City Council - Regular Meeting

Yes, ma'am. So, I got I got some but I've been disabled since then, but I didn't like that affect. Well, you know, I couldn't see.

I paid $300 some for my glasses and now I didn't keep and it took so long I had to go back four time cuz I had to work lasic. I got a distant animal close up my eye. And once you start going to reading, you can see once you go to reading class, they have I know

I do just I tell you all of my life. I said, you know, give me the kind that they have the I said, I do about 125 and 15 between that. And he was then he looked at me straight. I said, I'm sorry. left it left me it left me in a resounding state.

I know you're a profession but I tell you what these words get as well and not lose not paying that kind of money. I know that okay once again we're open our session for the city council meeting. Uh we will open it up as usual with a um invocation and a pledge. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we come to you again this afternoon thanking you for the opportunity to be here tonight, Lord, as we uh begin discussing the business of our our city. We we pray over our city and all of our citizens, Lord, and help us here uh city council as our mayor and administrator. And Lord, may you just bless us with wisdom to pertaining to all of your uh the business of the city. And may you be glorified in all things that and decisions that we make in Christ Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Amen. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Did you want to speak again?

Oh, that was just for that. Okay. Okay. Okay. At this time, um once again, we thank you all for joining us. Uh recognizing all our visitors. We don't have any comments uh for for this session from the audience. anybody who has a brief comment that they'd like to make. Uh, one thing I will say that I'm so proud of the number of activities that we have going on in the city of Crockett that we've had a lot of exciting events and uh we just we're glad of the support and we're glad that those things are taking place. Uh we have um our youth are doing well. Our community citizens, our streets are looking good, but some of them still got big holes in them, but they I mean they working on them working.

No, but they're looking 100% better. And as I like always like to remind, if you have a concern in your area, that's where you need to talk to your first line of defense, which is your council person. So feel free to call them and discuss any issues that you have in your designated areas and they'll be glad to work through with you. And so with that being said, we're going to our agenda. Item number one, approval of minutes uh regular session August 4, 2025.

I make a motion we approve the minutes. Okay. It's been we have a motion for second motion. It's been second. All in favor? No opposed. Okay. Uh uh item number two. Our business business considering approved solid waste franchise agreement beginning November the 1st, 2025 through October 31st, 2030 with Live Oak Environmental LLC, Pineywood Sanitation. council, y'all discussed the contract before. We had a few changes that we had put in there at y'all's request and Denny and JD with Live Oak are here if you have any further questions, but it was basically the changes y'all had requested and you have a copy of the contract in front of you, but they are here if you have any questions.

I didn't have one. Um the uh hours are the hours actually working out for you guys uh far as the about what time start? Yes, sir. Yes, ma'am. It is working out. Yes, ma'am. Okay. And y'all are getting completed with everything y'all need done by the time y'all supposed to be back at the

Yes, ma'am. place where you Yeah. We don't have any issues with our service here. Okay. Okay. I just want to make sure y'all were good with Yeah, we're good at that. Yeah. And we're fully staffed. Actually, we're a couple headcaps over during the summer time.

Okay. Now, let me ask you another question real quick. What about like during the summer out the hours or whatever? Are y'all what what hours are y'all done through the just say when y'all were before the hours that we are talking about now, right? Uh what were your actual hours then?

7:00, right? Six. Six. Six. That was dur summer time or all the time? Six. Uh we were starting actually you talking about before we before we come to this come before now this agreement that we're talking about at one time we were starting like at four guys out of eight but now we changed to six. Yeah, that that was one of my concerns because I know that, you know, uh starting late and as hot as it is, um hot as hot as it get the uh

most of all of our uh contracts, our list, we start on any of them 6:00 in the morning. Mhm. Because any anytime before that withsters and stuff, it just they're asking for some issues with citizens. So, we're the commercial route and they're different.

Okay. Okay. Just because they parking lots and Yes, sir. I was just I was I mean I understand I was kind of concerned about you guys working in the in the the heat. Uh if y'all could I mean if y'all were able to Good thing we've been blessed with a pretty light summer so far. So,

okay. That helps out too. But okay, we've got most of our people prepared. Okay. Most everybody that's in Crockett is basically veterans. So sometimes not really an issue for them. Okay. Now new guys coming on. Somebody came on right now. We have to have been for about a month before we go to go by yourself.

What? And we're still running two three man crew and propert. Okay. And when do y'all pick up the heavy trash? What days do y'all pick up like the big heavy trash like bulk items? Yeah. Well, that's just in with your regular regular pickups.

If you are you mention, you know, you can call lean if you have some that specific like a TV table. Is that what you meant? Right. Yes. And then they get it works to us and then we put it on the over for the driver to pick up.

Okay. And we picked it up with normal trash. Okay. It was we know about it. Well, um thank you, Miss Hicks, for clearing up one of my questions for hours of uh operation. And you said that you're most of your employees were veterans. Do you mean veterans of service or veterans of

No, I mean when I say veter veteran employees, tenure employees for us. Okay. We have I don't know probably about at least half a dozen wars that are regular veterans veteran JD veteran. Okay. About six drivers.

And so the question I did have um was um um other than um hours of operation, your hours of service. Um so say someone calls me from my precinct and asks me what time is trash pickup on such and such street. Is there a time that I can give them for like hours of service other than hours of operation just like you know other than just a day?

I mean cuz I I have some always get a hold of JD or Tim. Okay. And say hey where where does this particular area what time are we generally in there? I'm give you a a pretty much within an hour figure. Okay. I was just worried about some of the older residents that I have that um aren't able to maybe, you know, put trash out the day before or maybe the day of they have some assistance or something of that nature and maybe wanted to get it out before truck comes through or something of that nature.

We still do offer the handicap service. Yep. Okay. So if somebody has signed up and let us know that they're handcap and they go through the city and we know that we got to go to their doorstep to get the trash. That's great. Yes, sir.

I mean we go up to somebody's garage and grab their garbage can, dump it and return. You know when you use the term veteran, one of the guys told me, he said, "Yeah, those are young ones." He said, "Now I'm a military man. It doesn't hurt me. I know how to lift those." I said, "Okay, well, go on then." But he he was talking about how how hard he said it is a hard job.

He said he said, "But I prepare for it all the time by being prepared for it." He said he works out. Whether you're a driver, tech, or loader in this business, you kind of job. There's no getting around to it. And we're not a big corporate company where even JD, we're going to drive trucks,

pick up trash. That's just what we do. get if you can't get your hands dirty at this company, you can't work here. Yeah. Thank you for your service. The pickup time change just a little bit because it's on the streets getting worked on. Just a little bit. Oh, yeah. Yes. Yes, sir.

Thank you. But we can always give you if you call, we can give you within an hour. Okay. As long as that truck doesn't go down at some point or we have to come back in and get the spare truck or we have to throw out our road call. Okay. We'll be there within an hour. what we should be.

Okay. Thank you. Okay. Any other questions? Concern. Thank you. Thank you, sir.

So, we need to Yeah, we need Okay. Can we get a motion? Approve the franchise agreement. Let's see.

Item number two. A motion that we approve the solid waste franchise agreement. Um, do I have to state the days and everything, too? Okay. Beginning uh November the 1st, 2025 through October the 31st, 2030 with Live Oak uh Environment LLC, Pineywood Sanitation. Okay,

I'll second. It's been moved and second. All in favor? Motion carries. Uh, at this, excuse me. At this time, we bring us to item number three, public hearing on proposed budget of the city of Crocki for the 2025 2026 fiscal year. And during this hearing, it will be open. You will be allowed to have conversation. The budget hearing is officially open. If someone from the floor would like to have it, it's open.

And mayor and council, this is the time for public input, of course. And just as we discussed at the last meeting with the voter approval rate or the proposed voter approval rate that the council did, the budget is based on that. It's been out front and posted in the biggest uh the 40% increase in our streets for redoing streets next year is the biggest majority of the increase for this budget. So, but it is a time now for the public to have input on the the budget figures if if they do wish to have their time.

I'd like to know how much the insurance went up. Did it go up in this budget or not? It did go up in this budget. Yes, ma'am. It was What was the percentage? It's broken down in each.

Yeah, it's broke down, but it was liability was property insurance was property insurance was 15% and our liability was 40%.

Probably could be about that because of all the lawsuits, but just want the public to know. Yes, ma'am. Does anyone else have a comment? This is for the budget hearing if you have

Okay. Yeah. Um well, I was looking at at the budget. I've been trying to u look at the numbers and and I'm seeing on this um that I got today. Yes, ma'am. Um and and the proposed budget workshop that I worksheet that I got uh from John and some of the numbers uh have changed. Um, and I haven't uh and I just got this today, so I haven't been able to actually go over it to make sure, but I see that um like the the current taxes, there was a decrease in the proposed current taxes from I'm trying to figure out which sheet you're working off of compared to

well compared to well the one that I was given um in the actual budget workshops earlier the one we got I think we received what last meeting um it was a proposed budget worksheet for 2026 and I'm seeing some numbers that are a little just a different in numbers

I see what you're that's the uh it's under the one he had before he revised it. Right. That was So that was with the no revenue rate. Yes. And then when y'all y'all voted for the proposed uh voter approval rate at the last meeting, there was adjustments made to that. And the one that we've had posted out in front of city hall is the one that you have in front of you from tonight. for the voter.

So, with the new the the voter approval rate, was that the one we were getting the one uh $170,000 over? Yes. Okay. So, that's what this is. Yeah, that's this Well, that's what I got as well. So, he revised it.

Yeah, that's the one you're holding up is the first one. The other one is the new one. Okay. This is what we're talking about. Yeah. The one with the red. Okay. So when when did you when when did y'all do after the last council meeting when y'all proposed the voter approval rate

that would adjust the total tax dollars and then so we had to put the budget together based on that number. Okay. So when I come in there wasn't ready or No ma'am. Okay. Um and just I I guess you know trying to uh ensure and looking over the numbers and looking at everything. I was looking at the um and I was asking a question about the debt that we had.

Yes ma'am. So the question I got all my little papers up here. Um the question is uh are we um 16 million approximately $16 million in debt? question.

Yeah, that's about right. Okay. So, with that being said, and our revenue that we're getting in is about 6 million. So the question is to ask you if all those debts were called today, will we have the monies to pay off those debts?

Not this year. No, very few people. You make payments. Yeah. No. If they would call if Well, why would they be called? I guess I'm just asking. I'm just asking. Fear me. I'm asking because what I'm saying I'm looking at what I I mean I'm just trying to see how I budget if I need if I can buy because my understanding is at the beginning of the budget year we got you know um a lot of requests or whatever.

Sure. And then I asked u Mr. Angerstein to put all those requests in to the 2026 budget so we could look and see what um uh what kind of monies we have uh for any items that was requested. So and and then he come back and said that we don't have the money to do it.

Well, we as you can tell from even with the voter approval rate, no capital requests were funded in this budget. The only thing that got extra was for the streets. Yeah. So, I was asking also uh Oh, with this with streets, but I see that um where I got here. Okay. The terms me here those um that debt form that you gave me

the terms on that on those like the swimming pool whatever. Yes, ma'am. on that right there. Um, we're still paying a debt, paying a note on that tax note. Correct. Correct. Okay. Why are we paying a tax note on that and we don't have a pool?

I mean, the money was borrowed to be put aside for a pool and the pool has not happened been appropriated yet, but you still have to pay your debt based on what you borrowed the money for. Well, how what what year what year do we buy? What year did we borrow the money?

I would have to look back. That was before me. I'd have to look back. Okay. So, that's what I'm asking. And so, we've been paying on that. Along with that, I think we've been paying like two interest rates. So, why are we paying like two interest rates on that on that loan?

Interest rates are dropped. If you can spread the interest rate payments out into yours where you're paying two, it's really one payment, but we're splitting in two payments. That way the interest rate does typical do my Okay. Um reason I reason I asked and I because I was looking at everything and I was looking at the uh the terms of how long it's going to take us to pay those debts.

Yes, ma'am. So on each one of those what's what's the term limit? Well, it depends on each one of those debts that was incurred by that council at the time and how they they set that up. I mean, those are all council approved. I mean, and

Yes, sir. But I just wonder how long I I and so it depends on what the council saw was the right fit at that time for how those debts were set up. Okay. So, we don't So, we right right now. So, can you get me the term terms? John, you don't know the terms of those of those debts. All right. I have a I have that information to but there I think there's six or seven uh debt services in there. So, they're all different. The the last payment for the swimming pool is this is this next budget that we paid off. And um

so what do we The rest of them are somewhere between 15 15 years some 20 years. So what do we what with the swimming pool? What do we do with that money? It's still sitting there. All all the money has not been appropriated for swimming pool because council hasn't agreement yet.

What? Okay. Still sitting there. It hasn't been spent. Okay. Okay. Then go ahead. somebody want to say something. Well, anyway, I was just saying one thing with the budget and where we are with it. Even the items that were budgeted, they were all approved by the council. That's the designated part. And even the rates that they were approved at, they were approved by the council. So, that made them constant. And that money, as you mentioned, with the pool, it hasn't been touched, but you still you're paying it. But it's it probably to get what we want to accomplish. We know that the cost of things have gone up, but it doesn't bother the funding that was it it was appropriated for. So, anything that was already previously appropriated, it's there. It's not going to be you. The only way it'll change direction, if you take that pool money, it would be by vote of the council coming back saying we want this money designated for that. the interest rates and things might change with with time, but what we're locked in in a budget is what you appropriated as a council and what was agreed upon. I mean, the the fine details, and I appreciate you doing the fine details, but the actual thing that we were looking at, there's no item that was in the budget because we did cut back on the big capital expenses since simply because we didn't have the funding. But what we were doing today on this part of it was trying to ascertain whether the voter approval rate is what where we're trying to uh address is this what it looks differently because when it was done it wasn't done the first one that we talked about in the last meeting it was uh with no new revenue rate and then we went to the voter approval rate

uh and that did encompass but it still didn't encompass all of the uh capital needs and all of the advanced needs. There were a lot of things that had to be compromised. PD didn't get what they wanted fully, but they did get something and different areas did it. And like and and this is the public comment section on the actual budget itself here. And and like I said, the the excess or the extra that with the voter approval rate that those total dollars went to the streets for new streets, which the council thought was the priority and so we were able to do that so we can have a good bit more street construction in next year's budget. So, uh, I had mentioned I think I mentioned um I think at our last meeting that we may need to look at some items that we need to um possibly uh uh remove from our budget so we can have the funding for our city. So, my question is and I don't know maybe I'm not looking at it right or whatever but my question is I was looking at because I saw where we're talking about doing syncing funds and things like that. So, I'm wondering I'm wondering in in looking at the revenue and our and our and our debt and if we were and if our debt was called today, we only have 6 million and we have 16 million in debt. So, we and then the four four million uh that we have in utility, what is what is that? Yeah. the you

but the the 4 million where the you well I guess when he broke it down on his worksheet here that I have um got anyway anyway the way the the expense my understanding expense is uh $6 million 699,838 and then a revenue was $6,870,000

which one are you Um, is that,558? And that's what's given us our $170,000. I think you're Oh, you're looking at separate. No, you're not looking at the this one. This is the one.

Well, well, I'm Well, this is the update. Well, if that's the case, this should reflect. This one is revised. Okay. So, if you Okay. This is the one that that we're looking at, right? And the one with the red highlight on it,

right? This is the budget that has been being opposed proposed the actual the budgeted and the proposed budget. Pull out this. That was the one that that's been changed. Yeah. This So you're actually looking at this is your proposed budget right here. The one under this red line down through here

only. And that the proposed 2026 budget. Yeah, that's the But if I can say something far as like debts being called, if we anybody individuals or or or companies like Live Oak, if if if we lived in fear of our debts being called, every time we go to borrow money, normally it's because we don't have it right now, so we borrow it. And if that debt was called, we'd be in trouble. You know, uh everybody would. So we we can't look at things as as if it was called because I mean look at the United States of America. What if its debts were called? I mean we you know

there's not a city in the United States that don't have debt. We're working from that's why you budget what you can make to year. That's why it's done from year to year to make sure that you but that's why we have the credit rating we do though is because we're very solid in terms of our our assets compared to our debt. And so we wouldn't have the credit rating we have as a city if in because of we have a very limited amount of debt for a city our size and a budget our size. So, so basically you saying so if something actually happens to where I mean so we're in a in a position right now so we can't budge or or do anything really because if something happens and we're only getting $6 million $6 million and we're in a $16 million debt and then you have another car that you want to purchase or something like that then we have more debt. keep adding the debt. So, the interest on those debts and what I'm looking at is that, and this is what I'm looking at, is that we're paying interest, a lot of interest, but we're not paying a lot on the principal.

So, that means that we're not making any hedgeway, and we'll be paying a whole lot of interest, and we'll be in debt, a whole loan. There's terms on this term. So, if it's if it's set up for 5 years, it'll be paid off in 5 years. If it's set up in four years, it'll be paid off in four years.

We don't know how long they're set up for. Yes, we do. I just don't have that list in front of me because we were looking at the budget and the tax rate tonight, not the the debt service side. I I gave you all that the other day. And so, that's where and each one of those my favorite

and and so we went over that. And so, I was not prepared to have that in front of me because we were talking about the budget itself. and then we're going to talk about the tax rate, but I can get with you and show you the terms of each one of the notes individually and be happy to do that.

Okay? And then um also why why the um and on the revised version why it was actually um the decreases and the increases and things like that were changed. But I mean, I just I I think that from me just looking at it, trying to figure the things out, it just looks like to me that we are in a a financial uh

I would say we're financially as strong as we've been in years to honestly answer your question. Well, only reason I could not say that because we don't know all of the details for is a financial position. We don't have our statements, bank statements. Uh we don't know where all of our um financial assets are um there is

I think that no I I would I would propose when you have an audit I just said when the audit comes in okay that's one of the ones that would determine whether it lines up if there's any discrepancy in any of your stuff your audit that's why you have we pay every year to have an audit to make sure that we're on track and

and this is the way and anything that you find out of order in that audit, it'll have to be revised and and addressed. And according to our audit, we had a clean audit. And so, and even and I think what you're saying, cities operate on borrowing money.

That's that is the way they function in a city in the United States. It's kind of like we do in our personal business. You get a car, most of the time you don't own the whole car. You have a note to go with it. And so what the budget reflects is that are we in good standing? Are we able to make our bill and our obligation for that year? That's why every year we revisit it. And this proposed budget will allow us to meet our obligation and we're in really high standing in terms of our ability to borrow to meet. But if any corporation if everybody was called in even having worked with the school we had to pay off every grant everything at on that day nobody would pro I don't know anyone corporation that could probably meet those obligation like that but it has to be ter that's why they do them on terms and so the city is set up in the same process that you will be borrowing money as long as you have a city you would never have the full revenue to do it cuz you can look at our tax base. We get how much it costs to do a few a street. We'll never have enough to budget. That's why we we we're able to borrow money and then we do the voter to balance it out. But nothing in this city will basically run fully if you're going to get address it without having to borrow money and funding. or another.

So what the proposed rate is, the question was, you know, are we we have a budget that if we go to the voter approval rate, we would be able to increase some of the things that we were doing efficiently and more effectively. But we would never have enough money as a city looking at our tax rate without borrowing money. And that's how the city is set up. And the previous thing I know you brought up some issue had been in the past and what the funding was. If it's designated for that area, it has to be used in that area or else it has to come back to the council and they would have to decide that they want to disperse that money in another way. Nothing is arbitrarily moved around without the approval of the council. That's right. Another way to look at that, mayor, though also is is if we had the finances on hand to if our debts were called and we had that surplus, our citizens would be wondering what are we doing with that? Why aren't we fixing this? Why aren't we doing that? Why aren't we doing this?

So, you know, it's you you have to look at it also from that from that standpoint as well. Well, my and you could keep that you could keep that in case it was called and never do anything with it, you know, and and how how foolish would that look?

So basically if any just say so basically my to answer to my question if anything was called we would not be able to take care of that, right? We would be able to make arrangements. That's what you do. You make arrangement. Uh are we still in the he can close it if nobody if nobody else has any comments.

What closed the public hearing? Oh he had Oh yeah on uh oh and this just the photo approval rate. Another thing uh just kind of just let the record reflect I had I saw where um where oh that's where I want to know is um there's monies

those are changed. This is the one that the sheet the budget workshop sheet that you need to refer to. Well, that's the problem. Um, anything that was on those previous sheets. So, so economic development. So, um, you this is you have to it has to be taken from this one. Let me look. final line item.

Okay, let's go. While you're looking uh at that looking for it, we're okay. Okay. Um it was unless there's some other comments. One uh I think Mr. Shelley had a he raised his hand for we're still on the

public hearing. Yes, ma'am. Yes, he had a statement. And in order for me to understand, I was on the finance committee for our city. And with that committee, we met on a regular basis to be able to understand that the budget is a working document. Most definitely. It's always that. And if there is a problem you come up with, then you the council as well as your finance director and whomever else will massage that budget up or down depending on the revenue sources that you have or not revenue sources that you have. So it's kind of one of those situations where if you have questions with it, you're correct, but if there becomes a problem, then you're going to either reduce or you might even have the opportunity to increase. I think that's a simple way of putting it and I

No, you're you're in order. Well, thank you. And so, you know, the one thing that I can always say to you also is a finance committee really does help a council. One or two members serveing on that and then, you know, in a meeting with your auditors on a regular basis, you'll be able to come back on at least by the quarter and find out where that budget stands at that particular time. Are you up, down, in the middle, and so forth. So, it's just a suggestion.

Thank you. Thank you. And and with him saying that, I had um also talked with Mr. Stanley also so we can get um uh finance reports monthly so we can keep up with items like that. But um but I'm I'm at the point to where um a lot of the uh far as the finances and the discussion of the finances uh being that we're fiduciary responsible for for the finances or only getting I guess uh spoken with with certain council members. So I would love to be involved in the conversation.

Sure. Um especially if I want to be held accountable. Yes, ma'am. Not a problem. I mean it's open for you if you have a question. any council if they have a question for the city manager. Okay. Another thing I think we have real quick the uh you I see where you have the election the charter election. Okay. We have not um discussed that. So this is what I I uh want to say. I want to let the record reflect that the city of Crockett charter was written before the civil rights act of 1964 and reprinted February 19797. We the council as the body.

Excuse me. Let me ask you something. Let me This is about the audit. Okay. The audit. This is about And it's on this on the It's on the budget. Okay. Well, you're asking about the budget. Okay. About the budget cuz it's on here. Okay. So, I'm going to start over. No, you don't have to start.

Yes, ma'am. Let let let the record reflect that the city of Crockett charter was written before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and reprinted February 1997. We the council as a body have not had a workshop or to review any charter revisions discussed nor made any necessary changes or approved any amendments uh that the revision on any revisions of the home rule charter from the charter revision committee. In my opinion, I do not want um to do anything directly or indirectly that will cause the city to be liable. So therefore, I want to um allow do not want to allow anyone to set us up for failure. In my opinion, we as the council need to ensure the charter is fair and show equality for all people according to the Texas institute constitution, state law and rules, local government, and comply with the old home charter bylaw.

As far as I'm sorry, let me address that. With that being said, uh, wait a minute. Let me address that. I know you brought in the part about the charter, but that's that's really not related to where we are with the budget. The charter is an existing organization that I mean

event that they're working on and you've already studied what your concerns was about this, but we're right now we're going to stay focused on the budget, right? And what I'm saying is the but we haven't we haven't discussed what I'm saying is we have not discussed uh a charter election or anything but it's in here but we have not discussed

let me explain let me explain the past council approved the charter commission which included the election and so that has to be planned for in a budget. If we get the charter commission to meet with the council, go through the workshop, we have to have funds in the budget for that election when that happens, which was approved by the council.

But I wanted to make sure that we actually had a workshop before that happened. Yes, ma'am. Because previously, we have been as a council, we'll get an uh uh we'll have a city manager to put an item on the agenda that has not been brought before the council to approve to uh move forward with. Well, there's a workshop planned somewhere.

Okay. Well, anyway. Okay. That has been addressed. Okay. At this time, we're closing the public hearing. Okay. And we move to number four. Number four. Number uh number four. Considering approving ordinance making appropriation for the support of the city of Crockett for the fiscal year beginning October 1st, 2025 and ending September 30, 2026 appropriate money to sinking fund to pay interest and principles due on the city's indebtness and uh adopting the annual budget of the city of Crockett for fiscal year 2026. Basically, we're adopting this budget based on um the voter approval rate which was proposed by council at the last meeting and um that's what what we just had the public hearing on.

Okay. So now the money in the seeing fund to pay interest. Okay. We are doing more specific. Yeah. Yes. The that's the The budget is based on the voter approval rate which is 6808 per 100 which is the M rate of 5194 and the INS rate of.1630 which adds up to the 6808 that's what this budget is based on those numbers

which we will talk about the tax rate in the far next agenda part but this is for just approving the actual appropriations of the budget. So it so that everything goes into the syncing fund. Yes, ma'am. Okay. So basically what goes into the syncing fund and if the interest from that syncing fund pays the the expenditures.

Well, you have your M rate that's paying part of the budget. Then you have your INS rate that pays another portion. So your total adds up to the 6808 for your budget. I make a motion we approve the ordinance.

A second. Okay, it's been moved and f and second. All in favor? Okay, motion carries. Okay, number five. Public hearing on 2025 tax rate. Got open.

We're open. Mayor and council. Um, as we discussed a little bit in the previous public hearing, um, the council proposed the voter approval rate at the last meeting, which we created our budget from, which is the 0.6808 per 100. And the public has

any comments from the public? No comment. Okay, we'll closing the hearing one. All right, I have a comment. Uh just uh just to say I would just like to u make sure that we're we're definitely in good standing um to go back over this with me. Um but I do want to state that from me looking at the numbers that I think we're in a financial hardship. That that's me. That's in my opinion. So I just wanted to share that with you.

Okay. If there's nothing else on the hearing, the hearing is officially closed. Okay. And that might bring us to item number six. Consider and approve an audience leving and edorum taxes for the use and the support of the municipal government of the city of Cra for fiscal year 2026 providing for approp appropriating each levy for specific purposes and providing when taxes shall become due and when same become delinquent if not paid. I'll do. Okay.

This is basically approving the tax rate. Okay. I know it was a fancy way of saying it. Yes, ma'am. Okay. We approve. Make a motion we approve and approve. Is that Rick? Tax rate.

Approve our tax rate. 2026. You got it. I second. Okay, it's been moved and second. All in favor. Motion carries. Uh, brings us to item number seven. Consider an approved 2025 tax ro mayor and council. That was basically the list, the 862 pages of everybody that's literally on the tax ro. um you know and I'm provided the opportunity for you to go through that and just a reminder when we do approve it at the close of the meeting tonight everybody has a signature block on that so we need to get signatures from that when you approve the tax ro please

consider and approve so we need a motion yes please I make a motion we approve the 2025 tax ro I second the motion. Okay, it's been moved and second. All in favor? Motion carries. Okay, item number eight, consider an approved facility use agreement between the city of Crockett and the Crockett area chamber of commerce.

Mayor and council, we've got some organizations that are that use city facilities and and so some of them we don't have facility use agreements with and we need to kind of tidy that up. So, the first one we're going to do is with the chamber, and I put that in your packet. I sent it to legal counsel for approval as well. And it basically sets out the terms for the chamber to use the office space that they have at the civic center for a monthly rent plus their portion of the internet. Plus, they're providing in kind services for telephones and and because we have city staff at the civic center as well. plus say they will it just expands our personnel being at that facility at all times with somebody for the city. But it just basically gets us legal and it doesn't appear that we're gifting any public funds or anything else and we have actual facility use agreement with the Chamber of Commerce commerce for their use of our facility.

I know that we've been looking at this for a while with each organization that's using it. We really hadn't spelled out what their option responsibility. I think this is a even though we're hoping that this would address the need but if not this is a starting point to get

and this is the first of we've got several more to come but this is the first one and the easiest one to work out the logistics and details of. So you say on the inind services um so that's an exchange. It's an exchange and instead of pure dollars for rent, they will provide their employees answering the phone for us and other things which would be a cost to the city if they weren't there at some points. And so

so we don't have anyone in here to answer the phones or it that's at the civic center. Their office space is at the civic center. I mean, yeah, at that front desk is they're actually taking care of the answering and we don't have and walk-in traffic as well. Yeah, cuz people come there and so we're not having to hire a person, but because they're using it, we're matching kind.

Yes, ma'am. Plus, they are paying portion of the rent and they're they're third of the internet for that facility. So, people have a question, they got to go to the civic center for the chamber. Yes. And we have some employees at the civic center, too. Well, like if somebody wants to rent the city center, they'll go out there, but then they'll they'll be able to talk to them and put them in the right person to go to,

right? That's the problem has been people say, "I'll go over there and nobody helps me." Well, then they call me. But And so the rent amount, the rent, it's 300. $300. It's in here. Okay. They're just payment. It's okay. So just just a question. Just a question. So, is there a difference between asking them to pay $300 and we charge economic development $800? What is the difference?

The the economic development never paid rent. They never paid rent. Never paid rent. Well, we have it on our because this is what I'm saying is we we had set those up, but we never had the facility use agreements actually approved and put in place. This is the first one that's actually getting approved and put in place. This will be the first legal one put in place.

So you put $800 on the budget and we never that was probably you're looking at the budgeted from last year that never got agreed upon. That is not in this year's budget. That's in 20 last year's budget was what was proposed that we never got dollars from.

Well, so we're comparing apples and oranges now. economic development no longer existed. What they're doing is setting existed. They put $800 on here. Economic develop. There was never the full formal. They they were not going to provide in kind services either. That was not part of the agreement. This one is rent plus inind services. Economic development was just paying a straight rent fee.

Okay. Hold on. So you said now you said that they never paid anything. No, ma'am. They they they never paid in terms of rent. They did put some money towards some furniture and other things out there, but they never paid direct rent.

And from where we are now, everybody that's using the facility is going to be given an agreement so that we don't have this conflict anymore. Even though how many rooms out there they you they just use they're using one space. one space.

When you come into the front, they're using a space and they're at the reception area right in there. And then it'll be other people that are in there. Our city employees take up one, two, three, four offices and they've got the the the actual for your area and then there's one office space for their executive.

They're the only one paying rent. Yes. Cuz our employees are out there. We're not charging ourselves for it. City employees. It's city employees and then the one chamber. Okay. Uh are there any other question on the facility use agreement with the area u with the city of Crockett and Crockett area Chamber of Commerce?

I make a motion we approve the agreement. I second. Okay. It's been moved and second. All in favor? Okay. Motion carries. Okay. I make a motion to adjurnn.

All right. Oh, that was that was the end of the pay. We can get you. Oh, yeah. We got a sign. We got