Sep 20, 2023 Special City Council

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:11]

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. IT IS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2023.

WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT IN TH CITY HALL CHAMBERS . OUR FIRST

[2A. Consider action to approve an ordinance to adopt the Budget for Fiscal Year 2024.]

>> GOOD EVENING. MAYOR, COUNCIL TONIGHT WE HAVE REACHED THE FINISH LINE OF OUR BUDGET PROCESS AND WE ARE HERE TO PRECLUDE THE ENTIRE PROCESS FO FISCAL YEAR 24. TONIGHT IS THE FINAL STEP OF THE BUDGET PROCES THAT BEGAN ON JANUARY 23. LAST NIGHT WE HAD OUR PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE TAX RATE AND THE BUDGET, AND TONIGHT WE ARE HERE TO FORMALLY ADOPT THE BUDGET AN TAX RATE. THERE ARE MULTIPLE ACTIONS REQUIRED BY COUNSEL , EACH WITH SPECIFIC LANGUAGE AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE. THERE MUST BE A VOTE TO ADOPT THE BUDGET ORDINANCE COMMITTEE VOTED TO ADOPT THE TAX RATE, AND VOTED T RATIFY THE PROPERTY TAX REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET. THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE REQUIRED HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO COUNSEL.

>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. I WIL JUST MAKE A BRIEF STATEMENT .

FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND M APPRECIATION TO STAFF AND THE CITY MANAGER FOR PRESENTING THE BUDGET. WE STARTED OFF THE BUDGET, AS YOU ALL KNOW VERY WELL, KIND OF IN A ROCKY START, IN THE MIDDLE OF A TRANSITION FROM THE CITY MANAGER, WITH DIFFERENT VISION, DIFFERENT GOALS , AND IF FRESH NEW SET O EYES. AND REALLY WE REALIZED TOGETHER THAT THINGS NEEDED TO BE DONE DIFFERENTLY IN HOW WE BUDGET AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE FUTURE. YOU KNOW, WE NEEDED TO STOP BEING SO FOCUSED ON TODAY AND TOMORROW, BUT FOCUSED ON 10 OR 20 YEARS FROM NOW , WHAT IS ROWLETT GOING TO LOOK LIKE? THA STARTS IN THE BUDGET PROCESS ANNUALLY EVERY YEAR. HAD WE PLAN? AND, WE WERE NOT BEING FORWARD FOCUSED. AND, THROUGH THIS PROCESS , I, PERSONALLY, HAVE LEARNED A LOT , AND HAVE LEARNED TO REALLY KEEP AN EYE TO WHAT THE FUTURE. AND OUR BUDGETING, AND ENSURING THAT W ARE SETTING UP FUTURE LEADERS I OUR CITIZENS FOR SUCCESS , AND NOT LEAVING THEM IN A DEFICIT. AND, I APPRECIATE THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY FINANCE TEAM FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THIS BUDGE IN THAT MANNER , AND KIND OF LAST MINUTE, REALLY , I AM SURE IT TOOK A LOT OF EFFORT , AND I THINK ALL OF US ON COUNSEL TOGETHER, WE HAVE PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER AND CAME UP WITH A REALLY GOOD BUDGET ALONGSIDE STAFF PIXEL, I AM EXCITED TO GET THIS THROUGH . IT IS NOT WHAT WE WANT, WE DON'T WANT TO RAISE THE TAX RATE, NO MEMBER O COUNSEL WAS ELECTED THINKING THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THING THAT THEY DO. NONE OF US TAKE PLEASURE IN THAT, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE ARE THINGS THA ARE NECESSARY AND CRITICAL , AN ALSO TO CONSIDER THAT IN MAY OUR CITIZENS VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY TO SUPPORT THE BOND PROPOSITIONS ON THE BALLOT , WHICH WOULD RESULT IN A TAX RATE INCREASE. MUCH, ONE OF TH THINGS THAT WE WERE NOT INTENDING WAS TO HAVE TO INCREASE THE RATE ALSO FOR OPERATIONAL EXPENSES. AND AGAIN THAT GOES BACK TO HOW WE BUDGE FOR THE FUTURE, IN NOT SETTING UP , NOT SETTING OURSELVES UP FOR DEFICIT GOING ON FOUR YEARS. IT IS NOT IDEAL , BUT IT IS NECESSARY. OTHER MEMBERS WH WISH TO SPEAK?

>> YES, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE. I AM A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT WE HAD NO EMAIL INPUT FROM CITIZEN , AND NO CITIZENS SPEAKING AT THE PUBLIC HEARING. I HOPE THAT MEANS THAT THEY TRUST US , AND TO PROVIDE WHAT WE ARE DOING.

WILL BE HONEST, THIS IS NOT THE BUDGET THAT I WAS HOPING TO PAS THIS YEAR, AS THE MAYOR ALREAD STOLE SOME OF MY THUNDER. BUT, THAT IS NOT A REFLECTION ON THE CURRENT CITY MANAGER, WHO CAME INTO A SITUATION THAT TURNED OU TO BE A LOT MORE CHALLENGING THAN HE KNEW AT THE TIME , MORE CHALLENGING THAN ANY OF US KNEW WHEN WE HIRED HIM. IN OUR FIRST BUDGET WORK SESSION , WE ALL GO HIT WITH A LITTLE BIT OF AN OCTOBER SURPRISE, EVEN THOUGH I WAS JUNE . AND IT WAS SO UNSETTLING, IF YOU ALL REMEMBER AND I AM SURE YOU DO, THAT IT CAUSED US TO CAN THE WORK

[00:05:01]

DONE BETTER. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO, I AM NOT A POLITICIAN, I AM NOT GOIN TO BE NEARLY AS ELOQUENT AS THE TWO OF YOU. BUT, AS YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET , THE PREPARATION OF THE BUDGET IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT A CITY MANAGER DOES. IT IS REALLY, IN SOME WAYS, THE HEIGH OF WHY YOU HIRE A CITY MANAGER. OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE OTHER THING , BUT FEW THINGS ARE ULTIMATELY AS IMPACTFUL WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE OPERATIONS OF THE CITY. AND, SO, PERSONALLY, WHE I JOINED THE CITY IN JUNE, OFFICIALLY , I EXPECTED NOT TO HAVE TO BE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THIS BUDGET PROCESS. I CERTAINLY WANT TO START BY THANKING YOU, THAT COUNSEL , FO BEING WILLING TO INVEST A BIT OF FAITH. YOU OBVIOUSLY WANTED TO SEE DATA , YOU ASKED PROBING QUESTIONS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE, TO SUBSTANTIATE, AND FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE INFORMATIO THAT WE CONVEYED, RELATIVE TO WHAT ULTIMATELY WAS A 180, WIT RESPECT TO OUR FUTURE FINANCIAL CONDITION , AND REALLY, THE DIRECTION THAT YOU THOUGHT THE BUDGET WAS GOING TO TAKE. BUT, IT ALSO TO BUT THE WAY FOR YOU TO BELIEVE WHAT I WAS SAYING, BECAUSE INITIALLY I WAS NOT ABL TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION PRESENTING ALL OF THE INFORMATION, AND YET, YOU STILL HAVE TO KIND OF STOP ON A DIME AND REVERSE POSITIONS PIXEL, I APPRECIATE THAT . I DO APPRECIATE YOUR DILIGENCE IN WORKING WITH ME AND WORKING WIT , TO BE ABLE TO CRAFT THIS BUDGET. OBVIOUSLY, I HAVE TO THINK WENDY AND TARA AND THE REST OF THE FINANCE GROUP. LORD KNOWS THEY WERE GOING THROUGH THEIR OWN CHALLENGES INTERNALLY , AND THEN TO GET A NEW CITY MANAGER, WITH A DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHY, WHO IS BRINGING FORTH INFORMATION THAT IS ULTIMATELY PERHAPS DOUBLING TH WORK THAT THEY HAD TO DO , I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT TAKE THE TIME TO PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THEY RECEIVED TH RECOGNITION FOR THE WORK THAT WENT INTO CRAFTING THIS BUDGET.

OSTENSIBLY THEY CRAFTED TWO BUDGET . RIGHT, AS IF ONE IS NO HARD ENOUGH , THEY HAD TO CRAFT TWO BUDGET , ALL WHILE LOSING THE PREVIOUS OFFICE OR TWO. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE I PUBLICLY THANK THEM . THE OTHER PART OF THIS, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ME, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE TOO MUCH TIME, BUT THIS IS MY BUDGET WIT YOU AND I WANT HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE TO HAVE A FIRST BUDGET WITH YOU AGAIN, THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS FIRST BUDGET, WHILE NOT IDEAL, OF COURSE , ADVERSITY BREEDS CHARACTER. YOU KNOW, YOU HAD T MAKE SOME DECISIONS , YOU HAVE ALLUDED TO THEM A MOMENT AGO, AND YOU OTHERS MAY DO SO LATER.

I APPRECIATE THE COURAGE THAT IT TOOK TO REALLY, PERHAPS REVERSE POSITIONS , THAT YOU FEEL VERY FIRMLY ABOUT , BECAUS HE FELT IT WAS ULTIMATELY IN TH BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY. YOU HAVE STILL SUPPORTED GROWTH, WE ARE ENHANCING SERVICES STILL

[00:10:06]

IT IS VERY EASY . AND THIS IS AS MUCH MESSAGE FOR STAFF AND FOR THE PUBLIC, IT IS UNDERSTAN WHY ANYONE WOULD BE ABLE TO INCREASE TAX RATES TO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS , OR FIRE APPARATUS, BUT YOU HAVE GIVEN US SOME ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENTS , WHICH ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE UNSEEN WORKER , BUT PART OF THE MACHINE THAT MOVES THE CITY FORWARD PIXEL, THE COURAGE TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT , BUT ALSO TO CONTINUE IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, T SUPPORT SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN STAFF , RIGHT? THAT IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED AS WELL , BUT STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE MARKET RELEVANT SALARIES , NOT BOTTOM OF THE MARKET, RIGHT? MARKET-RELEVANT SALARIES. AND, THAT WAS A DIFFICULT CHOICE FOR YOU TO MAKE , IT WAS PART OF TH DISCUSSION AND ULTIMATELY YOU CHOSE TO SUPPORT US WITH THAT DECISION. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT, AS WELL AS THE ADDITIONAL BURDEN OF HEALTH PREMIUMS , AND ANY NUMBER OF OTHER ENHANCEMENT THAT ARE CONTAINED WITHIN THIS BUDGET, ALL OF WHICH YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO HAVE CHANGED.

BUT, YOU DECIDED TO SUPPORT US AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT US IN THAT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FO ME, AS THE STAFF REPRESENTATIVE TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK YOU FOR IT, IT IS NOT A NOTICE. SO, AGAIN, I WANTED TO BE ON RECORD FOR THANKING YOU, THAT COUNSEL THE STAFF , AND WHILE I DIRECTLY: FINANCE, OBVIOUSLY AL OF THE DIRECTORS HAD TO GO BAC TO THE DRAWING BOARD CAN WE HAV TO ENGAGE IN DIFFICULT EXERCISE OF WHAT IF YOU HAD TO REDUCE, THAT MAY COME TO PASS ONE DAY. AND, THEY TOOK THOSE EXERCISES, THEY TOOK THEM SERIOUSLY, AND THEY, TOO, HAD TO RECALIBRATE WHAT THEY WERE DOING. SO, THIS IS JUST A MOMENT FOR ME TO THAN YOU, TO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAV DONE IN TERMS OF THE STAND THA YOU HAVE TAKEN FOR US, TO CONTINUE TO MOVE THE CITY FORWAR, SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS. DEPUTY

MAYOR? >> THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS AS WELL. WHAT I APPRECIATE THE MOST ABOUT YOU COMING IN AND KIND OF TAKING DOUBLE BY THE HORNS WITH THE REST OF THE BUDGET IS THE CREATIVITY THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO BRING TO THE TABLE , THAT MAYBE THE CITY HAS NOT EXPERIENCED OR SEEN IN THE PAST , THIS IS KIND OF A DIFFERENT LOOK AT WHAT WE COULD DO, IN TERMS OF LONG-RANGE PLANNING , AND I THINK THAT IS SO VITAL AND SO IMPORTANT FOR THE FUTURE VISION OF OUR CITY , TO MAINTAIN FISCAL VIABILITY LONG-TERM, IT IS SO NECESSARY.

YOU USED ONE WORD THAT I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT, THAT IS INVESTMENT, BECAUSE IT IS NOT SPENDING ON STAFF, IT IS INVESTING IN STAFF. AND TO LOO AT TURNOVER, REDUCING TURNOVER, MAINTAINING THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE , MAINTAINING THE KNOWLEDG THAT THEY CARRY WITH THEM, THE ADDITIONAL SALARIES THAT WE MIGHT PAY THESE INDIVIDUALS IS TRULY AN INVESTMENT, BECAUSE WE ARE ABLE TO RETAIN STAFF AND RETAIN THE KNOWLEDGE AND KEEP PEOPLE ON LONG-TERM WHO KNOW HOW TO DIG IT THEIR JOBS WELL, THAT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT IN A RECESSION LIKE THIS. THE LOSS OF ANY ONE INDIVIDUAL COULD SE US BACK, IN TERMS OF OPERATIONS IN TERMS OF EFFECTIVENESS AND SERVICE TO OUR RESIDENT. I AM GRATEFUL THAT YOU ARE HERE, I A GRATEFUL THAT YOU HAVE LED US I THE PROCESS, YOU HAVE GIVEN US THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE ALONG THE WAY, AND I WILL AGREE WITH THE MAYOR PRO TEM, IN TERMS OF WHAT THE TAX WAS INITIALLY AND ALINA HAD DRAWN IN MY MIND , AS FAR AS WHAT I WAS WILLING TO ACCEPT, AND OBVIOUSLY WE NEED SOME CONCESSIONS TO THAT, NECESSARILY SO, IT'S BECAUSE TH INFORMATION YOU PROVIDED, THAT IS WHAT IS ALL COMES DOWN TO HI HAVING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION T MAKE A DECISION. IN MY MIND , I HAVE A LIMITED SET OF INFORMATION THAT I BASE MY DECISIONS ON, BUT WHEN YOU ADD TO IT YOU ADD TO IT. IT REFINE THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS THROUGH THAT. AND, SO, AS WE G ALONG AND WE LEARNED AND IT REFINES HOW WE THINK ABOUT THE INSPECTOR FOR THE RESIDENT THA MIGHT BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE TAO RATE OR WHAT THE BUDGET MIGHT ENTAIL, I ENCOURAGE THEM TO REACH OUT TO ANY MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL, I KNOW WE WOULD ALL B WILLING TO SPEAK WITH THOSE RESIDENTS OF THAT WITH THE BUDGET HAS IN IT, WHAT IT MEANS FOR THEM AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL SITUATION AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR US AS A CITY IN THE SERVICES WE OFFER , AND THE ACCESS IS THERE. AND, I THINK IF WE TAKE THE TIME AND ENGAGE OUR RESIDENT, AND WE INFORMED THEM AND INFORM THEIR DECISION-MAKING ABOUT WHAT OUR BUDGET OUGHT TO BE , IT MIGHT NOT BE SO MUCH OF JUST A BLANKE STATEMENT OF LET'S CUT TAXES, I MIGHT BE OKAY, I WOULD STILL LIKE TO CUT TAXES, BUT THERE AR THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP US , I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR ALL OF US WHEN I CAN SAY I APPRECIATE THE WORK WE HAVE DON ON THIS BUDGET, I AM PROUD OF I

[00:15:01]

>> COUNCILMEMBER BRITTON? >> I WILL MAKE MY COMMENTS BRIEF, I WANT TO ECHO WHAT HAS BEEN SAID, IT TOOK AN AWFUL LO OF HARD WORK , WHEN PEOPLE WERE LOOKING AT THE SUMMER MONTHS AN TAKING VACATIONS, OBVIOUSLY FINANCE AND ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS DID NOT HAVE THAT LUXURY. ESPECIALLY A MONTH OR SO AGO WHEN THEY HAD TO TAKE AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT DIRECTION AN GO BACK TO REWORK MUCH OF WHAT THEY HAD ALREADY DONE PIXEL, HATS OFF TO YOU. THERE ARE SOMETIMES I SIT UP HERE, AND I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE, WHERE, PARDON THE ANALOGY, I HAVE TO HOLD MY NOSE TO VOTE YES, BUT I WILL VOTE YES FOR THIS. THE REASON I SAY HOLD MY NOSE AND THAT I AM NOT HAPPY THAT WE ARE PUTTING ANOTHER BURDEN ON OUR CITIZENS. THE CITIZENS, IN ALL FAIRNESS, THEY ELECTED TO PUT THE BURDEN ON THEMSELVES WHEN THEY VOTED FOR THE BOND ISSUE, THAT IS A BURDEN, WE ARE ADDING THE BURDEN, EVERY TIME THEY COLLECTED THINK IT IS A BURDEN, EVERY TIME THEY GO TO THE GROCERY STORE. INFLATION AND EVERYTHING ELSE MAKES IT REALL HARD ON A LOT OF OUR CITIZENS, ESPECIALLY OUR CITIZENS WHO LIVE ON A FIXED INCOME. SO, I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE . I WILL SUPPORT THIS, BECAUSE WE ARE A GROWING CITY , AND AS A GROWING CITY, W HAVE MORE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE OUR CITIZENS. WE NEED INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC WORKS, FIRE AND SAFETY HAVE TO KEEP ABREAST OF THE GROWTH IN OUR CITY, AND UNFORTUNATELY , THAT IS NOT FREE. I WILL VOTE FOR THIS, I JUST VOTE WITH MY NOSE HELD.

>> YUP. ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE CONSIDER A MOTION? ALL RIGHT, IN THAT CASE , I WIL ENTERTAIN A MOTION . DEPUTY MARY MAYOR WINGET? ZEMECKIS, I HAD TALKED WE ADOPT THE BUDGE AS PRESENTED . MYKAEL WRIGHT. ANY DISCUSSION?

>> SHINDER . >> OH, I'M SORRY. ALL RIGHT.

MOTION BY WINGET, SECOND BY SHINDER. ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMEMBER BRITTON? OKAY. OKAY, GOT IT. OKAY. IN THAT CASE, CALL THE BOAT. ALL RIGHT THAT ITEM CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

[2B. Consider action to approve an ordinance to adopt the Tax Rate for Fiscal Year 2024.]

DEPUTY MAYOR WINGET? >> I MOTION THAT THE -- 0.710400 , WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 9.38% INCREASE IN THE TAX RAT

. >> COUNCILMEMBER BRITTON?

>> SECOND. >> A MOTION AND A SECOND , ANY

DISCUSSION ? >> YES. LAST YEAR I VOTED AGAINST THE ADOPTION OF THE TAX RATE OF 0.68100 , BECAUSE I BELIEVED IT WAS TOO FAR ABOVE THE REVENUE RATE, AND THE BUDGE CONTAINED THINGS THAT COULD AN SHOULD HAVE BEEN CUT IN ORDER TO LOWER IT. AT THAT TIME, I WA HOPING THAT THIS YEAR WE WOULD BE IN A POSITION TO REDUCE THAT RATE. INSTEAD WE ARE LOOKING A A PROPOSED RATE OF 0.710300 , ALMOST THREE CENTS HIGHER. AN ALMOST SIX CENTS ABOVE THIS YEARS NO NEW REVENUE RATE. AND THIS YEAR I AM GOING TO HOLD M NOSE ALONG WITH COUNCILMEMBER BRITTON AND FOR THAT. SOME OF MY CONSTITUENTS I KNOW ARE GOIN TO ASK WHAT HAPPENED . IT IS A LEGITIMATE QUESTION, AND IT DESERVES AN HONEST ANSWER. I MENTIONED, IN REGARD TO THE BUDGET, THAT THE COUNCIL WAS PRESENTED WITH UNEXPECTED INFORMATION FROM THE PREVIOUS CITY MANAGEMENT ABOUT OUR POTENTIAL FINANCIAL STATUS GOING INTO THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

WE WERE PUT IN A POSITION THAT NONE OF US WANTED TO BE IN.

EVEN CUTTING OUT MANY OF THE ITEMS THAT WE HAD HOPED TO INCLUDE IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, THE TAX RATE HAD TO GO OUT. WE DID NOT MAKE THAT DECISION IN A VACUUM. LAST MAY, CITIZENS WENT TO THE POLLS AND VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY TO FUND NEW FACILITIES. THEY KNEW THAT THOSE THINGS WOULD, IN FACT, REQUIRE AN INCREASE IN TAXES. BUT, THAT DOES NOT COVER ALL OF THIS, SEVERAL GRANTS THAT WERE IMPLEMENTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO T FUND FIREFIGHTER POSITIONS HAD RUN THEIR COURSE, WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING THOSE SALARIES AND COST OUT OF THE

[00:20:02]

>> THANK YOU, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT, IN THAT CASE, CALL THE LOAD. THAT ITEM CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW,

[2C. Consider action to ratify the property tax revenue increase reflected in the Budget for Fiscal Year 2024. (No staff report - this item is a motion only and is explained in item 2B staff report)]

>> SECOND . >> ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, CALL THE BOAT. THAT ITEM CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. ALL RIGHT. IN THAT CASE, THAT CONCLUDES OUR BUSINESS FOR THE NIGHT.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.