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OKAY, THEN[Special Commission Meetings on June 25, 2024.]
LET'S GET STARTED.IT'S A WORKSHOP, UH, NUMBER ONE.
IT'S UH, JUNE 25TH, 2020 4, 5 31.
WE'RE IN THE, UH, STILL IN THE ANNEX BUILDING, NUMBER TWO.
UH, RUTH, CAN WE HAVE ROLL CALL, PLEASE? YES, SIR.
PRESENT, UH, COMMISSIONER TOM GOODMAN.
MOTION, DETECTIVE COMMISSIONER DEBRA MORALES.
COMMISSIONER JOSE NAVARRO PRESENT.
OKAY, SO NOW I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
AGAIN, THIS, UH, TIME IS 5 32.
AND ADD NUMBER TWO FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
ANYBODY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? NONE.
FRED, YOU WANNA TAKE IT OVER? SURE, MAYOR.
OKAY, MAYOR COMMISSIONERS, WE WILL HAVE THE DISCUSSION OF OUR, UH, 2024 VALOR PROPERTY TAX RATE, AND, UH, OUR CFO STEPHANIE WILL PRESENT.
HI, GOOD AFTERNOON, SEVEN AAND DIRECTOR, FINANCE RECTOR.
UM, SO BEFORE YOU, YOU HAVE THE BUDGET ITSELF, THE BOOKLET, BUT ALSO A KEYNOTE.
SO THESE ARE KIND OF, TO MAKE IT EASIER TO NAVIGATE THE BOOKLET ITSELF.
AGAIN, THIS IS THE FIRST PROJECT WORKSHOP, AND WE'RE GOING OVER SUMMARIES.
OF COURSE, WE'RE GONNA GET THE DETAIL ONE WITH LINE BY LINE, WHAT IS IT THAT THEY'RE PURCHASING WITH EACH LINE.
BUT FOR NOW WE'RE DOING THE SUMMARIES.
UM, I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO GO TO PAGE NUMBER THREE OF THE KEYNOTES.
THIS IS THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY ADDRESSES THE, THE, AT THE ALARM TAX RATE.
SO, UM, KIND OF LIKE A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF HOW THE TAX REC CALCULATION IT'S BEEN CALCULATED.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO EXAMPLES.
UH, ONE IS FOR 2023, AND THE OTHER ONE IS FOR 2024.
UH, IF YOU LOOK AT, LIKE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PAGE, YOU'RE GONNA SEE THE 20 20 23 AND HOW WE DID THERE.
SO, UM, BASED ON A COLLECTION RATE OF A 95 POINT 81%, UM, THE COLLECTION RATE WAS ABOUT 6.9 MILLION.
WE CONSERVATIVE BUDGETED FOR, UH, 91% OF COMING BACK.
'CAUSE OF COURSE WE WANNA BE CONSERVATIVE ON BUDGETING, BUDGETING OUR REVENUES.
UM, IT'S BETTER FOR THE REVENUES TO BE HIGHER THAN WHAT WE EXPECT THAN BEING LOWER THAN WHAT WE SAID.
'CAUSE IF NOT, WE'RE NOT BUDGETING CORRECTLY.
SO, UM, THERE'S LIKE A BLUE SQUARE ON THE RIGHT HAND, AND THAT'S HOW MUCH WE HAVE COLLECTED AS OF MAY, 2024.
AND I DON'T FORESEE US COLLECTING AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT MORE BECAUSE NORMALLY WE COLLECT ALL OF OUR PROPERTY TAXES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR IN OCTOBER.
SO, UM, FOLLOWED BY THAT YOU HAVE, UM, ANOTHER CALCULATION, WHICH IS BASED ON THE PRELIMINARY NUMBERS, UH, THAT WERE RECEIVED JUNE 14TH, 2024.
SO THIS MONTH WE, UM, THE NUMBERS TO CALCULATE OR TAX RATED.
HOW WOULD THAT, UM, HOW WOULD, HOW IS THAT LOOKING COMPARED TO LAST YEAR? BUT AGAIN, THESE ARE PRELIMINARY NUMBERS.
UH, THEY HAVE, I BELIEVE UNTIL JULY 24TH, 2024, UH, TO PROVIDE US WITH THE ACTION NUMBERS FOR WHAT IS IT THAT WE NEED TO TAKE IN CONSIDERATION OF THE LIMITED ADJUSTED TAX FOR US TO MAKE OUR CALCULATION FOR THE NO NEW REVENUE AND THE TAX RATE.
UM, I DID WENT AHEAD AND WENT TO THE WEBSITE, SEE IF THEY HAVE UPDATED SOMETHING ELSE OTHER THAN THE ONES THAT WE RECEIVED.
SO IT'S BASED ON THOSE UPDATED NUMBERS.
AND THEN I, I DID LIKE A EXPECTED NO NEW REVENUE BASED ON THE INFORMATION RECEIVED.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT 62 74 0 6.
UM, AND THAT'S EXPECTING A 95.81, UH, RATE OF RETURN.
AND THAT'S LITERALLY WOULD BE TO COLLECT THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE WE COLLECT A YEAR PRIOR.
THAT'S WHAT THE NO NEW REVENUE IS FOR.
UM, UM, THIS IS WHERE KIND OF LIKE IT'S MORE OF A CONVERSATIONAL, IF YOU WANNA PROVIDE ANY INPUT ON, ON THAT, THAT'S WHAT REALLY THE ITEM IS FOR.
SO I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
STEPH, WHAT IS THE, ON THE CAL ON THE EQUATION THEY USE WHEN THEY HAVE A PLUS THAT APPROXIMATE TOTAL LEVY CALCULATION? YES, THEY MIGHT, THEY MULTIPLY THE VALUATION BY THE 70 CENTS DIVIDED BY A HUNDRED PLUS MM-HMM,
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DISTRICT? THAT'S THE CALCULATION THAT IT'S USED TO CALCULATE THE TAX RATE.SO THE 70 CENTS, BUT THE EXTRA SIX 19, OH, THAT'S THE AMOUNT OF LIKE, LET'S SAY YOU HAVE PENDING TAXES FROM A PRIOR YEAR.
SO IF THAT'S MORE OR LESS WHAT YOU WERE EXPECT TO COLLECT FROM PRIOR YEARS, UH, BASED ON WHAT WE'VE ACTUALLY COLLECT, LET'S SAY OH, OKAY.
BASED ON IN A YEAR, YEAR TO YEAR BASIS, UM, THE TOTAL COLLECTION OF OUR PROPERTY TAXES THAT WE SAID WE WERE GONNA COLLECT, THAT PORTION MAKES UP FROM PRIOR YEARS, IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE.
SO IT'S BASED ON, THAT'S LIKE LEFTOVER HISTORICAL FROM THE PRIOR YEARS.
SO LIKE PEOPLE THAT DON'T PAY THEIR TAXES AND THEN END UP PAYING THE ALL THEIR TAXES TOGETHER IN 2024, THAT'S MORE OR LESS WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
AND THEY PROVIDE US WITH THAT NUMBER EVERY YEAR.
LIKE WE DON'T, WE DON'T COME UP WITH IT.
IT'S LINEBARGER TRYING TO COLLECT OR WHAT THEY'RE ATTEMPTING THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL IN.
OR IS THAT JUST AFTER THE CALENDAR YEAR? UH, AFTER THE CALENDAR YEAR? YEAH.
SO YOU, YOU, YOU GET 'EM, YOU GET 'EM LATE FALL.
YOU GET 'EM IN OCTOBER, PEOPLE START PAYING THEM.
WELL ACTUALLY SEPTEMBER-ISH, BUT PEOPLE START PAYING 'EM.
SO THAT'S WHEN WE START GETTING OUR BULK AND OUR BULK COMES IN BEFORE THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR OF, OF THE, OF THE BUDGET YEAR.
SO THEY WORK CALENDAR, WE WORK FISCAL, RIGHT? CORRECT.
SO THESE NUMBERS HERE ARE EVERYTHING AFTER JANUARY 1ST OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR AND THEN AN EXTRA AMOUNT.
AND THEN, AND OF COURSE IT'S ALSO DELINQUENT AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT I THINK IT'S ALL NOT, NOT, NOT ENTITLED TO WHAT WE EXPECTED TO COLLECT FROM THAT AMOUNT IN THE YEAR.
'CAUSE IN A PERFECT WORLD, THEY WOULD PAY EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, IN OCTOBER WHEN THEY GET THE RIGHT, IT'S NOT REALLY A FLAT, IT'S BASED ON HISTORICAL.
THE, THE APPRAISAL TELLS US WHAT NUMBER TO USE TO MAKE THAT CALCULATION BASED ON THE PRIOR YEAR.
SOME PEOPLE WAIT TILL THE LAST MINUTE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THAT, THAT 94.7% MM-HMM.
SO, AND UM, THAT'S HISTORICALLY IT'S BEEN ABOUT 95% CORRECT.
AND WE JUST WANNA BE A LITTLE MORE CONSERVATIVE, JUST, I MEAN, HOPING FOR THE BETTER, RIGHT? RIGHT.
BUT WE WANNA, LIKE, I'D RATHER BE SAFE THAN SORRY, LATER SAYING, HEY, WE DIDN'T COLLECT ENOUGH REVENUE.
UH, WE WORKED, OUR BUDGET IS BASED ON EXPECTED 94 POINT 70.
WHEN REALISTICALLY WE'VE COLLECT LIKE 96, ALMOST 96%.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S STILL SOME PROPERTIES THAT IN THE TAX APPEAL PROCESS, WHAT PERCENTAGE DO WE KNOW IS COMPLETE? UH, THAT IS NOT, HAS, THAT'S NOT IN THE APPEAL PROCESS.
DO WE HAVE THAT? I DO, BUT THAT COMES STRAIGHT FROM THE CAMERA ON APPRAISAL.
THEY'LL, THEY'LL GIVE US THAT NUMBER THAT DOESN'T, LIKE, IT DOESN'T SAY.
AND SOME OF THE, THIS TOTAL VALUATION MAY CHANGE BASED ON THE APPEAL AND WHAT'S BEEN APPROVED BASED ON, BASED ON APPEALS.
AND THE OTHER ONE, IT'S, THIS IS PRELIMINARY NUMBERS.
THAT'S WHY IT SAYS LIMIT ADJUSTED TAX.
IS THIS IN, IS THIS, ASSUMING THE APPEALS GO THROUGH, IS THIS INCLUDING FULL VALUATION? IT'S, IT'S ASSUMING APPEALS THAT THEY WERE HISTORICALLY.
SO AGAIN, THIS MAY, THIS NUMBER MAY GO UNDER CORRECT.
PROBABLY NOT, NOT, UM, WHAT'S GONNA PROBABLY HAPPEN IS THAT THE PRELIMINARY NUMBER, IT'S GONNA BE HIGHER AND THE APPEALS ARE MORE THAN LIKELY STAYING WHERE THEY ARE.
'CAUSE THEY'RE, IT, IT TAKES TIME FOR THEM TO YEAH.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE IF WE CAN GET, UM, WORK WITH, I THINK THE HARING BOARD OF REALTORS OR THEY'VE, THEY'VE MENTIONED THAT THEY'VE, THEY'VE, THEY WERE DOING SOME, UM, TAX EXEMPTION, HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION HELPING PEOPLE REGISTER FOR THAT.
AND THEN WORKING WITH CAMERON COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT, UH, THE TAX ASSESSOR'S OFFICE.
BUT WERE JUST THE, THEY WERE DOING, THEY WERE DOING WORKSHOPS TO HELP PEOPLE FILE FOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS.
AND I THINK, THINK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW TO GO THROUGH THE APPEAL PROCESS OR FILE FOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ASK ABOUT TAX SAVINGS AND THEY PUT IT BACK ON US ABOUT THE TAX RATE.
BUT THEY HAVE A BIG TAX SAVINGS JUST FILING FOR A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION OR FILING FOR THAT 65 AND OVER EXEMPTION AND THEY JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT.
AND THE, OF COURSE, THE APPRAISAL WON'T TELL THEM HOW TO DO IT UNTIL ON THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT SENDS OUT NOTICES SAYING THAT YOUR, YOUR TAXES ARE BASED ON YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND YOU NEED TO TALK TO THEM.
I DIDN'T RAISE THE VALUATION OF THEIR HOME.
WELL, WE DO HAVE CONTROL OVER IS THE TAX RATE.
AND I THINK THE COMMISSION IS NOW POSITIONED IF WE WANT TO REDUCE THAT FROM THE 70 CENTS.
SO BASED, BASED ON THE CITY'S NEEDS, BASED ON FUTURE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, BASED ON SALARY ADJUSTMENTS BASED ON A LOT OF THINGS.
AND I, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT REVENUE FROM OTHER AREAS.
THIS IS A, THIS IS A GOOD CHART BY THE WAY.
[00:10:01]
I THANK YOU.I LOOKED AT THE ORIGINAL DOC DOCUMENT ON THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT'S WEBSITE.
BECAUSE I LIKE TO SEE WHERE WE'RE AT COMPARED TO OTHER TOWNS.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR TAX RATE IS COMPETITIVE.
AND THEN I LIKE TO SEE WHERE OUR VALUATIONS STAND VERSUS OTHERS.
WHAT IS THE, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE? THERE'S A WAY YOU CAN LOOK AT HOW MANY HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS, 65 AND OVER EXEMPTIONS, VETERAN EXEMPTIONS.
AND THERE'S A PERCENTAGE FOR THAT.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF, I WOULD SAY MORE THAN 50% OF OUR EXEMPTIONS ARE 65 AND OVER.
SO ARE WE, ARE WE AFFECTING THE WORKING CLASS OR ARE WE REF AFFECTING THE SENIOR CITIZENS, THE RETIRED CLASS.
AND I KNOW SOMEONE THAT'S IN THEIR EIGHTIES STILL WORKING.
SO, BUT THAT'S A DIFFERENT TOPIC BECAUSE WE NICKEL AND DINE THEM ALL THE WAY TILL THEIR, TO THEIR DEATHBED.
AND PEOPLE SHOULD ENJOY THEIR RETIREMENT AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY.
THAT'S WHAT I SAY ABOUT THESE WORKSHOPS, ABOUT HELPING THEM APPLY FOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS.
AND THEN THE, THE, THE CITY AND DEPARTMENTS, MOST DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE HERE NEED TO LEARN OR UNDERSTAND HOW TO WORK WITHIN THE CITY'S BUDGET AND NOT CONTINUE TO EXPECT MORE FROM THE CITIZEN.
UM, THE CITIZEN'S GONNA CONTINUE ASKING FOR MORE, UH, TAX BREAKS.
UM, OF COURSE THEY WANT PUBLIC SAFETY, THEY WANT FIRE, THEY WANT MORE SERVICES.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE THAT.
AND WE HAVE TO FIND A BALANCE.
IT'S GONNA BE NOT TOO LONG AT GOING BACK AND FORTH FOR A WHILE.
WE DID REDUCE, UM, THE TWO, THE 2 CENTS.
UM, IT'S BASED ON NOT REDUCING IT THIS, THIS TIME AROUND.
UM, WHO KNOWS, MAYBE NEXT YEAR WE'RE IN A BETTER SHAPE FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD AND MAKE A DECISION THAT, UM, THAT IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT DOES AFFECT THE REVENUES THAT COMING TO THE CITY.
I MEAN, OUR CITY, IT'S GROWING AND ANY CITY THAT IT'S EXPECTED TO GROW, IT'S EXPECTED TO GROW WITH MORE EXPENSES AS WELL.
SO, UM, IF WE'RE REDUCING OUR REVENUES AND WE'RE JUST KEEPING INCREASING OUR EXPENSES, THAT JUST DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT AND IT'S NOT GONNA WORK OUT FOR THIS OR CITIZENS FOR THE CITY ITSELF.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE SUSTAINABLE IF WE KEEP CUTTING OUR EXPENSES.
AND I MEAN, I KNOW DEVELOPMENTS ARE COMING.
I KNOW THE FUTURE LOOKS LOOKING REALLY BRIGHT AND THAT WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA HAVE ENOUGH, UM, FOR US TO DO THOSE TYPE OF DECISIONS RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T RECOMMEND, I DON'T THINK IT'S THE TIME.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? I GOT THAT TIFFANY.
I, I, I SEE THE INCREASE IN VALUATION OF THE PROPERTIES, RIGHT? I SEE THE INCREASE IN REVENUE.
SO THEN THAT POSTED THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, YOU KNOW, AND FRED, THE CITY MANAGER.
WHAT ARE YOU GUYS ASKING FOR OR REALLY NEEDING? 'CAUSE I'M NOT GONNA GIVE YOU WHAT YOU ASKED FOR.
I'M GONNA ASK WHAT YOU NEED BECAUSE I, I WANTED A FERRARI, BUT MY WIFE DIDN'T LET ME GET ONE.
SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW IT WORKS HERE, RIGHT? YOU CAN ASK FOR EVERYTHING, BUT WHAT'S WHAT YOU NEED? UM, IT HAS TO BE, THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING ON PAPER THAT'S SHOWING ME THAT WE NEED THESE THINGS AND I NEED, WE NEED THIS REVENUE BECAUSE OF THE X.
AND THAT'S WHERE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM COMES INTO PLAY.
AND I THINK MSBA WAS IN CHARGE OF THAT FOR A WHILE.
AND NOW HE'S THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR.
SO THAT'S A POSITION THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT.
WHO'S THE, WHO'S THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT COORDINATOR, WHAT'S THE FUND LOOK LIKE? WHAT ARE THE NEXT 5, 10, 15 YEAR DOWN THE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED? YEP.
WE CAN'T TOTALLY, WE, WE CAN'T BE A COMMUNITY TO TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON TAX, ON PROPERTY TAXES.
WHEN I CAME IN THREE AND A HALF YEARS AGO, IT SEEMED THAT WAY.
UM, BEING OUR TAX RATE, 70 SOMETHING CENTS, 74 72.
I THINK IT WAS O OVER 72 AND THEN IT WAS DOWN TO 72 NOW TO 70.
AND THEN HOPING TO, TO REDUCE IT IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
BUT NOT, NOT IN THE TABLE AS OF RIGHT NOW, BASED ON, UM, HOW THE CITY'S GROWING.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT, UM, THERE'S WANTS AND THERE'S NEEDS.
UM, YOU GOTTA THINK ABOUT IT IN A WAY WHERE OUR BUDGETED STATES STAGNANT FOR SO MANY YEARS, WE'VE ONLY INCREASING THE COST OF LIVING.
UM, THIS TIME AROUND WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THE CITY GROW.
AND THAT'S WHEN IT'S GETTING REFLECTED.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY WE CANNOT CUT ON OUR REVENUES
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AT THIS TIME.SO JUST, UH, KEEP THAT IN MIND.
SO I FEEL LIKE IF THERE'S NO MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT AT THEOR, MAYBE THE CM CAN JUMP TO THE BUDGET ITSELF.
YEAH, WE, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO, MAYOR COMMISSIONERS, IF WE COULD JUMP TO THE NEXT ITEM AND WE CAN KIND OF KEEP ON OKAY.
'CAUSE THEY'RE ALL TIED TOGETHER, SO, ALRIGHT.
UM, BUT JUST SO WE CAN BE, UH, SO WE CAN ADHERE TO THE AGENDA, WE'LL GO TO, UH, ITEM NUMBER FOUR AND THAT IS BUDGET WORKSHOP ONE FOR FISCAL YEAR OCTOBER 1ST, 2024 TO SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.
AND AGAIN, WE CAN, UH, WE CAN ENTERTAIN SOME QUESTIONS THERE AS MS. STEPHANIE GUIDES US THROUGH HER LITTLE KEYNOTES.
SO, WELL, SHE'S GOT HER KEYNOTES.
WHEN DOES THE, SORRY, WHEN DOES THE TAX RATE HAVE TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE, UH, WE, WE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO RECEIVE THE LAST, UH, LIKE THE ACTUAL VALUES ON THE 24.
UH, BUT IT GETS ADOPTED WHENEVER WE ADOPT OUR BUDGET.
YEAH, WE'RE GONNA DO IT LIKE MID-SEPTEMBER, I BELIEVE FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER.
TRY TO GET AHEAD OF THE GAME A LITTLE BIT.
UM, SO ON, AND I THINK I, I SHOULD HAVE PUT THAT ONE FIRST, BUT ON OUR KEYNOTE, ON OUR PAGE NUMBER TWO, THIS IS WHERE YOU WOULD SEE ACTUALLY LIKE MORE OF A, UM, COMPARISON BETWEEN WHAT IT WAS, WHAT THE ACTUAL WAS, WHAT WE PROPOSED LAST YEAR, AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING THIS YEAR.
SO TO YOUR RIGHT, YOU WILL SEE AN INCREASE IN DECREASE.
UH, ONE, IT'S THE LIGHT GREEN ARROW GOING UP, UH, DARK GREEN ARE COMING DOWN AND THEN A RED GOING UP, RIGHT? SO I LIKE TO, TO SET IT LIKE IN, THERE'S, THERE'S THREE CATEGORIES, RIGHT? THE FIRST ONE, THE LIGHT GREEN GOING UP MEANS THAT THAT'S THE NORMAL INCREASE THAT WE WERE EXPECTING JUST BECAUSE, UM, UM, AND BEFORE GOING INTO MORE DETAIL INTO THAT, UM, THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS BASED ON, UM, FIVE THINGS.
SO ONE, A COST OF LIVING INCREASE OF A 3% FOR ALL EMPLOYEES, UM, BASED ON MERIT.
UM, THERE'S A BARGAIN AGREEMENT THAT YOU MIGHT ALL BE AWARE OF FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO IT'S, UH, EXPECTED TO BE WELL BEING CONSERVATIVE AND RN.
NOW THIS TIME AROUND IT'S, UH, 8% WE'RE, WE'RE HOPING THAT IT STAYS IN AN 8%, BUT I MEAN, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GONNA REQUEST FROM US, BUT WE LIKE TO, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A FIRST PROJECT WORKSHOP, CANNOT BE PREPARED TO NOT TAKE AS MUCH OF A CHANGE THERE.
UH, ALSO HEALTH INSURANCE, UM, WE AGAIN CONSERVATIVELY, UM, DID A 5% INCREASE IN OR CHARGES FOR THAT OR OUR EXPENSES FOR THAT.
THE TAX RATE, UH, CONTINUE BEING WHAT IT IS RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN FOR OUR SOLID WASTE BOND, UM, WE DID, UM, AN INCREASE OF A 6%.
'CAUSE IT'S WHAT, MORE OR LESS WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING YEAR BY YEAR.
SO THIS, BUT BUDGET SUMMARY INCLUDES ALL OF THOSE FIVE POINTS.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID ON THIS PAGE THAT I MENTIONED, IT SHOWS WHAT DEPARTMENTS INCREASE AND DECREASE, UH, WHAT A NORMAL INCREASE WILL BE.
THE ONES THAT DECREASE THE REASON WHY YOU DECREASE.
KINDA LIKE A SMALL SHORT SUMMARY OF WHAT THAT IS.
THE REASON WHY WE HAVE OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS HERE, IT'S LIKE IF YOU HAVE MORE, IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION ON WHY, UH, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE OF AN INCREASE, UM, IF I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER, THEY CAN ADDRESS IT TO YOU.
SO, SO, YOU KNOW, UM, OVERALL PERCENTAGE INCREASE IS A 6%, WHETHER US COMPAR TO WHAT WE'RE USED TO SEE, WHICH IS A THREE.
WE WOULD DO A THREE AND THAT WAS COSTED OF LIVING.
WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, AND WE WERE NOT, WE WERE NOT JUST GIVING THEM WHAT THEY NEED, ACTUALLY, WE WERE JUST GIVING THEM WHAT IT WAS, ENOUGH TO SURVIVE, BUT NOT TO MOVE FORWARD BASICALLY.
SO THIS BUDGET, IT'S LIKE, UM, WE'RE HOPING FOR THE FUTURE TO BRING US MORE REVENUE THAT THIS BUDGET COULD KEEP INCREASING AND EXPENSES, BUT ALSO IN SERVICES AND ALSO IN BETTER QUALITY OF LIVING FOR OUR CITIZENS.
UM, AND AGAIN, IT'S STILL NOT REALISTIC NUMBERS 'CAUSE THERE'S A BARGAIN AGREEMENT TO TO HAPPEN.
THERE'S ALSO, UM, THE HEALTH INSURANCE NEEDS TO COME UP WITH THE RATES, WITH THE, WITH THE RATES THAT THEY'RE GONNA DO.
AND, UH, WE ALSO ARE WAITING ON THE REPUBLIC SERVICE AGREEMENT.
ALL OF THAT TEND TO HAPPEN IN BETWEEN JULY AND AUGUST.
SO HOPING THAT BEFORE OUR NEXT BUDGET WORKSHOP, THAT'S BEEN SAID, AND THEN YOU HAVE A BETTER, LIKE THE EXACT LOOK AT HOW THE BUDGET IS GONNA DO.
AND WE DON'T NEED A THIRD BUDGET WORKSHOP, BUT FOR THIS ONE, THAT'S THE MOST ACCURATE AS WE CAN GO EXPECTING THOSE TYPE OF INCREASES IN OUR BUDGET.
UM, ON THE BOTTOM OF THIS, UM, COMPARISON, YOU HAVE WHAT WE'VE, UM, EXPECTED TO EXPENSE FOR YEAR 24, 23, 24, UH, AND WHAT
[00:20:01]
WE HAVE.SO YOU SEE A 75% COMPARED TO A 63 POINT 60%.
SO BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE SAVING, WE'RE GONNA ALLOCATE IT TO THE NEXT ONE TO MAKE IT GROW BASICALLY.
THAT'S LITERALLY WHAT, WHAT THAT IS.
UM, SO LET YOU TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND THEN IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, LET ME KNOW.
AND MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, I, I DO, LIKE I SAID, I WANT TO, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT EARLY WE STARTED BECAUSE WE WANTED TO GET THE, THE PROCESS STARTED.
NOW AGAIN, AS MS. STEPHANIE DID SAY, I MEAN, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF THINGS UP IN THE AIR, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF, WELL, THEY'RE, THEY'RE CRUCIAL AND THEY'RE GOING TO, UH, THEY WILL AFFECT OUR BUDGET, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE BIGGEST ONE WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PIECE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT THAT IS JUST, THAT'S JUST 1 43.
AND WE JUST HAD OUR TEAM MEETING YESTERDAY, AND WE'LL BE HAVING OUR GROUND RULES HERE PRETTY QUICK.
AND WE'RE HOPEFULLY GONNA MOVE INTO THAT PROCESS WITH THE BARGAINING COMMITTEE AND THE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, UNION SO WE CAN GET THAT DONE.
UH, THE OTHER THING IS A SOLID WASTE AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU WANT TO GIVE YOU ALL A GOOD, YOU KNOW, SNAPSHOT OF WHERE WE'RE AT, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE STARTING TO LOOK LIKE, BUT WE'RE NOT THERE YET.
DIDN'T WANNA WASTE ANYBODY'S TIME, BUT WE HAD TO START THE PROCESS.
OKAY? THAT'S SUPER LEAD DOWN THE ROAD.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'RE GONNA START DIALING THIS THING IN.
UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE OBVIOUSLY WAY BETTER, WAY BETTER DATA AND, UH, SOME REAL NUMBERS TO PLUG IN ONCE SOME OF THESE, UH, ITEMS THAT ARE STILL PENDING COME TO COME TO TERMINATION AND WE GET NUMBERS, UH, SETTLED.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, UM, AGAIN, IT'S KIND OF A MOVING TARGET AT THIS POINT.
I APOLOGIZE, BUT THAT'S JUST THE PROCESS, YOU KNOW, BUT WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU ALL A, AN IDEA OF WHAT IT'S LOOKING LIKE.
AND, AND THAT'S REALLY THE PURPOSE TODAY.
UM, ALSO ON OUR LAST PAGE, PAGE NUMBER FOUR, YOU HAVE THE DEBT REMAINING.
SO I KNOW THAT'S BEEN KIND OF LIKE WHENEVER WE DO THE BUDGET, BUDGET WORKSHOP, LIKE FOR YOU TO, UH, KNOW WHERE ARE WE SITTING? UH, WE DID HAVE A MATURITY BOND OF 2004, 2004, SO HERE 2004.
AND THEN YOU SEE THE TERMINATION DATE FOR THE, FOR ALL THE OTHER ONES THAT WE HAVE LEFT, SO THAT THOSE PAYMENTS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET.
SO THEY'RE TAKEN IN CONSIDERATION ALREADY.
UH, BUT JUST FOR YOU TO SEE, WHEN ARE YOU GONNA HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A, UM, THE WAY IT'S GONNA BE ALLEVIATED A LITTLE BIT IN 2025, THERE'S TWO THAT ARE GOING, UM, THAT ARE NOT, WE'RE NOT LONGER GONNA HAVE.
UM, SO THAT KIND OF ALLEVIATES THE UTILITY SIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
BUT ALSO OUR SALES TAX, WHICH IS LITERALLY THE, THE GENERAL FUND CDBG AND EDC, UH, FOR THAT SERIES 2013 ONE AND TIER 2005.
SO THAT, THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT OUT SO YOU GUYS KNOW WHERE, WHERE WE'RE SITTING ON OUR DEBT ALSO BEING TAKING PLACE IN THIS BUDGET AND BEING A PART OF IT.
STEPHANIE, WHAT IS, UM, THIS IS GOOD STUFF.
UH, WHAT IS, WHAT PENNY REDUCTION, WHAT, WHAT WILL THAT CUT INTO THE REVENUE? SO IF WE DO, SORRY, MADE ME SHE, MY PHONE.
SO I ACTUALLY, UM, DID TWO SCENARIOS, UM, DIDN'T PROVIDE IT TO YOU, BUT I DID TWO SCENARIOS.
SO ONE PENNY AT A 1 CENT AT A COLLECTION RATE OF 94.7.
THAT'S 99,000 133 WITH 55 CENTS.
IF WE DO, UH, AT A HUNDRED PERCENT HOPING THAT WE'RE GONNA GET A RATIO BACK FOR A HUNDRED PERCENT, WHICH IS NOT REALISTICALLY, UH, 104,681 WITH 67, IF WE DO TWO, BUT THAT'S GONNA DOUBLE.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT A PERCENT, UH, PER 2 CENT REDUCTION.
WE'RE LOOKING AT 198,000 TO 167 WITH 9 CENTS, UH, HOPING A 94 POINT 70, UH, RATIO, RATIO RETURN.
BUT IF YOU DO A HUNDRED PERCENT RATIO RETURN, YOU'RE LOOKING AT TWO OH NINE, THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY THREE WITH 35 CENTS.
I KNEW THAT THAT ONE WAS COMING.
SO I DID TWO SCENARIOS ON THAT.
SO I BELIEVE IN THE PAST WE HAD LIKE 80,000 IN OUR MINDS A LITTLE BIT, BUT, UH, WE'VE GROWN A LITTLE BIT SO THAT, THAT CHANGE.
UM, AND THAT IS ALSO BASED ON PRELIMINARY NUMBERS, THE AV
[00:25:02]
THERE WAS PROPERTY VALUATION GROWTH, BUT WAS THERE RESIDENTIAL PERMIT GROWTH? SO ON JOANNA, JOANNA, DOES JOANNA HAVE NUMBERS? SO IF YOU SEE ON YOUR ACTUAL BOOKLET ITSELF, ON PAGE NUMBER TWO, YOU HAVE ALL OUR REVENUES AND, UM, IF YOU GO TO NEW BUSINESS LICENSE AND REGULATIONS.SO, UM, THOSE NUMBERS ARE BASED ON NUMBERS COLLECTED UP TO US.
SO THE WAY THIS REVENUE, IT'S WORKED OUT, THE PROPOSED REVENUE, IT'S WORKED OUT.
IT'S, WE TAKE THE FIRST SIX MONTHS AND THEN MULTIPLY IT BY TWO, OR WE DO A 3% INCREASE, WHATEVER MAKES MORE SENSE.
SO REALISTICALLY, IF YOU LOOK TO NEW, UM, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, NEW BUILDING LICENSE AND REGULATIONS, THAT HAS INCREASED VERY LITTLE.
UM, SO THAT'S, THOSE, THOSE ARE ALL THE LICENSES AND PERMITS THAT WE PROVIDE, AND THAT'S HOW MUCH IT'S EXPECTED TO COLLECT FROM THEM, JUST BECAUSE THAT'S HOW MUCH THEY'VE BEEN DOING THIS YEAR.
CAN WE GET JOANNA UP HERE? SURE.
UM, FOR 20 22, 20 23, THE BUILDING PERMIT, UH, LICENSE AND RE AND PERMITS THAT REVENUE WENT DOWN, BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT PERMITS.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT? BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT PERMITS.
SO I, I CAN HONESTLY TELL YOU THAT THIS LAST YEAR WHEN I WAS MOVING THINGS AROUND AND FIXING THINGS, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THEY WERE NOT COLLECTING OR CHARGING THE WAY THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.
THAT'S FOR MYSELF AND FOR FIRE.
UM, WE FOUND OUT THAT THEY WERE CHARGING THE WAY THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO, BUT THERE WERE CERTAIN THINGS THAT THEY DIDN'T, THEY WEREN'T AWARE OF.
AND THIS GOES BACK TO WHEN PEOPLE WERE HIRED, UH, TWO, THREE YEARS AGO.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PROPER TRAINING, UM, AND THEY JUST KIND OF PUT 'EM THERE AND THEY HAD TO LEARN ON THEIR OWN.
THEY WEREN'T CHARGING IN THE WAY THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
UM, WE STARTED RECENTLY, MAYBE SIX MONTHS, SEVEN MONTHS AGO, STARTING TO LOOK AT ALL THAT.
SO, RESIDENTIAL PERMITS ARE GOING UP.
WE'RE GETTING WHAT IS THE CHANGE? CHANGE? I MEAN, IN THE LAST MONTH WE'VE HAD THEM DROP OFF ANYWHERE FROM, YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE WEEK WAS 20 PERMITS FOR A HOME.
UH, THAT'S NOT EVERY WEEK, RIGHT? RESIDENTIAL.
BUT YOU KNOW, YESTERDAY THEY DROPPED OFF ANOTHER FIVE HOMES.
UM, ONE OF 'EM IS ONE OF 'EM, THE VALUE IS A MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, THE SCHOOL PULLED A PERMIT THAT'S WORTH LIKE $3 MILLION.
WHAT'S THE AVERAGE HOUSE SELLING FOR IN SANTO? THE AVERAGE MEDIUM PRICE, I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE, BUT I THINK IT'S AROUND THE TWO 40 RANGE OR TWO.
SO THERE'S CERTAIN LITTLE THINGS THAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE AN INCREASE ALSO.
UM, NEXT MONTH WE SHOULD BE INCREASING OUR PERMIT FEES BECAUSE THEY HADN'T BEEN INCREASED IN A WHILE AND THEY ARE VERY LOW.
UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE AND YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW WHAT, I UNDERSTAND WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO, YOU KNOW, I, I CAN UNDERSTAND, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I NEED TO, I NEED FOR THE COMMISSION TO UNDERSTAND ALSO THAT, UH, AND THE PEOPLE AND THE CI OUR CITIZENS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR DECADES THE CITY HAS BEEN STAGNANT SO MUCH.
AND, UH, WE HAVE SO MUCH LACK.
ALSO, I KNOW THAT, UH, WHEN WE CAME IN, CAME, CAME ON BOARD, UM, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED LOOKING AT THE EQUIPMENT, UH, THE, UH, FROM THE TRACTORS, YOU KNOW, NEW PAVER TO SO WE CAN GET MORE STREETS GOING, UH, ADDING MORE, YOU KNOW, MORE BUDGET TO THE STREET.
SO WE COULD START, THEY'VE BEEN DOING A HECK OF A, UH, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THE, UH, THE ROAD CREW HAS BEEN DOING A HECK OF A JOB ALSO, YOU KNOW, UM, THERE'S STILL A LOT MORE THAT WE NEED.
SO AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE, THE BUDGET, GREAT, BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT MORE NEEDS THAT'S THAT, UH, WE STILL NEED TO LOOK AT DOWNTOWN AREA INFRASTRUCTURE.
MY SUBDIVISION, THE SUBDIVISION WHERE I'M AT, IT'S, UH, THE STREET AND, AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S ABOUT FOUR STREETS RIGHT THERE.
AND THERE'S STILL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S STILL A LOT MORE LACK THAT'S STILL NEEDED, YOU KNOW, AND I CAN UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO TELL ME.
[00:30:01]
THE INCREASE THAT WE HAVE, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET TO PAR TO, TO START GETTING NEW, NEW EITHER EQUIPMENT, UM, THAT YOU NEED JOIN OR ANYBODY ELSE THAT'S OUT THERE, UH, LIBRARY ALSO.THERE'S STILL A LOT OF STUFF THAT, UH, NEEDED IN THE LIBRARY.
UH, CULTURAL ARTS, PD, FIRE, THERE'S STILL, EVERYBODY STILL NEEDS IN NEED.
IT'S NOT THE, THAT THE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THE, UH, I KNOW IT'S A NEED, YOU KNOW, BUT, UH, WE STILL NEED TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING BEFORE WE CAN EVEN LOOK AT THE, UH, UH, THE ONES THAT ARE 2 CENTS.
AND LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE ANYTHING ELSE.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN ON, ON THE STAGNANT NOW'S THE TIME TO, FOR US TO START MOVING.
THERE'S STILL A LOT OF SUBDIVISIONS, AREAS THAT ARE ANNEXED INSIDE THE LIMITS, AND THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE THE, THE WATER OR THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT NEED TO BE CHANGED.
I'M GONNA BE LOOKING INTO, AND I'M GONNA BE PUSHING HARD ON THAT.
IF THAT'S THE MONEY THAT, UH, WE'RE GAINING, THAT WE HAVE GAINED, THEN THAT'S THE MONEY WE'RE GOING TO USE.
IT'S LIKE I SAID, I'M GONNA BE PUSHING FOR THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, DIRECTORS AND FRED, BE READY.
YOU KNOW, UM, MAYOR PROTON BRINGS UP A GOOD POINT ON HOW THE 20 22 23, THE ACTUAL NUMBERS, THE COMPARISON TO THE 20 23, 20 24, UM, IT'S A TELLING STORY IF YOU LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS, UM, PRIOR TO THIS NEW COMMISSION.
SO, NO, I, I HAD MY STAFF LOOK AT IT, I THINK AT THE LAST BUDGET CYCLE, AND I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON OR WHY THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE.
UM, AND WE STARTED DIGGING DEEPER AND DEEPER, AND WE REALIZED THAT THERE WAS, UM, THERE WAS THINGS THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN PUT IN, AND THEY WERE, AND THEN OTHER ITEMS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN ANOTHER PLACE.
AND THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY MY, MY LINE ITEMS DON'T REFLECT WHAT THEY SHOULD BE SOMETIMES, OR, YOU KNOW, WE JUST, YOU KNOW, NOW WE HAVE A FIRE MARSHAL.
HE CAME IN AND WE REALIZED, HEY, THEY'RE NOT CHARGING EVERYTHING THEY SHOULD BE FOR THE FIRE MARSHAL IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS.
WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN HIS REVENUE JUST BECAUSE WE MADE THOSE CHANGES.
UM, THOSE ARE THE LITTLE THINGS THAT WE'RE CATCHING THAT WEREN'T BEING DONE IN THE PAST.
AND OVERALL, THE BIG THING IS, WELL, PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO COME GET THEIR PERMITS AND, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT HAS TO BE OUT THERE AND STOPPING THEM AND EDUCATING THEM THAT, HEY, YOU NEED TO GO GET YOUR PERMIT, OR YOU NEED TO COME IN AND APPLY.
AND THAT'S A BIG ONE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE, WITH THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE BUSINESSES WHO SHOULD PROBABLY BE MORE AWARE, BUT THEY JUST DON'T COME IN AND IT'S A CONSTANT HAVING TO EDUCATE THEM AND TELL THEM, HEY, YOU'RE, YOU NEED TO COME IN, YOU NEED TO RENEW.
UM, SO YES, WE ARE WORKING ON THAT.
WHAT ABOUT THE THANK YOU AND THE FEES AND ALL THAT, BUT THAT WAS PART OF IT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? I JUST, JUST 'CAUSE WE GET A MILLION IN REVENUE DOESN'T MEAN WE SPEND A MILLION MM-HMM.
THAT'S CORRECT, BECAUSE I, IF I DID THAT AT MY HOUSE, YEAH.
AND IT, AND IT COMES TO, SO WHO'S THE WIFE HERE IN THE CITY? WHO'S THE ONE THAT SAYS NO? OH, I'M THE ONE THAT SAYS, NO, THEY'RE, THEY'RE THE HUSBAND
UH, WE, YES, WE HAVE A LOT OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO THE CITIZENS.
UM, I WANT TO GIVE THEM A, A, YOU KNOW, SOME TAX SAVINGS, BUT I'M GONNA HAVE TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT IT.
I'M GONNA TRY TO LOOK FOR IT, BUT I EXPECT THE DEPARTMENT HEADS TO BE LOOKING FOR IT.
ALSO, UM, JUST LAST MEETING, CHIEF CAME IN AND FOUND 20 OVER FIVE YEARS, $20,000 SAVINGS FOR JUST CHANGING, UH, WAS IT, UH, INTERNET PROVIDER, PLEASE DON'T HAVE DIRECTV IN YOUR OFFICE IF YOU DON'T NEED DIRECTV.
BECAUSE WHEN I SEE THAT AND I GO THROUGH THE BUDGET, AND IF I SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IT UPSETS ME.
UM, AND IT WOULD PROBABLY UPSET EVERY CITIZEN IF THEY KNEW THAT.
WE NEED TO BE WORKING EIGHT TO FIVE.
UM, I DON'T THINK I SEE THAT IN THIS SI IN THIS BUDGET CYCLE, BUT TRY TO FIND THE SAVINGS YOURSELF.
I AM, I'M HERE AS JUST A FIDUCIARY JUST TO OVERLOOK IT, JUST TO SEE WHERE THERE'S SOME, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE OUR OWN FINANCE DIRECTOR.
WE HAVE STAFF THAT GETS PAID EIGHT TO FIVE
[00:35:01]
AND OVERTIME AND EXTRA HOURS Y'ALL PUT IN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.BUT I STILL, AT THE END OF THE DAY, I HAVE TO BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITIZEN.
CAN, AM I GONNA FIND THEM SAVINGS AND THEN ALSO GIVE THEM THE BIGGEST BANG FOR THEIR BUCK.
AND I THINK WHERE WE'RE DOING THAT ALREADY IS HAVING GOOD PERSONNEL.
SO WE'RE GETTING OUR BIGGEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK PERSONNEL WISE.
SO WHEN YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING FOR YOUR RATES AND YOU'RE LOOKING FOR YOUR RATES AND YOUR PAY INCREASES AND BETTER COMPENSATION, I CAN ASSURE YOU I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE LOOKING AT THAT.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE WORTH IS OF HAVING GREAT TEAM, UM, BUT WE GOTTA PROVE THAT TO THE CITIZENS.
SO JUST, JUST FOR THE RECORD, IT'S A FIRST A ONE-ON-ONE, UH, DISCUSSION WITH THE DIRECTOR AND MYSELF, AND THEN WE TARGET THE NEEDS.
AND THEN SECONDLY, BUT NEVER GIVEN THE WANTS.
SO, UM, AND THE, AND THE PREDECESSOR PEOPLE THAT WERE HERE, UM, THEY WERE, AGAIN, WHAT THE MAYOR JUST MENTIONED, DOING STAGNANT BUDGETS WERE NO, LIKE IF YOU DON'T GIVE THE TOOLS FOR OR EMPLOYEES TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, THE CITY IS NEVER GONNA GROW.
AND, UM, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN EXTRAORDINARY MORE LIKE IT COULD BEEN SOME, BECAUSE THERE'S NEEDS EVERYWHERE.
THERE'S LIKE, HONESTLY, EVERY DEPARTMENT NEEDED, NEEDED SOME, SOME TYPE OF HELP.
THERE WAS KIND OF LIKE A BARGAIN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT HEAD AND MYSELF.
AND THEN WHEN I BROUGHT IT TO CN, WE PICK AND CHOOSE, BUT IT WAS NECESSARY AND WHAT COULD WAIT A LITTLE BIT LONGER? SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE ONLY SEEN A 6%.
YOU'RE NOT SEEING SOMETHING DRASTICALLY.
AS MUCH AS I LOVE THE 3% OF COST OF LIVING AND THAT IT WAS THE, THE LAST YEAR AND THE PRIOR TO THAT WAS A 3%.
UM, SO AS MUCH AS I LOVE THAT, THAT WILL BE IN THE PERFECT WORLD WHERE THE CITY, IT'S ALREADY WHERE WE WANT IT TO BE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY IT'S NOT THE CASE, BUT FORTUNATELY WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS IT.
AND YES, WE'RE IN THE GROWING STAGES, BUT ONE, IT WILL BE IN THE GETTING BACK STAGES AND THEN IT'S NOT GONNA BE, UM, MORE OF OUR BARGAIN WILL BE LIKE, OKAY, THIS, THIS WILL MAKE IT BETTER.
SO, UM, AGAIN, WE'RE IN THE GROWING STAGES.
THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHY OUR BUDGET, IT'S KIND OF LOOKING AT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN THE PRIOR YEAR, BUT, UM, IN THE HOPES OF REVENUES INCREASES, AND NOT ONLY FROM OUR CITIZENS, NOT ONLY FROM PROPERTY TAXES, BECAUSE WE WILL NEED TO COLLECT, WE WE'RE GONNA HAVE MORE DEVELOPMENT.
SO IT'S GONNA, IT'S GONNA GROW WITH US.
THIS IS, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HOPING FOR.
THIS INCLUDES THE 3% THAT INCLUDES THE 3%, YEAH.
WHAT WE'VE DONE IN PRIOR YEARS, RIGHT? UM, YES.
AND THEN YOU ALSO GOTTA THINK ABOUT IT.
WE'RE, WE'RE THINKING LIKE IF THE THREE PERSON WAS THROUGH ACROSS THE BOARD, BUT THERE'S ALSO THINGS IN CONSERVATION.
ONE IS MERIT, THE OTHER ONE WILL BE, UM, PROBATIONARY PERIOD.
SO EVERY EMPLOYEE THAT'S GONNA GET IT NEEDS TO AT LEAST HAD PASSED ITS PROBATIONARY PERIOD IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE ENTITLED TO IT.
UM, THERE'S SOME, UM, MANAGERIAL DECISIONS BEHIND THE SCENE OF UNIT 3%, BUT OF COURSE, WE HOPE THAT ALL EMPLOYEES ARE APART AND, AND WE CAN GIVE THEM THAT.
SO THAT'S JUST WHAT THE, WHAT WE'VE, UM, TRIED TO PICTURE HERE, LIKE A CLEARER PICTURE OF THE COST OF LIVING TOUR TOURS OR EMPLOYEES.
UM, LAST YEAR BENEFITS WERE NOT INCLUDED THIS YEAR.
WE ARE, WE STILL NEED TO SEE OUR PACKAGE.
BUT, UM, I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS, UM, FOR WHAT I CAN SAY A ACCURATE PICTURE OF WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.
I'M NOT EXPECTING IT FOR BE DRASTICALLY MORE OR DRASTICALLY LESS THAN WHAT IT'S PICTURED IN THE FIRST PAGE OF WORKSHOP.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS? CAN, CAN WE GET A LIST OF, UM, WHAT EACH DEPARTMENT'S, I GUESS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT NEEDS ARE? LAST YEAR WE HAD SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
YEAH, WE COULD, WE COULD, WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
THIS PD WANTED THAT OR NEEDED.
SO YEAH, SO YOU ALSO GOTTA THINK IN CONSERVATION THAT, UM, THERE'S NO OTHER MONIES OTHER THAN GENERAL FUND REVENUES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS.
SO WE'RE NOT DOING, LIKE, WE'RE NOT INCLUDING OUR FEDERAL MONEY.
WE'RE NOT INCLUDING RATS MONEY IN IT.
SO, UM, THAT'S GONNA TAKE A BIG PLACE.
UM, AND WHAT THE ADDRESSING SOME OF THE NEEDS AND THEN KEEPING OUR BUDGET FOR OPERATIONAL.
SO, UM, WE'RE MOVING, UM, ALONG WITH, WITH THOSE FEDERAL MONIES TO, UM, GET RID OF ALL THOSE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
UM, AND YEAH, NO, BUT FOR SURE WE CAN DO 10, UM, SORT OF LIKE A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN WITHIN EACH DEPARTMENT, UM, FOR NEXT BUDGET WORKSHOP.
[00:40:02]
OKAY.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
WELL, MR. AL, YOU FOUND ONE GRANT ALREADY AND I THINK THE LIBRARY'S GOTTEN A FEW, AND THE PDS GOTTEN A FEW GRANTS.
SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO TASK MR. SAN LAVA WITH IS MAKING SURE THAT OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE LOOKING FOR GRANTS.
YOU KNOW, THAT SHOULD BE PART OF YOUR PERFORMANCE.
HAVE YOU TALKED TO YOUR GRANT WRITER? DO WE HAVE A GRANT WRITER? DO YOU NEED TO OUTSOURCE ONE? WHO IS YOUR POINT OF CONTACT? WHAT RESOURCES ARE YOU USING? AND HOW MANY GRANTS DID YOU APPLY FOR IN THE FISCAL YEAR? AND WHAT IS THE REQUIREMENT? BECAUSE IF WE CONTINUE TO PUT IT OFF ON THE, ON THE TAXPAYER, YOU, YOU, YOU JUST CAN'T DO IT.
UM, AND WE, UH, WE'RE WORK, WE'RE ACTIVELY PURSUING THAT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, UM, I MEAN, I'D, I'D LIKE TO JUST SAY A FEW THINGS.
YOU KNOW, STEPHANIE DID A LOT OF WORK ON THIS, HER STAFF.
UM, WE TRY TO BE AS CONSERVATIVE AS WE, AS WE CAN TO, YOU KNOW, OVERDELIVER.
AND, AND INSTEAD OF, INSTEAD OF UNDER DELIVER, UH, WE, WE WANNA LIVE WITHIN OUR MEANS.
BUT AGAIN, SOME OF THE POINTS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP EARLIER, I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE CATCHING UP ON A LOT OF THINGS.
THERE WAS, UM, PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS, MY PREDECESSOR, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS A DIFFERENT MINDSET.
AND, UM, THERE WAS THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WERE STILL UNCOVERING.
OKAY, I'M NOT GONNA SAY THEY'RE ILLEGAL.
I'M JUST GONNA TELL YOU THAT I PROBABLY NOT THE BEST PRACTICES TO RUN A CITY OF THIS SIZE.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE STILL A SMALL CITY, BUT WE'RE GROWING.
UM, BUT YOU'VE GOT SITUATIONS THAT I'VE RUN ACROSS SINCE I GOT HERE IN OCTOBER WHERE, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, FEES WERE BEING WAIVED FOR SUBDIVISIONS.
SOME OF THAT MAY HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO THE GOVERNING BODY, MAYBE SOME NOT.
UH, THAT'S JUST NOT STANDARD PRACTICE.
I, I DON'T, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW THAT WAS DONE.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT PREDATES A LOT OF THE KEY STAFF AND WE'RE KIND OF AT A LOSS, AND WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD.
I MEAN, SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS THAT ARE SQUIRRELLY IS BECAUSE OF THAT.
SOME OF 'EM WEREN'T, YOU KNOW, FOR A SUBDIVISION.
I MEAN, NOBODY, NOBODY INCENTIVIZES RETAIL, UH, RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
I MEAN, I DON'T, 'CAUSE LITERALLY THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO UPSIDE TO THAT.
BUT, SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT PROPERTY TAXES, OUR MOST ROBUST FORM OF REVENUE.
BUT I AGREE, MAYOR PRO TEM, WE CAN'T JUST RELY ON THAT.
SO HOW DO WE GET OUT OF THAT RUT? WELL, YOUR PROPERTY TAX, SALES TAX RATIO AND HOW THOSE CAN SUPPLEMENT OUR, OUR YEARLY ALLOCATIONS AND OUR YEARLY NEEDS, RIGHT? BECAUSE SOURCES AND USES, WE'RE ALWAYS GONNA HAVE, WE'RE ALWAYS GONNA BE DOING THAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR TODAY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE, WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF YEARS, AND I SAY WE, BECAUSE I'M A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY NOW, WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF YEARS JUST KIND OF KEEPING THE STATUS QUO.
AND, AND AGAIN, PROPERTY TAXES AND EVERYTHING HAVE BECOME THE GO-TO, FOR OUR REVENUE AND, UH, ANY SUCCESSFUL CITY.
AND, AND WE'RE GONNA BE THAT CITY.
UH, YOU HA YOU NEED A GOOD RATIO OF PROPERTY VERSUS SALES TAX.
AND WE'RE IN THAT, WE'RE PLANTING THOSE SEEDS RIGHT NOW.
UH, WE GOT A FEW OTHER THINGS THAT ARE COMING IN AND WE'VE GOT SOME BIGGER PROJECTS THAT ARE, THAT ARE ON THE HORIZON.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S WHY WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF IN THAT GROWTH PHASE RIGHT NOW.
SO IF WE OVER, IF WE OVEREXTEND OURSELVES, WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WE, WE MAY HAVE A A, A DRY, A DRY SPELL THERE, BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME LOW HANGING FRUIT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, WE'RE GONNA BRING THAT BACK TO Y'ALL.
AND THOSE THINGS CAN GET INTO THE GROUND AND IN OPERATION THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SO YOU'RE GONNA SEE THESE THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, GOD WILLING.
RIGHT? SO, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, THE FAIRGROUNDS PROJECT THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, WE'RE GONNA START THAT THIS WEEK.
UH, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF NEW RESIDENTIAL GROWTH, NEW RETAIL GROWTH, ALL THAT'S GONNA BE, THAT'S GONNA ADD.
AND, AND NONE OF THAT IS REFLECTED IN HERE.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REAL CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
I MEAN, WE'RE TRYING TO UNDER, UNDER PROMISE, BUT OVER DELIVER.
UH, AND THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT WORKS.
AND THEN YOU GOT GRANTS, WE GOT EARMARKS, AND YES, MAYOR PRO TEM, WE'RE GONNA BE PUSHING THE GRANTS.
UH, DEANNA IS, YOU KNOW, THE POINT FOR THAT.
BUT WE'VE GOT THE LIBRARY PUSHING IT.
WE'VE GOT SOME EXTERNAL GRANT WRITERS.
UH, WE'VE GOT SOME OTHER FOLKS THAT ARE HELPING US THAT, AGAIN, THERE'S MONEY OUT THERE.
AND THAT HELPS SUBSIDIZE OUR NORMAL OPERATIONS.
NOT GONNA DO IT A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT IT'S GONNA BE, UH, A NICE OPPORTUNITY
[00:45:01]
TO, TO FREE UP SOME OTHER MONIES TO DO WHAT WE NEED.AND AGAIN, JUST GOING BACK, I MEAN, THERE'S PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
THERE'S, UH, INTERDEPARTMENTAL SAVINGS AS THE MAYOR PRO TIM SAID, I MEAN, CHIEF, YOU KNOW, SAVED US 22,000.
SO I GUESS I OWE 'EM A HAMBURGER OR SOMETHING.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE 'EM OUT FOR A STEAK OR WHATEVER,
BUT I MEAN, WE WANT TO INCENTIVIZE THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THE STAFF TO DO THAT BECAUSE THEY KNOW BETTER.
AND THEY, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE SOME GLITCHES.
LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, HE'S BEEN TRYING TO DO THIS FOR A YEAR AND HE FINALLY GOT IT LINED UP TO WHERE IT COULD HAPPEN.
UH, WE COULD, WE COULD HAVE BEEN THAT FURTHER, THAT MUCH FURTHER AHEAD.
SO, UH, AND THOSE ARE INTERNAL, RIGHT? BUT THEN THERE'S OTHER COST SAVINGS, YOU KNOW, INSURANCE, HEALTH INSURANCE, UH, FUEL.
I KNOW THAT THE MAYOR PRO TEM DID SAY, YOU KNOW, MAYBE AN ELECTRIC FLEET.
YOU KNOW, WE START LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE THAT WHERE THERE'S SOME SUBSIDY, THERE'S SOME SAVINGS ON GAS.
WE MAY HAVE TO PAY A LITTLE BIT ON ELECTRICITY, BUT THERE'S SOME FEDERAL SUBSIDIES AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN BE LOOKING AT THAT COULD HELP OFFSET THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE STILL PROVIDE THE SAME SERVICE.
NOT EVERYBODY IN THE CITY'S GONNA BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC WORKS ISN'T GONNA BE ABLE TO DRIVE A TESLA, BUT SOME OF THEM CAN.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, OR DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A TESLA.
IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, A DOMESTIC E VEHICLE.
BUT THAT'S THE POINT IS YOU GOT, YOU KNOW, FUEL, TELECOM, UH, DATA SERVICE.
I MEAN, WE SPENT A TON OF MONEY, UH, TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH ALL THIS STUFF, TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, SAFEGUARD OUR DATA.
WHERE DO WE PUT IT? EVERYTHING'S IN THE CLOUD NOW.
WE CAN DO IT FOR PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR, SAVE A TON OF MONEY.
ALL OF THOSE ARE CAPITAL INJECTIONS THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE ANYMORE.
THEY'RE SAFE, THEY'RE OFFSITE.
THEY DON'T, THEY'RE NOT SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLOODS, THEY'RE NOT SUSCEPTIBLE TO ANY KIND OF NATURAL DISASTER.
SO, I MEAN, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT WE WANNA BRING INTO, INTO THIS, THIS BUDGET, THIS BUDGET SEASON, BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY.
AND IF Y'ALL BEAR WITH US, I THINK YOU'RE GONNA BE PLEASED.
WE'RE GONNA PUT TOGETHER SOMETHING GOOD.
I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE MENTIONING THESE THINGS LIKE, UM, MAYOR, PROTON ELECTRIC CARS.
'CAUSE I KNOW THIS WAS BROUGHT UP TO THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION WHEN, AND THEY NEVER REALLY LOOKEDED INTO IT, DIFFERENT AVENUES THAT WE CAN BE SAVING.
SO I'M GLAD THAT THE, THAT WE'RE LOOKING INTO DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND THAT WE'RE LOOKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX FINALLY.
ON PAGE THREE OF THE PACKET ON TOTAL INTEREST REVENUE.
ARE YOU BEING REALLY CONSERVATIVE ON THAT PART? I AM.
UM, I DON'T WANNA, I DON'T WANNA PUT HER BUDGET ON, UM, ON WHAT THE, ON THE BEDS ARE GONNA DO.
I DON'T WANNA PUT OUR BUDGET ON THE HANDS OF, AND I'M REALLY, I'M BEING REALLY, REALLY CONSERVATIVE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I HAVE EXTRA NUMBERS.
SO, UM, I'LL JUST NAME SOME FOR YOU TO KIND OF, SO, UM, WE'RE REACHING ABOUT UP TO A SIX MONTH MARK, ABOUT 183% MORE THAN WHAT WE SAID WE WERE GONNA DO LAST YEAR.
SO THESE ARE BEING REALLY CONSERVATIVE.
AND I WOULDN'T DO IT OTHER WAY BECAUSE, UH, IF WE PUT OURSELVES IN THE HANDS OF OR INTEREST, THEN WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
SO WE CAN'T REALLY, WE CAN'T REALLY USE THAT AS A LEVERAGE FOR OUR BUDGET.
IF MORE REVENUE COMES IN, THE BETTER, UH, WE END UP MORE POSITIVE AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO JUST, I MEAN, UM, OH, SO I'M JUST TRYING TO PUT WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL.
UM, I, I'VE SAID THIS FEW TO A FEW BEFORE ABOUT LOWERING, TRYING TO LOWER THE TAX RATE AND TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER CITIES.
AND I'M TRYING TO GET US UNDER THE 70 CENT MARK BECAUSE IT'D BE THE FIRST TIME IN THREE DECADES THAT WE WOULD SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT GOT WILLING.
I ALREADY GOT T-SHIRTS BEING PRINTED, BY THE WAY, THE FIRST TIME, THREE DECADES THAT THE CITIZENS CAN SEE THE TAX RATE BELOW 70 CENTS.
NOW I GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIND IT AND LOWERING AT 1 CENT.
YOU SAID WITH THE 95% COLLECTION, WE LOWER THE REVENUES BY 99,000, CORRECT.
MM-HMM,
AND IF THE AVERAGE MEDIAN INCOME, UH, I MEAN, MEDIAN PRICE OF A HOME IS ABOUT 240,000 AT 70 CENTS.
YOU NEED A, YOU NEED TWO HAVE 58, 59 MORE HOMES EVERY YEAR.
[00:50:01]
DID WE BUILD LAST YEAR? 70 SOMETHING PERMITS.SO THIS REVENUE DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR 70 HOMES OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE, 71.
SO WHAT BASICALLY WHAT THAT DOES IS IT MAKES US WORK HARDER.
HOW CAN WE BRING THAT BUSINESS? HOW CAN WE BRING THE RESIDENTIAL HOMES AND HOW CAN WE BRING THAT SALES TAX DOLLAR? I'M SURE I'M STILL, I'M STILL GONNA BE PUSHING TO GET US UNDER THAT 70 CENT MARK AND MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
I'M GONNA BE LOOKING FOR ONE TO TWO PENNY CUT.
I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO TRY TO GET US THERE.
AND YOU HAVE TO REALIZE, YOU KNOW, COMM, BECAUSE THE THING IS, IS LIKE ANYTHING ELSE, JOANNA SAYS SHE'S BUILDING 20 A WEEK, MAYOR.
WELL, SO 50, BUT REMEMBER YEAR.
BUT LOOK, BUT LOOK, BUT I DON'T MEAN TO STEP ON THE MAYOR.
HELP ME, MAYOR, BUT, AND I, I'M SORRY, MAYOR, BUT REMEMBER WITH THOSE 71 HOMES COMES ALL THE WATER AND THE SEWER AND EVERYTHING ELSE EXACTLY.
WHERE'S THE WATER? WE GOTTA SEE BOTH SIDES OF THAT EQUATION.
AND SOMETIMES THAT NET DOESN'T NET OUT.
LIKE WE THINK, BECAUSE THE THING IS THAT WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT THE OTHER SOURCES FOR THE WATER.
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN A DROUGHT.
I KNOW THAT THE, YOU KNOW, UH, WE STILL HAVE WHERE THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
WHERE'S OUR PUBLIC WORKS? WHERE'S OUR WASTE MANAGE WATER? PUBLIC WORKS WORKS HAS LEFT US.
WE HAVE IT IN, WE, WE, HE, HE QUIT ON US AND THE WATER PLANT OPERATOR, HE IS NOT HERE.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DO HAVE ENOUGH WATER FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO BRING IN AND THE BUSINESS WE'RE GONNA TRY TO BRING IN.
BUT ALSO WE HAMMERED THAT ONE TO DEATH TODAY, MAYOR PRO TEM.
BUT YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ON THE, ON THE UTILITY SIDE.
AND YOU KNOW, IF I USE 10,000 GALLONS OF WATER AND HALF OF IT GOES TO WATER IN MY GRASS, YOU'RE STILL CHARGING ME A SEWER RATE.
I DIDN'T GO TO THE SEWER SYSTEM.
SO YOU'RE NOT FILTERING THE FULL 10,000, YOU'RE FILTERING THE 5,000.
AND I SAY YOU AS THE CITY AS A TAXPAYER.
SO WHERE DO WE PUT A CAP ON A RESIDENTIAL HOME TO SAY, IF YOU USE MORE THAN 10,000 GALLONS, THE REST IS OBVIOUSLY, I WOULD HOPE NOT.
SEWER NOT GOING THROUGH THE SEWER SYSTEM.
SO YOU'RE CHARGING ME FOR WATER THAT'S NOT GOING THROUGH THE SEWER SYSTEM.
AND YOU CAN TELL ME YOU GET A SPRINKLER SYSTEM.
I WAS GOING TO AND IT'S GONNA CHARGE ME MORE.
SO I'M NOT GONNA GET A SPRINKLER SYSTEM AN ADDITIONAL METER FOR YOU.
YOU'RE GONNA CHARGE ME TWO GRAND REGARDLESS.
YOU SHOULDN'T BE WATERING YOUR GRASS RIGHT NOW AFTER
I I'M GONNA FIND THAT I'M GONNA FIND A PENNY WOULD BE A OF SAVINGS THERE.
BUT THAT EXTRA, THAT, THAT EXTRA SEWER FEE, I MEAN THAT'S KIND OF EMBEDDED IN THE DEAL.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE A CREDIT CARD FEE.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE EITHER EAT IT OR WE, OR WE PASS JOANNA IT ALONG.
JOANNA SAID 20 HOMES, RESIDENTIAL PERMITS LAST WEEK.
YOU ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT, WITH FUTURE HOMES, WE HAVE TO ALSO LOOK AT OUR SEWER PLANTS, OUR WATER PLANTS.
I MEAN, GROWTH IS BASICALLY WHAT WE DO, RIGHT? BUT YOU, YOU ASKED FOR MORE HOMES.
WELL, THAT COMES WITH MORE GROWTH.
WHAT ARE, WHAT IS OUR LIMITATION AND MORE.
I MEAN YOU HAD, AT WHAT POINT DO WE HAVE TO, YOU HAD MORATORIUMS, I THINK UP NORTH IN TEXAS, AUSTIN AREA.
IT WAS A STAND ON ALL PERMITS.
YOU KNOW, YOU GOT, YOU GOT MORE TERMS IN THE UPPER VALLEY.
THAT'S, EDINBURG WAS SAYING FREDDIE GONZALEZ, THAT AREA WAS NO LONGER GOING TO GONNA BE ABLE TO BUILD.
LIKE THEY WERE TELLING LAND DEVELOPERS, WE CANNOT LET YOU BUILD.
WHY, WHERE ARE THEY GONNA COME, JOANNA? THEY DIDN'T ACCOUNT FOR, THEY DIDN'T ACCOUNT FOR THE GROWTH AT THE RATE THAT THEY WERE GOING DROP 'EM OFF YOUR CARD AND THEY COULDN'T AND TELL THEM CAN'T, WE'RE OPEN FOR BUS.
THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHERE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND MR. MR. FRITZ ON THE HERE GOT A GRANT FOR THAT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
HOPEFULLY THAT COULD TELL US WHERE WE'RE AT AND WE KIND OF KNOW WHAT THAT, THAT WATER PLANT IS WHAT'S EXPECTED OF IT.
BECAUSE THAT GRANT WAS ALREADY SUBMITTED MANY YEARS AGO.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IT'S THE FULL CAPACITY, WHICH IS WHY I ASKED WHERE, WHERE THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATOR IS.
AND IT, IT'S LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE.
YES, WE WANT MORE GROWTH, BUT WE'VE ALSO GOTTA LOOK AT CAN WE SUSTAIN IT? CAN WE SUSTAIN IT? YES.
SO YOU'RE SAYING WE COULDN'T SUSTAIN
[00:55:01]
A 20 ACRE LAGOON CURRENTLY.I COULDN'T TELL AN EPICENTER PROJECT.
I REACH OUT TO THE UTILITIES ALL THE TIME TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA BE THE ONE SITTING UP HERE TELLING YOU THERE CAN'T BE GROWTH.
BUT SORRY, THAT'S HAD TO THROW IT IN THERE.
WELL, I'LL TELL YOU, IT CAN'T BE, IT WILL NOT SUSTAIN IT.
YOU HONESTLY, UTILITIES RIGHT NOW NEEDS, NEEDS A LOT OF LOOKING FUNDING.
SO, BUT WE JUST HAVE TO JUSTIFY IT.
SO WHEREVER PUBLIC WORKS IS GONE.
I WANNA SEE WHERE, WHERE WE NEED TO BE AND WHAT'S IT GONNA COST.
THERE IS A, THERE'S A DEFINITE, THERE'S SOME NUMBERS THERE THAT WE CAN GET YOU.
MAYOR PRO TEM, AGAIN, A LOT OF THIS IS DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.
A LOT OF THIS IS DEFERRED, UH, PLANNING.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE OTHER THING.
YOU KNOW, I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN, IN MASTER PLANS.
I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN COMPREHENSIVE PLANS, LAND USE, WATER, WASTEWATER, EVERYTHING.
AND WE'RE BEHIND ON ALL OF THEM.
SO WE NEED TO UPGRADE ALL THOSE.
AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON FOR THAT 250,000.
BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE GIS BUT ALL THAT PUT TOGETHER JUST PUTS US IN A POSITION TO BE ABLE TO ANALYZE ALL THIS AND BE ABLE TO TRACK WHERE THOSE PRESSURE POINTS ARE.
AND AGAIN, WE DO HAVE CAPACITY AT THE WATER PLANT.
WE DO HAVE CAPACITY AT THE WASTEWATER PLANT.
AND I GUESS THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE TWO PENNY QUESTION IS HOW MUCH, RIGHT? AND WHERE IS THAT LIMIT? BUT WE'RE GOOD.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, I, I JUST, JUST LOOKING AT IT AS FROM MY EXPERIENCE, WE'RE GOOD.
UH, WE'RE NOT THERE, WE'RE NOT ANYWHERE NEAR GETTING CRITICAL, HOWEVER, BUT THERE'S NO WATER.
YOU KNOW, THAT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH CAPACITY WE HAVE IF WE CAN'T HAVE ANY WATER TO TREAT.
SO THOSE ARE THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE WANT TO BE PREPARED FOR, BECAUSE HOPEFULLY WE'RE GONNA GET SOME RAIN.
WE'VE HAD SOME, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HAD SOME, IF Y'ALL ARE TRACKING THIS, 'CAUSE I AM, THE, THE RESERVOIR DID GROW A LITTLE BIT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOTHING, NOTHING, YOU KNOW, REALLY REPORT ABOUT.
WE NEED TO GET CREATIVE, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO GET PREPARED BECAUSE AGAIN, I NEED TO, I'M SCHEDULING A MEETING WITH THE IRRIGATION DISTRICT.
THEY STILL HAVEN'T GIVEN ME THE PUSH WATER NUMBERS.
SO THOSE PUSH WATER NUMBERS HAVE NEVER, EVER, EVER BEEN IMPLEMENTED.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY THAT.
THAT'S A COST THAT WE'RE EITHER GONNA HAVE TO EAT OR WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PASS ALONG TO THE CONSUMER.
AND THEY'RE ALREADY PAYING HIGH BILLS FOR THEIR WATER.
BUT THEN AGAIN, YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T WANNA PUT IN AN IRRIGATION SYSTEM.
MAYOR PRO TEMP, THOSE KIND OF CURTAIL THE SPENDING.
YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT, IT'S KIND OF A SELF-REGULATING MECHANISM WHERE THE FOLKS SAY, WELL, SHOOT, I'M PAYING THAT MUCH EXTRA.
BECAUSE BETTER THEM THAN MY POCKETBOOK.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ALL GONNA HAVE TO DO.
AND IT UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S NOT JUST HERE IN SAN BENITO, IT'S GONNA BE EVERYWHERE.
'CAUSE I KNOW RIGHT NOW THE, THE PORT ISABELLE SANTO NAVIGATION DISTRICT ACTUALLY IS LOOKING INTO A DE SO HERE, DESALINIZATION.
SO WE'RE GONNA THE MAYOR PRO TEMS. RIGHT.
START GETTING CREATIVE, START LOOKING AT DIFFERENT SURE.
AND EV AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S, IT'S A BIGGER PROBLEM.
I MEAN, LIKE I SAID, IF YOU LOOK AT IT JUST FROM AN ENGINEERING STANDPOINT, AGAIN, I'M NO ENGINEER, BUT, YOU KNOW, I CAN SEE THAT EVEN JUST IN EAST TEXAS, JUST EAST TEXAS, ALL THE RAIN, THEY'RE GETTING EVERYTHING ELSE.
I MEAN, LET ALONE WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE UNITED STATES, HOW, HOW NOBODY CAN FIGURE OUT TO CAPTURE THAT WATER AND BRING IT WEST JUST BAFFLES ME.
I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, BUT IT'S GONNA GET TO THAT POINT.
THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT RIGHT NOW WE'RE THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE UNITED STATES THAT DOESN'T VALUE WATER AS A COMMODITY.
PEOPLE ARE ALREADY HEDGING ON IT, SO.
I'LL HAVE A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
WE HAVE A FEW MORE BUDGET WORKSHOPS, I WOULD IMAGINE.
SO YOU GOT SOME STUFF YOU CAN LOOK AT.
SO THE FOLLOWING ONE, IT'S GONNA COME ACTUALLY WITH THE DETAILS.
AND, UM, I LIKE DETAILS, ACTUAL, ACTUAL NUMBERS, BECAUSE WE, BY THAT TIME, THINK SCHEDULED JULY 30TH.
SO BY THAT TIME, WE'LL HAVE, NOT PRELIMINARY VALUES, BUT ACTUAL VALUES FROM, UH, SEE BAD NEWS VALUES.
UM, THE ARGUMENT'S GONNA BE SET UP JULY T AND WE'RE GONNA KNOW JULY 30TH.
IT'S, IS IT JULY 30TH, MS. RUTH? I BELIEVE SO.
THE, THE NEXT, UM, BUDGET WORKSHOP.
UM, SO THAT BEING SAID, ON, LIKE I SAID, ON INSPECT, THE DRASTIC, DRASTIC GOING UP OR DRASTIC GOING, GOING DOWN,
[01:00:01]
HOPEFULLY BASED ON, UM, THE KEY TERMS THAT I WOULD MENTION.I'LL JUST FINISH FOR THE, WITH THIS QUESTIONS.
MS. STEPHANIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THIS INFORMATION.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR DEALING WITH ME AND ALL MY QUESTIONS.
I LIKE TO LOOK AT ALL THE NUMBERS.
UM, AS A TAXPAYER, I LIKE TO SEE WHERE THE MONEY'S GOING AND THAT IT'S BEING USED RESPONSIBLY.
UM, I THINK IN PREVIOUS, IN MY TIME HERE, YOU KNOW, 80 BLOCKS TO 90 BLOCKS OF STREETS BEING DONE, THAT'S, THAT'S SHOWS THE CITIZEN THINGS ARE GETTING DONE.
UM, THE WAGES HERE WERE AT $9 AN HOUR WHEN I FIRST CAME IN.
IT'S STILL BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL, UNFORTUNATELY.
UM, WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH MINIMUM WAGE, FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE STANDARDS EVENTUALLY IF THEY GO UP.
SO WE NEED TO GET CLOSER TO THAT 15 OR COMPETITIVE WITH THOSE LARGE RETAILERS PAYING ANYWHERE FROM AVERAGE $20 AN HOUR.
I'M NOT DOING THAT FOR YOU GUYS YET,
IT'S HARD WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THOSE CREATIVE REVENUE STREAMS, BUT IT SHOWS THAT WE'RE PUTTING THE MONEY BACK WHERE IT BELONGS.
AND THEN OFFERING THOSE, UM, ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION PACKAGES AS FAR AS LIKE FREE HEALTH INSURANCE.
UM, AND I'VE SEEN MORE GRANTS IN THIS LAST YEAR THAN I'VE EVER SEEN IN THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS.
AND I AGREE WE'RE ONLY OVER $250,000 IN GRANTS, WHICH SAYS A LOT.
I WANT TO BE OVER THAT MILLION DOLLAR TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE.
MR. ELOY, WELCOME TO THE TEAM.
WELCOME TO THE BARRAGE OF QUESTIONS.
MY FAMILY'S GONNA LIVE HERE FOREVER.
MOST OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE TO LIVE HERE,
AND WE'RE GONNA TRY TO GET 'EM THERE, YOU KNOW? YES, SIR.
WE'RE GONNA LEAVE IT BETTER THAN WHAT WE GOT IT.
AND, UM, FOR THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE CITIZENS THAT, UH, WE ARE HERE TO MAKE, I KNOW IT'S, IT'S HARD IN THIS, IN THIS TIME A DAY, YOU KNOW, THE WAGES, THE FOOD, EVERYTHING IS GONE UP AND EXCEPT, UH, THE, UH, THE PAY, BUT AT LEAST WHATEVER WE, WE GOT WE'RE DOING, I HOPE THE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE USING IT TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY TO SERVICE THEM THE BEST THAT THEY SHOULD.
AND WE WANT TO GIVE THEM AS MUCH AS WE CAN, SERVICES EITHER HOMES, ROADS, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER INFRASTRUCTURE, WHATEVER IT IS, BUT TO MAKE SOME ATO A LOT MORE.
IT'S MORE LIKE A RETIREMENT HOME THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
AND I FALL INTO IT BECAUSE I'M ALREADY RETIRED, SO, AND YEAH, I'M NO MAYOR PRO.
YOU'RE ON THE PHONE ALL DAY LONG.
IT'S, UH, LIKE WE ALL HAVE BEEN ELECTED FOR THIS, THIS SEAT.
AND THEN I, I, LIKE I TOLD THE PEOPLE, YOU'RE NOT RETIRED, MAYOR, YOU JUST DON'T GET PAID FOR THIS
SO THAT'S WHY I, I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE, THE 2%.
THANK YOU FOR BEING ON THE STREETS MAYOR EVERY DAY.
BUT WE ARE HERE FOR THE CITIZENS.
WE ARE HERE FOR YOU ALL TO MAKE THE, YOUR JOBS EASIER.
AND WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO GIVE YOU THE TOOLS THAT YOU NEED.
JUST HELP US BACK, GIVE IT BACK, NOT TO US, BUT GIVE IT BACK TO THE PEOPLE IN A BETTER SITUATION THAT THEY CAN, THEY CAN BE PROUD OF.
AND, UH, LIKE I SAID, SO, UH, YEAH.
AND MAYOR PAUL, AS LONG AS WE CAN, UH, YOU KNOW, GIVE SOMETHING BACK TO THE PEOPLE, I'M FOR IT.
BUT WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL BECAUSE IT'S NOT COMING BACK.
WHATEVER WE LOSE, WE DON'T, WE DON'T GET IT BACK.
SO UNLESS JOANNA BUILT HOMES, JOANNA, I'M, I'M SENDING JOANNA BACK IN TIME.
DID YOU KNOW THAT I WANNA SEND JOANNA BACK IN TIME AND OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BRINGS IN BUSINESS.
BUT AGAIN, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I THINK, UH, I WOULD JUST LIKE STEPHANIE, THANK YOU PUTTING US TOGETHER, THE DIRECTORS FOR YOU AS WELL, RUTH, EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL GUYS DO OUT THERE FOR US, BRINGING IT TO THE TABLE FOR US TO SEE, TO UNDERSTAND.
UM, I KNOW A LOT OF THE CITIZENS PROBABLY WON'T UNDERSTAND A LOT OF THIS STUFF, SO I WISH MORE WOULD COME, BUT I'M GLAD FOR THE ONES THAT DO COME AND ASK, YOU KNOW, TO GIVE US THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT OF WHY WE ARE HERE.
WE, I AGREE, MAYOR, WE'RE ELECTED OFFICIALS.
THEY PUT US HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES TO MAKE SURE, LIKE MAYOR PRO TEM, THE, THE MONEY IS SPENT APPROPRIATELY.
[01:05:01]
I AGREE MAYOR PRO TEM THAT IN THIS LAST YEAR WE HAVE SEEN GRANTS THAT I HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR TOO, FOR A LONG TIME THAT, HEY CHIEF, THANK YOU.HE'S OUT THERE LOOKING FOR IT.
AND I ENCOURAGE THE REST OF THE DIRECTORS TO DO AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE ISN'T A LOT OF MONEY OUT THERE.
WE JUST WEREN'T SEEKING IT BEFORE.
AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU KNOW, THAT PEOPLE, AGAIN, LOOKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, WERE FINALLY DOING IT.
YOU GOTTA SEE YOURSELF THERE IN ORDER TO GET THERE.
AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, MAYOR, UH, I KNOW I MENTIONED TESLA, BUT I KNOW THAT CHEVROLET HAS REALLY GOOD ELECTRIC
HE, THAT, THAT'S THE ONLY, HE, HE, HE MENTIONED THAT.
SO WANTED TO MAKE SURE CHEVROLET MAKES A GOOD EV.
I, I DON'T NECESSARILY AM NOT MARRIED TO TEST COMMISSIONER.
WE'RE LOOKING, WE WE'RE PARTS TODAY.
ANY QUESTIONS? NO BRETT QUESTIONS? NO, MAYOR.
OKAY, RUTH, HONOR, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA DO THE BEST WE CAN, AND I KNOW WE WANTED TO MAKE THIS A GOOD OVERVIEW.
I APPRECIATE ALL Y'ALL, UH, UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATE WHAT Y'ALL DO FOR THE CITIZENS.
'CAUSE I, I, TRUST ME, I KNOW IT'S A THANKLESS JOB FOR YOU ALL.
AND THIS IS WHAT WE DO FOR A LIVING.
AND YOU KNOW, WE, WE MAKE A LITTLE MONEY AT IT, BUT YOU GUYS DO IT FOR, YOU KNOW, TO, TO GIVE BACK.
AND, AND THAT MEANS A LOT TO, TO ME.
I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN AROUND A LOT OF ELECTED OFFICIALS IN MY CAREER AND I'VE NEVER SEEN A GROUP MORE PASSIONATE THAN YOU GUYS.
I'M GLAD TO HELP BUILD YOUR TEAM AND, AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, FINISH THIS BUDGET YEAR, YOU KNOW, THIS BUDGET SEASON STRONG.
AND, AND WE'RE GONNA GET SOME STUFF DONE.
I JUST WANNA MOVE THE CITY FORWARD AND PUT IN A BETTER POSITION THAN WHEN I GOT HERE.
OKAY, THE TIME IS, UH, UH, 6 38.