City Council - Regular Meeting

Mr. City Manager, just going to check in with you and city secretary, see if you have everything you need before we get started. Yes, we do.

Great. We'll go ahead and uh recognize a quorum seated up here ready to go. Call ourselves uh in session and to order. Um we'll start today a little after 3:00 with our invocation. If you guys would please stand um as we have the invocation by Lesie Broadbent and then remain standing for the pledges, please. Good a good afternoon. I have been asked to not just pray this afternoon. I've been asked to share a word of scripture and a couple of words before I begin. In the letter to Romans the 14th chapter verse 19, the Apostle Paul writes, "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." In this section of the letter, Paul tells the Romans that petty disagreement should not create division among believers. He was talking about dietary laws and religious festivals. He makes he makes the case that disagreements over such trivial matters must not divide us. There must be unity among us. And to this I challenge this council, even this city to be unified. 13 years ago, the Amarillo Globe News named an interesting news story as their story of the year. In fact, the report was picked up by national media. The story seems fairly mundane upon first look. The story was that four downtown Protestant churches, three of them, Amarillo's very first churches, were forming a relational alliance with one another. First Baptist, First Presbyterian, Central Church of Christ, Poke Street Methodist Church, of which I'm the pastor, had formed a strong bond with one another and had decided to hold at to hold at least a couple of worship services per year together to be involved in missional outreach to our community. But it was a story was mundane but it was surprising enough that the Amarillo Globe News named it the story of the

year and actually was picked up by national media. Four four churches of different denominations wanted to do something to be unified and it made the story of the year in Amarillo. The story of the relationship of these four downtown churches, as I mentioned before, Amarillo's oldest churches dating back to 1888, should be the story of Amarillo and this council. Though we may differ in opinions on minor details, though we may disagree on how to reach our goals, though we may even have fundamental disagreements that are part of our core values, we have the same goal in mind. For the downtown churches, it is to reach Amarillo and Texas panhandle with the good news of salvation of Jesus Christ. With this council, it's to make Amarillo a safe place to raise a family where businesses and families can thrive and reach their full potential. As citizens of Amarillo, our goal must be to must be to be united and help the city thrive. Neighbors helping neighbors, as we say in Amarillo. We must all citizens and government alike recognize we all want the same thing. And that is there is much more that unites us than divides us. And so council I challenge you using the words of the great Methodist John Wesley from the year of 1771. He wrote, "Though we cannot think alike, may we not all love alike. May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion. Without doubt we may. In this all the children of God may unite. Even though they retain these smaller differences, these remaining as they are, they may help one another increase in love and in good works. Be unified, Amarillo. Lead us forward, council, to a new day. Lead us forward to a unified future together. Would you bow with me? Almighty God, we thank you for this great city in which we are privileged to

live. We we give you thanks for our community leaders and school leaders and teachers and government officials, first responders, law enforcement officers, churches, and other citizens that help make up the fabric of Amarillo. Oh God, we ask for protection upon our city. The violence that we read about and see in our city is heartbreaking. We pray against those forces that bring violence into our city. We bind the evil one and his minion in the name of Jesus Christ. For you have overcome the enemy and promised us an abundant life. We ask that you would grant us here in Amarillo an abundant life. Let us live life to the full filled with freedom and peace and faith and prosperity. Bless this council and their important work today. Protect them and their families and bless them as they selflessly serve our community. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. United States of America and to the for it stands nation for council. The first thing we're going to do is uh recognize and and also recognize some of our staff members. National Procurement Month. If you guys will meet me down here and Mike, if we can go ahead and bring you and your team up.

Okay. Well, it is National Procurement Month. Um, so I'll read this proclamation. Whereas professional public procurement plays a vital role in effective and efficient operations of government by by ensuring the timely, ethical and responsible acquisition of goods and services necessary to serve the public. And whereas public procurement professionals are entrusted with safeguarding public funds and promoting transparency, fairness, competition, and accountability in the expenditure of taxpayer dollars. And whereas procurement professionals provide strategic, logistical and operational support to departments across the organization while also developing sound purchasing practices practices, administering contracts and fostering strong working relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders. And whereas the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing known as NIGP, the Institute for Public Procurement has designated the month of March as National Procurement Month to increase awareness of the important role procurement professionals serve in government and public service. And whereas National Procurement Month provides an opportunity to recognize the dedication, professionalism, and value of those who work in public procurement and their contributions to good government and public trust. Now therefore, we, mayor and city council members of the city of Amarillo, Texas, do hereby proclaim the month of March 2026 as National Procurement Month.

Thank you, Mayor and Council, for the recognition. Uh, thank you for your trust uh with the taxpayer dollar. Um, I'll just say there's a lot of boxes to check in this this world of procurement and it couldn't be done without this team back here. So, give yourselves a hand. One, two, three. Okay, thank you for everybody who's attended the meeting here today and participates uh regularly with us, you know, that it's important to um start our meetings in unison and and with the the right uh target that we're shooting at. And so, in service to you guys, I think it's important to talk about those individuals, men and women that serve you daily in a lot of areas that we take for granted. Procurement is definitely one of those important areas. So, thanks for letting us do that. Miss City Secretary, do you have any announcements

or Mr. City Manager? No, sir. No, sir. Okay, we'll move into public comment. Um, Miss City Secretary, if you'll read us into that, we'll get going.

Thank you, mayor. Thank you for participating in today's city council meeting. Your input and your opinions are important to us, and we're glad you're here to share them. At each posted meeting, we invite our fellow community members to address city council regarding posted agenda items or topics related to city policy. During both public comment and any public hearings today, each speaker will have three minutes to address the council. At the end of two and a half minutes, a warning beep will sound to alert you that you have 30 seconds left to wrap up your thoughts. We do have multiple public hearings today. If you're here to speak on an item with a public hearing, we ask that you make your comment on that item during either public comment or the public hearing, but not both, in order to help us keep accurate records. It is your decision at which point you would like to speak. We will utilize both podiums today. When we call your name, please make your way to the empty podium. Upon your turn, please state your name and whether or not you live within Amarillo city limits. Then you may begin your comments to city council. If you are speaking on an item not on today's agenda, the Texas Open Meetings Act limits how elected officials may respond. Council may respond with statements of fact. They may ask your topic be added to a future agenda. Or they may refer the matter to the city manager who can have staff step out and visit with you regarding your topic. If you're here to speak today and have not yet signed up, if you'll please come see me up here at the dis and fill out a form, we will get you added to the list so you can speak. At this time, our first speaker we'll invite up is Katherine Bell. And after Katherine will be Darren and Melissa Jones. Katherine Bell. Okay. In that case, Darren and Melissa Jones. And on deck after the Jones will be Kim Benson.

Yeah, I have copies that are referenced in my discussion. Could I hand them?

Thank you for your time and consideration today. I am Darren Jones. This is my wife Melissa. We're both lifetime residents of the panhandle. I lifetime of Amarol. I wanted to bring up that had a misfortunate incident the other day, February 27th specifically, whereby code enforcement executed a warrant at my residence and a lot of property was removed. The point of contention was that I was never notified and I had formulated a list of that which was encumbered. Uh one of the reservations uh I've gone from dealing kindly with Jacob Diaz to being handed to David Sanchez with risk management. He is in an awkward position of wanting or being held accountable to validate that which was removed by either photo proof or receipt. I don't have photographic proof of its existence in the pile and I certainly don't have receipts on many of the items that were family related in the sense of coming from grandparents or fathers that are now dead. Uh, all I would ask is that if someone could provide David an alternative as to his discussion of the audit and how it might seek resolution.

Okay, Mr. Jones, does that complete your comments? Uh, do you have anything to add? Go ahead. The department with um, Mr. Diaz

has already admitted that they did not notify us. The letter was never sent out. They had a new program come into place and somehow we fell through the cracks of that program. The letter was never sent out. They went to the judge to be able to get a warrant to remove those items and they told the judge they had notified us four separate times. We never received a letter. We never received any notification. Now, the judge is in an awkward position because she signed that and uh we're in an awkward position as well.

Okay. Well, we definitely want resolutions. So, thank you for bringing this to us. It's the first that I've heard of it, I believe. I don't think I've received any correspondence email. I don't know if our city manager has heard. I'm not aware of the situation, but we can get I'll get with deputy city manager Andrew Freeman. We can look in the situation and contact y'all further to talk about it further. Do we have all of your contact info, sir? Yes, sir. Okay. Um, we will definitely address it and reach back out to you promptly. Okay. We appreciate it. Thank you for your time. Yes. Thank you, guys. Okay, Kim Benson. And on deck after Kim will be Mike Fiser.

Good afternoon. Uh Kim Benson, I came before you last the two weeks ago to ask for y'all to consider streaming the uh board meetings and Mr. Prescott was nice enough to ask for that to be put on I thought this agenda but when I read the agenda for this week, not there. So, I come before y'all to consider that if you would stream these board meetings. There's condemnation board meetings. You would have that recording to see maybe to get their answers. The board meetings are important. I mean, they're making decisions. I mean, we found that out with the prairie dogs. Citizens were there. That was me that was there and saw that decision and asked them to to please consider some other options. The citizens don't know these things. They're not equipped to know these things unless they attend these meetings. I do appreciate, Mr. Prescott, you do actually listen to citizens and I do appreciate that. You know, we've not always seen eye to eye, but you are listening. There's been many times that I've come before this that you're listening to us. So, I do appreciate that. Put it on the agenda, guys. Thank you.

Mrs. Benson, thank you for speaking. Mr. City Manager, can you give an update? Yes, it is planned to come, I believe, at the next council meeting. Okay, we'll get that done. Thank you, Mrs. Benson. Mike Fischer. Yes, sir.

My name is Mike Fiser. I live in the city limits of Amarillo. I guess you guys are probably paying attention about the prairie dog thing. Um, my page got over half a million views on two posts that I made about the prairie dogs. Um, there were 3,283 verified signatures on the change.org petition. If you guys don't mind, if you would read that, I can give you a copy if you want it. Um, but what happened that day, that board voted to kill all those prairie dogs. And now the city changes the narrative. and I'm assuming it's Donnie Hooper uh because he was there that day and now the city's position is quite different. Um you know the prairie dogs um it it seems like we went from wanting to kill him to we never said that. We're we're we're coming up with a plan to move them somewhere else. And um you know it comes back to I think that you guys should consider a new policy on how to how to pick boards. And I it's no fault of your own. I'm not blaming you guys for this, but it seems like it's just like let's get Mike. Yeah, he sounds good and everybody votes. You guys might have heard that there's a guy on the board for the planning and zoning where we decide what people can and can't do with their land. He I won't name him because it seems to be coming around a little bit, but he said, "I don't believe anybody should be told what to do with their land." He's on the board like maybe we need to ask people some questions like when they maybe we need an interview process, a board for boards. I don't know if that's a good idea, but uh maybe ask people

that are on the parks and wrecks, do you go to the park? Do you use the park? How often do you go to the park? Do you have kids? Do you take your kids to the park? And I' I've got a pretty cool idea for the prairie dog thing, but I think everybody just kind of looks at me like I'm nuts, like Don Tips does all the time when I suggest something. And uh I really think we should embrace it. I think that like that's why those guys probably spent a lot of money naming uh the baseball team. Why don't we embrace that? Create a little prairie dog town. I think it would draw in people. Why not? It's It's very low cost because they already survive here. They live here. All we need to do is put up a wall and dig down maybe six or eight feet uh to keep from getting out. But I think it'd be a great idea. Um but who am I? I'm just a crazy guy, I think, to to half the people. But, uh, thanks for letting me speak and I appreciate you you guys listening.

Thank you, Mr. Fischer. Appreciate the ideas and the continued communication. Mayor, that concludes everyone that signed up today.

Okay. Um, I see Mr. Fine Gold in the back. If you don't mind coming up, you can speak next, Allan. And then if you would, if you'll fill out our paper so we're all kind of following the same rules for everyone. Hello, Alan Fineold. I do live in the city limits. I would like to direct your attention to item 4.6 in the consent agenda. It says consideration of resolution number something something. This item is a second and final reading to consider a resolution considering the acceptance, placement, and public display of a donated Ten Commandments monument to be installed on city property. It does seem to me that's a a slight u redundancy a final reading to consider a resolution considering. So my interpretation of this is that you have not yet selected the monument. If my interpretation is wrong, then uh you'll just have to consider that. But my guess is you are contemplating accepting a monument. So I would suggest that you look very carefully at the monument to begin with. Any monument of the Ten Commandments that's written in English is a historical inongruity. The original Ten Commandments were written or perhaps carved in Hebrew, in fact, ancient Hebrew. I doubt that you would put up a monument of that sort, even though it would be

closer to the original. But let's say for the sake of argument you put up one in English. Then I suggest the following. Do not use any Roman numerals. To put Roman numerals next to the Ten Commandments is not merely a historical inongruity. It's an insult. If you must use numerals, and there aren't any in the Bible for the Ten Commandments, but if you must use numerals, use Arabic numerals. You know, one 2 3 four five and six and so on. The numerals we use every day in every document for all kinds of accounting. They are actually Arabic numerals that were imported into Western Europe sometime in the seventh or 8th century except for zero. Zero came from India. Apparently certain Indian philosophers decided that there should be a number representing the absence of anything something which did not occur to any culture previous to that. I don't know when that was imported to the Arab countries that then imported their numerals to Western Europe through Spain. Thank you very much,

Mr. Fine. We appreciate you addressing the council. As a statement of fact, the um monument application that was submitted to the staff and that council approved uh is in the previous minutes. So, if you want to look back, uh, it it does have a photo of what the monument looks like and, um, the version being the Supreme Court version that's on the Capitol down in Austin. So, thank you. And, and we want to make sure that communication's out there for anybody who would like to look. Okay.

Thank you, sir. Um, do I have anyone else here? Mr. Adair. Um, I first of all wanted to commend Tim Reed um on the prairie dog things. I saw the video where he was out there helping them catch them and everything. And I wanted to bring this up because when this went to the parks and wreck board, um, from what I understand, there was very little um, discussion or anything and there was a vote taken to just kill them. And then later I learned that um I thought I knew a lot about these boards, but I learned something new about all these boards that if they spend under 50,000, it doesn't have to come to the city council. Um and that seems like a lot of money because if you have five boards that spend 45,000 twice a year, that's 450,000. That's got to be a good impact on our budget. And I was just wanting to ask this council if we could have some discussion about that and maybe drop that amount down to a lower amount. Um because that's a situation that could kind of get out of hand with a lot of these boards and the spending. Um just to just them doing that to keep stuff away from this council. um if we could maybe put that on a future agenda or have some discussion about it because that seems like a lot we've got a lot of boards and that seems like a large amount that a lot of different boards could spend impacting our budget. So that's what I had to say. Thank you.

Appreciate you, John. Thank you. Do I have anyone else who would like to give public comment here today? Okay, we'll go ahead and close that section and move forward with uh number four, our consent agenda. Um, making pretty good timing. Do I have uh anything that council has further questions on listed on your consent agenda? Would entertain a motion? I move to adopt the consent agenda as presented. Second. Motion and a second for the consent agenda. All in favor, please say I. I. Any oppose?

Motion passes. We will move over into um our discussion items. Item 5.1. Miss city secretary, I know that for that one we have an auditor um who's out of town and we need to zoom him in. Do you need a few minutes to get that set up? Yes. If we could take maybe a fivem minute recess, we'll get the auditor connected or recess or do you just want to move on and come back to this one? If Mrs. Gonzalez is ready, do you want to go ahead and go over that one first? Does that matter Stephanie? Either way or I just need a moment to get him into this room. So, okay. So, she needs a minute to set it up.

Okay. Yes, we do need some time to set up. So, yeah, we give a Miss Coggins a couple minutes. We can get that set up. Okay. Um, ladies and gentlemen, we're going to we're going to take a five minute break. Not really going too far. Um, if you'll hang tight, we're going to get him loaded up and brought in and then we'll move forward. Thank you.

and kind of start this ball rolling and then we'll see if if maybe uh Mrs. Owens um is going to speak or or if we need to hand it to him.

Yeah, it'll just be me. Um, so yeah, mayor, members of council, yes, we, as you know, we've been working on our on our 2425 fiscal audit and, uh, and so we have our auditor, uh, Scott Kersnik from CLA here today. Um, the current plan right now is we we do have an item on their agenda. We are going to table it and non-consent to Friday. Uh, they need a little bit more time to present to you all a document. And so the plan right now is to uh Scott will give you all a quick update as of the status of where the audits at including the second second reviewer and then the plan is to bring you guys a draft on Friday and uh to review and accept receipt of we will then file that for our deadline and then we we'll bring back the final product uh after that. So Scott, I'll turn over to you.

Okay. Thank you, Grayson, and thank you, mayor, and members of the city council for allowing CLA or Clifton Larson Allen to perform the city of Earillo's 2025 audit. The status of where we are now is on Friday for the city council meeting. We will present to you a draft of the annual comprehensive financial report to be filed with the city secretary. And keep in mind this is a draft. It is not the final completed product. The audit is substantially completed. We are going through at CLA now what we call our second review process where someone completely independent of the audit of the city of Earillo looks at the testing performed and the financial statements themselves and any questions he may have will be addressed And once we get through that process, we will be in a position to issue the final annual comprehensive financial report uh next month. And at this point though, I do want to thank Katrina Owens and all of the staff within the finance department for their long hours and effort to enable us to be in a position on Friday to release

a draft. We would not be in that position without the long hours and hard work of Katrina and her team, if you will. And I know the CLA team here to get to this position have also uh put in some long hours and to enable us to release a draft on Friday. And that is kind of the status of where the audit is right now. And I will be in Amarillo in person on Friday for the 2:00 meeting to answer any further questions.

Okay. Thank you. Go right ahead, Miss Kersnack.

Thank you. And That is basically the uh status of the 2025 audit as we speak. Council, any questions for uh Scott? No. Okay. Um Mr. Kersnack, I know I've been on the phone with you multiple times throughout this. Uh you you came as a new highly recommended audit firm. um council made the choice to to hire your firm and make a change. It's a fresh set of eyes on everything. Um it's going back and combing back through not only the numbers but also the practices uh with the hopes of improving and continuing to get better um so that we can fully resource all of the men and women that provide our core services here in Amarillo. So you're very important to us. I know you've got a good working relationship with our finance department. Um, I sat in a meeting with you last Thursday for the audit committee and I believe what I heard was there may be close to 5,000 hours worth of manh hours in this project between the two firms, ours and yours. And so in saying that, my point is is that council still doesn't have the product. We we have uh some of the product that you've given us. Uh most of it is all uh lining out and and easy to understand. There are some things that we I know I have questions on and and want to dive deeper in and so it's due diligence for us. We don't want to bring something that council hasn't had an opportunity to fully digest, understand, evaluate, and approve. So, we appreciate the consideration on your side. So, we will bring questions on Friday at 2 o'clock. anything specific that we may have that that we're looking for you to

answer in that audit. And then we will have you back on April 14th um to do another presentation to have everything finaled to um show us if there's anything that changed any any um let's say remarks that you may have or any instruction that you could give us moving forward. And so we look forward to to walking that out. I also understand um in you know discussions with city manager and city attorney we have some obligations in filing and and getting things in the city secretary's hands on time and so we're able to to take that appropriate action to just have a a motion to file this with the city secretary on Friday. That won't happen today. Our deadline is Friday for that. And so we we want to make sure we get that done and that we walk this out one step at a time with that due diligence. And so, um, thank you for being a great partner and and a new asset for the city of Amarillo. And, um, we appreciate you zooming in here. Uh, we want to be efficient with your time as you're continuing to work for us. So, do you have anything else you need to add before we let you jump off?

Well, uh, thank you, mayor. And again just to reiterate on Friday I think everyone does have a clear understanding but on Friday this will be a draft of the annual comprehensive financial report and it being a draft. There could be some changes made prior to the final issuance, but this will be a good draft delivered on Friday. Probably a PDF will be sent either late Thursday or Friday morning. Someone else could send the PDF. If it's not ready yet, I think it should be, but I will definitely be coming to Emorillo with a paper copy and the PDF will be available as well. So again, thank you, mayor, and everyone involved in this process.

Real good. Um, council, any questions here before we move forward? Okay, Mr. Mr. Kersnack, thank you for jumping on with us. We'll see you Friday 2 o'clock. Sounds good. See you then. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. City Manager. Anything from from your end before we move forward? No, sir.

Okay. Uh that will take care of our discussion item here today. And then council, you'll see we have an item we need to table until uh Friday. Um moving forward with item 5.2. This is our new customer portal. And so, do we have Miss Jennifer Gonzalez coming forward back there? Yes, ma'am. Afternoon, lady. Good afternoon, Mayor and Council. Um, my name is Jennifer Gonzalez. I'm the utility billing manager here for the city and I'm here today to give you some updates on our new customer portal um as well as our CIS um system go live which is scheduled for March 31st.

Okay, so why does this matter? This is an important upgrade because it modernizes our utility billing system um by improving some internal automation which also improves our operational efficiency and our customer service. This also provides uh digital access enhanced digital access for our customers um with the integration of our automated metering um technology. So, right now, I'll go ahead and play a short video that's going to show some updates to our portal as well as some information for our customers. Utility billing portal designed to provide a more userfriendly experience for customers. As part of this transition, all utility billing customers will receive a new account number, which can be found at amarillo.gov/youutilityportal and on the paper bill you receive in April. Customers will need their new account number to manage their account and register for the online payment portal. The new portal will continue to offer the convenient features customers already use, including online payments, paperless billing, and autopay. It will also introduce new options such as viewing and comparing water usage and submitting service requests like service termination, payment plan requests, and customer service requests. Customers will still have multiple ways to pay, including online, in person, by mail, by phone, or at approved drop off locations. The new portal launches March 31st, and our utility billing team will be ready to help customers every step of the way. For more information, visit amarillo.govutilityportal. Hey,

the city of Amarillo,

sorry. Okay, so what do customers need to know within this uh transition? Um, every customer will be getting a new account number. Um, and there are a couple of different ways that customers can retrieve that new account number. Um, the city will have a online lookup tool that will be on our web page where the customer will need their current account number as well as their service zip code and they can uh get their new account number that way or they can wait until their April bill is issued and they can also retrieve their account number that way as well. Uh, another important um thing to know for customers is that if they are a current portal user, they will have to reregister for the portal. Um, that also includes um reregistering for automatic payments within the portal as well. So, that first payment will need to be a manual payment um and then you can set up your your preferences for autopay after that. Um, we will be issuing a one-time $10 credit to customers who opt in for um, paperless billing as well. Okay. So, so this is some important updates. Utility billing operations will be paused for service beginning March 26 through March 30th. So that means that during this time frame, the phone and online payment systems will be temporarily paused as well as email and inperson services um will also be paused paused during that time frame. The phones will still be up um but we will only be working with urgent needs from our customers at that time. So that includes like leaks or or main breaks that where we have to go and turn off

service for an emergency. Um during this transition we will not be assessing any sort of late fees um to assist the customers. So we've worked with uh the office of engagement and innovation to prepare a comprehensive communication plan. Um currently we've already sent out bill inserts to customers. Um we have updated our city website. We will be pushing out some sod social media communication um that has some instructional videos with that QR code. Um and as always, we're here to help. So, customer service will be available by phone, in person, or by email to assist any customers who need help with this transition. So, again, our go live is March 31st. Um, I do want to, um, recognize our team, our city departments who have worked with us to get this process up and going. Staff has been working diligently in preparing for this, training for this, testing for this for the past year. And so, um, it's it's a good point that we're at right now, finally going live. So, um, with that, do y'all have any questions?

Questions, council? So, in the in the roll out, um I mean, we're attempting to notify people, but what's going to be the process if someone who's on automatic pay just doesn't see it, doesn't recognize it? How does that work? Do we do they just will they get a a bill saying they haven't paid their bill or or how is that going to work if people don't pick up on it the first time?

Yes, absolutely. So within this new system, we do have a lot more a lot of communication. So we will be sending out notifications u by email to let them know that um their payment is not has not been made. So so there are those updates that we will have for customers depending on what the situation is. And do we have emails for all customers? So uh we pulled from our current payment portal there are 34,000 uh portal users. So we have emails for all of those and they may be you know multiple email addresses but we do have a good list of emails for customers.

So but then we would have users that have not been using the portal that just get a possib possibly they may have signed up for the portal and then found that they wanted a paper bill back. So, we set them back up on paper bill. Do you know kind of a ballpark of what percentage u of our customers just mail in their payment? That I don't know, but we can look at the numbers and I can get with you on that. The reason why I ask about that and I don't know if you know if there's a large number of people that are doing that, but I've had a couple of calls from people who say they're getting their bill on the due date. Mhm.

Uh I don't know how how often you hear that or kind of what's going on uh with that. Right. Unfortunately, you know, it leaves us and then it goes to the postal service. Um once it goes to the postal service, there's not really any tracking for us. Um normally we are billing on a date. Um and the due dates are normally about 8 to 10 days um after. Um, but now that we have gotten through our automated metering technology, um, that may be something that can improve. So, I guess we're just at the mercy of the post office as to when they deliver it. There's no

Unfortunately, yes. Is it because of the postage rate we pay, I guess, or or I I don't believe that it's the postage rate that we pay. It's just sometimes it just takes longer to to get to somebody than different times I guess of the year. Okay. But I guess if somebody's getting a a paper bill, would they also be getting an email or would they have to sign up to get an email or does it automatically do that for them?

They would sign up for an email um bill and that normally happens within the portal. Um, so if they've if they have an account within the portal, they'll receive that email bill um notification and then they'll they'll get a paper bill if they're if they've opted for that as well. So signing up to the portal doesn't mean you have to use the autodraft. It just correct but signing up in the portal would give you the the email bill that maybe you would get much sooner than if you're depending on the mail bill. Correct. Okay. All right. Thank you,

Councilman. I I notice here that there are no late fees during that that oneweek period, but will late fees be waved in case there are incidents where, you know, people aren't on the internet and aren't receiving those bills, right? No, that's a normal practice of ours right now. Um if if we do get a call from a customer, you know, saying that they just received their bill, we work with them on it and we'll normally wave those fees for them. So option, right? You can continue to get your paper bill, continue to mail it back in, business as usual. Yes.

Um do we use the drive up trailer quite a bit? Are we we not doing that at all right now? We are. Um the past couple of weeks we have not been uh consistent with opening it just because we have been finalizing everything with the data conversion and so uh our plan is next week once we go live on the 31st that will be open all day for customers to utilize Monday through Friday. Okay. Um so we appreciate the communication. I think getting the communication out there is going to be the the harder thing,

right? um tell us as easily accessible council members or we get a text message, a phone call or an email, you know, hey, there's been an issue. Do you have something that we can resource directly to you? Is there anything that you want us handling different maybe other than just going through city manager? Because typically if we have, well, I didn't know or whatever, we're we're looping that through city manager and then down the chain all the way to you. Is there anything set up where we could help handle that um May more online for them?

Um well, so part of this new portal um they do have the ability to submit customer service requests and that could be why is my bill high or um you know I have uh meter lid missing. So those are things that they can actually report on the portal and then it'll come to our office and we can send out work orders for those. Okay.

Um now to to your um question on if it is you know a customer who is complaining about something or needs assistance with something there's not anything currently that we have online other than either going through city management or you can contact me directly and we can distribute that to staff. Okay. Well, we appreciate your attention to it. You know, it's going to be probably a heavy lift with with some of the change and um you're going to deal with it. We want to be uh we want to be a hand for you and help.

And then um just right off the bat to kind of separate um let's say utility billing from utility services. So, um you're requesting a a a water meter set, you're requesting a a sewer tap, anything like that, those are still separate services. that's not coming to you or this would be migrated into that. Um, so if it's a established, you know, property, yes, that would come to us still. Okay. But if it's a construction, that normally goes to director of utilities. Um, and all that still staying separate. Correct. Perfect. Yeah.

Okay. Just wanted the public to hear that that all those construction service requests, new uh requests would still go through um utility services. So give me the correct name so I say it exactly right. Is for exactly what are they going to for the the water taps? It's not utility services. It what's the exact name? Director of utilities. Director of utilities. Okay, perfect. Thank you. Just making sure I say that right. Um, any other questions for Yes, sir. How many how many utility accounts do we have in the city?

It varies. It's normally ranging between about 75,000 to 80,000 um utility accounts. And so we we have we in the presentation most of us are going to be able to go online and and change it out without human interaction. Is that what I saw? Yes. So what is the population you think that are going to need human interaction to get this done? 20%. I I would say about maybe 10 10 to 15%. Okay.

Um we will also have staff available in one of the meeting rooms here for the first month after go live to assist in those types of situations. If somebody needs help reregistering or they want to come in and just get their account number, we can help them walk them through that. I'm just looking at at if it's 12,000 individuals that are going to need, you know, humanto human help on that, right? And as Councilman Reed said, do we have enough staff to help with that? And what is that latency period going to be for grace? Because some people are going to have to schedule timing to get in. I mean, are we is it a 90-day grace period? Is it a how long is that going to be?

Correct. Right now what we have done is the first 30 days we will be um we will not be assessing any sort of late fees. Um and if that changes and we still see an influx of customers needing assistance then we can we can work with them on that as well. I think that that needs to be I think that's a that's a very opportunistic window that you're going to get done with if it's 12,000 individuals that's a lot of people and each one of them at 10 minutes is gonna I mean we start doing the math on it that's a lot of folks and a lot of time. So, I hope you you have consideration for that. Yes. The consumer didn't ask for the change, right? Absolutely. Yes. Anything further,

Miss Jennifer? Thank you for all your hard work. I know you run a large department and you guys problem solve all day, every day. So, thank you. Uh, let us know what we can do to help you through the transition. Thank you. Thank you.

Okay. Okay. Request for future agenda items um from council. Nothing further. No requests. Okay. All right. Um non-consent agenda. Uh we're going to jump into item 6.1. Miss Katrina Owens. Hello, Mayor and Council. Ordinance 8241 is for budget amendments to the city's 2425 budget. I'm Katrina Owens, director of finance, interim CFO. This is the first reading of this item and the second and final will be the next council meeting. This is one of the final steps that we take in order to close out the prior year. This budget amendment is for the legally adopted budget that went into effect 101 of 24. We will present this budget in the audited financials for the 93025 that we'll present to you on Friday. Now, this financial policy did change in November that departments could no longer transfer within the fund and those budget amendments needed to come back to council for approval. I wanted to remind you of the organization chart and the different departments that we are reporting. Now this is a good slide so stay focused on this slide. So general fund revenues as a fund exceeded budget actual exceeded budget by 14.3 million. General fund expenditures so actuals were less than budget by 4.5. So you were good to the budget of 18.9 million. I am asking for proposed general fund amendments of 5.4 4 million and then there's some

other funds that we have to report in the audit as well and that is 482,000. So the general fund uh city secretary had two elections that were not foreseen. So that was 106,000 that we need to increase their budget to cover that department police. Now we looked at all the revenues and and netted that with expenditures. We need additional 241 for their budget to have them break even on fire. Now, their raises were not factored into their overtime pay. And so there's some of that is not getting the raises in that dollar value, but majority of that is overtime labor. and the city marshall we could not foresee how much volume that the city marshall this is the second year of that department so it's fantastic they did that much output we need additional 965,000 to cover that department traffic engineering uh we need 26,000 more to cover that they had some street improvements for some signs that were not allowed to capitalize so golf all of the parks and wreck are about inflation We couldn't foresee how much inflation cost on supplies would affect these departments. We need additional 226,000 to cover golf. Majority of that driver was uh ground care. The zoo we need additional 58,000. Most of that was for animal care for supplies to feed them. Uh swimming pools is going to be about repairs. We need additional 69,000 to cover that department. And then the tennis s center we paid out more in supplies and we need additional 9,000 to cover that department. Some of the other departments is going to be pits. Now these are self-sufficient. They are paid for

through their assessments. We need additional 5,000 for Heritage Hills and that is the driver was temporary labor was not budgeted but that is within their excess reserves. Point West PID needs an additional 10,000 to cover theirs. That driver was temporary labor was overbudgeted. And then Town Square PID, we had a unforeseen repair that needed to be done on that one. So we need an additional 125,000 to cover that pit. Two more funds, compensated absences. We had 180,000 that we need to cover that fund. this we paid out more in separation of employment than budgeted and then the bonded debt service of 162,000 we paid out more in debt service than budgeted but that will be re reimbured by water sewer revenues what questions can I answer for you

questions council can we go back about four slides please keep going please that one yes ma'am thank Can I ask a question while he's doing his math over there? So, so what we're looking to do is do the uh budget amendments like we used to do to just kind of true everything up. Correct. Yes. You just didn't used to see them because you could do it as a fund.

Correct. So my question is where we're overbudget in a lot of these or right we're just over budget no matter what it was due to. If we didn't have the excess uh in the general fund uh or a reduction in expenditures, where would that money come from? It would come out of reserves. So it would come out of reserves. And then when would we then true up those reserves? next budget session. Yes, you would see less that you could have onetime spending. So, we would allocate that money to there to shore it back up, right? Okay. And I mean, unless I missed it. I don't think I did. Where are we when we do all the pluses and the minuses?

You were to the good for 18.9 on general. We're to the good 18.9 even after we true up every one of these. Well, subtract. You have to take out the 5.4. So, 13ish, 12ish. I can't. I'm not good at doing math on the fly. Wait. Hey, don't say that. You're our CFO. That's why I say it. Uh, okay. So, we're to the good of 13ish. We can just We say ish, right. Fine. 13.5. Thanks, Andrew. So, we're to the good 13.5 and then that will go to reserves and you'll see it during reserves to true them up. I thought that we just tred them up.

You roll you roll the reserves. So when you get the budget this next time you have this extra money that you can do okay project. So this is our one-time spending that we did uh not last budget but the budget before that we called it all kinds of different things but we had the account that we could prioritize and use that money for those one-time priorities. Right. Okay. And that would also depend on what the necessary reserve is for next year. But we will rebalance all that and the excess from this in combination of what we need for next year will be that one time for CIP. And this is this is after we passed the resolution to adjust our reserves. Correct? Yes. Um what now? I'm sorry. Didn't we adjust our reserve policy? We did. We did.

Part of the financial policy. Yes. Yes. Financial policy. So this would take into account the after this. Yes. This is 2425 and that reserve policy was 2526 budget. But yeah, so we will when we do the budget this summer, yes, we will factor in the the the less of because when the change there was we we we decreased the reserve by how much we were going to keep for other funds for transfers. So that would be part of the calculation this summer for the budget process. This right here is just just a straight up we need we just need to just amend for these departments. The next steps will be to figure out the true up for for the for the for the reserve for next year for your onetime spending. So that 13 and a half um probably shouldn't come into play since we adjusted those reserves.

Yeah. Yeah. We don't know be 13 and a half. Again, it's going to be based off of what the reserve need for next year is because you you base it off of what you reserve it for that year. So it may be 13 and a half, maybe 12, maybe 14. I don't don't know yet. So right. Okay. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Yes. Absolutely. Councilman, back to you.

Yeah. So, it it's a it's a good thing that our general fund revenue exceeded budget by 14 million um and that we have the excess. But can we look at the proposed general fund amendments of 5.4? I mean, when we set budgets, we set budgets because that's the amount. And as we go through um what controls are in place, what what if we had not had the general fund revenues exceeding budget? What if they had fallen below and then we we owed $5.4 million?

Well, majority of those you can take out of the conversation like you could not foresee that we needed two elections. You couldn't have foreseen to budget that. Now, you can have conversations about overtime. Those are legitimate conversations. You can have you couldn't foresee Marshall would do the activity level that it did. um you could not foresee that supplies were going to increase the the amount that they did when you budgeted that. So you have to factor in the driver of that change. But having conversations on on payroll control, yeah, absolutely you could have that with ACMS and departments. in business as you know if you have a budget it's X you don't go over that right I mean that's what the the budget so is it normal operating procedure I mean this is the first time my first year that I've gone through this is normal operating procedure

we that we have these these swings like this over budget when we set budgets this this is normal and because we we work within the general fund so we do try as a general fund to to keep the balance within the general fund itself so because again we're we're here to serve the people.

And so sometimes that requires us to I I could say, "Citizens, we're going to stop filling potholes because we ran out of money." I could do that or I can keep going knowing I got to I got to cut somewhere else. Or I can say, you know what, citizens, we we got to we got to stop mowing yards in the parks because we ran out of money or I have to now send police officers home because I ran out of money. So these are things that doing business as a government, we we have to provide these services. We do our best to try to prepare the budget to the best of our ability, but we know that when reality hits over the next 18 months, things are going to change. And that's why my job comes in with my staff. Okay, how do we keep within the general fund? How do I keep within the revenues I'm getting? And that way, at the end of the year, I don't exceed the revenues I received or the general fund itself. And I don't historically, and correct me wrong, we typically don't exceed the general fund itself. So,

but we did pull the last few years to offer some perspective, and it ranged from 2 million to 2.6 6 million. Okay. So, this was a little I mean, it's a little higher than the last few years, but we're also more fully staffed and police and fire. Um, and we it's hard to budget for overtime police and fire because it just depends on the emergency situations and what's taking place. That that was a larger factor this year.

And of these, you're seeing probably what eight nine departments out of about 20 or so or 30 or so is in the general fund. So, it's again it's while you see some overages, there others became an under. And so we every department is tasked with okay watch your budget sometimes service calls for exceedence but there are some things here we've been talking obviously there's some things we're looking at making some changes on and uh try to uh some software change we've been working through with workday and just some o oversight things. So it's not our goal to ever go over but again I try to stay within the general fund so I can provide services for the community

but the reserves are a safety net. I mean, I think to David's point is in business, you don't have that typically. It's your budget is your budget. Like, if you're out of money for marketing or whatever, you don't just continue to spend. So, but we have the reserves. So, we dip into the reserves. We've got that knowledge of, well, we'll just spend reserves down, hoping that the general fund is up. But, if it's not up, then we're going to be we're going to be double negative for the upcoming year because we got to shore up the reserves. We're short.

And there there are things we do stop doing. there there are things that okay we don't this this isn't a critical service to the community so I can stop doing this but otherwise but for example I I got to keep buying fuel I have to keep I got to keep the trucks rolling I got to keep I gota whatever it is and so and and these things here I know we gave you kind of an idea this is actually a combination of lots of things in that department that culminated into that excess there so I really while like say secretary we can pinpoint that one like fire yes a lot overtime but there's other things in that and um golf traffic and so there's a combination of things that play into that but no the goal is always to come in within budget within department.

Okay. I just a 1% you know of the of the total budget on this and then hearing previous years that gave some clarity a 0.5 you know percent or 1% you know versus 1%. So what is a what is a an acceptable amount to be over? I mean I know it's is that hard to I mean 1% 2% I couldn't give you an idea. So again it's I mean the overall general fund is what 300 million or so or 280 or something 274 maybe. Yes. Yeah. So so it's it's

again we came in under overall expense. It's just within that overall expense there were some categories that went over and even within like even within departments there are line items that go over

but then the part doesn't go over and so we come under somewhere else and so and this is why we try to say within general fund utility fund drainage fund within those funds because those funds because property taxes are not dedicated to one thing they're dedicated to all things so we we try to just keep it within the general fund keep service going but keep it under the revenue I've got to work with. So, it's it's not a perfect thing, but I but my my goal I mean I think my expectation of the council to me is keep providing services within reason. Don't exceed your overall readiness, but don't stop providing services that your citizens are demanding that you provide. So, the department the departments that come under budget

do those do those funds go back in the general fund at the end of the Yeah. Yeah. They don't they don't keep some special reserve for for I don't know a city secretary library. They don't get their own balance next year. It's all part of the swept back into the general fund if they come under budget. Yes. And we thank them for it. So councilman. So I get each of the these are the departments have finished total over budget

and we're just kind of saying this was a major factor. I mean there could have been other things. I guess we line items. We were over budget. But when I look at this, so the fire, so the 3.7 million that was because when we entered, we didn't uh budget for overtime on the increased pay rate. Right. Well, we didn't budget for overtime, but we didn't take that raise to the any sort of to project out the larger amount. Exactly. Right.

And another large component, their workers compensation was a million uh just because of multiple long-term on the job injuries. So they just had multiple factors that triggered into their personnel line items, right? And so this year that's an issue that we can correct on the budgeting of overtime. Well, it's really never. No, I'm what I Okay, I may be confused because what I thought I heard is that

that when we gave the raises, whatever factor it is, we weren't we weren't counting the raises and how much we budgeted for overtime and fire. That that's one component. But then typically we under budget for overtime just because we don't don't have the funds to cover it. And we just hope basically that those um will be offset by increased revenues, less expens expenses just because historically we've not funded overtime to level that we've historically seen just due to budgetary constraints. But we didn't have that on the police side. They had some revenues on a grant that came in to help offset theirs. But it would be if it didn't have the revenue, it would be very terrible.

Yes. So would it so if not for the grants would police have $3 million more in overtime? Yes. Like last year they were 1.3 million over. Police was and fire was actually to the good 190,000. Okay. It it fluctuates. Well, I just because I wonder because I think I mean we've still got far more shortages in police staffing than I think we do fire, which was kind of interesting why we would have so much more overtime in fire if we're up to levels of staffing and not see it in in the in the police area. Right. Was this the fire year? I think every year's been a fire year. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

And then we do have some offset that comes from the state assignments and and different things. and fire. But these are some of the things that that with staffing up and both police and fire that having talked to both chiefs that that we're hoping to be able to fine-tune our our overtime ex our goals this upcoming year because we are staffing up. And so the the I know Chief Hoverver has announced some changes for for for patrol and so forth. And uh so I I I am I'm hoping to bring to you all some different expectations this next year during the budget process. Yeah. And then on the city marshall's office, that's just because uh we got we were able to get more contractors. We had more requests, I guess, with the weather last year,

correct? And the rain and we still bill out for it, but collections are delayed if they're collected. Uh ultimately, many end up being leans that'll be collected years down the road. So, it's not a um immediate revenue source to offset those. And a lot of leans are in payment plans. And uh so particularly if we end up removing a structure the the the property owner may not pay it all up front. Sometimes they do but we will we'll give a payment plan. So you'll see that revenue coming over time but it's just it won't be in the same fiscal year that the work happens. So there's a delay on the revenue on that one.

So when we look at the five.5 or 5.4 really four million of that is out of the three categories fires the most and then the other two are adding to that. So right. Okay. Thank you. Um, so we show a general fund expenditures that are under budget 4.5 million. Yes. Right. And it's nice the exhibit A, this is everybody that was over budget. Yes. Right. You could say they didn't run their apartments very well.

You could say that. I'm not I'm not saying that, but you could say that and the public could say that. But we also have 4.5 million of departments that were under budget. Do we have a similar list to show what departments those were? That was not necessarily the need for I know for this exercise it is for you. We could I think that would be an interesting Yeah, we can get some to the council. We can send that to to you also. Right. Yeah. Because I mean, if there's a pattern each year that those are the departments that are always under budget, either they're doing a really good job or we're budgeting too much.

Yeah. And I've I know historically in my experience working in budgets is it's hard to always predict those things. And so one year it's your fuel prices are down, now they're up, and then the next year is insurance, now it's up. And then so it's it fluctuates and from year to year. So I but yeah but no part of the budget process is to try to pinpoint the trend ones you can trend ones that truly are going under or over and attack those but with a with a budget again how dynamic we are as a community 200,000 people uh visitors visiting every day that demand our services it's it's it's impossible to know exactly but I look at too is we listen we budgeted pretty close if if the general fund was 275 or so million and we came that close. That's a few percentage points off of of that. So, we were pretty accurate on that. So, but you'll never get it one to one.

Okay. Um, when did we have these numbers, Mrs. Owens? Over the last week to week and a half. So, I just want to advocate for the need for council to have actuals and and so um a couple things that would be very very helpful for all of us. Um having actuals and being able to render those in a timely manner um not necessarily six seven months after uh the the current year budget is passed. So, so if I were to assume that um 25 26 budgets don't have these adjustments in there, I haven't even had time to look at them.

Um I'm going to assume they don't. Uh and I know that that this is a really good exercise and how we are doing this now. It's in the general fund and I I appreciate that, but it's really good to have it department by department so that we can continue to improve on balancing those appropriated amounts. Uh so in the overall we we have a uh exceeded budget by 14.3 million. Can we get the details on those revenues? Those are revenues and that's just general fund. Yes. So can we also get the details on the sewer and water?

Yes. Now understand on the annual financial report I don't put budget in for for enterprise or internal service. It's just general fund and then some of the other ones. So, the amendment here for today is only required to amend the general fund, right? That's why you're only addressing these, right? Okay. But then we do have the sewer and water actuals. Yes, I'll have to pull the the budget for them, but yes, I have the actuals. Do we have all of the internal services actuals? Actuals? Yes. Okay.

I'll have to pull the budgets for those as well. So, council, it would be really helpful for us to be able to look forward, not to wait until July, August to to have to start considering this and really be able to educate ourselves if we could get the actuals uh expenditures or revenues over expenditures for all of the departments. Uh much like what uh Councilman Reed was saying, you know, the ones that are under are great. We get to see that. The ones that are over are over. Like so, uh, police department, you have the actuals for the the police department, right? Yes. But are, mayor, are you asking for current year's budget? No, I'm asking for I'm asking for year end of 2425. Yeah. Current year's budget.

Yeah. Now, now that we are basically finishing the audit, we have those actuals available to give to you all. This is the first time we give them to y'all. So, but now that we have these the process almost done, yeah, we can start giving you all these reports from 2425. But what what I'm saying is is if we build in this practice, we don't wait a year from now to come back and forecast these. We go ahead and start now for the budget cycle that's coming up. So, as an example, if for, you know, let's say fire department 3.7 over with overtime and whatnot, do we want to start looking ahead at adjusting current budget in a mid-year budget amendment? Right? And I'm not saying that we we can do that right now, but I would think that as we look towards a midyear plan, so we do budget once a year, but we come back in six months and we do a mid-year look back. We have to have actuals in order for that to be uh beneficial, right?

Yeah. I can I when a new CFO comes on board, we can task her looking that process going forward. And again, I we can't do multiple budget cycles in a year. So a lot of these things need to be grouped at one time because it's one big process. And so so but yeah this budget cycle this summer yes as we can look at it if there if based off last year's actuals current year year to date if we are seeing a need to to to do that we probably can but again you won't know if you go over until end of the year. So that's that's just the truth of it. I I totally understand and I live in that world because you'll probably be amending twice at that point. So

we wouldn't be doing an amendment. We'd be doing a midyear uh review. And so I I live in that world of projections and and here's where we're at so far and a lot of well I can't guarantee but things are looking good or we're already over budget things are continuing to trend and so I think that would be very helpful for our departments as we continue to isolate these departments and have them stand alone. It's going to be very very important that we give them those tools as well and rely on them

so that that we can plan for that. Um I am going to state and you can correct me uh these revenues over expenditures do not account for reserves. So so the existing reserves that that are in the fund balance these are addition um in addition to all of the existing reserves that we have before we adjusted the the reserve minimums. That is correct. This is just the income statement. The excess will roll into the reserves. Okay. So what we could hear today is on the on the high note, the good side is that we are walking away with 13.5 million net excess um that we have in our general fund budget.

Correct? Okay. So let me make a statement and you correct me if I'm wrong. Every year we take that excess and we roll it into one-time spending for what we call CIP after balance after after we balance in the budget process. Yes, again it factors in what the reserve need is for next year based off that budget size. These budget monies are only considering general fund which are annualized reoccurring budgets. Correct. And annualized reoccurring expenditures. Correct.

Okay. So when we take the money out the 13.5 that we have in excess, we roll it over to CIP for one-time spend. you'll roll it to fund balance, then approve CIP, and then move it out of fund balance to CIP projects.

But then part of our goal is if we're seeing a trend that we're looking at a positive 13, positive 13, we may need to adjust our revenue for the for the operation. So that okay, so yeah, we don't need to keep getting 13 million every year over. So if we see a if we see a stable trend that we can rely upon and feel comfortable with, I'm always cautious about sales tax. And you don't want to budget 100% because you don't know it's going to come or not. But if we start seeing some comfort room that we're getting consistent, we can we can up our operational revenue towards operational expenses, right? And current sales tax is up several million dollars right now in the year and projecting uh Katrina what 9 10 million. I'd have to look at it. I've been so busy with audit I had even looked at it.

I think the last one I looked at was 83 84 million. We had projected what 79. So, uh, going really things are looking really good on sales tax. So, if we take this 13.5 and then we also look at like, you know, where we're at midy year, I think we can get a better game plan. What what I haven't liked is that every time we look at this excess in the general fund, we pull it out and we put it over for a one-time spend and we communicate to council, you can only spend that money one time. That's assuming that you remove it from that general fund uh fund balance. Uh it if you leave it in that fund balance, then it reoccurs every year and we have additional monies there that we can appropriate to do more services.

That 13.5 is a finite dollar amount that you received last year. And so again, yeah, the goal would be that if we do see a consistent revenue, if if revenue was meeting a certain point, certain level, yeah, we might be able to increase our operational expenses to meet that. But that 13.5 from last year is a finite resource that that you cannot spend multiple times.

Okay. I I don't understand that because it's in the general fund that we just identified. Uh revenues over expenditures. And then I'm assuming that we pulled those uh balances forward without these adjustments. So we didn't adjust the fire up 3.7 million. So with our revenues continuing to exceed what current was or what previous year was, then our expenditures have been balanced, then that 13.5 million net stays in that fund balance until we remove it out for a CIP fund.

We didn't come today with with a 2526 budget. And so so I don't we may during the batch budget process last year we all made changes based off revenue projections based up so it's I can't tell you're going to have 13 and a half this this current fiscal year. All I know is when it all netted out September 30th 202 2025 you ended up with to the to the positive 13 and a half that you'll be able to use one time in the general fund for 26 to 27. Okay. Um police are under budget for the previous year. Is that correct, Miss Owens? You have that

or uh No, for 2425. Just trying to get confirmation on where my police budget ended up. Well, I guess it would have been over 241. Yeah, we need additional 241 for police. I was thinking you were saying 2324 when Oh, I apologize. That's up there at the top. Police is over budget 241,000. Yes, sir. Okay. Okay. And those are actuals. Those are confirmed tie into the acter and everything that you're bringing for. Yes. And then rounded for presentation.

Okay. All right. So, let let me recap and make sure I'm catching it all. Um, council actuals are very important um as as clo as close to a current upto-date as possible. And I and I know that we're we've we've struggled with the lag on that. Um, council, does everybody agree that we we are going to need um in order to go through the growth and all of the management and the and the tightness of how you guys are are trying to direct this ship. Um, we are going to need actuals. Does does everybody agree to that?

That was a takeaway we received from the pre-budget workshop is is upcoming fiscal the budget process. We'll be bringing actuals to you all plus forecasted amounts. Again, forecast not actuals. Actuals are past tense. And so, but we'll bring to you all then the budget process the the 22 23 23 2425 actuals and then we'll then we'll do our best good faith on 2526 forecasted uh expense and revenues which will be a combination of actuals to a certain point in time. We have to close the book to get the budget started and then we'll do do our best guess for the rest of fiscal year for for you also. Very good. Very good. And I I would say actuals on internal services, enterprise fund and general fund and everybody's agreeing with that. Um

I I would one thing I would counter and I understand that in a lot of these the ending the year over budget may or may not have been something that we don't see till the end of the year. I mean as we get expenses in and what we're recognizing in that. But but I would counter to me it would seem safe to say that in fire and maybe the city marshall's office we would have seen some trending during the year that we were going to be 3.7 or 965,000 over budget. Mhm. I mean that we didn't we just didn't get to the end of the year and say

part of the problem is is our software was transitioning and departments did not have access to to those numbers. Okay. So that's that's the truth of it. And so that's transitioned or it's transitioning. So so departments are getting more awareness of their budget. So I do my my expectation departments is they'll be starting to see more of their data real time the new software but this fiscal year was the year that they didn't have a lot of access to stuff. Okay. So so it it's it's it's a great thing that we came in where we did uh the way we did. So

well I I see probably four of these areas that probably you could have seen something happen during the year. Golf may have been one of them because of the amount of and I understand the others may be and I think it's it's it's not a cash flow problem. It's not like we're going to pay our bills, but I think it's just making sure that we're u we're showing a sense of accountability and keeping up with it, you know, over the year. I think at the end of the year, there may be things that go over budget. I'm glad we spent more in the city marshall's office to clean weeds and do that. That's a that's a good expense and that's something to say that's money well spent and we figure out at the end, you know, how to to reconcile it. But I just think being able to to have the software now to be able to track the expenses so that we are really on top of that I think will be an asset to help people do that.

And that was that was as you're a call back to the pre-budget workshop. One of my one of my three expectations for the new CFO is to finalize that transition process because we we need to get that completed so that staff have that window into into their lines better. So So they're they're doing the they're doing the best they can to to manage that. Uh, but once they have full view access, they'll be much easier. And

and really actuals, I mean, when you get into it, six, seven months of actuals don't really tell you a whole lot. I mean, maybe you'd see that, but when you're starting to get to the budget and you're starting to forecast of a 7 plus 5 or 8 plus 4 or 9 plus three, which I would think that would be something that you'd want to do as you're a as you're getting towards the budget, but b also that you're just forecasting to make sure that you are going to remain under budget or you're adjusting things to make sure that you're under budget.

Real good. Uh, Miss Owens, when do you believe you could get us those? council, if I if I may. I know she's she's being humble right now, but I would request that she be allowed to focus on audit to get that completed. And uh I know she's cranking that out, but uh but definitely in April, I think we can get that to you all. Okay. And everything that that we just discussed is all represented in that audit in that act. Yes. Other than the budgets for water, sewer, and enterprise that or internal service, those are not there. Okay. But we can work on those, get those to you April, I Does that sound okay? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Anything further? Council Miss Owens, thank you. Thank you.

Appreciate you. Item 6.1 is complete. Um consideration of adoption. Um would entertain a motion on these council if you have what you need or a table if you want to table it and bring it back once you have the the dollars. I move to adopt ordinance number 8241 as presented. Second. I have a motion and a second. Any further discussion on 6.1. All in favor, please say I. I. Any oppose? Motion passes. You guys want to keep cruising or you want to take a break? Keep going.

Everybody keep going. Um 6.2 consideration of filing. Um that is in relation to uh our auditor from CLA and and the discussion we had earlier. Council, we have a schedule for Friday at 2 o'clock to bring this item back. Would request a table on this item? Request to table item 6.2. Second. I have a motion and a second on 62. All in favor, please say I. I. Any opposed? Motion is tabled till Friday at 2 pm. Item 6.3, public hearing. I believe this is uh our favorite presenter uh none other than the Brady Kendrick. Did I get that name right, sir? You did. Okay. Good afternoon.

Yes. Good afternoon, Mayor and Council. Um 6.3 is a public hearing and consideration of ordinance 8242. This is a reasonzoning case. Um it is 2.63 acres of land being all lots through 10, block 153, and then lots 1 through 5, block 154, plus vacated rideaways. Um, this is located in Potter County, Texas in the vicinity of South Harrison Street and Southwest 12th Avenue. The applicant is OJD Engineering LLC for First Presbyterian Church and they're requesting the reszone from Multiple Family District 2 to Central Business District. Um, the applicant has a project that is planned for this property and currently is split between the two zoning districts. So, they essentially have two sets of development standards that they'd like to follow. So, they want to make their whole site one zoning district. That way, they're not having to um navigate two sets of um regulations depending on the zoning districts. Uh the planning and zoning commission um found that this was on the periphery of the existing central business district and the request uh would make sense given the existing zoning and development patterns found in the area. there's still a buffer that would exist to the exist to the west between this site and the Alenwood Park. So, the planning and zoning commission believed the request was appropriate. Um, regarding public comments, we have not received any on this resoning request and the planning and zoning commission did recommend to approve it with a 70 vote.

Very well, Mr. Kendrick. Uh, any questions for Brady? Seeing none, we will open a public hearing. Do I have anyone here today who would like to speak for or against this item? Having no one present, we'll go ahead and close the public hearing. Would entertain a motion. I move to adopt ordinance number 8242 as presented. Second. Motion and a second from the right side. All in favor, please say I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. All right. Mrs. Stephanie Coggins, item 6.4. four. If I can hand this one over to you, m

Okay. Thank you, Mayor and Council. This item is a public hearing and first reading of a resolution considering the acceptance, placement, and public display of a donated 66 stories from Route 66 mural to be installed on city property. The artwork display will be privately funded and installed at no cost to the city. Placement of this monument will be along the Sixth Street underpass below the new transit multimodal station and transformation park near the cross street of Buouie. The artwork donation application was received by the city secretary's office on March 13, 2026. It was reviewed for completeness in accordance with the policy and is before you today. The applicant is Blank Space Murals, Inc., their executive director, Shaun Kennedy, is here today to share a brief presentation on the proposed artwork to be donated and answer any questions council may have. After Mr. Kennedy's presentation, we will have a public hearing in accordance with the city's policy on donation of artwork and monuments. And at this time, I will turn it over to Mr. Kennedy.

How are you all? Thank you so much for your time. Um, I'm gonna turn it over to Heather Finsterwald, who is one of our uh committee members, um, and is part of this production, and then I will continue to talk to you after she's finished. Thank you,

Mr. Mayor and members of city council. We thank you for the opportunity to share today about 66 stories from Route 66, a rich tapestry of stories to build a centennial landmark for the cultural and economic opportunity and betterment of the greater Emil area. This is a collaboration among multiple organizations. Blank spaces murals locally and then nationally with 2892 miles to go which is partnered with National Geographic Society. As you can see on this slide, our vision is threefold. The purpose is to celebrate the centennial anniversary of Route 66 with lasting public art as well as digital storytelling and created works to better our community, increase tourism, and enrich the I40 experience from downtown to historic Sixth Street. In order to accomplish this, in October, we placed a call for youth fellows and storytellers in our community and people that have once been part of the greater Amarillo area in connection to Route 66. We selected these youth fellows. Those announcements were made the week before Christmas. They have been trained. They have researched uh extensively our community and the presence of Route 66. They have interviewed um almost 66 members of our community and internalized those encounters to not only have the digital interviews but to also have original crafted work. All of this will be housed digitally on a National Geographic story map so that um anyone can have access to the presence of Route 66 and how it's impacted our community over time. The third component, which we're really here to share with you today, is about the artist. The artists of Blank Spac's

murals are utilizing the 66 compelling visuals and essential details referenced in the interviews to reflect the collective fine arts, culture, and commerce of Route 66 through the lens of the greater Amarillo area over the last 100 years to offer a visual history of the mother road central to our city. Um, so far many of our goals and objectives have already been accomplished. Emarillo has been put on the map from this project that just within the last six months. Powerful relationships have been established between storytellers and youth fellows. Um, it's created connections that span generations. Youth fellows have acquired skill sets beyond what our local school system provides thanks to the network of National Geographic with virtual and in-person trainings and workshops that took place in January and February through 2982 miles to go as well as a partnership with the Panhandle Plains Historical Museum research archives who invited us in in February as well as resources from the Emerald Public Library. Professionals in our community are partnering with youth fellows to provide real world experiences, financial compensation, and allow this community-driven inclusive work to be youthled at a professional grade. Before you on this slide, you can see the majority of the people we've interviewed so far. Um, notice this is a rich inclusive heritage. We've magnified voices. We've amplified the generosity of the panhandle spirit to share stories that have changed lives, shaped families, and created connectivity across Route 66 Central. Um really highlighting Emerillo's impact on the mother road. We would like to share just

a brief look into several of these interviews. They've been bolded for you um just so you can have a glimpse for yourself of what this process has been like for us the last several months. Uh we'll start um with an inquiry from youth fellows about the significance of Amarillo on the route. Here's Richard Wer. should have been an embedded link. I'm sorry. Just one moment.

Thank you. You'll see as these um videos appear, we really tried to capitalize on leaders within our community that have been stakeholders for the last century. We wanted to make it relevant to the youth of today. So, it wasn't just people from the past. It's not antiquated stories, but instead in a way to um empower the rich history of Route 66, but also how it could move forward in the next 100 years. It looks like you might have to review those clips. Uh we can resend that presentation. I'm sorry you can't hear. Um this is Bob Crocodile Lyle if you're not familiar with him. uh an incredible businessman and artist on uh historic Route 66 really speaking to the magnitude of what the centennial anniversary is going to do for our city in terms of the millions of additional visitors that will be coming. The next video that you can see we've got very creative in terms of meeting with many people over Zoom that weren't able to return to Amarillo but were very willing to partner with us. This is Wyatt Mcspatteren whose photography has gained worldwide accolade because of the progression of Cadillac Ranch. But he himself said that until this project of working with the centennial celebration, he had not seen the presence of Amarillo in terms of the entire Route 66 narrative. But it is the most visited place daily of the entire path of Route 66 because of the landmarks that we have within our very city and the outer city limits. After that, you'll see Ben Fong

Torres. Now, many of you will know precisely who this is. Some of our younger folks would not, but again, it's giving a glimpse to what was and then also what is. Um, this is Hayden Pedigo. This was really speaking to the future, the history in the making, all because of what can be launched from Amarillo. And now I'll turn it over to Sean.

Thank you so much, Heather. We thought it was important for her to speak about this because she's really helped head up the storytelling part of this project and worked very closely with National Geographic and Dr. Shannon Peoples who was our National Teacher of the Year who was also part of our committee. Um, I want to speak a little bit about Blank Spaces Murals. If you're not familiar with our program, um, we're a local nonprofit dedicated to empowering local youth by providing professionalgrade access to the creative arts through a paid internship program. By pairing student interns with professional mentors, we teach the real world technical and business business aspects of mural production. from design and budgeting to client collaboration specifically to help students achieve post-secary success and pursue creative-based employment. Ultimately, Blank Spaces aims to cultivate a socially aware and well-balanced generation of artists while simultaneously driving civic beautifification and cultural enrichment through the Texas panhandle. You'll see many of our works throughout the city just driving down here. We've completed over 125 murals here in in Texas or here in Emerald, Texas. Um over last year, we contributed over $180,000 in paid internships. So, the money that we spend cultivating these kids, we're putting back into them as we're putting this public art, you know, back into the community. As well, as Heather um discussed, this is the location where we are looking at putting the uh the mural. It'll be on both sides of this. Each side is about 215 feet. So, a little over 400 feet in total, which would make it the largest mural in the Texas panhandle. I know that because we have the other largest one, and that's out of Tri-State Fair at about 200 feet. Um, the purpose of a mural like 66 stories is to create a living landmark, an interactive

ecosystem to connect, educate, and engage viewers and locals alike. The mural allows viewers to connect more richly with the history and the people of the High Plains. This location naturally connects downtown to historic Sixth Street, mindfully slowing people down for a better experience off I40, encouraging a longer stay to shop, explore, and encounter Earl in an entirely new way. So, some of the numbers that we acquired from the city, on average at that intersection where Sixth Street in Georgia is, where historic Sixth Street starts, you see about 6,282 um cars daily. At the location that we are um discussing, you see about 3,479 um cars pass through that that intersection. So, we're hoping that we're able to draw some of that international travel, some of the people that are, you know, doing the coast to coast of uh the Route 66 that, you know, we can pull them down a little bit further uh towards this area and then of course towards um downtown. Uh many of you are probably curious about, you know, what is this going to look like? We've spent the last three or four months cultivating these stories, combing through them, pulling out the content, and so I'm going to leave it to um our project director, Shanda O'Neal, to talk about where we're at in this process and how you can trust our vision to where we're going to get to by the centennial date. Good afternoon. Now, the fun part. We get to talk about art. I'm Shanda O'Neal. I'm the project director co and co-founder of Blank Spaces Murals. And I just want to talk about the preliminary drawings that we

have here um and how it relates to our 66 stories on Route 66 mission. We'll start from the left and go right. Um, from the left you'll see that there's uneven rectangles which represent layers of colorful spray paint collected from Cadillac Ranch to make Bob Crocodile Lyle's beautiful and unique jewelry which is displayed at his gallery on Route 66. Mr. Lyall is a wealth of knowledge and craftsmanship and each layer of paint expresses a unique experience and a story and that this is our way of visualizing that. Chris Griffin of Blue Crane Bakery spoke about the Kors Ranch Rodeo Cattle Drive, which is a sought-after event in downtown Amarillo. The cattle drive trekks through downtown, which brings many visitors to the area. We chose a beautiful West Texas sunset to backdrop the Longhorns, as well as a yucka in bloom to bring foliage and texture to the foreground. There is no better place to stop for gas and snacks than Amarillo. So, we chose the nostalgia of an antique truck and gas pump sitting on top of bold curves that represent the mother road being traveled. One of my favorite interviews is of David Wadd. He's a fiddle player, 2019 Western Swing Hall of Fame inductee and an all-around joy to talk to. David walted across Texas from Clovis, New Mexico to Hollis, Oklahoma in 1970. And I imagine after a long day of dancing, David kicked up his boots just as our beloved cowboys would. There is no doubt that the Big Texan Steak Ranch is the most famous steakhouse for miles and miles. Originally placed on Route 66, people travel far and wide to express or I'm sorry, to experience the Big Texan and its novelties. Fun fact, the Funk family would bring fellow wrestlers to the Big Texan to take on the 72 ounce steak challenge. Our music and entertainment culture in Amarillo started at the Avatrix in the Nitorium. The Avatrix hosted names such as Lewis Armstrong and Velma Middleton, Les Brown, Willie Nelson, and Charlie Phillips and the Sugar Timers. While the Nat welcomed

acts such as the Dorsy Brothers, Bob Wills, Little Richard, and even Elvis Presley. While there will be several more interpretations of Amarillo's Route 66 musical roots, this is just an example of the passion, theater, and vitality that we never want to forget. You'll also see a couple of sprigs of sage, or as some call it, cowboy perfume on the bottom right. Again, representing our beautiful foliage lining the highway. We've included a sample color palette here that we are testing. As designers, we've concluded that vibrant reds, soothing blues, and crisp golds are essential in capturing our stretch of the Mother Road's vibrancy. There's no doubt that our sunsets foliage and diversity brings a unique and stunning color palette to us each day. While this is not the design Sorry, let me switch sid sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl slides real quick. While this is not the design for this particular project, we wanted to show you an example of a similar mockup showing various objects and how they might interact and flow together to tell a story. While some pieces are literal and rendered, we also like to add in graphical representations such as the bold curves for the road to keep the interest of the viewer as well as give room for other interpretations. We don't know that we could have a full 400 foot completed rendering for our next uh city council meeting. Um but we're asking if we could submit a concept that would be sufficient um just to show you some important aspects and some important points that would be in the mural um for y'all to see. We want to make sure that we represent as many stories that our youth fellows have taken on um as possible as well as to make sure that the mural is diverse and interesting and um represents many different people in our community. We're super excited for this event. We're very thankful that you took time to listen to our project today. I'm going to pass it on to Cashion.

You know me, I don't have slides. So Oh, do I? Oh, I have a slide. Somebody prepared me a slide. Hey, look. No, I get I mean I I know you guys know this, but this is really special for us to be able to have a centennial mural like this. There's a lot of Route 66 community saying they're doing a centennial mural. It is not 400 ft. It is not um National Geographic. And you know, whenever you think about these are our stories and these are our kids that are going to be putting it up, it's really special. But I think what's most important from from my office and and how we're looking at this and why we're supporting it is really being able to take people with those bucket list um check marks that they want to put on a list as they're doing Route 66. This is another reason to get off of I40 and to really slow down. And you know, it reminds them that Cadillac Ranch and Big Texan are not necessarily the only things Route 66 and and you really need to slow down and spend some time in Amarillo. So, this helps us move people from district to district and have something to look at and to check off your list as you do that. So this is really important but um mainly for just the area the year everything's coming together but that area you know there's beautifification committee there's us there's you know a lot of partners coming in and and making this look really special that parking lot has been cleaned up um that is right there and we know that there was some lighting considered. So, I'm going to take this opportunity and just um kind of put that back on y'all's radar if um we're going to put this big amazing U mural out there. I would love to see lighting on that bridge to go with how we're inviting people in um to park and and take time and see that and take pictures. But I hope y'all are as excited about this as I am.

Mr. Kennedy, if you want to come back up. Yes, sir. Thank you for the presentation. Do you have anything else you'd like to add to it?

No, we're just very excited to share share it with you. As you've as you've heard, we've got lots of partners and to partner with someone like National Geographic to get this on their platform um extends the reach, you know, of a project like this. So, when tourists come through town, they're they're drawn down to this 400t mural that's really telling the history and stories of our citizens. You know, they can go deeper if they want to. There'll be like a QR code there that they can scan. It'll take them to the story map. It'll take them to the National Geographic site where they can really dig in deep to all of all of the the richness that, you know, our community members and people that have moved outside of our community, you know, like Ben Fonturus who lives in San Francisco and was, you know, the the famous first musical editor of Rolling Stone, you know, he spent time here and he's got stories to tell about Emerald. It's just it's things like that that I didn't know that they're lost. They're lost stories. are things that, you know, we're uncovering together and we just think it's a really special project and hope that, you know, council will support what we're doing and trying to give back to our community with

council. Anybody have questions for Mr. Kennedy? Just how was that location chosen? I mean, why that I mean, what just it worked? We had 400 ft.

No, I've had my eye on that bridge for years now. um because I thought it was a special place because we spend a lot of time in downtown putting up murals and there's a lot of revitalization that's gone on downtown. Um I'm a fan of what goes on in Sixth Street as well. I know a number of business owners that uh have businesses on Sixth Street and I just know the amount of international travel and national travel, but the amount of tourism that comes through Sixth Street and if we could figure out a way to get those two sections, you know, those two districts, you know, to interact better and to pull people from one destination to the other destination. I just thought that corridor space is a brilliant spot. Um granted, I would have liked it to be shorter than 400 feet, so Thank you.

Any other questions, council? So, in consideration of this one, um we'll have another meeting on April 14th. Um you'll have uh a rendering of some sort included at that time. Is that the So, that's kind of what the question we asked was would it be sufficient enough to have the lined out artwork that maybe not have necessary have all the color in it, but you could see the layout of everything. you know, our work, we're to be trusted. Um, we've we've done projects that are very, you know, very large. And if we could have the line art, that rendering to you before that date, would that be sufficient to council to be able to accept this project? Sure. Council, any concerns on that or is everybody good to have that brought back at that time?

Okay. We won't make it too pink. It'll be all right. Yeah. Not not too pink. Prescott appreciates pink, but so Don Tip's more of a red guy. So, um, we we appreciate you guys and what you do. You have phenomenal pieces all across um, Amarillo and have done great things. So, I think that's a really cool corridor with that old uh, looking kind of retro uh, railroad that runs across it right there and the steel and the bolts. I think you're going to have a a pretty cool piece. So, um, we would like to see it before we vote it all the way through, but, um, I think the recommendation and and, uh, consensus here is we ought to get you the approval you need to get started.

That's that's our concern is that we got to get it done by that 13th. So, perfect. You know, well, we appreciate you investing your time and talents in Amarillo. Thank you. Appreciate y'all's time. Thank you, council. Uh, items before you for consideration. This is a public hearing. Oh, that's correct. Sorry. Thank you. Uh, Mr. City Manager, at this time we will open a public hearing. Do I have anyone who would like to speak for or against this item? Seeing no one, we'll close the public hearing. And now, council, um, we would have an item before you. I'd move to adopt resolution 032426-1. Second.

Motion and a second. Um, all in favor, please say I. I. Any oppose? Motion passes. Thanks again, guys. Appreciate the presentation. Um, let's see here. It's 5:00. Let's take a quick 10-minute break. We'll come back and then we'll close this one out. Thank you.

Before uh before council continues to comment um over the microphones, we will call ourselves back into session and um get back to our business meeting at hand. Appreciate everybody for sticking around and those are watching online. Um we've got what one, two, three items left to go. Mr. Brady Kendrick, you're up again on item 6.5. All right. Item 6.5 is a resolution uh to consider dissolving abandon abandoning the dedication of unaccept an unaccepted public street uh to the city of Amarillo and conveying the street to the adjacent property owners. Um this is um an unbuilt segment of southeast 28th Avenue where it intersects of Olive Street in Potter County, Texas. It's located between lot six uh block 8 and lot one block nine of Glenwood edition. Um, and the applicant is Amtex Liquid Waste Processing LLC. Uh, that company, they own the lot, the building to the north of this uh, segment and also the empty lot to the south. And they are currently about to move into that site with a new industrial use and want to create one large site that they can fence in. Since that's technically a public rideway at the moment, they're not able to do that. So, they reached out to us and we reviewed the request. Other than there being a water mane located within that segment, um there were no other utilities in there. So, they uh granted an easement to the city at no cost as part of this request as well. And additionally, they did pay the uh fair market value for that segment of street, which came out to $2,91. Uh no other franchise utility companies or city departments expressed opposition to this. So, um the uh staff is recommending approval of this request as presented as we have not received any comments uh from the public.

Mr. Kendrick, we appreciate the information. Does anybody have any questions? Okay. Thank you, sir. No problem. At this time, um do we have a public hearing? We do not. No, sir. Okay. It is not a public hearing. So, would uh entertain a motion. I move to adopt uh Don, go ahead. Oh, you go ahead. Go ahead. Yeah. No. I move to adopt resolution 0324263 is presented. A second. Motion in a second. All in favor, please say I. I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes.

And for clarification, it was actually two and not three. Three is the next one. This would be 03 24262. Yeah. Uh I knew that. I was just making sure you were still paying attention to the meeting. Thank you, city manager. Appreciate it. Next time I'll read it, less. Yeah, you handle it for the rest of the meeting, Don. So, does it pass? Okay. If the referee's not coming to officiate the match here, we'll get back to item 6.6. Uh, Miss Stephanie Coggins.

Thank you, Mayor. This item is the first reading of a resolution to consider suspending for 45 days the effective date proposed by Atmas Energy West Texas division in its application filed on or about February 20th pursuant to section 104.301 of the gas utility regulatory act. Atmas Energy's West Texas division has filed a gas reliability infrastructure program or grip application under state law. This program allows utilities to adjust their rates between full rate cases to recover infrastructure investment costs. They have proposed an effective date of April 21st, 2026. And if approved today, this resolution that you are considering will suspend the proposed effective date for 45 days to June 5th, 2026. If this rate increase is approved by the railroad commission, the filing would increase the average residential customers base rate by about 13.59% or approximately $645 per month. It would also increase Atmas' systemwide revenues by about $30.57 million with approximately 14.69 69 million of that attributable to Amarillo and other coalition cities which include Channing, Dalhart, and Lebec. This resolution does not improve the rate increase. It simply suspends the proposed effective date for 45 days to allow time for our special counsel to review Atmas' data and calculations as permitted under state law. It also authorizes Herrera Law and Associates to represent the city of Amarillo and provides for reimbursement of reasonable rate case expenses also as allowed by law. Under our local resolution, this item will require two readings. Today will be the first reading and the second and final should you approve today will be on April 14th and staff recommends adoption of this resolution as presented. Miss Coggins, thank you for walking us

through that. And I appreciate the slides that um very specifically state that it's not an approval of the rate um just the suspension. Will this come back to this body for an approval or will it not come back for a recommendation or an approval of any kind? And it it stays with the railroad commission. M it stays with the railroad commission. So our our ability is is to is to provide comment to study to try to negotiate. That's what hair law firm does for us. But ultimately the railroad commission or the is that or PUC? Railroad commission. Yes. They make the ultimate decision on that.

And my experience in the past with this is that we as a body um let that entity know that we are usually not in favor of rate increases. Um they consider that before they either vote for it or against it. Right. has. Yeah. Yes. And so that that's that's the the goal with Herrera Law Firm is trying to drive this down as far as we possibly can get it. And I mean they are allowed certain increases under the law. Uh that's that's just that's just the way the law is written. Uh but Hera Law Firm works on our behalf for all the Axim committees to try to drive that cost further down to more a little more favorable.

Okay. So, I would just state for the record um this body has not been in favor of any of these rate increases in in my experience um and normally advocate for the very very minimum um that's allowed for those increases. The Herrera Law Firm represents our interest in that. They do that outside of this chamber. And so today, all we're doing is just voting for a suspension for an amount of time for them to consider whether they will or will not approve this based on the data that they're collecting. That's correct. Really good. Any questions? Is there a particular reason? It's these four cities that they named. No other cities are affected by their infrastructure build.

I can't speak to that. I'm guessing those are the four cities that Atmas has infrastructure in. There are other gas providers um that may provide to other cities in the region. I know when we work with Excel, for example, on their rate increases, it's typically a larger number of cities. Okay. Any other questions? Okay. Item 6.6 is before you, council. I move to adopt resolution 032426-3. Second. Motion and a second. All in favor, please say I.

I. Any oppose? Motion passes. Thank you, Mrs. Coggins. Okay. Item 6.7. Mr. Freeman, will you walk this one out for us? Yes, sir. Uh, so this before you today is an interlocal agreement uh proposed to be between the city of Amarillo and Amarillo Independent School District. It's related to the Amtech um campus. They have a couple of digital displays uh that do not currently meet sign code from when they originally installed back in 2021, I believe. Um, so they are 561 square feet. What sign code would allow for in today if it was built today is 275 square feet. The challenge with the digital signs, they can they can shrink the digital display on them to to conform with sign code, but the border that would be left around it is how we would measure a sign. So that would count against the square footage. Uh, what's proposed today um would allow for them to go ahead and turn the signs on at 275 square feet. um discounting that that uh black border that goes around the sign. So, we do have Dr. Parish here as well today with uh AISD uh their superintendent in case you have any questions for her. She'd like to speak as well on the on the topic.

Real good. Good afternoon, Dr. Parish. How are you today?

Good afternoon, Mayor and Council members. So, I am Dedra Parish, superintendent of Emerillo ISD. I have been in my role now for one year as of March 18th. So I am proud to be here. I love Earllo. I love Earllo ISD and I truly believe that we as a city and a school district are interdependent. So our cooperation, our partnership, they're essential to what we do for the future of Amarillo, but also I would add to the safety of Amarillo and that's now. And so yes, you know, the question today is may we turn on the signs

to showcase, you know, what we do at Amtech, not only to show the stories of our current students, but also to show the options that we have for our students, including Bistown. Right, Mayor? That's correct. It's an opportunity there. So truly the partnership, the cooperation I feel would be reflected in being able to use our signs. So, Dr. do us a favor here real quick and just brag a little bit on Amtech, what it does over there and um the type of uh upskilled workers that you're you're turning out there.

Absolutely. We have 26 different pathways that students can follow. So, that's everything from culinary to auto tech to health sciences to vette to engineering, architecture, just a variety of things for students to choose. But what's what's sad about that is not everybody knows right just by asking not everybody knows and as you know security these days requires you know many steps so people you know have to be hosted right when they come in to tour the building. So this would actually allow us to showcase some of the great things that are going on there. But many collaborative partners, Earillo College, WT, the workforce, you know, we work with a variety. We have a right now with Pantex, with Bell Helicopter, many many partnerships that we could showcase by by turning our signs on.

Yeah. Yeah. And it is a little unfortunate that we bring businesses to Amarillo that are looking for site locations and relocations growth. They're they're going out to Amtech and they're finding out for the first time, oh, you guys have this here. We didn't realize you were this far along. What a great thing for our business if we are to locate here. You're already spun up and you're already going to have those uh workforce and labor uh skills available. And so we we hear that from the AEDC. Um, we see that. I think it's it's one of those um, you know, unfortunate hidden secrets, right? Like it's a really hidden gem over there of what you guys do. Um, the the little mayors, as we call them, that are coming here on May 6th at 4:00. They get to come in to the council chambers. Uh, that is your JA Biztown where you're bringing in a fifth grade class multiple times a week for them to operate and run not only a city but a community. So we have all sorts of local stakeholders that sponsor different businesses in there. And so you may be a CFO of a bank or a CEO or the police chief um that's over there uh that I met today. And so um we have a good collaborative supporting role with you guys. This is something that um I think, you know, was u in error in the way in which it was it was applied for and and so I've always been a favor of getting um this turned on. Uh and and I know you're going to see that black border all the way around it. And so that's still a really large screen. Um the 275 I think is is something that meets existing code and we wouldn't have any deviation. However, council, it's a variance. So, if we're going to give a variance on how they measure that sign, we could give a variance u easily enough on adjusting the size. Um, I've had multiple conversations with you, uh, doctor, and and you've you've said, you know, you would ask for more, but you you

appreciate the 275. Um, I wouldn't want to not have an opportunity to allow council to speak to that if um if they wanted to. um the all-time sign guy around town's guy named Randy Burkett who also volunteers for us over at the EDC. And so as a potential sign company, he had no problem with the sign being turned on to the full size. Um I'm not saying we want to do that here, but but I don't have any other feedback coming from the public that that wants to keep those signs inactive. Um, and then I think that that you guys being able to showcase who you are and what you're doing over there is really important and so we want to support.

Thank you. Well, and I love that we were at the same meeting as the blank spaces and the murals as you know, as I said, I'm new to Amarillo and so coming into Amarillo and seeing all the murals, I mean, how beautiful, you know, are they as you drive around town? And to me, you know, that's really what we want to do. The murals tell a story, right? And that's what, you know, I would hope our our boards would do is is tell a story. And so that that would be our goal.

So let me let me go back to the safety aspect of these boards are not moving. It's not a video screen even though it could do active images. These are fixed images that you guys will portray because you do have planes running right there and we want to be um we want to be conscientious of the safety aspect for drivers and distracted driving. We also have residences that are over there and we want to make sure that you know the lights aren't an annoyance. So, is that all good on on your side? Absolutely. We can even adjust the time. Okay. You know, they don't have to change so often, right? So, we could adjust that as well.

Okay. Council, I know I'm just walking us down the road. Questions for uh the good doctor here before we anything Councilman?

Well, we appreciate you being here today and and this is a long time in coming. Uh, I do think the mayor needs to apologize for you. You put the at the end of the agenda. I don't know what why that was. But the good news is usually this is 8:30. It's only 5:30. So glad for that. But but really I I I'm glad that we're be able to move uh uh forward with this. I hope you understand that this is something that we're not saying, well, we just have to do this just because we do. I'm sure there are lots of rules and regulations that you have to follow and sometimes there are students that may come in or parents and you know you say well wow I'd really love to do this for them but you're under constraints to be able to do that for a variety of reasons. So I think staff and working with your staff has come up with an excellent solution here and uh I'll be glad to support this and get that up and running. So thank you for being here today.

Um so we appreciate all that you're doing over there. AISD is a large employer and um you guys mean a lot to the community. So, uh council, the only thing before you here would be a consideration. Does anybody have um anything that they would want to modify to this item or are we good moving it forward as presented? Okay. Um well, your last item on the agenda is before you, Councilman. I move to adopt the interlocal agreement as written.

Second. I have a motion and a second. Any discussion on this item. All in favor, please say I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. Thank you for being here and appreciate everyone else for tuning in. Uh council, can I get a a motion to adjurnn, please? So move. You are adjourned. Thank you'all.