[5E. Update from the City Council and Management: Financial Position, Major Projects, Operational Issues, Upcoming Dates of Interest and Items of Community Interest.]

(APPLAUSE) . >> .

>> MAYOR MARGOLIS: ALL RIGHT. OUR OUR NEXT ITEM IS FINANCIAL POSITION, MAJOR PROJECTS, OPERATIONAL ISSUES, UPCOMING DATES OF INTEREST AND

ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST. >> MAKING THOSE ANNOUNCEMENT IS MAYOR PRO TEM WINGET FOLLOWED BY

DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM SHINDER FOR ANIMAL. >> FIRST OF ALL, IT'S FALL Y'ALL, AND WE'RE SO HAPPY ABOUT THAT, EVEN THOUGH THE TEMPERATURE DOESN'T REFLECT IT.

FROM OUR DESK TOP ADMINISTRATOR EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES WE HAVE THE TASTE OF FALL MARKET WHICH IS THURSDAYS ON THE GREEN AT THEVILLEAGE OF ROWLETT DOWNTOWN WHICH STARTS THIS WEEK THROUGH OCTOBER IT 27TH, COME DOWN FOR A TASTE OF FALL WHILE SHOPPING THE FOOD TRUCKS AND BOOTHS AND CRAFT

[00:35:04]

CENTER. OUR MARKET WILL HAVE YOU READY TO EXPERIENCE THE AUTUMN SEASON. FROM OUR DESK TOP ADMINISTRATOR EVENTS THERE ARE TWO MORE FRIDAYS TO EXPERIENCE MOVIES ON MAIN. FOOD TRUCKS, KID'S ACTIVITIES AND FREE POPCORN BEFORE THE SHOW BEGINS AT DUSK. AND DESK TOP ADMINISTRATOR IS OUR ANNUAL ALL-DAY HARVEST MARKET SATURDAY OCTOBER 1ST, FROM 9:00 TO 4:00.

EXPLORE OUR DOWNTOWN SHOPS WHILE WALKING SHOPPING AND SPENDING TIME WITH FAMILY. ENJOY A VARIETY OF FOOD TRUCKS AND LIVE MUSIC AND GAMES FROM 11-2. FROM KEEP ROWLETT BEAUTIFUL, OCTOBER 1ST, FROM 9-12 IS THE 6TH ANNUAL TRI-CITY CLEAN UP. WORK TO CLEAN UP LITTER ALONG THE LAKE RAY HUBBARD SHORELINE. FREE LUNCH GAMES AND PRIZES AFTERWARDS. THERE'S STILL TIME TO REGISTER, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE THERE. I'LL BE THERE ON A KAYAK. IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD TIME. FROM OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT WE HAVE ROWLETT'S NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, MONDAY, OCTOBER 3RD, THE TIME TO SHOW CRIMINALS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT YOU ARE UNITED AGAINST CRIME. AND IN ALL OF OUR CITY OF ROWLETT OFFICES, BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 29TH, OPERATING HOURS AT CITY OF ROWLETT OFFICES AND SOME FACILITIES WILL EXTEND ADAPTING THE NEEDS TO OUR CUSTOMER SUNSHINE PARAMOUNT. THE LONGER NUMBERS WILL ENHANCE OPPORTUNITIES WITH RESIDENTS WHO MAY EXPERIENCE CHALLENGES WITH THE TRADITION 5:00 P.M. CLOSING TIME. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS AND ALL CITY INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT ROWLETT.COM OR CALL THE ACTION CENTER AT

972-412-6100. >> THERE ARE THE PICTURES, OKAY IN THE PAST WE'VE HAD DOGGIES OF THE MEETING TONIGHT, TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. TONIGHT'S FEATURE FROM THE ANIMAL SHELTER IS A KI KI KITTY COMPILATION. THE BABY LEFT HOME BEFORE THE MOM DID. SHE'S FRIENDLY BUT AS HER NAME SUGGESTS, BEING THE QUEEN SHE IS SHE'LL LET YOU KNOW HOW SHE FEELS ALL THE TIME. IN MY EXPERIENCE ALL CATS DO THAT. MISTY IS A SWEET KITTY AND SHE'S A DOLL, SHE CAME IN WITH HER KITTEN WHO HAS ALSO BEEN ADOPTED. THESE MOMS ARE SITTING THERE, SAD, THEY HAVE LOST THEIR KITTIES, YOU NEED TO COME AND TAKE THEM HOME AND GIVE THEM LOVE. AND FINALLY, ASH IS A SUPER SWEET AND HANDSOME GUY. ALL ADOPTIONS INCLUDE SPAY AND NEUTER, MICRO CHIP AND VACCINATION. CONTACT THE ANIMAL SHELTER TO FIND YOUR FAMILY'S FABULOUS FELINE.

>> MAYOR MARGOLIS: THANK YOU. CITY MANAGER, YOU HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR US? WE HAVE A

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT. >> I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T CLEAR THIS WITH ANGIE. SO, UM, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE OUR NEW POLICE CHIEF MIKE DENNING. MIKE COMES TO US FROM HENDERSON, NEVADA, IT'S THE THIRD LARGEST CITY IN THE STATE. SECOND LARGEST CITY IN THE STATE. IN ADDITION TO THAT, HE WAS THERE FOR OVER 23 YEARS. UM, THEY HAD ALMOST 500 SWORN POLICE OFFICERS. PRETTY MUCH MORE THAN WE HAVE OUR ENTIRE STAFF HERE IN ROWLETT. AND OVER TWO HUNDRED FULL TIME ADMINISTRATIVE PEOPLE, LARGE AGENCY AND AS Y'ALL KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT LAS VEGAS, ALSO INVOLVED IN HORRIFIC STUFF THERE. SO, MIKE WILL BE AN OUTSTANDING ADDITION TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, WEEKEND WE'RE SO PROUD TO HAVE HIM AFTER A NATIONWIDE SEARCH, WE HAD APPLICANTS FROM 17 DIFFERENT STATES. MIKE, WE WANT TO SAY, THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING ROWLETT AND CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING OUR

CHIEF. >> (APPLAUSE)

. >> . >> MAYOR MARGOLIS: EXCITING NEWS. ALL RIGHT, ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? ALL RIGHT. THEN. THEN OUR NEXT ITEM IS

[6. CITIZENS’ INPUT]

CITIZENS' INPUT. ITEM 6, DO WE HAVE CARDS? ALL RIGHT, WHEN YOU'RE NAME IS CALLED COME TO

[00:40:04]

THE PODIUM, SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD. YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANNOUNCE YOUR ADDRESS, JUST THE CITY.

>> OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS ALISSA BOWERS. >> GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU -- TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE RECONSIDER YOUR DECISION FROM TWO WEEKS AGO TO DO IS SUBLEASE WITH ONE OF OUR PEOPLE ON THE LAKE. THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY HAS BEEN DESIGNATE THE PARK PROPERTY FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS. IT HAS BEEN PUBLISHED IN MAPS, IT'S PUBLISHED IN OUR PARKS AND RECREATION, AND AS A RESIDENT, I EXPECT THAT TO STAY PARKLAND. I FEEL LIKE YOU MAY BE GETTING ON A SLIPPERY SLOPE IF YOU DECIDE THAT YOU WANT TO SAY, WELL, WE'LL DO A LEASE NOW, BUT, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IT PARKLAND IT WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE. AND I THINK A LOT OF THE OTHER 65,000 PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THIS CITY TO KEEP PARKLAND PUBLIC. THANKS.

>> NEXT IS MICHAEL GALLOPS, AFTER THAT IS THE DISABLED AMERICAN VETERAN'S CHAPTER.

>> GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL AND MAYOR AND STAFF, MICHAEL GALLOPS. I LIVE HERE IN ROWLETT. ON BEHALF OF THE ROWLETT AREA CHAMBER AND VISITOR'S CENTER AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY. I'M HERE TO STATE OUR STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR THE GENERATION OF THE TERRES. IT WILL ALLOW THE CITY TO ENTER INTO A PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP. THIS MOU AND THE RESULTING TERRES ARE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, YOUR CORPORATE CITIZENS AND THE RESIDENTS OF ROWLETT. THE PROJECT IS A PHENOMENAL PROJECT AND EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR FOR TWO DECADES. THE TERRES IN THIS PROJECT WILL HELP TO SHIFT THE TAX BURDEN FROM HOMEOWNERS AND RESIDENTS FROM A LARGER TAX BASE. IT WILL BRING IN PRIMARY EMPLOYERS, INDUSTRIES THAT CAN PRODUCE MORE GOOSE AND SERVICES THAN CAN BE CONSUMED BY THE ECONOMY AND THEREFORE EXPORT A GOOD PORTION OF THEM. THIS EXPORTED GOES WILL INCREASE REVENUE COMING INTO ROWLETT. A WIN/WIN FOR EVERYONE, INCLUDING THE RESIDENTS OF ROWLETT. THE TERRES COMBINED WITH THIS WILL ACT AS A CATALYST. WITHOUT IT, THE NORTH SHORE WOULD REMAIN AN UNOCCUPIED LAND. THE BENEFITS TO THE CITY AND CITIZENS WILL LAST FOR DECADES. IN THE YEAR SINCE THIS PROJECT WAS FIRST BROUGHT TO THE CITY, THE CHAMBER HAS BEEN VOCAL ABOUT OUR SUPPORT FOR IT. IN THAT TIME, NOT ONE MEMBER BUSINESS HAS SPOKEN AGAINST THIS PROJECT. THE PREVIOUS INCENTIVE DISCUSSIONS, OR THIS MOU AND TERRES. IN FACT, ALL WE'VE HEARD IT AGREEMENT AND SUPPORT FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THE CHAMBER SUPPORT THE APPROVAL OF THIS MOU AND STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE IN FAVOR. THANK YOU.

>> NEXT WE HAVE OUR VERY FIRST GROUP SPEAKER. >> THEY WILL GET 15 MINUTES.

>> I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO START A PRESENTATION WITH A RHETORICAL QUESTION.

>> SIR, IF YOU COULD PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE.

>> FIRST NAME IS HAL, LAST NAME IS HAMMOND. AND I LIVE IN ROCKWALL. MY QUESTION IS HOW MANY MEMBERS OR PEOPLE IN THIS AUDIENCE REALIZE THAT THERE'S A VETERAN ORGANIZATION THAT ARE OFFICES LOCATED IN VETERAN RESOURCE AND OUTREACH CENTER AND WE HAVE PROCESSED IN EXCESS OF 7,000 CLAIMS SINCE THE OPENING OF VETERAN RESOURCE AND OUTREACH CENTER. OUR ORGANIZATION DAV, STATEWIDE, LOCALLY, AND NATIONALLY, IS ONE OF THE PREMIERE CLAIMS ASSISTANCE ORGANIZATIONS VETERAN'S ORGANIZATIONS, SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COUNTRY.

CURRENTLY, OUR CHAPTER HAS 1,749 MEMBERS. IT WAS PUT TOGETHER AS A MERGER BETWEEN AT THAT TIME

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WAS THE GARLAND CHAPTER AND THE MESQUITE CHAPTERS, THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS 68,117 MEMBERS STATEWIDE, AND NATURALLY, WE HAVE IN EXCESS OF 1 MILLION MEMBERS. SOME OF THE PRIMARY GOALS ENTERED NATIONALLY, UM, WE'RE INVOLVED WITH VETERAN EDUCATION, CLAIMS AND PENSION ASSISTANCE, HOMELESSNESS ASSISTANCE AND DISASTER RELIEF. THE 1,000 MEMBER STRONG ORGANIZATION WE TOO HAVE LOBBIESTS IN DC TO PURSUE THE INTEREST FOR VETERANS. WE PARTNER WITH BOTH THE AMERICAN LEGION AND THE VFW BECAUSE WE ARE THE THREE OLDEST OF THE NATIONAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS. UM, WE HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO REALLY ACCEPT TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS BECAUSE WE HAVE LOBBYISTS. SO, OUR ORGANIZATIONS AS OTHER VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS ARE C 4S. OUR CHAPTER CURRENTLY MEETS AT VETERAN RESOURCE AND OUTREACH CENTER FIRST MONDAY NIGHT OF EVERY MONTH UNLESS IT'S A FEDERAL HOLIDAY. WE HAVE MULTIPLE SERVICE OFFICERS LOCALLY FOR CLAIMS AND PENSION ASSISTANCE OF WHICH I AM ONE.

OUR CHAPTER CURRENTLY HAS SIX CHAPTER SERVICE OFFICERS AND WE'RE STAFFED AT VETERAN RESOURCE AND OUTREACH CENTER WITH A DEPARTMENT SERVICE OFFICER WHO HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED THREE SEPARATE TIMES AS THE OUTSTANDING SERVICE OFFICER FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS. HE'S VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE, PROBABLY AS KNOWLEDGEABLE AS ANY HUMAN CAN BE ABOUT VA AND THEIR PROCEDURES. WE ALSO OFFER, AS WE DID LAST MONDAY NIGHT, LAST NIGHT. WE OFFER CLAIMS ASSISTANCE, ONE NIGHT PER MONTH WHICH IS NORMALLY THE THIRD MONDAY NIGHT OF THE MONTH AT VETERAN RESOURCE AND OUTREACH CENTER. NOT EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT WE DO, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF ROWLETT THAT DO NOT KNOW THAT WE'RE THERE OR EVEN EXIST. I JOINED THE DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS BECAUSE OF OUR WRITES PROCEDURES BECAUSE I HAD WORKED WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WITH SHALL WE SAY, MIXED OR UNPLEASANT RESULTS. IT WAS THROUGH THE SO, THAT'S THE TYPE OF SERVICE THAT WE COULD GIVE FOR OUR CLAIMS. I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER NOW TO STACY MAYNARD WHO ARE ALSO A MEMBER OF OUR DAV CHAPTER AND WE HAVE KIND OF A BRAINCHILD OF OUR CHAPTER SINCE THE CHAPTER'S A C4, WE FELT LIKE THERE WERE VETERANS SITUATIONS THAT WE COULD HELP WITH THAT REQUIRE ADD C3. WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING ELSE, I WILL NOT STEAL STACY'S THUNDER SHE'S THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF THE NEWLY FORMED OPERATION FRONT LINE WARRIORS.

>> I'M AN AIR FORCE VETERAN AND AS HAL SAID I'M NOW THE BOARD PRESIDENT FOR OPERATION FRONT LINE WARRIORS FOUNDATION. WE FOUNDED THE 501 C 3 ORGANIZATION IN JUNE OF 2022. WE'RE VERY NEW. BUT, WE FOUND THIS OFF OF THE NEEDS THAT THE DAV IDENTIFIED FROM SERVING OUR VETERANS. AS YOU KNOW, THE DAV CHAPTER 137, HELPS OUR VETERANS IN THE COMMUNITY AND AROUND THE STATE WITH THEIR CLAIMS, SOME FROM OUT OF STATE. WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR VETERANS, WE BEGAN TO RECOGNIZE THAT MANY OF OUR VETERANS NEEDED MORE HELP THAN JUST WITH THEIR CLAIMS. VETERANS ARE NOT ONES THAT SEEK OUT HELP FOR THEIR OWN WELLBEING. WE'RE PROGRAMMED TO STAY SERVING. SO, WORKING WITH THE DAV ORGANIZATION, WORKING CLAIMS, AND BECAUSE OF THAT RELATIONSHIP, THE VSO OFFICERS AT THE DAV STARTED TO RECOGNIZE SERIOUS NEED IN OUR VETERAN COMMUNITY. THEY'VE BEEN TRYING THEIR BEST TO ADDRESS BUT THEY HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES AND FINANCES. SO, THAT'S WHY WE CAME TO THE AGREEMENT THAT A 501 C3 ORGANIZATION NEEDED TO BE FOUNDED FOR THIS. FOR EXAMPLE, SOME OF OUR VETERANS WERE TRYING TO GET HELP WITH DISABILITY CLAIMS BECAUSE THEY'RE STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY. THE MORE FOOD YOU COULD PUT ON YOUR FAMILY'S TABLE. SOME OF OUR ELDERLY VETERANS WERE FOUND TO BE LIVING IN HOMES IN DIRE NEED

[00:50:08]

OF REPAIRS, BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PHYSICAL OR FINANCIAL ABILITY TO DO THE REPAIRS ON THEIR OWN AND THE DAV CAME TO HELP THEM. ONE OF OUR VETERANS LOST PART OF HIS HOME IN A FIRE AND ONLY PART OF IT CAN BE RESTORED BY INSURANCE. THE REST HE'S BEEN LIVING IN A PARTLY BURNTOUT HOME. WE HAD ANOTHER ELDERLY COUPLE HOSPITALIZED BECAUSE OF BUG BITES. THESE ARE THE SORT OF CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THESE VSO OFFICERS ARE ENCOUNTERING IN OUR VETERAN COMMUNITY WHO'LL NOT COME AND ASK FOR THIS HELP. EVEN THOUGH THEY HELP WHERE THEY CAN, THEIR RESOURCES ARE LIMITED. SO, WITH THE WORK WITH THE VETERANS, THE DAV CAME TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE A HUGE GAP BETWEEN WHAT THE VETERANS NEED, WHAT THEY CAN PROVIDE, AND WHAT RESOURCES WE HAVE AVAILABLE. SO, FROM THIS RECOGNIZED NEED, WE FORMED OPERATION FRONTLINE WARRIORS FOUNDATION. WE HAVE A MISSION TO SUPPORT OUR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES, OUR GOLD STAR, BLUE STAR, AND WHITE STAR FAMILIES BY HELPING TO FILL THE GAPS OF THE RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS THAT WILL ADDRESS THESE CRIES FOR HELP. OPERATION FRONTLINE WARRIOR FOUNDATION IS DEVELOPING PROGRAM SAYS AND PROJECTS FUNDED BY GRANTS AND FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP AS MANY VETERANS THAT WE CAN. HOW TO FILE THE CLAIMS AND WHAT RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO HELP THESE SITUATIONS FOR THEM AND WHERE THEY CAN TURN TO FOR HELP IN THEIR COMMUNITY. WE'RE GOING TO DO A PROGRAM FOR HOME REPAIR AND RENOVATIONS TO INCLUDE ADA COMPLAINS. SOME OF OUR VETERANS ARE ISSUED SCOOTERS OR WALKERS, THEY HAVE NO WAY TO GET THIS IN THEIR HOME ON A RAMP ON THEIR VEHICLE, I MEAN IF YOU'RE DRIVING A HONDA CIVIC, ARE YOU HOW GOING TO GET A RAMP TO WAL-MART OR TOM THUMB? WE HAVE A VETERAN'S CONNECTION PROGRAM THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARD TO GIVE THE HOMEBOUND THE ABILITY TO CONNECT WITH VETERANS AND VETERAN'S ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING THEM WITH RESOURCES LIKE ZOOM AND TABLETS, KIOSKS, IN NURSING HOMES, THINGS THAT WE COULD DO TO CONNECT TEHEM OUR GOAL IS TO BE ABLE TO PUT THE VETERANS IN THE POSITION TO GET THE CARE THEY NEED AND THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO HELP THEMSELVES AND OTHERS IN THE FUTURE. OPERATION FRONT LINE WARRIORS WE WANT TO GIVE THANKS AND HONOR TO THE VETERANS. OUR VETERANS PAID A HEAVY PRICE TO OUR FREEDOM AND HOPE IS THE ONE THING THAT WE COULD GIVE THEM THAT THEY SO DESPERATELY NEED.

HAS ANYBODY HEARD THE TIME WHITE STAR FAMILY? FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, THIS IS A NEW DESIGNATION FOR THE FAMILIES OF VETERANS WHO HAVE COMMITTED SUICIDE. WE NEED TO HELP PREVENT THAT THROUGH HELPING THEM NEVER FEEL HELPLESS, SO THEY KNOW THAT THEIR COMMUNITY IS HERE FOR THEM AND THERE ARE RESOURCES TO HELP THEM IN THEIR TIME OF NEED. WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATIONS. AND LET YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE HERE TO HELP. AND FROM SEEING ALL THE VETERANS IN THIS ROOM TODAY, I KNOW THIS COMMUNITY HAS SUCH AN OUTPOURING OF CONCERN AND CARE FOR OUR VETERANS. SO, EVERY PERSON IN THIS ROOM KNEW THAT THEY'VE BEEN STRUGGLING, THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO WRITE A CLAIM OR THEY'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO GET THEIR DISABILITY BENEFITS, WE HAVE A GROUP HERE WILLING TO HELP AND THEY'RE READY. AND WE HOPE THAT WE GET THE SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT FROM YOUR GROUP.

>> THANK YOU. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ROY WILLIS.

>> PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE? >> MY NAME IS ROY WILLIS. I LIVE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, BUT I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MY BROTHER, TIMOTHY WILLIS THAT RESIDES AT 1901 CHIESA ROAD. I'M STANDING ON HIS BEHALF. AND I'VE LISTENED TO SOME OF THE PRIOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SPOKEN IN THIS MEETING TONIGHT, AND, I WAS IMPRESSED. THE ONE LADY TALKED ABOUT THE SHORELINE, HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION WHERE THEY WANT TO PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF THE COMMUNITY. TEY WANT TO PRESERVE THEIR PRIVACY, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S ALL IMPORTANT. THEN, AT THE SAME TIME, THE ISSUE I'M REFERRING TO TODAY IS 7 G ON

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YOUR DOCKET, WERE YOUR APPROVING A THIRD-PARTY TO COME IN AND ASSESS TO DO YOUR RIGHT-OF-WAY ESTIMATATION AND GET BACK WITH THE HOMEOWNERS AND MAKE WHATEVER OFFER WITH THE ASSESSMENT HE CAME WITH. ONE THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE COUNCIL TODAY IS TO REMEMBER THAT THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT A HISTORICAL COMMUNITY. I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S DOCUMENTED ANYWHERE HERE IN THE CITY OF ROWLETT, BUT THAT COMMUNITY WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1887, BY A GROUP OF BLACK FARMERS TRAVELING FROM ALABAMA TO CALIFORNIA, THAT BROKE DOWN IN THE (INDISCERNIBLE) BOTTOM AND SOME WHITE FOREMAN HIRED THEM TO CLEAR THEIR LAND, SOME WENT ONTO CALIFORNIA SOME STAYED THERE. AND THAT'S HOW THAT COMMUNITY WAS DEVELOPED. AND WE'RE TLKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WANT TO PRESERVE HERE RIGHT NOW, BUT, WHAT ABOUT THE PIONEERS THAT CAME BEFORE US? MY PARENTS BOUGHT THAT PROPERTY THEIR OWN 1901, CHIESA ROAD IN 1960. I SAW MY MOTHER ALONG WITH MY FATHER AND MY BROTHER AND MY SISTERS PICK COTTON TO PAY FOR THAT LAND, AND NOW IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO BE RELOCATED TO LOSE OUR HERITAGE AND OUR LEGACY FOR THE SAKE OF ECONOMIC PROGRESS. WE UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT, MY THING IS FOR YOU, I WANT THE CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER, WHEN YOU BRING IN YOUR THIRD-PARTY TO ASSESS THAT PROPERTY, THINK ABOUT THE PIONEERS THAT CAME BEFORE ANY OF YOU WAS HERE. I'M STANDING HERE HAVING I ATTENDED THE SCHOOL HERE IN 1966, IN THE 5TH GRADE, RIGHT AFTER THEY END THE SEGREGATION. I ATTENDED IN '67 AND THEN WE MOVED TO GARLAND. AND IT BRINGS BACK SO MANY MEMORIES. AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THE CITY OF ROWLETT IS PROGRESSIVE IN WHAT THEY'RE DOING. I HOPE IN MY REQUEST TONIGHT YOU WOULD PASS ALONG TO THE THIRD PARTIES THAT'S DOING THE CENSUS FOR YOU TO THE RIGHT-OF-WAYS NOT ONLY TO LET THEM KNOW THERE'S A HISTORIC COMMUNITY AND IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO TALK WITH ME, I'M AVAILABLE. BUT THAT'S A HISTORIC COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE ARE FIXING TO LOSE THEIR HOME AND HERITAGE FOR THE SAKE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SO, PLEASE, CONSIDER WHAT HE'S DOING HIS APPRAISALS THERE ARE A LOT

OF THINGS TO CONSIDER. THANK YOU, VERY MUCH. P>> THANK YOU, SIR.

>> MAYOR MARGOLIS: DO YOU MIND FILLING OUT MAY BE A PIECE OF PAPER THAT YOU COULD FIND THERE WITH YOUR NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATION AND GIVE IT TO, IT'S ALREADY THERE? OKAY. I'LL BE

IN TOUCH WITH YOU LATER. >> OKAY. >> MAYOR MARGOLIS: THANK YOU.

>> . >> MAYOR MARGOLIS: MAYOR PRO TEM WINGET, DID WE GET ANY

ONLINE PUBLIC COMMENTS? >> YES, WE RECEIVED ONE COMMENT IN SUPPORT OF 3C, THROUGH THE ONLINE PORTAL. ONE COMMENT EXPRESSING APPRECIATION TO COUNCIL ON ITEM 8A, THROUGH THE ONLINE PORTAL FOR ITEM 8C WE RECEIVED ONE COMMENT OPPOSED TO THE ITEM AND THREE EMAILS

DIRECTED TO COUNSEL OPPOSED TO THE ITEM. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR MARGOLIS: ALL RIGHT.

[7. CONSENT AGENDA]

THAT IS IT FOR OUR CITIZEN'S INPUT. THESE ITEMS WILL BE ACTED UPON IN ONE MOTION.

COUNCIL PULLED ITEM 7C, FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION. LAURA, PLEASE READ THE ITEMS INTO THE

RECORD. >> 7A, CONSIDER APPROVE LING THE MINUTES.

>> 7B, CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 ADOPTED BUDGET.

>>> 7 D, CONSIDER ACTION APPROVING THE MASTER FEE SCHEDULE. 7 F, CONSIDER APPROVING APPOINTMENT TOSS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. AND 7 G, CONSIDER ACTION APPROVING THE EXECUTION OF A TASK AUTHORIZATION FOR THE ACQUISITION OF RIGHT-OF-WAY AND

PROPERTY ASSOCIATED WITH THE CHIESA ROAD WIDENING PROJECT. >> MAYOR MARGOLIS: COUNCIL, DO

WE HAVE A MOTION? >> MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TEM WINGET.

>> I MOVE TO APPROVE THE ITEMS AS READ INTO THE RECORD. >> SECOND.

>> MAYOR MARGOLIS: WE HAVE A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GRUBISICH. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE ITEMS?

ALL RIGHT. LET'S CALL THE VOTE. >> . >> MAYOR MARGOLIS: THAT ITEM

[7C. Consider action amending the Master Fee Schedule.]

PASSES 6-0. ITEM 7C, CONSIDER ACTION APPROVING RESOLUTION AMENDING THE MASTER FEE SCHEDULE FOR RATE AND FEE CHANGES. RO ROBERT COHEN WILL BE HERE TO

[01:00:10]

REPRESENT. >> GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL, I'M ROBERT CONE, THE CITY'S BUDGET OFFICER AND I'LL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE MASTER FEE SCHEDULE AND RATE CHANGES. I HAVE DAN JACKSON WITH WILL DAN CONSULTING TONIGHT TO REVIEW THE CHANGES TO OUR WATER AND WASTE WATER RATE SCHEDULE. CHANGES TO THE MASTER FEE SCHEDULE ORIGINALLY DISCUSSED AT OUR AUGUST 22ND, BUDGET WORK SESSION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR YEAR '23 BUDGET, WE REVIEWED A TOTAL OF 649 FEES AND PROPOSED CHANGES TO 7 SECTIONS WITHIN THE FEE SCHEDULE, WITH 80 FEES INCREASING, 10 FEES DECREASING. 49 OF THE 649 FEES REVIEWED WERE SOLID WASTE FEES AND 41 OF THOSE 49 FEE ARE INCREASING. ALL OF WHICH ARE RELATED TO OUR CONTRACTUAL TERMS WITH FCC AND DIFFER BY THE SIZE OF CONTAINER AND THE FREQUENCY OF PICK UP. WHY ARE THE CONTRACT RATES INCREASING? OUR CONTRACT WITH FCC HAS AN AN NEWLY RATE OF INFLATION FROM THE PRICE OF DIESEL FUEL. CPI INCREASED 4.41%. LEAVING THE CPI ALLOCATION 3.5%. DIESEL FUEL INCREASED 7.6% IN THE SAME PERIOD. SO, THE DIESEL FUEL INCREASE IS SET TO 11.34%.

HOWEVER, OUR TOTAL INCREASE IS ALSO CAPPED AND THAT'S CAPPED AT 5%. AND THAT IS THE COST THAT WE MUST PASS ONTO OUR CUSTOMERS IN THE FORM OF A RATE INCREASE. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO THOSE CUSTOMERS AS WE PASS ON THAT 5% INCREASE. A 3.5 INCREASE TO OUR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS AND A 5% INCREASE TO OUR COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS. IT AMOUNTS TO $0.67 PER MONTH TO THE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS. IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GENERAL FEES SCHEDULE OR THE SOLID WASTE FEES, I'LL TAKE THEM NOW OR AFTER MR. JACKSON PRESENTS ABOUT THE WATER AND

WASTE WATER RATES. >> MAYOR MARGOLIS: ALL RIGHT. >> I'LL HAND IT TO MR. DAN

JACKSON. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, I'M DAN JACKSON, THE CITY'S LONG TIME RATE CONSULTANT. I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING THE CITY'S CONSULTANT SINCE 2009 AND I'VE HELPED WITH RATE REVIEWS AND PRESENTATIONS OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES. YOU MAY RECALL THAT WE DID OUR LATEST RATE STUDY LAST YEAR, WE PRESENTED A REVIEW OF OUR RATE STUDY BACK IN JULY AND WE RECENTLY RELEASED OUR FINAL REPORT OUTLINING OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND ALL OF THE CALCULATIONS AND ANALYSIS THAT WENT INTO THOSE RECOMMENDATIONSE TONIGHT REGURGITATING WHAT I TALKED ABOUT IN JULY. I WOULD LIKE TO HIT A FEW HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PRESENTATION AND THEN I'LL SHOW YOU THE RATES THEMSELVES AND THE IMPACT ON RATE PAYERS.

BUT, I THINK THE QUESTION MOST PEOPLE HAVE WHENEVER ANY RATE PRESENTATION IS GIVEN IT WHY? WHY ARE WE PROPOSING A NEW SCHEDULE OF RATES FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS? WELL, FOR THE CITY OF ROWLETT AND MANY OTHER CITIES HERE IN NORTH TEXAS AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, IT COMES DOWN TO THREE REASONS WHY WE ARE RECOMMENDING A NEW RATE PLAN. THE FIRST IS THAT YOU RUN YOUR WATER AND WASTE WATER OPERATION LIKE A BUSINESS. LIKE ANY BUSINESS, AS COSTS GO UP, YOU HAVE TO PASS THOSEST COS THROUGH TO YOUR RATE PAYERS. WELL, INFLATION IS AT HISTORIC HIGHS RIGHT NOW. INFLATION IS PUSHING UP A LOT OF OPERATING COST. SO, WHILE WE'RE HOPING INFLATION WILL BE TEMPORARY WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT THINGS COST MORE TODAY THAN THEY DID YESTERDAY. YOUR RATES HAVE TO REFLECT THAT. AND THIS LONG-TERM RATE PLAN REFLECTS THAT. THE SECOND IS THAT THE CITY OF ROWLETT BUYS ALL OF IT'S WATER FROM NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT. NORTH TEXAS HAS ANNOUNCED THE INTENTION OF DOING VERY SIGNIFICANT RATE INCREASES OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS. THEY'RE IMPLEMENTING A 13% RATE INCREASE THIS YEAR AND AN 11% INCREASE NEXT YEAR AND 7-8% INCREASES EACH YEAR AFTER THAT THROUGH 2032. THE PRICE YOU PAY FOR THAT PRODUCT IS GOING TO MORE THAN DOUBLE IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS. I DON'T THINK IT TAKES A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO FIGURE OUT WHEN THOSE COSTS GO UP TO THAT EXTENT, YOU HAVE TO PASS THOSE

[01:05:01]

CASTS THROUGH TO YOUR RATE PAYER. THE THIRD REASON IS YOUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN IT COSTS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO PUSH WATER THROUGH A SYSTEM TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE WATER AND WASTE WATER SERVICES WHENEVER THEY NEED IT. MILLIONS OF DOLLARS GO INTO BUILDING THOSE LINES AND THOSE WATER TOURS, AND THOSE PUMP STATIONS. LIKE ANY OTHER ASSET, THEY WEAR OUT OVER TIME. THE CITY IS LOOKING AT INVESTING AS MUCH AS $51 MILLION OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS TO REPAIR, MAINTAIN, REPLACE, AND OVERHALL IT'S WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM. THAT MONEY IS A DIRECT INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE OF THE CITY OF ROWLETT BUT IT HAS TO BE PAID FOR SOMEHOW. AND THAT HAS TO COME THROUGH YOUR ULTIMATE RATE SCHEDULE. SO, THOSE ARE THE THREE REASONS, INFLATION, NORTH TEXAS' RATE ADJUSTMENTS AND THE NEED TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN OUR SYSTEM. THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE NORTH TEXAS RATES OVER THE NEXT DECADE. RIGHT NOW, THE CITY PAYS $3.04 PER THOUSAND GALLONS FOR THE WATER IT PURCHASES FROM NORTH TEXAS. AS YOU COULD SEE FROM THAT CHART, THAT AMOUNT IS EXPECTED TO DOUBLE BY THE YEAR 2031 TO $6.21. JUST LAST YEAR, NORTH TEXAS SAID PROJECTED THAT THE RATE WOULD ONLY GO UP TO $4.69 WHICH IS BAD ENOUGH, NOW THEY'RE PROJECTING $6 AND $0.21. IT'S ALSO 2 THIRDS OF YOUR TOTAL WATER COSTS. THIS WILL RIGHT HERE IS A DEPICTION OF OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. THE WAY THE FINANCIAL PLAN UM INTENDS ON FUNDING THIS IS THE CITY WILL BE ISSUING ABOUT $7 MILLION OF DEBT EACH YEAR, AND IT WILL BE FUNDING THE REMAINING AMOUNT THROUGH IT'S ONGOING PAY-AS-YOU-GO RATES. SO, YOU'RE DOING A COMBINATION OF LONG-TERM DEBT AND EXPENDITURES. ALL OF THAT MONEY WILL GO FOR ASSETS THAT WILL SERVE YOU, YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR GRANDCHILDREN AND MAY BE EVEN YOUR GREAT GRAND ECHILDREN. TH INVESTMENT HAS TO BE FUNDED BY CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE RATE PAYER ARES. THIS IS A PICTURE OF YOUR WATER COST OF SERVICE BOTH CURRENT AND PROJECTED OVER THE NEXT DECADE. AND THE UPPER LEFT-HAND CORNER IS THE WATER.

OPERATE YOUR WATER SYSTEM. THAT AMOUNT IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO OVER $40 MILLION BY THE YEAR 2032. ON THES WATER SIDE IT'S COSTING $15 MILLION TO RUN YOUR WASTE WATER SYSTEM RIGHT NOW, THAT AMOUNT IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO $25 MILLION OVER THE NEXT DECADE. NOW, THE REAL BENEFIT OF A LONG TERM FINANCIAL PLAN IS THAT WHILE YOU KNOW THESE COSTS ARE INCREASING INEVITABLY, YOU COULD ROLL IN YOUR RATE ADJUSTMENTS, YOU COULD IMPLEMENT THEM IN STAGES OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT ON YOUR RATE PAYERS. SO, THIS IS THE PLAN THAT WE'VE RECOMMENDED THAT THE COUNCIL CONSIDER ADOPTING. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE WATER RATES. YOU PAY FOR WATER IN TWO WAYS: A BASE CHARGE, AND A VOLUME CHARGE PER THOUSAND GALLONS. WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU IMPLEMENT A 5-YEAR RATE PLAN WITH AUTOMATIC ADJUSTMENTS IN OCTOBER OF EACH OF THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS, IN 2022-2024. IN 2025 AND 2026 WE RECOMMEND A 6% ADJUSTMENT EACH YEAR IN THE BASE CHARGE. LIKE MOST CITIES, IF YOU HAVE A LARGER METER, YOU PAY A LARGER FEE PER MONTH. HOWEVER, THAT FEE IS NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH EQUIVALENCY STANDARDS AND WE RECOMMENDED THAT YOU BUILD IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS WHICH WOULD MEAN HIGHER MONTHLY CHARGE INCREASES FOR THE MONTHLY METERS. WE RECOMMEND A 6% ADJUSTMENT EACH YEAR. NORTH TEXAS IS DOING 13%, 11 FIRST, AND 6% INCREASES FOR EACH OF THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT A VOLUME METRIC RATE ADJUSTMENT OF 6% A YEAR. ON THE WAIST WATER SIDE, WE RECOMMEND NO CHANGE AT ALL THIS YEAR. IN 2023, AND 2024, WE RECOMMEND A 2% RATE ADJUSTMENT. AND IN 2025 AND 2026, WE RECOMMEND A 3% RATE ADJUSTMENT. BECAUSE THE WASTE WATER FUND IS GENERALLY IN BETTER SHAPE AND IS NOT BEING SUBJECTED TO THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES OF NORTH TEXAS. THIS RIGHT HERE IS A DEPICTION OF OUR RATES THEMSELVES, IN A MINUTE

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I'LL SHOW YOU THE MORE IMPORTANT CHART WHICH IS THE IMPACT ON OUR AVERAGE USER. ON THE WATER SIDE FOR THE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS, THERE'S NO CHANGE IN THE MINIMAL CHARGE UNTIL 2025 AND ONLY NOMINAL ON THE METRIC RATE. FOLLOWED BY NOMINAL CHANGES IN 2023-2026. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? WHAT DOES IT MEAN IN TERMS OF THE FINANCIAL OBLIGATION OF YOUR RATE PAYERS? WELL, THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL RATE PAYER IN THE CITY OF ROWLETT USES SOMEWHERE AROUND 7,000-8 THOUSAND WATER AND WASTE WATER SERVICE A MONTH. AS AN ORIGINAL, SOME USE MORE SOME USE LESS. BUT, IF YOU'RE A 7500 GALLON USER, AND THAT'S AN AVERAGE AMOUNT, RIGHT NOW US PAY $120.29 FOR THAT SERVICE. UNDER THIS RATE PLAN, YOUR BILL WOULD GO UP TO $122.48. IF YOU USED 5, 5,000 GALLONS. NOW, I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT ABOUT 70-75% OF YOUR MONTHLY BILLS ARE 7500 GALLONS OR LESS. UNDER THIS PLAN, THE VAST MAJORITY OF RATE PAYERS WOULD SEE AN INCREASE IN THEIR MONTHLY BILLS OF ONE TO $2 AS MONTH. IT'S A LITTLE HIGHER IN THE SECOND YEAR AND A LITTLE HIGHER IN THE THIRD, FOURTH, AND FIFTH YEARS. IT'S ABOUT A 3 TO $4 A INCREASE. 1 TONALITY DOLLARS TODAY, THAT PERSON WOULD PAY $141 PIE 2026. SO, IT IS A SERIES OF STAGED INCREASES OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU USED GREATER AMOUNTS OF WATER, YOUR BILL WOULD GO UP BY MORE. COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS WOULD SEE A SLIGHTLY HIGHER INCREASE BUT ONE IN LINE FROM A PERCENTAGE STAND POINT FROM ALL THE OTHER INCREASES. AND FINALLY, HOW DO YOUR RATES COMPARE TO OUR NEIGHBORS? WELL, THEY'RE RIGHT ABOUT AVERAGE WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER CITIES IN THE NORTH TEXAS COLIN, DENTON COUNTY CORRIDOR. THIS SHOWS THE AMOUNT THAT CUSTOMERS PAY FOR 7500 GALLONS OF WATER AND SEWER SERVICES A MONTH IN ROWLETT, AS COMPARED TO MANY OF YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOU'RE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE. YOU'RE A LITTLE HIGHER THAN SOME AND A LITTLE LOWER THAN OTHERS, RIGHT WHERE YOU EXPECT TO BE. BOTH UNDER THE CURRENT AND PROPOSED PRAWN FOR THE FIRST YEAR, YOU WOULD REMAIN BEING RIGHT ABOUT IN THE AVERAGE. AND I COULD TELL YOU THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE CITY RIGHT NOW WILL BE INCREASING IN THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL SUBJECTED TO NORTH TEXAS INCREASES AS WELL. WHILE IT'S NEVER EASY TO ASK RATE PAYERS TO PAY MORE, ALL YOU'RE ASKING THE RATE PAYERS TO DO IS PAY WHAT IT IS COSTING YOU TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE. ADOPTING THIS RATE PLAN WILL ALLOW YOU TO MAINTAIN THE FINANCIAL HEALTH THAT YOU'VE WORKED SO HARD TO WHETHER UP FOR YOUR UTILITY, AND CONTINUE TO ALLOW YOU TO APPLY AN EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY OF WATER AND SEWER SERVICES WITHIN THE CITY. WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO

ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE AT THIS TIME. >> MAYOR MARGOLIS: YEAH, SO, ROBERT, AND DAN, THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS. UM, I'M GOING TO TELL A RE SO. SO, PROBABLY FIVE YEARS AGO OR SO, I WAS SITTING OUT THERE IN THAT AUDIENCE AND I LISTENED TO YOUR PRESENTATION ABOUT WATER, AND I WAS SO INTRIGUED. I'M A GEEK WHO LOVES SPREADSHEETS SO WHEN YOU PULL UP A SLIDE LIKE THIS, I LOVE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AND UNDERSTANDING THE METHODOLOGY.

AND I HOPE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY, I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE PREFACED THIS SAYING, I'M THE REASON THAT YOU ARE DOING YOUR PRESENTATION THIS EVENING. SO, I HOPE THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE WHO'LL SEE THIS AND UNDERSTAND THAT MAKING THE DECISIONS ON WATER AND SEWER RATES AND TRASH, IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE TAKE LIGHTLY. THAT'S A METHODOLOGY. WE HAVE A CONSERVATIVE FISCAL APPROACH TO HOW WE BUDGET THESE THINGS. AND WE MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF DAYS WORTH OF CASH ON HAND TO ABSORB THE FUKS FLUCTUATIONS THAT HAPPENING. THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT, YOU ALL AS STAFF MANAGE. AND SO, I THINK THAT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE SHARE WITH OUR RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A RATE INCREASE THAT WILL IMPACT EVERY RESERVATION DENT IN THE CITY THAT PAY AS WATER BILL. NO MATTER HOW SMALL, IT WILL IMPACT EVERYBODY AND THE MAGNITUDE AT WHICH IT IMPACTS EVERYBODY WILL INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR. I REMEMBER THE FORMER MAYOR SITTING HERE AND TELLING THE AUDIENCE HOW VALUABLE WATER WAS AND HOW MUCH OF A COMMODITY IT'S GOING TO BECOME IN THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS. AND EVEN WITH

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NORTH TEXAS WATER DISTRICT BUILDING AN ADDITIONAL RESERVOIR, WE'VE HAD NEIGHBORING CITIES THAT HAVE RUN OUT OF WATER. SO, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'RE MAINTAINING AND GROWING AND BUILDING, THOSE ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT THE FUTURE OF ROWLETT IS SECURE AND THAT WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE WATER AND THERE'LL NEVER BE CONCERNS ABOUT SHORTAGES BECAUSE OF GROWTH. I APPRECIATE THE PRESENCE. I DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU, BUT, I WANTED TO ADDRESS THOSE TOPICS AND THE AWED EBBS AS

WELL. SO, THANK YOU. >> I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I APPRECIATE JEFF'S COMMENTS VERY MUCH. MY DAD WORKED FOR 32 YEARS FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS WATER DEPARTMENT, SO, I GREW UP KNOWING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WATER AND I REMEMBER HIM TALKING ABOUT THE BUILDING OF ALL THE RESERVOIRS AND ALL OF THAT WILL KEEP DFW IN WATER AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WATER AGAIN. AND OF COURSE, HE COULD NOT IN ANY WAY FORESEE THE BOOM IN POPULATION THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED HERE IN NORTH TEXAS, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE, TOO, YOUR PRESENTATION AND ROBERT, YOUR'S, I THINK SOMETHING THAT IS WORTH EMPHASIZING IS THAT NOT ONLY WHEN MOST PEOPLE SEE THIS MASTER FEE SCHEDULE ON THE AGENDA, THEY'RE LIKE, OH, OUR FEE ARE GOING UP, BUT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAD 10 FEES THAT DECREASED AND ONE WHICH WAS ELIMINATED AND THOSE INCLUDED FEES THAT HAVE BEEN THOUGHT OF AS KIND OF A HARDSHIP ON SOME OF THE RESIDENTS SUCH AS THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT FEE AND THAT, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CITY DOING

THAT. >> MAYOR MARGOLIS: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? TO REITERATE TO THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, HAVING A 2% INCREASE IN OUR WATER RATES IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO DO. BUT, AN UNELECTED BOARD OF NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT DECIDED TO DROP A LAST-MINUTE BOMB AND SAY WE'RE INCREASING RATES BY 13%. HOWEVER, BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE'RE FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE, AGAIN, WE'RE ONLY PASSING ON A 2% INCREASE IN UTILITY RATE BEGINNING IN OCTOBER. ROWLETT, I GET WHAT YOU WERE SAYING THAT IT'S KIND OF LIKE A BUSINESS.

ROWLETT DOESN'T OPERATE IT'S WATER SERVICE LIKE A BUSINESS, BUT THE WATER DISTRICT CERTAINLY

DOES. AND THAT'S ALL I'LL SAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? >> ALL RIGHT. THEN. WE WILL GO AHEAD AND HAVE A MOTION ON THIS ITEM? WHAT IS IT? COUNCIL MEMBER BRITTON, DO YOU HAVE A

MOTION? >> I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AMENDING THE MASTER

FEE SCHEDULE? >> MAYOR MARGOLIS: SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BELL, AND DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. CALL THE VOTE. THAT ITEM PASSES 6-0. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR NEXT ITEM IS ITEM 8A, CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 AND TAKE ACTION TO POSTPONE THE VOTE TO ADOPT THE FISCAL YEAR 2023 BUDGET TO WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2022. AND ROBERT COHEN? OR WENDY BADGETTE?

[8A. Conduct a public hearing on the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2023 and take action to postpone the vote to adopt the FY2023 budget to Wednesday, September 21, 2022 & 8B. Conduct a public hearing on the proposed ad valorem tax rate for Fiscal Year 2023.]

>> GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL, ROBERT COHEN, THE CITYS BUDGET OFFICER I'M HERE TO PRESENT ITEMS 8A, AND 8 B, REPRESENTING THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND THE TAX RATE. THIS PRESENTATION WILL COVER BOTH OF THEM. FOLLOWING THIS PRESENTATION WE HAVE BOTH PUBLIC HEARINGS, FIRST ON THE BUDGET AND THEN THE PUBLIC HERING AND THE PROPOSED TAX RATE. THE GOOD NEWS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023. HOWEVER BASED UPON THE MAXIMUM RATE COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING THE COUNSEL WILL DROP BOY 4.5 CENT. THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WAS PROJECTED WHEN PREPARING FISCAL YEAR 2023 PROPOSED BUDGET. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE ECONOMIC GROWTH IS PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY TO LOWER THE TAX RATE ITSELF. SOME DISAPPOINTING NEWS, LAST YEAR WE WERE PLEASED TO NOT HAVE TO RAISE THE WATER RATES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022, HOWEVER AS YOU JUST HEARD, DUE TO INFLATION, THE NORTH TEXAS WATER DISTRICT TERMED THAT IT

[01:20:09]

WILL INCREASE IN 2023 AND 11% IN 2024. AS A RESULT WE INCREASE THE WATER RATE APPROXIMATELY 1.8% OR TWO DOLLARS AND $0.21 PER MONTH OR THE AVERAGE CUSTOMER WHO USES 7500 GALLONS PER MONTH. 57% INCREASE IN DIESEL FUEL AND 4% INCREASE IN CPI RESULTS IN CONTRACT INCREASING FROM FCC BY 5% OR $0.67 PER MONTH PER RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER. THE CURRENT EMPLOYMENT MARKET IS UNLIKE ANYTHING WE'VE EVER SEEN. NORMALLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES ARE DRIVEN BY RECESSIONS, MARKET SHIFTS, ET CETERA, WHAT HAS MADE THIS PARTICULAR MARKET SO UNCERTAIN IS THE INCREDIBLY HIGH NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE VOLUNTARILY LEFT THE JOB MARKET.

WE MUST APPROACH TURNOVER AND COMPENSATION DIFFERENTLY AS TRADITIONAL METHODS AROUND WORKING. INCLUDES MOVING PUBLIC SAFETY STEP PLANS FROM 2.7 TO 2.9% ABOVE THE 2022 MARKET AVERAGE WITH THE GOAL TO REACH 5% ABOVE MARKET AVERAGE IN THREE YEARS. ADDITIONALLY, THE PAID PLAN INCREASES PAY FOR OPEN RANGE EMPLOYEES TO THE MARKET AVERAGE WITH THE GOAL OF REACHING 3% ABOVE THAT AVERAGE IN THREE YEARS AND ALSO INCLUDES CHANGING THE WEEKLY WORK SHIFT TO FOUR 9-HOUR WORK DAYS AND CLOSING ADMINISTRATION OFFICES ON FRIDAY. OFFICES WILL BE OPEN LONGER HOURS MONDAY-THURSDAY TO IMPROVE THE ACCESS TO RESIDENTS WHO THEY HAVE TROUBLE COMING IN AT 5:00 P.M. CONTACT OUR ACTION CENTER AT 972-412-6100. THIS SLIDE SHOWS A QUICK SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR BUDGET INDICATORS AND ALL BUDGET REVENUE IS UP 11%. EXPENSES ARE UP 14%. TOTAL BUDGET THE FTES ARE UP 4%. THE UTILITY FUND BUDGET IS $34 MILLION UP 7%. THE TOTAL PROPERTYTYTYTYTYTYTYTYTYTYTYTY WHICH IS DOWN 9%. WE PREPARE OUR BUDGET IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE 7 STRATEGIC PRIORITIES IDENTIFIED IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. I'LL TOUCH ON HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET FOR EACH OF THOSE. ESTABLISHING A CITY WIDE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM. PURCHASING A LICENSE PLATE READING CAMERAS, AND INCREASING FUNDING FOR THE ROWLETT CITIZEN'S CORPSE COUNCIL. WE REVISED OUR MASTER FEE SCHEDULE. AND INCREASED THE ANIMAL SERVICES FOOD BUDGET. WE'RE DEDICATED TO EPIDEMIC CHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR CITIZENS AND THE BUDGET INCLUDES FUNDING FOR THE SENIORS OF ROWLETT TO PROVIDE COUNSELLING FOR OUR SR.S, ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR ART ACQUISITION. AND INVESTING IN A LANDSCAPING UPGRADE TO OUR DOWNTOWN. THE BUDGET ALSO INCLUDES $75,000 TO UPDATE THE

DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN. >> 2023 PROPOSED BUDGET ALSO INCLUDES $1.2 MILLION IN CAPITAL STREET PROJECTS, $613,000 IN ALLEYWAY IMPROVEMENTS AND $50,000 TO REESTABLISH THE NON-INCOME BASED 50/50 SIDEWALK PROGRAM. WE'RE A HYPER FORM LING ORGANIZATION DELIVERING GREAT SERVICE THROUGH A WELL-TRAINED AND RESPONSIVE WORKFORCE. TO PREPARE STAFF FOR COMPLEX ROLES AHEAD. THE PURCHASE OF A FORENSIC SOFTWARE PACKAGE. THE ADDITION OF A

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TREASURY MANAGER TO MAXIMIZE BOND RATING. AND INCREASED FUNDING FOR INCENTIVES AND RECOGNITION REWARDS. AND THIS IS A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF THE ADDITIONS TO THE BUDGET YEAR 2023 TOTALLING $4.6 MILLION IN INCREASES TO SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY AND PAID PLAN

ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR EMPLOYEES. >> EACH YEAR THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET PROCESS, OUR CITIZENS HAVE SEVERAL OPPORTUNITY TOSS ENGAGE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL IN REGARD TO THE BUDGET AND TAX RATE. THE PROPOSED BUDGET WAS SUBMITTED AUGUST 2ND AND WE HAD BUDGET WORKSHOPS ON AUGUST 18TH AND 22ND, TONIGHT WE HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE BUDGET AND TAX RATE, COUNCIL IS EXPECTED TO APPROVE THE BUDGET AND TAX RATE AT TOMORROW'S MEETING SEPTEMBER 21ST. IN THE MOTION PASSES THE GOVERNING BODY MUST HAVE A HEARING. THERE ARE FOUR PRINCIPLES TO TRUTH IN TAXATION. PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE NOTIFIED OF THEIR ESTIMATED TAXES TO RESULT IN THEIR NEW VALUE. A TAXING UNIT MUST PUBLISH SPECIAL NOTICES THAT EXCEEDS THE LOWER OF THE NO NEW REVENUE AND IF THE TAX SHALL UNIT ADOPT AS RATE THAT EXCEEDS THE APPROVAL RATE AN ELECTION HELD FOR THAT PURPOSE MUST DETERMINE WHETHER TO APPROVE THE ADOPTED TAX RATE.

>> THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS THE CALCULATED RATE THAT PROVIDES THE TAXING UNIT WITH APPROXIMATELY THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE IT RECEIVED IN THE YEAR BEFORE ON PROPERTY'S TAXED IN BOTH YEARS. IF PROPERTY'S VALUES RISE THEN NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE WILL GO DOWN AND VICE VERSA. THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE PROVIDES THE UNIT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME AMOUNT PLUS A 3 AND 1 HALF% INCREASE FOR THOSE OPERATIONS IN ADDITION FOR SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO PAY DEBT SERVICE IN THE COMING YEAR. THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE REPRESENTS THE MAXIMUM RATE THAT CAN BE ADOPTED WITHOUT BEING SUBJECTED. THE NEW NEW REVENUE TAX RATE WE SHOWS THE RELATION TO THE PRIOR YEAR'S VALUE. THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE WHICH IS THE MAXIMUM RATE THAT MAY BE APPLIED AND NOT SUBJECT TO AN AUTOMATIC ELECTION BEEN CALCULATED TO BE. THE BUDGET NOW BEFORE COUNSEL SCHEDULED FOR ADOPTION TOMORROW NIELTH HAS BEEN PREPARED WITH A TAX RATE OF 0.68100 AS A RESULT OF THE DISCUSSIONS WHICH CONCLUDED ON AUGUST 22ND. SO, HOW DOES THIS TAX RATE IMPACT OUR CITIZENS ON A HOME WITH A TAX RATE OF $250,000, RESIDENTS WILL PAY $1,703 OR $4.66 FOR THE CITYS SERVICES. THIS CHART INDICATES DAILY HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES AND WHERE THEY COMPARE THE EXPENSES. GOING TO MOVIE WILL BE MORE THAN WHAT OUR PROPOSED TAX RATE IS. THESE NEXT SLIDES INDICATE THE CHANGES BY FUND FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSED BUDGET TO THE BUDGET PRESENTED FOR ADOPTION TOMORROW NIGHT. COMBINE FOR ALL FUND, REVENUES HAVE INCREASED FROM $158 MILLION TO $162 MILLION WITH EXPENSES INCREASES TO $168 MILLION. GENERAL FUND INCREASED FROM $57 MILLION IN REVENUE AND 57 MILLION IN REVENUE AND EXPENSES. DEBT SERVICE REVENUE DECREASED FROM TWE MILLION DOLLAR TO $11 MILLION. AND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND INCREASED REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES TO $31 MILLION TO REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES OF $36 MILLION. THE UTILITY FUND CHANGED SLIGHTLY BUT REMAINS AT

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$34 MILLION. AND FINALLY, FTE INCREASED FROM 527, TO THE CURRENT 524.27. THERE WERE NO CHANGES MADE FROM THE PROPOSED BUDGET TO THE BUDGET NOW BEING PRESENTED FOR ADOPTION FOR ANY OF THE REST OF THE CITY'S ADOPTED FUNDS. IT THAT CONCLUDES MY BUDGET PRESENTATION ON THE FISCAL YEAR 2023 BUDGET AND TAX RATE, AND FOR THE RESPECTIVE HEARINGS. THERE'S SPECIFIC LANGUAGE THAT NEEDS TO BE READ AT THE CONCLUSION OF EACH. I'M AVAILABLE.

>> WHAT WAS THE LAST ONE? >> THERE'S SPECIFIC LANGUAGE THAT NEEDS TO BE READ AT THE CONCLUSION OF EACH HEARING, AND I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN IT DISTRIBUTED TO COUNCIL.

>> . >> MAYOR MARGOLIS: LET'S OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, ANYONE WISHING TO MAKE A COMMENT, YOU HAVE 3 MINUTES, COME TO THE PODIUM, STATE YOUR NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD. DO NOT ANNOUNCE YOUR ADDRESS JUST THE CITY. ANY COMMENTS? AND WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY ONLINE COMMENTS EITHER. SO, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. AND,

UM, BEFORE I ENTERTAIN A MOTION, I'M SORRY? >> WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS.

>> MAYOR MARGOLIS: OKAY. THIS WAS NOT ADDRESSED TO ME. >> WE NEED TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER). >> MAYOR MARGOLIS: OKAY. SO, I WILL NOT CLOSE THE PUBLIC

HEARING. >> MAYOR MARGOLIS: ALL RIGHT RICTUS THE CITY OF ROWLETT COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON THE TAX RATE WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2022, AT 5:30 P.M. AT COUNCIL CHAMBERS, LOCATED IN ROWLETT, TEXAS. THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO ATTEND RIGHT HERE. AND, NOW I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO POSTPONE TO WEDNESDAY? TOMORROW.

>> I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO OFFICIALLY POSTPONE ACTION BY COUNCIL TO FOR THE FISCAL YEAR

2023 BUDGET UNTIL WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2022. >> MAYOR MARGOLIS: ALL RIGHT.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND BY DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM SHINDER? ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE,

CALL THE VOTE. >> MAYOR MARGOLIS: ALL RIGHT THAT ITEM PASSES 6-0. ALL RIGHT. AND, SORRY, ALL RIGHT, OUR NEXT ITEM IS 8B, CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED

AD VALOREM TAX RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023. >> MAYOR MARGOLIS: OKAY. SAME APPLIES. THE CITY OF ROWLETT WILL -- FIRST YOU HAVE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

>> MAYOR MARGOLIS: I THOUGHT WE WERE STILL IN THE PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY, DO WE HAVE COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE NO COMMENTS, NOW I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

ALL RIGHT. SO, THE CITY OF ROWLETT COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON THE TAX RATE ON WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2022, AT 5:30 P.M. AT THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS LOCATED IN ROWLETT,

TEXAS, THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO ATTEND. DO WE HAVE A MOTION. >> NO ACTION.

>> NO ACTION. >> WE'LL DO IT TOMORROW. >> MAYOR MARGOLIS: WE'LL DO A MOTION FOR NO ACTION. HOW ABOUT THAT. ALL RIGHT. SORRY ABOUT THAT. CONFUSION ON MY END. ALL

[8C. Consider action to approve a resolution authorizing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Jackson Shaw for incentives related to the Lakeview Business District.]

RIGHT, OUR NEXT ITEM IS 8C, CONSIDER ACTION TO APPROVE ARE A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH JACKSON SHAW FOR INCENTIVES RELATED TO THE DISTRICT. LIBBY

TUCKER? >> LIBBY TUCKER, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE RESOLUTION BEFORE YOU TO ESTABLISH THE TERSE AND THE MOU.

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