City Council - Regular Meeting

All right, folks. We're about to start. Please silence your cell phones and devices so we can have a quiet meeting. If you do need to make a call, I insist you take it outside the building, please. So, we will start in just a few seconds. Oh, thank you.

[clears throat] All right, I've got six o'clock. So at 6 o'clock, I call this meeting on city council to order. Please rise for the pledges. I pledge algiance 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. Honor the Texas flag. I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas. One state under God, one and indivisible.

Thank you. Please be seated. Item C is the invocation. I do not see Joe, Pastor Joe Rangel. Do I have a volunteer who is feeling so moved to do the invocation? It could be a staff member, a council member, or somebody from the audience. Anybody. If you're feeling so moved,

don't all rush the stage at once. All right. Well, I can do it. Please bow your heads. Dear Lord, thank you for bringing us here together. Thank you for this fantastic weather after a rough week last week. We appreciate making it through that. Uh we thank you for this uh wonderful town that we are blessed to be part of. We are thrilled to be here do our very best for this city. Uh we thank you for our employees uh that work tirelessly for this city and the betterment of our city. We really appreciate that. Thank you all for our health and happiness. All these things we ask in Jesus name. Amen. Thank you, sir.

All right. Audience participation 1D. Uh if you speak want to speak on any item on the agenda, please come on up uh by the chief of police. We have forms to fill out. Uh [clears throat] anybody is welcome to speak on any item that is on the posted agenda. All right. Moving on to the consent agenda. Two 2A action regarding minutes of January 20th. 2 action regarding approval of Weaver and Tidwell to perform next year physical audit. Questions or comments on the consent agenda? If not, I'll entertain a motion. Mayor, I make a motion. Valerie, may I make a motion we approve the agenda as presented? Second. I'll second. Please cast your vote.

Oh, I'm out in left field, right? All right. Motion passes. Let the record reflect we do have a quorum. Full house. Thanks for coming, folks. Appreciate y'all making it out. Three is the uh proclamation presentations. 3A presentation on update of comprehensive action plan for safe streets. Pete Kelly. Welcome, sir. [clears throat] Mayor. Good evening, council. Mayor, if I could sorry to interrupt. Uh we had one kind of impromptu recognition from the public works department. If I could squeeze that in. Okay. Um

mayor and council um today we received word of one of our recreation department employees receiving a certification. So we just wanted to publicly um bring them up. That's Vicky Weldon with the recreation department. Please stand up. Today she received from the National Recreation and Park Association a park and recreational professional certification. So I'm going to [applause] have Congratulations. Thank you. Are you are you going to tell us what that means?

Um certified park and recreational professional is a CPRP. It's a two-year certification. It covers five areas, but it helps me to do my job better. So, I'm just very thankful that I work for a city that encourages and then allows and then provides this kind of ongoing training. And I will be continuing um to keep that certification up, ongoing training. but it's definitely going to help in the five areas that I serve the city. So, thank you so much. Congratulations. We're very thrilled. [applause]

Vicki, forgive me. How long have you worked for the city? Um, I'm trying to remember. They started part time at the at the senior center. Okay. So, about 12 years. Okay. Well, congratulations. That's awesome. Thank you so much. All right, safe streets. Pete, [clears throat]

good evening again, Mayor and Council. Um, Pete Kelly with Kimley Horn in our Fort Worth office and uh, professional [music] transportation engineer. So, I'm the project manager with Kimley Horn for your safety action plan. I will go through the slides efficiently tonight and I can go back if you have any questions on anything, but essentially we kicked off this project in December with staff and uh in that discussion we wanted to come to you and tell you kind of what we're going to be doing uh throughout the project, how we're going to be engaging the public and give you the chance to ask any questions, give us any feedback on how you'd like to see that uh done as we go through the process. Uh so tonight um I'm going to talk about why we want to conduct a safety action plan. Um then what is the safety action plan? What does that consist of? Go over the project timeline. Uh our method of public engagement, what to expect there. Uh talk about our project website and pop-up event ideas with you for that. Uh so first and foremost, why uh should you conduct a safety action plan? Uh so at the top of the list here, a safety action plan does increase your opportunities for future grant funding for projects that improve safety. Uh that could be projects that also improve safety and capacity and and other issues you may uh be seeing. Uh safety action plan also makes travel and sagen safer. Uh we we look at crash data to target improvements that would reduce crashes throughout the city. U and lastly, it's majority mostly funded uh federally. So, there's only a 20% city match currently to to fund this plan. Um, as far as what the plan consists of, essentially it's going to be a document we develop at the end of the day that's going to identify uh specific uh countermeasures. That's just a $10 word for uh improvements that can be made to reduce crashes. Uh and then also systemic countermeasure

identification as well. Uh through the process, we'll work with staff. We'll work with you in terms of uh setting goals there. We're forming a uh task force to help guide us to help uh determine where what intersections or or roadways to look at in terms of our uh improvement recommendations and also what kind of policy uh implementation we might uh recommend as well as part of the plan. And so we plan for that to be a collaborative effort throughout the the process. Uh just a quick CL uh timeline to show you uh where we're at now and where we expect to be in the safety action plan process. We do have a a timeline that is agreed upon with the Federal Highway Administration who's administering the grant. So this aligns with that schedule as well. But essentially we're we're early on in the project. We've been gathering data and uh building maps of existing conditions, gathering crash data, looking at uh crash patterns in Sagena right now. So, we'll be moving forward shortly in identifying potential um intersections and and roadways to look at a little bit more in detail. But as far as our engagement goes, uh we plan to meet with the task force uh four times throughout the process with the first meeting coming at the end of this month. and we [clears throat] we hope to try to do a couple popup meetings where we go to events that you're already holding where people are already going there just to talk with them uh at those uh at those places rather than trying to hold town halls and bring people u to us. So uh and then we hope to uh finalize and uh bring this back to you for adoption in the fall uh for uh final adoption in October. Uh just a couple things of what you might want to look for to expect for the public engagement. Mainly this going to consist of two online surveys. We were

going to put out a survey to get feedback before we start making recommendations and then a second survey on once we have a draft plan out to get people's feedback on the draft plan. So that is uh city officials and also the public getting getting feedback there. We'll also be putting up an interactive map that folks can go and place comments on if they know of anywhere where there's a specific safety issue that they're concerned about, they can note that on the map to help uh focus our attention uh when we're making recommendations in the plan. Uh so we [clears throat] this is just an example of what that online map uh might look like. Uh, and it's it's just an online formbbased survey where people can tell where where they live, how they commute, what's their mode of choice, uh, what concerns they have about roadway safety, etc. [clears throat] And these are just some examples of some of the pop-up events we've done in other communities where we've done safety action plans. Um, couple of the ideas we've discussed with staff are uh coming to one of the farmers market events or the the concert series where people already attend those those things and we'd set up a booth to have some interactive activities and visuals for people to look at and uh take our our survey as well from that. So with that um any questions you have happy to go back to any previous slides or answer any questions you have.

Council questions for Pete. Mary go ahead. Um, you mentioned a task force and maybe I missed that at the beginning, but who would that be comprised of? So, we're working on still working on building that um with mostly city officials, but people engaged in the community that would like to have input on safety and I know Jared's been working on on getting those folks on that. So, yeah. Yes. So, um, we do have some commitments from the school district and then we're we're actively looking for some citizens as well.

I'm [snorts] hoping we'll involve the traffic safety board in that as well. That's what that's an already made group, a pool of folks that are interested. So, yeah, I'm sorry. No, you're fine. We typically involve representatives from emergency services as well from police and fire to make sure we're getting their input. Um, make things safer. I'm going to make an assumption the traffic safety board is involved. Maybe the mayor pro might want to be involved. Yes. Okay. Mark mark that down. We can have at least one council rep. I don't know how many we want, but I think Paul would be a great great option. Yep. That'd be great.

Thank you. Any other questions? Did you talk refresh my memory about the dollars involved? I know there's grants, but what is that and how much and how can we get Yeah. What are all the the dollar? You didn't discuss that. So, yeah, that's a good question. Uh, so essentially the the grant is through the safe streets for all federal program, which requires a 20% city match. So, of the program cost, which is $230,000 or the plan, excuse me, uh the city's matching 20% of that cost, and the FHWA is funding the rest of that.

Um that is the planning grant award. Um the second phase, if there's any specific projects you'd like to pursue, additional federal funding, that's the implementation grant uh through SS4A. Uh there's also uh state grants that may be available um that having the safety action plan in place uh could make you more competitive for um for those state grants as well. That was my question about the implementation. Once we [clears throat] start moving dirt, there is opportunities for grants on that side of it as well. Correct. Yes. Great. [snorts] So was this included in our budget for this year?

I believe it was after the budget October meeting. So we budgeted our% match was $46,000. 46,000. Okay. I just want to reiterate what Pete mentioned. I think Trent has worked on some projects in the future that could be potential. We have to have the plan first before we can apply for matching funds for street projects. So it's it's a good [clears throat] questions for Pete. Thanks, sir. Look forward to hearing from you again. Thank you. All right, moving on. 3B, presentation of government financial officers association distinguished budget award. Kim Quinn, finance director.

Thank you, mayor and city council. I am proud to say that once again, the city of Sageno has received the government finance officers association award for distinguished budget presentation. Um, this is the 39th year in a row that the city has received this award. Um, [applause] Will you explain to us what what that means? Refresh our memory.

Sure. There's a whole set of standards that we have to meet in order to receive the award. It's um uh it's reviewed by three reviewers. Um we don't know who they are. They're anonymous. Anywhere in the United States or Canada are primarily where the reviewers are. Um the the budget has to be shown to be a policy document, a financial plan, an operations guide, and a communication device. Um it takes a huge amount of work to get the budget done from leadership, all the department heads, um and lots of people in the departments. But actually putting the document together by and large is most [clears throat] the through the efforts of Elizabeth Thorp, our finance manager. Um, and so I know mayor, you've got the presentation. So I'd like to have Elizabeth come up and accept the award on behalf of the city because this is um largely due to to her work.

So [clears throat] you said the 39th year in a row. Yes, sir. 39th year in a row. So my math is not good. So that goes back to 1987. 80 something. Yeah. Wow. And how long have you been here, Cam? 13 years. There you go. Not that long. [clears throat] All right. So, you want to do photos? Anything else? That's all. Just like I said, we're really um proud of the award. It's, you know, I don't want y'all to take it for granted because we get it year after year. There's a lot of work and there's lots of cities that don't even attempt to um get the award because the the hurdle is pretty high.

No, this congratulations. This is a testament to our transparency, our thoroughess. Uh Kim's whole department, but again, it it predates Kim. We've been doing this for years. We've been very financially prudent for many many years. So, I'm I'm proud of that. So, we want to take a picture.

Picture. [clears throat] All three of [applause] the dirt. Thank you. [applause] 3C presentation of annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ended September 2025. Kim Quinn, finance director.

Thank you, mayor and city council. Um this is a big relief to have this done. This is also a big hurdle um in our calendar every year. Um you have the actual hard copy of the financial report. After it's presented to y'all tonight, we will post it uh to our website. Um and that's part of our transparency stars that we do. Um and we've got um our auditor here, Jennifer Ripka from Weaver, to go over some of the highlights and explain what the report means. Welcome.

Good evening. Um thanks for having me here tonight. My name is Jennifer Ripka and I'm the partner on the engagement. Um I've been working on this engagement for several years. Um I've been with the firm for 20 years. It's hard to believe I've been doing this that long, but um do a lot of cities and school districts across the state. Um so we'll go through the the acter itself and then I'll turn it over to you all for any questions that you have. So on page three of the ACER is the first opinion with regards to the financial statements itself. It just states that um we've issued an unmodified opinion. That's a clean opinion. It's the highest level of assurance that can be placed on a set of financial statements. Um so when you're looking at financial statements, this is really the best that you can get from an opinion standpoint. As you move further down into the report, starting on page 145, that's the other set of opinions. Um and this is with regards to the federal financial assistance that the city receives. And so anytime that you all receive either state um financial assistance or federal financial assistance, there is an additional audit that's required if you exceed the threshold. So you all did have expenditures in excess of $1 million. And so you did have um a single audit with regards to um that um that report. And for this one, it was the ARPA funding. So going back receiving, you know, CARES funding, ARPA was really the last of the COVID funding um that were that was received from the federal government and so about $3 million that you all receive and and expended during the fiscal year. Um we also issued an unmodified opinion on compliance with regards to that um funding. And so again, that's the best that you can get. Um as you move a little bit further into that report, there's kind of like a report card. um that's what I'll call it where it goes through that you all had no significant deficiencies, no material

weaknesses um in internal controls either over the financial statements or that federal funding. And so we do look at internal controls over the city as a whole as well as just specific to the federal financial assistance that we tested. Um and so not every city receives or um is required to um get a single audit. So, it takes it a step further in terms of looking at it from a compliance standpoint. Um, and so you all had that this fiscal year. As you go out and get more grant funding, um, that ups, you know, us being required to do that that testing as well. Um, so overall it was a great audit. Of course, Kim, Elizabeth, they're wonderful to work with. Um, we also talk to other people throughout the city as well. So, utility billing, a lot of the other departments have to deal with auditors as well. So, similar to the budget, the the audit spans a significant amount of time um that is outside of their, you know, day-to-day um that they have to deal with us. Um so, we do appreciate all the work that they do during the course of the audit to to get this um lovely document um for for you all um to approve. Um, but just again to reiterate, when um when we do these audits, you're looking for an unmodified opinion, no significant deficiencies, no material weaknesses. Um, and so when um in terms of the stewardship of the the management here with the dollars that you all receive, whether it be from a property standpoint, um sales tax, or federal funding, you know, everything was in accordance to um what we would expect. So, I'll turn it over to you all for any questions that you have.

Council questions. Brett, go ahead. Just one. Would you uh kind of explain what you told us? What page you're on? Oh, uh 150. Yep. Uh just generally what what would be an example of a material weakness?

Yeah. Material weakness would mean that we had a finding primarily typically it's a dollar threshold issue that's in excess of we set materiality thresholds. Um and so it would be two three times our materiality threshold and we had to go to Kim and her team and say you all missed this or we had an issue. Um fraud would be another stand um one that um would encompass a material weakness. um if you had an internal control finding where um it was hitting almost you know an entire um transaction class so like say cash dispersements and there was a breakdown in that control environment then that um potentially would be a material weakness as well.

Okay, thank you. Other questions for Jennifer? questions, comments? Um, well, thank you for doing this. We appreciate this information. I just want to let folks know that this report will be on our website. So, we we strive for transparency. In fact, we've got some transparency stars from the state recently for our up our efforts. So, this is on if you want if you have serious financial questions about the city and how we operate, this is the document to look at. This is sort of the Bible. I keep this at my desk. I refer to it. So, please folks, any out there, I'm not talking to you. Anybody out there listening, please if you want to know what the city's We want you all to read it.

Yes. Look at this document. It will be on the website. Happy to to answer any questions. Well, not me. Kim is happy to answer any questions. Um but u this is what proves to us that we are financially responsible with your money. Um so this is I mean this is an independent assessment. We uh you know we were not involved in this. I was not involved at all. So this is something uh Weaver and Tibble does for us to prove that we are good stewards of taxpayer dollars. So that's really what it means, right? And the very back has 10 years of information. So you it really shows the growth of the city as well. Um if you get that far. All right. No other questions. Thank you, Jennifer. Appreciate it.

All right. Moving forward, we are on 3D 2026 work plan workshop. Gabe,

mayor and council, I don't have uh too much new to add other than a couple things. Since our workshop last meeting, I got an email from a council member who would like to add a project to review our strategic plan. So, if you'll recall, some of y'all were here. We had a strategic plan created with the help of a consultant back in 2018 or 2019. It's about a 15-year plan, so we're about halfway through. Uh would be good to revisit that and check our progress and um you know, see if some of the goals that were recognized at that time are still on target. Think it's good. I think it also probably plays in well with uh one of the other projects to uh update the economic development plan, which was last updated in either 2016 or 2017. Um, another idea was to have u monthly updates uh at a council meeting, maybe the second council meeting. It's on camera. We can give updates, run through the projects. Each department can, you know, report back. Some months there's activity, some some months there's not. Uh, but with that, I think we have a good list. The next step would be to um put it in resolution form and adopt that. And u I'm excited, ready to get to work. So happy to answer any questions you might have.

Any other work plan related questions for Gabe? John, go ahead. Yeah, I know we talked about having monthly updates. Is was there any thought to putting, you know, some kind of time frame as far as goals where we should be at certain points throughout the year for this work plan? Yeah, I think that monthly progress reports with the camera we can all report. Um, that's probably the most. Okay. So we don't want to set like you know by Q2 on this particular thing. We want to be at Yeah. So you mean like per each individual work plan? Right. Okay. Just some some goals.

Some goal. Yeah. We could do that at a project level. I mean the reality is things change and all change throughout the year. But I'm happy to do that whatever [clears throat] the reporting the council desires. Yeah. I mean I think it would be good to have you know at least at least some kind of eyeball shot of like an Yeah. kind of what to expect. Yeah, you know, again, like you said, sometimes things change and I have no problem with with a date being pushed or not firm, but I want to have at least some kind of target. Sure. To to each project. So, yeah, I think the example was like the personnel um policy update. You know, there was, hey, we need action by next quarter, right?

Happy to accommodate that, but a lot of these projects the the council or the public doesn't see behind the scenes. So that's a that's a big ask. The policy is the simple part. You know, we can go get canned policies, but the review, the implementation discussion. Yeah. But I'm happy to whatever everyone wants. And if if something gets pushed out when you do your update, you just say, "Hey, you know, this is where we're at with this. It's going to get pushed out another month or two or whatever, right?"

I did uh I've told several of you this, but at one point there was a request to have uh like flowchart graphs, you know, colorcoded this at this date. I prepared this and uh sent it out and the the person that requested it never read it. So, you know, if we do something [clears throat] like that, maybe at least humor me and read it or post it on your refrigerator at home or something. But yeah, I'm happy to do whatever uh everyone's comfortable with and Well, I will promise you this much. No matter what you send me, I'll read. Sure. Yeah. No, it's good. He definitely wasn't talking to you, Nate. [laughter]

You know that. You know that. So just while we're here, I can I'll run through the U projects and again I think we have a really good list. Um the employee personnel manual update uh which we had talked about in 25 we would bring that forward and I think Melanie has uh already got some through TML or somewhere some standardized templates so we have a starting base to work with. So we'll begin reviewing that here pretty soon. um pending your action uh in a a few items. We anticipate preparationformational awareness for a bond. So that would be a project from last year, but we were kind of in pause. Uh continued discussions of a friends of of the park or another related nonprofit. This has been discussed with the parks board. We'll bring this up again and maybe uh similar to the 501c3 with the animal shelter, there may be a similar entity created. Um we're going to finish up our design services review. There's a lot of misconception out there about how professional services are procured. We should have presentation when Randy uh Randy is uh at the stock show. I'm confident he's watching us while he's there right now. But Randy and Jared and a couple others will present that our next meeting. Um, update and standardize our gateway city limits or welcome monument signs. I actually talked to David Flory on a kind of a random issue on Friday. They um his business does a lot of sign work and they've done some really nice signs in the area. Lake Worth. If y'all see signs, uh, signage for other cities in the area, snap a picture. That'd be helpful to begin thinking about. The goal is to have kind of a standard template, uh, and then figure out locations, perimeter of the city where we might install those. I mentioned this

earlier, update our economic development plan, which I believe was last adopted in 2016, so it's been some amount of time. review a street maintenance fee, which our neighbors in Fort Worth uh discussed that this this past year and I think are in the process of implementing a a specific fee. Uh update and review our facility deposit, rental fees, and recreation program offerings. uh hotel recruitment, hotel market study, uh tree assessment, which would include um potentially offering homeowners or HOAs an incentive to remove or replant trees that might damage pavement, which I wholeheartedly agree is something we need to look at. Um a plan for the reuse or renovation of the depot building. And then the last one would be review of our strategic plan. So again, I think that's a good list. We'll bring a resolution um here at our next meeting and happy to get to it.

Any questions for Gabe? Sean, go ahead. The um last time we had mentioned the cyber security audit. Cyber Yep. Thanks for Yep. No, you're right. Yep. I will. We did talk about that and I think Greg has already talked to had real high level discussions with one of our vendors that does but yeah I think that's time and that'd be good. Yeah. Yeah. And like I said I think I remember seeing somewhere in the eyeworks that they might do that too. So it's part of their scope. Yeah. I uh I think it is within the scope and we may just have a update or Yeah. some control test or something. Yeah. So yeah, just whenever the resolution comes, you know, we can set some some dates that

Sure. Yeah. anticipated quarters. That's doable. Any other questions for Gabe? You bring it back next the next meeting. Yeah, I think next meeting. Yeah. All right. Thank you, sir. Sir,

that was 3D. So 3E discussion regarding hiring policy for staff. Sean, what's on your mind? So, um I had just a couple questions um regarding our hiring policy. Um whenever I first had our meeting with uh Melanie and and Gabe, um I had asked, you know, about how we hire people. Do we post positions? Um and it was told to me that we post almost every position, which you know, I'm not saying, you know, we probably do. I I can't imagine that we wouldn't, but there has been some positions that have been created and I know that sometimes there's an instance where that might be necessary. Um, and I know that that is fully within your purview to to have ultimate hiring and firing decision. Um, so my question is, do we have a policy that says that we need to interview so many candidates? Do we have to post positions? And if we don't have that policy, might it be beneficial for the city to have that policy um for fiscal purposes, for talent purposes to make sure that we're getting the best talent and at the best price?

Sure. So, our policy is there's really three ways we can fill a vacancy. Very simple. It's for the city of Sageno or any private business or, you know, large corporation. Uh you can do a external recruitment, you can do an internal recruitment, or you can just just do a placement uh appoint someone to a position. This has been common in every city I've worked for and probably common in many of the organizations y'all have worked for. So my preference is to allow the hiring manager to decide who they want to pick. uh whenever I was coming up and a manager and a director, I didn't want people, you know, interfering in day-to-day honor operations or managers having honorous requirements. So, um I think that's worked really well, the reality is although we're one organization, one city, the hiring is much different dependent on department. There's different needs, there's different qualifications. Um, you're all aware my preference when we can is to um promote from within, which we do. You know, we've had a uh our new building official was a a recent uh promotion and that wasn't an open process. He was uh supervisor Doug decided that, you know, he was he was it. We didn't do an external recruitment. There was no one internally. So, you know, I think that's the most efficient and practical way to conduct business. I think it reflects the uh capability of our hiring managers which is our departments and you know my general stance would be if it ain't broke don't fix it. So uh if we were in a like a civil service type city you would have some of these requirements that you you know have mentioned like you do a ro like eligibility test or something do x amount of interviews or that sort of thing becomes honorous. Um,

I think it takes away from the department that that's trying to fill a vacancy. So, I think sort of what you mean is like for example, a placement for someone in police and fire is different than at the library. Absolutely. They have interview processes and standards and it's a different position. So, I I think it's sort of what we're referring to. Maybe and and I'm speaking for or just asking Sean, maybe your question is do we have a written policy? Is that really part of your question or what is in our I mean, you know, I I have no problem with a manager. In fact, I would prefer that the hiring manager make the selection. Sure. You know, and obviously you would have ultimate say to veto that or not or, you know, if you're if you're I don't interfere, right?

If it's my position, I'll exactly um you know, and I don't have a problem with that. But, you know, there may be somebody out there that we might have an idea of who we want for that position, but it might be good to look at other options. Yeah. You know, and and I'm not this not to say that if there's somebody that's great. It's also going to help that person kind of perform well at an interview and and it's good for growth, personal growth, professional growth. Um, you know, it's not to say that we can't pick who we want. Sure. Right. I still want to have that that that process, but I want to be able to have options because there might be somebody out there that just blows us away, right, as managers. And we we didn't even know that was possible. So,

yeah,

I and to be respectful, I would say there's no us. It's one person that's a hiring manager. And I respect their decision and how they want to conduct a search. It's really that simple. Now to to address your concerns about you know hey there might be somebody we don't know about. One thing we do about annually is we have a career development form. We ask employees to write down what their you know ultimate career goal is. So if somebody's happy with their job that's great. We want to keep them happy and hope that they stay with us. If they have a desire to promote you really need to tell your supervisor about that or maybe at least have a conversation and talk about hey what does the future look like? Uh lots of good examples of folks who start off in, you know, one position or one department and transition on. Um Randy Pulk, uh I think our longest tenure firefighters started off in the public works department, became interested in the in in fire, made that transition. All of our building inspectors were in public works once upon a time and then became trained. So, we want that to happen to the extent that we can. I mean, for for the council, it's been our stated goal to promote from within where possible. Yeah. Where possible, not always necessarily, but

I believe, and correct me if I'm wrong, I believe that helps with our morale with opportunities. I'm looking around the room at folks and I'm seeing people that I know came up through the ranks. Yeah.

And I won't sing nobody out, but Jared Kersy um definitely came up through the ranks and started here when you were very young if I recall. So, and is now in a senior leadership position. So, that's what we want in Sagenov. Um I I ask Gabe a lot. Gabe and Lee or are we building our bench? Do if if if any one of our directors u our department has walked out the door today, do we have a staff, somebody in house? If not, we can go find somebody, but do we have a potential in house? I think that's important uh to build our bench. Uh and it's important for morale folks coming in and say, "Hey, I've got an opportunity for growth in the city of Sageno." We're a big enough organization now, which that really is is a good expectation for somebody to have coming in.

Yeah. um we you know we can't always compete with some of the big cities financially but we can with our our culture, our growth, our potential things like that. So that's one thing we try to leverage uh against all the other cities that are competing for our talent. And we've we've had some good and again it just depends kind of case by case but there's been some good um external hires uh Ronnie um in public works came from was he Grand Prairie? Yeah. and had a lot of experience at that time. There wasn't anyone to step up and be utility superintendent. Um yeah, Paul Rosinski. Um

had 30 some years in Ulus. So, you know, it just it depends on the position and I think really what helps us uh and especially recently with with several folks is there's some connection either someone lives in town. So, one of our um newest customer ser service folks up front lives like two streets away and it's a quick commute. She enjoys being here. Uh Jay in public works I believe lives in town. So, somebody has a tie. They went to school here or Yeah. So, it also helps with retention. I mean, if if if you know there's there's room for growth, you're going to stick around. If there's not, they're going to go somewhere else. And it's hard finding good people. And if we already got them, let's keep them.

Yeah. Yep. I forgot to mention my favorite city secretary as well. So, it's definitely a homegrown talent. Vicki, you were Yeah, you were how old public works actually. In public works. Yeah. Okay. And then promoted within four months to fulltime position for a court position and did that for several years and then promoted to court administrator and kind of progressed from there on. Awesome. I hope Janice wasn't listening. [laughter] See, my former We've all had the same stories. She started off as well like that too. That's very true.

Well, and I definitely think that that's a that's a benefit for sure. I just I if it's council's pleasure to to have that policy. If not, then that's fine. But I just I would like to see, you know, because then at least we know that there's been we've looked at candidates. We've looked at multiple options. And you know, that way if somebody asks a question, we can say, "Hey, you know, [clears throat] we we interviewed three people. we pick the best one and we kind of cover our backs that way. But um

I I understand where you're coming from and I understand I understand but the reality is I trust our hiring managers and uh sometimes let and three I know is just a arbitrary number sometimes we we might not have three applicants for a position especially if it's tough to fill. Um so to have some sort of requirements that we have to do X Y or Z to me it's unnecessary. So that's my opinion. You mentioned you know covering our back that means legal BR that means legal and I don't think there's a legal concern with hiring from within or interviewing folks. What is and I know you're well what what is that what does that mean legally?

Yeah there there really aren't any legal prescribed rules on how you select the candidate. I have a copy of the the city's hiring policies and it says you can hire from within or you can advertise out. It currently gives the city manager the structure to decide which avenue is is most effective. Uh but there are no state law constraints on how the hiring process goes up. Obviously, you can't hire based on a discriminatory basis. Sure. But other than that, there really aren't any uh uh procedures that are dictated. Okay. Thank you, Brent. I think ultimately it wasn't for legal. It's more like, you know, you you talk about your trust to your hiring manager, your hiring manager reports to you or to their boss and then you report to us and we report to the citizens. Sure.

So, if the citizens have a question and we say, "Well, we don't know how that person got in the position." It's kind of hard. You know, at least we have something to say, Yeah. you should have that person contact me. Be happy to because I'm responsible for the staff and I would more than likely direct them to the hiring manager. Yeah. So,

yes, Mary, go ahead. and u say we have a very small department you may not have had an opportunity to uh [clears throat] let somebody you know move up but in that case if you didn't have somebody ready to move up I think Texas town and city publication advertises openings and these are all people that probably work for cities already and and it's kind of a unique animal working for a city. Sure. So that that's a good obvious place to look if you don't have someone from within, which I'm sure you are aware of that,

right? We advertise on our website. We advertise on um Texas Municipal League like they have like a job board. Um so all the standard things um and it's it's position by position. So some positions we get a pretty strong pool. I think we have a a rec center attendant that what do we have 40 applications or something? 55. Yeah. So, that's for a part-time position. That's that's a good strong pool.

Um I don't believe we we don't have any internal. Um you contrast that with like we're we've kind of been struggling for a few months for a automotive mechanic. Um and I I think we've got maybe a handful three. Yeah. So it just it it depends on the position and you know whatever the job market is. So excellent. Any other questions for Gabe? Well, Nick, go ahead. Yeah, I just I'm trying to figure out take all of this in and stuff. So, I mean to me we got to we do have a policy. I haven't read it. So, can somebody send it to all the council? So, so at least we have it. Sure.

Then council you can read it or not. I'll read it if you send it. [laughter] Well, don't don't read it too closely because we're we're planning on changing it soon. Update it.

But uh I mean I I I don't know exactly if there's a concern or just a question, but I mean anytime you talk about hiring, the one thing you want to make sure that somebody somewhere don't have their thumb on the scale. So, I'm I'm I'm very happy to hear that we we let the managers at the lowest possible level, of course, pick the people in that department uh for it, that um you know that uh the mayor isn't coming in and saying, "Okay, here's your new person and oh, here's John, by the way." Okay. So, I'm that's that that's very good to hear that. And uh because uh that does happen.

Yeah. And you know uh then the second thing is just going through the the policy itself and and and we do it and it's and kind of the way we do it here from what I hear seems like a if not at all I would consider almost a best practice and I'll give some I throughout micro had the opportunity to hire and interview many many different plethora of people and things and I can say that I've worked with some companies which required you to send every single position out. And I can tell you exactly what happens. The managers, I've done it myself in this company, we will write the notice going out to exactly match the person we want to hire. Okay?

Then we will have the we'll weed them out as much as we can so we don't even have to interview them. So then we'll get down to let's say we there's three of them that we just can't weed out. they're just too good. And then we will proceed to have that interview knowing good and well no matter what they do at the end person A the one that we wanted to begin with. So we done wasted the company's time and more importantly we wasted the individual and they'll never know it. Okay? Because when they get the dear John letter back it's going to be written very vague and you know and and written that way but it's due to policy. So on the theory that it's really good because we're going to go out there and we're going to we're going we're going to get the best possible candidates. In reality, what it does is this person who you had working for you or in your organization that was already very qualified even when they get the position I can tell you it will put a bad taste in their mouth. You have tainted that employee. Okay. And um it's I understand the one path that we're going to go we're going to make absolutely sure we get the best person but you've already got the best person. The hiring manager knows that on those cases you really need to to move it to move it along on those. So I I really really caution us to uh really think about before we'd say that every single position has to go out and there has to be a interview process because I guarantee you we're all humans. We if I'm the hard I can only take it because I've done it that we will figure out ways around it to get that person that we want. Okay. Second off is I know that there's companies out there and I think there's even cities out there that won't hire from within. get to a certain level absolutely will not. And what ends up happening is people who's on a trajectory to growth, they know that. And what you end up doing, you start losing. And what you actually end up

being, which is great for cities like us, is they get to build these people up and then we get to bring them in. Okay. And so that we we got to be very careful about that, too.

Yeah. And and then the the last one is is the you know hiring you know if you don't have some a capable and you're hiring from within again it should be up to as long as we have standard practices and like we said uh as to send the send it out of what we want it should be the hiring manager like you said that pulls together and his group decides who's the absolute uh best candidate uh for for that and um within other exceptions, you know, um that that's really the way it should work. Yeah,

I appreciate Nick. I know you've got a lot of experience and I appreciate your insight. One thing I want to remind folks and I just thought about this. Let's remember that our city charter says all employees report to Gabe, the city manager. Gabe reports to the council. Only a few positions report to council. You know, city engineer, uh those kind of things and and the city manager and everybody else reports to the city manager [clears throat] on down the chain. So, let's keep that in mind. City Secretary. City Secretary. You're right. So, let's let's keep that in mind that we're not to get involved with individual hiring firing. I'm not going to tell Russell Ragdell who to hire, who not to hire on his police department. That'd be a terrible idea. And I don't want anybody else doing that as well. So, let's please keep that in mind. Yeah. Per the city charter, that is our role.

So, and that's Gab's role. That's Lee's role. How that's how it works. So, please remember that. Uh, all things fall back to the charter and we don't talk about that enough. So, that Sorry, that's my soap box. All right. Any other questions? All right. Thank you, Gabe. Appreciate it. Thank you, guys. Uh, four. We're on four. 4 A. Consideration action regarding ordinance 2026-3 calling a bond election to be held May 2nd. And that says May 2nd, 2026. So, that's a typo there. We're not calling a retroactive bond election. Um, it says it says Gabe, but I'm going to kick it off. Unless you've got something, I'm going to kick it off. Right. So, we we discussed this a lot. Um, and I just want to sort of roll back to our last meeting and to where we left it. Uh, we left the three areas we discussed. One was streets and I think we've came a pretty good consensus that it's going to be East Meroy and Industrial for $37 million.

$38 million. Okay. And I think we're good with those two on the bond election. I think everybody's good with that. We said that last time, so thumbs up there. We're not going to discuss that anymore. Two is parks. Uh, we sent Council Member St. clear office some action items which he is uh has completed about the parks and with the parks board. So I want to turn over to Brack to talk about that.

So we had a special called meeting of the parks board last night and uh in which they reviewed some of the top concerns for the city uh part of the master parks plan and then some action items that they had um from what they had accomplished with the 4 million that we did in 2021. uh moving forward to what what would be the priority to look at. Um and they actually had a statement prepared and since there's no um parks board member here, I'm going to go ahead and read it off. Make sure I get my right list. Um but they actually uh issued a statement that they wanted to give to the council and it is um it is the advisement of the parks board that the city prioritize improvements at the following parks. William Houston, Willow Creek North, Highland Station, and Sagewood with the emphasis on bringing aging playground equipment up to safety standards, adding pickle ball and multi-use court offerings and trail connectivity. So, um I know that uh someone on council had wanted kind of a a a direct list of what what would we be getting for for this? And um I encourage them to uh be general enough that uh we wouldn't be locked into if we experience savings in a on a certain project, we wouldn't be locked into not being able to go and do more with that money. Um we could probably write up the similar how we did last time on the parks uh bond election. I don't recall the wording to that, but I would assume our bond council can steal from that wording or keep it as you said, open enough uh

to have some flexibility there. Is is that a good statement, Bren? Is that a reasonable statement or you going to defer to bond counsel? Yeah, it's reasonable. [laughter] Good. Okay, we will defer to all this stuff is not finalist. Will bond council approve? I [clears throat] can say this much. I can get behind uh the parts thing with with with what what your recommendation is. Okay. tied in to the uh to the actual thing today. Yeah. Remember, it's all coming out of the the park the master plan. Yeah. There's a lot more in that master plan than that. But I like that. But all the stuff that that he talked about is in here. Yeah, it is in here. That's what we're pulling from. That's why we did this several years ago. So, did they give you a total?

Well, uh they were working off of the the 6 million. uh their general feeling is is that u they could use all they can get, right? [laughter]

And um and if council is comfortable with 6 million, then they feel like all of that can be accomplished addressing. So the we only have three playgrounds left in the entire city that haven't been updated. Um and those are uh Sagewood uh the Willow Creek North by the softball field and the um and William Houston. Uh the one down by the dog park is going to be taken care it hadn't been done yet, but it's going to be taken care of with the previous with the 2021 bond. And um we got a playground assessment that had a lot of safety concerns about uh some of the equipment and um this would address every bit of that. So we we would be up to speed on that. We'd have updated um with the the surfacing um with the screening overhead. Um, so there's uh a lot of a lot of things that can happen with this. Six million sounds like just an absolute ton of money, but when you start picking apart what projects to do, um, it doesn't leave enough money to do a big project and all these other things. and they started putting a a higher priority on taking care of the safety concerns um and making sure that we're getting more connected to the parks. We're providing ways for people to get to the parks easier. Uh that when they're there, they're able to be safe and enjoy the experience and um and that's with the pickle ball and the replacement of playgrounds. So

that's good. So 6 million parks, 6 million. Last time it was four, this time it's six. Oh, got a question. Yeah, I just I just had a question. Um the uh Opel Joe Jennings and Brian Schwingler, each one of those, how much about were those to be completed? You rec uh I know it was close to Kim's got it. I'm sure she does. Yeah, Opel might have been three or 400,000. Schwingler was a little more because it had a court, right? Ball court. The all one point. I think they were around 390. Yeah, one point. Swingler was more because there was a ball core. Yeah. And I know that it had like a um the the soil compaction. There were drainage issues there too, right? Soil test. They had to amend it.

Right. We're going to have drainage issues a lot of our parks unfortunately. And I believe when Kinley Horn presented it and everything, it was like 500,000 for each and the bids came in a lot less. So we were able to do a lot more.

Right. The challenging part about adding up the cost of those parks is that we did it kind of a unique way where public works um purchased through by board the playground equipment separately. So the actual bids that we brought forward were just um the contractors to do the work for the um site and civil and drainage sidewalk stuff like that. So that's why we're it's two pieces of information we'll need to get you that number. I was just curious because I'm thinking, you know, there's those three parks, but the William Houston one, it's not just that. It's the land there that's going to need improvement. So, it's consider more.

Another thing that was mentioned, and I kind of forgot to bring this up, but when they were talking about the playground improvements, they were also talking about the restrooms where appropriate. So, like Sagewood wouldn't require a restroom, um, but William Houston would. and uh Willow Creek North probably would. So, um they were kind of considering that in the number which kind of drives the cost up a little bit because you've got restrooms, uh gazeos, um things of that nature that so they weren't just talking about only the playground equipment and that's it. They were they were kind of broadening the scope a little bit. Yes, ma'am.

Oh, Mary, go ahead. And also, if this passes, I'm sure we'll be having some town hall meetings to get input from the Sageno residents what what [clears throat] they're interested in. They specifically mentioned last night that the um the town hall meetings that we had for Opel Joe and for Brian Schwingler were very helpful in deciding kind of the theme and the the colors and and all of that. We they definitely want to make sure that there's community involvement in and picking some of that stuff out.

Yeah. I mean, the the big thing is you're it's not meant today to to design it and solve it. It's to point point in a direction and allocate the funds or not even allocate the funds. All we're doing is the voters, asking the citizens, asking the voters to now, even after this, every single one of these, every time a project comes up, it's going to have to come back before us to actually have the funding allocated to it and things like that. So, yes.

Yeah. I just wanted to make sure for like for public visibility that, you know, you think if you're only listing three parks, I can see us getting questions about that and being like, well, six million, that's 2 million per park. But it's not just that. There's a whole lot more that has to be done and we're talking about, you know, prioritizing connecting them and safety improvements and restrooms. I mean, I'm my kids are really excited about Brian Schwingler opening up because we live right down the street, but that was one of the things that we talked about and I think you had said that, you know, the consensus was they didn't need restrooms there and and it's a shame because I live right down the road, but man, it seems like we get there and then they're like, "Hey, we have to pee." I'm like, "Well, as some parents say, this it's their way to get tell the kids they got to go home. Yeah.

They got to go to the bathroom. They got to go home. Yeah. I I uh a couple of those little be what I call little neighborhood parks. Yeah. I talked I I went there and talked to citizens as they came and I asked, "What do y'all think about putting a bathroom here?" And they said, "Oh, no, no. This I use this." [laughter] That's funny. And and Jerry can probably attest to I mean, we end up with a lot of vandalism and issues when we do have the bathrooms and it's a place for people to hide and do things. So, it's unfortunate. It is, but I think it's a good baseline that you got there.

One of the thing, um, Brack you mentioned about was potentially updating the parks and rec master plan. Can you speak to that?

Yeah. Um so we as a part of the previous bond package uh we included creating the master plan and getting that in place. Uh it's been in place uh we've done some things we varied from it a little bit in some of the projects. So what I would like us to do if this bond passes is recommend to do a refresh on on the parks master plan just bring it back up to uh incorporate the things that have been accomplished with it. uh that are no longer necessary to have on our 5-year projection. And then uh just just do a a general refresh, which won't cost near as much. Um but it will also keep us eligible for grant funding and just kind of keeps all the all the wheels in motion. [snorts]

And talk about that before we move on. I I I've heard a lot of these other cities who's building just phenomenal parks and they're getting like a ton of it. approved through different types of grants. I'm not a grant guy. That's not my house. I I don't But [snorts] I I do like I say, I heard Halton Sydney did one, Orange Hills did one and they're like they, you know, they they're doing things way better and it's somehow they're getting these grants and I want to make sure even though it's a my wills, I want to make sure that the Sageno residents are getting more than their fair share of these grants. So, whatever it takes, however we able to do that, whoever the expert is,

we need to go after that. I've become the expert over the last two weeks. So, I think Paul brought this up at the last meeting. I started with about 20 grants. Um, and I've whittleled it down to about seven and I'm going to sit down with Jared and Randy next week or so. And then the ones that they like, um, I have all the examples, the funding amounts, and the cycle they run on. We're going to set calendar reminders to apply for every single one of those grants every cycle. So, okay, we're moving in the right direction for that. I I agree. We've not done a good job of going after parks and rec grants in the last few years. We We need to do better. Absolutely.

But a lot of those grants, they have limits and they have matching elements. So, some of the stories I've heard about what Halum City got or what other cities got. I went and fact checked and um they did not get as much as we heard. So, like the maximum for a lot of those grants is $750,000 when the Halum City pond cost $4 million. So, they didn't get $4 million, but they did get some matching grant. Isn't that part of the reason we did the master of the parks master plan, too? Right. You need a master plan. You have to have that in place in order to to take advantage of the grant. That's part of the reason why we did it. [snorts] Excellent.

Okay. So, I think so I'm going to I'm going to keep going back and summarizing. So, I think Proposition A is going to be streets for 38 million. Proposition B is going to be parks for 6 million with the detail provided uh by staff and the bond council. Everybody okay with those two? A and B.

Okay. C is the one that we'll discuss a little more tonight. So C would be an animal shelter. Uh we discussed a few things last week. Well, we discussed a lot uh other things last last month, last meeting, sorry. Uh about what how much and what we took. We pulled council and I know we have some results from that. Um, I know folks have have had time to think about it and quell um on what potentially for an animal shelter what we could do. Any discussion, questions, concerns, or even thoughts about animal shelter and going forward and dollars and I'll start with the mayor pro Tim. I'm still at 15 million.

Okay. Is there any more information you need? You good with what we have today? The only thing to it, I mean, they've already got their 501c. If if they can generate other funds and put more into it, you know, I would support that. But, um, from the city taxpayer standpoint, 15 million would be. So, that means 15 all in, right? Okay. Excellent. And that does not include the land, correct? Okay. Just to make sure we're clear on that what we're talking. So, Mr. Lawson, so let me ask one question. I guess 50 million would get us to what you call option C. Is that what it is or option three? It's the

Yes. Um it the uh needs assessment placed the option C at about 10,000 a little under 10,000 square feet. Yeah. Option three, I mean. Um and a 2027 total project cost at 14,573,000. Okay. So that that's where we're going. So that that's one when we say 15 million, that's kind of where we're shooting at. So okay, I I'll do that with a couple exceptions. I don't know why the land wouldn't be included because that's what's you said that C has the land included in it, right?

No, that's 14 something when you gave those three options last time. Unless you thought including 27 573 550 So quickly give me the outdoor tax title license. It's mine. I'm moving in and I got dogs and cats including the land

everything. Yep. I don't know if we want to do that because we talked about doing the land separately on a co. Okay. So, that would be apart from the bond. Okay. I just don't I just want to make sure we conflate too many things together. So, that's what we talked about last time unless the council had a change of heart. Okay. About getting the land independently of the bond. Okay. to answer your question,273,5 I do agree because the the land we wanted to do the CO because if we wait it's not going to be there right

okay personal [clears throat] we could buy the land today okay get it it's ours yes we could go for this bond if we get the bond We we could take the money and then pay off that. We we could if we want to or we could not. It could be done. So anyway, with that being said, I can get behind the 15 million with what Paul said. Okay. With another stipulation. What's that?

When we go with this option C, we're basically taking all of the storage out of that animal shelter. So I I think that we have to build them back like a barn. So in that 15 million with what they said, I'd like I'd like somehow to tie a barn like a I don't you you tell me the size. I think we was talking about a 20 by 30. Yeah, I think there's the a unairconditioned metal building that would seal up to the elements and rodents and whatnot could be cheaply built within the project cost. I'm not putting my horse in.

You said within the project cost. Yeah, I I think we can do that. You know, the thing to keep in mind is when you saw those three options. Yeah. Each option two and three which as they progressively got lower in cost just cut out square footage. Yeah. Some of those features were identified in those square footage cuts. Others were just storage room. Others were just reducing the size of other rooms in the facility.

Right. So I think there is a lot to be I think if you just set the amount at 15 million and we move quickly with it and the bond passes and everything I think there's a pro probability that that could be rearranged again in a in an actual architectural plan. Again remember we don't have an actual architectural plan. These are just conceptual floor plans to base an estimate on at this point. So, I think in an architectural plan, you could recover some of that storage room or with an out building uh that would be better than a shipping crate, which is what we have now.

Uh and it still be a a win-win situation with the overall cost of the project. Well, it could be attached, just not climate controlled and everything. Absolutely. Could be attached. We we looked at it. I mean, I've looked at a couple of things and discussed it with quorum. You could expand the size of the sallyport essentially as an unairconditioned pseudo storage facility that you could drive through. I mean there's a lot of different ways you could do that and we have certainly have the land area available to to make a couple of options there.

Yeah, because I mean grant you there's a there's more things say what's wrong with our wor out animal shelter than what's right. But when you go in there they got things stacked everywhere. And what I don't want to do, what I want to make sure that as we take all of this space out that we still can create place for them to store stuff. And it doesn't have to be air conditioned. Like I said, I'm talking about a barnaminium. I'm talking about a barn you'd see out in the farm. [clears throat] Yeah, I I think that's entirely possible. And and we can find some other cost savings within the design to make that happen if it hits

threshold. And if we move quickly, we can probably get some additional savings. Yeah, I mean that 2027 cost is it has a lot of uh escalation added into it. Cool. Thank you, Nick. Valerie 15. You okay with 15? Okay. Any questions or comments? No, I think they can make a nice one for 15 million. Excellent. Um before we go too far, I don't want to miss We have somebody wants to speak on this. Dan, you want to come now? Mr. Dan Dford, I don't want to leave you out before we got too far along to discussion. So, okay.

Until now, I didn't know what was all going to be on 20263. It wasn't clearly stated. And no worries, it's multiple pages, but just my notes. Uh, I'm Dan Dford. Uh, grew up here in Sagena. I live at 240 North Hampshire Street. Uh, other than you and me. Are we the only ones been here our whole lives? Rally's been here forever.

I've been here forever. I marched with you to keep that place up. [clears throat] So anyway, it's my first time coming up here. I speak with some of you on a regular basis. Sean, we're pretty much just on Facebook stuff. We're working on the trash thing. Uh I don't agree with what they want to bring, but I've got some great options. And I've talked to you guys on some other options, too. Uh sorry I haven't talked to y'all, but we just haven't met. Anyway, I'm an advocate of the of the animal control shelter. They do need a new place. However, I'm coming to you as a person that voted down the last one. We had zero information. We didn't know it was coming. It was on the ballot and I was like, I don't know what that is. No. Same thing happened to the big gymnasium this uh school district wanted to build. They no information, large number on the ballot. The only thing failed. They needed it. It was going to be a big, you know. Anyway, [clears throat] I went down a rabbit hole trying to figure this thing out. I wanted to get educated, get some information, try a rabbit hole. I came to this meeting when they were supposed to present and tell us what they wanted to do with through the architect. She didn't show up. Wasn't able to. Illness in the family. Fine. I got to hear a really good thing from him about e about uh Mroy Boulevard. I do believe phase one. Yes, please concrete that thing. Uh I sat there and watched truck drivers almost lose trailers in a ditch. I mean, if we're going to have cars next to semi's taking a right, we got to fix that road. Uh, which now I'm actually talking about that one, too. I do agree. Um, so I want to get to the bottom of my rabbit hole. I thought, well, maybe I'll get a hold of the animal shelter ad uh advising committee and talk to them, go to some of their meetings. I don't know if you know it, but on record, this may not be true, but on record on the city website, you're listening to a committee

that only had two meetings in 2024, and only one meeting in 2025. And in none of those meetings in 25, the one meeting, did they talk about the animal shelter. There's no minutes in their meetings. They're bringing you information. You're making your decision on this. There's nothing for us to go find as a citizen to show that due diligence has been done. I'm a uh I'm a professional uh safety officer. Everything has to be done by a standard. Everything has to be traceable. If an accident occurs, we take it back to the root cause. When we fix it all the way back up to the top under a very basic root cause analysis, I can't find information on this dog shelter, animal shelter. I don't know. I I agree with 10,000 square feet. I've done some of my own numbers for what we have. 10,000 square feet fully built out at $500 a square foot. It's not 15 million. I'm not getting that number. And there's a lot more citizens that if this goes to bond and the information is not out there. If you can tr prove to us somehow, let us know what this is, where it's going, and what it looks like. I met somebody that talked at the last one where the they were supposed to show up, told me a bunch of stuff in the parking lot. I cannot find was he correct or was he not? I can't find that information. How did he get it? You know, are they buying this land over by railroad tracks? The dogs are going to be making people mad when they bark. I don't know. Where's the land? Where's the property we want to buy? So, as an advocate, I'm just letting you guys know if y'all could bring us more information. Uh, I mean, social media is great, but people that vote on items, they have a pocketbook, they have a job, and they don't have time to sit on Facebook. Luckily enough, I, you know, I kind of get a hint that something's happening and Sean drives me to the place where I can really talk about it. Uh, but there's nothing out there about this other than the fact it's coming and it's a big bill. And the big bill hit last

time. It failed. No one knew what was coming. So, that's what I'm bringing to you today. If y'all could do that, please. Uh, I believe everything else should I don't have any problems with Mroy. need it fixed. But I I have I have a fear that it's not going to go through unless we have a really good understanding of what's going on. All right. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Dan. Yeah, Lee, go ahead.

Um I Let me just give Mr. Dorth We've spoken over the phone. I've met him, I think, once. Uh I I'll be glad to sit down with him and any other citizen and discuss the whole issue with with them and give them any details we have. I'm actually just now as of today um in possession of the final needs assessment of quorum that was written up. Um there was a minor little error in it. Then I'm going to ask uh be corrected and then we'll have a the the actual final product to disseminate to anybody that needs it. Um but I'll be glad to give you Mr. diff with any information that we've got. And the uh just for the record, the the animal shelter advisory board um has met quarterly consistently since I've been here. And I think last year we had five or six meetings. Yeah, five meetings at least in in 2025 because we were kind of assigned some additional duties that were uh not within the traditional scope of the of the board. But that but they were glad to do that and met five times. Um and but the the animal shelter project itself has only come up to the board one time and that was this year in the last meeting that we had. So we have another meeting coming up. Um be glad to get put that out as well too.

No. Can can we start all our other meetings now? We're we're we're videoing conferencing and everything. Can we start doing that with the animals? Yeah, we there's been a conflict on the scheduling of this room uh on their traditional night that they were boo uh scheduled, but in the next meeting we're going to start holding them here. Can we do them out the library as well? I mean, we spent a lot of money on technology over there. Yeah, we could. And you could do it at fire station one if you needed to. They got that big big conference room.

Right. Well, and and one thing one thing to remember, this was not originally discussed in detail at the the animal shelter uh advisory board. It was discussed at the bond committee uh in 2025. They had three or four meetings that were they're on they're on the web. Uh they were recorded on the web and the that group met I guess three times. Was it more than three or four and they did their work. So that that's where that uh the genesis of that was. It was not discussed in detail at the animal shelter board. It was discussed at the bond committee.

Well, here here's what I get from this. We have a citizen who tried to do due diligence. He had heard through the grapevine that there's an animal shelter coming and it's a big bill. He did his due diligence. He went out to our websites and he tried to find information on it and he couldn't. And all he's tell he's coming here telling us that it's going to be a big bill. And in the past when things like this came, the city itself and the school district did not do their due diligence in making sure that the citizens understood exactly what we were asking for and it failed. He he's been a very good citizen. He's come here spend his own time to tell us do better. So I I take that very seriously.

So mayor,

good comments. Here's what I would recommend uh pending your action calling an election. You'll recall our last bond election in 21 was successful. Uh staff's position in this bond election or any bond election is only to provide information. Uh Mr. Meredith will provide a disclaimer at some point uh to sort of explain all that. Uh what we anticipate is once the propositions have been decided by you, we would prepare anformational mailer as we did in 21 that would go out to every household um so that people are aware of the propositions. We created a dedicated website last time. I think it was sagen TX21. We have one uh this time we'll activate it. all the background documents, the studies and assessments will make that kind of the central uh storehouse. So if people are interested, they can click and find, you know, hey, why was this assessment done? Or in the case of the animal shelter, we essentially had two reviews. Um we also would propose and Pedro has a kind of a draft schedule of doing town hall meetings by proposition. So we'll have one night we'll discuss streets. Uh why are streets so freaking expensive? The average person probably wants to know.

There's uh it it's not just paper, it's drainage. And um as you know, we have very flat grade here. So making drainage work is difficult. Um we would do the same with the park improvements. I think that the uh park board has already done some of the work and can it provide information to people that are interested? Then we would do the same with the animal shelter, a town hall. I think it'd also be helpful to have a site visit so that anybody that's not aware of the conditions can tour and kind of understand, hey, why are we even discussing this? So, the point's well taken. I think uh we'll talk about a little later, but we're getting our engagement uh to Pedro's credit and effort. He's doing a good job, which is difficult for me to acknowledge because as you know, he's from Dallas and I've just got a hang up with Dallas. So, uh, but hey, the information is getting out there. Um, our communications folks, uh, especially with video, are doing some really wonderful things that will continue.

Um, I think we did it with the library, a good architectural rendition of what this animal shelter would look like. Agree. People have an idea. Pictures worth a thousand words. I think you're right. And and Mr. Diver's point, you know, where's it going to be? Yeah, that'd be we know the parcel, general parcel. We need to be able to show people here's where and you know approximately what it would look like, square footage, that sort of thing. Yeah.

Okay. Excellent. Um, continuing with our discussion, we had Valerie said her number. Uh, I will say mine I'm happy with 15. I think that's a sweet spot. Uh, I think any more than that is just it's a it's a huge number. It really is. Um, I think 15 can work. And as you mentioned, Dan brought up, we will have to do some work selling this and getting the information out there. We've got, forunately, it's not till May. We've got time, but we will work have need to work very hard to get all the information out there so folks completely understand what they're voting on. Brett, you want to say something? Go ahead. Yes. Before we mention our dollar amounts, I would like to know if anybody else in the audience wanted to speak and I do have that email that I wanted to read out. Okay.

So, I don't think we should make a decision till we hear from everybody. I only had one request to speak one card from Dan. So there was nobody else. The only one. Okay. So do you want to read that one from please? This was a gentleman that emailed us I guess earlier today and could not could not attend this meeting.

Um we got this email the whole city council and our city manager this morning and I asked the individual if he minded if I would read this out in the meeting and he gave me his permission and to mention his name also. So, I think it's important to have this in the public record. So, I don't know if everybody on the council had a chance to read that either. Uh, dear mayor and city council, I'm going to put on my glasses, my reading glasses. Uh, this email is a simple request. I was at the last city council meeting but cannot attend tonight's due to work schedule. I have previously gone through the animal shelter estimates and was happy to see that they generally agreed with each other's estimates. As an engineer, I tend to agree with the opinions of professionals who have built similar facilities before. In my line of business, many decisions are based on previous projects. It's a very good way to estimate future projects. I think our city can experience lightning striking twice. My kids grew up in the old library and we loved it. But admittedly, the new library has been awesome. It is designed to fit the next 50 years of Sageno or more. The parking lot is always busy, which is a testament to its value to the community. The new library is already a landmark here. A

new animal shelter will do the same. Let's cry once about the price, not twice. As was said at the last meeting, there is a contingent of people who will always vote against every bond regardless of how beneficial it is to Sagenov. Please don't cater to them. We are blessed with a great animal shelter staff and volunteers who have been able to do amazing things with an absolutely jampacked small shelter. Imagine what they could do with a modern expanded facility, one with all the amenities that will keep up with Sageno for the next 50 years. There are a lot more animal lovers in Sagena than Bond haters. One of my favorite sayings is that the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. Let's build a mighty oak of an animal shelter, not a Bradford pear tree that looks looks nice for the first few years. but then falls down five years later and crushes our car. At a minimum, please secure the large land swap for the shelter. Get that hurdle out of the way. Then do your best to build the best and biggest animal shelter we can. Kind regards, John Dre. And he has a PS note. This is kind of funny. I wrote this this morning without AI before I drank my coffee.

Imagine how much better it could have been with coffee. Haha. So, I just thought it was important to get that point of view out there before we mention our figures. Thank you, Mary. Um, Bra, I'm definitely a numbers guy. So, in lie of giving you my exact dollar figure, um, I'm willing to go with the the 15 million. Okay. Thanks, sir. Sean, [clears throat]

so I think before I've stated on the record that I think somewhere between that 12 and 15 is is where we need to be. Um, you know, Mr. Ditfurt and I, we've kind of done our research on our own and I'm I think I'm still sticking with my 12 number. Yep. Mary,

um, before I give my number, I don't know how many of you knew my number last week was 20 million and that is based on building a facility that does meet all of the requirements. that will be at least a 30 to 40year building. But I have some comments to make hopefully to sway some of my fellow members here. Uh one, I want to thank Nick for his idea about the storage barn. I think that's excellent. that will reduce the square footage, which will reduce the cost, which would allow me to come down off of my $20 million figure. I think it's important that we all have an attitude of compromise, making concessions, negotiating, and I'm prepared to do that. Um, I think that barn idea is great. There will still be plenty of storage room in the actual facility for short-term needs. So, the staff would not need to run out there every 5 minutes and get supplies, get items. So, I don't think it would interrupt the workflow. It would succeed in making the square footage less, therefore making the cost less. I don't like option three because you have to get rid of too many dog kennels. I think that's a mistake. I also did have a unique idea that I have not spoken to any of the council members about, but I would like for them to think about this. Uh we could have a multi-purpose

break room slash u training room. You could have one room that would solve both functions and you could have video equipment in there and whenever there was training needed that break room could be used for the training. So we wouldn't have to have two rooms. We wouldn't have to have a training room and a break room. We could combine them also using less space and lowering that cost. So, in my calculations that are not a mathematician, I feel like with the barn, with the multi-purpose uh break room, training room, and not getting rid of so many of the dog kennels and making it a 30 to 40year building, I think 17 to 18 million would would get that done. So that would be, you know, I would like us to think about those ideas and maybe come up a little bit from from the 15. That seems to be the consensus. If we could come up a little bit from that, I would be happy.

Thank you, Mary. Uh, one I wanted to and I just noticed he was here. The uh the chair of the animal board is here. Would you like to speak, Joe? Would you want to? you don't have to, but if I want to give you the opportunity since you are intimately involved in this project.

Thank you. I I have spoken several times, so I had not really put myself on the list tonight, but I uh I had reached out to to you all individually and sent you a note and uh with what my feelings were about it. And uh you know in the spirit of compromise um I'd recommend to everybody that you know and I know this this is a little disappointment but I I think 15 million is a good number. That was my feeling. Uh if if the uh city council would consider adding, you know, a little bit more. I think Mary made some really excellent points about it. Uh I I did also want to talk a little bit about what our involvement has been in it. Yeah, it's true. It hasn't been on a lot of agendas for us because we were waiting for the consultants to do plans. But, you know, the very start of this, I think was three years ago, there was a a shelter workshop with the first design consultant who really picked everybody's brain. You know, the shelter staff was there and talked about what the needs were and what the requirements were. She educated us a whole lot about what you need in a modern animal shelter. ventilation being one of the big things. Uh, and we've talked about all this and you all know this, but obviously we, you know, I I can I could tell I I want to say that I appreciate the comments from Mr. Ditford tonight. That was very helpful because it makes you realize that we we think we know all these things, but a lot of people in the public don't, you know, and even though there have been occasions when they've been available. So, if this uh if this item passes tonight, we really do have an important task to make sure that people are informed about, you know, why it costs what it cost and why it needs to last 50 years and why it's important. So, with all that said, uh I just I'm

I'm looking to you all and I hope you all will pass it. Thank you. Thank you, Joe. Appreciate that. So I had no other cards or people that want to speak on this but I will open it up to quickly if anybody else wishes to speak this is the time.

So I would like to say one thing is if if this passes I think it will we absolutely g we we got to do good. We we got to have websites with accurate up-to-date data. Okay. No, you know no broken links. Uh the new hire chart I looked at for data or it should be a good one to turn loose on that. Just hint hint. Um the um got to make these numbers match 10,000 square ft dollar amount. We I mean we got to make it to where there can't be any nobody can poke holes in it. Okay. So that's it. I think that we need to have multiple garage gaps and they used to call them gate gaps, but and and have on there and have have the the [snorts] three and explain in detail. I mean, we we need to literally in in great detail go out of our way to explain to them exactly what why they need to, you know, you know, we're bringing this before for yesterday so that they can make It it isn't convincing them that they need to vote for it or against. It's giving them the information so they can make an unbiased decision if that's what they want for the city. That's the way I look at it. And by not giving them good, accurate information and having all these meetings, then we're just not doing our job. So that's the only one thing I want to say is if this passes, then we we need to we need to hit a home run.

Absolutely. And I'll tell you one more time, Sagenov people are visual. Yeah, so you might as well show it to them. Y so listen that's what Paul was saying pictures worth thousand words. Yeah. All right. So consensus from council I'm going to with my very back of the envelope math is about 15 from all the council members input

is everybody can everybody live with 15 because and this was stated before our previous uh 21 election and very wisely by council that if there's any council member that is pushing against this it will not pass. So, we need to be all have a number we can back. Can everybody back $15 million for an animal shelter? I'm going to assume silence is consent. Unless you have huge issues, speak up. So, I'm going to write down 15. I had the numbers. I'm round 15. So, that means Prop A is streets 38 million. Prop B is park 6 million. Prop C is animal shelter 15 million. A total I believe of $59 million.

So, let me let me ask this one. Is there any council member that would like to make a motion to propose a different number other than that 15 to see if it gets up or down vote? Mary,

I like the, you know, the street and the parks number, but I would I would hope we could go with 165 for the animal shelter. Would you like to make a motion? You can make a motion. Should I do it for the entire three? No, just just just Yes, please. Just through it. Okay, let's do one. Um, I move that the council adopt an ordinance calling a bond election to be held. No, not you, you don't have to read the whole thing. Just just say just say what the animal shelter like to make a motion concerning the animal shelter that the price that we put on the animal shelter for the bond election would be $16,500,000.

Do I have a second for that motion? All right. I move second. It's a vote. Okay, Nick seconds. Please cast your votes.

All right, that motion failed. So, I'm back to 15. I think 15 is what everybody can get behind. Kim, is my math correct? Is that 59 million for the entire 386 and 15? I I didn't add it up, mayor, but the motion should be um the amount each proposition. Oh, I know. I understand. I just want to give a total number out there for everybody to to wrap their brain around cuz it's a big number.

Um, so this would be for the May election, May 2nd election. Prop A would be streets for 38 million. Prop B would be parks for 6 million. Prop C would be animal shelter for 15 million. All the details would be put in by 59. Thank you for correcting my math. So, it is 59 million total. Uh, the details would be written up by bond council uh with those specific details we provide to them. Mayor, can I can I ask for for the bond council because I'll be Yes. Mark Mark, please approach and speak and introduce yourself.

Thank you. I'm Mark Mlani with Samco Capital Markets. I'm the city's financial advisor. We'll be working with bond council to make sure this is done exactly the way you want. We have Jack Mlin also with Samco Capital Markets. So right now, Proposition A is $38 million for street m for street improvements with priority given to Mroy Boulevard in Industrial Avenue. Yes, sir. We're sat That's good. Yes.

Streets, I mean, I'm sorry, the parks is 6 million and it's it's it's not specific to any specific park. It is $6 million for issuance bonds in the amount of $6 million for park recreation open space improvements. That's Do you want it more specific than that? Naming parks. Is that what we had last time? Was that was that the language we had in 21? That was the language. It was it was open that if there's money left so if you said specific parks and there's money left over, it can't go at to other parks. Yeah, that's my concern is how I don't want to tie ourselves in too much of a bond here bind. What can we do?

Well, you're when you're promoting it, I don't want to say we're promoting it. When you're doing information to the voters, that becomes a contract with the voters. So, if you're going to say we're doing park A, B, and C, that's our plan, and if there's money left over, we'll do other projects. That's okay. Okay. This language gives you that ability.

Okay. um if all of a sudden a different priority comes up, you have the ability to make that change. If something happens at another park and there's money available, this language is open enough that stays with the parks. So, I want to make sure you can be more specific, but we don't want to be so specific that you lose your flexibility as council. That was that was a primary concern of the parks board that they wanted to make sure that the flexibility was given. so that if there was a a more important project or if there were savings on some of these projects that the money could then flow to to handle other needs as well.

I like that's what we did in 21. So I like that that language. Go ahead. I have a question. So like on streets how we said that we were going to prioritize macroy and industrial. Can we say that we want to prioritize the three parks that were mentioned and then whatever's additional? We we can add it and be be more specific. Yeah. the four parks. I'm sorry. I I think we leave it general, but in our information that gets disseminated to the public, we're very explicit and specific about uh what we're wanting to accomplish.

The other piece of this is when we do have these public information meetings, there may be some the public may come out with something that may be favorable that's not on this list if we were to have a specific list. So I think we need need to keep it open the way it is. So here the park board would be happy with that, right? I believe. So here here's the problem. We we got to be careful.

Okay. If we pass it this way to give us maximum flexibility, then we go to the citizens and we say we're going to fix park A and parks B and park C. Me as a council member, that's a contractual agreement I just made with the citizens regardless of what the law says or not. and anything other if we put out there that we're going to fix park A, park B, park C, you will not get me to support anything but park A, park B, park C. So, let's just be understood there that, you know, if if if if we don't want to put it in here, then we got to be very careful that when we put our big slick sheets together, oh, we're going to fix park A and we're going to fix park B.

And and I think a bait and switch. I think it's important to mention that it like in the statement that the parks board issued that it's that we're prioritizing the improvements here and the types of improvements are this and see that's that's why I was mentioning about Mroy and industrial because I know that we have shifted from Mroy west to east because of the necessary you know it's necessary that we have to do that. But then if we do those because we've already started the design on the the phase that's closest to uh business 287.

Um so we can flex and then if if there's funding left over, we can use that then on the west side of macro. So, I'm kind of envisioning the same thing with parks where, you know, we [snorts] could prioritize those four and that way, you know, we're gonna get those four done, but then we're also conscious that it's a pool of money that if we get all these done now, we can use the extra to do other things. And that's what we're doing with the other parks funding. So, I don't think that that's something that would confuse residents, but I think it would be good [clears throat] to at least say, you know, these ones the parks board has said are important, so let's prioritize them, but not say that that's all we can do.

Yeah, those are good comments. If you recall from the 21 bond election, the parks proposition was even more open-ended than what we're discussing tonight. It was 4 million to be prioritized by the parks board. So, since that time, the parks board has said, "Here's our priority." our communications,formational communications would be what parks for recommended these priorities. But it does allow us the flexibility to change if things come up which with the 21 parks bond we've done. I mean we added to the switchyard pavilions and restrooms and thankfully have had savings. So

yeah, I'd like to keep the parks as open as possible because we don't have dollar figures for the parks. We have a much more concrete dollar figures, no pun intended, for the streets. So, um I I'm not normally that funny. So, I But no, I I really like the um keeping the parks a little broader like we did in 21. I think it worked in 21. And that gives us again this is our master plan. This is what this is our Bible. That's what we're going off of. Tell people this is it. Uh we will it will be stuff that's in here 100%. Cuz like we said, we don't know the total dollars and we could get savings and we could be able to do more or we could do less depending on what happens because things happen to parks. Uh, so I like the the statement that Mark, Will you read that again, Mark? What you said?

Well, it's issuance of bonds in amount of $6 million for park, recreation, and open space improvements and the levy of taxes to pay for it. Okay. Um, uh, uh, Council Member Lawson, your comment about the slicks and all that, that does become a contract with the voters, not just your personally. It is citywide. If it's city and you're saying we're doing this A, B, and C, that does become a contract with the voters as well as this proposition. So your point of can't bait and switch, you really can't. You agree with that, Brent? I I do. I do. Okay. You're good with it. I

So So I have a question. Could we would everybody feel more comfortable if we just referred to the parks plan and say that as guided by the parks plan or something like that? Yeah. I mean, cuz that way it's vague enough that anything that's in that plan we could do as long as I priority. What do you think? Does that does that does that work, Brack? What do you think? Um, you're closer to the parks than we are. The the priority list very closely agrees with the with the plan, but it's not exact. Uh, Sagewood was a lot further down on the priority list according to the plan. It's in the plan. Um,

yeah, I think priorities are different. I think just as long as it's in here. So, we the parks board has moved Sagewood up in on the priority list significantly. Well, maybe we don't say priority, but we just say referring with guidance by guidance from the plan. There we go. Because because we didn't have this in 21. So, correct. I think referencing that is a great idea. I do. We had it. How can we can we how can we mark that answer? I'm going to ask bond council on that.

Okay. Um, so if if they struggle with that, state legislature, as you all know, over the last few years, keeps getting more strict and strict. If they struggle being able to put that in, I would just suggest that then becomes part of your your material to to the voters. We're following the parks master plan. I will ask them specifically first thing tomorrow if we can put in you know somewhere in there that this is based on the guidance of the park master plan. Okay. I think that'd be great. Thank you Mark. And if not then we'll just go with it. Okay. We're stuck in the the window where we have to call that election.

Right. So we don't want to you know miss this. you. We'll if you approve it subject to, you know, we'll get in bond council and Bren sign off and we'll be good. All right. So, have you you mentioned Prop C yet? Uh, yes. Uh, issuance of bonds in the amount of $15 million for an animal control facility and the levy of tax is sufficient. And just so everybody knows, the state law specifically says no matter what, beginning each proposition, it says this is a tax increase. Understand? It has to be in there. Um, you know, in this case, each one is on top of your existing taxes. There's some places that it's not a tax increase because something's going away. Mhm. And we still have to say it. Sure. Understand.

And are you going to be able to put down pretty much what that tax increase is going to be for the citizens? They they do you I think you'd have to I'm sorry. I'm just making sure what the the impact will be put so the citizens know. It has to be it'll be in the full ordinance and then it's in the information. because then they can't say, "Well, I didn't know it would cost that much, you know." Yeah. And there was a chart that we put on the website last time, too. It's all an estimate. Of course, it's based on estimates, but we can do that. I got you. Any other questions for Mark? So, then when we vote today on if someone makes a motion and we end up voting on that, is the language specific? Are we voting on language later or how does that

Well, I believe did did bond council gave you specific the language which sent all of you. So, we're going to operate under the language that bond council sent. Uh if there's minor changes, Mark will confirm, but that's Yeah, they've reviewed and so we can move forward tonight because I don't want to kick the animal shelter down the road. No, no, we're taking action. Yeah, we have to to get on, you know, to call the election. We have to do it tonight. Want to make sure. Okay. And then it's up to the residents, right? But it's up to us to get the information out and then they vote. Okay. Absolutely. And let let everybody be clear just because we sit approve this. It doesn't it doesn't go anywhere until the voters say yes or no.

They have the final say and we will abide by whatever they come by with. All right. So I have written down here a sheet that been provided to me and then I wrote on what a motion might look like if one anyone is so inclined to make said motion. Mayor, I'd like to make a motion here. Here you go, Paul. That's kind of what my notes are. I'll read it off. I move that the council adopt an ordinance calling a bond election to be held on May 2nd, 2026. Proposition A, streets, $38 million. Proposition B, parks, $6 million. And Proposition C, animal shelter, $15 million. Do I have a second? Nick second. Please cast your votes.

Give me a sheet. Motion passes. Let's get on it. We got work to do. He's doing her work. All right. Thank you folks. I appreciate There's been a lot of work to get this far and I appreciate the folks that have done that. Uh and uh all the staff. So, thank you much. We have work to do, but thank you, Mayor. Yes, sir. I apologize. Uh before we move on to the next item, with your permission, Gabe wanted me to just sort of touch on the the rule now that we have actual bond measures. Sure. just the rules regarding advocacy and political advertising because I know there's a lot of confusion about that but I'm on council so I'm not allowed to ever say anything encouraging people to support something.

So the the the prohibition under state law is involves the use of public funds for advocacy. So that's why all the material that the city officially puts out uh it h must be factual and contain no encouraging advocacy one way or the other. Uh the attorney general's put out a just a one-page pamphlet if you're curious, but they give you some examples of what's impermissible. Uh it pays to invest in the future. It's time to move ahead. Uh let's build a bit a better city or show that you care about the future. If if that shows up in any uh printed materials with taxpayer dollars, it's a class A criminal offense, arrestable offense, and you can get turned into the Texas Ethics Commission. Nan and I had to go down to Austin. Uh it was a civil service election, and someone turned her in for the material, the factual material sheet. Uh and mayor, you may have been on council at the time. I don't know if you recall. Um but uh yeah, so we had to go down to Austin and I had to sit with her for an hourong hearing in front of the full 12 member panel of the Texas Ethics Commission and they have the ability to find find you personally tens of thousands of dollars. Uh and we advised her that if she received an actual civil penalty that she probably could not have it paid for with taxpayer funds that she would have to pay for it out of her own pocket. So it's it's it is rather serious. Um, so I just want to I just want to drive that home. Uh, and and that when you think of taxpayer funds, it's not just we spent money. Uh, it's it's the city's resources. It's being at city hall with the electricity on and then people come up to the podium and you say, "We have your support, right, for this. This is good for the city." That's all a criminal offense as well.

So at at public meetings, public business, uh flyers, emails, information on the website that the information needs to be factual only. Uh now the other side of that coin is you all don't give up your first amendment rights when you're not at city hall. So you can walk doortodoor to your neighbors and say, I really would really like for you to support this. No public funds are being used for that. Okay. Uh, you can get scenarios where the lines can be blurred. So, Council Member Lawson mentioned the garage gabs, and I think that's that's a great idea. Uh, I don't know whether Gabe is there for Nikki's barbecue or whether he's there because he feels compelled to be there uh as an employee. And remember, he's not paid by the hour. So if if there's an expectation that Gabe be at these garage gabs, um I would suggest he not get involved in cheerleading for these bond measures. Okay, that that that's something that you all can do outside of a meeting and you can knock yourselves out. That's that's totally fine. So that that's that's really just the nutshell of it. If you have any questions during this period, let me know. Um

you any questions for Bren right now? Yeah, I do. Go ahead. So, if there was a garage gab at fire station 2, since that's city property, city property, we can just state facts. That's correct. Correct. But if there's a garage gab in my culdeac, in your neighborhood, in my neighborhood, correct? I can that baby all I want. That's right. So, well put. Well, [laughter] yep. Mayor C. Small but important difference. No, thank you.

Just one thing I'd like to add. our bond council, um, McCall, Parker, I think it's Horton, M PH, um, legal firms, you got to have at least three last names, right? Or in Tossis case, five. So anyway, Rose is the person Kim and I have uh coordinated with. They have recommended and and we'll follow their recommendation to send all of ourformational materials that is umformational flyers that will go out to residents. Um any videos that we that areformational in nature to review so that there's a uh extra set of review for staff to say yes, that's not advocacy, that's not promotion, that's fact. So, that's going to be our intention. Pedro's got a draft schedule for uh some town halls and we'll just be very safe and follow the rules.

Sure. Thank you, Brent. Yep. You're welcome. Yeah. And it's it's you you may be disappointed at the messaging [laughter] candidly. It's nothing exciting or juicy about it. You know, we need this for our streets. Criminal offense, right? We can do better for our parks. We bring you all these fun amenities. Uh criminal violation. So the the way you get measures passed in my experience doing this for 26 years is community engagement by members of council outside of city hall. Thank you Brent. So we will have an election May May 2nd 2026. Look forward to it. Moving forward 4B consideration action regarding a full-time position for the library and communication department. Gabriel, city manager.

Yeah, mayor and council. I had a couple quick questions from uh council member just clarify. So, requesting city council approval of a currently budgeted part-time communications specialist who does our video. Uh, you've all probably met him. His name is Kevin. In light of um our preparing for bond elections and the I don't know what we call the enormous appetite that people have for videos. I think it makes good practical sense to uh make him full-time on a temporary basis. kind of like we've done with positions in the past, we would keep him indefinitely so long as we have the financial capacity to do so. Um, the other position would be a part-time library assistant. Uh, Kim or sorry, Ellen went to the library board. We have an increase in library donations that can cover this part-time library assistant. My understanding that we didn't have maybe a part-timer that could go full-time. Is that correct at this moment? need

is is the biggest need. Um you're all aware as far as the the library and senior center. I mean it's the Field of Dreams phenomenon. It's busy every day. You all have received probably the same compliments that I have. It's an amazing facility. People are loving it. So that's u that's the long and the short. Pedro might be able to answer some specific questions, but Well, I'm I'm going to ask a question or sort of make a statement on the library and and tell me if I'm wrong. I'm going to assume that since we have a fantastic new library, we're getting a lot more donations. That's what that's what I'm hoping is the answer. That's what we can afford this because we get more donations going. It's such a fantastic library that we're showcasing and people are excited.

Yes. So, the the council through the budget process, you'll recall, increased donations for all of the the three [clears throat] areas. So, there is a dollar increase in donations and um yeah, the the the patron numbers, everything is is up. All right. The library committee did did approve it. They forward. They did. Uh, council questions. No, but I have a statement to make because you confuse me a lot. Okay. So, let me finish and then you can talk. Okay. Sure.

Um, on the agenda discussion tonight on January the 15th in your email concerning staffing updates, you indicated that Chris Dyer would be replacing Larry Level, a change that we already accounted for in the budget. And then you stated that Disca, who had been assisting Vicki, would transition to a full-time role supporting economic development. And then on January the 16th, you extended congratulations both to Chris and Dixa. I can't say her name right. Noting that she is now ser. It's real simple. Diksha, maybe repeat it.

Well, she that she's now serving as a general support specialist for the city secretary and economic development department. However, I'm unaware of a desire designated position for a general support specialist, but I know that you make positions available and any correspondence with salary details in your attachment. And then the description that you had on here, you already said um the attachments pertains to a full-time digital commercial communication specialist in a part-time role in the library. You also recommended approving a full-time position for both the library and the communi communications on here and so there's no indication of financial impact that would be on our budget once again and part of communications department you know I'm going to say this so should include residents be being able to call for help through the city phone system and when they prompted to dial zero they should get a live person to help answer this their questions instead of returning back and forth to the recorded message. I've asked you several times in the last year and a half. There have never been any change to this problem. I still get complaints about it. Everyone in the city doesn't have a computer. A lot of seniors don't have a computer. A lot of people go to the library to use a computer. So, not being able to talk to somebody when they call and need help is kind of like discriminating against seniors and those who choose not to have a computer. And I know some folks that live in our city that don't even have TVs in their house. And so, some of them don't want a computer. So, I just need I would like some clarification on how many more additional positions are anticipated before we have a sufficient staffing level rather than supporting some of our existing departments.

Uh, it's very simple. So, um, on your way home, you're in luck tonight, Council Member Junkersfeld. Maybe you'll consider buying a lottery ticket. So, you'll recall the council approved an uh through the budget process an update to our phone system, right? We are waiting on the vendor for that phone system. I believe that contact was provided by council member Stlair. Spoke with Greg today. They're waiting to um start that project in that transition. When that happens, push zero, they will be able to get some kind of help.

Yeah, I I think we can send zero to, you know, whoever's available. We have a phone tree now that has like seven options and people get impatient. Um, but if you press one, you're going to talk to utility or something. So, that'll be fixed. We're waiting on the supplier to address that. Okay. I informed the council uh when their staffing changes after consulting with the city attorney.

The position mentioned earlier the general support position was within our existing budget. Now, we will catch that up. There's always uh additions and subtractions throughout the year, but the council I cannot exceed the bottom line, right? if we go over then I need council approval. So a couple departments told me that we needed they needed some help and I'm happy to oblige and the person we put in that position has done a remarkable job. I think she's going to I'm not saying nobody's No, I I understand. Yeah. Sometimes it'd be nice to have a financial there and what it's going to affect the budget, you know.

Sure. Yeah. It's within the existing budget. Yeah. Does that make sense? So these new positions, which is a little confusing. I get it. I do this for a living. Sometimes I dream about it. Most time I dream about other things I'm interested stocks or that too much information. That's right. Uh when we add to that, okay, I come to you the council and say here I would like to increase. So we have an existing person. His name is Kevin. He's part-time. What I'm saying to you is let's make him full-time. Right? And that difference we will catch up um as we have financial capacity. The library position is part-time. The library board has identified funds to pay for that. It has no general fund impact.

Okay. Is there anything I can clarify for you? Does that address everything? Well, yeah. It's just down here in your agenda on your agenda. Down here it says recommendation. Staff recommends approval of a full-time position for the library and communications department. Oh, so typo. I'll accept okay um full amount of shame for that. There's a good chance. Yeah, there's a good chance my mother you're trying to study and it says part-time, but then you want a full-time. Sure. So, let me clarify. We're talking a full-time Pedro, remind me of the position. What are we calling it? Uh communications uh digital communication specialist. Digital communication specialist. I'm a pretty simple guy. That's the video guy. Okay. Full-time. Currently part-time. Will become full-time. and then a part-time library assistant funded by donations. Okay.

Is there anything to become fulltime? Um, this is part-time. I think at some point in the future we would have that discussion. It's just part-time. It's from zero to parttime. Okay. Thank you. Yep. Any other with donations, questions? Happy to. The full-time position though is considered temporary until we can cover it. Correct. Everything. Right. similar to situations the uh city council has added in the past regarding kind of positions that meet a critical need. If you remember our facilities manager we noted as a a temporary position until our financial capacity can meet. So

yeah, I think there's an animal shelter. Isn't there a part-time animal shelter one that's like that or or it was? Yeah, I think we did add a a part-time temporary and then as our capacity uh

we catch it up. So, we are uh you might recall our last council meeting, we are drawing down our fund balance for one-time projects, the largest of which is next door. The renovation for the Keater building will begin, I think maybe later this month or next month. uh we are still above by a few hundred,000 um our policy requirements and fund balance, but as you're aware, you know, when these needs come up, that's going to be less and less. And because of limitations from the state, there's going to be more pressure for ongoing um revenues. But again, I think it and a lot of this I don't kind of bring this to you um unnecessarily, but y'all have told me how much people appreciate the video.

And there's a lot of people that don't don't or won't or can't whatever the right word is read. But I'm telling you, these videos are wildly popular. I think we had one of Officer Papine a couple days ago sliding that had was it 70,000 views? Yeah. 71,000 71. It's insane. So I say that because this that's a need that we need to address. I think related to our bond discussions, if that's the way people choose to get their information, digest their information, we need to provide it. So all right, Greg. any Oh, go ahead and talk about

Well, I just wondered about the financial part and the budget and everything and I because I know fire needs a person, PD needs a person, wreck needs a person, you know what I mean? So, yeah. Yeah, that vacancy you had mentioned um related to shuffling with with Larry retiring, Chris being promoted. We have a net position that'll slide over to the fire department that has not been filled, but that's within the existing budget. So, these we're talking about are additions. Okay. I just want to make sure the departments that need help get some before we make different positions available. Yeah, it's fair. I have one, John. Go ahead. Yeah.

So, the um Sorry, Nick. Um the digital communications specialist, are they going to be doing anything with the website? So, usually the communications department as a whole helps out with the website. Uh it's funny you bring that up. We're actually in the process of auditing that this month because at the end of this year, we will be doing a refresh uh for our contract with the website provider. Uh but yeah, uh both Lena and Kevin will be handling the website. Okay. I just wanted to check on that cuz yeah, as much as help as we can get on the website, the website's kind of Yeah, a lot has to do with when we transitioned over from

Civic Plus over to Revise, a lot of the Civic Plus stuff remained. Yeah, like I tried at the time it was only by myself. So I tried to look at some older council meetings and it was like from 2023 or 2022 back you can't find it's all not there. Um so you have to like Google and then you can find them. They're they're somewhere categorized somewhere but it's not on our website. It doesn't link directly to. So that's why I'm you know there's that and then like the animal shelter's here and this is here and the library. So there's it's all kind of split into different domains. Yeah. Some of that the meeting I know was when we changed our agenda software. Was that the change? Correct. That was around 2023.

Yeah. And I know exactly what you're talking about with the animal shelter. It looks like a older version, but that's because their what is their shelter pro software? It jives with that. So I it's not uniform, but a lot of it there's different component units. So Right. Yeah. Yeah. So I I just was curious if they were going to have anything to do with that, but if they're part of the communications department, then they'll have some input. So

yeah, and the big thing is uh the DOJ is requiring the ADA compliance to be done and the city our size we actually have to be in compliant by 2027. Uh so that's our big push this year. Uh we're going to watch actually the bigger cities, our bigger brothers and sisters, uh they have to be in compliance by April. So yeah, the that new position will be helping out with that transition over. All right, any other questions, council? If not, I'll entertain a motion for 4B. Mayor, I make a motion we approve item 4B for a full-time communications department person and a part-time library person. Nick second, please cast your votes.

Motion passes. Excellent. Thanks, folks. Thankfully, we do not have any executive session, right? No. All right. I will entertain a motion to adjurnn. Mayor, make a motion. We adjourn. Valerie [snorts] Brack second. [laughter] We practice that just crazy. Just so you know, people are always in a hurry to make that one. Two hours shorter than last week. All right. So, at motion pass. So, at 8:06, we're adjourned. Thank you'all. Thank you. Turn off your microphones.