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IT IS 8:30 A.M.[1. DECLARATION OF A QUORUM AND CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
AND WE ARE OFFICIALLY I'M CALLING OFFICIALLY THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 20TH, TO ORDER.THAT COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE A LITTLE EARLY THIS MORNING.
STAFF THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
AND IF ANYONE'S WATCHING THIS TELECAST.
GLAD TO HAVE YOU THIS MORNING.
JANELLE, LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.
[3. EXECUTIVE SESSION ]
WE WILL BE GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION IN JUST A SECOND.AND PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 551.071.
CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY AND EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE CONDUCTED, DISCUSS AND RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE CONCERNING PENDING LITIGATION AND OR A SETTLEMENT OFFER, OR ON A MATTER IN WHICH THE DUTY OF THE ATTORNEY TO THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY UNDER THE TEXAS DISCIPLINARY RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT OF THE STATE BAR OF TEXAS CLEARLY CONFLICTS WITH THIS CHAPTER AND IS RELATED TO THE FOLLOWING CASE OR CAUSE NUMBER 20-CV-1171.
CITY OF GALVESTON ET AL VERSUS DANNENBAUM ENGINEERING CORPORATION IN THE 405TH DISTRICT COURT OF GALVESTON COUNTY, TEXAS.
WE ARE NOW IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[4.A. FY 2023 Budget Discussion]
. 4A, FY 2023 BUDGET DISCUSSION.A, DISCUSSION OF ALTERNATIVE REVENUE SOURCES.
AND MIKE LOFTON WILL BE JOINING US HERE VERY QUICKLY TO START THIS DISCUSSION.
I ASK MIKE AND BRIAN TO PUT THE DISCUSSION OF ALTERNATE REVENUE SOURCES ON HERE.
AND I HAD JANELLE PLACED BACK ON YOUR RECEIPT HERE A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ALTERNATIVE SOURCES. BRIAN IS GOING TO BE PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT THE ON THEIR WAY WITH YOUR STUFF NOW.
OKAY. BRIAN, DID YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE ALTERNATIVES? I KNOW YOU'RE ON A SHORT..
LET ME JUST KIND OF PREFACE IT A LITTLE BIT BEFORE BEFORE THEY GET HERE.
WE CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH INCREASING COSTS PRIMARILY AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY.
I'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION WITH YOU GUYS BEFORE.
SO THE COST OF PUBLIC SAFETY IS RISING MUCH FASTER THAN THREE AND A HALF PERCENT.
JUST THE FUEL IN THE CARS AND THE EQUIPMENT AND AND THE STAFFING NEEDS.
IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY DAY THAT GOES BY, THERE'S SOME OTHER CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THAT WE'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH ON A NATIONAL LEVEL THAT WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON HERE. AND THE COST IS THE COST IS EXPENSIVE.
SECOND THING IS, IS THAT WE'RE A CITY OF 50,000.
THERE'S A LOT OF CITIES OF 50,000 THAT DON'T HAVE FULL TIME FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
WE DO. WE HAVE ONE OF THE BEST IN THE STATE, AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WANTS TO CHANGE THAT.
BUT IT'S ALSO VERY EXPENSIVE OPERATION.
AND WE ALSO HAVE TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE BECAUSE WE HAVE EXCELLENT FIREFIGHTERS AND WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE THEM TO LARGER CITIES IN OUR AREA THAT ARE THAT ARE DO HAVE FULL TIME FIRE DEPARTMENTS. AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT MOST OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS ARE A LOT OF THEM ARE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY LIVE, THOSE THAT DON'T LIVE ON THE ISLAND. THERE'S A LOT OF THEM THAT ARE FUNCTIONING IN THAT AREA.
SO THEY'RE THEY'RE RECOGNIZED AS BEING GOOD FIREFIGHTERS.
SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A STRUGGLE THAT WE.
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AND YOU REALLY HAVE TWO CHOICES.WE HAVE TO WE EITHER HAVE TO CONTINUE TO SEEK NEW REVENUE SOURCES AND ALTERNATIVE REVENUE SOURCES, WHICH WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TODAY.
STREETS HAVE A FIXED AMOUNT PUT IN THE BUDGET BECAUSE OF THE AND THANK GOD THAT THEY DID THAT.
AND THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM. THIS IS NOT REALLY A NEW PROBLEM FOR GALVESTON.
THE THREE AND A HALF PERCENT CAP IS A NEW PROBLEM.
BUT FOR YEARS WE PUT OUR FOCUS IN PUBLIC SAFETY COST.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS, AN ALTERNATIVE REVENUE DISCUSSION, DISCUSSIONS.
PART OF THE REASON WE STRUGGLE WITH THIS IS BECAUSE WE ARE NOT A CITY OF 50,000 PEOPLE, GUYS.
WE OPERATE A $310 MILLION BUDGET HERE AT THE CITY OF GALVESTON.
THAT IS HOW YOU JUDGE AND COMPARE US TO OTHER CITIES.
YOU CAN'T BASE IT ON POPULATION HERE.
WE HAVE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE THAT CROSS OUR BRIDGE EVERY DAY JUST TO BOARD CRUISE SHIPS.
AND WE'RE SITTING HERE, WE'RE ASKING THE RESIDENTS TO SUPPORT THIS OPERATION.
NOW, DON'T GET ME WRONG, THERE IS GOOD BENEFIT FROM THIS.
SO IT'S A GOOD THING WE'VE GOT THE SALES TAX AND WE GENERATE A LOT OF THAT OFF OF TOURISM.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE ASKING OUR RESIDENTS TO EITHER MAKE SACRIFICES AND DO WITHOUT OTHER CITY SERVICES TO PAY FOR THIS, OR WE HAVE TO GET MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING, WHICH IS BEING WHAT WE HAVE DONE.
I ALWAYS AKIN AS TO THE GIVING TREE.
THEY HAVE DONE FANTASTIC WORK.
THE PARK BOARD, THE PORT HAVE DONE GREAT WORK AND THEY'VE DONE GREAT THINGS.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING LEFT TO GIVE.
WE'RE CAPPED. SO WE'VE GOT TO START LOOKING AT THESE OTHER WAYS TO ATTACK THESE THINGS SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO SERVICE OUR RESIDENTS FIRST AND THEN WE CAN AND NOT BURDEN THEM WITH THE COST OF ALL THESE OTHER OPERATIONS.
OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT WOULD BE OUR RUN NUMBERS WOULD BE SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER THAN WHAT THEY ARE.
SO IT'S A CATCH 22 FOR US AND WE'RE STUCK IN THAT BALANCE.
WE AND YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE, I USE THAT BUDGET NUMBER AS YOUR GUIDE.
DON'T USE POPULATION AS YOUR GUIDE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF METERS WE HAVE, WE'RE A CITY OF 120,000 PEOPLE.
POLICE AND FIRE. WE DON'T KNOW WHEN YOU CALL THE POLICE, WE DON'T GIVE YOU AN INVOICE FOR THAT.
WE DON'T GIVE YOU A BILL FOR THAT.
THOSE ARE SERVICES THAT WE'RE NEVER GOING TO MAKE MONEY ON.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOUR TAXES SHOULD BE PAYING FOR.
THERE'S THINGS THAT WE MARGINALLY MAKE SOME INCOME ON, WHICH IS LIKE TRANSIT.
TRANSIT IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS IN GALVESTON THAT IS DRIVEN A LOT BY THE MECHANISMS THAT WE OPERATE UNDER FOR TOURISM, THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS THAT WORK IN JOBS THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD TRANSPORTATION.
I MEAN, CAN WE ACTUALLY SEE OUR RIDERSHIP? I THINK WE HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION.
WE'RE HAPPY TO. DUSTIN CAN JUST JAMES CAN PROVIDE THAT FOR YOU.
AND WE'VE TAKEN PRETTY, PRETTY DRACONIAN STEPS WITH OUR TRANSIT TO REDUCE COST.
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BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS GOING TO BE A THIS IS GOING TO BE A STRUGGLE FOR US.AND WE HAD REMAINING FUNDING FROM THE OLD MECHANISM THAT WE WERE FUNDED UNDER.
SO THIS YEAR, WE'RE FALLING INTO A HOLE.
I DON'T AND WE DON'T HAVE A GUARANTEE THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET OUT OF THAT HOLE.
BRIAN, ON THE ALTERNATE REVENUE, I NEED TO GET SOME GUIDANCE FROM YOU AND MIKE ON THIS.
I WANT TO GO THROUGH THE LIST THAT WE HAVE HERE.
ALL RIGHT. BUT I DON'T WANT TO, SHOULD WE LET MIKE GO FIRST, OR SHOULD WE LET? LET'S HAVE MIKE GO FIRST.
LET'S GET THE LAY OF THE LAND THAT WAY.
THIS YOU'LL REALIZE HOW CRITICAL THIS IS.
MANY OF THESE CHANGES WILL NOT THEY WOULDN'T TAKE PLACE UNTIL PROBABLY OUR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
NONE OF THESE BRING A FLOOD OF MONEY TO YOU.
BUT WE NEED TO START MAKING THOSE DECISIONS THIS FISCAL YEAR.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND START THEN.
THANK YOU, BRIAN. LET'S START WITH MIKE.
GOOD MORNING. HOW ARE YOU TODAY, MAYOR? I'M FINE. THE HANDOUT I'VE GIVEN YOU SINCE DRAFT THIS IS A DRAFTED DRAFT BECAUSE THE CERTIFIED ROLLS FOR PROPERTY VALUES WILL NOT COME TO US UNTIL MONDAY.
SO I'M OPERATING OFF A LOT OF GUESSWORK AT THIS POINT.
WE HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT FACTORS THAT ARE GOING TO IMPINGE UPON WHAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE IS THIS YEAR, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT OF WHICH IS UNFOLDING BEFORE OUR EYES.
WITH THAT FOR YEAR? YES, FOR JUST JUNE.
NOW, IN SPITE OF THAT, I MEAN, WE HAD A REALLY STRONG COLLECTION MONTH.
WE COLLECTED 1,010,000, LAST YEAR THAT NUMBER WAS 1,000,288.
SO WE WOULD HAVE HAD UPWARDS OF A MILLION AND A HALF HAD IT HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE REFUNDS.
SO BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT THEY'RE FINISHED WITH THAT YET.
AND THAT'LL COME THROUGH TO US ON THE ON THE CERTIFIED ROLL ON MONDAY.
COMMERCIAL OR RESIDENTIAL, JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY.
IT'S BOTH. IT'S A MIXTURE OF BOTH.
AND I THINK PROBABLY THE MORE LARGER CASES WHERE PEOPLE COULD AFFORD TO GO TO COURT AND CHALLENGE.
BUT NOW YOU'RE GOING TO MIKE AT OUR JULY 28TH MEETING, YOU'LL HAVE THOSE NUMBERS AND THEN BE ABLE TO HONE IN MORE SPECIFICALLY. AND TYPICALLY THE TAX COLLECTOR AND I ARE ABLE TO GET ON TOP OF IT WITHIN A DAY OR TWO AFTER WE RECEIVE THOSE NUMBERS.
THE OTHER THING THAT HAPPENED TO US THIS YEAR IS THIS BOON OF SALES TAX THAT WE HAD IN THE IN THE RATE CALCULATION IS GOING TO SHOW UP AS A $7 MILLION NUMBER FOR THE HALF PERCENT TAX THAT OFFSETS PROPERTY TAX INCREASES.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT IN HERE BEFORE.
WE WHAT WHAT YOU SEE ON THIS GENERAL FUND PAGE IS AN OUTCOME OF THE PERCENT AND A HALF SALES TAX, WHICH INCLUDES THE HALF PERCENT FOR PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION AND 1% FOR JUST GENERAL MUNICIPAL SALES TAX.
THE OTHER HALF PERCENT, OF COURSE, GOES TO THE IDC.
AND THIS YEAR, THE NUMBER THAT'S GOING TO GO IN THE CALCULATION BLOCK FOR THAT IS $7 MILLION.
SO I'M HOPING THAT THE GROWTH AND THE ROLL ITSELF WILL STILL OFFSET OFFSET THAT AND NOT RESULT IN A
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SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF REVENUE LOSS.BUT AGAIN, I HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE HOW IT ALL FALLS OUT ON MONDAY.
SO THAT'S OUR THAT'S OUR TWO BIG SOURCES.
I'VE DONE I'VE DONE ALL OF THE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS I CAN.
AND THERE'S THIS OTHER PEOPLE IN THE REGION THAT HAVE THE SAME THING HAPPENING WITH THEIR SALES TAX.
SO WE'VE WHAT WE'VE DONE IS, IS INCREASE THE ESTIMATE FOR THIS YEAR TO 21.7 MILLION AND POSITIVE THE NOTION THAT NEXT YEAR WILL NOT BE LESS, NOT THAT IT WILL GROW, BUT THAT IT WOULD NOT THAT IT WOULD BE LESS.
NOW, I WILL TELL YOU, IF YOU LOOK AT PAGE THREE OF THIS HANDOUT I'M GIVING YOU.
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PAGE, THE TITLE IN THE TITLE.
PAGE FIVE. THE LAST PAGE IN THE PACKAGE.
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PAGE GENERAL FUND SHARE 75% OF TOTAL RECEIPTS.
WHAT I'VE DONE IS PROJECTED WHAT WE WOULD HAVE IF WE COLLECT 10% MORE THAN THAN LAST YEAR. SO WHERE ARE YOU READING MIKE.
SO I'LL MAKE SURE I GET EVERYTHING RIGHT.
THANK YOU. GOOD. I MEAN, WE'RE INTO SOME SOME HEAVY, HEAVY MONTHS NOW.
THE 2,000,286 IS 10% MORE THAN WHAT WE COLLECTED LAST YEAR ON THE ONE AND A HALF PERCENT BASIS FOR GENERAL FUND. AND THAT'S THE CASE OF THOSE OTHER THREE FUNDS, TOO.
AND YOU SEE THAT WE'VE BEEN RUNNING 10 TO 20% A MONTH CONSISTENTLY ALL YEAR.
SO THE TOTAL FOR THE YEAR AT THAT RATE WOULD BE $22 MILLION.
SO THERE'S STILL A LITTLE BIT OF ROOM TO GO TO, 22 MILLION.
SO I'M JUST I'M BEING AS OPEN AND TRANSPARENT AS I CAN ABOUT IT.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT ABOUT SALES TAX AND WHEN WHEN IT FINALLY HIT ITS BOTTOM, WE'LL FEEL IT, WHICH IS ANOTHER REASON TO HAVE CONTINUED TO HAVE HEALTHY FUND BALANCES WITH ASSETS.
THERE'S REALLY A COUPLE THREE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE A FUND BALANCE FOR.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE EMERGENCY.
SO THAT'S THAT'S PROPERTY OF THE SALES TAX.
NOW, LET ME GET YOU ON THIS PAGE, ON THE TOP PAGE, IN THE REVENUE SECTION.
LET YOUR EYES WANDER DOWN THAT LIST OF REVENUES TO THE OTHER REVENUES LINE.
YOU SEE THAT THIS YEAR WE'RE EXPECTING TO BE AT $258,000.
OTHER REVENUES, THAT'S COMPARED TO AN ESTIMATE FOR FISCAL 22 OF A 1,000,417.
I'VE INCLUDED 300,000 THIS YEAR FOR THE.
PASSENGERS AT THE ROYAL CARIBBEAN TERMINAL.
THE ESTIMATE THAT I'VE HEARD FOR FOUR YEARS, 600,000 MAYOR, IS THAT, WELL, THE FULL 12 MONTHS, YES SIR, THAT WON'T KICK IN UNTIL START IN NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
I'M HEDGING MY BET A LITTLE BIT ON THAT ONE AND SAYING I'VE GOT 300,000 IN THIS BUDGET.
THAT'S PROBABLY CONSERVATIVE, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S GOOD NOW.
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PAST YEAR OR TWO TO BUILD THOSE ITEMS UP SO THAT THEY WOULD APPEAR IN THE BUDGET.MOST NOTABLY, LAST YEAR'S EFFORT WITH THE LIBRARY NOW IS PRODUCING $1,000,000 OF THAT 2,000,258 GIVEN AN INCREASE IN THE ROW LIKE WE'RE EXPECTING.
THAT'S THAT'S GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY THE OUTCOME OF THE TAX ROLL ON MONDAY AS WELL.
BUT IF YOU RECALL WHAT WE'RE DOING, WE'RE STILL CALCULATING FOR PURPOSES OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE CHARTER, WHAT THE FIVE CENT TAX RATE FOR THE LIBRARY IS.
AND THAT AMOUNT GOES DIRECTLY INTO THE ROSENBERG LIBRARY FUND THAT'S IN THE BUDGET.
THEN THE CONTRIBUTION THAT THEY GIVE US BACK OR ALLOW US TO KEEP SO THAT THEY ARE INCREASING THEIR TOTAL REVENUE AT THE SAME RATE THAT THE CITY IS THAT SHOWS UNDER OTHER REVENUES FOR GENERAL FUND.
SO THAT'S HOW THAT THAT WHOLE TRANSACTION IS GOING TO SHOW UP.
THIS YEAR IT'S GOING TO BE CLOSER TO A MILLION.
AND LET ME TALK ABOUT ONE OTHER THING BEFORE WE GET AWAY FROM IT.
YOU KNOW, I GET STATUS REPORTS ON THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT THROUGHOUT THE TAX SEASON.
AND AS OF ABOUT A MONTH AGO, THEY WERE REDUCING VALUES 15 TO 16% BASED ON WHAT WAS IN THE HEARINGS PROCESS.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S MORE LIKE 35% OVERALL.
I SUSPECT THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS THAT ARE CLEARING THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SEE A LOT WITH RESIDENTIAL IS FOR HOMESTEADS IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE HOMESTEADS GO UP MORE THAN 10% A YEAR. THAT'S A NATURAL SORT OF A GIMME WHEN THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT TALKS TO A HOMEOWNER AND THAT A LOSS RATIO AT THIS POINT IS ABOUT 22% FOR A SINGLE FAMILY.
SO DO YOU KNOW WHAT I KNOW NOW? YEAH ON THOSE SEVERAL ITEMS. THE OTHER ITEMS ALL PRETTY MUCH IN TERMS OF REVENUE BASED ON THIS YEAR'S NUMBER, YOU'LL SEE THE LICENSE AND PERMIT NUMBER THIS YEAR OF 2,000,004.
AND NEXT YEAR, I'VE GOT A DISCOUNTED TO 2 MILLION.
THAT'S THE BIGGEST ITEM THEIR BUILDING PERMITS.
AND THE BUILDING BOOM WE'RE HAVING IS ABNORMAL.
BUT LICENSING PERMITS MORE TYPICALLY IS IN THE RANGE OF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, WHICH WAS 1.3 MILLION.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN NUMBERS LIKE THIS SINCE AFTER IKE.
WITH THE INCREASE IN INTEREST RATES, WE'RE A LITTLE SKEPTICAL.
SO DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT REVENUES BEFORE I LEAVE THAT.
I HAVE A QUESTION BECAUSE I THINK I GOT LOT.
THE NUMBERS THAT YOU WERE CALLING THIS UNDER.
OTHER REVENUES INCLUDED THE 300 K FROM PARK BOARD, POSSIBLY? WELL, THAT'S A GUARANTEE THAT.
UNLESS ONE, ONE PARTY OR THE OTHER CANCELS THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT.
RIGHT. BUT I GUESS MY MATH IS OFF BECAUSE AS YOU WERE SAYING THE NUMBERS I WAS TRYING TO CALCULATE AND I COULD BE WRONG WHEN YOU WERE SAYING LIKE BUILDING PERMITS AND LICENSES, WHAT NUMBER DID YOU GIVE FOR THAT? AND IS THAT UNDER OTHER REVENUES AS WELL? NO, NO, NO. THAT'S WHY I GOT THAT'S THE LICENSE AND PERMIT LINE UP ABOVE.
THAT'S HOW. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? LIKE YOU HAVE? I HAVE A QUESTION, AND I MAY HAVE READ THIS WRONG, BUT THERE WAS A TEXAS SUPREME COURT I KNOW SOMETHING I HEAR YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT IS THE FRANCHISE FEES.
WASN'T IT RULED THAT CITIES CAN GO BACK TO CHARGING? THERE WAS A RECENT RULING WHERE HAVE Y'ALL SEEN ANYTHING ABOUT THAT? NO WE DID NOT, BUT WE'LL LOOK INTO IT AND SEE.
WE'LL GET DOWN TO LOOK AT IT AND SEE.
BUT I THINK A CITY CHALLENGED THAT IN TEXAS.
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ONE. SO WE MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT THAT.WE HAVE NOT SEEN THAT MANY OF OUR UPDATES FROM TML OR ANYTHING ELSE, BUT WE'LL LOOK.
[INAUDIBLE] DEALING WITH THEM AS ALMOST LIKE THE END OF THE RAILROAD.
YOU HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE IT UP HERE.
YEAH. MIKE, I HAD A QUESTION ON THE, I KNOW IT'S A VERY SMALL AMOUNT, BUT WE TALKED ABOUT CHANGING OUR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, THAT THIS IS TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION ALL THAT IT DOES.
BUT BUT THEY'RE THERE IN THE NUMBERS I'M GETTING FROM THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT AS OF TODAY.
SO THEY'VE PUT IT IN AND THEY ALSO CONFIRMED WITH AN EMAIL THAT THEY RECEIVED IT.
AND ON JULY 28TH, YOU'LL HAVE THE THOSE NUMBERS FROM THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT AND ALL OF THAT TO CALCULATE IN THIS MORE SPECIFICALLY.
LET ME LET ME JUST IF I COULD, MAYOR, ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT UP AND DOWN THE ROW AND YOU SEE EVERY DEPARTMENT INCREASING TO SOME EXTENT, SOME CASES ARE GREATER, SOME LESS.
IT ADDS UP TO $761,000 FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
ALSO, WE'RE TRYING TO ANTICIPATE WHAT WE THINK THE PRICE OF GASOLINE IS STILL GOING TO BE.
WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH INTEREST RATE ON THAT.
AND WE'RE INCREASING THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, WHICH WAS ALREADY AN INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR BY $600,000.
AND THE BIGGEST IMPACT YOU SEE IS IN THE GENERAL FUND IS WITH POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THAT SINGLE NUMBER IS 356,000 OF THEIR BUDGET.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE POLICE NUMBER.
SO WE KNOW WE WERE DOWN LIKE 20 SOME POLICE.
SO OBVIOUSLY, IF WE DON'T HAVE EMPLOYEES, WE'RE NOT PAYING THE SALARIES, ETC., ETC..
SO WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE FUNDS? WELL, WE ANTICIPATE SOME.
WE ANTICIPATE SOME, BUT IT DOES ANTICIPATE IT BEING SPENT OVER TIME.
AND THEN WE'RE WE ARE CONTRIBUTING 18% ON EVERY VACANCY TO THE PENSION PLAN.
THAT COSTS US ONE AND A HALF PERCENT.
SO FOR EVERY PERSON WE PUT ON, IT'S ONE AND ONE HALF TIMES WHAT IT WOULD BE NORMALLY.
AND DOUG'S ANTICIPATED TO BE PRETTY CLOSE TO FULLY STAFFED.
WHERE ARE WE? WHAT'S THAT? TEN, 16, 16.
BUT THEN WE'VE GOT SOME DPOS ON THE STREET NOW, SO WE HAVE AN ACADEMY CLASS GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE GOING TO DO ANOTHER TEST, I BELIEVE IT'S THE END OF THIS MONTH.
SO, CADETS, YOU HAVE ABOUT 200,000 I SEE FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS PROGRAMED IN HERE.
THAT'S THEIR 2% COLA UNDER COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
AND THAT'S THAT IT'S STILL A MEMBER AND IT'S NOT DETERMINED EXACTLY YET.
IS THAT RIGHT? NO, IT'S EXACTLY.
AND POLICE IS EXACTLY THAT NUMBER.
NOW, WE DID GET THE INFLATION NUMBER EARLIER IN THE WEEK AND IT'S 10.2, THREE, FIVE.
LAST TIME I TALKED TO YOU, WE WERE USING THE APRIL NUMBER, WHICH WAS 8.48%.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS THE REGIONS CPI, URBAN, NOT THE NATIONAL NUMBER.
THE NATIONAL NUMBER WAS 9.2, BUT WE WROTE THE LOCAL INFLATION INDEX INTO THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
SO THAT'S WHAT THAT'S BASED ON.
AND THAT TURNS OUT TO BE ALMOST A MILLION.
WELL, 1,000,447 IS THE NUMBER WE'VE GOT.
THE OTHER THING ON SURVEILLANCE IS WE'RE WORKING AT THIS POINT WITH INCOMPLETE, NOT FINAL RESULTS.
ON THE COMPENSATION STUDY, THE $557,000 NUMBER IS BASED ON 5% OF SALARIES.
WHERE IS THAT NUMBER MIKE? IT'S RIGHT THERE.
WHAT PAGE ARE YOU ON? PAGE TWO.
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PAGE THREE. 557,000.AT THIS POINT, WE'VE GOT 5% LOADED INTO EVERY FUND WHERE CIVILIANS WORK.
AND OF COURSE, POLICE AND FIRE IS 99% OR MORE GENERAL FUND.
SO THE NUMBERS, YOU'RE SAYING THEY'RE THEIR ENTIRE RANGE.
I'LL BRING THAT TO YOU IN AUGUST.
THAT WOULD APPLY TO THIS FISCAL YEAR.
HOW CAN YOU DO THIS? THAT ANNUALLY OR EVERY OTHER YEAR? EVERY THREE YEARS? EVERY THREE YEARS.
I KNOW IT WILL BE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
AND I KNOW IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, COUNSEL, WE CAN GET A HOLD OF BRIAN AND DAN AND AND THEY'LL GET WITH MIKE TO GET THESE QUESTIONS ANSWERED FOR US. ANY QUESTIONS, FURTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS AND IS THAT ONE? YES. IN A PERFECT WORLD, IF ALL 11 OF THESE THINGS WERE ADOPTED, HOW MUCH WOULD IT EAT INTO THAT $2.7 MILLION SHORTFALL? YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FEES.
YEAH. I MEAN, YOU COULD DO ALL OF IT DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU DO.
BUT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU GET THERE? YEAH, I DON'T I DON'T SEE IT HAPPENING.
AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE YEARS BECAUSE THE CHARTERS SAY IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
MUCH. YOU KNOW WHAT? NONE OF THESE THINGS I HEARD THE MAYOR SAY EARLIER THAT HE THOUGHT SOME OF THE THINGS YOU HAPPEN TO ME, LIKE ON THIS LIST OF 11, I THINK IT WOULD BE A DE MINIMIS CHANGE IN THE EARLY PART OF THE YEAR.
RIGHT. AND MAKE SOME CHARTER CHANGES.
THEY WOULD LIKE THEY WANT CITIES TO MOVE TO A CONSUMPTIVE MODEL, CONSUMPTION MODEL, THE SALES TAX FEES AND OTHER FORMS OF REVENUE LIKE THAT, BASICALLY USER FEES OR PAY AS YOU GO TYPE STUFF.
AND SO WE'RE NOT OUT OF LINE BY TRYING TO DO THIS.
THIS IS EXACTLY THE PATH FORWARD.
THE STATE WOULD LIKE US TO GO.
BRIAN, ACQUAINT US AGAIN, WHAT YOU'RE PROJECTING RIGHT NOW, OUR PROPERTY TAX WILL GO TO WHAT? DON'T KNOW UNTIL WE GET THE NUMBERS ON ON MONDAY.
AND IT'S AS MUCH AS A TWO OR THREE PENNY DIFFERENCE.
I MEAN, THERE'LL BE A DROP IN THE TAX RATE, I WOULD THINK A MINIMUM OF $0.02, BUT MAYBE MORE.
SOUNDS GOOD. LET'S MOVE INTO THIS ALTERNATE REVENUE DISCUSSION THEN, AND I'LL TAKE THE LEAD ON THAT.
MANAGEMENT WE'RE TAKING THAT 11 SORT OF ON AS A CHARGE FROM COUNCIL ON WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE OVER THE COMING YEAR, ON ACTIONS ON OUR PART OR ACTIONS COLLECTIVELY TO TRY TO INCREASE REVENUE AND LESSEN THE BURDEN ON OUR TAXPAYERS.
I THINK THE TASK IS TO REVIEW EVERYTHING WE DO FINES, FEES AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE APPROPRIATE.
AND MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN THE SAME FOR DECADES.
I THINK YOU SAW THAT WHEN WE CHANGED OUR WATER TAP FEE.
IT WAS IT WAS AN AMOUNT THAT WAS SO LOW.
IT WAS ABSURD. KNOW IT COSTS US THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO DO IT.
AND WE WERE CHARGING HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN THINGS LIKE THAT COME FORWARD, THOSE WILL MAKE IMPACT ON DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS ON A ONE OFF BASIS, NOT NECESSARILY MAYBE GENERAL FUND, BECAUSE SOME OF OUR FINES AND FEES GO TO ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
SO I THINK WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO UNDERTAKE A COMPLETE AND COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF ALL THE FINES AND FEES THAT ARE CHARGED AND THEN COME FORWARD TO COUNCIL WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGES.
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AND, AND I PROPOSE THAT WE DO THAT QUARTERLY OVER THE COMING YEAR AS WELL.AND WE'RE GOING TO BENCHMARK OTHER CITIES.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO GOLF CARTS ON THE SEA WALL, YOU NOW SEE MORE WEST OF 61ST STREET THAN YOU SEE EAST OF 61ST STREET.
AND I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT WE SHOULD FINE THE DRIVER AND THE COMPANY BECAUSE THEY CAN SAY THEY'RE CONTROLLING THAT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THEY AREN'T.
I MUST GET AT LEAST 20 CALLS A WEEK OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT GETTING STUCK BEHIND A GOLF CART BETWEEN 61ST AND 89.
THERE IS NO INCENTIVE. WELL, WE STOOD UP [INAUDIBLE] AND THEY'VE BEEN HITTING IT.
AND ONE OF THE COOL THINGS, NOT COOL THINGS, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS PD DID AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA THAT WHEN THEY STOP A GOLF CART WEST OF 61ST STREET, THEY'RE TOWING THE GOLF CART BECAUSE THEY SAID THERE'S NO LEGAL WAY FOR THAT GOLF CART TO GET OFF THE SEAWALL.
THERE'S NO WAY EXCEPT FOR THEM BREAKING THE LAW TO GET BACK OUT.
SO IT MADE SENSE, I GUESS, THAT THE PD DID THAT.
AND SO WE HAVE A LICENSE PLATE THAT IDENTIFIES IT TO THE COMPANY WHO OWNS IT.
UNLESS WE START GIVING THEM SOME RESPONSIBILITY IN IT, IT'S NOT GOING TO CONTINUE.
AND HOPEFULLY THAT WOULDN'T BE HUGE.
BUT JUDGING BY THE NUMBERS I SEE, I THINK IT MIGHT BE A JUMP AT FIRST.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THOSE FEES THAT WOULD COME BACK AND...
TOWING OFF GOLF CARTS WEST OF 61ST STREET WHEN YOU ISSUED TICKETS TO GOLF CARTS WEST OF 61ST.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE BEHAVIOR.
I WILL TELL YOU, FROM THE NUMBERS WE SEE, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS EXCEEDINGLY APPREHENSIVE ABOUT WRITING RESIDENCE TICKETS AND THEN THEY'RE SOMEWHAT APPREHENSIVE WRITING VISITOR'S TICKETS BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO SET A BAD EXAMPLE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO THEY WANT TO COUNSEL THEM ONCE AND THEN IF THEY GET THEM AGAIN. THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS, IS THAT THE VERY NEXT DAY SOMEBODY ELSE IS DRIVING.
IT'S A WHOLE NEW GROUP OF PEOPLE IN TOWN.
SO THE EDUCATION PROCESS WORKS FOR THE TOURIST AND IT'LL WORK FOR THEM WHEN THEY COME NEXT YEAR.
BUT IT DOESN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM FOR THE NEXT DAY BECAUSE WE GET A WHOLE NEW CROP OF PEOPLE.
[INAUDIBLE] WILL CALL THE POLICE.
THEY WAIT UNTIL THE POLICE CAR IS BACK ON AND THE GOLF CART IS RIGHT BACK ON THE BEACH.
SO WE'RE NOT GIVING THEM TICKETS.
DAVID. TALKING ABOUT THE BEACH OR THE SEAWALL.
PEOPLE ACTUALLY DRIVING GOLF CARTS ON THE BEACH THAT AREN'T HANDICAPPED.
YEAH, THE SAME PROBLEM. LET'S SEE.
WELL, YOU HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM ON THE ROADWAY.
I FOLLOWED ONE DOWN BROADWAY THE OTHER DAY.
I FOLLOWED ONE ON HARBORSIDE DRIVE.
THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. BUT A LOT OF THE SPONSORS SIT STATUTORILY, TOO, BECAUSE I DO GET THAT.
BUT PUTTING THAT PRESSURE BACK ON THE COMPANY SOMEHOW WORKS BECAUSE I DON'T CARE WHAT ANYBODY SAYS.
THE NUMBER OF GOLF CARTS IN THE LEFT LANE ON THE SEAWALL THIS SIDE OF 61ST STREET IS REDUCED.
PULLING THEM OVER, GIVING THEM TICKETS, THAT HAS WORKED.
AND AS FAR AS PD BEING SKITTISH ABOUT GIVING TICKETS, GET OVER IT.
WELL, YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND, OUR OFFICERS, IT'S DISCRETIONARY.
OF COURSE, THE CHIEF CAN'T DIRECT A POLICE OFFICER TO WRITE A TICKET.
IT'S COMPLETELY DISCRETIONARY.
AND, YOU KNOW, SO YOU CAN'T TAKE THAT ABILITY OR THAT DISCRETION AWAY FROM THE OFFICER.
NO. AND I AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, IF COPS PULL SOMEBODY SAYS, SIR, YOU CANNOT DRIVE YOUR GOLF CART INTO THE LEFT LANE UNLESS YOU WILL IN A RED LIGHT, THEY'LL COMPLY. FOR THE MOST PART, THEY'LL COMPLY, YOU KNOW.
BUT BUT THE COMPANIES NEED WE I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU FORCE THEM TO DO IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ACTUALLY I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ACTUALLY TICKET A COMPANY.
WELL, I CAN TAKE IT, EXPERIENCE A CAR, AND YOU DON'T PAY A TOLL TAG.
THAT CHARGE GOES TO THE RENTAL CAR.
THEY MAY CHOOSE TO COME AGAINST YOU AND THEY DO IT BY THE LICENSE PLATE.
AND WE COULD DO THAT BY THE LIGHTS.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO IT, ALL YOU'RE DOING HERE IS FORCING COMPLIANCE.
IT'S LIKE FINDING PEOPLE FOR FIREWORKS BECAUSE COMPLIANCE IS WHAT IT IS.
SO THERE'LL BE A LITTLE BLIP AND A CURVE ON IT.
ALSO, WE COLLECT ABOUT 50% OF THE TICKETS WRITTEN.
[00:40:01]
SO. BUT YOU WERE CHARGING YOUR COMPANY.IF THERE WAS A WAY, A METHODOLOGY, WE'LL CERTAINLY LOOK AT THAT.
WE'LL LOOK AND SEE IF THERE'S A WAY TO DO THAT.
BUT THEN HERE'S ANOTHER ONE FOR FINES AND FEES THAT I DON'T BELIEVE WE DO ANYTHING FOR.
AND THIS IS ESPECIALLY AN ISSUE WITH SHORT TERM RENTALS.
ONE I THOUGHT WE MANDATED AT SOME POINT THEY HAD TO HAVE A MINIMUM OF TWO TRASH CANS.
BECAUSE THE ISSUE THAT HAPPENS IS A RENTAL KNOW THEY'RE TOLD TO PUT THE TRASH OUT AND THEY JUST PUT THE TRASH OUT AND THE TRASH IS EVERYWHERE.
AND THEY PUT IT OUT ON SUNDAY, REGARDLESS OF WHEN THE TRASH DAY IS RIGHT.
AND SO THE TRASH BLOWS EVERYWHERE BECOMES AN ISSUE.
I GET SO MANY WEEKLY GET SO MANY COMPLAINTS ON THAT.
SO IF WE WERE FINE FINDING THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY, WHETHER IT BE THE RESIDENT OR THE RENTAL AGENCY, WE KNOW WHAT THAT IS, WHO THAT IS NOW, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LICENSE NUMBER.
I MEAN, ONE, IT WOULD CORRECT A PROBLEM.
THE SECONDARY PROBLEM WITH THAT TOO IS IS BECAUSE THESE ARE UN, THEY PUT THE TRASH CANS OUT EVEN IF THEY PUT IT IN TRASH CANS AND THE CANS SIT THERE FOR ALMOST A WEEK BECAUSE NOBODY'S IN THE HOUSE OR THE NEW TENANTS DON'T PULL THE TRASH CANS BACK IN A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
I GUESS IT JUST TAKES PEOPLE TO AFFORD IT.
AND WE DON'T ENFORCE IT. WELL, IT'S MAINLY IN THE ALLEYWAYS.
AND SO THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER ISSUE I KNOW WE'VE DISCUSSED.
BUT FOR PEOPLE TO PUT THEIR TRASH CANS OUT IN THE ALLEYWAYS AHEAD OF TIME AND THEN HAVE TRASH THAT OVERFLOWS AND SET IT IN BAGS NEXT TO IT, THAT GOES ON ALMOST EVERY OTHER HOUSE ON THIS ISLAND.
MAYOR I TRULY WOULD TAKE ENFORCEMENT ON OUR PART, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THIS TO ONE OF THE THINGS DUSTIN'S DOING, AND HE IS YOU TALK ABOUT A GOOD AD TO THE CITY STAFF, DUSTIN BENDER. HE'S TAKING UP SANITATION.
WE'RE GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTING SOFTWARE THAT HAS A LOT OF CAPABILITY.
SO IF THERE'S A LOCATION WHERE THERE'S CONSISTENT TRASH OUTSIDE THE CAN BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE CAN CAPACITY, I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO ENACT A RULE THAT SAYS IF THIS HAPPENS MORE THAN TWO WEEKS IN A ROW, WE'RE GOING TO FORCE UPON YOU ANOTHER CAN.
SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT THE RESIDENTS WE GET.
THE RESIDENTS ARE DOING THAT MORE IN MY AREA THAN THE SHORT TERM RENTALS ON THAT.
AND THEN SECOND OF ALL, JUST CHANGING GEARS REAL QUICKLY, BRIAN, THESE REPEAT OFFENDERS, ESPECIALLY HIGH GRASS AND WE'RE OUT THERE MOWING AND ALL THIS OTHER I'M A BIG PROPONENT OF ESCALATING FEES.
I MEAN, I SIGN LIENS IT'S THIS AND I'LL TELL YOU THIS, I SIT THERE, I JUST IT'S CRAZY.
BUT THAT LANE IS NOT SATISFIED UNTIL SOMEBODY SELLS THAT PROPERTY.
NO, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT PAY IT ALL THE TIME.
OH, DO THEY? OH, YEAH. PEOPLE WHO LET THE CITY SERVE AS THEIR MAINTENANCE.
WE'VE BECOME THEIR DE FACTO BROUGHT THIS UP.
OH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. AND THE OTHER THING IS TOO, IS ONE OF THE THINGS I DID, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF I HAD THE ABILITY TO DO IT, BUT LIKE AN AMERICAN INDEMNITY, THEY CAME IN AND THEY HAD THEY WOULD THEY HAD MOWED AND I WOULDN'T GIVE THEM PERMIT.
I SAID, CLEAN IT UP, COME BACK, GET YOUR PERMIT.
AND LUCKILY THEY HAVE A GOOD ARCHITECT THAT WE DEAL WITH THAT'S LOCAL, BUT IT'S OTHERWISE IT'S AN OUT OF TOWN COMPANY AND THE OTHER ONE IS DOLLAR STORES AND WE SPEND A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT AND DONNA GOD LOVES DONNA.
SHE'S GONE ALL THE WAY TO CORPORATE BECAUSE OUR WHAT'S OUR OUTCOME? WE GO IN THERE AND WE TICKET THE 18 YEAR OLD GIRL THAT'S WORKING THE CASH REGISTER.
SHE'S NOT GOING TO GO OUT AND PICK UP THE TRASH OR CUT THE WEEDS.
AND BUT WE HAVE THESE BAD CORPORATIONS.
AND I KNOW MARIE GOT [INAUDIBLE] RIGHT THERE, EVEN DOLLAR STORES, [INAUDIBLE] SYSTEMS, BUT THEY THESE ARE HUGE TRASH GENERATORS AND THEY DON'T TAKE CARE OF THEIR PROPERTY. NO, YOU'RE RIGHT.
DAVID, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT?
[00:45:01]
I SAW YOUR. OH, NO. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMPLIANCE HERE.WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT RAISING REVENUE, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S GOOD.
LET'S MOVE THE ITEM TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE.
YES, COLLECT CITY ADMINISTRATIVE FEE FROM, YOU KNOW, THE CITY CHARGES HOT.
BEACH PARK BOARD, FOR EXAMPLE, CHARGES AN ADMINISTRATIVE FEE ON ALL ITS ACTIVITIES AND EFFORTS.
YOU KNOW, THE HOT FUNDS ARE A CITY TAX.
THEY'RE CITY REVENUE, THEY'RE A CITY TAX.
AND THE CITY HAS COSTS INVOLVED WITH ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM, WHETHER IT'S ADMINISTERING WHAT THE PARK BOARD DOES OR WE'RE ADMINISTERING WHAT WE DO HERE WITH OUR TRICKLE DOWN, BUT WE'VE NEVER IMPLEMENTED ANY ADMINISTRATIVE FEE ON HOT.
NOW OUR ADMINISTRATIVE FEE IS DE MINIMIS.
WE HAVE A PRETTY EFFICIENT MODEL AND IT'S PROBABLY AROUND 5%, LESS THAN 5%.
THE PARK BOARD'S ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEAD IS 10%, AND THAT'S JUST BECAUSE THAT'S THE MAXIMUM.
THERE ARE OVERHEAD, MAYBE MORE, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY CHARGE.
I WOULD LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE WE ADMINISTERED THE PROGRAM.
WE ADMINISTERED THE PROGRAM THAT THE PARK BOARD HAS.
IT'S NOT THE PARK BOARD'S HOT.
WE SPEND AN AWFUL LOT OF TIME ON THOSE ISSUES.
ANYBODY GET ANY CALLS ABOUT FIREWORKS, DRONES? I MEAN, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THAT AND A LOT OF ADMINISTRATIVE TIME.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AT IT.
BUT I WOULD I JUST WANT TO PUT IT OUT THERE.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO A 10% ACROSS THE BOARD LIKE THE PARK BOARD DOES.
OURS IS TIED TO OUR ACTUAL OVERHEAD, WHICH IS MUCH LESS, MUCH, MUCH LESS.
WE'LL HAVE TO START WITH WHAT WE DO.
AND THEN THAT'S THAT'S THE WAY WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT'S LEGAL, WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.
AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A MONEY GRAB.
IF IT COSTS US MONEY TO ADMINISTER, WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO RECOUP THOSE COSTS.
I WOULD AGREE. AND WE NEED TO LOOK, AS YOU MENTIONED, AT THE TOTAL, CORRECT? YEAH. AND KEEP IN MIND, THAT COMES BACK TO MY MY ANALOGY BEING THE GIVING TREE.
WE DO THIS AND WE GIVE BUT WE DON'T.
WE'RE SPENDING THE MONEY, BUT WE DON'T KEEP WHAT IT COSTS US TO DO IT.
THE 4TH OF JULY SITUATION OF A SHOW WHERE DOC COMMUNICATED THAT THINGS WERE NOT RUNNING WELL, SHOULD HAVE BEEN TESTED BEFORE TIME, BUT GOT A MILLION CALLS THAT NIGHT.
LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON? TEXTED PARK BOARD PERSONNEL DON'T HEAR BACK FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF.
WE'RE PAYING ALL THAT FOR THE PRODUCT THAT THEY'RE PUTTING ON.
WHY CAN'T WE GET SOME REIMBURSEMENT FOR THAT? AND THIS IS SOMETHING THEY KIND OF GOT LOST IN THE TRANSLATION, IN THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLE.
WE NEED TO TREAT THE 4TH OF JULY AS A PROMOTED EVENT.
AND WE DON'T WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS RIGHT NOW WITH AN AIR SHOW.
THEY WANT TO DO A GREAT AIR SHOW.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S GOING TO BRING A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE.
BUT WE KNOW RESIDENTS OF GALVESTON SHOULD PAY ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
JUST LIKE WITH MOST MOTORCYCLE RALLY, SAME THING.
WE COLLECT WHAT IT COST US TO DO THESE THINGS.
AND THAT'S THAT'S THAT COMES IN LINE WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE COST OF THAT.
NOW, THE ADMINISTRATIVE COST IS JUST A SMALL PART OF IT.
AS YOU POINTED OUT, FOR THE 4TH OF JULY, THERE NEEDS TO BE ALLOCATIONS FOR THE POLICE, THE FIRE AND EMS. I MEAN, WE RAN SANITATION.
AND WITH THE DELAY THAT NIGHT, IT CAUSED US ALL KINDS OF TRAFFIC ISSUES AND ACCIDENTS AND SO WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO WE'RE NOT TRYING TO MAKE MONEY.
THIS ISN'T A MONEY GRAB, BUT MONEY GRAB.
[00:50:05]
SO THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE DO THAT.I KNOW YOU HAVE A MEETING ON THIS TOMORROW MORNING, BRIAN, TO TALK WITH THE PARK BOARD ABOUT.
BUT YOU KNOW THIS WHEN YOU TREAT IT AS EVENT AND I AGREE WITH THAT WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
BUT LET'S TAKE THE 4TH OF JULY FIREWORKS.
IF THEY HAD TO PAY FOR ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED, NOBODY'S GOING TO DO THIS.
PIRATES ON JULY 3RD HAD A TREMENDOUS PIRATE FIREWORKS SHOW, AND THEY COVERED ALL THE COSTS.
I MEAN, IT'S A MESS DOWN THERE AND TRYING TO CONTROL THOSE CROWDS.
AND THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT YOU'VE GOT THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO DO IT.
YOU'VE GOT THIS. THIS IS NOT IT'S NOT POSTED.
WE'LL WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT LATER.
ANY MORE TALKS ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATIVE ON THAT? WHAT ABOUT THREE? THREE IS A BETTER MANAGED TOURIST RELATED BUSINESS OPERATORS THAT ARE UTILIZING CITY ASSETS.
SOME EXAMPLES, CITY ASSETS ARE USED BY TOURISTS AND NO USER FEES OR ADMINISTRATIVE FEES.
THESE FLOW TO THE CITY TO OFFSET THESE COSTS.
EXAMPLES INCLUDE TRAFFIC CONTROL EXPENSES, LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPENSES, CODE ENFORCEMENT EXPENSES.
WE DON'T GET ANY OF THOSE THINGS.
YOU KNOW, THE CITY ORDINANCES ARE IN PLACE.
THE ONLY WAY TO TO EFFECTIVELY ENFORCE AND MANAGE THOSE IS THROUGH PERSONNEL.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE CODE ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL IN THE STREET TO DEAL WITH THOSE THINGS.
I LOVE THE PEOPLE THAT PUT THEIR CHAIRS AND THING OUT RIGHT ON THE SEAWALL.
RIGHT. IT'S LIKE YOU SEE THE BEACHES, RIGHT? THERE'S THERE'S NOT AN ADMINISTRATIVE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE AVAILABLE FOR THAT, BUT IT'S CODE ENFORCEMENT AS YOU CAN'T BE A VENDOR.
YEAH, WE'VE GOT TO COLLECT TAX, WHICH THEY'RE NOT DOING.
YOU DON'T HAVE A PERMIT TO SOLICIT.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S ALL THOSE THINGS THAT EXIST FOR THESE POP UPS.
WELL, SO YOU SAY BETTER MANAGE AGAIN.
ARE WE TALKING COMPLIANCE OR ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT A REVENUE SOURCE? IT'S BOTH. YOU YOU'RE GOING TO YOU'RE GOING TO YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE CODE ENFORCEMENT STAFF DOING IT, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO GET REVENUE FROM THE FEES THAT THESE PEOPLE WANT TO PROPERLY DO IT, THEY'RE GOING TO GET A FEE OR LICENSE TO USE TO SOLICIT ON ON PUBLIC PROPERTY, WHICH THEY'RE NOT DOING NOW.
AND THOSE THAT ARE DOING WITHOUT ARE GOING TO GET FINES.
AND YOU DON'T DO IT BY SITTING HERE.
YOU'VE GOT TO BE OUT THERE DOING IT.
SHARON. IS THE POP UP VENDOR MOBILE OFTENTIMES.
YEAH. THEY PULL IT OUT OF THE TRUNK OF THEIR CAR OR THEY'RE PUSHING A CART.
YEAH, OKAY. OH, IT'S EVERYTHING.
IT'S FOIL. AND AND SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PERMIT PROCESS LIKE EVERY.
I WANT TO HIRE DANNY HART BECAUSE HE'S THE ONE THAT HEY, HE COULD HE CAN SPOT THEM IN OUR TRUCK, SHOW UP OFF THE MAINLAND, PARK ON THE SEAWALL AND GO INTO BUSINESS AND, YOU KNOW, AND BUTCH TRYING TO CHASE THEM.
THEY JUST GO SOMEPLACE ELSE UP AND DOWN THE SEAWALL.
THAT'S WE'VE CHASED THEM AND THAT'S AND AGAIN, THAT COMES BACK INTO FINES.
WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THE RIGHT FINES FOR THAT.
BUT ALSO, IF THERE'S A NEED FOR THAT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FOOD TRUCK ORDINANCE AND EVERYTHING ELSE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HAVE A WAY FOR THEM TO OPERATE IF THEY WANT TO DO THAT IN A LEGAL WAY, IN THE PROPER SPOT WHERE WE WANT THEM AND COLLECT A NORMAL FEE.
THE FOOD TRUCK ORDINANCE, I THINK IS SHAPING UP REALLY WELL.
I THINK SO. WE'RE DOING WELL THERE.
SO THAT'LL BE A REVENUE SOURCE, NOT A MASSIVE ONE, BUT IT'S A SOURCE OF REVENUE THERE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A LOT OF TOURS THAT UTILIZE A MONOPOLIZED CITY SPACE.
AND THE ONE THAT I'M CERTAIN PAYS A FRANCHISE FEE TO US AS THE DUCK TOURS, THEY DO IT RIGHT.
THEY DO. THEY DO IT CORRECTLY AND THEY PAY AN LTE-U FOR THEIR PART.
IT DID NOT EXIST UNTIL I SAW THEM.
[00:55:04]
AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE OUR ORDINANCE IS, NUMBER ONE, ARE INCLUSIVE ENOUGH.THEY JUST DIDN'T THEY DIDN'T CALL EVERYTHING WHAT IT WAS.
AND SO THE INDUSTRIES AND THE IN THE IT'S HARD TO KEEP UP BECAUSE EVERY IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY SEASON WE'RE GETTING SOME NEW FIRST OFF YEAR ROUND. YEAH THAT'S TRUE DAY.
SO THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CONTEMPLATING AND WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW THE FRANCHISE FEES, THE LGU ORDINANCES AND BRING BACK RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL ON THOSE AS WAYS TO TIGHTEN THEM UP OR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WE'RE AT LEAST ADDRESSING THE THINGS THAT ARE CREATING AN IMPOSITION AND A COST TO THE TAXPAYERS OF GALVESTON.
SO THE ITEM NUMBER FOUR WAS THE INCREASED SHORT TERM REGISTRATION FEE.
THIS WILL REQUIRE MORE INFORMATION THAN WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN ESTABLISHING THE FEE.
APPS IN THE DATA WOULD APPEAR ARBITRARY.
SO PARK BOARD IS NOW IN THE PROCESS OF AN RFB.
THEY'RE IN THE FINAL STAGES OF IT.
THE CITY IS PARTICIPATING IN THE REVIEW PROCESS OR SELECTION OF A NEW SOFTWARE PROGRAM.
WE'LL KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE THE OFFENDERS ARE.
MY BET IS IT'S A SMALL FRACTION OF THE SHORT TERM RENTAL OPERATORS IN GALVESTON ARE THE OFFENDERS.
BUT BUT THAT'S COMPLETELY ANECDOTAL ON MY PART.
I DON'T KNOW THAT BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE DATA.
I WOULD ARGUE THAT IT IS.. AND TO TALK ABOUT HOW THINGS CHANGE.
MARIE BROUGHT UP SOMETHING TO ME YESTERDAY THAT MAKES IT'S AN EVICTION ISSUE AND IF YOU READ THE TEXAS CODE, AN EVICTION REQUIRES AN ORDER FROM A JP AND A CONSTABLE TO BE INVOLVED. WE CAN'T DO IT, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY AN EVICTION FROM A SHORT TERM RENTAL.
I MEAN, HOTELS DON'T HAVE TO GET AN EVICTION NOTICE TO KICK SOMEONE OUT OF THEIR GUESTROOM.
SO I JUST WANT TO BRING SOME NUMBERS TO PLAY AS WE TALK ABOUT THIS, SINCE WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE FEE AND WE GOT THE $50 ONE ON THE PHONE, IT'S CRAZY.
IN THAT TIME THAT WE DID THAT, THEY WENT FROM 3500 TO NOW THEY'RE APPROACHING 5000.
SO THE LONGER WE TAKE TO INCREASE FEES OR TO HAVE.
A MORE DETAILED ACCOUNTING, WE COULD BE UP TO 6000.
SO ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT WEREN'T UNREGISTERED ARE NOW REGISTERED OR THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE.
SO IT WAS IT WAS THROUGH ACTION, A COUNCIL AND SOME ACTION TOOK THAT.
NOW WE KNOW THE UNIVERSE OF THE SHORT TERM RENTAL MARKET.
THAT'S EXACTLY THAT'S JUST PART OF THE DATA SET THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE.
THE NUMBERS REALLY CLOSE TO 4500 RIGHT NOW.
[INAUDIBLE] AND SAY 5000 AT YOUR MEETING THE OTHER DAY, I SAID 4477.
SO WE'RE APPROACHING FIVE HE SAYS.
IT'S NOT AN INFINITE NUMBER, DAN'S RIGHT.
WHAT HAS PROMPTED THAT? AND YOU'VE SEEN THE [INAUDIBLE] RISE IN HOTEL TAX IS THOSE PEOPLE COMING INTO THE REGISTRATION PROGRAM BECAUSE YOU CAN'T STAY ON THE PLATFORM WITHOUT IT.
SO WE'RE GETTING TO THAT POINT WHERE WE'RE SEEING NEW ONES COME OUT THAT ARE ACTUALLY NEW ONES.
THE ONES THE ONES THAT COULDN'T REGISTER THAT HAD TO REGISTER IN ORDER TO STAY IN BUSINESS.
I THINK WE'VE PROBABLY SEEN MOST OF THOSE.
BUT I QUESTION I THINK WE NEED TO EXCUSE ME, THINK ABOUT NOW, EVEN IF WE HAVE TO SET THIS NUMBER TWICE, WE SET IT AT $50 AND WE KNOW WHY WE DID THAT. BUT IF WE WENT RIGHT NOW AND SET IT AT $200, I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HARD TO ARGUE THAT THAT'S TOO HIGH.
OH, I AGREE. WELL, YOU SAY $1000 NOW MAYBE YOU'RE OUT IN SPACE.
BUT I THINK IT'S DEFENSIBLE RIGHT NOW TO SAY $200 SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD STILL BE BELOW THE AVERAGE OF WHAT OTHER CITIES? IT'S STILL WELL WITHIN.
AND WE KNOW THE ESTIMATED COST OF WHAT THIS PLATFORM IS GOING TO COST THE PARK.
YES, WE'RE PRETTY CLEAR ON THAT.
[01:00:01]
BUT WE KNOW THAT THE DATA IS NOT COMING AT US FOR, IT'S GONNA BE 12 MONTH BEFORE WE HAVE GOOD DATA.THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY LEFT ON THE TABLE THAT WE COULD AND SHOULD BE COLLECTING RIGHT NOW.
BUT WE HAVE TO TWO ISSUES ON THIS.
ONE IS WHAT IS A WHAT IS THE COMMUNITY STANDARDS FOR A FEE FOR REGISTRATION? BUT THE OTHER IS WHAT YOU'VE MENTIONED IN AND WHAT DON HAS BEEN SAYING IS WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF SUPPORT, SUPPORT TO TELL YOU THAT FEE IS CORRECT. MY POINT WAS THAT YOU ANY SHORT TERM RENTAL OPERATOR COMPANY WOULD BE HARD PRESSED TO ARGUE THAT 200 IS TOO HIGH A NUMBER.
I WOULD AGREE, BUT THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER QUESTION FROM WHAT DAN IS BRINGING UP.
I'M JUST POINTING IT OUT. IT'S A REVENUE SOURCE.
SO THAT IS A NUMBER THAT WOULD PROBABLY IS EASILY SUPPORTABLE.
NUMBERS BEYOND THAT ARE GOING TO TAKE DATA.
I'M NOT AGAINST THAT PERSONALLY.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT DOCUMENT.
YES. AND WE DON'T WANT TO COME IN AND SAY $200 IS GOING TO COVER OUR COST.
5000. WELL, I DON'T I'LL BE FIRST TELL YOU, I DON'T THINK JORDAN IS GOING TO COVER YOUR COST.
THAT'S WHY I THINK DAVID'S WHAT DAVID SAYING IS THAT'S A GOOD FIRST STEP.
WELL, WE JUST NEED TO SEE THAT.
NO, I JUST COUNCIL NEEDS TO SEE, HEY THAT'S GOING TO GENERATE $1,000,000.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO COVER WITH THAT AND SHOW HOW THAT'S BROKEN DOWN.
I THINK THAT WE OWE THAT TO THE INDUSTRY.
ONE OF THE THINGS I HAVE TO SAY, I AGREE WITH DAVID 100% ON THAT.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS INTRIGUED, AGAIN, HAVING HEARD THE CONSULTANT HERE AND THEN HAVING LISTENED TO YOUR MEETING, WHICH WAS INTERESTING ON EVERYTHING COMBINED, WAS THE FACT IN SOME OF THE CITIES HE WAS CITING, HE WAS SAYING THEY CHARGE X, Y, Z FEE, BUT SOME OF THOSE CITIES CHARGE THAT PLATE FEE PLUS AN ADDITIONAL FEE FOR EACH BEDROOM THAT THE RENTAL HAS.
AND THAT WAS NEVER MENTIONED, WHICH I WAS.
WE HAD WHAT HE'S REFERRING TO, MATT, WHO DID THE PRESENTATION TO US.
HE DID IT FOR PARK BOARD AND IT WAS A LITTLE BIT BROADER, BECAUSE HE HAD MORE TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT.
AND THEN THE NUMBER THE NUMBER OF WAYS THAT CITIES DECIDE WHAT TO CHARGE IS INFINITE.
THERE'S A FLAT FEE PLUS BEDROOM CHARGE.
THAT'S WHEN YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE THINGS LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, THAT'S, AGAIN, DIFFICULT TO ENFORCE AND CAN BE BE ARBITRARY, BECAUSE I WILL TELL YOU THAT MANY OF THESE HOUSES SAY THEY SLEEP 16 AND THEY HAVE ONE BED.
WHEN WE GET THESE PRESENTATIONS OR CONSULTANTS TALK ABOUT THIS, WE TALK ABOUT THIS.
PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS POINTING AT FLORIDA, GEORGIA AND COLORADO.
AND I'M LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE ONE THING WE HAVE, THEY DON'T IT'S THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE, RIGHT? YEAH, NO DOUBT.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S IT'S CLEARLY YOU'VE CHARGED US.
WE'RE LOOKING AT WE'RE GOING TO BRING INFORMATION BACK TO YOU AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
WE'LL WORK WITH THE PARK BOARD.
BUT RECOGNIZING THAT WE ASKED THE PARK BOARD TO COLLECT THIS STUFF FOR US.
SO THE COST OF DOING THAT OUGHT TO BE IN THE FEE.
JUST NEED TO GET GOOD DOCUMENTATION.
LOOK, LOOK AT IT FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE.
SPEAKING OF THAT, THOUGH, BECAUSE SHORT TERM RENTAL HAS BECOME AN EVEN SHORTER TERM RENTAL BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE PAYING PEOPLE TO HAVE A PARTY AT THEIR HOUSE AND WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING GETTING THERE YET.
AND ANOTHER ONE IS WHAT WAS THE OTHER ONE THAT POPPED UP THE OTHER DAY? AGAIN, THIS IS ANOTHER CASE OF US NOT JUST BEING IN AN ORDINANCE DRIVEN ENVIRONMENT LIKE GOVERNMENT.
WE CAN'T MOVE AS FAST AS THESE DAMN PLATFORMS ARE POPPING UP.
THAT'S WHY THESE POP UP EVENTS KILL US ON FACEBOOK.
AND THEY ARE JUST RENTING A HOUSE FOR THE DAY.
[01:05:02]
RENTING? WELL, I KNOW THERE'S PEOPLE BECAUSE I PAY CONSTITUENTS THE SHORT TERM RENTAL.AND I THINK BUT THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THAT IF, IF SOMEBODY'S GOING TO START A RESIDENTIAL POOL HAS ALMOST ZERO COST OTHER THAN WATER TO THE CITY. BUT IF YOU'RE LEASING THAT OUT FOR EVENTS, THAT BECOMES A BIGGER ISSUE.
IT DOES. LET'S MOVE TO ADMINISTRATION FEE FOR SEAWALL.
SO IT'S SOMETHING WE'LL LOOK AT THAT I'LL BE PRETTY EASY FOR US TO MEASURE.
AND COME BACK TO YOUR LAST QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
THE WE WRITE PARKING TICKETS ON THE SEAWALL WE'RE DOING.
IS THAT GENERAL FUND? THAT'S GENERAL FUND, RIGHT? YEAH, THAT'S PART OF IT.
THAT'S THE ONE THAT WE COLLECT ABOUT HALF.
BUT WE EVEN HAVE A LAW FIRM WORKING AT SOME.
YEAH, WE KNOW. AND YOU KNOW, WE BROUGHT THE THINGS BACK TO YOU ABOUT THE BOOTING OR THE [INAUDIBLE] ARTICLE GOES ON THE WINDSHIELD, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT FOR MULTIPLE OFFENDERS. THAT'S THE WAY YOU GET THEIR ATTENTION.
BUT IS MOST OF THAT ON THE SEAWALLS, NOT MULTIPLE OFFENDERS? RIGHT. THEY ARE ONE AND GONE.
GONE. WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT THE RV'S THAT SEEM TO BE INCREASINGLY PARKING ON THE SEAWALL? THAT'S ANOTHER OFFICER THERE YESTERDAY.
AND THEY WERE THERE THIS WELL.
REMEMBER, OUR PERIOD IS 2 A.M.
TO 5 A.M. AND THAT'S AN OFFICER DISCRETION ISSUE.
AND WE CONTINUE TO ASK THE CHIEF TO HAVE THE OFFICERS RUN THAT.
RV'S TAKE UP MORE THAN ONE PARKING PLACE.
AND WE DON'T, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE PARKING SPACES ON THE SEAWALL IS BY VEHICLE.
AND I SAW SOMEBODY THE OTHER DAY, A PICKUP TRUCK WITH A TRAILER.
THEY HAD THE BARBECUE SET UP ON THE FLATBED TRAILER.
THE CHAIRS ACTUALLY HAVE TO HAVE TWO.
THAT'S TWO PLATES. TWO PLATES.
OH, THAT'S TWO PLATES. BUT OUR IS AN ARMY IS JUST A BIG ONE.
THE ONE THAT'S BEEN THERE SINCE YESTERDAY IS LIKE A 46 FOOT ONE, LIKE BREAK FREE CAMPING.
THEY HAVE TO MOVE FROM MIDNIGHT TO 4 A.M.
TO TWO, FIVE, 2 TO 5, 2 TO 5, 2 TO 5 IS NO PARKING.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S OFFICER DISCRETION.
WELL, THEY NEED SOMEBODY NEEDS TO ENFORCE THEM.
WE'RE WE'LL TALK WE'VE HAD THIS TALK WITH I MEAN, ENFORCEMENT COULD BE YOU NEED TO MOVE ALONG.
YEAH. BUT YOU KNOW, ABSENT THAT, THEY JUST MOVED TO WALMART.
THAT'S NOT MY PROBLEM. YEAH, THAT'S AGAIN, THAT'S THAT'S ANOTHER THERE'S ACTUALLY SEVERAL PEOPLE I THINK LIVING ON CHERRY HILL OUT THERE BECAUSE I'VE GONE OUT THERE EARLY IN THE MORNING AND THEY'RE LIVING UNDER MURDOCKS RIGHT NOW TOO.
SO. SO THE NEXT ITEM WE HAD WAS FEES ON PORT PARKING.
THIS IS SOMETHING BRIAN AND I BOTH HEARD A PRESENTATION BY AN ATTORNEY A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, AND HE TALKED ABOUT FEES THAT WE COULD CHARGE ON PARKING AND IT CAN BE DE MINIMIS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ALL THE CARS THAT ARE PARKED, GOUGED SPECIFICALLY BY THE PORT.
SHOULD THE CITY HAVE A FEE, A DE MINIMIS FEE ON EVERY ONE OF THOSE? DEFINE DE MINIMIS? $0.50, DOLLAR? I MEAN, SOMETHING. WELL, IT'S NOT DE MINIMIS WHEN YOU CONSIDER IT AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE FOR PORT PARKING FEE, IT PROBABLY IS.
SO IF SOMEBODY PAID $60 FOR SEVEN DAYS PARKING AND WE CHARGE THEM A DOLLAR.
YEAH. NO, I AGREE TO EXPAND ON THAT BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
IT'S REALLY AN IMPACT FEE FROM THE STANDPOINT.
THAT'S WHERE THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ONES WE'VE GOT TO DO A DEEP DIVE ON TO SEE HOW WE DO IT.
AND WE HAVE AN OFFICER OUT THERE DIRECTING TRAFFIC.
THEIR LUGGAGE BLEW OUT OF THE BACK OF THEIR PICKUP TRUCK.
WE EVEN HAD ONE OF OUR PORT VEHICLES GET TOTALED OUT THERE THE OTHER DAY, A PORT POLICE VEHICLE.
SO THERE IS A JUST A COST WITH HAVING ALL OF THESE CARS COME TO THE ISLAND.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST ANOTHER CASE OF IT'S GREAT PORT, GO MAKE YOUR MONEY.
IT DOES ALL THOSE GREAT THINGS.
BUT THE POOR LITTLE LADY THAT LIVES ON, ON 35TH AND S SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY EXTRA MONEY TO POLICE ALL THESE PEOPLE AND DEAL WITH THE AMBULANCES THAT WE I MEAN, EVERY CRUISE SHIP THAT COMES IN, THEY ALWAYS TAKE SOMEBODY OFF IN HANDCUFFS, PRETTY MUCH.
THERE'S ALWAYS AT LEAST ESPECIALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR, SOMEBODY FALLS OUT BECAUSE OF THE HEAT.
USUALLY IT'S FIRE THAT RESPONDS DOWN THERE.
I MEAN, I'M SOMEBODY THAT MONITORS ALL THIS STUFF ON MOST WEEKENDS AND STUFF.
[01:10:02]
WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY, TAX MONEY SUPPORTING THAT OPERATION DOWN THERE.REAL QUICK. WELL, THAT'S ANOTHER THING, GUYS.
WE HAVE WE'VE PAVED PARADISE HERE, GUYS.
THEY'VE FIGURED OUT THEY CAN MAKE MONEY PARKING CARS.
YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE DRAINAGE PLAN.
WELL, THEIR DRAINAGE PLAN IS TO GO INTO OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT THEY'RE ALL ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE ISLAND.
THAT WATER HITS OUR SYSTEM FIRST.
THAT'S PART OF WHAT'S BACKING UP THE WATER ALL OVER THE ISLAND, BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO DRAIN ALL OF THESE PARKING LOTS, ALL OF THESE PAVED AREAS INTO IT'S ALL GOING INTO OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
BASICALLY USED TO BE PERMEABLE DIRT.
IT USED TO BE VERY PERMEABLE DIRT.
IT'S NOT AS EASY AS JUST EVEN WHEN IT WAS PERMEABLE DIRT, IT SOMEHOW FLOWED INTO THE WETLANDS AREAS.
AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT ANYMORE.
IT'S ALL PAID IN BECAUSE IT'S A PAID PARKING LOT WITH CARS.
YOU JUST CAN'T SURFACE DRAIN INTO THE WETLANDS.
WE HAVE TO HAVE IT ALL GO THROUGH OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO THERE'S A COST THAT'S BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THESE CRUISES.
AND AND AGAIN, I COME BACK TO MY GIVING TRUE ANALOGY.
WE HAVE SAID GO FORTH AND PROSPER PORT YOUR OUR CHILD, GO GO FORTH AND PROSPER.
THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE WITH THIS RIGHT NOW.
CORRECT. SO BUT THE PERSON WOULD BE $1,000,000 THAT'S SUBSTANTIAL IN THIS JOURNEY.
THAT WOULD BE CRUISE FEE VERSUS A PARKING FEE.
THERE'S TYPICALLY SIX PEOPLE IN A VEHICLE COME TO COME TO PARK.
SO IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THEY PARK A LOT OF CARS.
THERE IS AN IMPACT ON [INAUDIBLE].
AND I WILL TELL YOU.. BUT, ARE WE GOING TO CHARGE IT TO EVERY PARK? ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY..
NOT JUST.. THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT.
THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT. IS IT A FEE THAT AND IT WOULD BE DE MINIMIS THAT YOU A TAX OR A FEE THAT YOU PUT ON ALL PARK CARS? YEAH, IT'D BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT.
I KNOW DON HAS SOME QUESTIONS ON THAT TOO.
SO AGAIN, THESE ARE ALL EARLY DISCUSSIONS.
THESE ARE THESE ARE THE POINTS YOU'RE MAKING.
I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW IT'S ON OUR RADAR AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE..
OH, THERE'S WE HAVE A CAR PARKING PROBLEM.
I WILL TELL YOU.. GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE.
BRIAN TAKES HIS DOG TO DOGGY DAYCARE ON HARBORSIDE.
THE PORT SHUTS DOWN HARBORSIDE.
SO, I MEAN, WE'VE HAD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT.
AND QUITE HONESTLY, IT'S A TXDOT ISSUE ABOUT SOMEBODY STOPPING TRAFFIC ON A STATE HIGHWAY.
REMEMBER, KEN HAD A CAR ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THAT.
AND THE LOCUS OF THAT IS ABOUT TO MOVE FROM 21ST STREET TO 10TH STREET.
WELL, THEY'VE GOT ALL THE TERMINALS, RIGHT? HE'S GOING TO MOVE 16.
THEY STAND OUT THERE AND STOP TRAFFIC FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THEIR PARKING.
BUT AREN'T THEY WORKING WITH TXDOT? START TO TAKE THAT INSIDE? WELL, THEY'RE TALKING PART OF THAT IS THEY'RE PARKING LOTS ON THE OTHER SIDE.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH THEM ON A TRAFFIC SIGNAL.
BUT I ALMOST GUARANTEE YOU THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL WILL NOT FUNCTION LIKE A NORMAL TRAFFIC SIGNAL.
THEY WILL MANUALLY MORE THAN THEY DO THAT ON HARBORSIDE.
WINSTON AND I HAVE THIS DISCUSSION IN THE MORNING.
SO AGAIN, THAT PUTS BACK THE FEES ON PARKING.
THE BIGGEST CAVEAT ON THIS IS IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO REQUIRE CHARTER AMENDMENT.
THE FEE THAT THE PORT PAYS TO THE CITY OF GALVESTON HAS NEVER BEEN CHANGED SINCE 1942.
IT'S TWO FEES. YEAH, NO, IT'S ONE.
WELL, PELICAN ISLAND IS A SEPARATE FEE.
RIGHT. BUT BUT THE FEES HAVE NEVER BEEN CHANGED.
THEY DON'T TIE TO ANYTHING THAT EXISTS AT THE PORT.
THE PORT DOESN'T RESEMBLE WHAT IT DID IN THE 1940S.
NOW, DEXTER, NOT A PERCENTAGE.
THAT'S CORRECT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE PORT DOWN THERE IS MANAGING A CITY ASSET.
IT'S NOT THEIR ASSET. IT BELONGS TO THE TAXPAYERS OF THE CITY OF GALVESTON.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT PROBABLY IT NEEDS TO BE HIGHLIGHTED.
A POTENTIAL CHARTER CHANGE TO BRING THAT INTO THE 21ST CENTURY.
THAT FEE WAS IT'S ENACTED BY CHARTER.
I'VE SEEN IT, BUT I'VE SEEN IT'S GOT A DATE OF 1999.
[01:15:03]
BUT WAS THAT THE LAST TIME THAT WAS ADJUSTED, I THINK? NO, IT'S NEVER BEEN, EVER. THE FEE HAD BEEN ADJUSTED.THE ORDINANCE MAY HAVE THE AMENDMENT MAY HAVE MADE ADJUSTMENTS.
YES, HE IS. I HAD MANY DISCUSSIONS WITH NORA OVER THIS VERY TOPIC.
AND OVER THE YEARS IT'S BEEN BROACHED.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S BEEN IT DEPENDS.
AGAIN, THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO SAY.
OK PORT YOU OWE US $8 MILLION A YEAR.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE.
BUT IT IS. IT IS THE FACT THIS IS ANOTHER I'M I KEEP USING MY GIVING TRAIN ANALOGY.
WE HAVE GIVEN ONE OF OUR ARMS THE MOST SOME OF THE MOST VALUABLE PROPERTY WE HAVE TO MANAGE.
AND WE'RE ASKING THE CITIZENS NOW TO WE'RE GETTING NOTHING OFF.
WE'RE GETTING NO RETURN OFF OF THAT.
THAT WAS THE RIGHT ARM. NOW WE'RE GETTING TO THE LEFT ARM, THE PARK BOARD.
SO AGAIN, IT'S THE OTHER THING IS WE'RE NOT GENERATING THE REVENUE OFF THE CITY ASSETS.
A LOT OF THAT IS THAT'S NOT CHARTER.
THAT'S NO, THE PARK BOARD IS SEPARATE ISSUE.
THE LEFT ARM IS AN INNER LOCAL.
NOW, WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT CHARTER FEES BY CHARTER, WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO APPROACH THEM? YOU CAN ONLY DO A CHARTER CHANGE EVERY TWO TO HAVE AN ELECTION FIRST.
BUT WE'RE WE'RE FINE. WE HAVEN'T HAD A CHARTER ELECTION IN ENOUGH TIME IN TWO YEARS FROM NOW TO SAY, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR PART, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS FOR REVENUE, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS, THIS, THIS ALL IN ONE PACKAGE.
THE PARK BOARD ISN'T CHARGING. NO, I'M JUST SAYING WITH THE BOARD, THAT'S DISCRETION.
WELL, NO, I'M JUST ASKING BECAUSE YOU NEVER DO A CHARTER.
THERE'S A STRATEGY FOR CHARTER ELECTIONS.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. THE LIBRARY IS A CHARTER ISSUE ALSO.
AND THOSE THINGS ARE ONES THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S ABOUT COMMUNICATION, GETTING THE FACTS OUT THERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T KNOW THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON IN GALVESTON DOESN'T KNOW THAT THE FEE WAS ESTABLISHED AS A PART OF THE TAX IS GIVEN TO THE LIBRARY AND HOW THAT GROWS EXPONENTIALLY, THEY JUST DON'T KNOW THAT.
AND AND AGAIN, I THINK THAT WITH OUR DISCUSSIONS, THE AGREEMENT, THE LIBRARY IS TEMPORARY RIGHT NOW.
THEY COULD CHANGE THAT TOMORROW.
SO WITH NOTICE DAN AND MIKE, IT'S ABOUT 180,000 TOTAL, IS THAT RIGHT? THERE'S 169.
BUT BUT THERE'S PART OF THAT HAS TO GO TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO CORRECT WHICH THIS WOULD AND I WOULD BE ALL IN FAVOR OF THAT BENEFITING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, TOO, BECAUSE THAT'S THEY THEY SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF.
THEY GET ABOUT 40 GRAND ON THAT DEAL.
SO WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE OF PROPERTY RIGHT NOW THAT'S OFF THE TAX ROLL? 29. THERE'S A LOT OF CHURCHES AND HOUSING AND MIDDLE SCHOOL AND GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.
I'LL BET IT'S 50% OF THE CHURCHES, SCHOOLS AND GOVERNMENTAL.
MARKET VALUE OF PROPERTY IN TOWN IS ON THE ORDER OF $12 BILLION.
WHAT I JUST DESCRIBED, THE VALUES OF GOVERNMENTAL AND THE CHURCH AND ALL THAT AREN'T REALISTIC.
SO WE KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME DISPARITY THERE.
THERE'S DAM FLIPPERS, MAKE YOUR WATER RIGHTS.
IS THERE A WAY THAT AS WE DO OUR NEXT WATER STUDY, THAT WE COULD ESTABLISH A RATE FOR HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES AT A LOWER RATE? CERTAINLY THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S WE CAN DO.
WE JUST HAVE TO STUDY IT. IT NEEDS TO BE PRESENTED AS PART OF THE NEXT WATER RATE STUDY.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE.
YOU CAN ESTABLISH RIGHTS BASED ON ANY HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES.
AND WE HAVE TO RESPOND TO THINGS LIKE THAT THAT NORMALLY WE COVERED IN OUR NORMAL OPERATING TIME THE RATES THE RATES ARE STRUCTURED IN SUCH A WAY RIGHT NOW THAT YOU COULD IMPLEMENT IT THROUGH HAVING A HIGHER BASE FEE FOR A NON HOMESTEADS OR A LOWER BASE FEE FOR HOMES.
THAT'S ONE OF THE LOW HANGING FRUIT ONES RIGHT ON AND SAYS WE DO OUR NUMBER AND WE HAVE WAITED TO COME TO YOU GUYS IN JANUARY ALONG WITH A WHOLE LOOK AT OUR WHOLE WATER AND SEWER RES AREA. REAL HARD, THOUGH, BECAUSE MOST OF THOSE A LOT OF THOSE HOMES ARE NOT HOMESTEADED OUT THERE.
WELL, IT'S ONLY 9000 ON THE ISLAND TO BEGIN WITH.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOLLARS, NOT THOUSANDS.
[01:20:02]
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOLLARS.YEAH. YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING WE CAN DO TO BENEFIT OUR HOMESTEADED PEOPLE.
BUT MARIE WILL ALSO TELL YOU THAT SHE UNDERSTANDS IT COSTS MORE TO SERVICE THOSE HOUSES.
BECAUSE TYPICALLY MY CALLS FROM MARIE WITH WATER ISSUES AND SEWER ISSUES OCCUR FRIDAYS AFTER SENDING MONEY BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE HITTING THEIR HOUSES ON THE WEEKENDS AND WE'RE HAVING TO SERVICE THOSE USUALLY IN AN OVERTIME SITUATION.
THE NEW SYSTEM, WELL, SOMEWHAT WITH THE NEW SYSTEM, BUT THEN NEW SYSTEMS COST MONEY TO OPERATE TO.
WE HIT IT. WE TALKED ABOUT FEES THAT WE CAN CHARGE.
YEAH. YOU TALK ABOUT PARKING EARLIER.
I'M TALKING ABOUT FEES IN GENERAL EARLIER.
AND THESE ARE FEES ARE CRUISE BUSINESS.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THAT WE'VE LET THAT SLIDE ANY TIME WE MISSED A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY AND WE GOT TOLD WHAT WE WERE GOING TO GET INSTEAD OF I NEVER SAW THIS PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM.
YOU NEVER SAW YOU NEVER SAW A ROYAL IN THIS ROOM THAT I.
WELL, BESIDES, ALL THAT OIL WAS IN, AS IS THE GRISWOLD ONE OF THE I WILL TELL YOU THAT WHEN I TRAVEL WITH MY FAMILY, IT'S I DON'T QUESTION WHAT IT COST ME TO PARK IF WE GO SOMEPLACE AND I TYPICALLY DON'T WHEN I GO ON VACATION, I'M NOT SHOPPING WHERE I'M GOING TO PARK.
I JUST DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING.
I DON'T THINK A DOLLAR IS GOING TO KEEP ANYBODY FROM TAKING OVER.
THEY'LL NEVER SEPARATE THAT OUT OR JUST BE THE CARE OF IT.
IT WOULD JUST BE THE CHARGE GOING ON.
AND THE CRUISE PASSENGER PAYS THAT.
THEY GO, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
IT DOESN'T COST THE PORT ANYTHING.
YEAH. WE'RE NOT ASKING THE PORT TO COME UP WITH THAT.
NO, NO. BUT I'M SAYING ANYWAY.
YEAH, IT'D BE LIKE BUYING A $20 ASTRO TICKET FOR $50.
WELL YOU GO STAY IN A HOTEL ANYWHERE.
THEY HAVE A CONVENTION CENTER FEE AND THEY HAVE A DOWNTOWN DISTRICT FEE.
THE PRICE OF YOUR TAXES ARE TYPICALLY HIGHER THAN THE CAR RENTAL.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT IT EARLY ON.
WE TALKED ABOUT IT'S BEEN YEARS WE TALKED ABOUT AN IMPACT FEE.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT ALLOWS THE IMPACT FEE.
WE JUST NEVER ESTABLISHED AN IMPACT FEE.
THAT'S CORRECT. IT IS A ZERO FEE.
I REMEMBER THAT. BUT LET ME ASK JUST HOW MUCH, GIVEN THE RATHER LIMITED NUMBER OF NEW HOMES THAT WE'VE BUILT IN THIS TOWN, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE TALKING WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHATEVER Y'ALL WANT TO TALK ABOUT, BUT IT'S IF A DEVELOPMENT COMES IN, SOMEBODY BUILDS A NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR ROADS.
WE HAVE TO GET LEGAL INVOLVED IN THIS.
BUT. WHAT WE DO AROUND HERE MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE IS WE REPURPOSE AND REZONE.
WE ARE WE'RE IN THE NAME OF GOOD BUSINESS.
WE ALWAYS REZONE IT AND WE'LL GO COMMERCIAL RESURRECT.
AND I DON'T THINK WE CAPTURE THAT.
I REALLY DON'T. WELL, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DISCUSSED THE IMPACT FEES AND I CAN'T REMEMBER, IT WAS PROBABLY 2015, 2016, WE HAD A CONSULTANT COME IN AND DO A VERY DEEP DIVE IN WHAT GALVESTON COULD DO ON IMPACT FEES.
WE ELECTED NOT TO GO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.
I THINK WE NEED TO WE NEED TO DUST THAT OFF AND LOOK AT IT.
AND I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING THAT THAT COUNCILMEMBER ROBB BROUGHT UP.
AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF LOTS IN OUR URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THESE LOTS WERE ORIGINALLY 5000 SQUARE FEET OR 7500 SQUARE FEET, WHATEVER.
AND WE'RE ALL OF A SUDDEN SOMEBODY COMING IN AND DIVIDING THAT LOT INTO THIRDS BECAUSE IT'S ALLOWED.
NOW YOU GOT THREE HOUSES ON ONE LOT.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO GO TO I MEAN, IT GOES TO PLANNING, BUT THEY HAVE NO VOTED ON IT.
SO YOU'RE TAKING I MADE AWARE OF IT WHEN SOMEONE CALLED ME FROM I GUESS IT WAS JOHN PAUL'S DISTRICT CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT TWO LOTS WERE BEING MADE INTO FOUR LOTS AND YOU KNEW IT WAS FOR SHORT TERM RENTAL.
BUT LOOK AT IT FROM LOOK AT IT FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE.
THAT WAS A LOT THAT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HAD ONE TRASH CAN THAT HAS FOUR TRASH CANS.
THAT WAS A LOT THAT HAD ONE WATER METER THAT HAS FOUR WATER METERS.
SO THERE ARE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH DOING IT.
I'M NOT SAYING WE SHOULDN'T DO IT.
[01:25:01]
AND THAT'S NOT RIGHT. I MEAN, IT IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD PROBABLY I MEAN, THIS DOESN'T AFFECT MY DISTRICT AS MUCH, BUT THE URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICT, IT CERTAINLY AFFECTS.AND THE DENSITY IS GETTING THE DENSITY IS GROWING.
BUT THE AMOUNT OF SHORT TERM RENTALS, I MEAN, MY DISTRICT HAS ALWAYS BEEN AROUND 2000, BUT NOW THE INNER CITY IS THE OTHER 2900 AND THAT'S COMING FROM THESE LITTLE HOUSES.
AND I'M PRO YOU KNOW, I'M PRO BUSINESS, PRO PROPERTY RIGHTS.
BUT YOU GOT TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE A CITY WITHOUT LOOK AT IT FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE AS GOD'S NOT MAKING THE ISLAND ANY BIGGER ANYMORE? THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF SO WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS, YOU KNOW, IF MORE PEOPLE SHOW UP TO DINNER, YOU CUT THE PIE UP IN SMALLER PIECES.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE'RE JUST WE'RE DOING THAT AND JUST COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
WELL, THINK ABOUT RICE VILLAGE, FOR EXAMPLE.
YOU SAW THE EXACT OPPOSITE THING HAPPENED THERE.
THOSE SMALL HOMES GOT BOUGHT UP, TORN DOWN.
YES, A HOME, AN OLD HOME BEING BOUGHT HERE AND ONE HOME IS BECOMING THREE OR FOUR.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S GOING TO BE DATA DRIVEN.
WE HAVE TO SEE IF WE REALLY HAVE THAT MANY MORE LIFTS.
ONCE WE GET THE NEW SOFTWARE AND IMPLEMENTED, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SAY, PULL UP AN ADDRESS TO SEE HOW MANY LIFTS THAT TRUCK DOES AT THAT ADDRESS, HOW OFTEN IT HAS THE SECOND CALL AT THAT ADDRESS.
SO WE'LL SEE. AND THAT'LL TELL US WHETHER YOU HAVE BAD ACTORS OR ELSE IT'S AN INDUSTRY WIDE PROBLEM.
AND THEN WE CAN ALSO LOOK AT MORE HOW MANY LIFTS THEY DO.
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW MANY TIMES CODE ENFORCEMENT IS CALLED.
YEAH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT ALL THAT.
AND THE OTHER THING, TOO, IS THIS.
THIS WILL PROBABLY PRECIPITATE ANOTHER DISCUSSION LIKE WE HAD BEFORE ON COMMERCIAL TRASH HAULERS.
YEAH, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, YOU KNOW, FOR FOR MANY REASONS.
SO THEY COULD GET RECORDED RECORD INTO THIS.
YEAH. I JUST I DON'T THINK I DON'T THINK I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
I DON'T THINK IT CAME UP IN THE DISCUSSIONS.
LET ME REPHRASE IT. BUT WHAT? WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE ALTERNATIVES TO THAT BECAUSE IT MAY TURN OUT TO BE THE BEST WAY TO DO IT, BECAUSE SOME CITIES AND MANY CITIES DO IT WELL.
I MEAN, WE ADVOCATE A LOT OF OUR RESPONSIBILITIES.
MANY CITIES WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.
THE CITY IS REGULATING SHORT TERM RENTALS.
AND IT GOES THROUGH THE CITY BECAUSE THEY'RE MANAGING THE SHORT TERM RENTALS.
WE'RE AN UNUSUAL ANIMAL BECAUSE WE HAVE THE PARK BOARD.
I UNDERSTAND. BUT REMEMBER, WE WENT FROM AN ENTITY THAT COLLECTED OUR HEIGHT TO AN ENTITY.
OH, ABSOLUTELY. WE'LL BRING THIS.
I'M JUST SAYING, YOU GUYS ARE THE POLICY MAKERS, MORE COMPLEX THAN YOU THINK IT IS TO DO THAT? NO DOUBT. THAT'S EVERYTHING THAT WAS ON MY LIST.
THE ONE THING THAT DID COME UP THAT DIDN'T INITIALLY WAS THE CHARTER ELECTION THAT WOULD ALSO COULD IMPACT THE LIBRARY AND THE FEES SINCE WE ARE UNDER JUST A TEMPORARY AGREEMENT WITH THEM. AND THEN THE FRANCHISE FEE COURT CASE THAT MARIE BROUGHT UP, THAT'S ADDED TO MY NOTES.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER THINGS THAT MAYOR APPARENTLY THAT WE DIDN'T CAPTURE THROUGH OUR DISCUSSIONS COLLECTIVELY THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT? YES, SIR. FIRST OF ALL, I WON'T COMMENT ON THE CHARTER ELECTION.
IT'S AFFECTING BROAD, BROAD SPECTRUMS OF THE POPULATION.
THESE ARE VERY SPECIFIC OPERATING ISSUES THAT AFFECT THE CITY.
THAT IS CORRECT. JUST A SECOND OF ALL, DAN, I'M GOING TO ADD NUMBER 12 TO THAT.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE AUDITING ABILITIES OF OUR CITY AUDITOR AND THE ROLE THAT HE PLAYS IN BRINGING IN EXTRA REVENUE.
HE'S DONE AUDITING ON SALES TAXES, DONE AUDITING ON HOT TAX, THE AMOUNT OF REVENUES HE'S BRINGING IN IS UNBELIEVABLE COMPARED TO THE TIME THEY'RE SPENDING.
WE NEED I AGREE. WE ALSO NEED TO HAVE A BETTER WAY TO HIGHLIGHT AND TRACK THAT TO.
[01:30:02]
YES, WE DO. NOW, COMING UP ON I NEED TO MOVE THEM BACK IN THE BUILDING SO WE'RE NOT PAYING RENT, BUT WE'LL TALK TO HIM ABOUT THAT JULY 28TH WHEN AND HE'S ALREADY SENT IT OUT TO COUNCIL.YOU HAVE HIS AUDIT PLAN COMING UP.
HE HAS DOWN TO AUDIT SHORT TERM RENTALS.
I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO SHOOT FOR 100 SHORT TERM RENTALS.
I THINK THE PARK BOARD AND DAVID, YOU MIGHT GUIDE ME.
I THINK THEY WOULD BE OPEN TO HAVE HIM DO THE HOTELS.
THE COOPERATION BETWEEN GLEN AND BRICE ON THIS HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
THEY'VE BEEN VERY, I THINK, VERY HAPPY WITH THE RESULTS OF THEM.
SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT AUDIT PLAN COUNCIL WHEN IT COMES TO US AREA NEXT WEEK.
YES, THIS IS GLEN'S BAILIWICK.
HE IS ONE OF THE BEST SALES TAX HOT TAX AUDITORS PROBABLY IN THE STATE.
AND WE NEED TO UTILIZE THAT TO ITS FULLEST EXTENT.
REMEMBER WHAT THAT DOES, THOUGH? WHAT THAT IS, IS BRINGING IN LOST REVENUE.
CORRECT. AND AND IT'S KEY WITHOUT US LOOKING, WHICH GLENN DOES, HE GOES IN AND DIGS AND LOOKS.
YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO SEE THAT REVENUE.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET IT. OFTENTIMES, IT'S A ONE TIME.
BUT HE IS THAT GOOD? HE IS. HE IS EXTREMELY GOOD.
ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER INPUT? I, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
NO. AND WE ALSO LOST THEIR PAYMENT TO US.
THAT WAS MY RIGHT. THAT THAT PILOT PAYMENT PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES ENDED YEAR BEFORE LAST.
WHICH WAS ABOUT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR FOR LOTS OF THAT.
THAT'S JUST GOT NOTHING TO DO ABOUT THAT.
CORRECT. SO THAT WAS A SETTLEMENT OF A LAWSUIT.
AND IT'S A LONG, LONG, LONG HISTORY THERE.
THE OTHER THING TO THIS MINUTE, TAD, SHOWS THE PLEASURE PIER AS BELONGING TO THE CITY OF GALVESTON.
IT ALWAYS HAS. I'VE ASKED ABOUT THAT BEFORE.
I'VE ASKED. THAT IS ACTUALLY A GOOD THING FOR GLEN TO LOOK.
SO DO YOU GO. SO WHAT'S IT ON THERE? IT'S ZERO ZERO.
EXACTLY. AND SO WE CHARGE A LEASE OR.
WELL, THEY LEASE THE GROUND FROM THE THEY OWN THE PIER, LEASE THE GROUND FROM THE GLO.
BUT THE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD CERTAINLY ALL BE TAXABLE.
AND I THINK YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
I CAN'T REMEMBER THE CORPORATE ENTITY THAT THEY WERE LISTED ON.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE UNDER THE PLEASURE PIER.
IT WAS UNDER SOME OTHER ENTITY.
BUT YEAH, WE'LL CERTAINLY LOOK AT THAT.
MOODY GARDENS IS IS BASED ON SOME SORT OF, FOR THE MOST PART, EDUCATIONAL.
AND WE WERE REALLY FOCUSED ON THINGS THAT GENERATE SALES TAX.
BUT WE ARE SITTING WITH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PROPERTY IN GALVESTON TIED UP IN COTTON WAREHOUSES.
BUT LET'S NOT LET'S NOT THINK THAT THAT COTTON IS MOVING THROUGH OUR PORT.
IT IS TRUCKED OUT THOSE COTTON WAREHOUSES.
IS THAT THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE FOR THAT PROPERTY? I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF IT'S SITTING IN DISREPAIR AND BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF IT THAT IS I MEAN, IT IS CHOCK FULL OF COTTON AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT ALL OUR OPPORTUNITIES WITH THAT.
IT'S TIED UP AT THE BIGGEST PART.
IF YOU TALK ABOUT FUTURE DEVELOPMENT IN GALVESTON, WE HAVE TWO DISTRICTS, YOURS AND HERS.
AND I BET YOU YOU'VE ALMOST GOT AS MUCH EMPTY SPACE AS SHE DOES.
BUT YOURS IS ALL UNDER THE ROOF AS A COTTON SHED.
THAT I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR, THOUGH, THAT'S NOT STILL OWNED BY THE MOODY'S.
THAT'S ALL ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
VERY GOOD, VERY GOOD DISCUSSION.
THIS WAS GREAT. AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
[01:35:02]
A NUMBER OF THESE THINGS WILL END UP IN THE BUDGET.WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, ONE OF OUR GOALS IS GOING TO BE TO INVESTIGATE THAT.
BRIAN YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR WE GIVE YOU OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AND OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
AND SO WE LOOK FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS PRETTY MUCH MONTHLY ON YOUR AGENDAS STARTING STARTING WITH THE NEW BUDGET THAT WILL BE IDEAL SO THAT WE CAN GET A LOT OF THIS IN PLACE FOR THIS UPCOMING BUDGET AND FOR FUTURE COUNCILS COMING UP HERE.
YES. AND BUT AGAIN, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT, YES, WE ALL WISH WE'D HAD THIS CONVERSATION LAST JULY BECAUSE IT MIGHT MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THE BUDGET WE'RE ABOUT TO LOOK AT, THE TAX RATE WE'RE ABOUT TO LOOK AT. BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WERE DONE IN THE LAST YEAR BEFORE.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE A PEOPLE RICH COMMUNITY.
AND THAT IS A THAT MAKES PUBLIC SAFETY VERY EXPENSIVE TO OPERATE.
AND WE GOT US WE'VE GOT TO COME UP WITH ALTERNATIVE WAYS BECAUSE AGAIN, RIGHT NOW, IF WE HAD A HURRICANE AND OUR SALES TAX JUST TANKED AND ALL WE HAD WAS AD VALOREM, YOU COULDN'T PAY YOUR POLICE AND FIRE.
AND I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL AND STAFF FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
THIS KIND OF DISCUSSION IS NOT ONLY VALUABLE FOR US NOW, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURE FOR THIS CITY TO LOOK AT THIS BUSINESS MODEL AND LOOK AT ALL THESE INDIVIDUAL AREAS FOR INCREASED REVENUE.
THIS IS A GOOD DISCUSSION TO HAVE.
WE HAVE GONE THROUGH ALL OF OUR ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA.
WE ARE OFFICIALLY ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.