City Council - Regular Meeting

How did you see Miss? Well, we just talked and she talked. You know what? I am amazed. She is so they she always tell them to invite me cuz they've been doing it for a while and I always come and I always fall for it. They going to start on time. So, I come in and apologize.

I'm glad you wasn't over there too long. I wasn't on time. Oh, they get loose over there. They was out there cussing on I didn't go too much with it. But, but you know what? We grew up next door to them. We filled with Prince. And I would say this about her. Every kid in that house read.

Time to go. Read it. No TV books. They would get up early, go to the library on Saturday morning when it open. Come back. Everybody has a stack of book. Everybody read. They still do. I The whole family. I've never seen a Oh, is it time? It's time.

Oh, we're having too much fun over here. Good evening everyone. We are about to open our me meeting. We will open it with an invocation and a pledge. Dear father in heaven, we thank you. We thank you for this opportunity, the opportunity to live in the land of the free. Lord, we ask that you give us wisdom, knowledge, and understanding and all the decisions that we make. We ask that it be done in the best interest of those the city. And Lord, we thank you for all that you've done and all that you're going to do. and we give you the praise and the glory in Jesus name. 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. [Music]

Once again, we'd like to thank you all for coming here. We know that you why you know why you're here to help assist with taking care of the city's business. And I will say as a starter, it's not only the women up here sweating. It is actually hot in here. Everybody will be in a little bit unless the air kick in quickly. So with that being said, uh do we have uh do we have any comments? Okay. So there are no comments from the audience. Does the council have any statement they would like to share briefly?

Not a brief statement. Um, mayor and council, I just got a couple of questions that I I need to ask or inquire about because it's not on our agenda. If it's not on the agenda. Yeah. And I'm It's just I'm going to inquire and then that way you can respond or answer on next at the next meeting. Um but um we had I've had some calls and and um they were inquiring about the uh on the loop the electricity that um is being placed out there at the industrial park. They were wanting to know if the uh taxpayers are responsible for any of the utilities that are being placed out there in that in that park. Um another question I believe was they were concerned about um the Mary Allen College Heritage House uh contract. um they were um asking about it. So, I would like to get an update or some type of uh information um on that as well. And um last but not least, um when we did the the swapping of the U city managers and u deputy manager, did we get the necessary paperwork um for bank statements and all that? Well, all that um changed over to Mr. Lee Stanley's name and um is he going to be the investment officer as well?

Okay. Well, those will be questions that they won't be those if it's personnel issues, they would have to go under personnel and they won't be discussing stuff. That's fine. I just want to and so we'll see if that's something that the council would like on their agenda. Is it something that uh so those items will be entertained for possibly being on their agenda.

Okay. And so with that, Okay, those are your statement and that was just comments and comments from the audience at that time. Okay, with that being said, that bring us to item number one, approve of the regular session September 2nd, 2025.

I make a motion we approve. I second the motion. It's been moved and second. All in favor? Motion carries. bring us down to reports special project uh update mayor council city administrator I have already in front of y'all I'll go over these I'll highlight some of these projects if y'all have questions we can talk about them um and I'll respond on that the SIB projects the same infrastructure bank projects that are nearing completion All the road construction portions of the construction is complete. We are finalizing uh Sano, the water lines down Sano. Those are being completed um currently with turn off complete. Um and now we're going back on uh many of the roads that had some of the gutter work uh curb and gutter work. We're completing those and some of the ditch ditch work our contractors completing. So, we're finalizing that on the state infrastructure bank project. Storm sirens. Um the uh storm sirens have been ordered and we're expecting a delivery late October. Um we are very fortunate that the vendor and those that construct those sirens u actually got loss of siren orders in over the last few months. And ours was right before that just after the uh river

flooding and a lot of that. A lot of cities and areas have purchased sirens. So, we would have been backlogged for a long time if we would have waited just another month. Um, after they're ordered or after they're delivered, we um, our contractor believes that it take about a week or so to install them. So, we should have installed this year.

Uh, the water lines on East Houston golad, we received all the preliminary engineering this past week. We went over those and marked them up. We found some discrepancies of hydrant locations and valves and a few things like that. All those been marked up and sent back uh going back to the engineer to be completed and then they'll go to bid on those after Texas Development Board signs off on the engineering portion. Um our 2024 uh Texas Water Development Board project for the Nor Wastewater Plant. Um the clarifier uh that we began construction on with in-house funds. Uh we passed a resolution to uh seek reimbursement. It's just we needed to get the work done before the funds were deposited in our accounts. To clarify is complete and we're requesting the funds to be reimbured into our account. Uh the engineering the engineers are working on uh uh releasing funds ahead of time to do work for stretching out the digtor and the oxidation ditch. We have found some additional cracks and things going on with our oxidation ditch. And so that's kind of the next phase of that construction. the water well. Um they've already began our asset management plan. Whereas they go in and bring all of our assets. They check the make model the cost of it. We bought it new when we bought it when it's scheduled for replacement. So we can do a depreciation schedule and know the cost and the cost of replacing all of our assets and our water uh infrastructure. But what we've done is reached out to the water control improvement district, the lake, Houston County Lake, and they're also wanting to u have this the engineers do that same program with there with all their infrastructure. So, we do know all the way from the lake when we're pumping it

out until we distribute it through our our city what what uh the true cost of doing business is. Um, so we can do a race setting based on that information. We can also do a a true calculation of what is really needing to be replaced at the lake, you know, their their pumps and their distribution system all the way to the city and throughout our city. Um, and then we'll bring that back to the board to council for y'all to make decisions on how y'all want to distribute those funds of the with the $4 million water board funding that we have, whether we want it to go to a well or whether we want to join in with water district and use those funds elsewhere like council mentioned in our during our budget workshop process. Um just a quick update on the water exploitation, the Redtown Ranch permits. Um there was a bill that was drafted but not was not finally passed through the Senate and the House. Um so currently we have no additional legislative protections against the Redtown Ranch permit. Um we do not know the status of how fast that's going to move forward. Um so our understanding is it goes back to the state office of administrative hearings for them to determine who are the affected parties and just go through that the permit process as it stands. There are there's another um lawsuit by several individuals to consolidated and uh the Sanderson Farms and several others trying to keep that application out. So we don't know the status of that yet. that would have to go.

Well, was that where they were mentioning a a war another water development board or something today? No, that's um this the county is working on uh currently they they've appointed a steering committee for the water conservation district and so that's they're they're trying to put together a case of whether we will get the support and whether we need to have a water conservation district for Houston County as well. Um, we don't think that that water conservation district going through in Houston County will help us on this specific program, you know, the permits by the time it goes through, but it will help for further

transportation projects. Um, we're closing out our EDA disaster supplement where where we did the south fourth water line, south fifth water line, and the paving. and we're uh going to be expecting our final reimbursement on that project. The gateway signs are complete um as far as being installed and the curving has been installed around it. We have the lighting in and we're going to be installing that ourselves. Uh we're pouring the footers to mount those mount the lights. They're going to be LED LED lights that we're installing around the signs and then back filling it with some nice river rock some some rockers on it to make it look nice. So, but They're nearing completion. We've taken pictures of the current sign in front of Proalis um due to the location of their current wording on the sign and we're sending that in. and proalis has taken it and they're at all they they offer to use their graphics design department to come up with some ideas and then I can seek funding see see if I can get some other businesses to see if proalis wants to share in some of the cost and I'll just come back with y'all with ideas and we can go forward with that approval the downtown master plan it has been submitted we aren't expecting a response until October some time on that being said the pedestrian crossing signs have been installed and within the next month they said during September they're going to be grinding and restriping the square and all the pedestrian cross blocks and everything.

Um so is this the plan that you're going to be talking to the um downtown association about or that we're going to present an update? Yes ma'am. not the plan itself but just basically

more of this what what when what I present tonight just a little bit more in depth to explain to them um what text size planner I'm doing um I do have a couple print outs um of some events coming up but one of them um but I don't have I didn't print it out one just a reminder that we have this Wednesday we have our 50th anniversary at the library.

Yes. 50th anniversary celebration at 10 a.m. And so we're asking all the council to to show up and support the library, see some of the things that we've been doing at the library, some of the work that's going on. Uh that's nearing completion as well. Uh civic center, I have that Westbrook House. Um we need to get the bid specs for the replacement of the facial board. Um, okay.

The in-house street projects, I have a list of where we're at on those things. I know we're I don't want to get too lengthy, but those are the in-house street projects that we're wrapping up out of the current budget year as that we're doing. Um, business projects, um, ANA Texas Capital, I asked them for an update on where they're at in employment and projects. They currently have six employees working. Their construction is underway for their tank farm in their front building um with scheduled completion for November and that will add two people once that tank farm is complete. Uh their fire match line is under construction projected to be complete in December. That adds another four employees. The transformer was set this morning as uh council member Hicks mentioned earlier and I can comment on that real quick. There are no taxpayer or public funds going into the electrical lines and transformers. into the industrial park. Encore and Houston County Co-op and BNA Texas Capital are all footing those bills. AA Texas Capital is putting close to half of we're right at half of the investment costs and the co-op and encore. U Proalis the phase 2 construction is complete and all those employees have moved back there. Um and we're doing phase three construction. They're currently at 45 full-time employees.

How many? 45. In October, they are scheduled to hire 15 more. They're scheduled and budgeted to hire 15 more. And in November, they're hiring 51 more. Where you going to find those? Now, November, they're going to be over 100 employees. That's their

good. These are all fulltime employees. That's a lot of people. They did ask that we move the construction phasing up because they're not expected to be done until December 15th. And so they're in that much of a hurry that they're willing to build to get it done faster because they need to hire more employees. Um and then I have a couple more comments on other projects that are going on.

Okay. You say they're willing to help what the bill to for the construction. So if if for instance if additional overtime is needed to get work done faster, Proalis is willing to pay foot the bill because they're under contract to hire more people and they want to get the construction work done.

They doing good then. That's what's up, man. I don't know they going to hire people. They're going to help pay for them. I like that. All right. And then um I have two more flyers for events coming up. The 911 ceremony that we had this past week went really well and it looked like it had we didn't number but the alltime high attendance

and then September the 20th we have Hispanic Heritage Day and then so we're asking council to really plan on being there first this this weekend and then a regional round table by the Texas downtown is in October and so please put that Any other questions? Any questions?

What does the Brown say? Texas Downtown, they're an association of of historic of downtown of downtowns of cities. Um, and they've selected our the city of Crockett as the host for their next round table. So there'll be lots of visiting people from cities all over all over Texas as well as vendors and and business people that will be coming and visiting our town to see the things that we're doing good. And so we get to we get to showcase our our city.

That's for sure. I really said the um the fine arts kicked off that that little theater. It was packed body to body. They sold out and wouldn't let anybody in. That beast must have been a bad boy. But each each of the events that have been there have been well and it's a it's a nice place and what the way they said they were going to open it up for other things uh community based thing. I thought that was really neat. But it's going to seem like it's going to kick in and do what look like it used to be. People all in the street and in the way. But a good thing. Thank you, John. I'm sorry. I guess it got that. Okay. It's good to have an update and this will give you an opportunity council to kind of review things and ask if it's anything in detail. And one thing that you don't have to do, uh, you know, you can get with city manager here and if it's a project that you like to hear more explained, a lot of it doesn't have to be done as broadly, but if it might just be some questions that you can jot down and get it to him and he can make sure that you get the answer if it's not necessary for a oneonone or a full committee to address it. A lot of the is just for information purposes. So, thanks for I like that update. It gives you a much broader scope of where we are. And so, that brings us to item number three, fire department monthly activity and status report for July and August 2025.

Good evening. For the month of July, we had a couple of calls. 29 of those being 14 county also for the month of August there 21 city calls and 14 calls with a total of 35 calls for that month and if y'all look on your report I made an error I hope that's not somehow I put 164 so that is not right

praise the lord for that okay so that kind of threw off my year today on the third year. I will correct that city for the year 2012 on page three2

in November instead to September. questions. Um, I'd like to ask how's manpower and morale going? Good. Manire, we got actually, as you know, your son fire department and his cousin and they hit the road, but the only thing is that they're going to go join army or some military next month. we want to lose the two newest gun people we got that actually showed up to call after call after call. So I appreciate them coming in and I think they're going to be great military respectful and they're willing and you just don't see that anymore. But yeah, we do need more volunteers. That's just the nature of the beast that we're facing. And I tell you where we just need more volunteers. I give kudos to those two guys. They came in, they asked questions and that's what you want people put forth effort and I think they want to do great things in the military.

Thank you. Robert said considering how dry it's been. I think we've been blessed. We're getting on the dry so I'm going be watching the index and stuff. So there might not be city burn permit probably next week or two at that right now we shouldn't really be burning especially walk away calls out in the county where people set a fire and they walk off when they come back. So

we still under we still under burn ban burn yet by the county. We usually follow suit with the county when they do it, but see you got burn permit burns.

I wouldn't think so. Okay. Anybody else have a question? Thank you so much. Thank you, J. Okay. brings us to item number four, police department manpower criminal incident report for July and August 2025.

Good evening, mayor. Good evening, city administrator. Sorry, July criminal activity report total of 16 officers, worked 2,940 hours, responded to 452 calls, investigated nine traffic accidents, made 62 arrests, issued 4 145 citations, completed 83 reports, and responded to 30 alarm calls, 28 calls. So sal 16, worked 2,764 hours, responded to 453 calls for service, investigated 11 traffic accidents, made 41 arrests, issued 373 citations, completed 78 reports, responded to 23 alarm calls, and 19 of those were false alarms. Below you'll see a breakdown on each question you have. Well, maybe the the traffic violations will go down there that the children are back in school. They don't they don't look they beg up

and then they Whoops. I I was just in the parking lot. It's amazing. But I said maybe they're kind of sure a little difference there. That might be the difference in it in the sense. I got one question. Um people that they take to jail. I see they got a something on the internet where they expose everybody's going to jail. I mean

a sheriff's department. of the sheriff department. Yeah, that's not them. Yeah. So, really, do they got to do everybody that goes or is everybody My understanding of that program, everyone is booked into the Houston County Jail. Um, they're made available on that. The the post that you're seeing are people that are going on there searching or looking at the daily jail report and posting those specific pictures. So, um,

some people be on Earth just for a driver license or, you know, that's that's something the sheriff's department manages. We don't have anything to do with that. And, you know, and so much stuff is now public domain. I mean, if you want to

a lot of that stuff is public information and you can get it. I I've never liked that they post it, but I had explored it once before, but it's not something that the city has control over in terms of can they do it. It's not something that it's when it happens at that level that they identify.

Thank you. Thank you. Okay. It brings us uh to item number five uh business. Consider and approve a mentor of understanding between the Houston County Sheriff's Office and the Crockett Police Department for the establishment of a multi- aent major crimes test force.

Going not going anywhere anytime soon. Shortly after the sheriff was elected, he and I, my administration, his administration, we sat down and talk about working together, different things we could do. One of the things we talked about was developing a crime task force or multi- agency crime task force. And don't let the word task force scare you. It's not it's not like

tactical narcotics task force or anything like that. What we've done is we've taken the detective from the police department, the investigator from the sheriff's office, and we formed the team. And what they'll do is they'll work together on any major crimes and homicides, robberies, sexual assaults, things of that nature. So, basically, we're pulling our resources. We were talking the other day, I think combined between the two agencies, it's like 190 years of experience, some crazy numbers. So, they um it's really invaluable to to have all these guys working together. So, um theou is pretty pretty simple. Um, we're responsible for our employees just like we are on a daily basis. We cover their salary. They're they're covered under the city just as they would be any other day. Thank you.

The sheriff's office, their employees the same way. So, will will certain employees be assigned to the task force or will there be it'll specifically be our detectives that are already in that position? So instead of they'll still handle stuff, minor things throughout the city, but when it's a major crime scene, say it happens in the city, uh they'll notify the other investigators over the sheriff's office and they'll come out and all work together to help help process process that scene. As far as uh equipment, we'll maintain our equipment as we always do. They'll maintain their equipment. We will share that equipment on scenes. Um dynamics of it. When there's a scene inside the city incorporated city limit, our C lieutenant will be in charge of that and everybody answers to her. When it's a scene outside the city, uh their C lieutenant or I believe the sergeant will uh will be in charge of that. So there's no no confusion, no head button. They're in charge of theirs, we're in charge of ours. We just all work together and we will pull our resources and uh in our equipment also.

Is that is it going is it going to cost the taxpayers money to get that? No, sir. It's not going to additional just like I was saying, we already cover our employees salary. That's not going to change uh our equipment and supplies that we buy. We're going to continue to buy those like we always do. They'll buy theirs and we'll just, you know, we'll use what we have. So, there will not be any additional cost. What?

They're not going to just be harassing people because, you know, I got I got a few people that feel like it's a certain certain officers be harassing. No, this as I said earlier the the term task force scare you. This has nothing to do with going out. This is specifically major crimes that have been committed. Someone has committed murder, uh, sexual assault, uh, they're going to go out together and and work those scenes. It's a little different from like a a DWI task force or a narcotics task force. They work a little differently. We work with the state and feds on narcotics. They they handle those task force. We just work with them.

So there's no additional cost. But what you're looking at I'm sorry. It just appears that it's a more organized approach. Usually people call the sheriff department, they call the city, they call all of them at the same time and nobody knows what anybody's doing. But all of them are there and they're all trying to do it. But if you have an organized way, if you know it happened in the city, they're going to come, but they're going to know who's in charge. If it happens in the county, they're going to come and they're knowing charge. And what you're seeing even across the board uh with most cities now they're multitasking because most of the people are dual certified and because they have more than one certification when things show up. The problem has been who's in charge so that it's effectively and efficiently done. So if it falls through you don't have to call the sheriff you and the police department and the fire department. You just call the one that's in charge. And I think it in the long run, it just keep us from wasting time, valuable money and everything that we do. We don't have that many people to spread it out. But if you know this investigation is going on, you know directly who's in charge. Won't have to guess. Won't have to, you know, create chaos. And like you said, a lot of people here are they coming after us for what and what. You be able to go to that one person that's in charge and they can give you what they can. You know,

I just don't want it to feel like, you know, No, it's not like coming in roughing everybody up. They gonna feel like they got a little more authority to just No, they have no harass people and, you know, I didn't think we had that much crime me. Oh, yeah. I actually I actually thought that you all were already doing that

basically. Um, pretty much. So, I when I saw theou I was like, well, they're already doing this. Why do they even need anou? We do. We do. assist each other, but this this covers us in a legal standpoint. If our employee is out assisting on an investigation in the county and something happens, they're still covered without without anou or without an agreement in place um that that could leave them exposed, thus leaving the city exposed. So, I think it was in the best interest of the city and the staff to have a legal agreement in place saying we understand that they're going to be assisting out there, that they're going to assist in the city, everyone's covered.

This is just this is just one of those things just like the chief just said, it it's makes it less exposure to the city by having a legal document in place between the county and the city. And also it's a way that everybody understands council too that our employees will be assisting and we'll have assistance from the county too. So it it's just a legal process.

I'm glad y'all addressing that because that's that was one of my questions. Uh because I was going to ask who was liable, you know, with so y'all did that. So I mean so I'm glad you did address that because I was concerned about you know when whoever went out they made a mistake or some type of negligence who will be account who will be held

account with this in place it it basically mean the off our officers no different than if they were working inside the city limits. So same policy will apply same procedure this just covers the police department and the city as a whole. Chief, so when the call drops, is the um is the task force then is it like uh is response like automatic or is it requested?

So what'll happen depending on the location that's in the city? Our detectives will respond immediately. Determine what type of scene it is while the other investigators are on standby. Once they determine that the entire team is needed, they'll notify them and they'll all be there together. Okay?

Vice versa in the county. Okay. It stages I guess the situation. Yes. So I do and I I do have I have a touchy question and it's going to be very touchy because we know the climate of the situation about ICE. Um so when they enter into the city who are come in and want to I guess address the immigration issue. Um how do y'all assist them with that? Do y'all step in or let them how how does that work? So, we're going to work with all state and federal agencies if uh and we have not seen that issue in the city of Crockett. My understanding they they tend to be going towards larger cities with larger population. Uh there was several weeks ago that ICE was in town, but they were here for a specific purpose. They were here for specific people. They weren't just going to businesses um just running businesses. they were here looking for specific people uh for a specific purpose. Um and yes, we did assist them with that. So, anytime a law enforcement agency comes into our city, we're going to be hospitable. Um we're we're still going to act in accordance with our policy. Um what the city expects from us. Uh but um like I said, the dealings that we've had with them, uh it hasn't been this wild or rambunctious show. They've come in specifically for a specific purpose

and their level authority is different. I mean they they have a ranking that they do their ranking is over the city in terms of levels if I chooses to come to town

legally they don't have to contact us they don't have to ask anyone's permission they can come in on their own is hey chief we're in town this is what we're looking for at the end of the day they don't have to yeah it's courtesy call that they let you know.

Really is a courtesy call. But I'm glad y'all working with them, sir. I'm so I'm glad y'all working with them. Yeah, it's better to know what they're doing in instead of just arbitrarily just to say I'm just do it. At least you're there to give an understanding and a measure of protection to our citizen for reassurance. And I know like I said, I do understand the flow of authority that they do have. I was reading their actual authority that they have, but as you say, when you when they come in and they announce what they need and you're there to not monitor, but observe and assist as they require, I think that's a like you said, a good thing.

I think it's being a smaller agency, we rely heavily on our We need to get back to those. Yeah. certain situations have to maintain those working relationships. That's good. Okay, we're back to our regular agreement that we uh put mandatory. They put us back on track. We got a little sidetracked. Okay.

Uh I make a motion we approve agreement between the county and the city. Second the motion. It's been moved and second. All in favor? Motion carries. Anybody oppose? You abstain. Uh, oppose. Did you oppose or did you

I ain't voting on it. You either oppose or you Yes. I ain't I ain't with it. So, it's a no. I don't know too much. Okay. If you don't do it, you It's It's a no. It goes down. It's a no. Oppose. I'm sorry. You either oppose or you Yeah. or Okay. Did you get that, Miss?

Okay. Thank you. Okay. That takes us to uh item number six. Consider and approve a resolution agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation for the temporary close of state right away for Christmas in Crockett. Mayor and council, this is the normal agreement we send in every year to text dot for Christmas and Crockett, which will be November 22nd, 2025, closing those certain streets from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. It's attached and it's in your packet. Um the normal streets, nothing's new this year compared to what we've done in the past. So, we just need council's approval to send this into text. I make a motion we approve the streets for closure.

I second. It's been moved and second. All in favor? Motion carries. It takes us to item number seven. Consider and approve of resolution R09B-25 for amendments to the fiscal year 2025 budget.

Mayor and council, you've got the U budget amendment in front of you. I'll kind of briefly go through, hit some highlights for you, kind of describe where we are, and try to answer some questions if you have them. But basically, as you look at the revenue, starting on the first page, you'll see that the budget change for collections of taxes is down $131,000. That is based upon the fact of when our budget was calculated, it was based on 100% collection rate. And as we know that you probably don't collect 100% often, but with that, you can see a little farther down that delinquent taxes and interest in penalties is up. And so that there's nothing unusual about that. It it's kind of normal. Um sales tax is is a little change that you'll see, but that you have to be very conservative when you put a sales tax number in a budget because you never know if people are going to continue spending or not. And you sure don't want to set a budget based on your sales tax and and then be short. uh rental and lease revenue is down and that was based on the fact of when we put the budget together. There were supposed to be rental and lease revenue from those places like the chamber and the EDC but then those did not come in and so now we do have the lease agreement with the chamber moving forward. um you'll see a deficit in the EIDC because those funds came through the city and after the election in November those funds did not. So that's why that shows up there. Um and so in total Yeah. Go ahead.

So So on the um so the funds came through the city. What do you mean? Yes ma'am. The city would actually write payroll checks and then we would get reimbursed for BDC. Okay. Okay. Okay. So these So we didn't get the reimburse.

We didn't we didn't write the check. So we didn't get the reimbursement but was in the budget. So we have to amend it because those funds didn't come through there when the auditors come. That number is different than what would have been there if EDC would have stayed in existence then that number would have been even.

But since it didn't, there's a change. Okay. And so you have to account for changes within the budget. And so that's what we're doing. Okay. Let me uh ask you about the sale of the assets. Yes, ma'am. Um sale of assets. Um do we get a list of those assets that we sell? And yes, ma'am. In fact, council approved surplus list. When you approve the surplus list, that's the only items we sell. It's anything council approved as a surplus list.

So once that those items are sold, do we get a list of the amount those items were sold for? Sure, I can be happy to do that for you. Okay, I can do that. Yes, ma'am. Not a problem. Um, so that was the revenue section from the general fund. The revenue from the water and sewer. A lot of that is uh basically the major change orders and reimbursement from Texas Water Development Board as those funds come in. like the clarifier that y'all approved as a change order those monies and in fact John alluded to it a little bit in the project updates that those funds will be coming in. So in essence, you're basically your revenue is about 63,000 short from the projected budget last October. And that is being very conservative with part of this month still to go, right? And so we've got some more taxes come in after this was completed because we didn't change this budget amendment. So that number is going to dwindle down. The deficit, as you would call it, is going to dwindle down before the end of the month. expenses. Okay, so as we get into expenses, most departments were either on budget on their budget number or below. We had some that went a little over, but with that, we'll kind of go through them real quickly and real briefly. And then but the key to it is when we get to the end number our expenses zeroed out with this budget amendment. So we'll go through them. So the street department expenses as you can see there's a lot of negatives in there but you see one number that did increase maintenance and repair streetscreased. We spent $71,000 more than what was budgeted. But with that said, within that department, it's still a zero.

They didn't overspend. They do over They didn't overspend. It's a zero. The parks department left a balance of $5,500. The police department had some expenditures based on overtime and salaries. Uh they were of no fault of their own. Um had a lot of major cases as the year went on and used a lot of personnel for things that they didn't plan for, we didn't want to happen, but it just did happen. And so you'll see the biggest majority of their overage is on overtime and salaries. And the rest of that is not unusual for the price with inflation and things going up, but there was a large number in overtime and salaries. Fire department, same thing as the chief just alluded to, volunteerism and those numbers are down. And so with that, overtime has to compensate for our coverage. Um the CIC, as you'll see, most of that is negative because of what we discussed. The expense side also went down in there because we had that budgeted, but we didn't spend it, right? The revenue was down, the expenses are down because it wasn't involved. The library kind of went over a little bit, but based on that, we spent ARPA funds trying to

work on the library. And with that, as we got into that process, we found some other things that just had to be fixed a little bit. So that's where the the $9,000 overage is. Mechanic shop left us with a balance. And as you remember when we changed or we created the community development and service department, that civic center salary got moved down there. That's why you have that number of showing a extra 29,000 in civic center, but then you go down to community development and services and you have a $35,000 change, but yet with that move down it it's a zero. Okay.

So, civic center civic center expense salaries, right? Who are they? Well, you the one that work there. Yeah. It's a worker. I thought they work for the city. They do. And this is in the city budget,

but they're there. But they're they're job duties include the civic center. And so and so to make one at work over there, the longest story short is when you get down there to that underneath where it says total change for general fund expenses is $0. So your expenses are zeroed out. We just had to move money from some departments to cover other departments. That's what that amount

the amended. That's why you have the budget amendment to cover those changes. And with that, you were $63,99 short in revenue. Okay. As of the time this was done. And so it's showing that 63,000. If you want to change that to zero now, we can do the general administration fees. move that over or I think it's going to be pretty negligible by the time we get to the end of the month and that number is going to be a zero by itself based on our late collections and sales tax. But it's your choice. You can make it a zero tonight or we can just

see how it plays out and then I think we'll be pretty close to zero. It'll be accurate. One one thing um I mean I did see the resolution and of course I looked everything up to make sure but um I know it says that the city could um amend the budget with the uh with the resolution.

Correct. But the um Mr. Greg Abbott u ruling was is that the city amends the budget with an ordinance. So um that way uh for it with saying that I'm really not comfortable with um the changing of the money taking money from other departments put it in. So it's not really making you know a lot of sense to me um because of the fact that the budget was set and so when you are taking money from another department putting over in another department to make things seem like they're right. I'm just not in agreement with it.

Yes. But yeah um that was that's one reason um I don't agree with it. Another thing I was want to ask is are we using I think in here in the charter it was saying are we exceeding the 3% total of the general fund of expenditure?

No ma'am we're not. No ma'am. And also um just to find out what do we um what is the meaning of unforeseen um expenditures? Well, one one of those would be like when the clarifier that's a we we did not expect to have to go to reserves to pay that large expense, but like those large expenses came before council as a as a budget amendment or to take those then and and some of these things and we're working towards some of those things internally to have a to where it's a little quicker response, but in reality, the budget set is the total and within those departments, you can move those funds. The charter allows that. You can move them within the department. It just takes council approval to move it from one department to another. And and so what I'm trying to do with this is show you where the overages and the underage under was. And as we move forward, that that places everything at zero. And you see that and nobody knew what inflation was going to be this time, the cost of business was going to be and so some of those things change and so we have to monitor that as well. But this is I would tell you with the amount of the budget being nearly $11 million and your $66,000 difference as a total that's a pretty well projected budget in my opinion. And the resolution you were as you said it hadn't been a resolution but this is to approve a resolution.

No ordinance. Um it said that you said resolution when you said no I was talking about the resolution. I was saying I know the charter says the resolution but um there was a ruling that Mr. Greg Abbott um u put forward that in order to amend the budget that it should be an ordinance. And with that being said, if we do an ordinance, there should be a public hearing as well. So,

well, legal counsel reviewed this resolution prior to So, Mr. Lee, you're saying that even at the with with incoming like delinquent taxes and things like that, it should basically resolve itself by the end of the month anyway. Yes, sir. Or you're going to be such a very negligible amount that when the auditors do our annual budget, they will note that difference and and it's not a major issue.

Okay. I think we I mean I think if we got if we received like statements monthly, we could basically and we discussed that and we'll we'll work towards that follow up to make sure that the monies are where they should be and what they're appropriating for. But currently I'm I'm just I'm not in agreement with um the process that we have

amending the budget and the place um that um moving monies from department to department. U matter of fact um [Applause] just to know I mean just to ask I mean some of the departments because when in other words when did y'all know that we had unforeseen

you never know that how would you know that and and you know what unforeseen means and that and understand too that I'm responsible for the budget. Yes, sir. And but we have department heads that don't report to me as well, but they're very good at trying to manage their budget. Like the fire chief and the police chief report directly to the council and they're very good on a daily basis trying to manage their budget, but they don't have to come ask me on a daily basis. And when we get what they can and can't do because they report to you

and so there are sometimes that yes I know earlier and there are sometimes I know when it gets towards the end of the budget year and we start trying to figure out okay can we spend this can we not and that's when we and this is a normal situation of doing a budget amendment at the end of the year and I don't know many cities that don't have to do this it it's just improbable Well, when you start talking about millions of dollars

and you don't have to change some between departments or even what what because you just can't foresee a year in advance. You can't foresee what goes up. You can't know what's going to break. You can't know what else you're going to need. It's just part of the process. And this is the legal way of showing in transparency of we planned for this, it ended up like this and this is where your money was spent.

At the end result, it's not any money is being taken away or destroyed. It's not asking for more money. It's just rearranging the money. It's like you said, I meant to buy a dress, a house, pay a note in this. The house didn't cost as much, but the dress cost more. And you move the money to accommodate. It's not creating new money. It's not raising new money. It is the existing money that was there. The departments are aware of the money that was there. And what you have to show at the end of the audit is that as much as possible, you stayed within there, whether you moved it from the house form or that. And that's what the resolution is said that the budget is. And if the department heads have already pretty much discussed what it is, where the problem is and that's who they answer to in term the ones that do answer to the city manager to balance the budget. It's like you hold the pocketbook and your children would like everything out of it, but you balance it out. And that's what the city manager does in asset. Is it any new money? We've already voted on where the money is going to come and what money is in there. This is not creating money. This not making money. This is just moving it to pay a bill. But it's all citybased money out of in this budget.

So if one department run out of money, y'all go to another department. But they go with the understanding that it's going to balance out the year because at the end of the year, all of the budget become invalidated. They have to be redone anyway. So anything that's If a department run out of money, y'all go to another department that probably got extra that didn't get to

that didn't use it and they just and those departments change from year to year. It depends. I mean, uh, for example, parks may next year be the one that has issues and we have to spend more in parks than we did this time. It just depends. And it's a the budget's a daily struggle from day one to the last day. And it's not the fun part of the job. I can promise you that. And so, but like I said, in reality, I think when you take the budget of this size with this many departments and you keep it to these minor changes, I think that's a

but at the end of the day, the audit is going to say, is it a balanced budget? That's right. And balance means are you able to meet all your obligation? You might have to move. You might have to transfer but at the bottom at the end of the day will you be able to pay what you said you were going to pay and you didn't inter you didn't have to borrow or you didn't have to end anything and that's what makes it balanced and the department's head have had conversation to see what had to be moved and how we know that just looking at it the street department we spend way more than we have traditionally had to spend and some of the stuff in And you can see the areas that they've changed a little bit, but it didn't change enough to throw off the big number. So if you started out, I mean, just on a small scale, say you had $5,000, you divided it five ways, then you just this realize that those five ways didn't cover they didn't need the same have the same needs. So when you don't have the same needs, the money go to another area to make sure you meet those needs. So some days they're different in some, but the the goal of the budget and the resolution is to say that money was moved. But if you start moving the money and you don't get a resolution to move it, then you that's where you get into trouble just moving money and nobody knows it. This way you see where it's moved, how it's moved, and then the approver of the council said it was moved legit because it was actually moved. The department heads knows which where it went to. those that were responsible knows why it was moved and the resolution said yes it's balanced because at the end of the quarter I mean end of the year it needs to be a balanced budget.

I'm trying to make it make sense though. Now what part do you not understand? I mean if a department if the department overspend they budget and then this department ain't spent their money. You just like go buy anything and get anything just go get it from that department. No it don't it doesn't work quite like that. You don't just do it with I'm being I'm just saying but I'm

cuz I'm Yes. Crockett Crockett been down for a minute, man. Okay. Let's keep it real and y'all can law and such the law what you want. I'm keeping it real, man. No, I'm trying to see what real is. Trying to grow. We got to get it right. You can't overspend your budget and then go get it from here and cover that, man.

But it's some crisis. So you have now listen. You don't think the water department You don't think getting the street that he had to get extra money is more important than certain? I'm just going along with this stuff, man. Okay. Well, it's your call.

Right now, we're up to item. Uh, are we ready to take it to a motion? Yes, ma'am. Okay. Can we get a a motion? Cuz nothing is Does someone want to make a motion? I make a motion we approve the uh

Can we get a second? I'm sorry. like to amend the motion. Okay.

I I would like to make a motion that we consider we can we we approve the resolution but wait the 30 days before we transfer any fees. Okay, repeat. I'm sorry.

I'd like to make a motion that we approve the resolution, but wait 30 days or wait to wait until we wait till the end of the month to see what funds we have come in before we move any money

to zero it out. Motion on the floor. Yeah, it was a motion on the floor. Actually, what? There wasn't a second for it. So there wasn't It wasn't a second. So it died. Yeah. And I just And he called for an amended. I'm sorry. Yeah.

I second that. I second. And it's been second. So it's been moved and second. All in favor? Oppose. Oh, it's a tie. It's a tie. So I get to break the tie. I'm

Okay. So the motion carries with that specular stipulation. Okay. Item number eight, consider and approve oh a resolution nominating candidates to fill positions for the board of directors for the Houston County Appraisal District at the upcoming election.

Mayor and Council, you'll see in the back of your packet the nominations that the following criteria was listed. taxing unit may nominate an employee of their elected offi official only. Any citizen has been a resident of the county for preceding two years. Presiding officer of each voting unit's governing body need submit the name of the nominees and writing to the chief appraiser before October 15th. We nominated one in February. We have the option of nominating again if somebody has someone to nominate. Not we don't have to. It's just I was given the option if somebody had somebody they wanted to nominate. Will this person be going in?

They'll have to be elected. This is just a nomination. Then they'll vote on then they'll vote. The appraisal district will vote. So this is just a nomination. Strictly a nomination. So So this won't come back again. Right. Correct. For no. Okay. Yes. Would you like to nominate? Yes. I have a nomination. I like to nominate uh Loris B.

Okay. Are there any other nomination? Okay, we have one on the floor. Um, I'll get ready for it be second. Yeah,

you saved it. Yes, ma'am. Okay. Um, second. Yeah. Okay. First, second. Okay. Uh, ready for the vote? Everybody vote. Okay. Motion carries. Okay. If there's no other business,

how do I just make it another way?

No, that's that's not P.