[00:00:03]
>> [NOISE] GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
[Call to Order]
GLAD TO HAVE EVERYBODY HERE THAT'S IN THE AUDIENCE.THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH THIS MORNING COUNCIL, OF COURSE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
FOR THOSE THAT MAY BE WATCHING THIS MEETING IN VIRTUALLY.
GLAD TO HAVE YOU, THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING THIS MORNING.
I WOULD LIKE TO OFFICIALLY CALL THE MARCH 24TH CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP TO ORDER.
WE DO HAVE A QUORUM, BUT JANEL COULD WE HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
>> VERY GOOD. WE HAVE A QUORUM HERE.
JUST A REMINDER TO COUNCIL THOSE MEMBERS THAT ARE ON THE IVC COMMITTEE, WE WILL HAVE A 4:45 PM IDC MEETING RIGHT BEFORE WE START OUR REGULAR CITY COUNCIL.
>> YES, SIR. WELL DO THAT IN ROOM 204 HERE.
WE'RE MOVING TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS.
[3.A. Clarification Of Consent And Regular City Council Agenda Items - This Is An Opportunity For City Council To Ask Questions Of Staff On Consent And Regular Agenda Items (20 Minutes) ]
ITEM 3A, PLEASE, JANEL.>> 3A. CLARIFICATION AND CONSENT IN REGULAR CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEMS. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COUNCIL TO ASK QUESTIONS OF STAFF ON CONSENT AND REGULAR [NOISE] AGENDA ITEMS.
>> VERY GOOD. SHARON WOULD YOU MIND TO START US OFF SINCE WE DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
>> WELL, MY QUESTION OR COMMENT WOULD BE REGARDING 3C.
>> QUANTITY ON OUR WORKSHOP DIGIT 3C. [NOISE]
>> WELL, WOULD YOU WANT TO HOLD THAT SHARON TILL WE GET TO THAT ITEM OR?
>> IF THAT'S WHAT YOU PREFER, OKAY.
>> THAT MIGHT ALLOW THE STAFF AND EVERYTHING TO BE PRESENT WHEN WE DO THAT.
>> ON THE MARSHALL, I SAW THEY'RE REQUESTING THAT MOVE ON EXTENSION OF ONE YEAR FOR DEMOLITION.
DO I NEED TO HOLD THAT AS WELL?.
>> THAT'S ON YOUR REGULAR AGENDA AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS FOR.
[NOISE] MAY I POST THAT QUESTION, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND TO BRIAN, WE HAVE A QUESTION?
>> [INAUDIBLE] I JUST WANTED TO KNOW HOW DID WE GET ACCESS TO A DEMOLITION LIST OF THOSE HOMES THAT ARE GETTING READY TO BE DEMOLISHED.
PLANNING DEPARTMENT WOULD HAVE IT, THOSE THAT ARE COMING UP FOR DEMOLITION IF THEY'RE, BUT WE DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD ANY OTHER REAL POPER RIGHT NOW.
>> SHARON, I DIDN'T SEE THAT ON THE REGULAR AGENDA. WHAT NUMBER?
>> HOW FAR AHEAD OF TIME DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE DEMOLITION [NOISE] IN [INAUDIBLE]? [NOISE] ARE THERE ANY PARTICULAR AREAS, WHERE THE DEMOLITIONS OCCUR, LIKE ON THE ISLAND? EXCEPT FOR EVERYWHERE.
>> [OVERLAPPING] THERE ARE OVER THE ISLAND, AND WE'VE DEMOLISHED ANOTHER, CERTAIN AT MURRAY'S DISTRICT.
THERE'S ONE IN THE HOPPER AND THEY ALL HAVE TO BE ADJUDICATED IN A COURT OF LAW.
YOU JUST CAN'T GO TEARING THEM DOWN.
>> I KNOW THAT. I'M JUST ASKING FOR [OVERLAPPING]
>> THEY'RE ALL OVER. IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY AND WHERE IT'S AT. CONDEMNED OR NOT.
>> I JUST NEED TO GAIN INSIGHT SO I CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR RESIDENTS.
>> WHO ARE WANTING TO KNOW HOW IT HAPPENS, WHEN IT HAPPENS, WHAT HAPPENS BEFORE IT HAPPENS. THAT'S WHY.
>> IT TAKES US SOMETIMES YEARS TO DEMOLISH A HOUSE.
>> OKAY. THEN THE CASE OF THIS AGENDA ITEM, THEY'RE ASKING TO EXTEND WHAT WAS GOING TO BE A DEMOLITION.
>> IT IS A BIT FOR DEMOLITION SERVICES.
>> YES. THERE'S THE SERVICE HERE.
>> WE'VE HAD THOSE DEALERS FOR YEARS.
>> BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A COUPLE THAT ARE PENDING.
I KNOW THERE'S ONE, CRAIG YOU WROTE ME ABOUT.
>> DAVID HAS. IT'S IN HIS DISTRICT.
>> THAT WAS IT, JUST TO GAIN INSIGHT [OVERLAPPING] AND KNOWLEDGE AS TO THE PROCESS.
>> IT'S AN ADJUDICATIVE PROCESS.
IT'S NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT WE DECIDE.
>> RIGHT. I UNDERSTAND THAT. [NOISE]
>> ANYTHING ELSE SHARON? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JOHN PAUL?
>> I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS TODAY.
>> I THINK WE'LL HAVE SOME THINGS TO DISCUSS.
[00:05:01]
>> THERE'S SOMETHING THAT I COULDN'T SENT OUT, COMING BACK TO IT WHEN I FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS.
BUT I WANTED TO ASK A COUPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR PUBLIC HEARING, 8A THE APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE AMENDING THE SIGNS AND RESIDENTIAL OR ONE.
WHO IS THAT INITIALLY IN THEM?
>> WHY DOES THAT EXIST TO BEGIN WITH?
>> WHAT IS THE QUESTION COUNCIL?
>> I UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS AMEND THE ORDINANCE [NOISE] TO ALLOW CHURCHES, LIKE ASSIGNING.
BECAUSE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SIGN, MOST CHURCHES HAVE A LISTING OF SERVICES AND THAT THING WHICH EXCEEDS IT. AM I RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT THE ISSUE WAS.
BUT WHO WAS THIS ORDINANCE INITIALLY AIMED TO RESTRICT?
>> IT JUST HAPPENED TO THE 2015 LDR PROCESS WHERE CHURCHES IN THE R1 BECAME A NON-CONFORMING USE.
LATER IN 2016, WE CAME BACK AND AMENDED THAT TO ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE ITS OPERATIONS THAT'S CONFORMING USERS.
>> HOWEVER, WE DID NOT [NOISE] ALLOW FOR SILENCE FOR THOSE CHURCHES, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.
WHY WAS THE SIGN AND SIZE OF SIGNERS RESTRICTED TO BEGIN WITH?
>> BECAUSE THEY BECAME A NON-CONFORMING USERS IN FRONT OF THE [INAUDIBLE].
>> WHERE ELSE WERE SIGNS IN ONES THAT I NEEDED RESTRICTION.
>> WHAT OTHER LAND USERS IN AROUND WOULD REQUIRE A SIGN?
>> MOST OF THE LAND USERS THAT MADE IT WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO DOWN TO THE TABLE OBVIOUSLY, BUT MOST OF THE USERS IN R1 ARE RESIDENTIAL IN NATURE, THEY WOULDN'T REQUIRE SCIENCE.
>> WAS ASKING WHICH ONE WOULD? WHY DO WE HAVE A SIGNED ORDER? IT'S IN OUR ONE AT ALL.
WHY WOULDN'T WE, IF THERE ARE USERS ARE NOT A LOT OF USERS OR THERE ANY USERS IN R1 THAT WE'RE [INAUDIBLE] PASSED ON?
>> [OVERLAPPING] I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION AND I THINK THIS IS THE ANSWER REGARDING, BECAUSE I WAS INVOLVED WITH THE SIGN COMMITTEE WHEN WE PUT THE SIGN ORDINANCES TOGETHER.
ONE MORE EXAMPLE WOULD BE SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
IN AN R1 HAS RESTRICTIONS ON SIGNS AND WHICH SIGNS CAN BE PLACE THERE IN THE SIZE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I THINK IT ALSO USE RESONANCE FOR A BUSINESS IN SOME WAY, WHICH SIGNAGE ISN'T THAT RIGHT ADRIEL?
>> WELL, IN THE R1 DISTRICT SIGNAGE IS LIMITED TO AN ENCLAVE.
PRETTY MUCH REGARDLESS OF THE USE.
>> ALL RIGHT [INAUDIBLE] THANKS.
WELL, I'LL JUST CLICK AROUND THE 8C.
THE REZONING, THE AREA ON THREE DOUBLE FIVE FROM R1 TO [INAUDIBLE]
>> MORNING DANIEL [OVERLAPPING]
>> WHAT WAS THIS PARCEL BEFORE THE 2015 REASON? WAS IT RESURRECTED AT THE TIME?
I WOULD CHECK MY STAMP. PLAN DEVELOPMENT ALLOWS THE WEST AND WAS IT THAT TIME?
>> HE WAS LIKE A CATCH-ALL, WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN THERE.
>> THEN THIS RUSH TO FINISH, WE'VE SEEN SEVERAL OF THESE CASES WHERE THINGS WEST OF THE SEAWALL WERE REZONED R1 IN A FIXED SWATH AND THEN INDIVIDUALS, BUSINESSES LIKE REMEMBER SEVEN SEAS WAS BACK JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO.
THEY'VE BEEN [LAUGHTER] REASONABLE TO R1.
THEY'D BEEN A GROCERY STORE OVER 35 YEARS OR WHATEVER.
IS THIS ONE OF THOSE IT JUST GOT CAUGHT UP.
THERE WAS NOT REALLY PLANNING'S INTENTION TO CONVERT THIS TO AN R1 ZONE, WAS IT? IT HAPPENED.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD ANSWER THAT FOR SURE IT'S LITTLE BIT BEFORE MY TIME HERE AT THE CITY.
>> BUT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A BUSINESS USE OF SOME NATURE.
>> WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS GOING TO BE. IT COULD BE ANYTHING AT THAT POINT.
>> IT WAS OPEN TO DETERMINATION.
>> THE RV PARK THOUGH WAS THERE WHEN IT GOT ZONED R1.
>> 2006, I THINK ITS WHEN STARTED. [OVERLAPPING]
>>IT HAD A COMMERCIAL USE BEFORE THE 2015 REZONING AND IT JUST GOT REZONED R1 BECAUSE OF WHATEVER REASON.
>>IF WE WERE TO REZONE THIS AS A PUD THEY WOULD'VE START THAT PROCESS OVER AGAIN WILL THEY NOT? TO GET APPROVAL FOR THE USE.
IF WE REASON WITH RICK THEN THEY ARE IN CONFORMANCE IF WE REASON ON A PUD THEN [OVERLAPPING].
>> THAT'S A DIFFERENT PROCESS, THEY'D HAVE TO START OVER WITH THEM.
>> YEAH. MAYBE IT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT PROCESS TECHNICALLY AS AN OVERLAY ZONING, BUT IN THIS CASE THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A CHANGE IN THE BASE ZONE.
[00:10:01]
I THINK PROBABLY THE PARK THAT STARTED OUT AS THE ORIGINAL RV PARK IS, IT ACTUALLY A SOUND RESURRECT, BUT THE OTHERS ARE CUT AT HALFWAY EVERYTHING FOR NORTH AND THERE WAS A DIFFERENT ZONE.>> OKAY. THAT ANSWERED MY QUESTION. THANK YOU.
THEN ON 10B, I DON'T THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IF THAT WORKS OUT, BUT WE'VE CHANGED THE ORDINARY POLLING PLACES.
ESSENTIALLY, THAT'S WE'RE JUST ADDING MOODY METHODIST BACK TO THE LIST ALL THE TIME BECAUSE OF SOME OTHER CHANGES AND OTHER PRECINCTS AND THE COUNTY I'M LOOKING [INAUDIBLE] CHANGES IN OTHER PRECINCTS WE HAD THE OPTION TO ADD ONE BACK.
>> THE COUNTY ACTUALLY ADDED IT IN.
>> THEY ADDED IT IN. BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER WHICH WOULD BE THE BETTER POLLING PLACE THERE AT THE PUMP STATIONS, WHICH EVERYBODY LIKES THE PUMP STATION BUT MOODY METHODIST HAS BEEN A POLLING PLACE FOR A LONG TIME.
>> HAS BEEN LONGEST, LARGEST VOTING SPOT FOR YEARS AND LONG YEARS.
>> JUST ONE QUESTION REGARDING THAT ONE. I THINK THAT'S IT.
>> I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION, SO [INAUDIBLE] AND I [INAUDIBLE] ARE THOSE THE EXACT SAME THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE VERSES THAT RIGHT THERE?
>> OKAY, COOL. THAT WAS JUST AMBIGUOUS QUESTION.
[OVERLAPPING] WILL THE LIGHT TONE BE THE SAME AS IT IS.
>> IT'S GOING TO BE THE SAME WARMER LIKE.
>> OKAY. LET'S JUST CONTINUE WHERE WE LEFT OFF OUR WORK.
>> OKAY. WE'LL GO WEST OUT THERE.
I LIKE THE IDEA BECAUSE BACK IN THE DAY WHEN I USED TO GO RUN IN THE MORNINGS OR LATE AT NIGHT IS ABSOLUTELY PITCH BLACK SOMETIMES IN THAT AREA.
>> THIS IS BY FAR THE MOST POPULAR ADDITION WE'VE PUT UP THERE AT THE BALLER BODY.
>> THANK YOU. ONE TIME WE WERE EVEN RUNNING TO PROVIDE LIGHT OF GENERATORS.
WE STILL DO THAT FOR THE WEEKEND.
>> WE'RE SAYING LIKE WE'RE DOING A WIDER SCOPE.
>> IN THE SUMMER WE DID A LOT OF THEM.
>> WITH THESE GOING IN, WELL THAT MEANS YOU NEED TO START RUNNING.
>> I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ALL THAT [LAUGHTER] BECAUSE I STOPPED GOING.
[LAUGHTER] BUT THAT'S ALL I HAD.
I JUST WAS WONDERING WHAT THOSE LOOK LIKE AND ALL THAT AND THAT'S THAT RIGHT OVER THERE. THANK YOU.
>> I HAD A QUESTION ON THE ONE THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE SOLAR CONE ON THE HANGER FOR $43,000.
I JUST THINK OF [OVERLAPPING] MONEY.
>> I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT HANGERS AND SILICONE.
>> IT'S A ROOF COATING. IT JUST COATS OVER THE WHOLE ROOF AND AS METAL CONTRACTS AND EXPANDS, IT DOESN'T BREAK THE SEAL.
I KNOW THE SOLVENTS, DID THEIR HANGER BASE READY TO BUILD OUT HIS HANGER AND WE PLANNED THERE'S AND IT WAS PRETTY GOOD RESULTS.
>> WHEN I READ IT, I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ALONG THE EDGES.
>> WE'VE COVERED THE WHOLE ROOF.
>> I ACTUALLY WANTED TO BRING THIS UP, BUT SINCE YOU BROUGHT UP, I JUST HAVE MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
CAN I GET A P&L ON THAT HANGER?
>> WE SPENT A FAIR AMOUNT OF MONEY ON IT.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF MAINTENANCE ON IT.
IT'D BE NICE TO SEE THE INCOME MORE VERSUS THE EXPENSES, TO SEE IF IT CAN COMPARE THAT TO DO AND THE OTHER HANGERS OUT THERE IN THE FUTURE AND SEE IF WE REALLY WANT TO BE IN THAT BUSINESS OR WOULD WANT TO TRY TO GIVE REVENUE FROM ANOTHER SOURCE.
>> RIGHT. THAT PARTICULAR HANGER HAS HAD MORE HANGER ISSUES THAN THE OTHER TWO HANGERS THAT WE BOUGHT [INAUDIBLE] DURING MAINTENANCE.
THAT ONE DESERVED MORE BUT IT'S ALSO A THING THAT WAS HANGING AROUND THERE.
>> IT'S A 10-UNIT, SO I THINK IT'S A LITTLE OVER 11,000 SQUARE FEET.
>> YEAH, WE CAN GET SOME EXPENSES VERSUS REVENUE, THAT'D BE GREAT.
>> THAT'S IT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU.
[LAUGHTER] AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE I GUESS WOULD BE TO DON, IS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CERTAIN MEETINGS THAT ARE STILL GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE VIRTUAL.
IS THAT IN BREACH OF THE MEETINGS?
>> I KNOW. I PRINTED OFF THE ORDINANCE, I DON'T KNOW WHICH [OVERLAPPING]
THAT WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW TO MAINTAIN.
>> EXCUSE ME. I'M SORRY, IT'S NOT 10 DAYS.
>> IT'S STILL ONE WHERE IT'S CERTAIN COMMITTEES YOU SPOKE ON A MEET VIRTUALLY.
[00:15:01]
>> WE HAD BEEN ASKED TO COME UP WITH THE LIST OF COMMITTEES THAT WE OPENED, OPEN MEETINGS ACT, ONLY BY VIRTUE OF SITTING ORDINANCES.
[NOISE] DONNA IDENTIFIED THOSE THAT WE HAVE SET UP.
ALTHOUGH THERE WILL BE OTHER REQUIREMENTS SUCH AS POSTING OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
THEY MAY MEET VIRTUALLY IF THEY SO CHOOSE.
>> THEY'LL COMMUNICATE THAT TO THE CITY.
SHE CAN TELL YOU. [BACKGROUND]
>> JANELLE AND I HAVE WORKED ON THIS TOGETHER AND THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING, WE WERE TASKED WITH LOOKING AT THOSE BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, OR COMMITTEES THAT COULDN'T MEET STILL IN A VIRTUAL CAPACITY.
WE GOT TOGETHER, WE DEALT THROUGH ALL OF THE BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES THAT ARE ABLE TO MEET IN A VIRTUAL CAPACITY THAT ARE NOT IN VIOLATION OF ANY OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT RULES OR REGULATIONS OR STATE REQUIREMENTS AS WELL.
THE LIST THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED, THOSE ARE THE COMMITTEES THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AS WELL AS TWO ADDITIONAL ORDINANCES, ONE FOR THE SISTER CITIES COMMITTEE AS WELL AS FOR THE [NOISE] FAMILIES CHILDREN AND YOUTH BOARD.
THOSE TWO BOARDS OR COMMITTEES WERE ACTUALLY ADOPTED BY RESOLUTION, WE DECIDED THAT LET'S PUT THEM ON BOARD VIA ORDINANCE AND SO THOSE ARE THE TWO SEPARATE ORDINANCES AND THEY'RE ALSO ABLE TO MEET IN A VIRTUAL CAPACITY.
>> I HAD A QUESTION ON THAT DONNA AND JANELLE, JUST TO CLARIFY, THAT MEANS THAT THESE HYBRID MEETINGS THAT WE "HAVE BEEN HAVING" THEY FALL UNDER THE CATEGORY OF YOU CAN BE A VIRTUAL OR YOU CAN BE AN IN-PERSON. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> IF YOU'RE AN IN-PERSON, YOU CAN ATTEND VIRTUALLY LIKE FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT IT CAN ONLY BE A CERTAIN NUMBER AND YOU HAVE TO TELL THEM THE LOCATION THAT YOU'RE AT. IS THAT RIGHT?
>> YES AND NO. UNLIKE THE CITY COUNCIL WHERE THE RULES ARE THAT THEY HAVE TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW WHERE THEY ARE, THESE BOARDS DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT.
WHAT THESE BOARDS ARE ABLE TO DO IS IDENTIFY BY AN AGENDA WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S GOING TO BE A VIRTUAL CAPACITY FOR THE NEXT MEETING OR THE FUTURE MEETINGS OR IF IT'S GOING TO BE IN-PERSON.
MANY OF THESE BOARDS, THEY MEET THREE MAYBE FOUR TIMES A YEAR OR LESS, LIKE SOME ARE ONGOING.
SO ONCE THE ORDINANCES ARE ADOPTED, THEN THEY'LL INFORM THE CITY SECRETARY OF WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO.
BUT IT IS FLEXIBLE SO THAT IF THERE IS SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO BE A UNIT VIRTUAL CAPACITY FOR WHATEVER REASONS, THEY'RE ABLE TO DO THAT BUT THEY DO HAVE TO IDENTIFY PRIOR BY AN AGENDA AND FOLLOW ALL THE OTHER TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT REGULATIONS IN ORDER FOR THAT BOARD TO MEET.
LET US TAKE THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
>> THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS NOT ONE OF THOSE BOARDS THAT ARE ABLE TO MEET IN THE FORM THAT WE'VE PRESENTED TODAY.
>> CORRECT. OUR QUESTION IS, CAN A PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBER ATTEND VIRTUALLY ACCORDING TO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT REQUIREMENTS?
>> THAT IS STILL AN ABILITY FOR A MEMBER TO DO THAT.
THERE ARE, AGAIN, SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS [OVERLAPPING]
>> YES. THAT'S ALL, MEANS THEY FOLLOW EVERYTHING BY [OVERLAPPING]
>> IF A PATIENT HAS TO BE POSTED ON THE AGENDA PRIOR 72 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING THEN THEIR CAMERA AND THEIR AUDIO AND VIDEO HAS TO BE ON CONSTANTLY FOR THE MEETING.
>> IN THEORY, COULD SOMEBODY GO TO THAT LOCATION IF THEY WANTED TO?
>> YES. THERE HAS BEEN A PUBLIC LOCATION. YES.
>> IT HAS TO BE OPEN TO [LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING]
>> THOSE BOARDS ARE, IF I RECALL, PLANNING LANDMARK, ZBA, BBA, THERE ARE A FEW OF THOSE THAT ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THE MORE RESTRICTIVE NOTICE [OVERLAPPING] REQUIREMENTS, RIGHT? SO ANOTHER COMMITTEE, RESEARCH COMMITTEE OR STORY-BASED COMMITTEE OR ONE OF THOSE [OVERLAPPING] AD HOC COMMITTEES.
>> THEY ARE IDENTIFIED THAT THEY CAN ALSO MEET VIRTUALLY.
>> THEY CAN MEET VIRTUALLY, CAN MEMBERS ATTEND VIRTUALLY IN BOTH?
>> YES. BUT WITHOUT THE PRIOR NOTICE THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THESE?
>> THANK YOU. JUST WANT TO BE SURE.
[00:20:01]
WE WANT TO BE SURE ABOUT THE VOTING.>> THAT'S TRUE OF THE REMAINDER OF THE COMMITTEES, THE THREE COMMITTEE CAN MEET AND SOMEONE CAN MEET VIRTUALLY IN BOTH.
>> IN EVERY CASE, A QUORUM OF MEMBERS MUST BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT, AM I CORRECT IN THAT?
>> NOT PHYSICALLY IF THEY HAVE SET THAT MEETING VIRTUALLY.
>> IF YOU COULD HAVE A QUORUM [OVERLAPPING]
>> WHY JUST ROLL. IT'S MORE OF A QUESTION, COMMENT TYPE OF THING AND IT'S ON EITHER [INAUDIBLE] TODAY.
BUT IT'S ON DECREASE IN THE CONTRACT ON 27TH STREET.
ALWAYS HAPPY TO SEE A DECREASE AND I JUST WONDERED IF IT WAS A RESULT OF THE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, LIKE DID THAT HELP IDENTIFY WHERE WE WOULD HAVE SAVINGS OR HOW DID YOU SAVE THIS MONEY?
>> [NOISE] WE HAD OTHER RUNS ON SOME OF THE FIT ITEMS [INAUDIBLE] WE PLANNED FOR MORE THAN WE NEEDED.
>> ALL RIGHT. GOOD. I SEE YOU ARE A LUCKY, GREAT MAN [INAUDIBLE] ALL THE WAY [LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING]
>> ANYTHING ELSE RELATED TO IT?
>> I DO NOT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
THEY'VE ALL BEEN ANSWERED BY THE COUNCIL MEMBERS' QUESTIONS.
SO LET'S MOVE GENDER BACK HERE.
[3.B. Receive And Discuss The FY 2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (M. Loftin - 20 Min) ]
>> ONE ANNUAL CONFERENCE COUNCIL FINANCIAL REPORT.
[BACKGROUND] MIKE YOU WANT TO SET UP HERE.
>> [BACKGROUND] [NOISE]. MAYOR AND COUNCIL REPRESENTING THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORTS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR THAT ENDED ON SEPTEMBER 30TH.
WE DO HAVE THE AUDIT FIRM OF WHITLEY PENN REPRESENTED THIS MORNING.
LAURA IS HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT IT.
LET ME JUST TURN IT OVER TO HER FIRST.
>> LET ME STAND RIGHT HERE. WE DO HAVE A PRESENTATION TO GIVE YOU OR TO GO OVER WITH YOU AND YOU HAVE IT IN YOUR PACKET SO GOOD.
>> WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A SEAT?
>> THANK YOU. [BACKGROUND] [LAUGHTER].
WE'RE VERY GLAD TO BE HERE THIS MORNING TO GO OVER THE AUDIT RESULTS WITH YOU, AND WE APPRECIATE THE TAKING THE TIME TO GO THROUGH THAT.
I ALSO JUST WANT TO SAY HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE WORKING WITH TAMMY AND HER GROUP.
THEY WORKED REALLY HARD TO PUT TOGETHER THE REPORT THAT YOU ALSO HAVE TO GO THROUGH TODAY.
WE AUDIT SEVERAL CITIES AND NOT ALL OF THEM PREPARE THEIR REPORTS.
I WOULD SAY WE ACTUALLY HELP THEM PREPARE A MAJORITY OF THEM.
FOR TAMMY AND HER GROUP TO BE ABLE TO PUT THIS TOGETHER FOR YOU ALL.
IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT WHERE THEY ARE IN THE DEPARTMENT.
GOING THROUGH WE'VE GOT THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 AUDIT RESULTS.
THE ENGAGEMENT TEAM CONSISTS OF ME AND MY SENIOR MANAGER.
WE HAVE PATRICK SIMMONS WHO IS THE PARTNER ON THE JOB.
HE WOULD HAVE BEEN HERE, BUT HE HAS A NEWBORN THAT WAS NOT COOPERATING WITH THE FACT THAT HE HAD A MEETING THIS MORNING.
[LAUGHTER] THEN TOM PETERSON WHO IS THE ENGAGEMENT QUALITY CONTROL PARTNER.
WHAT TOM DOES, HE'S GOT OVER 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND HE IS AN INDEPENDENT REVIEWER FOR THE REPORT FOR OUR PROCEDURES AND WHAT WE DO THESE NOT PART OF THE ENGAGEMENT TEAM, BUT WE PRESENT THE REPORT TO HIM AFTERWARDS AND ALL OF OUR WORK PAPERS AND HE GOES THROUGH AND REVIEW IT AND CHECK OUR WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE.
THEN WE HAVE GROUP FULLER, WHO IS THE SENIOR ASSOCIATE ON THE JOB AND LINDSAY CONNER THE ASSOCIATE.
THE AIA PROCESS, WE DON'T JUST COME OUT ONE TIME, DO SOME WORK AND THEN PRESENT THIS TO YOU. IT TAKES SOME TIME.
WE COME OUT DURING THE SUMMER, SOMETIME BEFORE THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR 9:30, AND WE GO THROUGH AND DO OUR PLANNING. WE DO RISK ASSESSMENT.
WE MEET WITH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT HEADS THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO DETERMINE
[00:25:01]
THE INTERNAL CONTROLS THAT YOU HAVE IN PLACE OVER THINGS LIKE ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, HUMAN RESOURCES, PAYROLL, PROCUREMENT, FEDERAL PROGRAMS, REVENUES.BASICALLY ALL THE ASPECTS OF THE CITY.
WE MEET WITH THOSE PEOPLE AND WE REVIEW THE INTERNAL CONTROLS AND THEN WE IDENTIFY THE INTERNAL CONTROLS THAT WE WANT TO TEST.
WE GO THROUGH AND WE SELECT SAMPLES TO TEST THOSE CONTROLS TO DETERMINE THAT WE CAN RELY ON THE CONTROLS THAT THE CITY HAS IN PLACE TO PERFORM THE AUDIT.
AFTER WE FINISH THAT PROCESS, WE COME BACK AFTER THE CITY HAS HAD A CHANCE TO CLOSE IT'S BOOKS SOMETIME AFTER 9:30, TYPICALLY IT'S EARLY JANUARY.
THAT'S WHEN WE DO SUBSTANTIVE TESTING AND WHAT WE DO DURING THAT TIME, WE GET CONFORMATIONS FOR YOUR CASH AND INVESTMENT BALANCES.
WE REVIEW ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE AND WE GET OUTSIDE INFORMATION OR WHAT WE CALL SUBSIDIARY LEDGERS FOR THE RECEIVABLES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE AMOUNTS THAT ARE REPORTED IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE MATERIALLY CORRECT.
THEN AFTER WE HAVE COMPLETED ENOUGH OF SUBSTANTIVE TESTING, WE ISSUE OUR OPINION ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
THERE'S THREE LEVELS OF OPINIONS THAT YOU CAN HAVE ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
ON THE FAR LEFT, IT WOULD BE THE WORST THAT WE COULD GIVE AND THAT'S A DISCLAIMER.
THAT WOULD BE WHERE THE RECORDS WERE IN SUCH POOR SHAPE THAT WE COULD NOT ISSUE AN OPINION ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
IT HAS DEFINITELY NOT THE CASE.
SPOILER ALERT, IT'S UNMODIFIED OPINION WHICH IS THE BEST YOU CAN HAVE.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO GO THROUGH JUST SO YOU COULD SEE THAT THERE ARE OTHER OPINIONS THAT COULD BE ISSUED.
THE MIDDLE ONE WILL BE A QUALIFICATION AND THAT'S WHERE WE WOULD ISSUE AN UNMODIFIED OPINION WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THESE CERTAIN MODIFICATIONS IF THERE WAS A DEPARTURE FROM GAAP OR AN INSTANCE LIKE THAT.
THEN OF COURSE, THE UNMODIFIED CLEAN OPINION, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO GIVE ON YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
YOU ALSO RECEIVED A SENTINEL REPORT TO YOUR AUDIT REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL AND COMPLIANCE.
THAT IS PART OF THE REASON THAT YOU HAVE THAT IS BECAUSE THE FEDERAL PROGRAMS THAT YOU HAVE.
NO MATERIAL WEAKNESSES ON YOUR INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING AND NO SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES REPORTED AND NO INSTANCES OF NONCOMPLIANCE FOR THOSE PROGRAMS. MATERIAL TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
TALKING ABOUT YOUR FEDERAL PROGRAMS THAT YOU HAVE THREE MAJOR PROGRAMS THAT WE AUDITED THIS YEAR.
JUST FOR THE PROCESS, YOU GET FEDERAL MONEY FOR SEVERAL DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND WHEN WE PERFORM THE AUDIT, THERE'S A PROCESS WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO IDENTIFY WHICH PROGRAMS MEET THE REQUIREMENTS TO BE AUDITED SO THAT YOU GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND THAT WAY YOU'RE NOT AUDITING THE EXACT SAME PROGRAMS EVERY YEAR.
THEY ROTATE THROUGH AND YOU GET THE HIGHER-RISK PROGRAMS TO BE AUDITED.
YOU HAD YOUR CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUND, FEMA, AND THEN THAT HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.
RELATED TO THOSE PROGRAMS, NO INTERNAL CONTROL FINDINGS RELATED TO EACH OF THOSE PROGRAMS. UNMODIFIED OPINION ON COMPLIANCE, AND NO INSTANCES AND NONCOMPLIANCE WERE NOTED.
MOVING ON, WE PUT SOME SLIDES IN HERE.
I KNOW HE PRESENTS EVERY MONTH.
YOU GET A VERY HIGH LEVEL FINANCIAL UPDATES AND TO SEE WHERE YOU ARE.
THESE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THEM AT 9: 30.
WE DON'T WANT TO GO INTO DETAIL ON THE MEMBERS IN THERE BECAUSE THEY ALL HAVE SEEN THOSE MOVE PAST THEM AND YOU'RE ONTO FEBRUARY AND MARCH NOW.
BUT WE PUT SOME SLIDES IN HERE JUST SO YOU COULD GET AN IDEA OF.
THIS NEXT SLIDE IS YOUR GENERAL FUND, FUND BALANCE.
LOOKING AT THAT, THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE IS YOUR ORANGE, THE ASSIGNED FUND BALANCE AS THE GRAY ON TOP.
THEN THAT LINE THAT'S GOING ACROSS SHOWS YOU THE DAYS AND FUND BALANCE OF YOUR FISCAL YEAR EXPENDITURES.
AS YOU CAN SEE THAT THE DAYS IN FUND BALANCE OR THE DAYS EXPENDITURES THAT YOU HAVE IN FUND BALANCE, YOU'VE REMAINED PRETTY CONSISTENT.
THERE'S A FEW YEARS WHERE IT DIPS DOWN, BUT IN THE CURRENT YEAR, I THINK IT WAS SOMEWHERE AROUND 150 IS WHAT WE HAD.
THAT'S JUST A TREND THAT YOU CAN SEE GOING BACK 10 YEARS THAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT GOOD FUND BALANCE LEVEL IN THERE.
>> TELL ME THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SIGN FUND BALANCE AND ASSIGNED.
>> YOUR UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE IS THE REMAINING BALANCE,
[00:30:03]
ASSIGNED IS WHAT HAS BEEN SET ASIDE FOR CERTAIN USES.IT'S NOT RESTRICTED. RESTRICTED FUND BALANCE WILL BE THE HIGHEST.
THAT'S RESTRICTED BY OUTSIDE SOURCES.
>> THAT INCLUDES THE [INAUDIBLE] FUND BALANCE.
IT'S ASSIGNED BY COUNSEL TO THE RESERVE WHICH IS 90 DAYS.
>> IT'S WHAT IS ASSIGNED FOR CERTAIN USES, BUT IT CAN ALSO BE UNASSIGNED BY WHOEVER SET THAT ASSIGNMENT.
COUNCIL IS YOUR LEVEL OF ASSIGNMENT.
IT'S MOVABLE BUT THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN SET ASIDE FOR CERTAIN PORTION AND THEN THAT UNASSIGNED IS WHAT REMAINS AFTER YOU'VE SPOKEN FORWARD THE OTHER PART OF FUND BALANCE.
>> THE OTHER THING TO KNOW ABOUT THAT IS WHEN WE CALCULATE THE DAYS MEASUREMENTS, WE INCLUDE THE TRANSFERS OUT, WHICH INCLUDES THE BIG TRANSFER, THE INFRASTRUCTURE FUND.
THAT'S GOING TO COME UP WITH A LOWER DOLLAR AMOUNT OR LOWER NUMBER OF DAYS THEN THEY WERE RENEWING THEIR WISHES, JUST PURELY EXPANSIVE [OVERLAPPING] JUST TO FIND.
>> JUST SAY EXPENDITURES ABOVE THE LINE. YEAH.
>> IN OUR GENERAL FUND BALANCES AT 115 DAYS IS THAT RIGHT?
>> IT'S MORE LIKE A 124 NUCLEONS AND TRANSFERS OUT.
>> IT CAME WITHIN 100,000 AND WHAT WE ESTIMATED AND TOLD YOU IN JANUARY, WE ARE THERE.
>> ABOUT 100,000 OFFER BUT A $21 MILLION.
>> YEAH. COULDN'T TELL. [LAUGHTER] [BACKGROUND]
>> THE NEXT SLIDES THAT WE HAVE IN HERE, GO OVER THE PICTURES BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE A SPECIAL SITUATION HERE AT THE CITY WHERE A LOT OF THE CITIES PARTICIPATE IN TMRS. BUT YOU HAVE YOUR OWN EMPLOYEE, FIREFIGHTER, AND POLICE.
SO WE JUST PUT SOME SLIDES IN HERE SO THAT YOU COULD SEE WHAT THE FUNDED POSITION OF THE THREE PLANS WERE AGAIN OVER TIME.
SO THIS ONE GOES BACK TO 2015.
EMPLOYEES IN GREEN AND IT'S YOUR HIGHEST FUNDED PLAN, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT YOUR FIREFIGHTERS IN RED AND THEY'RE A LITTLE OVER 60 PERCENT AND THEN THE POLICE PLAN AT AROUND 40 PERCENT.
YOU CAN SEE THEY ALL HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A DROP IN 2018 WHEN THE MARKET WAS DOWN.
BUT OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, THEY STARTED COMING BACK UP THERE.
THAT SHOWS THE THREE PLANS TOGETHER AND THEIR FUNDED POSITION.
AND THEN THE NEXT THREE SLIDES, WE LOOK AT EACH PLAN INDIVIDUALLY.
SO YOUR FUNDED POSITION PERCENTAGE IS THE BLUE AND THEN YOUR INVESTMENT RATE OF RETURN IS ORANGE.
YOU CAN JUST SEE HOW THAT FOLLOWS HERE AGAIN, 2018 HAD THAT BIG DROP.
AND THEN WE ALL KNOW [LAUGHTER] THE LAST TWO TO THREE YEARS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE UP AND DOWN FOR ALL OF US AND THE PLANS FOLLOW THAT AS WELL.
AND THEN SAME THING WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS, THERE'S THEIR FUNDED PERCENT AND THE INVESTMENT RATE OF RETURN THAT THEY HAVE ON THAT.
AND THEN THE POLICE PLAN, YOU CAN SEE THAT TREND LINE THERE AS WELL.
THAT JUST LETS YOU SEE HOW THEIR FUNDED POSITION RELATES TO THE INVESTMENT RATE OF RETURN THAT THEY HAVE.
>> LAURA, IF I JUST HANDED OUT THE SHEET ON PENSIONS AND I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT WHILE YOU'RE ON PENSIONS.
THE INFORMATION ON THE SHEET IS BEING PULLED FROM THIS FINANCIAL REPORT AND I CHECKED A LITTLE BIT.
I GOT THE AMORTIZATION PERIOD FOR FULLY FUNDING THE UNFUNDED ACCRUED ACTUARIAL LIABILITY FROM THE ACTUARIAL REPORTS FOR THE THREE FUNDS.
AND THERE'S A FEW THINGS TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION ON THIS PAGE.
FIRST, THE PERCENT FUNDED HAS BEEN THE CLASSIC MEASURE FOR PENSION FUNDING SINCE FINANCIAL REPORTS FIRST STARTED BEING DONE AT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL.
IT'S BEEN SUPPLEMENTED THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS BY THE AMORTIZATION PERIOD IT WOULD TAKE AT THE CURRENT RATE OF SPENDING AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO BRING THE LIABILITY UP TO A 100 PERCENT FUNDING WITH ASSETS.
THE POLICE FUND IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE SUGGESTED GUIDELINES, WHICH IS 30 YEARS TO CLOSE THE GAP AND IT'S AT 27.
I REMIND YOU THAT THE POLICE PLAN IS COVERED BY A LAW THAT WAS PASSED BY
[00:35:03]
THE LEGISLATURE IN 2019 THAT CLOSES THAT OFF.IT DOESN'T LEAVE THAT 30 DAYS RULE ANYMORE.
BY 2049, THE POLICE FUND HAS TO BE FULLY FUNDED AND WE'RE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS TOWARDS THAT.
THE FIRE FUND, ON THIS LAST ACTUARIAL REPORT, SHOWED A 57 YEAR PERIOD TO AMORTIZE [BACKGROUND] THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY.
WE'VE ASKED AND THE WORK IS UNDERWAY BY THE POLICE ACTUARY, WHO'S ACTUALLY WORKING WITH US NOW ON THE FIRE PLANT AS WELL TO GIVE US A LOOK AT THAT AND VERIFY THOSE NUMBERS.
AND I'VE GOT SOME INFORMATION THAT WHEN WE GET TO THE FIRE DISCUSSION LATER ON FIRE PENSION, THAT WILL BE HELPFUL.
BUT THOSE NUMBERS DON'T NECESSARILY CORRESPOND TO THE PERCENT FUNDED.
YOU'LL NOTE, THE FIRE FUND IS SHOWN AT 70 PERCENT FUNDING, BUT 57 YEARS HERE IS REQUIRED TO AMORTIZE THE BALANCE.
AND THAT IS PART OF THE REASON WE'RE ASKING FOR THAT TO BE VERIFIED.
YOU SEE THE CONTRIBUTION RATES.
I'M NOT GOING TO DWELL ON THAT.
I THINK THAT'S ALSO A POINT FOR DISCUSSION, BUT I DO WANT TO GO DOWN AND CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO ONE THING IN PARTICULAR.
AND THAT IS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE THREE PLANS, POLICE IS AT 337, FIRE IS AT 204 AND THE MUNICIPAL PLAN HAS 1128 MEMBERS.
NOW THAT INCLUDES ACTIVE EMPLOYEES, RETIREES, AND SURVIVORS THAT ARE RECEIVING THE BENEFIT TO THE PENSION PLAN BENEFITS.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES THAT WE'VE GOT PER MEMBER, WHICH IS TO SAY THE LIABILITIES REALLY REPRESENT THE FUTURE COST OF BENEFITS.
ASSETS ARE A CURRENT MEASURE OF WHAT THE FUND HAS IN HAND TODAY.
ON A PER MEMBER BASIS, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S QUITE A DISPARITY BETWEEN THE THREE PLANTS.
IN A VERY ROUGH SENSE, THE FUTURE BENEFIT COSTS CAN BE REGARDED AS WHETHER OR NOT THE PLAN IS, SOMEBODY CALLED IT RICH.
CLEARLY, THE FIRE IS THE BEST PLAN WE'VE GOT, AND THAT'S NOT A TYPICAL AROUND THE STATE.
THE OTHER TILL FOR CITIES ARE ABOUT THE SAME.
YOU GO DOWN A COUPLE OF MORE ROWS, EVEN THOUGH THEY DON'T HAVE SOCIAL SECURITY, THE PENSION MULTIPLIER OF THREE PERCENT IS A GOOD HEALTHY PERCENTAGE.
THERE ARE SOME TILL FOR CITIES THAT ARE HIGHER THAN THAT.
BUT COMPARED WITH THE POLICE PLAN AND 2.11 PERCENT AND THE MUNICIPAL PLAN AT TWO AND A QUARTER PERCENT, IT'S A VERY NICE PLAN.
>> WELL, IT'S WELL-MANAGED [OVERLAPPING]
>> IT'S A RICH PLAN. LET'S TAKE THAT, IT'S A RICH PLAN.
>> YOU CAN MAKE UP A PERCENT OR TWO, BUT IT'S KIND OF HARD TO MAKE UP A SIX TO ONE RATIO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FIRE AND THE MUNICIPAL PLANS.
BUT THIS IS INFORMATION THAT'S TAKEN FROM THE FINANCIAL REPORTS AND I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT BECAUSE WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE DETAIL OF PENSIONS AND THE DETAIL OF BENEFITS AND EVERYTHING ELSE BUT TO ME AS A GROSS MEASURE THAT ASSET LIABILITY NUMBER PER MEMBER IS SIGNIFICANT.
>> GO THROUGH THE REST OF THE PRESENTATION.
THERE'S SOME REQUIRED COMMUNICATIONS AS PART OF OUR STANDARDS THAT WE NEED TO COMMUNICATE.
PART OF THE PROCESS WE GO THROUGH, LOOK AT THESE CITIES' ACCOUNTING POLICIES.
THEY ARE APPROPRIATE AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH INDUSTRY STANDARDS.
THERE WERE THREE GASB PRONOUNCEMENTS IMPLEMENTED IN FISCAL YEAR 2021.
THE FIDUCIARY ACTIVITIES, GASB 84 JUST CHANGED THE WAY WHAT WERE REFERRED TO AS AGENCY [INAUDIBLE] PREVIOUSLY, HOW THEY WERE ACCOUNTED FOR.
THE BIG ONE, I WOULD SAY THAT HAS THE LARGEST EFFECT ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THIS YEAR WAS THE GASB 87 FOR LEASES.
AND THAT WAS EARLY IMPLEMENTED, WHICH IS ANOTHER TESTAMENT TO TAMMY AND HER GROUP FOR BEING ABLE TO GET THAT DONE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD ANY CITIES THAT EARLY IMPLEMENTED THAT, SO THAT'S DONE AND OUT OF THE WAY.
THEN GASB 98, WAS JUST AS SIMPLE CHANGE IN THE NAME OF THE REPORT FROM COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL FINANCIAL TO ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL.
THAT'S JUST DUE TO THE TERM THAT IT WAS REFERRED TO BEFORE IT WAS DEROGATORY AND GASB JUST WANTED TO GET IN OTHER COUNTRIES AND SO THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE OKAY WITH THAT.
[00:40:01]
NOW IT IS AN ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT AND WE SAY AQUIFER AND IT DOES NOT JUST DOESN'T ROLL OFF AS EASY [LAUGHTER] BUT WE'RE GETTING USED TO IT.THOSE ARE THE THREE PRONOUNCEMENTS IMPLEMENTED IN FISCAL YEAR 2021.
FUTURE GASB IMPLEMENTATIONS COMING UP.
GASB 96 IS GOING TO BE VERY SIMILAR TO THE LEASES IN REFERENCE TO SUBSCRIPTION-BASED INFORMATION.
A LOT OF YOUR IT AGREEMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THAT'S FOR 2023, BUT I DON'T KNOW TAMMY YOU ARE GOING TO THE 2022.
OKAY, SO WE'LL GET THAT ONE ON THIS YEAR.
THEN THE PREPARATION OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS REQUIRES CERTAIN ESTIMATES AND JUDGEMENTS AND THAT JUST MEANS THAT NOT EVERYTHING IS TIED TO AN INVOICE OR TO SOMETHING SOLID.
THERE'S ESTIMATES THAT HAVE TO BE MADE.
SOME OF THE LARGER ESTIMATES IN YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS INCLUDE ALLOWANCES FOR UNCOLLECTABLE RECEIVABLES, FOR TAXES, UTILITY BILLING, AND THEN LIABILITIES FOR WORKERS COMPENSATION AND HEALTH INSURANCE CLAIMS. OF COURSE, THE LARGEST ESTIMATE THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT PERTAINS TO THE NET PENSION AND [INAUDIBLE] LIABILITIES BECAUSE ALL OF THAT IS AN ESTIMATE.
THEY ACTUARY DETERMINES THOSE LIABILITIES BASED ON A LOT OF FACTORS THAT GO INTO IT.
AS PART OF OUR AUDIT, WE REVIEW THOSE ALLOWANCES AND CONCLUDE THAT MANAGEMENT HAS REASONABLE BASIS FOR SIGNIFICANT JUDGMENTS ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
THEN THE REST OF IT IS THAT WE ENCOUNTERED NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFICULTIES IN COMPLETING THE AUDIT.
IN OTHER WORDS, EVERYTHING WE ASKED FOR WAS PROVIDED.
ANY ACCESS THAT WE NEEDED TO TALK TO INDIVIDUALS WAS GIVEN TO US AND WE DID NOT IDENTIFY ANY MATERIAL MISSTATEMENT THAT REQUIRED MANAGEMENT CORRECTION.
WHEN THEY GO THROUGH THEIR CLOSING PROCESS, THE ENTRIES THAT WERE REQUIRED WERE MADE AND THEN EVEN THE ENTRIES, AS THERE WERE A FEW MADE DURING THE AUDIT, BUT THEY WERE ALL ONES THAT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT HAD PREPARED AND GONE THROUGH THOSE.
WE HAD NO DISAGREEMENTS WITH MANAGEMENT OVER THE APPLICATION OF ACCOUNTING MATTERS.
THE LAST PIECE OF THE AUDIT IS THE REPRESENTATION FOR MANAGEMENT THAT ALL SIGNIFICANT MATTERS WERE DISCLOSED AS THE MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATION LETTER.
THAT SAYS THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED ALL OF THE INFORMATION TO YOU US AND THAT HAVEN'T WITHHELD ANYTHING THAT WE NEEDED FOR THE AUDIT.
THEN JUST AS AUDITORS, OUR RETENTION IS NOT DEPENDING ON ANY RESPONSES THAT WE GIVE.
WE'RE NOT PRESSURED BY ANY OF YOU OR THE FINANCE TO GIVE CERTAIN ANSWERS IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO BE YOUR AUDITORS.
WITH THAT IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVEN'T ALREADY GONE OVER WE CAN GO THROUGH THOSE.
>> I'VE GOT ONE AREA I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT.
IN THE COPIES OF THE DOCUMENT, THAT YOU'VE GOT IN FRONT OF YOU.
IF YOU CAN LOOK AT PAGES 10 AND 11 WITH ME FOR A MINUTE.
[NOISE] WHERE YOU FIND [INAUDIBLE] I'LL GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND ON IT.
THAT'S THE ACRONYM FOR GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD.
BEGINNING ANOTHER 2004, THEY MADE EFFECTIVE 3B 34 STATEMENT 34, WHICH REQUIRES FULL ACCRUAL ACCOUNTING TO BE APPLIED TO ALL OF THE CITY'S FUNDS, AND THIS DOCUMENT IS BASED ON THAT APPROACH THEY'VE MODIFIED TO SOME SINCE THEN, BUT IT'S STILL BASICALLY IN EFFECT.
ONE OF THE MOST HELPFUL THINGS I THINK IT'S DONE IS REALLY STREAMLINED AND MADE MORE EFFECTIVE THE PRESENTATION OF CAPITAL ASSET INFORMATION IN THE FINANCIAL REPORTS, AND THE GRAPHS THAT I'VE GOT ON THESE TWO PAGES DEMONSTRATE THAT.
WHEN I GOT HERE, I WAS ASKED WHAT WOULD NEED TO BE INVESTED EVERY YEAR FOR THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE CONSIDERED IN GOOD SHAPE.
AND I SAID, WELL THAT'S A QUALITATIVE JUDGMENT, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DECIDE HOW MUCH YOU THINK IS ADEQUATE.
BUT TODAY WE CAN SAY THAT IF YOU WANT TO KEEP THE QUALITY OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE AT ROUGHLY THE SAME LEVEL AND TOTAL.
THE CITY HAS TO INVEST $22 MILLION EVERY YEAR FOR RENEWAL, REPLACEMENT AND OR NEW FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO STAY AT THE LEVEL THAT WE'RE AT.
SO IF YOU'RE HAPPY AND AREN'T LOOKING FOR ANYMORE, IMPROVEMENT, $22 MILLION WOULD DO IT.
WE'RE NOT DONE YET, I THINK EVERYBODY WOULD AGREE.
WE'VE GOT SOME SIGNIFICANT WATER AND SEWER PROJECTS TO GO, AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
BUT SINCE 2004, TAKING THE LONG VIEW, WHEN THIS REQUIRE WAS FIRST PUT IN PLACE, THE CITIES INVESTED $740 MILLION LOCAL.
[00:45:03]
THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY FIVE MILLION FROM LOCAL SOURCES AND $405 MILLION FROM BRANCH.YOU CAN ONLY LOOK AT SOMETHING LIKE THIS OVER THE LONG TERM AND THE SUSTAINED EFFORT THAT IT TAKES TO MAINTAIN THAT IS NOT EASY.
THEN WE'VE LOST $276 MILLION IN DEPRECIATION SINCE 2004, AND AGAIN THAT SPEAKS TO THE $22 MILLION NUMBER THAT I THREW OUT A MINUTE AGO.
WHILE THE OPPOSITE PAGE CONTRAST THE CURRENT VALUE OF YOUR CAPITAL ASSETS AT $595 MILLION WITH THE AMOUNT OF OUTSTANDING DEBT THAT WE'VE GOT, $157 MILLION, AND THIS IS BOND.
YOU'LL SEE INFORMATION PRESENTED ELSEWHERE IN THE FINANCIAL REPORT ABOUT LONG-TERM LIABILITIES AND THAT INCLUDES UNPAID ACCRUED.
SOME OTHER THINGS, OPEB, OTHER POST EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS WHICH IS GROWING AND I'LL SPEAK ABOUT THAT REAL QUICK HERE IN A SECOND.
BUT JUST BONDS, BONDS THAT ARE SOLD FOR CITY FACILITIES AND IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
THE CEO ISSUE IN SUCH ON THE AGENDA FOR APPROVAL TONIGHT WILL LAMBDA THAT CATEGORY.
YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THE DEPT IS MUCH LESS THAN THE VALUE OF WHAT'S ON THE GROUND, AND THAT'S BOTH ATTRIBUTED TO GOOD MANAGEMENT AND IN RECOGNITION OF THE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT WE'VE HAD IN THE WAY OF GRANTS.
THE OTHER THING TO NOTICE IS THE LOW BROWN BAR THAT REPRESENTS LONG-TERM DEPT DROP THIS YEAR.
WE DIDN'T SELL BONDS, AND WE PAID OFF OUR GCWA REVENUE DEBT.
SO THE ANNUAL DEBT SERVICE AMOUNT DROPPED, AND OUR TOTAL OUTSTANDING BONDED EMBEDDEDNESS DROPPED BY $15 MILLION AND 21.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE DO A BOND SALE, WE'RE PAYING PRINCIPLE FROM THE VERY START, WE'RE NOT JUST PAYING INTEREST.
AND THAT'S A VERY RESPONSIBLE WAY TO GO.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE HAVE TO START PAYING MORE ATTENTION TO, AND I MENTIONED IT A MINUTE AGO OR SO, OTHER POST EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.
THAT IS THE FUTURE VALUE OF HEALTH BENEFITS PROVIDED TO RETIREES BEFORE THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE AT AGE 65.
THAT WAS $11 MILLION LAST YEAR, IS THAT RIGHT, TAMMY?
>> OKAY, AND THIS YEAR IT'S $14 MILLION.
AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING FOR SOME TIME ABOUT HOW TO PRESENT THAT, HOW TO ADDRESS THAT, AND I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME INTERESTING PROPOSALS COME FOR RETIREE HEALTH BENEFITS IN THE NEAR FUTURE, AND IT'S A SMALL GROUP, IT'S ABOUT 20 EMPLOYEES.
>> AND IT'S ALL PRIMARILY PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES BECAUSE CIVIL EMPLOYEES HAVE TO WORK UNTIL 65 TO GET THERE BENEFIT.
>> CAN TRY TO CHARGE RIGHT INTO THE RETIREMENT BANK.
>> IN ANY EVENT, AND I ASKED TAMMY JACOBS AND I'VE SAID HER NAME A NUMBER OF TIMES TO YOU.
YOU DON'T KNOW THE JEWEL THAT YOU HAVE IN TAMMY JACOBS WITH THIS CITY.
AS THE CITY CONTROLLER, SHE'S THE ONE WITH HER TEAM THAT PUTS THIS BOOK TOGETHER.
AND WE'VE HAD TURNOVER, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REPLACE QUALITY PEOPLE WITH NEW QUALITY PEOPLE.
WE HAVE THREE CPAS IN THE FINANCIAL DEPARTMENT NOW, AND I'M JUST VERY PROUD OF WHAT SHE AND HER TEAM HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IN IMPROVING THE PROCESS AND THE QUALITY OF THIS SUPPORT FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
SHE'S BEEN HERE EIGHT YEARS NOW AND I HOPE YOU'LL KEEP HER LONGER THAN I'LL BE HERE.
>> CONGRATULATIONS [APPLAUSE].
>> MIKE I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO EXPAND ON TWO THINGS JUST QUICKLY.
ONE IS FINANCIAL AREA RECEIVED A REWARD RECENTLY, COULD YOU MENTION WHAT THAT WAS?
>> WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW [LAUGHTER]?
>> ONE OF THOSE FLAX AND SO FORTH.
BRIAN, DIDN'T WE GET A REWARD FOR OUR FINANCIAL.
>>YEAH. OUR FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY AWARD?
>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CERTIFICATE.
>> TAMMY WHY DON'T YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS.
>> COME ON UP TAMMY, IF YOU WOULD.
>> THE GFOAT CERTIFICATE WAS AVOIDED FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 20 ANNUAL REPORT.
IT BASICALLY SAYS THAT THE CITY HAS CONFORM TO ALL THE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO PUT THE BOOK TOGETHER.
>> AND IT'S BASED OUR TRANSPARENCY.
[00:50:01]
>> AND THEN MIKE RECEIVED ALSO QUITE AN HONOR HERE RECENTLY.
HONORED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON FOR HIS PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS IN FINANCING.
WE'RE VERY PROUD OF MIKE, AND WELL-DESERVED.
[APPLAUSE] AND ACTUALLY IT'S PRETTY COOL WHEN HE GETS THE AWARD, AND THE OTHER PEOPLE GETTING AWARDED WERE HIS STUDENTS.
SO SPEAKS VOLUMES TO MIKE AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF MIKE.
>> WE HAVE OUR OWN ROCK STARS HERE AT THE CITY, AND MIKE IS ONE OF THEM.
MIKE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU EVER THOUGHT OF YOURSELF AS THAT.
>>SECONDLY MIKE, WOULD YOU JUST VERY BRIEFLY FOR SOME OF THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS SET ASIDE MONIES AND HOW THAT'S HANDLED ON OUR DEBT SERVICE WITH EIGHT PERCENT AND SO FORTH.
>> EVERY YEAR IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CHARTER, THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET INCLUDES AN AMOUNT THAT'S EQUAL TO EIGHT PERCENT OF BUDGETED REVENUE.
THAT'S TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISION IN THE CHARTER THAT SPEAKS TO THE CREATION OF AN ACCOUNT THAT WE CALL INFRASTRUCTURE DEBT SERVICE FUND.
THAT MONEY CREATED THROUGH THE PROVISION THAT WAS APPROVED IN A CHARTER ELECTION.
I THINK IN 2011/2012, WE STARTED AT SETTING ASIDE ONE PERCENT INITIALLY, AND THEN THE CITY MOVED TO TWO PERCENT AND INCREASED AT A PERCENT A YEAR UNTIL THEY GOT TO EIGHT PERCENT.
THIS MONEY IS USED FOR PROJECTS IN EXCESS OF A $100,000 AND OR A DEBT SERVICE GETS IN A WAY, THE MOST FLEXIBLE MONEY WE'VE GOT BUT IT'S ALSO HIGHLY UNUSUAL.
RYAN O'HARA, WHO IS HERE WITH HUNTINGTON CAPITAL MARKETS COULD TELL YOU.
IT'S VERY COMMON WITH ENTERPRISE FUNDS TO HAVE SOMETHING CALLED A RENEWAL AND REPLACEMENT FUND, WHICH IS REALLY WHAT THIS IS.
IT'S TAKING CASH AND SETTING IT ASIDE ON THE CURRENT BASIS TO PAY CASH FOR PROJECTS SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO BORROW FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
VERY FEW CITIES HAVE A RENEWAL AND REPLACEMENT LIKE FUND ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR GENERAL FUND.
IT GIVES US A FLEXIBILITY WITH FUNDING PROJECTS AND MAINTAINING OUR RESERVES THAT A LOT OF CITIES DON'T HAVE AND SO YOU REALLY HAVE TO LOOK AT THE MONEY THAT'S IN THAT AVERAGE STRUCTURE AND DEBT SERVICE FUND EVERY YEAR AS A PART OF YOUR GENERAL RESERVES.
THAT'S A BIG ADVANTAGE TO THE CITY TO HAVE THAT.
>> IT STARTED AROUND 2011, IT WAS A GODSEND FOR THIS CITY BECAUSE WE WERE SPIRALING DOWNHILL WHEN IT CAME TO SETTING ASIDE FUNDS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. [OVERLAPPING]
>> YOUR COST OF PUBLIC SAFETY WAS CLIMBING SO FAST THAT THE CONCERN OF THE COUNCIL AT THE TIME, STEVE GREENBERG, NOTICED THAT THE COST OF PUBLIC SAFETY WOULD CONSUME ALL OF YOUR STREET.
MAYBE THAT'S WHY THAT WAS SET ASIDE.
>> IT'S FIVE MILLION A YEAR AND IF WE HADN'T PUT THAT IN, I DOUBT IF WE WOULD EVER HAD THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY ACCUMULATE OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS OR SO.
>> YOUR DEBT SERVICE TAX RATE WOULD BE ABOUT A PENNY AND A HALF OR MORE HIGHER.
BECAUSE WE DO USE SOME OF IT EVERY YEAR TO UNDERWRITE THE REPAYMENT OF THE GENERAL OBLIGATION DEBT.
>> I DID WANT TO ADDRESS ONE THING REAL QUICK.
MY THINKING ABOUT OUR ASSETS TO DEBT RATIO, SOMETHING THAT I COULD AFFORD ONE.
FIRST QUESTION IS THAT HIGH, LOW, MEDIUM COMPARED TO OTHER PLACES.
>> RYAN WOULD YOU SAY THAT TIME?
>> THE QUESTION ABOUT DEBT RATIO.
>> THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE TO ME. I WANTED TO GET THAT OUT THERE AND GET THAT SAID BECAUSE IF WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE, THAT'S NOT HIGH, BUT MONEY IS AS CHEAP RIGHT NOW AS IT'S GOING TO BE IN MY LIFETIME.
IF THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT CAPITAL PROJECTS WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT NOW IS THE TIME TO TAKE THAT OFF.
IF WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE WITH DATUMS, I MISS BILL, WE'LL BE [OVERLAPPING] WE COULD ARGUE ABOUT THIS RIGHT THIS SECOND.
[LAUGHTER] BUT IT SEEMS NOW THAT MONEY IS NOT GOING TO GET CHEAPER.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE FENCE PUT THE BRAKES ON A LITTLE BIT RIGHT NOW, START TO CLIMB, INTEREST RATES ON HOMES ARE STARTING TO CLIMB.
I JUST WONDER IF NOW ISN'T THE TIME IS NOT REALLY FOR DISCUSSION, RIGHT THIS SECOND, BUT NOW ISN'T THE TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT A FIRE STATION ABOUT BUYING THE POLICE FUND IN THE SOLVENCY.
>> THAT'S NOT GENERAL OBLIGATION DEBT THIS YEAR.
>> I'M DETERMINED THIS YEAR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
[00:55:01]
A SEWER SYSTEM IN MARRIE'S HOUSE AND NO MORE WAITING. [OVERLAPPING]>> THE PROJECT COUNCILMAN. [OVERLAPPING]
>> NUMBER 1, PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT LONG-TERM DEBT AND I THINK THEY NEED TO WATCH HOW THE REPAYMENT IS STRUCTURED.
THEY NEED TO CARE ABOUT THE INTEREST RATE THAT'S COMING IN AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
BUT PAY AS YOU GO IS REALLY, I THINK, NOT AS EQUITABLE AS BONDS BECAUSE BONDS ARE PAID OFF BY FUTURE USERS OF THE ASSET THAT YOU BUILD WHEN YOU DO A BOND SALE.
I CALL IT PAY AS YOU USE AND I THINK A BALANCE BETWEEN CASH INVESTMENTS IS YOUR GOAL AND INVESTMENT OF BORROWED FUNDS AND AS YOU SAY, WITH RATES LOW, LIKE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW, NOW IS THE TIME TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
>> WELL, COMPARE OUR POSITION TODAY WITHOUT IMMEDIATELY AFTER LIKE HURRICANE IKE WITH MILES MILES AHEAD OF THAT.
WHAT WE'RE DOING IS STRENGTHENING THE ISLAND NOW THAT THESE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES TODAY ARE GOING TO PAY REAL DIVIDENDS WHEN THE NEXT STORM HITS.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO BE NEXT YEAR, THIS YEAR, 10 YEARS FROM NOW, BUT IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN [OVERLAPPING] GALVESTON CITY MANAGER PROBLEMS. I JUST THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE AS A GROUP NEED TO START THINKING ABOUT.
BECAUSE WHAT THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY ON THE AGENDA, WHAT YOUR INTEREST RATE ON THOSE TWO, FOUR.
>> RYAN, DO YOU WANT TO GIVE UP YOUR ELEVATOR SPEECH REAL QUICK SINCE YOU DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO.
>> WE SAID AFTER THIS, THE 40 DIFFERENT.
>> THIS IS RYAN OVER HERE WITH HUNTINGTON CAPITAL MARKETS.
>> EXCUSE ME, I GOT A LITTLE PREMONITION GOING ON HERE.
WE SENT OUT BID PACKETS TO ABOUT 40 DIFFERENT BANKS AND INSTITUTIONS THAT QUALIFY FOR THIS TYPE OF PRIVATE PLACEMENT.
WE INCLUDED ALL THE LOCAL GALVESTON BANKS.
WE GOT NINE RESPONSES, PNC BANK RESPONDED, WAS THE BEST BID AT A 2.23.
>> WE KNEW WE'RE GOING TO BE IN THAT TWO RANGE, BUT THE FED TALK POURED THINGS UP.
>> THE 2.23 SOUNDS REALLY GOOD BUT WAS IT LAST YEAR WE WERE WATER BONDS, MAYBE TWO YEARS AGO THAT WE SOLD AT A CONSIDERABLY LOWER THAN THAT, WERE THEY'RE NOT?
>> WELL FOR 30-YEAR BONDS, THEY WERE.
>> [OVERLAPPING] YEAH. THAT'S TRUE.
>> THAT'S AN AMAZING WRITE DOWN.
>> WELL, THAT TIES ALSO BACK TO YOUR BOND WRITING.
>> YOU'VE GOT AN EXEMPLARY BOND RATING.
>> THAT SHOWS. I HAVE BEEN IN BUSINESS 30 YEARS, I'VE NEVER SEEN NINE BIDS.
WHEN YOU GET FOUR OR FIVE STATES, THAT TELLS YOU SOMETHING'S WRONG.
>> COUNCIL, THESE TYPES OF ISSUES WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND SO FORTH AND THE IMPROVEMENTS WE'RE MAKING SOMETIMES ARE REAL EXCITING ISSUES FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO KEEP OUR FOCUS ON MOVING FORWARD WITH THESE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.
IT'S EASY TO GET OFF TASK [OVERLAPPING] IN EVERY DISTRICT BUT IT'S EASY TO GET OFF TASK WHEN WE START CONSIDERING A LOT OF OTHER THINGS HERE AT COUNCIL AND WE'VE GOT TO KEEP OUR FOCUS ON THAT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS FOR THIS COMMUNITY HERE.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR LAURA OR FOR MIKE?
>> OR TAMMY. YES. SORRY, TAMMY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MIKE, YOU'RE STILL HERE SO STAY RIGHT THERE. [LAUGHTER]
>> WE'RE GOING TO COVER [OVERLAPPING]
>> THANK YOU LAURA. [OVERLAPPING]
>> LET'S OPEN ITEM 3C, PLEASE.
[3.C. Discuss Funding Downtown Beautification Using Parking Revenue From The Downtown Area (M. Loftin - 15 Min) ]
>> 3C, DISCUSS FUNDING DOWNTOWN BEAUTIFICATION, USING PARKING REVENUE FROM THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
>> I DID A STAFF REPORT FOR THIS WORKSHOP AGAIN AND I FOUND THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THAT BASICALLY SUPPORTS AND PROVIDES THE FINANCIAL UNDERPINNINGS FOR INCREASING THE DOWNTOWN PARKING RATE FROM $1.75 AN HOUR TO $2.25 AN HOUR, AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS AN ORGANIST ON THE REGULAR AGENDA TO DO THAT.
I HAVE 10C COUNCIL WITH US TONIGHT ON THERE.
[NOISE] WHEN WE REALIZED LAST SUMMER THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE BEEN COLLECTING AND FORWARD SALES TAX ON OUR PARKING SERVICES FOR THE STATE, WE REACHED AN AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE AND MADE A LUMP-SUM PAYMENT.
DAVID IS GONE AND I'M HERE TO STAY.
[01:00:01]
THAT WAS $190,000, I THINK IT WAS, [OVERLAPPING] 197.THAT CAME THROUGH AS A CREDIT AGAINST OUR REVENUES.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR FISCAL '21 RESULTS, IT SHOWS $730,000 IN PARKING REVENUE FOR DOWNTOWN.
IN FACT, THE GROSS NUMBER WAS CLOSER TO 945,000.
BECAUSE OF THAT ANALYSIS, [NOISE] WE GET A LOT HIGHER CEILING TO START WITH.
OUR CALCULATIONS ARE THAT ABOUT 15 CENTS OF THIS INCREASE IS NECESSARY TO COVER THE SALES TAX PORTION OF EIGHT AND A QUARTER PERCENT.
THE OTHER 35 CENTS WILL COVER THE NET AMOUNT NEEDED FOR [NOISE] BEAUTIFICATION CREW.
>> WE USED THE INFORMATION FOR THAT DETERMINATION THAT WAS PROVIDED BY BARBARA AFTER CONVERSATIONS WITH COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER, BUT BASICALLY, THE 200 QUARTER FOR AN HOUR APPEARS AS THOUGH, ALONG WITH BEGINNING TO CHARGE ON SUNDAY FOR PARKING DOWNTOWN, THAT WILL PROVIDE SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO PAY FOR THE CREW, AND ALLOW US TO STILL NET THE REVENUE WE NEED AFTER WE FORWARD THE EIGHT AND A QUARTER PERCENT TO THE STATE AND MAINTAIN OUR HEALTHY FUND BALANCE AT THE SAME TIME.
>> ALTHOUGH ONE I'VE RECEIVED COMMENTS ON, I THINK YOU ALL HAVE TOO, IS PEOPLE BEING UPSET ABOUT PAYING ON SUNDAY.
>> WHICH I DON'T GET. THERE ARE NO CHURCHES IN THE DOWNTOWN PARKING ZONE.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN UPSET ABOUT THIS WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED IT THE FIRST TIME.
THERE WERE PREDICTIONS OF DISASTER AND THAT BUSINESSES WOULD CLOSED AND SO FORTH AND SO ON. THAT HASN'T HAPPENED.
THE BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN ARE IN FULL SUPPORT OF THIS BECAUSE PARKING DOWNTOWN IS VERY LIMITED.
WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT 600 SPACES AND THERE'S MORE RESIDENTS AND TOURIST POPULATION GROWS, ESPECIALLY IN THE OFF SEASON.
THIS GIVES CUSTOMERS MORE PLACE TO PARK, EVEN PORT EMPLOYEES PARK IN DOWNTOWN ON SUNDAY BECAUSE IT'S FREE.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE ANYTHING BUT A NET BENEFIT TO BUSINESS DOWNTOWN.
MY CALL IS THAT BEAUTIFICATION, BARBARA CALLED IT MAINTENANCE AND AMENITIES, THERE SHE IS. HI THERE.
[LAUGHTER] BARBARA REFERRED TO AS A MAINTENANCE AND AMENITIES CREW.
IT WILL BEAUTIFY THINGS, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE JUST GOING TO PAINT THINGS PRETTY OR SOMETHING. THIS IS CLEAN UP.
THIS IS CLEANING THE SIDEWALKS WHICH WE'VE NEEDED JUST FOREVER AND BUSINESSES HAS BEEN ASKING FOR THAT FOREVER ALONG WITH MAINTAINING THE GARBAGE.
SANITATION DOES A GREAT JOB IN THE EARLY MORNINGS, BUT FREQUENTLY THAT'S NOT WHEN THE PROBLEM IS.
THE PROBLEM IS LATER IN THE EVENING.
SOMETIMES ESPECIALLY IN THE HIGH SEASON OR EVENTS WHEN THE TRASH CANS START TO FILL UP, SO THEY'LL BE PICKING UP LITTER, WHICH IS SOMETHING SANITATION DOESN'T HAVE THE BANDWIDTH TO DO.
IT'S BEAUTIFICATION, BUT THAT'S NOT ALL THERE IS TO IT.
>> RIGHT. YES, MA'AM. GO AHEAD.
I MAY NOT VOTE FOR THIS BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S AN EXCEPTIONAL INCREASE, BUT I DO WONDER, ESPECIALLY SO MANY TIMES YOU'LL HEAR COMMENTS ABOUT BEACHES.
HOW CAN WE USE PUBLIC FUNDS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY? WE'LL GO BACK TO WHERE JOHN AND I DISAGREE ON THIS.
SIDEWALKS ARE PEOPLE'S PRIVATE PROPERTY AND WE'RE USING PUBLIC FUNDS TO CLAIM THEM.
WHERE'S THE DIFFERENTIAL? YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
>> I'D LIKE TO WEIGH IN ON THAT.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I'VE GOTTEN COMMENTS FROM INDIVIDUALS ALONG THOSE LINES.
THE DOWNTOWN IS ICONIC FOR GALVESTON HERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF ICONIC STRUCTURES, BUT DOWNTOWN IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT REALLY IS THE FACE OF GALVESTON.
INDIVIDUALS COME DOWN HERE, VISITORS, RESIDENTS ALIKE, BUT WHEN VISITORS COME DOWN HERE TO HAVE A DOWNTOWN THAT SHOWS, WELL, THAT IT'S CLEAN, THAT ITS LANDSCAPE IS MAINTAINED PROPERLY AND SO FORTH AND SO ON, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS REALLY LEAVE
[01:05:03]
AN IMAGE THAT WE WANT TO HAVE FOR THE VISITORS DOWN HERE.I THINK THIS IS MONEY WELL-SPENT.
IT'S GENERATED DOWNTOWN AND THERE'S MONIES TO GO BACK TO DOWNTOWN TO PUT A FACE ON GALVESTON THAT WE CAN ALL BE VERY PROUD OF.
I DID GET INPUT FROM INDIVIDUALS THAT THEY FELT THAT THERE WERE ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS THAT COME IN ON SUNDAY THAT CAN'T REALLY MANAGE THE PARK PAY BY PHONE APP PROPERLY AND IT GIVES THEM THE TIME, IF WE HAD FREE PARKING, FOR THEM TO PARK, BUT MOST OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS HAVE HANDICAP PLACARDS.
>> HANDICAP PURPLE HEART DISABLED VETERANS.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT INDIVIDUALS ARE SAYING ABOUT GIVING EXTRA MONEY TO DOWNTOWN, BUT THEY DESERVE THAT AND THAT IS A MONEY WELL-SPENT FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
>> A COUPLE OF TIMES IT'S DESERVED.
OBVIOUSLY, IT'S DESERVED ALL OVER TOWN, BUT THEY RAISED THE MONEY DOWNTOWN SO THE MONEY STAYS DOWNTOWN, MUCH LIKE EACH USER FEES THAT ARE RAISED ON THE SEAWALL STAY ON THE BEACH.
A LOT OF OUR BEACHES ARE PRIVATE PROPERTY, BUT WE STILL PICK UP THE TRASH AND DO THINGS ON THOSE BEACHES BECAUSE WE INVITE THE PUBLIC TO BE THERE.
WE HAVE PUBLIC EVENTS DOWNTOWN, WE MARKET DOWNTOWN AS AN ALTERNATIVE PLACE TO GO OTHER THAN THE BEACH.
IT FALLS IN LINE TO THE SAME THING WE'RE DOING ON THE BEACH.
WE USE THE MONEY WE COLLECT FOR PARKING ON THE BEACH TO KEEP THE BEACH SIDEWALKS AND EVERYTHING CLEAN.
EVEN ON THE NORTH SIDE, WHICH IS ADJACENT TO PRIVATE PROPERTY.
IT'S REALLY NO DIFFERENT IN THAN THAT RESPECT AS WELL.
>> [OVERLAPPING] I AGREE WITH YOU. I'M NOT OPPOSING.
>> [OVERLAPPING] NO, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A GOOD ANSWER TO TELL PEOPLE.
>> I'M JUST SAYING KEEP THAT OPEN MIND WHEN WE START LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN ENHANCE OUR BEACHES.
BECAUSE WE KNOW FARC BOARD DID A STUDY AND PEOPLE COME HERE FIRST FOR BEACHES, THAT WE NEED TO BE MORE OPEN-MINDED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TAKING CARE OF ALL OUR BEACHES NOT JUST THE ONES ON THE SEAWALL.
>> [OVERLAPPING] [INAUDIBLE] EXTENDER. THE BEACHES ARE THE PRIMARY DRAW.
>> YEAH. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO ADD OTHER THINGS TO GET PEOPLE TO STAY.
THE MORE WE DO THESE THINGS, THE BETTER IT IS.
>> MANY COMMUNITIES THAT WERE DOWNTOWN WILL RECEIVE THESE TYPES OF MAINTENANCE AND THESE AMENITIES.
IT'S THROUGH A MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
THEN THOSE BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN ARE TAXED FOR THAT TO MAKE THE MANAGE OF THE DISTRICT WORK.
THIS IS SUCH A GREAT PROGRAM BECAUSE IT DOESN'T TAX THOSE BUSINESSES.
WHAT IT REALLY DOES IS TAX THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE PARKING AND THE MASS MAJORITY OF THOSE ARE VISITORS DOWN THERE.
WE HAVE OUR VISITORS PAYING FOR THE AMENITIES THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY VISITING.
>> THAT WAS KEY WHEN WE BEGAN ENVISIONING THIS PROGRAM.
WE WENT AND VISITED WITH CENTRO, WHICH IS SEMI-PRIVATE PUBLIC FUNDED ENTITY IN SAN ANTONIO THAT DOES THIS.
THEY CLEAN THE STREETS, THEY PICK UP THE GARBAGE.
THEY'RE FUNDED BY A MANAGEMENT DISTRICT WHICH HAD SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 9 AND 15 CENTS PER 100 DOLLAR VALUATION.
THERE ARE A LOT OF CORPORATIONS DOWN THERE, SO IT'S A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT.
IT'S ALSO A CITY OF 2 MILLION PEOPLE, SO THERE'S THAT DIFFERENCE, BUT THAT WAS THE FIRST THING WE TOOK OFF THE TABLE WAS THAT IN THE NOTION THAT THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT OF INCREASINGLY THE COST OF ANY AD VALOREM VALUES DOWNTOWN.
AS YOU'RE SAY, MAYOR, THIS IS PRIMARILY FUNDED BY VISITORS.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M GOING TO MENTION EVEN THOUGH IT'S A LITTLE OFF TOPIC, BUT WE WERE HAVING LUNCH THE OTHER DAY.
SOME PEOPLE CAN'T GET CONNECTED TO THE WI-FI AND I SHOWED THE MAYOR THE TRICK.
YOU SHUT YOUR WI-FI OFF AND THEN YOU'RE ABLE TO PAY FOR PARKING.
MAYBE WHAT WE NEED TO LOOK, MAYBE WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT WI-FI SYSTEM THAT PEOPLE ARE PAYING.
>> IT'S NOT OURS. XFINITY, THEY'VE DONE THEIR BEGINNING.
JUST BE ANYWHERE IN GALVESTON, IF YOU HAVE YOUR WI-FI ON, IT'S GOING TO SHOW WI-FI SOME PLACE.
>> [OVERLAPPING] IF YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR PARKING SOMETIMES IT'S EASIER TO SHUT YOUR WI-FI OFF AND YOU CAN PAY FOR YOUR PARKING, THEN YOU CAN TURN IT BACK ON.
>> [OVERLAPPING] THAT'S HAPPENED TO ME QUITE A BIT.
[OVERLAPPING] I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF TICKETS IN THE LAST TWO YEARS BECAUSE OF IT.
WILLIAM, YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING?
>> YEAH, I LIKE EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING HERE.
I JUST HAVE SOME JUST SIMPLE QUESTIONS MORE SO FROM OUR RECORD, JUST LOGISTICS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT HOW MUCH A DAY IS EXPECTED TO BE GENERATED [INAUDIBLE]?
[01:10:02]
>> I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THAT WAS [INAUDIBLE]
>> [NOISE] ANY OF THAT IS AN AVERAGE BECAUSE THE [OVERLAPPING] MONDAY.
WELL YOU HAVE MONDAY VERSUS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY [INAUDIBLE].
>> ITS AN AVERAGE. [NOISE] IT'S LOUD.
>> I THINK 950 DIVIDED BY SIX WAS $157,000 ON THE AVERAGE.
WHAT WE DID HERE WAS ASSUMED THAT SUNDAY WOULD GENERATE A $100,000, WHICH IS SOMETHING LESS THAN AN AVERAGE DAY JUST TO BE CONSERVATIVE.
>> AS FAR AS THIS PROGRAM I LIKE IT, BUT I'VE HAD SOME COUPLE OF COMMENTS FROM [NOISE] PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT IS, THEY LIKE THE IDEA, BUT IT IS ALMOST LOOKING LIKE PUTTING A BANDAGE ON THE PROBLEM BECAUSE YOU STILL HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO CONFUSE THE TRASH CANS, WE STILL HAVE THE SHOPS THAT ARE PROBABLY GOING TO DO THAT.
DO WE HAVE A PLAN ON HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THAT OR?
>> WELL, THAT'S SOMETHING OUR LITTLE MARSHAL HAS MADE SOME HEADWAY IN A MATTER OF EDUCATION AND A MATTER OF ENFORCEMENT.
>> WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT DAMIAN.
>> BARB MENTIONED IN SOME COMMENTS [OVERLAPPING].
>> BARB COME ON UP IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE?
>> THANKS. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, IS THIS CREW WILL COME IN AT SEVEN O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
THIS CREW WILL PROBABLY WILL START TWO OFF AT AROUND 11:00 OR 12:00, AND THEN A COUPLE MORE WILL COME IN LATER IN THE DAY.
THAT WHY WE GET COVERAGE TO PROBABLY EIGHT OR NINE O'CLOCK AT NIGHT DEPENDING ON A HOLIDAY, HOLIDAY WEEKEND ON WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE FIGURE OUT FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAYS ARE GOING TO BE OUR BUSY DAY.
SO THE BULK OF THE INDIVIDUALS WILL BE WORKING IN THOSE DAYS AND WE'LL STAG OUR MATH.
>> IF I MAY, GALVESTON IS ALSO WORKING ON THIS PROBLEM FROM THE EDUCATION SIDE.
BOTH AS PART OF THE GREEN INITIATIVE OR BLUE WATER INITIATIVE, TO EDUCATE CHILDREN AND TO GET VISITORS TO BUY INTO LIVING HERE FOR A WEEK OR A WEEKEND, AS OPPOSED TO JUST VISITING.
TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE TO TAKE THEIR [INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER] WITH THEM.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THIS IS A PERENNIAL PROBLEM ON THE BEACH.
BUT IT'S THE SAME ISSUE WE HAVE DOWNTOWN.
WHAT HE WAS REFERRING TO, BUSINESS IS USING DOWNTOWN TRASH CANS AND THAT'S A PROBLEM WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOREVER.
AGAIN, THAT'S THE MARSHAL ONE.
>> IN THAT HAVING THE STAFF DOWN THERE NOW, WHERE IF THEY SEE A THING THEY CAN REPORT IT TO THE MARSHAL AND WE CAN RE-INSTATE. [OVERLAPPING]
>> THERE IS ALWAYS A PICTURE, EVERYBODY HAS AN IPHONE.
>> WE ARE TEAMING WITH PARK BOARD AND CBB TO DO MORE EDUCATION ABOUT TAKE PACK IT AND PACK IT OUT, NOT LEAVE IT IN THE STREETS.
>> OUR STAFF WILL PROBABLY GET TO KNOW THE MARSHAL STAFF VERY WELL BECAUSE THEY'LL BE WORKING WITH THEM DOWNTOWN AND IF THEY SEE THERE'S AN ISSUE THEY'LL LET THEM KNOW.
>> WE TALKED ABOUT LITTER AND ESPECIALLY ON THE BEACH AND IT REALLY JUST GOES DOWN TO EDUCATION AND THAT'S SO HARD TO DO BECAUSE YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT COME FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES.
WE CAN EDUCATE PEOPLE IN THE OUT SUMMER, THERE REALLY IS SOME HORROR STORIES ON THE BEACH.
I WAS WORKING AS A KID, PEOPLE JUST LEAVE EVERYTHING ON THEIR TRASH AND EXPECTS SOMEBODY ELSE'S PICK IT UP.
>> YEAH, WE NEED TO GROW UP, TAKE CARE OF THAT.
>> [OVERLAPPING] YOU'D BE SURPRISED. [INAUDIBLE]
>>IT'S SO HARD TO ENFORCE IT BECAUSE YOU'D HAVE TO PROVE TIPS, [OVERLAPPING] AND THOSE WHOLE THINGS AND THAT'S WHY THERE'S SO FEW LITTER TICKETS WRITTEN NATIONWIDE.
>> ALL RIGHT. A COUPLE MORE, SO WHEN WE PICK UP TRASH, WILL WE HAVE A CENTRALIZED LOCATION THAT TRASH GOES?
>> ACTUALLY, WE ARE PROPOSING IN OUR BUDGET TO HAVE, IT'S NOT THE LARGE DUMP TRUCK, IT'S THE MEDIUM-SIZED DUMP TRUCK AND AFFORD ALL TRUCKS THAT WE CAN CARRY UP A POWER WASHER AND POWER WASHING WILL PROBABLY HAPPEN WE'RE HOPING ONCE A MONTH.
>> WE MAY ACTUALLY WORK WITH THE DUMP TRAILER AND PARK AT SOMEPLACE SO WE CAN DEPOSIT THE TRASH IN IT AND THAT THE END OF SHIFT THEY TAKE IT.
>> [OVERLAPPING] SO THERE WILL BE A LOCATION DOWNTOWN THAT'S JUST A GIANT?
>> ONE MORE, NOW WITH STAFFING, WE'RE REALLY GOING TO HAVE FOUR PERSON CREW TO DO THIS?
>> CREW LATER, YES FIVE PEOPLE.
>> PROBABLY LATER AND THEY WILL MAKE ABOUT, $15, $16 AN HOUR I THINK THAT WAS ON THERE?
>> MARK CONCERNED WITH THAT, I'M SURE YOU ARE PREPARED FOR IT, BUT WHEN WE SAY THE HOURS OF 11:00 TO 2:00 AND THEN FROM MAY TO AUGUST, I'M GOING TO SAY THE HEAT OF THE DAY, WHAT CAUTIONS OR PREPARATIONS WE HAVE FOR OUR CREW? [OVERLAPPING]
>> ACTUALLY, CURRENTLY OUR STAFF WORKS OUT IN THE HEAT.
>> FIVE DAYS A WEEK, MOWER GRASS, FOREMAN, PICKING UP TRASH.
I THINK THEIR BODY CONDITIONS TO SOME DEGREE, BUT YES, WE SUPPLY WATER AND WE DO SUPPLY GUIDE RIDE AND WE DO MAKE SURE THEY TAKE THE BREAKS.
[01:15:02]
>>THEY HAVE TWO BREAKS A DAY, BUT IF SOMEBODY IS REALLY FEELING THE HEAT, WE WILL ASK SOMEONE TO GO SIT IN THE TRUCK FOR AWHILE.
WE ARE REAL CONSCIENCE ABOUT THAT BECAUSE ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE MOWING THE CEMETERY.
>> THAT'S ANOTHER HEAT FAR PLACE, BECAUSE THE SUN COMES DOWN AND SETS DOWN AND IT'S LIKE A FURNACE OUT THERE.
>> THANK YOU. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
>> DAVID, JUST BEFORE WE LEAVE THIS TOPIC FOR THE PUBLIC SAKE, WOULD YOU LET THEM KNOW THE HOURS AGAIN OF OPERATION DOWN THERE AND THE BOUNDARIES FOR PARKING WHERE THERE IS [INAUDIBLE] [OVERLAPPING].
>> HOURS OF OPERATION WILL BE CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, 9:00 AM TO 6:00 PM.
>> I HAD THAT SAME QUESTION BUT IT IS 9:00 TO 6:00.
>> THE BOUNDARIES ARE FROM HARBOR SIDE TO CHURCH.
CHURCH STREET ITSELF IS NOT INCLUDED.
HARBOR SIDE ITSELF IS NOT INCLUDED.
THERE IS NO OF PARKING ON HARBOR SIDE FROM 19TH TO 25TH.
TWENTY FIFTH IS INCLUDED, BUT I THINK IT'S ONLY THE WESTERN SIDE.
>> HAS IT ALWAYS BEEN DONE THAT FAR?
>> THAT'S THE CURRENT THAT WE HAVE, WE'RE NOT EXPANDING THAT.
>> [OVERLAPPING] I WANTED THE INDIVIDUALS TO KNOW IF THIS IS NOT EXPANDING.
>> YOUR FREE PARKING ON CHURCH OR YOU COULD CHOOSE OUR PARKING ON CHURCH REMAINS INSIDE, I USE THAT EXTENSIVELY.
>> I WOULD NOT DARE TO HEAR A RUMOR THAT THE POWER WASH WILL BE NAMED TRAY. IS THAT CORRECT? [LAUGHTER].
>> WHERE DID YOU GET THAT FROM? [LAUGHTER] [NOISE].
>> THANK YOU, BARBRA VERY MUCH.
>> WELL, I THINK YOU ASKED MOST OF MY QUESTIONS, ESPECIALLY THE LOCATION WHERE THE TRASH WOULD BE DUMPED, YOU'VE HANDLED THAT.
THERE'S 600 PARKING SPACES [OVERLAPPING].
I ACTUALLY NOTED IT AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS OPPOSED TO THE BEAUTIFICATION BECAUSE [OVERLAPPING] I GOT IN EMAILS AND CALLS TO AS WELL SAYING, "HEY, THIS ISN'T GOOD, I AGREE OR DISAGREE." BUT I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
ALL THE ADJECTIVES YOU ALL USED IN DESCRIBING DOWNTOWN.
I JUST HOPE THAT ONE DAY WE CAN EXTEND THOSE FOUND IN THESE MORE OR LESS.
>> IF I MAY, WE TALKED ABOUT THEM, BUT COMING UP WEST MARKET BUT I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO START CHARGING FOR PARKING OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO GET ACCUSTOMED TO THAT BEING AN EXTENSION OF DOWNTOWN BECAUSE THE BUSINESS IS GOING SO WELL OUT THERE, BUT WE NEED A LOT MORE GROWTH IN THAT AREA IF WE'RE GOING TO START CALLING THAT PART DOWNTOWN.
WHEN IS THIS START DATE FOR THE INCREASE?
>> GOOD QUESTION. WE HAD TALKED ABOUT APRIL 1, BUT PROBABLY MAY 1, BE MAY ONE WILL BE MORE PRACTICAL [OVERLAPPING].
>> WE'RE GOING TO GET THE SIGNS CHANGED, AND GET EVERYTHING REPROGRAMMED AND ALL THAT.
SO I WOULD CERTAINLY THINK BEFORE MEMORIAL DAY.
>> LAST THING I HEARD SIGNAGE, WE SHOULD CONSIDER SIGNAGE THAT WOULD SAY, IF YOU WANT TO SAVE THAT, PACK IT IN, PACK IT OUT, BUT SOME SIGNAGE THAT WILL REMIND PEOPLE, HEY, YOU NEED TO [LAUGHTER] PICK UP BEHIND YOURSELF. YOU NEED TO CLEAN UP. [OVERLAPPING].
>> YEAH. SOMETHING MEAN THAT WOULD, SAY SOMETHING ABOUT GALVESTON.
>> SIGNS WITH DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD DOWNTOWN ARE MANY. [OVERLAPPING]
>> [OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER] I WOULD MAKE A COMMENT TO THAT.
WE'RE TALKING TO VISIT GALVESTON ABOUT HELPING US REPLACE ALL OF THE GARBAGE CANS DOWNTOWN TO MAKE THEM MORE ATTRACTIVE AND LITTLE MORE OBVIOUS.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL BE INCREASING THE NUMBER OF THEM NECESSARILY, BUT MAKE IT MORE OBVIOUS SO WE CAN BRAND THEM.
>> CURRENTLY, I THINK THERE'S 125 CANS.
WE'RE MISSING ABOUT EIGHT WE COUNTED BECAUSE WE CAN SEE WHERE THEY MARKED [NOISE] THEY WERE SPACED OUT FOR.
>> WHERE DID THEY GO? [NOISE] [LAUGHTER]
>> [LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING] I THINK YOU MAY HAVE TRASHED.
>> I THINK YOU HIT BY CARS AND THEY ROT OFF.
>> I THINK SOME OF THEM HAVE ROTTED OFF.
>> THESE ARE CANS WITH TOPS ON THEM, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THE ONES WE WILL PUT IN, YES.
>> YOU NEED TO HAVE TOPS DOWN THERE.
>> BETTER LINERS AND WE WILL PUT PLASTIC LINERS [INAUDIBLE] TO PULL.
THAT'S A HUGE EXPENSE BUT IT'S CLEANER AND THE LINERS THAT ARE IN THESE DECORATIVE CANS WILL STAY LONGER.
THANK YOU, DAVID, FOR BRINGING THAT FORWARD, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO DOWNTOWN.
WE'LL VOTE ON THAT THIS AFTERNOON.
[OVERLAPPING] THANK YOU, MIKE, APPRECIATE IT.
LET'S MOVE TO ITEM 3D PLEASE, JANELLE.
[3.D. Discussion Of The City Marshal Program (Brown/Robb/Schuster - 30 Min) ]
>> [INAUDIBLE] 3D, DISCUSSION OF THE CITY MARSHAL PROGRAM.
>> COUNCIL, AS YOU KNOW, ALL OF US HAVE BEEN RECEIVING INPUT FROM INDIVIDUALS ABOUT THE CITY MARSHAL PROGRAM.
[01:20:08]
IT'S ON THE AGENDA TODAY SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS THE PROGRAM AND, BUTCH, COME ON OVER AND HAVE A SEAT IF YOU WOULD, SIR, ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL, [BACKGROUND] GIVE TIME FOR COUNCIL TO GIVE INPUT ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC AND TO VISIT WITH STEPH ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC.FOR THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE SOMEWHAT NEW ON THE COUNCIL, JUST A LITTLE HISTORY ON THE MARSHALS.
THEY WERE APPROVED IN 2016 BY COUNCIL HERE.
BEFORE THAT TIME, CODE ENFORCEMENT WAS MANAGED BY CIVILIAN CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
THERE WERE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH REQUIRING A CERTIFIED PEACE OFFICER ON CERTAIN ACTIVITIES WHO HAVE CODE ENFORCEMENT AND WE WERE UTILIZING GPD OFFICERS TO PERFORM THOSE FUNCTIONS.
AS SOON AS THAT WAS PASSED BY COUNCIL, WE AUTOMATICALLY STARTED TO SEE SUCCESS WITH THE PROGRAM.
THE CITY MARSHAL PROGRAM WAS IN ADDITIONAL CODE ENFORCEMENT, WAS REALLY REQUESTED BY THE CITIZENRY.
IN 2016, COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE GETTING FROM ALL THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CITY.
WE NEED TO HAVE MORE CODE ENFORCEMENT ON THIS ISLAND.
SOON AS IT WAS PASSED IN 2016, WE SAW MORE CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES OCCURRING, WE SAW GPD NOW BEING RELEASED TO GO BACK ON THE STREETS TO FIGHT CRIME AND THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO, AND WE ALSO SAW A COST-SAVINGS OCCUR AT THE CITY BUDGET.
IT HAS BEEN MOVING FORWARD THAT WAY FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
CURRENTLY, WE HAVE FOUR MARSHALS THAT ARE IN THE FIELD RIGHT NOW.
IT'S A MINORITY NUMBER OF ALL THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE, BUT FOR THOSE IN THE FIELD, OUR CITY MARSHALS WITH OUR CERTIFIED PEACE OFFICERS THAT ARE DOING THE DUTIES THAT GPD USED TO DO.
ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES NOW THAT THE MARSHALS ARE ADDRESSING, AND THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE ADDRESSING, ARE COMPLAINT-DRIVEN.
AROUND 95 PERCENT OF ALL THE ACTIVITIES OF THE MARSHALS IS COMING FROM COMPLAINTS OF OUR CITIZENS.
I GO TO A LOT OF HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, ATTENDED ONE HERE JUST RECENTLY.
SHARON, YOU WERE AT THAT IN WILLIAMS-BORDEN.
MOST OF THE QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE DIDN'T INVOLVE SHARON, DIDN'T INVOLVE ME, AND YOU WERE THERE TOO, WILLIAM, IT DIDN'T INVOLVE WILLIAM.
IT INVOLVED THE MARSHALS AND CODE ENFORCEMENT AND THEY HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT WANTING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE GOOD CODE ENFORCEMENT IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THESE MARSHALS, IT'S A THANKLESS JOB, AND THESE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, IT'S A THANKLESS JOB.
THEY WORKED VERY, VERY HARD AND IT'S ALL FOR THE BENEFIT OF THIS COMMUNITY.
THE MARSHAL PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY PARKING REVENUE, AND IT IS COMING OUT OF THE BUDGET OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
THESE ARE NOT FUNDS THAT WERE TAKEN FROM GALVESTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ESTABLISH THIS MARSHAL PROGRAM.
>> THE ONLY THING WE TOOK FROM PD WERE SOME OF THEIR OLD CARS THAT WERE COMING UP FOR AUCTION, THE MARSHAL REDEPLOYING.
>> CORRECT. WE HAVE HAD CONCERNS GENERATED BY THE PUBLIC.
I THINK ALL OF US HERE FEEL THAT IF THERE ARE CONCERNS GENERATED, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT.
WE NEED TO SEE WHAT THOSE ARE AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY CHANGES POTENTIALLY THAT NEEDS TO BE HANDLED TO ADDRESS THESE.
BUT THAT IS A BIG IF AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS THIS.
THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT IT PERSONALLY AND LOOKING AT SOME OF THE DIALOGUE I'VE HAD WITH CITIZENS, I THINK THAT THE CONCERNS THAT I'M GETTING ARE RISING FROM TWO AREAS.
ONE IS THE CODES THAT ARE BEING ENFORCED BY THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND THE MARSHALS, I THINK IN SOME AREAS, NEED TO BE UPGRADED.
THEY'RE PROBABLY SULLY AND DON'T APPLY TO WHAT WE CURRENTLY DO TODAY.
>> OR THEY CONFLICT IN SOME WAY WITH OTHER LDR REGULATIONS THAT WE HAVE.
[01:25:03]
I'VE ASKED FOR STEPH, AND BUTCH HAS PROVIDED THAT.I'VE ASKED FOR STEPH AND BUTCH TO GIVE A LIST, AND IT'S IN YOUR HANDOUTS TODAY, OF THE TOP 25 ACTIONS THAT THE MARSHALS ARE INVOLVED WITH ON THIS LAST YEAR.
I'VE TALKED WITH BRIAN ABOUT THIS AND WE'RE GOING TO BRIAN, WE'LL BE BRINGING FORWARD FROM WORKING WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AT SOME OF THESE CODES AND ORDINANCES [NOISE] THAT ARE CAUSING CONFUSION BECAUSE THE MARSHALS DON'T INTERPRET, THE MARSHALS ENFORCE, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS COMMUNITY WANTS.
>> IT GOES BACK. A PRIME EXAMPLE IS THE REZONING OUT THERE AT THE RV PARK.
WE CAME IN AND DID LDRS AND MADE CHANGES, BUT WE DIDN'T GO BACK AND LOOK WITH EVERYTHING.
SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY DOING THIS.
I TALKED TO WILLIAM ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY.
WE PASSED AN ORDINANCE SPECIFIC TO SURREYS ON THE SEAWALL.
WELL, SURREYS ARE THE LEAST OF YOUR CONCERN RIGHT NOW.
THEN YOU HAD GOLF CARTS, SO THEN WE PASS AN ORDINANCE FOR GOLF CARTS.
WELL, THEN WE HAVE NOW ELECTRIC MINIBIKES.
WE KEEP PASSING ORDINANCES, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING BACK AND CHANGING THE OTHER THINGS THAT GO ALONG WITH IT, SO YOU END UP WITH ALL THESE CONFLICTS.
BUTCH DEALS WITH [INAUDIBLE] OVER IN LEGAL ON THIS ALL THE TIME BECAUSE CODE SAYS THIS AND IT'S CLEARLY A VIOLATION.
BUT THE CODE SAYS THIS OVER HERE.
WELL, WE SHOULD HAVE CHANGED THAT.
WELL, WE DIDN'T AND THAT'S A PROBLEM, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN OUR CITIZENS GET CAUGHT UP IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THAT.
THEN I KNOW BUTCH IS REALLY GOOD ABOUT STOPPING, CALLING, PLANNING.
BUT THEN WE'RE DOWN TO A VERY SUBJECTIVE, "WELL, WHAT DID WE REALLY MEAN WITH THAT, OR WHAT DID WE MEAN WITH THAT?" YOU CAN'T HAVE THAT VAGUENESSES.
WE DON'T POST SPEED LIMITS THAT SAY SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 30 AND 40.
WE POST A SPEED LIMIT THAT SAYS A CERTAIN THING AND THAT'S WHAT THE POLICE OFFICERS ENFORCE.
OUR CODES ARE NOT THAT SPECIFIC, SO WE REALLY NEED TO DO THAT AND BY TAKING THE TOP 25, WE CAN GO THROUGH THERE AND WE CAN SEE EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
THE OTHER THING, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU FIX THIS, IS THAT WE ARE, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, ALMOST 100 PERCENT COMPLAINT-DRIVEN IN THE MARSHAL'S OFFICE.
I WISH WE HAD ENOUGH MARSHALS TO PROACTIVELY GO AROUND AND DO THE HIGH WEEDS AND GRASS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT BOTHER PEOPLE.
BUT WE MIGHT PRIMARILY WORK COMPLAINT-DRIVEN.
A LOT OF TIMES FROM WHAT I'VE WITNESSED WHEN PEOPLE CALL, ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES TO EAT IS OPENING UP ON 45TH IN BROADWAY AND THOSE POOR PEOPLE, I DON'T KNOW WHO THEY'VE MADE MAD, BUT THEY'VE GOT PEOPLE BLOWING BUTCH UP COMPLAINING ABOUT EVERY TIME THEY DO SOMETHING OVER THERE.
ONE CITIZEN'S COMPLAINT IS NO LESS OR MORE THAN ANOTHER ONE, SO YOU TRY TO INVESTIGATE IT, BUT THEN THEY FEEL LIKE, "MAN, WHY ARE YOU PICKING ON ME?" "WELL, WE'RE NOT PICKING ON YOU, BUT WE CONTINUE TO GET COMPLAINTS OVER AND OVER AGAIN." THEY USE THE MARSHAL AS A BATTERING RAM.
WE USED TO HAVE THIS SOMEWHAT WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT, BUT MORE SO NOW THAT WE'VE REALLY STEPPED UP OUR ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS, IT BECOMES AN ISSUE.
SAME THING WITH THE GOLF CART VENDORS.
IF YOU REVIEW THE VIDEOS, HALF THE VIDEOS ARE THEM TURNING IN EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE THING.
WE TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY AND WE GO BACK OUT AND WE DO THAT, BUT THAT BECOMES A REAL ISSUE.
I GUESS IF EVERYBODY FOLLOWED THE CODE, IT WOULDN'T BE THAT BIG OF AN ISSUE.
BUT WHEN WE RUN OFF A COMPLAINT-DRIVEN THING, I COULD SEE HOW PEOPLE FEEL THAT WAY.
THE OTHER THING IS, IS THAT ONE OTHER THING BUTCH IS REALLY GOOD ABOUT THAT WE DID NOT HAVE BEFORE IS FOLLOW-UP.
IF BUTCH RECEIVES A COMPLAINT ON SPECIFIC PROPERTY, HE GOES BACK AND HE FOLLOWS UP ON IT.
SOME PEOPLE SAY, "YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN HERE ONCE, WHY ARE YOU COMING BACK AGAIN?" WELL, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CITIZENS COMPLAINED ABOUT BEFORE WAS THAT YOU WOULD COME OUT AND YOU WOULD ISSUE A CITATION OR YOU WOULD PAY A VISIT.
MOST VISITS DON'T END IN CITATION, MOST OF THEM END UP WITH US COUNCIL AND SAY, "HEY, YOU REALLY NEED TO CUT THIS OR YOU REALLY NEED TO DO SOMETHING HERE." WELL, THEY SAY, "YOU CAME AND YOU DID.
YOU NEVER CAME BACK TO SEE THAT HE DID." WHEN WE STARTED DOING FOLLOW-UP, WELL THEN IT BECAME, "WELL, NOW YOU'RE PICKING ON ME BECAUSE YOU'RE COMING BACK, YOU WERE JUST HERE LAST WEEK." "WELL, YEAH, WE WERE AND WE GAVE YOU 10 DAYS.
WE HAVE TO FOLLOW UP. THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE DO." BUTCH KEEPS A GOOD RECORD OF THAT, SO HE GOES BACK AND DOES IT.
A LOT OF IT IS THE NATURE OF THE BEAST.
I'LL TELL YOU, I'VE PROBABLY WATCHED MARSHAL VIDEOS TILL MY EYES HAVE CROSSED AND ONE, I DON'T WANT BUTCH'S JOB.
TWO, I DON'T WANT YOUR CIVILIAN PEOPLE'S JOB BECAUSE THEY GET TREATED WORSE THAN YOUR LAW ENFORCEMENT MARSHALS DO.
JUST YESTERDAY, MARIE CALLED IN A COMPLAINT.
WE'VE GOT A HOUSE, IT'S BEING BUILT OUT IN SEAWALL.
[LAUGHTER] OUR BUILDING OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN OUT THERE TWICE.
>> SURE, AND RAISED THE PROPERTY HIGHER THAN THE NEXT [OVERLAPPING].
>> OUR BUILDING OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN OUT THERE MULTIPLE TIMES.
[01:30:04]
THE FEAR OF THE STRONGLY WORDED LETTER DOESN'T CARRY MUCH WEIGHT ANYMORE.WE HAD TO SEND THE MARSHALL OUT THERE BECAUSE IT BECOMES MUCH OF AN ISSUE, BUT THE MAN NEXT DOOR WHO'S GOT LEGITIMATE CONCERNS ABOUT HIS PROPERTY BEING FLOODED OUT BY THIS.
>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. HE DESERVES TO HAVE THAT LEVEL OF ENFORCEMENT.
WELL, WE SENT THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT OUT THERE, WE RED TAG IT.
WELL, THAT RED TAG IS NOT GOING TO HOLD BACK THE WATER FROM THAT MAN'S PROPERTY BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL WORKING. THEY KEPT WORKING.
>> UNTIL WE SET THE MARSHALL OUT THERE, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE GOT THEM TO STOP.
I ENCOURAGE ANYBODY THAT HAS AN ISSUE WITH THE MARSHALL, LET US KNOW.
WE HAVE A VERY THOROUGH INVESTIGATION PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH.
BUTCH, SENDS US A LOT OF VIDEOS AS HE KNOWS AND WE VIEW THEM UNREDACTED.
ONE THING I DON'T TOLERATE AND YOU WON'T SEE THIS IN ANY OF MY DEPARTMENTS AND IF YOU DO, SOMEBODY NEEDS TO LET ME KNOW, NOBODY IS GOING TO GET TREATED DISRESPECTFULLY.
THAT GOES FOR OUR POLICE FIRE ANYBODY. I'M PROUD OF MYSELF.
OUR POLICE OFFICERS ARE PART OF THE REASON THAT WE DO SUCH A GOOD JOB IN GALVESTON WITH VISITORS IS BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY PROFESSIONAL WITH OUR VISITORS.
THEY'RE FIRM BUT PROFESSIONAL.
BUTCH WAS A GALVESTON POLICE OFFICER.
HE WAS A MOTORCYCLE COP, ALMOST WAS BRED TO DO THIS.
[LAUGHTER] HIS SON DOES IT NOW.
>> THE COMPLAINTS COMING IN, AS WE ALL KNOW, ADHERE TOO, I THINK THE CONFUSION WITH THE CODES AND ALSO THERE'S COMPLAINTS ABOUT METHODS OF ENFORCEMENT.
WE HAVE A PROGRAM FOR IDENTIFYING THOSE, A HOTLINE, YOU CAN EVEN FILE ANONYMOUSLY IF YOU WANT TO.
>> I WILL SAY IT WAS JUST FOR THE RECORD.
YOU EMAIL US BECAUSE THIS HAPPENS.
IF YOU EMAIL US A COMPLAINT, THE MARSHALL GOES OUT.
TYPICALLY, THE PERSON THAT'S UPSET THAT THE MARSHALL WENT OUT ON WILL OPEN RECORDS REQUEST, WHO COMPLAINED ON ME.
IF THEY CALLED US, TYPICALLY, WE NEVER TELL THEM.
BUT IF THEY OPEN RECORDS REQUEST AND IT'S AN EMAIL, WELL, THEN THEY FIND OUT WHO COMPLAINED ON THEM, THEN THEY START COMPLAINING ON THEM AND IT GOES BACK AND FORTH.
[NOISE] IF YOU CALL US, WE'LL NEVER TELL WHO CALLED.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU IF YOU EMAIL US, THAT IS A PUBLIC RECORD AND PEOPLE CAN FIND THAT OUT.
>> THERE'S A CERTAIN LEVEL OF SIBLING RIVALRY BETWEEN BUSINESSES.
I SEE THIS DONE ALL THE TIME, THAT TIT FOR TAT.
SOMETIMES IT'S ACTUAL SIBLINGS [LAUGHTER] RIDING EACH OTHER OUT ON MINOR THINGS.
I SYMPATHIZE THE MARSHALL HAS TO RESPOND TO THE TRIVIAL COMPLAINTS THE SAME WAY HE DOES TO THE MAJOR COMPLAINTS, THAT IS, HE'S GOT TO TAKE ACTION. YOU WERE SAYING THAT.
>> I JUST WANTED TO FINISH UP THAT THE ENFORCEMENT METHODS AND SO FORTH IS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WE'RE HEARING.
WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THOSE PROPERLY AND WE HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE YOU COULD REPORT THOSE, WE CAN EVALUATE THEM, AND ADDRESS THOSE AS NEEDED OUT THERE.
I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER ON THIS, NONE OF US WOULD STAND FOR DISRESPECTFUL ATTITUDE TOWARDS OUR CITIZEN NO MATTER WHO THE CITY EMPLOYEE IS.
LET'S GET SOME DISCUSSIONS. MARIE?
>> SURE. I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, AND I HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS, AND I HAVE SOME COMMENTS.
WHAT IS THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF PEACE OFFICERS THAT ARE EMPLOYED IN THE MARSHALL'S DEPARTMENT BECAUSE I'VE HEARD 4, 5, 6, AND 7 [NOISE] FROM MANAGEMENT AND THEN YOU JUST SAID FOUR.
>> JUST IN THE FIELD, FOUR. WE HAVE MORE HERE.
>> I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE ACTUAL NUMBER IS.
>> THE NUMBER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IS SEVEN.
HOWEVER, OF THOSE SEVEN, ONE OF THEM IS ASSIGNED TO MUNICIPAL COURT AND WARDS.
ONE OF THEM IS ASSIGNED TO CITY HALL SECURITY.
ONE OF THEM IS ASSIGNED TO GROUND TRANSPORTATION, RECORD ENFORCEMENT, ABANDONED VEHICLES, AND GOLF CART REGISTRATIONS.
WHEN YOU TAKE THOSE THREE OUT OF THE SEVEN, NOW YOU HAVE FOUR THAT ARE ON THE STREET.
THOSE ARE LAW ENFORCEMENT [INAUDIBLE] I HAVE THREE CIVILIAN CODE ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATORS.
WHEN YOU PUT THOSE THREE BACK, WE'RE BACK TO SEVEN COVERING THE ENTIRE ISLAND.
>> YOUR TOTAL DEPARTMENT, HOW MANY EMPLOYEES?
>> THE TOTAL INCLUDING PARKING AND ADMINISTRATION?
>> THE NEXT, AND THIS IS MORE OF A SUGGESTION.
WE KNOW COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE COME OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS AND
[01:35:03]
SO FOR VIDEOS THAT HAVE BEEN OUT THERE.I KNOW THE MAYOR HAS MENTIONED TO ME THAT HE RECEIVED THE VIDEO, THE CAMERA VIDEO.
I WOULD REQUEST THE MANAGEMENT THAT IF YOU'RE SENDING OUT VIDEOS [INAUDIBLE] YOU SEND IT OUT TO EVERYONE ON THE COUNCIL.
>> WE DIDN'T SEND IT TO MARIE, HE CAME IN AND VIEWED [OVERLAPPING] YOUR WELCOME.
WHAT WE'LL DO IS IS IF A COUNCIL MEMBER REQUESTS TO VIEW ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT VIDEO FROM THE POLICE OR THE MARSHALL, THEY WILL SEND OUT A NOTICE THAT WE HAVE IT AVAILABLE IN THE OFFICE OF SOMEBODY.
IT'S EASIER. SOMETIMES THEY'RE TOO MUCH.
>> I JUST THINK THAT SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO EVERY COUNCIL PERSON.
>> THE OTHER THING THAT I GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS OR CONCERNS IS THAT THE APPROACH OF THE MARSHALLS, WHETHER IT'S A BUILDING SITE OR WHATNOT, AND I RECEIVE THIS FROM A NUMBER OF BUILDERS.
I CALL YOU A LOT TO MY DISTRICT BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF OPEN LAND.
BUT A MARSHALL APPROACHING WITH THEIR HAND ON THEIR GUN IS PERHAPS NOT THE FRIENDLIEST APPROACH, AND I'M NOT THERE.
I DON'T SEE IT, IT COULD BE A HE SAID, SHE SAID WHATNOT.
BUT LET'S SAY THE HOT ISSUE OR ANYTHING THAT'S A QUESTION WITH A PEACE OFFICER, WHETHER IT'S A POLICEMAN OR A MARSHALL, AND LET'S SAY THE CURRENT HOT ISSUE THAT FINAL THIS OUT, WHY WOULDN'T WE REFER THAT TO THE CITIZEN REVIEW BOARD? BECAUSE IT REALLY IS NO DIFFERENT THAN A COMPLAINT AGAINST A POLICE OFFICER.
>> WE'VE NOT RECEIVED AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT FROM THE PERSON THAT WAS ARRESTED, MARIE.
>> THERE HAS BEEN NO COMPLAINT FILED?
>> WELL, WE HAVEN'T BEEN TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OUR CITIZEN REVIEW BOARD.
>> I THINK THAT'S A GOOD POINT, MARIE.
I THINK IT'S IN OUR LIST OF COMMITTEES AS CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD.
>> THEY HAVEN'T MET WELL BEFORE COVID.
THEY ARE ALL EAGER, THEY DID RECENT TRAINING.
I GET CALLS FROM [OVERLAPPING]
>> I DON'T THINK BUTCH WOULD OBJECT TO THAT BEING, WE DIDN'T HAVE IT REVIEWED BY GPD.
>> I KNOW, BUT IT'S STILL, I MEAN, THAT'S [OVERLAPPING].
>> WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
>> IT'S STILL GOOD TO HAVE THAT REVIEWED BY THE OUTSIDE.
>> WE WOULD NEED AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT FROM THE PERSON INVOLVED IN THE INCIDENT.
MY UNDERSTANDING ARE THAT IF SOMEBODY SUBMITS A COMPLAINT, IT'S REVIEWED BY YOU, BUTCH.
>> THE COMPLAINT ON ANOTHER DEPUTY? OR?
>> YES. OR ANYBODY IN YOUR DEPARTMENT?
>> SURE. I WOULD REVIEW EVERY ONE OF THE SUBORDINATES, AND DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF THE COMPLAINT, WHAT THE INVESTIGATION WOULD SHOW, IT WOULD MOVE FORWARD AND I WOULD MOVE IT UP THE LADDER TO MY SUPERIOR.
>> THEN IT WOULD COME TO OUR OFFICE.
>> I GUESS YOU HAVE TO INITIATE THAT MOVING IT FORWARD.
>> IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WOULD APPEAR TO BE ABNORMAL OR WRONG, IT WOULD DEFINITELY GET MOVED UP. EVERYTHING UP [OVERLAPPING]
>> I'LL TELL YOU TO JUMP ON IT.
MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT COME IN, WE ASK BUTCH TO DROP THE VIDEO AND ROBBIE REVIEWS IT FIRST AND IT COMES TO US.
>> I DON'T KNOW OF ANY COMPLAINT THAT BUTCH HAS SINGLY REVIEWED AND THEN COME TO US.
>> THERE IS THE CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD.
>> [NOISE] THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO UNDERSTAND HERE.
IF A COMPLAINT ON A GPD OFFICER COMES IN, IT GETS REVIEWED BY THE CHIEF, THE CHIEF THEN SENDS IT UP TO [OVERLAPPING].
>> YES, DEPENDING ON, WELL IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT WITH THEM BECAUSE THERE'S SOME SERVICE, BUT IT WOULD PROBABLY BE REFERRED TO IF IT WAS SOMETHING SO OUTRAGEOUS IT WOULD GO TO IV.
>> THE POINT HERE BEING THAT THE CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD DOES NOT INITIATE ACTION.
>> I WANT TO CLARIFY THIS BECAUSE I LOOKED INTO THE CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD EXCUSE ME, JOHN. I'M SORRY.
DON LOOKED LIKE THEIR MISSION STATEMENT IS GEARED TO THE GALVESTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
>> WE WOULD HAVE TO FIT IT WITH THE MISSION STATEMENT AND INCLUDE MARSHALS. [OVERLAPPING].
>> HOW WOULD WE DO THAT? BY [INAUDIBLE], OR?
>> THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM AT ALL.
>> YEAH, WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT WOULD HAVE CITIZENS' INPUT, WOULD BE HELPFUL.
>> WHERE IS IT DATED ON THOSE PROCEDURES OR COMPLAINTS COMING TO THE MARSHAL'S OFFICE OR GPD, IT GOES TO THE CHIEF OR THE HEAD MARSHAL,
[01:40:02]
AND THEN MOVES ON FROM THERE. CAN WE [OVERLAPPING]>> WE HAVE WRITTEN PROCEDURES THAT WE HAD TO SUBMIT TO [INAUDIBLE] FOR THE CREATION OF THE MARSHAL'S DEPARTMENT.
JUST LIKE EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, THERE'S PROCEDURES IN PLACE. [OVERLAPPING]
>> THERE'S A COMPLAINT SECTION IN THERE?
>> OKAY. WELL, IF WE CAN MAYBE GET A COPY OF THAT THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
>> THEN I GUESS THAT'S A CONCERN THAT I HAVE AS WELL AS I HEAR FROM MANY CITIZENS THAT WE ARE CREATING A MINI POLICE DEPARTMENT WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE TAKING FUNDS [OVERLAPPING].
>> FORM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
>> THERE'S NO MAY OR MAY NOT ABOUT IT.
THAT IS A TERRIBLE THING THAT'S BEING SAID.
IT'S A DISSERVICE TO OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND A DISSERVICE TO OUR MARSHAL.
THERE WAS NO MONEY TAKEN FROM GPD AT ALL.
>> ACTUALLY, WHAT IT DID, AND MOST OF WHAT HE'S DOING WAS AT THE SUGGESTION AND REQUEST A PD BECAUSE [NOISE] THEY GOT TIRED OF SITTING ALL DAY WAITING ON JUNK VEHICLES AND EVERYTHING ELSE TO BE TOWED.
THEY'VE GOT TIRED OF SITTING IN A COURTROOM ALL DAY DOING BALER FORM.
THEY GOT TIRED OF SITTING DOWN HERE AT CITY HALL, WORKING SECURITY HERE AT THIS BUILDING.
ABSOLUTELY, IF ANYTHING, IT ADDED FUNDING BACK TO THE GPD.
>> IN THE INCIDENT OR NOT INCIDENT, HOW IT APPLIES TO VEHICLES; WE USED TO HAVE WHERE POLICE THEN BROUGHT THEIR VEHICLE HOME AND NOW WE NO LONGER DO THAT.
I KNOW THE MARSHAL DEPARTMENT HAS GOTTEN OLD POLICE VEHICLES, BUT THEY'VE ALSO GOTTEN NEW CARS.
>> THEY JUST RECEIVED, AND THEY'RE NOT EVEN IN SERVICE.
>> [OVERLAPPING] ON THE SAME SENSE, IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE OUR K9 OFFICERS THAT ARE DRIVING 2012 VEHICLES.
OR WE HAVE A SHORTAGE, I HEAR FROM THE POLICE, OF VEHICLES [OVERLAPPING]
>> BECAUSE BUTCH IS NOT BUYING POLICE PACKAGE CARS, HE'S BUYING REGULAR OLD CARS.
THEY HAVE VERY SPECIAL NEEDS AND WE'RE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME.
THEY JUST MOVED OUR MARCH DELIVERY BACK TO SEPTEMBER AS OF THIS WEEK ON THE FORD PICKUPS, THAT WE ARE WAITING ON, FOR PD.
THE CARS WE JUST BOUGHT, BUTCH, WERE STANDARD ISSUE EXPLORERS THAT ARE NOT CERTIFIED FOR POLICE USE.
HE DOESN'T PUT CAGES, WE DON'T DO THAT.
>> WELL, I MEAN, CITIZENS ARE CONCERNED, THEREFORE I'M CONCERNED. [OVERLAPPING]
>> SURE. THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY GIVE GOOD FACTUAL INFORMATION.
>> WE ALWAYS HAVE CONCERNS IN MY DISTRICT THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH POLICE, SO ONE, THAT'S WHY WE APPRECIATE THE MARSHAL BACK UP BUT I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON THAT ORDINANCE MAKE SURE IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PEACE OFFICERS OR MANY OTHER ORDINANCE POLICE FORCE, THEY NEED TO BE HELD TO THE SAME STANDARDS. [OVERLAPPING].
>> WHEN INCOMES, THE INCIDENCE AND SO FORTH.
>> ACTUALLY, THE CITIZENS SHOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE FACT THAT HE DOESN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH A CIVIL SERVICE PROCEDURE.
IF THERE'S AN ISSUE, IT'S IMMEDIATELY ADDRESSED.
>> JOHN, BEFORE WE TAKE OTHER QUESTIONS, DID YOU GET ALL YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED SIR?
>> I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, BUT I MEAN.
>> YOU BRING UP JUST ABOUT INFORMATION, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY THERE'S JUST SO MUCH TALK OUT THERE, IS BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH MISINFORMATION OUT THERE AND I DEFINITELY SUPPORT THE MARSHAL'S OFFICE.
I TRY TO DO THAT IN EVERY CONVERSATION THAT I HAVE, WHEN PEOPLE COME TO ME COMPLAINING ABOUT IT.
BUT IF WE CAN EDUCATE THE CITIZENS MORE I THINK, WOULD HELP TREMENDOUSLY.
TALKING ABOUT THEIR CARS COMPARED TO THE POLICE VEHICLES AND GABS VEHICLES, HOW THEY GET FUNDED VERSUS HOW GPD GETS FUNDED, THOSE THINGS ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I NEED TO EDUCATE MYSELF MORE ABOUT SO I CAN SPREAD THAT INFORMATION AS WELL.
BUTCH, WHAT IS YOUR OVERALL BUDGET EACH YEAR?
>> THERE'S PARKING ENFORCEMENT.
>> OKAY. WHERE DO THOSE FUNDS COME FROM? DOES IT ALL COME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND?
>> NO. A BIG CHUNK OF PARKING ENFORCEMENT COMES DOWN TO THE PARKING FEES.
>> WHICH ARE ONE PERCENT. [OVERLAPPING]
>> CAN YOU GIVE ME MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ON THAT?
>> YEAH, MIKE HAS ALL THAT. I'M SURE HE DOES.
>> THERE'S ACTUALLY A PIECE OF GENERAL FUND THAT INCLUDES SOME OF THE 40 PEOPLE THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.
>> I MEAN, A GOOD BREAKDOWN OF THAT WOULD PROBABLY GO A LONG WAY.
PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE INFORMATION OUT THERE TO SHOW THE PUBLIC.
>> WE TALKED ABOUT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
>> WHAT POINTS YOU TO THE PAGES OF THE BUDGET, I THINK.
[01:45:01]
>> PLEASE, IF YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, I'LL ANSWER.
>> YOU HAVE WHAT, FOUR PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS?
>> BUTCH, COULD YOU JUST PROBABLY GO INTO DETAIL ABOUT THIS.
JUST GIVE US SOME EXAMPLES ON WHERE YOU USE A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IN THE CORE ENFORCEMENT AREA.
BEFORE WE DIDN'T DO THAT, WE'D HAVE TO USE GPD.
CAN YOU GIVE US JUST A LITTLE BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF WHY WE NEED A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OUT THERE DOING THAT WORK?
>> ONE SYNOPSIS IS A HOT TOPIC, IS ABANDONED VEHICLES.
WE GET TONS AND TONS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT VEHICLES PARKED AT THE CURVE.
WE GO OUT THERE AND THE PROCESS IS TO DETERMINE IF IT'S PARKED.
IF IT'S ABANDONED, WE RED FLAG IT, WE COME BACK AFTER 48 HOURS AND DETERMINE IF IT'S BEEN REMOVED OR STILL IN VIOLATION, AND THEN IT'S TOWED.
LAW REQUIRES A PEACE OFFICER TO TOW A VEHICLE.
YOU CAN'T HAVE A CIVILIAN TOWING A VEHICLE.
GPD USED TO PAY OVERTIME FOR THAT, FOR OFFICERS TO ASSIST WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT TO TOTAL ABANDONED VEHICLES.
THAT TOOK THAT OFFICER OUT OF SERVICE TO COME OUT THERE AND HE HAD A MINIMUM OF 30 MINUTES, THAT'S IF EVERYTHING GOES WELL, 30 MINUTES PER CAR.
ANOTHER ONE IS WE GET COMPLAINTS ABOUT PEOPLE TAKING PAINT STUFF OFF THEIR HOUSE.
WHETHER THEY'RE SCRAPPING IT, WHETHER THEIR PRESSURE WASHING, HOWEVER THEY'RE GETTING IT OFF.
FIRST OFF, THEY DON'T HAVE A PERMIT TO DO THAT.
THEN SECOND OFF, THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ON THE GROUND TO CATCH THE PAINT.
IN THE PAST, THEY WOULD HAVE TO TRY TO CATCH THEM AND GET THEIR INFORMATION AND THEN SEND THEM CHARGES THROUGH THE MAIL, IF YOU WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THEM.
OF COURSE A LOT OF THEM, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE IDENTIFICATION WITH THEM.
WE DETERMINE YOU DON'T HAVE THE PERMIT, WE CATCH THE PEOPLE IN ACTION.
THEY ISSUE CITATIONS AT THE SCENE.
IT'S WHOEVER'S INVOLVED THERE, WHETHER IT'S THE CONTRACTOR OR WHOEVER THEY HAD, THE WORKERS, THAT'S WHO'S ISSUED THE CITATIONS BECAUSE THEY'RE IN VIOLATION, WHICH ENABLES US TO CURB THAT ACTIVITY.
WE SEE THAT PAINT RUNNING INTO THE GUTTER.
WE SEE IT IN THE GROUND, WE SEE IT EVERYWHERE.
IN THE NEIGHBOR'S YARDS, WHEREVER THE WIND MAY BLOW IT.
THAT ENABLES US TO ADDRESS IT IMMEDIATELY.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU ADDRESS THROUGH THE MAIL LATER.
ANOTHER ONE IS WE'VE TAKEN OVER THE WARRANTS.
WITH PANDEMIC, IT SLOWED THINGS DOWN, BUT WE'RE STILL MAKING OUR CONSCIOUS EFFORT OF TRYING TO CONTACT THESE PEOPLE WITH OUTSTANDING WARRANTS, GET THEM TO COME AND PAY.
IT'S GETTING WHERE THE JAIL WILL ACCEPT SOME PRISONERS, SO WE'RE TRYING TO CLEAR SOME OF THESE OUTSTANDING WARRANTS.
>> CAN I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THAT?
>> I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS [INAUDIBLE] WHO DID [OVERLAPPING].
>> IT USED TO BE GPD OFFICERS THAT DIDN'T.
>> [INAUDIBLE] DO CIVIL PROCESS.
THESE ARE MUTE TRAFFIC WARRANTS WITHOUT MUNICIPAL COURT.
WE'RE TRYING TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF WARRANTS AND COLLECT SOME MONEY THAT THEY OWED THE CITY.
>> I'LL GO. QUICK QUESTION, [INAUDIBLE]. [OVERLAPPING]
AS WE ALL KNOW GOLF CARTS IS A HOT TOPIC, BUT GETTING THEM TO COMPLY AND WE FIND THEM ON 75TH STREET ON SEAWALL, IT'S DANGEROUS OUT THERE.
WE SEE THEM RUNNING DOWN HARBOR SIDE, WE SEE THEM ON BROADWAY, WE SEE KIDS WITHOUT THE CHILD RESTRAINTS, WE SEE PEOPLE WITHOUT THEIR SEAT BELTS, WE SEE PEOPLE BRINGING THEIR GOLF CART DOWN HERE THERE'S NOT ANY PERMITS WITH NO SAFETY EQUIPMENT AT ALL.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PEACE OFFICER TO MAKE THE TRAFFIC STOP TO ISSUE THE CITATIONS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS SOLELY GPD ONLY.
THEY CAN STILL DO THAT, HOWEVER, IT ENABLES US TO DO THAT AS WELL AND THE COMPLIANCE IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GAIN.
>> THE OTHER THING YOU DO IS IN YOUR POLICING OF TAXIS IN RECORDS, IT TAKES A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER TO BE ABLE TO STOP A TAXI THAT'S OPERATING ILLEGALLY OR A RECORD IT'S OPERATING ILLEGALLY OR TO STOP ILLEGALLY OPERATING SHUTTLES, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THE INDUSTRY HAS ASKED US FOR.
TRUST ME, BECAUSE I'M ONE OF THESE NO REGULATION KIND OF
[01:50:01]
GUYS AND WHEN I MENTIONED THAT TO THE TAXIS, THEY CAME UNGLUED.>> CAN I ASK ON THE SAME LINES, AND PARKING?
>> CIVILIANS ARE DOING THE PARKING.
THEY'RE THE ONES WITH THE AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READERS ENFORCING THE PAID PARKING, ENFORCING THE RED ZONES AND FIRE HYDRANT BLOCKING AND LOADING ZONES AND PARKING ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE STREET.
>> WELL, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT WHETHER DOWNTOWN OR ON THE SEAWALL.
IS IT NECESSARY FOR THEM TO GO 20 MILES AN HOUR TO READ THE LICENSE PLATE OR CAN THEY TRAVEL AT NORMAL SPEED?
>> THE LICENSE PLATE READERS WILL ONLY READ THEM SO FAST.
>> WHICH IS HOW FAST, DO WE KNOW?
>> DEPENDING ON THE ANGLE OF THE PLATE, IF IT'S DIRTY, IF IT'S CLEAN.
THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES YOU'RE GOING TO FIND TRAFFIC ON SEAWALL RUNNING LESS THAN 20 MILES AN HOUR.
THE WHOLE TRAFFIC FLOW IS NOT DOING 20, BUT YOU CAN'T BE- [OVERLAPPING]
>> BUT I HEAR A LOT OF COMPLAINTS THAT IT'S A MARSHAL SLOWING DOWN [NOISE] THE TRAFFIC WHILE THEY'RE READING THE METERS.
>> OR STOPPING THEIR CARS IN THE SEAWALL [OVERLAPPING][BACKGROUND].
>> WE NO LONGER STOP THE TRAFFIC. [OVERLAPPING]
>> STOPPING THE CARS HAS STOPPED, THANK THE LORD.
>> WE DON'T STOP CARS ANYMORE. [OVERLAPPING]
>> BUT I DO RECEIVE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT AT TIMES WHEN IT'S NOT CROWDED.
THE OTHER DAY IT TOOK ME 30 MINUTES TO GO 12 BLOCKS.
ON DAYS WHEN IT'S NOT THAT CASE, [NOISE] THEY'RE STILL TRAVELING VERY SLOW AND CAUSING TRAFFIC CONGESTION.
>> THEY'RE NOT TRAVELING ANY SLOWER THAN A GOLF CART IN THE RIGHT LANE.
IT CAN ONLY GO 20 MILES AN HOUR.
>> DON'T EVEN TAKE ME TO THAT SUBJECT [LAUGHTER] BECAUSE YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT THAT.
>> MARIE STARTED THAT. WE DON'T WANT TO GET BACK.
>> WE DON'T WANT TO GO BACK THERE.
>> TWENTY MILES AN HOUR IS PROBABLY THE AVERAGE SPEED THAT THEY TRAVEL ON THE SEAWALL IN THE RIGHT LANE, THAT'S CORRECT.
THAT'S SO THE LICENSE PLATE READERS CAN EFFECTIVELY READ THE PLATE AND PROCESS THE PLATE SO THEY'RE GETTING A GOOD READ OF THE PLATES THAT THEY'RE SEEING.
>> IS THERE A MORE EFFECTIVE WAY OF DOING THAT? [OVERLAPPING]
>> I'VE NOT HAD THAT COMPLAINT DOWNTOWN BECAUSE THE MARSHAL'S NOT DRIVING ANY SLOWER THAN THE TROLLEY IS GOING DOWN THE [INAUDIBLE] [OVERLAPPING]
>> I DON'T THINK [INAUDIBLE] [OVERLAPPING]
>> WELL, I HAVE. I HAVE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COMPLAIN ABOUT THAT. [OVERLAPPING]
>> [OVERLAPPING] TWENTY FIVE MILES AN HOUR DOWNTOWN I DON'T KNOW IS A BURDEN ON ANY ONE.
>> YEAH. JUST ON THAT NOTE, AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, I GUESS YOU COULD BASICALLY DO ANY OF THE DUTIES THAT THE GPD OFFICERS DO OR DON'T.
DO YOU HAVE A LIST OF THINGS THAT YOU ALL FOCUS ON THAT YOU ALL ARE ALLEVIATING GPD OFFICERS FROM DOING? SOME OF THE STUFF YOU JUST MENTIONED ARE THOSE THINGS, BUT COULD WE GET SOME LIST? YOU PUT TOGETHER [NOISE] [NOISE] A COUPLE OF ITEMS HERE ON THIS SHEET OR WHOEVER DID THIS, I DON'T KNOW WHO DID THIS, BUT COULD WE GET MORE OF THAT BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT I GET ALL THE TIME.
WHAT EXACTLY DOES THE MARSHAL DO? WHY DO THEY NEED A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OUT THERE? THOSE ARE PROBABLY THE MAJORITY OF THINGS I GET. [OVERLAPPING]
>> THE OTHER THING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER IS THAT BUTCHER'S GUYS, I HATE TO SAY THIS ON TV, BUT THEY DO IT FOR HALF THE PRICE OF A POLICE OFFICER.
>> I KNOW THAT. THAT'S WHY I WANTED THE BUDGET AS WELL AND JUST SEEING THOSE NUMBERS.
>> TO THAT QUESTION, JOHN, THE MARSHALS HAVE A BROCHURE.
I'VE RECEIVED THAT AT THE HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION MEETING THAT OUTLINES WHAT THEY DO AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
>> IT'S GREAT IF I CAN GET THAT. I'VE NEVER SEEN IT.
>> THEY GO EVERYWHERE THEY'RE INVITED.
THEY SPEAK TO TONS OF NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS.
>> AGAIN, I THINK IT'S ALL ABOUT JUST GETTING THAT KNOWLEDGE OUT THERE BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE I'VE TALKED TO DON'T KNOW ANY OF THAT STUFF.
THEY HAVE NO IDEA AND I TRY TO TELL THEM THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE AND THEY START COMING AROUND ONCE YOU START TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT THEY JUST DON'T- [OVERLAPPING]
>> THEY'RE NOT OUTRUNNING RADAR.
>> THEY DON'T DO ANY OF THAT KIND OF STUFF NOW OBVIOUSLY, BUT YOU SEE SOMEBODY JUST EGREGIOUSLY AS A PEACE OFFICER HE HAS TO DO SOMETHING.
IF HE STOPS, HE'S GOING TO STOP AND RENDER AID, BUT HE DOESN'T INVESTIGATE ACCIDENTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT WE'LL LEAVE THAT TO GPD.
BASICALLY, HE TOOK A LOT OF THINGS OFF GPD'S PLATE.
>> YEAH, THEY DIDN'T [INAUDIBLE] [OVERLAPPING].
>> I DON'T WANT TO SAY THEY DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT, BUT THEY WOULD PREFER NOT TO DO.
>> THAT THEY HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO IS MORE ALONG THOSE LINES.
>> VERY GOOD. WILLIAM, YOU'VE BEEN PATIENT, GO RIGHT AHEAD.
>> HE TOUCHED ON SOME OF THEM. I JUST WANT TO ELABORATE ON A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS I GET,
[01:55:05]
THE COMMENTS THAT I GET.I GO TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AND WE WERE AT [INAUDIBLE] THE OTHER DAY AND I GO TO ST. JACK IF I GO TO KEMPNER.
YOU GET A LOT OF PRAISE AND THEY WANT MORE CODE ENFORCEMENT. THEY WANT TO SEE MORE OF IT.
I GET MORE QUESTIONS AS FAR AS THE COMPLIANCE, WHY IS THIS, WHY IS THAT? SOME OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE WITH THAT IS, BUTCHER, ARE YOU-ALL ACTIVELY JUST DRIVING AROUND LOOKING FOR A CODE OR YOU'RE JUST COMPLAINT INITIATED?
>> WE ARE PRIMARILY COMPLAINT DRIVEN.
WHEN WE GET A COMPLAINT, WE WILL OBVIOUSLY PASS UP CODE VIOLATIONS TO GET TO THE COMPLAINT.
BECAUSE IF THE COMPLAINT'S SEVERE ENOUGH FOR THEM TO CONTACT US THEN IT'S EQUALLY OR MORE IMPORTANT FOR US TO ADDRESS THAT COMPLAINT.
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME IN THE DAY TO BE PROACTIVE, BUT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE DO DISCOVER SOMETHING THAT'S IN OUR OPINION SEVERE, AND WE ADDRESS THAT.
BUT IT'S MY GOAL IF IN A PERFECT WORLD WE WOULD BE MORE PROACTIVE AND HAVE VERY FEW COMPLAINTS.
THAT'S NOT THE CASE RIGHT NOW, BUT MORE TIMES THAN NOT WHEN SOMEONE COMPLAINS, WE'VE ALREADY GOT SOMETHING ELSE WORKING ON THAT.
OUR RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IS TRANSPARENT.
ANY CITIZEN CAN ACCESS OUR RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND FOLLOW A COMPLAINT THAT THEY GENERATE FROM THE TIME IT'S ENTERED INTO THE SYSTEM TILL IT'S CLEARED OUT OF THE SYSTEM.
EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IS TRANSPARENT AND THEY CAN SEE THAT.
ANY NOTES THAT ARE PUT IN THEY CAN ALL SEE THAT.
BUT WE'RE PRIMARILY COMPLAINT DRIVEN.
SOME DAYS IT'S 100 PERCENT, SOME DAYS IT MAY BE 60 PERCENT, BUT IT'S EXTREMELY HIGH COMPLAINT DRIVEN INVESTIGATION. [NOISE]
>>LET'S SAY BECAUSE I GET THIS A LOT BECAUSE I'VE GOT ALLEYS, I GOT DRIVEWAYS, I GOT SIDEWALKS ALL IN MY DISTRICT.
IT REALLY BECOMES EDUCATION AS FAR AS WHERE YOU CAN PARK AND WHAT YOU CAN DO.
I SEE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, I GET THE COMPLAINTS EMAILED LIKE, "HEY, I PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY FOR 30 MINUTES.
I CAME OUT, I GOT A TICKET." I'VE SEEN THAT COMPLAINT.
I'VE SEEN VERSES AND THEN ALSO I KNOW OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR 20 YEARS, BUT THEY HAVEN'T HAD THAT ISSUE.
MY QUESTION WAS, HOW DOES IT GET TO THAT POINT? THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DRIVEWAY AND THE SIDEWALK, AND THIS IS WHERE THE EDUCATION COMES IN, THEY HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY ACROSS THE SIDEWALK TO ENTER THEIR DRIVEWAY.
THEIR DRIVEWAY IS NOT THE SIDEWALK.
AS YOU SAID, THEY'VE BEEN USING THAT AREA OF THE CITY RIGHT OF WAY AS THEIR DRIVEWAY FOR MANY YEARS AND IT'S CUSTOMARY.
DO WE GO OUT AND TARGET THOSE? ABSOLUTELY NOT, BUT IF WE GET A COMPLAINT ABOUT IT, OUR FIRST GOAL IS [NOISE] TO TELL THEM YOU CAN'T DO THIS.
SOME PEOPLE, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE WARNING AND THEY CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
WELL, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO UTILIZE THE SIDEWALKS TO WALK, AND SOME OF OUR PEOPLE ARE WITH A CANE OR THEY'RE WITH A WALKER OR THEY JUST DON'T HAVE REAL GOOD BALANCE SO THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO WALK AROUND THE CAR DOWN AN INCLINE OVER THE GRASS OR AROUND THE CAR TO GET BACK TO THE SIDEWALK AND THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO.
IF EDUCATION DOESN'T WORK AND THEY CONTINUE TO VIOLATE, WE'LL THEN [NOISE] EXECUTE THE CITATION.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE WANT TO DO, BUT WHAT WE NEED IS THE SIDEWALK TO REMAIN CLEAR FOR THE PEOPLE TO USE.
I JUST WANT TO GO CAN I CLARIFY SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE SAY TO ME ALL THE TIME I GOT TICKET AT THE PARKING WHERE IT WAS NO SIDEWALK.
IT'S NOT A SIDEWALK, IT'S A PEDESTRIAN RIGHT OF WAY.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A SIDEWALK THERE.
IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IT WAS ABOUT 2014, 15 THAT THIS CAME UP THE FIRST TIME.
THE CONCERN WAS SCHOOL CHILDREN BEING FORCED TO WALK AROUND CARS IN THE DARK IN THE STREETS.
NO CITATIONS WERE ISSUED BY GPD.
[OVERLAPPING] MARSHAL'S OFFICE.
EXACTLY. BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GENERATED THAT CONCERN WITH WAS AROUND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WE, SAW KIDS HAVING TO GO AROUND CARS IN THE STREET, IN THE DARK IN THE MORNING, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WAS EVER PUT INTO FORCE TO BEGIN WITH.
JUST A FEW MORE BECAUSE I GOT TO ASK AND I GET IT A LOT IF YOU COULD TOUCH ON IT A LITTLE BIT.
I GET THE QUESTION IS, WHY DOES THE MARSHAL HAVE TO CARRY A GUN? NOT ALL OF THEM DO IT.
IT'S JUST THE ONES THAT ARE CERTIFIED POLICE OFFICERS FOR THOSE PURPOSES, BUT THEY ALSO SERVE WHEN WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS IN A YEAR,
[02:00:04]
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH CIVILIANS TO ANSWER ALL OF THEM.WE HAVE TO ASK EVERYBODY IN THE MARSHAL'S OFFICE TO DO THAT.
AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, THEY'RE JUST DOING THEIR JOB.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THAT TOO? I DON'T HAVE NO LAW BACKGROUND.
IS THERE A ADVANTAGE OF CARRYING AN OPEN CARRY TYPE OF GUN AS OPPOSED TO A CONCEALED OR WHEN YOU SEE A DETECTIVE AT GPD THEY'RE IN CIVILIAN CLOTHES? THEY MIGHT HAVE A CONCEALED GUN ON THEM OR NOT AS OBVIOUS AS A POLICE OFFICER OR A MARSHAL THAT'S IN UNIFORM WITH A GUN BECAUSE I'VE GOT THAT COMPLAINT TOO.
I'VE GOT THIS COMPLAINT WITH OUR FIRE MARSHALS TOO BECAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AS WELL, WHICH CARRY GUNS.
IT'S A [INAUDIBLE] ERROR. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? WELL, ALL OF MY DEPUTIES ARE IN UNIFORM.
ANYWAY, GP HELPS YOU FIND A UNIFORM IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A WEAPON AND IT'S GOING TO BE EXPOSED.
THE DETECTIVES IF THEY'RE WEARING CIVILIAN CLOTHES, IT'S FOR CONCEALMENT SO THEY DON'T ALARM PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT IN A UNIFORM.
THAT WOULD BE THE PURPOSE FOR THAT.
I DON'T KNOW ANY OTHER REASONS WHY YOU WOULD NOT WEAR A GUN IF YOU'RE IN A POLICE UNIFORM.
THIS GOES ALONG WITH A COMMENT THAT I'VE RECEIVED, DAN.
I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS IF YOU'RE APPROACHING A PURE CODE SITUATION, WHY WOULD YOU HAVE YOUR HAND ON YOUR PISTOL? THAT SEEMS TO ME AGGRESSIVE.
I'VE HAD BUILDERS SAY DO I NEED TO START PACKING? I HAVE A MARSHAL COME UP TO ME WITH HIS HANDS ON HIS PISTOL. IT IS CERTAINLY [INAUDIBLE] I'M NOT SAYING IT DOESN'T HAPPEN, BUT I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF IT DID.
I DON'T KNOW ANY OF MY DEPUTIES THAT APPROACHED SOMEONE LIKE THAT.
[OVERLAPPING] WOULD YOU FORWARD ME THOSE PLEASE? YEAH.
SO WE CAN LOOK INTO IT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE VIDEO OF ALL THIS.
CAN I ADD SOMETHING HERE? YES, SIR.
[NOISE] IF YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT 80 MILES AN HOUR AND YOU LOOK DOWN AND YOU SEE BPS OR A SHERIFF, YOU SLOW DOWN.
YOU SLOW DOWN BECAUSE YOU SEE A MARKED UNIT.
THAT IS THE FIRST LEVEL OF DETERRENCE: VISIBILITY.
THEY HAVE MARKED CARS BECAUSE THAT ENCOURAGES DETERRENCE.
THAT IS WHY POLICE WEAR UNIFORMS. IT IS A VISIBLE REMINDER.
IT WORKS BECAUSE WHEN YOU SEE THE COP DOWN THE FREEWAY, I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE GAS IF I'M NOT STRICTLY IN COMPLIANCE.
EVEN IF YOU ARE IN COMPLIANCE.
[OVERLAPPING] I'VE BEEN CAREFUL THESE DAYS, BUT WEARING A UNIFORM, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD THAT DON'T LIKE UNIFORMS. IN ADDITION TO THIS, THEREBY SINCE [INAUDIBLE] THAT PUTS SOME OBLIGATIONS UPON THEM.
IF YOU SEE A FELONY IN PROGRESS, WHAT ARE YOU REQUIRED TO DO? BOUND BY LAW TO INTERVENE.
IF YOU SEE A BANK ROBBERY AND YOU DON'T HAVE A WEAPON, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? YOU SHOULDN'T INTERVENE. I'LL TELL YOU THAT.
[LAUGHTER] THAT'S THE FIRST STEP OF A PICTURE.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS. A POLICE OFFICER WITH A GUN DOESN'T INTIMIDATE ME.
I FEEL LIKE I'M USUALLY NOT BREAKING THE LAW AND I'M NOT IN DANGER OF ONE OF THEM SHOOTING ME SO I'M OKAY WITH IT, BUT SOME PEOPLE DO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THAT, AND SHE ASKED A QUESTION ON CONCEALMENT VERSUS EXPOSED TO CARRY A PISTOL.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHY I BROUGHT THAT UP BECAUSE WE GET THAT QUESTION QUITE A BIT, SO THE COMMUNITY WOULD HELP A LOT ON THAT.
WHY DO THEY HAVE TO WEAR ALL BROWN AND BE INTIMIDATED? THAT'S JUST QUESTIONS THAT I GET.
I UNDERSTAND. I'M JUST TRYING TO USE THIS.
[OVERLAPPING] PRETTIER COLORS, BUT [OVERLAPPING] BUT [LAUGHTER] WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE WE WERE TOTALLY DIFFERENTIATED FROM GPD.
[02:05:02]
I GOT YOU. OKAY, NO WORRIES.WHEN WE ESTABLISHED WITH THE MARSHAL FIRM, WHEN WE PUT GOLF CARTS REGISTRATION UNDER THEIR UMBRELLA, I GUESS YOU CAN SAY, DID THAT AUTOMATICALLY PUT IT WHERE THEY ARE NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR TRAFFIC WITH THE GOLF CART? WELL, BEFORE, IT WAS WITH PD.
WE'VE PUT THE GOLF CARTS WITH THE MARSHAL'S OFFICE JUST PRIMARILY BECAUSE IT'S AN ENFORCEMENT ISSUE THAT I'D RATHER A PD OFFICER BE DOING SOMETHING MORE.
THEY STILL STOP GOLF CARTS, BELIEVE ME.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY TWICE IN RECENT MEMORY WE SEE POLICE OFFICERS.
[OVERLAPPING] AGAIN, WE'VE GOT FOUR GUYS TO CONTROL THE CITY FULL OF GOLF CARTS NOW.
THEY'RE PRIMARY THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT INSPECT THEM.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT LICENSE THEM.
THEY ARE THE PRIMARY ENFORCEMENT AGENTS.
GPD SEES A GOLF CART WITH 20 PEOPLE ON IT.
[OVERLAPPING] THEY WOULD SEE SOMEBODY GOING 90 MILES AROUND THE SEAWALL WITH CASH FLOWING OUT.
THAT'S CORRECT. [OVERLAPPING] HOPEFULLY. [LAUGHTER]
>> HE'S STOPPING PICKING UP THE MONEY.
>> AGAIN, WE HAVE FOUR MARSHALS AND THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THIS DOUBLE-DUTY COMES INTO PLAY TOO BECAUSE WE STARTED WORKING WEEKENDS.
BECAUSE NOT ONLY WERE WE GETTING A LOT OF CODE COMPLAINTS ON THE WEEKENDS, WE WERE GETTING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF GOLF CART COMPLAINTS ON THE WEEKENDS.
WHAT EVERYBODY QUICKLY REALIZED, IS WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY WORKING ON THE WEEKENDS TO DEAL WITH THE ENFORCEMENT.
BUTCH DOES IT BUT HE WORKS AS LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ON THE WEEKEND BECAUSE IF HE PUT CIVILIANS ON THE WEEKEND, THEY COULDN'T STOP THE GOLF CARTS, THEY COULDN'T DO THE OTHER THING SO THEY DO DOUBLE DUTY.
OF COURSE, WHILE THEY'RE THERE, BUTCH DOESN'T LET THEM GO SIT IN A PARKING LOT AND WAIT FOR THE NEXT CALL, THEY'RE HOPEFULLY OUT THERE DOING CODE ENFORCEMENT ISSUES AS WELL.
>> THAT'S A GOOD POINT, BECAUSE THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS [LAUGHTER] THAT ARE NOT CERTIFIED POLICE OFFICERS, THEY WORK BASICALLY 8:00 - 5:00.
>> THESE MARSHALS ARE OUT THERE NOT ONLY ON WEEKENDS BUT THEY WORK LATER HOURS TOO, DON'T THEY BUTCH?
>> NORMAL HOURS IS 8:00 - 5:00 BUT ON SPECIAL EVENTS, WE'RE OUT ENFORCING CODES BECAUSE THEY'RE OUT THERE.
>> THIS GETS BACK TO SHORT - TERM RENTALS.
>> IF THERE ARE COMPLAINTS ON THE WEEKEND OR SO FORTH.
BEFORE, THERE WASN'T ANYBODY OTHER THAN GPD, AND MANY TIMES GPD HAD PRIORITIES THAT DIDN'T ALLOW THEM TO GET OUT THERE.
>> MANY TIMES IN THE COMPLAINTS THAT I WILL GET IS, "HEY I CALLED GPD AND THEY SAID THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR THE MARSHALL, WE'RE SENDING MARSHAL.
WHY DID GPD DO THAT?" WELL, PRIMARILY BECAUSE ON A WEEKEND WHEN I'VE GOT 300,000 PEOPLE HERE, GPDS USUALLY GOT THEIR HANDS FULL DOING OTHER THINGS AND MUCH RATHER HAVE BUTCH OUT THERE ADDRESSING THE FACT THAT SOMEBODY LEFT THE TRASH CAN OUT [LAUGHTER] OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, [NOISE] THEN WAS DUMPING GREASE IN THE DRAIN OR THOSE COMPLAINTS THAT WE GET.
>> CAN I ASK, JUST BECAUSE YOU BROUGHT UP CALLS, SO I TELL PEOPLE ON THE CALL THE NON-EMERGENCY POLICE [OVERLAPPING] TO DISPATCH SO I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE.
>> THEY'LL DISPATCH IT TO THE MARSHAL.
BUT PEOPLE GET FRUSTRATED BECAUSE THEY SAY, "I DON'T WANT MARSHALL, I WANT GPD." WELL, THE MARSHALL AND IT COMES BACK TO THEM NOT UNDERSTANDING.
I'M SORRY. RYAN YOU MENTIONED THAT EARLIER.
BUTCH YOU'VE GOT A TOUGH JOB, YOU GOT TO DO THE NEGATIVE WORK, THE DIRTY WORK, GO TELL SOMEBODY THE GRASS IS TOO HIGH.
GO TELL THEM THEY'VE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY.
IT DOES CREATE A CULTURE OF NEGATIVITY.
IS THERE SOMETHING WE CAN DO JUST TO MAKE IT TO WHERE I DON'T WANT TO SAY PR, I KNOW YOU'RE A CELEBRITY BUT [LAUGHTER]
>> WELL, ONE OF THIS TO BE HONEST [LAUGHTER] THIS MUCH CITY MANAGER REPORT IS GOING TO BE DEDICATED TO CODE ENFORCEMENT.
COVER ON IT, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GO THROUGH SOME TALK ABOUT HOW YOU CAN AVOID BUTCH.
[LAUGHTER] HIS WIFE IS GOING TO BE OUR FIRST CLIENT.
>> ANY TYPE OF POLICE SERVICE IS SO TOUGH THAT'S VERY NICE, YOU'RE DEALING WITH DISRESPECT.
WHEN BUTCH GOES OUT, IT'S NEGATIVE I MEAN, THERE'S NO LIKE, OH HE'S THE GUY WHO'S DOING THIS, THANK YOU, IT'S NEGATIVE SO THAT'S JUST THE CULTURE.
>> I HATE TO SAY THIS IN PUBLIC BUT MOST MARSHALL ENCOUNTERS DON'T END WITH CITATION OR ACTION, MOST OF THEM WITH WARNING.
I'VE NOTICED THAT ON A LOT OF THE REVIEWS THAT I'VE BEEN DOING LATELY, JUST SPORADIC REVIEWS PROBABLY WAY NICER THAN SOME LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WOULD TREAT THEM.
OUR GPD AND OUR MARSHALLS ARE MUCH MORE PEOPLE FRIENDLY THAN OTHERS.
>> CAN I JUST THROW THIS IN, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME A COP STOP HERE TO TELL YOU WHAT A GOOD CITIZEN YOU ARE?
>> I GET IT A LOT. [LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING]
>> THEY KNOW ABOUT MY GT GOLF CARD [LAUGHTER]
>> YOU OBVIOUSLY SAY, "HEY MEN, DOING A GREAT JOB, HERE'S YOUR BEER." [LAUGHTER]
>> WHERE YOU WENT TO SCHOOL WITH [INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER]
>> JUST ONE LAST QUESTION, I'M SURE YOU'VE PROBABLY WANTED TO HAVE IT FOR RESOLUTION.
[02:10:01]
THE 25 ISSUES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WHAT'S OUR APPROACH TO THAT? YOU ALREADY SAID WHERE YOU WOULD PLANNING IN.>> BASICALLY, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS I'VE SET UP A GROUP WITH BUTCH AND PLANNING IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND PRIMARILY THE CITY PROSECUTOR WHO HAS TO ENFORCE ALL THESE THINGS IN COURT TO SIT DOWN AND GO THROUGH THIS TOP 25, LET'S FIGURE OUT WHAT THE DEAL IS BECAUSE I WANT TO ALSO CROSS-CHECK THEM BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE GETTING IS IS THEY GET INTO COURT AND THERE'S A CONFLICT IN THE CODE AND IT EITHER GETS DEFERRED OR WE BUNDLED THE CHARGES AND THEY PLEAD OUT WE DROP THESE THREE AND THEY GET THESE TWO OR WHATEVER IT IS.
I WANT TO HAVE A BETTER LINE OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PROSECUTOR [NOISE] AND THE MARSHALS SO THAT WAY WE'RE NOT OUT THERE.
IF THE PROSECUTOR IS GOING TO THROW IT OUT, I DON'T WANT HIM ENFORCING IT ANYMORE.
THAT'S JUST NEEDS TO HAPPEN, BUT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHY.
IF THE PARKING COMPLAINTS THAT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF CHANGE THERE.
THERE MAY BE SOME EDUCATION WE NEED TO DO ON THAT.
BUT AS YOU START GOING DOWN THAT LIST AND START LOOKING AT THERE'S SOME THINGS LIKE, DO YOU KNOW HOW HIGH YOUR GRASS HAS TO BE BEFORE HE WRITES YOU AS A CITATION?
>> IT'S NINE INCHES. NOW, MY QUESTION WILL BE DON'T ASK ME WHERE NINE INCHES CAME FROM, I DON'T KNOW AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S NINE INCHES FROM THE SOIL OR NINE INCHES IF YOU PUSH DOWN HARD ON THE TAPE MEASURE, THERE'S A WHOLE LOT THAT GOES INTO THAT.
THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS I REALLY WANT TO LOOK AT BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY I WANT LESS HASSLE FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND WE REALLY LIKE, BUTCH SAYS WE JUST WANT PEOPLE TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND IF YOUR GRASS IS NINE INCHES OR NINE AND HALF INCHES, IF YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE GOING TO CUT IT, THAT'S GREAT WE JUST WANT YOU TO CUT YOUR GRASS
>> THAT'S ALL I HAVE, SIR. THANK BUTCH. APPRECIATE YOU. [NOISE]
>> HOW MANY OF THE 17 EMPLOYEES ARE POLICE OFFICERS?
>> BUT ONLY FOUR THAT ARE ACTUALLY OUT ON OUR STREETS
>> ONE IS HERE IN THE BUILDING, ONE IS IN THE MUNICIPAL COURT AND ONE IS DOING TAXI RECORDS SECTIONS.
>> I SAW JACK USED TO BE THE ONE DOWNSTAIRS, GPD AND SHARON HAS REPLACED HIM AND I SAW JACK ON HIS MOTORCYCLE THE OTHER DAY HE SEEMED MUCH HAPPIER.
>> THE FOUR ARE SPREADED OUT ON THE ISLAND AT THE BOUNDARIES.
>> THE FOUR ARE INCLUDED WITH OUR CIVILIAN CODE ENFORCEMENT AND THEY HAD DISTRICTS FROM ONE END INTO THE ISLAND TO THE OTHER.
THERE'S SEVEN CODE ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL FROM COVERING THE ENTIRE ISLAND.
>> WITH THAT I WILL TELL YOU THIS, SOMETIMES THE CIVILIAN CODE OFFICER WILL HAVE TO CALL ONE OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS OUT FOR ISSUES LIKE MARIA'S HAPPENED IN HER DISTRICT YESTERDAY, IF THAT HAPPENS.
WE USED TO HAVE TO WAIT FOR GPD OFFICER TO DO THAT, WHICH WAS ANOTHER THING WE WOULD TAKE A GPD OFFICER OFF THE STREET BECAUSE SOME GUY WAS SCRAPING RED PAINT OFF HIS HOUSE AND HE WOULDN'T COOPERATE AND WOULDN'T GIVE HIS ID AND THEN WE'D HAVE TO WAIT FOR A GPD OFFICER WHO WOULD HAVE TO PUT A CALL ON HOLD, COME DO THAT.
THIS IS REALLY FREED UP SOME TIME FOR THEM, ESPECIALLY DAY SHIFT.
>> THE PROCEDURAL PROCESS YOU SHARE THAT YOU WOULD SEND IT OUT TO US.
>> IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU BUT I'M NOT GOING TO ADDRESS YOU AS BUTCH BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW YOU.
IT'S MY FIRST TIME MEETING YOU MR. STRAUSS IS IT
>> IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU.
>> THE PROBLEM IS IF YOU SAY STRAUSS, YOU GET HIS SON ON EMAIL AND I HAVE SENT HIS SON MANY EMAILS AND HIS SON SAYS, "HEY MAN." [LAUGHTER] SAME THING WITH MARK MORGAN.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS STORM COMING, MEN, I'M A FIREMAN. [LAUGHTER]
>> LAST QUESTION. AFTER YOU HAVE YOUR MEETING WITH THOSE ENTITIES THAT YOU SPOKE, YOU WILL COME BACK TO US AND LET US KNOW [OVERLAPPING]
>> WE'RE JUST HAPPY TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE, AS OFTEN AS YOU-ALL WOULD LIKE. WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
>> ANYTHING ELSE SHARON? ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS COUNCIL? WANTED TO JUST MENTION A FEW THINGS.
I'M GOING TO GO BACK OVER WHAT I HEAR COUNCIL'S RECOGNIZE GUIDE ME AND SO FORTH.
DAN, IF YOU COULD LOOK INTO THE CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD THAT MAY INTERFACE WITH ANY COMPLAINTS THAT WE MIGHT GET AND HOW THAT MAY BE ABLE TO BE CHANGED SO THAT'S WE CAN [OVERLAPPING]
>> WE GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF CHANCRE I JUST LOOKED AT IT, I WILL GET THAT DONE.
>> ALL RIGHT, THAT SOUNDS GOOD [NOISE].
>> BEFORE NEXT MEETING I HOPE.
>> IF I HAVE GOT THEM [LAUGHTER].
>> WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE POLICE CHIEF AND INTERNAL AFFAIRS BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN, WE'RE GOING TO ADD TWO MAJOR OVERHAUL.
>> SEE IF YOU COULD KNOWING THAT COUNCIL WANTS TO LOOK AT THAT IN EACH NO MATTER HOWEVER, LONG IT TAKES YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO COME BACK.
>> BECAUSE IT'S GEARED TOWARDS CIVIL SERVICE AND THESE GUYS ARE NOT CIVIL SERVICE.
>> ALSO BRIAN, WE'D LIKE TO SEE A FUNDING LIST ON HOW THE MARSHALS ARE FUNDED.
[02:15:03]
I THINK YOU HAVE IT THERE, COULD YOU COPY THAT?>> YEAH WILL MAKE COPIES OF THAT.
>> ACTUALLY, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THERE'S ACTUALLY FOUR FUNDING SOURCES.
THE GENERAL FUND, THE PARKING REVENUE FOR THE PARKING ENFORCEMENT, CDBG MONEY FUNDS, A CHUNK OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS I FORGOT ABOUT THAT, AND THE MUNICIPAL COURT ACTUALLY FUNDS THE WARREN BAILIFF OUT THERE.
THE GENERAL FUND IS ACTUALLY THE SMALLEST CONTRIBUTOR TO IT.
WELL, THAT'S THE TOTAL. NO, THAT'S NOT RIGHT.
>> THAT'S IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ACTUAL CITY MARSHAL POSITIONS?
>> WHAT USED TO BE CALLED CODE ENFORCEMENT WAS MOVED OVER INTO THE MARSHAL AND THAT ENTIRE BUDGET IT'S CALLED NOW THE CITY MARSHAL LEGEND IN GENERAL PLAN, IT'S ABOUT $800,000.
>> THERE IS $64,000 AND THERE IS $145,000 FROM CDBG FUNDS MARSHAL, THAT GUY OUT.
>> THAT $800,000 MIKE, THAT INCLUDES ALL THE EMPLOYEES THE 17 IT'S DIFFERENT?
>> CORRECT, THAT'S ALL I ADMINISTRATIVE STANDARDS.
>> ALSO, WE HAVE A BROCHURE, BUTCH, IF WE CAN MAKE SURE ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS GET THAT.
>> DO YOU HAVE ELECTRONICALLY TOO, BUTCH?
>> IF YOU HAVE ELECTRONICALLY WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS TO GIVE YOU ALL STACKS OF THEM, SO WHEN YOU HAVE NEIGHBORHOOD MEANS, YOU CAN TAKE IT TO WHERE YOU PULL OVER BECAUSE I KNOW WE GET A LOT OF MARSHALL REQUEST WITH EPOA SO AND THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY WE STOOD IT UP ON THE WEEKEND TOO BECAUSE YOUR FOLKS, SOME OF THEM JUST AREN'T HERE DURING THE WEEK AND WHEN THEY SHOW UP ON A WEEKEND AND REALIZE THAT THEIR NEIGHBOR HAS DONE SOMETHING SOMEWHAT EGREGIOUS.
>> THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN ON WEEKENDS.
>> IF IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN YOUR DISTRICT, IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ON A WEEKEND.
THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY WE HAVE THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ON THE WEEKEND.
>> IF THEY CALL OUR PHONE AT THE MARSHAL'S OFFICE EVEN ON THE WEEKENDS IT'S FORWARDED TO DEPUTY WORKING.
IF YOU CALL US ON THE WEEKEND, DURING WORKING HOURS 8:00 - 5:00 YOU'RE GOING TO GET SOMEONE FORWARD TO YOUR CELL PHONE AND THEN IF HE DID PICK UP, HE WILL RETURN THE CALL.
[NOISE] THAT'S THE PURPOSE FOR WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE WEEKENDS WHEN YOU CALL IN [OVERLAPPING].
>> BECAUSE I KNOW ANY NUMBER RELATED TO MARSHAL IS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE MARSHALL DEPARTMENT.
>> WHY DON'T YOU SAY IT BUTCH SO EVERYBODY CAN HEAR.
>> AREA OF THE CITY NUMBER, 3647.
>> VERY GOOD. LAST THING, I WANT TO INTRODUCE FOR THE PUBLIC THEY MIGHT BE WATCHING, THIS COUNCIL TAKES ANY TYPE OF CONCERNS THAT THE PUBLIC HAS VERY SERIOUSLY.
IF YOU HAVE A CONCERN, PLEASE REPORT THAT.
WHAT NUMBER DO THEY REPORT THAT TO, BRIAN?
>> WELL, THEY CAN CALL MARSHAL BUTCH DIRECTLY OR THEY CAN CALL ME.
THEY CAN CALL MR. BUCKLEY, OR THEY CAN CALL ANYONE OF YOUR ELECT OFFICIALS. [OVERLAPPING].
>> YES, YOU CAN COMPLAIN ONLINE THROUGH OUR WEB PAGE FOR ANY CITY SERVICE THAT WE HAVE.
>> IF YOU CALL, YOU CAN BE ANONYMOUS?
>> ABSOLUTELY. EVEN IF YOU COME TO THE CITY WEBSITE, I BELIEVE YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO PUT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS.
>> WE GOT A LOT OF ANONYMOUS COMPLAINTS EVERYDAY.
>> BUT ANOTHER ONE, LIKE WHEN I SPOKE UP ON THE LITTLE RESTAURANT THAT I LOVE THAT'S OPENING ON 45TH STREET, THOSE CALLS WERE PRETTY MUCH ALL ANONYMOUS.
I FINALLY ASKED HIM, "WHO HAVE YOU MADE MAD? CAN YOU THINK ABOUT IT WHO YOU'VE MADE MAD BECAUSE THEY KEEP CALLING ABOUT EVERY LITTLE THING THAT YOU'RE DOING." WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS.
>> ONE OTHER THING, AND THEN I'M GOING TO REQUEST A FIVE MINUTE BREAK IF WE'VE MAY.
[LAUGHTER] I KNOW I DRANK ALL THE WATER AND COFFEE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WHEN WE HAVE THAT ORDINANCE CHANGE THAT WE MAKE SURE BOTH THE MARSHAL DEPARTMENT IS MADE AWARE OF IT, AS WELL AS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT A BIT TO SOMETHING THEY DEAL WITH BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE DOING THE MASTER PLAN, COMMUNITIES, THERE'S ALWAYS CONFUSION.
I KNOW IN A NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE CIO THAT IMMEDIATELY FILED FOR THE MASTER PLAN.
THEN THERE WERE EITHER MARSHALS OR POLICE [OVERLAPPING].
>> YOU HEARD POLICE OFFICERS CALLING HIM SAYING, "BUTCH WHAT IS IT? "
>> I KNOW AND THAT IS A POINT OF CONFUSION.
MAYBE WE NEED TO DO A GENERAL EDUCATION TO MAKE SURE ALL THE MARSHALS,
[02:20:01]
EVERYONE IS AWARE OF WHAT IS THE MASTER PLAN, WHAT IS IT [OVERLAPPING].>> WHY DON'T I DO THIS TOO? WHY DON'T I GET MARISSA TO SIT DOWN WITH BUTCH? LET US DO A CITY CODE 101 VIDEO, THAT WE CAN PUT OUT ON ALL OF OUR STUFF.
LET'S TAKE THESE TOP 25 CODE ISSUES, BUTCH AND LET'S ADDRESS THEM IN A VIDEO.
I CAN SEE YOU SMILING ALREADY.
LET'S GO THROUGH THAT SO EVERYBODY HAS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING.
WE'VE DONE THIS IN THE PAST ON SPECIFIC ISSUES LIKE WE DID WITH THE GOLF CART.
BUT SINCE WE'VE DONE THE GOLF CART ORDINATES, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, YOU SAW THIS THE OTHER NIGHT WHEN I ASK EVERYBODY WHO'S NEW ON THE ISLAND.
WE GET SO MANY NEW RESIDENTS AND SO MANY PEOPLE.
LET'S DO THAT AND THEN WE CAN REDUCE IT INTO A WRITTEN POWERPOINT, ESPECIALLY FOR MARIA AND HER DISTRICT, THAT SHE CAN DISTRIBUTE THROUGH [INAUDIBLE] BECAUSE A LOT OF THE PEOPLE AREN'T HERE TO HEAR IT OR SEE IT LIKE US ARE.
>> I'M GOING TO SAY THIS BY ORDER OF EVENTS.
THE VIDEO IDEA IS GREAT BUT HOW MANY PEOPLE REALLY WATCH HIM?
>> YOU'D BE SHOCKED. THE VIEWS ARE HIGH.
>> BUT AT LEAST THAT INFORMATION IS THERE AND IF SOMEBODY COMES TO US WE CAN DIRECT HIM THERE.
>> A ONE SHREDDER HAVING TWO ADDRESSES AND SOMETHING THAT'S EASILY HANDED OUT FOR BOTH SIDES BECAUSE, LIKE YOU SAID, YOU'LL GET CAUSE THIS CAN BE A [NOISE] MASTER PLAN OR NOT A MASTER PLAN IS 12 MILE ROAD, INCLUDED OR NOT INCLUDED.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE EXPLICIT IN OUR DETAILS [NOISE] ON BOTH SIDES BECAUSE THAT WILL ELIMINATE FUTURE PROBLEMS.
>> TOTALLY, I AGREE WITH THAT.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO BRING BACK, BRIAN, CHANGES TO ORDINANCES THAT MAY NEED TO BE HANDLED SO THAT WE CAN BE [INAUDIBLE].
>> DAN, MYRON AND BUTCH, AND TIM ARE OUT TO GET [INAUDIBLE] I FAILED TO MENTION.
I TOLD HIM IMMEDIATELY I WANTED A HOTLINE ESTABLISHED FOR THE MARSHALS TO BE ABLE TO CALL THEM FROM THE FIELD.
BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, IF HE SHOWS UP AND THERE'S AN ISSUE OR THERE'S A QUESTION HE WOULD CALL PLAN, AGAIN AND HE'S IN THE QUEUE, [LAUGHTER] OR EVERYBODY ELSE, SO WE'VE MADE SURE THAT SOMEBODY'S GOING TO HAVE A HOPEFULLY A CELL PHONE OVER THERE THAT WILL ANSWER IT NO MATTER WHAT, EVEN ON WEEKENDS.
THAT WAY IF THEY ENCOUNTER SOMETHING ON A WEEKEND AND THERE'S A QUESTION ABOUT, I'D RATHER HASSLE OUR EMPLOYEE THAN HASSLE THE CITIZENS.
SHARON, I KNOW YOU HAVE SOMETHING.
>> I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS I DID FORGET.
I HEARD YOU ANSWER MARIA INTO THE PROCESS OF THE PROCEDURE FOR LOOKING AT THE VIDEO?
>> I DID EMAIL BACK WHEN THAT VIDEO CAME OUT.
MAYBE I SHOULD RESEND IT TO YOU AGAIN?
>> YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME LOOK AT IT.
I THINK, LET ME REPLY TO YOU, YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME IN AND LOOK AT IT.
>> OKAY, NUMBER 2, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS LIST, SOME OF THESE THINGS I THINK CAN BE COMBINED.
I HEARD YOU SAY YOU'RE GOING TO GO FROM THIS LIST TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
>> YEAH, THE 25. WHEN I LOOK IN ABANDONED BUILDINGS AND I SEE, WELL, DANGEROUS SUBSTANDARD BUILDINGS, THEY CONNECT, IN MY HUMBLE OPINION.
LOW HANGING TREES. I MEAN, YOU'RE ADDRESSING HIGH WEEDS AND GRASS AND THAT KIND OF THING.
I'M JUST STATING THAT BECAUSE I DON'T SEE HOW THIS CAN JUST BE ISOLATED BY ITSELF. THAT'S ALL.
I JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE I'M DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT THE VIDEO AND THAT THIS LIST I THINK YOU CAN COMBINE SOME OF THE THINGS.
>> WE CAN SET IT UP ON ONE OF OUR COMPUTERS OR A DAY IN HIS OFFICE OR EVEN WE CAN PUT IT ON ANOTHER COMPUTER, SIT AND WATCH IT.
THEY'RE JUST LONG VIDEOS BECAUSE HE'S ENCOUNTERING 30 MINUTES AND IT'S HARD.
I'M A BIG BACKER OF THE MARSHAL PROGRAM.
I WAS WHEN IT WAS INSTITUTED IN 2016.
I APPRECIATE BUTCH, WHICH YOU AND YOUR OFFICERS DO, ALL OF THEM, CIVILIAN AND THE CERTIFIED PEACE OFFICERS.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BUTCH.
>> FIVE MINUTES BREAK, PLEASE.
>> LET'S TAKE A FIVE-MINUTE BREAK AND WE'LL FINISH UP OUR WORKSHOP.
>> VERY GOOD. IT IS 11:31 AM, MARCH 24, 2022.
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP IS BACK IN SESSION AFTER FIVE-MINUTE BREAK AND WE ARE NOW MOVING TO ITEM 3E. PLEASE.
[3.E. Discussion Of An Ordinance For The Naming Of Streets And Other Forms Of City Memorializations (Brown - 15 Min)]
>> 3E, DISCUSSION OF [INAUDIBLE].
>> COUNCIL, THIS IS ON OUR AGENDA TO DISCUSS TODAY CONCERNING MOVING TRAUMA RESOLUTION TYPE,
[02:25:01]
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NAMING STREETS TO ORDINATES.I WANTED TO OPEN THAT UP WHEN STAFF GETS HERE.
TIM, DID YOU WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT? IF YOU COULD COME FORWARD, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE CHANGE AND MOVING FROM THE STREETS AND SO FORTH?
>> SURE. WE ADMINISTERED A RESOLUTION RATHER IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
WE DON'T GET ALL THAT MANY REQUESTS, BUT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE WE DO.
WE'VE HAD A FEW MINUTES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
IF YOU GUYS ARE INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT OTHER ASPECTS OF THIS, WE CERTAINLY ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO SO.
>> I'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS JUST PERSONALLY.
YOU'RE MOVING THE GUIDELINES AND THE CRITERIA THAT WE HAD IN THE RESOLUTION TO AN ORDINANCE.
I THINK THOSE ARE VERY APPROPRIATE.
THE QUESTION I HAD, TIM, ON THAT, DOES THAT COVER NAMING OF BUILDINGS OR PARK BENCHES OR THINGS LIKE? DOES THAT FALL UNDER THIS?
>> I DON'T BELIEVE IT DOES. ACTUALLY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE TITLE OF IT, IT SAYS STREET NAME AND MONUMENT.
>> MEMORIALS. YEAH. BUT WHEN YOU GO THROUGH ALL THE CRITERIA, IT IS ADDRESSING STREET NAMES, INCLUDING THE 51 PERCENT OF THE ADJOINING PROPERTY OWNERS, THE PETITIONS, AND ALL THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
I THINK IT'S REALLY INTENDED FOR STREET NAMES AND THE MEMORIAL STREET NAMES AND THINGS.
BUT IF IT WERE TO BE ADDED, I GUESS WE'D PROBABLY HAVE TO COME UP WITH ADDITIONAL CRITERIA FOR WHAT THOSE INDIVIDUAL POINT BASE SYSTEMS WILL BE.
>> WELL, WE'VE HAD REQUESTS FOR I KNOW BENCH HERE RECENTLY.
WE'LL BE GETTING, I THINK, REQUESTS FOR POSSIBLY BUILDINGS AT SOME POINT.
I DIDN'T KNOW. SEEM LIKE WE NEED TO CODIFY THAT.
>> BIG DIFFERENCE FOR THEM. THE BENCH'S FAMILIES TYPICALLY PAID FOR THEM.
>> THAT'S A DONATION AND I'M HAPPY TO PUT THEIR NAME ON IT FOR THAT.
THAT'S GREAT. I THINK WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT BUILDING, [NOISE].
>> I THINK THEY DIED FOR IT, YES.
>>TOYOTA FIRE STAIRS, THAT'S RIGHT.
>> THE NAMING OF STREETS, EVERY STREET IN THIS TOWN HAS AT LEAST TWO NAMES AND WE DON'T NEED A THIRD.
>> I REMEMBER. I THINK IT WAS MR. HENLEY THAT TOLD ME ONE TIME HE SAYS I'LL CHANGE ANY STREET NAME YOU KILLING THE POST OFFICE.
>> THAT'S THE CRITERIA THAT'S REQUIRED AS THIS POST-OFFICE CAN SIGN OFF ON THIS.
>> THEY RARELY DON'T APPROVE IT.
BUT IT DOES WREAK HAVOC FOR A WHILE WITH EVERYBODY'S MAIL.
>> THE WATER DEPARTMENT TAKES THE BEST VIEW OF ASTRO.
GOING TO BUILD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> WELL, SO DOES YOUR DISPATCH.
>>HOW DOES IT LIKE A STREET NAME CHANGE BECAUSE WE HAVE ARSULAN AND IF YOU LOOK IT UP ON THE KID, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND AVENUE A.
YOU HAVE CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS AND IF YOU LOOKED AT 14TH STREET, WE KNOW IT AS A CITY, BUT IT'S OUTSIDE.
HOW DOES THAT CONFLICT WITH PEOPLE USING GPS STUFF LIKE THAT?
>> THEY DO REVIEWS AND GPS DOES DATA DUMPS AND THEY COVER.
NOW THEY HAD THE CAR THAT SCANS AND ALL THAT.
YES, IT WREAKS HAVOC WITH ALL OF THOSE THINGS AS WELL, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE CHANGE TWO BLOCKS, REALLY THROWS. MARIA.
>> WELL, WHAT'S DRIVING IT IS TO CODIFY THIS.
IT'S RESOLUTION NOW AND WE HAVE OTHER ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA AND MOVING THEM FROM RESOLUTIONS TO CODES.
THAT OFFICIALLY ESTABLISHED A CRITERIA FOR THE NAMING OF THE STREET.
I THINK TIM BROUGHT IT HERE SO THAT WE COULD SEE THAT.
DO WE WANT TO ADD OR DELETE FROM THAT CRITERIA IN ANY WAY? I PERSONALLY THINK THAT CRITERIA IS APPROPRIATE.
THEN IT WAS TO START THE DISCUSSION ALSO, DO WE WANT TO MOVE IN ANOTHER DIRECTION OF CODIFYING, NAMING OF BUILDINGS, AND THINGS LIKE THAT?
>> IT NEVER HURTS TO HAVE IT, I'LL TELL YOU THAT.
>> BECAUSE I'VE HAD PEOPLE COME AND SAY, HOW DO I GET A STREET NAMED AFTER SOMEBODY.
WELL, FIRST OFF, YOU GOT TO KILL THEM. [LAUGHTER]
>> FIVE YEARS AGO. WE HAD TO KILL HIM FIVE YEARS AGO. [LAUGHTER]
>> THAT'S ENOUGH. THAT'S NOT REALLY IN THAT.
>> WE HAVE KILL THEM. THEY DO HAVE TO BE DEAD.
[02:30:01]
>> [OVERLAPPING] BUT IS IT IN THERE THAT THEY HAVE TO BE DEAD FOR FIVE YEARS?
>> [OVERLAPPING] DONALD WILL TELL YOU WHY.
>> [OVERLAPPING] JUST WAIT. PLEASE FINISH.
>> NO. I WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU WERE SAYING.
>> WELL, NO, I WAS GOING TO MOVE ON TO, TIM, YOU'RE GOING TO BRING THIS BACK TO US.
IT'S ON OUR AGENDA. IS IT TODAY, OR ARE YOU BRINGING IT BACK AT ANOTHER MEETING TO US?
>> I THINK IT'S JUST [OVERLAPPING] DISCUSSION TODAY.
WE CERTAINLY CAN BRING IT BACK.
THE WAY DONALD'S WRITTEN IT UP IS EXACT SAME WORDING AS THE RESOLUTION POLICY.
UNLESS YOU WANT SOME CHANGES, WE'LL BRING IT BACK IN THAT FORM.
>> WELL, UNLESS WE HAVE CHANGES WE'LL JUST ALLOW YOU TO BRING THAT BACK IN.
WHAT COUNCIL COULD DO IS LOOK AT THIS.
IF YOU SEE THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE ANY CHANGES, PLEASE LET TIM DEPARTMENT KNOW.
>> [OVERLAPPING] CAN YOU SEND US SOME?
>> [OVERLAPPING] I WOULD ADD, ON THE BUILDINGS TO WILLIAM'S THING.
WE HAD AN ISSUE AT THE COUNTY WHERE WE NAMED A BUILDING AFTER A RETIRING EMPLOYEE, THEN THE EMPLOYEE CAME BACK TO WORK FOR US IN THAT BUILDING, AND IT BECAME THEIR BUILDING.
IT CAUSES ALL KINDS OF ISSUES.
IT'S NOT THAT YOU WANT PEOPLE TO BE DEAD. BUT I MEAN, IT JUST.
>> [OVERLAPPING] WHEN TIM BRINGS THIS BACK WOULD COUNCIL WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH HAVING SOME KIND OF CODIFICATION OF NAMING OF BUILDINGS ALSO?
>> [OVERLAPPING] CITY MONUMENT CODE BUILDING STREET.
>> AT LEAST I HAVE IT ON THE BOOKS IF YOU'RE GOING TO TRANSITION TO SOMETHING. [OVERLAPPING]
>> YEAH, WE CAN WORKSHOP THAT AGAIN, BEING A REQUEST. THAT SOUNDS GOOD.
WHEN YOU NAME A STREET, YOU STILL KEEP THE NUMERICAL NAME OR THE [NOISE] MEDICAL NAME OF THE STREET ON.
FOR ME. I'M JUST GIVING YOU MY TWO CENTS, WE PUT THE LARGER NAME OF THE NEW NAME AND THEN THE HALF THE OTHER NAME, THE ORIGINAL NAME IS THE SMALLER NAME.
PERSONALLY, I'D LIKE TO HAVE IT IN REVERSE, BUT THAT'S JUST A GUESS.
>> PUT THE SMALLER NAME, BAKER, SOMEONE YOU'RE DRIVING.
>> [OVERLAPPING] I WILL TELL YOU WE HAVE NAMED STREETS AFTER PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES FOUND ME AND TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE THEIR NAME WAS TOO LONG, THEIR PRINT'S TOO SMALL.
JUST BE CAREFUL HOW WE DO THAT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO OFFEND ANYBODY.
>> I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU STILL CAN DENOTE THAT IT'S THIRTY-SECONDS STREET. YEAH.
>> THE POLICY RIGHT NOW DOES CALL FOR BOTH NAMES TO BE POSTED ON THE SIGN.
IT DOESN'T REALLY GIVE ANY GUIDANCE AS TO WHAT SIZE.
WE COULD DO THAT IN WHATEVER FORMAT YOU ALL WOULD LIKE.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE THE ORIGINAL NAME. [OVERLAPPING]
>> SOME HAVE BEEN DICTATED BY OUR SOFTWARE.
>> I'M A LETTER GUY. YOU ALWAYS KNOW WHAT STREET YOU'RE ON.
>> IF I SEE M IN 29, I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE I'M AT.
I SEE M IN MARTIN LUTHER KING, I DON'T KNOW.
I LIKE HAVING A BIG LETTER THOUGH FOR A STREET NAME.
>> ON STREETS THAT ARE NOT NUMERICAL OR OFF THE BASE, WOULD THE STREET NAME TOTALLY CHANGE?
>> NO. BUT STILL RETAINS THE ORIGINAL AS WELL.
>> YEAH, YOU SORT OF CHANGE THE STREET LANGUAGE WHERE THEY WOULD CHECK.
>> AND ONCE THAT CAUSES ISSUES WITH [OVERLAPPING] STUFF.
>> LIKE WHERE I LIVE, I HAVE A STREET NAME, IT DOESN'T HAVE A LETTER OR A NUMBER, BUT IF WE WANTED TO NAME IT LISTALSKI DRIVE, WOULD YOU HAVE BOTH MY CURRENT STREET AND LISTALSKI ON THERE OR, AND THEN THE SIGN WOULD BE THAT LONG, JUST LISTALSKI ALONE.
>> NOBODY WOULD KNOW HOW TO PRONOUNCE IT.
[NOISE] I JUST AUTOMATICALLY START SPELLING THAT EVERY TIME I GAVE SOMEBODY MY ADDRESS.
>> NOW, THE ORDINANCE IS THERE [NOISE] FOR THE NAME CHANGES TO MAKE IT AN ORDINANCE THERE.
IT'S IN OUR PACKET MATERIAL HERE SO YOU CAN READ THROUGH THAT AND SEE THAT.
GO THROUGH THERE. GOOD. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR TIM AT ALL? THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> ANYTHING I COULD THINK OF. OKAY.
>> LET'S MOVE TO 3F PLEASE, JANELLE.
[3.F. Discussion Of The Firefighter’s Pension Plan (Robb/Schuster - 10 Min)]
>> DISCUSSION ON THE FIREFIGHTERS PENSION PLAN.
>> I PUT THIS ON BECAUSE, BOTH WILLIAM AND I PUT IT ON BECAUSE I KNOW THE FIREFIGHTERS PENSION PLAN IS COMING UP FOR DISCUSSION IN THIS YEAR AND I GUESS CURRENTLY IT BY STATE RULES SINCE THE STATE LAW HAS CHANGED, IT IS OUT OF COMPLIANCE BECAUSE THE FUNDING POLICY HAS NOT BEEN SIGNED.
[02:35:09]
I WANTED TO SEE WHAT WE COULD DO TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.>> ABSOLUTELY IN THE HOT SEAT.
>> WHY IS THERE I MEAN, I GUESS I UNDERSTAND THIS, BUT JUST TO CLARIFY IT, SO I'M GLAD WE GET THIS LITTLE COMPARISON TODAY, I THINK IT HELPED A LOT.
WE SAW THIS 57-YEAR AMORTIZATION PERIOD.
>> WHAT WAS IT THE PREVIOUS YEAR?
>> THEY ONLY DO IT EVERY TWO YEARS.
I CAN TELL YOU WHERE THEY ARE IN 2021.
>> TWO YEARS AGO WAS SOMETHING WAY DOWN TO THEM. LIKE FOUR.
>> ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT CIVILIAN, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT [OVERLAPPING] FIREFIGHTERS.
>> FOUR YEARS AGO, WHEN WE PUT THE MILLION DOLLARS IN IT, IT DROPPED TO ABOUT 40 YEARS.
>> IT WAS IN THE MARKET, DIDN'T GO IN THEIR FAVOR, AND WENT WAY UP.
>> BUT THE LAW CHANGE IS WHAT GOT US TO THIS 57, ISN'T IT? I DON'T UNDERSTAND. WHAT GOT US TO THE 57% FUNDING?
>> AND WHAT CAUSED IT TO MOVE FROM 40 TO 57?
>> WELL, IT'S THE BENEFITS IN COMBINATION WITH THE LIABILITIES AND THE LONGEVITY OF LIFE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MADE A CHANGE WAS THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF FIREFIGHTERS.
>> RIGHT. THAT TABLE, THERE'S A SPECIFIC. [OVERLAPPING]
>> THAT GOES TO SHOW THE MARKET REALLY AFFECTED THE PLAN.
THESE TABLES ARE AFFECTED BY THE MOVE.
REMEMBER THIS IS [OVERLAPPING] A MODEL, AND A SMALL CHANGE IN ANY OF THE VARIABLES WITHIN THAT MODEL CAN MAKE A BIG THING.
THE MORTALITY TABLE, MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
AN ASSUMPTION ON THE RATE OF RETURN MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
THE ACTUARY AND WORKING WITH THE TRUSTEES, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE ASSUMPTION OF WHAT THEY EXPECT THE PLAN TO EARN.
IF YOU'D KNOCK THAT DOWN BY TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT OR 25 BASIS POINTS, IT CAN ADD TEN YEARS TO THE AMORTIZATION NOT FUNDING THE LIABILITY.
IT'S A VERY COMPLEX CALCULATION AND JUST A SMALL CHANGE IN ANY VARIABLE CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
>> AND TALKING ABOUT THE ACTUARY, BECAUSE MY CAPTAIN DID BRING THAT UP TODAY, INSTEAD OF WORKING WITH THE ENVIRONMENTS AT ACTUARY, HE SAYS YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE POLICE ACTUARY.
>> THAT'S NOT AN EXACTLY CORRECT.
>> I MEAN, HE SAID SOMETHING THAT
>> YEAH. IT'S THE SAME [OVERLAPPING] SAME PERSON.
>> WELL, IT'S NOT THAT WE AREN'T WORKING WITH THEM.
THEY HAVE AN ACTUARY AND THAT ACTUARY COULD NOT PRODUCE THE INFORMATION THAT THE FIREFIGHTERS TRUSTEES AND THE CITY NEEDED. COULDN'T DO IT.
SO WE HIRED THE SAME ACTUARY THAT WORKED WITH US ON THE POLICE BUY-IN TO PULL THE INFORMATION TOGETHER FOR US AND WE'RE WORKING JOINTLY WITH THEM, THE TRUSTEES AND THE CITY.
THAT'S BECAUSE HE'S THE ONLY ONE THAT COULD DO IT.
THEIR ACTUARY COULDN'T DO IT, AND HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO DO IT LAST YEAR AND DIDN'T DELIVER THE PRODUCT ANYBODY EXPECTED.
THAT FORCED US INTO GOING TO SOMEBODY ELSE AND GETTING THE INFORMATION.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S HAPPENED WITH COVID IS, LIFE EXPECTANCIES HAVE CHANGED AND THEY'VE ACTUALLY GONE DOWN VERSUS, I MEAN, THAT'S A REALITY.
READ IT IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL OR WHATNOT.
>> NO. THEY CHANGE THE ACTUARIAL TABLES MAYBE EVERY TEN YEARS.
THE LAST CHANGE, THE YEAR BEFORE LAST, THEIR LIFE EXPECTANCY INCREASED.
LIFE EXPECTANCY OF FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE, IT'S NOT THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF POLICE OFFICERS DECREASED.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS HURT THE PLANS BECAUSE THEY LIVE LONGER AND THE PLANS ARE BUILT AROUND IT.
THE EXPECTATION, AT SOME POINT, THE BENEFICIARY IS NO LONGER GOING TO BE A BENEFICIARY.
ANYTIME THAT TABLE CHANGES, IT DOES IMPACT THE PLANS WITH AMORTIZATION.
>> EVEN THOUGH THE PLAN IS LOOKED AT EVERY TWO YEARS, THERE'S TABLES OUT THERE THAT ARE ONLY LOOKED AT IN TEN YEARS.
>> THAT'S PUT OUT BY THE SOCIETY OF ACTUARIAL.
THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT DON'T SPEAK.
>> BUT WE CALL THEM THE PARTY PEOPLE.
>> BUT IT'S TRUE. I MEAN, THESE DAYS IT'S VARIABLES CHANGE. [OVERLAPPING]
>> MORE OFTEN IF THEY BELIEVE IT'S NECESSARY.
>> THEY'LL COME OUT AND SAY THAT, THEY SEE A DRAMATIC CHANGE, THEY'LL KNOW THAT SOMETHING'S WRONG.
>> COVID MAY PROVOKE THAT CHANGE, IT HASN'T YET BEEN.
>> MY QUESTION IS THAT, ARE WE GOING TO SEE THAT CHANGE COME? BECAUSE LIKE MARRIE SAID WE SAW.
>>UNFORTUNATELY, IF IT DOES, IT ACTUALLY HELPS YOU PLAN BECAUSE IT SHORTENS A LIFE.
>> I ALSO WONDER ABOUT THE LONG-TERM STUFF WHICH THE PEOPLE WHO HAD CODED.
[02:40:02]
>> I'M SURE IT WILL EVENTUALLY FACTOR INTO THE TABLE AT SOME POINT [NOISE] IT DEPENDS ON DETERMINATION MADE WELL ABOVE ANYBODY.
>> THEN THE OTHER THING THAT FACTORS INTO PLAY IS THE ASSUMED RATE OF RETURN, WHICH THIS HAS THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE.
THEY'VE BEEN FORTUNATE BECAUSE PRIOR YEARS TO THIS YEAR WHERE ANYONE WHO'S, I MEAN, I SIT ON A LOT OF BOARDS AND EVERYONE'S BEEN DOWN AND SAID LONG-TERM PERCENTAGES, ARE DOWN.
WHAT WOULD'VE BEEN THE REALITY OF CHANGING THAT BECAUSE THAT AFFECTS THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE AS WELL, SINCE WE HAVE THE POLICE AT 7.0, WE HAVE THE MUNICIPAL AT 7.5, BUT WE STILL HAVE THE FIRE AT 7.25, [INAUDIBLE] AND 7.1?
>> THAT NUMBER IS DETERMINED BY THE TRUSTEES AND WORKING WITH THEIR ACTUARY.
OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU REDUCE THAT IT INCREASES THE AMORTIZATION PERIOD, LOWERS THE VALUE OF THE ASSET.
ALL THOSE THINGS ARE NEGATIVE.
BUT REMEMBER, THIS IS A MODELED RESULT.
THE ONE THING I THINK MOST OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN HEARD ME MAKE THIS PRESENTATION BEFORE IS ONLY THING I CAN GUARANTEE YOU IS IT'S WRONG.
ANY MODEL YOU DO IS BASED ON BEST GUESSES, SO IT'S FINE TUNING AND YOU'LL FIND TUNE IT BASED ON THE RATE OF RETURN.
YOU FINE TUNE IT BASED ON THE MORTALITY TABLE.
YOU FINE TUNE IT BASED ON MANY, MANY VARIABLES AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S REALLY EDUCATED GUESS ON WHAT THE POSITION OF THE PLANS ARE.
IF YOU ALL WANT JUST A QUICK UPDATE, I CAN TELL YOU WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE FIRE PLAN.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE NEW, I'LL START WITH JUST A LITTLE BASIC 101 ON THE PLAN.
THIS PLAN IS MANAGED BY A GROUP OF TRUSTEES.
THE TRUSTEES ARE THE MAJORITY OF BENEFICIARIES.
THE TRUSTEES THAT MAKE UP THIS PLAN ARE THE BENEFICIARIES OF THE PLAN.
IT'S NOT EQUAL AS THE POLICE PLAN.
BOTH THE FIRE PLAN AND THE CIVILIAN PLAN ARE STRUCTURED THAT WAY, THAT THE TRUSTEES OF THAT PLAN OUT NUMBER THE CITY APPOINTEES TO THE PLAN.
FULL DISCLOSURE. I'M A TRUSTEE ON THE POLICE PLAN.
THE POLICE PLAN HAS EQUAL REPRESENTATION.
THAT WAS DONE BUT THROUGH LEGISLATION A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
THE POLICE PLAN HAS EQUAL REPRESENTATION.
BOTH THE FIRE ARMS OF BEING PLANNED DON'T.
>> WHEN YOU SAY EQUAL REPRESENTATION, WOULD YOU LET THEM KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?
>> THE CITY HAS EQUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE BENEFICIARY.
ONE GROUP CAN'T CONTROL OVER THE OTHER.
>> YEAH. THE CITY WOULD APPOINT PEOPLE WE WOULD CONSIDER THOSE INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, ONE GROUP DOESN'T CONTROL IT OVER ANOTHER.
ON THE POLICE PLANS CASE, THE SUPER MAJORITY IS REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN ACTIONS.
IT REALLY CREATES A BETTER GOVERNANCE MODEL.
ON MARCH 10TH OF THIS YEAR, THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE ISSUED INTERIM CHARGES TO THE LEGISLATURE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DO IN THAT IS WHEN THEY ISSUE IS THE RECOMMENDED CHARGES, IT GIVES US A ROADMAP OF WHERE THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE DID, HE ISSUED A CHARGE TO THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON PENSIONS TO REVIEW THE TLFFRA PLANS.
THE TLFFRA PLANS ARE THE TEXAS LOCAL FIREFIGHTERS RETIREMENT ACT PLANS WHICH IS TO DO TWO THINGS.
ENSURE THAT PROPER GOVERNANCE AND FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT ARE THERE, AND TO EXAMINE WHETHER THE PENSION REVIEW BOARD HAS A PROPER OVERSIGHT AND AUTHORITY TO IMPLEMENT NECESSARY CORRECTIVE MEASURES.
THESE ARE IDENTICAL TO THE ISSUES OF LEGISLATURE JUST ON OUR POLICE PLAN.
I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT'S BECAUSE OF US, BUT IN SPEAKING TO THE ONE OF THE MEMBERS OR THE SPEAKER'S STAFF, THEY'RE USING ON POLICE PLAN IS A MODEL ON WHAT THEY'RE DOING GOING FORWARD ON WHAT THEY WANT THESE DEFINED BENEFIT PLANS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS TO LOOK LIKE.
CITY ALONG WITH THE TRUSTEES THAT YOU MENTIONED BRIEFLY, WE HIRED THE SERVICES OF A THIRD-PARTY ACTUARY.
HE DID A DETERMINISTIC ESTIMATE OF THE PLAN, BRINGING IT FORWARD TO 2021, THE AMORTIZATION PERIOD WENT FROM ROUGHLY 58 YEARS TO 40 YEARS.
THEIR ACTUARY HAS NOT YET RELEASED THEIR RESULT, BUT JUST PURELY MARKET PERFORMANCE HAS RESULTED IN THE PLAN IMPROVING.
THE FUNDING RATIO IS STILL ABOUT THE SAME, BUT THE VALUE OF THE ASSETS HAS INCREASED CLEARLY BECAUSE OF THE YIELD OVER THE PERIOD.
THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY WENT DOWN BY ABOUT, LET SAY, $3 MILLION FROM 27 TO ABOUT 24.
IT REDUCED THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY FROM 57 TO 40.
[02:45:04]
MARKED IMPROVEMENT BUT IT REMAINS WELL OUTSIDE WHERE THEY SHOULD BE.THE PERFECT OR THEY'LL BE FULLY FUNDED BUT AT A MINIMUM, THAT SHOULD BE BELOW 30 YEARS.
THE LEGISLATURE IS LOOKING FOR ALL TEXAS PLANS TO ACHIEVE FULL FUNDING THROUGH THE FUNDING RESTORATION PLAN WITHIN 30 YEARS.
THEY WANT ASSETS AND LIABILITIES TO EQUAL WITHIN 30 YEARS.
THEY HAVE ISSUED A MANDATE THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A FUNDING PLAN THAT'S JOINTLY DEVELOPED BY THE SPONSOR AND THE CITY.
TO ACHIEVE THAT, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT MAKES THE FIRE PENSION PLANS TO WORK.
WHAT THE ACTUARY IS DOING NOW IS HE'S PUTTING A VALUE ON EVERY BENEFIT.
SO WE CAN SEE WHAT BENEFITS ARE THE MOST COSTLY, WHICH BENEFITS REALLY DON'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE.
THEN WE'RE GOING TO SIT WITH THE TRUSTEES AND SAY, WHAT ARE YOUR UNIT? THEY MAY DETERMINE THAT THIS IS OUR MOST SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT, AND THAT BENEFIT MAY COST A FORTUNE OR MAY COST LITTLE TO NOTHING.
BUT THEY'RE MAKING DETERMINATIONS NOW ON BENEFITS WITHOUT REALLY KNOWING WHAT BENEFITS COST.
THE FIRST STEP WE HAVE TO DO AND PUT TOGETHER THE FUNDING PLAN IS UNDERSTAND THE BENEFITS AND WHAT THEY COST EACH ONE OF THEM.
AS SOON AS WE DO THE PENSION BOARD HAS PUT TOGETHER AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THREE PEOPLE.
THEY WILL MEET WITH ME VERY MUCH LIKE WE DID WITH THE POLICE PLAN.
WE'RE GOING TO HASH THROUGH ALL THE DIFFERENT SEGMENTS OF THE PLAN, HOW IT WORKS AND TRY TO DEVISE THIS FUNDING POLICY THAT WE HAVE TO STATUTORILY HAVE, THAT BOTH GROUPS HAVE TO COLLECTIVELY PUT IN PLACE.
THE CLOCK'S TICKING FOR US BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO DO SOMETHING.
I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID WITH THE POLICE PLAN.
THEY'RE GOING TO ADDRESS GOVERNANCE.
THAT'S THE STRUCTURE OF THE BOARDS.
THEY'RE GOING TO ADDRESS TRAINING FOR THE TRUSTEES BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THERE'S NO STIPULATION THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE ANY TRAINING OTHER THAN JUST BASIC, YOU'RE A TRUSTEE, MOVE FORWARD AND PROSPER.
QUALIFICATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE APTITUDE THAT PEOPLE SIT ON THESE BOARDS IS SUFFICIENT TO UNDERSTAND THEY'RE DEALING WITH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
THEN FUNDING. FUNDING, WE'LL GET DOWN TO WHERE IN THE PAST THE CITY AND FOR WHATEVER REASON THERE'S BEYOND ME, I'M SURE.
THE COLLECTIVE WISDOM OF PRIOR COUNCILS AND THE LEADERSHIP IN THE CITY THOUGHT IT WAS PRUDENT JUST DO A FIXED RATE CONTRIBUTION OF THESE PENSION PLANS.
NEVER A WAY TO FUND THE PENSION PLAN, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A DETERMINED STATISTICALLY, MATHEMATICALLY AND WE'LL USE ACTUARIES.
IN THE CASE OF THE POLICE PLAN, WE HAVE AN ACTUARY.
TELL US, AS AGAIN, I'M SPEAKING AS A TRUSTEE, THIS IS WHAT THE CONTRIBUTION RATE NEEDS TO BE TO RATCHET DOWN TO RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT 27 YEARS.
WE'VE GOT 27 YEARS LEFT, THIS THE CONTRIBUTION RATE THAT HAS TO BE THERE SO THAT YOU'RE FULLY FUNDED THIS 27 YEARS.
THAT HAPPENS AND THEN WE HAVE TO BY A STATUTE, SET OF CONTRIBUTION RATE THAT'LL ACHIEVE THAT 0 AND 27 YEARS.
IF WE HAVE TO INCREASE CONTRIBUTIONS, IT DEFINES WHO PAYS, WHETHER IT'S THE CITY OR THE COMBINATION OF THE CITY AND FIREFIGHTERS, OR IF IT'S THE FIREFIGHTERS.
IF THE TRUSTEES ELECT TO INCREASE A BENEFIT AND THERE'S A COST TO THAT BENEFIT, THAT COST FALLS SQUARELY ON THEIR SHOULDERS.
IT REALLY DOES DEFINE WHAT HAPPENS AND IT PREVENTS THE TRUSTEES FROM DOING ANYTHING THAT WOULD, LET JUST SAY BE A BLANK CHECK TO THE TAX FIGURES.
BE CAUSE RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE THAT BLANK CHECK.
TRUSTEES ARE COMPLETELY AUTONOMOUS, THEY MAKE CHANGES AND IT HAPPENS.
IN THE CASE OF A TLFFRA PLAN, IT'S SO DIFFERENT BECAUSE THE FIREFIGHTERS AND HAVE TO RATIFY THOSE CHANGES.
EVEN IF WE REACH AGREEMENT WITH THE BOARD THE WAY IT WORKS RIGHT NOW, THE RANK AND FIREFIGHTERS CAN SAY, NOPE, WE DON'T LIKE TO GO BACK TO DRAWING BOARD.
IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY IN THE CIVILIAN OR ON THE POLICE PLAN.
>>WHEN YOU SAY BOARD JUST SO THEY ACKNOWLEDGED?
>> YEAH, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
PLUS I USE THOSE TERMS SYNONYMOUSLY I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
BUT BY HAVING THE ACTUARY DETERMINE CONTRIBUTION RATE, BY HAVING SOUND GOVERNANCE, BY HAVING OBJECTIVE TO BE FULLY FUND IN 30 YEARS, THAT'S THE WAY YOU GET THERE.
IT'S GOT TO BE DONE BASED ON SPECIFIC [NOISE] HARD AND FAST CRITERIA.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS WITH THE FIRE PLAN.
BUT UNTIL WE HAVE THE INFORMATION, WE'RE REALLY JUST WAITING RIGHT NOW TO GET THE INFORMATION FROM THE ACTUARY AND THE PROCESS HAS ALREADY BEEN SET UP IN PLACE WITH THEIR BOARD TO MEET COLLECTIVELY WORK TOWARD DEVELOPING THIS FUNDING PLAN.
I KNOW THAT ALL OF YOU ALL RECEIVED SOMETHING FROM I DON'T KNOW IF IT
[02:50:01]
WAS THE PENSION BOARD OR FROM THE UNION.I DON'T KNOW WHO IT WAS FROM BUT IT RELATED TO WANTING THE SAME PLAN OR SOMETHING AS THE POLICE I HAD, TRUST ME, THE POLICE AND CIVILIANS IN THE CITY [INAUDIBLE] WOULD LOVE TO HAVE WHAT THE FIREMEN HAVE.
IT IS BY FAR THE BEST PLAN THE CITY OFFERS.
I THINK MIKE ALLUDED TO IT BRIEFLY IN THE CIVILIAN PLAN IS THE WORST.
THE POLICE PLAN IS THE SECOND, AND THEN THE FIREFIGHTERS IS THE PREMIER PLAN OF ALL THE PLANS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR PENSIONS.
>> WHY NEVER HEARD THEM SAYING THEY WANTED TO BE LIKE THE OTHER PLANS? I DON'T KNOW WHO IS.
>>WELL, THEY WANTED WHAT THE POLICE HAD.
>> I HAVE NEVER HAD THAT REQUEST I'M JUST PUTTING [INAUDIBLE].
>> I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING FROM THEM EITHER.
>> WE WERE GIVEN A POWERPOINT ACTUALLY THAT THEY SAID THEY DISTRIBUTED.
>>[NOISE] YOU JUST TAKE ONE AND PASS THEM [NOISE].
>> WE'RE WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH THE FIRE PLAN.
I WILL TELL YOU WE ARE GOING TO BE BRINGING SOMETHING FORWARD ON THE CIVILIAN PLAN BECAUSE A CIVILIAN PLAN IS NOT A GOOD PLAN.
OUR CIVILIANS HAVE THE WORST PLAN REFEREE, AND WE'VE DONE NOTHING FOR THEM OR BETTER.
IT'S GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S A RECRUITING ISSUE FOR US.
FIRST THING PEOPLE SAY IS, ARE YOU UNDER THE TEXAS STATE RETIREMENT PLAN? NO. WE ARE OUT.
WHAT WE WANT TO TRY TO DO IS MODEL SOMETHING AFTER THAT PLAN BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET TO THE TMRS ANYTIME SOON.
IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT WE CAN DO THINGS WITHIN THE PLAN TO MAKE IT MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE RETIRED OR THAT WE TRY TO HIRE BECAUSE, WE ARE LOSING SOME VERY GOOD PEOPLE.
AS WE'RE NOT LOSING THEM, WE CAN'T EVEN HIRE THEM BECAUSE OF OUR PENSION ON THE CIVILIAN SIDE.
>> TO GET BACK TO THE TOPIC, THE FIREFIGHTERS PENSION, BECAUSE THEY ARE WILLING TO WORK HAND IN HAND WITH ASCENDING.
[NOISE] AGAIN, JUST TO CLARIFY, I DON'T KNOW THAT ANY OF US HAVE A RECEIVED A REQUEST THAT THEY WANTED TO HAVE THE OTHER PENSIONS BECAUSE I KNOW I HAVE ANY [INAUDIBLE] HE JUST SAID HE HASN'T.
BUT WHAT OTHER THINGS THAT THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WAS THAT THE CITY WENT INDEPENDENTLY TO THE PENSION REVIEW BOARD.
IT WAS THE PENSION REVIEW BOARD THAT MADE THE FIREMEN AWARE THAT THEIR PENSION PEOPLE AWARE.
THE APPEARANCE OF THAT WOULDN'T APPEAR CAUSE YOU'RE NOT WORKING TOGETHER IF YOU'RE MAKING AS, WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THAT TRIP OR WHY WEREN'T THEY INCLUDED IF YOU'RE GOING TO THE PENSION REVIEW BOARD, AND IT OBVIOUSLY MADE THE PENSION REVIEW BOARD.
WELL, THEY NOTIFIED THE PENSION GUYS AT THE FIRE HOUSE, SO I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY.
>> WE MIGHT WORK WITH THE PENSION REVIEW BOARD, NOT DAILY, NOT EVEN WEEKLY BUT I'M SURE WE'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE PENSION REVIEW BOARD ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
WE TALK ABOUT A MULTITUDE OF TOPICS.
WE KNEW THAT COMING UP THE DISCUSSION WAS THE SPEAKER WAS GOING TO HAVE AN INTERIM CHARGE ON PENSIONS, ESPECIALLY ON THE RETIREMENT PENSION PLANS BECAUSE I'M PRETTY SURE IT'S DALLAS.
IT COULD BE A DOUBT OF DALLAS MUNICIPALITY, BUT THEY'VE BEEN REALLY HITTING THE LEGISLATURE BECAUSE OF THE CONDITIONS IN THESE PLANS.
WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PRB ALL THE TIME, AND WE NEVER SAID DON'T TALK TO ANYBODY ABOUT WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
WE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT OUR ISSUES.
THEY KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON THE FIRE PLAN.
THEY KNOW THIS IS THE PLAN THAT NEEDS HELP.
PENSION REVIEW BOARD HAS NO TEETH.
I CONSIDER THEM THE TEETHLESS REGULATOR.
SINCE LONG AS I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM, I'VE TOLD THEM THAT I WOULD BE AN ADVOCATE FOR GIVING THEM MORE POWER TO CONTROL PLANS THAT ARE OUT OF CONTROL, TO ENFORCE THE REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THEY CAN'T EVEN ENFORCE THESE REQUIREMENTS.
YOU KNOW LEGISLATURE SAID THESE MOST LIKE ORDINANCES WE PASS, THAT WE DON'T HAVE A WAY TO MONITOR THEM.
THERE IS NO ARM WITHIN THE LEGISLATURE OR WITHIN THE TEXAS STATE GOVERNMENT TO FORCE THESE PLANS TO COMPLY WITH THE RULES THAT ARE PUBLISHED BY THE PRB.
DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PRB CERTAINLY ARE ONGOING WITH US.
WE WILL HAVE THEM ALL THE TIME.
WE HAVE THEM JOINTLY WITH PENSION TRUSTEES.
WE'LL HAVE THEM EXCLUSIVELY BY OURSELVES.
WE SHOULD NEVER NOT WANT TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM.
THEY CAN BE THE BEST ADVOCATES FOR TO GET ALL OUR PLANS IN GOOD SOUND FINANCIAL CONDITION.
I DON'T APOLOGIZE FOR TALKING TO THE PRB.
>> IT WAS THEIR CONCERN OR THE CONCERN OF THE BOARD TO CONTACT THEM?
[02:55:02]
>> THEY COMMUNICATE WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS ALSO.
THEY CAN COMMUNICATE WITH ALL THE PLAN TRUSTEES.
>> JUST SO FOR THE PUBLIC SINCE WE WERE GIVEN THAT SHEET TODAY, AND IT WASN'T IN OUR PLAN, THE FIREFIGHTERS, THE EMPLOYEES CONTRIBUTE 18 PERCENT.
THE CITY CONTRIBUTE 17 PERCENT.
THE FIREFIGHTERS HAVE TAKEN CONTRIBUTIONS IN LIEU OF INCREASES IN PAY.
THEY WANT TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THE CITY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE COMPARISON OF OTHER PLANS, THEY ARE CONTRIBUTING MORE THAN CITY CONTRIBUTES.
I GUESS I'VE PUT IT ON BECAUSE I CERTAINLY SUPPORT ALL OUR CIVIL SERVANTS.
FIREFIGHTERS DO HAVE A LOT OF VIEWS TO THEIR BODIES OR WHATNOT WHEN FIGHTING FIRES OR JUST THE NATURE OF, EVEN THOUGH I KNOW YOU'LL SAY THAT THOUGH THEY WORK LESS DAYS.
>> YOU SAY IT ALMOST EVERY MEETING. I'M JUST POINTING OUT.
I GUESS MY CONCERN IS HOW COULD WE MAKE THIS WORK? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE SAYING, BECAUSE THEY DO SIT AT THE HIGHEST PERFORMING PERCENTAGE.
THAT SEEMS LIKE THAT COULD BE SOMETHING.
>> REMEMBER, THAT'S PURELY AN ESTIMATE.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THEIR RETURN, THAT IS AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT THEY BELIEVE THEY CAN RETURN.
EACH PLAN SETS THEIR OWN ESTIMATES.
THE CONTRIBUTION RATE, REMEMBER THEY DON'T PAY IN SOCIAL SECURITY.
I ADD SIX AND A QUARTER, WHATEVER THAT PERCENT IS TO THE CONTRIBUTION RATES FOR THE CIVILIAN AND THE POLICE AND THAT WOULD GIVE YOU MORE OF AN EQUAL FACTOR, BUT THEY DON'T RECEIVE THE BENEFITS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DID COME UP IS THE FOLLOWING OUR RECEIPT OF THE POWERPOINT, WHEREVER IT WAS, THE ACTUARY ACTUALLY CALCULATED FOR THE PLAN TRUSTEES AND FOR THE CITY THE EQUIVALENT OF THEIR PENSION VERSUS THE POLICE PENSION.
THE TERMINATION IS THAT THEIR PLANS RICHER UNTIL YOU REACH THE AGE OF 78 OR 95 IN ONE CASE, DEPENDING ON WHEN YOU RETIRE, SO THEY HAVE A VERY RICH PLAN.
THE FUNDING CONTRIBUTIONS ARE DETERMINED BASED ON THE BENEFITS.
AT SOMETIME IN THE PAST, I'M SURE THE FIREFIGHTERS SAID WE WANT THIS BENEFIT AND TO DO THAT, WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE OUR CONTRIBUTION RATES.
THAT'S THE WAY IT HAS WORKED IN THE PAST.
I'VE ONLY BEEN DEALING WITH THIS PLAN UNDER EIGHT YEARS I'VE BEEN HEAD OF THE CITY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE AND SO MANY OF THOSE RECORDS FOR ALL THE PLANS JUST THEY DON'T EXIST.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, THE CONTRIBUTION RATES ARE PARALLEL OR WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THE BENEFITS THEY DERIVE.
I MEAN EXCELLENT BENEFITS, BUT THEY'RE PAYING FOR THOSE BENEFITS AND THEY CHOSE TO PAY FOR THOSE BENEFITS.
THAT'S HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
>> I'M JUST SAYING THAT PUBLIC CAN'T SEE THIS SHEET.
THIS IS PUBLISHED BY THE PRB EVERY YEAR.
I THINK THEY'RE JUST GETTING READY TO SEND OUT A NEW ONE.
YOU CAN COMPARE OUR PLAN TO EVERY SINGLE PLAN.
IT COMPARES THE CONTRIBUTION RATES, THE BENEFITS, THE FUNDING RATIOS.
IT HAS ALL THE VARIABLES FOR THE ACTUARIES USED.
IT'S A WORLD OF INFORMATION, AND IT'S AVAILABLE OUT THERE.
WE CAN LINK IT TO OUR WEBSITE.
WE'LL GLADLY DO THAT. ALL THIS IS PUBLIC.
THERE IS NOTHING HERE THAT THE PUBLIC CAN'T SEE.
>> WHAT'S THE TIME FRAME OF THE ACTUARY COME BACK TO THE CITY WITH.
>> WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE, I WOULD ANTICIPATE IN THE NEXT 30-60 DAYS.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TIME FOR THIS READY FOR OUR BUDGET DISCUSSIONS.
IT'S COMING UP HERE AND THAT WE DETERMINED.
>> IN ALL HONESTLY, IT COULD TAKE US A COUPLE OF YEARS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE WANT THERE.
I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S ANY BUDGET CHANGES RIGHT NOW.
>> YOU'VE BEEN MEETING WITH THE FIRE, THEY WROTE.
>> THEY WERE JUST HERE. BUT ONCE WE GET THE NUMBERS, IT COULD TAKE DAYS OR IT COULD TAKE A LONG LENGTH OF TIME TO PUT TOGETHER A METHODOLOGY TO GET THIS PLAN.
>> BECAUSE REMEMBER, WE'RE TALKING TO THE GUYS THAT ARE IN CHARGE OF THE PLAN.
THEY'VE GOT TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE MEMBERS OF THE PLAN AND ALL THAT.
>> THE PIECES FLEXES ADA COMPLIANCE IS THE CITY NOT HAVING SIGNED THE FUNDING POLICY.
>> WE WOULD NOT SIGN A FUNDING POLICY IF WE DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN DEVELOPING AND WE DID NOT.
THEY DEVELOP THAT SOMETIME AGO BEFORE THE REQUIREMENT WAS IN PLACE, AND THE REQUIREMENT, IS IT HAS TO BE JOINTLY DEVELOPED.
IT'D BE VERY NAIVE AND IT WOULD BE FIDUCIARY IRRESPONSIBLE TO DEVELOP A FUNDING PLAN THAT WASN'T BASED ON THE ACCURATE INFORMATION.
>> BUT MY QUESTION IS, WHAT DOES THAT NONCOMPLIANCE DO?
>> RIGHT NOW, IT DOES NOTHING.
[03:00:02]
THEY KNOW THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IT.THEY KNOW THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARD IT.
THEY KNOW THAT THEY HAVE ENOUGH INTERACTION WITH THE CITY OF GALVESTON TO KNOW THAT WE'RE PAYING GREAT ATTENTION TO OUR PENSION PLANS.
WE'RE ON FIRST-NAME BASIS, NOT SPEED DIAL.
OUR FIRST-NAME BASIS WITH THE PRB AND THEY ARE WITH US, AS WELL AS THE TRUSTEES AND THE PLAN.
SO THEY KNOW WHERE WE'RE WORKING.
DEPENDING ON WHAT THE PLAN DOES BASED ON THIS YEAR'S RATE OF RETURN, YOU COULD BE BELOW 30.
THEY HAVE AN EXCEPTIONAL YEAR.
IT STARTED OUT STRONG, TANKED OFF, NOW IT'S COMING BACK.
I HAVEN'T LOOKED TO SEE WHAT THE MARKET'S DOING DAY.
IT'S REALLY DRIVEN BY THE STOCK MARKETS RETURNS.
>> WILLIAM, OUR TRUSTEES AREN'T CERTIFIED RIGHT NOW.
>> WELL THEY HAD TO TAKE BASIC TRUSTEE TRAINING. BUT THAT'S IT.
ANYBODY COULD BE ON THE BOARD.
POLICE PLAN, THERE ARE SPECIFIC CRITERIA PUT IN BY THE LEGISLATURE.
>> ALL RIGHT, DAN. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, JOHN?
>> YOU TALKED ABOUT THE LEGISLATOR CRAIG'S LAWS THAT WOULD MAKE THIS [NOISE] FULLY FUNDED IN 30 YEARS?
>> THEY ARE MANDATING THAT WE JOINTLY DEVELOP A FUNDING POLICY THAT WILL BRING THE PLAN TO FULLY FUNDED WITHIN 30 YEARS.
THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE FROM ALL THE PLANTS.
BUT THEY PUT ZERO ENFORCEMENT, SO THERE'S NO WAY FOR THEM TO ENFORCE THEIR MANDATE.
>> BUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THEM IS GETTING THE MOST RECENT NUMBERS SO WE CAN MAKE GOOD DECISIONS IN A POLICY DEVELOPMENT.
>> WELL, IT SEEMS LIKE WE TRY TO DO THAT EVERY TIME THIS COMES BEFORE US.
WHEN I FIRST GOT ON COUNCIL, THE FIREFIGHTERS' PENSION WAS IN GREAT SHAPE AND THE POLICE PENSION WAS IN BAD SHAPE.
WE WENT THROUGH THIS WHOLE EXERCISE.
NOW, THE FIRE PENSION IS COMING BACK IN FRONT OF US.
EVEN WITH US TRYING TO DEVELOP THIS 30-YEAR PLAN, IF THERE'S NO ENFORCEMENT, ARE WE GOING TO BE BACK HERE?
>> IF THE PLAN'S IN PLACE AND ITS ADOPTED POLICY AND IT'LL SAY FUNDING METHODOLOGY, CALCULATION OF FUNDING, THE ADDRESSES, EVERYTHING YOU'RE GOING TO GET THERE.
>> WHY HAVEN'T WE DONE THAT IN THE PAST?
>> WE'VE TRIED. WE DON'T CONTROL THOSE PENSIONS.
WE HAVE ZERO CONTROL OVER THE CIVILIAN AND THE FIRE PENSION. NONE.
>> BUT WHAT HAS REALLY CHANGED WITH THAT POLICY?
>> WE STILL HAVE ZERO CONTROL.
THAT'S WHY ONE OF THE CHARGES FROM THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE IS TO ADDRESS GOVERNANCE OF THESE INDEPENDENT PENSIONS.
THAT'S HIS PRIMARY CHARGE. [OVERLAPPING]
>> THE STATE THINKS ABOUT HOLDING US ACCOUNTABLE.
THEY HAVE A VERY HARD TIME HOLDING THESE INDEPENDENT BOARDS ACCOUNTABLE BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO STROKE OVER THEM.
>> BUT THAT GOVERNANCE HASN'T REALLY BEEN ENACTED. THERE'S OVERALL WAR. [OVERLAPPING]
>> WHAT I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT THE FIREFIGHTERS, I THINK BY FAR THE FIREFIGHTERS HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB WITH THEIR PLAN, BUT THEY'VE NEVER HAD THE DESIRE OR THE REQUIREMENT TO FULLY FUND THE PLAN.
>> ALL RIGHT. BUT SAY YOU DEVELOPED THIS PLAN AND IT'S A 30-YEAR PLAN AND IN 30 YEARS IT'S FULLY FUNDED.
TWO YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, SAY THE MARKET TANKS, AND IN THE PLAN IT SAYS THAT THE FIREFIGHTERS HAVE TO PUT IN MORE MONEY IF THAT HAPPENS.
>> IN TWO YEARS, THE FIREFIGHTER, HE GOES, YEAH, WE AIN'T GOT IT.
>> WELL, THEN THEY WON'T GET THE BENEFIT.
>> SO WHAT I'M SAYING THOUGH IS, AREN'T WE IN THE SAME BOAT WITH THAT?
>> ONCE THE CYCLE WILL BE CORRECTED THROUGH A SOLID WRITTEN FUNDING POLICY, THE FUNDING POLICY ADDRESSES EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO ACHIEVE 30 YEARS.
>> RIGHT. BUT WHY HAVEN'T WE DONE THAT IN THE PAST?
>> BECAUSE WE DON'T CONTROL THE BOARD.
>> WE DON'T CONTROL YOU DON'T CONTROL THE BOARD.
>> WE DON'T GET TO WRITE THE FUNDING POLICY.
WE THE CITY CAN DO NOTHING BUT THROW MONEY AT IT. [OVERLAPPING]
>> BUT IS THIS THE MOST RECENT POLICY CHANGE THAT IT MAKES THEM JOINTLY DEVELOP THE POLICY WITH US PRIOR TO THAT? WE WEREN'T INVOLVED IN IT AT ALL.
THIS IS WHERE IT GOES YEARS BACK.
MADE A FLAWED DECISION, IN MY OPINION, TO MAKE FIXED CONTRIBUTIONS TO ALL THE PENSIONS.
I THINK IT WAS BAD JUDGMENT, BUT HINDSIGHT IS REALLY CRYSTAL CLEAR.
>> FIXED CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE PERCENTAGE THAT WE. [OVERLAPPING] YES THAT WE PUT IN. IT WAS FIXED.
IT WAS NEVER DETERMINED BY THE ACTUARY.
THE ACTUARY MIGHT'VE COME AND SAID, THEY HAVE A THING CALLED NORMAL COSTS.
A NORMAL COST IS WHAT THE CONTRIBUTIONS SHOULD BE TO SUSTAIN THE BENEFIT.
THEN YOU HAVE THE UNFUNDED OR UNAMORTIZED LIABILITY [NOISE] AND SO YOU HAVE THE NORMAL COST, THEN YOU HAVE THE NEED TO BRING THAT UNFUNDED LIABILITY DOWN TO ZERO IN 30 YEARS.
THERE'S NEVER BEEN A MOTIVATION BY
[03:05:02]
THE TRUSTEES AT ALL OR A REQUIREMENT THAT THEY BRING THAT DOWN.WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT CODE ENFORCEMENT EARLY, THE STRONGLY WORDED LETTERS FROM THE PENSION REVIEW BOARD TO TELL YOU'RE OUT OF COMPLIANCE, SO YOU PUT TOGETHER A PLAN AND YOU'RE STILL OUT OF COMPLIANCE, SO THAT YOU PUT TOGETHER A NEW PLAN AND YOU'RE STILL OUT OF COMPLIANCE.
THEY'VE NEVER HAD THE ABILITY TO SAY, YOU WILL DO THIS.
THE LEGISLATURE DOES NOT WANT TO WRITE CHECKS FOR THESE PRIVATE PENSION PLANS.
THE PUBLIC CONSIDERS THEM GOVERNMENTAL PLANS, BUT THEIR GOVERNMENTAL PLANS WHERE THE GOVERNMENT'S NOT IN CONTROL.
THEY COULD MAKE CHANGES. THE TRUSTEES CAN.
FIREFIGHTERS HAVE NOT DONE THIS, SO I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO THINK THEY HAVE.
THEY COULD MAKE CHANGES TO THEIR PLAN AND THEN COME TO YOU AND SAY, CITY DIDN'T PAY FOR THIS.
THEY HAVEN'T DONE THAT, BUT THEY COULD.
IN SOME CASES OUTSIDE OF GALVESTON, THAT'S HAPPENED.
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE PUTTING THESE CONTROLS IN PLACE.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE IN 60, YOU'LL HAVE YOUR ACTUARY OR AS WILLIAM WAS ASKING. [OVERLAPPING]
>> I'M COMMITTING TO SOMETHING THAT'S OUTSIDE OF MY CONTROL AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THE ACTUARY IS WORKING DILIGENTLY TO GET US INFORMATION.
>> WHAT DID IT COST US TO DO THAT?
WE HAVE MONEY SET ASIDE TO DO THIS.
>> IN THE PLAN, THAT'S WHY WE'RE INTERESTED.
>>YEAH. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? IF NEED BE THE CITY WILL PAY FOR IT.
WE'VE GOT TO GET THE INFORMATION.
THIS ACTUARY THAT WE'RE USING NOW IS SPOT ON POINT.
HE TYPICALLY DELIVERS WHEN HE SAYS HE'S GOING TO DELIVER.
WE THROW DIFFERENT VARIABLES WE'LL MEET AND WE'LL SAY, WELL, LET'S LOOK AT THIS, AND WE'LL THROW A VARIABLE AT HIM AND HE'LL COME BACK WITH NEW INFORMATION FOR US.
SO IT'S VERY TIMELESS AND IT'S VERY HELPFUL AS WE WORK OUR WAY THROUGH FIXING THE PLANS AND TRYING TO DEVELOP WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO DEVELOP THE FUNDING POLICY AND THE PLAN OUTLINED GOING FORWARD.
IT'S GOING TO DRAMATICALLY CHANGE IT.
I'M AFRAID THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO BEAT EVERYBODY WITH A PUNCH BECAUSE THEY WANT THESE PLANS FIXED AND THEY TAKE OFTEN TIMES A DRACONIAN APPROACH TO FIXING THINGS.
THEY'LL PUT REQUIREMENTS ON THE BENEFICIARIES IN THE CITIES.
>> I GUESS THAT'S WHAT ASKING.
THOSE REQUIREMENTS AREN'T IN PLACE YET.
>> THE FUNDING POLICY IS IN PLACE.
THAT'S THERE. BUT WHAT CAN THEY DO TO US IF WE DON'T DO IT?
>> NOTHING. [OVERLAPPING] THEY MIGHT CALL US TO ALSO MAKE US TESTIFY IN FRONT OF THE FULL PENSION REVIEW BOARD.
>> YOU THINK THOSE REQUIREMENTS WILL? [OVERLAPPING]
>> BRIAN HATES GOING TO AUSTIN, I LOVE GOING TO AUSTIN. [LAUGHTER]
>> DO YOU THINK THOSE REQUIREMENTS WILL GET IN PLACE PRETTY QUICKLY?
>> I THINK SINCE THEY ARE GOING TO ADDRESS THE INTERIM CHARGES FROM THE SPEAKER, SO TO TELL THE LEGISLATURE WHAT HE EXPECTS TO SEE AS LEGISLATION AND GOVERNANCE AND PRB CONTROLS ARE BOTH INTERIM CHARGES.
>> EVENTUALLY ALL OF THESE PLANS WOULD BE UNDER THE GOVERNMENT SO TO SPEAK.
>> EVENTUALLY WHAT THEY WANT TO DO IS HAVE ALL THESE PLANS FULLY FUNDED, SO I THINK THEY CAN TRANSITION THEM OUT OF EXISTENCE.
I THINK THAT'S OUR LONG-TERM PLAN OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS, AND THEN EVERYBODY GOES INTO ONE.
>> [OVERLAPPING] WE ARE A LONG WAY FROM THAT.
>> IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IN OUR LIFETIME.
>> LET'S DO THIS IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND.
BRIAN, IF WE COULD PUT THIS BACK ON THE AGENDA IN ABOUT 60 DAYS HERE.
JUST GIVE AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE ARE ON THIS.
>> YEAH. I'LL SAY MAYBE WE CAN GET SOMEBODY FROM THE FIREFIGHTERS PENSION TO COMING IN.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE CAN MAKE A JOINT PRESENTATION.
I WOULD ASSUME BY THEN WE'LL ALREADY BE WORKING THROUGH THIS COMMITTEE WITH THEIR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND US AND TRYING TO WORK TOWARD HERE.
I'LL MENTION MIKE ACTUALLY SITS ON THAT BOARD, SO I THINK HE COULD BRING THAT UP. [OVERLAPPING]
>> HAPPY TO DO THAT AGAIN AND HAVE A MEMBER OF THE FIREFIGHTERS BOARD.
>> WE'LL CERTAINLY INVITE THEM.
>> PART OF WHAT PROMPTED THIS DISCUSSION WAS SOMETHING THAT THE MAYOR AND I DISCUSSED EVERY LUNCH IS HOW WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT BUDGET ITEMS SOONER THAN LATER.
JOHN AND I ON SEPARATE JUST TALKING ABOUT HOW WE'D LIKE TO SEE THE TAX RATE VIA THE NO NEW REVENUE.
BUT WE'RE ALWAYS SO CLOSE TO THE TIME THAT IT HAS TO BE PASSED THAT IF WE COULD START DISCUSSING THESE THINGS SOONER THAN LATER, IT WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE.
>> YEAH, LETS DO AN UPDATE IN 60 DAYS, THEN THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
>> I'LL JUST COME BACK AND GIVE YOU AN UPDATE IN MAY.
>> THANK YOU. [OVERLAPPING] HAVE A NICE DAY.
>> WE APPRECIATE IT. ITEM 3G, PLEASE.
[3.G. Discussion Of Impact Fees For Short Term Rentals (Robb/Brown - 15 Minutes) ]
>> 3G, DISCUSSION OF THE IMPACT FEES FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
I PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA MAINLY TO KEEP US FOCUSED ON THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD WITH SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
[03:10:04]
SINCE WE IMPLEMENTED THE $50 ANNUAL FEE, WE HAVE FOUND OUT WE ACTUALLY HAVE OVER 3,900, [OVERLAPPING] YEAH, CLOSE TO 4,000 SHORT-TERM RENTALS.FOR THE FIRST TIME, I THINK IN THE HISTORY OF SINCE WE DID THE TWO THINGS THAT WE DID TO AFFECT SHORT-TERM RENTALS, THE STATE DOLLARS ACTUALLY MATCHED THE CITY DOLLARS ON WHAT WAS COLLECTED WITH OUR AGREEMENTS THAT WE DID WITH VRBO AND THE OTHER COMPANIES.
IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING STILL WITH THE MARKET AND SHORT-TERM RENTALS, MY DISTRICT WHICH USED TO HAVE THE MAJORITY STILL HAS THE MAJORITY, BUT WE HAVE 1,900 IN SUM VERSUS THE OTHER DISTRICTS THAT NOW HAVE WHAT MAKES UP THAT DIFFERENTIAL, JUST UNDER 4,000.
I JUST WANTED TO KEEP OUR THOUGHT MOVING FORWARD.
AND I KNOW WE'RE RESTRICTED BY A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN AT THE STATE LEVEL, OF START THE DISCUSSION ON HOW WE MIGHT DO SOME IMPACT FEE, OR IS IT THAT WE MAKE THE REGISTRATION HIGHER THAN $50.
I KNOW THE PARK BOARD STILL HAS A COMMITTEE THAT'S LOOKING AT IT, BUT I JUST WANT TO KEEP THIS REMINDER ON THE TABLE THAT IT IS A GROWING ISSUE.
EVERY WEEK WE'RE GETTING MORE SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
IT'S DEFINITELY AFFECTING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO I JUST PUT IT ON FOR DISCUSSIONS.
I KNOW DAN HAD SENT OUT A MEMO.
DO YOU WANT TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS ON WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO?
>> I SENSE MR. COLLINS WISHES TO SPEAK.
>> WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN NOVEMBER WHEN THINK IT WAS, ONE OF THE THINGS WE SAID WE WILL SET THIS RATE AT $50 REQUIRED TO BE ANNUAL.
WE DON'T HAVE AGREEMENTS WITH THE PLATFORMS. WE HAVE AS AN ORDINANCE THAT THE PLATFORMS ARE COMPLYING WITH. THERE'S A DIFFERENCE THERE.
BUT TALKING TO PRICE AND FRAZIER, WHO'S CFO OF THE PARK BOARD AND HIS STAFF, THE PLATFORMS HAVE BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE ABOUT WORKING WITH US ON THIS.
THIS HAS INCREASED THE NUMBER OF REGISTRATIONS TO ABOUT 4,000.
WE'D PROBABLY HAD THEM ALREADY.
THESE ARE NOT NEW REGISTRATIONS.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMPLYING WITH THE LAW.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE BEING VERY EFFECTIVE IN THAT.
BUT AS WE'VE SAID ALL ALONG, IF WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA, IT WOULD BE FOOLISH TO START MAKING ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS THAT APPLY SPECIFICALLY TO SHORT-TERM RENTALS FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.
ONE, SOMEBODY SUGGESTED WE CAN JUST MAKE IT LIKE $1,000 A YEAR.
WELL, WANT TO MAKE IT $5,000 A YEAR. RAISE ALL THAT MONEY.
BUT THE FACT IS IF WE START MAKING ARBITRARY DECISIONS,.
THEY WERE ALWAYS POINTING TO AUSTON SAYING, "LET'S DO IT AUSTON'S WAY." BUT AUSTON'S WAY IS SPEND YOUR LIFE IN APPELLATE COURT.
MY REPLY TO THEM IS WHEN YOU START SHOWING ME ARTICLES WHERE AUSTON'S WINNING THESE THINGS IN THE APPELLATE COURT, THEN WE'LL START USING AUSTON AS A MODEL.
THEY'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES, BUT THEY LEAD THE CHARGE ON THIS AND GOOD FOR THEM FOR GETTING OUT THERE AND PROVING WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN'T DO.
BUT UNTIL WE HAVE THE DATA, AND THAT'S WHAT [INAUDIBLE] IN THE PROCESS OF DOING WITH THESE REGISTRATIONS, IMPLEMENTING THE SOFTWARE OR WORKING WITH HOPE AND DAN TO CONNECT THIS TO THE RECORDING SYSTEM SO THAT WE KNOW WHETHER WE'RE DEALING WITH A SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROBLEM OR A SECOND HOMEOWNER PROBLEM, YOU CAN'T TELL THAT NOW.
I KNOW THAT 48 PERCENT OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS ARE WEST 103RD STREET, BUT ARE AT LEAST IN DISTRICT SIX.
IT IS AN ISSUE, BUT WE HAVE ORDINANCES ON PARKING, TRASH, NOISE, THAT COMES BACK TO THE MARSHAL'S OFFICE.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT ENFORCEMENT AT NIGHT.
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE POLICE TO GET IT.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US IMPROVE.
BUT THAT'S NOT DIRECTLY THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROBLEM.
PEOPLE SAY IT'S HOLLOWING OUT NEIGHBORHOODS., THAT'S A PROBLEM WE HAVE WITH A SHORT-TERM OR WITH SECOND HOMEOWNERS BEFORE SHORT-TERM RENTALS WERE EVEN REALLY A BIG THING.
>> YES, BUT THE VACATION RENTALS HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN A THING ON THE WESTEND, ITS ALWAYS BEEN OUT THERE.
BUT WE SEE MORE OF THIS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, FOR INSTANCE, IN THE WILLIAMS NEIGHBORHOOD.
BUT A LOT OF THAT IS SECOND HOME AND WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE.
[03:15:06]
AND SO WE SHOULD NOT BE EVEN ATTEMPTING TO BALANCE THE MARSHALS BUDGET OR SOLVE THIS PROBLEM BY CALLING IT SHORT-TERM RENTALS WHEN IT MAY NOT ALL BE SHORT-TERM RENTALS.WHEN THERE'S ALMOST CERTAINLY NOT ALL SHORT-TERM RENTALS, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH AND WE DON'T REALLY KNOW THAT.
THAT'S WHY NOW IS NOT REALLY AN IMPACT TO ME, BUT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK NOW'S THE TIME TO BE TALKING ABOUT THIS.
ANYTHING YOU DO TODAY IS ARBITRARY.
YOU JUST SET IT AT 500, SET IT TO 1000 [OVERLAPPING]
>> I THINK YOU'RE MISUNDERSTANDING ME.
I'M NOT ASKING US TO SET IN THE IMPACT FEE TODAY.
I'M CONTINUING THIS SUBJECT, SO WE DO KEEP A FOCUS ON IT.
THERE IS A COMMITTEE AT THE PARK FOR WHO HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR OVER A YEAR.
WHEN'S THEIR ENDPOINT? WHEN ARE WE GOING TO HAVE [OVERLAPPING].
>> WHEN THE SOFTWARE IS IMPLEMENTED AND WE'RE COLLECTING DATA.
>> AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE REPORT BACK FROM THE PARK BOARD, BE IT GOOD OR BAD ON BEST PRACTICES.
THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO START TO POP IN SOMEWHERE AROUND MAY, I WOULD THINK.
>> AND MORE IN THE SUMMER BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DATA.
AND I WANT TO SUPPORT WHAT COUNCILOR COLLINS IS SAYING HERE.
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO INCREASE THE ANNUAL REGISTRATION FEE OR SOME MANNER OF THAT, BUT WE'VE GOT TO BE VERY CAREFUL.
I DON'T WANT TO TAKE AND PUT THE BURDEN OF FUNDING OTHER CITY ACTIVITIES ON THE BACK OF ONE INDUSTRY.
>> WE DON'T KNOW RIGHT NOW THE DATA TO KNOW HOW MUCH WE SHOULD CHARGE AND WHAT ARE WE GOING TO USE THOSE FUNDS FOR.
>> THE ONE THING THAT WE DO KNOW IS 51 PERCENT OF THE HOT TAX NOW COMES FROM SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
THAT'S A FACT THAT WE DO KNOW.
>> BUT THE TROUBLE IS THAT YOU CAN ONLY USE A VERY LIMITED AMOUNT OF THAT MONEY TO DO ANY ENFORCEMENT IN SHORT-TERM, LOANS.
WE HAVE BEEN LIMITED IN HOW MUCH WE CAN USE TO DO THE REGISTRATION AND PRICES MAXIMIZING THAT.
THE FACT THAT 51 PERCENT OF OUR HOT TAX COMES FROM SHORT-TERM RENTALS IS GREAT.
IT TELLS YOU SOMETHING ABOUT THE GROWTH OF THAT INDUSTRY AND HOW WELL, IT'S FUNCTIONING, BUT IT DOESN'T TELL US ANYTHING ABOUT ENFORCEMENT.
IT DOESN'T TELL US ANYTHING ABOUT OUR IMPACT FEES.
SOMEONE SAID WE SHOULD JUST PUT AN ARBITRARY $1,000 LIMIT ON IT AND USE IT TO PAVE STREETS.
AND I'M LIKE, THE REASON THAT'S A BAD IDEA IS BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO GET SUED IF YOU DO THAT.
IF YOU RAISE THAT FEE RIGHT NOW ARBITRARILY, YOU BETTER PUT IT IN A LEGAL DEFENSE FUND BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE IT'S COMING TO BE.
>> WELL, YOU CAN'T DO THAT, I MEAN, YOU KNOW ABOUT IT.
SO I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU WANT TO KEEP THIS ON THE BURNER, BUT NOBODY HAS GONE TO SLEEP ON THIS.
>> REST ASSURED. I'VE GOT A RUNNING LIST OF ITEMS THAT ARE BRINGING BACK FOR FUTURE MEETINGS.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT AS SOON AS WE CAN START TO GET INPUT FROM THE PARK BOARD.
I'M HOPING MAY, BUT IT COULD BE A LITTLE LATER, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE ON TOP OF THE ISSUE [OVERLAPPING].
>> AND IF I COULD ADD, NUMBER 1, WE NEEDED TO GET AWAY FROM THE TERM IMPACT FEE.
>> THERE IS A SPECIFIC MEANING FOR IMPACT FEES IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A [OVERLAPPING] TAX AND A FEE, TAX RAISES REVENUE, FEES DO NOT.
FEES ARE USED TO REGULATE BUSINESSES.
THE AMOUNT OF THE FEE MUST BE IN PROPORTION TO WHAT REGULATIONS, IT HAS TO COVER THE COST OF REGULATION.
YOU CANNOT DRIVE BUSINESSES OUT USING HIGH FEES.
THE FEE YOU SET HAS TO HAVE A RATIONAL RELATIONSHIP.
IS THE COST YOU ARE INCURRING IN YOUR REGULATION SCHEME? YOU JUST CAN'T PULL A NUMBER OUT OF THE AIR.
>> I AGREE. I THINK IT WAS BRIAN WHO SHARED WITH ME A CITY THAT WAS BEING SUCCESSFUL WITH IT BACK THEN.
>> IT'S DEEMED AN IMPACT FEE BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT IT CAUSES ON THE COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S THEIR REGISTRATION FEE.
>> AND WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING POTENTIAL RULES AND REGULATIONS AT THAT POINT TOO, AND SO THAT GOES HAND IN HAND.
>> IT'S ALL OVER THE BOARD ACROSS THE STATE.
THEY'VE GOT PEOPLE INSPECTING THE HOUSES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO DOING NOTHING.
>> THEY DO. SOME OF THESE CASES THAT ARE BEING GIVEN TO ME, THEY ARE SAYING WE NEED TO FOLLOW THIS RULE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, IT'S STILL TIED UP IN THE COURTS.
>> SO IT'S THAT TYPE OF THING.
>> AND I STILL REMAIN ACTIVE IN OUR COALITION CITY MANAGERS BUT I'VE BY FAR BECOME,
[03:20:01]
NOT JUST BY WEIGHT, BUT THE BIG GUY IN THE ROOM BECAUSE I THINK THE NEXT CLOSEST TO US HAS 1,000 SHORT-TERM RULES.>> I WAS TALKING TO A GROUP IN DALLAS.
DAN, WE WERE ON A VIRTUAL MEETING WITH A GROUP IN DALLAS THAT ARE ADDRESSING SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
WHEN I TOLD HIM WE HAD 4,000 APPROXIMATELY SHORT-TERM RENTALS HERE, THEY ABOUT FELL OVER AND HE SAID, "OH MY GOD, YOUR COMMUNITY MUST JUST BE CHAOTIC DOWN THERE." NO, IT'S NOT.
>> IT DOES AFFECT MY DISTRICT MORE, AND MY NEIGHBORHOODS ARE PAYING FOR EXTRA SECURITY.
THAT'S WHY I'M GOING TO KEEP IT ON THE TABLE BECAUSE MY CITIZENS ASKED ME TO KEEP IT ON THE TABLE.
>> THERE'S NO DOUBT AND YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. [OVERLAPPING]
>> APPEALING FOR EXTRA SECURITY IS PART OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THOSE SECURITY ENFORCEMENT ISSUES DON'T MAKE IT INTO OUR SYSTEM.
>> MOST OF IT IS DONE BY THE GDB.
[OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER] WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT THOSE NUMBERS GET IMPACTED BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, THAT WAS AN ISSUE WITH PEOPLE WERE USING THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT VERSUS PART-TIME OR WHATEVER OFF DUTY POLICEMEN AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE WORKING ON THAT TO MAKE SURE ALL FACTS ARE REPORTED BECAUSE IT DOES HURT AND I REMIND MY CITIZENS OF THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS.
>> BUT THEY WERE FUNDING EXTRA SECURITY ON THE WEST END EVEN BEFORE SHORT-TERM RENTAL STARTED.
I WAS DOWN THERE LIVING ON THE WEST END FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE SECOND HOMEOWNERS.
>> BUT THERE WERE STILL SHORT-TERM RENTAL, PEOPLE JUST WEREN'T PAYING FOR IT [LAUGHTER].
>> FRIENDS AND FAMILY. LET'S MOVE TO ITEM 3H PLEASE, GINELLE.
[3.H. Discussion Of Using Opioid Settlement Funds In Support Of Safe Communities: The Drug Crisis In Our Backyard (Robb/Brown - 10 Minutes) ]
>> 3H. DISCUSSION OF USING OPIOIDS SETTLEMENT FUNDS IN SUPPORT OF SAFE COMMUNITIES.
THE DRUG CRISIS IN OUR BACKYARD.
>> COUNCIL, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAD APPROVED WORKING WITH THE STATE FOR AN OPIOID SETTLEMENT.
THOSE MONIES WHENEVER THEY COME IN HAVE TO BE USED FOR DRUG PREVENTION, DRUG TREATMENT TYPE PROGRAMS. WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILS YET ON HOW THAT'S GOING TO PLAY OUT, BUT MARIA I'M GOING TO TURN THAT OVER TO YOU.
>> THERE IS A GROUP IN THE REGION THAT IS, CAN YOU SAY THAT NAME AGAIN, GINELLE?
>> SAFE COMMUNITIES, THE DRUG CRISIS IN OUR BACKYARD.
>> THAT IS A GROUP IN THE REGION MADE UP OF THE CHAMBER.
ALSO THE DRUG PROGRAM THAT [INAUDIBLE] RUNS AND THE SCHOOLS BECAUSE THIS IS A GROWING ISSUE.
IT'S A GROWING ISSUE WITH THE DRUGS THAT ARE COMING OVER THE BORDER AND WHATNOT.
IT SAVES AS THEY GET MORE MATURE IN THEIR ORGANIZATION, IF WE DO HAVE FUNDS THAT ARE RESTRICTED SOLELY TO DRUG ABUSE AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S AFFECTING OUR COMMUNITY, THAT SOMEHOW WE MIGHT HAVE SOME FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR THE THINGS THAT THEY PUT IN PLACE THAT THEY'RE ALREADY WORKING ON.
I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO PEOPLE'S ATTENTION SINCE WE DO HAVE RESTRICTED FUNDS THAT CAN ONLY BE USED FOR DRUG ABUSE.
IT'S A GROWING ISSUE ESPECIALLY IN OUR SCHOOLS AND IN THE BACKYARD OF OUR COMMUNITY.
>> AS I RECALL, WE'RE GOING TO GET TWO DIFFERENT FUNDING STREAMS. FIRST IS DIRECT PAYMENTS AND THE OTHER IS THROUGH GRANTS.
THE STATE IS GOING TO CREATE AN AGENCY TO MEET AND WRITE RULES AND THAT WILL GOVERN THE ISSUE OF HOW GRANT FUNDS ARE DISTRIBUTED.
WE ARE GOING TO START GETTING DIRECT PAYMENTS.
IT'S $500,000 OVER I BELIEVE IT WAS 18 YEARS.
CHANGE A MONEY GOES TO THE FIRST NINE, THE OTHERS GO FOR THE REST OF THE NINE.
WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT OUR PAYMENT IS GOING TO BE.
WE HAVE ASKED THEM IF THERE IS A CLARIFICATION ON WHAT THOSE DIRECT PAYMENT FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR.
I GOT A RESPONSE, IT'S LESS THAN SATISFACTORY.
WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT MORE, BUT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WRITE SOME KIND OF A POLICY
[03:25:01]
OR PROCEDURE FOR WHAT WE'RE GOING TO USE THESE MONIES FOR.>> THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE [INAUDIBLE].
[3.I. Report Of City Council's Park Board Representative (Collins/Brown - 10 Minutes) ]
THANK YOU. LET'S MOVE TO ITEM 3I, PLEASE.>> 3I. REPORT OF CITY COUNCIL'S PARK WOOD REPRESENTATIVE.
>> DAVID, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HEAR YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE THE LAST THING BEFORE COUNCIL ADJOURN. [LAUGHTER]
>> BRIAN LIKES TO SAY I AM THE LAST THING STANDING BETWEEN HIM AND LUNCH. [LAUGHTER].
>> EXACTLY. NOT A PLACE YOU WANT TO BE DAVID.
>> NEXT MONTH I'M GOING TO BRINGING BACK AN UPDATE ON THE STEWARD BEACH AD-HOC COMMITTEE AND WE'RE MOVING ON THAT.
WE MAY NEED A LITTLE EXTRA TIME BECAUSE WE'RE WRESTLING WITH SOME ISSUES, BUT THERE'S BEEN SOME VERY GOOD DISCUSSIONS.
WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE HAPPY WITH THAT CONVERSATION UNDERWAY.
SPEAKING OF THINGS UNDERWAY, THE DRAINAGE PROJECT ON [INAUDIBLE] BEACHES IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED [INAUDIBLE] BEACH IS CLOSED.
IF YOU DRIVE BY AND LOOK AT IT THE SAND LOOKS HIGHER THAN IT USED TO.
AS A CONSEQUENCE WE'RE REDIRECTING TRAFFIC OUT EAST BEACH TO EAST BEACH DRIVE AND APPLE PARK ROAD AND SO FORTH.
PARKING APPLE PARK AND EAST BEACH WHERE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF RESPONSE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DRIVE UP, SEE THAT SAND AND JUST KEEP ON GOING.
THAT'S BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN A WAY.
WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE THIS DONE BY MEMORIAL DAY FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.
ONE, MEMORIAL DAY IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE A FAIR SIZED WEEKEND.
SECOND, A ROLL OUT ON OUR NEW MOBILE AMENITIES.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THAT'S UNDERWAY NOW.
TRUSTEES TOLD EVERYBODY WE HAVE THOSE OUT THERE FOR MEMORIAL DAY BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BE JUST A SIGNATURE ITEM ON THE BEACH.
WE'RE GOING TO LOVE HAVING THOSE THINGS I'M TELLING YOU, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE THE DRAINAGE PROJECT FINISHED BY THE END OF THE PARK REOPENED.
THAT'S WHERE WE ARE ON THAT. I'LL BE UPDATING ON THAT.
WE COULD BE TALKING ABOUT THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE'RE RIGHT AT 4,000 REGISTERED SHORT-TERM RENTALS RIGHT NOW.
OUR TAX IS WAY UP, MORE THAN 50 PERCENT OF THIS COMING OUT IN THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL INDUSTRY, SO THOSE ARE GOOD NUMBERS.
>> THE DRAINAGE SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY MEMORIAL DAY, RIGHT?
>> YES, SOMEBODY'S GOING TO BE IN TROUBLE IF IT'S NOT, BUT YOU KNOW HOW THIS GOES.
>> HOW MANY CONCESSIONAIRES DO YOU HAVE ON STEWART BEACH RIGHT NOW?
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT NUMBER. I COULD FIND THAT OUT.
[OVERLAPPING] YES, THEY ARE RESTRICTED RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE NOT ACTIVE ON STEWART BEACH.
>> IF YOU TAKE MEMORIAL DAY OUT IT'S ONE OF YOUR THREE SUPER BOWLS.
BUT YOU COULD GET DAYS BACK- [OVERLAPPING]
>> IF IT RAINS ON MEMORIAL DAY AND 4TH OF JULY AROUND HERE, IT AFFECTS SALES TAX [INAUDIBLE].
>> BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE WANT THE PUBLIC BACK ON THE STEWART BEACH, BUT WE WANT THOSE RENTERS BACK ON STEWART BEACH BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, THAT'S A REFERENCE SOURCE.
BUT THE PARKING IS A NON-TRIVIAL PART [LAUGHTER] OF PARK WOOD REVENUE SO WE WANT THAT [OVERLAPPING].
>> WE MIGHT MISS A DAY OF MEMORIAL DAY OR WE MIGHT GAIN WITH THE FLOODING OR DRAINAGE ISSUES- [OVERLAPPING].
>> YOU'RE GOING TO PICK UP- [OVERLAPPING]
>> IF IT RAINS, YEAH. IT COULD RAIN THIS SUMMER, YOU DON'T KNOW. [LAUGHTER].
>> LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT THE DAYS AFTER THE RAIN.
IT STAYS AND YOU LOSE PART OF EMPLOYEES.
>> THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT OF IT.
THAT AFTER A RAIN WE DON'T SUFFER LOSS REVENUE DAYS, LOST USAGE DAYS BECAUSE OF STANDING WATER, THAT'S THE POINT OF THIS.
>> NO, I'M GOOD. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> DAVID, WOULD YOU JUST REAL QUICKLY UPDATE THE COUNCIL ON THE SEAWEED REMOVAL?
>> OH, THANK YOU. I HAD EVERY INTENTION OF DOING THAT.
BACK INTO THE FEBRUARY, PARK WOOD DECIDED WE DIDN'T WANT TO RENEW THE PERMIT FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE ISLAND.
I WAS NEUTRAL ON IT BECAUSE THE PROPERTY OWNERS ON THE EAST END, ON THE ACCRETING BEACH ARE NOT PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT IT.
THEY MANAGE IT THEMSELVES, THEY'VE NEVER BEEN INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THE PARK WOOD PROGRAM UNDER THE ARMY CORPS PERMIT.
BUT WEST END PROPERTY OWNERS PUSHED BACK AND SAID NO, WE WOULD REALLY LIKE YOU TO MAINTAIN THIS.
WE HAVEN'T NEEDED IT SINCE 2014, BUT IT'S A GREAT TOOL TO HAVE IN OUR POCKET IF WE DO.
PARK WOOD SAID, OKAY, WE WILL BRING TRUSTEES ON TUESDAY. [OVERLAPPING]
>> THAT'S RIGHT UP THERE WITH HURRICANE ZONE THINGS.
I WANT TO BE THE NEXT CITY MANAGER.
>> [LAUGHTER] THAT'LL BE SOMEBODY ELSE'S PROBLEM.
ON TUESDAY THE TRUSTEES AGREED TO CONTINUE THE PROCESS TO APPLY FOR RENEWAL OF THAT PERMIT TO RELOCATE SEAWEED IN AN INUNDATION EVENT.
THAT PERMIT EXPIRES THE END OF THIS YEAR.
WE'RE GETTING THAT DONE, SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE WHOLE ISLAND.
THE FOCUS OF PARK WOOD IS TOURISTS,
[03:30:02]
BUT WE DON'T WANT TO LEAVE RESIDENTS IN A LURCH HERE EITHER.WE HAVE A LOT OF PROPERTY OWNERS ON THE BEACH.
>> A LOT OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
>> WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT [LAUGHTER] WE CARE ABOUT THE VISITORS, CERTAINLY, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THE PROPERTY OWNERS OR THE RESIDENTS IN A LURCH.
ONE OF THE CONCERNS WAS THAT PARK WOOD DOES NOT CURRENTLY HAVE THE PERSONNEL OR EQUIPMENT AND WE CAN'T AFFORD TO MAINTAIN THE PERSONAL OR EQUIPMENT THAT IT WOULD TAKE.
WORKING WITH BRIAN, HE AND KELLY HAVE COME TO AN AGREEMENT THAT THE CITY WILL SUPPLEMENT THAT EFFORT IF AND WHEN WE NEED IT.
>> THE BIGGEST ISSUE I HAD WAS AS IF WE HAD SPLIT PERMITS, THERE'S LIMITED AMOUNTS OF EQUIPMENT OUT THERE AND WE WERE GOING TO GO RENTING IT AND WHO'S GOING TO GET THERE FIRST.
NOW WE KNOW IT'S A COORDINATED EFFORT AND THE CITY'S HERE TO BACK THEM UP IF THEY NEED OUR HELP.
>> IT MADE NO SENSE TO HAVE TWO ENTITIES TRYING TO MANAGE THIS BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO DO IT.
THE CITY WAS GOING TO DO IT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER [OVERLAPPING].
>> I CAN'T BUY HAND RAKES MUCH LESS BEACH RAKES.
>> [LAUGHTER] [INAUDIBLE] OWNERS NOW.
>> I THOUGHT THAT WORKED OUT WELL, IN MY OPINION.
>> YEAH, I THINK IT DID. I THINK WE MADE A GOOD DECISION THERE. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME. IT IS 12:38.
COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR DISCUSSION.
WE'VE GONE THROUGH OUR AGENDA, WE NOW ARE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.