Jul 10, 2025 City Council

THE PUBLIC TO START PLANNING ALTERNATE TRAFFIC PATTERNS BECAUSE WE'RE ABOUT TO BLOW THIS INTERSECTION UP.

>> THAT'S GOING TO BE A FUN CONVERSATION TO HAVE.

>> EXCHANGE BOULEVARD. THIS IS THE ONE RIGHT OUT HERE.

REMEMBER, THIS WAS ORIGINALLY SUPPOSED TO GO FROM 79 ALL THE WAY UP, BUT COUNCIL SHRUNK IT DOWN TO THE INTERSECTION OF LIVE OAK AND EXCHANGE.

WE WERE PROJECTING AND PUSHING EVERYBODY TO BE

[00:15:02]

INTO CONSTRUCTION ALREADY. UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE KIND OF HIT A LITTLE BIT OF A SNAG ON SOME OF THE RIGHT-OF- WAY THAT WE NEED.

WE'VE GOT APPRAISALS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF ON THE CORNERS, THE NORTHEAST CORNER WHERE WE NEED TO GET SOME FROM THE LANDOWNER WHERE THE POST OFFICE IS.

THE SNAG WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW IS ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER.

TRYING TO COORDINATE THAT WITH THE DEVELOPER AND THEIR ENGINEER. THEY HAVE A PLAT.

THEY KNOW WHAT WE NEED. THERE ARE SOME OTHER CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES.

SO THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO RECORD THEIR PLAT AND GIVE US THE RIGHT-OF-WAY UNTIL THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE COMPLETED.

>> SO ON THAT, WHAT CAN WE DO AS A CITY COUNCIL SINCE I IMAGINE WHATEVER CONVERSATIONS THEY WANT TO HAVE LATER IS GOING TO BE A CONVERSATION COMING UP ASKING FOR A VARIANCE OR SOME KIND OF MEASURE AND IF THEY'RE HOLDING UP ROAD PROGRESS AND WE ALL KNOW THEY'RE HOLDING UP ROAD PROGRESS BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO GET US TO DO SOMETHING, IT ALSO GOES THE OTHER WAY. COMMUNICATE TO THEM OTHER THAN WHAT I'M DOING RIGHT NOW?

>> WE -- THE --

>> ONE TIME LIKE APARTMENTS AND ALL THIS STUFF THAT --

>> SO THEIR PLAN IS TO DO AN APARTMENT COMPLEX ON THAT CORNER. WE'VE ALREADY WORKED WITH THEM. THIS IS PART OF THE CO- OP DEVELOPMENT.

WE ALREADY WORKED WITH THE DEVELOPER PREVIOUSLY BECAUSE THEY HAD WANTED SOME RIGHT-OF-WAY VACATION FROM US AND WE WEREN'T WILLING TO GIVE IT UP UNTIL WE KNEW WE HAD A PARKING PLAN, WHICH IS ULTIMATELY WHAT LED TO THE REVISED AGREEMENT TO GET THE -- AND THE PARKING GARAGE AND THOSE THINGS MOVING. THERE ARE ADDITIONAL ITEMS NOW THEY'RE TRYING TO WORK OUT, ONE OF THEM BEING -- I CAN'T REMEMBER ALL OF THEM OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

IT'S NOT CONVERSATIONS I'M PART OF EVERY DAY. SCREENING IN THE GARAGE.

THERE'S SOME PARKING ISSUES IN THE GARAGE.

SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THOSE ISSUES.

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT -- IS KATE HERE? OKAY. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MAINTENANCE AROUND THE VETERANS MEMORIAL.

WHAT THEY'RE WORKING ON -- THEY'RE GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN US AND THEM TRYING TO GET AN UPDATED M.O.U. ON HOW THAT STUFF IS GOING TO PLAY OUT.

IT ACTUALLY DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT CORNER.

>> MAYOR PRO TEM BROUGHT UP AN ISSUE WITH THE GARAGE ON THE

SCREENING. >> YEAH.

I BROUGHT THAT UP.

>> MAYBE WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT AN ITEM OF STARTING THE IMMINENT DOMAIN PROCESS OF LAND WE NEED FOR THAT AREA. I'VE DONE BUSINESS WITH THESE GUYS SINCE 2019. ALL THEY DO IS USE EVERYTHING THEY CAN AGAINST THE CITY TO GET WHAT THEY WANT, AND EVERY TIME THE CITY ASKS FOR THINGS TO HELP OUT THE SITUATION, THEY HAVE THEIR HAND OUT FOR MORE. I'M TIRED OF HAVING A DEVELOPER CONSTANTLY RUN US THROUGH THE RINGER.

>> WE CAN COME BACK IN THE FUMP -- FUTURE WITH A BETTER CLARIFICATION OF WHAT THE MOU IS TRYING TO ACHIEVE.

SO THAT'S WHERE THAT ONE IS. THAT'S REALLY ALL THE UPDATES THAT I HAD THAT I WANTED TO DIVE INTO.

WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS ON PROJECTS.

IF YOU GO THROUGH AND LOOK AT A LOT OF THESE WE'RE CLOSING PROJECTS OUT. YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE A LOT OF -- WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT ISN'T NECESSARILY FAMILIAR IN HUTTO. I'VE BEEN REALLY PUSHING -- MY TEAM HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB.

WE'RE SMALL BUT WE'RE MIGHTY -- TO TRY TO PUSH AS MANY PROJECTS FORWARD AS FAST AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO MY END OF THE YEAR PRESENTATION WHERE I GET TO COME IN HERE AND SAY COMPLETE, COMPLETE, COMPLETE, COMPLETE.

[00:20:48]

AWAY FROM SCHOOL. WHY DOES THAT MATTER? NOW -- HOOKED ON IT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE GOT TO DO ON CONTRACTS GOING FORWARD BUT I'D LIKE US TO REALLY GET DOWN TO WHERE PEOPLE ARE SWEATING BULLETS WHEN THEY DON'T GET THEIR ROAD PROJECTS. IF A PERSON DIES THERE IN THE NEXT MONTH, THAT'S ON US. TO ME, IT'S ON US AND THE CONTRACTOR WHEN WE COULD HAVE HAD IT ALL SAFETY.

I DON'T KNOW WHO GAVE THE TWO- MONTH EXTENSION. SOME OF THESE GUYS WE HAVE TO SAY YOU BID ON IT THE COUNCIL EXPECTATION IS YOU START IN TWO WEEKS AND IF YOU CAN'T START IN TWO WEEKS YOUR CONTRACT IS NULL AND VOID AND WE'LL BID IT OUT AGAIN.

BECAUSE WE COULD HAVE BID IT OUT AGAIN AND HAD ANOTHER CONTRACTOR STARTING POTENTIALLY. WE CATCH A LOT OF GRIEF ON THIS.

IT'S BEEN IN THE BUDGET FOR TWO YEARS.

NOW IT'S OCTOBER, WHICH REALLY MEANS PROBABLY JANUARY BECAUSE IT RAINED LAST WEEK SO THAT'S GOING TO MAKE THEM BEHIND.

>> I HOPE NOT.

>> ANY UPDATES ON 1616 SOUTH AND THE RAILROAD AND TEX

DOT? >> YES.

>> WITH THE YELLOW, RIGHT?

>> THAT'S THE ONE WITH THE YELLOW DATES THAT I HAD.

WE HAVE DATES BUT I'M NOT AT THIS POINT ANYWHERE NEAR BEING ABLE TO SAY THESE ARE THE 100%

DATES. >> RIGHT.

WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR WAS ANY MOVEMENT FROM THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD I THINK IT WAS TWO COUNCIL MEETINGS AGO WITH REACHING OUT TO TEX DOT.

WAS THERE ANY MOVEMENT THERE?

>> WE HAVE MOVEMENT.

>> OKAY. COOL.

>> TEX DOT IS WORKING WITH US.

>> WE'RE ALL PUSHING. THAT'S WHY WE GOT THOSE DATES.

>> I'M GLAD WE'RE STARTING TO GET MORE COMMUNICATION THERE.

I FELT LIKE IT STONEWALLED FOR A MINUTE. I'M GLAD THAT'S HAPPENING.

>> WHAT ABOUT 1616 AND LIMER?

>> THAT'S THE ONE I INDICATED.

>> I APOLOGIZE. LIMBER MER

. >> WE'VE NOTIFIED THEM.

THEY ACTUALLY ARE IN LIQUIDATED DAMAGES.

I'M USING ALL THE LEVERS I HAVE IN THESE CONTRACTS TO PUSH THESE GUYS.

>> I APPRECIATE THAT. YOU'RE PROBABLY TIRED OF US ASKING YOU EVERY DAY.

>> I'VE GONE SO FAR TO TELL CONSULTANTS AND ONTRACTORS, IF YOU GUYS CAN'T DELIVER, YOU TELL THEM.

>> EMERY FARMS DEAL, THOSE GUYS WERE BEHIND.

DO THEY OWE US A CHECK OR DO WE SUBTRACT THAT OUT OF THE MONEY?

>> WE WILL DEDUCT IT FROM THEIR -- EVERYBODY WHO'S LIQUIDATED DAMAGES I REQUIRE THEM TO GIVE ME AN UPDATE WITH EVERY PAYOUT SO THEY GIVE ME AN UPDATED SCHEDULE, THEY GIVE ME AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE, LIQUIDATED DAMAGES CALCULATIONS.

>> I DID HAVE A QUESTION BACK ON THE INNOVATION ONE.

IS THERE ANY ROAD WORK BEING DONE ON THAT, OR IS IT ONLY JUST THE POLES AND THE LIGHTS?

>> TRYING TO REMEMBER. I BELIEVE THAT THERE ACTUALLY IS SOME TURN LANE WORK BEING DONE AS WELL.

>> I'LL NEED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE PLANS TO VERIFY THAT.

YOU. >> NEXT WE HAVE ITEM 8. 3 THE 2025 GALLUP EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT RESULTS AND PLAN OF

>> ALL RIGHT. THANKS,

SIR. >> THANK

[00:25:01]

[8.2. Presentation and discussion related to the summary of the proposed development of the Epitome Public Improvement District and financial impact to the City of Hutto. (Jim Sabonis)]

ACTION.

>> 8.2.

>> OOPS. I DON'T KNOW WHY I DID THAT.

NEXT 8. 2 PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION RELATED TO THE SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSED DWEMT OF THE EPITOME PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AND FINANCIAL IMPACT TO THE CITY OF HUTTO.

>> I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE I PIT EPITOME PROJECT. THE CURRENT PLAN WAS MULTIFAMILY POTENTIALLY TOWN HOMES AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT.

AS YOU CAN SEE THE TABLE THAT WE PUT TOGETHER THIS IS BASED ON PRELIMINARY NUMBERS FROM THE DEVELOPER.

WE'RE EXPACTING THAT THE LAND COULD BE WORTH ABOUT $25. 4 MILLION AS DEVELOPED WHICH IS WHAT WE USE IN THE EVENT THE CITY DECIDES TO ISSUE PIT BONDS FOR THIS PROJECT.

A BUILDOUT WE'RE EXPECTING TO HAVE ABOUT $126 MILLION IN TAXABLE VALUE, WHICH IF THE CITY MAINTAINS THE 2024 TAX RATE WOULD MEAN $500,000 FOR A YEAR IN ANNUAL TAX REVENUE.

THIS DRAFT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT WE SAW DOES INCLUDE A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FEE FOR APPROXIMATELY $800,092. THOSE ARE THE BIG FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF THIS TRANSACTION. HERE WE DISSECT THIS A LITTLE BIT. THIS PROJECT IS PROPOSED TO FINANCE MASTER INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN THE SITE.

THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY. WHAT WE DO HERE IS IF AND WHEN PIT BONDS ARE ON VALUE BASIS. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SHOWING HERE.

THIS IS A PRELIMINARY BOND THAT WE PUT TOGETHER FOR THIS PROJECT. AGAIN, IT COULD BE AROUND $8 MILLION TO FINANCIAL ROUGHLY $6. 4 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS.

THIS WOULD BE A 30- YEAR BOND, CONSERVATIVE INTEREST RATE OF 6.5%, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE AN AVERAGE ANNUAL PAYMENT OF ABOUT $700,000. IT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING IF THE COUNCIL DECIDES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, THAT THE TWOER DEVELOPER MAY BE APPROACHING YOU TOWARD THE END OF THIS YEAR. WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS PROJECT AS YOU DISCUSS THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AND PIT PETITION.

WE INTEND TO COME BACK IF YOU APPROVE IT SOMETIME IN THE FALL TO GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS IF THIS PROJECT DOES MOVE FORWARD. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS I PIT MEE PROJECT.

>> THANK YOU, SIR. YOU SEEM TO BE VERY WELL VERSED

[8.3. 2025 Gallup Employee Engagement Results and Plan of Action. (David Amsler)]

IN THESE. ALL RIGHT.

NEXT WE HAVE ITEM 8. 3, 2025 GALLUP EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT RESULTS AND PLAN OF ACTION.

>> GOOD EVENING. DAVID AMSLER.

I'D LIKE TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR SUPPORTING THIS EFFORT IN THE BUDGET.

THIS INVESTMENT HELPS STAFF MAKE DATA DRIVEN DECISIONS WHEN IT COMES TO EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE AND ENGAGEMENT.

THIS IS ONE OF OUR BEST TOOLS FOR THAT.

ALSO WANT TO GIVE A BIG THANKS TO OUR GALLUP

[00:30:01]

FACILITATION TEAM THAT INCLUDES KATE MORIARTY, SARAH CERVANTES, CHRISTY BARNES, JENNIFER DEROEK AND CASSANDRA EDWARDS. THEY PARTNER WITH EVERY DEPARTMENT AND HELP MEET WITH EVERY DEPARTMENT.

I COULD NOT RUN THIS PROGRAM BY MYSELF.

A LOT OF OUR SUCCESS, THEY'RE A BIG PART OF THAT.

SO TODAY WE'RE GOING TO DO AN ABBREVIATED VERSION OF WHAT IS IN THE AGENDA PACT FOR EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT. THIS IS OUR SECOND YEAR RUNNING THIS PROGRAM. TO BE EXACT, TEN MONTHS WENT IN BETWEEN EACH SURVEY SO WE DIDN'T MAKE IT A FULL YEAR OVER YEAR BUT WE WANTED THESE RESULTS CAPTURED BEFORE BUDGET SEASON THIS YEAR. SO WHY EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, WHY MEASURE IT? EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT IS ONE OF THE LEADING FACTORS TO HELP PROVE CHANCES OF PRODUCTIVITY. WE PARTNER WITH A WORLD WIDE ORGANIZATION NAMED GALLUP THAT HAS A DATABASE OF OVER 63 MILLION RESPONDENTS, 5. 6 MILLION WORK GROUPS. THEY'RE WORKING IN 219 COUNTRIES IN 62 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.

THAT DATABASE HELPS INFORM ALL OF THE DATA AND TRENDS THEY PROVIDE TO US AND COMPARES DIRECTLY TO THEM AS WELL AS SINCE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS A SPECIAL BEAST OF AN INDUSTRY DIRECT COMPARISONS TO OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER COUNTRIES.

WE ALSO MEASURE THIS TO HELP UNDERSTAND VERY KEY AREAS OF HOW WE CAN MAKE IMPROVEMENTS AND AS IMPROVEMENTS COME ALONG GALLUP'S STATEMENT IS THAT AS EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT INCREASES, OVERALL PRODUCTIVITY INCREASES.

GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT HAS BEEN ON THE DECLINE SINCE 2020. THAT IS NATIONWIDE FROM EVERYTHING FROM JUST EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, THRIVING AND THEN ALSO BEING BURNT OUT. ALL OF THOSE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN NEGATIVE TRENDS SINCE 2020. HOWEVER, FOR US, YEAR OVER YEAR WE DO HAVE AN INCREASE WHICH IS SUPER EXCITING. OUR TREND HAS MOVED UP TO 44% ENGAGED. LAST TIME WE TOOK THIS SURVEY WAS 36%. ALL OF THOSE NUMBERS ARE COMING FROM OUR NONENGAGED POPULATION.

ONLY 1% MOVEMENT ON THE ACTIVELY DISENGAGED.

AN ENGAGED EMPLOYEE IS LIKE YOURYOUR CITIZEN. THE ONE WHO IF THEY WALK BY TRASH THEY PICK IT UP EVEN IF THAT'S NOT THEIR JOB.

THEY'RE ACTIVELY THINKING OF HOW THEY CAN DO MORE AND GIVE MORE TO THE ORGANIZATION.

WHERE YOUR NOT ENGAGED EMPLOYEES ARE PSYCHOLOGICAL UNATTACHED TO THEIR WORK AND COMPANY BECAUSE SOME OF THEIR NEEDS ARE NOT BEING FULLY MET BY THE ORGANIZATION. THEY'RE PUTTING THE TIME IN, BUT THERE'S NOT NECESSARILY THAT EXTRA ENERGY OR PASSION. THERE'S NOT THE TWINKLE IN THE EYE WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THEIR JOB. IT'S MORE OF THIS IS HOW I PAY THE BILLS AND TAKE CARE OF MY FAMILY.

ACTIVELY DISENGAGED EMPLOYEES AREN'T JUST NECESSARILY UNHAPPY AT WORK, BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY RESENTFUL THAT THEIR NEEDS ARE NOT BEING MET AND THEY DO ACT OUT THEIR UNHAPPINESS. THESE TEND TO BE EMPLOYEES WHO COULD ENGAGE IN GOSSIP, COULD ENGAGE IN INSUBORDINATION, COULD ENGAGE IN, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING WE DO HERE DOESN'T REALLY MATTER, THOSE KINDS OF CONVERSATIONS AND CAN BE UNDERMINING THE WORK THAT ENGAGED EMPLOYEES ARE DOING.

NEXT, LIKE I MENTIONED, OUR TREND IS MOVING UP.

THE NUMBERS THAT ARE KEY TO NOTE IS WHEN WE FIRST STARTED I ASKED GALLUP WHAT ARE THE BENCHMARKS HERE, WHAT SHOULD WE BE LOOKING FOR AS AN ORGANIZATION AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT. THE FIRST NUMBER THEY GAVE ME IS FOR EVERY ACTIVELY DISENGAGED EMPLOYEE YOU WANT TO HAVE FOUR ACTIVELY EVEN LY ENGAGED EMPLOYEES BECAUSE IT'S HARDER TO HIDE IN THAT CULTURE. IF YOU HAVE 2- 1 FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S EASY FOR ACTIVELY DISENGAGED TO STAY DISENGAGED.

WE HAVE HIT 4. 4 TO 1. THEY SAID OUR TOP

[00:35:01]

PERFORMING ORGANIZATIONS IS 9-1. SO WE'LL BE LOOKING TO TRY TO GET THERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS.

AN IMPORTANT MEASURE TO NOTE HERE IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER GOVERNMENTS, THE AVERAGE FOR THEIR GAP LINE- UP DATABASE IS 2. 7 TO 1.

SO WE ARE OUTPACING OUR COMPETITORS.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT NUMBER WAS YOU WANT TO HIT 80% PARTICIPATION ON YOUR SURVEYS.

THAT'S HOW YOU'RE GOING TO KNOW THAT ALL OF YOUR DATA IS SCIENTIFICALLY STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT.

THE LARGE PERCENTAGE INCREASE IS DIRECTLY FROM THE PDS NUMBERS INCREASING AND TAKING THE SURVEY YEAR OVER YEAR.

THEY WENT FROM 65 TO 88%. BEFORE WE DIVE DEEPER I WANT TO TAKE A BRIEF PAUSE HERE.

THIS PROGRESS DIDN'T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT.

IT REFLECTS HUNDREDS OF SMALL DECISIONS OUR STAFF MAKE EVERY DAY TO SHOW UP, IMPROVE AND ENGAGE DESPITE CHALLENGES.

IT ALSO REFLECTS WHEN THEY FEEL SEEN AND VALUED.

ENGAGEMENT HAS IMPROVED DESPITE NATIONAL TRENDS.

WE ARE NOW IN A HIGHER PERCENTILE.

ANYTHING THAT'S ABOVE A . 2 WOULD BE CONSIDERED STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT AND IS SHOWING A TREND UP OUR DOWN. BOTH OF THOSE ARE SHOWING A TREND IN THE POSITIVE DIRECTION.

44% OF THE ORGANIZATION IS NOW ENGAGED.

SOME OF OUR BIGGEST HINDRANCES IS QUESTION ONE AND QUESTION TWO.

QUESTION ONE IS I KNOWS WHAT EXPECTED OF ME AT WORK.

AND QUESTION TWO IS I HAVE THE MATERIALS, RESOURCES AND TOOLS TO DO MY JOB. BOTH OF THOSE WHERE WE NEED TO FOCUS AS AN ORGANIZATION THE NEXT TWO YEARS TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE ENGAGEMENT.

IF YOU LOOK AT MAZ LOWE'S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS, THAT'S OUR BASELINE WHERE WE'RE STRUGGLING THE MOST. THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO BETTER EQUIP EMPLOYEES WITH RESOURCES AND TOOLS. SOMETIMES THAT COULD EVEN BE EXPLAINING TO EMPLOYEES HOW THE BUDGET PROCESS WORKS.

NOT EVERY FRONT LINE EMPLOYEE UNDERSTANDS HOW SOMETHING GETS FUNDED SO MORE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEIR SUPERVISORS AND MORE CONVERSATIONS OF WHAT IS OUR DEPARTMENT'S SPECIFIC PIECE OF THE PIE, MAYBE LETTING THEM KNOW THE PERCENTAGE THAT THEIR DEPARTMENT SPECIFICALLY GETS. ANOTHER INTERESTING KNOW IS OVERALL SATISFACTION WITH THE ORGANIZATION IS ACTUALLY LOWER THAN ENGAGEMENT. THAT'S AN ANOMALY FOR GALLUP.

THEY DON'T TYPICALLY SEE THAT. USUALLY SATISFACTION IS EASIER TO MEET.

FOR EXAMPLE, I'M SATISFIED EATING A HAMBURGER AT M CDONALD'S BUT I'M NOT ENGAGED WITH THE HAMBURGER AT CDONALD'S.

GALLUP IS SUGGESTING THE COMPANY HAS A COUPLE NEEDS OVERALL AT THE LEADERSHIP LEVEL.

THAT'S USUALLY WHAT THAT INDICATOR IS.

WE ALSO HAVE CULTURE SIGNALS. EXCUSE ME.

THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. WE HAVE SOME CAPACITY ISSUES TO

[00:40:07]

EMPOWER MANAGEMENT. 70% OF OUR POPULATION STRONGLY DISAGREE THEY CAN COMPLETE THEIR WORK IN THE TIME THEY HAVE. A LOT OF THAT IS THROUGH THE SUPERVISOR OR MANAGER. THERE'S OFTEN SKEPTICISM OVERALL THAT THE ORGANIZATION TREATS ALL EMPLOYEES FAIRLY. IT DID TREND UPWARDS YEAR OVER YEAR BECAUSE THAT WAS A RED FLAG FOR US LAST YEAR BUT IT'S STILL NOT TO THE LEVEL THAT WE NEED IT TO BE. AND THEN LEADERSHIP RESULTS, SO DIRECTOR LEVEL POSITIONS, THEIR ENGAGEMENT LEVELS ARE LOWER THAN OUR FRONT LINE EMPLOYEES.

THAT IS ANOTHER NEED OR OPPORTUNITY FOR US.

REVEALING THE NEED FOR US TO INVEST AND DEVELOP OUR PEOPLE MANAGERS SO THEY CAN CASCADE ENGAGEMENT EFFECTIVELY. WHEN YOU START A PROGRAM LIKE THIS, NORMALLY THERE IS A LOT OF VARIANCE BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENTS. WE DO HAVE A LOT OF VARIANCE BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENTS. HOWEVER, WE NEED TO STANDARDIZE THAT AS WE CONTINUE THROUGH THIS. HIGH PERFORMING ORGANIZATIONS, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF I WORK IN THE I.T. DEPARTMENT OR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, THE PROCESSES AND STANDARDS AND LEVEL OF LEADERSHIP IS THE SAME. THAT'S AN AREA THAT WE WILL BE WORKING ON THIS YEAR. AND THEN ENGAGEMENT DIPS AT THE THREE TO FIVE YEAR MARK FOR TENURE AND DOESN'T RECOVER UNTIL TEN- PLUS YEARS FOR TENURE.

THIS IS REVEALING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REBOARD THESE INDIVIDUALS SO THERE WILL BE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO REBOARD ANY EMPLOYEE WHO'S IN THAT TIME FRAME, TALKING THROUGH STAY INTERVIEWS OR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES OR GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES.

SOMETIMES IT'S NOT EVEN NECESSARILY MONETARILY OR THROUGH TITLE CHANGES. IT COULD JUST BE I WANT TO BE INVOLVEMENT IN A PROCESS I DON'T HAVE INVOLVEMENT IN. I WANT TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE I DON'T HAVE A SEAT AT TODAY.

WE'LL BE LOOKING THROUGH THAT THIS YEAR.

I'LL QUICKLY GO OVER THE BASIC CATEGORIES GALLUP HAS.

BASIC NEEDS IS OUR LOWEST PERFORMANCING E CATEGORY.

THAT'S I KNOW WHAT'S EXPECTED OF ME.

THAT'S THE 35TH PERCENTILE. AND I HAVE THE EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS I NEED TO DO MY JOB RIGHT, THAT'S IN THE 22ND PERCENTILE. THIS IS WHERE WE PERFORM MUCH BETTER. WHAT DO I GIVE.

THIS IS EMPLOYEES UNDERSTANDING THEIR SENSE OF PURPOSE AND SENSE OF VALUE AS A CONTRIBUTING MEMBER OF THE ORGANIZATION.

AS YOU CAN SEE, EVERYTHING IS ABOVE THE 50TH PERCENTILE.

AND QUESTIONS THAT ARE A REAL STRONG POINT FOR US IS MY SUPERVISOR SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT ME AS A PERSON AND THEN THERE'S SOMEONE AT WORK WHO ENCOURAGES MY DEVELOPMENT. TEAMWORK IS NOT EXACTLY WHERE WE WOULD LIKE IT TO BE BUT NOT AS LOW PERFORMING AS THE FIRST ONE. THIS IS HOW DO I FEEL WORKING WITH MY WORKERS, HOW DO I FEEL WALKING INTO DIFFERENT ROOMS, DIFFERENT SILOS, NOT JUST WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT BUT ALSO INTERDEPARTMENTALLY WHICH IS WHERE WE'RE FINDING THE BIGGEST NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT.

QUESTION NINE, MY COLLEAGUES ARE COMMITTED TO DOING QUALITY WORK IS ONE OF THE AREAS WE NEED TO FOCUS ON. MOST OF THE TIME THAT'S JUST EDUCATION OF WHAT EVERYBODY DOES.

NOT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT HR DOES ON A DAILY BASIS VERSUS WHAT PARKS DOES ON A DAILY BASIS.

SO WE HAVE SOME EDUCATION MATERIALS AND RESOURCES GOING INTO EMPLOYEE MEETINGS TO SHOW FOLKS WHAT EACH DEPARTMENT DOES.

AND THEN HOW CAN I GROW WE ARE SUCCESSFUL IN AS WELL.

IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS SOMEONE AT WORK HAS TALKED TO ME ABOUT MY PROGRESS. THAT IS WITHIN THE 56TH PERCENTILE AND THEN I'VE HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN AND GROW. THAT IS IN THE 58TH PERCENTILE.

THIS SLIDE HERE IS JUST AN EASY SNAPSHOT FOR ANYONE WHO LIKES HOMEWORK TO COMPARE THE QUESTIONS WITH ONE ANOTHER.

AND THEN FINALLY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT GALLUP PROVIDED TO US. THIS WAS NOT ASKED FOR BY STAFF BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING TO SHOW.

THIS IS ENGAGEMENT ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION.

YOU'LL NOTICE OUR OVERALL MEAN ON- SITE EMPLOYEES.

THAT WOULD BE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE ZERO REMOTE WORK AND THEN HYBRID, INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE ANY AMOUNT OF REMOTE WORK. ENGAGEMENT LEVELS ARE THE SAME.

THESE ARE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT WE LIKE TO ASK THAT ARE NOT PART OF HOW THEY DETERMINE YOUR ENGAGEMENT MEAN, BUT AREAS THAT

[00:45:05]

WE FIND IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON AS AN ORGANIZATION.

WHAT'S NEXT, SO WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE AND FINISH OUR SUCCESS MATRIX INITIATIVE.

THIS STARTED BEFORE THE SURVEY CAME OUT.

ESSENTIALLY WHAT IT IS IS HAVING EACH JOB DESCRIPTION WITHIN THE ENTIRE CITY, HAVE A SUCCESS MATRIX ATTACHED TO IT. THAT'S THE SUPERVISOR EXPLAINING TO THE EMPLOYEE, HEY, THIS IS WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE. MY JOB DETAILS MAY SAY IMPROVE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT. THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY TELL ME WHAT SUCCESS WOULD LOOK LIKE. SO SOMETHING COULD SAY, HEY, YEAR OVER YEAR WE WANT TO SEE A 5% INCREASE OR WE DO NOT WANT TO SEE ANYTHING DROP OVEROVER YEAR OVER YEAR. SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.

EVOLVING OUR FACILITATION ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM TO PLACE GREATER EMPHASIS ON THE DEPARTMENT SUPERVISORS THEMSELVES. 70% OF THE VARIABLES THAT DETERMINE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT IS DONE BY YOUR DIRECT MANAGER. I'M SURE WE'VE ALL HEARD FOCUSES DON'T LEAVE ORGANIZATIONS, THEY LEAVE MANAGERS. FOLKS ALSO STAY BECAUSE OF MANAGERS. SO FOCUSING ON THE SUPERVISORS AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE WORKING THROUGH THE ACTION PLANS WITH THEIR DEPARTMENTS AND STANDARDIZING THAT. LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, REBODING AND REBODE -- REBOARDING AND SUPPORTING MID CAREER STAFF.

SUPPORTING SUPERVISORS WITH TOOLS THROUGH EFFECTIVE ONE ON ONES AND ENGAGEMENT FOCUSED CONVERSATIONS AND CONTINUE MEASURING ANNUALLY TO SEE OUR TRENDS YEAR OVER YEAR.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER MY QUESTIONS.

>> THANKS, SIR.

>> YEP.

>> QUESTIONS.

>> I THINK THIS IS GREAT. I GOT SOME UPDATE -- GALLUP COMPANY UNRELATED TO THE GALLUP POLL CORPORATION. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A THREE-YEAR CONTRACT AND THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR. YOU KIND OF WENT OVER KIND OF THE YEAR TO YEAR. I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE YEAR TO YEAR TRENDS. WE MAY HAVE SEEN SOME ISSUES IN THE PAST IN HOW WE'RE DOING.

YOU HIGHLIGHTED SOME OF THOSE. CAN YOU KIND OF GO OVER THAT AGAIN? WHAT WERE THE ONES THAT --

>> YEAH.

>> I MEAN, I LOVE TO BRING UP THE ONES THAT WERE ALL GREAT.

WHAT ARE THE ONES THAT DID NOT SHOW A GREAT IMPROVEMENT OR ACTUALLY A DECLINE?

>> SO WE HAVEN'T SEEN A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT DECLINE OVERALL IN ANY MEASURE. SO WE'VE EITHER SEEN STEADY OR NOT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT SO IT DIDN'T HIT THAT POINT TO MEASURE FOR EVERY ITEM.

I DON'T HAVE IT ON ME, BUT I CAN PULL IT AND JUST LIST THEM.

>> YEAH. THAT'S FINE.

OVERALL YOU FEEL THAT THE YEAR OVER YEAR -- AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO DO A THIRD YEAR SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE THREE DATA POINTS THEN.

THE SECOND THING, I SEE SOME OF THESE RESPONDENTS AROUND -- OF EMPLOYEES WE HAVE RIGHT NOW?

>> WE ARE JUST BELOW 200.

>> SO WE CAN SAY -- SO 195, SO WE CAN SAY 30 PEOPLE DIDN'T RESPOND AT ALL.

>> CORRECT. IT'S ABOUT 30 THAT DID NOT

RESPOND. >> THE LAST THING -- OH, I KNOW WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY. I GUESS -- THE QUESTION, IF YOU GO BACK TO THE SLIDE WITH QUESTION ONE AND TWO, WHICH HAD THE -- I GUESS IT'S A LITTLE DISCONCERTING, ALTHOUGH I MAY NOT KNOW EXACTLY, IS I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS EXPECTED OF ME AT WORK. AND THEN THERE'S MATERIALS.

HOW DO WE ADDRESS THAT? I'M NOT SAYING THEY'RE NOT TOLD. HOW ARE WE GOING TO GO IN AND TRY TO GET EMPLOYEES TO KNOW -- HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEY'RE EXPECTED TO DO?

>> YEAH. SO I GENUINELY BELIEVE THE SUCCESS MATRIX IS BY THEMSELVES WOULD CHANGE THIS NUMBER, BECAUSE THAT INITIATIVE IS NOT COMPLETE BETWEEN THE TIME THIS SURVEY WAS TAKEN.

HOWEVER, THAT'S JUST ONE TOOL. WE GENUINELY NEED TO

[00:50:04]

HELP SUPERVISORS BE MORE CONSISTENT WITH THEIR EMPLOYEES AND CONTINUE WITH PRIORITIZATION.

A LOT OF THE FACILITATED FEEDBACK WE GOT THIS YEAR WHEN IT CAME TO QUESTIONS AROUND THIS SPECIFICALLY WAS, WELL, YOU KNOW, MY JOB ONE DAY IS THIS AND THEN THE NEXT DAY I'M PUTTING OUT A FIRE ON THIS.

SO MORE LONG- TERM PLANNING, MORE WORK PLANS AND ENSURING THAT, YES, IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT THERE ARE FIRES THAT YOU HAVE TO PUT OUT LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVE LY BUT THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO ROW IN THE SAME DIRECTION AND GOING TOWARDS A GREATER MISSION.

>> I GUESS A COMMENT ON THAT -- AND I DON'T KNOW THE INNER WORKINGS AND I'M NOT TRYING TO BLAME ANYONE. SOMETIMES ON A GROWING STAFF, ALSO IN A HIGHLY DYNAMIC CITY AND SITUATION WE'RE IN HERE IN HUTTO IS ANY TYPE OF REORGANIZATIONS OR REASSIGNMENT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE NEEDED, HAS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO MAYBE THEIRTHEIR UNDERSTANDING EXACTLY BECAUSE THEY'RE IN A NEW ROLE BUT NOT A NEW EMPLOYEE?

>> I PERSONALLY HAVE NOT RECEIVED THAT FEEDBACK.

THAT HYPOTHETICAL, I COULDN'T ANSWER YES OR NO AT THIS MOMENT.

>> OKAY. >> WE CAN INCLUDE IT IN OUR FACILITATED SESSIONS.

>> AGAIN, IT'S NOT TO SECOND GUESS CITY MANAGER OR THE DIRECTORS. THEY KNOW BEST HOW TO USE THEIR EMPLOYEES. BUT ALSO WANT TO REALIZE IF YOU CHANGE A ROLE -- IF I GO CHANGE A NEW POSITION, I MAY BE THERE FIVE OR TEN YEARS AT A COMPANY, BUT IT TAKES THREE, SIX, NINE MONTHS TO GET UP TO SPEED ON A NEW PIECE OF EQUIPMENT OR NEW RESPONSIBILITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO I WANT TO TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT SO IT'S NOT LOOKED AT AS A NEGATIVE MARK ON NOT UNDERSTANDING. THAT'S JUST PART OF THE LEARNING CURVE AND TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT IF IT'S A SIGNIFICANT SEEMINGLY NEGATIVE INDICATOR WHEN IT'S REALLY

NOT. >> UNDERSTOOD.

>> I HAD ONE QUESTION. CAN YOU GO TO THE SLIDE THAT SHOWED THE HYBRID EMPLOYEES? SO HYBRID EMPLOYEE, WOULD THAT BE LIKE CONSTRUCTION INSPECTORS, CODE ENFORCEMENT, PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT MOST OF THE TIME, NOT SITTING AT THE DESK?

>> QUESTIONS, COMMENTS?

>> HYBRID IS DEFINED BY THE SURVEY OF ANYONE WHO HAS ANY REMOTE DAYS WHERE THEY ARE FULLY REMOTE FOR A DAY?

>> SO IT'S NOT LIKE A POLICE OFFICER WHO'S OUT --

>> CORRECT. THEY WOULD BE CATEGORIZED AS ON SITE. YES, SIR.

>> ARE POLICE OFFICERS IN THIS SURVEY?

>> MM-HM.

>> I DIDN'T REALIZE. SORRY.

I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

I'M THINKING AN HR AUDIT IS THE WAY TO GO.

AND COUNCILMEMBER MORRIS HAS KIND OF GONE OVER -- I THINK THAT MAKES ME -- ONE BECAUSE WE'VE NEVER DONE THAT IN THE SIX YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE SO WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.

BUT IN THE BACK OF MY MIND I ALWAYS WONDER THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ENGAGED PEOPLE WHO DON'T REMOTE AND EVERYTHING VERSUS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE REMOTE AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE WONDERING IS EXPECTED OF ME, HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE REMOTE WORKERS AND HOW MANY ARE NOT, BECAUSE EVERYTHING I'VE BEEN READING LATELY IS THAT A LOT OF THE TECH COMPANIES ARE BRINGING A LOT OF PEOPLE BACK, SOME THREE DAYS A WEEK, SOME ARE FIVE OR WHATEVER, BUT IN AN EFFORT TO BRING UP ENGAGEMENT OR PRODUCTIVITY, BECAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE TEND TO FEEL LEFT OUT IF THEY'RE NOT -- I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU HAVE A BEST FRIEND IF YOU'RE NEVER AT WORK. YOU'RE AT WORK BUT YOU'RE NOT AROUND COWORKERS. SEEMED LIKE ON MY VACATION DAYS I STILL GO TO THE OFFICE BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THERE'S PEOPLE I GOVE GOT HAVE GOT TO SEE.

>> I WOULD HAVE TO GET WITH GALLUP.

THEY'RE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT HOW YOU CAN CUT THE DATA.

BECAUSE AS SOON AS YOU START CUTTING THE DATA, IT'S EASIER TO IDENTIFY WHO IS WHO.

THEN THERE'S CONCERNS OF RETALIATION.

[00:55:02]

IF ANY OF THAT WAS TO OCCUR OR AN EMPLOYEE WAS LIKE, OH, THEY KIND OF FIGURED OUT I ANSWERED A QUESTION THIS WAY, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE INTEGRITY BEHIND THE SURVEY IS LOST BECAUSE NOW IT'S NOT ANONYMOUS AND I'M GOING TO ANSWER HOW MY BOSS WANTS ME TO

ANSWER. >> IF YOU WERE PRO- REMOTE WORK YOU CUT IT UP ONE WAY. THESE THINGS ARE ALWAYS KIND OF FUNNY TO ME ANYWAY. I LIKE IT TO BE THE EXACT SAME YEAR AFTER YEAR WITH EVERY SINGLE ORGANIZATION, BECAUSE OTHERWISE YOU'RE NOT COMPARING APPLES TO APPLES. YOU'RE CHERRY PICKING AND MORPHING THE DECISION MAKING.

IT'S LIKE I'M GETTING A REPUBLICAN SURVEY OR DEMOCRAT SURVEY. I CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR EVERYBODY BECAUSE THE QUESTIONS WERE MADE TO ANSWER AA

>> WE DO NOT HAVE ANY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE FULL- TIME REMOTE HERE AT THE CITY OF HUTTO.

WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT WE CALL IT A HYBRID.

I THINK THAT MAY HAVE CAME FROM COLLEGE CLASSES BECAUSE YOU COULD TAKE A HYBRID COURSE THAT WAS PARTIALLY REMOTE AND PARTIALLY IN PERSON. ACCORDING TO OUR POLICIES, NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO HAVE MORE THAN TWO DAYS REMOTE IN A WEEK ORGANIZATIONAL WIDE.

THEN WE DO HAVE THE DEPARTMENT HEAD HAS SOME AUTONOMY IN THAT. SOME DEPARTMENT HEADS SAY FOR MY DEPARTMENT WE DON'T REALLY HAVE REMOTE WORK.

THAT'S NOT PART OF MY DEPARTMENT.

OR I KNOW WE ALLOW TWO DAYS A WEEK BUT WE'RE ONLY GOING TO DO ONE DAY A WEEK BECAUSE WE WANT THE MANAGERS TO USE THEIR BEST STRENGTHS AND MANAGE THE WAY THAT THEY

WOULD. >> QUESTION I HAVE IS REGARDING EMPLOYEE REVIEWS. MAYBE YOU TOUCHED ON THIS, BUT HOW OFTEN DOES THE MANAGER OR DIRECTOR GIVE EMPLOYEE REVIEWS TO LET THE EMPLOYEE KNOW HOW THEIR STRENGTHS, THEIR WEAKNESSES, WHERE THE MANAGER, WHERE THE DIRECTOR CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT STRENGTH AND INVEST IN THAT EMPLOYEE TO HELP THEM BUILD THAT WEAKNESS. HOW OFTEN DO YOU DO THAT?

>> PREVIOUSLY IT WAS THE STANDARD YEARLY EVALUATION THAT IS CHANGING.

WE NOW REQUIRE EVERY MANAGER TO MEET WITH THEIR EMPLOYEES AT LEAST IWEEKLY BUT THE EXPECTATION IS WEEKLY.

THEY'RE ABLE TO DO BIWEEKLY. ACTUAL REVIEWS, HR IS CURRENTLY IMPLEMENTING A SOFTWARE THAT DOES EMPLOYEE REVIEWS FOR US, AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO A QUARTERLY MODEL. SO ALL THE ONE ON ONES WILL FEED INTO A QUARTERLY MODEL. THAT ALSO GIVES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT SAME STUDY IN THE SURVEY FOR THE EMPLOYEE TO GIVE FEEDBACK TO THE SUPERVISOR AND WOULD BE DOCUMENTED IN THAT

SOFTWARE. >> IT SOUNDS LIKE SOME OF THE THINGS I HEARD WAS MANAGEMENT NEEDS TO BE MORE INVOLVED WITH EMPLOYEES.

I HEARD THAT. ALSO PRIORITIZATION NEEDS TO COME FROM MANAGEMENT AND DIRECTOR LEVEL NEEDS TO BE MORE INVOLVED.

SO HOW IS THE CITY HELPING TO INVEST IN MANAGERS AND DIRECTORS TO WHERE THEY CAN BE MORE INVOLVED AND HELP THE EMPLOYEES WITH PRIORITIZATION AND GIVE THAT RRM CONSISTENT GROWTH, I GUESS, IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.

>> YEAH. SO I BELIEVE BACK TO IT'S A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY BETWEEN COUNCIL AND STAFF WITH THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION. SOMETHING THAT I HAVE BEEN ADAMANT ABOUT AND IT'S NOT A DAVID THING. THIS IS DONE IN THE DALLAS AREA, IN ALMOST EVERY SINGLE SUCCESSFUL CITY, IS TAKING THE STRATEGIC PLAN SERIOUS AS,

[01:00:03]

HEY, THIS IS OUR PLAN AS A BODY FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO SEE ACCOMPLISHED. AND THEN DEPARTMENT HEADS TAKING IT JUST AS SERIOUS AND SETTING A WORK PLAN BASED OFF OF THOSE OBJECTIVES THAT COUNCIL IS SETTING AND THEN CREATING KPIS THAT MEASURE IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL OR NOT IN THAT. I THINK THAT EASIER STREAMLINE PLAN OF WORK FOR DEPARTMENT HEADS WOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM TO SAY, OKAY, THESE ARE THE OBJECTIVES THAT CITY COUNCIL IS LOOKING FOR AND CITY MANAGER IS LOOKING FOR AND I NEED TO EXECUTE ON THOSE OBJECTIVES. HERE ARE THE WAYS I CAN SPLIT THE WORKLOAD BETWEEN THE RESOURCES I HAVE IN MY DEPARTMENT AND I HAVE DATA DRIVEN MEASURABLES TO SHOW IF IT'S WORKING OR NOT. SO IF I NEED TO PIVOT OR MOVE ON SOMETHING COUNCIL SEES A SPECIFIC KPI AND SAYS THIS IS NOT REALLY UP TO THE HUTTO STANDARD AND WE ADDRESS THAT AND MOVE FORWARD. I DO BELIEVE THAT WE'RE CLOSE.

WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET, WHICH IS WHY WE'VE STILL HAD POSITIVE TRENDS THROUGHOUT THE 10- MONTH PERIOD. I'M HOPEFUL THAT WITHIN TWO TO THREE YEARS WE COULD BE ONE OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS APPLYING FOR GAP LINE- GALLUP OF WE'RE ONE OF THE TOP PERFORMING WORKPLACES WHICH WOULD REQUIRE 9 TO 1.

>> LEADING BY EXAMPLE, IF A DIRECTOR OR MANAGER LEAD BY EXAMPLE ABOUT HOW THEY EXPECT THEIR ORGANIZATION TO RUN, THEY'RE DOING IT IN A POSITIVE WAY IT'S GOING TO BOOST

MORALE. >> YES,

SIR. >> IF THEY'RE DOING KNIT IT IN A NEGATIVE WAY, WHO WANTS TO COME TO WORK.

>> YES, SIR. LIKE I MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION WE HAVE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE PERFORMING BETTER WHEN IT COMES TO ENGAGEMENT METRICS. PART OF THE FACILITATION PROGRAMS IS TO WORK WITH THOSE DEPARTMENTS TO SEE, HEY, HOW DO YOU MANAGE YOUR EMPLOYEES, WHAT MESSAGING ARE YOU BRINGING AND ALLOW THEM TO TRAIN OTHER DEPARTMENTS OR GIVE ADVICE TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT MAY NOT BE WHERE THEY'RE ADD TO LOWER THAT VARIANCE.

>> THANK YOU, DAVE.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME.

>> I HAVE A LITTLE FOLLOW- UP ON THE DATA ON PAGE 25 OF THE PACKET WHERE IT GOES OVER THE DEPARTMENTS.

THERE WAS SOME MISSING DATA ABOUT TREND.

AT THE BOTTOM HUMAN RESOURCES, ONLY FOUR RESPONDENTS.

IT SAYS 3. 33 AND THEN THERE'S NO DELTA YEAR TO YEAR.

>> I'M PULLING IT BUT TO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WOULD MEAN THERE WASN'T SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENT UP OR DOWN.

YOU'RE EITHER GOING TO SEE A PLUS MINUS ZERO WHICH IS TELLING YOU THAT OUTRIGHT.

>> IT'S NOT MISSING DATA. THERE'S JUST NO

CHANGE. >> CORRECT.

>> THIS IS DONE YEARLY. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE INTERIM WISE TO KIND OF GET A LITTLE BLOOD PRESSURE OF --

>> JOLT?

>> YEAH. THE PROVERBIAL SUGGESTION BOX.

>> WITH MAYOR'S SUGGESTION TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER WE HAVE A PRESENTATION LATER TODAY THAT TIES INTO

THIS. >> GREAT.

THANK YOU.

>> SO I OFTEN GET REMINDED THAT I'M A LOT OLDER THAN I LOOK AND I PROBABLY IN FACT GREW UP IN A DIFFERENT TIME.

>> YOU LOOK 55. HOW OLD ARE YOU?

>> 85 APPARENTLY. SO I'M GLAD YOU DEFINED ENGAJD BECAUSE -- ENGAGED. ONLY 44% OF PEOPLE ARE ENGAGED, ONLY 44% OF PEOPLE ARE DOING THEIR JOB. OBVIOUSLY, YES, DIFFERENT.

I'M GLAD YOU POINTED THAT OUT TO ME.

THAT HELPED. ON THAT NOTE, YOU KNOW, ME COMING FROM A DIFFERENT TIME, I LOOK AT ENGAGEMENT AS -- ACTUALLY IF YOU GO TO THE SLIDE THAT HAD THE TWO THINGS ABOUT MY

JOB. >> THIS ONE?

>> YEAH, THAT ONE. I'M GOING TO GO FROM A BIAS OF HOW I WORK AND WHAT I DO. I KNOWS WHAT EXPECTED OF ME AT

[01:05:01]

WORK. I DO THINK THAT COMES FROM LEADERSHIP. DID SEE THE SLIDE ABOUT GOOD I GUESS ENGAGING LEADERSHIP HAS A 70% -- WHAT WAS IT, A 70% VARIANCE IN THE TEAM'S ENGAGEMENT.

>> SO, YES, I THINK LEADERSHIP IS IMPORTANT.

I GUESS, YEAH, IT'S GOOD. WE PROBABLY NEED TO BE BETTER AT TELLING THE STAFF THEY'VE DONE A GOOD JOB.

FROM WHERE I COME FROM, I KNOW YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB WHEN I SHOW UP ON TIME.

I KNOW YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB WHEN YOU'RE PRODUCING AND GIVING ME THE RESULTS. YOU GUYS HAVE A DIFFERENT -- YOU WORK FOR THE CITY MANAGER. THE CITY MANAGER WORKS FOR US. WE WORK FOR THE PEOPLE.

WE'RE ALL IN POLITICS IF WE LIKE IT OR NOT.

IT'S VERY DIFFICULT. TO YOUR POINT, YES, WE PROBABLY NEED TO BE BETTER AT THAT.

I'M NOT BIG ON THE GAP LINE-THE GALLUP STUFF.

THIS IS ALL FEEL GOOD STUFF. I'M SURE JIM WAS ALL EXCITED ABOUT THE NUMBERS. THIS QUESTION HERE, I HAVE THE MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT I NEED TO DO MY WORK RIGHT.

>> CORRECT. >> AGAIN, FROM MY BIAS IN WHAT I DO, I DEAL WITH THIS WITH MY EMPLOYEES.

IT'S NOT THAT THEY HAVE WHAT THEY NEED.

IT'S THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE DIRECTION AND THEY WANT MORE SO THAT IT'S EASIER TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.

I SEE THAT A LOT. I'M NOT SAYING THAT ISN'T TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION HERE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND ALL THE METRICS THAT'S PART OF THIS SURVEY. FOR ME IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THAT THEY HAVE WHAT THEY NEED. IT'S THAT THEY LACK THAT DIRECTION. IF THAT COMES FROM US, THAT COMES FROM US. IF THAT COMES FROM THE DIRECTOR OR MANAGER, THEN IT COMES FROM THERE.

OBVIOUSLY NOT EVERY SITUATION IS THE SAME BUT THAT ONE I STRUGGLESTRUGGLE A LITTLE BIT.

MAYBE WE DO HAVE WHAT WE NEED, BUT WE WANT IT TO BE EASIER SO WE SAY WE DON'T HAVE WHAT WE

NEED. >> YES, SIR.

THAT QUESTION IN PARTICULAR WHILE IT READS AS I NEED MORE THINGS, RIGHT, IF WE WERE TO SIMPLIFY IT EVEN ACCORDING TO GALLUP THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. IT COULD BE SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS THE EMPLOYEE INTRANET DOESN'T CLEARLY STATE A STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE AND I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO PURCHASE SOMETHING ON AMAZON.

THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY BUDGETARY.

SO THE WHOLE REASON THAT WE RUN THESE FACILITATED SESSIONS AND WE'LL BE FOCUSING ON THESE TWO QUESTIONS AND BUILDING ACTION PLANS IS ATTEMPTING TO IDENTIFY THE REAL REASON FOR EACH DEPARTMENT BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO VARY BY DEPARTMENT FOR PUBLIC WORKS. MAYBE I DON'T HAVE THE DRILL THAT I NEED TO ACTUALLY DO THIS AND I HAVE TO USE THREE DIFFERENT TOOLS THAT I KNOW ONE TOOL COULD FIX. BUT WE WON'T KNOW THAT UNTIL THOSE SESSIONS OCCUR.

>> OKAY. COOL.

AGAIN, I DON'T -- I'M PROBABLY HALF IN HALF OUT ON THIS WHOLE GALLUP THING.

AGAIN, I'M PROBABLY 105 AT THIS POINT.

[9.1. Conduct a public hearing and possible action on Ordinance No. 0-2025-022 for the proposed Specific Use Permit request for the property, known as 2059 Limmer Loop, to allow an office: professional, as the main use in the LI (Light Industrial) zoning district. (Ashley Bailey)]

USE PERMIT REQUEST FOR THE PROPERTY KNOWN AS 2059 LIMMER LOOP TO ALLOW AN OFFICE PROFESSIONAL AS A MAIN USE IN THE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICT.

>> THIS FEELS REALLY FAR AWAY NOW.

CERVANTES FILLING IN FOR DIRECTOR BAILEY WHO COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT. ESSENTIALLY THIS PROPERTY IS IN AN AREA ZONED LIGHT INDUSTRIAL. IT'S GOING TO HAVE A PRIMARY OFFICE USE WITH ESSENTIALLY A STORAGE BUILDING FOR MATERIALS FOR SOME OF THE MAINTENANCE OF THE CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT THEY ARE GOING TO BE IN CHARGE OF. BECAUSE OF THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE USES OF THE TWO BUILDINGS OUR CURRENT UDC REQUIRES A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO GO IN FRONT OF PNZ AND IN FRONT OF COUNCIL TO ALLOW THIS USE.

BEYOND THAT, WE HAD NO MAJOR RED FLAGS FROM THE LEVEL PNZ -- I BELIEVE COUNCILMEMBER MORRIS WAS ON PNZ.

IF THERE'S ANY TECHNICAL INFORMATION, CITY ENGINEER IS READY TO TAG IN AS WELL.

>> IS THERE A PICTURE OF WHICH CORNER THIS IS JUST FOR

[01:10:02]

THE PUBLIC?

>> THERE WE GO.

>> NORTHEAST CORNER LIMMER LOOP AND

INNOVATION. >> CORRECT.

IT'S OUTLINED IN THE LIME GREEN THERE ON BOTH SIDES.

ACCORDING TO THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP THIS IS THE FLUM HAS THIS LABELED AS EMPLOYMENT CENTER SO IT FITS IN WITH EVERYTHING WE'VE BEEN PLANNING.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU.

WE'LL -- PUBLIC HEARING AT 8:24 P.M. WE ASK IF THERE'S ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WISHES TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME FORWARD. SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE HEARING AT 8:24.

OPEN UP FOR COUNCIL QUESTIONS OR ACTIONS.

>> ONE RESPONSE IN FAVOR WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THE PACT. KET PACKET. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OTHER

SIX? >> I THINK SHE MIGHT HAVE WORDED THAT INCORRECTLY.

>> THEY DON'T RESPOND.

>> WE GET A LOT OF NONRESPONSES TO DOOR HANGERS AND MAILERS.

GETTING ONE IS TATISTICALLY VERY

HIGH. >> EITHER THAT ONE WAS IN FAVOR OF IT AND THE OTHER SIX WERE NOT. THAT'S WHY I HAD TO ASK THE

QUESTIONS. >> OF COURSE, OF COURSE.

OF THE TIME WE HAVE SUPS REZONES, VERY FEW TIMES DOES SOMEONE COME UP AND SPEAK IN A PUBLIC HEARING. IF SOMEONE WROTE IN SUPPORT, IT'S USUALLY THE LANDOWNER SELLING THE LAND.

EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE THERE'S SOMEONE WHO'S AGAINST IT. I THINK THE APARTMENTS ON EXCHANGE ONLY GOT SIX OR SEVEN

PEOPLE. >> WE TYPICALLY DON'T HEAR ANYTHING --

>> A LOT MORE --

>> SAME STATISTIC AS WHO COMES

OUT AND VOTES. >> FAIR.

>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE.

PRESENTED. >>

SECOND. >> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, BEFORE YOU VOTE I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT YOU PROBABLY RECEIVED THE UPDATED ORDINANCE WITH THE PENALTY CLAUSE BUT IT WASN'T PUT ONLINE.

WOULD YOU MAKE SURE IN YOUR MOTION TO ADD THAT THE PENALTY CLAUSE BE INCLUDED?

>> I'LL REVISE WITH THAT IF -- YES.

>> WHY I'M SUPPORTING THIS IS WE COULD HAVE A BUNCH OF INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS.

I CAN'T REMEMBER THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY BUT THEY'RE DOING BUSINESS IN HUTTO NOW BUT THEY'RE MOVING THEIR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY FOR THEIR AUSTIN OFFICE, IF I UNDERSTAND RIGHT, TO THIS PARTICULAR CORNER.

SO IT'S WHAT OF A LAY DOWN YARD OR STORAGE THEY COULD ALREADY HAVE, BUT NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OFFICE THERE WHICH I THINK IS A LESS INTENSE USE IN MY MIND THAN A DATA CENTER BUILDING OR SOMETHING PUT THERE.

SO I THINK THIS IS GOOD. AND IT'S ONON A MAIN THOROUGHFARE WHICH WOULD BE BETTER TO HAVE COMING AND GOING FOR WORK AS OPPOSED --

>> PNZ DID REVIEW -- IT'S AWAY FROM BOTH ROADS.

>> ALL RIGHT. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE.

[10. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS]

>> MOTION PASSES 7-0. NEXT WE HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. ITEMS 10. 1 THROUGH 10.8.

I'D LIKE TO PULL 10. 1, 10.4. I'VE BEEN REQUESTED TO PULL ITEMS 10. 5 AND 10.6.

>> I'D LIKE TO PULL 10.7.

>> 10.7. ARE THERE ANY ITEMS? IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTOCROSS TO APPROVE ITEMS 10.

2, 3 AND 8.

>> SO MOVED.

>> MOTION BY PORTERFIELD. DO WE HAVE A SECOND?

>> SECONDED BY GORDON. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE. VOTE.

[10.1. Consideration and possible action on Resolution No. R-2025-159 authorizing the City Manager to execute an Individual Project Order (IPO) with MWM DesignGroup, Inc. in the amount of $46,610 for the design of Hutto Lake Park Playground project (CIP P34- 2025). (Matt Rector)]

>> MOTION PASSES 7-0. NEXT WE HAVE ITEM 10.

1, CONSIDERATION FOR POSSIBLE ACTION ON RESOLUTION R- 25159 AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN INDIVIDUAL PROJECT

[01:15:04]

ORDER IPO WITH MWM DESIGN GROUP INCORPORATED IN THE AMOUNT OF $46,610 FOR THE DESIGN OF HUTTO LAKE PARK PLAYGROUND PROJECT CIP -- ONE, I'D LIKE TO SEE -- NORMALLY BEFORE WE GO AND ENGINEER SOMETHING WE HAVE AN IDEA WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE. WHERE I'M HAVING A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING THIS IS PART OF THIS IS TO MAKE THINGS ADA, BUT THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT INTEGRATING PLAY STRUCTURES INTO TWO TERRACES ON A HILLSIDE.

SO I'D REALLY LIKE TO KNOW WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE TRYING TO DO HERE? BECAUSE WHEN I START THINKING ADA AND HILLSIDE, I START THINKING TWO DIFFERENT THINGS THAT DON'T MATCH UP.

IT MENTIONS REPLACING A PLAYGROUND.

I'VE BEEN OUT THERE. I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING A PLAYGROUND. I DON'T KNOW IF WE ALREADY TOOK IT AWAY IN PREPARATION. AND THEN LAST THING IS, I NEED BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT TAKES TO HAVE AN ADA COMPLIANT ROUTE FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY. THE REASON BEING IS PART OF THIS PROJECT IS TO PAVE AREAS THAT PART OF A TRAIL THAT DOESN'T GO TO ANY -- AS I CAN TELL, THEY DON'T GO TO ANY PUBLIC STRUCTURES.

SO WE'RE PAVING TRAILS THAT CURRENTLY ARE NOT PAVED, BUT WE'VE JUST BEEN GOING THROUGHTHROUGH A

>> I THOUGHT THE DISTINCTION ON THE TRAILS WAS YOU COULD HAVE A NATURE TRAIL AS LONG AS THERE WAS A DIFFERENT PATH THAT SOMEBODY COULD WALK TO GET TO THE SAME PLACE. I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE DISTINCTION.

>> IT MAKES IT UNFEASIBLE TO PAVE IF IT RUINS THE NATURE AREA BY GOING IN AND PAVING IT AND IT MAKES IT SO IT'S NOT A NATURE AREA ANYMORE. THAT WAS ANOTHER REQUIREMENT.

IF THE TOPOGRAPHY DOESN'T ALLOW

YOU TO PAVE -- >> THERE WAS A LIST OF CRITERIA.

>> DO YOU KNOW ANY OF THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS?

>> OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT THE PARKS DIRECTOR SO I'M JUST THE ENGINEER TRYING TO KEEP EVERYTHING MOVING.

THE CONCEPT THAT WE USED TO WRITE THIS SCOPE WAS BASED ON, ONE, THE CIP THAT WAS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL LAST YEAR TO GO AHEAD AND PRIORITIZE THE PLAYGROUND.

WE TOOK THE PLAYGROUND CONCEPT STRAIGHT FROM THE APPROVED PARKS MASTER PLAN.

AND SO IN THE PARKS MASTER PLAN THERE WERE ACTUALLY THREE SEPARATE PLAYGROUNDS BASED ON CAPABILITY, I GUESS YOU WOULD SAY. IT WAS LIKE A LITTLE KIDS TYPE THING, AN OLDER KIDS TYPE THING, AND I GUESS THERE WAS A SEPARATE SWING SET THERE. AND I BELIEVE THAT -- YOU HAVE TO HELP ME OUT. I THINK MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU WERE ONE OF THE BIG PROPONENTS WHEN WE DID THE CIP SAYING WE NEEDED TO ADDRESS ISSUES IN THIS PARK, I BELIEVE, LAST SUMMER. I THINK THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH A PLAYGROUND AT ONE POINT THAT WAS NO LONGER SAFE, SO WE REMOVED EVERYTHING.

>> I DON'T KNOW WHO DESIGNED IT.

IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS MAYBE FROM THE SOVIET UNION IN THE 1960S. THERE WAS A CONCRETE SLIDE THAT LOOKED LIKE IT WOULD HURT TO TRY TO GO DOWN

IT. >> MAYOR, YOU HAVE TO REMIND ME WHAT WERE THE OTHER QUESTIONS?

>> WHERE IS THAT SLIDE AT? I DIDN'T --

>> IT WAS IN --

>> IF YOU GO TO PAGE 69 IN THE PACKET --

>> I HONESTLY DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS A PLAYGROUND UNTIL SOMEBODY TOLD ME IT WAS A PLAYGROUND.

>> I MADE THE MISTAKE OF CALLING IT A PLAYGROUND.

I WAS CORRECTED BY THE PARKS DIRECTOR, NO, IT'S JUST A BUNCH OF CONCRETE.

[01:20:01]

>> OKAY. THAT'S SOME CLARIFICATION.

IT'S A PLAYGROUND AT SOME POINT BECAUSE IT DOES SAY -- I FORGET.

THE EXISTING PLAYGROUND POSED A SAFETY HAZARD SO A NEW PLAY STRUCTURE HAS BEEN PROPOSED.

>> IT'S A RECREATIONAL WAY TO TOUGHEN OUR KIDS.

>> WHAT ARE WE PUTTING INTO THE -- I UNDERSTAND THE MASTER PLAN.

WE START APPROVED STUFF BASED ON SOMETHING WE CAN'T REMEMBER, BUT WHAT ARE WE DOING WHEN IT SAYS BY ADJUSTING THE SITE GRADE, NEW PLAY STRUCTURES WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO TWO TERRACES ON THE HILLSIDE?

>> SO CURRENTLY IF YOU LOOK AT AN AERIAL IMAGE, YOU'LL SEE THERE'S SIDEWALKS KIND OF GOING AROUND THE AREA ALREADY, SIDEWALKS AND TRAILS. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, IS BEING ABLE TO FIGURE OUT -- LIKE I SAID, THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT PLAYGROUNDS. THE MASTER PLAN HAS THEM SOMEWHAT SEPARATED BUT STILL SOMEWHAT CONNECTED SO PARENTS, KIDS CAN GO FROM ONE TO THE OTHER. WE DON'T HAVE THE DETAILED DESIGN FOR YOU AT THIS POINT, BUT THE IDEA BEING THAT AS WE DO THE SURVEY THERE AND THERE'S TOPOGRAPHIC RELIEF THAT WE WOULD INTEGRATE THEM ACCORDINGLY BASED ON HOW WE CAN DO -- DAVID, DO YOU WANT TO COME UP HERE AND HELP ME OUT? DAVID CAZARES IS THE LANDSCAPE

ARCHITECT. >> WHEN I HEAR INTEGRATED INTO THE HILLSIDE, I'M THINKING -- I WOULD ASSUME THEY ALL HAVE TO BE ALL ACCESSIBLE, RIGHT? BECAUSE ANYMORE YOU CAN'T BUILD A PLAYGROUND THAT'STHAT'S ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYBODY. SO THEN IF YOU BUILD INTO A HILLSIDE, IS THERE A WAY TO BUILD A PLAYGROUND INTO A HILLSIDE AND STILL BE ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYBODY.

>> DAVID CAZARES. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THE REASON WE WOULD LOOK TO INTEGRATE IT INTO A HILLSIDE IS BECAUSE WE WANTWANT MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF CUT AND FILL TO DO THE PLAYGROUND.

THE LEVELS MAYBE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT IN ORDER TO BE EFFICIENT WITH HOW MUCH EARTHWORK WE HAVE TO DO TO MAKE IT WORK. THE PLAYGROUNDS THERE NOW, ONE OF THEM IS VERY, VERY SMALL, AROUND TWO ROCK- LOOKING STRUCTURES WITH THE ROPE COURSE TIES THE TWO ROCKS TOGETHER. THE OTHER ONE IS LIKE SOME FAKE LOGS THAT ARE KIND OF ARRANGED END TO

END. >> OH, THAT'S THE PLAYGROUND?

>> THAT'S THE PLAYGROUND.

>> THAT IS SOVIET ERA.

>> I TOLD YOU IT'S THE RECREATIONAL TOUGHENING OF OUR KIDS.

>> SO --

>> PUT A FESTIVUS POLE WHEN IT'S

DONE. >> SO THE IDEA WOULD BE TO GET THAT TO BE MORE TYPICAL FOR A PLAY ELEMENT OUT THERE. SO LIKE THOSE SHAPES WON'T WORK.

THEY'RE ALL TUCKED IN AROUND THE BERMS THAT WERE CREATED THERE. THEY'RE KIND OF MOGUL STYLE LIKE GOLF BUNKERS.

SO WE'D WANT TO WIDEN THOSE OUT SO WE GET A REGULAR TYPE PLAY STRUCTURE IN THERE. WE'D CONNECT IT WITH AN ACCESSIBLE ROUTE THAT CONNECTS EITHER TO THE TRAIL THAT'S THERE ON THE LAKESIDE OR ONE THAT GOES AROUND ON THE HIGH SIDE, WHICHEVER WAY ENDS UP BEING MOST FEASIBLE WE'LL LOOK AT DOING

THAT. >> THE PLAYGROUND ITSELF WILL BE

ALL ACCESSIBLE, RIGHT? >> YES, SIR.

>> ALL RIGHT. COOL.

THANKS. >> YOU'RE WELCOME.

>> QUESTIONS FOR 10.1?

>> I NOTICE THAT, YEAH, I WAS OUT THERE AT THE PARK TOO.

I WAS NOTICING THAT SOME OF THE TRAILS ARE CONCRETE AND THEN IT GOES INTO WHAT APPEARS TO BE CRUSHED GRANITE.

SO IS THERE A PLAN THAT THEY'RE EVENTUALLY GOING TO BE ALL CONCRETE, OR IS THAT AN ADA ISSUE OR CONCERN? HOW IS THAT GOING TO PAN OUT?

>> SO I BELIEVE IN THE MASTER PLAN IT DOES CALL FOR US TO REPLACE A LOT OF THOSE DECOMPOSED GRANITE TRAILS WITH CONCRETE TRAILS.

THE CAVEAT BEING THE MAJORITY OF THIS PARK IS IN AN UPPER BRUSHY CREEK INUNDATION EASEMENT, SO WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WHAT WE PUT IN THERE AND WE HAVE TO WORK WITH THE UPPER BRUSHY CREEK WATER CONTROL DISTRICT BECAUSE IT'S THEIR EASEMENT. IT'S AN IMPOUNDMENT AREA.

SO WHEN WE HAVE A LARGE RAIN EVENT AND WATER GETS IMPOUNDED, IT COULD BASICALLY FLOOD THE PARK. SO THEY ARE VERY PARTICULAR ABOUT WHAT THEY LET BE BUILT WITHIN THAT AREA.

[01:25:02]

BUT, YEAH, THERE IS A PLAN TO REPLACE A LOT OF THE DG, NOT ALL OF IT BUT A LOT OF THE DECOMPOSED GRANITE WITH CONCRETE. BUT THAT'S NOT PART OF THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, BECAUSE COUNCIL WANTED TO PRIORITIZE THE

PLAYGROUND. >> THAT'S NOT WHAT THAT SAYS.

THIS SAYS IT'S GOING TO -- THE SCOPE CONSISTS OF FOLLOWING THE REDESIGN OF EXISTING PLAYGROUND AND ENHANCING ADA ACCESS.

SO YOU'RE NOT TALKING ALL THAT DECOMPOSED GRANITE.

YOU'RE TALKING JUST TO GET TO THE NEW PLAYGROUND, AN ADA PATH?

>> YEAH. I APOLOGIZE.

IF YOUR QUESTION WAS THE ENTIRE PARK --

>> IT WAS.

>> THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. YEAH, WE'RE NOT FOCUSING ON THE ENTIRE PARK. WE'RE JUST FOCUSING ON GETTING KIDS TO AND FROM THE PLAYGROUND.

>> JUST THE MAIN PATHWAY.

>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE 10. 1 AS PRESENTED.

>> SECONDED.

>> MOTION BY THOMPSON. SECONDED BY MAYOR PRO TEM THORNTON. ONE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE, SO DO WE HAVE APPROVAL FROM THE UPPER BRUSHY CREEK FOR WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT DOING YET?

>> WE DO NOT, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T PUT -- I MEAN, WE HAVE A CONCEPT BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LOOK AT A CONCEPT.

THEY'RE GOING TO WANT DAVID'S TEAM TO DO A MORE DETAILED DESIGN.

AS PART OF THE SURVEY THEY'LL SHOW THIS IS WHERE YOUR EASEMENT IS, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO.

WE'LL COORDINATE WITH THEM.

>> ITEM 10. 2, THAT 16,000. THAT ONE KIND OF RUBBED ME THE WRONG WAY. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE ON THIS THAT BEFORE WE GO INTO BID CONSTRUCTION, WE'VE GOT THE APPROVALS BECAUSE THAT PARTICULAR ITEM SEEMS LIKE WE WENT INTO CONSTRUCTION WITHOUT APPROVALS AND THEN DIDN'T GET THE APPROVALS AND THEN HAD TO START CHANGING EVERYTHING.

>> WE WILL WORK WITH UPPER BRUSHY. I'VE ALREADY STARTED HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM.

ONCE WE GET THE DESIGN, WE'LL HAVE THEM REVIEW IT AND APPROVE IT.

WE'LL HAVE THE APPROVAL IN PLACE BEFORE WE GO TO CONSTRUCTION.

>> OKAY. CALL THE VOTE.

ITEM 10. 3, CONSIDERATION FOR POSSIBLE ACTION ON RESOLUTION

[10.4. Consideration and possible action on Resolution No. R-2025-162 accepting the infrastructure improvements for the Spine Road Project as public infrastructure. (Matt Rector/Cheney Gamboa)]

R- 2025, 161 --

>> FOUR.

>> R-2025- 162, ACCEPTING THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS FOR SPINE ROAD PROJECT AS PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE.

WILL WE ACCEPT THE IMPROVEMENTS OF THE EMERGENCY ROAD THAT WAS BUILT? IS THAT PART OF THIS?

>> THE CAVEAT THERE IS THAT WE WERE WAITING ON ESD TO GIVE US APPROVALS ON THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF THE FIRE ROAD, WHICH WE ACTUALLY JUST GOT TONIGHT.

BUT, YES, ESSENTIALLY WE WILL -- ACTUALLY, I DON'T -- IT'S COUNCIL'S PREROGATIVE IF YOU WANT ME TO BRING BACK A SEPARATE ITEM TO ACCEPT THE FIRE ROAD FROM THE SPINE ROAD.

WE JUST GOT THE E-MAIL AROUND 6:00 TONIGHT FROM THE ESD SAYING THEY WERE OKAY WITH THE FIRE ROAD.

UNFORTUNATELY WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT IN

ADVANCE. >> RIGHT.

SO THAT FIRE ROAD IS NOT PART OF THIS ITEM?

>> SO IT WILL HAVE TO THEN COME BACK, I GUESS, AT SOME POINT WE HAVE TO ACCEPT IT.

>> THAT'S A QUESTION WE'VE BEEN HAVING WITH LEGAL.

THERE'S NO OFFICIAL REQUIREMENT FOR COUNCIL TO ACCEPT A CIP PROJECT. IT'S MORE OF A POLICY QUESTION.

WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH LEGAL ABOUT BRINGING BACK A POLICY TO YOU GUYS. DO YOU WANT TO SEE EVERY CIP PROJECT? ARE THERE SPECIFIC TIMES? IT'S REALLY COUNCIL'S PREROGATIVE ON THE FIRE ROAD.

>> BY ACCEPTING THIS, THAT TRIGGERS TIMELINES ON DEVELOPERS THAT HAVE --

>> YES, SIR. >> GOT YOU.

>> MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT 10.4.

>> MOTION BY THOMPSON, SECONDED BY KING.

[10.6. Consideration and possible action on Resolution No. R-2024-164 approving a Public Improvement District Development Agreement between the City of Hutto and HWY 130 Mixed Use, LLC for the light industrial and commercial development known as Epitome. (Sara Cervantes)]

>> MOTION PASSES 7-0. I'VE BEEN ASKED TO TAKE ITEM

[01:30:03]

10. 6 FIRST. IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS WE'LL DO ITEM 10. 6, CONSIDERATION FOR POSSIBLE ACTION ON RESOLUTION R- 2024, 164 APPROVING A PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN HUTTO AND HIGHWAY 130 MIXED USE LLC FOR LIGHT INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT KNOWN AS EPITOME. QUESTIONS OR ARE YOU GUYS OKAY?

>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE 10. 6 AS PRESENTED.

>> MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMPSON.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND?

>> SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER MORRIS.

ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE.

[10.5. Consideration and possible action on Resolution No. R-2025-163 accepting a petition for and calling for a public hearing on the creation of the Epitome Public Improvement District within the City of Hutto pursuant to Chapter 372 of the Texas Local Government Code. (Sara Cervantes)]

>> AYE.

>> MOTION PASSES 7-0. THAT BRINGS US TO ITEM 10.

5, CONSIDERATION FOR POSSIBLE ACTION ON RESOLUTION R-2025- 163 ACCEPTING A PETITION FOR AND CALLING FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON THE CREATION OF EPITOME PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT WITHIN THE CITY OF HUTTO PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 372 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.

>> MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE 10. 5 AS PRESENTED.

>> MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMPSON.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND?

>> SECONDED BY GORDON. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE CALL THE

>> MOTION PASSES 7-0. THANKS, GUYS, FOR WORKING

[10.7. Consideration and possible action on Resolution No. R-2025-165 authorizing the City Manager to execute the Letter of Engagement appointing Butler Snow as Independent Legal Counsel for the Ethics Review Commission. (Laura Hallmark)]

ON THIS FOR THE PIT AND IMPROVEMENTS.

NEXT WE HAVE ITEM 10. 7 CORPORATION FOR POSSIBLE ACTION ON RESOLUTION R-2025- 165 AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE LETTER OF ENGAGEMENT APPOINTING BUTLER SNOW AS INDEPENDENT COUNSEL FOR THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION.

>> LOOKING IN THE PACKET, I DIDN'T SEE WHERE THERE WAS ANY -- I JUST SAW THE ONE BUTLER SNOW. I DIDN'T SEE IF THERE WAS ANY OTHER LEGAL FIRMS THAT THE EDC WEIGHED OUT.

>> YOU SAID EDC.

>> I DIDN'T SEE ANY OTHER FIRMS THAT WERE WEIGHED OUT.

WAS THERE OTHER PEOPLE THAT SUBMITTED?

>> YES. LAURA HALLMARK, CITY SECRETARY FOR THE RECORD. I SERVE AS THE STAFF LIAISON FOR THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION. THERE WERE FOUR ATTORNEYS OR FIRMS INVITED TO FILL OUT A QUESTIONNAIRE.

THEN TWO SUBMITTED RESPONSES TOTO THAT. THOSE TWO WERE INTERVIEWED BY THE COMMISSION AT THEIR LAST MEETING. THIS IS WHERE THE RECOMMENDATION CAME FROM.

>> OKAY. WAS ANY OF THE OTHER FIRMS OR ISIS FIRM SPECIFICALLY, HAVE THEY EVER DONE ANY DEALINGS IN THE CITY OF HUTTO?

>> NO, THEY HAVE NOT.

>> SO THEY'VE NEVER REPRESENTED ANY ENTITY WITHIN THE CITY?

>> OKAY. AS FAR AS THE RATES GO, IS IT CAPPED OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT COULD GO ABOVE THE 10,000 THAT IS ALLOCATED FOR THIS?

>> IT'S HARD TO DETERMINE A SET NUMBER, BECAUSE THE INDEPENDENT COUNSEL WOULD BE BROUGHT IN AS THE COMMISSION RECEIVES COMPLAINTS OR POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS.

AND SO THAT'S THE NUMBER THERE IS REALLY A GUESSTIMATE BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY TO NO UNLESS, UNTIL THE WORK STARTS.

>> SO THEN WILL THE BOARD BE INFORMED WHEN THEY'RE REACHING THAT LIMIT AND WILL COUNSEL BE INFORMED AS WELL?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> OKAY. AND THEN -- I THINK THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS.

. LOOKING AT PROVIDING FUNDS TO OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. I KNOW THE PARKS BOARD HAS ASKED FOR TRAINING, DIB HAS ASKED FOR TRAINING AND THE LIBRARY BOARD HAS ASKED FOR TWO FTES.

I HOPE THIS IS GOOD PRECEDENT THAT WE SUPPORT OUR BOARDS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH FUNDING THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL. REALLY PROUD TO SEE THIS COME BEFORE US AND REALLY PROUD OF THIS COUNCIL FOR, YOU KNOW, ALLOCATING FUNDS AND RESOURCES TO OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

>> JUST HAD A FOLLOW- UP QUESTION

[01:35:01]

ON ONE OF THE QUESTIONS COUNCILMEMBER THOMPSON ASKED. IS THERE NOT A BLANKET RETAINER FEE WE HAVE TO PAY THEM? WE ONLY PAY THEM AS THEY'RE NEEDED?

>> I'M A FORMER MEMBER OF THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION.

PART OF THE IMPETUS FOR RETAINING COUNSEL IS FOR TEXAS STATUTE.

SO I DON'T KNOW. IN THE PAST THE CITY OF HUTTO HAS NOT RETAINED A LAWYER AT ANY TIME TO MY KNOWLEDGE.

SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME FOR THAT. ALSO GETTING IN COMPLIANCE OR TO KIND OF GET OUR FEET OFF THE GROUND, THERE MAY BE SOME ADDITIONAL COSTS FOR THE ATTORNEY TO REVIEW THE PROCEDURES AND THE PROCESS AND THE FORM AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THE ONLY TIME AN ATTORNEY WILL BE USED ONCE ALL THIS IS ESTABLISHED IF A COMPLAINT COMES IN AND THESE PROCEDURES ARE BEING FINALIZED.

THE COMPLAINT COMES IN AND THEN THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION WILL BASICALLY RENDER AN OPINION AND THEN THAT OPINION NEEDS TO HAVE COUNSEL REVIEW TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE NOT ANY ISSUES WITH THE CITY OR INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED. THE COMMISSION ITSELF FORMULATES THE RESPONSE BY A REALLY GREAT GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ON THERE RIGHT NOW, NOT TO SAY THEY WEREN'T IN THE PAST.

IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT WAY OF DOING ETHICS REVIEW THAT THE CITY OF HUTTO HAS NEVER DONE BEFORE.

I WELCOME THIS. I WAS THERE FOR THE INTERVIEW.

IT'S A GREAT FIRM, GREAT INDIVIDUALS.

IT'S A PITY WE ONLY GOT TWO RESPONSES BUT I FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT GROUP, THE SNOW ET AL.

I THINK THAT COSTS AREN'T GOING TO BE -- ARE ON AN ONGOING BASIS. I DON'T THINK COSTS ARE AN ISSUE UNLESS WE'RE SEEING 40 COMPLAINTS PER YEAR TYPE OF THING. THEN WE GOT OTHER PROBLEMS BESIDES ATTORNEYS. THANK

YOU. >> MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE 10.

7 AS PRESENTED.

>> MOTION BY THOMPSON, SECONDED BY GORDON.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE CALL THE

[11.1. Consideration and possible action on Ordinance No. 0-2025-023 amending the budget for the fiscal year of October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025. (Alberta Barrett)]

SNIDER. >> AYE.

>> MOTION PASSES 7-0. NEXT WE HAVE 11. 1, CONSIDERATION OF POSSIBLE ACTION ON O-2025- 023 AMENDING THE BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR OCTOBER 1, 2024 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. ALBERTA BARRETT, FINANCE DIRECTOR, FOR THE RECORD.

BUT SINCE WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY BASED ON THE SIGNIFICANT EXPENDITURE AND NATURE OF IT WE'RE BRINGING IT TO YOU AS A SEPARATE ITEM. SO THE MAJOR CHANGES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT FEE FUND IS WE PUSH THE 250,000 WE HAVE FOR THE PARKS FACILITY HEADQUARTERS.

WE HAD THAT IN FOR THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET YEAR.

WE PUSHED IT TO A FUTURE YEAR. 550,000 FOR SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION IS PUSHED TO START IN OCTOBER FOR ANY PARTICULAR PROJECT THAT COMES UP FOR THOSE FUNDS. AND THEN WE ADDED THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY AT 787,100.

THAT RAISED YOUR EXPENSES . LEAVING YOU A FUND BALANCE IN THIS FUND OF 116,399 AFTER ALL THE CHANGES.

ANY QUESTIONS? >> NO MA'AM, NOT FROM ME.

>> MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE

2025-023. >> SECOND.

>> ANY DISCUSSION?

>> I'D LIKE TO SAY THE REASON I SUPPORTED THIS PROJECT AND THIS PURCHASE PRIMARILY, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE WHO KNOW WHERE 101 PARK STREET IS, IT'S THE PROPERTY THAT USED TO BE A THERAPY CENTER.

IT'S RIGHT WHERE 1660 SOUTH THAT TEES INTO 79.

[01:40:06]

THE REASON -- THIS PURCHASE, THE ULTIMATE INTENDED USE OF THIS PROPERTY WILL BE TO TEAR IT DOWN AND IMPROVE THAT INTERSECTION AND MAKE IT A LOT EASIER TO ACCESS FRITZ PARK, ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS AT FRITZ PARK.

THAT'S KIND OF THE INTENTION. THAT'S WHY I WAS IN FAVOR OF THIS. AND ALSO BECAUSE SINCE THAT PROJECT WOULDN'T HAPPEN FOR SEVERAL YEARS WE CAN USE IT AND WE CAN PUT IT TO GOOD USE AND USE IT FOR SOME KIND OF COMMUNITY PURPOSE THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY. FOR ME IT WAS A WIN-WIN.

I KNOW IT WASN'T BUDGETED AND WE HAD TO TAKE SOME MONEY AWAY FROM SOME IMPORTANT PROJECTS INCLUDING SOME SIDEWALKS. HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT BACK ON TRACK. JUST WANT THE CITIZENS TO KNOW THAT THIS IS THE COUNCIL HAVING A LONG- TERM VISION FOR THE IMPROVED TRANSPORTATION AND TRAFFIC FLOW IN THE CITY AND WISELY USING IT IN THE MEANTIME TOO.

>> THANK YOU FOR FIGURING OUT HOW TO GET THIS -- FIGURING OUT ALL THE FUNDING IN ORDER FOR US TO DO THIS.

I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY WHERE WE CAN TEAR THIS DOWN AND IMPROVE THIS INTERSECTION. I AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER GORDON THAT THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE SOME COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES IN THE INTERIM IS A GREAT THING FOR THE CITY.

SO, AGAIN, LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DAY WE CAN MAKE THIS INTERSECTION WORKABLE. SO GREAT JOB ON HERE.

>> THANK YOU. MOTION PASSES 7-0.

>> PLEASE CALL THE VOTE.

[12.1. Consideration and possible action on Resolution No. R-2025-166 authorizing the City Manager to execute the Wastewater Pump and Haul Services Agreement with Maple Multi-Family Development, LLC, governing pump and haul wastewater service as may be needed for a multi-family development known as Allora. (Sara Cervantes)]

NEXT WE HAVE ITEM 12. 1, CONSIDERATION OF POSSIBLE ACTION ON RESOLUTION R- 2025, 166 AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE WASTE WATER PUMP AND HAUL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH MAPLE MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT GOVERNING PUMP AND HAUL WAIST WATER SERVICE AS MAY BE NEEDED FOR MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT KNOWN AS ALLORA.

>> CERVANTES, DIRECTOR OF REAL ESTATE.

THE ALLORA DEVELOPMENT IS IN BLUE AT THE VERY NORTH END OF THE SLIDE. 79 IS ALONG THE LOWER HALF FROM EAST TO WEST THERE. ESSENTIALLY WHAT THIS AGREEMENT IS ALLOWING IS FOUR ALLORA TO PUMP AND HAUL SHOULD THEY NEED IT. BIG POINTS ABOUT THIS AGREEMENT, AT NO POINT IN TIME IS THE CITY ON THE HOOK FOR PAYING FOR PUMP AND HAUL EVER FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT.

THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT WAS DONE I BELIEVE IN 2021.

AND THE REASON THEY'RE ASKING FOR THE ABILITY TO PUMP AND HAUL IS BECAUSE THE LINE THAT'S GOING NORTH SOUTH THERE THAT'S KIND OF MAGENTA, EAST WEST, THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY RELYING ON LENNAR TO COMPLETE ANOTHER PORTION OF THE LINE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER SOUTH. THIS IS GIVING THEM THE ASSURANCE TO CONTINUE ON THEIR BUILDING SCHEDULE. THE CITY WILL HAVE NO FINANCIAL STAKE IN THAT WHATSOEVER BECAUSE THEY'RE OUTPACING OUR DEVELOPMENT IN THIS MANNER.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M MORE THAN WILLING TO ADDRESS THOSE AS WELL.

>> THANK YOU. IS THIS A TCR COMMUNITY?

>> YOU KNOW --

>> YEAH, IT IS.

>> OKAY. WE HAVE SO MANY NAMES THAT DRIBBLE AROUND. CORRECT.

>> I KNOW THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR US AND LENNAR TO WORK THINGS OUT.

>> CORRECT. THERE WERE A LOT OF MOVING PIECES FOR THIS ONE.

THEY'VE BEEN SUPER PATIENT. THERE IS ANOTHER AGREEMENT TO HELP PAD UP THEIR REASONING AND SUBSTANTIATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT FOR FINANCING OPTIONS.

THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR THEM.

>> THANK YOU. QUESTIONS OR ACTION?

>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE 12. 1 AS PRESENTED.

>> DO WE HAVE A SECOND?

>> SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER MORRIS.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE CALL THE

[12.2. Consideration and possible action on Resolution No. R-2025-167 requesting the City Manager present a No New Revenue budget and tax rate for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Proposed Budget. (City Council)]

>> AYE.

>> MOTION PASSES 7-0. NEXT WE HAVE ITEM 12.

2 CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON RESOLUTION R-2025- 167 REQUESTING THE CITY MANAGER PRESENT A NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET AND TAX RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025- 2026 PROPOSED BUDGET.

QUESTIONS OR ACTION FOR THIS ONE?

>> MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE AS

PRESENTED. >>

SECOND. >> MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TEM THORNTON. SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER MORRIS. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION?

>> I WON'T BE VOTING FOR THIS. I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS HOW

[01:45:04]

I STAND ON NO NEW REVENUE. WE JUST HEARD TONIGHT FROM A PUBLIC COMMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, A LIBRARY FEASIBILITY STUDY IS IN THE CARDS FOR US. I DON'T LIKE NOT KNOWING WHAT I DON'T KNOW. SO WITH THAT, I WON'T BE VOTING FOR THIS.

>> PLEASE CALL THE VOTE.

>> I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT. FUNDAMENTALLY I JUST HAVE A PROBLEM LIMITING WHAT THE CITY MANAGER IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT TO US. NOT KNOWING WHAT WE DON'T KNOW, NOT HAVING DUG INTO THE BUDGET YET, SETTING THAT BAR IN MY OPINION ARTIFICIALLY I JUST PERSONALLY KIND OF -- I WOULD RATHER IT FALL UPON US AS A COUNCIL TO DECIDE -- TRANSITIONING ] ALREADY HAD THEIR BUDGET PRESENTED TO THEM.

WE WON'T GET OUR BUDGET FOR ANOTHER SIX WEEKS, EIGHT WEEKS. AND SO THE REASON WE CRUNCH, STAY UNTIL 2:00 IN THE MORNING, WE'RE ARGUING THIS, IN MY OPINION, IF YOU WRITE A BUDGET GIVING EVERYTHING AWAY, AND THEN IT'S UP TO COUNCIL TO CLAW EVERYTHING BACK, WE'RE THE BAD GUY.

AND IT'S US VERSUS THE EMPLOYEES, OR US VERSUS CITY MANAGEMENT. IF WE START OFF WITH A BUDGET THAT HYPOTHETICALLY IS LAST YEAR'S, WHERE THERE IS MODEST PAY RAISES AND COST INCREASES FOR WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE GOING ON IN THE CITY WITH THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE THAT COMES IN FROM GROWTH, AND THEN THE CITY MANAGER CAN SAY HERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS WE RECOMMEND PUTTING IN, AND THEN TO ME WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO ADD TO THE BUDGET AS OPPOSED TO TAKEN AWAY.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE A HERO AND ADD. BUT THE WAY WE DO THIS, YOU'RE ALWAYS A BAD GUY IF YOU WANT TO CUT SOMETHING.

INSTEAD, I'M HOPING THIS HELPS US WORK TOGETHER AS A COUNCIL TO SUPPLEMENT THE BUDGET.

AND NOWHERE IN THIS DOES IT SAY YOU CAN'T GO ABOVE. IT JUST SAYS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO WORK SAYS ADOPTED A NEW REVENUE BUDGET FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WHICH IS TRUE, AND THE CITY COUNCIL WILL WORK TOWARDS A BUDGET THAT ALLOWS NO NO NEW REVENUE. WORKING TOGETHER, COLLABORATION, COMMUNICATION, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS WORK TOGETHER INSTEAD OF SPEND A WHOLE TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, WELL, WHO GETS TO CUT WHAT, WHO IS THE BAD GUY FOR CUTTING THAT.

I THOUGHT YOU LIKED THE LIBRARY. YOU DON'T WANT DO THAT? I THOUGHT YOU LIKED ROADS. THAT'S WHY I KIND OF I THINK THIS IS A CHANGE MAYBE IN THE WAY WE REVIEW AND DO THINGS AND MAKE US MORE COLLABORATIVE AND LESS LESSED AER ED A ADVERSARIAL. I GUESS WE'LL SEE.

>> MAY I ASK YOU A QUESTION, MAYOR?

>> YES, SIR.

>> IF THIS PASSES, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SUPPORT NOW NOT SETTING A NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE AS THE MAX TAX RATE?

>> I CAN'T SAY THAT WITHOUT SEEING THE BUDGET.

IF LET'S SAY MATT PRESENTS A BUDGET, WE HAD A NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET A FEW YEARS AGO THAT I THOUGHT WAS A FAKE BUDGET BECAUSE IT CUT OUT THINGS WE NEEDED AND THREW IN A BUNCH OF CRAP WE DIDN'T NEED, IN MY OPINION. IF WE HAVE A BUDGET THAT IS PRESENTED WHERE IT'S AN HONEST LIKE LOOK, I HONESTLY LISTENED TO YOU ALL. I HAVE A 2 TO 3% RAISE FOR EMPLOYEES. I HAVE THIS.

WE NEED AN OFFICER HERE. WE HAVE. THIS THEN AT THAT POINT IN TIME, YEAH, I COULD PROBABLY COMMIT TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT JUST ARBITRARILY SAY I CAN DO THAT NOW, NOT KNOWING HE COULD PRESENT A BUDGET THAT ADDS 150 FTES AND CANCELS ALL MAINTENANCE ON THINGS AND THEN I'M STUCK BECAUSE I MADE A

PROMISE. >> AND HERE IS KIND OF THE CRUX.

HERE'S WHY I'M ASKING THE QUESTION, RIGHT. HERE YOU'RE SAYING YOU WANT THE CITY MANAGER TO PRESENT A NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET, BUT YOU ALSO FROM WHAT I HEARD, AND CORRECT ME IF I DIDN'T HEAR RIGHT, YOUR ARGUMENT WAS I WOULD RATHER HAVE A LOW BUDGET AND THEN ADD TO IT RATHER THAN HAVE A LARGER BUDGET AND HAVE TO TAKE FROM IT? IS THAT ACCURATE?

>> TAKE THE BUDGET LAST YEAR. IF YOU TAKE THE SAME EXACT EMPLOYEES, YOU GIVE EVERYBODY A 3% RAISE, HR SAYS WE'RE GOING TO NEED AN EXTRA 5% FOR HEALTH CARE.

OKAY. WE ADD THAT. WE ALREADY ARE FUNDING 1.

5 MILLION I THINK IT WAS IN SIDEWALKS.

1. 5 IN ROAD MAINTENANCE. WE FUNDED SEVERAL ROADS.

IF WE SAID WE WANT THE TAKE THE SAME BUDGET, I'VE ALWAYS ASKED EVERY YEAR, WHAT IS THE SAME BUDGET WITH JUST A MODEST INCREASES TO RUN THE SAME SERVICES YEAR-OVER-YEAR,

[01:50:02]

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? EVERY YEAR I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, WE AVERAGE ALMOST TWO MILLION IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE. AND FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, WE HAVE SPENT ALL OF THAT ADDITIONAL REVENUE ON F KPAP TE GROWTH. IF YOU START WITH THE SAME LIBRARY HOURS, SAME POLICE STAFFING, SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE, ADD IT FOR INFLATION AND PRESENT IT, WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. THAT MAY BE SO TRAUMATICALLY LOWER THAT OH MY GOD, WHERE DID ALL THE MONEY COME FROM? WELL, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T ADD IN ALL THESE EXTRA THINGS. NOW WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ADD? TO ME, HOW GREAT WOULD IT BE TO GO YEAH, COUNCILOR GORDON, THAT WOULD BE A GREAT THING.

INSTEAD OF YOU DON'T WANT TO RAISE TAXES BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO CUT 50 GRAND. TO ME IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING AT THINGS. I DON'T KNOW.

>> LET ME TRY AND MAKE MY POINT AGAIN. IF YOU SET A NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET, AND THEN AS THE PROCESS -- HOW THE PROCESS WORKS DEFINED BY STATE LAW, AT THE START OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, YOU SET WHAT YOUR MAX RATE IS GOING TO BE. YOU SAY WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO ANY HIGHER THAN THIS. THIS IS THE MAX WE'LL CONSIDER.

IF YOU ALSO SET THAT AS THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, THEN EVERYTHING YOU JUST SAID CAN'T HAPPEN BECAUSE YOU GET A NO NEW REVENUE, YOUR MAX RATE IS NO NEW REVENUE. AND IF WE START TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET AND EVERYONE AGREES HEY, WOW, WE DIDN'T CONSIDER THIS WASN'T IN THE BUDGET THAT THE CITY MANAGER PRESENTED, WE ALL WANT TO ADD IT, YOU CAN'T AT THAT POINT, UNLESS I GUESS YOU TAKE OTHER THINGS AWAY. BUT YOU'VE ALREADY SET YOUR MAX RATE AT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE. YOU'VE GOT YOUR BUDGET IS THE LOWEST POSSIBLE RATE. THE MAX RATE AT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE RATE. AND THERE IS NO ROOM TO ADD. SO I LOVE WHATWHAT SAID.

I HAVE ZERO PROBLEM HAVING A LOW BUDGET AND THEN HAVING THE CITY MANAGER SAY HEY, TO GET TO THIS BUDGET, HERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT AREN'T IN THERE.

YOU MAY OR MAY NOT WANT TO CONSIDER ADDING THEM. I HAVE ZERO PROBLEM DOING THAT.

BUT IF YOU'VE ALSO SET YOUR MAX RATE AT THE LOWEST RATE, YOU CAN'T DO THAT. I GUESS THAT'S MY

CONCERN. >> TWO POINTS.

THAT'S A FUTURE VOTE. THAT'S NOT TONIGHT'S

VOTE. >> WELL, TAX RATES IS PART OF THIS.

>> WELL, THAT'S AN INTENT. THAT'S NOT SETTING THE RATE.

>> RIGHT, INTENT.

>> IN 2023, WE SET THE RATE AT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, AND SOME COUNCILMEMBERS DIDN'T LIKE THAT, AND THEY RENOTICED AND RAISED

THEIR RATE. >> EXACTLY.

EXACTLY. IT RAISED THE MAX RATE. AND WE ENDED UP DOING THE LOWER RATE ANY WAY. WE DID THE LOWEST.

>> IN BETWEEN.

>> NO, WE DIDN'T.

>> I THINK OVERALL IN MY OPINION, YOU HAVE THE MISUNDERSTANDING OF WHAT EITHER THE PROCESS IS OR WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY. WHEN YOU SET A NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET FOUR OUT OF THE PAST FIVE YEARS THE CITY GAINED INCOME. WE STILL HAD ALMOST $2 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE EACH YEAR.

>> 1. 6 MILLION.

>> EACH YEAR, LAST YEAR.

>> YEP.

>> LAST YEAR WITH THE NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET, YOU STILL HAD $1.6 MILLION.

SO YOU CAN SET A NO NEW REV BUDGET AND YOU CAN STILL ADD

THINGS. >> YOU'RE MISSING MY POINT.

YOU'RE MISSING I MY POINT.

>> THAT MAY BE.

>> THE ONLY POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE IS IF YOU SET A NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET AND SET YOUR MAX RATE AT NO NEW REV, THEN YOUR ARGUMENT THAT HEY, WOULDN'T BIT GREAT TO HAVE THIS NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET AND WE CAN ADD THINGS RATHER THAN SUBTRACT. YOU CAN'T ADD IF YOU DO IT THAT WAY.

>> $1. 6 MILLION YOU HAVE DONE LISTEN, IT'S MATH. IF YOU SET THE NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET LAST YEAR, YOU STILL HAVE $1.6 MILLION OF STUFF TO ADD THAT WASN'T IN THERE.

>> NO, IT'S IN THERE. WHEN YOU SET A NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET, IT'S TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE EXTRA $1. 6 MILLION. WHEN HE GIVES US A NONO NEW REVENUE BUDGET, IT'S INCLUDING EVERYTHING INCLUDING THE INCREASE THE NO NEW REVENUE

RATE. >> THAT'S NOT TRUE.

NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET IS ONLY TAKING THE SAME PROPERTIES THIS YEAR COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.

THE $1. 6 MILLION IS FROM ALL THE NEW THAT CAME BETWEEN THE LAST BUDGET YEARS. THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO TELL YOU FOR SIX YEARS IS WITH ALL THE GROWTH, YOU BUILD A BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF IMPROVEMENTS IN ONE YEAR, YOUR NO NEW REVENUE IS TAKING THE $5 BILLION PROPERTIES THIS YEAR COMPARED TO THE SAME PROPERTIES LAST YEAR. IT'S NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT NEW GROWTH.

>> WRONG. I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM ALBERTA.

>> SHE LOVES IT WHEN WE ARGUE.

>> IF YOU READ THE THING, IT CLEARLY SAYS IT'S A DEFINITION.

>> CALCULATION.

>> AGAIN, ALBERTA BARRETT, FINANCE RECORD, FOR THE RECORD.

SO I'LL DO MY BEST OF DOING THIS EXPLANATION. SO THE DEFINITION OF "NO NEW REVENUE" IS THE RATE THAT -- SETS YOUR RATE THAT WOULD

[01:55:03]

GENERATE THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT YOU RECEIVED IN THE PRIOR YEAR.

SO FOR '26, THAT NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS THE RATE THAT'S SET TO GENERATE THE SAME AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAX REVENUE THAT WE RECEIVED IN

'25. >> ON THE SAME PROPERTIES, NOT THE NEW PROPERTIES?

>> RIGHT.

>> BUT THE NEW PROPERTIES ARE INCLUDED IN THAT?

>> NO.

>> THE NEW PROPERTIES ARE INCLUDED IN

THE BUDGET. >> THEY ARE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET.

>> YES. THEY'RE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET. SO YOU HAVE A NO NEW REVENUEREVENUE THAT SAYS OKAY, EVERYONE WHO IS ON THE GROUND LAST YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS SPECIAL CALCULATION TO FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE A TAX INCREASE, AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO LOOK AT ALL THE NEW PROPERTIES THAT CAME IN THE YEAR, AND WE'RE GOING TO TAX THEM TOO. WE'RE GOING TO ADD THOSE TWO TOGETHER, AND THAT'S YOUR NO NEW REV NEWTOWN KNEW RATE.

>> NO, THAT'S NOT TRUE. THE SECOND WHEREAS THE TEXAS COMPTROLLER DEFINES NO NEW REVENUE AS A TAX RATE THAT ENABLES THE PUBLIC TO EVALUATE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TAXES FOR THE PRIOR YEAR AND THE CURRENT YEAR BASED ON A TAX RATE THAT WOULD PRODUCE THE SAME AMOUNT OF TAXES IF APPLIED TO THE SAME PROPERTIES TAXED BOTH YEARS. IF YOU DO THE FORMULA, AND I'VE DONE -- I HAVE DONE IT THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, YOU'RE VERY CAPABLE.

WE HAD SOME MAYBE NOT CAPABLE EACH YEAR, IF YOU DO THE WORKSHEET, LITERALLY NO NEW REVENUE DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ALL THE GROWTH. AND THEN YOU COME UP WITH THE RATE.

YOU TAKE THAT RATE TIMES ALL THAT PROPERTY, YOU GET THIS CHUNK OF MONEY. THIS CHUNK OF MONEY IS THE SAME CHUNK OF MONEY THAT YOU HAD THE YEAR BEFORE. THEN YOU ADD ON THE NEW PROPERTY CHUNK OF MONEY. AND NOW YOU HAVE MORE MONEY. FOUR OUT OF THE PAST FIVE YEARS WE'VE DONE NO NEW REVENUE OUROUR WOULD NOT HAVE GROWN IN REVENUE. IT'S GROWN IN REVENUE EACH YEAR BY TWO MILLION.

THINK ABOUT IT. NO NEW REVENUE TAKES THE SAME 1500 FROM YOU YEAR AFTER YEAR. SO HOW DOES THE CITY GET MORE MONEY? BECAUSE WE ADD --

>> GROWTH. >> WE ADDED NEW GROWTH.

BUT THAT'S NOT IN YOUR CALCULATION.

YOU CAN CALL LARRY.

>> IT'S A GREAT CONVERSATION. BUT MY GOD, IF YOU FIGURED IT OUT, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THE ARGUMENTS WE'VE HAD SO LONG.

>> WE'RE JUST TALKING PAST EACH OTHER.

WHEN THE CITY MANAGER PRESENTS A NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET, LIKE LAST YEAR, RIGHT. LAST YEAR WE PASSED A NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET. AND PART OF THAT BUDGET INCLUDED $1.6 MILLION THAT WE GOT FROM THE÷÷ NEW GROWTH. THAT WAS IN THE BUDGET.

>> YES.

>> YES. THAT'S

WHAT I HAVE BEEN SAYING. >> ALL

ALONG. >> BUT YOU'RE SAYING IT'S PART OF THE NO NEW REVENUE.

>> IT IS. IT'S PART OF THE CONCEPT.

WHEN YOU PASS A NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET AND A NO NEW REVENUE RATE, I'M PAYING THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE AND SO IS THE NEW PERSON WHO MOVED HERE LAST YEAR, AND I'VE LIVED HERE 20 YEARS.

AND WE BOTH ARE TAXED AT THE SAME RATE, 39 CENTS.

I PAY 39 CENTS AND THEY PAY 39 CENTS. AND THE REASON I CAN PAY 39 CENTS AS OPPOSED TO 42 CENTS IS BECAUSE WE DO NO NEW REVENUE. AND WE LOWER IT DOWN SO IT AVERAGES IT OUT. WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS WHEN YOU PASS A NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET, IT'S ALREADY GOT THE EXTRA MONEY BAKED INTO THAT BUDGET. IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'VE GOT A NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET AND THEN YOU'VE GOT AN EXTRA $1. 6 MILLION THAT YOU CAN GO PLAY WITH. THAT'S IN THE BUDGET ALREADY THAT THEY'RE GOING PRESENT TO US. HE'S ALREADY BAKED THAT

IN. >> I THINK YOU'RE COMBINING BUDGET AND RATE. YES, YOU'RE RIGHT ON THE NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET HAS THAT MONEY IN THERE.

WHERE I THINK YOU'RE MISINFORMED OR MISTAKEN IS THE TAX WEARSWEARS IN, THE NEW GROWTH DOES NOT AFFECT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.

NO NEW REVENUE RATE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GROWTH.

>> THAT'S NOT WHAT I SAID. YOU MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT I SAID.

MAYBE I MISSPOKE ON WHAT I WAS SAYING.

BUT WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS WITH THE BUDGET, WITH THE BUDGET, IF THEY GIVE US A NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET, THAT INCLUDES ALL THE NEW GROWTH NUMBERS THERE. THAT INCLUDES THE MONEY.

>> YES.

>> AND SO WHEN YOU DO THAT, AND THEN YOU SET THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE AND SAY THE MAX RATE IS GOING TO BE THE NO NEW REVENUE LATE, YOU CAN'T ADD TO THE BUDGET BECAUSE THE BUDGET HAS TO EQUAL THE RATE. THAT'S THE ISSUE WE RAN INTO LAST YEAR. WE TRIED TO HAVE THE BUDGET HIGHER THAN THE RATE.

AND WE COULDN'T. WE HAD TO RECALL THE ITEM AND REVOTE IT.

>> I'LL TRY IT ANOTHER WAY. IF MATT PROVIDES THE SAME FTES WITH COLA INCREASES FOR AMMUNITION, HR BENEFIT, ASPHALT, AND ALL THOSE THINGS, IT MAY BE THE EASIEST THING TO DO TO PROVE ONE OF US WRONG, IF YOU CAN PROVIDE A BUDGET AS A FIRST DRAFT, TAKE LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, ADJUST FOR INFLATION, ADD ALL THE INCOME WE'RE GOING TO GET, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO FIND YOU HAVE A LOT MORE MONEY THAN YOU HAD EXPENSES.

[02:00:03]

AND THEN I THINK IN THAT DELTA, THAT'S WHERE WE GET TO WORK TOGETHER TO ADD.

NOW IF YOU JUST SAY GIVE ME A BUDGET THAT'S NO NEW REVENUE, AND HE FILLS IT ALL UP WITH WE'RE GOING TO BUY AN ARMORED CAR WITH AN EXTRA MILLION, WELL, YES, YOU'RE RIGHT. BUT IF YOU TAKE THE EXACT SAME LIBRARY HOURS, THE EXACT SAME LEVEL OF POLICE SERVICE, THE EXACT SAME LEVELS OF PARKS AND ADJUST FOR INFLATION, NO NEW REVENUE WILL SHOW YOU THAT EVENTUALLY, WITHOUT GROWTH, I THINK YOU HAVE TO RAISE TAXES WITHOUT GROWTH TO MAINTAIN THE SAME LEVEL SERVICES. THE ISSUE A LOT OF US HAVE IS WHEN YOU ARE GROWING LIKE WE'RE GROWING, YOU DON'T NEED TO RAISE TAXES BECAUSE WE'RE EXPONENTIALLY GROWING AND EXPANDING SERVICES FASTER THAN WE'RE GROWING PEOPLE. AND THAT'S ALL I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR, CHRIST, SIX YEARS.

GIVE ME THE SAME BUDGET YEAR-OVER-YEAR. LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO ADD IN WHERE WE'RE SPENDING THE MONEY.

DON'T GO SPEND IT ALL AT ONCE, AND THEN BRING IT TO US AND SAY NOW FIGUREFIGURE WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. THAT'S WHAT WE DID WITH JAMES' FIRST BUDGET WHEN HE FILLED IT WITH A BUNCH OF JUNK AND CUT OUT ALL THE ROAD MAINES MAINTENANCE.

WE SAID THAT'S NOT GOING TO WOULD YOU DO IT? AND LAST YEAR, YOU WANTED TO CUT OUT ALL THE ROAD MAINTENANCE TO KEEP ALL THE JUNK IN. WHAT THREE OF US HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO EVERY YEAR --

>> THAT'S A MISCHARACTERIZATION.

>> THAT'S HOW IT FELT.

>> CAN I READ SOMETHING FROM THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE WEBSITE?

>> THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE ENABLES THE PUBLIC TO EVALUATE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TAXES FOR THE PRIOR YEAR AND THE CURRENT YEAR BASED ON A TAX RATE THAT WOULD PRODUCE THE SAME AMOUNT OF TAXES IF APPLIED TO THE SAME PROPERTIES TAXED IN BOTH YEARS. NOT

NEW PROPERTIES. >> THAT'S WHAT I SAID.

>> THAT'S WHAT I SAID.

>> AND IF ADD A POOL TO MY PROPERTY, THAT NEW IMPROVEMENT

IS -- >> I AGREE WITH THAT.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO CONVEY.

IF THAT'S NOT WHAT'S BEING RECEIVED, I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING MORE CLEAR.

>> BUT THERE ARE OTHER REVENUE STREAMS,

SEVERAL. >> THAT'S BAKED INTO THE BUDGET. THAT'S BAKED INTO

EVERYTHING. >> NOT INTO EVERYTHING THAT THE COMPTROLLER. THIS IS THE COMPTROLLER

CALCULATION. >> I'M NOT TALK ABOUT THAT.

>> THAT'S WHAT THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE IS A COMPUTATION BY THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE.

>> WHEN YOU SET THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, ARE YOU CHARGING THAT FOR THE PEOPLE THERE THE PREVIOUS YEAR? PEOPLE ADDED THE NEXT YEAR, WHAT DO THEY PAY?

>> I DON'T SET THE RATE. THE TEXAS COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE --

>> CAN I MAKE A STATEMENT? I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHAT EVERYBODY IS SAYING, OKAY. WHEN YOU CALCULATE THE RATE, YOU ONLY USE LAST YEAR'S PROPERTIES. THAT GETS YOU THE RATE. WHEN YOU SET THE BUDGET, YOU ADD IN THE NEW PROPERTIES AND THE BUDGET.

>> AND THE NEW REV NEW STREAMS.

>> GETS ALL --

>> THE TAX RATE, THE NEW HOMEOWNER GETS THE SAME TAX RATE AS THE PREVIOUS HOMEOWNER, BUT THE NEW HOMEOWNER IS WHAT IS GIVING YOU THE $1500 TIMES 100 HOMES OR A THOUSAND HOMES. THAT'S MONEY YOU GET TO USE FOR WE HAVE AN EXTRA MILLION THIS YEAR. YOU KNOW WHAT? LET'S ADD SOME LIBRARY SERVICES.

LET'S HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT BUILDING A NEW PARK INSTEAD OF SPENDING ALL THE MONEY AND THEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HELL, WHAT DO WE DO NOW? HOW DO WE CUT IT BACK? HOW DO WE NOT RAISE TAXES? THAT'S ALL WE'RE TRYING TO DO.

TRY IT DIFFERENTLY ONE YEAR. JUST INSTEAD OF CUTTING AND AT EACH OTHER LIKE, THIS GOOD WE'RE HAVING THIS INSTEAD OF IN SEPTEMBER, LET'S WORK TOGETHER ON OH MY GOD, WE GOT AN EXTRA MILLION. WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE, COUNCILOR GORDON, A MILLION DOLLARS GETS SPENT?

>> WELL, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE SIDEWALKS. I'VE BEEN HERE 20 YEARS AND WE STILL DON'T HAVE SIDEWALKSES DOWN 1660.

THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. INSTEAD OF WE GOT TO CUT SIDEWALK MONEY SOMEWHERE. WHO IS NOT GETTING A SIDEWALK THIS YEAR? WHAT'S THAT THING YOU SAID ABOUT YOU GIVE THE -- HOW DID THAT WORK?

>> WELL, KIDS ALWAYS WANT A NEW PUPPY, RIGHT.

IF THEY BRING THE PUPPY HOME AND THEN YOU TRY TO TAKE IT AWAY FROM THEM LATER, IT'S TOO LATE. THAT PUPPY IS NOT LEAVING YOUR

HOUSE. >> AND NOW YOUR KIDS ARE UPSET.

>> WHEN YOU GIVE THE PERMISSION, THEN IT COMES IN.

BUT IF IT COMES IN WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION, IT'S NEVER GOING TO

LEAVE. >> THE SYSTEM IS TO WORK AGAINST US. AND ME, I VIEW US VERSUS THE CITY MANAGER, BECAUSE IT'S WE GOT TO CUT SOMETHING THAT YOU PUT THAT NOW WE WANT IN INSTEAD OF WE OUGHT TO ALL BE WORKING TOGETHER GOING OKAY, WE GOT A MILLION DOLLARS. WHAT ARE FIVE THINGS YOU WANT? THIS IS REALLY MY TOP FIVE PRIORITIES. WE LIKE ONE, TWO, THREE.

WE DON'T REALLY LIKE FOUR AND FIVE, BUT COUNCILOR GORDON'S GOT ONE THAT'S GOOD, COUNCILOR KING. WE KNOCKED THIS OUT IN ONE NIGHT INSTEAD OF LINE BY LINE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO CUT 50 GRAND BECAUSE YOU GOT PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST NOT GOING THE RAISE PEOPLE'S TAX. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO RAISE THEM. HOW DO YOU WORK TOGETHER IN

[02:05:02]

AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOU DON'T RAISE PEOPLE'S TAX 1234S WE'RE GOING TO GET OUR INCOME GROWTH. MY OPINION, AT THE POINT IN TIME WHERE WE DON'T GROW AS THE 13TH FASTEST GROWING CITY IN THE NATION, AND WE START GOING INTO WHERE WE'RE NOT GROWING AT ALL, THEN I SEE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOU HAVE TO RAISE TAXES BECAUSE NO NEW REVENUE WON'T CUT IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE EXPENSES. YOUR HR EXPENSES GO UP.

YOUR PAYROLL'S GOT TO GO UP. YOUR COST OF DOING BUSINESS GOES UP. SO I DO SEE A TIME. I JUST DON'T SEE IT IN CENTRAL TEXAS ANY TIME -- SURELY NOT THIS YEAR.

BUT I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE NEXT

YEAR. >> IF THAT'S THE WAY IT'S GOING TO WORK, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THAT. I DON'T BELIEVE IT. I'LL BELIEVE IT WHEN I SEE IT.

HOPEFULLY IT WILL ALL WORK OUT IN SEPTEMBER.

I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE CITY MANAGER SAYING HERE'S THE BUDGET AND YOU'VE GOT AN EXTRA $2 MILLION TO PLAY WITH CITY COUNCIL, WHERE WOULD YOU WANT TO PUT IT? HERE IS MY RECOMMENDATIONS.

HERE'S WHAT I THINK WE SHOULD DO. I WORRY A LITTLE BIT ABOUTABOUT CONCEPT OF SAYING GIVE US THE EXACT SAME FTES YEAR-OVER-YEAR.

DON'T ADD ANY INTO THE PROPOSED UBUDGET. WE KNOW AS A GROWING CITY, YOU GOT TO HAVE MORE COPS. YOU GOT TO HAVE MORE SERVICES. YOU JUST HAVE TO. I GUESS IS YOUR IDEA THAT YOU START AT ZERO AND YOU KNOW WE'VE GOT TO ADD SOME PERSONNEL SOMEWHERE AND YOU NEGOTIATE WHERE YOU ADD THEM IN?

>> YEAH, AND I DON'T SAY THIS TO DISPARAGE ANYBODY THAT WORKS IN TECH. I THINK THREE, FOUR OF YOUR WORK IN TECH.

SO I'M NOT USED TO THE WAY THEY DO BUSINESS. WHERE ONE YEAR HIRE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE, NEXT YEAR LAY OFF A BUNCH OF PEOPLE.

I'M USED TO AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE SPENT A THOUSAND ON THIS EXPENSE. WHAT DO YOU SEE THIS YEAR? WELL, I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO GO UP.

THAT'S GOING TO BE 1100.

OKAY. IT'S 1100. WE WRITE BUDGETS WHERE YOU START OFF WITH THE EXACT SAME THING YOU HAD LAST YEAR.

I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADD A COP OR TWO.

>> YEAH. >> THE PLEASE GOT TO GO.

BUT WHAT DID YOU HAVE YEAR-OVER-YEAR.

AND WHEN THE 12I MANAGER GOES LOOK, CHIEF'S GOT THIS PLAN, FOUR DISTRICTS, HE IS GOING TO NEED SIX PEOPLE. ALL RIGHT. THE CHIEF IS GOING TO DO THAT BECAUSE HE IS GOING TO WORK ON THE CAR BREAK-IN RATE.

OKAY. WE DO THAT. WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER AS OPPOSED TO WHAT DO WE GOT TO CUT? DOES HE REALLY NEED SIX? MAYBE ME NEEDS FIVE.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT IS MISSING IN GOVERNMENT EVERYWHERE IS YOU DON'T START YEAR-OVER-YEAR.

YOU AUTOMATICALLY SHOOT FOR THE MOON, TAKE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN, AND THEN WE ALL ARGUE HOW TO REDUCE IT ONE TIME LET'S WORK TOGETHER IF MATT -- MATT MAY NOT PRESENT IT THAT WAY. HE MAY SAY FORGET YOU GUYS.

BUT IF HE PRESENTS IT THAT WAY, MAYBE WE WORK TOGETHER AND SEE AND YOU KNOW WHAT? IT MAY BE SHOCKING.

MY GOD. THIS IS WHAT WE'RE MISSING.

YOU GOT A GOOD IDEA. I GOT A DUMB IDEA.

YOU GOT AN IDEA THAT'S OKAY, AND WE WORK TOGETHER.

>> COULD I SAY SOMETHING?

>> I WAS GO TO ASK A QUESTION.

>> DON'T SAY YOU'RE GOING TO BRING A BUDGET CHOKE FULL --

>> WE UNDERSTAND THIS IS JUST A REQUEST FROM THE CITY COUNCIL THAT THE OFFICE WHEN WE BRING THE PROPOSED IT COULD BE HIGHER THAN NO NEW REVENUE, LOWER THAN NO NEW REVENUE, THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, ANYTHING. THIS IS JUST A REQUEST. ALSO, WE KNOW THAT THE BUDGET IS DUE TO COUNCIL AND ON THE WEBSITE BY JULY 31ST.

SO THAT'S THREE WEEKS FROM NOW. LASTLY, WHEN IT COMES TO NO NEW BUDGET, WE UNDERSTAND THERE IS EXTRA REVENUE THAT COMES FROM THE ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES THAT WEREN'T HERE LAST YEAR. IF WE DID SOMETHING THAT WE DID NOT USE THAT REVENUE FOR ANYTHING, IN THEORY, IT WOULD BE A RATE LOWER THAN THE NO NEW REVENUE, OR ALL THAT EXTRA MONEY WOULD BE LIKE -- IT WOULD BE UNDER THE FUND BALANCED, AND IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE FOR ANYTHING. NOW MY UNDERSTANDING IS IN ALL THE YEARS PAST, THAT EXTRA REVENUE FROM THE NEW PROPERTIES HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN THE BUDGET IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

SO I DO UNDERSTAND WHAT BOTH OF YOU ARE SAYING. BUT THAT'S MY SUMMARY ON WHAT YOU ALL ARE TALKING ABOUT.

>> TRYING TO GET AT THAT THE BUDGET PRESENTED TO US, IF IT'S BASED ON NO NEW REVENUE, IT WILL INCLUDE THE EXTRA MONEY THAT HAS BEEN -- THAT IS ANTICIPATED TO BE COLLECTED FROM THE NEW PROPERTIES 245 WERE

ADDED. >>

CORRECT. >> PLUS THE SALES TAX AND ESD AND THE TRAFFIC IMPACT FEES AND WATER AND WASTE WATER IMPACT FEES. THERE IS SEVERAL REVENUE STREAMS.

>> BEEN HERE SIX YEARS. >> IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S BEING MISSED HERE THAT WE'RE ONLY LOOKING AT PROPERTY

VALUATIONS. >> BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE ALWAYS ARGUE ABOUT.

>> MATT, DO YOU FORESEE ANYTHING THAT IS POTENTIALLY LIKE A LARGE UNFORESEEN PURCHASE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE THIS BUDGET SEASON? LIKE DO YOU FORESEE THAT?

>> I DON'T KNOW. >> OKAY.

>> I MEAN, THE ONE THAT COMES OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD IS

[02:10:03]

THE 800 GRAND INCREASE IN DISPATCH.

BUT THERE IS HALF YOUR INCREASE RIGHT THERE.

>> FOR POLICE SERVICES, YEAH. OKAY.

>> THAT WE PAID OFF OUR REIMBURSEMENT TO

THEM -- >> THAT WAS CLOSE TO A MILLION A YEAR, WASN'T IT?

>> THAT WAS OVER A MILLION A YEAR.

NOW YOU HAVE A MILLION MORE DOLLARS THIS YEAR THAN YOU HAD LAST YEAR.

>> HEY, MAYBE GREAT.

>> THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. WE DON'T

KNOW. >> AND THE CENTERS AREN'T OPEN YET. BUT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IN OVER 200K AS A CITY AND PLEDGED 200K TO GO TO THE CITY TO PAY SPINE ROAD DEBT THAT THE CITY HAD BEEN PAYING THIS YEAR. SO IT'S OVER 400K

INCREASE. >> WHICH TOURIST BOARD MEMBER WAS THAT?

>> NOT THE NUMBER. DON'T ASK ME THAT

QUESTION. >> THANK YOU, TOURIST BOARD, FOR AGREEING TO HELP OFFSET PEOPLE'S

TAXES. >> WELL, I'M HOPEFUL THAT IT WILL ALL WORK OUT LIKE YOU SAY, MAYOR, I REALLY DO.

>> YEAH, AND YOU'RE REELING ME IN. YOU WERE TRICKING ME THERE.

>> WILL BE FRICTION. THERE IS SUPPOSED TO BE FRICTION. THERE IS SUPPOSED TO BE DISAGREEMENT. HOPEFULLY LESS THAN IN THE PAST.

BUT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE. THAT'S NOT TO

CHANGE. >> MY WORRY IS -- HERE'S MY WORRY, THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS -- I'LL CALL IT LOW BALL. LOW BALL BUDGET, AND WE'RE GOING TO SET THE TAX RATE LOW AND START GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE FINDING LIKE OH, MAN, YOU HAVE A GREAT IDEA. WE NEED TO ADD THAT WE CAN'T. WE ALREADY SET THE RATE.

THAT AIN'T GOING. IN THIS IS A GREAT IDEA.

WELL, THAT AIN'T GOING IN EITHER.

SO IF THAT'S GOING HAPPEN, THAT'S WHAT WORRIES ME.

>> IF HE BRINGS A BUDGET, LIKE WHAT I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT TO JAMES FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, I'LL GO, I WON'T GO THE HIGHEST. NEVER DO THAT.

I'LL VOTE TO SET THE NOT TO EXCEED RATE ABOVE NO NEW REVENUE KNOWING WE HAVE A LOT OF DISCUSSION, BUT ALSO KNOWING THE HIGH -- THERE IS A 99% CHANCE.

>> SURE, THAT'S FINE.

>> THERE IS A CONSIDERATION.

>> TELL YOU WHAT. IF YOU SAY THAT, I'M GOING TO VOTE YES TONIGHT.

DEAL? >> BUT IT'S UP TO MATT TO BRING IT, BECAUSE IF MATT BRINGS ONE LOADED. ALL RIGHT?

I'M GOING VOTE YES NOW. I HEARD YOU.

OKAY.

>> BETTER CALL THE VOTE REAL

QUICK. >>

COUNCILMEMBER GORDON? >>

>> MOTION PASSES, 6- 1, SCOUT'S

[13.1. Receive a presentation and possible action regarding the status of the project at the Central Wastewater Treatment Plant (CWWTP). (Freese & Nichols)]

HONOR. >> HEY, YOU'RE A

SCOUT. >> EAGLE SCOUT.

>> ITEM 13. 1, RECEIVE A PRESENTATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE STATUS OF A PROJECT AT WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT. NOW DON'T COME UP HERE SAYING YOU NEED MONEY.

I'M JUST SAYING. HOW ARE YOU?

>> MAYOR SNYDER, COUNCILMEMBERS, AND CITY STAFF, I AM THE PROJECT MANAGE WERE FREESE & NICHOLS ON THIS CITY OF HUTTO WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT EXPANSION. WITH ME IS OUR SENIOR ADVISER ON THE PROJECT.

AND HE HAS DECADES EXPERIENCE DESIGNING WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT, AND HE IS ONE OF OUR PRINCIPLE AT FREESE & NICHOLS.

THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE -- SORRY -- THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE PREMIER DESIGN, FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATION FOR CENTRAL WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT EXPANSION. OUR GOALS TODAY IS TO PROVIDE A CLEAR COMPARISON BETWEEN DIFFERENT OPTIONS, PROVIDE THE COST SUMMARY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS, AND ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGES OF EACH SYSTEM FOR THE WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT EXPANSION, CENTRAL WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT EXPANSION.

>> COULD YOU PLEASE SPEAK CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE FOR THE VIDEO?