[00:00:05] >>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. IT IS THURSDAY AUGUST 13TH AT [1. CALL TO ORDER] 5:30 P.M. THE CITY OF ROWLETT RESERVES THE RIGHT TO RECONVENE OR CALL AN EXECUTE SESSION AT ANY TIME. THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS WILL BE HELD VIA TELECONFERENCING. IT CAN BE VIEWED LIVE ON THE WEBSITE OR CALL IN. WE HAVE A QUORUM AND WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY CITIZEN INPUT SO WE'LL MOVE RIGHT TO ITEM TWO 2. -- 2 A. [2A. Discuss Departmental Budget Presentations (180 minutes)] >> WE'RE GOING TO PICK UP WHERE WE LEFT OFF AND FIRST ONE IS ANGIE SMITH. RECREATION. >> GOOD EVENING, Y'ALL. I THINK STACEY HAS GOT A PRESENTATION. WE'LL LET HER GET BACK TO THE BEGINNING. I THINK SHE WAS TINKERING WITH IT. THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. OUR BUDGET PRESENTATION AND CHALLENGES THAT ARE COMING UP OVER THE NEXT YEAR. AS ALWAYS RECREATION HAS FIVE MAIN TENANTS THAT WE TRY TO DO OUR BUSINESS UNDER. ONE IS INCREASE TOURISM, AIR AND QUALITY AND PRIVATE HEALTH AND BENEFIT SERVICES AND PROVIDE BENEFITS TO PROPERTY VALUE. AND REDUCE JUVENILE CRIME. SO 2020 SUCCESSES WE'VE BEEN BUSY. OUR GOAL FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAS BEEN COMPLETING PROJECTS ON TIME OR AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AND WHERE WE CAN DO IT UNDER BUDGET AND WE'VE DONE THAT IN MANY CASES BEEN ABLE TO STRETCH OUR MONEY FURTHER. I HAVE IN PARKS & REC. AN AMAZING SET OF TEAM MEMBERS. WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON TRAINING AND STAFF RETREATS TO KEEP ALL OF THE TEAM IN PARKS & REC. SUCCESSFUL. RIGHT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC KICKED OFF WE WERE SET TO REALLY KICK OFF A LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM IN THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO LEAD OUR TEAM TO FOLLOW THE SERVANT LEADER WAY AND WE WILL CONTINUE THAT WHEN WE CAN GET EVERYBODY BACK IN THE SAME PLACE. WE DO A BOOK CLUB AND THAT IS OUR NEXT BOOK AND WE'LL WORK WITH THE CHIEF TO BRING THAT SERVANT LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE SIX PROFESSIONALS ON STAFF. IT REQUIRES HIGH HANDS BEFORE THEY EVEN LET YOU TAKE THE TEST. WE DID GET NATIONALLY REACCREDITED. AND WE HAVE RECENTLY IMPLEMENTED AN INTERNAL EMPLOYEE PROGRAM RECOGNITION PROGRAM WHERE OUR WE CAN DO PEER TO PEER RECOGNITION. OUR CREW LEADERS, SUPERVISORS CAN RECOGNIZE IMMEDIATE TEAM MEMBERS AND OUR MANAGERS CAN RECOGNIZE AS WELL SO IT'S A PRETTY COOL PROGRAM AND A LOT OF FUN AND WE TAKE IT TO OUR QUARTERLY STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS AND WE TALK THROUGH WHO IT WAS AND WHAT THEY DID AND ALL OF THE GOOD STUFF. IT'S BEEN A LOT OF FUN. 2021 GOALS. WE HAVE AN AGGRESSIVE SCHEDULE. OUR TEAM SPENDS A LOT OF TIME WORKING ON PROJECTS. PHASE I -- WE JUST HAD OUR FIRST MEETING ON-SITE FOR THAT. TO TALK ABOUT SOME OPTIONS. HAVE THE DESIGN CONTRACT FOR THE DAN ROBERTS ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING CENTER. CONTINUING TO PLAN SOME OF OUR IMPROVEMENTS AT COMMUNITY PARK. WE STILL HAVE SOME WORK TO DO ON SOCCER FIELDS. WE WILL ARE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON TRAINING FOR OUR RECREATION TEAM. FURTHERING THEIR EDUCATION AND THEIR CERTIFICATIONS WHERE WE CAN. IT'S A CRITICAL ELEMENT TO MAKE SURE OUR STAFF IS THE BEST OF THE BEST. [00:05:02] SPECIAL EVENTS AND MARKETING. I PUT GROW EVENTS AND AT THIS POINT WE'LL TAKE ANY EVENT. OUR STAFF CAN'T WAIT TO DO SOMETHING AND WE LOOK AT ADDING ADDITIONAL EVENTS THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS. TO CONTINUE EVENTS DOWNTOWN. AND THEN SUSTAINABILITY. AS MUCH AS WE CAN OVER THE NEXT YEAR WITH PANDEMIC. NEXT SLIDE, STACEY. SO METRICS, THIS IS THE IMPORTANT STUFF. WE LOOK AT IN OUR PA -- WE OF COMPARE OURSELVES TO OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF RESIDENTS PER SQUARE MILE. THERE ARE 100 CRITERIA THAT IS USED AND YOU CAN PICKET APART. -- YOU'VE SEEN THIS STUFF BEFORE. SO THESE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS. THE BENCHMARK FOR RESIDENT PER PARKS AND WE DID DEVELOPED PARKS AND DEVELOPED AND UNDEVELOPED SO THE BENCHMARK IS ABOUT 2300 RESIDENCE PER DEVELOPED PARK AND WE HAVE ABOUT 4,000 RESIDENTS SO WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN GET PARKS CLOSER TO OUR CITIZENS. BELIEVE IT OR NOT FOR PARKLAND WE'RE RIGHT ON TARGET SO IF YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THE PARKLAND WE HIT THAT NUMBER RIGHT ON THE HEAD SO WE START TO LOOK AT AND I ALWAYS INCLUDE THAT ON MY CIP LIST IS HOW CAN WE START TO DEVELOP SOME OF THE UNDEVELOPED PARKS. WE WANT ALL OF OUR CURRENT STUFF FIXED BEFORE WE DO ANYTHING ELSE. UPDATED AND NEW AMENITIES. THE FULL-TIMEY GIVE LENS -- THE MEDIAN IS BASED ON POPULATION. 56.5 AND WE SIT AT 34.5. ALMOST EVERY DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY CAN TELL YOU THEY RUN A LEAN ORGANIZATION AND WE'RE NO DIFFERENT THAN THE REST OF THEM. WE DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN DO WITH WHAT WE HAVE AND IF YOU LOOK AT RECREATION FULL-TIME EQUIVALENCE THE BENCHMARK IS 8.7 AND WE'RE AT 5.75 SO WE'RE SHORT BY THREE BY THAT STANDARD BY THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS VERSUS THE RESIDENTS PER SQUARE MILE. OPERATING EXPENDITURES. -- CALL FROM JENA AT USC. >> WE LIKELY COULD HAVE EXCEEDED THAT AGAIN. WE WERE HALFWAY THROUGH OUR SPECIAL EVENT. WE HAVE CANCELED A LOT. WE LOOK AT THOSE EVERY SINGLE MONTH AND TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION ALL OF THE ORDERS THAT ARE IN PLACE FROM THE COUNTY JUDGE AND THE GOVERNOR AND THE CITY. SO WE WERE LAST YEAR WE HAD ABOUT 22,000 ATTENDEES AT OUR SPECIAL EVENTS AND THIS YEAR WE HAD ABOUT 10,000. WET ZONE ATTENDANCE. TRADITIONALLY SEES ABOUT 31,000 PEOPLE. WE HAD A SHORTENED SEASON SO ROUGHLY I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT COUNT BUT ABOUT 45 DAYS WE WERE OPEN AND WE SAW 598 PEOPLE. THE FEEDBACK FROM OUR CITIZENS WAS EXTREMELY POSITIVE. VERY POSITIVE ABOUT THE STAFF AND VERY POSITIVE ABOUT THE FACT OPEN THE PARK, GIVEN EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON BECAUSE FOR A LOT OF FOLKS THAT WAS THEIR OUTLET. WE DIDN'T DO SEASON PASSES. JUST DAY ENTRANCE BUT WE HAD A LOT OF RETURNING VISITORS BECAUSE IT WAS THEIR OUTLET ON HOW THEY GOT OUT AND GOT FRESH AIR AND EXERCISE. NEXT SLIDE, STACEY. [00:10:03] FUTURE CONCERNS? I KNOW EVERYBODY IS KIND OF TALKED ABOUT WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE CONCERNS? OURS ARE ALWAYS PEOPLE AND EQUIPMENT. WE NEED TO KEEP UP WITH THE TRENDS OF ADDING STAFF AND ACTIVITIES AND PARKLANDS. THERE IS ONLY SO MANY HOURS IN A DAY AND EVERY TIME WE ADD AN AS SET WE HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE TO MAINTAIN THAT BECAUSE IT TAKES BOOTS ON THE GROUND. 7 WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T GET BEHIND THE CARE -- CURVE AGAIN AND WE'VE MADE A HUGE STEP IN SIX NEW PARKS EMPLOYEES AND THAT HAS HELPED US. AS WE ADD WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND CURRENTLY WE'RE ABOUT THREE STAFF BEHIND NATIONAL TRENDS. EQUIPMENT IS CRITICAL FOR THE RECREATION TEAM. MY TEAM CANNOT DO WHAT THEY DO IF THEY DON'T HAVE OPERATIONAL EQUIPMENT TO COMPLETE THE PROJECTS. OVER THE LAST 18-24 MONTHS WE'VE ESTABLISHED AN AMAZING RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR FLEET DEPARTMENT FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO HEAR US. WE HAVE TO HAVE IT BACK. BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE. WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ADD A COUPLE OF PIECES BUT IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A CONCERN FOR MY TEAM AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION IT. WE STILL HAVE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT THAT ARE HELD TOGETHER WITH BALE AND WIRE AND BUBBLE GUM. WE DON'T WANT TO ENTER INTO A SITUATION WHERE WE CONTINUE TO POSTPONE THE PURCHASING OF EQUIPMENT. WE NEED RESOURCES AND FLEET TO HELP ADDRESS THOSE PROBLEMS QUICKLY AND NOT HAVE EQUIPMENT OUT OF ACTION FOR WEEKS AND GARY AND I HAVE WORKED CLOSELY ON THIS. GARY'S TEAM IS AMAZING. HE IS WORKING CLOSELY WITH JONATHAN SO WE DON'T SEE A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. IF IT'S A MOWER WE NEED TO GET IT IN AND OUT AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN. NEXT SLIDE, STACEY. SO 2021 CHALLENGES SPECIFICALLY PEOPLE. ONE STAFF MEMBER ADAM MOST OF YOU KNOW ADAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF OUR SPECIAL EVENT. ALL OF OUR MARKETING AND SPONSORSHIPS. AND SO, THAT IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS AGO WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW CAN WE ADD TO THAT TEAM. ADAM DOES AN AMAZING JOB BUT IF WE HAVE A FULL YEAR HE IS BURNING THE CANDLE AT BOTH ENDS. NEW PARKS AND FEATURES OVER THE NEXT YEAR. HERFORD IS GOING TO COME BACK ON-LINE. WE'RE ADDING MEALS OF TRAILS. WE'VE ADDED SPORTS FIELDS AND IMPROVING THEM. WE'RE GOING TO ADD LAKE FRONT AT PEPER -- PECAN GROVE. THAT TAKES PEOPLE AND THEN OF COURSE THERE IS ALWAYS THE INCREASED MEDIAN MAINTENANCE AND WE'RE PARTNERING LIKE ON HIGHWAY 66 IT LOOKS PRETTY ROUGH. WE'RE PARTNERING WITH OUR CONTRACTOR TO HELP US. WE'RE TRYING TO SUPPLEMENT THAT PLUS KEEP ALL OF OUR PROJECTS GOING. SO AS WE INCREASE MEDIAN MAINTENANCE AND MAKE THEM MORE BEAUTIFUL IT DOES TAKE MORE PEOPLE. SPECIAL EVENTS AND MARKETING IS ONE OF MY CONCERNS. WE HAVE ONE STAFF DOING ALL OF IT. IT'S TIME AND AS PART OF THE BUDGET WE'RE GOING TO REEVALUATE OUR EVENTS THAT WE HOST AND THE SIZE AND OUR LEVEL OF MARKETING AND IT'S TIME FOR US TO DO THAT SO WHEN WE ADD A NEW EMPLOYEE WE'RE HEADED DOWN THE RIGHT PATH. WE'RE GOING TO EVALUATE ALL OF OUR MARKETING EFFORTS. WHAT IS WORKING AND WHAT IS NOT. SHOULD WE STILL BE PUBLISHING A HARD COPY OF THE LAKE SIDE LEISURE. OR SHOULD WE DO IT ON-LINE. IT'S A BRAND-NEW WAY OF DOING BUSINESS. RIGHT? SO HOW DO WE INCORPORATE VIRTUAL PLANNING? RIGHT NOW THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO KICK OFF SOME NEW VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING THAT IS DIFFERENT. AND THEN FACILITIES. OUR FACILITIES ARE AGING AND NEED UPDATES. WET ZONE IS 20 YEARS OLD. RCC NEEDS NEW CABINETS AND NEW COUNTERTOPS AND CARPET IN SOME OF THE AREAS AND THE WEIGHT ROOM NEEDS SOME WORK DONE. SO FACILITIES ARE AGING AND THEY [00:15:05] NEED UPDATES. THAT'S PART OF IT. WET ZONE WILL CELEBRATE ITS 20TH SEASON. WE WERE SLATED TO HAVE OUR MILLIONTH VISITOR THIS YEAR. THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. THAT WILL PROBABLY HAPPEN NEXT YEAR. MAINTENANCE IS AT ITS HIGHEST LEVEL YET AND IT MUST CONTINUE TO RECEIVE MAINTENANCE FUNDING FOR OPERATIONS TO REMAIN SUSTAINABLE. 300,000 PEOPLE A YEAR WHICH IS WHY WE TRACK THAT NUMBER TAKES A TOLL ON A FACILITY. WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO REPLACE EQUIPMENT AND FIX EQUIPMENT AND TABLES AND CHAIRS. WE JUST PURCHASED NEW CHAIRS AT THE RCC. IT WAS TIME. SO WE GOT TO DO THAT LAST YEAR. IT WAS A HUGE ASSET TO THE FACILITY BUT TABLES AS WELL. NEXT SLIDE, STACEY. THAT IS IT. HERE ARE SOME PICTURES FROM THE SUMMER. WE TRIED TO HAVE A LITTLE FUN WITH THIS. THAT IS TRAVIS PARTICIPATING IN AN EQUIPMENT RODEO IN THE SPRING. THAT IS OUR NEW TWIN STAR MULTI-PURPOSE COURT. IT'S PRETTY MUCH COVERED ALL OF THE TIME. WE'VE ABOUT MANAGED TO GET ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS IN A BOX WHICH IS AWESOME. PEOPLE ARE HAPPY. ALSO WORKING ON NEW SIGNAGE WITH COURT RULES AND SPORTSMANSHIP. THAT IS OUR NEW PLAYGROUND AT TWIN STAR. THAT IS MY STAFF PLAYING JEOPARDY. THEY LOVE TO BE TOGETHER. PROBABLY THE HARDEST THING ABOUT COVID IS THEY DON'T GET TO BE TOGETHER AND THEY ARE STRUGGLING WITH THAT. THEY LITERALLY ARE LIKE A FAMILY AND THEY LOVE EACH OTHER. THAT IS WHEN WE FIRST OPENED AT RCC TAKING TEMPERATURES. THERE ARE SOME FUN WET ZONES. MORE STAFF PICTURES. THEY LOVE TO BE TOGETHER AND A PART OF EVERYTHING. SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE GOOD UPDATE. COUNCIL, I SEE TWO HANDS UP. I'LL START WITH BLAKE. >> THANK YOU ANGEL FOR THE UPDATE. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU NEED IN ORDER TO ENSURE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE. HIGHWAY 66 MEDIAN. IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND THE CONTRACTOR IS IT A NEED OF MORE PERSONNEL? >> BLAKE IT'S A COMBINATION OF THOSE. IT'S EITHER/OR. IT'S EITHER ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL OR IT IS ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THAT CONTRACT. I WILL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW IT'S VERY HARD TO JUDGE. DND IS AN AMAZING PARTNER AND WHEN THEY ARE 100% STAFFED THEY DON'T MISS A BEAT. I'LL DO EVERYTHING TO ENSURE THAT THEY CAN STAY THAT WAY BECAUSE THEY TAKE CARE OF IT. UNFORTUNATELY DND HAD A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF CREW MEMBERS THAT GOT COVID AND IN THE MOWING BUSINESS WHEN ONE OF THE CREW GETS IT TAKES THE ENTIRE CREW OUT OF POCKET. THEY TAKE CARE OF ALL OF OUR PUBLIC HIGHWAYS SO THAT MADE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT. IT IS WHAT IT IS. IT LOOKS TERRIBLE RIGHT NOW BUT MY TEAM IS GOING OUT EVERY DAY AND HELP TRY TO CATCH BACK UP SO WE CAN KEEP IT BUT IT DOES TAKE PEOPLE. THAT IS A LOT OF MEDIAN WORK. WHEN YOU FIRST TAKE OVER SOMETHING IT'S HARD. TEX-DOT PUTS IT IN BUT THEY DO THE SPRAYING SO WE NEED TO SPRAY AND GET ON A SPRAYING SCHEDULE AND WE NEED TO FIND SOME OF THE PLANTS THAT WE -- WHERE WE CAN PUT WEED BARRIER DOWN. IT TAKES PEOPLE AND MONEY. THERE IS A DOLLAR ATTACHED TO IT. AND THE REALITY IS IN SIX MONTHS WE'LL HAVE A BETTER IDEA. IT'S ALWAYS HARD. WE HAVE TOOK IT OVER AT THE BEGINNING OF SUMMER AND WE HAD LIMITED CREWS AND I ONLY HAVE NINE PEOPLE ON ANY GIVEN DAY AND THAT MAKES IT HARDER. WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE NINE AND YOU HAVE TO DO TRASH AND CLEAN BATHROOMS IT BEGINS TO TAKE A HIT. >> THANK YOU. AND LAST QUESTION. THE RCC CARPET REPLACEMENT IT WAS FUNDED. WAS THAT PART OF THE DELAYED [00:20:03] PROJECT LIST OR -- DUE TO COVID? >> IT WAS YES. >> OKAY. >> IT WAS ONE OF THE OTHER OPERATIONAL ITEMS ON THE LIST. >> WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT NEXT WEEK WITH BE MY GUEST. >> YES, MA'AM. >> THANK YOU. >> BROWNIE, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP NEXT. >> YOU'RE NOT MUTED RIGHT NOW. >> I'M NOT? IT SAYS I AM. ANY WAY. ANGIE I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT -- >> NOW HE IS MUTED. >> I WANTED TO ONE OF THESE DAYS WE'LL BE IN ONE ROOM TOGETHER. I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE POCKET PARKS. THEY ARE SPRINGING UP. ARE YOU COUNTING THEM IN YOUR STUFF? YOU PROBABLY DON'T DO MAINTENANCE TO POCKET PARKS. >> WE DO IF THEY ARE A CITY POCKET PARK. IF THEY ARE A POCKET PARKIN STALLED BY A DEVELOPMENT THEY MAINTAIN IT. THERE IS I BELIEVE A POCKET PARK ALONG M MERIT. I THINK THAT IS MERIT AND WE MAINTAIN THAT ONE. SO THERE ARE A FEW THAT WE DO BUT IF THEY ARE PART OF A NEIGHBORHOOD. WATERVIEW HAS A NUMBER OF POCKET PARKS. WE HAVE DON'T COUNT THOSE AND WE DON'T MAINTAIN THEM. WE ONLY COUNT THE ONES THAT WE TAKE CARE OF. >> THANK YOU. >> YEAH. JUMPING BACK TO THE MEDIANS. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS FEASIBLE OR NOT BUT YOU KNOW -- DOES THE HAVE A VOLUNTEER BASE AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO DO ON ANY REGULAR BASES BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC ISSUES WITH MEDIANS IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE EVER SEND OUR VOLUNTEERS TO DO EVEN WHEN THEY ARE DOING WHEN WE'RE DOING THE SIDEWALKS WE TELL THEM TO STAY OUT OF THE MEDIANS BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY ISSUE BUT YOU KNOW THERE IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF CATCH UP TO DO ON THOSE MEDIANS TO GET THEM GET ALL OF THE WEEDS OUT. EVEN GET THEM READY TO PUT DOWN ANY KIND OF SPRING -- JUST SAYING IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COORDINATE A VOLUNTEER DAY AND HAVE YOUR GUYS AND MAYBE PUBLIC WORKS WHERE THEY CAN COUNT OFF SOME OF THE STUFF. I THINK WE CAN ROUND UP A HANDFUL OF VOLUNTEERS AND STILL BE ABLE TO SOCIAL DISTANCE AND HELP YOU OUT WITH THAT. >> AWESOME. I'LL REACH OUT TO YOU GUYS. WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT WHERE WE CAN DO SOME PARTNERSHIPS. THEY JUST DID A BIG TRASH CLEAN UP. I NEED TO CALL MARTHA AND SHE WILL REACH OUT. SHE IS PUTTING A LIST TOGETHER BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE THE SAFETY PROTOCOLS IN PLACE. IT TAKES THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BLOCK OFF THE STREET. IT'S JUST PLAYING CATCH UP AND WITH ONLY NINE ON ANY GIVEN DAY BECAUSE THAT IS HOW MANY TRUCKS WE HAVE AVAILABLE. WE HAVE 20 PARK STAFF BUT WHEN YOU TRY TO SPREAD THEM IT'S TOUGH. >> I KNOW IT'S A BIG DEAL. >> RIGHT NOW IT'S KIND OF CRAZY BUT WE HOPE IT DOESN'T STAY THAT WAY. >> I'M JUST PUTTING IT OUT THERE. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION HAVING TO DO WITH THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM. >> I'M AFRAID TO SAY HOW THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM IS WORKING BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S WORKING REALLY WELL. WE ACTUALLY WORK DIRECTLY WITH RAIN BIRD TO GET THE SYSTEM BACK UP AND RUNNING. THEY ARE STILL WORKING OUT A FEW KINKS BUT THERE IS NO LONGER WATER RUNNING DOWN 66 AND THEY'VE GOTTEN IT ON A AND FIGURED OUT HOW TO CONTROL IT. MY TEAM AND KNOCK ON WOOD RIGHT NOW IT IS WORKING THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO WORK AND UNTIL SOMEBODY DRIVES THROUGH THE MEDIAN IT WILL STAY THAT WAY. MY PARKS TEAM HAS FIGURED OUT HOW TO CONTROL IT AND MAKE IT WORK AND WHERE AND HOW EVERYTHING IS SO THAT'S BEEN AWESOME. TEX-DOT DID A THOROUGH WALK THROUGH WITH US AND IT'S A RAIN BIRD SYSTEM. THE REPRESENTATIVE HAS BEEN AMAZING. WE'RE GOOD TO GO. [00:25:03] >> I KNEW THAT THAT WAS A HUGE UNDERTAKING AND WITH THE TECHNOLOGY IT WAS NEW AND CUTTING EDGE SO I JUST WONDERED HOW IT WAS WORKING OUT IN REAL LIFE. >> IT'S GOING TO TAKE US A WHILE TO MASTER IT. >> THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >> MATT, YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP? >> THANKS, ANGIE. YOU GUYS DO A GREAT JOB. FTEN THE DEPARTMENT THAT HISTORICALLY GETS UNRECOGNIZED BUT I THINK CITIZENS AS A WHOLE REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF PARKS AFTER THEY'VE BEEN QUARANTINED FOR SIX MONTHS. PARKS ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. LIVABILITY AS MUCH AS PUTTING IN STREETS AND HAVE WATER AND FIRE AND POLICE AND I WILL PREACH THAT TO THE DAY I DO AND A LOT OF THE CITIZENS REALIZE THAT. HAVE WE EVER APPLIED FOR TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE GRANT? BECAUSE I THINK HERFORD MIGHT BE A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO DO ONE. >> WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR NEW GRANT COORDINATOR. TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE LETS OUT THOSE GRANTS IN SPURTS. THE NEXT THAT IS DUE IN THE NOVEMBER IS A PROGRAMMING GRANT. A CO-OP GRANT SO IT FOCUSES ON OUTDOOR EDUCATION. WE WERE THINKING ABOUT THE GREAT WAY WE COULD USE THAT PROPERTY FOR OUTDOOR EDUCATION. AND SO THEY ARE PUTTING TOGETHER A PROGRAM NOW TO WORK WITH. THEY JUST RELEASED THE GRANT. SO WE'RE WORKING TO SEE HOW WE CAN DO THAT. I'VE APPLIED BEFORE SO I'M SUPER EXCITED TO HAVE SOMEBODY HELP US OUT WITH THE GRANT PROCESS. IT'S A LOT OF TRACKING BUT I'M SUPER EXCITED TO HAVE THE EXTRA FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. >> COOL. THANK YOU. >> MARTHA YOUR HAND IS STILL UP. >> THE QUESTION ABOUT GRANTS. YOU MIGHT CHECK WITH EPA AND I KNOW THAT WE MISSED A WINDOW LIKE YEAR BEFORE LAST BUT I BELIEVE A NEW EPA GRAM HAS OPENED UP. >> PERFECT. >> THEY HAVE A LOT OF STORM WATER GRANTS AND THE ONE THAT WE MISSED OUT ON WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT. THE DITCH -- THAT I THINK -- HAS THAT WHOLE THING BEEN TAKEN CARE OF SO WE CAN PUT MONEY IN THERE NOW AT SOME POINT? >> I THINK WE HAVE TO WAIT A LITTLE WHILE. PAULS ON HERE. I THINK PAUL TOLD ME 18 MONTHS TO PUT AN INFRASTRUCTURE BUT MY TEAM WANTS TO RENAME THE DITCH. BUT DEFINITELY. I THINK THE PROCESS IS DONE. IT'S NOW A MATTER OF WAITING A BIT. >> BECAUSE THAT WAS BOUGHT THROUGH THE TAXES THERE ARE BACK TAXES THE PERSON WHO ORIGINALLY OWNS THAT HAS THE RIGHT TO REFLAME THAT PROPERTY. BUT THEY HAVE TWO YEARS AGO TO DO THAT SO YOU HAVE TO WAIT TWO YEARS BEFORE INVESTING. >> START LOOKING FOR GRANTS NOW. IT WILL TAKE THAT LONG. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> IS THAT IT, MATT? WE NEED TO NAME IT AFTER THE TORNADO. 7 THE ONLY THING I WANTED TO ADD ANGIE IS I KNOW YOUR STAFF IS LIMITED BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO SPLIT THEM BETWEEN DAYS BUT I WAS HOPING THAT MAYBE WE HAD SOME FUNDS EXCESS FUNDS THAT WE COULD UTILIZE AS A RESULT OF NOT HAVING AS MUCH PROGRAM EXPENSE ETC. TO MAYBE PUT IN A FRISBEE GOLF -- IT'S A $20,000ISH PROPOSITION THAT CAN BE -- TO A THIRD PARTY CONTRACTOR. THAT WOULD BE A GREAT ASSET. >> WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT AND AN ARCHERY RANGE. JASON MET WITH A GROUP AND WE DID TALK TO PAUL. HE REACHED OUT US TO AND WE REACHED OUT AGAIN TO PAUL. ABSOLUTELY. THAT AND AN ARCHERY RANGE. GREAT PARTNERSHIPS THAT HOPEFULLY WON'T END UP COSTING THE CITY A LOT OF MONEY BUT ADD [00:30:02] A GREAT ASSET. TO MAYBE EVEN RELOCATE SOME OF THE BASKETS TO A BETTER PLACE AND ADD SOME TO IT AS WELL. >> IT'S NOT ON THE DOWN LOW ANY MORE. >> THANKS. >> OKAY. I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER HANDS UP. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ANGIE. APPRECIATE YOUR UPDATE. >> ABSOLUTELY. THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH. >> ALL RIGHT. MAYOR, OF THE NEXT ONE WE'RE GOING TO GO TO IS THE LIBRARY AND LAURA TURNER IS GOING TO BE GIVING THAT PRESENTATION. >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COUNCIL, I'M LAURA TURNER THE INTERIM LIBRARY DIRECTOR. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS OUR BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021. FISCAL YEAR 2020 STARTED OUT RELATIVELY UNEVENTFUL AND THEN IN JANUARY OUR LIBRARY DIRECTOR RETIRED. WE WERE JUST KIND OF GETTING OUR BEAR FRINGES THAT AND THEN IN MARCH THE LIBRARY HAD TO CLOSE DUE TO COVID. WEIGHED LOT OF UNKNOWNS -- WE HAD A LOT OF UNKNOWNS. STAFF WAS NOT SURE HOW WE WOULD OPERATE CLOSED AND OFFER SERVICES WITHOUT GETTING SICK. LOTS OF UNKNOWNS BUT THE ONE THING THAT I DID KNOW ABOUT THE STAFF IS THE TEAM AT THE LIBRARY ARE -- LIKE LEAVES OF TEA. WE PERSEVERED. WE GOT OUR BEARINGS FIGURED OUT. WE STARTED ISSUING DIGITAL ACCESS LIBRARY CARDS FOR PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T COME INTO THE LIBRARY BUT THEY COULD OBTAIN A LIBRARY CARD AND USE ADDITIONAL SERVICES. IN APRIL WE STARTED OFF CURBSIDE CHECKOUTS AND THEN IN MAY WE WERE ABLE TO OPERATE AGAIN WITH A LIMITED CAPACITY AND SINCE MA0 VISITORS. WE DID VIRTUAL STORY TIMES AND WE HAD OUR FIRST EVER VIRTUAL SUMMER READING PROGRAM. WE HAD A ZOOM FAIRY-TALE BALL TO CELEBRATE OUR EFFORTS. EVEN OUR ESL AND GED CLASSES HAVE GONE VIRTUAL. WE'VE GOT ONE OF OUR STUDENTS WHO COMPLETED THE GRADUATION AND ANOTHER STUDENT WHO'S IN THE FINAL TESTS FOR THEIR GED. OUR TOTAL REGISTERED BORROWERS IS UP 16.8%. AND ALTHOUGH PROGRAM STATISTICS PROGRAM ATTENDANCE IS DOWN AND THE CHECK OUT OF OUR PHYSICAL MILLIONS IS DOWN DUE TO US BEING CLOSED AND OUR LIMITED HOURS OUR ELECTRONIC OFFERINGS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED. STAFF HAVE DONE A REALLY GREAT JOB PROMOTING THE DIGITAL OFFERINGS THAT WE HAVE NOT ONLY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA BUT OUR CIRCULATION STAFF HAVE ALSO DONE A GREAT JOB REACHING OUT TO PATRONS. CALLING THEM AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY WERE AWARE THAT THEY CAN STILL DO THINGS WITH THE LIBRARY EVEN IF THEY ARE STAYING HOME AND STAYING SAFE. BECAUSE WE REALIZED NOT EVERYBODY USES SOCIAL MEDIA AND NOT EVERYONE READS E-MAILS. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO USE THE LIBRARY WHO USE TELEPHONES AND WANT NEWS THAT WAY. SO WE HAD SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN OUR DATABASES. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. WHEN WE STARTED OUT OUR BUDGET PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2021. WE WERE GOING OFF SOME WORDS OF ADVICE FROM THE RETIRED DIRECTOR KATHY -- THE LAST ADVICE SHE GAVE ME WAS I REGRET NOT ASKING FOR ENOUGH THINGS. DON'T BE LIKE ME. ASK FOR THINGS SO WE WERE ALL POISED TO ASK FOR MORE THINGS IN OUR 2021 BUDGET AND THEN COVID HIT AND WE REALIZED IT WAS NOT THE TIME TO ASK FOR THINGS. SO WHEN IT CAME TO OUR GOAL OF INCREASING THE ATTENDANCE FOR LIBRARY PROGRAMS AND THE CIRCULATION OF PHYSICAL LIBRARY MATERIALS WE'LL TO HAVE WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE FULL CAPACITY FOR THAT. OUR GOAL OF PROVIDING MORE SERVICES MORE ADULT PROGRAMS DATABASES AND DEDICATED ASSISTANCE FOR JOB SEEKERS AND [00:35:03] SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WE WERE ONE AND TWO REQUESTS AN ADULT SERVICES LIBRARIAN AND ANNA ADDITIONAL DATABASE. WE HAVE DIDN'T DO THAT THIS YEAR. WE WANTED TO INCREASE OUR PARTICIPATION FOR ESL AND GED CLASSES AND WE WANTED TO TAKE OUR GED COORDINATOR AND MAKE THAT POSITION A FULL-TIME POSITION WHICH WE DIDN'T DO BECAUSE OF THE BUDGET SHORT COMEINGS. WE ALSO WANTED TO INCREASE OUR SUMMER READING PROGRAM AND GET SOME BETTER PRIZES BUT WE DECIDED THIS WAS NOT THE YEAR TO DO THAT. THE SAME FOR PROVIDING ADDITIONAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STAFF. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THE LIBRARY HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY FRUGAL THROUGHOUT OUR BUDGET CYCLES. SIGNIFICANT INCREASES HAVE BEEN DUE TO EMPLOYEE PAY AND RENT PAYMENTS WHEN WE MOVED TO THE VILLAGE OF ROWLETT DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A 16% INCREASE IN OUR TOTAL REGISTERED BOW -- BORROWERS. MORE PEOPLE ARE UTILIZING THE LIBRARY BUT WE'RE NOT GETTING SIGNIFICANTLY MORE MONEY TO DO THOSE THINGS. 1 NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. WE DID DECIDE THAT ITEMS WITH A DIRECT IMPACT TO THE PATRONS AND THAT PROVIDE OUR CORE SERVICES THOSE ARE SACRED AND WE NEED TO KEEP THOSE IN PLACE AND KEEP FUNDING THOSE. AND DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE NEVER CHANGE. NEXT SLIDE. FOR THE FUTURE WE DO WANT TO IN FUTURE YEARS TRY TO GET MORE IN OUR BUDGET TRY TO INCREASE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE OFFER. WE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO ACQUIRE MORE DATABASES TO HELP OUR PATRONS. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD GET SOME WIFI HOTSPOTS TO CHECK OUT TO OUR PATRONS. WE WOULD LIKE TO UP WIRETAP LETS AND -- COMPUTERS FOR PATRONS TO TAKE HOME. WE'RE WORKING TO SEE WHAT GOALS WE CAN MEET THROUGH GRANTS. IN THE FUTURE WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INCREASE OUR PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS. WE REALLY WANT TO TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE PROGRAMS TO ASSIST PEOPLE WITH THEIR JOB SEARCH EFFORTS. AND TO ALSO HELP SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT. WE WANT TO IN THE FUTURE PROVIDE MORE HOME SCHOOL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. AND AS YOU ALL KNOW WE DO HAVE A CHALLENGE WITH OUR AFTER SCHOOL TEENS AND WE WERE HOPING TO HAVE A BUDGET REQUEST FOR SOMETHING TO HELP US HAVE AN AFTER SCHOOL SNACK PROGRAM. WHEN WE HAD TOWN HALL MEETINGS WITH THE STUDENTS WHEN WE INTERVIEWED THEM ONE-ON-ONE ONE THING THAT THEY SAID IS WE'RE HUNGRY AND WE WOULD LIKE TO HANG OUT WITH OUR FRIENDS AND HAVE A SNACK AND SO TRYING TO MEET THE KIDS WHERE THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY WANT TO BE THAT IS ONE OF OUR GOALS. AND SO WE'RE ALSO LOOKING INTO GRANT POSSIBILITIES FOR THAT AS WELL. NOW TO GET ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND PROGRAMS WE WOULD NEED ADDITIONAL STAFF. WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE INCREASED HOURS FOR OUR GED COORDINATOR TO BE A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE. SHE HAS BEEN DOING WONDERFUL THINGS WORKING WITH OUR VOLUNTEER TUTORS AND STUDENTS AND GETTING MORE STUDENTS RECRUITED INTO THE PROGRAM. GETTING THEM ON TRACK. GETTING THEM CONNECTED WITH THE TUTORS. WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE AN ADULT SERVICES LIBRARIAN SO THE JOB SEARCH PROGRAMS AND THE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SO IT CAN BE HEADED UP BY A LIBRARIAN WHO HAS THE TIME AND THE CAPACITY. AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF A NEW LARGER LIBRARY IN THE FUTURE SINCE WE'RE IN A RENTED SPACE OUR LEASE IS FOR FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS. WE'RE NOW IN OUR THIRD YEAR OF THAT SO AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE WE WILL NEED A DIFFERENT FACILITY. IF WE GET A LARGER FACILITY WE WOULD NEED MORE STAFF. NEXT SLIDE. A LONG THE LINES OF STAFF I JUST WANTED TO SHOW THE STAFF LEVELS [00:40:06] FROM 2011 AND 2020. IN 2011 WE HAD THE FOLLOWING EMPLOYEES DEDICATING 642 EMPLOYEE HOURS TO THE FUNCTIONING OF THE LIBRARY. IN 2020 WE HAVE 575 EMPLOYEE HOURS BEING DEDICATED TO THE RUNNING OF THE LIBRARY. THAT SEEMS LIKE IT'S GOING BACKWARDS AND WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT A MORE PROGRESSIVE NUMBER. INSTEAD OF HAVING FEWER HOURS DEDICATED TO THE LIBRARY WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT NUMBER INCREASE AND SO THIS YEAR WE HAVE WON'T BE ASKING FOR THOSE INCREASES BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR THOSE IN THE FUTURE. AND AT THIS POINT THAT IS ALL OF MY PRESENTATION. BUT I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. AND FOR SOME REASON MY VIDEO IS NOT WORKING. 7. >> WE USED TO SEE THAT LOVELY PICTURE OF YOU THAT IS NOT EVEN SHOWING. >> BROWNIE, YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP? >> THERE SHE IS. 7 LAURA, THIS COVID WITH THIS PANDEMIC AND EVERYTHING -- IT CAUSED EVERYBODY TO GO AWAY FROM BUSINESS AS USUAL. YOU AND YOUR STAFF I THINK DID A GREAT JOB OF COMING UP WITH WAYS TO PRESENT THE LIBRARY WITHOUT PERSONAL CONTACT. I GUESS MY QUESTION IS DO YOU THINK YOU LEARNED NEW WAYS TO PRESENT THE LIBRARY THAT WOULD CARRY OVER INTO THE NONPANDEMIC ERA THAT WE MAY GET TO ONE DAY? >> ABSOLUTELY. I WAS JUST SPEAKING WITH ONE OF OUR GED TUTORS AND SHE WAS SAYING HOW OFFERING THE VIRTUAL GED CLASSES HAS BEEN AN IMPROVEMENT ON THE SERVICE THAT THEY OFFER BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE WOULD HAVE EITHER CHILD CARE ISSUES COMING TO THE CLASSES OR THEY WOULD HAVE TRANSPORTATION ISSUES. THERE WOULD BE SOME BARRIER TO KEEP THEM FROM PHYSICALLY COMING TO THE LIBRARY FOR THE CLASS. WE WOULD ALSO ENCOUNTER ISSUES WHERE JUST HAVING A SPACE OR THE TUTOR TO JUST MEET WITH THE STUDENT. WE HAD CHALLENGES WITH THAT SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO OVERCOME THOSE CHALLENGES BY OFFERING THAT VIRTUALLY. WE'VE ALSO SEEN THAT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE THE VIRTUAL STORY TIMES AND STUFF PARENTS WHO MAYBE DIDN'T WANT TO BRING THEIR KIDS OUT BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER OR BECAUSE THE KIDDED THE SNIFFLES OR SOMETHING THEY APPRECIATED THE FACT THAT THEY STILL GOT TO HAVE THEIR STORY TIME. SO WE DEFINITELY LEARNED A LOT AND ARE GOING TO APPLY THE THINGS THAT WE'VE LEARNED TO THE FUTURE POST COVID. >> THAT'S GREAT. AT LEAST IT WASN'T A TOTAL LOSS. >> YES. >> MATT, YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP? >> THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION, LAURA. I'VE ALWAYS LOVED THE GED PROGRAMS AND THE JOB READINESS STUFF IS MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT TODAY THAN IT'S EVER BEEN. HAVE YOU EVER REACHED OUT TO IT'S NOW DALLAS COLLEGE. THEY CHANGED THEIR NAME TO SEE IF THERE ARE PARTNERSHIPS THERE ABOUT BECAUSE THEIR WHOLE MISSION IS ABOUT PUTTING PEOPLE TO WORK. IT'S NOT ABOUT TAKING KIDS AND GETTING THEM FOUR YEAR DEGREES. IT'S ABOUT PUTTING PEOPLE TO WORK AND ALL OF THEIR PROGRAMS ARE GOING THAT WAY AND WITH THE WORK THAT YOU'VE PUT INTO IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP. NOT QUITE SURE HOW IT WORKS BUT I'M CURIOUS MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING TO LOOK INTO IT. >> NO. WE HAVE NOT. BUT THAT IS A WONDERFUL IDEA. WE'VE WORKED WITH THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION. BUT WE'LL DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF DALLAS COLLEGE. THANK YOU FOR THAT SUGGESTION. >> ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL, ANYTHING ELSE? ON BEHALF OF COUNCIL AND THE ENTIRE CITY YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB MANAGING THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC. YOU WERE ONE OF THE FIRST DEPARTMENTS TO OPEN AND SERVICE THE PUBLIC AND I KNOW OUR PUBLIC APPRECIATED IT. YOU HAVE FIGURED OUT HOW TO DO IT IN A SAFE WAY AND YOU CONTINUE TO DO THAT SO THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR FINDING WAYS TO HELP OUR RESIDENTS. [00:45:04] >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT. I'LL BE SURE TO PASS THAT ALONG. >> ALL RIGHT. I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER HANDS UP. SO I THINK WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. OUR NEXT DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO BE FINANCE. >> GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR LETTING US SPEAK TONIGHT ABOUT OUR NEEDS AND OUR CHALLENGES THAT ARE UPCOMING IN THE FUTURE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. STACEY. FIRST I WANT TO START BY GOING OVER THE MISSION OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND THAT IS TO ENSURE TAXPAYER MONEY IS MANAGED EFFECTIVELY BY PROVIDING ACCOUNTABLE TRANSPARENT LEADERSHIP THAT INSTILLS PUBLIC TRUST AND CONFIDENCE AND WE ACCOMPLISHED THIS THROUGH SEVERAL STRATEGIES. TO PRY RESPONSIBLE AND RELIABLE AND COST EFFICIENT ALIGNING OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET WITH THE CITY'S FINANCIAL POLICIES. PROVIDING ACCURATE AND TIMELY UTILITY SERVICES AND RATES THAT ARE FAIR AND MAXIMIZING SAVINGS AND ALSO MAINTAINING A STRONG INVESTMENT GRADE BOND RATING AND WE TRACK OUR PROGRESS WHICH IS SHOWN IN THE TABLES TO THE LEFT ON METRICS THAT SUPPORT THESE STRATEGIES. NOW THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT HAS AN EXCELLENT DEDICATED HARD WORKING TEAM THAT CONTINUES TO BE AWARDED FELONY AND TRANSPARENCY ACCOLADES AND THIS YEAR FISCAL YEAR 2020 WAS NO DIFFERENT. ALL FIVE MAXIMUM ACHIEVABLE TRANSPARENCY STARS AND THE AWARDS FOR THE BUDGET AND THE COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET WERE MAINTAINED. WE'VE MAINTAINED A NONRATE OF LESS THAN 3% WHICH IS LOWER THAN IT IS 3.5% QUARTERLY TARGET AND THIS YEAR WE'VE-YEAR-OLDED THE LOWEST QUARTERLY NONREAD SINCE THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2013. THAT WAS A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT AND WE WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THIS BY WORKING CLOSE AND HAVING GREAT TEAMWORK WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. ADDITIONALLY THE TEAM ON BOARDED PRIORITY BASED BUDGETING. AND WE'VE IMPLEMENTED THE ENORMOUS FEAT OF TAX CODE REGULATION AND BUDGET CHANGES OF SENATE BILL 2. MOVE TOGETHER NEAR FUTURE AND FISCAL YEAR 2021 IN ADDITION TO MAINTAINING THE AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF FISCAL YEAR 20 WE'VE IDENTIFIED SOME ADDITIONAL GOALS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO ACHIEVE AND USING THE EXPERIENCE FROM THE 2015 TORNADO AS WELL AS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WE PLAN TO STREAMLINE AND DOCUMENT OUR DISASTER EVENT FINANCIAL ANNEX PROCESS AND PROCEDURES. WE ALSO ADDITIONALLY WE PLAN TO IMPROVE AND FINE-TUNE THE PBB PROCESS AND THE OUTPUT THAT WE PROVIDE TO THE DEPARTMENTS AND ALSO TO COUNCIL. WE ALSO PLAN TO STREAMLINE AND DOCUMENT THE SB2 PROCESS. INCLUDING MORE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY INCLUDING A BUDGET PUBLISHING SOFTWARE AND SHIFTING TO AN ELECTRONIC VENDING PROCESS AND VENDOR PAYMENTS. THE LARGEST CURRENT CHALLENGE IN MAINTAINING ALL OF THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACHIEVING FUTURE GOALS IS STAFFING AND OFFICE SPACE. WE DESPERATELY NEED A BUDGET ANALYSTS AND THE BUDGET PROCESS IS WAY MORE COMPLEX THAN IT WAS EVEN ONE OR TWO YEARS AGO. JUST PBB SUPPORTS THIS NEED BUT WE'VE ADDED SB2, INVESTMENT OVER SIDE AND RAPID GROWTH AND THE IMMENSE PRESSURE REQUIREMENT THAT'S HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE ONE BUDGET OFFICER HAVE INCREASED TREMENDOUSLY. AND THERE ARE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS. SUCH AS IMPROVED MONTHLY FINANCIAL ANALYSIS. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF NEW REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES AND MORE ROBUST FORECASTING FOR OUR FUTURE BUDGET. PROCESS. AND NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AND MOVING FURTHER WAY INTO THE FUTURE WE HAVE SOME POTENTIAL CHALLENGES. NOT REALLY A NEED FOR THEM RIGHT NOW BUT WE ARE WATCHING THE NEED FOR THESE AND ONE OF THEM IS MAINTAINING AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF GRANT AND INCENTIVE ACCOUNTING AND THAT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE ADDED A FULL-TIME GRANT [00:50:02] WRITER WHICH IS GOING TO ADD TRACKING ADDITIONAL AUDIT NUMBER THAT'S ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE PROVIDED IN OUR ANNUAL AUDIT. THE VAST DEVELOPMENT GROWTH. WE'VE GOT ADDITIONAL OVERSIGHT AND I THINK THE CITY OF ROWLETT IS ADVANCED IN A LOT OF THESE ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL TRACK THAT'S WE'RE TAKING WITH THESE AND WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF OTHER CITIES THAT DO A LOT OF THIS LIKE WE DO. THERE IS SO MUCH GROWTH AND IT'S SO FAST-PACED THAT THAT IS ONE OF THE POSITIONS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IN THE FUTURE. ALSO WITH THE DEVELOPMENT GROWTH AND WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR UTILITY CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED CUSTOMER ACCOUNTS. WE SEE THE POSSIBLE NEED FOR A METER ANALYSTS. -- -- ALSO WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR UTILITY COSTS AND REPRESENTATIVE STAFF AND WE MAY NEED OR HAVE THE ADDITIONAL NEED FOR A CALL CENTER REPRESENTATIVE FOR ALL OF THOSE SERVICE CONNECTIONS AND INCREASE IN CUSTOMER SERVICE CALLS AND AGAIN WITH THESE WE'RE ALL KIND OF PACKED INTO THE ANNEX BUILDING AND DON'T KNOW WHERE WE WILL PUT ANYBODY BUT THOSE ARE KIND OF WHAT IS ON THE RADAR AND EVEN TALKING WITH THE MANAGEMENT STAFF OF FINANCE THE BIGGEST CONCERN RIGHT NOW IS THE CURRENT STAFFING LEVEL FOR BUDGET AND IN THE FUTURE WITH ALL OF THE GROWTH AND KEEPING UP WITH THE CUSTOMER SERVICE LEVELS. 7 BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION. COUNCIL, WHAT QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS DO YOU HAVE FOR WENDY? >> WELL I WILL MAKE A COMMENT. YOU GUYS CONTINUE TO DO SUCH A GREAT JOB. WE KIND OF FORGET THAT YOU'RE DOING SO MUCH MORE WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF STAFF AND RESOURCES AND BECAUSE YOU HAVE KEEP ALL OF THE BALLS IN THE AIR. I'M NOT TELLING YOU NOT TO DO THAT BUT THANK YOU. I KNOW THAT THE WORKLOAD INCREASES AND THE RESPONSIBILITY INCREASES AND YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB. MARTHA, YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP? >> TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH, MAYOR. I COULDN'T AGREE MORE WENDY. Y'ALL HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB. NO COMPLAINING. YOU HAVE TAKEN ON QUITE A BIT MORE AS WE DO THESE CIP PROJECTS. AND THE SB2 AND NOW THE -- SO GREAT JOB. APPRECIATE YOU HAVE GUYS AND KEEP ON DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND WE'LL TRY TO GET YOU SOME HELP AS SOON AS WE CAN. >> THANK YOU. I WILL PASS THE COMPLIMENTS ON TO STAFF AND HOPEFULLY IT'S AT LEAST YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT OFFERING SOME ADDITIONAL STAFF AND I'M SURE THAT THE STAFF WILL REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. >> ALL RIGHT. I THINK I DON'T SEE ANYONE ELSE WITH THEIR HANDS UP SO WE CAN MOVE ON. >> THE NEXT DEPARTMENT IS IT. >> THE NEXT DEPARTMENT SCARES US TO DEATH. >> HE PROMISED NOT TO DO THAT TONIGHT. >> I THINK TONIGHT JOEY IS THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN SO IT MAY TAKE A MOMENT. >> IT DID NOT UPLOAD SO GIVE ME ONE SECOND. >> SO I GUESS THIS IS THE PERFECT DEPARTMENT -- HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH THE PRESENTATION. >> NO PROBLEM. WE'VE HAD SO FEW TECHNICAL [00:55:04] DIFFICULTIES WITH THESE ZOOM MEETINGS. IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLE. >> WOULD IT HELP IF WE WENT TO HR? >> SHE GOT IT. >> SO I'LL START OUT WITH MY DEPARTMENT'S MISSION IS DELIVERING TECHNOLOGY THAT IS SECURE AND RELIABLE. NAMELY ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF CITIZENS BY EYE FOG SOLUTIONS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THERE ARE JUST A FEW GOALS AND ACHIEVEMENTS SO FAR THIS YEAR. SO WHEN COVID WAS COMING ON WE REALIZED THAT PEOPLE WERE GOING TO START WORKING AT HOME SO WE RECONSIDERED OUR SYSTEMS SO WE DID SOME REPORTS IN PRECOVID WE WOULD HAVE A MAXIMUM OF 8 PEOPLE WORKING REMOTELY. WHEN WE STARTED SENDING PEOPLE HOME AND CURRENTLY WE HAVE OVER 120 PEOPLE WORKING REMOTELY EVERY DAY. WE WERE ABLE TO DO THIS AT NO COST TO THE CITY OTHER THAN THE HOURS FOR US TO SET IT UP. WE'VE ALSO UPGRADED OUR ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING SOFTWARE. WE'RE ABOUT TO REPLACE SOME CRITICAL NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE EQUIPMENT. DEVICES BETWEEN OUR NETWORK AND THE INTERNET. WE'VE IMPLEMENTED A NEW VIRUS SCANNING SOLUTION. THAT IS A BIG PROJECT FOR A DEPARTMENT OUR SIZE AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE BECAUSE YOU ARE REMOVING VIRUS PROTECTION SOFTWARE AND PUTTING IN ANOTHER AND YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN'T JUST GET REMOVED AND THE NEW ONE GETTING ON. WE'VE GOT IT UP AND RUNNING AND WE LIKE THE NEW SYSTEM: WE ALSO REPLACED A LARGE BATTERY BACK UP DEVICE. AND WE COMPLETED THE IMPLEMENTATION WITH OUR NEW CYBER SECURITY VENDOR THAT YOU APPROVED LAST YEAR AND THIS NEXT SLIDE I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT. SO ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO I SIGNED THE CITY UP FOR A SERVICE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY OFFERS AND WHAT THEY DO IS WE GIVE THEM PERMISSION AND ONCE A WEEK THEY TRY AND ATTACK OUR NETWORK FROM THE INTERNET AND IT'S A FREE SERVICE. AND AFTER ON BOARDING THEM WE WERE ABLE TO WHITTLE THIS DOWN AND WE HAD A COUPLE OF MEDIUM AND A COUPLE OF LOW THAT WE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET OFF THE LIST THAT WERE VULNERABILITIES AND WHEN WE BROUGHT THEM ON THEY HELPED US TO GET TO NO VULNERABILITIES ON THE SCAN. WE GOT ALL ZEROS AND EVERYTHING IS GREEN. SO THIS IS WHAT THEY SEND US ONCE A WEEK. OUR CYBER HYGIENE REPORT CARD. WE'VE GOT ZERO HAVE YOU BEEN ARE VULNERABILITIES AND EVERYTHING IS GREEN. WE'RE PRETTY PROUD ABOUT THAT. SOME METRICS -- SO FAR WE'VE HAD 2700 TICKETS FROM INTERNAL EMPLOYEES. WE'VE HAD 39 MARKED AS HIGH SEVERE TEE WHICH MEANS THERE IS A SYSTEM DOWN OR SOMEONE CAN'T WORK AT ALL. CAN'T USE TECHNOLOGY AT ALL. MEDIUM -- TO -- AT 2700 AND TWO THAT ARE LOW SEVERE TEE. OF THOSE 2.4 MILLION E-MAILS 1.6 WERE BLOCKED AS SPAM. ALSO OUR SECURITY DEVICES BLOCKED 2.7 MILLION ATTACKS. TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE ALL OF FY19 THE ENTIRE YEAR WAS A TOTAL OF 2.5. SO JUST IN THE THIRD QUARTER WE'RE AT 2.7. SO THEY ARE DEFINITELY INCREASING. HERE ARE SOME OF OUR CHALLENGES. THE SMALL STAFF THAT WE HAVE. IT WOULD BE -- THE CITY NEEDS [01:00:08] FOR OFF-SITE FOR ON-SITE AND OFF-SITE DATA STORAGE IS RAPIDLY INCREASING. SO PUTTING MORE EMPLOYEES WORKING REMOTELY AND EVERYONE PROBABLY HAS THIS CHALLENGE AND THAT IS JUST KEEPING STAFF SAFE AND HEALTHY. LACK OF A REAL DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN IS ANOTHER CHALLENGE. SUPPORTING OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS. WE USED TO HAVE A DEDICATED EMPLOYEE AND IT WAS ME. I HAD A DESK OVER AT PD AND I WOULD GO THERE EVERY DAY TO SUPPORT POLICE AND FIRE. ONE OF THE DIRECTORS NEEDED TO BE BACK AT CITY HALL SO WE TOOK TWO LIEUTENANTS THAT WERE WILLING AND WE TRAINED THEM ON I.T. AND THEY DO A LOT OF THE POLICE I.T. WORK. AND OUR CONCERN IS THAT THEY ARE CLOSE TO RETIREMENT SO WHEN THEY DO RETIRE I WOULD BE PROBABLY A MINIMUM OF ONE PERSON TO DEDICATE TO THE POLICE. I COULD NOT TAKE ONE OF MY CURRENT EMPLOYEES AND DO IT. SO, THAT IS A CONCERN. MOVING FORWARD. AND THE LACK OF CITY -- TRANSPORTATION. WE'RE ABOUT TO DO A DESKTOP ROLLOUT. MY EMPLOYEES WILL HAVE TO PUT THE EQUIPMENT IN THE CAR AND GET TO THE LOCATION AND TAKE THE OLD EQUIPMENT OUT AND DRIVE IT BACK. WE DON'T HAVE A CITY ISSUED CAR TO DO THAT. IN TWO OF THE BULLET POINTS ON-SITE AND OFF-SITE DATA STORAGE AND DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN THOSE WOULD, I REQUESTED A NEW BACK UP SYSTEM AND THAT WOULD TAKE CARE OF THOSE. IT'S IN THE SUPPLEMENT THAT WAS SENT TO YOU. THE PRICE IS PROBABLY GOING UP DUE TO OUR THE SIZE OF OUR BACK UPS INCREASING SINCE THEN BUT THE NEW BACK UP SYSTEM WILL HAVE A DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN BUT IT ALSO DETECTS RANSOMEWARE. IT'S NOT GOING TO STOP IT BUT IT WILL DETECT IT AND THEN STOP THE BACK UP AND THEN NOTIFY US AND THEN LET US KNOW WHEN THE LAST CLEAN BACK UP IS SO WE CAN RESTORE IT. SO WE WERE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO OUR STRATEGY AND LONG-TERM GOALS. ONE IS TO IMPLEMENT A COMMON CYBER SECURITY FRAMEWORK. THAT IS A LARGE PROJECT FOR THE DEPARTMENT THIS SIZE. IT'S GOING TO TAKE MONEY AND A COUPLE OF YEARS TO GET IT DONE. MOST ORGANIZATIONS WHEN THEY DO THIS ALMOST NO ONE GETS FULLY ALIGNED OR FULLY IMPLEMENTED. THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT GETS IN THE WAY. THE NEXT ONE IS THE FURTHER ALIGNMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT'S GOALS TO SUPPORT THE CITY'S STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE NEXT ONE IS TO RELEASE STAFFING TO RAISE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE TO CITY EMPLOYEES. NEXT SLIDE. FLAT BUDGET. SOFTER MAINTENANCE FEES WILL CONTINUE TO BE FUNDED. NO NEW MAJOR PROJECTS. AND THE DESKTOP AND LAPTOP REFRESH WILL CONTINUE. WE WOULD PUSH THE DESKTOP AND LAPTOP REFRESH ONE YEAR. SO WE'LL HAVE FIVE-YEAR OLD COMPUTERS AND PURCHASE ONE YEAR OF MAINTENANCE ON THE MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE HARDWARE THAT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE REPLACED. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND THAT IS ALL I'VE GOT. I WILL BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU. >> YES. THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO ESTABLISH A ROBUST DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN? >> SO THE MONEY I ASKED FOR THE NEW BACK UP SYSTEM. THE COMPANY THAT WE WOULD GET IT THROUGH THAT IS ALL THEY DO IS BACK UPS AND DISASTER RECOVERY. AND THEY WOULD WORK WITH US TO CREATE A DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN AND THEY WOULD ALSO TEST IT WITH US ONCE A YEAR AND THAT IS PRETTY AGGRESSIVE BECAUSE A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE THE PLAN NEVER TEST IT. AND TO BE -- IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT ONCE YOU'RE DONE WITH IT'S JUST TO GET YOU BACK UP AND LIMPING ALONG UNTIL YOU CAN GET BACK TO WHERE IT WAS. 7. >> SO IS THERE IS A COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT? THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ALREADY -- WE'RE ALREADY WORKING TOWARD. [01:05:04] >> IT'S INCLUDED IN WHAT I'VE ASKED FOR. THE COMPANY WOULD DO IT FOR US. SO THERE IS A COST AND IF WE WERE ABLE TO GET THAT BACK UP SYSTEM WE WOULD END UP CREATING WITH THE COMPANY THAT DOES THAT FOR AND THAT IS ALL THEY DO. BACK UP AND RECOVERY. >> DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THAT AND COST COULD BE? >> THE SUPPLEMENT WAS FOR $78,000 BUT AFTER LOOKING AT OUR GROWTH IT LOOKS LIKE IT MAY BE CLOSE TO $120,000. I'M GETTING SOMETHING FROM THE VENDOR IN THE MORNING. SO IT'S NOT CHEAP BUT NEITHER IS RANSOMEWARE. >> IT'S A NEED SO THANK YOU. >> IS THAT I DON'T WANT TO ASK IT THAT WAY. I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ASK IT WITHOUT DIVULGING INFORMATION. THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER LINE OF DEFENSE, IS THAT CORRECT? >> IT'S NOT GOING TO PREVENT IT BUT IT WILL LET US KNOW WHEN WE GET IT AND TELL US WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO RESTORE FROM IT. >> OKAY. WE HAVE OTHER OF LINES OF DEFENSE ALSO. >> CORRECT. >> YES. >> WE'VE GOT FIRE WALLS AND VIRUS SCANNERS. >> YOU'RE BEING TESTED ALL THE TIME AND BEING HIT ALL THE TIME. I'M NOT MINIMIZING THE ISSUE. I DON'T WANT THAT TO BE MISINTERPRETING. I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND. >> THE MAIN THREAT IS OUR USERS E-MAILS. THEY ARE SPOOFING COVID TO GET RANSOMEWARE OUT NOW AND BEING SUCCESSFUL. I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE TRAINING. THAT IS HELPING BUT THAT IS THE MAIN THREAT. >> I'M SHOCKED AND MAYBE IT'S JUST NOT IN THE NEWS BUT I'M SHOCKED THERE HAS NOT BEEN MORE REPORTS OF RANSOMEWARE -- RANSOM GOING OUT WITH CITIES WITH MAJOR HITS. IS IT BECAUSE WE DON'T HEAR ABOUT IT OR WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT IS ALL ABOUT JOEY? >> STILL GETTING NOTIFICATIONS IN THE GOVERNMENT I.T. CIRCLE FOR TEXAS. I THINK THE NEWS GOT OVER IT. AND I THINK A LOT OF BREACHES ARE NOT AS BIG. IT WAS $14 MILLION. THAT IS AND THEY WERE DOWN FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. MAYBE A MONTH. SO, THAT IS SUBSTANTIAL. PEOPLE ARE LEARNING HOW TO RECOVER FROM IT FASTER AND THE FBI HAS GOTTEN INVOLVED AND THEY ARE DOING VERY WELL ABOUT BEING ABLE TO DESCRIPT. THEY HAVE GOT A LOT OF DECRYPTION KEYS. >> DIDN'T THE SCHOOL DISTRICT JUST GET HIT THIS WEEK? IT'S HAPPENING BUT LIKE YOU SAID JOEY MAYBE IT HAPPENS SO MUCH THAT IT'S NOT NEWS NOW. UNLESS IT'S SOMETHING REALLY BIG. SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT IS THIS BACK UP AND DISASTER RECOVERY SYSTEM IS ACTUALLY GIVES US SOME REDUNDANCY? >> YES. >> AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT RIGHT? >> YES. IT'S NOT JUST A BACK UP SYSTEM. IT'S A RECOVERY SYSTEM AS WELL. WHAT THE VENDOR WILL DO IS TAKE OUR SERVER BACK UPS AND PUT IT ON A SYSTEM IN TWO DIFFERENT DATA CENTERS AND IF OUR STUFF GOES DOWN WE CAN SPIN UP THE SERVERS ON THEIR EQUIPMENT IN ANOTHER STATE UNTIL WE CAN GET OUR STAFF BACK UP AND RUNNING. WE'RE STILL GOING TO NEED A GOOD NETWORK CONNECTION TO GET TO IT SO IT MAY TAKE A WHILE TO ESTABLISH THAT BUT THEY HAVE ALL OF OUR SERVERS THAT ARE BEING BACKED UP THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO SPIN IT UP FOR US ON THEIR EQUIPMENT IN THE EVENT THAT OURS WON'T WORK. >> IT'S CHEAP COMPARED TO THE RANSOM DEMANDS. THAT IS ALL I HAD. THANK YOU, JOEY. Y'ALL DO A GREAT JOB. I WILL SAY THIS. HAVING BEEN IN THE CITY OFFICES FOR SEVERAL YEARS AGO NOW I'VE SEEN A MARKED IMPROVEMENT OVER THE RELIABILITY OF THE SERVICE AND I ATTRIBUTE THAT TO YOU GUYS. IT'S LIKE PUBLIC WORKS. YOU HAVE COUNT ON THE WATER TURNING ON AND YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB IN KEEPING US UP AND RUNNING AND WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL. >> THANK YOU. I'LL LET THE TEAM KNOW. >> SPEAKING AS AN OLD MAINFRAME PROGRAM ERAS I USED TO BE I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THE $120,000 IS [01:10:05] BEANS COMPARED TO A DISASTER. AND YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT DISASTER RECOVERY AND THE PRACTICE SESSIONS YOU'VE GOT TO PRACTICE IT. IT'S BETTER TO PRACTICE A DISASTER RECOVERY WHEN THERE IS NO DISASTER. WE DID THAT TOO BUT ON THE MAINFRAMES WE HAD ONE COMPANY EVERY SIX MONTHS AND ANOTHER COMPANY WE HAD IT ONCE A YEAR. WE HAD THE DISASTER DRILLS AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND THAT $120,000 IS NOTHING COMPARED TO THE COST OF RECOVER IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. >> THANKS. >> BRIAN, YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP? >> THANK YOU. IN EVERY DEPARTMENT THERE IS SOMETHING THAT KEEPS YOUR CITY MANAGER AWAKE AND WE -- WHEN THE CITY WAS HIT WITH RANSOMEWARE ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN YEARS AGO AND QUITE FRANKLY WE WERE ABLE TO RESTORE FROM BACK UP. AND THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED IT TOOK ABOUT A WEEK. THE SECOND TIME IT TOOK JUST A FEW DAYS. BUT MY POINTS THAT IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. AND OUR -- FIRE WALL IS ONE TOOL. PRECOVID WE WERE LOOKING FOR EXTRA DOLLARS TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT IN THIS CURRENT YEAR. AND SO I TOLD JOEY THAT THE CONVERSATION WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WITH COUNCIL NEXT WEEK IN TERMS OF WHERE WE'RE AT IN OUR FINANCIAL CONDITION AND AGAINST THE COVID PROJECTIONS I'M GOING TO HAVE THIS ON THE LIST FOR CONSIDERATION EVEN WITH ALL OF THE OTHER CHANGES. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE DIALOGUE ON THIS BUT I WANT TO YOU UNDERSTAND THIS IS ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE NEITHER JOEY OR I GET TO SLEEP AT NIGHT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH WHAT SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES HAVE GONE THROUGH. >> I THINK IT'S FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE NOT TO DO THIS. I'LL GO ABOVE THE EFFECTIVE TAX RATE TO DO THIS ONE. I KNEW THAT WOULD GET A REACTION, MATT. WE MAY NOT HAVE TO. BASED ON WHAT BRIAN JUST SAID. THANKS, JOEY. I'M NOT SEEING ANY OTHER HANDS UP. >> THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. >> ALL RIGHT. MAYOR WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO HUMAN RESOURCES. AND RICHARD JONES WILL BE LEADING THE DISCUSSION. 9. >> THANK YOU, RICHARD. >> GOOD EVENING. 7 >> WE CAN HEAR YOU JOEY. >> THERE WE GO. >> YOU CAN GO TO SLIDE TWO, STACEY. SO FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR WE HAD QUITE A FEW THINGS THAT WE WERE GROWING TO BE WORKING ON. FORTUNATELY MOST OF IT WAS PUSH FORWARD EARLY BECAUSE WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO BE ON AN ACCELERATED BUDGET PROCESS SO WE WERE ABLE TO FINISH THE FIRST OF OUR TWO YEARS CLIMATE ASSESSMENT BUT WE DIDN'T GET IT FUND AS QUICKLY AS WE WOULD HAVE LIKED TO BECAUSE OF THE COVID. -- OBVIOUSLY COVID HAS SORT OF CHANGED THE DYNAMIC FOR THIS [01:15:02] UPCOMING YEAR. OUR WELLS IN MEASURES WE WENT OVER EARLIER. WE -- WORK RELATED INJURY COST E IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE AND WE'VE HAD JUST ONE BAD CLAIM AND HEALTH CARE COSTS ARE DEFINITELY ON TRACK TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE. CHALLENGES OBVIOUSLY THE WELLNESS ACTIVITIES AND EMPLOYEE MORALE WERE SUSPENDED BECAUSE ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED AS IT RELATED TO COVID WE WERE NOT ABLE TO GO ON WITH THE CITY EVENT. NEW EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION AND EMPLOYEE ACADEMY AND REGULAR ON BOARDING PRACTICES GOT POSTPONED AND ADJUSTED BUT WE'VE MANAGED TO ADAPT TO THE SITUATION AS BEST AS WE WOULD. -- COULD. LONG-TERM STRATEGIES ARE THE SAME. CLIMATE ASSESSMENT NEXT YEAR AND HOPEFULLY ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING GLOBALLY WILL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THOSE OUTCOMES, WHAT PEOPLE SAID AND WHAT WE PLEAD TO DO SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND ACTUALLY PUT SOME MEANINGFUL THINGS IN TO PLACE. OBVIOUSLY COVID WILL MAKE IT CHALLENGING FOR US GOING FORWARD DEPENDING ON HOW LONG THIS ACTUALLY LASTS. WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO COMPLETE ANOTHER MARKET SURVEY TO SEE WHERE WE ARE AND BENCHMARK OURSELVES ACROSS THE CITIES AND THE METROPLEX. WE NEED TO CONTINUES TO SUSTAIN WELLNESS AND IMPROVE THOSE MEASURES AND KEEP PEOPLE MOVING FORWARD AND TAKE CARE OF THEM. PEOPLE ARE OF ENROLLING IN WELLNESS ACTIVITIES FOR NEXT YEAR. HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO THE WELLNESS ACTIVITIES AND GET BACK TO FACE TO FACE AND IN PERSON EVENT. CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN LOW LEVEL OFS OF WORKMAN COMP INJURIES AND MANAGE THE HEALTH CARE COSTS. WE NEED TO BE SURE WE LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY SO IN THE FUTURE I'M GOING TO TRY TO WORK TOWARDS HAVING ON-LINE SYSTEMS TO DO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO LIKE ON BOARDING THAT IS PAPER LESS. WE HAVE A FAIRLY GOOD PERFORMANCE EVALUATION MODULE BUT IT'S POSSIBLE TO INTEGRATE THAT FOR THE HIRING PROCESS AND IT WOULD STREAMLINE THINGS FOR MY DEPARTMENT AND MAKE IT EASIER ON US AND THEN LAST AND THIS MIGHT BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS WE HAVE TO LOOK AT CLOSELY IS ENTRY PAY FOR LABOR POSITIONS IT NEEDS TO BE RAISED AND I'M TALKING ABOUT WAST WASTEWATER, CUSTODIANS STREET DEPARTMENT. OUR WAGE IS SLIGHTLY LOW AT ENTRY AND RIGHT NOW THE RESOURCES MAY NOT EXIST TO ADJUST THAT BUT GOING FORWARD THAT IS A HUGE CHALLENGE TO MAKE SURE WE CAN HIRE PEOPLE. ONCE YOU CAN GET THEM HERE AND KEEP THEM FOR ABOUT FOUR 2007 YEARS THEY WILL STAY. RIGHT NOW THERE IS A LOT OF TURN OVER. NEXT SLIDE, STACEY. SO I HAVE THREE THINGS THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT AND WE HAVE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT HEALTH COVERAGE. SO MAINTAINING THE CURRENT LEVEL OF HEALTH COVERAGE SERVICES AND BENEFITS FOR FAMILIES AND EMPLOYEES. IF WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THE EMPLOYEES THEY ARE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THE CITIZENS. WE WANT THEM TO FEEL LIKE WHEN THEY COME TO WORK THEY CAN FOCUS ON THEIR JOB. MAKING SURE HEALTH CARE STAYS AFFORDABLE AND PROVIDES THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES IS IMPORTANT. NEXT SLIDE, STACEY. NUMBER TWO IS OBVIOUSLY PAY. WE MAINTAINED THIS YEAR FAIRLY WELL SO OUR VARIANCE WHEN WE MEASURED WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY THE END OF FEBRUARY THINKING THAT THE BUDGET PROCESS WAS GOING TO BE MUCH -- ESCALATED. IT TURNS OUT THAT WE'RE ABOUT WHERE WE WERE AT THE TIME THAT WE MEASURED IN FISCAL YEAR 2019. A LITTLE FURTHER BEHIND IN POLICE AND FIRE AND IT'S RELATED DIRECTLY TO PROMOTIONS BECAUSE PEOPLE COME IN AT ENTRY PAY ARE NOT AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF PAY AND NEW POLICE OFFICERS AND NEW FIREFIGHTERS SO ENTRY PAY MAKES THAT AVERAGE A LITTLE BIT LESS BUT IT HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON TURN OVER AND TURN OVER IS DOWN AT THE MOMENT MAYBE BECAUSE OF COVID AND PEOPLE ARE NOT MOVING. MAYBE THERE ARE NOT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO ADJUST. BUT CLEARLY WE HAVE TO KEEP THE EYE ON PAY AND BE AGILE AND WHEN AND IF WE CAN MAKE THAT ADJUSTMENT WE DO IT SO THAT WE [01:20:03] MAINTAIN OUR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE. NEXT SLIDE. AND LAST I DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT WELLNESS IS. PART OF WELLNESS IS NOT JUST MEASURING PEOPLE'S BIOMETRICS BUT IT'S THE MORALE AND THE CULTURE THAT IT CREATES. 8 THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT TIES US TOGETHER AND ONE OF THE WAYS TO REPRESENT THAT IS OUT OF THE 400 OR SO EMPLOYEES WE HAVE 100 OF THEM ARE PARTICIPATED IN WELLNESS AT A LEVEL GREATER THAN WE ASKED THEM TO. SO GREATER THAN THE 20 POINTS. THEY WERE 30 POINTS OR 50 POINTS AND IT HELPED. WHEN I SENT OUT THE OPEN ENROLLMENT MATERIALS THERE IS A VIDEO OF ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND WHAT IT DID FOR HIM. SOMEBODY LOSES 100 POUNDS AND IT CHANGES THEIR LIFE AND THEIR WHOLE FAMILY GETS INVOLVED. WHEN YOU CAN HELP A FEW PEOPLE MAKE HUGE CHANGE OVERS ALL THAT IS GOOD FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND IT BODES WELL. NEXT SLIDE. AND I WILL ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HUMAN RESOURCES THAT YOU HAVE. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH, RICHARD. WHILE I'M WAITING TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE IS RAISING THEIR HAND CAN YOU JUST GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF FLAVOR OF WHAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM OTHER CITIES -- >> ABSOLUTELY. EVERY THURSDAY WE NOW HAVE A HUMAN RESOURCES CALL ACROSS THE STATE. MAYBE 250 PEOPLE PARTICIPATE. IT ALL STARTED BECAUSE OF COVID AND THERE ARE TONS OF CALLS WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS. ONE THING IS THEY DID A SURVEY TWICE ONCE IN JUNE AND ONCE IN AUGUST AND WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS THAT FROM A PAY PERSPECTIVE AND BENEFITS PERSPECTIVE THERE ARE LOTS OF GROUPS THAT ARE NOT MAKING CHANGES BUT THERE ARE LOTS OF GROUPS THAT ARE DOING 1% OR 2% OR 3% SO, ITS ALL OVER THE BOARD. SOME ARE CIVIL SERVICE. THEY DON'T HAVE A CHOICE BECAUSE THEY ARE LOCKED INTO AGREEMENTS. CITIES IN THE METROPLEX LOTS OF THEM HAD LAYOFFS AND FURLOUGHS THAT AFFECTED THEIR ABILITY TO DELIVER SERVICES FOR THEIR CITIZENS SO, IT'S -- THERE IS SUCH A WIDE RANGE IN TEXAS THAT IT'S EVERYWHERE BUT IN THE METROPLEX THE LAST SURVEY SHOWED ABOUT A FOURTH 22.5% WERE DOING NO PAY ADJUSTMENTS AND NO BENEFIT CHANGES. >> AND ARE YOU SEEING SIGNIFICANT LAYOFFS ACROSS THE BOARD LAYOFFS? >> NOT FROM GOVERNMENT. SO I REALIZE THAT OBVIOUSLY IN THE RETAIL SECTOR THAT IS NOT EXACTLY HOW IT'S GONE BUT NOT ACROSS GOVERNMENT. GOVERNMENT HAS MAINLY TRIED TO MAINTAIN PEOPLE WHO ARE IN FULL-TIME JOBS. I THINK SOME CITIES RELY ON MUCH MORE HEAVILY ON SEASONAL TYPE OF LABOR AND PART-TIME TYPE LAYER THAT WORK IN THEIR PARKS & REC. AND A LOT OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WERE AFFECTED BECAUSE SOME CITIES HAD WAY MORE SEASONAL PART-TIME WORKERS THAN WE DO AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE THE ONE THAT'S THEY AFFECTED THE MOST. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. MATT, I SEE YOUR HAND UP. >> THANKS, RICHARD. I'M GLAD YOU PUT IN ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE WATCHING OUT FOR IS ENTRY LEVEL PAY. IT'S -- TO GET QUALIFIED PEOPLE IN THERE. AND ON TOP OF THAT IS ONCE THEY ARE IN IS EDUCATING THEM ON WHAT THE OTHER BENEFITS THAT THE CITY WILL PROVIDE. BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE WILL LEAVE FOR 50 CENTS OR DOLLAR MORE AND JUMP INTO THE PRIVATE SECTOR BECAUSE THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE BENEFITS. AND THEY WANT TO COME BACK. BEING COMPETITIVE AND THEN EDUCATING THEM ON THE BENEFITS OF WORKING IN A CITY LIKE WITH E LONGEVITY. SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT IS ON YOUR RADAR. >> AND I KNOW I NEED TO BE ABLE TO HELP PARKS AND PUNISH WORKS GET THOSE POSITIONS FILLED BECAUSE THAT ADDS A HUGE NEED FOR US TO MAKE SURE WE TAKE CARE OF THEM. >> OKAY. 7 ANYONE ELSE? AND OBVIOUSLY RICHARD GREAT NEWS ON THE HEALTH INSURANCE THIS YEAR. >> IT IS. CROSSING MY FINGERS THAT NOTHING CHANGES IN THE LAST 50 OR SO DAYS. >> WE HAVE ALREADY WRITTEN THAT OFF. [01:25:04] SO YOU ALREADY GAVE US GOOD NEWS. YOU CAN'T TAKE IT BACK. >> I DON'T INTEND ON IT. >> I'M NOT SEEING ANYTHING ELSE. >> THANK YOU, RICHARD. MAYOR, THE NEXT ONE IS CITY SECRETARY. SO STACEY YOU'VE GOT TO PULL UP YOUR OWN PRESENTATION. 7 STACEY YOU PROBABLY KNOW THAT YOU'RE MUTED. >> -- >> YOU KNOW HOW IT IS WHEN YOU'RE AT THE COMPUTER AND SOMEBODY LOOKS OVER YOUR SHOULDER AND TRIES TO TELL YOU WHAT KEYS -- AND WHAT MOUSE CLICK YOU SHOULD DO. THAT IS WHAT I FEEL LIKE WE'RE DOING WITH STACEY RIGHT NOW. >> WELL YOU KNOW THE FUNNY PART IS WHEN WE PULL UP THESE PRESENTATIONS LIKE IN ZOOM OR TEAMS SOMETIMES THERE IS A DELAY AND YOU THINK OH, IT DIDN'T WORK AND THEN YOU CLICK ON IT AGAIN AND THEN SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENS. 7 I'M SURE THAT IS NOT IT. YEAH! ALL RIGHT. STACEY, YOU'VE GOT IT. >> OKAY. I HAVE TO DO THIS IN THE RIGHT ORDER. OKAY. CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? >> YES. GOODNESS GRACIOUS. THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE IS ALSO INCLUDES THE CITIZEN ACTION CENTER AND SO OUR OFFICE ADMINISTRATORS THE BUDGETS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL WHICH INCLUDES THE TRAINING, TRAVEL REGISTRATION, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, THE MEMBERSHIP FEES AS WELL ASS THE CLOTHING. ALSO INCLUDES TRAINING, TRAVEL AND REGISTRATION, ELECTIONS AND ADVERTISING AND THEN FOR THE ACTION CENTER IT INCLUDES THEIR TRAINING AS WELL ASS THE COMPUTER SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE. SO FOR BOTH OF THE DEPARTMENTS WE UTILIZE SEVERAL PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE CUSTOMER SERVICE BOTH INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY. SO THE MODULE THAT IS ON THE WEBSITE FOR OUR FISCAL YEAR 2019 WE ANSWERED JUST OVER 9,000 WORK ORDERS. AND THEN FOR THIS CURRENT YEAR WE HAVE ALREADY ENTERED JUST UNDER 6,000. FOR OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS FOR EXTERNAL REQUESTS ONLY LAST YEAR WE HAD 943. WHICH WAS A 23% INCREASE OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND CURRENTLY EXTERNAL REQUESTS ARE 852. AND THEN FOR CALLS THAT COME INTO THE ACTION CENTER IT WAS UNDER 25,000 AND CURRENTLY WE ARE JUST OVER 22,000. AND THEN WE ALSO USE INT GOVERNOR. AND THEN WE ALSO MAINTAIN OUR DIGITAL RECORDS THROUGH LASER FISH AND THIS INCLUDES ALL OF THE RESOLUTIONS, ORDINANCES AND AGENDAS AND MINUTES AS WELL AS THE CONTRACTS THAT COME THROUGH THE CITY'S OFFICE. SO FOR OUR FUTURE NEED WE ARE REQUESTING TO BRING THE CITY'S ARCHIVED RECORDS BACK INTO CONTROL OVER FOR THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE. CURRENTLY THEY ARE IN STORAGE UNIT IN NORTH RICHLAND HILLS BECAUSE OUR ORIGINAL STORAGE COMPANY SOLD WITHOUT US KNOWING AND ALL OF OUR DOCUMENTS WERE [01:30:02] SHIPPED TO THEM OF AFTER WE WERE TOLD THAT THE COMPANY HAD SOLD WE WERE ALSO INFORMED BY THE NEW COMPANY THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CHECK OUR ARCHIVE BOXES IN THE WAREHOUSE WHICH MEANT THAT WE COULD NOT VERIFY THAT THE CONNECT APPROVED BOXES WOULD BE DESTROYED WHEN THEY NEEDED TO BE. NOR COULD WE -- WE COULDN'T ATTEND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE RECORDS BECAUSE THEY SHIP THEM TO LUBBOCK TO BE DESTROYED SO CURRENTLY WE ARE ONE YEAR BEHIND IN RECORD DESTRUCTION BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE THE CONFIDENCE IN THE COMPANY TO ENSURE THAT THE CORRECT RECORDS WOULD BE DESTROYED. AND SO WE'RE REQUESTING A POSSIBLE INCREASE SO WE CAN BRING THEM BACK INTO THE CITY UNDER OUR CONTROL SO WE CAN MAINTAIN OF THE DOCUMENTS FOR THE CITY AND IT WOULD ALSO BE FOR THE ENTIRE LIFE CYCLE SO WE CAN PULL THE DOCUMENTS WHEN OTHER DEPARTMENTS NEED THEM AND LASTLY THIS IS A SHORT PRESENTATION BUT WE ARE THE ONE-STOP SHOP FOR THE CITY SO I ALWAYS REFER TO THE LADIES IN THE ACTION CENTER AS THOSE WHO KNOW EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON WITHIN THE CITY AND SO WE RECEIVE BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL CALLS ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING AND WITH THAT THE PRESENTATION IS OVER. >> OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS? >> THANK YOU SO MUCH, STACEY. APPRECIATE THAT. MARTHA, YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP. >> YEAH, I HAVE ONE COMMENT AND PERHAPS Y'ALL HAVE DONE ALL OF THE BACKGROUND WORK ON THIS BUT JUST IN CASE IF NOT I THINK I WOULD TRY TO NEGOTIATE THAT TRANSPORTING OF THE RECORDS WITH THAT COMPANY. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY WERE BEFORE BUT I THINK THEY WERE MORE LOCAL THAN NORTH RICHLAND HILLS. >> THEY WERE IN IRVING. >> AND MOST OF THOSE COMPANIES CHARGE BY THE MILE. AND SO CONSIDERING THAT THEY TRANSFERRED OUR DOCUMENTS WITHOUT OUR KNOWLEDGE I WOULD SURE TALK TO THEM ABOUT SHARING IN THE COST OF GETTING THEM BACK US TO. >> RIGHT. WE WILL. >> JUST MY ONLY COMMENT. YOU GUYS DO A LOT OF WORK AND YOU DO A GREAT JOB WITH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE AND JUST THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. >> THANK YOU. >> I'LL LET YOU KNOW. >> THANKS, MARTHA. BROWNIE. >> THIS COMPANY THAT HAS OUR RECORDS NOW DO THEY GUARANTEE AGAINST FIRE, WATER DAMAGE? >> THEY HAVE TO MEET CERTAIN STANDARDS FOR CREDENTIALS. IT HAS TO BE IN A CONTROLLED CLIMATE WHICH MEANS NO PESTS COULD GET INTO THE BOXES SO THEY HAVE CERTAIN STANDARDS THEY MUST MEET WHICH IS THE SAME OF WHAT WE MUST NEAT. TO HAVE CERTAIN STANDARDS. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT. A AND COUNCIL I DID ASK LAURA TO PROVIDE AN ANALYSIS OF THE FEES FOR THE MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATION SO YOU SAW THAT IN E-MAIL. I AM NOT SEEING ANY CHANGES THAT WE WANT TO MAKE BUT IF YOU DO YOU MAY WARRANT TO BRING IT UP IN THE BUDGET PROCESSOR COMMENT ON IT RIGHT NOW BUT I'M THINKING WE'RE PROBABLY STATUS QUO WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR BECAUSE WE TRIMMED BACK A COUPLE OF MAJOR ONES LAST YEAR. >> OKAY. MARTHA -- BROWNIE IS YOUR HAND STILL UP? >> MARTHA, DID YOU RAISE IT AGAIN? >> YES, MAYOR. BECAUSE OF THE ANALYSIS WE DID LAST YEAR AND THE RESEARCH WE DID ON OUR MEMBERSHIPS I'M VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THE MEMBERSHIPS THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING RIGHT NOW AND I WOULD NOT BE IN FAVOR OF DROPPING ANY OF THOSE MEMBERSHIPS. DON'T KNOW OF ANY THAT WE WOULD WANTS TO ADD. I FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT WE HAVE. >> I JUST WANTED YOU TO SEE WHAT WE HAD. SO YOU WOULD BE COMFORTABLE. >> ALL RIGHT. I DON'T SEE ANYTHING ELSE STACEY OR BRIAN. >> MAYOR, I DO WANT TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS ON THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE IF YOU DON'T MIND AND TALK ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON THERE. COUNCIL, ONE OF THE -- THINGS THAT THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE DOES IS PROVIDE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP FOR THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION AND AS A RESULT OUR DEPARTMENT HAS CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE WHICH HAS DEPUTY CITY [01:35:02] MANAGER AND ASSISTANTS CITY MANAGER AND EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT. WE MADE OUR GRANT WRITER FULL-TIME THIS YEAR. WE'VE GOT THAT POSITION UP & RUNNING. NEIGHBORHOOD LIFE WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS LEES A BOWERS AND AND PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE WHICH IS DENISE AND DREW. SO THAT FORMS OUR TEAM. DUE TO THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF COVID IN FISCAL YEAR 2021 WE'RE GOING TO PROPOSE TO REDUCE ONE ASSISTANT MANAGER AND THAT WILL LEAVE US WITH A DEPUTY CITY MANAGER AND THAT WILL HELP US STREAMLINE OUR EXECUTIVE STRUCTURE AND THEN REPURPOSE THOSE DOLLARS FOR.ORGANIZATION. AS WE GO THROUGH THE RECRUITMENT AS YOU KNOW OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER IS GOING TO BECOME THE CITY MANAGER OF HIGHLAND VILLAGE AND OUR ASSISTANTS CITY MANAGER IS GOING TO THE CITY OF FORT WORTH AND STARTING UP A BRAND-NEW DEPARTMENT. IT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT AND IN THIS COVID ENVIRONMENT PARTICULARLY WITH THE UNCERTAINTY NEXT YEAR IT'S ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE THAT WE DO THAT SO THAT WILL GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY. COVID THIS YEAR HAS BEEN I ONLY SEEM TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE PAST FIVE MONTHS BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THAT THE DEPARTMENT HEADS HAVE BROUGHT UP A LOT OF ISSUES AND THEY ARE CERTAINLY BEING CHALLENGES IN THIS ORGANIZATION AND I JUST WANT TO TOUCH BASE AND MAYBE EVEN TIE THIS BACK INTO AND TO SUMMARIZE IT. WE HAVE EXTRAORDINARY GROWTH. AND I THINK I MAY HAVE MENTIONED THIS WHEN I DID THE BUDGET PRESENTATION BUT IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS WE'VE ADDED $630 MILLION IN NEW CONSTRUCTION VALUE TO THE TAX ROLL. SO IN FOUR YEARS $630 MILLION AND GUYS AS YOU KNOW WE'RE JUST GETTING SAPPHIRE BAY INTO THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE FOR UTILITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT SO, THAT IS NOT REALLY OTHER THAN THE LANDS VALUE THAT REALLY DOESN'T INCLUDE SAPPHIRE BAY. THIS IS TAKING EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNTS OF WORK FROM NOT ONLY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC WORKS, PRETTY MUCH EVERY SECTOR IN THE ORGANIZATION IS PUTTING FORTH A HUGE AMOUNT OF EFFORT INTO THIS GROWTH AND OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS WE'VE ADDED QUITE A FEW EMPLOYEES BUT THERE IS STILL DEMAND THERE. ONE OF THE OTHER MAJOR CHALLENGES IS SAPPHIRE BAY SO WE HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY NEEDS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS AND A LOT OF THIS STUFF IS IN THE BUDGET. JUST TOUCHING ON A FEW THINGS BUT SAPPHIRE BAY IS GOING TO NEED FIRE PROTECTION, POLICE PROTECTION. SOME OF THAT CAN BE ADDED OVER TIME. OTHER PIECES WILL HAVE TO BE ADDED EVEN BEFORE PERHAPS THE RESORT OR CONFERENCE CENTER IS FINISHED SO, THAT IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE FOR US TO MAKE SURE WE'RE READY TO DEAL WITH SAPPHIRE BAY BECAUSE I WAS TALKING TO A CONSULTANT RECENTLY ACTUALLY THIS WEEK AND ONE COMMENT HE MADE WAS THIS IS ALMOST GOING TO BE LIKE A DISNEY TYPE ENVIRONMENT. 8 AND FOR ALL OF THE ENTERTAINMENT VENUES AND FUNCTIONS THAT WILL BE DOWN THERE THE CROWDS THAT WILL BE DOWN THERE IT WILL BE. SO WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE THAT OUT. INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAPITAL MAINTENANCE WE FELL BEHIND DURING THE DROUGHT AND THAT WAS EVEN IF YOU WOULD WANTS TO SAY THAT WE WERE CAUGHT UP AT THAT TIME BUT WE KNOW THAT THE DROUGHT EXTENDED THAT AND EXPANDED THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF MAINTENANCE TO TAKE CARE OF. OUR TEAM IS DOING WONDERFUL JOB BUT THEY NEED THE RESOURCES. THE OTHER THINGS THE MAY 21 ELECTION OR I SHOULD SAY THE 2021 ELECTION. BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE TO DECIDE BASED ON COVID IF THAT WOULD BE A MAY OR NOVEMBER ELECTION. THE LAST TWO BOND CYCLES WE'VE TAKEN WE'VE SOLD BONDS OR HAD THE ELECTION ON THE BASES OF WHAT OUR INS RATE COULD SUPPORT MEANING THAT IT WOULD NOT REQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL TAX RATE INCREASE TO BE ABLE TO DO THOSE PROJECTS SO AS YOU KNOW THE FIRST BOND ELECTION IN 2015 WAS FOR ABOUT $25 MILLION AND THE ONE THAT WE DID IN 2018 WAS [01:40:02] $60 MILLION. WELL IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS AGO IF WE HAVE THIS ELECTION IN 2021 WHAT WE BELIEVE WE CAN SUPPORT IS ABOUT $40 MILLION BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE OUR NEED. OUR NEEDS ARE GOING TO EXCEED THAT AMOUNT. AND SO WE MAY BE TALKING ABOUT AN $80 MILLION BOND ELECTION. MAYBE $60 MILLION. WE HAVE FACILITIES WE HAVE TO BUILD AND IN ADDITION TO JUST THE RODIN FROM A STRUCTURE AND THE ALLIES AND PARKS AND ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE WANT THIS IS GOING TO BE A PRETTY BIG BOND ELECTION AND WE CANNOT IGNORE THAT. WE'VE DONE A LOT TO KEEP UP WITH SALARY AND BENEFITS IN THE PAST FEW YEARS BUT THIS YEAR WITH COVID WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND THAT MEANS WE WILL BE FURTHER BEHIND THE FOLLOWING YEAR. CITIZEN TOLERANCE FOR TAXES AND WATER RATES ONE THING THAT I THINK IS GOING TO BE A GOOD SIGN FOR OUR CITIZENS THIS YEAR IS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO LOWER THE TAX RATE AND THE WATER RATES SO THEY WILL SEE A BREAK ON BOTH THIS YEAR AND WE'LL GET TO TALK ABOUT THAT. WE WOULD LIKE TO DO A VIRTUAL TOWN HALL MEETING IN EARLY SEPTEMBER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC KNOWS BECAUSE BASED ON A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING I'M NOT SURE EVERYONE IS TUNED IN RIGHT NOW AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DO KNOW THAT WE'RE LOWERING THE TAX RATES AND THE WATER RATES. WITH ALL OF THE FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR GROWTH ONE THING THAT WE CAN SEE THAT NOT EVERYBODY CAN SEE AT THIS TIME WE KNOW THAT ROWLETT HAS AN END GAME IN SITE IN TERMS OF OUR FINAL BUILD OUT. SOME CITIES MIGHT NOT HIT THEIR FINAL BUILD OUT FOR ANOTHER 30-40 YEARS BUT WE KNOW THAT ROWLETT IS SURROUNDED BY WATER AND -- GARLAND. SO WITH THE PENINSULA BEING BUILT OUT SAPPHIRE BAY AND WITH ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW AND THEN KIND OF OUR FINAL HORIZON WHICH IS NORTHSHORE WE CAN KIND OF START TO SEE THAT WE WILL BE HITTING BUILD OUT MAYBE AS EARLY AS 10-15 YEARS AND WITH A LOT OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE THAT MEANS A LOT WORK AND IT ALSO MEANS THEN FOR PARKS & REC. AND PUNISH WORKS AND EVERY DEPARTMENT WE HAVE IN THE CITY IT MEANS AN IMPACT SO I WANTED TO HIT THOSE HIGHLIGHTS. WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THIS IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET MEETINGS BUT I'M SO VERY PROUD OF OUR TEAM. WE HAVE AN EXTRAORDINARY GROUP OF EMPLOYEES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE EVERY DAY AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THIS COUNCIL. I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO TUNE IN TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND I'M ABSOLUTELY CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL. THANK YOU, COUNCIL AND THANK YOU TO ALL CITY EMPLOYEES. >> THANK YOU, BRIAN AND TO ALL OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND OBVIOUSLY YOUR DEPUTY AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS, GOOD PRESENTATIONS AND GOOD INFORMATION. GOOD TOP LEVEL INFORMATION. I THINK IT WAS A GOOD PRESENTATION AND WE WILL HAVE WORTH OUR TIME FOR BOTH DAYS. AND MORE DISCUSSION TO COME. WE HAVE TWO MAJOR BUDGET SESSIONS TO COME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I ASSUME YOU WERE THE LAST DEPARTMENT. IS THAT CORRECT? >> YES, MA'AM. THAT IS CORRECT. >> COUNCIL ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE SIGN OFF? YOU HAVE MOST OF YOUR EVENING BACK. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.