[E. 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. ]

[F. Consent - Other Items]

COLLEAGUES BIRTHDAY. SO AT THIS TIME, MADAM CITY SECRETARY, WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, PLEASE. NEXT, WE'RE MOVING ON TO 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 MAY BE REMOVED FROM 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 MEETING MINUTES FOR SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING. JULY 20TH. REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

JULY 21ST. SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING. JULY 31ST. REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING. AUGUST 4TH. SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING. AUGUST 17TH. REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING AUGUST 18TH AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL CONSENT ITEMS. CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER TO ACCEPT THE COMPLETION OF THE CONSTRUCTION WORK FOR EAST PARKERVILLE ROAD AND ACADEMY WAY INTERSECTION. SIGNALIZATION PROJECT. CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE TO THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH J. RICHARD PERKINS AND THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $20,700 FOR ADDITIONAL SURVEYING, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PHASE ASSISTANT FOR THE 2023 WATER AND WASTEWATER RENOVATION AND REPLACEMENT PROJECT, RESULTING IN A TOTAL AMENDED CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $105,700. CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND

[00:20:04]

EXECUTE A CONTRACT TO PURCHASE AN UPGRADED EVENTIDE 911 RECORDING SYSTEM FROM VISTA COMM, AND THE AMOUNT OF $200,402 USING NEXT GENERATION 911 STATE GRANT FUNDS FOR THE SOUTHWEST REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS CENTER, UTILIZING HGAC COOPERATIVE PURCHASE CONTRACT NUMBER RP07-20. CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASE OF AN ADDITIONAL TWO YEARS OF MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT FROM AT&T, THE SOUTHWEST REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS CENTER 911 PHONE SYSTEM IN THE AMOUNT OF $300,000 USING NEXT GENERATION STATE GRANT FUNDS. CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF ONE MOTOROLA COMMAND CENTRAL AXIS DISPATCH CONSOLE FOR THE SOUTHWEST REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS. SWRCC BACKUP CENTER IN THE AMOUNT OF $130,924.94 USING NEXT GENERATION 911 STATE GRANT FUNDS, CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION TO CANCEL THE OCTOBER 6TH, 2026, REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING. THANK YOU, MADAM CITY SECRETARY. I DO SEE A LIGHT COUNCIL MEMBER. PARKER. YES, I'D LIKE TO PULL ITEM F FIVE, PLEASE, FOR I'M SORRY. F6 FOR SEPARATE SEPARATE VOTES. SEPARATE A SEPARATE VOTE AS WELL. THANK YOU. AND YOU SAID ITEM F6F6F6. COUNCIL. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM. EXCUSE ME. THANK YOU. THIS IS PROBABLY FOR THE CITY MANAGER. I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING F THREE AND I GUESS IT'S F FIVE. WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE BUDGET LAST COUNCIL MEETING, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY SWRCC HAD APPROACHED THEIR BUDGET, SO ARE THESE OVER THE BUDGET OR WERE THEY ALREADY BUDGETED FOR? SO THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN CHISHOLM AND TO COUNCIL. SO JUST KIND OF TO GO BACK WE DO ALL YOU GUYS ARE RESPONSE ON THAT ITEM REGARDING BUDGET. SO BUT THE NUMBER THAT WE SAW ON THE BUDGET DID NOT REFLECT THE TOTAL BUDGET FOR SWRICC REMEMBER, SWRCC IS IS FUNDED BY THREE DIFFERENT CITIES. WHAT YOU SAW ON THAT BUDGET WAS THE CITY OF DESOTO'S GENERAL FUND CONTRIBUTION FOR SWRCC, BUT YOU STILL HAVE THE CEDAR HILL CONTRIBUTION AS WELL AS THE DUNCANVILLE CONTRIBUTION. THAT DOES NOT SHOWN ON THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT PART OF OUR BUDGET. THE OTHER THING IS THE. THERE ARE TWO PARTS TO THE OUR CONTRIBUTION. THERE ARE WHAT COMES OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, BUT ALSO THE 911 FEES THAT ARE CAPTURED BY THE STATE AND THEN SENT BACK TO EACH JURISDICTION SO THAT THAT AMOUNT THAT YOU SAW ON THAT SHEET DID NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE 911 FEES. SO EVERYBODY'S ALL THREE CITIES, 911 FEES, PLUS THE GENERAL FUND AMOUNT TOTAL UP TO A CERTAIN AMOUNT. SOME MAY HAVE MORE 911 FEES THAN OTHERS. AND WHEN WE BUDGET, WE BUDGET AS AN ESTIMATE. AND SO A LOT OF TIMES OUR 911 FEES COME IN A LITTLE HIGHER OR THEY COME IN A LITTLE LOWER PROBABLY WHAT WHAT WE GOT TO GO BACK AND VERIFY WAS WHETHER OR NOT THE 911 FEES CAME IN A LITTLE LOWER. THAT'S WHY YOU SAW THAT NUMBER A LITTLE BIT OVER BECAUSE BUT WE'RE NOWHERE NEAR THE COMPLETION OF THE BUDGET AMOUNT. SO YEAH. AND THE OTHER PART IS THESE FUNDS ARE GRANT FUNDS, STATE GRANT FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN AWARDED OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO. AND SO THEY'RE AT THE AT THE POINT WHERE NOW THEY HAVE TO UTILIZE THESE FUNDS. THEY'VE THEY'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT THEY WERE HAD PROPOSED TO DO WITH THE WITH THE STATE GRANT FUNDS. AND SO THESE ARE SOME OTHER ALLOWABLE USES THAT THE STATE IS ALLOWING US, ALLOWING US TO MAKE PURCHASES WITH. SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE EXPEND THOSE GRANT FUNDS WHILE WE STILL HAVE AVAILABILITY. AND YOU SAID F FIVE AS WELL. IS THAT DID THEY ANSWER BOTH OF YOUR QUESTIONS? F THREE AND F FIVE? THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER, COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER OH EXCUSE ME, YOU HAVE YOUR ITEM PULLED. IS THAT ALL YOU NEED JUST TO PULL THAT ITEM? YES. OKAY. SO COUNCIL, IS THERE A MOTION FOR THE REMAINING ITEMS? MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE AS PRESENTED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM F SIX. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MAYOR PRO TEM HUGHES, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER CHISM TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM F6 COUNCIL. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

[6. Consider approval of a Resolution to cancel the October 6, 2026, Regular City Council Meeting]

WE HAVE ITEM F SIX. COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, DID YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BEFORE WE CALL FOR A MOTION FOR THAT ITEM FOR F SIX. YES. YES. YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.

YES. THE REASON THAT I WANTED TO PULL THIS ONE WAS BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE TALKING IN TERMS OF AND DON'T GET ME WRONG, IT'S NOT THAT I WANT TO SPEND MY TIME IN THESE MEETING ROOMS.

[00:25:03]

HOWEVER, FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, WE HAVE FIVE TUESDAYS. AND IF WE MOVE THIS MEETING OR REMOVE THIS MEETING, THAT MEANS ANY BUSINESS BETWEEN THAT SECOND MEETING IN SEPTEMBER AND THE SECOND MEETING IN OCTOBER IS A ROUGHLY ABOUT 25 TO 30 DAYS. THAT'S A LOT OF MEETING ROOM THAT WON'T BE UTILIZED. SO I'M ASKING IF WE CAN MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE MOVING THE MEETING TO SEPTEMBER THE 29TH, WHICH IS THE LAST TUESDAY OF THIS MONTH, TO CIRCUMVENT HAVING TO REMOVE A MEETING FROM THE ACTUAL CALENDAR. SO I MAKE THAT MOTION SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED TO MOVE THE OCTOBER. YOU'RE ASKING TO MOVE THE OCTOBER 6TH MEETING TO SEPTEMBER 29TH, CORRECT? OKAY. THE LAST TUESDAY OF THIS MONTH, WE HAVE FIVE TUESDAYS. CORRECT. COUNCIL. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE? WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT. YES. DO YOU HAVE COMMENTS? IT'LL BE ENOUGH BUSINESS TO TO TO HAVE A MEETING. I WILL SAY THAT THE REASON THAT IT WAS. YES, MADAM CITY SECRETARY, I ALSO WANT TO NOTE, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THAT STAFF HAVE APPROPRIATELY PLACED ITEMS ON THE AGENDA FOR THE MEETINGS THAT ARE COMING UP. IN LIEU OF US CANCELING THIS MEETING. IT WAS A APPROPRIATELY SHARED WITH THEM AND COMMUNICATED WITH THEM THAT WE WOULD MAYBE BE COUNSELING THIS MEETING. AND SO WE LOOKED AT IT FROM THE DIRECTOR'S PERSPECTIVE AND WITH CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, AND WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE MOVED SO THAT WE COULD STILL CONDUCT CITY BUSINESS. I STILL REMAIN AT MY POINT OF THERE'S 30 DAYS BETWEEN THE LAST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER, NOT THE LAST TUESDAY, THE LAST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER AND THE MEETING IN OCTOBER. THAT'S A LOT OF ROOM IN THERE WHERE WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY DOING ANY CITY BUSINESS, AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO WHEN WE HAVE THAT MANY, MANY TUESDAYS.

SO THE LAST TUESDAY OF THIS MONTH ACTUALLY IS TWO WEEKS FROM THE LAST TUESDAY MEETING THAT WE WOULD HAVE IN THIS MONTH. AND SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY I BELIEVE IT SHOULD REMAIN.

THANK YOU. AND THE REASON FOR THE THE REASON FOR THE CANCELLATION OF THAT MEETING IS FOR TEXAS NIGHT OUT. SO WE HAVE HAD WE ESSENTIALLY DID NOT HAVE PARTICIPATION FOR THE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, WHICH WAS LAST MONTH IN TERMS OF COUNCIL PARTICIPATION. OBVIOUSLY, WE KNOW THAT THAT EVENT IS CENTERED AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY. AND SO WE RECOGNIZE THAT.

HOWEVER, THIS IS AN EVENT THAT OUR POLICE AND OUR STAFF AND OTHERS ARE ACTUALLY HOSTING.

THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE HOSTED BY INDIVIDUAL HOA'S. THIS IS OUR STAFF. AND SO TO MAKE SURE THAT COUNCIL WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE, BECAUSE IN YEARS PAST, I KNOW SPECIFICALLY SPEAKING OF LAST YEAR, COUNCIL HONESTLY MISSED THE ENTIRE EVENT BY BECAUSE OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING. WE WERE TRYING TO GET OUT TO GET THERE IN ENOUGH TIME, AND WE DID NOT.

AND SO TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING THIS YEAR, SINCE WE DID NOT GET TO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, WE EVALUATED THAT. AND AS THE CITY SECRETARY HAS STATED, MADE SURE THAT WE APPROPRIATELY PLACED ANY CITY BUSINESS ON ANY OF THE MEETINGS THAT ARE COMING UP AT THE END OF THIS MONTH TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET IT IN OR THE MEETING IN OCTOBER, AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE ARE NO DEADLINES THAT ARE CRITICAL IN AS A RESULT OF CANCELING THE MEETING. YES, COUNCIL. EXCUSE ME, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? YES, YOU PRETTY MUCH ANSWERED IT. BUT I JUST WANT TO KIND OF REITERATE. SO IT'S NO PROBLEM FOR YOU AS A CITY SECRETARY POINT OF VIEW, RIGHT? IF WE MOVE, CANCEL THE MEETING ACCORDING TO WHAT YOU SAID. WHAT ABOUT YOU, CITY MANAGER? IS EVERYTHING. YEAH. NO TO TO CITY SECRETARY'S POINT LIKE SHE EXCUSE ME, INDICATED WHEN WE HAD THE THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND POTENTIALLY THAT THIS MEETING WOULD BE CANCELED. WE DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH STAFF TO PLAN ACCORDINGLY, EITHER HAVE ITEMS ON BEFORE THAT MEETING OR AFTER THAT MEETING. SO SO THERE'S NO PROBLEM THERE. OKAY, THAT'S FINE ENOUGH. YOU'RE ALREADY ANSWERED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

SO COUNCIL, THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO MOVE THE OCTOBER 6TH MEETING TO SEPTEMBER 29TH. AND OUR VOTING PATTERNS ARE TALLIED. SO COUNCIL, PLEASE USE YOUR VOTING PAD. SO A VOTE IN FAVOR OF IT WOULD BE VOTING TO MOVE THAT MEETING TO SEPTEMBER 29TH. THAT MOTION FAILS. YES, THAT MOTION FAILS FOUR THREE. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT MOTION FAILS.

CORRECT. SO THE THE MEETING WILL STAND. WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE A VOTE TO PUT IT. SO COUNCIL WILL NEED A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO ASK THE MOTION. EXCUSE ME. AS THE AGENDA ITEM IS STATED,

[00:30:03]

WHICH IS TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION TO CANCEL THE OCTOBER 6TH, 2026 REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING. WE'LL NEED A MOTION FOR THAT. IS THERE A MOTION? MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION TO CANCEL THE TO CANCEL THE OCTOBER 6TH, 2026, REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING. SECOND. THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MAYOR PRO TEM HUGHES, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER NORTH TO APPROVE THIS ITEM AS PRESENTED. COUNCIL, PLEASE USE YOUR VOTING PADS. THAT MOTION PASSES FIVE TWO. THANK YOU. COUNCIL. WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT WE MOVE ON TO PUBLIC HEARINGS. CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON A

[1. Conduct a Public Hearing on the Proposed Budget for FY 2026-2027 according to Article VII of the City of DeSoto Charter]

PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 2027. ACCORDING TO ARTICLE SEVEN OF THE CITY OF DE SOTO CHARTER. GOOD EVENING, MISS SAID. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. HI THERE. THE PROPOSED BUDGET WAS PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN A HARD COPY FORMAT AND POSTED ELECTRONICALLY ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE ON JULY 9TH, 2026. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE HELD TWO BUDGET WORKSHOPS ONE ON MAY 11TH AND ONE ON JULY 31ST, 2026. THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 TAX RATE REQUIRED TO FUND DEBT OBLIGATIONS AND MAINTAIN THE PROPOSED LEVEL OF OPERATING SERVICES IS 0.684934 PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUATION, WHICH REMAINS UNCHANGED FROM TAX YEAR 2025. THAT RATE IS COMPOSED OF A DEBT SERVICE RATE OF 0.165003 PER $100 OF VALUATION, AND A MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RATE OF 0.519931 PER $100 OF VALUATION. STAFF IS PROPOSING THE TOTAL TAX RATE OF 0.684934 TO FUND CITY OPERATIONS. THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET IS PROJECTED TO RAISE MORE TOTAL REVENUE TAXES THAN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET BY APPROXIMATELY $3.2 MILLION. THAT'S 5.94% OF THAT AMOUNT, $695,286. IS TAX REVENUE TO BE RAISED FROM NEW PROPERTY TAXES ADDED TO THE ROLL FOR TAX YEAR 2026. THE BUDGET AND ALL SUPPORTING SCHEDULES ARE ON FILE WITH THE CITY SECRETARY AND ARE OPEN TO PUBLIC INSPECTION. THE CITY COUNCIL ALSO APPROVES A FIVE YEAR CIP PLAN ANNUALLY. THAT PLAN WAS PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON JULY 31ST, 2026. THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 THROUGH 2031 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED AND IS INCLUDED WITHIN THE BUDGET DOCUMENTATION. THE PUBLIC UTILITY FUND RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2627 HAS A PROPOSED 9% INCREASE IN THE WATER BASE AND THE VOLUME RATES. THE CURRENT BASE OF $12.64 WILL INCREASE TO $13.78, AND THE CURRENT VOLUME RATE OF $4.37 WILL INCREASE TO $4.76. THIS FUND ALSO PROPOSES A 99% INCREASE IN THE SEWER BASE RATE FROM THE CURRENT RATE OF $15.29 TO $16.67. THERE IS NO INCREASE BEING PROPOSED FOR THE SANITATION BUDGET FOR FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2627. THE FISCAL YEAR 27 SANITATION RATE WILL REMAIN AT $34.30. AND I DO HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION TO BRING US FORWARD FROM THE PRIOR BUDGET WORKSHOP TO WHERE WE STAND TODAY IN THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND. I LISTED THE HIGHLIGHTS HERE FOR THE BUDGET. OF COURSE, OUR TAX RATE REMAINS THE SAME. WE ARE PRESENTING A BALANCED BUDGET. WE HAVE A 2% PROPOSED COST OF LIVING INCREASE AND A 3.5% STEP INCREASE. THAT CORRESPONDS WITH OUR CURRENT PAY PLAN. WE WILL HAVE OUR FIRST FULL YEAR OF ARC PROGRAMING AND OPERATIONS. AGAIN, THE 9% WATER AND SEWER RATE ADJUSTMENT, AND THEN CONTINUE PROGRESS ON THE CITY'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. SINCE THE ORIGINAL PROPOSED BUDGET OR SINCE THE MEETINGS THAT WE HAD ON JULY 1ST, 2026, THERE WERE A FEW CHANGES THAT WERE INCORPORATED. THOSE UPDATES ARE LISTED HERE. ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PRESENTATION, THE CARES TEAM. THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN THE CONTRACT WITH PARKLAND. THERE WAS ACTUALLY NOT AN INCREASE. THE INCORRECT NUMBER WAS PUT ON THE ORIGINAL BUDGET. SO WE UPDATED THAT TO THE TO INCREASE 55 APPROXIMATELY 55,000 IN THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE. THAT BUDGET DECREASED

[00:35:05]

DUE TO A SUBSTITUTING TWO RECLASSIFICATIONS INSTEAD OF ADDING ONE FULL TIME RECORDS MANAGER IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. THAT BUDGET DECREASED DUE TO THE ELIMINATION OF AN ENGINEERING ASSISTANT POSITION AND INSTEAD ADDING A PLANNER POSITION, THE PROPERTY TAX RATE.

THE FINAL ALLOCATION HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED SINCE THE LAST BUDGET WORKSHOP. THOSE RATES ARE LISTED THERE FOR A TOTAL TAX RATE OF THE 0.684934, THERE WAS A INCREASE IN SALES TAX REVENUE. WE WENT AND REVIEWED THOSE REVENUES FOR FY 26, AND OUR AVERAGING CAME OUT TO GIVE US A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE GENERAL FUND THERE. IN HUMAN RESOURCES, WE INCREASED THAT BUDGET BY APPROXIMATELY $125,000 TO CONDUCT A COMPENSATION STUDY FOR FISCAL YEAR 27. ALSO IN THE NON-DEPARTMENTAL, WE ADDED SOME FEW BELLS AND WHISTLES TO THE STAR TRANSIT CONTRACT, AND THAT WAS APPROXIMATELY $27,000. AND THE DEBT SERVICE FUND, WHEN WE RECEIVED THE ACTUAL DEBT SERVICE ROUND FROM THE TAX OFFICE OF 0.165003, THAT INCREASED THE REVENUE IN THE INS FUND FROM 13.9 MILLION TO 14 MILLION. INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL FUND. OVERVIEW. AND OF COURSE, THIS IS ALL GENERAL FUND REVENUE AGAINST GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES. THE PERSONNEL CHANGES ARE OUTLINED HERE. AND THIS IS THE THE REVIEW OR THE OVERVIEW OF THE GENERAL FUND ITSELF. THE BEGINNING FUND BALANCE 32.1 MILLION. PROJECTED TOTAL REVENUE 74.3 MILLION. TOTAL EXPENDITURES 74.1 MILLION. THAT GIVES US A PROJECTED SURPLUS OF $192,876 IN THE GENERAL FUND. THE BUDGET ASSUMPTIONS ARE ALSO LISTED THERE. THAT. THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, THANK YOU, MISS SUTTON. AT THIS TIME, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO MOVED. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. EXCUSE ME. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM. I KEEP GETTING ALL MIXED UP TONIGHT. SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. CORRECT TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME. COUNCIL IS ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. COUNSEL, DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENT CARDS FOR THIS ITEM? MADAM CITY SECRETARY, WE DO. THE FIRST CARD IS MISS CATHERINE FISHER. GOOD EVENING, MISS FISHER. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE. FOR THE RECORD, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. CATHERINE FISHER DE SOTO. I APPRECIATE THE BUDGET BRIEF THAT WAS ONLINE. I FOUND THAT VERY HELPFUL. I'M NOT REALLY A TECHNOLOGICAL WIZARD, BUT THE THOUGHT OF GOING THROUGH 500 PAGES OF THAT BUDGET WAS JUST A LITTLE BIT DAUNTING. SO THE BUDGET BRIEF, I FOUND THAT VERY HELPFUL. I'M ALSO IMPRESSED THAT WE MANAGED TO GET AN INCREASE IN OUR REVENUE FROM PROPERTY TAXES. I THINK THAT WAS NICE TO KNOW BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE PROBLEMS PAYING PROPERTY TAXES, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE KNOW WHAT THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT ASSESSES AROUND HERE. AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IF OTHER CITIES HAVE A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. AND I WAS WONDERING, WHY WOULDN'T DE SOTO CONSIDER DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT? WE TALK ABOUT BEING ABLE TO LIVE BETTER, LEADING BETTER. MAYBE DE SOTO COULD LEAD THE WAY. START OUT WITH SOMETHING LIKE 5%. I THINK THAT WOULD HELP A LOT OF CITIZENS OUT. WE HAVE A LOT OF ELDERLY IN DE SOTO WHO HAVE BEEN IN THEIR HOMES FOR A LONG TIME, AND I KNOW THAT PROPERTY TAXES ARE A BURDEN TO THEM, EVEN WITH THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU GET THE SENIOR DISCOUNT, SO TO SPEAK, IT STILL IS A LOT OF MONEY. AND IF WE'RE MAKING REVENUE THAT WE ARE, THEN I THINK 5% WOULD BE A REASONABLE STARTING POINT. AND MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING WE COULD CONSIDER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS FISHER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. YES, MA'AM. OUR NEXT AND FINAL CARD FOR THIS ITEM IS MR. DANIEL CRUZ. GOOD EVENING, MR. CRUZ. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE. FOR THE RECORD, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. DANIEL CRUZ DE SOTO. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. MY NAME IS DANIEL CRUZ, AND I'M PROUD TO CALL DE SOTO HOME. I WANT TO

[00:40:03]

START BY THANKING COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF FOR THE WORK THAT GOES INTO THIS BUDGET, A 500 PAGE DOCUMENT THAT REFLECTS REAL CARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. I'VE READ IT, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT NOT TO CRITICIZE, BUT TO RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION ON TWO ITEMS. FIRST, I KNOW THAT ON MARCH 30TH, STAFF PRESENTED COUNCIL WITH A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS ON HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS, INCLUDING THE FINDING THAT A 5% EXEMPTION WOULD SAVE HOMEOWNERS ABOUT $105 A YEAR IN COST. THE GENERAL FUND, APPROXIMATELY $2 MILLION STAFF CONFIRMED IT CAN BE ADOPTED BY ORDINANCE. I APPRECIATE THAT THIS WORK WAS DONE. I'M RESPECTFULLY ASKING COUNCIL TO DIRECT STAFF TO BRING THAT CONVERSATION BACK AND WORK TOWARD ADOPTING A GENERAL HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION IN THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE. GIVEN THAT WE MISSED THE APRIL 30TH DEADLINE WITH DCAD, I'M NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING RECKLESS. I'D SUGGEST AN INCREMENTAL APPROACH START AT 5% WITH THE OPTION TO GROW OVER TIME, BUT ONLY IF THE FUND BALANCE STAYS ABOVE 40% AND REVENUE KEEPS GROWING. IF TIMES GET TOUGH, IT AUTOMATICALLY FREEZES. THE CITY'S OWN NUMBERS SHOW WE QUALIFY TODAY. OUR FUND BALANCE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, IS AT 44.9%. PROPERTY TAX REVENUE HAS GROWN FROM GET THIS, 34.8 MILLION TO 40 4.8 MILLION IN 3 YEARS. THAT'S A $10 MILLION DIFFERENCE. THAT GROWTH IS A TESTAMENT TO THIS COMMUNITY SHARING A SMALL PORTION OF IT WITH HOMEOWNERS, ESPECIALLY OUR SENIORS, FOR WHOM IT WOULD STACK ON. THE EXISTING OVER 65 EXEMPTION WOULD MAKE DESOTO STAND OUT. OUR NEIGHBOR CITY, OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES DON'T OFFER ONE EITHER, BUT THAT'S EXACTLY THE POINT. WE'D BE THE FIRST TO STEP UP AND SHOW THAT THIS CITY CARES ABOUT ITS RESIDENTS, NOT JUST ITS REVENUE.

I'D ALSO ASK THAT THE CITY HELP EDUCATE RESIDENTS ABOUT HOW PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS WORK.

MANY PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THEY RECEIVE EXEMPTIONS FROM THE COUNTY, SCHOOL DISTRICT AND HOSPITAL, BUT NOT FROM THE CITY OF DESOTO. GREATER TRANSPARENCY BUILDS TRUST. SECOND, MY SECOND REQUEST IS ABOUT THE 9% WATER AND SEWER RATE INCREASE. I UNDERSTAND THE COST FROM TRINITY RIVER AUTHORITY AND DALLAS WATER UTILITIES ARE REAL. I'M SIMPLY ASKING WHETHER COUNCIL WOULD CONSIDER PHASING THE INCREASE, PERHAPS 4.5 NOW AND 4.5% IN THE SPRING. SO FAMILIES AREN'T ABSORBING RISING PROPERTY VALUES AND HIGHER UTILITY BILLS ALL AT ONCE. A UTILITY RATE IMPACT STATEMENT SHOWING THE ACTUAL DOLLAR CHANGE ON A TYPICAL BILL WOULD ALSO GO A LONG WAY TOWARD HELPING RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND THE PLAN. WE SAY THERE'S SO MUCH TO LOVE ABOUT DESOTO, AND THERE IS, I BELIEVE, IN WHERE THE CITY IS HEADED. THESE RECOMMENDATIONS COME FROM A PLACE OF LOVE FOR THIS COMMUNITY, WANTING TO SEE IT THRIVE, NOT JUST GROW, BUT TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY HERE. I PREPARED A PACKET WITH DATA COMPARISONS AND A PROPOSED FRAMEWORK THAT I'LL LEAVE WITH THE CITY SECRETARY AS A RESOURCE FOR COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TONIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. CRUZ. YOU CAN PLEASE GIVE THE TOUR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION. MADAM SECRETARY, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL CARDS? THERE ARE NOT. OKAY. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, COUNCIL, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. SECOND, BY COUNCIL MEMBER CHISM TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. COUNCIL. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. THERE IS NO ACTION FROM US TONIGHT NEEDED. CORRECT. I KNOW WE HAD A FEW QUESTIONS, AND I WAS TRYING TO SUMMARIZE SOME OF THEM BEFORE COUNCIL GOES INTO ANY QUESTIONS WE MAY HAVE, I WANT TO ADDRESS THOSE THAT WERE POSED BY OUR SPEAKERS TONIGHT. I KNOW THAT TWO OF THEM BROUGHT UP THE SAME ISSUE OF HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS, AND SOME OF THE PREVIOUS WORK AND DISCUSSIONS THAT THE COUNCIL HAS. THE COUNCIL HAS HAD, AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS. AND THEN THE SECOND PART OF MR. CRUZ'S QUESTION WAS REGARDING THE WATER RATE IN TERMS OF HIS HIS RECOMMENDATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WOULD YOU LIKE FOR US TO COMMENT ON THOSE. YES.

FOR THE WATER RATES, AS MR. LACEY HAD GOT AFTER THE STUDY WAS DONE AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. AS YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC KNOWS WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY THAT'S DONE EVERY FIVE YEARS. AND EVEN WITH THAT, EVERY EVERY YEAR, THOSE RATES ARE EVALUATED WITH THE INCREASE IN THE WATER PURCHASES FROM CITY OF DALLAS, AS WELL AS THE TRINITY RIVER AUTHORITY INCREASE, IT WAS TOTALLY NECESSARY FOR US TO TO HAVE THAT INCREASE IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN THE WATER SEWER FUND AND HAVE IT TO HAVE A POSITIVE NET BALANCE THE WAY THAT THAT THAT THAT WE'VE BEEN RUNNING IT. IT IS A SELF-SUPPORTING FUND. AND SO WHAT GOES OUT WE HAVE TO BRING BACK IN IN ORDER TO KEEP THAT FUND HEALTHY. CAN YOU CAN YOU EXPOUND A LITTLE BIT MORE

[00:45:03]

AND PUT IT IN PLAIN LANGUAGE? FOR THOSE OF US WHO MAY NOT NECESSARILY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MEAN WHEN YOU SAY SELF-SUPPORTING FUND AND HOW THAT DIFFERS FROM MAYBE SOME OF THE OTHER FUNDS THAT THERE MAY BE MORE FAMILIAR WITH. SURE. FOR THE SELF-SUPPORTING FUNDS SUCH AS SANITATION AND THE WATER SEWER FUND, THOSE ARE FUNDS THAT ARE SUPPORTED BY USER FEES. SO THE USER FEES THAT ARE CHARGED TO OUR CUSTOMERS, TO OUR CITIZENS, THOSE ARE THE EXACT FEES THAT WE PAY TO OUR CONTRACTORS, TO OUR VENDORS TO KEEP THE WATER HEALTHY WITH HEALTHY DRINKING WATER, AND TO SUPPORT THE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE COMPARED TO THE GENERAL FUND. IT DOESN'T SELF SUPPORT. IT SUPPORTS BY TAX REVENUE. WE WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO PAY THE GENERAL FUND BACK FOR THE GENERAL FUND HAS POLICE PROTECTION, FIRE PROTECTION, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO THAT IS MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS.

AND THAT COMES DIRECTLY FROM THE TAX RATES, THE SALES TAX AND OUR OTHER FRANCHISE FEES AND SUCH. SO COUNCIL, BEFORE SHE GOES INTO HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION THAT WAS GERMANE TO WHAT SHE JUST MENTIONED ABOUT THE WATER RATE? YES. THANK YOU.

COUNCIL, CAN ONE OF YOU ALL CUT YOUR LIGHTS OFF? I DO SEE I HAD MY WELL, THIS IS HIS QUESTION IS GERMANE TO THIS PARTICULAR ONE ABOUT THE WATER RATE. IT IS AS WELL. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. YES. SO AS FAR AS THE WATER RATES ARE CONCERNED, YOU KNOW, I WAS THE ONE THAT ASKED IF WE COULD NOT HAVE THE INCREASE PERIOD THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF ALL OF WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH WATER. AND I LIKE THE IDEA OF DOING THOSE SPLITS. HAS THE HAS THERE BEEN ANY STUDY ABOUT DOING IT IN PHASES AS OPPOSED TO. AND I GET WHAT WE'RE SAYING THAT WE HAVE TO INCREASE. BUT HAVE WE DONE THE STUDY TO SAY THIS IS WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IF WE DID IT IN IN PHASES, BECAUSE I WANTED NONE. I WANTED THE ENTIRE YEAR TO BE WAITING UNTIL NEXT YEAR.

BUT I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF MAYBE DOING A PHASED APPROACH. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK INTO? I THINK WE CAN HAVE THE DISCUSSION DEFINITELY WITH OUR CONSULTANTS. WE WE SPEAK TO THEM EVERY YEAR AND THEY DIVE INTO THIS VERY DEEPLY EVERY YEAR. FOR THIS YEAR, THEY HAVE RECOMMENDED THE 9% FOR US TO DO IT IN, IN ONE TERM AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BUDGET YEAR.

I'LL LET MR. LACEY COME ON. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER'S QUESTION. THE ANSWER IS YES. WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT IN FUTURE STUDIES. WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE FROM A PHASED APPROACH. I WOULD JUST BE, YOU KNOW, FRANK WITH YOU. YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT IN THE BUDGET PROCESS, I THINK STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS GOING TO BE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH WHAT THE CONSULTANT RECOMMENDED, BECAUSE THAT'S BASED ON THE EXPENSES THAT WE'RE HAVING TO ABSORB. SO, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, IF WE IF WE DID A STAIR STEP APPROACH, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, 4.5% RIGHT NOW, AND THEN 4.5% LESS IN THE FISCAL YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT OTHER WAYS TO EITHER CUT THE EXPENSES OR SOME SOME OTHER WAY TO ENHANCE REVENUE, WHICH MORE THAN LIKELY WOULD BE WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT WAYS TO CUT EXPENSES BECAUSE THE THE UGLY TRUTH OF IT ALL IS OUR PARTNERS, YOU KNOW, DALLAS WATER UTILITIES AND TRINITY RIVER AUTHORITIES, THEY'RE NOT STAIR STEPPING THIS THIS PASS THROUGH FEE. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF CITIES, WHAT THEY WILL DO IN LIEU OF DOING A STUDY, THEY WILL PASS AN ORDINANCE OF WHAT'S CALLED A PASS THROUGH ORDINANCE, MEANING THAT NO MATTER WHAT TRINITY RIVER AUTHORITY OR DALLAS WATER UTILITY COMES BACK WITH, THAT IS AUTOMATICALLY PASSED THROUGH TO, YOU KNOW, THE END USER, IN OUR CASE, THE CITY OF DESOTO RESIDENTS. BUT WE ACTUALLY LOOK AT IT HOLISTICALLY EVERY YEAR TO SEE, OKAY, HOW CAN WE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, EVALUATE OUR BUDGET, EVALUATE OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN IN ORDER TO LESSEN THE BURDEN. YOU KNOW, I WANT TO ACTUALLY BRING UP, YOU KNOW, AS WELL TOO, THERE WAS AN ITEM THAT CAME UP MAYBE ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO DURING THE COUNCIL MEETING, WHERE WE BROUGHT FORWARD A $21 MILLION GRANT OPPORTUNITY. THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT STAFF LOOKED AT TO LESSEN THE BURDEN ON THE ON THE ON THE RESIDENTS. BUT WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT AN ENTERPRISE FUND, LIKE MISS SUTTON SAID, IT DOESN'T TAKE VERY LONG FOR. AND I KNOW I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR BECAUSE A LOT OF YOU OBVIOUSLY OWN BUSINESSES. YOU OPERATE TOO LONG WITH YOUR EXPENSES EXCEEDING REVENUES. YOU KNOW, YOU ONLY HAVE A FEW OPPORTUNITIES. YOU YOU CUT EXPENSES, YOU CUT LABOR, OR YOU TAKE THAT DRASTIC APPROACH AND YOU PUT A FOR LEASE SIGN ON THE DOOR. OBVIOUSLY, I SAY THAT TONGUE IN CHEEK BECAUSE AS A CITY, WE CAN'T DO THAT. RIGHT? SO WE HAVE TO STILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE, BUT WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO AND THAT, QUITE FRANKLY, THAT THEY DESERVE. AND ALONG WITH THAT, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO RECOUP FEES. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LOOKING AT A MATTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH. I DON'T WANT TO THROW ANYBODY UNDER THE BUS, BUT THERE'S A CITY THAT'S BEEN ALL OVER THE NEWS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEIR THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING HASN'T REALLY MATCHED THEIR GROWTH. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE HAVING ISSUES WITH THEIR WITH THEIR WATER SUPPLY AND SUCH LIKE THAT. THOSE ARE THE SITUATIONS WE

[00:50:03]

DON'T JUST LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, CAPTURING REVENUE. WE LOOK AT REINVESTING INTO OUR SYSTEM.

AND THAT'S KIND OF MY MY SPIEL ON THAT. WELL, I JUST THOUGHT I'D ADD THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR ASKING. COUNCILMEMBER PARKER, COUNCIL MEMBER WESLEY, THANK YOU FOR THE EXPLANATION AND GREAT JOB ON THE ON THE BUDGET, WHAT YOU'RE DOING. YOU'RE FINDING WAYS TO CUT EXPENSES, GET GRANTS TO LOWER THE BURDEN. BUT YOU SAID WE HAVE TO BUY WATER FROM WHAT, TWO PLACES AGAIN? SO WE PURCHASE A TREATED WATER, DRINKING WATER FROM DALLAS WATER UTILITIES. AND THEN OUR SEWER TREATMENT GOES TO THE TRINITY. TRINITY RIVER AUTHORITY. SO, SO MUCH LIKE THE CITY OF DESOTO, THE WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, DUNCANVILLE, RED OAK, THE SURROUNDING CITIES THAT ALSO FEED INTO THIS REGIONAL WASTEWATER OR, YOU KNOW, THE WATER SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, WE SIT AROUND THE TABLE AND WE HAVE A PRESENTATION THAT'S PRESENTED TO US AS WELL. THEY HAVE SOME OF THE SAME, YOU KNOW, CHALLENGES THAT WE DO. YOU KNOW, THEIR SYSTEMS HAVE TO BE UPGRADED AS WELL. THEIR WATER SYSTEMS OR SEWER SYSTEM, THEIR PLANTS IN ORDER TO SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, THE REGIONAL PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE CITY OF DESOTO. SO A LOT OF THAT, THE INCREASE THAT WE SEE IS, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEIR COST OF DOING BUSINESS BECAUSE THEY'RE SELF SUSTAINING ENTITY AS WELL. SO WHAT THE REGIONAL PARTNERS PAY INTO THE SYSTEM PRETTY MUCH SUSTAINS THE ABILITY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE ABLE TO HAPPEN ON THE BACK END FOR US TO NOT ONLY BE ABLE TO RECEIVE TREATED WATER, YOU KNOW, CONSISTENTLY SAFE, RELIABLY, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEIR SYSTEMS CAN SUPPORT OUR, YOU KNOW, SEWER FLOW, INCREASED, FLOWS, INCREASED, YOU KNOW, FLOWS FROM OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS. YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THE REGION AS WELL. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM, I KNOW YOU HAVE A LIGHT. I'M GOING TO ALLOW HER TO SPEAK ON THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION AND THEN WE CAN TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS. IS THAT OKAY? THANK YOU. THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN PRESENTED TWO TIMES HERE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DEFINITELY BRING BACK. I KNOW THE LAST CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD TO TALK ABOUT IT, WE KIND OF REALLY BROKE DOWN AND WENT INTO HOW MUCH THE SAVINGS WOULD BE PER HOMEOWNER ON AN X AMOUNT OF AVERAGE DOLLAR VALUE OF A HOME, AND HOW THAT WOULD BREAK DOWN TO THE REVENUE THAT WOULD BE SUBTRACTED FROM THE CITY.

AND SO WE CAN DEFINITELY BRING THAT BACK. WE DID NOT FURTHER CONSIDER IT THIS BUDGET YEAR, BECAUSE WE ARE IN SORT OF A HALLMARK YEAR WITH OUR NEW ARK FACILITY, AND WE DO NEED TO HAVE MORE. PROGRAMING PLANNING FOR THE ARK AND WHAT THOSE REVENUE PROJECTIONS THERE ARE GOING TO YIELD US. WE DID NOT WANT TO THROW IN TOO MANY ANOMALIES INTO ONE BUDGET YEAR.

SO ONCE WE HAVE A FULL YEAR OF OPERATIONS AT THE ARK, ALSO TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION SOME OF THE OTHER ITEMS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BRING FORWARD, THE CCPD AND SOME OF THE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO PRESERVE M AND O, THEN THERE MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CONSIDERATION IN A FUTURE BUDGET CYCLE FOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. CITIES HAVE TO, FRANKLY, BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT. IT IS AN EXEMPTION THAT ONCE YOU HAVE IT, YOU HAVE IT. AND SO WE COULD LOOK AT DIFFERENT PLANS WHERE WE COULD INCREMENTALLY INTRODUCE IT. YOU KNOW, I DO LIKE THAT IDEA. WE CAN LOOK AT SOME OF OUR PARTNER OR SISTER CITIES. NO ONE DOES IT IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA, BUT WE DO HAVE STATS FOR OTHER CITIES AND HOW THEY HAVE INCREMENTALLY IMPLEMENTED IT AT THEIR CITY. SO I BELIEVE THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION FOR A FUTURE BUDGET CYCLE. MISS SUTTON, BEFORE WE MOVE TO COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM, CAN YOU CLARIFY WHAT CCPD IS AND ALSO WHAT EXEMPTIONS CURRENTLY DOES THE CITY OF DESOTO HAVE? SURE. SO THE CCPD IS THE CRIME AND PROTECTION DISTRICT. AND THEN WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT. AND WHAT THOSE DISTRICTS DO IS THEY'RE FORMED. SO THAT PORTION OF THE SALES TAX DOLLARS THAT RECEIVE WILL GO INTO THOSE DISTRICTS.

THOSE DISTRICTS HAVE THEIR OWN BOARDS, JUST LIKE THE BOARD THAT SITS HERE. HOW THAT HELPS IS IT FREES UP MONEY IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR OTHER PROGRAMING, A PORTION OF THAT SALES TAX THAT WILL GO INTO THOSE DISTRICTS CAN BE USED FOR FIRE PERSONNEL, POLICE PERSONNEL, EQUIPMENT PROGRAMING AND PATROLLING AND THINGS TO PRESERVE THE SAFETY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. SO THAT THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WILL ASSIST US AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND TRY TO MITIGATE SOME OF THE THE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES THAT WE FACE IN SENATE BILL TWO. WE

[00:55:02]

DO HAVE TO KEEP THOSE IN MIND. AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WILL BE BRINGING FORWARD. AND WE HAVE THAT WILL BE ACTUALLY HAS TO BE PRESENTED ON A BALLOT. SO THERE WILL BE MEETINGS WHERE WE'LL BE BRINGING FORWARD PRESENTATIONS AND DECISIONS THAT CITY COUNCIL WILL MAKE AS FAR AS WHETHER WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE TYPE OF DISTRICTS. THANK YOU.

AND THE THE EXEMPTIONS WE CURRENTLY HAVE AS A CITY, THE OVER 65 EXEMPTION AND THE. I CAN'T REMEMBER THE OTHER ONE THAT WE HAVE. DISABILITIES IS DISABLED. I'M SORRY. NO, NOT VETERANS DISABLED IN THE OVER 65 EXEMPTIONS AND THE OVER 65 EXEMPTION CAPS AT 40,000. YES.

AND THAT WAS DUE TO ACTION THAT THIS COUNCIL TOOK IN THE LAST TO INCREASE IT TO THE 40,000.

SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, THAT THE COUNCIL, AGAIN, IS LOOKING FOR EVERY WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO MAXIMIZE OUR ABILITY WITH THE EXEMPTIONS WE CURRENTLY HAVE. SO WE DID INCREASE THAT ONE. COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM. YES, MA'AM. YES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. YOU, YOU ON A FEW OF THOSE SLIDES, YOU KIND OF RAN PAST THEM A LITTLE FAST.

AND I WAS TRYING TO TRACK THE STAFFING UPDATES BECAUSE I SAW FIVE ADDITIONAL FOR FIRE, BUT I DIDN'T SEE AND MAYBE I MISSED IT ADDITIONAL FOR THE POLICE. AND I KNOW CHIEF WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT 120 POLICE OFFICERS RECENTLY AS BEST PRACTICE, SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF.

YES. WERE THEY NOT ADDING ANYTHING? YES THEY DID. IT'S HERE LISTED HERE. SO AS WELL WE DID GET A REQUEST FOR MORE POSITIONS. BUT WHAT WE ENDED UP ULTIMATELY APPROVING IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS TWO ADDITIONAL CERTIFIED POLICE OFFICERS, IN ADDITION TO ONE SENIOR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. THAT'S GOOD. WE NEED ADDITIONAL CODE ENFORCEMENT. WHAT ABOUT ANIMAL CONTROL? WE DID NOT ADD ANYTHING FOR ANIMAL CONTROL. NO, NOT IN THIS CYCLE. OKAY. AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION IS AROUND THE DEBT. I NOTICED THE INS YOU POINTED OUT IN THE SUMMARY TO THE COUNCIL THAT THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DROP DECREASE. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THAT? AND JUST FOR THE PUBLIC, I DO WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE BUDGET AND BRIEF. AND, MISS FISHER, THANK YOU FOR POINTING OUT THAT NEW ENHANCEMENT THAT HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE WEBSITE. I THINK THAT'S BEEN A GREAT ENHANCEMENT TO JUST THE COMMUNITY, BETTER UNDERSTANDING OUR BUDGET. BUT I DID ASK THAT IF THE DEBT COULD BE ALSO ADDED TO THAT IN THE BRIEF ONLINE SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND OUR DEBT. I THINK THERE'S STILL A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT IT THAT HAS ISSUES. SO I WANTED TO KNOW, COULD YOU EXPLAIN THE INS DECREASE AGAIN AND JUST TALK TO OUR DEBT? BECAUSE NONE OF THESE SLIDES TALK TO IT EITHER. AND AS WE'RE APPROVING THE BUDGET, WE'RE ALSO APPROVING OUR DEBT AS WELL. SURE. SO OUR DEBT SERVICE RATE IN THIS BUDGET IS 0.165003. THAT DECREASED FROM THE CURRENT YEAR. SO WE HAD A FLUCTUATION BETWEEN THE M AND O AND THE I AND S. SO OUR M AND O INCREASE, WHICH WE NEEDED THAT IN THE GENERAL FUND THE I AND S SLIGHTLY DECREASED. WE HAD THE I AND S TO ACTUALLY MEET THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE TO SERVICE AND PAY THE CURRENT DEBT STRUCTURE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE. AND IF YOU REMEMBER 1 OR 2 MEETINGS AGO, WE HAD AN ITEM TO MANAGE OUR INS RATE BY PAYING OFF SOME DEBT EARLY. THAT'S GOING TO HELP US AS WELL. THAT'S GOING TO FREE UP ROOM FOR DEBT FOR OUR NEXT BOND SALE. AND IT KEEPS US MANAGING OUR TAX RATE SO THAT OUR TAX RATE DOESN'T HAVE VERY STEEP FLUCTUATIONS. WE KNOW THAT PROBABLY IN THE NEAR FUTURE WE WILL BE LOOKING AT SOME TYPE OF TAX RATE INCREASE, RIGHT. WHETHER IT'S HALF A PENNY OR A PENNY OR TWO A PENNY. AND HERE IN OUR CITY IS WORTH ABOUT $830,000. SO EVEN IF WE INCREASE THE BUDGET BY ONE PENNY OF M AND O, IT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY HELP OUR BUDGET AND FUTURE BUDGET YEARS. BUT THE INS TAX RATE IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE TOTAL TAX RATE STRUCTURE. WE START EARLY LOOKING AT THE INS RATE. WE LOOK AT THAT BEFORE WE LOOK AT ANYTHING ELSE. THAT'S THAT'S STRICTLY YOUR DEBT. DESOTO HAS A VERY HEALTHY DEBT SERVICE FUND. WE HAVE A DOUBLE A PLUS DEBT RATING FOR OUR OUR FOR OUR DEBT SERVICE FUND. SO WE WE ARE WE'RE IN WE'RE IN VERY GOOD SHAPE. AND I AM GOING TO PUT SOME SCHEDULES TOGETHER TO INCLUDE ON THE BUDGET AND BRIEF, AS WELL AS TO PUT ON THE WEBSITE PER YOUR REQUEST. THANK YOU. AND AS YOU DO THAT, BECAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SAY VERY HEALTHY AND YOU QUOTE THE, YOU KNOW WHAT OUR CREDIT SCORE IS OUT THERE IN THE INDUSTRY, I THINK THAT FOR US, THAT'S BEEN LIVING THAT WORLD, WE UNDERSTAND IT. BUT FOR THE AVERAGE CITIZEN, IT'S NOT AS CLEAR. SO I THINK FROM AN UNDERSTANDING OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS OUR MAX AMOUNT OF DEBT

[01:00:04]

WE CAN HAVE BEFORE THE STATE KICKS IN AND SAY, HEY, Y'ALL ARE BAD BECAUSE THE STATE ALSO HAS REGULATIONS AROUND DEBT TOO, RIGHT, TO PROTECT CITIES. BUT ALSO WITH THAT, WHERE ARE WE IN THAT METRIC? LIKE HOW MUCH OF OUR CURRENT $56 MILLION BUDGET, HOW MUCH OF THAT IS DEBT LIKE, LIKE HOW MUCH DEBT DO WE HAVE? I THINK IF WE PUT IT INTO LIKE THE SIMPLEST FORM FOR FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE, AND THEN LIKE YOU SAID, THE SCHEDULING THAT YOU HAVE NOW, YOU DID MENTION THE TAX RATE MAY HAVE TO GO UP. AND THAT JUST BROUGHT ME TO TO SAY THIS AS WELL, BECAUSE THE .68 AND I THINK I SAID THIS LAST MEETING WHEN I WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT OUR TAX RATES OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, THE LAST TIME WE'VE SEEN A TAX RATE THAT LOW WAS AROUND 2007, 2008, WHICH SPEAKS TO THE LIKE THE DECREASE THAT I HAVE JUST SEEN WHILE SITTING ON THE COUNCIL. EACH YEAR, WE'VE PROGRESSIVELY DECREASED THE THE TAX RATE. SO EVEN THOUGH WE SAY A PENNY IN THE WHOLE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS LIKE OUR TAX RATE HAS NOT MOVED THAT MUCH OVER 14 YEARS. YEAH. SO I JUST THOUGHT I'D THROW THAT OUT THERE TOO. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR DUE DILIGENCE AND FOR THE NICE ENHANCEMENTS YOU'VE ADDED AS WELL TO THIS BUDGET PROCESS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MISS. MISS SUTTON, I'M GOING TO ASK AGAIN BECAUSE I, I, I'M TRYING TO READ THE ROOM. AND SO AGAIN WE'RE THROWING OUT A LOT OF ACRONYMS. SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN I THINK INS WAS MAYBE THE MOST RECENT ONE THAT YOU USED IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS AND EXACTLY WHAT THAT MEANS? SURE. IN SIMPLE TERMS, THE INS IS OUR INTEREST AND SINKING FUND. SO OUR TOTAL TAX RATE IS COMPRISED OF TWO RATES. IT'S THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, WHAT WE CALL M AND O. THAT REVENUE GOES INTO THE GENERAL IN THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND. THE INS PORTION, THE PORTION. THAT'S THE 0.16 PER $100 OF VALUATION. IT GOES INTO THE INTEREST AND SINKING FUND, WHICH IS THE CITY FUND 305. WE CALL OUR DEBT SERVICE FUND. THAT IS THE FUND THAT WE USE TO PAY BACK OUR DEBT ISSUES THAT WE'VE HAD IN PRIOR YEARS. THANK YOU. AND THAT THAT WHEN YOU PULL THOSE TWO TOGETHER, THAT GIVES US OUR TOTAL TAX RATE OF THE 0.68. THANK YOU, MISS SUTTON. I REMEMBER GROWING UP ON SATURDAY MORNINGS, THEY HAD SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK. WE MAY NEED TO DO SOME SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK REMINISCENT OF VIDEOS TO BREAK DOWN THESE CONCEPTS. FOR THOSE OF US THAT MAY NOT BE AS FAMILIAR WITH WITH WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT WE APPRECIATE YOU BREAKING THAT DOWN FOR US.

COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, AND I, TOO, AM APPRECIATIVE OF THE BUDGET AND BRIEF. I THREW IT OUT THERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AND I THINK YOU ALSO CHANGED IT. I THOUGHT YOU HAD PUT THE DEBT IN THERE. SO THAT'S A GOOD THING.

AND I'M ALSO APPRECIATIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY TO ACTUALLY ASK SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY'RE ASKING. THEY ASKED ABOUT THE THE HOMESTEAD, AND IMMEDIATELY I WAS ABLE TO POINT THEM TO THE ACTUAL VIDEO THAT WE HAD OF THE CONVERSATION ON MARCH 30TH. SO I'M APPRECIATIVE OF THAT AS WELL. I DO HAVE A QUESTION, THOUGH, ON THE BUDGET WE SAY NOW, I MAY HAVE I MAY HAVE SLEPT SINCE THEN, BUT ON THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, I THOUGHT WE HAD AN ENGINEER UNDERNEATH AND WE HAD WE THEIR INITIAL REQUEST WAS FOR TWO POSITIONS IN THE AREA. IT WAS FOR AN ENGINEERING ASSISTANT AND A PLANNER. THIS BUDGET DID NOT ALLOW US TO ADD BOTH OF THOSE POSITIONS THIS YEAR. SO WE DID GO BACK AND WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AS WELL AS ASSISTANT DIRECTORS, DEPARTMENT MANAGERS, AND THEY DECIDED THAT THEY WANTED TO DO THE PLANNER IN LIEU OF THE ENGINEERING ASSISTANT. SO THE ENGINEERING ASSISTANT IS NOT BEING PROPOSED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. OKAY. CAN I HAVE SOME CONTEXT? COUNCIL. SO I DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH DIRECTOR CASEY AL CASEY REGARDING THAT AND HIS HIS THE INFORMATION THAT HE GAVE TO ME WAS, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO HIRE, YOU KNOW, THIRD PARTY ASSISTANTS, YOU KNOW, TO HELP US WITH EITHER PLANNING OR ENGINEERING. AND HE FELT LIKE IT'S EASIER FOR HIM TO GET IF HE NEEDS THIRD PARTY HELP TO GET IT THROUGH FROM AN ENGINEERING ENGINEERING FIRM THAN TO GET A PLANNER IS IT'S A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY THIRD PARTY PLANNER TO COME AND HELP US. SO THE THE THOUGHT PROCESS WAS TO HIRE FOR THE PLANNER. AND THEN IF WE NEED ADDITIONAL HELP TO DO A THIRD PARTY ASSISTANCE THROUGH ENGINEERING FIRM. SO. BUT AS FAR AS THE ENGINEERING, GETTING IT FROM A THIRD PARTY, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IS SO THOSE WOULD ACTUALLY GO OUT FOR BID OR, OR THOSE THOSE WOULD GO AGAINST THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. I KNOW BECAUSE WE HAD HAD THESE ASTRONOMICAL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AT ONE POINT. WOULD WE NOT BE GOING BACK INTO THAT REALM OF A BUNCH OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR PEOPLE THAT DON'T, DON'T ACTUALLY WORK HERE? WE COULD WE COULD UTILIZE THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES LINE TO TAKE CARE OF THAT AS WELL. BUT WE ALSO HAVE WE ALSO DID A RECLASS, I THINK,

[01:05:06]

AND WE ALSO HAVE NOW A SENIOR ENGINEER POSITION. YOU DO AS WELL ON THIS ON ON THE BOOKS AS WELL. SO THE SENIOR ENGINEER IS GOING TO HELP TAKE TAKE CARE OF SOME OF THAT LOAD AS PART OF THIS. NO, THAT'S 2026. OH, YOU MEAN FOR OKAY, IT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE. YES. OKAY. OKAY. YES.

ALL RIGHT. AND SO MY OTHER QUESTION IS ABOUT THE. OH GOODNESS GRACIOUS. LET ME SEE.

DID I WRITE IT DOWN? I DID OH, THAT'S WHAT IT WAS. YOU TALKED ABOUT THE CSPD. AND I DON'T KNOW IF SHE ASKED YOU TO EXPLAIN THAT. WHAT THAT WAS. IT TALKED ABOUT THE PROS, BUT DID WE ALSO GIVE THE CONS? I MEAN, TO LET PEOPLE KNOW BOTH SIDES OF THAT THING? SURE. WHEN WE BRING IT BACK, WE WILL HAVE A COMPLETE PRESENTATION ON IT. WHAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT SO FAR AND WHAT SOME ORGANIZATIONS HAVE DONE IS THERE'S A PORTION OF THE SALES TAX THAT THEY CURRENTLY CURRENTLY USE TO REDUCE PROPERTY TAX. AND SO THE IDEA WOULD BE TO REDUCE EITHER REPLACE THAT WITH THE TWO DISTRICTS. SO INSTEAD OF THE QUARTER PENNY THAT GOES TO TO REDUCE PROPERTY TAX WE WOULD SPLIT IT BETWEEN THE CSPD AND THE FIRE. OR WE COULD REDUCE THE PORTION THAT REDUCES PROPERTY TAX. AND THEN THERE WILL BE A SMALLER PERCENTAGE THAT WOULD GO INTO EACH DISTRICT. SO WE WILL PRESENT SEVERAL OPTIONS WHEN WE BRING IT BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING. OKAY. YES. AND THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. AND I DON'T WANT TO US TO GO DOWN TOO MUCH OF A RABBIT HOLE WITH CSPD AND THE FIRE PREVENTION DISTRICT, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY GERMANE TO THE ACTUAL BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR. HOWEVER, COULD YOU PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT FOR THE PUBLIC IN TERMS OF WHY POLICE, WHY FIRE, AND WHY DOES IT MATTER BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT THAT THEY TAKE UP? ACTUALLY, IN OUR IN OUR ACTUAL BUDGET, CAN YOU PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT FOR THE PUBLIC ON POLICE AND FIRE AS IT PERTAINS TO THE BUDGET? SURE. THIS THIS WOULD BE A REALLY HALLMARK OPPORTUNITY FOR US BECAUSE OUR IF YOU COMBINE THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT, THAT'S 50% OF THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET, AND THAT'S NORMAL IN MOST CITIES. OUR SIZE, OTHER COMPARABLE SIZES, PUBLIC SAFETY.

IT JUST BY NATURE, IT USES A LOT OF GENERAL FUND MONEY. AND SO ANY OPPORTUNITY, EVEN IF WE CAN TAKE $2 MILLION FROM EACH ONE OF THEIR BUDGETS AND REDIRECT THAT AMOUNT OF SALES TAX OVER TO THE DISTRICT, THAT'S $2 MILLION. THAT'S SAVING US FOR OPEN PROGRAMING IN THE GENERAL FUND OR TO COVER SOMETHING ELSE. SO THAT'S WHY THOSE TWO ARE TARGETED. THANK YOU, MISS SUTTON. COUNCILMEMBER PARKER, YOU'LL BE OUR LAST COMMENT. I SEE NO ADDITIONAL LIGHTS. OKAY, ONE LAST QUESTION FOR THE THE DRAINAGE AND DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER. THAT PERSON IS GOING TO RESIDE IN THE UTILITY SECTION, NOT IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. RIGHT? CORRECT. OKAY. AND THE DRAINAGE FUND. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MISS SUTTON. THANK YOU TEAM, FOR YOUR QUESTIONS. THERE'S NO ACTION FROM US TONIGHT. CORRECT.

YOU DON'T NEED ANYTHING ELSE. CORRECT. NO ACTION TONIGHT. JUST AN ABILITY TO SHARE. OKAY.

[1. Consider authorizing the Interim City Manager to negotiate and execute a Master Service Agreement with Lexipol, LLC for policy subscription and services in the amount of $49,614.95 through Sourcewell Contract Number 102325-LXP ]

THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU, MISS SUTTON. WE WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.

NEXT, WE'LL HAVE THE REGULAR AGENDA ITEM. CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A MASTER SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH LEXAPRO, LLC FOR POLICY, SUBSCRIPTION AND SERVICES IN THE AMOUNT OF $49,614.95 THROUGH SOURCEWELL.

CONTRACT NUMBER 102325-LXP. HELLO, CHIEF. GOOD TO SEE YOU. HELLO, MADAM MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL TONIGHT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO APPROVE THE AUTHORIZING. THE CITY MANAGER. INTERIM CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A MASTER SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH LEXIPOL LLC IN THE. IN THE AMOUNT AS WAS STATED, LEXIPOL IS A COMPANY THAT WILL COME IN AND LOOK AT OUR POLICIES, AND THEY WILL MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT INFORMATION IN THEM.

THEY'LL UPDATE THEM, AND THEY'LL MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT AND SPELLING THERE'S NO SPELLING ERRORS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. BUT THE BIGGEST THING IS THE CONTENT. THEY'LL MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE UP TO DATE, AND THEY WILL FORMALIZE AND STANDARDIZE THOSE POLICIES. WITH THIS GOES A TRAINING MODULE THAT THEY'LL COME IN AND THEY'LL TRAIN OUR OFFICERS FOR SOME OF THOSE POLICIES. WHEN WE PUT THEM INTO EFFECT, THEY'LL ALSO WORK WITH POWER DMS, WHICH IS OUR DATABASE THAT WE USE FOR CALEA. OUR CERTIFICATION ACCREDITATION VENDOR. AND SO WE'RE ASKING YOU TO, TO APPROVE THIS. THERE ARE TWO, TWO COSTS IN THIS. ONE IS

[01:10:04]

AN ANNUAL COST OF 23,000. EXCUSE ME, 24,752 80. THAT'S FOR THE ANNUAL POLICY THAT THEY'LL COME IN AND THEY'LL REDO THIS EVERY YEAR. AND THE SECOND IS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 24,862 AND $0.15. AND THAT WILL ADD UP TO THE 49,614 95. SO I THINK IT'S GOOD BECAUSE WE WILL UPDATE AND UPGRADE OUR POLICIES, FORMALIZE THEM, STANDARDIZE THEM, AND THEY'LL GO THROUGH THEM WITH CAPTAIN KIRKLAND TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE CONTENT IS IS IN THERE BY LAW. BY CASE LAW. THANK YOU CHIEF, I BELIEVE WE HAVE A CARD FOR THIS ITEM.

THANK YOU CHIEF. GIVE US ONE MOMENT AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK. WE DO. DOCTOR BRANDY NORWOOD.

GOOD EVENING, MR. NORWOOD. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. YOUR CITY OF RESIDENTS. FOR THE RECORD, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. BRANDON NORWOOD, DESOTO, TEXAS. SO I JUST WANTED TO I WANT TO CORRECT SOMETHING ON TONIGHT. AND THAT IS IS THAT LEXAPRO DOES NOT COME IN AND ACTUALLY TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE POLICIES. IT'S A SAAS PLATFORM. IT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE. IT'S A SOFTWARE BEING IMPLEMENTED. BUT I WANTED TO WHETHER OR NOT THESE ARE QUESTIONS I HAVE BEFORE THE COUNCIL ON TONIGHT WITH THE DECISION TO MAKE THIS PURCHASE OF THIS IMPLEMENTATION, THE TEXAS TEXAS LAW REVIEW FINDINGS OF LEXIS POLL REGARDING THE STANDARD CONTRACTS REGARDING POLICY LANGUAGE DIRECTLY CITED AS A LEGAL DEFECT, YOU CAN REFER TO THE DEPARTMENT, THE ACTUAL SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS AS AS EARLY OR AS LATE AS 2020 WITH THE A, C, L U REGARDING LANGUAGE FOR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND TRAINING THAT WAS PROVIDED BY LEXIPOL. AS A RESULT, THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, AS WELL AS SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, PAID OUT ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS DIRECTLY FROM THE CITY'S FUND, TOTALING OVER $100,000 DUE TO IMPROPER TRAINING. BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE OF THOSE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT WERE UPDATED VIA THE PLATFORM WERE NOT SUFFICIENT. AND YOU CAN ALL FIND THAT IN THE TEXAS LAW REVIEW AND OR IF THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE CONTRACTUAL GUIDELINES OF THAT. ADDITIONALLY, EVERY YEAR THIS THERE'S NO CAP ON THE RENEWAL.

IT'S AN AUTO RENEWAL. ADDITIONALLY, WITH THAT, IF YOU DECIDE THREE MONTHS IN, AFTER SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS RIGHT, YOU PAY THE MONEY, THERE'S NO REFUND. SO I CAUTION US ON TONIGHT WITH MAKING A DECISION BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE ALL OF EVERYONE THAT'S ON THE COUNCIL TO MAKE A WELL INFORMED DECISION SO THAT WE'RE NOT BACK HERE IN COURT LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES HAVE. AND THIS IS INFORMATION THAT'S FREELY AND READY AND AVAILABLE ONLINE. YOU CAN DO IT WITH A QUICK GOOGLE TO FIND THIS INFORMATION THAT I QUOTED ON TONIGHT, BUT I WOULD BE DOING US A DISSERVICE TO OUR RESIDENTS IF I DIDN'T STAND HERE TONIGHT TO MAKE MENTION OF THIS INFORMATION AND SHARE IT WITH YOU, AS WELL AS I ASSUME THAT OUR CHIEF OF POLICE WAS GOING TO DO THAT ON TONIGHT AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHIEF, YOU'VE MADE YOUR PRESENTATION. I DO SEE LIGHTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS. HOWEVER, IF YOU WANTED TO SHARE ANYTHING IN RESPONSE TO THE CITIZENS COMMENTS, YOU CAN DO THAT AT THIS TIME. SO WE WE HAD LOOKED INTO THOSE THOSE ISSUES THAT HE BROUGHT UP BACK IN 2020. AND IT LOOKS LIKE THAT THE COMPANY DID MAKE SOME CHANGES IN THEIR TRAINING PLATFORM AND THAT THEY WILL WORK ONE ON ONE. IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE PUT OUR OUR POLICIES INTO. AND THEN IT GETS AI, IF YOU WILL, AND THEN SPIT BACK OUT. THERE ARE THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO LOOK AT IT AND WORK WITH OUR PEOPLE. AND OUR POINT OF CONTACT IS CAPTAIN GRADY KIRKLAND, WHO'S GOING TO WORK WITH LEXAPRO. I BELIEVE WE HAD LEXAPRO CONTRACTED WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE PAST TO DO THEIR POLICIES. I'M NOT SURE IF WE STILL HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM FOR THAT, BUT THEY DID GO OVER THEIR POLICIES AND AND, AND WORK WITH THEM SEVERAL YEARS AGO. SO WE DID LOOK AT THAT AND WE WAITED OUT. I'VE TALKED TO OTHER AGENCIES THAT HAVE USED LEXAPRO. THEY WORK CLOSELY WITH CALEA. AS I SAID EARLIER, OUR ACCREDITATION VENDOR. AND SO I THINK IT'S WORTHWHILE TO DO. I'LL ALSO MENTION THAT THIS IS NOT COMING OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND. THE PAY FOR THIS WILL COME OUT OF FEDERAL FORFEITURE AND NOT TO THE GENERAL FUND OR THE REGULAR BUDGET. THANK YOU CHIEF. I SEE