[00:00:02]
ALL RIGHT, GOOD.[I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL]
GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND BEGIN OUR MEETING.
IT'S FIVE 30 RECORDING IN PROGRESS.
SO WE'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERY, WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 14TH, 2026 AT 5:30 PM YOU MAY JOIN US BY, UH, TELECONFERENCE AND VIDEO CONFERENCE.
YOU MAY DO SO BY DIALING 8 7 7 8 5 3 5 2 4 7, OR 8 8 8 7 8 8 0 0 9 9.
THEN ENTERING OUR MEETING ID OF 8 9 2 8 6 9 8 5 7 5 1.
AND OUR PASSCODE OF 3 2 3 5 3 5 3.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH OUR AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
YOU MAY JOIN, UH, BY CALLING 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE TO 4 0 9 9 8 3 8 1 1 5, WHICH IS OUR CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
AND WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU JOIN US, UM, AND MAKING SURE WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICAN DISABILITIES ACT.
AT THIS TIME, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL MUTE OUR CELL PHONES AND, OR TURN THEM OFF.
WE'LL NOW HAVE OUR INVOCATION, OUR PLEDGE, AND OUR ROLL CALL, AND WE WILL START WITH INVOCATION, WHICH WILL BE LED BY COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS.
LORD GOD, WE COME TO YOU AT THIS TIME JUST THANKING YOU FOR A NEW DAY, FILLED WITH NEW MERCIES AND NEW GRACE.
WE THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ALL OF US TO ARRIVE HERE SAFELY TO CARRY OUT THE BUSINESS OF YOUR PEOPLE IN YOUR GREAT CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
LORD, WE PRAY FOR, UH, EACH COUNCIL MEMBER SEATED HERE, AS WELL AS EACH MEMBER OF CITY STAFF AND ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE PRESENT.
LORD, WE PRAY THAT, UH, WE CAN CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THIS MEETING AND OF THIS CITY IN A WAY THAT IS PLEASING AND ACCEPTABLE TO YOU IN A WAY THAT IS DECENT AND IN ORDER, AND IN A WAY THAT, UM, A WAY THAT SHOWS THAT WE ARE UNIFIED AND WE ARE A TRUE COMMUNITY OF YOUR PEOPLE.
LORD, WE PRAY THAT YOU WATCH OVER EACH OF US.
WE PRAY THAT YOU CROWN ALL OF THE DECISION MAKING HEADS WITH WISDOM YES.
WE ASK FOR OUR HEDGES OF PROTECTION AROUND EACH OF US AND OUR FAMILIES, AROUND OUR PERSONAL, UH, HEALTH, OUR MENTAL HEALTH, OUR SPIRITUAL HEALTH, OUR PHYSICAL HEALTH.
AND THE CITY'S FINANCIAL HEALTH, LORD.
WE ASK THESE THINGS IN YOUR SON JESUS CHRIST'S NAME, AMEN.
THIS TIME I PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL CITY SECRETARY, TO ESTABLISH A QUORUM, PLEASE.
[II. WORKSHOP ]
THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO, UM, OUR WORKSHOP AND TO THOSE, UM, THOSE PRESENTING, WE MAY HAVE TO STOP, UM, TO GO ONTO OUR PUBLIC HEARING, UM, RIGHT AT 6:00 PM BUT WE MAY GO AHEAD AND, AND BEGIN OUR WORKSHOP FOR THE NEXT FEW MOMENTS SO WE DON'T WASTE ANY TIME.COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU THE OVERVIEW OF OUR FISCAL YEAR 2027 PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND IF YOU COULD HOLD QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
SO IF YOU DON'T MIND TAKING NOTES AS WE GO ALONG, AND LET ME GET THROUGH THIS.
I AM HOPING THAT THIS SHOULD BE DONE BEFORE OUR PUBLIC HEARING.
SO ONCE AGAIN, AS I'VE BEEN DOING OVER AND OVER IS JUST DEFINING FOR YOU THE TYPES OF FUNDS.
WE'RE GONNA GO OVER THE GENERAL FUND RIGHT NOW, AND WE'VE GOT SOME TAX RATE BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A CONFUSION ON THAT ONE.
THIS PRETTY MUCH STATES EXACTLY HOW I HAVE TO STATE IT TO YOU.
THE ONLY PLACE THAT I DON'T HAVE TO STATE TO YOU IS
[00:05:01]
THE LAST THREE BULLET POINTS, AND THAT IS THE DUE TO INCREASE IN PROPERTY VALUES.THERE'S A MINIMAL DECREASE 0.36% FOR THE CURRENT TAX RATE.
SO YOU SEE LAST YEAR'S TAX RATE IS 0.6 1 5 7 2 4.
AND JUST AT THE VERY BOTTOM, LETTING YOU KNOW THAT THIS METHOD IS NOT SUSTAINABLE WITH THE STATE'S RATE CAP.
I'VE GIVEN YOU A COMPARISON OF ASSESSED VALUE FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR, AND YOU CAN SEE THE PERCENTAGES THAT IT HAS INCREASED, INCREASED.
AND JUST A REMINDER THAT I CAN ONLY COLLECT UP TO 3.5% OF ALL OF THOSE LOVELY INCREASES WE HAVE IN OUR CITY.
THIS IS THE PROPOSED TAX RATE.
AND YOU WILL SEE THAT THE CALCULATED FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR, 26 TO 27, THEY ARE ALL DECREASES IN THERE.
AND YOU'LL SEE THE HOMESTEAD TAXABLE VALUE FOR SOMETHING THAT'S WORTH 144,000 AS AN EXAMPLE, TAXES WOULD'VE BEEN 8 87 IN FISCAL YEAR 26, AND IN FISCAL YEAR 27, IT WOULD GO DOWN TO 8 83.
I KNOW FOR THE EDIFICATION OF THE PUBLIC, UM, THERE IS SOME INFORMATION OUT THERE THAT THE CITY TAX RATE HAS INCREASED.
I, I THINK WE NEED TO PUT THAT IN VERY PLAIN LAYMAN'S LANGUAGE.
THE CITY'S TAX RATE HAS NOT INCREASED THE AMOUNT THAT WE HAVE COLLECTED FOR TAXES FROM POVERTY TAX.
WE HAVE SEEN A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE COLLECTED MM-HMM
BUT THE CITY TAX RATE ITSELF HAS NOT INCREASED.
IT WOULD REQUIRE AT LEAST A, AN ELECTION TO INCREASE THE TAX RATE.
SO THE CITY TAX RATE HAS NOT INCREASED.
THE REVENUE WE HAVE COLLECTED, INCREASED HAS INCREASED.
AND IT'S NOT ANYTHING SUBSTANTIAL.
THANK YOU FOR THE EXPLANATION.
UNDER THE REVENUE, EXCUSE ME, UNDER THE REVENUE, I DO PUT DOWN THAT WE HAVE A SLIGHT, UH, MODEST INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES.
THAT'S WHAT HAS TO BE REPORTED TO THE PUBLIC, THAT THERE'S A SLIGHT PROPERTY TAX REVENUE INCREASE.
AS AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION FROM LAST YEAR, INDUSTRIAL PAYMENTS ARE STEADY WITH NO SIGNIFICANT INCREASE.
SALES TAX IS STEADY GROSS RECEIPT TAXES.
PLEASE INDICATE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAST YEAR AND THESE USING SALES, SALES TAX.
JUST IF YOU HAVE THE YES, I DO.
SO LAST, SO RIGHT NOW I'VE GOT 14.57 MILLION IN SALES TAX CURRENTLY COLLECTED WITH STILL TWO MONTHS TO GO.
SO I'M STILL ANTICIPATING THAT WE WILL HAVE MORE THAN WE DID LAST YEAR.
AND THAT'S WHAT I MEAN BY STEADY.
WE HAVE A SLIGHT INCREASE, BUT NOT BY MUCH FROM THE, THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
SO EACH TIME I SAY STEADY, IT'S BECAUSE I CAN'T GIVE YOU ANYTHING THAT'S SIGNIFICANTLY MORE.
IT'S NOT 5% MORE, 10% MORE, 15% MORE.
AND THAT IS LESS THE AMOUNT THAT GOES TOWARDS THE EED C, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
THAT IS JUST, THAT IS CITY PORTION ONLY.
THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE EDC AT ALL.
WE'RE GETTING THE GROSS RECEIPTS, TAXES FOR UTILITIES AND NOT FRANCHISE WITH NO SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN THAT AS WELL.
AND THE REMAINDER OF GENERAL FUND REVENUE REFLECTS PROJECTED DECREASE DUE TO INVESTMENT INCOME THAT WAS LOWERED FROM PREVIOUS YEARS.
SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS TWO YEARS AGO WHEN THE INTEREST RATE WAS REALLY GREAT, IT WAS GETTING ABOUT 1.3 MILLION LAST YEAR GOT 805,000.
AND I'M HOPING THAT THIS YEAR I WILL HAVE RECEIVED MAYBE A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
SO MY DECREASE OF THE INTEREST HAS TO DO WITH ONE, HOW MUCH MONEY IS IN THERE.
AND TWO, THE RATE OF INTEREST.
AND AS WE KNOW SO FAR THIS YEAR, OUR RATE OF INTEREST CONTINUES TO GO DOWN, WHICH IS GOOD FOR THE CONSUMERS IN TERMS OF US COLLECTING FOR INTEREST RATE.
IT'S A, IT'S JUST DEFINITELY A BALANCING
[00:10:01]
ACT FOR THAT.SO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS A PROJECTED DECREASE BECAUSE OF THE INVESTMENT INCOME.
AND WE DO HAVE A DECREASED USE OF FUND BALANCE FOR FUND BALANCING IN THE GENERAL FUND.
I'VE LAID OUT THE MOST RECENT EXPENDITURES BY DEPARTMENT THAT YOU COULD SEE THE DIFFERENCES FROM LAST YEAR DID.
THIS YEAR, THE CITY MANAGER HAS PRESENTED TO COUNCIL A PROPOSALS BUDGET THAT IS BALANCED FOR THE HIGHLIGHTS FOR GENERAL FUND.
WE HAVE INCREASED AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL AND GENERAL FUND IN FINANCE AND IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, AND 3.5% FOR NON-CIVIL SERVICE SALARY ADJUSTMENTS, 1.5% COST OF LIVING.
THAT THAT BEGINS OCTOBER 1ST AND 2%, WHICH IS EMBEDDED IN THE BUDGET VIA THE STEP INCREASES APPROVED BY COUNSEL VIA ORDINANCE 25 0 6 2.
THE FINANCIAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS, GENERAL FUND MAINTAINS 60 DAYS OF OPERATING COSTS AS A FUND BALANCE, PLUS 1.5 MILLION, WHICH EQUATES TO 15.9 MILLION FOR A FISCAL YEAR 26, 27.
AND THE ESTIMATE THAT I HAVE TO DATE IS 22 MILLION.
THAT IS THE ESTIMATE THAT I'M GOING WITH FOR THE 26 27.
AS OF THIS DATE, IT'S ACTUALLY MORE TO 25 MILLION, BUT I'M GONNA DO THIS CONSERVATIVELY.
THE CITY MANAGER HAS PRESENTED TO YOU A BALANCED BUDGET.
THERE'S AN INCREASE OF TWO AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL AND WATER AND WASTEWATER AND PROPOSED INCREASE OF 7% AND 30 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE SUPPORTED BY THE 7% INCREASE FOR SOLID WASTE.
THE CITY MANAGER HAS PRESENTED TO COUNCIL A BALANCED BUDGET.
THE SOLID WASTE MASTER PLAN IS ANTICIPATED TO BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL BY THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
THIS YEAR, WE ARE SUBSIDIZING ANOTHER 2 MILLION IN ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS FROM SOLID WASTE.
THE PROPOSED INCREASE IS CURRENTLY FOR THE LANDFILL $3 AND 50 CENTS, ADDITIONALLY TO THE CURRENT AMOUNTS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL, WE'RE JUST ESTIMATING.
BUT THE PROJECTIONS WILL NOT BE FINALIZED UNTIL AFTER THE MASTER PLAN HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND REVIEWED BY COUNCIL.
THE 10 AND 15% IS NOT IN THE BUDGET FOR PLEASURE ISLAND.
THE CITY MANAGER HAS PRESENTED TO YOU A BALANCED BUDGET.
THE HIGHLIGHTS ARE THE PLEASURE.
ISLAND MASTER PLAN IS BUDGETED IN FISCAL YEAR 26, 27, AND THIS ONE IN THE INCREASE OF FEES WILL BE DETERMINED AT A LATER TIME.
IT IS NOT READY AT THIS TIME FOR THE SPECIAL FUNDS.
GREAT NEWS ON THE TURS RIGHT NOW.
IT LOOKS LIKE THE COLLECTIONS WON'T BE LESS THAN 200,000 EVERY YEAR FROM NOW ON.
SO THAT'S A REALLY, REALLY GOOD THING.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT'S GONNA COME OUT OF THE, THE TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE IN 27 WHEN I GET THAT IN JULY OF NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE THAT MOTIVA'S BUILDING WILL BE ONLINE THEN.
REMEMBER, WE'RE ALWAYS ABOUT TWO YEARS BEHIND.
I DID WANT TO TELL YOU THAT THE INTERNAL SERVICES BUDGET IS BALANCED.
HOWEVER, WE'RE NEGOTIATING INSURANCE PLAN RATES AND RELATED COSTS TO MINIMIZE EMPLOYEE ON EMPLOYEE BUDGET IMPACT.
ALL OTHER REVENUES ARE BALANCED WITH REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES, CAPITAL EXPENDITURES.
WHILE THIS IS DEFINITELY ALIVE AND STILL GOING
THIS IS WHERE WE ARE STANDING WITH THE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES BY DEPARTMENT.
YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH WE ARE SPENDING ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH, ESPECIALLY IN THE WASTE IN WASTEWATER TOTAL, AND ALSO ON THE STREETS AS OUR HIGHEST TOTALS OF EXPENDITURES IN CAPITAL.
THE NEXT PAGE JUST SHOWS IT TO YOU BY FUND.
THE GOLF COURSE IS ONLY 174,631, NOT THE 16 MILLION MILLION THAT WAS ACTUALLY ENCAPSULATED IN DRAINAGE PARTS IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
THAT WAS JUST A MIS WORDING ON OUR PART.
[00:15:01]
JUST WHERE THE DRAINAGE IS GOING TO OCCUR, IS THERE, BUT IT, IT ISN'T A GOLF COURSE IN IMPROVEMENT.IT'S ACTUALLY A DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT AT THE GOLF COURSE.
SO WE DID STRAIGHTEN THAT LANGUAGE UP BETWEEN LAST TIME AND NOW FEES.
I REALIZE I'M GOING REALLY FAST, SO IF YOU NEED ME TO SLOW DOWN, PLEASE SAY PLEASE DO.
FOR THE FEES, THE CITY IS EXAMINING ITS FEE STRUCTURE, ORGANIZATION WIDE DOCUMENTS WILL BE RENDERING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY MANAGER, WHICH WILL INCLUDE COST AND SERVICE IMPACT.
THE ONLY FEES THAT ARE IN THIS BUDGET ARE RECOMMENDED FOR CHANGE WATER AND WASTEWATER AT 7% LANDFILL.
JUST THE ADDITIONAL $3 AND 50 CENTS FOR WASTE MEASURED IN CUBIC YARDS AND FOR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
THE SCHEDULE IS ON THE NEXT PAGE.
THOSE ARE THE ONLY INCREASES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THIS YEAR'S PROPOSED BUDGET.
NO OTHER INCREASE IN ANY OTHER FEES AT THIS TIME.
BUT MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WE, WHAT WE WILL DO, I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE FINANCIAL DIRECTOR AND WITH THE VARIOUS HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS TO SEE WHETHER THERE IS ANY NEED, ANY NEED FOR INCREASING FEES.
BECAUSE WE ARE LOOKING AT SERVICES LIKE THE LIBRARY AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHERE WE PROVIDE A SERVICE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE IN NEED.
AND IN TERM, REALLY, IT HAS TO BE LOOKED AT VERY CLOSELY WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO INCREASE THE FEES ON THESE PEOPLE, THE KIDS WHO COME TO THE LIBRARY WHO MAY HAVE LOST A BOOK, YOU KNOW, FOR A DOLLAR OR TWO.
YOU KNOW, UM, I'M TRYING TO SHIFT THAT BURDEN TO AREAS, TO THE DEVELOPERS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING IN HERE AND, UM, LOOK AT IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MONEY, NOT TO SUBSIDIZE THE OTHER SERVICES THAT WE ARE DOING, BUT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE OTHER SERVICES THAT WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE, LIKE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THE LIBRARY DEPARTMENT, REMAIN SUSTAINABLE FOR THE FUTURE.
FOR US, THE PLAN FOR THE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, THE PROPOSAL IS AS FOLLOWS.
FIRST, WE ARE NOT TO, TO EXCEED 50 MILLION AND THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAVE IS 15 MILLION FOR STREETS.
THE 30 MILLION WATER AND WASTEWATER, AGAIN SUPPORTED BY THE 7% RATE INCREASE AND THE 5 MILLION SOLID WASTE FOR THEIR LANDFILL EX EXPANSION.
THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE THUS FAR PER THE PROPOSED CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION OF THE $15 MILLION.
SO TO RECAP AND CONCLUDE, ALL FUNDS IN THE BUDGET ARE, AS PRESENTED, ARE BALANCED.
WE ANTICIPATE A POSITIVE DIRECTION GOING INTO 26 27.
PROPERTY DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN PORT ARTHUR THAT HAVE OCCURRED OR WILL FINISH THIS YEAR, WILL BE CAPTURED IN NEXT YEAR, NOT THE ONE FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, 27.
STAFF WOULD CLOSELY MONITOR LEGISLATIVE AND ECONOMIC FACTORS IMPACTING PROJECTED REVENUE CAPITAL, PROJE PROJECTS, ADDRESSING PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS AND QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENT POINT TOWARD PORT ARTHUR'S BRIGHTER FUTURE IN FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 20 27, THE BUDGET ALIGNS WITH THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED STRATEGIC PLAN.
THEN I THINK WE NEED TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I THINK WE NEED TO PROVIDE SOME CLARIFICATION ON SOLID WASTE LANDFILL EXPANSION.
UM, THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE, OUR PRESENT NEGOTIATIONS, UM, THAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW FOR ACCOMMODATING WASTE THAT WE ARE NOT PRESENTLY ACCEPTING.
UM, SEEING THAT THE SALE THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY USING WILL END ITS USEFUL LIFE IN THE NEW FINANCIAL LEAVE.
UM, IT WILL COST US ABOUT $5 MILLION TO CREATE THAT NEW SALE THAT WE NEED TO USE.
AND SO WE ARE BUDGETING FOR IT, UM, IN THIS BUDGET.
WE HAVE DONE PRELIMINARY WORK.
UM, PART OF THE ENGINEERING HAS BEEN DONE.
UM, BUT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED FOR
[00:20:03]
WHEN THE CURRENT SALE HAS ENDED.ITS, ITS, ITS CURRENT LIFE SO THAT THERE WILL BE CONTINUITY IN THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE AT THE LANDFILL.
SO THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT WE ARE NEGOTIATING RIGHT NOW.
IT'S JUST FOR CONTINUITY OF SERVICE.
WE HAVE ABOUT 10 MORE MINUTES BEFORE WE GO INTO A PUBLIC HEARING.
ARE YOU DONE, LYNN? YOU'RE DONE.
SO I HAVE A FEW LIGHTS, UM, CITY MANAGER.
ARE YOU, ARE YOU DONE? YEAH, I'M DONE.
I'M GONNA TAKE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I WANT TO BEGIN, MY FIRST QUESTION IS THAT I WANT TO ASK WHERE YOU TALKED ABOUT FEES, AND I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, INCREASE OTHER FEES, BUT HAVE WE DONE A FEE? HAVE WE LOOKED AT THE, THE FEES IN THEIR TOTALITY FROM THE PARTICULAR STANDPOINT OF LIKE PIPELINE FEES IF SOMEONE IS COMING IN WANTING TO DO IT, UM, TO PUT IN A NEW PIPELINE? I THINK WE'VE STAYED, WE'VE KEPT THAT FEE THE SAME FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS OR SO.
WHY WOULDN'T WE BE INCREASING THAT FEE? YEAH.
UM, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, COUNCILMAN FRANK.
YES, WE ARE LOOKING AT THOSE PRESENTLY, THE CITY O ATTORNEY AND MYSELF, ALL OF THE FEES, AND IT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT COMPLICATED.
ALL OF THE FEES THAT WE CHARGED AS A MUNICIPALITY NOW IS NOT GOVERNED BY ONE ORDINANCE OR ONE PIECE OF REGULATION.
AND SO WE HAVE TO TAKE THOSE SEPARATELY.
UM, AS YOU SEE, THE FEES FOR THE, UM, UTILITIES DEPARTMENT IS BEING GOVERNED BY AN ORDINANCE, WHICH IS SEPARATE FROM THE PIPELINE FEES.
AND SO WHAT WE ARE DOING, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE STRUCTURE OF OUR, THE ENTIRETY OF THE PIPELINE COMMITTEE AND THE FEES THAT WE CHARGE.
SO WE WILL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL, UM, IN ORDER TO CHANGE THOSE OTHER FEES.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT PIECES, AS I SAID, IT'S EITHER BY ORDINANCE OR BY RESOLUTION.
BUT WHAT I WANT TO DO, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THOSE ARE BEING HARMONIZED AS WE COME TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE IN MY PAST BUDGETS IN OTHER PLACES, WE ALWAYS ADOPT THE FEE SCHEDULE WITH THE BUDGET.
IN THIS ONE, IT'S A LITTLE BIT, THAT'S THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE CHANGED THE FEES SINCE FOR THE 18 YEARS THAT I'M HERE
SO WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ACCOMMODATE EACH DEPARTMENT AS WE GO ALONG.
UM, AND AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR A PERMIT FEE, UM, A REZO IN, WE CHARGE ABOUT $125, WHICH, AND WHICH DOESN'T EVEN COVER THE COST OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COST.
OR EVEN THE COST OF PUBLICATION, YOU KNOW, UM, AND SO WE'RE INCREASING THAT SIGNIFICANTLY.
BUT WE'LL, WE, WE'LL DEFINITELY LOOK AT THE OTHERS AND WHERE IT, I, I, I, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT, AND I HOPE THAT COUNCIL AGREES WITH ME WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD IN TERMS OF PROVIDING SERVICES TO OUR KIDS AND IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND IN THE LIBRARY, THAT WE WILL LOOK AT THOSE TO SEE WHERE WE CAN COVER FOR THOSE FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS INSTEAD OF INCREASING THOSE FEES IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
BOSWELL AS WELL, YOU ASKED THE QUESTION, UM, YOU, NO, YOU MADE A STATEMENT THAT WE WOULD INCREASE IN REVENUE $1.5 MILLION, UM, WITHOUT THE PROPERTY.
WHERE, WHERE SPECIFICALLY DID THAT $1.5 MILLION COME FROM? THE 1.77 MILLION COMES FROM THE FORMULA THAT THE COUNTY PREPARES FOR US IN OUR ASSESSMENTS.
AND THEY LET US KNOW IN OUR PUBLIC HEARING, THIS IS HOW MUCH MORE YOU'RE GOING TO RECEIVE.
THIS IS YOUR PERCENTAGE INCREASE AND THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE REQUIRED TO PUBLISH.
AND THEY'RE COMING FROM THE PROPERTY TAXES WITH ALL THE EXEMPTIONS AND ALL THE CAPS AND ALL OF THE FREEZES AND ANY OTHER EXEMPTIONS.
THE NET TOTAL THAT WE WILL RECEIVE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR IS 1.77 MILLION.
UH, MAYOR PRO, TIM KINLAW, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR.
UH, COUNCILMAN FRANK WAS GOING WHERE I WANTED TO GO WITH THIS CITY MANAGER AS FAR AS FEES, UH, YOU MENTIONED EARLIER I WROTE IT DOWN, UH, DEVELOPMENTAL, UH, SERVICES FEES, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN LIKE THAT FOR A LONG TIME SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL.
AND UH, I'M JUST KIND OF WONDERING WHY WE HADN'T REALLY, REALLY ATTACKED THAT, UH, WITH AN ANALYSIS TO FIGURE OUT WHERE CAN WE INJECT THOSE FEES UP FOR PEOPLE THAT WANT TO DEVELOP IN FORT ARTHUR, BECAUSE THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE IT'S
[00:25:01]
CHEAP TO COME TO PORT ARTHUR AND BILL, I'M GONNA BE HONEST WITH YOU AND OTHER CITIES, YOU KNOW, THEY TACK IT ON IN THE FRONT AND THEN WHEN THEY DO THAT, THEY UNDERSTAND THAT IF YOU WANNA DEVELOP HERE, I MEAN JUST, YOU GOTTA PAY TO DEVELOP HERE AND I, WE WANT YOU HERE.UH, SO I REALLY HOPE THAT, AND I HOPE, YOU KNOW, I WISH AND PRAY THAT WE WOULD'VE DONE IT, THIS BUDGET TO DO SOME TYPE OF QUALITY ANALYSIS THAT WOULD ADDRESS FEES OTHER THAN PASSING IT ON TO THE CITIZENS.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST THING WE ALWAYS LOOK AT IS TRYING TO TACK IT ON TO THE CITIZENS.
I JUST HOPE THAT WE LOOK AT SOMETHING IN THE NEAR FUTURE ABOUT THAT.
UH, NEXT THING I WANTED TO ALSO TALK ABOUT THE COMMERCIAL.
YOU TALKED BRIEFLY ABOUT IT COMMERCIAL PICKUPS.
YOU KNOW, WE ARE VERY LOW WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PICKING UP GARBAGE FOR COMMERCIAL.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST UNFORTUNATE PEOPLE KNOW THEY GOTTA SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT AND, AND TIME THAT THEY GET PICKED UP.
BUT I THINK WE CAN ALSO LOOK AT THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COMMERCIAL PICKUP, THE P WHAT WE CHARGE COMMERCIAL TO PICK UP THEIR GARBAGE AND TRASH.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS I HOPE WE WOULD LOOK FOR.
BUT YOU ALSO MENTIONED SOMETHING, YOU, THE LANDFILL EXPANSION, YOU SAID FIVE MIL AND IT'S NOT WITH NEGOTIATION OF WHAT THIS CURRENT DEAL THAT WE ARE DOING.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? SO I CAN GET MORE CLARITY BEFORE I SAY SOMETHING? THERE IS, THERE IS AN, THE, THE EXISTING SALE THAT WE ARE USING AS AS, UM, IT'S USEFUL.
AND THEN, SO WE'VE GOT TO PLAN FOR A NEW SALE, UM, TO CONTINUE TO, UM, ACCOMMODATE THE TRASH THAT WE CURRENTLY ACCOMMODATE AT THE LANDFILL.
BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF ACREAGE OUT THERE.
I MEAN WE'RE NOT IN NO, NO, NO, NO.
MAKE MAKE SURE YOU SAY THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE MAY THINK THAT WE'RE RUNNING OUT PRETTY SOON.
SO, UM, IN ORDER TO TAKE REFUGE INTO THE LANDFILL, A A AN AREA HAS TO BE PREPARED AND ALIGNED, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT, THE INTAKE OF THAT REFUSE.
UM, AND IT REQUIRES A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND STUDIES, YOU KNOW, AND, AND LINING AND, AND, AND ENGINEERING OF IT.
AND, UM, WE HAVE ALWAYS WORKED FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS, WE HAVE WORKED WITH OUR COMPANY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY PROVIDE THOSE ENGINEERING STUDIES FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH TCQ AND ALL THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS THAT WE, UH, NEED TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH IN ORDER TO TAKE THE REFUGE INTO THE LANDFILL.
AND SO, UM, IN ORDER TO DO THAT, IT, IT TAKES MORE THAN A YEAR OR SO, UM, TO PREPARE THAT AREA BECAUSE WE HAVE OVER IN EXCESS OF 200 ACRES OF LAND OUT THERE, WE HAVE MORE LAND THAN WE'LL EVER USE.
WE HAVE ABOUT A HUNDRED YEARS LEFT IN THE LANDFILL AND OF IN LIFE, UM, LEFT IN OUR LANDFILL.
SO WE ARE WORKING RIGHT NOW THAT $5 MILLION IS TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE ENGINEERING FIRM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PREPARE.
UM, THE EXISTING SALES LIFE WILL NOT COME TO AN END, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS OR EIGHT MONTHS OR SO.
BUT WE ARE PLANNING AHEAD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PREPARED, YOU KNOW, IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE, WE ARE ON NEGOTIATIONS, UM, UM, TO BRING IN MORE REVENUES TO THE LANDFILL.
WE ARE STILL WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE CONTINUE TO ACCEPT, UM, THE REFUSE THAT WE CONTINUE TO TAKE INTO THE LANDFILL AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
UM, AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU BROUGHT UP THIS, UM, ABOUT REVENUES AND PASSING REVENUES TO, TO THE DEVELOPER AND THERE'S A CRITICAL COUNCIL WORKED WITH US, WORKED WITH, UM, STAFF TO DEVELOP THE IMPACT FEES ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE TO PASS ON.
AND MS. LANGFORD HERE IS WORKING WITH HER DEPARTMENT FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE IMPACT FEES.
I'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS, I'VE VISITED BAYTOWN, I'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE, UM, CITY MANAGER IN BAYTOWN.
UM, AND WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK TO SEE HOW WE PASS ON THOSE FEES FOR OUR STREETS AND FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE PASS IT ON TO THE DEVELOPER AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, UM, BUT THERE'S A CERTAIN STRUCTURE THAT HAS TO BE PUT IN PLACE AND THERE'S A CERTAIN COMMITTEE THAT HAS TO BE PUT IN PLACE WITH CERTAIN, UM, TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS.
UM, THE COMMITTEE HAS TO BE STAFFED WITH INDIVIDUALS WITH CERTAIN TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS, UM, AND EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, UM, ENGINEERS AND WHAT HAVE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU, ARCHITECTS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
AND SO WE, WE, UH, WHAT WE ARE DOING ON THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SIDE IS MAKING SURE THAT WE PUT THOSE REQUIREMENTS IN PLACE BECAUSE THE STATE ACTUALLY DICTATES HOW WE GO ABOUT THOSE.
IT'S NOT ONLY THE ORDINANCE THAT WE, UM, HAVE PASSED, BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN STATE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE'VE GOT TO MEET.
IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THOSE CITY MANAGER HAVE TO CUT YOU OFF RIGHT HERE.
WE HAVE TO GO INTO OUR PUBLIC HEARING,
[00:30:01]
COME BACK, WE HAVE A FEW MORE LIGHTS.UM, YOU GUYS WILL JUST KEEP YOUR LIGHTS ON.
[III. PUBLIC HEARINGS ]
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO THE ITEM NUMBER THREE, PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:00 PM AND THIS IS TO RECEIVE AND CONSIDER PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM ALL INTERESTED CITIZENS WITH REGARD TO THE BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND THE PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2026 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2027.A COPY OF A SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGETS FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AND THE PORT ARTHUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION 2026.
2027 FISCAL YEAR IS ATTACHED HERE TOO AND MADE A PART HEREOF AS EXHIBIT A.
CITIZENS SHALL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE WRITTEN AND ORAL COMMENTS AND TO ASK QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE BUDGETS.
THE PUBLIC WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO VIEW THE PUBLIC HEARING VIA THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
NOW, AT THIS TIME, I THINK OUR VIEW, UM, IS NOT AVAILABLE.
UM, OUR IT PERSON IS HERE TRYING TO GET THE, THE AUDIO IS WORKING ON OUR, UM, LIVE VIEW, BUT THE ACTUAL, UM, TO VIEW IT VIDEO IS NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME.
SO WE'RE HAVING SOME TECHNICAL ISSUES.
SO ZOOM IS WORKING, I'M SORRY, ZOOM IS WORKING.
ZOOM IS WORKING RIGHT? ZOOM IS, BUT NOT THE WEBSITE.
THAT WHAT I JUST ANNOUNCED THE WEBSITE SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I CORRECTED THAT AFTER WE GOT, UM, THAT AFTER YOUR NOTIFICATION.
SO WE SEE SECRETARY, UM, OUR TIME PER PERSON.
DO YOU HAVE THAT OR? OH, THEY DON'T HAVE A TIME LIMIT FOR, UM, PUBLIC HEARING.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
SO AT THIS TIME IF THERE'S ANYONE LIKE TO SPEAK, I'M SORRY, CITY OF MANAGER.
HEARING FROM THE COUNCIL THAT THE EDC WILL NOT HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE HERE TONIGHT, UM, SINCE THEY'RE HAVING AN EXECUTIVE MEETING MEETING, I JUST INFORMED ABOUT THAT MEETING NOW.
MM-HMM
SO IF WE HAVE ANY, ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WOULD LIKE TO COME TO THE MIC AND SPEAK TO OUR BUDGET, THEY WE MAY DO SO OR GET IN LINE AND OKAY.
MR. DOUCETTE, YOU JUST, IS IT, IT'S ALL GOOD.
EVENING HAROLD DUKE AT 51 80 CANYON STREET, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
I WAS GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET AND I'VE ATTENDED ALL BUDGET WORKSHOPS.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, LIKE CLARIFICATION OF ANSWERS TO.
UH, WANT THE FIRST AND FOREMOST BEING STRAIGHTS IN THE BUDGET.
THE BUDGET IS SUPPOSED TO CONTAIN ALL OF THE PROJECTED EXPENDITURES FOR THE NEXT COMING YEAR.
AND HOW MUCH WE PUT IN THE BUDGET FOR STRAIGHTS SHOULD INCLUDE ALL STREETS AND THE FUNDS.
SO BASICALLY WHAT I'M SAYING WHEN I LOOK AT THIS ONE, I SEE SOME STREETS AND AFTER SERVING THREE YEARS ON COUNCIL, NEVER HAD PRESENTED A LIST OF STREETS, ALL OF THEM THAT HAD BEEN SELECTED IN THE PAST AND PRESENT WITH THE STRAIT AND AMOUNT OF MONEY AND THAT SUM OF MONEY COMING TO HOW MUCH IS ACTUALLY ALLOCATED FOR STREETS FOR THAT PHYSICAL YEAR.
YOU KNOW, WE KEEP GETTING FUNDS BUT IT'S HARD TO TRACK IT BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T DO IT THAT WAY, THERE'S NO WAY TO TRACK THE MONEY.
I'VE SAID IT FOR THREE YEARS ON CANCEL.
I VOTED AGAINST THE BUDGET FOR THAT REASON.
WE HAVE TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE, HOW MUCH MONEY HAS BEEN ALREADY APPROPRIATED AND BE ABLE TO TRACK THAT.
BECAUSE WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AND CONTINUE TO DO IS PUT MONEY INTO THE STREET FUNDS, BREAK ALL THIS DOWN, AND THEN WHEN IT COME TIME DURING THE YEAR, WE ARE SPENDING MONEY AND WE ARE USING THE STREET FUNDS FOR IT.
BUT WHEN WE ACTUALLY APPROVED THIS BUDGET, THAT WASN'T ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WAS LISTED TO BE BUDGETED IN THAT FIRM.
[00:35:01]
YOU KNOW, WHEN I ASKED A QUESTION A FEW MEDIUMS AGO, I SAID, YOU WENT OVER FOUR 14.2 MILLION FOR WOODWORK AND THE QUESTION WAS ANSWERED THAT IT WAS MONEY APPROPRIATED.MONEY IS NEVER APPROPRIATED TO IN THIS CITY WITHOUT COUNCIL APPROVAL, NO MONEY, NOBODY CAN APPROPRIATE MONEY WITHOUT COUNCIL APPROVAL.
AND THAT'S ALWAYS DONE IN A FORM OF A RESOLUTION.
SO WHEN THE RESOLUTION SAYS YOU ONLY HAVE 14.2 MILLION IN THE UH, BUDGET.
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE IT, WE HAVE TO HAVE IT WHERE IT'S TRANSPARENT.
A LOT OF TIME PEOPLE ASSUME THINGS WRONG MIGHT NOT BE WRONG.
BUT IF IT'S TRANSPARENT, THEN WE CAN ALL GET ON THE SAME BOARD AND WE COULD FOLLOW WHAT THE MONEY'S SPENT ON.
THAT WAS ONE THING THAT I COULD NOT FIND TO KIND OF COMPARE AND SEE BECAUSE I HAVE TRACKED THINGS THAT WE ARE SPENDING MONEY OUT OF STREET FUNDS.
THAT DEFINITELY WASN'T AN ALIGNED ITEM A SUDDEN.
I'LL ADDRESS THOSE AT ANOTHER TIME.
THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT I WAS TALKED ABOUT.
NOW HERE WE GOING TO HAVE X AMOUNT OF POSITIONS, NEW POSITIONS THIS YEAR.
SO THE OTHER ONES WE ARE RECLASSIFYING.
WELL I WENT THROUGH THAT WHILE ON COUNCIL WITH THE FINANCE DIRECTOR, DR.
WHICH WHEN I PULL OUT THE DOCUMENTATION, IT SAID THIS IS THE TIME WHEN ALL THAT HAPPENED.
THEY SUPPOSED TO START LOOKING AROUND THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, DETERMINE WHAT POSITIONS THEY WANT, WHAT POSITION THEY WANT TO RECLASSIFY.
AND WHEN THEY BRING IT TO COUNCIL, THEY SUPPOSED TO IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN THOSE.
'CAUSE WHEN THEY EXPLAIN 'EM TO YOU, THEY EXPLAIN 'EM TO ALL OF US WHO'S LISTENING.
RIGHT NOW THE NUMBER OF NEW POSITIONS, I THINK YOU SAID NINE THEN THERE SHOULD BE 11.
SEVEN IN GENERAL AND TWO IN WATER AND WASTEWATER FUND.
HOW MANY TOTAL? HOW MANY IN TOTAL? NINE TOTAL.
I LOOKED AT THE, AT THE UH, PRINTOUT YOU HAD AND I COULDN'T READ IT.
SO YOU CAN HELP ME RIGHT NOW FOR THIS YEAR.
I DON'T SEE THE PROPOSED NUMBERS.
ALL I SEE IN THE PROPOSED COLUMN IS IF YOU ADDED ONE.
AM I CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
THE RECLASSIFICATIONS MAY NOT BE REFLECTED IN THE PROPOSED 26 27 BECAUSE THEY DO NOT ADD ANY OTHER PERSONNEL.
WHAT WAS IT? SAY AGAIN? THE PROPOSED 26, 27 ARE ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL.
OKAY, I COUNTED 11, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.
I, I'M, I'M COUNTING THAT PROPOSED COLUMN.
WHY AM I COUNTING MORE THAN NINE? IT'S VERY POSSIBLE THAT WE HAD IT RECLASSED AND WE NEED TO TAKE THOSE OUT SO THE FINAL WILL HAVE THE ACCURATE NUMBERS FOR THE PROPOSED, BUT THE NUMBERS THAT I'VE BEEN PRESENTING TO COUNSEL HAS BEEN CONSISTENT.
SO THERE'S ONLY TWO ADDITIONS WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE ENTERPRISE.
ONE THEY HAD A LOT OF RECLASS SO WE GOT THAT ONE FIGURED OUT.
SO THERE'S ONLY TWO ADDITIONS IN THE WATER IN WASTEWATER AND THERE'S ONLY SEVEN IN GENERAL FUND AS ADDITIONS.
THERE MAY BE RECLASS IN BETWEEN BUT NO ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL.
OKAY, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
YOU KNOW HOW CANCER'S GOING TO APPROVE IT.
BUT WHEN THE CANCER JUST SAY OKAY AND WE
[00:40:01]
IN A CRUNCH RIGHT NOW WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INCREASING PHASE, IT'S ALSO TIME TO LOOK AT IS THAT POSITION THAT WAS RECLASSIFIED? DO WE REALLY HAVE TO DO IT? SURE.BUT I SAID IN ALL THE WORKSHOPS, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY JUSTIFICATION.
MAYBE IT'S GOOD FOR YOU TO SAY, YOU ALL SAY WE NEED TO POSITION, OKAY, Y'ALL GOT IT.
BUT WHEN WE AS CITIZENS LOOKING AT EVERYBODY AROUND US, FREEZING POSITIONS LOOKING FOR CUTS AND WE ADDING POSITIONS BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT IT WILL.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET BETTER WITH THAT.
AND ON THE LAST NOTE THAT I HAVE HERE IN THE GLOSSARY, IN THE BUDGET, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT GLOSSARY AND YOU LOOK AT THE UH, FINANCIAL POLICY, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF THINGS THAT MAYBE IF YOU READ IT, YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE BUDGET, THAT QUESTION BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY TELLS YOU THE PROCESS AND PROCEDURE.
FOR EXAMPLES, NEW BUILDINGS, YOU GOT A NEW FIRE STATION THAT SAYS BASICALLY IN THE POLICY, IN THE PROCEDURE SAYS THAT NEW FACILITY BEFORE YOU VOTE, YOU SHOULD HAVE PLEA COSTS, EQUIPPING STAFFING IF NECESSARY AND AN ANNUAL COSTS BEFORE YOU VOTE.
THAT'S NOT ME, THAT'S WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET ON THE FINANCIAL POLICIES AND STUFF.
AND THE LAST THING, APPROPRIATION THAT'S WRITTEN ALSO IN THE GLOSSARY IN YOUR BUDGET, I'M GONNA READ THIS VERBATIM.
FOR THE CITIZENS APPROPRIATION AND AUTHORIZATION GRANTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, WHICH PERMITS OFFICIALS TO INCUR OBLIGATION AGAINST IT TO MAKE EXPENDITURES OF GOVERNMENT RESOURCES APPROACH APPROPRIATION ARE USUALLY MADE FOR FIXED AMOUNTS AND ARE TYPICALLY GRANTED FOR A ONE YEAR PERIOD, MEANING THE BUDGET.
OKAY? SO, UM, WHEN I HEAR COMMENTS, LIKE I STATED BEFORE, WHEN YOU RECEIVE CERTIFICATES OBLIGATION MONEY, YOU COULD USE IT FOR ANY PURPOSE THAT YOU CHOOSE.
AND I'M ALWAYS, I HEAR, I PUT OUT MISINFORMATION.
I READ AND I PUT OUT THE RIGHT INFORMATION, BUT I DON'T TELL PEOPLE, LISTEN TO ME.
MY MOUTH IS NOT A BIBLE OR I CAN MAKE A MISTAKE LIKE ANYBODY.
BUT I ENCOURAGE COUNSEL TO READ ALL THESE FINANCIAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN THIS BUDGET AND GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE BUDGET AND HOW WE DO BUSINESS AND YOU'LL FIND THERE'S A LOT NEEDED TO BE DONE.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MR. DOUCETTE.
6 6 2 5 JADE AVENUE FOR ARTHUR, TEXAS.
IN PAGE NUMBER NINE, THE, THE FORM THAT WE ARE WORKING TONIGHT, IT IS THE LAST ITEM, NO DEPARTMENTAL $8,848,500.
WHAT EXACTLY IS THAT? CAN SOMEONE GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT IS THIS MILL 8 MILLION GOING TO ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET? PAGE 44, IT SHOWS WHAT THE 8,000,004 EIGHT MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED EIGHT MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED FORTY EIGHT THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED.
THOSE ARE TRANSFERS TO OTHER FUNDS.
ALL OF THOSE ARE TRANSFERS TO OTHER FUNDS.
SO WE'LL GO TO OUR GENERAL LIABILITY.
THE EDC LEASE THAT WE HAVE, IT GOES TO THE GOLF COURSE, THE TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO PAY.
THE PORTION THAT GOES TO THE CAPITAL RESERVE FUND FOR EQUIPMENT AND THE CAPITAL RESERVE FUND FOR STREETS.
THOSE ARE ALL OF THE TRANSFERS FOR THE NON-DEPARTMENTAL.
OKAY, IN PAGE 20, THE LAST ITEM TO CAPITAL RESERVE
[00:45:01]
CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN A LITTLE MORE? WHAT ARE THE KIND EQUIPMENT OR WHAT DEPARTMENT IS GOING, WHAT EXACTLY WE PAYING WITH $20 MILLION? YES.
IN OUR PROPOSED BUDGET TO JUSTIFY THE $12 MILLION, THE $12 MILLION WILL GO TO ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTAL EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES.
WHETHER THAT BE WE BUY THEM OUTRIGHT OR THE LEASE VEHICLES THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PAY THE PRINCIPAL ON TO ORDER THE DEPARTMENTS, YES TO EVERY DEPARTMENT.
SO WE COULD HAVE PUBLIC WORK, DRAINAGE, WATER AND SEWERS, UTILITIES, PARKS AND WRECKS OF FIRE.
FIELD WORKSHOPS AGO WE RECEIVED THIS INFORMATION TO FROM THE CITY ON THE EXACTLY IT WAS WATER AND SEWER FUND WITH THE UH, IN THIS TIME THE NUMBERS WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WITH WHATEVER IT IS RIGHT NOW AT THIS TIME WE HAVE THE REVENUE FOR 44 MILLION AND THE EXPENSES FOR 32 MILLIONS.
BUT ACTUALLY IN THE BUDGET IS DIFFERENT INFORMATION.
WE HAVE THE TOTAL AMOUNT NOW ON REVENUE ON THE SAME WATER AND SEWER FUND FOR $52 MILLION.
BUT IT IS THE SAME IN OPERATION AND EXPENSES.
THE ONLY THING THEY CHANGE AGAIN IS THE TRANSFER.
ALL THIS ALMOST $20 MILLION TO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND ESPECIALLY IT'S A BIG TRANSFER IN ONE OF THEM.
IT IS A $5 MILLION MORE THAN JUST FEW MONTHS AGO.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMEONE CAN EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT IS THE DEBT SERVICE BECAUSE IT WENT THROUGH FROM $5 MILLION, IT WAS CLEAR EXACTLY WHAT WE PAYING FOR TO 10,000,500.
THE DEBT SERVICE FUND WOULD'VE INCLUDED, AT LEAST FOR THIS NEXT YEAR.
WE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB OF BEING ABLE TO DELAY UNTIL WE COULD GET ALL OF THE REVENUE.
BUT IT WOULD'VE INCLUDED THE 30 MILLION THAT WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR.
IT NOW INCLUDES THE 10 MILLION FOR THE WATER METERS.
IT INCLUDES THE 16 MINUS FOUR METER OR 4 MILLION THAT WE GOT GRANT FROM THE TWDB, WHICH IS A TOTAL OF 12 MILLION THAT WE WOULD OWE THE APPORTIONMENT OF THAT.
AND THEN WE GOT ANOTHER GRANT WHICH THEN COMMITTED ANOTHER 2 MILLION FOR US, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PAY THE DEBTS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
SO THOSE ARE ALL OF THE DEBT SERVICES THAT WE WOULD OWE.
AND IT WOULD NEED TO ALSO INCLUDE THE 30 MILLION FOR 2027.
PROBABLY THE INTEREST ONLY ON THAT.
SO THAT IS WHY THAT HAS BALLOONED SO MUCH SO THAT WE CAN GET ALL OF THE CAPITAL PROJECTS DONE.
ALL THESE DEBTS ARE FOR SEWER AND WATER? YES MA'AM.
HOW MUCH MONEY WE ACTUALLY PUT TO REPLACE PIPES.
HOW MUCH EXACTLY AMOUNT WE PUT INTO REPLACE LINES THAT EVERYBODY NEED TO BE REPLACED.
ABOUT 30 MILLION WE ARE PUTTING IN AND IT INCLUDES EMERGENCIES UP TO 30 MILLION.
UH, THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT, UH, HAS A BREAKDOWN FOR THE 30.
YOU CAN HOLD THE MIC A LITTLE BIT CLOSER.
THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT HAVE A BREAKDOWN FOR THE $30 MILLION THAT WE RECEIVED THIS YEAR, AS WELL AS THE $30 MILLION WE ARE FIXING TO RECEIVE.
THE $16 MILLION THAT LYNN SPOKE ABOUT THAT HAS $4 MILLION OF, UH, NON-REIMBURSABLE DEBT IS ALL FOR WATER LINES.
THAT WILL BE REPLACED STARTING THIS BUDGET YEAR.
THIS COMING BUDGET YEAR ALSO INCLUDES $3 MILLION FOR SANITARY SEWER PIPE REPLACEMENT.
BUT WE GOTTA UNDERSTAND MORE IMPORTANTLY THAN JUST THE PIPE IS THE SANITARY SEWER LIFT STATIONS THAT TREATMENT FACILITIES THAT ALSO NEED TO BE REPLACED.
BECAUSE IF WE REPLACE ONLY THE PIPES, BUT THE WASTEWATER PUMP STATIONS CANNOT HANDLE THE FLOW, REPLACING THE PIPES ALONE DOES NOT DO US ANY GOOD.
SO WE HAVE MULTIPLE SANITARY SEWER LIFT STATIONS ALSO ON THE LIST OF THE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WE WILL BE DOING WITH THIS FUNDING.
[00:50:01]
WE, WE DO HAVE A LIST OF EVERY PROJECT THAT WE CAN PROVIDE.WE SEND A BUDGET, WE CAN PUT IT ONLINE.
UH, BUT WE DO HAVE A LIST FOR EVERY PENNY.
HOW IS IT GONNA BE SPENT? THIS COMING BUDGET HERE AS WELL AS THIS PAST BUDGET HERE? IT'S PART OF THE CAPITAL PROGRAM.
UH, THERE'S ALSO A PROJECT I THINK, UH, MRS. SANCHEZ IS TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, LEAD AND COPPER.
UH, THIS PROJECT IS ALSO WAS FUNDED BY THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD ABOUT 4.4, 4.5 MILLION.
AND WE ARE ONLY GONNA PAY 2.5 MILLION BACK 'CAUSE MOST OF IT WAS A GRANT.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE THE METER REPLACEMENT PROGRAM.
A LOT OF OUR CITIZENS ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT METERS NOT BEING GRID METERS, NOT REGISTERING PROPERLY.
SO WE ARE REPLACING EVERY METER IN THE CITY.
AND AT THIS TIME WE ARE AROUND 8,000 METERS, UH, INSTALLED ALREADY.
WE ARE PROJECTING TO FINISH THIS PROJECT BY THE END OF THIS YEAR OR BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR.
DOES THAT, DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS? YES.
AND NOW HE MENTIONED THE METERS.
I WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE STILL OWN FROM THE LAST MEETING THAT WE REPLACED, METERS THAT WE REPLACED LAST TIME.
IF SOMEONE HAS THE NUMBERS, HOW MUCH WE STILL OWN ON THAT ONE AND HOW MUCH IS COSTING US TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE MEDICINE.
THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, I BELIEVE THE PROJECT THAT MS. SANCHEZ IS REFERRING TO IS NOT THE METER REPLACEMENT PROGRAM, IT'S THE REGISTERS.
SO ABOUT SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS AGO, I BELIEVE THE CITY ENGAGED IN A PROGRAM TO REPLACE REGISTERS AND BE ABLE TO READ REMOTELY THE METERS.
AND THAT PROJECT I THINK HAS TWO MORE YEARS OF PAYMENTS ON IT.
IF LYNN CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG ON THAT.
THE ONGOING PROJECT IS GONNA BE AROUND 10 MILLION.
WE, WE HAD TO DO THIS PROJECT TWICE.
THE FIRST TIME WE PUT IT OUT FOR REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS.
IF YOU ALL REMEMBER THE PRICE CAME IN AT $14 MILLION AND WE DECIDED TO TAKE IT OVER, DO IT AS A CITY STAFF MANAGING IT.
AND WE SAVED AROUND $4 MILLION DOING THAT.
WE HAVE ANY, ANYONE ELSE SPEAK TO THE BUDGET? HAROLD UC SAID 51 80 CAMBRIDGE.
JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION CAME UP FROM THE DISCUSSION TRANSFERS, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE TRANSFERS AND I, AND I LOOKED AT THEM IN THE BUDGETS AND GOT NUMEROUS TRANSFER FOR, BUT WE DON'T EVER HEAR ABOUT TRANSFERS.
AND IF IT'S TRANSFERRED FROM ONE FUND TO ANOTHER FUND, THEN IT NEEDS COUNCIL APPROVAL.
SO IF COUNCIL HAS TO APPROVE IT, THEN IT MUST COME TO COUNCIL OR BE INCLUDED IN A RESOLUTION SO THAT COUNCIL WILL BE AWARE THAT THIS MONEY IS COMING FROM ANOTHER FUND.
SO I'M SURPRISED THAT WE GOT SO MANY TRANSFERS.
'CAUSE I COME TO ALL THE MEETINGS AND I'VE BEEN HERE ON COUNCIL, BUT WE DON'T EVER HEAR THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE ANY TRANSFERRED.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT ONE.
THE POLICE TRANSFER, THEY'RE THEY'RE DONE BY ORDER.
THAT'S NOT THE ONLY, THIS IS EXPLANATION IF YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD.
I KNOW THEY, THEY ORIGINATED IN FINANCE AND YES, THAT IS TRUE.
I VOTED ON IT DOES COME TO COUNCIL PART OF YOUR APPROPRIATION.
IT'S PART OF THE TOTAL THAT NEEDS TO BE APPROPRIATED.
AND THEN WE MAKE THE TRANSFERS IN OCTOBER 1ST TO ALL THE DIFFERENT FUNDS THAT ARE OWED THAT FROM GENERAL FUND AND THEN VICE VERSA FROM THE OTHER FUNDS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, GENERAL FUND, YOU DO MAKE THAT APPROVAL.
WE'VE MADE THIS EVERY SINGLE YEAR AND ONCE YOU'VE APPROVED THE BUDGET AND WE GO INTO OUR NEXT FISCAL YEAR, I MAKE ALL THE TRANSFERS BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL INTERNAL AND THEN THE MONEY IS MOVED SO THAT WE CAN GO AHEAD AND DO BUSINESS WITH THE OTHER FUND.
I'LL GIVE YOU ANOTHER EXAMPLE.
THET FUND GENERAL FUND OWES TURS.
THAT'S OUR PORTION OF THE PROPERTY TAXES.
WE ARE REQUIRED TO PAY TWO TS.
SO THAT IS WHY THERE IS A TRANSFER FROM GENERAL FUND 0 0 1 TO THE TURS FUND BECAUSE THAT'S THE APPORTIONMENT THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO PAY.
WE'VE DONE ALL OF OUR TRANSFERS LIKE THAT.
[00:55:01]
FOR ANY OF THE GENERAL LIABILITIES AND ON ALL THE OTHER FUNDS.WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT, THAT THIS WAY CONSISTENTLY.
I BELIEVE THE CITY HAS BEEN DOING IT CONSISTENTLY FOR AT LEAST 15 YEARS.
AND EVEN BEFORE I WAS HERE, IT WAS STILL DONE THAT WAY AS WELL.
LET ME, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS WANTS TO ADDRESS THOSE TRANSFERS IF YES, MA'AM.
MS. BOSWELL, CAN YOU, YOU WERE VERY CLEAR FIRST OF ALL, SO THANK YOU.
BUT CAN YOU CLARIFY A LITTLE FURTHER AS TO THE NATURE OF THE TRANSFERS? THEY ARE NOT HAPPENING RIGHT.
ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR.
RIGHT? THIS IS ONE, ONE, UM, SET OF APPROPRIATIONS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE, AS YOU MENTIONED AT ON TEN ONE AT THE START OF THE NEW FISCAL YEAR.
SO THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT A CITIZEN SHOULD EXPECT TO SEE COMING UP REGULARLY ON COUNCIL AGENDAS.
CAN YOU TRANSFER FOR THIS? CAN YOU TRANSFER FOR THAT? RIGHT.
YOU HAVE SET AN AMOUNT IN THIS BUDGET AND AS A MATTER OF US APPROVING THE BUDGET, THAT IS THE RESOLUTION NEEDED TO TRANSFER THE FUNDS.
THAT IS PART OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE APPROPRIATION THAT YOU GUYS APPROVE.
WILLY LEWIS, 2301 LAKE SHORE DRIVE.
UH, I'VE HEARD A DISCUSSION ON TRANSFERRING OF TRANSFERS THAT THE CITY MANAGER AT ONE TIME COULD TRANSFER ANYTHING WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
BUT IF YOU WANT TO GO FROM ONE DEPARTMENT TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE COUNCIL.
BUT THAT'S NOT MY BIGGEST CONCERN RIGHT NOW.
WELL, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT ARE WE GOING, WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING ABOUT THE OUTSTANDING DEBT THAT'S OWED TO US? THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT'S OWED TO THE CITY.
WHAT, WHAT IS BEING DONE? I BROUGHT DOCUMENTATION TO THE, TO THE, UH, THE FINANCE DIRECTOR.
SHE REQUESTED BRING ME THE, BRING ME THE, UH, THE DEEDS.
I BROUGHT HER THE DEEDS THAT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR OWNS ALL OF THESE PROPERTIES.
AND THAT NAVIGATION OF DISTRICT, THIS ONLY TAKE OUR BUDGET NAVIGATION DISTRICT HAS BEEN STEALING MONEY FOR US FOR FOR YEARS.
OH, ARE WE TALKING? I'M SORRY.
MR. LEWIS, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE CITY'S THIS BUDGET RIGHT HERE NOW I'M TRYING, I'M LOST.
COUNCILORS, WE GOT ALL THIS OUTSTANDING DEBT THAT HAS NOT BEEN COLLECTED AND YOU RAISING THE PROPOSAL, A RATE INCREASE ON WATER SEWAGE ON THE TAX BILL, ON THE LOW INCOME PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHAT, $19 MILLION PROPOSAL.
THAT THAT WE DON'T REALLY, THE, THE INCREASE HAS TO TAKE PLACE.
I MEAN WE'VE, WE'VE ALL, WE PRESENTED A THAT PROPO, UM, TO THE, UH, CITIZENS FOR THE LAST, BECAUSE THE LAST COUPLE OF MEETINGS SO THAT WE COULD SEE THAT WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A CHOICE WITH THE, WHERE WE ARE WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
UM, AND DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE IN THE PAST THAT GOT US WHERE WE, YOU KNOW, WE DID THE 20% INCREASE.
BUT WE HAVE TO DO, WE HAVE NO CHOICE WITH THE INCREASE BECAUSE OF THE, I I REALIZED YES SIR.
YOU DON'T HAVE ANY, WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE.
BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T COLLECTED OUTSTANDING DEBT THAT'S DUE JUST A SECOND.
WE GOTTA GET, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME, SOME MORE.
BUT IT JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS BUDGET.
WE HAVEN'T, WE'VE EXPLAINED THE WATER INCREASE.
WE'VE DONE MEETINGS WITH THE WATER INCREASE.
WE'VE HAD ALL THAT TO TAKE PLACE.
YOU DON'T HAVE, SO LET'S GET TO, BUT THAT'S NOT, WHAT ARE YOU, I UNDERSTAND YOU DON'T HAVE ANY CHOICE.
YOU HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR BILLS AND THE CITY HAS TO RUN IT.
BUT I'M TELLING YOU, IT'S ARTIFICIALLY IMPOSED ON THE TAX BILLS BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING ABOUT THE OUTSTANDING DEBT THAT THE NAVIGATION OF DISTRICT.
THAT'S NOT BEING ADDRESSED IN THIS.
THAT'S IT'S AFFECTING THIS BUDGET, SIR.
BUT IT'S NOT WHAT WE ARE DISCUSSING RIGHT NOW.
I PO I MEAN, I'M SORRY MR. LEWIS.
AND WE REALLY WANNA STICK ON WHAT'S IN THIS BUDGET THAT YOU ALL SEE THAT YOU ARE ADDRESSING RIGHT NOW WITH THIS BUDGET.
WE CAN'T SEE ANY NAVIGATION DISTRICTS.
NOT, WE DON'T, WE CANNOT ADDRESS THAT.
WE ARE ADDRESSING THIS BUDGET.
SO IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THIS BUDGET AND WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, PLEASE MOVE ON.
I MEAN, COME ON AND TALK TO US ABOUT IT.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL WE CAN DO TONIGHT.
YOU, YOU COVERING YOUR BASES FOR NOW, RIGHT?
[01:00:01]
SO YOU CAN, SO THE CITY CAN OPERATE AND PAY HIS BILLS, RIGHT? YES SIR.BUT BUT YOU STILL, WHAT YOU HAVEN'T DONE IS IMPACTING AND DIRECTING WHAT YOU'RE DOING TODAY AS IT COMES TO US, WE ARE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING WITH THIS BUDGET? WHAT WE'VE BEEN PRESENTING TONIGHT, WHAT LYNN'S TALKED ABOUT, THE CITY MANAGER.
I'M GONNA HOLD DISCUSSION FOR YOU RIGHT NOW.
BUT TO LET YOU KNOW, NOT RIGHT NOW.
WHAT I BROUGHT TO NOT RIGHT NOW, I SIT DOWN.
WHAT I BROUGHT THE FINANCE DIRECTOR, I SHOWED IT TO HER.
SHE SAID I NEED TO TALK TO THE, I NEED TO TAKE THIS TO THE CITY ATTORNEY.
THAT WAS TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.
AND WHEN, AND WE ARE NOT, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE.
BUT TONIGHT WE ARE ADDRESSING THIS BUDGET.
I DIDN'T THINK YOU WOULD GOING AWAY AND THIS IS NOT GONNA GO AWAY.
ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS IN THE AUDIENCE AND THEN COUNCIL WILL COME BACK.
ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE? CITIZEN? THIS IS FOR THE CITIZENS TO SPEAK.
SO OTHER CITIZEN WOULD LIKE TO COME AND SPEAK TO THIS BUDGET ON TONIGHT.
ANY OTHER CITIZEN? IF NOT, WE'RE GONNA OPEN THE FLOOR FOR OUR COUNCIL.
MS. JONES, USE THE MIC FOR ME.
YOU DON'T USE, WE NEED THE MIC.
FOR RECORDING PURPOSES, WELL BE WELL IT'S MY HEARING IMPAIRMENT BECAUSE I'VE TOLD Y'ALL BEFORE.
JUST PUT THAT MIC RIGHT HERE FOR ME.
BUT MY QUESTION IS PERTAINING TO THE BUDGET, THIS BUDGET, ANY OTHER BUDGET? PUT THE MIC CLOSE TO WHEN, WHEN IS THAT? PUT THE MIC CLOSE.
WHEN IS THIS BUDGET, UH, DISTRIBUTED TO US, THE CITIZENS? IS IT SOMETHING PRIOR TO THIS MEETING? IT'S THE PROPOSED BUDGET HAS BEEN POSTED, I THINK ON OUR WEBSITE, UH, FOR ABOUT A COUPLE OF, ABOUT A MONTH OR SO ON THE WEBSITE.
IT'S BEEN POSTED ON THE WEBSITE AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT SOME OF US ARE NOT SAVVY TO, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY THIS TYPE OF, THIS MUCH BUSINESS.
MY, MY CONCERN IS THAT, AND IT'S AT THE LIBRARY, THE BUDGET, I'M SORRY MS. MS. JONES FOR INTERRUPTING YOU.
AND WITH THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU WALK INTO A MEETING LIKE THIS, ALL OF YOU ALL ARE VERY PRIVILEGED TO KNOW WHAT, AT LEAST YOU'VE SEEN IT BEFORE, I GUESS.
NO, WE'VE HAD THREE WORKSHOPS.
BUT PLEASE YOU HAVE SOME AREA, YOU KNOW MM-HMM
I WAS RALLYING PAPERS AND TRYING TO FLIP THROUGH AND MAKE SOME SENSE OF IT JUST AS I PLEASE USE THE MIC.
MY MY CONCERN IS THIS IS TOO MUCH, UH, OF AN IMPORTANT BUSINESS.
THIS IS A REALLY GOOD MEETING FOR ALL OF US.
YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT WE ARE DOING THINGS TO MOVE FORWARD AND THEREFORE WE NEED TO BE, IF YOU WANT INPUT OR FEEDBACK FROM US, THEN WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE I, FOR ONE, I'M, I'M NOT BASHFUL TO SAY I, I'M FAIRLY INTELLIGENT, BUT I MEAN, YOU LOOK, YOU SHOW ME A BIG BUDGET LIKE THAT.
I WANT TO KIND OF ANALYZE IT AND LOOK IT OVER AND EVEN SOMETIMES GET INFORMATION FROM A PERSON THAT'S MORE SAVVY ABOUT IT THAN ME.
AND THEN I CAN COME TO THESE MEETINGS AND BE MORE INFORMED.
AND THAT'S JUST GOING FORWARD.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THESE MEETINGS ARE HELD IN THE PAST, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT DISTRI, YOU KNOW, REALLY AS MANY PEOPLE AS CAN BE, HAVE THEIR HANDS ON IT AND AT LEAST START TO ASK, WELL WHAT IS THIS AND WHAT IS THAT OURSELVES? SO WHEN WE APPROACH YOU OR COME AND LISTEN TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THEN AT LEAST, WE'LL WE WILL MAYBE HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT TO BE HONEST, I CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE I'M OVER THERE.
PEOPLE, LIKE KIDS IN THE CLASSROOM.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO PLEASE CONSIDER WHAT I'M SAYING.
AND IT IS TO HELP US TO IMPROVE AND MOVE FORWARD AND HAVE A DIALOGUE WITH THE CITIZENS AS WELL AS OUR COUNCIL PEOPLE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. WE ELECTED YOU.
WE ARE TRUSTING YOU TO MAKE ALL OF THESE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE DECISIONS THAT I DON'T WANT YOU TO FEEL BY YOURSELF.
YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH MY INPUT.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT I'VE BEEN YES MA'AM.
PLEASE TRY TO GET THE SPEAKERS AND ALL THAT STUFF.
THAT'S WHY I THOUGHT I DIDN'T NEED IT FOR YOU ALL.
'CAUSE I'LL PROJECT WE'RE WE'RE PROPOSING TO GET THAT DONE IN THIS NEW BUDGET HERE.
BUT WE ARE, WE HAVE PUBLISHED THE, THE PROPOSED BUDGET ON OUR 'CAUSE AGAIN, ON OUR WEBSITE, THE LIBRARY.
[01:05:01]
WE'VE HAD UM, PUT IT OUT ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA THAT WE HAVE IN PUBLIC HEARINGS.WE'VE HAD THREE, THIS IS THE THIRD ONE.
AND THEN WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE DID IT AT NIGHT TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE CITIZENS.
YOU DON'T, THAT COULDN'T COME DURING THE DAY.
'CAUSE I WANTED TO MAKE SURE AND THE ENTIRE COUNCIL THAT OUR CITIZENS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT INPUT.
WE'VE DONE AN EVENING MEETING.
WE'VE DONE THAT FOR THE BUDGET.
I DID WANT TO TELL YOU, I WENT THROUGH HARVEY LIKE A LOT OF ALL OF YOU, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DID.
YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS WAS HAND YOU A LOT OF PAPER AND THEN SIGN 'EM AND THEN YOU REALLY HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO GO OVER IT.
THAT'S WHAT THAT THAT'S WHAT I FELT WHEN JUST SITTING
UM, IF WE HAVE ANY, UM, ANY MORE QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE, WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE DE AND I WILL, I THINK I HAVE LIGHTS, UM, THAT ARE ON AND I WANNA PICK UP WHERE WE ARE.
I'M SURE THESE ARE GONNA BE, WE'RE STILL IN THE PUBLIC HEARING, SO ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE QUESTIONS TO ANSWER TOWARD THE PUBLIC HEARING, I WILL LET YOU, YOU ALL, UM, ALLOW YOU THAT TIME.
COUNCILLOR MCKEN LAW MAY APPROACH HIM.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO, OR YOU WANNA PICK UP WHERE? I'M GONNA PICK UP WHERE, UH, I WAS BEFORE MA'AM.
SO, SO WE GOTTA, THAT'S BACK IN THE WORKSHOP.
DOES ANYBODY ON THE DESK WANT TO SPEAK TOWARD THE PUBLIC HEARING, HEARING BEFORE I CLOSE THIS OUT? LEMME JUST SAY ONE THING.
LET ME, LET COUNCIL MEMBER GETWOOD SPEAK AS HE GETS YOU SPEAK, UH, TO THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN I'LL ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR LIGHT.
I'M TRYING TO FIND THE RIGHT WORDS TO SAY, UM, A LOT OF EMOTIONS RIGHT NOW.
BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS, UM, TO, TO THE POINT THAT WAS MADE, I THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL, UM, IF WE CAN ON OUR CITY WEBSITE MOVING FORWARD, UM, WHENEVER THERE IS A BUDGET THAT PEOPLE CAN PHYSICALLY, TANGIBLY GET, UM, IF WE CAN MAKE THAT POSTING AWARE, UM, NOT JUST ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL, BUT AS WE ARE PUBLISHING THINGS, JUST TO BE CLEAR AS TO WHERE PEOPLE CAN GET A PHYSICAL COPY, UM, AS I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, YOU SAID IT IS YES.
WELL, WHERE, WHERE, WHERE ARE THE, WHERE THEY ABLE TO FIND THAT, THAT INFORMATION? IT'S THE, SOMEBODY I CAN, SOMEONE TELL US WHERE THEY CAN PICK UP A COPY OF THE BUDGET.
I KNOW I HEARD CITY SECRETARY.
I HEARD THE LIBRARY CITY OFFICE.
I HEARD, I HEARD THE, I HEARD THE LOCATION.
YEAH, I HEARD THE LOCATIONS AS TO WHERE, BUT I, WHAT I WAS GIVEN REFERENCE TO IS PUTTING SOMETHING OUT PUBLICLY WHERE PEOPLE CAN KNOW WHERE TO GO GET THEM.
WE KNOW WHERE THEY'RE HOUSED AT, BUT JUST INFORMATION ALLOWING PEOPLE TO KNOW, HEY, YOU CAN GO TO THE LIBRARY AND GET A COPY, OR HEY, YOU CAN COME HERE, OR, HEY, YOU CAN PUT IN A REQUEST TO GET A PHYSICAL COPY MADE.
SO THAT WAY THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT TECH SAVVY CAN ALSO GET THE SAME BENEFIT OF GETTING THE BUDGET PRIOR TO MEETING.
UM, ALSO, UM, I, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, UM, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE TOO.
UM, AND I KNOW IT'S NOT SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO IT, SO MAY I CORRECT ME IF I AM OUTTA LINE, BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS, AS A CITY, I THINK IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE IN THE SPIRIT OF WANTING TO SEE THE CITY MOVE FORWARD AND NOT ALWAYS A AHA, I GOT YOU MOMENT.
UM, BECAUSE IT PROLONGS US FROM HAVING PRODUCTIVITY IN MEETINGS AS SUCH, I DO UNDERSTAND ASKING QUESTIONS TO GAIN CLARITY.
UM, HOWEVER, WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A BUDGET AND INFORMATION THAT'S IN FRONT OF US, IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE TALK AND SPEAK TO THE INFORMATION THAT'S ON PAPER THAT WE CAN TANGIBLY, FACTUALLY TALK ABOUT AND POINT TO SO THAT WHEN WE DON'T CONFUSE PEOPLE WHO ARE WATCHING OR PEOPLE WHO, UM, AS WE JUST HEARD FROM THE AUDIENCE, ARE SCRAMBLING THROUGH PAPERS TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING THAT'S NOT THERE.
UM, AS IT RELATES TO THIS BUDGET HEARING MOVING FORWARD, I KNOW WE HAVE TO APPROVE THIS BUDGET, UM, AT, AT OUR NEXT MEETING ON, ON THE 22ND.
AND SO IT'S IMPERATIVE IN THE SPIRIT OF TRANSPARENCY THAT WE WORK TOGETHER AS CITY CITIZENS, BUT ALSO STAFF TO GET THIS DONE CORRECTLY.
AND JUST ALSO TOO, ON THE RECORD, THIS IS NOT BEAUMONT, THIS IS NOT GROVES, THIS IS NOT NEEDLE LAND.
THIS IS THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR.
AND BECAUSE OF ACTIONS THAT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR HAS TAKEN, OUR CITY IS UNIQUE AND NOT LIKE ANY OTHER CITY.
AND I WILL JUST SIMPLY SPEAK FROM MY SEAT ON COUNCIL AS THIS IS MY FIRST BUDGET WORKSHOP, WELL, FIRST BUDGET PROCESS WITH THE CITY.
I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES, UM, THAT WE CAN EXPOUND UPON ON OUR SIDE THAT CAN MAKE THIS PROCESS EASIER, NOT ONLY FOR US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT ALSO FOR CITIZENS WHO COME TO BEAR WITNESS, BUT ALSO PARTAKE IN THE PROCESS TO MAKE IT MUCH EASIER.
THIS HAS BEEN A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE AND THANK YOU MAYOR FOR, UM, ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
UM, THIS IS SPEAKING TO THE PUBLIC HEARING COUNCIL
[01:10:01]
MEMBER JACOBS.UM, SO SPEAKING TO THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, I DO HAVE A QUESTION AND I KNOW, AND I DON'T WANT TO, AGAIN, IF I, IF I'M OUTTA LINE, PUSH ME BACK IN LINE, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT, UM, THAT OUR EXPECTED REVENUES FROM DEBT SERVICE COLLECTIONS ARE REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET.
THAT WOULD BE IN FUND 2 0 7 2 0 1.
ALL OF THE, AND THE TRANSFERS COME IN ALSO FROM THE DIFFERENT ENTERPRISE OR OTHER FUNDS THAT OWE FOR US TO MAKE OUR PAYMENTS.
AND THEN THIS IS ALSO WHERE PART OF THE PROPERTY TAXES COME IN TO PAY THIS AS WELL.
CAN YOU SHARE WITH THE CITIZENS JUST A LITTLE BIT OF INSIGHT AS TO, UM, I DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE TO GET INTO TOO GRANULAR THE DETAIL, BUT WHAT ARE THE INPUTS THAT WE CONSIDER, RIGHT, WHEN WE'RE SAYING WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE THIS MUCH REVENUE ON OUR DEBT SERVICE COLLECTION? LIKE WHAT ARE THE FACTORS THAT GO INTO THAT? THE FIRST AND FOREMOST FACTOR BEFORE WE GO TOO HEAVY INTO WHAT WE CAN ACTUALLY DO FOR CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION IS AN EXAMPLE IS I HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND SEE WHAT OUR ASSESSMENTS ARE GOING TO BE.
WE HAVE A VOTED 0.250 AMOUNT THAT IS DEDICATED STRICTLY FOR DEBT SERVICE CAPITAL.
AND SO THAT'S ALL THAT I CAN GET IS WHATEVER THAT 0.250 IS GOING TO GIVE US FOR THE GENERAL FUND PORTION OF IT.
NOW, FOR THE REST OF IT, IT DEPENDS ON THE REVENUE OF EACH OF THE DIFFERENT FUNDS FOR THEM TO PUT IN, WHAT NEEDS TO BE PUT IN FOR THEIR PERSPECTIVE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION.
SO IF WE LOWERED HIGHER ANY OF OUR CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION OR HAVE MORE, I NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ENOUGH REVENUE IN THAT PERSPECTIVE FUND, LET'S SAY IN THIS CASE, ENTERPRISE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MONEY IS THERE FOR US, THAT I KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE PAYMENTS FOR THOSE.
AND SO THOSE ARE THE SEVERAL DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT GO INTO IT.
RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE TWO, FOUR FUNDING SOURCES.
IF YOU DON'T COUNT THE TAXES, IT IS GOING TO BE EDC, SOLID, WASTE PLEASURE ISLAND WATER AND WASTEWATER.
AND THEY MUST APPORTION THEIR PART OF THE DEBT SERVICE FOR THEIR PAYMENTS.
AND I HAVE MADE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNEW WHAT THAT DEBT SERVICE WAS AND WHAT IT IS FOR STARTING ON PAGE 158.
AND HERE I OUTLINE EVERY SINGLE DEBT SERVICE AND LEASE THAT WE HAVE, AND THEY'RE ALL ONE BY ONE.
NOTHING'S COMBINED, AND I DEFINITELY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS WAS VERY CLEAR.
WHAT PAGE IS THAT ON THE BUDGET? 1 58.
ONE, IT STARTS AT ONE PAGE, 1 58.
BOSWELL, I HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION RELATED TO THIS, AND THAT WOULD BE, UM, TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE, RIGHT? ARE THERE ANY, UM, PARTICULAR VEHICLES OR, UM, APPROACHES BY WHICH A MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT SUCH AS OURS CAN USE TO, UM, TO IMPROVE OUR ABILITY TO COLLECT ON THOSE DEBTS ASIDE FROM, YOU KNOW, YOUR NORMAL BILLING, IF YOU WILL, FOR SPECIFIC TO DEBT SERVICE? YES.
UM, IF THERE'S NO ONE ELSE TO SPEAK TO, OH, I'M SORRY.
YEAH, MAYOR, FOR THE EDIFICATION OF THE PUBLIC, UM, I HOPE WE'RE NOT MAKING IT COMPLICATED FOR THE PUBLIC WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TRANSFERS MM-HMM
THERE IS SOMETHING THAT'S CALLED IN BUDGETING, A BUDGET AMENDMENT MM-HMM
WE, WE, EVERY BUDGET AMENDMENT HAS TO COME TO COUNCIL.
COUNCIL APPROVES A BUDGET AMENDMENT.
THERE'S A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT WHERE YOU TRANSFER MONIES FROM ONE ACCOUNT TO THE OTHER AT THE DEPARTMENTAL LEVEL, YOU CAN MOVE MONEY
[01:15:01]
FROM ONE ACCOUNT TO THE OTHER.LET'S NOT, IT TRANSFERS THAT LYNN IS REFERRING TODAY IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM A BUDGET AMENDMENT OR A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT.
THOSE, UH, ONE ACTIVITY HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THE GOVERNMENT BODY.
THE OTHER ACTIVITY IS DONE ADMINISTRATIVELY BY THE BUDGET OFFICIAL.
AND WE'VE SEEN THOSE BUDGET AMENDMENTS AND RELATED TO, UM, CERTAIN RESOLUTIONS.
BUT THERE ORDINANCES THAT HAVE BEEN DONE THAT WE'VE MOVED THAT MONEY YES.
BY, UM, OR GIVEN THE PERMISSION TO DO SO.
AND SO WE PAY, I PAY ATTENTION TO THEM.
I DON'T, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE AND IT COMES UP YES.
COUNCIL, MAYBE EVERY OTHER COUNCIL MEETING YOU HAVE, BECAUSE WE ALWAYS SEE, GO BACK TO SEE WHAT IT'S TIED TO THE, UM, IN THE AGENDA AND WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON TO MOVE THAT MONEY BASED UPON THAT.
WE JUST HAD ONE AT OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING IN DEALING WITH THE CG BD THAT'S RIGHT.
GRANT FUNDING, RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT.
AND I DID ASK A QUESTION ON IT AND THE QUESTION WAS CLARIFIED, SO WE HAVE SEEN IT BEFORE.
WE'RE GONNA GO, UM, WE'RE GONNA MOVE NOW TO CLOSE OUR PUBLIC HEARING.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
OUR PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
WE HAD LIGHTS, UM, COUNCIL, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM KINLAW.
THANK YOU MAYOR, AND PICK UP, UM, LYNN, CITY MANAGER.
UH, I'M GLAD THAT, UH, RECLASSIFICATION POSITIONS WERE, UH, MENTIONED.
UH, BUT I DO HAVE CONCERNS, BUT LET ME ASK THIS QUESTION FIRST.
WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A, A, A COMPANY THAT WORKS FOR US, A DOOR.
HOW DO WE, UH, MANAGE AND CALCULATE THOSE GRANTS THAT THEY APPROVE OR WORKING ON? WHERE DO WE, HOW DO WE KEEP NOTE OF THAT? I KNOW IT'S A PERIOD OF TIME.
HOW DO WE DO THAT? I'VE ASKED THAT THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO, HOW DO WE DO THAT? AND, AND WHERE IN THE BUDGET WE SEE THAT, THAT INFORMATION, I'VE ASKED IT THREE YEARS AGO, BUDGETS AGO, AND NO ONE, I GET THE DEER IN THE HEADLIGHT LOOK TO.
SO IF WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE TRYING TO WORK ON GETTING GRANTS AND HAVING OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR THESE GRANTS, HOW DO WE ACCOUNT FOR THOSE GRANTS? IT IT HAS TO, IT COMES TO THE COUNCIL ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
BUT IN THE BUDGET, HOW DO WE, LIKE OTHER CITIES DO OKAY, OTHER CITIES HAVE THAT, UH, AND I LOOK AT OTHER BUDGETS.
SO WHY DON'T WE DO THAT? I MEAN, IS IT SOME WE HADN'T DONE BEFORE? OR, AND, AND IF YOU REMEMBER, I ASKED ABOUT THIS THREE YEARS AGO ON A BUDGET, UH, WORKSHOP.
SO HOW DO WE DO THAT? COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER, IF I MAY, UM, IN CASES, LIKE WITH AURA, RIGHT? UM, A LOT OF TIMES THOSE CONTRACTS ARE, AND AGAIN, IT IS A CASE BY CASE SITUATION, BUT THEY MAY BE BUDGETED IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, UM, DEPARTMENTALLY, UM, OR BIGGER PROJECTS, THEY'RE BUDGETED THROUGH CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
AND, UM, UNDER SEVERAL GRANTS, THEY AWARD ADMINISTRATIVE COST, RIGHT? UM, ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE GRANTS.
BUT THOSE NUMBERS ARE KEPT, THEY MAY SAY 10% OF THE GRANT CAN BE USED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, UM, SERVICES SUCH AS, UM, GRANTS ADMINISTRATION.
AND SO IT'S CAPTURED WITHIN THE PROJECT ITSELF AND ESTABLISHED WITHIN THAT.
AND YOU SAID, UM, DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES? MOST OF THE TIME? WELL, UNDER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, IT'S AN ACTUAL LINE ITEM IN DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET BUDGETS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
THAT'S WHERE WE WOULD HAVE A LOT OF, FOR EXAMPLE, ENGINEERING SERVICES OR ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES CONSULTANTS.
UM, FOR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, FOR EXAMPLE, WE ARE USING, UM, FREE NICHOLS TO DO CONSULTING WORK FOR THE STRATEGIC, I MEAN, I'M SORRY, THE SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS.
AND SO THOSE ITEMS ARE BUDGETED IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
AND IF YOU WILL, IF YOU COULD GO TO YOUR PAGE NINE RIGHT HERE UNDER YOUR HANDOUT.
UH, I'M LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT EXPENDITURES BY DEPARTMENT AND THERE'S ONLY TWO THAT HAVE A NEGATIVE, UH, IMPACT ON OUR BUDGET.
UH, CITY MANAGER QUESTION FOR YOU.
AND THESE, ONE OF THIS HARD QUESTIONS, HAVE YOU REALLY LOOKED HARD IN SOME OF THESE CUTS IN BY DEPARTMENTS AND WHAT YOU CAN DO TO SAY, UH, UH, CITY AND TAXPAYERS FUNDING? THERE'S ONLY, YOU GOT NON, UH, NON-PAR, UH, DEPARTMENTAL AND YOU HAVE IT.
SO EVERYTHING ELSE HAS A, A LITTLE INCREASE TO IT SOMEHOW.
AND I KNOW COST OF LIVING AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF, BUT, YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU REALLY LOOKED IN WHAT WE CAN DO TO KIND OF TRACK, UH, TRIM SOME OF THE FAT OFF THAT, THAT TURKEY A LITTLE BIT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO MORE? I, I THINK WE CAN ALWAYS DO MORE.
LEMME JUST PUT THAT OUT THERE.
[01:20:01]
WE CAN ALWAYS DO MORE IN THE COURT OUTSIDE HERE, THE CITY COUNCIL.THAT'S OUR JOB TO LOOK AT THIS BUDGET AND FIND OUT WHERE WE CAN MAKE CUTS AND STILL STAY IN THE BLACK OR THE GREEN.
SO WHAT, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ENSURE AND, UH, LET THE TAXPAYERS KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE LOOKED AT EVERY DEPARTMENT, YOU LOOKED AT EVERY DEPARTMENT AND, AND YOU KNOW, THIS PROPOSED BUDGET BEFORE WE APPROVED, YOU'VE LOOKED AT EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY DO TO SUSTAIN STAYING IN THE BLACK OR THE GREEN.
YEAH, AB ABSOLUTELY ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE ASK EVERY DEPARTMENT HEAD TO DO.
ONE, THE, THE BUDGET MUST BE A STATUS QUO BUDGET WITH NO INCREASES IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE PART OF WHAT WE ARE DOING.
AND TWO, SEE, LOOK AT AREAS WHERE WE CAN PROVIDE SAVINGS, WHERE WE CAN INTRODUCE TECHNOLOGY TO PROVIDE SAVINGS, YOU KNOW, IN THOSE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
SO THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE LOOK AT THE SKILLSET THAT WE HAVE IN THOSE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, OR WE CAN AUGMENT THE SKILLSET THAT WE HAVE.
WE LOOK AT THE HUMAN CAPITAL THAT WE HAVE IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS, OR WE CAN AUGMENT THE HUMAN CAPITAL IN TERMS OF INDIVIDUAL SKILLS.
AND THAT IS WHERE, THAT IS WHERE RECLASSIFICATION COMES IN, YOU KNOW, MANY A TIMES YOU LOOK AT A POSITION AND YOU SEE THAT THE CRITERIA FOR THAT POSITION WOULD'VE BEEN, UM, BASICALLY, UM, UM, A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION, YOU KNOW, UM, UM, A HIGH SCHOOL CERTIFICATE.
WE LOOK AT THOSE AND WE, WE WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT'S HEADS TO SEE HOW YOU CAN IMPROVE THE REQUIREMENTS AND INTRODUCE TECHNOLOGY SO THAT YOU, IN, YOU ATTRACT AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS MUCH MORE SKILLED AND MUCH MORE TECHNOLOGY SAVVY, AND YOU INCREASE, YOU INCREASE THE WORKLOAD AS WELL FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL THROUGH RECLASSIFICATION.
YOU KNOW, AND NOT THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO WEED OUT A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE OR ANYTHING, BUT YOU FIND THAT IN THIS DAY AND AGE, MOST OF THE KIDS THAT GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL ARE TECHNOLOGY SAVVY.
SO YOU CONTINUE TO PREPARE THE JOB DESCRIPTION, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THE TASK AT HAND FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE TECHNOLOGY SAVVY.
AND I THINK WE HAVE MADE GREAT STRIDES IN, IN, IN DOING THOSE THINGS.
AND WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THOSE AS WE MOVE ALONG, YOU KNOW, AS WELL, TO SEE HOW WE UPGRADE THE SKILL LEVEL OF, AND, AND HOW WE INTRODUCE TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
YOU KNOW, UM, THAT IS ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE WE LOOK AT IN CUTTING DOWN COST FOR THE, SO I EXPECT TO SEE TECHNO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INCREASE NEXT BUDGET, RIGHT? YES.
THIS HAD TO DO WITH THE MOVEMENT OF ONE OF THE PERSONNEL, UH, MOVEMENT CHANGED FROM THE IT TO ADMINISTRATION.
AND THEN ON THE HUMAN RESOURCES, WE DECIDED THAT WE WANTED TO CONSOLIDATE ONE OF THE EXPENSES THAT WAS BEING SPREAD.
IT WAS REALLY HARD TO PAY THE BILLS AND PAY ATTENTION.
SO IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, CITY MANAGER, WE AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS, WE ACTUALLY CONSOLIDATED SOMETHING THAT WAS SPREAD BETWEEN ALL OF THE OTHER FUNDS.
SO IT DOES DEFINITELY LOOK LIKE THE HUMAN RESOURCES HAS INCREASED, BUT THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE CONSOLIDATION OF PUTTING IT IN ONE DEPARTMENT INSTEAD OF SPREADING IT OUT IN SEVERAL.
THOSE ARE FEW OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW THAT WE CAN POINT OUT.
AND CITY MANAGER HAS MET WITH THE CITY DEPARTMENTS AND WE'VE GONE OVER SEVERAL TIMES, OKAY, WHAT CAN YOU LIVE WITHOUT? WHAT CAN YOU LIVE WITH? WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE, WHAT DO YOU NEED? WHAT IS REQUIRED? AND THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF HOW WE GET ALSO TO THE CAPITAL PART TOO.
WHAT IS, WHAT DO YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO HAVE IN CAPITAL? CAN YOU PULL ANYTHING BACK? AND SOME OF THOSE DECISIONS ALSO RESULT IN WHETHER WE HAVE AN INCREASE OR DECREASE IN OUR, IN THE INITIAL, HERE'S WHAT IS PRESENTED, AND THEN CITY MANAGER GOES ONE BY ONE WITH THE DEPARTMENTS AND WE GO THROUGH THAT AND SAY, OKAY, CAN WE LIVE WITH THIS FOR JUST ONE MORE YEAR OR CAN WE GO WITHOUT, CAN WE HOLD, HOLD THE LINE AND SEE HOW THAT GOES? THOSE ARE THE, THOSE ARE MINE.
AND I'M SURE THAT IF THERE'S ANYTHING MORE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE FOR, TO SEE, I'M SURE THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN, WE CAN TRY TO PRESENT TO YOU.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION EARLIER AS WELL.
UM, I DID WANT TO MENTION IT IS ALREADY BEEN STATED BY TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THE IMPACT FEES, UM, BUT NOT JUST THE IMPACT FEES ALSO, UM, THE FEE INCREASES, UM, LOOKING AT NOT ONLY INCREASING IT JUST FOR OUR CITIZENS, BUT ACROSS THE BOARD FOR EVERYONE AS IT RELATES TO COMMERCIAL INDUSTRY AT THE SAME TIME.
SO WE DON'T INCREASE THE FEES JUST FOR RESIDENTS AND THEN HAVE TO COME BACK AND INCREASE FEES WHERE WE CAN.
AND TO YOUR POINT THAT YOU MADE, UM, ABOUT CONTINUING ON THOSE SERVICES WITHOUT HAVING TO, UM, CUT FROM CUT FROM OTHER
[01:25:01]
PLACES, BUT TAKE MONEY FROM WHERE WE CAN ON THE, IN INDUSTRIAL SIDE, I THINK THOSE THINGS GO HAND IN HAND SO THAT WHENEVER IT'S TIME FOR US TO APPROVE IT, IT'S A, IT IS A STEADY INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD AND NOT JUST THE CITIZENS HAVE TO HAVING TO PUT THE BILL IN THE BEGINNING AND THEN WE CATCH UP WITH INDUSTRY.SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE MENTION OF THAT.
UM, SECONDLY, I WANTED TO, UM, THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING ABOUT THE, THE WORD EXPANSION IN THAT.
UM, WHERE WAS IT? UM, UNDER THE SALE, UM, BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT WAS GONNA BE MY FIRST QUESTION.
I, AS SOON AS I SAW THAT WORD, I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY LIKE, LET ME WRITE THIS DOWN NOW, JUST TO ENSURE THAT IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH, WITH THOSE NEGOTIATIONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF EXPANSION WAS THE CORRECT WORD TO USE OR THE MOST IDEAL WORD TO USE.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO JUST MAKE MENTION OF THIS WHILE I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY CLEAR AS A CITY AS TO WHAT WE ARE DOING, UM, BECAUSE WE KNOW FOR A FACT AND, AND THAT THAT'S HOW IT'S NATURALLY SUPPOSED TO BE.
WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE WORDS THE WRONG WAY AND THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT IT'S NOT.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO COME BACK AND CLARIFY BECAUSE ONCE THE WORD IS OUT, THE WORD IS OUT.
SO LET'S MAKE SURE ON OUR PART AS WE ARE PUTTING INFORMATION OUT, THAT IT'S TO THE POINT TO WHERE IT IS NOT TO BE EXAGGERATED BECAUSE OF ONE WORD.
UM, I DID ALSO WANT TO, UM, LYNN, IF YOU COULD OR SOMEONE COULD GO BACK TO, UM, SLIDE NUMBER.
I HAD IT WRITTEN DOWN UNDER, UM, SLIDE NUMBER FIVE IN THIS OVERVIEW.
I JUST WANTED TO BRIEFLY JUST MENTION IT AND, AND MAKE PLAIN IN LAYMAN TERMS TOO.
I KNOW WE'VE SAID IT, BUT I WANNA MAKE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE HERE AND WE ALL, WE ALL HAVE A GENERAL UNDERSTANDING AS TO WHAT THIS MEANS.
WE, THE CITY ARE NOT INCREASING OUR TAXES OTHER THAN THE FEES THAT WE HAVE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT.
BUT THIS WAS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE STATED LEGALLY CORRECT? AM I CORRECT? CAN, CAN WE SAY THAT IN THE MIC SO EVERYONE CAN HEAR
I'M REQUIRED TO STATE LEGALLY THE WORDS THAT ARE, WILL BE PRESENTED IN YOUR NEXT PUBLIC HEARING.
AND THE MAIN REASON WHY I WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT IS BECAUSE OF COURSE WE HAVE OUR NEWS, OUR ILLUSTRIOUS NEWS THAT HAS BEEN REPORTING THAT WE ARE INCREASING OUR TAXES.
ONLY THING THAT WE ARE INCREASING ARE THE SAID FEES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
I WANNA MAKE CLEAR TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE SAID BECAUSE IT IS CAPPED AT THE STATE LEVEL AS YOU CAN SEE.
AND I THINK IT'S THE VERY NEXT SLIDE YOU HAVE ON HERE.
UM, IF YOU CAN GO TO SLIDE NUMBER EIGHT, SLIDE NUMBER EIGHT.
RIGHT HERE, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ARE CAPTURING AN ADDITIONAL $1.77 MILLION, RIGHT? AND WE ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE COUNTY HAS 4.4 IS WHAT WE SAW AN INCREASE ON.
HOWEVER, BECAUSE WE HAVE A STATE CAP OF 3.5, WE'RE NOT RECOVERING THE FULL 4.4 THAT THE COUNTY IS.
WE'RE ONLY RECOVERING THE 3.5.
SO IF YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT, IF THAT CAP WASN'T 3.5, WE COULD BE RECOVERING MORE.
UM, AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THAT WAS A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT WENT INTO EFFECT IN THE YEAR OF 2021.
UM, THAT HAS CAUSED STATES AND WELL, OUR STATE OF TEXAS THAT HAS CAUSED MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE STATE TO BE CAPPED AT THE SAME CAP.
I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY AS WELL TO LET YOU ALL KNOW, UM, THAT OUR FINANCIAL DIRECTOR, MS. LYNN, IS ACTUALLY GOING TO DC TO NOT ONLY ADVOCATE FOR CITIES AS SUCH AS US, BUT ALSO CITIES ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS BECAUSE WE DO NOT BENEFIT FROM THESE CAPS.
WE HEAR INCREASE, WE THINK INCREASE, BUT IT'S NOT A TRUE INCREASE OF ANYTHING.
EVERYTHING IS STILL DECREASING, HONESTLY, AND WE'RE NOT RECUPERATING ANYTHING FROM IT.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS EVIDENTIALLY CLEAR THAT OUR CITY IS NOT RAISING OUR TAXES, WE ARE LOOKING AT FEES.
AND LET ME ALSO BE CLEAR ABOUT THE FEES AS WELL.
WE ARE IN, WE HAVE TO INCREASE FEES BECAUSE THESE FEES HAVE NOT BEEN INCREASED FOR A SET AMOUNT OF YEARS AND NUMBERS OF YEARS OVER 30 YEARS TO BE EXACT.
I AM 24 YEARS OLD, SO THESE FEES HAVEN'T BEEN INCREASED SINCE I HAVE BEEN ALIVE.
AND AS WE ALL KNOW AND AS WE ALL CAN ATTEST TO, BECAUSE WE ALL LIVE IN THIS WORLD, A HAMBURGER AT MCDONALD'S BACK IN 1999 OR WHENEVER THEY CAME ABOUT IS NOT THE SAME PRICE AS IT IS TODAY.
AND SO OUR FEE STRUCTURE HAS TO CHANGE.
BUT I WANT TO REITERATE AS WELL TO OUR CITY STAFF THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE FEE STRUCTURES, AND I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A COMPLIMENT TO THE DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICE TEAM FOR PROPOSING THE, THE, NOT ONLY PROPOSING, BUT GIVING A JUSTIFICATION AS TO WHY.
AND I WOULD HOPE THAT THE REST OF THE CITY DEPARTMENTS WOULD MIRROR THE STRUCTURE THAT YOU ALL DID
[01:30:01]
IN THE JUSTIFICATION AS TO WHY.BUT ALSO I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD DO THAT TOGETHER ACROSS THE BOARD AND NOT JUST START WITH THIS ONE DEPARTMENT AND THEN EVERYONE ELSE IS TO FOLLOW.
LET'S MAKE SURE THAT IF WE ARE ADDRESSING FEE INCREASES, THAT WE DO IT ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
SO THAT WAY WE CAN DO THIS CONTINUITY TOGETHER.
AND THEN AFTERWARDS WE CAN DISCUSS MAYBE LOOKING AT THIS AND REVISITING IT MAYBE EVERY TWO YEARS OR FOUR YEARS AS NEEDED, BUT NOT ALLOWING ANOTHER 30 YEAR GAP TO COME AND BITE US IN THE BUTT.
UM, AND THEN ALSO TOO, I, I WANTED TO, TO MAKE CLEAR AS WELL, WE, WE MENTIONED IT VERY BRIEFLY, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE RESIDENTS ARE NOT SCARED FROM SOME OF THE INFORMATION THEY HEARD TODAY.
WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING THE 7% INCREASE WITHIN OUR, UM, SOLID WASTE AND WATER.
UM, AND THAT WAS DUE TO A DECISION THAT HAD TO BE MADE AT THAT TIME BY COUNCIL THAT FELT WAS BEST.
AND BECAUSE OF IT, WE ARE WHAT WE ARE AND WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO, IF WE WANT TO REMAIN CONSISTENT WITH CONTINUITY ACROSS THE BOARD.
UM, AND I ALSO WANNA MAKE THIS KNOWN AS WELL IN US DOING THOSE DECISIONS AS IF YOU ALL ATTENDED MY FIRST LESSON LEARNED TOGETHER, YOU LEARN THAT WHEN WE DO THINGS WITH MONEY, THERE'S CONSEQUENCES.
AND SO AS A RESULT OF SOME OF THOSE CONSEQUENCES, WE'RE GONNA SEE SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF.
BUT AS I DID AT THE, AT OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING, APPLAUD THE COUNCIL AT THAT TIME FOR TAKING THE STANCES THEY TAKE THAT THEY, THAT THEY TOOK AT THAT TIME.
THIS IS WHERE WE ARE AS A CITY.
AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO MAKE MENTION EARLIER THAT THIS IS NOT BEAUMONT, THIS IS NOT NEEDLING AND THIS IS NOT GROVE.
WE HAVE MADE DECISIONS THAT HAS CAUSED US TO BE WHAT WE ARE AND WE HAVE TO KISS THE BABY AND CALL IT UGLY.
AND WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER AND FIND SOME CUTE CLOTHES TO PUT ON THIS CHILD SO WE ALL CAN HAVE A GREAT EASTER SUNDAY.
SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU LYNN LIBERATION PUBLICLY.
I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO LYNN PUBLICLY, UM, FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING BEHIND THE SCENES.
AND SHE DIDN'T ASK ME TO DO THIS.
I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE KIND OF TALENT THAT WE HAVE HERE IN OUR CITY BECAUSE SHE IS GETTING READY TO GO TO WASHINGTON DC AND NOT ADVOCATE ONLY FOR PORT ARTHUR, BUT FOR FROM MUNICIPALITIES THAT LOOK LIKE US, THAT REPRESENT US BECAUSE WE'RE NOT MOUNT BELLEVUE.
MOUNT BELLEVUE COLLECTS UP TEEN AMOUNT OF MORE MONEY THAN WHAT WE COLLECT IN TAXES, I BELIEVE WHAT, 20,000 IS WHAT THEY COLLECT.
SO WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCES HERE.
IT'S EASY TO, TO USE THEM AS AN EXAMPLE BECAUSE THEIR STREETS ARE BEAUTIFUL OR BECAUSE THEY'RE RIGHT UP THE STREET.
BUT EVEN THE NEIGHBORING CITIES, AS WE'VE LEARNED IN OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING, EVEN THE NEIGHBORING CITIES ARE SO MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE ARE.
SO WE CANNOT COMPARE APPLE TO ORANGES, BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS BETTER MOVING FORWARD AS WE PREPARE OUR NEXT BUDGET FOR BUDGET SEASON.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THIS MUCH SOONER THAN WHAT WE DID THIS YEAR.
UM, IF WE CAN GO TO, BACK TO SLIDE FIVE.
AND, UM, JUST TO KIND OF CONTINUE IN, IN SOME OF THE POINTS THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GETWOOD BROUGHT UP, UH, DR.
BOSWELL, IF YOU CAN, CAN YOU PUT THAT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S FEW WORDS, BUT CAN YOU PUT THAT FINAL BULLET, THE RED BULLET IN LAYMAN'S TERMS FOR OUR CITIZENS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS? IT READS CURRENT TAX METHOD IS NOT SUSTAINABLE WITH THE STATE'S RATE CAP.
WE CANNOT CONTINUE, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE ALL OF THE WONDERFUL GOODS AND SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE OUR CITIZENS.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS ABOUT ACTUALLY CUTTING PROGRAMS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
MAYBE YOU DON'T HAVE A LIBRARY, MAYBE YOU DON'T HAVE A PARKS AND REC, MAYBE YOU DON'T HAVE AS MANY CAPITAL PROJECTS.
THERE ARE GONNA BE SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS AS WE CONTINUE ON DOWN THE LINE BECAUSE KEEPING TO WHAT THE STATE CAP IS WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE ARE PAYING FOR THIS ADMINISTRATION, FUTURE ADMINISTRATION, THINGS THAT ARE IMPOSED UPON US AS UNFUNDED MANDATES, WHETHER THEY BE FROM THE STATE OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, HAS CAUSED US TO CUT PROGRAMS. AND I WILL GO AHEAD AND MAKE THAT STATEMENT VERY CLEAR BECAUSE OF THE PROGRAM CUTS FROM, THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL STATEMENT BECAUSE OF THE PROGRAM CUTS FROM THIS FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION, YOU HAVE LOST SEVERAL OF YOUR SERVICES FROM PUBLIC HEALTH.
[01:35:01]
THEY WERE FEDERALLY FUNDED, THEY WERE CUT.AND WHEN THAT GETS CUT, SO DO THE SERVICES IN OUR WAY TO PROVIDE FOR OUR CITIZENS.
LAST YEAR, IN SPITE OF THE CUTS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WE ABSORBED IT, THE CITY ABSORBED ALL THOSE CUTS.
AND THEY HAD, WE HAVE TO FUND IT FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
MM-HMM
NO MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC HAS COMPLAINED THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED A CHANGE IN THE LEVEL, IN THE QUALITY OF SERVICE THAT THEY RECEIVE FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BECAUSE WE CONTINUE THEM, WE CONTINUE TO FUND IT JUST LIKE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DID.
WE DID NOT MISS A HEARTBEAT IN FUNDING IT.
WE FUNDED IT JUST LIKE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND MAINTAIN THE STANDARDS AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
BUT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO SEE THOSE CUTS AS LEADS INDICATED.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE, AS LYNN INDICATED, IF WE DO NOT MAKE A DECISION ON PROPERTY TAXES IN THE NEXT BUDGET, IT'S EITHER GOING TO BE STREETS OR PARKS AND RECREATIONS OR FIRE OR POLICE.
'CAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, THERE ARE CERTAIN STATE MANDATES FOR THE POLICE AND FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT WE HAVE TO MEET.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, THE POLICE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TAKES UP TWO THIRDS OF THE CITY'S BUDGET.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS BELLS AND WHISTLES WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT.
YOU CANNOT TOUCH THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT YOU SEE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE IT'S NOT A SWING SET THAT'S PUT ON ON GOLF.
WE DRIVE AND YOU DRIVE BACK AND YOU SEE IT IN RED OR BLUE.
NO, YOU CAN ONLY TELL ABOUT IT WHEN YOU CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND THEY SAID THE LADDER TRUCK IS NOT WORKING, WE CANNOT COME.
SHE WAS BURNT AS A CRISPY CRITER IN THE FIRE.
OKAY? SO THOSE ARE INTANGIBLES THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE AS A MUNICIPALITY AND WE HAVE TO FUND, THERE IS A STATE MANDATE TO FUND THOSE SERVICES, BUT THOSE ARE NOT, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, GLAMOR, GLAMOROUS SERVICES.
POLICE AND FIRE ARE NOT GLAMOROUS SERVICES.
THEY TOOK, THEY TOOK, THEY TAKE TWO THIRDS OF THE BUDGET.
AND WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THE TRAINING FOR THEM.
WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THE EQUIPMENT FOR THEM.
WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THE VEHICLES TO THEM.
CITY MANAGER PER NO, I WAS JUST TELLING HIM.
UM, SO I THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT TO SHARE THAT WITH THE CITIZENS, RIGHT? SOME OF THE, THE BOTTLENECK TYPES OF CONSTRAINTS THAT WE ARE FACING AND THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE FACING.
SO FROM ME, REPRESENTATIVE OF DISTRICT FOUR, I WANT TO, UH, THANK THE CITY STAFF FOR ALL OF THE, UM, BE CAREFUL WITH THE WORD I USE FOR ALL OF THE, UM, CREATIVE BUT LEGAL WAYS THAT YOU, UH, SECURE FUNDING FOR OUR VARIOUS, UM, CITY PROGRAMS, BUT ALSO JUST CITY SERVICES.
BUT THAT ALSO IF IT, IF, IF IT WOULDN'T BE ME IF I DIDN'T SAY THIS, THAT ALSO COMES WITH AN ADMONISHMENT.
THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD WHEN IT COMES TO ALL THE VARIOUS MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY, UM, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SECURING AS MUCH REVENUE AS WE CAN FROM EVERYONE.
AND WHEN I SAY EVERYONE, THAT'S NOT THE RESIDENTS, THE RESIDENTS AREN'T QUITE INCLUDED IN THAT.
SO LET'S THREE BETWEEN THE LINES.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, UM, TO COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, TO MAYOR PROM'S POINT ABOUT THE RATE INCREASES.
UM, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO, ONCE AGAIN IN THAT, UM, VEIN WE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY PORT ARTHUR IS PORT ARTHUR LOOKS LIKE A PLAYGROUND TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND I THINK WE'VE MADE IT THAT WAY, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, TEXAS IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS AND ALL OF THESE THINGS.
BUT UM, TO MAYOR PRO TIM'S POINT AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBER GETAWAY'S POINT, WHEN WE STAY STAGNANT AT A RATE, AND THIS IS ACROSS THE BOARD, WHEN WE SAY STAGNANT AT A RATE TO THE TUNE OF TWO TO THREE DECADES, WE ARE TRULY DOING A DISSERVICE TO OURSELVES.
AND I'M SORRY, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A LOW ENTRY FEE, IT DOES NOT ALWAYS ATTRACT THE BEST ATTENDEES OR PEOPLE, BUSINESSES.
[01:40:01]
AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE TIED TOGETHER.YOU HAVE BUSINESSES COMING IN THAT DON'T NECESSARILY RESPECT THE CITY ITSELF.
THEY'RE LESS LIKELY TO KEEP A CLEAN APPEARANCE.
THEY'RE LESS LIKELY TO WANT TO HIRE PORT ARTHURS TO WORK THERE.
THEY'RE LESS LIKELY TO RESPOND WHEN THEY ARE BEING, UM, THEY'RE INFRACTIONS OR CHALLENGES THAT ARE BROUGHT UP AGAINST THEM, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT AS VESTED.
AND REALLY ASIDE FROM BEING A RESIDENT OF A, OF AN AREA, THE SECOND LEVEL OF FEELING VESTED IS HAVING TO PAY WHERE YOU PLAY.
AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO THESE FEES, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH INCREASES, BUT PARTICULARLY INCREASES FOR OUR COMMERCIAL PARTNERS AND THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN PORT ARTHUR AND ARE BEING BROUGHT TO PORT ARTHUR.
UM, NEXT IS THE REVENUE SOURCES.
UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS HERE.
I'M GONNA SAY THE BEST FOR LAST, BUT THERE'S A BULLET ON PAGE EIGHT AT THE BOTTOM.
IT READS DECREASE USE OF FUND BALANCE FOR BALANCING.
AND I HAVE A COMMENT THAT, UM, THIS SOUNDS DESIRABLE, BUT IS IT, AND I GUESS IT'S A QUESTION FOR DR.
BOSWELL, PAGE EIGHT, THE BOTTOM, UH, BULLET.
THAT'S DEFINITELY THE GOAL IS DE DECREASING THAT FUND BALANCE.
WE AREN'T HERE TO MAKE MONEY AND THERE REALLY NEEDS TO BE A PLAN IF WE HAVE SUCH AND SUCH AMOUNT.
HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE A REQUIRED AMOUNT AND THEN WE DO WANT TO USE THIS AS LESS AS POSSIBLE.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE GOALS THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR TEAM AND THE CITY MANAGER IS WE DON'T WANT TO DEPEND ON IT.
NOW I'M, I THINK WE'VE BEEN VERY GOOD.
WE'LL BUDGET FOR IT, BUT THE LIKELIHOOD OF USING IT USUALLY IS ZERO.
AND WE USUALLY USE IT TO, TO BALANCE.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN IT COMES TO GENERAL FUND, I'VE NEVER USED IT SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT CLEAR DR.
UM, IN THE LAST, LET'S SEE, OKAY, I COVERED THAT.
AND THEN MY LAST KIND OF QUESTION SLASH COMMENT, IT'S, IT'S FROM THE SAME SLIDE.
UM, AND I'M JUST GONNA READ IT AS IT IS, AS I AS I READ IT.
SO WE HAVE, WHERE WE HAVE A HIGH MODEST INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES, WE HAVE INDUSTRIAL PAYMENTS THAT ARE STEADY WITH NO SIGNIFICANT INCREASE SALES TAXES THAT ARE STEADY GROSS RECEIPT TAXES THAT ARE STEADY.
SO WHEN I READ THOSE ON, THOSE ARE THE FIRST FOUR, UM, FIRST FOUR BULLETS, THOSE ARE ALL RELATED TO REVENUE SOURCES THAT THE CITY ACTUALLY, UM, HAS A SAY, RIGHT? IN WHAT THOSE AMOUNTS ARE.
WE CAN, WE CAN LEVER HIGHER TAXES TO THESE DIFFERENT ENTITIES FOR THESE DIFFERENT AREAS.
SO WE ONLY HAVE THAT AMOUNT AND WE CAN'T INCREASE IT UNLESS THE STATE DECIDES TO USE THAT AS LEVERAGE AGAINST THEIR UNFUNDED MANDATE THAT THEY'VE PUT UPON US.
THE INDUSTRIAL PAYMENTS REALLY, YOU REALLY HAVE TO HAVE A VERY STRONG CONTRACT.
WE'VE GOT, USUALLY THEY ARE 10 YEARS LONG AND WE MUST USE A DIFFERENT MECHANISM.
SO LET ME TELL YOU THAT YOUR INDUSTRIAL PAYMENTS ARE TIED TO OUR TAXES.
IF THEIR ASSESSED VALUE IS STEADY, THEY PAY LESS THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
IN QUESTION FOR YOU IN REGARDS TO THAT, DR.
BOSWELL, SPEAKING OF A STEADY RATE.
SO OUR RATE IS A STATIC RATE, IT DOES NOT INCREASE EVEN THOUGH WE MAY HAVE SEEN SOME INCREASES WITH JUST GENERALLY INFLATION.
YES, UNFORTUNATELY THAT IS TRUE.
I HAD SCHEDULED US TO RECEIVE MORE MONEY FROM INDUSTRIAL PAYMENTS.
BUT AS WE CONTINUE TO LOWER OUR PROPERTY TAX AND IT'S RELATED TO THAT, UM, I'M MISSING OUT ON WHAT IT WOULD'VE BEEN HAD THAT CAP NOT BE PUT ON.
EVEN IF I CAN HAVE ONE STEADY AMOUNT AND THAT NOT CHANGE, THAT WOULD BE EVEN MORE FEASIBLE THAN CONTINUALLY GOING DOWN 22% FROM THE STATE LEGISLATIVE MANDATE.
[01:45:03]
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU DR.ONE WAS FOR CITY MANAGER, ONE WAS FOR DR.
UM, I WANTED TO PICK UP WHERE MAYOR PROTO KEN LONG LEFT OFF, DOES THE CITY MANAGER, IF WE HAD TO REDUCE THE BUDGET BY 5% WITHOUT AFFECTING ESSENTIAL SERVICES, WHERE DO YOU THINK, WHERE WOULD YOU RECOMMEND US MAKING THESE CUTS? WE WOULD HAVE AT, AT THIS POINT IT WOULD BE VERY, VERY, VERY TIGHT IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE A 5% CUT IN THE BUDGET.
UM, BUT IF I, I'M HYPOTHETICALLY ASKING IF WE HAD TO REDUCE IT, WHERE WOULD WE, WHERE WOULD YOU, UH, RECOMMEND WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT EITHER REDUCING SERVICES SOMEWHERE? IS THAT, IS THAT THE ONLY YES, BECAUSE 'CAUSE IF, IF, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT A 3.5% INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD, WE HAVE ALREADY, UM, WELL COST OF LIVING INCREASE.
THE COST OF LIVING HAS INCREASED MORE THAN 3.5%.
UM, FOR COOLER COST OF LIVING INCREASE, UM, FOR INFLATION WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT.
SO IF I'VE GOT TO TAKE THAT AWAY FROM THE NON-UNIONIZED STAFF, I HAVE ALREADY, WE HAVE ALREADY SEALED THE AGREEMENT WITH THE POLICE AND FIRE AND IT'S ALL FEAR THAT YOU GIVE THE NON-UNIONIZED STAFF THE SAME INCREASES THAT.
SO IT WOULD BE A DISSERVICE TO OUR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE TRENCHES EVERY DAY WORKING IN RAW SEWER AND WASTEWATER TO SAY THAT I CANNOT GIVE YOU THE 3.5% THAT I'M GIVING TO THE POLICE AND FIRE.
NOW IF YOU LOOK AT THE INSURANCE TO SAY THAT I'M GOING TO REDUCE THE LEVEL OF INSURANCE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PREMIUMS THAT WE PAY, I THINK IT WOULD BE A DISSERVICE TO THE EMPLOYEES.
UM, HOWEVER, I DO INTEND, I'VE HAD, THERE'S A DISCUSSION THAT I'VE HAD WITH STAFF JUST THIS WEEK TO LOOK AT THE INSURANCE AND TO SEE, YOU KNOW, HOW WE CAN JUST LIKE WE DID WITH THE PROPERTY INSURANCE LAST YEAR WHERE WE SAW AN INCREASED OR A, A DECREASE OF A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS FOR PROPERTY, UM, OR THE PROPERTIES THAT WE INSURE FOR THE CITY.
LET US LOOK AT THE INSURANCE POLICY.
I WANNA TAKE A VERY HARD LOOK AT IT AGAIN, UM, AND GO THERE, UM, TO SEE WHAT IT IS ON THE MARKET THAT WE CAN PROVIDE OUR EMPLOYEES WITH.
YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY IT, IT, IT, IT IS, IT'S JUST HEARTBREAKING WHEN YOU HAVE WORKED FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR FOR 50 YEARS AND YOU TELL AN EMPLOYEE AT THE END OF 50 YEARS SERVICE THAT THEY CANNOT GO HOME AND AT LEAST LIVE WITH $150,000 TO TAKE THEIR GRANDCHILDREN ON A CRUISE OR SOMEWHERE AFTER 50 YEARS OF SERVICE, YOU HAVE GIVEN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE TO THE CITY AND YOU ARE FORCED BECAUSE OF THE INSURANCE.
YOU'RE FORCED TO REMAIN HERE TO CONTINUE TO WORK BECAUSE THE INSURANCE PREMIUM THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY AS A RETIREE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT MEDICARE OR MEDICAID THAT YOU MAY RECEIVE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SURVIVE.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO CUT BACK ON THE MEDICATION THAT YOU RECEIVE FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE OR WHATEVER.
OKAY, THANK FOR THE 5% THAT IS $4.7 MILLION, I SUPPOSE WE CAN DO WHAT WE DID A FEW YEARS AGO.
I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO GET YOUR AUDIT DONE.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT EVERYBODY'S FINANCES, MR. BURTON'S GONNA GET MORE COMPLAINTS AGAIN ABOUT US NOT HAVING PAID OUR VENDORS.
'CAUSE WE CAN'T KEEP UP 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE PERSONNEL.
YOUR BUDGET WOULDN'T BE AS NICE AS IT IS RIGHT NOW WITH THE STAFF THAT I HAVE.
WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE CAPITAL THAT ESO HAS.
RIGHT NOW I'M JUST TALKING JUST MY OWN DEPARTMENT EVEN CUTTING JUST 5% FROM FINANCE.
I'M SURE I COULD FIND IT SOMEWHERE, BUT THERE'S GONNA BE SOME TRADE OFFS.
IF YOU ALL CAN LIVE WITH THAT, THEN THAT'S, THAT'S FINE.
AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT THIS COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR WOULD
[01:50:01]
JUST NEED TO DECIDE THAT THIS IS THE DIRECTION THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO GO AND WE DO WHAT YOU TELL US TO DO AND WE MAKE IT WORK TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.OKAY, LET ME JUST SHARE MM-HMM
IN THOSE DAYS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OLD BUDGETS, THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES WITH THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR MIGHT HAVE BEEN 900 PEOPLE TODAY WE HAVE AN ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENT WHERE YOU HAVE THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE.
THERE WERE ABOUT 10 PEOPLE IN THAT DEPARTMENT BACK THEN, BACK THEN THAT ATTENDED TO STREETLIGHTS, STRIPING OF THE STREETS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
WE HAVE GONE THUS FAR TO REDUCE THE DEPARTMENT TO STREET STRIPING TO $150,000 A YEAR FOR CONTRACTS.
WE HAVE GONE BACK WHERE WE ARE ING ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS RIGHT NOW IN STREET STRIPING.
IT WAS $150,000 WHEN I GOT HERE.
SO THE AESTHETICS OF THIS CITY HAS DETERIORATED OVER THOSE YEARS CONSIDERABLY.
NO WONDER THE CITY LOOKS THE WAY IT LOOKS BECAUSE THROUGH ATTRITION AND OTHER MEANS, WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY REDUCED THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE WORKED AT THE CITY TO PROVIDE THE LEVEL OF SERVICES THAT WE HAVE ENJOYED AS A MUNICIPALITY IN 1973 AND IN THE 1980S.
AND IN THE 1990S PEOPLE RETIRE.
WE CAN NO LONGER FUND THE DEPARTMENT TO THAT LEVEL.
AND THEN YOU JUST CUT OFF THE POSITIONS, YOU CUT OFF THE POSITION, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU CUT YOUR NOSE TO SPITE YOUR FACE.
IT'S LIKE YOUR ANALOGY OF THE CHILD WITH THE UGLY CHILD.
YOU CUT YOUR NOSE TO SPITE YOUR FEES AT THE END OF THE DAY.
MY, MY QUESTION WAS JUST A HYPOTHETICAL.
I KNOW, I UNDERSTAND BECAUSE Y'ALL WERE HAVING ME GOING
YEAH, BECAUSE I OWN SEVERAL BUSINESSES AND FOR ME IT'S, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE DO HAVE TO MAKE SOME SACRIFICE IN SOME DEPARTMENTS IS THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.
AND THAT'S WHY I JUST WANTED TO ASK THAT QUESTION TO SEE, YOU KNOW, SO WE CAN FURTHER LOOK INTO SOME OF THESE ITEMS LIKE YOU BROUGHT UP THE INSURANCE, YOU KNOW, SO, UM, AND I THINK YOU'RE DOING AN AMAZING JOB.
AND MY OTHER QUESTION WAS FOR DR.
BUSWELL FIRST, I THINK YOU DID A GOOD JOB WITH THE PRESENTATION AND UM, MY QUESTION IS ON SLIDE NUMBER NINE IF WE CAN PULL IT UP.
SO I WANTED TO SEE WHERE EXACTLY DO WE HAVE THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS ON WHAT LINE ITEM THROUGH PERIOD? IT, IT IS SPREAD INDIVIDUAL BUDGET.
THEY'RE THROUGH INDIVIDUAL BUDGETS AND IF YOU HAVE YOUR BUDGET THERE, IT'LL BE UNDER YOUR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND SOME OF THOSE, OKAY.
AND MY LAST QUESTION TO THAT WAS COULD ANY OF THESE, UM, PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONSULTANT SERVICES THAT WE HAVE, CAN ANY OF THESE BE PERFORMED BY THE CITY TO WHERE WE COULD SAVE MONEY? YES, BUT WE WOULD REQUIRE TO ADD THE STAFF TO IT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALWAYS LOOK AT IS LIKE, UM, THE ONE ALWAYS FROWNS ON THE BUDGET FOR TEMPORARY STAFFING.
OKAY, IT'S ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS.
BUT IF YOU HAVE TO TAKE ON ALL THESE PEOPLE, YOU'VE GOTTA PAY THEM BENEFITS, YOU'VE GOTTA PAY THEM A PENSION.
ALL THE ADDED BENEFITS THAT COME WITH IT.
YOU'VE, YOU'VE GOT TO, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S, WE ARE LOOKING AT WAYS, IF YOU NEED SEASONAL WORKERS, WE ARE ONLY GOING TO KEEP THEM FOR A SEASON, YOU KNOW, AND, AND UM, THIS IS A WAY OF CUTTING NOW ON THE COST THAT UM, YOU KNOW, WE IN INCLUDE THE UM, AS A YEAH.
AND I UNDERSTAND WHENEVER YOU HAVE TO BRING IN EMPLOYEES, YOU DO HAVE TO GIVE 'EM THE WHOLE BENEFITS PACKAGE.
YEAH, BUT THAT WAS JUST MY QUESTION TO Y'ALL AND, AND THANK YOU.
COUNCILMAN GETWOOD, THANK YOU AGAIN, MAYOR.
UM, COUNCILMAN PENYA BROUGHT UP A POINT THAT I WAS ACTUALLY GONNA ASK AS WELL ABOUT THE SERVICES AS WE TALKED ABOUT HYPOTHETICALLY.
AND LET ME BE CLEAR TOO, WE'RE TALKING HYPOTHETICALLY NOW, BUT AS WE JUST ACKNOWLEDGE NOT EVEN 20 MINUTES AGO, THAT THIS HYPOTHETICALLY MIGHT BECOME OUR REALITY SOONER AND VERY SOON BECAUSE IF WE CONTINUE
[01:55:01]
ON HAVING TO HAVE THIS CAP THAT'S CAPPED OFF AT THE STATE, JUST REITERATING WHAT WAS IN RED, THAT WE CAN'T CONTINUE ON AT THIS RATE IF THE CAP WILL CONTINUE TO BE 3.5.SO WE CAN'T JUST LOOK AT IT AS A HYPOTHETICAL.
WE, WE NEED TO START HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS NOW.
AND I WANTED TO JUST PIGGYBACK OFF OF WHAT HE JUST MENTIONED, IS WE NEED AS A CITY TO START PUTTING A PLAN IN PLACE TO START CONTRACTING SOME OF THESE SERVICES OUT TO WHERE THE CITY CAN PICK UP SOME OF IT SO THAT WAY WE DON'T HAVE TO LEAN HEAVILY ON IT BECAUSE CONTRACTS, WHILE IT DOES, UM, OF COURSE SAVE US MONEY ON THE BACK END OF NOT HAVING TO PAY FOR INSURANCE AND BENEFITS, IT IS TAKING MONEY ON THE FRONT END AS WELL BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH WE'RE PAYING FOR CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.
SO IF I WAS TO LOOK AT ANYTHING TO CUT, AND I LEARNED THIS IN MY GOVERNMENTAL BUDGETING CLASS, YOU ALWAYS WANNA LOOK AT WHERE CAN YOU CUT THAT'S NOT GONNA TAKE CITY SERVICES AWAY FROM CITIZENS.
AND WHAT CAN THE CITY START TO PICK UP AND TO STAND ON ITS OWN TWO LEGS.
AND SO WHAT I WOULD IMPLORE IS FOR THE CITY, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO, AND I DON'T WANNA GET TOO POLITICAL HERE, BUT IT'S JUST THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER OF THE STATE IN WHICH WE'RE IN, IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, WE ARE IN AN ELECTION SEASON RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE A GOVERNOR WHO IS UP FOR REELECTION WHO HAS MADE STRONG PROMISES TO HIS PEOPLE.
AND IF REELECTED, HE WILL SEE THOSE THROUGH.
AND WE HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT THAT IF REELECTED THE CITY IS GOING TO HAVE TO FOLLOW WHATEVER MANDATE COMES FROM THE STATE BECAUSE WE ARE NOT BIGGER THAN THE STATE ON THIS, ON THIS COUNCIL.
AND EVEN IF WE WERE TO CALL FOR A VOTE FOR RESIDENTS TO WANT TO INCREASE, IF THE STATE PUTS A CAP, THAT'S THE STATE AND WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY IT.
SO IT'S WITHIN OUR BEST INTEREST AS A CITY TO START COMING UP WITH A PLAN JUST IN CASE WE DO HAVE TO JUST AS WE DID WITH, WITH OUR, WITH OUR INCREASES WITH THE WATER RATES, HAVING A PLAN AND THE SAFETY NET IN THE EVENT THAT THE CITY IS NOT ABLE TO RECUPERATE MORE MONEY AS WE DID THIS YEAR TO WHERE IT IS STILL GONNA BE BALANCED.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST THING I WANTED TO SAY.
LET'S, LET'S START PUTTING IN A PLAN IN PLACE TO WHERE IF WE HAVE SOME OF THESE CONTRACTED SERVICES, LET'S LOOK AND SEE WHERE WE'RE SPENDING THE MOST OF OUR MONEY AND HOW CAN WE PAIR THOSE PEOPLE TO START, UM, HANDING SOME OF THOSE DUTIES OVER TO CITY.
AND IF THEY'RE TRULY GOOD ENOUGH, THEN WE CAN HIRE THEM
SO, UH, THAT'S THE FIRST THING.
SECOND THING I WANTED TO SAY WAS ABOUT THE IMPACT FEES.
I, I MADE MENTION OF IT EARLIER, BUT I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO EXPOUND ON IT.
I WANTED TO KNOW IF WE ARE, DO WE ALREADY HAVE IMPACT FEES PUT IN PLACE? WE DON'T.
OKAY, SO THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD THING TO KNOW AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE IMPACT FEES, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE VERY CRUCIAL, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA NEED MONEY FROM EVERYWHERE THAT WE CAN GET.
UM, AND I AM PRAYING FOR, AND I KNOW THAT, THAT WE'RE SENDING IN GREAT COUNCIL MEMBERS ON OUR IDA COMMITTEE, BUT AS WE HAVE SEEN AND ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WE'VE NOT HAD A STEADY INCREASE FROM THE MONEY THAT WE RECEIVED FROM INDUSTRY.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO START LOOKING AT OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS AS WELL.
AND I'M GONNA TAKE A PERSONAL NOTE TO SAY THIS FOR AN EXAMPLE.
IN DISTRICT ONE, I KNOW WE'VE HAD A BIG PROBLEM WITH STREETS, UM, WITH HAVING TO GO BACK AND CORRECT STREETS THAT WE'VE ALREADY PAID FOR THAT COMES OUT OF OUR MONEY, OUT OF OUR BUDGET.
AND I CAN GIVE YOU SEVERAL STREETS RIGHT NOW THAT I KNOW FOR A FACT MY CONSTITUENTS ARE NOT TEARING THOSE STREETS UP.
THERE ARE 18 WHEELERS THAT ARE COMING IN, GOING TO THE PORTA PORT ARTHUR BRINGING IN THEIR SHIPMENT.
AND SO IF WE ARE GOING TO BE GOOD STEWARD AND GOOD PARTNERS, WE CAN'T JUST LOOK AT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN INTIMIDATING US AND NOT STANDING UP TO THE PLATE AND OWNING IT.
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR LOCAL PARTNERS AS WELL TO SAY, HEY, WE NEED YOU TO COME IN BECAUSE WE'VE PAVED THIS STREET ALREADY AND WE CANNOT AFFORD TO CONTINUE TO COME BACK AND REP PAVE THESE STREETS.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY CRUCIAL THAT WE GET THESE IMPACT FEES UP AND RUNNING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
ESPECIALLY AS WE LOOK AT THE EXPANSION OF OF, OF INDUSTRY AROUND US AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE IN THE MIDST OF INDUSTRY EXPANSION.
AND TO, TO COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, MAYOR PRO TE KEN LAW'S POINT, WE HAVE TO START HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE ON THE INDU INDUSTRIAL SIDE AND TO WHAT, TO, TO COUNCILWOMAN JACOB'S POINT, OUR CITY IS A PLAYGROUND FOR THEM.
IT IS APPETIZING FOR THEM TO COME BECAUSE THEY KNOW FOR A FACT THAT WE'RE GONNA ACCEPT AND THEY KNOW FOR A FACT THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE ON OUR SIDE TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
NOW IS THE TIME FOR US TO TAKE THE STANCE TO SAY, NOPE, YOU CAN'T DO THAT NO MORE.
WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN THE PAST IS THE PAST, LIKE THE ANALOGY THAT I USED EARLIER.
WE GONNA KISS THE BABY, CALL IT UGLY, BUT MOVING FORWARD WE GONNA FIND SOME CUTE CLOTHES TO PUT ON THIS BABY AND YOU GONNA PLAY YOUR PART AND I'M GONNA PLAY MY PART AND WE GONNA WORK TOGETHER BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT INDUSTRY TO GO AWAY.
WE VALUE IT AND WE BENEFIT FROM IT, BUT LATELY WE HAVEN'T BEEN BENEFITED FROM IT.
AND GUESS WHAT, WHO'S AT THE TABLE RIGHT NOW HAVING TO MAKE THE TOUGH DECISIONS? ARE WE GONNA TAKE POLICE A FIRE AWAY? WE ARE.
AND WHO BENEFITS FROM OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT WHEN THINGS GO ERUPTED THEIR FACILITIES? THEY DO, THEY HAVE GOT TO
[02:00:01]
HAVE MORE STAKE IN THIS GAME AND WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO, TO PAINSTAKINGLY TAKE FROM CITIZENS AND TRY TO ROB PETER TO PAY FOR PAUL ON ON SIMPLE THINGS THAT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES DON'T DEAL WITH.SO WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS NOW.
AND I'M TYING THIS IN, I'M SORRY MAYOR, BUT WE'VE GOTTA START HAVING THESE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS NOW AND NOT JUST THINK HYPOTHETICALLY, LET'S START LOOKING AT WHERE WE CAN MAKE CUTS TO WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE 50 YEAR EMPLOYEE THAT'S WANTING TO RETIRE BUT CAN'T BECAUSE SHE OR HE NEEDS THE INSURANCE OR HE OR SHE WANTS TO TAKE THEIR CHILDREN ON A TRIP OR EVEN TREAT THEMSELVES.
LET'S BE SERIOUS IN THESE CONVERSATIONS TO WHERE WE CAN SAY, HEY, I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IT, BUT LET'S START, LET'S START PREPARING FOR IT NOW.
AND I'M SO THANKFUL THAT WE'RE GETTING READY TO ENTER INTO A IDEA, UM, NEGOTIATIONS AND UM, WE HAVE OUR TEAM ALREADY SELECTED TO GO INTO THESE COMMUNICATIONS, LET THE, THESE REFINERIES KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT, WE'RE SERIOUS AND WE'RE TAKING A HARDER STANCE AND LOOKING INTO MEASURES RIGHT NOW FOR WHAT'S BEEN, WHAT'S TAKING PLACE IN OUR CITY.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO US AND WE TAKE IT.
UM, AND SO THESE IDEA AS WE'VE ALREADY SELECTED OUR COMMITTEES AND WE HAVE THEM IN PLACE AND WE BEGIN THE NEGOTIATIONS IS NOT GONNA BE A PLAYGROUND.
IT'S GOING TO BE VERY SERIOUS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO THE TABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
THEY'VE BEEN ON TENURE AGREEMENTS.
WE HAD TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE WERE GONNA LOSE THEM PERIOD.
IF YOU GUYS RECALL 10 YEARS AGO, YOU MAY NOT KNOW THAT, BUT HOUSE BILL, UH, SENATE BILL THREE OR TWO WAS GOING TO ALLOW THEM TO NO LONGER SIT INTO OUR ETJ AND THEY WOULDN'T HAVE PAID, THEY WOULDN'T BE PAYING US A DIME TODAY.
WE WERE GONNA BE LO WE WERE GOING TO LOSE THEM.
AND SO THAT'S HOW WE CAME UP WITH PUTTING THEM ON CONTRACTS.
SO NOW THOSE CONTRACTS ARE UP AND WE ARE RENEWING THEM AND THAT HAPPENED IN 2017.
SO YOU HAVE PEOPLE ON COUNCIL THAT HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO GO TO THE TABLE WITH THEM.
I'M GLAD TO BE A PART OF THAT NEGOTIATION TEAM AND I'M FIGHTING FOR PORT ARTHUR AS WITH ALL OF US, BUT I'M THANKFUL TO BE ON THE, ON THAT COMMITTEE, ON THAT IDEA COMMITTEE ALONG WITH OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO WE'RE GONNA DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO GET WHAT WE NEED TO GET TO BE WHAT WE NEED TO BE.
SO LET'S GO ON TO COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER FRANK, THEN WE'LL TRY TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UM, AND THIS IS JUST KIND OF ECHOING SOME OF THE SENTIMENTS EXPRESSED UP HERE AND I FEEL LIKE THERE'S NO GREATER TIME.
I HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING.
WHY DIDN'T Y'ALL TELL ME AT SIX O'CLOCK? I I ENDED ONE.
YEAH, CAN WE GO AHEAD? YES MA'AM.
SO, AND THIS IS REITERATING SOME OF THE POINTS, BUT I FEEL LIKE THERE'S NO GREATER TIME TO SHARE THIS THAN NOW.
SO, UM, I DIDN'T REMEMBER THEN.
THIS IS REALLY KIND OF A COMBINATION OF SEVERAL OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE UP HERE.
BUT UM, AS WE ARE MOVING FORWARD OUT OF ONE, UH, YOU KNOW, FISCAL KIND OF PLANNING INTO THE NEXT FISCAL PLANNING, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE SHOULD START RIGHT ON THE HEELS,
UM, BUT I DO THINK, 'CAUSE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS TODAY ABOUT MY FAVORITE TOPIC, CONTRACT MANAGEMENT.
AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO UM, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AS WELL AS ANY OTHER VENDOR CONTRACTS, I THINK THE CITY COULD BEAR TO.
UM, WELL FIRST, MY FIRST I HAVE ACTUAL AN ACTUAL QUESTION.
DO WE HAVE A LOG, AN ACTIVE CONSOLIDATED LOG CROSS DEPARTMENTAL OF ALL CONTRACTS THAT THE CITY IS ENGAGED IN? WE HAVE A LIST OF ALL THE CONTRACTS.
IF YOU ARE TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, THERE IS ONE OBJECT CODE FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND WE CAN GIVE YOU A LISTING OF ALL OF THE VENDORS IN THOSE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
SO I THINK IT WOULD PROBABLY BE IN OUR BEST INTEREST IF WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK 'CAUSE WE'VE KIND OF THROWN OUT THE TERM CONTRACTS AND CONTRACT MANAGEMENT.
BUT IF WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT SOME OF THESE CONTRACTS, UM, I'VE PERFORMED CONTRACT, UH, COMPLIANCE AUDITS IN THE PAST, RIGHT? WHERE YOU LOOK AT ALL THE KEY TERMS OF THE CONTRACT, YOU LOOK AT THE DURATION, YOU LOOK AT THE CONTRACT TYPE, WHETHER IT'S A MASTER SERVICE AGREEMENT OR A SUB AGREEMENT, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT FACTORS.
AND THEN YOU LOOK AT THE COMPLIANCE PIECE.
ARE THEY ACTUALLY, ARE THEY PAYING US ON TIME OR ARE THEY MEETING THE, THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SAID AGREEMENT? AND SO I THINK THAT THE CITY COULD BEAR TO DO A COMB THROUGH OF WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
AND I KNOW, I KNOW THE NUMBERS ARE PROBABLY VERY FAR REACHING, BUT AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS, RIGHT, WE'RE
[02:05:01]
TALKING ABOUT TOUGH CONVERSATIONS IN AREAS WHERE, UH, COSTS MAY HAVE TO BE CUT IN THE NEAR TERM.UM, I THINK IT'S IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO PERFORM SAID TASK TO ENSURE THAT NOT ONLY US AND NOT ONLY THE CITIZENS, BUT THAT YOU ALL, AND I KNOW DR.
BOSWELL, YOU ARE INTIMATELY KNOWLEDGEABLE OF A LOT OF THE CONTRACTS BECAUSE THE EXPENDITURES COME THROUGH YOUR WORKFLOW AND, AND OUT OF YOUR OFFICE, BUT YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY PERSON WITH A STAKE IN THAT FIGHT.
AND SO I THINK, I DON'T WANT TO USE THE BABY ANALOGY, BUT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO JUST STAY A REALITY IN THE FACE.
WHAT ARE WE DOING? HOW MUCH ARE WE SPENDING? WHO IS IT GOING TO? AND ARE WE ACTUALLY GETTING WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR? UM, AND I THINK THAT THAT COMES INTO PLAY, OF COURSE, LIKE I SAID, WITH PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, BUT ALSO WITH ALL OF OUR OTHER VENDOR CONTRACTS.
AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING CITY MANAGER THAT I AM VERY INTERESTED IN SEEING AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TOUGH CONVERSATIONS.
THAT'S THE FIRST TOUGH CONVERSATION THAT WE NEED TO HAVE IN MY OPINION.
AND THEN SECONDLY, THE HOT TOPIC OF, UM, OF, OF VACANCIES.
UM, THE PULSE OF THE PEOPLE SAYS THAT THAT IS A HOT, HOT, HOT TOPIC.
AND THE PULSE OF THE PEOPLE SAYS THAT THE CITIZENS ARE DISGRUNTLED WITH, THEY WHAT THEY FEEL IS A INABILITY TO GET HIRED WITH THE CITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY HAS A STORY AND EVERYONE HAS A, UH, A REASON WHY OR AN ACCUSATION, RIGHT? AND I THINK THAT THE MORE TRANSPARENT WE CAN BE ABOUT THESE THINGS, THE BETTER.
BUT IN, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO, BEFORE YOU CAN IMPRESS AN EXPECTATION ON OTHERS, YOU HAVE TO IMPRESS IT ON YOURSELF FIRST.
AND A PART OF, UH, DILIGENT BUDGET MANAGEMENT, IN MY OPINION, IS, IS PERFORMING THOSE COST ANALYSES, RIGHT? YOU KIND OF SPOKE TO IT, UH, CITY MANAGER.
BUT REALLY KNOWING THAT COST AND BENEFIT, IS IT TRULY MORE COSTLY TO HAVE ALL OF THESE CONTRACT EMPLOYEES THAN IT IS TO HIRE STAFF? I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE ACTUAL NUMBERS, THE NUMERICAL DATA THAT SUPPORTS THAT, RIGHT? AND NOT JUST FOR US, NOT JUST FOR MY BENEFIT, BUT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CITIZENS SO THAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND WHEN WE ARE SAYING IT MAKES MORE SENSE.
AND IT'S MORE OF A BENEFIT TO THE PUBLIC FOR US TO CONTRACT THIS WORKOUT VERSUS HIRING THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE QUANTITATIVE DATA TO BACK THAT.
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY IN MY, UM, IN MY, ON MY DAY JOB, UM, WHEN I HAVE TO REVIEW PAYROLL, I'M LOOKING AT IT WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB TRYING TO DETERMINE, OKAY, IF, IF THIS PERSON IS WORKING 40 HOURS OF OVERTIME CONSISTENTLY, THEN TO ME THAT SUGGESTS THAT WE NEED A NEW POSITION, RIGHT? BECAUSE NOW THIS PERSON IS EFFECTUALLY MAKING A TIME AND A HALF FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK OF WORK, WHICH COULD BE WORKED BY ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL IF WE HIRED SOMEONE ELSE.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S ONE THING TO, TO KIND OF KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE PLAYING FIELD, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, BUT IT'S ANOTHER THING TO HAVE THAT SUBSTANTIATED BY FISCAL DATA THAT'S UNDENIABLE.
AND, UM, WITH THE AMOUNT OF SCRUTINY, I'VE, I'VE HAD MY OWN LEVEL OF SCRUTINY AROUND IT, AS YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I'VE ASKED QUESTIONS UP HERE THAT KIND OF PROVE THAT GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF SCRUTINY, UM, FROM OUR CITIZENS, SOME OF THEM SEEMING VERY EAGER TO WORK FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO CONDUCT SOME TYPE OF ANALYSIS TO REALLY PROVE TO OURSELVES, DO WE NEED TO COMPLETELY CLOSE DOWN THE POSITION? IF WE, IF WE KNOW THAT IT WITHIN THE NEXT 10 YEARS, THE NEXT 12 YEARS, WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF HIRING SOMEONE IN THIS POSITION, THEN WE NEED TO CLOSE IT.
WE NEED TO CLOSE THAT FILE IN HR AND WE NEED TO REMOVE THAT POSTING FROM ONLINE BECAUSE IT GIVES A FALSE IMPRESSION THAT THAT IS A JOB THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR HIRE.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, AS YOU ALL HAVE ALREADY SHOWN, YOUR, UM, PROWESS TO DO IS IDENTIFY POSITIONS THAT DON'T QUITE ALIGN WITH THE PREVIOUS RIGHT DESCRIPTION.
BUT NOW IN THE YEAR 2026, IT MORE SO ALIGNS WITH THIS, RIGHT? IT IS MORE APPLICABLE TO THIS AREA AND WE'VE ADDED THESE CRITERIA OR THESE RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES, AND NOW WE CAN ACTUALLY OPEN IT UP FOR HIRE BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S ACTUALLY NEEDED.
AND SO I THINK THAT ONCE AGAIN, AND THIS IS MY CLOSING REMARK,
ONE TO SUBSTANTIATE, UM, SUBSTANTIATE OUR HIRING PRACTICES, BUT TWO FOR FISCAL MANAGEMENT PURPOSES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TONIGHT.
I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE STAFF ON A BUDGET THAT HAS BEEN, UH, PLANNED.
AND I EVEN NOW SEE THAT THERE'S
[02:10:01]
SOME MORE THAT WE CAN DO, BUT WE'VE ALREADY MADE SOME TO SOME OF THE REMARKS THAT COUNCILWOMAN JACOBS, UH, HAS MADE.UM, I REMEMBER, UH, NOT LONG AGO WE LOOKED AT THE OVERTIME.
WE, WE, WE LOOKED AT THE OVERTIME AND SO WE MADE SURE THAT WE WERE CUTTING BACK ON OVERTIME.
WE LOOKED AT THAT AND SAW THAT THAT WAS AN AREA THAT WE COULD REALLY, REALLY MAKE A DENT IN OUR BUDGET ON.
AND THEN AS WELL, WE LOOKED AT THE INSURANCE, UH, SAVED OVER $250,000 A YEAR ON THE INSURANCE BY MAKING SOME TRANSITIONS, UH, IN THAT AREA.
SO WE'VE DONE SOME WONDERFUL THINGS, AND I THINK YOU WANTED TO LOOK AT THE INSURANCE AGAIN.
SO THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT ARE, ARE HAPPENING AND TRANSPIRING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
THE ONE THING THAT I WANT TO SAY IN CONCLUSION IS, IS THAT WE HAVE TO SEE OURSELVES DIFFERENTLY.
I'LL NEVER FORGET THE REMARKS OF OUR, UM, ATTORNEY, UH, WHEN SHE CAME AND SHE WAS SAYING, SHARING WITH US THAT FOR SO LONG AND FOR TOO LONG, WE SAW OURSELVES AS THE PROVERBIAL GRASSHOPPERS.
WE SAW OURSELVES AS LITTLE, LITTLE PORT ARTHUR, WHERE, WHERE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT, WE ARE THE CITY WHO HAS BEEN KNOWN TO OIL THE WORLD AND WHERE THE, THIS IS THE ENERGY HUB OF THE NATION NOW.
AND SO WE'VE GOT TO SEE OURSELVES DIFFERENT.
AND WHEN WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS FROM THIS DAY AS WELL AS WE GO INTO NEGOTIATIONS AND AS WE'LL BE MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT CONTRACTS AND BUSINESSES AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS, WE'VE GOT TO SEE OURSELVES AS A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR CORPORATION.
WE'VE GOT TO SEE OURSELVES DEALING WITH THEM ON AN EQUAL PLAYING FIELD AS OPPOSED TO JUST LETTING, I'LL NEVER FORGET, I WAS AT A MEETING, UM, YEARS AGO AND I HEARD, UM, A COUNCIL MEMBER SAY, UH, TO, UM, AN OIL INDUSTRY, UH, JUST GO AHEAD, Y'ALL DOING THE BEST Y'ALL CAN.
NO, THAT'S NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE.
THAT NO LONGER CAN BE OUR ATTITUDE AND OUR MINDSET.
UH, IT HAS TO BE DIFFERENT AND IT NEEDS TO BE DIFFERENT.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH MM-HMM
AND I THINK THAT WE WILL HAVE TO BE CHARGED WITH IT FROM THIS DAY FORWARD AND FOR THOSE WHO WILL COME AFTER US AS WELL.
I COUNCILMAN FRED, WE'RE GONNA GO TO THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
I APOLOGIZE THAT, UM, I OVERLOOKED TRYING TO GET BACK TO THE COMMENTS AT THE DAY IS, UH, THAT WE HAD ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, IT SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED RIGHT AFTER.
UM, WE'RE GONNA GO AS THE PUBLIC HEARING, UM, PROPOSED TAX RATE IS GREATER THAN THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE.
THIS MEANS THAT THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IS PROPOSING TO INCREASE PROPERTY TAXES FOR THE 2026 TAX YEAR.
THE PROPOSED TAX RATE IS NOT GREATER THAN THE VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE.
AS A RESULT, THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR IS NOT REQUIRED TO HOLD AN ELECTION AT WHICH VOTERS MAY ACCEPT OR REJECT THE PROPOSED TAX RATE.
HOWEVER, YOU MAY EXPRESS YOUR SUPPORT FOR OR OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED TAX RATE AT THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
THE PUBLIC HEARING ALSO WILL BE ABLE TO VIEW THE PUBLIC HEARING VIA THE CITY'S WEBSITE AT WWW.PORTARTHURTX.GOV.
YOUR TAXES OWED UNDER ANY OF THE RATES MENTIONED ABOVE CAN BE CALCULATED AS FOLLOWS, PROPERTY TAX EQUAL TAX RATE TIMES TAX TABLE VALUE OF YOUR PROPERTY, UH, FORWARD SLASH 100 PER UM, 100.
AT THIS TIME WE'RE GONNA GO INTO OUR PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, AND IF THERE'S ANY CITIZEN THAT'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS TAX RATE, YOU MAY, UH, DO SO AT THIS TIME.
IF THERE'S ANY CITIZEN THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS TAX RATE, YOU MAY DO SO AT THIS TIME.
IF THERE'S ANY CITIZEN THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS TAX RATE, YOU MAY DO SO AT THIS TIME.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
I LIVE AT 80 24 CHIMNEY ROCK COURT, PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS.
MY, UH, INITIAL QUESTION IS ABOUT, IS ON, UH, PAGE TWO OF THE, UH, TAXPAYER, UH, IMPACT STATEMENT.
AND I JUST HAD A QUESTION BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING AT SOME OF THE NUMBERS AND I WAS JUST WONDERING, WOULD IT HAVE BEEN MAYBE FAIR OR EQUITABLE TO, WELL, RIGHT UNDERNEATH THE, UH, TAXPAYER IMPACT
[02:15:01]
STATEMENT WHERE IT SAYS FOR THE MEDIAN, UH, VALUED HOMESTEAD, IF THE, AND, AND, AND I'M SURE SOMEBODY CAN EXPLAIN WHY IT WAS DONE LIKE THAT.IT'S ON, YOU SAID PAGE TWO OF THE SLIDE? NO, PAGE TWO OF, OF, OF THE HANDOUT.
WHY WOULDN'T THE, UH, THE MEDIAN VALUE OF THE HOMESTEAD, IF YOU ARE USING THAT AS AN EXAMPLE TO CALCULATE THE EX ESTIMATED, UH, PROPERTY TAX BILL AT THE VERY END OF THAT COLUMN, WHY DIDN'T THEY CONTINUE TO USE LIKE EITHER THE 90,000 ALL THE WAY, ALL THE WAY DOWN FOR ALL THREE INTEREST VERSUS HAVING 90,000 8, 22 AND THEN INCREASING IT TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
AND THEN WHEN YOU GET TO THE VERY END, YOU'VE GOT THESE NUMBERS THAT HAVE GONE UP, BUT OF COURSE THEY'VE GONE UP BECAUSE YOU'VE USED, YOU KNOW, A HIGHER MEDIUM VALUE AS AN EXAMPLE.
THAT'S, UM, I'LL LET THE CITY, UM, FINANCE DIRECTOR, DR.
BOSWELL, SPEAK TO US, UM, SPEAK TO US.
I HAVE THE EXACT SAME QUESTION AND UNFORTUNATELY I'M UNABLE TO CHANGE TO THE JEFFERSON COUNTY OR THE STATE LEGISLATION ON THIS ISSUE.
IF I HAD MY DRUTHERS, IT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
THIS IS, I WOULD, UH, COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THE COMMENT THAT WAS MADE.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO HAVE AS OUR PROPOSED STATE.
THIS CAME FROM THE STATE, AM I UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY? AND WE ARE USING THE COUNTY AND WE'RE USING THIS, I'M SORRY, WHAT AM I WITH STATE MA MY GOSH.
UH, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO U UTILIZE MAAM, ACCORDING TO THE LAW.
SO THE REASON WHY I ASKED THAT QUESTION BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE COMPARING APPLES AND ORANGES INSTEAD OF APPLES AND APPLES.
AND THAT'S WHY SHE SAID SHE WOULD, BUT WE WOULD PREFER TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, BUT FROM WHAT WE'RE THE COUNTY HAS GIVEN US, AND AS LYNN HAS STATED, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE TO UTILIZE THIS.
THESE ARE THE VERY WORDS AND DOCUMENT I RECEIVE FROM THE COUNTY TO PRODUCE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
I, I WAS WONDERING, IS IT POSSIBLE AT SOME POINT IN TIME, UH, DR.
BOSWELL, THAT YOU COULD POSSIBLY GET AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY, YOU KNOW THEY PRESENTED THAT THAT WAY? 'CAUSE IT'S KIND OF CONFU.
AT LEAST IT'S, IT'S KIND OF CONFUSING TO ME ANYWAY.
I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU AND WHAT I BELIEVE I WILL DO IS MAYBE NOT IN AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY, BUT IN AN UNOFFICIAL, LET ME GIVE YOU THE APPLES TO APPLES.
AND THAT IS WHAT I DID FOR OUR PROPOSED TAX RATE ON THE HANDOUT THAT WAS PROVIDED ON PAGE SEVEN IN WHICH I KEPT THE SAME AMOUNT AND THAT'S WHY YOU SAW THE DECREASE THERE.
SO I'VE KIND OF UNOFFICIALLY SHOWED YOU WHAT I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE SEEN THAT WOULD BE OFFICIAL AND LEGAL BY COUNTY METHODS.
YOU HAVE, DO YOU HAVE THIS HANDOUT, MR. SKAGGS? IT WAS AT THE BACK, UM, WHEN YOU COME IN.
AND SO LYNN TRIED TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE COUNTY DID ON THIS PAGE NUMBER, UH, SEVEN IN THIS HANDOUT TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT CLEARER.
OKAY, COUNCIL, I JUST HAVE JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
COUNCIL MCG, GETWOOD AND JUST A POINT INFORMATION SO I CAN UNDERSTAND IS, IS THIS CHART THAT WE SEE HERE, IS THIS INTO ANY CONNECTION TO THE, THE 4.4 INCREASE THAT THE COUNTY SAID THAT THEY HAD? IS THAT, IS THAT TIED TO OR CORRELATED WITH THAT? THEY ARE USING THAT AS THE MEDIAN AND WHEN I DID THE PERCENTAGE DIFFERENCE FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY, WE INCREASED BY 4.6.
SO I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW THEY CALCULATED THE MEDIAN OF IT BEING A 10% DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR.
AND I CAN DEFINITELY ASK MORE QUESTIONS OUT OF THE STATE FORMS THAT THEY ALSO HAVE TO SUPPLY AND DETERMINE HOW THEY'RE ACTUALLY GETTING THOSE NUMBERS.
I'LL MAKE SURE TO BE MUCH CLEARER NEXT YEAR.
YEAH, I, I WAS JUST WONDERING, I WAS SEEING AS WAS POINTED OUT IT THAT INCREASE OF A JUMP AND THEN THEY SAID THEY HAVE AN INCREASE OF WHAT,
[02:20:01]
4.4, BUT AS WE ALREADY ACKNOWLEDGED, EVEN IF THE INCREASE WAS 4.7, WE COULD ONLY GET 3.5 OF WHATEVER THAT FOUR POINT IS.ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, IF YOU, ANYONE ELSE WANNA SPEAK TO THE TAX RATE WHILE WE'RE IN THE PUBLIC HEARING? IF NOT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO CLOSE OUR PUBLIC HEARING.
CAN I GET A MOTION? SO MOVE FOR APPROVAL.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
UM, THE UH, PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
WE'RE NOW GOING TO, UH, I I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE, UH, BECAUSE OF AN EMERGENCY THAT'S KIND OF HAPPENED AND WE CAN'T REALLY PUBLICLY ANNOUNCE IT.
UM, MOVE THIS EXECUTIVE SESSION, UM, UH, REMOVE IT FROM THE COUNCIL.
I LIKE TO GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL TO MOVE.
ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU ASK? I CAN'T SAY.
I MEAN IT'S REALLY A COMMUNITY THING.
ANY NOS? THE AYES HABIT, THE RESOLUTION? UH, I MEAN THE, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE MOVED TO ANOTHER TIME.
I'M GONNA GET, UH, ASK FOR A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT.
SO MOVED, THEN PROBABLY SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
WE ARE NOW ADJOURNED AT 7:51 PM.