[0:12] call this meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
[0:18] » Um, I don't have any speakers signed for
that open forum today.
[0:24] » Public hearing items. Public hearing.
Open public hearing at
[0:29] public hearing of on proposed fiscal
year 2026 2027 city of Breen Ridge tax
[0:36] rate. Do we have any speakers?
>> We do have one speaker, mayor. Um Dr.
[0:41] Daniel Newell, you would like to come up
to the podium. You have three minutes.
[0:45] » Okay.
Try to get most of this into three
[0:48] minutes. Uh first of all, Mr. Mayor and
ladies and gentlemen, I'm Daniel, Dr.
[0:54] Daniel Newell. My wife and I moved to
Breenidge from the Pacific Northwest
[0:58] three years ago. Found this nice little
town, nice people. I think we enjoy it
[1:02] here quite a bit. Bit of background
among other things, I spent 30 plus 30
[1:09] plus years salary career as a senior
financial analyst, a budget director and
[1:15] government compliance specialist as
such. I was also involved in regional
[1:20] expansion and marketing for three major
regional and national insurance
[1:23] companies with budgets between 3006 $600
million a year for 500,000 or 50,000
[1:30] customers each and hundreds of
employees. I know a thing or two about
[1:35] budgets, taxation, staff and development
funding, staff development planning. I
[1:40] want to stress I am retired and
committed to that. I also did not plan
[1:45] to run for any public office.
Uh, one thing I wanted to
[1:52] uh realize, I joined the citizens
academy this year at the start. I'd
[1:55] recommend that to every citizen. It's a
wonderful experience.
[1:59] So, as I get started with my comments,
one thing I want to clarify, part of the
[2:04] role of our city manager and department
heads is to dream of what could be. If
[2:10] we only had enough resources
and to share those with you, it's your
[2:15] role to review those dreams as I
understand it and request to ascertain
[2:18] what is possible and what is not. If we
can't generate the funds ourselves, then
[2:23] we need to pursue help from the state
and others that might be willing to help
[2:26] us. Some of this is being done now.
That's very good.
[2:31] In reviewing our city tax agent history,
and I brought a print out copy of last
[2:36] year's rates, most people notice that
our city rating has been about twice
[2:41] that of surrounding counties. And they
have a lot of concern because it just
[2:45] raises serious questions. There might be
something to it or not. But I brought
[2:48] you a print out just makes it a whole
lot easier to look up to than looking at
[2:51] the little fine print on the
spreadsheets provided by the state.
[2:56] Also, I keep hearing that we have a
population of just over 5,000 people.
[3:00] That needs to be put in context. Of
that, there's only about maybe 26 or
[3:04] 2,700 that are adults, taxpaying ages.
And further, we only have maybe 1,250
[3:12] to,700 actual homes that are represented
by those individuals. So, the tax burden
[3:18] is being spread over that small group.
30 seconds.
[3:22] » Now, as far as
>> you can go ahead.
[3:25] » As far as budgeting goes, there's no
shame in having to go back and forth
[3:29] numerous times, you know, between ideas,
you know, people share share what's
[3:33] going on. But I I I stress that no one
should be offended or being asked to
[3:39] slow down or rework things. As a city
council, you alone are the ones making
[3:43] the final decision. And we've had
problems in the community with this. As
[3:48] an example, the Breenriidge ISD
recently presented their dream for a new
[3:53] elementary school to the public to be
built somewhere somehow by someone at
[3:58] some time according to some plans that
still aren't set for only $40 million.
[4:04] Figured just smoked out of the air and
somehow it passed.
[4:09] » Okay, sorry.
>> That's okay. I will leave these comments
[4:13] before it gets to where I'm basically
recommending you go with the slow down
[4:16] and do the no new revenue for this year
to give us all time to breathe.
[4:21] » Great job.
>> Copy this to
[4:24] Thank you so much.
>> And again, I put under my name, address,
[4:27] phone number. You want some more
>> info or conversation? Glad to get it.
[4:32] » I'm not competition. I'm not running for
office.
[4:39] » There's no more speakers.
At this time, we'll go ahead and close
[4:44] the meeting at 5:34 p.m. We'll drink.