK, I THINK WE NEED TO DO THAT.
AND IF WE DO THAT, I FEEL THAT WHEN WE COME BEFORE, UH, THE NEXT MEETING, IF THE BUZZ, IF THE BUDGET IS GONNA COME BEFORE US, AND IF THOSE THINGS ARE CONSIDERED, I THINK COUNCIL WILL APPROVE IT AND GO ALONG WITH IT GIVEN THE INFORMATION I JUST PUT OUT AND OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PROBABLY GONNA COMMENT ON IT.
BUT I THINK IF YOU GET WHAT WE ARE SAYING TODAY AND COME BACK WITH SOMETHING AT THE NEXT MEETING, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A THING.
YOU JUST HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, WE SAID NO TO THE RATE INCREASE.
SO IF WE SAY NO TO THE RATE INCREASE, TRY TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT YOU CAN BRING TOWARDS US, RIGHT? AND LET'S GET SOMETHING DONE.
WE MAY NOT GET IT ALL DONE DR. HANEY, BUT YOU KNOW, WE WILLING TO FIND A WAY TO SUPPORT IT IN OTHER, IN OTHER FACETS.
OKAY? COUNCILMAN STAFF AND COUNSEL ARE ON THE SAME PAGE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH THE SAME GOALS, BUT TO ELIMINATE ANY FUTURE MISCOMMUNICATIONS BECAUSE WHAT WE BROUGHT YOU ALL LAST TIME WAS BASED ON OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THE COUNCIL WANTED TO CONCENTRATE ON THAT $30 MILLION A YEAR FOR 25.
SO FOR CLARIFICATION PURPOSES, SO WE DON'T BRING YOU ANYTHING THAT YOU ARE NOT WANNA CONSIDER, WHAT IS THE DOLLAR AMOUNT DOES THIS COUNCIL WANT TO SEE AS A CAPITAL PROJECT PROGRAM FOR 25? OKAY.
HOW MUCH DOES COUNCIL WISH TO SPEND? OKAY.
I THINK, I THINK YOU MADE THAT CLEAR THE FIRST TIME.
HANNEY, YOU, YOU MADE IT VERY CLEAR.
YOU TOLD US WE CHOOSE A 50 OR A 30 OR 50 YEAR THE COUNCIL CITY ALL THE WAY TO 10.
RIGHT? AND UH, YOU ALSO SAID THAT YOU LOOKING AT HOW MANY YEARS PLANNED, UH, 30, WHAT WAS, WE HAVE $870 MILLION WORTH OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE THAT IF WE DO 30 MILLION A YEAR, IT'LL TAKE 30 YEARS.
IF WE DO 25, IT'LL TAKE 25 MILLION.
OKAY THEN THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO BASICALLY I THINK WHEN YOU BRING SOMETHING TO A COUNCIL, IT CAN ONLY BE APPROVED AS A PLAN OR WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
BUT WE CAN'T PROJECT REVENUE AND WE CAN'T PROJECT EXPENDITURES FOR THESE PERIOD OF TIME.
SO IF THERE ARE PLANS, THERE'S NO NEED TO TRY TO HOLD US TO THAT PLAN.
I THINK EACH YEAR WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DISCUSS THIS AND TALK ABOUT THE REVENUE AND WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT ELSE WE COULD DO.
EXACTLY WHAT WE SAID COUNCILMAN.
SO, SO JUST SO, SO JUST BECAUSE WE DIDN'T DO IT, WE NEED TO, UH, BE ABLE TO ADJUST AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT WE, WHAT WE HAVE FOR THAT PARTICULAR YEAR AND NOT SAY THAT WHAT WE DO THIS YEAR GOING TO IMPACT ON NEXT YEAR.
THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY CORRECT.
SO WE NEED TO DEAL WITH OUR PRESENT YEAR 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DEAL RIGHT NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 2025.
SO I THINK WE JUST NEED A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE GONNA GET FROM WATER UTILITIES FOR 2 25.
SO WHAT IS COUNCIL'S REQUEST? WHAT WOULD COUNCIL LIKE TO SPEND IN 2025 ON CAPITAL PROJECTS SO WE KNOW WHAT TO BRING BACK TO YOU? OKAY, COUNCILMAN FRANK, YOU ON? UH, YES.
CAN YOU HEAR ME MA'AM? YES, WE CAN.
FIRST OF ALL, MY APOLOGIES FOR NOT BEING THERE IN PRESENCE, UH, ON TODAY.
I HAD SOME, UH, PERSONAL NEEDS THAT NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED, BUT I HAVE BEEN WATCHING, UH, THE MEETING AND I AM, UH, AWARE OF THE VOTE THAT HAS TRANSPIRED, UM, BY COUNCIL ON TODAY.
UH, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT WEIGH IN.
I KNOW THAT I WOULD'VE BEEN ON THE, UH, THE, UM, THE, THE LOSING SIDE OF THE VOTE ON TODAY.
UH, BECAUSE, UH, I MADE MY VOTE, UH, AT THE LAST MEETING FOR, UH, THE INCREASE.
AND I FULLY REALIZE THAT MY, UH, VOTE DOES NOT PUT ME ON, UH, IN ANY KIND OF POPULARITY CONTEST.
UM, I JUST LIKE THE REST OF OUR CITY AND THE REST OF OUR NATION ARE FEELING, UH, THE IMPACTS OF INFLATION AND, AND, AND THE MONIES, UH, THAT ARE BEING EXPENDED.
HOW DIFFICULT IT IS WHEN BREAD AND MILK, UH, GO UP.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT SOCIAL SECURITY, UH, IS ALL ABOUT AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS.
BUT AS A COUNCIL, I THINK WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT EVERY MOMENT AND EVERY VOTE HAS A, A KEEN SIGNIFICANCE,
[02:10:01]
UH, INTO THE WELLBEING OF OUR CITY.AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO NOT ADDRESS, EVERYTHING WE DO NOT ADDRESS FALLS BACKWARDS.
THERE IS NO TIME WHERE WE JUST CAN STAND STILL AND PUT OFF UNTIL NEXT YEAR.
I THINK STAFF HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB OF PAINTING THE PICTURE FOR US.
BUT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE POPULAR ALL THE TIME.
WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS AT STAKE IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
HOW MANY CALLS WE ARE CONTINUALLY GETTING FROM OUR CITIZENS IN EACH AND EVERY AREA OF OUR CITY.
WHETHER IT IS TRASH, WHETHER IT IS GARBAGE, WHETHER IT IS, UH, SEWAGE BACKING UP, WHETHER, UH, IT IS THE WATER METERS THAT ARE HAPPENING AND TRANSPIRING AND THE, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE THE, UH, THE THE WATER BILLS AND THE METERS AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AND TRANSPIRING.
WHEN I GOT ON COMMISS, UH, UH, FOUR YEARS AGO, THEY HAD NOT BEEN A WATER INCREASE FOR MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS BECAUSE THE PROVERBIAL TAN WAS BEING KICKED DOWN THE STREET.
AND THAT IS EXACTLY HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE, IS BECAUSE COUNCILS HAVE NOT BEEN BOTH ACTIVE BECAUSE COUNCILS HAVE NOT WANTED TO MAKE THE DIFFICULT AND THE HARD DECISIONS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR THIS MOMENT.
AND IT HAS LEFT US WHERE WE ARE NOW.
AND AGAIN, THIS COUNCIL IS SAYING WE'RE GOING TO KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
STAFF IS BEGGING US AS DR. HANEY IS STANDING THERE BEFORE US.
HE'S LOOKING FOR SOME QUANTIFIED AND CLARIFIED, UH, INSTRUCTIONS ON WHAT DOES THIS COUNCIL WANT.
AND, AND I PROMISE THAT I'M NOT TRYING TO CAST ANY ASPERSIONS, BUT YOU CAN'T JUST SAY, WELL, MAKE IT HAPPEN.
YOU CAN'T DO THAT AS A COUNCIL.
I'M, I'M WITH EVERYTHING WITHIN ME THAT IS RIGHT FOR OUR CITY AND FOR THE CITIZENS OF OUR CITY.
HELP US HELP THEM TO UNDERSTAND HOW DIRE THIS SITUATION IS.
THE LAN VALVE IT, UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS CITY IS GOING TO BE.
IF THAT VALVE WHERE A FAIL, DON'T JUST SAY YOU CAN GET IT DONE.
UNDERSTAND, HAVE THE CITIZENS TO UNDERSTAND THAT FOR THAT VALVE TO FAIL AND, AND THE CONDITION THAT IT IS IN NOW WOULD MEAN THAT THERE WOULD BE NO WATER FOR ALL OF THE CITIZENS SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 73.
WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE TO PACK FAIR AND BE HONEST WITH OUR CITIZENS ABOUT WHERE WE ARE.
THAT'S WHY WE SAID WE NEEDED A NEW ANOTHER PIPE BURSTING POOL.
AND I UNDERSTAND, BUT, BUT WHEN WE SAY TO OUR CITIZENS $5 MORE, I, I KNOW $5.
I HAVE INDIVIDUALS IN MY, IN MY CONGREGATION WHO $5 IS A LOT FOR THEM.
BUT WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT GOING UP ON CORPORATE WATER TAXES, ON WATER INCREASES TO HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THAT INCREASE.
CAN WE DO THAT? CAN WE DO SOMETHING? BUT TO NOT DO ANYTHING IS BEING DERELICT IN OUR DUTIES.
TO NOT DO ANYTHING IS TO SAY, OH, WELL WE GET WHAT WE GET TO DO.
NOTHING IS TO SAY WE'RE SATISFIED WITH THE WAY THAT IT IS.
AND NOT ONLY WILL WE STAY WHERE WE ARE, WE ARE GOING TO GO BACKWARDS.
UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK, COUNCILMAN DEE SAID, I'VE ALWAYS TOLD CITIZENS YOUR HEART'S ALWAYS IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND FOR THEM TO PARTICULARLY LISTEN AT WHAT HE HAS TO SAY BECAUSE HE'S GONNA BE IN DETAILS AND HE GOING TO KNOW WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.
NOW, NOT, WE MAY DIFFER ON APPROACHES AND WHAT HAVE YOU, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE MUST GET THAT PIPE BURSTING CREW.
WE MUST HAVE THAT PIPE BURSTING CREW.
EXPLAIN WHY IT IS HEALTH AND WELFARE.
THAT PIPE BURSTING CREW JUST PULLED OUT PRINCE HALL.
WE REPLACED ALL THE SEWER LINING, WHAT WE HAD THERE.
WE HAD 40 APARTMENTS, THE ELDERLY AND THE POOR.
[02:15:01]
TOOK A BATH, A SHOWER, THEY HAD TO COVER UP THE SINK, THE DRAIN TO KEEP THE SEWAGE FROM BACKING IT ON.NOW PUTTING THIS PIPE BURST AND CREW IN PLACE, WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN? OUR CHEMICAL COSTS TREAT WATER, TREAT IS GOING TO COME DOWN.
WE GOT ALL OF THIS INFILTRATION, ALL IT'S INFILTRATION, THAT PIPE BURSTING CREW IS GOING TO CORRECT THAT INFILTRATION.
AND OVER TIME, I, I DON'T, I CAN'T PUT A TIME OVER TIME, OUR CHEMICAL PURCHASING, AND THEN IT'S GOING TO COME DOWN.
IT'S GOING TO CONTINUOUSLY COME DOWN.
IT'S GOING TO PAY FOR ITSELF LONG, LONG TERM.
OKAY? BUT MEANWHILE, THERE ARE SOME OTHER AREAS AND I, AND I'M COMFORTABLE THE STAFF CAN CUT OR EXTEND THE TIME OR DO IT LATER.
I'M COMFORTABLE THEY'RE GOING TO FIND A WAY TO BALANCE THIS BUDGET.
BUT I DO NOT WANT THIS BUDGET BALANCED ON THE BACK OF THE CITIZENS.
I DO NOT WANT THIS BUDGET BALANCED ON THE BACK OF THE, THE SENIOR CITIZENS.
ALSO, WE GOT ENOUGH IN SALARIES THAN POSITION THAT WE HAVE NOT FILLED.
AND WE COULD PUT THAT BACK IN THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE NOW THERE'S ROOM AND FLEXIBILITY IN THIS BUDGET.
SO GO THROUGH THE BUDGET AND RED LINE IT AND BRING IT TO COUNCIL.
I AM, I AM FLOORED THAT WE HAVE, I FEEL LIKE WE'VE GONE BACKWARDS.
I FEEL LIKE WHEN WE MADE A DECISION AND HAD STANDING IN THE ROOM ONLY IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS WITH OUR INITIAL WATER RATE INCREASE, THAT IT WAS NOT A POPULAR VOTE.
I AM OKAY WITH NOT BEING ON THE SIDE OF A POPULAR VOTE.
I AM NOT OKAY WITH CONTINUOUSLY NOT ASSUMING RESPONSIBILITY FOR HOW WE MOVE FORWARD FROM 25 PLUS YEARS OF NOT FOLLOWING THROUGH TO PROPERLY BUDGET SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE ADEQUATE RESOURCES TO OUR CITIZENS.
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE HAVE TO MANAGE OUR EMOTIONS FIRST AND OUR, AND HOW WE MAKE OUR DECISIONS AND HOW WE MOVE FORWARD WHEN IT COMES TO US PAYING FOR OUR FATHER'S SINS OR OUR PREDECESSORS SINS.
SO WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT IT? AND THAT IS THE QUESTION THAT STAFF CONTINUES TO ASK US.
THE LA ONE OF THE LAST QUESTIONS THAT WAS ASKED TO US IS, HOW DO YOU WANT US TO PAY FOR IT? HOW DO YOU WANT US TO PAY FOR IT? AND WHAT AMOUNT IS IT THAT YOU WANT TO USE? WE SAID THE 30 MILLION OVER THAT 10 YEAR PERIOD, THEY CAME BACK WITH A SOLUTION TO PROVIDE THAT.
OKAY, WE DIDN'T VOTE UP THAT SOLUTION, BUT WE ARE AT CRUNCH TOWN HERE.
WE ARE AT CRUNCH TOWN AND WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT AND TO NOT HAVE AN INCREASE.
HOW ELSE ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR IT? EITHER THE CITIZENS ARE GOING TO PAY FOR IT, WE ARE GOING TO PAY FOR IT NOW, OR WE'RE GONNA PAY FOR IT LATER.
AND THIS IS THE SAME THING THAT PREVIOUS REGIMES FROM YEARS AGO HAVE SAID, NO INCREASE.
THE COST OF BREAD IS CONTINUING TO INCREASE.
YOU CANNOT WALK INTO THE STORE AND SAY, FORGET IT.
LIFE COST OF LIVING HAS INCREASED.
WE HAVE TO HAVE ADEQUATE SERVICES TO PROVIDE TO THE CITIZENS OF PUERTO, BUT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES.
WE CANNOT AFFORD TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES WITHOUT AN INCREASE.
I AM ASKING FOR OUR NEXT MEETING, WHETHER
[02:20:01]
THAT BE ON THE 23RD OR 24TH, THAT A PRESENTATION BE PROVIDED.SO THAT OF THE 57 PIPES THAT HAVE TO BE REPLACED, OF THE 16 PUMP STATIONS THAT HAVE TO BE REPLACED, THE PIPE PERSON CRUISING CONTINUOUSLY ARE ARE DISCUSSING WHAT OF THOSE ITEMS WILL NOT BE PROVIDED WITHOUT THIS $30 MILLION BUDGETED IN OUR 20, UH, FIVE IN OUR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
WE NEED TO HAVE TANGIBLE THINGS AND YES, YES.
I JUST MENTIONED THREE OF THOSE THINGS, BUT THERE ARE MORE THOSE ON THAT LIST.
SO I WANT TO KNOW OF THOSE THINGS.
WHAT PROJECTS WILL WE NOT BE ABLE TO PURSUE? NOT ONE OF THESE PROJECTS.
IS THAT GONNA HAVE, NOT ONE OF THESE PROJECTS WE WILL BE ABLE TO PURSUE IN 25 IF WE DO NOT HAVE A CAPITAL PROGRAM AND WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A CAPITAL PROGRAM WITHOUT A RATE INCREASE? UH, I MEAN, I THINK I NEED TO MAKE FEW CLARIFICATIONS.
WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS BUDGET FOR 25 WITH FINANCE AND THE CURRENT BUDGET.
WE HAVE NO CHANGE CHANGES AT ALL.
IF WE ADD TO IT, THE EMPLOYEE RAISES AND THE INFLATION FOR 25, IT'LL NOT BE BALANCED.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS, WE CAN'T REDLINE IT.
THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO TO BALANCE IT IF WE DON'T HAVE A RATE INCREASE BECAUSE OF THE ADDITIONAL COSTS THE DEPARTMENT HAVE.
SO BALANCING THE BUDGET AS IS, IS IMPOSSIBLE.
AND I THINK LYNN WOULD AGREE WITH ME ON THAT ONE.
SECONDLY, IF WE CAN'T EVEN BALANCE THE BUDGET WITH AS IS, THAT MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO ADD A PIPE BURSTING CREW BECAUSE IT'S GONNA PUT US MORE IN THE NEGATIVE THAN WE ALREADY WILL BE WITHOUT A PIPE BURSTING CREW, WHICH WILL MAKE IT DEFINITELY IMPOSSIBLE TO GO INTO A CAPITAL PROGRAM BECAUSE WE WON'T BE ABLE TO HAVE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATIONS TO FINANCE THAT CAPITAL PROGRAM.
SO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, IF WE PROJECT THAT TO THE 2025 BUDGET, THE DEPARTMENT IS GONNA HAVE TO GO BACK TO BORROWING MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO PAY ITS OPERATIONAL BILLS AND ITS CURRENT DEBT AND OBLIGATIONS.
I CANNOT MAKE IT MORE CLEAR THAN THAT.
AND THE REASON WE CAME BACK TO THE COUNCIL TWO OR THREE TIMES, 'CAUSE WE THOUGHT THE COUNCIL WANTED THESE DIFFERENT CHANGES AND WE CAME WITH THEM AND COUNCILMAN FRANK LAST TIME REQUESTED, IF WE CAN PUT MORE OF THE, UH, INCREASE ON INDUSTRY AND COMMERCIAL.
AND WE DID, ONE OF THE OPTIONS WAS INSTEAD OF DOING THE 7.5% THAT I THOUGHT COUNCIL WAS AGREEABLE TO, WE MADE IT SEVEN ON OUR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.
AND THEN WE PUT THE 8.5 ON THE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS.
SO WE ARE LISTENING TO YOU ALL AND WE ARE COMING BACK WITH THESE CHANGES.
BUT IF WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO COME BACK WITH SOMETHING DIFFERENT, WE NEED DIRECTION, WE NEED TO KNOW HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO SPEND ON CAPITAL.
DO YOU WANT A PIPE BURSTING CREW AND DO YOU WANT TO BALANCE THE BUDGET AND BASED ON WHAT ITEM OF THESE THREE YOU WANT AND HOW MUCH YOU WANT OFF IT, NONE OF THEM CAN BE ACHIEVED WITHOUT A RATE INCREASE UNLESS COUNCIL WANNA GO BACK AND FUND UTILITIES FROM GENERAL FUND.
UH, WE, WE'VE HAD SOME HEALTHY DISCUSSION.
I I JUST KIND OF SAT BACK AND LISTENED TO EVERYBODY AND WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY AND THEIR OPINIONS.
BUT, UH, UH, AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, BEING A TEAM PLAYER IS SOMETHING THAT WE'D ALL LIKE TO HAVE.
BUT I REMEMBER YOU STANDING THERE BEFORE RIGHT THERE SAYING THE SAME THING ABOUT ANOTHER PIPE BURSTING CREW.
IF WE DON'T DO A RATE INCREASE, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET.
YOU SAID IT RIGHT THERE WITH THE, AND I'M GONNA GO BACK AND REVIEW IT AND TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID LAST BUDGET YEAR, YOU KNOW, SO I AGREED TO, TO DO IT THEN.
UH, I'VE ALWAYS, ALWAYS EXPRESSED TO MY COUNTERPARTS TO, YOU KNOW, MY, MY MY OPINION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THE MONIES THAT WE ARE GETTING TO SUPPORT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS OF PROJECTS.
UH, I DO AGREE WITH THE 8.5 THAT YOU, YOU'RE DOING ON, UH, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRY.
BUT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, NOT BEING A TEAM PLAYER OUT OF THE SEVEN YEARS, I GUESS WE'VE HAD, WHAT, FOUR RATE INCREASE? MM-HMM.
AND THEN WE ALSO ADDED THE, UH, READY TO SERVE FEE THAT WASN'T TAKEN OUT, WHICH IT IS AT RATE INCREASE, WHICH YOU BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION LAST WEEK, SIR.
[02:25:01]
IT TO YOUR ATTENTION LAST TIME.SO I'VE BEEN TRACKING THIS SO I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I VOTED ON.
SO THE LAST FOUR I SAID YES TO JUST A PARTICULAR ONE.
I HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT IT AND I FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE NOT GOING BACKWARDS.
I FEEL THAT WE ARE JUST MONITORING MONEY A LITTLE BIT CLOSELY THAN WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IN THE PAST.
SO DON'T, AT NO TIME, I'M NOT THE COUNCIL MEMBER NOT TO, UH, UH, BE THERE AND MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS BECAUSE I AM.
BUT I REMEMBER YOU SAYING THE SAME THING RIGHT THERE AND THAT BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT YOU SAID, IF WE DON'T DO A RATE INCREASE, IF WE DON'T, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PIPE BURSTING CREW.
WE, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA GET ON THE PLAN TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE NEEDS.
WE DON'T WANNA BE FINED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
WE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO DO 30 YEARS OR 40 YEARS OR 50 YEARS.
I'M GONNA REVIEW THE, THE PAST FOOTAGE AND THEY TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID.
SO THAT'S NOT THE POINT THAT I'M MAKING.
I MEAN, I'M, I DON'T, I'M NOT AFRAID TO STAND ALONE ON ANY DECISION THAT I MAKE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I LOOK AT IT THIS WAY.
WE DID THIS LAST YEAR AND WE'RE GONNA, WE WAS HOPEFULLY GONNA SEE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS.
WE'RE MAKING IMPROVEMENTS, IMPROVEMENTS, BUT IT'S SLOW.
IT'S SLOW, IT'S, AND PUTTING MORE MONEY IN, IN POTS AND, AND UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, THAT'S DIFFERENT.
MY CONCERN IS ONCE THAT MONEY IS BEING PUT IN A POT IS EASILY MOVED TO SOMETHING ELSE.
THAT'S MANAGEMENT, THAT'S STAFF.
THAT'S YOUR GUYS' DECISIONS TO DO THAT.
BUT WHEN THE COUNSELOR'S SET AND WHEN YOU STAND BEFORE ME AND YOU SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE GONNA USE IT.
NOT ONCE YOU'VE EVER SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD HAVE ALREADY HAD A SECOND PIPE BURSTING CREW, BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING WE DISCUSSED.
I'M, I'M TELLING YOU, YOU SAID THAT WE WERE GONNA HAVE IT BASED UPON THE NEEDS OF THE CITY, BASED UPON THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY.
BUT NOBODY'S EVER SAID, WELL, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PROMISE WAS MADE TO THE COUNCIL A YEAR AGO OR TWO.
SO I'M TRACKING THAT AND I'M GONNA REVIEW IT SO I CAN MAKE SURE I TELL YOU THE TAPE TIME AND DATE, UH, STAMP SO YOU CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT IT YOURSELF.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M VERY MUCH WANTING THIS CITY TO MOVE FORWARD.
I'M NOT A, I'M NOT FOR THIS CITY.
AND I KNOW THE PREDECESSORS THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST.
THIS CITY JUST DIDN'T TAKE THE, THE TIME THAT I GOT ON COUNCIL TO BE IN THE CONDITION THAT IT IS.
BUT I AM, I'M GONNA SAY THIS, THAT I'M WILLING TO BE A CHANGE AGENT TO HELP MAKE IT BETTER.
AND I THINK WE HAVE, BUT NO AT NO, NO AT NO, YOU KNOW, COST TO THE CITY.
DON'T THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, EMOTIONS.
IF YOU SAY SOMETHING, MAKE SURE YOU SAY IT.
IF WE, IF YOU ASK FOR SOMETHING, MAKE SURE YOU USE IT FOR THAT.
THAT'S THE THING THAT WE HADN'T HAD IN A LONG TIME.
WE HAVE A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE.
WE, WE HEAR ALL THOSE THINGS AS COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, AND THE MAYOR.
BUT AS FOR ME AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU KNOW, IF YOU SAY YOU'RE GONNA USE THIS FOR SOMETHING ELSE AND THEN I FIND OUT LATER DOWN THE LINE, YOU USE IT FOR SOMETHING ELSE, I HAVE A CONCERN.
AND THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN THE CITY AND I CAN TALK TO YOU OFFLINE ABOUT IT AS WELL AND, AND GIVE YOU MY POINT OF VIEW.
I'M NOT GONNA PUT ANY DIRTY LAUNDRY HERE ON TODAY'S BUDGET ABOUT SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
BUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO ME OFFLINE, WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT.
AND I THINK YOU KNOW WHERE I'M GOING WITH IT.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE USE SOME OF THESE THINGS.
WE SAY WE WANT TO USE IT FOR THIS, BUT WE USE IT FOR THAT BECAUSE IT'S A DIRE NEED.
SO DOC, YOU KNOW, IF I MAY COUNCILMAN YEAH, GO AHEAD DOC.
THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE MOVING AS FAST AS THE FUNDING.
SO WHEN WE FUND THE CAPITAL PROGRAM WITH $8.7 MILLION FOR 24, THAT'S ABOUT ALL WE CAN SPEND IS $8.7 MILLION.
WHEN WE RECEIVE FUNDING AT THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT, EVERY PENNY OF IT IS BEING SPENT ON WATER, SEWER LINES, LIFT STATIONS.
BUT WE CAN'T EXPEDITE THE IMPROVEMENTS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO EXPEDITE THEM.
AS FAR AS THE PIPE BURSTING CREW, EVERY TIME WE COME TO COUNCIL WITH RATE INCREASES THAT INCLUDE CERTAIN ITEMS WE WANT TO DO, WE DON'T GET THOSE RATE INCREASES.
WE ARE PROPOSING, WE ARE ALWAYS COMING DOWN WITH THEM.
SO IF YOU NOTICE WITH LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, WE COULD NOT ASK FOR ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES TO BE ABLE TO START A SECOND PIPE BURSTING CREW BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE FUNDING FOR IT.
WHAT WE DID THIS YEAR IS WE BROKE THAT PERCENTAGE OF THAT RATE INCREASE TO SHOW WHERE EACH PIECE OF IT WILL GO.
LIKE THE 4.33% TO BORROW 25000001.3% TO SUPPORT THE PIPE BURSTING CREW AND THE BALANCE OF IT TO FUND THE RATE THE RAISES FOR THE EMPLOYEES AND INFLATION.
[02:30:01]
WE CAN SIT AND TALK ABOUT IT, BUT IF THE COUNCIL DOES NOT FUND IT, WE CANNOT DO IT.AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE ASKING OF YOU TODAY IS HOW MUCH DO YOU ALL WANNA FUND BECAUSE WE ARE NOT GETTING THE MESSAGE CLEARLY, OBVIOUSLY.
'CAUSE WE ARE COMING BACK WITH THINGS THAT ARE NOT MATCHING YOUR NEEDS OR YOUR DESIRES AND YOU'RE VOTING THEM DOWN.
WE NEED TO KNOW FROM THIS COUNCIL, WHAT IS THE DOLLAR AMOUNT YOU WOULD LIKE TO APPROVE FOR 25 BUDGET FOR CAPITAL PROGRAM.
DO YOU WANNA APPROVE THE PIPE BURSTING CREW AT 1.3% RATE INCREASE AND THE EMPLOYEE RAISES AN INFLATION? I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A CHOICE OF NOT FUNDING THAT UNLESS AGAIN, WE WANT TO TAKE THE MONEY FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THIS CITY.
SO WE NEED DIRECTION, WE NEED VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD DIRECTION FROM THIS COUNCIL OF WHAT YOU WANT TO FIX AND HOW MUCH YOU WANNA SPEND.
SO IS IT THE FUNDING, ARE YOU SAYING THAT BEFORE, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THE WORK, THE TRACTORS.
SO I, I THINK THE CITY, I I THINK THIS COHORT OF COUNCIL MEMBERS IS NOT AFRAID TO GIVE THE FUNDING.
I I IT'S NOT A QUESTION 'CAUSE WE'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST.
WE'VE PROVIDED FUNDING, BUT THEN WE HERE ON THE FLIP SIDE, WE CAN'T GET SOMEONE TO DO THE WORK.
I'M NOT SURE WHICH WORK YOU'RE REFERRING TO COUNCILMAN.
THAT'S NOT BEING DONE ON THE UTILITY SIDE.
THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, UH, SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING WITH CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN ON UTILITIES.
WHICH, WHICH IS IT A SPECIFIC PROJECT? WE'LL TALK OFFLINE ABOUT THAT.
BUT, UH, I'M NOT AFRAID TO PROVIDE FUNDING.
PLEASE COME UP WITH ANOTHER SOLUTION.
WE SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT A LONG TIME AGO.
THE 8.5% PROPOSAL INCLUDES A 7% ON RESIDENTIAL.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT YOU'D LIKE US TO BRING BACK? OR WHAT, WHAT WOULD YOU WE NEED THAT WE, THAT ACTION.
WELL, THE THING THAT WE HAVE SOME THINGS WE HAVE TO DISCUSS.
WE REALLY DO HAVE, AND WE KNOW THAT WHAT IS THE 22ND WE GOT THAT? WE, WE GOT, WE GOT A LITTLE AS LONG AS WE DO ABOUT A 30TH, RIGHT? YES.
WE GOT THE BUDGET BY, ON THE UTILITY SIDE, WE CAN NO LONGER MAKE THIS EFFECT OF OCTOBER 1ST.
SO IT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE PUSHED TO NOVEMBER 1ST.
THIS HAS BEEN LIKE 30 YEARS JUST BEING GOING ON NOW, DOCTOR, WE CAN'T WAIT 30.
COME ON NOW IT'S $300,000 IN REVENUE CAPITAL.
YEAH, BUT I'M SAYING THAT I HAVE QUESTIONS AND I'M, I'M NOT GONNA BE SKEWED BY ANYONE AND IF, IF SOMEONE HAS THEIR OPINION, THAT'S THEIR OPINION.
BUT WE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 30 YEARS COMPARED TO ONE MORE MONTH.
I MEAN, IT'S YOUR ALL THE SAME.
I'M JUST LETTING Y'ALL KNOW THAT IT'LL HAVE TO BE PUSHED TO NOVEMBER 1ST.
COUNCIL, WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW THAT AND WE'LL COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL AT THE NEXT MEETING, OKAY? OKAY.
COUNCILMAN DE SAID THAT? YES, I THINK, OH, EXCUSE ME.
UH, WELL, WE'RE GOING, I'M GOING FOR HIM.
I'M GOING IN A CERTAIN SEQUENCE.
SO IF YOU ALL TO WAIT, I'LL START BACK AGAIN WITH COUNCILMAN ETT.
I LIKE EVERYBODY GIVING ALL COMMENTS, THAT'S GOOD.
BUT I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WHEN WE'RE MAKING COMMENTS, WE MAKE COMMENTS THAT, THAT ARE, UH, MORE IN LINE WITH BEING REALITY RATHER THAN OUR OPINIONS.
UH, ONE, UH, CITIZENS UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE SAYING.
UH, WE HAVE HAD WATER RATES BEFORE, UH, 2020.
OKAY? WE HAVE HAD PREVIOUS WATER RATES THAT IF, IF WE DON'T APPROVE THIS, THAT'S, WE ARE NOT GONNA LOSE NO WATER IN NO PARTS OF THE C CITY.
SO WE SHOULDN'T BE SAYING THERE WILL BE NO WATER HERE OR THERE.
IF WE DON'T APPROVE THIS RATE, THAT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN.
OKAY? UH, EVERY TIME WE TALK ABOUT THIS, WE SAY THAT WE CAN'T TAKE MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE CITY DID THAT AND ABUSED IT IN THE PAST, DOESN'T MEAN IT DON'T BE DONE.
AND I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, OTHER CITIES ARE ADDRESSING INFRASTRUCTURE WITH THE GENERAL FUND, OKAY? SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE SAYING WE CAN'T, AND THAT'S WHAT THE GENERAL FUND IS FOR OUR CITIZENS.
OKAY? SO THAT IS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION.
[02:35:01]
DOING THIS EVERY YEAR.SO WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE RESOURCES WE JUST APPROVED CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATIONS FOR, FOR 19.5 MILLION RESTRICTED, UH, FINANCIAL DIRECTOR.
WAS THAT, AM I CORRECT? 19.5 RESTRICTED? THAT IS CORRECT.
IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND FINANCES AND YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND BUDGETING, YES, THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH YOU NOT KNOWING THAT THERE'S SOME OTHER ALTERNATIVE.
AND THAT'S MY STANCE HERE ON THIS COUNCIL IS WHEN YOU TELL ME THAT IF YOU DON'T GET THIS RAISE, WE CAN'T DO NOTHING.
I SEE $19.5 MILLION, WE GOT RESTRICTIVE.
THAT MEAN WE HAVEN'T APPROPRIATED IT.
WHEN YOU TELL ME THAT WE CAN'T TAKE MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUND, THAT'S NOT TRUE.
SO IF WE GONNA DISCUSS IT, LET'S DISCUSS IT WITH FACTS.
LET'S UNDERSTAND WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO.
DON'T BRING IT TO ME WITH THIS.
THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN DO THIS, I KNOW IT'S NOT, IT'S JUST THAT I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU HOW TO DO YOUR JOB, BUT I'M NOT GONNA LET YOU TELL ME SOMETHING CAN BE DONE.
AND I UNDERSTAND MUNICIPAL FINANCE AND BUDGETING.
WE JUST APPROVED $19.5 MILLION RESTRICTIVE.
AND AS IMPORTANT AS IT IS TO US TO HAVE A SECOND PIPE BURST CREW AND THESE CITIZENS THAT AND YOUR PROJECTS, WE GET CERTIFICATE OBLIGATIONS FOR STREETS THAT COME A TIME WHEN WE JUST HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S OUR PRIORITIES.
THIS 19.5 MILLION IS RESTRICTED.
I THINK WE NEED TO APP APPRO, UH, APPROPRIATE IT.
BUT I'M NOT GONNA TELL THE MANAGER HOW TO DO HIS JOB PRESENTING IT TO US.
AND I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU, BUT WHAT I'LL TELL YOU AND THE MANAGER THAT THERE ARE WAYS WE CAN FIND FUNDING, MAYBE NOT TO DO 30, BUT TO DO THE 25 TO 20 MILLION.
IT'S JUST THAT YOUR WAY OF PRESENTING IT TO US IS ONE WAY WE CAN DO IT.
BUT I'M NOT, I'M NOT HERE TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT IT CAN'T BE DONE NO OTHER WAY, BUT THE WAY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING, AND THAT'S MY, AND THAT'S MY THING.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE CITIZENS UNDERSTAND.
AND WHEN WE, AND WHEN WE DISCUSSING THESE THINGS, LET, LET'S NOT BRING OUR PERSONAL FEELINGS IN, BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT FACTS.
THERE ARE OTHER WAYS THAT I HAVE NOT HEARD MENTIONED 19.5 RE RESTRICTED MONEY AVAILABLE.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT WE COULD DO WITH THAT.
I UNDERSTAND A FUND BALANCE, SO I UNDERSTAND A LOT ABOUT BUDGETING AND FINANCING, BUT IT'S UP TO US TO DECIDE WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO US THAT WE WANT TO DO, MAKING SURE WE ALLOCATE AND APPROVE THE FUNDING FOR IT AND AT THE SAME TIME, KEEP OUR FUND REBALANCED, OUR FUND BALANCE REQUIRED AT 60 DAYS THAT IS REQUIRED BY LAW.
DO ALL THOSE THINGS TO KEEP OUR, UH, RATING UP.
SO ALL OF THIS, I'M HEARING THIS, DON'T THIS DON'T STOP YOU FROM DOING IT.
I JUST THINK THAT MAYBE YOU NEED TO GET WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND Y'ALL NEED TO START DISCUSSING THIS RESTRICTIVE, UH, UH, TOOK 19.5 MILLION.
WE JUST APPROVE THAT AIN'T APPROVED FOR NOTHING.
AND IF NECESSARY, TAKE A MILLION OR TWO OUT YOUR FUND BALANCE IF NECESSARY.
WE DIDN'T SAY WE GOING TO TAKE MONEY FROM CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION NEXT YEAR.
WE DIDN'T SAY WE GONNA TAKE MONEY FROM THE, UH, GENERAL FUND FOR WATER UTILITY NEXT YEAR.
WE TALKING ABOUT THIS CURRENT YEAR AND WE WANT SOMETHING TO HAPPEN AND THERE'S MONEY AND WE DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT OUR WAY TO GET IT.
SO UNTIL SOMEBODY START ADDRESSING THIS MONEY THAT I KNOW WE HAVE AVAILABLE, DON'T MAKE IT SEEM LIKE IT'S IN DIRE NEED FOR US TO DO IT THIS WAY.
I AGREE WITH YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT.
THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL HAVE THE
[02:40:01]
ABILITY TO SPEND ANY CITY MONEY IN ANY WAY THEY WANT.THAT'S WHY I DID NOT SAY IT CANNOT BE DONE.
WHAT I SAID WAS, IF THE COUNCIL CHOOSES NOT TO DO A RATE INCREASE, WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO BALANCE THE BUDGET FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
SO IF YOUR DIRECTIVE IS TO USE THE GENERAL FUND TO BALANCE THIS BUDGET AND DO CAPITAL PROGRAMS, UH, I THINK I HEARD YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.
SO WE WILL TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
WELL, I DIDN'T SAY, I DID NOT SAY THE GENERAL FUND.
I SAID WE HAVE CERTIFICATE OBLIGATION.
WE JUST, WE JUST APPROVE IT'S FAITHFUL BY THE GENERAL FUND.
SO MEANING, MEANING, YOU KNOW, SO LET'S, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S TALK ABOUT SPECIFIC MONEY THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
WE GOT A SEE, OH, WE JUST APPROVED UNRESTRICTED FOR 19.5 MILLION.
I'M SAYING THAT MONEY CAN BE ASSESSED, BUT THAT'S A CITY'S MANAGER AND STAFF'S RESPONSIBILITY TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY WANT TO BRING IT TO THIS COUNCIL TO USE SOME OF THAT MONEY FOR THAT PURPOSE.
I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU ALL HOW TO DO YOUR JOB.
SO ARE YOU OR, OR HOW TO DO THINGS? ARE YOU PROPOSING WE USE SOME OF THAT MONEY TO BALANCE THIS YEAR'S 25 BUDGET OR JUST USE IT FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS? CAN YOU CLARIFY A LITTLE BIT FOR ME? WELL, WELL IT'S, HOW WOULD YOU PROPOSE FOR US TO DO THAT? OKAY.
THAT MONEY, THAT THAT THAT MONEY THAT WE ARE GETTING IS GONNA BE PLACED IN THE GENERAL FUND.
IT IT GONNA BE RESTRICTED TO WHAT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT? LET ME LET HER SPEAK.
YES, IT'S GOING TO GO INTO FUND 3 0 7 2 TO DO THAT.
SO IF IT GOES IN 3 0 7, THAT MEANS IT'S AVAILABLE FOR CAPITAL.
SO WAIT A MINUTE, OKAY? 3 0 7 FUND HAS ALL OF THE CAPITAL EXCEPT FOR ENTERPRISE IS NOT ALLOWED TO TAP INTO THE 3 0 7.
OKAY THEN, SO IF WE, WE, IF WE HAVE IT IN THAT, THEN WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE CAN USE IT, HOW WE COULD TAKE SOMETHING ELSE.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE HAVE MONEY WE NEED TO GET WITH THE CITY FINANCE DIRECTOR AND TRY TO FIND A WAY TO FUND THIS WITHOUT DOING IT IN THE MANNER THAT WE WANT TO DO IT EVERY YEAR.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL GOT OFF WHEN THEY DECIDED THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO DO A RATE INCREASE EVERY YEAR AND, AND THEY WENT SO LONG.
BUT THEN THE SAME REASON WHY THEY DIDN'T WANNA DO ANY PIPES, WHICH YOU ALL BRINGING TO US TO DO SOME EACH YEAR.
WELL, LET'S TRY TO DO IT THIS YEAR WITH OUR RATE INCREASE.
WE HAD ONE LAST YEAR, OKAY? AND SINCE 2000 AND I THINK 19, WE REALLY GOT INTO THE RATE INCREASE WHEN YOU CAME ON BOARD, UH, DR.
TOMAY BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS CENTERED AROUND A RATE INCREASE WITH YOU.
OKAY? AND I MEAN YOU NO, I, YOUR METHOD IS ALWAYS A WEIGHT INCREASE, BUT YOU KNOW, AS A COUNCIL AND AS MANAGING STUFF, I THINK SOMETIME WE NEED TO DO THE RATE INCREASE, BUT I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD HAVE ANY TYPE PLAN WHERE WE GOING TO TELL CITIZENS WE GONNA DO A RATE INCREASE EVERY YEAR.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE LIKE I SAID BEFORE, I KNOW WHAT WE GET FROM CHENIERE.
I KNOW WHAT WE GET FROM OTHER THINGS.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA, WE, WE GOT A LOT.
I KNOW THAT SIM GOING TO COME ONLINE, SO I COULD SEE THINGS THAT GONNA HELP US TO GET A LOT FARTHER THAN WHAT EVEN YOU AND I TALKING ABOUT WHEN, WHEN SIMPLE COME ONLINE.
SO, UH, SO WE GONNA GET SOME INCREASES IN OUR REVENUE DOWN THE ROAD AND I THINK EVERY YEAR WE SIT THROUGH THIS PROCESS WE DOING RIGHT NOW, WE GOTTA TRY TO WORK THROUGH THAT UPCOMING YEAR.
THEN THE NEXT YEAR WE DO THAT BECAUSE REVENUE IS GOING TO CHANGE, MOST OF THE TIME IS GOING UP FOR US.
OKAY? SO AS REVENUE GO UP, WE COULD DO MORE.
SO WE MAY COULD DO THESE THINGS WITHOUT A RATE INCREASE AND WE MAY COULD DO THESE THINGS WITH A RATE, BUT WE NEED A RATE INCREASE.
I'M NEVER CLOSE TO A RATE INCREASE, BUT I'M CLOSE TO WE GONNA DO IT EVERY YEAR.
[02:45:01]
NOT PROGRAM EVERY YEAR.SO, UH, BUT WHEN WE DISCUSS IT, LET'S JUST KEEP EVERYTHING TO IN PERSPECTIVE.
LET'S NOT GIVE AN IMPRESSION THIS IS THE ONLY WAY IT COULD BE DONE.
LET'S NOT GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT IF WE DON'T DO THIS RATE INCREASE, A A PORTION OF THE CITY IS GOING TO NOT HAVE WATER.
NO, IT, BUT, BUT IT, IT, WE, WE CAN LOSE WATER, BUT WE ALWAYS GET IT BACK UP LIKE WE'VE ALWAYS DONE.
SO, YEAH, BUT JUST, I MEAN, WE GOTTA LISTEN TO WHAT IS SAID.
'CAUSE CITIZENS HERE US OKAY, RIGHT HERE STUFF.
SO WE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE.
MAYOR, LET ME, LET, LET ME, LET ME BE CLEAR.
I RESPECT MY COLLEAGUES SO VERY MUCH.
COUNCILMAN KIN LAW COUNCILMAN DE SAID, I, ESPECIALLY, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE REMARKS MADE BY COUNCILMAN LEWIS BECAUSE HE SHARED THE DIRE SITUATION OF INDIVIDUALS IN HIS DISTRICT OF HAVING, UH, SEWAGE BACKED UP IN THEIR DRAINS AND IN THEIR HOMES, UH, WHEN THEY WERE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN PERSONAL NEEDS.
I'M NOT SPEAKING OF, I'M NOT SPEAKING OPINIONS AND I'M, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE CONTROVERSIAL OR OR TO, TO ARGUE BACK AND FORTH, BUT UNDERSTAND THAT I AM SPEAKING FACTS IN THAT STAFF AND DR.
TOME DID SHARE WITH US HOW IMPORTANT THAT ATLANTA, UH, THAT ATLANTA VALVE IS.
TOME, AS YOU ARE LISTENING TO ME, IF I AM OVER, IF I AM OVER SPEAKING OR IF I AM IN ANY WAY, UM, BLOWING UP THAT SITUATION WITH THAT AT LEFT ABOUT, THEN, THEN LET ME KNOW.
BUT WHEN YOU SHARED THAT WITH ME, OR WHEN YOU SHARED THAT WITH THE STAFF, I WAS SIMPLY TRYING TO PASS ON TO US HOW DIARY YOU MADE IT SEEM TO ME.
SO LET ME ASK THAT QUESTION, DOCTOR
THE, THE ATLANTA WAR LINE THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW, IF WHEN IT GOES DOWN, IT GONNA BE A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE WITHOUT WATER AND IT'LL TAKE US A DAY OR TWO SOMETIMES TO GET IT DONE, BECAUSE THE VALVES ON IT DON'T WORK VERY WELL AND ISOLATING IT IS VERY DIFFICULT.
AND WE ARE EVEN CONSIDERING RIGHT NOW CHANGING ME THE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE IT HAS SEVERAL LEAKS ON IT, AND WE ARE WORRIED THAT IF WE GO START OPENING OPEN CUTTING THIS AREA, WE GONNA DAMAGE THAT LINE MORE.
SO I, I DON'T WANT, YOU KNOW, I I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO BELIEVE IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, FORM, OR FASHION.
I AM, I AM TRYING TO SC USE A SCARE TACTIC, UH, TO, TO, TO, TO ENTER, UH, INTO PLACE IN THIS CONVERSATION.
THE OTHER THING IS, IS THAT I UNDERSTAND WHAT, UH, WHAT THE COUNCILMAN IS SAYING ABOUT THE FUND BALANCE, BUT UNDERSTAND THIS AS WELL, THAT ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION IS BECAUSE STANDARD ENFORCE AND ALL OF THE, UM, FINANCIAL AGENCIES, THEY LOOK AT THAT FUND BALANCE, THEY LOOK AT THAT GENERAL FUND, I I USED TO CALL IT FUND BALANCE, UH, MANY YEARS ON, UH, SCHOOL BOARDS.
BUT THEY LOOK AT THAT, THAT'S WHY WE'RE ABLE TO GET THE CERTIFICATES OBLIGATION.
YOU DON'T WANT THE STOCK START PULLING MONEY OUT OF THAT BECAUSE THAT SENDS A MESSAGE TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE GETTING, WHO ARE BUYING OUR BONDS.
IT GIVES US, IT GIVES THE IMPRESSION OF INSTABILITY.
SO YOU DON'T WANT TO START PULLING OUT OF THAT GENERAL FUND.
SO YES, WE CAN DO THAT, WE CAN TAKE MONEY OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND TO DO THAT, BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO START DOING THAT BECAUSE OF THE FINANCIAL MESSAGE THAT IT SENDS TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BUYING THE BONDS.
THE REASON WHY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT WITH CERTIFICATE OBLIGATIONS, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD, WE HAVE A HEALTHY GENERAL FUND.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR METHODS.
I HOPE HE DOES, UH, THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR WAYS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, LET THE COUNCIL UNDERSTAND THAT OUR CITIZENS UNDERSTAND THAT THERE HAS TO BE SACRIFICE FROM ALL OF US.
THERE HAS TO BE SACRIFICE FROM ALL
[02:50:01]
OF US TO GET WHERE WE ARE TRYING TO GO.UM, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, WHEN WE'RE SAYING THAT WE DON'T WANT TO ADD A BURDEN TO THIS, THE CITIZEN, AND I THINK THAT'S ACROSS THE BOARD, IT IS NOT A DESIRE TO WANT TO OFFER BURDEN TO THIS FINANCIAL BURDEN TO THE CITIZENS, BUT IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY FOR OUR RESOURCES.
SO EITHER WE PAY THROUGH A WATER RATE INCREASE OR WE PAY BECAUSE WE'RE PAYING BACK, UM, A BOND.
SO CAN YOU PLEASE JUST GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF CLARIFICATION OF REGARDLESS, HOWEVER IT HAPPENS, IT'S STILL GOING TO BE A COST TO THE CITIZEN.
UH, I'LL REFER THAT QUESTION TO MS. LIN.
LYNN, CAN I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION FOR YOU, DR.
TONEY? AFTER, AFTER MS. LIN? YES, MA'AM.
UH, WHAT, UH, YOU ALL, WHILE YOU ALL ARE HAVING, HAVING THE WHATEVER DISCUSSION MAY YES.
WHEN MS. LYNN, UM, WHEN MS. LYNN COMES, COULD SHE EXPLAINED, BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE, WHAT THE INCREASE IS GOING TO MEAN TO EACH CITIZEN, TO OUR SENIOR CITIZENS.
HOW MUCH THAT INCREASE IS GOING TO BE, I DON'T THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT ENOUGH, BUT I WANT MS. LINDA REALLY JUST SHARE WITH US AND MAKE IT PLAIN WHAT WE SAY, 7%.
BUT WHAT DOES THAT LITERALLY MEAN TO MY KITCHEN TABLE? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO MY BUDGET? CAN WE, CAN WE HAVE THAT AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SENIOR CITIZENS? WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO OUR TABLES WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS INCREASE? DR TO ME, YOU CAN GIVE US THAT OR LYNN CAN GIVE YES, SIR.
COUNCILMAN, UH, IF WE IMPLEMENT, WHICH COUNCIL ALREADY APPROVED ACTUALLY THE SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNT, UH, AND WE ALSO IMPLEMENT THE 7%, THE SENIOR CITIZENS WILL BE PAYING LESS MONEY FOR THEIR WATER BILL THIS COMING YEAR THAN THEY ARE PAYING TODAY, AND THEIR CUT WILL BE APPROXIMATELY $4 LESS.
AND THAT'S, WE ARE ASSUMING ON A 3000 GALLON PER, UH, HOUSEHOLD, WHICH IS A VERY GOOD VOLUME FOR ONE OR TWO PEOPLE IN A HOUSEHOLD.
SO THE, THE FIRST YEAR, BASED ON THE SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNT, THEY WILL NOT PAY MORE.
THEY WILL BE PAYING LESS WITH A RATE INCREASE.
DO YOU HAVE FOR THE NEXT SECOND QUESTION TO MS. LIN, NO MATTER WHERE WE GET THE MONEY FROM, COUNCILMAN IS SAYING BASICALLY THE CITIZENS ARE PAYING FOR THAT FUNDING, WHETHER IT'S CERTIFIC OBLIGATIONS, STREETS GENERAL FUND, OR I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE, THERE'S NOT GONNA BE THE ABILITY TO RAISE RESERVE AT THE RATE THAT WE'RE GOING RIGHT NOW.
I UNDERSTAND YOU DON'T HAVE THE PAST TWO AUDITS.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS THAT THERE, IF YOU WANTED TO DO A RESERVE, IF YOU WANTED TO HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT FOR ENTERPRISE FUND, IT'S GOING TO BE ZERO.
IF YOU WANT TO USE THE GENERAL FUND AS A MEANS OF HELPING TO FINANCE ENTERPRISE, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GO BELOW 12% POTENTIALLY FOR THE RESERVE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO FUND THAT.
UH, CURRENTLY I'VE ALREADY RESERVED WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR THE GENERAL FUND, BUT I, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT I WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE A RESERVE FOR THE ENTERPRISE FUND WITH CONTINUING ON THAT.
THE, THAT WE ARE, AGAIN, WE'LL GET THE, WE'LL GET THE DRAFT AUDIT HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, BUT THE FINAL AUDIT WILL COME IN OCTOBER.
WE'LL, WHERE IT WILL HAVE THE, THE TOTAL NUMBERS IN THERE AND THE COUNCIL CAN MAKE THEIR DECISIONS HOWEVER YOU WANT.
I JUST NEED DIRECTION INTO HOW YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO DO THIS BUDGET.
I WILL DO EXACTLY AS YOU SAY THAT I CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH, WITH THE NUMBERS.
AT LEAST I WON'T LET PORT ARTHUR GO
[02:55:01]
INTO THE NEGATIVE AS BEST TO, TO MY ABILITY.THERE ARE GOING TO DEFINITELY HAVE TO BE SOME SACRIFICES MADE, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
MY, I MAY ADD, GO AHEAD, COUNCILWOMAN.
THE, UM, THE OTHER QUESTION IS IN THE EVENT THAT WE DO HAVE TO GO INTO OUR GENERAL FUND IN ORDER TO SUPPORT OUR WATER UTILITIES, UM, WHICH WE DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO DO, I KNOW SOME YEARS AGO WE WERE LITERALLY 50, I THINK $54 MILLION IN DEBT.
WHY ARE YOU TELLING MR ALMOST $54 MILLION IN DEBT TO OUR GENERAL FUND? WE DO NOT WANT TO REPEAT.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE RED FLAGS THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, UM, THAT CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AT THAT TIME.
IN THE EVENT THAT WE HAVE TO GO BACK THAT ROUTE, HOW WILL THIS IMPACT THE, THE CURRENT RELATIONSHIP THAT YOU ARE WORKING TO TRY TO REBUILD BETWEEN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THE EPA TO NOT HAVE AS UNDER SUCH RESTRICTIVE, UM, WELL, UPCOMING MANDATE? I MEAN, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL LOOKS AT, UH, UTILITIES DEPARTMENT AS AN ENTERPRISE FUND AND WILL ALWAYS WANT IT TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY WILL HAVE ANY OBJECTION IF THE COUNCIL DECIDES TO FIX THAT INFRASTRUCTURE WITH OTHER FUNDING FROM OTHER SOURCES.
AND, UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK, DID YOU HAVE YOUR, THE, THE HAND UP? UH, YOU, YOU NO, NO MA'AM.
I JUST, UM, I THINK THAT ALL OF MY QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN, UH, ADDRESSED, BUT I DO WANT TO, UH, I DO, I DO WANT TO SAY, UM, I KNOW THAT THIS COUNCIL WANTS TO DO WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR CITIZENS.
AT THE VERY HEART OF EACH COUNCIL PERSON, I KNOW THAT WE ARE ALL DOING OUR BEST, UH, TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION, UM, FOR A VERY, UH, DIFFICULT AND, AND IN MANY PLACES DIRE, UH, SITUATIONS.
AND SO I THINK INFORMATION, UH, IS IMPORTANT.
UM, UH, I THINK, UM, I THINK IT, IT'S IMPORTANT, UH, TO KNOW THAT, AND SO I I I'M SIMPLY TRYING TO USE THIS PLATFORM TO INFORM, UH, OUR CITIZENS, UM, OF THE SITUATION, UH, AND, UH, UM, LET THEM KNOW THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS COUNCIL IS DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN, UH, TO MAKE PORT ARTHUR THE PLACE WHERE WE, UH, WHERE WE LIVE AND WHERE WE WANT TO GROW.
COUNCILMAN LEWIS? YEAH, JUST BRIEFLY, UH, THE 50, THE WATER AND SEW DEPARTMENT OWNED THE GENERAL FUND.
50 SOMETHING MILLION DOLLARS WAS BOGAGE.
AND THE, AND THAT HAS BEEN A GREAT BENEFIT, A GREAT BENEFIT TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS BECAUSE THE WALDEN SEWAGE DEPARTMENT WAS FUNDED OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH WAS TIED TO THE PROPERTY TAXES.
SO THE TAX, YOU KNOW, INGO, PEOPLE CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENED, BUT THEY HAVE BENEFITED TREMENDOUSLY.
THE TAX RATE WAS ARTIFICIALLY HIGH TO SUPPORT THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE THE WATER AND SEWERS DEPARTMENT WAS SUCKING IT DOWN.
SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED, THE PEOPLE THAT THE, THEY UNCOUPLE IT FROM THE, THE GENERAL FUND PUT IT ON THE, ON THE WATER AND SEWERS THING.
EVERYBODY PAYS, EVERYBODY WASN'T PAYING AT THE BEGINNING.
ONLY IT WAS COUPLED TO THE PROPERTY TAX.
SO, SO NOW IF YOU USE IT, YOU'LL PAY FOR IT.
IT'S UNCOUPLED NOW THAT THING ABOUT, UH, 50 SOMETHING MILLION DOLLARS OWED TO THE, UH, GENERAL FUND FROM THE WATER AND SEW IT IS BOGAGE.
THAT'S WHAT I CALL KICKING A CAN DOWN THE ROAD, KICKING A LIE DOWN THE ROAD.
YOU READY? MAYOR? UH, ANY, ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER COMMENT? GO AHEAD, DR.
JUST, JUST REAL QUICK, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK HE, UH, THEY, I THINK DOC THIS, UH, DR.
WE NEED TO GIVE HIM SOME DIRECTIONS OF WHERE WE WANT TO HAPPEN.
I JUST DON'T FEEL AS COMFORTABLE FOR ME JUST TO KEEP HIM IN LIMBO.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE ALL EXPRESSED SOME VALID AND, AND, AND PERTINENT OPINIONS AND, AND, AND THOUGHTS AND HISTORY OF WHY WE AND WHERE
[03:00:01]
WE COME FROM.BUT I THINK COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE PROBABLY WOULD NEED TO GIVE HIM SOME DIRECTIONS OF WHERE WE WANT, HOW WE WANT THIS TO BE, UH, PLACE, HOW WE WANT TO FUND THIS.
I THINK IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, NATURAL AND THAT'D BE THE RIGHT THING TO DO TO, UH, GIVE HIM SOME DIRECTIVES AS, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WANT TO DO IT, MAYOR.
UH, BUT I, I THINK IT, YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT WE, WE REALLY NEED TO SHOW HIM THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE, THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL AND WHERE WE WANT HIM TO GO.
SO I'M JUST GONNA PUT IT OUT THERE.
WHEN YOU FINISH AND YOU, YOUR REMARK, IS THAT OKAY, MA'AM? OH, YES SIR.
UM, YES, WE DO ABSOLUTELY NEED TO BE CLEAR ON OUR DIRECTION.
SO WHEN DOCTOR TOLD ME, WOULD YOU RANK THE 57 PIPES THAT HAVE TO BE REPLACED IN, SAY THESE 30 ARE MANDATORY, OF THE 16 PUMP STATIONS THAT HAVE TO BE REPLACED, UM, HANDS DOWN, WE ALREADY KNOW ATLANTA HAS TO BE DONE.
OTHERWISE IT WILL AFFECT THE, THE WATER SERVICE FOR THE ENTIRE CITY OF THOSE 16 PUMP STATIONS, WHICH ONES ARE DIRE NEED AND WE CAN ACTUALLY GET TO IN 2025, WELL, FISCAL YEAR 2025, THE PIPE BURST CREW.
CAN YOU GIVE US CLARITY ON WHAT CAN ACTUALLY BE TENDED TO WITH, WE STILL DON'T KNOW A DOLLAR AMOUNT, UM, BUT OF THOSE THINGS, WHAT HAS TO BE TENDED TO? AND THEN WHAT IS THE DOLLAR AMOUNT ASSOCIATED WITH IT? SO FROM THE ORIGINAL 30 MILLION DOWN TO THE 25 MILLION WE TOOK FROM THE WATERLINE PROPOSAL FOR REPLACEMENT, IT WAS ABOUT 8.6 MILLION.
WE BROUGHT IT DOWN TO ABOUT 5.5 MILLION.
SO WE WILL BE SPENDING OUT OF 25 MILLION IF THAT GETS APPROVED.
5.5 MILLION WILL BE FOR WATER LINES.
WE WERE PROPOSING TO DO 3 MILLION IN, UH, PIPE BURSTING.
WE BROUGHT THAT DOWN TO 2 MILLION.
WE WERE PROPOSING TO DO 5 MILLION TO SUPPORT, UH, STREETS AND DRAINAGE PROJECTS.
MAKE SURE ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE REPLACED AS COUNCILMAN DOUCETTE PROPOSED DEBT GETS PAID FROM THAT STREETS PROGRAM, WHICH IS, I PROMISE YOU UTILITIES HAVE NO OBJECTION TO THAT PROPOSAL.
SO, SO THAT CAN GO AWAY OUT OF OUR BUDGET.
AND THEN WE HAVE THREE SANITARY SEWER LIFT STATIONS BETWEEN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, AND THE ATLANTA LINE COUNCIL ALREADY APPROVED IT, AND IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
SO, SO WE, WE HAD TO CUT DOWN 5 MILLION OUT OF THAT, UH, BUDGET.
SO NOW IF THE 5 MILLION FROM STREETS AND DRAINAGE CAN GO AWAY, THEN WE CAN CONTINUE DOING ALL THE PROPOSED SEW PROJECTS BY GOING TO THE 25 MILLION INSTEAD OF 30.
EXCUSE ME, MAY I PLEASE INTERJECT? I'M LETTING YOU KNOW THAT WITHOUT THE 25 MILLION, YOU HAVE NO CAPITAL.
SO THERE'S, IF YOU HAD ANY PLANS, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY NOW.
THERE'S ALSO, EXCUSE ME, THERE'S ALSO NO RESERVE.
AND I HAVE NOTHING LEFT IN 4 0 5, WHICH IS YOUR CAPITAL.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.
SO, UH, UM, COMPTROLLER, MR. COMPTROLLER, UH, ON THIS, WHAT YOU, WHAT WHAT YOU ARE SPECIFICALLY SAYING TO US IF, AND I THINK YOU DID SAY IF HE HAS DOESN'T, THERE ARE THE 25 MILLION ISN'T THERE AT ALL WITHOUT SOME MOVEMENT WITH APPROVAL FOR WHAT HIS REQUEST WAS? AM AM I JUST, JUST SIMPLISTICALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT.
IS, IS, IS THAT CORRECT? IF YOU WOULD LOOK ON PAGE 15 UNDER YOUR ENTERPRISE FUND, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THAT 32 MILLION DISAPPEARS, YOU SAY, OF THE ENTERPRISE FUND.
THIS IS UNDER WATER AND SEWER CAPITAL PROJECTS.
YOU SAID PAGE 15? IS THAT PAGE 15? IT'S THE SUMMARY.
IF YOU GO TO THE VERY RIGHT WITH THE REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE, THESE ARE YOUR PROPOSED, OKAY.
THE CAPITAL PROJECT, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THAT 32 MILLION DISAPPEARS.
[03:05:01]
UH, MAYOR? YES, SIR.TONY DID ANSWER ONE OF MY QUESTIONS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE TO UNDERSTAND FOR ALL THE CITIZENS MAKES MISSING MAKES UP HERE FOR WATER, THAT ALL THE CITIZENS, THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR, THEIR BILL WOULD GO DOWN.
BUT FOR THE REMAINDER OF US, DR.
TONY WASN'T THAT INCREASE, UM, WASN'T THE INCREASE WAS, UH, PRESENTED AS FINE.
FIVE TO $7 MORE ON OUR BILL A MONTH? THAT'S CORRECT.
UH, 6,000 GALLONS, WHICH IS AN AVERAGE USAGE FOR A HOUSEHOLD OF THREE TO FOUR PEOPLE, THE INCREASE WAS $7 72 CENTS WHEN WE PROPOSED THE 8.5% AND BE 90 CENTS LESS WITH THE 7%.
SO THE INCREASE WILL BE UNDER $7 UP ALL THE WAY UP TO SEVEN THOU, UH, 6,000 GALLONS.
THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I, THAT'S ALL I HAVE THERE.
UH, COSMAN JUST SAID, YOU SAID YOUR LATER.
GOING BACK TO COUNCILWOMAN EVANSVILLE AND, UH, KEN LAW'S REMARKS ABOUT DIRECTIVE, I THINK I'VE, I'VE HEARD THAT LOUD AND CLEAR.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WATER UTILITIES, UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO GET TO WHERE WE WANT TO GO AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO FINANCIALLY, UH, AND UNDER AND, AND UNDERSTANDING AVAILABLE FUNDS, NOT TAKING THINGS OFF THE TABLE TO DO IT THIS WAY.
AND THAT'S WHY I SAID THE MANAGER AND STAFF BRING THINGS TO US AND THEY GET TO A POINT WHERE THERE'S A STANDSTILL BETWEEN COUNCIL.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE THIS WENT.
I THINK THIS GOT TO BE A STANDSTILL BETWEEN COUNCIL AND STAFF BECAUSE STAFF HAS SAID, THIS IS THE WAY WE WANT TO DO THIS.
AND COUNCIL'S SAYING, YEAH, WE WANT, WE WANT TO DO THAT, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO FUND IT THIS WAY.
NOW, WHAT WE NEEDED AS COUNCIL IS FOR STAFF TO TELL US ANOTHER WAY OF FUNDING IT.
YOU GOTTA FINANCE DIRECTOR, YOU GOT A DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR, YOU GOT A CITY MANAGER.
HOW DO WE FIND THIS? THEN WE GO BACK TO WHAT COUNCILWOMAN EVER FIELD SAID UP ON WATER UTILITY DEPARTMENT.
DO I DO, UH, 45 STREETS INSTEAD OF 57TH STREETS THIS YEAR, BUT SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LINE MAKING THIS WORK? THAT'S, AND, AND THE DIRECTIVE, THE DIRECTIVE WOULD BE, LIKE I SAID IN THE BEGINNING IS, YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE WE STAND WITH IS RATING, PLEASE WORK THIS THING, DO WHAT YOU CAN.
SO, AND, AND THEN WE, AND THEN WE FIND IT, BUT IT GOTTA BE WORKED.
AND THE MANAGER HAS AND FINANCIAL RATE THAT HAS TO GET WITH YOU ALL AND, AND, AND UNDERSTAND WHERE MONEY IS AVAILABLE.
THEN WE GO BACK TO WHAT COUNCIL COUNCILMAN FRANK SAID, AND I MENTION THAT WE UNDERSTAND OUR FUND BALANCE AND REQUIREMENTS THAT WE SUPPOSED TO HAVE.
OKAY? WE MUST KEEP THAT IN MIND.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IF WE ARE, UH, HEALTHY IN THAT, THEN THAT'S WHAT A FUND BALANCE IS FOR.
SO COUNSEL, DO YOU MIND IF WE BREAK THAT DOWN A LITTLE BIT? WAIT A MINUTE, LET ME FINISH SPEAKING.
OKAY, BECAUSE LAST YEAR WE TOOK EIGHT POINT SOME MILLION OUT OF THE, THE FUND BALANCE.
WE, WE AMENDED THE BUDGET THREE DAYS BEFORE FOR THE CURRENT FOR THAT, FOR THAT YEAR, WHICH WAS 2.1, AND THEN WE WENT WITH A 0.5 0.9 THAT WAS 8.1 MILLION.
WE TOOK OUT A FUND BALANCE LAST YEAR JUST TO GET THIS BUDGET APPROVED AND BALANCE THE, THE OUTGOING BUDGET.
OKAY? SO YOU KNOW THAT FINANCIALLY I UNDERSTAND IT, BUT WE NOT THAT BROKE THAT WE CAN'T DO THIS WITHOUT DAMAGING OUR BOND RATING.
AS, AS, UH, WAS COUNCILMAN FRANK'S, UH, CONCERN, WHICH IS A CONCERN OF MINE AND SHOULD ALWAYS BE OUR CONCERN.
WE SHOULD NEVER GET WHERE WE'RE DOING THAT.
WE SHOULD NEVER BE TAKING MONEY IF WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE MONEY.
[03:10:01]
WE HAVE, WE HAVE OTHER TOOLS IN THE TOOL BAG THAT I HAVE NOT HEARD, OKAY? COST DO SAID LISTEN A MINUTE, JUST A MINUTE, JUST A MINUTE BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN GOING OVER THIS FOR ONE HOUR.I LIKE TO KEEP THE ROOM LIGHT.
COUNCIL DEUCE SAID, WE NOT THAT BROKE, MAN.
WHY YOU VOTED AGAINST MY $1,300.
WE GONNA GO TO SOMETHING I, I LIKE, I JUST LIKE TO KEEP THE ROOM LIKE WE BEEN, WE BEEN SING THIS FOR HOUR.
HE JUST SAID THE MAGIC WORD THAT I WANTED TO SAY.
AND IF MAYOR BCE GOES SOMEWHERE, HE IS NOT GOING TO BREAK PORT ARTHUR.
NOW, WHAT I HAVE HEARD JUST A MINUTE, WHAT I HAVE HEARD LISTENING TO THIS DISCUSSION, WE'VE ACTUALLY REACHED SOME COMPROMISE.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, IT IT, MAYBE IT'S YOUR CONNOTATION OR HOW YOU DEFINE COMPROMISE.
WE'VE REACHED SOME COMPROMISE BETWEEN THE, THE TWO TO THREE TO FOUR VOTE OR WHATEVER, WHATEVER, FOUR TO THREE VOTE, WHATEVER.
WE'VE REACHED SOME COMPROMISE.
THE FIRST POINT IN THE COMPROMISE, EXCUSE ME, IS MY MEDICINE.
THE FIRST VOTE IN THE COMPROMISE IS I PROBABLY SMELL LIKE OLD PEOPLE, ED, WHO IS THIS? BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
ALRIGHT? THE FIRST VOTE IN THE COMPROMISE IS, OR THE FIRST ELEMENT WE ACTUALLY WANT TO SEE THIS DONE.
NOW I'VE GATHERED THAT I'M LISTENING TO EVERYBODY.
NOW, NOBODY, NO MATTER HOW STRONGLY OR HOW YOU VOTED, NO ONE HAS SPOKEN AGAINST ALL THAT NEEDS TO OCCUR WITH OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT IS COMP THAT IS COMPROMISED.
THE SECOND ELEMENT THAT I HAVE ACTUALLY USED MR. SY TERM, I HAVE DEDUCED FROM HIS DIALOGUE OVER THE HOUR.
RICE COME WITH IS HIS
OKAY? NOW I KNOW COUNCILMAN DO SAID, SAID A MILLION TIMES, I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU HOW TO DO YOUR JOB, BUT IF YOU KNOW THE, THE, THE, THE MAGIC THING SHARED WITH, OKAY, WHAT WE NEED STAFF TO DO WITHIN THE NEXT FOUR OR FIVE DAYS, IT'S COME UP WITH THIS CREATIVE ELEMENT THAT ACTUALLY GOES WITH THIS COMPROMISE.
AND NOW THE THIRD, THE VERY LAST, YOU KNOW, I'M A PREACHER, SO YOU GET THREE POINTS.
SO THE THIRD POINT THAT I HAVE DEDUCED OR I CAN DEDUCE FROM THIS DIALOGUE, I'VE LISTENED TO BOTH SIDES.
THERE IS A POSSIBILITY IN THE FUTURE OF SOME FORM OF DISCONTINUANCE OF THE FLOW OF WATER INTO ANY AREA OF PORT ARTHUR BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE WITH THOSE THREE THINGS IN MIND, OKAY? THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS ALL, WE ALL AGREE AND WE KNOW IT HAS TO BE REPAIRED, HAVE DO, SAID HE SAID IT.
WE NOT BROKE, WE GOT SOME MONEY SOMEWHERE.
SOMEBODY FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THE MONEY AND WE KEEP OUR A PLUS RATING YOU.
BUT NOW MS. K, YOU, YOU CAME HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AND, AND YOU AND EVERYBODY HAS SAID YOU KNOW YOUR STUFF.
SO PROVE IT TO ME BY COMING IN NEXT WEEK WITH HOW WE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.
AND THE THIRD THING AGAIN IS THIS.
WE ARE GOOD WITH THE COMPROMISE BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, DR.
TOOMEY, YOU HAVE BROUGHT TO US WHAT ACTUALLY HAS TO HAPPEN.
NOW MAYBE YOUR SUGGESTION ON ACTUALLY, UH, AND I'LL JUST USE THIS WORD FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, ATTACKING THAT, OKAY? IT IS NOT WHAT EVERYBODY ACTUALLY EMBRACES YET THEY KNOW THAT UH, THE ATTACK HAS TO COME, PLAY HAS TO TAKE PLACE, OKAY? BECAUSE OF THOSE THINGS RIGHT THERE, I'M GONNA DECLARE THIS MEETING ADJOURNED.
[03:15:02]
I HAVE ACTUALLY GIVEN TO YOU WHAT I THINK EACH OF YOU COULD ACTUALLY DECIPHER AND TAKE AWAY FROM THIS GATHERING OF THIS AUGUST BODY ON THIS VERY GOOD DAY OF OUR LORD.ON WHAT? THE DAY IS THE 17TH DAY OF THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER.
IN THE YEAR OF 2024, I DECLARED THIS AUGUST BODY ADJOINED.
YOU BRING YOUR OFF IN THE BILL.