[00:00:01]
THE CITY SECRETARY AND MEETING ROOM BY FOUR 10.UM, SO THAT WE CAN GET OUR MEETINGS KICKED OFF.
MAYOR PROTE, IF I MAY? YES, JUST, UH, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UM, HONORABLE MAYOR PROTE AND, AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
UH, WHAT IT READS ON THE AGENDA ITEM IS THE, ON THE MINI BUDGET WORK SESSION, WORK WORKSHOP.
IT'S 5:00 PM UH, AT THE COUNCIL CHAMBER OR IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING EXECUTIVE SESSION.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT NOTE.
IT IS 5:12 PM IT'S TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2ND.
I'M MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR, AND I WANNA WELCOME YOU ALL TO OUR MINI BUDGET WORKSHOP AND I WANNA CALL IT TO ORDER.
UM, WE DID CONVENE OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 5:10 PM AND COUNSEL, IS THERE ANY ACTION AS A RESULT OF OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION? THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION TO ACCEPT THE HONORABLE JUDGE SCOTT KURT RETIREMENT FROM THE POSITION OF THE PRESIDING JUDGE FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO.
EFFECTIVE NO, DEC, JANUARY, JANUARY 31ST, 2026.
AND I WOULD, THERE IS A, UH, A MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND A SECOND, UM, COUNCILWOMAN, DID YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL REMARKS? CUT YOUR MIC ON.
I WAS GONNA ASK THE JUDGE IF HE WANTED TO HAVE ANY COMMENTS.
UH, THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
COUNCIL ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
COUNCIL, IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL ACTION AS A RESULT OF OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION? YES.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPOINTS LA GARRISON REYNOLDS INTO THE INTERIM CITY SECRETARY, UM, POSITION IMMEDIATELY.
THAT WAS A SECOND FROM YOU, MRS. NORTH.
WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO, UH, FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF INTERIM CITY SECRETARY FOR MS. LAGAR RENOS.
WE HAVE A SECOND COMING FROM COUNCIL MEMBER NORTH COUNCIL.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[B. MINI BUDGET WORKSHOP AGENDA - CALL TO ORDER 1. Proposed FY2026 Budget Update]
UM, THANK YOU COUNCIL.AT THIS TIME WE WILL GO INTO, WE WILL CALL OUR MINI BUDGET WORKSHOPS TO ORDER AT 5:14 PM AND I'M GONNA GIVE THAT OVER TO OUR CITY MANAGER, MR. MAJE FRI.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND, AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
ACTUALLY, I'M, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO OUR INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR, LAKITA SETTON, TO, UH, GO OVER THE ITEMS. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I AM PLEASED TO BRING TO YOU OUR PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET UPDATE.
UH, AS YOU ARE AWARE, THIS IS OUR SECOND MEETING TO DISCUSS BUDGET.
UH, WE HAD AN ORIGINAL PROPOSED BUDGET THAT WE PROVIDED TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN JULY, AND SINCE THEN WE'VE HAD, UM, SOME, UH, THINGS THAT WE'VE ADDED MM-HMM
WE'VE, UH, REASSESSED SOME THINGS AND, UH, LOOKED AT, UM, PROGRAMMING AGAIN.
AND SO I'M BRINGING FORWARD TO YOU THOSE CHANGES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE SINCE THEN.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT IS OUR PROPOSED BUDGET AGAIN, UH, THE ORIGINAL ONE THAT YOU RECEIVED IN JULY.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THE MAJOR BUDGET UPDATE SINCE THEN, WHAT THE PROPOSED UPDATED NUMBERS LOOK LIKE.
WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT PROPOSED PERSONNEL CHANGES, THE ONBOARDING OF THE GOLF CLUB AND WHERE WE STAND AS OF NOW.
SO THE NUMBERS THAT YOU SEE HERE ARE THE ORIGINAL BUDGET NUMBERS THAT WERE PROVIDED TO YOU ALL IN JULY.
AND THESE ARE OUR MAJOR FUNDS THAT ARE LISTED HERE.
UH, OF COURSE, OUR CHIEF OPERATING FUND IS GONNA BE OUR GENERAL FUND.
IN THE ORIGINAL PROPOSED BUDGET, WE WERE PROPOSING 71.5 MILLION IN REVENUE IN FISCAL YEAR 26 AND 71.501 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES.
WE WERE LOOKING AT ABOUT A $33,640 SURPLUS AT THAT TIME IN THE ENTERPRISE FUND.
WE WERE LOOKING AT 56.6 MILLION IN REVENUE VERSUS 70.3 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES.
AND THAT LEFT US WITH A $13,729,697.
UM, DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES AND ALSO IN THE DEBT SERVICE FUND.
UH, WE WERE LOOKING AT 13.5 MILLION IN REVENUE,
[00:05:01]
15.9 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES AND A $2.4 MILLION DIFFERENCE.THAT IS WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT IN JULY.
MOVING FORWARD, LET'S LOOK AT THE, THE TOPICS OF THE MAJOR BUDGET CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED SINCE THEN.
WE HAVE HAD CHANGES WITH THE AQUATICS AND RECREATION CENTER, OUR SALARIES AND BENEFITS.
WE HAVE CHANGED THE STRUCTURE OF THE DESOTO CARE TEAM AS WELL AS REASSESSED SOME DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS.
WE CAN TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO THESE.
BUT, UH, THE AQUATICS AND RECREATION CENTER, THE MAIN THING THAT THAT IS, UH, LISTED THERE, AS YOU'RE GONNA SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, UH, THE EXPENDITURES IN THAT DEPARTMENT HAVE, UH, CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY.
WE WERE ORIGINALLY LOOKING AT 9.8 MILLION, UH, WHICH WAS SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM PRIOR YEAR DUE TO THE OPENING OF THE AQUATIC CENTER.
NOW WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT EXPENDITURES OF 8.4 MILLION, AND THAT IS OF COURSE, A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE DUE TO, UM, THE PROSPECT OF US BRINGING ON BOARD, UH, THE SPORTS FACILITY ADVISORY, WHICH IS, UM, A FIRM THAT WE WERE, UH, LOOKING AT LETTING DO THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS FOR THE CITY.
SO WITH THAT CHANGE, OF COURSE, THERE WERE ABOUT 51 POSITIONS THAT WERE ORIGINALLY IN THE BUDGET IF THE CITY WERE GONNA BE RUNNING IT VERSUS TAKING THOSE POSITIONS OUT NOW.
SO THAT GAVE US SIGNIFICANT CHANGE THERE.
UM, OKAY, WE'LL LOOK AT THESE IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL.
UM, SO NOW THESE ARE THE UPDATED PROPOSED, SO SIX POINT 69.94 MILLION IN REVENUE, 69.5 MILLION EXPENDITURES.
SO THAT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE FROM OUR 33,000 OVER.
AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT $409,412 OVER IN THE GENERAL FUND OVER IN REVENUE.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE, UH, THE DIFFERENCE THAT'S LISTED THERE IN THE ENTERPRISE AND DEBT SERVICE FUND AS WELL.
BEFORE YOU START, COUNSEL, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
UM, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT ON ME TO CALL YOU SINCE IT, I'M SURE THERE'LL BE LOTS OF QUESTIONS GOING BACK AND FORTH.
CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDE YOU SAID? UH, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION SO FAR.
I KNOW I'M NOT GONNA, UH, STOP, I'M NOT TRYING TO STOP ALL THE OTHER STUFF, BUT YOU SAID THAT IT WAS OVER 409.
IS IT REALLY UNDER OR OVER? SO WE'RE OVER IN REVENUE.
SO WE HAVE 409,000 MORE IN REVENUE THAN WE DO IN EXPENDITURES.
AND THEN THE OTHER TWO ARE UNDER IN REVENUE ENTERPRISE FUND.
UM, MAYOR, IF I MAY, UM, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER AS USUALLY YOU HAVE, UM, UM, AN AN UNDER OVER BECAUSE OF THE EXPENDITURES IN THE CAPITAL PROGRAM, THE CAPITAL PROGRAM LAGS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE EXPENSES HIGHER THAN, UH, EXPENSES HIGHER THAN REVENUES.
YEAH, I WAS GONNA SAY ALSO BECAUSE IF YOU WERE LOOKING AT JUST THE REGULAR WATER SEWER FUND, WHICH IS FUND 5 0 2, NORMALLY THAT FUND BRINGS IN ABOUT 30 MILLION.
SO HERE YOU HAVE COMBINED ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
SO THIS ALSO, UH, IMPROVE, UH, INVOLVES, UH, WATER SEWER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THEN THE DEBT SERVICE IS OVER OR UNDER DEBT SERVICE IS, UH, WE HAVE, UM, THE WAY THAT OUR STRUCTURED PAYMENTS ARE GOING, UH, FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND SO WE HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS.
HOWEVER, THE DEBT SERVICE FUND HAS A VERY SIGNIFICANT FUND BALANCE.
AND SO, UM, WE DON'T, WE DON'T SUSPECT ANY PROBLEMS TO GO THERE.
BUT YES, WE WILL HAVE MORE, UM, EXPENDITURES THIS YEAR DUE TO OUR INCREASED DEBT PAYMENTS.
NOW, WE'LL, WE WILL WALK THROUGH THE PROPOSED PERSONNEL CHANGES FOR FISCAL YEAR 26.
WE HAVE A COMMUNITY SERVICE IN, IN EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE ADDING ONE POSITION IN TWO RECLASSIFICATIONS.
WE HAVE THE ADDITION OF A PART-TIME DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST, THE RECLASS OF THE HEALTH INSPECTOR FROM GRADE 1 0 9 TO GRADE ONE 14, THE RECLASS OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS COORDINATOR FROM 1 0 7 TO ONE 12.
THAT GIVES US A TOTAL INCREASE IN THAT DEPARTMENT OF 49,854 IN PERSONNEL CHANGES IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
WE ARE PROPOSING THREE POSITIONS BE ADDED AND
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THREE RECLASSIFICATIONS, TWO FULL-TIME FACILITIES MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN, ONE PART-TIME FACILITIES MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN, AND THE RECLASS OF A SENIOR CUSTODIAN FROM GRADE 1 0 2 TO GRADE 1 0 5.THESE COSTS ARE OFFSET, UH, BY TRANSITIONING THE MAINTENANCE FUNCTION TO IN-HOUSE VERSUS CONTRACTED.
WE HAVE A RECLASS OF A SENIOR TRAFFIC TECHNICIAN FROM A GRADE 1 0 8 TO TRAFFIC SUPERVISOR GRADE 1 0 9, RECLASS OF A PLANNING TECHNICIAN, GRADE 1 0 4 TO PROJECT COORDINATOR GRADE 1 0 6 FOR A TOTAL INCREASE IN THAT DEPARTMENT BY $10,128.
IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE THREE RECLASSIFICATIONS, AN ADMIN ASSISTANT, THREE GRADE 1 0 7 TO A BUDGET ANALYST IN GRADE ONE 10 CLASSIFIED COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICER.
GRADE 1 0 4 TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SUPERVISOR, GRADE 1 0 7, RECLASS OF A COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICER, GRADE 1 0 4 TO A PUBLIC SERVICE OFFICER.
GRADE 1 0 4, 1 SERGEANT AND ONE POLICE OFFICER ARE REASSIGNED FROM THE CARE TEAM BACK TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THAT GIVES A TOTAL OF $17,031 INCREASE IN PERSONNEL IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
ONE POSITION ADDED REGIONAL EMS TRAINING OFFICER, THAT IS A SHARE COST, UH, BETWEEN PARTNER CITIES WITH THE INCREASE OF 38,500 IN FIRE TRAINING, ONE POSITION BEING ADDED, A PART-TIME ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT FOR A COST OF $22,939.
AND INFORMATION OF TECHNOLOGY.
ONE RECLASSIFICATION RECLASSIFY A MANAGER OF IT, GRADE ONE 15 TO AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF IT, GRADE ONE 17 FOR A TOTAL INCREASE OF $10,797 IN MUNICIPAL COURT.
ONE RECLASS, ONE POSITION ADDED AND ONE CONTRACTUAL.
WE ARE ADDING A CITY MARSHAL RECLASSIFYING A COURT SERVICES GRADE ONE 15 TO A DIRECTOR OF COURT SERVICES GRADE ONE 16.
UM, UH, RECLASSING FROM A MANAGER TO A DIRECTOR FROM ONE 15 TO ONE 16, A PART-TIME CONTRACTUAL SERVICE.
MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE THAT GIVES US A TOTAL INCREASE IN THE COURT OF $35,607 IN ECONOMIC MS. SUTTON, I'M SORRY, GO BACK TO THE JUDGE.
THAT IS THE NET OF ALL OF THOSE CHANGES BECAUSE IF WE ARE, WE'RE ADDING, SO IS THE MUNICIPAL JUDGE STILL BUDGETED IN THAT, IN THOSE NUMBERS? YES.
AND WE'RE JUST ADDING A, A CONTRACTUAL, UH, COURT JUDGE, I DON'T KNOW IF I UNDERSTAND MAGIC.
DO YOU WANNA, IS IS THAT 35,000 THE NET OF ALL OF THE CHANGES THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COURSE? YES, IT IS.
IF I MAY CLARIFY, IF YOU CAN GO BACK TO, TO SLIDE SEVEN.
UH, ON, ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
JUST, UH, UH, JUST A CLARIFICATION.
THERE'S REALLY A ZERO, UH, INCREASE, UH, FOR THAT FIRE POSITION.
THE EMS TRAINING OFFICER THAT USED TO BE A CONTRACTUAL SERVICE AND WE'RE PULLING IT OUT OF THE CONTRACT AND PUTTING IT AS ONE FOURTH, UH, UH, POSITION.
AND SO WE'RE PAYING, THE FOUR CITIES ARE PAYING FOR IT.
UH, SO THERE'S, THERE'S REALLY A ZERO INCREASE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
ONE, RECLASSIFICATION RECLASSIFYING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR, GRADE ONE 10 TO A MANAGEMENT ANALYST, GRADE ONE 13 FOR AN INCREASE OF $27,152 N-S-W-R-C-C TWO POSITIONS ADDED.
AND WE'RE GONNA RECLASS FOUR PART-TIME EMERGENCY DISPATCHERS, GRADE PS ONE TO TWO FULL-TIME EMERGENCY DISPATCHERS FOR A TOTAL OF $52,060 IN PUBLIC UTILITIES.
TWO POSITIONS ADDED FOUR RECLASSIFICATIONS, A FULL-TIME MAINTENANCE SENIOR METER TECHNICIAN, A FULL-TIME METER TECHNICIAN AND AND RECLASS FOUR FIELD OPERATIONS SUPERVISORS FROM GRADE 1 0 7 TO GRADE 1 0 9 FOR A TOTAL INCREASE OF $295,195.
ONE FULL-TIME STREET SWEEPER AND A FULL-TIME SANITATION COORDINATOR FOR A TOTAL OF $286,211
[00:15:05]
IN THE DESOTO CARE TEAM.THREE POSITIONS, TWO FULL-TIME PARAMEDICS, ONE FULL-TIME SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDER, $323,193 IN PARKS AND RECREATION.
THREE RECLASSIFICATIONS RECLASSIFYING, ONE YOUTH AND BUSINESS SUPERVISOR, GRADE ONE 12 TO ADMINISTRATIVE SUPERINTENDENT, GRADE ONE 14 RECLASS A MARKETING COORDINATOR, GRADE 1 0 5 TO A MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR, GRADE ONE 10 AND RECLASS A RECREATION SUPERVISOR, GRADE 1 0 7 TO A RECREATION SUPERVISOR, GRADE 1 0 9.
THAT GIVES US A TOTAL OF TWO $20,287.
MS. SUTTON, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
UM, I HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CARE TEAM, UM, BECAUSE I, WITH ALL THE OTHERS, THE LAST TWO ARE LISTED AS COST, NOT NECESSARILY INCREASED OR DECREASED COSTS.
WHAT ARE WE CURRENTLY PAYING TODAY FOR CARE'S TEAM? AND BECAUSE THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO COMPARISON OF THIS REORG VERSUS THIS, UH, WHAT WAS, SURE.
AND WHILE YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT TOO, I GUESS C CITY MANAGER, THIS QUESTION IS FOR YOU.
I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST RECLASS I'VE SEEN IN A BUDGET SEASON.
UM, I'M COUNTING MAYBE CLOSE TO A MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, AND JUST, UM, RECLASSIFICATION COST, UM, FROM THE SAKE OF LIKE WHEN WE WALKED INTO THIS AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE PRIOR DOING PRIORITY BASED BUDGETING, ARE, ARE ALL OF THESE AND UH, LIKE A, LIKE A NECESSITY? UM, OR IS IT A, UM, A WISH LIST, BUT WILL THE DEPARTMENT STILL FUNCTION? BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO EVALUATE THE HEAVINESS OF IT.
IT JUST SEEMS, IT JUST SEEMS ABNORMAL TO THEM WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN PRIOR YEARS.
UM, THANK, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
UM, MAYOR PRO TEM, UM, LET, LET ME, LET ME GIVE YOU THE SHORT ANSWER, BUT I WILL ASK DENE TO GIVE YOU THE LONGER ANSWER.
UH, THOSE RECLASSIFICATIONS ARE TYPICALLY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTING OUT OF CLASS, MEANING THAT THEY ARE DOING MORE THAN WHAT THE JOB DESCRIPTION THAT THEY HAVE FROM A LABOR LAW, FROM, UH, FROM THE, THE PROPER COMPENSATION, FROM THE ATTRACTION AND AND RETENTION OF EMPLOYEES.
WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO REALLY STAY WITHIN THE CONFINES OF, UH, OF THE JOB DESCRIPTION, WHICH SOMETIMES LEADS US TO EVEN, UM, ADDING MORE POSITIONS INSTEAD OF RECLASSIFYING A POSITION THAT COULD BE COMBINING DIFFERENT ROLES.
UH, SO, SO THAT'S PART OF, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PART OF THE DYNAMIC OF IT.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY THE RECLASSIFYING IS, IS TRULY KEEPING US IN LINE WITH THE JOB DESCRIPTION OR THE ROLE THAT THAT PERSON IS SERVING.
AND AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO RETAIN EMPLOYEES, UH, IN, IN THAT REGARD.
BUT I, I'LL LET DENE, UM, ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UM, GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MAYOR, SOME OF THOSE ARE LIKE IN UTILITIES.
THOSE ARE TO BRING THEM UP TO MARKET VALUE.
WE PAY BELOW SOME OF THE, THE MARKET VALUES FOR OUR MAINTENANCE WORKERS OR METER TECHNICIANS.
SO THAT'S TO BRING US UP TO WHERE WE SHOULD BE PER WHAT'S REQUIRED.
WE DON'T PAY EXTRA FOR WATER CERTIFICATIONS, SO WE WANT TO COMPENSATE THEM FOR ACCORDING TO THE MARKET.
SO DID YOU DO LIKE A COMPETITIVE SALARY? UM, YES.
WAS THAT, WAS IT SOMETHING THAT TRIGGERED THAT OR YOU JUST WENT OUT AND JUST SAID, UH, JUST CERTAIN JOB? ACTUALLY, MR. LACEY CAME TO ME AND SAID, HEY, WE'RE NOT COMPING OUR EMPLOYEES ACCORDINGLY TO, TO WHAT THE MARKET.
AND SO SAID, OKAY, GIMME PROOF, SHOW ME.
AND SO WE WENT OUT AND WE GOT A SALARY SURVEY AND HE WAS ACTUALLY CORRECT.
AND SO, UM, I DID THE PROPOSAL FOR US TO, TO BRING THEM UP TO MARKET VALUE FOR OTHER CITIES.
AND WAS THAT A MISS FROM THE YEAR PRIOR OR THE TWO, THREE YEARS PRIOR WHERE WE WENT OUT AND THE COUNCIL APPROVED A COMPETITIVE, UM, 'CAUSE WE WENT THROUGH A COMPETITIVE SALARY ANALYSIS OF THE ENTIRE CITY.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE MARKET CHANGES EVERY YEAR.
UM, SO IT WAS DONE THAT, THAT INFORMATION WAS DONE IN 21, UM, IMPLEMENTED IN 22.
AND SO WE'RE ALREADY FOUR YEARS BEHIND.
UM, WE'RE CONSTANTLY PLAYING CATCH UP.
COUNCIL MEMBER HUGHES, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR?
[00:20:01]
YES, MA'AM.I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING ON HERE FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT.
IT, WAS THERE ANYTHING, NOTHING WAS SUBMITTED FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT.
CAN YOU ELABORATE ON WHAT YOU THOUGHT MAY HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED OR SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED? I, I JUST THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS AND POSITIONS THAT WERE ADDED, THAT THERE WAS SOME CONSIDERATION FOR THAT PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT.
WELL, CODE ENFORCEMENT DID INCREASE IN GRADE TWO GRADES IN 21 IN THE CLASS AND COMP STUDY 2021 WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED IN 23, 22, THEY DID MOVE UP TWO GRADES IN OUR PAY SCALE.
DO YOU KNOW IF THERE WAS ANY CONSIDERATION FOR ANY, ANY OTHER POSITIONS OR RECLASSIFICATION? HAS ANYONE SPOKEN TO THIS IN THIS BUDGET YEAR? YES.
I I HAVE A, UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
IT'S, IT'S IN LINE WITH MY COLLEAGUES, BOTH OF THEIR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, THE NUMBER OF RECLASSIFICATIONS AND MY, THE QUESTION THAT COMES UP FOR ME, UM, IS IF IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF RECLASSIFICATIONS, IS IT JUST THAT MORE ARE BEING PRESENTED OR PULLED OUT VERSUS THAT WE JUST DON'T DO THIS MANY RECLASSIFICATIONS? 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING.
I, I KNOW OF, I MEAN, EVERY YEAR WE GENERALLY DO RECLASSIFICATIONS WHAT THAT NUMBER IS COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEARS.
I HAVE NOT DONE MY HOMEWORK ON THAT.
HOWEVER, I'M WONDERING IF THE, IT'S CATCHING OUR ATTENTION BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT IT'S BEING PRESENTED VERSUS, VERSUS WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE DOING MORE THAN WE'VE DONE IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
DOES THAT QUESTION MAKE SENSE? YES, MA'AM.
AND SO I'M, I'M, I'M WONDERING IF THAT MAY BE THE REASON WHY IT'S CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION.
IS IT JUST THAT IT'S BEING PULLED OUT AND PRESENTED AS RECLASSIFICATIONS? 'CAUSE I PERSONALLY DON'T RECALL IN PREVIOUS BUDGET CYCLES THE PRESENTATIONS BEING THIS HEAVY ON THE RECLASSIFICATIONS.
UM, BUT I KNOW THAT WE DO THEM RIGHT.
UM, JUST NOT MAYBE PRESENTED THEM OR PULLED THEM OUT.
UM, MR. ALRE HAS CHANGED THE PRESENTATION.
SO THIS IS, YOU'RE ACTUALLY SEEING MORE INFORMATION THAN YOU NORMALLY WOULD, UM, AS FAR AS PERSONNEL CHANGES ARE CONCERNED.
SO WE, WE DO QUITE A FEW RECLASSIFICATIONS, IT'S A CREATIVE WAY TO, A FULL-TIME POSITION, COSTS A LOT OF MONEY.
AND SO IT'S A CREATIVE WAY, A FISCAL FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WAY TO GET THE WORK DONE, UM, AND COMPENSATE EMPLOYEES FAIRLY FOR THE WORK, THE EXTRA WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
MR. EYS JUST BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE TRANSPARENT IN THE, IN THE PROCEDURE AND IN THE PROCESS.
AND SO HE'S SHARING A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN WHAT HAS BEEN SHARED WITH YOU IN THE PAST.
AND WE, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.
THAT'S, THAT WAS, THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS.
UM, AND TO HER QUESTION ABOUT CODE I, IS THERE, DID WE, I THINK THE QUESTION MAY BE IN, AND YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I, I WILL STAND CORRECTED.
IS THE QUESTION MORE ABOUT DID WE ADD ADDITIONAL CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS VERSUS RECLASSIFICATION OF A CODE OFFICER? BECAUSE THIS ONE IS THIS, THIS PART OF THE PRESENTATION AGAIN, IS SOLELY ABOUT RECLASSIFICATIONS, RIGHT? YES.
WELL, IT DOES TALK ABOUT POSITIONS ADDED MM-HMM
SO IS DID WE ADD ANY, IS THAT WHAT, IS THAT WHAT THE QUESTION? NO, MA'AM.
AND I RELY ON THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS TO TELL, YOU KNOW, WE OPEN IT UP IN FEBRUARY AND SAY, WHAT DO YOU NEED? UM, AND THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO SUBMIT A PACKET, YOU KNOW, GIVING JUSTIFICATION FOR WHAT THEY NEED THAT WAS NOT SUBMITTED.
ADDITIONAL BODIES OR RECLASSIFICATION FOR, FOR POLICE.
AND SO, AND AND TO THAT POINT, COUNSEL, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THE DIRECTOR OR THE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT SUBMIT THAT INFORMATION, JUSTIFYING A NEED FOR IT, YOU KNOW, I GUESS THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING FOR US TO, TO THINK ABOUT.
BUT, UM, SAYING UNLESS THERE'S ANOTHER REASON, UM, VIA A COMPLAINT OR A A, AN EMPLOYEE BRINGS IT TO MY ATTENTION AND THEN I BRING IT TO THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR AND THE CITY MANAGER FOR CONSIDERATION, THERE'S NO WAY THAT HR WOULD KNOW THAT THERE'S A NEED FOR EXTRA CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS THEY'RE CURRENTLY HIRING TO FILL THE CURRENT POSITIONS THOUGH.
THOSE AREN'T, THOSE AREN'T NEW POSITIONS.
THEY'RE JUST, THAT'S PROBABLY WHY THEY DIDN'T PUT ANYTHING IN.
'CAUSE THEY WANNA BACKFILL THEIR VACANCIES FIRST.
UM, THE QUESTION I HAVE IS AROUND THE COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICERS, IT SAYS RECLASSIFICATION, BUT YOU'RE ACTUALLY CREATING NEW PEOPLE, I MEAN, OR NEW POSITIONS.
'CAUSE THEIR, THEIR POSITION IS GOING FROM COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICER TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SUPERVISOR AND THEN COMMUNITY PUBLIC, I MEAN PUBLIC SERVICE OFFICER.
UM, NIKKI GILES, WHO IS A CURRENT COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICER, SHE OPERATES AS A SUPERVISOR TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
SHE'S WORKING ON THE INITIATIVE TO KIND OF CHANGE, UM, THE, THE FACE OF WHAT THE CSO, UM, PROGRAM IS RIGHT NOW.
SHE, SHE BRIEFED THAT TO YOU A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEETINGS AGO.
UM, SO HER POSITION IS BEING RECLASSED INTO A SUPERVISOR.
SHE'LL BE A WORKING SUPERVISOR.
SHE WILL ALSO FULFILL THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT SHE CURRENTLY HAS IN ADDITION TO GAINING SUPERVISORY CONTROL OVER, UM, THE OTHER CSO, UM, CHIEF COSTA EXPRESSED TO US, UH, CONCERN ABOUT NOT HAVING, UH, SOMEONE TO TAKE,
[00:25:01]
I CAN'T THINK OF THE PROPER TERM.SO MR. AL GORE AGREED TO RECLASS ONE OF THE VACANT POSITIONS INTO A PSO PUBLIC SERVICE OFFICER SO THAT THEY COULD BE THERE TO TAKE THOSE REPORTS FROM THE COMMUNITY.
SO THERE'S CURRENTLY NO ONE IN THAT POSITION.
THE COMMUNITY SERVICES, I DO BELIEVE THEY HAVE HIRED SOMEONE, BUT THEY HIRED THAT PERSON WITH THE INTENT OF THEM FULFILLING THE NEW ROLE, NOT THE OLD ROLE.
AND EVEN THOUGH IT SAYS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ALL THAT, THAT'S NOT REALLY THE SAME AS THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY DO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
DO THOSE TWO OVERLAP AT ALL? WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT, UM, POSSIBLY REALIGNING AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
BUT RIGHT NOW THEY STILL REMAIN UNDER THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY DON'T INTERFACE WITH THE COMMUNITY SERVICES.
SO IF I MAY, IF I MAY CLARIFY SOMETHING ON, ON THOSE, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, OFFICERS, THE TWO, THEY'RE GONNA BE VERY PROACTIVE.
THEY'RE GONNA BE GOING OUT THERE TO THE COMMUNITY HOES, NON HOES, UM, BEING ENGAGED WITH ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ITEMS ON, ON, YOU KNOW, POLICE, UH, ON FIRE, ON ALL OF ALL OF CITY BUSINESSES.
SO THEY'RE GONNA BE COMING BACK AND WORKING NOT ONLY WITH THE DIRECTORS, BUT WORKING WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE TO PUT OUT INFORMATION AT A TIME.
USUALLY THE COMMUNICATION OFFICE IS NOT, I DON'T WANNA SAY THE WORD PROACTIVE, BUT SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, THEY HEAR THE INFORMATION AND THEN THEY DISSEMINATE IT.
THESE TWO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, SUPERVISORS AND OFFICER ARE GONNA BE OUT THERE WITH THE COMMUNITY BEING FULLY ENGAGED WITH EVERYONE COMING BACK, BEING ENGAGED WITH THE BUSINESSES, ASKING BUSINESSES HOW THINGS ARE, YOU KNOW, UH, HOW THINGS ARE GOING, UH, GOING TO HOTELS, DOING, DOING OTHER THINGS.
SO IT'S GONNA BE A FULLY ENGAGEMENT AND THEY'RE GONNA BE CONNECTED WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AS WELL AS THE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
BUT THE REASON I'M ASKING THE QUESTION IS BECAUSE IF THEY'RE GONNA BE OUT DOING THAT, THE ACTUAL COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, I THOUGHT THAT WAS THEIR MISSION TO BE OUT AND BE, DO THE OUTREACH AND BE OUT IN THE PUBLIC.
THE, THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT IS MADE UP OF ONE INDIVIDUAL RIGHT NOW, AND, AND WE'RE PROPOSING A PART-TIME, UM, I, I BELIEVE, UH, TECHNICIAN AND, AND WE HAVE ANOTHER PERSON.
SO THIS IS A LOT MORE PROACTIVE FOR THE, FOR THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFFICERS OR, UH, UH, THEY'RE GONNA BE OUT THERE WITH THE COMMUNITY ON A DAILY BASIS, NOT TAKING REPORTS, NOT DOING MEDIA OUTLET NOT DOING THESE THINGS.
THAT'S THE COMMUNICATION TEAM.
SO THAT'S A SEPARATE, COMPLETELY SEPARATE FUNCTION.
NOW THAT'LL WORK TOGETHER, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL INFORMATION IS DI DISSEMINATED APPROPRIATELY.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY WILL BE THE ONES PUTTING OUT, UH, COMMUNICATIONS OR, OR, OR WORKING ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
THAT'S THE ROLE OF THE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE.
AND THEN IF WE'LL GO BACK TO THAT OTHER SLIDE, THE ONE THAT TALKS ABOUT THE CARE TEAM, YOU'RE TAKING ONE OFF, IF YOU'RE TAKING THAT ONE OFFICER, THE SERGEANT AND TAKING HIM BACK OR HIM OR HER BACK TO A POLICE OFFICER, BUT WE'RE INCLUDING ON ANOTHER SLIDE, AN ADDITIONAL TWO PEOPLE TO BE IN THE CARE TEAM.
I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, UM, THE BALANCE OF, OF WHY THIS IS HAPPENING THIS WAY AND THEN YOU'RE TAKING THEM BACK AND THEN REASSIGNING THEM FROM THERE TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
BUT THIS IS CALLED A RECLASSIFICATION.
NO, BECAUSE THERE'S ANOTHER SLIDE THAT TALKS ABOUT CARES TEAM HAVING TWO ADDITIONAL POSITIONS THERE.
A SERGEANT AND A POLICE OFFICER WILL BE GOING BACK TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IS WE'RE CREATING TWO TEAMS, TWO CARE, UH, TEAM, UM, UM, SETTINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY WE HAVE THE COVERAGE, THE LONG, MUCH LONGER TIME COVERAGE IN THERE, SO WE CAN ADDRESS THE PEAK TIMES.
BUT ALSO THOSE POSITIONS ARE GONNA BE A CLINICIAN AND A, AND A PARAMEDIC.
AND THEN ANOTHER CLINICIAN AND A PARAMEDIC POLICE DOES RESPOND TO, UM, MENTAL CRISIS REGARDLESS.
SO THOSE POLICE OFFICERS AND OTHER POLICE OFFICERS WILL CONTINUE TO RESPOND TO THOSE.
THE, THE ADVANTAGE OF THIS NEW MODEL IS YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING OUT THERE WITH THE POLICE OFFICERS AND RESPONDING AT THE POINT OF IMPACT.
THEN YOU'RE ACTUALLY DOING THE FOLLOW UP, AND THEN YOU'RE, THE, THE THIRD STAGE IS DOING THE, THE COMMUNICATION WITH THE PARTNERING AGENCIES AND THE SUPPORTIVE AGENCIES AND, AND HOSPITALS AND WHATEVER ELSE WE NEED TO DO.
[00:30:01]
DIFFERENT MODEL.SO, AND, AND, AND I, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT THE, THE EXISTING MODEL, I DON'T HAVE IT ON MY SCREEN.
THE EXISTING MODEL HAS IT WHERE THEY DO THE ACTUAL CARE TEAM AFTER THE FACT, THEY DON'T DO PRE, THEY DO POST AND THEN THEY FOLLOW UP.
SO FROM WHAT I JUST HEARD, THAT'S EXACTLY THE SAME THING THAT THEY'RE DOING TODAY.
IS THAT NOT TRUE? IS THAT NOT TRUE? THAT'S WHAT THEY DO TODAY.
WHAT THEY'RE GONNA BE DOING IN THE FUTURE IS THE PRE AND THE POST AND THE FOLLOW THROUGH.
AND RIGHT NOW THAT, THAT THE WAY THEY WORK IS EIGHT TO FIVE, THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION WILL BE DIFFERENT.
EIGHT, IT WILL BE EIGHT TO 12, UH, AM OKAY.
IT'LL BE EIGHT, IT'LL BE TWO TEAMS. IT'LL BE EIGHT TO FIVE AND A THREE TO 12.
AND THEN IT SHOWS ONE FULL-TIME SERVICE.
UH, IS THAT THE CLINICIAN THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? THAT'S THE CLINICIAN, CORRECT.
SO THERE'LL ONLY BE ONE OF THEM BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE ANOTHER ONE.
AND THEN ON THE OTHER THING, THE PERSON WHO WAS ON THIS TEAM IS NO LONGER THERE.
THEY'RE GOING BACK TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THE PERSON WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF THAT TEAM WAS A SERGEANT IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE STILL HAVE A SUPERVISOR POSITION THAT HAS NOT BEEN FILLED.
THAT'S WHO'S GONNA BE IN CHARGE OF THAT TEAM.
CAN I, CAN I HELP, PLEASE? I'M SORRY.
SO JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THE DESOTO CARES TEAM THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS DISBANDING, CORRECT? I, I DON'T WANT TO USE THE WORD DISBANDING.
I, I WANT TO USE REINVENTED IF YOU DON'T MIND.
YOU WANNA USE WHAT? I'M SORRY.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A TOTAL NEW ONE, A NEW SYSTEM, PRETTY MUCH DIFFERENT.
AT, AT DIFFERENT SYSTEM THAT IS FOCUSED ON, ON THE SOCIAL SERVICE ASPECT AND THE MENTAL HEALTHCARE ASPECT.
NOT ON THE PD AS THE, AS, AS THE POINT OF CONTACT AND PD AS THE PREDOMINANT, UH, THE PREDOMINANT, UM, SERVICE, IF YOU WILL.
AND I ASKED THAT QUESTION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M THE LIAISON FOR THE DAC, UH, COMMISSION, AND THEY HAD SOME QUESTIONS AS WELL.
SO IT'S GOOD TO HEAR THIS, BUT I THINK THAT THE CONCERN IS THE PERSONNEL THAT WE HAVE WAS DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB.
JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE COULDN'T JUST MOVE THEM TO CONTINUE ON AND MAYBE RENAME THIS, MAYBE DESOTO CARES TOO, IF WE'RE HAVING TO CHANGE OR RE REVAMP.
SO, SO NO PERSONNEL WILL LOSE THEIR JOB.
WE'RE ACTUALLY INTEGRATING THE EXISTING PERSONNEL INTO THE NEW CARE TEAM.
SO LET ME RECLAIM JUST A LITTLE BIT OF THAT TIME BACK.
UM, SO THE TWO PARAMEDICS ARE BRAND NEW AND THEN THE ONE SOCIAL SERVICES IS BRAND NEW.
THIS POLICE OFFICER THAT WAS ON THE OTHER SLIDE WILL NOT BE ON THIS TEAM.
I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND YES, MA'AM.
THAT THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ON THAT SLIDE.
THEY'RE JUST GOING BACK TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, NO ONE'S LOSING THEIR JOB.
THEY'RE JUST GOING BACK TO WORK IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, NOT BE A PART OF THE CARE TEAM.
THEY'LL STILL RESPOND WITH THE CARE TEAM IF THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE CALLED, THEY JUST, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE A PART OF THE CARE TEAM.
AND TO HER POINT, THE DIFFERENCE NOW IS NOT DISBANDED, BUT NOW THE CITY HOLDS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT IT'S PAID FOR.
IF I'M HEARING, YES MA'AM, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
SO THE 3 23 IS ALL INCLUSIVE OF WHAT THAT TEAM NEEDS? YES, MA'AM.
MAG, DOES THAT INCLUDE THE BUILDING TOO, OR NO? I'M SORRY.
DOES THAT INCLUDE THE BUILDING TOO? NO, THIS IS JUST THE PERSONNEL.
IT HASN'T BEEN THAT LONG ENOUGH TO DO.
I YIELD BACK, WHAT'S HER NAME? MAYOR PRO.
DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT OR QUESTION? UH, YES MA'AM.
I JUST WANNA REMIND THE COUNCIL.
UM, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT, UM, MR. AFRI PULLED OUT THE SIDE OF HIS, UH, RIGHT EAR LOBE.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A CONCEPT THAT WE DISCUSSED LAST SUMMER, UM, AND OUR SUMMER RETREAT, UH, ABOUT A COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM AND RE-IMAGINING HOW WE CURRENTLY RESPOND TO MENTAL HEALTH AND HOMELESSNESS AND IN A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE, UM, A ROOM.
WHAT ROOM WAS THAT? THE LIBRARY.
WE ALL RAISED OUR HANDS AND SAID THAT WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
THIS ISN'T A KNOCK ON, UM, ANYBODY THAT CURRENTLY WORKS IN CARES TEAM.
THIS IS A WAY THAT WE RESPOND TO OUR CITIZENS AND TO THE EVENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN DESOTO TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
UM, THE CARES TEAM TODAY WILL EVOLVE AND BE MORE ALIGNED WITH HOW COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE TEAMS ARE SET UP ACROSS THE NATION.
I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ACTUALLY VIEWING FOUR OTHER CITIES ACROSS THIS NATION
[00:35:01]
THAT U USES THIS SAME PROGRAM.AND ONE VERY CLOSE TO HOME IS MESQUITE AND BOX SPRINGS.
THEY HAVE A JOINT CITY, IF YOU CARE, THEY WILL, THEY WILL WALK YOU THROUGH THEIR WHOLE PROCESS.
BUT NO, NOBODY'S LIKE LOSING A JOB.
UM, AND, UM, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS ALSO STILL A PRIORITY WITH THE CARES TEAM.
WHAT MR. A GODFREY IS SAYING IS THAT WE ARE REALLY GOOD AT CASE MANAGEMENT, BUT WHAT WE'RE NOT GOOD AT IS THE FRONT END RESPONSE WHEN THE INCIDENT IS HAPPENING.
SO THIS TEAM WILL BE DISPATCHED IN HOPES THAT THEY CAN DEESCALATE VERSUS THE POLICE DEESCALATING.
UM, BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN THAT NOT GO SO WELL SO MANY TIMES SOMETIMES.
AND SO DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT, THIS TEAM WILL DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
UM, AND I HOPE THAT I'VE COVERED WHAT, OKAY.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I FIRST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT AND THEN I HAVE A QUESTION AND I WANT TO COMPLIMENT OUR STAFF IN TAKING THE TIME TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT THESE POSITIONS RIGHT NOW IN ADDRESSING ATTRITION BECAUSE WE HAVE NEIGHBORING, UM, CITIES THAT ARE EXPERIENCED MASS, UM, LOSSES OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT THE STAFF IS REALLY TAKING A LOOK AT TAKING CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES WHO DO THE WORK FOR US, UM, AND DO IT WELL.
SO, UH, WITH THAT SAID, I WAS JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW, SHOULD COUNCIL ANTICIPATE, UH, RECLASSIFICATION OF REVIEW IN 2028 TO EVALUATE THAT WE ARE STILL BEING CURRENT AND COMPETITIVE WITH MARKET VALUE? YES, MA'AM.
UM, THE, THE STANDARD IS EVERY THREE TO FIVE YEARS TO A CLASS AND COMP STUDY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMPARABLE.
UM, I DO KNOW THAT COUNCIL VALUES, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE, IF NOT AT LEAST AT ABOVE MARKET RIGHT NOW, WE ARE ABOVE MARKET, UM, WITH MOST OF OUR CITIES THAT WE'RE COMPETE COMPETITORS WITH.
SO YES, IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO, I WILL BE PROPOSING TO CITY MANAGEMENT TO DO ANOTHER CLASSIFICATION AND COMP STUDY.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUE FOR THAT, UM, CLARIFICATION, AND I WANTED TO CLEAR THAT UP BECAUSE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I WAS ASKED AND THAT WAS NOT THE WAY THEY RECEIVED THE INFORMATION.
SO IT'S JUST ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING.
I JUST WANT TO, UH, MENTION TO YOU THAT I DID MEET, UH, A COUPLE OF TIMES WITH THE CARE TEAM, WITH THE CURRENT CARE TEAM TO TELL 'EM THE PATH, UH, THAT WE'RE GONNA TAKE MOVING FORWARD.
I KNOW WE STILL HAVE A FEW MORE SLIDES, I THINK BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR, UH, BEFORE WE CONCLUDE THIS PRESENTATION.
I BELIEVE MAYOR PRO TEM ASKED ABOUT, UM, THE EXACT MAKEUP OF THE CARES TEAM.
I THINK WE'VE WASHED IT OUT, BUT, UM, JUST TO BE NOTED, UH, WE HAVE A CARE TEAM MANAGER, TWO PARAMEDICS, UH, SO TWO SERVICE SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS AND AN ADMINING ASSISTANT.
AND NOW, SO FROM YOUR ORIGINAL PROPOSED BUDGET, WE HAD A SAVINGS OF AROUND 55,000 WITH THE REALIGNMENT THAT, UM, MAG MENTIONED.
SO AGAIN, WITH THE CURRENT BUDGET CHANGES, YOU'RE SAYING WE SAVE ABOUT 55,000.
UM, I GUESS I GOT UNCLEAR ON THAT LAST POINT.
YOU WERE SAYING THAT YOU HAVE CURRENTLY, UM, WE HAVE MM-HMM
CURRENTLY HOW MANY CURRENTLY? UH, THE POSITIONS THAT I MENTIONED WERE THE, IT'S THE, THE PROPOSED.
WHAT DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE? I DON'T HAVE THOSE SEVEN, SEVEN POSITIONS.
SO CURRENTLY, SO IT'S GOING FROM SEVEN TO SIX, SEVEN POSITIONS FOR THE CARE TEAM.
SO ON THE SLIDE, I'M, AND, AND I DON'T WANNA BELABOR THIS, I'M JUST REALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU JUST MENTIONED JUST NOW.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE SEVEN FIELD POSITIONS RIGHT NOW.
IS THAT TRUE? WE, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF SEVEN POSITIONS, INCLUDING A SERGEANT, INCLUDING A POLICE OFFICER, INCLUDING AN ADMIN ASSISTANT, INCLUDING THE, THE, UH, TECHNICIAN.
UH, THE CLINICIAN, INCLUDING, UH, THREE OTHER POSITIONS THAT I KNOW ALL OF THEM.
UM, I MEAN I KNOW ALL OF THEM, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER NO PROBLEM.
WHAT WE ARE GONNA GO INTO A MODEL OF SIX INDIVIDUALS AND THE SIX INDIVIDUALS, ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS IS GONNA BE ACTUALLY SHARED WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THAT IS THE ADMIN ASSISTANT.
SO WE'RE GOING FROM SEVEN TO SIX.
AND THIS, THESE TWO RIGHT HERE, OR THESE THREE RIGHT HERE ARE INCLUDED IN THAT SIX.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY I WAS ASKING THAT QUESTION.
THE ONLY REASON I SAID THAT WAS BECAUSE YOU WERE SAYING THAT YOU HAVE THAT CURRENTLY MM-HMM
[00:40:02]
HERE.THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE, WHICH MEANS THAT'S PART OF THE ACTUAL PERSONNEL AS WELL.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT COST RIGHT THERE IS JUST THE THREE POSITIONS ADDED, NOT WHAT THE CURRENT COST ARE.
THAT WILL NO LONGER BE SATISFIED BY A GRANT.
THAT'S WHAT I, YEAH, BECAUSE I'M, I WAS SO CONFUSED.
I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THE, THE ACTUAL SIX POSITIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO, OKAY.
SO THERE ARE SIX PEOPLE, SIX POSITIONS INCLUDING THESE THREE.
BUT YOU, YOU'RE SAYING THAT THERE'S A $55,000 GAIN WITH THE REORGANIZATION.
LET ME RE-LOOK AT WHERE WE'RE AT CURRENTLY AND WHAT WE'RE SPENDING.
THE 55,000 THAT I MENTIONED WAS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ORIGINAL PROPOSED AND THE CURRENT PROPOSED.
SO THE $55,000 DIFFERENCE IS AFTER WE GAVE YOU GUYS THE BUDGET BACK IN JULY AND WE RE CONTINUED TO REASSESS AND HE WANTED TO REALIGN.
SO AFTER WE REALIGNED, WE CAME UP WITH 55,000 DIFFERENCE WHEN WE WENT FROM THE SEVEN POSITIONS TO THE SIX BECAUSE WE HAD NOT SEEN THE NEW MODEL YET.
'CAUSE WE, IT WAS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
WHAT WE WERE FIRST PRESENTED WITH WAS WHAT IS WHAT THE SERGEANT SUMMERS SUBMITTED FOR BUDGET.
WHAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY IS THE REORG BASED ON MR. ARIE'S DUE DILIGENCE TO MOVE THE ITEM THAT BUSINESS ITEM FORWARD.
WHICH AGAIN, WOULD BE LESS THAN WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY THERE, WHAT WAS BEING ASKED ORIGINALLY.
NEXT WE LOOK AT THE ONBOARDING OF THE GOLF CLUB.
UH, THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WILL, UM, NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT AS WE ARE BRINGING ON THE GOLF CLUB.
OF COURSE, WE'RE, UM, NEEDING, UM, SEVERAL COMPLIANCE ITEMS. WE'RE NEEDING TO DO, UM, THINGS LIKE EVALUATING, UH, WHAT EQUIPMENT THE CITY NOW OWNS VERSUS WHAT WE'RE LEASING, THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE ARE, UM, SETTING UP OUR LEGAL ENTITY AND DOCUMENTATION.
WE'RE SETTING UP OUR BANK ACCESS AND STRUCTURE SPEAKING WITH ENCORE, THE MANAGEMENT GROUP THAT CURRENTLY MANAGES IT.
AND, UM, GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF GETTING EVERYTHING AND DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE WITH OUR FINANCIALS, UH, WITH THE GOLF COURSE BECAUSE WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING FROM A DIFFERENT ACCOUNTING SET OF PRINCIPLES, RIGHT? SO WE'RE GOING FROM A PRIVATE INDUSTRY PRINCIPLES AND NOW WE'RE BRINGING THEM ON OUR GAP PRINCIPLES, UM, I'M SORRY, OUR GA B PRINCIPLES AS WELL.
OUR GAP AND OUR GA B PRINCIPLES.
WE HAVE ACTUALLY, UH, ENGAGED A CONSULTANT TO COME AND ASSIST US WITH ONBOARDING, GETTING THE GOLF COURSE ON OUR BOOKS CORRECTLY, UH, GETTING IT SET UP TO BE AUDITED AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, IT'S A WHOLE PRODUCTION THAT GOES INTO IT.
AND SO WE'RE STARTING THAT PROCESS.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT AS WE'RE ONBOARDING THE GOLF CLUB.
SO THAT CHANGED ON THIS ONBOARDING, THE COST TO DO THIS, IS THAT A PART OF THIS BUDGET? THE COST TO ONBOARD? YES.
SO YOU'LL SEE AN INCREASE IN FINANCIAL SERVICES MM-HMM
FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TO ASSIST US WITH THIS PROCESS.
AND THEN THE ACTUAL INFORMATION THAT'S HERE WILL BE PRESENTED AS A PART OF THE FINANCIALS.
WHAT'S HERE? THE ONBOARDING PIECE WILL BE PRESENTED AS A PART OF THE FINANCIALS FOR 2026.
UH, THE FINANCIAL SERVICES WILL INCLUDE THE ITEM FOR 2025 BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE ACTUALLY RETAINING THE SERVICES OF THE FINANCIAL COMPANY.
RIGHT NOW, WHAT YOU WILL SEE IN THE 2026 MODEL IS, IS YOUR REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURE.
JUST A, UM, UM, A BUDGETING SHEET THAT WOULD SHOW THE NUMBERS.
AND THOSE ARE, AGAIN, PROPOSED BUDGETS.
UM, AND, AND THOSE WILL ACTUALLY BE, UH, SUBJECT TO OUR AUDITING ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
THAT'S THE REASON WE, THAT'S THE REASON WE OBTAINED THE SERVICES OF THE AUDITING FIRM.
BUT I WAS SAYING IT'S GONNA BE A PART OF, IS IT GONNA BE A SEPARATE SHEET IN THE ACTUAL PROPOSED 2026 BUDGET? THAT, THAT'S CORRECT.
MS. SUTTON, HOW MUCH PRESENTATION DO YOU HAVE REMAINING? 'CAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE JUST ONE OR TWO SLIDES.
OUR MEETING, UH, STARTED ON TIME.
SO WHERE WE ARE NOW WITH THE BUDGET THAT'S BEING PRESENTED TO YOU, UH, WITH THE NUMBERS THAT WE LOOKED AT ON THE
[00:45:01]
FRONT SHEET, UH, WITH THE MORE THAN $400,000 SURPLUS IN THE GENERAL FUND, THIS IS WHAT IT INCLUDES.WE ARE MAINTAINING OUR PROPERTY TAX RATE OF 0.6 8 4 9 3 4.
WE ARE NOT UTILIZE UTILIZING RESERVES.
WE ARE PROPOSING A BALANCED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, MEANING WE HAVE MORE REVENUE THAN WE DO EXPENDITURES.
WE ARE PROPOSING A 2% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT AND A THREE POINT, THE 3.5% STEP INCREASES THAT WERE ORIGINALLY IMPLEMENTED WITH THE LAST SALARY SURVEY.
WE ARE REVAMPING OUR SANITATION CUSTOMER SERVICE DELIVERY, INTEGRATING A ONE-STOP SHOP FOR IMPLEMENTATION IN QUARTER ONE OF 2026 AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, CONTINUED PROGRESSION WITH OUR CIPP PROJECTS AND BEGINNING THE ONBOARDING PROCESS FOR THE GOLF CLUB.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, MAYOR.
UM, AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU MR. CITY MANAGER, UH, FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR ENTERTAINING OUR QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS ITEM.
WE KNOW THAT THIS IS OUR MAIN AGENDA ITEM, OUR PUBLIC HEARING CONCERNING OUR BUDGET THIS EVENING.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO GIVE US A TWO MINUTE RECESS AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO START OUR MEETING, UH, TONIGHT PROMPTLY AT 6:00 PM SEE YOU SOON.
AND THAT IS ADJOURNED, MS. RONALDS AT, UH, 5:58 PM OKAY.
[C. REGULAR SESSION AGENDA - CALL TO ORDER]
GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.IT IS 6:00 PM I'M MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR, AND I WANNA WELCOME YOU ALL TO OUR REGULAR SESSION OF THE DESOTO CITY COUNCIL.
IF I COULD GET YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN OUR MEETING AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO ASK OUR INTERIM CITY SECRETARY, MS. REYNOLDS, TO GIVE US A ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
HERE, MAYOR PRO TEM CRYSTAL CHISHOLM.
COUNCIL MEMBER KEN WATERS HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ANDRE BY PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER DEBORAH NORTH HERE.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA HUGHES.
AT THIS TIME WE'LL TAKE THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA PLEASE.
FIRST WE HAVE INVOCATION BY PASTOR CHRIS HENDERSON FROM THE STAR OF HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH.
THEN WE WILL HAVE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KIM WATERS.
WOULD EVERYONE PLEASE STAND? OKAY.
FOR INVOCATION, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO ONE TIMOTHY CHAPTER TWO, AND IT READS IN VERSE ONE, I EXHORT, THEREFORE, THAT PRAYERS INTERCESSIONS AND GIVING OF THANKS BE MADE FOR ALL MEN, FOR ALL THAT ARE IN AUTHORITY, THAT WE MAY LEAD A QUIET AND PEACEABLE LIFE IN ALL GODLINESS AND HONESTY, FOR THIS IS A GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE IN THE SIGHT OF GOD, OUR SAVIOR, WHO WILL HAVE ALL MEN TO BE SAVED AND TO COME INTO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH IN JESUS CHRIST.
OUR FATHER WHO ARE IN HEAVEN MOST HOLY IS YOUR NAME.
WE RECOGNIZE YOU, FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT AS GOD.
AND BESIDE YOU, THERE IS NONE OTHER HOW.
[00:50:01]
YOU LORD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN YOUR PRESENCE AND TO BE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER.LORD, WE COME SPECIFICALLY ASKING THAT YOU BLESS THIS BODY RIGHT NOW, THAT YOU BLESS OUR LEADERS, THAT YOU ALLOW THEM TO WORK IN THE POWER AND THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE THAT THEY LEAD.
I PRAY LORD, FOR THEM PROFESSIONALLY.
I PRAY, LORD, THAT YOU WOULD ENDOW THEM WITH A SPIRIT OF WISDOM SO THAT THEY WOULD KNOW HOW TO ORCHESTRATE THEIR AFFAIRS FOR THE GOOD OF ALL IN THIS CITY.
I THANK YOU GOD FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO.
I THANK YOU FOR OUR PRESENT AND I THANK YOU FOR OUR FUTURE.
THANK YOU LORD FOR THE PEOPLE THAT RESIDE IN THIS PLACE.
AND WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS LORD ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD AS WE FAITHFULLY AND DILIGENTLY SEEK TO FOLLOW WHAT YOU HAVE ORDAINED FOR THE GOOD AND PEACE OF ALL WHO RESIDE HERE IN JESUS NAME.
THANK YOU PASTOR HENDERSON FOR THAT BEAUTIFUL SCRIPTURE AS WELL AS THE PRAYER TO START OUR MEETING OFF.
AND THANK YOU COUNCILMAN WATERS FOR LEADING US AND OUR S THIS EVENING.
AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO MAKE A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE WE GET TOO FAR IN OUR MEETING.
I'M GOING TO ASK, UM, IS BAKER TILLEY WOODY BATTLE? ARE YOU HERE? YES.
SO NOT YET, BUT I WANTED TO JUST MAKE EVERYBODY AWARE, WE'RE GONNA REARRANGE AN ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.
SO THAT IS A REGULAR AGENDA ITEM.
I'M GONNA MOVE THAT IN FRONT OF OUR PUBLIC HEARING SO THAT THEY CAN, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN GO BEFORE THAT PUBLIC HEARING.
'CAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY ITEM WE HAVE AFTER THAT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU WERE HERE.
SO IF ANYBODY IS HERE FOR THAT AGENDA ITEM, WE WILL BE MOVING THAT UP ON OUR AGENDA
[D. PRESENTATIONS]
AT THIS TIME.MS. UH, REYNOLDS, WE HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, PLEASE.
FIRST WE HAVE RECOGNITION OF ATMOS ENERGY AS A COMMUNITY PARTNER FOR THEIR INKIND CONTRIBUTION TO THE AQUATIC AND RECREATION CENTER CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
MAKING A PRESENTATION IS MAYOR PROCTOR, AS WELL AS PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR CHRIS GLOVER RECEIVING ITS ATMOS ENERGY PUBLIC AFFAIRS MANAGER, NERA MCNEELY.
AM I IN THE RIGHT CITY? GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO MAKE SURE I'M IN THE RIGHT TOWN.
AGAIN, I'M MAYOR PROCTOR AND I WANNA WELCOME EVERYBODY TO OUR MEETING TONIGHT.
BUT MORE THAN THAT, I WANT TO UM, JUST TAKE A MOMENT IN OUR MEETING TO SHOW SOME APPRECIATION FOR SOME INCREDIBLE PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE.
I ALWAYS SAY PROGRESS MOVES AT THE SPEED OF RELATIONSHIPS.
AND SO I'M GONNA ASK IF OUR PARKS AND REC DIRECTOR, MR. CLIFFS GRABBER WILL COME AND GIVE US SOME CONTEXT ABOUT WHY WE'RE HERE TONIGHT.
BUT WE DO HAVE A MAYORAL ACCOMMODATION FOR THIS GROUP FROM ATMOS ENERGY, JUST TO APPRECIATE THEM FOR ALL THEY'VE DONE.
SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MR. GLOVER AT THIS TIME.
WELL, I TELL YOU THEY'RE, UH, THEY'RE ALWAYS HERE FOR PARKS.
UH, ONE THING THAT'S REALLY BIG WITH WHAT THEY DID THIS TIME, UH, THEY ACTUALLY, UH, ABSORBED A LOT OF THE COST FOR THE SURVEY, LABOR AND INSPECTION ASSOCIATED WITH THE EASEMENTS RE REQUIRED FOR THE AQUATICS AND RECREATION CENTER.
AND NOT ONLY DID THEY SAVE US OVER 80.
AND, AND NOT ONLY DID THEY SAVE US OVER $80,000, THEY WERE REALLY INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING SURE OR OR ASSISTING US WITH MAKING SURE THAT THE PROJECT STAYED ON TIME.
AND SO, UH, UH, THESE TYPES OF PARTNERSHIPS IN THE COMMUNITY WITH THE, WITH THE BUSINESSES AND BUSINESS OWNERS DEFINITELY DOES NOT GO, UH, UNNOTICED.
AND I AM SO HONORED TO HAVE MS. MCNEELY AND HER CREW HERE WITH US TONIGHT TO RECOGNIZE THEM FOR IT.
AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT JUST THIS, UH, WHATEVER WE DO IN PARKS AND REC, THEY'RE ALWAYS THERE FOR US.
AND SO WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THEIR WILLINGNESS TO, UH, TO ASSIST AND BE AND REALLY BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
CAN WE GIVE THEM ANOTHER GREAT BIG HAND CLAP
[00:55:01]
FOR THAT? AND AT THIS TIME I'M GONNA READ IT AND IT READS, MAYORAL ACCOMMODATION PRESENTED TO ATMOS ENERGY.ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, I'M PROUD TO RECOGNIZE AND COMMEND ATMOS ENERGY FOR THEIR TREMENDOUS CONTRIBUTION AND UNRAVELING SUPPORT OF THE AQUATIC AND RECREATION CENTER AT MACALLEN PARK.
THROUGH THEIR GENEROSITY, ATMOS HAD COVERED THE COST OF THE SURVEY, THE LABOR AND INSPECTION ASSOCIATED WITH THE EASEMENT REQUIRED FOR THIS VITAL COMMUNITY FACILITY.
THEIR INVESTMENT HAS NOT ONLY ADVANCED THE PROGRESS OF THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT, BUT HAS ALSO DEMONSTRATED THEIR STRONG COMMITMENT TO PARTNERSHIP AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.
THE CITY OF DESOTO DEEPLY APPRECIATES ATMOS ENERGY'S DEDICATION TO ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
THEIR EFFORTS REPRESENT THE VERY BEST IN CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP, AND WE ARE HONORED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR ROLE IN BRINGING THIS VISION FROM MCOWEN PARK CLOSER TO REALITY.
ON BEHALF OF THE DESOTO CITY COUNCIL, SEPTEMBER 2ND, 2025, SIGNED MAYOR RACHEL O PROCTOR.
AND I'M GONNA ASK MS. NEAR IF SHE WOULD LIKE TO COME AND HAVE SOME REMARKS.
THANK YOU MAYOR CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALLOWING US TO BE A PART OF SUCH A GREAT PROJECT.
UM, ATMO ENERGY'S VISION IS TO BE THE SAFEST PROVIDER OF NATURAL GAS SERVICES, AND WE DO THIS BY INVESTING IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE A PART WITH US.
WE HAVE OUR OPERATIONS DIRECTOR FOR WAXAHATCHEE SERVICE CENTER, AND OUR OPERATIONS SUPERVISOR MARIO GO, IS WITH US.
AT THIS TIME, MS. REYNOLDS, WE HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, PLEASE.
NEXT WE HAVE RECOGNITION OF ENCORE AS A COMMUNITY PARTNER FOR THEIR INKIND CONTRIBUTION TO THE AQUATIC AND RECREATION CENTER CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
MAKING A PRESENTATION IS MAYOR PROCTOR WITH PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR CHRIS GLOVER.
RECEIVING THE PRESENTATION IS ENCORE ENERGY AREA MANAGER, KENNETH GOBIN.
WELL, THIS ONE, WELL, I'M, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M NOT GONNA CUT UP TONIGHT 'CAUSE WE IN COUNCIL MEETING.
SEE, THIS IS MY GOOD FRIEND THOUGH.
AGAIN, HE'S GONNA GET KIND OF THE SAME SPIEL.
I WE DEFINITELY BELIEVE THAT PROGRESS MOVES AT THE SPEED OF RELATIONSHIPS.
AND SO WE CANNOT DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT GREAT CITIZEN, UH, CORPORATE CITIZENS, UH, IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT THESE PROJECTS GO UP WITH HIS.
SO AGAIN, I'M GONNA ALLOW MR. GLOVER TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT ABOUT THIS ONE AS WELL.
AND THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM YOU MR. GOVIN, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
UM, SO WE JUST HEARD FROM ATMOS WITH THE GAS AND NOW WE HAVE THE ELECTRICITY.
UH, AGAIN, TWO OF THE REALLY MOST IMPORTANT THINGS, UH, THAT YOU CAN HAVE.
AND AGAIN, A LOT OF THE, THE BORING AND TRANSFORMERS AND ANYTHING DEALING WITH THE ELECTRICITY.
UM, MR. GOVAN AGAIN AND UM, UH, ENCORE AS FAR AS THEIR PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE CITY, UH, AGAIN, THEY DON'T HESITATE WHEN WE CALL 'EM.
AND THEY WERE ALSO JUST AS INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING SURE THAT WE STAYED ON TIME.
AND SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT INFRASTRUCTURE AND THEIR ABILITY TO, UH, TO STEP OUT AND, AND, UH, THEY ALSO SAVED US BETWEEN THE TWO OF US TO, BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM, ALMOST $180,000, UH, WAS SAVED BY THEIR EFFORTS WITH THEM BEING GENEROUS ENOUGH TO COME OUT.
AND AGAIN, THEY'RE ALWAYS THERE FOR US.
AND SO THEY'RE TRULY PARTNERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND WE REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE HAVING, HAVING, UH, THEM AS PARTNERS.
SO, MR. GOVAN, I'M GONNA READ THIS COMMENDATION AND THEN WE'LL ALLOW HIM TO HAVE SOME REMARKS.
THIS MAYORAL ACCOMMODATION IS PRESENTED TO ENCORE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF DESOTO.
I'M PROUD TO RECOGNIZE AND COMMEND ENCORE FOR THEIR TREMENDOUS CONTRIBUTION AND UNWAVERING SUPPORT OF THE AQUATIC AND RECREATION CENTER AT MACALLEN PARK.
THROUGH THEIR GENEROSITY, ENCORE COVERED THE COST OF THE LABOR AND INSPECTION, AFFILIATED WITH PULLING WIRES BORE UNDERGROUND AND CONNECTING SWITCHGEAR AND TRANSFORMERS.
THEIR INVESTMENT HAS NOT ONLY ADVANCED THE PROGRESS OF THIS PROJECT, BUT HAS ALSO DEMONSTRATED THEIR STRONG COMMITMENT TO PARTNERSHIP IN COMMUNITY SERVICE.
THE CITY OF DESOTO DEEPLY APPRECIATES ENCORE'S DEDICATION TO ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
THEIR EFFORTS REPRESENT THE VERY BEST IN CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP, AND WE ARE HONORED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR ROLE IN BRINGING THE VISION FOR MCOWEN PARK CLOSER TO REALITY.
[01:00:01]
THE DESOTO CITY COUNCIL, SEPTEMBER 2ND, 2025, SIGNED MAYOR RACHEL O PROCTOR.THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF DESOTO.
UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING THE KINDA CITY THAT PARTNERS IN REGARDS TO MAKING THIS AREA NOT ONLY A GREAT CITY, BUT A GREAT CITY TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.
AND ENCORE IS VERY HONORED TO BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS WHERE OUR DISTRICT OFFICE IS, IS IN DESOTO.
THAT'S WHERE OUR HEADQUARTERS IS AND WE APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LOVE THE MOST ABOUT, UH, WORKING WITH THE CITY OF DESOTO IS THEY NEVER SAY, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO TO FIX THIS? IT'S ALWAYS, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO TOGETHER TO FIX THIS? AND THAT MAKES THE PARTNERSHIP GREAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING US AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS.
THANK EACH OF YOU AGAIN AT THIS TIME, MS. REYNOLDS, WE HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.
MOVING ON TO ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.0415.
THE CITY COUNCIL MAY REPORT ON THE FOLLOWING ITEMS, EXPRESSION OF THANKS, CONGRATULATIONS OR CONDOLENCES.
EXCUSE ME, MS. RONALDS, WE SKIPPED A PRESENTATION.
WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION HONORING NATIONAL PAYROLL WEEK.
NEXT WE HAVE PRESENTATION OF A PROCLAMATION HONORING NOT NATIONAL PAYROLL WEEK MAKING A PRESENTATION IS MAYOR PROCTOR RECEIVING HIS PAYROLL IT BENEFITS ANALYST JULIA MCDUFF AND PAYROLL ORG MEMBER RHONDA BROCK.
MR. SMITH COLBERT IS GONNA BE RECEIVING ON BEHALF OF MS. BROCK.
UM, I'M HONORED TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION OF A PROCLAMATION FOR NATIONAL PAYROLL WEEK.
I THINK WE CAN ALL SAY IF YOU WORK ON A JOB THAT THESE ARE PROBABLY SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN THE ORGANIZATION, IF NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT.
BUT, UM, WE WANNA APPRECIATE YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO BECAUSE AGAIN, UM, ALL JOKES ASIDE, WHAT YOU ALL DO IS SO IMPORTANT, UM, TO AN ORGANIZATION.
AND SO I WANT TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION AND THEN I WILL ALLOW EITHER OF YOU TO HAVE SOME REMARKS.
UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, IT SAYS PROCLAMATION, WHEREAS THE AMERICAN PAYROLL ASSOCIATION AND ITS MEMBERSHIP OF OVER 20,000 PAYROLL PROFESSIONALS HAVE INITIATED A NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO HONOR THE DEDICATION OF AMERICA'S WORKFORCE AND THE PAYROLL SPECIALISTS WHO ENSURE WORKERS ARE ACCURATELY AND PROMPTLY COMPENSATED WHILE MANAGING ESSENTIAL REGULATORY RESPONSIBILITIES.
AND WHEREAS THE PAYROLL PROFESSIONALS SERVING THE DESOTO COMMUNITY ARE INSTRUMENTAL TO THE CITY'S FINANCIAL HEALTH OVERSEEING CRITICAL DUTIES SUCH AS WAGE DISTRIBUTION, TAX FILINGS, UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS, AND SUPPORTING COMPLIANCE WITH CHILD SUPPORT AND BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS.
AND WHEREAS ACROSS THE NATION, PAYROLL OPERATIONS MANAGE THE DISBURSEMENT OF MORE THAN $2.7 TRILLION IN WAGES EACH YEAR WHILE ADHERING TO COMPLEX AND EVER-CHANGING LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS.
AND WHEREAS PROFESSIONALS IN THE PAYROLL FIELD SERVE AS VITAL CONNECTORS BETWEEN EMPLOYERS, EMPLOYEES, AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, EDUCATING STAKEHOLDERS, ENSURING TRANSPARENCY AND PAYCHECK DEDUCTIONS, AND PROMOTING FINANCIAL WELLNESS THROUGH ACCURACY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
WHEREAS THE PAYROLL INDUSTRY PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN ENHANCING ADMINISTRATIVE EFFICIENCY, PROMOTING COMPLIANCE, AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE ECONOMIC STRENGTH OF BUSINESSES AND FAMILIES ALIKE.
AND WHEREAS THE FIRST FULL WEEK OF SEPTEMBER HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS NATIONAL PAYROLL WEEK A TIME TO RECOGNIZE THOSE WHO SUPPORT THE AMERICAN WORKFORCE BEHIND THE SCENES AND UPHOLD SYSTEMS THAT POWER OUR ECONOMY.
AND WHEREAS THE WEEK IN WHICH LABOR DAY FALLS HAS BEEN PROCLAIMED NATIONAL PAYROLL WEEK, I HEREBY EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR THE HARDWORKING PEOPLE OF DESOTO, TEXAS AND THE PAYROLL PROFESSIONALS WHO SERVE THEM BY PROCLAIMING THE FIRST FULL WEEK OF SEPTEMBER PAYROLL WEEK FOR DESOTO TEXAS.
NOW, THEREFORE, I RACHEL O PROCTOR BY THE POWER VESTED IN ME BY THE STATE OF TEXAS DALLAS COUNTY AND THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 1ST THROUGH SEPTEMBER 7TH, 2025 AS NATIONAL PAYROLL WEEK.
I ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO JOIN ME IN RECOGNIZING THE INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF PAYROLL PROFESSIONALS WHOSE EXPERTISE ENSURES ECONOMIC
[01:05:01]
STABILITY FOR INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND BUSINESSES ACROSS OUR COUNTRY.IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I HAVE SET MY HAND AND CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS TO BE AFFIXED.
THIS SECOND DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025, SIGNED MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR ATTESTED TO BY LA GARRISON REYNOLDS.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE COMMENTS? NEITHER HAVE COMMENTS.
UM, AFTER HEARING ALL OF THIS, I'M PROUD TO BE A PART A PART OF THIS.
SO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE CITY OF OT, I'D LIKE TO SET, SET THIS ON, UH, RHONDA BROCK'S BEHALF FOR THE TEXAS PAYROLL ASSOCIATION.
AT THIS TIME, MS. REYNOLDS WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
[E. ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST]
NOW MOVING ON TO ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.0415.THE CITY COUNCIL MAY REPORT ON THE FOLLOWING ITEMS, EXPRESSION OF THANKS, CONGRATULATIONS, OR CONDOLENCES INFORMATION ABOUT HOLIDAY SCHEDULES, RECOGNITION OF INDIVIDUALS, REMINDERS ABOUT UPCOMING CITY COUNCIL EVENTS, INFORMATION ABOUT COMMUNITY EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS INVOLVING IMMINENT THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, AS WELL AS ANY LIAISON UPDATES.
COUNSEL, UH, I'M NOT SURE WHO HAD THEIR LIGHT ON FIRST.
UH, MR. WATERS OR MR. BUR, MR. WATERS, PLEASE.
UM, SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH, WHICH ENCOURAGES INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES TO PREPARE FOR EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERS.
IT EMPHASIZES CREATING EMERGENCY PLANS, BUILDING SUPPLY KITS, AND UNDERSTANDING POTENTIAL RISKS TO ENHANCE SAFETY AND RESILIENCE.
THAT BEING SAID, RESIDENTS, LET'S BECOME, LET'S BECOME THE MOST PREPARED CITY IN NORTH TEXAS THAT STARTS WITH EACH OF US LEARNING AND GETTING SUPPLIES FOR OURSELVES AND OUR FAMILIES IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.
A GOOD START IS A COME TO THE THIRD ANNUAL BEST SOUTHWEST EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FAIR.
IT'S TAKING PLACE SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH, RIGHT HERE AT THE DESOTO CIVIC CENTER, RIGHT OVER HERE.
THIS IS A FREE FAMILY, UH, FRIENDLY EVENT WHERE YOU CAN COME AND GO FROM 9:00 AM TO 12:30 PM COME LEARN HOW TO PREPARE FOR EMERGENCIES.
MEET LOCAL FIRST RESPONDERS AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS WHO HELP DURING DISASTERS.
TAKE HOME GIVEAWAYS AND WIN FREE PRIZES.
EVERYONE IN THE BEST SOUTHWEST CITIES IS INVITED.
ON ANOTHER NOTE, THE CITY OF DESOTO, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DESOTO, TEXAS CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION, WILL HOLD A DESOTO ARTIST LAB SHOWCASE FESTIVAL ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH FROM 12 NOON UNTIL 7:00 PM AT THE TOWN CENTER AMPHITHEATER OVER HERE AND THE CORNER THEATER.
THIS WILL BE A FUN, FREE, FAMILY FRIENDLY SHOWCASE OF DESOTO ARTIST LAB TALENT AND ARTIST ARTISTRY.
WE WILL HAVE INTERACTIVE ART ACTIVITIES, LOCAL VENDORS, FOOD TRUCKS, AND EXHIBITIONS, ALL FEATURING OUR LOCAL ARTISTS.
AGAIN, IT WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH FROM 12 TO 7:00 PM COME ON OUT EVERYBODY.
I WANT TO, UM, TAKE THIS MOMENT TO THANK TOM AND PAT ELAM, WHO ARE LONGTIME RESIDENTS OF THE GREAT CITY OF DESOTO, WHO HAPPENS TO LIVE IN PLACE.
FOUR TOM'S BROTHER, UH, PROFESSOR EARL ELAM, UH, PASSED, UH, A FEW MONTHS AGO, AND A GENEROUS DONATIONS OF OVER 300 BOOKS WERE MADE TO OUR LIBRARY.
A SECTION WILL BE SET UP IN HIS HONOR.
SO WE WANT TO THANK TOM AND PAT, AND PARTICULARLY, UH, PROFESSOR, UH, EARL ELAM FOR HIS GENERAL DONATION.
UH, SHAKESPEARE PUT IT LIKE THIS, THE PATH OF GLORY LEADS, BUT TO THE GRAVE, YET NOBLE DEEDS OUTLIVE THE DOOR.
SO TOM AND PAT, ON BEHALF OF, UH, UH, YOUR, YOUR BROTHER, UH, PROFESSOR ELAM, WE THANK YOU FOR THE GENEROUS DONATION TO OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY HERE IN DESOTO.
OVER 300 BOOKS, MOST OF THEM, UH, HISTORY BOOKS, AND SOME RELIGIOUS BOOKS.
SO I'LL BE A BETTER PREACHER BECAUSE YOUR BROTHER LIVED.
[01:10:01]
ANNOUNCEMENTS? ONE MORE.AND, UM, I WANNA SAY HELLO DESOTO.
THIS COMING SATURDAY, THERE IS A NEIGHBORHOOD COLLABORATION WORKSHOP.
THAT WORKSHOP IS AVAILABLE TO ALL, ALL, ALL IN THE CITY OF DESOTO, AND IT'S HERE FOR YOU TO GET TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS AS WELL AS GET TO KNOW THE CITY.
IT'S ON SATURDAY MORNING, EIGHT 30 TO 8:30 AM TO 12:00 PM SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER, UH, SIXTH.
AND IT'S RIGHT HERE IN THE CHAMBER.
SO, WHERE YOU ARE NOW, JUST BRING A FRIEND FROM YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, COUNSEL, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM COUNCIL? OKAY, SO QUIET NIGHT FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS.
NORMALLY WE HAVE A, A FULL FULL MONTY, UH, AT THIS TIME BEFORE WE MOVE ON, UH, WE DO HAVE A BIRTHDAY THAT IS COMING UP, UH, THIS MONTH FROM ONE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND I THINK THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE.
THEY SET UP STRAIGHT IN THEIR SEAT, UH, WHEN I SAID THAT.
UM, AND THAT IS COUNCILMAN ANDRE BIRD.
UM, HE WILL BE TURNING ANOTHER YEAR YOUNGER THIS MONTH, AND WE WANT TO GIVE HIM A HAND CLAP.
AND AS YOU KNOW HOW WE DO IT, COUNCILMAN BERT, YOU LET US KNOW.
IT'S GOT ALL KIND OF SPRINKLES ON IT, AND I'VE NOT SEEN ONE OF THOSE BEFORE.
UH, YOU KNOW HOW WE DO IT? COUNCILMAN BIRD? UH, YOU CAN TELL US WHICH VERSION YOU WANT, AND THE COUNCIL CHAMBER CHOIR WILL RENDER YOUR SELECTION FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY.
UH, I'D LIKE THE STEVIE WANDA VERSION, PLEASE.
I'D LIKE FOR COUNCILWOMAN RAFAEL TO LEAD IT.
AT THIS TIME WE GOT OUR MARCHING ORDERS.
WE HAVE THE STEVIE ONE DIVERSION ON THE COUNT OF THREE.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
WE HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR SPECIAL DAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU DO
[F. CITIZEN APPEARANCES]
AT THIS TIME, MS. REYNOLDS.WE HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, PLEASE.
NEXT WE HAVE 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'S TABLE PRIOR TO THE START OF 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.
FOR ATTENDEES WANTING TO SPEAK ON ANY ITEM LISTED ON THE AGENDA, THE COMMENT CARDS RELATED TO THE SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS ARE TO BE PRES PRESENTED TO THE CITY SECRETARY PRIOR TO THE INTRODUCTION OF THAT AGENDA ITEM.
THE STANDARD TIME LIMIT IS THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER.
IT MAY BE MODIFIED AT THE MAYOR'S DISCRETION TO MAINTAIN AN EFFICIENT FLOW OF THE MEETING.
PLEASE NOTE THAT COMMENTS ARE TO BE ADDRESSED TO THE ENTIRE COUNCIL AND NOT TO INDIVIDUAL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS OR STAFF.
CITIZENS SHALL REFRAIN FROM MAKING PERSONAL AND PERTINENT PROFANE OR SLANDEROUS REMARKS ARE BECOMING BOISTEROUS WHILE ADDRESSING THE CITY COUNCIL.
IF SUCH CONDUCT OCCURS AND IS NOT CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY, THE CITIZEN MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE ROOM FOR THE REMAINING SESSION OF THE MEETING AND THE CITIZEN SHALL BE BARRED FROM APPEARING BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THAT SESSION.
CITIZENS SHALL OBSERVE THE SAME RULES OF PROPRIETY DECORUM AND GOOD CONDUCT APPLICABLE TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
DO WE HAVE ANY COMMON CARDS FOR THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA? NO, MA'AM, WE DO NOT.
[G. 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.]
MS. RONALDS.AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
NEXT WE HAVE THE 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 OR ITEMS 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 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES FOR THE JULY 24TH, 2025 SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING, THE AUGUST 18TH, 2025 SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING, AND THE AUGUST 19TH, 2025 REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, AS WELL AS RECOGNITION OF VOTER REGISTRATION AWARENESS MONTH.
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE FIFTH RENEWAL AND AMENDMENT TO THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH DALLAS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT DBA PARKLAND HEALTH FOR MEDICAL CONTROL SERVICES.
CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO RENEW EMPLOYEE MEDICAL, DENTAL, LIFE, AND VISION INSURANCE PRODUCTS AT
[01:15:01]
THE QUOTED RATES FOR PLAN YEAR 2026.CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A COST SHARING ARRANGEMENT LETTER WITH THE CITY OF LANCASTER FOR THE CITY OF DESOTOS.
50% SHARE OF THE COST OF THE REPAIR OF STREETLIGHTS AND REPLACEMENT OF MISSING AND DAMAGED STEEL STREETLIGHT POLES ALONG I 35 AT A COST NOT TO EXCEED $103,639 AND 65 CENTS AND DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO PREPARE IN FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THIS PURPOSE, CONSIDERING AUTHORIZING AN ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE IN THE AMOUNT OF $82,374 AND 95 CENTS FOR SERVICES PROVIDED BY CONSOLIDATED TRAFFIC CONTROLS INCORPORATED CTC UTILIZING THE HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL COOPERATIVE HGAC AGREEMENT FOR TRAFFIC SIGNAL UPGRADES AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS AND CONSIDER ACCEPTING THE MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE'S INTENT TO RETIRE ON JANUARY 31ST, 2026.
COUNSEL, IS THERE A MULCH? OH, EXCUSE ME.
YES, I HAVE TWO, UH, TWO ITEMS THAT I WANTED TO PULL FOR, UH, UH, UM, MORE QUESTIONS.
I THINK IT JUST WOULD BE PRUDENT TO GO AHEAD AND PULL 'EM.
WHAT ARE THOSE ITEMS? UM, H FOUR AND, UM, UNDER THE, UH, MINUTES G ONE, YOU WANNA PULL ALL THE MINUTES? NO, JUST G ONE.
G ONE A OR G, BECAUSE THERE'S A, B AND C, A THEN? YES.
SO WE HAVE ITEM H FOUR PULLED AND THEN ITEM G ONE A PULLED COUNSEL.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR THE REMAINING ITEMS? MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT WITH THE REMOVAL OF G ONE A AND H FOUR.
SECOND IS BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY.
SECOND COUNSEL, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[a. Special City Council Meeting Minutes July 24, 2025 ]
UM, AT THIS TIME, MS UH, EXCUSE ME.COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, WE'LL LOOK AT ITEM G ONE A FIRST.
UH, THE ONLY THING I HAVE ON ITEM G ONE A IS THAT I BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS FURTHER NOTES.
I THINK THIS ONE WAS LITERALLY THE AGENDA, THE ACTUAL AGENDA.
AND SO THERE NEEDS TO BE A BREADTH OF NOTES BECAUSE THAT WAS THE BUDGET SESSION AND I BELIEVE THERE WERE SEVERAL TAKEAWAYS FROM THAT BUDGET SESSION THAT HAVE NOT BEEN DOCUMENTED ANYWHERE.
SO I DON'T WANT, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, VOTE ON THAT SEPARATELY.
COUNCILWOMAN PARKER? YES, I DID NOTICE THAT TODAY.
THEY ARE UPLOADED IN AGENDA QUICK, BUT THERE WAS SOME MISCOMMUNICATION.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, BUT WE CAN APPROVE THEM THE NEXT MEETING ON THE 16TH.
SO THESE, UH, MINUTES G ONE A WILL BE APPROVED ON THE NEXT MEETING, CORRECT? IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING? THAT'LL BE BROUGHT BACK, YES, MA'AM.
BECAUSE WHAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE PACKET WAS JUST THE AGENDA AS PARKER THE AGENDA FOR THAT.
SO WE DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO VOTE ON THERE.
[4. Consider authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute a cost-sharing arrangement letter with the City of Lancaster for the City of DeSoto's 50% share of the cost of the repair of streetlights and replacement of missing and damaged steel streetlight poles along I-35E, at a cost not to exceed $103,639.65 and directing the City Manager to prepare an FY 2025 Budget Amendment for this purpose]
AND THEN ITEM H FOUR, I'M SORRY FOR H FOUR, THE REASON I WANTED TO PULL THIS ONE WAS BECAUSE BACK IN, UH, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, 2020, LET ME SEE.IT IS, UH, OH, GOODNESS, I THOUGHT I HAD THE DATE RIGHT AHEAD, RIGHT, RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME AT ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEETINGS.
WE ACTUALLY HAD A VOTE ON THE, UM, REPLACEMENT OF THESE LIGHTS AND THERE WAS TDOT ALL IN THROUGHOUT THAT ACTUAL VOTE.
UH, TDOT WAS GOING TO DO THE INSTALLATION FIRST, BUT I DIDN'T SEE THAT IN THIS SPECIFIC THING.
UH, AND THEN ALSO I GET IT THAT THERE WAS SOME, SOME ANOMALIES THAT OCCURRED, BUT THE 57,000, IF, IF, IF TDOT WAS DOING THE INITIAL INSTALLATION, HAVE WE ALREADY ADMINISTERED THE 57,000 FROM THAT PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM? OKAY.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THAT DID OCCUR IN 2024 AND THAT IT WAS NOT, UH, THE WORK WAS NOT PERFORMED BY TAX DOT, IT WAS ACTUALLY PERFORMED BY THE CONTRACTOR THAT HAS DONE THE WORK AS OF RECENTLY AS WELL.
SO, AND THAT, THAT, THAT, UH, THAT INVOICE WAS PAID.
THAT'S, THAT'S NOT PART OF THIS ONE.
SO THE 57,000 HAS ALREADY BEEN PAID.
SO TXDOT DID NOT IN FACT DO WHAT IT WAS SAID THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO? CORRECT.
THEY, THEY, UM, THE CITY OF DESOTO AND LANCASTER ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THE LIGHTS.
[01:20:01]
THEY INSTALLED IT FIRST AND THEN WE PAID TDO OR YOU PAY, OR, OR WE PAID CONTRACTOR.WE PAID CONTRACTOR, THE CONTRACTOR CONTRACTOR FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF WHAT WAS MISSING, DAMAGED OR BROKEN.
AND THE CONTRACTOR IS A PART OF DESOTOS, UH, VENDOR, BE IT OR VENDOR SYSTEM? YES, MA'AM.
SO THIS IS NOT A CONTRACTOR THAT CAME FROM LANCASTER? UH, NO.
IT, IT IS, UH, THEY ARE OUT OF LANCASTER, BUT THEY, UM, WE RECEIVED, MYSELF AND THE GENTLEMAN AT CITY OF LANCASTER WORKED TOGETHER TO RECEIVE THE PROPOSALS.
THIS INDIVIDUAL, THIS COMPANY WAS CHOSEN TO COMPLETE THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THEY ARE CERTIFIED CONTRACTOR FOR TDOT DOCK WILL ONLY ALLOW CERTAIN VENDORS TO DO WORK ON THEIR LIGHTING.
AND SO THE, THE 103 THAT'S ON THIS ONE, SO TOTAL, THAT WOULD BE 150 SOME ODD THOUSAND THAT WE WOULD BE SPENDING IN TOTALITY ON THE LIGHTS ALONG 35 IN OUR PART, YES.
AND SO WHAT, UH, THEFTS OR WHAT MEASURES HAVE SECURITY MEASURES HAVE WE PUT IN PLACE IN ORDER FOR US NOT TO HAVE THE SAME THING HAPPEN? OKAY.
SO WE, WE DID THE, THE INITIAL REPAIRS, AND THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN.
THIS TIME AROUND WE'VE GONE FROM COPPER WIRING TO ALUMINUM WIRING.
WE PUT LOCK BOXES ON ALL OF THE, UM, LIGHT POSTS THROUGHOUT THE MEDIAN.
AND THEY HAVE ALSO FILLED EACH BOX WITH A, A FOAM THAT HARDENS AS HARD AS CONCRETE.
WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT'S GOING TO DETER THE FUTURE THEFT.
BUT AGAIN, WE WENT TO ALUMINUM BECAUSE IT IS NOT AS EXPENSIVE AS COPPER.
AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY THE INDIVIDUALS WERE TAKING THE WIRE BECAUSE OF THE COPPER AND THE VALUE OF IT.
AND FROM A DEGRADATION PERSPECTIVE, ALUMINUM DOESN'T HOLD THE SAME AS COPPER.
SO WHAT, WHAT, I MEAN, WHAT MEASURES, WHAT, IS THERE ANY LIKE, UM, I WON'T SAY ASSURANCE, BUT ANY INSURANCE THAT IS PUT IN PLACE IN ORDER FOR US, SINCE WE KNOW IT HAS OCCURRED, THAT WOULD ALLOW THE CITY TO RECOUP SOME OF THESE FUNDS? OR ARE YOU SAYING THIS WILL HAPPEN EVERY YEAR? I, NO, I'M, I DO NOT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN EVERY YEAR.
UM, WE HAVE FILED IT ON INSURANCE.
I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM MS. MENDOZA AS TO WHETHER OR NOT INSURANCE IS GOING TO PROVIDE US WITH SOME FUNDS TO SUPPLEMENT THIS COST.
UM, LANCASTER HAS ALSO FILED IT ON THEIR INSURANCE AS WELL.
I, I HAVE NOT BEEN IN CONTACT WITH MR. S TO FIND OUT IF THEY WERE REIMBURSED AT ALL THROUGH TML.
UM, IS THERE A MOTION, MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE, UM, H FOUR.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MAYOR PRO TEM CHISHOLM, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER NORTH TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED COUNSEL.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[1. Consider authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement in an amount not to exceed $80,000 with Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP, for consulting services for the planning and development of the City of DeSoto's 10-year Strategic Plan ]
YOU COUNSEL.MS. REYNOLDS, WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, PLEASE.
UM, MAKING NOTE THAT WE DID MOVE THAT ITEM UP.
NEXT WE HAVE THE REGULAR AGENDA.
FIRST ITEM, CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $80,000.
WITH BAKER TILLY ADVISORY GROUP, LP FOR CONSULTING SERVICES FOR THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY OF DESOTOS 10 YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN.
MAYOR, MS. BROWNES, CAN YOU ASSIST HIM WITH CUTTING THE MICROPHONE? HOW IS THIS BETTER ALRIGHTYY? GIVE ME TWO SECONDS.
UH, MADAM MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
UH, JUST LIKE MENTIONED, MY NAME IS WOODY BATTLE, I, A CONSULTING MANAGER WITH OUR, UH, PUBLIC SECTOR PRACTICE WITH BAKER TILLY.
WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN, YOUR 10 YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO I'D LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT IN DETAIL ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR YOU ALL TODAY HERE, PRESENTING ON BEHALF OF OUR PUBLIC SECTOR PRACTICE, THERE ARE FOUR INDIVIDUALS THAT WILL BE SUPPORTING THE STRATEGIC PLAN ENGAGEMENT, UH, THAT HAVE EXPERIENCE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, UH, AND HAVE BEEN DEDICATED TO CONSULTING WITH OUR FIRM ON PLANS JUST LIKE THIS, AS WELL AS ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENTS.
AND, UH, OUR PUBLIC SECTOR PRACTICE IS PRIMARILY INVOLVED IN, UH, STRATEGIC PLANNING AND A VARIETY OF SERVICES CATERED JUST FOR, UM, ASSISTING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS LIKE YOURS THRIVE INTO THE FUTURE AND STAY RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE.
PART OF THE REASON I MENTIONED THAT IS BECAUSE OUR PLAN IS AIMED AT JUST THAT 10 YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN.
FROM WHAT WE UNDERSTAND, YOU ALL ARE LOOKING FOR TO BE HIGHLY SUSTAINABLE,
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DATA DRIVEN, COMMUNITY DRIVEN THAT ALLOWS YOU TO PLAN OUT AND TO HAVE A CONSENSUS APPROACH TO THE NEXT 10 YEARS OF YOUR, UH, YOUR LOVELY CITY.AND I'VE ENJOYED MY TIME HERE OVER THE LAST DAY AS WELL.
THE STRATEGIC PLAN ITSELF IS, LIKE I MENTIONED, SUPPOSED TO BE DATA DRIVEN COMPREHENSIVE.
WE, UH, ACHIEVE THAT THROUGH A VARIETY OF DATA GATHERING CHANNELS, WHICH I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT IN MORE DETAIL ABOUT.
WE ALSO LIKE TO REVIEW YOUR VISION, MISSION, AND VALUES.
AND A KEY PIECE OF ANY STRATEGIC PLAN IS THE GOALS THEMSELVES, AS WELL AS THE KPIS THAT WE DEVELOP, THE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS THAT WE DEVELOP AS A PART OF THAT, AND ULTIMATELY THE IMPLEMENTATION MANAGEMENT.
UH, THAT WILL BE AT THE FAR, UH, FAR END OF THE PLAN ITSELF.
WHEN WE SAY A STRATEGIC PLAN, AND WHEN WE'RE SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT THIS 10 YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, WE'VE PROPOSED A FOUR PHASE APPROACH THAT WE FOUND HAS GREAT SUCCESS FOR CITIES LIKE YOURS IN MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE CAPTURING, UH, THE COMMUNITY'S VOICE, YOUR VOICE, UH, HIGHLY DATA INFORMED.
AND FOLLOWING THIS PHASE APPROACH, THIS FOUR PHASE D FOUR APPROACH, WE FEEL WILL, UH, YIELD A HIGHLY, UH, COMPREHENSIVE, SUCCESSFUL STRATEGIC PLAN.
THIS IS MAKING SURE THAT US ON THE PROJECT TEAM, THE PROJECT LIAISONS WITHIN THE CITY ARE ON THE SAME PLAN.
YOU ALL AS WELL FOR WHAT, WHAT THE PLAN IS SUPPOSED TO ACCOMPLISH.
THE DISCOVER PHASE IS WHERE WE'RE GATHERING SUBSTANTIAL INFORMATION.
UH, THIS IS REALLY THE KEY PHASE THAT WE WILL USE TO, UH, MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL OF THE DATA CHANNELS THAT'LL BE MOST SUCCESSFUL FOR THIS PROJECT.
THE DEVELOPED PHASE, WE PUT ALL OF THAT INFORMATION TO USE AND WE ENGAGE YOU ALL IN MORE SPECIFIC, UH, WORKSHOP STYLE FORMAT, UH, IN PERSON, UH, PLAN DEVELOPMENT FORMAT.
AND THEN LASTLY, THE DEPLOY PHASE WHERE WE WORK WITH YOU ALL IN THE CITY TO MAKE SURE, UH, THAT THERE IS IMPLEMENTATION THAT IS KEY TO SPECIFICALLY WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO.
IF I GO A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO SOME OF THESE APPROACHES AND THE, UH, FOUR PHASE APPROACH HERE, WHEN I SAY DEFINE, WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE IS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE OF WHAT, WHAT SUCCESS FOR THE STRATEGIC PLAN LOOKS LIKE.
UH, WE'LL WORK WITH YOU ALL TO DEVELOP A STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN.
YOU ALL ARE PART OF THAT STAKEHOLDER GROUP, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE, UH, LEADERS, THE EXECUTIVE LEADERS OF THE CITY ITSELF, KEY, UH, ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY.
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, WILL ENGAGE A VARIETY OF THEM AS WELL AS JUST THE PUBLIC AT LARGE, WHICH ARGUABLY IS, UH, ONE OF THE KEY, IF NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT STAKEHOLDER GROUP FOR THIS PLAN, AS WELL AS THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY ITSELF.
ONCE WE'VE DEFINED ALL OF THIS, WE'LL ACTUALLY MOVE INTO THE DISCOVER PHASE OF THIS PLAN, WHICH IS WHERE WE WILL, UM, HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS.
WE'LL HOST MULTIPLE FOCUS GROUPS FOR EMPLOYEES.
WE'LL LAUNCH MULTIPLE SURVEYS FOR THOSE IN THE PUBLIC TO FILL OUT AND SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS AND FEEDBACK.
WE'LL ALSO, UM, HOST PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS TO WHERE ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC, INCLUDING YOURSELVES, ANYONE IN THE ROOM TODAY CAN ATTEND, SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS, PARTICIPATE IN THE FACILITATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, UH, AND ALSO WITHIN THE DISCOVER PHASE, WE WILL DO SIGNIFICANT PRIMARY RESEARCH ON OUR SIDE AS YOUR STRATEGIC ADVISORS, YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN DEVELOPMENT TEAM.
WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS LEVERAGING THE RESOURCES OF BAKER TILLY, THE LARGER FIRM, UH, DOING SIGNIFICANT STRATEGIC PLANNING RESEARCH FOR WHAT IS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE, SUBMITTING REQUESTS TO YOUR DEPARTMENTS AND YOUR LEADERS WITHIN THE CITY TO PROVIDE CON UH, COMPREHENSIVE CONTEMPORANEOUS DATA MOVING FORWARD INTO THE DEVELOPED PHASE.
WHAT DOES ALL OF THIS MEAN? WE'D LIKE TO MEET WITH YOU ALL IN TWO SEPARATE WORKSHOPS TO BUILD OUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN ITSELF.
WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS A, UH, HALF DAY TO FULL DAY SESSION TO ACTUALLY BUILD THE COMPONENTS OF THE PLANT.
WE'D FACILITATE THAT, UH, THOSE SESSIONS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THE DATA AND THE DISCOVERY THAT FEEDS INTO THOSE WORKSHOPS SYNTHESIZED ENOUGH FOR YOU ALL TO UTILIZE WHEN MAKING THE PLAN AND WHEN, UH, MAKING SURE YOUR VOICES ARE ARE LEVERAGED FOR WHAT IS, WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT AND WHAT'S RISING TO THE TOP AS A KEY IMPORTANCE FACTOR FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
ALSO, IN THE DEVELOPED PHASE, AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE WORKSHOPS, WE'LL ACTUALLY BUILD OUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN FORMAT, THE DRAFT ITSELF.
WE'LL WORK WITH YOUR PROJECT TEAM AND THE LEADERS IN THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THE PLAN IS STRUCTURED IN A WAY THAT YOU ALL, UM, ARE EXCITED ABOUT AND INTERESTED IN, UH, DRIVING TO OR DRIVING PEOPLE FROM YOUR COMMUNITY TOWARDS WHEN, UH, LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE.
[01:30:01]
MAKING SURE THAT THE PLAN ITSELF IS ACTIONABLE AND EASY TO DEPLOY.UH, WE ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY THAT NO PLAN IS AS GOOD AS ITS ABILITY TO BE IMPLEMENTED.
THAT'S WHAT THE DEPLOY PHASE IS REALLY MOST FOCUSED ON.
UH, LASTLY HERE, AND THEN I'M HAPPY TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DETAIL ABOUT ANYTHING THAT'S OF INTEREST TO YOU ALL.
UH, TODAY IS JUST WHAT WE MEAN WHEN WE'RE SAYING THAT WE ARE YOUR STRATEGIC ADVISORS.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH, UM, THE, UH, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER AND THOSE, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN IN CHARGE OF THE PROPOSAL AND THE, UH, RFP PROCESS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT DOES A SUCCESSFUL ENGAGEMENT LOOK LIKE.
YOU ARE ALREADY A STRATEGICALLY PLANNED CITY.
YOU HAVE A SUCCESSFUL STRATEGIC PLAN THAT YOU IMPLEMENTED A FEW YEARS AGO.
UM, WE'VE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED BY ALL THE MATERIALS THAT YOU'VE DEVELOPED FOR THAT.
IT'S MUCH FURTHER AHEAD OF THE VAST MAJORITY OF CITIES THAT ARE ALREADY WITHIN BEST PRACTICE IN DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO THAT GIVES US A LOT OF EXCITEMENT TO BE ABLE TO PICK UP WHERE YOU ALL LEFT OFF AND MOVE INTO THIS 10 YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WANNA MENTION HERE IS, UH, THERE'S A 10 YEAR VERSUS A FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN CONVERSATION.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT AS THE, UH, PROJECT TEAM IS THAT A 10 YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, TIME TO BE ASPIRATIONAL AND MORE CREATIVE FURTHER OUT INTO THE FUTURE.
WHEREAS A FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN HAS A LOT OF THE ATTRIBUTES OF A, UH, AN OPERATIONAL OR A, A MORE STRICTLY ACTIONABLE PLAN IN THE NEAR TERM.
ONCE YOU GET OUT TO 7, 8, 9, 10 YEARS, YOU'RE REALLY LOOKING AT ASPIRATIONAL ASPECTS OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY COULD LOOK, WHAT WHAT COULD YOU BRING TO DESOTO THAT IS, UH, MAYBE, UH, MORE EXCITING AND MORE INTERESTING, THAT IS GOING TO TAKE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS TO SEE HOW THINGS PLAY OUT BEFORE YOU CAN ACTUALLY START TO PLAY IN THAT TERRITORY.
BUT THAT'S ALL THE BENEFITS OF A 10 YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN VERSUS A FIVE YEAR.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN THAT ATTRIBUTE OF THIS ENGAGEMENT, UH, YOUR NEEDS AND OUR SOLUTIONS.
WE HAVE ABOUT 60 YEARS OF STRATEGIC PLANNING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE ON THE TEAM COMBINED.
UM, AND A VAST, UH, JUST POOL OF, UH, INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT THE LARGER PRACTICE THAT ARE ALWAYS AT THE READY TO APPLY THEIR EXPERTISE TO ANY FINANCIAL QUESTIONS, UH, DETAILED PUBLIC WORKS, UH, ISSUES THAT MAY ARISE THROUGHOUT THE FACILITATION AND WORKSHOP PROCESS.
UM, MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS HIGHLY DATA DRIVEN AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE AND A, UH, A STRONG BELIEF THAT THE PLAN IS ROOTED IN A DATA-DRIVEN ENVIRONMENT.
THAT IS THE KEY IMPORTANCE FOR US WHENEVER WE'RE BUILDING A STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKING SURE THAT IN THAT DISCOVER PHASE AND IN THE DEFINED PHASE OF THE ENGAGEMENT, WE'RE WORKING WITH YOU ALL TO MAKE SURE ALL OF THE DATA THAT WE ARE GATHERING WE'RE PLANNING TO GATHER IS COMPREHENSIVE ENOUGH FOR YOU TO FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THE NEXT 10 YEARS IS WELL ORGANIZED AND WELL-PLANNED.
I KNOW I'VE BEEN TALKING FOR A WHILE NOW.
UM, BUT PLEASE WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS.
I'M VERY INTERESTED IN YOUR TIME.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, WORKING WITH YOU ON THIS STRATEGIC PLANNING ENGAGEMENT.
AND AGAIN, KUDOS TO YOU ALL AND TO THE, UH, ORGANIZATION TO THE CITY FOR BEING FORWARD LOOKING IN PLANNING, UH, AN ENGAGEMENT LIKE THIS.
THANK YOU MR. BATTLES, UH, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I DO SEE SOME LIGHTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES.
UM, I'M GONNA CALL ON COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER TO THANK YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO, I WAS DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH AND I JUST SAW, I WAS LOOKING BACK ON THE PREVIOUS, UH, PRESENTATION.
THERE ARE FOUR QUESTIONS, SO I'M JUST GONNA WRAP THEM OFF.
AND THEN YOU'LL BE ABLE TO RESPOND THAT WAY.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN THE PREVIOUS STRATEGIC PLAN, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE UPFRONT.
UM, AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S YOUR MODEL.
I SAW THE PART WHERE IT SAID COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOP OR ENGAGEMENT, UH, STAKEHOLDER.
BUT ARE THOSE STAKEHOLDERS CHOSEN BY YOU ALL ARE CHOSEN BY, ARE THEY, OR IS IT JUST LIKE A, A COMMUNITY MEETING MM-HMM
OR IS THE COUNCIL GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN ANY OF THAT, UH, PICKING OF THOSE FOLKS TO BE ON THAT TEAM? UH, THEN THE SECOND QUESTION IS, IS YOU SAID ABOUT THE PREVIOUS STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE GOOD WORKS THAT WERE DONE THERE, HOW'S IT GONNA BE INCORPORATED INTO THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT? AND THEN THE PRICE DIFFERENCE I SAW IN YOUR, YOUR, UH, INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, HERE IT SAYS IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO EXCEED 80,000, BUT YOUR, UH, ACTUAL THING SAYS 87 IS THE PRICE FOR YOUR WORK.
SO WHICH OF THE FOUR ARE GOING TO BE REDUCED SURE.
AND THEN THE LAST THING IS THE PROJECT STRUCTURE.
UH, FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF A PROJECT, UH, BASED ON THE WAY THAT I LOOKED AT YOUR TIMELINE, IT LOOKS MORE LIKE IT'S WATERFALL AS OPPOSED TO AGILE, UH, IN THAT WE WON'T ACTUALLY SEE A PRODUCT UNTIL YOU ARE
[01:35:01]
VERY NEAR THE END.AND SO THE QUESTION IS, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN THOUGHT THROUGH TO SAY, YOU KNOW, HAVE AN ACTUAL PRODUCT OR A DRAFT RIGHT EARLIER IN THE PROJECT SO THAT YOU CAN SEE YOU'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION? THANK YOU.
AND THOSE ARE MY FOUR QUESTIONS.
UH, LET ME ACTUALLY START WITH THE LAST ONE BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY HOW WE, UH, CONDUCT THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS.
HIGHLY TRANSPARENT, HIGHLY COLLABORATIVE.
NOTHING IS A SURPRISE TO YOU ALL AND TO THE PROJECT TEAM THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PLAN.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YOU'LL BE ASKED FOR YOUR OPINION AND YOUR INPUT THROUGHOUT THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
UM, AS WE WORK CLOSELY WITH YOUR PROJECT LIAISONS, ANY QUESTION THAT WE FEEL MAYBE WE WANT SOME MORE COUNCIL INPUT ON, WE'LL BRING THAT RIGHT TO YOU AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN ON THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THE PROCESS.
SO THAT'S A PRETTY COMMON, UH, WAY WE CONDUCT THE LARGER PLANNING PROCESS.
UH, WE DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO BE A SURPRISE OR JUST TO SEE THE RESULTS AT THE FAR END OF THE ENGAGEMENT.
UH, YOU'LL SEE RESULTS AND YOU'LL BE ENGAGED PRETTY EARLY IN THE PROCESS AND THEN THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE ENGAGEMENT AS WELL.
UH, LET ME ADDRESS THE, UH, PRICING.
IN OUR PROPOSAL, WE HAVE A PROPOSED PRICE AT 77,000, AND THAT IS, I BELIEVE, JUST ROUNDED UP IN THIS, UM, PROPOSAL FOR THE AGENDA ITEM.
UM, SO THE DISCREPANCY THERE IS, UH, CAN BE CLARIFIED.
IT'S AT THE 77,000 PRICE POINT.
UH, WE'RE HAPPY THAT'S WHAT WAS IN OUR, UH, UPDATED PROPOSAL AND WE'RE HAPPY TO, UM, TO LAND THERE.
IF IT, UH, PLEASE THE COUNCIL, IF I MAY, IF I MAY ANSWER THAT THE, THE INITIAL, THE INITIAL PROPOSAL HAD A HIGHER PRICING AND WE WERE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE YES.
UH, WITH BAKER TILLY ON THE 77,000, THE, THE PRICE THAT YOU SEE IN, IN THE, UH, IN THE AGENDA ITEM IS THEN NOT TO EXCEED $80,000.
BUT WHAT I'M SAYING, I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT 'CAUSE HE SAYS NOW IT'S 77.
I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THERE WERE COMPLETE, THERE'S A, A DETAILED LIST OF THE COST PER DEFINED, UH, PHASE.
DOES ANY OF THOSE PHASES GET A REDUCTION IN ORDER TO FIT WITHIN THAT 77,000? NOW THAT I SEE THAT NUMBER, I'M HEARING THAT NUMBER.
WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS THIS WAS BASED ON 87,000.
RIGHT? IS THERE ANYTHING REDUCED? WILL WE SEE A DIFFERENT MODEL OR THOSE ITEMS? WOULD THEY, THEY BE DIFFERENT BASED ON THE NEW PRICE? SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE ASKING THE ANSWER.
THERE'S NOT GONNA BE A REDUCTION IN THE SERVICE THAT WAS INITIALLY PROVIDED.
WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN NEGOTIATING A, A MUTUAL AGREEMENT TO, UH, THE $77,000.
AND WE CAN UPDATE THE INFORMATION.
THE RFP PROPOSAL IS NOT THE DOCUMENT.
THE DOCUMENT IS GONNA BE THE CONTRACT BETWEEN US AND BAKER
YOU ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT THE PREVIOUS STRATEGIC PLAN.
HOW WILL WE INCORPORATE THAT INTO OUR PROCESS WITHIN THE DATA DISCOVERY PHASE AND WITHIN OUR STR UH, STANDARD STRATEGIC PLANNING APPROACH? ANY PLEA, UH, PREVIOUS PLANNING THAT YOU'VE DONE WILL BE KIND OF THE STARTING POINT FOR WHERE WE MOVE FORWARD? WHAT WAS SUCCESSFUL, WHAT WAS, UM, STILL NEEDS TO BE A KEY PIECE OF THE UPCOMING PORTION OF YOUR, UH, STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS.
SO THAT WILL 100% BE INCLUDED IN OUR APPROACH.
AND, UH, WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING MINDFUL OF WHAT IS RELEVANT TODAY FROM THAT PLANNED AND WHAT IS UPCOMING IN THE NEXT 3, 5, 10 YEARS THAT THAT PLAN CAN BE UTILIZED FOR.
AND WHAT IS ALSO NEW THAT NEEDS TO BE DEVELOPED.
AND THAT'S ALL PART OF OUR, UH, STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS AND THE DISCOVERY.
ANY OTHER SIGNIFICANT PLANS THAT THE CITY RELIES ON? COMPREHENSIVE PLANS? UH, THE BUSINESS PLAN, I NOTICED 2024 IS BUSINESS PLANNING.
THAT'S ALSO, UH, PLANS THAT WE'LL LEVERAGE FOR OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING, UH, DEVELOPMENT.
LASTLY, COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU HAD ASKED ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AGAIN, PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE LARGER, UH, UH, ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WE HAVE PLANNED FOR MULTIPLE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS.
SO ENVISION A TWO TO THREE HOUR PUBLIC SESSION WHERE INDIVIDUALS FROM THE COMMUNITY CAN COME AND PARTICIPATE IN A FACILITATED DISCUSSION WITH BREAKOUT CONVERSATIONS ON THE SPECIFIC TOPIC OF THAT ENGAGEMENT SESSION.
SO WHAT WE'LL BE DOING IS, UH, WE'LL HAVE ACCESS TO A SURVEY.
WE'LL HAVE QUESTIONNAIRE, WE'LL HAVE.VOTING, UM, ALL JUST WAYS OF GATHERING COMMUNITY INPUT.
SO THAT'S ONE WAY THAT WE'LL ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY.
UH, A LARGER, PROBABLY MORE ACCESSIBLE WAY TO ENGAGE A COMMUNITY IS THE SURVEY ITSELF.
THE COMMUNITY SURVEY, UH, WE HAVE PLANNED FOR INTERNAL VERSUS EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER, WHICH IS JUST A DISTINCTION WE LIKE TO USE FOR THE CITY'S OPERATION VERSUS, UH, WHAT THE PUBLIC IS AT LARGE IS BEING ENGAGED AS
[01:40:01]
THEY'LL HAVE A SURVEY AS WELL AS THE INTERNAL EMPLOYEE SIDE, THE, UM, COUNCIL AS WELL.AND SO WE'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING AS MUCH DATA FROM KEY GROUPS AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PLAN IS DATA INFORMED.
AND I WANNA REMIND THE COUNCIL THAT WE DID AN EXTERNAL SURVEY AND, UH, WE RECEIVED OVER 300, UM, UM, COMMENTS, UH, OR SURVEYS BACK WITH, WITH COMMENTS.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA SHARE WITH, UH, WITH THE CONSULTANT AND, UH, UH, IF, IF, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL DESIRES TO HAVE MORE FOCUSED MEETINGS, WE CAN CERTAINLY WORK WITH A CONSULTANT ON THAT.
MS. MR. FRI, ARE YOU STATING THAT, UM, BASED ON THE FRAMEWORK OF BAKER AND TILLY AND THEM STATING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE SURVEYS, UH, DONE WITHIN THEIR OFFERING THAT, BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY DONE ONE, THAT THAT INFORMATION WILL BE SUBMITTED TO BAKER AND TILLY TO USE AS TO CHECK THE BOX FOR THE SURVEY? OR, OR WILL THEY DO THEIR OWN? I I THINK THERE WILL BE SOME FOCUS SURVEYS, UH, TO, TO CAPTURE AS MANY, AS MANY, UM, UM, AS MANY VOICES AS POSSIBLE.
WE WILL SHARE OUR SURVEY BECAUSE WE'VE, WE'VE SPENT ENOUGH EFFORT AND TIME ON IT.
BUT THEY CERTAINLY WILL CONDUCT THEIR OWN SURVEY, ESPECIALLY WHEN WORKING ON THE, UM, ON, ON, YOU KNOW, SETTING UP THE WORKSHOPS AND, AND, UH, WHAT MR. BATTLE MENTIONED, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT, IS DOING EXTERNAL BUT ALSO FOCUSED ON THE INTERNAL AND THE OPERATION SURVEYS AS WELL.
SO IT'S GONNA BE VERY COMPREHENSIVE, INCLUDING THE SURVEY THAT WE'VE COMPLETED ABOUT A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.
UM, AND I DO SHOW ARTICLE FIVE DOES HAVE THE COMPENSATION FOR THE CONSULTANT AT NOT TO EXCEED $80,000.
I GUESS FOR MY QUESTION, YOU HAVE THIS SET TO DEPLOY, UM, MARCH, UM, APRIL TIMEFRAME.
UM, LIFE HAPPENS, RIGHT? SOMETHING HAPPENS DRASTICALLY AND WE'RE UNABLE TO MEET THAT DATE.
UM, DOES THAT THEN CHANGE THE COST? ARE THERE ANY UNEXPECTED FEES OUTSIDE OF THAT, OF THIS 80,000 THAT WE SHOULD ANTICIPATE TO EXPAND TO THE POINT OF, YOU KNOW, UM, IN THE PAST, MARKETING HAS NOT BEEN AS WHAT WE WOULD LIKE AS IT RELATES TO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND THUS I'VE SEEN WHERE WE'VE DONE ADDED EXTRA MEETINGS.
YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA UNDERSTAND, WILL THERE POSSIBLY BE AN AMENDMENT SOMEWHERE SIX MONTHS, EIGHT MONTHS DOWN THE LINE FROM YOU BASED ON THE BARE BONES OF WHAT WE'RE WE WE HAD THE CITY HAS NEGOTIATED? WE NEVER PLAN FOR THAT.
WE DON'T, UH, GO INTO ANY ENGAGEMENT LIKE THIS ANTICIPATING ANY TYPE OF, UH, CHANGE TO THE FEE WHAT IS NEGOTIATED AT THE START.
AND THE TIMELINE IS OUR DICTUM AND THAT'S OUR DICTATE.
UM, SO IT, LIKE YOU MENTIONED COUNCILWOMAN, IF THERE IS, UM, UM, ANY SIGNIFICANT, UH, HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT THAT IT'S AGREED UPON BY THE, THE CITY, THE COUNCIL, UH, AND THE BAKER TILLY TEAM PER OUR AND, AND YOUR ALL RECOMMENDATION, WE'RE HAPPY TO EXPLORE THAT JUST AS WE ARE WITH ANY OF OUR CLIENTS.
BUT, UM, AT THIS POINT WITHOUT UH, UH, JUST ANY FORESIGHT INTO WHAT THAT COULD BE, WE'VE ALREADY ACCOUNTED FOR MAJOR HOLIDAYS THROUGHOUT OUR PROCESS, UM, ANY TYPE OF, UH, DISTURBANCE THAT MIGHT ALTER THE PROJECT.
AND WITHIN THE DEFINED PHASE, WE'LL ALSO WORK WITH YOU ALL TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY KEY WEEKS THAT YOU ALL ARE UNAVAILABLE, WE ARE ACCOUNTING FOR AND ADJUSTING OUR TIMELINES TO MEET THAT REQUIREMENT.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU ALL ON THAT.
WE HAVE SEEN ADDENDUMS VERY LATE IN THE PROCESS, LIKE I MENTIONED, JUST BECAUSE OF THOSE, UH, UNFORESEEN CHANGES.
BUT WE ALWAYS WORK WITH YOU ALL ON THAT.
AND THAT'S LAST CASE, UH, LAST RESORT IF YOU WILL.
AND MY LAST IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT MOVING TO A 10 YEAR IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT JUST FOR, I KNOW THAT, UH, BECAUSE THE LEADERSHIP CHANGES ON THE DAY IS SO QUICKLY, VISIONS CHANGE TEND TO CHANGE AS WELL.
UM, AND SO HAVING THIS IN WRITING I THINK IS, IS VERY IMPORTANT ON WHERE THE C WE SEE THE CITY IN 10 YEARS.
UM, I NOTICED THAT YOU HAD A LOT OF CREDENTIALS OF OTHER CITIES THAT YOU'VE DONE THIS WITH AND I, UM, I DID A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH ON THEM TOO, BUT ARE THERE ANY TI ARE THERE, HAVE THERE BEEN ANY CASES WHERE YOU ALL WENT DOWN THE ROAD FOR 10 YEARS AND IT JUST, IT DIDN'T, YOU COULDN'T GET THE CITY ON THE SAME PAGE AND YOU RESULTED TO A FIVE YEAR, OR? IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER, I CAN'T SPEAK FROM EXPERIENCE OF ANY 10
[01:45:01]
YEAR PLANS GOING WRONG.UM, I'VE ONLY SEEN MULTI-YEAR PLANS THAT ARE SEVEN, 10, UM, 20, EVEN 15 YEAR STRATEGIC PLANS THAT HAVE STRONG SUPPORT AT THE START.
AND AS YOU GET 5, 10, 15 YEARS OUT, YOU REASSESS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, UM, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE UPDATING THE PLAN WITHOUT FULLY REDEVELOPING AN ENTIRELY NEW PLAN.
SO I WOULD SAY PART OF THAT, THERE'S, THERE'S KIND OF FAIL SAFES OR CONTROLS BUILT INTO THE PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT AT THE THREE YEAR MARK, AT THE FIVE YEAR MARK, EIGHT YEAR TENURE YEAR, YOU ALL ARE CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THE PLAN AND, AND BRING IT TO FULL FRUITATION AND WE'LL ADVISE AS TO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR THE CITY.
SO THERE'S CHECKPOINTS THROUGHOUT THE TIMEFRAME ALWAYS.
IF I, IF I MAY ADD, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO, UM, A FIVE YEAR PLAN USUALLY TAKES ABOUT TWO TO THREE YEARS TO PREP FOR, FOR A MAJOR INITIATIVE, UH, TO TAKE, TAKE PLACE.
BY THE TIME THAT MAJOR INITIATIVE IS FORMULATED, YOU ONLY HAVE A COUPLE OF YEARS TO IMPLEMENT IT AND THEN YOU RUSH THROUGH WITH IT.
AND THAT'S THE REASON THAT WE STAFF SUGGESTED THE 10 YEAR PLAN, A 20 YEAR PLAN, I THINK'S TOO FAR IN THE HORIZON TO BE ABLE TO REALLY FOCUS ON WHAT WE WANT TO DO SHORT TERM, MIDTERM, AND LONG TERM.
NOW THERE'S GOTTA BE TOUCH POINTS EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE EVERY YEAR, IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE EVERY COUPLE YEARS TO REVISIT THE, THE PILLARS OR THE, THE, THE, THE FUNCTIONS OF THAT STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE HAVE TO, 'CAUSE THE WORLD IS EVOLVING.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE GONNA DO, YOU ASKED ALSO ANOTHER REALLY IMPORTANT QUESTION ON, ON CATASTROPHIC EVENT.
NOW WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A CATASTROPHIC EVENT, BUT HOPEFULLY WHEN THEY'RE DONE, WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA LOOK, UH, TO, TO
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER PHASE.
UH, I DON'T WANT TO BE REMISS TO, TO TRY TO CREATE THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT IS REALLY NOT IMPLEMENTABLE.
SO PART OF, PART OF THE IMPLEMENTATION AND THE ACTION PROCESS IS TO CREATE THAT DASHBOARD AND THAT DASHBOARD IS GONNA BE, UH, IS GONNA BE EVOLVING TOWARDS THE END OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
'CAUSE THERE'S SO MANY TOOLS AND WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA LOOK FOR THEIR EXPERTISE TO TELL US WHICH TOOL IS THE RIGHT TOOL FOR US TO TRACK ALL OF THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE.
CAN SO WE'LL, 'CAUSE I WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND AS YOU WERE TALKING.
UM, HOW DOES THIS STR HOW DOES OUR MASTER, SO THE PLAN FOR LIKE PARKS, THE PLAN FOR, UM, PNC OR, OR, OR OUR DESOTO DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, WILL THOSE ALSO INTERTWINE IN THESE 10 YEAR AS WELL SO THAT WE KNOCK OUT EVERYTHING AT ONCE? OR WILL WE THEN HAVE TO GO BACK AND CREATE A MASTER PLAN ON TOP OF THIS STRATEGIC PLAN? THAT, THAT'S CORRECT.
AND, AND, AND THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS REALLY OWNED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AS KIND OF THE MASTER, UH, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, SERVER OF, OF THE CITY.
SO PART OF THE DYNAMIC IS THAT EVERY ELEMENT, THERE'S NINE ELEMENTS PLUS THE DESOTO SMART, UH, SMART CITY INITIATIVE.
SO WITH THOSE ELEMENTS, UM, THEY ALL HAVE TO INTEGRATE INTO THIS STRATEGIC PLAN.
PLANNING, PLANNING AND ZONING IS ONE ELEMENT.
YOU HAVE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE IS ANOTHER ELEMENT.
PARKS AND TRAILS IS ANOTHER ELEMENT.
ALL OF THOSE ELEMENTS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS ANOTHER ELEMENT.
SO THERE'S NINE ELEMENTS THAT THEY HAVE TO INTEGRATE INTO THAT MASTER PLAN AND THEY SHOULD FOLLOW THAT MASTER STRATEGIC PLAN, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
SO THEY ALL SHOULD BE ALIGNED BACK INTO THAT STRATEGIC PLAN.
DOES THAT CONCLUDE YOUR PRESENTATION? IT DOES.
UH, MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
AT THIS TIME I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THE PRESENTATION AS PRESENTED.
SECOND, CAN YOU RE UH, IF YOU DON'T MIND, COUNCIL MEMBER NORTH, CAN YOU REWORD YOUR MOTION? 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT ACCEPTING THE PRESENTATION, WE'RE ACCEPTING.
UH, JUST KIND OF READ IT VERBATIM FOR THE RECORD.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $80,000.
WITH BAKER TILLY ADVISORY GROUP, LP FOR CONSULTING SERVICES FOR THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY OF DESOTOS 10 YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN.
[01:50:01]
FROM SECOND.COUNCILMAN BUR, WE DO HAVE A, UH, MOTION AND A PROPER SECOND.
COUNSEL ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[1. Conduct a Public Hearing on the Proposed Budget for FY 2025-2026 according to Article VII of the City of DeSoto Charter]
AT THIS TIME, MS. REYNOLDS, WE WILL HAVE OUR NEXT AND WHAT LOOKS TO BE OUR FINAL ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, WHICH IS OUR PUBLIC HEARING FOR, UH, THE PROPOSED BUDGET.NEXT, WE HAVE 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 CITIZEN APPEARANCES.
THE STANDARD TIME LIMIT IS THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER.
IT MAY BE MODIFIED AT THE MAYOR'S DISCRETION TO MAINTAIN AN EFFICIENT FLOW OF THE MEETING.
COMMENT CARDS RELATED TO SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS ARE DUE PRIOR TO THE INTRODUCTION OF AN AGENDA ITEM.
HOWEVER, COMMENT CARDS RELATED TO THE CITIZEN APPEARANCES PORTION OF THE AGENDA MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE AMBASSADOR'S TABLE PRIOR TO THE START OF THE MEETING.
NOW WE HAVE CONDUCTED PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 TO 2026.
ACCORDING TO ARTICLE SEVEN OF THE CITY OF DESOTO CHARTER AND MAKING A PRESENTATION IS INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR LAKITA SUTTON.
GOOD EVENING AGAIN, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
WE ARE CONDUCTING A PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 25 26 BUDGET.
ACCORDING TO TITLE VII OF THE CITY OF DESOTO CHARTER, I'M GONNA TOUCH ON SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.
UH, FOR THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, THE TAX RATE REQUIRED TO FUND DEBT OBLIGATIONS AND MAINTAIN PROPOSED LEVEL OF OPERATING SERVICES IS 0.6 8 4 9 3 4 PER PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUATION, WHICH REMAINS UNCHANGED FROM TAX YEAR 2020 4.1 8 2 5 4 2 PER $100 OF VALUATION INCREASE OF 0.0 0 1 5 4 2 FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.
AND A MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS RATE OF 0.50 2 3 5 0 2 3 9 2 PER $100 VALUATION, A DECREASE OF 0.0 0 1 5 4 2 FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 25, 26 BUDGET, WE ARE PROJECTED TO RAISE MORE, UH, REVENUE FROM TAXES THAN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET BY $5,093,723 OR A 10.17% INCREASE OF THAT AMOUNT, $778,901 IS TAX REVENUE TO BE RAISED FROM NEW PROPERTY A ADDED TO THE TAX ROLL THIS YEAR.
IN ADDITION, WITH THE BUDGET ADOPTION, UH, WHICH IS GOING TO BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2025 AT 7:00 PM WE WILL ALSO BE, UH, ADOPTING OUR, UH, CIP.
SO THE MOST RECENT, UH, CIP THAT WE BROUGHT FORWARD TO CITY COUNCIL, AS WE KNOW, IT INCLUDES PROJECTS THAT WERE FUNDED WITH OUR MOST RECENT BOND SALE, UH, WHICH OCCURRED IN FISCAL YEAR 25.
THAT BOND SALE INCLUDED PROJECTS TO BE COVERED FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 AND 26.
WE ARE NOT HAVING A BOND SALE IN FISCAL YEAR 26.
OUR NEXT BOND SALE WILL BE TO, UM, ESTABLISH PROJECTS FOR COMPLETION OR ANY NEW PROJECTS BEGINNING IN FISCAL YEAR 2027.
ALSO, AN END WITH BUDGET ADOPTION INCLUDES, UH, A 9% INCREASE IN THE WATER BASE AND VOLUME RATES FOR THE CURRENT BASE RATE OF $11.
FROM THE CURRENT BASE RATE OF $11 AND 60 CENTS TO $12 AND 64 CENTS.
AND THE CURRENT VOLUME RATE OF $4 AND 3 CENTS TO $4 AND 37 CENTS, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL CONTINUE ON WITH, UH, CONTINUE ON WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING.
OUR NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO ADOPT OUR BUDGET, OUR TAX RATE, AND OUR CIP.
AND WE PLAN TO DO THAT ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2025.
AND WE HAVE, WE WILL HAVE POSTED ALL OF THE REQUIRED NOTICES, UM, AS THEY RELATE TO, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, OUR BUDGET.
I DID WANNA GO AHEAD AND LOOK AT OUR BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS AGAIN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026.
WE ARE HAVING NO CHANGE IN THE PROPER TAX RATE.
POINT SIX 8 4 9 3 4, NO UTIL NO UTILIZATION OF RESERVED.
WE ARE PROPOSING A BALANCED BUDGET.
THERE IS A PROPOSED 2% COST OF LIVING COLA ADJUSTMENT FOR EMPLOYEES, AS WELL AS A 3.5% STEP INCREASE.
WE ARE REVAMPING THE SANITATION CUSTOMER SERVICE
[01:55:01]
DELIVERY, INCLUDING AN INTEGRATED ONE-STOP SHOP FOR IMPLEMENTATION IN QUARTER ONE OF 2026 IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.WE ARE CONTINUING PROGRESSION WITH OUR CIP AND WE ARE ONBOARDING, UH, PROCESS FOR, UH, THE GOLF CLUB.
IN ADDITION TO OPENING THE AQUATICS AND RECREATION CENTER AND, UH, RUNNING THAT CENTER FOR, UH, HALF OF THE YEAR, WE EXPECT TO OPEN SOMEWHERE AROUND, UH, MARCH OR APRIL OF, OF 2025.
THOSE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE BUDGET.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
AT THIS TIME COUNCIL, I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MAYOR PRO TEM CHISHOLM.
SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER BIRD TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COUNSEL, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
MS. REYNOLDS, DO WE HAVE ANY CARDS FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO SPEAK? WE WILL RECEIVED ONE, UH, FROM NICOLE.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I'M NICOLE ROCK, YALE, DESOTO, TEXAS.
UM, HOW WE DO WHAT WE DO IS AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT WE DO.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS WHEN I SAW THIS BUDGET, A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
SO I'LL REFRAIN FROM ASKING ALL THOSE QUESTIONS.
I'LL MAKE CERTAIN TO SEND THESE FORWARD AS IN FORM OF AN EMAIL.
BUT JUST IN TERMS OF, OF WANTS, NEEDS, DESIRES, THAT KIND OF THING, I WANTED TO KIND OF POINT OUT A FEW THINGS TO YOU.
UM, I KNOW LAST YEAR, UH, WE APPROVED THE, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DEPARTMENT.
AND AT THAT TIME IT WAS PROPOSED TO HAVE THAT COMMUNICATIONS AND GRANTS PERSON.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT, NOT CONCERNED, BUT UNCLEAR OF WAS, UM, IF WE HAD A, IF WE HAD A GRANTS PERSON IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE FOR THE CITY.
ARE WE DUPLICATING EFFORTS? THE REASON WHY I BRING THAT UP IS IN PART BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IN THIS, UM, THIS ROUND, I SEE THAT, THAT THAT WASN'T THE CASE.
THAT WE'RE GOING FROM A COORDINATOR TO A GRANTS PERSON, COMMUNICATION GRANTS PERSON, BUT THEN WE'RE ALSO INCLUDING A COMMUNITY, AN ENGAGEMENT PERSON ON THE POLICE SIDE TO GOING TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I THINK, I THOUGHT IT WAS HAPPENING LAST YEAR WITH THE ENGAGEMENT PERSON THAT WAS BROUGHT IN-HOUSE.
SO, UM, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME THINKING AROUND WHAT ENGAGEMENT LOOKS LIKE WHEN IT COMES TO THAT FROM THE INSIDE TO THE OUTSIDE.
AND I REALLY LOVE THE CONCEPT OF WHAT POLICE IS TRYING TO DO.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT WE WOULD MOVING FORWARD TO DO IN TERMS OF GETTING IN COMMUNITY, GOING OUT THERE.
UM, AS IT RELATES TO THE PART-TIME, UH, CULTURAL ARTS PERSON, UH, ROLANDA BRIGHAM HAS BEEN IN THIS CITY FOR A LOT OF YEARS, IN FACT, UM, OR I'M SORRY, UH, THAT I DIDN'T WANNA SAY THE NAME, BUT, UM, THIS IS THE 20TH YEAR OF, OF, UH, KATRINA.
SHE WAS AN INTEGRAL PART ABOUT, UH, BRINGING, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY GATHERING, GETTING PEOPLE DISPLACED, DISPLACED PEOPLE, UM, INTO DIFFERENT PLACES.
AND IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME THAT SOMEONE OF THAT MULTITUDE AND CALIBER WHO'S WORKED FOR THE CITY UNDER THAT CAPACITY DOESN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S A MAL-ALIGNMENT THAT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU.
BUT WHETHER IT'S THAT INDIVIDUAL OR THAT ROLE, SOMEONE IN THE ARTS BEING IN THE COMMUNITY EVEN MORE IN ADDITION, IN ADDITION TO DOING THE NAVIGATION WORK RELATED TO NANCE FARM, UM, I THINK, UM, IS SOMETHING TO BE CONSIDERED.
AND LASTLY, I LIKE TO SAY THAT, UM, RELATED TO THORNTREE, THERE, THERE'S A LACK OF DOUBT AND INFORMATION, UM, IN THE BUDGET.
I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE IN THERE.
AND I WANT TO, UM, DO A BIG BOOST UP FOR THE LIBRARY.
CAN WE USE A FEW DOLLARS FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE TO PAY FOR PAINT? CAN WE PAINT THE LIBRARY? CAN WE REFRESH IT AND MAKE IT LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF COMPETITORS RIGHT NOW.
MANY OF OUR PEOPLE ARE GOING TO CEDAR HILL AND SO ANY, I KNOW THERE'S A PLAN TO, TO RAISE FUNDS FROM THE COMMUNITY, BUT WITH THE DOLLARS THAT WE DO HAVE, MY ASK IS THAT WE USE THE MONEY FOR SOME PAINT.
THANK YOU, MS. BROWN, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL CARDS FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO SPEAK? NO, MA'AM.
AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, WE WILL, UH, ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WELL, I HAVE, I HAVE A QUICK THING THOUGH.
WE ARE, WE'RE CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE CARDS FOR THE PUBLIC.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEM CHISHOLM TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING COUNCIL.
UH, THERE IS NO MOTION NECESSARY.
THIS IS STRICTLY A PUBLIC HEARING TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC.
SO AT THIS TIME, COUNCIL, IF THERE ARE COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL, WE CAN ENTERTAIN QUESTIONS, UH, FROM THE DAYS COUNCIL MEMBER WATERS.
YEAH, I JUST HAD A, UH, I GUESS A CLARIFYING THING ON THE PUBLIC UTILITY FUND BUDGET.
UM, THE CURRENT VOLUME RATE, CAN YOU REPEAT WHAT IS GOING TO CHANGE TO SURE.
[02:00:01]
THERE IS A TYPO ON YOUR REPORT.RIGHT ON YOUR REPORT IT SAYS, UH, CURRENT VOLUME RATE OF THE $4 AND 3 CENTS TO $4 AND 39 CENTS.
THAT SHOULD BE $4 AND 3 CENTS TO $4 AND 37 CENTS.
BYE COUNSELOR, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? OKAY.
HEARING NONE AT THIS TIME, UH, THAT WILL CONCLUDE OUR PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM.
THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE WORK GETTING US TO THIS POINT.
AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER.
SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUGHES TO ADJOURN.
COUNCIL ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
IT IS 7:13 PM COUNSEL, AND WE ARE NOW ADJOURNED.