City Council - Regular Meeting

I've got six o'clock.

We'll call this a regular meeting of City Council, September 14, 20.6, 6 p.m. Todd, you want to lead us in the prayer?

Yes, sir. Father God, we just thank you for this day. Lord God, we thank you for the moisture that you've brought, the moisture you're going to bring, Lord God. We just pray for everyone in the city, Lord God, for those who have lost, those who are losing. Lord God, any of those that are traveling. It's in your name we pray. Amen.

Okay, we'll move on to the consent agenda and approval of amendments from August 24th, 2026, regular council meeting. Thank you motion, we approve the consent agenda. Motion to second. Any further discussion? All in favor. Move on to the regular agenda of public comment.

I don't have any. Slips so only thing I'm gonna remind is we will have a special meeting next week. Please do not forget. Next Monday next Monday. We will do the 2nd reading of the tax rate rate. Public hearing for the budget and. uh the first reading of the budget and there's some papers that if you ask me about i'll tell you about why we're doing it in the order that we're doing it six o'clock six o'clock yeah we'll move on to item two public hearing the council action city of

Dalhart Building Standards Commission will hold public hearing regarding property located 1002 East 1st, Dalhart, Texas, substandard structure. Consider and act and issue necessary orders regarding substandard structure 1002 East 1st Street, Dalhart, Texas.

Make a motion that we open the public hearing.

Second. Motion is second. All in favor? Aye. Public hearing is open.

So, this is what I presented the last council meeting. This is going to be 1002 East 1st street for. Possible demolition for this property, we have followed our proper procedures with the new. ordinance that we just finally got through going. This is going to be something brand new for us, but I felt like it was just much more of a proper direction utilizing you guys instead of going through districts. So, so far, nothing's changed. I did have someone state that they are currently attempting to work on it. There's still a hole in the roof. They're still, they're still, they're just not doing it, but going to do so. Other than that, nothing has changed since then. They haven't come to me and said that they got a contract or they haven't done anything. So everything still stands as it is.

Any other questions?

It's been four weeks ago, three weeks ago, 24.

The 24th of last month.

Yeah, almost three weeks. Three weeks.

Two and a half years.

Two and a half years. That's the weeks.

Make a motion that we close the public hearing.

Second.

I have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? All in favor? Aye. Public hearing is closed. Move on to item three, discuss and or act upon actions necessary for the property located at 1002 East First Street.

This is the property we have been talking about for quite some time now. City's recommendation is demolition. We can't see any action being taken over there. Y'all gave some instructions at the last council meeting, and we haven't heard of anything. So. I'll be happy to answer any more questions. The owner can answer them, whatever we need to do.

So did we provide a schedule for them to follow? Yes or no?

We won't do anything of sorts up until we have our order signed.

Everything for this is what I needed to prepare in the first place. But we did make repairs and we have pictures of it. We are trying. Since the last hearing, we have pictures to show you.

We haven't seen any of them.

I know what I'm going to do. But I mean, the house is clean up front freaking the roof is almost almost feels that it's a little bit of the request to put the wood and then you can put the shingles in the paper and all that. And the I mean, it's a job that we have done work on it. I mean, she told me when I had the last inspection that I couldn't work on it anymore. And that's why we didn't do any more work on it until we came last start. A lot of her, the problem is she's just confused. Like she's not, she's not trying to go against y'all and do like, she's not, she's not like.

I mean, I mean, I'll say this. I've been here two years and we have had multiple trips over there and multiple conversations about what needs to be done. And there's nothing, I mean, I just find it hard to believe. that she told you y'all can't work on it.

She did tell us that she told me that she said I was not able to. She said you're not able to work on it anymore. There's this going to be convinced you'll hear from my lawyers what she told me. My mom's been sleeping in her car. She couldn't think that she allowed to go in there. So she barely like goes in there when she does go in there and like nobody's even been there. Nobody's staying there anymore. It's cleared out like

The first initial notice that we received for them. Notices have been sent. We even provided her with letters showing what we inspected, what failed. So she has had paperwork. I've got plenty of documentation. Now what she's done with it, that is out of my control, but I do have paperwork here. It's been two and a half or two years plus the three weeks now. And now they're waiting until the last day, the last week to start to attempt to do something. It's a little bit.

A lot of work. When my mom died, the people who lived there before, stuff was there. It's always been pride. It's always been full of stuff that wasn't even ours. We've been trying. And yes, we're barely actually taking responsibility and standing up and trying to do something. You know what I mean? But it's not... I mean, we're not... I don't know. I mean, I don't even live there anymore. I'm definitely trying to do better.

I know the council reviewed all the documentation the last meeting, but it's up to the council. I mean, what's y'all's pleasure? What is y'all's direction?

Did you communicate with him after our last meeting?

I haven't talked to them, though, not since their last meeting. They were here in attendance. Y'all spoke directly to them what we wanted, and we haven't heard anything.

They haven't even been able to check on anything. They wouldn't even know if we had done any work. They just looked at it from the outside, and by the last inspection, she refused to inspect it because the roof wasn't done. But everything else was, except for a couple of things. And I understand it's been two years, and I understand that y'all are getting impatient. I understand that we're I get it, but my mom had cancer. She barely is to where she just had to go to her thing today to make sure that it's still gone. She barely got rid of it. Like, how is she going to do that? How is she going to work on a house and figure all that out by herself? Like, it's not like, I mean, and yeah, I don't know if she's doing it. I know that I asked for help, but she doesn't know how to speak for herself. She's just different. She's not the type of person.

We had contractors. We had contractors willing to attempt to help. Lang Electric came to us. Lang Electric came to us and had said he wouldn't mind helping. It was up until he found out. the issues and the nuisance problems, the warrants that were issued for there. He backed out at the last minute because he's like, I'm not going to provide for someone and do this work for someone who is going to bring in continuous nuisance and stolen items from the surrounding community. And so people have backed out on it. So the criminal we have attempted.

Right. And I will take. But he told me that she said it was not habitable, that he couldn't do it until it was habitable. is what he told me personally. To be honest, I take full responsibility for all the formal activity that goes on there. My mom has nothing to do with that. That was me. And I was with my grandpa. She's there for a while. But I've stopped. I've got a job. I'm doing better. I mean, there's nothing happening there. You can't live there anymore. Like, I am ashamed of it all. But you never communicate with her exactly what she had to do. Like, she's just . I understand there's documentation, but she just told me.

What will it take for this to be habitable?

I'm going to so that you got 2 areas in there. It's a duplex. Per state law, it cannot work on there because it is considered a duplex. She had. I'm not sure who she had living on the other side, which was her daughter, I'm assuming. In the state of Texas, you cannot work on any type of property that is not considered your homestead. And they had it as a rental property, and then she was utilizing the other part as a homestead.

So I'm a compassionate person, and I want to see if there's a way to help here. Michelle, you're going to have to tone it down a little bit because I care to help. So stop.

So, in the way the state of Texas, yes, they cannot work on anything. That's a rental property. So they are not allowed to touch it to be a call director. That's the reason why we took those procedures of. Contractors were coming to us and saying, hey, you know, we're willing to help, but then they backed out. They seen. The issues, I believe we had 1 come and. donate property so they can start fixing things and then i'm not sure what happened between them too it was a civil issue between them too but we got a key back roof his shingles what on the inside has to be done um all the plumbing all the electrical pretty much everything have you gotten an estimate on any of that okay i haven't been over there but just listening to it i mean i think we're talking between 30 and 40 000 worth of work

If, in fact, you had estimates today and you knew it was going to be $40,000, how quickly could you come up with $40,000? Yeah.

See, the problem is that you can't do the work yourself. It is not your homestead. That's what she's trying to explain.

And so I did. And then she told me, everything she told me, I did and then it flipped around to where it's now I can't do this, now I can't do that. That's why I'm so confused about it all.

It's the law. If it is not your homestead, you cannot do the work. You have to hire it by a license.

So did you go and get it changed on your homestead? It was changed to homestead.

And all we received is paperwork from an attorney showing that she got everything switched to her name because it belonged to Ben Lee Broderick who currently passed away and left this property to her. So I told her until... She gets everything switched over to her name. She provides everything, which I also have a copy of that, too. I got a copy of the. Information from the lawyer showing that now it is just placed in her name.

Doesn't show as a homestead office here, though. It's it's it's a computer. Show me what this is the 1st 1 year old.

Yeah, you can't rent out.

She never properties. I never, I've never happened to me. Like I just inherited it. And she was staying in the other side. I never paid for her money. She never collected her money. I'm not.

Here's the thing is we, as a council, don't want to kick the can down road on this. You see what I'm saying? We don't want you to have to waste your money to try to, if it's not going to be properly repaired either, because then you've lost all the money that you put into it. for no reason. And like Terry told you, we are compassionate and we do care. And we don't want to do anything rash. But again, we don't want to kick a can down the road for no reason.

You don't want y'all to think that we're just not trying to cooperate.

Right. But that's the thing is you have to follow the law also. And if it's not your homestead, then you can't work on it. You have to have a contractor. And if you don't have the money to do that, then there's nothing you can do. You see what I'm saying?

She doesn't lose the property.

There will be a lien put on it for the cost of the demolition. She can sell the property and then pay back however much it costs to demo it and then have whatever money is left over as her money for the property.

What is it? One lot? Two lots. What are lots selling for?

It depends on the area.

If a contractor was to work on it, they'll have the final say for occupancy, don't we?

If they ended up making it into one residential home, that would be considered a residential occupancy. If they continue to keep it as a duplex with the two separate areas where they have, that is basically a group living quarter, so that would be a little different. So either way, residential to group living quarter. Group living quarters consist of state law. It's not your homestead. That is where a contractor has to work on it.

So the lots could be worth $10,000 to $15,000 a piece. And if you've got two of them, that's $20,000 to $30,000. We estimate that it'll cost between $8,000 and $10,000 to demo it, which would mean after we demo it, you could sell it for $25,000 and then you pay off the $8,000 and then you can keep the $17,000. It's more cleaned off.

Yes, than it is now.

Do you mind if I put another house there?

Yeah. Yeah, if you pay it off. Absolutely, yeah. But a mobile.

Well, I mean, do I have to wait till I pay it off or can I like pay that out?

You would have to. You would have to pay off the lien before anything else, anything else, because you couldn't have a you couldn't put something on a piece of property that you have a lien against. You.

Know you're not supposed to be in the bar.

I can't say that you can live in it, no.

How low are you? 10% annual interest.

And it's 10% interest annual. Actual lien. Actual lien. But you can sell one lot, pay off the lien, and put a home on the second lot. If it's large enough. If it's large enough.

It has to have at least 6,000 square feet per one, a residential three.

Do you have any idea what they are? I have to look and see what both lots are each.

So I think with one, normally in that area, it's 130 by 60. If that, I'll have to look. See which one, what one is.

Is that on R3?

That's for R3 for 6,000 and then R2, 7, and then R1 is.

I mean, you have options.

But you're not going to be able to get a contractor and pay $40,000, right?

And even if you fix it yourself, like if it was all for doing it yourself, it's going to be 20 grand just for the material.

Then it's still got to meet specs. So by doing this, this might say, give you a little better option than trying to fix up what you have.

Again, that's what we're trying to say is we don't want to kick the can down the road. You spend your money to fix it up and then it still gets demolished. Then you've wasted money.

So that's what we don't want to happen.

Because again, we do care. Entertained motion. What's council's pleasure? Make a motion that we demolish property at 1,002 East 1st Street.

I'll second. I have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed?

Ignore who is new. Thank you.

Okay, we'll move on to Adam Fort. Discussing our department request from Delford.

First, closed street for drunk retreat.

Good evening. Just hear about street closure for the annual retreat to keep kids safe and Have them do trick-or-treating just downtown on Denrock. We are coordinating with the Interact Club, who's also doing something on the same night at the Coliseum. So we'll be 430 to 630 on Saturday, the 31st, and then they're going to start at 630 and go on and do theirs. So hopefully we can have everybody do stuff down here and then send them over there. We were unable to coordinate enough to put it all together because there's just too many things and they have stuff that i don't have the space for outside so anyways but that's the plan just to kind of work together and have some fun things for all of our local kids to do so something we did we've done every year since i've been here second to sixth street right right close it from three to seven yeah and we usually have a really good turnout of people and everything it's it's a lot of fun the emotion that we closed streets on that didn't have

proper tree.

Second. I have a motion to approve the Chamber's request and a second. Any further discussion? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? There are none. Thank you, guys. Thank you. Item five, discuss and act upon renewing economic development board member terms and new member applications.

Yes. EDC board, uh, had three members come up for renewal on their board. Uh, Kevin Cadell, Gary Messer, and Jonathan Porter all wished to renew their terms for another two year term. Uh, there were also two applications, um, turned in for response. If they chose, if y'all chose to go a different route, the EDC board did approve those three staying on. And the two applications were Heidi Ingram and Alicia Lugo. So I'll let Sean talk.

Thank you. So Gary, John, and Kevin are all three up this term. And all three have expressed interest in remaining on for another term if it's the council's pleasure.

Technically, Gary's not. He's the council representative.

He is a board member because he is a voting member. He still has to go through that process.

Yeah.

So if we ask him, we've got to pick another, somebody else. Yeah. Yeah.

We've got a lot of motion right now and the ones that have been honored.

Yeah. Pretty good. As far as my suggestion, I'm a non-voting member.

I think Sean's got a lot of irons in the fire. He's got the backing of those members.

Exactly. In my opinion, if we were to do even some changing of the guards at this point, getting the others up to speed could slow the momentum down.

Mike, do I have a motion we renew the Economic Development Board members? Second.

Do I have a motion? I abstain from voting on this.

Yeah.

I have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Got one abstain, one carry.

OK.

we'll move on to the next one discuss react upon hotel accuracy tax funding requests from economic development corporation provide funding for marketing and city of delbert promotional video

So, as we continue on into year 2 of me being here, the 3 year plan led to more aggressive recruiting towards the end of year 2 into year 3 and so forth. And this is part of it for the marketing of the community, working with the hotel occupancy tax committee in showing some quality of life, quality of place aspects. We can also include marketing pieces that are conducive for site selectors. and investment into the community as well. We're looking at a video that runs about 27 and some change, $27,385, I believe is the total. This 13,000 from the hotel occupancy tax would pay for about 42 percent of that video. Then they would actually even get more benefit out of that than just the 42 percent. But it's great for a great recruiting tool as we move along into recruiting for the community.

On the video rate?

Between two and a half and three minutes. It wouldn't be ran where? Anywhere we want it to be. So I could send it off to be promoted in Chicago, which we're seeing a lot of influx coming in from through data. Through social media, we could send it off to be played there. North of Colorado, we could try and do some recruitment out there. We could send it off specifically to site selectors. We could do some targeted marketing through social media as well in other areas.

And the Hotel Motel Board did approve this unanimously. Unanimously. Word on the beach.

Unanimous, Ollie. It's been a day.

Make a motion that we approve the funds for the marketing and city of Dalhart promotional video. Second. I have a motion and a second.

Any further discussion? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Thank you. Move on to item seven, city of Dalhart 2627 budget workshop number three again.

Again, I'm here to answer any questions. There have been no changes. in the numbers since I presented it. If you have any questions, now's the time. We have about a week from today to make any changes. I'll be happy to entertain any questions about the budget.

Entertain a motion. We can't do it. We are not voting on the budget. No questions. We'll just move on to next item.

There you go.

Sorry about that.

Discuss and act upon schedule and public hearing for fiscal year 2026, 2027 budget. Special City Council meeting, November 21st, 2026.

We've already done this once. There's three pieces of paper in front of you. The first two are what we sent to the paper. The third page is what was actually printed in the paper. So with that being said, we had to do some things differently. It has already ran once in the paper to hit the deadline for a public hearing on the 21st. If you don't want to have a public hearing on the 21st, i don't know what we're going to do at that point we will not have a budget october 1st move we have a public hearing on september 21st thank you a motion a second to hold a meeting on 21st all in favor

I'm going to discuss on executing the tax assessment and collection contract with city down county appraisal district users.

This is a 2 year contract that we signed every 2 years with dalam county. There will be 1 coming from Hartley county to basically where they can pay their taxes over at the tax office for the city properties. Um, I really hope that you'll pass this because I do not. Want to be no, no, I do not.

And they are enough upset people and so everybody knows they approved today at the commissioner's court. Then, you know, everybody has to go to 2 different places to pay the taxes. It's going to be consolidated. In that office, so you'll be able to take in 1 place.

which actually should bring down our portion of the collection amount, um, that we pay to Dallin county. I mean, a few thousand dollars, it's not a bunch, but not a bunch, but every little bit helps relieve a lot of people's head.

So I make a motion that we pass the tax assessment and collection contract with the down county appraisal district.

Second motion. Second all in favor. Any posts? No, no. Item 10, public hearing ordinance 202608 on the proposed tax rate for 2026-27 tax year.

I make a motion that we open the public hearing ordinance 2026-08. Second.

We have a motion and a second to open the public hearing. All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed? Public hearing is over.

You know, I'll be happy to talk some more about the public hearing. We are going with the no new revenue rate this year. which our M&O portion, our maintenance and operations will be 0.394298 and our I&S interest and sinking for our debt is 0.025986 for a total of 0.420284. This will, when we go to the vote, it will be a roll call vote. This is actually 3.61% less than last year. Um, but as well, you'll see in the ordinance, it is an increase of $8 per $100,000 on a home. So I'll be happy to answer any more questions about that. And for anybody listening, the city will collect about 80,000 less in taxable values, uh, that we received this coming up fiscal year.

I think motion that was opposed to the public hearing. Second. And a motion and a second.

All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Public hearing is closed. Item 11, discuss or act upon conducting first reading ordinance 202608 on the proposed tax rate for the 2026-27 tax year.

So I have to read all this now. Sirs, that's basically the first reading of this. To set the tax rate, we're kind of going backwards due to the publication error. Usually you set the budget first, then have the tax rate. But to hit timelines, we are going backwards. And I spoke to the city attorney, said that's fine. We're just trying to make it work at this point. Like I said, the tax rate will be 0.42084. Per 100 on a property, and I'll be happy to answer any more questions. Ready well, well, whoever makes them, I'm sorry, whoever makes this motion. We'll have to read James has got the paper what's in bold at the front. Yes. Yeah. So what's the read? Who wants to read? Thank you state of Texas.

Oh, this and then this.

The whole section, all that or just the paragraph?

The bold at the top and then the bold on the second page.

We can motion an ordinance setting a tax rate of 0.42084 on each $100 valuation of property and living. add Valorum taxes for use in support of the municipal government at the City of Dalhart for the fiscal year of 26-27, providing for apportioning of each levy for specific purposes, providing when taxes shall become due and when such taxes shall become delinquent if not paid, and for penalty and interest, providing for savings and severability clauses, providing for an effective date, and providing for publication of the cash in hereof. This tax rate will raise more taxes for maintenance and operations than last year's tax rate. The tax rate will effectively be decreased by 3.61% and will raise taxes for maintenance and operations on a 100,000 home by approximately $8.

Second. We'll have a motion and a second.

And this has to be a recall, a roll call vote.

Okay.

And

No further discussion. Okay, Dennis. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah.

Okay. Everybody. Yeah.

Okay.

We'll move on to. Well, well. Discuss and act upon economic grill and corporation 2627 budget.

uh the economic development board last meeting when was that day september 6th september 6th voted and passed their budget which is in the budget book um for their budget now it just needs city council approval i can't remember the exact number of august i was like i can't remember the exact number of the budget over what was the total but what was the total budget yes it's in there it's in y'all's book in case you're wondering but there weren't any just huge numerical overall uh number changes to it i think it did it increase increased a couple thousand a few thousand or did we decrease it yeah i'm sorry yeah i'm sorry i don't have my i'll have my cheat sheet in front of me 60. yeah okay

Make a motion we approve the budget for the EDC 26-27.

I have a motion and a second. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? All right. 13th, discuss and act upon a proposal from G&G Operators for the City Hall parking lot seal coat project in the amount of $22,208.00. That number will change a little bit.

Make a motion that we approve.

Still coding bid.

Still coding bid from G&G for $22,208 and some change. Second.

I have a motion and a second. All in favor? Any opposed? All right. Make a motion that we adjourn. Second. And for y'all that don't know, we've got a 10 o'clock tomorrow at the Lake Center. They're going to have the dedication for the on ground.

Yeah.

And I got another $5,000 from XIT communication