[A. CALL TO ORDER ]
[00:00:06]
AND I'M CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
IF YOU WOULD PLEASE WELCOME CHAPLAIN SPATES.
HE WILL SAY THE INVOCATION AND STAND FOR THAT.
AND IF YOU WOULD REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGES.
OUR LOVING FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSINGS OF TODAY AND FOR LIFE TODAY.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING HERE TO SERVE.
AND WE PRAY ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO ARE SERVING IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES HERE IN TOWN COUNCIL AND FIRST RESPONDERS AND THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY.
AND FATHER, WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT IS FOR US TO LIVE IN A GREAT COUNTRY OF AMERICA.
AND WE PRAY ESPECIALLY TONIGHT FOR OUR MILITARY THAT'S IN A DANGEROUS WAY.
AND WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD WATCH OVER THEM AND THOSE IN LEADERSHIP, THAT YOU WOULD GIVE THEM WISDOM AND PROTECTION.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT'S TO BE DONE TONIGHT.
WE PRAY YOUR WISDOM WILL BE GIVEN TO ALL DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE THAT WOULD HONOR YOU.
AND WE PRAY THIS ALL IN YOUR NAME.
OKAY, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PRESENTATIONS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY THIS
[E. PUBLIC COMMENT ]
EVENING, SO WE WILL MOVE RIGHT ALONG TO PUBLIC COMMENT.THE PURPOSE OF THIS ITEM IS TO ALLOW THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE TOWN COUNCIL.
REGARDING ANY ITEM ON THE AGENDA THAT IS NOT ON A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO THE FIRST COMMENT CARD THAT WE HAVE, OR THE ONLY COMMENT CARD WE HAVE, IS FROM JASON XIAO.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
WHEN YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS LEFT, YOU'LL HEAR A TIMER, A BUZZER, BUT YOU STILL HAVE 30 SECONDS.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE TOWN COUNCIL.
MY WIFE JENNIFER AND I LIVE ON EFRON AVENUE DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE 19 ACRE LISD SURPLUS PROPERTY AT QUAIL RUN AND FLAURUM MOUND ROAD.
I'M JOINED TONIGHT BY SEVERAL OF MY LOVELY NEIGHBORS WHOSE PROPERTY ALSO BORDER THIS TRACT.
WE'RE HERE BECAUSE AN IMPORTANT DECISION POINT IS APPROACHING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
LISD HAS IDENTIFIED THIS PROPERTY AS SURPLUS, PUT THE LAND UP FOR SALE, RECEIVED BIDS, AND IS EVALUATING POTENTIAL BUYERS RIGHT NOW.
WE COME WITH ONE PRIMARY MESSAGE.
THE VALUES AND PLANNING PRINCIPLES THAT GOVERN THIS LAND SHOULD NOT.
BEFORE THIS PROPERTY CHANGES HANDS, WE BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT TO ESTABLISH A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMMUNITY'S EXPECTATIONS AND THE VISION THAT HAS LONG GUIDED THIS PART OF FLOWER MOON.
MY WIFE AND I CHOSE TO RAISE OUR FAMILY HERE BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUE CHARACTER OF THIS COMMUNITY.
OUR TWIN DAUGHTERS JUST GRADUATED FROM MCKAMEY MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND WE'LL SOON ATTEND FLOWER MOUND HIGH SCHOOL.
LIKE MANY FAMILIES HERE, WE VALUE THE SPACE, THE NATURAL BEAUTY, AND THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO GROWTH THAT MAKES FLOWER MOUND SUCH A SPECIAL PLACE TO LIVE.
THIS PROPERTY SITS WITHIN THE CROSS TIMBERS CONSERVATION DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.
IT IS NOT SIMPLY AN UNDERDEVELOPED TRACK AWAITING ITS NEXT USE.
IT IS PART OF A LARGER CONSERVATION VISION THAT RESIDENTS, TOWN LEADERS, AND PREVIOUS COUNCILS HAVE SPENT DECADES PROTECTING.
IN 2022, THIS COUNCIL STRENGTHENED THE CDCDD STANDARD AND REAFFIRMED ITS COMMITMENT TO PRESERVING THIS DISTRICT THROUGH LOW-DENSITY DEVELOPMENT, MEANINGFUL OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION, AND PROTECTION OF THE CROSS-TIMBERED ENVIRONMENT.
WE APPRECIATE THAT LEADERSHIP, AND WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THAT VISION.
AS PROSPECTIVE BUYERS EVALUATE THIS PROPERTY, RESIDENTS EXPECT THE EXISTING ZONING AND CONSERVATION STANDARDS TO REMAIN THE GUIDING FRAMEWORK AS OWNERSHIP TRANSITION AND FUTURE PLANS ARE CONSIDERED.
WE EXPECT THE TOWN'S MASTER PLANS.
SMART GROWTH PRINCIPLES AND CDC DD PROTECTIONS TO REMAIN THE FOUNDATION FOR ANY FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.
WE ALSO EXPECT CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF TRAFFIC IMPACTS, SCHOOL ZONE SAFETY, PRESERVATION OF MATURE TREES, AND PROTECTION OF THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER.
THE RESIDENTS OF THIS AREA ARE PAYING ATTENTION.
WE ARE INFORMED, ENGAGED, AND COMMITTED TO PARTICIPATING CONSTRUCTIVELY AS THIS PROCESS UNFOLDS.
TONIGHT, WE ASK THAT COUNCIL TO CONTINUE BEING A STEWARD OF THE CONSERVATION PRINCIPLES THAT HAVE SHAPED THIS AREA FOR GENERATIONS.
[00:05:02]
MAY CHANGE.THE VALUES THAT DEFINE THIS COMMUNITY SHOULD NOT.
DO YOU MIND IF I MAKE A POINT OF FACT? SO I JUST LOOKED UP THAT PROPERTY AND ITS LAND USE IN THE MASTER PLAN IS CROSS-TIMBERS CONSERVATION, AS THE SPEAKER SAID, AND THE ZONING IS AG.
SO ANY REZONING WOULD REQUIRE SOME DISCRETIONARY PROCESS, AND IT WOULD CERTAINLY BE SUBJECT TO THE CROSS-TIMBERS CONSERVATION AREA.
OKAY, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? WE'RE GOING TO MOVE RIGHT ALONG TO ANNOUNCEMENTS.
[F. ANNOUNCEMENTS ]
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS THEY WANT TO MAKE? I DO.WE HAVE A FREE MEDICAL CLINIC COMING UP, DENTON COUNTY INDIAN CULTURAL.
ASSOCIATION IS DOING A FREE MEDICAL CLINIC.
IT IS SATURDAY, JUNE 6TH FROM 830 A.M.
THERE'S A VARIETY OF FREE SERVICES THEY'RE GIVING TO INDIVIDUALS OF FLOWER MOUND AND THAT IS LOCATED, I HOLD UP, IT'S AT THE MODERN MEDICAL CLINIC IN FLOWER MOUND AND THAT IS RIGHT BEHIND LIKE JEN BET, JEN BAY AND CVS. YOU GO THERE BETWEEN THOSE TIMES.
YOU CAN ALSO GIVE BLOOD AT THAT TIME TOO.
OKAY, ANYBODY ELSE? ALL RIGHT, WE'LL MOVE ALONG TO TOWN MANAGERS REPORT.
[G. TOWN MANAGER'S REPORT ]
IT'S EVER GOTTEN TO ME.I HAD TO SCRAMBLE TO GET MY NOTES TOGETHER.
I DO HAVE ONE ITEM THAT I WANTED TO UPDATE TO COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC ON AND IT'S TIED TO OUR TREE REBATE PROGRAM.
AS YOU RECALL, LAST SUMMER, YOU GUYS KICKED OFF THAT PROGRAM WHERE WE SET ASIDE ABOUT $10,000 FOR RESIDENTS TO COME IN AND GET A REBATE FOR PLANTING TREES ON THEIR PROPERTY.
AND I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THAT THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN A ROUSING SUCCESS.
WE KICKED OFF THE PROGRAM IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, AND WE ACCEPTED APPLICATIONS THROUGH MAY, AND WE TOOK OUR LAST APPLICATION AT THE BEGINNING OF MAY AND EXPENDED ALL $10,000 THAT WERE ALLOCATED.
SO IT'S A GOOD SIGN THAT THE PUBLIC IS...
AND I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ABOUT THE GOOD NEWS.
AND OUR PLAN GOING INTO THE NEXT BUDGET PROCESS IS TO HAVE THAT $10,000 AVAILABLE AGAIN FOR FY27 AND OPEN IT UP IN OCTOBER AGAIN WITH THE IDEA THAT $10,000 IS AVAILABLE FOR OUR TREE REBATE PROGRAM.
SO THIS IS OBVIOUSLY TIED TO ONE OF OUR STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES, WHICH IS INCREASING THE TOWN'S TREE CANOPY.
SO IT'S JUST GOOD NEWS THAT WE ARE LAUNCHING SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS THAT MEET THOSE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE.
SO JUST WANT TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS WITH THAT.
SO I'LL GIVE YOU A VERY HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTION.
JAKE SPECKLES IS HERE IN THE AUDIENCE, AND HE HAS ALL THE DETAILS FOR YOU.
BUT JUST WANTED TO SHARE THE GREAT NEWS ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF OUR FIRST-YEAR KICKOFF FOR OUR TREE REBATE PROGRAM.
DO WE KNOW HOW MANY APPLICATIONS WE GOT? TAKE THOSE HERE HE COMES THANK YOU SO WE HAD 34 APPLICATIONS YEAH OKAY SINCE YOU'RE HERE WHAT WHAT IS THE AVERAGE CALIPER INCHES THAT THAT HAVE BEEN PLANTED IN THOSE TREES OKAY SO WE HAD UH SEVEN FIVE GALLON TREES SO THOSE ARE NOT A VERY LARGE CALIPER, MAYBE HALF INCH.
AND THEN WE HAD 12 15-GALLON TREES, WHICH IS PROBABLY ABOUT AN INCH, AND THEN 35 30-GALLON TREES, WHICH IS A 3-INCH CALIPER TREE.
[H. FUTURE AGENDA ITEM(S) ]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. ANYONE WISH TO INITIATE? I HAVE ONE.AND IT'S BASED OFF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
THE ECC HAS BEEN DOING A LOT OF EFFORT FOR POST-OAK.
I'D LIKE TO TRY AND MAYBE FIGURE OUT WAYS WE COULD ACCELERATE THAT WITH POTENTIALLY THIS NEXT BUDGET CYCLE, IF WE COULD BE FLEXIBLE WITH THE TREE REPLANTING FUNDS TO HELP TRY AND SEE IF WE CAN GET POST-OAKS REPLANTED, SMALLER POST-OAKS.
SO I'D LIKE TO MAYBE PROPOSE THAT AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, MAYBE A JOINT WORK SESSION WITH
[00:10:01]
THE ECC.SEE WHAT THEIR NEEDS AND VISION IS FOR IT AND SEE IF WE CAN GET SOMETHING FUNDED NEXT YEAR.
ONLY THING I WANTED TO ADD IS DURING THE BOARD AND COMMISSION WORK SESSION, WE ALREADY SLOTTED A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM TO DISCUSS THEIR WORK ON A TREE ORDINANCE REVIEW ALONG WITH THE ACORNS TO OAK PROGRAM.
SO WE CAN CERTAINLY INVITE THE ECC TO ATTEND THAT AS A JOINT KIND OF WORK SESSION, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S ALL WITHIN THE SAME ROOM.
BUT FOR BUDGET PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE BUDGET PROCESS RIGHT NOW, CAN WE MAKE SURE WE HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY? OR THE TREE REPLANTING THAT WE DO EVERY YEAR TO MAYBE UTILIZE SOME OF THAT FUNDS, IF IT MAKES SENSE.
SO IF IT'S SPECIFIC TO THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE'RE GOING TO KICK OFF TONIGHT SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS IN REGARDS TO THE BUDGET.
I THINK WE CAN WORK COLLECTIVELY AND LOOK WITH THAT TREE MITIGATION FUND AND THOSE FUNDS, AND WE COULD BRING IT.
WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK FOR A WORK SESSION ON THE 11TH AND THE 15TH. WE CAN ADD THAT COMPONENT, BUT IF YOU'RE SPECIFICALLY LOOKING TO HAVE THAT JOINT WORK SESSION, WE CAN TRY TO PUT SOMETHING DOWN THE LINE.
SO I GUESS WHAT TOMMY'S GETTING AT, WE'RE ALREADY TOUCHING ON SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.
IF WE WANT TO TALK SPECIFIC ABOUT THE BUDGET COMPONENT OF IT, WE CAN CERTAINLY BRING IT OUT AS AN ITEM OF TWO FUTURE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
YEAH, AND I DON'T THINK WE NECESSARILY NEED TO ALLOCATE BUDGET SPECIFICALLY FOR IT RIGHT NOW, BUT JUST THE FLEXIBILITY.
IF WE DO DECIDE TO MAKE THE CHANGE NEXT YEAR, WE CAN REACT QUICKER.
SO WHAT I CAN DO IS LET ME COORDINATE WITH STAFF AND JUST SEE HOW THOSE OTHER THINGS ARE SHAPING UP.
WITH THIS ONE, THIS MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT I COULD BRING TO THE TOWN MANAGER'S REPORT ON THE 15TH.
IF IT'S JUST A MATTER OF JUST IDENTIFYING THOSE, AND IF I'M HEARING YOU CORRECTLY, IT'S REALLY JUST KIND OF LOOKING AT THE FUNDS AVAILABLE AND WHAT THE PROCESS IS INVOLVED IN UTILIZING THOSE FUNDS? YEAH.
IF WE MAKE A DECISION WITH THE JOINT WORK SESSION WITH THE ECC TO TRY AND DO SOME POST-HOC REPLANTING.
OKAY, I'M LOOKING DOWN THERE AT OUR CFO TO SEE IF THAT WORKS.
OKAY, I'M NOT ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
I'M SAYING IF WE CAN MAKE THE REPLANTING FUNDS FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO ALLOCATE IT FOR THAT.
SO IF IT WORKS FOR YOU, I CAN PUT THAT TO BRING AT THE TOWN MANAGER'S REPORT ON THE 15TH.
[I. COORDINATION OF CALENDARS ]
OKAY, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO COORDINATION OF CALENDARS.JUNE 11TH IS OUR NEXT WORK SESSION.
JUNE 15TH IS OUR REGULAR MEETING.
AND THEN JULY 6TH IS ANOTHER REGULAR MEETING.
CAN YOU ALL MAKE THOSE? YEAH, AND I'LL BE IN PERSON FOR ALL OF THEM NOW.
YOU DON'T NEED TO SET UP A REMOTE.
I WILL NOT BE AT THE JUNE 15TH MEETING.
ARE YOU GOING TO BE REMOTE? NO.
[J. CONSENT ITEM(S) ]
ALL RIGHT.WE'LL MOVE ON TO CONSENT ITEMS. THIS PART OF THE AGENDA CONSISTS OF HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS REQUIRED BY LAW.
DOES ANYONE WISH TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE CONSENT ITEMS J1 THROUGH 9? MAYOR, APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS 1 THROUGH 9 IS PRESENTED.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
OKAY, CONSENT ITEMS PASSED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.
[Items K.1 & K.2]
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE MOVING RIGHT ON TO REGULAR ITEMS. OUR STAFF, JULIE, IS GOING TO PRESENT ON ITEMS K-1 AND K-2 TO GO OVER THE CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION AND GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS THIS TIME.ARE YOU READY FOR ME? YEAH, YOU CAN GO AHEAD.
TONIGHT, I'M HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TWO ORDINANCES THAT HAVE PARAMETERS FOR THE ISSUANCE OF THE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION AND THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS.
JUST TO RECAP QUICKLY WHAT OUR TIMELINE HAS BEEN, ON OCTOBER 06, WE DID A REIMBURSEMENT RESOLUTION FOR BOTH THE COS AND GOS, TOTAL AMOUNT $79,325,000.
IT WAS REDUCED APPROXIMATELY TWENTY FIVE MILLION FOR UH...
FIRE FACILITIES AND SOME HELP AT STATION WHICH THE TITLE TO THE BEST OUT TO ANOTHER YEAR ON A FOR THE SIX COUNCIL APPROVED A NOTICE OF INTENTION RESOLUTION WHICH UH...
AT THE SALE OF THE CDS IN THE DIDN'T RECORD CHRONICLE FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE WEEKS AND ALSO ON OUR WEBSITE FOR A PRINCIPAL AMOUNT THAT UH...
WITH THIRTY FIVE MILLION TWO HUNDRED SIXTY FIVE THOUSAND AND JUST LAST WEEK, THE TOWN RECEIVED OUR RATINGS WITH STANDARD & POOR.
THEY WERE ASSIGNED A AAA RATING TO OUR NEW DEBT AND AFFIRMED OUR PAST DEBT FOR AAA RATINGS SINCE 2014.
[00:15:01]
AND TONIGHT WE'RE HERE FOR THE PARAMETERS ORDINANCE.WEDNESDAY WILL BE THE PRICING OF THE BONDS WITH THE UNDERWRITING TEAM OF SAMCO, BOK, AND RAYMOND JAMES, AND OF COURSE, HILLTOP SECURITIES.
AND THEN THE CLOSING AND DELIVERY OF THE FUNDS WILL BE ON JUNE 25TH.
SO THE CEOS WILL FUND STREETS AND FIRE STATION FACILITIES TOTALING $21 MILLION.
OR GRAND TOTAL OF $22 MILLION.
IT ALSO HAS A UTILITY PROJECT COMPONENT FOR WATER AND WASTEWATER PROJECTS TOTALING $13 MILLION FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $35 MILLION TO EARN $65,000, WHICH IS THE MAXIMUM PRINCIPAL AMOUNT THAT THE BONDS COULD BE ISSUED FOR.
THE MAXIMUM INTEREST RATE IS 5%, AND THE MAXIMUM MATURITY IS MARCH 1, 2046.
IT HAS TWO COMPONENTS, AN IMPROVEMENT AND REFUNDING PORTION.
THE IMPROVEMENT BONDS WILL BE FOR THE BOND ELECTION THAT WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR BY THE VOTERS FOR PROPOSITION A, THE PARK IMPROVEMENTS FOR $82 MILLION.
THIS ORDINANCE WILL AUTHORIZE $12.3 MILLION WITH THE REMAINING UNISSUED BALANCE OF $69.7.
PROPOSITION B IS STREET IMPROVEMENTS, AND TONIGHT WE WILL BE AUTHORIZING FOR $30 MILLION.
WE'RE ISSUING $6.5 MILLION WITH THE REMAINING $23 MILLION TO BE ISSUED IN THE FUTURE.
AND WE PLAN TO ISSUE THE REMAINING BALANCE OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
THE CURRENT PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING FORWARD FOR STREET RECONSTRUCTION ARE SOME MISCELLANEOUS STREETS THROUGHOUT TOWN, TOTALING $6.5 MILLION.
THE PARK SECTION IS FOR THE CAC EXPANSION AND RENOVATION, SOME TRAILHEADS, CONNECTORS, CHINCHAPEL, MULTIPURPOSE FIELD CONVERSION, LEONARD AND HELEN JOHNS PARK IMPROVEMENTS, AND TRAIL PROJECTS.
THE TOTAL FOR THE GEO IMPROVEMENTS IS $18,870,000, WHICH THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT IS, THAT'S THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT.
INTEREST RATE, MAXIMUM 5%, AND AGAIN, THE MAXIMUM MATURITY OF MARCH 1, 2046.
THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE GEOS IS FOR A REFUNDING OF APPROXIMATELY $21 MILLION FOR CO SERIES 2016 AND 2017A.
THE CURRENT RATES WERE 4% TO 5%.
AND THE REFUNDED YEARS WERE 2027 THROUGH 2037.
THE MAXIMUM PRINCIPAL TO BE ISSUED IS $24,085,000.
THERE MUST BE A NET PRESENT VALUE SAVINGS OF 3.5% OR LARGER, AND A TRUE INTEREST COST LESS THAN 5%.
AND THE MATURITY ON THIS WILL BE NO MORE THAN MARCH 1, 2037, TO MAINTAIN THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE OF THE ORIGINAL BONDS.
AND WITH THAT, IN OUR AUDIENCE TONIGHT IS BOB DRANSFIELD AND REED STIPLER WITH NORTON FULBRIGHT, OUR BOND COUNSEL, AND ALSO JOHN AND MICHAEL MARTIN WITH HILLTOP SECURITIES, AND THEY WILL COME UP NOW TO DISCUSS THE CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS FOR THE PRICE SEAT ON WEDNESDAY.
I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU ALL A QUICK UPDATE ON THE BOND MARKET AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR WEDNESDAY ON PRICING.
JULIE DID A GREAT JOB OF LAYING OUT ALL THE PROJECTS AND ALL THAT.
SO I UPDATED OUR NUMBERS THIS MORNING.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO KIND OF GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THIS TRANSACTION.
AND SO YOU ALL ARE USED TO HAVING THE CEO AND THE REFUNDING TOGETHER HERE AT THE SAME TIME.
THE SAME THING, WE'RE JUST ADDING ONE ADDITIONAL PIECE TO IT, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE THE VOTED GO PORTION.
YOU ALL VOTED MAY 2025 FOR PARKS AND STREETS REPAIRS, AND THIS IS THE FIRST TRANCHE OF THAT ISSUANCE FOR THE GENERAL OBLIGATION PORTION.
AND SO AS OF THIS MORNING, WE'RE LOOKING AT REFUNDING SAVINGS AND THE NET PRESENT VALUE OF ABOUT $1.2 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT 5.6% OF REFUNDED BONDS.
WITH THE TRUE INTEREST COST AT JUST BELOW 3.2%.
AND THEN FOR THE NEW MONEY, GEO VOTED DEBT, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 3.68% ON THAT NEW MONEY PORTION.
AND THEN FOR THE CEOS, WE'RE LOOKING AT JUST BELOW 4%.
HOPEFULLY THE MARKET STAYS SOMEWHAT NORMAL BETWEEN NOW AND PRICING.
BUT THE GOOD THING ABOUT HAVING THE PARAMETERS, WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SHELF THIS IF THINGS GO BAD AND THEN COME BACK TO IT LATER
[00:20:03]
DOWN THE LINE.I THINK THAT, OH, AND THE RATING, JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS FROM THE STANDARD & POOR'S RATING REPORTS.
THEY REALLY DO A PHENOMENAL JOB OF GETTING ALL THE REQUIRED INFORMATION INTO THE RATING AGENCIES.
CONSISTENT TAX-BASED EXPANSION WITH PROJECTS THAT INCLUDE SINGLE AND MULTIFAMILY HOMES, SMALL AND LOCAL BUSINESSES, LARGE COMMERCIAL SPACES, A HOTEL, NEW WAREHOUSES, AND RETAIL SPACES.
IN ADDITION, LOCAL GOVERNMENT EFFECTIVE BUYING INCOMES COMPARE FAVORABLY WITH THOSE OF THE COUNTY.
AND THEN TREND OF POSITIVE OPERATING PERFORMANCE AND MAINTENANCE OF VERY STRONG RESERVES AND LIQUIDITY.
THE 2026 BUDGET WAS BALANCED BASED ON CONSERVATIVE BUDGETING, WHICH WE EXPECT WILL ALLOW FOR AT LEAST BALANCED OPERATIONS MOVING FORWARD.
AND THEN ONE THING I ALWAYS LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IS THAT YOU ALL HAVE A RATING THAT'S HIGHER THAN THE UNITED STATES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS YOU ALL HAVE.
SO THE LAST TIME WE SAW YOU, ANN, I THINK ANN MARTIN ASKED, IF A VOTER OR A RESIDENT OF FLOWER MOUND WANTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS, WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO? IS THIS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S LISTED ON ONE OF THE BROKERAGE SITES? I KNOW NORTHLAKE HAS AN ISSUANCE THAT'S AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT ONE OF OUR RESIDENTS COULD PARTICIPATE IN IF THEY WANTED TO BUY IT? SURE, YEAH, I WOULD ENCOURAGE IF THEY'RE INTERESTED.
PURCHASING SOME OF THESE BONDS.
SO THIS WILL BE LISTED JUST IN THIS WILL BE A PUBLICLY OFFERED DEAL.
AND NORTHLAKE HAD A 20 YEAR, I THINK IT WAS A CEO THAT WAS 4.2, SOMEWHERE IN THAT RANGE WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A DISCOUNT.
SO WE'RE EXPECTING TO BE BETTER THAN THAT RIGHT NOW.
YES, WE ARE PROJECTED TO BE BETTER THAN THAT.
IF AFTER THIS IS DONE, IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO FOLLOW UP AND SAY, OK, WHAT INTEREST RATE DID WE GET? HOW WOULD THEY GO AND FIND THAT INFORMATION.
QUESTION I GUESS THEY COULD JUST ASK THE TOWN STAFF IS THERE A WAY FOR THEM TO DO IT SELF-SERVICE OR THEY HAVE TO EMAIL THEY WOULD HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO CALCULATE THAT WE CAN'T GO AND SEE THAT AFTER ONCE IT'S ISSUED AND IT'S COMPLETE HOW YOU WOULD FIND OUT WHAT THE RESULT WAS ALL RIGHT WELL EMAIL THEN YEAH OKAY MAYBE WE CAN PUT IT ON THE WEBSITE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT THANK YOU TO BUY OUR BONDS, THEY COULD ALWAYS GO TO THEIR BROKER.
I GET CALLS ABOUT IT, BUT WE DON'T ACTUALLY SELL THEM.
JUST GO TO YOUR BROKER, AND THEY CAN CONNECT THEM.
I CAN OFFER THEM THE TOWN'S KEY NUMBER, WHICH THEY CAN RELAY BACK TO THEIR BROKER.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, DOES ANYBODY WISH TO MAKE A MOTION? YOU HAVE TO MAKE TWO SEPARATE.
IS IT? NO, I DON'T HAVE A STATEMENT.
MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM K-1 AS PRESENTED.
OKAY ITEM K1 THE CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS PASSES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.
MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM K2 AS PRESENTED.
DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TIM TAYLOR? AYE.
ITEM K2 THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS PASSED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.
OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS
[K.3. School Zone FM 1171 - Consider approval of an ordinance amending Exhibit A of Ordinance 48-21, Speed Limit Ordinance, in order to add a new reduced school speed zone on FM 1171 from Flower Mound Road to Saddlewood Drive. ]
ITEM K3 THIS IS THE SCHOOL ZONE FLOWER MOUND 1171 THIS IS TO CONSIDER AN APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING EXHIBIT A OF ORDINANCE 48-21 THIS IS A SPEED LIMIT ORDINANCE MATT HOTELLING OUR ENGINEER FROM THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION IS HERE TO PRESENT.THIS IS THE FM 1171 REDUCED SPEED ZONE REQUEST.
THIS IS WHAT I'LL KIND OF GO OVER.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE VICINITY, WHERE IT'S LOCATED, THE REASON FOR THE REQUEST.
THEY GAVE US A MAP THAT KIND OF SHOWED WHERE THEY THOUGHT THE SCHOOL ZONE SHOULD BE.
WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TROTTER PARK, WHICH IS NEXT TO THE LOCATION, AND THEN WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PROS AND CONS AND THEN END WITH DISCUSSION.
WHERE IT IS THAT TOWN IS IN THE VERY CENTER PART OF TOWN RIGHT THERE AT THE INTERSECTION OF FM 1171 AND FLOWER MOUND ROAD JUST TO THE EAST THE REASON FOR THE REQUEST, THE PARENTS
[00:25:02]
AND THERE'S THE CAREGIVERS THAT GO TO THE FOUNDERS ACADEMY.THEY PARK AT ROCK POINT CHURCH.
YOU CAN SEE THE PICTURE THERE ON THE RIGHT THAT'S FROM GOOGLE STREET VIEW.
THERE'S AN EIGHT-FOOT TRAIL THAT CONNECTS FOR THE FIRST 600 FEET OF THAT WALK.
YOU CAN SEE IT'S FAIRLY CLOSE TO FM 1171.
SO THE SPEED LIMIT ALONG FM 1171 IN THIS AREA IS 50 MILES PER HOUR.
AND BASICALLY, THERE'S NO ONE THAT GOES THAT.
FROM THE NEARBY NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WALK, SO THESE PARENTS ARE JUST NOT GOING THROUGH THE PICKUP AND DROP-OFF LINE.
THIS IS THE TXDOT MAP THAT THEY SUBMITTED TO US.
WHEN YOU DO THE MILE POST, IT'S ABOUT 100 FEET EAST OF FLOWER MOUND ROAD, ROUGHLY 75 FEET WEST OF SADDLEWOOD.
JUST A LITTLE OVER 1,700 FEET IN LENGTH FOR THE ENTIRE SCHOOL ZONE.
THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE, I GOT THIS FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
YOU CAN SEE HERE IN THE LOWER RIGHT-HAND CORNER OF THE PICTURE IS KIND OF FADED OUT.
AND THEN IN THE UPPER LEFT-HAND CORNER IS FOUNDERS ACADEMY.
SO RIGHT SANDWICHED IN BETWEEN THEM IS TROTTER PARK.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S A PARKING AREA.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A WALKWAY ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
THERE'S A WALKWAY THAT WILL GO FROM THAT PARKING AREA, GO THROUGH THE PARK, AND THEN IT BARELY TOUCHES 1171 WHERE YOU CAN GET IN.
CONNECTING TO FOUNDERS ACADEMY BY GOING THIS WAY IT ELIMINATES THAT PIECE OF TRAIL THAT'S RIGHT UP AGAINST FM 1171 SO THAT PIECE WOULD COULD BY GOING THROUGH THE PARK YOU WOULD NOT TO WALK ON THAT PIECE NOW ONE THING IS OBVIOUSLY IF YOU'VE BEEN OUT THERE THIS PARK DOESN'T EXIST RIGHT NOW, SO IT'S GOING TO GO UNDER CONSTRUCTION SOON UNDERSTANDING IT'S GOING TO GO UNDER CONSTRUCTION POTENTIALLY THIS FALL SO AS PART OF THAT PROJECT NEAR, RIGHT HERE NEAR WHERE YOU SEE THE PARKING AREA, THAT LITTLE PIECE OF TROTTER LANE THAT'S ON THE SOUTH SIDE, THAT'S WHERE THE CONSTRUCTION ENTRANCE IS GOING TO BE FOR THE PARK.
SO ALSO WHEN THAT GOES UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND THERE'S SOME UTILITIES AND STUFF THAT THEY HAVE TO CONNECT UP ON 1171, THERE'S GOING TO BE PORTIONS OF THAT TRAIL THAT WILL BE DISRUPTED WHEN THEY MAKE ALL THOSE CONNECTIONS.
SOME OF THE PROS AND CONS OF THE SCHOOL ZONE.
WITH THE SCHOOL ZONE ON A TXDOT ROADWAY, THEY ONLY ALLOW YOU TO REDUCE THE SPEED LIMIT BY 15 MILES PER HOUR.
SINCE IT'S 50 OUT THERE, THE REDUCED SPEED ZONE WOULD BE 35.
SO IT'S NOT QUITE OUR NORMAL THAT YOU'D SEE ANY OTHER SCHOOL, BUT IT WOULD AT LEAST REDUCE THE SPEED DOWN TO 35.
SO ALSO IT HELPS IF YOU'VE BEEN OUT THERE, SOMETIMES IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT IF YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF THE SCHOOL.
SO TYPICALLY THE SLOWER TRAFFIC WOULD HELP YOU DO THAT.
NOW SOME OF THE CONS OF THE SCHOOL ZONE IS IT...
WHAT WE GOT FROM TXDOT DOESN'T COVER THAT LITTLE PIECE, THAT 600 FEET OF TRAIL THAT'S UP AGAINST FM 1171.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE'D HAVE A REDUCED SPEED IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL, THE CARS WOULD START ACCELERATING ONCE THEY GOT CLOSER TO THAT PORTION THAT'S RIGHT UP AGAINST 1171.
NOW, IT WOULD ENCOURAGE SOME PARENTS NOT TO GO THROUGH THE DROP-OFF LINE AND PARK AT THE CHURCH.
THIS IS ONLY DURING CONSTRUCTION, THOUGH, RIGHT? WOULD BE GOING THROUGH THAT TRAIL AREA AM I CONFUSED I MAY BE CONFUSED I'M CONFUSED.
I THINK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION ENTRANCE YEAH, THE CONSTRUCTION ALL THAT YEAH THAT WOULD THAT WOULD GO AWAY WHEN ONCE THE PARK IS DONE THE CONSTRUCTION ENTRANCE GOES AWAY WELL, AND THEN THE DISRUPTION ALONG 1171 WILL GO AWAY AND OF COURSE THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF ONGOING MAINTENANCE FOR US BECAUSE THERE'S IT WOULD BE A FLASHERS AND SIGNS AND POLES AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT AND TYPICALLY WHEN YOU SAW THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC THAT'S ON 1171, YOU'LL END UP WITH SOME MORE CONGESTION OUT THERE ON THE ROAD.
NOW WITH TROTTER PARK, IN MY OPINION, THE SCHOOL ZONE WOULD NOT BE NEEDED BECAUSE YOU CAN BYPASS THAT LITTLE PIECE AND THEN YOU'D MAKE THAT LITTLE HOOK RIGHT INTO THE SCHOOL PROPERTY.
SO YOU WOULDN'T HAVE ANY PARENTS OR CAREGIVERS OR SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN THAT WOULD HAVE TO WALK ON THAT PORTION UP AGAINST 1171. BASICALLY, IT WOULD...
REROUTE THIS SIDEWALK SO YOU WOULDN'T, LIKE I SAID, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO WALK ALONG THAT SIDEWALK.
ON THE MAINTENANCE SIDE OF IT, WE WOULD HAVE NO FLASHERS TO MAINTAIN AND IT WOULD KEEP 1171 MOVING.
NOW, THE CON OF TROTTER PARK, THEY'LL ACTUALLY TAKE UP PARKING SPACES IN THE PARK.
IT'S PROBABLY NOT A SUPER HIGH USE.
MAYBE TRAVIS COULD TELL YOU WHAT A PARK USE WOULD BE LIKE AT 3 O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON OR AT 8, 10 IN THE MORNING WHENEVER THEY...
THEY'D GO TO SCHOOL, BUT YOU WOULD STILL HAVE PEOPLE THERE, AND THEN THEY COULD ACTUALLY USE THE PLAYGROUND AFTER WESTSIDE.
AGAIN, IT WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE NOT TO USE THE PICKUP AND DROP-OFF LINE.
[00:30:01]
ON THE 11TH AND 1ST.OKAY, SO YOU'RE ASKING FOR AMENDING IT FOR WHAT DISTANCE? THE SPACING IS, I HAVE A GOOD ONE THAT SHOWS IT.
IT'S 100 FEET EAST OF FLOWER MOUND ROAD TO 75 FEET WEST OF SADDLEWOOD.
CAN YOU PUT THE OVERHEAD AERIAL VIEW THAT YOU HAD WITH THE HIGHLIGHTED PART? SO IN THIS, WHERE IS SADDLEWOOD IN THIS PICTURE? IT'S THE ROADWAY, RIGHT? YOU SEE WHERE IT SAYS TROTTER, THE NEXT ROAD TO THE NORTHWEST? OKAY, SO THE ONE THAT YOU CAN JUST BARELY SEE.
AND SO IT SAID, I THINK YOU SAID IT WAS 75 OR 100 FEET WEST? 75 FEET WEST OF SADDLEWOOD.
WEST OF THAT STREET, SO THAT MEANS THE PORTION OF IT WHERE THE PEDESTRIANS ARE THE MOST AFFECTED WOULDN'T EVEN BE IN THE SCHOOL ZONE? THAT IS CORRECT, BASED ON THE TECH STOP MAP.
WHAT ARE THESE CARS GOING TO DO WHEN THEY GET OUT OF THE SCHOOL ZONE? SLAM ON THE GAS? WELL, THEY'LL ACCELERATE BACK UP TO 50 OR 50'S CLASS.
WELL, THAT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THAT'S GOING TO ACCOMPLISH VERY MUCH.
SO WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR PROGRAMMING THE FLASHERS WHEN SCHOOL IS IN SESSION? THE FACULTY.
OKAY, SO THEY HAVE TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU BECAUSE THEIR SCHEDULE WOULD BE QUITE DIFFERENT PROBABLY THAN LISD.
WE WOULD SET IT UP AS BASICALLY THEIR OWN LITTLE SYSTEM IN OUR SYSTEM, AND THEN WE WOULD GET THE START AND END TIMES, AND WE WOULD RUN THE FLASHERS FROM OUR SIDE OF IT.
FOR THE PARK, DID WE TALK AT ALL ABOUT PULLING UP THAT SIDEWALK? EXTENSION MAYBE DOING THAT AS LIKE THE FIRST PART OF TROUT PARK THAT WAY THAT PEOPLE COULD UTILIZE IT SOONER SO JUST MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION YOU MEAN THE 8 FEET THAT THE TRAIL THAT'S RUNNING ADJACENT TO A CROSSTUBERS YEAH THE BLUE HIGHLIGHTED THAT WOULD THAT BE DIFFICULT BECAUSE THE FIRST THING YOU DO IS YOU'D FENCE OFF THE SITE AND YOU'D START GRADING AND THEN YOU WOULD WORK THROUGH JUST LIKE YOU WOULD A NORMAL CONSTRUCTION SIZE SO PUTTING A TRAIL IN ACROSS IT WOULD HAVE THEM TRYING TO WORK ON THE CONSTRUCTION SITE YEAH OKAY GENERALLY IT'D BE SOMETHING YOU'D PROBABLY DO MAYBE YEAH TWO-THIRDS OR TOWARDS THE END OF THE PROJECT ACTUALLY PUT IT IN AND THEN YOU'RE ABLE TO PROTECT IT AND GRADE AND KEEP THE GRADING AND NOT CAUSE CRACKING BY HAVING CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT GO OVER IT IF THEY HAVE YEAH HEAVY EQUIPMENT GOING OVER IT YEAH DESTROY IT YEAH MAKES SENSE UM AND THEN COST FOR THE TOWN TO IMPLEMENT A SCHOOL ZONE HAVE WE GOTTEN ANY THE THE PLAN ON OUR SIDE SINCE THE THE PREVIOUS UH SPEED LIMIT THAT WAS EARLIER TONIGHT THAT WAS ON THE AGENDA.
THERE'S SOME SCHOOL ZONE FLASHERS BECAUSE OF THE LISD CHANGE IN BOUNDARIES.
THERE'S SOME SCHOOL ZONE FLASHERS THAT WILL GET REMOVED BECAUSE OF THAT, AND WE WOULD MOVE THOSE OVER.
SO ON OUR END OF IT, IT WOULD BE MORE A FEW SIGNS AND THEN A NEW FOUNDATION.
SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A COST, BUT ONE OF THE BIG COSTS WOULD BE THE SCHOOL ZONE FLASHER ASSEMBLY ITSELF, WHICH WE WOULD REUSE.
WHERE'S THE CROSSWALK FOR THIS? THERE'S NO CROSSWALK, RIGHT? NO CROSSWALK.
SO IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, AND PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M MISUNDERSTANDING, THE CONCERN FROM THE FOLKS AT THE SCHOOL WAS PEOPLE WALKING ALONG 1171, BASICALLY IN FRONT OF WHERE TROTTER PARK IS GOING TO BE IN THE FUTURE, TO GET TO THE PARKING LOT AT THE CHURCH.
AND BASED ON THE TEXT DOT SCHOOL ZONE THAT WE COULD DO, THAT WOULD NOT...
HAD THE SCHOOL ZONE IN FRONT OF THE AREA THEY'RE OF CONCERN IS THAT A FAIR ASSESSMENT YES THAT THE PIECE THAT'S RIGHT UP AGAINST 1171 WOULD BE JUST OUTSIDE THAT SCHOOL ZONE IT'D BE RIGHT UP HERE RIGHT OKAY SO MATT YOU SAID THAT UH CONSTRUCTION MAY START THIS FALL AND HOW LONG WILL CONSTRUCTION TAKE FOR TROTTER PARK ANTICIPATION IT'S A 15 TO 18 MONTHS AND WHILE I CAN MAYOR I WANT TO GO BACK AND ADDRESS SOMETHING YOU MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING IS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD.
THIS HAS BEEN REQUESTED MULTIPLE TIMES BY THE SCHOOL UP HERE UNTIL RECENTLY TEXT DOT HAS NOT ENTERTAINED IT.
THE DIFFERENCE AND THE REASON WHY IT'S BEFORE YOU HERE TODAY IS BECAUSE TEXT DOT ULTIMATELY SAID THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY NECESSARY CONCERNS WITH IT.
AND I THINK THE MITIGATING FACTOR IS THE CHANGE IN OUR AGREEMENT.
AND SO WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT GOES INTO PLACE.
AND THAT'S WHEN THEY KIND OF BACKED OFF THE ISSUE.
STAFF IS AGNOSTIC TO THIS ISSUE.
WE DON'T HAVE A STRONG OPINION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER NECESSARILY.
WE JUST WANTED TO BRING IT BEFORE YOU.
SO THIS ISN'T A DEAL WHERE THE TOWN HAS A RECOMMENDATION.
[00:35:01]
WE HAVE A PERSPECTIVE.MATT DID A GOOD JOB OF SHARING THE PROS AND CONS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
AND IF WE GET FURTHER IN DISCUSSION, WE CAN FURTHER SHARE OUR THOUGHT PROCESS ON IT.
BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS NOT STAFF INITIATED.
THE REASON Y'ALL ARE GETTING THIS IS BECAUSE TXDOT FINALLY KIND OF ACQUIESCED ABOUT THEIR FACILITY AND DID NOT HAVE ANY ISSUE WITH IT BEING PUT INTO PLACE.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE BRINGING IT BEFORE YOU TODAY.
WELL, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE ONCE THIS PARK IS IN PLACE, THAT THIS ISSUE WILL BE RESOLVED WITHOUT THE...
I THINK THAT'S THE PERSPECTIVE THAT WE HAVE, THAT AS YOU CAN SEE WITH THE PARK IN THERE, I THINK OUR PARK PLANNING MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THERE'S ABOUT 90 PARKING SPACES THERE.
YOU KNOW, DURING AN AFTERNOON, IF YOU HAVE FAMILIES THAT PARK THERE, THERE SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT PARKING FOR THEM IN THE PARKING LOT AND TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT TRAIL AND GET AROUND THERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT'S, YOU KNOW, JUST THE GENERAL THOUGHT PROCESS IS, IS THAT IF THE CONCERN IS THAT PARTICULARLY STRETCHED, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL MITIGATE WHEN WE DEVELOP THE PARK.
AND THERE'S NOTHING TO PREVENT RESIDENTS FROM PARKING IN THAT PARKING LOT IN THE PARK TO PICK UP THEIR STUDENTS.
AND, I MEAN, IN A LOT OF CASES IN THE AFTERNOON, WE DON'T ANTICIPATE THERE TO BE COUNTERPROGRAMMING AT THE LOCATION THAT WILL CREATE PARKING, CREATING A PARKING ISSUE.
SO GENERALLY THAT PARTICULAR TIME OF DAY, I MEAN, QUITE FRANKLY, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THE FAMILIES PARKED THERE.
THEY PLAY AT THE PARK BEFORE THEY GET IN THE CAR AND GO HOME.
WE WANT PEOPLE IN A PARK SPACE.
SO, MATT, YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT WE'RE REMOVING THE SCHOOL ZONE.
COLLEGE AND MORRIS AS THAT CONSENT ITEM.
AND THE REASON WHY WE'RE REMOVING IT NOW IS WHY? BECAUSE LISD CHANGED THE BOUNDARIES FROM LAMAR AND DOWNING.
IT USED TO BE PEOPLE ON THE WEST SIDE OF MORRIS USED TO GO TO LAMAR.
SO YOU USED TO HAVE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT CROSSED THERE.
AND NOW THAT MORRIS IS THE ACTUAL BOUNDARY, THERE'S NO REASON FOR CHILDREN TO CROSS.
SO WE HAVE THE SCHOOL ZONE TO FACILITATE CROSSINGS, NOT TO FACILITATE NECESSARILY GOING.
PARALLEL TO THE ROAD THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE SCHOOL ZONE IS TO FACILITATE THE CROSSING OF THE ROAD AT THAT LOCATION NOW WE DON'T NEED IT BECAUSE NO ONE CROSSES THE ROAD ANYMORE BECAUSE THERE'S NO BUT NO ONE CROSSES THE ROAD HERE THE ONLY THING YOU CROSS HERE ON IS THE IS TROTTER LANE.
OKAY AT THAT POINT IS IT? YEAH, I SEE YEAH, WHICH IS JUST AN IN A DRIVEWAY FOR THE MOST PART.
YEAH, TECHNICALLY RIGHT AWAY, BUT IT'S YEAH, ONCE THAT PARK IS IN RIGHT THAT THAT'S ALL RESOLVED.
YOU DON'T HAVE KIDS WALKING ALONG THAT BUSY ROAD.
ULTIMATELY, WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH FOUNDERS AND THEIR PICKUP DROP-OFF SCENARIO AND THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE PARKING OVER HERE TO TRY TO AVOID THAT PROBLEM.
HAVE WE TALKED TO FOUNDERS AT ALL ABOUT ANY WAYS TO IMPROVE THEIR PICKUP AND DROP-OFF SO THAT IT ISN'T NECESSARY TO PARK SO FAR AWAY? NOT SPECIFICALLY.
WHEN THEY FIRST CAME IN, THEY HAD A DIFFERENT QUEUE LENGTH, SO THAT WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
RIGHT NOW IT BACKS OUT ONTO FLOWER MOUND ROAD AND CAN MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO 1171.
SO THERE'S A DECENT QUEUE THAT YOU'RE SITTING OFF CAMPUS.
BUT THEY'RE NOT, THEY DIDN'T HAVE, FOUNDERS OF THE SCHOOL DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS.
IT'S THE PARENTS WHO ASKED FOR THIS CHANGE.
THE PARENTS WERE PART OF IT, BUT ALSO THE HEADMASTER WAS PART OF IT.
THE HEADMASTER, FOUNDERS AS WELL.
BECAUSE THERE'S A QUEUING ISSUE THERE, DOES SLOWING DOWN THE SPEED THERE HELP WITH THE QUEUING ISSUE? WOULD THAT ALLOW MORE CARS TO EGRESS OR WOULD IT JUST CAUSE MORE TRAFFIC? THE QUEUING IS REALLY GOING TO BE A FACTOR, MORE OF A FACTOR OF HOW FAST THEY CAN GET THEM IN AND OUT IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL AND HOW FAST IT MOVES, HOW SLOW IT MOVES ON THIS SIDE OF IT.
THE ONLY WAY IT WOULD HELP IS IF THEY WERE ACTUALLY QUEUING BACK TO WHERE THEY WERE PICKING UP PEOPLE AND NOT GETTING OUT ONTO THE ROADWAY.
AND WHEN THEY QUEUE, DO THEY EXIT ON 1171 OR ARE THEY EXITING ON FLOWER MOUND ROAD? DO YOU KNOW HOW THAT? I BELIEVE I'VE SEEN THEM DO BOTH.
OKAY, SO ON THIS, DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR MATT? SO DOES ANYONE WISH TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE OR DENY THIS? I'M OPEN TO SOME DELIBERATION IF THAT'S AN OPTION.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO CHANGE? OH, NO, I GUESS I'M JUST READY TO MAKE MY CASE ON WHY I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD TAKE THE ACTION, OR NOT TAKE THE ACTION IN THIS CASE.
SO, MATT, IN YOUR PRESENTATION, I THINK YOU HAD, I THINK IT WAS SLIDE FOUR, IT HAD A STREET VIEW.
SORRY, I'M FLIPPING BACK HERE.
OKAY, YEAH, SO FIRST OF ALL, IT SEEMS PRETTY OBVIOUS TO ME THAT A SCHOOL ZONE ISN'T REALLY GOING TO FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE AREA WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT HERE WHERE THE PROBLEM IS ISN'T IN THE SCHOOL ZONE.
[00:40:02]
14, 15, 18 MONTHS AWAY FROM HAVING THIS COMPLETELY RESOLVED ONCE WE HAVE THE TRAIL THAT'S TO THE LEFT OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT HERE.IN THE MEANTIME, WE NEED SOME KIND OF A SOLUTION THAT CAN BRIDGE THAT GAP, MAYBE SOME EXTRA ENFORCEMENT IN THAT AREA.
MAYBE WE CAN WORK WITH FOUNDERS ON SOME STAGGERED PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF TIMES TO HELP EASE THAT CONGESTION A LITTLE BIT.
BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE I...
LIVE ON MORRIS, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF AREAS THAT ARE LIKE THIS OR WORSE, AND IT'S THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING ON THE SIDEWALK WHERE IN SOME AREAS ON MORRIS THERE'S NO PARKWAY.
THE PARKWAY, FOR ANYONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW, IS THAT LITTLE STRIP OF GRASS BETWEEN THE CURB AND THE SIDEWALK.
AND SO THERE'S AREAS ON MORRIS WHERE THERE'S LITERALLY NO PARKWAY, AND YOU'RE WALKING DOWN THE STREET AND EVERYBODY'S BLOWING BY YOU AT 45, AND IT FEELS LIKE SOMEONE'S GOING TO SNEEZE AND JUMP THE CURB AND RUN YOU THAT'S WHAT IT FEELS LIKE, AND IT'S TERRIFYING.
BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF 1171, YOU CAN'T SEE IT HERE, THE SIDEWALK IS MUCH FURTHER BACK FROM THE CURB.
AND YOU DON'T HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT EIGHT FEET OF GRASS, MAYBE SOME TREES, AND IT JUST FEELS SAFER.
SO WHEN WE WERE DEALING WITH THE PARKS AND TRAILS MASTER PLAN, WE HAD THAT CAME FORWARD AND THEY HAD THE CONSULTANTS HAD SAID WE NEED A SET OF EIGHT-FOOT SIDEWALKS, 12-FOOT SIDEWALKS.
AND WE ALL KIND OF SCRATCHED OUR HEAD AT THAT.
AND THEN THEY SAID THE HIGHEST PRIORITY TRAILS THAT WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT FOR THIS TOWN.
ARE THE SIDEWALKS ON THE BUSIEST ROADS, 407, 1171, 2499? AND WE ALL KIND OF SAID, WELL, I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYONE REALLY WANTS TO WALK ON THE SIDEWALK RIGHT NEXT TO A ROAD WHERE EVERYBODY'S GOING 50 MILES AN HOUR.
WHY DON'T WE INVEST ON OUR OFF-STREET TRAILS WHERE PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANT TO WALK? AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE EVER REALLY SOLVED THAT, BUT WHAT THIS AGENDA ITEM HAS CLARIFIED FOR ME IS I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO, AND THIS IS MAYBE A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, IS DEFINE OUR PARKWAY STANDARDS.
ON THESE MAJOR AND MINOR ARTERIAL ROADS SO THAT THEY'RE WIDER.
SO THAT YOU'RE NOT PUTTING YOUR PEDESTRIANS 18 INCHES FROM CARS GOING BY AT 50 MILES AN HOUR.
SO IF WE COULD TAKE AN ACTION OUT OF THIS, I WOULD SAY LET'S CRACK OPEN THAT PARKS AND TRAILS MASTER PLAN OR MAYBE AN ORDINANCE CHANGE AND DEFINE A PARKWAY STANDARD.
I MEAN, I WOULD GIVE UP FOUR FEET OF A 12-FOOT TRAIL TO HAVE FOUR MORE FEET OF PARKWAY, DEFINITELY, BECAUSE IT FEELS SO MUCH SAFER TO WALK ON.
AND I KNOW EXACTLY HOW THESE PEOPLE FEEL.
WHENEVER I WALK FROM MY HOUSE TO TOM THUMB, IT'S, YOU KNOW, MY DAUGHTER MAKES ME DRIVE HER A QUARTER MILE TO WORK.
BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T FEEL SAFE WALKING ON THE ROAD BECAUSE IT'S LIKE THIS OR WORSE.
SO MAYBE THAT'S NOT THE ONLY REASON SHE MAKES ME DRIVE HER.
BUT SO THAT'S THE ACTION I'D LIKE TO TAKE.
I'D LIKE TO SEE US DEFINE PARKWAYS OF WIDER WHEN IT'S A MAJOR OR MINOR ARTERIAL ROAD.
MAYBE THAT'S A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM THAT WE LOOK INTO.
SO I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THE SCHOOLS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I GUESS I WOULD BE MORE INCLINED TO APPROVE THIS EVEN FOR THE SHORT TERM.
UNTIL THERE WAS A TRAIL THROUGH IF IT SOLVED THE PROBLEM, BUT IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THIS SOLVES THE PROBLEM UNLESS YOU EXTEND THE SCHOOL ZONE FURTHER AND TRUE YEAH, I THINK ONCE THAT ONCE THAT PART GETS IN THERE.
IT'S GOING TO RESOLVE THAT ISSUE IT'S GOING TO GIVE THEM A SAFE ROUTE TO GET TO THAT THAT SCHOOL AND THIS IS LIKE THE LONGEST POSSIBLE SCHOOL ZONE SO NOBODY'S GONNA REALLY COMPLY TO THAT IT'D BE HARD IT IS IT WOULD BE LONG IF YOU EXTENDED IT TO ROCK POINT.
IT'D BE CLOSE TO A HALF MILE LENGTH.
AND THE PROBLEM I WOULD SEE WITH IT IS ONLY ONCE YOU PASS THE SCHOOL, I THINK JUST THE NATURE OF DRIVERS, THEY WILL NO LONGER SEE THE SCHOOL.
SO THEY'LL JUST SEE OPEN ROAD IN FRONT OF THEM AND THEY'LL LIKELY INCREASE THEIR SPEED.
MAYBE IT DOESN'T GO ALL THE WAY UP TO 50, BUT THEY'LL LIKELY INCREASE THEIR SPEED.
YEAH, IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S GOING TO BENEFIT ANYONE REALLY.
MATT, ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY ACCIDENTS OR INCIDENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED WITH PEDESTRIANS WALKING TO OR FROM SCHOOL ALONG THIS ROAD? NOT.
I'D HAVE TO GO BACK TO BE 100% FOR CERTAIN, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANY PEDESTRIAN CRASHES IN THIS AREA.
THERE'S BEEN CRASHES IN THIS GENERAL VICINITY, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S BEEN ANY AUTO PEDESTRIAN.
AND I SHARE THE KIND OF THOUGHTS OF JOHN B.A.
AND ADAM THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THIS WOULD INCREASE SAFETY AND THIS WOULD ACTUALLY SOLVE THE PROBLEM, WE COULD CONSIDER IT, BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE HERE, SO I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD DO THE SCHOOL ZONE.
SO I'M NOT AS CONCERNED ABOUT THE LENGTH, BECAUSE THE LENGTH ON THE 3040 SCHOOL ZONE IS PROBABLY HALF A MILE, BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT THE LOUISVILLE HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEN THEY'VE GOT THE WAC, AND THEN THEY'VE GOT THE TECH CANVAS. SO THE LENGTH ISN'T TOO CONCERNING TO ME.
I GUESS THE ONE THING THAT MIGHT CHANGE MY APPROACH, I DON'T THINK I'M
[00:45:01]
FOR THE SCHOOL ZONE, BUT IF THERE ARE ANY PAST INCIDENTS, IT WOULD REDUCE THE CHANCES OF FUTURE INCIDENTS.SO I'M OKAY WITH WAITING FOR THAT INFORMATION.
WAS IT THE TECH START THAT THIS HAS NEVER COME FORWARD BEFORE BECAUSE OF TECH START? IS THAT...? WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING.
A LOT OF TIMES IN THE PAST WE WOULD GET THE REQUEST, WE WOULD SEND UP THE REQUEST, AND THEN IT WOULD COME BACK.
IT CAME BACK WHERE IT WASN'T APPROVED.
HOW LONG HAS THIS SCHOOL BEEN ON THIS SITE? I DON'T REMEMBER.
WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN FIND OUT.
NO, THIS ISN'T A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO THIS JUST, WE HAVE TO TAKE ACTION ON IT, WHETHER YOU APPROVE IT OR DENY IT.
WELL, MAYOR, I'M PREPARED TO MOVE DENIAL, BUT I DON'T WANT TO JUST DENY IT, AND THEN THAT'S THE END OF THE STORY.
I REALLY WANT TO FOLLOW UP WITH, OKAY, I GUESS THE FIRST QUESTION IS, DO WE HAVE AGREEMENT ON A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM FOR PARKWAY? YEAH, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT.
HAVE EXTRA ENFORCEMENT AND CAN WE OPEN A DIALOGUE WITH FOUNDERS ON WORKING WITH THEM TO IMPROVE THEIR PICKUP AND DROP-OFF SO THAT THE NEED TO PARK DOWN THE STREET ISN'T GREAT.
YEAH, SO WITH THOSE TWO THINGS IN MIND THAT MAKES ME MORE COMFORTABLE NOT PROVING THE SCHOOL ZONE BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S GONNA BE SOME FOLLOW-UP I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PARENTS WHO REQUESTED THIS WE DON'T JUST SAY WE'RE GONNA DO SOME THINGS AND THEN THEY NEVER HEAR FROM US AGAIN SO WE HAVE SOME OH, NO, I MEAN, I GUESS IF YOU WANT TO MOVE TO TABLE.
I'D RATHER I DON'T I THINK WE'D KNOW IF THERE WERE ACCIDENTS.
I FEEL LIKE THAT DATA WOULD BE PRETTY...
WE'D PROBABLY KNOW IF THERE HAD BEEN A LOT OF PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS IN THIS AREA.
THERE DEFINITELY HAS NOT BEEN A LOT.
I JUST CAN'T 100% RIGHT NOW TELL YOU THAT THERE HASN'T BEEN AT LEAST ONE.
SO, ADAM, I'D SUPPORT A MOTION TO DENY.
AND BEFORE YOU TAKE THE MOTION, JUST REAL QUICK TO THE QUESTION.
IT LOOKS LIKE THE RIBBON CUTTING WAS IN SEPTEMBER OF 2019.
MAYOR, I'LL MOVE DENIAL OF ITEM THREE.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR DENIAL.
DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM TAYLOR? AYE.
THE OKAY SO THE SCHOOL ZONE THE SPEED LIMIT ORDINANCE FOR THE SCHOOL ZONE FLOWER MOUND 1171 PASSES BY A VOTE OR SORRY IS DENIED FROM A BY A VOTE OF THREE TO ONE THREE TO TWO OH MY GOSH LONG NIGHT THREE TO TWO WE WILL MOVE ON TO CONSTRUCTION AWARD THE CONSTRUCTION AWARD K4 CONSTRUCTION AWARD ON TIMBER VALLEY DRIVE AND FAIRFIELD
[K.4. Construction Award - Timber Valley Dr and Fairfield Ln Reconstruction - Consider approval of a Construction Agreement with DDM Construction Corporation for the Timber Valley Dr and Fairfield Ln Reconstruction project, in the amount of $4,041,249.00; and authorization for the Mayor to execute same on behalf of the Town. ]
LANE RECONSTRUCTION.THIS IS A CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENT WITH EDM CONSTRUCTION FOR THE TIMBER VALLEY DRIVE AND FAIRFIELD LANE RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT. GOOD EVENING MAYOR COUNCIL DAVE BROCKWAY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS PLEASED TO SHOW YOU OUR PROPOSED RECONSTRUCTION OF TIMBER VALLEY DRIVE, FAIRFIELD LANE.
THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAS BUILT IN THE LATE 70S, EAST OF HERE, ON THE EDGE OF TOWN, CORNER ACROSS TIMBERS AND GARDEN RIDGE.
IT'S A FAIRLY LONG STREET, APPROACHING THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILE AS IT WINDS ITS WAY THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND IT'S ALSO A COLLECTOR STREET FOR OTHER STREETS IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHICH IS REFLECTED IN THE COST.
50-YEAR-OLD INFRASTRUCTURE, AND IT SHOWS WHEN YOU GET TO THIS POINT, IT'S TIME TO REBUILD.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT SHOWS THE YEARS OF THE PARTIAL REPAIRS AND PARTIAL REPLACEMENTS OF WATER LINES, SEWER LINES.
THE RAMPS AND SIDEWALKS ARE VERY NARROW.
THEY WERE BUILT BEFORE THE ADA EVEN EXISTED.
AND THE MORE REPAIRS AND CUTS YOU PUT INTO THE STREETS, THE MORE YOU GET DIFFERENTIAL SETTLEMENT, WHICH THEN CREATES THESE DEPRESSIONS IN THE STREET, WHICH COLLECT WATER AND DEBRIS, AND THEY START TO BREAK APART.
[00:50:01]
SO 50 YEARS IS A GOOD RULE OF THUMB FOR ENGINEERS TO JUST DO A TOTAL REBUILD OF THE STREET.PROJECT DETAILS, ABOUT 3,600 FEET OF CONCRETE AND BASE MATERIAL.
BASE MATERIAL MEANS WE'RE GOING TO EXCAVATE THAT PROBLEMATIC TEXAS CLAY DOWN EIGHT INCHES AND PUT A NICE CLEAN AGGREGATE UNDER THE PAVEMENT.
SO THIS PAVEMENT COULD CONCEIVABLY LAST 75 YEARS.
NEW SIDEWALKS AND RAMPS, 4,500 FEET OF WATER MAIN, 3,500 FEET OF SANITARY SEWER.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE COST, ABOUT 60% OF THE COST WILL BE VISIBLE.
IT'LL LOOK LIKE A BRAND NEW NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN WE'RE FINISHED.
AND THEN 40% OF THE COST IS SUBSURFACE.
SANITARY SEWER, IT IS LESS THAN WATER MAIN, BUT TYPICALLY IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE BECAUSE IT'S DEEPER.
SO YOU HAVE TO EXCAVATE MORE AND YOU HAVE TO PROTECT THE WORKERS WHEN THEY'RE IN THE EXCAVATIONS.
SO THAT'S TYPICALLY WHY THEIR COSTS ARE VERY SIMILAR, EVEN THOUGH WATER LINES ARE LONGER.
LOOKING AT THE BIDS, WE HAD A BLOCKBUSTER RESPONSE, 15 BIDDERS.
15 QUALIFIED BIDDERS AND THEY WENT FROM ABOUT 4 MILLION TO OVER 6 MILLION AND WE HAD A NICE CLUSTER.
THERE WERE FIVE BIDDERS THAT WERE WITHIN 10 PERCENT OF THE LOW BID WHICH WE LIKE TO SEE.
WE WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE A LOT OF 6 MILLION DOLLAR BIDS AND ONE 4 MILLION DOLLAR AND SO THE BID WENT VERY WELL AND THEN OUR SCHEDULE WE'RE PROPOSED OBVIOUSLY WE THE APPROVAL AND THEN WE HAVE OUR MEETING WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER.
THE PROJECT IS OVER A YEAR, SO IT'S A LOT TO DEAL WITH AS A PROPERTY OWNER.
THE NOISE, THE DUST, THE UTILITY CUTS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO WE WANT TO MEET WITH THEM AND MAKE THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE.
SO WE WOULD EXPECT TO START THIS SUMMER AND FINISH NEXT SUMMER, ABOUT 400 DAYS.
ANY QUESTIONS? DIDN'T WE JUST DO LOW POSTS IN THIS AREA, TOO? THE ROAD LOW POSTS? LOW POST? LOW POST, YEAH.
YEP, WE DID WITH ANOTHER RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT, CORRECT.
SO THESE RESIDENTS ARE PRETTY AWARE OF WHAT IT MEANS.
IT'S THAT SAME AGE, SAME, THAT WHOLE AREA IS ALL KIND OF WITHIN THAT.
SO YOU'VE SEEN A LOT OF STREETS IN OUR RECON PROGRAM IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, EVEN KIND OF IN THIS AREA.
AND AS FAR AS SELECTING THE CONTRACTOR, A GOOD RECORD IN THE PAST? YEAH, WE CHECK THEIR REFERENCES.
THEY PROVIDE REFERENCE LETTERS, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE REFERENCE LETTERS, AND THEN WE CONTACT NEIGHBORING TOWNS THEY'VE DONE WORK WITH.
WE TALK TO THE ENGINEERS AND ASK THEM THEIR OPINION AND GET THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE CHECK THEM OUT PRETTY GOOD.
DO YOU ALL HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT? NO.
ANYONE? MOVE TO APPROVE REGULAR ITEM K-4 AS PRESENTED.
I THINK JOHN BAILEY MADE THAT FASTER.
DEPUTY MAYOR BARTON TAYLOR? AYE.
[K.5. Dog Gun Investments, LLC 380 Agreement - Public Hearing to consider approval of a Chapter 380 Agreement with Dog Gun Investments, LLC for the economic development of Flower Mound, and authorization for the Mayor to execute same on behalf of Town.]
THIS ONE WAS APPROVED.WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE DOG GUN INVESTMENT AGREEMENT.
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER IMPROVEMENT OF A CHAPTER 380 AGREEMENT WITH THE DOG GUN INVESTMENTS LLC FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF FLOWER MOUND AND AUTHORIZATION FOR THIS PROJECT.
MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU TONIGHT.
AS YOU RECALL, THIS IS DEALING WITH THE TRINITY PARK ISSUE.
THE LOCATION OF THIS PROPERTY IS ON SOUTHEAST LAKESIDE RIGHT BEFORE YOU GET THE CITY, THE TOWN LIMITS.
AND WE'RE DEALING WITH A TREE ON THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY, TREE NUMBER 3953.
THE COMPANY IS REQUESTING, WE REQUESTED THE COMPANY TO PROTECT AND MAINTAIN THAT TREE.
AND IN EXCHANGE FOR KEEPING THIS TREE, THE COMPANY WILL RECEIVE $50,000 BACK OF THEIR $117,600 MITIGATION FEE.
[00:55:01]
IN ESCROW UNTIL TOWN STAFF HAS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND EVALUATE THAT TREE AND THEN DETERMINE THAT EVERYTHING WAS DONE TO MAKE SURE IT WAS PROTECTED.IF THAT TREE IS STILL ALIVE AT THAT TIME, THOSE FUNDS WILL BE RELEASED.
IF IT IS DEAD, THE TOWN WILL DECIDE WHETHER EVERYTHING WAS DONE TO POSSIBLY DO THAT, TO KEEP THAT TREE ALIVE.
AND IF THAT WAS THE CASE, THE FUNDS WILL BE RELEASED.
IF NOT, IF THERE WAS SOME KIND OF GROSS NEGLIGENCE ON THE COMPANY'S PART, THEN THE FUNDS WILL BE MAINTAINED WITH THE TOWN.
THIS IS BASED ON ONE YEAR FROM BUILDING FINAL.
THE DEFINITION OF BUILDING FINAL IS THERE AS YOU SEE IT.
SO BASICALLY THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE BUILDING READY TO BE OCCUPIED BEFORE THE ONE YEAR STARTS.
THESE ARE THE TREE PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DO TO MAINTAIN THAT TREE.
THIS WAS WORKED OUT BY OUR STAFF AND THEIR TREE ARBORISTS THAT THEY HIRED, PROFESSIONAL TREE ARBORISTS THAT THEY HIRED.
AND SO OUR STAFF, JAY'S TEAM HAS ALREADY APPROVED ALL OF THIS, AND THEY WILL ALSO BE THE ONES THAT ARE ACTUALLY GOING OUT A YEAR FROM BUILDING FINAL TO APPROVE WHETHER THEY RECEIVE THAT FUNDING BACK.
AND THIS WAS THE LANGUAGE THAT WE PUT IN HERE.
AT THE TOWN'S REASONABLE DISCRETION, IF THE PROTECTED TREE IS DETERMINED TO BE DEAD OR SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED ONE YEAR AFTER THE ISSUANCE OF THE BUILDING FINAL FOR THE BUILDING AS A RESULT OF THE COMPANY'S GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR THE COMPANY'S FAILURE TO PERFORM ITS OBLIGATIONS RELATED TO THE PROTECTED TREE AS SET FORTH IN ARTICLE 4.1, THE TOWN WILL NOT RELEASE THE WAIVED PORTION OF THE TREE MITIGATION FEE OF $50,000.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
WHAT'S THE SIZE OF THE TREE? I DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
IT'S 39 WHICH ALTON BOWMAN ASSURED ME IS ABOUT AS BIG AS THEY GET.
THE FIRST THING I LOOKED FOR WHEN I PULLED UP THIS 380 WAS, IS THE SITUS FOR SALES TAX IN THERE, AND IT WAS.
WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THAT? ALWAYS.
WHAT'S THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THAT LINE ITEM? IT'S APPROXIMATELY $5 MILLION IS WHAT THEY'RE COMMITTED TO, SO 2% OF THAT WOULD BE THE SALES TAX PORTION OF THAT.
AND THEN THE AV TAX ON THAT BUILDING WOULD BE ABOUT $19,500 A YEAR.
SO $5 MILLION, 2% IS $100,000? YEAH, $100,000.
SO WITHOUT THIS 380, DOES THAT CITE US WE WOULDN'T HAVE THAT PROVISION ANYWAY? THAT'S CORRECT.
ODDLY ENOUGH, THE IMPACT OF THIS 380 IS POSITIVE VERSUS NOT DOING IT AT ALL, WHICH IS SURPRISING TO ME.
SO THERE'S ACTUALLY A FINANCIAL BENEFIT TO THIS VERSUS NOT DOING IT.
NO, I MEAN IT'S REALLY IT WAS KIND OF NICE TO SEE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT WE'RE ACTUALLY COMING OUT AHEAD IN A SENSE.
AND THEY'RE PUTTING UP THE 117 UP FRONT, AND SO THE 50 WOULD ONLY COME OUT OF WHAT THEY PUT UP AS WELL.
OKAY, SO YEAH, GOOD JOB ON THAT OBVIOUSLY.
SEEING SOME FINANCIAL BENEFIT AND SAVING A GIANT TREE IS GREAT.
BUT I DO HAVE A FEW THOUGHTS, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THIS WAS KIND OF MY DOING, GETTING US TO THIS POINT.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS BEFORE WE HAVE A MOTION.
SO THE STORY HERE IS, FOR ANYONE WHO'S LOOKING AT THIS GOING, WHERE ARE WE INCENTIVIZING SAVING A TREE? WHEN THIS PROJECT CAME FORWARD, BIG WAREHOUSE, THEY HAD SOME TREE REMOVALS, AND ONE OF THEM WAS A 39-AND-A-HALF-INCH POST OAK, WHICH IS, LIKE WE SAID, ABOUT AS BIG AS THEY GET.
YOU I WAS A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THAT, SO I THOUGHT, WELL, AT LEAST LET ME GO LOOK AT IT.
SOMETIMES THEY'RE HALF DEAD AND YOU'RE JUST LIKE, OH, WELL.
BUT I WENT DOWN THERE AND LOOKED AT IT, AND TWO THINGS STRUCK ME.
FIRST, IT WAS VERY BIG, BEAUTIFUL, AND HEALTHY.
AND, IN FACT, IF I'M OUT IN BOWMAN, I'D PROBABLY GO TO THAT SPECIFIC TREE AND COLLECT UP ALL THOSE ACORNS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S GOT GOOD GENETICS.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT STRUCK ME IS IT HAD A FENCE AROUND IT, AN EXISTING RED IRON PIPE FENCE, WHICH EXACTLY MATCHED.
THE RED IRON PIPE FENCES OF THE LAKESIDE RANCH DEVELOPMENT, WHICH HAVE THE LITTLE LR.
I THINK IT'S LAKESIDE RANCH, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
YOU SEE THEM AROUND LAKESIDE AND MORRIS.
SO THAT STRUCK ME AS, WELL, SOMEBODY PUT THIS FENCE UP IN THE SAME DESIGN AS THE DEVELOPMENTS.
THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME REASON FOR THAT.
SO I WENT AND STARTED PULLING THE ZONING EXHIBITS GOING BACK 20 YEARS.
AND WHAT I FOUND WAS THAT THEY HAD, WHEN THEY SUBMITTED THEIR ORIGINAL PLANS, SPECIFICALLY HIGHLIGHTED THIS TREE.
AS PART OF THEIR CASE THAT THEY WERE DOING A GOOD JOB AS ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT AND HAD IDENTIFIED IT AS BEING PRESERVED AND HAD EVEN HAD A CERTAIN STATEMENT MADE IN THE MOTION TO ALLOW THEM TO HAVE AN EXCEPTION TO THE DRIVEWAY STANDARD SO THAT THEY COULD GO AROUND THIS SPECIFIC TREE.
IN FACT, YOU CAN SEE IT IN THAT EXHIBIT THAT YOU SHOWED US.
SO I WAS A LITTLE BIT IT SEEMED TO ME THAT THEY HAD MADE A PROMISE AT SOME POINT IN THE PAST TO SAVE THIS TREE.
SO I WAS NOT GOING TO BE IN FAVOR OF REMOVING IT NOW.
AND SO I WOULD ADVISE ANY APPLICANT, WHEN YOU COME IN, EVEN IF THE ZONING EXHIBITS ARE VERY OLD, DO YOUR HOMEWORK, BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY MADE PROMISES BACK WHEN IT WAS FIRST APPROVED, YOU'RE NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE PROMISES.
[01:00:01]
SO WE DENIED THIS REMOVAL, AND THE APPLICANT, RATHER THAN GETTING ANGRY OR GETTING LITIGIOUS, JUST DECIDED TO REACH OUT AND SAY, HEY, THIS PUTS US IN A BAD SITUATION.CAN YOU HELP? AND I WAS REALLY APPRECIATIVE THAT THEY WANTED TO COLLABORATE, AND WE LIKED THAT, BECAUSE IT'S A LOT EASIER TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND FIND A WAY, A PATH FORWARD THAN IT IS TO FIGHT EACH OTHER.
I THINK WE WERE MORE THAN HAPPY TO GIVE IT TO THEM.
WE'LL FIND OUT HERE IN A FEW SECONDS.
AND IT TURNS OUT THAT BY DOING THAT AGREEMENT, WE'RE NOW GOING TO BE THE BENEFICIARIES OF THE SALES TAX, WHICH IS OF NO DOWNSIDE TO THEM, RIGHT? THERE'S NO DOWNSIDE TO THEM DOING THAT.
SO IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYBODY, AND WE GET TO KEEP A BIG, BEAUTIFUL POST OAK TREE.
THEY JUST HAVE TO KEEP IT ALIVE.
AND HOPEFULLY, OH, THERE'S ONE THING.
THE 380 SAYS THEY'RE GOING TO PUT A CYCLONE FENCE AROUND IT.
YES, THAT'S FOR THE PROTECTION DURING THE TIME.
I WOULD PREFER IF THEY KEEP THAT RED FENCE THAT'S ALREADY THERE.
IF THAT'S POSSIBLE, MAYBE WE CAN ASK THEM.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL BE WORKED OUT WITH JAKE IN THERE, TOO.
IT'S JUST, I MEAN, I'M NOT GOING TO WRITE IT INTO THE 380, BUT IF THEY CAN, IT WOULD BE GREAT.
AND THE OTHER THING WAS, AND I'LL ASK YOU TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE HERE, RIGHT? THEY'RE NOT.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE THIS TREE FOR A TREE.
AWARD IN THE FALL WHEN WE HAVE THE OPENING PERIOD FOR THE TREE AWARDS MM-HMM SO IF WE COULD JUST LET THEM KNOW THAT I'M GONNA DO THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY OBJECTION TO IT OKAY, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
THANK YOU FIRST OF ALL, I'M THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO BE PART OF SAVING THIS TREE.
ABSOLUTELY I GUESS MAYBE WHEN WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT KEEPING THE EXISTING FENCE THAT IT WOULD BE THE SAME DIAMETER THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR THE CYCLONE FENCE.
I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S AS BIG AS WHAT'S REQUIRED FOR...
SO IF I CAN CLARIFY THE CYCLONE FENCE THAT'S ONLY DURING CONSTRUCTION.
BUT IS IT THE SAME GENERAL SIZE AS THE EXISTING? IT'LL HAVE TO MEET OUR TREE PRESERVATION REQUIREMENTS DURING CONSTRUCTION TO STAY OUT.
OF THE DRIP LINE AND SO ASSUMING THAT THE THE RED FENCE THAT'S THERE IS WITHIN THAT THERE AND THERE'S NO REASON TO MOVE IT FROM A CONSTRUCTION STANDPOINT IT SHOULD REMAIN OKAY BECAUSE IT GOES AS YOU NOTICE IN D IT DOES GO AROUND THE CRC FOR THAT SO AND AS I SAID THESE THESE MEASURES WERE DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR HIRED TREE ARBORIST WITH OUR TREE ARBORISTS I THINK THIS IS A SLAM DUNK.
SO, YEAH, 200-YEAR TREE, IRREPLACEABLE.
YEAH, YOU CAN'T TAKE THAT DOWN.
ALL RIGHT, DO YOU ALL WANT TO JUST GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION ON THAT? YES, I WOULD LOVE TO MAKE THIS MOTION.
DID WE HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING? I APOLOGIZE.
OH, MY GOSH, I'M WAY OFF TONIGHT.
YEAH, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS? OKAY, SO I AM OPENING THIS AT THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
DOES ANYBODY WISH TO? TO MAKE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE WE MOVE ON.
I WILL CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
IF THERE'S NOT ANY MORE DELIBERATION ON THIS, THEN SOMEBODY CAN MAKE A MOTION.
MAYOR, I'LL MOVE APPROVAL OF ITEM K-5 AS PRESENTED.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
DEPUTY MAYOR PRO-TIM TAYLOR? AYE.
OKAY, THIS ITEM PASSES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.
[ L. WORK SESSION ITEM]
WE HAVE OUR CFO COMING FORWARD, JOHN ZAGURSKI.HE'S GOING TO PRESENT ON THIS WORK SESSION ITEM IS ON THE TOWN COUNCIL BUDGET.
AND THIS IS KIND OF THE FIRST OF MANY CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ON THE BUDGET.
BUT I AM GOING TO FIRST HAVE JAMES KIND OF GIVE A SEGUE INTO THIS.
YOU DID A GOOD JOB SETTING IT UP.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'LL SAY BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO JOHN, AND I THINK HE HAS A GREAT PRESENTATION PUT TOGETHER FOR EVERYONE, SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, THIS IS THE FIFTH BUDGET THAT I'VE WORKED ON SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE AS TOWN MANAGER, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE TRIED MY LEVEL BEST TO DO IS I DON'T WANT US TO GET BLINDSIDED BY A TRAIN.
WE WANT TO SEE IT COMING AROUND THE BEND AND KNOW THAT IT'S COMING AND ANTICIPATE AND PLAN FOR IT.
AND SO JOHN IS GOING TO KICK OFF A SERIES OF CONVERSATIONS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WITH YOU ALL OVER THE NEXT THREE MEETINGS IN REGARDS TO OUR BUDGET.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS EVENING IS SET UP AN OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE MAIN FACTORS THAT ARE IMPACTING THE FY27 BUDGET PROCESS.
THEN ON THE 11TH AT OUR WORK SESSION, WE ARE GOING TO DIVE A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO SOME OF THE SPECIFIC ITEMS IN THE BUDGET THAT HAVE COST CONSIDERATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM.
AND THEN ON THE 15TH, WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE QUESTIONS AND EMAILS THAT Y'ALL RECEIVED ABOUT THE TAX BILL.
AND WE'LL HAVE STAFF AVAILABLE
[01:05:01]
TO WALK THEM THROUGH THIS.AND IT'S PRETTY IMPORTANT THAT WE SPREAD THIS OVER THESE THREE MEETINGS.
AND THE ONE THING I'LL JUST SAY IS THAT IF YOU LOOK OVER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROOM THERE, WE HAVE OUR EIGHT GOALS.
AND THE SUPERIOR QUALITY OF LIFE IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL.
IT'S WHY WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE RECOGNIZE IN THIS NEW CLIMATE THAT WE'RE GOING INTO, I THINK WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN TRANSPARENT AND WE'VE ALWAYS PUT OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD TO GET FOLKS UNDERSTANDING THE BUDGET.
BUT WE'RE MOVING INTO A NEW PARADIGM AND JOHN IS GOING TO WALK US THROUGH THAT.
AND I THINK IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND THE PRESSURES, WHICH CANDIDLY, AND I'M A PROMISE NOT TO GET ON MY SOAPBOX TONIGHT, ARE SOME ARTIFICIAL THAT ARE PLACED ON US.
BUT WE WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND.
BUDGET IN RELATION TO THE SERVICE LEVEL.
SO JOHN HAS A GREAT PRESENTATION.
I MAY PEPPER IN A FEW COLOR COMMENTARY DURING THE COURSE OF THE PRESENTATION.
BUT, AGAIN, THIS IS GOING TO BE A KICKOFF EFFORT.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY AS WE GET INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE'RE GOING TO WORK HARD TO TAKE THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD, ENGAGE OUR PUBLIC SERVICE GROUPS, OUR VARIOUS GROUPS THAT HAVE REGULAR MEETINGS, TO BE ABLE TO INFORM PEOPLE ABOUT THE BUDGET PROCESS, HOW IT IMPACTS THEM.
BECAUSE WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT THE FY27 BUDGET, BUT ULTIMATELY THIS IS GOING TO SPILL OVER TO THE FY28 BUDGET BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BE THE TIME MORE THAN LIKELY SHORT OF US DOING DRASTIC CUTS TO OUR SERVICE LEVELS.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ENTERTAIN A VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE ELECTION.
AND SO WE RATHER THAN WE RATHER TAKE THE SLOW BURN TO GET TO THAT POINT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THE WHY THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JOHN.
SO GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
IT'S MY PLEASURE TO PRESENT THE BUDGET OVERVIEW STARTING FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026-2027 BUDGET.
SO AS JAMES SAID, SUPERIOR QUALITY OF LIFE IS OUR SLOGAN, AND HONESTLY ENOUGH, IT'S SOMETHING ADJACENT OR...
OUR TOP MANAGER, JAMES, CAME UP WITH WHENEVER HE WAS SITTING HERE, BECAUSE HOW DO YOU DISTINGUISH YOURSELF WHEN EVERYONE ELSE AROUND YOU HAS A GREAT PLACE TO CALL HOME, ALL OF THESE THINGS.
AND SUPERIOR QUALITY OF LIFE, I BELIEVE, SUMS UP WHERE WE'RE AT.
NEWS & WORLD REPORT RATES US THE NUMBER ONE BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN TEXAS.
WE'RE THE NUMBER THREE BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES.
THESE RANKINGS ARE THE SAME RANKINGS YOU SEE TO RANK THE TOP COLLEGES, TOP LAW SCHOOLS.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE USED FOR...
PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE DONATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THIS, THIS IS A WELL-VETTED PROCESS.
THE MATH THEY USE BEHIND THAT ACTUALLY HAS TO DO WITH DISCRETIONARY INCOME AND INCOME LEVELS AND MEDIAN INCOME LEVELS OF YOUR RESIDENTS COMPARED TO YOUR NEIGHBORING CITIES.
SO THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THEY PUT STRONG VALUES BEHIND.
ALL OF THAT TO SAY IS IT MEANS THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE INCOME AVAILABLE MAKE THE CHOICE TO LIVE HERE MORE THAN OTHER PLACES, AND THEY MAKE THE CHOICE HERE TO STAY.
AS YOU HEARD TONIGHT, WE REAFFIRMED OUR AAA BOND RATING.
THIS IS THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE RATING THAT WE CAN HAVE FROM STANDARD & POOR'S.
AS HE SAID, IT'S BETTER THAN THE U.S.
THAT JUST MEANS THAT WHENEVER WE ISSUE DEBTS, THAT THEY HAVE A VALUE AS HIGH AS WE CAN AND WE ARE AT THE LOWEST RISK LEVEL.
SO AS PEOPLE WHO ARE BETTING PEOPLE WHO LOOK AT FINANCES ALL DAY LONG, THIS IS THEIR HIGHEST SEAL OF APPROVAL AND SAYS THAT WE'RE A STRONG INVESTMENT.
THIS IS ONE THAT IS VERY UNIQUE.
I'VE BEEN IN QUITE A FEW COMMUNITIES OVER MY TIME IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
I'VE NEVER SEEN A PLACE WITH A 95% CITIZEN SATISFACTION RATING ON A SURVEY.
IF THIS WAS MY GRADE IN SCHOOL, I'D BE VERY, VERY PROUD TO GIVE IT TO MY PARENTS.
THEY WERE BRINGING IT TO THEM.
BUT OVERALL, THIS IS, IT'S UNHEARD OF.
AND SO IT'S SOMETHING WE'D BE PROUD OF.
BUT IT SHOWS THAT WHEN WE ASK OUR RESIDENTS HOW HAPPY THEY ARE WITH US.
LASTLY, THIS IS PEOPLE VOTING WITH THEIR FEET.
THEY APPROVED A $112 MILLION BOND PROGRAM THE FIRST IN 22 YEARS.
SO THIS IS TELLING US THAT WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THINGS AND THAT OUR RESIDENTS BELIEVE IN WHAT WE'RE DOING AND THEY LIKE LIVING HERE.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO CONTEXTUALIZE SERVICE IN A TERM THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T THINK OF IT.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING OF HOW YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR MONTHLY BILLS.
SO WHEN I GO AND TRY TO COMPARE SOMETHING IN LIKE PROPERTY TAXES, IF YOU SAY THE WORD PROPERTY TAXES, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TELL YOU IT'S TOO HIGH.
THAT'S GOING TO BE THEIR IMMEDIATE REACTION.
YOU MAY NOT HAVE SAID ANY OTHER WORD.
AND AGAIN, THEY'RE NOT WRONG THERE.
PROPERTY TAXES, WE'RE AT ONE OF THE HIGHEST PROPERTY TAX STATES IN THE U.S.
WHEN YOU BREAK IT DOWN, THOUGH, ON A MONTHLY BASIS, SPECIFICALLY THE TOWN'S PORTION, IT EQUATES TO, FOR AN AVERAGE HOMEOWNER WITH A MEDIAN TAXABLE VALUE OF $460,000, COMES OUT TO YOU ABOUT $1,800 A YEAR OR $152 A MONTH.
SO IF YOU THINK OF YOUR MONTHLY BILLS RIGHT NOW, THINK OF ANYTHING THAT YOU PAY THAT'S OVER $150 A MONTH THAT YOU VALUE AS MUCH AS POLICE RESPONDING IN AN EMERGENCY, AS FIRE SHOWING UP TO A FIRE WHEN YOU'RE, OR THAT THE ROAD WHERE YOUR KIDS HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO GO INTO PARKS.
THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE YOU PAY FOR THAT'S OVER $150 AND ASK YOURSELF, DO YOU VALUE THAT MORE SERVICE? WHY I BRING THIS UP IS BECAUSE WHEN PROPERTY TAXES ARE BROKEN
[01:10:02]
DOWN IN THIS WAY, IT HELPS PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE NOT TRYING TO TAX PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMES.THIS IS NOT EVEN FACTORING IN A SENIOR HOME SET EXEMPTION, WHICH WOULD ADD ANOTHER $150,000 EXEMPTION ON TOP OF THAT.
SO WHAT DO THEY GET FOR THAT SERVICE? THEY GET 138 SWORN FIREFIGHTERS AND PARAMEDICS WITH A SIX-MINUTE RESPONSE TIME.
NOW, I WILL TELL YOU, THE PRIVATE SECTOR, YOU CAN GET A CHEAPER SERVICE WITH CAREFLIGHT.
YOUR RESPONSE TIME JUST GOES UP TO THREE HOURS.
AND SO HOPEFULLY, YOU DO NOT HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY THAT NEEDS A QUICKER RESPONSE THAN THAT.
FOR POLICE SERVICES, WE FAR BEAT ANY PRIVATE POLICE SERVICE SPECIFICALLY ON COSTS, BUT WE HAVE A FOUR-MINUTE RESPONSE TIME WITH 114 OFFICERS.
WE HAVE 429 MILES OF ROADWAY, WHICH I WOULD DARE TO COMPARE MOST OTHER CITIES TO US, AND I START WITH OUR ROADS.
59 PARKS COVERING OVER A THOUSAND ACRES OF PARKLAND.
THIS IS A METRIC THAT MEANS A LOT TO OUR RESIDENTS AND WHY PEOPLE KEEP MOVING HERE.
WE HAVE 40 PLUS COMMUNITY EVENTS ANNUALLY AND WE HAVE 69,000 BOOKS IN OUR LIBRARY WITH AN AVERAGE OF FIVE BOOKS PER RESIDENCE CHECKED OUT LAST YEAR.
THAT'S A PRETTY STRONG UTILIZATION OF SERVICE AND I WAS REALLY REALLY HAPPY WHEN I WAS GETTING SOME OF THOSE THROUGH OUR BUDGET PROCESS.
HOW HAVE WE MAINTAINED $152 AS A COST OF SERVICE? NOW I WILL TELL YOU PEOPLE'S PROPERTY TAX BILLS ON AVERAGE HAVE GONE DOWN AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE EXEMPTIONS AND DIFFERENT THINGS HAVE BEEN PASSED.
MORE HERE RECENTLY, ITS VALUE IS GOING DOWN.
BUT OVERALL, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE PAYING LESS NOW THAN THEY DID 20 YEARS AGO.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF A SENIOR EXEMPTION FOR $150,000 PLUS A 20% HOMESTEAD ON TOP OF THAT.
THERE ARE PEOPLE PAYING LESS IN PROPERTY TAX THAN THEY EVER HAVE BEFORE.
THAT MEANS THAT YOU'RE DOING A RESPONSIBLE JOB IN CONTROLLING PRICES.
SO HERE'S HOW WE AS A TOWN HAVE DONE THAT.
THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGY WE USE.
JUST VOYA AUTOMATED OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS.
DOCUSIGN AUTOMATES THE SIGNING OF LEGAL PAPERS.
THE MAYOR, I BET YOU KNOW THIS ONE REALLY WELL.
I'LL GET YOU ALONG, SECRETARY'S OFFICE.
LASERFISH IS DIGITIZING OUR RECORDS, SPECIFICALLY IN HUMAN RESOURCES IN THE TOWN SECRETARY'S OFFICE, WHICH AGAIN WILL INCREASE OUR TRANSPARENCY.
WE USE MICROSOFT TEAMS AS A WAY TO MEET DIGITALLY WITH PEOPLE ACROSS THE GLOBE.
CITYWORKS IS WHAT WE USE TO START QUANTIFYING IN OUR PUBLIC WORKS.
CHATBOTS ARE BEING TESTED AND DEVELOPED RIGHT NOW SPECIFICALLY IN THE TOWN OF FLOWER MOUND AND WE'RE HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO ROLL THOSE OUT.
TRACKIT IS A SYSTEM CUSTOMIZED SPECIFICALLY TO US AND WE'RE ONE OF THE MANY CITIES WHO HAS BASICALLY DEVELOPED OUT INTO ITS OWN KIND OF CUSTOM SOFTWARE.
TYLER TECHNOLOGIES IS A SUITE OF FINANCIAL SOFTWARES THAT ARE KIND OF ALIGNED IN THE MARKETS BECAUSE THEY HAVE MUNICIPAL COURT, UTILITY BILLING.
A LOT OF DIFFERENT FINANCIAL AREAS THAT ALL PLUG INTO ACCOUNTS PAYABLE PURCHASING BUDGETS GETTING JUST EVERY SINGLE TRACK OF FINANCE IS ABLE TO BE TRACKED THROUGH THERE AND THEN LASTLY SOMETHING THAT TIES ALMOST ALL OF THESE TOGETHER IS GIS AND SO WE CONTINUALLY USE THIS INFORMATION AND THAT HAS ALLOWED US TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY BUT ALSO THESE TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS HAVE ALLOWED US TO MAINTAIN LOWER STAFFING LEVELS TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNICATION SO IF YOU GUYS DON'T KNOW, WE HAVE A NATIONALLY AWARD-WINNING COMMUNICATIONS TEAM.
SEVERAL, SEVERAL VIABLE POSTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND WE ALSO DO THINGS THAT PEOPLE REALLY DON'T KNOW ABOUT.
WE'VE GOT SOME OF OUR TOWN COUNCIL MEETINGS.
WE HAVE VIDEO INDEXING OF OUR TOWN COUNCIL MEETINGS, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WATCH THE ENTIRE THING.
YOU CAN GO CLICK ON THE AGENDA ITEM YOU WANT TO SEE, SO YOU CAN CLICK EXACTLY TO WHAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, AND YOU CAN HEAR THAT PRESENTATION.
IT'S A GREAT THING THAT'S COME OUT IN THE PAST COUPLE YEARS.
SOMETHING THAT WE SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR OWN TELE-BROADCASTING CHANNEL.
WE HAVE ONLINE PORTALS TO CONNECT WITH MULTIPLE CITY SERVICES.
WE DIGITIZE OUR BUDGET, BUT PERFORMANCE METRICS, TRACKING, TRUTH IN TAXATION.
WE FULLY DIGITIZE OUR AGENDA SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE PHYSICAL POSTING, WHICH MEANS THAT OUR DIGITAL BILLBOARD BACK THERE, AND, AGAIN, THE ITEM VIDEO MARKING.
WE'VE ALSO EXPANDED OUR ONLINE PAYMENT SYSTEM.
AND SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT PAYMENT METHODS AND ONLINE PAYMENT METHODS.
SO THAT WE CONTINUE TO OPEN THESE UP FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND LOOK AT NEW WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE, SO THAT YOU HAVE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS THAT YOU CAN PAY YOUR BILLS HERE.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT BODIES, BECAUSE I TELL YOU THAT MOST OF THE TIME OUR OPERATING BUDGET IS ABOUT 80% PEOPLE.
WE HAVE 195 SEASONAL AND TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES, 39 PART-TIME EMPLOYEES, HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEER HOURS WITH $30-PLUS PER HOUR EACH.
THAT'S THE DOLLAR VALUE TRACKING OF VOLUNTEER HOURS.
HAVE ALLOWED US TO BASICALLY NOT ADD FTE COUNTS, FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT COUNTS, WHICH MEANS BY, YOU KNOW, THREE PART-TIME PEOPLE COST US LESS THAN ONE FULL-TIME PERSON.
AND SO THESE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN SPACE OUT SERVICES, BUT IT ALSO MAKES SURE THAT YOU DON'T WALK INTO A TOWN FACILITY AND
[01:15:01]
SOMEONE'S SITTING THERE WITH NOTHING TO DO.WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A LIFEGUARD JUST SITTING THERE WITH NOBODY THERE.
NOT THAT I THINK YOU'D EVER FIND THAT HERE.
CONTRACTED OUT SERVICES, WE USE CONTRACT LEGAL SERVICES, UTILITY RATE EXPERTS.
YOU SEE UGEN STRATEGIES COME IN HERE EVERY YEAR.
TECHNOLOGY SPECIALISTS, WE CONTRACT OUT SOME ENGINEERING.
YOU DON'T SEE US WITH A BUNCH OF TRASH TRUCKS.
SO WHENEVER THERE IS A FINANCIAL WAY THAT WE CAN BASICALLY CONTRACT OUT FOR A LESS EXPENSIVE SERVICE, WE DO THAT.
ASSET MAINTENANCE, WE MANAGE OUR FLEET IN-HOUSE, INCLUDING FIRE AND EMS EQUIPMENT.
THIS SAVES US A LOT OF MONEY BECAUSE SIDDONS MARTINS WILL CHARGE YOU THROUGH THE NOSE FOR EVERYTHING FROM A TIRE CHANGE TO JUST RUBBING SOME DIRT OFF YOUR VEHICLE.
SO 14 FACILITIES, CLEAN, MAINTAIN, AND IMPROVE WITH SOME INTERNAL STAFF AND CONTRACT EMPLOYEES.
AGAIN, WE BLEND ON STAFF AND CONTRACT EMPLOYEES TO CLEAN ALL THE FACILITIES.
WE DEDICATE ADDITIONAL SALES TAX DOLLARS TO GO TO STREET MAINTENANCE, AND WE PASSED A $30 MILLION GEO PROGRAM TO FUND STREET REPLACEMENTS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
WE MAINTAIN ALL TRAFFIC SIGNAL SIGNAGES AND SYSTEMS IN-HOUSE.
OUR TRAFFIC SYSTEM IS ALMOST SECOND TO NONE.
WE ARE SOME OF THE BEST IN THE U.S.
AT IT, AND IT'S REALLY, REALLY COOL IF YOU GET TO GO OVER TO THE PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING AND TO WORK.
SO LASTLY, SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON SUPREMELY IS REVENUE DIVERSIFICATION.
SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTING THE COST RECOVERY POLICY.
WE'RE WORKING ON ADJUSTMENTS TO THE FEE SCHEDULE TO GET THAT DONE.
WE'RE RENEGOTIATING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS SO THAT WE CAN PULL ONE-TIME CASH PAYMENTS OUT OF THE GENERAL FUNDS.
WE HAVE ISSUED DEBT TO SPREAD THE COST OF ASSETS, SO THERE'S BENEFITS.
BASICALLY THOSE WHO ARE UTILIZING THOSE ASSETS AND NOT JUST THE PERSON WHO HAS THE CASH AT THE TIME.
AND SO THAT'S CALLED GENERATION EQUITY.
THAT'S A DECENT PRINCIPLE TO USE.
WE'VE PUSHED OPERATIONAL COSTS INTO OUR DEDICATED SALES TAX FUNDS.
WE'VE UTILIZED UTILITY TRUE-UPS AND STUDIES TO ENSURE THERE IS NO SUBSIDY OF OUR UTILITY FUND FROM OUR PROPERTY TAX FUND.
THIS ALSO PROTECTS US WITH LITIGATION BECAUSE THE STATE IS GOING AFTER THIS HEAVILY.
WE'VE SLOWED SPENDING DURING THE CURRENT YEAR DUE TO THE SALES TAX SHORTFALL THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING.
SO WE PULLED BACK ON OUT-OF-STATE TRAINING.
WE LOOKED AT CUTTING ANY ONE-TIME ITEMS THAT WE COULD.
SO WE HAVE THE ABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY WITHIN OUR BUDGET TO SLOW THINGS IF THINGS GET HARD.
AND SO WE'VE ACTUALLY DONE QUITE A BIT OF THAT THIS YEAR.
THERE WAS ACTUALLY SOMETHING MENTIONED IN OUR RATINGS CALL.
OH, AND YOU HAD THEM ACTUALLY MENTION IT TODAY BECAUSE WE EXPLAINED WE HAD A SALES TAX CHANGE AND IT DIDN'T IMPACT OUR RATINGS BECAUSE WE HAD A FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN TO DO SO.
AND HOW TO MITIGATE THAT AND HOW WE COULD RECOVER FROM IT.
WE'VE UTILIZED BUDGET SAVINGS TO PAY ONE-TIME COSTS ON PROJECTS AT THE END OF THE YEAR, DECREASING YEAR-OVER-YEAR BUDGET SPIKES.
SO THIS WILL STOP ONE-TIME COSTS FROM ROLLING INTO THE NEXT YEAR, SPIKING BUDGET AUTHORITY AND MAYBE SHORT-TERM RAISING PROPERTY TAXES IN A SHORT INCREMENT.
SO THIS IS A GOOD WAY OF ENSURING THAT IF YOU HAVE SAVINGS, YOU UTILIZE THEM ON ONE-TIME ITEMS, LEVELING OUT BUDGET YEAR AFTER YEAR.
TIFFANY BRUCE, OUR ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER, IS THE MAIN ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS, BUT WE'VE HAD OVER $200 MILLION IN GRANTS AND CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS.
TO GIVE YOU SOME IDEA OF THAT, THAT REPRESENTS ONE-FIFTH OF THE FUNDING FOR GENERAL OPERATIONS FOR THE TOWN OVER THAT 10-YEAR PERIOD.
SO WE FUNDED THAT WITH OUTSIDE THINGS, OUTSIDE OF OUR PROPERTY TAXES, OUTSIDE OF SALES TAX.
THAT'S BRINGING IN MONEY FROM THE OUTSIDE TO FUND ESSENTIAL THINGS AND BRING THINGS IN THAT WE NEED, SPECIFICALLY CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS.
SO BEFORE YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, JOHN, I WANT TO USE THIS AS A POINT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE NATURAL INCLINATION OF MOST PEOPLE, AND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, WHEN YOU'RE IN A FINANCIAL SITUATION LIKE THIS, THE OLD ADAGE, YOU NEED TO TIGHTEN YOUR BELT.
WHAT THOSE SLIDES DEMONSTRATE, THAT'S THE BELT TIGHTENING WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR SOME TIME NOW.
YOU COUPLE THAT WITH THE DECISIONS YOU'VE MADE AS A COUNCIL IN REGARDS TO OUR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, AS WELL AS WHAT WE DID WITH OUR SENIOR EXEMPTION A FEW YEARS BACK.
HOW WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HOLD THE LINE ON OUR CURRENT TAX RATE.
AND SO AT THIS POINT, I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN.
I MEAN, OUR BELTS, WE CAN'T FEEL OUR LEGS.
THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE WE'VE HIT EVERY LEVER WE COULD TO THIS POINT.
AND THIS IS A SAMPLE SIZE OF SOME OF THAT.
AND AS WE GET A LITTLE BIT FURTHER IN THE PRESENTATION, YOU'LL SEE MORE THINGS WE'RE DOING FROM A PERSONNEL STANDPOINT TO OFFSET THOSE COSTS.
SO NATURALLY, THE FIRST INCLINATION IS GOING TO BE WHAT CAN YOU DO TO TIGHTEN YOUR BELT? WE'VE BEEN TIGHTENING OUR BELT FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
ABLE TO MAINTAIN OUR CURRENT TAX RATE.
SO AGAIN, IT'S A GOOD DEMONSTRATION OF THAT.
AND THE CONVERSATION NEEDS TO DRIFT FROM WHAT CAN YOU DO
[01:20:01]
TO TIGHTEN YOUR BELT TO YOU NEED TO HAVE A FUNDAMENTAL DISCUSSION ABOUT THE SERVICES WE DELIVER.THAT'S THE POINT WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.
SO I JUST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THE FACT THAT WE'VE BEEN TYING OUR BELT FOR FIVE YEARS NOW.
SO HOWEVER, WE ARE FACING REVENUE LIMITATIONS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN SEEN.
BEING HERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS BEFORE.
SPECIFICALLY, COSTS ARE RISING FASTER THAN REVENUES CAN LEGALLY BE INCREASED WITHOUT ELECTIONS, SPECIFICALLY PROPERTY TAXES.
THIS WAS THE INTENTION OF SENATE BILL 2 WHEN THEY PASSED IT.
IT WAS TO PROVIDE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, BUT SPECIFICALLY, IT WAS TO STOP PEOPLE FROM GOING TO THEIR LEGISLATURES AND SAYING, PROPERTY TAXES ARE INCREASING TOO MUCH.
I'M BEING TAXED OUT OF MY HOME.
AND SO THIS WAS LEGISLATURE'S WAY OF PUSHING IT DOWN TO THE LOCAL LEVEL.
LEGISLATURE WANTS RESIDENTS TO VALIDATE THROUGH ELECTION, THAT THEY AGREE WITH THE COST OF THEIR SERVICE.
WHETHER GOOD, BAD, OR OTHER, IT'S TAKING AUTHORITY AWAY FROM TOWN COUNCIL AND NESTLING IT WITH THE VOTERS.
AND SO I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME AMOUNT OF VOTER FATIGUE WITH THIS THE MORE AND MORE WE GET INTO THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I PROMISE I'M NOT GOING TO OPINE ON EVERY SLIDE, BUT THIS ONE IS PRETTY IMPORTANT, AND I PROMISE I WON'T GET MY OWN SOAPBOX ON THIS ONE.
BUT OUR MAYOR AND OUR MAYOR PRO TEM HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO DOWN IN THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT FRUSTRATING BECAUSE WHEN WE GO AND WE ADVOCATE AND WE SHARE THE FACT THAT SB2 DOES NOT ALLOW US TO KEEP OPEN INFLATION, THE RESPONSE IS, WELL, YOU CAN JUST GO TO THE VOTERS AND ASK FOR WHAT YOU NEED.
THEN CONVERSELY, THOSE SAME LEGISLATURES WILL BASH THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR GOING TO THEIR VOTERS AND ASKING FOR WHAT THEY NEED.
IT'S KIND OF A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD THERE.
AND AS WE GO INTO THE NEXT SESSION, VERY WELL.
YOU'VE HEARD YOU'VE SEEN THE GOVERNOR'S PRIORITIES AND YOU'VE SEEN OTHER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT TAKING IT FROM THREE AND A HALF PERCENT DOWN TO ONE PERCENT.
AND SO THIS IS A CONVERSATION WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE GOING INTO THIS NEXT SESSION.
BUT THE THING I WANT TO EMPHASIZE ABOUT THIS IN PARTICULAR, AND IT CAME UP IN THE CONTEXT OF ANOTHER PRESENTATION I DID PROBABLY ABOUT A MONTH OR SO AGO.
THIS IS NOT A BYPRODUCT, POOR MANAGEMENT BY YOUR TOWN MANAGER OR YOUR CFO.
THIS IS HOW IT'S DESIGNED TO WORK.
CITIES ARE BEING PUSHED OFF A CLIFF TO GO TO THE VOTE.
AND THAT'S THE THING THAT WE'RE GOING TO EMPHASIZE AND TRY TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC.
THIS IS THE PRODUCT OF A MATH EQUATION.
AND SIMPLY PUT IS THE REVENUE WE'RE ALLOWED TO GENERATE EVERY YEAR DOESN'T EVEN GIVE US ENOUGH TO PAY OUR PEOPLE.
AND THEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT A VADER IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO CORRECT THAT.
AND SO I THINK TO THE UNINITIATED, IT MIGHT SIMPLY SAY, WELL, WHAT ARE YOU DOING WRONG? WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG.
I THINK WE'RE BEING GREAT FISCAL STEWARDS.
BUT THIS IS THE WAY IT WAS DESIGNED.
IT'S THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE WITH THE LEGISLATORS BACK IN 2019 WHEN THIS WAS PASSED.
THIS IS WHAT WE WARNED THEM ABOUT.
IT'S DELAYED A LITTLE BIT BY THE PANDEMIC.
IT WAS WE WERE BUOYED BY SOME SOME SALES TAX COMING IN STRONG FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
WE'RE NOW AT THE POINT WHERE WE'RE SEEING THE BYPRODUCT OF THAT LEGISLATION FROM 2019.
SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT A SCENARIO, NO MATTER WHAT WE DO, SHORT OF US CONTINUALLY TO CUT SERVICE LEVELS, IT'S INEVITABLE THAT WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE A VADER AT SOME POINT.
IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO BE THE TOWN OF FIREMONT.
IT'S GOING TO BE OTHER COMMUNITIES.
AND I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE WHY A COMMUNITY DOESN'T GO OUT AS SOON OR WHATEVER, BUT I GET THE INDICATION FROM TALKING TO SOME OF MY COUNTERPARTS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE MORE AND MORE VADER ELECTIONS COMING UP THIS COMING YEAR.
THERE'S A FEW CITIES THAT HAVE HAD THREE ALREADY.
THERE'S SOME THAT, BUT MOST OF MY COUNTERPARTS THAT HAVEN'T HAD A VADER ARE ENTERTAINING IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO START SEEING THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND SO, AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THIS IS BY DESIGN.
THIS ISN'T ANYTHING ANYBODY'S DOING.
ACTUALLY, I WANT TO ADD TO THAT BECAUSE IT VERY WELL STATED, JAMES.
BUT WE DO HAVE SO MUCH COMING FORWARD ON THESE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS.
I KNOW WHEN WE WENT LAST YEAR, THERE WERE A LOT OF CONSTRAINTS THAT WE WERE UP AGAINST THAT AFFECTED OUR BUDGET.
JOHN AND I JUST WENT TO DCAD AND DID THEIR ANNUAL REVIEW, AND I THINK JOHN WAS SWEATING AS HE WAS DOING CALCULATIONS ON HOW SOME OF THE CHANGES COMING FORWARD ARE GOING TO AFFECT OUR BUDGET.
AND IT'S GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANT.
AND SO, YEAH, IT IS A HARD DECISION THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE ON WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO BALANCE THIS SO WE CAN HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR OUR COMMUNITY WHILE NOT, YOU KNOW, COMPROMISING ANYTHING, ESPECIALLY OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES.
SO I WILL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT TO 2019.
SO I WAS THE LEGISLATIVE CHAIR FOR GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS AT TEXAS AT THE TIME.
IT WAS MY SECOND LEGISLATIVE SESSION BEING DOWN AT THE CAPITOL AND FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT.
BUT I WAS DOWN THERE IN 2019 WHEN SENATE BILL 2 PASSED.
AND IN SOME OF THE HEARINGS WE ASKED SENATOR BETANCOURT, WHO WAS THE AUTHOR OF SENATE BILL 2, MAYBE SPECIFICALLY AT THE TIME, WE ASKED HIM, HE SAYS, WHAT IF INFLATION, YOU KNOW, IS HIGHER THAN THREE AND A HALF PERCENT? AND WELL, AT THE TIME, 2019, INFLATION HAD BEEN LESS THAN ONE PERCENT AND FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND THAT CAUSED A NUMBER OF ISSUES THAT WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH TODAY.
BUT AT THAT TIME, HE SAYS, INFLATION WILL NEVER BE OVER THREE AND A HALF PERCENT.
SO WHENEVER HE WAS WRITING THIS BILL, HE NEVER ONCE FACTORED IN FOR THAT COSTS COULD ACTUALLY RISE AS QUICKLY AS THEY DID.
LITTLE DID HE KNOW COVID-19 WOULD HAPPEN AND A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS WOULD HAPPEN THAT WOULD CHANGE THE LANDSCAPE OF PRICES FOR EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD.
[01:25:01]
EXPECTATIONS.SO AS MANY OF YOU GUYS HAVE NOTICED, THERE'S NOT A LACK OF PEOPLE SHOWING UP TO OUR EVENTS.
THERE'S NOT A LACK OF PEOPLE GOING TO OUR PARKS.
THERE'S NOT A LACK OF PEOPLE FLOODING OUR PUBLIC SPACES OR TRYING TO UTILIZE EMERGENCY SERVICES.
PEOPLE ARE NOT COMING IN HERE AND SAYING, PLEASE PROVIDE ME WITH LESS SERVICES.
THE REQUEST IS GOING TO BE MORE.
THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT YOU AND THEY'RE GOING TO WANT MORE.
THEY'RE GOING TO WANT INCREASED SERVICES, INCREASED EDUCATION, INCREASED REGULATION.
THEY'RE GOING TO WANT BIGGER EVENTS, BETTER SHOWS.
WE'VE UPSIZED OUR INDEPENDENCE FEST.
WE'VE DONE A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS TO MAKE OUR THINGS TO KEEP ACCOMMODATING AND TO BASICALLY KEEP PROVIDING THIS SUPERIOR QUALITY OF LIFE.
WE'RE NOT SEEING ANY DECREASE IN EXPECTATION.
SO I'LL TELL YOU A FUNNY ASIDE ON THIS.
I MADE THIS GRAPHIC, OR I HAD A GRAPHIC ON HERE BEFORE THAT WAS A FINGER, AND THE ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER SAID IT LOOKED LIKE A MIDDLE FINGER.
SO HE MADE ME A FOAM FINGER TO GO ON HERE.
SO ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER TOMMY DALTON SAVED YOU ALL FROM MY BAD GRAPHIC DESIGN.
SO I WAS TRYING TO SHOW WE WERE NUMBER ONE, AND IT LOOKED REALLY BAD.
I WAS NOT THAT GOOD AT GRAPHICS.
SO WE ARE THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN TEXAS.
BUT THERE IS A COST TO BEING NUMBER ONE, MEANING THAT WE HAVE MADE INTENTIONAL DECISIONS ABOUT OUR DEVELOPMENTS.
WE'VE MADE INTENTIONAL DECISIONS AND IT'S ABOUT SAYING NO TO CERTAIN THINGS.
AND HAS RESULTED IN US BEING CONSIDERED THE TOP PLACE TO LIVE IN TEXAS BY U.S.
IT IS 95 PERCENT SATISFACTION RATING WITH RESIDENTS.
IT IS NOT TO SAY YOU'RE DOING ANYTHING WRONG.
IT'S JUST TO SAY THAT THOSE DECISIONS DO HAVE SOME PHYSICAL IMPLICATIONS.
BUT THOSE ARE CHOICES WE'RE WILLING TO MAKE TO MAINTAIN THE QUALITY OF LIFE WE HAVE.
LASTLY, THIS IS NOT SUSTAINABLE IN THE LONG RUN, AND I'LL GIVE YOU A LOT OF REASONS WHY IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE, BUT TO ACHIEVE ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE HAVE ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN, IT IS NOT GOING TO BE FEASIBLE WITHOUT RAISING PROPERTY TAXES.
AND SO ANYTHING THAT INCREASES A DOLLAR MORE IN PROPERTY TAXES IS CONSIDERED A TAX INCREASE.
THERE IS NO WAY TO MAINTAIN SERVICE LEVELS WHILE NOT INCREASING PROPERTY TAXES.
WE HAVE LIMITED FUNDING SOURCES.
THAT IS JUST NOT A FEASIBILITY THAT WE CAN BASICALLY STAY WITH A STRAIGHT FACE ANYMORE IN THE ECONOMY THAT WE'RE IN.
LET ME PLEASE TELL YOU WHY, BECAUSE THAT IS NOT AN EASY TRUTH TO TAKE.
WITHOUT AI-DRIVEN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS AND STOCK MARKET GAINS, THE NATIONAL ECONOMY HAS BEEN IN A RECESSION.
THIS IS WHY PEOPLE ARE WALKING AROUND WITH LESS MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS, WHY THEIR WAGES HAVE NOT BEEN INCREASING AS FAST AS OF INFLATION, WHY WE'VE SEEN MASSIVE TURNOVER RATES AND WE'VE SEEN THE JOB MARKET GO UP AND DOWN AND UP AND DOWN.
WE HAVE BEEN IN A RECESSION AND THERE'S ONLY BEEN TWO CATEGORIES THAT HAVE BASICALLY PULLED US OUT OF THAT.
THE EQUIVALENT I WOULD SAY TO THIS IS DURING COVID-19, THE PANDEMIC, THE ONLY REASON THAT GDP GROWTH HAPPENED IN THE UNITED STATES WAS BECAUSE TEXAS WAS A PART OF THAT ECONOMY.
SO I WILL TELL YOU THESE TWO THINGS ARE LEADING AND NO ONE WANTS A DATA CENTER IN THEIR BACKYARD, AND THE STOCK MARKET IS NOT SOMETHING THAT PUTS MONEY IN THE POCKET OF EVERYONE.
AND SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLING DOWN OUR NATIONAL ECONOMY.
OTHER INDICATORS THAT WE ARE SEEING IS SALES TAX IS EITHER DECLINING OR STAGNANT.
HOUSING PRICES ARE GROWING AT LESS THAN 2% OR DECREASING EACH YEAR.
WE ARE SEEING NUMEROUS INDICATORS THAT OUR BUSINESSES ARE TURNING OVER, BUT WE'RE STILL AT A 3% VACANCY RATE.
WE ARE SEEING ALL THE INDICATORS THAT CHANGE.
IT'S HAPPENING WITH OUR ECONOMY AND THAT PEOPLE ARE FEELING IT.
I DON'T THINK ANY ONE PERSON HAS COME UP TO YOU AND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE CAN TAKE ON SOME MORE TAXES.
RIGHT NOW IS THE BEST TIME TO RAISE TAXES.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HAS COME UP AND SAID THAT.
IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL FEELING THE PAIN.
THEY'VE ALL SEEN THEIR GROCERY BILLS GO UP.
THEY'VE ALL SEEN THE COST OF LIVING GO UP.
WE HAVE ALSO MADE INTENTIONAL PROPERTY TAX DECISIONS IN THE PAST, AND THESE THINGS MAKE IT HARDER.
AND SO OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, WE'VE LOWERED OUR TAX RATE EVERY YEAR TO BASICALLY GIVE TAX RELIEF TO OUR RESIDENTS.
WE'VE ALSO INCREASED THE HOME EXEMPTION TO THE STATE MAXIMUM OF 20%.
THAT IS PRETTY, AS FAR AS YOU CAN GO, THAT THEY'VE LEGALLY ALLOWED YOU TO.
YOU'VE INCREASED THE OVER 65 EXEMPTION TO $150,000 TO GIVE CONTEXT THE STATE.
TOOK FIVE YEARS TO GET TO GIVING PEOPLE $140,000 HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
YOU GUYS DID THAT FOR OVER 65 IN ABOUT A YEAR.
THE STATE HAS CREATED A CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR ALL BUSINESSES, AND IN PARTICULAR, THOSE UNDER $5 MILLION IN VALUE SPECIFICALLY, IN PROPERTY VALUE.
AND THEN ALSO, THEY PROVIDE IT FOR NON-EXEMPTED, LIKE NON-HOMESTEADED RESIDENTS.
SO PEOPLE WHO HAVE INCOME PROPERTIES IN YOUR TOWN OR ANYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT, THEY GAVE THEM THE CIRCUIT BREAKER.
THE CIRCUIT BREAKER BASICALLY I'M SORRY.
CAHPS APPRAISAL INCREASES OVER THREE YEARS AT 20%.
[01:30:02]
IF YOU DO THE MATH ON THAT, THAT'S ABOUT AN AVERAGE OF A 6% INCREASE A YEAR.YOUR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION ONLY GIVES YOU A 10% BREAK.
THEY'RE GETTING A BETTER BREAK OVER TIME.
THOSE THINGS, THESE ARE NOT THINGS THAT YOU CAN CONTROL, BUT IT'S THINGS THAT ARE BEING PUT ON US.
THE STATE, AS THE MAYOR ALLUDED, THE STATE ALSO PUT IN A BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY EXEMPTION.
THAT WILL COST US OVER $400,000 IN REVENUE.
FROM PROPERTY TAXES THIS YEAR, AND WE WILL NOT GET TO INCREASE OUR RATES AS A RESULT OF IT.
WE WON'T GET TO PUMP UP ANYTHING TO BASICALLY ABSORB IT.
ON THE EXPENSE SIDE, SO LOOKING OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, AND THESE ARE JUST FOR PAST FIVE YEARS, POPULATION HAS MIRRORED STAFFING, AND STAFFING HAS MIRRORED POPULATION, MEANING WE GREW 8% IN POPULATION, AND STAFFING GREW ROUGHLY BY 8% DURING THOSE FIVE YEARS.
TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, WHENEVER POPULATION INCREASES 1%, WE SEE US ADDING ROUGHLY ABOUT SEVEN STAFF MEMBERS TO MAINTAIN OR KEEP UP WITH THAT ACROSS DEPARTMENTS.
NOW, SOME OF THAT'S NOT JUST FRONTLINE SERVICES, BUT ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.
THERE'S CATCH-UPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT HAPPEN.
BUT BASICALLY MIRRORING THOSE TWO, THEY STAYED CLOSE TOGETHER.
SO IF STAFFING WAS GROWING QUICKER, I WOULD BE CONCERNED.
IF IT WAS GROWING SLOWER, THEN WE COULD SAY IT'S EFFICIENCIES.
BUT IN REALITY, IT KIND OF MIRRORS EACH OTHER RIGHT NOW, WHICH TELLS US WE'RE PROBABLY AT A SWEET SPOT FOR EFFICIENCY.
OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS WAGES HAVE INCREASED 25%.
THIS IS NOT SPECIFIC TO FLOWER MOUND, THIS IS OVERALL WAGE GROWTH.
EQUIPMENT, IF YOU'VE DONE EQUIPMENT RENTALS OR BUYING EQUIPMENT OR PURCHASED A VEHICLE YOU'VE SEEN IT LARGELY A 30% PRICE INCREASE.
SO THAT'S THAT'S HITTING US HARD, REALLY REALLY REALLY HARD IN THE POCKETBOOK THIS YEAR.
MAINTENANCE, SPECIFICALLY MAINTENANCE AND SOME EQUIPMENT AND THIRD-PARTY SERVICE THAN THERE IS THE DUE MAINTENANCE.
THOSE HAVE SEEN ROUGHLY A 25% INCREASE.
IN CONSTRUCTION, I THOUGHT THE NUMBER WAS LOW.
IT WAS 40%, BECAUSE THE PRICE OF CONCRETE, IF YOU LOOKED, WENT UP WAY FASTER THAN THAT.
BUT THAT'S NOT EVERYTHING IN CONSTRUCTION.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ABSORB AND DO EVERYTHING WE JUST SAID ON THE SLIDE BEFORE.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE THE HOMESTEAD.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LOWER THE PROPERTY TAX RATE.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE THE OVER-65 EXEMPTION AND ABSORB THESE CHANGES FROM THE STATE AS WELL WITHOUT INCREASING THE TAX RATE.
GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE THINGS HAPPEN AND OCCURRED, OR DID WE DO NOT BURDEN OUR RESIDENTS AS A RESULT OF THIS? SO LET ME WALK YOU THROUGH WHAT THE IMPACTS ARE GOING TO BE ON OUR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
SO REVENUE, DECLINING REVENUE IN OUR DEDICATED SALES TAX FUNDS IS GOING TO PUSH CERTAIN EXPENSES BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REABSORB SOME OF THOSE DUE TO THE SUDDEN DROP THAT WE EXPERIENCED, PLACING ADDITIONAL PRESSURE ON TOWN'S PRIMARY OPERATING BUDGET.
WILL BE INCREASED TO MEET THE TOWN COUNCIL'S NEW COST RECOVERY GOAL.
THIS IS NOT ONLY YOUR GOAL, BUT WE HAVEN'T TOUCHED FEES IN A VERY LONG TIME.
SO THIS IS TIME TO TRUE IT UP AND TO GET IT RIGHT AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CHARGING ADEQUATELY FOR THOSE SO THAT PROPERTY TAX ISN'T THE ONLY THING THAT PEOPLE BEAR THE BURDEN OF.
WE WILL LIKELY HAVE TO INCREASE THE TAX RATE TO GO UP TO THE VOTER'S APPROACH THREE AND A HALF PERCENT.
SO WHEN THEY HANDED US OUR TAX ROLLS, I WAS DOING A BUNCH OF PENCIL MATH AND LOOKING AT OUR VALUES AND PASSING IT ACROSS TO THE MAYOR TO KIND OF SHOW WHERE MY MATH WAS SHOWING IT ROUGHLY RIGHT NOW ALL THE NEW VALUES CAME IN AT 9%.
NOW, THIS IS BEFORE PROTESTS AND EVERYTHING.
MOST GOOD YEARS, YOU CAN EXPECT A 6% DROP.
I'VE SEEN IN THE PAST COUPLE YEARS ALMOST AN 8% DROP.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ROUGHLY ABOUT A 1% TO 2% INCREASE.
THAT NEEDS TO INCREASE 3.5% FOR US TO BE ABLE TO NOT CHANGE THE TAX RATE FOR THE VOTER APPROVED RATE.
YOU CAN THINK OF IT LIKE A SEESAW.
VALUES GROW UP, THE RATE CAN GO DOWN.
IF VALUES GO DOWN, THE RATE HAS TO GO UP.
AND SO IT'S JUST A GOOD INVERTED RELATION.
ON THE EXPENSE SIDE, DECISION PACKAGES, THIS IS KIND OF A SHIFT FROM WHAT WE'VE SEEN BEFORE, IS DECISION PACKAGES ARE NO LONGER NEW OR EXPANDED SERVICES.
THEY ARE PACKAGES TO MAINTAIN SERVICE LEVELS.
SO WE'RE NOT AT THE POINT ANYMORE WHERE I CAN SAY THESE ARE REALLY NICE TO HAVE AND THIS WOULD BE A GOOD WAY TO EXPAND OUR SERVICE OFFERING.
NOW, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THEY'RE NOT NEW PEOPLE OR NEW HEADS OR ANYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT, BUT THOSE HEADS ARE THERE TO COVER THE EXISTING SERVICES THAT WE HAVE.
SO VERY FEW, IF ANY, DECISION PACKAGES IN THE GENERAL FUND WILL BE PASSED IN THE ADOPTION BUDGET WITHOUT CREATING AN OPERATING DEFICIT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS I'LL RECOMMEND WHEN WE PASS THE BUDGET IS DO NOT INCLUDE ANY OPERATIONAL EXPENSES THAT EXCEED OUR ONGOING REVENUE SOURCES.
AND SO THAT WILL BE A STRUCTURAL IMBALANCE, AND YOU'LL NEVER SEE ME KIND OF PUSH.
MANY DEPARTMENTS ARE ABSORBING NON-DISCRETIONARY CUTS IN OTHER AREAS.
SO I CAN TELL YOU SPECIFICALLY WHAT I'VE SEEN THIS YEAR IS I'VE SEEN PEOPLE TAKE.
A PART-TIME POSITION AND A FULL-TIME POSITION AND RECLASS IT TO MAKE IT A NEW POSITION.
AND SO DROPPING THEIR FTE COUNT.
I'VE SEEN PEOPLE TAKE MANAGEMENT POSITIONS AND TURN IT INTO LOWER LEVEL POSITIONS SO THEY HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY IN FUNDING AND HAVE LESS MANAGERS, BETTER WORKERS.
FINANCES AND TIGHT TIMES WILL PUSH YOU TO MAKE DECISIONS.
THEY'LL MAKE YOU MORE EFFICIENT, MORE EFFECTIVE.
THEY'LL GET RID OF MENTAL MANAGEMENT.
MAKE OPERATING DECISIONS THAT ARE REALLY MORE TO THE CORE OF YOUR SERVICE, WE'RE DOING ALL OF THAT.
WE'RE PULLING EVERY LEVER WE CAN INTERNALLY TO DO THOSE THINGS.
THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT WE
[01:35:01]
CAN'T AFFORD A TRADITIONAL MARKET MERIT INCREASE OR BOTH OF THOSE AT ONCE.SO WE'RE LIKELY GOING TO BE ABLE TO FREE ONE BUT NOT THE OTHER.
AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE AWARE OF.
WE'RE TRYING TO FORECAST THE BEST WE CAN AND WITH EVERYTHING, BUT THERE MAY BE ABILITY, WE MAY NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY DO BOTH OF THESE.
IT'S VERY, VERY LIKELY THIS IS A LARGE EXPENSE.
ARE WE ALREADY SEEING THAT IN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES? ARE THEY STARTING TO REDUCE MARKET INCREASES? YES.
MANY THINGS SPECIFICALLY CITY OF DENTON PULLED BACK AND DID NOT DO ANY MARKET INCREASES.
AND THEY SAID IT'S NOT ONLY NO FOR THIS YEAR, BUT IT'S FOR TWO YEARS.
SO YOU'VE SEEN OTHER PLACES LIKE THAT START PULLING BACK.
FORT WORTH IN PARTICULAR HAS BEEN OPERATING WITH A SOFT HIRING FREEZE GOING ON FOR THE PAST ACTUALLY SEVEN YEARS.
SO THERE'S BEEN PLACES ALL AROUND US.
AND MOST PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY FUNCTIONING OFF OF SOFT HIRING FREEZES AS A WAY TO OFFSET BRINGING NEW PEOPLE IN AT HIGHER PRICES.
SO WHILE WAGES ARE WHAT CAUSES ISSUES IS THAT NEW PEOPLE ARE BASICALLY BEING HIRED IN AT HIGHER RATES THAN EXISTING PEOPLE ARE PAID.
AND SO THEY'RE CAUSING THEMSELVES ISSUES, WHICH, AGAIN, CAUSES MORE TURNOVER IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO KEEP UP AND MAINTAIN YOUR MARKET PRESENCE.
YEAH, AND A HIRING FREEZE IS A SLOW HIRING.
YEAH, THEY DO HIRING FREEZES JUST TO.
SOLVE SHORTFALL REVENUE PROBLEMS THAT THEY KNOW THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF.
IT DOESN'T PROVIDE A LONG-TERM FIX TO, YOU KNOW, ONGOING COST.
AND, JOHN, BEFORE YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE FIRST BULLET THERE BECAUSE, AS JOHN AND I WERE TALKING A FEW WEEKS BACK ABOUT THIS, IT SEEMS KIND OF COUNTERINTUITIVE, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SHARE THE CONTEXT BECAUSE, HISTORICALLY, WE SHARED THAT NON-DISCRETIONARIES ARE THE MEANS TO MAINTAIN SERVICE LEVEL, AND THE DECISION PACKAGES ULTIMATELY DEMONSTRATE A SERVICE LEVEL INCREASE.
THE CHALLENGE IS BECAUSE IF YOU GO YEARS WITHOUT ADDING PERSONNEL, IT STARTS TO KIND OF BITE YOU, AND THAT'S THE POINT THAT WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU TAKE OUR PERSONNEL REQUEST, I CAN TELL YOU I'VE REVIEWED THE BUDGETS OF I THINK EVERY DEPARTMENT EXCEPT PUBLIC WORKS.
I THINK I HAVE THEM THIS WEEK.
THE PERSONNEL REQUESTS IN PARTICULAR ARE THINGS THAT THEY NEED.
THESE AREN'T, HEY, IT'LL BE COOL IF.
THIS IS US TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH DATA AND SERVICE LEVELS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND SO I THINK ULTIMATELY THESE ARE THESE ARE POSITIONS WE'RE ULTIMATELY GOING TO HAVE TO FILL.
AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY IN THE BUDGET PROCESS I TOLD THE DIRECTORS, DON'T SIT ON STUFF THAT YOU NEED.
WE STILL NEED TO ASSESS WHAT YOU NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND THESE DIRECTORS ARE PUTTING THIS TOGETHER KNOWING WE'RE NOT GOING TO FUND THEM THIS YEAR.
AND THAT'S BEEN KIND OF THE RUNNING JOKE.
BUT IT'S ON SOME LEVELS, IT'S A LITTLE HEARTBREAKING THAT YOU GET SOME OF THESE GROUPS IN FRONT OF THEM.
AND YOU KNOW IN YOUR CORE THEY...
DESPERATELY NEED THIS POSITION, BUT YOU KNOW IT'S JUST NOT A MEANS TO DO IT.
SO I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE FACT THAT THOSE DECISION PACKAGES ARE ULTIMATELY, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WHEN WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE TO ENTERTAIN A BAITER, THAT'S THE POINT WHERE WE WILL LOOK AT THESE PERSONNEL REQUESTS IN TOTALITY AND FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO PACKAGE THEM TO MOVE FORWARD POTENTIALLY TO THE VOTERS.
BUT I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY COMMEND OUR DIRECTORS IN THIS ORGANIZATION.
THEY WORK VERY HARD AND PUT TOGETHER VERY SENSIBLE DECISION PACKAGES.
AND WHEN YOU GET YOUR BUDGET, YOU'LL SEE THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND WHY THE HECK ARE WE DOING THIS? WHY ARE WE ENTERTAINING THIS? YOU'RE GOING TO SEE, MAN, WE REALLY NEED TO BE DOING THIS.
WHEN YOU GO THROUGH A TOUGH BUDGET CYCLE LIKE THAT, KNOWING THAT YOU'VE GOT A TEAM THAT UNDERSTANDS THE ASSIGNMENT IS, IS DUTIFULLY JUST TRYING TO GET THROUGH A TOUGH BUDGET SITUATION, MAKES YOUR JOB A LITTLE BIT EASIER, STILL HARD.
JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE FACT THAT THOSE DECISION PACKAGES AND THE NEEDS DON'T GO AWAY JUST BECAUSE OF OUR FINANCIAL SITUATIONS.
AND PART OF IT, TOO, AND WHAT I'VE TOLD THE GROUP IS THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE'RE HERE.
IT'S WHY WE'RE HERE AS A STAFF.
IT'S WHY YOU'RE HERE AS A COUNCIL.
AND WE WILL FIGURE IT OUT, AND WE'LL FIGURE OUT THE BEST APPROACH FOR FLOWER MOUND FOR SURE.
BUT JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE FACT THAT THOSE PERSONNEL NEEDS ARE NOT NICE TO HAVE OR SURE.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT THEY ULTIMATELY WILL NEED.
SO I WANTED TO GO OVER SOME SPECIFIC SERVICE LEVEL DECREASES THAT WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING AND KIND OF HIGHLIGHT WHAT THOSE ARE.
SO SPECIFICALLY IN FIRE AND EMS, FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES WILL REDUCE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND TRAINING COSTS TO REDIRECT RESOURCES TO ESSENTIAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE OPERATIONS.
SO THEY'RE DOING SOME SHUFFLING INTERNALLY.
THEY'RE CUTTING SOME OF THEIR COMMUNITY EVENTS.
THEY'RE PULLING BACK BUDGET IN CERTAIN PLACES TO BE ABLE TO.
WHO REASSESS AND PUT MONEY DIRECTLY BACK TOWARDS FRONTLINE SERVICES.
SO THIS IS A CHANGE THAT WE'VE KIND OF MADE THIS MID-YEAR HERE TO RESHIFT AND REALLOCATE SOME THINGS.
FOR POLICE, POLICE OFFICERS WILL INCREASINGLY PERFORM ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS AND JAIL-RELATED DUTIES INSTEAD OF BEING OUT IN THE STREETS.
THEY ARE ALSO DROPPING SOME PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EVENTS DUE
[01:40:01]
TO STAFF SHIFTING TO RECRUITMENT.SO WE WERE UNABLE TO FUND THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT OFFICER THIS LAST YEAR.
WE PULLED AN OFFICER FROM THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT AREA AND PUT HIM ON RECRUITING BECAUSE IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO KEEP THOSE POSITIONS FILLED THAN IT IS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE PUBLIC EVENTS.
AS FAR AS ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS, POLICE IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE HEAVILY JOB.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT GET PUSHED TO OTHER AREAS, AND SO THEY NEED ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TO BE ABLE TO HELP KEEP THOSE.
ONE OF THE REQUESTS YOU'LL SEE IS FOR MORE FOR SUPERVISORS SPECIFICALLY IN THE JAIL BECAUSE THOSE TASKS ARE BEING DONE.
BY ANOTHER SUPERVISOR IN ANOTHER AREA BEING PULLED OVER SPECIFICALLY FROM PATROL.
ON OUR PARK SIDE, TREE TRIMMING WILL BE REACTIVE, NOT PROACTIVE.
NOT ALL PARKS AND PUBLIC AREAS CAN BE TOUCHED.
SO THAT MEANS THAT WHEN A TREE GOES DOWN, THOSE ARE THE PRIORITIES THAT DAY.
HEY, IT IS NOT, LET'S GO TRIM ALL THE TREES AT THIS PARK OR LET'S GO TRIM THE TREES AT THIS PARK AND MAKE SURE WE ROTATE THROUGH ALL OF THEM.
WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE ON OUR TREE CREW TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL OF OUR PARKS AND TO WORK IT THROUGH A FULL ROTATION.
THIS ALSO MEANS THAT YOUNGER TREES ARE NOT TRIMMED AS WELL AND WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE THOSE THINGS AT THE MOST URGENT AT THE TIME.
AND I HOPE WE HAVE NO MORE ICE STORMS. WE'RE LOOKING AT MORE OF THE NO GROWTH, NO GROW ZONES, RIGHT? ARE WE LOOKING AT MORE OF THAT? BECAUSE WE'VE MENTIONED THAT BEFORE.
BUT WITH THESE TWO ITEMS IN PARTICULAR AND THESE FIRST TWO BULLETS, WHAT WE NEED ARE CREWS.
NOT A PERSON WE NEED ADDITIONAL CREWS WE NEED ADDITIONAL TREE CREW WE NEED ADDITIONAL IRRIGATION CREW TO KEEP UP WITH EVERYTHING AND THOSE PACKAGES ARE SO LARGE IF YOU DON'T DO THEM THIS IS THE RESULT OF THAT SO CERTAINLY A RESPONSE AND WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT AND WE ARE EXPLORING AN IDEA OF YOU KNOW IDENTIFY AREAS WHERE WILDFLOWERS CAN GO IT COULD HELP THIS BUT IT CAN'T MITIGATE IT NO NO I KNOW AND SO YEAH THAT'S PART OF IT AND AGAIN, ONCE YOU GET YOUR BUDGETS IN JULY, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IN THOSE DECISION PACKAGES, THESE ARE CREWS THAT WE NEED THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD RIGHT NOW.
ARE THESE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY IMPLEMENTED AS A STAFF, OR IS THIS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET? THESE ARE THINGS THAT WILL BE MADE WORSE.
SO SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE ALREADY HAPPENING.
WE DO NOT HAVE A LARGE ENOUGH TREE CREW TO BE ABLE TO HIT EVERY TREE, LIKE THROUGH ALL OF OUR PARKS AND ALL OF OUR OPEN SPACES.
WE JUST ARE NOT THERE ANYMORE.
WE'VE GROWN TO A POINT WHERE WE CANNOT MAINTAIN ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
SO IN ESSENCE, WE'VE STARTED TO REDUCE OUR SERVICE LEVELS AT THIS POINT? YES.
IRRIGATION SYSTEMS IN SELECT AREAS WILL REMAIN OFFLINE, AND THAT'S WHY IT SAID WE'LL REMAIN OFFLINE, DUE TO LIMITED IRRIGATION CREWS' CAPACITY TO ACTIVATE THEM WITHOUT LEAKS.
SO THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO IS GO THROW ON YOUR IRRIGATION SYSTEM AND THEN HAVE WATER GUYS RINGING UP OUT THERE AND WASTING A BUNCH OF WATER IN PUBLIC FUNDS NOT CATCHING THAT.
SO WE'RE STRATEGIC ABOUT WHERE WE TURN IT ON.
WE MAKE SURE THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT AREAS GET DONE, BUT WE CANNOT GUARANTEE WE CAN GET ALL OF THOSE ON BEFORE THE END OF THE SEASON.
LIMIT AVAILABILITY OF STAFF TO OVERSEE MOWING CONTRACTS.
SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ONES WHERE IN AN EFFORT TO, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY GO AND CONTRACT OUT MOWING CONTRACTS AND EVERYTHING, WE'RE REACHING THE POINT WHERE WE'RE GETTING INTO THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN CONTRACTS.
AND SO THE MANAGEMENT OF LARGE CONTRACTS LIKE THAT REALLY DOES NEED MORE OVERSIGHT.
AND SO THE ABILITY OF STAFF TO BASICALLY GO DOUBLE CHECK THAT ALL OF THOSE WERE DONE TO RESPOND TO ALL OF THOSE COMPLAINTS TO GO VALIDATE EVERY SINGLE PIECE THAT WAS DONE, AND THEY'RE GETTING STRETCHED THINNER AND THINNER DUE TO THIS COUPLE OF THOSE CONTRACTS.
AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS, ONE OF THE THINGS THEY WERE ASKING FOR LAST YEAR THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO FUND.
AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT TO OR WE DIDN'T DEVELOP RESOURCES TO IT OR WE DIDN'T THINK IT WAS NOT IMPORTANT.
IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE MADE A CONCEDED EFFORT TO NOT PUT MORE PRESSURE ON PROPERTY TAXES OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND WE ABSORB WHAT COST WE CAN.
WE'RE JUST NOW AT A POINT WHERE IT'S STARTING TO AFFECT OUR SERVICE.
MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WE BUILD THIS BUDGET WITH YOUR HELP.
THE REASON WHY I'M OUT IN FRONT OF YOU SO MUCH EARLIER THAN PAST YEARS IS BECAUSE THIS IS A CHANGE.
AND YOU HAD A LOT OF PRESSURES PUT ON YOU THAT WERE NOT YOUR FAULT.
YOU'VE DONE EVERYTHING YOU POSSIBLY CAN TO BASICALLY MANAGE THE FINANCES OF THE TOWN IN THE MOST APPROPRIATE MANNER TO ALLOCATE RESOURCES TO THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT.
THERE'S NOT FRIVOLOUS PET PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING DOWN.
WE'RE NOT SPENDING MONEY ON WASTEFUL THINGS.
IT IS JUST THE REALITY THAT WE'RE IN, THE REALITY THAT YOU FACE WHEN YOU GO BUY GROCERIES OR WHEN YOU'RE PURCHASING A HOUSE RIGHT NOW OR YOU'RE PAYING ANY OF YOUR OTHER BILLS.
YOU HAVE TO BE STRATEGIC ABOUT HOW YOU ALLOCATE THOSE RESOURCES.
ABSORB WHAT YOU CAN AND SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO GO UP IN WHAT YOU PAY.
AND SO THIS IS A RESET BECAUSE WE'RE IN NEW TIMES.
AND SO I WANTED TO BE VERY CLEAR.
WE DIDN'T ARGUE FOR A VADER THIS YEAR, SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE IT'S GOING ON A MIDTERM TERM.
AND MORE THAN THAT, WE BELIEVE WE CAN MAKE IT ONE MORE YEAR BEFORE THIS BECOMES CRITICAL.
AND SO LIKELY ANYTHING THAT WE DON'T FUND THIS YEAR MAY END UP ON THE VOTER-APPROVED TAX RATE ELECTION IF WE CHOOSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
THIS WILL BE DIFFERENT THAN A LOT OF OTHER PLACES BECAUSE MOST OF THE TIME WHEN PEOPLE DO VOTER-APPROVED TAX RATE ELECTIONS, THEY GO OUT AND SELL NEW SERVICES.
THEY PUT ON BIG BUY LISTS, THEY THROW ON VERY FANCY THINGS, AND THEY THROW ON THINGS TO GO SELL YOU BECAUSE THOSE THINGS,
[01:45:01]
NEW THINGS IN PARTICULAR, SEEM A LOT SEXIER IN A SALES PITCH THAN, YOU KNOW, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN YOUR TREES MORE.WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.
WHEN I WAS SPECIFICALLY SPEAKING WITH THE CITY MANAGER WHO HAD DONE THREE VEDA-APPROVED TAX RATE ELECTIONS, HE'D SAY HE WENT OUT OF HIS WAY TO NOT BASICALLY SAY WE'RE DOING THIS TO MAINTAIN SERVICES BECAUSE THAT WAS NOT AN EASY THING TO SELL.
SO WE'VE BEEN REALLY STRATEGIC.
WE'VE MADE SURE WE ABSORB AS MUCH COST AS WE CAN.
AND WE ARE NOW AT THE POINT, BECAUSE WE DO RUN FISCALLY LEAN, THAT WE WILL NEED TO MAKE SOME DIFFERENT DECISIONS AND POTENTIALLY BRING THINGS TO OUR VOTERS IN A FEW YEARS.
MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I WELCOME ANY FEEDBACK.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR WANT TO GO INTO ANY DEPTH ON ANYTHING, AS JAMES SAID, THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER A LOT OF THOSE ITEMS THAT WE'RE REQUESTING IN THE BUDGET SO THAT YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS, TO REVIEW, TO LOOK OVER.
TO UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS ASSOCIATED.
WE SPENT THE FIRST PART OF THIS YEAR TALKING TO YOU ABOUT THE COST OF SERVICE, THE VALUE OF THE SERVICE WE PROVIDE, AND SPECIFICALLY THE REVENUES THAT GO TO SUPPORT THAT.
THAT WAS ALL IN PREPARATION FOR HERE SO THAT WE COULD MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS ARE AS WELL INFORMED TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS AS POSSIBLE COME AUGUST.
I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD PRESENTATION OVERALL.
DO YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY? YEAH.
YEAH, JUST THE, I THINK I ONLY HAVE ONE.
AS WE'RE PREPARING LONG-TERM, WE'RE SLOWLY PHASING DOWN TERS 1, BUT JUST UNDERSTANDING THE LONG-TERM IMPACTS OF THAT AND HOW THAT WILL HELP US ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE BURDEN, BUT JUST SOMETHING THERE.
I MISSED THE FIRST PART OF WHAT YOU WERE SAYING.
SO FOR TERS 1, WE'RE SLOWLY PHASING THAT DOWN.
I GUESS JUST HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT MEANS TO THE OVERALL GENERAL FUND AND WHAT PERCENTAGE IT IS.
SO THE TERS FUND REPRESENTS AROUND $5 MILLION IN REVENUE, SPECIFICALLY IN PROPERTY TAXES, EVERY YEAR.
SO THAT REVENUE IN THE TERS CAN GO FOR ANYTHING THAT THE TERS WANTED TO BUDGET FOR.
IF THE TERS DID NOT EXIST, THOSE FUNDS COULD BE DIVERTED BACK TO OPERATIONS.
NOW, AGAIN, IT'S A ONE-TIME HIT, SO THOSE $5 BILLION WOULD COME OVER TO THE GENERAL FUND, AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT MUCH AT LEAST IN REQUEST.
WHILE THAT MIGHT DO SOME THINGS, IF WE DID MOVE FORWARD WITH A PLAN EVER TO MIGRATE THOSE THINGS BACK OVER TO THE GENERAL FUNDS SO THAT WE COULD SAVE OFF THIS DECISION, I WOULD TRY TO PACE OUT OVER SEVERAL YEARS.
AND THEN I'D BE VERY STRATEGIC WITH THE USE OF FUND BALANCE IN THE TERS, SPECIFICALLY TOWARDS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
YOU TALKED ABOUT OUR MOVE TO INCREASE SOME OF THE FEES.
WE WERE REVIEWING SOME OF THE FEES.
ARE WE GOING TO BE GETTING THAT COMING UP? YES.
SO WE'VE MADE IT A PART OF OUR BUDGET PROCESS THIS YEAR.
SO WE COULD HAVE RUN FORWARD WITH IT VERY, VERY EARLY AND TRY TO GET IT IN AT MID-YEAR, BUT WE MADE THE DECISION THAT DISCUSSING THE COST OF SERVICE FOR BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR, WE MAKE SURE THAT THE INCREASES AND CHANGES THAT WE'RE DOING THERE ARE IN LINE WITH US.
AND SO WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE BOTH OF THOSE DECISIONS TOGETHER.
AND SO AS PART OF THIS BUDGET PROCESS, WE WILL BRING YOU ALL OF THE FEE SCHEDULE ALL AT ONCE TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THAT AND SO THAT YOU'LL HAVE A DECISION ON THOSE.
AND THE THING THAT I'LL ADD ON THAT ONE, HISTORICALLY IN FLOWER MOUND, WE'VE GONE DECADES WITHOUT LOOKING AT A LOT OF OUR FEES.
AND MOST OF THE MUNICIPALITIES THAT I'VE BEEN IN, EVERY YEAR DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS, THE COUNCIL APPROVES A NEW FEE SCHEDULE, IF YOU WILL.
AND GIVEN OUR CLIMATE, THAT'S PROBABLY A RHYTHM THAT WE'LL START PICKING UP ORGANIZATIONALLY WHERE WE LOOK AT OUR FEES EVERY YEAR AND SEE IF THEY NEED TO BE ADJUSTED MOVING FORWARD.
AND SO ALONG THOSE LINES, FOR THESE NEXT FEW WORK SESSIONS WHERE WE TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET, YOU KNOW PRETTY CLEAR FROM TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION THAT WE HAVE STARTED TO REDUCE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE IN SOME AREAS.
AGAIN, A CRITICAL REDUCTION, BUT STILL A REDUCTION.
AND SOME OF THOSE, I THINK, WILL BE NOTICED AND FELT BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND OVER THE NEXT FEW WORK SESSIONS AS WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS THE BUDGET IS, ARE THERE ANY OTHER REDUCTION OF LEVELS OF SERVICE THAT WE ANTICIPATE FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET? AND THEN ALSO, SO, IF NOT A REDUCTION...
A LEVEL OF SERVICE, ARE THERE OTHER, WHAT OTHER COST-SAVING MECHANISMS HAVE BEEN EVALUATED, WHETHER IT'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHETHER IT'S LEVEL OF SERVICE, WHETHER IT'S CAPITAL PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, WHAT ALL, WHAT ALL THAT SAUSAGE MAKING BEEN TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, JUST SO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF UNDERSTANDING.
UM OF YOU KNOW I COMPLETELY AGREE THAT WE'VE BEEN TIGHTENING OUR BELT I COMPLETELY AGREE THAT OUR STAFF UM FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM DOES A PHENOMENAL JOB OF BEING GOOD UH STEWARDS OF THE TAXPAYER DOLLAR BUT I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT BEHIND THE SCENES OF WHAT'S BEEN DONE SO WE UNDERSTAND WHAT'S LED US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY FOR THE PRESENTED BUDGET DEFINITION AND IF I COULD JUST...
PIGGYBACK ON THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT.
[01:50:01]
TO KNOW IS THAT THE VADER PROCESS IS NOT FAIT ACCOMPLI.AND SO YOU'RE STILL BUILDING TWO BUDGETS.
SO IN ESSENCE, IF WE KEEP ON THE PATTERN THAT WE BELIEVE THAT WE'RE ON AND WE LOOK TO SET A VADER ELECTION IN NOVEMBER OF 2027, YOU AND I'M LOOKING AT MEG, SHE CAN CORRECT ME, SHE'S THE GURU ON THIS, BUT YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY, YOU HAVE THAT DOOMSDAY BUDGET, IF YOU WILL, THAT CONTEMPLATES THAT WE DON'T GET THE VADER THAT'S GOING TO BE THERE AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO GO TO THE VOTERS AND SO YOU'RE KIND OF OPERATING OFF THAT TEMPORARY BUDGET UNTIL NOVEMBER UNTIL IT'S PASSED AND YOU HAVE THOSE FUNDS SO IN ESSENCE YOU'LL GET A SENSE OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IF WE DON'T GET THE VADER SO AS WE GO TO THAT PROCESS YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE KIND OF WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T BECAUSE AGAIN WE COULD PUT OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD AND THE VOTERS SAY NO THANK YOU AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO OPERATE OFF THIS BUDGET HERE SO YOU'LL GET A SENSE OF WHAT POTENTIALLY HAPPENS IF WE DON'T GET THAT.
AND THAT'S THE THING THAT I WANT TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT, EVEN WHEN WE ENGAGE THE PUBLIC, YOU'RE MAKING THE DECISION TO GIVE IT TO THE VOTERS.
AND ULTIMATELY, THEY'RE GOING TO BE THE ONES THAT DECIDE WHETHER WE MOVE UP TO WHATEVER PERCENT OVER THREE AND A HALF PERCENT THAT WE LAND ON.
SO LET'S, JOHN, CAN YOU GIVE US SOME DOLLAR AMOUNTS? SO THE AD VALOREM IS 60, 65 MILLION A YEAR, RIGHT? AND THEN THE REVENUE GROWTH FROM THREE AND A HALF I THINK YOU'VE TOLD ME IN THE PAST.
FIXED AMOUNT THAT WE KIND OF KNOW IT'LL BE.
1 TO 7 TO 1.9, DEPENDING ON THE PROPERTY VALUES.
AND THAT'S IF WE ADOPT THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, EVEN IF IT'S A HIGHER RATE THAN THE CURRENT RATE, WHICH WOULD HAPPEN IF THE VADER WERE TO FAIL.
WE WOULD ADOPT THAT RATE, EVEN IF IT'S HIGHER THAN THE CURRENT RATE.
SO HOW MUCH DO WE NEED? WHAT'S THE DELTA BETWEEN WHAT WE NEED AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET IF WE ADOPT THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE? SURE.
ON AVERAGE, MOST YEARS, TO BASICALLY MAINTAIN KIND OF THE ROUGHLY 2% GROWTH THE TOWN HAS, YOU NEED ABOUT ROUGHLY 5 TO 5.5 MILLION.
NOW, IF WE'RE IN A HIGH INFLATIONARY TIME, THAT NUMBER CAN SPIKE TO SEVEN, DEPENDING ON BIG ONE-TIME SWINGS OR CHANGES OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT ANYWHERE BETWEEN FIVE AND SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS IS ROUGHLY SLACK.
AND THEN IF WE'RE BEING REALLY EFFICIENT OR THERE'S ONLY ONE PERCENT NEW GROWTH, THEN MAYBE THAT CAN COME DOWN TO ABOUT THREE MILLION DOLLARS.
BUT JUST ALONE, INFLATION, AND YOU'RE LOOKING ANYWHERE BETWEEN TWO TO THREE MILLION DOLLARS, JUST NDPS, WHICH ARE JUST CONTACT INCREASES OR PRICE INCREASES.
PERSONNEL, IF YOU TRY TO DO MARKETING, AND STAY VERY COMPETITIVE WITH IT, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THREE TO FOUR MILLION DOLLARS.
DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH YOU SAW PUBLIC SAFETY SPECIFICALLY JUMP.
IT'S NOT THEM PUTTING PRESSURE, IT'S JUST VERY COMPETITIVE TO GET A POLICE OFFICER OR FIREFIGHTER.
THOSE ARE THE TWO BIG COMPOUNDING THINGS.
JUST THIS YEAR THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THIS BUDGET, FUEL, PROPERTY INSURANCE, AND THEN WAITING TO HEAR BACK.
BIG SWING CHANGE THAT CAME ON.
BUT YEAH, THERE'S A NUMBER OF LITTLE PIECES LIKE THAT.
BUT ON AVERAGE, BETWEEN 3 AND 7 MILLION EACH YEAR.
IF WE GROW WITH POPULATION, THAT'S ABOUT 7 POSITIONS AND ROUGHLY ESTIMATE ABOUT 120,000 TALL FITS AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN THEM IF THAT'S FRONTLINE PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES.
AND SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A MILLION PEOPLE IF YOU WANT TO KEEP UP WITH STAFFING LEVELS TOO.
SO EVEN THOUGH THAT WE'RE DOING THE GROWTH IN THE WESTERN SIDE OF FLOWER MOUND, WE'RE STILL OFFSETTING THAT GROWTH IN BUSINESSES THAT WE'RE GETTING REVENUE FROM.
WE'RE OFFSETTING THAT WITH ALL THE EXPENSES WE HAVE TO PUT INTO THAT AS WELL.
SO IT JUST DOESN'T BALANCE OUT.
SO 2% OR $2 MILLION A YEAR JUST FROM THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE ON EXISTING PROPERTIES.
BUT WE NEED $3 TO $7 MILLION, AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE SALES TAX GROWTH.
IT WOULD INCLUDE NEW PROPERTIES COMING ONLINE.
AND THAT KIND OF GETS TO THE POINT.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO DO A VADER.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A LOT OF BELT TIGHTENING THAT'S BEEN DONE, BUT I MEAN, TALK TO ANYBODY, ANYWHERE, IN ANY SECTOR, WE'RE ALL GOING THROUGH IT.
I THINK WE'LL HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING A LOT OF SYMPATHY FROM PEOPLE WHO JUST WENT THROUGH ROUNDS OF LAYOFFS LIKE WE HAVE AT THE COMPANY I WORK AT.
BUT I ALSO THINK THAT I'M OPTIMISTIC AS WELL THAT, LIKE THE MAYOR POINTED OUT, THERE'S A LOT OF, IF WE CAN KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD FAR ENOUGH.
YOU KNOW, FLOWER MOUND PROJECTS ARE GOING TO COME ONLINE.
THEY'RE GOING TO GENERATE A LOT OF SALES TAX.
AND THERE'S GOING TO BE NEW PROPERTY COMING ONLINE.
SO WE HAVE THIS DELTA WE HAVE TO CLOSE.
AND ULTIMATELY, THE PROBLEM I HAVE IS THAT WE JUST HAD NOT...
WHAT, SIX WEEKS AGO, TWO MONTHS AGO, A CONSULTANT IN HERE AND SHOWED US A $75 MILLION ART CENTER THAT'S BEING PAID FOR BY TERS THAT IS CONSUMING OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS $50 MILLION OF OUR OWN AD VALOREM TAX, NOT INCLUDING THE COUNTY SHARE.
AND THAT TERS 1 REVENUE COULD CLOSE THIS SHORTFALL AND THEN SOME.
SO I CAN'T RECONCILE GOING FORWARD WITH AN ART CENTER AND THEN TURNING AROUND.
AND IF WE CAN DO THE, I WOULD LIKE TO DO THE ARTS CENTER, AND THEN TIGHTEN THE BELT EVEN
[01:55:01]
FURTHER, HOPEFULLY DON'T SEVER OUR TORSO FROM OUR BODY, BUT HANG IN THERE UNTIL WEST FLOWER MOUND COMES ONLINE, AND THAT MAKES UP THIS DELTA.OR WE DON'T DO THE ARTS CENTER, AND THEN THERE IS NO PROBLEM.
THE ONLY THIRD SCENARIO THAT I SEE THAT I WOULD BE COMFORTABLE WITH IS TO BUNDLE THE ARTS CENTER AND THE VADER TOGETHER WITH ONE ITEM.
YOU'RE GOING TO GET YOUR TAXES ARE GOING TO BE INCREASED, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO GET AN ART CENTER OUT OF THE DEAL BECAUSE THEN TURS 1 IS EXTENDED.
TO ME, THAT'S THE ONLY PATH FORWARD.
I COULDN'T GO TO AUSTIN AND LOOK THOSE LEGISLATORS IN THE EYE BECAUSE I SAW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE AUSTIN REPRESENTATIVE.
AND WE SAY, OH, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY.
THIS 3.5% IS NOT GETTING THE JOB DONE.
AND THEY SAY, YOU JUST APPROVED A $75 MILLION ART CENTER.
AND HONESTLY, I WOULD BE EMBARRASSED TO BE DOWN THERE.
SO THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THREE PATHS I SEE.
SCENARIO ONE, WE DO THE ART CENTER.
WE HANG IN THERE BY THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH UNTIL MONARCH COMES ONLINE AND SOME OF THE OTHER PROPERTIES.
THAT'S WHAT I'M HOPEFUL THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH MAGIC LEFT UNDER YOUR HAT TO FIND THAT SCENARIO AND MAKE IT WORK FOR US.
MAYBE RAY IS THE ONE WHO NEEDS TO FIND THE MAGIC.
SO ANYWAY, THAT'S MY FEEDBACK.
IT'S NOT GREAT, BUT I THINK THAT'S THE WAY IT HAS TO GO.
I WILL TELL YOU, SALES TAX GROWTH IN PARTICULAR IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE.
HEAVILY FOCUSED IN ON THESE PAST FEW YEARS.
YOU KNOW, IN THESE OTHER SESSIONS, EVERY TIME THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT AND REALLY, REALLY FACTORED INTO THE LONG-TERM SUCCESS OF THE TOWN.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE INCENTIVIZING.
WE ARE TRYING TO GET AS FAR AWAY FROM DOING ANYTHING TO BASICALLY HIT OUR SALES TAX DOLLARS BECAUSE IT IS PROVIDING THAT RELIEF VALVE TO GIVE CONTEXT.
YOUR PROPERTY TAX RATE WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE GONE UP FIVE TO TEN CENTS IF YOU WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN DOING WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH SALES TAX.
YOU'VE DONE A WHOLE LOT TO MITIGATE THOSE THINGS AND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND AND NOT WANTING TO GO FORWARD.
AGAIN, THIS WILL ULTIMATELY COME TO A DECISION LEVEL ON SERVICES.
AND SO THOSE DECISIONS ARE SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY SPOKEN WITH A LOT ABOUT DURING THIS BUDGET PROCESS.
WE'VE ASKED EACH DEPARTMENT, WHAT THINGS CAN WE STOP DOING? WHAT THINGS DO WE NOT HAVE TO DO? THERE'S VERY, VERY FEW THINGS ON THAT LIST THAT ARE NOT PAINFUL.
AND SO THERE ARE SOME DECISIONS WE WILL TALK ABOUT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.
IF WE GO OUT TO EVADE OUR ELECTION, WE WILL BE VERY CLEAR THAT IF WE DON'T PASS THIS, THEN THESE THINGS WILL BE DECREASED.
THESE WILL BE THE SERVICE LEVELS THAT WE'LL EXPERIENCE.
BUT THE LONG-TERM PROBLEM WE'RE FACING IS REALLY BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN IN A RECESSION FOR ALMOST FOUR TO FIVE YEARS, AND WE HAVE NOT SEEN...
SANDS, PLACES THAT HAVE SUBSTANTIVE GROWTH, AND WE DON'T HAVE THE LAND AREA OR DENSITY OR ANY ABILITY TO EVER DO THIS, THOSE ARE THE ONLY PLACES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN EXPERIENCING SOME OF THESE THINGS.
AND SO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MAKING CORE DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR SERVICE, SIFTING THINGS AWAY AND DOING A BUNCH OF OTHER DIFFERENT THINGS.
LIKE LOUISVILLE WENT HEAVY TO BASICALLY BURST THEIR PROPERTY VALUES AND TO BUMP UP AND TO INCREASE THE DENSITY RETURN ON IT.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE'VE EVER CHOSEN TO DO AND NOT SOMETHING I'D EVEN RECOMMEND.
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT PATHS FORWARD.
AND I REALLY HOPE THAT IN THE LONG RUN, WHEN HE STARTS PICKING UP, HOME SALES PICK UP, THAT WE START SEEING GROWTH IN OUR ECONOMY AGAIN.
THOSE THINGS WOULD HELP US FIND A BETTER GLIDE PATH AND HELP US GET TO A BETTER PLACE.
IT'S JUST THIS YEAR HAS BEEN KIND OF A ROBO-DOPE OF ONE HIT OUT.
I WANT TO BE AS HARD REALISTICALLY SO THAT IF IT IS BETTER THAN THAT, THEN WE CAN PULL UP A LITTLE BIT.
CAN YOU MAKE SURE YOU SHOW US IN THE NEXT ROUNDS THE SCENARIO WITH TERS-1 STILL CONSUMING ITS...
SHARE AND WITHOUT TERS 1, IF WE WERE TO EXPIRE TERS 1, WHAT THAT WOULD DO TO ALL OF THESE PROJECTIONS.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT SIDE BY SIDE.
LET ME ASK YOU, YOU SAID WE HAVE A 3% VACANCY RATE ON BUSINESSES.
SO WHAT IS THE TYPICAL VACANCY RATE IN MAYBE SOME OF OUR SURROUNDING TOWNS? DO YOU KNOW? WHAT'S THE TYPICAL VACANCY RATE FOR MOST COMMUNITIES? HERE IS 3% FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES.
YOU DON'T HAVE THAT ON THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD.
BUT, NO, OUR VACANCY RATE IN RETAIL HAS STAYED IN THAT 3% TO 4% THE ENTIRE FIVE YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE.
I'M GUESSING THAT'S FAIRLY TYPICAL.
YOU CAN'T HAVE A 100% VACANCY RATE, I'M SURE.
I MEAN, WE CONSIDER ANYTHING AT 5% UNDER AS 100%.
BUT, YEAH, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, LIKE LOUISVILLE.
HAS THE SITUATION THAT'S GOING ON 3040 AND 35 WHERE YOU HAVE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF VACANCY.
BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE AN AREA LIKE THAT THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY
[02:00:02]
IMPROVE.OURS IS ONLY GOING TO BE NEW AREAS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON ON THE WEST SIDE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK I MENTIONED IT AT THE LAST MEETING.
WE'RE AT 20% SALES TAX REVENUE.
NOW, WE COULD POTENTIALLY INCREASE THAT, BUT THAT'S NOT UNTIL THE WEST SIDE GETS DEVELOPED MORE.
AND SO THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A COUPLE MORE YEARS.
AND WE DO HAVE SOME THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON ON THE EAST SIDE THAT HAVE SIGNIFICANT SALES TAX OPPORTUNITIES, BUT THOSE ALSO ARE 18 TO 26 MONTHS OUT.
GOOGLE SAYS 92% TO 95% OCCUPANCY RATE, SO WE'RE ABOVE.
YEAH, SO WE'RE AHEAD OF THEM, BUT THEY'VE ALSO GOT...
A LOT MORE INTERSTATE FUNDING.
WELL, THAT'S JUST OVERALL, SO WE'RE DOING BETTER.
AND, MAYOR, IF I COULD JUST GO BACK AND REVISIT THE STATEMENTS FROM OUR MAYOR PRO TEM, AND HE AND I HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION MULTIPLE TIMES.
I UNDERSTAND WHERE HE STANDS ON THIS AND RESPECT IT.
I THINK THAT IN A LOT OF CASES WHAT THIS IS GOING TO BOIL DOWN TO IS THAT THERE'S NO WRONG DECISION.
AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS PREPARE THE COMMUNITY FOR THE IMPACTS IF WE MAKE CERTAIN DECISIONS TO, YOU KNOW, TRY TO WORK WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MEANS.
THERE'S JUST GOING TO BE A SERVICE LEVEL IMPACT.
THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS I WANT TO POINT OUT REAL QUICK.
ONE IS THAT JOHN ALLUDED TO IT IS THAT IF WE WERE TO GO AND LOOK AT THE ROUGHLY $2 BILLION OF TAXABLE VALUE THAT'S IN THE TERS RIGHT NOW AND BRING IT OVER TO THE GENERAL FUND.
THAT GIVES US ABOUT $5 MILLION, AND THAT CAN CHECK A LOT OF THE BOXES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW.
BUT GUESS WHAT? IN TWO YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO BE IN THE SAME SITUATION.
THAT'S THE THING I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE IS THAT IT'S INEVITABLE AT SOME POINT YOU'RE GOING TO BE RIGHT BACK AT THIS SPOT.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE, AND I BELIEVE THIS IS GOING TO BE PART OF MEG'S PRESENTATION HERE ON THE 11TH, IS JUST THE FACT THAT WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THE DEPARTMENT'S FIVE-YEAR STAFFING PLAN, YOU GET TO AROUND 29 OR 30.
THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME HUGE PERSONNEL REQUESTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
AND THAT'S THE THING WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF BEFORE WE GET TOO EXCITED ABOUT STUFF COMING ON OUT WEST.
WHEN THAT STUFF COMES ON OUT WEST, IT'S GOING TO TRIGGER.
THE BIGGEST DRIVER IS GOING TO BE OUR BELOVED CHIEF HENLEY BACK THERE.
WE'VE GOT TO BUILD A NEW STATION.
WE CAN'T TAKE THAT BITE OFF IN ONE YEAR, SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT PLANS TO SLOWLY ONBOARD PEOPLE TO BE READY ONCE.
STATION 8 OPENS UP, AND THEN ADDITIONALLY FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADD ADDITIONAL BEAT, AND I'M NOT MISTAKEN, IT'S AROUND FIVE OFFICERS.
SO THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME, AND WE'LL WALK YOU THROUGH THAT.
THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME BIG PERSONNEL ASK AT THAT TIME, SO I'M JUST REMINDED, LET'S NOT MAKE THE MISTAKE OF THINGS STATICALLY AS WE LOOK AT THESE THINGS COMING ON.
THERE'S GOING TO BE WITH THAT GROWTH SOME SERVICE LEVELS THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO ACTIVATE IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THOSE THINGS, TOO.
AND SO WE'LL WALK YOU THROUGH THAT, TOO.
THE THING THAT I WANT TO STRESS HERE, WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, I WAS THINKING OF A WAY TO END A PRESENTATION LIKE THIS.
I MEAN, THERE'S REALLY NOTHING POSITIVE YOU CAN WALK AWAY WITH THIS FEELING SUPER GOOD.
IT'S JUST A REALITY IN WHICH WE ARE.
AND WHERE WE'RE AT IS THAT WE'LL TAKE THIS FEEDBACK.
WE'LL CERTAINLY TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS IF THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
CERTAINLY, IT'S GOING TO BE COMPLETELY IN Y'ALL'S PURVIEW OF HOW YOU WANT TO APPROACH THE ART CENTER.
THE ARGUMENT THAT I MAKE ON THIS IS THAT THEY'RE.
SOMEWHAT RELATED, BUT THEY'RE COMPLETELY SEPARATE IN THE SENSE THAT YOU HAVE OPERATING BUDGETS ON THE M&O SIDE.
YOU HAVE THE ARTS CENTER, WHICH IS SEQUESTERED IN THE TURS AS OF RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN THE OTHER BIG LIFT THAT'S GOING TO BE COMING UP IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO IS THAT WE NEED TO BUILD A NEW POLICE HEADQUARTERS.
THAT'LL BE ON OUR INS SIDE OF THE TAX RATE.
AND SO WITH ALL THOSE THINGS, THEY'RE SEPARATE, BUT THEY'RE SOMEWHAT INTERRELATED.
SO I GET COMPLETELY FROM A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FINANCES OF THE TOWN, HOW THOSE THINGS ARE SOMEWHAT INTERRELATED.
TECHNICALLY, WE'RE KEEPING THEM SEPARATE BECAUSE THEY DEAL WITH DIFFERENT POTS, BUT I HEAR THE DIRECTION ON THAT, AND WE'LL CERTAINLY PUT THAT TOGETHER.
BUT I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT I'M EXCITED JUST ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE.
MONARCH AND FIRST RANCH AND BROOKVIEW AND ALL THOSE THINGS COMING ONLINE, THEY WILL HELP.
BUT A LOT OF THAT IS GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO THE OPERATIONAL PIECE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO PROVIDE SERVICES OUT THERE.
AND AGAIN, WE HAVE TO DO SOME FURTHER ANALYSIS AT A CERTAIN POINT.
THE TERS, TOO, WILL GET TO A POINT WHERE IT MIGHT BE ABLE TO COVER SOME OF THOSE EXPENSES, TOO.
BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE WE'VE GOT TO PUT IN THE GROUND FIRST.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO MANAGE ALL THOSE THINGS TOGETHER. BUT I JUST WANT TO DO A REMINDER. AND I THINK IN MEG'S PRESENTATION, YOU'LL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF SEE THAT HORIZON.
YOU SAW A COMMON THREAD. EVERY DEPARTMENT AROUND FY 29 OR 30
[02:05:01]
IS NEEDING ADDITIONAL PEOPLE. A LOT OF IT'S CONTEMPLATED NOW.IF FOR WHATEVER REASON THINGS AREN'T MOVING FAST OVER THERE, THAT HOLDS IT OFF.
BUT WE KNOW WHAT THE INVERSE OF THAT IS. IF THINGS AREN'T MOVING FAST, WE'RE NOT SEEING NEW SALES TAX.
WE'RE NOT SEEING NEW PROPERTY TAX BASE GROWTH. SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT CLOSELY. BUT JUST UNDERSTAND AS THAT PROGRESSES, THAT PERSONNEL NEED IS GOING TO GO UP TOO, ESPECIALLY ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY SIDE. I KNOW YOU DO IT EVERY TIME, BUT BENCHMARKING OFF OF OTHER TOWNS AND THEN ALSO MAYBE EVEN REACHING OUT TO THOSE OHIOAN VILLAGE TO SEE WHERE THEY'RE ENDING UP FOR NEXT YEAR. ABSOLUTELY.
YEAH, WE'LL KEEP REACHING OUT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE BROUGHT BEFORE YOU BEFORE IS KIND OF AN AVERAGE PROPERTY TAX BILL COMPARISON TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND LIKE WHY SOME PROPERTY TAX BILLS MAY BE LOWER OR HIGHER OR IN THINGS LIKE THAT. IT GETS REALLY HARD JUST BECAUSE OF RATES, HOME VALUES, TAXABLE VALUES, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, EXEMPTIONS, AND ALL OF THAT FACTORS INTO IT.
BUT YES, WE DO HEAVILY LOOK AT WHAT THE OTHER CITIES ARE DOING AND WHERE THEY'RE DOING IT. SO I WILL SAY THEY'RE TRENDING A LITTLE BIT MORE UPWARD ON SALES TAX REVENUE RIGHT NOW THAN WE ARE. AND SO THEY'RE NOT FEELING NEARLY THE PINCH. AGAIN A LOT OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT THEY HAVE, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE RESILIENT.
AND IN TERMS OF RESILIENCE, IT'S NOT THE RIGHT WORD, OR IT'S INELASTIC, MEANING THAT BASICALLY AS OUR ECONOMY WAVERS, THEIR SALES ISN'T GOING TO GO UP. A LOT OF THEIR PEOPLE HAVE LESS DISCRETIONARY INCOME, MEANING THEY'RE STILL GOING TO SPEND IT BECAUSE THEY STILL NEED FOOD ON THE TABLE. SO BECAUSE OF THAT, THEIR SALES TAX DOESN'T WAVER AS MUCH DURING ECONOMIC TIMES, WHEREAS MORE AFFLUENT COMMUNITY LIKE US, PEOPLE MAKE SPENDING DECISIONS.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M NOT GOING TO GET A STARBUCKS. IT'S NOT GOING TO GO OUT TO THE WEEKLY FAMILY MEAL. WE HEAR A LOT OF THINGS. AND WE JUST HAVE PEOPLE ARE MAKING LONGER FINANCIAL DECISIONS. WE HAVE TO DO THE SAME THING AS THE TOWN. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THAT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION.
[N. CLOSED MEETING ]
OKAY, SO WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ON OUR ITEM M ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. THE TIME IS NOW 8:07. WE ARE CONVENING INTO A CLOSED MEETING PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 551 INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO SECTIONS 071, 072, 074 AND 087. WE WILL BE BACK IN A FEW MINUTES.OKAY. WE'RE BACK FROM THE CLOSED SESSION. THERE
[O. RECONVENE ]
IS NO... IT IS NOW 828 AND THERE IS NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN AS A RESULT OF THE CLOSED SESSION. SO AT THIS SAME TIME, 828, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. GOOD NIGHT, FLOWER MOUND.