[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[3:17] Welcome everybody to the city of farmers branch study session for Tuesday, September 1st.
[3:23] Our first order of business will be public comments. I do not have anybody signed up to speak comments at this time.
[3:30] So we'll move right into study session items. First is item C1 review and discuss consent and regular agenda items. Councilwoman Gonzalez.
[3:39] Anything for me, Mayor?
[3:41] Councilwoman Bennett.
[3:44] Mayor, I would like to pull J1.
[3:46] I'm sorry, not J1.
[3:48] It's the oversized J2 and for discussion.
[3:58] Asking to move J2 to regular agenda?
[4:02] Okay.
[4:04] Anybody object?
[4:26] Councilman Reed?
[4:28] Yeah, I'd like to move G5.
[4:29] Okay.
[4:30] Can anyone agenda?
[4:37] Yes, I have questions on J-3-4-6 and 7. Hopefully we can address here in study session.
[4:47] You want a J3 first?
[4:51] That's fine, whichever.
[4:54] Question a J3.
[5:02] Good afternoon, Mayor. Good afternoon, council.
[5:06] Yes, sir.
[5:08] Just to take a couple of quick questions on this slide, can you tell me when the last review was done
[5:13] that we're now doing another one?
[5:22] Yes, sir. So this was a last done by Techstock. Techstock did it in March of 23.
[5:32] and what this is is a setting up a CIP project for this so we can take text
[5:42] dots original analysis and put a CIP program together for it.
[5:50] And another question I have is, can you tell me a little bit
[5:54] as to how you come to choose this firm to participate in this?
[6:00] This firm right here in 2024, we did an RFQ and this firm was chosen as part of that 2024 RFQ
[6:10] and so they were already on board and so we just used them to chose them to put this together for us.
[6:19] Okay, so basically they're familiar with all of this from 2024, we're just re-engaging them.
[6:24] Well, this is our first engagement with them.
[6:28] Originally, the assessment was done by TechStot.
[6:31] So what they're going to do is take the TechStot assessment, look through it, and then
[6:35] set up a CIP project.
[6:37] So did we do an RFQ on this?
[6:40] Or we just went to this firm, because they responded to the RFQ previously.
[6:46] They responded to the RFQ previously, and we have worked with them before, so they were
[6:52] a short list and so we went with them to put this together as part of the original RFQ.
[6:59] That's all I have.
[7:00] Thank you very much.
[7:01] Thank you, Mayor.
[7:02] Absolutely.
[7:03] Thank you.
[7:06] J4.
[7:12] Mayor, Council Robert Deos, Parks Director, I've got Maria Mentor, Deputy Director and
[7:16] Josie Avina, our event manager to kind of answer any of these questions for J4.
[7:22] Sure.
[7:24] I could make this relatively quick.
[7:25] Can you tell me who did this last year?
[7:28] So we actually bid it three years ago back in 2023.
[7:32] OK, so was it the same firm that did it?
[7:34] Yeah, sorry.
[7:35] Quick and put on black contractor.
[7:40] And could you touch base a little bit for me
[7:44] regarding rental versus owning some of this equipment?
[7:49] Yeah, so we actually own a lot of the city decor,
[7:52] but we also lease it as well.
[7:54] So this vendor will have both the rental and our city owned.
[7:58] So everything's stored together.
[7:59] And have we got, are given any more thought
[8:02] to maybe owning the equipment
[8:04] or is it that it changes every year or?
[8:06] So it will change.
[8:08] It's a recurring cost of renting your own.
[8:10] We can't change it during our bid like processing.
[8:13] And then we could also change the contract each year
[8:16] when we do our renewal letter.
[8:17] So it is kind of a changeable.
[8:19] So we have a three-year agreement with them now.
[8:21] Is this, are we in their second or third year with them?
[8:23] So we're on our last ring eels, so this will be a fresh start on the contract.
[8:29] Okay.
[8:31] All right.
[8:32] That's all I had.
[8:32] That's all I had, Mayor.
[8:33] Thanks.
[8:34] Thank you very much.
[8:36] Okay.
[8:36] What was your name?
[8:38] 11.
[8:40] Five.
[8:40] But I think he's pulling that.
[8:42] Five is going to be on record number six.
[8:44] Six.
[8:45] Six and seven.
[8:46] Six and seven.
[8:46] Seven questions on five also, but I think you're moving about.
[8:49] We're going to have to talk about that later.
[8:51] But I'll talk about six and seven now.
[8:52] Okay. J6.
[8:59] Yes, sir.
[9:04] Just let me look at my notes. I'm in it here.
[9:22] Apologies.
[9:27] I notice what is it.
[9:29] Is it the exhibit or attachment?
[9:34] I'm just curious as to why.
[9:35] How we chose the 260 more or less.
[9:40] What we're reducing in costs.
[9:42] Why? 260. Why not more? Why not less?
[9:44] Yes, sir. That was based.
[9:47] So the vendor,
[9:48] When they did that grant application, they looked at the scope of what we turned in.
[9:54] And so they based the estimates on the maintenance based on the...
[10:00] Proposed grant that we submitted to text. That is not, we still have to go through the design process. So this is really just to kind of kick off the process of having Kimlin horn do the design. The final design has not been determined yet. So there are probably going to be places that were identified when they did the grant application that we might not be able to landscape. We might not be able to do the landscape that they looked at initially.
[10:28] So the landscape final plan could change.
[10:32] Also that final plan is going to come back to you all when we
[10:34] We bit out the project.
[10:37] Okay.
[10:37] When you guys award the bid, but even before that, when we get the final
[10:41] Design done before we go to bid, we'll bring it back to council that you
[10:44] Look at it.
[10:44] We'll have better estimates on our maintenance because we'll have a
[10:47] Really true picture of what we're going to be able to build and put out there.
[10:50] And so just for maybe some of the residents that might be watching that
[10:55] We're getting some money or grant money from text dot for this particular area, and this item here is for us to begin the management of our maintenance of the landscape once it's all taken over.
[11:11] So we will have a recurring annual amount of maintenance
[11:16] at the beginning in 20, 28.
[11:18] I believe it is roughly 260,000 into the future.
[11:25] Is that correct, so correct, sir?
[11:27] The grant application, if funds text,
[11:30] I will fund the actual construction dollars
[11:33] to put the landscape in, then correct.
[11:36] Then the way the two items you have this evening,
[11:38] the first is the landscape management agreement that we would have with text
[11:43] on and we would be able to, we would take all the maintenance on.
[11:47] They're basically hand in us.
[11:49] Right.
[11:49] Basically, giving us that, we're just going to maintain it in to the future.
[11:53] And I would just, I know it might be a little early, but I'd like us to be mindful of some
[11:58] zero-scaping and things that we can do to minimize our ongoing costs of, it's 260,000.
[12:04] And now the year after might be 275, 300.
[12:08] So maybe when we get to that point later on,
[12:10] we discuss it, maybe we can be mindful of what we can do
[12:13] to minimize some of those costs, but still remain pretty.
[12:17] Yes, sir.
[12:18] Yes, sir.
[12:19] That's all I have.
[12:20] Thank you, Mayor.
[12:22] Did you have for J7?
[12:25] Yes, sir.
[12:26] On this item.
[12:26] Okay.
[12:27] But I have question on J7.
[12:32] I'm sorry.
[12:35] Just want to ask about the bidding process on this.
[12:40] Yes, sir.
[12:40] I don't know.
[12:41] How we chose.
[12:42] Correct.
[12:43] The vendor Kimlin Horn, the ones that also did the application process for us, that the Council
[12:49] approved last year, we did not do a request for proposal for this project.
[12:54] For what I understand, Kimlin Horn is the engineering department, public works has done an RFQ for Kimlin Horn.
[13:05] So they are on the list of vendors that we have done through that process.
[13:10] We also have currently a couple of projects in the queue.
[13:13] The west side art trail is also a Kimlin Horn project.
[13:16] And they were able to, they helped work through that process to get that grant funding.
[13:22] and also the TA project that's on value,
[13:24] they also assisted with that one as well.
[13:27] So with their expertise in this field,
[13:29] that's with help us with getting the grant put in initially.
[13:34] So we, and we have a short time frame to turn this project
[13:37] around to get it a bit out,
[13:38] because it has to be done by the end of next summer.
[13:43] Okay, so we didn't put it out for a bit
[13:45] for the reasons you just noted,
[13:48] they're already qualified and on the approved vendors list.
[13:50] And that's really I just wanted to point it out that we didn't put this out on the bid. That's all that's all. That's all happening. Thanks.
[13:56] Okay. I'll get anything. Okay.
[14:02] All right. Thank you.
[14:03] Thank you.
[14:03] Next step is item C2 discussing a beer budget adjustments for fiscal 2526.
[14:16] Good afternoon Mayor City Council members. My name's Dave Patel. I'm the fine instructor for the city and the item before you today is our annual end of your budget surplus update for the current fiscal year.
[14:25] This item ultimately serves as a bridge between our current fiscal year and the fiscal year
[14:30] where we're about to embark on and towards the end of each fiscal year, finance department
[14:35] works with each of our departments to forecast all revenue line items as well as expenditure
[14:40] line items to determine where we realistically can expect our budget to end off for this fiscal year
[14:49] and pride you all in update on the budget surplus amount available for your allocation at the end
[14:55] this fiscal year. Based on that review that your finance department conducted, we're currently
[14:59] You
[15:00] Directing a $350,000 budget surplus for council to provide direction on. And this does allow us to maintain
[15:07] our 90-day fund balance target as prescribed by the city council.
[15:15] From overall budget utilization on, in regards to
[15:18] $350,000, we're looking at a utilization of over 99%. And that signifies the strength of your city's
[15:28] budget management practices, as well as the success in the partnership between our city
[15:33] management office, our finance office, as well as our individual departments.
[15:38] And overall, our city council for the direction they provide for all of this too to work
[15:43] as it should.
[15:46] And so much of our discussions last year as it relates to the budget surplus amount, it is
[15:51] our recommendation that these one-time resources be tied toward one-time expenditures.
[15:56] Therefore, not towards anything that has a reoccurring cost associated with it, so we're not
[16:04] burdening our future operating budgets there into the future.
[16:11] We have three general criteria that we would like you to consider when choosing where to
[16:16] allocate these surplus funds.
[16:18] First and foremost, one-time expenditures, and that's related to any council priority, any one-time
[16:23] capital project, without an ongoing cost associated with it.
[16:27] Secondly, increasing fund balance.
[16:30] You can choose to keep this amount in the general fund and
[16:33] forgo this allocation until we receive our audit,
[16:39] our audit results, which we come before you and provide you an update
[16:44] as it relates to our end of your fund balance.
[16:47] Therefore, we can choose to allocate at that point in time.
[16:53] Also, you can choose to allocate this towards economic development fund balance
[16:56] to bolster the economic development activity and the strength of that fund for our C.
[17:03] And lastly, to decrease any known long-term liabilities that we're incurring, for example,
[17:08] or landfill liability. So putting money towards that expenditure that we look to take on in the future.
[17:18] And to provide you all with the overview of the overall timeline where we are today,
[17:23] you'll see that this is one of the last remaining pieces in our fiscal year,
[17:27] 27 budget process. From this point on, on September 15th, we'll conduct our public hearings
[17:32] for the budget and the tax rate, as well as conduct the vote on the adoption of both
[17:38] the budget and the tax rate, and which our fiscal year will complete at that September
[17:43] 30 a time frame. And with that, I'd like to conclude my presentation. I'm happy to answer any
[17:49] questions you all may have. Thank you very much, Shay. Castleman Gonzalez. Nothing for me,
[17:58] So it's 350,000 correct and my understanding is there are no, we don't have anything outstanding that needed to be funded, correct?
[18:08] That's correct.
[18:10] So because we're only giving a 1% raise, is there an option to give bonuses to staff?
[18:17] Other than that, my concern I would just like to bank it, but I recognize that we need to take care of our staff.
[18:26] As it wouldn't be prudent financial management to tie the one-time resources with the ongoing costs associated with the bonuses.
[18:35] Okay, so it would be a one-time and it wouldn't be a tie to salary.
[18:38] That's, that's in the purview of our city council, so.
[18:42] Absolutely. Yes, ma'am.
[18:44] Catherine Reed?
[18:46] Nothing at this point, but chew it over a little bit.
[18:51] Thank you, Jay, and thank you to your entire team.
[18:54] I know that you've been working really, really hard.
[18:56] I appreciate you.
[18:58] In light of our current state and just in the country,
[19:02] everything seems to be flat.
[19:04] I would be in favor of either holding onto it,
[19:09] or exploring the possibility of the columbarium,
[19:12] which would actually be a money maker,
[19:15] and many, many people in the community
[19:17] We would like to have their final resting place here in Farmer's branch and it would be a revenue builder, so I'd like to explore that.
[19:25] Thank you.
[19:27] Councillor Neill.
[19:29] Thank you, Mayor.
[19:29] Thank you, Jay.
[19:30] Appreciate the presentation.
[19:33] We all know that the previous couple of years at the end of the year, we've had in a neighborhood of about $2 million,
[19:39] two and a half million dollars.
[19:41] Could you help us understand as well as maybe explain to the public a little bit as to what we did,
[19:46] what happened that now this year we're down to 350 as opposed to 2 million.
[19:51] Great question.
[19:54] And much in our reference last year's budget surplus is a primary example and we we we we at the city.
[20:00] We have very conservative budgeting practices that we, that we instill on, that we, that we, that we vote our budget upon on the annual basis. Last year, we received a much
[20:16] more, our actuals over budget amounts were tied to revenue increase that increases that we experience throughout that fiscal year.
[20:23] to interest revenues, court-fine revenues,
[20:29] and those permit revenues as well largely tied
[20:31] to a lot of the surplus amounts tied to the previous fiscal year.
[20:34] So there was, effectively, much of the conservative budget and practices is what led to
[20:41] that budget surplus amount for the previous fiscal year.
[20:44] It was about $2.6 million around this time last year.
[20:48] It is important to note that this is a conservative projection based on this time this year.
[20:53] We still have September activity, we still need to participate in, as well as audit adjustments,
[20:57] which do fluctuate that number from now until the update that you receive in April on an annual basis.
[21:03] So, I would try largely to the Conservative Budgeting Practices, and then after the audit,
[21:08] we get a true picture for where those expenditures all exactly lined up.
[21:13] Right now what we're providing is a projection working with each other departments and based on everything we know right now.
[21:20] And so you mentioned the revenues are generally flat or are they in a downward trend is it is that impacting this currently
[21:28] We're our revenue projection is right and line with your budget. So we're not not too low not too less
[21:36] But you were we're expected to meet our revenue budget for this fiscal year
[21:40] So much of you're much of a much of a surplus amount is tied to the expenditure with
[21:46] You'll reminisce being.
[21:47] So as I was looking through the budget, it seemed as though our sales tax revenue was relatively flat, not so much increasing to any great degree.
[21:58] Where I'm going is I'm trying to find out how are we doing with businesses?
[22:02] Are we retaining businesses? Are we losing businesses?
[22:05] Trying to get a feel for how that sales tax isn't much higher overall.
[22:11] And now that's a little bit into the weeds at this point, but it's just something that's been on my mind.
[22:16] Not at all. And in the budget book, we do have a cap on the sales tax with the remainder over the 23 million this year, 23 and a half million this year, right?
[22:25] I did to go to the remedy stabilization fund.
[22:28] Effective method of in up to as it relates or sales tax will be later tonight.
[22:33] Okay, in my financial report.
[22:36] That's fine.
[22:37] That's fine.
[22:37] No worries.
[22:38] Thanks, Jay.
[22:38] Absolutely. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Next up is item C3,
[22:45] five second order update on economic activities.
[22:51] We have direction from the city council.
[22:53] Thank you. You're the next one.
[22:58] For third quarter financial?
[23:00] No. In regards to the budget surplus allocation, do we have,
[23:04] I'm sorry.
[23:06] or we have not decided. I think we need to have some time and Council
[23:10] probably needs to think about what their priority might be and then we'll bring
[23:17] that forth at the next meeting. I appreciate all your time. Thank you. Sorry about that.
[23:29] Good afternoon Mayor and City Council. Cody Duffy's senior economic
[23:32] development specialist. Today I'm presenting the economic development quarterly update
[23:36] for the second quarter. This item was requested by Deputy Mayor Perotem Roger Niel.
[23:42] In this presentation, I'll walk through our business retention activity, notable events we
[23:47] participated in incentives, a couple of upcoming community events we're supporting and the latest
[23:52] industrial and multi-family vacancy data.
[23:57] In the second quarter, we participated in several
[23:59] higher visibility networking events and may we attended the Tech Connects VIP Reception hosted by
[24:05] the U.S. India Chamber. In early June, we were at the North Texas EDC networking reception put
[24:10] by the Korean Chamber, and we also presented on the Economic Development Panel at the Metro
[24:16] Cress Business Expo, which was co-sponsored by the Metro Cress Chamber in the U.S.
[24:20] India Chamber.
[24:22] These events complement our day-to-day business retention activity and help keep farmers
[24:26] branch visible with both existing companies and potential new investment.
[24:32] On the visit side, we completed 89 business retention visits in the second quarter and attended
[24:37] eight local events. To break that down, 20 were scheduled facility visits or corporate meetings,
[24:44] eight were local events such as ribbon cuttings and chamber networking, and 69 were
[24:48] poppin visits where we introduce ourselves, leave resources, and start, or continue their
[24:53] relationship. On the incentive side, staff successfully advanced 11 new
[24:58] demolish and rebuild aqua.
[25:03] We're looking
[25:07] ahead to events we're supporting on October 10th, economic development, supporting parks to sponsor the spooky-5K, and an early November, the pickleball world championships will once again be held at Brookhaven Country Club.
[25:23] Finally, the industrial and multi-family vacancy snapshot, industrial vacancy and farmers branch held steady at 5.6%
[25:31] multi-family vacancy moved from 8% to 11.1% and that increase is primarily the result of
[25:38] new apartment deliveries that came online during the quarter.
[25:42] That concludes the quarterly update.
[25:44] Happy to take any questions.
[25:47] Can you go back one slide that went by pretty quick?
[25:50] Thank you.
[25:53] The castwoman gets off.
[25:57] It's Councilman's Neals.
[25:59] I'm sorry. Thank you.
[26:01] Councillor Neill.
[26:01] That's all right.
[26:02] Thank you, Mayor.
[26:05] Just real quick, if you go back to the slide, you had said,
[26:09] you had visited about 89 visits to the different businesses.
[26:13] Yes, sir.
[26:13] Can you tell me how did you choose those businesses out of all the rest?
[26:17] Yeah, so the way we choose businesses is really,
[26:21] it's going to be based on, on section.
[26:24] So our ultimate goal is to visit as many businesses as possible, right?
[26:27] So when we go to one area, we try to stay local and kind of finish off that area while we're there and we're working our way through the city, but as far as the pop and visits, it's a little bit more random.
[26:41] The 20 facility visits or corporate meetings, those are sourced from two main two main sources. So one, it's going to be connections that we meet at the Chamber of Commerce events or networking that are local farmer's branch businesses.
[26:53] our goal there is to reach out and set up a facility visit and learn more about their business.
[26:58] And a second main source of those visits are going to be from the, when we get completed CEOs at the end of the month,
[27:06] we'll proactively reach out to those businesses and attempt to set up meetings with them.
[27:10] And so when you visit these businesses, do you try to obtain some sense of their issues concerns the success of their business,
[27:20] anything like that, their failures concerns?
[27:22] Yeah, absolutely. That's going to be part of the information we try and gather really to, you know,
[27:27] number one of the new business coming in. Well, how is the process coming into the city?
[27:30] We get feedback on that. And if we've been here for a while, we also learn about their overall
[27:34] experience and farmers branch and their goals and see others in the other way we can support them.
[27:38] All right. And so do you follow up with them after the feedback you receive?
[27:43] Particularly, I'm I'm want to be focused on those who may be having challenges or maybe
[27:48] struggling, you know, times are tough, and I want to make sure that we stay in touch with
[27:52] those businesses to see that we can, we can make sure we retain them as best as we can.
[27:57] And I'd like to be able to try to measure the success of your work in our ability to maintain
[28:04] and keep them here and help their business grow.
[28:07] So there's just a couple of comments I wanted to make, and I wanted to be mindful of that,
[28:11] and you know, some challenging times we have economically, so I just want to ask those
[28:15] couple of things.
[28:16] Thank you very much.
[28:17] Thanks very much.
[28:18] Thank you. Sorry about that. Councilman gets asked. Councilman, you actually had one of my questions, so I'm good. Thank you.
[28:26] Councilman Bennett. You answered my question. Thank you. Councilman Reed.
[28:32] Very thorough presentation. Thank you. Councilwoman, be a proper.
[28:36] Appreciate you, Cody. Great job. As always.
[28:38] Thank you. I'll say, Councilman Neil, I'd like to visit with you on that.
[28:44] I have some thoughts on future measuring success that we can discuss offline.
[28:52] Thank you, Cody.
[28:53] Thank you.
[28:55] Next step is item C4.
[28:56] Receive a presentation on the fiscal year 2526 third quarter financial report.
[29:07] Good afternoon, Mayor.
[29:07] City Council members.
[29:08] My name is David Patel.
[29:09] I'm the finance director for the city and today I'll be presenting our third quarter financial report
[29:14] for quarter ending June 30 of 2026.
[29:19] Let's jump right in, starting with the general fund, as you can see there by the revenue portion
[29:23] of your screen, revenues for the general fund remain strong, and all categories throughout.
[29:30] You see, property tax at 100% collection largely due to the frontloaded nature of this revenue line item.
[29:37] Majority of our collection are collected between the months of October and February.
[29:42] Therefore, you'll see a large percentage of revenues come into the general fund within the first two quarters of a year.
[29:48] Tax collection also remain strong on an annualized basis and all of the revenue line items exceed that 75% threshold.
[30:00] Being 35% of the way through the fiscal year, we use that more or less of a bait or a gauge to determine
[30:08] how each of these revenue lines are forming. You'll see that each will exceed that target
[30:13] except the charges for services.
[30:17] And that is one of the revenue line items that we did have to
[30:21] forecast downwards from the original budget item, from the original budget for that line item.
[30:25] But overall, we are expecting revenues for the general fund to meet our budget target for this fiscal year.
[30:33] Charges for services is mainly driven through landfill revenues and two reasons for this being at 60%.
[30:41] First is the cruel entry.
[30:43] So every year we get our audit entries that we make on an annual basis.
[30:46] And last year those were done in the fourth quarter.
[30:49] So they came on your following financial report.
[30:52] This should be done in a bit earlier in our office, therefore a five percent other
[30:55] discrepancy can be attributed towards that accounting entry that we make on an annual basis.
[31:01] The remainder we did have to adjust these the budget for the charge for services mainly
[31:06] your landfill revenues downwards.
[31:09] Overall, we still expect to meet the budget target for the general fund at the end of this
[31:14] fiscal year.
[31:16] That brings us down to our expenditures.
[31:17] And you'll see on the expenditure, you'll see we've spent 65% of our budget for the fiscal year.
[31:24] But that doesn't ultimately mean that 35% will be available surplus towards the end of the fiscal year.
[31:30] There's two components that largely need to be considered when looking at that number.
[31:35] First is seasonality.
[31:37] Public works, and public works, and coach on REC both have a significant amount of activity during your summer months.
[31:44] So you'll see a spike in those expenditures
[31:46] typically around that July August timeframe,
[31:49] which we can expect to hear in the next coming months.
[31:52] Secondly, expenditures only appear on the financials
[31:56] once the good or service has been received.
[31:59] So what your finance team did when working with departments,
[32:02] they'll still understand where all of the actual expenditures
[32:05] are for each line I am throughout the year,
[32:07] as well as your encompasses, which
[32:09] is any monies that are on a purchase order,
[32:12] but we still haven't received those monies yet.
[32:13] So we can consider them committed or reserved for a certain use
[32:18] for our invoice we'd yet to receive.
[32:22] But those are two primary reasons you'll see a variance.
[32:27] One is largely due to timing,
[32:29] and both, quite frankly, due to timing,
[32:31] one sees anality in the second,
[32:33] how expenditures when those expenditures
[32:36] truly hit the financials that you'll see here on your screen.
[32:42] Moving on, as general fund revenues
[32:44] And this provides a visual depiction of how year over year revenues are performing.
[32:50] And similar what we noted, you'll see charges for two categories that are below where
[32:55] we're at this time last year.
[32:56] First is charges for services, primarily driven by that landfill revenue component.
[33:02] And secondly is the fines for pictures and assessments mainly largely due to the court fines,
[33:08] which still remains slightly below this time last year, but we still expect this line
[33:13] to exceed the budget for fine-sport decision assessment within this fiscal year.
[33:21] Moving on to general fund expenditures by type.
[33:24] With this chart ultimately does us help understand the timing of various categories
[33:29] of expenditures.
[33:30] And you'll see many of those reoccurring expenditures are right around that 75% baseline.
[33:35] Do you see salaries, services, repair and maintenance?
[33:39] Those that attract the budget pretty,
[33:44] they attract the budget periodically.
[33:45] The capital on the other hand, these are capital for instance is the item which you won't see hit the financials until the good is actually received.
[33:53] Therefore you can expect a slight gap when assessing line items such as in those similar categories.
[34:04] Next, moving on to enterprise funds.
[34:06] You'll see that the year-to-day position that the Bombier Screen is a negative $4.6 million.
[34:11] But it's important to recognize two aspects of this operation.
[34:16] And we'll start with the revenues.
[34:17] Water revenues, we expect to see a spike in the summer months.
[34:21] Therefore, in the months of April or July, August, we can see, we're projecting to catch up
[34:29] on mainly the water and sewer sales revenue.
[34:31] We do expect to make up a slight bit of that difference.
[34:33] You'll see at 75%, we do expect to make up some of that within the summer months, within
[34:39] our projection models.
[34:41] If you move down to your expenses, you'll see many of these categories are largely front
[34:45] In terms of, you'll see 93% for water sewer administration,
[34:49] storm water utility at 98%.
[34:52] And that's largely due to the capital pieces of these budgets.
[34:55] The capital transfers we make early on in the year
[34:57] to make sure that the money is available.
[35:00] Those capital projects to be ready to spend at the beginning of the fiscal year. Therefore, you'll see a large inflow towards the first and second quarter, and then activate and normalize their after and the second half of the year for your large and sewer funds. So we do expect that year to date net position to come back into the green here in the coming months.
[35:25] HOTOMOTO Fund, you'll see revenues are currently outpacing expenditures in this fund and
[35:31] you'll, and there is also a timing LMS associated with the HOTOMOTO tax. It was approximately
[35:37] a 400,000 accrual was done in quarter three as opposed to quarter four, so that not have
[35:43] been done, we were exceeded that 75% target. So you'll see HOTOMOTO Fund is functionally strength
[35:52] and we expect to meet the budget target for this fiscal year.
[35:57] And that brings me to our investment portfolio.
[35:59] And this is the central testament to the strength of our partnership with hilltop
[36:04] securities.
[36:05] We engage with hilltop proximity here ago.
[36:07] And some of the results, you're starting to see here on your screen.
[36:13] Our current investment portfolio is approximately $140 million.
[36:17] You'll see on the top right portion of your screen.
[36:20] And you'll see the breakdown of where those monies are invested
[36:23] around the left-hand portion of your screen.
[36:25] The largest portion is LGIP, local government investment
[36:28] pools, these are short-term liquid funds.
[36:32] So what these do is the rate of return that you get on these funds,
[36:36] they mirror your market.
[36:38] So whenever the overnight rate changes from the Fed,
[36:42] you'll see that rate move rather quickly
[36:46] corresponding to those rate changes.
[36:47] The other categories, where the other 55% of our portfolios built, is in long-term investments.
[36:54] These include agencies, treasuries, municipal bonds, all high-quality investments that essentially
[37:00] lock in these interest earnings for our citizens, ensuring that we're making the best use of taxpayers'
[37:05] money every day.
[37:07] And you'll see the net income of what's occurred this fiscal year alone.
[37:11] They're at the bottom of your screen, fiscal year to date.
[37:13] up until June 30th, 2026, we've earned $4 million over $4 million in our investment portfolio
[37:22] to pick the best use of the taxpayer monies that we're being stewards of and to create
[37:27] value all those funds for additional projects and what have you.
[37:32] And with that, I'd like to include my presentation for this evening and we happy to answer
[37:36] any questions.
[37:36] Thank you very much.
[37:37] Councillor Neill.
[37:42] Thank you.
[37:44] If you could go back to slide number two,
[37:54] and I'd just like to retouch on a couple of things.
[37:56] One of which is the sales and use tax there, you have through June is 18.8 million and budgeted 23.
[38:07] We're going to be within that target of 23.
[38:10] What year?
[38:12] Yes.
[38:12] We'll project this or pass out target with a significant amount of sweeping into the revenue
[38:17] stabilization fund based on the policy set for us.
[38:20] Okay, so we're going to be, hopefully, beyond the 23.
[38:24] Okay, and similarly, can you help me understand a little bit the public works under the
[38:31] expenses there, our expenses, 5.9 million so far, we budgeted 10, are we expecting to
[38:39] We have a $4 million expenditure here in the next few months.
[38:44] If you can, can you shed some light on that?
[38:48] Given that we've only gone $5.6 or $5.9 for the previous three quarters?
[38:54] That's a great question.
[38:55] The details as it relates to where those expenditures are specifically going to.
[38:59] I would need to follow up on, but it is.
[39:01] That's the activity that your finance department ran with each of our departments.
[39:04] So we, we, we met with public works, we went through each of their expenditure line items to understand.
[39:10] You have 5.9 there and your actuals. How much do you have in Comfort on top of that?
[39:15] And how much are you realistically expecting a spend based on the use is appropriate by city council for the remaining amount.
[39:23] So we did with every single line item is how we derived that the $350,000 that was a couple of council items ago.
[39:32] Okay, so between now the end of the year the expecting another four million dollars worth of expenditures and when we have this sort of a
[39:40] Breakdown of what that four million might be isn't it's that not until the end of the year or would you know ahead of time?
[39:47] No, because you're still gonna have expenditures that
[39:50] That come onto your financials leading into the months of October that will charge back for any any services rendered during the fiscal year
[39:58] We need to make sure that we're accounting for
[40:13] And if we could just jump to slide four real quick. The description, 77 other objects. What does that mean?
[40:23] Other objects that include general
[40:32] fund expenditures, other objects.
[40:34] So
[40:45] that's going to include retiree health insurance reserves or training amounts, or branch
[40:51] life amount.
[40:52] Let me see,
[40:59] your personal reserve will go into that category, so any amount that you allocate
[41:03] for employee raises are distributed into that account, the other office account.
[41:10] Okay,
[41:17] and then if you could jump to slide six real quick, and let's talk about historical preservation.
[41:27] And it looks like we may have overbudgeted just from the,
[41:31] on the expense side of historical preservation,
[41:34] three quarters of the year, we've put in 400k,
[41:39] and budgeted 1.3, expecting to spend another 700k
[41:43] in the final corner.
[41:45] We are not.
[41:45] No, we do expect budget savings within the hotel motel funds.
[41:48] So we may get some expense savings out of that particular item
[41:52] there, right, unless something should go.
[41:54] That's correct. Your surplus amount that I presented was understood.
[41:57] Understood. Okay, I just looking for a little bit here and there, so that's all.
[42:03] That's all I have, Mayor. Thank you very much.
[42:05] Thank you. Councilwoman Gonzalez.
[42:09] Nothing for me, Jay, but I am looking forward to our one-on-one.
[42:12] It's really nice. Thank you.
[42:14] Councilwoman Bennett.
[42:16] Wonderful. Thank you. I don't have any questions.
[42:18] Councilman Reed?
[42:20] Very comprehensive. Thank you, Jay.
[42:24] Thank you.
[42:25] This page six.
[42:27] The historical preservation.
[42:29] It looks like there will be a surplus.
[42:30] Is there any way that we can use that surplus to rebuild the old historical
[42:37] the buildings at the historical park that are currently in storage, is there
[42:41] a way to use any of those funds?
[42:47] That is appropriate use of funds within the hotel
[42:50] So that would be in the per view of our city council should be in the direction.
[42:55] I think the more time that is just sitting out there, it's just getting damaged.
[43:01] And then the other question is on page four.
[43:06] It looks like we are way under budget, and I know this is only for June,
[43:11] but are you anticipating most of these budget items to be to meet the budget?
[43:18] You are. Okay. Thank you so much. I appreciate all your work.
[43:23] I'm ready.
[43:24] Thank you, Jay.
[43:25] Thank you.
[43:25] Thank you.
[43:26] Next up is I'm C5 receiving update on city's current grants and grant opportunities.
[43:32] I'm not going too far.
[43:38] Good evening Mayor.
[43:38] City Council members.
[43:39] My name's Jay Patel.
[43:40] I'm the finance director for the city and today I'll be presenting to you all.
[43:43] A quarterly grants update for the third quarter of the 2026 fiscal year.
[43:48] And this is for period ending June 30th or 2026.
[43:50] Which you'll see on your screen currently is what we have we've created and what we like
[43:57] Conchernly are grants dashboard this gives you a high level overview of all grants that that your city has under under management currently
[44:05] So currently under manage we have 36.3 million dollars in our grant portfolio then includes all active and closing projects
[44:12] In addition to that 36.3 million dollars we have $10.4 million in pipeline request for opportunities that we're currently pursuing
[44:21] that we put applications for, but has not come to fruition finalization yet.
[44:28] Of those 16 projects, you see listed under active and closing projects.
[44:32] We currently have eight near the closed out or completion stage, and each of our active
[44:37] projects, we've broken onto four major categories that you'll see towards the bottom of your
[44:43] screen and those various amounts, your largest being your mobility and infrastructure type
[44:47] of projects.
[44:47] and jumping right in to exactly that, is your mobility and infrastructure type projects.
[44:54] This predominant encompasses all of our tech-stop projects, which are all in rather early stages.
[45:00] pages, the most progress being on a west side arts trail project, which construction is currently ongoing.
[45:06] The rest of these are either within the design, some middle process, or some or a text-order
[45:12] approval process waiting for waiting for construction to commence for each of these opportunities.
[45:18] The bottom item, Dart, ILA, we're on the last stages before we close out that initiative
[45:24] and we're just waiting for our final reimbursement to be issued by Dart.
[45:30] This takes us to our next category of grants, and that's our community safety and neighborhood related grants, which, first and foremost, you'll see the cops higher in grants, the COPS higher in grant, and we're the police departments currently actively hiring to make use of these grants proceeds that we've received.
[45:52] Next is the animal welfare grant right under that and we're currently in the close-out phases of that grant opportunity in order to support the foster programs throughout the animal shelter.
[46:03] Your housing replacement grant will currently halfway through that project working with builders a hope and we expect to expand all funds by the end of the end of the calendar year on that opportunity.
[46:12] And then last, and within this category, is your library literacy grant, which we're in the final reporting stages of that grant.
[46:22] Next, back to enter close out here by the next update.
[46:27] This brings us to our extensive list of completed or near close-out projects.
[46:32] Many, all the ones that you see at 100%, we can expect to fall, we can expect to be removed from this list there at their following update.
[46:40] But first and foremost, Cook's Creek we received all reimbursements related to that with the 1.3 million dollar reimbursement most recently in the last three months, which is our final reimbursement, so that that initiative is ready to be closed out.
[46:54] ARPA, we're looking to extend all remaining funds on the opportunity by the end of the calendar year,
[47:00] which is our deadline, to get all funds extended related to those ARPA projects that we have on underway.
[47:07] The pickleball grant, currently under the under state review, for final close-out.
[47:12] So we're on the very final stages of closing out last year, before we embark on this upcoming
[47:17] years pickleball grant, which will be on the next slide. The two MBCPA grants are both in the close-out
[47:22] phases, and lastly, you have the Blue Cross Blue Show National Fitness Campaign grant, which
[47:30] all equipment's incomplete, it's active, and we're ready to close out that initiative
[47:35] as well.
[47:39] Next, our grant pipeline, and this is all the activities that we currently are evaluating
[47:43] have underway, have submitted applications for, but have not yet come to final fruition.
[47:48] The first two are NBCPA grants, currently awaiting to bring this before Council to authorize
[47:55] expenditures related to those two opportunities.
[47:59] Our CDBG grant, which effect will be a water lane replacement on a short
[48:05] lane, and it's currently under a county review for that opportunity.
[48:09] So once that concludes, we can bring that before to Council.
[48:14] The events trust fund grant, or pickable grant for this upcoming year, waiting on the
[48:19] event to start, so we can really start commencing activity related to that opportunity.
[48:23] Texas Water Development Board grant, we have a $7.4 million grant that we've currently applied for through that agency and we're waiting
[48:33] waiting results feedback. Anything else that relates to that opportunity? And lastly is that Julie Johnson grant that we've mentioned
[48:44] that we were thankful to receive and you'll see that currently we're in the application development phase of that opportunity.
[48:50] in order to
[48:56] primarily address cast on a water line replacement, and currently working through
[49:02] the application and hoping to receive funds here by the next update so we can make
[49:06] best to use those proceeds.
[49:10] And with that, I'd like to conclude my presentation.
[49:13] I'd be happy to answer any questions you all may have.
[49:14] Thank you very much.
[49:16] A very thorough report to Councilwoman Bennett.
[49:21] And now we go back to two or three slides, four minutes.
[49:28] Wait.
[49:30] Right there.
[49:31] That works.
[49:33] Not the mobility, but basically in short, what is not on here are things that kind of a secondary grant type of thing.
[49:44] For instance, operation kindness at the shelter.
[49:47] That's good.
[49:47] is actually grant funding, but it's not grant funding to us directly, it's grant funding to them.
[49:53] Did we lose that?
[49:56] Um, the A.S.
[49:57] The agency that was receiving those funds, yes, they're, um, both.
[50:00] Well, we did budget appropriate amount to make sure that we're not losing that service within this
[50:03] opportunity.
[50:03] Okay, because there's a group that's really concerned about that.
[50:07] Okay, that's what I wanted to make sure of is that we had the funding in that to continue
[50:11] that program and it's the Spay Newt program, basically, correct?
[50:16] So, Operation Kindness Times are tough, and so they didn't get their funds from a different
[50:22] grant, and so they had to cut funds for us, which were directly related to paying the veterinarian
[50:28] to come in and do surgeries, but we have funded that in a different way.
[50:34] That's great.
[50:34] Okay.
[50:35] Thank you.
[50:36] Great.
[50:38] Councilwoman Gonzalez.
[50:41] Nothing for me, Jay.
[50:42] Looks like we're doing a lot of work here.
[50:44] Thank you.
[50:44] Thank you.
[50:45] Councilwoman Reed.
[50:47] Appreciate the report, Jay.
[50:49] Thank you.
[50:49] Thank you.
[50:50] Councilwoman, be a frunker.
[50:52] Thank you, Jay.
[50:52] Is this a report someone requested or are you just doing it out of the goodness of your
[50:57] heart?
[50:57] This is a lot of work.
[50:59] No, I believe that was requested by both, um, um, yes, that's one of the things.
[51:05] This, this, uh, I, I, I just worry, I love that I love seeing all of these updates, but I also believe in you and the work you're doing.
[51:12] And I feel like this really takes away from you doing your actual work.
[51:18] And I just want to put that out there, but I really appreciate you doing this. Thank you.
[51:24] Thank you, Jay.
[51:25] I find the information very helpful, particularly for our residents to see that we're giving additional funds for some of these other projects.
[51:35] So, good job.
[51:35] Thank you very much.
[51:38] Thank you.
[51:38] Thank you, Jay.
[51:38] Appreciate it.
[51:39] Absolutely.
[51:39] Thank you all.
[51:40] Good report.
[51:41] Next up is Adam C6.
[51:42] We're receiving update from Mayor and Council members regarding board liaison information from outside organizations and other meetings attended.
[51:48] Councilwoman Gonzalez.
[51:51] I attended the Budget Town Hall, I attended the Code Care's Community Cleanup, which fantastic
[51:57] job.
[51:57] Thank you for setting that up.
[52:00] The annual employee luncheon, which was amazing to get to see all of our amazing employees
[52:04] city staff.
[52:05] I had lunch with Caladavis, I met with Roger Neal on his one-on-one, so thank you for that
[52:11] Roger.
[52:11] Let me jump in, and I did a driving tour with Councilman David Reed, also thank you for letting
[52:18] me do that.
[52:18] And I also, I was there for the third grade egg drop.
[52:23] So thank you to our fire and police for being there.
[52:26] That's one minute.
[52:28] I also attended the Employee Lentgen
[52:30] and served the Vegetown Hall.
[52:32] I was there on Saturday for the Code Cares.
[52:35] That was a lot of fun.
[52:36] We got a lot of streets clean.
[52:38] I was kind of surprised at the trash on the streets.
[52:41] I had a meeting with the Executive Director
[52:43] with Woven Clinic.
[52:44] I met with an Addison Council member for a completely different project with Councilman
[52:52] in the field of rocket that was kind of random, but anyway, and then I attended the
[52:58] infrastructure some at the last two days, thank you.
[53:02] Councilman Reed?
[53:05] Yes, I attended the budget town hall, and again, thank you so much to you and your staff.
[53:11] So much work was put into that.
[53:13] I really appreciate it.
[53:14] had some fantastic questions, there wasn't any griping, so it's a testament to the solid
[53:25] budget that you and your team and staff have put together.
[53:30] Attend the staff luncheon served the ton of soda, so that was great, it was a good
[53:38] time. It was great to see everyone together and to show our appreciation for staff, the unsung
[53:45] heroes that make the city work. Saturday, attended Code Cares with council members, Gonzales
[53:55] and Bennett. It was great to get out there. It was hot. It was important for me other than
[54:04] I think you guys left already, I had the biggest bag of trash just for the record.
[54:11] But I had conversations with three or four different residences, residents, and who really
[54:18] appreciated what we were doing, and that we were looking out for the areas for the parks,
[54:27] And it's just a streets in that we were out there
[54:31] with code enforcement.
[54:33] It gave a put code enforcement in a very positive light,
[54:39] which is fantastic where they're helping folks out
[54:43] as opposed to following up on things that aren't quite right.
[54:52] So it was a very positive event from that.
[54:55] I'm looking forward to the September one, which will be
[55:00] Which will be great and probably a little bit cooler.
[55:04] And lastly, Sunday, we had our first iteration of the mayor advisory meeting with the mayor, deputy
[55:16] program and myself to kind of discuss what's going on in the city and kind of map out, map
[55:28] out things moving forward just from a 30,000 foot perspective. So it was great to get
[55:37] the different perspectives from folks. So something we're going to be doing on a regular
[55:43] basis.
[55:43] And that's all I have.
[55:45] Cast one would be a franca.
[55:47] It's been a very busy two weeks.
[55:49] Attended Metrocress Connect lunch.
[55:52] Met with Danielle Kim, the pastor of the United Methodist Church, and she's a community clergy pastor, great meeting.
[55:58] Attended the Charter Review Committee meeting.
[56:00] TML, a webinar at leading under pressure.
[56:05] Attended Rotary Club.
[56:07] Citizen Police Academy begins on September the 24th, and I registered for that class.
[56:11] I hope many of you will as well.
[56:14] I had an opportunity to meet with state representative
[56:16] Rafael Lanchia on Friday, great meeting.
[56:21] I was at the orientation for the early college high school
[56:24] mentor program.
[56:26] I had lunch with Carla Hardaway,
[56:28] the regarding faith-based leadership teams.
[56:31] And I also met with Councilmember Marlon Wilson
[56:33] for the second time from Addison.
[56:36] I attended the Employee Luncheon special shout out
[56:39] public works for all of the water main breaks in this extreme heat. My husband and I were able to
[56:45] go out there on Sunday and bring some water and soft drinks to the guys. My car was clocking in
[56:51] at 104 degrees out there. So, I was happy to stop by. I attended the Leadership Metacrest Reception,
[56:59] went to the Kirlton Farmers Branch Education Foundation, Pencils and Partnerships,
[57:03] Attended the Nileo Education Foundation webinar, the Road to Housing Act.
[57:11] Attended the Purpose Salon Sweets ribbon cutting.
[57:14] There's a new salon over on Midway near Alpha.
[57:17] I had my office hours.
[57:19] I was invited to speak at the Adelpha Kaya Hold Leadership Academy.
[57:22] As part of the panel, it was a great, great time to be with so many community leaders.
[57:29] And attended the Infrastructure Summit for the last two days.
[57:32] yesterday and today was a great great use of my time. I also attended the National League of
[57:36] Cities University, local solutions to end homelessness and attended a webinar on the Council
[57:44] on Foreign Relations regarding the North American Trade and USMCA review. It's been a busy week,
[57:51] two weeks. Thank you so much. Thank you. Councilman Neil? Good, Mayor thanks. Thank you. Next up
[57:58] item C7, review and discuss future agenda items, Councilwoman Gonzales?
[58:03] Nothing for me, Mayor.
[58:04] Councilwoman Bennett.
[58:06] Councilman Reed.
[58:07] Nothing at this time.
[58:08] Councilwoman via Franca.
[58:10] Yes, Mayor.
[58:11] I would like an update on our flock cameras, including the number of cameras we have now, including
[58:20] what we are doing to ensure that the system is not abused, weekly audits or whatever we're doing.
[58:26] I'm hearing a lot of traffic and a lot of people are asking me about the cameras and I want
[58:32] to make sure that how much money we're spending just a full report on that.
[58:36] And the other thing is I would like to have another report on the cold CARES program.
[58:41] My understanding was that code CARES was intended to assist residents who are having issues with
[58:48] code enforcement and we would have community volunteers and businesses come out to support
[58:52] them. I did not realize that it also included community cleanups. I feel uncomfortable with
[58:59] our staff coming out on Saturday to clean up park when it can be done during the week. I
[59:04] think we need to be really cognizant about overtime hours and also respecting our employees days
[59:10] off. Thank you. Thank you. Councilman Neil? Just one thing I'd like to add. I'd like to add
[59:18] support to Councilman Reed's future agenda request on electronic or electric motorbikes and
[59:24] similar vehicles, just what can we do from an ordinance perspective to provide some
[59:30] increased safety for the riders and our residents.
[59:34] So, that's all.
[59:35] Thank you.
[59:37] I have one item.
[59:39] I'd like to request placing an item on a future agenda that demands our rules and procedures to
[59:45] give it meetings and communications among the voting majority of Council outside of open meeting.
[59:54] With that, I will read a sin to Executive Session, for item.
[1:00:00] City Council convene in a close executive session for two months to section 551.074 of the Texas Government Code personnel to deliberate
[1:00:09] the appointment, employment, valuation, duties and dismissal of a public officer city attorney. With that, we will
[1:00:17] recess to the city manager's conference room. We'll back out here at six o'clock.
[1:01:24] Welcome everybody to the city of farmers' branch City Council meeting for Tuesday, September 1st.
[1:01:30] Our first order of business will be our invocation and pledges and our invocation this evening is going to be led by the Reverend Danielle Kim and I'm going to invite her to come up
[1:01:41] Say a few words introduce yourself and then you can lead us in prayer
[1:01:46] Thank you, Mayor Lynn. Good evening, Mayor. Members of City Council,
[1:01:51] things staff and residents of Farmer's Branch. I'm honored to be with you this evening.
[1:01:57] I am Reverend Daniel Boan Kim. I am an ordained clergy from the United Methodist Church,
[1:02:03] and I am appointed as committee clergy to Carolton, sorry, Carolton Farmer's Branch area.
[1:02:10] And just a little bit about what I do, my role as the community clergy, is to serve by deep listening to the gifts and dreams and buyers of our neighbors so that we can go create a stronger community together.
[1:02:28] So, the ministers have worked by the Catholic Church.
[1:02:32] Did that, I think, do we have a bishop and here she appoints a different
[1:02:37] clergy to do right in the parish, like the military, and instead of what put
[1:02:43] me to a parish, I am looking into this particular geographical area so that my
[1:02:50] full-time president is for the laborer, if I can start the community in that way.
[1:02:55] So, it is an honor to serve you in this role and thank you very much for your invitation to offer
[1:03:01] the invitation to the city.
[1:03:03] So, why don't we all go to God and prepare to get rid of this crime?
[1:03:14] Gracious and eternal freedom.
[1:03:18] We gather this evening in a spirit of deep gratitude for the Library of the Lady of Armageddon.
[1:03:25] For all of it well in this beautiful city, we ask for your blessing and guidance upon this city
[1:03:33] Council, Mayor Lynn, and every public servant who has dedicated their driving talents to the
[1:03:41] betterment of this community,
[1:03:45] eight leaders with some clarity and compassion as they
[1:03:51] deliberate on the matters before themselves.
[1:03:55] May the actions taken here tonight strengthen the foundation of harvest range and serve as
[1:04:02] of good governance for all of us, and you're willing, we pray.
[1:04:11] And if you would, please join me for the pledge of allegiance.
[1:04:15] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America
[1:04:19] and to the Republic for which it stands.
[1:04:23] One nation, under God, individual, with liberty and justice sprawl.
[1:04:28] And now the Texas pledge, honor the Texas flag.
[1:04:32] I pledge allegiance to the text, one state, I'm in God, one in indivisible.
[1:04:42] Once again, thank you, Reverend Kim, appreciate having you.
[1:04:46] And for everybody else who's here or watching, if you all would like to have your faith leader come and lead our invocation, please get in touch with me.
[1:05:00] More than welcome to have folks some any faith come and lead our invocation at our next council meeting, or any future council meeting.
[1:05:10] So, thank you. Next up are items of community interest.
[1:05:16] Good evening. My name is Ariel Wallace, communication manager, and here are items of community interest for the week.
[1:05:23] Register for the Citizens Police Academy. What really happens on a police call and how are decisions made in the moment?
[1:05:29] Find out at our citizens' police academy, starting Thursday, September 24th, where residents will meet officers, explore day-to-day operations, ask questions, and engage in interactive reality-based scenarios using real training equipment.
[1:05:45] Register now as space is limited. Sign up online at FarmersRangeTX.gov-slast-citizenspolicy Academy.
[1:05:54] MetroCrest Services Mobile Food Bank on the Moon, residents in the need can receive assistance from the MetroCrest Services Mobile Food Bank, available on the second Monday of every month at Fibrech Connection, located at 1-4-0-5-5-Dennis Lane.
[1:06:11] The next distribution is scheduled for September 14, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
[1:06:18] Safely dispose of hazardous household hazardous waste.
[1:06:22] This household hazardous waste collection event takes place
[1:06:25] on September 26 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1, 3, 3, 3, 3,
[1:06:33] select, drive.
[1:06:34] Residents can drop off on once in household chemicals,
[1:06:37] paints, cleaners, and automotive fluids for safe disposal.
[1:06:42] Review the full list of eligible drop-off items
[1:06:44] at the city's recycled wet page.
[1:06:47] Paul Plunge returns to the frog pond. Join us for an awesome event with your furry friends on September 12 at 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the farmer's branch frog pond located at 1.403 to heart side plates and missions is $8 per dog with the limit of 2 people per dog and all dogs must be accompanied by handler in 16 or older.
[1:07:12] Don't miss the chance to make unforgettable memories with your pup.
[1:07:16] For questions, call us at 972-919-8720 or visit FarmersRageTat.gov slash five six seven slash the quadits.
[1:07:29] Spooky dash community meetings set for September 9.
[1:07:32] Residents are invited to attend a community meeting scheduled to discuss race logistics for the affected neighborhoods,
[1:07:38] volunteer opportunities in more on September 9th at 5pm at venue 1842 at the historical park.
[1:07:46] Registration is now open for the family-friendly spooky-5K and one-mile fund run on the city's website
[1:07:52] at farmersbranchtx.gov slash spooky-dash.
[1:07:57] For additional details and updates visit farmersbranchtvids.com
[1:08:02] And as always, you can sign up for City News at Farmers Branch TX.gov or by scanning the QR code on the screen, have a great evening.
[1:08:13] Thank you very much.
[1:08:14] Next up are public comments.
[1:08:16] I mean, remind everybody when you, when I call your name, please come up to the podium.
[1:08:21] You'll have three minutes to speak.
[1:08:23] There is a, I just said that three minute time limit for each speaker.
[1:08:29] All speakers shall comply with the city's rules of decorum and conduct for public hearings.
[1:08:37] And with that, our first speaker is Renee Berries.
[1:08:48] Hello, good evening. My name is Renee Berries, and I live at 3264, Brent Grestribe.
[1:08:53] I was born and raised in Farmer's branch, and in 2019 I purchased my childhood home.
[1:08:58] I return because this community has always represented safety, familiarity, and a genuine hometown,
[1:09:02] field and connection. I know the streets, the people, and the culture. Recently I discovered
[1:09:07] that the House three doors down for me on a adjacent street is operating as an Airbnb.
[1:09:12] I became aware of this due to the constant rotation of unfamiliar people and multiple vehicles
[1:09:17] arriving each week. During the evening walk, I encountered a group of young men gathered in
[1:09:22] the front yard, revving their car engine so loudly it was deafening. Behavior completely
[1:09:27] out of character for a quiet neighborhood. Another incident occurred one night around midnight
[1:09:31] When my ring camera recorded a couple arguing in the corner, on the corner, under the street light for 10 minutes.
[1:09:37] They were yelling, pushing each other, stumbling and falling into my yard, and the man eventually threw the woman over shoulder and walked back into the house.
[1:09:45] I could hear the commotion through my windows and question whether I needed to call the police.
[1:09:49] These are not the types of individuals we want cycling through our community or around our children.
[1:09:55] The property is openly advertised on your being as a partyhouse featuring disco lights around the pool.
[1:10:00] A game room, a movie room, etc. The photo show groups of young people parting a stark contrast to the family-oriented hometown character of farmers branch.
[1:10:09] I've spoken to Elizabeth about this house as well as another house on my street that is listed as an Airbnb.
[1:10:16] She confirmed that short-term rentals are allowed on the adjacent street but not allowed on my street, which suggests this property is operating in violation of city requirements.
[1:10:24] My neighbors and I have seen multiple hubo living there as well as four to six different cars in the driveway and parked on the street at all times.
[1:10:32] I strongly encourage further investigation of the house on my street.
[1:10:36] I am proposing that farmers branch eliminate short-term rentals in farmers branch entirely.
[1:10:40] Long-term rentals are not an issue.
[1:10:42] Tenants who stay six to twelve months are more or more invest in the community, maintain their homes,
[1:10:48] and respect the peace and quiet that defines our area.
[1:10:50] In contrast, the average short-term rental last only three to five days, bringing no value,
[1:10:56] constant turnover, and unpredictable behavior.
[1:10:58] Short-term vendors, visitors, spend their money on attractions outside of Farmers Branch,
[1:11:02] in the short time they are here.
[1:11:04] Even farmers' ranch apartments require a minimum of a 12-month lease.
[1:11:09] Our neighborhoods deserve the same level of protection.
[1:11:12] I respectfully ask the city to preserve the safety and integrity of Farmers Branch by improving,
[1:11:17] removing all sorts of terminals and their permits within the Farmers Branch City
[1:11:22] Limits. Thank you.
[1:11:24] Thank you. Next step is next step is David Silver.
[1:11:36] Good evening, Mr. Mayor, Council
[1:11:38] Members. My name is David Silver. I live on Millwood Circle. I am here to talk
[1:11:43] about ordinance 4013. That is the ordinance for regard to oversized and other
[1:11:55] So, not allowed to say this directly to any one in particular, but it's taken now four and a
[1:12:02] half years to get this past, and I think that's, hopefully it will pass tonight, and I think
[1:12:10] that's a little long, I think I think that's a lot of long, but I'm very happy that it's
[1:12:17] going to happen.
[1:12:18] I pray that it's going to happen and I have some questions about it that I really hope
[1:12:25] somebody will respond to me with the answers too. Okay, so question number one. How do we measure eight feet and width on
[1:12:34] a vehicle and 21 feet in length?
[1:12:38] Okay, does that mean from hub to hub on wheel? Does that mean from the at the back end of the vehicle and or what is on it?
[1:12:45] could have so a boat and where a motor to the trailer hitch, how is that going to get measured
[1:12:52] to figure out how these are going to work.
[1:12:57] That is found in B number one.
[1:13:00] On B number three, it says all points along the public right of way, which means that if it
[1:13:06] can be seen from the public right away, and it's not covered, then it's a no-no.
[1:13:10] my question there is, if I look out my window and I look at a neighbor and I see one of these
[1:13:18] oversized vehicles, am I looking at that vehicle from a public space or a private space?
[1:13:25] And if I have to look at that vehicle from my window, this is trash, absolute trash.
[1:13:33] So I want to know how that's going to work.
[1:13:36] If it's going to work the way I think it's going to work and my window is private,
[1:13:39] Then this code in my personal opinion and since I was one of the people who instituted it
[1:13:46] It needs to be completely reworked
[1:13:49] Then we're going to go now into three B, which is vegetation
[1:13:53] How long do people have for the to plant something to get to six feet tall and become a fence?
[1:14:00] That needs to be defined as well. The reason I'm complaining about this is
[1:14:05] This happened to us, our neighbor was a renter long-term, and put a lot of trailers in the back.
[1:14:15] They had rats, and we just spent $15,000 to get abated because of their rats over time.
[1:14:23] And this is not how a long time citizen should have to deal with their home, their property, their values, and their residents.
[1:14:32] Thanks. Thank you very much. Let's try. Thank you.
[1:14:38] Thank you.
[1:14:40] Next step is John Buffer.
[1:14:48] John Buffer.
[1:14:49] John Buffer?
[1:14:50] Yeah.
[1:14:51] Or.
[1:14:52] Butler.
[1:14:53] Yes, sir.
[1:14:54] Good to see you.
[1:14:54] It looked like 2X.
[1:14:56] So that's what Throbie.
[1:14:57] John Baller 35 Topaz.
[1:14:59] Yeah.
[1:15:02] I born and raised in Farmer's Ranch, kind of old town Farmer's Ranch. I'd like to talk about J2, also the trailers. I do not have a trailer at my house. However, a lot of people on a street do, and I have some issues with this. Not only has it written, but as what the people actually want.
[1:15:24] I was a member of the Trailer Committee, I believe Roger was there for the last meeting,
[1:15:29] it was hosted by Terry, Elizabeth, you attended.
[1:15:32] We also put out a survey and the results of the survey seemed to state that this was not
[1:15:39] something that we wanted as a whole, so I'm not really certain why this is being pushed
[1:15:44] through.
[1:15:45] I know we use the City of Richardson as our example.
[1:15:48] However, they have alleys and not easements, so completely different infrastructures that
[1:15:52] they can park behind their houses without any issues whatsoever.
[1:15:56] Now, other things people talk about were property values.
[1:15:59] Well, flower mount, they don't care.
[1:16:00] You can do whatever you want.
[1:16:02] The medium home here in Farmer's Branch is 450,000 to 472,000.
[1:16:07] Flower mount is 635 to 650.
[1:16:10] So there doesn't seem to be any correlation whatsoever there.
[1:16:13] Now, Carl Pell has gone ahead and said, no trailers,
[1:16:18] screen, that sort of thing.
[1:16:19] However, they have an exception for everybody
[1:16:21] that lives and houses a kind of mind if you are not able to park a trailer in your backyard
[1:16:28] then you don't have to. You can have it in your front yard. The sides of my house are very
[1:16:33] narrow. I don't have an alley. I have an easement. It would not be possible to put any vehicle in my
[1:16:39] backyard. So I'm kind of speaking on behalf of not only myself but everybody in old farmer's branch
[1:16:43] raw hide where I grew up on further south that area they have no access whatsoever, no way to meet
[1:16:52] requirements. Additionally, I'd like to go ahead and just kind of take this on as it's written.
[1:16:58] I'm not sure how many people have read it fully, but I do have a couple of issues with it.
[1:17:04] B3 is written in a fashion that says no vehicle can park without being screened. It does not say
[1:17:10] oversized if we check that out. Also, ordinance 4013 states width of 8 foot is what we're addressing
[1:17:19] Well, state law is eight and a half foot, so I'm not sure why we're there.
[1:17:25] Also, we have 21 foot long, well, a full-sized crew cab pick up with an eight foot
[1:17:31] bed is 22 to 25 feet long. A duly factory pick up is yet again over eight foot, so let's
[1:17:39] understand legal requirements. Everybody around here, at least everybody in my neighborhood,
[1:17:44] probably everybody here. We're hardworking people. Some people work with our hands,
[1:17:47] some people need tools to do our jobs, I think that outlawing trailers or hiding them from
[1:17:53] you as it's not possible for everybody is not the right decision for this city. Thank you.
[1:17:58] Thank you. Next up is Price Trowson.
[1:18:10] Good afternoon, evening. Price Trowson, 2711, I'm out for you from Miss Branch.
[1:18:15] I'm just a quick thing. I received the email from the city regarding the budget,
[1:18:21] But when I saw the police budget is more than double,
[1:18:25] that was a little bit taken aback,
[1:18:27] because that's a pretty significant increase.
[1:18:30] And we all have our priorities, you know,
[1:18:32] I would have preferred that we scraped together
[1:18:35] that $80,000 a year to keep open the triple C.
[1:18:38] For something like that, that all sounds sounds like couch change
[1:18:43] in the police budget.
[1:18:48] We all want to save the neighborhood.
[1:18:49] But we all support, you know, we all support our police officers.
[1:18:53] They do a great job of having had nothing but positive interactions with our police department.
[1:19:00] But with a lot of the, I haven't had a chance to dive really into the budget yet, I just
[1:19:05] got it.
[1:19:05] And I was just going through, and that was the number that jumped out.
[1:19:08] I mean, you have worked on budgets before, just working in different capacities and management.
[1:19:14] So that was something that kind of stood out.
[1:19:17] And I haven't verified, but someone told me that there's a lot of new technologies.
[1:19:24] So technologies that are concerning to me as someone who likes to be, take his walks,
[1:19:33] be left alone, not be tracked by a camera, like to drive to where I want to drive, not
[1:19:38] have to worry about my license plate or them people knowing where I'm going, when it's
[1:19:46] really not their business. I people say, if you're not doing anything wrong, you're not,
[1:19:51] you don't have anything to worry about. And my response said, if I'm not doing anything wrong,
[1:19:55] why do you need to, why do you need to take pictures of my photo of my car? Let me, let me, let me,
[1:20:00] We know where I'm going. Again, I'm not from here. I'm from Wisconsin. I'm a political junkie from Wisconsin who follows things very closely.
[1:20:08] And I will tell you that in Wisconsin, they put up a flat camera next to a gun store. People were going. They were shooting. They were going and buying their handguns and shooting their handguns and doing their constitutional rights.
[1:20:24] and they were concerned that they were being tracked.
[1:20:28] Okay, I'm at the, I'm at the gun store.
[1:20:30] I'm doing what I want to do, you know,
[1:20:32] and then they found out that there was a plot camera point
[1:20:34] directly at the parking lot of this legal business.
[1:20:38] So that's something that I'm concerned with.
[1:20:41] With any of the things that goes into the police department,
[1:20:43] we need to know what's going on with this data.
[1:20:45] How long is this data being saved?
[1:20:48] How long is this data being used?
[1:20:51] Is this data being wiped?
[1:20:52] Is it being stored?
[1:20:53] You know, that's, and that's, I believe that that's another thing that the whole data center
[1:20:59] argument is is like if you have this giant data center, are you the consumer or are you the product?
[1:21:08] That's, that's why I'd say.
[1:21:10] Thank you.
[1:21:11] Thank you.
[1:21:13] That was all the speakers that I have for this evening, so we will move on to our consent agenda.
[1:21:17] there are two changes to the consent agenda.
[1:21:21] Item J5 will move to regular agenda and become L7.
[1:21:26] And item J2 will move to regular agenda and become L8.
[1:21:33] So, with that?
[1:21:36] Mr. Mayor, I'd like to make a motion that we approve the consent agenda.
[1:21:41] Less items, J2 and J5.
[1:21:44] I second. Thank you. Motion to second. If you would, please indicate your vote.
[1:21:54] Motion passes. Thank you very much.
[1:21:57] So next up, we'll be our regular agenda items. Item L1, consider adopting ordinance number 4011.
[1:22:05] Approving an annual update of the service and assessment plan and assessment roll for the Mercer Crossing Public Improvement District
[1:22:11] to set chapter 372 Texas local government code and take a property action.
[1:22:19] Good evening mayor, city council members. My name is Jay Patel. I'm the finance director for
[1:22:22] the city and the item before you today is our annual state required update to our service and
[1:22:27] assessment plan for the mercy crossing performance improvement district. Otherwise notice the
[1:22:32] mercy crossing paid. This district was established by council in 2017 to ultimately stimulate
[1:22:38] economic development within the area.
[1:22:40] The developed for the project, Centurion, invested $44.5 million dollars in approved
[1:22:48] reimbursable agreements towards the development, which are paid by assessments over time
[1:22:53] through property owners within that district.
[1:22:56] At this time, I want to introduce Mark Furman, with Municap, who is our paid administrator,
[1:23:02] who walk us through an update to the project's budget, as well as the assessments being
[1:23:06] applied to property owners for the upcoming year.
[1:23:09] Upon completion of March's presentation,
[1:23:10] both he and I will be available for any questions you all may have.
[1:23:13] And with that, turn it over to Mark.
[1:23:19] Good evening, Mayor Council.
[1:23:20] My name is Mark Furman.
[1:23:21] I'm a Vice President with Munich app.
[1:23:23] I here to present and answer any questions
[1:23:25] about the service and assessment plan update
[1:23:27] for the Mercer Crossing Pid.
[1:23:29] This is a Mark, where's your office address?
[1:23:33] Oh, sorry, we're at 600 East John Carpenter Freeway in Irvin.
[1:23:36] Thank you.
[1:23:37] You're welcome.
[1:23:39] This is a routine update, personally went to chapter 372 of Texas
[1:23:42] Global Government Code.
[1:23:48] This update, update three main pieces of information for the PID.
[1:23:53] The first is the authorized improvement budget for the PID.
[1:23:56] So that's the infrastructure of being financed by those assessments
[1:23:59] we're collecting from property owners.
[1:24:00] It updates the budgets for the PID, so that's debt service and administrative
[1:24:05] expenses for the coming assessment year.
[1:24:07] And then we allocate those annual budgets across each property that benefits from the public infrastructure.
[1:24:15] So this first slide here shows the updated authorized improvement budget for the initial infrastructure that was financed by the PID.
[1:24:23] If you were here last year, this budget will look very familiar. There's been no changes since the infrastructure has been completed for some time.
[1:24:31] Now, the city also entered into a reimbursement agreement for an additional assessment
[1:24:39] levee, so this is the townhome site area.
[1:24:41] So the city levee, the additional assessments and these assessments financed infrastructures
[1:24:46] specific to these 69 townhome lots.
[1:24:49] That infrastructure is also completed and has been completed for a couple of years now.
[1:24:55] This is the annual budget for the initial assessments and the townhome.
[1:25:00] So, up top we have the initial assessments. You'll see there's a decrease of about $100,000 compared to last year. That's largely as a result of an increased terrorist credit.
[1:25:10] So, minicap is the public improvement district administrator. We are also the administrator for farmers branch, terrorist number three.
[1:25:17] So, terrorist number three shares the same properties as the PID. The way the terrorist works is the city has committed to use a portion of the incremental city property taxes collected from each individual property.
[1:25:28] as an offset on their pit annual installments the following year.
[1:25:32] So that $1.87 million for you to see there is as a result of 2025 city property taxes.
[1:25:40] The town home site assessment budget is pretty similar to last year with just a very slight
[1:25:46] increase.
[1:25:47] You'll see a turs line item there.
[1:25:49] The turs credit, it's not that these properties in the town home site area don't have
[1:25:53] a turs credit.
[1:25:54] It's that those properties also have an initial assessment, so the turs credit is tied to
[1:25:58] initial assessment, so they are also benefiting from the
[1:26:00] tours.
[1:26:03] And lastly, here we have how those annual
[1:26:05] installments are allocated to each individual property within the
[1:26:08] PID. We have that separated into the town homesite, the
[1:26:12] Kensington edition, the non Kensington edition, for the largest
[1:26:16] lot-class, those 60-foot lots. That's about a $4 increase from
[1:26:19] last year. And these are the gross annual installments. They do
[1:26:24] not include the tourist credits, since those terrorist
[1:26:26] credits are property specific, based on which each individual
[1:26:29] property earned, we wouldn't be able to provide that in a summary table.
[1:26:35] So next steps should Council approve this ordinance and report.
[1:26:39] As we send the assessment roll over to utility tax service, who bills and collects the
[1:26:44] pit annual installments, and then we'd also assist the city with recording the sap update
[1:26:49] and ordinance and Dallas County records, which is a requirement.
[1:26:53] Happy to answer any questions about the report.
[1:26:55] Thank you very much.
[1:26:56] you're welcome. I'm just going to start down here at my right councilman
[1:27:03] Gonzalez. Nothing for me. Thank you, Mark. Councilman Bennett.
[1:27:09] Nothing for me. Thank you. Councilman Reed. Nothing here. Councilman
[1:27:13] Viet Franca. Thanks for the information. Appreciate you.
[1:27:17] Councilman Newell. Nothing mayor. Thank you. Thank you everyone. Okay. Well thank
[1:27:21] you very much, Mark.
[1:27:24] This item is mark for action.
[1:27:26] All
[1:27:36] right, Mr. Mayor, I make a motion that we approve ordinance 401-1.
[1:27:43] Second.
[1:27:44] Thank you.
[1:27:44] We have motion in second.
[1:27:45] If you would, please indicate your vote.
[1:27:54] Motion passes.
[1:27:54] Thank you very much.
[1:27:56] Next step is item L2.
[1:27:58] Consider improving the resolution in 2026-115 authorizing an administrative services agreement with you.
[1:28:05] Incorporated for medical plan administration services for three years.
[1:28:10] and increasing the city's self-funded health plan budget by 600,000 dollars and take the
[1:28:16] appropriate action.
[1:28:18] All right, good evening, Marion Council, Jeffrey Ross, director of Human Resources,
[1:28:21] it's good to see everybody.
[1:28:22] So we're bringing this discussion back.
[1:28:24] We came two or three weeks ago with some initial information about what we were looking at
[1:28:28] after the results of an RFP for renewing or awarding our medical and pharmacy administrator
[1:28:35] contracts and now we're bringing that kind of the final piece to you.
[1:28:40] are still moving towards the end of our planned design processes. We're looking at what benefits
[1:28:46] are going to look like in the next year. Open enrollment will be starting next month.
[1:28:50] So this is really kind of that last puzzle piece that we have that we need that we need to figure
[1:28:56] out the final stages of that. So a lot of the information that's in here, I kind of covered last
[1:29:02] time so I'm not going to go through it all again. This is the same information we brought to you
[1:29:08] The last time about how our self-funded health plan works in just the quick, the quick, 30 second highlights is
[1:29:14] a self-funded health plan.
[1:29:16] What we put into it, it funds three primary things that's claims incurred for both medical and pharmacy expenses, as well as our stop loss insurance.
[1:29:25] Just a quick overview of the plan and a reminder that with the way the plan is set up, it's called a high deductible health plan.
[1:29:32] That means that employees have to spend at least $2,000 or $4,000 based on the level of coverage that they have before the city starts paying anything for this plan before we pay any claims incurred at all employees have that responsibility.
[1:29:48] Right now, we currently pay somewhere between $74 to $444 a month out of each paycheck.
[1:29:56] So, or I'm sorry, yeah, that's out of basically two paychecks.
[1:30:00] The other thing I would highlight on this one is down in the bottom right corner, this table. We do have very high enrollment on our plan. So, between the general employees, the police employees and fire staff, we do have pretty significantly high employment, sorry enrollment on this plan.
[1:30:17] This is the information that we brought to you last time about the vendors on keeping it strictly to the ones for consideration.
[1:30:24] So we are proposing consideration of transferring to serve URX for our pharmacy administration needs.
[1:30:33] In retaining UMR for a three-year agreement for both.
[1:30:38] This will looking at our plan spins and trends data.
[1:30:43] We are looking in the next year and then they're forward.
[1:30:47] Trends that are indicating that we're going to need somewhere around $600,000 increase to the self-funded plan budget
[1:30:53] to be able to maintain the self-funding for the plan.
[1:30:58] So, the information here that we received back from the RFP is highlighted,
[1:31:01] both for serve URX and the savings that we can anticipate reasonably from them,
[1:31:09] along with some of the savings for medical, which would be primarily on third-party administration fees
[1:31:16] and information such as that.
[1:31:18] So some new information, I kind of want to just bring back to the front as we do get questions
[1:31:25] about it.
[1:31:26] So the split between what essentially the city pays for to maintain the plan and what
[1:31:33] the employees pay to maintain the plan to fund the plan.
[1:31:37] So what that looks like right now, you can see in the second column there, that's per paycheck.
[1:31:42] The first number is what comes out of the employees paycheck.
[1:31:45] The second number is what comes out from the city, every pay period, and broken down, and that third column there.
[1:31:53] Traditionally, you can see what the split is here between that total funding between what employees put in,
[1:32:00] and the city puts in. Traditionally, this number, for the longest time, really kind of has been the target.
[1:32:06] market target has been around at 80-20 split between those numbers.
[1:32:10] They're where the employers take it about 80 percent of that cost and employees are
[1:32:16] shouldering about 20 percent of that cost.
[1:32:18] So currently we're a little bit above that right now.
[1:32:23] And I do want to also note that in January of 2025 just last year we did increase the
[1:32:30] employee rates somewhere between 15 and a half to 32 percent as part of the update that
[1:32:36] had in the previous year. So you can see in the final column there the absorption of the $600,000
[1:32:44] what that what our new rates look like with that $600,000 addition and just looking kind of
[1:32:52] out there at the market when I say it's traditionally been somewhere around 80-20 over really the last
[1:32:56] five years, five to six years we've noticed a trend change in the metroplex and really with
[1:33:03] with a lot of different cities where the cities are becoming a little more shouldering
[1:33:09] of that cost of it and we see a shift kind of a wave from that 80-20 and see cities start
[1:33:15] to take on a little bit more of that cost.
[1:33:18] So looking at some of the cities surrounding us that have some of the same type of plan.
[1:33:23] I've only compared the H-D-H people and I haven't compared other types of plans that we
[1:33:28] don't have.
[1:33:29] But we are paying city employees do pay higher for their share than other cities comparably.
[1:33:39] So I just wanted to kind of bring that information forward about it just so that you
[1:33:43] can have it as part of the consideration.
[1:33:45] And I'm happy to take any questions.
[1:33:48] So L2 and L3, the item immediately following this, L3 is the pharmacy item, but they both share
[1:33:53] the same presentation, and they both share the same kind of discussion points.
[1:33:58] But I can answer questions about either one, but they do need separate action as they are two uniquely distinct resolutions.
[1:34:06] So with that, I'm happy to take any questions.
[1:34:08] Thank you very much. Anything else we need to know about L3?
[1:34:12] It's pretty much all the same information.
[1:34:14] I can answer any questions about that one as well.
[1:34:16] I'll let the council deal with that.
[1:34:21] So councilman gets all this?
[1:34:25] So, they're going to be paying a little more, but we're having a new pharmacy in a different, I mean, sorry, yes, a new pharmacy in the same medical.
[1:34:34] Correct, the pharmacy is going to be changing, and there will be a little bit of disruption with that for people who have current prescriptions, though basically just have to give their new prescription or the new pharmacy information to where they're going to log in CVS wherever.
[1:34:48] They'll have to give that information so that it can continue filling their prescriptions on the medical side.
[1:34:54] Nothing would change, so they don't have to do anything with their doctor, with what they're already doing seeking.
[1:35:05] So are there any changes in the list of what is covered in the formular?
[1:35:10] So that's something that we're still looking here at that plan design. One of the changes that we are making.
[1:35:18] And it's a highlighted on this slide. So looking at something called biosimilers.
[1:35:25] So, these are going to be drugs that are biologically similar to what the name brand of a drug and these are mostly, yeah, and it's a little bit different than a generic, because a generic could be made for almost anything, but a biocimilar is made using actual living human cells to replicate the exact formula of the higher cost drug.
[1:35:48] So switching these biosimilers is going to save money,
[1:35:51] but they will work the same.
[1:35:53] So if there is a change to the pharmacy
[1:35:55] on the types of drugs, those categories of drugs
[1:35:57] are still covered, but we're going to default the plan
[1:36:01] prescriptions to the biosimilers first.
[1:36:04] So the staff will not be stuck paying for prescriptions
[1:36:07] that they've had for years that has been covered
[1:36:10] for a chronic condition.
[1:36:12] Right, none of the drugs, we're not looking at changing
[1:36:15] any of those drugs.
[1:36:16] is the only thing that if we are carving anything out,
[1:36:19] it's going to be the GOP One Drugs,
[1:36:21] which is also covered on here.
[1:36:24] The GOP One Drugs, which have been traditionally used
[1:36:26] for diabetic weight loss management,
[1:36:28] are now used for routine weight loss management purposes.
[1:36:33] And that's something that we're not necessarily
[1:36:34] going to cover under the plan.
[1:36:36] We will still continue to cover it
[1:36:37] for medically necessary and diabetic weight loss management purposes.
[1:36:41] Thank you.
[1:36:42] Ms. Man.
[1:36:43] Kassman read. Nothing for me. Kassman. So this is the winner, Jeff. This is what this is what's in the best interest of all of the staff then is the one that you think is the right one.
[1:36:56] This is based on everything that we have based on the information back from the RFQ based on feedback we've received from employees. This is this is going to be the best route for us to go for now.
[1:37:09] So prescriptions will not increase, is that, did I understand that correctly?
[1:37:13] No, so I can't talk about this prescriptions, the price of prescriptions, because we
[1:37:17] don't necessarily control that.
[1:37:19] We're not looking to make changes to what drugs are covered under the plant, with the
[1:37:26] exception of kind of the two things that I just talked about.
[1:37:29] Nothing under the plant, nothing else on the plant, you know, if somebody is getting this
[1:37:32] drug today, then with the new vendor, the same drugs will be available.
[1:37:38] As far as how much they will cost is always going to be something that's dependent on factors.
[1:37:43] We unfortunately have no influence over.
[1:37:47] And I remember last time you talked to us, you talked about having sort of more education.
[1:37:52] So people can take full advantage.
[1:37:53] So I'm hope you'll be working on that.
[1:37:55] Absolutely.
[1:37:55] We can save on there.
[1:37:57] It's part of our strategy.
[1:37:58] Thank you.
[1:37:59] Yes, ma'am.
[1:37:59] Councillor Neill.
[1:38:01] Thank you, Mayor.
[1:38:02] Thank you, Jeff.
[1:38:04] This impacts all the employees that utilize the plan.
[1:38:07] everyone who's on the planet and about how many employees total would you say that is round
[1:38:11] about numbers round about three hundred eighty
[1:38:13] about three hundred eighty yes okay
[1:38:16] so we're talking about six hundred thousand dollars here
[1:38:20] um...
[1:38:20] my question is is the six hundred
[1:38:23] thousand for the total three year period or is it six hundred thousand for each
[1:38:28] of the three years it would not be for each of the three years so the six hundred
[1:38:31] thousand is what we're looking at
[1:38:33] uh... to be able to
[1:38:35] pay the bills that are going to come in keep the lights on
[1:38:37] So if I average to that, I could say 200,000 for the next three years.
[1:38:41] Around maybe yes.
[1:38:42] And with a self-funded health plan, it's always going to be
[1:38:45] variable based on what happens in the plan during that year,
[1:38:49] high cost claims, things like that.
[1:38:52] But if adjustment is needed, that's something that we're going
[1:38:55] to work on throughout the year.
[1:38:57] We're going to monitor it.
[1:38:58] Quarterly, we're going to have the finance team sit in with our broker
[1:39:01] so that we can make sure that we're managing the plan in a facility.
[1:39:06] So this amount is not sort of
[1:39:07] locked in for three years?
[1:39:08] The 600,000 is what we're asking for an increase to the budget.
[1:39:12] Now, if something changes in the market and the price of medical care just across the board
[1:39:20] goes up, X percent, we would have to look at our plan and can it still maintain, can it absorb
[1:39:26] those costs?
[1:39:26] Do we need to look at adding additional funding to it?
[1:39:30] But from what we, from the discussions we've had and from what we're looking at with trends
[1:39:34] our traditional how our plan has has worked in the cost for it, the 600k is expected to take
[1:39:42] us through the three years.
[1:39:45] And so how does this, I know you had the slide there showing the percentages that employees
[1:39:52] pay versus what the city pays.
[1:40:00] Is it total amount more than 600 in the employees are picking up that other extra or what's the breakdown here?
[1:40:08] Sure. So from the beginning when we started building this into the budget back in February, we have built it kind of around the frame of, at the time we started building it.
[1:40:19] We were building around the frame of employees weren't going to be receiving a compensation increase.
[1:40:23] So in order to kind of avoid hitting them with a double whammy of no raised plus or insurance rates going up from the beginning we've been planning the the 600,000 addition to be absorbed by the state and
[1:40:37] Where we're making some of the trade-off for that is that there's a number of different ways to share cost among the plant increasing paycheck contributions that employees pay to fund the plant is one method of
[1:40:49] of cost sharing, but if we want something that's going to grow with the plan, that comes from
[1:40:56] plan design changes. And we are looking at some plan design changes, exploring and modeling
[1:41:02] what those might look like, and they do save more money on the plan overall. And they also
[1:41:07] grow with the plan as more claims come in. It's designed to save the city additional money
[1:41:13] with increased utilization of the plan, whereas just increase in paycheck contributions is
[1:41:19] basically a one-time shot of money and the plan can still go and do whatever it's going to
[1:41:24] do with with no buffer. So are they going to have an increase in contribution to facilitate
[1:41:31] this component of the 600,000? That's not what we've built into this point. What we are looking
[1:41:38] at as a trade-off instead is to look at the plan design changes that would essentially if we
[1:41:44] made some changes to say that out-of-pocket maximum, increasing that amount, if we may change
[1:41:49] as to the co-insurance to where they're paying maybe 10% more on that co-insurance.
[1:41:55] That would absorb more money on the actual cost driver of the plan, which is claims incurred,
[1:42:01] and it would end up saving the city additional funds somewhere in the neighborhood.
[1:42:06] So that's some plan adjustments that you're working on, or concerns that we're looking
[1:42:10] out modeling seeing what that can save us.
[1:42:12] Yes.
[1:42:13] All right.
[1:42:18] Yeah.
[1:42:18] That's all I have.
[1:42:19] Thank you.
[1:42:19] Thank you.
[1:42:21] Everybody.
[1:42:22] Thank you.
[1:42:22] Any other comments from Council?
[1:42:24] Seeing none.
[1:42:26] We're going to vote on these two things individually.
[1:42:29] So if somebody would like to make a motion on your two.
[1:42:33] Mr. Mayor, I make a motion that we approve.
[1:42:37] Item R2026-115.
[1:42:41] I second. Thank you. We have motion in second. If you would please indicate your vote,
[1:42:57] motion passes. Thank you very much.
[1:43:01] This may make a motion that we approve item R2026-116.
[1:43:08] I second. Thank you. Motion in second. If again, if you would please indicate your vote,
[1:43:20] motion passes. Thank you very much. Thank you.
[1:43:23] Thank you.
[1:43:24] All right.
[1:43:25] Next up is item L4.
[1:43:26] Consider approving resolution 2026-117 establishing the legislative platform for the City of
[1:43:31] Farmers Branch for the upcoming 90-fledgeslative session and taking protection.
[1:43:40] Hello Mayor, Council, Erin Flores, Senior Management Analyst, and with me as Management
[1:43:45] Analyst, Maddie Cooper, she has also helped a lot with research needed for this legislative
[1:43:50] platform.
[1:43:52] So, have her here just in case.
[1:43:53] So tonight we're going to talk about the proposed platform for the 90th legislative session.
[1:44:03] As you know, these issues can move very quickly in the legislative session.
[1:44:08] So staff has been researching, working, talking with the school district, other important stakeholders and gathering feedback from the City Council to put together this proposed legislative platform for council's consideration.
[1:44:21] So,
[1:44:26] our overarching themes that we're proposing is going to be local control, which is going to be the items that we want to promote.
[1:44:35] We want to make sure that our city can retain as much local authority as possible.
[1:44:41] And we want to oppose anything that might take away that authority for us to do what we need to do as a city.
[1:44:47] We want to promote items that enhance our financial stability.
[1:44:52] We want to make sure that those items that help with our funding for essential services
[1:44:56] are protected and we want to defend any.
[1:45:00] Any issues that might arise on my threaten that?
[1:45:04] And then we also want to support our public safety and infrastructure.
[1:45:07] Any items that are coming up in this legislative session that would support the funding
[1:45:12] for that we want to make sure that we're promoting that.
[1:45:15] And then we also want to support items that would help us with our redevelopment goals
[1:45:21] at economic development bringing new businesses in.
[1:45:24] We want to make sure that we're defending those priorities.
[1:45:28] So here are our city positions, so some of our proactive items we want to make sure, like I said, our economic development tools are protected, and we also want to make sure that our transportation items are being promoted as far as safety, equitable governance excuse me that's a hard word equitable governance related to Dart is protected.
[1:45:53] And then here in the middle, you see our defensive priorities.
[1:45:57] These are items that have routinely come up in legislative sessions.
[1:46:00] We want to make sure that we're taking a defensive stance when it comes to these items.
[1:46:05] And then over on the bar right, you'll see the items that we're going to be continuously
[1:46:08] monitoring.
[1:46:09] And if there's something that comes up that's a concern, we want to be able to act quickly
[1:46:13] and defend our priorities.
[1:46:19] And that is it.
[1:46:20] Council, we're here for any questions.
[1:46:22] The resolution that you have before you tonight, this would approve our legislative platform, which includes our council's direction and identify priorities.
[1:46:33] And also, we have, in this year's budget, we've budgeted for a consultant for items that are going to be important for us as a city that we can use them to leverage for transportation items, funding items, local authority, things that are very important to us as a city.
[1:46:49] And we're going to be using those resources as needed.
[1:46:54] And I'm here for any questions.
[1:46:55] Thank you.
[1:46:57] Councilwoman Gonzalez.
[1:46:59] No questions for me, Erin, but thank you.
[1:47:01] I think you guys have some great themes on there.
[1:47:03] Appreciate it.
[1:47:04] Councilman Ben.
[1:47:06] I've sat through no less than at least five updates in the last two months.
[1:47:12] Even today we sat through one.
[1:47:14] So this is a great item.
[1:47:16] I appreciate it.
[1:47:16] Thank you for all of your work.
[1:47:18] Thank you.
[1:47:18] Catherine Reed.
[1:47:20] Yeah, it's all the hot buttons that were concerns of mine.
[1:47:23] So I appreciate it's a very comprehensive list and forward to see what the consultant has
[1:47:31] to say as well.
[1:47:31] Yes.
[1:47:32] Catherine would be a fronca.
[1:47:34] Thank you.
[1:47:35] Are you able to tell me up the top of your head how much was budgeted for the consultant
[1:47:38] slash lobbies?
[1:47:42] I will check to be sure, I'm pretty sure was 100,000, but I'll check to be sure.
[1:47:46] and is there any one particular topic that he'll be zoning in on or?
[1:47:52] So we actually have there are two consultants that we have been looking into based on
[1:47:58] council direction as far as what our priorities are.
[1:48:01] One is just general overall for anything that might be an issue for us and one is specifically
[1:48:06] related to transportation. Fantastic. Is it too late to add anything?
[1:48:13] Just depending on what it is we could definitely look into it.
[1:48:16] I think it's important to speak to the legislature about people that come to our city and establish residency when they do not live here, nor have any intention of living here.
[1:48:28] Simply by scurrying the system and I don't know if that's something that the consultants would be able to speak to to the legislature.
[1:48:37] Okay, I'm not sure if you could talk with Ben a little bit more about that and we'll kind of see exactly what that's a big thank you.
[1:48:45] Councillor Neill.
[1:48:47] Nothing, thank you.
[1:48:48] Thank you, Aaron.
[1:48:50] Aaron, I do have one thing that I would like to specifically call out.
[1:48:54] And that is regarding sales tax and the opposition of changing to sales tax from point of
[1:49:01] origination to point of destination.
[1:49:03] Okay.
[1:49:04] So I think we need to be very deliberate on spelling that out.
[1:49:10] That's if Council approves.
[1:49:17] Well, he doesn't speak for Morgan Meyer, Morgan Meyer is about the seven three sessions previously, and I have no reason not to believe he's going to try again.
[1:49:27] So if he does, I just want to make sure that we're on record opposing this.
[1:49:33] We've already established that this
[1:49:36] that would affect our city, about five to seven million dollar loss in sales tax on an annual basis.
[1:49:47] Compel, they would lose 30 million dollars a year in sales tax if that happens.
[1:49:56] So, there are cities that are opposing this as much as possible.
[1:50:00] Mayors, we all talk about it, so I just will make sure that we don't let that slip by.
[1:50:05] Okay, so if all of Council agrees, we could add that to the Council direction, the
[1:50:13] directives that are in the memorandum, that's part of this item, and so it's make sure it's documented.
[1:50:19] Good, good, good, good, good, good.
[1:50:23] Okay, it doesn't need action.
[1:50:25] Okay, so yes, this item is marked for action.
[1:50:32] So Mayor, if the council is going to be amending the ordinance, then that you
[1:50:41] be stated in the actual motion itself.
[1:50:44] I'm sorry, David.
[1:50:45] For the resolution, the memorandum is actually not part of the resolution, it's a
[1:50:49] resolution.
[1:50:50] Resolution.
[1:50:50] So then staff can make that change all by itself.
[1:50:52] Right.
[1:50:54] Done.
[1:50:57] Mr. Mayor, make motion that we have
[1:50:58] approve item R2026-117.
[1:51:02] I'll second.
[1:51:03] Thank you.
[1:51:03] We're motion and second if you would please indicate your vote.
[1:51:11] Motion passes.
[1:51:12] Thank you very much.
[1:51:13] Thank you.
[1:51:13] All right.
[1:51:16] Next up is item L5 receiving up.
[1:51:18] They regarding the issuance of a request or a convict request for qualifications for
[1:51:25] a city's legal services.
[1:51:28] I'd like to request that we table this item this evening if Council sees that.
[1:51:35] May I make a motion?
[1:51:37] May I?
[1:51:38] You may.
[1:51:39] I'd like to make a motion to table L5 and L6.
[1:51:47] Sir, second.
[1:51:55] I'd like to amend the motion if you're receptive to a table in it for a period of four months.
[1:52:02] If that is an acceptable amendment, then I would second the motion.
[1:52:10] I accept the modification.
[1:52:13] Okay. So we have a motion. Add a second with a friendly amendment. Is there any discussion?
[1:52:24] Council on the results.
[1:52:26] I would like to keep it on the agenda and discuss it.
[1:52:30] Council on Bennett.
[1:52:34] Council on read.
[1:52:54] I'm torn on this one.
[1:52:59] We need to take a break.
[1:53:07] Can we take a break?
[1:53:08] Can we take a timeout break?
[1:53:11] We're
[1:53:13] going to take a 10 minute break if you have any discussion we'll go in City Manager's
[1:53:20] conference room.
[1:53:47] We're bearing with us, so we have a motion,
[1:53:55] and let's part of the discussion, oh sorry.
[1:53:59] All right, thank you for bearing with us.
[1:54:01] We have a motion and a second to motion is the table with an amendment for a form of
[1:54:09] career that was accepted so we are having discussion.
[1:54:19] Okay, I just want to confirm we're not entertaining the motion at the second one still in discussion.
[1:54:27] With that I would like to call the executive session to further discuss.
[1:54:32] Julie.
[1:54:35] Can I do that?
[1:54:37] I'm
[1:54:44] going to try to share,
[1:54:48] I'm going to come and come to accept your session for a little bit of advice because I have a tab here, I'm going to check that myself.
[1:54:53] I have to do a table of emotions.
[1:54:58] I think it would be too far.
[1:55:00] And we can see the post-pone consideration of the motion.
[1:55:03] To very open views, like in session we just answered.
[1:55:08] We can see the other post of that.
[1:55:13] We can see the acceptance of the discussion that we have to stop the past time.
[1:55:17] We can see the four or religious bodies, right?
[1:55:21] We can see that.
[1:55:23] Okay.
[1:55:25] It's a bit.
[1:55:37] I say we just vote on the current motion.
[1:55:43] And then if we need to do executive session after that, we can continue the executive
[1:55:48] session from D1 after the vote, maybe as simple as possible.
[1:55:54] Point of order, Mayor.
[1:55:55] The last discussion we have before the 10-minute break was that the Councilwoman from District
[1:55:59] to want it to hear Councilman reads thoughts.
[1:56:06] And my thoughts are, we go to the vote.
[1:56:12] Calling a question.
[1:56:13] Thank you.
[1:56:16] It ends the discussion.
[1:56:19] Calling a question is effectively a motion to end debate.
[1:56:22] When someone calls a question and makes that motion,
[1:56:24] it has to be seconded and voted on by two thirds of majority under
[1:56:28] Robert Schwell.
[1:56:32] Thanks, David.
[1:56:38] I believe there was a motion and a second.
[1:56:41] And then there was discussion.
[1:56:43] And now I believe Councilman Reed is wanting that to go to a vote as he called the
[1:56:49] Councilman.
[1:56:50] He called the question.
[1:56:50] There's been a motion.
[1:56:52] The motion has been seconded.
[1:56:54] In lieu of debate, the Councilman Reed has called.
[1:56:57] Yes.
[1:56:58] He's actually a motion to end debate.
[1:57:00] I understand that.
[1:57:02] That has to be seconded.
[1:57:03] And it has to be seconded.
[1:57:03] I seconded to end the debate.
[1:57:07] It requires the two-thirds majority button.
[1:57:10] All in favor of ending the discussion.
[1:57:22] So we're voting to end discussion, correct?
[1:57:26] This is just the end.
[1:57:27] Voting to end the discussion.
[1:57:47] It
[1:57:52] does not pass.
[1:57:55] So we're now we're back.
[1:57:57] So the motion on the thing.
[1:57:59] So the motion does not pass the end discussion.
[1:58:02] So we are back on discussion.
[1:58:06] Councilman Neil.
[1:58:07] Did you?
[1:58:08] Yes.
[1:58:09] I did want to make a few comments regarding the motion earlier tonight we were in an executive
[1:58:17] session and there were some items and issues discussed during that time that I feel need
[1:58:25] additional time for any possible resolution.
[1:58:31] So I'm trying to amend this motion in such that we can allow more time for those concerns
[1:58:38] that were presented to be addressed and resolved, and if they're not resolved in a three or four
[1:58:43] month period, then I think we should reconsider this item. That's one comment. The second thing
[1:58:51] I just like to make note and go on record and express my objections to the conversations that
[1:58:56] were occurring during the break time regarding this issue.
[1:59:09] Mayor, I would like to just let all of our
[1:59:14] and it's no exactly what is going on,
[1:59:18] there was an email that Councilwoman from District 2
[1:59:23] sent out, and you, nor Councilman, Neil, nor I were privy to see it until this evening
[1:59:32] with 15 points indicating why the Councilwoman from District 2 would like to have, you know,
[1:59:41] make changes. I just want to point out very clearly and even though it is upsetting, it is
[1:59:48] upsetting to me too, to say that there is a shadow government. This is another instance
[1:59:54] of the power of three, this is the voting majority.
[2:00:00] I don't know whether or not this is illegal, but certainly I believe that this is unethical.
[2:00:04] I don't think that it's appropriate for a bolding majority to be able to submit points without
[2:00:11] the rest of the council being made aware of things in any job, in any job.
[2:00:20] You would give someone an opportunity to make any corrections if there were any corrections
[2:00:24] to be made and I feel very strongly that this is inappropriate and that this should more than
[2:00:36] be tabled I think it should be dismissed but at the very least it should be tabled for four
[2:00:40] months.
[2:00:44] I'd like to remind the Councilwoman that there's been a couple of occasions when she wanted
[2:00:50] participate or did participate in, as we call, the power of three, when the topic was in alignment
[2:01:01] with what she wanted to see happen. But now that it's something that's not in alignment
[2:01:07] with what she wants to see happen.
[2:01:09] I'd like to call a point of voider here. It's off topic from this motion.
[2:01:14] I disagree. I'm responding to the comments that were made.
[2:01:23] Councilman, I'm going ahead and finish your point.
[2:01:27] Thank you. Thanks. So I just wanted to bring that up.
[2:01:32] So now, at this point, I have no more nothing to discuss regarding the motion.
[2:01:40] Vote on motion.
[2:01:42] I just have a comment to what Mr. Niel said over there.
[2:01:47] Some of these concerns are concerns that have happened.
[2:01:50] It's been a buildup.
[2:01:51] It's not a random, I think I'm going to type up an email today.
[2:01:57] And you won't know because we can't speak to more than three people.
[2:02:02] So you're not going to know that you're not going to have that email.
[2:02:05] Again, but this shadow government that we're in, you know, that's what we like to do.
[2:02:12] If I'm just trying to offer an opportunity for this council to have some time to work through those issues,
[2:02:19] I realize there may have been some concerns here recently.
[2:02:22] I'm just trying to give us some additional time here before we move into something as drastic as this might be.
[2:02:30] That's all.
[2:02:31] I would like to ask the Council to consider allowing some time.
[2:02:42] Ladies and gentlemen, this Council has a number of issues.
[2:02:47] We have, it's no secret.
[2:02:50] And I don't want this necessarily come out tonight,
[2:02:53] but there is dysfunction on the Council.
[2:02:57] And while we are trying to get to a better place, I believe it's important that we do have the benefit of a knowledgeable and experienced city attorney.
[2:03:10] Does everybody do anything perfect? I certainly do not.
[2:03:18] I think having a cooling off period would be beneficial to the city.
[2:03:27] There is tremendous amount of institutional knowledge that is maintained by the law firm that is represented as,
[2:03:35] I don't know, I'm the years, and I would just like to ask the Council to consider
[2:03:44] tabling this issue as Councilman Neal suggested for four months since we just got a letter
[2:03:51] or a copy of what are our issues, and there may be some that are of merit, and there may be some
[2:04:01] that are just a singular nature to one person, but let us have the opportunity to do a deeper
[2:04:10] dive and review them. And at the same time, work towards what we are hiring a consultant
[2:04:20] to try to help us with, which is to get back on track so folks can have respectful dialogue
[2:04:29] without possible violence, have a meaningful discussion and take care of the business of moving
[2:04:39] the city forward instead of the infighting that has been going on on the council.
[2:04:46] Everybody shares in it, and we should all be working to try to end it, and I hope that
[2:04:59] Look.
[2:05:00] Consider that in your vote because the alternative is putting the city in a very precarious position. You don't just replace a city attorney overnight.
[2:05:14] So I would like to see us do what we're supposed to do, which is to work through issues and have constructive dialogue to get us to a better point.
[2:05:31] Thank
[2:05:34] you.
[2:05:35] So, with that entertain emotion, we have emotion.
[2:05:40] Second date.
[2:05:41] I can.
[2:05:42] Okay.
[2:05:43] So, we have emotion second.
[2:05:45] Any more discussion?
[2:05:47] I just want to make one final comment.
[2:05:49] We are here as city council persons to do what is in the best interest of the city.
[2:05:56] Not our own best interest.
[2:05:57] not the interest of, you know, my best friend, what is in the best interest of the city.
[2:06:04] And the institutional knowledge that we have, the word has gotten out about city of Farmers
[2:06:11] Branch.
[2:06:12] And I do not see how we are going to be able to hire some wood as competent as a David
[2:06:19] Berman and his firm based on what has been going on here.
[2:06:24] No one is going to come to work here.
[2:06:28] Thank you. Any other comments?
[2:06:33] All right, we do have a motion and second.
[2:06:35] I was going to make the comment.
[2:06:36] It is so easy to say that you want to table this when he has been
[2:06:41] answering your emails and answering your phone calls.
[2:06:44] But when I'm not getting a response back,
[2:06:46] I should just let it go.
[2:06:48] And be like, oh, I'm sorry, he forgot.
[2:06:49] But when he's taking me off emails instead of answering me,
[2:06:53] that's not what our city is paying for.
[2:06:55] He is all of our attorney, not just you two, and when our residents are going on social media and posting comments that they can tell that our city attorney is not giving us good legal advice
[2:07:10] That is not what our residents are paying for
[2:07:13] Council when I would remind you our residents are not city attorneys and many most of them don't know the law
[2:07:19] I, the City Attorney serves all the Council and I believe he acknowledged earlier that if he did not respond to you, he apologized for that, but the City Attorney doesn't
[2:07:34] to preserve me or anybody else that I know of.
[2:07:40] There are people that have made inquiries to the attorney
[2:07:46] and probably some more than others.
[2:07:49] We thought that we had corrected this situation once before
[2:07:54] when Nicole Carr was here.
[2:07:57] And because we did have a bad situation with the city
[2:08:01] attorney at that time. But I think this council needs to remember at one time they voted
[2:08:13] and agree to work all issues first through the city manager. That is our employee. And
[2:08:21] then if it needs to be escalated to the next level, then things could go to the city attorney.
[2:08:26] City Attorney's already said you could call them any time you want, but I think that's part of the problem is we need to make sure
[2:08:34] or contractors have lives and can live their life also.
[2:08:40] So again, I'm asking you for consideration, so we can have a time, a period of cooling off.
[2:08:50] And I don't believe that's unreasonable to ask in this situation.
[2:08:59] So, we do have a motion.
[2:09:02] Just the final comment.
[2:09:04] I've made a call to Mr. Burman last week.
[2:09:06] He hasn't returned my call yet, but he doesn't serve just me.
[2:09:09] And that's not a reason to fire somebody.
[2:09:11] We have to give people grace.
[2:09:15] So, with that motion, seconded, if you would please indicate you're about
[2:09:33] motion does not pass.
[2:09:36] Mr. Mayor, I'd like to make a motion that we reopen to take a decision item, do you
[2:09:45] want to take care of the first two citizen events?
[2:09:49] first,
[2:09:53] that way we can J5 and Anne.
[2:10:02] So I'll make a motion that we entertain J5 and J2 prior to re-entering executive session.
[2:10:13] All right. So we will continue at the moment. Oh, yeah, we do.
[2:10:23] sort of second okay all in favor of moving forward with
[2:10:31] J5 and J2.
[2:10:35] Mayor could you repeat the motion please motion is to move forward with
[2:10:42] items J5 and J2 first before we have executive session then we'll come back to executive session last.
[2:10:47] And
[2:10:59] we just do show hangouts.
[2:11:13] All right.
[2:11:14] So, because this is simply changing the order of the agenda and re-opping and adding
[2:11:19] that we've already talked about, the mayor can make the judgment call again.
[2:11:24] And tell you all that we're doing it, subject to a point of order, to reject the
[2:11:30] proposals that he's making.
[2:11:31] So, we don't really need a motion.
[2:11:33] You can't if you want.
[2:11:34] But if the mayor wants to do it, then y'all can call a point of order and
[2:11:38] Jack, otherwise we're going to do it.
[2:11:41] I understand.
[2:11:44] We're going to.
[2:11:45] Otherwise we're going.
[2:11:47] So I'm a border to.
[2:11:48] No, I'm going to.
[2:11:50] I think Council Member Reap.
[2:11:51] Deputy Mayor.
[2:11:52] Bearer Potem is recommending to the mayor that we reconvene or reopen the executive session.
[2:11:58] But before we reopen the executive session, I believe.
[2:12:01] And you've got to say that this is okay.
[2:12:04] We're also going to discuss, as a prerequisite,
[2:12:09] the
[2:12:09] consent agenda items that were moved into open session.
[2:12:13] That is, of course, subject to a point of order, but in the council member who
[2:12:16] checks.
[2:12:18] Yes.
[2:12:20] So, if we want to go to the executive session, I'm happy to do that.
[2:12:23] But I would like to have the two consent agenda items that were moved to
[2:12:26] regular agenda first, that way, as a courtesy to our audience.
[2:12:31] All right.
[2:12:36] Good with that. Okay. So first step is item J5, which is consider approving
[2:12:47] resolution 2026-100 authorizing the city manager to execute a contract with the American
[2:12:52] Traffic Construction LLC for construction of a value lane and Mercer Parkway Intersection
[2:12:57] Improvements in the amount of 226,004 dollars and take appropriate action.
[2:13:03] Good afternoon, Mayor Council.
[2:13:06] Has everyone done this afternoon.
[2:13:08] My name is Corey Lawson, Public Works Director.
[2:13:11] I would like to have the present, the construction of
[2:13:15] value, Mercer Parkway for your consideration.
[2:13:21] As you know, Council in 2023 directed staff to engage with
[2:13:27] TechStot, to try to find funding for this project.
[2:13:31] Tech startups are currently approved that funding.
[2:13:36] In 2024, I mean staff re-engage council to get a contract with Kim on the Horn, which we did.
[2:13:49] After we completed that design, took it out to bid.
[2:13:54] We got six beards and the lowest responsive bidder was American traffic construction LLC in the amount of 226,000 1,03.50.
[2:14:11] We took that information back to text.
[2:14:13] not make sure they concur with the contractor and they did it, and with that, that brings
[2:14:23] us to today, re-engaging council to see if we can move forward with construction, with
[2:14:29] that specific contractor.
[2:14:32] What this construction will do, it will enhance our pedestrian safety in that area.
[2:14:39] It will actually move forward with all the enhancements of a pedestrian crosswalk.
[2:14:50] I'll traffic improvements, some ADA ramps, enhance track, I mean pedestrian movement.
[2:15:00] Go in East and West, in addition to North and South, which will connect the trail to the preserve for pedestrians.
[2:15:16] And with that, I will take any questions from council.
[2:15:19] Thank you. Councilman Neil, you would ask for this.
[2:15:23] Where?
[2:15:24] Oh, Councilman Reed.
[2:15:26] I'm sorry.
[2:15:27] Thank you very much.
[2:15:28] I appreciate that.
[2:15:29] My primary reason for taking it off consent agenda.
[2:15:34] I just want people to know those at home or who will view the recording or hearing
[2:15:41] the audience just to realize what it was where enhancing the intersection of value and
[2:15:48] Mercer, like you said, too, because we have that walk that's currently under construction
[2:15:55] and connecting that to the nature preserve.
[2:15:58] So I just wanted to let folks know exactly what the project was, why we're doing it, and
[2:16:07] that's it?
[2:16:09] Yes,
[2:16:11] sir.
[2:16:11] Any other comments, questions?
[2:16:13] Okay, this item is from our fraction.
[2:16:14] Mr. Mayor, I make a motion that we approve item R2026-1000.
[2:16:23] I'll second.
[2:16:24] The motion is second if you would.
[2:16:26] Please indicate your vote.
[2:16:36] Motion passes.
[2:16:37] Thank you.
[2:16:39] Next up is item J2.
[2:16:42] Consider adopting ordinance number 4013 authorizing an amendment to the city's code of ordinances.
[2:16:47] Related to parking regulations for oversized vehicles in residential areas and take
[2:17:01] Good evening, Mayor Council members.
[2:17:04] My name is Tara Bradley, with Community Service in the Plan Department.
[2:17:08] And also for this item tonight, I will have our Code Enforcement Manager,
[2:17:12] with Community Service Berry.
[2:17:15] Boyd with me as well to address any additional questions you may have.
[2:17:20] But for tonight, we're bringing this item back for ordinance 4013.
[2:17:25] We did review this through a study session on August 18.
[2:17:29] And so this evening we are bringing back forward the ordinance for approval.
[2:17:35] Just to provide this overview of last time, it did provide the definition of what a oversized vehicle will be,
[2:17:43] and also will in tail.
[2:17:49] The proposed amendments for these issues prohibiting oversized vehicles over eight feet with or 21 feet in length
[2:17:58] on residential property, unless fully screened inside a rear yard, and then also prohibiting vehicles
[2:18:04] that exceed 10,000 pound towing capacity, or gross vehicle weight, rating excluding non-commercial
[2:18:12] vehicles, and providing also a 12 month grace period to allow residents to comply with this item.
[2:18:19] So also with this last meeting, it was as of home-based businesses would not be able to
[2:18:28] would not comply with this, they will be able to comply as long as they meet the requirements within this code as well.
[2:18:35] So tonight, if approve, staff will distribute updated regulations through multiple communication channels
[2:18:42] and code enforcement division will work directly with residents throughout the 12 month grace period to educate
[2:18:48] monitor oversized vehicles, parking and support compliance.
[2:18:52] So, at this time, it's on the table for adoption of this ordinance and staff is available to answer any questions you have.
[2:19:08] Very good. Thank you. Councilwoman, goodziles.
[2:19:12] I was in it.
[2:19:14] That's okay. I'd like to hear from Council.
[2:19:16] Okay. Councilwoman.
[2:19:19] So last time we actually asked if before you brought it back, you could have some ideas on how you were going to be able to help the residents before this was implemented.
[2:19:31] So if you guys done any research into that.
[2:19:34] The research into it through this process, it could be opportunity to hear what residents may need assistance with to make sure that we're meeting their needs.
[2:19:44] Within this there was not exactly items that we have been able to research within the time period time frame of prior to to make a confirmation of what needs to be done.
[2:19:57] Okay.
[2:20:00] Is it in accordance with the state law? I mean, the eight foot, the eight and a half foot. That one, I would need to do a little bit more research on that. Right now, the code speaks to farmers branch, but we don't supersede state law.
[2:20:14] Not this, I know, whichever one is stricter.
[2:20:19] All right. The reason I asked for it to be pulled was very specifically, I wanted to know if you guys had done any research.
[2:20:28] asked of what had been requested for actually helping the residents, because we are an older
[2:20:35] community. They don't have access to their, you know, there's not really alleys, there's
[2:20:40] the side yards or minimal. So I understand the need for it. I do, but how are you going
[2:20:47] to help them before we punish them? And I know we promised a 12-month grace period that 12
[2:20:53] months from when, and so my experience, or years here, in 12 months, are we going to be scrambling
[2:21:02] to figure that component out before we vote on that, you know, kind of like with the garage
[2:21:09] conversion, you know, how that kept moving on because we hadn't helped people, we hadn't,
[2:21:14] I don't know, communicated, whatever, and I know that we had, I know that staff had, it's just,
[2:21:20] Now, instead of finding us at the end of the road pivoting, I wanted it to be more clear on the front end, correct, okay?
[2:21:29] That was all.
[2:21:30] Thank you.
[2:21:34] Councillor Stroudini.
[2:21:42] Well, I wanted to hear from my colleagues here on council.
[2:21:45] First, do you have any thoughts?
[2:21:50] Well, for me, as it was pointed out earlier, we've been kicking this can down the road for four and a half years.
[2:21:58] We've got something in front of us that's functional, is it perfect, no,
[2:22:07] but with 12 months
[2:22:10] of lead time, we can make adjustments as they come up.
[2:22:18] So my consideration would be to move forward with it, take feedback that was provided earlier from others and see what we can do to incorporate it as a
[2:22:36] almost like a dynamic ordinance until we finish up the 12 months.
[2:22:44] one, be abroken?
[2:22:48] No additional questions.
[2:22:49] Thank you.
[2:22:51] Councillor Neon.
[2:22:53] Just for clarification, this is,
[2:22:56] how seven?
[2:22:59] This is item J two which is L-8.
[2:23:05] Tell eight, okay.
[2:23:07] Yeah, no.
[2:23:08] I would go to a court with Councillor Otis.
[2:23:12] We've, this has been under discussion for many years, we've had multiple hurt, at least
[2:23:18] the task force, city staff has worked on it over and over repeatedly, so I, and much
[2:23:26] like the garage program, I think we gave that was a 12 months, and then we extended it
[2:23:31] in another six months, and I wouldn't expect this to be any different than that, certainly
[2:23:36] We may have to make some adjustments or additional help after the 12 months.
[2:23:43] I don't know where that'll be, but I just think it might be worth moving forward here
[2:23:48] with El Hate.
[2:23:51] So with that, I would move to...
[2:23:53] Sorry, can I make...
[2:23:54] I didn't get to make my comments.
[2:23:56] What?
[2:23:56] I'm sorry.
[2:23:57] No, it's okay.
[2:23:59] Sorry, I passed it over to Tina, since she's the one that took it out from consent.
[2:24:04] I also wanted to know, like the resident mentioned, about the state law, also about the vegetation
[2:24:12] about how long you're going to give them for that to grow, and not because we're a shadow
[2:24:17] government, but because we do have the two older neighborhoods, my concern is still, they
[2:24:24] do not fit in our neighborhoods, but some residents still have them, you know, they need
[2:24:29] it for work.
[2:24:29] So I had asked if it was possible if they have a single driveway, can we at least ask them
[2:24:35] to make it a double to reduce the amount of cars that they have on the street, if that's
[2:24:41] a possibility, if we can find a little more common ground there for those our older neighborhood
[2:24:47] that we have, then I'd be willing to move forward once we get more information on how to
[2:24:52] help those residents.
[2:25:00] Mayor, I'd like to make a motion to approve ordinance 4013 as presented.
[2:25:06] I second.
[2:25:06] Thank you. I motion a second. If you would please indicate your vote.
[2:25:15] Motion passes. Thank you.
[2:25:19] With that, there was no action at an earlier executive session, but we are going to go back into executive session at this time.
[2:25:32] So, we will recess to the city manager's conference room.
[2:25:55] Can we hear back from executive session, thank you very much.
[2:25:59] Councilwoman Bennett.
[2:26:01] So, action taken out of executive section.
[2:26:04] A session, I'm sorry, I'm so tired.
[2:26:07] I'm directing the city manager to set expectations for the city attorney with the timeline to come back to city council in October.
[2:26:17] Okay.
[2:26:18] Thank you very much for that.
[2:26:21] And then I'm making a motion, can I get a second?
[2:26:26] Yes.
[2:26:26] I'll second that motion.
[2:26:28] Thank you.
[2:26:29] We have motion in a second.
[2:26:33] I don't think there's any other discussion.
[2:26:34] So if you would please indicate your vote.
[2:27:01] It was seconded by Councillor Neill.
[2:27:17] Make sure you have the right motion on the screen.
[2:27:30] Yeah.
[2:27:35] Council, if we can get a show of hands, please, all in favor of the motion of the
[2:27:39] raise hands.
[2:27:41] All opposed.
[2:27:44] Motion passes for the one.
[2:27:45] Thank you very much.
[2:27:50] I'd like to make a motion to table L5 due to the action taken out of direct executive
[2:27:56] session.
[2:27:57] I'll second.
[2:27:58] The motion is second by Councilman Reed.
[2:28:03] If you would please indicate your vote.
[2:28:16] Motion passes for the one. Thank you very much.
[2:28:20] Mayor, I'd like to make a motion to table L6 until January.
[2:28:26] Second. Thank you. Motion and second. If you would please indicate your route.
[2:28:41] Motion passes for the one. Thank you very much.
[2:28:44] With that, I believe that concludes all of our business for this evening.
[2:28:48] So we will adjourn at 9.22. Thank you very much.