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IT IS 6:00 PM IT IS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21ST.I'M MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR, AND I WANNA WELCOME YOU ALL TO THE WORK SESSION FOR THE DESOTO CITY COUNCIL.
AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA ASK OUR CITY SECRETARY, ALICIA THOMAS, IF SHE WOULD GIVE US A ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER NICOLE RAPHAEL.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDRE BIRD HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER DYNA MARKS HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER CRYSTAL CHISHOLM HERE.
[1. Review of Master Calendar of Events and Special Meetings]
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA.FIRST WE HAVE REVIEW OF MASTER CALENDAR OF EVENTS AND SPECIAL MEETINGS BY CITY MANAGER BRANDON WRIGHT.
ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
FIRST OF ALL, I ALWAYS WANNA WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
UM, AND ALSO TO EVERYONE WHO'S, UH, WATCHING WITH US, UH, THIS EVENING, UM, ON OUR CALENDAR FOR THE UPCOMING, UH, COUPLE OF WEEKS.
FIRST OF ALL, UH, WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE, UH, BE BE OPENING UP AN ICE SKATING RINK HERE AT TOWN CENTER.
UH, SO IT'S JUST NORTH OF THE BUILDING HERE IN THAT PARKING LOT AREA THAT WE'VE CLOSED OFF.
UH, WE, UH, ARE GOING TO OPEN THAT TO THE PUBLIC BEGINNING TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH.
SO LOOK FOR, UH, THAT OPPORTUNITY TO COME DOWN AND TO ICE SKATE AT TOWN CENTER.
THAT'LL BE YOUR FIRST CHANCE TO EVER TO DO THAT.
UM, ALSO ON DECEMBER 4TH, MONDAY, DECEMBER 4TH, THAT'S WHEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR BLOCK PARTY AND CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY.
AGAIN, THERE'LL BE A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON HERE.
WE'LL HAVE LOTS OF GREAT LIGHTS AROUND.
UM, THE ICE SKATING RINK, CHRISTMAS TREE, UH, THE TREE LIGHTING, ALL OF THAT.
UH, SO THAT WE INVITE THE COMMUNITY TO COME DOWN AND PARTICIPATE THAT EVENING WITH US ON, LET'S SEE.
THERE'S A COUPLE OTHER ITEMS. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7TH, UH, AT 6:30 PM WE HAVE OUR MAYOR'S QUARTERLY 360 MEETING.
UH, THAT IS FOR ALL OF OUR, UH, HOAS AND ALSO APARTMENT, UH, MANAGEMENT GROUPS AS WELL, TO COME DOWN AND TO SHARE WITH US, UH, THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN YOUR COMMUNITIES AND SEE HOW IT IS THAT WE CAN HELP, UH, RESPOND TO THAT WITH THE CITY STAFF.
UH, AND THEN ALSO ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6TH, UH, FOR THE CITY COUNCIL, WE HAVE OUR ANNUAL EMPLOYEE AWARDS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE BLUEBONNET ROOMS. UH, THAT STARTS AT 11 O'CLOCK.
AND THAT'S ALWAYS A GREAT EVENT THAT WE HAVE TO CELEBRATE OUR EMPLOYEES AND THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY DO.
UH, AND IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE ITEMS, I CAN GO AHEAD AND TAKE THOSE NOW.
THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER WRIGHT COUNSEL, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE REVIEW OF THE MASTER CALENDAR OF EVENTS AND SPECIAL MEETINGS? YES.
WANTED TO KNOW IF THERE'S ANY UPDATES ON, UM, LIGHTUP DESOTO.
YES, THAT WILL BE ANNOUNCED TONIGHT.
WHEN IS IT THE, UH, THE EVENT ITSELF WILL BE ON? LET'S SEE.
SO WE'RE GONNA RECOGNIZE EVERYONE ON DECEMBER 5TH.
THAT MEANS THAT, UH, FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN LIGHT OF DESOTO, THAT'S SO LIGHT OF DESOTO IS THE ANNUAL PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE WHERE, UH, DECORATE THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOMES, DECORATE THE ENTRYWAY TO YOUR, UH, COMMUNITIES AND THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR GO BY AND THEY WILL, UH, RECOGNIZE THE BEST DECORATED HOUSE, UH, IN THEIR DISTRICTS.
AND THE MAYOR WILL BE LOOKING FOR THE GREAT, UH, FOR THE, THE BEST ENTRYWAY INTO ANY OF THE HOAS.
UH, SO IF YOU WANNA PARTICIPATE IN THAT THIS YEAR, UH, WE WOULD INVITE YOU TO DECORATE AND THEN HAVE IT ON DECEMBER 2ND AND THIRD.
THOSE ARE THE TWO DAYS, UH, THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THE, DURING THE NIGHTTIME HOURS, KEEP YOUR LIGHTS ON.
UH, AND WE'LL ASK THE CITY COUNCIL TO DO IS THEN TO PROVIDE US YOUR, UH, YOUR, THE AWARDS AND, AND THE, THE ADDRESSES WITH THE PHOTOS, PLEASE, FROM EACH OF THE HOUSES THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR AREA.
SEND THAT OVER TO KATHY JONES ON MONDAY, DECEMBER, UH, FOURTH, AND THEN ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5TH.
WE WILL RECOGNIZE THEM DURING OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
SO AGAIN, IF YOU WANTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LIGHT EPISODE OF THIS YEAR, PLEASE DECORATE, UH, YOUR, UH, HOMES AND HAVE THE LIGHTS READY TO GO.
COUNCILOR, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM? YES, COUNCILMEMBER PARKER.
UM, FOR THE PURPOSES OF PLANNING, UM, I DIDN'T ACTUALLY SEE THAT ON THE MASTER CALENDAR.
IS THE LIGHT OF DE SOTO GOING TO BE A YEARLY EVENT? IT HAS BEEN A YEARLY EVENT AS LONG AS WE CAN REMEMBER.
SO AND SO IT IS A YEARLY EVENT.
SO THE REASON THAT I ASK THAT QUESTION IS BECAUSE A YEARLY EVENT WOULD BE BETTER SERVED ON THE CALENDAR SO THAT PEOPLE WILL KNOW AHEAD OF TIME IS THERE GONNA BE A FLYER OR ANY MARKETING THAT GOES OUT.
SO WE, WE'VE, UH, DEVELOPED THOSE MATERIALS.
WE'LL BE PUTTING THEM OUT, UH, I BELIEVE IF THEY'RE NOT OUT TODAY, THEY'LL BE GOING OUT TOMORROW.
UM, BUT WE'LL, UH, WE WILL BE PUTTING THEM OUT AND MAKING SURE EVERYONE IS AWARE.
COUNCIL, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? HEARING NOW?
[2. Review of Regular Agenda items]
WE'LL TAKE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.WE HAVE REVIEW OF REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS BY CITY MANAGER BRANDON RAIN.
IF WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE AGENDA FOR, OOPS, TAKE A LOOK AT THE AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING'S MEETING.
UH, SKIPPING TO THE, UH, THE PRESENTATION SECTION, WE DO HAVE OUR,
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UM, OCTOBER, 2023 FINANCIAL REPORT ON THE AGENDA, UH, FOR THIS EVENING, AS WELL AS DESOTO COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS AWARD, UH, RECOGNITION FOR, FOR THOSE, FOR THOSE AWARDS.ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, I'LL TAKE YOU DOWN TO, UH, TO SECTION TWO.
THERE ARE OTHER ITEMS AND WE'LL BEGIN WITH, UH, SECTION, OR I'M SORRY, NUMBER D THERE.
UH, WE DO HAVE OUR, UM, NOMINATION OF MARK JONES TO SERVE AS THE SUBURBAN CITIES REPRESENTATIVE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE, FOR THE DALLAS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
UH, IF YOU'LL REMEMBER, UH, MR. MARK JONES WAS THE, UH, WAS, UH, WAS SUBMITTED TO BE A CANDIDATE BY THE CITY OF DESOTO, UM, FOR THAT.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO GO AHEAD AND NOMINATE HIM, UH, FOR THE DEC A BOARD.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE THE, A REVISIONIST TO THE GUIDE FOR DESOTO PUBLIC OFFICIALS ON HERE AFTER SEVERAL, UH, MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD, BOTH WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AND ALSO WITH THE AD HOC COMMITTEE THAT WAS FORMED FOR THAT.
UH, ITEM F IS AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH DALLAS COUNTY.
UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE EXCITED TO, UH, BE DOING AGAIN, WHICH IS CONTRIBUTING ONE OF OUR, UM, POLICE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL TO A TASK FORCE IN DALLAS COUNTY THAT, THAT, UH, ESSENTIALLY STUDIES AND, UM, PREVENTS AND WORKS TO PREVENT AUTO THEFTS, UH, WITHIN THE REGION.
UM, BY HAVING THAT, IT TAPS US INTO A LOT OF GREAT RESOURCES, UM, FOR, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE DONE BEFORE.
UH, BUT TO DO STAFFING LEVELS, HAD TO PULL AWAY FROM THAT FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
NOW THAT STAFFING LEVELS ARE, UH, DOING MUCH STRONGER, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT.
AND IT, AGAIN, TAPS US INTO SOME GREAT RESOURCES AT THE COUNTY LEVEL.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, SECTION D, WHICH IS, OR I'M SORRY, NUMBER G UH, WHICH IS THE, UH, UH, IN THE CHAPTER THREE BUILDING REGULATIONS, UH, ADOPTING THE 2021 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE, UH, ON THE, WE HAVE NO PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THIS EVENING.
AND THEN ON OUR REGULAR AGENDA, UH, THE FIRST ITEM IS GREAT NEWS THAT WE HAVE WHERE WE ARE RECEIVING A HUNDRED PERCENT GRANT AWARD FOR THE, UM, FEDERAL HIGHWAY ASSOCIATION'S HIGHWAY BRIDGE REPLACEMENT AND REHABILITATION PROGRAM THAT IS FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF PLEASANT RUN ROAD BRIDGE OVER OVER 10 MILE CREEK.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE A 50 50 COST SHARING AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF LANCASTER FOR REPLACING THE, UH, THE STREETLIGHTS THAT ARE OUT ON I 35 BETWEEN OUR NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN, UH, BOUNDARY THAT IS SHARED THERE WITH LANCASTER ON I 35.
UH, AND THEN THE LAST TWO ITEMS, NUMBER, UH, SO IN SECTION H, NUMBER THREE AND FOUR ARE BOTH RELATED TO THE CRIME CONTROL AND PREVENTION DISTRICT.
UM, AS WE HAD OUR CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT LAST NIGHT, THE FIRST TWO, UH, STEPS IN ORDER TO, UM, TO POTENTIALLY PUT THAT ON THE BALLOT IN MAY IS THE FIRST, UH, CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE PROPOSED IN THE CREATION OF THE CRIME CONTROL AND PREVENTION PREVENTION DISTRICT.
AND THE SECOND PART IS THE RESOLUTION THAT WOULD APPOINT THE CITY COUNCIL AS THE TEMPORARY BOARD, UH, FOR THE, THE REVIEW AND STUDY OF THE CRIME CONTROL PLAN AND THE BUDGET.
AND SO IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ON AGENDA ITEMS, I CAN GO AHEAD AND TAKE THOSE.
UM, I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE, UH, RESOLUTION FOR THE TEMPORARY BOARD COMES AFTER THE ORDINANCE.
UM, JUST IN A SENSE OF, I THOUGHT THAT THE TEMPORARY BOARD WAS TO DECIDE IF WE WANTED TO DO THE DESOTO CRIME AND CONTROL PREVENTION DISTRICT, AND THEN FROM THERE IT WOULD GO INTO AN ORDINANCE.
BUT THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN ON THE AGENDA, ONE WOULD, IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE APPROVAL OF THE DISTRICT IS HAPPENING BEFORE THE TEMPORARY BOARD IS FORMED TO DISCUSS.
AND JOE CORRECT, CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE ORDER THERE IS TO FIRST HAVE THE COUNSEL PROPOSE TO CREATE THE DISTRICT, RIGHT.
AND THEN FROM THERE, THEN YOU GO AHEAD AND ESTABLISH THE TEMPORARY BOARD OVER THAT YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT CREATING THE DISTRICT.
'CAUSE 'CAUSE THE BOARD CAN BE ANYBODY.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE COUNCIL.
SO THE, IT'S THE COUNCIL SAYING, WE ARE PROPOSING THE CREATION OF THE BOARD.
AND THEN YOU GO FORWARD WITH, UH, APPOINTING THAT, APPOINTING THE TEMPORARY BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WHETHER THAT'S THE COUNCIL, WHETHER THAT, THAT CITIZEN.
SO, BUT FIRST THE COUNCIL HAS TO, HAS TO GIVE THAT DIRECTION TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, WITH THE, WITH, UM, UM, WITH THE ORDINANCE CREATING, UM, PROPOSING PROPOSING, YEAH, PROPOSING THE CREATION, NOT CREATING, BUT PROPOSING THE CREATION OF THE CRIME CONTROL AND PREVENTION DISTRICT.
COUNCILMAN BUR, UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR.
AND I DON'T KNOW, UM, IF WE WANT TO PULL SOMETHING OUT OF THE, A CONSENT AGENDA, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT.
IS THAT CORRECT? NOW IS THE NORMAL TIME TALK ONCE, JUST, JUST IF YOU WANNA JUST TALK ABOUT IT, YOU CAN TALK ABOUT IT NOW, CORRECT? YES.
WELL, I WANT TO, UM, UM, I THINK, AND NOT THAT I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT, BUT I THINK IT MIGHT BE IN, YEAH, IT MIGHT BE IMPORTANT TO BE PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT TWO G THE, UH, THE COURT, THE, UH, SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE THE 2021 BUILDING CODE.
I, WE CAN HAVE THE DISCUSSION REGARDING TWO G.
IF HE HAS QUESTIONS NOW, HE CAN ASK THOSE QUESTIONS.
CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION DURING THE WORK SESSION ORDER DURING THE REGULAR.
I I DON'T HAVE, I DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS.
I JUST THOUGHT, UH, JUST SO THAT I CAN REMEMBER IN MY HEAD THE, THE PROTOCOL.
SO IF TWO G TWO G, WE WILL HAVE DISCUSSION ON TWO G.
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WHEN WE GET TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, UM, FOR IT, WHAT YOU WOULD DO IS, UH, RECOMMEND TO, UH, OR TO PULL THAT ITEM FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.AT THAT POINT, IT COMES OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA, AND WE WILL DISCUSS IT AFTER THE CONSENT AGENDA IS VOTED ON.
I WAS JUST, I, I WILL ASK FOR THAT AT THAT TIME.
CAN IS, IS IT FOR THE PURPOSES OF CONSIDERING IT FOR A SEPARATE VOTE OR MAKING AMENDMENT TO IT? 'CAUSE WE CAN ALWAYS, INSTEAD OF STEADY PULLING ITEMS, WHICH KIND OF SOMETIMES TAKES US OFF INTO A DIFFERENT PLACE, YOU CAN ALWAYS REQUEST AN AMENDMENT.
I GUESS, I GUESS THE TIME TO MAXIMIZE OUR TIME HERE IN THE WORK SESSION REGARDING REVIEW, SINCE WE HAVE IT ON OUR AGENDA TO BE ABLE TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE REGULAR AGENDA.
IF THERE'S SOMETHING, I GUESS HERE NOW THAT CAN BE DISCUSSED VERSUS PULLING IT, IF THERE'S, WE CAN AMEND THE, AMEND THIS ITEM AND STILL APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS ONE.
I MEAN, YOU CAN DO IT EITHER WAY, BUT I'M JUST, I'M, IT'S THE INTENT TO PULL IT FOR A SEPARATE VOTE OR JUST TO HAVE DISCUSSION ON IT.
THE, THE INTENT IS, IS PRIMARILY JUST TO HAVE DISCUSSION ON IT AND TO, TO GET IT OUT IN THE PUBLIC PEER.
AGAIN, UH, I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT IT EXTENSIVELY LAST NIGHT.
I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY CITIZENS ACTUALLY WATCHED LAST NIGHT, BUT TO, TO DO WHAT WE SAID THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO, MAKE THE INTRODUCTION.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT WHERE IT IS, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH VOTING ON IT AS A CONSENT ITEM.
I JUST, UH, MAYBE JUST READING THE ORDINANCE IS GOING TO BE ENOUGH TO REALLY, TO G WITH THE, UH, REGARDING THE CODE OF THE CODE OF COORDINATES.
THAT'S, THAT'S, AND SO I WAS JUST REALLY ASKING A PROCEDURAL QUESTION.
IS IT, UM, HOW DO WE GET A A BRIEF DISCUSSION, UH, ON THAT, UH, UH, IN THE, IN OUR REGULAR MEETING? THANK YOU, JOE.
UM, SO, SO JUST SO THAT I'M CLEAR, ARE WE SAYING THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING ITEMS ON THE CONSENT GENERAL NOW, OR ARE WE WAITING? OKAY, SO THE ONE I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS, UH, TWO TWO F.
UM, I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, THAT PARTICULAR ITEM IS, IT SAID THERE'S A SPECIFIC AMOUNT IN THERE FOR A SALARY FOR A DESOTO POLICE OFFICER.
UM, BUT IT HAS A PIECE IN IT, IT TALKS ABOUT FRENCH BENEFITS.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
UM, IT'S NOT REALLY SPELLED OUT.
AND THEN, UM, IT SAID THE, THERE'S A $1.5 MILLION FUND THAT IS BEING FUNDED BY A DIFFERENT, UH, ENTITY.
UH, WHAT IS THAT COVERING? AND, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST WHAT ALL THAT MEANS.
AND THEN THIRDLY, UH, THE TERM STARTED IN SEPTEMBER.
IF THIS IS APPROVED TONIGHT, IT WOULDN'T ACTUALLY START UNTIL DECEMBER.
SO IF THERE'S AN EXTENSION THAT'S REQUIRED, UM, WOULD THAT HAVE TO COME BACK BEFORE COUNSEL? SO I'LL, I'LL COVER FRINGE BENEFITS REAL QUICK.
FRINGE BENEFITS ARE THINGS LIKE HEALTH INSURANCE, SOCIAL SECURITY PAYMENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, RETIREMENT, TMRS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, THOSE ARE FRINGE BENE BENEFIT COSTS ON IT.
SO YOU HAVE YOUR SALARY AND THEN YOU HAVE YOUR BENEFITS ON TOP OF THAT.
SO THOSE ARE THE EXTRA COSTS THAT ARE ADDED TO IT, UH, TO IT.
UM, AND THEN IF YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT WHAT RESOURCES THERE ARE AT THE, AT THE TASK FORCE, AT THAT $1.5 MILLION GRANT KIND OF TAPS INTO FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR COUNSEL.
UM, SO WE ARE, WE ARE ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR, AGAIN, THOSE BENEFITS AND THE OFFICER'S SALARY THAT THAT GRANT THAT THE COUNTY ACQUIRED IS GOING TO COVER THE COST OF, OF THEIR EQUIPMENT, THEIR BASICALLY THE RESOURCES THAT, THAT THEY MAINTAIN, UM, YOU KNOW, RESOURCE MAINTENANCE, UM, A ACQUIRING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT THEY MAY NEED TO, TO CONDUCT THE INVESTIGATIONS THAT, THAT THEY PUT TOGETHER.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY WHAT THEY DO IS THEY GO OUT, THEY DO A LOT OF PROACTIVE THINGS.
IT'S NOT JUST, IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST SITTING BACK AND WAITING FOR REPORTS TO ROLL IN.
THEY'RE VERY PROACTIVE IN THE WAY OF, UH, BAIT VEHICLES.
THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE ALL TYPES OF DIFFERENT, UH, BAIT IMPLEMENTS TO, TO PULL FROM.
AND THEY WILL RUN BAIT OPERATIONS USING MOTORCYCLES, TRAILERS, VEHICLES.
AND, AND SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT, IT'S TO MAINTAIN THE, THE, THE COST OF THOSE RESOURCES.
AND THEN THE TERM LIMIT, IT SAYS TO, UH, OCTOBER, I MEAN, I'M SORRY, AUGUST 31ST, IF IT HAS TO BE EXTENDED, HAS IT EVER BEEN EXTENDED? HE, HE USED THE WORD AGAIN, UH, MEANING I'M, I'M SAYING THE, UH, CITY MANAGERS JUST USED THE WORD DOING IT AGAIN MEANS IT'S BEEN DONE BEFORE.
HAS IT EVER HAD TO BE EXTENDED? SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS YES.
WE ACTUALLY, THERE WAS A, A FIVE YEAR PERIOD THAT STARTED AROUND 2013 AND ENDED IN AROUND FEBRUARY, 2018.
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HAD AN OFFICER AS PART OF THIS TASK FORCE.AND SO, UM, ULTIMATELY WE HAD TO PULL THAT OFFICER BACK 2018.
WE ALL, WE ALL KNOW THE, THE PERSONNEL CHALLENGES WE, WE FACED THAT PARTICULAR YEAR.
AND SO, AGAIN, AS, AS THE CITY MANAGER SAID, WE'RE EXCITED TO, TO GET BACK TO THE POINT WHERE WE FEEL LIKE WE CAN PROVIDE THEM WITH THAT RESOURCE.
SO WITH THIS ONLY BEING ONE YEAR, NOT EVEN REALLY A YEAR IS THE POSSIBILITY IT COULD EXTEND? YES.
AND WOULD THAT COME BACK BEFORE THE COUNCIL? UH, MY UNDERSTANDING WOULD BE YES.
I JUST NEED TO LOOK AT THE AGREEMENT ITSELF AND, AND LOOK AT WHAT THE TERM IS ON IT, UM, WITH THAT.
BUT ALL, I CAN HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU HERE IN A MINUTE.
AND THEN LASTLY, UH, WITH, WITH ALL THAT YOU JUST SAID, IT'S GREAT NEWS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE DOING THINGS IN AS FAR AS CRIME PREVENTION AND THAT SORT OF THING, OR INVESTIGATIONS ON THEFT.
BUT, UH, MY OTHER QUESTION WOULD BE, IS THERE ANY KPIS TO SHOW THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS ACTUALLY HELPING THE CITY OF DESOTO? SURE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH, UH, QUARTERLY STATISTICS FOR, FOR THE GRANT.
AND SO CERTAINLY THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE CAN PROVIDE TO Y'ALL TO, TO FOLLOW UP WITH.
AND, AND THE, THE TERM OF THIS IS THROUGH THE END OF AUGUST, 2024, UM, ON IT.
SO ANY, ANY, AND I'M GUESSING AT THAT POINT THEY'LL SEND OUT A NEW, UH, INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT TO US.
AND THAT POINT, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL, UH, BE ABLE TO CONSIDER, UH, THAT THE ENTERING INTO THAT INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT AT THAT TIME.
JUST A POINT OF INFORMATION, UH, WHEN WE LOOK AT, UH, UNDER REGULAR AGENDA H TWO, IT SPEAKS OF OUR 50% SHARE OF THE REPAIRS OF STREETLIGHTS, UH, ALONG THE CORRIDOR OF I 35.
AND OF COURSE, THE BUDGET IS NOT TO EXCEED $60,000.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA TO THE NUMBERS OF LIGHTS? NOT THAT IT WILL, UH, NOT THAT WE WE'RE NOT GOING OVER 60,000 ANYWAY, BUT JUST FOR A POINT OF INFORMATION, I'D LIKE TO KNOW, UH, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT AS FAR AS NUMBERS OF LIGHTS OR REPAIRS OR ANY REPLACEMENTS YOU HAVE, ANY OF THOSE, OF THAT DATA? WELL, IN THE REPORT, WE SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED THE NUMBER OF LIGHTS THAT WERE DEEMED OUT, THE NUMBER OF POLES THAT WAS MISSING.
AND IN THE REPORT, IT IDENTIFIES THAT, UH, THEY'RE GONNA BE INSTALLING 20 LED FIXTURES, TEN FOUR HUNDRED WATT BULBS, THE INSTALLATION AND REPLACEMENT OF SIX 40 FOOT STEEL, UH, SINGLE ARM STEEL POLES, AND THEN PROVIDING BARRICADES AND SAFETY.
WHAT I DON'T HAVE IS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF FIXTURES BETWEEN DANIEL DALE AND PLEASANT RUN, BUT WE HAD THE SAME COMPANY TO GIVE US A QUOTE THAT THE CITY OF LANCASTER DID TO PHYSICALLY TELL US WHAT LIGHTS WERE EITHER MISSING OR NOT WORKING SO THAT WE COULD HAVE THAT FULL SECTION OPERATIONAL AGAIN.
SO FROM THOSE NUMBERS, WE CAN ASSUME THE TOTAL COST IS 120, 115,000.
UH, WE ROUNDED IT UP TO 60,000, NOT KNOWING IF ANY SMALL COSTS WOULD COME IN.
SO ABOUT 57, UH, THOUSAND A PIECE.
FOLLOWING THAT RESOLUTION THAT A PRIOR COUNCIL PASSED.
THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, I YIELD BACK.
THANK YOU, DR. MARKS COUNSELOR.
ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS REGARDING, UH, REGULAR AGENDA? YES.
SO WHEN WE SAY REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS, DOES THAT INCLUDE THE MEETING MEETING MINUTES? YES.
ALL, SO THIS ONE IS A LITTLE COMPREHENSIVE.
SO I, I, I MAY JUST, I WANT SAY WHAT, WHAT I HAVE THE ISSUE WITH.
THERE ARE ONE, TWO, THERE'S FOUR NOTES OR FOUR MINUTES THAT PROBABLY NEED TO BE PULLED BACK, UH, AND REVISED.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT ME TO H HOW YOU WANT ME TO DO THIS, BUT THE ONE THAT I WANT CALL OUT IS IN OCTOBER, I MEAN, UH, IN AUGUST.
IT'S THE AUGUST 15TH MINUTES, AND THERE'S A SECTION IN THERE ON ITEM, I BELIEVE IT'S, UH, ITEM TWO, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR 6 0 1, 5 0 1.
IT SHOWS A VOTE TO OPEN THE, THE PUBLIC HEARING, TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND THEN IT SHOWS A VOTE PASSED, AND THEN IT SHOWS A VOTE FOR, UH, SOMEBODY TO WITHDRAW.
SO THERE'S FOUR DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPENING.
I KNOW THERE SHOULD BE AN OPEN OR CLOSE, AND THEN A, A COMPREHENSIVE VOTE AT THE END.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE MINUTES FOR AUGUST 15TH, WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY APPROVE, UM, 6 0 1 AND 5 0 1 UNTIL JUST, UH, A MEETING OR SO AGO.
SO THESE MINUTES JUST NEED TO BE REVISED TO SHOW THAT WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY APPROVE THOSE
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YOU SAID, YOU SAID THAT SOMETHING WAS WITHDRAWN.YEAH, IT SHOWS, IT SHOWS THE APPROVAL AND THEN IT SHOWS A WITHDRAWN RIGHT BEHIND EACH OTHER.
IT DOESN'T, IT, THEY'RE RIGHT UNDERNEATH THE SAME PUBLIC HEARING.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THOSE GET UPDATED.
IT'S ON PAGE, UM, PAGE NINE OF 13 IN THE AUGUST MINUTES.
AND THEN IN THE, UM, IN THE SEPTEMBER MINUTES, YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF PUBLIC, UM, PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT DON'T HAVE THE STIPULATION AT THE BOTTOM, NO FURTHER ACTION NEEDED.
IT JUST GOES TO THE NEXT ITEM.
IT HAS AN OPEN OR CLOSED, AND THEN IT GOES TO THE NEXT ITEM.
AND THE ONLY REASON I'M BRINGING THAT UP IS BECAUSE I'VE, I'VE LOOKED AT PREVIOUS MINUTES, AND IN PREVIOUS MINUTES IT ACTUALLY SAYS NO FURTHER ACTION NEEDED.
SO IT GIVES THE READER AN OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW NOTHING ELSE WAS NEEDED FROM THAT PARTICULAR VOTE.
AND SO THE OTHER ONES THAT I'M PULLING, MAY 16TH, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, AND THEN SEPTEMBER 5TH, ALL OF THEM HAVE THAT SAME ACTION THAT NEED TO BE UPDATED.
WANNA POINT OF INFORMATION? MADAM MAYOR? YES.
UM, JUST FOR POINT OF CLARIFICATION, ARE YOU SAYING THAT AFTER IT WAS VOTED ON, THERE WAS NO CLARITY? I, I GUESS I'M CONFUSED AS TO WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, IF YOU WOULD CLARIFY, PLEASE.
SO IN THE SEPTEMBER, I MEAN, I'M SORRY, THE AUGUST MINUTES, IT SHOWS THAT SOMEONE SAID TO APPROVE AS WRITTEN.
AND IT HAS ALL OF US SAYING A OR, YES.
AND THEN RIGHT AFTER THAT IT SAYS, A MOTION TO WITHDRAW.
THOSE TWO THINGS SHOULDN'T, YOU ARE EITHER TAKING IT AS WRITTEN OR YOU ARE WITHDRAWING IT.
IT DOESN'T SHOW, IT DOESN'T MAKE IT CLEAR TO THE READER THAT IF THERE WAS DISCUSSION AND WE DECIDED TO WITHDRAW IT, HOW DID WE APPROVE IT FIRST AND THEN WITHDRAW IT? YEAH.
MAYBE I'M THE ONE OUT OF, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THERE'S A MISTAKE IN THE MINUTES.
'CAUSE IT'S SHOWING THAT IT PASSED.
I THINK THE PASSAGE IS IN THE WRONG, I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE WRONG.
WHERE IS THE WITHDRAWN? THERE'S THE MOTION, BECAUSE THE MOTION WAS MADE A SECOND, BUT THEN IT HAS A, THERE WAS A VOTE 80, AND THEN, BUT THEN IT'S WITHDRAWN.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECT.
A SECOND TO WITHDRAWAL THE MOTION TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED.
AND SO IT SEEMS LIKE I, I DON'T, AND SO FOR THE REASONS, WE'LL LET THE CITY SECRETARY GO BACK AND LOOK AT IT.
AND SO FOR THE REASONS OF THAT, I WANT TO ASK IF THERE'S A POSSIBILITY.
NOW, I WENT THROUGH ALL OF THOSE MEETING MINUTES BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THE READER, THE COMMUNITY, SHOULD BE ABLE TO READ NOTES AND BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE MEETING FROM BEGINNING TO END.
IF THERE IS NO VIDEO, NO VIDEO.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE IF THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT MAYBE WE CAN JUST REVIEW THOSE AND MAKE THOSE UPDATES.
SO I MAKE A MOTION, I'M SORRY, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE AMEND THE MINUTES TO HAVE THAT EXTRA LINE THAT SAYS NO FURTHER ACTION NEEDED AFTER AN ACTUAL OPEN AND CLOSE OF A, UM, OF A, UH, PUBLIC MEETING.
BECAUSE IT SAYS OPEN AND THEN IT SAYS CLOSE.
THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING TO SAY.
WE WE CAN PULL IT AT THE ORDER.
AT THAT TIME, WE'RE NOT TAKING ACTION HERE.
WE'RE JUST ASKING QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
SO YOU CAN SAVE YOUR MOTION FOR THE ACTUAL REGULAR MEETING WHEN THAT TIME COMES, AND THEN YOU CAN REQUEST FOR IT TO BE PULLED FOR THE REASONS YOU STATED AT THAT TIME.
COUNCIL, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA? HEARING NONE,
[3. Discussion of presenting department updates at City Council Meetings]
MADAM CITY SECRETARY WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM, PLEASE.NEXT WE MOVE TO DISCUSSION OF PRESENTING DEPARTMENT UPDATES AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
LEADING THAT DISCUSSION IS COUNCIL MEMBER PERT PARKER.
UM, THE REASON THAT I BROUGHT THIS PARTICULAR ITEM TO THE FOREFRONT AND AS FAR AS DEPARTMENTAL UPDATES IS NOT SO THAT I CAN SEE EVERY MONTH AND GIVE MYSELF EXTRA WORK OR GIVE THE COUNCIL EXTRA WORK, BUT, UM, I'M JUST GOING TO TAKE IT FROM A POINT OF MY OWN PERSPECTIVE.
I CAME ONTO THE COUNCIL AS OF JUNE 20TH, AND A LOT HAPPENED IN THAT LA IN THAT MONTH.
UM, AND SO WHILE THAT'S NOT EVERYBODY'S STORY, THAT'S MY STORY.
AND I WAS TRYING TO READ ALL THE MINUTES AND UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, READ EVERYTHING I COULD AND I JUST COULDN'T COME TO THE REALIZATION THAT WE ALL OF A SUDDEN GOT A BIG BUDGET BOOK WITHIN MAYBE A MONTH OF ME COMING ABOARD.
AND I THINK AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE.
AND IF THESE DEPARTMENTAL UPDATES ARE AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE SITUATIONS WHERE, I MEAN, I SAT HERE AND I LISTENED TO US TALK ABOUT A $3.4 MILLION, UM, BOND CHANGE THAT CAME ABOUT IN A TIME WHERE WE, I HAD, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY OF THE, THE, THE INFORMATION I THINK I NEEDED.
AND, UM, AND THEN WE HAD A DEPARTMENT THAT SAID THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHERE A $715,000 WAS.
AND THAT THREW ME FOR AN ABSOLUTE LOOP.
SO I'M JUST BEING VERY VULNERABLE
[00:25:01]
RIGHT NOW AND SAYING, AS A NEW COUNCIL MEMBER, THERE WERE THINGS THAT WERE NOT AVAILABLE.AND IF THEY ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE COUNCIL, PERIOD, IT WON'T BE ABOUT WHETHER YOU'RE NEW, IT'LL BE ABOUT YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE YOUR COUNCIL KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON ON A MORE REGULAR BASIS SO THAT THEY DON'T GET HIT AND GET, YOU KNOW, UH, BE FLAT FOOTED IN THESE MEETINGS WITHOUT ENOUGH INFORMATION.
THAT IS THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF ME ASKING FOR THE DEPARTMENTAL UPDATES.
UH, COUNCILMAN PARKER, I HAVE A, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS AND I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND, UH, YOUR POSITION.
I THINK WE ALL, AS, AS COMING IN AS NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, IT IS, IT IS, IT IS LIKENED TO DRINKING WATER FROM A FIRE HOSE WHEN YOU COME IN AND GET A LOT OF NEW INFORMATION.
SO I DEFINITELY CAN UNDERSTAND THAT PIECE.
I GUESS FOR ME, I NEED, I NEED MORE OF AN UNDERSTANDING ON WHAT YOU SEE IN TERMS OF HOW THAT WOULD BE DELIVERED IN TERMS OF A DELIVERABLE, BECAUSE I'M, WHEN I'M THINKING OF, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ESSENTIALLY ABOUT 13 DEPARTMENTS HERE, 12, IF YOU NOT COUNTING THE CITY MANAGER'S ADMIN DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND WHAT WOULD, WHAT WOULD SOMETHING LIKE THAT LOOK, LOOK LIKE IN YOUR OPINION? IN MY OPINION, IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE SOMETHING THAT NECESSARILY HAS TO BE VAST AND, YOU KNOW, EVERY MEETING, BUT THERE HAS TO BE MORE REGULAR, A CADENCE.
THAT INFORMATION IS COMING OUT KNOWING WHERE THIS BUDGET, WHERE WE ARE ON THE BUDGET, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THERE'S A BUDGET THAT COMES OUT EVERY MONTH OR A FINANCIALS THAT COME OUT EVERY MONTH.
BUT IT DIDN'T EVEN MENTION THE 3.4 MILLION AND WHERE THAT WAS, THAT DIDN'T GIVE ANY CREDENCE TO THAT INFORMATION.
AND THEN THE $715,000, NO ONE SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND SO AS I READ THROUGH THOSE FINANCIALS, SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS, IS FROM A COUNCIL PERSPECTIVE, I WANT US TO BE ABLE TO SAY TOGETHER HOW WE WANT IT.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE FOR ME, IT'S JUST IN GENERAL AS A COUNCIL, IT NEEDS TO BE MORE REGULAR THAN IT IS.
IN PRACTICE, WHERE HAVE YOU SEEN IT DONE AND HOW WOULD IT LOOK HERE IN DESOTO? BECAUSE YOU'RE SAYING IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT REGULAR, BUT THAT'S STILL, I GUESS, NOT ANSWERING MY QUESTION IN TERMS OF, IS THAT SOMETHING QUARTERLY? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD HAVE DEPARTMENTS TO CREATE POWERPOINTS? I MEAN, ESSENTIALLY, HOW WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE IN PRACTICE? I WOULD SAY IT WOULD BE NO LESS THAN QUARTERLY, NO LESS THAN QUARTERLY.
UM, MONTHLY IS FINE, BUT THE ONLY THING ABOUT IT IS IN PRACTICE, I LOOK THROUGH OTHER COUNCIL'S MINUTES AND, UH, AGENDAS.
AND THE ONE THAT I FOUND THAT I CALL OUT IS RED OAK.
THEY HAVE DEPARTMENTAL UPDATES EVERY MONTH, AND THEY HAVE ABOUT 13 DEPARTMENTS OR MORE.
SO FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THEIR MINUTES AND THEIR NOTES, UH, AND THEIR MEETING WITH THAT MANY UPDATES FROM EVERY DEPARTMENT, I THINK WE HAVE TWO, TWO MEETINGS A MONTH.
THERE HAS TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY.
IF IT'S NOT FIVE, UH, UH, IF IT'S NOT 13 IN ONE, ONE SPECIFIC MEETING, HAVE FIVE IN ONE OR SIX IN ONE AND SEVEN IN THE OTHER.
AND IF WE'RE THINKING IN TERMS OF A MONTHLY, THAT'S FINE TOO.
I, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
I'D LIKE TO HAVE IT AT LEAST QUARTERLY THOUGH.
I WANNA THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER FOR BRINGING A CONVERSATION.
UM, I DON'T, I, SO I'M A LITTLE ON THE FENCE ON BOTH WAYS, BUT HERE'S WHAT I DO TO HEAR THE OPPORTUNITY.
'CAUSE HERE'S WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING.
UM, YOU CAME IN AFTER WE HAD GONE THROUGH OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP, WHICH GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO STAFF.
UM, WELL,
UM, I WOULD SAY THAT, AND YOU MISSED THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO FOR YOU, YOU COMING IN AND THEN HAVING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BUDGET AND THEN THE $700,000 THAT WERE OVER FOR, UH, POLICE THAT CAME OUT JUST AS WE WERE SIGN GETTING READY TO CLOSE THE DEAL ON THE FISCAL YEAR.
RIGHT? SO HERE'S SOME THINGS THAT, UM, I, I DON'T, I, I DON'T SUPPORT MEETING TO JUST MEET, SO I DON'T SUPPORT ALL 13 COMING DOWN JUST TO CHECK THE BOX AND SAY THAT THEY MET.
HOWEVER, I THINK THERE IS A OPPORTUNITY AROUND OUR BUDGET WHERE WE COULD BE MORE, UM, TRANS WHERE, WHERE STAFF COULD BE MORE TRANSPARENT WITH THE COUNCIL ABOUT THE THINGS THAT THEY, THAT ARE COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE SUCH AS, BECAUSE THE WORKSHOP IS SO, TWO MINUTES, TWO MINUTES, TWO MINUTES.
UM, NOT ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT.
WE GOT THROUGH IT THROUGH RECORD TIME.
HOWEVER, I THINK THAT SOME OF THE CONVERSATION THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HAD ABOUT SOME OF THE, UH, DEPARTMENTS THAT MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED INCREASES IN THEIR BUDGET COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATION TO HELP PUSH THAT.
I REACHED OUT TO, UH, ACTUALLY CEDAR HILL TO UNDERSTAND HOW, 'CAUSE ONE THING ABOUT CEDAR HILL, THEY UNANIMOUSLY VOTE ON THEIR BUDGET IN A POS LIKE EVERYBODY ALWAYS APPROVES A BUDGET.
DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THAT HAPPENS.
UM, AND WHAT I LEARNED IS THAT STAFF STARTS WORKING WITH THEIR COUNCIL AS EARLY AS MARCH, APRIL, WHERE THEY'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS
[00:30:01]
WITH THEM IN GROUPS TO TALK ABOUT, THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MY DEPARTMENT.YOU'RE SEE HERE ARE THE THINGS WISHLISTS THAT WE WOULD WANT TO SEE BEFORE THEY EVEN GET TO A BUDGET WORKSHOP.
I THINK THAT WOULD HELP KILL SOME OF THE, UM, DISTRUST SOME OF THE, UH, VERY INTENSE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAPPENS AROUND, UM, THE WORKSHOP SESSION AS WELL AS POST THAT, BECAUSE EVERYTHING JUST MOVED VERY FAST THIS YEAR.
AND CONSIDERING WE HAD ONE OF THE HIGHER BUDGETS THAT WE'VE HAD, I THINK THAT WOULD'VE BEEN AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US ALL TO BE MORE COMMUNICATIVE.
SO NO, I DON'T SUPPORT 13 TEAMS COMING DOWN HERE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING, BUT I DO SUPPORT FOR US HAVING MORE OPEN, TRANSPARENT DIALOGUE WITH STAFF ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THEIR BUDGET AND WHAT ARE THEY TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH IF THEY WANT OUR SIGNATURE, OUR SIGN OFF, OUR APPROVAL ON IT.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, BURKE.
AND, UM, I WOULD, UM, I APPLAUD THE IDEA OF HAVING, UM, SOME CHECK IN, BUT, UM, I, I WROTE DOWN IN MY NOTES, UH, BUT ONLY FOR BUDGET INFORMATION I THINK IS VIRTUALLY AND POSSIBLE.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD REGARDING EVEN A QUARTERLY CHECK-IN WHAT WOULD THEY UPDATE US ON WHEN THEIR DEPARTMENTS ARE SO FLUID AND HOW DO WE LIMIT THE INFORMATION TO BE RELEVANT INFORMATION RATHER THAN JUST, UH, RATHER THAN JUST A LOT OF INFORMATION, UM, MAYBE THE BUDGET INFORMATION TO MY COLLEAGUES, UH, POINT, UM, MAYBE WHERE THE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE DURING THE BUDGET SEASON IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO FIND A HYBRID OR A BRIDGE OVER, OVER, OVER THAT.
I KNOW WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED, THAT BUDGET WORKSHOP WAS VERY HELPFUL, UH, TO ME.
AND I, I, I KNOW THAT, UM, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THERE WAS A RUNOFF SITUATION, BUT, UM, BUT I, I WOULD NOT SUPPORT, UH, INVITING 13 DEPARTMENTS IN HERE TO JUST WILLY-NILLY GIVE US INFORMATION BECAUSE I, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WOULD LIMIT THE INFORMATION THAT THEY WOULD GIVE US.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT PERTINENT INFORMATION OUTSIDE OF THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION THAT I WOULD NEED FROM, UM, FROM ANY DEPARTMENT, UM, THAT I WOULD WANT ON A REGULAR BASIS.
HOWEVER, DURING BUDGET SEASON, KIND OF KNOWING HOW THEY'RE APPROACHING THE BUDGET, IT MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A HYBRID THERE.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, UH, I WOULD NOT WANT TO, UM, I WOULD NOT WANT TO LIMIT MY ABILITY TO GOVERN AND MOVE THE CITY FORWARD JUST TO HEAR A REPORT FROM STAFF THAT SHOULD BE REPORTING TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
I WAS JUST SITTING HERE THINKING WHEN WE HAVE OUR FINANCE REPORT WHEN IT COMES BEFORE COUNCIL, I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.
IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT UTILITIES, IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, WHATEVER STREETS, IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHATEVER, THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.
I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS KIND OF DEVELOP IN OUR OWN MINDSETS AS TO WHAT TYPE OF INFORMATION THAT WE'RE TRYING TO EXTRACT, WHAT DO WE NEED FROM EACH OF THOSE, UM, DEPARTMENTS.
AND THEN OF COURSE, CRAFT OUR QUESTION QUESTIONS TO THE PRESENTER AT THAT TIME.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHY WE HAVE OUR DIRECTORS HERE, THAT IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET AT ANY GIVEN TIME, THEY SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO, TO ASK AND TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
UM, TO HAVE THOSE 13 DEPARTMENTS COME BEFORE US, YOU KNOW, ALL AT ONCE.
THAT'S KIND OF, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING.
UM, BUT I JUST THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE THE FINANCE REPORTS, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO ASK AND CRAFT THOSE QUESTIONS TO YIELD THE BENEFITS OF THE ANSWERS THAT WE'D LIKE TO RECEIVE.
UM, AN EXAMPLE OF, UH, A CITY DOING MEMOS IS THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND SO THEY DO, UM, EVERY OTHER WEEK, UH, MEMOS THAT HAVE THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTAL UPDATES.
IT'S NOT EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT, IT'S ALL THE PERTINENT INFORMATION.
UM, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE STANDING, UM, I LIKE PERSONALLY LIKE THAT METHOD.
IT GOES OUT TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND STAKEHOLDERS WHO CHOOSE TO GET THE INFORMATION.
I THINK WE GET GREAT INFORMATION IN THE, UH, FORWARD FACING, UH, INFORMATION IN THE, UH, CITY MANAGERS, UH, WEEKLY REPORT.
UM, SO THAT HAS TO FORWARD FACING INFORMATION TO, TO THE COMMUNITY.
BUT SOME OF THE BACKEND INFORMATION, WHICH WOULD, WOULD BE PERTINENT INFORMATION THAT MAY AFFECT A BUDGET.
UM, WE SEE THE NUMBERS, BUT WE DON'T NECESSARILY SEE THE DYNAMICS.
AND SO JUST KIND OF HAVING SOME OF THOSE, THAT INFORMATION I THINK WOULD BE GOOD.
UM, I DIDN'T BRING ANY EXAMPLES OF WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE, BUT I DEFINITELY CAN SHARE INFORMATION WITH YOU ALL AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
BUT IT WOULD, IT WILL STILL BE PERTINENT INFORMATION FROM THE DEPARTMENTS TO CITY COUNCIL, JUST SO THAT WE'RE NOT FLATFOOTED
[00:35:01]
OR BLINDSIDED OR FEEL BLINDSIDED, BUT IT'S ALSO INFORMATION THAT CAN BE, IT'S WRITTEN COMMUNICATION THAT CAN BE REFERRED BACK TO SHOULD ANYONE NEED TO GO BACK TO, JUST TO UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY AND THE LINEAGE AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.AND SO, UM, I KNOW WE'RE NOT DETERMINING YET, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT INFORMATION COULD BE, BUT I DEFINITELY THINK, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION, PERTINENT INFORMATION IN A MEMO FORM, UH, FROM THE DEPARTMENTS WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
I'VE SEEN IT DONE WITH DALLAS AREA RAPID TRANSIT, UM, WITH THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS WHEN PERTINENT THINGS, UH, ROSE TO THE LEVEL OF THE BOARD NEEDS TO SEE THIS INFORMATION, AND THAT'S HOW THE INFORMATION CAME TO THEM, THEM.
COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL MAYOR, PRO TEM.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
I COULD DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THE, UH, THE NEED AND THE CONCEPT.
IT'S ALL ABOUT HOW DO YOU STREAMLINE IT.
UM, I LIKE THE IDEA OF WHAT CEDAR HILL IS DOING.
I LIKE THE PREPARATION BEFOREHAND, AND I LIKE THE IDEA OF BEING ABLE TO GET WITH THE DEPARTMENTS, JUST, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION PURPOSES, ESPECIALLY BEING NEW AND LEARNING AND, AND YOU KNOW, NOT KNOWING.
SO I GUESS BASICALLY WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO SEE HOW TO STREAMLINE AND MAKE IT WORK.
UM, MIGHT BE A LITTLE TIME CONSUMING TO HAVE EVERYBODY COME DOWN, BUT DEFINITELY HAVE STUDY GROUPS BEFOREHAND, I THINK WOULD BE VERY EFFECTIVE BECAUSE THEN YOU GET TO BE IN A SETTING WHERE YOU CAN TAKE YOUR TIME AND REALLY LEARN AND GROW, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, UM, BETTER YOURSELF IN WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
OH, COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM, I APOLOGIZE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL NO PROBLEM.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT THERE IS ONE DEPARTMENT THAT I THINK THAT ALL OF COUNCIL COULD BENEFIT FROM.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE THE, UH, PLEASURE.
UM, COMMISSIONS ALL ARE TIED TO THE POLICE, AND SO I GET, UH, UPDATES REGULARLY ON THE CRIME IN THE CITY, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WE ALL COLLECTIVELY GET THAT SAME INFORMATION, UH, OR, OR AT ALL.
AND I KNOW I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR QUITE SOME TIME FOR A REPORT FROM MY DISTRICT, AND I GET THAT THERE'S SOME RESTRICTIONS ON THAT, JUST BASED ON THE SYSTEM THAT'S USED.
BUT, UM, AFTER TALKING TO CPAC AS WELL AS CHIEF COSTA ON WHAT DOES EXIST TODAY, UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BEHOOVE US AND BE BENEFICIAL FOR US TO AT LEAST SEE IT IN THE QUADRANT THAT THEY HAVE IT SET UP IN.
UM, LEARNING THAT THERE'S A INCREASE IN CRIME IN OUR CITY IS AS A, AS A LEADER, UH, IN A COMMUNITY MEETING IS NOT THE BEST FEELING AT ALL.
VERSUS FINDING THAT OUT FROM COLLECTIVELY AS A COUNCIL FIRST AND THEN BEING ABLE TO TALK TO THAT.
UM, AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENED
SO IF THERE'S ANY DEPARTMENT THAT I THINK THAT IF WE COULD HAVE A CONSENSUS ON, AT THE VERY LEAST, I THINK THAT POLICE IS ONE THAT WE SHOULD DEFINITELY GET A MONTHLY UPDATE FROM.
MAYBE IT'S THIS MEMO OR THE, AT LEAST THE REPORTING THAT CPA GETS.
'CAUSE CPA GETS A REPORT OF THE CRIME THAT'S HAPPENED FOR THE MONTH.
THEY GET A BREAKDOWN OF IT, WHAT IT DOES IT LOOK OUT LIKE IN EACH OF OUR AREAS.
AND, UM, THEY GET AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT'S DROVE THAT.
I THINK AT THE VERY LEAST, THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO US FROM, UH, THE PUBLIC SAFETY COALITION PERSPECTIVE AND JUST ALL OF OUR INITIATIVES AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY.
THANK YOU, DR. MARKS MAD MAYOR.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THAT MIGHT NOT BE A BAD COMPROMISE, IS TO PERHAPS HAVE SOMETHING IN WRITING FROM EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS, MAYBE ON A QUARTERLY BASIS OR SOMETHING.
AND THAT WOULD CURTAIL THEM COMING DOWN IN FRONT OF US.
HOWEVER, WE WOULD HAVE THE DOCUMENT IN FRONT OF US, AND IF WE HAD SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, WE COULD JUST ASK THOSE DIRECTORS AT THAT TIME FOR THAT.
THAT MIGHT BE A GREAT COMPROMISE.
JUST HAVE IT IN WRITING AS A REPORT THAT COMES TO COUNSEL OFF THE RECORD AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, COMING DOWN IN FRONT OF US EVERY TIME.
I THINK THOUGH, HOWEVER, WE STILL NEED TO GIVE THE PARAMETERS OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
ARE THERE ANY OVERAGES IN BUDGET? ARE THERE ANY, WE NEED TO SET OUR EXPECTATIONS SO THAT WE DON'T GET, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, JUNK, JUNK INFORMATION OUT, YOU KNOW, SO IT NEED TO, WE NEED TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT WHAT PARAMETERS MIGHT WE THAT'S MORE, MOST BENEFICIAL.
YOU KNOW, UM, IE THE OVERAGE, I THINK THAT YOU, YOU BROUGHT UP IN THAT PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT, THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A SURPRISE TO US, YOU KNOW? AND SO IF THEY'RE LOOKING AT THEIR BUDGETS OR DOING X, Y, Z, SO A WRITTEN COMMUNICATION WITH, UH, PARAMETERS, PLEASE ADDRESS YOUR BUDGET, PLEASE ADDRESS, YOU KNOW, ANY, ANY STAFFING CONCERNS, PLEASE ADDRESS.
BUT I THINK WE WOULD NEED TO CRAFT THE INFORMATION IN ORDER SO THAT THE INFORMATION THAT WE, WE KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT OUT OF IT.
UM, TO SUMMARIZE, I GUESS WHAT I'VE HEARD SO FAR, UM, I, I GUESS I'LL KIND OF START WITH WHAT I SUPPORT,
[00:40:01]
WHAT I WOULDN'T SUPPORT.UM, I, I WOULD NOT SUPPORT I THE, THE REPORTING PHYSICALLY HERE IN OUR MEETINGS WITH 13 DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS COMING TO GIVE A REPORT, EVEN IF IT'S BROKEN UP WITH FIVE AND FIVE AND FIVE, HOWEVER YOU WANNA PUT IT.
UM, AND I THINK LOOKING AT SOME OF THE INFORMATION, I LOOKED AT RED OAK'S MINUTES AND IT STATED THAT ALL DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS WERE SUBMITTED IN WRITING AND ADDRESSED INDIVIDUALLY AS NEEDED.
SO IT DOES NOT, AND THIS IS JUST, I'VE NOT WATCHED THEIR MEETINGS TO SEE HOW IT FLOWS, BUT BASED ON THE FACT THAT IT STATES SPECIFICALLY THAT THEY WERE SUBMITTED IN WRITING, SOUNDS MORE OF LIKE WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL IS REFERRING TO IN TERMS OF MEMOS.
AND IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS REGARDING THE WHAT'S SUBMITTED IN WRITING, IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS THEY WERE ADDRESSED INDIVIDUALLY AS NEEDED.
SO I WOULD SUPPORT SOMETHING, AGAIN, MORE ALONG THOSE LINES, BECAUSE I THINK THAT TO ADD 13 DIFFERENT REPORTS TO OUR MEETINGS IS IN DIRECT CONTRADICTION WITH COUNCIL'S GOAL OF MAKING OUR MEETINGS MORE EFFICIENT.
AND SO TO ADD SOMETHING ON TOP OF THAT ARBITRARILY, JUST TO GET MORE INFORMATION, I MEAN, WE WERE ALREADY VERY INUNDATED WITH INFORMATION AS IT AS IT IS.
AND SO TO FIGURE OUT, AS COUNCILMAN BIRD AND OTHERS HAVE SAID, WHAT INFORMATION ARE WE ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR AND WHAT ACTUALLY MOVES THE NEEDLE IN TERMS OF WHAT COUNCIL NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERING AND KEEPING TOP OF MIND.
I AGREE WITH YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM, IN TERMS OF CRIME STATS, I THINK THAT THAT SHOULD BE A GIVEN.
UM, BUT I THINK THERE ARE ALSO SOME BUDGETARY THINGS THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER IN TERMS OF IF AND WHEN WE DECIDE TO DO THESE TYPES OF MEMOS, WHAT INFORMATION ARE WE REALLY LOOKING FOR? SO THAT DOES NOT, AGAIN, PUT EXTRA WORK ON STAFF TO CREATE A LOT OF INFORMATION, BUT INFORMATION THAT'S ALREADY FLOWING THROUGHOUT THEIR DEPARTMENTS, UM, THAT THEY CAN READILY PLUG INTO SOME SORT OF A STANDARD FORM TO REPORT TO US ON SOME SORT OF REGULAR BASIS.
UM, BUT I WOULD NOT SUPPORT 13 REPORTS OR PRESENTATIONS OR HOWEVER YOU WANNA PUT IT, UM, COMING BECAUSE AGAIN, I I, IN OUR STATE, AND I WANNA OVERSTATE THAT IT'S IN DIRECT CONTRADICTION WITH COUNCIL'S DESIRE TO, TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF OUR MEETINGS, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HANDLING, UM, THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY AND NOT HERE, YOU KNOW, FOR LONGER THAN WE NEED TO BE IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
THAT WAS THE REASON WHY WE REARRANGED OUR MEETINGS AND THE FLOW OF OUR MEETINGS, WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE BEING MORE EFFICIENT.
SO I THINK TO ADD SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON IS INDIRECT CONTRADICTION.
UM, I WOULD ALSO SUPPORT REIMAGINING AS COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM SAID, REIMAGINING THE BUDGET PROCESS.
I KNOW THAT STAFF INTERNALLY GET STARTED AROUND THAT MARCH APRIL TIMEFRAME IN TERMS OF THEIR TIMELINE WHEN THEY START PREPARING THINGS FOR THE, UM, BUDGET.
AND I KNOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL PRESENTED IN OUR LAST RETREAT SOME SORT OF A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PIECE IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET.
AND SO I WOULD DEFINITELY BE IN SUPPORT OF LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN COMBINE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT COUNCIL HAS ALREADY AGREED TO AS FAR AS THAT IS CONCERNED.
UM, BUT TO ALSO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE REIMAGINE THE BUDGET PROCESS TO MAKE US A PART OF IT MORE SO ON THE FRONT END THAN IN THESE, YOU KNOW, THESE PERIODIC WORKSHOPS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, BUT HOWEVER, I DO WANNA POINT SOMETHING OUT AND I, I DO SEE, UM, YOUR LIKE COUNCILMAN PARKER.
UM, BUT JUST GIVEN THE COMMENTS THAT COUNCIL HAS MADE, DR. MARKS, YOU MENTIONED, UM, THE FINANCIAL REPORTS, I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR COUNCIL TO MAXIMIZE THE CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR QUESTIONING.
A LOT OF TIMES WE GET THESE REPORTS AND WE DON'T ASK QUESTIONS, RIGHT? SO UTILIZE THE TIME THAT WE HAVE WHEN THEY'RE PRESENTING THE FINANCIALS, DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE WE COME TO THE MEETING AND DEVELOP YOUR QUESTIONS AND ASK THE QUESTIONS IN A PUBLIC FORM AND MAXIMIZE THE OPPORTUNITIES.
I THINK THAT WE CAN BETTER, BETTER UTILIZE THE TIME THAT WE DO HAVE BY MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT THESE DOCUMENTS UPFRONT AND FORMULATING WHATEVER QUESTIONS WE HAVE BEFORE WE GET HERE VERSUS WAITING.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU DO THAT, BUT IF THAT IS THE, YOU KNOW, IF THAT IS THE, THE FORMAT TO LOOK AT IT BEFOREHAND, FORMULATE YOUR QUESTIONS AND, AND MAXIMIZE THE CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE TO GET INFORMATION FROM STAFF.
UM, BUT I WOULD DEFINITELY SUPPORT THE MEMOS IN WRITTEN FORM.
AND AGAIN, AS RED OAK HAS IN THEIR, THEIR MINUTES, UM, THAT THEY'RE ADDRESSED ON A AS NEEDED BASIS, UM, AFTER THEY'VE BEEN SUBMITTED IN WRITING.
AND THEN TO FIND, AND EVEN THOSE STUDY GROUPS AS MAYOR PRO TE, I THINK IT WAS MAYOR PRO TE OR SOMEBODY MENTIONED KIND OF A STUDY GROUP, UM, TO HAVE A STUDY GROUP TYPE OF A THING TO BE ABLE TO ASK IN A MORE INTIMATE SETTING TO GET THE QUESTIONS.
BUT I I, I DEFINITELY THINK THERE ARE SOME OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE THE OUTCOME, I THINK THAT'S BEING ASKED FOR, BUT IN WAYS THAT, THAT HELP US TO, AGAIN, TO STILL MAINTAIN THE EFFICIENCY THAT COUNCIL IS ASKING FOR AS WELL IN OUR MEETING TIMES.
COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE COUNCIL FOR ALLOWING TO, FOR, FOR INDULGING ME IN THIS, IN THIS THOUGHT PROCESS.
UM, I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE SUGGESTIONS BECAUSE I THINK IT NEEDED TO BE TALKED ABOUT, UM, AND DISCUSSED.
AND I JUST WANT TO HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION ABOUT THE FINANCIAL REPORT.
UM, THE ITEM FOR THE $715,000,
[00:45:02]
JUST SO I UNDERSTAND, WOULD THE FINANCIAL REPORT HAVE GIVEN US THAT INFORMATION OR SHOULD IT HAVE YES.UH, IT, IT, IT, IT, AND IT DID.
UM, YOU'LL, YOU'LL NOTICE THE MONTHS THAT WE, THAT WHEN WE, WHEN WE FLAGGED THE, THE CONCERN WITH THAT, THAT WE INCLUDED IT IN THE FINANCIAL REPORT.
SO COUNSEL, UM, WE HAVE ABOUT 15 MINUTES REMAINING BEFORE WE GO INTO OUR REGULAR MEETING.
SO I, I THINK THAT IT WOULD, UM, BEHOOVE US TO SEE, JUST KIND OF GET SOME GENERAL, I KNOW WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO REVISIT THIS TO REALLY FORMULATE WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE MOVING FORWARD ACCORDING TO THE COMMENTS, UM, THAT COUNCIL HAS MADE.
AND AGAIN, KEEPING, UM, SOME OF OUR, OUR DESIRES IN FRONT OF US IN TERMS OF MAINTAINING EFFICIENCY.
BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS SOME SORT OF A CONSENSUS TO, UM, LOOK AT HAVING WRITTEN REPORTS.
HOWEVER, WE WOULD NEED TO THEN GO BACK, UM, AND OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME THAT, THAT DESERVES TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION TONIGHT.
UM, BUT LOOKING AT WHAT THOSE QUESTIONS NEED TO BE, UM, AND WHAT, AND THE FREQUENCY, ET CETERA.
SO COUNSEL, ARE WE IN AGREEMENT, UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST ABOUT POSSIBLY LOOKING AT GETTING MORE WRITTEN UPDATES, DEPARTMENTAL UPDATES FROM STAFF, AND THEN LOOKING AT COMING BACK AT ANOTHER TIME TO DECIDE WHAT THAT NEEDS THE REPORTS NEED, WHAT NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED? DO WE HAVE CONSENSUS FOR THAT? MAYOR PRO TEM? YES.
UM, AND THEN ALSO I THINK THERE WAS SOMEWHAT OF A DESIRE, UM, AND WE'VE ALREADY AGREED AS A COUNCIL THAT WE DID WANT A COMMUNITY PIECE.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER, RAPHAEL, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M MISSTATING YOUR DESIRE THAT YOU PRESENTED, UM, FOR COUNCIL INITIATIVES.
CAN YOU JUST REAL QUICKLY GIVE US A TOUCH POINT ON WHAT YOU WERE ASKING FOR? UM, IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE THE WRITTEN COMMUNICATION IN A FORM OF A MEMO.
UM, IT CAN BE DIRECTED TOWARDS COUNCIL, BUT IT IS OF COURSE, OPEN INFORMATION THAT ANYBODY COULD HAVE.
UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A REPORT THAT WE GET FRONT FACING INFORMATION THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL RECEIVE.
SO, UH, KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS, UH, UH, BUDGET TYPE INFORMATION IN IT.
I WAS REFERRING TO YOUR COUNCIL INITIATIVE THAT YOU PRESENTED AT OUR LAST RETREAT IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET.
SO THEN THAT, IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET, THOSE WERE THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS.
UM, EACH INDIVIDUAL, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER HAVE MEETINGS IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL PLACES SO THAT THEY CAN GARNER AND GATHER INFORMATION AND THAT THE COMMUNITY MEMBER HA YOU KNOW, JUST TO GIVE MORE ENGAGEMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE ALL GIVEN THE SAME INFORMATION AT THE SAME TIME, BUT, YOU KNOW, FORM FORMULATE THAT AROUND BUDGET SEASON.
SO, UM, I DO, I DO ALSO KNOW THAT WE'LL HAVE TO REVISIT THIS, BUT, UM, THERE'S BEEN, THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME CONSENSUS ALSO AROUND GETTING MORE OF A HEAD START WITH GETTING COUNCIL, UM, UP TO SPEED ON THINGS AS IT PERTAINS TO THE BUDGET.
MORE STARTS STARTING IN THAT SPRING, EARLY SPRING COUNCIL IS THEIR CONSENSUS FOR THAT? CORRECT.
AND WE, WE WILL REVISIT THIS TO SEE, UH, WHAT THAT NEEDS TO LOOK LIKE.
UM, JUST BECAUSE WE ARE, UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE LOSING, UH, OUR CITY MANAGER IN LESS THAN A MONTH, UM, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THESE TYPES OF UPDATES, WHAT, WHAT KIND OF COMEBACK ARE WE WANTING TO DO? YOU KNOW, I, I JUST WANNA PUT SOME TIME AROUND IT, UH, TO KNOW, BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A TIME WHERE THERE'S ONLY ONE MORE MEETING IN DECEMBER AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN, THEN WE'RE INTO THE NEW YEAR.
SO, YOU KNOW, STARTS THE NEW YEAR OFF.
I THINK WHEN WE SAY START THE NEW YEAR OFF, RIGHT, MAYBE STARTING THE NEW YEAR OFF RIGHT, IS DEVELOPING THE PROCESS SO THAT WE'RE NOT, SO THAT WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO DO THIS DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
THAT WILL BE THE TIME DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON IS TO HEAR FROM COUNCIL, IN MY OPINION, POSSIBLY BY WAY OF A SURVEY IN TERMS OF WHAT INFORMATION ARE WE ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR.
UM, AND I THINK THAT DECEMBER CAN BE THE MONTH THAT WE ACTUALLY DO SOME DATA COLLECTION ON EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO SEE AND WHAT, WHAT WE NEED TO MOVE THE NEEDLE.
AND THEN JANUARY, IN MY OPINION, WOULD BE THE TIME TO KIND OF GET THE CONVERSATION STARTED, UM, ABOUT THOSE REPORTS AND THE TIMING AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS, AND CREATE A MORE OF A, A SYSTEM, UH, AND SOME STRUCTURE AROUND THAT.
DR. MARKS, I WAS GONNA SAY IN THE INTERIM, PERHAPS WE CAN START THINKING ABOUT SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS THAT WE'D LIKE TO ASK AND SOMEWHAT COMING UP WITH THE VERBIAGE, UH, AS TO WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE SO THAT WE CAN YIELD THE, THE RIGHT ANSWERS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
YEAH, JUST, JUST AS, AS A RECOMMENDATION FOR THAT.
I, I THINK THE, THE, UM, CREATING EACH DEPARTMENT'S OWN VERSION OF A REPORT, UM, AND THEN GIVING ALL OF THOSE REPORTS TO THE COUNCIL, I, I THINK IS, WOULD BE A LOT OF MATERIAL PRESENTED AT
[00:50:01]
ONE TIME THAT YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO.I I, I WOULD, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU KIND OF FIGURE OUT ACROSS, THINK OF IT MORE CITYWIDE, RIGHT? WHAT ARE, WHAT INFORMATION DO YOU NEED DO YOU THINK IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE ON, ON, YOU KNOW, ON THOSE LEVELS, NOT NECESSARILY BY DEPARTMENT, BUT ACROSS THE CITY.
AND THEN WE CAN KIND OF GATHER REPORTS FOR THAT TO BE ABLE TO HELP FACILITATE ONE REPORT THAT INCLUDES THE KEY INFORMATION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, AS OPPOSED TO 13 DIFFERENT REPORTS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE AS INTERESTING TO YOU AS THE KEY INFORMATION YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT TYPE OF MATERIAL WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COUNCIL'S LOOKING FOR, UH, SO THAT WE DEVELOP KIND OF THAT KEY INFORMATION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SEE.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A MUCH MORE EFFICIENT USE OF STAFF TIME AND COUNCIL TIME, UM, TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF GET THAT REPORT INTO EXACTLY WHAT IT IS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, ON A, WHETHER IT BE MONTHLY OR QUARTERLY OR, OR, OR WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE.
SO YES, I, I, I DEFINITELY, I'M, I'M WITH YOU ON THAT.
SO AGAIN, WE'LL DO THAT BY WAY OF SURVEY.
'CAUSE I KNOW IF YOU GIVE ME A STACK OF 13 REPORTS, THEY MAY OR MAY NOT
SO I THINK A ONE SHEETER, UM, IF WE COULD AIM FOR THAT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD IN TERMS OF WHETHER THAT'S MONTHLY, QUARTERLY, HOWEVER.
SO, UH, WE WILL DEFINITELY DO THAT.
UM, BRANDON, YOU AND I CAN KIND OF MAYBE SIT TOGETHER AND WORK ON THIS SURVEY AND THEN GET THAT OUT AFTER THE HOLIDAY.
WELL, AFTER THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY, I'LL PUT IT THAT WAY.
AT THIS TIME, UH, WE HAVE ABOUT NINE MINUTES BEFORE OUR REGULAR MEETING IS TO START.
UM, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
MARK, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER TO ADJOURN.
COUNCIL ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY 6:51 PM COUNCIL, WE ARE NOW ADJOURNED.
I WILL SEE YOU BACK HERE AT 7:00 PM SHARP.
[B. REGULAR SESSION - CALL TO ORDER]
IT IS 7:00 PM I'M GONNA ASK COUNCIL IF THEY WOULD, UH, TAKE THEIR SEATS AND WE'RE GOING TO GET OUR MEETING STARTED.IF WE COULD HAVE, UM, IF WE COULD HAVE ALL OF THE CONVERSATIONS.
UM, AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GETTING READY TO START OUR MEETING AT 7:00 PM UH, AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE A ROLL CALL FROM OUR CITY SECRETARY, MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR.
COUNCIL MEMBER NICOLE RAPHAEL.
BY HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER DIANA MARKS HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER CRYSTAL CHISHOLM HERE.
THANK YOU, MADAM CITY SECRETARY.
AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.
FIRST WE HAVE OUR INVOCATION BY MINISTER L SHAWNEE DEVO YOUNG WITH MONA'S HART OUTREACH MINISTRIES.
FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, LED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CRYSTAL CHISHOLM, IF EVERYONE CAN PLEASE STAND.
THE SCRIPTURE THAT I'M GOING FROM IS FIRST TIMOTHY TWO VERSES ONE THROUGH TWO.
I EXHORT THEREFORE, THAT FIRST OF ALL, SUPPLICATION, PRAYERS, INTERCESSIONS, AND GIVING OF THANKS BE MADE FOR ALL MEN, FOR KINGS, AND FOR ALL THAT ARE IN AUTHORITY, THAT WE MAY LEAD A QUIET AND PEACEABLE LIFE IN ALL GODLINESS.
MOST HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO KEEP US AND PROTECT US.
WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD TOUCH THE MAYOR AND EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER, OH GOD, EVERY MEMBER THAT IS IN THIS CITY, OH GOD, AND EVERY RESIDENT, AND EVEN THE SURROUNDING CITIES.
AND THAT ON TONIGHT, THAT EVERYTHING ON THE AGENDA WOULD BE HEARD WITH AN OPEN HEART, AND THAT THE AGENDAS WILL MOVE FORWARD, PEACEFULLY, AMICABLY, AND THAT THERE WILL BE A RESOLVE TO ANYTHING.
AND I ASK THAT NO ONE LEAVES HERE WITH ANYTHING MISSING, LACKING, OR BROKEN.
AND WE ASK THAT THE BUREAUCRATIC RULES, AND THAT EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO GO FORTH AND TO BE SAID WILL BE SAID IN A SPIRIT OF LOVE AS WE STEP INTO THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
SO AS WE GO INTO THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE IN HERE ASKS THAT YOU PAUSE FOR FIVE SECONDS AND JUST THINK OF ONE THING YOU'RE THANKFUL FOR.
I'M THANKFUL FOR LIFE, AND THAT YOU ALL WOKE UP THIS MORNING AND TOOK THE TIME OUT TO COME HERE THIS EVENING.
SO THANK YOU COUNCIL, COUNCIL AND MAYOR, AND MAYOR PROTI, AND FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE SERVING THIS GREAT, GREAT CITY.
AND I PRAY THAT AS A COMMUNITY, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AND BUILD OUR CHILDREN, OUR SENIOR CITIZENS, AND ALL OF THOSE WHO RESIDE IN THIS AMAZING COMMUNITY.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, FOLLOWED BY THE TEXAS PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO FLAG UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS,
[00:55:01]
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR I ALLEGIANCE, TEXAS INDIVISIBLE.THANK YOU, UH, MINISTER DEVO YOUNG MINISTER SHAWNEE, I SAY, UM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR BEAUTIFUL PRAYER AND THAT SCRIPTURE THAT YOU RENDERED TO START OUR MEETING OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT ALSO.
COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM FOR THOSE PLEDGES
[C. ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST]
AT THIS TIME, MS. THOMAS, WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.NEXT WE MOVE INTO ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.0415.
THE CITY COUNCIL MAY REPORT ON THE FOLLOWING ITEMS, EXPRESSION OF THANKS, CONGRATULATIONS, OR CONDOLENCES INFORMATION ABOUT HOLIDAY SCHEDULES, RECOGNITION OF INDIVIDUALS, REMINDERS ABOUT UPCOMING CITY COUNCIL EVENTS, INFORMATION ABOUT COMMUNITY EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS INVOLVING IMMINENT THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, AS WELL AS ANY LIAISON UPDATES.
I HAVE JUST A FEW QUICK ANNOUNCEMENTS.
THE DESOTO AREA CHAMBER IS HOSTING THE 61ST BIRTHDAY GALA JINGLE MINGLE, AND THAT WILL BE THE OLD LEVINE BUILDING ON THE END, NOT INSIDE DESOTO GROVE.
UM, AND THAT'S AT 360 EAST BELTLINE ON DECEMBER 9TH FROM 7:00 PM TO 11:00 PM WE'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS AND GOOD LUCK.
BEST OF LUCK TO THE DESOTO EAGLES.
THEY WILL PLAY WILLIS WILDCATS THIS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24TH AT 7:00 PM IN THE ALAMO DOME.
AND FROM DESOTO PARKS AND REC.
THE ICE SKATING RINK OPENING DATE HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK TO NOVEMBER 28TH THROUGH JANUARY 7TH, RIGHT HERE IN OUR VERY OWN DESOTO TOWN CENTER.
ALSO, THE POLAR EXPRESS MOVIE NIGHT IS DECEMBER 2ND, THE BLOCK PARTY AND TREE LIGHTING IS DECEMBER 4TH FROM SIX 30 TO EIGHT 30 ON DECEMBER 9TH.
THERE'S CHRISTMAS CRAFT MAKING AT SANTA'S WORKSHOP ON DECEMBER 23RD.
THERE'S A CHRISTMAS MUSICAL AND THE, A WHOLE HOLIDAY WEEKEND CELEBRATION WITH A HOLIDAY, TRAIN, RIDE, FACE, PAINTING, PAINT AND PARTY.
PLEASE BRING THE CHILDREN OUT AND ENJOY YOURSELVES.
AND THEN LASTLY, THE BUILDING.
AN EMPIRE FOR THE PEOPLE CO-SIGNED IS AN AWARD-WINNING MEDIA AND PRODUCTION COMPANY, NATIONAL AGENCY AND ONLINE COMMUNITY THAT OPERATES A MULTI-PLATINUM MEDIA ECOSYSTEM THAT INCLUDES A MAGAZINE, WEBSITE, VIDEO, AND PODCAST NETWORK.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE OUR VERY OWN RA MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR, FOR WINNING THE COSIGN AWARD.
SHE ALSO, SHE ALSO, UH, SERVES AS THE CO-SIGN, UM, MEMBER OF THE YEAR COSIGN HONOREE OF THE AWARD, CO AWARD, CO-SIGN OF THE YEAR.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE HER ON ALSO TO A PRESTIGIOUS AWARD.
THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, FOR, FOR THAT RECOGNITION, MAYOR PRO TIM, I WAS VERY HONORED TO RECEIVE THAT AWARD.
I JUST WANTED TO, UH, THANK, UH, STAFF AS WELL AS THE COUNCIL, UH, UH, FOR JOINING MY, UH, VETERANS DAY BREAKFAST, UH, WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED.
WE, WE HIT RIGHT, UH, UNDER A HUNDRED, UM, FOLKS THERE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AS WELL AS TO OUR SPONSORS, UM, METHODIST, CHARLTON AND WALMART AND SMOOTHIE KING.
ALSO, LASTLY, UH, DALLAS COUNTY, PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL YESTERDAY ABOUT THE INLAND PORT FLOOD PLANNING MEETING.
UM, AND SO THAT'S ACTUALLY, THAT MEETING IS NOW GOING, GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT WEEK, AND IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE FROM A COMMUNITY INTEREST THAT'S ON NOVEMBER THE 30TH FROM SIX TO 8:00 PM AT THE A, THE SOUTH DALLAS GOVERNMENT CENTER, WHICH IS 83 0 1 SOUTH POLK STREET.
UM, THAT PRESENTATION WILL BE BY, UH, UH, UM, COMMISSIONER JOHN WALLY PRICE AND HIS TEAM.
AGAIN, THAT'S FOR THE INLAND PORT, UM, FLOOD PLANNING STUDY.
COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM, DR. MARKS.
I DON'T SING, BUT I'M GONNA SING THIS.
IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS.
ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH SOUTH TOYOTA FOR OUR ANNUAL TUNDRA TOY DRIVE.
AND WHAT THAT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE IS THAT WE HAVE A GOAL TO FILL EIGHT TUNDRA TRUCK
[01:00:01]
BEDS WITH HATS, GLOVES, SCARVES, AND SOCKS FOR OUR SENIOR RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN OUR SENIOR LIVING FACILITIES.ALSO TOYS TO GO TO OUR CHILDREN THAT'S HERE IN THE ALL AMERICA CITY OF DETO.
THIS PARTICULAR EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9TH OVER AT SOUTH TOYOTA.
YOU MAY DONATE TOYS BY BRINGING THOSE HERE TO, UM, CITY HALL OR ANY OTHER LOCATIONS THAT'S INDICATED ON THE BACK OF THE FLYER THAT EACH OF YOU SHOULD HAVE.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO PARTICIPATE ON THE NINTH, WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE BE OVER AT SOUTH TOYOTA AT 10:00 AM THAT'S THE TIME THAT WE WILL ACTUALLY FILL THE TUNDRA TRUCK BEDS.
WE WILL THEN DO A CARAVAN TO THE DISTRIBUTION SITE.
I AM CERTAINLY LOOKING FOR A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS.
SO I SEE DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED IN THE AUDIENCE.
WE NEED YOUR PARTICIPATION AND YOUR COOPERATION TO MAKE THIS A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL EVENT.
AGAIN, THAT'S GONNA TAKE PLACE ON DECEMBER 9TH OVER AT SOUTH TOYOTA, STARTING PROMPTLY AT 10 O'CLOCK, AND THE DISTRIBUTION WILL BE ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12TH.
WE DO NEED VOLUNTEERS THAT TO WORK WITH US THROUGHOUT THE, THE PRIOR WEEK SO THAT WE CAN SET UP, UM, THE SHOPPING AREA SO THAT OUR PARENTS AND OUR FAMILIES CAN COME THROUGH AND DO SHOPPING FOR THEIR CHILDREN BACK THERE ON THE TABLE.
OFFICER, WOULD YOU RAISE YOUR HAND PLEASE? IF YOU DON'T HAVE A FLYER, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND THEY WILL MAKE SURE THAT YOU RECEIVE ONE.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU LEAVE YOUR, YOUR NAME AND YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION WITH THEM, OR YOU CAN ALWAYS CONTACT ME, UH, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.
MADAM MAYOR, THAT SEEMS TO BE ALL I HAVE AT THIS TIME.
I YIELD BACK DR. MARKS, CAN YOU GIVE US THAT ADDRESS FOR THE UNDRE EVENT AGAIN ON THE NINTH? 10:00 AM RIGHT? IT'S GONNA BE LOCATED OVER AT SOUTH TOYOTA AT SOUTH.
THE ADDRESS IS 39 6 60 LBJ FREEWAY.
TO BE MORE SPECIFIC AND TO BRING IT HOME, IT IS AT THE CORNER OF HAMPTON ROAD AND, UH, I 20.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, THE CHALLENGE AND MEETING THAT BIG GOAL.
I WANT TO, UM, JUST SEND SOME LOVE AND A SHOUT OUT TO MS. D MCGEE FOR TAKING GOOD CARE OF OUR OF US SENIORS.
UM, IF YOU HAVE NOT GONE TO THE DESOTO SENIOR CITIZEN CENTER, UM, THEY ARE AN ACTIVE BUNCH OF FOLK.
AND, UM, ON LAST THURSDAY, IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE, UH, THANKSGIVING BRUNCH THAT WAS CATERED.
OUR OWN MADAM MAYOR WAS PART OF THAT GOLDEN VOICE CHOIR.
UH, THEY SANG, UM, THE, UM, OUR, UH, VERY ACTIVE SENIOR CITIZEN CENTER IS EXTREMELY ACTIVE.
AND SO I WANT, UM, UH, CHRIS GLOVER IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, MS. D MCGEE, AND HER ENTIRETY OF HER TEAM REALLY DON'T GET ENOUGH CREDIT.
THEY ARE DOING A MAGNIFICENT JOB.
SO, DEE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HEART, FOR OUR SENIORS.
COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, ANY EVENTS? NO.
UM, I WANT TO, UH, SAY THAT, UH, WE, WE REITERATED, OR WE KIND OF UNDERSCORED OUR LIGHT UP DESOTO IN OUR WORK SESSION.
HOWEVER, I WANT TO, UH, SAY IT LOUD AND SAY IT PROUD.
UM, IT'S TIME TO LIGHT UP DESOTO.
WE KNOW THAT THIS IS AN EVENT THAT WE DO EVERY YEAR, AND I'VE BEEN, UM, ALREADY SEEING LIGHTS.
UM, WEEKS AGO I STARTED SEEING LIGHTS.
A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS PUT THEIRS UP, UM, RIGHT AFTER HALLOWEEN.
SO, UH, THE COMMUNITY IS ALREADY BEGINNING, LIKE, AS DR.
MARK SAID, LOOKING LIKE CHRISTMAS HERE.
SO WE HAVE THE LIGHT UP DESOTO AWARDS AND, UM, YOU CAN, UH, COMPETE FOR A LIGHTUP DESOTO AWARD.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS DECORATE YOUR HOME AS YOU WOULD ANY OTHER HOLIDAY SEASON.
SO EACH YEAR, THE DESOTO CITY COUNCIL RECOGNIZES LOCAL RESIDENTS WITH LIGHTUP DESOTO AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING HOLIDAY LIGHTING DISPLAYS.
AND SO, IN ORDER TO COMPETE FOR THIS LIGHTUP DESOTO AWARD, ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS DECORATE YOUR HOME AND HAVE YOUR LIGHTS ON DURING THE WEEKEND OF DECEMBER 2ND AND DECEMBER 3RD.
SO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR LIGHTS ON.
UM, JUDGING FOR THE AWARDS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WILL DRIVE THEIR RESIDENTIAL STREETS IN THEIR DISTRICTS LOOKING FOR THEIR FAVORITE DISPLAY.
UH, I WILL CHOOSE THE MAYOR'S AWARD FOR THE BEST NEIGHBORHOOD ENTRYWAY DISPLAY.
IF YOU DECORATE YOUR ENTRYWAY, THEN I WILL BE JUDGING THOSE.
UM, THOSE, UH, PARTICIPANTS IN THIS EVENT.
[01:05:01]
UM, LIGHT OF DESOTO WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT THE DECEMBER 5TH CITY COUNCIL MEETING.AND WINNERS WILL HAVE A YARD SIGN PLACED BY CITY STAFF IN THEIR YARD.
AND THESE SIGNS WILL REMAIN ON DISPLAY FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
AND YOU WILL HAVE BRAGGING RIGHTS ALL YEAR UNTIL THE NEXT LIGHTUP DESOTO AWARD IS GIVEN OUT.
SO, FOR MORE INFORMATION, I BELIEVE THIS IS KATHY JONES, I THINK, UH, PLEASE CALL 9 7 2 2 3 0 9 6 4 8.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO DRIVING AROUND THAT WEEKEND AND SELECTING OUR FAVORITE LIGHTUP DISPLAYS.
I ALSO HAVE A FEW MORE, UM, A FEW MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UH, WE ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE MR. ISAM CAMERON.
HE IS, UM, GOING TO BE STEPPING IN AS OUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER, UH, STARTING AT THE BEGINNING OF DECEMBER.
UM, AS YOU ALL, UH, PROBABLY KNOW, OUR CITY MANAGER, UH, MR. WRIGHT IS GOING, UH, ONTO THE CITY OF PROSPER, RIGHT? WAIT, TROPHY CLUB.
I KNEW IT WAS SOMETHING PROSPEROUS SOUNDING.
I, I THINK I WAS TALKING ABOUT PROSPER ABOUT SOMETHING EARLIER TODAY.
SO OUR CITY MANAGER'S MOVING ON.
UM, SO WE, UH, AND WE WISH HIM WELL.
AND SO, UM, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, UH, MR. CAMERON IS GONNA BE FILLING IN.
HE ALREADY OPERATES AS ONE OF OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS.
UM, THE CITY COUNCIL HAS ACTUALLY, UM, SELECTED A SEARCH FIRM.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE COMMUNITY IS WE'LL BE REACHING OUT TO YOU ALL TO GET YOUR INPUT ON CREATING THAT PROFILE FOR A CITY MANAGER.
WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO SEE IN OUR NEXT CITY MANAGER.
SO PLEASE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
AS WELL AS ON THE BACK END, ONCE THE FINALISTS HAVE BEEN SELECTED, WE WILL BE ALSO HAVING AN OPEN HOUSE SO THE COMMUNITY CAN MEET THOSE FINALISTS.
SO WE WANT YOU ALL TO BE A PART OF THIS PROCESS JUST AS MUCH AS CITY COUNCIL IS A PART OF THE PROCESS, UM, WHEN, WHEN SELECTING OUR NEW CITY MANAGER.
SO PLEASE KEEP YOUR EYES AND EARS OPEN, UH, FOR INFORMATION ON HOW YOU CAN GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK.
UM, ALSO, I HAVE TWO MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS THEN I'M GONNA GET OUT OF THE WAY.
UH, CITY COUNCIL, THE MAJORITY OF THE CITY COUNCIL ATTENDED THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES CONFERENCE, UM, LAST WEEK IN, UH, THE CITY OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.
AND THAT WAS A REALLY GREAT CONFERENCE.
IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO BE ABLE TO GO TO CONFERENCES AND HEAR AND SEE WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE DOING AND BRING BACK BEST PRACTICES HERE.
WHAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IS WE WANT TO DO TWO CONGRATULATIONS.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DR. DIANA MARKS.
UM, SHE WAS SELECTED AS AN AT LARGE MEMBER FOR WOMEN IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, UH, AS A BOARD MEMBER THERE MAGE, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, DR. MARKS.
AND I ALSO WANT TO GIVE KUDOS TO A COUNCIL MEMBER, NICOLE RAPHAEL, WHO REPRESENTED US ON ONE OF THE PANELS.
UM, AND SHE TALKED ABOUT GRANTS, UM, WHICH WE KNOW SHE'S A AVID, UM, A VERY AVID, UM, PUSHER OF, OF GRANTS FUNDING, FINDING THAT MONEY.
UM, AND SO SHE SAT ON A PANEL AND SHE TALKED ABOUT DE SOTO'S PARTICIPATION IN THE SAFE STREETS FOR ALL GRANTS.
SHE GAVE INFORMATION ON HOW WE WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN THAT, AND SHE REPRESENTED US VERY WELL, HAD VERY THOUGHTFUL, UM, AND INTENTIONAL RESPONSES ON THAT PANEL.
SO SHE REPRESENTED THE CITY VERY WELL, AND I JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT TO SAY, UM, THESE ARE, THESE ARE NATIONAL PLATFORMS AND OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE BEING A PART OF THESE AND PUTTING DE SOTO'S NAME ON THE MAP.
AND SO WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL AGAIN FOR, UM, THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
UM, AND THE LAST THING I WANNA SAY IS HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
UM, SO IF I DON'T SEE YOU ALL BEFORE THURSDAY, UM, YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST, WE WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
UM, AND IF YOU ARE TRAVELING, WE DEFINITELY WISH YOU, UH, SAFE TRAVEL.
[D. CITIZEN APPEARANCES]
TIME, THANK YOU.UM, MS. THOMAS, WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
NEXT WE MOVE TO OUR CITIZEN APPEARANCES.
THE CITY COUNCIL INVITES CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON ANY TOPIC NOT ALREADY SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING.
CITIZENS WISHING TO SPEAK SHOULD COMPLETE A CITIZEN COMMENT CARD AND PRESENT IT TO THE CITY SECRETARY OR RETURN TO THE AMBASSADOR TABLE PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, THE CITY COUNCIL CANNOT TAKE ACTION ON ITEMS NOT LISTED ON THE AGENDA.
HOWEVER, YOUR CONCERNS MAY BE ADDRESSED BY CITY STAFF PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA OR RESPONDED TO BY SOME OTHER COURSE.
ATTENDEES MAY SPEAK ON ANY ITEM LISTED ON THE AGENDA DURING THAT PORTION OF THE AGENDA.
HOWEVER, FOR TOPICS NOT SCHEDULED, ATTENDEES WILL SPEAK DURING CITIZEN APPEARANCES.
THE STANDARD TIME LIMIT IS THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER AND MAY BE MODIFIED AT THE MAYOR'S DISCRETION TO MAINTAIN AN EFFICIENT FLOW OF THE MEETING.
UM, THE, I WANTED TO COME AND SPEAK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS, BUT THE, UM, COMMUNITY CO CONTROL PREVENTION CONTROL DISTRICT WAS MY MAIN THING THAT WANTED TO COME AND SPEAK ABOUT.
UM, I FIRST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, YOU GUYS WERE PRESENTED THIS TOPIC LIKE TWO WEEKS AGO.
UM, AND KNOWING THAT YOU HAVE TO PROCESS THIS AS QUICKLY AND BRING IT
[01:10:01]
TO THE, TO THE RESIDENTS FOR VOTE IN MAY, I FEEL LIKE IT'S UNFAIR TO YOU ALL.UM, THERE'S BEEN NO TIME TO PROCESS THIS SUBJECT, BUT I WANTED TO MENTION SOME OF THE CITIES THAT WERE DISCUSSED AT THE LAST MEETING THAT HAS THESE DISTRICTS IN PLACE AND ABOUT, UM, THOSE CITIES NOT HAVING A PERCEPTION PROBLEM LIKE DESOTO DOES.
AND WHAT THAT DOES FOR CREATING A CRIME CONTROL DISTRICT WHERE THE BOUNDARIES ARE NOT AREA SPECIFIC, BUT WILL BE THE ENTIRE BOUNDARY OF THE CITY.
UM, FROM MY PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, I'M NOT BRINGING MY BUSINESS TO A CITY THAT ALREADY HAS A PERCEPTION OF CRIME.
AND THEN THAT CITY CREATED A CRIME DISTRICT WHERE THE BOUNDARIES ARE THE ENTIRE, UM, CITY BECAUSE THE CITY OF DESOTO IS NOT PUTTING THIS IN PLACE BECAUSE THERE'S A CRIME PROBLEM.
IT'S MORE SO TO COURSE CORRECT THE FINANCIAL OVERSIGHTS AND, UM, UH, WOES THAT WERE CREATED BY THE CITY.
UM, AND SO THAT NARRATIVE IS GONNA HURT THE CITY BY ITSELF.
SECONDLY, UM, THESE FUNDS ARE, UM, GENERATED THROUGH SALES TAX.
I BELIEVE THE STAFF REPORT SAID $3.7 MILLION A YEAR THAT GOES TOWARDS PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FOR THE RESIDENTS.
THE CITY OF DESOTO HAS NOT RAISED PROPERTY TAXES IN 10 TO 12 YEARS OR SO.
UM, THOSE FUNDS ARE DOING SOMETHING, UM, AND THE UNUSED INCREMENTAL AMOUNT RIGHT NOW IS $0.
BUT I'M THEN BEING TOLD AS A RESIDENT TO BELIEVE THAT IF THOSE FUNDS ARE SHIFTED SOMEWHERE ELSE, THAT MY PROPERTY TAXES ARE NOT GONNA GO UP.
UM, FOR ME, THE MATH AIN'T MATH.
THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE THAT WE'RE, WE GENERATE $3.7 MILLION AND WE'RE CALLING THAT PROPERTY TAX RELIEF BUILDING.
WE ALLOCATE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE, AND THE PROPERTY TAXES ARE NOT GOING GO UP.
I FORESEE THE PROPERTY TAX IS GOING UP, NOTHING AGAINST BRANDON OR MR. WRIGHT, BUT HE'S ON HIS WAY OUT.
AND I NEED SOMEBODY IN THAT SEAT THAT IF WHAT, WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE SAYING DON'T HAPPEN, I CAN COME BACK AND HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AND I CAN'T DO THAT.
IF THE CITY MANAGER WHO'S PRESENTING THIS IDEAL TO ME IS NO LONGER HERE.
PATRICK, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL CARDS FROM INDIVIDUAL WHO WISH TO SPEAK? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
[1. Presentation of the October 2023 Financial Report]
AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.NEXT WE MOVE INTO OUR PRESENTATIONS.
FIRST WE HAVE PRESENTATION OF THE OCTOBER, 2023 FINANCIAL REPORT.
MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS LAKITA SUTTON, ASSISTANT FINANCE DIRECTOR.
OKAY, THIS EVENING WE'RE GONNA TAKE A LOOK AT OUR OCTOBER, UH, 2023 FINANCIAL REPORT IS, OF COURSE, WE KNOW THIS IS THE FIRST MONTH INTO THE FISCAL YEAR 22, UH, 2324.
UM, IF WE MOVE IN LOOKING INTO AFTER THE SUMMARY, SUMMARY PAGE, WE HAVE OUR GENERAL FUND.
SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE GENERAL FUND REVENUES TO DATE THROUGH OCTOBER.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT, UM, ACTUAL YEAR TO DATE PERCENTAGE, 1.7%, THIS WORKS 1.7% COMPARED TO 2.4% THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
OF COURSE, WE KNOW, UH, WITH OUR MAJOR, UH, REVENUE SOURCES, PROPERTY TAX, SALES TAX WITH PROPERTY TAX, OF COURSE, THOSE TAX BILLS HAVE JUST GONE OUT.
UH, WE WILL SEE THE MAJORITY OF THAT MONEY TRICKLING IN IN DECEMBER, JANUARY TIMEFRAME.
OUR SALES TAX, UH, BUDGETED, UH, 10.6 MILLION.
AND, UH, WITH THOSE, UH, FIRST 60 DAYS WITHIN THE FISCAL YEAR, THOSE PROPERTY TAX REVENUES ARE, UM, ACCRUED BACK TO PRIOR FISCAL YEAR.
SAME THING WITH MISS STRINGS TAX.
UH, YOU CAN SEE A FEW CATEGORIES THAT ARE, UM, AT BUDGET OR ABOVE.
WE HAVE OUR LICENSES AND PERMITS AS WELL AS OUR FINES AND FOUR FEATURES.
OUR INTER FUND TRANSFERS ARE ACTUALLY 33.3%.
WE'RE, UM, WE'RE DOING THOSE ON A, UM, A QUARTERLY BASIS.
WE'RE DOING THOSE ON AT A QUARTER ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.
THAT'S TOTALLY EXPECTED FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER.
SO FOR OUR EXPENDITURES FOR THE GENERAL FUND, YOU'LL SEE EACH GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENT LISTED WITH THIS ORIGINAL BUDGET REVISED BUDGET, WHICH OF COURSE, WE HAVE NO REVISIONS TO DATE.
AND OUR, UM, THE GRADE BOX IS GONNA GIVE YOU YOUR 2024 YEAR TO DATE ACTUALS.
SO, UM, YOU'LL ALWAYS WANT TO COMPARE THOSE ACTUALS TO WHAT WAS, UH, BUDGETED.
AND THEN, UM, THE NEXT TO LAST COLUMNS GIVE COLUMN GIVES YOU YOUR YEAR TO DAY PERCENTAGE BY DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT 6.7% COMPARED TO 5.4%.
[01:15:01]
LAST YEAR.IN OUR PUBLIC UTILITY FUND, WE ARE LOOKING AT 8.2% OF THE BUDGETED REVENUE.
THE REVENUE, UH, BUDGETED IS 28 MILLION COMPARED TO 2.3 MILLION THAT HAS BEEN, UH, COLLECTED SO FAR.
AND THAT'S IN COMPARISON TO 9.2% THAT WAS COLLECTED THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
THE EXPENDITURES ARE AT 0.6% COMPARED TO 4.6%.
UM, A LARGE PORTION OF THAT IS, UM, OF COURSE, PUBLIC UTILITY ADMINISTRATION IS WHERE THE MAJORITY OF OUR SALARIES AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ARE HOUSED.
AND BECAUSE WE'RE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR, THAT'S GONNA APPEAR LOWER.
UM, ALSO, UH, IN THE AREA OF UTILITY FIELD OPERATIONS, THAT IS WHERE WE PAY OUR DALLAS WATER UTILITY.
UM, THOSE WATER CHARGES OCCURRED LAST FISCAL YEAR.
SO, UH, WHEN WE PAY THOSE BILLS IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER, THEY DO ACCRUE BACK TO PRIOR FISCAL YEAR AS WELL.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THE LOW PERCENTAGE THERE IS 0.3%.
SO OVERALL, WE'RE LOOKING AT 0.6% ON EXPENDITURES SO FAR IN PUBLIC UTILITIES.
IN OUR SANITATION FUND, UH, WE WERE BUDGETED FOR 6.9 MILLION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.
WE'VE COLLECTED 446,000 SO FAR.
THAT PUTS US JUST ABOUT WHERE WE WERE THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
AND SLIGHTLY BELOW OUR EXPECTATION OF 8.4%.
THAT PUTS US AT 6.4% OVERALL AS OF THE END OF OCTOBER.
ON THE EXPENSES ON THE SANITATION SIDE, WE ARE LOOKING AT 0.5% COMPARED TO 0.9% THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WHICH IS, UM, WHAT WE WERE EXPECTING.
NEXT, WE HAVE OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS FUNDS AND WE HAVE OUR ORIGINAL BUDGET, REVISED BUDGET.
OF COURSE, THERE HAVE BEEN NO CHANGES THUS FAR AND OUR 2024, UH, YEAR TO DAY ACTUALS ON THE FAR RIGHT SIDE, UH, THESE ARE GONNA COINCIDE WITH, UM, GENERALLY PLANNED PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN PLANNED, UM, THAT ARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR, UM, OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE CITY.
THE TOP PART REPRESENTS THE REVENUE, AND THEN THE BOTTOM PART ON THAT PAGE REPRESENTS THE CORRESPONDING EXPENSES FOR THOSE FUNDS.
NEXT, WE MOVE INTO OUR OTHER FUNDS, WHICH ARE GONNA, UM, IN ENTAIL ALL OF OUR, UM, SPECIAL REVENUE AND INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS.
AGAIN, YOU'RE GONNA SEE OUR CURRENT BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 AND YEAR TO DAY ACTUALS FOR REVENUE, FOLLOWED BY THE SAME FOR EXPENDITURES.
AND OF COURSE, OUR PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS IS NEXT.
PROPERTY TAX COLLECTION, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA BE LOW AT THIS TIME, 1.15% COMPARED TO 2.2% LAST YEAR.
AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA START SEEING THAT, UM, INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
AND FINALLY, WE HAVE OUR HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESS SPENDING REPORTS.
SO FOR THE FIRST, UH, MONTH OF THE YEAR, WE HAVE ENDED AT 3.3%.
UM, OUR NET AP FOR THE MONTH WAS 3.9 MILLION, AND OUR TOTAL SPENT WITH OUR HUB VENDORS WAS 129,845, UM, HAVING US TO ARRIVE AT THE 3.3%.
UM, WE ARE STILL WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR, OUR VENDORS, OUR DALLAS MINORITY SUPPLIER.
WE TOUCH BASE WITH THEM WEEKLY NOW.
AND, UH, WE HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF OUR PROSPECTIVE VENDORS TO, UM, TALK TO THEM ABOUT CERTIFICATION.
WE HAVEN'T SUCCESSFULLY, UH, REGISTERED ANYONE YET, BUT WE DO, UH, SPEAK TO THEM WEEKLY.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE QUARTERLY, UM, MWBE MEETING, WE HAVE BEGAN, UM, GETTING THE LIST OF THOSE REGISTERED FOR THAT.
UH, THE LAST MEETING WE HAD 52, UM, BUSINESSES THAT, UH, REACHED OUT OR REGISTERED FOR, UH, THE EVENT.
I DON'T BELIEVE ALL 52 ATTENDED, BUT WE SENT OUT MESSAGES TO ALL 52.
UH, WE HAD TWO RESPONSES TO COME BACK TO US, AND THEN WE, WE DID, UH, SPEAK TO THEM AND REFER THEM TO OUR DALLAS MINORITY SUPPLIER, UM, OUR CONTACT.
SO NO SUCCESSFUL REGISTRANTS YET FROM THAT, BUT WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM.
THE 3.3% THAT WE HAVE AS OF THE END OF OCTOBER IS AN INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR WHERE WE ENDED WITH 2.1%.
[01:20:02]
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
MS. SUN, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION THIS AFTERNOON.
I KNOW YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA ASK ABOUT AND THAT'S OUR HUB VENDORS.
AS I LOOK AT, UH, 3.3%, I, THAT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING, UH, BECAUSE OUR GOAL IS 20% AND IT IS ALMOST DECEMBER, SO THAT'S VERY, VERY DISAPPOINTING.
YOU SPOKE ABOUT WORKING WITH OUR VENDORS.
CAN YOU ELABORATE AS TO WHAT THAT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE? YOU'RE HAVING MEETINGS WITH THEM.
WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? HOW, HOW AND WHY ARE WE NOT MOVING THEM TOWARD THE END? WELL, WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO IS WHEN WE HAVE NEW VENDORS THAT ARE COMING ON, UM, WE HAVE THEM, UM, OF COURSE COMPLETE VENDOR REGISTRATION FORMS TO BE ABLE TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND WHEN WE'RE, UM, COLLECTING THAT INFORMATION ALONG WITH THEIR WW NINE AND ALL OF THE REQUIRED VENDOR INFORMATION, WE ARE, UM, COMMUNICATING WITH THEM.
WE NORMALLY RECEIVE THAT INFORMATION VIA EMAIL.
SO AFTER WE RECEIVE THAT INFORMATION, WE ARE, UM, REFERRING THEM TO DALLAS MINORITY SUPPLIERS AS WELL AS TALKING TO THEM ABOUT THE ADVANTAGES OF BECOMING REGISTERED THROUGH THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE.
SO WE ARE, WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS MOSTLY TARGETING OUR NEW VENDORS AS THEY'RE COMING IN.
AND WE'RE ALSO ADVERTISING, UM, ON THE WEBSITE, UM, A LINK THAT GIVES OUR CURRENT VENDORS ACCESS TO THE REGISTRATION FORM AND ACCESS TO OUR, UM, MINORITY SUPPLIER CONTACT.
UM, PERHAPS I'LL, I'LL VISIT WITH YOU.
UM, PERHAPS I'LL, UH, VISIT WITH YOU AFTERWARDS BECAUSE I'D LOVE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, AGGRESSIVENESS, IF YOU WILL, UM, TOWARD GETTING US TO HIGHER TO OUR GO.
MS. SUTTON, THANKS AGAIN FOR BEING HERE.
UM, I WANT TO CARRY FORWARD A CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD DURING OUR WORK SESSION, JUST, UM, UH, AND TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES.
UH, UH, I SEE THAT MOST OF THE PERCENTAGES, UM, THE ACTUALS, UH, THE ACTUALS YEAR TO DATE OF THE BUDGET IS HIGHER THAN THE PRIOR ACTUALS.
SO IF WE LOOK AT, UM, LET'S TAKE AN EASY DEPARTMENT MUNICIPAL COURT.
UH, THE ACTUAL YEAR TO DATE NOW OF THE BUDGET IS 10.2.
UH, THE PRIOR YEAR TO DATE WAS 5.1 MM-HMM.
UM, ONE THING I WANT TO, IF I MAY, UM, THAT IS, WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THESE TYPE OF SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, UM, IF WE HAD THEM AHEAD OF TIME.
LUCKILY FOR THIS ONE, I DO KNOW THE ANSWER MYSELF.
UM, BECAUSE OF MUNICIPAL COURT, THEY WENT THROUGH A CHANGE WITH THEIR VENDOR, UM, THEIR, UH, VENDOR SOFTWARE THAT THEY WERE USING.
SO, UM, THEY HAD GOTTEN APPROVAL TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE NEW SOFTWARE.
AND, UM, THAT SOFTWARE ENDED UP NOT REALLY DOING WHAT, LIKE, UM, I GUESS THE DEPARTMENT NEEDED IT OR DIDN'T MEET A SPECIFIC NEEDS AND THEY HAD TO SWITCH AGAIN.
AND SO I KNOW THAT THEY HAD THAT, UM, THAT CONTRACTED SERVICE FEE THAT THAT WENT UP AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
SO NORMALLY, AND, AND LET ME ADDRESS THE OTHERS, SOME OF THE OTHERS THAT ARE, UM, HIGHER, 'CAUSE QUITE A FEW ARE HIGHER THAN THEY WERE THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
UM, AT THE MEETING, UM, LAST EVENING, WE LOOKED AT WHAT IS THE BIGGEST COST IN THE GENERAL FUND, PER SE, PRETTY MUCH PERSONNEL, RIGHT.
AND SO, UM, STAFFING, YOU KNOW, HIGHER STAFFING LEVELS, WHICH IS WHAT WE WANTED, UH, SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE SERVICES, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WE NEED.
AND THAT'S WHERE I THOUGHT, I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE VENDOR, BUT I THOUGHT THAT THIS IS WHERE YOU WOULD FIND IF THERE'S AN OVERAGES IN PERSONNEL OR ON THE SALARY LINE, THIS IS WHERE MM-HMM.
COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND SO ALONG THE SAME LINES AS COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, BIRD IS EXPLAINING, UM, SO LIKE WHEN I WAS LOOKING THROUGH HERE, THERE'S SECTIONS THAT SAY PERSONNEL IN SPECIFIC AREAS, AND THEN THERE'S ONE THAT JUST SAYS PERSONNEL.
UM, ARE ALL OF THOSE A COMBINATION, LIKE WHEN YOU REPORT ON THEM OR YOU REPORTED ON THEM, ALL DEPARTMENTS PERSONNEL OR EVERY DEPARTMENT HAS THEIR OWN PERSONNEL?
[01:25:01]
EVERY DEPARTMENT HAS THEIR OWN PERSONNEL.SO THE 39.3 THAT WE SAW ON THE, UH, BREAKDOWN YESTERDAY, UM, THAT'S ALL DEPARTMENTS.
I'M SORRY, THE, THE, THE NUMBER YOU'RE REFERRING TO, IT WAS A GENERAL FUND BREAKDOWN AND PERSONNEL COST.
THAT WAS ALL PERSONNEL WHO ARE FUNDED BY THE GENERAL FUND.
AND SO THAT MEANS THAT NOT ALL PERSONNEL IS FUNDED BY THE GENERAL FUND? THAT IS CORRECT.
SO IN THIS CASE, SO LIKE WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS PARTICULAR DOCUMENT HERE, UH, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE MUNICIPAL COURT AND HOW THEY HAD A SOFTWARE ISSUE.
UM, SO LIKE WHENEVER WE SEE A BIG OVERAGE IN THE ACTUAL FIELD, THAT MEANS SOMETHING HAS OCCURRED, THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED SOMEWHERE.
SOMEBODY KNOWS WHY THAT PERCENTAGE HAS CHANGED.
THAT'S THE KIND OF REPORTS THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
SO WHEN, WHEN WE'RE ASKING THE QUESTION, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR, THAT'S DEFINITELY WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR, UH, SPECIFICALLY AROUND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU, YOU HAVE THIS BIG AN OVERAGE, UM, WHY THAT OVERAGE IS THERE.
UM, ONE THING I WANNA ADDRESS IS THAT WE ALWAYS WANNA TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE TIMING OF PROJECTS.
UH, BECAUSE EACH DEPARTMENT HAS THEIR OWN SITUATIONS AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN TIMELINES FOR DIFFERENT, UM, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES OR DIFFERENT CONTRACTS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY COUNCIL OR THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY IN THE BUDGET.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT MAY NOT BE UNCOMMON NECESSARILY FOR A DEPARTMENT TO BE OVER A FEW POINTS HIGHER THAN OTHER DEPARTMENTS SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE TIMING OF THE PROJECT THAT THEY HAVE TO PUT IN PLACE DURING THAT TIME OF YEAR.
SO YOU COULD BUDGET WHAT YOU, TO, TO EXPOUND ON WHAT YOU SAID, YOU COULD PUT AN EXPENDITURE IN JANUARY, BUT IF THEY PAY FOR IT IN NOVEMBER IS A TIMING ISSUE AND EVERYTHING KIND OF FLOWS UP.
SO YOU MIGHT SEE THE FLUCTUATIONS OF THE PERCENTAGES WHEN THE INVOICE HIT VERSUS WHEN YOU HAVE IT BUDGETED, BUT IN THE TOTALITY OF THE WHOLE YEAR IS GOING TO BALANCE OUT CORRECT.
AS WELL AS, UH, UH, UH, BUT HUMAN RESOURCES FOR THE GENERAL FUND, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS WOULD, SHOULD BE PRE STATUS.
UH, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE, YOU CAN REALLY BE ABLE TO SEE SOME DIFFERENCE THERE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO EXPOUND ON WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT TIMING.
SO THE TIMING THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS WHEN YOU BUDGET SOMETHING, WHEN YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO HIT FROM YOUR BUDGET, WHICH IS JUST A BLUEPRINT OR A GUIDE VERSUS WHEN IT DOES HIT.
SO WE MIGHT DO SOMETHING SOONER.
WE MIGHT DO SOMETHING LATER, BUT SO IT'S JUST THE, THE THE GUESS WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT MIGHT HIT.
AND NORMALLY, UM, THE DEPARTMENT, UM, DIRECTORS, THE CHIEFS, THE FIRE CHIEFS, THE, THE POLICE CHIEFS, THE MANAGING DIRECTORS OF THE DEPARTMENTS, THEY KNOW WHAT THEIR, UH, THEY, THEY KNOW WHAT THE TIMING IS OF THOSE PROJECTS.
YOU KNOW, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, OUR AUDIT, UH, WE KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT GONNA PAY FOR THAT UNTIL AFTER WE RECEIVE THAT PRODUCT.
SO YOU MAY SEE A JUMP IN ONE DEPARTMENT, THE FINANCIAL SERVICES, UH, PROFESSIONAL SERVICE LINE ITEM, OR THE WATER WHEN THEY'RE AUDITING THAT PARTICULAR, UM, FUND, YOU'LL SEE THOSE AS SPECIFIC TIMEFRAMES LIKE IN THE SPRING OF THE YEAR.
AND, AND I APPRECIATE THAT, THAT EXPLANATION.
BUT I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS SCREEN HERE.
AND, AND I'M JUST GONNA JUST SAY, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I'M USED TO SEEING A COLUMN THAT SAYS VARIANCE.
UH, AND I KNOW THAT THE ACTUAL YEAR TO DATE BUDGET IS YOUR, THEIR WAY OR THE, THE, UH, FINANCIAL TEAM'S WAY OF SHOWING THE VARIANCE.
NOW, I, I COULD BE WRONG, BUT I JUST, I'M USED TO SEEING A VARIANCE COLUMN TO SAY, YOU LOOKING AT DOLLARS, NOT PERCENTAGES.
COUNCIL, ARE THERE ANY QUESTION, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS REGARDING THE FINANCE REPORT? OKAY.
[2. Presentation of the DeSoto Community Champions Award to Dianca Mcghee, Dr. Patricia Russell-Harrison, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Southwest Dallas County Alumnae Chapter]
MS. THOMAS, WE'LL TAKE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, PLEASE.NEXT WEEK WE HAVE PRESENTATION OF THE DESOTO COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS AWARD TO DIANCA MCGEE, DR. PATRICIA RUSSELL HARRISON, AND DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INC.
SOUTHWEST DALLAS COUNTY ALUMNI CHAPTER MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR.
[01:30:01]
OH WAIT.AM I IN THE RIGHT CITY? GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
UH, WE GET TO HONOR SOME OF OUR, WHAT I CALL HOMETOWN HEROES OR OUR BETTER PUT DESOTO CHAMPIONS.
SO CAN WE GIVE THEM A HAND CLAP IN ADVANCE? AND THIS IS DONE BY NOMINATION.
SO IF THE NOMINATOR IS HERE, WHEN I CALL UP, UH, YOUR CHAMPION, I WANT YOU TO COME AS WELL.
I MEAN, WE'LL HAVE EVERYBODY TO GATHER HERE AT THE FRONT FOR ONE, UH, ONE BIG PHOTO ONCE EVERYBODY HAS, UM, BEEN CALLED AND BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED.
BUT THIS IS JUST A WAY FOR US TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOME FOLKS A LOT OF TIMES THAT MAY MOVE IN THE SHADOWS.
UM, AND, AND A LOT OF TIMES WE MAY NOT KNOW ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND SO WE APPRECIATE THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOMINATED, UM, NOW AND THOSE OF YOU THAT PLAN, IF YOU DO PLAN TO NOMINATE SOMEBODY, THERE ARE FORMS I BELIEVE OUT THERE AS WELL AS YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE TO SUBMIT THOSE, UM, SO THAT WE CAN ACKNOWLEDGE PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY DOING GREAT WORK IN THE CITY OF DESOTO.
AND SO THE VERY FIRST DESOTO CHAMPION, UH, THAT WE HAVE IS MS. DIANCA MCGEE, OUR SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER MANAGER.
AND SHE WAS NOMINATED BY MR. JIM.
IS MR. JIM HERE? HE'S NOT HERE.
SO DIANCA MCGEE BEGAN HER CAREER WITH DESOTO ISD AND EVENTUALLY WITH THE CITY OF DESOTO IN THE RECREATION CENTER AND WAS HIRED AS DESOTO SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER SUPERVISOR WITH HER HARD WORK ETHIC, UH, WAS OFFERED AND ACCEPTED THE POSITION OF DESOTO SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER MANAGER D IS MAKING OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS SUCH AS INCREASING THE ENROLLMENT AT THE SENIOR CENTER BY 300%, SCHEDULING OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES SUCH AS FIELD TRIPS, KEEP SENIORS INFORMED ABOUT THE LATEST WELLNESS INFORMATION BY HAVING MEDICAL SEMINARS AND HAVING ASSOCIATES FROM SOCIAL SECURITY TO DROP BY FOR Q AND A SESSIONS.
SHE ALWAYS IS MAKING HERSELF AVAILABLE TO TALK TO PEOPLE AND SHE MAKES EVERYONE FEEL LIKE SOMEBODY REALLY CARES ABOUT THEIR PROBLEMS. THESE ARE IN MR. JIM'S WORDS.
THIS IS NOT ALL THAT MAKES HER ELIGIBLE FOR NOMINATION, BUT TIME WILL NOT PERMIT ME TO ELABORATE IN, IN, AT ALL IN SUCH A SHORT PARAGRAPH.
I KNOW THAT THE MANY SENIORS OF DESOTO, TEXAS ARE VERY HAPPY BECAUSE OF DIANCA MCGEE.
SO WE APPRECIATE YOU DE YOU ARE ONE OF OUR CHAMPIONS.
ALRIGHT, WE GONNA GET THE OTHER, THE OTHER CHAMPIONS UP HERE WITH YOU.
OUR NEXT CHAMPION IS DR. PATRICIA RUSSELL HARRISON, AND SHE WAS NOMINATED BY MS. JOCELYN MEDLOCK LEE.
I BELIEVE MS. MEDLOCK IS HERE.
AND DR. HARRISON, IF YOU WANNA REMAIN, IF YOU WANNA REMAIN SEATED, YOU CAN WHILE WE READ OR ELSE YOU CAN COME ON UP IF YOU'VE GOT IT COVERED.
LET ME READ A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, OUR DYNAMIC.
DR. PATRICIA RUSSELL HARRISON, UH, DR. RUSSELL HARRISON.
NOW RETIRED WAS A WONDERFUL EDUCATOR.
MANY PARENTS APPLAUDED HER FOR TEACHING THEIR CHILDREN MATH AND ENGLISH AT A LEVEL THEY COULD UNDERSTAND.
SHE'S KIND, LOVING AND NURTURING TO ALL THAT HAVE THE WILL TO LEARN.
DR. RUSSELL HARRISON HAS MADE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY OF DESOTO AS SHE IS THE FOUNDER AND LEADER OF DYNAMIC DESOTO.
DESOTO IS A RESIDENT FEEDBACK ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS CITY OF DESOTO OFFICIALS BY PROVIDING SUGGESTIONS TO PROMOTE GROWTH, VISIBILITY, AND VISION FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO.
UNDER HER LEADERSHIP DYNAMIC, DESOTO FOLLOWERS PARTICIPATED IN COMMUNITY ACTIONS TO ENCOURAGE DESOTO RESIDENTS TO GET OUT AND VOTE, ATTEND CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
STARTED THE SAVE OUR TREES CAMPAIGN, HOSTED SEVERAL COMMUNITY FORUMS, GIVING OUR COMMUNITY RESIDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET AND ASK QUESTIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CANDIDATES.
SHE KEEPS HER FINGER ON THE PULSE OF THE CITY BY ENCOURAGING MEMBERS TO JOIN CITY BOARDS AND PARTICIPATE IN THE DISCUSSION OF CITY PLANNING AND PROJECTS.
DR. RUSSELL HARRISON STRESSES COLLABORATIVE FORWARD THINKING IN HER DYNAMIC DESOTO GROUP AND RE AND REPRESENTS ECONOMIC EDUCATION, GOVERNMENT INFRASTRUCTURE, PROGRESSIVE AND SUSTAINABILITY.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, DR. RUSSELL HARRISON, WE APPRECIATE YOU AND YOU'RE ONE OF OUR DESOTO CHAMPIONS.
MAY I PLEASE HAVE MY SUPPORT STAND UP? YES.
SHE WANTS DYNAMIC DESOTO, HER SUPPORT GROUP TO STAND UP.
SHE WANTS TO MAKE SURE YOU ALL ARE ACKNOWLEDGED, MANY FAMILIAR FACES, UM, THAT WORK TIRELESSLY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL AS WELL.
YOU ARE ALSO, UM, CHAMPIONS BY WAY OF DR. RUSSELL HARRISON.
SHE SAID HER SUPPORT IS HERE TONIGHT.
[01:35:01]
YOU CAN STAY HANG TIGHT HERE IF YOU DON'T MIND.
AND WE'LL CALL UP OUR LAST GROUP.
UM, MISS, MISS MEDLOCK PRICE, WE APPRECIATE YOU AS WELL.
OUR LAST AND FINAL GROUP OF CHAMPIONS IS DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED, SOUTHWEST DALLAS COUNTY ALUMNI CHAPTER.
AND I BELIEVE MANY OF THEM ARE HERE TONIGHT.
SO IF THEY CAN MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE FRONT, WE HAVE OUR PRESIDENT.
YOU'RE GONNA REPRESENT FOR EVERYBODY.
YOU'RE, THEY'RE WELCOME TO COME IF THEY LIKE.
AND THEY WERE NOMINATED BY MARGO SPENCER.
GIVE THEM A MOMENT TO GET THEIR VIDEOS BACK GOING.
THANK YOU LADIES FOR BEING HERE.
THE CITY OF DESOTO IS ON WITH THE S-W-D-C-A AND HAS PARTICIPATED IN DESOTOS ADOPTER STREET PROGRAM FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS.
AND I'M A WITNESS THEY ARE OUT THERE, UH, VERY REGULARLY PICKING UP IN THE AREA THAT THEY HAVE ADOPTED.
EACH YEAR DURING THE CHAPTERS OPERATING MONTHS, MEMBERS VOLUNTEER TO CLEAN THE CHAPTERS ADOPTED AREA OF PLEASANT RUN.
THIS IS AN ACTIVITY THAT THE CHAPTERS MEMBERS LOOK FORWARD TO PARTICIPATING IN.
THE CHAPTER HAS ALSO BEEN VERY ACTIVE WITH THE DESOTO FOOD PANTRY BY VOLUNTEERING TO HELP AT THE PANTRY AS WELL AS MONETARY DONATIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS TO HELP STOCK THE PANTRY.
UH, I'M, I'M SURE THIS LIST COULD GO ON AND ON.
I WAS ABOUT TO SAY THEY LEFT OFF QUITE A BIT, UM, ON THIS LIST IN TERMS OF ALL THAT YOU ALL DO.
BUT WE APPRECIATE, UM, DELTA SIGMA THETA, THE SOUTHWEST DALLAS COUNTY ALUMNI CHAPTER.
YOU ALL ARE ALSO OUR COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS.
IF ANYONE ELSE WANTS, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A GROUP PHOTO.
IF, UM, IF YOU MAY, IF THEY WANNA COME UP, THEY CAN COME UP TO BE IN THE PHOTO.
UM, MAKE SURE YOU GUYS COME OUT TO THE COMMUNITY GARDEN.
WE'RE GONNA POST ANOTHER THING WHERE YOU CAN COME OUT AND GET SOME GREENS.
THANK YOU AGAIN TO ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS.
AND AGAIN, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE SOMEONE, PLEASE VISIT THE CITY'S WEBSITE OR GRAB A BROCHURE HERE AT THE ACTION CENTER.
[F. CONSENT AGENDA Items are listed on the Consent Agenda by the City Manager and are recommended to the City Council for single vote approval. An item( s) may be removed from the Consent Agenda for separate vote at the request of a Councilmember, the Mayor, or the City Manager. ]
THIS TIME, MADAM CITY SECRETARY WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.NEXT WE MOVE INTO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
ITEMS ARE LISTED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA BY THE CITY MANAGER AND ARE RECOMMENDED TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR SINGLE VOTE APPROVAL.
AN ITEM MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR SEPARATE VOTE AT THE REQUEST OF A COUNCIL MEMBER, THE MAYOR OR THE CITY MANAGER.
FIRST, WE HAVE APPROVAL OF MINUTES, REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, MINUTES MAY 2ND, 23.
MAY 15TH, REGULAR MEETING MAY 16TH, REGULAR MEETING JUNE 20TH OF 23.
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR JULY 17TH, AS WELL AS AUGUST 14TH OF 23.
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FOR AUGUST 15TH, SEPTEMBER 5TH, SEPTEMBER 19TH, AS WELL AS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTE, EXCUSE ME, MINUTES FOR OCTOBER 16TH AND REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
OCTOBER 17TH, RECOGNITION OF PROCLAMATION HONORING SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY.
CONFIRMATION OF APPOINTMENT OF OMI SIDIKI TO THE CITIZEN'S POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS MYRA RAND TO THE CITIZEN'S POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING
[01:40:01]
THE NOMINATION OF MARK JONES TO SERVE AS THE SUBURBAN CITY'S REPRESENTATIVE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE DALLAS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT.CONSIDER REVISIONS TO THE GUIDE FOR PUB DESOTO PUBLIC OFFICIALS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DIS BOARD'S AND COMMISSIONS AD HOC COMMITTEE.
CONSIDER AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH DALLAS COUNTY AND THE CITY OF DESOTO TO PARTICIPATE IN A JOINT OPERATION FOR THE INVESTIGATION AND REDUCTION OF AUTO THEFT AND AUTO BURGLARIES WITHIN THE SERVICE AREA FUNDED BY THE TEXAS MOTOR VEHICLE CRIME PREVENTION AUTHORITY GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,569,771.
AND FINALLY, CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER THREE, BUILDING REGULATIONS OF THE CITY OF DESOTO CODE OF ORDINANCES BY ADOPTING THE 2021 EDITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL BUILDING RESIDENTIAL PLUMBING, MECHANICAL SWIMMING POOL AND SPA, ENERGY CONSERVATION FUEL, GAS, FIRE, PROPERTY MAINTENANCE, EXISTING BUILDING CODES IN THE 2023 NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE.
UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE CALL FOR A MOTION? YES.
SO, UM, AS I SAID IN THE ACTUAL WORK SESSION, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, UH, FOR THE, UM, FOR US TO POOL ITEMS, UM, FROM THE MINUTES MAY 16TH, AUGUST 15TH, SEPTEMBER 19TH AND SEPTEMBER 5TH.
UM, AND THOSE NEED TO BE PULLED, UH, PRIMARILY FOR A CHANGE IN FLOW, UH, OR ASKING THAT THERE BE AN ACTUAL ADDITION WHERE THERE ARE PUBLIC HEARINGS WHERE IT SAYS OPEN CLOSE THAT AT THE BOTTOM THAT THERE SAY NO ACTION, NO FURTHER ACTION NEEDED IF NO VOTE WAS BEING TAKEN FOR THAT PARTICULAR ITEM IN THE, UH, TUESDAY, AUGUST 15TH MEETINGS MINUTES, UH, IT NEEDS TO BE AMENDED IN THAT YOU HAVE A FLOW WHERE IT SAYS FOR THE 6 0 1 AND 5 0 1, 5 0 1 AND 6 0 1 WINTERGREEN WAS, IT SAYS IT'S APPROVED.
AND THEN IT TURNS AROUND AND SAYS THAT WE WITHDREW IT.
AND SO I KNOW THAT IT WASN'T APPROVED IN AUGUST.
SO THAT PARTICULAR PORTION NEEDS TO BE MODIFIED.
AND THEN IN THE SEPTEMBER 19TH MEETINGS, THERE IS A SECTION WHERE IT, UH, IT HAS AN ACTUAL APPROVAL, I'M SORRY, HOLD ON.
MAYBE IT IS SEPTEMBER 19TH THAT SAYS APPROVAL AND THEN WITHDRAWAL.
THE 19TH SEPTEMBER 19TH MEETINGS SAY THAT WITHIN THE ACTUAL AUGUST 15TH, IT SHOWS THAT WE APPROVED 6 0 1 AND 5 0 1 AND I KNOW WE DIDN'T.
UM, SO THAT THOSE THINGS NEED TO BE MODIFIED.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, FOR CLARITY, YOU'RE ASKING FOR THOSE TO BE PULLED AND BROUGHT BACK AT ANOTHER MEETING AFTER CORRECTION, NOT TO BE VOTED ON TONIGHT.
UM, DR. MARKS, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR.
I JUST WANT THE COUNCIL TO BE REMINDED THAT THE MINUTES FOR JUNE 20TH OF THE EDITING FOR THE, UH, ACTUAL TITLE OF MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCIL MEMBER AS IT PERTAINS TO, UM, PRO TE ROT HUGHES AND COUNCIL MEMBER BIRD.
IT'S JUST A, UH, EDIT WHEN IT COMES TO THE TITLE.
SO I JUST WANTED THE COUNCIL TO KNOW AS WE VOTE, WE WILL NOT BE VOTING ON, UH, WHAT'S ACTUALLY ON THE, UH, AGENDA, BUT YOU WILL BE VOTING TO VOTING ON THE EDITING THAT WAS GIVEN TO US LAST NIGHT.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? MM-HMM,
UM, I'LL START WITH DR. MARKS, UM, FOR JUNE 20TH.
SO DURING THAT MEETING, I BELIEVE IT WAS THE FIRST REGULAR AGENDA ITEM, WE VOTED ON A NEW MAYOR PRO TIM.
AND SO THAT WAS A CORRECTION THAT I DID MAKE.
UM, AS FAR AS MAY 16TH FOR ITEM H ONE, THAT'S A PUBLIC HEARING, THE CLARIFICATION OR THE PREFERENCE IS TO STATE NO FURTHER ACTION.
SO FOR MAY 16TH, SEPTEMBER THE FIFTH, PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER FOUR, REGULAR AGENDA, CITY COUNCIL MEETING, ITEM F TWO AND F THREE, THOSE ARE ALL PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS. SO THAT'S PUBLIC HEARING ITEM, UM, TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR CDBG AND TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR, UH, THE BUDGET.
AND SO THERE IS NO FURTHER ACTION TO BE TAKEN.
HOWEVER, WE DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE ITEMS. SO IF I MAY GO IN AND ADD YOUR PREFERENCE OF NO FURTHER CLARIFICATION TO THOSE AND STILL APPROVE WITH THAT ADJUSTMENT, THAT'S MY REQUEST IF POSSIBLE.
UM, AND THEN SPECIFIC TO AUGUST 15TH, THE REGULAR MEETING, ITEM NUMBER TWO IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
THERE WAS A MOTION TO APPROVE AND THEN THERE WAS TURN TURNED AROUND AND YOU GUYS MADE A MOTION TO WITHDRAW THAT MOTION.
SO THE EDIT, THERE SHOULD BE MOTION PASSES WHERE IT WAS APPROVED.
IT SHOULD BE MOTION PASSES SEVEN OH TO REMOVE THAT ONLY.
BUT THERE WAS A MOTION TO APPROVE, BUT THEN YOU GUYS MADE A MOTION TO WITHDRAW.
AND THEN ON ITEM G 1ST OF SEPTEMBER 19TH,
[01:45:01]
IT WAS THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENED, BUT THE MOTION WAS TO TABLE.SO WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO MAKE ALL OF THOSE EDITS AND BRING THEM BACK OR SPECIFICALLY FOR THE NO FURTHER ACTION NEEDED AS YOUR PREFERENCE OF VERBIAGE, MAY I ADD THAT IN AND INCLUDE THAT IN YOUR APPROVAL TONIGHT? THAT'S MY QUESTION.
MADAM MAYOR, IF I MAY MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE WITH THE EDITING, UM, THAT'S BEING MENTIONED AT THIS MEETING.
UM, AND THAT WILL ELIMINATE HAVING TO BRING IT BACK TO COUNSEL, BUT JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU TAKE NOTE OF THE EDITS THAT WE'VE ASKED FOR.
UM, SO WE HAVE TWO, WE TECHNICALLY WOULD HAVE TWO SEPARATE UNLESS WE VOTE FOR ALL OF THESE IN THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH NOTED THE APPROVAL OF THE EDITS IN THERE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO PULL THEM NECESSARILY, UM, TO, TO TAKE A SEPARATE VOTE.
COUNSEL IS, IS THAT, AM I CLEAR ON, AM I CLEAR? SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO PULL THEM, WE WOULD JUST ADD ON THERE IN OUR MOTION, UH, TO APPROVE WITH THE EDITS VERSUS LIKE SHE MENTIONED HAVING TO BRING IT BACK.
COUNCIL ARE WE IN, UH, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN AGREE UPON TO DO WE, WE DON'T HAVE A MOTION YET, BUT THAT WOULD BE THE MOTION.
UM, COUNCILMAN PARKER, DID YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR ANYTHING BEFORE WE CALL FOR A MOTION? UNLESS THERE'S ANYBODY ELSE THAT WANTS TO HAVE ANYTHING ELSE PULLED FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION? NO, I'M FINE.
OKAY, COUNSEL, AT THIS TIME WE HAVE OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, ARE THERE ORDINANCES THAT NEED TO BE READ? OKAY.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES BY AMENDING CHAPTER THREE, BUILDING REGULATIONS ARTICLE 3.100 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE BY ADOPTING THE 2021 EDITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE WITH LOCAL AMENDMENTS RENAMING ARTICLE 3.100 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE TO BUILDING CODE AMENDING ARTICLE 3.200 INTERNATIONAL PLUMBING CODE OF THE CITY OF DESO DESOTO CODE OF ORDINANCES BY AMENDING THE 2021 EDITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL PLUMBING CODE RENAMING ARTICLE 3.200 INTERNATIONAL PLUMBING CODE TWO PLUMBING CODE AMENDING ARTICLE 3.300 INTERNATIONAL MECHANICAL CODE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO CODE OF ORDINANCES BY ADOPTING THE 2021 EDITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL MECHANICAL CODE RENAMING ARTICLE 3.300 INTERNATIONAL MECHANICAL CODE TWO MECHANICAL CODE AMENDING ARTICLE 3.400 NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO CODE OF ORDINANCES BY ADOPTING THE 2023 NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE RENAMING ARTICLE 3.400 NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE TO A ELECTRICAL CODE AMENDING ARTICLE 3.500 INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING POOL AND SPA CODE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO CODE OF ORDINANCES BY ADOPTING THE 2021 INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING POOL AND SPA CODE RENAMING ARTICLE 3.500 INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING CODE AND SPA CODE TO SWIMMING POOL AND SPA CODE AMENDING ARTICLE 3.1500 INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO CODE OF ORDINANCES BY ADOPTING THE 2021 EDITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE WITH LOCAL AMENDMENTS RENAMING ARTICLE 3.15002 ENERGY CODE AMENDING ARTICLE 3.1600 INTERNATIONAL FUEL GAS CODE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO CODE OF ORDINANCES BY ADOPTING THE 2021 EDITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL FUEL GAS CODE WITH LOCAL AMENDMENTS RENAMING ARTICLE 3.1600 TO FUEL GAS CODE AMENDING ARTICLE 3.1700 INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO CODE OF ORDINANCES BY ADOPTING THE 2021 EDITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE WITH LOCAL AMENDMENTS RENAMING ARTICLE 3.17002 FIRE CODE AMENDING ARTICLE 3.1800 INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO CODE OF ORDINANCES BY ADOPTING THE 2021 EDITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE WITH LOCAL AMENDMENTS RENAMING ARTICLE 3.1800 TO RESIDENTIAL CODE AMENDING ARTICLE 3.2000 INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO CODE OF ORDINANCES BY ADOPTING THE 2021 EDITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE WITH LOCAL AMENDMENTS RENAMING ARTICLE 3.2000 TO PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE AMENDING ARTICLE 3.2100 INTERNATIONAL EXISTING BUILDING CODE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO CODE OF ORDINANCES BY ADOPTING THE 2021 EDITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL EXISTING BUILDING CODE WITH LOCAL AMENDMENTS RENAMING ARTICLE 3.1200 TO EXISTING BUILDING CODE, PROVIDING A REPEALING CLAUSE, PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE, PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, PROVIDING FOR A PENALTY OF FINE NOT TO EXCEED THE SUM OF $2,000 FOR EACH OFFENSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
[01:50:01]
AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, IS THERE A MOTION? THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, UM, WITH THE EDIT EDITING, UH, STATEMENTS THAT WERE MADE, UH, PRIOR TO SECOND.
UH, THAT MOTION WAS MADE BY DR.
SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
UM, AT THIS TIME I WANT TO TAKE JUST A, A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS THAT WERE AFFIRMED, UH, ON TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, THAT IS OMAR OIR SIDIKI CONFIRMED TO OUR CITIZENS POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
IS, UH, MR. SIDIKI HERE? I DON'T THINK SO, BUT I DO SEE MRS. RAND THAT'S HERE.
COULD YOU PLEASE STAND SO THAT WE CAN APPLAUD YOU? AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SERVICE.
WE ALSO SEE YOUR HUSBAND, MR. RAND HERE, AND I BELIEVE YOUR, YOUR GRANDSON IS WITH YOU.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE, MS. RAND, WE APPRECIATE, UM, ALL THAT YOU DO, YOU DO SO MUCH.
UM, AND SO WE APPRECIATE, UM, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO CONTINUE TO SERVE IN THAT CAPACITY.
[1. Consider a Resolution authorizing the City of DeSoto's participation in the Federal Highway Association's Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program for the replacement of the Pleasant Run Road bridge at Ten Mile Creek]
THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.HAVING NO PUBLIC HEARINGS, WE MOVE INTO OUR REGULAR AGENDA.
FIRST, WE HAVE CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF DESOTOS PARTICIPATION IN THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY HIGHWAY ASSOCIATION'S HIGHWAY BRIDGE REPLACEMENT AND REHABILITATION PROGRAM FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PLEASANT RUN ROAD BRIDGE AT 10 MILE CREEK.
MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS CHARLES BREWER, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
COUNCIL AND, UM, COUNCILWOMAN RAPHAEL, THIS IS ONE THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE VERY EXCITED ON.
UH, BACK IN SEPTEMBER OF 2022, UH, CITY STAFF WAS ACTUALLY CONTACTED BY THE DALLAS COUNTY, I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, UH, TEXAS DOTS, UH, DALLAS OFFICE AND INFORMED, OR ACTUALLY QUESTIONED WOULD WE LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR BRIDGE PROGRAM.
UH, TXDOT ACTUALLY, UH, INSPECTS SEVERAL OF OUR BRIDGES, NOT JUST BRIDGES ON THEIR RIGHT OF WAY, BUT WHAT THEY CALL OFFSITE BRIDGES.
SO THEY APPROACHED US ABOUT THE PLEASANT RUN BRIDGE, WHICH IS BETWEEN HERE AT CITY HALL AND UH, POLK STREET, AT WHICH TIME THEY IDENTIFIED THE POSSIBLE INCLUSION OF THAT BRIDGE IN THEIR FEDERAL HIGHWAY, UH, BRIDGE PROGRAM.
THEY TOLD US AT THAT TIME THAT THE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT WAS GONNA BE USED FOR THIS PROGRAM WOULD ONLY BE 80% AND THE REMAINING 20%, UH, WOULD HAVE TO BE MATCHED.
AND OF THAT 20%, 10% OF THAT WOULD BE MATCHED BY THE LOCAL T OFFICE, AND THUS THE EXPECTATION OF THE CITY WOULD BE THEIR REMAINING 10%.
BUT ANOTHER CAVEAT OF THAT, THAT 10%, WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY ON THAT IF WE COULD SHOW THAT WE ARE DOING IMPROVEMENTS OF ANOTHER BRIDGE STRUCTURE WITHIN OUR CITY.
SO COINCIDENTALLY, SINCE WE ARE REPLACING PROPOSING TO REPLACE HEATH CREEK BRIDGE OFF OF HAMPTON ROAD, WE IDENTIFIED THAT WE COULD EASILY IDENTIFY THE FUNDS FOR THAT PROJECT AS THE CITY'S 10% MATCH.
SO STAFF, WE QUICKLY IDENTIFY TO T DOT, LET'S GO TEX SIDE GOT BACK TO US IN, UH, JANUARY, 2023 AND ACTUALLY TOLD US THAT THAT BRIDGE HAD BEEN ACCEPTED IN THAT PROGRAM.
AND BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN ACCEPTED, THEY WERE GOING TO BEGIN THE FUNDING AGREEMENT FOR THAT.
FROM JANUARY TO OCTOBER, WE WERE IN OCTOBER, WE WERE CONTACTED AGAIN AND TOLD, NOT ONLY WAS THAT BRIDGE ACCEPTED FOR FUNDING, THEY FOUND ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED THAT WAS GOING TO ALLOW 100% FEDERAL FUNDING FOR A PROGRAM.
SO WE WERE VERY ELATED TO HEAR ABOUT THAT, AND THUS WE DEFINITELY SAID, LET'S GO AHEAD.
THE ONLY CATCH WITH THAT, THEY SAID THEY WOULD HAVE TO MOVE IT UP IN THEIR SCHEDULING.
THE ORIGINAL PROGRAM WAS SCHEDULED FOR THEIR FISCAL YEAR 2027, AND THIS ONE IS 2026.
SO THEY HAVE DRAFTED THE AGREEMENT.
WE HAVE REVIEWED THE AGREEMENT, AND IT IS A TYPICAL FEDERAL TYPE OF AGREEMENT THAT REQUIRES US TO DO A LOT OF PAPERWORK IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE PROCESS.
BUT IT IS GONNA BE MOVED UP TO THEIR 20, UH, 26 FISCAL YEAR.
AND NOW A PART OF THE REQUIREMENT IS THEY ARE REQUIRING THE CITY TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION.
WE ARE AUTHORIZED, WE ARE REQUESTING YOUR AUTHORIZATION TO ALLOW OUR CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THAT AGREEMENT AND
[01:55:01]
OTHER PAPERWORK GOING FORWARD.AND I'VE ALSO GOT SOME, UM, FACTS THAT THIS BRIDGE COST IS OVER $10 MILLION, 10 MILLION, 10 MILLION, $557,000 WITH 1.5 BEING OF ENGINEERING, CONTINGENCY ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, AND ACTUALLY 9,000 FOR THE CONSTRUCTION ITSELF.
BUT AGAIN, THE KEY FACTOR ZERO COST TO THE CITY OF DESOTO.
I'VE TAKEN A FEW PHOTOS JUST FOR EVERYBODY TO BE RECOGNIZING WHERE THIS IS.
THAT'S THE, UH, OWN TYPE VIEW OF IT.
THIS SHOWS, THIS IS A MONSTER MASSIVE BRIDGE.
10 MILLION IS GOING TO BE USED EVERY PENNY OF IT TO REPLACE THIS.
SO THIS IS THE VIEW OF THE BRIDGE, UH, LOOKING NORTH.
YOU CAN TELL BY THE HEIGHT OF THE MONSTER.
THIS BRIDGE, 10 MILE CREEK, IS A MONSTER CREEK WHEN IT FILLS UP.
SO THE CITY HAS ITS OPPORTUNITY TO GET ONE OF ITS BRIDGES, UH, TOTAL REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE.
UM, ONE OF THE CAVEATS, THEY SAID THAT THERE MAY BE SOME ADDITIONAL CHARGES IF THE CITY OF COURSE HAD UTILITIES ON IT.
TODAY, THE UTILITIES THAT I SEE ON IT APPEAR TO BE GAS, SO ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS LET THEM KNOW IT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED AND TEMPORARY.
SO WE WON'T HAVE ANY WATER AND SEWER RELOCATIONS.
BUT THIS IS A TOTAL WIN-WIN PROJECT, AND THE STAFF RECOMMENDS THE CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY'S PARTICIPATION IN ITS FEDERAL HIGHWAY ASSOCIATION HIGHWAY BRIDGE REPLACEMENT AND REHABILITATION PROGRAM, APPROVING THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF AN ADVANCED FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AND AUTHORIZING OUR CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY FUTURE PAPERWORK WITH T FOR THE PLEASANT RUN AT 10 MILE CREEK BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT, WHICH THEY QUANTIFY AND NUMBER AS CJ S NUMBER OH NINE 18 DASH 47 DASH FOUR 60.
I'LL ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS COUNCIL MAY HAVE.
COUNCIL, THERE QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS ITEM? MR. UH, FEIGER, IF YOU CAN PUT THE TIMER.
I BELIEVE COUNCILMAN BROADFIELD MAY HAVE A QUESTION OR A COMMENT AS WELL.
UM, WE'LL DO TWO MINUTES PER COUNCILPERSON.
UH, I HAVE A A JUST A, JUST A VERY SIMPLE QUESTION.
UM, WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF A BRIDGE, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, THAT'S VERY MASSIVE AND THAT'S, UH, ONE OF OUR MAIN THOROUGHFARES.
SO HOW WILL REPLACEMENT OF THAT BRIDGE IMPACT THE TRAFFIC THERE? WE DEFINITELY DON'T KNOW THE IMPACT WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO REMOVE IT ENTIRELY OR LAYING IT OFF, BUT WE WILL DEFINITELY KEEP THE COUNCIL AND THE CITIZENS OF DESOTO UPDATED WHEN WE GET DOWN TO THAT POINT.
WANTED TO KNOW WHO MANAGES THE PROJECT.
WILL IT BE, UH, UH, VENDORS THAT YOU BRING FORWARD OR, OR WILL TECH DOT MANAGE THE PROJECT? A HUNDRED PERCENT TECH DOT.
THEY'RE GONNA BE INVOLVED WITH THE, UH, CREATION OF THE ENGINEERING DRAWINGS, THE BIDDING, THE LETTING THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT.
WE WILL HAVE OUR RESPONSIBILITY OF, OF REPORTING.
UM, BUT A HUNDRED PERCENT TEXT DO.
COUNSEL, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, PLEASE.
MADAM MAYOR, I THINK I NEED TO LOOK AT THE MOTION.
MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE WHAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED.
SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM TO APPROVE ITS PRESENTED.
COUNSEL, PLEASE USE YOUR VOTING PAD.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[2. Consider authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute a cost-sharing arrangement letter with the City of Lancaster for the City's 50% share of the repair of street lights and replacement of missing and damaged street light steel poles along I-35E at a cost not to exceed $60,000 and directing the City Manager to prepare a FY 2024 Budget Amendment for this purpose]
AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.NEXT, WE HAVE CONSIDERED AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A COST SHARING ARRANGEMENT LETTER WITH THE CITY OF LANCASTER FOR THE CITY'S 50% SHARE OF THE REPAIR OF STREETLIGHTS AND REPLACEMENT OF MISSING AND DAMAGED STREETLIGHTS, STEEL POLES ALONG I 35 EAST AT A COST NOT TO EXCEED $60,000 IN DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO PREPARE A FISCAL YEAR 24 BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THIS PURPOSE.
COMING BACK AS CHARLES BREWER, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES MAYOR COUNCIL, UH, OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, TDOT HAS ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO BOTH THE CITY OF DESOTO AND THE CITY OF LANCASTER AND REMINDED EACH OF US OF OUR OBLIGATION TO MAINTAIN THE STREETLIGHTS THAT WERE CONSTRUCTED.
I BELIEVE IT WAS BACK IN 1997, UM, AT WHICH TIME THAT THEY WERE CONSTRUCTING, UH, THE STREETLIGHTS AT THAT TIME IN 1998.
THE CITY COUNCIL AT THAT TIME PASSED THE RESOLUTION THAT WOULD ESTABLISH THAT, UM, THAT WOULD BE A 50 50 SHARED COST WITH THE CITY OF LANCASTER THAT APPARENTLY HAD BEEN AGREED BETWEEN THE TWO ENTITIES.
MY STAFF WAS WORKING ALSO WITH LANCASTER STAFF IN CONTACTING VENDORS FOR THIS REPLACEMENT.
UM, AS I'VE IDENTIFIED IN YOUR, UH, REPORT, THAT VENDOR IDENTIFIED THAT THERE WERE 10 LED LIGHTS, EXCUSE ME, 20 LED LIGHT FIXTURES
[02:00:01]
THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.THERE NEEDED TO BE TEN FOUR HUNDRED WATT BULBS INSTALLED, REPLACEMENT OF SIX 40 FOOT SINGLE ARM STEEL POSES THAT WERE MISSING AND PROVIDING ALL THE NECESSARY BARRICADES AND TRAFFIC SIGNS FOR THIS, UH, MAJOR PROJECT ON THIS MAJOR, UH, THOROUGHFARE.
AND AGAIN, A 50 50 50 SHARE WOULD BE ABOUT 57,000.
UH, WE'RE COMING TO YOU TO FIRST LET YOU KNOW THIS WAS NOT A PLANNED, A BUDGETARY EXPENDITURE.
IT IS NOT CURRENTLY INCLUDED IN OUR FISCAL YEAR BUDGET.
SO THE CITY MANAGER WILL NEED TO COME BACK AND REQUEST A, AND GET THE TERM RIGHT, A BUDGET AMENDMENT.
SO WE ARE ASKING YOUR, UH, SUPPORT, UH, TO, TO COMPLETE OUR OBLIGATION.
IN YOUR PACKAGE, YOU WILL SEE A, A LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING THAT WAS PREPARED BY THE CITY MANAGER OF LANCASTER, UH, REFERENCING WHAT I'VE JUST SPOKEN ABOUT.
UH, THEY, SHE HAS ALREADY SIGNED IT, MS. OPAL JONES AND IS REQUESTING A SIGNATURE OF THE CITY MANAGER.
SO WE ARE ASKING YOU TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE THIS COST SHARING ARRANGEMENT LETTER WITH THE CITY OF LANCASTER FOR THE CITY'S 50% SHARE OF THE REPAIR OF STREETLIGHTS AND REPLACING OF MISSING AND DAMAGED STREET LIGHT POLES ALONG I 35 E AT A COST NOT TO EXCEED 60,000 AND DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO PREPARE A FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THIS PURPOSE.
I'LL ADDRESS ANY QUESTION CONCERNS THE COUNCIL MAY HAVE.
UM, I DO SEE LIGHTS ON MR. FEER, IF YOU COULD SET OUR TIMER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. BREWER, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I JUST WANNA UNDERSTAND, 'CAUSE YOU, THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER STREET LIGHTING ISSUES THAT HAPPEN.
AND SO TRYING TO GRASP THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JUST THE NORMAL MAINTENANCE REPAIR THAT CURRENTLY HAPPENS IN OUR CITY.
AND THEN THIS SITUATION, BECAUSE IT ALSO REMINDS ME OF THE BUSINESS OWNER WHO CAME DOWN TO CITY COUNCIL, UM, I WANNA SAY AROUND BUDGET TIME AND COMPLAINED ABOUT THE LIGHTS THAT WERE, UM, ALONG I 35 AND THEN THAT THEY MENTIONED SEVERAL WERE, UM, DAMAGED OR NOT WORKING A LOT DUE TO ACCIDENTS THAT WERE HAPPENING AND THINGS LIKE THIS.
SO, UM, THE COST THAT WE'RE PAYING, I GUESS WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS WHY THIS ISN'T LIKE A ANNUAL MAINTENANCE BECAUSE LIGHTS GO OUT ALL THE TIME AND IF WE DON'T HAVE SOME TYPE OF, UM, RECOURSE FOR THOSE WHO ARE DAMAGING THE LIGHTS, THEN ESSENTIALLY WE'LL BE DEALING WITH THIS EVERY YEAR FOR, I MEAN, IDEALLY, RIGHT? SO INSTEAD OF DOING BUDGET AMENDMENTS, UM, IS THERE A REASON WHY IT'S NOT A, A MAINTENANCE THING? AND THEN JUST IF YOU COULD ALSO JUST ELABORATE OR EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE IN WHY THIS IS AN AMENDMENT AND NOT A PART OF THE STREETLIGHT, UH, PROGRAM THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS WITH ENCORE THAT WE HAVE.
THE CURRENT AGREEMENT THAT THE CITY HAS WITH ENCORE IS FOR THE REPAIR OF STREETLIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
EVERY STREETLIGHT IN THE CITY, GENERALLY, EXCEPT FOR TXDOT RIGHT OF WAYS, WHICH WOULD BE I 35 AND BELTLINE FOR THE ENCORE LIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
IT, ANY CITIZEN IS AUTHORIZED TO GO ONLINE, GO TO THEIR WEBSITE, IDENTIFY WHEN THE STREETLIGHT IS OUT, AND THEY WILL REPLACE THAT THE CITY'S OBLIGATION.
WE PAY A MONTHLY FEE TO ENCORE FOR ALL THE STREETLIGHTS IN THE CITY.
THE SITUATION THAT THAT HAS OCCURRED WITH THE I 35 GOT COMMITTED BY THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY BACK IN 1997 WHEN THOSE LIGHTS WAS ORIGINALLY BEING CONSTRUCTED.
MY READING OF THE RESOLUTION ALSO SAID IT WAS BECAUSE THE CITY'S DESIRE TO EXPEDITE TDOT'S INSULATION OF THOSE PARTICULAR STREETLIGHTS, THAT IT REQUIRED THE CITY TO COMMIT TO THIS MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF ALL THE STREETLIGHTS.
WHAT I DON'T KNOW IS THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CITY'S, UH, DESOTO AND LANCASTER, HOW IT CAME UP 50 50.
BUT THAT IS WHAT THE 1998 RESOLUTION ESTABLISHED.
UH, I JOINED THE CITY AGAIN IN, IN MARCH, 2022, AT WHICH TIME, UH, MY STREET SUPERINTENDENT AT THAT TIME HAD NOT ADVISED ME THAT THIS RESOLUTION HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED AT THAT POINT.
WE DO HAVE A SMALL DOLLAR AMOUNT INCLUDED IN OUR STREET TRAFFIC BUDGET, BUT AGAIN, NOT TO THIS MAGNITUDE OF 57,000.
SO WITH IT NOW BEING FLAGGED DOING AT THIS TIME BY TDOT TO BOTH LANCASTER AND THE CITY OF DESOTO THAT WE MUST PROCEED WITH GETTING THESE REPAIR, THAT IS WHY RIGHT NOW THIS HEAVY EXPENDITURES IS HITTING US.
I'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR CITY MANAGER AND EVEN OUR POLICE CHIEF AND OUR SENIOR MANAGERS
[02:05:01]
MEETING TO MAKE SURE GOING FORWARD, IF THERE ARE ANY TRAFFIC, EXCUSE ME, STREETLIGHT POLES HIT THAT WE BE SURE WE TRY TO GO AFTER THE INSURANCE COMPANY FOR THOSE COMPANIES.BUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED WITH THOSE SIX POLES, I CANNOT SAY, BUT I THINK THERE'S, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS STILL LOOKING TO SEE IF WE CAN HAVE SOME RECORDS TO SEE IF WE CAN GO BACK AND TRY TO, UH, GET THAT COST.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST PLAYING CATCH UP GOING FORWARD.
WE DEFINITELY HAVE A, A MAYBE NOT AS FAT AS 57,000 IN, BUT WE WILL HAVE SOME FUNDING IN THE STREET AND TRAFFIC, UH, GENERAL FUND BUDGET TO BE ABLE TO STAY UP WITH THIS KNOWING THAT THIS IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
WE HAVE A GREAT CONTACT WITH, UH, LANCASTER, SO WE'LL BE SURE TO KEEP OUR COMMUNICATIONS GOING.
SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO MUTUALLY, UH, DO WITH THIS.
NOW AGAIN, THIS IS FROM DANIEL DALE, THE PLEASANT RUN.
THAT'S WHAT THE AGREEMENT ESTABLISHED WITH TDOT AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE SHARING THE 50 50.
THANK YOU DR. MARKS MADAM MAYOR.
JUST THE POINT OF INFORMATION.
DID I MISS THE TIMELINE? DO WE KNOW WHEN THIS MIGHT GET STARTED AND ALL THAT? BOTH OF OUR CITIES ARE READY.
AS SOON AS YOU AUTHORIZE THAT CITY MANAGER TO SIGN THIS, UH, MEMORANDUM LETTER, WE'LL GET IT BACK TO LANCASTER AND THAT COMPANY IS READY, YOU KNOW, TO START.
BUT IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE BIT, UM, A FEW WEEKS 'CAUSE THEY GOTTA GET BARRICADES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND WE ARE COMING UP WITH THE HOLIDAYS.
SO PERSONALLY, I'M NOT SURE OF THE SCHEDULE, BUT WE WILL KEEP OUR EYES ON IT SINCE WE'RE INVESTING THE, UH, 58,000.
COUNCIL, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE, UH, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS BEFORE CALLING FOR A MOTION? HEY, HEARING NONE, COUNCIL, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION PLEASE.
MADAM MAYOR, I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE AS PRE SECOND.
MARK, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN RAFAEL TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED COUNSEL, PLEASE USE YOUR VOTING PAD.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[3. Consider an Ordinance proposing the creation of the DeSoto Crime Control and Prevention District]
AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, PLEASE.NEXT, WE HAVE CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE PROPOSING THE CREATION OF THE DESOTO CRIME CONTROL AND PREVENTION DISTRICT.
MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS TRACY COMIER, FINANCE DIRECTOR.
UM, THE ORDINANCE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS, UH, RELATED TO THE DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE HAD AT THE PREVIOUS WORK SESSIONS.
AND TODAY, TONIGHT IS THE FIRST STEP IN THIS PROCESS.
UM, AT THIS TIME, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE A ORDINANCE PROPOSING THE CREATION OF THE DESOTO CRIME CONTROL AND PREVENTION DISTRICT.
UM, WE CAN'T ENTERTAIN ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
I BELIEVE THERE IS A CARD FROM AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
BEFORE WE HEAR ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL MARY BONAPARTE.
GOOD EVENING, MS. BONAPARTE, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE ONLY FOR THE RECORD.
AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
MAYOR MARY BONAPARTE, CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS.
I HAVE A CONCERN REGARDING THE DESOTO CRIME CONTROL AND PREVENTION DISTRICT PROGRAM.
THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM THROUGH SALE TAX MONIES WILL CAUSE AN IMPACT ON THE DECREASED AMOUNTS THAT DESOTO TAX PAYERS PRESENTLY RECEIVE ON THEIR ANNUAL TAXES, WHICH WILL POSSIBLY RESULT IN A TAX INCREASE.
NOW, I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE HARD FOR Y'ALL BECAUSE I QUICKLY LOOKED OVER THIS ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE COMING HERE, AND WE'RE STUCK BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD SPOT.
I FEEL THAT BECAUSE OF A SYSTEMIC MISMANAGEMENT OF CITY FUNDS AND A NON-TRANSPARENT BUDGET, THE CITIZENS AND TAXPAYERS OF DESOTA WILL IMMENSELY BE IMPACTED.
I FEEL AS IF WE, THE CITIZENS ARE BEING FORCED TO CHOOSE BETWEEN A TAX INCREASE SAFETY OR DECREASED CITY SERVICES, UNLESS WE CAN BE GUARANTEED, AND AS I SAID, BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD SPOT, SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE.
WE HAVE TO DO BETTER WITH OUR BUDGETS.
WE HAVE TO DO BETTER TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE MONIES AVAILABLE WHEN THEY'RE NEEDED.
AND WE DON'T CREATE PROGRAMS SUCH AS THIS TO COVER FOR SHORTFALL.
UM, MS. THOMAS, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL CARDS? NONE.
UM, IF THERE ARE ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL, WE WILL RECEIVE THOSE AT THIS TIME.
COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
SO I HAD SOME QUESTIONS AROUND, UH, FIRST, UM, IF THIS IS APPROVED BY THE CITIZENS, WILL THERE BE A CITIZENS BOARD? UM, IF THERE IS A TIMELINE FOR THE CCPD, I MEAN, HOW IS THERE A TIMELINE FOR IT TO BE EFFECTIVE? LIKE,
[02:10:01]
IS THERE A YEAR, TWO YEARS, THAT TYPE OF THING.AND THEN IT COMES BACK AND BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS ABOUT THE SALES TAX REGULATIONS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE IS FROM A LEGISLATIVE PERSPECTIVE, RULE 3, 3, 4, UH, 3 3 3 0.34.
UH, ARE THERE ANY IMPACTS FROM THAT PARTICULAR RULE? 'CAUSE IT'S A SALES TAX REGULATION THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE.
I YIELD BACK COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, I THINK WE'LL NEED YOU TO BREAK DOWN THOSE QUESTIONS AND KIND OF GIVE US MORE POINTED POINTED AS FAR AS WHO THE QUESTION IS DIRECTED TO OR THAT'S TO MR. COMIER, TO CITY MANAGER OR WHAT, OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
UM, WELL, THE FIRST QUESTION I ASKED WAS IF, I DON'T KNOW WHO'S GONNA ANSWER THAT QUESTION FIRST.
UH, IF THERE'S, IF THIS IS APPROVED BY THE CITIZENS, WILL THERE BE A CITIZEN BOARD? OKAY, LET'S DO THAT.
SO THAT QUESTION, WILL THERE BE A CITIZEN AND I, I CAN GO AHEAD AND ANSWER THAT.
SO THE, THE TEMPORARY BOARD IS ESTABLISHED RIGHT NOW.
OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT IT BE THE CITY COUNCIL.
IT CAN BE WHATEVER, SEVEN PEOPLE, UH, YOU, YOU DESIRE IT TO BE.
SO IT CAN BE A RESIDENT BOARD, IT COULD ALSO BE THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, FOR THAT THERE IS NOT A PLACE WITHIN THE ORDINANCE FOR A CITY FOR THIS APPOINTED BOARD, THE TEMPORARY BOARD, AND THEN A SEPARATE GROUP TO HAVE A PLACE.
AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE PEOPLE THAT YOU ASK TO SERVE IN AN AD HOC OR ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UM, FOR THAT.
BUT IT WOULDN'T BE PART OF THE, NECESSARILY THE PROCESS OF CREATING THE CCPD.
IT WOULD JUST BE SOMETHING THE CITY WOULD DO ON THE SIDE.
AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE EFFECTIVE TIMELINE OF IF THIS WAS PUT IN PLACE.
AGAIN, THIS IS ALL ABOUT WHAT'S BEING VOTED FOR.
IS THIS AN EFFECTIVE, THIS IS LIKE A YEAR, TWO YEARS, JUST ONE YEAR.
WHAT IS IT? I, I BELIEVE, UH, AND, UH, CITY ATTORNEY JOE GODA, IT'S FIVE YEARS, IS THAT CORRECT? UH, THE INITIAL FIVE YEARS.
UM, AND, AND UH, AFTER THAT YOU'LL VOTE.
AND IT CAN BE, YOU KNOW, ONE YEAR, FIVE YEARS, THERE'S INCREMENTS.
ONE YEAR, I THINK IT'S ONE YEAR, FIVE YEARS, 10 YEARS, 20 YEARS, UM, THAT YOU CAN, YOU CAN VOTE IN INCREMENTS FOR IT TO BE CONTINUED.
IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO TAKE TO THE VOTERS TO CONTINUE THE DISTRICT TO IN THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD.
SO EACH TIME WHEN YOU, TO THAT POINT, WHEN YOU'RE SAYING YOU CAN VOTE TO CONTINUE IT, THAT MEANS IT YOU BEING THE CITIZENS.
AND THEN, UH, THE MONIES BEING SALES TAX, THERE IS ALREADY SALES TAX REGULATIONS IN PLACE RULED 3.34334.
UH, ARE THERE ANY IMPACTS ON, WOULD THERE BE ANY IMPACTS ON THAT MONIES FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE? UM, SO, SO IS, SO I MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING THE QUESTION.
THE QUESTION IS, DOES UH, RULE POINT RULE 3.334 HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF SALES TAX THAT WE RECEIVED IN THE FUTURE? IS THAT ABSOLUTELY.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD IT.
UH, AND, AND THE ANSWER TO THAT IS, UH, IT COULD, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT IT'S MARGINAL AT THIS POINT.
UH, BECAUSE THE LARGEST, UH, SALES TAXPAYER THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY, THE ONE THAT WOULD HAVE THE MOST IMPACT BY RULE 3.334, HAS ALREADY VOLUNTARILY MOVED FORWARD WITH IMPLEMENTING THOSE CHANGES.
AND THEREFORE WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THE DECREASE, UH, FROM THAT.
UH, SO EV EVERY OTHER, OTHER COMPANIES, THE AMOUNT WOULD BE MUCH SMALLER.
SO THE, THE BIG ONE HAS ALREADY HAPPENED.
THE OTHER ONES WOULD BE MUCH SMALLER IN NATURE.
AND LAST QUESTION IS, IS, UH, WHY IS, IF THIS IS THE CRIME DISTRICT AND WE'RE TRYING TO PUT THIS IN PLACE, WHY IS THE POLICE NOT THE ONES PULLING THIS FORWARD? I DON'T KNOW.
THAT'D HAVE A GREAT ANSWER FOR THAT ONE.
OTHER THAN OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT IS, IS THE TEAM THAT IS LEADING THIS EFFORT.
THEY'RE DOING IT WITH POLICE DEPARTMENT BEHIND THE SCENES.
BUT OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT WILL BE THE ONES THAT ARE HELPING TO GUIDE THIS ITEM THROUGH.
I WILL STATE, WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO PUT TOGETHER THE, UH, STRATEGY THAT WE, UH, MENTIONED YESTERDAY ALONG WITH THE BUDGET, PROPOSED BUDGET.
COUNCIL, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? YES, COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM.
UM, MADAM MAYOR, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, MR. CORMIER FOR YOUR PRESENTATION THUS FAR.
UM, I, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I JUST HAVE MORE SO A STATEMENT.
UM, LAST NIGHT, UH, I HEARD A LOT FROM MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT W AND DOUBLE DISCOUNTED, REALLY NOT MISSING ANYTHING.
SO I, I, I CALLED MY FRIENDS AT DALLAS COUNTY AS I DID DURING THE BUDGET SEASON.
THERE'S SOME REALLY NICE PEOPLE, Y'ALL SHOULD CHECK THEM OUT.
BUT I ALSO, UH, TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO PULL DOWN MY TAX STATEMENT.
AND EVERYBODY HAS THIS TAX STATEMENT.
YOU CAN GO TO, UH, DALLAS COUNTY TAX OFFICE AND PULL IT OFF YOURSELF.
NOW, UM, MY HUSBAND AND I, WE, WE DID PRETTY, UH, WE WERE VERY HUMBLE WITH OUR HOME, RIGHT? SO MY VALUE OF MY HOUSE IS NOT AS MUCH AS PROBABLY MOST OF THE, THE DAYS, BUT, UM, OUR HOUSE IS A LITTLE BIT UNDER 300,000, UH, VALUE TO ADD THAT, UM, THERE'S A COMMENT THAT'S, IT'S ON YOUR TAX STATEMENT THAT SAYS, WITHOUT THE SALES TAX CITY OF DESOTO, TAXES WOULD HAVE INCREASED BY $185 AND 31 CENTS.
MEANING THAT I WOULD HAVE RECEIVED AN INCREASE OF $185 AND 31 CENTS
[02:15:01]
FOR MY TAXES.KEEP IN MIND, MY HOUSE IS PROBABLY ON THE LOW END ON MY SIDE OF TOWN, UM, WITH MOST, MOST HOUSES TIPPING OVER 400,000.
UM, AND, AND EXCEEDING THAT JUST WITH THE APPRAISAL VALUE, I I'LL SAY THIS, THAT WE INCREASED THE WA THIS, THIS, THIS BUDGET CYCLE.
WE, WE AGREED TO INCREASE THE WATER.
WE, BECAUSE WE HAD TO INFRASTRUCTURE, WE INCREASED THE, THE SEWER AND TRASH 'CAUSE WE HAD TO INFRASTRUCTURE AND AT, AT, AND NOT ONLY THAT, WE TOOK A TAX BOND COST $60,000.
THAT ESSENTIALLY IS OUR MONEY BEING USED TO PASS THE BUDGET.
CPAC HASN'T BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS.
UM, AND THE CITIES AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, USED DON'T HAVE THE SAME ISSUES THAT WE HAVE REGARDING CRIME AND STIGMA.
I'M SAYING THAT WE HAVE BEEN VOTED IN FOR THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE VOTERS AND THE HOMEOWNERS.
I LOVE THE CITY EMPLOYEES, I LOVE THE PROGRAMMING, BUT WE NEED TO START THEIR FIRST AND BEFORE WE START INCREASING BILLS, BECAUSE SB TWO WAS TO CONTROL THE CITY AND THEIR SPENDING, IT WAS NOT TO DIRECTLY DECREASE TAXES FOR TAX VOTERS.
SO SAYING THAT IT'S DOUBLE, IT'S NOT A DOUBLE DISCOUNT.
AND WE ARE ESSENTIALLY RAISING THE TAX RATE WITHOUT SAYING WE'RE RAISING THE TAX RATE.
IF YOU TAKE AWAY MY $185 AND 31 CENTS THAT I'LL HAVE TO FIND THE MONEY FOR AS I DECIDE, DO I PAY FOR THIS? DO I ALLOW THE CITY TO MOVE FORWARD FOR CRIME OR DO I KEEP MY $185 WHEN EVERYTHING HAS INFLATION IN, IN, IN THE UNITED STATES AND THE COMMUNITY THESE DAYS? SO THAT, THAT IS MY, MY STATEMENT, AND I HOPE THAT WE CHOOSE CAREFULLY AROUND THIS.
UH, COUNCILMAN BURKE? THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, LET ME CLARIFY WHAT WAS STATED LAST NIGHT AS A DOUBLE STATEMENT.
THE, THE CREDIT THAT WE ARE TAKING, THE SALES TAX, THE SALES TAX IS A NUMBER THAT EVERYONE WHO EVER BUY ANYTHING IN DESOTO PAY FOR.
I DON'T KNOW HOW IT ORIGINALLY GOT DIVERTED TO BE AN OFFSET TO PROPERTY TAX, BUT EVERYBODY, THOSE WHO LIVE IN APARTMENTS PAY THE SALES TAX.
AND RIGHT NOW IT'S GOING TO HOMEOWNERS, WHICH I, I BENEFIT FROM IT.
HOWEVER, WITH SB TWO AND, AND, AND JUST TO LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, WE CAN CHOOSE TO DO, I'M HAVING SOME TREPIDATION ABOUT APPROVING THIS FOR OTHER REASONS.
BUT, BUT THE TRUTH IS, IS THAT HAD NOT, WE DID THAT $3.2 MILLION LOAN, WE WOULD'VE HAD TO GIVE THAT MONEY BACK, WHICH MEANT THAT PROPERTY TAXES WOULD'VE BEEN LOWERED MORE THAN THE 1 CENTS.
IT WOULD'VE GONE DOWN PROBABLY CLOSER TO 2 CENTS.
THE PROBLEM WITH ERODING THE TAX BASE THAT THAT LOW IS THAT WHEN PROPERTY TAXES, WHEN THE PROPERTY STOP APPRAISING AND YOU STILL HAVE ALL OF THESE CITY EXPENSES, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CUT.
SO IT'S NOT AMOUNT, IT'S NOT, IT, IT IS A BALANCING ACT.
IT IS NOT AN ACT OF SIMPLY SAYING, I'M GOING TO DO THIS OR THAT.
IT IS HOW QUICKLY DO WE DECELERATE SOMETHING AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO PROTECT THIS UNTIL WE CAN COME UP WITH A LONG-TERM SOLUTION.
THE DOUBLE DIP IS, HAD NOT THIS CREDIT BEEN THERE.
THE TRUTH IS, HAD NOT THIS CREDIT BEEN THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO DROP THE TAX RATE A WHOLE PENNY LAST TIME.
THE TRUTH IS, HAD NOT THIS CREDIT BEEN THERE.
AT FIRST WE WOULD'VE ONLY HAD TO DROP IT DOWN A HALF CENT.
I MEAN A HALF OF A CENT INSTEAD OF A WHOLE CENT.
AND SO THOSE ARE JUST THE NUMBERS.
UH, COUNCILMAN RAPHAEL? SURE THING.
I TRIED TO TAKE A DIVE INTO THE SPECIAL USE DISTRICTS FOR WHICH THIS IS A SPECIAL USE DISTRICT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER TOOLS IN THE TOOL CHEST TO ADJUST, UM, AVAILABLE TO US? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
THAT WAS GONNA BE MY QUESTION.
COUNCILMAN RAFAEL, THANK YOU FOR ASKING AS FAR AS WHAT IS TRYING TO MAINTAIN OUR TAX RATE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE WE'RE, YOU'RE PRESENTING TO US THE CCPD MM-HMM.
UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER OP OPPORTUNITIES OR OTHER OPTIONS OUT THERE? WHAT OTHER OPTIONS DO WE HAVE POSSIBLY, UM, THAT'S, WE HAVEN'T VISITED ANY OTHER OPTIONS YET.
THIS IS THE FIRST ONE THAT WE VISITED TO TRY TO OKAY.
AND THEN, UM, NEXT RELATED TO, SO THAT WAS MY OPTIONS QUESTION.
JUST FORGOT JUST THAT QUICKLY.
UM, IF WE GO FORWARD WITH THIS, THIS HAS A FIVE YEAR TERM, AUTOMATIC TERM.
IS THERE ANY OPPORTUNITY TO LESSEN THE FIVE YEARS OR IS THAT A STATE MANDATE IF WE USE THIS TOOL UNDER THE STATUTE? FOR THE STATUTE, IT'S THE, WAS FIVE YEARS.
[02:20:02]
OKAY.THE INITIAL, UH, TERM IS FIVE YEARS.
AND THEN AS IT RELATES TO CRIME DISTRICT, IS IT THAT WE CAN DETERMINE THE BOUNDARIES AS THE BOARD? YES.
THE, AND THEN, UM, AS IT RELATES TO THE TOOL, 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW, THIS IS, WE ARE IN A REAL AWKWARD POSITION YEAH.
WITH US, YOU KNOW, IN THIS TRANSITION PIECE.
AND SO, UM, HAS THERE BEEN ANY CONSIDERATION OF LIKE WHERE, WHERE WE, WE CAN FIND, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO SAVE? UM, AND HAS, HAS THAT BEEN A DISCUSSION? ARE WE, UM, WE HAVE NOT DISCUSSED THAT YET, BUT WE KNOW THAT'S ON THE HORIZON.
AND ONCE WE COMPLETE THIS AUDIT, WE'RE DEFINITELY GONNA START WORKING ON THAT.
LOOKING AT AREAS WHERE WE CAN POSSIBLY CUT AND WE'RE GOING THROUGH OUR AUDIT.
UM, ALL GREAT, GREAT QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS AND THOUGHTS TO PONDER ON.
I'M CERTAINLY OF THE EFFECT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, MEASURE TWICE, CUT ONCE, RIGHT? SO I DEFINITELY HAD SOME OF THE SAME QUESTIONS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL HAD IN TERMS OF ANY OTHER TYPE OF SPECIAL USE DISTRICT IN TERMS OF, THAT'S SOMETHING FOR US TO CONSIDER OTHER THAN THE CRIME CONTROL DISTRICT.
UM, I'M NOT NECESSARILY OPPOSED TO IT, BUT I DO HAVE AS KIND OF SIM SIMILAR TO COUNCILMAN BYRD.
I HAVE THOUGHTS ABOUT IT FOR OTHER REASONS THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN STATED.
HOWEVER, FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, I JUST, I WANT US TO KEEP IN MIND I GUESS, BECAUSE THESE ARE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT EVERY LITERALLY PROBABLY EVERY CITY IN THE COUNTRY, UM, HAVE TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS LIKE THIS.
THIS IS NOT ANYTHING NEW IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN ELECTED TO DO IN TERMS OF MAKING THE TOUGH DECISIONS.
UM, AND, AND DESOTO HAS JUST BEEN BLESSED, UM, UP TO THIS POINT, HAVING, HAVING BEEN ONE, PROBABLY THE LONGEST SERVING COUNCIL MEMBER TO BE ABLE TO LOOK BACK, UM, ON SOME OF THESE THINGS.
BUT THIS IS NOT ANY, THESE TYPES OF DECISIONS ARE NOT ANYTHING OTHER CITIES ARE NOT HAVING TO DISCUSS AT THIS POINT, CONSIDERING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE ON THE HORIZON AND ON THE LANDSCAPE.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M KEEPING IN MIND IN TERMS OF JUST LOOKING AT ALL THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE HERE, BECAUSE WE'VE ONLY BEEN PRESENTED WITH THIS ONE.
UM, AND I DO UNDERSTAND WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING IN, IN THE MEANTIME.
I, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS MORE OF IN THE MEANTIME VERSUS IT BEING A PERMANENT SITUATION TO PROP US UP.
UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE THERE, THERE WE'RE ON A TIMELINE, RIGHT? SO IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN REITERATE, AND I KNOW WE'VE DISCUSSED IT, BUT IF THERE'S A WAY WE CAN PULL UP WHAT THAT TIMELINE NEEDS TO BE IN TERMS OF A ACTUAL DECISION, WHETHER THAT'S THE CRIME CONTROL DISTRICT OR EITHER SOME OTHER SORT OF SPECIAL USE DISTRICT, WHEN DO WE NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING DETERMINED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO FIND A SOLUTION, AT LEAST TO GET US BY, FOR A PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE A MORE PERMANENT SOLUTION CAN BE IMPLEMENTED? SO THE, THE, UM, WE ARE WORKING TOWARD A, THIS IS ASSUMING THAT THE COUNCIL, UH, IS, IS OKAY ACTING AS A-C-C-P-D BOARD, RIGHT? THAT THE COUNCIL IS OKAY WITH PUTTING THIS ON THE MAY BALLOT IN ORDER.
SO THE TIMELINE WE'RE WORKING UNDER RIGHT NOW IS THE, IS GETTING IT ON THE MAY BALLOT.
UM, YOU, YOU COULD ALWAYS NOT DO IT THIS YEAR AND MAKE IT THE NEXT YEAR IF YOU WANTED TO.
IT'S, I MEAN, THE, THE REALITY IS THIS WILL HELP IN WHATEVER YEAR THAT YOU PUT IT INTO, UM, FOR, FOR THAT PART.
SO, UH, AND, AND SO THE, IF YOU'RE WORKING TO DO MAY OF 2024, THEN YOUR TIMELINE, THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING THAT WOULD, YOU WOULD NEED TO HAVE THIS CONSIDERED AND APPROVED BY WOULD BE FEBRUARY 6TH.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE TIMELINE THAT WE'RE, THAT'S THE END POINT.
THAT'S THE, THE POINT AT WHICH YOU HAVE TO VOTE TO CREATE THAT BALLOT MEASURE.
UM, AND THEN WE WORK OUR WAY BACKWARDS FROM THAT DATE.
SO I BELIEVE EVERYTHING HAS TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE, UH, TO THE COUNTY BY FEBRUARY 16TH, IS THE DEADLINE FOR THAT.
I THINK I HAVE 15 SECONDS LEFT ON MY SORRY TIMER WHEN I DID THAT.
SO
UM, I'M, I'M VERY INTRIGUED BY COUNCILWOMAN RAPHAEL'S QUESTION ABOUT ANY OTHER TYPE OF SPECIAL USE DISTRICTS FOR US TO CONSIDER THAT WOULD STILL GIVE US THE SAME OUTCOME, RIGHT? OTHER THAN A CRIME CONTROL.
UM, UM, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER, BROWN PATRICK POSED A GOOD QUESTION THAT WAS VERY THOUGHT PROVOKING IN TERMS OF THE PERCEPTION OF IT.
AND SO THAT GOT ME TO THINKING.
AND SO WHEN YOU POSED A QUESTION ABOUT ANY OTHER TYPES OF SPECIAL USE DISTRICTS, UM, I'M WONDERING IF THERE CAN BE MAYBE MORE DISCUSSION, AND EVEN IF THIS MEANS POSSIBLY DOING A SPECIAL MEETING SPECIFICALLY AROUND THIS, I I JUST BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO BE HASTY BECAUSE THIS IS A BIG DECISION ALSO MAKING SURE WE ARE BETTER EDUCATING OUR VOTERS ON EXACTLY WHAT THIS MEANS AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
[02:25:01]
I THINK THE INTENTIONS ARE GREAT, UM, BUT BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES, EVEN AS WE DISCUSSED LAST NIGHT, EVEN AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, PEOPLE THAT HANDLE THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION ALL THE TIME, EVEN SOME OF US WERE STRUGGLING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THINGS WORK LOGISTICALLY.SO FOR A LAY PERSON WHO DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE JARGON, IT CAN BE VERY CONFUSING AND GIVE THEM THE WRONG IMPRESSION OF WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING.
AGAIN, THESE ARE HARD DECISIONS ANY COUNCIL PERSON IN ANY CITY, UM, WOULD HAVE TO BE, WOULD HAVE TO MAKE.
AND SO I, I REALLY WANT US TO POSSIBLY TAKE A STEP BACK IF WE HAVE THE TIME OR IF THERE IS SOME WAY TO HAVE SOME TIME BETWEEN NOW AND THAT FEBRUARY DEADLINE IN TERMS OF IF WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING FOR THAT BUDGET CYCLE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME MORE TIME TO EVALUATE OTHER OPTIONS, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE CHECKED ALL OUR BOXES IN TERMS OF WHAT IS AVAILABLE TO US TO GET THE OUTCOME THAT WE REALLY WANT.
AND SO, COUNSEL, IF YOU ALL ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT, UM, I'M PROPOSING THAT.
UM, AND SO IT'S, IT'S, AGAIN, WE MOVE AS A, AS A UNIT.
SO IF YOU GUYS SAY NO, LET'S MOVE FORWARD IN ANOTHER DIRECTION, I'LL, I'LL YIELD TO THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL.
HOWEVER, MY, MY SUGGESTION, UM, IS TO, IS TO WORK WITH STAFF ON GETTING SOME OF THESE OTHER OPTIONS AND OTHER TOOLS THAT ARE AVAILABLE THAT WILL GET US THE OUTCOME THAT WE WANNA SEE THERE.
AND, AND, AND IF, IF I CAN MAYOR, JUST REAL QUICK, SORRY.
UH, SO I, I KNOW THAT THERE, AND I, I WAS TRYING TO FIND IT REAL QUICKLY.
I KNOW THERE ARE, UM, A COUPLE OF OTHER USES THAT YOU CAN DEDICATE YOUR SALES TAX TO, UM, FOR THAT, I'M, I'M NOT, I DO NOT RECALL IF ANY OF THEM ARE CURRENTLY WITHIN OUR WORLD OF GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, WHICH IS KIND OF WHAT PART OF THE, THE, UH, MOVEMENT HERE IS, RIGHT? IS FINDING A, SOMETHING THAT WE ALREADY HAVE ENCLOSED WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND AND THEN MOVING THAT OVER.
UH, IF IT WERE NOT A CRIME CONTROL PREVENTION DISTRICT, LET'S JUST, I'M, I'M JUST GONNA MAKE UP SOMETHING RIGHT NOW, RIGHT? BUT LET'S SAY THAT IT IS, UM, FINANCE DEPARTMENT, UH, DISTRICTS, RIGHT? AND, AND SO WHERE IT'S, IT'S A CREATION OF A FINANCE DEPARTMENT DISTRICT, UH, THE, THE, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN HERE WOULD BE STILL BE THE SAME.
IT WOULD ONLY THING, THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD CHANGE IS BE HOW YOU USE THAT MONEY IN THAT NEW, IN THAT NEW SENSE, RIGHT? UM, FOR IT.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT PART IS UNDERSTOOD.
THAT NOTHING ELSE REALLY CHANGES IN THE FORMULA PART OF THIS OTHER THAN THE PUR THE DEDICATED PURPOSE THAT YOU HAVE, UM, FOR IT ON THE END.
AND I, I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT EVEN WITH A DIFFERENT TYPE OF SPECIAL USE DISTRICT, IT NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT IS EMBEDDED WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND.
HOWEVER, I WOULDN'T SLEEP WELL AT NIGHT KNOWING THAT WE HAVE NOT EXPLORED THAT, WHATEVER IT IS.
AND IF WE GET BACK TO IT, WE GO OUT THERE AND WE, WE DO OUR EXPLORATION AND OUR DISCOVERY, AND WE FIND THAT THE CRIME CONTROL DISTRICT IS THE ONE THAT, THE ONLY ONE WE CAN USE, THEN WE REVISIT THAT AND COME BACK TO IT.
BUT I THINK TO NOT BE ABLE TO SAY THAT WE'VE EXPLORED ALL THE OPTIONS THAT ARE OUT TO US WOULD BE VERY SHORTSIGHTED, IN MY OPINION.
UM, AND NOT PRUDENT, UM, AS, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS.
SO COUNSEL, ARE WE IN AGREEMENT WITH, UM, WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH ADDITIONAL EXPLORATION? I, I'LL TAKE CONSENSUS AND COMMENTS.
MAYOR, I AM IN AGREEMENT, I THINK BESIDES THAT TREE ORDINANCE, AS THIS HAS BEEN THE NEXT TOUGHEST DECISION TO MAKE
SO THANK YOU, UH, UM, MR. COMIER AND YOUR TEAM FOR THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND IT, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE SOME OTHER AVENUES.
WHAT? SAY Y CALL ME DORA THE EXPLORER.
SHE REFERENCED DORA THE EXPLORER.
AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, I THINK THIS PROBABLY SHOULD BE A STANDARD PRACTICE, UH, WHEN YOU COME BEFORE COUNCIL, HAVE MORE THAN ONE OPTION FOR US TO CHOOSE FROM.
I THINK WE COULD HAVE SAVED A LOT OF TIME DURING THIS DISCUSSION IF WE HAD SOMETHING TO CHOOSE FROM, YOU KNOW, BUT WE ARE JUST BEING PRESENTED WITH ONE OPTION.
SO, UH, MOVING FORWARD I'D LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, WHILE I'M TALKING, JUST TO TRY TO MAKE THAT STANDARD PRACTICE TO, UM, ALWAYS DO SOMETHING.
I, I THINK WE KNOW WHERE I STAND.
COUNCIL MEMBER BUR LET'S EXPLORE OTHER OPTIONS.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER BUR I AGREE.
UM, STAFF, YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST.
UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE SOME ADDITIONAL OPTIONS SPECIFICALLY, UM, PERTAINING TO ADDITIONAL TYPES OF SPECIAL USE DISTRICTS, UM, TO GIVE US SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER.
OKAY? AT THIS TIME, UM, THERE BE NO ACTION, THERE'LL BE NO ACTION ON.
SO WE DON'T NEED TO CONSIDER NUMBER ITEM NUMBER FOUR, CORRECT.
ACTION ON BOTH ITEM NUMBER THREE AND ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
DO WE NEED TO DO THAT BY WAY OF MOTION? OKAY.
THERE'S CONSENSUS ON FOUR ALSO.
[4. Consider a Resolution appointing the City Council as the temporary board of directors to the DeSoto Crime Control and Prevention District]
[02:30:01]
LET BEFORE WE, BEFORE WE PACK UPUH, HEARING THAT, UM, THAT IS THE LAST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.
UM, AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR CONCERNS, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
I'LL GIVE THAT ONE TO, UH, I'LL GIVE THAT ONE TO COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM, UH, MOVES THAT WE ADJOURN, UH, I'LL GIVE THAT SECOND TO COUNCIL MEMBER RAFAEL, UH, TO MOVE THAT SECOND.
SO, COUNCIL, ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNMENT, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
IT IS 8:39 PM EXCUSE ME, WE'RE NOT ADJOURNED JUST YET.
IT IS 8 39, 8 30 9:00 PM AND WE ARE NOW ADJOURNED.