[00:00:01]
>> [NOISE] WELCOME, EVERYONE, OUT TO THE SACHSE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
[A. Meeting Opening]
TODAY IS MONDAY, MAY 19TH, 2025. THE TIME, MS. GRANGER?>> WE ARE CALLED TO ORDER AT 6:30 PM.
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ITEM A2, INVOCATION OF PLEDGES OF ALLEGIANCE.
I'VE ASKED MAYOR PRO TEM FRANKS TO OFFER THE INVOCATION AND MR. MILLSAP TO LEAD OUR PLEDGES.
>> PLEASE PRAY WITH ME. DEAR LORD, PLEASE PROVIDE WITH THIS MEETING TONIGHT AS WE MEET TO PLAN OUR CITY'S FUTURE.
EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS, GIVE US THE SPIRIT OF UNITY AND HELP US COME TO A ADVANTAGEOUS DECISION FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE FOR OUR FUTURE.
HELP US TO EACH LISTEN POLITELY AS EACH OF US SHARE OUR POINTS OF VIEW, HELP US TO WORK AS A UNIFIED TEAM FOR THE GREATEST OUTCOME.
AS WE WORK AS A WHOLE, RATHER THAN INDIVIDUALS, LET US GRAB THE CITY'S AGENDA, NOT OUR OWN PERSONAL AGENDAS.
I ALWAYS ASK THAT YOU LOOK OVER THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY AND AS OUR MILITARY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AS THEY ALWAYS CANNOT BE WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
PLEASE GIVE US THE STRENGTH TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR OUR CITY. AMEN.
>> THANK YOU. YOU MAY BE SEATED. [BACKGROUND] THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 3, ADMINISTER OATH OF OFFICE FOR RECENTLY RE-ELECTED OFFICIALS. MS. GRANGER.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
ON MAY 3RD, A GENERAL ELECTION WAS HELD TO ELECT A MAYOR, A COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE 5, AND A COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE 6.
THOSE RESULTS WERE CANVASSED AT THE MAY 13TH SPECIAL MEETING.
THE ELECTION CODE SPECIFIES THAT THE OATH OF OFFICE SHOULD BE THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS AT THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING.
WITH THAT, IF MAYOR BICKERSTAFF, YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WOULD JOIN ME AT THE PODIUM.
>> I, JEFF BICKERSTAFF, DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE, THE DUTIES OF MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SACHSE, STATE OF TEXAS, AND I WILL, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THIS STATE, SO HELP ME GOD.
>> CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE] THESE ARE FOR YOU FOR SUPPORTING JEFF. THANK YOU.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER BUHLER, IF YOU AND YOUR FAMILY HAVE WILL JOIN ME?
>> I, LINDSAY BUHLER, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE 5 OF THE CITY OF SACHSE, STATE OF TEXAS, AND WILL,
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TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THIS STATE, SO HELP ME GOD.>> I, MATT PRESTENBERG, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE 6 OF THE CITY OF SACHSE, STATE OF TEXAS, AND WILL, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THIS STATE, SO HELP ME GOD.
>> THANK YOU, MS. GRANGER, FOR KEEPING US ALL IN LINE AND MAKING IT ALL LEGAL.
WE APPRECIATE THAT. SPOUSES, YOU CAN STAY OR YOU CAN GO. IT'S UP TO YOU.
I'LL LET YOU GO NOW IF YOU WANT TO GO NOW.
I FIGURED THEY WOULD TAKE ME UP ON IT.
BECAUSE IF I WERE YOU, I WOULD DO THE SAME THING.
WITH THAT, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, ITEM A4, CONSIDER APPROVING THE MAY 13, 2025, SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES. MS. GRANGER.
>> YES, SIR. THE CHARTER SPECIFIES THAT APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES CANVASSING THE GENERAL ELECTION SHOULD BE THE SECOND ITEM OF BUSINESS AFTER THE OATH OF OFFICE.
INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET, ARE THE MINUTES FROM THE MAY 13TH SPECIAL MEETING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
>> THANK YOU, MS. GRANGER. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL ON THIS ITEM? IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MS. HOWARTH.
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE ITEM AS PRESENTED.
>> I HAVE A MOTION BY MS. HOWARTH TO TO APPROVE ITEM A4 AS PRESENTED.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? MR. PRESTENBERG.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ITEM A5, CONSIDER ELECTING THE MAYOR PRO TEM FOR 2025/2026. MS. GRANGER.
>> YES, SIR. THE CHARTER REQUIRES THAT AFTER EACH ELECTION, A MAYOR PRO TEM IS ELECTED BY THE COUNCIL.
THE MAYOR PRO TEM TEMPORARILY ACTS AS MAYOR IN THE CASE OF DISABILITY OR ABSENCE OF THE MAYOR.
IN THIS CAPACITY, THEY HAVE THE RIGHTS REGULARLY CONFERRED UPON THE MAYOR.
INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET IS A LIST OF THE MAYORS PRO TEM FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
>> THANK YOU, MS. GRANGER. I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION. MS. HOWARTH.
>> SINCE COUNCIL MEMBER FRANKS HAS BEEN DOING A GOOD JOB AS MAYOR PRO TEM AND ALL OF ITS VARIOUS REQUIREMENTS, WHICH HAVE BEEN NONE, I'D LIKE TO SEE HIM SERVE AGAIN.
>> I'M GOOD AT NONE. [LAUGHTER]
>> THANK YOU, MS. HOWARTH. OTHER DISCUSSION.
IF THERE ARE NONE, WE CAN CERTAINLY ENTERTAIN THAT SUGGESTION OR TALK ABOUT SOME MORE. MS. HOWARTH.
>> IF THERE ISN'T ANY DISCUSSION, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO RE-ELECT COUNCIL MEMBER BRETT FRANKS AS MAYOR PRO TEM.
>> I HAVE A MOTION BY MS. HOWARTH TO RE-ELECT COUNCIL MEMBER BRETT FRANKS AS MAYOR PRO TEM.
DO I HAVE A SECOND. I KNOW MS. BUHLER.
>> SECOND BY MS. BUHLER. MR. MILLSAP.
>> I WOULD JUST WANT TO SECOND THE MOTION.
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>> GREAT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO REAPPOINT, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO SAY IT, BRETT FRANKS, AS MAYOR PRO TEM.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HERE ARE NONE, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
[B. Recognition]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ITEM B, RECOGNITION.THE FIRST ITEM IS RECOGNIZE JENNIFER WYNN, RECIPIENT OF THE 2025 CITY OF SACHSE SCHOLARSHIP.
THERE SHE IS RIGHT THERE. COME ON DOWN, MS. WYNN.
IF YOU'RE AT A PREVIOUS MEETING, AND ACTUALLY, IF YOU'VE BEEN HERE ANY LENGTH OF TIME, CWD IS VERY GENEROUS TO FUND THIS SCHOLARSHIP, AND WHAT WE DO AS COUNCIL IS WE DO SELECT, THROUGH THE APPLICATIONS THAT WE GET, THE MOST REWARDING, DESERVING STUDENT COUNCIL FEELS LIKE DESERVES IT.
BY THE WAY, I WILL SAY THAT ALL THE APPLICANTS WE GET, THEY ALL ARE WORTHY OF THE SCHOLARSHIP, BUT WE DO GOT TO ONLY PICK ONE.
MS. WYNN IS THE RECIPIENT THIS YEAR, SO WE'RE SO GLAD TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU.
I WILL SAY THAT WE DO HAVE TWO THINGS.
ONE IS MORE IMPORTANT, THE ACTUAL CHECK [LAUGHTER] FOR $1,000.
THEN WE ALSO HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT THAT'S AWARDED TO YOU FOR BEING NAMED THE RECIPIENT OF THE 2025 SACHSE SCHOLARSHIP.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. CONGRATULATIONS AND BEST OF LUCK TO YOU AND YOUR FURTHER SCHOOL WORK.
>> COME ON DOWN, PARENTS. THEN THIS IS ALSO THE MAYOR'S EXCELLENCE COIN. I'LL GIVE THAT TO YOU.
>> WE'RE GOING TO PUT THIS RIGHT HERE FOR A SECOND.
I'M GOING TO LET YOU HOLD THIS. CONGRATULATIONS AND BEST OF LUCK TO YOU IN FURTHERING YOUR EDUCATION.
[APPLAUSE] THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 2, RECOGNIZES THE SUCCESS OF THE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING REINVESTMENT ZONE, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS TIRZS NUMBER 1 IN THE EFFORTS OF THE BOARD MEMBERS.
WE HAVE ASKED THE BOARD MEMBERS TO COME TONIGHT TO BE FORMALLY RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS, BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, I DO JUST WANT TO REMIND OUR RESIDENTS WHAT THIS TIRZS BOARD DID.
TIRZS BOARD NUMBER 1 WAS CREATED IN NOVEMBER 2023 FOR A 25-YEAR PERIOD.
NOW, YOU MAY SAY, IT HASN'T BEEN 25 YEARS, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE GOT DONE EARLY.
THE REVENUES THAT WE GENERATED FUNDED OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR WATERLINE IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THE ZONE, ATTRACTED DEVELOPMENT, BUNKER HILL RETAIL, MILES 190 APARTMENTS, PUBLIC STORAGE, 7-ELEVEN, MEDICAL CITY SACHSE, THE ARIA TOWNHOMES, APPLIED ENERGY COMPANY, AND SPECS, AND MANY MORE, REALLY.
ALL THESE FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS OF THE ZONE WERE PAID IN FULL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, WHICH IS AN AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENT.
BASED ON THAT, THE CITY COUNCIL DECIDED TO TERMINATE THE ZONE EARLY AT OUR APRIL 21ST MEETING.
WITH THAT, ALL THOSE THINGS I LISTED WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT DEDICATION OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS.
I WOULD ASK THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE TO COME ON DOWN FRONT HERE.
YES, THAT'S YOU. WE WANT TO FORMALLY RECOGNIZE THESE GENTLEMEN.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE WHOLE BOARD WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT TONIGHT.
WE WILL DEFINITELY GET THE CERTIFICATES OF APPRECIATION TO THEM, BUT I DID WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO GIVE THEM TO THEM PERSONALLY.
AS I'D LIKE TO SAY, [INAUDIBLE].
>> LIKE I SAID, THEY DID A GREAT JOB.
ANYTIME YOU VOLUNTEER ON A BOARD, THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO IT.
WITHOUT THEIR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION, WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TERMINATE THE BOARD EARLY.
I KNOW IT SOUNDS LIKE A NEGATIVE THAT WE TERMINATED THE BOARD EARLY, BUT THAT'S ACTUALLY A GOOD THING IN THE FINANCIAL WORLD.
JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THEM, SAY THANK YOU PUBLICLY FOR WHAT THEY DID.
MOST OF THESE GUYS UP HERE DO WAY MORE THAN WHAT THEY DID ON THE TIRZS BOARD.
THEY KNOW WHAT PUBLIC SERVICE IS ABOUT, AND WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT THEM.
THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO.
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[APPLAUSE] I WOULD SAY TOO, I SAID 2023.THAT MAKES A LITTLE MORE SENSE.
MY APOLOGIES THERE. NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PRESENT A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK.
IF I CAN HAVE THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, COME ON DOWN.
I THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE COREY FOR A SECOND. [APPLAUSE]
>> WE TALK ABOUT THE PUBLIC WORKS ALL THE TIME, BUT I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO GIVE YOU JUST A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON WHAT THEY DO.
I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY THAT IF YOUR TOILET FLUSHES, IT'S BECAUSE OF THESE GUYS.
QUITE FRANKLY, IF YOUR WATER TURNS ON, THEY HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH IT.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, SOMETIMES OUR INFRASTRUCTURE DOESN'T BEHAVE LIKE IT, AND WHETHER IT'S DUE TO AGE OR JUST SOMETHING ELSE THE WEATHER.
THESE GUYS ARE OUT THERE IN THE WORST OF THE WORST.
THEY'RE ALSO OUT THERE DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS AND WHATEVER IT TAKES.
THEY ARE THE REASON THAT WE HAVE THE GREAT PUBLIC WORKS INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY REAL QUICK, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW.
SINCE 1960, THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION, APWA, HAS SPONSORED NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE CELEBRATING TONIGHT.
ACROSS NORTH AMERICA, THERE ARE MORE THAN 32,000 APWA MEMBERS IN THE US AND CANADA, AND THEY USE THIS WEEK TO EDUCATE AND ENERGIZE THE PUBLIC ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC WORKS IN THEIR DAILY LIVES, WHICH WE JUST TALKED ABOUT.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE OPERATIONS PART OF IT, IT'S THE PLANNING, THE BUILDING OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE, OF COURSE, MANAGING, LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT, AND OPERATING AT 247365, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER IT'S CHRISTMAS, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER IT'S THANKSGIVING.
IF THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON, THEY ARE OUT THERE MAKING SURE THAT WE DON'T EVEN NOTICE.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL DOING THAT.
WITH THAT, WE'D LIKE TO READ THE PROCLAMATION INTO THE RECORD.
WHEREAS PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS FOCUS ON INFRASTRUCTURE, FACILITIES, AND SERVICES THAT ARE A VITAL IMPORTANCE TO SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES AND TO PUBLIC HEALTH, HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE, AND WELL-BEING OF THE PEOPLE OF SACHSE.
WHEREAS THESE INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES AND SERVICES CANNOT BE PROVIDED WITHOUT THE DEDICATED EFFORTS OF PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE ENGINEERS, MANAGERS, AND EMPLOYEES AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REBUILDING, IMPROVING, AND PROTECTING OUR NATION'S TRANSPORTATION, WATER SUPPLY, WATER TREATMENT AND SOLID WASTE SYSTEMS, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, AND OTHER STRUCTURES AND FACILITIES ESSENTIAL FOR OUR CITIZENS.
WHEREAS IT IS IN THE INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC, CIVIC LEADERS, AND CHILDREN IN SACHSE TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE OF AND MAINTAIN AN ONGOING INTEREST AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC WORKS AND PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMS IN THE RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES.
WHEREAS THE YEAR 2025 MARKS THE 65TH ANNUAL NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK, SPONSORED BY THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION/CANADA PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION.
NOW, THEREFORE, JEFF BICKERSTAFF, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SACHSE DO HEREBY DESIGNATE THE WEEK OF MAY 18TH, THROUGH 24, 2025 AS NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK, AND URGE ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN THE ACTIVITIES, EVENTS, AND CEREMONIES DESIGNED TO PAY TRIBUTE TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS, ENGINEERS, MANAGERS AND EMPLOYEES, AND TO RECOGNIZE THE SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS THEY MAKE TO PROTECTING OUR NATIONAL HEALTH, SAFETY AND ADVANCING QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GENTLEMEN.
>> WELL, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY, ESPECIALLY COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE FOR THE SUPPORT THAT THEY GIVE US, BUT GUYS DIDN'T WANT TO STAY UP HERE LESS, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
[LAUGHTER] THEY ALL WANTED TO GIVE SPEECHES TOO, SO WE'LL WORK ON THAT, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THESE GUYS SPECIFICALLY, WHEN SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT, THAT'S WHEN YOU NEED US THE MOST.
THESE GUYS ARE OUT THERE IN ALL TYPES OF WEATHER, STORMS, HOLIDAYS, WHATEVER, BUT WITHOUT THIS, GUYS, WITHOUT THEIR SUPPORT, NOTHING WE DO HERE MAKES IT POSSIBLE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THOSE GUYS FOR ALL THEY DO.
>> OUR NEXT PROCLAMATION IS A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WEEK OR OTHERWISE KNOWN AS EMS.
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I HAVE CHIEF WADE AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. COME ON DOWN.[APPLAUSE] YOU'RE MISSING SOMETHING.
[BACKGROUND] I DON'T THINK HE'S GONNA QUIT UNTIL ALL COME DOWN, SO I THINK HE LIKES TO DO THIS.
I KNOW LIEUTENANT DOOR IS THRILLED TO BE DOWN HERE.
I KNOW THAT. AS WE TALKED ABOUT, WE'RE GOING TO CELEBRATE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WEEK.
MUCH LIKE OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, WE CANNOT DO WITHOUT THESE MEN AND WOMEN.
MUCH LIKE THE PUBLIC WORKS, THEY ARE TRULY 247365.
WHENEVER THERE'S A CALL, THEY ARE THERE.
AS I'VE SAID MANY TIMES, NOBODY WANTS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, BUT IF YOU HAVE ONE, I PROMISE YOU, YOU WANT TO BE HERE IN SACHSE BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF YOU.
WITH THAT, WE WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND CELEBRATE EMS WEEK.
2025 MARKS THE 51ST ANNIVERSARY OF NATIONAL EMS WEEK.
IT TYPICALLY FEATURES HUNDREDS OF GRASSROOTS ACTIVITIES, COAST TO COAST, CREATE AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF OUT-OF-HOSPITAL CARE, AND THANKS TO EMS PERSONNEL, WE WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR DEDICATION IN PROVIDING LIFE-SAVING SKILLS TO THEIR COMMUNITIES.
LIFE-SAVING SKILLS DOES SOUND LIKE A CLICHE, AND IT CAN BE SOMETIMES, BUT IT'S NOT WITH THESE GUYS.
WE HAVE HAD RESIDENTS UP HERE THAT LIVED HERE, THAT DIDN'T LIVE HERE, TO WHERE THEY HAVE LITERALLY SAVED THEIR LIFE BEFORE THEY GOT TO THE HOSPITAL.
WE WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THAT.
WITH THAT, I WOULD READ THE PROCLAMATION, WHEREAS EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE IS A VITAL PUBLIC SERVICE AND THE MEMBERS OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE, EMS TEAMS, ARE READY TO PROVIDE LIFESAVING CARE TO THOSE IN THE 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
WHEREAS ACCESS TO QUALITY EMERGENCY CARE DRAMATICALLY IMPROVES THE SURVIVAL AND RECOVERY RATE OF THOSE WHO EXPERIENCE SUDDEN ILLNESS OR INJURY, AND WHEREAS EMS HAS GROWN TO FILL A GAP BY PROVIDING IMPORTANT OUT-OF-HOSPITAL CARE, INCLUDING PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE, FOLLOW-UP CARE, AND ACCESS TO TELEMEDICINE.
WHEREAS THE EMS SYSTEM CONSISTS OF FIRST RESPONDERS, EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS, PARAMEDICS, EMERGENCY MEDICAL DISPATCHERS, FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE OFFICERS, EDUCATORS, ADMINISTRATORS, PRE-HOSPITAL NURSES, EMERGENCY NURSES, EMERGENCY PHYSICIANS, TRAINED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, AND OTHER OUT-OF-HOSPITAL MEDICAL CARE PROVIDERS.
WHEREAS THE MEMBERS OF THE EMS TEAMS, WHETHER CAREER OR VOLUNTEER, ENGAGE IN THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND CONTINUING EDUCATION TO ENHANCE OUR LIFE-SAVING SKILLS.
WHEREAS, IT IS APPROPRIATE TO RECOGNIZE A VALUE IN THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PROVIDERS BY DESIGNATING THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WEEK.
NOW, THEREFORE, JEFF BICKERSTAFF, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SACHSE, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 18TH THROUGH 24, 2025, AS EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WEEK, AND CELEBRATE THE 51ST ANNIVERSARY OF EMS WEEK WITH THE THEME, ''WE CARE FOR EVERYONE'' ENCOURAGING THE COMMUNITY TO SHOW THEIR APPRECIATION.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. I CAN'T SHOW AS MUCH APPRECIATION AS I'D LIKE FOR THESE FOLKS BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY SPECIAL.
BUT I DID WANT TO SAY THAT WHEN SOMEONE CALLS 911, IT DOES BEGIN FROM A PHONE CALL, GOES RIGHT TO OUR DISPATCHERS.
THEN, OFTENTIMES, OUR POLICE OFFICERS ARE THE FIRST ONES ON SCENE, AND THEY CAN DO CPR, THEY HAVE AEDS, AND THEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND SAVE A LIFE.
THEN, WHEN MY FOLKS SHOW UP, THEY TAKE IT TO A WHOLE DIFFERENT LEVEL WITH THE ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT THINGS THAT THEY DO.
THEN WE HAVE WE GET THEM TO THE HOSPITALS, AND THE HOSPITAL FOLKS THEY CONTINUE ON THAT CARE.
THE WHOLE EMS SYSTEM IS MORE THAN JUST ONE PERSON.
IT'S A WHOLE TEAM. THANK YOU ALL
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FOR PROVIDING THAT TO THE CITY OF SACHSE AND THEIR CITIZENS.>> IT IS ALWAYS GREAT TO PRESENT PROCLAMATIONS TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS, OUR EMS, ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES, AND OUR BOARD MEMBERS, RECOGNIZING THEIR EFFORTS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYONE THAT HELPS CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF SACHSE.
WITH THAT, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, ITEM C, PUBLIC COMMENT.
[C. Public Comment]
THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO ADDRESS COUNCIL REGARDING ANY TOPIC NOT ALREADY ON THE AGENDA FOR ACTION OR PUBLIC HEARING.COMMENTS REGARDING THE CONSENT AGENDA OR ANY DISCUSSION, ONLY ITEMS ON THE AGENDA MAY BE ADDRESSED DURING THIS PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.
THE TIME LIMIT IS THREE MINUTES FOR SPEAKER.
A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD SHOULD BE PRESENTED TO THE CITY SECRETARY PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, COUNSEL IS PROHIBITED FROM DISCUSSING ANY ITEM NOT POSTED ON THE AGENDA, BUT WE'LL TAKE COMMENTS UNDER ADVISEMENT.
I DO HAVE SEVERAL CARDS. THE FIRST ONE IS MARTY HOBOK.
>> MARTY HOBOK 5511 OAK RIDGE CIRCLE, SACHSE, TEXAS, TOP OF THE HILL.
MS. HOWARTH, MR. FRANKS, MR. MILLSAP, MR. BICKERSTAFF, MR. LINDSAY, MS. BUHLER, MR. PRESTENBERG, Y'ALL ARE ALL MEMBERS OF TARS NUMBER 3.
WHEN THIS BOARD WAS CREATED, YOU STOOD UP HERE AND YOU SAID, ONE, IT'S LEGAL, TWO, WE CAN TAKE THE MONEY OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, AND THREE, YOU CAN PAY IT BACK.
I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO SIT UP HERE AND CALL LIARS.
I'D LIKE MY TAX RATE TO GO DOWN.
IT'S TAX TIME IN THE CITY OF SACHSE.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE TARGET TAX RATE IS.
Y'ALL LIKE TO SAY, WE'RE GOING TO TELL YOU ON WEDNESDAY, WE'RE VOTING ON, AND IT'S DONE.
WHY DON'T YOU DO YOUR JOB A LITTLE BETTER, AND LET US KNOW NOW? I WANT TO KNOW IF THE $550,000 YOU GAVE TO A PIZZA JOINT UP AT THE STATION CAME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE PROCLAMATION SAYS IS ONE OF THE OPTIONS THAT IT COULD COME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, BE PROUD ABOUT IT.
DON'T MAKE ME HAVE TO FILE A FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT TO FIND OUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING BACK BEHIND THE CURTAINS.
IT'S REAL EASY. LET EVERYBODY KNOW.
WE HAVE THE HIGHEST TAXES IN NORTH TEXAS.
I GOT A LIST, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A STAFF MEMBER COME UP HERE AND CALL ME A LIAR AGAIN, LIKE YOU DID A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK.
HOW ABOUT A LITTLE TRANSPARENCY UP HERE ON THE BOARD? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> NEXT SPEAKER WE HAVE IS MS. TRACY BROOKS.
>> TRACY BROOKS, SACHSE, TEXAS.
>> MS. BROOKS, IF YOU CAN PUT THAT MIC. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU.
>> HAVING RECENTLY HAD ONE OF THE LARGEST TURNOUTS FOR THE MALE ELECTIONS IN SACHSE, THE CITIZENS HAVE PLACED YOU ALL IN A POSITION OF LEADERSHIP, ENTRUSTING YOU TO BE OUR VOICE AS YOU STAND IN THE GRAP FOR THE GREATER GOOD.
THROUGH OUR VOTE, CITIZENS LOUDLY SPOKE AGAINST THE LANDSCAPE THAT IS BEING BUILT AROUND US AND THE FUTURE OF THE MUSLIM SOCIETY MOVEMENT THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO TAKE OVER THE SACHSE COMMUNITY.
AS LEADERS, I ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THE NECESSITY AND URGENCY TO LEAN INTO WHAT THE CITIZENS VOTED AGAINST, AS CHANGING OUR COMMUNITY IS THEIR GOAL.
WE CAN'T STOP THIS, BUT YOU CAN.
RECENTLY, THE SMALL COMMUNITY OF BLUE RIDGE VOTED IN A NEW COUNCIL THAT RAN ON FIGHTING AGAINST THE MUSLIM CONQUEST IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
AT THEIR FIRST OFFICIAL MEETING, THEY PROVED THAT THEY LISTENED TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS AND TOOK ACTION BY DEANNEXING THE MUSLIM OWNED LAND.
AS YOU ARE AWARE, THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAVE IDENTIFIED ENOUGH CONCERNS TO BEGIN A FORMAL INVESTIGATION INTO EPIC CITY.
CONSIDERING THE SACHSE ISLAMIC SOCIETY IS ONE OF MANY DIRECTLY AND PUBLICLY LINKED.
AS OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, WE LOOK TO YOU TO DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE AND JOIN COLLIN COUNTY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS BY HALTING ALL CURRENT AND FUTURE PROGRESS UNTIL THE INVESTIGATIONS ARE COMPLETE.
[00:30:01]
PLEASE TAKE ACTION TO STOP THIS MUSLIM CONQUEST.WE CANNOT STOP THIS, BUT YOU CAN.
WE NEED TO ASK, HOW CLOSE ARE WE TO TURNING OVER OUR CITY TO A SOCIETY THAT BELIEVES THE FOLLOWING? SLAY THE UNBELIEVER WHEREVER YOU FIND THEM.
MUSLIMS MUST NOT TAKE THE INFIDELS AS FRIENDS.
THE JEWS AND CHRISTIANS ARE PERVERTS, FIGHT THEM.
DO NOT SEEK PEACE WITH THE INFIDELS, BEHEAD THEM WHEN YOU CATCH THEM.
THESE DIRECTIVES WERE TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM THE KORAN, AND THE ANSWER IS, JUST A FEW HUNDRED VOTES SEPARATE THEIR MINDSET FROM YOURS.
ISLAM MEANS SUBMISSION, NOT PEACE.
IF THEY DON'T ALLOW THEIR OWN FAMILIES TO LIVE EQUALLY AND FREELY IN A FREE COUNTRY, WHY WOULD WE THINK THAT THEY WANT THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY? IF WE DO NOT STOP THE PLANNED TAKEOVER IN OUR CITY, IT WILL NOT BE LONG UNTIL NEW POLITICIANS SEIZE POWER AND DECLARE THE NEW PALESTINE IN AMERICA.
ASK THE PEOPLE OF PATTERSON, NEW JERSEY, HOW IT FELT TO HAVE THEIR NEW MUSLIM MAYOR RAISE THE PALESTINIAN FLAG AND DECLARE THE CITY OF PATTERSON AS THE NEW CAPITAL OF PALESTINE.
THE CITIZENS OF NEW JERSEY HAVE EXPERIENCED THE EXACT DESTRUCTION I FEAR IN OUR COMMUNITY.
FINALLY, AS I STAND BEFORE YOU AND BEFORE MY GOD, I RECOGNIZE THIS IS NOT POLITICALLY CORRECT OR COMFORTABLE AS A BATTLE, BUT IT IS A WORTHY BATTLE, IF IT WILL SAVE OUR COMMUNITY AS WE KNOW IT.
THIS BATTLE IS FOUNDED ON OUR GOD, THE CONSTITUTION OF A FREE NATION IN TEXAS, AND IS OURS TO FIGHT.
WILL YOU PLEASE JOIN ME AS WE TAKE UP OUR CROSS TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY AND THE CITIZENS WHO HAVE ELECTED YOU? THANK YOU.
>> NEXT CAR TO HAVE IS PASTOR DENISE MASON.
>> IF YOU JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE.
>> DENISE MASON, I'M THE PASTOR OF PLEASANT VALLEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, WHICH IS AT THE CORNER OF PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD AND MERRITT ROAD.
I SENT YOU ALL AN EMAIL AND I'M GOING TO READ SOME FROM THAT EMAIL, IF I MAY.
I CAME TO PLEASANT VALLEY AS THE PASTOR IN 2016, AND WHEN I CAME THERE, I WAS REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT EMERGENCY ACCESS ONTO THE PROPERTY BECAUSE PART OF OUR PROPERTY WAS TAKEN IN EMINENT DOMAIN BY THE CITY WHEN THEY WIDENED MERIT, AND THEY PUT AN ISLAND ON PLEASANT VALLEY.
WE HAVE NO LEGAL ENTRANCE TO OUR CHURCH AT THIS POINT.
I CAME TO THE CITY MANY TIMES AND ASKED FOR HELP AND WAS TOLD WE COULD NOT HAVE A LEFT TURN LANE OFF OF PLEASANT VALLEY, NOR COULD WE HAVE AN ENTRANCE OFF OF MERIT.
IN 2022, WE RAISED THE ISSUE AGAIN, AND WE WERE TOLD THEN, WELL, WHY DON'T YOU ASK FOR AN ENTRANCE OFF OF MERIT. WE SAID WE WOULD.
WE DID AGAIN, AND THEY TOLD US WE DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE ANY SPECIAL DRAWINGS.
NOW, THIS WAS ALL DONE VIA EMAIL AND VERBAL.
THEY CAME OUT TO OUR PROPERTY.
WE THEN ASKED FOR THE ENTRANCE, AND WE WERE TOLD, NO, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SPECIAL ENGINEER DRAWINGS.
WE PAID $12,000 FOR SPECIAL ENGINEER DRAWINGS.
THEN IN DECEMBER OF 2023, AFTER SUBMITTING THE STAMP DRAWINGS, BOTH THE ENGINEERING FORM AND OUR CONTRACTOR RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM MR. JEFF STATING THE CITY NOW REQUIRED THAT, IN ADDITION TO BUILDING A CONCRETE APRON OFF OF MERIT, WE MUST ALSO REPLACE FIVE FEET OF CONCRETE SIDEWALK ON BOTH SIDES OF THE APRON.
ADDITIONALLY, DESPITE EARLIER PROMISES TO THE CONTRARY, THE ENTIRE DRIVEWAY WOULD HAVE TO BE CONCRETE.
FURTHERMORE, THAT CONCRETE MUST BE 4,000 PSI INSTEAD OF THE USUAL 3,000 PSI, RAISING THE PRICE OF SAID CONCRETE BY 33.3%.
THESE CHANGES, ALONG WITH THE OTHERS ADDED BY THE CITY, PLUS THE ENGINEERING REQUIREMENTS, INCREASED THE PROJECT ESTIMATE FROM 30,000 TO NEARLY $100,000, WHICH IS AN UNAFFORDABLE AMOUNT FOR A SMALL CHURCH, PARTICULARLY ONE THAT SERVES SO MANY WHO STRUGGLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET AND THOSE WHO ARE ON FIXED INCOMES.
MEANWHILE, THE DEVELOPMENT ALONG PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD HAS JUST EXPLODED.
PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN HIT TRYING TO TURN INTO OUR CHURCH, AND VISITORS TO THE CHURCH USING NAVIGATION APPS ARE DETOURED 20-30 MINUTES OUT OF THE WAY.
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO MAKE U U-TURNS, WHICH THERE IS NO PLACE TO MAKE A U-TURN ON PLEASANT VALLEY DRIVE.
THIS SEEMS TO ME TO BE A VIOLATION OF THE RELIGIOUS LAND USE AND INSTITUTIONALIZED PERSONS ACT OF 2000, A FEDERAL LAW THAT PROTECTS RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS AND INDIVIDUALS FROM DISCRIMINATION AND ZONING AND LANDMARKING BY PROHIBITING GOVERNMENT ENTITIES FROM IMPOSING REGULATIONS THAT UNREASONABLY LIMIT RELIGIOUS ASSEMBLIES OR IMPEDE PUBLIC ACCESS TO PLACES OF WORSHIP.
WE WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT WE BE PUT ON THE CITY'S AGENDA TO TALK ABOUT THIS FURTHER.
WE'RE AT A PLACE WHERE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AT THIS POINT.
WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN DANGER TURNING INTO OUR CHURCH.
WE'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 1862, BEFORE THE CITY WE WERE PART OF THE CITY.
THAT'S WHERE I'M LEAVING IT, I GUESS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, EVERYONE.
[00:35:02]
I DO HAVE COPIES FOR THE LETTER, IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE.>> THAT'S ALL THE SPEAKER'S CARDS I HAVE.
ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL AT THIS TIME ON AN ITEM NOT ON THE AGENDA? SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON.
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ITEM B,
[D. Council/Staff Reports and Updates]
COUNCIL AND STAFF REPORTS AND UPDATES.ITEM 1, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS REGARDING SPECIAL EVENTS, CURRENT ACTIVITIES, AND LOCAL ACHIEVEMENTS.
ANYONE ON COUNCIL LIKE TO ADDRESS THE AUDIENCE AT THIS TIME? MAYOR PROTON FRANKS.
>> THANKS, MAYOR. NEXT WEDNESDAY, WE ARE HAVING A TEEN STAMPEDE NIGHT AT THE MICHAEL J. FELIX COMMUNITY CENTER.
I HAVE TO SAY THAT SLOWLY, SO I DON'T SAY MICHAEL J.
FOX. ANYBODY UNDER 50 PROBABLY DOESN'T KNOW WHO THAT IS, UNDER 40, MAYBE.
WE WILL HAVE A MECHANICAL BULL.
AS THE PARKS AND ERECT LIAISON, I WILL BE OUT THERE ON THE MECHANICAL BULL.
I'VE INVITED COUNCILMAN PRESTENBERG, WE'LL SEE IF HE SHOWS UP.
[LAUGHTER] WE'LL HAVE GAME, SNACKS.
IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO REGISTER.
IF YOU HAVE A TEAM THAT NEEDS SOMETHING TO DO ON THAT NIGHT, HAVE THEM COME OUT AND HANG OUT AND PLAY SOME GAMES.
WE ALSO HAVE THE NEXT SUMMER NIGHT CONCERT SERIES.
IT WILL ALSO BE AT J.K SAXY PARK.
ON JUNE 6, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE ALTERNATIVES BAND.
THE FIRST HUNDRED GUESTS GET FOAM GLOW-IN-THE-DARK GLOW STICKS, WHATEVER.
COME OUT FOR YOUR MUSIC. I'LL BE OUT THERE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL THERE AND WE WILL GET DOWN AND GET FUNKY.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR PROTON FRANKS I THINK.
[LAUGHTER] ANYONE ELSE ON COUNSEL LIKE TO ADDRESS THE AUDIENCE THIS TIME? MR. PRESTENBERG. THERE YOU GO.
>> I'LL HAVE TO ASK THE LOVELY MISS PRESTENBERG IF I CAN GO DO THE BULL RIDING.
I'VE HAD TWO BACK SURGERIES, SO I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S GOING TO APPROVE.
SOME ANIMAL SHELTER ANNOUNCEMENTS.
I'D LIKE TO THANK THE RESIDENTS WHO JOINED US FOR THE SPRING VACCINATION CLINIC.
WE VACCINATED 56 ANIMALS, PERFORMED 20 HEARTWORM TESTS, ALL NEGATIVE, AND MICROCHIPPED EIGHT PETS.
WE APPRECIATE THOSE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO ATTEND AND HELP KEEP THEIR PETS HEALTHY AND OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.
OUR LAST FEATURED PET A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WAS OLIVE AND SHE HAS FOUND HER FOREVER HOME.
THAT'S AWESOME. NOW OUR NEW FEATURED PET IS SAMMY.
THIS TALL, HANDSOME GENTLEMAN, NOT ME, [LAUGHTER] HAS BEEN ONE OF THE LONGEST RESIDENTS AT THE SACHSE ANIMAL SHELTER, AND HE'S OFFICIALLY READY TO SETTLE DOWN.
AT AROUND 8 YEARS OLD, SAMMY IS A TOTAL PACKAGE, GENTLE, AFFECTIONATE, AND ALWAYS HAPPY TO SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH HIS PEOPLE.
HE GETS ALONG WELL WITH PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE AND BRINGS JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF ENERGY TO KEEP LIFE INTERESTING. HE'S NEUTERED.
HIS VACCINATIONS WILL BE COVERED BY THE SHELTER AND HIS ADOPTION FEE HAS BEEN WAIVED AS PART OF OUR BIG, FRIENDLY DOG SPECIAL.
IF YOU'RE READY TO OPEN YOUR HEART AND HOME TO A LOYAL COMPANION, YOU CAN MEET SAMMY AT THE SACHSE ANIMAL SHELTER.
COME MEET THAT DOG, PLUS ALL THE OTHER ONES THERE.
EVEN IF YOU'RE JUST GOING TO TAKE HIM FOR A WALK. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESTENBERG. OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS LIKE TO ADDRESS THE AUDIENCE. MR. MILLSAP.
>> LIBRARY. FOR THIS MONTH, THE CITY OF SACHSE IS NOW ON THE LIBBY.
YOU CAN BORROW EBOOKS AND AUDIOBOOKS TO READ ON YOUR IPHONE, ON YOUR PHONE OR TABLET USING THE LIBBY APPLICATION BY OVERDRIVE.
YOU CAN EVEN SEND AND READ BORROWED EBOOKS TO YOUR KINDLE E-READER.
IT'S FREE AND IT'S EASY TO GET STARTED.
VISIT THE CITY OF SACHSE WEBSITE TO LEARN MORE AND SIGN UP FOR NOW.
ALSO THIS MONTH IS ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN, AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH.
IN CELEBRATION OF THIS MONTH, THE LIBRARY HAS CREATED A SPECIAL DISPLAY FOR CHILDREN FEATURING BIOGRAPHIES, MEMOIRS, AND HERITAGE HISTORIES OF ASIAN AMERICAN FIGURES AND CULTURES.
FAMILIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO VISIT THE LIBRARY TO EXPLORE THESE ENGAGING AND EDUCATIONAL EVENTS.
THE LIBRARY IS ALSO ON MAY THE 22ND, STARTING AT 6:00 PM, THE LIBRARY IS INVITING ADULTS TO KICK OFF THE SUMMER SESSION WITH A LIGHTHEARTED DIP THEME POTLUCK AND MOCKTAIL SOCIAL.
THIS FUN, INFORMAL EVENT IS OPEN TO ADULTS AGES 18 AND UP.
NO REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED, AND PARTICIPANTS ARE WELCOME TO JOIN AND HAVE FUN EVEN IF THEY DON'T BRING A DISH.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE BRING A COVERED DISH TO GO WITH IT.
COME AND ENJOY GOOD COMPANY, CREATIVE DIPS, AND REFRESHING MOCKTAILS AT THE LIBRARY.
ALSO, THERE'S A BOOK TALK EVENT COMING UP ON MAY THE 28TH AT 6:00 PM.
THE LIBRARY INVITES ADULTS TO JOIN THE MONTHS BOOK CLUB MEETING FOR ENGAGING DISCUSSION AND LIGHT REFRESHMENTS.
THE FEATURED TITLE THIS MONTH IS BEAUTIFUL UGLY BY ALICE FEENEY, A PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER THAT FOLLOWS ARTHUR GRADY GREEN AS HE SEEKS
[00:40:03]
SOLACE ON A REMOTE SCOTTISH ISLAND AFTER HIS WIFE, ABBY'S MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE.THERE ARE SOME ACTIVITIES STARTING FOR THERE.
THERE'S LOTS OF OTHER THAT I DIDN'T BRING A LIST TO.
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF THINGS STARTING NOW FOR THE SUMMER FOR KIDDOS AND SCHOOL CHILDREN.
BE SURE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT THE LIBRARY HAS TO OFFER.
>> I WOULD AGREE, MR. MILLS, YOU JUST TOUCHED THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG ON THAT ONE, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS GOING ON AT THE LIBRARIES.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. ANYBODY ELSE ON COUNCIL LIKE TO ADDRESS THE AUDIENCE AT THIS TIME? MS. NASH.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. JUST A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS.
JOSHUA BERGER IS ONE OF OUR NEW MAINTENANCE TECHNICIANS.
HE JOINS US FROM THE CITY OF FRISCO, AND WE'RE VERY GLAD TO HAVE HIM ON OUR TEAM WHILE HE BROUGHT SOME GREAT SKILLS WITH HIM, AND HE'LL BE AN ASSET FOR SURE.
A NEW SEGMENT THAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE SINCE THE STAFF DID A PRESENTATION ABOUT OUR NEW CORE VALUES.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF EMPLOYEES EXHIBITING THOSE CORE VALUES AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THEM.
ONE OF OUR CORE VALUES BEING SERVICE, A SHOUT OUT TO CHIEF MARTY WADE, IF YOU DIDN'T SEE IT ON FACEBOOK.
HE RECENTLY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND IN A VERY UNEXPECTED WAY.
WHEN A BEEHIVE WAS DISCOVERED IN ONE OF OUR WATER METER BOXES, CHIEF WADE, AN EXPERIENCED BEEKEEPER, STEPPED IN TO HELP.
HE SAFELY REMOVED THE HIVE AND RELOCATED IT TO HIS PERSONAL BACKYARD APIARY.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT AN APIARY WAS UNTIL THIS.
TURNING A POTENTIAL PROBLEM INTO A PEACEFUL SOLUTION.
THIS ACT IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THE CORE VALUE OF SERVICE.
WHETHER RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES OR LENDING HIS UNIQUE SKILLS IN UNEXPECTED WAYS, CHIEF WADE CONTINUES TO DEMONSTRATE HIS COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
ANOTHER ONE WE'LL BE RECOGNIZING TONIGHT IS EXCELLENCE.
THE CITY OF SACHSE HAS BEEN NAMED A FINALIST FOR THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF MUNICIPAL INFORMATION OFFICERS, TAMIO, BEST ONE-TIME SPECIAL EVENT AWARD FOR THE HERITAGE PARK GRAND OPENING.
ESTHER WEAVER SUBMITTED THAT NOMINATION FOR THIS CATEGORY WHICH HONORS EVENTS WITH STRONG PROMOTION, CLEAR MESSAGING, AND MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
THIS RECOGNITION REFLECTS OUR CORE VALUES OF EXCELLENCE IN DELIVERING HIGH-QUALITY EVENTS AND COMMUNICATIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT THE TAMIO CONFERENCE IN JUNE AND I'LL UPDATE YOU ALL ON THE RESULTS, BUT IN MY EYES, WE'RE ALREADY A WINNER. GOOD JOB, ESTHER.
>> GOOD JOB, ESTHER. BACK TO CHIEF, WAIT FOR A SECOND.
>> JUST CHECKING. I HAVE A FEW ANNOUNCEMENTS AND I'D LIKE TO START OUT WITH THE BEST OF RECOGNITION THAT THE SACHSE NEWS PUTS ON.
WE HAD TWO EVENTS IF YOU WILL.
WELL, ONE EVENT, ONE FACILITY I GUESS YOU COULD SAY THAT ONE BEST ANNUAL.
THE BEST ANNUAL EVENT WAS A RED, WHITE, AND BLUE BLAST.
THEN OUR BEST PARK WAS HERITAGE PARK.
SINCE THEY'RE BOTH PARK-RELATED, I'VE ASKED CYNTHIA WISEMAN AND JORDAN TO COME ON DOWN, ACCEPT THESE RECOGNITIONS.
[APPLAUSE] IF YOU DON'T KNOW, THE SACHSE NEWS PUTS OUT THE BEST OF, AND THEY HAVE SEVERAL CATEGORIES.
BUT LIKE I SAID, THE BEST ANNUAL EVENT IS A RED, WHITE, AND BLUE BLAST.
I'M SURE MOST PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM HAVE BEEN, BUT IF FOR SOME REASON YOU HAVEN'T BEEN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT VERY LONG.
COMING UP ON JULY 3RD THIS YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR NEXT RED, WHITE, AND BLUE BLAST.
IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING, CYNTHIA AND JORDAN OBVIOUSLY HELP MAKE THE EVENT HAPPEN BUT IT'S NOT JUST THEM.
IT'S ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES, OUR PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES, QUITE FRANKLY, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES, THAT HELP MAKE SURE THE EVENT IS SAFE.
IT HAS GROWN TREMENDOUSLY OVER THE YEARS.
I'M GOING TO PRESENT THESE BOTH AT THE SAME TIME, SO THEY'RE BOTH GOING TO YOU.
THEN OUR PARK, AGAIN, I'M SURE, MOST OF YOU HAVE BEEN OUT TO THE HERITAGE PARK.
IF YOU HAVEN'T FOR SOME REASON, ESPECIALLY THE NEW AND IMPROVED HERITAGE PARK, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO OUT THERE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HELP MAKE THAT HAPPEN, COUNSEL INCLUDED.
WE JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT HERE AND RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT BOTH THE EVENT AND THE PARK, WHICH Y'ALL HAD A LOT TO DO WITH, WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE SACHSE NEWS, AND JUST WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THE CERTIFICATE AND THE COPIES OF THE BEST OF FOR Y'ALLS KEEPING, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY.
[00:45:12]
JUST A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM ME, THE CITY HALL IS GOING TO BE CLOSED ON MEMORIAL DAY, THIS COMING MONDAY, MAY 26, HOWEVER, OUR EMS AND OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES WILL BE FULLY OPERATIONAL AS USUAL.TRASH AND RECYCLING COLLECTION WILL CONTINUE TO SHIFT BY ONE DAY THAT WEEK.
MONDAY WILL BE ON TUESDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, ETC.
MAKE SURE YOU PLAN FOR THAT ACCORDINGLY.
AS WE TALKED ABOUT LAST MEETING, TASTE OF SACHSE RIGHT THERE IS ONGOING AS WE'D SAY. IT'S UNDERWAY.
CELEBRATION OF SMALL BUSINESS WEEK.
RESIDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO DINE AT OUR PARTICIPATING LOCAL RESTAURANTS TO COLLECT STICKERS AND EARN PRIZES.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO TO THE WEBSITE TO SEE THAT, TASTE.SACHSE.COM.
YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW TO PARTICIPATE.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, MAKE SURE YOU GO VISIT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES BECAUSE THEY ARE THE HEART OF OUR COMMUNITY, SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HELPING MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, OF COURSE, I DO WANT TO TAKE THIS MOMENT AND CONGRATULATE MISS DINA NASH.
SHE IS A RECENT GRADUATE FROM LEADERSHIP IN NORTH TEXAS CLASS 16, AND MYSELF, BEING A MEMBER OF CLASS 15, AM SORRY, NOT QUITE AS GOOD AS OUR CLASS.
BUT IT'S A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT. YOU LEARNED SO MUCH.
YOU MEET A LOT OF DIFFERENT CITY AND REGIONAL LEADERS.
I CAN TELL YOU, I'M SURE MS. NASH WOULD SAY THE SAME THING, WHEN YOU ARE DOING THAT FOR A YEAR, YOU GET A LOT DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES THAT YOU DIDN'T REALLY THINK ABOUT, AND IT'S ALL POSITIVE BECAUSE THEY HAVE PERSPECTIVES YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT, AND THEY ALSO GET TO HEAR FROM YOU, AND THEY DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE CITY PERSPECTIVE.
IT'S A GREAT HONOR AND I JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO SAY, CONGRATULATIONS MS. NASH.
[APPLAUSE] WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM,
[E. Consent Agenda]
WHICH IS ITEM E, THE CONSENT AGENDA.ITEM 1 APPROVE THE MAY 5TH, 2025, REGULAR MEETING MINUTES.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? IF I NEED TO REMOVE IT, WHICH IS JUST ONE THING.
IF NOT, WE'LL ENTERTAIN MOTIONS. MS. BUHLER.
>> IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISSECTION, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT ITEM E AS PRESENTED.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION BY MS. BUHLER TO ACCEPT ITEM E AS PRESENTED, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? MR. PRESTENBERG.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
>> MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ITEM F ACTION ITEMS ITEM 1,
[1. Conduct a public hearing and consider a resolution approving the 2025 Comprehensive Plan for the City of Sachse (Shaping Sachse) to provide for a comprehensive planning program, vision, and official policy for the future of the city; providing a repealing clause, and providing for an effective date.]
CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE 2025 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE CITY OF SACHSE SHAPING SACHSE TO PROVIDE FOR A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM, VISION, AND OFFICIAL POLICY FOR THE FUTURE OF THE CITY, PROVIDING A REPEALING CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE, MS. NASH.>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WE'RE FINALLY AT THE END OF THE ROAD FOR THE UPDATE TO THE SACHSE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, SHAPING SACHSE AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT THAT'S GONE ON IN THE LAST YEAR LEADING UP TO THIS.
THIS WILL BE THE PUBLIC HEARING IN THE FINAL ACTION ON THIS TONIGHT.
SHOULD DO SO, CHOOSE TO MOVE FORWARD AND APPROVE.
IT'S GONE THROUGH BOTH PLANNING AND ZONING, AS WELL AS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARDS, AND JARED POTTS HAS BEEN LEADING THIS EFFORT.
HE WILL KICK THIS OFF AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW MUCH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WE'VE HAD AND THEN REPRESENTATIVES FROM KIMLEY HORN, BOTH REED CLEAER AND HAYLEY CARRUTHERS WILL BE HERE TO DO PART OF THE PRESENTATION AS WELL.
>> HELLO, MR. POTTS. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS EVENING.
THANK YOU, MS. NASH FOR THAT INTRODUCTION.
THE PRESENTATION OVERVIEW TONIGHT, WE WILL GET INTO ENGAGEMENT, THAT'LL BE THE KEY FOCUS FOR ME PERSONALLY.
THEN WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO RECETTEAR TO GET INTO PLAN STRUCTURES AND THE ELEMENTS.
HIGHLIGHT AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL DETAILED STUDIES, IMPLEMENTATION AND THEN, OF COURSE, AS MENTIONED, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING THIS EVENING, SO WE'LL NEED TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING, AND THEN FINAL ACTION IS BEING SOUGHT.
AGAIN, YOU ALL HAVE RECEIVED BRIEFINGS.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION HAS RECEIVED BRIEFINGS, EDC BOARD.
FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS PROCESS, THE CITY MANAGER MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THIS WOULD BE A PLAN THAT EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY KNEW WAS BEING UPDATED.
I THINK WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED A GREAT DEAL, RELATIVE TO THE ENGAGEMENT PIECE.
YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE INTERVIEWS THAT WE'VE HAD THERE ON THIS SLIDE, BUSINESS OWNERS, 55 PLUS COMMUNITY, G ISD, WYLIE ISD, AND SO FORTH.
FROM AN ENGAGEMENT STANDPOINT, WE TRIED TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY WERE AT, WAS A KEY THEME OF THIS PLAN, SO IN PERSON AND ONLINE.
YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WORKSHOPS THAT WERE HELD.
[00:50:03]
WE HAD COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE, POP UP EVENTS AT VARIOUS CITY EVENTS.THEN, OF COURSE, THE DIGITAL COMMUNITY WAS ABLE TO VIEW THE SHAPING SACHSE WEBSITE.
WE HAD TWO SEPARATE SURVEYS THAT WERE ISSUED.
ONE RECEIVED ABOUT 612 RESPONSES, AND ABOUT 370 OF THOSE WERE COMPLETE RESPONSES.
THEN A SECOND ROUND ON THE VISION STATEMENT, GUIDING PRINCIPLES, ABOUT 96 RESPONSES.
WE HAD AN INTERACTIVE MAP, VIRTUAL ROOMS, PROJECT BACKGROUND, AND SCHEDULE, EVERYTHING THAT WAS MADE AVAILABLE IN PERSON WAS MADE AVAILABLE VIRTUALLY DIGITALLY AS WELL.
WITH THAT, YOU ALL HAVE SEEN THIS PLAN.
WE'VE MOST RECENTLY TALKED ABOUT CATALYST AREA STUDIES.
BUT WE WILL TURN IT OVER TO MR. CLETER TO GO OVER SOME OF THIS AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL.
AGAIN, THE PLAN WAS POSTED PUBLICLY ONLINE, AND IT IS AVAILABLE TO READ IN ITS ENTIRETY.
STILL ON THE SHAPING SACHSE PLAN WEBPAGE.
BUT WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO REED AND THEN I'M CERTAINLY AVAILABLE, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY.
MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, SACHSE NEIGHBORS.
I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S TIME AND ATTENTION, THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
LIKE MR. POTTS SAID, THIS HAS REALLY BEEN A COMMUNITY EFFORT.
IT'S BEEN ROOTED IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE RECOGNIZES THIS ISN'T OUR PLAN, AS THE CONSULTANT.
THIS IS THE COMMUNITY'S PLAN AND WE'VE DONE OUR BEST TO INTERPRET AND REFLECT THE DESIRES AND VALUES OF THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THIS PLAN.
ONCE AGAIN, WE'RE PLEASED TO BE HERE AND VERY APPRECIATIVE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
AS YOU SEE, HOPEFULLY, EVERYONE'S HAD A CHANCE TO VIEW THE DOCUMENT ONLINE, READ THROUGH IT, DIGEST IT, ASK THEMSELVES QUESTIONS.
BUT YOU SEE AN OUTLINE OF THE PLAN HERE, JUST SOME OF THE MAJOR CHAPTERS AND THE COVER OF THE DOCUMENT THAT'S POSTED ONLINE.
WE'LL GO THROUGH SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED AT OUR PREVIOUS BRIEFINGS WITH THIS GROUP, BUT IF ANYONE HAS QUESTIONS AS WE GO, OR AT THE END, FEEL FREE TO ASK.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO IS ANSWER QUESTIONS AND GIVE CLARITY.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPONENTS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OR OF A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE COMMUNITY IS THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN.
THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN GUIDES THE DIRECTION AND DECISION MAKING OF THE FUTURE OF THE COMMUNITY.
AGAIN, IT'S BEEN ROOTED IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY DESIRES.
AT OUR LAST BRIEFING, WE DISCUSSED THE DIAGRAM TO THE RIGHT, WHICH REPRESENTS THE SHAPING SACHSE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN IN COMPARISON TO THE 2017 FUTURE LAND USE PLAN.
YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE KEY ITEMS OR AREAS OF THE CITY THAT HAVE CHANGED DENOTED WITH THE ORANGE CIRCLES.
THE ONLY ITEMS THAT HAVE CHANGED SINCE THE LAST BRIEFING THAT WE HELD ARE NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF MERRITT ROAD, AND PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH.
YOU SEE THE TWO ORANGE, ONE IS HORIZONTAL, AND ONE IS VERTICAL.
THOSE ARE NEIGHBORHOOD RETAIL LAND USE DESIGNATION, AND THOSE HAVE BEEN REFLECTED THAT WAY AS A CHANGE FROM WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY DENOTED AS MIXED USE, AND THAT WAS A RESULT OF SOME OF THE FEEDBACK AND DIRECTION THAT WE GOT AFTER OUR LAST BRIEFING.
WE'VE REFLECTED THAT CHANGE HERE.
BUT YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS THAT HAVE CHANGED FROM THE 2017 PLAN, SOME WERE MADE JUST TO REFLECT CHANGES IN WHAT'S ACTUALLY ON THE GROUND NOW.
A LOT'S CHANGED IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS.
SOME OF THOSE WERE JUST HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS TO MATCH ZONING THAT'S BEEN UPDATED THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
BUT MOSTLY NO CHANGE FROM THE LAST BRIEFING THAT WE HELD.
ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE DIDN'T DISCUSS AT OUR LAST BRIEFING WAS THE HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS ELEMENT OF THE PLAN.
THIS ELEMENT ESTABLISHES POLICIES AND GIVES DIRECTION ON FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT WITH REGARDS TO HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY, INTENDED TO PRESERVE AND ENHANCE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS AND PERPETUATE A VIRTUOUS CYCLE OPPOSED TO A VICIOUS CYCLE OF NEIGHBORHOOD DECLINE.
THIS CHAPTER EXAMINES THE EXISTING INVENTORY AND DEMAND FOR RESIDENTIAL PRODUCT WITHIN SACHSE.
IT ALSO EXPLORES NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION AND PRESERVATION EFFORTS THAT CAN BE TAKEN ON BY THE CITY FOR THE FUTURE OF HOUSING.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT DEVELOPMENT BEST PRACTICES AND INFIELD DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND GAVE SOME GUIDANCE WITH REGARDS TO BEST PRACTICES TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S
[00:55:02]
A VARIETY OF HOUSING PRODUCTS FOR PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE OF SACHSE.WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN LIVE THEIR WHOLE LIFE CYCLE HERE REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OF HOUSE THAT THEY MAY NEED, WHETHER IT'S BIG OR SMALL KIDS OR NO KIDS.
THEN THIS CHAPTER ALSO HAS ACTION ITEMS THAT SUPPORT THOSE POLICIES.
AT THE BOTTOM THERE IN THE GREEN, YOU'LL SEE ONE OF THOSE ACTION ITEMS, WHICH IS TO DEVELOP A NEIGHBORHOOD PATTERN BOOK TO GUIDE PROPERTY OWNERS IN INFILL DEVELOPMENT OR HOME REHABILITATION PROJECTS, FEATURING PRE-APPROVED DESIGNS THAT ALIGNED WITH THE CHARACTER OF SACHSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW ACTION ITEMS COULD SUPPORT THE POLICIES OF THIS CHAPTER.
WE CERTAINLY RECOGNIZE THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS A BIG FOCUS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THIS PLAN AT LARGE.
THERE ARE POLICIES WITHIN THIS CHAPTER THAT SEEK TO PRESERVE AND ENHANCE THE ECONOMIC BASE AND FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY OF THE CITY.
WE LOOKED AT VARIOUS RETAIL SECTORS OR VARIOUS SECTORS SUCH AS RETAIL, OFFICE, AND INDUSTRIAL, LOOKED AT THE OPPORTUNITIES TO CAPTURE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE SECTORS, EXCUSE ME.
WE LOOKED AT THE DEMAND FOR RETAIL AND OFFICE IN COMPARISON TO THE OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE CITY AND TRIED TO MARRY THOSE TO GIVE DIRECTION AND GUIDANCE ON HOW THE CITY CAN CAPTURE THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT MOVING FORWARD.
ULTIMATELY, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRENDS, TOOLS, AND ACTION ITEMS ARE DESIGNED TO IMPLEMENT THESE POLICIES.
ONE SUCH EXAMPLE IS TO IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE PARCELS THAT MAY BE AN OPTION.
FOR CITY OR EDC ACQUISITION TO FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OR CATALYZE DEVELOPMENT IN THE FUTURE.
YOU'LL REMEMBER AT THE LAST BRIEFING, WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THESE CATALYST AREAS AND HOW THEY SERVE AS STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE CITY TO MAKE POSITIVE CHANGE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SOME OF THESE POLICIES AND ACTION ITEMS ALSO SUPPORT LAND USE DECISIONS.
MOBILITY IS ALSO A LARGE CONSIDERATION.
YOU'LL SEE THE MASTER THOROUGHFARE PLAN ON THE RIGHT WITH THE CIRCLES, DENOTES THE MASTER THOROUGHFARE PLAN DEVELOPED THROUGH THIS PROCESS IN COMPARISON TO THE 2017 MASTER THOROUGHFARE PLAN.
YOU'LL NOTICE THAT ALL OF THOSE AREAS CIRCLED IN RED ARE IDENTIFICATION OF FUTURE CONNECTIONS THAT WE RECOMMENDED.
NONE OF THESE HAVE CHANGED SINCE THE LAST BRIEFING THAT WE GAVE.
BUT THERE ARE ALSO POLICIES WITHIN THIS DOCUMENT THAT ESTABLISH DIRECTION FOR THE FUTURE OF MOBILITY, WHETHER IT BE AUTOMOBILES, PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLES, CONNECTIVITY AND MOBILITY AS A WHOLE.
BUT WE ALSO EXPLORED EXISTING CONDITIONS IN THE EXISTING LEVEL OF SERVICE WITHIN THE THOROUGHFARES IN SACHSE.
OBVIOUSLY, THE THOROUGHFARE PLAN WAS UPDATED.
THE CROSS SECTIONS WERE DISCUSSED OF WHAT THOSE ROAD TYPOLOGIES WOULD LOOK LIKE, AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR MULTIMODAL CONNECTIONS.
AN EXAMPLE OF ONE SUCH ACTION ITEM WOULD BE A SIGNAL STUDY AT STATE HIGHWAY 78, SO CONSIDER CONDUCTING A SIGNAL STUDY AT STATE HIGHWAY 78 AND COUNTRY CLUB DRIVE IN COORDINATION WITH TEXT TOUT.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF ACTION ITEMS THAT GIVE DIRECTION TO IMPROVE MOBILITY AND SAFETY THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
PARKS TRAILS AND OPEN SPACE ARE ALSO A BIG COMPONENT OF THIS PLAN THAT'S BEING UPDATED FROM THE 2017 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WE ESTABLISHED POLICIES TO ENHANCE CONNECTIVITY TO THESE AREAS, IMPROVE THE OVERALL NUMBER OF TRAILS, THE VOLUME OF PARKS AND OPEN SPACES, AND MAKE SURE THAT AS THE COMMUNITY GROWS, THAT THESE SPACES ARE ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE WITHIN SACHSE.
WE LOOKED AT THE EXISTING INVENTORY WITHIN SACHSE AND GAVE RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO BEST CONNECT TO THESE PLACES OR HOW TO INCREASE THE INVENTORY OF PARKS AND OPEN SPACE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
ONE OF THE ACTION ITEMS THAT YOU'LL SEE HERE IS TO CREATE A LONG TERM VISION FOR PARKS, TRAILS, AND OPEN SPACE, THAT ALIGNS WITH FUTURE GROWTH PATTERNS AND COMMUNITY NEEDS, AND THAT ALSO MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT TO MAXIMIZE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES CONDUCTING A MASTER PLAN IS ONE WAY TO FURTHER THIS STUDY AND ALSO INCREASE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FEDERAL FUNDING.
[01:00:03]
IN LIGHT OF THIS WEEK, OBVIOUSLY, INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC SERVICES ARE A BIG DEAL FOR ANY CITY.IT'S TIMELY THAT WE'RE HERE DISCUSSING THAT.
BUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC SERVICES POLICIES ARE INTENDED TO MAKE SURE THAT QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS IN SACHSE MAINTAINS AND IMPROVES ITS ALREADY OUTSTANDING REPUTATION.
BUT WE LOOKED AT EXISTING CONDITIONS RELATED TO WATER AND WASTEWATER, DRAINAGE, AND ROADWAY INFRASTRUCTURE, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, AND HOW SOME OF THE AGENCIES WITHIN GREATER DFW WORK WITH THE CITY OF SACHSE AND HOW THOSE RELATIONSHIPS CAN ULTIMATELY LEAD TO BETTER OUTCOMES FOR SACHSE RESIDENTS.
A BIG PART OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC SERVICES CHAPTER IS THE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN, WHICH YOU SEE AN IMAGE OF ON THE RIGHT, BUT IT SEEKS TO PRIORITIZE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AND INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE, WHETHER IT BE FROM THE WATER AND WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN.
AS WELL AS EXISTING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN CONSTRUCTED YET.
THE IDEA IS TO PRIORITIZE THOSE INVESTMENTS FOR THE GREATEST OUTCOMES FOR SACHSE RESIDENTS AS YOU MOVE FORWARD TO GIVE GUIDANCE ON WHICH OF THOSE DOMINOES FALL FIRST CAN CREATE THE GREATEST POSITIVE INFLUENCE.
THERE'S ALSO A LIST OF ACTION ITEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CHAPTER.
ALL OF THESE ACTION ITEMS FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL CHAPTER THROUGHOUT THE PLAN ARE AGGREGATED WITHIN AN IMPLEMENTATION MATRIX, A SIMPLE, EASY TO READ, EASY TO DISCERN ONE PLACE BIG MATRIX AT THE END OF THE DOCUMENT, WHICH GOES THROUGH EACH ACTION ITEM INCLUDED IN THE PLAN AND LINKS THEM BACK TO THE GOAL THAT THEY SEEK TO ACHIEVE.
IT PRIORITIZES THEM WHETHER THEY'RE HIGH MEDIUM OR LOW PRIORITY IN TERMS OF TIMING AND WHEN THESE ACTION ITEMS NEED TO BE COMPLETED.
IT DENOTES THE IMPLEMENTING AGENCY OR DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS PARTNERS THAT MAY NEED TO BE INCLUDED OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OR OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY.
IT ALSO IDENTIFIES PLANNING LEVEL COSTS, SO ESTIMATED COST AND CORRESPONDING ACTIONS THAT MAY BE TIED TO OTHER ITEMS. YOU MAY HAVE ONE ACTION ITEM THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN BEFORE THE SECOND CAN HAPPEN.
THOSE ARE TIED TOGETHER IN THIS TABLE, SO YOU CAN EASILY REFERENCE WHICH OF THOSE ARE ENTANGLED.
AS MR. POTTS MENTIONED EARLIER, THERE HAVE BEEN TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS PREVIOUSLY CONDUCTED, ONE WITH PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION ON MAY 12, AND ONE WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD ON THE 15TH.
WE ARE HERE TO DISCUSS ANY QUESTIONS OR ANSWER ANY PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WE MAY NEED TO.
IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS OR IF YOU WANT TO HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING FIRST, WHATEVER YOUR PREFERENCE MAY BE.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CLETER. I'LL ASK COMMENT FROM COUNSEL FIRST BEFORE YOU DO THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL FOR MR. CLETER OR MR. POTTS? MR. [INAUDIBLE].
>> THERE'S [INAUDIBLE] DEVELOPMENT OF IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE FINAL DRAFT OF IT OR NOT.
IN THAT CONTEXT, I WOULD ASK, IS THERE PLANS TO OR COULD WE MAKE A COMMITMENT TO HAVE A COPY OF THIS IN THE LIBRARY SO CITIZENS COULD COME AND PERUSE IT AT ANY TIME AT THEIR DESIRE AND CONVENIENCE?
>> CERTAINLY. I'D ENCOURAGE THAT, YES.
>> OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, FOR STAFF? SEEING NONE. IS THIS A PUBLIC HEARING? I DECLARED THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN.
>> 7:34 PM. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN.
I DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER'S CARD, [INAUDIBLE].
>> MARTY HOBOK, 5511 OAK RIDGE, CIRCLE, SAXE, TEXAS, TOP OF THE HILL.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION THAT THIS IS NOT THE CITY'S HARD AND FAST.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AND IT'S MORE IN THE SPIRIT OF PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, BLACK PERL, THEY'RE JUST GUIDELINES.
[01:05:01]
BUT I'M GOING TO SAY, LOOKING AT THE ALIGNMENT FOR SAXE PHASE 2, THAT IS THE BLATANT REALIGNMENT TO CREATE RIGHT AWAY ON ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD THAT MATCHES THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.IF I'M WRONG, SOMEBODY TELL ME HOW MANY DIFFERENT ALIGNMENTS WERE STUDIED FOR SACHSE ROAD, PHASE 2 TO MINIMIZE RIGHT AWAY TAKES.
AT ONE POINT IN TIME, IN THE BOND PROPOSAL, I HAD THE COST ESTIMATION, BUT I GOT AWAY FROM ME.
WHAT IS THE PRICE OF THE RIGHT AWAY TO SHOVE THAT ROAD ALL THE WAY OVER TO ONE SIDE? THAT SHOULD BE KNOWN RIGHT HERE AND NOW.
IT'S ALSO ON WOODBRIDGE AND MERIT REALIGNMENT.
I THINK YOU'RE TAKING TWO HOMES THERE TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU WANT TO.
IS THAT SOMETHING EDC IS GOING TO TAKE? WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER FIFTH STREET DISTRICT SUCKING CHEST WOUND WASTE OF MONEY? HOW MUCH TOTAL INVOLVEMENT FROM THE CITY, ARE YOU THINKING YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND ON THIS, OR IS IT JUST GUIDELINES? YOU ALL OPENED UP A LOT OF QUESTIONS HERE THAT A ALL AREN'T GIVEN VERY MUCH GUIDANCE OR CLARITY TOO AND A SIGNAL AT COUNTRY CLUB AND 78 IS JUST COMMON SENSE, BECAUSE TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT ACROSS GARLAND ROAD, STATE HIGHWAY 78 IS JUST DANGEROUS.
>> ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. SEEING NONE.
I WILL CLOSE A PUBLIC HEARING, THE TIME MS. GRANGER.
>> 7:37 P.M. PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
AS MS. NASH AND MR. POTTS MENTIONED, THIS IS A CONSIDERATION ITEM AND ACTION ITEM FOR ADOPTION OF THE CONFERENCE PLAN.
WITH THAT, I'LL CERTAIN ENTERTAIN DISCUSSION, QUESTIONS, MOTIONS. MR. PRESTENBERG.
>> YES. FIRST OFF, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE HARD WORK THAT WAS DONE ON THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
I WASN'T ON COUNCIL IN THE LAST ONE.
WE'RE LIVING THE BENEFITS OF IT RIGHT NOW WITH OUR CITY AND SO I'M PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THESE SUGGESTIONS AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ASSUMING THIS PLAN IS.
YOU GOT TO DO IT THIS WAY. CAN YOU COME UP HERE SAY? I'M SORRY. WHEN YOU DO THESE COMPREHENSIVE PLANS, YOU'RE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION YOUR BREADTH OF KNOWLEDGE ON ALL THESE OTHER CITIES THAT YOU'VE DONE IT FOR.
>> THESE ARE I WON'T SAY TRIED AND TRUE, BUT IN A WAY, THEY PROBABLY ARE DIFFERENT MECHANISMS OF BRINGING IN NEW BUSINESS, SATISFYING THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN YOUR CITY AND HOW THEY WANT TO GET AROUND THE PARKS AND WHATNOT, SO TRAFFIC PATTERNS AND WHATNOT.
>> IT'S A POLICY DOCUMENT, IT'S INTENDED TO GUIDE DECISION MAKING OF THE FUTURE, BUT IT'S NOT INTENDED TO SAY THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO DO THIS.
IT'S INTENDED TO GIVE DIRECTION AND GUIDANCE, BUT THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS OR THE VISION THAT WE SET OUT AT THE BEGINNING.
IT'S MEANT TO BE FLEXIBLE AND BREATHABLE AND RESPOND TO CHANGE OVER TIME, JUST LIKE THE 2017 PLAN HAD TO CHANGE. HENCE WHY WE'RE HERE.
A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE 2017, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO REVISIT THESE DOCUMENTS FREQUENTLY AND THINK ABOUT HOW THE COMMUNITY IS RESPONDING TO CHANGE.
>> THANK YOU. I MEAN, JUST TO BRING UP SAXON ROAD, PHASE 2 OR WHATNOT.
I MEAN, THAT'S STILL UNDER ENGINEERING RIGHT NOW, OR PLANNING.
WE DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW EXACTLY ITS ROUTE, ITS PLAN, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO GO INTO PLACE.
IF SOMETHING SHOULD MATCH, MAYBE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE PLAN SAYS, MAYBE YOU SHOULD DO.
I DON'T KNOW, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE STILL HAVEN'T AGREED UPON YET, OR WE'RE STILL WAITING.
ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK. APPRECIATE.
>. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. MS. NASH.
>> COUNCILMAN PRESTENBERG, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
NO, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY COSTS YET FOR RIGHT AWAY ACQUISITION, ANY OF THAT.
NONE OF THAT PORTION OF THE PROJECT HAS BEEN COMPLETED AT THIS TIME.
>> NO. YOU HAVE NOT BEEN RECOGNIZED TO SPEAK.
[01:10:02]
>> YOU HAVE NOT BEEN RECOGNIZED TO SPEAK.
IF YOU DON'T BEHAVE, YOU HAVE TO LEAVE THE ROOM.
OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? WELL, I WANT TO SAY MR. LEER, I THINK I GOT THAT NAME RIGHT.
YES, AND MR. PIE, AS I WILL TAKE IT BACK ON WHAT MR. PRESTENBERG SAID IS THAT WHILE HE WAS NOT ON COUNCIL IN 2017, I KNOW I WAS AND MR. FRANKS WAS AND WE HAVE SEEN A TON OF BENEFIT FROM THAT COMP PLAN THAT WAS DONE AND THAT WAS MORE OF A REDO.
BUT AGAIN, I THINK IT TAKES THE STRENGTH OF WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED IN 2017, AND WE'RE JUST ADDING TO THAT IN 2025, THE ICING ON THE CAKE, IF YOU WILL.
YES, IT'S BEEN SAID, DEFINITELY OUR GUIDELINES AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STATE LAW IS THAT OUR ZONING ORDINANCE, WELL, COMPLY WITH OUR COMPLAINT.
>> IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT DOCUMENT.
THE OTHER THING I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY ABOUT COMPLAINTS IS THAT THEY ARE NOT STATIC DOCUMENTS.
THEY ARE DYNAMIC, MEANT TO BE DYNAMIC DOCUMENTS.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK THAT WHILE IF THIS PLAN IS ULTIMATELY ADOPTED TONIGHT, IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S SET EVERYTHING, EVERY WORD, EVERY SECTION, IF YOU WILL, IS NOT SET IN STONE PER SE.
BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND WE WILL HAVE SOME THINGS THAT, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT? MAYBE WE NEED TO TWEAK THIS A LITTLE BIT, TAKE A LOOK AT.
BUT THAT'S WHAT THIS PROCESS IS ALL ABOUT.
THIS WILL SERVICE OUR FOUNDATION AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK THAT STAFF PUT INTO IT AND OUR CONSULTANTS KIM HORN.
YOU ALL HAVE BEEN GREAT PARTNERS, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.
>> I JUST WANTED TO ECHO THAT SENTIMENT AS WELL.
I THINK THIS IS A VERY THOROUGH AND THOUGHTFUL DOCUMENT.
I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GO READ IT.
IT DOES NOT TAKE THAT LONG, BUT IT'S REALLY EXCITING STUFF WE HAVE A LOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
I WASN'T ON COUNCIL IN THE 2017 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, BUT I DID GET TO SERVE ON THAT ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND WE'VE COME A LONG WAY.
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD AND I JUST THINK THIS IS A REALLY EXCITING TIME FOR OUR CITY. THANK YOU.
>> OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. I WOULD ENTERTAIN MOTIONS. MR. LINDSAY.
>> YES, SIR. MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE F1 AS PRESENTED.
>> MOTION BY MR. LINDSAY, TO APPROVE ITEM F1 AS PRESENTED TO HAVE A SECOND, MS. HOWARTH?
>> SECOND BY MS. HOWARTH. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NINE, PLEASE CATCH YOU OUT.
MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA,
[2. Consider authorizing the Executive Director of the Sachse Economic Development Corporation (EDC) to negotiate and enter into a contract with Civic Solutions Partnership LLC for the development of an economic development strategic plan, in the amount not to exceed One Hundred Fifty Thousand and No/100 Dollars ($150,000.00).]
ITEM TO CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SAXE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION EDC TO NEGOTIATE AND ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH CIVIC SOLUTIONS PARTNERSHIP, LLC FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $150,000. MS. NASH.>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, JARED POTTS IS BACK TO TALK ABOUT THE EDC STRATEGIC PLAN MOVING FORWARD AND OBVIOUSLY APPROVED BY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD LAST WEEK, AND ASKING FOR THAT SAME OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS WITH YOU AND AWARD THE CONTRACT.
>> MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
AS ONE PLAN ENDS, ANOTHER ONE BEGINS.
>> I'LL BE BRIEF THIS EVENING.
YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS EFFORT.
I'LL QUICKLY HIGHLIGHT THE RFQ PROCESS, SOME OF THE PROPOSED FOCUS AREAS, TALK ABOUT FUNDING AND THEN NEXT STEPS, AS WELL AS PROVIDING A STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS ITEM.
FOR AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN PROCESS, WE RECEIVED INITIAL EDC BOARD DIRECTION.
WE HAD AN RFQ PROCESS, WENT THROUGH CONSULTANT SELECTION AND THEN WE'RE NOW PENDING APPROVAL BY THIS BODY.
WE WOULD GO THROUGH AND WORK ON THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT TO ALLOW FOR US TO BEGIN CREATION OF THIS PLAN.
THE GROUP THAT WE ARE TALKING TO IS EXCITED.
THEY'RE READY TO HAVE KICKOFF AND DEVELOPMENT.
WE WOULD THEN TAKE THIS TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD FOR THEIR RECOMMENDATION.
THEN, OF COURSE, FINAL STRATEGIC PLAN APPROVAL AND ADOPTION WOULD COME BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
QUICK HIGHLIGHT ON THE RFQ PROCESS.
WE ISSUED ON FEBRUARY 17, THE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS, SEEKING PROFESSIONAL PLANNING CONSULTANT TO HELP US WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PLAN, ADVERTISED ON CIVCAST AND THE SACHSE NEWS POSTED TO TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
COUNCIL RFQ WEB PAGE, APA TEXAS, PICKED IT UP.
IT WAS PLACED ON THE CITY BID POSTINGS PAGE, AND WE CERTAINLY PUT IT OUT THERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
MARCH 17, THIS IS THE SUBMITTAL DEADLINE FOR THE RFQ.
[01:15:02]
TEN FIRMS RESPONDED WITH QUALIFICATIONS.STAFF REVIEW COMMITTEE REVIEWED THESE, AND THEN WE SCORED THEM AND DECIDED TO HOLD INTERVIEWS WITH THREE OF THESE TEN FIRMS. STAFF IS RECOMMENDING CIVIC SOLUTIONS PARTNERSHIP, LLC TO WORK WITH US ON THIS PROJECT.
AGAIN, WE'VE DISCUSSED AND EDC HAS CERTAINLY DISCUSSED AND I KNOW THEY'RE ANXIOUS TO GET STARTED, BUT SOME OF THE FOCUS AREAS FOR THIS WOULD BE LOOKING AT BEST PRACTICES, FUNDING MECHANISMS, TARGET INDUSTRY, CLUSTER ANALYSIS, BRE STRATEGY, SO BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS, CERTAINLY SINCE MS. NASH HAS BEEN AT THE HOME.
BUT LOOKING TO CODIFY SOME OF THIS STRATEGY WITH A BIT MORE SPECIFICITY, LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE OUR INCENTIVES, POLICY, REDEVELOPMENT EFFORTS, WAYS TO INCREASE OUR DAY TRIPS.
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN BEING CERTAINLY A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL, 30,000 FOOT VIEW, MORE OF A GLOBAL.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A MUCH MORE SPECIFIC DRILL DOWN INTO OUR EFFORTS AND LIKELY ORDER OUR STEPS RELATIVE TO THE NEXT FIVE YEARS WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK PLANNING EFFORTS.
REALLY GIVING US THAT GUIDANCE SUPPORTED BY THE BUY IN FROM THE EDC BOARD AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
CERTAINLY, FROM A PROJECT FUNDING STANDPOINT, THIS ITEM WAS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET FY 2025.
YOU CAN SEE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN.
THIS WAS A TRANSFER OUT THAT WE HAD TO THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND, SO THAT MONEY IS SITTING THERE READY TO BE USED FOR THIS PROJECT.
THEN RELATIVE TO NEXT STEPS, AS MS. NASH MENTIONED, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD VOTED 6-0 TO AUTHORIZE ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'RE ASKING OF THE COUNCIL FOR US TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AND TO CONTRACT WITH CIVIC SOLUTIONS PARTNERSHIP, CIVIC SOLE, AS THEY'RE KNOWN COLLOQUIALLY, FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PLAN AND AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $150,000, SO NEXT STEPS, OF COURSE, BEING CITY COUNCIL FINAL APPROVAL OF THE CONTRACT AWARD NEGOTIATIONS AND THEN ENTERING INTO THE ACTUAL CONTRACT.
WHICH WOULD INCLUDE, LEGAL AND A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT AND THEN EDC BOARD AND CITY COUNCIL INVOLVEMENT.
THIS WILL CERTAINLY BE A PLAN THAT I KNOW THE EDC BOARD WILL BE ANXIOUS TO GET THEIR FINGERPRINTS ON.
AGAIN, FROM A STAFF RECOMMENDATION STANDPOINT, AGAIN, WE ARE SEEKING FOR THE ABILITY TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AS INDICATED ON THE SLIDE HERE IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $150,000.
WITH THAT, I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, MR. POTTS. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL. MR. PRESTENBERG.
>> THANK YOU JARED, HOW MANY RFQS DID WE RECEIVE BACK?
>> WE RECEIVED 10 TOTAL, AND FOR REFERENCE FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WE RECEIVED FOUR.
>> THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN THIS TO SAY? YES, SIR 150 K, I MEAN, IS THAT ON AVERAGE? I KNOW YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET INTO THE SPECIFICS OF PEOPLE AND BIDDING, BUT I KNOW SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
ARE WE OVERPAYING, ARE WE UNDERPAYING? ARE WE JUST RIGHT? WHAT'S THE GOLDILOCKS METAPHOR HERE.
>> WHAT WE DID WAS WE LOOKED AT WHAT THE PLAN OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WAS RELATIVE TO THAT BEING A MUCH MORE CITY WIDE GLOBAL EFFORT.
THIS BEING A MUCH MORE SPECIFIC PLAN, BUT CERTAINLY NARROWLY TAILORED IN ITS FOCUS AND SCOPE AND REQUIRES A CERTAIN LEVEL OF EXPERTISE SO 150, I THINK IT WAS A REASONABLE ESTIMATE.
I WILL SAY BECAUSE IT WAS A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS, THE FIRMS WEREN'T RESPONDING WITH THEIR PRICE POINTS NECESSARILY.
ONE FIRM HAPPENED TO INCLUDE JUST WHAT THEY PRELIMINARILY SCOPED THE PROJECT FOR, AND IT WAS CERTAINLY MORE THAN THIS.
WE WERE PLEASED THAT WE THINK WE CAN GET IT FOR THIS AMOUNT.
>> WE CAN COME BACK TO IF YOU NEED.
>> MAN, I DON'T KNOW IF I EVEN KNOW IT THEN.
>> I TURNED 50 A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
>> JARED, WHAT WAS OUR LAST STRATEGIC PLAN? YOUR LAST.
>> THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
YEAH, 2023, WE DID AN INTERNAL REVISION TO THE PLAN THAT WAS DONE IN 2021, ONCE THE TRANSITION FROM THE EDC BEING A SEPARATE UNDER THE CITY MANAGER TOOK PLACE, 2021.
>> WE DID BRING IN A CONSULTANT TO HELP WITH THAT EFFORT, BUT IT WAS CERTAINLY NOT TO THE SCALE THAT THIS WOULD BE.
>> IT WAS HALF INTERNAL, HALF EXTERNAL?
>> YEAH. THE 2023 WAS COMPLETELY INTERNAL VERSION.
[01:20:01]
>> WHAT BENCHMARKS HAVE WE CROSSED OFF FROM EITHER THE 2021 OR 2023 STRATEGIC PLAN? WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONSULTANTS COME IN AND TALK ABOUT BRANDING, BUT WHAT HAVE WE ACCOMPLISHED FROM THE LAST ONE? I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO GO THROUGH A BIG LIST, BUT GIVE ME SOME HIGH POINTS.
>> WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE CURRENT GOALS, AND THERE CERTAINLY THAT ARE OUR WEBSITE.
WE'VE GOT THEM POSTED THE 2023 MATRIX OF PLANS, BUT CERTAINLY BEEN A LOT OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS RELATIVE TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS.
I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE PLAN SPECIFICALLY TO COMMENT.
>> I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS, WE TALK ABOUT BRANDING, AND WE TALK ABOUT ARCHES ACROSS 78 AND ALL THESE OTHER GOOD STUFF THAT NEVER COME TO FRUITION BECAUSE OF EITHER PROBLEMS WITH TEXT DONE BECAUSE WE DON'T OWN 78 OR PROBLEMS WITH A GREEN TO COME TO A DESIGN.
I KNOW THAT CONSULTANTS ARE A NECESSARY HEADACHE, BUT THEY'RE A HEADACHE OF MINE.
IT SEEMS LIKE WE PAY A LOT OF THE MONEY TO GET CONSULTANTS ADVICE AND WE HIT ONE OR TWO POINTS, IT SEEMS LIKE.
I KNOW INTERNAL IS NOT THE ANSWER, BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE I'M BEATING MY HEAD UP AGAINST THE WALL SOMETIME.
LET ME REPHRASE THAT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING OUR MONEY'S WORTH HERE.
>> JARED, COULD YOU GO BACK TO THE SLIDE WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT THE SCOPE OF WHAT THE CONSULTANT WOULD DO? COUNCILMAN FRANKS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE INTERNAL WORK THAT WE DID IN 2021, AND AGAIN, IN 2023, A LOT OF THAT HAD TO DO MORE WITH THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SOME THINGS THAT THE COUNCIL WANTED TO SEE AND THE BOARD WANTED TO SEE THAT JUST WEREN'T BEING DONE AT THE TIME.
NOW WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IS MORE OF REALLY BRINGING IN AN EXPERT TO COME AND DO A DEEPER ANALYSIS BASED ON WHAT'S OUT THERE BEING DONE CURRENTLY BY OTHER EDCS AND WHAT WOULD BE THINGS THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER TO BE PUTTING MORE TOGETHER A STRONG WORK PLAN FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS FOR JARED AND DENISE TO BE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH.
I THINK THE LAST THINGS THAT WE DID WERE MORE ABOUT MAKING SOME CHANGES RELATIVE TO HOW THINGS WERE RUN BEFORE VERSUS HOW THEY'RE RUN NOW.
THIS IS REALLY TAKING US TO THAT NEXT LEVEL OF GIVING US A MUCH CLEARER, DETAILED SPECIFIC WORK PLAN OF THINGS THAT WE'LL BE ACCOMPLISHING IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN SHOW MORE OF A COMPREHENSIVE LIST? THIS IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE THE 2017 COMP PLAN WHERE WE HAD VERY SPECIFIC TASKS THAT WE NEEDED TO ACCOMPLISH? SAME WITH THE 2025 COMP PLAN.
THIS WILL MIRROR THAT LOOK AND EXPECTATION.
>> WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DEMOGRAPHIC AND ETHIC ECONOMIC ANALYSIS.
WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT BEST PRACTICE, FUNDING MECHANISMS, TARGET INDUSTRY CLUSTER ANALYSIS, INCENTIVE POLICIES, REDEVELOPMENT DAYTIME BUSINESS, AND WE'VE HAD ALL THESE CONVERSATIONS.
HAVE THOSE NOT BEEN I GUESS ENCOMPASSING WITH THE ONE DOCUMENT.
I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN PIECE MAILING THIS TOGETHER, AND TO ME, IT HASN'T BEEN THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO DO IT.
IS THAT THIS IS MORE EFFECTIVE, AND IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO GET US MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I'M ALL FOR IT, BUT I'M JUST STRUGGLING WITH OUR FORWARD MOTION HERE.
I TALK ABOUT BRANDING IS THE MOST SPECIFIC THING.
I KNOW WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH 78. 78 IS NOT OURS.
WE DON'T HAVE AUTHORITY OVER 78, BUT I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE WE TALK A LOT AND SPEND A LOT WITH CONSULTANTS, AND WE DON'T ALWAYS GET MOVING.
>> MS. NASH, HIT ON SOME OF MY THINGS.
WHEN SITTING IN THE EDC BOARD MEETING WHEN THIS FIRST STARTED TO BE DISCUSSED, IT CAME OUT OF TALKING ABOUT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN REDO.
WANT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD WANTING AN ACTIONABLE PLAN TO GIVE THEM SOME DIRECTION SIMILAR TO THE 2017 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT SAID, IF YOU WANT THINGS TO HAPPEN DOWN ON GEORGE BUSH, THEN THERE NEEDS TO BE SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE, NEEDS TO BE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT THE THINGS HAVE TO BE LAID OUT FIRST, TO GET THE THING TO HAPPEN, THAT I DON'T HAVE TO DEVELOP THE THING, I HAVE TO DO THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO MAKE THE THING HAPPEN.
THE DISCUSSION LED TO GETTING A PLAN THAT HAD ACTIONABLE, DIRECTED, BEST CASE FOCUS OF WHERE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD COULD DO SOME THINGS ON THE GROUND LEVEL TO LET OTHER THINGS HAPPEN, BUT THAT THEY NEEDED SOME DIRECTION, AND THAT THE SCATTERSHOT.
WELL, THIS SOUNDS A GOOD IDEA.
DISCUSSING SOMETHING IS DIFFERENT THAN DOING SOMETHING.
[01:25:02]
I THINK WE'VE DONE A LOT OF TALKING AND NOT A LOT OF DIRECTED ACTION.I THINK THIS IS WHAT THE LISA BOARD'S DISCUSSION WAS HOPEFUL THAT A SPECIFIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN WOULD PRODUCE IS AN ACTIONABLE PLAN THAT THEY COULD TAKE STEPS TOWARDS THAT WOULD PRODUCE A RESULT NOT FROM THEM, BUT FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
>> AS EVIDENCED BY THEIR VOTE.
ANYONE ELSE ON COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM. I DO HAVE A CARD, MARTY HOBOK
>> MARTY HOBOK, 5511 OAKRIDGE CIRCLE, SACHSE, TEXAS, TOP OF THE HILL.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I AGREE WITH MR. FRANKS.
BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING FROM A CONSULTANT THAT IS GOING TO GO ON A SHELF, BE COVERED WITH DUST ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER STUDIES THAT YOU DO.
UNLESS THEY COME WITH HOW MUCH MONEY YOU'RE GOING TO INVEST AND WHAT THE EXACT CONCRETE ITEM IS, WHICH CONSULTANTS DON'T DO THAT BECAUSE THEN THEY GET HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
YOU'RE JUST WASTING MONEY, AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER FIFTH STREET DISTRICT ON YOUR HANDS AND WHY EVERYBODY RUNS AROUND ON CRAPPY ROADS IN THIS CITY.
HOW MANY ALLEYS WOULD $150,000 FIX? I CAN TELL YOU. HOW MANY STREETS WOULD THAT WORK? YOU WENT DOWN TO BAILEY ROAD AND YOU OPENED UP THE ANTHONY LANE.
ACCORDING TO THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, THAT IS LIGHT CRACKING.
WELL, I CHALLENGE ALL OF YOU-ALL TO GO DRIVE DOWN ANTHONY LANE AND TELL ME THAT THAT ROAD'S NOT A PIECE OF CRAP ON A TWO YEAR OVERLAY THAT ONLY SEES LOCAL TRAFFIC AND TRASH TRUCKS.
BUT YOU'RE GOING TO PRINT SOMETHING UP STICK IT ON A SHELF.
IT'S GOING TO BE A WASTE OF MONEY, AND YOUR EDC BOARD THINKS THAT YOUR SATURDAY MARKET PLACE IS PROOF OF CONCEPT.
IT'S JUST ANOTHER WASTE OF MONEY. THANK YOU.
>> ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? HEARING NONE.
>> GINA, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION.
WHEN YOU'LL SAY DOING THIS INTERNALLY, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR STAFF IS HAVING TO GO OUT AND DO EACH ONE OF THESE THINGS INDIVIDUALLY TO TRY TO PULL DATA TOGETHER OR WHATNOT FROM EACH OF THOSE BULLET POINTS.
THIS IS ALL ASKING A THIRD PARTY TO GO DO THAT FOR US AND BRING BACK LIKE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WAS, THESE ARE SOME BULLETIZE THINGS THAT WE COULD DO.
THEY'RE EXPERTS IN THOSE FIELDS.
ALSO INCENTIVE POLICIES. I MEAN, THOSE THINGS ARE SUPER IMPORTANT.
WE KNOW THAT JUST FOR BRINGING IN THE TYPE OF BUSINESSES WE BRING IN.
IS IT OVERLY TAXING OR DO YOU THINK IT'S MORE OF I KNOW OUR PERSONNEL ARE FANTASTIC, BUT ARE THERE PEOPLE THAT WE CAN UTILIZE THEIR SPECIALTIES, I GUESS TO PROVIDE US A BETTER PRODUCT THAT WE CAN BE MORE ACTIONABLE FOR US?
>> ALSO, WHAT I WANT TO SAY ABOUT DOING WHAT WE DID IN 2021 AND 2023.
IT WAS DEFINITELY NOT COMPREHENSIVE IN ANY WAY LIKE THIS.
WE DID ELEMENTS OF THIS, BUT NOT ALL OF THIS IN TOTALITY.
PLUS, WHAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO BRING TO US IS THEY'LL BE GOING OUT AND TALKING TO BUSINESSES AND INVESTORS AND PEOPLE THAT HAVE A STAKE IN THE COMMUNITY TO GET SPECIFIC FEEDBACK TO HELP BUILD THIS PLAN.
A LOT OF THIS IS SOLICITING ALL OF THAT INPUT, WHICH AT THE TIME, WE WERE DOING JUST DIFFERENT FRAGMENTS AND PIECES OF THIS AS WE COULD INTERNALLY.
THIS IS DEFINITELY A MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND CERTAINLY IT IS BY PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERTS IN THE FIELD.
>> IS THIS A ONE YEAR, TWO YEAR TYPE PLAN?
>> IT'LL BE FOR FIVE YEARS, BUT IT'LL TAKE THE BETTER PART OF A YEAR TO PUT THE PLAN TOGETHER.
THE IDEA IS THAT IT WOULD HAVE FIVE YEARS WORTH OF RECOMMENDATIONS.
[01:30:02]
>> ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION?
>> WE CAN DO THAT FOR SECONDS. THERE'S A MOTION WE CAN DO THAT.
DO YOU GOT ONE? WE'LL GO TO MR. MILLSAP.
>> AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WE'VE DONE TWO AND TWO YEARS, BASICALLY, '21 AND '23.
NOW WE'RE DOING ANOTHER ONE IT'S '25, IT'S EVERY TWO YEARS WE'RE DOING ONE.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT A PLANNING PROCESS WAS, YOU PLAN YOUR WORK, YOU WORK YOUR PLAN, YOU EVALUATE YOUR RESULTS, AND YOU MAKE ADJUSTMENTS ACCORDINGLY.
ADJUSTMENTS ACCORDINGLY SHOULD BE THE NEXT PLAN.
IF WE'RE HAVING TO ADJUST ACCORDINGLY EVERY TWO YEARS, EITHER OUR PLANNING HASN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL, OR WE HAVEN'T REALLY DEALT ON WHAT WE'RE FINDING OUT THAT WE REALLY NEED.
I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THIS PLAN WHOEVER DOES IT, WILL BE STRUCTURED TO TAKE THE ONCE NEEDS DESIRES OF OUR RESIDENTS OF OUR CITY AND PUT A PLAN TOGETHER THAT MEETS THOSE THINGS WITHIN A LOGICAL BUDGET, NOT JUST A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SKELETON, WHERE WE PLUG IN SACHSE'S DEMOGRAPHICS.
THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF PLANS ARE IS WHEN WE BRING CONSULTANT IN, IT'S JUST A SKELETON WHERE THEY USE THEIR TIME, OUR MONEY TO PLUG IN DEMOGRAPHICS.
I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS STUDY REALLY MEETS THE NEEDS OF THE CITY.
BY THAT, I'M REALLY THINK WE NEED TO SPEND MORE EFFORT MEETING THE NEEDS, WANTS, AND DESIRES, BECAUSE, AGAIN, WHAT MAKES THE CITY, IS THE PEOPLE IN IT, NOT THE CONCEPTS OF THE LEADERS SAYING, THIS IS WHERE I WANT US TO GO, SO YOU HELP ME PAY FOR IT.
LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT THAT IN OUR PLAN AS WE DO OUR STUDY.
>> THE TIME FOR THIS DISCUSSION WAS BACK IN SEPTEMBER.
WHENEVER WE WERE APPROVING THE BUDGET, BOTH THE EDC MET ON THIS AND THEN CITY COUNCIL. WE ALL REVIEWED IT.
WE SAID THIS WAS A GOOD STEP FORWARD.
WE MADE A PLAN. NOW WE'RE WORKING THAT PLAN.
THE PLAN IS TO APPROVE IT TONIGHT BECAUSE IT MEETS EVERYTHING THAT WE ASKED FOR IT CAME INTO BUDGET.
THERE'S NOTHING HERE THAT IS OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
ULTIMATELY, I MEAN, IT IS OUR FINAL SAY, THOUGH, BUT WE PUT THESE STEPS IN MOTION IN SEPTEMBER.
I WILL PASS IT BACK OVER TO MS. HOWARTH TO MAKE THE MOTION.
>> SOUND LIKE SHE WAS GOING TO. MS. HOWARTH.
>> IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE ITEM F2 AS PRESENTED.
>> MOTION BY MS. HOWARTH TO APPROVE IT TO AS PRESENTED.
DO I HAVE A SECOND, MR. LINDSAY.
>> SECOND BY MR. LINDSAY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
ONE THING I WOULD JUST NOTE I WOULD TAKE IT BACK ON WHAT MR. LINDSAY SAID, THIS IS NOT A SURPRISE OR SHOULDN'T BE A SURPRISE TO ANYONE.
THE OTHER COMMENT I WOULD HIGHLIGHT WHAT MS. NASH SAID IS THAT THIS IS NOT EXACTLY WHAT '21 AND '23 WERE.
IT'S MORE COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT IT, AND IT'S A FIVE YEAR PLAN.
THOSE ARE DEFINITELY DIFFERENT THAN '21 AND '23.
WITH THAT, PLEASE SKETCH YOUR VOTE.
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ITEM F3,
[3. Consider a resolution authorizing the Chief of Police to apply for grant funding from the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority (MVCPA) to provide financial support for economic motor vehicle theft, including catalytic converter theft; and authorizing the Chief of Police to act on the City's behalf to administer the grant; Assistant Chief of Police Steven Baxter to act as Program Director; David Baldwin to act as Financial Officer; and pledging that the City will comply with the MVCPA's grant requirements; and providing for an effective date.]
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CHIEF OF POLICE TO APPLY FOR GRANT FUNDING FROM THE MOTOR VEHICLE CRIME PREVENTION AUTHORITY, MVCPA TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR ECONOMIC MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT, INCLUDING CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFT, AND AUTHORIZING THE CHIEF OF POLICE TO ACT ON THE CITY'S BEHALF TO ADMINISTER THE GRANT.ASSISTANT CHIEF OF POLICE STEPHEN BAXTER TO ACT AS A PROGRAM DIRECTOR, DAVID BALDWIN TO ACT AS A FINANCIAL OFFICER, AND PLEDGING THAT THE CITY WILL COMPLY WITH THE MVCPAS GRANT REQUIREMENTS AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. MS. NASH.
>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, CHIEF SYLVESTER IS HERE TO GIVE YOU A PRESENTATION ABOUT THIS EXCITING GRANT OPPORTUNITY TO FUND FLOCK CAMERAS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
HE'S WORKING ON GETTING THAT PRESENTATION PULLED UP FOR YOU.
>> HELLO, MAYOR, COUNCIL, IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO READ THAT TO PREAMBLE, DIDN'T IT?
>> A LITTLE LONGER THAN WHAT I ORIGINALLY PUT IN.
>> VERY SPECIFIC. I THINK OUR CITY ATTORNEY HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT.
>> WE CAN ALWAYS BLAME HIM FOR THAT.
>> EVERY YEAR, THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES, A DEPARTMENT WITHIN THAT DEPARTMENT, THE MOTOR VEHICLE CRIME PREVENTION AUTHORITY OFFERS A GRANT TO OFFSET INFRASTRUCTURE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PREVENTION OF ECONOMIC MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT.
NOW, THAT'S A VERY SPECIFIC TERM THAT IS CODIFIED IN THE LAW AS STOLEN VEHICLES, BURGLARY MOTOR VEHICLES, CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFT,
[01:35:02]
THEFT MOTOR VEHICLE PARTS AND EQUIPMENT.WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT IS A GRANT REQUEST WHERE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR THIS GRANT, UTILIZING A SPECIFIC VENDOR THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT WE'LL GO OVER SOME OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS OF THE PROGRAM THAT WE WANT TO USE THIS GRANT TO FUND, THE FISCAL IMPACT AND NEXT STEPS.
>> AS WE TALKED ABOUT, THIS GRANT IS FOR A ONE-YEAR PERIOD.
IT'S REIMBURSABLE TO THE CITY AT 80% QUARTERLY DURING THE LIFE OF THE GRANT.
THE CITY IS OBLIGATED TO A 20% MATCH.
WE'RE EXPECTING TO SPEND 19,000, IT MAY ACTUALLY BE 19, 2 FROM BASED UPON WHAT I LOOKED AT TODAY WITH THE CITY'S OBLIGATION BEING 20% OF THAT TOTAL AMOUNT.
REQUIRES AUTHORIZATION BY RESOLUTION OF COUNCIL, WHICH YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET.
OUR PROPOSED VENDOR IS FLOCK SAFETY, WHICH IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LEADER IN LICENSE PLATE READER TECHNOLOGY.
WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING INITIALLY TO START THIS PROJECT OFF IS WITH FIVE FIXED MOUNTED STANDALONE CAMERAS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE ANY CITY INFRASTRUCTURE, UTILITIES.
IT DOES NOT REQUIRE CITY STAFF TO MONITOR, MAINTAIN, OR OTHERWISE EMPLACE, IT WILL ALL BE DONE BY FLOCK SAFETY.
THEIR BUSINESS MODEL IS TO LEASE THE EQUIPMENT ON A CONTRACT BASIS YEAR-BY-YEAR, SO WE'RE NOT OBLIGATED TO A MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT.
WE'RE NOT OBLIGATED TO TAKE POSSESSION OF THAT EQUIPMENT WHEN IT BECOMES OBSOLETE OR WE OTHERWISE DON'T WANT IT.
WE'LL JUST SIMPLY HAND IT BACK TO THEM.
WE'RE GOING TO EMPLACE THESE ON CITY-OWNED ROADWAYS, WHICH WE WILL DETERMINE AS WE GO THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
I WILL TELL YOU, NOT INITIALLY, I WILL TELL YOU WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE PLACING ANY CAMERAS WITHIN RESIDENTIAL STREETS.
THEY WILL BE ON OUR MAIN FEEDER STREETS, OUR GATEWAY STREETS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE OPTIONS TO PUT CAMERAS ON HIGHWAY 78, HOWEVER, THAT PROCESS REQUIRES TEXAS HIGHWAY APPROVAL, WHICH IF I'VE TALKED TO A NUMBER OF AREA CHIEFS RELATIVE TO STATE HIGHWAYS IN THEIR JURISDICTION.
IT'S ANYWHERE FROM A YEAR TO AN 18 MONTH PROCESS TO GAIN THAT PERMISSION.
I THINK IT'S BEST THAT WE START OFF WITH OUR CAMERAS ON OUR ARTERIAL STREETS, OUR GATEWAYS TO OUR COMMUNITY, WHERE I THINK WE'LL HAVE SOME IMPACT AGAINST MITIGATING THIS TYPE OF CRIME.
TWO MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THIS SYSTEM, AND HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF THE CAMERA HERE AS YOU SEE IT.
TWO MAJOR COMPONENTS, THE POSITIVE THINGS ABOUT FLOCK CAMERAS AND LICENSE PLATE READERS IN GENERAL.
PRIMARILY AN INVESTIGATIVE TOOL.
AS YOU'LL SEE IN LATER ON AN INVESTIGATION, EVERY CITY AROUND US PREDOMINANTLY HAS THIS CAPABILITY THROUGH THIS VENDOR.
IT'S A VERY POSITIVE INVESTIGATIVE TOOL THAT ALLOWS OUR INVESTIGATIVE STAFF TO RESEARCH THESE DIFFERENT VEHICLE LICENSE PLATES, DIFFERENT TYPES OF VEHICLES, COLOR, MAKE MODEL, DIFFERENT DISTINCTIONS AMONGST THE VEHICLE AND THEMSELVES, DO THEY HAVE DARK TINTED WINDOWS, DO THEY HAVE CERTAIN BUMPER STICKERS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE? THIS CAMERA SYSTEM CAPTURES THAT IMAGE AND IS SEARCHABLE, WHICH ALLOWS OUR STAFF TO LOCATE SPECIFIC SUSPECT VEHICLES OR POTENTIAL SUSPECT VEHICLES THAT WE CAN THEN FOLLOW UP WITH TO DETERMINE ANY INVOLVEMENT IN ANY CRIMES AFFECTING OUR COMMUNITY OR OTHER COMMUNITIES.
THE OTHER THING THAT THIS DOES FOR OFFICERS THAT ARE IN THE FIELD, IT PROVIDES REAL-TIME ALERTS OF STATE AND NATIONAL DATABASE RECORDS RELATIVE TO LICENSE PLATES OF VEHICLES.
IT DOES NOT PROVIDE REGISTRATION INFORMATION.
IT IS NOT A FACIAL RECOGNITION PLATFORM.
IT DOES NOT CONNECT TO ANY THIRD-PARTY DATABASES LIKE CARFAX OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, AND CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO UTILIZE THIS FOR TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT AT ALL.
IT CAPTURES IMAGES OF LICENSE PLATES AND VEHICLES, AND THAT'S IT.
NO FACIAL RECOGNITION, NO IMAGES OF DRIVERS OR PASSENGERS ARE CAPTURED, AND ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT FEATURE, THERE'S NO DATABASE THAT RETAINS THIS INFORMATION FOR ANY UNNECESSARY OR LENGTHY PERIOD OF TIME.
ALL OF THIS DATA IS SCRUBBED, AND ERASED, AND DELETED AFTER 30 DAYS WITHIN THE FLOCK SYSTEM ITSELF.
THESE RECORDS ARE NOT KEPT WITHIN ANY SPECIFIC SERVERS WITHIN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEY'RE CLOUD-BASED, AND IT'S SIMPLY ACCESSING A SECURED DATABASE THROUGH
[01:40:02]
THEIR PROPRIETARY SOFTWARE THAT WE WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO TO PERFORM THESE SEARCHES.I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, AND THIS IS NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST, BUT EVERYONE RECOGNIZES THESE CITIES, CERTAINLY THE ONES IMMEDIATELY SURROUNDING US.
ALL OF OUR PARTNER AGENCIES AROUND US UTILIZE THIS SYSTEM.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE ACCESS TO RESEARCH LICENSE PLATES OR VEHICLE DESCRIPTORS, THINGS LIKE THAT THROUGH THE FLOCK SYSTEM ONLY BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH THIS GRANT PROCESS.
THEY BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO OBTAIN THIS SYSTEM AND LICENSE THIS SYSTEM FOR OUR USE, OTHERWISE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO IT.
THEY DON'T JUST OFFER IT TO ANY AGENCY FREE OF CHARGE.
BUT AS YOU SEE, ALL OF OUR AGENCIES SURROUNDING US HAVE ACCESS TO THIS SYSTEM, AND UTILIZE THIS SYSTEM.
CERTAINLY I CAN GIVE YOU NUMEROUS EXAMPLES.
IN FACT, I CAN GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, WEEK-AND-A-HALF AGO WHERE WE UTILIZED THIS SYSTEM TO TRACK DOWN SOMEONE THAT WE NEEDED TO GET INTO CUSTODY QUICKLY RELATIVE TO VIOLENT OFFENSE.
WE PUT IN DESCRIPTORS RELATIVE TO THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE AND FOUND IT WITHIN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME IN A CERTAIN AREA OF DALLAS, AND WE'RE ABLE TO GO LOCATE THAT PERSON AND ARREST HIM BEFORE HE COULD COMMIT FURTHER OFFENSES AGAINST ONE OF OUR RESIDENTS.
I THINK IT WILL BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITY.
I DO NOT THINK IT'S AN INVASION OF PRIVACY OR OTHERWISE GOING TO BE UTILIZED TO TARGET ANY RESIDENTS OR IDENTIFY ANY PERSON OR PERSONS.
IT'S STRICTLY VEHICLE DESCRIPTORS AND A LICENSE PLATE IMAGE THAT THIS SYSTEM CAPTURES.
OUR NEXT STEPS, IF YOU CONSIDER AND APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION TONIGHT, ALLOWING US TO APPLY FOR THIS GRANT, THEN WE WILL HAVE THIS GRANT APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY MAY 23RD.
WE ALREADY HAVE IT DRAFTED AND ARE READY TO SIMPLY ADD THE RESOLUTION DOCUMENT TO THE GRANT APPLICATION AND SUBMIT IT.
WE'LL DETERMINE WHERE EXACTLY WE'RE GOING TO EMPLACE THESE CAMERAS.
BUT CERTAINLY, AS I COMMITTED TO YOU, WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT THESE IN ANY RESIDENTIAL STREETS.
THEY WILL BE ON PRIMARILY GATEWAY STREETS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
EXAMPLES WOULD BE MILES ROAD, SACHSE ROAD, THOSE TYPE OF ROADWAYS.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO EMPLACE THESE IN ANY SPECIFIC OR CONCENTRATE THEM IN ANY SPECIFIC AREA OF THE COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO HAVE COVERAGE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
I THINK THAT GIVES US A GREATER INCREASED CHANCE OF HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO CAPTURE VEHICLES THAT HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY RATHER THAN IN PLACING THEM IN A SPECIFIC AREA OF THE CITY BECAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW, OUR CRIME GENERALLY IS NOT IN ANY CONCENTRATED AREA.
I WANT TO UTILIZE THIS PROGRAM AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP MAKE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY BETTER, NOT JUST A TARGETED AREA WHEN THERE'S NO CONCENTRATION OF OFFENSES IN ANY SPECIFIC AREA OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE EXPECT TO HAVE THESE DEPLOYED AND OPERATIONAL BY JANUARY OF 2026 AT THE LATEST.
GOING FORWARD, THERE MAY BE A SECOND YEAR OPPORTUNITY FOR A GRANT, BUT THAT IS NOT ALWAYS OFFERED.
IT'S UNDER VERY SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT IF THAT OPPORTUNITY WOULD ARISE, WE WOULD CERTAINLY APPLY FOR THAT.
BUT BEYOND THAT, AN ANNUAL COST OF OUR FIVE CAMERAS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING WOULD BE $15,000 TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET ANNUALLY GOING FORWARD.
AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS PROGRAM, AND WE'RE NOT OBLIGATED TO A LONG-TERM CONTRACT OF ANY KIND.
IF WE DON'T BELIEVE THEY'RE AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR US, THEN WE CAN DISCONTINUE USE AT ANY TIME.
I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF. MS. BUHLER.
>> CHIEF JUST ANSWERED MY QUESTIONS THERE RIGHT AT THE END.
I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT IF IT'S A RENEWABLE GRANT EVERY YEAR, AND WHAT THE COST FOR THE SECOND YEAR WAS.
ALSO, DO YOU THINK THESE ARE GOING TO BE IN FIXED AREAS, OR DO YOU THINK YOU MIGHT MOVE THEM AROUND FROM YEAR TO YEAR, WAIT AND SEE?
>> I THINK WE NEED TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF WHERE THEY'RE IN PLACED FIRST.
HOWEVER, THERE WOULD BE A MOVEMENT FEE, LET'S CALL IT.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEIR TERM IS, BUT TO CHANGE A LOCATION, THERE'S LABOR THAT'S INVOLVED AND OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE TO TAKE PLACE, AND THAT MIGHT BE A FEE ADDED ON TOP OF THAT.
I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU IT'S JUST PART OF IT, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT.
[01:45:03]
BUT I THINK FOR THE FIRST YEAR, IT'S A NEW PROGRAM FOR US.WE WANT TO EVALUATE IT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO EITHER IMPROVE EFFICIENCY, WHETHER THAT BE ADDING ADDITIONAL CAMERAS OR CHANGE IN LOCATIONS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT.
>> THIS IS A DIFFERENT ISSUE, BUT HAVE ANY AMBER ALERTS BEEN SOLVED BECAUSE OF THIS TECHNOLOGY OR ANY OF THOSE [INAUDIBLE]? [OVERLAPPING]
>> CHIEF, YOU GAVE A LIST OF LIKE 20 AREA CITIES WHO HAVE THIS, IS THERE ANY STATS FROM THOSE CITIES, HOW OFTEN THEY USE IT, ONCE A DAY, ONCE A WEEK, ONCE A MONTH, ONCE A YEAR? I KNOW YOU GAVE AN EXAMPLE OF ABOUT THE ONE INSTANCE, BUT HOW OFTEN DO THESE, AND I KNOW IT'S DIFFERENT, BUT HOW OFTEN IS IT UTILIZED? NOT UTILIZED IS NOT THE RIGHT WORD. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
MY WIFE'S CITY, RICHLAND HILLS, REGULARLY FOR STOLEN VEHICLES, SHE TOLD ME I COULD SAY THIS, I'LL SAY IT, BUT THEY HAD A CRIME THAT OCCURRED ABOUT A MONTH AGO, THAT WAS A VERY SERIOUS VIOLENT CRIME, AND THEY UTILIZED FLOCK TECHNOLOGY WITHIN THEIR OWN COMMUNITY TO IDENTIFY A SUSPECT VEHICLE AND HAD IT TARGETED AND LOCATED IN 30 MINUTES.
I WON'T GO ANY MORE SPECIFICS OF THAT, BUT THIS IS A VERY VALUABLE PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'VE HAD ACCESS TO TO THIS POINT, BUT NO CAMERAS WITHIN OUR OWN COMMUNITY.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING IN AND WHAT'S GOING OUT, BUT CERTAINLY IT'S NO SECRET THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF FOLKS THAT WE ARREST FOR ANYTHING BEYOND FAMILY VIOLENCE DO NOT RESIDE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
>> WELL, NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT A LOT OF, LET'S JUST USE STOLEN VEHICLES FOR AN ANSWER, WE DON'T HAVE A HIGH RATE OF STOLEN VEHICLES, I KNOW WE HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE A HIGH RATE, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF DRIVE-THROUGH TRAFFIC THAT I'M SURE THIS COULD ADDRESS, BUT I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU HAD ANY DATA POINTS ON THIS AND HOW OFTEN OTHER CITIES MAY HAVE USED IT.
>> ONE OF THE REPORTING COMPONENTS OF THIS GRANT IS TO IDENTIFY HOW MANY TIMES YOU RECEIVE ALERTS OR YOU UTILIZE THE SYSTEM SUCCESSFULLY TO IDENTIFY SUSPECTS, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT'LL BE A COMPONENT OF OUR REPORTING TO THE GRANT AUTHORITY GOING FORWARD.
THESE ARE IN HIGH USE IN ALL OF THESE CITIES, AND BY HIGH, I DON'T MEAN A HANDFUL A MONTH.
>> NO. I'M NOT TRYING TO GET AN EXACT NUMBER.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS, LIKE YOU SAID, IN RICHLAND HILLS, THEY MAY USE IT ONCE ONCE A DAY.
I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER. BUT IS IT ONCE A DAY, OR ONCE A MONTH, OR ONCE A YEAR? I WAS JUST CURIOUS.
>> NO, I CAN TELL YOU IT'S MORE THAN ONCE A YEAR, ONCE A MONTH.
IT'S REGULARLY THROUGHOUT ALL OF THESE CITIES.
NOW, LAVON, PROBABLY NOT, BUT THEY HAVE CAMERAS.
ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES ARE SURROUNDING US UTILIZE THE SYSTEM REGULARLY, IF NOTHING ELSE FOR INVESTIGATIVE PURPOSES, WHICH MAKES IT EXTREMELY VALUABLE.
>> YES, SIR. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO OR SO, I THINK I ASKED YOU ABOUT FLOCK.
IT WASN'T SOMETHING THE CITY WAS INTERESTED AT THE TIME, SO WAS IT COST OR POLICY, HOW HAS OUR DECISION TO GO WITH FLOCK EVOLVED OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS OR SO?
>> IT'S NOT THAT WE WEREN'T NECESSARILY INTERESTED IN FLOCK IN THAT CONTEXT.
LICENSE PLATE READER TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN EMERGING OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME, CERTAINLY.
I THINK COMMUNITY SENTIMENT AS A WHOLE IN NORTH TEXAS, AND I BELIEVE IN OUR COMMUNITY HAS CHANGED TO WHERE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF SUCCESS RELATIVE TO THIS TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY, AND THAT TO THE POINT HERE, IT HAS BECOME A STAPLE INVESTIGATIVE TOOL IN A LOT OF THE COMMUNITIES IN NORTH TEXAS, AND TALKING TO A LOT OF THESE CHIEFS WHO I FREQUENTLY CONVERSE WITH ON VARIOUS ISSUES, COMMUNITY SENTIMENT SUPPORTS IT AS A WHOLE, AND TO YOUR QUESTION, IT'S NOT THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WASN'T INTERESTED IN THE TECHNOLOGY, BUT I WANTED IT TO DEVELOP A LITTLE FURTHER AND HAD SOME EXPERIENCE IN THESE OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT WE COULD DRAW UPON.
>> VERY GOOD. DEFINITELY YOU LOOK AT IMPROVING THE NETWORK AND HELPING OUR NEIGHBORS OUT, JUST LIKE THEY HAVE HELPED US OUT.
DO YOU REMEMBER, WELL, OF COURSE, YOU REMEMBER, LOJACK?
>> ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU GET A HIT, AND ALL THE OFFICERS GET EXCITED AND THEY'RE GOING TO GO AND FIND THAT STOLEN CAR SO I'M JUST WONDERING.
I LOVE THE INVESTIGATIVE ASPECT OF IT, THOUGH, BUT I'M CAUTIOUS ON THE ALL OF A SUDDEN WE GET A STOLEN CAR HIT THAT JUST PASSED BY, SAY, HYPOTHETICALLY, I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE YOU'RE PLANING TO PUT THEM, BUT THEY'RE DRIVING DOWN LET'S SAY SACHSE ROAD, AND YOU'VE GOT A CAMERA THERE,
[01:50:01]
BY THE TIME THAT OFFICER GETS UP THERE IN THAT AREA, WE'RE APPROACHING RESIDENTIAL AREAS.IS THERE GOING TO HAVE TO BE POLICIES DEVELOPED WHEN TO ENGAGE? OBVIOUSLY, IF IT WAS LIKE KIDNAPPING OR SOMETHING, THAT'S EVERY RESOURCE, BUT ARE WE GOING TO GO AFTER, LIKE A STOLEN CAR, HOW INTERESTED ARE WE GOING TO BE IN THE VARIOUS TYPES OF CRIMES THAT IT MAY HIT UPON?
>> THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION, AND I HAVE GIVEN IT CONSIDERABLE THOUGHT.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT OUR PURSUIT POLICY IS FAIRLY RESTRICTIVE.
THERE ARE ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENTS WITHIN THAT POLICY THAT DICTATE THAT THE OFFENSE THAT'S ENCOUNTERED WHEN THE OFFICER MAKES THE DECISION TO PURSUE, THE RISK OF THEM GETTING AWAY MUST OUTWEIGH THE RISK THAT IS CAUSED BY THE INITIATION OF A PURSUIT.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT OUR OFFICERS BY POLICY ARE REQUIRED TO OBEY ALL TRAFFIC LAWS UNLESS THERE ARE ARTICULABLE CIRCUMSTANCES EXISTING THAT THEY HAVE TO VIOLATE THOSE TRAFFIC LAWS, WHERE THERE'S AN IMMINENT THREAT OF SERIOUS BODILY INJURY OR DEATH OF SOMEONE ELSE, OR THERE IS A MAJOR ACCIDENT WITH INJURIES THAT OCCURS THAT THEY RUN CODE TO FROM TIME TO TIME.
I DO NOT ANTICIPATE, AND I DO NOT THINK WE NEED TO REQUIRE POLICY RELATIVE TO FLOCK IMPLEMENTATION THAT YOU SHALL NOT RUN CODE TO GET TO AN AREA ACROSS TOWN WHERE A VEHICLE PASSED FIVE MINUTES AGO THAT WAS STOLEN BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO BE OUT OF OUR CITY BY THEN.
THERE WILL BE TIMES, I ANTICIPATE TIMES THAT THEY ARE CLOSE BY OR EVEN AROUND THE CAMERA ITSELF AND SEE THE VEHICLE AS IT GOES THROUGH AND GETS A HIT FOR WHATEVER IT MAY BE, BUT OUR PURSUIT POLICY DOESN'T CHANGE BECAUSE OF THAT.
JUST BECAUSE IT'S A STOLEN CAR DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE GOING TO VIOLATE OUR PURSUIT POLICY TO GO AFTER THAT VEHICLE. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?
>> I WOULDN'T THINK YOU WOULD VIOLATE ANY OF THE PURSUIT POLICIES.
I'M JUST CURIOUS IF WE WOULD GO AFTER IF WE GET A STOLEN CAR HIT, WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT IF WE HAD THE AVAILABILITY AND OFFICER [INAUDIBLE]. [OVERLAPPING]
>> I WOULD EXPECT THAT IF AN OFFICER IS IN AN AREA AND THERE'S A STOLEN VEHICLE THAT PASSES WITHIN A FEW BLOCKS OF THAT, LET'S SAY, I WOULD EXPECT AND WANT THAT OFFICER TO GO SEE IF THEY COULD FIND THAT VEHICLE.
>> SOME JUST AS WE DO TODAY, IF AN OFFICER DRIVES AND IS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND RUNS A LICENSE PLATE AND THAT VEHICLE COMES BACK STOLEN, THEN WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ACTION TO TRY TO STOP THAT VEHICLE.
>> YEAH, THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE RIGHT THERE.
REALLY, THAT'S ANOTHER WAY YOU KNEW ABOUT IT AT THAT POINT.
I HADN'T READ UP ON THIS PART OF THE TECHNOLOGY.
IS THIS SOMETHING'S COMING INTO DISPATCH, OR IS THIS ABLE TO GO RIGHT TO THEIR MDT IN THEIR CAR BASED ON PROXIMITY TO THE CAMERA?
>> THEY'RE ACCESSING THE FLOCK DATABASE VIA THEIR COMPUTERS IN THEIR VEHICLE.
THE FLOCK DATABASE PINGS, TCIC, NCIC, THESE ARE TEXAS AND NATIONAL CRIME INFORMATION INDEXES.
ANY WANTED OR WARRANTS, PER SE, ASSOCIATED WITH A PARTICULAR LICENSE PLATE, FLOCK PINGS THAT AND SENDS THROUGH THEIR SYSTEM AN ALERT TO THE OFFICER IN THEIR VEHICLE.
IT'S A IMMEDIATE WITHIN A FEW SECONDS.
IT'S AN IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK TO THAT OFFICER THAT THIS LICENSE PLATE, WENT THROUGH THIS FLOCK CAMERA, WHICH IS AT THIS LOCATION.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE OFFICER WHO IS DOWN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN IS GOING TO RUN ALL THE WAY OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN JUST BECAUSE A VEHICLE WENT THROUGH IT.
BUT IT GIVES AN INDICATION IT GIVES AN ALERT, AND THEY CAN TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION RELATIVE TO THAT ALERT.
SHOULD THEY BE IN PROXIMITY, OR THEY CAN NOTIFY ANOTHER AGENCY, HEY, THIS MAY BE ENTERING YOUR VEHICLE, OR THIS MAY BE ENTERING YOUR CITY HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MINUTES, TYPE THING.
>> DO YOU KNOW OFFHAND, IF A CRIME HAPPENS, LET'S SAY, A CAR PASSED BY ONE OF THE READERS, BUT IT WASN'T FLAGGED IN THE SYSTEM YET.
BUT LATER, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU ENTER THE STOLEN CAR INFORMATION ON THAT PLATE.
CAN YOU GO BACK AND SEE ALL THE PLATES THAT PASS BY OR JUST ONLY ONES THAT ARE FLAGGED THAT IT'S CAPTURING?
>> IT'S CAPTURING THE INDIVIDUAL VEHICLE AND ITS LICENSE PLATE.
IF A VEHICLE IS REPORTED STOLEN, YOU CAN THEN SEARCH AS AN INVESTIGATIVE TOOL, THE LICENSE PLATE, IF THAT VEHICLE WENT THROUGH A FLOCK CAMERA SOMEWHERE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN AND WHERE THAT WAS.
[INAUDIBLE] 30 DAY PERIOD OR HOWEVER YOU LAY IT OUT TIME FRAME TO SEARCH IT.
[01:55:07]
>> VERY GOOD. I LOVE FREE MONEY, BUT I'D HATE TO SEE THIS CONTINGENT ON THE GRANT, SO I WOULD HOPE THAT EVEN IF THIS GRANT DOES FAIL, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT AND BUDGET FOR. THANK YOU.
>> I HAVE PUT IT IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
>> YOU ALWAYS HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH ME.
>> I GOT A FEW QUESTIONS. MY MAIN CONCERN IS JUST THE POSSIBILITY OF OVERREACH.
HAVING PARENTS, BOTH DALLAS POLICE OFFICERS, AS I TOTALLY SUPPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT.
BUT THE OVERREACH IS A LITTLE CONCERN, AND THAT'S WHY I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS HERE.
WELL, WE DIDN'T HAVE IT, BUT WHEN RED LIGHT CAMERAS WERE A BIG THING A DECADE, TWO DECADES AGO, THERE HAD TO BE SIGNS POSTED THAT THERE'S A RED LIGHT CAMERA AT THIS INTERSECT.
DO WE HAVE TO POST ANYTHING FROM A FLOCK STANDPOINT?
>> NOT EVEN ON WEBSITES OR WHERE A FLOCK CITY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT?
>> JUST ASK IT. IF THE FIRST YEAR FIVE CAMERAS GO GREAT, ARE WE WANTING TO GET 10 OR 15 OR WHAT WOULD BE THE AMOUNT THAT YOU THINK OUR CITY WOULD NEED? BALLPARK. THAT WOULD BE EXACT.
>> OBVIOUSLY, FIVE IS A GOOD PLACE TO START.
I THINK WE CAN BE EFFECTIVE WITH THAT.
IT'S GOING TO DEPEND ON WHAT WE BELIEVE ANY IMPROVEMENTS COULD MANIFEST ITSELF TO LOOK LIKE? DO WE DESIRE TO ADD ADDITIONAL CAMERAS ALONG 78? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? I THINK I'M JUST NOT PREPARED TO TELL YOU HOW MANY I THINK IS APPROPRIATE.
TODAY, I THINK FIVE IS AN APPROPRIATE, GOOD STARTING PLACE, AND THAT MIGHT BE EFFECTIVE ENOUGH FOR US GOING FORWARD FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
>> TO ACCESS THE FLOCK DATA, IS IT JUST ANYONE CAN GO IN THERE FROM ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR IS THERE A SEARCH WARRANT THAT'S NEEDED OR ANYTHING LIKE THOSE LINES?
>> NO. THERE'S NO SEARCH WARRANT NEEDED.
IT'S CAPTURING AN IMAGE IN A PUBLIC PLACE.
THERE'S NO SEARCH WARRANT REQUIREMENT, AND ANY POLICE OFFICER WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THAT DATABASE RELATIVE TO THEIR DUTIES.
NOW, THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE DATABASE OUTSIDE OF THEIR SCOPE OF THEIR DUTIES OR OFF DUTY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
>> I KNOW IT SAYS FLOCK DELETES THE DATA AFTER 30 DAYS OR WHATEVER THAT TERM MIGHT BE.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DO WITH THE DATA?
>> IT'S DELETED. IT'S NO LONGER IN IT.
>> THEY TURN AROUND AND SELL IT?
>> NO. THEY DON'T SELL IT TO ANYBODY WHATSOEVER.
>> BECAUSE MY CONCERN IS THAT YOU SEE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF LICENSE PLATES GOING DOWN SACHSE ROAD, GOING TO TAKE A LEFT ON 78 BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 6: 30 AN 7.
IT SAYS IT DOESN'T DO TRAFFIC INCIDENTS, BUT YOU CAN TELL PEOPLE WHO SPEED AND TRY TO MAKE THAT LIGHT BECAUSE I'M ONE OF THEM.
I'VE BEEN PULLED OVER ABOUT 30 YEARS AGO.
BUT MY CONCERN IS, WHAT DO THEY DO WITH THAT DATA? BECAUSE THERE HAS TO BE SOME BENEFIT TO THEM OTHER THAN JUST STORING IT FOR 30 DAYS AND DELETING IT.
I THINK THERE'S SO MUCH VALUE IN IT TO KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE GO BY KROGER AT A CERTAIN HOUR FROM AN ADVERTISING STANDPOINT AND ALL THOSE OTHER.
>> THEY DON'T SELL THAT DATA TO ANYONE.
THEY DON'T UTILIZE IT FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE THAN FOR A LAW ENFORCEMENT FUNCTION.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY ABILITY TO, RETRIEVE IT IN THAT CONTEXT BEYOND THAT 30 DAY PERIOD.
>> THAT'S COVERED IN THEIR CONTRACT.
I'VE LOOKED AT MANY OF THESE CONTRACTS THAT THEY'VE DONE FOR CITIES AND THEY'RE VERY SPECIFIC IN THE CONTRACT ABOUT THE DATA, AND THEN THE DELETION OF THE DATA AND THE DATA NOT BEING USED FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN LAW ENFORCEMENT PURPOSE.
BECAUSE WORK FOR A TELECOM COMPANY.
DATA ENGINEERS LOVE USING YOUR PHONE STUFF, WHEREVER YOU ARE.
THEY WILL UTILIZE THAT. THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR THAT'S IN OUR CONTRACT.
A REALLY DUMB QUESTION, BUT CAN PEOPLE OPT OUT OF GETTING THEIR LICENSE PLATE REVIEWED? I'M JUST CURIOUS.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN.
>> CAN YOU GO ON TO FLOCK WEBSITE AND SAY, I DON'T WANT TO PARTICIPATE.
YOUR VEHICLES IN A PUBLIC PLACE.
YOU OPT OUT BY PUTTING SOMETHING OVER YOUR LICENSE PLATE, YOU CAN'T.
>> WELL, THAT WOULD BE ILLEGAL.
>> I THINK THE BENEFITS OF IT ARE GREAT.
IN THE SENSE OF LIKE COUNCILWOMAN BUHLER SAID ABOUT YOU AGREED ABOUT THE AMBER ALERTS AND STUFF FINDING PEOPLE AND SOLVING CRIMES QUICKLY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
[02:00:05]
I GUESS I'VE SEEN TOO MANY, MOVIES AND ALL THE STUFF ABOUT, MINORITY REPORT ARRESTING YOU BEFORE YOU DO A CRIME.I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UTILIZE THIS TOOL AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY OUR FOLKS.
IT'S THE FLOCK DATABASE, BUT IF IT'S IN THE CONTRACT THAT IT'S THERE'S NO CONCERNS ON IT, THEN I GUESS THAT'S THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION, SO THANK YOU.
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO POINT OUT THAT COUNCILMAN PRESTENBERG, WORKS FOR A TELECOM COMPANY, AND IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE GO TO KROGER EVERY DAY, YOU CAN BUY THAT FROM YOUR TELECOM PROVIDER.
IF YOU DON'T WANT ANYONE TO KNOW THAT YOU WENT TO KROGER TODAY, LEAVE YOUR CELL PHONE AT HOME.
LICENSE PLATES FEEL BUT WE WILLINGLY CARRY OUR CELL PHONES EVERYWHERE.
THAT IS FOR SALE, AND THAT IS COLLECTED, AND THAT IS MARKETABLE.
>> YOU MENTIONED ONE POSSIBLE LOCATION TO BE MILES ROAD WHERE I LIVE, OBVIOUSLY.
DOES THIS TAKE CAPTURE OF PLATES GOING BOTH DIRECTIONS WITH [INAUDIBLE]?
>> YES, SIR. ON CAMERA FOR ONE APPROACH DIRECTION.
>> ONE APPROACH DIRECTION. YES, SIR.
IT ONLY TAKES BASICALLY BACK OF THE CAR THEN OR WHATEVER IT DOES.
IT WOULDN'T BE BOTH DIRECTION.
>> YOU COULD YOU COULD HAVE A CAMERA APPROACH FROM THE FRONT BECAUSE TEXAS REQUIRES LICENSE PLATES ON THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE.
>> BUT YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE TWO CAMERAS IF YOU WANTED TO [OVERLAPPING].
>> IF YOU WANTED BOTH APPROACHES, YES, SIR.
>> THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO KNOW AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY COULD BE VERY SELF CONTAINED WITH BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE CAMERA AND THE SOLAR PANEL ON THE SAME POLE, SO YOU COULD MOVE THEM FROM LOCATION TO LOCATION IF WE AT SOME POINT, AFTER THE INITIAL CONTRACT WITH THAT BE FUNDED BY GRANT?
>> OTHER QUESTIONS FOR CHIEF. THANK YOU CHIEF.
THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM. I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ITEM AT THIS TIME.
SEEING NONE? COUNSEL, QUESTIONS OR YOU DON'T HOPEFUL YOU ASK THEM ALL, BUT IF YOU GOT MORE QUESTIONS, NOW'S THE TIME, IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN MOTIONS. MR. PRESTENBERG.
>> IF THERE'S NO FURTHER COMMENTS, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM F3 AS PRESENTED.
>> I HAVE A MOTION BY MR. PRESTENBERG, TO APPROVE ITEM F3 AS PRESENTED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
MOTION CARRIES YOUR NAMES. NEXT ITEM ON MONDAY AGENDA ITEM 4.
[4. Consider appointments of Council liaisons to the City's boards and commission.]
CONSIDER APPOINTMENTS OF COUNCIL LIAISONS TO THE CITY'S BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. MS. GRANGER.TRADITIONALLY, COUNCIL LIAISONS TO THE CITY'S BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE REVIEWED AFTER EACH GENERAL ELECTION.
IN YOUR PACKET, YOU HAVE A LIST OF CURRENT LIAISONS TO THE CITY'S BOARDS.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EITHER LEAVE THE APPOINTMENTS AS THEY ARE OR MAKE CHANGES AS YOU SEE FIT.
>> THANK YOU, MS. GRANGER. THANK YOU.
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL.
THAT GOES WITHOUT SAYING IF THERE'S NO CHANGES, THERE'LL BE NO CHANGES.
DON'T HAVE TO CHANGE ANYTHING, BUT CERTAINLY OPEN FOR DISCUSSION. MS. HOWARTH.
>> OTHER THAN LINDSAY WANTING THE PARK POSITION FROM BRETT.
[LAUGHTER] I AM GOOD WITH MY COUNSEL LIAISON, AND I WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE, JUST SPEAK UP SO WE KNOW.
>> FOR THE RECORD, YOU'RE GOOD WITH YOURS.
>> GET IT ON THE RECORD. MAYOR PRO TEM FRANKS.
>> YEAH. I'M OKAY WITH [INAUDIBLE] TAKING OVER PARKS, SO SHE'LL TAKE OVER.
>> [INAUDIBLE] I'LL TURN THE MICE OVER TO MS. BUHLER.
>> GLADLY ACCEPT. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN FRANKS, DID NOT SEE THAT COMING.
>> SO FAR, WE HAVE MS. HOWARTH LIKING TO KEEP EDC.
MS. BUHLER WOULD TAKE OVER, IF YOU WILL, THE PARK BOARD AND MDD FROM MAYOR PRO TEM FRANKS.
AS MS. GRANGER SAID, IS OUTLINED IN OUR PACKET.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, MR. PRESTENBERG?
>> I'D LIKE TO KEEP MINE AS WELL. THANK YOU.
>> FOR THE RECORD, THAT'S [INAUDIBLE] LIAISON AND ANIMAL SHELTER BOARD AND VOTING MEMBER OF THE ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY.
COMMENTS. I'LL BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT MR. MILLSAP HAS A LIBRARY BOARD,
[02:05:04]
MR. LINDSAY HAS A PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION.I'M ASSUMING FROM THE CONVERSATION, MS. BUHLER, WOULD ALSO STAY ON A SEE WASD LIAISON. I'M SORRY. MR. LINDSAY.
I WAS ON PLAN AND ZONING, SO I'M HAPPY TO STAY THERE.
>> AS THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM, I DO HAVE A SPEAKERS CARD AND MR. OBO.
>> WHAT I GOT RIGHT, WE HAVE WELL.
MAYOR PRO TEM FRANKS THAT LEAVES YOU WITH NOTHING. WHAT'S THAT?
>> I'M SORRY, BASED ON THE LIST WE HAVE.
[INAUDIBLE] OUT A BOARD, BUT OKAY.
FOR PURPOSES OF OUR CITY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, MR. FRANKS HAS NOTHING AT THE MOMENT.
MS. HOWARTH HAS KEY PDC, MR. MILLSAP WILL KEEP LIBRARY BOARD.
MS. BUHLER WILL KEEP WASD LIAISON AND ADD PARKS BOARD AND THE MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT BOARD.
MR. PRESTENBERG, WILL KEEP ALL HIS GARLAND AST ANIMAL SHELTER BOARD, AND VOTING MEMBER OF THE ANIMAL SHELTER. ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
LAST CHANCE TO CHANGE ANYTHING.
YOU CAN JUST SAY WHAT I SAID, OR YOU CAN REFERENCE IT. MR. PRESTENBERG.
>> I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM F4 WITH THE FOLLOWING CHANGES.
MAYOR PRO TEM FRANKS, GIVING I SAY RECEDING OR YEAH.
AS NOTED LET'S SEE, COUNCILMAN MEMBER BUHLER, TAKING THE PARKS AND REC AND MDD BOARD.
>> HAVE A MOTION BY MR. PRESTENBERG, TO APPROVE ITEM 4 AS NOTED IN THE DISCUSSION.
DO YOU HAVE A SECOND, MS. HOWARTH?
>> SECOND BY MS. HOWARTH. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
HAVE FUN WITH PARKS AND MBD MS. BUHLER.
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA ITEM G DISCUSSION ITEMS.
[1. Receive a presentation on the results of the 2024 Stormwater Rate Study (D-24-20) findings.]
I ONE RECEIVED A PRESENTATION ON THE RESULTS OF THE 2024 STORM WATER RATE STUDY, D 24-20. MS. NASH.>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WE HAVE DONE AN UPDATE, AS YOU KNOW, WE ANNUALLY LOOK AT OUR WATER AND SEWER RATES AND MAKE THOSE CHANGES ACCORDINGLY BASED ON A STUDY EVERY FIVE YEARS.
WHAT WE HAVE NOT DONE A RESTUDY OF IS OUR STORMWATER RATES SINCE THEIR INCEPTION BACK IN 2017.
WE ASKED NEWGEN STRATEGIES, WHO, AS I SAID, DOES OUR WATER AND SEWER RATE STUDIES TO ALSO STUDY STORMWATER RATES, AND WE HAVE MATTHEW GARRETT HERE WITH NEWGEN STRATEGIES HERE TONIGHT TO GIVE YOU A PRESENTATION.
>> BETWEEN MATTHEW AND DAVID AND MYSELF, WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT MATTHEW WILL GIVE THE PRESENTATION HERE TONIGHT. I'LL TURN OVER TO HIM.
MAYOR, PLEASURE TO BE HERE, MATTHEW GARRETT WITH NEWGEN STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS.
AS REFERENCED, THIS WAS AN ADDITIONAL COMPONENT ALONG WITH OUR WATER AND WASTEWATER STUDY, I BELIEVE, STARTED BACK IN NOVEMBER OF '23.
WE DID FOCUS ON THE WATER, AS YOU SAW BECKY SCHAFFER, NOT TOO LONG AGO.
I PRESENT THAT TO YOU, PROBABLY MID 2024.
WE'VE CONCLUDED THE STORMWATER ANALYSIS.
I WANT TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU HERE THIS EVENING.
I'M GLAD TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS AS I GO.
ALSO, IF YOU NEED TO SPEED ME UP, THIS IS THE INTERNATIONAL SIGNAL.
>> HE'S ALREADY THERE. I LIKE IT.
AGAIN, GOING TO TALK THROUGH THIS EVENING'S DISCUSSION, GOING TO TRY TO KEEP IT BRIEF.
THERE IS A LOT OF DETAIL BEHIND EVERY SLIDE, BEHIND EVERY NUMBER, FRANKLY.
BUT YOU'RE NOT HERE TO DIG INTO THE WEEDS, BUT PLEASE ASK IF THERE'S SOMETHING I'VE SHORTENED OR TRUNCATED, AND YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT IT. GLAD TO VISIT WITH YOU.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT BASICS OF A STORMWATER UTILITY.
IT'S THE OFTEN FORGOTTEN UTILITY IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, KUDOS FOR HAVING ONE.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPERVIOUS AREA ANALYSIS, THAT'S CURRENTLY HOW YOU'RE BILLING.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT IS, AND OUR RESULTS FROM THAT.
ADDITIONALLY, WE'LL TALK ABOUT YOUR BILLING UNITS WHICH GENERATE YOUR REVENUE POTENTIAL, BENCHMARK TO SOME REGIONAL COMPARATORS, HOW YOU STACK UP,
[02:10:03]
AND THEN HOW YOUR FEES STACK UP AGAINST YOUR NEEDS AS LAID OUT.BUT AGAIN, UTILITIES, AND I'LL GO THROUGH THIS QUICKLY, THERE'S A LOT OF UNSEEN.
OTHER THAN YOUR ROADWAYS, YOUR UTILITIES, PEOPLE NEED WATER BROUGHT TO THEM.
THEY DON'T WANT TO BE ON THE LAKE, MAYBE HERE IN SACHSE.
THEY MIGHT. THEY DON'T NECESSARILY WANT THE WATER TOWER SHADOWING THEIR BACKYARD, BUT THEY NEED ONE.
SO TOO WITH SEWER, DON'T REALLY WANT TO SEE IT OR SMELL IT IF YOU CAN AVOID IT, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT.
THERE'S A LOT OF DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGHOUT YOUR CITY.
EVEN BEFORE THE ADVENT OF THIS UTILITY, YOU HAD DRAINAGE.
BEFORE YOU WERE A CITY, THERE WAS DRAINAGE.
HOW WELL DO YOU MANAGE IT IS A FUNCTION OF WHAT YOU DO WITH YOUR MONEY AND HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE? WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE UTILITY NEEDS, AND ADDITIONALLY, YOUR REVENUE POTENTIAL BECAUSE WE CAN'T REALLY TALK ABOUT FIXING THINGS WITHOUT SOME EXPENSE.
QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO ANSWER, I CAN'T REALLY ANSWER FOR YOU, WHAT LEVEL OF SERVICE DO YOU WANT FOR THIS CITY? YOU CAN MEASURE IT IN RAIN EVENTS, YOU CAN MEASURE IT IN POOL DEPTH, THAT X NUMBER OF HOURS OF RAINFALL.
YOU CAN MEASURE IT BY CITIZEN COMPLAINTS.
WHAT LEVEL OF SERVICE DO YOU WANT TO HAVE? WHEN STAFF IDENTIFIES CAPITAL NEEDS, HOW QUICKLY DO WE FUND IT? BECAUSE THAT'S A MILLION DOLLAR OR MORE QUESTION EVERY YEAR FOR CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
LAST QUESTION, I'LL SHARE HERE, SHOULD IT STAND ON ITS OWN? THIS UTILITY IS NOT INCUMBENT ON THE CITY OR THE CITY COUNCIL TO FUND PURELY FROM DRAINAGE REVENUES, ALL YOUR DRAINAGE ASSETS.
YOU HAVE OTHER REVENUE STREAMS. PROPERTY TAXES, EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S FUNGIBLE IN THE GENERAL FUND COULD BE APPLIED HERE.
DO YOU WANT THE FEE TO COVER ITS OWN OR A BETTER PORTION OF ITS OWN THAN IT CAN TODAY? NOT TELLING YOU THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT, IT'S YOUR CHOICE.
HOW YOUR UTILITY BILLING WORKS.
AS MS. NASH REFERENCED, THIS HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE SINCE 2017 AT $1.66, THAT HASN'T GONE UP MUCH.
ANNUAL REVENUES AROUND 230,000 ANTICIPATED TO BE ABOUT A QUARTER MILLION WITH SOME GROWTH, NOT TOO LONG FROM NOW IF YOU DO NOTHING.
A QUARTER MILLION DOESN'T GO VERY FAR IN CAPITAL NEEDS, AND CERTAINLY NOT AGAINST THE CIP WE'RE ABOUT TO DISCUSS.
YOU ARE BILLING BASED ON AN INVENTORY OF TRACKS AND LOTS.
EFFECTIVELY, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE IMPERVIOUS AREA.
IMPERVIOUS AREA IS EFFECTIVELY CONCRETE, ROOFTOPS, PATIOS, THINGS THAT WATER WON'T SEEP THROUGH.
THAT MAKES SENSE. THAT GENERATES MORE RUNOFF, MORE RUNOFF MEANS MORE STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE, THROUGHPUT, DOWNSTREAM EFFECTS, ET CETERA.
IT IS REALLY THE GOLD STANDARD, SO YOU'RE ALREADY DOING THIS THE RIGHT WAY.
YOUR MEASUREMENTS ARE GOOD, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE.
YOUR FEE JUST ISN'T ENOUGH TO COVER SOME OF THE COSTS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED.
YOUR BILLING BASIS IS COMMON TO ALL RESIDENTS REGARDLESS OF THEIR IMPERVIOUS AREA.
THE MEGALOT WITH THE TENNIS COURT AND THE 18 ACRE PAVED AREA FOR SOMETHING IS THE SAME AS A STANDARD HOUSE.
YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF THOSE 18 ACRE PAVED AREAS AT RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, BUT WE DON'T DIFFERENTIATE.
GENERALLY, COMMUNITIES IN TEXAS DON'T DIFFERENTIATE IN THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
THERE'S A COST TO MEASURE, THERE'S A COST TO MAINTAIN, AND IT MAY NOT BE THE BEST USE OF FUNDS. THAT'S ONE NOTE.
WHILE YOU HAVE A FLAT RATE FOR RESIDENTIAL, YOU DO CHARGE EACH COMMERCIAL PROPERTY DISTINCTLY.
BECAUSE YOU'VE MEASURED WITH AERIAL IMAGERY, THE IMPERVIOUS AREA THAT EACH HAS.
WE'LL SHOW YOU A COUPLE EXAMPLES.
BUT BEFORE I MOVE ON, THE AVERAGE OR THE MEDIAN, ACTUALLY, IMPERVIOUS AREA FOR A RESIDENTIAL LOT IS 4,300 SQUARE FEET.
THAT ERU VALUE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT BECOMES A PART OF THE QUOTIENT THAT YOU DIVIDE EACH OF YOUR COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES BY TO DETERMINE HOW MANY ERUS OR EQUIVALENT RESIDENTIAL UNITS THEY ARE, AND HENCE WHAT WE WILL CHARGE THEM PER MONTH.
I'LL SPEED UP A BIT HERE. THE IMPERVIOUS AREA.
WE ACTUALLY DID AN IMPERVIOUS AREA DETECTION OVERLAY ON YOUR COMMUNITY.
WE FOUND THAT GENERALLY, YOUR IMPERVIOUS AREA PER ERU IS ON PAR WITH WHAT WE FOUND.
ADDITIONALLY, WE FOUND THAT THE TOTAL IMPERVIOUS SQUARE FEET FOR NON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES WAS VERY CLOSE TO WHAT YOU ALREADY HAD IN YOUR SYSTEM AT 11.3 MILLION.
YOU'RE THE FIRST THAT WAS ACTUALLY REALLY CLOSE.
KUDOS TO WHOEVER DID IT, AND THE CHANGE EVENTS MAYBE HAVEN'T BEEN THAT SUBSTANTIAL.
WHAT YOU SEE ON SCREEN IS KROGER, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH IT.
IT'S REALLY CLOSE TO MY FAVORITE TACO BUENO, RIGHT THERE ON 78.
YOU'LL SEE THAT THAT PROPERTY IS 6.25 ACRES OF IMPERVIOUS AREA, AND SO THEY WOULD EFFECTIVELY BE CHARGED THAT TOTAL SQUARE FOOT 272/4,300, AND THAT WOULD MAKE UP THEIR FEE AS AN ERU TIMES THE RATE OF $1.66.
GENERALLY, IN PRINCIPLES, ALREADY UNDERSTAND THE NON RESIDENTIAL FEE COMPONENT.
[02:15:04]
FANTASTIC. MORE IMPORTANTLY, THIS IS RELATIVELY FINITE.YOU'RE NOT GROWING HEAD OVER HEELS AND DOUBLING IN MEASURE PER YEAR.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE JUST YEAR OVER GROWTH THAT CAN OUTWEIGH THE NEED FOR YOUR CAPITAL RESOURCES.
WHAT YOU SEE IS ABOUT 100 NEW CONNECTIONS.
I THINK IT'S 120 IN THE FIRST YEAR, MAYBE 90 THEN DOWN TO 60 IN THE LATTER YEARS OF ANTICIPATED GROWTH IN RESIDENTS.
WE ALSO HAVE SOME COMMERCIAL GROWTH ANTICIPATED.
WITH THAT, YOUR TOTAL UNITS, AS YOU SEE THERE IN THE TOP TABLE, RANGES FROM LOW UNDER 12,000 TO ALMOST MID 12,641.
THAT NUMBER EFFECTIVELY TIMES THE VALUES AT THE BOTTOM AT $1.66, AT 2:33 THIS YEAR, YOU'RE GOING TO BE AROUND A QUARTER MILLION IF YOU DO NOTHING ELSE IN 2030.
IF YOU WERE TO BUMP THAT TO THREE, YOU SEE THAT MEASURE GOING FROM 422-455, AND SO TOO FOR SIX DOLLARS.
THESE ARE JUST BASIC ALGEBRA AGAINST THE UNITS YOU HAVE TO BILL AGAINST.
YOU SEE THAT TOP VALUE SHOWN HERE IS SIX DOLLARS, SO STILL NOT PRODUCING A MILLION DOLLARS IN 2030.
YOU ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST FOR YOUR TYPICAL COMPARATIVE GROUP.
AS PROVIDED, YOU'LL ALSO SEE THE GRADE OUT AREA UNDER EACH CITY DOES SHOW THE TIME OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE.
NOTABLY FARMERS BRANCH, I DIDN'T SEE THE SPECIFIC EFFECTIVE DATE ON THEIR WEBSITE, SINCE WE WORK FOR THEM, AND I DON'T WANT TO MISQUOTE A CITY.
I DIDN'T ACTUALLY PUT A VALUE THERE BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW FOR SURE THE FIRST EFFECTIVE DATE OF THAT RATE FOR THAT COMMUNITY.
GENERALLY ACROSS THE STATE, WE'VE SEEN THIS RISE.
WE DID A STUDY IN '23, CAPTURED ABOUT 80 CITIES.
WE'VE UPDATED THAT, NEED TO PRODUCE THAT FINAL PRODUCT, AND I WOULD HAVE SHARED IT WITH YOU IF I WAS DONE, BUT WE'RE WELL OVER 100 COMMUNITIES, AND WE SEE THESE VALUES RISING SUBSTANTIALLY.
NOW, YOU WOULDN'T NEED TO HAVE A HIGHER RATE IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE CAPITAL NEEDS.
HERE IS A LISTING OF YOUR CIP PROJECTS.
I COULD LIST ALL THE PROJECTS, BUT I WON'T.
NOTABLY, THERE ARE THREE THERE IN STARS THAT WERE INCLUDED FOR, I BELIEVE, A BOND COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER.
I DON'T THINK THOSE WERE MOVED FORWARD IN THIS PARTICULAR COMMITTEE ACTION.
NONETHELESS, THE NEED IS STILL THERE.
IT BEGS THE QUESTION, HOW WILL WE FUND IT? YOU'LL SEE THAT SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE IN THE LATTER HALF OF THIS CONTINUUM.
IN '25, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT WERE CARRIED FORWARD.
THEY ALREADY HAD AN APPROPRIATION.
THAT'S WHY YOU COULD AFFORD TO DO WHAT YOU'VE DONE HERE IN 2025.
NOT THAT THERE WILL BE NO CARRY FORWARDS, BUT THIS NEW LIST OF PROJECTS DOES NOT HAVE FUNDING, BUT FOR AN ADDITIONAL SOURCE BEING IDENTIFIED.
FROM 1.4 MILLION TO A HIGH OF 3.7 IN 2030, ALL OF WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIALLY MORE THAN THE REVENUE POTENTIAL OF THE DRAINAGE UTILITY ALONE, LEAVES A DILEMMA.
AGAIN, ON AVERAGE, THAT'S 2.3 MILLION PER YEAR.
INSTEAD OF JUST TELLING YOU THE HIGHS AND LOWS, IF YOU WERE TO SMOOTH THAT OUT AS BEST YOU COULD, YOU STILL NEED 2.15-2.3 MILLION PER YEAR.
IF WE STACK THAT UP, REVENUE POTENTIAL AT THE CURRENT RATES AGAINST YOUR NEED, OBVIOUSLY, IT'S ALL RED.
I DIDN'T COME TO SPREAD BAD NEWS.
WE NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO EXERCISE THE CAPITAL PLAN THAT WAS PUT IN FRONT OF US.
THAT FEE SINCE 2018, I BELIEVE IT WAS PASSED IN 2017 AND THEN IN EFFECTIVE 2018 WILL NOT FULLY SUPPORT YOUR EXPENSES.
YOU MUST THEN RELY ON OTHER REVENUE STREAMS OR FOREGO THE NEEDED CAPITAL.
WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE A RECOMMENDED RATE PLAN.
IT DOESN'T FULLY FUND EVERYTHING.
WE DON'T GENERALLY FIND A LOT OF POLITICAL WILL TO RIP THE BAND AID OFF AND CHANGE THE RATE TO $15, FROM $1.66.
NOT THAT THAT'S THE FINAL RATE.
BUT EFFECTIVELY, WITH A STAIRSTEP APPROACH, LOOKING AT AN INCREASE IN THE NEAR TERM TO FIVE DOLLARS AND THEN AN ANNUAL INCREASE OF A DOLLAR, YOU DO GET INTO FUNDING HALF OF YOUR NEED ANNUALLY.
AGAIN, WE AVERAGED OUT TO 2.3 MILLION.
WE CAN DO SOME OF THESE PROJECTS IF WE IMPROVE OUR FUNDING.
THEN THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, FRANKLY, YOU MAY FIND OTHER FUNDS TO MAKE UP THE DELTA, OR AS WE DO IN CAPITAL PROJECTS, DEFER AND PUSH IT TO THE RIGHT, AND WE DON'T DO IT YET.
ULTIMATELY, THE UTILITY CAN SUPPORT MORE THAN IT'S DOING TODAY WITH A REVENUE INCREASE.
[02:20:06]
GENERALLY, THAT FIVE DOLLAR MARK IS WELL WITHIN MARKET, AND THIS IS EFFECTIVELY FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, NOT FOR APPROVAL.THIS IS DISCUSSION ONLY, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WILL COME UP AS PART OF YOUR BUDGET DISCUSSION THROUGH THE SUMMER.
ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD, MS. NASH?
>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR TONIGHT IS BASICALLY SOME GENERAL DIRECTION AS WE APPROACH THE BUDGET PROCESS.
AS YOU KNOW, WE TYPICALLY ONLY CHANGE FEES DURING THE REVIEW OF THE MASTER FEE SCHEDULE AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS IN THE SUMMER.
THIS IS REALLY JUST TO START THE DISCUSSION AND GET SOME GENERALIZED DIRECTION FROM THE CITY COUNCIL TO LET ME KNOW AND TURN OUR CONSULTANT WHAT WE WANT TO DO NEXT.
THEN, WE WILL APPROACH THAT AS WE MOVE OUR WAY INTO THE BUDGET TO HAVE SOMETHING PREPARED FOR THE CIP BUDGET THIS SUMMER.
>> THANK YOU, MS. NASH. ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD, MR. GARRETT?
>> HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, SIR.
>> QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL OR THOUGHTS? MR. PRESTENBERG?
>> YES. I WANT TO CALL YOU MR. OFFERMAN BECAUSE YOU LOOK LIKE THE GUY FROM PARKS AND ROCK.
>> SOUNDS GREAT, I THINK. I DON'T KNOW WHO THAT IS.
>> THERE YOU GO. I KNOW WHEN WE ARE SAVING FOR FIRE TRUCKS, PER SE OR POLICE VEHICLES, WE DON'T JUST BUY THEM IN ONE YEAR BECAUSE THEY'RE SO EXPENSIVE.
I THINK IT MAKES ALL THE SENSE IN THE WORLD FOR US TO I HATE TO SAY RAISE THE RATES, BUT TO DEFINITELY INVESTIGATE IT.
IT LOOKS LIKE ON THIS LAST SLIDE, YOU'LL DONE JUST THAT.
I WAS TRYING TO PULL UP MY BILL, JUST TO SEE.
ARE EACH HOUSEHOLD CHARGED $1.66, IS THAT IT IS?
>> PER MONTH. ON A $100 BILL, AND IT WENT UP TO FIVE DOLLARS, YOU'RE LOOKING AT LIKE A 3% INCREASE OR WELL, IT'S LIKE A 300% INCREASE OF THE FEE, BUT TALKING ABOUT JUST INCREMENTAL BILL, I GUESS.
>> ABSOLUTELY. WE LIKE TO REFERENCE STARBUCK COST MORE THAN PERCENTAGES WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT FIVE DOLLARS FEES.
>> FOR LESS THAN A CAPPUCCINO A DAY.
>> YES SIR. BUT YES, YOU'RE CORRECT.
>> THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THAT IT'S NOT A SEXY SPIN, LIKE A FIRE TRUCK.
YOU CAN HAVE EVERYONE COME OUT THERE AND WASH IT AND PUT IT BACK IN THERE AND PUSH.
THIS, I MEAN, NO ONE'S GOING TO WANT TO COME OUT THERE WITH THEIR MUDDY BOOTS ON AND HELP DO IT, INSTALL.
>> MAYBE THERE'S OPPORTUNITY THERE.
BUT I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS A NO BRAINER.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE CHANGED OURS?
>> 2017 EFFECTIVELY AND IT WAS EFFECTIVE IN 2018.
>> WE DIDN'T HAVE ONE. WE WERE LIKE WHILE HE'S DOING THEIR STUDY RIGHT NOW.
>> CORRECT. I STARTED AT SOME TIME AGO, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY FEEDBACK FROM.
>> AS WE KNOW, COST OF EVERYTHING HAS GONE UP CRAZY IN EIGHT YEARS.
>> IF IT WAS ME, I WOULD NOT JUST START AT FIVE, I WOULD START AT MAYBE SEVEN, AND THEN GO FROM THERE, BECAUSE THESE CAPITAL PROJECTS AREN'T WAITING. THANK YOU.
>> I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PRESTENBERG.
WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED, THERE WERE TWO THINGS THAT SURPRISED ME THAT I THOUGHT I UNDERSTOOD WHEN I GOT ON CITY COUNCIL.
ONE WAS I THOUGHT ROADS WERE EXPENSIVE, AND I WAS OFF BY I KNOW A DEGREE OF MAGNITUDE ON HOW EXPENSIVE THEY ACTUALLY ARE TO POUR CONCRETE ON THE GROUND.
TWO WAS HOW EXPENSIVE DRAINAGE PROJECTS WERE, OBSCENE AMOUNTS OF MONEY TO GET WATER FROM A THUNDERSTORM OFF A STREET.
I WAS SHOCKED. I KNEW THEY WERE EXPENSIVE BECAUSE THEY'RE BIG PROJECTS AND THEY'RE UNDERGROUND, BUT MY MISUNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEY COST WAS IMMENSE.
I THINK I WAS HERE WHEN WE STARTED IT IN 2018 WAS WHEN THEY FIRST GOT ELECTED.
THAT $200,000 COMPARED TO THAT LIST OF ACTUAL NEEDS WHERE WE HAVE WATER OVERTOPPING STREETS WHEN WE HAVE STORM EVENTS THAT HAPPENS EVERY TIME WE HAVE A BIG HEAVY RAIN IS LIKE THE TEA SPOON AND THE SUEZ CANAL.
I DON'T LIKE INCREASING FEES, BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THAT UTILITIES THAT EVERYONE USES SHOULD BE A SELF SUSTAINING AS WE CAN MAKE THEM BECAUSE WE HAVE TO KEEP PROVIDING THEM.
THIS HOLE IS PARTICULARLY DEEP.
I'M A LITTLE ABOUT FIVE DOLLARS.
BUT THEN I ALSO THINK IT'S FIVE DOLLARS A MONTH, AND THE NEED IS IMMENSE.
GEOGRAPHICALLY, SACHSE SEEMS TO GET EVERYBODY ELSE'S WATER.
[02:25:01]
WE'RE IN A LOW SPOT, AND OUR STORM DRAINS BACK UP A LOT.THERE ARE PROJECTS I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST THAT HAVE NEVER COME UP FOR DISCUSSION AGAIN BECAUSE WE LITERALLY COULDN'T COME UP WITH A WAY TO PAY FOR THEM.
THAT LIST IS GETTING LONGER RATHER THAN SHORTER.
I DO SEE THE NECESSITY OF THIS.
>> I KNOW SURFACE WATER RUNOFF IS A PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY IN THOSE AREAS THAT FLOOD EVERY TIME IT RAINS.
WE'VE HAD THOSE PROBLEMS, I'VE LIVED HERE ALMOST 50 YEARS AND THOSE HAVEN'T GONE AWAY AND HAVEN'T REALLY THEY'VE BEEN ADDRESSED, BUT NOT SUCCESSFULLY ADDRESSED.
MAINLY BECAUSE NOT MAINLY, BUT SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T CONTINUE TO CONTROL WHAT COMES FROM UPSTREAM BECAUSE WE DON'T GET TO CONTROL WHAT GOES ON IN THE NEXT CITY UPHILL FROM US, AND WE HAVE TO INHERIT THAT.
I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF CHANGING IT RIGHT NOW $5 DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT IT'S ABOUT A 225% INCREASE OVER WHAT WE ARE PAYING.
NOBODY HERE REALIZES THIS OR REMEMBERS IT, I DO.
ABOUT 27/29 YEARS AGO, WE ADDED $1.32 A MONTH TO OUR WATER BILL FOR SURFACE WATER RUNOFF, BUT IT WAS NEVER EARMARKED SO IT JUST BECAME A GENERAL BUDGET ITEM.
I'VE BEEN PAYING THAT MUCH MONEY AND THESE OTHER PEOPLE.
NOBODY ELSE HERE HAS LIVED HERE THAT LONG SO THEY HAVEN'T BEEN PAYING IT.
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO LEAVE IT AS IS NOW, UNTIL WE GET TO WHERE WE HAVE PROJECTS, BUT UNTIL WE CAN PUT A DEFINITE GUARANTEED TIMELINE ON ADDRESSING THESE INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS THAT ARE ALREADY ON THE BOOKS, WE DON'T NEED TO START MAKING COMMITMENT TO GATHER MONEY IF WE JUST SAY, WELL, THESE ARE WHAT WE WANT TO DO IT SOMETIME.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US JUST LEAVE IT AS IT IS, SINCE IT'S ALREADY GOING AT $1.66.
USE THAT FOR THE SMALL NEEDED PROJECTS AND RELY POSSIBLY ON A BOND ISSUE AS OUR NEXT BOND PROJECTS, LOOKING AT SURFACE WATER AS A BONDABLE ITEM AS WE DO STREETS AND ALLEYS AND THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE MORE ADAPTABLE TO THE RESIDENTS.
I'M A FIRM BELIEVER, AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, I DON'T LIKE BONDS.
BUT IF PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO SAY, YES, I'M WILLING TO GIVE MY MONEY FOR THESE PROJECTS, THEN THEY'RE TELLING YOU THAT THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY MAKE UP, AS WE ALL MAKE UP, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY MAKES UP, WE'RE WILLING TO PAY FOR IT.
FOR US TO SIT UP HERE AS SEVEN PEOPLE AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND YOUR MONEY ON AND WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, WE'RE GOING TO CHARGE YOU FOR IT I DON'T THINK IS ONE THING THAT I FELT LIKE I WAS ELECTED FOR.
I FEEL I NEED TO BE REPRESENTING THE NEEDS WANTS AND DESIRES OF OUR RESIDENCE MORE THAN THIS OTHER AND YES, WE NEED SURFACE WATER DRAINAGE.
I LIVE ON A 10 ACRE TRACK, AND MY 10 ACRE TRACK HAS A BIG ABOUT TWO ACRE FOOT WATER POND ON IT THAT WAS BUILT AS A RESULT OF ACTUALLY, IT'S USED AS A WATER RETENTION POND FOR HUNTERS RIDGE.
THAT WAS WHAT CAME ABOUT FOR THAT POND TO BE THERE BECAUSE THEY HAD TO HAVE SURFACE WATER RUN OFF, RETENTION POT.
THERE WAS NO PLACE TO PUT IT, AND I AGREED TO ACCEPT IT, BUT ALSO, I AGREED TO ACCEPT IT UNDER CONDITIONS, AND I GET TO CONTROL THE USE OF THE WATER SO THAT WATER NOW BECOMES MY WATER.
THOSE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THERE THAT I THINK WE COULD LOOK AT, BUT I'M NOT REALLY IN FAVOR OF ADDRESSING INCREASE AT THIS TIME.
>> YEAH. COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS, WE CAN CHARGE A DIFFERENT METER FEE FOR SO CAN WE NOT CHARGE COMMERCIAL A HIGHER PERCENTAGE? IS THERE LIKE SOME LEGALITY ABOUT BILLING BY THAT ERU?
>> YES, SIR. IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
TO DOVETAIL, MAYBE THE TWO TOPICS.
ONE, LEGISLATION DOES APPROVE THIS.
IT'S LGC OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE 552, SUBCHAPTER C. IT SHOULD BE FAIR AND EQUITABLE SO GENERALLY, WE DON'T DIFFERENTIATE ONCE WE DETERMINE A UNIT, EVERYONE WITH THAT UNIT PAYS THE SAME.
THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS AROUND DISCRETIONARY EXEMPTIONS, MANDATORY EXEMPTIONS.
BUT THEN AGAIN, TO DOVETAIL HERE WITH MR. MILLSAP'S QUESTION, THESE ARE RESTRICTED FUNDS.
THEIR USES HAVE TO BE FOR DRAINAGE SO THAT'S ANOTHER CONFIDENCE FACTOR.
HOPEFULLY THAT YOUR RESIDENT AND YOU AS THE ELECTED BODY CAN HAVE.
IF YOU PUT MORE MONEY IN THIS, IT HAS TO GO TO DRAINAGE.
WE WOULDN'T DIFFERENTIATE GENERALLY BETWEEN COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS UNLESS THEY FELL UNDER ONE OF THE POSSIBLE DISCRETIONARY EXEMPTIONS BY STATUTE.
>> NON PROFITS, SUCH AS CHURCHES,
[02:30:03]
ARE THEY EXEMPT FROM THIS FEE IN ANY WAY?>> THERE'S A DISCRETIONARY EXEMPTION FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, FOR RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, CEMETERIES, CLOSED TO INTERNMENT.
STATE AGENCIES AND HIGHER EDUCATION ARE MANDATORY EXEMPTIONS, AND THEN THE CITY ITSELF WOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY IF YOU DIDN'T CHOOSE TO.
>> YEAH, HARD TO PAY OURSELF ON THERE.
ALL IN ALL, I KNOW WE NEED TO GET THIS FEE UP.
I WISH WE WOULD TAKE AN ACTION SOONER.
OBVIOUSLY, WHEN WE PUT IT IN PLACE, THEN THERE WAS A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPENED.
WE ALWAYS THOUGHT, WE'LL HAVE A POT OF MONEY THERE EVENTUALLY AND BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING WITHIN HERE WE ARE LOOKING AT, AND WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING OR NOT MUCH OF ANYTHING.
EVEN THOUGH THIS IS, RELATIVELY A SMALL AMOUNT, AS MR. MILLSAP SAID IT'S STILL 225% INCREASE.
I HATE SEEING ANY FEE, NO MATTER WHAT THE SIZE OF IT IS, JUST AGGRESSIVELY TO TAKE EFFECT.
I WOULD LOOK FOR SOMETHING IF WE COULD ROLL IT ON A LITTLE SMOOTHER, EVEN IF IT DIDN'T HAVE TO WORK OUT TO WHOLE DOLLARS, BUT JUST HYPOTHETICALLY LIKE, IF IT WAS $4 THIS YEAR, AND THEN $6 IN 2027, $8 IN 2028 OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT, I WOULD RATHER SEE IT CURVE COMING ON, THOUGH, BUT I'M NOT AGAINST THE WAY IT'S PRESENTED HERE.
AS FAR AS BOND, THESE ARE JUST ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE DONE.
NOT THAT BOND ITEMS DON'T, BUT THIS IS PART OF THE CITY'S OPERATION AND BUDGETING, AND WE SHOULDN'T BE GOING TO TAXPAYERS TO TRY TO GET THESE TYPE OF PROJECTS DONE.
WE NEED TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.
WE NEED TO COLLECT THE FEES THAT IT TAKES IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS WORK AND DELIVER ON WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SO I'M GLAD WE'RE GETTING ON THE RIGHT TRACK.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
>> I REMEMBER THIS DISCUSSION SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
IN $1.66, HALF THE TOWN FREAKED OUT ABOUT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING.
AN EXTRA $1.66, SOME PEOPLE LOST THEIR MINDS OVER SO GOING TO $5, THEY'RE GOING TO LOSE THEIR MINDS OVER.
NO ONE CARES ABOUT STORMWATER DRAINAGE UNTIL THERE'S A PROBLEM.
THEY COMPLAIN ABOUT ROADS EVERY DAY, BUT THEY ONLY COMPLAIN ABOUT STORMWATER WHEN IT'S COMING OVER THE ROAD.
IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OFTEN, BUT WHEN IT DOES, EVERYBODY IS UP IN ARMS. WHY HAVEN'T ALL OF YOU DONE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS YET.
I THINK THE CURRENT RATE IS NOT MEETING OUR DEMAND, WE DO HAVE A LIST OF PROJECTS CURRENTLY ON THE BOOKS, WE DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDING FOR THEM.
I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF GOING TO A $5 FEE, BUT AN INCREASE IS PROBABLY NECESSARY.
IF WE DO THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME PROJECT IN TOTALITY WITH I KNOW IT'S DIFFERENT ISSUES, BUT IT'S UNDER THE SAME PURVIEW FOR ME IS IF WE GO TO SOME CREDIT FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THE RIGHT THINGS FROM DAY TO DAY, ALBEIT WATER CATCHMENT, SMART METER, SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT DOES ADD TO THIS PROBLEM.
IF WE'RE GOING TO PUT A FIVE OR $8 FEE ON SOMEONE, I THINK WE SHOULD AT LEAST OFFER SOME WAY OF CREDITS FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING AT TIMES.
WHETHER WE HAVE TO DO THAT ONCE A YEAR AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE STILL DOING IT OR THEIR WATER CATCHMENT WORKS OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE, I THINK WE DON'T JUST NEED TO APPLY A FEE WITHOUT OFFERING SOME OTHER BENEFIT.
>> I THINK THIS IS AN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY BASIC SERVICE THAT WE NEED TO PROVIDE.
WE'RE NOT FUNDING THE PROJECTS THAT WE NEED, AND I DON'T THINK OUR RESIDENTS WANT TO WAIT WHEN THEIR HOUSE FLOODS FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS TO PUT IT ON A BOND PROJECT TO MAYBE GET A FIX A COUPLE OF YEARS DOWN THE LINE.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE TAKING CARE OF.
I HATE TO RAISE A FEE, BUT I DO LIKE THE TIERED APPROACH TO NOT GO ALL THE WAY TO NINE RIGHT AWAY, BUT I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO BETTER ON AND BE FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE.
IF WE WERE GO TO SOME HIGHER AMOUNT, WE CAN ALWAYS LOWER THAT HIGHER AMOUNT TO A DIFFERENT AMOUNT SO IT'S NOT A PERMANENT INTO PERPETUITY.
>> NO, SIR. I DON'T SEE A LOT GOING DOWN, BUT YOU'RE CORRECT BUT YOU COULD
>> YOU KNOCK SOME OF THESE OUT MAYBE YOU HAVE ONE YEAR WHERE IT GOES DOWN, I DON'T KNOW.
THE 200% INCREASE OR WHATEVER, I GET IT IF IT WAS A $20 FEE AND IT WAS GOING UP TO 60, THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO ME LIKE, OH, WE'RE GOING FROM $1 WE'RE PROPOSING.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GOING FROM $1.67 TO SOME HIGHER AMOUNT.
WE'VE GOT TO DO IT. ANYWAY, THAT'S ALL I GOT.
>> NO. FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD IS THE $1.66 IS NOT GOING TO CUT IT ANYMORE, SO I THINK WE GOT CONSENSUS ON THAT.
[02:35:01]
THE OTHER PART IS, HOW MUCH DO WE GO UP? I HEARD A LOT OF GREAT DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT BECAUSE DO YOU DO A TIERED PROCESS FIRST.I THINK $5 IS THE MINIMUM, BUT AGAIN, DO WE DO THAT RIGHT AWAY, OR DO WE TIER THE APPROACH? BECAUSE AS MS. HOWARTH SAID DRAINAGE IS TERRIBLY EXPENSIVE I GO BACK TO WHAT I ALWAYS SAY IS WHAT CITY DO WE WANT TO LIVE IN? I KNOW THAT WHETHER YOU'RE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THESE BIG RAIN EVENTS, WHICH, UNFORTUNATELY IN TEXAS, WE HAVE IT IS SOMETHING THAT IF YOU'RE AFFECTED DIRECTLY BY THAT, YOU CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN A CITY THAT WE DON'T ADDRESS THAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT DOES COST MONEY LIKE YOU POINTED OUT RIGHTLY, THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY AS THE ELECTED BODY TO EVALUATE ANY TIME WE WANT.
I THINK IT'S ALWAYS TOUGH TO DO THAT, ESPECIALLY IN THESE TIMES.
BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN, WE DO HAVE PROJECTS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE, I SAY, HAD TO BE DONE.
THEY SHOULD BE DONE, AND WE SHALL SEE AS MS. NASH, THIS IS THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS SO NO DECISIONS ARE GOING TO BE MADE TONIGHT, WHICH IS GOOD BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY TAKES A LOT OF THOUGHT AND A LOT OF CONSIDERATION, AND QUITE FRANKLY, WE WILL NEED THAT WHEN WE GET TO THE BUDGET PROCESS TO DECIDE WHAT THE BEST OUTCOME IS.
OBVIOUSLY, YOU HAVE PUBLIC INPUT DURING THE BUDGET, SO THAT'S MY $0.02. YOU HAVE SOMETHING, MR. NESBIT?
>> TWO POINTS OF CLARIFICATION.
ANY FUNDS THAT WE USE FOR DRAINAGE COME FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
THEY DON'T COME FROM WATER UTILITY RATES AND STUFF LIKE THAT SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT.
ANY DRAINAGE PROJECTS GET FUNDED FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
THEN ALSO THIS MONEY IS ONLY FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
THIS DOES NOT FUND ANY OPERATIONS.
>> JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTANDS THAT.
>> IT'S GREAT POINT. YEAH, THANK YOU.
THUS GOING ON THE LIST THAT WAS PART OF THE PRESENTATION. MS. NASH.
>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE CAN COME UP WITH A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT SCENARIOS WITH A LOWER STARTING RATE AND MAYBE MORE OF A STAIR STEP APPROACH THEN WE CAN MAP THAT AGAINST THE PROJECTS AND BE ABLE TO BRING THAT BACK TO YOU DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? AT THIS DISCUSSION ITEM ONLY, SO THANK YOU.
MR. GARRETT. THANK, MR. NESBIT.
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, I'M G2,
[2. Receive an update from Baker Tilly on the results of the compensation study and provide guidance regarding market placement and implementation strategy.]
RECEIVE AN UPDATE FROM BAKER TILLY ON THE RESULTS OF THE COMPENSATION STUDY AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE REGARDING MARKET PLACEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY. MS. NASH.>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL. WE VERY EXCITEDLY HAVE BEEN AWAITING THE RESULTS FROM BAKER TILLY OF THE COMPENSATION STUDY SO THEY HAVE A PRESENTATION THAT THEY WILL BE SHARING WITH YOU TONIGHT.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, AGAIN, THIS IS A DISCUSSION ONLY ITEM, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOME GUIDANCE JUST ON THE RESULTS OF THIS AND NEXT STEPS OF WHAT BAKER TILLY HAS DONE TO THIS POINT AND TO GET COUNCIL'S FEEDBACK TO MOVE FORWARD.
>> THANK YOU, MS. NASH. HELLO, MISS TAB.
>> GOOD EVENING. WELL, I'M EXCITED TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN.
I'M HERE ALSO JOINED WITH MY COLLEAGUE AGAIN, OUR PRACTICE LEADER, JANE KENT.
I'M EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND THE RESULTS OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION STUDY.
WE'LL BE SHARING A LOT OF DATA AND INFORMATION TONIGHT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IN TERMS OF THE UPDATE TO THIS STUDY.
BUT I WANT TO REMIND YOU OF WHAT THE GOAL OF THE STUDY WAS AT THE VERY BEGINNING, WHICH IS TO ASSESS THE CITY OF SACHSE'S POSITIONS AND DESIGN A COMPENSATION SYSTEM THAT IS INTERNALLY EQUITABLE AND MARKET COMPETITIVE.
THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED WITH EMPLOYEES AND LEADERSHIP THROUGHOUT THE STUDY, AS WELL AS HAVING A DATA DRIVEN PROCESS TO ARRIVE AT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
I'LL REMIND YOU THAT WE WORK THROUGH A FIVE PHASE PROCESS WITH THE CITY, STARTING WITH PROJECT INITIATION, VERY LARGE DATA COLLECTION EFFORT, LOOKING AT YOUR EXISTING PAY STRUCTURES, YOUR POLICY HANDBOOKS, JOB DESCRIPTIONS, ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, VERY LARGE CENSUS FILE WITH ALL THE NAMES OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT WE'RE WORKING FOR AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.
WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET IN PERSON WITH STAFF AND LEADERSHIP TO INTRODUCE OURSELVES, THEN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK US QUESTIONS DIRECTLY.
WE ALSO WALKED THROUGH THE LARGEST PART OF OUR DATA COLLECTION, WHICH IS THE POSITION ANALYSIS QUESTIONNAIRE.
THIS STUDY, AGAIN, IS AN ANALYSIS OF THE POSITIONS FOR THE CITY.
EVERY EMPLOYEE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL US IN THEIR OWN WORDS ABOUT THE WORK THAT THEY'RE PERFORMING FOR THE CITY THROUGH A POSITION ANALYSIS QUESTIONNAIRE.
THOSE PAQS WERE THEN ROUTED TO A SUPERVISOR FOR REVIEW.
SUPERVISORS COULDN'T CHANGE ANY OF THE RESPONSES, BUT WE USE BOTH THE EMPLOYEE PAQ AND THE SUPERVISOR PAQ TO CONDUCT OUR ASSESSMENT.
THESE PAQS ARE CRITICAL BECAUSE THEY FORM THE BASIS OF THE STUDY.
USING THOSE, WE GO INTO PHASE 2, REVIEWING ALL OF THE TITLES, MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADJUSTMENT, AND THEN CONDUCTING JOB EVALUATION.
[02:40:02]
BAKER TILLY IS UNIQUE IN THAT WE HAVE OUR OWN POINT FACTOR TOOL.IT'S CALLED SAFE STANDS FOR A SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS AND FACTOR EVALUATION.
THE CITY WILL NOW USE THIS MOVING FORWARD TO EVALUATE INTERNAL EQUITY.
HOW POSITIONS COMPARE TO EACH OTHER.
HOW DO TO ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS COMPARED TO EACH OTHER, HOW DO TO MANAGERS COMPARED TO EACH OTHER.
THEY BOTH HAVE MANAGER IN THE TITLE, BUT NOT ALL MANAGERS ARE THE SAME.
SOME HAVE DIFFERENT EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS.
SOME HAVE ADVERSE WORKING CONDITIONS SO WE USE THE SAME NINE COMPENSABLE FACTORS TO EVALUATE ALL OF THE POSITIONS IN THE ORGANIZATION.
IT IS A MEASUREMENT OF THE POSITION, NOT THE PERSON IN THE ROLE.
WE NEED TO ESTABLISH A BASE VALUE OF THE POSITION THEN WHAT DOES THE PERSON BRING TO THAT ROLE.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES US COMPLIANT AND COMPATIBLE WITH THE FEDERAL EQUAL PAY ACT.
>> WHILE WE WERE DOING THAT, THAT'S INTERNAL EQUITY.
WE ALSO LOOK AT EXTERNAL EQUITY.
OUR PREVIOUS CONVERSATION WAS WORKING WITH YOU TO IDENTIFY THE 10 COMPARABLE AND COMPETITIVE PEER ORGANIZATIONS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY.
ORGANIZATIONS WHO LOOK LIKE YOU, WORK LIKE YOU, ARE SIMILAR IN SIZE, SIMILAR IN SCOPE, SIMILAR IN SERVICES OFFERED.
THESE 10 ARE THEN INCORPORATED WITH OUR THREE PUBLISHED SALARY SOURCES, WHICH REPRESENT THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
I'M GOING TO BE SHARING SOME OF THE RESULTS OF THE MARKET ASSESSMENT FOR THIS EVENING AND HOW THAT INFORMED OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT I DO WANT TO REMIND YOU ABOUT OUR QUALITY CONTROL PROCESS.
THIS IS NOT JUST LOOKING AT TITLE FOR TITLE IN THE MARKETPLACE.
WE'RE ACTUALLY DIVING INTO THOSE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
USING THOSE PAQS, WE'RE EVALUATING YOUR POSITIONS IN COMPARISON TO THE MARKET PEER ORGANIZATIONS.
WE DO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THAT DATA ONCE THAT DATA COMES BACK IN, SO SOMETHING LIKE WORK WEEK, ANOTHER ORGANIZATION IS ON A 53-HOUR WORK WEEK, THIS IS A 52-HOUR WORK WEEK.
IT BECOMES PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE MAY AGE THE DATA IF IT'S NOT FOR OUR CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, HERE THAT ONLY HAPPENED WITH THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, AND THEN WE DO A GEOGRAPHIC COST OF LABOR ADJUSTMENT.
THAT'S WHAT ALLOWS US TO COMPARE YOU TO PLACES WITH A DIFFERENT COST OF LABOR OR A DIFFERENT COST OF LIVING.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE DO NOT WEIGHT THE DATA, THOUGH.
NO ONE PEER IS GIVEN PREFERENCE OVER ANOTHER, IT'S THIS LAW OF AVERAGES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
OUR GOAL, WHAT IS THE AVERAGE MARKET VALUE FOR A POSITION? I REMIND YOU THAT THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, OBVIOUSLY IDENTIFYING THESE 10 ORGANIZATIONS, THIS IS NOT BAKER TILLY COMING IN AND SAYING, THESE ARE YOUR 10 PEERS.
WE STARTED THIS PROCESS BY ASKING LEADERSHIP.
WHO SHOULD WE BE COMPARING THE CITY OF SACHSE TO AND THEN ULTIMATELY THAT FINAL 10 WAS DECIDED AND VOTED ON BY YOU.
THE CITY IDENTIFIED THESE 10 PUBLIC PEER ORGANIZATIONS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY.
WE'RE ABLE TO COLLECT AND COMPILE DATA FROM ALL 10 OF THEM, AND THEN YOU SEE OUR THREE PUBLISHED SURVEYS REPRESENTING THE PRIVATE SECTOR, AS WELL: COMP ANALYST, ECONOMIC RESEARCH INSTITUTE, AND THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
A POSSIBILITY OF 13 MATCHES PER POSITION, AGAIN, THE AVERAGE MARKET VALUE BASED OFF OF THESE 13 PEERS.
A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT DATA ADJUSTMENT THAT WE MAKE TO THE DATA.
MOST FOLKS ARE FAMILIAR WITH COST OF LIVING, MEASUREMENT OF GOODS AND SERVICES IN A GIVEN GEOGRAPHIC AREA.
IT'S WHY EGG PRICES GO UP, OR WHY GAS PRICES ARE INCREASING.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS THE AMOUNT OF LABOR OR THE COST OF LABOR IN A GIVEN GEOGRAPHIC AREA.
AT THE TOP, WE PULL THIS DATA FROM THE ECONOMIC RESEARCH INSTITUTE.
YOU CAN SEE THE CITY OF SACHSE HAS A COST OF LABOR OF 104.1.
THAT'S OFF OF A SCALE OF 100, THE UNITED STATES AVERAGE BEING 100, SO YOU'RE ABOUT 4.1% HIGHER THAN THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL AVERAGE.
TAKE THAT SAME INDICATOR FOR EACH OF YOUR PEER ORGANIZATIONS, AND THEN YOU SEE THE GEODIFF PERCENTAGE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ADJUSTING THE DATA BY, RELATIVE TO THE CITY OF SACHSE.
IN SOME CASES, WE'RE ADJUSTING THEIR DATA UP BECAUSE THEIR COST OF LABOR IS LOWER THAN YOURS, OR IN SOME CASES, LIKE RICHARDSON, WE'RE ADJUSTING THAT DATA DOWN.
EVERYTHING IS WITHIN A PERCENTAGE, MAYBE TWO.
AGAIN, VERY SIMILAR IN TERMS OF GEOGRAPHIC PROXIMITY, VERY SIMILAR IN TERMS OF COST OF LABOR.
THE RESULTS OF OUR MARKET PROCESS.
IN TOTAL, 78 POSITIONS WERE INCLUDED IN THE MARKET SURVEY AS BENCHMARK POSITIONS.
ONLY ONE OF THOSE HAD INSUFFICIENT DATA, MEANING WE HAD LESS THAN THREE QUALITY MATCHES.
AGAIN, WE'RE NOT JUST LOOKING AT TITLE FOR TITLE, WE'RE DIVING INTO THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
ONLY ONE POSITION DID NOT MEET OUR THRESHOLD OF AT LEAST HAVING THREE MATCHES.
OVERALL, THE STUDY YIELDED RESULTS FOR 98% OF THE BENCHMARK POSITIONS THOUGH.
THOSE WITH SUFFICIENT DATA HAD 8.5 MATCHES ON AVERAGE, AND OVER HALF OF THE DATASET HAD NINE OR MORE MATCHES.
AGAIN, THE MORE MATCHES WE HAVE, THE MORE WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THAT'S THE TRUE MARKET VALUE FOR A POSITION.
FROM THERE, WE ALSO PREPARE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT REPORTS.
[02:45:01]
BUT WHAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE IS UNDERSTANDING BASED OFF OF THESE 77 BENCHMARK POSITIONS WITH SUFFICIENT DATA, WHERE IS YOUR SALARY STRUCTURE IN RELATION TO THE MARKET? ON AVERAGE, THE CITY OF SACHSE IS 2% BELOW MARKET AT THE MINIMUM, THAT'S YOUR STARTING SALARIES ON AVERAGE, 2.3% BELOW MARKET AT THE MIDPOINT OR THAT HALFWAY POINT BETWEEN YOUR MINIMUM AND YOUR MAXIMUM, AND THEN 5% BELOW MARKET AT THE MAXIMUM.YOU'RE MORE COMPETITIVE AT THE MINIMUMS, THOUGH ACROSS THE BOARD, YOUR SALARY STRUCTURE IS STILL FALLING BEHIND MARKET.
I SAY YOU'RE MORE COMPETITIVE AT THE MINIMUM BECAUSE IT'S 2% AT THE MINIMUM, 5% AT THE MAXIMUM.
THAT BECOMES A REALLY BIG ISSUE WHEN IT COMES TO RETAINING THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE CURRENTLY HERE.
THEY CAN EASILY BE TRAINED UP AND POTENTIALLY MAKE MORE AT ANOTHER ORGANIZATION.
ACROSS THE BOARD, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR MINIMUMS ARE COMPETITIVE, YOU'RE ABLE TO DRAW TALENT INTO THE ORGANIZATION, BUT WE DO NOT WANT THE CITY OF SACHSE BECOMING A TRAINING GROUND, WHERE YOU BRING THEM IN, TRAIN THEM UP, AND THEY ULTIMATELY LEAVE FOR SOMETHING ELSE, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT COMPETITIVE ACROSS THE FULL RANGE.
THIS IS WHAT WE USE TO EVALUATE OUR ADJUSTMENTS TO YOUR OVERALL PAY STRUCTURE IN RELATION TO THE MARKET.
THIS IS INFORMED BY YOUR COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY, AND AGAIN, THESE OVERALL AVERAGES.
I KEEP SAYING THE MARKET. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS WHEN I SAY WHAT IS THE MARKET.
WE GO OUT TO THESE PEER ORGANIZATIONS, AND WE COLLECT BASE SALARY INFORMATION, MEANING A MINIMUM, A STARTING SALARY AND A MAXIMUM.
FROM THERE, WE CALCULATE A MIDPOINT OR THE HALFWAY POINT.
THAT REPRESENTS WHEN SOMEBODY'S FULLY PROFICIENT IN THE ROLE.
THEY CAN DO ALL ASPECTS OF THE JOB, THEY SHOULD BE PAID THE MARKET VALUE FOR THEIR POSITION.
IF WE'RE ALIGNING YOUR PAY STRUCTURE OR YOUR MIDPOINTS TO THE MARKET MIDPOINTS, THIS IS WHAT WE CALL A MATCH MARKET PHILOSOPHY.
SOME ORGANIZATIONS WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT MARKET MIDPOINT AND SHIFT THEIR STRUCTURE SLIGHTLY AHEAD OF THAT.
THIS IS WHAT WE CALL A LEAD MARKET PHILOSOPHY.
THEY'RE WANTING TO BE AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE, THEY'RE NEEDING TO LEAD THE MARKET.
SOME ORGANIZATIONS WILL LOOK AT THAT MARKET MIDPOINT AND SHIFT THEIRS SLIGHTLY BELOW THE AVERAGE MARKET.
THIS IS WHAT WE CALL A LAG MARKET PHILOSOPHY.
SOME ORGANIZATIONS CHOOSE TO STRATEGICALLY LAG BECAUSE THEY ARE SO FAR BEHIND MARKET THAT THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO CATCH UP.
THEY'RE TRYING TO CHIP AWAY AT THE ELEPHANT TO MAKE UP GROUND, OR THEY ARE LOOKING AT THE TOTAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE, THEY KNOW THEIR BENEFITS ARE PHENOMENAL, AND THEY MAY CHOOSE TO STRATEGICALLY LAG.
GIVEN WHERE YOU'RE AT IN THE MARKET WITHIN 5% OF MINIMUMS AND MIDPOINTS, OUR GOAL WAS TO TAKE A MATCH MARKET PHILOSOPHY, ALIGNING YOUR MIDPOINTS TO BE COMPARABLE TO THE AVERAGE MARKET MIDPOINT, TAKING A MATCH MARKET PHILOSOPHY.
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS MOVING FORWARD WITH THE REST OF THE STUDY, WERE BASED ON THAT COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY.
FROM THERE WE MOVE INTO PHASE 4.
PHASE 4 IS PAY PLAN DEVELOPMENT AND HAS THREE KEY COMPONENTS; THE ADJUSTMENTS TO YOUR STRUCTURE, ADJUSTMENTS TO THE POSITIONS, ADJUSTMENTS TO PEOPLE.
WE START WITH AN ANALYSIS OF YOUR EXISTING PAY STRUCTURE AND MADE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADJUSTMENT.
FROM THERE WE GO LINE BY LINE, POSITION BY POSITION, LOOKING AT ALL OF THE AVAILABLE DATA TO DETERMINE THE GRADE ASSIGNMENTS.
WE DID INCLUDE DEPARTMENT HEADS IN A PRELIMINARY REVIEW OF THOSE GRADE ASSIGNMENTS, SO THESE WE'VE ALSO BEEN FILTERED WITH THEIR FEEDBACK FOR THEIR SPECIFIC POSITIONS IN THE DEPARTMENTS.
ONCE WE HAD THE GRADE ASSIGNMENTS DETERMINED, WE THEN LOOK AT IMPLEMENTATION.
WE CAN START PLUGGING PEOPLE BACK INTO THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE THROUGHOUT THIS STUDY, I'VE NOT TALKED ABOUT THE PERSON IN THE ROLE.
AGAIN, WHAT IS THE VALUE OF THE POSITION? ONCE WE GET TO IMPLEMENTATION, NOW WE START LOOKING AT WHERE INDIVIDUAL SALARIES ARE IN COMPARISON TO THESE NEW RECOMMENDATIONS, AND WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF SCENARIOS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROPOSAL.
STARTING WITH, WHAT SHOULD LOOK FAMILIAR, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH YOUR CURRENT PAY STRUCTURE.
THIS IS YOUR CURRENT GENERAL PAY PLAN.
THIS IS A CONSOLIDATED GENERAL PAY PLAN, MEANING YOU RIGHT NOW HAVE THREE BUCKETS OF EMPLOYEES; NON-EXEMPT, EXEMPT, AND AN EXECUTIVE EXEMPT.
THIS IS YOUR CURRENT GENERAL PAY PLAN IF THAT PAY PLAN WERE CONSOLIDATED.
IT'S WHAT WE CALL AN OPEN PAY PLAN, MEANING THERE'S NO DEFINED STEPS BETWEEN MINIMUMS AND MAXIMUMS. EMPLOYEE SALARIES FALL SOMEWHERE WITHIN THOSE AREAS.
YOU CURRENTLY HAVE 38 GRADES, NUMBERED 100 THROUGH 340, THOUGH NOT ALL OF THESE GRADES ARE IN USE.
WE DO SKIP A COUPLE OF THOSE GRADES, LEAVING GAPS IN YOUR EXISTING SYSTEM.
THIS IS THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE GRADES, AND YOU CAN SEE HIGH PEAKS, HIGH VALLEYS IN SOME CASES.
IN A LOT OF CASES, SOME GRADES ARE ONLY ONE OR TWO POSITIONS, MEANING IT'S NOT A PAY STRUCTURE, IT'S YOU JUST HAVE A SALARY RANGE FOR ONE OR TWO POSITIONS.
WE WANT A MORE COHESIVE SYSTEM.
ONE OF THE PIECES THAT WE LOOK AT TO ASSESS THE HEALTH OF YOUR EXISTING PAY STRUCTURE IS RANGE SPREAD.
[02:50:02]
THAT'S THE DISTANCE FROM MINIMUM TO MAXIMUM.YOU RIGHT NOW START AT 40% AND GO UP TO 50%.
THAT'S ACTUALLY IN LINED WITH BEST PRACTICES IN TERMS OF STARTING NARROWER AT THE BOTTOM END OF YOUR PAY STRUCTURE AND GROWING WIDER TO THE TOP END OF YOUR PAY STRUCTURE.
THE RANGE SPREAD SHOULD FILTER AND BE TAILORED TO THE NATURE AND LEARNING CURVE OF THE POSITION.
WHAT WE ALSO LOOK AT IS THE DISTANCE BETWEEN EACH GRADE AT THE MIDPOINT.
IT'S AN AVERAGE OF 6% BETWEEN EACH GRADE, THOUGH YOU CAN SEE SOME PRETTY HIGH PEAKS THERE STARTING EARLY ON, 19% BETWEEN GRADES 105 AND 115.
FOR THE MOST PART, IT'S 5% ACROSS THE BOARD, THOUGH WE DO JUMP UP WHEN WE GET TO THAT EXECUTIVE EXEMPT OF A 17% JUMP.
WE JUST WANT TO HAVE A MORE CLEAR AND UNIFIED SYSTEM AND THEN BE ABLE TO ADJUST THIS TO BE MARKET COMPETITIVE.
THE STARTING MINIMUM WAGE FOR FULL TIME EMPLOYEES RIGHT NOW IS $18.42 AN HOUR, THAT IS REPRESENTED AT GRADE 115, AN ANNUAL SALARY OF $38,313.60.
LOOKING AT THIS, DECIDING AND UNDERSTANDING THAT, TAKE A MATCH MARKET PHILOSOPHY.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IN TERMS OF A GENERAL PAY STRUCTURE.
STICKING WITH THE OPEN PAY PLAN, NOT DEFINED STEPS.
EMPLOYEE SALARIES FALL SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM.
NOW INSTEAD OF 38 GRADES, SEVERAL OF THEM WERE NOT IN USE, WE HAVE 25 GRADES WHERE WE HAVE A VERY CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THESE POSITIONS ARE GRADED TO EACH OF THESE GRADES.
IN AN OPEN PLAN, MIDPOINT IS KEY.
MIDPOINT IS WHAT'S OUR ANCHOR TO MARKET.
THAT REPRESENTS WHEN SOMEBODY'S FULLY PROFICIENT IN THE ROLE.
WE TAKE THESE MARKET AVERAGES.
FROM THERE, RANGE SPREADS EXPAND AND CONTRACT AROUND THAT MIDPOINT.
WE'VE GONE NARROWER AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR PAY PLAN, 30% RANGE SPREADS, UP TO 50%.
THAT'S TO KEEP YOUR MINIMUMS EVEN MORE COMPETITIVE AND ALSO THINK ABOUT CAREER PROGRESSIONS AT THESE EARLY GRADES.
YOU CAN SEE A MUCH MORE EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS BY THE PROPOSED GRADE AND MORE TAILORED MARKET MIDPOINT DIFFERENTIALS, MEANING THERE'S AN AVERAGE OF 7% BETWEEN EACH GRADE, IN SOME CASES HAVING SIGNIFICANT JUMP BETWEEN POSITIONS OR BETWEEN GRADES.
THIS IS AGAIN, TO ACCOUNT FOR THE FACT HAVE A LOT OF POSITIONS IN THIS PAY STRUCTURE, SOME THAT ARE EXEMPT, MEANING THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR OVERTIME, AND THOSE THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR OVERTIME.
IF WE HAVE EVERYBODY IN ONE PAY STRUCTURE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH DISTANCE BETWEEN SUPERVISORS AND SUBORDINATES.
THAT IF SOMEBODY'S GOING TO GIVE UP THEIR OVERTIME AND TAKE A SALARIED ROLE, IT'S ENTICING ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD IN THAT STRUCTURE.
THE NEW PROPOSED STARTING MINIMUM WAGE FOR FULL TIME EMPLOYEES WILL BE $19.71 AN HOUR, REPRESENTED AT THAT GRADE 2, AN ANNUAL STARTING SALARY OF $41,000.
HOW DO WE COME UP WITH THESE RANGE SPREADS OF 30%? HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT THE MIDPOINT DIFFERENTIALS ARE? UNDERSTANDING HOW WE GO FROM 5%-3% OR 17% -20%.
IT'S NOT MAGIC. IT'S NOT A MYSTERY.
IT'S ACTUALLY JUST A WHOLE LOT MORE MATH THAN ANYTHING.
THIS MAKES ME REALLY EXCITED, BUT I UNDERSTAND THE HOUR, IN WHICH CASE, I WILL NOT BORE YOU WITH A REGRESSION ANALYSIS, BUT I'LL TALK ABOUT THIS ALL DAY LONG.
BUT THIS IS THE TOOL THAT WE USE TO ADJUST THE PAY STRUCTURE.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TO DEFINE WHERE IS THE MARKET VALUES OF POSITIONS.
EACH ONE OF THESE BLUE DOTS REPRESENTS A BENCHMARK POSITION WHERE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE JOB EVALUATION AND THE MARKET.
THAT DARK BLUE LINE IN THE MIDDLE IS THE REGRESSION LINE OR THE LINE OF BEST FIT.
THAT'S WHAT MARKET IS TELLING US IS HAPPENING AND OCCURRING IN 2025.
THEN THE DOTTED LINES IN THE TEAL LINE IS THE PROPOSED PAY STRUCTURE.
WHEN WE SAY A MATCH MARKET PHILOSOPHY, WE WANT THAT LINE RUNNING PARALLEL TO THE MARKET LINE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE USING TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO YOUR OVERALL PAY STRUCTURE.
THIS IS ADJUSTMENTS TO THE GENERAL PAY PLAN.
WE DO HAVE TWO OTHER PAY PLANS; A POLICE PAY PLAN, WHICH IS A STEP AND GRADE SYSTEM, AS WELL AS A FIRE PAY PLAN, WHICH IS ALSO STEP AND GRADE SYSTEM.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CURRENT POLICE PAY PLAN, AS WELL AS OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADJUSTMENT AND SOME OF THE RESULTS OF OUR MARKET ASSESSMENT FOR THESE.
THIS IS THE CURRENT POLICE PAY PLAN.
MOST PUBLIC SECTOR SYSTEMS, THE MIDPOINT OF A PAY RANGE IS GOING TO REPRESENT WHEN SOMEBODY IS FULLY PROFICIENT OR FULLY EXPERIENCED IN THE ROLE.
THIS IS MATHEMATICALLY EASIER TO ACHIEVE IN AN ODD STEP SYSTEM.
IT'S NOT ODD FUNKY, IT'S ODD NUMBERED.
[02:55:01]
WE HAVE A POLICE OFFICER, STEP SYSTEM WITH SEVEN STEPS, POLICE SERGEANT WITH THREE, POLICE LIEUTENANT IN THREE.YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT COMPARES TO THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF STEPS FOR YOUR MARKET.
MARKET FOR A POLICE OFFICER IS 6.7, SO AGAIN, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 6 AND 7 STEPS IS WHAT YOUR PEER ORGANIZATIONS HAVE.
POLICE SERGEANT, AGAIN FOUR STEPS, CLOSER TO FIVE, POLICE LIEUTENANT IS 4.57, CLOSER TO FIVE.
AVERAGE STEPS FOR THE PEER ORGANIZATIONS.
WE WANT TO KEEP YOU ON THIS ODD STEP SYSTEM.
THAT HELPS US UNDERSTAND MATHEMATICALLY WHERE THE MIDPOINT IS.
CURRENTLY, THERE'S 4% BETWEEN EACH STEP.
AGAIN, IN LINE WITH WHAT YOUR PEER ORGANIZATIONS ARE OFFERING AS THE AVERAGE PERCENTAGE INCREASE BETWEEN STEPS AS WELL.
THE CURRENT PAY PLAN AVOIDS OVERLAP IN RANKS.
MEANING THERE IS NO COMPRESSION BETWEEN POSITIONS, SO A LONG TENURED STEP 7 POLICE OFFICER IS NOT MAKING MORE THAN THE NEXT RANK, MEANING A VERY EARLY BRAND NEW POLICE SERGEANT.
THERE IS VERY CLEAR NOT OVERLAP OR AVOIDING OVERLAP BETWEEN THE RANKS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS.
BUT WHEN WE ARE MARKET COMPETITIVE, MARKET DOESN'T CARE ABOUT COMPRESSION BETWEEN POSITIONS.
MARKET WILL SAY THIS IS THE VALUE OF A POLICE OFFICER, THIS IS THE VALUE OF A SERGEANT.
IT'S NOT GOING TO TELL US WHAT THAT COMPRESSION SHOULD LOOK LIKE OR HOW WE AVOID THAT.
THAT'S HOW WE DO IT ON OUR SIDE TO LOOK AT THAT PROPOSED ADJUSTMENTS TO THE PAY STRUCTURE.
THE STARTING MINIMUM WAGE FOR A POLICE OFFICER RIGHT NOW IS $34.39 AN HOUR, REPRESENTED AT A $71,526 ANNUAL STARTING SALARY.
WHERE WE WERE LOOKING AT IN RELATION TO THIS STARTING MINIMUM, AND EVEN THE MARKET MIDPOINT, BEHIND YOUR PEER ORGANIZATIONS FOR POLICE OFFICERS AT THE MINIMUM, 7.9% BEHIND MARKET AT THE MINIMUM, 9% BEHIND MARKET AT THE MIDPOINT.
WHILE YOUR OVERALL AVERAGES FOR THE CITY WERE AT TWO AND 2.3, PUBLIC SAFETY, PARTICULARLY OUR POLICE, ARE FALLING BEHIND THE CURRENT COMPETITIVE SPACE WITH MARKET, 7.9% BEHIND MARKET AT THE MINIMUM, 9% BEHIND MARKET AT THE MIDPOINT.
WE ABSOLUTELY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE COMPETITIVE, STILL ABLE TO DRAW TALENT INTO THE ORGANIZATION AND KEEP THEM.
THIS IS THE PROPOSED NEW POLICE PAY PLAN.
IT IS STILL A STEP AND GRADE PAY PLAN, MAX SEVEN STEPS FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS, THREE STEPS FOR OUR SERGEANTS AND OUR LIEUTENANTS.
IT'S GOING TO MAINTAIN THE 4% BETWEEN EACH STEP.
IT'S GOING TO FEEL LIKE, VERY SIMILAR, NOT A LOT OF ADJUSTMENT HERE.
YOUR STRUCTURE IS ALIGNED TO IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF STEPS AND THE PERCENTAGE BETWEEN STEPS IS ALIGNED TO MARKET.
WE LIKE TO SEE THE ODD STEPS, SO WE'RE GOING TO KEEP DOING THAT.
THIS CURRENT PLAN DOES AVOID OVERLAP BETWEEN THE RANKS, SPECIFICALLY WITH OUR NON EXEMPT AND OUR EXEMPT POSITIONS, AND AVOIDING COMPRESSION BETWEEN OUR RANKS OF OFFICER, SERGEANT, AND OUR LIEUTENANTS.
WE DID SHIFT THE ENTIRE PAY STRUCTURE THOUGH, TO BE MARKET COMPETITIVE.
THE STARTING MINIMUM WAGE FOR A POLICE OFFICER IS GOING TO BE PROPOSED TO BE $38.51 AN HOUR.
THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF AN $80,099 ANNUAL STARTING SALARY.
THAT REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY 4% HIGHER THAN THE AVERAGE MARKET MIDPOINTS.
THAT'S NOT EVEN PUTTING YOU AT THE HIGHEST OF A STARTING SALARY FOR POLICE OFFICERS, BUT IT IS PUTTING YOU IN THE HIGHER END OF THAT BRACKET.
>> SIMILAR CONSIDERATIONS FOR OUR CURRENT FIRE PAY PLANS.
THIS IS A STEP AND GRADE STRUCTURE.
IT HAS MADE UP OF SEVEN POSITIONS, FIREFIGHTER EMT, A SPECIALIST, FIRE RECRUIT, FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC, FIRE DRIVER ENGINEER, FIRE CAPTAIN, AND FIRE INSPECTOR.
TWO OF THESE POSITIONS, THE FIRE PREVENTION SPECIALIST AND FIRE INSPECTOR, CURRENTLY WORK DIFFERENT HOURS, SO THEY ARE NOT ON THE NORMAL SHIFT SCHEDULE OF OUR SWORN POSITIONS.
THE STEP GRADE PLAN CURRENTLY HAS A MAX SEVEN STEPS FOR FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDICS, THREE STEPS FOR EMT, ENGINEER, AND CAPTAIN.
THIS PAY STRUCTURE CURRENTLY HAS 3.5% BETWEEN EACH STEP.
A LITTLE BIT OUT OF ALIGNMENT WITH MARKET THERE.
YOU CAN SEE THE AVERAGE MARKET IS A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO ABOUT 4%.
THERE IS CLEARLY IN THIS PLAN, THOUGH, LIKE OUR POLICE, AVOIDING OVERLAP BETWEEN THE RANKS, SO WE AVOID COMPRESSION BETWEEN THE POSITIONS.
IN TERMS OF THAT NUMBER OF STEPS AND HOW THAT COMPARES IN MARKET, FOR PARAMEDICS, YOU HAVE SEVEN STEPS.
FOR DRIVER ENGINEER, YOU HAVE THREE STEPS.
[03:00:03]
AGAIN, MARKET AVERAGES AS RIGHT AROUND FOUR, SAME FOR CAPTAIN.AGAIN, WE DO LIKE TO SEE AN ODD STEP SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THAT MIDPOINT WHEN SOMEBODY IS FULLY PROFICIENT IN THE ROLE, THAT'S THE MIDPOINT.
THE STARTING MINIMUM WAGE FOR A FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC IS CURRENTLY $24.76 AN HOUR, REPRESENTED AT A $72,100 ANNUAL STARTING SALARY.
IN RELATION TO MARKET THAT WAS APPROXIMATELY 1.9% BEHIND MARKET AT THE MINIMUM, AND THEN 3% BEHIND MARKET AT THE MIDPOINT.
AGAIN, MORE COMPETITIVE AT THE MINIMUM, BUT WE'RE STILL BEHIND MARKET.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO READJUST THIS ENTIRE PAY STRUCTURE TO BE MARKET COMPETITIVE.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS THE PROPOSED FIRE PAY PLAN.
IN THIS CASE, WE HAVE REMOVED THOSE TWO POSITIONS OF SPECIALIST AND INSPECTOR AND MOVED THEM BACK TO THE GENERAL PAY STRUCTURE OR THE GENERAL PAY PLAN.
AGAIN, THEY'RE WORKING AT 2080 SCHEDULE.
THEY SHOULD BE WITH THE OTHER GENERAL EMPLOYEES.
LEAVE THIS PAY PLAN FOR THE FIVE POSITIONS THAT ARE WORKING THAT DIFFERENT SHIFT SCHEDULE.
IT IS A STEP AND GRADE PLAN, SEVEN STEPS FOR OUR PARAMEDIC, THREE STEPS FOR EMT ENGINEER, AND CAPTAIN.
WE DO NOW HAVE A PROPOSED GOING FROM 3.5% BETWEEN STEPS TO A 4% BETWEEN STEPS.
AGAIN, THAT'S TO BE MARKET COMPETITIVE WITH WHAT YOUR PEERS ARE OFFERING, BUT ALSO TO HAVE SOME PARITY HERE BETWEEN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PAY PLANS.
THIS PROPOSAL ALSO AVOIDS OVERLAP BETWEEN RANKS OF NON-EXEMPT AND EXEMPT POSITIONS.
AGAIN, TRYING TO BE MARKET-DRIVEN, WE'VE REALLY TRIED TO REDUCE THOSE IN TERMS OF OVERLAP BETWEEN THE RANKS AS WELL.
IT DOES GET A LITTLE BIT TIGHT TO BE MARKET COMPETITIVE, BUT WE'VE ALSO EXPANDED THOSE STEPS.
THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THAT IS A TRADE-OFF.
IN TERMS OF THE STARTING MINIMUM WAGE FOR A PARAMEDIC IS NOW GOING TO BE $25.84 AN HOUR, REPRESENTING A $75,256 ANNUAL STARTING SALARY, REPRESENTING APPROXIMATELY 2.5% HIGHER THAN THE AVERAGE MARKET MINIMUMS. AGAIN, PUTTING YOU A BIT HIGHER THAN THE AVERAGE, NOT AT THE VERY TOP OF YOUR PEERS, BUT PUTTING YOU IN THE TOP IN THAT TOP AVERAGE.
USING THESE THREE PAY STRUCTURES, ONCE WE HAVE THE PAY STRUCTURES DEVELOPED AND DESIGNED, NEXT COMES THE POSITIONS.
WE DETERMINE GRADE ASSIGNMENTS BASED ON ALL OF THE AVAILABLE DATA THAT WE USE.
AGAIN, INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL DATA.
IN TOTAL, 92 POSITIONS WERE CLASSIFIED TO A GRADE IN THE PROPOSED PAY PLAN, INITIALLY USING JOB EVALUATION SCORES, MEANING THE EVALUATION FROM THOSE PAQS AND THOSE SUPERVISORS IS WHAT WE INITIALLY USED TO PLACE A POSITION INTO A GRADE.
FROM THERE, WE MAKE ADJUSTMENTS.
WE LOOK AT THE MARKET DATA, WE LOOK AT CAREER PROGRESSIONS, SUPERVISOR-SUBORDINATE SEPARATION, GRADE COMPRESSION.
ALL TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHERE SHOULD THIS POSITION FALL INTO WHICH GRADE? AS WE DO THIS, THOUGH, WE DO NOT CONSIDER THE PERSON IN THE POSITION AT ALL.
AGAIN, IT'S NOT ABOUT THE PERSON, HOW LONG THEY'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY, THEIR PERFORMANCE, EVEN THEIR EXISTING SALARY.
OUR GOAL IS WHAT IS THE BASE VALUE OF THE POSITION.
THAT'S WHAT WE DETERMINED FIRST.
NOW, ONCE WE HAVE THE POSITIONS DETERMINED, AND WE DID REVIEW THIS WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS FOR EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT HAD A REVIEW OF THEIR OWN POSITIONS AND PROVIDED US FEEDBACK THAT WE INCORPORATED INTO OUR FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
THEN WE CAN START TO DEVELOP IMPLEMENTATION SCENARIOS.
BAKER TILLY DID DEVELOP 10 SCENARIOS, FOUR FOR THE GENERAL PAY PLAN, AND THEN THREE FOR POLICE AND THREE FOR FIRE.
AS YOU START TO EVALUATE, WHAT ARE THE PROCESS FOR IMPLEMENTATION? AS WE START TO ADOPT THE NEW CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION PLAN.
I WILL SAY IN ACROSS ALL OF THESE 10 SCENARIOS, I DO HAVE TWO CAVEATS THAT IS THE FIRST.
IN EACH OF THESE, NO EMPLOYEE WILL RECEIVE A PAY DECREASE EVER AS A RESULT OF THE STUDY.
IN NO SCENARIO WILL ANY EMPLOYEE RECEIVE A DECREASE.
THE SECOND IS THESE IMPLEMENTATION COSTS, AS WE'VE PREPARED THEM ARE REFLECTIVE OF BASE PAY ONLY.
IT IS NOT INCLUSIVE OF BENEFITS OR PAY DIFFERENTIALS, OR ANY OF THOSE COMPONENTS.
SOME OF THE NUMBERS THAT I'LL BE SHARING WITH YOU TONIGHT ARE USING OUR BASE PAY INFORMATION IN COORDINATION WITH ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE US WITH THE ADDITIONAL COSTS TO BENEFITS.
IN TOTAL, WE LOOKED AT 130 STAFF AND VACANT POSITIONS.
EMPLOYEES, THERE ARE CURRENTLY 48 EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE A CURRENT SALARY THAT IS BELOW THEIR NEW PROPOSED MINIMUM, 78 EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WITHIN THE RANGE, MEANING THEY'RE ALREADY WITHIN THAT MINIMUM OR MAXIMUM, AND FOUR EMPLOYEES THAT ARE CURRENTLY ABOVE THEIR NEW PROPOSED MAXIMUM.
AGAIN, FOR THOSE FOUR EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ABOVE THE MAXIMUM,
[03:05:03]
WE'RE NOT TAKING MONEY AWAY FROM THEM TO PUT THEM INTO THE PAY STRUCTURE.WE ESSENTIALLY HOLD THEM WHERE THEY ARE UNTIL THE MARKET AND THE PAY STRUCTURE CATCHES UP TO WHERE THEY ARE.
IN TERMS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION SCENARIOS PROPOSED FOR THE GENERAL PAY PLAN, THIS IS AGAIN AN IMPLEMENTATION OF AN OPEN-RANGE PAY PLAN.
THE FIRST STEP IS, WE AT LEAST NEED TO GET THESE 48 EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE A SALARY THAT IS BELOW THE MINIMUM TO THE MINIMUM.
WE AT LEAST NEED TO GET THEM ONTO THE PAY STRUCTURE.
OPTION ONE REPRESENTS THE MINIMUM ACTION REQUIRED TO BE ABLE TO ADOPT THE PROPOSED PAY PLAN.
OPTION 2 IS RECEIVING THE GREATER OF MOVE TO MINIMUM OR A PERCENTAGE ADJUSTMENT, IN THIS CASE, A 3% SALARY ADJUSTMENT.
THAT WOULD MEAN THAT IF AN EMPLOYEE'S MOVE TO MINIMUM WAS ONLY A 1.5% INCREASE, THEY WOULD INSTEAD GET A 3% SALARY ADJUSTMENT.
THOSE 78 EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WITHIN RANGE ALSO RECEIVE A 3% SALARY ADJUSTMENT.
THAT SCENARIO INTENDS THAT NO ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE RECEIVES LESS THAN A 3% SALARY ADJUSTMENT.
BUT IF WE'RE PUTTING EVERYBODY TO THE MINIMUM, NOW WE'RE NOT ACCOUNTING FOR WHETHER THEY'VE BEEN HERE FOR FIVE MINUTES OR 15 YEARS, OR 25 YEARS.
WE NEED TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL ADJUSTMENT BASED ON HOW LONG THEY'VE BEEN IN THEIR CURRENT ROLE.
OPTION 3 IS IN ADDITION TO OPTION 1, MOVING THOSE EMPLOYEES TO THE MINIMUM.
EMPLOYEES ALSO RECEIVE AN ADJUSTMENT OF 3% FOR EACH YEAR THAT THEY HAVE BEEN IN THEIR ROLE, AND WE DO HAVE A CAP OF EIGHT YEARS.
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE CREDIT FOR AT LEAST EIGHT YEARS IN THEIR POSITION.
THIS IS A TIME BASED ON THEIR TIME AND POSITION, NOT THEIR FULL TENURE WITH THE CITY.
IT'S NOT A YEARS OF SERVICE WITH THE ORGANIZATION.
THEIR CURRENT SALARY IS GOING TO ALREADY BE REFLECTIVE OF THAT.
WHAT WE DO IS WE LOOK AT UNDERSTANDING WHERE SHOULD THEY BE WITHIN THIS RANGE.
IF YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR A YEAR, PROBABLY NARROWER NEAR THE BOTTOM OF YOUR PAY RANGE VERSUS YOU'VE BEEN HERE A LOT LONGER, YOU SHOULD BE FURTHER THROUGH THOSE RANGES.
THOSE ARE OUR STANDARDS, AND THEN WE DID HAVE A REQUEST TO DO A BIT OF A COMBINATION.
WE OFFER OPTION 3B, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY LIKE A COMBINATION OF TWO AND THREE.
IN ADDITION TO OPTION 2, MEANING NO ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE RECEIVES LESS THAN A 3%, WE ALSO THEN LOOK AT THIS TIME IN POSITION OR YEAR IN POSITION ADJUSTMENT, 3% PER YEAR IN THEIR POSITION, CAPPED AT EIGHT YEARS FROM THAT NEW PROPOSED MINIMUM.
IF YOUR CURRENT SALARY IS ALREADY GREATER THAN THAT, YOU DON'T RECEIVE AN ADJUSTMENT, YOU AT LEAST GET THE 3%, AND THAT'S THE FLOOR FOR EVERYONE.
YOU HAVE DIFFERENT IMPLEMENTATION SCENARIOS FOR POLICE AND FIRE TO ADOPT A STEP-IN-GRADE SYSTEM, A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT ADJUSTMENT THERE.
THOUGH WE DO HAVE THE SAME TWO CAVEATS FOR IMPLEMENTATION SCENARIOS IS THAT NO EMPLOYEE WILL RECEIVE A PAY DECREASE AS A RESULT OF THE STUDY, AND THESE IMPLEMENTATION COSTS ARE JUST ABOUT BASE PAY.
IN TOTAL, LOOKING AT THE 37 EMPLOYEES AND VACANT POSITIONS IN POLICE, THE 35 POSITIONS AND VACANT POSITIONS IN FIRE, TOTAL OF 72 PUBLIC SAFETY STAFF, 29 OF THEM HAVE A CURRENT SALARY THAT IS BELOW THE NEW PROPOSED MINIMUM, 42 EMPLOYEES ARE CURRENTLY WITHIN THE RANGE, AND THEN WE DO HAVE ONE FIRE STAFF THAT IS OUTSIDE THEIR NEW PROPOSED MAXIMUM.
THE IMPLEMENTATION SCENARIOS FOR THE PROPOSED POLICE AND FIRE PAY PLANS.
THEY'RE THE SAME SCENARIOS, DIFFERENT CALCULATIONS, BUT ESSENTIALLY THE SAME PHILOSOPHY FOR EACH OF THEM.
FIRST IS MOVING EMPLOYEES TO THE STEP THAT IS CLOSEST TO THEIR EXISTING SALARY.
WHAT IS THEIR CLOSEST STEP WITHOUT A DECREASE? THAT'S GOING TO AT LEAST GET EVERYBODY ONTO THE PAY STRUCTURE.
OPTION 2 IS SIMILAR TO OUR TIME AND POSITION FOR OUR GENERAL PAY PLAN.
EMPLOYEES MOVE TO THE STEP THAT IS BASED ON THEIR YEARS IN POSITION.
THIS IS CAP, JUST LIKE WE CAP THE GENERAL PAY PLAN AT STEP 4.
IF THAT MOVEMENT TO A STEP 2 WOULD RESULT IN A DECREASE, THEY INSTEAD GET THAT OPTION 1, CLOSEST STEP WITHOUT A DECREASE.
AGAIN, NO EMPLOYEE IS RECEIVING A PAY DECREASE AS A RESULT OF THE STUDY.
BUT THE PURPOSE OF A STEP SYSTEM IS THAT EACH STEP SHOULD REPRESENT A YEAR BASED IN YOUR POSITION.
IF YOU HAVE BEEN IN YOUR POSITION FOR THREE YEARS, YOU SHOULD BE AT STEP 3.
THAT'S THE POINT AND PURPOSE OF A STEP AND GRADE SYSTEM.
OPTION 2 IS TO RECALIBRATE ALL THE EMPLOYEES TO BE WHERE SHOULD THEY BE ON THIS STEP AND GRADE SYSTEM? THOUGH, SINCE WE'RE NOT MAKING TOO MANY ADJUSTMENTS TO YOUR EXISTING STRUCTURE, KEEPING THE SAME NUMBER OF STEPS FOR EACH OF THE RANKS.
OPTION 3 IS ESSENTIALLY STATING, EMPLOYEES WOULD KEEP THEIR SAME STEP.
[03:10:03]
WHATEVER STEP THEY ARE ON RIGHT NOW, THEY WOULD KEEP THAT SAME EXISTING STEP IN THE EXISTING PLAN.IF AN EMPLOYEE IS CURRENTLY ON STEP 5, THEY'RE MOVING TO STEP 5, EVEN AFTER THE ENTIRE PAY STRUCTURE HAS BEEN ADJUSTED AND RECALIBRATED TO BE MARKET COMPETITIVE.
THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP THEIR STEP.
LOOKING AT THESE, WE THEN PREPARED SOME IMPLEMENTATION.
WE WORKED WITH ADMINISTRATION AND STAFF TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IMPLEMENTATION IS PERHAPS MOST ADVANTAGEOUS GIVEN THE CURRENT FISCAL AND BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS.
WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING RIGHT NOW IS LOOKING AT THAT OPTION 3 OF MOVE TO MINIMUM AND A 3% PER YEAR IN POSITION, CAPPED AT EIGHT YEARS.
WE COSTED THAT OUT, AND SO THE TOTAL COSTS ESTIMATED TO THE GENERAL FUND IS GOING TO BE $1,174,294.
TOTAL COST, THOUGH, AS WE LOOK AT THEN, THAT ADJUSTMENTS TO THIS IS EVERYTHING INCLUDING YOUR BENEFIT POSITION OR BENEFIT COMPONENTS AS WELL, TO TEXAS RETIREMENT TO SOCIAL SECURITY, AND MEDICARE, TOTAL COSTS ESTIMATED AT $1,228,507.
FOR OPTION 3B, WHERE WE AT LEAST PROVIDE THAT MINIMUM OF A 3%, AND THEN THE 3% PER YEAR IN POSITION, THE GRAND TOTAL THERE IS ESTIMATED AT 1.4 MILLION.
YOU CAN SEE THE COST DIFFERENCES THERE, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE.
BUT I'LL JUST TALK VERY BRIEFLY ABOUT THE OTHER COMPONENTS, THAT IS PROJECT COMPLETION, OR PHASE 5.
WE'VE DOCUMENTED OUR FULL METHODOLOGY TO CONDUCT THE STUDY, OUR FINDINGS, OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, INCLUDING EACH OF THE POSITIONS END UP ON THE PAY STRUCTURE, THE RESULTS OF MARKET.
ALL OF THAT IS TRANSPARENT IN OUR FINAL REPORT, WHICH IS GOING TO BE PREPARED.
THEN OBVIOUSLY, WE CAN DO FINAL PRESENTATIONS TO EMPLOYEES AND TO LEADERSHIP AS THIS GETS ROLLED OUT BASED ON THE IMPLEMENTATION.
ALL PROJECT DOCUMENTATION WILL BE DELIVERED, THAT INCLUDES EVERY PAQ THAT WE COLLECTED AS PART OF THIS PROCESS.
WE DO HAVE ONGOING TRAINING FOR HR TO ADMINISTER AND MAINTAIN THE NEW CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION SYSTEM MOVING FORWARD.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED.
OBVIOUSLY, YOU GUYS CAN CALL US WHENEVER YOU NEED US, BUT THEY'LL HAVE EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO BE AUTONOMOUS TO MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM MOVING FORWARD.
SOME ADDITIONAL DELIVERABLES THAT WE ARE DOING AND HAVE DONE AS PART OF THE PROJECT IS A FULL FLSA REVIEW.
WE REVIEWED ALL OF THE POSITIONS FOR EXEMPT AND NON-EXEMPT DESIGNATION, MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL REGULATION ABOUT ELIGIBILITY FOR OVERTIME.
WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING CAREER LADDERS FOR ENTRY-LEVEL POSITIONS, UNDERSTANDING WHERE THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, THE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, AND THE CERTIFICATIONS REQUIRED TO PROGRESS IN YOUR CAREER.
WE ALSO DID A BENEFITS COMPARISON, AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT THAT DID NOT MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS.
IT IS USING THESE SAME PEER ORGANIZATIONS TO IDENTIFY HOW YOU, THE CITY OF SACHSE, COMPARE IN TERMS OF YOUR BENEFIT OFFERINGS, INCLUDING PAY DIFFERENTIALS, PAID TIME OFF, MEDICAL PREMIUMS, RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTIONS.
THEN THE LAST COMPONENT THAT WE WILL BE DOING AS PART OF THIS COMPREHENSIVE STUDY IS UPDATING YOUR JOB DESCRIPTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE UPDATED AND REFLECTIVE OF THE STUDY.
A LITTLE BIT ON THE BENEFITS COMPARISONS.
FOR THE RESPONDING PEERS, WHAT WE LOOKED AT INITIALLY WAS TIME OFF IN TERMS OF PAID HOLIDAYS, PERSONAL, AND FLOATING HOLIDAYS.
FOR THE RESPONDING PEERS, THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF ANNUAL PAID HOLIDAYS IS 11.4, SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE CITY OF SACHSE, THAT PROVIDES 12.
YOU EXCEEDED THE PEER AVERAGES IN BOTH TOTAL PAID HOLIDAYS AS WELL AS PERSONAL FLOATING HOLIDAYS.
YOU'RE ONE OF THE MOST GENEROUS EMPLOYERS IN THIS CATEGORY OF PAID TIME OFF.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT CONTRIBUTIONS TO HEALTH PLANS.
YOU PROVIDE BOTH A PPO AND A HIGH-DEDUCTIBLE OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD HEALTH PLAN.
PREMIUMS AND DEDUCTIBLES OVERALL WERE HIGHER THAN PEER AVERAGES, PARTICULARLY FOR THE FAMILY COVERAGE.
AGAIN, THE CITY OF SACHSE WAS COMPARABLE IN TERMS OF THE HEALTH INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS.
IN TERMS OF RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTION, YOU'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE MAJORITY OF YOUR PEERS, OFFERING AT LEAST A 7% EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION, BUT WHERE YOU EXCEED YOUR PEERS IS IN THE 14% EMPLOYER MATCH.
ONLY A HANDFUL OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ARE ALSO OFFERING THIS BENEFIT.
MOST ARE JUST DOING A ONE-TO-ONE MATCH.
YOU ARE DOING A TWO-TO-ONE MATCH.
ACROSS TUITION REIMBURSEMENT, YOUR REIMBURSEMENT OF $5,250 IS THE HIGHEST AMONG THE PEERS THAT WE EVALUATED THAT ALSO HAVE
[03:15:02]
ANY TUITION REIMBURSEMENT FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES.WE ALSO LOOKED AT WHETHER YOU ARE OFFERING IN TERMS OF COMP TIME FOR ESSENTIAL STAFF DURING CLOSURES.
ONLY THREE OF THE EIGHT PEERS THAT RESPONDED TO OUR SURVEY AND HAD THIS DATA AVAILABLE OFFER ANY INCLEMENT WEATHER COMPENSATION.
AGAIN, YOU'RE OFFERING SOMETHING THAT THE MAJORITY OF YOUR PEERS ARE NOT OFFERING IN THESE CASES.
FOR PUBLIC SAFETY BENEFITS, YOU'RE IN LINE WITH MANY OF YOUR REGIONAL NORMS, INCLUDING OFFERING UNIFORM COVERAGE, CELL PHONE SUPPORT, SELECTIVE VEHICLE ACCESS BASED ON ROLES OR DEPARTMENTS.
ONE OF THE COMPONENTS THAT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT IS WHERE YOU STAND IN TERMS OF CERTIFICATIONS AND ADDITIONAL EDUCATION.
BUT ACROSS THE BOARD, THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST GLOWING BENEFITS COMPARISONS I'VE CONDUCTED IN RECENT HISTORY, JUST ACROSS EVERY SINGLE CATEGORY.
YOU WERE COMPETITIVE OR OFFERING MORE THAN THE PEER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE LOOKED AT.
I'LL JUST LEAVE YOU WITH OUR FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT AGAIN, THIS IS A DISCUSSION ITEM FOR TONIGHT.
NOTHING TO VOTE ON, BUT WE DO WANT TO GET SOME FEEDBACK FOR AS WE PREPARE THIS FOR THE BUDGET PROCESS.
LOOKING AT USING THE SAFE METHODOLOGY THAT WE USE TO EVALUATE POSITIONS, USING THE NEW PROPOSED 25 GRADE GENERAL PAY PLAN HAS BEEN TAILORED TO MARKET, AS WELL AS THE NEW POLICE AND FIRE PAY PLANS, WHICH HAVE BEEN RECALIBRATED TO BE MARKET COMPETITIVE.
>> WHERE WE'VE EVALUATED EACH OF THOSE POSITIONS THAT HAS HAD INPUT FROM DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP AND THE PROJECT TEAM, AND THEN PROBABLY OUR LARGEST RECOMMENDATION IS JUST TO CONTINUE EFFORTS LIKE THESE TO MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM MOVING FORWARD.
OUR GOAL WAS NOT JUST TO GIVE YOU A PAY STRUCTURE THAT IS 2025 MARKET-COMPETITIVE, BUT A FULL CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION STUDY LIKE THIS ONE, YOU WOULD ONLY NEED TO BE ABLE TO CONDUCT EVERY 3-5, MAYBE 5-8 YEARS IF YOU'RE MAINTAINING THAT.
MEANING, YOU'RE ADJUSTING THE PAY STRUCTURE ANNUALLY TO KEEP PACE WITH MARKET.
YOU'RE MOVING AND ADVANCING EMPLOYEES THROUGH THESE ASSIGNED PAY RANGES AS WELL, ROUTINELY REVIEWING POSITIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT YOUR JOB DESCRIPTIONS ARE UP TO DATE WITH YOUR PEER COMPETITORS.
IF YOU'RE DOING THAT, YOU WON'T HAVE TO DO THIS FULL CLASS AND COMP STUDY AGAIN FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
BUT WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, MS. TOWN. VERY GOOD PRESENTATION.
APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORT THAT WENT INTO IT, AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF DATA POINTS YOU HAD HAD TO ANALYZE.
>> THERE WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION.
>> BUT I THINK YOU ACTUALLY ENJOYED IT.
I'M A GIANT DATA NERD, SO THAT MAKES ME REALLY HAPPY.
>> YES. [LAUGHTER] MR. LINDSAY?
>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND ALL THE WORK THAT'S GONE INTO THIS.
YOU MENTIONED A FINAL PRESENTATION, SO WHEN IS THAT MADE AVAILABLE? BECAUSE I'M LOOKING FOR MORE DATA.
I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SEE, WHERE DID, FOR EXAMPLE, A CROSSING GUARD END UP IN THE NEW PAY RANGE.
>> THIS PRESENTATION IS ESSENTIALLY OUR FINAL PRESENTATION THAT WILL BE SHARED AND DELIVERED TO EMPLOYEES AS WELL.
THE COMPONENT THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IS ALSO THAT DETAILED INFORMATION OF THE FINAL REPORT.
IN THE FINAL REPORT, WE HAVE THE MARKET AVERAGES, AND WE ALSO HAVE WHERE EACH OF THE POSITIONS END UP.
BUT AGAIN, THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN FILTERED THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATIONS, AND IT'S NOT BASED ON WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE ARE FALLING.
WITHIN OUR FINAL REPORT, THERE'S NOTHING PEOPLE-SPECIFIC.
>> THIS FINAL REPORT, I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO OPEN IT UP AND SEE, HERE WAS THIS PARTICULAR POSITION, AND HERE IT WAS FROM THIS COMPARATIVE CITY TO THIS CITY AND THIS CITY, ALL OF THOSE RAW DATA POINTS.
IT'S JUST ALREADY AGGREGATED TOGETHER AT THAT POINT?
>> CORRECT. IN THE FINAL REPORT THOUGH, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE 72 BENCHMARK POSITIONS THAT WE CARRIED TO MARKET, AS WELL AS THE NUMBER OF BENCHMARKS FOUND, AND THEN THE AVERAGE MINIMUM, MIDPOINT, AND MAXIMUM FOR EACH OF THOSE POSITIONS.
THAT IS IN OUR FINAL REPORT, BUT IT IS AGGREGATE.
>> WHERE I SAW THE NEW PLAN STARTING AT, NUMBER 1 STARTED AT, I THINK, 40,000 A YEAR, $20 AN HOUR OR SO.
WHERE DOES THAT SEASONAL PART-TIME REC AIDE VERSUS CROSSING GUARD? WHERE DOES THAT FIT INTO THIS PLAN?
>> SURE. THE PROPOSED GENERAL PAY PLAN FOR MINIMUM WAGE FOR FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES IS GOING TO START AT THAT GRADE 2, THAT'S THAT $19.71 AN HOUR.
THAT'S THE 41,000 STARTING ANNUAL SALARY.
FOR SEVERAL OF OUR PART-TIME POSITIONS, THOSE ARE GRADED IN GRADE 1.
>> WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED HERE IS RIGHT NOW, IF I LOOK AT OUR PAY PLAN FOR CROSSING GUARD, I THINK IT STARTS AT $13 AN HOUR.
BY PUTTING EVERYBODY INTO THIS NEW PLAN, THAT WOULD EFFECTIVELY RAISE THE STARTING PAY OF THAT PARTICULAR SEASONAL POSITION TO $19 AN HOUR OR SO?
[03:20:01]
>> IT'S ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD A HARD TIME FILLING.
I OFTEN LOOK AT, IS IT BECAUSE THE PAY IS SO LOW IN IT? WERE THERE, JUST IN THE DATA IN GENERAL, ANYTHING THAT YOU GLEAN FROM IT? FOR EXAMPLE, THE LIMITED AMOUNT THAT I HAVE HERE, WHICH IS MORE ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY SIDE THOUGH, ARE THERE AREAS THAT JUST STOOD OUT MOST? I LOOK AT IT, AND WE'RE MAKING QUITE A BIT OF CHANGE TO POLICE, BUT JUST A LITTLE BIT OF CHANGE TO FIRE.
DID YOU MAKE THAT SAME CONCLUSION? ARE THERE OTHER AREAS TO WHERE THIS CERTAIN ENGINEERING WAS REALLY UNDERPAID? I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF, ACROSS THE SPECTRUM, HOW HAVE WE BEEN DOING.
HAVE WE BEEN OVERPAYING PEOPLE SOME, AND OTHER IS NOT ENOUGH? WHERE CAN I GET THESE CONCLUSIONS?
>> IN OUR FINAL REPORT, WE AGAIN LIST OUT EACH OF THE POSITIONS AND WHERE THEY'RE AT IN COMPARISON TO MARKET.
THERE WEREN'T GENERAL TRENDS IN TERMS OF CERTAIN OCCUPATIONS LAGGING BEHIND MARKET.
IT'S AGAIN THE OVERALL AVERAGE IS.
ON AVERAGE, FOR WHERE YOU'RE AT IN THE CITY, THE MAJORITY OF THE POSITIONS WERE BEHIND MARKET, EITHER AT THE MINIMUM OR AT THE MIDPOINT, AND ESPECIALLY AT THE MAXIMUM.
YOU'RE NOT HAVING MAXIMUMS THAT ARE JUST COMPETITIVE IN TERMS OF THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT, BUT THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT EVERY POSITION WAS BELOW MARKET.
SOME POSITIONS ARE CURRENTLY ALIGNED WITH MARKET OR EVEN HIGHER THAN MARKET.
BUT AGAIN, WE'RE NOT MOVING THOSE POSITIONS DOWN TO REALIGN THEM TO MARKET.
WE'RE ESSENTIALLY SAYING, AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP YOU WHERE YOU ARE UNTIL THE PAY STRUCTURE CATCHES UP TO WHERE YOU ARE.
YOU'RE ALREADY ALIGNED TO BE MARKET-COMPETITIVE, BUT THESE THAT ARE FALLING BEHIND NEED MORE OF AN ADJUSTMENT.
IT IS NOT ABOUT PROVIDING EVERYONE IN THE ORGANIZATION AN EQUITABLE ADJUSTMENT OR RAISING ALL SALARIES, AGAIN, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE GOAL OF A COMPENSATION STUDY.
IT'S A RECALIBRATION OF ALL OF THE POSITIONS TO BE INTERNALLY EQUITABLE AND MARKET-COMPETITIVE.
IN SOME CASES, SOME POSITIONS NEED MORE OF AN ADJUSTMENT.
>> YOUR ANALYSIS DOESN'T UNCOVER IF WE'RE UNDERSTAFFED OR OVERSTAFFED, ANYTHING IN THAT AREA?
>> NO. THIS IS NOT A STAFFING ASSESSMENT OR A WORKFORCE ASSESSMENT.
>> SOME OF THE POSITIONS THAT WE DO HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, POLICE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICERS, WE'VE BEEN SHORT STAFFED THERE AND REALLY HEAVILY RELY ON OVERTIME.
THOSE POSITIONS, IF YOU ADD UP THE BASE PAY AND THE OVERTIME PAY, IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN WHAT IS IN THAT STEP PLAN.
WHENEVER YOU COMPARE TO OTHER CITIES, YOU DON'T HAVE ANALYSIS TO SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, IN ROWLETT, THEY ALSO WORK AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF OVERTIME.
NONE OF THAT'S REALLY FACTORED IN.
>> NO, JUST IF THEY'RE ON A DIFFERENT SHIFT AND WHAT THOSE HOURS PER WEEK ARE, AGAIN WE WANT THOSE ANNUALIZED RATES TO BE COMPARABLE.
BUT WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT STAFFING NUMBERS, HOW MUCH TIME THEY'RE UTILIZING IN TERMS OF OVERTIME.
WE LOOK AT ESTABLISHING THE INITIAL PEERS, WAS LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, BUT NOT FOR CERTAIN POSITIONS.
NOT A STAFFING OR WORKFORCE ASSESSMENT.
WE'RE AGAIN GETTING AT WHAT IS THE BASE VALUE OF A POSITION? IN SOME OF THOSE CASES, YOU COULD BE LOOKING AT BUILDING OUT A CAREER PROGRESSION, WHERE WE HAVE AN ENTRY LEVEL POSITION AND THEN BUILDING UP ADDITIONAL CERTIFICATIONS, YEARS OF EXPERIENCE THAT THEN CREATE THAT CAREER PROGRESSION FOR EMPLOYEES, AGAIN NOT JUST KEEPING THEM IN ONE ROLE, BUT OFFERING PROGRESSION THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION.
>> IN THE PRESENTATION, IT SAID SEVERAL TIMES, I THINK, SUBTLETY EFFECT OF WHETHER SOMEBODY RESPONDED OR NOT.
IS THIS SIMPLY LIKE, YOU GO AND ASK A CITY AND YOU HOPE THEY RESPOND, OR DO YOU GO DIG THROUGH THEIR COUNCIL AGENDAS AND MINUTES AND ACTUALLY FIND PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION TO UTILIZE?
>> YEAH. WE'RE PRETTY RELENTLESS IN GETTING ALL OF THE DATA THAT WE NEED TO CONDUCT THE STUDY.
IN THE CASE OF THE BASE PAY INFORMATION, THESE WERE THE 10 THAT WERE COMPILED, AND THEN WE DID COLLECT OR COMPILE THAT DATA FROM ALL 10 OF THOSE.
SOME OF THOSE RESPONDED TO THE SURVEY IN TERMS OF THE FULL BENEFITS COMPARISON.
WE WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN PAY DATA THOUGH FROM ALL OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS.
>> I SAW THE BENEFITS COMPARISON.
I KNOW WE'RE DOING MUCH BETTER THAN A LOT OF THE OTHER CITIES, BUT A NEWER BENEFIT THAT I'VE SEEN, AND IT WAS RECENTLY ADOPTED BY MURPHY, WAS HAD TO DO WITH THE CALCULATION OF OVERTIME PAY.
BASICALLY, ANY KIND OF MANDATORY PAY IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE, FOR EXAMPLE, TIME AND A HALF, REGARDLESS IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A SICK DAY OR VACATION DAY.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU LOOK AT FROM OTHER CITIES, SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF AS A TREND AT ALL?
>> WE DID LOOK AT THE COMPARISON OF CALLBACK AND ON-CALL PAY, AS WELL AS YOUR POLICIES IN COMPARISON WHEN IT COMES TO OVERTIME.
[03:25:02]
SACHSE'S COMPARABLE AND WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE OFFERING IN TERMS OF THAT OVERTIME BENEFIT, HOW YOU COMPENSATE FOR THAT.>> YOUR PLAN REALLY WOULDN'T ADVISE WHETHER THAT SHOULD BE A BENEFIT OR NOT THAT WE WOULD WANT TO IMPLEMENT?
>> NO. WE DON'T MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON BENEFITS CHANGES, IT'S JUST THE DATA OF WHERE YOU'RE AT IN COMPARISON TO THE PEER ORGANIZATIONS.
>> ON THE PROPOSED PAY CHANGES UNDERNEATH THE FIRE.
>> I GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE'RE AT.
>> WE'RE OUTSIDE, I GUESS, THE DEFINITION OF COMPRESSION BY ABOUT $12.
BUT I WAS JUST CURIOUS, WHEN WE GO FROM FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC, IT'S 95-23, AND THEN TO GO TO THE DRIVER ENGINEER, IT'S $12 MORE.
>> THAT'S ALWAYS THE FUN PART OF BEING A MARKET-DRIVEN PAY STRUCTURE.
AGAIN, MARKET DOESN'T CARE ABOUT COMPRESSION BETWEEN POSITIONS.
MARKET IS GOING TO TELL US THAT THE AVERAGE MARKET VALUE FOR A FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC, SOMEBODY THAT IS FULLY PROFICIENT IN THE ROLE, IS RIGHT AROUND THIS $84,000.
FOR A FIRE DRIVER ENGINEER, IT'S RIGHT AROUND $99,000.
IT DOESN'T TELL US HOW MUCH COMPRESSION OR OVERLAP.
IN FACT, MOST CASES, MARKET IS GOING TO SUPPORT A WHOLE LOT OF COMPRESSION AND OVERLAP.
WE'VE TRIED TO AVOID THAT BY AGAIN LOOKING AT WHERE POSITIONS ARE GOING TO END IN TERMS OF THAT STEP 7 AND WHERE THEY BEGIN IN THE CASE OF A PERSON IN THE ROLE THAT IS A LONG, TENURED FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC AT THAT STEP 7.
IN ORDER TO PROMOTE THEM UP INTO A FIRE DRIVER ENGINEER, YOUR EXISTING PAY POLICIES AND PRACTICES WOULD LIKELY KICK IN, WHICH IS OFFERING A MINIMUM PERCENTAGE INCREASE UPON PROMOTION.
IN THIS CASE, LIKELY MOVING THEM TO THAT STEP 2, INSTEAD OF STARTING THEM AT THAT STEP 1.
BUT THAT'S THE ONLY CASE FOR, AGAIN, A STEP 7 PARAMEDIC.
>> I KNOW I'VE HEARD YOU MENTION, SEVERAL TIMES COST OF LABOR, BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
THE WAY THAT I'M CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT THINGS IS FROM THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX AND WHAT WE ALL CALL INFLATION.
I JUST KNOW, ROUGHLY IN THE FIVE-YEAR PERIOD, IT'S ABOUT 23 1/2% OR SO.
I KNOW WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT ANY GIVEN PERSON THOUGH, BUT I STILL LOOK AT THE POSITION.
IF THAT PERSON WAS MAKING, LET'S SAY, 38,500 FIVE YEARS AGO, TODAY, THEY WOULD NEED $50,000 TO HAVE THAT SAME QUALITY OF LIFE, TO GO TO THE STORE, PURCHASE THE SAME THINGS AND SUCH.
YOUR STUDY THOUGH, IT'S REALLY JUST IN REGARDS, HEY, WHAT ARE PEOPLE WILLING TO WORK FOR? IT REALLY DOESN'T TAKE THAT, I WANT TO SAY, MORE HUMAN ASPECT.
>> WELL, IF WE'RE COMPARING THESE POSITIONS TO MARKET, IT IS NOT HISTORICAL.
IT IS NOT A REFLECTIVE LOOK AT WHAT EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN PAID HISTORICALLY.
IT IS, WHAT ARE YOUR PEER ORGANIZATION'S OFFERING RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF MINIMUM SALARIES AND BENEFITS.
IN TERMS OF THE ADJUSTMENTS TO STARTING SALARIES, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE COMPETITIVE THERE.
WE DO NOT LOOK AT WHERE PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY PAID WITHIN THESE FOR YOUR PEER COMPARISONS, THOUGH.
AGAIN, IT IS IF THEY'RE ADVERTISING FOR A STARTING SALARY FOR A PARAMEDIC, WHAT DOES THAT SALARY LOOK LIKE, AND WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM THAT THEY COULD POTENTIALLY EARN USING ALL OF THOSE AVERAGES AS HOW WE PROPOSE AND DERIVE THE PROPOSED PAY PLANS?
>> WHENEVER I LOOK THROUGH THAT CONTEXT, THAT'S JUST WHERE EVERYTHING ELSE SEEMS TO BE LIKE WE'VE MET INFLATION, AND WE'VE DONE A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN THAT TO MAKE OURSELVES MORE ATTRACTIVE, AND I THINK TO PAY THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY DESERVE OUT HERE.
ACROSS ALL DIFFERENT AREAS, I KNOW OUR EMPLOYEES EXCEL IN VARIOUS CERTIFICATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WHERE I'M LOOKING AT IS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE DRIVER ENGINEER.
ALL THE OTHER POSITIONS SEEM WELL UP, BUT IT ALMOST LIKE THE STEP 3 OF THE DRIVER ENGINEER AFTER I ACCOUNT FOR INFLATION.
I KNOW THESE ARE JUST MY OWN PERSONAL NUMBERS.
I GUESS AT SOME POINT, AND AGAIN, I'M LOOKING AT HISTORICALLY, BUT DRIVER ENGINEERS WERE WORTH A LITTLE BIT MORE, AND NOW THAT'S JUST EVENED OUT A LITTLE BIT.
>> WELL, IN SOME CASES, THE POSITIONS ARE ALREADY PLACED AND APPROPRIATE IN COMPARISON TO MARKET.
IT'S NOT SO MUCH OF WHAT THEY'VE BEEN HISTORICALLY PAID.
IT'S HOW THEY'RE PAID RIGHT NOW IN 2025.
IF THAT MAXIMUM SALARY IS COMPARISON AND COMPARABLE TO MARKET, THEN THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE THAT MAXIMUM VALUE OF WHAT PEOPLE CAN EARN IN THEIR ROLES.
OVER TIME, AS WE LOOK AT THIS WITH COST OF LABOR, NOT COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS OR CPI, WHICH IS A LOT MORE VARIABLE.
[03:30:01]
LOOKING AT COST OF LABOR, WHICH IS MUCH MORE STEADY, ON AVERAGE, GOES BETWEEN 3 AND 4% EVERY SINGLE YEAR.YOUR ADJUSTMENTS TO YOUR PAY STRUCTURE, INCLUDING POLICE AND FIRE, OF ABOUT THAT EACH YEAR IS WHAT'S KEEPING PACE WITH MARKET, BUT IN SOME CASES, THERE'S A LOT OF ADJUSTMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
>> JUST A COUPLE MORE, AND THESE ARE REAL QUICK ON THERE.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF POSITIONS THAT ARE ABOVE THE MAX NOW, BUT HOW MUCH ARE WE MOVING PEOPLE INTO A POSITION WHERE THEY'RE NOT LIKELY TO SEE AN INCREASE FOR SEVERAL YEARS BECAUSE THEY'RE OVER THE MAX? HOW BAD IS THAT NUMBER? SPECIFICALLY, IT'S PROBABLY THE MOVING OUT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BEING CATEGORIZED UNDERNEATH THE REGULAR NON-SWORN PAY PLAN.
>> THE NUMBER OF STAFF THAT ARE IN THE GENERAL PAY PLAN THAT ARE CURRENTLY ABOVE THE MAXIMUM, MEANING THEIR CURRENT SALARY IS ABOVE THE MAXIMUM, IS ONLY FOR EMPLOYEES.
THEY'RE LONG, TENURED EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ALREADY AT THE MAXIMUM OF WHERE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW, SO THEY WOULD NOT RECEIVE AN ADJUSTMENT.
THERE'S NOT LIKELY ANY ADJUSTMENT TO THEIR PAY RIGHT NOW.
AGAIN, THEY'RE ALREADY APPROPRIATELY PLACED WITHIN THAT RANGE.
THERE IS A MAXIMUM TO WHAT THEY CAN EARN.
THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE THAT CASE.
WHETHER THEY ARE FROZEN THERE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, IT'S HARD TO KNOW WHAT THE MARKET WILL DO AND HOW THAT POSITION WILL NEED TO BE ADJUSTED IN THE FUTURE.
BUT FOR RIGHT NOW TO RECALIBRATE TO 2025 MARKET CONDITIONS, WE'RE RECOMMENDING LEAVING THEM WHERE THEY ARE.
>> YOU ACTUALLY HELPED ME OUT GREAT A DEAL ON THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY CAP OUT AT THIS MOMENT, SO IT'S NO WORSE, NO BETTER, BASICALLY, FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
FINAL QUESTIONS JUST AROUND OTHER PERFORMANCE INCENTIVES.
WE HAVE WATER TECHNICIANS THAT CAN GO AND GET VARIOUS CERTIFICATIONS.
WE GOT SPLASH PADS, AND THEY'RE GETTING NEW PULL AND OTHER SANITARY-TYPE CERTIFICATIONS.
OBVIOUSLY, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS, AWARD-WINNING, ALL SORTS OF CERTIFICATIONS ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT MOST DEPARTMENTS HAVE AS WELL.
IS THIS AN ELEMENT OF OF IT AS WELL? THIS BASE PAY THAT I'M SEEING HERE, CAN IT BE AUGMENTED BASED OFF OF THESE OTHER CERTIFICATIONS THAT WE HAVE?
>> POTENTIALLY, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE OTHER PARTS OF OUR ANALYSIS THAT IS FORTHCOMING IS WHERE THE CITY OF SACHSE IS IN COMPARISON IN TERMS OF CERTIFICATIONS, SPECIFICALLY AS WE LOOK AT THOSE.
WELL, I WILL NOTE AND MENTION IS THE FACT THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN INDUSTRIES OR OCCUPATIONS WHERE CERTIFICATIONS ARE ENTIRELY POSSIBLE.
THEY CAN GO OUT AND THEY CAN GO AND OBTAIN A LOT OF DIFFERENT CERTIFICATIONS.
THESE TEND TO BE MALE-DOMINATED FIELDS, WHEREAS OTHER POSITIONS DO NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT AND CONTINUE GETTING ADDITIONAL CERTIFICATIONS.
CERTIFICATIONS ARE SUPPLEMENTAL PAY.
THEY ARE NOT PART OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS IN TERMS OF ADJUSTMENTS TO THOSE.
THEY ARE WHAT WE CALL IN TERMS OF THE BENEFITS PACKAGE.
BUT WHAT WE DO WANT TO MAKE SURE IS THAT THOSE BASE VALUES, REGARDLESS OF WHO FILLS THE ROLE OR WHAT THEIR INDUSTRY IS, IS THAT THAT POSITION IS MARKET-COMPETITIVE.
SO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ON BASE PAY ADJUSTMENTS, NOT TO SUPPLEMENTAL PAY PRACTICES.
>> THANK YOU GREATLY FOR ANSWERING ALL MY QUESTIONS THERE.
THEN MY FINAL COMMENT IS JUST 3B ON LET'S DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, THEY DESERVE IT.
>> IT'S EASY TO COMPARE SALARIES PROGRAMS TO PROGRAMS, CITIES TO CITIES, AND AS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT BENEFITS, WE SEEM TO BE A LITTLE AHEAD OF OTHER CITIES AND BENEFITS.
CELL PHONE REIMBURSEMENT OR SUPPORT COSTS MONEY.
DID YOU PUT A DOLLAR VALUE ON THE BENEFITS AND THEN COMPARE THAT ADD IT BACK TO THE SALARIES TO SEE HOW WE ARE IN OVERALL VALUE PER EMPLOYEE COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES? IT SEEMS LIKE WE MAY BE A LITTLE CLOSER THAN THE DATA THAT YOU'RE SHOWING MAY SAY IF WE'RE GETTING TWO OR THREE DAYS OF HOLIDAYS AND THAT TYPE OF A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS HERE AND A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS THERE, THAT WE MAY BE CLOSER THAN WHAT THE DATA REALLY SHOWS IF YOU'RE JUST COMPARING SALARIES TO SALARIES.
>> PERHAPS. YES, OUR RECOMMENDATIONS DO NOT INCLUDE ANYTHING IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF TOTAL COMPENSATION, PROVIDING A MONETARY VALUE FOR NON MONETARY BENEFITS OR PAY PRACTICES.
AGAIN, OUR STUDY IS JUST LOOKING AT THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BASE PAY AND WHERE YOU'RE AT IN COMPARISON.
WHEN WE ARE MAKING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, WE START WITH HOW YOU WANT TO ALIGN YOURSELVES IN TERMS OF THE MARKET TO BE COMPETITIVE.
I MENTIONED THAT SOME ORGANIZATIONS TAKE THAT LAG
[03:35:01]
PHILOSOPHY BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEIR BENEFITS ARE PHENOMENAL, AND SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT THAT TOTAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE.BAKER TILLY DID NOT PROVIDE AN ANALYSIS IN TERMS OF TOTAL COMPENSATION FOR ALL OF THE BENEFITS, BECAUSE, AGAIN, THESE ARE OFFERED BY THE CITY OF SACHSE, BUT NOT EVERY EMPLOYEE PARTAKES IN THOSE.
THEY'RE ONLY OFFERED TO CERTAIN OCCUPATIONS TO CERTAIN INDUSTRIES.
AGAIN, WE LOOK AT WHERE YOUR BENEFITS OFFERED ARE IN COMPARISON TO THE PEERS, BUT NOT FOR TOTAL COMPENSATION.
>> ON SLIDE 6, YOU GAVE THE MARKET ASSESSMENT COST OF LABOR DIFFERENTIALS.
WE WERE 104. WE WERE HIGHER THAN EVERYONE ELSE EXCEPT FOR RICHARDSON.
>> HOWEVER, ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU SAY WE'RE 2% BELOW THE MARKET MINIMUM TO BETWEEN 3% BELOW THE MARKET MIDPOINT AND 5% BELOW.
THAT JUST DIDN'T PASS THE COMMON SENSE THING. EXPLAIN THAT TO ME.
NOW, BEFORE YOU ANSWER THE QUESTION, MY HEAD HEARD ON SLIDE 11? [LAUGHTER] EVEN IF YOU EXPLAIN THIS, I PROBABLY WON'T AGREE OR UNDERSTAND. GO AHEAD.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE MAKE TO THE DATA OVERALL.
WHERE YOU'RE AT IN COMPARISON TO THE PEER ORGANIZATIONS IS NOT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE.
IT'S A WAY OF STANDARDIZING THE DATA TO ACCOUNT FOR REGIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES.
SOME ORGANIZATIONS, SOME CITIES HAVE DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES THAT PUSHES THEIR COST OF LABOR HIGHER.
THIS DATA COMES FROM THE ECONOMIC RESEARCH INSTITUTE, ALLOWS US TO UNDERSTAND, WHAT IS THE COST OF LABOR IN THE CITY OF SACHSE? STANDARDIZES IT TO THE UNITED STATES AVERAGE.
YES, YOU ARE ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN TERMS OF THE METROPLEX AREA THAT HAS HIGHEST COST OF LABOR.
THE ONLY ONE THAT WE LOOKED AT THAT WAS HIGHER WAS RICHARDSON.
EVERYONE ELSE OF THE PEER ORGANIZATIONS ARE VERY SIMILAR IN TERMS OF COST OF LABOR, MEANING THEIR CITY'S GEOGRAPHIC MAKEUP, IN TERMS OF RATE OF UNEMPLOYMENT, NUMBER OF QUALIFIED LABORERS TO FILL VACANT POSITIONS IS SIMILAR TO SACHSE.
WE'RE NOT MAKING TOO MANY ADJUSTMENTS HERE TO THE DATA.
BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT YOUR POSITIONS, WHICH IS WHAT OUR MARKET ASSESSMENT LOOKS AT IS SPECIFIC TO THE POSITIONS.
THE 78 POSITIONS THAT WE CARRIED TO MARKET, WE GET AVERAGE MARKET VALUES.
THAT'S WHEN WE SAY, HERE'S WHERE YOU'RE AT IN COMPARISON TO YOUR PEERS OF WHAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY OFFERING FOR BASE SALARY.
YOUR MINIMUMS ARE 2% BELOW MARKET.
YOUR MIDPOINTS ARE 2.3% BELOW MARKET, AND YOUR MAXIMUMS ARE 5% BELOW MARKET.
MEANING WE LOOK AT THIS POSITION.
WHAT IS THE AVERAGE MARKET VALUE FOR THIS POSITION ACROSS THE BOARD, THE MAJORITY OF YOUR POSITIONS WERE BELOW MARKET.
>> I STILL DON'T AGREE OR UNDERSTAND.
>> DIFFER THAN POSITION ANALYSIS.
>> IT DOESN'T MATTER. I'M NOT GOING TO UNDERSTAND.
LET ME JUST SAY THIS, MS. NASH, AND I WANT TO BE A LEAD MARKET CITY.
I KNOW THAT COMES WITH A TREMENDOUS COST, BUT MY FEAR IS IF WE BECOME A MATCH MARKET CITY, THEN IN TWO YEARS, WHEN EVERYBODY ELSE ADJUSTS, WE'RE GOING TO BE A LAG MARKET CITY.
I SAY THIS EVERY TIME WE TALK ABOUT SALARIES, GOING TO THE MID MARKET TO ME IS NOT ENOUGH BECAUSE IT PUTS US AT A DISADVANTAGE IN ONE MAXIMUM TWO YEARS.
I WANT THAT IN BENEFITS, AND I WANT THAT IN SALARY COMPENSATION.
I THINK WE'VE DONE A BETTER JOB ON THE BENEFITS THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT I'M AFRAID THAT WE'RE JUST GOING TO BE A LAG CITY IF WE JUST GO WITH THE MEAN.
YEAH, JUST THAT'S MY ENTERTAINMENT. I'LL STOP TALKING.
>> YES. HEY, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. TWO QUESTIONS.
ONE MIGHT BE FOR GINA, THE TMRS MATCH.
IS THAT AT ALL LEVELS OF EMPLOYEES, NO MATTER IF YOU'RE CROSSING GUARD TO EXECUTIVE.
>> YES. AS LONG AS YOU'RE IN A POSITION THAT IS TMRS ELIGIBLE.
YOU HAVE TO WORK A CERTAIN NUMBER OF HOURS TO BE ABLE TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR TMRS.
>> THEY'RE AREAS ABILITY FOR SOME PART TIME TO BE ABLE TO HAVE TMRS.
>> TMRS REQUIRES WE HAVE TO FUND IT IF THEY WORK OVER 1,000 HOURS A YEAR.
THEN ON SLIDE 20, IS THERE A REASON WHY WE DIDN'T GIVE A COST FOR OPTION 1 OR 2?
>> AS WE WERE LOOKING THROUGH THE OPTIONS, WE DID COST THESE OUT, BUT THESE WERE THE ONES THAT WERE MOST DESIRABLE FOR IMPLEMENTATION AS WE TALKED TO EMPLOYEES AND STAFF.
AGAIN, TAKING THAT TIME AND POSITION CONSIDERATION FOR COMPRESSION WAS A CONCERN AND SOMETHING WE WANTED TO ADDRESS.
>> BECAUSE OPTION 1 WOULD BENEFIT ALL THE EMPLOYEES BELOW MINIMUM RIGHT AWAY BRING THEM UP TO THE BARE MINIMUM.
[03:40:03]
I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT THAT COST WOULD BE, BECAUSE IF I'M JUST MAKE UP A NUMBER, BUT LET'S SAY IT'S $600,000.WELL, THAT'S NOT TOO FAR OFF FROM WHERE WE'RE WANTING TO GO, BUT IF IT'S A HUGE SAVINGS, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT JUST A ONE YEAR IMPLEMENTATION COST.
IT'S EVERY YEAR FROM HERE ON OUT, WE'RE CARRYING THOSE ADDITIONAL COSTS.
>> YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
THE COSTS REPRESENTED HERE ARE A ONE TIME ADJUSTMENT COST TO ADOPT THE PAY STRUCTURES.
MOVING FORWARD, HOW YOU ADJUST THE PAY STRUCTURE AND HOW YOU MOVE EMPLOYEES THROUGH THESE PAY STRUCTURES IS BASED ON YOUR EXISTING POLICIES.
THAT COST IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE ALREADY DOING.
THIS IS JUST THE ASSOCIATED COST WITH A ONE TIME ADJUSTMENT AND THEY ARE ANNUALIZED.
>> BUT IF YOU'RE INCREASING CITY MINIMUM WAGE BY 7%, POLICE OFFICERS BY 12 AND FIREFIGHTERS BY 4.4, THAT'S CONTINUOUS FROM HERE ON OUT, AND THEN YOU'RE ADDING TO THAT AS YOU GO DOWN THE ROAD.
IT'S JUST ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, WHICH IS FINE.
I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT OPTION 1 MIGHT LOOK LIKE FROM A TOTAL COST PERSPECTIVE, BECAUSE IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $1 MILLION DIFFERENCE, WELL, THEN THAT'S A DISCUSSION.
WE WON'T PULL THAT OUT OF A CERTAIN FUND.
HOW DO WE WANT TO HANDLE THAT? IF IT'S A $200,000 THING, IT'S PROBABLY NOT WORTH DISCUSSING.
>> WE COULD GET THOSE FIGURES FOR YOU BECAUSE WE DID COST THEM OUT FOR OPTION 1 AND OPTION 2.
>> I THINK THE BENEFIT THAT I REALLY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, THE TMRS THAT WE ARE TWO FOR $1 MATCH, AND OTHER CITIES AREN'T DOING THAT.
ANYWAY. THANK YOU FOR THIS. APPRECIATE IT.
>> WHEN DO WE GET TO SEE HOW THESE SCENARIOS PLUG INTO OUR BUDGET?
>> I'M GOING TO PASS THAT ONE TO HER.
>> BECAUSE I KNOW THIS ISN'T A ONE TIME CATCH UP LIKE PRESTENBERG SAID.
JUST WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR OUR TAX RATE? PLUGGED INTO OUR CURRENT BUDGET.
IF WE HAVE NO ADDITIONAL EXPENSES NEXT YEAR, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US?
>> THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING WE WOULD HAVE TO PUT IN AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS AND FOR YOU ALL TO DECIDE WHICH WAY YOU WANTED TO GO.
I DO BELIEVE THAT WE COULD DO OPTION 3 OR OPTION 3B, PARTICULARLY, AS YOU RECALL, BECAUSE OF TARS 1 COLLAPSING.
THOSE MONIES WOULD NOW GO STRAIGHT INTO THE GENERAL FUND MOVING FORWARD, AND THAT'S OVER $1 MILLION ANNUALLY.
I DO THINK THAT THESE OPTIONS ARE POSSIBLE.
BUT YOU'D WANT TO LOOK AT THAT IN TOTALITY WITH THE REST OF THE BUDGET REQUESTS AND ALL THE OTHER INFORMATION YOU'RE GOING TO GET AS PART OF THE BUDGET.
I THINK EVERYBODY HAS ASKED THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD OR COVERED AT ALL.
BUT THESE NUMBERS SCARE ME WHEN WE'RE EXISTING IN A REVENUE CAPPED EXISTENCE, AND I HAVEN'T SEEN THE HORRIFIC HEALTH INSURANCE NUMBERS FOR THIS YEAR BECAUSE THEY'RE NEVER GOOD.
THEY'RE ALWAYS WAY MORE THAN THE 3.5% REVENUE CAP THAT WE EXIST UNDER.
EVERY TIME WE OKAY SOMETHING THAT'S BIGGER THAN THAT THAT WHAT WE'RE ALLOWED MEANS WE HAVE TO PULL THAT MONEY FROM SOMEPLACE ELSE POTENTIALLY, AND THAT EVENTUALLY THIS PIECE OF THE PIE EATS EVERYTHING, AND WHAT WE HAVE LEFT IS GONE.
I WORRY ABOUT OUR LONG TERM FINANCIAL STABILITY, NOT LIKE THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, BUT LIKE THE NEXT 20 YEARS UNDER A 3% CAP OR 3.5% CAP WITH NEEDING TO PAY EMPLOYEES COMPETITIVELY HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS THROUGHOUT THE UNION AND JUST THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN THE PRICE OF CONCRETE QUADRUPLING IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE JUST SO FAR BEYOND OUR SCOPE THAT WHEN WE HAVE THINGS THAT ARE UNDER OUR CONTROL, IT MAKES ME VERY.
THERE'S NECESSITY, AND WHAT I KNOW IS NECESSARY TO KEEP OUR PEOPLE AND TO KEEP THE THINGS OPERATING, AND THEN AS HOW ON THE EARTH ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS.
>> IT MAKES A BUDGETING PROCESS CHALLENGING. MR. MILLSAP.
>> YOU SAID THE $1 MILLION CATCH UP IS A ONE TIME DEAL?
>> IF IT TAKES $1 MILLION TO CATCH UP, DOES THAT NOT BECOME THE NEW BASE?
>> THE TOTAL PAYROLL SALARIES FOR WHAT EMPLOYEES ARE GOING TO BE PAID, WHAT THAT ENDS UP BEING FOR NEXT YEAR IS DEPENDENT UPON YOUR EXISTING POLICIES AND PRACTICES.
WHAT YOU DEFINE AS YOUR COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY IS FOR THIS YEAR BUT THAT COULD CHANGE AS THE ORGANIZATION CHANGES.
JUST BECAUSE YOU WANT TO BE A, LET'S SAY, MR. FRANKS PHILOSOPHY OF
[03:45:01]
A LEAD MARKET PHILOSOPHY CITY NOW DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE GOING TO LEAD FOREVER AND EVER.YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADJUST THAT DOWN.
>> I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW IT CAN BE JUST A ONE TIME DEAL.
IF IT TAKES $1 MILLION TO CATCH UP, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP NOT ADDING ANOTHER MILLION DOLLARS, BUT THAT BECOMES THE NEW BASE FROM THEN ON.
YES. IT'S IT'S AN ONGOING EXPENSE THERE.
I AM CONCERNED WITH COUNCIL PERSON HOWARTH.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PAY FOR THIS? WHEN YOU LOOK AT LAST WEEK'S SAXY NEWS, OUR SALES TAX REVENUE, I BELIEVE, WAS DOWN ABOUT 4%, AND OUR SURROUNDING CITIES WAS UP 4%.
WE'RE 8% BEHIND ON SALES TAX REVENUE JUST THIS ONE TIME.
I THINK THIS MAYBE TWICE THIS YEAR THIS HAS HAPPENED.
IS THIS AN INDICATION THAT WE'RE GETTING FILLED UP, OUR GROWTH RATE IS SLOWING DOWN MUCH MORE THAN OUR NEIGHBORS? WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE LUXURY OF HAVING ADDITIONAL REVENUE COMING IN TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH OUR, SO WE MAY NOT NEED TO.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO START SLOWING DOWN SOMEWHERE.
I'M NOT CONCERNED THAT WE TRY TO BE A LEAD CITY.
I'D RATHER TO BE A LAG CITY OR A MEDIAN CITY PERSONALLY FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT FROM THIS STANDPOINT BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO START MAKING PLANS FOR OUR GROWTH WHEN WE GET FILLED UP, WHEN YOU RETIRE, ALL YOU GOT LEFT IS TO GROW OLD.
YOU DON'T TYPICALLY CONTINUE TO INCREASE YOUR INCOME COMPARED TO YOUR COMPETITORS OR YOUR NEIGHBORS OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.
>> WITH THE 3B SCENARIO, AS WE HAVE TO SLIDE HERE, ROUGHLY 1.4 MILLION, AND AS WE HOPE ESTABLISHED, THAT IS NOT A ONE TIME EXPENSE IF WE DID DECIDE TO DO THIS.
LIKE I SAID, EACH YEAR, WE WOULD EVALUATE, WE DO EVERYTHING ELSE WITHIN THE BUDGET TO SAY, HEY, DO WE WANT TO DO THIS? KEEP DOING THIS OR NOT DOING IT? WITH THAT BEING SAID, WITH MAYORS AND FRANKS, I WANT TO BE A LEAD CITY.
I'VE BEEN HERE A LONG LONG TIME, AND THAT HAS NEVER BEEN OUR PHILOSOPHY UNTIL NOW.
WELL, I SAY OUR, BUT AT LEAST A FEW OF US.
WE HAVE THE BEST EMPLOYEES OUT THERE, AND IT SUCKS BECAUSE IT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY.
LIKE MS. HOWARTH SAID, NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THAT CHALLENGE, WE ALSO HAVE A CHALLENGE FROM THE STATE LEGISLATURE THAT, HEY, WELL, WE GOT THIS CAP.
MAYBE ONE DAY, IT WON'T BE THERE.
IT PROBABLY WILL BE HOW YOU DEAL WITH THAT.
BUT THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE A COUNCIL.
THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE AN ELECTED BODY TO SAY, WHAT'S OUR PRIORITY? WHAT DO YOU WANT OUR CITY TO BE? BECAUSE I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT WE CAN HAVE ALL THESE GREAT THINGS, BUT IF NOBODY IS HERE TO IMPLEMENT THEM, WE HAVE NOTHING.
THAT'S MY PHILOSOPHY. MY VERY SUMMATION OF IT IS 3B AND LEAD CITY. WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED, MS. NASH?
>> I DON'T NEED ANY OTHER DIRECTION.
THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON TO COMPLETE THIS STUDY AS THEY NEED, AND THEN WE'LL START PUTTING SCENARIOS TOGETHER AS WE'RE PREPARING THE BUDGET, AND WE'LL OFFER YOU ALL OF THAT INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO SEE OPTIONS 1, 2, 3, AND 3B, AND HOW THOSE WOULD SLOT INTO THE BUDGET FOR YOU ALL TO MAKE A DECISION.
>> LIKE PART OF THE NORMAL BUDGETING PROCESS. MR. LINDSAY.
>> YEAH. I DID LIKE TO SAY EARLIER LEAD.
I'LL THROW ANOTHER ONE VOTE IN THERE FORWARD.
>> WE NEVER KNOW WHAT'S TOMORROW, EVEN THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC AND EVERYTHING ELSE, IT REALLY JUST DIDN'T HIT US AS HARD AS WHAT EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE THOUGHT.
PART OF THAT, THERE'S PLENTY OF OTHER POLITICS YOU CAN GET, BUT BASICALLY, MONEY WAS STILL FLOWING THROUGH FOR MOST INDIVIDUALS, BUT WE HAVE TO GO BACK ALL THE WAY TO 2010 OR SO WHENEVER COUNSEL IS FORCED TO MAKE SOME REALLY HARD DECISIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, PAY CUTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT ON THERE.
TO ME, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE CROSS THE BRIDGE WHENEVER WE GET THERE, WE ADAPT.
THEN OUR EMPLOYEES WOULD UNDERSTAND.
IT'S LIKE, IF EVERYTHING IS DOWN, YOU CAN GO TO THEM AND YOU SAY, HEY, LOOK, WE MAY HAVE TO TAKE A STEP DOWN OR IT MAY JUST BE FLAT.
BUT RIGHT NOW, THINGS HAVE BEEN GREAT.
TO HAVE A GREAT YEAR AFTER GREAT YEAR AND NOT BE A LEAD CITY FOR WHERE WE'RE AT.
I'M SO HAPPY TO HEAR AT LEAST THREE OR FOUR THAT WE WANT TO BE A LEAD CITY.
IT'S BEEN AN AWESOME NIGHT, SO LATE BUT AWESOME.
I APPRECIATE IT. MR. PRESTENBERG.
>> I GUESS, SINCE WE'RE ALL GIVING OUR THINGS, I JUST WANT TO RESERVE MY VOTE UNTIL I UNDERSTAND.
ANYWAY, WHATEVER, I'LL TALK TO THEM.
>> LET'S SEE. EVALS. MS. NASH, YOU GOT WHAT YOU NEED?
[03:50:01]
>> NEXT IT ON AGENDA IS ADAM GERM. AT THE TIME MISS STRANGER?
>> 10:20 P.M. WE ARE ADJOURNED. [NOISE]
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.