[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:10]
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE AUGUST 12TH, 2025 CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR THE CITY OF WYLIE, TEXAS AT THE WYLIE MUNICIPAL CENTER. THE TIME IS 6 P.M. WE DO ASK IF YOU HAVE A CELL PHONE WITH YOU THIS EVENING. IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT IT IS EITHER SET TO VIBRATE OR TURNED OFF SO AS NOT TO DISTURB PROCEEDINGS. IF YOU DO GET A CALL THAT YOU NEED TO TAKE, WE DO ASK YOU STEP OUT TO OUR ATRIUM. MADAM CITY SECRETARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE ROLL AT THIS TIME? YES, MAYOR. MATTHEW PORTER, PRESENT. COUNCILMAN DAVID ARE PRESENT.
COUNCILMAN DAVE STRANG, PRESENT. COUNCILMAN TODD PERKINS PRESENT. COUNCILMAN SCOTT WILLIAMS, COUNCILMAN SID HOOVER PRESENT. MAYOR PRO TEM PRESENT. WE HAVE A QUORUM, MAYOR. THANK YOU, MISS STORM. AT THIS TIME, IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE STAND FOR THE INVOCATION TO BE LED BY COUNCILMAN PICKENS, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE LED BY COUNCILMAN HOOVER. THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US. AND, FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR RAIN IN AUGUST AND SO REFRESHING BOTH TO THE LAND AND TO OUR SPIRITS. FATHER, PLEASE BE WITH US, COUNCIL, TONIGHT AS WE MAKE DECISIONS FOR THE CITY AND FOR THE CITIZENS. FATHER GOD, OUR MINDS AND OUR HEARTS. CHRIST NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. PLEASE BE SEATED. THERE HE IS. I REALLY DON'T WANT TO GET IN THE WORD.
BUT. ONE MINUTE I'M GOING TO GET STARTED THEN. ALL RIGHT. WELL, WE WILL GET STARTED WITH OUR
[PR1. The American Legion Presenting Paramedic George Watson, an EMT Paramedic of the Year Plaque.]
PRESENTATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS THIS EVENING. OUR FIRST IS FOR THE AMERICAN LEGION, WHO IS HERE PRESENTING OUR EMT PARAMEDIC OF THE YEAR PLAQUE. IS NOT HERE YET. THEY SHOULD BE WALKING IN IN JUST A SECOND. YOU SAID 603. IT'S 603. WE HAD AN EXACT TIME FROM CHIEF BLYTHE, SO. IS HE 606. WHILE HE WAITS AT THE LIGHT THERE, WE WILL TAKE JUST A SECOND. MISS LANG, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GET READY DOWN FRONT IF YOU ALL WANT TO JOIN ME DOWN FRONT. AND THEN WHEN HE COMES IN, WE CAN HAVE HIM WALK STRAIGHT DOWN.MY NAME IS MARY LANG. I'M THE COMMANDER OF THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 315 HERE IN WYLIE, TEXAS.
ONE OF THE AWARDS THAT A POST CAN HAND OUT IS FOR EMT AND FIREMAN, AND WE PRESENTED GEORGE WATSON FOR EMT PARAMEDIC TO OUR DISTRICT. NOW IN OUR DISTRICT, WHICH IS FOURTH DISTRICT, THERE ARE OVER 20 POSTS AND OUR DISTRICT PICKED UP GEORGE WATSON FOR THE FOURTH DISTRICT TO REPRESENT THEM. AND THEN THAT IS SENT ON TO THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS ALL THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND WE HAVE FOUR DIVISIONS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND IN DIVISION ONE, THERE'S SIX DISTRICTS. AND SO THE FIRST DISTRICT YOU JUST SUBMITTED ON TO THE DEPARTMENT. AND SO WE HAVE OVER, I THINK, AROUND 200 POSTS IN THE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND HE WAS PICKED TO REPRESENT THE STATE OF TEXAS. SO THAT SAYS A LOT TO THIS GENTLEMAN. AND I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND READ WHAT CAPTAIN STEPHEN HAMM WROTE ABOUT HIM. PLEASE ACCEPT THE FOLLOWING CORRESPONDENCE. IN ADDITION TO THE COMPLETED NOMINATION FORM FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC GEORGE WATSON FOR THE TEXAS AMERICAN LEGION PARAMEDIC EMT OF THE YEAR AWARD, GEORGE WATSON STARTED HIS
[00:05:06]
FIRE SERVICE CENTER CAREER. I'VE GOT TRIFOCALS AND I HAVEN'T GOT MY NEW ONES YET. WITH THE FIRE AND RESCUE IN 2021 AS A FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC PRIOR TO WORKING FOR WYLIE FIRE RESCUE, HE WORKED FOR THE TMC IN WYLIE. LOVE MY GLASSES, YEAH! TMC AND WYLIE STARTING IN 2017 AND BECAME A PARAMEDIC IN 2019. GEORGE GREW UP IN WYLIE AND STARTED HIS INTEREST IN THE DEPARTMENT BACK IN 2004, WHEN HE PARTICIPATED IN THE EXPLORER PROGRAM. GEORGE HAS A PASSION FOR SERVING THE CITIZENS OF WYLIE AND BEING HIS HOMETOWN. HE TAKES THIS JOB SERIOUSLY. GEORGE NOT ONLY SERVES AT THE DEPARTMENT AS JUST A FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC, BUT HE SERVES IN MANY OTHER ROLES. HE IS A MEMBER OF THE HONOR GUARD. THE CPR PROGRAM WORKS DILIGENTLY ON OUR USSD ALERTING SYSTEM, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, HE HAS TAKEN ON THE ROLE OF FIELD TRAINING OFFICER IN OUR NEWLY FORMED EMS PROGRAM. THIS JOB REQUIRES HIM TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME TRAINING, TEACHING, AND REVIEWING OUR EMS PERSONNEL AND PROTOCOLS TO BEST SERVE OUR CITIZENS AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. GEORGE WAS SELECTED AS THE FIRE AS THE WYLIE FIRE RESCUE PARAMEDIC OF THE YEAR IN 2023 BY HIS PEERS BECAUSE OF HIS DEDICATION TO PROVIDING THE BEST MEDICAL CARE TO THE CITIZENS OF THE OF WYLIE, TEXAS. HE'S HERE. HE IS A RESPECTED MEMBER OF THE ORGANIZATION AND A TRUE SERVANT LEADER. HI. GLAD YOU COULD COME. WE JUST WANTED TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU. YOU WERE PICKED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TEXAS. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THIS WAS FOR 2024. AND WE'RE SO PLEASED AND PROUD TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU. WELL THANK YOU. AND FOR ALL OF Y'ALL THAT DON'T KNOW, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATINGS THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT. SO WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT. SO I'M GOING TO GIVE THIS BACK. THERE ARE 480 POSTS IN TEXAS, AND NOT ALL OF THEM SUBMITTED A CANDIDATE. BUT EVERYONE WHO DID COMPETES. SO THIS GENTLEMAN, ONE OUT OF I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY SUBMITTED, BUT MORE THAN ONE, MORE THAN FAR MORE THAN ONE USUALLY. IT'S USUALLY QUITE A GOOD TURNOUT TO COMPETE FOR THIS TITLE. SO CONGRATULATIONS. EXCELLENT. HOLD ON. YOU DON'T GET TO WIN A STATEWIDE AWARD AND WALK AWAY WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING. THE PICTURES WILL COME. OKAY. WHAT'S NEXT? JUST MARY GAVE US A VERY GOOD RUNDOWN OF YOUR HISTORY WITH THE DEPARTMENT AND HOW LONG YOU'VE BEEN SERVING THE CITY, BOTH WITH TMC AND NOW WITH US AND AS AN FTO AS WELL, WHICH, IF YOU'VE BEEN PAYING ANY ATTENTION, AS SHE MENTIONED, NEWLY FORMED. YES. THE BRAND NEW EMS DIVISION IS VERY MUCH NEWLY FORMED. AND WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH THAT TRAINING. SO I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW MUCH TIME. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU HAVE ANY HAIR LEFT AFTER AFTER DOING THAT AMOUNT OF TRAINING, BUT IT'S VERY MUCH APPRECIATED BECAUSE THE STANDARDS THAT WYLIE FIRE RESCUE SETS ARE SECOND TO NONE, AND IT'S THE PERSONNEL WHO MAKE IT THAT WAY. SO WE APPRECIATE THAT. AND JUST CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS AWARD. I'D LIKE TO LET YOU SPEAK FOR A MINUTE ON ANYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SAY ABOUT YOUR CAREER OR WHATEVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY. SURE. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH SHE TOLD YOU, BUT I STARTED BACK IN 2017 ON THE AMBULANCE WITH EAST TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER. THEN WE CHANGED OVER TO PARAMEDICS. PLUS I STAYED WITH THEM AND THEN 2021 I GOT HIRED WITH CITY. WYLIE ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, STARTED AS A FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC, WORKED MY WAY. I TRANSITIONED OVER TO THE AMBULANCE JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO. LIKE YOU SAID, I'VE BEEN WORKING AS AN FTO, TRAINING THE NEW PEOPLE, KIND OF TAKING THAT ON, AND MEDICINE AND EMS IS PRETTY SPECIAL TO ME, SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WAS DONE RIGHT AND HAVE MY PART IN IT. SO I'M GLAD TO BE A PART OF IT.[00:11:11]
OKAY, SO THAT DOES COMPLETE OUR PRESENTATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS THIS EVENING. WITH THAT, WE'LL[COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS]
MOVE NEXT TO OUR COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS. IF ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC IS PRESENT AND WISHES TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON ITEM NOT LISTED ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA, WE ASK THAT YOU COMPLETE A FORM IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING, AND WE DO ASK THAT YOU LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES FOR AN INDIVIDUAL SIX IF OFFICIALLY REPRESENTING A GROUP. AND WE DO REMIND YOU UNDER THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, COUNCIL CANNOT CONVERSE, DELIBERATE OR TAKE ACTION ON ANY MATTER THAT IS PRESENTED DURING COMMENTS ON NON ITEMS. WITH THAT BEING SAID, MISS STORM, I BELIEVE WE'VE HAD SEVERAL FORMS TURNED IN THAT I HAVE WITH ME. THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY, SO FIRST THIS EVENING IS BETHANY SULLIVAN, IF YOU WILL, FOR US. THERE'S A LITTLE TALKING VOICE UP THERE IF YOU'LL HIT THAT. AND THEN THIS IS FOR EACH PERSON THAT SPEAKS, IF YOU'LL START WITH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL. THANK YOU. I'M BETHANY SULLIVAN. I LIVE AT 417 RUSH CREEK DRIVE IN WYLIE, TEXAS. TODAY I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU A COURTNEY A'S INSPIRATIONAL BOOKMARK. MEANS TO ME, IT'S THE BOOK OF IMAGINATION. BOOKS ARE MORE THAN WORDS ON A PAGE. THEY'RE PORTABLES TO POSSIBILITIES.INDIVIDUAL ACCESS TO A WIDE VARIETY OF BOOKS BY ALL AUTHORS ON ALL TOPICS ALLOWS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US TO LEARN ABOUT OTHER COUNTRIES, CULTURES, RELIGIONS, AND LIFESTYLES. SUCH UNFETTERED EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION AND IDEAS IS ESSENTIAL TO THE PRESERVATION OF A FREE AND DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY. MY ABILITY TO ACCESS ANY BOOK BY ANY AUTHOR, ON ANY TOPIC AT MY LOCAL LIBRARY IS A FUNDAMENTAL INDIVIDUAL RIGHT, GUARANTEED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE US CONSTITUTION. ACCESS TO ALL BOOKS GIVES INDIVIDUALS THE POWER TO CHOOSE TO EXPAND THEIR MINDS AND HENCE BECOME BETTER CITIZENS. BOOKS ALSO ALLOW US TO OVERCOME OUR FEARS, BROADEN OUR PERSPECTIVE, AND GAIN UNDERSTANDING. GRANTED, PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT AND RESPONSIBILITY TO MONITOR WHAT THEIR CHILDREN READ, BUT THAT RIGHT DOES NOT ALLOW THEIR CHOICES TO RESTRICT THE INFORMATION THAT I AND OTHER CITIZENS ARE ABLE TO ACCESS.
PLEASE PRESERVE MY RIGHT TO THE FREEDOM TO READ, SEEK INFORMATION AND SPEAK FREELY BY CONTINUING TO ALLOW MY LIBRARY TO CURATE A COLLECTION THAT MEETS THE NEEDS OF ALL USERS.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND SERVING ON THE WYLIE CITY COUNCIL AND LET FREEDOM F R E A D O M RING. THANK YOU. NEXT THIS EVENING WE HAVE SUZANNE MELTON. AND AGAIN WHEN YOU COME FORWARD, IF YOU WILL STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND YOU'LL YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES WITH WHICH TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL. GOOD. HI I'M SUZANNE MELTON. I RESIDE AT 121 TIMBER BLUFF LANE IN MURPHY. I WAS RAISED IN THE SMALL FARMING COMMUNITY OF FLOYDADA, TEXAS, NEAR LUBBOCK. WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, OUR ENGLISH CLASS WAS ASSIGNED TO READ THE BOOK ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST. THE PARENT OF ONE OF MY CLASSMATES FELT THIS NOVEL WAS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR HER DAUGHTER. WORKING WITH THE TEACHER, THEY SELECTED A DIFFERENT BOOK FOR HER, THE GREAT GATSBY. LOOKING BACK YEARS LATER, YOU CAN NOW USE THE TERM WIN WIN FOR THAT
[00:15:06]
DECISION MAKING PROCESS. PARENTS FACE THESE KINDS OF DECISIONS EVERY DAY. WHAT TV SHOWS AND MOVIES ARE APPROPRIATE FOR MY CHILD? SHOULD I ENCOURAGE OR DISCOURAGE MY KID TO PLAY CONTACT SPORTS? WHAT FOODS ARE BEST FOR MY FAMILY? IF A FAMILY IS VEGETARIAN, SHOULD THEY REQUEST THAT CHICKEN AND HAMBURGER BE PULLED FROM MARKET SHELVES? FISH, SHRIMP, HAM AND SPAM? IT'S A LONG LIST AND A SLIPPERY SLOPE. AN ABUNDANCE OF OPTIONS HELP SERVE THE DIVERSE COMMUNITY IN WHICH WE NOW LIVE, WHETHER IN THE GROCERY STORE OR RESTAURANT OR RETAILER OR YOUR LIBRARY. SO IN THE DUSTY TOWN OF FLOYDADA IN 1976, A BEAUTIFULLY SIMPLE COMPROMISE WAS REACHED BETWEEN TEACHER AND PARENT. THE PARENT DID NOT INSIST THAT ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST BE BANNED OUTRIGHT, OR THAT NO STUDENTS SHOULD READ IT. SHE ADDRESSED ONLY THE NEEDS OF HER DAUGHTER. WIN, WIN. THAT'S THE GOAL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. AND NEXT THIS EVENING, WE HAVE ROBERT MATIJEVIC MEDJEDOVIC. APOLOGIES IF I GOT THE LAST NAME WRONG.AND I KNOW YOU'RE HERE REPRESENTING CW. I'M WITH CW. EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED OVER THE 4TH OF JULY TO THE VICTIMS OF THE HILL COUNTRY. AND WE'RE WORKING WITH ALL OF OUR CITIES, AND IT'S RIGHT UP THERE, AND IT'S ALREADY TALKING TO THE CRAIG AND STAFF FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST. WE'RE DONATING $10 A TON TO THE RECYCLING VICTIMS TO ACTUALLY TO THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE HILL COUNTRY. SO SOMETIME IN SEPTEMBER, WE'LL BE MAKING A DONATION FOR ALL 30 CITIES TO THAT CAUSE. SO IF RESIDENTS OF WYLIE WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY CAN DO TO HELP THE VICTIMS OF THE FLOOD, JUST HAVE TO RECYCLE A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST. THANK YOU FOR THAT TIME. AND THANK YOU FOR STAFF FOR WORKING WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ALSO TO GET THIS WORD OUT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU SIR. OKAY, SO WITH THAT, THAT DOES COMPLETE ALL OF THE FORMS THAT I HAD FOR SPEAKING ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS. WE WILL THEREFORE MOVE FORWARD INTO
[CONSENT AGENDA]
OUR CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING. IF ANY MEMBER OF COUNCIL OR STAFF HAS AN ITEM ON CONSENT AGENDA THEY WOULD LIKE PULLED FOR, INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS OR CONSIDERATION WOULD ASK THAT YOU SPEAK AT THIS TIME. IF THERE ARE NONE, I WOULD BE OPEN TO A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.COUNCILMAN HOOVER, I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS AS PRESENTED. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? COUNCILMAN? STRING A SECOND. OKAY. MOTION WITH A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. OKAY. MOTION CARRIES SIX ZERO.
[1. Interview applicant for Board of Review alternate vacancy for a term to begin August 12, 2025 and end June 30, 2027.]
WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA INTO OUR REGULAR AGENDA. ITEM ONE THIS EVENING IS TO INTERVIEW AN APPLICANT FOR THE BOARD OF REVIEW. ALTERNATE VACANCY FOR A TERM TO BEGIN AUGUST 12TH, 2025 ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2027. AND I BELIEVE I APOLOGIZE. WE HAVE OUR APPLICANT HERE THIS EVENING. SO IF I COULD CALL CHRIS SMITH FORWARD. MR. SMITH, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING. APOLOGIES. I KNOW WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A MIX UP ON THE LAST ONE. WE DID, BUT APPRECIATE YOU COMING THIS EVENING. KIND OF THE FIRST QUESTION THAT I TYPICALLY ASK JUST ABOUT ANYONE WHO APPLIES FOR ONE OF THESE, OR WHEN I SERVED ON THE SUBCOMMITTEE, WAS, WHAT IS IT THAT INTERESTS YOU AND WHAT TYPE OF EXPERIENCE, WHETHER PROFESSIONAL OR PERSONAL, DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE THAT YOU WOULD BRING TO THE BOARD OF REVIEW? WELL, I'D FIRST START OUT AS A. THE INTEREST IN IN SERVING THE COMMUNITY. I'VE BEEN HERE 40 PLUS YEARS OF MY LIFE LIVING IN WILEY AND WILL SOON BE MOVING A COMPANY INTO WILEY. AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE INTEREST IS. AND THEN EXPERIENCE IS. 13 YEARS SERVING ON A CEO GROUP IN DALLAS. OF COURSE, ETHICS REVIEW WAS, WAS WAS A BIG PART OF THAT. AND THEN AND THEN SIMPLY BEING A PART OF[00:20:05]
A COMPANY WITH WITH 140 EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF ETHICS AND STANDARDS THAT WE REVIEW AS A COMPANY WITH EMPLOYEES AND THE WAY WE INTERACT WITH CUSTOMERS AND VENDORS. OKAY. AND I'LL FOLLOW THAT UP, OBVIOUSLY, WITH THE WAY THAT THE BOARD OF REVIEW FUNCTIONS, I KNOW YOU WOULD BE AN ALTERNATE. YES, SIR. IF SELECTED, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO OR UNABLE TO CALL OR TO COME IF CALLED TO SERVE? IT'S NOT REGULARLY OCCURRING. WE HOPE THAT NO ONE DOES ANYTHING THAT NEEDS REVIEW, BUT IF IT DOES, THEY'RE NOT REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETINGS. SO DO YOU HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY WITHIN REASON IF SOMEONE ELSE CAN'T MAKE IT AND THE ALTERNATE IS NEEDED? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. AND DO YOU HAVE IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE THAT YOU THINK WOULD PRECLUDE YOU FROM BEING ABLE AND WILLING TO REVIEW, WHETHER IT'S A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL OR A MEMBER OF A BOARD? NO, SIR. OKAY. I'D LIKE TO WITH THAT. I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO MY COLLEAGUES IF THEY HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR OUR APPLICANT THIS EVENING. LOOKS LIKE I MAY HAVE TAKEN ALL OF THE QUESTIONS. SO WE'VE WE'VE DONE WE'VE DONE A COUPLE ROUNDS OF THIS THROUGHOUT MY TIME. SO IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD FOR THE COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION BEYOND WHAT WAS IN YOUR APPLICATION? NO, SIR. OKAY.WELL, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING THIS EVENING AS WE DON'T APPEAR TO HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. I'LL GO AHEAD AND LET YOU SIT DOWN. ALL RIGHT. THANKS. THANK YOU SIR. SO THERE IS NO
[2. Tabled from 07-22-2025]
ACTION TO BE TAKEN ON THIS ITEM. SO WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS TO CONSIDER AND ACT UPON AN APPOINTMENT TO FILL A BOARD OF REVIEW ALTERNATE VACANCY FOR A TERM BEGINNING AUGUST 12TH, 2025 AND ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2027. THIS ITEM WAS TABLED, SO IT WILL NEED TO BE REMOVED FROM TABLE TO BE CONSIDERED. DO WE HAVE A MOTION AS SUCH? MAYOR PRO TEM MAYOR, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO REMOVE THIS ITEM FROM THE TABLE. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION TO REMOVE FROM TABLE. DO WE HAVE A SECOND, COUNCILMAN DUKE? THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. A SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION WITH A SECOND TO REMOVE FROM TABLE COUNCIL. PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES SIX ZERO. THE ITEM IS REMOVED FROM TABLE. WITH THAT, WE DID HAVE AN OR AN APPLICANT WHO CAME THIS EVENING WHO WE INTERVIEWED. I WILL IF WE HAVE A MOTION ON THAT. I WILL ASK THAT YOU READ IT AS STATED, BECAUSE I KNOW IF IT SAYS THAT IN HERE, MISS STORM NEEDS US TO. SO WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE A MOTION, MAYOR PRO TEM? YES, MAYOR. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE MR. CHRIS SMITH AS AN ALTERNATE FOR THE BOARD OF REVIEW VACANCY FOR A TERM TO BEGIN AUGUST 12TH, 2025, AND END JUNE 30TH, 2027. WE HAVE A MOTION AS STATED. DO WE HAVE A SECOND COUNCILMAN DUKE? THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I SECOND. OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION WITH A SECOND COUNCIL. PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.MOTION CARRIES SIX ZERO. THANK YOU, SIR, FOR BEING WILLING TO SERVE. SO WITH THAT WE'LL MOVE
[3. Consider, and act upon, Resolution No. 2025-15(R) of the City Council of the City of Wylie, Texas, accepting the proposed property tax rate for the fiscal year 2025-26, accepting the calculation of the no new revenue tax rate and the voter approval tax rate, establishing August 26, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. at the City of Wylie Municipal Complex for a public hearing and vote on the proposed property tax rate, and providing for the publication as provided by the Texas Property Tax Code, Chapter 26.]
TO ITEM THREE, WHICH IS TO CONSIDER AND ACT UPON RESOLUTION NUMBER 20 2515 R OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WYLIE, TEXAS, ACCEPTING THE PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 20 2526, ACCEPTING THE CALCULATION OF THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE AND THE VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE. ESTABLISHING AUGUST 26TH, 2025 AT 6 P.M. AT THE CITY OF WYLIE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX FOR A PUBLIC HEARING AND VOTE ON THE PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX RATE, AND PROVIDING FOR THE PUBLICATION IS PROVIDED BY THE TEXAS PROPERTY TAX CODE, CHAPTER 26. MISS BROWN. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THIS IS THIS ITEM. TONIGHT IS ONE OF THE MANY REQUIREMENTS AND STEPS THAT WE HAVE TO COMPLY WITH IN ORDER TO MEET THE TRUTH AND TAXATION TAX CODE REQUIREMENTS. THE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE AND THE VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE MUST BE PUBLISHED IN A PUBLIC HEARING MUST BE HELD SO THIS HEARS NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS 0.521441 PER $100 VALUATION, AND THE VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE IS 0.543438.THE PROPOSED BUDGET THIS YEAR IS BASED ON THE VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE, AND YESTERDAY THE PROPOSED BUDGET WAS PLACED ON FILE WITH THE CITY SECRETARY AND ALSO PLACED ON OUR WEBSITE FOR CITIZEN REVIEW. THE COUNCIL IS REQUIRED TO VOTE TONIGHT ON THIS PROPOSED TAX RATE. RECORD VOTE HAS TO BE TAKEN AND WE WILL PUBLISH EACH PERSON'S VOTE ALONG WITH THE TAX RATES IN THE
[00:25:04]
OFFICIAL PAPER, OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY, AND. ALSO AS AS MENTIONED, AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE MOTION, WE NEED TO SET THE PUBLIC HEARING WHERE WE WILL HAVE THE OFFICIAL FINAL VOTE OF THE TAX RATE AT THE NEXT MEETING. OKAY. OKAY. SO WITH THAT, I KNOW WE'VE SPENT SEVERAL MONTHS WORKING THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS. SO APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE THERE AND THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS THAT WE TOOK TO GO THROUGH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, AS WELL AS THE OVERALL BUDGET. I KNOW THAT COUNCIL HAS HAD DIFFERENT QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY AND APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT WENT INTO THAT. THAT BEING SAID, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL ABOUT WHAT IS IN FRONT OF US THIS EVENING? OKAY. AND I KNOW THE REASON THAT WE DID NOT APPROVE THIS PRIOR WAS BECAUSE WE JUST GOT THE FINAL VALUES FROM ALL OF OUR COUNTIES, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND SO I WILL REMIND EVERYONE THAT THIS IS TO ACCEPT THE RATES THEMSELVES AS FAR AS WHAT THEY ARE AND TO SET THE PUBLIC HEARING DATE. THE ACTUAL VOTE, FINAL VOTE ON THE RATE WOULD BE AT THE MEETING THAT IS DESIGNATED. THAT IS CORRECT.OKAY. SO WITH THAT I WOULD BE OPEN TO A MOTION. IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS. MAYOR PRO TEM, I'LL MAKE A COMMENT AND I'LL MAKE A MOTION IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU, THAT'S FINE. COMMENT IS LAST YEAR'S TAX RATE WAS 00.534 AND THIS YEAR'S IS. ZERO 50.543. SO IT'S ABOUT A PENNY INCREASE OVER WHAT LAST YEAR'S TAX RATE WAS. WITH EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE GOT GOING ON WITH ALL THE PROJECTS, WITH ALL THE BONDS THAT WE HAVE PUT UP FORTH. YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE TRYING TO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT STAFF AND THE STAFF HAS DONE A GREAT JOB ON PRESERVING EVERY PENNY THAT WE CAN IN ORDER NOT TO RAISE TAXES TO THE MAX. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT, MISS BROWN AND YOUR TEAM AND BRANT AND EVERYBODY ELSE. WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO MAKE A MOTION. MAYOR, MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION 2025 DASH 15 ARE THE CITY OF WYLIE AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WYLIE, TEXAS. ACCEPTING THE PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 20 2526, ACCEPTING THE CALCULATIONS OF THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE AND THE VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE. ESTABLISHING AUGUST 26TH, 2025 AT 6 P.M. AT THE CITY OF WYLIE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX FOR A PUBLIC HEARING AND A VOTE ON THE PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX RATE AND PROVIDING THE PUBLICATION AS PROVIDED BY THE TEXAS TEXAS PROPERTY TAX CODE, CHAPTER 26.
OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION AS STATED. DO WE HAVE A SECOND COUNCILMAN STRING? I WILL SECOND THE MOTION. WE HAVE A MOTION AS STATED WITH A SECOND COUNCIL. PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION CARRIES SIX ZERO. YES. OH YES MA'AM I APOLOGIZE, I APOLOGIZE. SO DAVE STRING VOTES FOR DAVE.
OUR DUKE COUNT VOTES FOR GINO MALIKI. MALIKI VOTES FOR MATTHEW PORTER FOR SID HOOVER, FOR TODD PICKENS FOR COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS IS ABSENT. APOLOGIES. WE DON'T DO A LOT OF RECORD VOTES WHERE I
[4. Establish a date, time, and place to hold a Public Hearing on the fiscal year 2025-2026 Proposed Budget so that all interested persons may be heard, either for or against any item in the proposed budget before final approval. The date, time and place for the hearing and the final vote will be published in the City's official newspaper, as provided by the Texas Local Government Code, Section 102.006.]
HAVE TO READ IT OUT. SO WITH THAT, THAT COMPLETES ITEM THREE AND MOVES US TO ITEM FOUR, WHICH IS TO ESTABLISH A DATE, TIME AND PLACE TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 DASH 2026 PROPOSED BUDGET, SO THAT ALL INTERESTED PERSONS MAY BE HEARD EITHER FOR OR AGAINST ANY ITEM IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET BEFORE FINAL APPROVAL. THE DATE, TIME, AND PLACE FOR THE HEARING IN THE FINAL VOTE WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE CITY'S OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER, AS PROVIDED BY THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 102.006. MISS BROWN, THANK YOU. THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, AS WELL AS OUR CITY CHARTER, REQUIRES US TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON OUR PROPOSED BUDGET SO THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE FOR THE HEARING AND THE FINAL VOTE WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER AND POSTED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE. AND THE HEARING MUST BE AT LEAST 15 DAYS AFTER THE PROPOSED BUDGET WAS FILED WITH THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, WHICH WAS YESTERDAY, AUGUST 11TH, AND THE NOTICE MUST BE PUBLISHED AT LEAST FIVE DAYS BEFORE THE HEARING. STAFF RECOMMENDS AUGUST 26TH, 2025 AT 6 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF THE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX. OKAY. AND AGAIN, I'LL POINT OUT THAT THIS IS TO SET THE DATE FOR THE FINAL HEARING. OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE SESSIONS, WORK SESSIONS AND OTHERWISE AND[00:30:04]
WELCOMED ANY INPUT THAT WE HAVE POTENTIALLY FROM THE PUBLIC. BUT THIS SETS A FINAL PUBLIC HEARING WHERE THE BUDGET WILL BE HEARD AND THEN APPROVED AT THAT TIME, OR MODIFIED, I GUESS. BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IF SOMEONE LISTENS TO THIS LATER, THEY UNDERSTAND THEY STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AT THAT PUBLIC HEARING. WITH THAT BEING SAID, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, I'D BE OPEN TO A MOTION ON THE ITEM. COUNCILMAN. STRANGE. THANK YOU.MAYOR. I MAKE A MOTION ESTABLISHING AUGUST 26TH, 2025, AT 6 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF THE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX LOCATED AT 300 COUNTY COUNTRY CLUB ROAD, WYLIE, TEXAS, IS THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE AT WHICH THE PUBLIC HEARING WILL OCCUR AND COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON THE FINAL BUDGET. WE HAVE A MOTION AS STATED. DO WE HAVE A SECOND COUNCILMAN DUKE? THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION WITH A SECOND COUNCIL. PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
MR. CICERO. VOTE AS WELL. NO. OKAY. MOTION CARRIES SIX ZERO. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
[WS1. Discuss ground maintenance assistance with the Wylie Cemetery Association]
WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE TO OUR WORK SESSION THIS EVENING. WHICH IS TO DISCUSS GROUND MAINTENANCE ASSISTANCE WITH THE WYLIE CEMETERY ASSOCIATION. MISS ALI. YES, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SO WE'RE HERE THIS EVENING JUST TO GET A LITTLE DIRECTION. WE DO HAVE THE PRESIDENT AND SOME MEMBERS OF THE WYLIE CEMETERY ASSOCIATION HERE. THEY DO HAVE A PRESENTATION. JUST KIND OF WANT TO GIVE YOU A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE ARE AND KIND OF HOW WE GOT HERE. AND THEN MISS STONE WILL COME UP AND GIVE HER PRESENTATION. SO THE CEMETERIES THAT ARE IN QUESTION IS THE WYLIE AND KRAMER CEMETERIES. IT'S FOUR TRACTS OF LAND OFF OF. AND I SHOULD HAVE WROTE THAT DOWN. THIS IS MASTER'S OAK KIND OF IN THAT AREA OVER BY THE ALLEN FUNERAL HOME AGAIN FOUR TRACKS, ROUGHLY 13 ACRES OF LAND. IF YOU RECALL, A FEW YEARS AGO, WE DID CREATE A CEMETERY ASSOCIATION BOARD BECAUSE THE CITY WAS LOOKING TO TAKE OVER THOSE CEMETERIES, JUST KIND OF IN THE COURSE OF RESEARCH AND WHAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR THE CITY TO ACTUALLY DO THAT WAS A BIT MORE THAN WHAT THE CITY COULD TAKE ON AT THAT TIME. SO MISS STONE WAS CONTACTED, AND SHE ACTUALLY NOW SERVES AS THE PRESIDENT FOR THE CEMETERY ASSOCIATION. SO WHEN I SAY CEMETERY ASSOCIATION, THAT'S MISS STONE IN HER GROUP. THE CEMETERY BOARD WAS WHAT WE CREATED THROUGH THE CITY AND WAS GOING TO OVERSEE THAT PROPERTY. SO THAT'S TWO SEPARATE THINGS.THE CEMETERY BOARD NO LONGER EXISTS. SO MISS STONE APPROACHED US AND ASKED US IF WE WOULD CONSIDER PARTNERING WITH THEM TO ASSIST THEM WITH THE GROUND MAINTENANCE. SO MOSTLY THE MOWING, EDGING AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS. NOT ANYTHING TO DO WITH PLOT SALES OR GRAVE DIGGING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO WE'VE WE TALKED, WE KIND OF BRAINSTORMED A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT THE PROS AND CONS WOULD BE, WHAT THE PROS AND CONS ARE FOR THEM TO CONTINUE TO DO IT. WHAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR US TO DO IT, US BEING EITHER ASSIGNING IT TO OUR CURRENT MOWING CONTRACTOR OR STAFF TAKING IT OVER. STAFF TAKING IT OVER IS PROBABLY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST. I WOULD SAY, IN MY OPINION. AND. BRANT IS HERE. WE HAVE THE STAFF THAT COULD PROBABLY DO IT. IT WOULD TAKE THEM AWAY FROM OTHER THINGS. I DO BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD ALSO REQUIRE US FOR SOME ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT. I MEAN, MOWING THE CEMETERY IS NOT LIKE MOWING A BALL FIELD. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO GO AROUND THE HEADSTONES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THE OTHER OPTION, AND IT'S ALL IN THE REPORT THAT YOU HAVE THE KIND OF THREE OPTIONS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT, ROUGHLY A $50,000 ANNUAL COST. THE OTHER OPTION IS TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR TO A 380 AGREEMENT WITH THE CEMETERY ASSOCIATION THAT WE EITHER REIMBURSE THEM FUNDS OR GIVE THEM FUNDS TO ASSIST WITH THAT MOWING. THEY CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEIR CONTRACTOR. ANY CALLS THAT COME IN WOULD GO TO THE CEMETERY ASSOCIATION, AS OPPOSED TO THE CITY. SO THAT'S ANOTHER OPTION. SO WITH THAT, I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. MAYBE I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
[00:35:03]
LET ME RESTATE THAT. OR MISS STONE AND HER GROUP CAN COME UP AND DO THE PRESENTATION. AND THEN WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. OKAY. WELL, I GUESS WHAT WE'LL DO, I'LL ASK MISS STONE AND HER GROUP TO PRESENT, SINCE I KNOW THEY CAME THIS EVENING, AND THEN THAT WILL ALLOW US, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS THAT GET ANSWERED OR ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT COME UP DURING THAT PROCESS. AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE BOTH OF YOU UP FRONT AND WE CAN ASK ANY QUESTIONS FROM THERE. IS THIS IT ON THE OKAY. CAN I JUST GET CLARIFICATION BEFORE WE GO TO THE PRESENTATION? THE $50,000 THAT IT'S BEING PAID RIGHT NOW, A YEAR TO MAINTAIN THAT IS COMING FROM THE CEMETERY CEMETERY ASSOCIATION. CORRECT? CORRECT. AND THEY'RE COLLECTING THESE FUNDS. HOW ARE CAN I LET HER ANSWER THAT I JUST BEFORE OKAY. SORRY IS IT PRESENTATION ON HERE IN THE PACKET. JUST GO TO THE PACKET. COME DOWN HERE AND HELP. THAT'S I BELIEVE THAT'S HAPPENING. FORGET IT. I RAN FOR A LONG NIGHT. I GET THAT LOOK PRETTY REGULAR. OKAY. OKAY.NOW I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET IT TO FULL SCREEN. GO TO MENU. AND SCROLL DOWN TO VIEW MOTION. OH, THEY HAVE, BUT WE NEED TO SHOW IT FOR THE AUDIENCE. YEAH. THERE YOU GO. ALL RIGHT. DO I START THE SAME WAY WE ALWAYS DO? SANDRA STONE, 211 NORTH KEEFER DRIVE, WYLIE, TEXAS. DO YOU KNOW YOUR QUESTIONS? VERY IMPORTANT. THE PRESENTATION. OH, THAT'S OKAY. I THOUGHT YOU GO BACK AND FORTH. YOU'LL HAVE TO TURN IT OFF. IT'S IMPORTANT TO THAT. YOU KNOW WHERE THE FUNDS COME FROM.
OUR CEMETERY IS NOT A PERPETUAL CARE CEMETERY. SO WE RUN STRICTLY OFF OF DONATIONS AND LOT SALES. WE DON'T HAVE A TRUST FUND TAKEN CARE OF US LIKE SOME DO. HOW DO YOU GO FORWARD NOW? I'M TECHNOLOGICALLY CHALLENGED. OH, GOTCHA. ALL RIGHT. YOU'VE ALL HAD A CHANCE, I KNOW, TO LOOK AT THIS RIGHT FROM FRONT TO BACK. SO WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY TO CONSERVE TIME IS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. WELL, I THINK THE I THINK THE QUESTION THE MAYOR PRO TEM ASKED WAS A GOOD ONE TO START WITH. IT APPEARS HE MAY HAVE ANOTHER, SO I'LL DEFER. SURE. HOW MANY LOTS DO WE HAVE THERE? HOW MANY LOTS DO WE HAVE? YEP. OPEN LOTS. FIELD LOTS? YEP. OPEN LOTS. NO WAY TO TELL AT THIS POINT. OKAY. WE'RE STILL GOING THROUGH RECORDS. IS TURNED OVER TO US.
FOR ANY OF THE FOLKS THAT HAVE OR FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN BURIED THERE, IS THERE A MAINTENANCE COMING IN TO THE ASSOCIATION TO MAINTAIN THAT AREA, TO MAINTAIN THE LOTS, TO MAINTAIN THE BARRIER? IS THERE ANY ANY MONEY COMING IN FROM THEM? NO, SIR. NEW LOTS. IF SOMEONE WANTS TO BURY SOMEONE IN THAT LOT, IS THERE ANY REQUIREMENT FOR THEM TO MAINTAIN THAT AS THE GOAL BEING THAT YOU, YOU GUYS ARE NOT A COMPANY THAT MAINTAINS THAT? ARE YOU CHARGING ANYONE TO MAINTAIN THAT LOT AS YOU GO DOWN THE ROAD, OR IS IT JUST A ONE TIME FEE? IT'S A ONE TIME FEE FOR THEIR LOT. AND THERE IS WHAT THEY CALL A CEMETERY FEE OF 250 WHEN THEY AT TIME OF BURIAL THAT GOES INTO THE MAINTENANCE FUND AS WELL. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THERE'S NO MONTHLY FEES. THERE'S IF THEY WANT TO DONATE AS THEY CAN DONATE, THEN THEY DO NOT. MANY DO. OKAY. YEAH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR NOW. MAYBE. SO. JUST FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT KNOW, WHO MAY BE LISTENING LATER, OR WHO MAY BE HERE THIS EVENING, HOW FAR BACK DO THOSE CEMETERIES DATE IN GENERAL? MID 1800S. OKAY. SO IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LAID TO REST THERE IN THOSE CEMETERIES WHOSE FAMILIES MAY NOT ANY LONGER EVEN LIVE IN OR NEAR WILEY? ABSOLUTELY. AND IS IT ALSO A FAIR STATEMENT? I KNOW THE ANSWER TO IT, BUT I'M LETTING YOU KIND OF PRESENT A LITTLE BIT, SINCE I KNOW THIS IS YOUR PASSION OR ONE OF YOUR PASSIONS, AND THAT IS, IS THERE A HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE IN THE FACT THAT WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS
[00:40:06]
WHO GREATLY CONTRIBUTED AND OR HELPED FOUND THIS CITY, WHO WERE THERE? ABSOLUTELY. ALL OF YOUR FOUNDING FATHERS, PROBABLY ANYBODY YOU CAN PULL A NAME FROM, IS BURIED IN THE WILEY OR KRAMER CEMETERY, AND I'LL THROW ONE OUT. FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE BIRMINGHAM LAND TRUST, WHICH DOES A LOT OF FUNDING FOR THE CTE PROGRAM, THE SON THAT LED TO THE FOUNDING OF THAT TRUST BY THAT FAMILY IS THERE IN THE CEMETERY. YES, WE DO AN ANNUAL TRIP TO REMEMBER HIM TO HIS GRAVESIDE. WE DO. IT'S COMING UP, ACTUALLY IN OCTOBER, BUT IT'S JUST A REPRESENTATION, A GROUP THAT GIVES LARGE SUMS OF MONEY TO SUPPORT EDUCATION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT'S WHERE HE IS LAID TO REST. BUT OBVIOUSLY THE FAMILY HAS IS NO LONGER IN THE AREA. CORRECT? YEP. AND THERE ARE HISTORICAL MARKERS. SO IT DOES HAVE A TEXAS HISTORICAL CEMETERY MARKER AS WELL. AND I BRING THOSE UP JUST TO POINT OUT THAT IT IS THIS IS NOT JUST RANDOMLY SELECTING SOMETHING OR NOT THAT IT, IN MY OPINION, WOULD EVER BE WRONG TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HONOR AND TAKE CARE OF THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY. BUT IN THIS CASE, THESE ARE MANY TIMES OVER FOUNDING INDIVIDUALS OF THE CITY WHO WE HAVE STREETS, SCHOOLS AND MANY OTHER PROGRAMS TO THANK THEM FOR, BUT WHO MAY NO LONGER HAVE RELATIVES WHO ARE PRESENT OR MAY NOT BE IN A POSITION WHERE THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE WHAT IT COSTS TO CARE FOR IT. CORRECT. COUNCILMAN PICKENS HAS BEEN PATIENT WHILE I TALKED. SO TURN IT TO YOU FOR THANK YOU. QUESTION OR COMMENT? THANK YOU FOR COMING THIS EVENING. I'D LIKE TO SHINE JUST A LITTLE BIT OF LIGHT ON THE CURRENT FINANCIAL SITUATION AS FAR AS FUNDING AS IT EXISTS AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. COULD YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HEALTH, THE FINANCIAL SITUATION? SURE. I CAN GIVE YOU SOME SPECIFICS IF YOU WANT IT. THE ASSOCIATION CURRENTLY HAS $211,000. THIS YEAR TO DATE, WE HAVE SOLD $6,600 IN LOTS. WE'VE RECEIVED $500 IN DONATIONS. THAT'S APPROXIMATELY $7,100. BUT OUR COST FOR MOWING THIS YEAR ALONE IS 47,500. SO WE'RE IN THE LOW 40,000 ALREADY JUST FROM THAT. SO AS WE LOOK THROUGH THE RECORDS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW THAT THIS COUNCIL KNOWS FROM THEIR WORK IN LOOKING AT THE CEMETERIES TO TAKE OVER, IS THE SHAPE THAT THE RECORDS ARE IN. THROUGH NO FAULT OF ANYBODY, THEY'RE PASSED DOWN. EVERYBODY.NOBODY'S BORN A CEMETERY CARETAKER. EVERYBODY DOES WHAT THEY FEEL IS BEST AT THE TIME THAT THEY'RE DOING IT. BUT THE RECORDS NEED A LOT OF WORK TO VERIFY, DOCUMENT ALL OF THOSE THINGS. A NEW MAPPING MAP OF THE CEMETERY WHERE THEY'RE BURIED. THAT'S WHY I CAN'T GIVE YOU A NUMBER OF HOW MANY OPEN LOTS WE HAVE TO EVEN SELL, BECAUSE WITHOUT SOME REAL FINE TOOTH GOING THROUGH, I WOULDN'T EVEN WANT TO WANT TO SAY HOW MANY WE HAVE OPEN TO SELL, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO MAKE A MISTAKE. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME NOT TO MAKE A MISTAKE OUT THERE EITHER.
WHERE I BURY SOMEBODY OR A LOT THAT I SELL, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE A CHANCE. SO I'M REALLY TRYING TO GO THROUGH RECORDS BEFORE I DO ANYTHING. LAST YEAR, IN 2024, BECAUSE I KNOW THIS YEAR IS BARELY THROUGH. IN 2024. LET'S SEE, WE HAD LOT SALES OF $28,050. WE HAD DONATIONS OF $5,475. OUR MOWING IN 2024 WAS 42,600. SO IT WE'RE SO FAR BEHIND BEFORE WE START. AND AS YOU SAW IN YOUR IN THE PACKET, SOME OF OUR CRITICAL NEEDS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF IS I'VE GOT CEMETERY FULL OF PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN IN THE GROUND FOR YEARS AND YEARS, AND THEY STILL HAVE A TEMPORARY MARKER DOWN. THOSE TEMPORARIES ARE JUST THAT. THEY'RE TEMPORARY. THEY ARE DESTROYED. THEY ARE MANGLED. THEY ARE ALL THOSE THINGS. THEY SINK AND FACED WITH POSSIBLY UNMARKED GRAVES. SO WE HAVE TO BE REAL CAREFUL WITH THAT. WE GET WE NEED TO GET SOME PERMANENT MARKINGS FOR THESE PEOPLE DOWN. WE'VE GOT MARKERS THAT ARE SINKING, THAT HAVE SUNK. WE MIGHT SEE THIS. MUCH OF THE HEADSTONE STILL ABOVE GROUND. THOSE NEED TO BE RAISED.
[00:45:06]
THE ONE PROJECT THAT WE DID LAST YEAR BEFORE VETERANS DAY WAS I MADE SURE THAT EVERY VETERAN'S MARKER WAS RAISED BECAUSE WE THEY WERE SINKING, THEY WERE DISAPPEARING AND FELT LIKE WE OWED THAT TO THEM. SO WE MADE SURE THAT WAS DONE. BUT AS I LOOKED AT THE CRITICAL NEEDS VERSUS THE MONEY WE HAD ON HAND AND THE COST OF YEARLY MOWING, I COULDN'T TAKE A STEP TO DO ANY OF THESE CRITICAL NEEDS BECAUSE THIS MONEY WAS GOING TO GO FAST AT 50,000 A YEAR, AND WE PUT OUT A CALL FOR DONATIONS. AND WE JUST DON'T JUST IT'S JUST NOT THERE. WE'RE WE'RE WORKING ON SOME FUNDRAISING IDEAS, JUST THINGS LIKE THAT, TO TRY TO BUILD, BUILD IT UP, CONNECT WITH THE FAMILIES, TRY TO GET THEM TO SEE THE NEED AS WELL. BUT IT'S A SLOW PROCESS PUTTING THE RECORDS, DIGITIZING THE RECORDS, TRYING TO AS WE RECREATE THEM, DIGITIZE THEM. WE PURCHASED A CEMETERY SOFTWARE WITH OVER $5,000 TO DO THAT, ABOUT $1,200 A YEAR IN MAINTENANCE FOR THAT.BUT WE'RE WORKING SLOWLY TO GET THROUGH THAT WHILE TAKING CARE OF THE DAILY NEEDS OF MY HUSBAND'S PASSED AWAY OR MY SONS PASSED AWAY. I NEED A LOT. AND THOSE DAILY THINGS TO BURY PEOPLE CURRENTLY AS WELL. THANK YOU, MISS STONE. I SEE THAT JUST THE MAINTENANCE ALONE, WHICH SEEMS TO BE THE BIGGEST COST, IS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN. THE OTHER THING THAT I SEE IS THE HISTORICAL PRESERVATION OF THE DATA. IF ALL WE'VE GOT ARE WRITTEN RECORDS, THOSE ARE TANGIBLE ITEMS THAT CAN GO AWAY VERY QUICKLY. AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT COST AS WELL.
AND THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT UP THERE. AND ALSO THE MAPPING IS A PROBABLY GOING TO BE A MONUMENTAL EFFORT OF DIGGING TO FIND THAT INFORMATION, WHICH THERE'S VOLUNTEER TIME, BUT THERE'S ALSO PROBABLY GOING TO BE SOME COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT AS WELL. RIGHT. ANOTHER BIG CRITICAL ISSUE THAT WE HAVE IS, YOU KNOW, THE NORTH, IF YOU'VE BEEN OUT THERE AT ALL, YOU KNOW THAT NORTH TREE LINE, THERE IS A RUNOFF, A STORM WATER RUNOFF THROUGH THERE, AND IT'S ERODING.
YOU KNOW, PART OF THAT GROUND IS SO FAR DOWN IS THE APARTMENT COMPLEX TO THE OTHER SIDE. THE OTHER SIDE IS THE CREEK LINE, AND THEN THE RUNOFF AND THEN HOUSES. IT'S ERODING DOWN TO THE END OF WHERE BURIALS ARE. I'VE GOT TO STOP THAT BEFORE IT GETS SO CLOSE THAT I'VE GOT. SO YOU BRING YOU BRING UP A FOURTH ITEM THAT I HAD IN MIND, AND THAT WAS ONE TIME COST FOR THINGS THAT COME UP, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF JUST THE NORMAL MAINTENANCE THEY'RE GOING TO BE THINGS HAPPEN THAT NEED ATTENTION. AND I KNOW YOU PROBABLY DON'T HAVE AN ESTIMATE IN HERE OF WHAT THAT MIGHT BE. IT'S KIND OF HARD TO PREDICT, BUT THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING GOOD TO ADD. AS PART OF THE ANNUAL COST TO MAINTAIN ONE TIME SCENARIOS. RIGHT. AND MY PLAN IS TO, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO TRY TO FIND FAMILIES. WE WANT TO TRY TO FIND, YOU KNOW, MEMBERS OF FAMILIES THAT THAT THERE'S A NEED FOR A PERMANENT MARKER, A MARKER TO BE RAISED OR FIXED OR WHATEVER. WE WANT TO HELP THEM, HELP US, YOU KNOW, DO THAT BECAUSE WE CAN'T PUT UP THE COST SOLELY. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I FEEL RESPONSIBLE THAT WE'VE GOT TO KEEP THESE MARKERS ABOVE GROUND SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE UNMARKED GRAVES. WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY GOING UNMARKED. THAT'S IMPORTANT. THANK YOU, MR. STONE. THANK YOU. OKAY, SO I HAVE A QUESTION, AND THIS MAY BE FOR MISS ALLEY. SO YOU LAID OUT THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT OPTIONS, AND I KIND OF CAUGHT YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT SOME OF THEM WOULD NOT BE WHAT YOU ALL WOULD FAVOR. SO FROM THE OPTIONS THAT ARE HERE OR WHAT IS WHAT IS THE OPINION I SHOULD ASK FROM STAFF ON IT? AND IF I SAY ANYTHING THAT YOU DISAGREE WITH PLEASE COME UP. OR THIS BRANT PARKER IF I SAY ANYTHING THAT YOU DISAGREE WITH, PLEASE STEP UP I WOULD. I WOULD THINK THE BEST OPTION WOULD BE FOR THE CEMETERY ASSOCIATION TO MAINTAIN THEIR CONTRACTOR. THEY HANDLE ALL THE LOGISTICS, THE, YOU KNOW, CALL INS OR WHAT HAVE YOU, AND THE CITY WOULD PROVIDE A GRANT. AND THE REASON I USE GRANT IS THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF
[00:50:05]
DIFFERENT LAW WHEN WE FUND LIKE A 380 AGREEMENT FROM A COMMERCIAL END TO A NONPROFIT.SO IT MAY BE SIMILAR TO A 380, BUT IT'S MORE IN A GRANT FORM. AND THAT'S SOMETHING I'LL JUST RUN BY OUR ATTORNEYS TO SEE HOW WE WOULD HAVE TO DO THAT. BUT THAT WOULD BE MY OPINION THAT THAT WOULD BE THE BEST ROUTE TO TAKE IS, IS WE HELP THEM FUND THAT MAINTENANCE. YOU KNOW, HOWEVER, THAT CONTRACT IS MORE OR LESS WRITTEN BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE ASSOCIATION AS OPPOSED TO THE CITY. AND THAT CONTRACTOR. AND THEY WILL HANDLE THOSE ISSUES. OKAY. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? SAY SOMETHING. NO. GO AHEAD. WHEN I SPOKE WITH RENEE ABOUT THIS, THAT THAT WAS MY HOPE, BECAUSE THE LAST THING THAT WE WANT TO DO IS PUT MORE BURDEN ON THE CITY. AS FAR AS STAFF, IN TRYING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THINGS THAT THEY'RE NOT, IT'S NOT THEIR JOB TO DO, REALLY. I MEAN, YOU'RE NOT CEMETERY PEOPLE EITHER, RIGHT? SO TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE THINGS, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE HARD FOR YOU. AND I KNOW THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO WOULDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO TRY TO ADD MORE STAFF. AND I I'LL SAY IT, I'M A BIT OF A CONTROL FREAK. IF I'M OVER IT, I WANT TO CONTROL IT. SO I WANT TO I WANT TO MAINTAIN THAT CONNECTION WITH MY FAMILIES. SO IF THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MAINTENANCE OR ANYTHING, THEY STILL COME TO US SO THAT WE CAN ANSWER TO IT. AND THAT'S THAT'S MORE WHAT I WAS THINKING WHEN YOU SAID THAT WAS THAT WAY. STAFF ISN'T HAVING TO GET SPECIAL TRAINING, BUT ALSO IF THERE ARE CONCERNS, PROBLEMS, ISSUES THAT ARISE OR REQUESTS THAT MAY COME THROUGH FOR SOMETHING THAT THOSE COULD COME TO YOU ALL TO HANDLE. AND YOU ALL HAVE THE EXPERTISE, AND WE'RE NOT ASKING STAFF TO GO RESEARCH IT. IF SOMEONE SAYS, HEY, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO DO X, Y, Z OR NOT DO XYZ AT THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION. I MEAN, STAFF IS NOT GOING TO HAVE THE INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT A LARGE INVESTMENT OF TIME TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT THE SAME WAY THAT YOU ALL CAN WITH YOUR SOFTWARE THAT'S BEING BUILT OUT AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON. AND I THINK WE WOULD STILL HAVE. COMMUNICATION. I MEAN, WHETHER IT'S AN ANNUAL REPORT, A QUARTERLY REPORT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT WE WOULD GET TO SHOW, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE 14 CYCLES THIS QUARTER OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE. SO THERE WILL STILL BE COMMUNICATION THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO REPORT BACK TO COUNCIL ON HOW THE PROCESS IS GOING AND HOW THOSE FUNDS ARE USED. OKAY.
MAYOR PRO TEM. YES, MAYOR. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK YOU, MISS STONE AND THE WHOLE FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING WITH THE ASSOCIATION, TRYING TO HELP, I THINK MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, BECAUSE WE SET UP A BOARD FOR THIS A FEW YEARS AGO. AND NOW, LUCKILY, SOME CITIZENS LIKE YOURSELF HAVE STEPPED UP AND TRIED TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT. YOU KNOW, AS I THINK THROUGH THIS, I TEND TO AGREE THAT WE DEFINITELY SHOULD HAVE AN ASSOCIATION OR A BOARD HANDLING IT. THE FRONT FACING OF IT AND THEN US PROVIDING A GRANT. BUT I DO BELIEVE THIS IS A BIGGER CHALLENGE THAN WHAT WE'RE JUST TAKING IT IN ACCOUNT. WE CAN PROVIDE A GRANT, BUT THAT'S A RELIEF FOR ONE YEAR OR SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME. THIS IS AN ONGOING THING THAT'S GOING TO BE THERE FOR MANY YEARS, LIKE IT HAS BEEN FOR MANY YEARS HERE. THE ISSUE THAT I HAVE IS THAT THE REMAINING LOTS AND WHAT THEIR PRICE ARE BEING SOLD TO, WHAT THE ASSOCIATION'S CHARGING FOR, AND THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE. IT'S A COMMENT REALLY, UNFORTUNATELY, HAVING TO DEAL WITH SOME THINGS AND KNOWING WHAT OTHER PRICES ARE IN JUST AROUND THE AREAS, IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY MAINTENANCE EVERY YEAR THAT WE, THE ASSOCIATION HAS TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING. AND SO I FEEL LIKE PROVIDING A GRANT IS GOING TO BE A BANDAID TO SOMETHING THAT THIS COUNCIL MAY NOT BE HERE OR THE STAFF OR FOLKS THAT ARE NOT HERE, THEY MAY NOT FEEL MAY FEEL DIFFERENT ABOUT THAT PART OF, OF THE GRAVEYARD OR THAT PART OF THE ASSOCIATION. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER, BUT I'M JUST WORRIED THAT PROVIDING A GRANT TODAY, IT'S A BAND-AID FOR TOMORROW. SO AND IS THE IS THE GOAL TO TRY TO HAVE SOMETHING SET UP THAT'S MORE PERPETUAL? I EITHER PERPETUAL MAYOR OR SOMETHING WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE PROVIDE A SMALL AMOUNT EVERY YEAR COMPARED TO PAYING FOR ONE YEAR. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS. I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK OUT OF TURN OR OUT OF MIND OR FIGURING OUT, BECAUSE TODAY'S IT'S 47. NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO BE 53,
[00:55:04]
YEAR AFTER IT'S GOING TO BE 57, AND EVERY YEAR IS GOING TO BE MORE AND MORE AND MORE. AND I'M JUST WORRIED ABOUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE SAME DISCUSSION TWO, THREE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, AND IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE CANNOT DO OR MAINTAIN. SO I DON'T KNOW, MISS STONE, IF THE RIGHT ANSWER IS TO FIND SOME PROFESSIONALS THAT DO THIS WITH THE REMAINING LOTS AND TAKE OVER WHAT'S LEFT AND GO IN A CONTRACT WITH A LARGER FIRM THAT DOES THIS FOR A LIVING. THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. I'M NOT SO SURE THAT CITY CAN TAKE OVER A CEMETERY LOT DOWN THE ROAD, AND SO IT'S JUST A THOUGHT PROCESS. AND AGAIN, AND THIS TRULY WAS THE BEGINNING OF A CONVERSATION.IT IT'S NOT A IT, YOU KNOW, SAY THEY SAY THE BEGINNING OF A LIFESTYLE. THIS IS A BEGINNING OF A CONVERSATION. BECAUSE I JUST KNOW THAT WITHOUT PARTNERSHIP SOMEWHERE THE CEMETERY FUNDS WILL DEPLETE. ONCE IT'S DEPLETED, THE ASSOCIATION WILL DISBAND BECAUSE THERE'S NO MONEY. THE CEMETERIES THEN BECOME ABANDONED. CEMETERIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS WILL STEP IN, AND THEY WILL COME TO THE CITY AND SAY, THIS IS WITHIN YOUR CITY, YOU HAVE TO DO THIS. I WAS APPROACHED TO DO THIS BECAUSE I'D HAD 20 YEARS TAKING CARE OF OLD CEMETERIES AND A PASSION FOR IT. THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO IT, BUT I'M WILLING TO PUT IN THE WORK. I JUST NEED A PARTNER IN THIS SO THAT IT DOESN'T BECOME ABANDONED IN THE CITY'S FORCED TO. NOBODY WANTS TO BE FORCED INTO ANYTHING. YOU CAN SWALLOW THINGS A LITTLE EASIER IF IT'S BOTH OF OUR IDEAS AND WE'RE PARTNERS, THEN BEING FORCED AND IN IN THE MEANTIME, AGAIN, MAYBE THERE'S WAYS TO BUILD FUNDS. I JUST SEPTEMBER TAKING OVER THE CEMETERIES, THE BOARD. SO IT'S BEEN A PROCESS TO TAKE CARE OF THE DAILY NEEDS OF FAMILIES AND MAINTENANCE, PLUS TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE DO TO SECURE IT LONG TERM. YEAH. AND I APPRECIATE YOU COMMEND YOU GUYS FOR THE TIME THAT YOU GUYS ARE PUTTING IT IN FOR. WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO, TRYING TO TAKE A SITUATION THAT YOU KNOW HAS NOT BEEN I DO AGREE, IT'S A IT'S AN ONGOING THING. YEAH. ABSOLUTELY ONGOING.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN DUKE. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, MISS STONE, FOR COMING. YOU KNOW MY THOUGHTS. I THINK THAT THE CITY SHOULD AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, GIVE SOME KIND OF GRANT, YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR, SHORT TERM. SO TO ADDRESS THE SHORT TERM NEEDS OF THE CEMETERY. MISS STONE AND HER PEOPLE PROVIDE THE FOOT POWER. WE PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF FUNDING AND GET THOSE NEEDS SITUATED. I'M ALL FOR ADDRESSING COMING UP WITH A LONG TERM, LONG TERM SOLUTION. BUT FOR NOW, I THINK THE CITY NEEDS TO GRANT THEM THE MONEY AND SO MISS STONE CAN GET TO WORK. AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN PUT THAT TO BED FOR NOW AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING LATER. I DO THINK THAT MISS STONE NEEDS TO EITHER REPORT TO MISS SALLY OR DIRECTLY TO THE COUNCIL AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR TO, YOU KNOW, ON HOW THE MONEY IS BEING SPENT THAT THE CITY GIVES THEM IN SOME KIND OF REPORT SO WE CAN, YOU KNOW, JUST SO THERE'S TRANSPARENCY THERE. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. WHATEVER RECORDS OR REPORTS, WHATEVER YOU NEED RECORD WISE, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO GO BY WHATEVER YOU, YOU KNOW, FIGURE OUT. ALSO YOU KNOW TO LET YOU KNOW IS THE BOARD. THE BOARD SERVES STRICTLY AS VOLUNTEERS. THERE IS NO MONEY THAT CHANGES HANDS EXCEPT FOR THE CARE OF THAT CEMETERY. WE DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY MONTHLY BILLS EXCEPT MOWING. IF THERE'S ANY TREE WORK OR, YOU KNOW, JUST THINGS LIKE THAT. THERE'S NO OTHER EXPENSES. I OFFICE OUT OF MY HOME. SO ALL THE RECORDS ARE THERE. AND SO I MAKE A MAKE A PLACE IN MY HOME FOR, FOR ALL OF THESE THINGS. AND I MEET WITH THE FAMILIES AT THE CEMETERY OR AT THE FUNERAL HOME IF I NEED TO, BUT MOSTLY AT THE CEMETERY.
SO THERE'S NO OVERHEAD THAT WE DON'T SPEND THE MONEY ON. ANYTHING ELSE. OKAY. COUNCILMAN.
STRANGE. THANK YOU. MAYOR. I FIND MYSELF AGREEING WITH THE SUGGESTIONS THAT COUNCILMAN DUKES SAID SO I LIKE IT. THANK YOU. AND I WOULD I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT. I THINK THE RIGHT PATH FORWARD IS TO ENSURE THAT WE TAKE THE IT SOUNDS WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE IS THE ADVICE FROM
[01:00:01]
BOTH PARTIES TO FUND THAT THROUGH A GRANT, LET THEM MANAGE AND OVERSEE IT. I THINK FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, SEEING WHAT OUR OPTIONS ARE TO CREATE. TO YOUR POINT WITH THE ATTORNEYS HOW THAT WORKS TO DO A LONGER TERM, OBVIOUSLY, PRICE WILL VARY OVER TIME. LEAVE IT IN THE HANDS OF STAFF TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE SOME MECHANISM TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT. IF IN TEN YEARS SOMEONE ELSE IS ON THAT BOARD AND DECIDES THEY WANT TO REQUEST SOMETHING THAT IS INAPPROPRIATE BY CONTRACTUAL STANDARDS, AT THE TIME, THAT WE WOULD HAVE A REVIEW MECHANISM SO THAT IT'S NOT AN AUTOMATIC FOREVER, BUT ALSO TO THE MAYOR PRO TEM POINT, NOT ONLY DOING ONE YEAR BECAUSE BY BASIC TABLE AND NAPKIN MATH, IT WOULD BE FOUR YEARS OR AND ESSENTIALLY THEY WOULD BE BANKRUPT, WHICH DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR ANY OF THE THINGS THAT ARE LISTED HERE THIS EVENING, WHICH HOPEFULLY, IF WE'RE TAKING CARE OF THE ONE LARGE COST THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON SOME OF THE OTHER PROJECTS WITH THE FUNDS THAT THEY HAVE AND THE FUNDS THAT COME IN, IF WE'RE ESSENTIALLY HELPING TO FUND THE MAINTENANCE SIDE OF THINGS. SO I AGREE, AND THAT WOULD BE WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST FOR MOVING FORWARD. MAYOR PRO TEM, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN AND COUNCILMAN. STRANG AND YOURSELF THAT FINE COUNCILMAN HOOVER. I ALSO AGREE. AND WITH THE PERPETUAL LONG TERM AND COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU MAYOR. YEAH, I AGREE WITH THE SETTING UP SOME SORT OF PERPETUAL SITUATION GOING FORWARD. YEAH. AND I I'LL THROW THIS OUT HERE IF I CAN BE BLUNT THAT THE REALITY IS AND LIKE MISS STONE SAID, IF WE DON'T HELP OUT AND THE CEMETERY GETS ABANDONED, THE STATE IS WILL COME TO US AND WE WILL HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. AND IT IS FAR CHEAPER FOR US TO GRANT $50,000 A YEAR, OR WHATEVER THOSE YEARS ARE, THAN IT IS FOR US TO TAKE OVER AN ABANDONED CEMETERY. I, I AGREE 100%. I THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. BUT TO YOUR POINT, BEYOND THAT, I'D IMAGINE WE WOULD HAVE TO PURCHASE SOFTWARE.WE'D HAVE TO EMPLOY SOMEONE THERE. PROBABLY ADDITIONAL, YEAH, ADDITIONAL STANDARDS, THINGS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DO IN ORDER TO KEEP UP WITH THAT, IN ADDITION TO THE MAINTENANCE COSTS THAT WE WOULD STILL HAVE AT THAT TIME. SO IT WOULDN'T EFFECTIVELY, WE WOULD JUST BE TAKING ON ALL OF THE OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES WITH IT AS WELL. SO IF THAT IS THE DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL, THEN I'LL WORK WITH MISS STONE AND THEN WE'LL GET SOME DRAFTS TOGETHER, RUN IT THROUGH ATTORNEYS, AND THEN I DON'T WANT TO THROW OUT A DATE YET, BUT ONCE THAT'S DONE, WE'LL BRING THAT BACK BEFORE YOU FOR ACTION. OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU COUNCIL I APPRECIATE YOU ALL. THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM AS WELL.
THANKS. THANK YOU. SO WITH THAT, THAT DOES CONCLUDE OUR WORK SESSION THIS EVENING. FROM THERE
[RECONVENE INTO REGULAR SESSION]
[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
WE'LL RECONVENE INTO REGULAR SESSION AND THEN MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION UNDER SECTION 551.07 FOR PERSONNEL MATTERS CLOSED MEETING IS ONE CITY MANAGER QUARTERLY* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.