[00:00:02] GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US THIS AFTERNOON. [1. DECLARATION OF A QUORUM AND CALL MEETING TO ORDER] I'M GOING TO OFFICIALLY CALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH TO ORDER. WE'VE HAD A BUSY DAY ALREADY WITH OUR WORKSHOP, AND I WANT TO GREET EVERYBODY THAT'S IN THE AUDIENCE HERE. THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO COME OUT THIS AFTERNOON. COUNCIL. IT'S NICE TO SEE EVERYBODY AGAIN. WE HAD ABOUT AN HOUR OR TWO BREAK, AND ALSO THOSE THAT ARE LISTENING IN THE COMMUNITY AND WATCHING THIS TELECAST. GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US THIS AFTERNOON. WE DO HAVE OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE. LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE. MAYOR BROWN PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS COUNCIL MEMBER FINKLEA. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. BROWN. COUNCIL MEMBER. PORRETTO HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAWLINS HERE. MAYOR PRO TEM ROBB. HE'S REMOTE. AND WE'RE WORKING ON THE AUDIO. A COUNCILWOMAN ROBB WAS IS REMOTE AND WE'RE WORKING ON HER CONNECTION. IT'S HAVING SOME DIFFICULTIES, BUT WE SHOULD GET THAT WORKED OUT SHORTLY. VERY GOOD. LET'S HAVE OUR INVOCATION. REVEREND ALICIA BESSER FROM MOODY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH. LET'S PRAY. GOD, YOU ARE GOOD. AND YOU ARE FAITHFUL. AND WE PAUSE AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MEETING TO SEEK YOUR GUIDANCE. WE THANK YOU FOR THE GIFT OF OUR COMMUNITY WITH ITS RICH HISTORY, DEDICATED CITIZENS, AND ALL THE BEAUTY THAT SURROUNDS US. WE LIFT UP THESE LEADERS GATHERED TODAY. GRANT THEM WISDOM AND PATIENCE AND CLARITY OF MIND AS THEY MAKE DECISIONS THAT AFFECT THE LIVES OF ALL OF US. LORD, GUIDE THEIR WORK AND MAY THEIR DECISIONS BUILD A STRONGER, KINDER AND MORE FLOURISHING GALVESTON FOR ALL WHO LIVE AND VISIT HERE. WE OFFER THIS PRAYER IN YOUR HOLY NAME. AMEN. AMEN. LET'S HAVE OUR PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE, TEXAS. ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. CAN I ASK FOR ANY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST FROM ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ON ANY SUBJECT, ON THE AGENDA? HEARING NO RESPONSE. I'M GOING TO HAVE SOME HOUSEKEEPING CHORES BEFORE WE BEGIN. ITEM 12 D AS IN DAVID WILL BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE AGENDA. SO WE WILL NOT, AT THIS MEETING BE DISCUSSING ITEM 12 D. [6. PRESENTATIONS/REPORTS OF COUNCIL, OFFICER BOARDS, AND CITY MANAGER] LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM SIX, PLEASE. JANELLE. ITEM SIX PRESENTATIONS. REPORTS OF COUNCIL OFFICER BOARDS AND CITY MANAGER SIX A PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.0415, THE CITY COUNCIL MAY REPORT ON ANY OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS. VERY GOOD. FIRST OF ALL, I'M GOING TO CALL FOR ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS OR ANY THOUGHTS FROM THE COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN BROWN? YEAH. I HAVE A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS HERE. MANY OF YOU KNOW, PROBABLY IF YOU READ THE PAPER THAT THERE'S BEEN A SHORT TERM RENTAL COMMITTEE AT WORK. WE'VE BEEN MEETING NOW FOR ABOUT THE LAST 7 TO 8 MONTHS, SOMETIMES TWICE A MONTH, TO REVIEW REGULATION, TO TRY TO ACHIEVE A BALANCE BETWEEN THE OPERATION OF SHORT TERM RENTALS AND THEIR IMPACT ON RESIDENTS THROUGH A REVISED CITY ORDINANCE. IT'S PROVEN TO BE VERY COMPLICATED WORK, BUT WE'RE AT THE POINT NOW WHERE WE NEED RESIDENTS INPUT TO FINISH OUR WORK. THIS WORK IS, AFTER ALL, ABOUT YOU AND YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE ON THE ISLAND. OUR END IN MIND IS A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL FOR AN ORDINANCE TO FAIRLY REGULATE SHORT TERM RENTALS, AND WE WANT TO REVIEW IT WITH YOU AT A PUBLIC FORUM ON OCTOBER 9TH AT 5 P.M. AT THE HISTORIC 30TH STREET WATER AND ELECTRIC STATION AT 715 30TH STREET. CITY STAFF, INCLUDING PLANNERS, ATTORNEYS, THE MARSHAL, MEMBERS OF THE SHORT TERM RENTAL COMMITTEE, WILL BE THERE TO PRESENT OUR WORK AND ANSWER QUESTIONS AND TAKE SUGGESTIONS. WE'RE ALSO ROLLING OUT A SURVEY THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, AND ALSO AT THE PUBLIC FORUM, AND DISTRIBUTED AROUND THE ISLAND TO TRY TO REACH AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN, BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO HEAR FROM THE RESIDENTS ON THIS, TO BE ABLE TO CRAFT AN ORDINANCE THAT WORKS FOR THEM. WE REALLY NEED FEEDBACK FROM ABOUT 200 RESIDENTS TO GET A GOOD IDEA OF THE PUBLIC OPINION. SO PLEASE HELP US PASS THE WORD. THAT'S THE ONE. I GOT ANOTHER ONE. DON'T GO AWAY. THIS IS ANOTHER PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS HERE. REGARDING THE STUART BEACH. THE CITY HAS BEEN WORKING ON A PLAN TO REDEVELOP STUART BEACH FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. [00:05:03] WE'VE MADE PROGRESS, AND NOW WE WANT TO SHOW YOU THE PUBLIC WHAT WE'VE COME UP WITH AND TO HEAR FROM YOU. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE TO RETURN STUART BEACH TO THE ISLAND FLAGSHIP PARK THAT IT HAS ONCE BEEN. AS THE FIRST STEP IN THIS PROCESS, WE'VE ENGAGED A CONSULTANT TO UPDATE THE STUART BEACH MASTER PLAN, AND WE'VE SCHEDULED A PUBLIC FORUM FOR OCTOBER 6TH AT 530 AT AGAIN, THE HISTORIC 30TH STREET WATER AND ELECTRIC STATION AT 715 30TH STREET TO INTRODUCE THE OVERALL PROJECT VISION TO TRANSFORM STUART BEACH AND GET FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC. WE WANT RESIDENTS TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS WE'RE GOING THROUGH AND THAT THEIR VOICE IS CRITICAL TO THIS PROJECT'S SUCCESS. THE MAYOR MEMBERS OF THIS CITY COUNCIL, CITY MANAGEMENT AND STAFF WILL ALL BE THERE ALONG WITH THE DESIGN FIRMS TO PRESENT THEIR CURRENT THOUGHT AND SOLICIT INPUT FROM YOU. PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR AND TELL YOUR NEIGHBORS. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WILL ALSO APPEAR ON THE CITY WEBSITE. THAT IS AGAIN OCTOBER 6TH AT 530 AT THE 30TH STREET WATER AND ELECTRIC STATION. THAT'S WHAT I HAVE. THANK YOU. BOB. ANY FURTHER? YES, SHARON. I HAVE TWO AS WELL. HELLO TO ALL. WE'RE GLAD TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE LEON PHILLIPS THE FAT CAT PROJECT WE HAVE, THEY HAVE INSTALLED 47 UNITS, AND THESE ARE AC UNITS THAT ARE EFFICIENT AND COMFORTABLE. AND THIRDLY, THEY ALSO PROVIDE HEAT FOR THE RESIDENT. SO IF THEY'RE GETTING READY TO GET GO THROUGH THE SECOND PHASE. SO IF YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO NEEDS ONE OR IS INTERESTED ONE IF YOU WOULD GO TO THE VISION GALVESTON WEBSITE AND THEY CAN GATHER THE INFORMATION FROM THERE. AND SECONDLY, I AM ELATED TO ANNOUNCE THE TREES. THEY'RE GOING TO GO UP BALL STREET AND MISS FILES IS HERE, SO I'M GOING TO ASK HER IF SHE WOULD COME UP AND SHARE WITH US THIS SPECIAL PROJECT. IT'S A DONATION OF UP TO 50 STREET TREES. HELLO Y'ALL. HOW ARE YOU DOING? FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK A FEW PEOPLE. PARKS AND REC, BARBARA, MEGAN AND DANIEL FOR THEIR HELP ON ALL THAT. THERE'S THREE TREE PROJECTS ON THE ON THE AGENDA TODAY THAT THE TREE CONSERVANCY IS GIFTING TO THE CITY FOR PROJECTS. AND ONE OF THEM IS THE BALL STREET TREES. THAT'S A WE'VE GOTTEN MONEY FROM THE MOODY FOUNDATION A LITTLE BIT FROM CENTER POINT TO PLANT STREET TREES ALONG BALL STREET, FROM APPROXIMATELY 33RD STREET TO 45TH STREET, AND MAYBE A LITTLE AROUND THE CORNERS. AND WE'VE GOTTEN MONEY FROM THE MOODY FOUNDATION AND OH, I SAID, AND CENTER POINT. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE GOING IN, I HOPE, BEFORE THE TURN OF. I WAS GOING TO SAY THE TURN OF THE CENTURY BEFORE THE TURN OF THE YEAR. KIND OF FEELS THAT WAY, DOESN'T IT, Y'ALL? SO THAT'S THE ONE THAT THAT SHARON LEWIS HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT. I WANT TO THANK ALSO COUNCIL MEMBER SHARON LEWIS AND ALSO THE CITY TREE COMMITTEE WITH JOHN CAMPBELL AND OF COURSE, OUR FEARLESS LEADER OF THE CITY TREE COMMITTEE. NANCY. OH, MY GOSH, NANCY GREENFIELD. GREENFIELD. I ONLY KNOWN HER FOR TEN YEARS. OKAY. SO. WELL, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW. ONE, ONE PROJECT WE'VE ALREADY PUT IN WAS A SMALL PROJECT OF THREE DYNAMITE CRAPE MYRTLES AT LASKER PARK AND ONE AMERICAN BEAUTYBERRY. PLUS FIXING HELPING WITH FIXING THE THE IRRIGATION. AND THEN OUR NEXT, OUR NEXT BIG PROJECT THAT I JUST SIGNED OFF ON A ON A TEXAS WHOLESALER FORM TODAY WAS FOR BROADWAY IRRIGATION REPAIR IN THE ESPLANADES TO THE TREES, BECAUSE OVER TIME, SINCE WE'VE PLANTED THOSE, THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM HAS KIND OF GONE WONKY. AND ALSO THE DELIVERY SYSTEM TO THE ACTUAL TREES HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, IN DISREPAIR. THAT'S THE NICE WAY TO SAY IT, IN DISREPAIR. SO WE'RE GOING TO REPAIR IT. AND THAT'S ALSO A DONATION FROM JOHN CAMPBELL'S GROUP AS WELL. SO I'M HERE TO TALK. I'VE GOT INVITATIONS FOR ARBOR DAY FOR Y'ALL, ALL Y'ALL. AND WE ALSO HAVE THIS IS ME BEING BRAVE HERE OR WHATEVER. WE'RE HAVING A A TREE GIVEAWAY ON OCTOBER 4TH AT THE DEPOT ON MARKET. AND SO I THINK I'VE GOTTEN ALL THE PROJECTS THAT ARE FIXING TO GO ON HERE REAL QUICK. AND ANY QUESTIONS ANYBODY HAS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. ANY OTHER MAYOR? YES, MAYOR. [00:10:03] I WOULD LIKE TO SAY HELLO TO EVERYONE FROM BEAUTIFUL LIMA, PERU. AND I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT WEST GALVESTON PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION MEETING WILL BE THIS SATURDAY AT 9:00 AT THE COURTYARD MARRIOTT. AND WE WILL HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE BENEFICIAL USE OF DREDGE PROJECT THAT WILL BE STARTING SOMEWHERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS. CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? OKAY. YES WE CAN. GOOD. THANK YOU. MARIE. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? WELL, IN CASE ANYONE'S BEEN LIVING UNDER A ROCK FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE'VE YOU KNOW, JUST TO BE FRANK, THE ASSASSINATION OF CHARLIE KIRK REALLY HAS TOUCHED A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY AND THE COMMUNITY. AND WHETHER YOU DISAGREED WITH HIM OR NOT, I THINK THE IMPORTANCE HERE IS THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DISAGREE POLITICALLY AND HAVE A DISCOURSE WHERE WE CAN AGREE TO DISAGREE AND NOT DEFAME ONE ANOTHER, OR RESORT TO POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN THOSE TYPES OF SITUATIONS. WELL, THERE'S THINGS THAT WE AGREE ON AND DISAGREE ON AT THIS COUNCIL. AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO JUST KEEP THE EMPHASIS ON KEEPING PUBLIC DISCOURSE AND BEING APPROPRIATE WITH, WITH ONE ANOTHER AND REALIZING THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE ALL GALVESTONIANS, WE'RE ALL TEXANS AND WE'RE ALL AMERICANS. SO THANK YOU. A MAN. AND ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? YES, SHARON. WELL, YOU KNOW, I WAS GOING TO SAY IT EARLIER, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK THAT THE YOUNG LADY WHO WAS INVOLVED IN TAKING THE LIFE OF HER MOTHER, SHE WAS ONE OF MY FORMER STUDENTS. AND IT'S A TOUGH SITUATION TO BE IN FOR A VERY YOUNG PERSON. SO I'M JUST ASKING THAT WE ALL BE PRAYERFUL FOR HER AND HER FAMILY. THANK YOU. SHARON. ANY FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? COUNCIL. ALL RIGHT. LET'S MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR PROCLAMATIONS AND SO FORTH. LET'S START WITH THE OH, CAN I MAKE MAYOR CAN I MAKE TWO MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS? YES, MA'AM. I'M SORRY. BIG BROTHERS, BIG SISTERS THIS SATURDAY NIGHT IS HAVING IN HONOR OF THEIR 50TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY, A CONCERT AT THE GRAND WITH PHIL VASSAR. AND TICKETS START AT $35, AND YOU CAN USE THE DISCOUNT CODE COLLEGE AND GET 20% OFF. AND THEN NEXT SATURDAY, THE HALLS GALA WILL BE HAPPENING FOR THE HUMANE SOCIETY, AND I BELIEVE THERE ARE STILL TICKETS AVAILABLE. ALRIGHTY. THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT. LET'S START WITH OUR PROCLAMATIONS. LET'S START WITH THE CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAS DAY PROCLAMATION. IF YOU WOULD COME FORWARD. I'M GOING TO COME OVER. OH, EVERYBODY CAN IN HERE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS AFTERNOON. IT'S MY HONOR TO READ THE FOLLOWING PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS THE CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAS WAS INSTITUTED AS AN ORGANIZATION IN 1903 FOR WOMEN WITH THE PURPOSE OF GROWING IN SPIRITUALITY AND WORKING IN FAITHFUL SERVICE AND LOVE FOR GOD AND THE CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS. COURT 228. STAR OF THE SEA HAS BEEN A CHARITABLE AND CARING PRESENCE ON GALVESTON ISLAND FOR OVER 110 YEARS. WHEREAS THE CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS HAVE WORKED FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND THE DIGNITY OF HUMAN LIFE WITH COMPASSIONATE CARE FOR THOSE IN OUR PARISHES, COMMUNITY, NATION AND WORLD WHO ARE VULNERABLE. HOMELESS, VOICELESS, AND MOST IN NEED. AND WHEREAS THE CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS PARTICIPATE IN THE MARCH FOR LIFE, PRAY, AND WORK TO DEFEND THE RIGHT TO LIFE AND SUPPORT NUMEROUS WORTHY CHARITABLE EFFORTS IN GALVESTON BY THE CONTRIBUTION OF THEIR TIME, TALENT AND TREASURES. WHEREAS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19TH, 2025 HAS BEEN [00:15:02] DESIGNATED BY THE NATIONAL BOARD OF THE CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAS AS CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS SUNDAY. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT I HEREBY PROCLAIM. SUNDAY, 19 OCTOBER 19TH, 2025, AS CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICA DAY. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. CONGRATULATIONS. LET'S TAKE A LET'S TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH. OH, AND WHERE IS. OH? ONE. TWO THREE. GIVE ME ONE MORE. I'M GOING TO HOLD ABOVE MY HEAD. EVERYBODY WILL GET ONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NICE TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO NICE TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. OH. ONE MORE. OUR NEXT PROCLAMATION IS THE CONSTITUTION WEEK PROCLAMATION, AND I THINK COUNCILWOMAN SHARON LEWIS WILL READ THAT. AND I LOVE THE CONSTITUTION. THE CITY OF GALVESTON PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2025 MARKS THE 238TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DRAFTING OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BY THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. AND WHEREAS IT IS FITTING AND PROPER TO ACCORD OFFICIAL RECOGNITION IN THIS MAGNIFICENT DOCUMENT, AND IT IS MEMORABLE ANNIVERSARY AND TO THE PATRIOTIC CELEBRATIONS WHICH COMMEMORATE THE OCCASION. AND WHEREAS PUBLIC LAW 915 GUARANTEES THE ISSUING OF A PROCLAMATION EACH YEAR BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, DESIGNATING SEPTEMBER 17TH THROUGH THE 23RD AS CONSTITUTION WEEK. THEREFORE, WE, THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GALVESTON, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 17TH THROUGH SEPTEMBER 23RD AS CONSTITUTION WEEK. IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF WITNESS MY HAND AND THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF GALVESTON ON THIS 18TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025. DOCTOR CRAIG BROWN, MAYOR JANELLE WILLIAMS, CITY SECRETARY. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. AND NOW WE HAVE OUR LAST PROCLAMATION. FULTON JEWELERS INCORPORATED DAY PROCLAMATION. AND COUNCILMAN BOB BROWN FROM DISTRICT THREE WILL BE READING THAT. MY FAVORITE PLACE TO BUY JEWELRY. THANKS, MARIE. A FEW MORE COMING. OKAY. GET THE WHOLE FAMILY UP HERE. THERESA SHOWED UP. WELL, GOOD TO HAVE YOU. IT'S REALLY MY HONOR TO PRESENT A CITY OF GALVESTON PROCLAMATION TO AN OLD FRIEND AND A VENERABLE INSTITUTION. SO HERE WE GO. WHEREAS FULL AND JUNE FULTON JEWELERS INCORPORATED WAS FOUNDED IN 1975 BY DON FULLEN JR. WITH A COMMITMENT TO OFFERING EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP AND SERVICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND GALVESTON, TEXAS. AND WHEREAS FOR 50 YEARS NOW, I FEEL OLD, FOOL AND JEWELERS INCORPORATED HAS BEEN A TRUSTED CORNERSTONE OF THE COMMUNITY, HELPING GENERATIONS OF FAMILIES CELEBRATE LIFE'S MOST PRECIOUS MILESTONES. FROM ENGAGEMENTS AND WEDDINGS TO BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES AND HELPING TOURISTS CELEBRATE THEIR BREAK ALONG THE SHORES OF GALVESTON ISLAND WITH TIMELESS NAUTICAL PIECES. AND WHEREAS FULL AND JEWELERS INCORPORATED HAS BUILT A LEGACY ON A FOUNDATION OF INTEGRITY, [00:20:06] EXPERTISE AND A PASSION FOR FINE JEWELRY, TREATING EVERY CUSTOMER WITH CARE AND MAKING EVERY PIECE OF JEWELRY A TREASURED SYMBOL OF A SPECIAL MEMORY, AND IS CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED. ITS DEDICATION TO THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, CHARITABLE DONATIONS, AND A SUPPORT FOR OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES. THEREFORE, WE, THE MAYOR AND THE CITY OF COUNCIL, THE CITY OF GALVESTON, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 18TH, 2025 AS FULLEN JEWELERS INCORPORATED DAY IN THE CITY OF GALVESTON AND COMMEND FULL AND JEWELERS ON ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY, HONORING ITS ARTISTRY, SERVICE AND LASTING CONTRIBUTION TO OUR COMMUNITY. MAY THE LEGACY OF FUL AND JEWELERS CONTINUE TO SHINE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME AS A BEACON OF TRADITION, EXCELLENCE AND COMMUNITY PRIDE. IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, WITNESS MY HAND AND THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF GALVESTON ON THIS 18TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025. CRAIG BROWN, MAYOR. JANELLE WILLIAM, CITY SECRETARY. CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. GLAD YOU COULD MAKE IT, THOUGH. GLAD YOU'RE ON VACATION. WAIT, I WISH I WAS THERE. YOU COME VISIT US. PICTURE EVERYBODY, GET A PICTURE. I'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK. GOOD MORNING. MR. FULHAM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, SIR? WELL, I'D LIKE TO THANK MY PRODUCERS, OUR WRITERS. BOB, WHOEVER WROTE THIS, I THINK MAYBE MY SON HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT. AND BRIAN, MAYBE IT. MARTHA ALVAREZ IN THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE. I WILL SAY THIS. I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THIS. IT'S REALLY A PLEASURE TO LIVE HERE IN GALVESTON. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SO MANY THINGS TO OFFER PEOPLE. SO I RAISED MY KIDS HERE, AND THEY WENT TO THE SCHOOLS. WE ATTENDED ALL THE CHURCHES HERE, NOT ALL THE CHURCHES, BUT PROBABLY A LOT OF THEM. THERE'S SOME BEAUTIFUL CHURCHES HERE, SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE HAVE TO OFFER. AND SO I'M JUST GRATEFUL TO BE A PART OF IT. THE SO LET'S JUST SAY THAT MAY OUR LOYALTY AND LOVE FOR GALVESTON CONTINUE FOR MANY GENERATIONS TO COME. THANK YOU SIR. LONG LIVE GALVESTON. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. I THINK THAT HAS GOT US THROUGH ALL OF OUR ITEMS AND OUR ANNOUNCEMENTS AND PROCLAMATIONS. [7. COMMUNICATIONS AND PETITIONS] LET'S MOVE TO ITEM SEVEN. PLEASE. JANELLE. OKAY. ITEM SEVEN, COMMUNICATIONS AND PETITIONS. CLAIMS 25 066 THROUGH 25 074 WERE FILED WITH THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, AND I'M NOT SURE IF WE CAN SHOW THOSE ON THE SCREEN. OKAY. WELL, YEAH. WE CAN'T. OKAY, THAT SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU. AND NOW WE'RE MOVING TO OUR PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS. [8.A Consider For Approval An Ordinance Of The City Of Galveston, Texas, Creating A Planned Unit Development (PUD) Overlay Zoning District For A Auto Service Station Land Use In The Commercial (C) Zoning District To Allow For The Land Use Of “Auto Service Station”, On Property Commonly Known As 5703 Stewart Road, And Which Is Legally Described As Hall And Jones Survey, Lot 5, Part Of Lots 2, 3, 4 And Adjacent North 1/2 Of Alley (5-0), Block 1, Johnston Addition, In The City And County Of Galveston, Texas; Planning Case Number 25P-034; Making Various Findings And Provisions Related To The Subject; And Providing For An Effective Date. (C. Gorman)] WE HAVE TWO ITEMS IN PUBLIC HEARINGS. AND LET'S MOVE TO ITEM EIGHT A, PLEASE. ITEM EIGHT A CONSIDER FOR APPROVAL AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF GALVESTON, TEXAS. CREATING A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY. ZONING DISTRICT FOR AN AUTO SERVICE STATION. LAND USE IN THE COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICT TO ALLOW FOR THE LAND USE OF AUTO SERVICE. STATION ON PROPERTY COMMONLY KNOWN AS 5703 STEWART ROAD, IN WHICH IS LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS HOLLAND JONES SURVEY, LOT FIVE, PART OF LOTS TWO, THREE AND FOUR, AND ADJACENT NORTH HALF OF ALLEY BLOCK ONE, JOHNSTON ADDITION IN THE CITY AND COUNTY OF GALVESTON, TEXAS. PLANNING CASE NUMBER 25 ZERO 34, MAKING VARIOUS FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND GOOD EVENING. GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. TERESA EVANS WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. I AM STANDING IN FOR CATHERINE THIS EVENING. SO THIS IS PLANNING CASE 25 034. THE REQUEST IS FOR A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY DISTRICT. THE CASE INVOLVES A 10,454 SQUARE FOOT LOT. IT IS LOCATED AT 50 703 STUART ROAD, THAT IS AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION OF SALACIA AND STUART ROAD. SO THERE IS, I GUESS THERE'S A POWERPOINT THAT GOES WITH THIS. DO WE HAVE THAT? SLIDE DECK. I DON'T THINK WE CAN SHOW IT. [00:25:03] OKAY. I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IT VIA INTERPRETIVE DANCE. OKAY, THAT'S THAT'S FINE. BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE SOME PICTURES IN YOUR SOME PHOTOGRAPHS IN YOUR PACKET. SO THERE IS AN EXISTING BUILDING ON SITE. IT IS A VACANT BUILDING. IT USED TO BE A RESTAURANT. A BARBECUE RESTAURANT AND BAR. I UNDERSTAND IT'S BEEN CLOSED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. SO THE PROPERTY OWNER IS ALBERT KAPOOR AND THE PROJECT ARCHITECT AND REPRESENTATIVE IS MICHAEL GERTNER. THE PROPERTY IS ZONED COMMERCIAL. THE PROPOSED USE IS A TIRE SHOP, SO THERE IS AN EXISTING BUSINESS AND A TIRE SHOP LOCATED ACROSS THE ROAD NORTH OF STEWART THAT HAS EXISTING BUSINESS AND THEY WISH TO RELOCATE TO THEIR EXISTING BUSINESS OPERATIONS TO THIS SITE. THEY WANT TO REDEVELOP THE BUILDING AND MOVE ALL THEIR OPERATIONS, SO THEIR CURRENT OPERATIONS INCLUDE TIRE INSTALLATION. THEY ALSO DO SOME MECHANICAL SERVICES. SO FRONT END REPAIRS, SUSPENSIONS, ALIGNMENTS. AND THERE ARE A SMALL NUMBER OF PASSENGER VEHICLE SALES ON THE LOT, SO TIRE STATIONS FALL UNDER THE AUTO SERVICE STATION LAND USE CATEGORY. SO AUTO SERVICE STATIONS ARE ALLOWED IN COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICTS AS A LIMITED USE. SO THERE IS A REQUIREMENT FOR A 200 FOOT SEPARATION OR MINIMUM DISTANCE REQUIREMENT FROM RESIDENTIAL LAND USES AND RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS. SO THERE IS A THERE ARE NO RESIDENTIAL USES LOCATED WITHIN 200FT. BUT THERE ARE THERE IS A RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICT. SO YOU MIGHT HAVE A PHOTOGRAPH OF THIS OR AN IMAGE IN YOUR PACKET. BUT TO THE NORTHEAST OF THIS SITE, THE EXISTING RIGHT OF WAY IS ZONED SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL R-1. AND SO ARE TWO LOTS. THAT'S ABOUT 80FT NORTHEAST. I'M SORRY. YES, NORTHEAST OF THE SITE. SO THOSE ARE TWO VACANT LOTS. THEY ARE OWNED BY THE CITY OF GALVESTON, AND THERE ARE NO INTENTS. THERE'S NO INTENT TO DEVELOP IT WITH HOUSING. SO THE PURPOSE OF THE THE PURPOSE OF THE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT REQUEST IS TO DEVIATE FROM THIS 200 FOOT DISTANCE REQUIREMENT TO THE RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICT BOUNDARY. SO STAFF DOES SUPPORT THIS PROJECT. WE FIND THAT IT MEETS ALL THE CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL OF, OF OF FOR APPROVAL. THERE WILL NOT BE A NEGATIVE IMPACT TO RESIDENTIAL LAND USES. THIS DOES IMPROVE AN EXISTING SITE THAT HAS A HISTORY OF COMPLIANCE. COMPLAINTS AND APPROVAL OF THE PUD. ALSO ALLOWS CITY COUNCIL TO ESTABLISH SOME SAFEGUARDS REGARDING THE TO ENSURE COMPATIBILITY WITH THE SURROUNDING AREA. SO THE SURROUNDING ADJACENT LAND USES ON STEWART ARE ALSO COMMERCIAL, SO I THINK I LEFT THAT OUT. SO THE PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEWED THIS REQUEST AT THE REGULAR MEETING ON AUGUST 19TH, 2025. THEY DID UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMEND TO APPROVE OR RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO CITY COUNCIL WITH SOME SPECIFIC CONDITIONS. SO THOSE SPECIFIC CONDITIONS FOLLOW. THERE IS A REQUEST TO REMOVE THE EASTERN CURB, CUT AND DRIVEWAY THAT WAS ACTUALLY THE CITY ENGINEER'S REQUEST. SO THAT IS PART OF THE CONDITIONS. THE HOURS OF OPERATION WILL BE LIMITED FROM 6 A.M. TO, I'M SORRY, 7 A.M. TO 6 P.M. THERE ARE NO OUTDOOR AUDIO OR LOUDSPEAKER SYSTEMS WILL BE PERMITTED, AND THERE WILL BE NO OUTDOOR STORAGE OF TIRES OR AUTO PARTS THAT WILL BE PERMITTED OUTSIDE OF BUSINESS HOURS. SO I HAD SOME PICTURES TO GO WITH THIS, BUT SO THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. UNLESS THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS. ANY QUESTIONS FROM MISTER MR. EVANS. COUNCIL MEMBER FINKLEA A VERY GOOD PRESENTATION WITHOUT PICTURES. I COMPLIMENT YOU ON THAT. ON PAGE 14, WHICH APPEARS TO BE A SUPPLEMENT TO THE PACKAGE PROVIDED BY THE ARCHITECT, IT MENTIONS THE POINT THAT YOU SAID WHICH IS LIMITED AUTOMOBILE SALES. YES, SIR. AND IT STATES THAT LIMITED AUTOMOBILE SALES SHALL BE CONDUCTED ON SITE WITH NO MORE THAN SIX VEHICLES DISPLAYED AT ANY TIME. HOWEVER, IN THE ACTUAL STAFF PACKAGE ITSELF, THERE'S NOT A THERE'S NOT A LIMIT STATED WITHIN THE STAFF PACKAGE. SO AM I TO IS THE APPLICANT'S DESCRIPTION THERE PART OF THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS? YES. YES. SO THIS WOULD BE A SECONDARY USE OF THE SITE. SO WE WON'T BE. SO AUTO SALES WILL NOT BE A PRIMARY USE WILL BE A SECONDARY USE AND CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THEIR CURRENT BUSINESS OPERATIONS ARE. [00:30:01] AND THAT SECONDARY USE WOULD BE LIMITED TO SIX VEHICLES AT A TIME. YES, SIR. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MISS EVANS? THANK YOU, MISS EVANS. WE MAY COME BACK TO YOU HERE SHORTLY. THANK YOU. IT IS 5:30 P.M.. I'M GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM EIGHT A. ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT? GOOD AFTERNOON. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M MICHAEL GARTNER. I'M THE ARCHITECT FOR THE PROJECT, REPRESENTING THE OWNER AND THE PROSPECTIVE BUYER. AND I THINK WE'VE PRETTY MUCH HEARD EVERYTHING. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. VERY GOOD. ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. GARDNER? COUNCIL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MICHAEL. ANY OTHER COMMENTS IN THE AUDIENCE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? HEARING NO RESPONSE, IT'S 5:30 P.M.. I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM EIGHT A BRING THAT BACK TO COUNCIL FOR ACTION. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL. I'LL SECOND. WE ASK MARIE IF SHE'S IF SHE CAN TURN ON HER VIDEOS. MARIE, YOU NEED TO TURN YOUR VIDEO ON. THERE WE GO. AND I'LL. AND I'LL SECOND IT. WELL, WE HAVE A SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A. SORRY. VERY GOOD. WE HAVE A COUNCILMAN PORRETTO FOR THE MOTION AND COUNCILMAN BROWN FOR THE SECOND. VERY GOOD. ANY DISCUSSION? DO WE NEED TO VOTE WITH MANUALLY? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THAT IS UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [8.B Consider for approval an ordinance of the City of Galveston, Texas levying ad valorem taxes for tax year 2025 in the amount of 43 cents and 0.200 mills ($0.430200) upon each one hundred dollars ($100.00) of property valuation for the tax year 2025; Making various findings and provisions related to the subject. (C. Ludanyi)] LET'S MOVE TO ITEM EIGHT B, PLEASE. HOW DO YOU MAKE B? CONSIDER FOR APPROVAL AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF GALVESTON, TEXAS, LEVYING AD VALOREM TAXES FOR TAX YEAR 2025, IN THE AMOUNT OF $0.43 AND 0.200 MEALS, 0.430200 UPON EACH $100 OF PROPERTY VALUATION FOR TAX YEAR 2025, MAKING VARIOUS FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT. VERY GOOD. WE HAVE OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, SHEILA. SHEILA. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. TONIGHT WE'RE VOTING ON THE TAX RATE AS WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO SO BY TAX CODE. CHAPTER 26. CHAPTER 26 REQUIRES THAT WE HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON ANY TAX RATE THAT WOULD BE ABOVE THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, WHICH HAS BEEN PROPOSED AS OF OUR AUGUST 28TH COUNCIL MEETING. THAT WAS NOTICED AS LEGALLY REQUIRED ON SEPTEMBER 12TH IN THE GALVESTON DAILY NEWS AS WELL AS ON OUR WEBSITE. THE PROPOSED TAX RATE, WHICH SUPPORTS THE ADOPTED BUDGET THAT WAS ADOPTED AUGUST 28TH PROPOSES A TAX RATE OF 0.4302 PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUE. THIS IS ABOVE THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, BUT IT IS BELOW THE VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE. THE COUNCIL MUST APPROVE IN TWO COMPONENTS. SO THIS TAX RATE CONTAINS A DEBT SERVICE RATE OF 0.039755 55, AND A MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS TAX RATE OF 0.390445. THAT MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS TAX RATE INCLUDES THE $0.05 THAT GOES TO THE ROSENBERG LIBRARY. THE MOTION TO ADOPT THE TAX RATE IS DETERMINED BY THE TAX CODE. AND THAT LANGUAGE HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO COUNCIL IN THEIR AGENDA FACT SHEET. WHICH IS I MOVED TO APPROVE. I MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF 0.4302, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 0.526% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE. SO THAT IS THE WORDING THAT MUST BE USED. BECAUSE IT IS ABOVE THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, IT REQUIRES A 60% VOTE BY THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, WHICH IS FIVE OF SEVEN MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. FOR ANY TAX RATE THAT IS OVER, THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE IS COUNCIL HAS THE OPTION TO ADOPT ANY TAX RATE AT THAT RATE OR LOWER, AS THAT IS THE NOTICED RATE. COUNCIL MAY NOT ADOPT A TAX RATE HIGHER THAN THAT. COUNCIL HAS SEVEN DAYS FROM TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARING TO COMPLETE THE ADOPTION OF THAT TAX RATE. AND IF THAT DOES NOT OCCUR YOU WOULD EITHER NEED TO NOTICE AGAIN. SO YOU COULD HAVE A NEW MEETING OR AS OF SEPTEMBER 30TH STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT THE TAX RATE AUTOMATICALLY REVERT TO THE LOWER OF EITHER THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE OR THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S TAX RATE. AND THEN COUNCIL WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A MEETING WITHIN FIVE DAYS OF SEPTEMBER 30TH TO RATIFY THAT DEFAULT TAX RATE THAT OCCURS. THE OTHER ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT COUNCIL SHOULD KNOW IS THAT OF THE 72% OF OUR TAXABLE VALUE IS COMING FROM SINGLE FAMILY PROPERTIES, OF WHICH ONLY 41% HAVE HOMESTEAD. THE REST OF THEM ARE SECOND HOMES AND DON'T QUALIFY. SO 41% OF THE TAX BASE AND THE SINGLE FAMILY GETS THAT HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. [00:35:01] THE ANNUAL TAX CHANGE WITH THIS PROPERTY TAX RATE FROM LAST YEAR WOULD BE $137 PER YEAR. I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. OTHERWISE, I BELIEVE COUNCIL HAS ALL THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO MAKE A DECISION. LET'S HAVE QUESTIONS. COUNCILMAN FINKLEY. JUST KIND OF WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I HEARD YOU RIGHT. YOU MADE MENTION THAT THE PROPOSED TAX RATE HERE OF 0.4302 WAS SUPPORTING THE APPROVED BUDGET THAT WE APPROVED, BUT THE APPROVED BUDGET THAT WE HAD, IT WAS AMENDED WITH. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE WE VOTED ON A BUDGET THAT HAD A TAX RATE THAT WAS 0.408, WHATEVER. SO SO HOW DOES THAT BECAUSE WHAT OCCURRED WAS WE PROPOSED A BUDGET BASED ON A NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE. YES. AND THEN COUNCIL MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE A BUDGET THAT INCLUDED THE 2% PLUS THE 120 DAYS, AND THAT WOULD REQUIRE THAT 0.4302 TAX RATE. SO THE ADOPTED BUDGET WAS AN AMENDED VERSION OF THAT PROPOSED. OKAY. AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, THE TAX RATE NEEDED TO SUPPORT THAT ADOPTED BUDGET IS THAT 4302 RATE. SO THAT IS NOW AN AMENDED BUDGET. NO, IT'S YOUR ONLY ADOPTED BUDGET. YOU JUST AMENDED OUR PROPOSAL, BUT YOU'VE ONLY ADOPTED ONE BUDGET SO FAR. ONLY ADOPTED ONE BUDGET. SO MY QUESTION IS, IS THAT IF THIS IS APPROVED, WE WOULD NEED TO GO BACK AND THEN AMEND OUR BUDGET TO KNOW IF THE TAX RATE AS PROPOSED. YEAH, IT'S IT'S IT'S THERE'S A LOT OF LEGAL STUFF GOING ON THERE. BUT BASED ON THE BUDGET THAT WAS ADOPTED ON THE 28TH, THE TAX RATE THAT IS PROPOSED TONIGHT SUPPORTS ALL OF THE EXPENDITURES IN THAT BUDGET AS IT WAS ADOPTED. IF THE TAX RATE IS NOT APPROVED AT THE RATE THAT IT IS PROPOSED, THEN LIKELY WE'LL HAVE TO COME BACK WITH SOME SORT OF AMENDMENT TO DECREASE EXPENDITURES TO MATCH OUR NEW REVENUE. UNDERSTOOD. THANKS FOR HELPING ME OUT. YEAH. VERY GOOD. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM MRS. LADANYI? WE MAY COME BACK TO YOU, SHEILA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT IS 4:37 P.M.. I'M GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM EIGHT B AND CALL FOR ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS CONCERNING THIS. PLEASE COME FORWARD. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS BECCA SCOVILLE. I LIVE IN THE SAN JACINTO NEIGHBORHOOD. I WANT TO EXPRESS MY OPPOSITION TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. I THINK THAT'S HOW I'M SUPPOSED TO DO THIS BEING DISCUSSED HERE TODAY. I BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT RELIABLE CITY SERVICES ARE MUCH MORE IMPORTANT TO OUR EVERYDAY LIVES THAN LOWERING MY PROPERTY TAXES FOR MY HOME, AND IT'S GOING TO BE LESS THAN $100 A YEAR. WHAT I DO WANT IS MY TRASH PICKED UP THE WATER AND SEWER, MAINTAINED THE MEDIAN, MOWED EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAMS AVAILABLE, SAFE CONSTRUCTION IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, ADEQUATE STREET LIGHTING, POTHOLES REPAIRED. JUST TO NAME A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT ARE PROVIDED. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT DO THESE THINGS ARE PAID FAIRLY. I HAVE VOLUNTEERED AT THE MONTHLY GALVESTON FOOD BANK DISTRIBUTION AT MOODY METHODIST. I HELP REGISTER THESE FOLKS, AND YOU'D BE SURPRISED HOW MANY OF THESE PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED BY OUR CITY. AND DON'T GET ME STARTED ON WHAT HAPPENS DURING A NATURAL DISASTER. A LOT OF US HERE HAVE WITNESSED THE DEVASTATION CAUSED BY HURRICANES. THE CITIES THAT RECOVER BEST ARE THOSE THAT HAVE ADEQUATE RESERVE FUNDS BECAUSE FEMA MONEY IS WAY SLOWER THAN THE COST INCURRED FOR CLEANUP AND REBUILDING. IF OUR RESERVES ARE DIMINISHED, SO IS OUR BOND RATING, WHICH AFFECTS THE CITY'S ACCESS TO LOWER INTEREST RATES FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. LOWERING PROPERTY TAXES IS A GREAT SOUNDBITE, BUT IT WILL REALLY BITE US IN OUR BACKSIDES IN THE FUTURE. THE COST TO MAINTAIN CITIES ARE NOT DECREASING, AND THE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE HURT THE MOST ARE THE ONES THAT YOU ALL EXPECT TO SHOW UP AND PROVIDE 24 OVER SEVEN SERVICES TO MAKE YOUR LIFE BETTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE? HELLO, MY NAME IS ANGELA BROWN. I LIVE AT 2019 AVENUE N AND A HALF. TONIGHT YOU HAVE A VOTE ON THE AGENDA THAT WILL IMPACT EVERY CITIZEN IN GALVESTON FOR YEARS TO COME. BUT SOME OF YOU ON THE COUNCIL WANT TO LOWER THE TAX RATE TO SAVE HOMEOWNERS ANYWHERE FROM 25 TO $95 A YEAR. YOU THINK THAT IT'S OKAY TO DIP INTO THE RESERVE FUND TO REPLACE SOME OF THIS LOST TAX MONEY? [00:40:02] WE AS CITIZENS LOOK TO YOU AS COUNCIL TO RUN THE CITY GOVERNMENT IN A MANNER THAT WILL KEEP US SAFE AND FINANCIALLY SECURE. THIS WILL DO NEITHER OF THOSE THINGS. ONCE THE RESERVE FUND IS TAPPED FOR NEARLY $1 MILLION, HOW DO YOU REPLACE THAT MONEY? WHAT DO WE DO NEXT YEAR? DO YOU RAISE THE TAXES TWICE AS MUCH TO COVER THE RISING COST OF LIVING, PLUS THE MONEY WE NEED TO REBUILD THE RESERVE FUND? WHAT IF WE HAVE A STORM NEXT YEAR OR THIS MONTH AND WE HAVE TO GO INTO THE RESERVE FUND? THE MONEY WILL NOT EVEN BE THERE IN 2026 OR 27. IT IS STILL STORM SEASON COUNCIL. AND REMEMBER IKE IN THE 1900 STORM OCCURRED IN SEPTEMBER. SOME OF YOU SAY FEMA WILL TAKE CARE OF US? COUNTING ON FEDERAL SERVICES WOULD BE GREAT, BUT THEY NEVER COVER ALL THE EXPENSES THE CITY MUST PAY UP FRONT FIRST. MONTHS OR YEARS HAVE GONE BY BEFORE WE GOT REIMBURSEMENT TO KEEP THIS CITY SOLVENT AND READY FOR STORMS. TO RESPECT OUR CITY STAFF AND OUR POLICE AND OUR FIREFIGHTERS WHO WILL BE HIT HARD WITH COST OF LIVING CUTS. PLEASE VOTE FOR A TAX RATE THAT WILL SUPPORT THE APPROVED BUDGET. THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? HELLO, AM I ON MIC? YES, MA'AM. HELLO, MY NAME IS DONNA DEIS. MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE LIVED IN GALVESTON FOR TEN YEARS AND ARE HOMEOWNERS. WE ALSO OWN A CONDO THAT WE RENT. AND BEFORE I START, I'D LIKE COUNSEL AND ANYONE ELSE TO IMAGINE WHAT IT WAS LIKE DURING IKE OR HARVEY, OR ANY OTHER NATURAL DISASTER, OR JUST THE STORIES YOU'VE HEARD IF YOU WEREN'T EVEN HERE? BUT WHAT IS IT? IMAGINARY? IS THE PROPOSED TAX INCREASE UNDER DISCUSSION, WHICH WOULD HAVE A DAILY IMPACT, I BELIEVE. I HAVE READ, I ASSUME, OF ABOUT $0.18 ON THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER. NOW, NO ONE LIKES A TAX INCREASE. IN FACT, THE WORDS ALONE SEEM TO BRING OUT ANGER IN PEOPLE FOR SOME REASON. BUT THE REALITY IS, IS THAT THIS MINIMAL INCREASE INCREASE WOULD RESULT IN AN ADDITION OF. AND AGAIN, I'LL HAVE TO ASK MR. MAXWELL FOR MORE DETAIL ON THIS, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BRING IN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, POSSIBLY A MILLION, BY MY SIMPLE CALCULATIONS. AND THIS IS SORELY NEEDED TO FULLY FUND OUR BUDGET. NOT FUNDING THIS BUDGET WOULD RESULT IN A CATASTROPHIC IMPACT ON GALVESTON'S ABILITY TO DEAL WITH NATURAL DISASTERS, FOR WHICH WE ARE ALL VERY WELL KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. IT WOULD MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN ALL OF THE CITY EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES. THE COST OF WHICH IS INCREASING ALONG WITH THE COST OF EVERYTHING NOW. AND WE CAN ALL TALK ABOUT EGGS ALL DAY LONG, AND WE NEED TO ASSURE COMPENSATION FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, THE FIREFIGHTERS, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, THE PUBLIC WORKS CREWS, ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO TAKE CARE OF US DAILY AND EVEN MORE OFTEN AROUND THE CLOCK IN TIMES OF CRISIS. BY NOW, AS HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID HERE, WE MUST BE AWARE THAT WE MUST COUNT ON OURSELVES. WE CANNOT LOOK TO THE STATE OR TO FEMA BECAUSE WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO EXPECT. AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, IN A WAY, WHEN TO EXPECT IT AND TO BELIEVE OTHERWISE IS WISHFUL THINKING. THERE MAY VERY WELL BE HELP ON THE WAY, BUT WILL WE BE ABLE TO WAIT? THE ONLY FINANCIAL SUPPORT THAT WE CAN COUNT ON IMMEDIATELY IS OUR OWN FINANCIAL RESERVE AND BARRING FROM IT OR ENDANGERING IT IN ANY WAY JUST TO SAVE HOMEOWNERS PENNIES A DAY IS THE BEST EXAMPLE I HAVE EVER SEEN OF PENNY WISE AND POUND FOOLISH. AND IN ADDITION, GALVESTON RENTERS WILL ALSO BE PUNISHED BY THIS, AND THEY WON'T EVEN SEE THOSE FEW DAILY PENNIES EVERY DAY. FINALLY, I CAN SEE NO VALID ARGUMENT AGAINST THIS SORELY NEEDED AND EXTREMELY REASONABLE TAX INCREASE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DONNA. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS IN THE AUDIENCE? YES, SIR. COME FORWARD. WELL THANK YOU. COUNCIL. THIS IS MY FIRST TIME SPEAKING IN GALVESTON. I'M A RESIDENT. I'VE BEEN HERE FOR FIVE YEARS, AND AND I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE TO MY NEW FRIENDS WHO. WE HAD A SHORT CONVERSATION ABOUT TAXATION A FEW MINUTES AGO. AND A FORMER LIFE. BEFORE MY CURRENT JOB, I WAS A TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR FOR TEN YEARS. AND SO I SAY RESPECTFULLY, OF COURSE, THAT I DID TAKE THE TIME TO READ ALL 500 PAGES OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET, AND THE CITY DOES CARRY A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF SURPLUS REVENUE IN MOST OF ITS ACCOUNTS. THE HOTEL THE CONVENTION CENTER IS NEARING ITS COMPLETION OF FUNDING. [00:45:03] SO THERE'S 2% OF SALES TAX THERE THAT SHOULD ALLEVIATE OR BE ALLEVIATED AND COULD POTENTIALLY BE REPURPOSED UNDER SOME NEW LEGISLATION. SO I WOULD SAY THAT ALTHOUGH IT'S IT'S PRUDENT AND MAYBE FINANCIALLY CONSERVATIVE TO GO AHEAD AND ADOPT THE MAXIMUM TAX RATE THAT DOESN'T TRIGGER AN AUTOMATIC ELECTION, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THESE NEW TRIGGER RATES, THESE AUTOMATIC ELECTION THE THEY USED TO BE CALLED THE NO NEW OR THEY'RE CALLED THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. NOW THEY USED TO BE CALLED THE ROLLBACK RATE ETCETERA. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT IN THE PAST THE CONCEPT ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, MOST OF MY EXPERIENCE COMES FROM SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT OUR PHILOSOPHY TYPICALLY IS ADOPT THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT YOU CAN THAT DOESN'T TRIGGER AN ELECTION TO BRING IN THE PUBLIC TO ARGUE WITH YOU ABOUT IT. IT'S EASY POLICY, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S RESPONSIBLE POLICY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? HI, MY NAME IS SUSAN SEILER. I'M ALSO FROM THE SANJAK DISTRICT. AND I ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION. I DON'T IS THIS A MAXIMUM RATE THAT Y'ALL ARE TALKING ABOUT ADOPTING? IT'S NOT. IS IT? OKAY, I JUST WANTED TO HAVE A LITTLE ARGUMENT WITH MY FRIEND HERE. SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TRIGGER AN ELECTION, BUT IT'S STILL NOT A MAXIMUM RATE. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY WHAT BECCA SAID AND WHAT DONNA SAID AND WHAT ANGELA SAID, AND THEN ADD, I HAVE THREE PIECES OF RENTAL PROPERTY, SOON TO BE A FOURTH, AND I WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO PAY SOME MORE MONEY ON THOSE PROPERTIES SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT OUR CITY WORKERS GET THAT 2% RAISE THAT THEY ARE MORE THAN DESERVING OF. AND SO WE CONTINUE CITY SERVICES AND THAT SO WE DON'T END UP IN SOME KIND OF AN EMERGENT SITUATION WHEN THAT NEXT HURRICANE COMES OUR WAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. A QUESTION OF CLARIFICATION, IF I MAY. NO, SIR. I'M SORRY. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? YES. COME FORWARD. ARE Y'ALL THIS EVENING? GOOD. GOOD JOB. MY FIRST TIME BEING BACK AT THE COUNCIL SINCE I GOT OUT OF MY SEAT ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. GLAD TO HAVE YOU. SO IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK. AGAIN, PLEASE. JOHN LISTOWSKI. I FOUGHT FOR NO, NO NET REVENUE RATE FOR PRETTY MUCH EVERY YEAR I WAS ON COUNCIL, AND, SO I'M GLAD Y'ALL ARE STILL HAVING THIS DISCUSSION. I WOULD SAY THAT I THINK THERE ARE WAYS TO GET THERE. I PROBABLY WOULD NOT GO INTO RESERVES TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. SO I WISH ALL THE BEST OF LUCK ON THIS DECISION TONIGHT, AND I'M SURE YOU'LL MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JOHN PAUL. VERY GOOD. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES. COME FORWARD. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. I JUST WANTED TO REMIND YOU ALL THAT I WAS VERY INVOLVED WITH CITY GOVERNMENT DURING AND AFTER IKE. I TRAVELED WITH LORD AND THOMAS TO WASHINGTON. TO AUSTIN. I MET WITH FEMA. I MET ALL THOSE PEOPLE. AND THE IDEA OF NOT HAVING MONEY IN THE BANK SCARES ME BECAUSE I DON'T I AGAIN, I SAT ACROSS TABLES WITH THESE PEOPLE AND IT WAS A FIGHT. IT WASN'T SOME EASY THING THAT THEY SAID, OH, LOOK, HERE'S OUR CHECKBOOK. SO AND BY THE WAY, THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE GETTING PAID BACK TODAY FROM THAT EVENT. SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANT Y'ALL TO BE VERY PRUDENT IN WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND REMEMBER THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHEN HURRICANES AND DISASTERS COME, BUT WOULDN'T THEY? DO WE DAMN WELL BETTER BE PREPARED WITH WITH PLENTY OF CASH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS IN THE IN THE AUDIENCE HERE. COME FORWARD. GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL. I I'M HERE TODAY TO BASICALLY SUPPORT DISTRICT ONE AND THE DECISION THAT WE DO NOT NEED TO TO DIP OFF INTO THE RESERVES IF POSSIBLE, AND TO APPROVE THE BUDGET. I CANNOT CALL ALL THE LADIES NAMES THAT WAS HERE. I WILL GIVE EVERYBODY WHAT THIS MEAN. MAN. HERE. NOW. SO, SO THAT'S. SO I'M GOING TO CUT IT SHORT TODAY. MAYOR. AND I AM I'M GOING TO START THE DAY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU DORIS. THIS WAS QUITE A SHOCK HERE. SO. VERY GOOD. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE FROM THE AUDIENCE HERE IT [00:50:02] IS 5:50 P.M.. I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ITEM EIGHT B AND I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION. I MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF 0.4302, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 5.26% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE. IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT SECOND THAT WE HAVE A SECOND COUNCILWOMAN LOUIS TO THAT? I'M GOING TO OPEN THIS UP FOR DISCUSSION. ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCIL. BOB. WE'VE BEEN GETTING A BUNCH OF EMAILS AND COMMENTS FROM CONSTITUENTS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, SO THIS SEEMS TO BE A PRETTY POPULAR TOPIC, UNDERSTANDABLY. I WANT TO JUST READ ONE OF THOSE BECAUSE IT SUMMARIZES A LOT OF THINGS THAT I THINK ARE WORTH SHARING. IT SAYS FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE ONLY FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE COURSE OF ACTION FOR TOMORROW'S MEETING IS TO APPROVE A TAX RATE THAT FULLY FUNDS THE BUDGET THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY PASSED. I REALIZE THAT PROPERTY TAX RATES ARE VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO EVERYONE'S HEARTS AND POCKETBOOKS, AND THAT THEY HAVE BECOME VERY POLITICIZED OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS. I THINK YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE POLITICS AND THE EMOTIONS OUT OF THIS DECISION, AND BASE IT ON THE AMOUNT OF REVENUES NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE BUDGET AND NOT RELY ON UNKNOWN FUTURE SPENDING CUTS, REVENUE STREAMS OR ONE OFF FUNDING MECHANISMS, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT MIGHT IMPACT THE CITY'S ABILITY TO RECOVER FROM UNFORESEEN EMERGENCIES. AND I'LL ALSO ADD THAT TO THAT, THAT EVEN HOUSTON HAS RECOMMENDED RAISING ITS MINIMUM RESERVE FUND BALANCE, ANTICIPATING DIMINISHED FEDERAL EMERGENCY DISASTER RECOVERY FUNDS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, BOB. MAYOR MAYOR. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT. YES, MA'AM. I JUST WANT TO SAY I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THIS TAX RATE. AND I HAVE STUDIED THIS BUDGET FOR DAYS UPON WEEKS UPON HOURS. AND WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT RESERVES BEING TRANSFERRED FROM THE CHARTER REQUIRED RESERVES. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL THE OTHER RESERVES THAT HAVE BEEN ACCUMULATED OVER OR YEARS. THAT SHOULD BE USED TO LOWER OUR TAXES. BEYOND THAT, IF ANYONE IS TAKING THE TIME TO STUDY THE LONG RANGE FORECAST, NOT ONLY IS IT CONSERVATIVE, BUT IT'S INACCURATE. AND I'LL CITE TWO EXAMPLES. FIRST EXAMPLE, WHEN YOU GO TO THE ALTERNATE INCOME, WHICH WE HAVE BEEN SO GOOD AT ACCUMULATING, AND YOU LOOK AT THE PORT PORTS NUMBERS WHEN IT COMES TO THE PASSENGER TARIFFS, OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT HAS FORECAST THAT AT 1%, EVERYONE IN CITY MANAGEMENT IS FULLY AWARE THAT CONTRACTS ARE WRITTEN WITH A 3% INCREASE EVERY YEAR. SO WHY WOULD WE HAVE INACCURATE NUMBERS? WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS THAT THEY HAVE WRITTEN FOR PARKING. TOTALLY CONSERVATIVE. TOTALLY INACCURATE. THESE ARE NOT MADE UP NUMBERS. THESE ARE CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE CITY AND THEY ARE IN THE LONG TERM FORECAST. WE WILL NOT HAVE TO CALL FOR MORE RESERVES. WE NEED TO LEARN HOW TO DO THINGS BETTER AND BE MORE COST EFFECTIVE FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR CITIZENS, SO WE DON'T KEEP TAXING THEM OFF THE ISLAND. VERY GOOD. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE? YES. BEAU. AREN'T YOU WON'T BE SUPPORTING. I WON'T BE SUPPORTING THIS. AND IT HAS TO DO WITH MY QUESTION. SHEILA, IF YOU DON'T MIND, COULD YOU COME UP, PLEASE? JUST TO PUBLICLY GET THIS OUT IN THE OPEN SO THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THERE'S BEEN LOTS OF DIRECTIVES, DIRECTION THAT SAYS THAT WE ARE BASICALLY EMPTYING OUT THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NOT LOOKING TO EMPTY OUT THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE THAT IS STILL GOING TO STAY WITH THIS PROPOSAL AT 114 DAYS. CORRECT? IT DECREASES TO 109 DAYS WITH THE WITH THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE. [00:55:05] SO IT'S AT ABOUT 113 114 DAYS ENDING SEPTEMBER RIGHT NOW. AND WITH THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE BUDGET, IT DECREASED TO 109 DAYS WITH 109 DAYS. WHAT IS OUR CITY CHARTER STATE THAT WE'RE OBLIGATED TO? WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE 90 DAYS. AND THE COUNCIL GOAL HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN 120 DAYS. OKAY. DOES ANY OF THAT GENERAL BUDGET BALANCE? GENERAL FUND BALANCE INCLUDE ANY OF THE SPECIAL RESERVE FUNDS? NO. THE SPECIAL RESERVE FUNDS HAVE SEPARATE FUND BALANCES RELATED TO THE SPECIAL REVENUE SOURCE THAT THEY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH. DO WE HAVE ANY POLICY IN PLACE AS TO HOW LARGE THOSE FUND BALANCES CAN INCREASE TO? SO SO LET ME CLARIFY. THE SPECIAL RESERVE FUND OR THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS HAVE SPECIFIC TYPES OF REVENUE SOURCES. AND THOSE FUND BALANCES ARE GOING TO GROW UNTIL THOSE MONIES ARE ALLOCATED TO THAT PURPOSE, FOR EXAMPLE HOT FUNDS. THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A LIMIT FOR BECAUSE YOU CAN ONLY SPEND IT ON HOT ITEMS. SO THOSE FUND BALANCES WILL CONTINUE TO GROW UNTIL COUNCIL SPENDS IT DOWN ON HOT, APPROPRIATE ITEMS. AGAIN, IS THE INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS? YEAH, THE INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS, WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING. THERE IS CURRENTLY NO POLICY IN PLACE. WE DID TAKE A DRAFT POLICY BASED ON COUNCIL'S RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY DID NOT MAKE QUORUM. SO WE COULDN'T TALK ABOUT IT. BUT THAT POLICY IS NOW FLOATING AROUND CITY HALL, AND WE WILL BE REVIEWING IT WITH COUNCIL AS THE YEAR GOES ON BECAUSE WE HAVE RECEIVED FEEDBACK FOR THAT. BUT AS OF THIS MOMENT, THERE IS NO POLICY IN PLACE. BUT THE SKY IS FALLING. WE ARE RAPING OUR GENERAL FUND. BALANCE IS NOT, TO ME, A CORRECT STATEMENT OR WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS ADOPTED BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT PUBLICIZED EXACTLY WHAT IS THE AMOUNT THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE OUTSIDE OF THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE AS FAR AS BALANCES WITH SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, ENTERPRISE FUNDS, INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS, THE IDC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SILO? WHAT IS THAT AMOUNT? SO THE TOTAL FUND BALANCE AMOUNT MOUNT BETWEEN ALL FUNDS. CITY WIDE IS ABOUT $76 MILLION, BUT A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THAT IS RESTRICTED FUNDS, SO HOT FUNDS CANNOT BE USED TO PAY FOR OPERATIONS. HOT FUNDS CANNOT BE USED TO RESPOND TO AN EMERGENCY SEIZED FUNDS OR ANY OTHER SORT OF RESTRICTED FUND. CAN'T BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. WE ARE JUST HOLDING IT UNTIL AN APPROPRIATE PURPOSE OR ALLOCATION COMES ALONG. THE AMOUNT AVAILABLE FOR GENERAL MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS IS RIGHT AROUND THE 25 MILLION BETWEEN 25 AND 30 MILLION, WHICH WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR EMERGENCIES AFTER HURRICANE. SO RECENTLY, OUR BOND RATING INCREASED, RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT. THAT'S VERY EXCITING FOR GALVESTON AND IS THAT IS, YOU KNOW, FROM WHAT I READ AND HAVE READ ONLINE THAT IS BASED ON OUR GENERAL FUND BALANCE, NOT THE OUTSIDE OR NOT THE OTHER FUNDS, THAT WE HAVE ON HAND. SO IT'S BASED ON A LOT OF THINGS, BUT WHEN THEY ARE LOOKING AT FUND BALANCE, THEY ARE LOOKING AT THAT GENERAL FUND NUMBER FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. OF WHICH WE'RE NOT TRYING TO DEPLETE WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. WHAT THE THREE OF US HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE NO POLICY IN PLACE, THAT THESE FUND BALANCES OUTSIDE OF THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE CAN INCREASE TO WHATEVER LEVEL IT IS UNTIL SOMETHING GETS EARMARKED TO SPEND IT ON. AND I GUESS THAT WAS MY BIGGEST CONCERN AND HAS BEEN ALL ALONG. ANOTHER THING THAT HAS CONCERNED ME, LIKE JUST BASICALLY LOOKING ONLINE THROUGH THE CITY OF GALVESTON, FOR INSTANCE, FORECASTS IS WHAT YOUR FORECAST IS, WHAT WE BASE OUR OPINIONS ON, WHAT WE BASE OUR, YOU KNOW, THE 560 SOMETHING PAGES OF THIS BUDGET THAT WE GO THROUGH OR HAVE NOW IS MY SECOND TIME IS WHAT I BASE MY OPINION ON. IF WE LOOK ONLINE LIKE I LOOKED AT A FIVE YEAR FORECAST THAT WAS THAT WAS MADE PUBLIC FEBRUARY 23RD, 2022 AND THAT FIVE YEAR FORECAST, IT PROJECTED IN THE IN THE IDC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SILO. IT PROJECTED THAT WE WOULD HAVE $2.7 MILLION IN REVENUE IN 2025. FAST FORWARD TO JULY 3RD, 2024. THE PROJECTED REVENUE IN THE IDC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SILO DOUBLED TO 5.3 MILLION, WHICH IS SIMPLY A FORECAST. YOU'RE DOING YOUR BEST TO BASICALLY SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE SHOULD BRING IN, BUT THIS IS WHAT THE ACTUAL IS. SO I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT THAT'S KIND OF A MOVING TARGET FOR US. MY STANCE ALL ALONG IS EFFICIENCY. MY STANCE ALL ALONG IS WHY DO WE NOT HAVE POLICY ON ALL OF THESE REVENUE OR ALL OF THESE SPECIAL RESERVE [01:00:07] FUNDS, SPECIAL USE FUNDS? THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL DIFFERENT MONIKERS USED FOR THEM THAT THERE'S NO POLICY IN PLACE, AND THOSE CAN BE INFLATED TO WHATEVER IT IS. INSTEAD OF BEING RETURNED BACK TO THE GALVESTON TAXPAYER TO HELP WITH THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE. THAT'S KIND OF BEEN MY POSITION, AND THAT'S WHY I'M NOT SUPPORTING IT, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE CAN BE MUCH MORE EFFICIENT. WE'RE NOT IN ANY WAY DEPLETING THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE, WHICH IS WHAT THE PUBLIC IS SCARED OF. AND SO THAT'S MY POSITION. SO I MEAN, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK, SHEILA, AS ALWAYS. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE FORECAST IF WE LOOK JUST BASICALLY LOOK ONLINE AND LOOK AT WHAT WE FORECASTED 4 OR 5 YEARS AGO THAT THE CITY OF GALVESTON PUT OUT THERE. AND LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE NOW. THOSE NUMBERS DON'T EVEN JIVE SOMETIMES. SO THAT'S THE THING THAT CONCERNS ME THE MOST. VERY GOOD. ANY OTHER COMMENTS AT ALL? YES, SIR. LAST YEAR YOU KNOW, WE YOU KNOW, I GOT A LOT OF GRIEF FROM SOME FOLKS AT MANAGEMENT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PUSHING FOR A 5% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT. AND THAT THAT WAS LARGELY, I BELIEVE, NEGATED BASED ON, YOU KNOW, A CUTTING OF OVERTIME. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WANT, I WANTED TO SEE DISCUSSED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. ANOTHER THING WAS THE INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS, AND I'M, I'M HAVING JUST A VERY DIFFICULT TIME ON HOW THE PAPER HAS CONFLATED THE FACT THAT WE HAVE WE'RE RATING OUR GENERAL FUND WHEN THESE FUNDS ORIGINATED FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND ESSENTIALLY HAVE NO BEARING ON OUR 120 DAY RESERVES THAT THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP AS A GOAL AND THE 90 DAY REQUIREMENT VIA THE CHARTER. AND I DO APPRECIATE THE CITY STAFF FOR MOVING FORWARD IN TERMS OF POLICIES FOR THOSE FUNDS THAT DIDN'T EXIST PREVIOUSLY. YOU KNOW, BUT LAST YEAR, THE TAX RATE, WE HAD ESSENTIALLY A LITTLE MORE POLITICIZED, ESSENTIALLY KIND OF THE SAME, SAME DEAL. WE WERE MET WITH A TAX RATE INCREASE OR A NO NEW REVENUE RATE. AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS THE ONE THAT PROPOSED A FLAT TAX RATE BECAUSE I UNDERSTOOD THAT WE HAD A STORM, AND I UNDERSTOOD THAT WE WERE CHEWING INTO SOME OF THAT RESERVE FUND BALANCE BECAUSE OF BARREL. BUT WHAT I DISLIKE MOSTLY IS THE FACT THAT NOT, NOT ONE PERSON FROM THE YOU WOULD CALL THE MAJORITY IS WHAT THE PAPER IS WRITTEN ABOUT HAS ATTEMPTED TO REACH ACROSS TO COME TO A AGREEMENT OR CONCLUSION OR A COMPROMISE TO A MEET THE GOALS OF BEING MORE EFFICIENT. AND, YOU KNOW, I HATE TO SAY IT, HOLDING BRIAN'S FEET TO THE FIRE AND WATCHING SPENDING. I MEAN, THAT'S THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'VE RAN ON. THAT'S THAT'S WHAT IT IS. BEING MORE EFFICIENT AND I JUST, I THINK IT WAS A BIT SHOTGUNNED TO DO THIS LAST MINUTE WITHOUT HAVING ANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET. JUST AT THE MEETING ON AUGUST 28TH. SO IT JUST LEAVES A BAD TASTE IN MY MOUTH. BUT, YOU KNOW, WITH ALMOST $3 MILLION THAT WE FOUND IN THE, YOU KNOW, IN INTERNAL SERVICE FUND BALANCE YOU KNOW, SOME THINGS THAT WE COULD DO TO, TO BUDGET BETTER IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, SPENDING ON GASOLINE. YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T FIX EVERYTHING. AND, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE A, A SHORT TERM FIX. BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO DO A SHORT TERM FIX SOMETIMES TO GET TO A BETTER PLACE WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO BE. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT IFS ALL DAY LONG. WHAT IF THREE STORMS HIT GALVESTON IN THE NEXT WEEK AND A HALF? YOU KNOW, LET'S PRAY IT DOESN'T HAPPEN. BUT WE HAVE EMERGENCY LINES OF CREDIT. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO INTO OUR 120 DAY RESERVES, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY BEEN TOLD THAT THOSE 120 DAY RESERVES REALLY AREN'T. 120 DAYS BECAUSE OF THE BURN RATE IS SO HIGH WHEN THEY HAVE TO PUT IN ALL OF THE EMERGENCY ASPECTS OF IT, YOU KNOW, AND IF WE'RE THAT, IF WE'RE THAT WEAK AS A COUNCIL THAT WE CAN'T MAKE THE DECISION. AND UNFORTUNATELY, IN CASE OF A STORM, WE WILL HAVE TO PROBABLY GO INTO YOUR POCKETS. WE WILL ALL BE IN THIS TOGETHER BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO LOSE HALF OUR TAX BASE, JUST LIKE WE DID DURING HURRICANE IKE. AND THAT'S UNFORTUNATE, BUT THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE TO BE TO BE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES. AND WHEN THE TIME COMES AND WE HAVE TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, WE HAVE TO DO THE HARD THING, THEN WE WE, WE WE'RE KIND OF EXPECTED TO DO IT. AND RIGHT NOW I JUST DON'T SEE US HEADING OFF OF A CLIFF IN A CAR. [01:05:03] YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT LAMARQUE. WE GET THE WARNING FLAGS FROM OUR FROM OUR FINANCE DIRECTORS. WE GET THE WARNING FLAGS. AND IT'S A DECISION THAT WE HAVE TO WEIGH. IT'S ALSO A DECISION THAT WE HAVE TO SAY, LET'S SHOW SOME FISCAL RESTRAINT. AND IF THERE'S NO FISCAL RESTRAINT, CONSIDERATIONS GIVEN TO THE DISSIDENT MINORITY, WHICH I DON'T THINK WE'RE BEING DISSIDENT, I THINK WE'VE BEEN PRETTY CALM AND COLLECTED THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND WE'VE DONE OUR WORK. I, YOU KNOW, I JUST I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, PEJORATIVE LANGUAGE HAS NO PLACE IN A BUDGET. AND IT JUST COMES DOWN TO HOW YOU'RE GOING TO VOTE AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES. BUT WE'VE YOU KNOW, I CAN GIVE A THOUSAND THINGS. BUT IF IF PEOPLE ARE UNWILLING TO LISTEN AND UNWILLING TO IMPLEMENT THOSE EFFICIENCY, EFFICIENCY MEASURES, THEN I'M KIND OF LEFT AT A PLACE LIKE, I DON'T WANT TO GIVE IN, NO OFFENSE, BUT TO THE MANAGEMENT LEVEL, I THINK YOU KNOW, IT'D BE LIKE THE C-SUITE, SORT OF EMPLOYEES ARE RAISED, AND I'D LIKE TO GIVE THE GUYS DIGGING THE DITCHES AND DOING THE JOB EVERY DAY. A RAISE AND 2% FOR THEM IS A BIT OF A KIND OF A JOKE. 2% IF YOU MAKE, YOU KNOW, $300,000 IS 15 OR YOU KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW, SORRY, 5% LAST YEAR WAS $15,000, BUT BUT 5% OF $15 AN HOUR. WHAT IS THAT? THAT'S THAT'S PENNIES. I MEAN, SO, YOU KNOW, UNTIL WE GET SOMETHING THAT'S NOT JUST BLANKET ACROSS THE BOARD AND KIND OF TARGETED TO THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY DO PROVIDE OUR SERVICES. I'M NOT SUPPORTING A, A TAX RATE TO JUST FILL WHERE WE NEED TO. I WANT TO SEE IT TARGETED. AND I AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HAD AN ISSUE WITH LAST YEAR, WAS THE FACT THAT WE HAD DISCUSSED, BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT THIS TO BE A WHOLE BIG POLITICAL SHOW. AGAIN, THIS WAS DISCUSSED TO TALK ABOUT OUR BUDGET THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND WE DIDN'T COUNCILMAN RAWLINS AND I BROUGHT IT UP IN JULY AT NOT A SLASH AND BURN TACTIC, BUT A A A EFFICIENT 5% RATE OR A 5% EXPENDITURE CUT. I DON'T THINK THAT'S A SLASH AND BURN. I THINK THAT'S AN ATTAINABLE GOAL. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DID NOT IN A OBSTRUCTIVE MANNER, BUT IN A WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. WE'RE ALL THE TAXPAYERS. WE ALL HAVE TO FOCUS ON HOW WE BETTER SERVE YOU AND HOW WE DO THIS IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY. SO WE'RE ALL GOING TO SEE HOW WE VOTE HERE IN A MINUTE. BUT I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT THIS WAS HAPHAZARDLY DONE. THIS WASN'T DONE JUST OFF OF OFF THE CUFF. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION AND TALKS. AND, YOU KNOW, HERE'S WHERE WE ARE. SO I WANT TO SEE SOME CHANGES WITH THIS. BUT RIGHT NOW WE GOT SEVEN DAYS UNTIL I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MANY DAYS IT IS UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH. BUT HERE WE GO. VERY GOOD. ANY OTHER INPUT? YES, DAVID. YOU KNOW, I THIS WHOLE QUOTE OF UNWILLINGNESS TO LISTEN REALLY MEANS TO ME. IT SOUNDS LIKE UNWILLINGNESS TO BEND TO YOUR IDEOLOGY. BECAUSE I DON'T WHEN YOU LOOK AT SETTING YOUR TAX RATE AND YOU LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE AND THE ADDITIONAL AD VALOREM VALUE THAT'S COMING TO THE CITY, AND WE ONLY INCREASE THAT AD VALOREM VALUE BY 1%. AND YET WE HAVE ONGOING INCREASES IN MATERIALS AND LABORS AND TARIFFS THAT ARE INCREASING OUR EXPENSES FOR US TO JUST SIMPLY SAY, NO, NEW REVENUE IS NOT THE PLACE TO START. WHAT WE NEED TO START WITH IS WHERE DO WE SET OUR LEVEL OF SERVICES? SO WITH THAT, LET ME OFFER A COUPLE OF IDEAS. ONE OF THE QUOTES THAT WE HEARD THROWN OUT QUITE FREQUENTLY WAS, WELL, WE'LL FIX IT LATER. YOU KNOW, HEY, WE'RE OKAY RIGHT NOW. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? IF THAT'S YOUR PLAN, JUST KNOW THAT IN A DISASTER LATER, NEVER BECOME IT LATER BECOMES NEVER AS GOOD AND YOU'RE GOING TO PAY MORE. YOU'RE GOING TO REBUILD SLOWER AND YOU'RE GOING TO RISK MORE LOSS. AND SAYING NO NEW REVENUE IS JUST DEFERRING THE PAIN. ABSENT A HUGE NEW DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WE WOULD ALL LOVE TO HAVE GET A HUGE HIT ON OUR AD VALOREM VALUES. YOU'RE SIGNING UP FOR STEEPER PROPERTY TAX INCREASES IN THE FUTURE, POTENTIAL SERVICE CUTS OR WORSE, WHEN THE NEXT BIG STORM HITS. AND THE OTHER THING IS, IS THAT WHEN YOU HEAR A COUNCIL MEMBER QUOTED IN THE PAPER SAYING, I DON'T THINK A HURRICANE IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO FACTOR INTO THIS BUDGET, THE TRUTH IS SIMPLE YOU DON'T GET TO PICK WHEN NATURE STRIKES. NATURE IS ALWAYS GOING TO WIN AND BUDGETS ARE BUILT ON DENIAL. LIV LEAVE OUR RESIDENTS DEFENSELESS. BUILDING UP OUR RESERVES IS NOT AN ISSUE AND NOT BUDGETING FOR FEAR. IT'S BUDGETING FOR STRENGTH. AND IT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING ABLE TO EVACUATE AND REBUILD OR HAVING TO BEG FOR HELP. AND THIS BOND RATING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THAT WE JUST GOT PROMOTED TO AN A, A PLUS. [01:10:01] IT ISN'T FREE. IT'S EARNED AND IT'S EARNED BY REVENUE DISCIPLINE AND LIQUIDITY. AND YOU IF YOU STRIP AWAY THAT FLEXIBILITY AND YOU DROP RESERVES WHICH BY THE WAY, ADOPTING A NO NEW REVENUE RATE DOES REDUCE THE FUND FUND BALANCE. WE HEARD THAT CLEARLY FROM SHEILA. IT DROPS IT FROM 114 TO 109 DAYS. IF YOU DROP YOUR RESERVES, THAT COST SHOWS UP IN OUR BOND INTEREST. IT SHOWS UP IN OUR TAXES AND OUR INSURANCE AND GOD FOR HELP US IF WE HAVE TO GO AND TAP A LINE OF CREDIT, THAT IS WHERE THAT HURTS. FURTHERMORE, TO THE MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES, HEAR ME VERY CLEARLY. THOSE THAT ARE NOT SUPPORTING THIS TAX RATE ARE NOT APPROVING ANY COLA. WHILE YOUR FELLOWS AT GPD AND GFD ARE GETTING THEIR RAISES PER THEIR CONTRACTS. IT'S NOT FAIR AND EQUITABLE AND LET YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THEY VALUE YOU. AND ALSO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TOURISM REVENUE, TOURISM REVENUE IS EXTREMELY VOLATILE. WE SAW IT THIS YEAR. WE TRIED TO MAKE A QUICK RECOVERY JUST FROM THE MONTH OF JULY. BRIAN CAN TELL YOU WHAT OUR POTENTIAL LOSS IN SALES TAX REVENUE IS. AND SO WE SHOULD BE BUDGETING CONSERVATIVELY FOR THAT. I AM SUPPORTING THE TAX RATE THAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED TODAY. THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? I WANT TO YES, BOB. WE'VE ALL BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS A WHOLE LOT UP HERE FOR FOR A LONG TIME. AND I DON'T EXPECT TO CHANGE ANY MINDS HERE ON THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT I DO WANT TO, FOR THE RECORD, JUST KIND OF STATE WHAT MY THOUGHTS HAVE BEEN OVER THE OVER THESE LAST FEW DAYS. WE'RE WE'RE HERE TODAY ASSESSING RISK AND PLANNING FOR A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE. THE FUTURE FOR THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL AND THEIR ABILITY TO MANAGE THE CITY. A FUTURE FOR THE RESIDENTS WHO PLACED THEIR TRUST IN US TO ENSURE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE AND SAFETY. WHAT WE HAVE ON THE COUNCIL HERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY WE SEE THE FUTURE AND ASSESS RISK WHEN IT COMES TO ANALYZING THE TAX RATE. WE'VE LISTENED TO THE PROFESSIONALS, REVIEWED, ANALYZED, DEBATED BUDGET INFORMATION AND THE WAY WE GENERATE AND EXPEND FUNDS AT THE CITY AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES. WE DO THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS AND EVEN MORE INTENSIVELY IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS. THIS ANALYSIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT TOMORROW OR THE NEXT YEAR, BUT WE HAVE TO PROJECT SEVERAL YEARS OUT SO THAT WE DON'T COMPROMISE OUR SUCCESSORS ABILITY TO SUCCESSFULLY MANAGE THE CITY. TO MAKE DECISIONS, LEADERS HAVE TO TRUST THEIR TEAM OF DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS HELPING US THROUGH THIS TRUST IN THE DATA AND HAVE A CLEAR HEAD ABOUT UNCERTAINTIES AND THINGS OUT OF OUR CONTROL, IMPACTING BUDGETS LIKE FEMA DISASTER RECOVERY SUPPORT AND A PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE CONSTRAINT ON MANAGING OF OUR CITY BUDGET AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE FUTURE. THESE ISSUES HAVE AN EXTRAORDINARILY EXTRAORDINARY IMPACT ON OUR CITY BUDGET LIKE NEVER BEFORE. ALL HAVE BECOME MORE UNCERTAIN IN THIS LAST YEAR. THIS UNCERTAINTY MUST BE PART OF OUR RISK ANALYSIS. THE PROPOSED TAX RATE OF A $300,000 HOME IS $65 A YEAR. THAT'S $0.18 A DAY, DOLLAR AND $0.25 A WEEK. AFFORDABILITY ON THIS ISLAND IS NOT DRIVEN BY THIS NUMBER. OTHER FACTORS, LARGELY OUT OF OUR CONTROL, DO THIS, SUCH AS RISING INSURANCE COSTS, CONSTRUCTION COSTS ON THE ISLAND, ERRATIC INFLATION AND UNPREDICTABLE RECOVERY FUNDING FOR WEATHER DISASTERS. OUR TAX RATE HAS NOT INCREASED IN FIVE YEARS. OUR TAX RATE HAS ACTUALLY GONE DOWN FOUR OUT OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS, AND THE LAST YEAR REMAINED FLAT. OF THE 13, GALVESTON COUNTY CITIES WERE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE WITH OUR TAX RATE, BUT WE HAVE VERY DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES DRIVING OUR BUDGETS UNLIKE ANY OTHER CITY IN THE COUNTY. AS AN ISLAND, WE ARE PHYSICALLY LIMITED IN OUR GEOGRAPHY TO ADD TAXES THAT INDUSTRY AND NEW HOUSING CAN BRING, AND OUR POPULATION CAN GO FROM 54,000 TO 254,000 ON A WEEKEND, PLACING AN EXTRAORDINARY STRAIN ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESOURCES TO SAFELY MANAGE SUCH A POPULATION. AND BY STATE LAW, HOTEL TAX CANNOT COVER MUCH OF THAT COST. WE HAVE TO. WE HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF SETTING FAIR TAX RATES COMPARED TO OTHER COUNTIES CITIES. EVEN AS WE FACE VERY DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES THAT IMPACT THE COST OF RUNNING A CITY, THE TAX RATE SHOULD BE A RESPONSE TO A CHANGING ECONOMIC AND MANAGEMENT CIRCUMSTANCES. IN THE FUTURE YEARS, WE'LL CERTAINLY HAVE DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WILL ALLOW US TO LOWER THE TAX RATE. AGAIN, IT'S JUST THAT THIS YEAR IS NOT THE ONE TO DO SO. FOR EXAMPLE, THIS YEAR WE HAVE A 1% INCREASE IN SALES TAX, WHILE MS COSTS ARE GOING UP 20%. HEALTH INSURANCE IS GOING UP 20%. PUBLIC SAFETY IS INCREASING BY ALMOST $3 MILLION. SO WHAT ABOUT NEW DEVELOPMENT ADDING TAX REVENUE TO HELP OUT? [01:15:01] THERE ARE A FEW SIGNIFICANT PROPOSED PROJECTS ON THE HORIZON, BUT IF THEY HAPPEN, IT'LL TAKE YEARS TO REALIZE THE ADDITIONAL TAXES THEY BRING IN. AND REMEMBER, IT'S NOT ALL FREE MONEY. MORE DEVELOPMENT MEANS MORE INFRASTRUCTURE, TRAFFIC AND PEOPLE FOR THE CITY TO SAFELY MANAGE AND MAINTAIN. SO WHEN THIS DEVELOPMENT COMES ONLINE, LET'S LOOK AT LOWERING THE TAX RATE. THEN WHEN WE HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW FEMA WILL SUPPORT DISASTERS, AND WE HAVE BROUGHT OUR RESERVES UP TO 120 DAYS OF CITY OPERATION, LET'S LOOK AT LOWERING THE TAX RATE THEN. AND OUR BOND RATING IS GREAT RIGHT NOW. LET'S NOT JEOPARDIZE IT BY LETTING RESERVES FALL FURTHER. AND WHEN WE HAVE ENSURED A COMPETITIVE PAY FOR OUR STAFF TO KEEP, TO KEEP AND GROW OUR SKILLS. CITY LINE STAFF, LET'S LOOK AT LOWERING THE TAX RATE. THEN, WHEN THE THREAT OF STATE GOVERNMENT RESTRICTING OUR ABILITY TO MANAGE OUR CITY BUDGETS IS GONE, LET'S LOOK AT LOWERING THE TAX RATE THEN. AND WHEN THE NEXT CRUISE SHIP TERMINAL COMES ONLINE NOVEMBER. LET'S LOOK AT LOWERING THE TAX RATE THEN. JUST NOT TODAY. I'M GOING TO SAY A FEW WORDS MYSELF. I'M I MADE THIS MOTION AND THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH TALK ABOUT THE DETAILS OF THIS BUDGET. IT'S A COMPLEX BUDGET. WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS BUDGET AT LENGTH AT COUNCIL. WE'VE HAD MEETING AFTER MEETING, DISCUSSING THIS BUDGET AND THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE MEANS JUST THAT. AND I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT IN YOUR PERSONAL FINANCES OR IF YOU HAVE A BUSINESS IN YOUR BUSINESS FINANCES. IF SOMEONE SAID THAT YOU CANNOT ASSUME ANY REVENUE ABOVE WHAT YOU ASSUMED LAST YEAR TO TO MOVE YOUR BUSINESS FORWARD FOR THAT YEAR, BUT YOUR COST OF DOING BUSINESS IS GOING UP CONSTANTLY. IT'S A FORMULA FOR DISASTER. AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY FROM A BUSINESS STANDPOINT OR A PERSONAL STANDPOINT WOULD RUN THEIR FINANCES THAT WAY. I AM NOT GOING TO SUPPORT RUNNING THE CITY'S FINANCES THIS WAY. I FEEL PERSONALLY THAT IT'S TIME NOW WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A TAX RATE INCREASE, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S STARTING US ON A PATH OF CONSTANT INCREASES. WHAT THIS IS, IS MAKING ADJUSTMENTS AS YOU GO ALONG. SOMETIMES YOUR PERSONAL FINANCES WILL HAVE A LOT OF DEMAND ON THOSE. AND SOME YEARS THAT THEY DON'T. AND THIS TIME, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE GONE ALONG, AS MENTIONED, WITH REDUCING OUR TAX RATE OR KEEPING A FLAT TAX RATE FOR A LONG TIME. AND NOW WE'VE REACHED A POINT WITH DEMANDS ON OUR EXPENSES AND OPERATION OF OUR CITY THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT A TAX RATE. AS COUNCILMAN BROWN MENTIONED, NOW'S NOT THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT A NO NEW REVENUE. IT MAY BE NEXT YEAR, AND THE YEAR AFTER THAT, AND THE YEAR AFTER THAT, BUT THIS YEAR IT'S NOT. WE TALKED ABOUT DEPLETING OUR OUR OUR EMERGENCY FUND BALANCE. THAT IS CORRECT. IT'S OUTLINED IN THE CHARTER FOR 90 DAYS. THAT WAS SET UP YEARS AGO WHEN WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE FEROCITY OF THESE STORMS AND THE NUMBER OF STORMS THAT COME INTO THIS ISLAND HERE. AND SO COUNCIL WISELY MOVED THIS AS A POLICY MORE TO 120 DAYS, SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE ADDED PROTECTION. AND NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHIPPING AWAY AT THAT AND TAKING MONEY AGAIN AWAY FROM THE 120 DAYS. THE BUDGET AS PROPOSED, GIVES US 120 DAYS OF EMERGENCY RESERVES, AND WE NEED TO HONOR THAT. THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW, WE TALKED TODAY AT COUNCIL IN OUR WORKSHOP ABOUT THE MARKET RATE FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES. OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND OUR POLICE HAVE UNIONS, AND THEY HAVE BARGAINING WITH THE CITY STAFF AND HAVE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING TO BRING THEIR RATES UP TO MARKET RATE TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE PAID ADEQUATELY. OUR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES DON'T HAVE THAT BENEFIT. OUR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES HERE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SAY WE NEED TO HAVE BE AT AN EQUITABLE LEVEL WITH ALL THE MARKET OUT THERE. RIGHT NOW, WE'RE HEARING ANECDOTALLY THAT OUR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES ARE LESS THAN WHAT YOU WOULD DO AT THE PARK BOARD IF YOU WORKED THERE OR AT THE PORT. WE'RE GOING TO LOSE VALUABLE PEOPLE IF WE KEEP ADOPTING THIS ATTITUDE THAT WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD, KEEP THE TAX RATE AS LOW AS IT IS, AND THEN WE'LL SUFFER FROM LOSING QUALIFIED PEOPLE IN THIS CITY. [01:20:09] WE NEED TO STAND UP. WE NEED TO SAY YES. I WANT TO KEEP THE TAX RATE LOW, BUT NOW'S NOT THE TIME TO DO IT. AND WE'VE GOT A FIRE STATION BOND COMING UP, AND THIS IS GOING TO BE ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT TO SUPPORT A $10 MILLION BOND TO BUILD A NEW FIRE STATION. I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF THAT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY, BUT SOMEBODY'S GOT TO PAY FOR THAT. AND SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IF WE DON'T HAVE THE TAX RATE TO SUPPORT THAT. AND I CAN TELL YOU, IF WE ADOPT THIS NO NEW REVENUE RATE, WE WON'T HAVE THAT TAX RATE TO SUPPORT IT. SO WHAT WE'LL HAVE TO DO IS DIP INTO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE ACCOUNT THAT'S SET ASIDE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ISLAND HERE. AND WHAT THAT MEANS TO YOU AS CITIZENS. THERE ARE POTHOLES, AND THE RESURFACING OF THESE STREETS WON'T PRETEND YOU CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AS THEY HAVE BEEN, AND THEY'LL TAKE A GIANT STEP BACKWARDS. WE HAVE COMMITMENTS TO OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND OUR AND OUR POLICE IN THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ON THE YEARS TO COME. AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT A BUDGET THAT HONORS THOSE COMMITMENTS TO THOSE FIRST RESPONDERS. SO FROM THE STANDPOINT OF I AM SOLIDLY IN FAVOR OF FUNDING A BUDGET THIS YEAR THAT WILL BRING US FORWARD AND GIVE US THE FLEXIBILITY TO NOT PUT ON A LOT OF BIG INCREASES ON PROPERTY TAX IN YEARS TO COME. WE NEED TO STAND UP. I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT OUR FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES HERE ARE NOT LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD HERE A YEAR OR SO, BUT LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD FOR THE FUTURE. IT'S EASY FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD AND SAY, LET'S DO THIS NOW AND THEN WE'LL WE'LL FIGURE THAT OUT LATER. THAT'S WHAT GETS YOU IN A LOT OF TROUBLE WHEN IT COMES TO LIVING ON AN ISLAND. WHEN WE GET A LOT OF CATASTROPHES OR THE POTENTIAL FOR CATASTROPHES ON THIS ISLAND. I'M GOING TO CALL FOR A VOTE ON THIS. YES, MA'AM. I TOO SUPPORT THIS AND FOR THE VARIOUS REASONS. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, INFLATION, AS YOU NOTICE FROM THE OLD 90 DAY, THEN WE HAD TO GO TO THE 120 DAYS. AND IT'S SORT OF LIKE I'M I LOVE THE BUDGET BECAUSE OF THE CUSHION. I KNOW THERE'S EXTRA BALANCE FUND HERE, BUT REMEMBER THE OLD ENVELOPE METHOD WHERE YOU PUT SO MUCH IN HERE FOR THIS ONE AND YOU PUT SO MUCH FOR THAT? WELL THEN IF IF YOU RUN OUT OF THIS ONE, THEN THEN IT'S YOUR BAD LUCK. SO WHAT THIS BUDGET DOES IS IT CUSHIONS MANY OF THE FUND BALANCES AND THEY JUST RECYCLE IT BACK IN THERE. BUT IT ALSO GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE SERVICES THAT WE HAVE TODAY AND NOT TO HAVE TO GO DOWN NEXT YEAR OR WHENEVER, AND THEN HAVE TO GIVE A HIGHER TAX RATE OR SO. I DO SUPPORT THIS AS WELL. I'M GOING TO CALL FOR THE VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM OF FUNDING THE BUDGET AS THE FUNDING, THE TAX RATE TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED BUDGET. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THAT IS FOUR FOR ALL. THOSE AGAINST. THAT IS THREE AGAINST. IT IS. THE MOTION FAILS. DONNA, CAN WE ENTERTAIN AN ALTERNATE MOTION NOW, AT THIS POINT, YES. I'M GOING TO OPEN IT UP. MOTION TO MOVE TO A NO NEW REVENUE RATE. WE HAVE A MOTION FOR MOVING TO A NO NEW REVENUE RATE BY COUNCILMAN PORRETTA, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RAWLINS ON THAT. ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? YES. SO WILL THAT NO NEW REVENUE RATE PROVIDE FOR ANY TYPE OF COST OF LIVING INCREASE FOR OUR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES? I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT ON THAT. YES. I BELIEVE THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO A 2% COST OF LIVING FOR CIVILIAN ONLY SO MANY YEARS, WHEN A COST OF LIVING RAISE HAS GONE IN MANAGEMENT, IT SAID, OH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT, BUT I SEND YOU ALL THE NUMBERS LAST NIGHT. THEY HAVE TAKEN IT. WE HAVE A MIDDLE MANAGEMENT THAT IS SUCKING THE BUDGET DRY. WE HAVE MISMANAGEMENT THAT IS CAUSING EVEN LARGER ISSUES WHEN IT COMES TO RESERVE FUNDS. I COULD SIT HERE AND CITE OFF WITHOUT EVEN HAVING NOTES IN FRONT OF ME. [01:25:04] FIVE DIFFERENT RESERVES THAT AREN'T RESTRICTED, THAT SHOULD BE BEING USED. YOU YOU, SIR, SAID 1% INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAX. WE HAVE A HALF $1 BILLION THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN THE CITY RIGHT NOW, AND ANOTHER BILLION AND A HALF OF CONSTRUCTION THAT'S COMING DOWN THE LINE. YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF ALL THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THIS CITY. YOU'RE AWARE THAT WE SOLD THE AIRPORT PROPERTY. THE FIRST PORTION OF THAT IS GOING UNDER DEVELOPMENT. WE HAVE BEACH DOWN, WE HAVE BEACHSIDE VILLAGE, WE HAVE ROSETTA VILLAGE ROSETTA BEACH, WHICH IS ALREADY IN CONSTRUCTION. WE HAVE TIERRA THAT IS NOW ON THEIR THIRD FLOOR OF CONSTRUCTION. WE HAVE SEX ON THE SEAWALL THAT IS COMING INTO LINE. AND WE CAN KEEP TO FOR PEOPLE TO SIT THERE MAYOR FOR YOU TO SIT THERE AND TO SAY THAT WE HAVE LOWERED TAXES OR KEPT TAXES FLAT. THAT IS A STRAIGHT OUT MISINFORMATION. WE HAVE RAISED TAXES EVERY YEAR BECAUSE OUR APPRAISALS CONTINUE TO GO UP AND UP AND UP AND UP. WE HAVE NEVER LOWERED TAXES AND NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT. OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS, WE TALKED ABOUT BRINGING IN ALTERNATE INCOMES. WE NOW HAVE CLOSE TO $10 MILLION IN ALTERNATE INCOMES. OH, BUT NO, IT'S NOT ENOUGH. I MEAN, THIS IS THE TIME TO DO IT. WE CAN AFFORD TO DO IT. I THINK WE CAN STILL COME UP WITH A WAY TO DO AT LEAST A 2% FOR NON MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEES. IT WAS SO INTRIGUING AS I LOOKED AT THE SALARIES OF THE MIDDLE MANAGEMENT DEPUTY MANAGERS THIS THAT ALL THE DIRECTORS, WHEN THERE WAS A YEAR THAT A COST OF LIVING RAISE WAS NOT GIVEN. EVERY OTHER POSITION GOT A TITLE CHANGE WHERE THEY GOT A RAISE. AND THEN OUR LOWEST PAID EMPLOYEES WERE THE ONES THAT SUFFER. I THINK WITH A NO NEW REVENUE RATE. WE CAN KEEP THE CITY. I THINK WE CAN EVEN REACH 120 DAY RESERVES. BUT WE NEED TO GET OUR NUMBERS CORRECT. I AM APPALLED THAT THE INACCURACIES THAT I FOUND IN THIS BUDGET, AND WE CAN GIVE OUR CIVILIANS A RAISE. WELL, LET ME SAY THIS. WITH THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE YOU'RE STILL COULD HAVE YOUR TAXES GO UP. SO IT'S IT'S ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WE HAVE KEPT OUR TAX RATE HERE AT THE CITY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS NOW. FLAT OR REDUCED THAT TAX RATE. WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE APPRAISAL OF YOUR HOMES. THAT'S. NO, WE DO HAVE THAT. BUT WE HAVE CONTROL OVER THE TAX RATE. AND IT'S TIME TO DO A NO NEW REVENUE RATE. AND NEXT YEAR WE CAN PERHAPS LOOK AT LOWERING THE TAX RATE AND STILL PROVIDING THE SERVICES. LET ME FINISH HERE FOR JUST A SECOND. WE CAN WE CAN WE CAN KEEP OUR TAX RATE. WE CAN WORK EVERY YEAR TO KEEP IT LOW. BUT THAT DOESN'T GUARANTEE YOUR TAXES ARE NOT GOING TO GO UP BECAUSE OF THE APPRAISALS. WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER THOSE. I WISH WE DID. IF YOU WANT TO CONTROL THOSE, YOU NEED TO TALK TO YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND YOUR STATE SENATOR, BECAUSE THAT'S CONTROLLED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS IN THE LEGISLATURE. SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER THAT. OUR CONTROL IS AND WE HAVE, FOR THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS, KEPT A FLAT TAX RATE OR REDUCED YOUR TAX RATE. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING SOMETHING NOW TO KEEP OUR OUR CITY FINANCIALLY SOLVENT. I WANT TO ADDRESS THESE INTERNAL SERVICES FUND. WE TALK ABOUT ALL THIS MONEY THAT'S IN THE INTERNAL SERVICES FUND THAT CAN BE UTILIZED. WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH THAT FUND THAT, HOW MUCH MONEY THAT IS. WE HAVE ADMITTED THAT AT COUNCIL, WE HAVE ASKED OUR AUDITOR TO AUDIT THOSE FUNDS AND DETERMINE HOW MUCH MONEY SHOULD STAY IN THOSE FUNDS, AND THEN HOW MUCH MONEY IS FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO ACTUALLY UTILIZE. SHEILA IS WORKING WITH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO PUT TOGETHER A POLICY ON THAT, BUT WE'RE NOT THERE YET. AND I THINK LOOKING AT THOSE INTERNAL SERVICES FUND IS EXTRA REVENUE FOR THIS CITY TO KEEP THIS TAX RATE LOWER IS GOING TO BE A GOOD IDEA, BUT YOU JUST DON'T SHOTGUN THAT AND SAY, WE'VE GOT EXTRA MONEY AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT WHEN YOU OBJECTIVELY DON'T KNOW THAT YET. [01:30:03] AND WE'RE NOT, WE'RE FOOLED. EXCUSE ME. MARIE WE'RE FOOLED ALL THE TIME. ON MAKING ASSUMPTIONS ON THAT UNTIL WE GET THE DATA AND SO THAT WE ARE WON'T THAT DATA WON'T COME INTO US FOR PROBABLY QUITE A LONG TIME UNTIL IT'S PUT INTO THE NEW BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR OF 27. COUNCIL MEMBER FINKLEA TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION I HAVEN'T EVEN SEEN THE ADOPTED BUDGET. AND WHAT THE COST WOULD BE OVER THE WITH THE TAX RATE I. IS THAT ONLINE? DO WE GET THAT? BECAUSE WE GOT OUR BUDGET BOOK WAS BASED ON A NO NEW REVENUE RATE. THAT'S CORRECT. SO THE UPDATE OR THE SO THE ADOPTED BUDGET, THE ADOPTED BUDGET WOULD BE WE'RE WE'RE. COULD SOMEONE FIND THAT WITH THE CALCULATIONS THAT WE'VE SO WE HAVE NOT THOROUGHLY I SHOULD SAY WE HAVE NOT COME UP WITH A PRINT VERSION OF THAT BECAUSE IT IS A WHOLE LOT OF WORK. WE DON'T HAVE VERSIONING. AND SO TO CREATE A WHOLE VERSION OF THAT ADOPTED BUDGET, WHEN IT MIGHT POTENTIALLY NOT BE THE FINAL BUDGET WOULD BE WAY MORE WORK THAN THEN IS REASONABLE TO ASK THE FINANCE TEAM TO DO. WHAT WE CAN TELL YOU IS THAT THAT 2% AND THAT 120 DAYS IS EQUIVALENT TO THE $2.4 MILLION THAT THE PROPOSED THE ORIGINAL PROPOSED TAX RATE WOULD HAVE BROUGHT YOU. SO IN THE GENERAL FUND, THOSE TWO AMOUNTS, THE 2% INCREASE AND THE REMAINDER OF THE 120 DAYS FROM THE 109 IS ABOUT $2.4 MILLION. OKAY. SO NOTHING ELSE CHANGED, RIGHT? IN YOUR ADOPTED BUDGET? NOTHING ELSE CHANGED. IT WAS JUST THOSE TWO, THE 2% INCREASE. AND THAT'S ACROSS ENTERPRISE FUNDS AS WELL. BUT IT DOESN'T PERTAIN TO THE TAX RATE. AND BECAUSE THOSE WERE THE ONLY TWO CHANGES, IT DID NOT NECESSARILY MAKE SENSE TO REDO THE WHOLE DOCUMENT IF IT WAS. THAT MAKES SENSE. SO FOR FOR THE AND WE'RE BASICALLY JUST LOOKING AT GENERAL FUND KIND OF IN THE BUDGET AS WELL. TO ME PROCEDURALLY I THINK I THINK IT WOULD REQUIRE A BUDGET AMENDMENT ANYWAY. I WOULD, QUITE HONESTLY, I THINK THIS MIGHT BE A LITTLE UNCHARTED TERRITORY, BUT GOING BACK INTO THE BUDGET REGARDING A COST OF LIVING INCREASE, AND I THINK TODAY WE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF WENT TO SCHOOL ON HOW WE HAVE OUR GRADING, OUR SCALE FOR PAY. AND THERE'S PROBABLY I WOULD JUST IDENTIFY FIVE DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT WE CAN LOOK INTO IT. AND I WOULD WANT TO SEE NUMBERS BEFORE MAKING A DECISION. I WANT TO INCLUDE IT, BUT ON A PERCENTAGE OR DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE UNDERNEATH THE MANAGEMENT LEVEL. SO I, I WOULDN'T, I WOULDN'T TIE IT TO THAT, SO TO SPEAK. SO I WOULD JUST LEAVE IT AS IS, BUT WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH A BUDGET AGAIN AND LOOK AT SOME NUMBERS. AND THAT'S KIND OF THING PROCEDURALLY WHERE WE'RE AT. AND IF I'M INCORRECT, SOMEBODY PLEASE LET ME KNOW. I HAVE A PROCEDURAL QUESTION. IF A, IF A TAX RATE IS NOT APPROVED TODAY, WHAT HAPPENS FROM THERE? IF A TAX RATE IS NOT APPROVED TODAY. COUNCIL WOULD HAVE THROUGH NEXT THURSDAY TO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING. AND THAT IS COVERED BY THE NOTICE THAT COUNCIL PROVIDED IN THE GALVESTON DAILY NEWS ON THE 12TH. OKAY. IF THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL COUNCIL MEETING IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME AND COUNCIL DOESN'T PROVIDE NEW NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC FOR A NEW PUBLIC HEARING, THEN THE CLOCK RUNS DOWN TO SEPTEMBER 30TH, AND ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, IT AUTOMATICALLY REVERTS TO THE LOWER OF BETWEEN THE NO NEW REVENUE AND LAST YEAR'S TAX RATE. AND IN THIS CASE, THAT IS THE NO NEW REVENUE. SO ON SEPTEMBER 30TH IT WOULD REVERT TO THE NO NEW REVENUE AND THEN WITHIN FIVE DAYS, COUNCIL WOULD HAVE TO CALL A MEETING AND RATIFY THE FACT THAT THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BY DEFAULT, THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE IS THE TAX RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 26. AND WE WOULD NEED IF IF TAX RATE IS NOT APPROVED TODAY, WE'LL HAVE TO POST TOMORROW. WE HAVE TO POST A MEETING FOR NEXT THURSDAY TOMORROW. MAYOR I'D LIKE TO CALL THE VOTE. SO LET'S GET THAT. IS THAT CORRECT, JANELLE? CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. ANY ANY FURTHER? WE HAVE A CALL FOR A VOTE ON THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS. EXCUSE ME. IT WAS TALKING TO YOUR MIC. I THOUGHT THERE WAS A QUESTION REGARDING THE COLA AND WHAT AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT WAS ADDED TO THE MOTION. CORRECT. MY QUESTION SPECIFICALLY WAS, IS THAT IF UNDER THE PROPOSED MOTION RIGHT [01:35:08] NOW TO GO TO THE, NO NEW REVENUE RATE RAITT WAS A 2% COLA INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET. AND THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS NO. IT IS NOT CURRENTLY INCLUDED IN THE APPROVED BUDGET. OH. THE AMENDED BUDGET? YES. OH, WELL, THE ORIGINAL PROPOSED BUDGET. THE ORIGINAL PROPOSED BUDGET? YES. THE ONE THAT'S BEEN PUBLISHED ONLINE DID NOT HAVE A 2% COLA IN IT. CORRECT. AND SO WHILE WE MAY HAVE AS A COUNCIL A GENERAL PRINCIPLE THAT SAYS WE WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO PROVIDE THAT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE CURRENTLY IS ATTACHED TO THE BUDGET, THAT NO. WHAT WILL HAVE TO HAPPEN IS STAFF REVIEWS THE BUDGET AS IT STANDS. AND WE WOULD PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO THAT BUDGET AT THE OCTOBER COUNCIL MEETING, WHICH WOULD ALIGN WITH REVENUE THAT WAS PROVIDED BY THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE. THE EASIEST THING FOR STAFF TO DO WOULD BE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT YOU ORIGINALLY RECEIVED BECAUSE THAT IS BASED ON THAT TAX RATE. IF COUNCIL WANTS SOMETHING TO SEE SOMETHING DIFFERENT LET'S SAY SOME SORT OF COLA THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE ARRANGED OR AMENDED AT AN OCTOBER COUNCIL. THANK YOU. RIGHT. BECAUSE WE WOULD SHEILA, WE WOULD IF A NO NEW REVENUE RATE PASSES, WE WOULD HAVE TO AMEND THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE APPROVED ON AUGUST 28TH. THAT IS CORRECT, BECAUSE IT WOULD NO REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES WOULD NO LONGER ALIGN. OKAY. VERY GOOD. WE HAVE A MOTION FOR THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. I'M JUST GOING TO SAY I, IN GOOD CONSCIENCE, CANNOT SUPPORT THIS, BUT LET'S CAST YOUR VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? WE HAVE THREE IN FAVOR. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? IT DOES NOT PASS. JANELLE WILL NEED TO POST A MEETING FOR OUR COMING THURSDAY, IF WE COULD. YES. WHAT TIME DO YOU WANT TO HAVE THE MEETING? IT'S A GOOD QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW. DONNA, IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON IT, BUT THE NOTICE FOR THIS MEETING WAS POSTED FOR A 5 P.M. MEETING, AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD BE APPLICABLE FOR FUTURE MEETINGS RELATED TO THAT NOTICE. JUST WITH THE NEW POSTING TIMEFRAMES. DONNA, I CAN'T HEAR YOU. I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY WITH THE NEW POSTING TIMEFRAMES AND ASKING JANELLE THE CITY SECRETARY. YEAH, THE THE AGENDA HAS TO BE POSTED THREE FULL BUSINESS DAYS PRIOR TO THE MEETING. IS THAT WHAT YOU HAVE TO BE POSTED TO? I DON'T THAT'S NOT WHAT SHEILA IS ASKING. IT COULD BE WEDNESDAY. IT CAN'T BE WEDNESDAY. FRIDAY. YOU KNOW YOU COULD DO IT THURSDAY. YOU CAN'T COUNT THURSDAY AND YOU CAN'T COUNT. YOU CAN'T COUNT TOMORROW. YOU CAN'T COUNT THE DAY THAT YOU POSTED. IT HAS TO BE THREE FULL DAYS, THREE DAYS BETWEEN POSTED PRIOR TO THE MEETING. BUT MY COMMENT WAS RELATED TO THE NOTICE THAT WE PROVIDE IN THE PAPER NOTICES THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE TAX RATE TO BE AT A 5 P.M. MEETING TODAY, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT 5 P.M. TIME IS SIGNIFICANT FOR THE TIMING OF THE MEETING. NO. DO WE HAVE TO HOLD ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING? NO. THIS PUBLIC HEARING COVERED FOR IT. SO I THINK JUST I THINK JUST THE THE AGENDA NOTICE IS SUFFICIENT AND I DON'T I DON'T THINK THAT THE 5:00 TIME IS SIGNIFICANT FOR A FUTURE MEETING. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY NEEDED. OKAY. WELL WOULD BE THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR OUR CITIZENS TO HAVE IT AT FIVE. SO SHEILA, LET ME OR JANELLE WE WOULD HAVE ON THE AGENDA. THEN FOR THURSDAY, WE WOULD HAVE TO APPROVE THE TAX RATE. AND DO WE NEED AN ITEM TO AMEND THE BUDGET? IF THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE? I WOULD NOT SUGGEST THAT YET, BECAUSE I WOULD NOT HAVE A PROPOSAL TO GIVE YOU FOR THAT AMENDMENT WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THE TAX RATE WOULD BE. SO HOW DO WE IF WE AT THURSDAY WE TAX RATE IS APPROVED, THEN WHAT BUDGET. WHEN DO WE AMEND THE BUDGET? IF A NO NEW REVENUE IS APPROVED, WE WOULD BRING AN AMENDMENT TO YOU AT THE OCTOBER COUNCIL MEETING. CAN WE DO THAT? WE DID IT LAST YEAR. YES, YOU CAN DO IT. WE CANNOT SPEND ALL THE MONEY IN THE FIRST MONTH OF THE YEAR, AND SO WE WILL NOT EXCEED THE APPROPRIATED EXPENDITURES BEFORE THE OCTOBER COUNCIL MEETING, I PROMISE. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THE AGENDA FOR THURSDAY'S MEETING. [01:40:04] WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE TAX RATE. THE SAME AGENDA ITEM IS TODAY TO VOTE ON THE TAX RATE TO APPROVE A TAX RATE. SO WHAT'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FROM TODAY? NOTHING. THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT. SO SO WHAT WOULD IT BE WOULD COULD THE COULD PART OF OUR MOTION BE SOMETHING LIKE APPROVE THE NO NEW RATE TAX RATE WITH AN AMENDMENT TO THE BUDGET, SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENT TO THE BUDGET TO INCLUDE THE RAISE FOR THE EMPLOYEES. WELL, A THIRD MOTION TODAY. NO, NOT NOT TODAY. FOR LATER. I THINK THE ONLY TWO OPTIONS FAILED IS AM I CORRECT TO POINT OF ORDER IS I THINK IT'S JUST ONE OR THE OTHER. YOU LET THE TIME RUN OUT AND THEN EITHER IT'S THE THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE OR YOU GO BACK TO WHAT IT WAS YEAR BEFORE. AND I THINK WE'VE ALREADY SAID IT'S THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE, I MEAN I SO COUNCIL OPTIONS ARE. THE PROBLEM IS WE DON'T HAVE A BUDGET THAT ACCOMPANIES OUR TAX RATE. WELL, WE HAVE ONE THAT ACCOMPANIES. YEAH, THE 43, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ONE COVERING THE NEW NO NEW REVENUE. WE WOULD EITHER HAVE TO BRING BACK A BUDGET AMENDMENT WHICH WOULD REQUIRE A MEETING, OR WE WOULD HAVE TO ATTEMPT TO RATIFY A TAX RATE BEFORE SEPTEMBER 30TH. WELL, I THINK THE WE HAVE A BUDGET. YOU HAVE TO ESTABLISH THE TAX RATE FIRST IS WHAT I'M. NO. YOU ESTABLISH THE BUDGET FIRST. WELL, YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED A BUDGET. YOU HAVE ADOPTED A BUDGET. SO YOU HAVE LEGALLY DONE WHAT THE STATE LAW REQUIRES YOU TO DO. OKAY. ONCE COUNCIL APPROVES ANY TAX RATE, THEN WE ARE FACED WITH WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT ARE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. AND WE HAVE TO REEVALUATE THE BUDGET. THE CHARTER REQUIRES THAT EXPENDITURES CANNOT EXCEED REVENUE. SO IF FOR SOME REASON, EXPENDITURES EXCEEDED REVENUE. WE WOULD COME BACK TO COUNCIL IN OCTOBER AND SAY BASED ON THE APPROVED TAX RATE, WE NEED TO AMEND THE APPROVED BUDGET SO THAT THOSE TWO THINGS ALIGN. THE ORDER OF THAT, UNFORTUNATELY, IS DICTATED BY STATE LAW AND THEN BY THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE CHARTER. SO WE CANNOT AMEND THE BUDGET TO MOVE TO A NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET AT OUR MEETING COMING UP THURSDAY, A WEEK FROM NOW. YOU MAYOR SPEAKING TO YOUR MIC, ARE YOU MEETING AGAIN? WELL, I'M I. KNOW, BUT IT'S PROCEDURALLY YOU NEED TO HAVE A TAX RATE RATIFIED. I BELIEVE THAT THE TAX RATE RATIFICATION HAS FAILED FOR BOTH OPTIONS. OR SOMEONE CAN PROPOSE ANOTHER OPTION, BUT LET'S BE HONEST, PROBABLY GOING TO FAIL. SO THEN WE WOULD PROBABLY WANT TO MEET AGAIN TO EITHER RATIFY A TAX RATE, WHICH WE'RE ALL GOING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS AGAIN. BUT IF WE LET THE TIME LAPSE AND WE DON'T AMEND A BUDGET TO FIT A RATIFIED TAX RATE, AND WE DON'T RATIFY A TAX RATE IN FIVE DAYS AFTER WE AFTER SEPTEMBER 30TH, WE HAVE FIVE DAYS TO MEET TO RATIFY THE TAX RATE THAT IS BY DEFAULT. AND THEN WE'D HAVE TO DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT EITHER IN THAT OCTOBER TIME FRAME OR THAT FIVE TIME FRAME. THAT'S THE ONLY THING I'M NOT CLEAR ABOUT, BUT THE REST IS CRYSTAL. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO AMEND THE BUDGET IN THE FIVE DAYS. IT HAS TO BE SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE. YES, WE WOULD WANT IT TO BE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AND THAT'S WHY THE OCTOBER COUNCIL MEETING MAKES SENSE. AND THAT WOULD ALLOW STAFF ENOUGH TIME TO GET IT ALL COMPLETED SO THAT WE HAVE A FINAL PRODUCT FOR YOU BASED ON THAT TAX RATE. YOU ALREADY HAVE A BUDGET WORKED UP FOR A NO NEW TAX RATE. ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. YES. THAT'S GOING TO BE IDENTICAL. PROBABLY. YEAH. IDENTICAL. THAT'S WHERE I WAS GETTING. NO. WOULD HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO INCLUDE A 2% CIVILIAN INCREASE. AUTHORIZES THIS. CAN YOU TALK INTO YOUR MIC, BRIAN? WE CAN'T BUDGET 2% UNLESS YOU AUTHORIZE USE OF THE RESERVES, BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE THE MONEY COULD COME FROM. GIVEN THE CURRENT BUDGET. YOU'D HAVE TO TAKE IT FROM SOMEWHERE. YEAH. OKAY. AND I DON'T THINK IT WOULD HAVE TO COME FROM THE GENERAL FUND RESERVES. WELL SHEILA. SO WHAT OUTLINED TO ME WHAT WILL BE ON THE BUDGET ON OUR. WHAT DATE IS THAT? JANELLE? LET ME LOOK 25TH ON ON SEPTEMBER 25TH. WHAT IS THE WHAT ITEM WILL BE ON OUR BUDGET, ON OUR ON THE AGENDA? [01:45:04] THE ONLY ITEM THAT WOULD BE ON THE MEETING AGENDA FOR THE 25TH, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, IS THE APPROVAL OF THE TAX RATE. OKAY. AND THEN ONCE THAT TAX RATE, IF IF WE DON'T MOVE TO APPROVE IT AT THAT POINT, THEN WE HAVE TO MEET WITHIN. WHAT'S OUR NEXT MEETING WITHIN FIVE DAYS OF OCTOBER 1ST. BUT TO BE CLEAR, YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED TO MEET NEXT WEEK EITHER. NO, NOTHING WOULD BE DIFFERENT. NOTHING WOULD BE DIFFERENT. YOU CAN MEET NEXT WEEK TO IT DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING. YOU STILL HAVE TO MEET WITHIN FIVE. WELL, THAT'S. I THOUGHT WE WERE REQUIRED. WE DON'T HAVE. NO, THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT. IT'S JUST THAT'S THE LIMIT OF WHEN YOU CAN MEET. IF YOU THINK YOU CAN COME TO AN AGREEMENT AND IT'S WORTH IT TO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING. IF IT'S NOT WORTH IT TO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING, THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT TO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING. SO IF WE DON'T HAVE ANOTHER MEETING, WHERE DO WE GO WITH THE TAX RATE AND ALL THAT? IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANOTHER MEETING, IT RUNS DOWN TO SEPTEMBER 30TH, AND THEN THERE'S A FIVE DAYS IN WHICH YOU HAVE TO CALL A MEETING TO RATIFY THE FACT THAT YOU ARE GOING WITH THE DEFAULT TAX RATE, AND THEN WE WOULD APPROVE THE BUDGET TO SUPPORT THAT OCTOBER 23RD. THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I WILL SAY THAT IF THE COUNCIL DOES NOT APPROVE A TAX RATE TONIGHT AND THEY ARE THINKING ABOUT HAVING ANOTHER MEETING, THEY NEED TO ANNOUNCE THAT AT THIS MEETING. YOU CAN'T NOT TALK ABOUT IT AND THEN CALL A MEETING. YEAH, NO I UNDERSTAND. COUNCIL. LET'S LET'S CAN WE WE CAN DISCUSS THAT THEN. DONNA, CAN WE DISCUSS THAT? I THINK PART OF THE REGULATION IS THAT YOU YOU NEED TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE GOING TO CALL ANOTHER MEETING WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE DAYS. SIX DAYS, SEVEN DAYS. IN OTHER WORDS, YES, YOU CAN DISCUSS ANOTHER MEETING WITHIN THE NEXT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YES. I JUST I JUST HEARD THAT WITHIN FIVE DAYS AFTER THE DEFAULT DATE ARRIVES HERE ON THE 30TH, THEN WE HAVE TO MEET TO APPROVE THE NEW BUDGET THAT WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE. NO NEW REVENUE. NO NO NO NO NO. I MEAN, WE HAVE TO STAY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE CHARTER SAYS WE CAN'T SPEND MORE THAN THAN WE HAVE REVENUE FOR ANYWAY. AND WE'LL BRING YOU AN AMENDED BUDGET. WE CAN BRING THAT TO YOU AT ANY TIME NEXT YEAR. OKAY. BUT IF YOU WANTED ME TO TRY TO ADOPT A TAX RATE, IT HAS TO BE WITHIN SEVEN DAYS OF THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT YOU HELD TODAY. IF IF WE FEEL IF IF WE FEEL THAT OUR VOTES ARE NOT GOING TO CHANGE, THEN WE CAN JUST MEET TO RATIFY THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. WE DON'T HAVE TO. YOU WOULDN'T DO THAT UNTIL OCTOBER MAYOR FIVE DAYS AFTER SEPTEMBER. RIGHT? RIGHT. DEFAULT. BUT WE COULD. THAT WOULD BE. THAT WOULD BE THE. IF WE DON'T MEET AN IN WEEK FROM NOW, THEN WE WOULD JUST MEET FIVE DAYS AFTER SEPTEMBER 30TH TO RATIFY THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. IS THAT RIGHT, SHEILA? WITHIN FIVE DAYS? YEAH, WITHIN FIVE DAYS. AND THAT IS CORRECT? YES. OKAY. OKAY. COUNCIL, I'M OPEN THIS UP FOR THOUGHTS FROM COUNCIL. I MEAN, IT LOOKS LIKE WHERE WE ARE. LOOKS LIKE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE MOVING. THEN WE'LL MOVE TO HAVE A RATIFICATION MEETING. WHAT DATES SPECIFICALLY ARE WE LOOKING AT? JANELLE. WELL, I THINK YOU WOULD YOU WOULD DO YOU COULD. I THINK YOU'D BE THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER. SO FIRST, 2ND OR 3RD OCTOBER. FIRST, SECOND OR THIRD. FIRST. SECOND OR THIRD. REALISTICALLY, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK A DISCUSSION ABOUT OUR BUDGET AND RATIFYING A TAX RATE WOULD TAKE? WELL, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THE BUDGET THEN. NO. OKAY. THAT'S FINE. WE'RE JUST RATIFYING TAX RATE. RIGHT. AND IF WE IF THE LET ME IF SAY WE MEET ON THE FIRST OR THE SECOND, THEN THE IF WE MEET ON THE FIRST OR THE SECOND, THEN WE AUTOMATICALLY FALL INTO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. WE NEED TO VOTE TO RATIFY THAT. AND THEN BRIAN THEN WOULD HAVE TO BRING A BUDGET TO US TO SUPPORT THAT. NO NEW REVENUE RATE, WHICH HE'S ALREADY DONE, COULD BE DONE ANY TIME DURING NEXT FISCAL YEAR. WE WON'T OVERSPEND, BUT WE WE NEED TO. SO THAT COULD BE DONE IN OCTOBER. 23RD MEETING AT THAT TIME AND YOU ONLY NEED FOUR TO RATIFY. YOU DON'T NEED SIX. OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD. FIVE. FOUR TO RATIFY. YOU SAID SIX TO RATIFY. I'M SORRY. FIVE. SIX. [01:50:02] FOUR. LOST IN THE NUMBERS. ALRIGHT, COUNCIL, IT SEEMS TO ME, UNLESS I HEAR AN ALTERNATE THOUGHT THAT WE'RE GOING TO SET UP A RATIFICATION MEETING FOR COUNCIL THAT WILL BE WITHIN FIVE DAYS OF THE END OF THE MONTH. IS THAT CORRECT? IS THAT FIVE BUSINESS DAYS OR FIVE DAY DAYS? SHEILA, THE CODE SAYS FIVE DAYS. SO IT DOESN'T SAY BUSINESS DAYS. IT DOESN'T CLARIFY IT AS BUSINESS DAYS. SO THAT LEAVES THAT LEAVES MORE THAN LIKELY THE FIRST OR THE SECOND TO DO THAT. YEAH. ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON THEN. LET'S [9. PUBLIC COMMENT] MOVE TO ITEM NINE. PUBLIC COMMENT. AND I HAVE FLO TAYLOR. IS SHE STILL WITH US HERE? FLO, I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE, FLO. THANK YOU. HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING? FINE. THANK YOU. GOOD TO FINALLY MEET YOU, MR. MAYOR. YES, FLO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ATTENDING TO OUR ISSUE. AND YOU ALL HAVE SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT STUFF GOING ON TODAY. SO MY PURPOSE IN GALVESTON RIGHT NOW IS TO HELP WITH WHAT I SEE CONCERNING THE HUMAN CONDITION. AND SO I JUST NEED TO SAY I WON'T BELABOR THE FACTS, BUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO AND WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING INTO THE, I BELIEVE, THE POLITICAL UNHOUSED POPULATION. AND WE ARE WORKING SEVEN DAYS A WEEK WITH THAT FORMING TASK FORCE, JOINING UP WITH OTHER PEOPLE TO TRY TO SEE WHAT CAN HAPPEN. AND A LOT CAN HAPPEN. THOSE OF US WHO'VE SEEN LIFE FROM BOTH SIDES. MY FATHER WAS A FEDERAL JUDGE AND AN APPEALS EXAMINER, AND MY MOTHER GOT SICK AND SHE WAS ON THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM. SO I GREW UP EQUAL TIME WITH BOTH OF THEM. AND I CAN SEE WHAT WILL DEFINITELY HELP IN THIS AREA AS WE MOVE FORWARD. SO THAT'S WHAT I DO. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR LISTENING. I'M GOING TO SCOOT OUT. I WISH THAT YOU ALL COULD ANSWER, ASK QUESTIONS OR WHATEVER. AND AND SO YES, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE STREETSCAPE MINISTRIES. I WAS JUST ADVISED TO BRING THAT UP. I WASN'T GOING TO BE SPECIFIC. YOU ALL ARE DOING SOMETHING REALLY SIGNIFICANT HERE TODAY. SO THANK YOU. I WISH WE COULD GO BACK AND FORTH LIKE WHERE ANYBODY COULD ASK QUESTIONS. SOMETIMES WE WISH WE COULD TOO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHTY. IT'S GOOD TO PUT A FACE WITH THE NAME. YES. THANKS. NICE TO SEE YOU. WE'RE ON THE CASE. SERIOUS? THANK YOU. BYE BYE. JOE. CAPPADONNA. THIS IS GOING TO BE FUN TRYING TO FOLLOW THAT GUY'S. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF AND GUESTS. MY NAME IS JOE CAPPADONNA. I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CITY OF GALVESTON SISTER CITIES COMMITTEE. AND THESE ARE SOME OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS THAT SERVE ON THE COMMITTEE. WE'RE HERE TODAY TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON OUR SIX ON OUR CITY'S 60TH ANNIVERSARY WITH OUR SISTER CITY, NIIGATA, JAPAN. A QUICK A QUICK HISTORY TO THE COMMITTEE. THIS PROGRAM WAS INITIATED IN 1956 BY PRESIDENT DWIGHT D EISENHOWER TO BRING UNDERSTANDING AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE BETWEEN CITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE. GALVESTON HAS FOUR SISTER CITY PARTNERSHIPS. NIIGATA, JAPAN. VERACRUZ, MEXICO. STAVANGER, NORWAY. MAKAROVA, SPAIN, WHICH IS THE LAST, IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF BERNARDO DE GALVEZ. OUR FIRST AND OLDEST IS NIIGATA, JAPAN. STARTING IN 1965 AND THE ANNIVERSARY OF OUR BIG 60 EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE DELEGATES. OUR DELEGATES WENT TO JAPAN TO CELEBRATE THE MILESTONE OF OUR 60TH ANNIVERSARY WITH THE CITY OF NIIGATA. IN RETURN, THE CITY OF NIIGATA IS SENDING US 23 REPRESENTATIVES ON IN NOVEMBER NOVEMBER 13TH THROUGH THE 17TH. THEY WILL BE ATTENDING WILL BE THE VICE MAYOR OF NIIGATA NINE OR EXCUSE ME, EIGHT CITY STAFF MEMBERS AND 14 SISTER CITY COMMITTEE MEMBERS. THE DATES OF THE EVENT IS NOVEMBER 13TH THROUGH THE 17TH, 2025 AS GALVESTON CITY COUNCIL. WE FORMALLY INVITE YOU TO JOIN IN THE CELEBRATION AND TO PROMOTE THIS OCCASION TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS. OUR COMMITTEE WILL SEND TIMES FOR THE VARIOUS EVENTS SO THAT THE COMMUNITY AND ALL, WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE A GREAT CELEBRATION, [01:55:09] AND THE FINALE OF IT WILL BE AT THE BEAUTIFUL CITY WATER WORKS BUILDING ON NOVEMBER 16TH. OVER THE LAST YEAR, OUR COMMITTEE HAS BEEN MAKING PREPARATIONS FOR THIS OCCASION, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHOWCASING OUR CITY AND TO STRENGTHENING OUR FRIENDSHIP WITH NIIGATA. ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND THE COMMITTEE, I'D LIKE TO SEND A KIND THANKS TO OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND OUR COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE SHARON LEWIS TO THE CITY STAFF. I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK IN THEIR HELP IN MAKING THIS ALL COME TO FRUITION. TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY AT GALVESTON HAS OPENED THEIR DOORS. THE PORT OF GALVESTON HAS BEEN VERY, VERY RECEPTIVE IN HELPING US ENTERTAIN AND EDUCATE OUR FRIENDS FROM JAPAN. AND THERE ARE MANY OTHERS WHO ARE HELPING US. BUT IT'S I JUST DON'T HAVE THAT ENOUGH TIME. LASTLY, OUR COMMITTEE HAS DISTRIBUTED INFORMATIONAL FLIERS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY TO ENCOURAGE CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS IN SUPPORT OF GALVESTON SISTER CITY INITIATIVES. ALL DONATIONS WILL BE EXCLUSIVELY. DON'T KICK THEM OFF THE STAND YET. DID I GO TOO LONG? I DIDN'T DO A THING. TO ADVANCE OUR SISTER CITY FUNCTIONS. WE WARMLY INVITE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS MEANINGFUL CAUSE. TO MAKE A DONATION OR TO LEARN MORE, PLEASE CONTACT US AT GALVESTON SISTER CITIES AT GMAIL.COM. WE PLEASE LOOK FORWARD TO US COMING BACK TO YOU NEXT MONTH WITH A BETTER A MORE SECURE ITINERARY FOR Y'ALL TO KNOW ABOUT. AND I HOPE YOU CAN ALL MAKE IT TO THE BIG FANDANGO ON NOVEMBER THE 16TH. WITH THAT, WE SAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE. GREAT, GREAT GREAT COMMITTEE. THAT'S ALL THE PAMPHLETS I HAVE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. IS ANYONE IN THE ROOM? WANT TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT? HEARING? NO RESPONSE TO THAT. LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM 11, PLEASE. [11. CONSENT ITEMS] ITEM 11 CONSENT ITEMS. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS SHALL BE CONSIDERED FOR ACTION AS A WHOLE, UNLESS ONE OR MORE COUNCIL MEMBERS OBJECTS, THE CITY MANAGER IS AUTHORIZED TO EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS UPON FINAL APPROVAL BY THE CITY ATTORNEY. COUNSEL, IS THERE ANY COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO PULL ANY OF THESE ITEMS TO DISCUSS INDIVIDUALLY? HEARING NO RESPONSE, I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 11 A THROUGH 11 X. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? I'LL SECOND. WE HAVE COUNCIL COUNCILWOMAN LEWIS BEAT YOU TO PUNCH? MARIE. ALRIGHTY. ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. WE HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. THAT IS UNANIMOUS. ALL RIGHT. LET'S MOVE TO ITEM 12. [12.A Discuss and consider the City of Galveston's selection for a Texas Municipal League (TML) Regional Director from Region 14. (Brown)] A, IF WE COULD, PLEASE. WELL, THEY DISCUSS AND CONSIDER THE CITY OF GALVESTON SELECTION FOR A TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE REGIONAL DIRECTOR FROM REGION 14. I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO NOMINATE SALLY BRANSON AS OUR DISTRICT. REGION FOUR. I'LL SECOND THAT. I'LL SECOND THAT. THANK YOU. IS OUR REGION 14 REPRESENTATIVE ON THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE. THOSE THAT HAVE WORKED WITH SALLY KNOWS HOW HOW WHAT A WONDERFUL PERSON TO WORK WITH AND HOW EFFICIENT SHE IS AND GETS THINGS DONE. SHE IS CURRENTLY SERVING ON THAT. SHE'S THE INCUMBENT. AND ALSO SHE'S THE CHAIRPERSON OF THAT AREA. SO I THINK SALLY WOULD BE A GOOD PERSON TO CONTINUE TO SERVE. WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THAT IS UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [12.B Consider for action, if necessary, a motion giving direction to staff related to any economic development proposals related to Project Bounty in the City of Galveston. (M. Hay)] ITEM 12 B, IF WE COULD PLEASE, MA'AM. WELL BE CONSIDER FOR ACTION, IF NECESSARY, A MOTION GIVING DIRECTION TO STAFF RELATED TO ANY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS RELATED TO PROJECT BOUNTY IN THE CITY OF GALVESTON. ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A MOTION I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ON ITEM 12 B. I MOVE TO DIRECT STAFF TO CONTINUE NEGOTIATIONS ON THE PROJECT BOUNTY DEVELOPMENT, BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM TODAY'S WORKSHOP DISCUSSION, AND TO BRING FORWARD A FORMAL AGREEMENT REVIEWED BY LEGAL FOR COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION. SECOND. HAVE A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THAT IS UNANIMOUS. [12.C Consider for action a motion to participate in a settlement agreement regarding opioid litigation with the Texas Attorney General’s Office. (Legal)] [02:00:07] VERY GOOD. ITEM 12 C, PLEASE. ITEM 12 C CONSIDER FOR ACTION A MOTION TO PARTICIPATE IN A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT REGARDING OPIOID LITIGATION WITH THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. HAVE A MOTION HERE I'D LIKE TO MAKE FOR ITEM 12. C IF WE COULD MOTION TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER OR HIS DESIGNEE AND CITY LEGAL TO PARTICIPATE IN A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT REGARDING OPIOID LITIGATION WITH THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND. BY COUNCILWOMAN LEWIS. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THAT IS UNANIMOUS. LET'S MOVE. WE HAVE WITHDRAWN. 12 D LET'S MOVE TO ITEM 12 E, PLEASE. [12.E A Resolution Of The City Of Galveston Authorizing The City To Apply To The First Street Initiative Program Offered By The Texas Historical Commission, Whose Goals Are For Revitalization Of Historic Districts; To Authorize The City Manager To Execute All Required Documents; And To Provide, As Necessary, The City’s Point Of Contact For The Program; Providing For Findings Of Fact And Providing For An Effective Date. (B. Brown/C. Brown)] ITEM 12, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF GALVESTON AUTHORIZING THE CITY TO APPLY TO THE FIRST STREET INITIATIVE PROGRAM OFFERED BY THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION, WHOSE GOALS ARE FOR REVITALIZATION OF HISTORIC DISTRICTS, TO AUTHORIZE A CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS, AND TO PROVIDE, AS NECESSARY, THE CITY'S POINT OF CONTACT FOR THE PROGRAM, PROVIDING FOR FINDINGS OF FACT, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. YES, BOB. WELL, MOTION TO APPROVE AUTHORIZING THE CITY TO APPLY FOR THE FIRST STREET INITIATIVE PROGRAM. WE HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL AND SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER RAWLINS. ALL RIGHT. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THAT IS UNANIMOUS. LET'S MOVE TO ITEM 12 F, PLEASE, MA'AM. [12.F Discuss and consider appointments to the following City boards, commissions, and committees] ITEM 12 F, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER APPOINTMENTS TO THE FOLLOWING CITY BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES. COUNCIL I'M GOING TO TRY TO GO THROUGH THIS, SO IT'S NOT VERY CUMBERSOME IF I'D LIKE TO START WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND WHARVES BOARD NOMINATIONS AND GET THOSE OUT OF THE WAY. WE HAVE OUR RANKING. I'M GOING TO NOMINATE MARY JANE LANCE FOR POSITION SEVEN WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND HERB WALPOLE FOR POSITION FIVE. WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT. GOOD. ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THAT? THAT IS UNANIMOUS. I'M GOING TO ALSO NOMINATE ERIC STRÖMBLAD AND FOR POSITION TWO FOR THE WHARVES BOARD AND WILLIE GONZALES FOR POSITION ONE FOR THE WHARVES BOARD. I'LL SECOND THAT. I'LL SECOND THAT. HE'S HE'S HERE. BOTH HERE. HE SAID SO HE GETS A PREFERENCE. SO ANYWAY, WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND ON THAT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THAT IS UNANIMOUS. WONDERFUL. GOOD. CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE TWO. AND I WANT TO THANK JOHN EDWARDS FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION, FOR HER SERVICE. AND I WANT TO THANK JIM YARBOROUGH FOR HIS SERVICE FOR THE WHARF'S BOARD. ALL RIGHT. NOW, OUR NEXT NEXT THING, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DEFER ACTION ON THE ARTS AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD AND ON THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION UNTIL WE GET FURTHER DETAILS ON HOW THE STRUCTURE OF THOSE PARTICULAR COMMITTEES SHOULD BE SHOULD BE MOVED FORWARD. IS THERE A SECOND FOR THAT? SECOND I'VE COUNCIL MEMBER FINKLEA ON THE SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. VERY GOOD. JANELLE. JUST TO CLARIFY, CITY MANAGER'S APPOINTMENTS, WE DON'T NEED TO BE INVOLVED WITH THAT. OR DO YOU NEED TO READ THOSE? CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, THOSE ARE YOUR APPOINTMENTS. I DON'T HAVE ANY FOR TONIGHT. NO ACTION FROM COUNCIL. ALRIGHT. VERY GOOD. NOW LET'S GET. LET'S GO. I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THE FOLLOWING REAPPOINTMENTS FOR THE BOARDS HERE. I WOULD LIKE TO REAPPOINT MICHAEL GERTNER FOR THE BUILDING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS AND APPEALS. MICHAEL GERTNER, JAMES. WEISNER. RAYMOND. MAN. SHELBY. SHELBY. GONZALES FOR THE BUILDING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS. AND ERNIE WELDING FOR THE BUILDING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS. AND TOM HALL FOR THE BUILDING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS. [02:05:03] I NEED TO REMOVE THAT NAME, MAYOR TOM HALL. I NEED TO REMOVE THAT NAME. OKAY. IS THAT SOMETHING WE NEED TO ADDRESS? OH, OKAY. VERY GOOD. SO I'M GOING TO TO GO OVER THAT. MOVE TO REAPPOINT MICHAEL TO THE BUILDING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS AND APPEALS. MICHAEL GAERTNER. JAMES. WEISNER. RAYMOND. MAN. SHELBY. SHELBY. GONZALES AND ERNIE WELDON FOR THE. FINANCE. I'LL COME BACK TO THAT FOR THE LANDMARK COMMISSION. JANE FITS FOR THE LANDMARK COMMISSION. LAND LIENS. HANK. THEORY FOR THE LANDMARK COMMISSION. ALLISON SMITH. FOR THE PENSION EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT FUND FOR NON CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES. ROLAND BASSETT, JUNIOR FOR THE PENSION POLICE FUND. HAL. HOW RAKHINE MAYOR HOW RAKHINE IS TERM LIMITED SO WE WON'T INCLUDE HIM. THANK YOU. JANELLE. I MISSED THAT ONE. OKAY. FOR SISTER CITIES PROGRAM. DONNA WILLIAMS FOR SISTER CITIES PROGRAM. SYDNEY TRIGGER TREE COMMITTEE. MATT HANNAN. TREE COMMITTEE. ALICE O'DONNELL. TREE COMMITTEE. PRISCILLA FILES. ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT. CAROL HOLLOWAY AND ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS. GIA BOKOVA. IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT? I'LL SECOND HAVE A SECOND FOR THAT. COUNCILMAN BROWN. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THAT? THAT IS UNANIMOUS. NOW WE NEED TO FILL VACANCIES. THOSE THAT ARE IN FIELD SPOTS THAT ARE TERM LIMITED, AND I NEED TO GET COUNCIL'S DIRECTION ON THOSE THAT HAVE HAD ATTENDANCE CONCERNS. LET'S START, IF WE COULD, WITH FINANCE AND FISCAL AFFAIRS. THAT IS AN APPOINTMENT FROM DISTRICT THREE. BOB. I HAVE A I HAVE A REALLY GOOD, REALLY QUALIFIED PERSON, I THINK, FOR THIS. YOU KNOW, THE QUALIFICATIONS ARE THAT THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS SHALL POSSESS A REPUTATION FOR PERSONAL INTEGRITY, INDEPENDENCE, JUDGMENT, DILIGENCE AND EXPERIENCE AND BUDGET PROCESS. GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES ARE SUBSTANTIAL ORGANIZATIONS, AS WELL AS EXPERIENCE AND ANALYSIS OF ACCOUNTING, REPORTING AND OTHER INFORMATION UTILIZE THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OF STEVE STEPHEN GOOSE HAS APPLIED FOR THIS AND HE IS AN EXPERIENCED FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL WHO HAS HELD KEY LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN COMPANIES LIKE PURIFY FUEL INCORPORATED, CATERPILLAR INCORPORATED, ELECTRO-MOTIVE DIESELS WITH A BACKGROUND IN ACCOUNTING, AND AN MBA FROM NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY. STRONG, STRONG TRACK RECORD IN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, REPORTING AND ANALYSIS. HE SERVED AS CFO FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMPANIES AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT REGIONS. I THINK WE'RE REALLY LUCKY TO HAVE HIM. I'M GLAD HE HAS APPLIED AND I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE HIM. VERY GOOD. WE HAVE A NOMINATION. I'LL SECOND THAT. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THAT IS UNANIMOUS. ALL RIGHT LET'S MOVE TO PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD. ROSE, TEJERINA IS TEJERINA. I'M SORRY. SHE IS TERM LIMITED. I'M GOING TO WENT THROUGH THE APPLICATIONS OF THOSE INTERESTED, AND I'M GOING TO NOMINATE REBECCA JAWORSKI FOR THAT POSITION. FOR PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. HAVE A SECOND TO THAT. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? WE HAVE 123. FOUR. FIVE. OKAY. MARIE. ARE YOU VOTING ON THAT? OH, I'M SORRY I MISSED THAT. WE ALSO HAVE THE POSITION ON PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD. DIANE POSING SHE HAS ELECTED NOT TO SERVE AGAIN. IS THAT RIGHT? AND SHE'S TERM LIMITED. SHE'S NOT TERM LIMITED, BUT SHE DID NOT MEET THE ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENT. BUT SHE DID NOT SIGN UP TO TO GET REAPPOINTED. OH, OKAY. SO THAT IS DISTRICT SIX. MARIE. BY ANY CHANCE, DO YOU HAVE ANYBODY YOU WOULD WANT TO APPOINT TO THAT? [02:10:06] NO, I WILL DEFER THAT TO THE NEXT MEETING. ALRIGHTY. VERY GOOD. WE HAVE ALSO THE PENSION. POLICE PENSION FUND. THAT IS HOW RAKHINE IS TERM LIMITED. THAT'S DISTRICT FIVE. IT'S NOT. EXCUSE ME. IT'S NOT. NOT ANY DISTRICT ON THAT. DO WE HAVE ANY NOMINATIONS FOR THAT PARTICULAR POSITION? MAYOR. THIS BOARD HAS SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS IN ORDER TO SERVE SIMILAR TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, I NEED TO GET THOSE REQUIREMENTS TO COUNCIL SO YOU CAN LOOK THAT OVER IF YOU'D LIKE TO BRING THAT BACK TO THE NEXT MEETING. ALL RIGHT. HAVE THERE BEEN ANY APPLICANTS? NO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. MAYOR. MAYOR. YES, MA'AM, I AM GOING I AM GOING TO SIGN OFF. WE NEED TO MAKE OUR WAY BACK TO THE AIRPORT. AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY TRAVEL COMPANIONS WHO CAME TO THE AIRPORT EARLY SO I COULD SIT AND GO THROUGH THIS MEETING. SO I AM SIGNING OFF. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MARIE. I KNOW THAT WAS A HARD. YOU BETCHA. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. BYE BYE. ALRIGHT. OKAY. WHERE WERE WE? SO WE HAD HAL RAWKINS POSITION, AND NOBODY HAS ANY INPUT ON ANYONE FOR THAT. I'M GOING TO SEND THOSE REQUIREMENTS TO THE COUNCIL. SOUNDS GOOD. IF WE COULD DEFER THAT, THEN. JANELLE. WE HAVE WE TOOK CARE OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON THE TREE COMMITTEE. DEBBIE KEYES HAS NOT MET THE ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS. COUNCIL WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO ON THAT? DEBBIE KEES SHE HAS NOT MET THE ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENT FOR THAT COMMITTEE. WE HAVE THE CHOICE OF BRINGING MISS KEYES TO THE COUNCIL AND SEE IF SHE'D LIKE TO CONTINUE TO SERVE. WE COULD. I GUESS A CHOICE WOULD BE JUST TO GO AHEAD AND DO THAT WITH ALL OF THEM. WELL, HER TERM IS UP. HER TERM IS EXPIRED ON 930 OF 2025. OH, SHE'S TERM LIMITED ALSO, HAS SHE REAPPLIED? NO SHE'S NOT. SO I THINK LAST DAY OF SCHOOL. YEAH. I THINK WE OUGHT TO CONSIDER THAT A VACANCY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. DOES ANYBODY THAT'S DISTRICT THREE. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYBODY FOR THAT DISTRICT THREE. YES. LET'S DEFER THAT THEN TO THE NEXT MEETING. I'LL SEE IF WE HAVE ANY APPLICATIONS, I THINK. SO THEN WE HAVE NANCY GREENFIELD, WHO'S TERM LIMITED IN THIS DISTRICT. SIX SO LET'S DEFER THAT WHEN MARIE IS BACK ON THAT. AND WE HAVE A ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT VACANCY. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYONE THEY'D WANT TO PUT ON THERE? LET'S GO AHEAD AND DEFER THAT TO JANELLE TO THE NEXT MEETING. JANELLE DID WE COVER EVERYTHING? YES, SIR. WE DID. OKAY. WOULD YOU KINDLY SUMMARIZE THE ONES THAT ARE STILL VACANT, THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR APPLICANTS, PLEASE. LET'S SEE HERE. WE HAVE PARKS AND RECREATION FOR DISTRICT SIX. WE HAVE THE POLICE PENSION FUND. LET'S SEE THE TREE COMMITTEE. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TWO. YES. AND THEN ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS. WE HAVE ONE. AND DID WE GET ONE FOR THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE? WE DID NOT. I MISSED THAT, I'M SORRY. WE ALSO HAVE A VACANCY ON THERE. OH, GOOD. ALRIGHT. OKAY. SO CAN YOU REPEAT? JUST REPEAT. LET'S DO IT ONE MORE TIME SO EVERYBODY KNOWS WE GOTTA GO FIND PEOPLE FOLKS. YOU WANT ME TO DO IT? YEAH. OKAY. AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE. LET'S SEE. PARKS AND RECREATION. ADVISORY BOARD. POLICE PENSION FUND. TREE COMMITTEE. ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS. VERY GOOD. VERY GOOD. AND I'LL SEE IF WE HAVE APPLICATIONS ON FILE AND SEND THOSE OUT TO COUNCIL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M NOT SURE IF YOU CLOSE A BIT. NICK LANGFORD HAD APPLIED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND I THINK THAT THERE'S KIND OF, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF AN ASSOCIATE COMMITTEE WITH THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE IF I COULD RECOMMEND HIM FOR THE ZBA, [02:15:01] BY ALL MEANS. YEAH, HE WOULD NEED TO APPLY FOR IT. CORRECT? WELL, HE COULD APPLY. WE COULD APPOINT HIM AND HE COULD FILL OUT AN APPLICATION. IT IS NOT. NO, IT DOES NOT. ANYWAY, YOU'RE PUTTING HIS NAME UP FOR NOMINATION. YES, SIR. I'LL SECOND, I'LL SECOND THAT. YEAH. ALRIGHT. YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD CHOICE. SECOND. WELL, WE HAD A SECOND OVER HERE, BUT I'M JUST. I'M READY TO. OH, THAT'S. GOTCHA. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN RAWLINS. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN FINKLEY FOR NICK LANGFORD FOR THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT POSITION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THAT IS UNANIMOUS. GOOD. ALL RIGHT ANY OTHERS ON THAT? COUNCIL. ANY QUESTIONS? IF NOT, WE HAVE GONE THROUGH ALL OF OUR THINGS. [13. RECEIVE AND FILE (Non-Action Items)] WE HAVE A RECEIVING FILE, BUT WE'VE GONE THROUGH ALL THE ACTIONS ON OUR AGENDA, AND WE ARE ADJOURNED. IT IS 715. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.