Aug 13, 2024 Council Briefing

TODAY'S TUESDAY, AUGUST 13TH, 2024, THE TIME'S 9:09 AM AND I NOW CALL THIS MEETING OF THE DALLAS STATE COUNCIL TO ORDER TODAY'S INVOCATION.

SPEAKER IS OUR GOOD FRIEND, RABBI ANDREW PALEY FROM TEMPLE SHALOM.

HE'S ALSO A CHAPLAIN FOR THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT.

SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO RABBI PALEY.

THANK YOU, SIR.

THANK YOU MR. MAYOR.

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, FRIENDS, GUESTS THIS MORNING.

THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITH YOU AGAIN.

I PRAY YOUR, YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES ARE WELL AND SAFE, AND YOUR SUMMERS WERE REFRESHING.

HOLY ONE, A BLESSING, GOD OF MANY NAMES, SPIRIT OF LIFE, LOVE, COMMUNITY, AND JUSTICE.

WE ASK YOUR BLESSINGS THIS MORNING ON THESE BRAVE SOULS WHO'VE BEEN CALLED TO LEAD OUR CITY IN, IN WHICH WE LIVE AND WORK AND PLAY.

HELP THEM AS LEADERS TO NOT ASK FIRST, HOW DO WE FIX THIS? BUT RATHER, WHAT DO WE NEED TO LEARN? HOW MIGHT WE NEED TO CHANGE? AND TO WHOM DO WE NEED TO LISTEN? REMIND THEM THAT THEY ARE NOT ONLY LEADERS BUT SERVANTS, AND THAT IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AND OURS TO SERVE THE COMMON GOOD OF ALL.

REMIND THEM THAT NO MATTER WHERE WE LIVE, EVERYONE IS OUR NEIGHBOR, OUR SIBLING.

AND THAT THROUGHOUT THE AGES, PROPHETS HAVE CALLED THE LEADERS OF THE PEOPLE TO RESPECT AND PROTECT THE LEAST OF THOSE AMONG US, OUR CHILDREN, THE ELDERLY, THE POOR, THOSE WHO ARE HUNGRY, THOSE WHO HAVE NO HOMES, THOSE WHO ARE ILL IN BODY, MIND, THEIR SPIRIT, THE STRANGERS AND IMMIGRANTS IN OUR MIDST.

THOSE WHO LIVE ON THE MARGINS, THOSE WHO ARE ALONE, THOSE WHO ARE FORGOTTEN.

GRANT THEM THE WISDOM AND COURAGE TO KNOW AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND GOOD AND TRUE.

MAY THEY SPEAK OUT WHEN IT IS TIME TO SPEAK OUT AND LISTEN PATIENTLY AND RECEPTIVELY, HONORABLY.

WHEN IT IS TIME TO LISTEN, MAY THEY ALWAYS BE GUIDED BY THE SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY, BY THE SPIRIT OF JUSTICE AND BY THE SPIRIT OF LOVE.

THIS WE PRAY IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT WE HOLD SACRED AND HOLY, ALL THAT WE HOLD GOOD AND RIGHT AND TRUE.

MAY IT BE SO.

AMEN.

LORD, PLEASE RISE FOR OUR PLEDGES OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE UNITED STATES FLAG FIRST AND THEN THE TEXAS FLAG.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE 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 SO MUCH.

YOU MAY BE SEATED.

UM, I'LL WAIT FOR OUR SECRETARY TO GET SEATED BEFORE I ASK IF WE HAVE ANY OPEN MICROPHONE SPEAKERS THIS MORNING.

MR. MAYOR, THERE ARE NO REGISTERED SPEAKERS FOR THIS WORKSHOP.

I WILL TURN IT OVER TO A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE ONCE WE KNOW WHO THAT'S GOING TO BE TO, TO TEE UP OUR BRIEFING FOR TODAY.

UH, THEN

[A. 24-817 Budget Workshop: City Manager’s Recommended Budget for FY 2024-25 and FY 2025-26]

WE ARE READY.

THE FY 25 PROPOSED BUDGET ALSO, UH, REDUCES OUR PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR THE NINTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR BY 3.10 CENTS, WHICH AS MS. TOLBERT MENTIONED, IS THE LARGEST TAX RATE REDUCTION IN MODERN HISTORY.

TO THE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, WE'RE PLEASED TO PRESENT THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET.

I WANNA THANK YOU FOR SPENDING TIME WITH US OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS TO DISCUSS YOUR PRIORITIES AND PROVIDING FEEDBACK DURING ALL OF THE ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS WITH STAFF EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND THROUGH THE REVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENTAL OVERVIEWS THAT WE PRESENTED AT CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES THIS SPRING.

WE ALSO WANNA THANK OUR MANY RESIDENTS WHO PROVIDED FEEDBACK THROUGHOUT VARIOUS STAGES OF THIS PROCESS, INCLUDING ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVES.

YOU'LL SEE THROUGH OUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATION THAT WE LISTENED, WE FOCUSED ON THINGS SUCH AS PUBLIC SAFETY, INFRASTRUCTURE, THE OVERALL APPEARANCE OF OUR CITY, HOMELESSNESS, AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE BELIEVE ARE TRULY IMPORTANT TO

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YOU AND OUR COMMUNITY.

USING A COMPREHENSIVE AND A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH WITH ALL DEPARTMENTS, WE'RE DELIVERING A TWO YEAR BALANCE BUDGET WHILE BALANCING THE BUDGET.

WE'RE ALSO DELIVERING THE LARGEST SINGLE YEAR TAX RATE REDUCTION IN FOUR DECADES SINCE AT LEAST 1984, AND THE LOWEST TOTAL PROPERTY TAX RATE REDUCTION IN TWO DECADES.

SINCE 2004, WE ARE LEANER AND MORE FOCUSED, BEING MINDFUL OF EVERY TAX DOLLAR THAT WE ARE SPENDING.

WHAT OUR TEAM WILL PRESENT TO YOU TODAY REALLY IS HOW WE HAVE REIMAGINED AND REALIGNED FOR RESULTS.

YOU HAVE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT OUR APPROACH OVER THIS TRANSITION PERIOD.

WE'RE TACKLING PRIMARY FOCUS AREAS, SO WE AS AN ORGANIZATION CAN DELIVER OUR COMMITMENT OF SERVICE FIRST WITH THE URGENCY OF NOW.

THIS BUDGET WAS ONE OF THE AREAS INCLUDED IN THE 100 DAY TRANSITION PLAN.

I KNEW THAT WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL CHARGED ME WITH THE INTERIM ASSIGNMENT THAT I HAD TO TAKE A VERY HARD LOOK AT HOW WE DO BUSINESS AND HOW WE OPERATE.

AND THAT MEANT ASKING IF THERE WERE WAYS THAT WE COULD LOOK AT THE WAY WE WERE ORGANIZED TO HELP US BE MORE EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT, AND RESPONSIVE.

AND SO ONE OF THE FIRST DECISIONS WAS TO GROUP OUR DEPARTMENTS BY ATTRIBUTES TO BUILD ON A SAFE, VIBRANT, AND GROWING DALLAS BY TRANSFORMING OUR FOUNDATIONAL STRUCTURE TO BECOME MORE LIVABLE, SUSTAINABLE FISCALLY SOUND WITH STRONG ALIGNED SYSTEMS AT ITS CORE.

BY DOING THIS, WE WERE ABLE TO CONSOLIDATE AND REORGANIZE SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS AND CREATE EVEN MORE IMMEDIATE, TANGIBLE RESULTS.

WE'RE WE'RE BECOMING MORE COLLABORATIVE, COMMUNICATIVE, AND PROACTIVE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, MORE CUSTOMER CENTRIC.

WE HAVE ALSO IDENTIFIED REDUNDANCIES AND DUPLICATIONS IN OUR BUDGET, RESULTING IN WHAT YOU WILL SEE TODAY, NEARLY $6 MILLION IN FUTURE SAVINGS.

AND SO I WANNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK EVERY PERSON WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND ESPECIALLY TO OUR BUDGET TEAM.

NOW, WE ARE NOT DONE YET.

OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AS WE WORK WITH THE CITY COUNCIL TO FINALIZE THE BUDGET, WE WILL CONTINUE AS AN ORGANIZATION TO RESET, REVISIT, AND ELEVATE EXPECTATIONS.

I'LL NOW TURN IT OVER TO OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, JACK ARLAND, OUR DEPUTY CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND BUDGET DIRECTOR, JEANETTE WHEATON, AND TO IVAN GOEL, OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

JACK.

THANK YOU MS. TOLBERT.

GOOD MORNING MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

I'M JACK IRELAND, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, AND AS MS. TOLBERT MENTIONED, WE HAVE HERE WITH US, UH, JEANETTE WHEDON, UH, DIRECTOR IN BUDGET MANAGEMENT SERVICES, AS WELL AS IVAN GU, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN BUDGET MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

AND TOGETHER WE WILL BE, UH, DELIVERING THIS MORNING'S PRESENTATION.

SO I APOLOGIZE, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A TECHNICAL ISSUE.

THE POWERPOINT WILL CATCH UP WITH ME HERE IN A MINUTE, BUT, UH, IF IT'S OKAY, I'LL GO AHEAD AND PROCEED AND THEN THE POWERPOINT WILL CATCH UP WITH US AS WE GO.

THIS MORNING, WE WANTED TO COVER, UM, SEVERAL THINGS THROUGH THIS BUDGET PRESENTATION.

WE DO HAVE AN OVERVIEW.

UH, WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT OUR BUDGET BY THE FOUNDATIONAL STRUCTURAL AREAS.

WE WILL SHARE GENERAL FUND REVENUES AND EXPENSES, OUR, UH, CAPITAL BUDGET AND DEBT SERVICE BUDGET.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT ENTERPRISE FUNDS, UH, PROVIDE A PENSION UPDATE, TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, AND THEN OUR TIMELINE.

SO ON SLIDE THREE, JUST AS AN OVERVIEW OF THE TOTAL BUDGET, THE PROPOSED BUDGET, AND THE PLANNED BUDGET FOR 26 OR $4.97 BILLION AND $5.13 BILLION RESPECTIVELY.

SO THE, THE TOTAL BUDGET SLIDE, HE SAYS SLIDE THREE, WHERE IS THE SLIDE THREE? HE SAYS IF THERE'S A LAG, HE SAID, SAID THANK YOU.

OKAY, AND I APOLOGIZE IT, WE WILL GET IT GOING PRETTY QUICKLY.

UH, THE FISCAL YEAR 25 GENERAL FUND BUDGET TOTALS $1.9 BILLION, AND THAT IS $65.1 MILLION THAN THE CURRENT YEAR'S GENERAL FUND BUDGET OR 3.5% INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO LIKE TO SHARE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE INCREASE IN THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET YEAR OVER YEAR IS THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET ARE GOING UP $78.6 MILLION.

HOWEVER, WE HAD TO OFFSET THAT WITH ALL OTHER GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTS HAVING A NET DECREASE OF 13.5, AND THAT WAS NECESSARY TO LIVE WITHIN THE REVENUES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.

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SO GOING FORWARD, WE HAVE LAID OUT AN OVERVIEW OF THE BUDGET, UH, BREAKING IT DOWN BETWEEN OUR OPERATING BUDGET AND OUR CAPITAL BUDGET.

OUR OPERATING BUDGET IS, UH, THE PART OF THE BUDGET THAT FUNDS OUR DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS.

AND THE CAPITAL BUDGET IS OUR LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS, UH, OR OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM.

IN THE OPERATING BUDGET, WE HAVE THE GENERAL FUND ENTERPRISE OPERATING FUNDS, UH, GENERAL OBLIGATION DEBT, AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT COME TO THE CITY ON THE, UH, RIGHT HAND SIDE ON SLIDE FOUR, AND I THINK WE'VE GOT THE POWERPOINT CATCHING UP WITH US.

NOW, ON SLIDE FOUR ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE CAPITAL BUDGET AND IT'S MADE UP OF BOTH CAPITAL FOR OUR GENERAL PURPOSES PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS OUR ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENTS HAVE CAPITAL PROGRAMS AS WELL.

ON SLIDE FIVE, YOU'LL SEE, UH, THE TOTAL BUDGET, UH, FOR BOTH THE PROPOSED YEAR, FISCAL YEAR 25 AND THE PLANNED YEAR, FISCAL YEAR 26.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR 25 IS A TOTAL OF $4.97 BILLION.

AS MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT COMPARES TO THE CURRENT YEAR'S ADOPTED BUDGET THAT YOU ADOPTED LAST SEPTEMBER OF FOUR POINT, UH, 6 BILLION.

SO IN TOTAL, THE BUDGET HAS GONE UP BY $343 MILLION OR 7.4%.

AND THAT IS, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED BY THE BOND PROGRAM THAT WAS, UH, APPROVED BY VOTERS IN MAY.

WE DID NOT HAVE THAT BOND PROGRAM IN THE CURRENT YEAR.

AND SO LOADING, UH, $250 MILLION OF THOSE APPROPRIATIONS INTO THE NEW YEAR IS AFFECTING, UH, OUR OVERALL BUDGET.

UH, GOING FORWARD.

ON SLIDE SIX, JUST, UH, A MENTION OF WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM FOR THE BUDGET.

UH, AT A HIGH LEVEL, UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT REVENUE SOURCES.

THE GENERAL FUND IS SUPPORTED BY PROPERTY TAX, SALES TAX, FRANCHISE FEES, CHARGES FOR SERVICES, FINES, AND OTHER TYPES OF SOURCES.

OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS, SUCH AS WATER AVIATION CONVENTION CENTER, THOSE ARE SUPPORTED OBVIOUSLY BY THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARGE, UH, FOR THE COST OF THOSE SERVICES.

OUR DEBT SERVICE EXPENSE FOR OUR GENERAL OBLIGATION DEBT IS PAID FROM PROPERTY TAXES.

YOU KNOW THAT OUR PROPERTY TAXES SPLIT BETWEEN THE GENERAL FUND AND THE DEBT SERVICE FUND.

AND THEN ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ARE THOSE FUNDS THAT COMES FROM GRANTS AND TRUST AND OTHER RESTRICTED SOURCES.

SO, GOING ON TO SLIDE EIGHT THIS YEAR, UH, SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IN THE WAY WE BUILT THIS BUDGET IS LOOKING AT OUR CORE VALUES, OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND MS. TOLBERT PUT TOGETHER THE FOUNDATIONAL STRUCTURES OF SAFE, VIBRANT, GROW, LIVABLE, SUSTAINABLE FISCALLY SOUND AND CORE.

AND YOU'LL SEE THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET DOCUMENT AND THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION, UH, WE'VE SHOWN SOME ALIGNMENT TO THOSE, UH, PILLARS OF THE FOUNDATIONAL STRUCTURE.

UH, ON SLIDE NINE, YOU'LL SEE, OF COURSE YOU'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE, THAT, UH, MS. TOLBERT IS REORGANIZED AND REALIGNED ACCORDING TO THESE FOUNDATIONAL STRUCTURES, WHICH AGAIN, IS HOW THE BUDGET IS, IS ALIGNED ON SLIDE 10, UH, HERE'S THE, THE NUMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE SEVEN, UH, FOUNDATIONAL, STRUCTURAL AREAS, UH, WITH SAFE BEING, UM, UH, ONE OF THE LARGEST.

UH, THIS, THIS PAGE SHOWS ALL FUNDS.

SO IT SHOWS NOT JUST THE GENERAL FUND, BUT IT SHOWS YOUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS, UH, YOUR CAPITAL FUNDS, YOUR DEBT FUNDS.

SO SUSTAINABLE ACTUALLY IS THE LARGER OF ALL THE, UH, STRUCTURAL AREAS, BUT IT'S OF COURSE, BECAUSE OF THE FUNDING THROUGH THE BOND PROGRAM IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA.

ON SLIDE 11, UH, THE SAME INFORMATION BUT SHOWN, UH, IN A COMPARISON, A BAR CHART, UH, SAFE YOU'LL SEE IS GOING UP FROM THE CURRENT YEAR, WHICH IS IN BLUE TO NEXT YEAR, WHICH IS SHOWN IN ORANGE TO THE SECOND YEAR OF THE BIENNIAL, WHICH IS SHOWN IN GRAY.

SO YOU SEE THAT SAFE IS GOING UP OVER TIME, UH, FOR THE SECOND, UH, STRUCTURAL AREA OF VIBRANT, UH, WHICH CONSISTS OF LIBRARY, OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, UH, PARK AND RECREATION AND OTHER, UH, PROGRAMS. BUT VIBRANT HAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE, AND THAT IS, UH, DRIVEN BY THE CAPITAL PROGRAM BECAUSE THE CAPITAL PROGRAM, THE BOND PROGRAM HAS A LOT OF FUNDING FOR PARK AND RECREATION AS AN EXAMPLE.

SO THAT IS DRIVING THAT PARTICULAR AREA UP.

GROWING, UH, ALSO INCREASES, UH,

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YEAR OVER YEAR LIVABLE, WHICH INCLUDES DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES, SANITATION CODE, AND HOMELESS SOLUTIONS.

IT IS THE ONE AREA THAT SHOWS YEAR OVER YEAR DECREASE, BUT THAT IS RELATED TO THE ALIGNMENT OF THE CAPITAL BUDGET.

SO WHEN WE ALIGN THE CAPITAL BUDGET, UH, LAST YEAR COMPARED TO THIS NEW YEAR THERE, THERE'S A DECREASE, UH, IN, IN THE, UH, OVERALL FUNDING.

SUSTAINABLE, UH, DOES HAVE AN INCREASE.

FISCALLY SOUND HAS A SMALL INCREASE, AND THEN CORE HAS AN INCREASE, UH, AGAIN, DRIVEN BY THE ALIGNMENT AND THE ALLOCATION OF, OF CAPITAL FUNDING.

SO I'D LIKE TO JUST GO THROUGH, UH, UH, SEVEN SLIDES OF EACH OF THE STRUCTURAL AREAS AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS IN THIS BUDGET.

UH, AND THESE WERE HIGHLIGHTED OR LIFTED UP IN YOUR BUDGET DOCUMENTS, SO I'LL, I'LL GO THROUGH THEM, UH, QUICKLY.

BUT FOR THE INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC AS WELL, WE WILL MENTION THEM ON SLIDE 13, STARTING WITH SAFE, UH, SAFE OF COURSE, BEING, UH, MORE THAN JUST POLICE AND FIRE.

IT ALSO INCLUDES THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS, UH, JUDICIARY COURTS, UH, THE JAIL CONTRACT.

BUT WITHIN SAFE, ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS IS OUR PROVIDING OF THE MARKET-BASED COMPENSATION, AND THE STEP INCREASES ACCORDING TO OUR MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENT FOR POLICE AND FIRE UNIFORM EMPLOYEES.

AND IN THIS NEXT YEAR, WE WILL BE INCREASING POLICE AND FIRE, UH, PAY TABLES BY 7.23%, AND THAT'S A RESULT OF US DOING OUR ANNUAL SURVEY OF THE 17 PEER CITIES AND MAKING AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE AVERAGE OF THAT COMPARISON.

UH, MEET AND CONFER DOES NOT CALL FOR US TO MOVE TO THE TOP OF THAT COMPARISON.

IT CALLS FOR US TO AVERAGE THE STARTING PAY FOR THOSE PEER CITIES, AND WE GO TO THE AVERAGE, UH, SO THAT IS A 7.23% INCREASE IN, UH, PAY FOR, FOR THAT GROUP AS WELL AS THEY GET THEIR STEP INCREASES IF THEY'RE ELIGIBLE.

UH, WE WILL CONTINUE HIRING.

UH, OUR GOAL IS TO HIRE 250 POLICE RECRUITS THIS YEAR.

UH, WE ALSO ARE IMPLEMENTING SOME INCENTIVE PROGRAMS SUCH AS A SICK LEAVE EXCHANGE PROGRAM THAT WE WANT TO PILOT AND, AND WE'RE TRYING TO RETAIN OUR OFFICERS.

UH, AND SO OVER THE BIENNIAL, WE EXPECT, UH, THE, THE NET INCREASE WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT WE ALSO LOSE OFFICERS EACH YEAR, BUT WE EXPECT OVER THE BIENNIAL TO HAVE A NET INCREASE OF 120 OFFICERS TO A TOTAL OF 3,222.

UH, IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE'RE ADDING 63 FIREFIGHTERS, AND WE'RE ADDING FOUR SINGLE, UH, FUNCTION PARAMEDIC UNITS.

UH, THAT WILL, UH, CONTINUE TO HELP IN OUR RESPONSE TIMES.

UH, OVER THE BIENNIAL, WE WILL BE INCREASING TO A TOTAL OF 2,259, UH, FIREFIGHTERS IN THE, UH, DALLAS FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT.

UH, THIS BUDGET, WE WILL, UH, CONTINUE SUPPORTING, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT, UH, THROUGH SUPPORT FOR PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

UH, WE ARE ADDING A NEW CONSTRUCTION TEAM, UH, TO CONDUCT THOSE INSPECTIONS AND TO HELP WITH THAT PROCESS.

UH, ALSO NEW THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE'VE HAD TROUBLE RETAINING NINE ONE ONE CALL TAKERS.

UH, BUT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED, OR WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTING A NEW CAREER SERIES FOR 9 1 1 COMMUNICATIONS, UH, WITH THE COST OF ABOUT $2.2 MILLION.

BUT THAT IT'S A GOOD CHANGE BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN USING OVERTIME WITH, UH, UNIFORM OFFICERS.

AND SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THOSE OFFICERS BACK OUT ON THE STREET, REDUCE THAT OVER TIME, UH, FOR USE IN 9 1 1 BY THIS NEW CAREER SERIES THAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING.

UM, YOU'VE SEEN, UH, UH, COMMUNICATION ABOUT RE-IMAGINING, UH, O-I-P-S-S AND OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WITH THE CREATION OF THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND CRISIS RESPONSE.

UH, THAT CONSOLIDATION NETTED ABOUT $2 MILLION OF SAVINGS.

AND THAT NEWLY, UH, REIMAGINED OFFICE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE, OF COURSE, FOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AS WELL AS DEPLOYING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE AND A CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL, UH, CITY ACTION STRIKE TEAM.

AND THE LAST THING WE HAVE MENTIONED ON THIS SLIDE FOR SAFE IS OUR INVESTMENT OF ABOUT $43 MILLION IN EQUIPMENT AND FLEET FOR THE POLICE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

UH, WE'RE UPPING OUR PURCHASE OF SQUAD CARS FROM 164 THIS YEAR TO 200 NEXT YEAR.

WE ALSO HAVE BEEN NEEDING TO REPLACE HELICOPTERS, AND SO WE ARE FUNDING ONE HELICOPTER THIS YEAR, AND OUR GOAL IS TO REPLACE THE OTHER ONE IN FISCAL YEAR 27.

UH, AND THEN WE HAVE ABOUT $20 MILLION FOR FIRE, UH, AMBULANCES AND APPARATUS.

SO MOVING TO, UH, VIBRANT, UH, WHICH IS THE, UH, NEXT STRUCTURAL AREA.

UH, AND SOME

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OF THE THINGS INCLUDED IN VIBRANT, AGAIN, ARE LIBRARY, UH, ARTS AND CULTURE, UM, COMMUNITY CARE, EQUITY AND INCLUSION, AND PARK AND RECREATION.

AND SO, UH, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS YOU'LL NOTICE IS A RE-IMAGINING OF SERVICES FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND YOUNG ADULTS.

AND THAT'S THROUGH A TRANSFORMATION OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE INTO THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE AND EMPOWERMENT.

AND, UH, SO, UM, MS. SHAW AND LIZ HAVE WORKED, UH, VERY HARD ON THIS DEPARTMENT AND RE-IMAGINING A FULL, UH, CYCLE OF LIFE FOR THE STAGES OF LIFE, UM, AND SERVICES FOR, FOR EVERY GROUP.

UH, YOU'LL SEE IN THIS BUDGET THAT WE DID PRESERVE, UH, OUR EXPANDED LIBRARY HOURS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF, UH, TAKING A MORE INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO OUR SERVICE DELIVERY AT THE SKILLMAN SOUTHWESTERN AREA WITH THE CLOSURE OF THAT FACILITY.

BUT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF, UH, SOME, UH, NEW TECHNOLOGY AND A NEW WAY OF, OF BEING ABLE TO ACCESS RESOURCES, UH, I THINK THAT'S A, AN INTERESTING OPPORTUNITY THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT IN THE FUTURE, UH, TO EXPAND.

UH, ALSO IN THIS BUDGET, UH, YOU'LL SEE INVESTMENT IN PARK AND RECREATION, UH, FUNDING FOR THEIR, UH, MAINTENANCE OF NEW FACILITIES THAT ARE COMING ONLINE, ADDITIONAL SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS AND OTHERS.

UH, IN OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, UH, WE ARE INCREASING THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX THAT, UH, IS DEDICATED TO, UH, ARTS AND CULTURE.

WE'VE BEEN AT 12% OF HOT, UH, IT'S GOING UP TO 12.5, AND THEN IN 26 UP TO 15, WHICH IS THE MAXIMUM, UH, FOR, UH, ARTS AND CULTURE.

AND THEN, UH, WE'RE ADVANCING OUR SMART CITY AND DIGITAL EQUITY AND INCLUSION STRATEGY.

WE BEGAN IN 2022, A INITIATIVE TO INSTALL WIFI AT 63 PARK FACILITIES, AND WE WILL CONTINUE THAT IN THIS YEAR.

UM, ALSO THE, THE LAST NOTE THERE IS INTEGRATING EQUITY THROUGHOUT ALL PARTS OF OUR OPERATION, WHICH IS JUST OUR CONTINUED EFFORT THAT WE, WE DON'T TAKE EQUITY AS, UH, A SINGLE FUNCTION, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT TOUCHES ALL AREAS OF THE CITY.

NOW, MOVING TO GROWING ON SLIDE 17, UH, THE GROWING, UH, PORTFOLIO, UH, INCLUDES CONVENTION AND EVENT SERVICES, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.

AND SO A BIG FOCUS IN THIS BUDGET IS, UH, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO REALLY CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE, UH, OUR PLANNING, ZONING, AND PERMITTING, AND ENSURING THAT THOSE ARE DIRECTLY ALIGNED IN ONE DEPARTMENT.

UH, WE'RE ALSO CONTINUING OUR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE KAY BAILEY HUTCHINSON CONVENTION CENTER MASTER PLAN.

AS YOU KNOW, UH, JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, TWO MONTHS AGO, THERE WAS THE GROUNDBREAKING, WE EXPECT COMPLETION IN 2028.

AND SO THAT'S A REAL EXCITING PROJECT AS WE CONTINUE THAT IN THIS NEW YEAR.

UH, THIS BUDGET AL ALSO INCLUDES, UH, AN EFFORT TO GROW THE CAPACITY OF SMALL DEVELOPERS AND CREATE A ONE STOP INCENTIVE TOOLBOX FOR DEVELOPERS OF ALL SIZES.

SO AS WE'VE REALIGNED THE ACTIVITIES AND TASKS THAT WERE PART OF THE SMALL BUSINESS CENTER, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WILL NOW HAVE WITHIN THEIR TOOLBOX, THE SOUTHERN DALLAS INVESTMENT FUND, THE SOUTH DALLAS FAIR PARK OPPORTUNITY FUND, NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT ZONE PROGRAM, AND OTHER PROGRAMS AT THEIR DISPOSAL AS THEY'RE WORKING WITH DEVELOPERS OF ALL SIZES, SMALL AND LARGE.

UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO ATTRACT, UH, COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, UH, ESPECIALLY IN UNDER INVESTED AREAS THROUGH OUR PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.

THERE'S A SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN THAT PROGRAM THIS YEAR, AS WELL AS $6 MILLION IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT FUND, AGAIN, TO ADDRESS AREAS THAT WE'VE HAD UNDER INVESTMENT.

UH, HISTORICALLY, ON SLIDE 19, WE'LL MOVE TO LIVABLE.

AND THE LIVABLE PORTFOLIO INCLUDES, INCLUDES DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES, SANITATION SERVICES, CODE COMPLIANCE, AND HOMELESS SOLUTIONS.

AND SO, STARTING OFF ON THIS SLIDE, JUST HIGHLIGHTING THAT WE'RE CONTINUING OUR PARTNERSHIPS, UH, TO REDUCE THE UNSHELTERED, UH, HOMELESSNESS, UH, COMPARED TO 21 BY 50% BY 2026.

UH, SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO INVEST WITH OUR, OUR PARTNERS, ESPECIALLY HOUSING FORWARD.

UH, THIS NEXT YEAR, WE HAVE $1.4 MILLION FOR STREET OUTREACH WORKERS THAT WE'RE, UH, PARTNERING WITH HOUSING FORWARD.

WE'RE CONTINUING OUR SUPPORT OF THE BRIDGE, AS WELL AS FUNDING FOR, UH, THE PAY TO STAY PROGRAM.

UH, THAT IS, UH, FINALLY GETTING AN INCREASE.

UH, IT, WE'VE NOT BEEN KEEPING UP WITH THE COST THERE, AND WE ARE INCREASING THE FUNDING FOR THAT PROGRAM.

UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S EXCITING, UH,

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IN THIS BUDGET IS, UH, NEW, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL CLEAN EFFORTS THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER, BUT THAT DOES COME WITH A COST.

AND SO, UH, IN THIS BUDGET, WE ARE IMPLEMENTING AN ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP FEE, WHICH IS $3 PER MONTH, $36 A YEAR, UH, BUT IT WILL GENERATE 10 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH WILL ENABLE US, UH, TO, UH, HAVE MORE FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR STORM CLEANUP, WHICH HAS BECOME A PROBLEM.

WHEN WE HAVE BIG EVENTS AND WE DON'T HAVE FUNDING FOR THE CLEANUP, UH, WE'LL CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS WITH ZERO WASTE USING THOSE FUNDS.

WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO MORE WITH OUR RIGHT OF WAY ILLEGAL DUMPING AND HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP USING THOSE FUNDS.

UH, LAST ON THAT PAGE IS TO CONTINUE TO REVIEW OUR BEST PRACTICES, UH, FOR OUR RESIDENTIAL SOLID WASTE COLLECTION, IDENTIFYING WAYS TO TRANSITION FROM, UH, TRADITIONAL WASTE MANAGEMENT TO SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE RECOVERY.

AND JUST LOOKING AT WAYS TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE, UH, UPON OUR SOLID WASTE COLLECTION ON SLIDE 21 FOR SUSTAINABLE PORTFOLIO, WHICH INCLUDES AVIATION, DALLAS WATER, UTILITY, TRANSPORTATION, AND PUBLIC WORKS, THE BOND OFFICE, AS WELL AS ENVIRONMENTAL AND QUA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY.

SO, UH, THIS AREA, UM, IS, IS OUR LARGER, LARGEST OF ALL THE AREAS BECAUSE IT INCLUDES A LOT OF OUR CAPITAL SPENDING.

UH, WE NOTE HERE THAT WE'RE BEGINNING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE $1.25 BILLION GENERAL OBLIGATION, UH, BOND PROGRAM THAT VOTERS APPROVED IN MAY.

UH, THERE WILL BE $250 MILLION IN THIS UPCOMING BUDGET.

UH, WE WILL DIVIDE THE 1.25 BILLION OVER FIVE YEARS, $250 MILLION A YEAR TO IMPLEMENT THAT BOND PROGRAM.

UH, YOU'VE ALREADY SEEN THE COMMUNICATION ABOUT, UH, THE, THE SYNERGIES THAT WE EXPECT FROM, UH, MERGING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS INTO ONE DEPARTMENT.

UH, THAT DID NET US SAVINGS INITIALLY OF $1.5 MILLION.

AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE ANY DUPLICATIONS IN THOSE TWO DEPARTMENTS AS THEY HAVE MERGED.

UH, AND WE'LL, WE DO BELIEVE THAT THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THERE.

UH, THIS NEXT YEAR WE'RE INVESTING $124 MILLION IN FUNDING, UH, FOR, UH, STREET IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE PROJECTS, ALLEY MAINTENANCE PROJECTS, SIDEWALK PROJECTS, BRIDGE MAINTENANCE PROJECTS.

NOW, THAT IS A SLIGHT DECREASE FROM THE CURRENT YEAR.

UH, THE SPENDING IN THE CURRENT YEAR WAS $152 MILLION AND IS GOING DOWN TO $124 MILLION.

UH, BUT AS I MENTIONED, AS WE IMPLEMENT THE BOND PROGRAM, THERE WAS SOME, UH, SCHEDULING WITHIN THE BOND PROGRAM WHERE WE NEEDED TO PUT THE POLICE ACADEMY IN THE FIRST YEAR, AND THAT TOOK AWAY SOME OF OUR CAPACITY FOR HAVING MORE STREET WORK IN THE FIRST YEAR.

UM, WANNA MENTION THE LAST BULLET THERE.

LAUNCHING OUR CLEAN SWEEP PROGRAM, REALLY A PROACTIVE PROGRAM TO ADDRESS OUR PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY, UH, CLEANING UP, UH, THE LITTER, UH, MOWING, UH, HAVING MORE PROACTIVE EFFORTS, AS WELL AS AN ON-DEMAND STRIKE TEAM.

UH, WE ARE, WE WILL BE SUPPLEMENTING, UH, WHAT TEXDOT CURRENTLY PAYS FOR.

TEXDOT ONLY PAYS FOR THREE MOWING CYCLES AND 18 LITTER CYCLES A YEAR.

WE WILL BE DOING TWO ADDITIONAL MOWING CYCLES, UH, AND I BELIEVE FOUR ADDITIONAL LITTER CYCLES, UH, IN THE NEW YEAR WITH THE INCREASED FUNDING.

SUSTAINABLE, UH, PORTFOLIO CONTINUES ON PAGE 22.

UH, WE WILL BE LEVERAGING, UH, OTHER FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDS, UH, BY USING OUR GENERAL FUND DOLLARS, UH, TO CONTINUE OUR VISION ZERO EFFORTS.

AND WE'VE ALREADY LEVERAGED $47.8 MILLION OF STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS, UH, FOR IMPROVEMENTS ON THOSE HIGH INJURY CORRIDORS.

UH, WE WILL FINALIZE THE DALLAS LOVEFIELD TERMINAL, UH, AREA MASTER PLAN IN THIS UPCOMING YEAR, AND WE WILL, UH, IMPLEMENT PHASE ONE OF THE SOUTHWEST PIPELINE, WHICH WILL, UH, EXPAND FOR THE POPULATION GROWTH IN THE SOUTHERN OR THE SOUTH AND THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE CITY.

AND WE'RE CONTINUING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UNSERVED AREAS PROGRAM.

AS YOU'LL RECALL, AS WE GOT ARPA FUNDS, WE STARTED FOCUSING ON SETTING MONEY ASIDE TO, UH, BRING THOSE AREAS OF THE CITY THAT DO NOT HAVE EITHER WATER OR SEWER SERVICE TO, TO BRING THOSE SERVICES TO THOSE RESIDENTS, UH, OR THOSE DEVELOPED AREAS.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE ARE CONTINUING ALL OF OUR EFFORTS, UH, REGARDING CA.

MOVING TO OUR SIXTH OF SEVEN, UH, FOUNDATIONAL STRUCTURAL AREAS IS FISCALLY SOUND ON PAGE 24.

UM, I WON'T DIVE TOO MUCH INTO THIS FIRST BULLET BECAUSE, UH, JEANETTE WILL TALK MORE ABOUT

[00:30:01]

PROPERTY TAXES AS WE GO FORWARD, BUT WE ARE PROVIDING THAT PROPERTY TAX RELIEF BY REDUCING OUR PROPERTY TAX RATE, UH, BY 3.10 CENTS.

AND WE, UH, IN JUNE, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED AN INCREASE TO THE OVER 65 OR DISABLED EXEMPTION TO 153,400.

BOTH OF THOSE EFFORTS, UH, DO PROVIDE, UH, PROPERTY RELIEF, UH, IN THIS, UH, UPCOMING YEAR, UH, FOR, UH, OUR NON-SWORN OFFICERS THAT ARE GETTING THE 7.23% INCREASE.

OUR, UH, NON-UNIFORM EMPLOYEES WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A 3% AVERAGE MERIT PROGRAM.

AND THEN WE'RE INCREASING OUR MINIMUM WAGE FROM 1850 TO 1925 IN THIS FIRST YEAR OF THE BIENNIAL, AND THEN INCREASING IT TO $20 AN HOUR IN THE SECOND YEAR OF THE BIENNIAL.

THIS WILL KEEP US, UH, ABOVE, UH, ALL OF THE OTHER CITIES IN OUR AREA, AND I BELIEVE THERE'S ONLY ONE OTHER MUNICIPALITY IN THE STATE THAT WOULD BE HIGHER THAN US, UH, UNTIL WE GET TO $20 AN HOUR.

UM, MENTION HERE, UM, ENSURING THE FISCAL SOUNDNESS OF BOTH THE DALLAS POLICE AND FIRE PENSION SYSTEM, AS WELL AS THE EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT FUND.

THIS BUDGET DOES INCLUDE THE FIRST YEAR FUNDING OF THE 30 YEAR PLANS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR BOTH ERF AND D-P-F-P-S.

UH, SO AS YOU KNOW, THE STATE REQUIRES THE 30 YEAR FUNDING PLAN.

UH, OUR RECOMMENDATION ON HOW WE PHASE UP OVER THE FIRST FIVE YEARS, UH, TO AN ACTUARILY DETERMINED CONTRIBUTION THAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET.

UH, WE ARE CONSOLIDATING SOME POSITIONS FROM GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND POSITIONS IN BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES, UH, TO A NEW OFFICE WITHIN BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES, UH, TO CONSOLIDATE OUR EFFORTS AROUND GRANTS.

UH, WE BELIEVE THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES REALLY TO SECURE MORE GRANTS FOR THE CITY.

UH, AND SO JUST A MORE CONSOLIDATED EFFORT THERE.

AND THEN LASTLY ON THIS PAGE IS IMPROVING OUR POSITION MANAGEMENT, UH, BY REPURPOSING UNDERUTILIZED POSITIONS.

SO IN TOTAL, WE HAVE ELIMINATED ABOUT 540 POSITIONS YEAR OVER YEAR.

SO IN THE CURRENT YEAR, UH, WE HAVE 16,625 POSITIONS.

THAT'S ALL TYPE OF POSITIONS, PART-TIME, SEASONAL, TEMPORARY, PERMANENT POSITIONS, AND WE'RE REDUCING THAT TO 16,084 OR A NET REDUCTION OF 541.

NOW THAT INCLUDES ELIMINATING 23 POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN VACANT FOR MORE THAN 12 MONTHS, WHICH WAS A COUNCIL AMENDMENT A YEAR AGO.

SO WE WENT AHEAD AND DID THAT, TOOK THAT ON, AND, UH, NETTED ABOUT A $900,000 SAVINGS FROM THAT EFFORT.

AS WELL AS JUST A GENERAL CLEANUP OF OUR POSITIONS AND IDENTIFYING POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE BOOK, BOOKS THAT ARE EXCESSIVE, UH, THEY WERE UNFUNDED, AND JUST CLEANING THAT UP, UH, NETTED A REDUCTION OF 541.

SO GOING TO OUR LAST OF THE SEVEN, UH, FOUNDATIONAL AREAS CORE.

AND SO CORE INCLUDES, UH, INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, PROCUREMENT SERVICES, FACILITIES, AND REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT EQUIPMENT AND FLEET MANAGEMENT, AS WELL AS CIVIL SERVICE.

SO JUST, UH, FIVE HIGHLIGHTS REGARDING CORE.

UH, WE ARE CREATING A SINGLE, UH, FRONT DOOR FOR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL, UH, COMMUNICATION, AND TWO-WAY ENGAGEMENT BY OUR CONSOLIDATIONS OF 3 1 1 AND, UH, COM.

UH, THAT NETTED ABOUT $800,000 OF SAVINGS ALSO IN CORE, UH, THE CHANGE WITH, UH, DISSOLVING SMALL BUSINESS CENTER AND REALIGNING THOSE DIFFERENT TASKS WITHIN DEPARTMENTS.

THE BUSINESS ENTERPRISE HUB WILL BE MOVING INTO PROCUREMENT SERVICES.

UH, YOU'VE ALREADY SEEN COMMUNICATION RELATED TO OUR EFFORTS OF MOVING REAL ESTATE INTO BUILDING SERVICES.

UH, AND THEN JUST MENTIONING HERE, $26.2 MILLION TO ADDRESS CITY FACILITY, UH, MAINTENANCE NEEDS.

CITY FACILITIES WE'RE LEFT OUT OF THE BOND PROGRAM, AND SO WE DO HAVE $26 MILLION HERE FOR DEFERRED MAJOR MAINTENANCE PROJECTS, SUCH AS, UH, THE CITY HALL, HVA AND HVAC AND COOLING SYSTEM, UH, THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, HVAC, JACK EVANS WATER INFILTRATION, UH, AND FUNDING FOR SOME MAINTENANCE IN, UH, DALLAS FIRE RESCUE FACILITIES FOR A TOTAL OF $26 MILLION.

UH, AND THEN THE LAST NOTE THAT I'LL MENTION IS INVESTING NEARLY $86 MILLION FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF EQUIPMENT AND FLEET THAT IS INCLUSIVE OF, UH, THE EARLIER COMMENT ABOUT POLICE AND FIRE.

THIS $85 MILLION INCLUDES ALL OF OUR FLEET REPLACEMENT, UH, GENERAL PURPOSE POLICE, SQUAD CARS, FIRE SANITATION, AND WATER UTILITIES.

UH, THAT IS AN INCREASE, UH, FROM ABOUT $73 MILLION THAT WE HAD IN THE CURRENT YEAR.

[00:35:01]

SO, UH, THAT'S JUST A SUMMARY AS WE WALK THROUGH THE SEVEN, UH, FOUNDATIONAL STRUCTURES.

AND NOW JEANETTE WILL TAKE US THROUGH GENERAL FUND.

GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU, MR. IRELAND.

MY NAME IS JEANETTE WHEDON, AND I SERVE AS THE, UH, DIRECTOR OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES, AND I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF WALKING YOU THROUGH GENERAL FUND REVENUE AND EXPENSES.

UH, STARTING ON SLIDE NUMBER 28, UH, THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS THE PART OF THE BUDGET THAT GETS THE MOST ATTENTION, TOTAL REVENUES ARE 1.9 BILLION FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.

THIS IS A 65.1 MILLION OR 3.5% INCREASE, UM, COMPARED TO THE BUDGET ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL LAST SEPTEMBER.

ALSO, THIS BUDGET IS LESS THAN THE FISCAL YEAR 25 PLAN BUDGET THAT WAS PRESENTED TO YOU ALL LAST SEPTEMBER BY ABOUT $12 MILLION.

ON SLIDE 29, WE SHOW A SIMPLE PIE CHART OF GENERAL FUND REVENUE.

PROPERTY TAX, UH, MAKES UP 57% OF THE REVENUE IN THE GENERAL FUND.

SALES TAX IS 24%.

FRANCHISE FEES ACCOUNT FOR 7%, AND ALL OTHER REVENUES SUCH AS CHARGES FOR SERVICES, INTEREST EARNINGS, AND ARE GOVERNMENTAL ALL ACCOUNT FOR 12% OF REVENUE.

ON SLIDE 30, WE ARE GIVING YOU MORE DETAIL ON REVENUE, UH, SHOWING FISCAL YEAR 23 ACTUALS, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE DETAIL FOR ALL OTHER.

ON THIS SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE THAT PROPERTY TAX IS INCREASING 34.4 MILLION WHEN COMPARED TO FISCAL YEAR 24, AND SALES TAX IS INCREASING BY 17, UH, 0.6 MILLION COMPARED TO THE FORECAST.

UH, OTHER NOTABLE INCREASES ON THIS SLIDE INCLUDE INTEREST EARNINGS.

OUR LATEST FORECAST IN THE CURRENT YEAR REFLECTS CLOSE TO 20 MILLION IN, UH, FAVORABLE, UH, INTEREST RATE EARNINGS.

MOVING ON TO SLIDE 31, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, UH, IT'S ALWAYS A CALCULATION.

UH, IT STARTS WITH THE VALUE THAT'S SET BY THE APPRAISAL DISTRICTS EXEMPTIONS THAT ARE ALLOWED BY THE STATE AND APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL, AND THE TAX RATE THAT'S SET BY CITY COUNCIL.

UH, JUST TALKING ABOUT VALUES ON SLIDE 32, UH, WE RECEIVED OUR CERTIFIED VALUE FROM THE FOUR APPRAISAL DISTRICTS BY JULY 25TH.

VALUES ARE NOW 215.2 BILLION.

UH, THAT'S AN INCREASE OF 8.5%.

2.5% OF THE INCREASE IS DUE TO NEW CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS 5.1 BILLION OF THE TOTAL, AND REAPPRAISAL ACCOUNTS FOR 6% OF THE TOTAL.

SLIDE 33 SHOWS THE HISTORY OF PROPERTY TAX VALUES DATING BACK TO 1983, AND YOU CAN SEE OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS, WE HAVE GROWN.

WE HAVE HAD A HIGHER, OR WE HAVE HAD GROWTH HIGHER THAN THE 8.5%.

UM, MORE RECENTLY IN FISCAL YEAR 23 AND 24, UM, OUR GROWTH WAS HIGHER THAN 8.5%, AND OUR 30 YEAR GROWTH RATE IS 5.6%.

SLIDE 34 REFLECTS MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PROPERTY VALUES.

UH, THIS CHART PROVIDES THE ASSESSED VALUE GROWTH, UH, DATING BACK TO 19 OR FISCAL YEAR 18, ALONG WITH THE REAPPRAISAL VALUE AND NEW CONSTRUCTION.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT, UH, THE PERCENT OF NEW CONSTRUCTION OF THE TOTAL VALUE.

SO AGAIN, WE'RE SHOWING VALUE OVER TIME WITH REAPPRAISAL AND NEW CONSTRUCTION SEPARATED FROM THE TOTAL.

ON SLIDE 35, WE PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE EXEMPTIONS ALLOWED BY STATE LAW AND APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL.

EXEMPTIONS, AS YOU KNOW, REDUCE THE VALUE THAT YOU PAY TAXES ON.

UH, THE CITY ALLOWS A 20% HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.

THIS IS THE MAXIMUM ALLOWED, ALLOWED BY STATE LAW.

UH, WITH THIS EXEMPTION, WE EXEMPT 18 BILLION IN VALUE, AND WE FOREGO 126.9 MILLION OF REVENUE.

OUR OVER 65 DISABLED EXEMPTION WAS INCREASED ON JUNE 16TH.

UH, THIS IS THE SIXTH TIME.

THIS EXEMPTION HAS BEEN INCREASED SINCE 2017.

THERE'S 9.6 BILLION IN VALUE THAT WE DO NOT TAX FOR THIS EXEMPTION, AND WE FOREGO 67.9 MILLION IN REVENUE.

THE LAST ITEM ON THIS SLIDE, UM, THIS YEAR, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE CHILDCARE FACILITIES EXEMPTION.

THIS PROVIDES A HUNDRED PERCENT EXEMPTION TO THE VALUE OF PROPERTY USED FOR CHILDCARE FACILITY, AND THERE'S APPROXIMATELY 3.9 MILLION IN VALUE WITH THIS EXEMPTION.

ON SLIDE 36, YOU SEE THE HISTORY OF EXEMPTIONS BACK TO FISCAL YEAR OH EIGHT, AND YOU CAN SEE HOW EXEMPTIONS HAVE CHANGED OVER TIME.

AGAIN, UM, YOU CAN SEE THE 62 POINT, UH, 3 BILLION IN VALUE THAT IS EXEMPT.

ON SLIDE 37, I'VE TALKED ABOUT PROPERTY VALUE AND I'VE TALKED ABOUT EXEMPTIONS.

THE LAST PORTION OF THE CALCULATION IS THE TAX RATE.

UH, THE TAX RATE IS SPLIT

[00:40:01]

BETWEEN THE GENERAL FUND AND THE DEBT SERVICE FUND.

72.5% OF THE TOTAL TAX RATE GOES TO THE GENERAL FUND TO SUPPORT DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES, AND 27.5% GOES TO DEBT SERVICE.

WE ARE PROPOSING A REDUCTION OF 3.10 CENTS, UM, IN THE TAX RATE, WHICH EQUALS ABOUT 65 POINT, UM, 6 MILLION IN REVENUE FOR GONE.

I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT, UH, THE REDUCTION IN THE GENERAL FUND PORTION OF THE TAX RATE 2.08 CENTS, IS DUE TO THE TEXAS, UH, PROPERTY TAX REFORM AND TRANSPARENCY ACT OF 2019 SB TWO.

THIS, UH, PARTICULAR ACT CAPS OUR REVENUE GROWTH AT 3.5%.

UM, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST.

UM, IT'S A SEESAW EFFECT.

SO AS VALUES INCREASE, WE ARE REQUIRED TO DECREASE OUR TAX RATE.

ON SLIDE 38, YOU CAN SEE THE SPLIT BETWEEN THE GENERAL FUND RATE AND THE DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE.

THE PROPOSED BUDGET REDUCES THE TAX RATE FOR THE NINTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR FOR A TOTAL OF 9.23 CENTS, OR 11.6%, AND YOU CAN SEE THE REVENUE FOREGONE, UM, OVER THAT NINE YEAR PERIOD OF A HUNDRED AND SEVENTY, SEVENTY FIVE 0.9 MILLION.

ON SLIDE 39, YOU CAN SEE THE INCREASES AND DECREASES IN THE TAX RATES SINCE 1985.

AGAIN, ON THE FAR RIGHT, YOU'LL SEE THE NINE YEARS WHERE WE'VE HAD DECREASES.

ON SLIDE 40, UH, WE ARE SHOWING TWO PROPERTY TAX BILLS.

AS YOU KNOW, EVERY HOMEOWNER'S TAX BILL WILL BE DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON THE, UH, VALUE OF THEIR PROPERTY AND THE EXEMPTIONS THAT THEY QUALIFY FOR.

I'LL START WITH A TABLE ON THE LEFT.

THIS TABLE COMPARES THE PROPOSED TAX RATE CHANGE AND THE CHANGE IN MEDIUM VALUE.

THE FISCAL YEAR 24 MEDIUM VALUE IS 334,007 10, AND THE FISCAL YEAR 25 MEDIAN VALUE IS 381,545.

THIS IS AN INCREASE OF 14% FROM FISCAL YEAR 24.

BOTH TABLES REFLECT THE 20% HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.

YOU CAN SEE THAT, UM, THE REDUCTION IN THE TAX RATE, UM, IS OFFSET BY THE CHANGE IN VALUE ON THE LEFT.

AND SO THIS PARTICULAR TAX BILL, YOU'LL SEE AN INCREASE OF $181.

THE TABLE ON THE RIGHT COMPARES THE MEDIAN VALUE IN BOTH YEARS.

SO THIS TABLE USES THE FISCAL YEAR 25 MEDIAN VALUE OF 380 1005 45, 540 40 $5 WITH THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.

AND THIS PARTICULAR TABLE REFLECTS A REDUCTION IN THE TAX BILL.

SO THIS IS JUST TWO WAYS TO SHOW THE TAX BILL.

AGAIN, UM, EVERY HOMEOWNER'S TAX BILL WILL BE DIFFERENT, AND IT'S REALLY DRIVEN BY THE VALUE OF YOUR PROPERTY.

MOVING ON TO SLIDE 41, UM, REGARDING STATE LAW REQUIREMENTS, UH, WE WORK WITH THE DALLAS COUNTY TAX OFFICE ON THE CALCULATION OF THE RATES.

THE CALCULATED VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE IS 70.47 CENTS, AND THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE IS 70.83 CENTS.

THE CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSED TAX RATE IS 70.47 CENTS, WHICH IS LOWER THAN THE NO, NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE BECAUSE THE PROPOSED RATE IS LOWER THAN THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE.

WE ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PUBLISH A NOTICE IN A NEWSPAPER OR HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING.

HOWEVER, UH, FOR THE SAKE OF, UH, INCREASED TRANSPARENCY, UM, WE DO PLAN TO PUBLISH THE NOTICE IN THE NEWSPAPER, CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE SAME DAY THAT WE ADOPT THE TAX RATE ON SEPTEMBER THE 18TH.

MOVING ON TO SALES TAX.

SALES TAX IS THE SECOND LARGEST REVENUE SOURCE FOR THE GENERAL FUND.

UH, AS YOU KNOW, THE SALES TAX RATE IS 8.28%.

UM, SALES TAX IS CAPPED, UM, BY STATE LAW.

UH, 6.25% GOES TO THE STATE AND 1% GOES TO, TO DART.

UH, SALES TAX IS OUR MOST VOLATILE REVENUE SOURCE.

UM, FISCAL YEAR 24 HAS SLOWED TO A MORE HISTORICAL GROWTH RATE, AND WE ARE FORECASTING AN AVERAGE GROWTH RATE OF 3.7% FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 AND 26.

JUST A REMINDER, OUR ACTUAL RECEIPTS FOR THE MOST RECENT 12 MONTHS IS ACTUALLY 3.5%.

ON SLIDE 43, YOU SEE THE LONG TERM HISTORY OF SALES TAX AND FISCAL YEAR 25 AND 26.

UH, WE DON'T EXPECT SORT OF THAT HIGH RATE OF GROWTH THAT WE EXPERIENCED IN FISCAL YEAR 21 AND 22.

THE 10 YEAR GROWTH TREND IS 5.8%, AND THE 30 YEAR GROWTH TREND IS 4%.

ON SLIDE 44, YOU SEE THE HISTORICAL AND PROJECTED PERCENTAGE CHANGE IN SALES TAX.

AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THAT SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN FISCAL YEAR 21 AND 22, BUT THEN YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE SIGNIFICANT DECLINES IN FISCAL YEAR, UH, 2002 AND 2009.

MOVING ON TO SLIDE 45, UH, WE DO HAVE A FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE CRITERIA NUMBER 12

[00:45:01]

THAT REQUIRES THAT WE REVIEW FEES AT LEAST ONCE EVERY FOUR YEARS.

THE GOAL IS TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH FULL COST, UH, OR TO DETERMINE THE FULL COST RECOVERY OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED.

AND SO EVERY YEAR WE REVIEW A GROUP OF FEES.

ON SLIDE NUMBER 46, UM, YOU CAN SEE THE DEPARTMENTS WE REVIEWED THIS YEAR, LIBRARY TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS, AND PARK AND RECREATION.

UH, WE HAVE INCLUDED THE FEE STUDY RESULTS IN THE APPENDIX.

UH, YOU CAN SEE, UH, THE, UH, CURRENT FEES, FULL COST RECOVERY FEE, THE PROPOSED FEE, AND THEN THE RECOVERY RATE FOR EACH FEE.

UM, WE ARE, UH, MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO ADJUST FEES, WHICH WILL RESULT IN AN ADDITIONAL 1 MILLION INCREASE REVENUE IN FISCAL YEAR 25.

ON THE NEXT THREE SLIDES, I'LL TALK ABOUT ADDITIONAL FEE CHANGES.

UM, ON SLIDE NUMBER 47, MR. IRELAND HAS ALREADY TOUCHED ON THIS, BUT WE ARE LAUNCHING AN ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP FEE.

UH, THIS FEE WILL BE ASSESSED TO ALL CITY RESIDENTIAL AND NON RESIDENTIAL UTILITY CUSTOMERS.

THE PROJECTED REVENUE IS 10.5 MILLION TO BE ALLOCATED TO SANITATION, THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS, TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.

UH, THE FUNDING, AS MR. IRELAND MENTIONED, WILL BE USED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP, SEVERE STORM RESERVE, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP, AND JUST REALLY A FOCUS ON, UM, LITTER AND MOWING ALONG OUR PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.

UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL FEE IS NOT A NEW FEE TO TEXAS.

UH, EL PASO, FORT WORTH AND SAN ANTONIO ALL HAVE IMPLEMENTED THIS FEE.

UH, FORT WORTH FEE HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 1995, SAN ANTONIO SINCE 1992 IN EL PASO SINCE 2010.

ON SLIDE 48, UM, YOU CAN SEE WE ARE ADJUSTING OUR FRANCHISE FEES FOR PRIVATE SOLID WASTE HAULERS THAT USE OUR PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.

UH, PRIVATE SOLID WASTE HAULERS, UM, PAY A FRANCHISE FEE OF 4% OF GROSS REVENUES TO THE CITY.

UH, THE CURRENT RATE HAS NOT BEEN CHANGED SINCE 2007.

HOWEVER, OUR COST OF MAINTAINING THE RIGHT OF WAY HAS INCREASED OVER TIME.

THEREFORE, WE ARE RECOMMENDING AN INCREASE IN THE RATE, UH, FROM 4% TO 6%, AND THIS CHANGE IS PROJECTED TO GENERATE AN ADDITIONAL 1.8 MILLION IN REVENUE.

ON SLIDE NUMBER 49, WE ARE PROPOSING A CHANGE IN 9 1 1 FEES.

9 1 1 IS SUPPORTED BY FEES COLLECT COLLECTED BY TELECOM SERVICE PROVIDERS.

THIS PARTICULAR FEE HAS NOT BEEN CHANGED SINCE 1992, AND SO WE ARE PROPOSING, UH, CHANGES IN THE LANDLINE TO REFLECT TODAY'S DOLLARS.

UM, AND WHAT I MEAN BY TODAY'S DOLLARS, WHAT THE FEE, UH, COULD HAVE BEEN HAD WE MAKING, BEEN MAKING THE INCREASE OVER THE YEARS.

UH, WE ARE PROPOSING CHANGES TO BOTH THE BUSINESS ACCOUNT AND TRUNK ACCOUNTS.

UM, I DO WANNA STRESS THAT WE ARE NOT PROPOSING A CHANGE TO THE RESIDENTIAL LAND LIFE FEE, SO WE'RE ONLY FOCUSED ON BUSINESS AND TRUNK ACCOUNTS.

UH, THIS CHANGE WILL GENERATE AN ESTIMATED 2.9, 2.4 MILLION, SORRY, IN REVENUE, AND WILL BE USED TO REIMBURSE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND DALLAS FIRE RESCUE.

UM, WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS IN THE PAST, BUT JUST AS A REMINDER, UH, THE WIRELESS RATE IS SET AND COLLECTED BY THE STATE.

SO THE NEXT FEW SLIDES I'LL TALK ABOUT EXPENSE DRIVERS.

SO MOVING ON TO SLIDE 51.

UM, AGAIN, THE GENERAL FUND PROPOSED BUDGET IS 1.9 BILLION.

UH, THAT'S 65.1 MILLION, OR THREE 3.5% MORE THAN FISCAL YEAR 24.

UM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE CHANGE IN BUDGET, UM, FOR POLICE AND FIRE INCREASED BY 78.6 MILLION AND ALL OTHER DEPART GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTS OR PROGRAMS DECREASED BY 13.5.

ON SLIDE NUMBER 52, UH, THE POLICE AND FIRE EXPENSE DRIVERS, AS MR. IRELAND MENTIONED, INCLUDE THE MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENT.

UH, THIS AGREEMENT OUTLINED A MARKET BASED PAY PHILOSOPHY AS WELL AS STEP STEP PAY INCREASES THE BUDGET REFLECTS THE RESULTS OF THE MARCH MARKET STUDY AND REFLECTS AN INCREASE OF 7.23%.

AND SO THE TOTAL BUDGET FOR MEET AND CONFER IS 48.3 MILLION.

UH, POLICE OVERTIME HAS BEEN INCREASED BY 17 MILLION TO 59.7 MILLION.

UM, TO REFLECT CURRENT SPENDING LEVELS, OVERTIME IS A DIRECT RESULT OF LATE RELIEF, MINIMUM STAFFING LEVELS, PLANNED OPERATIONS, REIMBURSABLE ACTIVITIES.

AND JUST AS A REMINDER, A DEDICATED BRIEFING IS SCHEDULED ON AUGUST 21ST TO DISCUSS, UH, PLANNED OP OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES FOR BOTH POLICE AND FIRE.

UH, THE BUDGET ALSO INCLUDES ADDITIONAL UNIFORM PERSONNEL AND FIRE.

WE ARE ADDING 63, UH, FIREFIGHTERS FOR SINGLE FUNCTION PARAMEDICS AND FIVE UNIFORM PERSONNEL TO SUPPORT THE NEW CONSTRUCTION

[00:50:01]

TEAM.

SO THIS INVESTMENT, UH, TOTALS 5.9 MILLION.

UH, SLIDE 53, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.

UM, UM, TAKE REALLY INVOLVES A PROACTIVE APPROACH.

UH, THE FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET SUPPORTS, UH, SICK LEAVE EXCHANGE PILOT PROGRAM, THE CLOSEOUT OF THE 30 YEAR RETENTION INCENTIVE PROGRAM THAT WAS LAUNCHED IN MARCH OF 2023 AND A RECRUITMENT REFERRAL BONUS PROGRAM.

SO THESE THREE PROGRAMS TOTAL 5.4 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 25.

ALSO, AS MR. IRELAND MENTIONED, WE ARE INVESTING, UM, 2.2 MILLION TO IMPLEMENT THE FIRST EVER CAREER SERIES FOR OUR HARD TO FILL HIGH TURNOVER ROLES IN THE 9 1 1 COMMUNICATION CENTER.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE LAST ITEM ON THIS SLIDE, UM, WE ARE FUNDING THE ACTUARIAL DETERMINED CONTRIBUTION FOR THE DALLAS POLICE AND FIRE SYSTEM, AND THAT INVESTMENT IS 18 MILLION.

ADDITIONAL EXPENSE DRIVERS ARE LISTED ON SLIDE 40 54.

UM, OUR ANNUAL GENERAL FUND TIF PAYMENT INCREASED BY 3.8 MILLION, AND THIS IS A REFLECTION OF THE SUPPORT OF THE 18 TIF DISTRICTS THAT ARE LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

THE TOTAL 25, UH, FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET FOR TIF IS 129.2 MILLION WITH 93.6 MILLION COMING FROM THE GENERAL FUND.

UM, ALSO ON THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION FOR THE A DC FOR THE EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT FUND.

AND THEN, SO OF COURSE, UH, THIS REFLECTS OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR NON-UNIFORM EMPLOYEES.

OTHER EXPENSES ON THIS SLIDE INCLUDE THE COURT CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

THIS IS A REPLACEMENT OF A LEGACY SYSTEM, AND THEN MATERIAL COST INCREASES IN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.

ON SLIDE, UH, 55, YOU WILL SEE WE ARE FUNDING THE ANNUAL MERIT PROGRAM FOR OUR NON-UNIFORM EMPLOYEES.

THE TOTAL COST IS 7.2 MILLION.

UM, THIS REFLECTS AN AVERAGE MERIT OF 3%.

ALSO, UH, THE BUDGET INCLUDES AN INCREASE IN THE CITY'S MINIMUM WAGE FROM 1850 PER HOUR TO 1925 IN FISCAL YEAR 25.

UH, THE NOTE AT THE BOTTOM, UH, OF THE SLIDE 55 IS JUST A REMINDER THAT THE CITY REPLY RELIES ON EMPLOYEES TO DELIVER THE SERVICES THAT THAT ARE OFFERED.

AND SO IN THE GENERAL FUND, UH, PERSONNEL COST ACCOUNTS FOR 72% OF THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET.

UH, THIS NUMBER INCLUDES PAY OVERTIME, HEALTH BENEFITS, PENSION LIFE INSURANCE, AND WORKERS' COMPENSATION.

UM, I MENTIONED ON SLIDE 51 THAT NON-POLICE AND FIRE EXPENSES DECREASED OVERALL IN THE GENERAL FUND.

NOTABLE INCREASES ARE LISTED HERE ON SLIDE 56.

AND THEN ON SLIDE 57, WE PROVIDE A SIMPLE PIE CHART OF GENERAL FUND EXPENSES BY OUR NEW FOUNDATIONAL STRUCTURE.

UH, SAFE COMMANDS THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE IN THE GENERAL FUND AT 63.4%.

AND AS MR. IRELAND MENTIONED, SAFE INCLUDES MORE THAN JUST POLICE AND FIRE.

UM, IT INCLUDES THE MARSHAL'S OFFICE, JUDICIARY, UH, THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND CRISIS RESPONSE COMMUNITY POLICE OVERSIGHT MUNICIPAL COURT, AND THEN SELECT SERVICES IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND CIVIL SERVICE.

SLIDE 58, UH, REFLECTS THE YEAR OVER YEAR CHANGES IN EACH, UH, FOUNDATIONAL STRUCTURE IN THE GENERAL FUND.

AND THEN ON SLIDE 59, WE ARE SHOWING THE PIE CHART AGAIN, UM, WITH THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE OVERLAY ON TOP OF THE GENERAL FUND EXPENSES.

UM, WITH THIS SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE THAT SAFE IS SUPPORTED A HUNDRED PERCENT, UM, BY PROPERTY TAXES.

AND THEN, UM, 26.9% OF SALES TAX REVENUE.

AND SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO IVAN GULL, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. SWEDEN.

IVAN GULL, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

I'M GONNA WALK US THROUGH A LITTLE BIT ON GENERAL PURPOSE, CAPITAL AND DEBT SERVICE.

UH, ON THIS SLIDE, SLIDE 61, YOU'RE GONNA SEE A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE DEBT SERVICE FUND AND THE GENERAL PURPOSE, UH, CAPITAL FUNDS THAT ARE CONSOLIDATED THERE IN THE, THAT REPRESENTED BY THE, UH, PURPLE CIRCLES AROUND THEM.

UH, OF THE TOTAL PROPOSED $5 BILLION BUDGET, YOU'RE GONNA SEE THAT DEBT IN GENERAL CAPITAL MAKE UP ABOUT A FIFTH OR $1 BILLION OF THAT TOTAL, $5 BILLION.

ON THE NEXT SLIDE.

SPEAKING MORE ABOUT THE CAPITAL BUDGET, WHICH AGAIN IS ABOUT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS, IT IS PRIMARILY SUPPORTED, UH, THROUGH BOTH DEBT ISSUANCE AND PAY AS YOU GO.

FUNDING, UH, THIS IS THE, THE BUDGET FOR THE $479 MILLION FOR FY 25 DOES PRIMARILY REPRESENT AN, UH, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE $1.25 BILLION 2024 BOND PROGRAM, UH, APPROVED BY THE VOTERS BACK IN MAY OF 2024 THIS YEAR.

UM, MAJOR PROJECTS INCLUDE STREET AND ALLEY RECONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, FLOOD PROTECTION PROJECTS, PARK AND RECREATION, AND CITY FACILITIES, AMONG OTHERS, AT THE THREE LARGEST PROPOSITIONS, NOT ONLY IN THE $1.25 BILLION

[00:55:02]

BOND PROGRAM, BUT ALSO IN THE 2025 BUDGET.

OUR STREET TRANSPORTATION AT $94 MILLION, UH, PARK AND RECREATION AT ABOUT $70 MILLION AND PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES AT $50 MILLION.

THAT $50 MILLION IN PUBLIC SAFETY IS A SINGLE LARGEST PROJECT THAT IS BEING FUNDED IN 2025.

ON THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS FUND, UH, SPEAKING ABOUT THE DEBT SERVICE FUND, THIS FUND IS PRIMARILY LIKE THE GENERAL FUND PAID WITH PROPERTY TAX REVENUES.

THE TAX RATE FOR THE DEBT SERVICE WAS REDUCED BY MORE THAN 1 CENT, 1.2, 1.02 CENTS, DROPPING FROM LAST, UH, THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR OF 20.40 CENTS TO 19.38 CENTS, WHILE STILL FULFILLING CITY NEEDS AS, UH, AS WE'RE WE.

WE'LL, WE'RE GONNA SHOW IN THAT LATER ON IN THIS SLIDE AND THE NEXT SLIDE AS WELL.

UH, THE GENERAL OBLIGATION OUTSTANDING DEBT IS CURRENTLY AT THE END OF, AS OF THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, UH, $1.9 BILLION.

SO THAT $485 MILLION BUDGET FOR FFY 25 DOES INCLUDE $427 MILLION FOR EXISTING DEBT AND PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST PAYMENTS.

UM, $13.8 MILLION IN NEW GEO DEBT, AND IT'S GONNA PRETTY MUCH GONNA REPRESENT THE FIRST TRANCHE OF THE BOND SALES THAT WE'RE GONNA DO, UH, FOR THE $1.25 BILLION BOND PROGRAM.

$35 MILLION FOR TIFF INCRE.

UM, TIFF INCREMENT PAYMENTS FOR THE CITY'S 18 ACTIVE TIFFS.

AND AGAIN, THAT THE REASON FOR THE PAYMENT OUTTA THE DEBT SERVICE IS BECAUSE LIKE THE GENERAL FUND, IT IS FUNDED BY PROPERTY TAXES.

SO THOSE PAYMENTS HAVE TO BE MADE FROM HERE.

UM, $5.5 MILLION IN NEW MASTER LEASE ISSUANCES.

UH, I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL FOR THAT.

AND AS WELL AS THE NEW EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION NOTES ON THE NEXT SLIDE.

UH, ON SLIDE 64, THE FY 25 PLAN DEBT DOES AGAIN TO, TO SPEAK TO THE $250 MILLION.

THAT'S THE FIRST OF FIVE EQUAL TRANCHES OF BOND SALES FOR THE $1.25 BILLION BOND PROGRAM.

$34.5 MILLION FOR EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION NOTES, AND THAT'S GONNA FUND $10 MILLION FOR SANITATION FLEET.

UH, $12 MILLION FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT APPARATUS AND AMBULANCES, AS WELL AS $8 MILLION FOR, EXCUSE ME, GENERAL FUND, UH, GENERAL FLEET, UH, WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND, THINGS LIKE DUMP TRUCKS AND THE LIKE, UH, $48 MILLION, UH, WILL BE, UM, GOING TOWARDS MASTER LEASE.

AND OF THAT 48 $8 MILLION WILL BE TO, UH, REPLACE ONE OF THE TWO POLICE, UH, HELICOPTERS, THE BOTH OF WHICH ARE MORE THAN 20 YEARS OLD AND, UH, PAST USEFUL LIFE.

UH, AND AS MR. IRELAND MENTIONED, THE SECOND HELICOPTERS IS SCHEDULED TO BE REPLACED, UH, LATER ON IN FY 27, AS WE HAVE SORT OF IN OUR FIVE YEAR CAPITAL, UH, PLAN.

UH, $15 MILLION OF THE 48 IS GONNA BE FOR REPLACING DPD SQUAD VEHICLES.

WE ARE INCREASING TO 200, UH, REPLACEMENT VEHICLES IN THE, IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

AND THEN AS, UH, ANOTHER INCREMENTAL INCREASE IN FY 26, WE'RE GONNA GO UP TO $16 MILLION, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS IN THE, UM, IN OUR SORT OF FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLAN.

UH, LASTLY, ONE OF THE LAST MAJOR, UM, INVESTMENTS IN, IN THE NATIONAL LEASE PROGRAM IS, UH, $7 MILLION TO JUST MAINTAIN CRITICAL IT INFRASTRUCTURE.

UH, ON THIS, ON THE NEXT FEW SLIDES, WE'RE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT ENTERPRISE FUNDS.

ON SLIDE 66, YOU'RE GONNA SEE ANOTHER VISUAL REPRESENTATION, UH, FOR ENTERPRISE OPERATING AS WELL AS CAPITAL FUNDS.

SO THE TOTAL $5 BILLION OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET.

THESE TWO, UM, BOXES THAT YOU, YOU SEE CIRCLED HERE REPRESENT ABOUT 2 BILLION OR TWO FIFTHS OF THE TOTAL PROPOSED BUDGET.

SLIDE 62ND.

FIRST.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT JUST IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER AVIATION.

THIS DEPARTMENT IS PRIMARILY FUNDED BY REVENUES FROM LEFT FIELD.

SO ABOUT 57% OF THEIR REVENUES COME FROM AIRLINES, 15% COMES FROM PARKING AT LEFT FIELD, AND THEN 13% COMES FROM CONCESSION, UH, SALES THERE.

SO THOSE ARE THE THREE SINGLE LARGEST SOURCES OF AVIATION'S, UH, A $208 MILLION BUDGET.

SO THANKS TO THE GROWTH FOR AVIATION, UM, THEY ARE INCREASING FROM F 5 24, UH, THEIR BUDGET OF 184 MILLION TO $208 MILLION.

UH, SO DALLAS LEFT FIELD HAS RETURNED TO PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS OF PASSENGER TRAFFIC WITH AN ESTIMATED SIFT ESTIMATED 17 MILLION, UH, EMPLOYMENTS IN THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR, UH, MAJOR INVESTMENTS WILL BE MADE IN FLEET EQUIPMENT AND FURNITURE PLACEMENT OF 20 OUTDATED VEHICLES, STAGE LED BACKDROP, UH, UPGRADES IN THE MAIN LOBBY OF OF LOVE FIELD AIRPORT, AND THE RENOVATION OF THE BAGGAGE HANDLING SYSTEM, UH, THAT'S NEEDED TO SORT OF MAINTAIN THAT THE, THE GROWTH THAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING AND ENJOYING RIGHT NOW.

ON THE NEXT SLIDE, MOVING ON THE TO THE CONVENTION AND EVENT SERVICES FUND.

THIS FUND IS PRIMARILY FUNDED BY THREE THINGS HOT TAX.

SO THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX ABOUT 60% SUPPORTS THEIR $137 MILLION BUDGET.

UH, EVENT REVENUES COMPRISE ABOUT 25% OF THEIR REVENUES, UH, AND ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE TAXES ARE 14% OF THEIR TOTAL REVENUES.

UH, THEIR OPERATING BUDGET IS REMAINING FLAT FROM THE ADOPTED 24 BUDGET, UH, AND IS GONNA SORT, SORT OF REMAIN AT THAT $137 MILLION.

THEIR CAPITAL BUDGET IS AT $70 MILLION FOR FY 25, AND A MAJORITY OF THAT 60 MILLION OF THAT 70 DO MILLION DOLLARS IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET WILL FUND THE MASTER PLAN, UH, ACTIVITIES.

UH, BUT OTHER MAJOR INVESTMENTS IN THE OPERATING BUDGET DO INCLUDE JUST, UH, INCREASES FOR PERSONNEL SERVICES, COMPENSATION, PENSION, HEALTH BENEFITS, AND SOME MORE CAPITAL TRANSFERS FOR, EXCUSE ME.

CAN YOU SLOW

[01:00:01]

DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT? OH, SORRY.

SOME, YOU'RE MOVING A BIT TOO FAST.

SERVICES, THEY ARE GOING TO GROW FROM FFY NFI 24 AT $153 MILLION AS, AS THEIR ADOPTED BUDGET, $263 MILLION IN FFY 25.

SORRY ABOUT THAT.

THANK, UH, AND CAPITAL TRANSFERS FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER, UH, RENOVATIONS IN THE, AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.

ON SLIDE 69, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.

UH, YOU'LL SEE THE NEWLY FORMED AS OF JUNE, 2024, THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, WHICH WAS COMPRISED OF THE FORMER, UH, PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN DEPARTMENT AND THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENTS.

UH, IN FI 25, THEIR OPERATING BUDGET WILL GO TO $60.4 MILLION, UH, UP FROM $53 MILLION IN FI 24.

AND THAT'S DUE TO THE PROPOSED REVENUES, UH, SORT OF INCREASING BY ABOUT 35% TO SUPPORT ONGOING OPERATIONS.

SO THO THESE INCREASED FEES WERE APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL ON MARCH OF 2024 THIS YEAR, AND THEY WENT INTO EFFECT EARLIER THIS YEAR, BACK IN MAY.

UM, MAJOR INVESTMENTS FOR PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, UH, ARE FOR ADDITIONAL POSITIONS AS MR. IRELAND MENTIONED, UH, FOR FIRE IN THE FIRE INSPECTION TEAM.

AND PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT IS ALSO SET TO LAUNCH A CONCIERGE TEAM FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, UH, AND FINALIZATION OF THE ELECTRONIC PLAN REVIEW SOFTWARE TO CREATE, UH, MORE EFFICIENCIES TO REPLACE THE CURRENT LAND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

ON SLIDE 70, WE'RE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WATER UTILITIES.

THEIR FY 25 BUDGET FOR OPERATING IS GOING TO INCREASE FROM $791 MILLION IN THE CURRENT YEAR TO $826 MILLION FOR FYI 25.

THEIR CAPITAL BUDGET IS AT 308 20 $8 MILLION AND REPRESENTS, UH, ABOUT, UM, A HALF OF THE, UH, ENTERPRISE CAPITAL BUDGETS.

UH, DW PLANS A 1.4% FEE INCREASE, UH, FROM $71 AND 33 CENTS PER MONTH TO $72 AND 32 CENTS PER MONTH FOR TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.

YOU'LL SEE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES A REGIONAL COMPARISON AND RATE GROWTH CHART.

UH, IN THE NEXT COUPLE SLIDES, UH, MAJOR INVESTMENTS ARE DUE TO INCREASES IN PERSONAL SERVICES, WHICH COMPRISE A LARGE AMOUNT OF THEIR EXPENSES IN THE WATER FUND, UH, AND MAINTENANCE ASSOCIATED WITH WATER PRODUCTION AND DEBT ISSUANCES.

THIS INCLUDES CONNECTING LAKE PALESTINE TO THE DALLAS WATER SYSTEM AND INCREASE COSTS FOR THE INTEGRATED PIPELINE PROJECT.

ON SLIDE 71, YOU'RE GONNA SEE A COMPARISON OF THE 26 DFW MUNICIPALITIES AND SORT OF THE AVERAGE MONTHLY WATER BILL.

SO WHILE THE CITY OF DALLAS INCREASE ON THE CHART SHOWS THAT WE'RE GOING FROM SORT OF NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE CHARTS, YOU'RE GONNA SEE IT, UH, IN GREEN AND SORT OF A, A LINE WITH SOME LINE, UH, A BAR WITH SOME LINES THROUGH IT.

IT'S, IT'S GOING FROM $71 AND 33 CENTS TO $72 AND 32 CENTS.

CITY OF DALLAS IS STILL THE THIRD LOWEST BEHIND ONLY CARROLLTON IRVING IN THE REGIONAL, UH, ME DFW METROPLEX ON SLIDE 72.

THIS SLIDE SHOWS A RATE GROWTH FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS.

UH, AS A REMINDER, THE FY 25 RATE IS GROWING ABOUT 2.1%.

THE 15 YEAR AVERAGE GROWTH HAS BEEN SINCE FY 2010 TO FY 25 15, UH, HAS BEEN ABOUT 3% WHILE THE FIVE YEAR GROWTH HAS, UH, FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS FROM FFY.

21, UH, IS AT 2.7% AFTER TWO YEARS OF NO GROWTH IN THE RATE, UH, IN FY, UH, 19 AND FY 20.

ON SLIDE 73, TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT STORM DRAINAGE MANAGEMENT, THE OTHER FUND IN THE WATER UTILITIES DEPARTMENT, UH, THEIR BUDGET'S GONNA GO FROM $80 MILLION IN FY 24 TO $85.9 MILLION, UH, IN 25, AS WELL AS OUR CAPITAL BUDGET OF $60 MILLION.

SO, STORM DRAINAGE IS PLANNING A ABOUT A 5% FEE INCREASE FROM $9 AND 68 CENTS PER MONTH TO $10 AND 16 CENTS PER MONTH.

SO THIS GROWTH RATE WILL REMAIN FLAT, UH, IN, AT ABOUT, UH, IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS FROM FY 26 TO FY 29.

UH, AND MAJOR INVESTMENTS DO INCLUDE JUST CAPITAL COSTS TO ADDRESS THEIR IMPROVEMENT PLAN EQUIPMENT NEEDS, AND, UH, INCREASES JUST ASSOCIATED WITH TRADITIONAL AND NATURAL FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT ACTIONS.

ON THIS NEXT SLIDE, YOU'RE GONNA SEE A FIVE YEAR, UM, GRAPH OF THE ENTIRE WATER DEPARTMENT'S CAPITAL BUDGET.

SO THAT'S BOTH THE WATER, UM, THE WATER REVENUE FUND, AS WELL AS THE STORM DRAINAGE FUNDS.

AND THIS FIVE YEAR OUTLOOK JUST SHOWS THE CAPITAL BUDGET'S GROWING FROM $388 MILLION, AS YOU'RE GONNA SEE ON THE FAR LEFT HAND SIDE, AND FY 25 TO $601 MILLION IN FY 29.

UH, MAJOR REGIONS FOR THAT GROWTH INCLUDE AN EXPANDED PROGRAM AFTER THE COMPLETION OF A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM ASSESSMENT AND JUST CRITICAL WATER, UH, DWU WATER INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE.

SO FOR SANITATION

[01:05:01]

UM, THE SANITATION DOES PLAN A ABOUT A FOUR AND A HALF PERCENT FEE INCREASE FROM 37 98, 30 $7 98 CENTS PER MONTH TO $39 73 CENTS PER MONTH FOR A TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER.

UH, FOR CONTEXT, THERE ARE ABOUT $246,000, UH, 246,000 HOUSEHOLDS IN DALLAS.

UH, WHILE THE MCC BLUFF GATE RATE, IT WILL INCREASE ABOUT 9% FROM $38 AND 80 CENTS TO $42 AND 33 CENTS PER TON.

ON THE NEXT SLIDE, SLIDE 76, THESE CHART SIDE BY SIDE, UH, SHOW THAT RATE HISTORY FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, UH, A GROWTH FROM SHOWING THE GROWTH FROM THE $21 A MONTH AWAY, UH, BACK IN 2015 TO $39 IN FY 25, WHICH IS BEING PROPOSED.

THE OTHER CHART ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE SHOWS A COMPARISON OF THE CURRENT RATE AGAINST OTHER SIMILAR SIZE TEXAS CITIES, UM, THE LOWEST BEING ARLINGTON THAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE ON THE FAR RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE RIGHT GRAPH AT $19 PER AND 19 CENTS PER MONTH, UH, AND THE HIGHEST, UH, BEING AUSTIN, TEXAS AT $55, UH, PER MONTH.

AS YOU, AS YOU SEE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE RIGHT, UH, GRAPH, SLIDE 77 DISCHARGE SHOWS THE MONTHLY UTILITY BILL PROJECTIONS AND THE EXPECTED CHANGES FROM THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR ALL THE WAY THROUGH, UH, FY 29, SORT OF IN A FIVE YEAR PROJECTION IN A SIDE BY SIDE TOTAL SHOWING ALL THE, UH, CHARGES THAT A, THAT A HOUSEHOLD COULD EXPECT TO SEE FOR WATER AND WASTEWATER, STORM WATER SANITATION, AND THE NEWLY IMPLEMENTED, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP FEE.

UH, SO YOU'LL SEE THAT IN FY 24, THE CURRENT AMOUNT IS 108, ABOUT $119 PER MONTH PER TYPICAL HOUSEHOLD, AND THAT GROWS BY $6 TO NFY 25 PRIMARILY DUE TO THE, UH, THE, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP FEE, WHICH IS, UH, REPLICATED ACROSS MANY CITIES IN TEXAS, UH, SORT OF WITH A FLATTENING OF THAT GROWTH RATE BEGINNING IN FY 27, UM, WHERE YOU'LL SEE SORT OF A, A GROWTH OF ABOUT 2.9% AND THEN DROPS DOWN TO 2.7 AND FY 28 AND FY 29.

THE LAST ENTERPRISE PLAN TO DISCUSS HERE IS, UH, WRR MUNICIPAL RADIO FUND.

THE FY 25, UH, PROPOSED BUDGET IS ABOUT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS, AND THAT IS STAYING FLAT IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.

SO, AS A REMINDER DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF WRR TRANSITIONED TO THE MANAGEMENT PARTNER, KERA, BACK ON JANUARY 1ST, 2023.

UH, AND THE CITY DID RE RETAIN EXPENSES AND ONE FTE FOR THE SORT OF MANAGING THE FUND AND THE, AND THE, AND THE, THE RADIO STATION AS WELL AS RADIO TOWER TENANTS.

BUT THESE ARE FULLY REIMBURSED BY KERA PER THE MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT.

SO THE CITY DOESN'T, DOES NOT INCUR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, MANAGING THIS, THE MUNICIPAL RADIO.

UH, SLIDE 80, THE LAST DEPARTMENT TO DISCUSS THIS IS NOT AN ENTERPRISE FUND DEPARTMENT.

THIS IS INTERNAL SERVICE FUND WITH COSTS THAT ARE JUST SORT OF EMBEDDED THROUGHOUT THE, THE ORGANIZATION THROUGHOUT ALL FUNDS AND DEPARTMENTS.

UM, THE LARGEST FUND HERE IS DATA SERVICES.

YOU'RE GONNA SEE THAT IN FY 25.

THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS $173.9 MILLION GROWING TO ONE 76,000,026, UH, THE DATA SERVICES FUND IS THE LARGEST OF THE THREE FUNDS.

UH, IT'S ABOUT $140 MILLION OF THAT ONE 70.

AND THEY ARE FOCUSED ON JUST THE SORT OF BUSINESS SOLUTIONS DATA AND ENTERPRISE LEVEL TECHNOLOGY THAT FACILITATE AND ENHANCE THE CITY'S EFFECTIVENESS JUST TO, TO MAINTAIN A, UM, INTERNET SERVICES TELEPHONES, THE PRINTING SERVICES THAT ARE, UM, IN, THROUGHOUT ALL THE, THE FACILITIES IN THE, IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.

UM, THE NEXT FUND IS THE 9 1 1 FUND.

THAT'S ABOUT $15 MILLION, AGAIN, OF THAT 173, THOUGH THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.

UH, AND IT IS FOCUSED ON JUST THE IT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR PROCESSING NINE ONE ONE TELEPHONE CALLS, UH, FOR THE RADIO FUND THAT THE OTHER, THE LAST FUND THAT TO DISCUSS FOR IT.

IT'S ABOUT $19 MILLION OF THE 173.

AND THEY ARE FOCUSED ON ENTERPRISE LEVEL, JUST RADIO COMMUNICATIONS THAT FACILITATE ALL THE SORT OF THE RADIO, UM, THE, THE RADIOS THAT ARE WITHIN ALL THE SQUAD CARS AND, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS, UH, EFFECTIVENESS JUST IN SERVING, UH, RESIDENTS WITH EMERGENCY AND OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION.

UH, BUT WITH THAT, I TURN IT BACK OVER TO MR. IRELAND TO DISCUSS THE, UH, PENSION UPDATES.

THANK YOU, IVAN.

AND SO, JUST WANTED TO SHARE TWO SLIDES, UH, REGARDING PENSION.

SO ON SLIDE 82, THE DALLAS POLICE AND FIRE PENSION SYSTEM, WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THIS, BUT IT DOES HAVE A BUDGET IMPACT.

AGAIN, WANTED TO POINT OUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE PART OF THE CITY'S PLAN, UH, TO ACHIEVE, UH, COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE REQUIREMENT OF BEING FUNDED IN 30 YEARS.

UH, OUR RECOMMENDATION

[01:10:01]

IS TO HAVE AN ACTUARILY DETERMINED CONTRIBUTION METHODOLOGY WITH THE FIVE YEAR STEP UP, NO CHANGE TO THE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION RATE, NO CHANGE TO THE BENEFIT STRUCTURE THAT'S OUTLINED IN HOUSE BILL 31 58, BUT TO OFFER SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, PAY, UH, BEFORE THE FUND ACHIEVES 70% FUNDING THROUGH A 1% COLA AND 1% STIPENDS EACH YEAR UNTIL WE GET TO 70% FUNDING.

UH, THE COST OF THE CITY OVER THE 30 YEARS IS $11.2 BILLION.

IT IS A BUDGET IMPACT FOR THIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.

WE'RE INCREASING THE CONTRIBUTION BY ABOUT $18.5 MILLION IN THIS ONE YEAR AS WE STEP UP TO THE PLAN THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING THE NEXT STEPS FOR POLICE AND FIRE PENSION, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT LAST WEDNESDAY, WE DID NOT COVER THE MATERIALS, BUT INSTEAD MADE THE DECISION THAT IT WILL GO BACK TO AD HOC COMMITTEE ON AUGUST THE 22ND, A COUNCIL BRIEFING ON SEPTEMBER 4TH, AND COUNCIL APPROVAL OF THE PLAN ON SEPTEMBER THE 11TH ON SLIDE 83, UH, FOR THE EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT FUND, AGAIN, HAS THE SAME REQUIREMENT, UH, FROM THE STATE TO BE FULLY FUNDED IN 30 YEARS.

WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THAT, UH, BY THE RECOMMENDATION THAT HAS BEEN PUT FORWARD TO REMOVE THE 36% CONTRIBUTION CAP TO IMPLEMENT THE ACTUAL ACTUARIAL DETERMINED CONTRIBUTION METHODOLOGY WITH THE FIVE YEAR STEP UP, UH, INCREASE THE TIER A EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION RATE, MAINTAIN THE TIER B EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION RATE, NO CHANGE TO BENEFITS, ADD OVERSIGHT PROVISIONS, AND THE TOTAL COST TO THE CITY OVER THE 30 YEARS IS, UH, JUST UNDER $8 BILLION.

THE BUDGET IMPACT FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR IS ABOUT $14 MILLION.

JEANETTE MENTIONED AS SHE WAS GOING THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND OF $5 MILLION.

THAT IS THE GENERAL FUND SHARE OF THAT $14 MILLION.

PART OF THAT INCREASES IN THE PENSION OBLIGATION BOND DEBT, AND PART OF THAT INCREASE, UH, COST IS IN THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS AND INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS.

SO $14 MILLION INCREASE ABOUT FIVE IN THE GENERAL FUND.

UH, THE NEXT STEPS RELATED TO THE EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT FUND IS WE DO HAVE AN ITEM ON YOUR COUNCIL AGENDA FOR TOMORROW TO CALL THE ELECTION FOR NOVEMBER.

UH, BRING THE FINAL FUNDING NESS RESTORATION PLAN FOR YOUR APPROVAL ON SEPTEMBER 11TH, AND THEN SUBMIT THE PLAN BY SEPTEMBER THE 30TH.

SO I JUST WANTED TO MENTION, BECAUSE OF THE 300 AND NEARLY $40 MILLION THAT WE INVEST IN, UH, THE TWO PENSION SYSTEMS AND THE BUDGET IMPACT, UH, WE'VE INCLUDED THESE TWO SLIDES THIS YEAR.

SO I'M GONNA TURN NOW TO MS. WHEDON.

THANK YOU, MR. IRELAND.

UH, STARTING ON SLIDE, UH, 85, WE ARE FOCUSED ON OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF OUR PROCESS LISTENING TO RESIDENTS CITY COUNCIL HOSTED, UH, BUDGET TOWN HALL MEETINGS WERE HELD THIS PAST SPRING, AS WELL AS UPCOMING, UH, SESSIONS LATER THIS WEEK THROUGH THE 29TH.

IN ADDITION TO BUDGET TOWN HALL SESSIONS, WE DO, UH, HOLD THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS.

UM, WE HELD A HEARING ON MARCH 27TH, MAY 22ND, AND OUR LAST PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE ON AUGUST THE 28TH.

ALSO, FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS, WE'VE CONDUCTED A STATISTICALLY VALID SURVEY, THE COMMUNITY SURVEY, AND THE RESULTS WERE SHARED WITH, UH, CITY COUNCIL IN JUNE BY CITY COUNCIL MEMO.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE OUR BUDGET PRIORITY SURVEY, WHICH IS NOT STATISTICALLY VALID.

HOWEVER, UH, WE DO DISTRIBUTE THIS SURVEY TO OUR SPRING LISTING SESSIONS AT OTHER OUTREACH EVENTS.

AND THE SURVEY HAS BEEN AVAILABLE ONLINE AS WELL AS AT, UH, RECREATION CENTERS AND LIBRARIES THROUGH JULY 31ST.

ON SLIDE 86, UH, WE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMMUNITY SURVEY.

UH, IT IS A RANDOM SURVEY, AND AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE BEEN CONDUCTING THIS SURVEY SINCE 2005.

ON SLIDE 87, WE PROVIDE THE TOP THREE PRIORITY RESULTS BY CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT, UH, SIMILAR TO PRIOR YEARS MAINTENANCE OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND POLICE SERVICES, WHERE THE NUMBER ONE AND TWO PRIORITIES SOCIAL SERVICES.

UM, IN THIS SURVEY INCLUDES, UH, SERVICES SUPPORTING THE HOMELESS.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT ON SLIDE 87, ON SLIDE 88, UH, WE PROVIDE A TALLY OF THE HIGH PRIORITY AREAS.

AND THEN ON SLIDE 89, WE ARE SHOWING THE RESULTS OF THE BUDGET.

PRIORITY SURVEY RESPONSES ARE MAPPED BASED ON ZIP CODES PROVIDED, UH, 513 RESPONDENTS PROVIDED THEIR ZIP CODE AND THE NUMBER OF RESPONSES FOR EACH ZIP CODE ARE LISTED HERE ON SLIDE 89.

[01:15:02]

ON SLIDE 90.

UH, WE INCLUDE, UH, RESPONSES TO, UM, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

UM, SO THE SURVEY WILL ASK RESIDENTS WHAT CITY ISSUES MATTER THE MOST TO YOU.

UH, THERE'S ALSO A QUESTION ABOUT IF YOU COULD INCREASE FUNDING TO ONLY THREE SERVICE AREAS, WHICH AREAS WOULD YOU CHOOSE? AND YOU CAN SEE THE RESULTS ON THIS SLIDE.

UM, POLICE SERVICES, MAINTENANCE OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT RESPOND TO HOMELESSNESS WERE THE TOP THREE SERVICE AREAS.

UH, DECREASES IN SERVICES.

SERVICES ARE LISTED ON SLIDE, UH, 91.

MOVING ON TO SLIDE 92, UM, THIS CHART PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.

UM, AS YOU RECALL, THE C-F-C-F-O AND I MET WITH, UH, CITY COUNCIL IN EARLY JANUARY TO OBTAIN PRIORITIES, UM, THAT'S INCLUDED.

AND SO YOUR TOP PRIORITIES ARE INCLUDED THERE IN THE FIRST BOX.

WE HELD OUR SPRING LISTENING SESSIONS, UM, BACK IN MARCH.

AND SO, UH, WE'RE INCLUDING THE, UH, RESULTS FROM THOSE SPRING LISTENING SESSIONS IN THE SECOND BOX.

UM, AND OF COURSE, UM, WE ARE SHOWING THE RESULTS OF THE COMMUNITY SURVEY, UM, IN THE THIRD BOX.

AND THEN IN THE LAST BOX, WE'RE SHOWING THE, UH, RESULTS OF THE BUDGET PRIORITY SURVEY.

AND SO AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, THE GENERAL THEME ACROSS, UM, OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS, UM, POLICE AND FIRE, PUBLIC SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE RANK AS THE TOP PRIORITIES FOR RESIDENTS.

ON SLIDE NUMBER 93, OUR ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS CONTINUE STARTING THIS THURSDAY.

UH, THERE ARE 25 TOWN HALL MEETINGS SCHEDULED FROM AUGUST THE 15TH THROUGH THE 29TH.

UM, THERE IS A LINK TO THE SCHEDULE AVAILABLE ON OUR TRANSPARENCY, UH, FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY SITE.

ALSO, I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT ON AUGUST THE 24TH, WE ARE EXCITED TO PARTNER WITH EXISTING EVENTS AT, UM, CLYDE WARREN PARK AND CENTRAL LIBRARY.

SO THERE ARE TWO EVENTS.

ONE IS HAGA PALOSA, THE SECOND EVENT IS A UNITY CONCERT.

UM, BOTH OF THESE EVENTS WILL INCLUDE A TELEPHONE TOWN HALL MEETING FROM TWO TO, I'M SORRY, NOT BOTH.

THE, UH, CENTRAL LIBRARY UNITY CONCERT EVENT WILL INCLUDE A TELEPHONE TOWN HALL, UM, MEETING FROM TWO TO 3:00 PM ON SLIDE NUMBER 94.

UM, JUST AS A REMINDER, WE HAVE RESOURCES AVAILABLE ON THE FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY SITE ON THE UPCOMING BUDGET PAGE.

UM, THERE IS A LINK TO THE CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET VIDEO.

UM, UH, THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IS LISTED THERE, AS WELL AS THE BUDGET IN BRIEF, AND THEN OF COURSE, ANY BRIEFINGS THAT WE PRESENT TO YOU.

AND THEN, AS HAS BEEN SHOWN IN THE PAST, WE HAVE OUR BUDGET 1 0 1 VIDEOS, AND THEN OF COURSE, UM, OUR BUDGET TOWN HALL SCHEDULE MOVE.

MOVING ON TO SLIDE 96, WHICH IS THE BUDGET TIMELINE THAT'S LISTED HERE.

UM, WE HAVE A BUDGET WORKSHOP SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEK ON AUGUST THE 21ST.

UM, AT THAT TIME, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, WE WILL DISCUSS, UH, DALLAS POLICE, UH, DEPARTMENT AND DALLAS FIRE RESCUE, AS WELL AS THE EMPLOYEE HEALTH BENEFITS FUND.

UM, WE ALSO HAVE A, UH, BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING, AS I MENTIONED ON AUGUST THE 28TH.

UM, WE WILL ADOPT THE BUDGET ON FIRST READING ON SEPTEMBER THE FOURTH, AND THEN FINAL BUDGET ADOPTION ON SEPTEMBER 18TH.

THE BRIEFING INCLUDES AN APPENDIX, WHICH INCLUDES OUR GENERAL FUND EXPENSE BY DEPARTMENT, AND THEN OF COURSE, OUR FEE STUDY DETAIL BY DEPARTMENT.

UH, SLIDE NUMBER 96 CONCLUDES OUR PREPARED REMARKS, AND WE ARE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING US THE TIME TO GO THROUGH THAT.

I REALIZE THIS IS VERY LONG.

IT, IT'S HARD TO SUMMARIZE AN 824 PAGE BUDGET DOCUMENT AND $5 BILLION WITHOUT A LOT OF DETAIL.

SO THANK YOU, SIR.

WELL, I THINK IT WAS EXTREMELY WELL DONE AND VERY CLEAR AND, AND AS CONCISE AS IT COULD BE FOR, AGAIN, AS LONG A DOCUMENT AS IT WAS.

SO THANK YOU ALL.

GREAT JOB, ALL THREE OF YOU.

UM, I'M JUST GOING TO, UM, JUMP INTO THE 5 3 1, UM, NORMAL PROCESS HERE.

SO I SEE PAUL CHAIRMAN RIDLEY, UM, FIRST, SO I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THE GENERAL FUND IS 65.1 MILLION, AND THAT'S ALL RELATED TO PROPERTY TAX, SALES TAX, FRANCHISE FEES, AND ALL OTHER REVENUE.

ON SLIDE FIVE, UH, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE TOTAL BUDGET WILL INCREASE $65 MILLION.

DOES THAT INCLUDE THE PROCEEDS FROM THE ONE AND A QUARTER BILLION DOLLARS BOND? AND WHERE ARE THOSE FACTORED INTO THE BUDGET? SO THE, UM, INCREASE IN

[01:20:01]

SO THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE, UH, ANY BOND PROCEEDS.

IT'S JUST THE GENERAL FUND.

SO WHERE ARE THE BOND PROCEEDS REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET? SO THE BOND PROCEEDS WOULD ACTUALLY SHOW UP, UM, UNDER YOUR GENERAL PURPOSE CAPITAL, AND THEN UNDER DEBT SERVICE AS WELL.

SO STARTING IN FISCAL YEAR 25.

SO DO YOU HAVE COUNTER, UH, ENTRIES, ONE THE REVENUES AND THE OTHER, THE DEBT INCURRED IN GENERATING THOSE REVENUES? CORRECT.

SO YOU'LL SEE, UM, THE EXPENSE IN THE CAPITAL PORTION OF THE BUDGET, AND THEN YOU'LL SEE THE DEBT SERVICE OR THE PROPOSED DEBT SERVICE PAYMENT AND THE DEBT SERVICE PORTION OF THE BUDGET.

ON SLIDE 13, YOU TALK ABOUT DFR HAVING A NEW CONSTRUCTION TEAM UNDER THIS BUDGET.

AREN'T THEY PROVIDING THOSE SERVICES NOW? WHAT WILL CHANGE? THEY ARE PROVIDING THE SERVICES.

NOW, THIS IS AN EXPANDED OR AN AN ADDITIONAL TEAM.

AND PART OF THE REASON FOR INCREASING THIS TEAM, ONE IS FOR SUCCESSION PLANNING.

UM, WE HAVE SOME LONG-TERM EMPLOYEES THAT, UM, CURRENTLY, UH, RESIDE IN THIS PARTICULAR, UH, DIVISION.

AND SO IT'S A COMBINATION OF WORKLOAD AS WELL AS SUCCESSION PLANNING.

SO WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY A NEW TEAM? WHY AREN'T WE JUST REPLACING TO, UM, COVER ATTRITION IN THE EXISTING TEAM? SO THE NEW TEAM IS REALLY BASED ON WORKLOAD, AND THESE EXPENSES ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT REIMBURSED BY THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.

SO IT'S NOT AN EXPENSE TO THE GENERAL FUND MM-HMM, .

BUT ORGANIZATIONALLY, WHY DO WE NEED A NEW TEAM? I SEE THE CHIEF COMING TO THE MICROPHONE.

I'M DOMINIQUE ARTIS, CHIEF OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

UH, THIS NEW TEAM WILL HELP CUT DOWN ON SOME OF THE BACKLOGS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THAT AREA TO HOPEFULLY GET OUT A LOT MORE OF THE PERMITS AS WELL AS KIND OF HELP US WITH WHAT WE SEE WHEN THE OLDER, MORE SENIOR GUYS GO OUT OF THE SYSTEM.

UH, IT TAKES A WHILE FOR THE YOUNGER TEAM TO COME IN AND REALLY CATCH UP TO SPEED.

SO WHEN THEY DO CATCH UP TO SPEED, WILL THE FIRST TEAM GO AWAY? UM, WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING RETIREMENTS RIGHT NOW.

UH, OUR ATTRITION IS ABOUT A 120 PERSONNEL A YEAR.

AND SO, UH, INSIDE OF THAT TEAM YOU HAVE SOME OF OUR SENIOR MEMBERS.

AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO PREPARE FOR THAT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T SEE A DROP OFF IN PERFORMANCE.

WILL THOSE TEAMS BE SILOED OR WILL THE NEW TEAM BE ABLE TO LEARN AND BE MENTORED BY THE OLD TEAM BEFORE THEY DEPART? EXACTLY.

THAT'S, THAT'S THE PLAN.

UM, WITH REGARD TO THE, UH, SKILLMAN LIBRARY AREA, INNOVATIVE SERVICE DELIVERY METHODS, WHAT EXACTLY ARE THOSE S? SO THE, UM, THE TECHNOLOGY OR THE INNOVATION, UH, WOULD BE SIMILAR TO A VENDING MACHINE.

YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, UH, TO WORK WITH THE LIBRARY, TO, TO ORDER THE BOOKS, THEN TO GO TO THE VENDING MACHINE TYPE OF DEVICE AND BE ABLE TO RETRIEVE BOOKS.

YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO RETURN BOOKS, YOU'D BE ABLE TO CHECK OUT DIGITAL MATERIALS.

UH, LIZ, DO YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN ANY? JACKIE? YEAH, JOE WAS THERE.

SHE SNUCK UP BEHIND YOU.

JOE , DIRECTOR OF LIBRARIES.

SO THIS IS A NEW PILOT PROJECT.

WE'LL START AT SKILLMAN WITH THE VENDING MACHINE.

IF YOU PICTURE A COCA-COLA MACHINE, YOU PUT YOUR LIBRARY CARD IN, IT'S RFID TAG, YOU OPEN THE DOOR.

AS SOON AS YOU REMOVE SOMETHING, IT APPENDS TO YOUR LIBRARY CARD, LIKE A MINI BAR IN A HOTEL.

SO WHERE WILL THIS VENDING MACHINE BE PLACED? WE HAVE NOT ACTUALLY FOUND A PARTNER FOR THAT YET.

WE'RE EXPLORING THAT AS WE SPEAK AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THE EXISTING LIBRARY BUILDING THAT WILL GO TO REAL ESTATE TO BE SOLD AT AUCTION.

THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE, UH, BECAUSE OF A REDUCTION IN POSITIONS RATHER THAN IN INCREASING IT? AND I'M GONNA ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO ANSWER REGARDING THEIR, THEIR PROGRAM.

UH, WITH REGARD TO, UM, THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN MERGER, THANK YOU, JOE.

UM, WILL THAT RESULT IN, WELL, YOU, YOU STATE THAT IT WILL RESULT IN, UM, AN INCREASE IN EXECUTIVE TEAM EXPENSES.

AND I'M CURIOUS IF WE'RE MERGING TWO DEPARTMENTS, WHY AREN'T WE CUTTING EXECUTIVE SALARIES,

[01:25:01]

I THINK THEY'RE COMING, UM, FORWARD.

BUT AS WE TALK ABOUT OVERALL, UH, EFFICIENCIES AS IT RELATES TO THOSE, UH, TWO DEPARTMENTS, UH, WHAT WE HAVE DONE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER REALLY, UM, IS CREATED, IT'S BACK TO NOT HAVING A FULLY INTEGRATED SECESSION PLAN AT ALL FOR THE CITY.

AND SO THIS STRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER WITH THE TWO COMBINED DEPARTMENTS WILL DEFINITELY ALLOW FOR A SECESSION PLANNING STRATEGY FOR THAT UNIT.

SO THERE'S A DEPUTY AND ASSISTANT LAYER THAT WE'VE CREATED, AND I'LL HAVE, ROBIN IS THERE TO TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.

SO IN ADDITION TO THE ASSISTANT DIRECTORS, WE'VE NOW CREATED THE DEPUTY LAYER TO PROVIDE GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES AS WE BEGIN TO REALLY CONTINUE THE REIMAGINING OF THAT DEPARTMENT.

UM, OH, I SEE EMILY LEWIS HERE, THE, UH, THE CURRENT DIRECTOR.

THEY HAVE A RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL AND INSPECTION.

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.

IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE TO TALK TO YOU.

AND I WOULD SAY, UM, IT IS REALLY IMPROVING EFFICIENCY FROM A CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSPECTIVE RIGHT NOW.

UH, BEFORE IT WAS TWO SEPARATE DEPARTMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE ZONING WAS SPLIT IN HALF.

ONE IS THE PLANNING, THE OTHER ONE IS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

BY COMBINING THOSE TWO, ALL THE ZONING AND OTHERS ARE TOGETHER, WE'RE GONNA HAVE ONE DETERMINATION, ONE, UM, INTERPRETATION FOR, UH, THE ZONING RELATED AND ALSO JUST BREAK DOWN THE SILOS, UH, FROM PLANNING ANY DECISION READY TO PLANNING CHANNEL DOWN TO THE ZONING AND PERMITTING.

SO WE ARE DOING CROSS TRAINING, SO WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AT THE SAME TIME.

WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT SOME THEIR REDUNDANCY.

IT'S REALLY TRYING TO IMPROVE OUR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, CUSTOMER SERVICE, MAKE SURE WE ARE, UH, TALKING TO EACH OTHER, EACH OTHER.

WE'RE CROSS-TRAINED.

UH, SO WE ARE ELIMINATE SOME OF THE, UM, MISTAKES AND, UH, BASICALLY PROVIDE BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE.

WELL, I UNDERSTAND THOSE GENERAL BENEFITS OF COMBINING TWO DEPARTMENTS, AND THAT'S WHY I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THAT YOU'RE ALLOCATING ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR EXECUTIVE SALARIES FOR THE COMBINED DEPARTMENT OVER WHAT IT WAS IN TWO SEPARATE DEPARTMENTS.

AND I THOUGHT ONE OF THE BENEFITS AND COST SAVINGS OF THIS MERGER WAS ELIMINATING THE DIRECT, THE PREVIOUS OR EXISTING DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND COMBINING THOSE TWO DEPARTMENTS, THEREBY REDUCING THE EXECUTIVE LEVEL MANAGEMENT STAFF.

BUT APPARENTLY THE OPPOSITE IS HAPPENING.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? UH, ACTUALLY WE ONLY HAVE ONE DIRECTOR, UH, RIGHT NOW USED TO HAVE TWO.

LIKE EACH DEPARTMENT HAS ONE.

UH, NOW WE HAVE TWO.

BUT THOSE, THOSE WE ARE NOT ADDING MORE PROJECTION.

WE SOME OF THE PROJECTION, LIKE THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR POSITION, FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE ARE EXISTING PROJECTION.

WE ADD JUST ONE.

WE ELIMINATE QUITE A FEW PROJECTIONS AS PART OF THIS ATION.

WELL, THAT WOULD INDICATE THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY REDUCING THE COST OF THE EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT STAFF NOT INCREASING IT, BUT THE OVERALL, THE OVERALL BUDGET WAS STILL REDUCING.

NO, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE OVERALL BUDGET.

I'M TALKING ABOUT THE STATEMENT IN THE PRESENTATION WE HAD THIS MORNING THAT THERE WOULD BE AN INCREASE IN EXECUTIVE STAFF SALARY COSTS.

AND I'M CURIOUS WHY COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY, THIS IS A VERNA YOUNG DEPUTY DIRECTOR, UH, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.

AND SO ONE OF IT IS, IS TO REALIZE A, A GREATER EFFICIENCIES AS AS STATED.

AND AGAIN, THIS IS REALLY THE FIRST PHASE OF A, OF A ONGOING PROCESS AS WE REALIZED, UH, NEW OPPORTUNITIES, UH, TO MOVE THE DEPARTMENT FORWARD.

UH, AND REALLY THE, THE MAIN POINT OF THE, UH, RESTRUCTURING WAS TO HAVE A GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY FROM THE ZONING FROM THE CUSTOMER SERVICE, UH, FROM THE CODE, CODE AND AMENDMENT FROM THE INSPECTIONS.

UH, IT WAS VERY PURPOSEFUL IN HOW WE DIVIDED UP A, UH, UH, IN A, A ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND, AND THE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.

AND SO NOW THERE IS A STRAIGHT LINE OF WHO'S ACCOUNTABLE AND RESPONSIBLE FOR EACH AREA'S VERY WELL AND GOOD.

BUT HOW MANY ASSISTANT DIRECTORS ARE THERE IN THE COMBINED DEPARTMENT AS OPPOSED TO THE TWO PREVIOUS DEPARTMENTS? THE PREVIOUS DEPARTMENTS, TWO DEPARTMENT HAD SIX.

THE EACH DEPARTMENT HAD, UH, THREE ASSISTANT DIRECTORS.

NOW WE HAVE SEVEN.

SO WE ADDED ONE.

AND THAT IS BECAUSE THE PERMITTING, UH, SECTION IS HUGE.

IT'S OVER 150 PEOPLE AND

[01:30:01]

EACH OF THAT FUNCTION IS A BIG, UH, A LOT OF TASKS.

SO PERMITTING HAS THREE ASSISTANT DIRECTORS.

UM, PLANNINGS ONLY GET ONE ZONING ONLY GOT ONE AND CUSTOMERS GOT TWO.

SO FROM SIX AS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR TO SEVEN NOW.

AND IF I MIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBIN BENTLEY, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, THE ALIGNMENT IN THIS DEPARTMENT IS DIRECTLY REFLECTIVE OF THE MATRIX STUDY, WHICH COUNCIL WAS BRIEFED ON ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO.

AND FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER WAS NEVER IMPLEMENTED SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THAT STUDY.

THAT STUDY RECOMMENDED.

AND I THINK IT'S BEEN ALL OF OUR EXPERIENCE, SOMEONE NEEDS TO BE OVER COMMERCIAL PERMITTING.

SOMEONE NEEDS TO BE OVER RESIDENTIAL PERMITTING, SOMEONE NEEDS TO BE OVER INSPECTIONS.

SO THERE'S CLEAR ACCOUNTABILITY OF WHO TO CALL WHEN THERE ISN'T A QUESTION OR AN ISSUE.

AND SO THAT WAS PART OF THE THOUGHTFULNESS OF THIS REALIGNMENT IS MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE TAKING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OUR CONSULTANT TEAM AND IMPLEMENTING THEM FOR BETTER ACCOUNTABILITY.

AND WILL THIS WORK, UH, FLOW REALIGNMENT, RESULT IN A STREAMLINING OF THE WORKFLOWS FROM THE BEGINNING OF ZONING ENTITLEMENT PROCESS TO PERMITTING? OR WILL IT JUST MAINTAIN THOSE FUNCTIONS IN SEPARATE SILOS WITHIN THIS COMBINED DEPARTMENT? DEFINITELY A STREAMLINING OF THE FUNCTIONS.

PREVIOUSLY, THE ZONING IMPLEMENTATION WAS IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AND ZONING INTERPRETATION WAS IN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, FOR EXAMPLE.

AND NOW ALL OF THE ZONING FUNCTIONS ARE COMBINED UNDER THAT ONE ZONING ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.

UM, SO THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE.

BUT YES, LOTS OF MOVEMENT WITHIN THE STAFFING TO CREATE MORE LINEAR TEAMS, CLEAR ACCOUNTABILITY AND CLEAR OWNERSHIP OF FUNCTION.

AND WILL STAFF BE PREPARED TO BRIEF THE COUNCIL AND THE APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE ON HOW THOSE WORKFLOWS WILL BE REVAMPED TO EXPEDITE THE PERMITTING PROCESS? YES.

WE BRING UPDATES TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE ALMOST EVERY MONTH, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO.

UM, JUST LAST, LAST WEEK OR WEEK BEFORE ON THE FIFTH, WE BRIEFED SOME UPDATES ON THE Q TEAM PROCESS.

THE CROSS DEPARTMENTAL WORKSHOP TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING ON THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.

WE'LL BE BRINGING THAT IN SOON.

UM, THE COMMERCIAL PERMITTING DASHBOARD HAD SOME, BASICALLY WE'RE LETTING OLD EXPIRED, INACTIVE AND INCOMPLETE PERMITS LANGUISH IN THE SYSTEM, WHICH IS SKEWING OUR NUMBERS.

AND SO WE'VE PROPOSED SOME CHANGES TO START CLEARING OUT THOSE OLD PERMITS.

SO YES, WE'LL CONTINUE TO BRING THOSE PROCESS IMPROVEMENT UPDATES TO THAT COMMITTEE PROBABLY EVERY MONTH AS THE TEAM MAKES THOSE SORT OF COMMON SENSE CHANGES.

THANK YOU, ROBIN.

BACK TO JACK, UH, JACK, WHAT WILL BE DONE WITH THE ADDITIONAL REVENUES GENERATED BY THE CLEAN, UM, FEE IN THE SANITATION BILLS IF THERE IS NO STORM DEBRIS IN ANY PARTICULAR YEAR? SO THE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP FEE THAT IS $3 PER MONTH, UM, HAS MULTIPLE USES FROM STORM CLEANUP TO THE SANITATION DEPARTMENT'S, UH, ZERO WASTE PROGRAM TO THE SANITATION DEPARTMENT'S HOUSEHOLD AND HAZARDOUS WASTE PROGRAM, UH, TO, UH, THE NEW, UH, CLEAN SWEEP PROGRAM, WHICH WE'RE EXPANDING OUR RIGHT OF WAY, UH, ILLEGAL DUMPING CLEANUP AND HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP, UH, AND JUST THE RIGHT OF WAY LITTER AND MOWING.

SO IT'S, IT'S MORE THAN JUST FOR THAT, BUT IT'S BROKEN DOWN.

UM, AND, UM, WE HAVE BEEN HAVING SOME, SOME PRETTY SEVERES EACH YEAR AND WE, WE'VE STORMS THAT WE'VE NOT HAD ANY FUNDS AVAILABLE.

SO IF THERE'S NOT A YEAR THAT THERE'S AN EVENT LIKE THAT, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SAVE THAT, UH, AND BUILD UP ENOUGH MONEY FOR FUTURE YEARS.

BUT THERE IS A FULL LIST OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE OFFERING USING THAT FEE.

SO YOU'LL BE CREATING A RESERVE FUND, BASICALLY, SO IF THERE'S NO MAJOR STORM IN A PARTICULAR FISCAL YEAR, THAT ALLOCATION WOULD ROLL OVER TO THE FOLLOWING YEAR? YES, SIR.

ON THAT PIECE OF IT, UH, JACK, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE EXPENDITURE FOR THE POLICE ACADEMY WOULD REDUCE SPENDING ON STREETS IN THIS FISCAL YEAR.

WHY IS THAT? SO WE WERE CAPPED AT $250 MILLION ON THE, UH, EACH OF THE FIVE YEARS, UH, FOR, UH, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE $1.25 BILLION BOND PROGRAM.

AND SO AS THE BOND OFFICE WAS WORKING WITH THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS TO DETERMINE THE TIMING OF PROJECTS IN WHICH YEAR THEY WOULD FALL, THERE WAS A NEED FOR THE $50 MILLION, UH, POLICE ACADEMY TO BE IN THE FIRST YEAR.

AND SO THAT TOOK, YOU KNOW, 20% OF THE TOTAL ALLOCATION OF THAT YEAR THAT LEFT LESS FUNDING FOR THE OTHER PROPOSITIONS.

SO YOU ANTICIPATE SPENDING ALL $50 MILLION ON THE POLICE ACADEMY IN THIS NEW FISCAL YEAR.

THE, THE FULL $50 MILLION IS BEING APPROPRIATED, SO

[01:35:01]

IT CAN ALL BE AWARDED FOR THE PROJECT.

WE HAVE TO HAVE, UM, IT, IT CAN'T BE BROKEN UP, UH, IF WE'RE GOING TO AWARD THE ENTIRE PROJECT.

BUT THIS IS A MULTI-YEAR CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN PROJECT, ISN'T IT? IT IS.

UM, ON SLIDE 30, THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE TABLE, DID YOU INCLUDE ANY REVENUES OF FROM DISPOSITION OF EXCESS CITY REAL ESTATE? NO.

SO THE SLIDE ON, UM, OR THE TABLE ON SLIDE 30 ONLY INCLUDES OUR GENERAL FUND REVENUE.

ANY REAL ESTATE, UH, THAT WE SELL, WE HAVE A CURRENT, UH, RESOLUTION THAT REQUIRES THAT THE PROCEEDS GO TO OUR GENERAL CAPITAL RESERVE FUND, AND THOSE PROCEEDS ARE THEN USED, UM, FOR OUR CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION FUND.

SO THIS TABLE DOES NOT, UH, ASSUME THAT WE ARE, UH, SELLING ANY REAL ESTATE AND CAPTURING THAT REVENUE IN THE GENERAL FUND.

AND ONE THING THAT WE WILL BE BRINGING TO THE AD HOC COMMITTEE IS CONVERSATION AROUND THAT PARTICULAR POLICY BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT MONETIZATION OF ASSETS, EITHER SELLING ASSETS AND HOW WOULD, UH, WE RECOMMEND TO THAT COMMITTEE AND THEN TO FULL COUNSEL, UH, HOW WE USE THOSE FUNDS FROM SELLING THE ASSETS.

SO THAT'S THE ONE OF THE POLICY CONVERSATIONS WE WANT TO HAVE WITH AD HOC COMMITTEE AND THEN BRING BACK TO FULL COUNSEL.

SO WE'VE JUST HEARD, UH, IN RESPONSE TO EARLIER QUESTIONS THAT THE PLAN IS TO SELL THE SKILLMAN LIBRARY IN REAL ESTATE.

UH, THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF AN ASSET THAT WOULD PRESUMABLY GENERATE MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS.

IS THERE ANY PLAN AS TO WHERE THAT MONEY WOULD GO? UH, AT THIS TIME, NO.

THAT HAS NOT BEEN BUILT INTO NEITHER MONETIZATION FOR PENSION PURPOSES, NOR HAS IT BEEN ASSUMED IN, UH, MAJOR MAINTENANCE OF CITY FACILITIES.

UH, SO IT IS NOT FACTORED IN YET, BUT DON'T HAVE A TIMELINE ON, UH, HOW LONG THAT PROCESS WOULD TAKE.

IF I, IF I COULD JUST JUMP IN FOR JUST A MINUTE ON THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, REALLY OUR GOAL IS TO COME BACK WITH, UH, POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND THE WHOLE MONETIZATION PROCESS AND HOW THOSE FUNDS COULD BE DISTRIBUTED.

WE REALLY DO WANT THAT TO BE A DECISION OF THE COUNCIL.

SO WE'RE GONNA BE BRINGING SOME RECOMMENDATIONS BACK AND HAVING A DISCUSSION AROUND HOW THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD AS WE CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY NOT ONLY THE PROPERTIES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE ON THE EXISTING LIST, BUT AS ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES COME UP AS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO ASK TO, TO LOOK AT THOSE ASSETS.

SO THAT'LL BE, THAT'LL BE A FULLY, UH, IN DEPTH DISCUSSION WITH THE CITY COUNCIL IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS.

GREAT.

UH, JEANETTE, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE 9 1 1 FEE INCREASING FOR, UH, COMMERCIAL, UH, USERS, NOT RESIDENTIAL.

I'M CONCERNED THOUGH, SINCE THOSE FEES ARE GENERATED BY ONLY LANDLINES, THAT WITH THE INCREASING TREND TO USAGE OF CELL PHONES, THAT IS INEVITABLY GOING TO DECLINE.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO RECOVER OUR COSTS FOR 9 1 1 IN THE FUTURE, GIVEN THAT? SO, UH, THAT'S A GREAT POINT.

UM, THE, UNFORTUNATELY, THE WIRELESS FEES ARE SET BY THE STATE.

UM, IN THE PAST WE HAVE HAD ON OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, UM, AN ITEM TO, UH, HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT INCREASING THOSE RATES.

BUT AT THIS TIME, THE CITY HAS CONTROL OVER LANDLINES.

AND SO OUR RECOMMENDATION, UH, FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, UH, PROPOSES AN INCREASE IN THOSE FEES.

SO ARE YOU PROPOSING A LEGISLATIVE AGENDA ITEM TO ALLOW DIVERSION OF SOME OF THE CELL PHONE FEES TO THE CITY TO PAY FOR 9 1 1 THAT HAS BEEN A LEGISLATIVE ITEM IN THE PAST? CORRECT.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, CHAIRMAN WEST, YOU FOR FIVE MINUTES.

I'VE PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED MYSELF.

AND I WANT TO COMMEND THE WHOLE TEAM HERE AND THE CITY MANAGER FOR A REALLY GOOD, UH, START OFF THE BAT HERE ON THE BUDGET.

IT'S LIKE SOMEONE'S BEEN LISTENING TO US OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AND TRYING TO AVOID THE, UH, IN INEVITABLE AMENDMENTS THAT ALWAYS HAPPEN.

SO, UM, AT THIS POINT, UH, CITY MANAGER MIGHT BE HAPPY TO HEAR, I DON'T HAVE ANY IN MIND.

SO, UH, WHICH WILL BE A FIRST FOR ME AND IN MY TIME HERE.

UM, SO I'M GONNA HIT MY POINTS FIRST AND THEN, UM, I'M GONNA HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.

I'M GONNA TRY TO SAVE MY COLLEAGUES THE PAIN AND PUT MOST OF THEM IN A MEMO.

UM, SO POINTS ARE GOOD BUDGET TO MR. RIDLEY'S POINTS EARLIER.

UH, GLAD TO SEE A REAL FOCUS IN THIS BUDGET ON, UH, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE REALIGNMENT AND COMBINATIONS IS, IS REALLY INSPIRING TO SEE.

IT'S SOMETHING I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.

THE FRUSTRATION GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS AND HEARING ROBIN'S EXPLANATION A FEW MINUTES AGO WAS, WAS, UM, ON POINT, UM,

[01:40:01]

ALONG THOSE SAME LINES.

UH, LOVE SEEING THE ONE STOP INCENTIVE TOOLBOX FOR DEVELOPERS OF ALL SIZES, ESPECIALLY, ESPECIALLY THE, THE STARTUP, THE, THE SMALL GUY.

I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S HARD IN THIS CITY, UM, AS A STARTUP TO KIND OF COMPETE WITH THE, THE BIG DOGS THAT THAT HAVE THAT CAN HIRE THEIR OWN ZONING CONSULTANTS AND, AND EXPERTS.

AND SO IT'S GLAD, I'M GLAD TO SEE WE'RE FOCUSING ON THAT.

UM, REAL ESTATE HAS BEEN SOMETHING GPFM HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT A LOT AND FOCUSING ON BOTH ON THE LEASING SIDE AND ON THE, UM, ACTIVATION OF THE CITY'S 50,000 ACRES OF REAL ESTATE.

REALLY GLAD TO SEE THAT WE ARE CONSOLIDATING OUR REAL ESTATE EFFORTS IN THE CITY AND HOPEFULLY ARE GONNA BE COMING UP WITH A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR, UM, USING THOSE AS A NEW REVENUE SOURCE MOVING FORWARD.

THE FEES, I'VE, I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.

I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO THEM TOO MUCH, BUT I DO SUPPORT THE FEES BASED ON WHAT MS. TOLBERT HAD TOLD ME AND WHAT I HEARD TODAY ON SLIDES 47 TO 49, UM, MS. TOLBERT AND I HAD TALKED ABOUT, UM, MAYBE DOING A, IN THE FUTURE, A VACANT LOT FEE.

UM, IF WE CAN FIND A WAY LEGALLY TO DO IT, TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO NOT JUST SIT ON VACANT LOTS AND LET 'EM BE NOT MOWED AND JUNKED UP AND ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING, PUT HOUSING ON THOSE.

SO I SUPPORT THE, I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THAT FOR NEXT YEAR.

UM, THAT'S ALL MY POINTS NOW, QUESTIONS.

UM, I HEARD YOU MENTION ON SLIDE 24 THAT THERE ARE, I WROTE DOWN 541 POSITIONS ELIMINATED, WAS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR.

THAT WAS CORRECT.

CAN WE GET A BREAKDOWN, UM, AS A FOLLOW UP ON WHAT DEPARTMENTS, UM, ARE THOSE ARE ELIMINATED FROM, OR IS THAT IN THE BUDGET? UM, IF YOU THERE IS IN THE BUDGET, UM, THE CURRENT YEAR, UH, NUMBER OF POSITIONS AND NEXT YEAR'S NUMBER OF POSITIONS.

SO IF YOU LOOK DEPARTMENT BY DEPARTMENT, YOU WOULD SEE THAT, BUT I WILL PROVIDE IT.

THAT'S, THAT'S ABOUT ONE PLACE OR THAT'S, I'VE GOTTA GO THROUGH EACH SECTION NOTES.

NO, IT'S IN ONE PLACE.

OH, IT IS? OKAY.

YEAH, JUST TELL ME WHERE THAT IS AND I'LL FIND IT.

IT'S THE LAST PAGE OF THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OVERVIEW.

56, THE BUDGET OVERVIEW.

OKAY, GREAT.

SO STARTING ON PAGE 54, 55, 56, AND 57.

COOL.

UM, AND I I WILL SAY BEFORE YOU LOOK AND THEN YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT IT, YOU WILL SEE REDUCTIONS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

I MENTIONED AS I WAS TALKING THROUGH THAT WE DID ELIMINATE POSITIONS THAT WE IDENTIFIED GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS THAT WERE CONSIDERED EXCESS POSITIONS AND UNFUNDED.

AND SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THOSE REDUCTIONS THAT CAME IN.

THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT, THEY WERE UNFUNDED, THEY WERE NOT NECESSARY.

UH, SO WE JUST DID THE CLEANUP.

SO DON'T BE STARTLED WHEN YOU SEE A LARGE NUMBER IN POLICE AND FIRE.

I UNDERSTAND.

THAT'S HELPFUL.

UM, ON SLIDE 37, UH, YOU, YOU TOUCHED ON, AND I THINK WE'RE ALL AWARE OF, UM, SB TWO AND THE 3.5% REVENUE CAP ON, UM, CURRENT EXISTING PROPERTY.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF NEW DEVELOPMENT, UM, FOR REVENUE PURPOSES FOR THE CITY? UH, SURE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

SO THE 3.5%, UM, REVENUE CAP CAPS, REAPPRAISAL VALUE.

SO, UM, IT DOES NOT CAP NEW CONSTRUCTION.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, UM, OUR CURRENT, UM, NEW CONSTRUCTION IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, UM, GENERATES AN ADDITIONAL REVENUE OF ABOUT 25.9 MILLION.

AND SO OUR NEW CONSTRUCTION VALUE IS 5.1 BILLION.

SO NEW CONSTRUCTION'S VERY IMPORTANT.

THAT'S GOING TO BE SORT OF THE, UM, NEW REVENUE THAT WE REALIZE, UM, IN OUR BUDGET EACH YEAR.

SO AS WE, AS A CITY, YOU ANSWERED EXACTLY WHAT I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA SAY.

AS, AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE OF GENERATING MORE REVENUE, THIS IS REALLY WHAT WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON.

AND SO WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ENABLE THE DEVELOPMENT, UM, THE, THE FAST TRACKING OF NEW PROJECTS THAT ARE DONE WELL AND WITHIN CODE.

UM, WHICH DEPARTMENT I GUESS IS THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT FALLS WITHIN THEIR WHEELHOUSE? YES, THAT'S A PART OF OUR ENTIRE GROW PORTFOLIO.

UM, THE FEE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE IN THE BACK, I'LL SEND THOSE TO YOU IN MEMO FORM.

UM, LIKE THE SURPLUS PROPERTY FEES, I JUST KIND OF WANNA UNDERSTAND WHAT SOME OF THESE ARE WHY WE, WE CHARGE FOR CEREMONIAL STREET TOPPERS, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE WE DO FOR STREET NAME CHANGES.

I'LL, I'LL GET TO THOSE.

AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION IS

[01:45:01]

THE SLIDE 93.

UM, SOME OF THE ENGAGEMENT EVENTS YOU GUYS ARE DOING, WERE KIND OF COOL AND DIFFERENT.

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THOSE? SO, UM, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS, WE'VE, WE'VE TRIED A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS TO, UM, INCREASE, UH, THE NUMBER OF, UH, RESIDENTS THAT ATTEND OUR ACTIVITIES.

SO HISTORICALLY, WE TEND TO HAVE MORE STAFF AT SOME OF OUR COUNCIL, UM, TOWN HALL MEETINGS THAN RESIDENTS.

AND SO THIS YEAR, UM, WE IDENTIFIED EXISTING EVENTS AND SO WE INVITED OURSELVES TO, UM, THE HUG A PALOUSE EVENT AT CLYDE WARREN PARK.

UM, KIDS LINK WAS VERY GRACIOUS, UM, IN ALLOWING US TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR EVENT.

UM, I THINK YOU ALL SHOULD COME OUT THIS EVENT.

TARGETED TARGETS, UH, UH, UH, KIDS.

IT'S A CHIL KIDS SINGALONG CONCERT.

UM, IT'S GREAT FOR FAMILIES THAT HAVE KIDS ANYWHERE FROM TWO TO, UM, 13, 14.

AND THEN OF COURSE THE UNITY CONCERT AT DALLAS CENTRAL LIBRARY.

AGAIN, WE INVITED OURSELVES, THIS IS A VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE AND SO WE ARE EXCITED TO PARTNER WITH, UM, DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY AND DALLAS COUNTY, I THINK THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.

AND THEN OF COURSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A TELEPHONE TOWN HALL MEETING FROM TWO TO THREE.

YOU ALL ARE INVITED.

UM, AND SO YOU, YOU ASK ME A QUESTION THAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT, UM, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PLUG THOSE TWO EVENTS.

SO IT'S AUGUST 24TH IF YOU'RE BUSY IN THE MORNING.

UM, OR IF YOU'RE NOT BUSY IN THE MORNING, YOU CAN COME OUT TO, UH, CLY WARREN PARK FROM NINE TO NOON.

AND THEN, UM, THE UNITY CONCERT IS IN THE AFTERNOON FROM TWO TO SIX.

IF, IF I COULD JUST ADD, THIS IS PART OF ALSO HOW WE ARE REIMAGINING HOW WE CAN ENGAGE.

IT DOESN'T ALWAYS REQUIRE THE CITY ACTUALLY, UM, COMING UP WITH THE CREATION OF A NEW EVENT.

IT'S REALLY ABOUT HOW DO WE PARTICIPATE AND ENGAGE BETTER WITH EVENTS AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY.

AND SO IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF AUGUST THAT YOU WOULD LIKE FOR US TO INVITE OURSELVES, WE WOULD DEFINITELY, UM, APPRECIATE THAT AND WE WILL GET OUR TEAM OUT THERE AND BEGIN TO TALK EVEN MORE BROADLY ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AND ABOUT OUR BUDGET.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION.

MS. SCHULTZ, YOU RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

UP FOR MYRIAD REASONS, BUT WE NEED TO LET PEOPLE KNOW IT'S DEPENDENT ON OUR VALUES.

I'M GONNA, UH, SAVE MY COMMENTS FOR THE END IF I HAVE ANY TIME LEFT AFTER QUESTIONS.

UM, SO THE FIRST QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS, YOU KNOW, THIS BUDGET UH, REFLECTS THE LARGEST SINGLE YEAR PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION IN DALLAS' MODERN HISTORY.

AND WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA BE REDUCING THE RATES SIGNIFICANTLY AND INCREASING THE REVENUES.

SO THE QUESTION IS AS, AS, AND YOU SHOWED THAT THE REVENUES ARE GOING TO FLATTEN OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE.

SO HOW SUSTAINABLE IS THIS APPROACH? WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR THE TIMES WHEN THE REVENUES ARE NOT QUITE AS HIGH? I JUST DON'T WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO GO INTO SHOCK, YOU KNOW, IF WHEN THINGS LEVEL OUT MORE.

SO THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

AND PART OF THE CONVERSATION AND CHALLENGE THAT WE'VE HAD SINCE 2019, UM, WHEN THE, UH, SB TWO WAS ENACTED THAT OUR REVENUE, OUR LARGEST SOURCE OF REVENUE IS PROPERTY TAX.

THE GROWTH IS CAPPED AT 3.5%.

OUR EXPENSES CONTINUE TO GROW.

UM, OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS PUBLIC SAFETY.

WE HAVE A MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENT, UM, THAT, UH, REQUIRES A MARKET-BASED, UH, APPROACH TO, UH, SALARY IMPLEMENTATION.

AND SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UM, THAT'S A GREAT POINT.

UM, EACH YEAR WE WILL CONTINUE SORT OF TO REIMAGINE, UH, LOOK AT WAYS THAT WE CAN, UH, REDUCE EXPENSES, REALIZE EFFICIENCIES, LOOK FOR NEW REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES.

SO IT IS GOING TO BE JUST A VERY ROBUST BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS EVERY YEAR.

SO I THINK THAT PLEASE, IF I MAY ADD TO PLEASE, IF, IF VALUES CONTINUE TO GO UP, WE WILL CONTINUE TO NEED TO REDUCE THE TAX RATE TO COMPLY.

AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING, WHILE THIS IS THE LARGEST WE'VE SEEN AND THE REASON WE SAY MODERN HISTORY IS 'CAUSE OUR SPREADSHEETS ONLY GO BACK TO 1983.

SO THAT'S , THAT'S AS FAR AS I KNOW BACK .

UM, BUT UM, IF VALUES ARE CONTINUING TO GO UP, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE, UH, PROPERTY TAX RATE REDUCTIONS.

UH, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT LEVEL, UH, BUT THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD EXPECT IN THE FUTURE.

I THINK IN THE CORE MESSAGING TO OUR CITY RESIDENTS, THAT META MESSAGE IS WHAT NEEDS TO BE SHARED SO THAT IF THE ALL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LOTS OF EFFORTS TO, TO NOT HAVE, UM, VALUES CONTINUE TO GO

[01:50:01]

SO ANYWAY, UH, MY SECOND QUESTION IS THE ABOUT FIFA.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT IT'S EXPECTED TO BRING SUBSTANTIAL ECONOMIC AND TOURISM BENEFITS.

SO I WANT TO KNOW HOW THE BUDGET IS PREPARING BOTH FOR THOSE EXPENSES AND, UH, THE SECURITY.

HOW ARE WE GONNA, UH, PROJECT THAT IMPACT AND CONTINUE TO, UH, UH, WEAVE IT INTO OUR BUDGET? SO FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE HAVE BUILT IN AT THIS POINT, BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH, UH, ROSA FLEMING AND THE TEAM AT THE CONVENTION AND EVENT SERVICES, UH, AS THEY'RE PLANNING FOR IT, AS, AS ONE OF THE FACILITIES WE WILL NEED TO MAKE, UH, SOME ASSUMPTIONS RELATED TO WHAT IMPACT THERE'S GONNA BE ON SALES TAX, ET CETERA.

UH, AND, AND WORK THAT IN GOING FORWARD.

AND AGAIN, 'CAUSE THAT'LL CAUSE IT, YOU KNOW, AN INFLUX.

AND ADDITIONALLY HOW WE LOOK AT WHAT OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE TO LEVERAGE THAT OPPORTUNITY THROUGHOUT THE CITY SYSTEMS, NOT JUST FOR THIS ONE SALES TAX SPIKE.

THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE.

UM, THE OTHER QUESTION IS, WILL THERE BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT STREET REPAIR INVESTMENT BASED ON THE USAGE SUCH AS DOWNTOWN AND THE DESPERATE NEEDS WE HAVE AFTER WE COMMIT TO MAKING SURE THERE ARE NO MORE UNPAVED ROADS.

SO I'M GONNA HAVE TO, UH, DEFER THAT OPERATIONAL QUESTION YES TO, UH, SOMEONE FROM TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS OR TO DEV.

I SEE GUS CUMIN AND OUR NEW ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, DEBORAH OGGI.

JUSTIN CURRY, DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.

UH, CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION AGAIN? SURE, I'LL USE MY TIME FOR THAT.

BUT, UM, WILL THERE BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT STREET REPAIR INVESTMENT BASED ON USAGE SUCH AS DOWNTOWN AFTER WE COMMIT TO MAKING SURE THERE ARE NO UNPAVED ROADS IN DALLAS? UM, HONESTLY, I'LL HAVE TO KIND OF RESEARCH THAT AND, UH, SEE BASICALLY WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE FOR US TO, UM, UH, TO ADDRESS OR ENHANCE, UH, UM, THE UM, UH, THE IMPROVEMENTS OF THESE STREETS.

UM, I HAVE A SUGGESTION FOR US FOR QUESTIONS, MADAM CITY MANAGER.

AND THAT IS I, IF WE COULD ALL TO DO WHAT CHAIR WEST IS DOING IN TERMS OF SUBMITTING THOSE SO WE CAN LEARN, UH, FROM THE OTHERS' QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.

'CAUSE I KNOW I'VE ALREADY SUBMITTED SOME AND IF WE CAN ALL LEARN IT MIT, WE WILL SAVE STAFF.

I THINK A LOT OF TIME IF THEY'RE ANSWERING FOR ALL OF US SO WE CAN MAYBE HAVE A DEADLINE TO SUBMIT OUR QUESTIONS OR WHATEVER.

EXACTLY.

THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

THAT WOULD HELP US TOO AND IT'LL MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT PROCESS FOR US ALL.

SO I'M GONNA JUST ASK A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE NOT IN THE BUDGET PER SE, BUT THEY'RE THEORETICAL ONES.

UM, ONE IS I WANT, BUT I DO WANNA UNDERSTAND IF THE TIF FUNDS HOLD ABOUT 129 MILLION, BUT WE'RE ONLY SPENDING ABOUT 35 AND A HALF MILLION FOR EACH YEAR FOR THOSE BUDGETS, HOW DO WE USE, AND IT'S A MEDIC, IT'S A BIGGER QUESTION I GUESS FOR ALL OF 'EM.

HOW DO WE USE, WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE FUNDS? HOW IS ARE THEY INVEST INVESTED SO THAT WE CAN EARN FROM THOSE FUNDS THAT ARE SITTING THERE REALLY FOR ALL OF OUR FUNDS THAT ARE SITTING THERE THAT WE'VE TAKEN IN? I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WORKS.

SO YEAH, I SEE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MAKING THEIR WAY FORWARD.

KEVIN, I THINK I DID, I THINK I HEARD THE QUESTION.

KEVIN SPATH, SORRY.

RAN OUT HERE.

INTERIM DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

SO YOU ASKED ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE TIP DISTRICTS OR THE PARTICIPATION OF THE GENERAL FUND IN THE TIP DISTRICTS.

AND WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE MONEY WHILE IT'S SITTING THERE UNTIL THEY'RE ALLOCATED? OKAY, THOSE FUNDS, SO THE, THE GENERAL FUND, THE TIP DISTRICT PARTICIPATION IS AN EXPENSE TO THE GENERAL FUND, BUT IT'S ALSO A REVENUE TO THE CAPITAL BUDGET.

AND SO EACH TIF DISTRICT HAS ITS OWN FUND THAT IS PART OF THE CAPITAL BUDGET AND THE ADDITIONAL TAXABLE VALUE AND THE REVENUES ARE BEING GENERATED IN THOSE TIF DISTRICTS AND THEN THEY'RE BEING REINVESTED RIGHT, OR TRANSFERRED BACK TO THE TIF DISTRICT FUNDS.

MOST OF THOSE FUNDS ARE ALREADY COMMITTED TO PROJECTS THAT CITY COUNCIL HAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED.

FUND TO THE TIF DISTRICT FUNDS.

A LOT OF THE WAY WE STRUCTURE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES THROUGH TIF DISTRICTS IS THROUGH THE COMMITMENT OF FUTURE FUNDS TO BE GENERATED BY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.

SO A LOT OF THAT MONEY, THAT 130 SOMETHING MILLION DOLLARS IS JUST A MOVEMENT OF FUNDS TO, FROM THE GENERAL

[01:55:01]

AND THOSE FUNDS ARE ALREADY PRIMARILY COMMITTED TO PROJECTS.

THERE ARE SOME CASH FUNDS THAT WE HAVE YET TO COMMIT.

JACK CAN EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DEBT SERVICE PORTION AND THE GENERAL FUND PORTION.

BUT, BUT I, I'LL ADD TO HIS ANSWER IF I MAY, UH, ANY FUNDS THAT THE, THE CITY HOLDS, UM, AND ON DEPOSIT WE ARE EARNING INTEREST AND IT'S ALLOCATED TO THE FUND THAT EARNED THE INTEREST.

WE DON'T TAKE IT ALL TO THE GENERAL FUND.

IF IT'S WATER INTEREST, IT GOES TO WATER.

IF IT'S TIFF INTEREST, IT GOES TO THE TIFF AND SO IT'S ALLOCATED TO THE FUND THAT EARNED THE INTEREST.

THAT WAS EXACTLY, THAT WAS MY QUESTION.

I'M, AND THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR MAKING RUN MY APOLOGIES.

NO, BUT IT WAS THE TIFFS MADE ME THINK OF IT.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO I'LL JUST SAVE THE REST.

I'LL EMAIL THE REST OF THE QUESTIONS, BUT I DO WANNA SHARE MY REMARKS.

WHEN I STARTED STUDYING THE BUDGET, UH, THIS WEEKEND, I STARTED TAKING NOTES.

AND WHAT I WANNA SAY ABOUT IT IS THIS, I THINK THIS BUDGET IS A TRIUMPH.

THE YOUR LEADERSHIP MADAME CITY MANAGER AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM.

SO WHEN I SAY YOUR, I MEAN ALL OF YOU, ALL OF YOU WHO PUT IN HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF HOURS IN THIS, UM, IN CREATING A TRUE CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL LEADERSHIP WILL CONTINUE TO BRING SAVINGS AND LEVERAGE OPPORTUNITIES HERE TO FORM MISSED BY OUR CITY.

THIS IS ALSO A TIME TO COMMEND YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR THE CONSOLIDATION AND RE-IMAGINATION OF SO MANY DEPARTMENTS.

IT'S OBVIOUS THIS IS TO YOU THAT YOUR MANY YEARS WITH THE CITY HAVE ALLOWED YOU TO STEP FORWARD AS OUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER WITH PLANS THAT YOU'VE BEEN CONTEMPLATING FOR QUITE A WHILE.

MANY OF US KEEP A RUNNING LIST OF CHANGES WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IN ARENAS IF WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.

AND IT'S CLEAR THAT YOU UNLEASH THE INSIGHT AND TRUE SENSE OF COOPERATION WITHIN YOUR TEAM TO ACCOMPLISH THE SAVINGS AND REALIGNMENT THAT YOU'RE PRESENTING TODAY.

THE FOUNDATIONAL STRUCTURE THAT YOU'VE SET FORWARD IS A SIGN OF TRUE LEADERSHIP, NOT THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE.

THE PILLARS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS STRUCTURE, ARTICULATE THE EXACT GOALS WE SHOULD BE ADOPTING AS A COUNCIL AND THINK ABOUT WHEN WE APPROVE THIS, THIS BUDGET.

SO AS WE THINK ABOUT THE FOUNDATION THAT YOU SET FORWARD ON THIS, YOU'VE DONE OUR HOMEWORK FOR US BY SETTING FORWARD THE GOALS THAT WE NEED.

UM, AND FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN A PERCENTAGE OF BUDGET FOR THIS OR THAT, NOW IT'S VERY EASY TO DO THE MATH AND SAY, WE'RE SPENDING X ON THE ARTS, WE'RE SPENDING Y ON PARKS, WHATEVER.

IT'S VERY EASY WAY TO DO IT.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND I WANNA COMMEND YOU ALL AND EVERYONE THAT YOU REPRESENT BY SITTING HERE, UH, YOU THREE AND EVERYBODY ELSE.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU MR. MAYOR.

CHAIRMAN EVAAS, YOU RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

HAS TO GO AND FILL IT UP WITH, UH, MORE MATERIALS AS THE PUBLIC STARTS TO USE THEM.

AND, UM, FIRST, UM, TO OUR CITY MANAGER, KIM TOLBERT, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS BUDGET.

UM, I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS AND I TYPICALLY DON'T SPEAK ON WORKSHOP DAY OR I SAY VERY, VERY LITTLE 'CAUSE I WANT TO HEAR FROM MY COLLEAGUES AND YOU KNOW, AND WE HAVEN'T HAD OUR TOWN HALLS.

UM, BUT TODAY'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE, UM, THINGS THAT I'VE ASKED FOR FOR YEARS.

I'VE BEEN ON THIS COUNCIL FOR SEVEN YEARS NOW AND, UM, IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING.

YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST LIKE, I GUESS SOMEBODY REALLY WAS LISTENING.

SO, UM, BUT I'M GONNA JUST PUT SAY A COUPLE THINGS FIRST.

UM, SOME VERY SMALL COMMENTS.

ONE IS I LIKE THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY, UM, EXPANSION FOR THE LIBRARY.

I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE REALLY COOL.

UM, THING THAT WE CAN TRY, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO BRICK AND MORTAR OUR WAY INTO HARD TO REACH NEIGHBORHOODS OR AREAS THAT, UM, MAYBE JUST DON'T HAVE THE ACCESS TRANSPORTATION WISE TO GET TO A LIBRARY.

BUT ALSO WITH THESE, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CALL 'EM, KIOSK OR MACHINES OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL THEM.

UM, THIS IS WHAT SOCIETY'S TURNED INTO.

LIKE YOU GO TO THE AIRPORTS OR YOU GO TO THE MALL OR YOU GO TO, UM, JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE AND THERE'S A VENDING MACHINE OF SOME TYPE SELLING SPRINKLES CUPCAKES AND SELLING CAKE BAR AND SELLING, UM, LEGO AND APPLE IWATCHES.

AND I MEAN, PEOPLE JUST CAN GO UP TO A MACHINE AND SWIPE THEIR CARD AND BOOM, YOU HAVE A LAPTOP.

YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST LIKE, THIS IS JUST THE, THE FUTURE.

SO I THINK THIS IS REALLY COOL THAT THE LIBRARY IS CONSIDERING THIS BECAUSE, UM, WE CAN GET ONE OF THESE KIOSKS FOR ABOUT 35 TO $40,000 AND THE LIBRARY STAYS OPEN 24 7.

SO IF SOMEBODY WORKS AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO A LIBRARY BECAUSE OF THE OPERATING HOURS DON'T WORK, BUT THEY CAN AT OFF HOURS OR WHATEVER IT IS, AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO TO THE ACTUAL LIBRARY, THEY CAN MAYBE GO IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, WHEREVER WE DECIDE TO PUT THESE, WHEREVER THEY END UP WORKING, LIKE A REC CENTER OR, UM, I, I, I'D LIKE THE OPTION OF CITY FACILITIES FIRST JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT, UM, RENTING SPACE OR, YOU KNOW, HAVING SOME TYPE OF CONTRACT WITH THAT AND WE CAN LIGHT IT UP.

UM, BUT ANYWAY, I THINK THESE ARE, THIS IS, UM, THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE AND SOMETHING THAT WE CAN REALLY DO WELL AND ALSO PROBABLY DON'T COST A TON OF BUCKS TO MAINTAIN AND OPERATE, UM, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF WHOMEVER

[02:00:01]

UM, I, I LIKED WHAT, UM, MR. WEST SAID EARLIER ABOUT THE FEES AND LOOKING AT SOME OTHER OPTIONS AND OTHER FEES THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO RAISE IN ORDER TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE SERVICES AND, AND WHAT THE CONSOLIDATION THAT'S HAPPENING AT THE PERMITTING AND ALL OF THAT THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING OVER THERE, THAT THOSE OFFICES, I THINK THEY'RE GOOD.

I THINK THEY'RE GREAT BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THOSE ALSO FOR YEARS AND, UM, IT'S LIKE IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING AND YOU KNOW, AND YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE IT ALREADY.

I I, I EVEN FEEL THE MORALE INCREASED OVER THERE WITH THOSE STAFF MEMBERS AND UH, THAT'S AN EXCITING GOOD THING.

UM, ONE FEE THAT I'D LIKE TO STILL EXPLORE AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT AND WE KNOW WE HAVE TO, UM, DO A LEGISLATIVE CHANGE IF POSSIBLE, WHICH IS FOR US TO GET A STREET USER FEE.

UM, BECAUSE, UM, IT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO SAID IT ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND YOU, WE, WE CAN'T FOREGO MAINTENANCE ON TRANSPORTATION.

WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN ZERO DEGRADATION.

UM, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DID AS A CITY FOR DECADES AND WHY WE'RE IN THE MESS WE'RE IN NOW.

AND SO WE'VE GOT TO STAY AT ZERO DEGRADATION 'CAUSE WE DID IT.

UM, WE WE'RE STILL THERE, BUT WE JUST CANNOT FALL BACKWARDS.

AND SO WE'VE GOTTA CONTINUE THAT AND THAT MIGHT BE A FEE THAT CAN HELP BRING IN A LOT OF DOLLARS.

SO I HOPE THAT WE CAN WORK ON THAT.

UM, THE NEXT THING IS, UM, THE ARTS AND CULTURE WE'VE DONE REALLY GOOD.

AND I WANT TO TELL YOU, THANK YOU FOR NOT CUTTING, YOU KNOW, UM, LIBRARIES, ARTS AND CULTURE, UM, ALL OF THE RESOURCES THAT OUR RESIDENTS DEPEND ON OUTSIDE OF, AND THAT'S HOW YOU HELP.

AND I LIKE WHEN WE USE THE WORD REIMAGINE.

LIKE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REIMAGINE, THAT'S PART OF REIMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY.

NO, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT GETTING RID OF COPS AND POLICE.

WE NEED MORE OF THAT.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, AND YOU DID THAT IN THIS BUDGET, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE CAN'T CUT THOSE OTHER RESOURCES, BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS, MR. MAYOR, IS THAT IF WE CUT THOSE, WELL THEN WE'RE JUST GONNA MAKE THE POLICE HAVE TO WORK EVEN HARDER BECAUSE OUR RESIDENTS DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO GO, UM, DO THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO DO ON A DAILY BASIS.

AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS BUDGET BECAUSE IT'S BALANCED.

IT DOESN'T CUT TOO DEEP ANYWHERE.

IT'S JUST NICE SLICES BECAUSE IT'S EFFICIENCIES.

IT'S BRINGING, UM, CONSOLIDATING SERVICE, UM, PROVIDERS SO THAT THEY'RE, THE FOLKS THAT ARE DOING THE SAME THING, ARE DOING THE SAME THING IN ONE AREA.

AND THE OTHER THING IS THAT, UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, CAN LOOK AT THE BOND FOR SOME OF THE PLACES, LIKE IN ARTS AND CULTURE.

I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT EARLIER.

UM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THERE'S PLACES THERE THAT WE CAN GET SOME OF THESE CRITICAL FACILITIES FIXED.

UM, IF WE CAN WORK WITH THEM AND FIGURE THAT OUT, THAT WON'T HURT, HURT, OR TOUCH YOUR BUDGET.

AND THEN THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS YOU DID ALL OF THIS WITHOUT HAVING TO CUT INTO ANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE WORK WITH AND THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON.

AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS BUDGET.

I KNOW THERE'LL BE CHANGES, BUT VERY, VERY FEW, I HOPE.

AND, AND ON TOP OF IT, I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA LOVE THIS ONE, MR. MAYOR, THE LARGEST TAX RATE DECREASE IN OUR CITY'S HISTORY.

THANK YOU, MADAM.

MADAM, MADAM, CITY MANAGER.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR .

YOU'RE RIGHT.

I'M, I'M, I'M, I'M PRETTY, I'M HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

THAT'S TRUE.

OKAY, SO CHAIRMAN MORENO, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

AS A RESULT OF THE FEES ON A TYPICAL RESIDENCE.

UH, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE REALIGNMENTS AND CONSOLIDATION OF DEPARTMENTS.

TOO OFTEN WE WORK IN, IN SILOS AND VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AREN'T TALKING TO ONE ANOTHER, AND WE DON'T KNOW, UH, WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE REALIGNMENTS SO THAT WE CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE.

UM, ON PAGE 40, STARTING WITH THE REDUCTION IN OUR TAX RATE, UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT'S, UM, HOPEFULLY GONNA BE GOING DOWN.

UH, BUT WHEN WE ADD THESE ADDITIONAL FEES, NEW FEES FROM, UH, THAT ARE GONNA BE IMPLEMENTED POTENTIALLY THIS YEAR, AND THE INCREASES IN FEES OVER, UH, PREVIOUS YEARS, WHAT'S, WHAT ARE, WHAT KIND OF SAVINGS ARE WE LOOKING AT IF, IF WE'RE ADDING THOSE ADDITIONAL FEES? AND I, I KNOW EVERY HOUSEHOLD'S GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT AND, AND SO ON THE FEES, UM, E EACH OF THE FEES ARE DIFFERENT.

BUT FOR EXAMPLE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL FEE WAS A $3 PER MONTH.

SO $36 PER YEAR FOR A HOUSEHOLD.

AND THEN FOR THE SANITATION FEES, THE WATER FEES, UH, THE, THOSE EACH HAVE A DIFFERENT, UH, PLACE.

SO, UM, THERE IS A TABLE IN THE BACK THAT SHOWS THE, THE TYPICAL BILL.

IF I CAN FLIP BACK TO THAT.

I THINK THAT IS, THAT'S ON SLIDE 77.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

ON SLIDE 77, UH, YOU'LL SEE, UM, THE WATER AND WASTEWATER STORM WATER SANITATION, AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP FEE.

SO IN FISCAL YEAR 24, UH, THOSE FOUR FEES, AGAIN, ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP WILL BE NEW.

SO WE ONLY HAD THREE OF THESE FEES IN THE CURRENT YEAR FOR A HUNDRED AND BASICALLY 19, UH, DOLLARS 25, IT'S GONNA GO UP TO $125 AND 21 CENTS.

SO A $6 AND 22 CENTS INCREASE

[02:05:01]

UM, I AM EXCITED ABOUT, UH, THE INCREASE FOR IN OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, FOR OUR FIRE INSPECTORS.

I THINK THIS WILL BE GREAT FOR OUR BUSINESS OWNERS TO, UM, GET THOSE, UH, PERMITS EXPEDITED.

UM, I AM CONCERNED, OR I WANT SOME CLARITY.

UH, WE RECEIVED A MEMO IN THE CONSOLIDATION OF, UM, IPS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

AGAIN, I, I LIKE SOME OF THE ALIGNMENT THAT'S GOING ON.

UH, WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE CRIME PREVENTION PREVENTION UNIT? IS THAT UNIT, UH, REDUCING? IS IT GOING, IS IT CONSOLIDATING WITH THE IPS? HELP ME UNDERSTAND, UM, HOW THOSE TWO ARE MERGING.

THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

UM, COUNCIL MEMBER MARINA, I'M GONNA HAVE KEVIN ODIN COME OUT AND TALK WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE CRIME PREVENTION ACTIVITIES WILL CONTINUE UNDER THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY, UH, MANAGEMENT AND CRISIS RESPONSE.

KEVIN? YES.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

UH, MAYOR, CHAIR MEMBERS AND MADAM CITY MANAGER.

UM, OUR STAFF THAT ARE WORKING IN CRIME PREVENTION WILL CONTINUE TO BE HERE AT THE CITY, UM, AND WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE.

WE'VE BUILT QUITE A REPUTATION WITH, UM, CRIME PREVENTION ASSESSMENTS.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO DO THAT, BUT THEN ALSO BUILDING UPON THEIR SUCCESSES, UM, AND THEIR KNOWLEDGE AS CODE OFFICERS TO HELP CONTINUE IN THAT AREA AS WELL WITH DIRECTOR CHRISTIAN AND HIS TEAM.

SO WE SEE IT AS A, AS A POSITIVE FOR THAT TEAM AND OUR WORK HERE AT THE CITY.

AND, UM, THIS IS, IT'S A GREAT DEPARTMENT AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT CUTTING INTO THIS PARTICULAR UNIT.

'CAUSE IT HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE.

SO THE, THE, THE INDIVIDUALS IN THAT UNIT WILL ALL STILL CONTINUE TO BE EMPLOYED HERE AT THE CITY? YES, SIR.

ON PAGE 16, UM, ON THE LIBRARY, DID WE LOOK AT HOW THIS WOULD POTENTIALLY CUT INTO SERVICE AREAS AND, AND HOW DID WE IDENTIFY THIS LIBRARY AS BEING THE ONE TO, UH, BEING ENCLO, JOEY'S COMING BACK AND, AND NOW HAVING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ALSO KIND OF THE DATA, UM, THE DATA MINING THAT WE DID TO REALLY LOOK AT WHERE WE CURRENTLY HAVE LIBRARIES POSITIONED AND PROXIMITY.

AND SO JOE WILL BE ABLE TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THAT WITH YOU.

THANK YOU, JOE.

GOOD ICE LIBRARY DIRECTOR.

SO, YES, THE FIRST THING THAT WE LOOKED AT WHEN WE WERE MAKING THIS TOUGH DECISION, WHICH I WILL SAY WAS LIKE CHOOSING A CHILD TO GIVE AWAY, IT WAS VERY TOUGH.

SO WE LOOKED AT THE CITY'S EQUITY INDICATORS FIRST.

SO THIS AREA SERVICE AREA AROUND SKILLMAN IS AN EQUITY INDICATOR ONE, WHICH INDICATES IT'S NOT A HIGH POVERTY NEIGHBORHOOD.

THEN WE DID SOME STUDIES OF THE TRAFFIC AT THE LOCATION.

UM, MOST OF OUR CUSTOMERS, A HIGH MAJORITY ARE COMING IN VIA CAR.

THEN WE LOOKED AT THE MAP OF WHERE THIS LOCATION IS LOCATED, AND IT'S ABOUT A MILE AND A HALF FROM THE VICKERY LOCATION.

AND IT HAS THREE OTHER LOCATIONS THAT ARE ABOUT THREE AND A HALF MILES AWAY.

SO BEING THAT MOST OF THE COM CUSTOMERS ARE COMING BY CAR IS NOT TOO FAR FOR THEM TO GO TO AN ALTERNATE LOCATION.

UM, WILL WE BE PROVIDED A LIST OF THE LIBRARY THAT WE'LL BE SEEING THOSE EXPANSION HOURS? THERE'S NO CHANGE IN LIBRARY HOURS BECAUSE OF THIS ONE REDUCTION.

WE'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN THE SUB SAME LEVELS OF SERVICE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

AND THEN THIS NEXT ONE'S PROBABLY FOR REAL ESTATE, KNOWING THAT THIS BUILDING MIGHT BE, UM, CLOSING DOWN.

ARE WE, DO WE END THE BUDGET? DO WE HAVE COST OF SECURING THE BUILDING TO ENSURE THAT IT STAYS, UH, SAFE? GOOD MORNING, ZEL GIBSON, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.

AND STEAL THE COPPER OR THE WIRING, OR THERE'S A CONCERN THAT THE HOMELESS POTENTIALLY HAVE BREACHED THE BUILDING LIKE THEY DID AT SEVEN 11 SOUTH ST.

IF, IF I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY, YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT ONCE THE LIBRARY MOVES OUT AND THE PROPERTY'S DECLARED SURPLUS, WHAT STEPS ARE WE GONNA TAKE TO MAKE SURE THE BUILDING IS SECURE AND SAFE? SO WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA GO TO GPFM ON THE 26TH AND KIND OF GIVE A, A REIMAGINE AN OVERVIEW OF THE NEW STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE TAKING, UH, UNDERWAY.

I WILL TELL YOU IN THE PAST, BEFORE WE IMPLEMENTED THOSE NEW STRATEGIES, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN A BIG QUESTION MARK.

I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO TELL YOU WHO WOULD'VE TAKEN CARE OF THAT PROPERTY.

RIGHT? SO TODAY THOUGH, WE SEE THOSE ISSUES AND WE'RE GOING TO BE ADDRESSING THEM EVERYTHING FROM THIRD PARTY MANAGEMENT, RIGHT? AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE OUR BEST ROUTE, AND WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT ON THE 26TH.

BUT I, I THINK YOU WILL SEE THAT WHEN WE VACATE A PROPERTY THAT IF IT'S VEGETATION THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF, IF IT NEEDS TO BE BOARDED UP SO THAT PEOPLE DON'T GO IN

[02:10:01]

PAUL, I THINK WE HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR STAFF TO GROUP TOGETHER USING CODE COMPLIANCE, UH, USING, UH, OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAMS THAT WERE OUT THERE AT SEVEN 11 SOUTH ST.

PAUL AND KIND OF RECREATE AND MARKET A WHOLE NEW STRATEGY ON WHAT WE DO WITH VACATED PROPERTIES.

'CAUSE AGAIN, THERE'S BEEN ENOUGH MEDIA ATTENTION AND DIFFERENT STORIES AND DIFFERENT CAPACITIES AND, AND, AND VARIETIES OF WAYS THAT PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN STRUCK AND OFF TO US OR THEY'VE BEEN SURPLUSED.

SO I, I THINK WE HAVE AN ADEQUATE STRATEGY TO MOVE FORWARD ON THAT, AND WE'LL BE GIVEN MORE DETAIL ABOUT THAT AT GPFM ON THE 26TH.

IF, IF I COULD JUST JUMP IN FOR JUST A MINUTE AND THANK YOU.

UM, MR. GIBSON, YOU CAN SEE HOW PROUD HE IS TO REPRESENT THE CORE PORTFOLIO.

AND ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE WANNA DO WITH THIS BUDGET IS TO REALLY DEVELOP A REAL ESTATE MASTER PLAN.

I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE A WAY TO LOOK AT ALL OF OUR ASSETS GOING FORWARD, UH, TO REALLY LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE MARKET AND REALLY BEGIN TO TREAT OUR, THOSE ASSETS FROM, UH, THE BEST PRACTICES THAT WE'VE SEEN AROUND THE COUNTRY.

SO YOU'LL, YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT IT MORE AS WE, UH, MOVE EVEN BEYOND THE GPFM COMMITTEE IN AUGUST, AND HOW WE BEGIN TO POSITION OURSELVES TO NOT DO THE THINGS THAT WE DON'T DO WELL AND TO REFOCUS OUR EFFORTS AND OUR INTENTION ON GETTING RIGHT PEOPLE TO THE TABLE THAT CAN HELP US DO A BETTER JOB, UH, WITH REAL ESTATE OVERALL.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

UM, ON PAGE 18, WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, PLANNING AND, AND PERMITTING, UH, AND ENFORCEMENT, UM, STILL NOT SEEING, UM, THE INCREASE THAT I THINK IS NECESSARY WHEN IT COMES TO HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND CONSERVATION DISTRICTS IN THE AMOUNT OF, UM, INSPECTORS, UH, WE CONTINUE TO SEE VIOLATIONS OF, UH, FOLKS NOT HAVING CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS OR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS THAT ARE, ARE, UH, NOT, UM, EXPERTS IN, IN THOSE HISTORIC DISTRICTS.

AND SO WANTING TO SEE WHAT THE INCREASE IS, IF ANY, IN, UH, IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT TO FOCUS IN AROUND HISTORIC AND CONSERVATION DISTRICTS.

SO I, I'M GONNA HAVE TO GET YOU GET YOU A RESPONSE ON THAT BECAUSE I YEAH, I WAS GONNA SUGGEST THAT LET US GIVE YOU A, A MORE DETAILED RESPONSE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING YEAH.

AND WHAT WE WOULD HOPE TO DO WITH THE BUDGETARY RESOURCES GOING FORWARD.

'CAUSE I THINK WE CAN GET INTO A LOT MORE DETAIL, UH, IN A WRITTEN RESPONSE FOR YOU.

UM, ON PAGE 22, UM, EXCITED ABOUT THE LAUNCH OF THE, UH, CLEAN SWEEP.

I AM CONCERNED THOUGH, ABOUT HOW SOME OF THOSE FEES ARE GOING TO BE, UM, ADDED TO, TO OUR RESIDENCE, UH, FOR CODE.

I DON'T KNOW IF CHRIS IS, IS HERE OR NOT, IS WITH TEXT DOT.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, DO WE KNOW WHAT THE STANDARD FOR VEGETATION HEIGHT IS, AND IS THERE ANY ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM ON STATE PROPERTIES THAT THE CITY COULD POTENTIALLY, UM, PUT IN PLACE FOR TEX RIGHT OF WAYS IF THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE IN VI VIOLATION OF, UH, VEGETATION ORDINANCES? I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE A WAIVER OR WE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE, UH, AND, AND I THINK THAT, UM, IF GUS IS SOMEWHERE CLOSE, HE CAN TALK ABOUT THE CURRENT AGREEMENT THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE WITH, UH, WITH TEXDOT FOR HOW WE MAINTAIN THAT PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY CURRENTLY.

SO THERE IS AN AGREEMENT, UH, THAT IS CURRENTLY IN PLACE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS ARE.

CHRIS MIGHT BE ABLE TO, UM, TO SPEAK TO THAT CHRIS CHRISTIAN DIRECTOR OF CODE COMPLIANCE.

GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE.

THE STATE LAW IS 36 INCHES.

THE CODE DALLAS CODE IS 12 INCHES.

YEP.

UH, THE, THE, UH, TEXDOT REIMBURSES THE CITY CURRENTLY FOR THREE MOWING CYCLES A YEAR.

AND SO PART OF OUR, UH, CLEAN SWEEP INITIATIVE IS TO ADD TWO ADDITIONAL, UH, MOWING CYCLES TO THAT.

GO REAL MACRO AND THEN I'LL GO INTO, UH, THE SPECIFICS.

UH, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

MS. BLACKMAN, YOU RECOGNIZE FOR FIVE MINUTES.

UM, THANK YOU.

AND, UM, I TOO WANNA THANK STAFF FOR PUTTING IN THE EXTRA TIME IN JULY.

IT'S VERY, UH, NOTICEABLE THE TIME THAT YOU DID, UM, WHILE WE WERE GONE OR SOME OF US WERE GONE.

I, WE, IT'S APPRECIATED.

YOU CAN SEE THE WORK THAT YOU PUT IN, UH, THE FRAMEWORK THAT, THAT THE CITY MANAGER HAS LAID OUT INTO BUILD THE BUDGET MAKES TOTAL SENSE.

AND AS MS. SCHUTT SAYS, IT IS A FRAMEWORK THAT THIS COUNCIL CAN USE TO BUILD OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AROUND.

SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR DOING OUR HOMEWORK FOR US, UH, MISS CITY MANAGER, BECAUSE, UM, IT IS WHAT YOU, YOU'VE BEEN LISTENING WHILE YOU'VE BEEN SITTING OVER HERE AND THAT'S APPRECIATED.

UM, SO I GUESS I'M GONNA

[02:15:01]

IF, IF YOU HAD A HEADLINE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY THAT THIS BUDGET IS? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I'M GONNA ALLOW MS. TOLBERT TO, UH, WHAT'S THE HEADLINE? CREATE THE HEADLINES.

I TOLD YOU YESTERDAY, , I WAS GONNA ASK THIS.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THE WHOLE RE-IMAGINING AND REALIGNMENT FOR RESULTS, I THINK IS THE HEADLINE BECAUSE WE'VE TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY OVER THESE LAST FEW MONTHS TO REALLY LOOK AT WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT, AND ARE WE DOING IT IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY.

AND SO I THINK FOR ME AND FOR THE TEAM, IT'S REALLY ABOUT MAKING THAT NOT JUST THE HEADLINE, BUT WE PUT IT INTO ACTION.

AND WE DON'T STOP JUST WITH THE DELIVERY OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET.

WE CONTINUE TO FIND WAYS AS AN ORGANIZATION AND HIGH PERFORMING ORGANIZATIONS DO THIS.

THEY'RE CONTINUING TO FIND WAYS TO REVISIT, TO RAISE THE BAR AND CONTINUE TO DO BETTER.

AND SO I THINK THAT RE-IMAGINING WILL CONTINUE GOING FORWARD.

SO I THINK THAT IS THE HEADLINE.

SO WHENEVER WE ASK THESE QUESTIONS, YOU CAME, THAT IS HOW YOU PROPOSED A BUDGET AS YOU CAME WITH WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER? HOW CAN WE DO IT BETTER? AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE IT WORK FOR A YEAR, NOT JUST FOR TWO MONTHS? EXACTLY.

SO ANY QUESTION, SO THAT'S KIND OF THE LENS THAT I'M GONNA LOOK THROUGH BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, UH, THE LIBRARY IS IN DISTRICT NINE MM-HMM.

, I ACQUIRED IT, UH, FROM D 14.

AND SO IF JOE IS HERE, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT AND IT'S BEEN, UH, BUT CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE USAGE OF THIS TYPE OF LIBRARY? I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME DATA AROUND WHAT IS THE CUSTOMER THAT USES THIS LIBRARY AND IF, CAN WE STILL MEET THAT CUSTOMER'S NEEDS IN A DIFFERENT WAY? I THINK THAT'S THE QUESTION I WANT ANSWERED.

YES, I BELIEVE SO.

UM, WE HAVE HAD A LOOK AT HOW THE CUSTOMERS ARRIVE AT OUR BUILDING THAT I MENTIONED.

MOST ARE COMING IN VIA THEIR VEHICLES.

UM, WE HAVE VERY LITTLE OF NONE FOOT TRAFFIC COMING INTO THIS LOCATION.

SO THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE OTHER LOCATIONS IS PRETTY SIMPLE.

UM, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WE LOOKED AT WAS THE USAGE OF COMPUTER SESSIONS IN THE BUILDING.

AND IT'S DOWN OVER 11%, UM, IN THIS LOCATION, WHICH MOST LOCATIONS HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE OF OVER 28%, UM, IN COMPUTER USAGE.

SO I'M EQUATE THAT TO PEOPLE ARE NOT COMING IN AND USING OUR COMPUTERS IN THIS LOCATION.

UM, SO THOSE ARE THE DATA POINTS THAT WE'VE REALLY STUDIED.

WHO'S COMING IN THE BUILDING, HOW ARE THEY UTILIZING THE BUILDING? AND JUST ANECDOTALLY, UM, WE HAVE BEEN SITTING IN THE BUILDING FOR A NUMBER OF DAYS OVER A NUMBER OF MONTHS AND JUST COUNTING TO PEOPLE IN THE BUILDING.

AND IT RANGES BETWEEN 5, 8, 10 PEOPLE AT ANY GIVEN TIME AND A 13,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITIES, IT IS NOT A LOT OF USE.

AND SO DO PEOPLE USE IT AS A, UM, A PLACE TO PICK UP MATERIALS? EXACTLY.

AND SO THEY CAN ORDER THE MATERIALS ONLINE.

AND THEN THEY CAN GO TO THIS, UM, THIS LOCATION TO PICK 'EM UP.

AND SO THAT SEEMS LIKE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ALSO KEEP INTACT WITH, MAKING SURE WE MEET OUR CUSTOMERS NEEDS.

IS THAT THEY'RE STILL, UM, ACCESSING THE MATERIALS THEY NEED.

SO WILL THIS NEW DEVICE BE LIKE AN AMAZON? LIKE CAN YOU, IF YOU ORDER SOMETHING, CAN YOU THEN GO TO WHEREVER WE, WHEREVER IT'S DECIDED AND PICK UP THOSE MATERIALS? WE ARE DISCUSSING THAT WITH THE VENDOR.

IT'S NOT ACTUALLY DESIGNED FOR THAT, BUT WE HAVE FIGURED OUT A WAY TO UTILIZE IT IN THAT RESPECT.

SO WE ARE, WE'RE USING IT IN A NEW WAY THAT THE VENDOR DID NOT EVEN IMAGINE.

WELL, UM, AND I, I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE COME WITH THE IDEA OF WE HAVE TO STAY WITHIN A, A BUDGET.

I MEAN, THAT IS, UH, AND WE WANT THE SYSTEM TO WORK AND YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THERE'S SIX DAYS A WEEK.

AND SO YOU DO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO YOU MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR CUSTOMER, BUT ALSO TO MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE WITHIN OUR SPENDING RANGES.

AND I THINK RIGHT.

EXACTLY.

AND ACTUALLY THE VICKERY PARK LOCATION IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

TRUE.

SO THERE'S ACTUALLY MORE ACCESSIBILITY FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD JUST A MILE AND A HALF AWAY.

UM, THANK YOU.

I'M SURE THAT THERE'LL BE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT ON THURSDAY, SO I KNOW THAT YOU'LL BE THERE TO ANSWER.

I'LL, I'LL BE THERE.

RESIDENTS TO TRULY UNDERSTAND, UM, SOME OF THE CONCERNS.

UM, ALSO TOO, UH, WE HAD A SANITATION, UH, MEETING LAST NIGHT ON TRASH PICKUP.

I, I KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF CLIFF IS HERE, BUT, UH, COULD YOU TELL US KIND OF WHAT YOU OUTLINED IN THIS BUDGET AND WHAT THE NEXT STEPS WOULD BE? 'CAUSE I THINK, UH, THERE'S QUITE A FEW OF US THAT HAVE ALI PICKUP THAT IS BECOMING THE, TO, THAT WILL BECOME THE TOPIC PROBABLY FOR THE NEXT 18 MONTHS.

I SEE CLIFF COMING.

AND WHILE HE'S ON ITS WAY, I THINK WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR, UM, IN THE LAST CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD WITH THE CITY COUNCIL ABOUT, UM, THE ALLEY, THE CURB PICKUP IS THAT WE NEEDED TO SPEND MORE TIME AND, AND MEET WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS INDIVIDUALLY, UH, SPEND MORE TIME ENGAGING WITH, UM, ALL OF OUR

[02:20:01]

WE KNOW THAT NOT EVERY SINGLE DISTRICT IS THE SAME.

AND SO I THINK WE WANNA CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS OVER THESE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND THEN GIVE OURSELVES AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK WITH MAYBE A PHASED APPROACH IN HOW WE LOOK AT THAT WHOLE TRANSITION.

SO THERE'S NOTHING IN THE BUDGET THAT BEGINS THE IMPLEMENTATION AT THIS POINT, BUT I THINK THAT WITH ALL OF THE MEETINGS THAT I THINK HAVE ALREADY STARTED OUT IN THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS, WE WANT TO CONTINUE THAT.

AND WITH THAT, I WOULD SEE IF CLIFF HAS ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS TO OFFER.

CLIFF GILLESPIE, DIRECTOR SANITATION.

I APOLOGIZE MS. BLACKMAN, I DID NOT HEAR YOUR QUESTION.

JUST TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROCESS FOR ALLIE TO HER PICKUP, IF THAT HAPPENS, AND, AND THAT IT'S NOT HAPPENING IN THIS BUDGET CYCLE, BUT IT, BUT IT'S A DISCUSSION THAT'S HAPPENING.

AND THANK YOU FOR COMING LAST NIGHT.

FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS.

I APPRECIATE IT.

UM, SO THERE, UH, WAS ROBUST FEEDBACK FROM LAST NIGHT'S MEET, UH, MEETING, UM, AS THE CITY MANAGER INDICATED.

UM, IT'S NOT, UM, FACTORED INTO TO THIS BUDGET.

IT'S A PLANNING PROCESS THAT IS ONGOING.

AND OUR INTENT IS TO CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO THE COUNCIL AND TO LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC, UM, AND TO FIGURE OUT A, A DIRECTION THAT WORKS FOR THE SAFETY EFFICIENCY, UM, OF THE DEPARTMENT.

UH, THE COST TO THE RATE PAYER AND MEETING THE, THE CITIZENS', UM, DESIRE TO HAVE THE SERVICE, UM, UM, AS IT'S BEEN.

UM, SO TRYING TO FIND THE, THE COMPROMISE THERE IS WHAT WE'LL BE WORKING ON GOING FORWARD.

WELL, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND, AND LISTENING AND BEING A PART OF THE CONVERSATION.

AND I'M SURE THIS WON'T BE THE FIRST OR THE LAST, SO THANK YOU.

EXPECT NOT.

THANK YOU, .

UM, OKAY.

AND SLIDE 30, WE TALK ABOUT CITY HALL MAINTENANCE.

DO WE HAVE EVERYTHING IN THIS BUDGET TO MAKE SURE THAT CITY HALL IS SAFE AND SECURE? AND I'M SURE MS. WILLIS HAS SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THAT.

, THANK, THANKFULLY I WAS, BECAUSE THE COOLING OF THE WATER IN THE DRY SEASON SEASON AND IN ON THE FIRST FLOOR IS GETTING KIND OF CONCERNING JUST TO ME.

JUST A TAD.

UM, A POINT WELL TAKEN.

AND, UM, I WAS ACTUALLY ABLE TO BE ON THE PHONE WITH COUNCILWOMAN WILLIS ON SATURDAY, UM, AND SHE MAINTAINED COMPLETE COMPOSURE.

SO, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING ONE FOR THE TEAM.

ABSOLUTELY.

UM, SO AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF UNMET NEED AS IT RELATES TO DEFERRED MAINTENANCE ACROSS THE CITY WITH ALL OF OUR CITY FACILITIES.

I WANNA SAY THAT THAT NUMBER IS PROBABLY NORTH OF ABOUT $30 MILLION.

AND SO AS WE, UM, HAVE LOOKED AT THIS BUDGET, WE'RE RECOMMENDING, UH, TO USE, UH, I THINK IT'S ABOUT 26 MILLION, UH, TO BEGIN TO, UM, ADDRESS SOME OF OUR DEFERRED MAINTENANCE NEEDS, UH, INCLUDING, UM, SOME OF OUR FIRE, UH, FACILITIES THAT WE KNOW THAT WE'VE GOTTA DO, UH, SOME PREVENTATIVE WORK AS WELL AS CONTINUE TO MAKE SOME INVESTMENTS.

AND SO I THINK JOHN JOHNSON IS HERE, OR I SEE DENZEL, BUT WE DO HAVE A, A LIST OF POTENTIAL USES FOR THE 26 MILLION THAT WOULD, AGAIN, IT'S NOT GOING TO SOLVE ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS, BUT IS GOING TO ALLOW FOR US TO CONTINUE TO FIND WAYS TO INVEST IN, UM, IN THOSE MAINTENANCE NEEDS.

SO, DONEL, WILL YOU WALK THROUGH WHAT WE'RE PLANNING AS RELATES TO THOSE MAINTENANCE NEEDS IN THIS UPCOMING BUDGET? YES, MA'AM.

I I CAN DO THAT.

MS. BLACKMAN, I, I'M JUST GONNA BE TRANSPARENT AND HONEST WITH YOU.

YOUR INITIAL QUESTION ABOUT THE CITY HALL HAVE EVERYTHING THAT IS GONNA NEED.

THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS NO, WE NEED A MAGIC WAND FOR THAT.

AND I'VE BEEN ORDERING WAND AND IT HASN'T COME IN YET.

AMAZON, YEAH, IT'S ON AMAZON, BUT IT'S ON BACK ORDER.

WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU THOUGH IS THAT THIS BUDGET HAS ENOUGH MONEY TO START ADDRESSING AND CHIPPING AWAY AT OUR MAJOR SYSTEMS. HVAC CONCERNS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT YOU HAVE RELATED TO LEAKS.

IT'S THERE, IS IT GONNA RESOLVE EVERYTHING? ARE WE STILL GONNA HAVE ELEVATOR CHALLENGES? CERTAINLY THOSE THINGS ARE EVIDENT.

THERE'S LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF NEEDS IN SYSTEMS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS TO ADDRESS.

BUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE GONNA PRIORITIZE THINGS.

I THINK THE $26.2 MILLION THAT OUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER IS REFERENCING IS THAT WE'VE EVEN TARGETED FIRE STATIONS IN PARTICULAR, THAT THEY HAVE REALLY BEEN A, A SORE SPOT.

AND I KNOW CHIEF ARTISTS IS EXCITED ABOUT THE $7.2 MILLION THAT'S BEEN SLATED FOR FIRE STATIONS.

IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN THE ONE, IF YOU TALK TO A FIREFIGHTER, THEY'LL TELL YOU ABOUT THEIR, THEIR LIVING CONDITIONS AND, UH, THE, THE CONDITION OF THEIR FACILITIES.

AND WE GET LOTS OF CALLS AND WE OBVIOUSLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT AND SO THAT OUR, WE CAN TAKE CARE OF OUR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS.

THERE'S ALSO SOME NEEDS AT OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES LIKE JACK EVANS.

THESE DOLLARS IS $26.2 MILLION IS GONNA HELP US CHIP AWAY AT THAT.

BUT IS IT A HOLISTIC ANSWER? NO.

WE STILL GOT LOTS OF WORK TO DO.

SO ZEL, ARE YOU LOOKING AT MAJOR SYSTEMS THAT COULD MAKE, COULD CREATE A MALFUNCTION OF THE BUILDING? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE MAKING SURE IT STANDS UP PROPERLY? ABSOLUTELY.

IS THAT THE NUMBER THAT YOU HAVE? I KNOW WE HAD A ROBUST DISCUSSION LAST YEAR.

AND, AND INCLUDING CREATURE CONFERENCE, LIKE HVAC.

UM, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SALES TAX.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S LEVELING OUT.

[02:25:01]

ARE WE PROJECTING IT TOO LOW, TOO HIGH? UH, DO YOU WANNA CARE TO COMMENT? I MEAN, I'M SURE THAT YOU'VE GOT THIS FROM A CONSULTANT.

YOU DIDN'T PULL IT OUT OF THE HAT.

UH, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S LEVELING OFF.

IT'S NOT, UM, IT'S NOT TRENDING AS, AS HIGH AS IT USED TO, AND THAT IS CORRECT.

UM, WHAT WE, WE HAD CONVERSATION LAST SUMMER, UH, ABOUT WHETHER WE WERE BUDGETING TOO LOW OR NOT.

AND WE'RE ACTUALLY, UH, COMING IN BELOW OUR BUDGET FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, UH, WHICH IS CREATING SOME CHALLENGES OF NOT RECEIVING THOSE REVENUES.

UM, BUT I BELIEVE WE'RE AT ABOUT 3.5% OVER THE MOST RECENT 12 MONTHS.

AND, UH, WE ARE BUDGETING FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR, JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOVE THAT.

UM, SO, UH, WE THINK WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR, UH, CONTRACTED ECONOMIST.

UH, WE, WE DO EXPECT TO STILL HAVE GROWTH, JUST NOT THE GROWTH AT THE RATE THAT WE WERE HAVING COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC.

UM, ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP FEE, YOU'VE GOT A LIST OF USES.

UM, IS IT GONNA BE ALLOCATED ON A AS NEEDED BASIS? ARE YOU GONNA DIVVY UP AND SAY, 2% GOES HERE, 5% GOES HERE.

HOW IS THE MONEY GONNA BE ALLOCATED FROM THAT FEE? SO THE CURRENT BUDGET ASSUMES 10.5 MILLION, AND THE ALLOCATION ASSUMES 3.5 MILLION FOR SANITATION, 1 MILLION FOR HOMELESS SOLUTIONS, AND THEN 6 MILLION FOR TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.

IT IS OUR GOAL TO LOOK AT EXPENSES EACH YEAR AS PART OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND ALLOCATE ACCORDINGLY.

'CAUSE WE DON'T, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CAPTURING, UM, OR WE'RE REIMBURSING OURSELVES FOR OUR TRUE COST OF, OF SERVICE.

SO COULD IT BE FLUID WITHIN A YEAR? IN OTHER WORDS, IF THERE'S NO STORMS AND WE DON'T NEED AS MUCH, CAN IT BE MOVED TO OTHER AREAS? WE FORESEE THAT.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE ALLOCATING A MILLION DOLLARS, UM, TO THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS FOR ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP.

THAT'S CONTRACTOR WORK.

UM, WE ANTICIPATE THAT MAY BE IN A FUTURE YEAR THAT WORK WOULD MOVE TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT OR IT MAY STAY.

SO, UM, YES, AS PART OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, WE WILL REVIEW THE USES.

UM, FINALLY, UH, PERSONNEL, UM, HOW MANY DID WE GO DOWN? HOW MANY, UH, POSITIONS? UM, 541 NET TOTAL POSITION DECREASE.

AND WE ARE STILL GONNA BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN SERVICES WITH THAT PRODUCTION.

UM, JUST MAKING SURE TWO, 200 AND, UH, 80 OF THOSE 541 WERE JUST EXCESS POSITIONS THAT WERE NOT FUNDED.

JUST LITERALLY CLEANUP.

THAT'S WHERE I PUT MY MONEY TO AND I WAS AT DSD .

SO ANYWAY, I FEEL VALIDATED A BIT.

AND THEN, UH, SECOND AND LAST QUESTION ON THE P ON PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN, THAT WHOLE DEVELOPMENT, UH, DEPARTMENT, IS THAT ALL IN THE ENTERPRISE OR IS IT SOME GENERAL FUND EMPLOYEES AND SOME ENTERPRISE FUND? IT'S A COMBINATION OF GENERAL FUND AND ENTERPRISE FUND.

IS THERE, DO WE WANNA MOVE IT TO ALL ENTERPRISE FUNDS? THAT WAS THE LAST QUESTION FOR THIS ROUND.

SO WE CAN ONLY USE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FEES TO, UM, PAY FOR THE COST OF DEVELOPMENT, OR THEY PAY FOR THEIR, THEIR EXPENSES.

AND SO THE GENERAL FUND PORTION COVERS THE COST THAT'S NOT COVERED BY DEVELOPMENT.

THANK YOU, MS. WILLIS.

YOU RECOGNIZE FOR FIVE MINUTES? ALL RIGHT.

WELL, I TOO WANNA THANK THE STAFF.

I THINK YOU WORKED NOT ONLY HARDER BUT SMARTER.

UH, I HAD A LOT OF COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE ABOUT HOW YOU WERE PUSHED AND, UM, AND HOW THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER TOLBERT KEPT COMING BACK AND ASKING FOR MORE AND MORE AND THAT THE STAFF REALLY ANSWERED THAT CALL.

AND I THINK THAT THIS DRAFT OF BUDGET REFLECTS LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC, LISTENING TO COUNCIL MOSTLY.

AND, UM, SOME OF THE AREAS THAT I WAS REALLY PLEASED TO SEE IS OBVIOUSLY OUR SAFETY BUDGET, PUBLIC SAFETY AND PROVIDING NOT ONLY THE, THE OFFICERS AND POLICE AND IN FIRE, BUT ALSO THE FLEET AND THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO THEIR JOB TO SERVE US, BUT ALSO IN THE APPEARANCE OF OUR CITY.

BECAUSE I THINK PART OF WHAT WE SEE REFLECTED IN OUR RESIDENT SATISFACTION SURVEY COULD BE IMPROVED IF YOU COULD JUST DRIVE DOWN THE STREET AND NOT SEE LITTER AND WEEDS.

WHICH DID I HEAR THAT IN DALLAS, YOU CAN HAVE WEEDS UP TO A FOOT TALL, BUT THE STATE OF TEXAS ALLOWS THREE FEET ON THEIR LAND.

ADDRESSES THE WHOLE NO NEW REVENUE DISCUSSION THAT LOOKS AT A LOWER TAX RATE SO THAT THE WILLIS AND WEST FISCAL AMENDMENT TWINS, DON'T HAVE TO GO INTO ACTION IN OUR SUBSEQUENT MEETINGS.

WELL THAT DEFINITELY CONTRIBUTES TO IT.

SO I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF SEEING THE, THE CITY STEPPING IN TO ADD A MOTORCYCLE, ADD MORE LIT PICKUP CYCLES, IF THAT IS WHAT IT TAKES TO GET PEOPLE BACK TO FEELING THAT THEY STILL LIVE IN THE SHINING CITY ON THE HILL.

UM, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE COMING IN WITH SOMETHING THAT

[02:30:01]

SO, UM, BUT THERE ARE STILL SOME ANSWER OR SOME AREAS WHERE I'VE GOT QUESTIONS.

UM, LET ME START WITH THE BUILDING MAINTENANCE, 'CAUSE I DID HAVE A QUESTION AROUND THAT.

AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT THERE'S NOTHING LIKE BEING STUCK IN AN ELEVATOR TO HAVE OTHERS RESPOND TO YOU, THAT THEY TOO HAVE BEEN STUCK.

SO WE MAY NEED TO START A SUPPORT GROUP AT CITY HALL FOR, FOR US.

BUT MY QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE $8 MILLION IN ARPA FUNDS, I THOUGHT THAT WERE FOUND AFTER THE BOND AND WHERE CITY HALL MONEY DID NOT GO INTO THE BOND PROGRAM, BUT THERE WAS 8 MILLION IDENTIFIED, I THOUGHT THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO HVAC.

AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS 26 MILLION, WHICH I THINK IS DEFINITELY GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, I THOUGHT WE HAD ALLOCATED SOME MONEY TO SOME HVAC REPAIR.

AND SO THE ARPA MONEY THAT, THAT WAS REALLOCATED IN FEBRUARY, MARCH OF THIS YEAR, UM, WENT TO GENERATORS AT CITY HALL.

AND THEN, UH, THE START OF ELECTRICAL UPGRADES.

SO THAT WAS JUST STARTING IT.

AND THEN PRIOR TO THE ARPA REALLOCATION, THERE WAS A MID-YEAR ADJUSTMENT, UM, A FEW YEARS AGO TO LOOK AT HVAC AT CITY HALL.

AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE HEATING PORTION OF HVAC.

AND, UH, LOOKING AT THAT LIST ON OUR FIRE STATIONS, AND THAT WAS A HEARTBREAKING PART OF THE BOND WHERE YOU JUST DRAW THAT LINE AT A CERTAIN POINT ON AN ALLOCATION AND YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE STILL FACILITIES THAT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS ARE WORKING OUT OF THAT ARE NOT MEETING, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.

SO I'M THRILLED TO HEAR THE $7.2 MILLION THAT YOU SAID WAS IN THAT.

SO GOOD.

AGAIN, GOING THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

SO NOW I WANNA SHIFT GEARS, UH, AND ASK MR. K CARLY TO COME BACK BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR RESIDENTS SURVEY, IT HASN'T CHANGED MUCH IN WHAT, 12 OF 14 DISTRICTS RANK NUMBER ONE.

AND THAT IS MAINTENANCE OF INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND SO YEAR BEFORE LAST, WHAT I HEARD WHEN THE NUMBER FOR TRANSPORTATION STREETS ALLEY SIDEWALKS WAS HELD FLAT, IT WAS, OH, WE'VE GOT A BOND COMING.

AND SO NOW I'M SEEING THE LANE MILES WALKING BACK FROM WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.

AND IT'S BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THE BOND.

AND I REALIZE WHY THIS YEAR WE'RE TAKING A HIT BECAUSE OF THE POLICE TRAINING FACILITY, BUT WE STILL HAVE THIS GOAL, I HATE TO CALL IT A GOAL.

I MEAN, IT IS AN EXPECTATION OF OUR RESIDENTS, AND THEY'RE TELLING US IN THIS SURVEY YEAR AFTER YEAR THAT WE'VE GOT TO GET TO THAT ZERO DEGRA DEGRADATION LEVEL.

AND WHAT I SHOW IS THAT IN 2223, WE HAD 787 LANE MILES.

IN 2324, WE WERE AT 792.

AND NOW I THINK THIS YEAR IS REFLECTING 676.

AND I JUST WANT TO RECONCILE HOW WE ARE GETTING TO AND MAINTAINING THAT ZERO DEGRADATION.

UM, HELLO, GUEST CARLEY, DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS.

SO LET'S START WITH THE ZERO DEGRADATION.

IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY FEDERAL HIGHWAY AND THE, UH, AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF STATE HIGHWAY OFFICIALS.

BASICALLY THEY HAVE THE PAVEMENT MODELS THAT INCORPORATES THE TYPE OF TREATMENTS INTO A PAVEMENT THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO, UH, MAKE DECISIONS, IF YOU WILL, WHETHER TO REHAB, REHABILITATE A CERTAIN ROADWAY OR RECONSTRUCT.

SO THAT IS BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO.

AND MATTER, MATTER OF FACT, REFINE THESE MODELS TO BE ABLE TO, TO IMPROVE OUR DECISION MAKING ON WHERE AND HOW TO, UH, UH, APPROPRIATELY INVEST THE FUNDS AS FAR AS THE, THE, UM, THE CURRENT, UH, UH, PREDICTIONS, IF YOU WILL, OF HOW MANY LANE MILES THAT WE'RE GONNA BE IMPROVING, UH, VERSUS LAST, UH, LAST YEAR, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, MR. IRELAND HAD ALREADY MENTIONED, UH, EARLIER, UH, ON SOME OF THESE FUNDS, UM, THAT ARE COMING FROM THE BOND PROGRAM AND THEY'RE GONNA, IN THE INITIAL YEAR, THEY'RE GONNA USE SOME OF THESE FUNDS FOR THE, UH, FOR THE, UH, POLICE ACADEMY VERSUS THE, UH, ROADWAYS.

SO, UH, WE STILL HAVE SOME FUNDS IN THE, UH, UH, THAT WE'RE GONNA BE USING IN THE 2024 BOND FOR THOSE.

AND THEN ALSO, UH, WE NEED TO KIND OF ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE, OR WE KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THE COST OF REHABILITATION PER LANE MILE HAS INCREASED, I'M SORRY, FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR.

SO THE COMBINATION OF THESE TWO IS WHAT, UH, LED TO THE NUMBERS THAT WE ARE SHOWING IN CURRENTLY IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

UM, DETO NEW ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER OVER SUSTAINABLE.

WELL, UH, YOU KNOW, THE BOND CAN BE A SPRINGBOARD TO HELP US CATCH UP ON SOME OF THE RECONSTRUCTION THAT WE NEED TO DO, BUT, UH, I JUST WANNA BE SURE WE DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF THAT IN, IN ALL OF THIS AND THAT WE, UM, LISTENED TO OUR RESIDENTS ON THIS.

DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD? HIT YES.

[02:35:01]

AND, UM, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, ADD TO WHAT GUS SAID.

YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE LIMITED DOLLARS IN THE 2024 BOND PROGRAM, BUT YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT WHILE WE ARE ALLOCATING SIGNIFICANT FUNDS TO THE POLICE TRAINING FACILITY, THERE ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE HIGHEST AMOUNT THAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO THE 2024 BOND PROGRAM IS THE, IS THE STREET, UM, AND TRANSPORTATION FUNDING.

AND YOU'LL SEE, UM, A PRESENTATION BY OUR DIRECTOR ON THAT, UM, IN THE COMING WEEKS.

OKAY, GREAT.

NOW I'M GONNA SHIFT GEARS TO, UM, POLICE.

ON PAGE 13, WE TALKED ABOUT IMPLEMENTING A RETENTION PROGRAM, BUT IN FACT THAT'S BEEN UNDERWAY.

IS IT THAT WE'RE JUST PAYING OUT THE RETENTION PROGRAM FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR? THE ONE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN IN EFFECT? SO, SO , THANK YOU.

TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.

SO WE WILL BE PAYING OUT THE, UH, RETENTION BONUS THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE.

UH, AND WE WILL BE IMPLEMENTING A, A NEW PILOT, UH, SICK LEAVE EXCHANGE, UH, PROGRAM THAT WOULD ALLOW OFFICERS, UH, THAT HAVE, UH, TWO OR MORE YEARS OF SERVICE, UH, AS WELL AS OFFICERS THAT HAVE GREATER TENURE TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROGRAM.

WE HAVE ALLOCATED, UH, $2 MILLION FOR IT IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE PILOT.

UH, AND I BELIEVE $3 MILLION IN THE SECOND YEAR OF THE PILOT.

UH, BUT IT WILL BE FOR THE PURPOSE OF, UH, HELPING TO REDUCE, UH, THE SICK LEAVE, UH, HELPING TO REDUCE THE OVERTIME AS A RESULT OF FOLKS CALLING IN.

UM, SO, UH, WE THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

UH, BUT AGAIN, JUST THE PILOT THIS YEAR.

AND I KNOW WE'RE GONNA DIG INTO THAT FURTHER ON THE 21ST.

MM-HMM, .

BUT LET ME MOVE NOW ON PAGE 19, THERE IS A REFERENCE TO BOLSTERING MULTIFAMILY INSPECTIONS.

UM, UM, IS THIS CODE THAT WORKING, I MEAN THAT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERN IN OUR CITY AROUND MULTIFAMILY, AND SO I WAS PLEASED TO SEE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING MORE AROUND THAT, BUT JUST WANTED TO HEAR WHAT, HOW WE'RE BOLSTERING WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING.

IS THIS ADDITIONAL TEAMS OR? YEAH, SO, UH, CHRIS IS WORKING HIS WAY OUT HERE, SO I'M GONNA LET HIM ANSWER THAT.

COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS, CHRIS CHRISTIAN, DIRECTOR OF CO COMPLIANCE SERVICES.

SO CO COMPLIANCE WILL BE GETTING 14 CODE OFFICER THREES BACK IN CO COMPLIANCE THAT ARE RETURNING FROM IPS AND PART OF THAT STAFFING WHO ARE CURRENTLY ALREADY WORKING MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES WILL RETURN TO CODE AND CONTINUE, DO, CONTINUE DOING SO WITH OUR CURRENT MULTIFAMILY TEAM.

SO, AND YOU'VE GOT PROJECTIONS ON WHAT THIS IS GOING TO MEAN.

I MEAN, HAVE YOU WORKED WITH, UM, UM, POLICE ON, ON THIS? YES.

SO THE TEAM THAT WAS IN IPS WORKING THE P AND I NETWORKS AND STUFF, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO AS WELL.

IT'LL JUST ALL BE UNDER CO COMPLIANCE AND OUR MULTI-FAMILY GRADED INSPECTION TEAM.

SO ANOTHER CONSOLIDATION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SOUNDS GOOD.

THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU RECOGNIZE FOR FIVE MINUTES.

FOR ENTRY LEVEL PLANNERS.

UH, QUESTION, UH, IN BUILDING PERMIT, I KNOW THAT WE, WE, WE MERGED THE THREE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER AND I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT WITH THAT WE WERE SHORT OF CITY PLANNERS.

UH, DID WE, UM, SEE A SHORT, UH, HAVE WE CHANGED OUR, WHILE ROBERT IS COMING? I'LL JUST START.

UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT IS THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF PLANNERS THAT WE HAVE AT DIFFERENT LEVELS, UH, LOOKING AT OUR SENIOR PLANNERS AND OUR ENTRY LEVEL PLANNERS.

AND I DO BELIEVE THAT AS WE GO INTO THIS, UM, IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT CONSOLIDATION, THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE, UH, REALIZING OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING MORE ENTRY LEVEL PLANNERS IN TO THE ORGANIZATION, UM, TO PROVIDE THAT TRAINING GROWTH AND SUPPORT.

AND THEN LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF SENIOR, SENIOR PLANNERS THAT WE HAVE OVERALL.

BUT I'LL LET ROBIN JUMP IN AND, AND, AND COMPLETE THE, UH, THE FULL ANSWER TO THE QUESTION.

GO AHEAD, ROBIN.

THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

THERE ARE PLENTY OF PLANNERS, BUT OVER TIME, AS PEOPLE HAVE STUCK AROUND THE CITY AND ADVANCED THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT, VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE PLANNERS HAD BECOME SENIOR PLANNERS.

THERE WERE VERY FEW PLANNER ONES OR PLANNER TWOS, AND SO ALL OF THE VACANT PLANNER POSITIONS HAVE BEEN RECLASSIFIED DOWN.

SO WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIRE IN SOME OF THAT ENTRY LEVEL TALENT.

AND AS PLANNING POSITIONS NATURALLY BECOME OPEN THROUGH ATTRITION, THOSE WILL ALSO BE RECLASSIFIED DOWN BECAUSE PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE A CAREER PATH AND SOMEWHERE TO GROW TO.

AND SO, UM, THE NUMBER IS FINE.

WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE A SPAN OF CLASSIFICATIONS.

DID THAT HAD ANYTHING TO DEAL WITH HR OR HIRING THE PLANNERS? I'M SORRY, WHAT? IN HR, IN HUMAN RESOURCES, DO WE HAVE ANY ISSUES HIRING THE PLANNERS? NO, WE DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE HIRING PLANNERS.

WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITIES

[02:40:01]

AND PUBLIC WORKS TO BE USED FOR THE CLEAN SWEEP PROGRAM THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, WHICH WILL BE FOR THE CLEANUP AND THE MAINTENANCE OF OUR PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.

UM, JACK, I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT FEES AND, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS KIND OF DISTURBED.

YOU KNOW, MOST OF MY RESIDENT, WE SAID FEES, UH, COST RECOVERED IS ALL THE FEES THAT WE ARE IN THIS BUDGET.

IS THIS COST RECOVERIES, UH, ALL THESE FEES IS PART OF THE ENTERPRISE FUND OR IS PART OF THE GENERAL FUNDS? SO CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH HOW THESE FEES IS RECOVERED AND WHO PAYING THESE FEES? YES, SIR.

AND SO WE WILL GO BACK TO, UH, A PAGE THAT WE SHOWED BEFORE SLIDE 77, UM, THAT DOES, UH, SHOW SOME OF THE ENTERPRISE FEES.

AND SO, UH, WE DO HAVE AN INCREASE, UH, IN WATER DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS STORM WATER AND SANITATION AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP FEE, UM, WHICH IS A NEW FEE.

AND, AND SO THESE WATER STORM WATER SANITATION WORK IS ENTERPRISE, SO THEY ARE COST RECOVERY.

AND SO THE FEE INCREASES OR NECESSARY TO PAY FOR THE COST OF THAT SERVICE THE SAME AS, UH, YOU SEE ENCORE OR ATMOS OR OTHER UTILITIES COME FORWARD NEEDING FEE INCREASES.

THEY'RE DOING THAT TO, WE'RE NOT MAKING MONEY IN THESE SERVICES, WE'RE ONLY TRYING TO PAY FOR THE COST OF DELIVERING THE SERVICE.

UH, AND SO THE, A COUPLE OF THE OTHER FEES, THE 9 1 1 FEE THAT WE MENTIONED, UH, THE GENERAL FUND IS PAYING A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE COST OF 9 1 1, UH, AND DISPATCH.

AND, UM, WE HAVE SEEN OVER TIME THE 9 1 1 FEES, UH, BEING REDUCED.

AND SO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE THE LANDLINE FEES FOR, UH, COMMERCIAL AND, UH, THE TRUNK LINES.

UH, THAT WILL GENERATE SOME REVENUE THAT WILL, AGAIN, HELP US BE ABLE TO COVER SOME OF THE COST.

WE WILL NOT COVER ALL OF THE COST OF 9 1 1, BUT WE WILL BE COVERING SOME OF THE COSTS, UH, THE SOLID WASTE HAULER, UH, FRANCHISE FEE THAT IS A CHARGE TO, UH, INDIVIDUALS OR, OR BUSINESSES THAT HAVE A FRANCHISE WITH THE CITY TO COLLECT, UH, PRIVATE WASTE.

UH, AND THEY USE OUR CITY STREETS.

AND SO WE HAVEN'T INCREASED THAT FEE IN SEVERAL YEARS.

AND SO WE DO HAVE AN INCREASE ON THAT, BUT THAT IS NOT AN IMPACT ON THE RESIDENT.

THAT'S AN IMPACT ON THAT BUSINESS.

UH, SO THOSE ARE JUST, UH, SOME OF THE FEES THAT, THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.

UM, DO YOU, JEANETTE, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? NO, THE ONLY OTHER, THE ONLY OTHER THING I'LL ADD, UH, THE FEES THAT WE REVIEWED THIS YEAR, UM, FOR LIBRARY TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS AND, UM, PARK AND RECREATION, UM, YOU'LL NOTICE IN THE APPENDIX THAT THEY HAVE VARIOUS, UH, LEVELS OF RECOVERY.

SO WE CALCULATE THE FULL COST RECOVERY, UM, AND THEN FOR SOME OF THE FEES, DEPENDING ON THE RESIDENT THAT USES THAT SERVICE, THE DEPARTMENT IS RECOMMENDING, UM, A DIFFERENT, UH, FEE OTHER THAN FULL COST RECOVERY.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THROUGHOUT THE, THE APPENDIX.

I GUESS IN GENERAL, IS THERE ANY NEW FEES THAT COST A RESIDENT, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS NOT COST RECOVERED? THE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP FEE, THAT IS A NEW FEE THAT WE'VE NOT HAD IN THE PAST.

UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT OTHER CITIES, AS JEANETTE MENTIONED EARLIER, DO HAVE, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CHARGE A FEE, UH, FOR, AGAIN, STORM CLEANUP, RIGHT OF WAY CLEANUP, UH, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP, THOSE TYPES OF INITIATIVES.

UH, AND SO THAT IS A NEW FEE.

ALL OF THE OTHERS WOULD BE EXISTING FEES.

AND HOW MUCH IS THAT FEE? IT'S $3 A MONTH PER HOUSEHOLD.

PER RESIDENT.

PER HOUSEHOLD? YES, SIR.

IS IS THAT FEE IS $3 PER MONTH.

EVERYONE WHO HAVE A WATER BILL, IS THAT BASICALLY HOW YOU FIGURE THAT UP? FIGURE IT OUT.

IT'S ALL, UH, CITY, UH, RESIDENTIAL AND NON-RESIDENTIAL UTILITY ACCOUNTS.

SO EVERYONE THAT RECEIVES THE UTILITY BILL FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS.

AND AND WHAT IS THE FORECAST FOR THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE? 10.5 MILLION.

AND AT 10.5 MILLION IS, UH, ALLOCATED TO WHAT? IT'S ALLOCATED TO SANITATION, IT'S ALLOCATED TO HOMELESS SOLUTIONS AND TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.

IT, IT DO THAT CITY MANAGEMENT.

DO YOU HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF BUDGET? WHICH ONE GO TO? WE, WE DO, WE DO, YES.

I CAN ACTUALLY GIVE YOU THAT NUMBER NOW.

SO THE WAY THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT THIS FEE, AGAIN, TO BE USED FOR ACTUAL CLEANUP ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE CITY, AND SO WE HAVE IT BROKEN OUT FOR THE AMOUNT THAT WOULD ACTUALLY GO TO SANITATION, THE AMOUNT THAT WOULD GO TO, UM, HOMELESS SOLUTIONS, AND THEN THE AMOUNT THAT WOULD GO TO TRANSPORTATION.

SO THREE AND A HALF MILLION OF THAT NUMBER WOULD BE ALLOCATED FOR SANITATION.

UH, 1 MILLION WOULD BE ALLOCATED FOR THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS AND ABOUT 6 MILLION WOULD BE THE NUMBER THAT WOULD GO TO, UH, TRANSPORTATION

[02:45:01]

AND, AND, AND THE REASON I ASK THAT, YOU KNOW, I DO HAVE TOWN HALL MEETING, THE BUDGET TOWN HALL MEETING.

I KNOW THIS IS A CITYWIDE PROJECT, BUT I DO KNOW THAT SOME OF THE RESIDENTS THAT, HEY, MY EVERYTHING TO BE CLEANED UP, WHAT'S A PRIORITY? SO I WANT, I JUST WANNA KNOW HOW IT'S GONNA BE ALLOCATED.

IT'S ALLOCATED CITYWIDE, IT IS ALLOCATED BY THE BUDGET, BUT, UH, UH, HOTSPOT OR WHAT.

BUT I THINK THAT GOING INTO THAT TOWN HALL MEETING THAT THE RESIDENT GONNA SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, I SAID IT IS ALLOCATED IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, I GOT A PROBLEM THERE.

SO I GUESS CITY MANAGER, HOW WOULD IT BE ALLOCATED, YOU KNOW, BY, YOU KNOW, NORTHEAST, NORTHWEST NORTH SOUTH.

BUT, UH, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF A STATEMENT, SOME KIND OF UNDERSTANDING BEFORE I START MY BUDGET TOWN HALL MEETING TO SEE HOW THIS'S GONNA BE ALLOCATED.

I THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND, AND, AND WE CAN DEFINITELY SHARE MORE.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO AFFECT IMMEDIATELY IS THAT IF YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WHETHER IT'S THE RIGHT OF WAY ALONG OUR FREEWAYS, UH, THE RIGHT OF WAYS THROUGH A LOT OF OUR MAJOR, THEIR AFFAIRS.

AND I THINK MR. IRELAND MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT, UM, THE FUNDING THAT WE GET FROM TDOT, BUT THAT FUNDING IS ONLY FOR THE THREE MOIN CYCLES AND 18, UH, UH, LITTER PICKUP CYCLES A YEAR.

SO THIS HAS GIVEN US AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND AND IT'S LOOKING AT IT THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

SO I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE DONE A MAPPING TO DO IT BY ANY INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL DISTRICTS, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY SHARE MORE ABOUT YOU IN PREPARATION, SHARE MORE WITH YOU IN PREPARATION FOR THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS.

YEAH, AND, AND I DO BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, UM, WE NEED, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO DO A MAPPING, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE SOME AREA, SOME DISTRICT HAVE MORE ISSUES, SOME DISTRICT DO NOT, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT, UM, RIGHT OF WAYS, YOU KNOW, WITH TEXTILE, DO NOT CLEAN THAT YOU, WE THE CITY HAD TO CLEAN AND, AND, AND, AND YOU LOOK AT, UM, ON I 20 OR 6 35, UM, WHATEVER, UM, THE AREA THEY LOOK AT.

BUT, UH, I THINK THEY'RE GONNA BE DISPROPORTION IN SOME DISTRICT, OTHER DISTRICT BECAUSE OF THE RIGHT OF WAY, BECAUSE OF THE FREEWAY.

AND, AND, AND I STILL THINK OUR LEGISLATE, I THINK WE STILL NEED TO TALK TO TEX DOCTORS TO KINDA HELP US OUT TO, BECAUSE WE CANNOT AFFORD TO CLEAN THIS UP.

WE JUST CANNOT AFFORD IT.

IT'S EVERY YEAR OUR BUDGET'S GONNA KEEP INCREASE, INCREASE.

RIGHT NOW WE PUTTING WIRES AND FENCES AROUND THE, THE, THE, THE FREEWAYS, YOU KNOW, THE INTERSECTION TO KEEP HOMELESS OUT FROM, NOT TO BE UNDERNEATH THERE, BUT THAT IS A ISSUE.

BUT I'VE BEEN AROUND A WHOLE LOT OF BUDGET AND THIS PROBABLY MY 15 YEAR BUDGET GOING TO 16 YEAR BUDGET.

IT IS A GREAT BUDGET, UH, UH, IN THE CITY OF MANITOBA.

AND I BELIEVE THAT THE, I JUST WANNA THANK THE STAFF.

I MEAN, Y'ALL DID A GREAT JOB.

I MEAN, EVERY QUESTION I ASKED YOU, I DID ANSWER THE QUESTION.

I THINK IT'S, IT'S VERY, VERY, UH, SIMPLE, VERY UNDERSTANDING FOR THE RESIDENT.

UH, UH, THE TAX REDUCTION IS A GREAT DEAL, BUT I STILL THINK THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT TAX REDUCTION, WE ALSO GOTTA LOOK AT THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT WE PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.

WE JUST CAN'T PLAN ONE DAY AT A TIME.

I DO UNDERSTAND THE TWO YEARS BUDGET CYCLE THAT WE TRY TO DO, BUT WE STILL GOTTA SAY ONE THING TO END THIS BUDGET, THAT EVERYTHING WE DO, I BELIEVE A CLEAN NEIGHBORHOOD IS A SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT I STILL BELIEVE THAT WE GOT TO FIND WAYS TO INCREASE THE VALUE OF THE CITY DOLLARS.

AND I THINK ONE THING WE'VE ALWAYS MISSING THIS BUDGET IS SELLING THE CITY DOLLARS FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS.

I SAID, WE DO NOT DO A GREAT JOB OF MARKETING THAT CITY.

AND I KEEP ASKING THAT YOU CANNOT SELL THE CITY DOLLARS IF YOU DO NOT MARKET THE CITY DOLLARS.

THE GREAT THINGS, THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO, AND WE DO NOT HAVE A MARKETING DEPARTMENT.

WE NEED TO HAVE MONEY TO PROMOTE, TO SELL THE CITY DOLLARS.

WE CAN'T DEPEND ON THE, THE REGION, THE DALLAS REGIONAL TRAIN, WHATEVER.

YOU GOTTA TELL A STORY.

AND MR. SMITH, CITY MANAGER, I HOPE THAT WE CAN FIND SOME MARKETING DOLLARS TO SELL THE CITY OF DOLLARS SO PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE ARE THE CORE, THE SUBURB, WE DO COMPETE AGAINST US WITH THE SUB AGAINST THE SUBURB, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO SELL THE CITY AND TO SELL THE CITY, THAT WOULD INCREASE OUR PROFIT VALUE, IT WOULD INCREASE THE QUALITY OF LIFE, INCREASE PUBLIC SAFETY.

WE DO EVERYTHING, BUT WE GOT TO SELL THE CITY OF DOLLAR.

SO WITH THAT, MS. SHELBY, YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB IN WITH THIS BUDGET.

THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN GRACIE, YOU RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU, MS. MAYOR.

UH, AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE STAFF, TO EVERYONE.

THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST THOUGHTFUL BUDGET PRESENTATIONS THAT I'VE SEEN IN QUITE SOME TIME.

SO, UM, I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS CONSIDERED, UH, FOR THERE.

THE THINGS I'M, I'M PARTICULARLY WANTED TO POINT OUT WAS THE, UH, THE SERVICES FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS, I THINK IS A VERY THOUGHTFUL AND TIMELY ONE.

OBVIOUSLY THE LIBRARY KIOSKS, UH, CONCEPT IS SOMETHING I'M, I'M ALREADY TRYING TO THINK HOW I CAN, HOW

[02:50:01]

I, HOW WE CAN TURN THIS INTO A REVENUE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY AS WE TALK ABOUT WAYS TO FIND REVENUE, UH, FROM THERE.

UM, AND THEN ATTRACTING, UH, THE CATALYTIC COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

SO ALL OF THOSE ARE GOOD.

SO I'M NOT GONNA BE REDUNDANT HERE, BUT THE ONE, UH, REQUEST THAT I WILL HAVE, AND I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THAT I'VE SEEN SUBMITTED IN THE MEMO AS WELL, BUT THE ONE, I'M GONNA CALL THIS THE PEOPLE'S SLIDE, AND SIMILAR TO SLIDE 77 WHERE YOU HAVE THOSE FEES, IF WE COULD SHOW, UM, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, PERHAPS, AND MAYBE IT'S ALREADY THERE, I JUST DIDN'T SEE IT, BUT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, THIS IS HOW MUCH, UH, WE'RE GONNA SAY FROM THE PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION FROM A FEE INCREASE, THIS IS WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE, HOWEVER, AND THEN THESE ARE THE SERVICES THAT YOU'RE GONNA GET SIMILAR TO WHERE, UH, MAYOR PRO TE ATKINS WAS GOING.

THESE ARE THE SERVICES THAT YOU'RE GONNA GET.

I THINK THAT'LL BE A PRETTY DECENT TALKING SLOT TALKING POINT, AT LEAST FOR ME IN TERMS OF EXPLAINING.

I DON'T QUITE KNOW WHAT THAT MATH IS GONNA BE FROM A SAVINGS FROM THE PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION AND ALL OF THE INCREASE TO THE FEES THAT THE RESIDENTS WILL EXPERIENCE.

BUT, UM, IF IT HAPPENS TO BE THAT IT BREAKS EVEN, WE, I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE PROVIDING WHEN WE CAN EXPECT THOSE SERVICES, WHERE THEY'RE GONNA BE.

SO I JUST, THE PEOPLE SLIDE, I THINK IS WHAT I'D LIKE TO CALL THAT.

AND, AND WE CAN PROVIDE THAT.

I WILL GO AHEAD AND POINT YOU TO ONE PAGE THAT'S IN THE BUDGET DOCUMENT, WHICH IS PAGE 82, WHICH IS A TAXPAYER IMPACT STATEMENT.

AND SO ON THAT PAGE, IT DOES HAVE, UH, THE, THE IMPACT RELATED TO THE TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL BILL FOR WATER, WASTE, WATER, STORM WATER, SANITATION, ET CETERA.

SO, BUT WE CAN BUILD ON THAT FOR YOU, UH, TO SOMETHING THAT THAT'S, UH, MAYBE MORE USER FRIENDLY FOR THE RESIDENTS.

CHAIRWOMAN STEWART, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

UM, I DO WANT TO ADD MY APPRECIATION TO INTERIM CITY MANAGER KIM TOLBERT, UM, FOR THE WORK YOU AND YOUR STAFF HAVE PUT INTO THIS.

IT IS, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S JUST BECAUSE IT'S MY SECOND YEAR, BUT I, I, I THINK I HAVE A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING AT THIS POINT IN THE PROCESS, AND I DO APPRECIATE YOUR TIME YESTERDAY AND WILLINGNESS TO GET INTO THE DETAILS ON THAT.

UM, UH, I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR QUESTIONS.

I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED THROUGH THAT.

I DO WANNA SAY I'M EXCITED TO SHARE THIS WITH MY CONSTITUENTS.

THEY ARE GOING TO BE EXCITED TO SEE THE REPAIRS TO FIRE STATIONS, THE INCREASE IN PAY FOR DPD, UH, THE EFFICIENCIES IN PERMITTING, THE CLEAN GENERAL CLEANUP OF THIS CITY.

AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THERE'S ONE AT LEAST THAT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTED IN THE LOW COST TO THE CITY FOR THE CHILDCARE FACILITY EXEMPTION .

SO IN FACT, I'VE ALREADY SENT THAT SLIDE TO HIM SO HE'S NOT SO WORRIED ANYMORE.

UM, SO LOTS OF GOOD NEWS THERE.

UM, A COUPLE THINGS I'M STRUGGLING WITH IS I, I DO WANNA SEE WHERE THE, WHAT POSITIONS WE'VE ELIMINATED PER DEPARTMENT.

I THINK YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THAT IT WAS THE LAST PAGE OF THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.

I DON'T THINK IT'S THERE.

WHERE, WHERE, WHAT PAGE WAS THAT? WHERE I CAN, WHERE CAN I FIND THAT? IT IS THE LAST PAGE, FOUR PAGES OF THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STARTING ON PAGE 54 THROUGH 57.

THAT MUST NOT MAYBE THE, UH, UH, OF THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE BUDGET DOCUMENT.

IN THE BUDGET DOCUMENT.

YEAH.

NOT OF THE, NOT OF THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION, I APOLOGIZE.

THAT'S OKAY.

NO, NO, NO, THAT'S OKAY.

AND WE'LL, WE'LL GET THAT FOR YOU.

AND IN ADDITION TO KIND OF THE POSITION MANAGEMENT PIECE THAT JAG TALKED ABOUT, WE ALSO LOOKED AT POSITIONS, I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 23 POSITIONS THAT HAD BEEN VACANT OVER, OVER THE 12 MONTHS.

AND THOSE POSITIONS WERE ELIMINATED AS WELL.

SO THERE'S AN OVERALL, UM, POSITION CLEANUP AND THEN A TRUE UP OF WHERE THOSE POSITIONS REALLY WERE AND IF THEY WERE FUNDED OR NOT AS WE WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

OKAY, GREAT.

UM, LET'S SEE.

OH, AND ON THE, UM, THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS, AND I KNOW YOU GUYS GIVE US, UM, ADDITIONAL INFO INFORMATION THEN WHAT'S JUST ON THE SLIDE.

AND SO ON SLIDE 67 AND 68, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT LOVE FIELD.

COULD YOU ALL MAYBE JUST SEND ME SOME OF YOUR NOTES ON THAT? IT WAS WHEN, UM, I WASN'T ABLE TO KEEP UP.

LET'S JUST SAY THAT , AND IF YOU COULD, UM, JUST FILL ME IN ON THOSE DETAILS SO THAT I HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND I BELIEVE THAT IS EVERYTHING I NEED.

THANK YOU CHAIRWOMAN MENDELSON, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

UM, BUT WE CAN, UH, INCLUDE THAT IN A FOLLOW-UP MEMO.

UM, SO I HAVE A NUMBER OF ITEMS. FIRST, CAN YOU POINT ME TO THE PIE CHART THAT HAS THE TOTAL BUDGET? THERE'S A LOT OF PIE CHARTS IN HERE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UM, BUT I DIDN'T SEE THE ONE WITH THE TOTAL BUDGET.

DID YOU NOT INCLUDE IT THIS YEAR? NO, WE DID NOT INCLUDE IT.

[02:55:01]

AND SO LAST YEAR YOU HAD THE TOTAL BUDGET AND THEN YOU ALSO HAD INSIDE THE REVENUE IF YOU COULD PRODUCE THAT SAME ONE.

THAT WAS, I THOUGHT, VERY, UM, ILLUSTRATIVE.

THE SECOND ONE IS, UM, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE PROPERTY TAX REEVALUATION INCREASE ONLY AT 3.5%.

A HUNDRED PERCENT OF US WILL TAKE POLITICAL CREDIT AS WE TALK TO OUR RESIDENTS ABOUT HOW YOU'RE GETTING THE, THE, UM, BIGGEST REDUCTION IN THE RATE IN DALLAS IN A LONG, LONG TIME.

BUT WHY IS IT THAT WE'RE ONLY DOING A REAPPRAISAL OF 3.5% INCREASE? SO, UH, STATE LAW CAPS THE, UH, GROWTH FROM REAPPRAISAL TO 3.5% AND HOW MUCH DID WE INCREASE IT LAST YEAR WHEN WE WERE NOT UNDER THE SB TWO? SO, UM, I DON'T THINK I HAVE AN ANSWER THAT WILL GET AT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.

LAST YEAR, UH, REAPPRAISAL VALUES WENT UP BY 8.41% AND WE DID LOWER THE TAX RATE, BUT IT, WE WERE NOT REQUIRED TO LOWER IT TO COMPLETELY OFFSET.

AND I THINK YOU'RE ASKING FOR A COMPLETE OFFSET COMPARISON, AND I DON'T HAVE THAT, BUT I CAN GET IT FOR YOU.

WELL, ACTUALLY, I, I'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU GO BACK, LET'S SAY FIVE YEARS MM-HMM, AND SHOW US THOSE CHANGES BOTH WITH OFFSET AND WITHOUT IT.

UM, AND HAPPY TO HAVE THAT IN A MEMO.

UM, THE NEXT ISSUE IS THAT BECAUSE WE'VE GONE UP THE MAXIMUM ALLOWED BY STATE LAW FOR THE INCREASE IN REAPPRAISALS, BUT YET STILL ARE NOT FULFILLING EVERY DESIRE OF THE COUNCIL, THERE'S NEW FEES BEING ADDED.

AND IT'S VERY PROBLEMATIC TO SEE THIS CLEAN SWEEP ENVIRONMENTAL FEE, WHICH IS ANOTHER $36 A YEAR TO OUR RESIDENTS.

SO IF YOU COULD PULL UP SLIDE 40, PLEASE.

WHAT YOU'RE SHOWING ON THE SLIDE IS A TYPICAL TAX BILL, AND I LOVE THAT YOU HAVE BOTH COMPARISONS, MEANING ON THE LEFT WHERE IT'S SHOWING AN INCREASE OF $181 A YEAR, YOU'RE SHOWING WHAT THE MEDIAN VALUE WAS LAST YEAR COMPARED TO THE MEDIAN VALUE THIS YEAR, WITH ALSO THE CHANGE IN THE PROPOSED TAX RATE.

AND SO THIS IS WHAT RESIDENTS WILL ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE AS OPPOSED TO THE RIGHT SIDE, WHICH WOULD ASSUME NO CHANGE IN THEIR HOME APPRAISAL, WHICH IS NOT LIKELY, BUT OF COURSE JUST SHOWS THAT WE HAD A DECREASE IN THE RATE.

SO THIS IS EXACTLY THE PROBLEM, WHICH IS THAT THE TAX RATE IS GOING DOWN A HISTORIC AMOUNTS, BUT IT IS NOT GOING ENOUGH TO OFFSET THE MASSIVE INCREASE THAT WE'VE SEEN IN PROPERTY VALUE.

SO JUST FOR OUR MEDIAN HOME VALUE, THAT HOMEOWNER IS EXPERIENCING 181 EXTRA DOLLARS PLUS ADDITIONAL FEES, WHICH IF I'M CORRECT, IS ANOTHER 74 64 A YEAR FROM YOUR MEDIUM VALUE.

SO IF YOU GO TO SLIDE 77, IF YOU'RE SAYING IN FISCAL YEAR 25, IT'S $6 AND 22 CENTS A MONTH PLUS, WELL THAT IS THE 74 64.

SO NOW YOU'RE REALLY TELLING THE HOMEOWNERS, ACTUALLY YOUR TAXES ARE GONNA GO UP $255 AND 64 CENTS A YEAR.

AND THAT'S JUST FOR THE MEDIAN HOME VALUE.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES, MA'AM.

THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF ASSUMPTIONS IN THERE, BUT YES, THAT'S THE ANALYSIS.

UH, IF YOU HAD A MEDIAN VALUE PROPERTY IN 24 AND IT WENT UP TO THE MEDIAN VALUE NEXT YEAR, IF YOU'RE THE TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL USER ON WATER AND WASTE WATER AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS, YES, MA'AM.

THAT IS CORRECT.

AND ALL THOSE ASSUMPTIONS ARE YOUR ASSUMPTIONS NOT MINE, CORRECT? ABSOLUTELY.

THAT FOR THIS NEXT SESSION THAT'S ON THE NEXT HIT LIST.

I JUST WANTED, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY THAT.

UM, SO I'M JUST GONNA SAY, I THINK THE, THE, THE CLEAN SWEEP ENVIRONMENTAL FEE IS COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY.

WE NEED TO FIND THOSE ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO DO WHAT OUR CITY CORE SERVICES, INCLUDING LITTER PICKUP, INCLUDING HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT, INCLUDING EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S INCLUDED IN THERE, THAT'S PART OF WHAT OUR GENERAL FUND IS FOR.

AND SO WHILE I DO THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CREATIVE THINKING AND, UM, AND RESTRUCTURING AND IT'S APPRECIATED, IT JUST HASN'T GONE FAR ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE AS WELL.

I DON'T THINK ADDING ANOTHER FEE.

AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU ACROSS THE STATE, THE LEGISLATORS ARE ALREADY ONTO THIS.

THEY'RE GONNA, THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO STOP THIS.

THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO LEGISLATIVELY.

UM, I'M JUST GONNA TELL YOU THE, THE NEW, UM, INCOME THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM NEW PROPERTIES, UM, AS COUNCIL MEMBER WEST MENTIONED, THEY'RE ALREADY LOOKING AT

[03:00:01]

SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE ASKING YOU TO FIND THE FUNDING WITHIN YOUR BUDGET FOR THE SERVICES THAT A CITY IS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE.

AND SO I AM GONNA CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT AND NOT FOR THIS ADDITIONAL $3 PER, UM, PER MONTH.

SO MY NEXT ITEM IS GOING TO BE, UM, IS LOOKING AT THE PRIORITIES BY COUNCIL DISTRICT.

CAN YOU TELL US FOR MAINTENANCE OF INFRASTRUCTURE, HOW IS THIS YEAR'S BUDGET DIFFERENT THAN LAST YEAR'S WHEN THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY FOR OUR RESIDENTS? SO WHEN WE LOOK AT, UM, STREET, STREET MAINTENANCE, ALLEY MAINTENANCE, UH, I BELIEVE SIDEWALKS ARE IN HERE AS WELL.

WE'RE SPENDING $124 MILLION IN THE UPCOMING YEAR.

AND IN THE CURRENT YEAR, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IT'S ABOUT $152 MILLION.

SO IT IS A DECREASE YEAR OVER YEAR.

UH, IN THE CURRENT YEAR WE ISSUED, BECAUSE, UH, WE WERE WINDING DOWN THE BOND PROGRAM.

WE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET, UH, CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, UH, FOR STREETS.

UH, BUT WE DID NOT DO THAT IN THIS YEAR BECAUSE Y'ALL HAD GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THE BOND PROGRAM.

SO Y'ALL SET THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT YOU WANTED TO BORROW FOR STREETS.

AND SO WE DIDN'T THEN ADD TO ADDITIONAL COS ON TOP OF THAT, WE JUST LET THE BOND PROGRAM BE THAT AMOUNT.

I KNOW MY TIME IS UP.

I'LL GO IN MY NEXT ROUND.

WONDERFUL.

OKAY, WE'RE JUST GONNA WORK THROUGH GUYS SINCE WE'RE SO CLOSE.

I THINK.

SO, UH, CHAIRMAN WEST, YOU RECOGNIZE FOR THREE MINUTES.

OH, MR. BUA, IF YOU WANT TO GET IN NOW YOU RECOGNIZE FOR FIVE MINUTES.

OH, YOU'RE STILL SWITCHED? YES.

OH, OKAY.

THEN, UH, MR. MAYOR THEN CHAIRWOMAN ARNOLD, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES, I BELIEVE.

SORRY, MR. NO, NO PROBLEM.

WE WERE, I WAS TRYING TO GET THIS STRAIGHT, SO, OKAY.

AND THEN, AND THEN, UH, MR. RESENDEZ, IF YOU WANT TO GET IN, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES AND THEN WE'LL GO TO YOU, MR. WEST FOR THREE.

WE LOOK AT THE DATA AND THEN MOONWALK ON THE DATA? FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, NO, THANK YOU.

SO JUST QUICKLY, MY MAIN CONVERSATION WAS AROUND THE, UH, PROGRAM IN TERMS OF JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS, OF COURSE, THANKING ALL THE STAFF OF THE HARD WORK.

AND NOW WE'LL BE ABLE TO KIND OF BREATHE A LITTLE BIT AND TALK WITH YOU ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT WE WANT TO SEE CLARIFIED IN THE BUDGET.

BUT I I, I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT THE, UM, STRATEGY THAT YOU USING CITY MANAGER IN TERMS OF REDUCTION IN THE FOCUS, OF COURSE, ON FIRE SAFETY, UH, AND CLEANLINESS IN THE CITY IS WHAT MY CONSTITUENTS REALLY WANT.

THAT IS SOMETHING THEY EMPHASIZE.

UH, I WANTED TO JUST COMMENT QUICKLY ON THIS WHOLE NOTION ABOUT TAXING.

I CONSTANTLY GET COM COMMENTS ABOUT CAN'T Y'ALL CLEAN UP, CAN'T YOU CLEAN UP? AND WHAT WE REALLY HAVE TO COME TO GRIPS WITH, ALONG WITH THE FACT THAT OUR STAFF MEMBERS ARE WORKING HARD, IS THAT YOU, WE ARE DEALING WITH PEOPLE AND, AND FOLKS WANT US TO TAKE ON RESPONSIBILITY OF A PARENT.

SOME OF THESE FOLKS SIMPLY DON'T HAVE HOME TRAINING.

AND WE CANNOT GO BACK AND TALK, TEACH FOLKS WHO ARE 30, 40, 50 YEARS OLD, THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT THROWING THINGS OUT THE WINDOW, THE IMPORTANCE OF RECYCLING, THE IMPORTANCE OF CLEANING YOUR SIDEWALKS.

WE, WE, WE CAN'T DO THAT NOW.

MAYBE THE, THE WE'LL GET THE MESSAGE BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, DALLAS IS DALLAS.

WE EVEN HAVE VISITORS WHO ARE COMING IN, THROWING THINGS OUT AND, AND THEY ARE MESSING WITH TEXAS AND THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO, BUT THEY MESS WITH TEXAS AND THEY MESS WITH DALLAS, TEXAS.

AND SO IF WE ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A CITY THAT WE ARE PROUD OF, WE WILL DEFINITELY HAVE TO PULL IN TOGETHER.

AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT FROM MY DISTRICT IN PARTICULAR, I KNOW WE HAVE THE DATA, WE HAVE THE DATA THAT WE NEED TO GIVE THE SIGNAL FOR.

WE NEED THE INVESTMENT SO WE CAN GIVE THE SIGNAL TO OUR INVESTORS THAT WE DO CARE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY AND WE WANT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

AND THAT'S THE MESSAGE THAT I KEEP STRESSING.

AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I DREAM OF, DREAM UP.

IT'S SOMETHING, IT'S A REALITY.

IT'S A VERY SERIOUS STATEMENT.

AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, CITY MANAGER, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I'M GETTING CLARITY ON THIS.

ARE WE STILL CONSIDERED CONSIDERING OURSELVES TO BE A DATA DRIVEN CITY? YES, MA'AM.

SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON? SO THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS? DRIVING DECISION MAKING AND HOW WE ESTABLISH NOT ONLY A PROGRAMMATIC, UH, SOLUTIONS, BUT HOW WE COME TO COUNCIL WITH POLICIES THAT WILL ALLOW FOR US TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN CRITICAL AREAS OF THE CITY USING THAT DATA.

SO ON THE CRITICAL AREAS THAT HAVE THE DATA, DOES THAT MEAN THAT

[03:05:01]

AND SO I'M SAYING THAT BECAUSE IF THE DATA IS IN A TARGET AREA, A SPECIFIC AREA, AND I KNOW I HAVE THOSE AREAS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE CITY MANAGER AND HER STAFF AS THEY ATTEMPT TO RESPOND TO THE CONSTITUENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT NEED THE ATTENTION THE MOST.

THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING.

IF WE CAN GET THAT DONE, THEN I BELIEVE WE HAVE WON AT LEAST THE FIRST STEPS OF ADDRESSING EQUITY.

AND SO I WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE DATA AND WE'RE GONNA FOLLOW THAT DATA JUST LIKE WE FOLLOW THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD.

ALSO, IN CLOSING, UH, I'M PONDERING HERE ABOUT, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY.

JUST QUICKLY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.

I WAS LOOKING AT NINE OF THE 9 1 1 CALLS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU ALSO WHAT WE ARE GETTING ACROSS THE CITY IN EVERY DISTRICT, THIS IS BEING PUT ON THE POLICE.

AND AS CHIEF BROWN SAID LONG TIME AGO, THE POLICE HAVE TO WEAR 12 DIFFERENT HATS.

THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THEY HAD THIS HAT.

NOW THEY HAVE TO RESPOND TO THEFT OF FIBER AND COPPER AFFECTING INTERNET.

AND SO WHEN WE TALK TO THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY, THEIR THING IS, WELL, THE CITIZENS NEED TO CALL, UH, THE POLICE.

WELL, HOW ARE THEY GONNA KNOW TO CALL THE POLICE WHEN THEIR INTERNET IS OUT? AND SO WE ARE IN THE MIDST NOW OF HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS, UH, MEMBERS HERE LOCALLY.

AND WE WILL BE BRINGING MORE INFORMATION TO YOU.

AND MAYOR, I KNOW I'VE GOT TO LOOP YOU IN ON THAT AS WELL, BECAUSE WE MET AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE GET THAT TO YOU ON WHAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE WE ARE, WE ARE BEING IMPACTED GREATLY.

FOLKS ARE BEING IMPACTED ON THEIR WORK.

THOSE WHO ARE WORKING FROM HOME, THOSE WHO HAVE LOVED ONES WHO HAVE THE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, THEY DON'T KNOW TO CALL 9 1 1.

SO WE MAY HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS BUDGET IN TERMS OF THAT NINE, THAT 9 1 1 FEE, AND HOW WE CAN BETTER SUPPORT.

AND THEN ALSO MARKETING TO GET A MESSAGE OUT IF WE DO THAT, ON HOW WE GET THIS INFORMATION SO WE CAN CLAMP DOWN ON THESE THIEVES.

'CAUSE THEY ARE KILLING US, BUT THEY ARE MAKING SOME ARRESTS.

BUT I DID WANNA MAKE SURE YOU KNEW THAT THEY WANT US TO CALL THE POLICE, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THE POLICE KNOW THAT WE NEED TO BE CALLING THEM ABOUT COPPER WIRE AND FIBER THEFT.

SO THANK YOU AND I WILL BE OFFERING SOME OTHER SOLUTIONS LATER ON.

BUT THANK YOU FOR A FANTASTIC EFFORT WITH THIS BUDGET.

OUR CITY MANAGER, MR. RESENDEZ, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES.

OTHER ITEMS THAT WE ARE ALREADY CURRENTLY DOING, SUCH AS THE HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS THROUGH TEXT DOT ON THE REPLACEMENTS OF THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND SO ON, THOSE ARE PART OF THE, UH, UH, VISION ZERO PROGRAM.

I, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS AND I CAN'T TELL IF GUS IS ALREADY THERE.

GUS IS MAKING HIS WAY UP TO THE FRONT.

SIR.

HELLO, SIR.

GOOD AFTERNOON, GUS.

UM, I WANNA BEGIN BY, UM, TALKING ABOUT VISION ZERO.

I'M HAPPY TO SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING IN THAT SPACE.

UM, I, I, AND ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, THE WAY WE, UM, SPECIFY DIFFERENT CORRIDORS THAT ARE ON THE HIGH ENTRY NETWORK, UH, I JUST WANT TO ASK WHETHER OR NOT, UM, THESE INVESTMENTS AND, AND THE IDENTIFICATION OF THESE, UM, SPECIFIC CORRIDORS WOULD PRECLUDE US FROM CONTINUING TO WORK TO ADDRESS OTHER PROBLEMATIC AREAS AS IT RELATES TO, UM, SPEEDING VEHICLES AND, AND JUST VISION ZERO IN GENERAL.

THANK YOU, SIR, FOR THE QUESTION.

UM, NO, THIS IS JUST THE START OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AND, AND ACCOMPLISH.

AND AS MENTIONED IN THE, UM, UH, AS NOTED IN THE BUDGET, SO WE HAVE $1.6 MILLION IN THE BUDGET AS WELL AS THE, UM, UH, $8 MILLION IN THE 2024 BOND.

AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO LEVERAGE THOSE FUNDS SO THAT WE CAN EXPAND THEIR REACH AND USE.

AND I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, AS YOU'RE AWARE, WE HAVE ALREADY APPLIED TO SOME OF THE GRANTS INCLUDING, UH, ONE THAT COVERS LATE JUNE.

UM, AND TO ADDRESS THAT, SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO INVEST IN, UH, THE STUDIES ON THESE CORRIDORS AND PREPARE THE PLANS, UM, UH, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A TIERED APPROACH BASED ON THE AVAILABLE FUNDING.

BUT DEFINITELY WE ARE SO FOCUSED ON IT AND TO TRY TO OPTIMIZE THE, UH, USE OF EVERY SINGLE FUND.

AND LET ME CLARIFY ALSO THAT THE, UH, UH, WHILE WE HAVE DIRECT FUNDS FROM THE, UM, UH, FROM THE GENERAL FUNDS ALLOCATED TO THE VISION ZERO AT 1.6 MILLION, HOWEVER

[03:10:01]

SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF INVESTMENTS IN, IN THAT PROGRAM AND, AND WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS ON IT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT RESPONSE.

I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED TEXT, UH, BECAUSE THAT IS ONE OF THE AREAS I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T, UH, IGNORE.

UH, A LOT OF US HAVE, UM, STATE HIGHWAYS THAT GO THROUGH OUR DISTRICTS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SPEEDING ISSUES AND, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES, PEDESTRIAN ISSUES ON THOSE CORRIDORS.

UM, AND NOT ONLY THAT, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE OTHER, UM, POCKETS OF CONCERN, UM, IN, IN, IN DIFFERENT DISTRICTS, UH, INCLUDING DISTRICT FIVE.

UM, SOME CONCERNS AROUND CERTAIN PARTS.

SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T, WE DON'T IGNORE THOSE AREAS.

SO I APPRECIATE YOUR RESPONSES.

THE OTHER QUESTIONS I HAD ARE RELATED TO, UH, PAGE 415.

I'M, I'M WONDERING WHY WE'RE, WE'RE REDUCING, UM, A, UH, AN ENGINEER POSITION, UM, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME REDUCING THE BIKE LANE FUNDING FROM, FROM 2.5 MIL TO TWO MIL.

OKAY, SO ON COUNCIL AGENDA FOR TOMORROW, THERE ARE TWO ITEMS FOR THE ON-CALL CONTRACT, UH, AND FOR ENGINEERING FOR BIKE LANES.

SO THIS WILL ALLOW US TO QUICKLY MOBILIZE AND IMPLEMENT, UH, AND GET THOSE PROJECTS DESIGNED.

NUMBER TWO IS THAT THE, UH, BIKE LANE, UH, PROGRAM IS A MULTI-YEAR PROGRAM.

AND AGAIN, I WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO, UH, THE CITY MANAGER AS WELL AS OUR BUDGET STAFF THAT WILL, UH, BUDGET, UH, DEPARTMENT THAT ALLOWED US TO, UH, TO DO THAT SO THAT WE ARE, UH, LEVERAGING THOSE FUNDS.

AND THEN THIRDLY IS THAT WE, UM, ARE, UH, USING SOME OF THESE FUNDS IN COMBINATION WITH THE, UH, UH, RECONSTRUCTION OF PROJECTS WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE RECONSTRUCTING PROJECTS WE'RE PUTTING IN THE BIKE LANE SO WE DON'T HAVE TO INCUR THE FULL COST OF THE BIKE LANE, UH, TO BE FUNDED FROM THE DIRECTLY FROM THE, UH, UH, FROM THESE, UH, FUNDS.

AND LASTLY, WE'RE ALSO LEVERAGING THESE FUNDS, UM, WITH, UH, PARTNERING AGENCIES, WHETHER IT BE IN , THE COUNTIES AND SO ON, UH, IN ORDER TO, UH, IMPLEMENT THE BIKE LANE.

UM, I, I UNDERSTAND ALL THAT.

I, I'M JUST WONDERING MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT ELIMINATING THAT PARTICULAR POSITION.

UH, I MEAN, WOULDN'T HA WOULDN'T HAVING, UM, AN ADDITIONAL ENGINEER HELP WITH, UM, THE CAPACITY OF COMPLETING BIKE LANES? SO I WILL ALSO, UM, ELABORATE ON THAT IS THE FACT THAT THERE ARE SOME PROJECTS THAT HAVE BOND FUNDS IN THEM, AND WE'VE GOT SOME AVAILABLE FTES THAT COULD BE TAPPED INTO FROM THE BOND, UH, UH, FUNDED PROGRAM.

SO THIS ONE HERE IS TO REDUCE THE COST OR THE BURDEN ON THE GENERAL FUNDS.

SO WE STILL HAVE FLEXIBILITY ON THE OTHER ONES.

SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TAKING A TWO-PRONGED APPROACH ON THAT.

TIME ON WHAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO STREETS AND WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE DEGRADATION, IF IT'S ACTUALLY GETTING BETTER OR WORSE.

AWESOME.

I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE DON'T TAKE ANY STEPS BACK, UM, WITH THIS PARTICULAR, UH, ITEM.

THANKS, SIR.

OTHER THAN THAT, JUST GENERALLY SPEAKING, I, I DO WANNA ALSO COMMEND STAFF AND, AND, UM, INTERIM CITY MANAGER FOR, FOR THE PROPOSED BUDGET.

I THINK IT'S REFLECTIVE OF, UH, THE MAJORITY OF THE, UH, RESIDENTS DESIRES, UM, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME SHOWING THE WILLINGNESS TO, TO BETTER MANAGE, UM, OUR SPENDING.

SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR, UM, BUDGET TOWN HALL MEETINGS TO SEE WHAT OUR COMMUNITY THINKS AND THEN COMING BACK AND HAVE CONTINUING THIS DISCUSSION.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS NOT SPOKEN YET FOR FIVE MINUTES BEFORE I GO TO THREE MINUTES? SEEING NO ONE CHAIRMAN WEST.

GUS, COME BACK PLEASE.

YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES.

IT SOUNDS LIKE A SONG.

, WE COULD MAKE ONE UP.

, COME BACK, COME BACK.

UM, SO I WANNA FOLLOW UP ON, UH, UH, MS. WILLIS' AND MR. RESENDEZ QUESTIONS ON STREETS, PAVING, RECONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE, AND BIKE LANES.

UM, I THINK IF THERE'S ONE OVERALL TOPIC THAT I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT I'M GONNA WANT TO DEEP DIVE ON MORE, IT'S THE BUDGET FOR EVERYTHING I JUST MENTIONED.

SO STREETS 'CAUSE THE, I I THINK MS. WILLIS, THIS IS SOMETHING I REMEMBER LEE CLIMBING USED TO ALWAYS TALK ABOUT, WAS THE CONCEPT OF PAY AS YOU GO, INSTEAD OF US HAVING TO RELY ON A BUDGET, OUR BOND EVERY FEW YEARS FOR US TO KEEP OUR STREETS FROM, FROM ENTERING INTO DEGRADATION, WE'RE ACTUALLY PAYING AS WE GO.

I KNOW THAT'S HARD IN OUR CURRENT BUDGET WORLD, UM, BUT I THINK IT'S A GREAT GOAL THAT WE SHOULD WORK TOWARDS.

AND I HATE TO SEE US SLIPPING BACKWARDS AND ACTUALLY AS, AS WAS POINTED OUT, DOING LESS LANE MILES THAN WE HAD PREVIOUSLY.

SO IF, IF WE CAN DO A FOLLOW UP BRIEFING AND EITHER TRANSPORTATION OR COUNCIL THROUGH THE BUDGET BRIEFINGS ON, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE GRAPH THAT DR. PEREZ SHOWED US ONE

[03:15:01]

AND I, I FEEL LIKE IT'S GETTING WORSE.

AND THEN WHAT I HEARD YOU ANSWER IN RESPONSE TO MR. RESENDEZ ON BIKE LANES IS THAT WE ARE CUTTING THE BUDGET, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO LEVERAGE OTHER SOURCES AND FUNDING FROM OTHER PLACES.

IS THAT RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT, SIR.

I MEAN, I JUST FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, FOR SO MANY YEARS WE UNDERFUNDED, UM, THE, THE BIKE PLAN AND WE FINALLY STARTED CATCHING UP ON IT JUST A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME, UM, OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.

AND FOR US TO NOT MAKE, CONTINUE TO MAKE THAT COMMITMENT IS A, IS A MISSTEP.

SO I'D LIKE TO TRY TO LOOK AT STEPPING THAT BACK UP, UM, COMPARED TO THE OVERALL BUDGET, IT'S A VERY SMALL AMOUNT, SO I'LL CONTINUE LOOKING AT THAT.

UM, MY OTHER QUESTION IS, UM, IT'S NOT FOR YOU GUYS, IT'S FOR, UH, CODE.

SO THANK YOU.

I GUESS I DIDN'T NEED YOU, I JUST WANTED TO TALK .

UH, SO ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES SAID A MINUTE AGO, UM, THAT WE SHOULD FIND WHO'S MY, MY COLLEAGUE ACROSS THE HORSESHOE.

WE NEED TO FIND FUNDING IN THE EXISTING BUDGET FOR THE SERVICES YOUR CITY PROVIDES.

WELL, SOMETIMES THIS COUNCIL CREATES A MESS THAT WE JUST, THAT WE'VE GOTTA KEEP PAYING FOR.

UM, AND THAT BRINGS ME TO SHORT TERM RENTALS.

UM, DIRECTOR CHRISTIAN, CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE ONGOING FOR, UM, SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND THE MANAGEMENT OF THAT PROCESS, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE PREVENTED AT THIS POINT FROM REGULATING SHORT-TERM RENTALS, FROM COLLECTING FEES ON SHORT-TERM RENTALS, THANKS TO THE ALL-OUT BAN THAT THIS COUNCIL DECIDED TO DO.

THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTIONING COUNCIL MEMBER.

THE BUDGET FOR THAT TEAM WAS $1.3 MILLION INITIALLY, AND THAT WAS FOR THE STAFFING, THE EQUIPMENT, THE SOFTWARE AND EVERYTHING THAT WE NEEDED.

I THINK THE ONGOING ANNUAL EXPENSE IS AROUND 500 OR 600,000.

SO HOW MANY, UH, TEAM MEMBERS HAVE WE HIRED AND CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN AS PART OF THAT PROGRAM? IT IS NINE TEAM MEMBERS, A SUPERVISOR AND ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST, AND SEVEN CODE OFFICERS.

AND THEN MY NEXT QUESTION, SINCE I'M ALMOST OUT OF TIME IS FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY.

UM, WE DO HAVE INTERNAL STAFF WORKING ON THE SHORT-TERM LIT RENTAL LITIGATION, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.

AND THEY COULD BE WORKING ON SOMETHING ELSE IF THEY WEREN'T MANAGING THIS LITIGATION, RIGHT? YES.

SO THAT, I GUESS THAT'S MY POINT, MAYOR I'LL CLOSE WITH IS WE'RE CREATING OUR OWN BUDGET IMPLICATIONS IN THE, THE ONGOING GENERAL FUND, UM, BY, BY THIS LITIGATION, WHICH WE COULD FIX IF WE REOPEN THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND ACTUALLY PASSED AN ORDINANCE THAT COULD, THAT COULD PASS THE MUSTER.

CHAIRWOMAN MENDELSOHN, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES.

AND CONTINUING TO TALK ABOUT THE PRIORITY RESULTS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, BY CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT AND THEN THE OVERALL CITY.

THE SECOND PRIORITY, UM, OVERALL WAS POLICE SERVICES.

AND SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN SHARE WITH US THE CHANGING NUMBER OF OFFICERS WE'VE HAD OVER THE YEARS.

SO HOW MANY WE HAVE TODAY COMPARED TO YEARS PAST? YES, MA'AM.

SO IN, UH, I, I'M GOING ONLY BACK 'CAUSE WHAT I HAVE WITH ME IS FISCAL YEAR 16, UH, FISCAL YEAR 16, UH, THE END OF YEAR NUMBER WAS 3,338.

WE'RE PROJECTED TO END THIS YEAR AT 3,102.

AND AFTER THE NET INCREASE IN THE BIENNIAL OF 120, WE SHOULD END WITH 32 22.

AND I'M HOPING THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU'VE GOT.

ANGELA SHAW, ASSISTANT CHIEF DALLAS POLICE.

YOUR NUMBERS GO BACK FURTHER THAN MINE DO.

, I'M SORRY.

YOU'RE EXPECTING TO ADD 120 NEW TWO HEADCOUNT, NOT HIRES, BUT THAT INCLUDES SEPARATIONS.

SO OVER THE TWO YEARS OF THE BIENNIAL, WE EXPECT TO INCREASE 60 OFFICERS EACH YEAR OF A NET INCREASE.

SO I GUESS I'M GONNA GO BACK.

HUNDRED 50, LOSE ONE 90.

SO FISCAL YEAR 16, THERE WERE 3,338 UNIFORMED OFFICERS.

TODAY YOU'RE EXPECTING TO END THE YEAR WITH 3,100? YES.

MORE OFFICERS AND OUR BUDGET, WHILE IT HAS INCREASED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, BECAUSE POLICE OFFICERS MUST BE PAID MORE THAN THEY USED TO, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OFFICERS AND OUR BUDGET NEEDS TO FURTHER GO UP TO BE ABLE TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN THEM.

BUT WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE THEM RIGHT NOW.

I, I WOULD HAVE TO ASK, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ANSWER WHERE WE ARE, UM, TODAY.

SO AS OF TODAY, WE ARE AT 30 82.

30 82.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS AS A PRIORITY FOR THE CITY, WE'RE GOING BACKWARDS.

WE HAVE LESS OFFICERS THAN WE USED TO HAVE.

AND I'M JUST GONNA SAY WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OFFICERS.

WE ARE CRITICALLY SHORT OF OFFICERS.

WE NEED

[03:20:01]

THAT'S JUST INPUT.

THE LAST THING IS THE PILOT PROGRAM THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AT PUBLIC SAFETY FOR MANY MONTHS NOW, UH, WHICH IS A RECRUITING AND RETENTION BONUS PROGRAM THAT'S INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.

AND I SHARED THAT WITH YOU LAST WEEK.

JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WAS ON THE RECORD.

IT IS, YES, MA'AM.

SO, AND THAT'S, THAT'S RELATED TO THE, UM, UH, RE INCENTIVE TO HELP, UH, RECRUIT EXACTLY, YES, YES, YES.

SO AS I, AS I COMMUNICATED PREVIOUSLY, WE HAVE, UH, INCORPORATED INTO THIS BUDGET THE FIRST YEAR OF THAT PROGRAM WHERE, UM, OFFICERS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT WILL RECEIVE A, UM, AN INCENTIVE FOR ANY NEW OFFICER THAT THEY RECRUIT INTO THE DEPARTMENT.

AND SO WE ARE GOING TO START THIS AS A PILOT, UH, WITH YEAR ONE AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH, UM, SOME OF THE OTHER REMAINING ITEMS WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AROUND THAT PROGRAM.

SO WE ARE STARTING WITH THE PILOT, SO JUST TO SHARE, IT'S $6,000 RECRUITING FOR THE OFFICER THAT FINDS THE OTHER OFFICER PAYABLE IN INCREMENTS OVER TIME.

SO THE NEXT THING I WANNA ASK ABOUT IS, GOING BACK TO THIS ENVIRONMENTAL FEE, THE $3 A MONTH, SO ONLY UTILITY CUSTOMERS ARE GETTING THAT HALF OF OUR CITY IS RENTERS.

HOW WILL RENTERS BE PARTICIPATING IN THE LITTER CLEANUP AND HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS WITH FEES? SO THE FEE IS DESIGNED TO BE CHARGED TO THE UTILITY BILL.

SO, UM, IF A LANDLORD PASSES THAT COST ON TO A RENTER, THEN THEY WOULD REALIZE THAT FEE.

BUT, UH, THE $3 FEE IS FOR ALL CITY, UH, RESIDENTIAL AND NON-RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNTS.

SO A STRUCTURE THAT HAS UTILITIES INCLUDED OR WATER INCLUDED IS GETTING BILLED JUST ONE TIME, $3 A MONTH, AS OPPOSED TO PER UNIT AS OPPOSED TO INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS IN, IN A SINGLE FAMILY OR TOWN HOME, CORRECT.

CONDO.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS TO STRUCTURE, UM, YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL FEE, AND THIS IS THE APPROACH, THE APPROACH THAT WE'RE TAKING.

BUT THE MODEL THAT YOU DESCRIBE, UM, HAS BEEN USED IN OTHER, OTHER, UH, ENTITIES.

WELL, IT SEEMS SORT OF OBJECTIONABLE THAT ONLY ONE GROUP OF RESIDENTS WOULD PAY FOR, WELL, HALF RESIDENTS WOULD PAY FOR, UM, SOMETHING THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE ENTIRE CITY.

UM, THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT TXDOT.

AND SO SINCE I HAVE 35 SECONDS, I'M JUST GONNA SAY BOTH SENIOR STAFF AT TXDOT AND BOARD MEMBERS OF TDOT HAVE BEEN, UM, HA THERE'S DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, UM, OUR DISSATISFACTION WITH THE REIMBURSEMENT FOR CLEANINGS AS WELL AS OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE SHARED THAT SAME INFORMATION.

I THINK THEY OVERWHELMINGLY UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED, UM, MORE DOLLARS TO GO TOWARDS THAT.

THANK YOU, MR. RIDLEY, YOU RECOGNIZE FOR, FOR THREE MINUTES.

EXCUSE ME.

ON PAGE 56 OF THE BUDGET, UH, WE ARE INFORMED THAT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CITY POSITIONS IS DECLINING BY 540.

THAT WAS IN YOUR PRESENTATION, BUT THE SAME PAGE INDICATES THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF FTES BY 220.

AND SO OUR ACTUAL PERSONNEL PAID POSITIONS ARE INCREASING IN THIS BUDGET BY OVER 200.

IS THAT CORRECT? SO THE POSITION COUNT REFLECTS ACTUAL POSITIONS, UM, LIKE A PERSON SITTING IN A SEAT.

THE FTE IS A REFLECTION OF, UM, THE, THE ABILITY TO FILL THE POSITION.

SO, UH, IF A POSITION IS, UH, FILLED FOR THE ENTIRE 12 MONTHS, IT'S ONE FTE.

IF IT'S, UH, VACANT FOR A PORTION OF THAT 12 MONTH PERIOD AS 0.75, IT'S 0.50.

I THINK WHAT YOU SEE IN THE FTE COUNT IS A REFLECTION OF THE DEPARTMENT'S EFFORTS TO AGGRESSIVELY FILL THE POSITIONS, UM, THAT, UM, HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY VACANT.

AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE A CHANGE IN THAT NUMBER.

SO THE ACTUAL PERSONNEL COUNT IS ANTICIPATED TO INCREASE IN THE BUDGET YEAR? NO.

SO NOT THE PERSONNEL COUNT, IT'S JUST THE, THE HOURS ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, THE PARTICULAR POSITION.

SO IT COULD BE A COMBINATION OF A POSITION FILLED FOR 12 MONTHS, IT COULD BE OVERTIME.

SO THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT, UM, FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FTE COUNTS.

WELL, BUT THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE MORE PEOPLE WORKING MORE HOURS.

YOU WOULD HAVE MORE PEOPLE WORKING MORE HOURS, CORRECT.

AND EARNING MORE PAY AS A RESULT, CORRECT? CORRECT.

SOME PUBLIC SAFETY QUESTIONS ON THE, UH, SLIDE 69, UH, NO, 64.

[03:25:01]

YOU MENTIONED THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WANTS TO REPLACE ONE OF THEIR TWO HELICOPTERS.

WILL THAT BE AN $8 MILLION EXPENDITURE FOR A NEW HELICOPTER, OR COULD WE SAVE SOME MONEY FOR ONE THAT'S SLIGHTLY USED? SO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DESIRES TO REPLACE BOTH OF THEIR HELICOPTERS.

UH, THEY'RE SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS EACH.

WE'RE PLANNING ON PURCHASING ONE IN FISCAL YEAR 25 AND ONE IN FISCAL YEAR 27, WHICH IS OUTSIDE OF THIS BIENNIAL.

UH, THE SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION DOLLAR FIGURE, I BELIEVE IS A NEW HELICOPTER.

AND I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS RELATED TO NEW VERSUS REPURPOSED ASSISTANT CHIEF ANGELA SHAW.

UM, I THINK CHIEF SCHULTZ MIGHT BE COMING UP.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE NEW HELICOPTER IS DESIRED BECAUSE GETTING A USED ONE, AGAIN, PARTS ARE RUN BY HOURS, AND SO THERE BECOMES MORE COST MAINTENANCE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT HELICOPTER.

SO IT BECOMES A BETTER BUY FOR A NEW HELICOPTER THAN A USED ONE.

I SEE.

UM, NOW JACK, IN LOOKING AT THE OVERTIME BUDGET FOR UNIFORM, UM, I NOTICE THAT IT'S AT THE LEVEL OF $59 MILLION AND THE BUDGET EXPLAINS THAT'S A $16 MILLION INCREASE OVER THE CURRENT BUDGET OF 42 MILLION.

BUT THIS YEAR'S EXPECTED FORECAST IS AN INCREASE TO 55 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF OVER $13 MILLION.

AND SO MY QUESTION IS, HOW CONFIDENT ARE WE THAT OUR $59 MILLION ALLOCATION FOR UNIFORM OVERTIME IN THE NEW FISCAL YEAR WILL REMAIN AT THAT LEVEL AND WON'T BE AN OVERRUN LIKE IT HAS BEEN THE LAST SEVERAL FISCAL YEARS? I, IF I COULD, I'LL JUST JUMP IN.

I, I THINK THE CHIEF IS COMING, UH, FORWARD.

UM, EARLIER IN THE PRESENTATION, WE MENTIONED THAT ON AUGUST THE 21ST, WE FELT THAT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO HAVE A FOCUSED CONVERSATION AROUND BOTH, UM, THE, THE OVERTIME AND SOME OF THE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN BOTH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

SO THERE WILL BE TWO DEDICATED BRIEFINGS, UH, FOR BOTH OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS.

BUT I THINK WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS, IS THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE BEGINNING TO DO, UM, AS IT RELATES TO WHAT ARE THE DRIVERS OF OVERTIME ARE A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING IN THE BUDGET.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT NOT ONLY, UM, THE HIRING, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WAYS THAT WE'RE HOPING TO BEGIN TO REDUCE THE ATTRITION.

UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT RECRUITMENT, BONUSES, SICK LEAVE EXCHANGE PROGRAMS. SO THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE'RE APPROACHING THIS SUBJECT.

BUT I'LL LET THE CHIEF ADD ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, BUT WE WILL HAVE THAT DEDICATED BRIEF ON AUGUST THE 21ST.

SO COUNCIL MEMBER, YOUR QUESTIONS I WOULD JUST TO REITERATE WAS HOW ARE WE SURE THAT WE'RE WON'T GO ABOVE WHERE WE'RE AT? SO I'LL START AND I HAVE, UH, MARTIN S WITH ME, UM, THAT CAN CHIME IN AS WELL, BUT IT STARTS AND ENDS WITH STAFFING.

UH, WE'RE NOT STAFFED ENOUGH AS A POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND SO WE, WE DEPEND ON OVERTIME, UH, TO ENABLE, TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT WE KNOW THAT OUR RESIDENTS WANT AND EXPECT.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR OVERTIME DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE, WHEN YOU, WE, WE HAVE A FURTHER PRESENTATION ON OVERTIME WHEN YOU AMOUNT FOR THE AMOUNT OF HOURS THAT WE'RE IN, UH, IT'S ABOUT 400, UH, IT'S APPROXIMATELY 400 AND IT EQUATES TO APPROXIMATELY 450 FTES.

SO OUR OVERTIME THAT WE'RE INCURRING IS A, IS IN ESSENCE ABOUT 450 OFFICERS THAT WE ARE IN NEED OF.

AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT, ALSO LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF HOURS OF OVERTIME THAT WE'RE WORKING, YOU KNOW, AS SALARIES GO UP, AND I KNOW WE CONCENTRATE A LOT ON THE, THE FINAL NUMBER, UM, BUT WE THEORETICALLY CAN WORK LESS HOURS AND AS SALARIES GO UP, THOSE OVERTIME DOLLARS MAY INCREASE, UH, SO LONG AS WE CONTINUE TO BE UNDERSTAFFED AS A POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND SO OBVIOUSLY WE ARE MINDFUL OF, OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH OVERTIME.

THERE ARE, THERE ARE, AND I WILL CALL THEM BANDAIDS.

THERE ARE BANDAIDS THAT WE'RE DOING WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AT WHAT UNITS WE HAVE THAT ARE INCURRING OVERTIME AND SEE IF THERE ARE HYBRID MODELS THAT WE CAN DO, UH, TO LOWER THAT AMOUNT OF OVERTIME.

BUT CERTAINLY AS ISSUES ARISE THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UH, AND IN ALL THE DISTRICTS, UH, WHERE CRIME OCCURS, UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO PUT PRESENCE OUT IN THOSE AREAS.

AND WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THAT PRESENCE, WE HAVE TO DEPEND ON OVERTIME TO DO THAT.

UH, AND SO WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO STAY WITHIN THAT.

UH, BUT AS THE RESPONSIBILITIES, UH, AND THE EXPECTATIONS, UH, OF THE DEPARTMENT ARE THERE, I THINK WHAT'S TELLING THE MOST AND IS WHAT I WAS TALKING TO MARTIN ABOUT, THE FACT THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR OVERTIME

[03:30:01]

HOURS AND IT EQUATING TO APPROXIMATELY 450 OFFICERS THAT WE CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE, THAT'S PRETTY TELLING.

WELL, CHIEF, I UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR OVERTIME FOR UNIFORMED OFFICERS TO MAKE UP FOR THE SHORTFALL IN OUR RECRUITING EFFORTS TO GET US TO THE STAFFING LEVEL THAT WE WANT TO BE.

MY CONCERN IS THAT THESE PROJECTIONS FOR THE BUDGET IN PAST SEVERAL YEARS HAVE BEEN TOTALLY OFF THE MARK.

EITHER THE PROJECTION HAS BEEN OR THE NEED WASN'T ANTICIPATED.

AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT WE CAN DO TO HAVE A MORE ACCURATE FORECAST OR MORE, UM, PROCEDURAL LIMITATIONS ON WHEN OVERTIME IS GRANTED TO AVOID SITUATIONS WHERE OVERTIME IS INCURRED, PERHAPS UNNECESSARILY.

AND I AGREE WITH YOU COUNCIL MEMBER, I MEAN, WE LOOK AT WAYS TO ENSURE THAT OVERTIME IS NOT, UH, USED NECESSARILY.

I THINK WE'RE, THAT'S WHY ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SICK LEAVE, UH, INCENTIVES, UH, THAT'S WHY WE'RE LOOKING AT OBVIOUSLY ALL THE INCENTIVES TO CONTINUE TO RATE TO INCREASE STAFFING OF THE DEPARTMENT.

UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER, I, I'LL SAY, AND I'M, THERE HAS NOT BEEN A BUDGET MEETING THAT I HAVE BEEN TO THAT I HAVE NOT SAID THAT THE OVERTIME WE HAVE IS NOT ENOUGH.

UM, AND IN THAT WE PROBABLY WILL GO OVER BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE DEPARTMENT.

UM, AND I, I, I'VE SAID THAT BEFORE AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN, UM, AND THAT WE NEED TO GROW AS A DEPARTMENT, UH, IN ORDER FOR THAT OVERTIME TO START TO START COMING DOWN.

AND IF I COULD ADD TO THAT, UH, CHIEF, UH, IN THE PRIOR YEARS, I AGREE WITH HIS STATEMENT JUST THEN.

IF WE LOOK BACK AT THE PRIOR YEARS, WE DID NOT SET THE BUDGET AT WHAT HE WAS SPENDING IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

IN THIS PARTICULAR YEAR, GOING FORWARD, HE'S FORECASTED 55 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS THIS YEAR.

WE'VE SET NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET AT HIGHER THAN THAT.

THAT WILL BE THE FIRST TIME THAT HAS HAPPENED.

USUALLY HE'S SPENDING X AND, AND WE BUDGET FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR, SOMETHING LESS.

SO I'M HOPING THAT WE PUT YOU AT A BETTER PLACE GOING FORWARD BECAUSE WE'VE AT LEAST GONE ABOVE WHAT HE'S CURRENTLY SPENDING.

AND HOPEFULLY THERE'S SOME CONFIDENCE THERE THAT, THAT WE'VE GONE HIGH ENOUGH.

AND I DO ALSO WANT TO ADD THOUGH, AGAIN, THAT WE'RE LOOKING INTERNALLY IN THE DEPARTMENT.

LIKE I SAID, IT'S NOT, UH, THE EXERCISE WE'RE DOING IS NOT FUTILE WITH REGARDS TO SEEING WHAT UNITS AND WHAT AREAS OF THE DEPARTMENT ARE IN NEED AND ARE SPENDING OVERTIME AND FOR US TO LOOK AT HYBRID MODELS, HOW TO BRING THAT, BRING DOWN THOSE NUMBERS.

UH, BUT AGAIN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY TRY TO KEEP OUR EYE ON THE BALL ON IS WITH REGARDS TO THE NUMBER OF HOURS.

UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT HOW OVERTIME HAS GONE UP THROUGH PAST YEARS, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY BEEN COMMENSURATE WITH THE NUMBER OF HOURS, PERCENTAGE WISE OVERTIME DOLLARS ARE GOING UP WHILE IT'S NOT, WHILE THE HOURS ARE NOT GOING UP TO THAT SAME DEGREE.

AND SO AGAIN, AS COST GOES UP PER EMPLOYEE AND OTHER THINGS OF THAT NATURE, UM, IT'S ONE OF THE DYNAMICS THAT WE REALLY TREATED TO LOOK AT THAT WE CAN LOWER AND REDUCE HOURS.

BUT AT THE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE DOLLARS AND THE CENTS, UH, DON'T MATCH UP WITH THE, THE HOURS THAT ARE BEING, UH, WORKED IN OVERTIME.

SO CHIEF, ARE YOU CONFIDENT THAT THIS BUDGET ALLOCATION OF $59 MILLION FOR THE NEW FISCAL YEAR WILL BE SUFFICIENT FOR YOUR OVERTIME UNIFORM NEEDS? WE'RE GONNA DO EVERYTHING WE CAN FOR IT TO DO THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT I, I CAN'T GUARANTEE, DEPENDING ON HOW THE, THE CRISES OR THE CHAOS OR THINGS THAT OCCUR THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT HAVE TO DO WITH PUBLIC SAFETY WILL, WILL IMPACT THAT.

BUT AGAIN, WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN, UH, TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE WITHIN THAT.

AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT I HAVE MY COMMANDERS, UH, AND MY STAFF LOOKING AT WAYS THAT, UH, WE'RE MINIMIZING THE AMOUNT OF OVERTIME BY LOOKING AT DIFFERENT, UH, MODELS.

UH, BUT AGAIN, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN EVERY YEAR TO TRY TO TO, TO REMAIN WITHIN THAT.

UH, BUT THERE ARE THINGS THAT WILL HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT, AGAIN, UNTIL WE ARE STAFFED TO THE PLACE WE NEED TO BE STAFFED AT, UM, THAT, UH, THAT AT TIMES MAY BE BEYOND OUR CONTROL.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, IF, IF I COULD JUST JUMP IN FOR JUST A SECOND.

I WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE CONVERSATION AROUND THE STAFFING, AND I APPRECIATE THE CHIEF'S REMARKS, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE SAY THIS BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO HEAR ABOUT, WE KNOW THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OFFICERS RIGHT NOW WITH THE BUDGETING OF 250 OFFICERS IN 25 AND ANOTHER 250 OFFICERS AND 26, WE ARE MAXIMIZING TRAINING CAPACITY AT A HUNDRED PERCENT PERIOD.

SO I WANNA MAKE SURE IF I COULD PUT 500 IN THE BUDGET TO HIRE IN 25 AND ANOTHER 500 IN THE BUDGET TO HIRE FOR 26, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WOULD DO, BUT WE WOULD NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY OR THE ABILITY TO TRAIN THAT MANY OFFICERS IN ONE YEAR.

[03:35:02]

ALRIGHT.

UH, LET'S SEE.

CHAIRWOMAN STEWART, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES.

UM, AND AS WE LOOK AT GROWING THE DEPARTMENT, THAT WAS EXACTLY MY, WHAT I LEARNED YESTERDAY, THAT 250 IS, IS THAT'S THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF OFFICERS THAT WE CAN TRAIN PER YEAR.

IS THAT CORRECT? 250 IS THE SWEET SPOT.

AGAIN, IF WE COULD, IF, IF, OBVIOUSLY I DON'T, I, I DOUBT THAT WE'D BE TURNING AWAY AN ACADEMY CLASS, UH, BUT, BUT I THINK AROUND 250 IS A SWEET SPOT, UH, FOR US.

UM, OBVIOUSLY AN ADDITIONAL 50 OFFICERS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD STRETCH US.

UM, BUT TWO 50 IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, FROM AN ADMINISTRATIVE PERSPECTIVE AND A PREPARATION PERSPECTIVE, UM, IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN HANDLE.

AND THAT IS OUR GOAL.

AND, AND TO BE FRANK, I MEAN, THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME I BELIEVE IN, YOU KNOW, SINCE WE'VE BEGUN REALLY THE BEING ABLE TO HIRE 250 WHERE I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE CLOSE TO TWO 50.

AND SO I THINK TWO 50 IS A VERY GOOD GOAL.

I MEAN, IT REALLY DOES STRETCH OUR RECRUITING UNITS TO A TREMENDOUS JOB.

UM, AND I'M ABSOLUTELY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE, PARTICULARLY IN, IN YEARS PAST, BUT SPECIFICALLY THIS YEAR.

AND SO, YES, I BELIEVE TWO 50 IS A SWEET SPOT.

SO THAT'S GOOD NEWS IN A WAY THAT WE ARE ABLE TO ACTUALLY HIRE AT CAPACITY AT WHAT OUR CAPACITY IS.

THAT IS THAT THAT IS, THAT WE'RE RECRUITING TO THAT LEVEL.

NO, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY GREAT NEWS AND THAT'S WHY, BUT I ALWAYS CONTINUE TO SAY AS WE SPOKE ABOUT IN WEEKS PAST, THAT'S WHY THE RETENTION IS EQUALLY IF NOT MORE IMPORTANT, RIGHT? THAN JUST THE RECRUITING ITSELF.

SO ON THE RETENTION, WHAT ARE WE ESTIMATING ABOUT RETIREMENTS? HOW MANY WILL WE LOSE NEXT YEAR IF WE, IF WE RECRUIT AND TRAIN TWO 50, BUT HOW MANY WILL WE LOSE OF OUR CURRENT? IN OUR, OUR ATTRITION IS AVERAGING ABOUT 1 90, 1 90.

190, YES.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE CAME UP WITH THE WE NET 60 PER YEAR.

16 NEW OFFICERS PER YEAR.

BUT THAT'S A, OKAY, IF WE COULD, UM, SO I SEE WHY YOU WANNA FOCUS ON RETENTION, BECAUSE WE WERE, MA IF WE MAX OUT ON TRAINING AND NEW OFFICERS AT TWO 50, IF WE COULD LOWER THE RETENTION, I MEAN LOWER THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE RETIRING, THAT COULD HELP A, THAT AB ABSOLUTELY.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

I MEAN, IF, IF, IF WE CAN, IF WE LOWER THAT RETENTION NUMBER OR THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ATTRITION NUMBER BY 40, THAT'S A HUNDRED OFFICERS.

YEAH.

YOU GOT HUNDRED VERSUS 60 BECAUSE I, I DON'T LOOK AT IT AS RECRUITING A HUNDRED.

I LOOK AT THE OVERALL HEALTH OF THE DEPARTMENT IN OVERALL STAFFING.

YEP.

AND SO WHEN YOU SEE THAT, THEN, THEN TO ME IT'S A NET GAIN.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE JUST GET VERY FOCUSED ON THE NUMBERS.

AND PUBLIC SAFETY SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING.

THAT'S THE FIRST REPORT, RIGHT? HOW MANY, WHAT'S THE NEXT RECRUITING CLASS? HOW, HOW LARGE IS IT? IT'S ALMOST LIKE AN EQUATION.

I UNDERSTAND THAT RECRUITING AND THE NUMBERS IN THE ACADEMY ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, BUT REALLY AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE BOTTOM LINE IS OVERALL STAFFING OF THE DEPARTMENT, RIGHT? UM, TO THE POINT OF THE NEW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR, THE NEW ACADEMY BEGINNING TO GET STARTED BEING BUILT, UH, CONTRACTS LOOKED AT AND THAT KIND OF THING.

DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TRAIN YEARLY ONCE WE HAVE THE NEW FACILITY? DOES THAT INCREASE? UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE, IF IF WE'VE, IF WE'VE LOOKED AT THAT, IF WE'VE GONE THAT FAR WITH REGARDS TO HOW MUCH, I KNOW IT'S EARLY DAYS.

I MEAN, AT THE, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY REALLY WHEN, WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT HAVING ACADEMY CLASSES GREATER THAN 50, UM, YOU KNOW, THEN THAT, THAT, AGAIN, WE'RE ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL IN SOME RESPECTS BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA NEED MORE RECRUITERS, MORE TRAINERS, MORE SERGEANTS, UM, AND MORE ADMINISTRATIVE HELP, UH, WHEN THOSE, ONCE THOSE OFFICERS, UH, ARE READY AND ABLE.

SO I DON'T KNOW NECESSARILY THAT A NEW BUILDING OR A NEW ACADEMY AND IT BY ITSELF, UH, WOULD NECESSARILY, UM, ALLOW US TO HAVE MORE AND THE SECOND CAPACITY.

BUT THAT'S SOMETHING CERTAINLY THAT AS, AS HOPEFULLY THAT THAT DREAM COMES TO FRUITION, UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE, UM, WHAT, UH, WHAT THE, WHAT THE CAPACITY WOULD BE.

UM, ONE LAST QUESTION.

WHAT IS THE, THE SWEET SPOT, THE NUMBER THAT YOU WOULD LIKE US TO GET TO IN TERMS OF TOTAL NUMBER OF OFFICERS, FULL-TIME OFFICERS? UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO GET US BACK TO 3600, 3600 AND THEN REASSESS AND SEE WHERE WE'RE AT AS A CITY FROM THERE.

NOW THERE IS NO QUESTION AS AGAIN, YOU KNOW, AS I WORK WITH MARTIN AND THE OVERTIME AND WHAT THAT MEANS IN FTES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, THAT TO ME, I BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, AT 3,600 IS A, A PLACE THAT IF WE GOT TO, THEN WE REASSESS THE NEEDS OF THE CITY AND SEE WE'RE AS THE DEPARTMENT.

UH, BUT I THINK THAT'S A GOOD MILESTONE, UH, AND REALISTIC MILESTONE, UH, TO GET TO FIRST.

IT WOULD BE A GOAL FOR RIGHT NOW, YES.

NO MORE QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU, MS. WILLIS.

YOU RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES.

OKAY, LET ME STICK WITH YOU, CHIEF.

SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THE NUMBER THAT WAS GIVEN EARLIER WAS THAT WE WERE AT 30 82 WITH CURRENT COUNT OF OFFICERS.

I, I BELIEVE THAT WAS THAT'S RIGHT.

AND SO YOU'RE SAYING 3,600 WOULD BE AN IDEAL TO, TO TARGET FOR RIGHT NOW?

[03:40:01]

SO THAT'S A DIFFERENCE OF 518 OFFICERS.

AND SO EVEN WITH THE ATTRITION, BUT WHAT WE'RE ADDING, I MEAN, THAT SEEMS LIKE AN ATTAINABLE GOAL, NOT THIS NEXT YEAR, BUT I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE WE ARE MOVING TOWARD THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE INNOVATIVE RETENTION PLANS, THE SICK PAY PTO BUYOUT.

I MEAN, ARE THERE OTHER RETENTION IDEAS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT? WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT IDEAS.

COUNCIL MEMBER I, AND, AND SO AT, AT THE MORE IDEAS WILL COME OUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE MORE WE'LL TRY TO WORK THROUGH THEM, UH, WITH PUBLIC SAFETY AND WITH YOU ALL TO, UH, TO DO OUR BEST TO, TO ENSURE WHAT'S GOING ON.

UH, BECAUSE AGAIN, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER CITIES TOO AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING, UM, AND FORTUNATELY, THEY'RE UNFORTUNATELY A LOT OF CITIES ARE LOOKING AT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WE'RE TRYING TO SEE WHAT OTHER CITIES, WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

UM, BUT ULTIMATELY IN THE END, OBVIOUSLY WITH NET GAINS OF 60 EVERY YEAR, UM, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET TO 3,600 VERY QUICKLY.

AND SO THAT'S WHY, AGAIN, I REALLY CONTINUE TO REALLY PUSH THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ENSURE OFFICERS STAY HERE AND ARE HAPPY HERE FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.

MM-HMM, .

WELL IF YOU DO HAVE MORE THAN 250 IN A YEAR, UM, DON'T HESITATE TO COME BACK TO THIS BODY AND LET US KNOW.

'CAUSE I HAVE A FEELING WE WOULD FIND THE COINS NEEDED TO WELCOME THEM INTO THE DPD.

HELP US UNDERSTAND AND HELP OUR RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND IF THIS DOES MOVE FORWARD, THAT WE ARE REALLY BEING AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE ON SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT MAYBE DON'T NEED TO LIVE WITH THE CITY.

I'M GONNA SHIFT GEARS NOW.

UM, LET'S GO BACK TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP FEE.

SO LET ME ASK ABOUT, I MEAN, THIS IS AN OVER AND ABOVE FEE, AND IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE LOOKED AT BECAUSE THIS WAS A FEE THAT OTHER CITIES WERE CHARGING THAT WE WEREN'T CHARGING AND SO WE KNEW IT WAS LEGAL AND WE COULD, OR IS IT DUE TO INCREASED DEMANDS IN THE AREAS, THE CATEGORIES THAT YOU'RE SAYING THIS WOULD HELP ADDRESS? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE QUESTION, AND I'LL START WITH THE NEED.

UM, AS WE WENT THROUGH THE BUDGET AND STARTED TO IDENTIFY BACK TO PRIORITIES, WE REALIZED THAT THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CREATE A PROGRAM THAT WE COULD REALLY FOCUS ON.

HOW DO WE ELEVATE, UM, NOT ONLY THE CLEANUP OF ALL OF THE RIGHT OF WAY, BUT HOW DO WE ALSO SUPPLEMENT SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT WE KNOW? WE OFTEN SEE A LOT OF TRASH AND DEBRIS IN OUR CITY, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR ENCAMPMENTS, UM, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT JUST WASTE OVERALL, RIGHT? DEAD ANIMALS AND ALL THOSE THINGS.

AND SO WE LOOKED AT A PROGRAM FIRST, AS WE COMMITTED TO DO EARLY ON IN THE SUMMER, IS THAT WE WOULD LOOK FOR WAYS TO IDENTIFY OTHER REVENUE STREAMS, WHETHER WE WERE LOOKING AT FEES, UM, AND WHAT WE COULD DO TO BRING ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO THE TABLE.

SO THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR US TO BEGIN THAT WORK.

AND SO WE THEN, UH, REALIZED THAT THERE WERE SOME OTHER CITIES WHO HAVE DONE SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR TO THIS ENVIRONMENTAL FEE AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

SO IT BECAME AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT IT.

WE BEGAN TO WORK WITH BOTH THE SANITATION DEPARTMENT, THE THE NEW PUBLIC WORKS TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, THE OFFICE OF HOME AND SOLUTIONS, AS WELL AS THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP THE PARAMETERS FOR THAT FEE.

SO THIS WAS A TRULY COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO ADDRESS A CURRENT NEED THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CITY.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S STILL A FEE.

AND SO I'M WONDERING HOW WELL WOULD YOU SAY PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE GOT WERE SCOURED FOR? SHOULD THEY LIVE IN DALLAS? LIKE I LOOK AT THE CCAP, OKAY, GREAT INNOVATIVE PROGRAM.

UM, IT HELPED EXPLORE AND IDENTIFY NEEDS IN OUR CITY, SOME AROUND URBAN AGRICULTURE, ET CETERA.

BUT THEN WE KEEP MOVING TOWARD THAT.

WE FUND AND IMPLEMENT IT.

SO THAT'S WHERE I THINK WE NEED TO DISENGAGE ON SOME THINGS.

AND HOW MUCH WOULD YOU SAY YOU'VE MINED ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES TO COME UP WITH FUNDS THAT MIGHT INSTEAD OF A FEE BE ABLE TO COVER SOME OF THESE NEEDS? I'LL TELL YOU, AS I MENTIONED EARLY ON IN THE SUMMER, THAT NOTHING WOULD BE OFF THE TABLE.

WE'VE LOOKED AT EVERY WAY, EVERY DEPARTMENT LINE BY LINE TO FIND WAYS TO CREATE THOSE NATURAL EFFICIENCIES THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.

UM, AND, AND NOT JUST THROUGH THE CONSOLIDATIONS, BUT JUST OVERALL AND HOW DEPARTMENTS CAME TO THE TABLE, UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE WERE FACING AND WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO.

AND EVEN LOOKING AT THE, UH, THE DEFICIT THAT WE WERE FACING.

SO IT HAS BEEN BROAD, IT'S BEEN COMPREHENSIVE.

IT'S BEEN, ARE THERE OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN GET THERE WITHOUT COMING UP WITH ANOTHER FEE? UM, BUT AFTER GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND LOOKING AT ALL THE REDUCTIONS THAT WE'VE TAKEN ACROSS ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS, IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LOOK AT ANOTHER REVENUE STREAM.

AND IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING.

MM-HMM, .

AND, AND IF I COULD ADD TO THAT, AS WE PUT THE BUDGET TOGETHER AND WE WERE, OUR, OUR GENERAL FUND REVENUE WAS GOING UP $65 MILLION AND OUR NEED IN POLICE AND FIRE ALONE WAS 78.

SO WE HAD TO MAKE THOSE REDUCTIONS IN OTHER AREAS JUST TO COVER THE POLICE AND FIRE INCREASES.

SO IT WAS NECESSARY, AS MS. TOLBERT MENTIONED, IS TO LOOK FOR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO DO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNEW WERE IMPORTANT.

ALRIGHT.

WELL, I LOVE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF THAT JUST TO

[03:45:01]

BUT I WANNA MOVE ON IN MY LAST MINUTE HERE WITH MS. CROLEY TO UNDERSTAND AROUND, WELL, ANOTHER THING THAT'S RISEN TO THE TOP IN OUR RESIDENT SURVEY IS ABOUT ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS, ABOUT SEEING IT ON THE STREET.

UM, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN COME ON UP.

I MEAN, IT'S ABOUT THE, NOT ONLY THE CONCERN PEOPLE HAVE FOR THOSE WHO ARE HOMELESS, BUT ALSO IT CREATES SOME SAFETY ISSUES OF VARIOUS NATURE.

SO IT'S A COMPLEX PIE BECAUSE WE GET MONEY AND WE WORK WITH OTHER AGENCIES.

BUT WHAT IS THE, HOW IS WHAT THE CITY DOING REPRESENTED IN THIS BUDGET? WHAT ARE WE CONTRIBUTING TO GETTING AT THIS CONCERN OF THE COUNCILS AND OF RESIDENTS? THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

UH, CHRISTINE CROSLEY, OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS DIRECTOR.

UM, WE ARE DOING MULTIPLE THINGS, BUT THE BIGGEST PUSH THAT WE HAVE, UM, IN COORDINATION WITH OUR CONTINUUM OF CARE AND OUR FEDERAL DOLLARS IS THE REAL-TIME REHOUSING INITIATIVE.

UM, WE HAVE HOUSED OVER 11,500 PEOPLE SINCE 2021.

WE HAVE A CURRENTLY A 24% REDUCTION IN HOMELESSNESS, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO BRING THAT DOWN TO 50% BY 2026.

UM, OBVIOUSLY THAT IS A CONTINUUM WIDE EFFORT, AND WE HAVE HEARD THE CONCERNS THAT FOR THE CITY THAT DOESN'T NEED TO BE A COMPLETELY CITY OF DALLAS LIFT, UM, OUR CURRENT IN THIS, THIS BUDGET YEAR, OUR CURRENT, UM, INPUT TO THAT ENTIRE PROGRAM IS 1.4 MILLION, UM, IN A YEAR OF FUNDING FOR 16, UM, FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES WHO ARE PART OF THE BI QUADRANT OUTREACH FOR THE SYSTEM, THESE ARE IN DALLAS, UM, WORKING TO GET ADDITIONAL PEOPLE HOUSED WITHOUT WAITING FOR ENCAMPMENT DECOMMISSIONING.

AND THEN OF COURSE, UM, THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING BACK TO HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS, LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET BUDGET.

SO WE WOULD HAVE TO FIND NEW SOURCES OF REVENUE TO COVER WHEREVER WE GO WITH THAT.

UM, I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE DISCUSSING IN HHS COULD HAVE BOND SEED FUND, BUT THEY WOULD NEED TO BE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS THAT REALLY LEVERAGE THOSE PRIVATE DOLLARS COMING IN.

UM, AND AGAIN, I KNOW WE'VE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE HAVE HAVE HEARD AND TAKEN TO HEART IS REALLY USING THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE WISELY TO BRING IN THAT PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO DO MORE OF THE LIFT INSTEAD OF HAVING IT BE FULLY ON THE CITY OF DALLAS.

WELL, I MEAN, THERE'S BEEN PROGRESS MADE THAT EVEN WHEN I SEE, UH, REDUCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS BY 50%, I MEAN THERE'S STILL THE OTHER 50% THAT IS ON THE STREET AND IN PARKLAND AND UNDER UNDERPASSES, ET CETERA.

SO, UM, I THINK WE CAN EXPLORE THIS FURTHER AT COMMITTEE, I SUPPOSE.

IT'S IN OUR THIRTIES, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.

THANK YOU CHAIRWOMAN.

ARNOLD, YOU RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES.

THANK YOU, SIR.

I HAVE A QUESTION FOR DPD REGARDING OVERTIME.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING ON, ON OVERTIME.

ARE OUR NPO OFFICERS ELIGIBLE FOR OVERTIME? YES, THEY ARE.

ARE THEY, THE QUESTION HAS COME AROUND THEIR HOURS.

IT SEEMS LIKE THEY HAVE HAVE A CERTAIN TIME THAT THEY ARE ON THE CLOCK.

AND SO WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THROUGH QUESTIONS, HOW DO WE GET THEM TO WORK BEYOND THOSE DESIGNATED TIMES THAT THEY APPEAR TO HAVE.

AND SO WOULD THAT FALL INTO OVERTIME? UH, SOME OF IT WILL.

UM, SOME OF IT ALSO FALLS, FALLS ON ON THEIR SCHEDULING.

UM, AND IF THERE ARE EVENTS THAT ARE PRE-PLANNED AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE TO REWORKING THEIR, THEIR SCHEDULES.

UM, BUT AGAIN, I MEAN, WE ALSO HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND AGAIN, THAT WE'RE WE'RE OPERATING WHERE WE WISH WE HAD MORE MPOS AND WE HAD MORE STAFFING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO DISRUPT THEIR LIVES AS MUCH AS THEY DO BECAUSE AS YOU WELL KNOW, OUR MPOS, MANY OF THEM ARE TAKING CALLS AFTER HOURS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE ALSO.

UH, BUT WE DO LOOK AT WAYS, UH, TO TRY TO FIND THAT BALANCE.

UH, THE THE LAST THING I WANT TO DO AS WELL IS TO MAKE AN M P'S LIFE SO HARD WHERE THEY DON'T KNOW THEIR WORK SCHEDULE FROM ONE DAY TO THE NEXT, WHERE THEN THEY'D RATHER JUST GO BACK TO ANOTHER UNIT WHERE THEY KNOW THEIR SCHEDULE EVERY DAY.

SO IT IS A, A FINE BALANCE BETWEEN ALLOW ALLOWING OVERTIME AND WORKING ON THEIR SCHEDULES.

UH, BUT AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO FIND THAT BALANCE THAT, UM, AGAIN, UH, YOU KNOW, I THEY'RE HUMAN BEINGS WITH FAMILIES AND AND DISRUPTING THEIR WORK SCHEDULE EVERY SINGLE DAY OR EVERY WEEK, UM, CERTAINLY IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT I'M MINDFUL OF.

AND SO, UH, WE DEFINITELY TRY TO, TO, TO STRIKE, WE'RE TRYING TO STRIKE THAT BALANCE.

ABOUT HOW MANY INPUT PO OFFICERS DO WE HAVE NOW? OH,

[03:50:06]

WE HAVE ABOUT 42 THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

WOW.

UH, PARTICULARLY 4TH OF JULY.

SO I'M, I'M GLAD YOU ESTABLISHED THAT FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD POLICE OFFICERS.

WELL, WE APPRECIATE SO MUCH, BUT I, I, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE OVERTIME BECAUSE I KNOW MY DISTRICT NEEDS IT.

SO THE OTHER QUESTION WOULD BE, WHEN WE HAVE THE HOLIDAY, UH, HOLIDAY SEASON AND WE'RE HAVING TO HIRE OFFICERS, WHERE ARE THEY COMING FROM, YOU KNOW, TO PATROL? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT WHEN THEY'RE WORKING OVERTIME? YES, SIR.

WHEN WE'RE DOING PATROL DURING THE HOLIDAYS, 4TH OF JULY AND WHAT HAVE YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, PARTICULARLY AS AN EXAMPLE ON THE, YOU TAKE A TYPICAL, I DON'T WANNA CALL 'EM THE N NEVER VERY TYPICAL, BUT A NEW YEAR'S EVE WEEKEND OR 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND AND MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

IT'S AN ALL HANDS ON DECK.

UM, IT, IT'S AN ALL HANDS ON DECK.

UH, AND IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE VERY OFTEN, UH, WE'LL SEE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE ALL HANDS ON DECK APPROACH AND, UH, THE CITY'S NOT VERY ACTIVE WITH REGARDS TO THE VIOLENCE.

UM, AND OFTENTIMES I, I WISH THAT'S THE WAY WE WERE STAFFED EVERY DAY.

UM, BUT, UH, BUT CERTAINLY, UH, THEY COME FROM EVERY UNIT.

UM, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU COULD TALK ABOUT, THERE'S UNITS IN, IN THE INVESTIGATIVE BUREAU, UH, YOU'RE TALKING PATROL, CRTS NPOS, IT, IT IS AN ALL HANDS ON DECK APPROACH, OFTENTIMES ON, UH, ON BUSY HOLIDAY WEEKENDS.

SO THOSE SPECIAL UNITS THAT WE HIRE BY THE NEIGHBORHOODS, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

I'M TALKING ABOUT THOSE OVERTIME OFFICERS WHO PATROL BECAUSE THEY'RE ON, THEY ARE OVERTIME.

I'M ASKING ARE THEY JUST OFF OR WHAT THIS IS FOR SPECIAL TIME THIS FOR 4TH OF JULY NEIGHBORHOOD PATROLLING.

ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT EMP OR ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT MPOS? WHEN A NEIGHBORHOOD HIRES THE NP, IS THAT WHAT Y'ALL CALL IT? P-E-N-P-E-N-P IS WHATEVER IT IS, IT'S THE OFFICERS WHO ARE WORKING OVERTIME JUST TO HELP US PATROL THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

HE SAID ENPI CALL, WELL, THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT HELP THERE, THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.

SO, SO NPOS ARE ON, ARE ON CITY TIME, RIGHT.

THAT, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORHOODS DON'T HIRE NECESSARILY MPOS, THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS AND CERTAINLY THERE IS A BIGGER PRESENCE.

UH, AND THERE THEY ALSO ASSIST, UH, ON HIGH VOLUME TYPE OF HOLIDAY WEEKENDS.

EMP IS A DIFFERENT SYSTEM AND PROGRAM WHERE A NEIGHBORHOOD ITSELF HIRES THE OFFICER TO BE THERE, WHICH IS NOT A CITY.

UH, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT FUNDING PER BY THE CITY.

HE'S NOT WHAT THE FUNDING FOR AN ENP OFFICER IS NOT, UH, FOR EXTRA NEIGHBORHOOD PATROLS IS NOT FUNDED BY THE CITY.

OH, I KNOW.

WE PAY, WE HAVE TO PAY THAT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ACCOUNT.

SO I'M ASKING WHERE DO THOSE FOOT SOLDIERS COME FROM? ARE THEY COMING FROM, ARE THEY ACTIVE? ARE THEY ACTIVE POLICE? OH, YES MA'AM.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO.

OH, YES MA'AM.

ALRIGHT.

THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET TO.

SO WE HAVE, SO THEY HAVE THAT OTHER RESPONSIBILITY IN A WAY TO US.

SO, UH, I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET TO THIS POINT WHERE WE CAN MOVE ON.

WE HAVE POLICE, WE, WE KNOW POLICE, PUBLIC SAFETY IS NUMBER ONE.

AND I, MY, MY DISTRICT AND WE NEED THEM.

I DON'T HAVE A SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT SAYS, DON'T BRING ANY POLICE OUT HERE.

THEY WANT THEM, THERE'S A CERTAIN SENSE OF SECURITY.

I DON'T CARE IF THEY'RE JUST RIDING THROUGH, ALL THEY WANT IS JUST TO SEE YOU THROUGH.

BUT WHEN WE HAVE THE NEED FOR THESE CALLS THAT POP UP, WHEN YOU HAVE A PROMPT TWO PARTY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SHOPPING CENTER, WHEN YOU HAVE A PARTY THAT POPS UP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, SOMETIMES THAT REQUIRES, THAT'S A NINE ONE ONE CALL AND IT MAY HAVE TO PUSH SOMEONE INTO OVERTIME.

I, I NEED US TO DO WHAT THE DATA SAYS WE NEED TO DO IN DISTRICT FOUR.

AND SO DISTRICT FOUR NEEDS MORE.

AND IF THE CALLS ARE COMING IN, WE'VE GOTTA RESPOND.

SO WE, I THINK THE EDUCATION IS GOOD ON THE ACADEMY.

FOLKS THINK WE CAN JUST GROW COPS, YOU POLICE OFFICERS, THIS IS NOT, WE KEEP LOOKING FOR ROBOCOPS AND OTIS.

THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GONNA END UP WITH IS OTIS.

IF YOU KEEP TRYING TO PUSH PEOPLE THROUGH THE ACADEMY AND FOLKS WHO DON'T KNOW OTIS, GO BACK TO MARTIN AND YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHAT A, WHAT OTIS IS , WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR OTIS.

AND SO IT TAKES TIME, EVEN FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DRINK WINE, IT TAKES TIME FOR THEM GRAPES TO FIND, TURN INTO FINE WINE.

I DON'T, SO THAT'S A COMMERCIAL I HEARD, BUT SAME THING WITH POLICE OFFICERS.

IT TAKES TIME.

I DON'T WANT A POLICE OFFICER OR A FIREMAN THAT WE JUST GREW JUST OVERNIGHT PUT ON THE STREET.

SO LET, THE EDUCATION IS VERY IMPORTANT.

I SUPPORT THE OVERTIME, MANAGE IT, TAKE CARE OF IT.

BUT I'M TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW, DISTRICT FOUR IS SAYING WE WANT TO SEE MORE POLICE OFFICERS, WHETHER YOU'RE COMING TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS, WHETHER YOU'RE COMING TO OUR PICNICS, WHETHER YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF CRIME, THEY NEED, THEY WANNA SEE YOU.

AND SO MAYOR, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR EMPHASIS ON PUBLIC SAFETY AS WELL.

AND JUST KNOW DISTRICT FOUR NEEDS YOUR HELP TO GET US MORE IN THE FOUR.

I THOUGHT I'D THROW THAT IN.

[03:55:01]

MAYOR, APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.

CHAIRMAN MORENO, YOU RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES.

I THINK WE ALL WANT AND DESERVE CLEAN AND SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND SO I DO APPRECIATE STAFF LOOKING AT NEW IDEAS AND WAYS TO, UH, IMPROVE OUR, OUR CLEANUP EFFORTS.

AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP, ARE WE GOING TO BE ADDRESSING SOLELY PUBLIC PROPERTY OR IS THIS ALSO GOING TO ACCOUNT FOR PRIVATE PROPERTY? IF I COULD JUMP IN FOR JUST A SECOND.

AND I KNOW THAT CHRIS CHRISTIAN IS PROBABLY SOMEWHERE CLOSE BY.

UM, THIS FOCUS AROUND CLEAN SWEEP IS REALLY THE PUBLIC SIDE OF IT.

UM, WE HAVE RELIED ON THE FUNDING, ONLY THE FUNDING THAT WE'VE RECEIVED, UH, THROUGH THE AGREEMENT WITH TEXDOT AND THERE'S NOT BEEN ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT, UH, FROM THE CITY.

AND SO AS WE'VE MET WITH TEXDOT AND HAD THIS VERY CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT WE COULD DO, UH, WE LEARNED A LOT.

AND THE ONE THING THAT WE LEARNED IS OTHER CITIES THAT ARE ON THE SAME ONE CYCLE AND THE SAME LITTER PICKUP CYCLE THAT TDOT ACTUALLY REIMBURSES.

THOSE OTHER CITIES ARE PUTTING ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT IN THE CLEANUP OF THEIR RIGHT OF WAY.

CHRIS' SOLE PURPOSE IS FOCUSED ON PRIVATE, SO I'LL LET HIM JUMP IN AND TALK ABOUT THE ONGOING EFFORTS THAT WE WILL HAVE ALSO WITH THIS BUDGET TO LOOK AT PRIVATE PROPERTY AS WELL.

COUNCIL MEMBER CO COMPLIANCE'S FOCUS WILL BE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, WHEREAS IN TIMES PAST WE HAVE ASSISTED ON PUBLIC PROPERTY AND TEX STOCK CLEANUPS.

WE WILL HAVE A TEAM DEDICATED TO THAT NOW.

AND SO THAT ALL CODE RESOURCES CAN BE DE DESIGNATED TO PRIVATE PROPERTY WHEN THERE'S AN ENCAMPMENT ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AND THE CITY TAKES ACTION, IS THERE A COST RECOVERY MECHANISM? YES, SIR.

THERE IS.

UM, WE GO THROUGH OUR NORMAL ENFORCEMENT PROTOCOLS, WHICH IS NOTICE OF VIOLATION TO THE PROPERTY OWNER.

WE GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO REMOVE THE ENCAMPMENT.

IF THEY DO NOT DO SO WITHIN THE DUE PROCESS PERIOD, THEN WE WILL GO IN WITH OUR STAFF AND REMOVE IT AND WE WILL LEANN THE PROPERTY FOR THOSE CHARGES.

HOW MANY ENCAMPMENTS DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS? UM, I'LL GIVE A MINUTE.

CHRISTINE'S COMING.

NO, CAN I JUST TAKE YOUR OH, NOPE, IT'S ON.

THERE YOU GO.

YOU FIXED IT.

UH, CHRISTINE CROSLEY, OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS.

THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

UM, WE HAVE A ROLLING 30 DAY WINDOW OF SRS FOR ENCAMPMENTS IN 3 1 1.

UM, THEY MOVE SO QUICKLY, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OUR CLEANINGS ARE VERY, VERY AGGRESSIVE.

NOW THAT I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC NUMBER, UM, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THAT 3 1 1 IMAGE IS A GOOD MAP.

UM, AND WE REALLY GO BY THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW WE HAVE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

OKAY, SO, SO ONE, I I THINK WE NEED TO WORK ON REFINING A MECHANISM THAT CAN GIVE US A REAL TIME, UH, PICTURE ON HOW MANY ENCAMPMENTS WE DO HAVE.

AND THEN THE NUMBER THAT YOU WOULD PROVIDE, WOULD THAT BE SOLELY OHS OR WOULD THAT INCLUDE THE PARK DEPARTMENT, UH, DWU PROPERTIES.

WHICH NUMBER WOULD YOU BE PROVIDING? I MEAN, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT PUTTING TOGETHER A MAP, YOU WOULD HAVE TO MELD, UM, YOU WOULD HAVE TO MELD MANY, MANY DIFFERENT PROVIDERS.

SO NOT JUST CITI, IT WOULD BE CITI AND PUBLIC.

AND THEN YOU'D HAVE TO, UH, DEDUPLICATE THE DATA.

SO I KNOW THAT IN THE LARGER ECOSYSTEM OF HOMELESSNESS, WE ARE LOOKING AT HOW TO MORE READILY FOLD IN HMIS DATA ALONG WITH THE PICK COUNT TO MAKE THAT STRONGER.

WE KNOW THAT NEITHER ARE, YOU KNOW, A HUNDRED PERCENT ON THEIR OWN.

UM, SO I THINK WE ARE WORKING ON THAT.

BUT AN OHS NUMBER RIGHT NOW RELIES ON FIELD EXPERTISE AND, UM, 3 1 1 SERVICE REQUESTS.

AND OBVIOUSLY THAT'S WHERE THINGS ARE SEEN THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY REPRESENT WHERE THEY ACTUALLY ARE AND IT CHANGES DAY TO DAY.

WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO PROVIDE US, UH, WITH HISTORICAL DATA YEAR TO DATE, WHERE WE ARE TODAY, WHERE WE ARE, WE WERE, UH, LAST YEAR AND MAYBE THE YEAR BEFORE THAT TO SEE IF THAT TREND IS, UH, ALIGNING WITH THE REDUCTION IN THE PIT, UH, POINT IN TIME COUNT IN TERMS OF SERVICE REQUESTS IN 3 1 1? I WOULDN'T SAY THAT'S A GOOD COMPARISON BECAUSE THAT IS SIMPLY WHAT THE PUBLIC IS SEEING.

UM, AND WE DO KNOW THAT WHEN PEOPLE MOVE AROUND A LOT, THE PUBLIC CAN BE SEEING MULTIPLE, CAN BE SEEING PEOPLE THEY SAW DOWNTOWN WHO ARE NOW UPTOWN.

UM, I THINK THERE'S A MORE ROBUST CONVERSATION TO BE HAD THERE AROUND THE HMIS DATA, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I CAN DEFINITELY LOOK INTO FOR YOU.

PROPERTY RIGHT NOW, WHO WOULD BE THE VIOLATOR? WHO WOULD BE THE PERSON RECEIVING A CITATION? OBVIOUSLY IF IT'S ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, THE PROPERTY OWNER, WHETHER HE OR SHE PUT THAT, UH, LITTER ON THEIR PROPERTY, THEY'RE THE ONE GETTING THE CITATION.

UM, AND SO IF THERE IS AN ENCAMPMENT ON PUBLIC

[04:00:01]

THEY'RE THE ONE WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR, FOR THE CLEANUP.

AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO ENCAMPMENTS, WHO IS, WHO'S THE VIOLATOR, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT CLEANUP? AND THAT IS A CHRIS QUESTION.

COUNCIL MEMBERS IN TIMES PAST WILL CURRENTLY WE, WE WORK THROUGH THE HEART TEAM RESPONSE.

THAT'S A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH BETWEEN OHS, CO COMPLIANCE, DALLAS MARSHALL'S, OFFICE IPS TO ADDRESS ENCAMPMENTS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY AS IT COMES TO THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE VIOLATOR.

IF IT'S TEXT PROPERTY, IT'S STATE PROPERTY.

AND BASED ON CITY ATTORNEY GUIDANCE THAT WE'VE RECEIVED HERE RECENTLY, THEY'RE NOT BOUND BY OUR ORDINANCES.

AND SO IT WOULDN'T DO US ANY GOOD TO ISSUE THEM NOTICES OR CITATIONS.

THEY, THEY PROBABLY WOULDN'T HOLD UP.

AND SO IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

I'M NOT, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHO'S RESPONSIBLE.

DID I MISS ANYONE? I DON'T SEE ANYONE LEFT IN THE QUEUE.

UH, MADAM INTERIM CITY MANAGER, THAT IS IT.

UM, THOSE ARE ALL THE, UM, THE ITEMS THAT WE HAD FOR THE CITY COUNCIL FOR TODAY.

UM, WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO COMING BACK NEXT WEDNESDAY, UM, FOR THE COUNCIL BRIEFING WITH THE DEDICATED DISCUSSIONS AROUND BOTH POLICE, UH, DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BRING BACK THE 2024 BOND PRIORITIZATION, UH, AT THAT DISCUSSION AS WELL.

UH, WE WOULD HOPE THAT, UM, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM TODAY'S PRESENTATION THAT WE COULD GET THOSE QUESTIONS FROM CITY COUNCIL AND WE WILL START AS WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, SENDING OUT RESPONSES AS THOSE QUESTIONS COME IN.

SO IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND FEEL FREE TO SEND THOSE TO US.

TOWN HALL MEETINGS START THIS THURSDAY AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING YOU OUT IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THE VARIOUS TOWN HALL DISCUSSIONS.