* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:06] GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I'M MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR, AND IT IS TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5TH, AND IT IS 6:00 PM AND I WANNA CALL THE WORK SESSION OF THE DESOTA CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER, UM, COUNCIL, UM, EXCUSE ME. UH, MADAM CITY SECRETARY AT THIS TIME, WE'LL TAKE A ROLL CALL PLEASE. MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR. HERE. MAYOR TIM LETITIA HUGHES. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER PERT PARKER. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER NICOLE RAPHAEL HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDRE BIRD HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER DIANA MARKS HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CRYSTAL CHISHOLM HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE THE FIRST ITEM [1. Review of Master Calendar of Events and Special Meetings] ON THE AGENDA. FIRST WE HAVE REVIEW OF MASTER CALENDAR OF EVENTS AND SPECIAL MEETINGS BY CITY MANAGER BRANDON RAY. ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, UH, LOOKING AT YOUR, UH, CALENDAR FOR UPCOMING EVENTS OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. FIRST OF ALL, UH, TOMORROW DECEMBER 6TH. UH, THAT'S WEDNESDAY. WE DO HAVE OUR ANNUAL EMPLOYEE AWARDS, UH, LUNCHEON THAT WE, UH, HOST EVERY YEAR STARTS AT 11 O'CLOCK OVER IN THE BLUE BONNET ROOMS. WE'LL INVITE THE CITY COUNCIL OBVIOUSLY TO BE PART OF THAT. UM, BUT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, RECOGNIZING OUR EMPLOYEES TOMORROW, UH, AT THAT ANNUAL EMPLOYEE AWARDS. UH, THEN ON THURSDAY, UH, DECEMBER 7TH, WE HAVE AT SIX 30 THE MAYOR'S QUARTERLY 360 MEETING. AGAIN, SIX 30 HERE IN CITY COUNCIL. CHAMBERS, MAYOR'S QUARTERLY 360. THAT'S THE MEETING THAT WE HAVE EVERY YEAR. THAT IS, OR I'M SORRY, EVERY RECORDER THAT IS FOR THE, UH, HOA GROUPS, APARTMENT GROUPS AS WELL. COME ON IN AND SHARE WITH US, UH, SOME OF YOUR CONCERNS AND WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS THOSE WITH CITY STAFF. UH, THEN JUST TO POINT TO ONE, UH, ITEM THAT YOU DON'T WANNA MISS, UH, THAT IS ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15TH, THE SENIOR CHRISTMAS PROGRAM OVER THIS DESOTO SENIOR CENTER STARTS AT 9:00 AM UH, AN ANNUAL CLASSIC IN FAVORITE. SO AGAIN, 9:00 AM OVER AT THE SENIOR CENTER, UH, ON DECEMBER 15TH. AND IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THE OTHER ITEMS, I CAN GO AHEAD AND TAKE THOSE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CITY MANAGER WRIGHT. UM, COUNCIL, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE REVIEW OF THE MASTER CALENDAR OF EVENTS AND SPECIAL MEETINGS? COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM. THANK YOU. MAY I ASK IF STAFF COULD, UH, GET WITH, UH, THE PD SO WE CAN GET THE CPAC SCHEDULE ADDED TO MEETING SCHEDULED? JOEL ADDED TO THE CALENDAR, PLEASE. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? K HEARING NOW WILL [2. Review of Regular Agenda items] HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT WE HAVE REVIEW OF REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS. CITY MANAGER BRANDON WRIGHT. ALRIGHT, IF YOU'LL TURN WITH ME TO THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, I'LL GO AHEAD AND START THERE FOR THIS EVENING. YOU DO HAVE A LONG LIST OF MEETING MINUTES, UH, TO REVIEW AND TO APPROVE THIS EVENING. UH, FOLLOWING THAT WE HAVE OUR, UH, TWO ITEMS ON CONSENT. UH, ONE OF THEM IS THE GRANICUS SERVICE AGREEMENT. IT'S AN AMENDMENT TO THAT AGREEMENT. UH, GRANICUS IS THE COMPANY THAT PROVIDES THE BROADCASTING, UH, EQUIPMENT SOFTWARE, UH, JUST AND, UH, ALSO DOES THE RECORDING FOR US AS WELL. UH, FOR OUR LIVE MEETINGS THAT WE POST. UH, THIS WOULD ALLOW US TO UPGRADE ALL THE EQUIPMENT, ALL OF THE SOFTWARE, UH, INCLUDING OUR CAMERA SYSTEM THAT'S IN HERE, UH, TO, AND IT WILL ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO DO CLOSED CAPTIONING, BOTH IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH, WHICH IS ONE OF THE CITY COUNCIL'S BUSINESS PLAN GOALS FOR THE YEAR. UH, WE ALSO HAVE THE, UH, SECOND ITEM IS A CONTRACT WITH GRAY CON FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE 54 INCH ISOLATION VALVE AT THE WESTMORELAND PUMP STATION. UH, DURING OUR LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING, YOU APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF THE VIAL ITSELF. THIS IS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THAT VALVE. UH, WE DO HAVE A SITUATION WHERE WE NEED TO, UH, REJECT THE LOW, UH, BIDDER IN THIS ONE. THE LOW BIDDER WAS NOT RESPONSIVE, MEANING THEY DID NOT, UH, PROVIDE ALL THE ITEMS THEY NEEDED TO PROVIDE IN THAT BID REQUEST. THEREFORE, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT YOU REJECT LOW BIDDER AND GO WITH THE SECOND LOWEST BIDDER THAT BEING GRAY CON, UM, IN THE AMOUNT OF 308, UH, $328,100. UH, THIS EVENING ON OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS, UH, WE HAVE TWO SUVS TO CONSIDER. THE FIRST, UH, SPECIFIC USE PERMITS. THE FIRST ONE IS FOR A, UH, USED AUTO SALES SPECIFIC USE PERMIT. UH, AND IT IS, UH, THE ADDRESS IS 1209 LINDEN AVENUE, UH, FOR THAT. UH, THE SECOND ONE IS AN SUPA SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR A RESTAURANT WITH DRIVE-THROUGH. AND THAT IS FOR THE LOCATION IS 800 SOUTH HAMPTON ROAD. THAT'S RIGHT ON THE CORNER OF HAMPTON AND PARKVILLE. UH, YOU'VE SEEN THIS ONE, UH, PREVIOUSLY IN A DIFFERENT VERSION OF IT. THIS IS FOR THE WENDY'S THERE AT THE CORNER. PREVIOUSLY WHEN IT CAME THROUGH, AS FOR A WENDY'S AND A CAR WASH, UH, THIS TIME THE DR CAR WASH HAS BEEN DROPPED. IT'S JUST A WENDY'S THAT HAS BEEN COMING THROUGH. UH, THEN ON YOUR REGULAR AGENDA, UH, YOU HAVE TWO ITEMS TO CONSIDER THERE. ONE OF 'EM IS FOR A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE FOR NOBLE REALTY. THAT IS THE COMPANY THAT IS DEVELOPING THE PROPERTY THAT WILL BE TURNING INTO THE FUTURE CHICK-FIL-A STARBUCKS, UH, THE, THE, AND THEN THE, UH, THE TEXAS, UH, HEALTH RESOURCES BUILDING AS WELL IS ALREADY GOING UP. UH, THAT WOULD PROVIDE A TOTAL, UH, GRANT AMOUNT [00:05:01] IN THE AMOUNT OF $275,000 BROKEN UP BETWEEN THE, UH, DESOTO DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AS WELL AS THE CITY BY WAY OF WAIVED IMPACT FEES. UH, AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER, UH, POLICY AND, AND, UH, BUDGET AMENDMENT FEE TO CONSIDER FOR STANDBY PAY. UM, STANDBY PAY IS SOMETHING THAT WE PROVIDE OR IS PROVIDED TO EMPLOYEES WHO ARE REQUIRED TO BE ON CALL. UH, SO WE HAVE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES, LET'S THINK. FOR EXAMPLE, OUR PUBLIC UTILITIES DEPARTMENT, UH, THEY RESPOND TO CALLS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WHENEVER IT IS THAT WE GET AN EMERGENCY CALL. THERE'S A CREW THAT IS ON CALL TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND, UH, DURING THAT TIME. THEY HAVE CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS. THEY CAN'T DO THINGS LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, VENTURE TOO FAR AWAY FROM THE, FROM THE AREA. THEY HAVE TO RESPOND WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, UH, THAT THE, OBVIOUSLY THEY CAN'T, UM, PARTAKE OF ALCOHOL DURING THAT TIME AS WELL. SO THEY HAVE CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS. A LOT OF TIMES YOU WILL COMPENSATE THEM IN SOME MINIMAL WAY FOR THAT IMPACT ON THEIR LIVES AS THE RECOMMENDED AMOUNT IS ABOUT $125 PER WEEK. SO FOR THE SEVEN DAY PERIOD, THEY WOULD RECEIVE A ONE-TIME PAYMENT OF 1 75, OR I'M SORRY, 1 25, UM, WHILE THEY'RE ON THAT. SO WE'LL COVER A LITTLE BIT OF THAT LATER. UM, THEN YOU HAVE ONE EXECUTIVE SESSION THIS EVENING AS WELL, AND THAT IS TO, UH, JUST DELIBERATE THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT AND DUTIES OF THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER. AND IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY, UH, ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, I CAN GO AHEAD AND TAKE THOSE NOW. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. OKAY, SO, UM, MY QUESTIONS ARE AROUND THE MINUTES. UM, I DID ACTUALLY SEND OUT A, UM, AN EMAIL WITH, WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE, UH, MINUTES. AND I JUST WANNA UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THIS BECAUSE, UH, IN THAT EMAIL, I ACTUALLY DID ASK FOR A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE REJECT ALL MINUTES AND THAT THEY BE RE-REVIEWED, UH, MOVING, UH, MOVING ALL OF THEM OFF THE AGENDA TODAY. UM, OR THE ONES THAT ARE THERE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE, UH, READY BEFORE THEY'RE SENT BACK TO THE COUNCIL. UM, I KNOW THAT I NOTICED THAT SOME THINGS HAVE BEEN CORRECTED AS WE AS, UH, BEFORE WE CAME TO THE MEETING TONIGHT, BUT BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN NO REVIEW OF THOSE, THERE'S NO WAY TO KNOW WHETHER THOSE CORRECTIONS HAVE TRULY BEEN MADE. AND IF THE CORRECTION WAS NEEDED, WHY NOT PUT THAT CORRECTION ALSO IN THE ACTUAL MINUTES SO THAT PEOPLE CAN FOLLOW ALONG. SO I, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ADDRESS THE SITUATION, SO MAYBE CITY ATTORNEY, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S YOUR CALL TO TELL HOW TO MOVE FORWARD IN THIS, IN THIS FASHION, BUT AS FAR AS THE MINUTES ARE CONCERNED, I'D LIKE TO REJECT ALL OF THEM AHEAD OF TIME AND SEE WHERE WE GO FROM THERE. IT IT, WHEN WE GET TO THAT AGENDA ITEM, SINCE THAT IS LISTED ON THE CONSENT, THAT THERE COULD BE A REQUEST TO TAKE THE, TO TAKE THE MINUTES OFF IN THEIR ENTIRETY, HAVE THAT DIS AND HAVE THAT DISCUSSION WITH THE COUNCIL AND MAKE A DETERMINATION ON MOVING FORWARD FROM THAT DISCUSSION ON HOW YOU WANT TO HANDLE THE MINUTES. WHETHER YOU WANT TO TABLE 'EM, REMOVE 'EM, OR TAKE ACTION ON 'EM AS AS PRESENTED QUESTIONS. I SEE. COUNCIL MEMBER CHIEF, THANK YOU. UM, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION 'CAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WE GO THROUGH THIS EVERY COUNCIL MEETING AND I DON'T KNOW, MY, MY THOUGHT AND POINT ON THE MINUTES IS THAT GOING INTO THIS YEAR, WE KNEW THAT WE WERE BEHIND, UM, CITY SECRETARY MADE, UH, A COMMITMENT TO BE CAUGHT UP BY THE END OF THE YEAR. UM, I, MY LAST CONVERSATION WITH HER, I'M HOLDING HER TO IT, YOU KNOW, AND EVERYTHING THAT I'VE SEEN, IT SEEMS LIKE SHE'S MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION. I THINK REGARDING THE DETAILS AND THE CONTENT OF IT, PERHAPS IT'S TIME TO ACTUALLY MEET OUTSIDE OF THIS MEETING ABOUT IT. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S JUST YOU AND HER, UM, SINCE YOU ARE THE LOUDEST ABOUT SOME OF THE CONCERNS. NO, NO SHADE INTENDED. OR MAYBE IT'S A SUBCOMMITTEE. I DON'T, AND I KNOW THAT WOULD HAVE TO COME FROM THE MAYOR. I JUST THINK THAT IF WE KEEP GOING AT THIS RATE, THAT IT'S GONNA DIMINISH THE MORALE OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING IT. AND I THINK THAT AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE HAVE TO CONSIDER STAFF TO, FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE. I DON'T EXPECT FOR HER TO KNOW MY VISION UNLESS I COMMUNICATE IT TO HER UPFRONT, UM, AND TELL HER WHAT THE END RESULT I'D LIKE TO SEE. AND I KNOW WE'VE EXPRESSED THAT, BUT IT COMES IN BITS AND PIECES SOMETIMES. AND I REALLY WOULD LIKE THIS TO BE, UH, UH, ONE OF THOSE TOPICS THAT IT DOESN'T FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE. BUT I FEEL VERY UNCOMFORTABLE THE LAST COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEETINGS AS WE TALK TO THIS. 'CAUSE I COULD, I KNOW THE WORK THAT'S GOING BEHIND TO FIX IT AND IT MAY NOT BE PERFECT, BUT IF THERE'S A DESIGN OR A TEMPLATE, I REALLY WANT JUST THINK THAT AT THIS POINT, CAN WE JUST SUBCOMMITTEE THIS THING AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WE WANT? I YIELD BACK, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM, COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. AND I TOTALLY AGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. AND THAT WAS THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE, UH, EMAIL. I WAS HOPING THAT MAYBE, YOU KNOW, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT WAY, BUT BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MANY MEETING MINUTES IN THE ACTUAL AGENDA, IT, IT WAS HARD TO GET TO BEFORE TODAY. SO I'M, I'M IN WHOLEHEARTED AGREEMENT. THERE SHOULD BE A SUBCOMMITTEE BECAUSE IF THERE'S NO TEMPLATE TO HELP THESE MINUTES [00:10:01] BE A LITTLE BIT MORE COHESIVE AND CONCISE, THEN THERE IS NO INTENT TO MAKE A PERSON FEEL LESS THAN IT IS. ONLY TO MAKE SURE THAT AS A PUBLIC PERSON, A RESIDENT, I CAN REVIEW THE MINUTES AND UNDERSTAND WHAT ACTUALLY OCCURRED DURING THE MEETINGS AND HAVE SOME CONSISTENCY. SO THAT'S REALLY ALL THIS IS ABOUT, THIS IS NOT ABOUT A SPECIFIC PERSON OR SPECIFIC DEPARTMENT. THIS IS JUST TRYING TO GET THE MINUTES RIGHT. THANK YOU. I GET IT. BUT YOU DO KNOW THAT AND REALIZE WE DO HAVE, WE CAN'T, LIKE SHE'S, SHE'S OUR EMPLOYEE. WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO HER ANYTIME OUTSIDE OF MAKING IT BEFORE THE CAMERA AND IN THIS MEETING. AND THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT, LIKE I THINK THAT IF, IF, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS PRESSING THAT HARD, THEN MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, YOU HERE THROUGH EIGHTH, EIGHTH, EIGHT TO FOUR 30, I THINK THAT AT SOME POINT WE JUST NEED TO JUST PULL OUTSIDE THIS MEETING AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM. I GUESS I HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, I GUESS BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE CHANGES OR THE REQUESTS SEEM MORE LIKE A PERSONAL PREFERENCE THAN THEY DO SOMETHING REGARDING LEGALITIES OF HOW THE MINUTES ARE ACTUALLY PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC, UM, IN TERMS OF THAT. AND SO I GUESS, YOU KNOW, I, IF IT'S OBVIOUSLY EVERYTHING IS AT THE, THE WILL OF THE, UH, THE COUNCIL IN TERMS OF HOW WE MOVE FORWARD WITH IT. BUT I DEFINITELY AGREE THAT IF THERE ARE PREFERENCES THAT INDIVIDUALS DESIRE, UM, THEN THAT DOES NEED TO BE HAD IN TERMS OF A CONVERSATION PRIOR TO OUR MEETINGS. AND AGAIN, IF COUNCIL WISHES TO HAVE A SUBCOMMITTEE TO ACTUALLY NOTE THOSE, UM, THINGS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T REALLY EXPECT SOMETHING FROM SOMEONE THAT HAS NOT BEEN COMMUNICATED. AND SO IF THAT'S, IF THAT'S THE WISH OF THE COUNCIL, THEN YOU KNOW, I YIELD TO THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL. HOWEVER, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED, UM, IS, ARE HONESTLY JUST HONESTLY COULD BE CONSIDERED A PREFERENCE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF IF COUNSEL WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT, THEN THAT'S, AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL CAN MAKE THE DECISION TO DO. AND AGAIN, AT THE TIME, AS OUR CITY ATTORNEY HAS SAID, THE TIME TO DO THAT AND TO MAKE NOTE OF THAT IS AT THE TIME ON THE AGENDA WHEN THE CONSENT AGENDA IS UP FOR CONSIDERATION. COUNSEL, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS REGARDING THE REVIEW OF THE REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS? YES, MAYOR PROTI. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO'S HAD COMMENT, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO APPLAUD MS. THOMAS FOR MAKING THESE CORRECTIONS AND GIVING US THESE MEMOS TODAY THAT WAS, UH, QUITE EXCEPTIONAL. AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU. GOOD JOB. THANK YOU, COUNSEL, ANYTHING BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA? SO ARE WE JUST MOVING PAST THIS? UM, I JUST, ARE WE GONNA BE HERE NEXT ON JANUARY 6TH TALKING ABOUT THIS AGAIN, THE TIME TO DISCUSS IT IS DURING THE CONSENT IN TERMS OF WHETHER COUNSEL WANTS TO ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD WITH TAKING THEM OFF OF THE AGENDA, AND SO TO HAVE THEM FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION AND REJECT THE MINUTES AS THE TERM WAS USED, I BELIEVE. UM, BUT THAT WILL BE DURING, AS, AS CITY ATTORNEY GODA SAID, THE TIME TO DO THAT IS ACTUALLY WHEN THE CONSENT AGENDA IS UP FOR CONSIDERATION AT [3. Discussion regarding receiving agenda packets at least seven days before City Council Meetings] THIS TIME. WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT. WE HAVE DISCUSSION REGARDING RECEIVING AGENDA PACKETS AT LEAST SEVEN DAYS BEFORE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS. LEADING THAT DISCUSSION IS COUNCIL MEMBER NICOLE RAPHAEL. THANK YOU. YES. UM, I BROUGHT THIS, THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC BACK, UM, UM, BEFORE CON CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION. UM, I DID BEFORE, UM, OVER A YEAR AGO. AND, UM, IT WAS NOT, SUCE DID NOT MOVE FORWARD. UM, BRINGING IT BACK NOW FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF CONSIDER, NOT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE, BUT CONSIDERING, UM, THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS THAT WE DO HAVE AND THE VOLUME OF INFORMATION THAT WE DO HAVE ON OUR AGENDAS. UM, JUST ALLOWING, UM, COUNCIL ADDITIONAL TIME, MORE TIME, UM, TO TAKE, UH, UH, WITH THE INFORMATION THAT'S BEING RECEIVED. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF VERY HEAVY, UM, TOPICS COME OUR WAY THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, INITIALLY INTRODUCED. AND SO I THINK HAVING, UM, HAVING THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIME OR ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF TIME TO HAVE, UM, UM, ADDITIONAL TO DO WHATEVER YOUR DUE DILIGENCE IS. I KNOW EACH INDIVIDUAL, YOU KNOW, HAS THEIR OWN WAY OF DOING IT. CURRENTLY, WE, UM, WHAT'S REQUIRED BY STATE LAW IS THAT OUR AGENDAS ARE POSTED 72 HOURS IN ADVANCE. THAT'S BY STATE LAW. UM, HOWEVER, IT'S A PREFERENCE OF THE COUNCIL OR THE, THE ELECTED BODIES WHEN THAT INFORMATION GOES TO THEIR BOARD MEMBERS. AND SO FOR US, WE SEE, RECEIVE OUR INFORMATION, WE, WE HAVE AN EXTRA DAY. SO, UM, IN THE PAST BEFORE I GOT ON COUNCIL, WE RECEIVED INFORMATION ON A FRIDAY BEFORE THE TUESDAY MEETING, AND THE AVERAGE, UM, PACKET COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM 200 TO 500 PAGES WITH INFORMATION. UM, AS WELL AS, UM, YEAH, SO, SO IT'S JUST THAT PIECE. UM, TODAY WE, WE HAVE, WE GET OUR, RECEIVE OUR INFORMATION ON A [00:15:01] THURSDAY BEFORE THE, THE TUESDAY. UM, MANY OF US HAVE ONE-ON-ONES WITH CITY MANAGER WHO GIVES US A HEAD UP, HEADS UP ON WHAT'S COMING BEFORE US IN ADDITION TO, WE HAVE LISTINGS OF THINGS THAT'S COMING BEFORE US, BUT ACTUALLY HAVING THE DOCUMENTS THAT WE'LL NEED TO READ AND STUDY AND RESEARCH AND MAKE CERTAIN WE DO OUR OWN DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE WE MAKE DECISIONS HERE, OR EVEN ASK QUESTIONS AHEAD OF TIME IN APPROPRIATE TIME, I THINK IT WOULD BE, UH, PRUDENT FOR US TO CONSIDER. AND IN PART I'M CONSIDERING, UM, I'M PROPOSING THIS AS THE, FROM THE EXAMPLE THAT I'VE SEEN WITH OUR SCHOOL BOARD, UM, CURRENTLY OUR SCHOOL BOARD OR OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, THEY RECEIVED THEIR INFORMATION 14 DAYS BEFORE THE INFORMATION IS ACTUALLY POSTED. UM, THEY HAVE A, UM, AND, AND THAT WAS DECIDED UPON BY THAT PARTICULAR BOARD AND BODY. AND WHAT I HAVE SEEN, UH, FROM THEM IS THAT THOSE MEETINGS THAT WOULD GO INTO 1:00 AM IN THE MORNING TO THREE IN THE MORNING, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, IT HAS NOW BEEN WHITTLED DOWN TO A FEW HOURS. UM, THEIR MEETINGS ARE RUN VERY EFFICIENTLY BECAUSE THE, THE PERTINENT QUESTIONS THAT MAY HAVE NEED TO BE BEEN ASKED, THEY HAD ADEQUATE TIME TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS. EVERYONE RECEIVES THE INFORMATION AND EVERYONE CAN SEE THE QUESTIONS BEING ASKED AGAIN. AND THAT INFORMATION IS ALL PUBLIC INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, THROUGH OPEN RECORDS. UM, BUT THEY TRACK THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE BEING ASKED SO THAT ONCE THE MEETING HAPPENS, THEY HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT, UM, THEY ULTIMATELY WILL MAKE. AND SO I HAVE SEEN THE SCHOOL BOARD, UM, PERFORMANCE REALLY IMPROVE, UM, FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE. AND I WANTED US TO CONSIDER SOMETHING SIMILAR. I UNDERSTAND, UM, FROM LAST TIME. I KNOW IT WAS A, A QUESTION ABOUT STAFF TIME WHEN, WHEN THE CADENCE AND INFORMATION BEING, UH, OR WORK BEING DONE OVER THE WEEKENDS. I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN THAT IS, BUT I THINK, UM, FROM A MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE, UM, THINGS COULD BE BACKED UP TO THE NECESSARY TIME SO THE STAFF WOULD NOT BE WORKING OVER THE WEEKENDS. UM, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, WE DON'T WANNA SLOW THINGS DOWN, BUT I THINK, UM, IF WE DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE ON THE FRONT END, WE'RE NOT GOING BACK AND REHASHING THINGS THAT, OR, YOU KNOW, REDOING THINGS THAT HAD, WE HAD JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME WITH THE INFORMATION THAT COULD HAVE BEEN HEADED OFF FROM THE BEGINNING, DO OUR, UH, DUE DILIGENCE ON THE FRONT END INSTEAD OF ON THE, UH, BACK END. AND THAT'S NOT A COMMAND OR, YOU KNOW, OR, OR RECOMMENDATION, UM, FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE. BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER AS A BENEFIT OF HAVING THE INFORMATION AHEAD OF TIME. AND SO WITH THAT, UM, I WANTED TO BRING IT BACK BEFORE YOU, UM, AND ASK YOU TO CONSIDER, UM, MOVING OUR INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVE A FEW DAY DAYS UP. I'M NOT ASKING FOR THE INFORMATION TO BE POSTED, UM, SEVEN DAYS AHEAD OF TIME. IT CAN STILL BE POSTED, UH, WHAT IT'S CURRENTLY POSTED AS IT WILL BE STRICTLY FOR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO HAVE THE INFORMATION TO DO THEIR OWN DUE DILIGENCE. THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN. RAPHAEL, THANK YOU FOR, UH, THAT PRESENTATION. UM, AND THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION. UM, WHEN YOU NOTED THAT YOU'RE NOT ASKING FOR IT TO BE POSTED, UM, BECAUSE THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY WHAT I WAS GOING TO HAVE SOME RESERVATION ABOUT, UM, CONSIDERING THAT I WORK WITH STAFF TO BRING THESE AGENDAS FORWARD. I DO UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HAVING PLANNING AND ZONING CASES, DDC, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, MATTERS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, SOMETIMES YOU'RE GETTING DOWN TO THE VERY LAST FEW DAYS TO GET THOSE THINGS IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE POSTED IN A TIMELY MATTER. UM, SO I BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR COUNSEL TO CONSIDER IS INFORMATION REGARDING THE AGENDA ITEMS, NOT NECESSARILY FOR THE AGENDA TO BE, I'M GONNA USE THIS TERM LOCKED AND LOADED SEVEN DAYS IN ADVANCE BECAUSE I, I FEEL LIKE THAT WILL POSE A CHALLENGE, UM, WITH ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO GET THOSE AGENDAS, UM, DONE BY THAT, BY THE REQUIRED POSTING TIME. AND, UM, SO I THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT'S ON THE FLOOR FOR CONSIDERATION. UM, AND I KNOW, I KNOW THAT STAFF WOULD NEED TO WEIGH IN ON THIS AS WELL, BUT I WANNA HEAR IF COUNCIL HAS ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GET INTO THIS SESSION? YES, COUNCIL MEMBER. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN RAPHAEL FOR PRESENTING THIS INFORMATION. UH, YOU REFERENCED THE ISD, UH, ARE THERE ANY MUNICIPALITIES, DO YOU KNOW THE PRACTICES OF OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THAT MIGHT, UH, THAT THIS PRACTICE MIGHT ALREADY BE IN, BE IN EFFECT? NO, I DON'T HAVE A LISTING OF MUNICIPALITIES, BUT THERE ARE SOME MUNICIPALITIES THAT DO RECEIVE THEIR INFORMATION AHEAD OF TIME. I BELIEVE GRANT PRAIRIE, I DID ASK OUR FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER WHEN THEY, WHEN THEIR COUNCIL RECEIVES THEIRS AND THEY RECEIVE IT A WEEK AHEAD AND I BELIEVE THE CITY OF IRVING AS WELL. BUT I DON'T HAVE THAT AS FACT YET. UM, HOWEVER I CAN BRING THAT INFORMATION BACK TO YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU DR. MARKS. THANK YOU. MAD MAYOR. JUST THE POINT OF INFORMATION. I KNOW THAT YOU AND, UM, OUR CITY MANAGER SOMEWHAT WORKED TOGETHER, UM, TO COME UP WITH THE AGENDA. CAN [00:20:01] YOU TELL US, UM, HOW OFTEN DOES IT CHANGE AS IT GETS CLOSE TO THE DATE? AND IF SO, HOW MUCH, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR, FOR YOU ALL AS YOU ARE, UH, COMING UP WITH THE AGENDA? AND THEN TWO, WITH THAT ANSWER, IF YOU WOULD REFERENCE THE STAFF, HOW DOES IT AFFECT THE STAFF WHEN, UH, SAY IT CHANGES TODAY AND IT VERY WELL, I DON'T KNOW, BUT WOULD YOU JUST TELL US WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE? ARE YOU POSING IT TO ME OR TO SEE, OR BOTH? BOTH. EITHER IT, IT DOES. I WOULD NEVER ONCE TO ANSWER. I'LL, I'D JUST LIKE TO, TO THE IMPACT OF THAT PROCESS. I'LL GIVE YOU MY PERSPECTIVE AND THEN I'LL ALLOW HIM TO WEIGH IN AS WELL. OKAY. I, I, UM, WE MEET WEEKLY REGARDING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE AGENDA. AND, YOU KNOW, IT STARTS IN DRAFT MODE. AND SO I WOULD SAY THERE, I WOULD SAY EVERY AGENDA THAT I'VE EVER STAMPED OFF ON HAS HAD SOMETHING THAT WAS EITHER IN THE DRAFT OR NOT IN THE DRAFT THAT ENDED UP IN THE FINAL AGENDA. AT SOME POINT THERE'S, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S JUST SO MANY MOVING PIECES, LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE P AND Z CASES, THEY MAY PULL IT OR THEY MAY APPEAL IT OR, BUT JUST TO KEEP THINGS MOVING, A LOT OF TIMES THERE'S, THERE'S, I DON'T THINK THERE HAS BEEN AN AGENDA WHERE IT HAS NOT VARIED FROM THE DRAFT IN TERMS OF HAVING TO HAVE SOMETHING WITHIN THAT WEEK OF POSTING THAT HAS EITHER HAD TO BE ADDED OR TAKEN AWAY. SO IT CHANGES, I WOULD SAY OFTEN SEE THE MANAGER, RIGHT, THAT YOU, CORRECT. YEAH. SO, SO THE THE AGENDA, UH, WILL ALWAYS KIND OF BE IN A, IN A STATE OF, YOU KNOW, OF DRAFT RIGHT. UNTIL YOU'RE KIND OF READY TO GO. UM, WITH THAT PART OF IT, I, I WOULD SAY THAT IF WE, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT THIS IDEA OF KIND OF A, A POSTING BEFORE THE POSTING, IF YOU WILL, RIGHT? SO SENDING, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT THIS IDEA OF KIND OF A, A POSTING BEFORE THE POSTING, IF YOU WILL, RIGHT? SO SENDING A, A DRAFT VERSION THAT ON, ON THE STAFF SIDE, I, I WOULD SAY THAT THAT MEANS IT'S FINAL, RIGHT? IF, IF WE'RE SHARING WITH YOU THE REPORT AND ALL THE MATERIALS, IT MEANS THAT IT'S READY TO GO AND IS FINAL AT THAT POINT. SO I WOULDN'T ANTICIPATE THAT IF, IF THE IDEA IS YOU, YOU WOULD LIKE THE, THE AGENDA PACKET 10 DAYS OR 20 DAYS OR WHATEVER IT IS IN ADVANCE, THAT THERE WOULD BE ANY CHANGES FROM THAT POINT FORWARD WITHIN THE, THE AGENDA. BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T WANT, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I WOULDN'T WANT TO BE INTRODUCING NEW ITEMS TO YOU DURING A CITY COUNCIL MEETING THAT WE DIDN'T PROVIDE TO YOU IN DRAFT FORM THAT WE DIDN'T PROVIDE YOU IN DETAIL BEFOREHAND. RIGHT. AND WE WON'T BE CHANGING THE REPORTS AT THAT POINT BECAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE MATERIAL WE PROVIDED TO EARLY IS CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. UM, AND THEN, THEN THE QUESTION WILL JUST BECOME AT WHAT POINT DO THE RESIDENTS NEED ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION, RIGHT? WHETHER YOU WANT A PERIOD WHERE IT'S JUST IN THE COUNCIL'S HANDS BEFORE THE PUBLIC RECEIVES IT, OR IT, OR IT GOES TO BOTH AT THE SAME TIME, UM, ON, ON THAT PART. SO, BUT, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT'S KIND OF WHERE, YOU KNOW, ON, ON, ON OUR SIDE AS WE CONTINUE TO KIND OF MAKE THE, THE AGENDA, UM, FOR IT, IT WILL BE UP IN DRAFT UNTIL IT'S FINALIZED. AND THEN ONCE IT'S FINALIZED, WE WOULDN'T BE ADDING ANYTHING AFTER THAT. SO THE FURTHER THAT DATE OUT IS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING ITSELF, I WOULD JUST SAY THE LESS OPPORTUNITIES THERE ARE TO INTRODUCE NEWER ITEMS THAT ARE, ARE READY TO GO SOONER, THEY WOULD JUST NEED TO WAIT UNTIL THE LAST NEXT CYCLE TO, TO GO ON TO THE AGENDA. OKAY. IS THAT, OKAY? SO WE RECEIVE SOMETHING, EXCUSE ME, FROM MY VOICE. SO IF WE RECEIVE SOMETHING, SAY SEVEN DAYS OUT, WE CAN ALMOST ASSURE THAT THAT WHAT'S IN THAT PACKET FOR THE SEVEN DAYS WILL BE THERE, OR, AND TO SAY NOTHING ELSE WILL BE ADDED. IS THAT CORRECT? BUT IF THERE WILL, SOMETHING COULD BE TAKEN AWAY? NO. OKAY. NO, AT THAT POINT FROM THE STAFF SIDE, RIGHT? WE, WE DON'T WANT TO OKAY. BE CHANGING THE VERSION YOU'RE REVIEWING. OKAY. BEFORE YOU GET TO THE MEETING ON, ON THAT. SO WE WOULD, WE, WE WOULD ESSENTIALLY LOCK IT DOWN ONCE, ONCE WE GO AHEAD AND, AND SEND IT TO YOU. IT WOULD BE, THAT IS THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE AGENDA. THANK YOU. SO COUNCIL MEMBER, RAPHAEL, CAN I ASK YOU ANOTHER QUESTION REGARDING, UM, SOME OF THE, UH, JUST MAYBE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'RE NOTICING. IS THERE A, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT, I KNOW THAT, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, THEY SOMETIMES WE HAVE SOME VERY WEIGHTY ITEMS ON THE, UM, SO I WAS ABOUT TO SAY ON THE MENU, ON THE AGENDA. UM, IS THERE ANY PARTICULAR TYPE OF AGENDA ITEM, IF THAT MAKES SENSE, THAT MAY BE MORE VALUABLE TO GET SEVEN DAYS IN ADVANCE VERSUS ALL OF THE POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS THAT ARE WITHIN THE DRAFT SYSTEM? UM, MY FIRST RESPONSE IS, I MEAN, UM, THAT COULD BE A CONSIDERATION, BUT THAT, BUT THAT'S A QUESTION. SO NO, UM, YOU KNOW, MANY OF WHAT, MUCH OF WHAT WE HAVE, PARTICULARLY IN THE CONSENT AGENDA, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE LOTS OF CONTRACTS AND SO LIKE ACTUALLY READING THROUGH. SO IF YOU REMEMBER, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN OCCASIONS WHERE CONTRACTS HAVE COME TO US THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING HAD TO HAVE BEEN CHANGED AND COME BACK TO CITY COUNCIL BEFORE. AND SO JUST ACTUALLY READING THROUGH ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT VARIOUS THINGS, UM, I THINK, I JUST THINK IT'S NECESSARY. SO I'M NOT ASKING FOR ANY PARTICULAR ITEM, [00:25:01] BUT IT WOULD BE THE, THE, THE PACKET. UM, AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND, UM, CITY MANAGER WRIGHT'S, UM, UM, UM, COMMENT ABOUT IT WOULD NEED TO BE IN ITS FINAL FORM. IT WOULD BE, AND IT WOULDN'T BE US ADDING, YOU KNOW, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. YOU KNOW, IF ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE A SCRIPT NURSE'S ERROR THAT'S CAUGHT, YOU KNOW, BUT PAST THAT IS REALLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF, YOU KNOW, GETTING THROUGH ALL OF THE CONTENT AND, UM, YOU KNOW, BEING PREPARED. THANK YOU. COUNSEL, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BEFORE WE DECIDE HOW WE WANT TO, UH, MOVE FORWARD ON THIS ITEM? OR IF COUNSEL WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS ITEM? SHALL I SAY DR. MARKS? MY, MY, MY QUESTION IS THIS, AND THIS IS JUST A POINT OF INFORMATION AND MAYBE WE ALL CAN CONSIDER THIS. HOW DIFFERENT WOULD OUR QUESTIONING BE RECEIVING AT SEVEN DAYS IN ADVANCE VERSUS THURSDAY BEFORE THE TUESDAY AS WE, UH, RECEIVE IT NOW? AND THAT'S JUST THE PONDER THAT I HAVE. SO, UM, I, I, I, I'M NOT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT MINE, IF MINE WOULD BE THAT DIFFERENT, I DON'T KNOW, BUT MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE ALL NEED TO REALLY ASK OURSELVES, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH DEEPER DO WE WANT TO GO? WHAT, WHAT TYPE OF INFORMATION ARE WE WANTING TO EXTRACT, UH, FROM RECEIVING IT SEVEN DAYS IN ADVANCE? SO, UM, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I WANTED TO PUT OUT THERE. SO JUST CONSIDER THAT. BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT, SPEAKING FOR ME, THAT MY QUESTIONING WOULD BE ANYTHING DIFFERENT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK I WOULD PUT ANY MORE STUDYING INTO IT. I THINK THAT WOULD GIVE ME MORE TIME TO LOSE. I MEAN, NOT THAT'S JUST ME, YOU KNOW, TO, 'CAUSE I THINK THE MORE TIME WE HAVE, THE MORE WE WILL PROBABLY WASTE. I MEAN WASTE, AND THAT'S JUST KIND OF STATISTICS AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. SO WE MIGHT WANNA JUST, UM, ASK OUR OWN SELVES THOSE TYPES OF QUESTIONS. I YIELD BACK COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM. THANK YOU. I SUPPORT, UH, IN ADVANCE, WE'RE TALKING TO ABOUT TWO DAY DIFFERENCE HERE. UM, AT THE VERY MOST IS THE PUBLIC HEARINGS. THAT WOULD BE, UH, A LATER ADD DEPENDING ON HOW THE PLANNING AND ZONING MOVE. MOST CONTRACTS, I MEAN, ARE WELL IN MOTION BEFORE TWO DAYS BEFORE THE, I MEAN, THERE'S GONNA BE A ONE OFF HERE AND THERE, BUT FOR THE MAJORITY OF IT, I, I DON'T, I DON'T SEE THE REASONING WHY IT COULD NOT GET EARLY. UM, REGARDING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT TIMING, UM, I DON'T THINK ANY OF US CAN KIND OF TELL ONE ANOTHER HOW WE MANAGE OUR TIME, UH, . AND SO IF ME BEING A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE AND, UH, FULL-TIME WIFE AND, UH, ALSO RUNNING COUNSEL, IF I COULD GET AN EXTRA TWO DAYS, I WOULD LIKE THE EXTRA TWO DAYS. AS A MATTER OF FACT, CONSIDERING SATURDAY IS FULL OF COMMUNITY EVENTS, SO, UM, I SUPPORT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL'S, UM, ASK, AND I THANK HER FOR BRINGING IT BEFORE THE COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. UH, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. AND I TOO AM IN SUPPORT OF, UH, EXTRA DAYS BECAUSE I BELIEVE ANYTIME YOU CAN BE MORE PREPARED, THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS BEING MORE PREPARED. I MEAN, BEING OVERLY PREPARED FOR MAKING DECISIONS THAT YOU ACTUALLY ARE PUTTING YOUR NAME ON, THAT YOU ARE WORKING ON BEHALF OF THE CITY. SO I AM TOTALLY IN A SUPPORT FOR AND SOME TYPE OF COMPROMISE. IF IT'S NOT, IF IT'S NOT A WEEK IS SOMETHING, IT NEEDS TO BE MORE THAN THE 72 HOURS. THANK YOU. I YIELD BACK COUNCIL ANY ADDITIONAL? YES, COUNCILMAN BUR. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. I THINK I'M WEIRD. DR. MARKS, UH, IS PROBABLY HAS WHAT I UNDERSTAND. I'M STILL TRYING TO GRAPPLE. I'M NOT AGAINST IT, BUT I'M TRYING TO RECONCILE IN MY HEAD THE BENEFIT OF THE CHANGE VERSUS THE BURDEN OF THE CHANGE. AND WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE BURDEN OF THE CHANGE, THE BURDEN THAT WILL BE PLACED ON STAFF TO PREPARE FOR IT, UM, YOU KNOW, IF, PARTICULARLY IF THE MINDSET WILL BE THAT IT COMES IN A PRETTY FINAL FORM. SO MAYBE THERE IS A COMPROMISE. MAYBE THERE IS A, THERE IS A, A SPOT, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT, UM, I DON'T THINK THAT WE CAN, WE CAN, UH, EVEN THOUGH I CAN SEE THE BENEFIT OF GIVING US MORE TIME TO REVIEW AND FOR, UM, UM, UH, TO BE ABLE TO DIVE INTO IT, AND I WOULD NOT WANT TO SAY NO TO ANY COUNCIL PERSON'S REQUEST FOR THAT TIME. HOWEVER, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO WEIGH THE, THE BURDEN OF, OF YIELDING SUCH ADDITIONAL TIME ON STAFF. AND, AND, AND SO DOES THE, DOES THE PURPOSE, UH, JUSTIFY THE BURDEN OF THE CHANGE? AND THAT'S WHERE I CAN'T, THAT'S, UM, SO I'M NOT REALLY READY TO, TO GIVE DIRECTIONS. I'M KIND OF UP IN THE AIR BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW, UH, WHAT THE BURDEN ON, ON STAFF TIME WILL BE TO PROVIDE SUCH. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN BYRD. UM, COUNCIL, ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS BEFORE WE DECIDE ON HOW WE WANNA MOVE FORWARD? [00:30:02] OKAY. UM, WELL, I JUST KIND OF LISTENING TO, UH, EACH OF YOU ALL'S COMMENTS AND CONCERNS. AGAIN, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. IT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO PONDER ABOUT. UM, I I WOULD BE OF THE EFFECT IF WE WANT TO, 'CAUSE I'M NOT NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M NOT AGAINST IT, BUT I DON'T, I'M, I'M KIND OF WITH COUNCIL MEMBER BIRD. I'M TR I'M STRUGGLING TO REALLY SEE THE BENEFIT OVER THE BURDEN AT THIS POINT. HOWEVER, I DO MY QUE MY REASON FOR ASKING YOU COUNCIL MEMBER, RAFAEL, IF THERE WERE CERTAIN TYPES OF DOCUMENTS OR AGENDA ITEMS THAT PROBABLY NEEDED TO BE GIVEN MORE TIME OR MORE THOUGHT AS A COUNCIL PERSON, I WOULD, I WOULD DEFINITELY AGREE WITH CONTRACTS, UM, FROM THAT REGARD. AND, BUT LOOKING AT AN ITEM THAT TYPICALLY, LIKE YOU SAID, FROM DRAFT TO ACTUAL POSTING WOULD NOT CHANGE THAT MUCH. AND MAYBE WE CAN START SLOW AND NOT NECESSARILY THE ENTIRE AGENDA PACKET IN SEVEN DAYS, BUT MAYBE ANY CONTRACTS WITHIN A CERTAIN, AND MAYBE IT'S NOT SEVEN DAYS, MAYBE IT'S FIVE OR IT, BUT I, I WOULD SAY FOR US TO WORK OUR WAY UP TO MAYBE THE FULL AGENDA, UM, WITHIN A CERTAIN NUMBER OF DAYS OUTSIDE OF THE REQUIRED POSTING TIME. BUT I DEFINITELY WOULD NOT SUGGEST WE START AT THE CADILLAC PACKAGE. YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY LET'S LOOK AT KIND OF CONSIDERING WHAT COUNCIL CAN AGREE THAT WE WOULD LIKE MORE TIME ON. AND IF I, IF I HAD TO CHOOSE, SOMETIMES CONTRACTS ARE JUST THAT WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO KIND OF COMB THROUGH ALL OF THE FINE DETAILS OF THOSE AND MAYBE WE CAN START THERE AND ONCE WE SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR STAFF, BECAUSE THERE WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE TO BE A CHANGE IN THEIR WORKFLOW. AND, UM, WE WANNA BE CONSIDERATE OF THAT. UM, AS WE, YOU KNOW, AS WE MAKE THESE CHANGES, ALBEIT THEY MAY BE NECESSARY, UM, WE WANNA CONSIDER THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, UM, BURDEN STAFF WITH A LOT OF THINGS AND THEN THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, MEET THE EXPECTATION THAT COUNCIL WILL THEN HAVE AT THAT POINT TO GET AN ENTIRE PACKET SEVEN DAYS IN ADVANCE. SO, COUNCIL, I'M I, AND MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE, WE LOVE AD HOC COMMITTEES. UM, AND MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING FOR US TO DISCUSS. AGAIN, I THINK IT, THE TOPIC DEFINITELY DESERVES MORE TIME THAN WE HAVE HERE TONIGHT, UM, TO REALLY FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT ARE WE AFTER AND WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE AS A STARTING POINT. AND THEN GET US AND WORK OUR WAY UP TO SOMETHING MORE, UM, AS WE CON CONTINUE TO SEE HOW IT AFFECTS STAFF'S WORKFLOW. SO COUNSEL, UM, WOULD YOU ALL BE OPEN TO POSSIBLY HAVING A COMMITTEE TO, UM, SIT WITH THIS? I SEE YOUR SMILING FACES, MAYOR PRO 10. WE'LL START ON, ON, UH, YOUR END. I'M GOOD WITH AN AD HOC COMMITTEE. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM? YES, DR. MARKS? ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. I'M A YES. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BIRD? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL? YES. AND COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER? YES. OKAY. UH, WELL, I DON'T WANNA PUT ANYBODY ON THE SPOT. WE'LL, WE'LL DETERMINE WHAT THAT AD HOC COMMITTEE WILL LOOK LIKE AND WHO THAT WOULD BE MADE UP. 'CAUSE I WOULD IMAGINE WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE STAFF'S INPUT IN THAT AS WELL. SO, UM, CITY MANAGER RIGHT IN THE, IN THE FEW DAYS YOU HAVE LEFT WITH US, CAN WE DISCUSS THIS, UH, POSSIBLY TOMORROW AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL PUT OUT A, UH, WE'LL PUT OUT A NOTICE TO COUNSEL TO SEE WHO WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER TO SERVE ON THAT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME THAT, UH, CONCLUDES THAT ITEM. UH, [4. Discussion of options to re-purpose the City's collection of Local Option Sales Tax] MADAM CITY SECRETARY, WE WILL HAVE THE, WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE FINAL ITEM ON OUR WORK SESSION AGENDA. YES MA'AM. DISCUSSION OF OPTIONS TO REPURPOSE THE CITY'S COLLECTION OF LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX. MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS TRACY COMIER, FINANCE DIRECTOR. UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR COUNCIL. OKAY. UM, COUNCIL HAD AN INSTRUCTED STAFF TO, UM, TO REVIEW OTHER OPTIONS FOR THE SALES TAX REPURPOSING. AND TODAY I WILL DISCUSS THOSE OPTIONS ALONG WITH THE TIMELINE AND ALSO THE NEXT STEPS. UM, IF COUNCIL DECIDES TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, ONE OF THE FIRST OPTIONS IS THE STREET MAINTENANCE TAX AND IT KIND OF SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. IT'S TO MAINTAIN AND REPAIR EXISTING CITY STREETS AND SIDEWALKS. UM, THE CITY CURRENTLY STREET MAINTENANCE PROGRAM IS FUNDED THROUGH OUR INS PROGRAM, UM, TAX RATE AND ONLY OUR SIDEWALKS WITH MINIMUM FUNDING THAT'S FUNDED THROUGH OUR GENERAL FUND DOLLARS. UM, THE MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UM, THIS, UM, TAX UNDERTAKES PROJECTS THAT PROVIDES JOB TRAINING, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND SCHOLARSHIPS AND LITERACY PROMOTIONS. UM, CURRENTLY THE CITY DOES NOT FUND ANY OF THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS WITHIN OUR GENERAL FUND. UM, THE MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT. UM, THIS DISTRICT, UH, UNDERTAKE A VARIETY OF PROJECTS THAT INCLUDE CONVENTION CENTERS, UH, [00:35:01] CIVIC CENTERS AND AUDITORIUM. AND ONCE AGAIN, WE DO NOT FUND ANY OF THIS IN OUR, WITHIN OUR GENERAL FUND, UM, THE METROPOLITAN RAPID TRANSIT AUTHORITY MUNICIPAL TRANSIT DEPARTMENTS. UM, THIS TAX IS USED TO FUND A TRANSIT AUTHORITY AND AT THIS TIME WE HAVE NOT ENTERTAINED JOINING A TRANSIT AUTHORITY. AND THEN THE VENUE TAX STATEMENT BILL. UM, THIS SALES TAX IS USED FOR, UH, REVENUES USED FOR, UH, CITIES AND COUNTY TO FUND, UM, SPORT, UH, SPORTING EVENTS AND COMMUNITY VENUE PROJECTS. UM, NOW THE MUNICIPAL SALES TAX AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, UM, THIS IS THE, UH, ONE THAT THE CITY CURRENTLY IMPOSES. UM, OF COURSE THIS IS USED TO REDUCE OUR VOTER APPROVAL AND PROPERTY, UH, TAX RATE WITHIN THE CITY. UM, THE CRIME AND CONTROL PREVENTION DISTRICT, UH, WE SPOKE OF THIS AT PREVIOUS MEETING AND THIS DISTRICT OR TAX IS USED, UH, FOR A WIDE VARIETY OF CRIME CONTROL AND PREVENTION PROGRAMS. AND THE CITY DOES HAVE QUALIFIED EXPENDITURES WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND TO REPURPOSE SALES TAX DOLLARS FOR THIS DISTRICT. AND THEN ALSO THE FIRE CONTROL PREVENTION AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE DISTRICT. UM, THIS IS, UM, A DISTRICT THAT'S FINANCE OPERATIONS FOR FIRE CONTROL PREVENTION AND EMS PROGRAMS. UM, AND THE CITY DOES HAVE QUALIFIED EXPENDITURES WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND, UM, TO REPURPOSE THIS SALES TAX DOLLARS. UM, ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT? COUNSEL? ANY QUESTIONS? NO. NO, WE DON'T. THANK YOU. OKAY. ALRIGHT. UM, THIS CHART HERE JUST PRETTY MUCH LISTS ALL THE SALES TAX OPTIONS AND THEN THE, UM, THE ONES THAT WE, UH, QUALIFY FOR AS A CITY. AND THEN ONCE AGAIN, THE MUNICIPAL SALES TAX. THE PROPERTY RELEASE TAX IS WHAT WE CURRENTLY IMPOSE. UM, THE NEXT COUPLE SLIDES, I'M JUST KIND OF GONNA TALK ABOUT THE FIRE CONTROL AND PREVENTION EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE DISTRICT. UM, IT'S REFERRED TO AS THE FCPD AND IT'S SIMILAR TO THE CRIME CONTROL AND, UH, PREVENTION DISTRICT SET UP. UM, IF COUNCIL DECIDES TO DO THIS, OF COURSE THEY WOULD HAVE TO, UM, UH, ORDINANCE CREATING THE DISTRICT. WE ALSO HAVE TO, UH, ORGANIZE AND CREATE A TEMPORARY BOARD. AND THE COUNCIL WILL ALSO HAVE TO APPROVE A TWO YEAR BUDGET ALONG WITH, UH, FIRE CONTROL PREVENTION AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE STRATEGIC PLAN, AND THEN ALSO DEVELOP EVALUATING AND EFFECTIVENESS FOR THE, UH, PLAN. UM, THE BUDGET, ONCE AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO ESTIMATE THE TAX RATE SALES TAX REQUIRED TO FUND THE DISTRICT. UM, ALSO THE AMOUNT OF BALANCE EXPECTED AT THE YEAR END OF YOUR BUDGET, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO ALSO AMOUNT OF MONEY BUDGETED FOR EACH, UM, FIRE CONTROL PREVENTION STRATEGY. AND THEN ALSO IT MUST BE ADOPTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAWS. UM, ONCE AGAIN, UH, I THINK WE MISSED, OH, ONCE AGAIN, IF WE DECIDE IF THE COUNCIL DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ANY OF THE DISTRICT, THE CCPD OR THE FCPD, UM, WE STILL HAVE TO MEET A FEBRUARY 16TH DEADLINE. UM, SO AT THIS TIME, IF, ONCE AGAIN, IF COUNCIL MOVES FORWARD, STAFF WILL BE RECOMMENDING HAVING A SPECIAL MEETING, UM, WITHIN A COUPLE WEEKS. SO WE CAN STAY ON THE TIMELINE OF COUNCIL REVIEWING THE, UH, FIRST REVIEW OF THE BUDGET AND THE STRATEGY PLAN ON JANUARY 2ND, AND A SECOND REVIEW ON THE 16TH WITH THE PLANS FOR COUNCIL TO REVIEW, I MEAN, APPROVE THE BUDGET AND STRATEGIC STRATEGY PLAN ON FEBRUARY 26TH, AND THEN ALSO ORDER ELECTION ON THE SAME DATE. UM, THE NEXT SLIDE JUST PRETTY MUCH LISTS THE DATES THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PUT, UH, PUBLICATIONS, THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND THEN OF COURSE THE APPROVAL DATE. AND OF COURSE, IF COUNCIL DECIDES THAT THEY, UH, DO NOT WANT TO TAKE ANY ACTION, UM, ONE STAFF WOULD DEFINITELY, UM, WE MOVE INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS, ENTERTAIN, UM, ISSUE IN ANOTHER ONE YEAR TAX NOTE FOR THE FFY 25 BUDGET. AND THEN ALSO REVIEW AREAS OF THE GENERAL FUND TO REDUCE EXPENDITURE, WHICH POSSIBLY COULD INCLUDE STAFF REDUCTIONS IN THE 25 BUDGET. UM, THAT'S IT AND WE WILL ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU MR. COMIER. COUNCIL, ARE THERE QUESTIONS? YES. COUNCILMAN PARKER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. MM-HMM, , UM, I DID APPRECIATE THAT THERE ARE MORE OPTIONS AVAILABLE, UH, TO UTILIZE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE. I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE, UH, STREET TAX, UH, MAINTENANCE. WHAT STREET MAINTENANCE TAX? UM, YOU SAID THAT IT IS ALREADY BEING DONE WITH THE SIDEWALKS? UM, WELL, WE HAVE, UM, MINIMUM EXPENDITURES WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND THAT WE USE FOR OUR SIDEWALKS, UM, REPAIR, SIDEWALK REPAIR PROGRAM. BUT IT'S NOT UNDER THIS PARTICULAR NO, NO, [00:40:01] IT'S NOT. WE DON'T HAVE A CELL STACKS DEDICATED TO OUR SIDEWALK PROGRAM. NO, WE DON'T. OKAY. BUT THAT'S A OPTION, BUT YOU'RE ADDING IT AS AN OPTION. YES. SO WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU TALK IN TERMS OF THE OPTIONS, WHAT I'M SAYING IS HERE IT SAYS OUR SIDEWALK PROGRAM IS FUNDED UNDER THE GENERAL DOLLARS. IT WOULD, IF WE USE THAT PARTICULAR ONE, IT WOULD BECOME UNDER THIS PARTICULAR ITEM IF WE CHOSE TO DO THAT. BUT WOULD IT ONLY BE THE SIDEWALKS? WELL, NO, IT WOULD BE THE STREETS TOO. BUT LIKE I SAY, CURRENTLY WE, WE MAINTAIN AND REPAIR AND RENOVATE OUR STREETS THROUGH OUR INS TAX RATE. SO WE SELL BONDS TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN OUR STREETS AND THE PROS AND CONS TO DOING THIS OVER THAT, WHAT YOU JUST SAID. SO, SO PART, PART OF THE, THE STRATEGY HERE IS TO, UH, FIND SOMETHING THAT IS CURRENTLY FUNDED THROUGH OUR M AND O TAX RATE TO, TO USE, TO SUBSTITUTE 'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE, UM, PRESSURE FROM SB TWO COMES IS IN THE M AND O TAX RATE. OKAY. PART OF IT. AND SO SOMETHING THAT IS FUNDED BY THE INS TAX RATE RIGHT NOW DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE, HAVE THE RESTRICTIONS THAT THE, THAT THE SB TWO PLACES ON THE, ON THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION SIDE. OKAY. SO IF, IF WE CAN FIND A PURPOSE THAT WE CURRENTLY FUND OUT OF THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION SALES TAX OR PROPERTY TAX, THAT'S WHEN WE KIND OF ALL, YOU KNOW YEAH. ALL POINTS ALIGN AT THAT POINT. RIGHT. IT, IT, IT ACCOMPLISHES OUR PURPOSE. WE HAVE A, A QUALIFYING REASON THAT WE CAN USE IT FOR AND IT HELPS TO, HELPS TO MAINTAIN OUR M AND O TAX RATES AT A LEVEL THAT CAN SUSTAIN CITY SERVICES LONGER ON THAT. SO, SO THAT, THAT'S KIND OF THE, THE PERFECT FORMULA WE'RE TRYING TO FIND IS WHEN THAT ONE OKAY, SO IT'S, THE STREETS OPTION DOESN'T MEET THAT IT'S NOT AN OPTION. IT'S NOT REALLY AN OPTION. IT'S NOT AN YEAH, IT'S NOT AN OPTION THAT ACCOMPLISHES OUR PURPOSE. IT'S ALWAYS AN OPTION. YEAH. RIGHT. YES. YOU, YOU CAN ALWAYS DO IT, BUT IT DOES NOT, DOES NOT FULFILL THE ULTIMATE GOAL WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO. SO BASICALLY RIGHT NOW, OUT OF ALL THE OPTIONS THAT I WENT OVER THE CRIME CRIME CONTROL PREVENTION DISTRICT AND THE FIRE CONTROL PREVENTION EMERGENCY MEET OUR PURPOSE TO REPURPOSING OUT TO SALES TAX. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S, I THINK THAT THAT ANSWERED MY QUESTION RIGHT THERE. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN PARKER FOR YOUR, UH, YOUR COMMENTS. UH, COUNCILMAN BURKE. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU MR. COMIER FOR THE INFORMATION. UM, I HAVE A NAME QUESTION. SO, UH, IN ESSENCE WE CAN DO THIS EITHER THROUGH THE POLICE STATION OR THROUGH THE FIRE, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT IT BOILS DOWN TO. YES. WE CAN DO THIS EITHER VIA THROUGH THE POLICE OR THROUGH THE FIRE. AND THE FIRE PART SOUNDS A LOT BETTER THAN THIS CRIME CONTROL AND PREVENTION. IS THAT, IS THAT A TITLE WE HAVE TO USE? ARE WE TIED TO THAT TITLE? UM, I THINK WE ARE. YES. YES YOU ARE. YES, WE ARE TIED TO THAT TITLE. STATUTORY. OKAY. AND THAT WAS, I THINK THAT THAT WAS PART OF, UM, SOME OF OUR RESERVATIONS AT FIRST WAS, UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CONTROL THE M AND O, BUT, UM, BUT WITH THE CRIME CONTROL, IT, IT SOUNDS NEGATIVE. YEAH. THE, THE PERCEPTION OF IT VERSUS FIRE CONTROL AND PREVENTION AND EMERGENCY, YOU KNOW, THE M-E-M-E-M-S. SO REALLY WHAT YOU'RE PRESENTING TONIGHT IS THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS TO AFFECT THE M AND O, WE REALLY HAVE TWO, TWO BUCKETS. WE CAN DO IT EITHER DEALING WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR WE CAN DO IT, UH, DEALING WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. EITHER WAY, UM, THE SALES TAX DOLLARS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY, THAT ARE, THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY REPURPOSING GOES TO BENEFIT THE TOTALITY OF THE DESOTO CITIZENS. IS THAT CORRECT? VERSUS THEN JUST LANDLORDS ARE PROPERTY OWNERS? YES. THE, THE REPURPOSING OF THESE SALES DOLLARS, WHICH ALL OF US PAY SALES DOLLARS, REPURPOSING OF THOSE WILL, WILL MOVE THAT MONEY INTO A BUCKET THAT AFFECT WHETHER OR NOT YOU LIVE IN AN APARTMENT, WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE RENTING, WHETHER OR NOT YOU, YOU ARE A HOMEOWNER, THOSE AFFECTING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. YOU WILL, YOU WILL FEEL THE EFFECTS OF THE REPURPOSING OF THAT MONEY. YES. JUST LIKE WE CURRENTLY OUR POLICE AND FIRE SERVE ALL OUR CITIZENS. YEAH. JUST LIKE WHAT OUR POLICE AND FIRE SERVE ALL OUR CITIZENS, NOT JUST PROPERTY OWNERS. OKAY. YEAH. AND SO THIS WILL PROTECT THOSE SERVICES. YES. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. UH, DR. MARKS. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE, THE SCREEN THAT SAYS IF WE DID NOTHING, I WANNA READ THAT AGAIN. IF YOU DON'T MIND. CAN YOU GO AHEAD AND TELL US AGAIN? YES, SIR. YES, SIR. CAN YOU READ IT? OH, I'M SORRY. THANK YOU. OKAY. UM, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, UM, STAFF WILL ENTERTAIN THE POSSIBILITY OF ISSUING A ONE YEAR TAX NOTE IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET. AND THEN WE ALSO REVIEW AREAS OF THE GENERAL FUND, UM, TO REDUCE EXPENDITURES THAT POSSIBLY COULD INCLUDE STAFF REDUCTIONS. AND WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY THAT WOULD BE OR ANYTHING. UH, NOT AT THIS TIME, NO. [00:45:03] OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL. SURE THING. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, DO WE HAVE ANY ACTUAL NUMBERS, UM, TO, TO ALL THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED? SO WE'RE HERE ON THIS PAGE, SO TAKING OUT THE ONE YEAR NOTES, UM, GENERALLY SPEAKING, WHAT WOULD THAT BE? YOU KNOW, IS IT COMMED TO WHAT IT IS THIS YEAR? UH, NUMBER TWO, UM, IF THERE IS A REDUCTION OF EXPENDITURES, UM, WHAT DO WE, WHAT, WHAT'S THE ACTUAL AMOUNT WE'RE, WE'RE REDUCING IN TERMS OF THE EXPENDITURES? UM, AS FAR AS THE TAX NOTE, UM, IT COULD POSSIBLY END UP BE IN THE BALLPARK OF WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR AROUND BETWEEN THREE AND 3.5 MILLION UHHUH AS FAR PROVIDED THERE, THERE ARE NO REDUCTION IN THE EXPENDITURES. YES, EXACTLY. UM, AS FAR AS, UM, REDUCTION, I MEAN THAT, WELL THINK WE SAID ANYWHERE BETWEEN 1,000,002 AND A HALF MILLION POSSIBLE CUTS IN A GENERAL FUND. OKAY. ABOUT A MILLION. BETWEEN 1 MILLION AND 2 MILLION? YES. OKAY. BUT IF IT'S A BOND, IT'LL BE ABOUT 3 MILLION. WELL, IF WE DECIDE TO SELL A TAX NOTE YES. AND WE NOW, AND THAT'S TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. THE TAX NOTE WILL, WILL FUND OUR EQUIPMENT AND OUR EQUIPMENT AND SOME OF OUR MAINTENANCE THAT WE DID THIS YEAR. BUT THE REDUCTIONS IS ANOTHER THING WITHIN OUR GENERAL FUND THAT'S, THAT'S SEPARATE, THAT'S TWO SEPARATE ITEMS. OKAY. AND THEN, UH, IF WE LOOK AT THE FIRE, UM, OPTION, THE FIRE DISTRICT, UM, THE, THE ACTUAL NUMBER, SO DO THE NUMBERS MATCH UP? YES, IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME. IT WOULD JUST RE UM, THE FIRE DISTRICT WOULD REPLACE THE, UM, CRIME PREVENTION DISTRICT. OKAY. AND SO LET ME GO BACK TO, TO THIS PAGE I'M LOOKING AT, SO OPTION NUMBER TWO, IF WE DID A REDUCTION IN EXPENDITURES, IF WE FIGURE SOME, SOME THINGS OUT ON THAT, UM, YOU'RE SAYING IT'S ABOUT BETWEEN ONE AND 2 MILLION AND THAT'S IT, THAT'S A CURRENT ESTIMATE. WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL WE START DEVELOPING THE BUDGET. RIGHT. UNDERSTOOD. AND THAT IS NOT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TAX NOTE? IT IS IN CONJUNCTION, BUT IT'S TWO SEPARATE ITEMS. WE WOULD, WE WOULD SELL THE TAX NOTE TO FOR OUR EQUIPMENT AND SOME IMPOSSIBLE RENOVATIONS, AND, UM, AND THEN WE WOULD ALSO HAVE TO SHAVE ONE TO 2 MILLION OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES. OKAY. SO, SO WITH THE TAX NOTE TO TAKE CARE OF EQUIPMENT AND RENOVATIONS? WELL, WE HAVE, LIKE, I THINK WE DID ONE ROAD MAINTENANCE. OKAY. WE TRANSFERRED FOR ONE ROAD MAINTENANCE. ROAD MAINTENANCE, YEAH. OKAY. SO THIS, OKAY, SO THEN, LIKE CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, ROAD MAINTENANCE IS INS, RIGHT? WELL, NOT THIS PARTICULAR ROAD MAINTENANCE PROJECT, THIS, THESE FUNDS WERE BEING TRANSFERRED FROM THE GENERAL FUND, AND SO WE REMOVED IT FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND PUT IT PART OF THE TAX NOTE. OKAY. RELATED TO THE ROADS. YES. OKAY. OKAY. UM, YEAH, TH THERE'S A, THERE, THERE ARE TWO POINTS, TWO PARTS THAT WE'VE, UH, TRADITIONALLY FUNDED OUR ROAD MAINTENANCE OUT OF. UH, THE LARGE PORTION OF IT HAS, AL ALWAYS HAS FOR MANY YEARS COME OUTTA THE INS TAX RATE. A SMALLER AMOUNT HAS ALSO BEEN TRANSFERRED OVER FROM THE GENERAL FUND OVER TO, UH, OVER TO THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND. RIGHT. WHERE IT FUNDS THE, THAT, THAT PART OF IT, THIS LAST BUDGET REMOVED THE, THAT SMALLER GENERAL FUND TRANSFER AND PUT IT ALL INTO THE IMS TAX RATE, WHICH IS WHERE THE MAJORITY OF IT HAS BEEN. THANK YOU. COUNCIL, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, YES. I'M SORRY. FEEL FREE. I, I I, I, I, I HAVE, UM, UH, ON THIS, IF WE DO NOTHING, WE COULD POSSIBLY DO EXACTLY WHAT WE DID THIS YEAR WITHOUT HAVING TO DO, UH, NUMBER TWO. IS THAT CORRECT? IT'S A POSSIBILITY, YES. OKAY. JUST SO THAT, UM, SO THAT I'M, I'M CLEAR, IT'S NOT THAT WE HAVE TO GOING INTO THE, THE, UM, FISCAL YEAR 2024 THAT WE HAVE TO DO, BUT WE COULD EXACTLY WHAT WE DID THIS YEAR. MM-HMM. , WHICH COST US ROUGHLY, UH, WE, WE MOVED $3 MILLION. IT COST US $64,000 TO PROTECT THAT $3 MILLION. MM-HMM. , UM, UH, WE COULD DO THAT, UH, POSSIBLY AGAIN, HOWEVER, THE, WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE TOYING AROUND WITH IS A BETTER OPTION THAT WILL COST US LESS MONEY. YES. RIGHT. INSTEAD OF PAYING THAT 64 OR $60,000 IN INTEREST, IT WOULD, IT WOULD COST US LESS MONEY. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MADAM. THANK YOU. UM, I HAVE TWO, TWO, UH, QUESTIONS. WELL, A QUESTION AND THEN A POINT FOR CONSIDERATION. UH, AND IT LOOKS LIKE, AND I THINK THIS WAS DOUBLE NOTICED, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN. OH, FOR, FOR THE PERSPECTIVE, YES. THIS ITEM WAS DOUBLE NOTICED. SO IF WE, IF WE WISH TO CONTINUE TONIGHT, UM, IT HAS BEEN DOUBLE NOTICED. UM, I HAVE A QUESTION IN TERMS OF JUST VERY BRIEFLY, UH, FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, BUT [00:50:01] WHAT WILL, IF WE CHOOSE THE FIRE ROUTE, BECAUSE I WAS OF THE, I WAS OF THE MIND FRAME ALSO, I HAD, I STRUGGLED WITH PERCEPTION, UM, OF HAVING THE CRIME CONTROL DISTRICT. WE UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT OUR SITUATION AND THINGS ARE HERE WITH CRIME. HOWEVER, IT'S, IT'S ALWAYS PERCEPTION IS REALITY FOR FOLKS. SO IF WE GO WITH FIRE, WHAT COULD THAT ALLOW US TO DO? BECAUSE I THINK AT THIS POINT, SHOULD WE CHOOSE TO GO DOWN THIS ROAD, IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY BE EDUCATING THE CITIZENS BIG TIME ON WHAT THE ADVANTAGES ARE. AND I DO BELIEVE, JUST BASED ON MY LIMITED KNOWLEDGE OF, OF THESE TYPES OF DISTRICTS, THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME ADVANTAGES, IF YOU WILL, TO GOING THIS ROUTE. COULD YOU ELABORATE JUST BRIEFLY ABOUT THAT? OR SOMEONE? UM, AS FAR AS THE PROCESS OR WELL, IN PROJECTS OR CITY MANAGER, RIGHT? SURE. I THINK WE KIND, I, I KIND OF HAD THAT QUESTION EARLIER IN TERMS OF LIKE, ARE THERE, WOULD IT ALLOW US TO DO ANY TYPE AND NOT NECESSARILY A SPECIAL PROJECT? YOU KNOW, A NEW FIRE STATION IS NOT REALLY A SPECIAL PROJECT, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS. SO WHAT COULD THIS ALLOW US TO DO THAT POSSIBLY, IF NOT FOR THIS, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO, UM, IN THAT REGARD? YEAH. BY, BY ESTABLISHING A, AN AMOUNT SPECIFICALLY FOR, IN THIS CASE, LET'S SAY IT'S THE FIRE, UH, DISTRICT. OKAY. JUST FOR SIMPLICITY'S SAKE, ESTABLISHING IT FOR THE FIRE DISTRICT, WHAT IT DOES IS IT IS IT COMMITS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SALES TAX TO SPECIFICALLY THAT PURPOSE. THE NICE PART ABOUT THAT IS THAT AS COSTS GROW RIGHT ON IT, IT'S NOT SUBJECT TO ROLLBACK THAT WOULD BE HAPPENING WITH SB TWO IN THE PROPERTY TAX SIDE OF IT. OKAY. SO THAT MEANS THAT AS SALES TAX GROWS AND, AND SALES TAX DOES FLUCTUATE, JUST BE AWARE OF THAT, RIGHT? IT GOES UP AND DOWN, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE OTHER REVENUE SOURCES. HOWEVER, IT'S LONG TERM TRAJECTORY IS ALWAYS KIND OF IN THE, THAT UPWARD DIRECTION. UM, FOR THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND WITH ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE PLANNED AS FAR AS MORE RETAIL EXPERIENCES AND THINGS THERE, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE, WE ARE IN A PLACE WHERE WE WILL HAVE STRONG, UH, SALES TAX GROWTH INTO THE FUTURE. UM, FOR THAT, WHAT IT DOES IS IT PROVIDES A DEDICATED FUNDING SOURCE THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO ROLLBACKS. SO AS YOU HAVE KIND OF THESE INCREASES HAPPENING, IT ALLOWS YOU TO CONSIDER NEW OPTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICES IN AN AREA THAT YOU OTHERWISE WOULD BE RESTRICTED TO, RIGHT? BECAUSE IN PROPERTY TAX, IF YOU, EVEN IF YOU HAVE STRONG PROPERTY TAX GROWTH, IT DOESN'T MATTER. YOU'RE RESTRICTED TO THE FORMULA AND THE SALES TAX. IF YOU HAVE STRONG, STRONG SALES TAX GROWTH IN THIS AREA, GUESS WHAT? IT STAYS IN THE FIRE DISTRICT BUCKET AND IT CAN USE ONLY FOR THAT PURPOSE. SO GETTING NICE DEDICATED SOURCES LIKE THAT IS, UH, HELPFUL FROM A BUDGETARY STANDPOINT, ESPECIALLY IN AN AREA THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER ADDITIONAL SERVICES IN THE FUTURE. THINGS LIKE ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS, PERSONNEL, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT IS NOT GONNA BE SUBJECT TO A THREE POINT HALF PERCENT CAP ON THE RATE. OKAY, THANK YOU. UH, MY SECOND POINT FOR CONSIDERATION, UH, FROM THE, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, I, ALONG WITH, UH, SEVERAL OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, OBVIOUSLY THE MAIN QUESTION WAS HOW WOULD THIS IMPACT SOMEONE'S, UM, TAX BILL? UM, AND I GUESS, I GUESS LOOKING FORWARD TO TRY TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY CAN LIVE WITH. WE KNOW THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DECISIONS, RIGHT? YOU KIND OF HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT IS THE MORE PRESSING ISSUE TO TRY TO GET A RESOLUTION TO. AND I KNOW THAT, UM, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO DO THE TAX NOTE AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS AND ALL THE OTHER IMPACTS THAT SB TWO WILL HAVE. HOWEVER, UM, WHEN WE LOOKED AT, WELL, WHEN I LOOKED AT WHAT I FELT LIKE WAS PROBABLY THE, THE MORE PRESSING ISSUE IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT WHO IT IMPACTS THE MOST, IT'S OUR RESIDENTS THAT ARE ON A FIXED INCOME. IT'S OUR SENIOR CITIZENS, IT'S OUR OVER 65 INDIVIDUALS. AND SO JUST KIND OF THROWING THIS OUT THERE TO PONDER ON LOOKING AT, IF WE DO DECIDE TO GO DOWN THIS ROAD, AND OBVIOUSLY IF THE VOTERS CHOOSE TO APPROVE THIS, UM, COULD COUNCIL POSSIBLY LOOK AT STAFF, LOOK AT, UM, POSSIBLY EVEN INCREASING OUR OVER 65 TAX EXEMPTION TO BE ABLE TO HELP TO SUBSIDIZE IF THERE SHOULD BE AN IMPACT TO THEIR TAXES, UM, ON OUR SIDE AND USING ALL THE TOOLS WE HAVE AT OUR, UM, DISPOSAL TO HELP MINIMIZE THAT IMPACT, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION, WHICH ARE OUR RESIDENTS THAT ARE ON OUR, ON A FIXED INCOME, WHICH ARE GENERALLY THOSE THAT FALL UNDER THE, UM, QUALIFY, YOU KNOW, THAT QUALIFY FOR THE OVER 65 EXEMPTION. AND SO I'M JUST KIND OF THROWING THAT OUT THERE TO BE ABLE TO HELP US KIND OF GET SOME MIDDLE GROUND ON IT ALL LOOKING AT THE ADVANTAGES AND THE DISADVANTAGES AND FIGURING OUT, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE YOU ALWAYS HAVE COMPETING PRIORITIES IN ANYTHING. SO IT'S, IT'S, HOW CAN WE KIND OF PUT SOME THINGS OUT THERE? SHOULD THERE BE AN IMPACT TO THEIR TAX BILL? HOW CAN WE HELP TO MINIMIZE IT? AT LEAST FOR THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE MOST VULNERABLE, WHICH ARE GENERALLY THE ONES THAT ARE ON A FIXED INCOME, UH, THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME. COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, WE HAVE ABOUT SIX MINUTES REAL QUICK. UM, JUST REAL, REAL QUICK. WE WERE TALKING IN TERMS OF THE TWO DIFFERENT GROUPS OF THE CCPD AND NOW THAT I'M LEVEL SET, WHERE WE ARE, UH, THOSE TWO ARE THE, THEY CAN'T BE BOTH. YOU CAN'T DO BOTH? UM, YES, YOU CAN, YOU CAN SPLIT IT. OKAY. THANK YOU. BUT ALSO THAT WOULD MEAN YOU'D HAVE TWO, TWO BOARDS [00:55:01] TO YEAH. ON THAT. SO, SO JUST BE AWARE THAT YOU'LL KIND OF LIKE YEAH, YOU'LL YOU'LL HAVE KIND OF SPLIT PURPOSE, RIGHT? TWO OF EVERYTHING. TWO DIFFERENT, TWO OF EVERYTHING. EXACTLY. MM-HMM. . YEAH. WHAT WOULD BE ONE BOARD THAT CONTROL. THANK YOU. THAT WAS, THAT WAS IMPORTANT INFORMATION THERE. COUNCIL, DO WE WISH TO CONTINUE THIS IN THE PRESENTATION PORTION OF THE AGENDA? KEEPING IN MIND OUR AGENDA, DO WE WISH TO CONTINUE THIS? 'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, IT'LL BE A MINUTE BEFORE WE'RE ABLE TO SPEAK ON IT, CONSIDERING THE TIMELINE. COUNCIL MEMBER CHISM, I DO SEE YOUR LIGHT. UM, OR IF WE COULD DEDICATE, IF WE COULD CONTINUE THIS IN OUR PRESENTATIONS PORTION, IF WE COULD DEDICATE THAT TIME TO JUST SIMPLY GIVING STAFF DIRECTION ON IF WE WANNA KEEP PUSHING THIS BALL DOWN THE COURT VERSUS HAVING ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION. CAN WE AGREE TO THAT? YES. OKAY. 'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA RUSH US TO DO IT NOW, 'CAUSE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE DRAWING CLEAR ON TIME. COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM. OKAY. THANK YOU. UM, AT THIS TIME WE HAVE ABOUT FIVE MINUTES. UM, BEFORE WE START OUR REGULAR MEETING, AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN OUR WORK SESSION. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY DR. MARK, SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEM HUGHES TO ADJOURN. COUNSEL. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. COUNSEL, WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 6:56 PM I WILL SEE YOU ALL AT SEVEN O'CLOCK. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. IT IS 7:00 PM [B. REGULAR SESSION - CALL TO ORDER] AND I'M MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR. I WANNA CALL THE MEETING OF THE DESOTO CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER. UM, AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE OUR CITY SECRETARY TO CONDUCT A ROLL CALL, PLEASE. MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR. HERE, MAYOR PRO. TIM LETITIA HUGHES. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER PERT PARKER. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER NICOLE RAPHAEL. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDRE BIRD. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER DYNA MARKS HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CRYSTAL CHISHOLM HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. THOMAS. UH, AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA. FIRST WE HAVE OUR INVOCATION BY REVEREND JEREMIAH AUSTIN, WITH COMMUNITY MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, LED BY PARIS BOOKER WITH COCKROACH HILL ELEMENTARY. IF EVERYONE CAN PLEASE STAND. LET US PRAY. LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS NIGHT FOR GATHERING US HERE TO, TO DISCUSS MATTERS OF THIS CITY. GOD, I PRAY, UH, THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO GIVE THESE OFFICIALS, UH, THE ACUMEN AND THE WIT TO MAKE, UM, WISER DECISIONS, UH, TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THIS CITY, UH, A SHINING, A SHINING CITY AMONG THE SURROUNDING CITIES. GOD, I PRAY, GOD, THAT YOU WOULD BRING US TO UNITY. BRING HARMONY, UM, IN OUR MEETING TONIGHT. IN JESUS NAME I PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. PLEASE JOIN US, ME AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FOLLOWED BY THE TEXAS PLEDGE. I PLEDGE OF I PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WITCHES STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL THE TEXAS PLEDGE, THE PLEDGE, THE, TO THE TEXAS FLAG. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD. ONE IN INVISIBLE. SHE CAN STAND UP. SHE CAN STAND UP. SHE CAN STAND THERE BECAUSE SHE'S SHORT. CAN WE GIVE MS. PARIS BOOKER ANOTHER HAND CLAP. SHE DID A GREAT JOB. VERY GOOD. AND YOU'RE SO CUTE TOO. . THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'M GONNA READ A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TONIGHT'S AMBASSADOR. UH, PARIS IS A FIRST GRADE STUDENT AT COCH HILL ELEMENTARY. SHE COMES FROM A LARGE FAMILY AS ONE OF SIX CHILDREN IN THE BOOKER HOUSEHOLD. SHE'S A DEDICATED AND VALUED ATHLETE WHO EXCELS IN SOCCER AND BASKETBALL. PARIS'S SOCCER TEAM. THE DESOTO CHAOS WAS UNDEFEATED THIS YEAR. WAY TO GO. AND SHE RECEIVED THE PRESTIGIOUS HONOR OF BEING NAMED THE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER, BETTER KNOWN AS THE MVP IN A PREVIOUS SEASON. VERY GOOD. HER FAVORITE SUBJECT IS SCIENCE AND PARIS LOVES DANCING, ART, MUSIC, AND MAKING TIKTOK VIDEOS. HAVE YOU WENT VIRAL YET PARIS? NOT YET. NOT YET. YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY. SHE DREAMS TO BECOME A LAWYER AND AN ARTIST. [01:00:01] LET'S GIVE PARIS ANOTHER GREAT BIG HAND CLAP. MS. BOOKER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE ANY WORDS ON BEHALF OF THE STUDENT BODY AT ROE HILL? I LOVE MY SCHOOL. GREAT, GREAT. AND YOUR PRINCIPAL IS HERE TONIGHT WITH YOU TOO. MS. SISSY LOWE, WHO IS A LEGEND IN DESOTO, ISD. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MS. LOWE. VERY GOOD. WELL, IF YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ANY ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, UM, YOU MAY DO THAT, BUT YOU MUST FIRST FILL OUT A CARD. AND SO PARIS IS GOING TO ASSIST YOU AT OUR TABLE WHERE OUR POLICE CHIEF IS SITTING AS WELL. UM, AT THIS TIME, PARIS, I'M GONNA COME DOWN AND WE'LL TAKE SOME PHOTOS AND WE HAVE SOME GOODIES FOR YOU TOO, OKAY? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU AGAIN, PARIS FOR HELPING US OUT AT OUR MEETING TONIGHT. AT THIS TIME, [C. ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST] MS. THOMAS WILL TAKE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, ACTUALLY MOVING TO OUR ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.045. THE CITY COUNCIL MAY REPORT ON THE, 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 THREATS TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, AS WELL AS ANY LIAISON UPDATES. COUNSEL, ARE THERE ANY YES, MAYOR PER TEMP. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. I'D FIRST LIKE TO SAY, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT FOR AN AWESOME, AMAZING TREE LIGHTING. AND I STATED, A BIG BLOCK PARTY. I MEAN, THEY KNOW HOW TO PARTY, SO THANK YOU PARK AND RICK ALSO, FROM THEM, THERE'S A CHRISTMAS CRAFT MAKING, UH, AT SANTA'S WORKSHOP, DECEMBER 9TH FROM ONE O'CLOCK TO 4:00 PM AND THEN EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT, JOIN THEM FOR GLIDE AND GROOVE UNDER THE STORY SKY. IT'S JAZZ NIGHT ON THE ICE, AND THAT IS WITH, UH, JEFF C**K. AND THEN THERE'S ALSO ICE SKATING LESSONS AVAILABLE, BEGINNING, INTERMEDIATE, AND ADVANCED. $60 PER PERSON. UM, THE HOLIDAY, EVERY HO HOLIDAY THERE'S A, THEY SELL, THEY HAVE A CELEBRATION EVERY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. THEY HAVE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES SUCH AS HOLIDAY TRAIN RIDES, FACE PAINTING, PAINT AND PARTY FUN WITH CHRISTMAS CHARACTERS AND GAMES. THERE'S SO MUCH TO DO IN LOVE. AND THAT IS, UH, BETWEEN DECEMBER 9TH TO JANUARY 7TH, DESOTO ON ICE. AND THEN LASTLY, UH, FROM PARKS AND REC. THE DESOTO YOUTH BASKETBALL LEAGUE IS STARTING AND IT IS FOR DESOTO GLEN HEIGHT, UM, RESIDENTS. AND THAT IS FOR, UM, BOYS AND GIRLS, AGES FOUR TO 1470 $5 EARLY REGISTRATION, $95 FOR LATE REGISTRATION, AND $95 FOR NON-RESIDENTS. SO IT'S FOR NON-RESIDENTS AS WELL. FROM THE DESOTO CHAMBER, WE WILL HAVE THE JINGLE MINGLE THIS SATURDAY. YOU STILL HAVE TIME FOR TICKETS AND THAT WILL BE AT THE, UM, ON BELTLINE. I FORGET THE NAME OF IT. DECEMBER 9TH, FOUR. I'M SORRY, 3 24. 3 24 BELTLINE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MARKS FROM SEVEN TO 11:00 PM THAT IS THE JINGLE MINGLE. AND THEN THE DESOTO, ISD OUR SUPERINTENDENT IS, UM, HOSTING HER FIRST ANNUAL TOY DRIVE, BENEFITING THE CHOCOLATE MINT FOUNDATION. AND YOU CAN DROP OFF TOYS AT BETWEEN DECEMBER 4TH AND DECEMBER 15TH AT THE INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT CENTER. AND THAT IS AT 200 EAST BELTLINE. AND WE ALSO WANNA WISH OUR DESOTO EAGLES THE BEST OF LUCK AS THEY TAKE ON THE, UH, SOUTH LAKE DRAGONS AT THE EAGLE STADIUM IN ALLEN AT 1 55 RIVER CREST BOULEVARD. AND THAT IS DECEMBER 9TH AT 2:00 PM AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TIM. COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. OKAY, THANK YOU. UM, SO THE LIBRARY, THE LIBRARY IS DOING SO MANY GREAT THINGS AND, UH, [01:05:01] THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT THEY DO HAVE A CANCER AND HEART HEALTH SCREENING IS NOT BEING, UH, SPONSORED BY THE CITY OF DESOTO, HOWEVER, IT IS IN THE LIBRARY THIS COMING SATURDAY BETWEEN NOON AND THREE. AND, UH, ALSO ON DECEMBER 16TH, UM, THEY HAVE THE DESOTO NUTCRACKER. SO EVERYBODY I'M SURE HAS HEARD OF THE NUTCRACKER GO OUT AND TAKE A LOOK AT THAT PROGRAM. AND IT'S FROM 1130 TO 3:30 PM ON DECEMBER THE 16TH. AND TEENS, YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET VOLUNTEER HOURS. WHOOP, WHOOP. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. I YIELD BACK. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. COUNCIL MEMBER CHISEL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST, UH, WANNA SEND A REMINDER TO ALL THAT ARE INTERESTED IN DINING AND DIALOGUE. UH, THERE WILL BE DINNERS NEXT MONTH. AND SO IF YOU HAVE NEVER PARTICIPATED IN DESOTO DINING AND DIALOGUE, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS, UH, NEIGHBORS. 'CAUSE THAT'S TRULY WHAT WE ARE, RIGHT? TO COME TOGETHER, TOGETHER, LEARN MORE ABOUT ONE ANOTHER AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR CITY. THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME IN JANUARY WE WILL BE BACK AT HOMES. UM, WHEN THIS PROGRAM STARTED, IT WAS IN HOMES AND THE LAST YEAR THEY'VE OPERATED OUTSIDE OF THAT CAPACITY. SO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, PLEASE CONTACT THE CITY. KATHY, UH, JONES WOULD BE YOUR POINT OF CONTACT IN REGISTERING FOR THAT. AND ALSO, UM, THIS HAPPENED LAST MONTH, BUT, UM, I WANTED TO BRING IT UP 'CAUSE I HAVE MY FIRST, UM, NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION, BUT DESOTO NOW IS EVEN INTEGRATED EVEN MORE IN THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS, UH, COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS. I WAS APPOINTED TO THE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLANNING COUNCIL, WHICH JUST MEANS THAT THAT PUTS US CLOSER TO THE TABLE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AT IN OUR REGION. AND I'LL BE PROVIDING UPDATES TO YOU ALL AS I ATTEND THOSE QUARTERLY MEETINGS. I DID GET A A, I WAS TOLD THAT I DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN ALTERNATE. SO IF ANYONE ON THE DAY IS INTERESTED, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I'LL SEND YOU THE, UM, APPLICATION. RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER BURT, UH, THANK YOU. AND CONGRATULATIONS, UH, COUNCILWOMAN CHISHOLM. UM, I WANT TO, UM, THANK THE MAYOR, MAYOR PROCTOR AND THE ENTIRETY OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR YOUR RESOLUTION FOR MS. MONICA KINNEY. UH, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, WE LOST A GIANT IN THE BAKING INDUSTRY. SHE WAS A, UH, ONE OF THE PREMIER BANKERS AT, UH, FROST BANK AND UNEXPECTEDLY, UH, WENT ON TO BE WITH THE LORD. AND SO, UM, BUT IT WAS AN ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL FUNERAL. I I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER BEEN TO A FUNERAL WHERE COMMUNITY ACTUALLY PUT ON THE FUNERAL. SO THE COMMUNITY FROM, UH, CEDAR HILL, FROM DUNCANVILLE, FROM LANCASTER, UH, IN DESOTO, UH, THOSE OF US WHO KNOW, UH, MS. KENNEDY, SHE WAS A HUGE SUPPORTER. THE FROST BANK ALWAYS, UM, WOULD, UM, WOULD SPONSOR THINGS WITHIN OUR CITIES. AND, UM, UH, SO ON BEHALF OF, UM, MONICA'S FAMILY, MS. KENNY, MOTHER KENNY, AND THE ENTIRETY OF THEIR FAMILY, I WOULD LIKE TO TELL DESOTO THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR PROCTOR, AND THANK YOU YOU AGAIN, UM, UH, CITY COUNCIL AND WE WOULD ASK YOUR CONTINUED PRAYER FOR THAT PARTICULAR FAMILY. SHE LEAVES BEHIND A 12-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, A 28-YEAR-OLD SON, AND A 24-YEAR-OLD SON. GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN BY COUNCIL. ARE THERE ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? YES, COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. I WANNA SAY, UM, UH, I WANNA MAKE YOU AWARE THAT OUR DESOTO, TEXAS CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION HELD ITS FIRST ANNUAL RETREAT. IT WAS RIGHT HERE IN CITY HALL THIS PAST SATURDAY. UM, IT WAS A GREAT DAY OF INFORMATION AND LEARNING FOR THEM. AND SO WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO KNOW THAT, UH, ABOUT OUR CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION IS THAT THEY'RE NO LONGER A COMMISSION. THEY ARE A FOUNDATION. THEY CAN RAISE FUNDS. AND SO THEY LEARN QUITE A BIT FROM, UM, THE RENOWNED MS. MARGIE REESE, WHO IS WELL KNOWN IN, UM, THE, THE ARTS COMMUNITY, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION OF, OF FUNDING AND, UH, RAISING CAPITAL. AND SO IT WAS A GREAT TIME. I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO MS. ROLANDA BRIGHAM. AND A, A BIG THANK YOU TO MS. KATHY JONES, UM, WHO MADE ALL THINGS POSSIBLE. SO IT WAS A REALLY GREAT, UM, UH, CAPACITY BUILDING, UM, EXPERIENCE FOR THE TEAM. AND, UM, WE SHOULD EXPECT MORE AND GREATER THINGS IN OUR CITY AS IT RELATES TO CULTURAL ARTS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND THEN I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO, UM, A RESIDENT WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE. HER NAME IS MS. KIARA FREEMAN. UM, SHE IS GRADUATING MAG MAGNA CU LAUDE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IN ARLINGTON WITH HER, UM, DEGREE IN VISUAL ARTS, UH, WITH A MINOR, UH, IN ANIMATION AND GAMING. AND SO I JUST WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO HER AND TO MOM WHO SAW HER ALL [01:10:01] THE WAY THROUGH. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I CAN SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO MOM 'CAUSE SHE'S DONE. BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU DR. MARKS. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. CHRISTMAS IS SUCH A WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR. UH, IT IS A YEAR OF, UH, GIVING, BEING VERY BENEVOLENT TO THOSE THAT ARE LESS FORTUNATE THAN WE ARE. SO WITH THAT, UH, WE'D LOVE FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE. SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH MY VOICE TONIGHT. WE'D LOVE FOR YOU TO PLEASE PARTICIPATE WITH US IN WHAT WE CALL OUR TUNDRA EVENT. IT IS A TOY DRIVE AND WHAT IT ACTUALLY MEANS IS THAT WE FEEL THE BEDS OF TUNDRA TRUCKS. THE GOAL THIS YEAR IS TO FILL EIGHT OF THOSE TRUCKS FOR OUR FIELD ALREADY. IT WILL COMMENCE, THE EVENT WILL COMMENCE ON THIS COMING SATURDAY, WHICH WILL BE DECEMBER 9TH OVER AT SOUTH TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. SOUTH TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IS LOCATED AT 39 6 60 LBJ FREEWAY. AND TO BRING IT HOME, THAT MEANS THAT IT'S AT THE CORNER OF I 20 AND HAMPTON. SO WE'D LOVE FOR YOU TO PLEASE MEET US THERE THIS COMING SATURDAY AT 10 O'CLOCK WITH YOUR TOYS IN HAND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FILL THOSE TUNDRA TRUCK BEDS. AND AGAIN, OUR GOAL IS TO FILL EIGHT OF THEM. FOUR ARE ALREADY FILLED FROM THAT PARTICULAR EVENT, WE WILL DO A CARAVAN OVER TO OUR DISTRIBUTION SITE. AND THE DISTRIBUTION SITE IS THE VILLAGE CHURCH. THE VILLAGE CHURCH IS LOCATED AT 1121 EAST WINTER GREEN ROAD. THE TOYS AND ITEMS WILL, UH, LIVE THERE, UH, FOR THE REST OF THAT WEEK, UH, THE 14TH AND THE 15TH OF, UH, DECEMBER. WE WILL START, UH, SORTING AND, UH, SETTING UP FOR THE ACTUAL DISTRIBUTION DATE, WHICH IS THAT SATURDAY, UH, DECEMBER THE 16TH. WE WILL START PROMPTLY AT 8:00 AM WE'RE IN GREAT NEED OF VOLUNTEERS. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE CONSIDER VOLUNTEERING, UH, TO HELP US SORT LABEL AND TO SET UP MADAM MAYOR. AYE, BACK. THANK YOU. UH, POINT OF INFORMATION. YES MA'AM. SO FOR YOUR VOLUNTEERS, DOES THE TEENAGERS GET VOLUNTEER HOURS? UH, WE PROBABLY CAN ARRANGE THAT. WE DO HAVE MS. IS MS. THOMAS HERE? UH, WELL, I'M SURE THAT MS. THOMAS, I'M SURE THAT WE CAN WORK WITH MS. THOMAS OF AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND SHE SOTO ISD TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. I WOULD, I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT POSSIBILITY. SHE SAYS YES. THUMB UP. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. I YIELD BACK. THANK YOU DR. MARKS ALL VERY EXCITING, EXCITING NEWS. I HAVE SOME, UM, SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT I WANNA SHARE. UM, SOME VERY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS I WANT TO ANNOUNCE THE VERY FIRST THING, WHICH IS A BIG CHANGE. UM, CHANGES ARE COMING TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE BEGINNING JANUARY 2ND, 2024. AND IT'S UNBELIEVABLE TO REALIZE WE'RE ALMOST, ALMOST THERE. ONE OF THE MAJOR CHANGES INCLUDED INCLUDES A NEW START TIME OF 6:00 PM FOR ALL OF OUR MEETINGS, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, REGULAR MEETINGS WILL STILL OCCUR ON THE FIRST AND THIRD TUESDAY OF THE MONTH. HOWEVER, TOPICAL WORK SESSIONS ARE NOW ONLY SCHEDULED ON THE MONDAY BEFORE THE THIRD TUESDAY'S TOPICAL WORK SESSION, ALSO STARTING AT 6:00 PM MORE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON OUR NEW CITY WEBSITE. IF YOU'VE NOT BEEN TO OUR WEBSITE, UM, THE UNVEILING OF IT TO WAS YESTERDAY AND IT LOOKS AMAZING. UM, SO PLEASE VISIT THAT WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE. BUT IT'S DESOTO TEXAS.GOV. CLICK ON GOVERNMENT AND THEN CLICK ON COUNCIL. THE YEAR LONG CALENDAR WILL IS IS ON THERE AND SOME FAQS AS WELL AS THE CITY COUNCIL RULES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL FOR EVEN MORE IN-DEPTH INFORMATION. AND IF YOU'RE STILL UNABLE TO FIND THE INFORMATION YOU NEED, YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL OUR CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE AT 9 7 2 2 3 0 9 6 6 4. AND THAT IS MS. ALICIA THOMAS. ALSO, UM, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW, UM, WE HAVE OUR NEXT CITY MANAGER SEARCH THAT IS COMING UP AND WE NEED COMMUNITY'S INPUT. UM, SO WE HAVE A COMMUNITY SURVEY THAT WILL BE GOING OUT TOMORROW, AND A SURVEYMONKEY LINK WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AS WELL AS FOR THOSE WHO ARE SIGNED UP FOR THE NOTIFY ME. AND SO THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT YOUR, UH, YOUR COMMENTS VIA THAT SURVEY IS DECEMBER 31ST BY 5:00 PM SO PLEASE BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THAT SURVEY. UM, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOUR INPUT AND HELP COUNSEL, UM, IN OUR SEARCH FOR OUR NEXT CITY MANAGER. UM, WE ALSO HAVE, UM, HAPPENING ACTUALLY THIS FRIDAY. UH, WE HAVE A CHRISTMAS PARTY, UH, WE'RE HOSTING FOR OUR SENIORS ON FRIDAY. AND SO IF YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE DESOTO SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER, UM, MEET US THERE AT 10:00 AM ON FRIDAY [01:15:01] AND WE WILL PARTY FOR THE HOLIDAYS. UM, THE LAST THING THAT I WANT TO SHARE, WHAT? OH, BECAUSE, WELL, WE HAVE TWO THAT QUALIFY. THE TWO, TWO RIGHT HERE TO MY LEFT AND RIGHT THAT QUALIFY. SO YOU ALL ARE INVITED. ALL RIGHT, DR. , HE SAID THEY'LL ALREADY BE THERE. ALL RIGHT, GREAT. UM, THE LAST THING THAT I WANNA SHARE, I BELIEVE THAT'S THE LAST THING THAT I WANNA SHARE, UM, IS OUR MLK ESSAY CONTEST THAT IS GOING ON, APPLICATIONS ARE ALREADY OUT FOR THAT. AND THE DEADLINE FOR STUDENTS TO SUBMIT SUBMISSION, UM, IS DECEMBER 11TH. SO THAT'S NEXT WEEK. AND WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 18TH. YOU CAN SUBMIT, UH, YOUR, YOU CAN SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY TO THE DESOTO PUBLIC LIBRARY OR YOU CAN COMPLETE IT ONLINE. AND ALL PARTICIPATING STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE A GIFT FROM THE CITY OF DESOTO. UM, YOU CAN GO TO DESOTO, TEXAS DO GOV SLASH MLK DAY TO GET THE WRITING PROMPTS AND ALL OF THE INFORMATION REGARDING THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT. I BELIEVE THAT IS IT. AND WE KNOW THAT THIS IS CITY MANAGER'S RIGHTS LAST MEETING. HOWEVER, I WANT COUNSEL TO HOLD OUR COMMENTS, UM, FOR HIM TO THE END OF THE MEETING. OKAY. WERE YOU PROMPT YOU READY TO SAY SOMETHING? NO. OKAY. ALRIGHT. WELL, NOT ABOUT THIS. YEAH. UM, BUT YEAH, SO THIS, BUT NOT ABOUT THAT. ON A SERIOUS NOTE, UM, THIS IS CITY MANAGER RIGHTS, UH, LAST MEETING WITH US, AND IT'S, I'M, I'M GETTING A LITTLE, GET A LITTLE CHOKED UP, . BUT, UM, WE APPRECIATE YOU, BRANDON. AND SO WE WANNA, UM, GIVE COUNCIL TIME. THANK YOU, UH, GIVE COUNCIL TIME TO PREPARE SOME, SOME COMMENTS, UM, JUST TO WISH YOU WELL ON YOUR, THE NEXT LEG OF YOUR JOURNEY. UH, YOU'RE GOING OUT IN STYLE, I MUST SAY THAT. EXACTLY. ALL RIGHT, . ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME, THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS, UH, FOR TODAY. MADAM MAYOR, IF YOU DON'T MIND, MAY I INADVERTENTLY, I INADVERTENTLY FORGOT TO MENTION THAT, UH, FOR THE UNDRE UH, EVENT, THERE ARE SOME FLYERS ON THE BACK TABLE FOR THOSE OF YOU. I KNOW THAT I SAID AN AWFUL LOT, BUT ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS CONTAINED ON THAT ONE OF THOSE FLYERS THAT'S IN THE BACK. SO PLEASE FEEL FREE AND PICK ONE OF THOSE UP BEFORE YOU LEAVE TODAY. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU. HI, MAYOR PRO TIM. HI, , YOU HAVE COMMENTS? YES. IS SPEAKING IT LOOK A LOT LIKE SOMEBODY'S BIRTHDAY. . Y'ALL HELPED ME WISH OUR MAYOR A HAPPY BIRTHDAY. THIS IS OUR ONLY MEETING FOR DECEMBER. THE BEST MAYOR, THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN. GIVE IT UP. GIVE IT UP. Y'ALL KNOW HOW WE DO IT? THE SOTO STYLE. OH, SO WHICH ONE DO YOU WANT? DO YOU WANT THE ORIGINAL OR YOU WANT THE STEVIE WONDER VERSION? I SIDE. I'LL TAKE THE STEVIE WONDER VERSION. ALRIGHT. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. ON THE COUNT OF THREE, EVERYBODY, ONE, TWO, TURNING MIC. OKAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. MY BIRTHDAY FOR THOSE WATCHING. 'CAUSE LET, EVERY YEAR SOMEBODY GETS IT CONFUSED AND THEY THINK THEY MISSED MY BIRTHDAY. MY BIRTHDAY IS DECEMBER 15TH, SO IT IS NEXT FRIDAY. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. MS. TOM? YES. NOW WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER. RIGHT. NEXT WE MOVE [D. CITIZEN APPEARANCES] INTO 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. AND MAY I HAVE A FEW? MR. SCOTT MCDONALD. GOOD EVENING. MR. MCDONALD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, CITY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD. AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. THANK YOU. I DON'T NEED THAT. I'M SCOTT MCDONALD. I'M A RESIDENT OF [01:20:01] DESOTO AND IT'S GOOD TO SEE THAT, UH, YOU'RE STARTING TO LOOK AT A WAY TO BALANCE THE BUDGET TONIGHT. UM, OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND HAS, UH, REVENUE HAS CLIMBED $14.6 MILLION OR 35%. DURING THAT SAME FOUR YEARS, THE GENERAL FUND'S SPENDING HAS CLIMBED $15.1 MILLION OR 37%. NOW, IN THOSE FOUR YEARS, THE CITY'S POPULATION HAS GONE UP ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF PERCENT. THE INCREASE IN REVENUES IS REALLY THE RESULT OF INCREASED PROPERTY APPRAISALS. PROPERTY APPRAISALS WENT UP ABOUT ONE POINT, I'M SORRY. YEAH, $1.4 BILLION DURING THAT TIMEFRAME. NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT REPURPOSING THE PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION. AND REALLY ALL OF THOSE OPTIONS ARE JUST KIND OF A VEILED ATTEMPT TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF TAXES, THE PROPERTY TAX THAT PROPERTY OWNERS PAY IN DESOTO. THE THE, IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL, THAT NUMBER IS ON IT, AND IT REPRESENTS ABOUT 10% OF THE CITY'S TAX. SO IF YOU PASS, IF, IF THEY HAVE AN ELECTION AND WE DO ANY OF THESE OPTIONS, ALL OF US PROPERTY TAX OWNERS ARE GONNA SEE ABOUT A 10% INCREASE. I WAS GLAD TO SEE THAT THE CITY STAFF SUGGESTED THE OPTION OF REDUCING EXPENDITURES. AND IT'S NOT JUST CITY STAFF LAYOFFS. THERE'S ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT YOU CAN SAVE MONEY BY REDUCING SPENDING. HERE'S THE THING. NEXT YEAR, TWO THINGS ARE GONNA BE TRUE. NUMBER ONE, IF YOU DON'T CURTAIL EXPENSES, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THE SAME SITUATION THAT YOU HAD BEFORE. YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A BUDGET SHORTFALL IN ROUGHLY THE AMOUNT OF THAT TAX NOTE. AND THE SECOND THING THAT'S TRUE, THE TAX NOTE'S GONNA BE DUE. SO UNLESS A CHANGE IS MADE, OH, YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER OPTION. IF YOU WANNA RAISE THE TAX RATE MORE THAN 3.5%, SB TWO ALLOWS YOU TO CALL AN ELECTION. AND THEN THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE COUNCIL CAN EXPLAIN WHY THIS SPENDING IS ESSENTIAL. AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S HOW WE CAN DEAL WITH IT. I SUGGEST YOU EITHER CUT EXPENSES, THAT'S REALLY THE EASY OPTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MCDONALD. ANY ADDITIONAL CARDS FROM INDIVIDUAL SEWAGE TO SPEAK? DONNIE SIMS. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MR. SIMS. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE ONLY FOR THE RECORD, AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. I'M DONNIE SIMS. UH, I LIVE AT 3 45 MEADOWBROOK FOR THE LAST 22 YEARS. UM, I GOT HIT BY CODE ENFORCEMENT FOR TRIMMING TREES. UM, I WAS TRYING TO GET BIDS, DIDN'T GET 'EM IN TIME. THEY CUT 'EM, UM, CHARGING ME $700 TO CUT 'EM. AND, UM, THEY PROBABLY, PROBABLY COULD HAVE GOT IT DONE FOR A HUNDRED DOLLARS PROBABLY. BUT ANYWAY, UM, I DON'T MIND HAVING 'EM TRIMMED OR GETTING 'EM TRIMMED. AND I THINK I GOT HIT BECAUSE I WAS AT THE, UH, INTERSECTION. BUT, UM, I DO KNOW THAT THROUGH MY DRIVING THROUGH THE CITY A LOT, I'M RETIRED, SO I DRIVE A LOT THROUGH THE CITY. BUT, UH, THE CITY MEDIANS HAVE TREES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED ALSO. AND, UH, I I THINK THAT'S ONLY FAIR IF I HAVE TO CLEAN UP MINE, THE CITY SHOULD HAVE TO CLEAN UP THEIRS. UM, JUST IN MY LITTLE DRIVING TODAY, I SAW ABOUT 35 TREES THAT ARE GONNA BE IN THE MEDIANS, UM, THAT NEED TO BE TRIMMED. AND, UM, THAT'S ABOUT IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. LINDA RICHARDSON. I AM GONNA TRY TO DO THIS WITHOUT THE MIC 'CAUSE I HAVE CODE, SO IF I NEED TO USE THE MIC, YOU GUYS CAN LET ME KNOW. BUT I MAY HAVE RESOLVED TO MY ISSUE ALREADY. I'M LINDA RICHARDSON. I LIVE AT 1 1 5 PARKS DRIVE. I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO CHIEF OF POLICE OFFICER. NOW HE MAY TAKE CARE OF MY ISSUE. THAT'S WHY I SAID IT MAY ALREADY BE RESOLVED. IT WAS JUST A REQUEST FOR MORE POLICE DEPARTMENTS. SO I, THAT'S ALL I'M GONNA SAY SINCE I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO HIM. THANK YOU MS. RICHARDSON. THANK YOU. [01:25:02] ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL CARDS FROM INDIVIDUALS, MA'AM YOU WISH TO SPEAK? NO, MA'AM. RIGHT. THANK YOU MA'AM. AT THIS TIME WE'LL [1. Presentation of the 2023 Light Up DeSoto Award winners] HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT WE MOVE INTO OUR PRESENTATIONS. FIRST WE HAVE PRESENTATION OF THE 2023 LIGHTUP DESOTO AWARDS. MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS KATHY JONES, COMMUNITY RELATIONS COORDINATOR, AS WELL AS THE DESOTO CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU. AND, UM, YOU'RE ALL DRESSED UP. SO YOU KNOW, IT'S THE HOLIDAY SEASON AND ONE OF THE THINGS YOU ALWAYS DO EVERY YEAR IS LIGHT UP DESOTO AWARDS. UM, I'M GONNA GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND AND THEN I'M GONNA ASK TOM TO LET ME DRIVE HIS COMPUTER AND I'LL GET THE POWERPOINT GOING WITH THE PICTURES THAT YOU, ALL OF THE LOCATIONS YOU PICKED. THE WAY THIS WORKS, UM, RESIDENTS DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN DECORATE THEIR HOMES AND MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THEIR LIGHTS ON. AND THE WEEKEND WE CHOSE, BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONLY MEETING IN DECEMBER, WAS THIS PAST WEEKEND, DECEMBER 2ND AND THIRD. IT'S A LITTLE EARLY. I MEAN, IT WAS RIGHT AFTER THANKSGIVING, BUT I THINK EVERYBODY WAS READY TO GO. UM, SO YOU GUYS DROVE UP AND DOWN AND UP AND DOWN IN ALL THE STREETS IN YOUR DISTRICTS AND PICKED YOUR FAVORITES. AND IF HE'S READY TO GO, I'M GONNA GO START THE, UM, OUR POWERPOINT AND, UM, COUNCIL, UM, MAYOR PRO, TIM STEPPED AWAY, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL GET HER. OKAY. UM, OUR FIRST ONE, UH, WHAT THE, WHAT THE AWARD IS, YOU GET A SIGN THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS IN YOUR YARD AND IT'LL STAY THERE FOR THE WHOLE, UM, HOLIDAY SEASON THROUGH ABOUT DECEMBER 7TH. WE'RE GONNA GO FOLLOW THE SAME, UM, CALENDAR THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS WITH ALL THEIR HOLIDAY EVENTS. LET'S SEE. AND OUR FIRST ONE, I WAS HOPING MAYOR PRO TEM WOULD COME BACK, BUT PLACE SEVEN, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM CHOSE 1405 ARMSTRONG. AND WE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A BUSY HOLIDAY SEASON, SO WE DIDN'T GET IT, UH, GET OUR VIDEO TAKEN LAST NIGHT. BUT I DID ONE TODAY AND I'M GONNA CLICK ON THAT AND LET YOU SEE THE YARD AND THEN YOU CAN SEE IT AT NIGHT. UM, MATT WAS VERY KIND TO GO OVER AND TAKE THAT EVENING PICTURE WITH THE LIGHTS ON, BUT THEY WORKED REALLY HARD TO GET THIS, GET THEIR YARD, UH, READY TO GO. AND, UM, IT'S BEAUTIFUL. NOW I SUGGEST YOU GO BY AND DRIVE BY AND SEE IT, UM, WITH THE LIGHTS ON AS WELL. OKAY. AND NEXT UP IS PLACE SIX AS SOON AS THIS FINISHES. AND I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM. A LOT OF WORK WENT INTO THIS . THAT'S IT. OKAY. PLAY SIX. ALRIGHTY THEN. WHAT BETTER SIDE THAN THE WEST SIDE? UH, THIS IS PLACE SIX. UH, THIS IS IN THE CHARMING NEIGHBORHOOD OF STILL WATER. AND, UH, I CHOSE THIS HOME BECAUSE I'VE WORE, SO I'VE WORN SO MUCH GREEN THIS YEAR. YOU'D THINK IT'S MY FAVORITE COLOR. UM, AND IT'S NOT. BUT I, I SAW THIS HOUSE AND I STOPPED AND I COULDN'T MOVE MY CAR. AND ACTUALLY WHAT WE CAN'T SEE, I, YOU KNOW, I APOLOGIZE. I DIDN'T GET A VIDEO, BUT THE LIGHTS THAT ARE COMING UP, THE STAIRWELL, THEY BLINK ON AND OFF AND IT, IT WAS JUST ME MESMERIZING. I JUST COULDN'T STOP LOOKING AT IT. SO THERE IS THE WINNER. YAY. THANK YOU. UH OH, HOLD ON. DO YOU HAVE AUDIO? OH, FOUR BEDFORD COURT. AND IT IS A SHOWSTOPPER. YOU HAVE GOT TO GET OVER HERE AND SEE THIS. I'M GONNA MOVE JUST A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO SHOW YOU WHAT'S GOING, GOING ON HERE. LOOK AT THESE PRESENTS FROM TOP TO BOTTOM. AND THEN OF COURSE WE'VE GOT THE SLIDE. WE GOT KIDS THAT ARE PLAYING ON THE SLIDES HERE, MOVING RIGHT ALONG. WE GOT THE CANDY CANES WITH THE PRESENTS. AND THEN OF COURSE WE GOT THE SNOWMAN. AND AS I WALK THIS JOURNEY HERE, I DO HEAR MUSIC THAT'S PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND. LOOK ALL THE WAY BACK THERE. WE'VE GOT SANTA AND IT'S ELVES. WE'VE GOT RUDOLPH, THE RED NOSE, REINDEER, ALL DIFFERENT COLORS THAT ARE HERE. AND THEN HERE ON THE VERY END, WE'VE GOT THE GIGANTIC NUTCRACKER. AGAIN, THIS IS COUNCILWOMAN MARKS COMING TO YOU LIVE FROM 1104 BEDFORD COURT HERE IN PLACE. FIVE. WE ARE LIGHTING UP, DESOTO, , . ANYTHING TO ADD? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? COUNCIL MEMBER? NO, I THINK THAT'S IT. I THINK YOU DID A GREAT JOB. AND THIS IS, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER BERG PLACE FOUR. [01:30:02] AND, UM, NO, NO, IT WAS, I, I WONDERED WHY YOU SENT ME FOUR. THE SAME THING. I'M SO SORRY, . THAT'S OKAY. I HAD A VIDEO WITH A BETTER VOICEOVER, JUST SO DR. OF COURSE, SHE DID. WELL, UH, AS ONLY IN PLACE FOUR, CAN YOU FIND SNOW IN DESOTO IN PLACE FOUR. AND HERE AT THE ICE SKATING RINK, CAN YOU FIND, AND THIS YOUNG LADY AT 1 0 0 8 CLOVERDALE HAS DONE IT AGAIN. THERE'S THINGS FALLING OUT OF THE TREES. YOU CAN GO TO ZONES, YOU CAN HEAR R AND B, YOU CAN HEAR COUNTRY AND YOU CAN HEAR CLASSICAL MUSIC. SO WHATEVER MOOD YOU ARE IN AT CHRISTMAS, GO BY 1 0 0 8 CLOVERDALE. AND SHE'S BOUND AND DETERMINED TO GET YOU IN THE RIGHT SPOT. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS YOUNG LADY. UM, I THINK, I BELIEVE THIS IS OUR SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, UH, FOR WINNING. SHE GOES OVER AND BEYOND AND, UH, WE WERE VERY IMPRESSED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, WE DO HAVE A VIDEO FOR PLACE THREE. I'M GONNA CLICK IT. AND THIS IS SEVEN 40 LONGLEAF DRIVE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SURE THING. LA LA . SO SEVEN 40 LONGLEAF. ACTUALLY, I DID HAVE A VIDEO. AND SO THIS HOME IS NESTLED IN THE BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY OF THE OAK MOUNT HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION. IT IS ACTUALLY THE HOME THAT'S ON THE CORNER. AND WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR HOME, IT IS ON THE CORNER. IT IS RIGHT NEXT TO THEIR FIRST EVER LIT MONUMENT. AND SO EARLIER THIS YEAR, OAKMONT HAD A BIG CELEBRATION CELEBRATING THE FACT THAT THE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER, PULLED MONEY TOGETHER IN FUNDS TO FUND THE LIGHTS. AND SO THIS ONE WAS, UM, NO LESS, UM, LIT, WELL LIT. UM, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DISPLAY OF DEER WHEN THE WINDOWS ARE OPEN. ANGELS AND OTHER VERY WELL LIT ACCESSORIES PLACE TOO. WAIT A MINUTE, WE WENT TOO FAST. SORRY. . I WAS TRYING TO PLAY YOUR PICTURES AGAIN AND I'M, I'M MESSED IT UP. SORRY. SO WHEN YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, JUST DRIVE STRAIGHT DOWN POPE AND YOU'LL SEE THIS ON THE CORNER, RIGHT AT SEVEN 40 LONGLEAF DRIVE. THANK YOU. AND NEXT IT'S PLACE TWO, WE HAVE ANOTHER VIDEO. WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON THERE, DESOTO. THIS IS COUNCILWOMAN PERT PARKER, PLACE TWO. AND YOU KNOW, I WENT OUT THERE AND I JUST WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO PUT OUT CHRISTMAS LIGHTS. YOU GUYS REALLY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND TO MAKE DESOTO LOOK GREAT. AND SO I JUST COULD NOT CHOOSE ONE. I HAD SO MANY, I HAD ABOUT 30 OTHER, I HAD 30 ENTRIES VERY CREATIVE TO WEED THROUGH. AND SO I GUESS I SAID, YOU KNOW, I CANNOT MAKE A DECISION. AND SO I PUT IN AT LEAST 17 THAT ROSE EVEN FURTHER TO THE TOP. AND I'D LIKE TO SELECT THAT WINNER, UH, RANDOMLY FROM ALL OF THE PEOPLE. BUT JUST KNOW EVERYONE DID A GREAT JOB. SO I'M GONNA CLICK THIS SPINNER AND WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT WHO THE WINNER IS. OKAY, WE HAVE 4 29 FAIRWEATHER STREET, AND I'LL POST A PICTURE. HAVE A GREAT DAY. AND, UH, MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE. HAPPY HOLIDAYS. ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY. HAVE A GOOD ONE. SEE YOU NEXT TIME. THE PICTURE'S COMING UP. JUST A SECOND. GETTING A LITTLE COMPETITIVE UP HERE. I KNOW WE STILL HAVEN'T SEEN A LIGHT. THERE'S HER PICTURE. THERE WE GO. ARE YOU GOOD? DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? YOU SAID IT ALL. AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU, I JUST, I'M TELLING YOU THAT PEOPLE REALLY SHOWED UP AND THEY PUT OUT LIGHTS REALLY EARLY. AND I'M SO GLAD. NOW THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO SAY, OH, IT IS TOO EARLY. BUT I AM SO APPRECIATIVE OF THOSE WHO ACTUALLY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND. AND I WANT TO JUST SAY, NOT ONLY THE HONORABLE MENTORS, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO I DIDN'T ACTUALLY PUT A PICTURE OF THAT I ALSO SAID HONORABLE MENTORS FOR. I'D LOVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WHOLE ENTIRE CITY OF DESOTO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A WONDERFUL TIME TO COME TOGETHER AND SHOW YOUR SPIRIT, SHOW YOUR SPIRIT. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST. HEY THERE EVERYBODY. IT'S ME, MAYOR PROCTOR, AND LILY AND BO. HE'S AROUND HERE, THE FIRST P OF DESOTO. UH, BUT BO'S A LITTLE CAMERA SHY, SO HE DOESN'T WANNA BE RECORDED. UH, BUT WE WANNA ANNOUNCE ABOUT MY SELECTIONS FOR THE LIGHTUP DESOTO WINNERS FOR THE HOA ENTRYWAYS. UM, IT [01:35:01] WAS A REALLY TOUGH CHOICE, BUT, UM, WE PICKED WESTMORELAND ESTATES THIS YEAR FOR THE 2023 LIGHTUP DESOTO, HOA ENTRYWAY WINNERS. THERE WERE SO MANY ENTREPR HONORABLE MENTIONS THOUGH, SO I WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO SILVER CREEK ESTATES. UM, THEY HAD TWO ENTRANCES AS WELL AS CANDLE MEADOW. WE WANNA GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT AS AN HONORABLE MENTION. THEY HAD TWO, UH, ENTRYWAYS THAT WERE REALLY BEAUTIFULLY DECORATED. UM, CANDLE MEADOW CLUB PARK, UH, HAMPTON ESTATES, DESOTO RANCH, ALSO. CENTER ESTATES WAS ABSOLUTELY, UH, BEAUTIFUL. SO SHOUT OUT TO EVERYBODY THOUGH. UM, I, I DROVE THE, WHAT PROBABLY HAD TO BE THE ENTIRE CITY, UM, AND LOOKED AT SO MANY BEAUTIFUL ENTRYWAYS. AND SO WE THANK EVERYBODY FOR GETTING IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT. UH, I SAW MANY OF YOU HAD ALREADY DECORATED YOUR HOMES WELL BEFORE THANKSGIVING. SO THANK YOU GUYS AGAIN FOR, UH, LIGHTING UP DESOTO AND CONTINUING TO MAKE DESOTO A PLACE WHERE THERE IS SO MUCH TO LOVE. SAY GOODNIGHT, LIDDY. BYE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. Y'ALL DID A GREAT JOB THIS YEAR. THANK YOU. UM, I THINK IF I LEARN ANYTHING TONIGHT, IF ANYBODY'S LOOKING FOR A VIDEO EDITOR, , WE'RE YOUR PEOPLE. . ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU COUNSEL. AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS AND, UH, OUR HOAS WHO REALLY DID DO AN INCREDIBLE JOB. LIKE YOU MENTIONED. I MEAN, THERE WAS, I WAS LOOKING EVEN BEFORE THANKSGIVING. A LOT OF HOMES WERE, UM, ALREADY LIT UP. AND SO IT'S REALLY AMAZING TO LOOK AT. I THINK I'M GONNA GO, Y'ALL HAVE INSPIRED ME. I THINK I'M GONNA DRIVE AROUND A LITTLE BIT MORE AND LOOK AT SOME OF THESE LIGHTS, UH, AGAIN. ALL RIGHT, AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, UM, THANK YOU MS. KATHY JONES, UH, FOR YOUR HELP WITH THAT AS WELL. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THOSE SIGNS, UH, OUT AND ABOUT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. ALL RIGHT. TOMORROW. TOMORROW. OKAY, GREAT. ALL RIGHT. AND CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO EVERYBODY WHO WON AT [2. Presentation by the Regional CARE Team regarding recent program activity ] THIS TIME, MS. THOMAS WILL TAKE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT WE HAVE PRESENTATION BY THE REGIONAL CARE TEAM REGARDING RECENT PROGRAM ACTIVITY. MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS LIEUTENANT MELISSA FRANKS AND DR. RAVEN THOUSAND REGIONAL CARE TEAM MANAGER. GOOD EVENING, LIEUTENANT FRANKS AND DR. RAVEN. THOUSAND. SOMEONE GOT AHEAD OF THEMSELVES BECAUSE ONE OF THE SCHEDULED EVENTS THAT'S NOT ON THE CALENDAR IS GRADUATION. ACTUALLY IN TWO DAYS. AND I WILL BE DR. THOUSAND AT NOON ON FRIDAY. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. WE HAVE TO PUT SOME RESPECT ON YOUR NAME TONIGHT. THANK YOU. I TOLD EVERYONE OF MY STAFF LIKE JUST SIX MONTHS AND THEN IT'LL GO BACK TO RAVEN. IT JUST NEED TO BE DR THOUSAND FOR LIKE SIX MONTHS AND IT'LL PAY FOR ALL THAT TUITION. . UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE A, OH, CLICKER. UM, Y'ALL HAVE THE PRESENTATIONS IN FRONT OF Y'ALL. WE'RE NOT GONNA BOGGY DOWN. I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE A FULL SCHEDULE, SO WE'RE JUST GONNA HIT SOME HIGHLIGHTS FOR Y'ALL TONIGHT. UM, ON SLIDE FOUR, UH, WE WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT THE TOTAL NEW CLIENT EPISODES AND TOTAL ENGAGEMENTS, UM, THAT WE HAD FOR THIS QUARTER. THIS WAS, UM, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER IN, NO, SORRY, THE QUARTER BEFORE THAT. UH, JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER. AND, UH, YOU'LL SEE THAT DESOTO IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN THE OTHER TWO CITIES. BUT WE WANT Y'ALL TO TAKE NOTE THAT A DESOTO HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR TWO YEARS LONGER THAN OUR TWO SISTER CITIES. AND ALSO DESOTO HAS TWO PROGRAMS THAT THE SISTER CITIES DON'T HAVE, WHICH IS OUR DIVERSION PROGRAM THROUGH OUR COURT. AND WE HAVE A VICTIM'S ASSISTANCE COORDINATOR THAT'S SEPARATE FROM THE OTHER TWO CITIES. ON SLIDE FIVE, WHAT WE'D LIKE TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO IS THAT REGARDLESS OF HOW LONG WE'VE BEEN, UM, IN ACTION, ALL THREE CITIES, UM, ARE SEEING ABOUT 66% NEW PEOPLE EACH QUARTER COME IN. THAT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT. 'CAUSE WHAT'S THAT'S SHOWING IS THAT WE'RE ONLY HAVING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 30, 35% OF REPEAT OR HIGH UTILIZERS. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO NEED CONTINUED CARE. SO WE'RE STILL SEEING NEW PEOPLE, WE'RE STILL SERVING NEW PEOPLE. UM, WE'RE GETTING OUT THERE. AND SO THAT'S EXCITING THAT PEOPLE ARE STILL SHARING, UM, WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR THEM AND WE'RE GETTING TO MEET NEW PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. SLIDE FIVE, UM, IS OUR OVERALL CONTEXT AND HOW WE'RE GETTING THEM IN. UM, COUPLE OF IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE IS THAT STILL 70% IS FROM OUR, UM, EIGHT PALS, OUR EMERGENCY DETENTIONS THROUGH LAW ENFORCEMENT. THAT'S IMPORTANT TO SHOW THAT EVEN THOUGH WE ARE GENERATING 30% [01:40:01] FROM OTHER SOURCES NOW, WHICH IS STILL GREAT MOVEMENT FROM WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, IT WAS A PALS ONLY. IT SHOWS REALLY THE IMPORTANCE THAT WE STILL NEED THIS MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM. WE STILL NEED LAW ENFORCEMENT ON OUR TEAM. AND THAT EVEN THOUGH OUR GOAL EVENTUALLY IS TO WORK TOWARDS MORE OF A SOCIAL SERVICE, UM, HEAVY SIDED, IT, THIS IS REALLY WHAT WE'RE NEEDING RIGHT NOW. WE'RE NEEDING OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT ON OUR TEAM, AND IT'S REALLY HELPING US PULL THE WEIGHT. AND SLIDE SIX. UM, OF ALL THOSE, UM, CONTACTS THAT WE HAD, UM, THE TOP THREE THAT WE REALLY SAW AS OUR PRESENTING CONCERNS WERE MENTAL HEALTH ONLY AT ABOUT 60%. UH, CO-OCCURRING MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE AT ABOUT 20%, AND PSYCHOSOCIAL STRESSORS AT ABOUT 18%. THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE MORE THAN ONE OF THOSE AT A TIME. SO YOU MAY HAVE MENTAL HEALTH AS YOU'RE PRESENTING CONCERN AND SECONDARY PSYCHOSOCIAL STRESSORS OR ANY OF THE OTHER ONES. BUT THOSE WERE OUR MOST PRESENTING CONCERNS FOR OUR INDIVIDUALS AND SERVICES. AND AS DESOTA, WE DO HAVE OUR VICTIM'S ASSISTANCE COORDINATOR ON OUR TEAM. AND WE HAVE REALLY TRIED TO TAKE AN EMPHASIS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, IS THAT IS STILL OUR MAJOR CRIME AGAINST PERSON, UH, TYPE OF CRIME THAT WE'RE SEEING. AND SO FOR THAT QUARTER, WE SAW 34% AS BEING THE ASSAULT OFFENSIVE CONTACT. AGAIN, THAT'S A CLASS C OFFENSE. AND THEN WITH OUR 31% ASSAULT BODILY INJURY, AND THEN 9% AGGRAVATED ASSAULT. AND THAT'S JUST OUR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFFENSES, UH, AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH A C AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN DESOTO TO TRY TO CONTINUE TO GET A HANDLE ON THESE AND ALSO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO PREVENT, UH, OR MITIGATE SOME OF THOSE THINGS. AS A FINAL NOTE, UH, WE JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT OUR GRANT DOES END IN APRIL 30TH, 2024. AND SO WE'RE LOOKING TOWARDS THAT. AND THEN WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS CONTINUING ON THERE? IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE WILL ENTERTAIN THEM AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU, UH, FOR THE PRESENTATION. UM, YES, COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, LET ME FIRST SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I, I, AS A LOVER OF DATA, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE CHARTS. I BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES DATA CAN, CAN PROVE A 0.1 WAY OR THE OTHER, AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT IT. BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ONE OF YOUR PAGES YOU HAD ABOUT THE SCHOOLS. IT HAD ONE ON IT, IT HAD A, IT IS, YOU KNOW, IT JUST HAD ONE, THE NUMBER ONE. UM, HOW ARE YOU GUYS SHOWING UP IN SCHOOLS? OH, ONE SCHOOL REFERRAL WE'RE ACTUALLY, AGAIN, UM, THIS WAS FROM THE QUARTER BEFORE. WE ARE ACTUALLY TRAINING ALL OF OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS. WE'VE BEEN INVITED TO, UM, I WANNA SAY IT WAS THE FULL COUNSELORS FROM EACH OF THE SCHOOLS IN DESOTO. CORRECT. UM, WE'VE TAUGHT THEM HOW TO MAKE REFERRALS DIRECTLY TO US. UM, WHAT IS ALSO SUGGESTED DURING THAT IS SOMETIMES THE, UM, PARENTS MAY NOT BE COMFORTABLE WITH THE SCHOOLS THEMSELVES MAKING THE DIRECT REFERRAL. AND SO THEY'RE PROVIDING OUR INFORMATION TO THE FAMILIES. AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GETTING THAT A LOT OF THEM IN, IS THAT A SCHOOL IS TOLD THE FAMILY MEMBER TO CONTACT US AND THAT'S THEIR MORE COMFORT LEVEL TO REACH OUT TO US DIRECTLY. SO WHILE THE SCHOOL MAY BE THAT ONE COUNSELOR WHO MADE A DIRECT REFERRAL IN THAT PREVIOUS QUARTER, A LOT OF THEM ARE COMING FROM THE FAMILY SAYING, I SPOKE WITH THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR. THEY, UH, THEY SUGGESTED I CONTACT YOU. AND SO WE'RE GETTING THEM KIND OF INADVERTENTLY AROUND THE SCHOOL. UM, BUT WE'VE HAD MORE IN THIS QUARTER FROM DIRECTLY FROM THE SCHOOLS. OKAY. AND SO AS FAR AS THE DATA'S CONCERNED, AGAIN, I'M GONNA JUST APPLY YOU GUYS ON THE DATA. I LOVE IT. LIKE I SAID, I LOVE IT. LOVE IT, LOVE IT. BUT UM, AS FAR AS THE, UH, AGE GROUPS OR DEMOGRAPHICS, WAS THERE A SLIDE FOR THE DEMOGRAPHICS? THERE'S NOT A SLIDE FOR THE DEMOGRAPHICS YET. WHAT WE ARE VERY PROUD OF, YOU'RE, YOU LIKE THE DATA. WE JUST GOT OFFICIALLY OUR EYE CAROL, WHICH IS, UH, A PROGRAM THAT WE BOUGHT AND THAT I BUILT. AWESOME. WHICH I'M ALSO VERY PROUD OF THAT BUILT FROM SCRATCH. AND SO THIS IS THE VERY FIRST QUARTER WE'VE ACTUALLY EVER HAD ELECTRONIC DATA WITHOUT COMBING THROUGH A THOUSAND SHEETS OF PAPER. SO WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING THE VERY MINUTE DETAIL STUFF AS IT COMES. WELL, YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. UH, YOU'RE BACK. THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN PARKER. AND THANK YOU, UH, LADIES COUNCIL, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? OKAY. HEARING NONE. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AT THIS [3. Discussion of options to re-purpose the City's collection of Local Option Sales Tax (continuation from Work Session if necessary)] TIME. UH, MS. THOMAS, I DO BELIEVE COUNSEL WISHES TO, UM, KIND OF PUT A PIN IN THAT DISCUSSION REGARDING THE REPURPOSING OF THE LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX. SO WE'LL HAVE THAT ITEM AT THIS TIME, DISCUSSION OF OPTIONS TO REPURPOSE THE CITY'S COLLECTION OF LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX CONTINUATION FROM THE WORK SESSION. THANK YOU. UM, YEAH, YOU CAN COME BACK. UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM, I BELIEVE YOU HAD A QUESTION BEFORE WE CLOSED OUT THE LAST TIME. YES, I DID. UM, I WANTED TO KNOW, UH, 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE TAX NOTE COMING BACK UP FOR, UM, THAT WILL BE DUE NEXT YEAR, BUT ARE THERE ANY OTHER BONDS THAT WE HAVE THAT WILL BE DUE AS WELL AT THAT TIME? MATURE, UH, NEXT YEAR AS WELL? UM, YES, WE HAVE YEARLY BOND PAYMENTS THAT WILL, WE PAY OUR PRINCIPAL PAYMENT AND INTEREST PAYMENT IN FEBRUARY, AND THEN WE [01:45:01] HAVE AN INTEREST ONLY PAYMENT, UM, IN AUGUST. AND THOSE ARE FOR ALL OUR BONDS. OUTSTANDING. DO YOU KNOW ROUGHLY ABOUT HOW MUCH THAT WOULD BE PRINCIPAL? PAYMENT RANGES AROUND 10 MILLION AND THE INTEREST IS PROBABLY, UH, JUST SHORT. 2 MILLION. 2 MILLION. ALRIGHTY. UM, JUST FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, UM, I I WE DON'T, UM, I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. UM, I STILL AM, I STILL FEEL LIKE AT SOME POINT, UH, THE INEVITABLE HAS TO HAPPEN, RIGHT? AND THAT HAS, THAT MEANS SOME SORT OF REDUCTION OF SOME SORT. UH, I, I, I KNOW THAT THERE'S THIS POSSIBLY, UH, STAFF REDUCTION IN BEING SOMEONE WHO'S ACTUALLY, UH, BEEN A PART OF RIFS IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF SITTING IN FRONT OF SOMEONE AND TELLING THEM THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A JOB ANYMORE. NO ONE UNDERSTANDS THE IMPACT THAT OF THAT LIKE ME. SO I I TOTALLY GET THAT. UM, WHAT I THINK THAT WE, THAT, THAT TERM IS BEING USED. I I, I HAVE CONCERN WITH THAT JUST BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE GIVEN US. KNOWING THAT $18 MILLION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH STAFF, UM, WHEN I TOOK THE 2 MILLION, YOU SAID THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO COME UP WITH REDUCTION FOR IT AND DIVIDED THAT BY 13 DEPARTMENTS. THAT'S ROUGHLY ABOUT $150,000 PER DEPARTMENT. WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REDUCTION. I THINK THAT OUTSIDE OF STAFF, THAT WE COULD ALL LOOK AT AREAS WHERE WE COULD REDUCE OUR, OUR COSTS. WHY I AM NOT FOR THE SALES TAX OPTION REMOVAL AND REDIRECTING, AND I WILL REPEAT THIS AGAIN, IS THAT WHILE OUR SENIORS ARE MOST VULNERABLE, UM, I RECENTLY LEARNED THAT 70 TO 80% OF OUR KIDS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE ON SOME TYPE OF FOOD ASSISTANCE, WHICH MEANS THAT ALL OF THEM ARE NOT STAYING WITH GRANDPARENTS. SOME OF THEM ARE STAYING WITH PARENTS, AND THOSE PARENTS ARE LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK AS WELL. AND SO FOR ME, UM, I, I JUST STRUGGLE WITH TAKING THE MONIES THAT WE CURRENTLY GIVE FROM A PROPERTY TAX RELIEF PERSPECTIVE, UM, AND RE MOVING THAT. AND INSTEAD OF DOING WHAT'S RIGHT, AND THAT IS LOOKING, WE, WE OPEN THE WALLET, LET'S BRING IT BACK IN AND THEN DO, UM, ALL OF THE EXTRAS WITHIN OUR MEANS. AND THAT'S WHERE I REALLY PRETTY MUCH STAND WITH THIS. UM, YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER, CHISHOLM. COUNCIL, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE DECIDE IF WE WANNA MOVE FORWARD? UH, CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD OR NOT? YES. COUNCILMAN BUR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MR COM THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION. I HAD A QUESTION FOR YOU. UM, THE, THE, THE LOAN THAT WE HAD TO TAKE AND THAT WE TOOK EARLIER THIS YEAR, THAT WAS NOT FOR A SHORTFALL OF BUDGET, WAS IT? UH, NO. OKAY. NO, WE JUST REPURPOSED IT TO, OKAY. THAT WAS ON THE IS SIDE. THAT WAS, THAT THAT LOAN WAS TO PROTECT $3 MILLION. THAT WAS NOT BECAUSE WE CAME UP SHORT THREE MILE. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. I JUST, I DID NOT WANT, UH, OUR, OUR, OUR CITIZENS TO THINK THAT WE, WE, WE'VE, OR THAT STAFF HAS MISMANAGED MONEY. UH, THE MANEUVERS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS ACTUALLY PROTECTING MONEY SO THAT WE WON'T HAVE TO REDUCE STAFF OR WE WON'T HAVE TO. AND SO WHEN, WHEN, UH, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES, I BELIEVE IT WAS COUNCILWOMAN, UH, UH, PARKER ASKED, OR SOMEONE ASKED ABOUT WHAT I THINK IT WAS, DR. MARKS ASKED WHAT WAS, WHAT WOULD BE OUR OPTIONS NEXT YEAR. THAT WOULD STILL BE THE OPTION. AND SO WE SPENT 64 OR SIX $64,000 TO PROTECT $3 MILLION THAT, UH, WE DID NOT HAVE TO, UH, TO, UM, AGAIN, REDUCE THE TAXES OR THE, THE PROPERTY TAX LOWER. WE GAVE A PENNY RE REFUND THIS YEAR, BUT THAT MANEUVER WAS REALLY TO PROTECT THE MONEY. SO, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I JUST DIDN'T WANT IT TO BE MISQUOTED THAT THERE WAS A SHORTFALL MM-HMM. , THAT'S A NEGATIVE. UM, YES. UM, UNDERSTANDING AND THAT'S NOT A REAL UNDERSTANDING. THERE WAS NO SHORTFALL OF BUDGET. THAT IS CORRECT. AND, AND EVEN NEXT YEAR, UH, IF THINGS, IF, IF THE ECONOMY STAYS THE SAME, THERE PROBABLY WON'T BE ANY SHORTFALL BUDGET. UM, BUT, BUT THESE ARE MANEUVERS TO PROTECT THE GENERAL FUND AND THE MONIES THAT ARE THERE. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL. SURE THING. UM, EARLIER MATTER, MAYOR, UM, MENTIONED, UM, THE CONSIDERATION OF REDUCING, NOT REDUCING, BUT INCREASING THE SALES TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR SENIORS. AND SO IF THAT, IF WE DO CONSIDER SOMETHING LIKE THAT, GENERALLY SPEAKING, AND YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW NOW, WHAT IS THAT BREAK POINT YOU KNOW, OF, OF, UH, WHAT THAT NUMBER, SO WHAT NUMBER COULD WE GO UP TO THAT WOULD NOT IMPACT THE BUDGET [01:50:01] NUMBERS, BUT WILL ALSO PROVIDE RELIEF TO SENIORS? THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THE INFORMATION I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW. MM-HMM. . UM, AND I JUST WANT, RAPHAEL, CAN YOU REPEAT YOUR QUESTION AGAIN? I I DIDN'T I MISSED IT. SURE, SURE. UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE IN THIS SPACE OF HAVING TO, UM, CONSIDER A, A TOOL, UM, TO, WHETHER IT'S A SHORTFALL OR WHETHER IT'S THE, TO COVER, YOU KNOW, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE CONSIDERING A TOOL TO, TO, TO KEEP US WHOLE OR KEEP US WHERE WE AT RIGHT NOW IS WHAT I UNDERSTAND. IF WE GIVE A, UH, REDUCTION IN, I'M SORRY, IF WE REDUCE TAXES FOR SENIORS, I WANNA UNDER, I WANT TO UNDERSTAND, UM, WHAT THAT NUMBER NEEDS TO LOOK LIKE. MEANING, YOU KNOW, IF WE GET OVER AND BEYOND THIS POINT, WE'RE STILL IN THIS SITUATION WHERE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO COVER EXPENSES OR COVER, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT THOSE TAXES, THOSE THAT REVENUE IS NOT COMING IN AT THIS POINT. AND SO I JUST REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND LIKE WHAT, WHAT THAT DELTA LOOKS LIKE, WHAT THAT DIFFERENCE LOOKS LIKE. AND, AND, AND, AND WHAT I'M THINKING OF RIGHT NOW IS IN JUST CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF SENIORS WE DO HAVE, OR THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO BECOME SENIORS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERING OUR DEMOGRAPHICS, YOU KNOW, REALLY FORECASTING THAT OUT, WE REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. AND, AND I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT IN MY MIND I'M THINKING, OKAY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE STILL MAY GET TO THE SAME PLACE OF HAVING TO MAKE SOME HARD DECISIONS THAT WE'RE NOT MAKING RIGHT NOW. YOU KNOW? AND SO, UM, I JUST WANNA UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT NUMBER IS. AND SO I THINK MOVING FORWARD FOR ME, I REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE NUMBERS, THE HARD NUMBERS. WHAT IS THE NUMBER? LIKE IF WE WERE LOOKING AT FY, UM, UH, 24, YOU KNOW, AS WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT FY 24, WHAT THAT, WHAT WAS THAT NUMBER, THE REAL NUMBER WAS THE REAL NUMBER, THE 3.4 MILLION? OR WAS IT THE ONE TO 2 MILLION THAT WE NEEDED TO REDUCE AND WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE? AND SO I REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT PIECE. UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I, I, I THINK, UM, WELL, YEAH, I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT. AND YOU KNOW, I THINK WITH ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE SHOULD HAVE, I THINK DIFFERENT DECISIONS COULD POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE PAST. AND SO I'M TRYING TO RECTIFY THAT IN MY BRAIN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. YES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. UM, I ALSO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, SO WE'RE, WHEN WE'RE TALKING, WE WE'RE SPEAKING OF 2025, WHAT ABOUT 20 26, 20 27, HOW WE THOUGHT FIVE YEARS OUT FROM, AS, AS IT PERTAINS TO THIS, UM, 'CAUSE IF WE DON'T DECIDE TO GO THIS ROUTE, YOU SAID WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT YEAR FOR 2025, BUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER THAT? I MEAN, HAVE WE PUT ANYTHING, ARE WE PUTTING ANYTHING IN PLACE IN ORDER TO NOT HAVE TO GO THAT DIRECTION, YEARS TO COME? UM, SO THAT'S REALLY MY QUESTION. YEAH. WE HAVE NOT LOOKED, UH, FIVE YEARS OUT, BUT WHEN WE START LOOKING AT OUR 25 BUDGET, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK, YOU KNOW, DO WHAT YOU'RE ASKING IS LOOK MORE THAN JUST THE NEXT YEAR. WE NEED TO LOOK A COUPLE YEARS OUT, BUT WE KNOW WE, AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE NOT. OKAY. THANK YOU. I YIELD BACK. THANK YOU. UH, COUNSEL, ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD? OKAY. SO WE NEED TO, UM, PROVIDE DIRECTION TO STAFF ON, UM, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO, I GUESS, TO KEEP US, UH, MOVING FORWARD OR, YOU KNOW, HOWEVER, HOWEVER THAT LOOKS, BUT TO KEEP US MOVING FORWARD IN TERMS OF DIRECTION. AND SO WHAT I'VE HEARD, I'VE HEARD SEVERAL THINGS, UM, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHETHER COUNSEL WANTS TO LEAN TOWARDS THE FIRE PREVENTION, WELL, THE FIRE AND EEM CONTROL DISTRICT, UH, VERSUS THE CRIME CONTROL DISTRICT. UM, I'VE ALSO HEARD NOT DOING EITHER, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, FINDING OTHER WAYS TO MANEUVER FROM THAT REGARD. SO COUNSEL, WHAT ARE YOUR WISHES? AND I'LL START ACTUALLY THIS TIME TO MY LEFT HERE IN TERMS OF, UM, SO WE CAN GET A CONSENSUS. OKAY. SO, UH, AND THANK YOU, UM, MADAM MAYOR, I WANT TO, I, I ORIGINALLY WAS GOING TO LEAN TOWARDS, UM, SOME OPTION, BUT I THINK IN, IN THE THINGS THAT I'VE HEARD AND THE THING THAT, THE THINGS THAT I'VE RESEARCHED FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE, I WOULD SAY I DON'T WANNA DO ANYTHING. I WANT US TO BEGIN LOOKING AT NOT ONLY TODAY, BUT TOMORROW, TOMORROW, TOMORROW, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO THE BUDGET, UM, BOTH FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN SPENDING AND SHOULD WE BE SPENDING, WHAT WE'RE SPENDING. AND, UM, THAT'S WHERE I LEAN. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL. YES. UM, I STILL AM OF THE MIND OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT THOSE REDUCTIONS WILL LOOK LIKE. SO THAT'S MY FIRST CHOICE. I DEFINITELY WOULD DEFINITELY, UM, HAVE HEARTBURN WITH THE POLICE OPTION. FIRE OPTION SOUNDS BETTER, BUT MY [01:55:01] FIRST CHOICE IS LOOKING AT WHAT REDUCTIONS LOOK LIKE. COUNCILMAN BUR, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. I'M FOR TAKING IT TO THE VOTERS. UM, I THINK THAT, UM, UH, BECAUSE OF THE TIME RESTRAINTS AND ULTIMATELY IT IS, UM, AND, AND I WILL SAY OUR TAX DOLLARS, NOT IN PARTICULAR, NOT THEIRS. YOU KNOW, WE, WE ALL LIVE IN THE CITY. I'D LIKE TO TAKE IT TO THE, TO THE VOTERS AND, UM, AND, AND TRY TO EDUCATE, UH, AND, AND HEAR THEIR VOICE ON IT. SO I, I'M FOR THE CREATION OF ONE OF THESE TWO ENTITIES. UH, BUT WITH THE, WITH THE, WITH THE CAVEAT THAT ULTIMATELY THE VOTERS WILL DECIDE. THANK YOU. UM, I'M IN, I'M IN FAVOR OF MOVING FORWARD WITH, UM, LOOKING AT DOING ONE OF THESE TWO ENTITIES IN TERMS OF THAT PREFERABLY THE FIRE AND, UH, EMS CONTROL DISTRICT. ALSO CONSIDERING THE EXPLORATION OF WHAT AN INCREASE IN THE, UH, OVER 65 EXEMPTION WOULD LOOK LIKE, UH, TO TEMPER THAT. DR. MARKS. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. I'M OF THE PREMISE OF LOOKING AT, UH, WHERE WE CAN CUT EXPENSES. UM, I THINK THAT WE PROBABLY WOULD BE ABLE TO SHAVE A LOT, UM, AND SAVE A LOT. SO THAT'S WHERE I'M GONNA PARK RIGHT THERE AT, UM, CUTTING EXPENSES. COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM, THANK YOU. UM, I AM OF THE OPTION OF, UH, REDUCING EXPENSES, UM, SO THAT WE CAN DO WHAT'S BEST IN THE MOST CONSERVATIVE MANNER FOR THE DOLLAR, WHILE WE STILL HAVE TIME, UM, TO DO THAT BEFORE SEPTEMBER GETS HERE. SO THAT'S WHERE I'M AT, MAYOR TIM. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU STAFF FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK. I LIKE THE IDEA OF CUTTING EXPENSES. I LIKE THE IDEA OF THE OVER 65, UM, EXEMPTION EXPLORATION, AND THEN THE FIRE, UM, OPTION IF WE HAD TO GO THAT ROUTE. THANK YOU. SO MAYOR PRO, TIM, I WANNA BE CLEAR 'CAUSE YOU GAVE US ALL THREE OF THE OPTIONS THAT I'M LOOKING TO GET. ONE OF. SO ARE YOU WANTING TO, UM, ARE YOU WANTING TO EXPLORE CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THE CONTROL DISTRICT. 'CAUSE THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING SEPARATE. WELL, I MEAN, I GUESS EITHER WAY YOU'RE STILL GOING TO BE, I THINK IT'LL STILL BE PRUDENT WITH OUR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY TO STILL LOOK AT AREAS TO CONTROL COSTS AND CUT COSTS OR, YOU KNOW, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. BUT ARE YOU SAYING YOU WANT TO EXPLORE THE CONTROL DISTRICT AND THEN THE, OR EXPENSES OR LOOKING AT THAT'S MY FIRST, THE EXPENSES. OKAY. THEY CONTROL THE EXPENSES. LOOKING AT THE EXPENSES WE CAN REDUCE IS MY FIRST OPTION. OKAY. SO WE'LL, WE'LL PUT YOU OVER THERE. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT. SO WE HAVE, UM, ESSENTIALLY LOOKING AT TO, WELL DO NOTHING, BUT WE ACTUALLY ARE NOT DOING NOTHING. UM, IT WOULD BE TO LOOK AT AREAS FIRST TO CUT COSTS. NOW AGAIN, PRACTICALLY, WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE IN PRACTICE? I MEAN, WE CAN SAY, LET'S LOOK AT HOW WE CAN CUT COSTS, BUT MR. COMIER, IF YOU COULD COME BACK, UM, TO THE MICROPHONE AND TELL US, TELL COUNCIL EXACTLY WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, BECAUSE I, I WANNA MAKE SURE WE ALL HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE'RE ASKING. UM, WELL, OF COURSE. UM, I WENT OVER THE BUDGET LAST TIME AND HIGHS BROKE DOWN. AND I THINK PROBABLY WE WOULD START OFF WITH LOOKING AT ALL THE SERVICE AND PROFESSIONAL FEES, YOU KNOW, IN THAT AREA, YOU KNOW, AND SEE WHERE WE CAN MAKE THE CUTS. YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE DID STATE THAT, UH, WE MAY LOOK AT PERSONNEL, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE SETTING OUT JUST TO CUT PERSONNEL. WE WANT TO LOOK IN OTHER AREAS FIRST. CERTAINLY. AND I, I THINK, UM, I GUESS, I GUESS THE SECOND PART TO THAT QUESTION IS I THINK, I THINK PERSONNEL IS THE THING THAT KIND OF HITS EVERYBODY'S BRAIN FIRST, BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF THE BIGGEST AREA WHERE YOU CAN GET, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU CAN GET THE BIGGEST PIECE WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT CUTTING EXPENSES. I THINK THAT'S ACROSS ANY ORGANIZATION. YES. UM, IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT PERSONNEL IS GONNA BE ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS, UM, TO LOOK AT. BUT I GUESS FOR ME, MORE SO, UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT, WHEN DOES THAT START, RIGHT? LIKE IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT NOW, BECAUSE I WOULD IMAGINE WE NEED TO START CONSIDERING THOSE, WHAT THAT MAY LOOK LIKE SOONER VERSUS LATER. SO WHAT COULD THAT LOOK LIKE FOR US? UM, WELL I WAS, WE PROBABLY STARTED GETTING WITH THE DEPARTMENTS IN JANUARY AND LOOKING AT SOME AREAS FOR, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENTS TO COME FORWARD AND LOOK AT SOME AREAS WHERE THEY CAN TRIM, YOU KNOW, THEIR DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS. BUT YEAH, WE'RE GONNA START PRETTY SOON. OKAY. YEAH. THANK YOU. CITY MANAGER. WRIGHT, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? YEAH, AND THAT, THAT, THAT WHOLE PROCESS REALLY OF KIND OF, YOU KNOW, JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, KIND OF INTO EARLY APRIL IS KIND OF THAT TIMEFRAME WHEN, YOU KNOW, STAFF WILL BE LOOKING AT, OKAY, UNDERSTANDING WHERE REVENUES ARE, UNDERSTANDING WHERE THE EXPENSES ARE, THAT'LL PROVIDE A CLEAR PICTURE OF WHAT THAT POTENTIAL, UH, DIFFERENCE MIGHT LOOK LIKE. WE DON'T, WE, WE DON'T KNOW YET WHAT THAT, THAT NUMBER WILL BE, UM, FOR IT. AND THEN FROM THERE THEN I THINK THEN STAFF WOULD HAVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AS FAR AS HERE'S WHERE SOME CUTS COULD BE MADE BOTH ON THE, YOU KNOW, ON ON, ON THINGS THAT [02:00:01] ARE NON-STAFF RELATED, AS WELL AS IF IT, IF IT COMES TO THE POINT OF AT, AT SOME POINT RIGHT STAFF IT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THAT MAKING WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS ON THOSE POSITIONS WOULD BE, UH, PART OF THE BUDGET FOR IT. SO, AND, AND, AND REALISTICALLY KIND OF DOING THAT, THAT HOPEFULLY HAVING THE EARLY PART OF THAT CONVERSATION BEFORE YOU REALLY START KICKING OFF FINAL VERSIONS OF DISCUSSING THE BUDGET, WHICH WOULD BE IN JUNE, JULY TIMEFRAME, UH, FOR THAT, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE'S ON THE SAME PAGE BEFORE YOU KIND OF GET INTO, INTO THE, THE BUDGET, PUBLIC BUDGET, YOU KNOW, UH, DISCUSSIONS. SO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. I JUST WANT TO, UM, UH, TO GO ON RECORD AND SAY THAT I, I BELIEVE BEING, UH, CONSERVATIVE WITH THE BUDGET IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT. IT IS NOT THAT WE ARE FOR ENDLESS SPEND SPENDING. HOWEVER, I WANT THE CITIZENS ALSO TO KNOW, UH, THIS ONE THING AS THE PROPERTY TAX. WE JUST REDUCED PROPERTY TAX A WHOLE CENT THIS LAST GO AROUND. BUT IN TOP OF THAT, THERE WAS A HALF CENT CREDIT THAT WAS COMING. SO IN ESSENCE WE REDUCED IT A CENT AND A HALF, ALMOST TWO, ALMOST A CENT, THE CREDIT THAT YOU ALREADY SEE ON YOUR BILL. AND WE REDUCE THE PROPERTY TAX RATE ANOTHER CENT. SO THAT'S A WHOLE CENT AND A HALF RATHER THAN BEING ABLE TO USE. AND, AND AGAIN, WE, WE, WE NEED TO BE FRUGAL WITH THE BUDGET IN OUR ALLOCATIONS OF THE BUDGET, BUT AS WE CONTINUE TO DROP THE PROPERTY RATE, AND IIII I'M SAYING THAT WORD ON PURPOSE, THE RATE, BECAUSE THE TAX DOLLARS CAN GO UP IF YOUR APPRAISAL GO UP, BUT THE RATE THAT THE CITY CHARGES AS WE CONTINUE TO DROP THE PROPERTY TAX RATE THAT BRINGS, COULD POTENTIALLY BRING IN LESS MONEY. SO IN ESSENCE, THIS YEAR WE JUST FINISHED ME AS A PROPERTY OWNER, I GOT A, A CENT LESS IN MY TAX RATE AND I ALSO GOT A HALF CENT CREDIT FROM THE SALES TAX THAT CAME OVER. SO WE'RE ALREADY, IN ESSENCE, WHEN YOU GAVE US THESE THREE OPTIONS OR OR SIX OPTIONS, WE'RE ALREADY USING THE ONE OPTION, WE'RE USING THE SALES TAX TO BUY DOWN PROPERTY TAX THAT, I MEAN, AND SO I'LL YIELD THERE. WE ALWAYS NEED TO CONTROL BUDGET. WE ALWAYS NEED TO CONTROL COST. AND NO MATTER WHAT WE DO TONIGHT OR ON THIS D WE ALL READY, WE ALWAYS NEED TO DO THAT. BUT WHEN WE JUST GAVE OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT A HISTORIC RAISE WHEN WE JUST GAVE OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT A HISTORIC RACE, WHEREAS WE PRESENTED OURSELVES TO BE THE HIGHEST IN THIS AREA, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT HEALED THOSE, THOSE AILS OF, OF, OF, OF UNDER, UH, OF UNDER PROTECTION. NOW WE'RE, WE'RE LEAVING OURSELVES EXPOSED TO NOT BEING ABLE TO CARRY THAT FORWARD. AND, AND SO I YIELD BACK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCILMAN BYRD. I GUESS I STILL HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION. UM, UNFORTUNATELY IN THIS ROLE YOU HAVE TO PLAN FOR THE WORST HOPE FOR THE BEST. SO I GUESS FOR ME, MY MAJOR CONCERN IS SIMILAR TO WHAT COUNCILMAN BYRD IS SPEAKING OF. AND, AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FINDING PLACES TO CUT SPENDING IN THE BUDGET, WHEN WOULD WE KNOW IF WE WOULD HAVE TO CUT STAFF? I GUESS THAT'S MY MAJOR CONCERN AT THIS POINT BECAUSE IN ALL OF THAT, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT GETTING INTO, YOU KNOW, JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL, MAY, YOU KNOW, GETTING INTO THE BUDGET, WHEN WOULD WE KNOW SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IF THAT'S A POSSIBILITY BECAUSE IT IS STILL A VERY REAL POSSIBILITY WHEN WE GET SOME INFORMATION ON OUR POSSIBLE TAX RATE. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BUYING SOFTWARE THAT CAN KIND OF ESTIMATE THAT AHEAD OF TIME AND WE'LL HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF WHAT THAT GAP MIGHT MIGHT BE, HOPEFULLY BY THE FIRST PART OF THE YEAR, YOU KNOW, AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR BUDGET AND COME BACK TO COUNCIL WITH POSSIBLE PERSONNEL CUTS. AND SO I GUESS WE TALKED IN OUR LAST MEETING ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF GETTING SOME TYPE OF A REGULAR UPDATE ON SOME INFORMATION. I WOULD, IF WE WANNA GET SOME INFORMATION ON SOMETHING, THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING I THINK THAT DESERVES A REGULAR UPDATE. YES. IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE WE ARE AWARE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS WHAT, UM, WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT AT ALL TIMES. YES. UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING NOT NEW FOR CITIES AT ALL. HOWEVER, IT'S NEW FOR THE, THE DESOTO CITY COUNCIL YES. TO HAVE TO MAKE THOSE AND THAT THAT JUST COMES WITH THE JOB TO HAVE TO MAKE THESE TYPES OF HARD DECISIONS. BUT I DON'T LIKE TO BE BLINDSIDED. YEAH. UM, AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR STAFF AND THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE OUR CITY RUN EVERY DAY MM-HMM, , UM, I THINK THE WHAT THEIR FUTURE AND WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE KEEP THE MORALE HERE WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE. MM-HMM. , UM, IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT IT, IT BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, UM, THAT'S MY PRIORITY. AND SO TO BE ABLE TO GET REGULAR UPDATES ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS [02:05:01] LIKE OR COULD LOOK LIKE, AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING ON THE HORIZON THAT EVEN LOOKS LIKE IT, UM, WE NEED TO KNOW THAT ASAP. OKAY. AND THAT'S MY REQUEST. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU COUNCIL. ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? I HAVE A QUESTION. YES. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, I JUST HAD A QUESTION. UM, IS IT FAIR TO ASK IF WE CAN SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT CAN REDUCE EXCEPT STAFF? OH, YES. AND NOT EVEN, WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THE OVERALL BUDGET, NOT EVEN IN ALL AREAS. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [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. ] THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL. AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT WE'LL 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. SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING, MINUTES FOR MARCH 21ST, 21 SEPTEMBER 26, 22. DECEMBER 8TH OF 22, REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, MINUTES FOR JANUARY 3RD OF 23. SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MINUTES. JANUARY 11TH, 23, REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 17TH. SPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES. JANUARY 23RD OF 23. FEBRUARY 6TH OF 23. REGULAR COUNCIL MINUTES. FEBRUARY 7TH OF 23. SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 13TH AND FEBRUARY 20TH OF 23. REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES. FEBRUARY 21ST OF 23. SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES. FEBRUARY 27TH, 23, REGULAR ME MEETING MINUTES. MARCH 7TH OF 23. SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES. MARCH 20TH OF 23. REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MARCH 21ST, APRIL 4TH OF 23, SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES APRIL 10TH, APRIL 17TH, APRIL 24TH. JULY 20TH, AUGUST 21ST, NOVEMBER 6TH AND NOVEMBER 20TH OF 23, AS WELL AS REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES NOVEMBER 7TH, 23, AS WELL AS CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE GRANITE CASE SERVICE AGREEMENT TO UPGRADE THE AUDIO VIDEO BROADCAST SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE CLOSED CAPTION OF PUBLIC MEETINGS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH LANGUAGES. AND FINALLY, CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGERS TO REJECT THE LOW BID SUBMISSION FROM MX CONSTRUCTION SERVICES. AND, AND TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH GRAY CON CONSTRUCTION, INC. SECOND LOWEST BIDDER IN THE AMOUNT OF $328,000, $328,100 FOR THE INSTALLATION OF A 54 INCH ISOLATION VALVE FOR THE WESTMORELAND PUMP STATION. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING CONSENT AGENDA BEFORE WE CALL FOR A MOTION? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO REMOVE THE, UM, MINUTES FOR, UH, SPECIAL REVIEW AND THEN ITEM TWO A. THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER ON ITEM TWO A. SHE'S REQUESTING THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES BE REMOVED, ALL OF THE MINUTES. UM, ITEMS ONE A THROUGH Y AND THEN ITEMS TWO A, TWO A, THE BROADCASTING EQUIPMENT. OKAY. THANK YOU COUNSEL, IS THERE A MOTION MATTER? MAY I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH PULLING OF ITEMS ONE A THROUGH Y AND TWO A SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU. IT IS BEEN, UH, MOVED AND PROPERLY. SECOND TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE REMOVAL OF THE MINUTES. AND ITEM TWO A. COUNSEL ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. UM, WE HAVE ITEMS, [1. Approval of Minutes] UM, ONE A THROUGH Y THAT IS UP FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION. COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. OKAY, SO THE REASON THAT I PULLED THE MINUTES IS, UM, BECAUSE THERE ARE CORRECTIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE, THERE ARE ERRORS AND, UH, EARLIER IN OUR, UH, COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT THIS, UM, IT WAS SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN UNCOMFORTABLE TIME. I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT BEING UNCOMFORTABLE SOMETIMES MAKES IT, IT'S NECESSARY IN ORDER FOR US TO GET WHERE WE NEED TO BE. AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I CAUTION THE ACTUAL COUNSEL, THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MINUTES, THE MINUTES ARE AN OFFICIAL RECORD OF ACTIONS THAT THE BOARD TOOK OR THE COUNCIL TOOK. WE ARE ACTUALLY APPROVING MINUTES THAT HAVE CORRECTIONS THAT ARE NEEDED. AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY NEED TO BE REMOVED SO THAT THEY CAN BE REVIEWED AND SHOULD BE REVIEWED AT LEAST TWICE BEFORE IT COMES BEFORE THE COUNCIL. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, FOR THE PURPOSE OF OF MINUTES, THEY ARE FOR TRANSPARENCY. AND IT HELPS WHEN PEOPLE CAN PULL MINUTES AND UNDERSTAND WHAT TOOK PLACE AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING. AND IF I HAVE TO STAND ALONE ON THAT, I WILL STAND ALONE ON IT. BUT I WILL CONTINUE TO SAY THAT MINUTES SHOULD [02:10:01] BE COHESIVE, THEY SHOULD BE CONCISE, AND WHEN THERE ARE ERRORS THEY NEED TO BE CORRECTED. I YIELD BACK COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM. THANK YOU MAYOR. I WAS THE INDIVIDUAL WHO SAID THIS WAS UNCOMFORTABLE. IT IS UNCOMFORTABLE BECAUSE WE HAVE 5, 4, 3, 4 EMPLOYEES AND I DON'T KNOW, MAN, AFTER MANAGING PEOPLE AFTER 15 YEARS, I, I THINK YOU'VE BECOME A LITTLE BIT HUMAN IN THE RESPECT OF THAT. I DON'T HAVE TO DO WHAT, I DON'T HAVE TO COACH AND DEVELOP ON A DAY DAIS. THOSE THINGS CAN HAPPEN OUTSIDE OF MEETINGS LIKE THIS. I AGREE. MEETING THESE MINUTES. THEY, THEY NEED TO BE CORRECT FOR ANYONE VIEWING. I EQUALLY AGREE THAT THEY NEED TO BE CONSISTENT. WHAT I AM ASKING IS THAT WE DON'T, WE DON'T CONTINUE TO ANTAGONIZE OUR CITY SECRETARY DURING OUR MEETINGS REGARDING IT. WE HAVE, ARE OPEN TO HAVE MEETINGS WITH ANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES AT ANY TIME THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO. AND IF THERE IS A STANDARD WAY THAT, THAT WE HAVE NEVER ESTABLISHED, MAY I ADD, IF THERE IS A STANDARD WAY THAT WE WANT THIS TO HAPPEN, THEN LET'S DO IT OUTSIDE THIS DESK AND GET IT RIGHT SO THAT THE EFFORTS THAT ARE GOING INTO MAKING THIS RIGHT CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. BECAUSE I, IT WHAT WE, WHAT WE'RE NOT SAYING ALSO IS HOW THE CITY SECRETARY OFFICE HAS NOT HAD STAFFING THE PROPERLY STAFFED. I KNOW SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS COUNCIL, THE, SHE HAS NOT HAD THE, THE STAFFING THAT SHE'S NEEDED THE ENTIRE ALMOST THREE YEARS. UM, SHE'S WHOLE, SHE'S NOT EVEN WHOLE TODAY. LIKE I, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. YES. BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE A BALANCE AND WE NEED TO OFFER SOME GRACE AND, AND PROBABLY SIT BACK AND JUST COME OUT OF THIS MEETING AND HAVE IT SO IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE'RE GRANDSTANDING OR WE'RE TRYING TO PUT THE CITY SECRETARY OFFICE ON FRONT STREET. THAT, THAT IS, THAT IS MY STATEMENT. THANK YOU. IS THERE A MOTION, MADAM MAYOR? UM, I THINK WHAT WILL PROBABLY COME THE WATERS, IF YOU WILL, IS UM, IF THERE ARE CORRECTIONS, THEN CERTAINLY THEY NEED TO BE MADE. I DO AGREE IF THERE ARE CORRECTIONS, IF THERE ARE CORRECTIONS THEY NEED TO, UM, BE MADE. UM, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT IF THERE, AND I THINK SOMEONE SAID THIS PRIOR, IF THERE IS A, UH, A CERTAIN WAY, AND OF COURSE ALL MINUTES WILL BE DIFFERENT BECAUSE ALL SUBJECTS ARE DIFFERENT, BUT A LOT OF THEM ARE THE SAME. SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE MENTIONED ABOUT CREATING A TEMPLATE AND ALL OF THAT, UM, SO I, I DO THINK THAT AT THIS POINT WHAT NEEDS, WHAT I SUGGEST TO HAPPEN IS THAT SINCE WE ARE ARE SINCE SEVERAL, SOME OF US HAVE CONCERNS WITH WHAT'S ON THE MINUTES OR HOW IT'S WRITTEN OR WHATEVER THE CASE MIGHT BE, MAYBE, UM, AS SOMEONE MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT WE COULD JUST CREATE, UM, THAT LITTLE AD HOC COMMITTEE AND KINDA SAY HOW AND WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE. BUT AS FAR AS WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US, UH, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND PULL IT AND THEN OF COURSE MAKE THE CORRECTIONS. BUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD FROM THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE SO THAT SHE CAN HAVE A GUIDELINE AS TO WHAT TO FOLLOW AND THEN WE WON'T HAVE TO KEEP SPINNING OUR WHEELS, UM, IN, IN THIS PARTICULAR ITEM. SO THAT, THAT WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION. MADAM MAYOR, YOU BACK, IS THAT A MOTION OR ARE YOU SUGGESTING MATTER? I DO MAKE A MOTION THAT, UH, WANT ME TO REPEAT WHAT I SAID, IF I CAN REMEMBER. OKAY. IT'S EITHER TO APPROVE OR REMOVE FROM THE MINUTES. I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE REMOVE WHAT'S ON HERE RIGHT NOW, CREATE THE AD HOC COMMITTEE, DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO WITH IT AND BRING IT BACK. SECOND COUNSEL, UH, IT IS BEEN MOVED TO REMOVE THE MINUTES AND CREATE AN AD HOC COMMITTEE. YES. I I THINK THAT WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS CREATE, BECAUSE BASICALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING, WE, THERE NEEDS TO BE A PROOF READER, SOMEONE TO COME IN AFTERWARDS. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHO THAT WILL BE OR WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. SO I'M THINKING THAT IF WE HAD, UH, THAT PARTICULAR COMMITTEE, THEY COULD COME BACK WITH THOSE ITEMS. HOWEVER, WHEN IT COMES BACK, THESE MINUTES THAT, THAT ARE BEFORE US RIGHT NOW, I DO THINK THEY NEED TO BE, THEY NEED TO MOVE FORWARD ACCORDING TO WHAT THAT GUIDELINE SAYS. BUT IF THEIR CORRECTIONS, CORRECTIONS NEED TO BE MADE, WHETHER OR NOT, BECAUSE I SEE SOME ON HERE THAT SAYS I WAS ABSENT, I WAS ABSENT AT THE BEGINNING WHEN THE ROLE WAS CALLED, BUT I CAME IN WITHIN THE 15 MINUTES. IF WE LOOK AT COLLEGE COURSES, I CAME IN AFTER THE 50. SO I'M JUST SAYING THEN TOO, IF YOU TAKE [02:15:01] A VOTE, IF I'M COUNTED ABSENT, I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO BE VOTING. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SO THERE'S SOME ITEMS LIKE THAT, THAT ARE, THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE NEED TO, TO, UH, PAY ATTENTION TO. IT'S JUST ONE ITEM THAT I NOTICED THAT I WAS ABSENT, BUT YET I WAS TARDY, BUT I WAS PRESENT. THANK YOU. THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. UM, I HAVE, I I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I'M, I'M PERSONALLY NOT IN FAVOR OF MICROMANAGING STAFF. UM, IN TERMS OF THIS, I SIT ON NUMEROUS BOARDS AND HAVE SAT ON THIS COUNCIL SINCE 2013. AND ANYTIME THERE HAS BEEN CORRECTIONS NEEDED ON ANY BOARD, I'VE SAT ON MINUTES CAN STILL BE APPROVED. NOTED THE CORRECTIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE. I I JUST, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF MICROMANAGING STAFF, SO I'LL BE VOTING AGAINST THAT. YEAH. BUT, AND, AND MADAM MAYOR, I DON'T, I DON'T, I I CONCUR WITH YOU. I DON'T WANT TO, UH, MICROMANAGE ANYONE. AND I THINK I SAID THIS PRIOR TO IF THERE WAS SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO GO AHEAD AND WORK IT OUT IN THE WORK SESSION. I THINK I SAID THAT IF YOU GUYS RECALL I SAID THAT OR BEFORE. SO, AND DR. MARKS, LET ME, UM, MY STATEMENT IS NOT COMPLETE. OKAY. UM, AS COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM MENTIONED, WE KNEW AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR WHEN WE HAD OUR REVIEW WITH OUR CITY SECRETARY WHAT THE ISSUE WAS WITH THE MINUTES AND WHY. RIGHT. AND SHE GAVE US OUR PLAN. AND SO THIS IS JUST FORTHCOMING, THIS IS ESSENTIALLY AN ANOMALY. THIS IS NOT THE REGULAR, THIS IS NOT HOW THINGS HAVE HAPPENED IN THE PAST. BUT WE WERE AWARE OF THAT COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER'S COMING IN AFTER THE FACT. SO WE WERE ALREADY AWARE THAT WE WOULD BE RECEIVING MINUTES TECHNICALLY IRREGULARLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO GET EVERYTHING CAUGHT UP. AND, AND THAT THERE ARE SYSTEMS THAT ARE IN PLACE, RIGHT? WE'VE NOT JUST BEEN WILLY-NILLY WITH MINUTES, YOU KNOW, IN THE HISTORY OF OUR CITY, YOU KNOW, SO I DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE APPEARANCE TO ANYONE LISTENING. THAT'S TRUE. UM, THAT, THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE JUST NOT BEEN, UM, ON TOP OF. THIS WAS AN ANOMALY AND THAT WAS EXPLAINED TO US AND WE UNDERSTOOD THAT AND WE AGREED AND WE APPROVED THE PLAN THAT WAS GIVEN TO US TO MOVE FORWARD TO GET THE MINUTES CAUGHT UP. SO I WILL BE VOTING AGAINST THIS, AND I DO CONCUR WITH THAT. I THINK THAT WE CAN ASK FOR NOTED CORRECTIONS AND STILL APPROVE THE MINUTES WITH THE NOTED CORRECTIONS THAT'S BEING DONE ACROSS ANY BOARD RIGHT. IN THE WORLD, RIGHT? IN TERMS OF HOW MINUTES MOVE FORWARD TO KEEP US GOING, BUT TO KEEP GOING BACK AND RAKING THROUGH THINGS AND COMBING OUT THINGS AND TALKING ABOUT THE WAY WE WOULD PREFER TO SEE SOMETHING LAID OUT TO ME IS MICROMANAGEMENT AND I WILL NOT BE A PART OF THAT. MM-HMM, . MM-HMM . AND I DO THINK THAT, UM, WE DID AGREE THAT BY THE END OF THE YEAR THAT WE WANTED TO SEE, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHAT CAUGHT UP OR WHATEVER. AND I DON'T THINK THAT WHAT WE ARE DOING TONIGHT GOES AGAINST THAT. I JUST FEEL LIKE, UM, WHAT I SEE IS THAT WE'RE JUST NEEDING TO GET A HANDLE ON WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE MOVING FORWARD. THAT'S IT. THAT'S IT. BUT IF THERE ARE CORRECTIONS, THEY STILL NEED TO BE MADE. AND I DO CONCUR WITH YOU MADAM MAYOR, THAT, UM, MAKE THE CORRECTIONS AND MOVE FORWARD. I DON'T THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE A BIG PROBLEM WITH THAT. SO, BUT I STILL THINK THAT WE NEED TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING IF THIS, IF WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION, LIKE YOU SAID, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME CLEAR GUIDELINES AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS TO COME UP WITH WHAT WE WANT THAT TO LOOK LIKE. SO, UM, BUT I DO THINK WE, AGAIN, I THINK I'M RAMBLING, BUT I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO MAKE WHATEVER CORRECTIONS THAT THEY ARE. AND I THINK I SAID THAT LAST TIME AS WELL. AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE HAS DENIED US TO CORRECT THE MINUTES. I THINK WHEN THE CORRECTIONS WERE, WERE REALIZED, I THINK THAT THERE WAS NO PUSHBACK TO CORRECT THE MINUTES BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT ANY SECRETARY WOULD DO IF THERE WAS A ERROR ON THE MINUTES. THAT'S WHY THE MINUTES ARE REVIEWED DURING ANY MEETING. AND IF THERE ARE NOTED CORRECTIONS, THEY SAID IT AT THAT TIME AND THEY APPROVE THE MINUTES WITH THE NOTED CORRECTIONS. SO COUNSEL, THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO PULL THE MINUTES. UM, ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY, AYE. AYE. RAISE YOUR HAND PLEASE. SO WE CAN SEE WHO THAT IS. 1, 2, 3. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. I, I I VOTE WITH PULLING THE MINUTES BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT CORRECTED, WE HAVE NOT MADE THE CORRECTION TO THE MINUTES. SO IF, IF THE MOTION, WHAT, WHAT IS I I WAS GONNA ASK FOR A POINT OF INFORMATION. WHAT IS THE MOTION? IS THE MOTION TO APPROVE WITH THE CORRECTIONS OR IS THE MOTION TO PULL THEM ALL TOGETHER? WHAT IS THE MOTION? THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN THE, THE CORRECTIONS NEEDED HAVE BEEN NOTED. CORRECT? IS THAT'S, WHAT IS THAT WHAT IS AT OUR, AT OUR STATIONS, THEY'VE BEEN NOTED AND ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN MADE. OKAY. VERY GOOD. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM THAT YOU SENT ME TODAY AT 3 45, I MADE ALL OF THEM, WHICH WAS MAINLY, AND ERIC THE SY I CAN EXPLAIN IT TO YOU OFFLINE. THAT'S WHY I SAID A CONVERSATION OFFLINE. I CAN DEFINITELY HAVE WITH YOU, BUT IT'S NOT, I CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOU OFFLINE. BUT EVERY SINGLE THING YOU, YOU POSE TO ME HAS BEEN CORRECTED. AND COUNSEL, YOU HAVE AT YOUR STATIONS THE CORRECTIONS. SO [02:20:01] MY, MY VOTE, WHAT I WILL SUPPORT IS APPROVING THEM WITH THE NOTED CORRECTIONS THAT ARE AT OUR STATIONS THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US. COUNSEL. SO CAN WE VOTE AGAIN? UM, ALL IN FAVOR? THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO PULL THE MINUTES. UM, COUNSEL, SO ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. WE'RE VOTING AGAIN BECAUSE COUNCILMAN BYRD DID NOT VOTE EITHER. WHAT HE HE WAS VOTING BUT HE WAS GETTING CLARIFICATION. SO WE DON'T HAVE A CLEAR VOTE. WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO PULL THE MINUTES POINT OF INFORMATION. SO ALL OF UHHUH YES. I'M SORRY. I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR. AND SO IF WE, IF WE ARE AMENDING THE MINUTES TO, TO CORRECT THEM, DO THEY NEED TO BE READ OR IS THERE ANY TECHNICAL THING WE NEED TO DO? AND THIS IS TO ER, IF, IF YOU'VE GOT A COPY OF THE CORRECTED MINUTES AT YOUR PLACE, THEN IT IS, IT IS APPROPRIATE TO SAY THAT YOU ARE APPROVING THE MINUTES AS CORRECTED, AS BEEN PRESENTED AS CORRECTED. IF YOU DO, YOU'VE GOT A COPY OF THOSE AND THEN THOSE WILL BE WHAT COME, THE OFFICIAL RECORD OBJECTIONS. OKAY? AND THEN MY NEXT QUESTION IS, AND THEN, UM, AS THESE CORRECTIONS HAPPEN, WE CAN GO BACK AND CORRECT THEM INSIDE OF THE AGENDA. I'M SORRY, ON ONLINE. WE CAN, WE CAN GO BACK IN, UH, UH, NO, THE, THE, THE, THE, WHEN THEY'RE POSTED, THEY'RE POSTED THE CORRECT VERSIONS, UH, OF THEM IN THE OFFICIAL MEETING MINUTES SECTION. THE AGENDA ITSELF DOES NOT GET CORRECT, UPDATED AFTER THE FACT. THE AGENDA REMAINS THE AGENDA. THE AGENDA PACKET. CORRECT. THE AGENDA PACKET. THE AGENDA PACKET. THE LOCATION ON THE WEBSITE WHERE YOU WOULD FIND APPROVED MINUTES WILL BE THE, THE, UH, THE CORRECT CORRECTED MINUTES? YES. COUNSEL, THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO PULL THE MINUTES. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, WELL, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. ALL OPPOSED, SAME SIGN? NO, THAT MOTION FAILS. COUNSELOR, IS THERE ANOTHER MOTION MATTER? MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, UH, ACCEPT THE MINUTES THAT HAVE BEEN AMENDED CORRECTLY. IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND POINT OF ORDER? YES. UH, YOU SAID AMENDED CORRECTLY, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THE AMENDED RE RE YOU KNOW, UH, MINUTES IN FRONT OF YOU. HOW DO YOU KNOW THEY'VE BEEN AMENDED? OKAY, SO, YOU KNOW, AND, AND LET ME, LET ME JUST MAKE SURE I'M SURE, HANG ON JUST A SECOND. I, I REALLY DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO MAKE THIS ABOUT WHO'S SITTING IN THE SEAT. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF MENACE IS FOR THEM TO BE CONCISE. THIS IS NOT ABOUT MICROMANAGING OTHERWISE THEY WOULDN'T BE ON THE AGENDA FOR US TO APPROVE THEM. IF WE HAVE NOT READ THEM AND WE APPROVE THEM, AND THEN A CITIZEN ASKS US ABOUT 'EM, THEN YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT WHOLE RIGMAROLE OF TRYING TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, MAKE LIGHT OF MINUTES THAT YOU SAY ARE IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO HAVE A VOTE. IF THEY HAVE AN IMPORTANCE TO HAVE A VOTE, THEY HAVE AN IMPORTANCE TO BE CORRECT. SO I STILL SAY THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THE AMENDED MINUTES IN FRONT OF YOU UNLESS EVERYBODY DOES, AND I DON'T. AND THAT'S, IN MY OPINION, IT'S THE USAGE OF THE WORD AMENDED. BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE ARE APPROVING IS NOTE WITH THE NOTED CORRECTIONS, WE WILL BE APPROVING THE MIN THE MINUTES WITH THE NOTED CORRECTIONS. MAY I ASK A QUESTION? MM-HMM. . THE, THE, THE CORRECTIONS THAT YOU MADE, WERE THEY ALL THE CONCERNS THAT SHE ADDRESSED? YES, MA'AM. OKAY, THANK YOU. SO IS THERE A MOTION AGAIN? CAN YOU RESTATE YOUR MOTION, PLEASE? I SET A MOTION. MOTION A SECOND AUTHORITY. WE DID HAVE A MOTION. CAN YOU RESTATE IT PLEASE? YOUR MOTION. I MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES THAT HAVE BEEN CORRECTED WITH THE NOTED CORRECTIONS WITH THE NOTED CORRECTIONS. UHHUH . IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND. IT WAS, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MAYOR PRO TEM. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BYRD TO APPROVE THE MINUTES WITH THE NOTED CORRECTIONS COUNSEL. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. COUNCIL MEMBER. RAPHAEL, IS YOUR HAND DOWN? I'M SORRY. SHE WAS SIGN. IT WAS UP. IT WAS UP. OKAY. ALL OPPOSED? ONE THAT MOTION PASSES. IS THAT FIVE TWO. FIVE TWO. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT MOTION PASSES. FIVE TWO. THANK YOU COUNSEL. MS. THOMAS WILL HAVE THE NEXT [a. Consider authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute an amendment to the Granicus Service Agreement to upgrade the audio/video broadcast system, including the closed captioning of public meetings in English and Spanish languages] ITEM ON THE AGENDA. YOU HAVE AGENDA ITEM A THAT WAS PULLED? OH YES, WE DO. WE HAVE A SECOND AGENDA ITEM THAT WAS PULLED. COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, I BELIEVE YOU ASKED FOR THAT TO BE PULLED AS WELL. AND THE ONLY REASON I PULLED THAT ONE WAS I WANTED TO ASK THE QUESTION ABOUT THE, UM, IT SAID THAT THEY WERE, UH, CON CONSOLIDATING THE TWO SYSTEMS, UH, INTO ONE AT LEAST. I THINK THAT'S WHAT I READ, UH, SWAG. IT WAS MERGED WITH GRANICUS. AND SO WHEN THEY DID THAT CHANGE, IS THIS THE CHANGE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IN THE RETREAT OR IS THIS SOMETHING ELSE? THIS, THIS WHOLE, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND. SORRY. YES AND NO. UM, GRANICUS BOUGHT OUT THE SWAGGER COMPANY SO THAT, THAT'S WHY YOU SEE BOTH NAMES. UM, SO THOSE ARE, THAT'S JUST A CORPORATE NAME, BUT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT [02:25:01] IS YES, THIS NEW UPGRADE INCORPORATES THE CLOSED CAPTIONING IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH. IT REQUIRED SOME, UM, EQUIPMENT UPGRADES AND SOME SOFTWARE UPGRADES AT THAT TIME. UM, WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE WHOLE SYSTEM. IT WAS, UM, INSTALLED IN 2014. NONE OF IT, NONE OF THE EQUIPMENT IS UNDER WARRANTY ANYMORE. UH, ONE THING THAT WE'RE GONNA GET ARE NEW CAMERAS. IF, IF THIS IS APPROVED, WHICH WILL MAKE OUR CITY ATTORNEY HAPPY 'CAUSE HE HATES THOSE LIGHTS IN HIS FACE. AND THE NEW CAMERAS, WHICH YOU ASKED ME ABOUT ONE DAY ARE WORKING, OPERATE IN LOWER LIGHT. SO, UM, WE ARE, BECAUSE YOU ALL BROUGHT FORWARD THE, THE INITIATIVE FOR THE CLOSED CAPTIONING, IT KIND OF, UM, FACILITATED SOME MUCH NEEDED UPGRADES THAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUTTING IN ANY, AT ANY, ANY RATE. AND THE, THE OTHER PIECE OF THIS THAT'S, THAT'S SIGNIFICANT IN THE COST IS WE'RE GOING, UH, TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF COVERAGE ON THE MEETINGS. LIKE NORMALLY YOU DON'T SEE ME OUT HERE, I'M BACK IN THE, IN THE ROOM. UM, IN OUR OLD, UNDER OUR OLD CONTRACT, WE WE'RE CONTRACTED FOR 50 MEETINGS A YEAR. WELL, JUST LOOKING AT ALICIA'S MINUTES, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WAY MORE THAN 50 MEETINGS A YEAR. UM, AND SO BECAUSE I OPERATED THE CAMERAS MYSELF, THAT SWAG GAVE US KIND OF A CREDIT. BUT SINCE I'M GONNA BE RETIRING SOON, UM, WE WANT TO GO TO A FULL PROGRAM WHERE THESE, ALL THE, UM, MEETINGS ARE REMOTELY BROADCAST THROUGH, UH, MAGIC OF SWAG . AND, UM, THAT TAKES IT TO 75 MEETINGS A YEAR, WHICH IS THREE COUNCIL MEETINGS A MONTH, TWO PLANNING AND ZONING MEETINGS, AND ONE E ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MEETING THAT STILL DOESN'T COUNT ALL THE, UH, PUBLIC, UH, TOWN HALL MEETINGS, MAYOR'S QUARTERLY, WE'LL STILL BE DOING SOME, I I THINK SWAG WILL PROBABLY GIVE A CREDIT, BUT WE'RE STILL BE DOING SOME, UM, UM, IN-HOUSE DIRECTING AS WELL. BUT THAT GETS US TO THE NEXT LEVEL WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO BE WITH OUR WHOLE SYSTEM. AND THEN THE, UH, THE, THE, WHERE IT SAYS FINANCIAL IMPACT, IT SAID THE TOTAL OF 23 IS BUDGETED IN THE FUND, BUT THIS LIST SHOWED ONLY AMOUNT OF ABOUT 119. SO WE HAD A DIFFERENCE OF ABOUT FOUR GRAND. THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE UTILIZED WITH THIS. IT'S 119. I DUNNO, MAYBE I, MAYBE MY MATH WAS OFF. I'M NOT SURE. WELL, IT, YEAH. OKAY. THE BUDGET AMOUNT A BIT MORE. OKAY. THANK YOU. I YIELD BACK. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNSEL. IS THERE A MOTION, MY MOTION THAT WE APPROVE TWO A AS WRITTEN SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE TWO A. COUNSEL. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. MS. THOMAS [1. Conduct a Public Hearing and consider the Ordinance for a Specific Use Permit (SUP) in order to establish and operate a "Used Auto Sales" on a property legally described as being Lot 24, Block C in the Clover Haven Addition (1209 Lyndon Avenue). The applicant is Jose C. Garcia and the property owners are Mayra Miranda and Jorge Luis Montoya Martinez. (Case No. Z-1504-23)] WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT WE MOVE INTO OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS. 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 THE 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. FIRST, WE HAVE CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER THE ORDINANCE FOR A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH AND OPERATE A USED AUTO SALES ON A PROPERTY LEGALLY, LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS BEING LOT 24 BLOCK C IN THE CLOVER HAVEN EDITION 12 0 9 LYNDON AVENUE. THE APPLICANT IS JOSE C. GARCIA AND THE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE MYRA, MIRANDA AND GEORGE LUIS MON MONTOYA MARTINEZ, CASE NUMBER Z DASH 1504 DASH 23. MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS BEST RAZZI PLANNING AND ZONING MANAGER. GOOD EVENING. BEST, GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. THIS IS BEST RAD WITH THE PLANNING DIVISION. CASE NUMBER Z 15 0 4 23 IS A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR USE AUTO CELLS. THE SITE IS 0.37 ACRES AND IS CURRENTLY SOLD COMMERCIAL ONE. THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF LYNDON AVENUE AND IS EAST SIDE OF FRANKLIN AVENUE. IT IS ADDRESSED AS 1209 LYNDON AVENUE. THIS IS THE AREA MAP AND THE LOCATION MAP OF THE SITE. THE SITE IS VACANT AND IT IS SURROUNDED BY VACANT PROPERTIES THAT ARE ZONED COMMERCIAL ONE THE COM. THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN IDENTIFIES THE SITE AS COMMERCIAL AND THE PROPOSED USE AUTO CELLS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN OF THE 2015 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. THE SUBJECT SITE IS ASSESSED FROM LINDEN AVENUE AND LINDEN AVENUE IS A LOCAL ROAD THAT IS NOT SHOWN ON OUR MASTER TRAFFIC PLAN. IN TERMS OF SUP REQUEST ANALYSIS, WHEN APPROVING SUP REQUEST, SECTION 35.2 [02:30:01] OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE REQUIRES THE COMMISSION AND THE CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THINGS SUCH AS HARMONY, COMPATIBILITY OF THE REQUESTED USE, WHETHER THAT USE IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BEST ZONING DISTRICT, WHETHER THE NATURE OF THE USE IS REASONABLE, AND WHETHER NEGATIVE IMPACTS HAVE BEEN ALLEVIATED. THE REQUESTED AUTO USE USED AUTO CELLS IS NORMALLY ASSOCIATED WITH AUTOMOBILE AND RELATED USE IN COMMERCIAL ONE DISTRICT. THE USE IS COMPATIBLE WITH THIS, WITH EXISTING SURROUNDING USES IN THE GENERAL AREA. AND THE USED AUTO CELL UPHOLDS THE INTENT OF THE DISTRICT'S PAPERS. THEREFORE, THIS MEETS THE SECTION 35.2 OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE COMMISSION ARE SUPPOSED TO CONSIDER WHEN APPROVING SUVS. ON SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2023, A PUBLIC NOTIF NOTICE WAS PUBLISHED IN FOCUS DAILY NEWS AND STAFF MAILED 36 NOTIFICATION LETTERS TO PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 200 AND 400 FEET OF THE SUBJECT SIDE. AND AS OF OCTOBER 10, WE RECEIVED TWO LETTERS IN OPPOSITION TO THIS SPECIFIC USE PERMIT REQUEST. IN CASE OF I IN TERMS OF CASES THREE IN, IN, IN SEPTEMBER, ON SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2023, THE APPLICANT REQUESTED THAT, UH, THIS, UM, ITEM BE CONTINUED TO THE OCTOBER 10TH, 2023 COMMISSION MEETING. AND AT OCTOBER, ON OCTOBER 10TH, 2023, THE APPLICANT AGAIN REQUESTED THAT THIS ITEM BE, UH, CONTINUED TO THE OCTOBER 24 MEETING. WHILE THIS REQUESTS MEET THE USED AUTO CELLS, THE SUBMITTED PLANS ARE NOT, ARE STILL MISSING THE REQUIRED SITE LANDSCAPE AND ELEVATIONS PLANS SUB INFORMATION. AND THIS IS THE REASON WHY THEY KEPT ASKING FOR CONTINUED, UM, UH, UH, POSTPONEMENT OF THIS ITEM BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT MEETING THE REQUIRED, UM, INFORMATION ON THE SITE PLAN ELEVATION PLAN AS WELL AS THE, UH, THE, UM, LANDSCAPE PLAN. AND THIS IS THE SITE PLAN THAT WAS SUBMITTED. AND, UM, THE SITE PLAN DOESN'T HAVE THE INFORMATION THAT WE NORMALLY REQUIRE WITH A, A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT. THE ZONING ORDINANCE REQUIRES THAT A SPECIFIC USE, UM, PERMIT, UH, BE SUBMITTED WITH A SITE PLAN, WHICH BECOMES, UH, THE SITE PLAN THAT, UM, THAT, THAT IS USED TO OBTAIN A BUILDING, BUILDING, UM, PERMIT. SO THIS PLAN, ACCORDING TO OUR, THE CHECKLIST THAT THE CITY HAS THAT WE TRY TO, THAT WE USE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY APPLICATION IS MEETING THIS SPECIFIC SITE PLAN DID NOT MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS. AND OUR STAFF, INCLUDING MYSELF AS WELL AS OUR CITY PLANNER, ANA, WE DID COMMUNICATE WITH THE ENGINEER WHO WAS HIRED TO DO THIS, BUT WE ARE NOT GETTING THE, UH, INTENDED RESULTS. WE EVEN GIVE THEM, UH, EXAMPLES TO USE, BUT IT DID NOT WORK. SO THIS IS THE, THE LANDSCAPE PLAN. AND AS YOU CAN SEE THAT THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE ON THIS SITE PLAN, ESPECIALLY THE LOWER LEVEL, IS THE SAME INFORMATION THAT IS GIVEN RIGHT HERE EXCEPT JUST THE LANDSCAPE PLAN. AND ON THIS ONE IS JUST SAYING SITE PLAN. SO THOSE WERE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE ARE HAVING WITH THE APPLICANT. THAT INFORMATION THAT WE ARE REQUESTING WAS NOT BEING, UH, GIVEN THIS IS THE, UH, THE ELEVATION PLAN THAT WAS SUBMITTED. AND ON OCTOBER 24, THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THIS SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR THE USED AUTO SALE ON CONDITION THAT NO BUILDING PERMITS SHALL BE ISSUED UNTIL A REVISED SITE PLAN. LANDSCAPE PLAN. THE ELEVATION PLAN HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED AND APPROVED BY THE PLANNING AND PLANNING DIVISION BY A VOTE OF FIVE TO ONE. AND, UH, STAFF IS REQUESTING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL CONCUR WITH THE COMMISSION ON THE APPROVAL OF THIS SUP. THE APPLICANT IS NOT HERE, BUT THE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE HERE, SHOULD HAVE STAFF NOT ABLE TO ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE COUNSEL THAT CONDITION HAS BEEN ADDED TO. SO IF YOU DO APPROVE THIS ORDINANCE TONIGHT, THAT CONDITION HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE ORDINANCE LANGUAGE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU BESTER. UM, COUNSEL, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO MOVE. THANK IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. THANK YOU. AND, UH, SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEM TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. COUNSEL ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN. UM, YOU SAID THE APPLICANT IS NOT HERE, SO I'M ASSUMING THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL PRESENTATION FROM THE APPLICANT OR THE PROPERTY OWNERS. OKAY. AT THIS TIME, MS. THOMAS, ARE THERE CARDS FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO SPEAK? OKAY. UM, AT THIS TIME THEN I WILL NOW ENTERTAIN [02:35:01] A MOTION TO CLOSE. SO MOVED THE PUBLIC HEARING. SECOND, UH, IT IS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM. SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING COUNCIL. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. COUNSEL, IS THERE A MOTION? MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE IS PRESENTED. SECOND. THANK YOU. UM, AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UH, BEFORE WE, UH, VOTE ON THIS YES. ITEM? WE DO HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE. UH, TOM, WE'LL HAVE ROUNDS ON THIS SINCE WE HAVE A, UM, A COUPLE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON HERE. SO WE'LL DO ROUNDS OF THREE MINUTES. UM, EXCUSE ME, TWO MINUTES PER COUNCIL PERSON TO SPEAK ON THAT. COUNCIL MEMBER. RAPHAEL, YOU HAVE A LIGHT COUNCIL. ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SURE THING. COULD YOU, COULD YOU SPEAK TO, UM, THE OPPOSITION, UM, SOME OF THE CONCERNS OF THE OPPOSITION AND, UM, IF ANY OF THE COMMENTS MADE AS A, AS A PART OF THE OPPOSITION HAS BEEN ADDRESSED? LIKE I SAID, AGAIN, THERE'S NOTHING THAT HAS BEEN ADDRESSED BECAUSE WE WERE HAVING ISSUES JUST EVEN, UM, HAVING THE ENGINEER TO DO WHAT STAFF REQUIRES. SO THERE'S NOTHING THAT HAS BEEN ADDRESSED. OKAY. AND THEY, THEY, THE OPPOSITION WAS JUST PEOPLE NOT INTERESTED IN HAVING THIS UCA. COULD YOU SPEAK TO THE OPPOSITION LETTERS, UH, TO WHAT THEIR CONCERNS WERE? THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T WANT THE USED CAR AUTO SALES ON THIS SIDE. OKAY. UM, OKAY. SO LEMME SEE, I'M, I'M HAVING A HARD TIME, SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY REQUESTED ANYTHING ADDITIONAL FROM SABRINA BEINGS. THIS IS OUR, THIS IS AN AREA NEIGHBORHOOD IS ALREADY, UM, SHE'S SPEAKING TO ILLEGAL DUMPING AND I CAN'T TELL IF, IF PART OF IT IS, LEMME SEE, IS THIS BUS IS, WAS THERE ANY CLARIFICATIONS, UM, MADE TO WHAT WAS, WHAT WAS SENT IN IN TERMS OF THE OPPOSITION? OKAY. 'CAUSE WHAT I'M READING IS I CAN'T, I'M HAVING A HARD TIME DISTINGUISHING THE FIRST SENTENCE, SO I DON'T WANNA MISSPEAK, BUT IT'S TALKING ABOUT ILLEGAL DUMPING TRASH, DEBRIS ON THE PROPERTY. AND SO HOW IS THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY BEING USED? IS ANYTHING, ANY ACTIONS HAPPENING ON THE PROPERTY? YOU MENTIONED IT WAS, OKAY, GO AHEAD. IT'S, IT'S VACANT RIGHT NOW, BUT I, I THINK THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS OTHER SURROUNDING USES THAT ARE, THERE'S A LOT OF DUMPING UHHUH. IF YOU LOOK AT THE AREA, YOU CAN SEE THAT. OKAY. AND MY LAST QUESTION IS, YOU QUOTED THE 2015 PLAN, BUT WE'RE UNDER, WE'RE UNDERGOING, UM, LAND USE RIGHT NOW. AND SO IS IT BEING, UM, WILL IT BE REPRESENTED AS THE SAME THING OR WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE INTO WHAT IT WAS IN 15 TO WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO RECOMMEND FOR THE LAND USE COMP STUDY? WELL, THE 2015, IT'S, IT'S SAYS COMMERCIAL. HOWEVER, WITH THE PROPOSED, THE ONE THAT IS UPCOMING, IT'LL, IT'LL BE, IT'LL NOT BE COMMERCIAL. IT, THIS WILL NOT BE CONSISTENT, BUT WE CANNOT REALLY OH, I'M SORRY. TALK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT YET ADOPTED. PLEA PLEASE, COUNSEL, DO NOT TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT THE FUTURE PLAN IS GONNA BE. WE NEED TO VOTE ON WHAT THE PLAN IS TODAY. OKAY. OKAY. I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND SOME OF THAT, BUT THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL. COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. JUST A QUICK QUESTION. I SAW IN THE ACTUAL, UH, PRESENTATION THAT IT KEPT SAYING THINGS ARE NOT COMPLETE. I WANNA UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT WHY WE'RE, UM, WE'RE REVIEWING THIS IF IT'S NOT COMPLETE. WELL, THE, THE, THE SUP ITSELF, THE ZONING, UH, ACCORDING TO OUR ANALYSIS, IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE APPROVED. HOWEVER, THESE SITE PLANS CAN STILL BE SUBMITTED. WE WON'T BE ABLE TO, UH, GIVE THEM THEIR BUILDING PERMIT UNTIL THIS SITE BECAUSE SITE PLANS ARE REQUIRED WHENEVER SOMEONE IS BRINGING YOU, BRINGING IN A NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT IT IS, BUT THEY HAVE TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE DO HAVE. COUNSEL, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, WE ACCEPT CONCEPT PLANS FOR OUR PLAN DEVELOPMENTS. CONCEPT PLANS ALLOW STAFF FLEXIBILITY. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DEFINITIVE OR EXACT. A SITE PLAN HAS TO BE EXACT. THAT SITE PLAN WOULD BE, UH, GIVEN TO OUR BUILDING OFFICIAL WHEN THEY, UH, ARE DOING THEIR BILLING PERMIT. IT HAS TO BE EXACTLY WHAT'S SHOWN THERE. WE HAVE A CHECKLIST THAT DEFINITIVELY, UH, IDENTIFIES MULTIPLE ITEMS THAT MUST BE SHOWN ON THAT SITE PLAN. THAT SITE PLAN LIST IS INCLUDED WITH THE APPLICATIONS. UH, FROM THE TIME OF THE APPLICATION ALL THE WAY THROUGH. EACH TIME IT WAS TABLED AT THE P AND Z, WE KEPT TRYING TO COMMUNICATE WITH THAT ENGINEER WHO WAS REPRESENTING THE PROPERTY OWNER WHAT WE NEEDED. WE WEREN'T GETTING WHAT WE NEEDED. [02:40:01] WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A WAY THAT IT COULD STILL BE PROCESSED THROUGH. THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING THE CONTINGENCY HOLES ON IT, PART OF THE RECOMMENDATION. BUT WE HAVE A CHECKLIST THAT'S GIVEN TO EVERY APPLICANT TO SHOW EXACTLY WHAT NEEDS TO BE WITH A DEFINITIVE SITE PLAN VERSUS A CONCEPT PLAN. THANK YOU. YOU BET. MM-HMM, . THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM. THANK YOU MR. BREWER. BEFORE YOU GO, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION. YEAH, I KNOW. DON'T GO BACK TO THIS C SO FAST. SO, UM, IT, IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT THE SITE PLAN IS DUE, UH, BEFORE IT COMES TO COUNCIL, WHEN THEY'RE GIVEN THE APPLICATION OR IF YOU'RE REACHING OUT TO THE ENGINEER? IS THAT UNDERSTOOD? BECAUSE HERE'S, AND I'M GONNA SAY IT 'CAUSE I ONLY GET TWO MINUTES HERE, YOU GONNA HAVE A LITTLE BIT LONGER. UM, THE REASON WHY I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE IT SEEMS JUST FROM PERCEPTION THAT THE CITY STAFF IS WORKING HARDER THAN THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ASKING TO DO BUSINESS IN THE CITY. AND I JUST HAVE SOME TREPIDATION WITH THAT. IF YOU TRULY WANNA BE, UM, IN THE, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORLD OF DESOTO, THEN COME WITH ALL OF YOUR DUCKS IN A ROW SO THAT WE CAN APPROVE YOU. BUT TO APPROVE SOMETHING AND YOU HAVEN'T DONE YOUR PART OF IT TELLS ME THAT LATER DOWN THE LINE, UM, YOU'RE LIKELY TO HAVE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE JUST NOT, IT IS JUST NOT GOOD BUSINESS PRACTICE. SO I JUST WANNA UNDERSTAND, WAS THE EXPECTATION SET THAT A SITE PLAN NEEDED TO BE PROVIDED BEFORE IT IS PRE REVIEWED TO COUNCIL? OR IS THAT NOT AN EXPECTATION GIVEN AND IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU CAN, YOU CAN. THE EXPECTATION IS IT'S A REQUIREMENT THAT THE SITE PLAN MEETS ALL THE REQUIREMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED. THE COUNCIL ITSELF HAS CREATED A SMALL LIST IN OUR ORDINANCE, IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CRITERIA. THAT SITE PLAN THAT THEY HAD, THAT CONCEPT PLAN THEY HAD UP THERE MET THOSE MINOR CRITERIA, BUT THERE WERE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THEY FAILED TO MEET. WE COULD HAVE RECOMMENDED DENIAL, BUT WE STILL AS STAFF TRYING TO WORK WITH AN APPLICANT WITH A WORKABLE PRODUCT TO IDENTIFY WHAT WE WOULD NEED. AND THOSE ARE THE CONDITIONS WE PUT ON THE RECOMMENDATION. BUT ULTIMATELY, ULTIMATELY THE DECISION IS YOURS TO ALLOW THAT FLEXIBILITY TO HAVE STAFF TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE PRIOR TO ISSUES OF A BUILDING PERMIT. OR COUNSEL WOULD DENY IT AT THIS POINT. AND, AND NORMALLY WHEN YOU SEE, WHEN THIS, WHEN THIS COUNCIL SEES AN SUP, THERE IS A SITE PLAN ATTACHED TO THAT SUP. THE REASON FOR THAT, LET'S SAY THAT THEY WANT A DRIVE THROUGH, YOU WILL SEE THE SITE PLAN WITH, WITH THIS DRIVE THROUGH ON THERE. AND THAT IS USED FOR AN ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM. IN THE EVENT THERE'S A VIOLATION OF THE SUP, THEY'RE IN VIOLATION OF THE SITE PLAN. SO THAT'S WHAT WE USE FOR AN ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM ALSO. SO IN THIS CASE, THEY DID NOT PROVIDE A SITE PLAN PRIOR TO THE SUP BEING PRESENTED TO COUNSEL OR TO PNC AND TO COUNSEL. SO THE STAFF PUT A STIPULATION IN THERE THAT SAYS YOU WILL NOT GET A BUILDING PERMIT UNTIL YOU PROVIDE THE SITE PLAN THAT MEETS THE CRITERIA IN THE, IN THE, IN THE ORDINANCE. SO IN THIS CASE, IF YOU APPROVE IT, THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T PROVIDE A SITE PLAN. THEY DON'T GET A BUILDING PERMIT OR IS A BUILDING PERMIT OR SEE, I BELIEVE YOU SAID, A BUILDING PERMIT, UM, IN THIS CASE A BUILDING PERMIT. YEAH. IF YOU DENY IT, THEN IT SENDS 'EM ALL THE WAY BACK TO START THE PROCESS OVER AGAIN. UM, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CHM. UM, I I AGREE. , I AGREE WITH YOUR SENTIMENTS. UM, CITY, CITY ATTORNEY GRITA HELP HELP US UNDERSTAND, I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS, BUT BECAUSE I'M, I KNOW WHICH WAY THAT I'M LEANING WITH THIS, CAN YOU UM, PLEASE ADVISE COUNSEL? 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU MENTIONED YOU CAUTION COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL REGARDING USAGE OF THE, OR A PO POSSIBLE FUTURE PLAN. SO IS THIS ADMINISTERIAL IN NATURE OR NO? AN S-U-P-S-U-P IS IS ZONING. IT'S, IT'S DISCRETIONARY IS DISCRETIONARY. THANK YOU. IT'S NOT A MINISTERIAL. OKAY, COUNSEL. UM, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS BEFORE WE HAVE THE READING OF THE ORDINANCE? HEARING NONE, UM, THERE IS ORDINANCE. THANK YOU MR. BREWER. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO TEXAS AMENDING THE COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE AND MAP OF THE CITY OF DESOTO AS HERETO FOR AMENDED BY GRANTING A CHANGE IN A CHANGE IN ZONING BY GRANTING SPECIFIC USE PERMIT NUMBER 3 0 8 AUTHORIZING LOT 24 BLOCK C CLOVER HAVEN EDITION, PRESENTLY ZONED AS COMMERCIAL DISTRICT ONE TO BE USED FOR USED AUTO SALES, PROVIDING A CONFLICTS CLAUSE, PROVIDING A REPEALING CLAUSE, PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE, PROVIDING FOR A PENALTY OF FINE NOT TO EXCEED THE SUM OF $2,000 FOR EACH OFFENSE AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. THANK YOU. UH, LET ME, UH, RECONFIRM THAT MOTION. WAS THAT MADE BY YOU MAYOR PRO TEM SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM? YES. OKAY. UH, IT WAS MOVED BE PERMITTED. YEAH. YES, IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, EXCUSE ME, MAYOR PRO TEM HUGHES. SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM [02:45:01] TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED. COUNSEL, PLEASE USE YOUR VOTING PADS PLEASE. THANK YOU. HOLD ONE MOMENT. LET'S GET IT SET UP THERE. THAT MOTION FAILS. FIVE TWO. THANK YOU COUNSEL. AT THIS TIME [2. Conduct a Public Hearing and consider an Ordinance for a Specific Use Permit (SUP) request for a restaurant with a drive-through on a property that is currently zoned General Retail (GR). The property is legally described as being Tract 54 in the Curtis Parks Survey, Abstract No. 1124 (800 S Hampton Rd). The applicant is Mike Barnett of Canyon Partners Realty and the property owner is HSB Investment II LP. (Case No. Z-1508-23)] WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT WE HAVE CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE FOR A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT. REQUEST FOR A RESTAURANT WITH A DRIVE-THROUGH ON A PROPERTY THAT IS CURRENTLY ZONED GENERAL RETAIL. THE PROPERTY IS LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS BEING TRACKED 54 IN THE CURTIS PARK SURVEY, ABSTRACT NUMBER 11 24 800 SOUTH HAMPTON ROAD. THE APPLICANT IS MIKE BARNETT OF CANYON PARTNERS REALTY AND THE PROPERTY OWNER IS HSB INVESTMENT TWO. LP CASE NUMBER Z DASH 15 0 8 DASH 23. COMING BACK AS BEST RAZZI PLANNING AND ZONING MANAGER, WELCOME BACK. THANK YOU. CASE NUMBER Z 15 0 8 23 IS A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT. REQUEST FOR A RESTAURANT WITH A DRIVE THROUGH THE SITE IS 0.91 ACRES AND IS CURRENTLY SOLD GENERAL RETAIL. THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF SOUTH HAMPTON ROAD AND EAST PARKVIEW ROAD. IT IS ADDRESSED AS 800 SOUTH 800 SOUTH HAMPTON ROAD. AND THIS IS THE LOCATION AND AREA MAP. THE SUBJECT SITE IS VACANT AND THE PROPERTY TO THE NORTH IS A CHURCH WITH A SINGLE FAMILY. 10. A ZONING TO THE SOUTH IS A VACANT PROPERTY ZONE. GENERAL RETAIL TO THE EAST IS THE, IS A CHRONIC CARE FACILITY. ZONED PLAN DEVELOPMENT 38. AND TO THE WEST IS A STORAGE FACILITY THAT IS ZONED PLAN DEVELOPMENT ONE 20. THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN IDENTIFIES THE SITE IS SUITABLE FOR OFFICE SLASH RETAIL USES AND THE PROPOSED RESTAURANT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN OF THE 2015 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. THIS SITE IS ACCESSED FROM SOUTHAMPTON ROAD AS WELL AS EAST PARKFIELD ROAD. BOTH SOUTHAMPTON ROAD AND EAST PARKFIELD ROAD ARE CONSIDERED FOUR LANE ARTERIAL ROADWAYS. ON THE 2015 MASTER RAFFE PLAN. IN DECEMBER, 2022, THE APPLICANT SUBMITTED A REQUEST, UM, REQUESTING A REZONING FROM GENERAL RETAIL TO PLAN DEVELOPMENT WITH GENERAL RETAIL AS THE BASE ZONING WITH SOME DEVIATIONS. AT THAT TIME, THE APPLICATION WAS A PLAN DEVELOPMENT WITH FOUR SEPARATE LOTS. THE PROPOSED USES WERE A RESTAURANT WITH A DRIVE-THROUGH AND A CAR WASH WITH TWO LAWS THAT WERE GOING TO REMAIN VACANT. AND IN JANUARY, 2023, THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDED DENIAL OF THE PLANNED DEVELOPMENT REQUEST. AND IN FEBRUARY, 2023, THE APPLICANT APPEALED THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION. AND IN MAY, 2023, THE CITY COUNCIL DENIED THE PROPOSED PLAN DEVELOPMENT. BUT HOWEVER, THE CURRENT APPLICATION IS A REQUEST FOR A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR A RESTAURANT WITH A DRIVE THROUGH ONLY, AGAIN, SECTION 32.2 THAT ARE REQUIRE, IT REQUIRES THE CITY COUNCIL SOS, THE COMMISSION TO CONSIDER THINGS AS HARMON AND COMPATIBILITY WHETHER THE USE IS NORMALLY ASSOCIATED WITH, WITH THE, WITH THE PERMITTED USES IN THE BEST ZONING, WHETHER THE THE NATURE OF THE USE IS REASONABLE AND WHETHER NEGATIVE IMPACTS HAVE BEEN TO THE SURROUNDING AREAS. THE REQUEST THAT RESTAURANT USE IS ASSOCIATED WITH GENERAL USES, GENERAL RETAIL USES AND THE PROPOSED RESTAURANT WITH IT WILL BE COMPATIBLE WITH THE GENERAL RETAIL USES THAT WILL BE DEVELOPED ON THE IMMEDIATELY SURROUNDING GENERAL RETAILS OWNED PROPERTIES. THE RESTAURANT WILL UPHOLD THE INTENT OF THE DISTRICT'S PAPERS, THEREFORE THE RESTAURANT MISSED THE SECTION 30 35 0.2 REQUIREMENTS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE COMMISSION SHOULD CONSIDER WHEN APPROVING SUVS. AND ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29TH, 2023, A PUBLIC NOTICE WAS PUBLISHED IN FOCUSED DAILY NEWS STAFF MAILED 23 NOTIFICATION TO PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 200 AND 400 FEET OF THE SUBJECT SITE AND STAFF RECEIVED ONE EMAIL IN SUPPORT OF THIS REQUEST. THIS IS THE PROPOSED, UH, SITE PLAN. I HOPE YOU CAN SEE A, A DIFFERENCE, A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SITE PLAN THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IN THIS, THIS PARTICULAR SITE PLAN, WHICH IS ALL THE DETAILS THAT ARE WE REQUIRE ON A SITE PLAN. AND THIS IS THE PROPOSED LANDSCAPE PLAN. THIS IS THE, THE FACADES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED [02:50:02] ON OCTOBER 24TH, 2023. THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL TO THE CITY COUNCIL OF THIS SPECIFIC USE PERMIT REQUEST FOR A RESTAURANT WITH A DRIVE DRIVE THROUGH IS SUBMITTED BY A VOTE OF SEVEN ZERO. AND STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL CONCUR WITH THE COMMISSION OF AND THE APPROVAL OF THIS SUP IS SUBMITTED AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. THE APPLICANT IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS THAT STAFF MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER. THANK YOU. COUNCIL, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO MOVED. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BY TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. COUNSEL ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. COUNSEL, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN. UM, DO WE HAVE ANOTHER PRESENTATION? YOU SAID THE APPLICANT IS HERE? YES, THE APPLICANT IS HERE. BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO ANY PRESENTATION. DO ANY PRESENTATION. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. CAN I HAVE YOUR NAME PLEASE? YOU CAN COME TO THE MIC. YES. THANK YOU. CUT THAT. PRESS THAT BUTTON AND WE'LL GET THE, THAT, THAT ONE RIGHT THERE. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I AM JIM MA. I AM WORKING WITH THE APPLICANT AND WITH THE WENDY'S AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT ON DUCKS IN A ROW. 'CAUSE I THINK WE DO HAVE OUR DUCKS IN A ROW. AS A MATTER OF FACT, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF THE HISTORY, WHAT WAS DENIED OR WHAT WAS IN COMPLETE OPPOSITION WAS THE CAR WASH PORTION OF THE PROJECT. AND SO THAT HAS SINCE BEEN SEVERED AND NOW SO WENDY'S AND WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH CUSTOM MEMBER, UM, PARKER AND BRANDON WRIGHT AND, AND MATT CARLSON. AND WE HAD A MEETING WITH THE HOA AND, AND, UH, THERE'S PROBABLY ABOUT 10 OF 'EM THERE. AND WE EXPLAINED THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT AND THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND BECAME A WAY VERY POSITIVE. SO WE WENT FROM HAVING NO SUPPORT BACK LAST YEAR TO HAVING SUPPORT, HAVING A VERY POSITIVE MEETING. WE'VE ALSO WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE HOA IN THE ENSUING MONTHS. WE'VE, UH, STAYED IN CONTACT WITH THE HOA, GAVE THEM, UM, UPDATES TO WHERE WE WERE AT. UH, I THINK SOME OF THEM MAY BE HERE TONIGHT AS WELL. BUT, UM, BUT I'M ALSO HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THE PROJECT THAT ANY OF YOU ALL MAY HAVE. AND YOU SAID THE LAST NAME WAS? MALL. MALL. M-O-L-L-M-O-L-L. OKAY. AS IN SHOPPING. OKAY. JUST ASK MY WIFE. ALRIGHT, MO THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, FOR SHARING. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. UM, MS. THOMAS, ARE THERE ANY CARDS? THERE ARE NO CARDS FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO SPEAK. UM, SO AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. OVER MOVED. SECOND. THAT WAS DR. MARKS. UM, AND THEN SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. COUNSEL, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. COUNCIL, IS THERE A MOTION? MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE IS PRESENTED. SECOND. IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY, UH, MAYOR PROTI. SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER BYD TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED. UM, COUNCIL, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE HAVE THE READING OF THE ORDINANCE? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM. THANK YOU. I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION. UM, I I, UM, I HAVE NO OBJECTION ONTO THE, THE PROJECT, BUT I WAS JUST CURIOUS. I KNOW THAT WE DON'T REQUIRE TRAFFIC STUDY THIS EARLY IN THE GAME, BUT, UH, HAVE FROM WHAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO STAFF DO, DOES THEIR, DOES STACKING PRESENT ANY, UM, UH, IS STACKING A A PRESENT DANGER OF US ON HAMPTON OR PARKVILLE FROM, FROM THIS PROJECT HAPPENING JUST WITH MAINTAINING TRAFFIC? THEY, THEY, ACCORDING TO THE SITE PLAN THAT WAS PRESENTED, THE PLE REMAINED SPACE FOR STACKING WITHIN THE SITE ITSELF. THAT WILL NOT PRESENT ANY PROBLEMS TO, UH, PARKVILLE BECAUSE THE, UM, DRIVE TO THE PARK, TO THE DRIVE THROUGH FROM PARKVILLE. COUNCILWOMAN SPECIFICALLY, OUR ZONING ORDINANCE IDENTIFIES THAT FOR A RESTAURANT WITH DRIVE THROUGH FROM THE WINDOW, THEY HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST SIX STACKING STALLS, EIGHT FOOT WIDE BY 20 FOOT DEEP. SO THEY ARE MEETING OUR ZONING ORDINANCE AS FAR AS STACKING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU DR. MARK. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. UH, MADAM MAYOR, THROUGH YOU TO, UH, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, PARKER, IF YOU WOULD, SINCE THIS IS YOUR, UH, AREA, IT, HE MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE 10 RESIDENTS THERE. CAN YOU GIVE US JUST A LITTLE FEEDBACK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED THERE AND, UM, THERE SENTIMENTS, PLEASE. YES. UH, THANK YOU. UM, THE MEETINGS WERE POSITIVE. THEY WERE, UM, THEY DIDN'T START OUT POSITIVE, I'M GONNA JUST BE HONEST ABOUT THAT. THEY DIDN'T START OUT POSITIVE BECAUSE EVERYBODY WAS STILL ON THE IDEA THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD CAUSE A PROBLEM FOR THE AREA. BUT OF COURSE, SINCE THE, UH, NOTED INFORMATION ABOUT THE CAR WASH WAS BEING REMOVED, IT BROUGHT SOME POSITIVITY TO THE MEETING. IT WAS ABOUT MAYBE 10, NINE OR 10 PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT HOAS IN THE [02:55:01] AREA. UM, IT WASN'T JUST ONE. AND SO THEY ALL CAME TO THE CONSENSUS THAT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD THING FOR OUR AREA. AND, UH, WE GOT SOME CONSENSUS THERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSEL. UH, THERE HAS BEEN A MOTION MADE BY MAYOR PRO TEM, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BYRD TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED. WE DO HAVE AN ORDINANCE. MS. THOMAS, CAN YOU PLEASE READ THAT FOR US? AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS AMENDING THE COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE IN MAP OF THE CITY OF DESOTO AS HERETO FOR AMENDED BY GRANTING A CHANGE IN ZONING BY GRANTING SPECIFIC USE PERMIT NUMBER 3 0 8 AUTHORIZING LOT 24 BLOCK C CLOVER HAVEN EDITION. PRESENTLY ZONED IS COMMERCIAL DISTRICT ONE TO BE USED FOR. WAS THAT IT? NO. THIS OKAY. YEAH. JUST ONE SECOND. STANDBY. ALRIGHT, MAYOR, I CAN GO AHEAD AND READ THE CAPTION FOR IT. JUST MAKE SURE I HAVE THE RIGHT ONE. YEP. ALRIGHT. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS AMENDING THE COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE AND MAP OF THE CITY OF DESOTO AS HERE TO, FOR AMENDED BY GRANTING A CHANGE IN ZONING BY GRANTING SPECIFIC USE PERMIT NUMBER 3 0 9 SUP 3 0 9 TO ALLOW FOR AN APPROXIMATELY 0.0913 PLUS OR MINUS ACRES OF LAND BEING A PORTION OF THAT CERTAIN TRACT OF LAND AS DESCRIBED BY DEED TO HSB INVESTMENTS. TO LP, A TEXAS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP IN REC, IN RECORDED IN VOLUME 2 0 0 3 1 2 8 PAGE, UH, 1 4 5 4 8 OFFICIAL PUBLIC RECORDS. DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS, COMMONLY KNOWN AS 800 SOUTH HAMPTON ROAD, PRESENTLY ZONED AS GENERAL RETAIL GR TO BE USED FOR RESTAURANT DRIVE-THROUGH USE, PROVIDING A CONFLICTS CLAUSE, PROVIDING A REPEALING CLAUSE, PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE, PROVIDING FOR A PENALTY, A FINE NOT TO EXCEED THE SUM OF $2,000 FOR EACH OFFENSE AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. THANK YOU. UH, THERE IS A MOTION AND WE WILL NOW VOTE. THANK YOU COUNSEL. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. [1. Consider authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute a Chapter 380 Agreement with Noble Realty for the waiver of water, sewer, and roadway impact fees in the amount of $137,500 and authorizing the Economic Development Director to negotiate and execute an Infrastructure Grant in the amount of $137,500 as approved by the DeSoto Development Corporation's Board of Directors at their November 28, 2023 Board Meeting] AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT WE MOVE INTO OUR REGULAR AGENDA. FIRST, WE HAVE CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE SITTING MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AN EXECUTE A CHAPTER THREE 80 AGREEMENT WITH NOBLE REALTY FOR THE WAIVER OF WATER, SEWER, AND ROADWAY IMPACT FEES IN THE AMOUNT OF $137,500. AND AUTHORIZING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AN INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $137,500 AS APPROVED BY THE DESOTO DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT THEIR NOVEMBER 28TH, 2023 BOARD MEETING. MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS MATT CARLSON, EDC DIRECTOR. GOOD EVENING MAYOR. GOOD EVENING. MR. CROSS MEMBERS, THE COUNCIL. AS THE CITY SECRETARY NOTED, WE ARE ASKING YOU TONIGHT TO CONSIDER DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES THAT WILL ASSIST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THREE COMMERCIAL SITES ON BELTLINE ROAD. THE AGREEMENT IS WITH NOBLE REALTY, UH, LLC, AND THEY'RE DEVELOPING THOSE THREE COMMERCIAL PAD SITES ON THE TWO PARCELS LOCATED AT 1616 AND 1620 EAST BELT, EAST BELTLINE ROAD, EAST OF SEVEN 11 AT WESTMORELAND AND BELTLINE ROAD. ON THE SOUTH SIDE, PROBABLY YOU'VE SEEN A WHOLE LOT OF GRADING IN THAT GOING ON THERE. THE LOTS ARE ZONED OFF GENERAL RETAIL AND THE DEVELOPER TAKES SPECIAL USE PERMITS FOR THE DRIVE-THROUGH OPERATIONS ON TWO OF THOSE PADS EARLIER THIS YEAR. THE CONTRACTOR, THE CONTRACTED USERS FOR THOSE PAD SITES ARE TEXAS HEALTH RESOURCES. THAT'S A BUILDING THAT'S CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION, STARBUCKS COFFEE, WHICH WILL LAY TO THE WEST AND CHICK-FIL-A RESTAURANT WHICH WILL LAY TO THE EAST OF THE ENTRY ROAD THERE. THAT'S, THAT'S ALREADY EXISTING FOR THE APARTMENTS. CHANGES IN REQUIREMENTS IN THE ACTUAL LOCATIONS OF EXISTING UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE HAVE CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DELAYS AND REQUIRED RE-ENGINEERING AND ACCOMMODATIONS THAT HAVE RESULTED IN A DEVELOPMENT COST INCREASE OF MORE THAN $350,000 FOR THOSE PROJECTS. AND THE DEVELOPER HAS NOW REQUESTED THAT THE CITY OF DESOTO PROVIDE INCENTIVES TO DEF TO DEFER A PORTION OF THOSE COSTS WITH A REQUEST OF $275,000. CITY MANAGER, MYSELF, MEMBERS OF THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TEAM HAVE ALL MET WITH THAT DEVELOPER AND AGREED THAT THERE, THERE ARE, THERE ARE REASONS TO, FOR US TO BE ASSISTING. UM, AND SO THE CITY MANAGER AND I BEGAN LOOKING FOR WAYS TO, UH, MEET NOT ALL OF THAT REQUEST, [03:00:01] BUT SOME OF IT. THE PROJECT ALSO INCLUDES AN ANTICIPATED CAPITAL, UH, INVESTMENT INCLUSIVE OF THE LAND OF APPROXIMATELY $9 MILLION IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND ANTICIPATED SALES FROM THOSE TWO PADS FROM TWO OF THOSE THREE PADS ARE ESTIMATED TO BE IN EXCESS OF $9 MILLION PER YEAR. FOLLOWING STABILIZATION. AS WE EXPLORED THE OPTIONS FOR PUBLIC SECTOR INCENTIVES, THE CITY MANAGER AND I CREATED A SPLIT FUNDING ARRANGEMENT TO REDUCE EACH AREA'S PARTICIPATION IN THE INCENTIVE AMOUNT. AND UNDER THE RECOMMENDED AGREEMENTS FROM THE CITY OF DESOTO AND THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, EACH WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR $137,500. THE DEVELOPMENTS CORPORATION, UH, DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION'S PORTION WILL BE STRUCTURED AS AN INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT PAID FROM UNCOMMITTED INCENTIVE FUNDS ALLOCATED IN THE 24 BUDGET. THE CITY'S PORTION WOULD BE STRUCTURED AS A, AS A WAIVER OF IMPACT FEES ASSESSED TO THE THREE SITES. THE PROJECT IS ANTICIPATED TO, TO PROVIDE APPROXIMATELY $180,000 PER YEAR IN SALES TAXES FOLLOWING STABILIZATION, PROVIDING THE INCENTIVE TO BE RECAPTURED BY THE CITY OF DESOTO AND THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WITHIN APPROXIMATELY 18 MONTHS. THOSE SALES TAXES ARE, ARE THE, WOULD THAT WOULD RECAPTURE THAT IN 18 MONTHS ARE EXCLUSIVE OF THE RETAIL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX IMPLICATIONS AS WELL. STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CHAPTER THREE 80 AGREEMENT WITH NOBLE REALTY FOR THE WAIVER OF WATER, SEWER, AND ROADWAY IMPACT FEES IN THE AMOUNT OF $137,500, AND AUTHORIZE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AN INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT IN THE, LIKE, IN A LIKE AMOUNT AS APPROVED BY THE DESOTA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT THEIR NOVEMBER 28TH BOARD MEETING. I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. UM, OTHERWISE WE'D ASK YOU TO MAKE A A, A MO MOVEMENT ON THAT TONIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. CARLSON. UM, COUNSEL, I'M GONNA ASK FOR A MOTION AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO DISCUSSION TO FRAME AROUND THE MOTION, MAY I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE, APPROVE AS PRESENTED? SECOND. IT'S BEEN, UH, MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM SECOND, BUT I BELIEVE I HEARD MAYOR PRO TEM VERY FAINTLY. UH, GIVE THAT SECOND, UH, COUNCIL, IS THERE QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES, I DO. COUNCIL MEMBER. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. UH, THANK YOU MR. CARLTON FOR THE INFORMATION. UM, UH, TWO THINGS HAVE THIS ALREADY COME BEFORE THE, UH, DDC BOARD IT DID. WE HAD A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING ON THE 28TH WHERE THEY APPROVED THE DDC PORTION OF THIS. OKAY, THANK YOU. AND, UM, UM, UM, I KNOW THAT THAT BOARD IS VERY, UM, VERY PROFESSIONAL AND VERY THOROUGH. SO I'M SURE, UM, WE'VE READ ABOUT THE CLAWBACKS. WHAT I, THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS A MORE BROADER QUESTION. UM, THIS IS, WAS WAS BROUGHT ABOUT BECAUSE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN, UH, WHERE THE UTILITIES LOCATIONS WERE OR, OR SHOULD HAVE BEEN. CAN YOU, CAN YOU EXPOUND? CAN YOU JUST EDUCATE? I THINK IT'S A GOOD, I THINK IT'S GOOD THE RETURN ON INVESTMENTS, BUT IS THERE SOMETHING GOING ON THERE THAT, BECAUSE, UM, WHEN THEY CAME BEFORE US, THEY, THERE WAS NO REQUEST FOR FUNDING. NOW, UH, AS THEY BILL, THERE'S A REQUEST TO ASSIST. SO IS THERE, IS THERE NOT AN, OR MAYBE THIS IS FOR YOU MR. BREWER. IS THERE NOT AN INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN OF WHERE OUR UTILITIES ARE THAT BROUGHT ABOUT THIS, THIS NEED? I'M HAPPY TO ADDRESS THAT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO OR IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO TO DOWN. WE DEFINITELY KNOW OUR INFRASTRUCTURE. UH, ONE OF THE IMPACTS WAS THE WATER LINE THAT RUNS A PARALLEL TO, UM, EAST BELT LINE THAT WHEN THE DESIGN OF THE PROJECT STARTED, PARTICULARLY WITH THE, UH, TEXAS HEALTH FACILITY, FOR THEM TO PUT IN THEIR, UH, I THINK IT'S LIKE A 36 INCH DRAINAGE PIPE FOR STORM WATER TO COME FROM THE PROPERTY TO, TO CONNECT TO THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE IN BELTLINE, IT REQUIRED THE LOWERING OF THAT WATER LINE, WHICH IS MY UNDERSTANDING. THEY ORIGINALLY DIDN'T PROJECT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROJECT THAT THIS WA WATER LINE IS THE PRIMARY REASON. IS THERE ANY OTHER THING THAT YOU KNOW OF? UM, ? YEAH. YEAH. THE, SO THERE WATER, SEWER, AND THEN ON, ON ONSITE DETENTION OR THE REALLY, THE THREE COMPONENTS THAT CREATED THE LARGEST PORTION OF THESE CHANGES, UM, AS WE EXPANDED OR, OR REALLY UN UNDERWENT, ESSENTIALLY AS THEY BEGAN TO EXCAVATE AND FIND DIFFERENCES IN SOME OF THOSE, THOSE EXISTING UTILITIES, THEN THEY HAD TO START MAKING CHANGES TO THEIR PLANS. AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT CREATED THIS, THIS OPPORTUNITY. OKAY. AND SO WHEN THEY TRIED TO TIE INTO THE CITY'S SYSTEM, BOTH SEWER AND WATER, [03:05:01] WE HAD TO MAKE LINES CHANGES, IF YOU WOULD, FROM WHAT WAS ANTICIPATED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS. 'CAUSE REMEMBER, SEWER IS NOT PRESSURE, IT'S JUST GRAVITY. RIGHT? SO EVERYTHING HAS TO FLOW DOWNHILL. AND SO THOSE ARRANGEMENTS HAD TO BE MADE. THOSE ARRANGEMENTS TO MAKE THAT TIE IN HAPPENED TO BE WHERE THE CITY'S WATERLINE ENDED UP BEING. UM, WATERLINE WAS A DIFFERENT SIZE THAN WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY PROJECTED. THERE WERE JUST SORT OF A NUMBER OF FIELD SITUATIONS THAT THEY ENCOUNTERED. AS OFTEN HAPPENS IN THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, WHEN YOU PUT A SPADE IN THE GROUND, THIS JUST HAPPENS TO BE A 38,000 POUND SPADE. THOSE CHANGES, YOU KNOW, REQUIRE A WHOLE LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE AND IT HAS TO BE DONE OVER A LARGE AREA. 'CAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A 12 INCH PRESSURIZED MAIN WATER, RIGHT? WATER MAINE HAS TO BE, HAS TO BE LOWERED IN 40 FIVES AND RED DUG AND PUT BACK UP REMOBILIZE. THERE'S JUST A, A LOT OF COMPOUNDED EXPENSES HERE. I GUESS, I GUESS WHAT MY QUESTION IS, AND, AND, AND YOU'VE ANSWERED IT, WE KNOW THAT WE WANT THESE COMPANIES HERE. SURE. WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOOD COMPANIES. I JUST, I WAS TAKEN BACK, BUT BECAUSE I, I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE COULD DO TO ALLEVIATE A PROBLEM IN THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE AN INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN, THEN I DON'T KNOW WHY IT WASN'T CAUGHT ON THE FRONT END RATHER THAN THE BACK END. BUT WE KNOW WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO MAKE IT FEASIBLE FOR THEM. SO THAT WAS THE QUESTION. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER BUR COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. MAYOR. UM, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. CARLSON. WHAT I'M EXCITED TO SEE IS A THREE 80 AGREEMENT THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT. UH, I CAN'T EVEN UNDER YEAH, THERE'S A CHEER INSIDE THAT I CANNOT EXPLAIN. UM, WHAT I DO LIKE IS THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT WITH THE TWO PADS THAT WE ESTIMATED SALES TAX REVENUE, IT'S $9 MILLION ROUGHLY. RIGHT. UM, WE KNOW THAT STARBUCKS AND CHICK-FIL-A ARE IN THE TOP THREE RESTAURANTS IN THE WHOLE U-S-A-U-S OF A, SO WE WILL HAVE THEM BOTH AT THIS ONE INTERSECTION. RIGHT. SO DOING THE MATH ON THIS 137 AND $500,000, THAT'S ROUGHLY ABOUT JUST ABOUT 1.5% OF WHAT WE ARE GOING TO SEE BACK IN SALES TAX DOLLARS. THIS, BY FAR, HAS TO BE ONE OF THE, UH, BIGGEST HEIST THAT DESOTO WILL GET AWAY WITH IN A THREE 80 AGREEMENT, CONSIDERING THE OTHERS THAT WE'VE SEEN WHERE WE PUT OUT MUCH MORE FOR A VERY LONGER PERIOD OF TIME. IE COLE. RIGHT. WOULD YOU SAY THAT, SIR? I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT, WITH THAT STATEMENT, I GUESS. THANK YOU. THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I WOULD ADD, WHICH I'M PROBABLY SURE YOU COULD NOT DO TALK TO BECAUSE, UH, THE, UH, APPLICANT IS NOT HERE, IS THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PIECE TO THIS OH. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PIECE. UM, JUST TO ADD THE ICING TO THE CAKE, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT NOT ONLY WILL, UH, UH, BREEZE, WHICH IS TEXAS HEALTH RESOURCES, WHICH IS OPEN AND DOING GREAT IN CEDAR HILL, RIGHT. UM, WILL BE HERE, WHICH WILL BE FOR PROFESSIONAL FOLKS THAT WE HAVE, WE KNOW THROUGH TWO STUDIES, UH, OF OUR CHARTER THAT WE HAVE, UH, AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY. RIGHT. UM, WHAT IS THE JOB IMPACT FOR THIS AS WELL FOR OUR COMMUNITY? LIKE, HOW MANY JOB CREATIONS ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THAT THIS WILL ADD TO IT? 'CAUSE I'M, I JUST WANNA LAYER THIS ON TOP OF WHAT WE'RE GIVING VERSUS WHAT WE'RE GETTING OUT OF IT. SURE. I I CAN CERTAINLY GIVE YOU ESTIMATES OKAY. OF WHAT THOSE WILL LOOK LIKE. THR ANTICIPATES SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 10 AND 12, FULL-TIME, FULL-TIME EQUIVALENTS, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH JUST THE, THE HEALTH FACILITY. UM, THE, UH, STARBUCKS IS ANTICIPATING, UH, BETWEEN 20 AND 30 NEW EMPLOYEES, BUT ONLY ABOUT 10 OF THOSE ARE FULL-TIME. THE REST ARE, ARE PART-TIME CHICK-FIL-A IS ESTIMATING BETWEEN 50 TO 75 NEW EMPLOYEES. ABOUT 15 TO 20 OF THOSE ARE FULL-TIME. THE REST ARE PART-TIME. UM, AND WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT CO-LOCATION COULDN'T BE MORE ACCURATE. STARBUCKS WOULDN'T BE THERE IF IT WASN'T FOR CHICK-FIL-A THR WOULDN'T BE THERE IF IT WASN'T FOR STARBUCKS. HOW WE PACKAGE THOSE MATTERS. UM, AND THIS IS REALLY EXCITING TO SEE THIS PROJECT COMING FORWARD WITH THAT INTENT. YES. BEING INVESTED SINCE DAY ONE. I AM VERY, VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS ONE AND I THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO BRING GREAT SUCCESS TO BELTLINE FOR US THAT WE REALLY DESPERATELY NEED. SO THANK YOU FOR THIS. THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN. HAPPY TO DO SO. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. UH, IS THERE AN ORDINANCE TO BE READ? I THINK YOU MAY HAVE A QUESTION OVER HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL? YEAH. UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, THE QUESTION THAT I, I SIT IN WAS WANTING TO UNDERSTAND HOW DOES HIS CORONER PERFORMS AND I WAS VERY SPECIFIC IN ASKING HOW WAS DUTCH BROTHERS PERFORMING IN TERMS OF SALES TAXES? AND YOU NOTED THAT, THAT THAT'S INFORMATION, I GUESS YOU WHAT? OPEN RECORDS REQUEST THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO GET TO GET THAT INFORMATION. YOU COULDN'T OBTAIN IT WITH AN OPEN RECORDS REQUEST. [03:10:01] IT'S AGAINST THE STATE LAW FOR US TO REVEAL INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYERS SALES TAX. MM-HMM. . OKAY. SO THERE'S NO WAY TO, TO GET, OKAY. NO. ALRIGHT, SO HOW DO WE GET TO THE, THE, THE NONILLION, THE NONILLION NUMBER WAS THAT OVER TIME OVER, YOU KNOW WHAT THE, THE SALES TAX REVENUE THAT WAS QUOTED EARLIER MM-HMM. THAT, THAT FIGURE IS QUOTED OVER WHAT LENGTH OF TIME? SO THOSE, THOSE ARE THE ANTICIPATED SALES FIGURES ON A PER YEAR BASIS FOR THE TWO SALES TAX PRODUCING PADS COMBINED. OKAY. WE KNOW FROM, UH, OTHERS, OTHER CHICK-FIL-A'S WE, WE KNOW FROM CHICK-FIL-A THEMSELVES, WHAT THEIR AVERAGE UNIT SALES TAX ARE OR THAT THEIR AVERAGE UNIT SALES ARE. WE KNOW THE SAME NUMBER FROM STARBUCKS. USING SIMPLY THOSE, ASSUMING THESE DON'T OUTPERFORM THE AVERAGE UNITS, UH, IN, IN THE, BOTH OF THOSE SYSTEMS WILL ACHIEVE THAT $9 MILLION AFTER THEY STABILIZE THAT STABILIZATION LIKELY IS PROBABLY TO HAPPEN IN THE FIRST SIX TO 12 MONTHS AS THEY OPEN THEIR DOORS, TRAIN UP, GET THE, YOU KNOW, GET THEIR, THEIR CLIENTELE ESTABLISHED, IF YOU WILL. BUT UPON STABILIZATION, WE ANTICIPATE SEEING $9 MILLION. FRANKLY, WE EXPECT TO SEE MORE THAN THAT, BUT WE'RE CERTAINLY WILLING TO TAKE THEIR ESTIMATES OF THEIR AVERAGE UNIT PERFORMANCES AND USE THOSE AS OUR ESTIMATE GOING FORWARD. OKAY. SO WE GET 'EM BASED OFF, OFF THEIR BEST ESTIMATES. YEP. OH, OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THEN MY NEXT QUESTION, UM, JUST AS IT RELATES TO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ASKING IF YOU HAVE NOT, YOU ASKED NOT, SO THEY ASKED US FOR THIS. AND SO IN RETURN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SALES TAX DOLLARS THAT WE'RE GETTING, BUT IF WE DON'T DO THIS, UM, IS THIS, DOES THIS PUT THIS IN JEOPARDY? LIKE I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THE THREE 80 AGREEMENT FROM DDC, BUT FROM THE CITY, THESE IMPACT FEES ARE REVENUES THAT WE CAN GET AND WE'RE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, REVENUES, EXPENSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT RIGHT NOW. SO MY QUESTION RELATED TO IT IS, IS, IS ARE THEY NOT GOING TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT IF THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN, OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS IF, IF, IF THIS DOES MOVE FORWARD, I WOULD ONLY BE SPECULATING. OKAY. IN THAT REGARD, I CAN, I COULD TELL YOU WHAT THE, WHAT THE DEVELOPER SAYS TO THAT, BUT IT, IT IS ENTIRELY SPECULATION. WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE WOULD PROBABLY END UP WITH TWO OF THE THREE MM-HMM. WITH TWO, TWO OF THE THREE PROJECTS. OKAY. BUT THEY ALREADY, BUT TWO, THE TWO THAT ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY. OKAY. AND SO THEY, BUT THEY ALREADY HAVE CONTRACTS FOR ALL THREE. THEY HAVE CONTRACTS FOR ALL THREE. OKAY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSEL. UH, WE DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. THERE IS NO ORDINANCE. UM, SO AT THIS TIME, PLEASE USE YOUR VOTING PADS. COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL. OKAY. THAT MOTION PASSES. UH, FIVE TWO. THANK YOU, COUNSEL. UH, [2. Consider authorizing the City Manager to develop an employee policy for Standby Pay related to non-exempt employees serving in on-call capacities after normal business hours, and approving a FY 2024 Budget Amendment in the amount of $100,681.50 to fund Standby Pay] AT THIS TIME WE WILL HAVE OUR LAST REGULAR AGENDA ITEM. YES, MA'AM. CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO DEVELOP AN EMPLOYEE POLICY FOR STANDBY PAY RELATED TO NON-EXEMPT EMPLOYEES SERVING IN AN ON-CALL IN ON-CALL CAPACITIES AFTER NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS AND APPROVING A FISCAL YEAR 24 BUDGET AMENDMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $100,681 AND 50 CENTS TO FUND STANDBY PAY. MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS DENE GREENLEY, HR DIRECTOR. GOOD EVENING, MS. . GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MAYOR. UM, ONE OF THE FISCAL YEAR 23 BUSINESS GOALS FOR HR WAS TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN TOP QUALITY, UH, TALENT. UM, ONE OF THE CREATIVE WAYS THAT WE CAME UP WITH, ASIDE FROM THE COMPENSATION CLASS AND COMP STUDY WAS TO, UM, REWARD EMPLOYEES FOR BEING INCONVENIENCED. UM, AND I WENT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, TO THE EMPLOYEES AND ASKED THEM WHAT WOULD THEY LIKE TO SEE. AND ONE OF THE MAIN COMPLAINTS, ONE OF THE MAIN CONCERNS WAS THEY'RE HAVING TO BE ATTACHED TO A CELL PHONE, UM, FOR A WEEK AT A TIME, AND THEY'RE HAVING TO RESPOND. WE HAD A REALLY BAD COUPLE OF WINTERS, A PRETTY BAD COUPLE OF SUMMERS WHERE WE'VE HAD WATER MAIN BREAKS. UM, AND THEY'RE HAVING TO STAY WITHIN A 30 MINUTE RADIUS. THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO PARTAKE IN ALCOHOL, THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO GO OUT OF TOWN WITH THEIR FAMILIES. AND SO THEY WANTED TO BE COMPENSATED FOR THIS INCONVENIENCE. AND SO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF WRITING A STANDBY PAY POLICY, UM, WE DECIDED TO COMPENSATE THEM FOR THEIR INCONVENIENCE. IT'S A SMALL AMOUNT. IT'S $125. MOST DEPARTMENTS DO A WEEK AT A TIME, SEVEN DAY ROTATION. UM, MOST OF 'EM HAVE A TEAM. THEY HAVE AN ENTIRE TEAM THAT RESPONDS, UM, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF S-W-R-C-C. THEY DO TWO DAYS AT A TIME AND THEN THEY ROTATE OUT. UM, THAT WOULD BE COMPENSATED IN A $17 AND 85 CENTS PER DAY, UH, COMPENSATION FOR THEIR INCONVENIENCE. BUT THIS IS JUST A WAY FOR US TO GIVE BACK TO THEM, UM, TO [03:15:01] LET THEM KNOW THAT WE APPRECIATE THEIR TIME AND THEIR EFFORT TO RESPOND TO OUR CITIZENS WHEN THEY HAVE A, A NEED. UM, THROUGH MY INEXPERIENCE, I DID NOT KNOW THE RIGHT QUESTIONS TO ASK, AND SO THE CALCULATIONS WERE OFF. AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE AT YOUR MERCY ASKING FOR A BUDGET AMENDMENT SO THAT BEFORE WE EVEN START PAYING, UM, WE DON'T GO OVER. SO THANK YOU. I'M HERE FOR QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY. THANK YOU, MS. GREENLEY. UH, AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, IS THERE A MOTION? MADAM MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE APPROVE IS PRESENTED. SECOND. THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MAYOR PRO TEM. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BYRD TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED. UM, COUNSEL, ARE THERE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS I'M GONNA ASK THAT WE USE OUR ROUNDS, UM, SO THAT WE CAN STAY ON TARGET WITH TIME? UH, TOO MANY ROUNDS. THANK YOU, TOM. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. UM, THE QUESTION I HAVE IS AROUND, I HAD THIS DISCUSSION AND I WAS, IT WAS SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE WAY TO DO THIS IN ORDER TO GIVE BACK. I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IS, IS ARE WE SAYING THAT THE PEOPLE WHO WERE HIRED FOR THOSE POSITIONS WERE NOT TOLD THAT THERE WOULD BE THAT PARTICULAR ITEM THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO DO AS A PART OF THEIR, AND THEY'VE JUST NOW HAD A ACTUAL RAISE, PAY RAISE JUST RECENTLY OR, YOU KNOW, BEFORE MY TIME, BUT LET ME FINISH BECAUSE I, I WANNA MAKE SURE I GET MY, MY, MY TWO MINUTES. UM, AND, AND I, AND I'M HEARING THE WORD DEVELOP THAT THIS IS A NEW PRO, THIS IS A NEW PROGRAM. UM, I GUESS MY QUESTION AROUND THAT IS, ARE THEY NOT HIRED TO BE ON CALL? DID THEY NOT KNOW THAT THEY WERE GONNA BE ON CALL AND IS THIS A HUGE ISSUE? OKAY. UM, YES. THEY WEREN'T, THEY WERE TOLD THAT'S PART OF THE JOB DESCRIPTION THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ON CALL. BUT THESE ARE, UM, ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS. THESE ARE 39 TO $45,000 A YEAR JOBS. AND WITH INFLATION GOING UP AS IT IS, YES, THEY DID GET AN INCREASE, BUT THEY DON'T GET CERTIFICATION PAY OTHER THAN LANGUAGE, FOREIGN LANGUAGE PAY, AND, UM, EDUCATION PAY, WHICH IS ONLY 25, $50, A HUNDRED DOLLARS EXTRA A MONTH. UM, AND WITH STAFFING, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE ON CALL TWICE A MONTH FOR SEVEN DAYS AT A TIME, IT, IT, THE NUMBERS DON'T ADD UP. UM, SO IT'S, IT'S A WAY FOR THEY, THEY WERE AWARE THAT THEY WERE OKAY GOING TO BE ON CALL. YES. AND THE LAST QUESTION IS, IS, IS THAT, DOES THAT PLAY INTO OVERTIME AT ALL? SO IF THEY'RE CALLED BACK, THEY GET OVERTIME, THEY GET COMPENSATED FOR THAT. BUT IF THEY'RE ON CALL, THEY DO NOT GET PAID FOR IT AS IT STANDS. NOW, IF THEY'RE JUST ON CALL FOR SEVEN DAYS STRAIGHT AND THEY HAVE TO ANSWER A PHONE, UM, THEY DON'T GET PAID FOR IT. THEY ONLY GET PAID IF THEY ACTUALLY COME IN, IF THEY GET CALLED BACK INTO WORK. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER THIS CONVERSATION VERY EARLY ON. I BELIEVE THAT YOU PRESENTED THIS DURING OUR BUDGET LAST YEAR COULD HAVE BEEN, UM, WHERE WE HAD AN ISSUE OF RETENTION WHERE WE HAD AN ISSUE OF JUST BRINGING UP MORALE AND JUST DOING THINGS LIKE THAT. THE COUNCIL WENT OUT AND SPENT WELL OVER A MILLION DOLLARS TO, UH, GET COMPETITIVE SALARIES. RIGHT. UM, SOME DEPARTMENTS RECEIVING AS MUCH AS CLOSE TO 15% OF AN INCREASE. AM I RIGHT OR WRONG? CORRECT. UM, OF ALL OF THE GROUPS. SO WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING IS THIS PRIMARILY OUR, UM, 9 1 1, UM, FIRST RESPONDERS, OR DOES THIS INCLUDE OTHER DEPARTMENTS OUTSIDE OF THAT? THIS INCLUDES OTHER DEPARTMENTS. IT'S OUR NON-EXEMPT EMPLOYEES. SO IT WOULD BE ANIMAL CONTROL, UM, OUR WATER MAINTENANCE CREWS, OUR STREETS CREWS, AND OUR S-W-R-C-C 9 1 1 DISPATCH. AND THEN ONE, UH, OUR FIRE MARSHAL WHO DOES A ROTATION WITH THE FOUR O, UM, SURROUNDING CITIES. AND HE DOES A WEEK AT A TIME. SO IF WE HAVE A FIRE, HE HAS TO RESPOND AND HE HAS TO BE WITHIN THE VICINITY TO RESPOND. HE CAN'T GO HOME. GOTCHA. UM, I, I THINK DEFINITELY THAT AT SOME POINT, UM, WHEN WE SHOULD LOOK AT THAT IS THAT NOW I DON'T THINK SO HERE'S MY CONCERN IS MY CONCERN IS THAT WE'RE TALKING AND HAVING A MAJOR CONVERSATION TODAY ABOUT OUR BUDGET AND, UH, POSSIBLY CUTTING EXPENSES. I THINK IT'S KIND OF HARD TO THEN COME BACK AND SAY, LET'S ADD ANOTHER EXPENSE WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO REDUCE EXPENSES. DO I THINK THAT THIS IS A NICE GIVE BACK? YES. DO I THINK THAT, THAT WE SHOULD BE IN A CHARITY STATE AFTER EVERYTHING WE'VE ALREADY DONE? NO, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD TAKE A STEP BACK TABLE THIS UNTIL, YOU KNOW, AFTER WE FINISH THE BUDGET AND IF WE HAVE THE, THE EXPENSES, [03:20:01] THEN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. UM, AND SEE HOW THIS BUDGET SITUATION SHAKES OUT FIRST BEFORE WE COMMIT TO ANYTHING ELSE. I DON'T THINK IF WE KNEW THAT GOING INTO, UH, PRIOR YEARS THAT WE WOULD, THAT APPROVING ALL OF THAT WE HAVE WOULD GET US HERE, I THINK WE PROBABLY WOULD'VE MADE SOME DIFFERENT DECISIONS. SO I ASK THAT WE JUST HOLD OFF PLEASE. UH, MAYOR PRO. TIM, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I LIKE THE IDEA. UM, I'M EXCITED THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT STAFF IS HAPPY. DID YOU, DID, DID YOU SAY YOU HAD A CONVERSATION WITH SOME OF THEM ABOUT THIS AND, AND GOT SOME INSIGHT? WHAT WAS SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU GOT? UM, YES MA'AM. THEY, THEY FELT THAT JUST A, AN APPRECIATION LUNCHEON WAS NOT ENOUGH. UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY'VE BEEN ASKING FOR, I GUESS A LONG TIME BEFORE ME. UM, AND WITH STAFFING, THE WAY IT WAS THEM HAVING TO BE ON CALL TWICE A MONTH, THREE TIMES A MONTH, THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO GO OUTTA TOWN WITH THEIR FAMILY. THEY HAVE TO BE CONNECTED TO A PHONE AND THEY'RE MAKING $40,000 A YEAR. UM, THEY JUST WANTED SOME SORT OF COMPENSATION TO MAKE UP FOR THEIR INCONVENIENCE. UM, SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES THAT THEY POINTED OUT WERE DOING IT AS WELL. UM, SO I DID RESEARCH THAT MIDLOTHIAN WALKS AHEAD TO YOUR TWO CITIES THAT ARE DOING IT. CEDAR HILL IS WAITING TO SEE WHAT WE DO, AND THEN THEY'VE ALREADY ASKED ME FOR MY POLICY. OH, WOW. AND DID YOU GET AN AMOUNT THAT THOSE, SOME OF THOSE CITIES ARE PAYING? UM, IT'S ANYWHERE FROM 100 TO IN 25 TO $300 A WEEK FOR, FOR THAT. OKAY. ON-CALL PERIOD. THANK YOU DR. MARK. THANK YOU. DID YOU, UM, CONSIDER ANY OTHER TYPE OF INCENTIVE, UM, PERHAPS A HALF DAY OFF, LEAVING EARLY, GIVING SOME TIME BACK RATHER THAN, UH, MONEY? IS IT, I MEAN, HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THAT OR DID YOU GUYS CONSIDER IT? WE, WE HAVE CONSIDERED IT, BUT BASED OFF OF THE OPERATIONAL NEED OF STAFF TO BE HERE IN PERSON. MM-HMM. , UM, IT, IT'S JUST NOT PLAUSIBLE RIGHT NOW. MM-HMM. , WE HAVE SO MUCH WORK TO DO AND, AND NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE TO DO IT. RIGHT. I THANK YOU FOR THAT. I DO CONCUR WITH, UH, COUNCILWOMAN CHISHOLM. UH, I DO WANNA SEE THEM TAKEN CARE OF. HOWEVER, THE TIMING IS JUST OFF. UH, WE REALLY DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CONSCIOUS ABOUT OUR BUDGET RIGHT NOW. SO I'D LIKE TO JUST KIND OF TABLE THIS FOR RIGHT NOW. AND I KNOW THAT'S KIND OF SOUND LIKE YOU'VE HEARD THIS, THIS SONG AND DANCE BEFORE. HOWEVER, UH, WE ARE JUST AT THAT CRITICAL STATE RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR. ANY ADDITIONAL, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BEFORE WE VOTE? I HAVE A QUESTION. MADAM MAYOR, I HAVE A QUESTION. I'M SORRY. COUNCIL MEMBER, HOW MANY PEOPLE DOES THIS AFFECT ROUGHLY? HOW MANY PEOPLE IN YOUR DEPARTMENT? SO, I I I KNOW OUR PUBLIC UTILITIES ALWAYS HAS FOUR, UH, A CREW OF FOUR, UM, ON, ON CALL. THE S-W-R-C-C IS TWO PEOPLE PER DAY, UH, WHO ARE ON CALL STREETS IS FOUR STREETS IS FOUR AS WELL. UM, UH, IN A GIVEN WEEK, UH, ANIMAL CONTROL IS ONE. ANIMAL CONTROL IS ONE. AND FIRE MARSHAL. YEAH. EVERY OTHER ONE ONE WEEK A MONTH. CORRECT. YEAH. BUT THERE ARE THAT, THAT'S POSITIONS THAT ARE ON CALL THAT ROTATES AMONG ALL OF THE STAFF IN THOSE AREAS. MM-HMM. . OKAY. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, BIRD COUNCIL, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? YOU HAVE A COMMENT? YES. YEAH. I, I I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THE COUNCIL UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ON-CALL STATUS, UH, FOR US AS AN ORGANIZATION, RIGHT? SO CITIES ARE 24 HOUR A DAY ORGANIZATIONS, RIGHT? WE, WE DON'T CLOSE. UH, AND THAT, AND THAT MEANS THAT OUR EMPLOYEES WHO SIGN UP TO WORK FOR US ARE CONSTANTLY UNDER THAT SITUATION WHERE WE NEED THEM TO BE ON CALL FOR US ON A REGULAR BASIS. UM, FOR THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT'S WHY IT IS NOT, IT'S, I KNOW THIS IS A NEW THING FOR US, BUT IT IS CERTAINLY NOT UNCOMMON IN THE MUNICIPAL WORLD FOR THERE TO BE STANDBY AND, AND ON-CALL PAY, UM, FOR THAT ON IT. AND SO I UNDER, I DO UNDERSTAND THE BUDGETARY PART OF THIS, AND I, AND I GET THAT PART. I WOULD SAY IT IS, THAT IS PROBABLY A MUCH SMALLER COST FOR US TO MANAGE, UM, OVER TIME THAN TO HAVE HIGHER TURNOVER THAT'S CAUSED BY EMPLOYEES. UM, FOR THIS AS WELL AS KIND OF THE DIFFICULTY OF HIRING, UH, FOR THIS, IT IS, IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT ON-CALL PAY IS AN INCENTIVE THAT CITIES PAY TO HAVE EMPLOYEES RESTRICTED FROM WHAT THEY CAN DO ON, ON A REGULAR BASIS. SO I I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THE COUNCIL UNDERSTANDS THAT PART. UM, THAT IT IS, UH, THAT YES IT IS. IT'S, IT'S AN AMOUNT, UM, FOR THAT WHEN YOU CONSIDER ACROSS ALL THE DIFFERENT FUNDS, IT'S NOT A, A MAJOR AMOUNT, UM, FOR US. AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT ULTIMATELY, UH, HELPS US TO HAVE EMPLOYEES ON CALL ON A CONSISTENT BASIS FOR THAT AS OPPOSED TO HAVING, 'CAUSE REMEMBER WHEN WE HAVE A TOUGHER TIME HIRING PEOPLE, [03:25:01] IT ALSO MEANS THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE WORKING ON AN ALL CALL ON, ON-CALL STATUS MORE OFTEN WHEN THEY WORK ON AN ON-CALL STATUS MORE OFTEN. IT MEANS THEY'RE USUALLY HAPPIER WITH THAT AND TEND TO LOOK FOR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING TOO MUCH, UM, FOR THAT. SO IT IS A TOOL THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO MANAGE THAT ELEMENT FOR US, UM, FOR IT, AND I THINK IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THAT STRATEGY OF HOW IT IS YOU PROVIDE A PROPER, UM, PAY STRUCTURE THAT HELPS TO RETAIN THOSE EMPLOYEES OVER TIME. JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS SAID. SO THANK YOU. AND IF I MAY, ALSO, THEY CANNOT DECLINE TO COME IN IF THEY ARE ON CALL AND THEY CALL IN, THEY GET WRITTEN UP AND EVENTUALLY WILL BE TERMINATED. NO, THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER. RAPHAEL, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. SURE THING. UM, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE CERTAIN I UNDERSTAND. AND SO THIS WAS SOMETHING PLANNED FOR FY 24 AND UM, AND, AND, AND THEN ONCE YOU GOT INTO DOING THE CALCULATIONS, THIS IS IN ADDITION TO WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY BUDGETED FOR? NO, THIS IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT. THAT'S THE TOTAL AMOUNT FOR THE, FOR THE YEAR? YES. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. AND BUT THIS WAS A FY 24 INITIATIVE? YES. YES. OKAY. OKAY. UM, WOULD IT BE REASONABLE TO TABLE THIS UNTIL THE NEXT BUDGET SEASON AND, AND, AND, UM, PUT IT IN ALTOGETHER? AND THAT'S A QUESTION I'M ASKING YOU. CITY MANAGER, RIGHT? UM, AT THIS POINT. 'CAUSE UM, WELL, YOU HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TONIGHT. OH, OKAY. BUT THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IF IT FAILS, THEN I, I'M SORRY. THEN I GUESS THAT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT DISCUSSION. OKAY. AND THEN, UM, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE, IT WAS 15, 1, 1, 2, 4, AND FOUR. WAS THAT THE NUMBER? GENERALLY SPEAKING? IT WAS 15. WAS IT 15 WATER ONE? NO ANIMAL CONTROL WAS A WATER MAINTENANCE IN OUR LABOR SERVICES BE ABOUT 22. 22. OKAY. 22. FOUR. FOUR AND TWO ROUGHLY? YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL, UM, I, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE, I'VE HEARD A LOT OF COMMENTS, UH, WELL HEARD EVERYONE'S COMMENTS RATHER, UH, REGARDING THAT. I GUESS, UH, KIND OF KEEPING IN MIND, AGAIN, JUST TRYING TO WEIGH OUT BOTH SIDES OF IT AND LOOKING AT THE COST OF VACANCIES VERSUS THE COST THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US. UM, I, I WOULD DARE SAY THE COST OF A VACANCY WOULD COST US A LOT MORE CONSIDERING WE JUST, LIKE, I THINK SOMEONE BROUGHT IT UP ABOUT, YOU KNOW, JUST THE, THE PERIOD THAT WE'VE RECENTLY WENT THROUGH WITH, UM, SOME OF THE VACANCIES AND LOOKING AT HOW TO RETAIN, UM, EMPLOYEES, ATTRACT AND RETAIN EMPLOYEES. AND SO, UM, THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS I'VE CONSIDERED. BUT COUNSEL, WE DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, UH, TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED. UM, PLEASE USE YOUR VOTING PADS. COUNCILMAN , THAT MOTION FAILS. FOUR THREE. THANK YOU, COUNSEL. UM, AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, FOR THIS EVENING. UM, HOWEVER, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE KNOW THAT THIS IS CITY MANAGER RIGHTS, UH, LAST MEETING HERE AS THE, UH, OFFICIAL DESOTO, CITY OF DESOTO, CITY MANAGER. UM, I WANTED TO JUST ALLOW COUNSEL IF THEY HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. I KNOW WE'VE, WE'VE SHARED, UH, MANY THINGS AND THEN WE HAVE AN EVENT ON FRIDAY AS WELL. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WE'LL HAVE MORE TIME TO SHARE THEN, BUT I JUST WANTED TO ALLOW IF THERE ARE ANY, AND THEN ALSO ALLOW CITY MANAGER, RIGHT? IF HE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME PARTING COMMENTS, UM, TO DO SO. YES, MAYOR PORT TIM. OH, IS HE GOING FIRST? SURE. WELL, NO, YOU CAN, YOU CAN, HE'LL, HE'LL LEAVE US OFF AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION. OKAY, GO AHEAD. SO, UH, MR. WRIGHT, I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU THE BEST CITY MANAGER I EVER HAD. , I THANK, BUT I HAVE TRULY ENJOYED WORKING WITH YOU. EVEN WHEN WE DIDN'T, MIGHT NOT HAVE SEEN EYE TO EYE, JUST A COUPLE OF SMALL THINGS. WE KNEW HOW TO HANDLE IT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T EVEN THINK ANYBODY KNEW. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S HOW YOU, YOU MOVE THE NEEDLE FORWARD AND IT, AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE LEAVING, YOU WILL BE A LOSS. YOU'VE BEEN KIND OF QUIET THESE LAST FEW WEEKS AND I'M FEELING IT, YOU KNOW, AND YOU'VE BEEN HERE. SO, UM, MAGNIFICENT JOB. THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING ATTENTIVE. YOU HAVE READ SET THE BAR, SO I'M GONNA ALWAYS BE LOOKING FOR THE TEXTS AND THE UPDATES AND BEING AT EVERYTHING AND, YOU KNOW, AND THE NEXT CITY MANAGER AND, UM, JUST BEING THERE FOR US. I MEAN, A GOOD STRONG BACKBONE SUPPORT SYSTEM. AND, UM, YOU DEFINITELY HAVE, UH, SHOWN ME WHAT A TRUE CITY MANAGER AND, [03:30:01] AND SHOULD BE AND THE KNOWLEDGE. SO I APPRECIATE YOU AND I HOPE FROM TIME TO TIME YOU DO COME BACK AND VISIT OR AT LEAST PICK UP THE PHONE AND SAY, HEY, Y'ALL, I'M, I'M HERE. WE ARE DOING WELL. ANYTHING I CAN DO FOR YOU? NO, JUST KIDDING. BUT, UH, BEST OF LUCK TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. BEST WISHES TO THE KIDS AND, AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR SUPPORT, ALWAYS. THANK YOU, MAYOR PROTI, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. AND SO, AS THE NEWEST COUNCIL MEMBER, AND I WILL NOT USE THAT AFTER WE TURN INTO 2024, I WILL SAY THAT UP UNTIL DECEMBER 31ST, THAT POINT, I'M NO LONGER NEW, BUT I DO APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE, UH, CITY MANAGER, RIGHT? UH, YOU'VE MADE IT A LITTLE EASIER, AS A NEW COUNCIL MEMBER. AND, UM, THE CONVERSATIONS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN, UM, FRUITFUL. AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT. AND AS, UH, AS MAYOR PER TIM SAID, YES, YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ATTENTIVE WHEN I ASK A QUESTION OR, YOU KNOW, DIG INTO SOMETHING YOU DO, DO YOUR ABSOLUTE BEST TO GIVE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE SO THAT YOU CAN HELP ME BE BETTER THAN I WAS. AND SO, I DO WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WELL IN YOUR NEW ENDEAVORS, AND I HOPE YOU WILL LOOK LIGHTLY AND, AND FONDLY OF, UH, DESOTO. 'CAUSE UH, WE DO. WE DO. AND WE'LL MISS YOU. THANK YOU. I YIELD BACK. THANK YOU, UH, COUNCILMAN BY THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. AND, UM, UM, I DON'T CALL YOU THIS IN PUBLIC, BUT BRANDON, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I, UM, BROUGHT ORDER TO OUR FIVE YEAR PLAN. YOU BROUGHT A STRUCTURE THAT WE, THAT WE USE THAT HAVE KEPT US ORGANIZED. UH, YOU KEPT US INVOLVED, AND I, I PERSONALLY APPRECIATE THAT. BUT, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DID IT FROM THE DEATH OF A MAYOR TO THE GREAT FREEZE, TO THE PANDEMIC, TO THE GREAT RECESSION OR RESIGNATION. UH, ALL OF THAT, YOU, YOU'VE DONE IT WITH WITH CLASS, YOU'VE DONE IT WITH STYLE, YOU'VE DONE IT IN LIEU OF HEART, HEART CONVERSATIONS, AND SOMETIME BAD SITUATIONS. UM, I, I TELL YOU, I'M, I AM PROUD TO CALL YOU MY FRIEND, AND WE WILL TRULY MISS YOU FROM THE CITIZENS THAT I HAVE SPOKEN TO. UM, THEY SHARE MY SENTIMENTS AND, UH, BELIEVE THAT WE COULD NOT HAVE HIRED BETTER. SO THANK YOU FOR MAKING US LOOK GOOD FOR SO MANY YEARS AND FOR BEING INVOLVED IN BEING THERE. WE, WE PRAY GOD'S BLESSING OVER YOUR LIFE AND, UH, OVER YOUR NEXT CAREER. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BY DR. MARK. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. I THINK, UH, BY COMING IN THIS POSITION FOR A THIRD OR FOURTH IS NOT VERY MUCH MORE LEFT TO SAY. UM, BUT THE TWO THINGS THAT I HAVE REALLY, REALLY ENJOYED ABOUT YOU, THOSE THINGS ARE YOU WERE VERY RESPONSIVE WHENEVER I CALLED, WHENEVER I TEXT, IF YOU WERE IN A MEETING, YOU MADE SURE YOU CALLED ME BACK. YOU, YOU, YOU WERE ALWAYS THERE. AND THEN, OF COURSE, ACCESSIBLE. YOU ARE VERY ACCESSIBLE. SO THOSE THINGS I REALLY DO APPRECIATE. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU TO YOUR WIFE FOR SHARING YOU WITH US. UH, I KNOW IT HASN'T PROBABLY BEEN EASY. YOU HAVE SEVEN BOSSES UP HERE, AND THAT'S NOT EASY. SO, UH, I DO WISH YOU WELL. I WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WELL AS YOU MOVE FORWARD, UH, ON YOUR JOURNEY. THANK YOU. YES. MM-HMM, , I WANNA WISH YOU WELL AS WELL. I SAY, UM, DEFINITELY SAY THANK YOU TO YOUR WIFE. I'M PRETTY C CERTAIN SHE HEARD SOME STORIES, SO NOW YOU, SHE GETS TO HAVE YOU BACK AND THE FAMILY GETS TO HAVE YOU BACK. UM, THANK YOU FOR ENTERING MY 11:00 PM 12:00 AM 1:00 AM 2:00 AM EMAILS THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO DO. I KEPT SAYING AT LIKE, DO NOT ANSWER THIS. THIS IS JUST WHEN I WORK, BUT YOU WORK TOO. SO I DO APPRECIATE YOUR RESPONSIVENESS ON THAT. AND, UM, THE ORDER OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF COMING IN AND, YOU KNOW, CREATING, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING OF SEMBLANCE THAT WOULD BE EASY FOR THE NEXT PERSON TO WALK INTO, INTO CARRY FORWARD. SO, ENJOY, UM, YOUR TIME, UM, FOR THE HOLIDAYS. I HOPE YOU CAN ENJOY IT. AND, UH, BEST WISHES TO YOU AND CITY OR TROPHY CLUB. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CHISEL. THANK YOU. I'LL BE SHORT AND SWEET. I WISH YOU WELL AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO DESOTO. THANK YOU. I'M GONNA TAKE A PAGE FROM COUNCILMAN BIRD'S BOOK. THIS IS NOT A NAME THAT I CALL YOU PUBLICLY, UM, BUT BWES, WE WILL, UM, TRULY MISS YOU. AND I'M GONNA GET THE CITY RIGHT THIS TIME, THE CITY OF TROPHY CLUB. THERE YOU GO. UH, IS BLESSED TO HAVE YOU. UM, I THINK EVERYBODY HAS SAID IT ALREADY, SO I WON'T BELABOR. AND PLUS I'LL PROBABLY, UM, PUT TOGETHER A ROUTINE FOR FRIDAY, SO FOR YOUR PARTY ON FRIDAY. SO I'LL, I'LL GET YOU OVER [03:35:01] THERE. BUT WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE YOU AND JUST ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE, THE LEVEL OF EXCELLENCE THAT YOU DO IT IN. AND SO WE WE'RE, I'M GLAD TO KNOW YOU AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU DO GREAT THINGS, UH, IN TROPHY CLUB. YEAH. AND, AND, AND I, I SIMPLY WANT TO, TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL FOR, AGAIN, FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT, FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR THE FACT THAT YOU DO CALL ME AND TEXT AND SEND EMAILS ALL, ALL DAY LONG. YOU KNOW, THAT WHAT, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT WE HAVE A CITY COUNCIL WHO CARES, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT. THIS WORK IS ABOUT TRYING TO SERVE THE RESIDENTS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE CREATING THE GREATEST CITY THAT WE CAN. THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN EASILY. UM, PEOPLE DON'T, DO NOT GET TO SEE THE WORK THAT YOU PUT INTO THIS JOB, UM, FOR IT. THE ONE THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU EARN VERY, VERY LITTLE MONEY FOR, UM, FOR IT. BUT IT, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT AMOUNT OF WORK INSPIRES ME. IT INSPIRES OUR STAFF TO BE ABLE TO, UH, TO MEET THE RESIDENTS' NEEDS, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A GREAT CITY FOR THEM TO LIVE IN AND TO BE PART OF. UM, FOR THAT, I, I DO WANNA THANK MY WIFE, MY FAMILY, UM, THAT THEY, THEY ARE WONDERFUL, UM, ON IT. IF YOU GET INTO THIS, YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S, IT BECOMES KIND OF A FAMILY GIG, UM, FOR IT BECAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE PART OF THE COMMUNITY. WE, WE FEEL THE COMMUNITY, WE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE SHARE IN ITS SUCCESSES. WE FEEL ITS FAILURES, YOU KNOW, ALL ALL THAT TOGETHER. AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR SUPPORT BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN, UM, HAS BEEN BECAUSE OF THEM THAT IT'S POSSIBLE. YEAH. UM, SO, SO I, I JUST WANNA THANK THEM FOR, UH, FOR THAT PART. AND, AND, AND THEN TO THE STAFF, THE WONDERFUL STAFF THAT WE HAVE, WHO IS THE VERY BEST STAFF IN THE ENTIRE WORLD, UM, TO WORK WITH. YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN YOU COME TO WORK EVERY DAY AND YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE BEST PEOPLE, IT MAKES LIFE VERY ENJOYABLE, UM, FOR IT. AND SO I WANT TO THANK, YOU KNOW, I, I CAN'T START NAMING NAMES BECAUSE THERE WILL BE WAY TOO MANY OF THEM, BUT EVERYONE WHO, WHO, UH, WE WORK WITH IT IS A TREMENDOUS STAFF. AND THEY, UH, THEY, THEY DESERVE ALL THE CREDIT IN THE WORLD FOR WHAT HAPPENS AND GOES ON HERE. UM, IT'S VERY EASY FOR SOMEONE TO END UP AND SAY, THAT WAS ALL ME. IT CERTAINLY WAS NOT, UM, WITH IT, IT WAS BECAUSE OF THIS COUNCIL. IT'S BECAUSE OF THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE, IT'S 'CAUSE OF OUR RESIDENTS ALL WORKING TOGETHER. THAT'S WHY THIS ORGANIZATION IS ON ITS WAY TO GREATNESS. UH, IT'S BECAUSE EVERYONE IS WORKING TOGETHER IN THAT WAY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. UH, DE SODA WILL FOREVER BE PART OF MY, MY HEART AND PART OF THE, THE COMMUNITY THAT I LOVE. I'M EXCITED TO COME BACK AND TO SHARE IN THE SUCCESSES OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, UM, FOR THAT. SO I EXPECT INVITES, UH, TO THOSE, UH, FORWARD TO BE BACK AND TO BE PART OF, OF THAT SUCCESS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CITY OF DESOTO FOR YOUR SUPPORT DURING THIS TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, [I. EXECUTIVE SESSION AND RESULTING POTENTIAL ACTION] WE DO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, SO WE'LL HAVE THAT READING FROM MS. THOMAS. THE CITY COUNCIL WILL CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTION 5, 5, 1 0.074 PERSONNEL MATTERS OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE TO DELIBERATE THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT, AND DUTIES OF THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER, AND ANY ACTION AS A RESULT. THANK YOU. UM, IT IS 9:41 PM AND WE WILL CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE WILL RETURN, UM, AND NOTE ANY ACTION AS A RESULT OF IT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. IT IS 10:19 PM AND, UH, COUNSEL HAS, UH, ADJOURNED OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THERE IS NO ACTION AS A RESULT OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO, COUNSEL, AT THIS TIME, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SO MOVED. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM, SECOND BY MAYOR PROTE HUGHES TO ADJOURN. COUNCIL. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL, WE ARE NOW ADJOURNED AT 10:20 PM HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYBODY. WE WILL SEE YOU OVER IN THE NEW YEAR. YEP. SEE YOU NEXT YEAR. THANK YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.