San Angelo City Council 4-5-16 Part 1

[0:00:00] this morning, the first one in April, and it's good to see everybody out on this beautiful day. We will begin our meeting this morning with prayer, our last growth, race to come up, and lead us in our prayer. I will ask you to stand if you are able. Good morning. Let's go ahead and bow our heads. Your heavenly Father, what you just thank for bringing us here today to the City Council meeting Father, and we pray for all the things that we brought forth in the agenda today Lord. By faith we believe all Lord our God. We also pray for the City Council that you give wisdom for the city council men and women to hear today Lord for our mayor that you give them wisdom and guidance and a piece of surpasses all understanding Lord as it will make decisions today. Father just thank you for bringing us together today our Lord on God. Amen. Get a picture. Come here, Rose. And to allow me to assist with the pledge this morning will be Mr. Gage Elkins. He is a student at Cornerstone Christian. Good Good morning sir. Good morning. Are you ready? Sir. American flag. Jesus. One nation. Liberty. Texas flag. Our pledge allegiance to the Texas one day under God in one. And the one that messed the words up on the Texas pledge was not gage, it was moi. And now I have several recognitions and several proclamations. will begin with Sandy Jamison and just between friends, San Angelo, Sandy. Come on up, please, Ben.

[0:02:05] Good morning. How are you? Just between friends, North America's leading children and maternal consignment sales franchise system has chosen San Angelo's business owner, Sandy Jamison, as his franchise of the year. Jamison, for the past nine years, owned and operated the successful just between friends, local event that happens twice a year. The judges who chose the St. Angel franchise said key deciding factors include Jameson's strong customer service and retention to the sales look and feel. Jameson is also one just between friends supernova award twice. Jameson and her events also support Rust Street Ministries by donating the admission fee as well as any unsold items in 215. JDF of San Angelo dained $2,040 in cash and $85,000 in donated items to the charity and that lead to JDF of San Angelo, receiving the Economic Development Community Impact Award from the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce in April of 2015, therefore I, Duane Morrison, mayor of the city of San Angelo on behalf of the city council do hereby recognize and applaud Sandy Jameson and just between friend San Angelo for her achievements and positive determination to make a difference in our community. And the microphone's here, thank you. No longer than an L. Y'all didn't tell me I needed to talk. Well, thank you so much. When Rodney called me and said they want to do this, I said, you realize that's like so weak for me when I get like two hours of sleep at night. He was like, come on. And I said, OK, OK, I'm so, I appreciate it. We're actually in the middle of drop off right now, but we have had such wonderful support over the almost 10 years we've been doing this in our community. and we really enjoy it. And it's so neat to see the hundreds of moms and dads that come and volunteer and then the thousands of people that come in and are able to provide for their families. So thank you all so much. Thank you, ma'am. Let's get it picked.

[0:04:20] And for those of you that do not realize why I ran for mayor, these next two items are going to explain why, because I have got some children from the city of San Angelo that we were able to honor and to bring them forward and to brag on them a little bit. I've got two youth basketball teams. I've got a girls team, which are the hot shots, and I've got a boys team, which are the bulls. Now the hot shot players, I will read their name, but on the bulls player, I'll just let the coach tell you who they are, because they're not all here. On the hot shots players, and if y'all would like to start walking up this way, the hot shots are Hannah Burke, Renly Wise soon, Cora Blackwell, Natalie Fernandez, Kaylee Bartz, Landry Bartz, Alaya Harrison, Cameron Williams, Ally Nelson, and Landry Luther. And my little granddaughter plays in the same league as these girls, and I tell you what, they beat us twice like a drum. This is a ball game here. No, come here and say a few words. My name is Kristi Williams, and I've had the privilege of coaching these girls this year. This is the first year I've been able to coach this particular group. I have coached at the varsity level and I found it this year very difficult and actually more difficult to coach the fifth grade level than it is to coach a varsity level team. But when we went to the state tournament, I knew we had a group that was special because the parents and I had time and time again. We had parents from other teams, opponents of our teams, not only opponents but teams of other divisions, they would come by and ask where we were from. We even had in the middle of the game our referees were coming by and asking us, where are y'all from? And the reason why they were asking that is because they said, y'all have something that's

[0:06:22] really special and it's different from what other teams do here. And what that was was that they play as a team and that's why we have something special. We play basketball as a team. They have a good relationship between each other. We have a lot of fun. And not only that, but sometimes as a coach, it's hard to coach basketball teams because parents are so difficult. Why don't have that? I have the best group of parents there is. And so we have a lot of fun when we go and play and that's why we've been so successful this year. So thank you. That means when I call the mayor. The mayor, let the parents come up take pictures I think they want to take pictures and there is one girl that was

[0:08:44] missing that would be Kaylee Nelson but she was also part of this team coach bring you bulls up please sir good morning I'm just gonna let turn this over to you and let you introduce these guys and there's you Mike we have a team of seven but two couldn't make it today so we're gonna recognize these five gentlemen here. First, we have Devon Bus, Colby-Vedmea. We have Zack Hernandez. And we have Dupree Huff and Anthony Canava. I also have a privilege. I've been doing this for 10 years. I'm with the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Angelo. Started off eight years of non-competitive, I'm sorry. And I decided, why has he also decided that they're not going to have anymore sports leagues? I didn't want to stop. I'm sure glad I didn't, because two years after I started coaching competitively, these young gentlemen took me to state twice. The first time was unsuccessful, but two years later we came back and we took it, all right. But all in all, our mission statement at the Boys and Girls Club is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive caring and responsible citizens. Sorry. I believe that we did that two weeks ago, but this is a small token of what's ahead for these young gentlemen, whether it be basketball or academic success. But thank you, Sadie, for recognizing us today. Thank you.

[0:11:03] Those are our kids, those are our future, and I'm proud of both groups, congratulations, bulls and hotshots. I have one more presentation here today which I am very proud of, and that is to honor a young man that has gone above and beyond in the Boy Scouts of America, and I would like to introduce to you Daniel Zamudio, if you would please Daniel, come this way. Another reason I'm proud of San Angelo, Texas. Good morning, Daniel. Daniel Zumudio is a resident of the city of San Angelo and member of the Texas Southwest Council, Boy Scouts of America, varsity team 313. Daniel planned, organized, and managed a reconstruction project resulting in a much needed native, Texas bed, bird, aviary, exhibit for the San Angelo Nature Center. The Nature Center hosts a collection of animals along with related exhibits and information that are native to the Southwest and provide informational tours to school-aged children. Daniels' dedication and persistence resulted in the rallying of more than 50 volunteers

[0:13:04] and countless hours of service. Therefore I, Duane Morrison, the Mayor of the Great City of St. Angelo on behalf of the City Council, will hereby recognize and applaud Daniel Zumogio for his dedication and positive determination for making a difference in our community. Congratulations, son. Okay. Well, the one thing I hope that recognition from me comes to is that any young boys that are watching is they need something to pursue. That's what I think. Because when I was younger before Boy Scouts, I didn't know what I was going to do. Boy Scouts really opens you up and lets you know what you can do and basically it pushes you above what school will do. He gets you ready for high school and everything, so I just hope young boys will be prepared and maybe turn an interest in the boy scouts. Oh, I go to central high school. Thank you. Let's get a picture, Danny. I don't take a picture for you. I'm doing him take a picture with your camera. Okay. Somebody else want to be in the picture? We need to move back here, Brian.

[0:15:13] Jennifer McCahn, would you please make your way to the front, please ma'am? This is another one that I am very glad to honor this morning and to tell the city of St. Angelou just exactly what she has done because it has been phenomenal. Jennifer McCahn is passionate about animals, particularly homeless dogs and cats. Like many of our communities, she has trouble with a St. Angelou's pet overpopulation problem. And the number of unwanted pets dumped at the city's animal shelter. But unlike most, Jennifer did something about it. Wanting to ensure that every dog and cat in the shelter had the best opportunity to find a forever home, Jennifer privately raised a whopping $10,000 to underwrite the adoption cost of every animal in the shelter, and on March 5th, in partnership with Jennifer, the shelter hosted an adoption advance at which 57 of the facility's 74 dogs and cats were adopted. The adoptions cost, which is $85 for a dog and $50 for a cat, which includes sterilization, vaccinating, microchipping and registration of the pet were underwritten by more than $4,000. In short, Jennifer's efforts resulted in one of the most successful pet adoption events that the animal shelter has ever hosted. She has pledged to use the remaining funds for other future adoption events to help clear the shelter. Therefore, I, Dwayne Morrison, Mayor of the City of St. Angelo, will be half of the City Council do hereby recognize and applaud Jennifer McCahn for her achievements and positive determination to make a difference in our community. Sorry I didn't know this was happening so thank you very much. There is another adoption event happening actually April 11th through 16th that will use the remaining funds that we collected so if you're looking for a pet maybe go visit

[0:17:17] shelter next week and adopt. I don't know. I'm very humbled by this whole experience. The support has been something that I've never experienced before. So this is very new for me. I just hope that maybe things will change over time. So if I can help that, that would be wonderful. Thank you. Okay. Moving on to our recognition, now we have the, y'all are already coming up. Good to see ya. This is National, hello Robert. How are you. Hello Sandra. This is National Public Health Week, let me read the proclamation. Hello of course. The week of April 4, 10 to 16 this National Public Health Week and the theme is the Healthiest Nation, 2000, Healthiest Nation, 203 O. The Health Services Department and Neighborhood and Family Services Department have educated the public policy makers and public health professionals about issues important to improving the public's health. Over the past 25 years, U.S. life expectancy has increased, but at a slower rate than in other countries. And studies consistently show that we have a lower life expectancy than comparable countries. There is significant difference in the health status, such as obesity, poor mental health and infectious disease of people living in the healthiest states compared to people living in the least healthy estates of our nation. Public health professionals help communities prevent, prepare for, withstand and recover from the impact of a full range of health threats including disease outbreaks such as the Zika virus, natural disasters and disasters caused by human activity. Public health action together with scientific and technological advances have played a major role in reducing, and in some cases, eliminating the spread

[0:19:18] of infectious disease and establishing today's disease surveillance and control system percentages of adult smoking cigarettes in the United States, the leading cause of preventable deaths and disease decreased from 20.9% in 2005 to 16.8% in 2014. Now, therefore, I, Duane Morrison, Mayor of the City of San Angelo, Texas, on behalf of the City Council, do hereby proclaim the week of April 4 through 10 National Public Health Week in San Angelo, Texas, and called on the people of St. Angelo to observe this week by helping our families, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and leaders better understand the value of public health and adopt for many lifestyle habits in light of this year's theme, Healthiest Nation, 203O. Morning, everyone. Thank you, Mayor, Council City Management for this recognition for the Proclamation of Public Health Week in an acknowledgement of what others before us and what we locally and around the world are trying to do to better the health of the nations and of the public in general. I received an email unrelated last couple of weeks and there was a quote by Mother Teresa that said, I cannot do everything, you cannot do everything, but together we can do everything. And so it was kind of very simple, very profound, and befitting of today. We've got two different departments represented here with six different divisions who are striving to do something for the health of the community, and ultimately to try to keep disease at bay in whatever way,

[0:21:21] is that a point? We're just trying to do the best that we can to try to eliminate disease in our community. And so anyway, I thank you again for the proclamation and I guess anybody wants to thank you. I'd like to echo Sandra's comments and thank you, Mayor, appreciate that. I want to take this opportunity to let people know that we have a lot of personnel, We have a lot of programs. Really there to help to make the health and wellness the San Angelo citizens. And we want people to understand that they're there for you. So please take advantage of them, OK? Thank you. Anything to say, sir? Drains? Thank you all, Assault and Awareness and Prevention Month to be received by Carla Payne, which is the Executive Director of the Country Valley Rape Crisis Center. Good morning, ma'am. and how we're using this. Sexual Assault Awareness Month calls attention to the fact that sexual violence is widespread and impacts every community member of San Angelo, Texas, rape. Sexual assault and sexual harassment impact our community, and statistics show that one in five women and one in 71 men

[0:23:24] will be raped at some point in their lives. Child sexual abuse prevention must be a priority to confront the reality that one in six boys and one in four girls will experience a sexual assault before the age of 18. Young people experience heightened rates of sexual violence and youth ages 12 through 17 were two and a half times as likely to be victims of rape or sexual assault. On campus, one in five women and one in 16 men are sexually assaulted during their time in college. We must work together to educate our community about sexual violence prevention, supporting survivors and speaking out against harmful attitudes and actions. Prevention is possible when everyone gets involved. The first step is increasing education, awareness, and community involvement, and it is time for all of us to take action and create a safer environment for all. Join advocates and communities across the country in taking action to prevent sexual violence. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and each day of the year is an opportunity to create change for the future. The Council of Highly Rape Crisis Center strongly supports the efforts of national, state, and local partners and to every citizen to actively engage in public and private efforts to prevent sexual violence. Now, therefore, why Duane Morrison, Mayor of the City of St. Angelo, Texas, on behalf of the City Council, join advocates and communities across the country in playing an active role to prevent sexual violence and, along with the United States government and the State of Texas, do hereby proclaim the month of April as sexual assault, awareness, and prevention month. Thank you. You have the mic. Thank you, Mayor and City Council and everybody in St. Angelo. Sexual assault is something that we don't want to think happens in our community. We don't want it to happen in our community, but unfortunately, it happens in every community. So the reason we have this month, we want every month to be awareness and prevention, but we focus our efforts in April so that we can get the community involved to help us prevent

[0:25:25] sexual violence from even happening. So we have a few things coming up this month. Next week on the 13th, we have an open house, and we invite everybody to come by, meet the staff, and see where we are. We're in the basement of the Wells Fargo Bank Building downtown, so come by and visit us from 4 to 5.30 on the 13th. And then on the 23rd, we have Walka Mile and her shoes. And that's kind of a lighthearted and fun way to bring awareness to this really tragic situation that happens to a lot of people. So it's a way to get men involved, men wear high heels and walk around the courthouse and help us raise awareness. So all you men, we expect to see you there. And then on the 27th is Denim Day. And that's where we wear Denim in recognition of a case that happened in Italy where a victim was wearing tight jeans and they said that she couldn't have been sexually assaulted. But we know that anybody could be sexually assaulted regardless of what they're wearing. So thank you again, and we hope to see you all at our events. National Crimes Victims Rights Week, Valerie Tillery, Tom Green County Coalition Against Violence. Good to see you this morning, ma'am. Hello. Americans are the victims of more than 20 million crimes each year, and crime can touch the lives of anyone, regardless of age, national origin, race, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, immigration, or economic status, many victims face, challenges in finding appropriate services including victims with disabilities, young victims of color, deaf or hard of hearing victims, LGBTO victims, tribal victims, elder

[0:27:25] victims, victims of mental illness, immigrant victims, teen victims with limited English proficiency and others. Too many communities feel disconnected from the justice and social response systems and have lost trust in the ability of those systems to recognize them and respond to their needs. victims of victimization, who fail to receive supportive services are of greater risk for long-term consequences of crime. The victim services community has worked for decades to create an environment for victims that is safe, supportive, and effective intervening early with services that support in power victims provides a pathway to recovery from crime and abuse. Honoring the rights of victims, including the right to be heard and to be treated with fairness, dignity, and respect, and working to meet their needs, rebuilds, or trust in the criminal justice and social systems service serving communities and rebuilding their trust, restores hope to victims and survivors as well as their communities. National Crime Victims Rights Week, April 10-16-16 is an opportunity time to commit to ensuring that all victims of crime, even those who are challenging to reach or serve, are offered culturally and linguistically, we don't use that word much on the north side. accessible and appropriate services in the aftermath of crime. Tom Green County Coalition Against Violence is here by dedicated to serving victims, building trust and restoring hope for justice and healing. Now, therefore, I, Dwayne Morrison, the mayor of the City of San Angelo, Texas, on behalf of the City Council to hereby proclaim the week of April 10, 16 to 16 as Crime Victims Rights Week and reaffirm the City of San Angelo's commitment to creating a victim service and criminal justice response that assist all victims of crime during Crime Victims Rights Week and throughout the year and to express our since-year gratitude and appreciation for those community members, victim service providers and criminal justice professionals who are committed to improving our response to all victims of crime so that they may find relevant assistance, support, justice and peace.

[0:29:27] Thank you, Valerie. And you have the mic, ma'am. I believe someone in Austin wrote this. It sounded like a lawyer, doesn't it? it does. I'm Valerie Tiller. I'm the program director of the newly structured family shelter. I was there from 1990 to 1999 and came back a year ago. There was seven adults and children. Currently we are serving anywhere between 45 and 50 adults and children daily. I am representing Also today the Tom Green County Coalition Against Violence, representing numerous organizations including the Tom Green County Sheriff's Office Crisis Intervention Unit, the District County Attorney's Office Victims Assistance Program, Tom Green County Probation, Rape Crisis Center, and the Victim Assistance Program with San Angelo Police Department and many other individuals that help in our cause at the coalition. We have a big problem also with crime victims. Last week we had a victim who had a gun to her head as she woke. These are things that are hard to believe that happened here, but also like rape crisis center and Carla's group, it happens. I was just fortunate enough to have a cat in my face. But not everybody is as fortunate as that. We do want to recognize this week, this is special week, we will have victim survivors mask on display at the justice center and we would like to invite everyone on Thursday April the 14th at 5.30 at the visitor center where we will have a rally and a balloon release and to recognize those who have ground victims rights. And we appreciate this proclamation by the City of St. Angelo and Mayor Morrison.

[0:31:31] Thank you. The Air Force, if you want to start making your way to the front and bring your entourage with you. This is all about Angelo State University. Good morning. Angelo State University and the community of St. Angelo are partnering together in celebration of current students, future students, faculty, staff and alumni who have chosen to participate in the auspices of higher education at Angelo State University and Angelo State University with an enrollment of 8,521 undergraduate and graduate students is an integral part of the City of San Angelo and is sent to the L of Higher Learning in West Texas and it employs 350 faculty members, 500 staff members and 700 student workers who are a vital part of of this community and the University has graduated 43,424 students since its inception in 1965 and Angelo State University Educational Opportunities have grown to include one doctoral degree in physical therapy, 21 master's degree program, 41 undergraduate degree programs and over 100 majors and concentrations and Angelo State is this year's celebrating its 87th graduating class and the month of April 2016 will be celebrated as I chose Angelos State Month at Angelos State University by current students, future students, faculty, staff and alumni through campus events, social media and local media outlets. Now therefore, I, Duane Morrison the mayor of the great city of San Angelos Texas on behalf of the city council to hereby proclaim April 2016 as I chose Angelos State Month in San

[0:33:31] call upon the citizens of our area to recognize this remarkable display of pride in our community and the comprehensive educational opportunities at Angelo State University. Congratulations, sir. The microphone is yours. Mayor, thank you so much City Council and City Manager. You know, for over 90 years, Angelo State has had the support of city leaders. In fact, March 15, 1926, Civic leaders urge the citizens to vote for a tax referendum to establish San Angelo College. And that is the beginning of Angelo State University. So as you indicated, Mayor, we do take the month of April. And we celebrate, I chose Angelo State University. And in that celebration, we express our appreciation to the community for its support. And we also recognize our new members of what is predicted to be the largest entering freshman class, an entering new student class at Angelo State in the fall of 2015. You can tell that I was reverting back to the 1900s. But we celebrate our new RAN family members. And today we have some of our leaders at Angelo State University that will be handing a t-shirt to our new students. But I want to very quickly recognize some of our RAM family members that are in the audience. So if you're an employee or an alum, or if you have a student or have had a student at Angelo State, and you're in the audience, if you would please stand. Thank you very much. We'll give you a round of applause. Go Rams. So this morning we have from Grape Creek High School, Jacob Porter. Jacob will receive a t-shirt. Lisa Hernandez with the Office of Admission.

[0:35:39] From Lakeview High School we have Amber Mantel and Amber is getting a t-shirt from Haley Zapata. It's a little early for me. We also have from War High School Clayton Daniel, and Clayton is receiving a t-shirt from Jeff Sesik. We also have from very best high school Kiara Reynolds, and I will be presenting the t-shirt this morning. Also from Christovo High School we have Cody Moreno, but he's also So, get his t-shirt from Lisa Hernandez. From TLCA, we have Lucas Levesque, I believe. And Angie Wright, Vice President for Finance and Administration is presenting the t-shirt. Central High School, we have Caitlyn Thomas, John Wagner, Dean of the freshman college is presenting the t-shirt. From Howard College, we have Amy Armondes. Crystal Bell is presenting the t-shirt. And then we also have Jamie Akins, who is presenting a t-shirt. I'm not sure. Okay, from paint rock high school. So we recognize Shelby from paint rock. Is there anyone up here who does not have a t-shirt?

[0:37:40] We all have a t-shirt, so thank you very much. Go Rams. And I think it's also nice that Angelo State several years ago brought Texas Tech under our umbrella and allowed them into our educational system. I think it's been good for Tech and it's been good for ASU. And I truly, truly, honestly appreciate the community involvement that we have in this City from our young kids to our Angelos State students. It is truly a wonderful community and I thank you for your involvement this morning.

[0:39:52] This is now at the part of our community or part of our meeting when we allow our community to approach the City Council. So if you have anything that you want to talk about, if you have any issues that you would wish to bring forward, or if If there's anything that you would like to have put on a future agenda or if there's anything on the consent agenda that you wish to pull to a regular agenda, this is your opportunity. I will read the legalities and then I will ask you to come to the front to the microphone and you'll be allowed three minutes to talk to the city council. Issues or items that are not on the agenda may be raised by the public at this time. Citizens should speak from the podium, begin by stating their name and limit remarks to to less than five minutes. Council members may request that a discuss data be placed on the future agenda. The Council takes public comment on all regular agenda items during the discussion of those items. So if you would please form a line at the front, we'll be glad to take your public comment at this time. We'll ask you to state your name, and you've got three minutes. Harry Thomas, community volunteer. As I'm walking around the neighborhoods in single member district three, One of the things that I'm finding from citizens is the lack of co-compliance. Now, I know we only got six co-compliance officers that are out there. So I'd like to go back and do something that Liz talked about a few council meetings ago, and that is to try to get some of the people in the community that are looking at some of these issues to be what you call it, deputized or whatever, to help out the city and help out the citizens. I will tell you, some of these compliance issues

[0:41:53] are pretty dark. People are living in a home where they don't have electricity and water, for example. So let me say, I would support this, and I think the citizens of San Angelo will support it, so let's talk seriously about this idea that Liz had a few council meetings go. Thank you, Harry. Anyone else? Hello, Turner. Yes, my name is Jim Turner, And there's a couple points I want to make. First off, right now we have a great city website. It started off kind of slow, but what we see right now is very good. That being said, there are still some areas that need to be fixed on it. For example, if you go back to some years, like 2012, they're missing minutes there. And because this is the primary source of information for our citizens, a complete set of minutes should be on the website. That being said, we also need to remember that when you have a video or audio recording made by the city of any one of these meetings that's subject to the Open Records, Open Meetings Act, that also becomes part of the minutes and has to be taken care of the same way as the minutes themselves do. That's part of the Open Meetings Act. That's state law. Next point is we still have a lot of work to do on various boards and committees. We still have the Board of City of Development on the books. When we haven't used that for decades, we eliminated that from the City Charter back in 2007, but it's still in the Code of Ordinance, even though we've had several reviews of boards and committees since that time. Which brings me to my main point, because I'm on the zoning board. We have had three meetings canceled because of a lack of quorum. We changed the structure and added alternate members and everything in 2000 or last year in July by the zoning board

[0:43:56] and January by the council itself so that we'd have alternate members so if some main member couldn't make it to the zoning board we'd still have a quorum to where we conduct business and that is extremely important to the city. Some of the decisions by the zoning board aren't even subject to review by the city council. They have to go to the courts. When we can't make those decisions, when we can't get a quorum, we affect the business, construction, homeowners, property rights of citizens in San Angelo. And it's been several months that we have been without a full membership, especially the alternates. That shouldn't be happening. Thank you. Thank you, Tim. Anthony Wilson, did you hear that about the website? Usually writes on our board. If not Anthony, need to get with you. As far as the zoning on the alternates, that's mine. I'll take care of that. I'm already looking for some alternates. So put that in on me, Jim. Do I have any other comments from the public, to the council? This is your opportunity. We take good and bad, pro and con. simply step forward state your name and you've got three minutes. Well that was easy wasn't it? All right we are now to the consent agenda. One thing that I would like to mention on the regular agenda we have pulled item number C. So we will not be discussing item number C. That's financing options for water and sewer line rehabilitation, we have pulled item number C. Consent agenda is item A through E. I got a little head of myself. On public comment we also

[0:46:03] asked for council comments and I conveniently skipped over that. So let's go back and pick that up before we get on to the consent agenda. I'll start with Thank you Ms. Grindstaff. Did you have anything you need to say? I knew you'd. And also at the same time, I'm trying to redeem myself here. If there is an item on the consent agenda that you wish to pull to the regular agenda, this is the time. I knew you'd get it together. I had faith in you. I don't have anything to pull from the agenda. I would just like to make two comments. I'd like to thank James Flores and his group working with the city manager and Bob Solis. I have a resident who has just been struggling with an animal issue in their neighborhood, and it seemed like an impossible situation. And James and his staff has been diligent, and I think we're going to find a solution, and I really do appreciate you sticking with it. It was a hard, complex thing. Also, the news article that featured Tim Kombest and the science behind the water reclamation, the story that ran in Sunday's paper was absolutely, I think the best that it could have been on water education. And so I'd like to thank Rajda and everyone else that had something to do with that. So many things in the public are problems because we don't educate the public on what we're doing. And that was just, I think, an absolutely fine piece. So thank you for your work too. Ms. Lucy. That's a mirror. Ms. Shawnee. Yes, sir. Mr. Donee. I don't have any. Marty. Mr. Rodney. Yeah, I'd like to have a friend of mine. His name is Joseph Ola and a lot of people know him. He's an instructor. He wasn't an instructor out at the Fire Academy. He's a 30 year veteran of the Air Force and he is having difficulties right now breathing and getting around. And they started to go fund me page because the VA will not allow him to have a portable air concentrator and he can't get around and he's not that old of a gentleman and I really think that if

[0:48:06] anybody is out there that could help him with that his name is Joe Zabala it's on a GoFundMe page they've had it up for four days and they've what raised about a third of what he needs to get that and to move around and this is somebody that's a veteran that's you know served 30 years for our country I hate to see stuff like this so I just want to get it out there if somebody can help him or a a bunch of people can help him, it would be great. Thank you, Rodney. And I have nothing to pull from the consent agenda and I have nothing to add. So with that, I will entertain a motion to approve the consent as presented. Move approval. Marty and I will call for a second. Second. I do have Johnny on the second. Do I have any public comment on any council comment on this before we vote? It was A, it was minus C, right? We had no, on the consent agenda will be I through E. through E. Do I have any public comment on this before we vote? We'll call for the vote, all in favor of accepting the consent agenda as presented, please say aye. Any opposed nay? Put a 7-0 on that one, please, Mr. Bryan. Now to the regular agenda, which is item number 6, title number 6, subtitle number 8, presentation on the household hazardous waste event hosted by the substantial friends of the environment, safe recycling on November 21, 215, presentation below it, Pascal Director of Safe Recycling. And you do have the floor, ma'am. Thank you very much. I just wanted to say, come back and give you a little brief how we did on the Household Hazardous Waste Collection. And thank you for letting us have this event. Charlotte Vermer said not a penny over 50,000, And it was $49,991.32 is how much it cost. Very well done. Unfortunately, way my accountant does that. Well, unfortunately, we were hoping to go 9 to 1. But the person that's in charge of the collection came up to me at 11.40 and said,

[0:50:12] we've almost hit the 50,000 mark. So at 10 minutes to 12, we quit collecting household hazardous waste. I had a few people, not too happy, one person cussed me out. But other than that, everything went well, and clean harbors was actually there packing everything up until almost 6 p.m. It was a long day. We had a lot of fun. We had over 375 cars come through just for the household hazardous waste collection. We had 450 all day, but it was a lot of great volunteers from the city that came out, and we had a couple of volunteers from Go Green and Recycle, Cook Hamburgers and Hot Dogs for everybody, and we had drinks that were supplied from HEB, and I just wanted to say it was a great event, and we really appreciate everything. And that gives you the numbers on how many pounds of things that were collected plus I gave you the bill from Clean Harbors that itemizes how they charge. You closed it new? On the household hazardous waste we closed it ten minutes to twelve and we collected that much from nine until eleven fifty. I wanted to tell you that I watched you on the KLST and K San show, very well presented, very well explained. I was impressed with that. And I don't want you or anybody else to take a cussing from anyone out there. Tell them to call me and give them a number. I remembered him being late on something else and he cussed me out at that time. So I just took it with a grain of salt. Yeah, I did.

[0:52:12] I did. Excellent. Excellent work. Thank you. Well, I appreciate the city council for allowing us to hold that. And I've already had people calling me, asking me when we're going to do it again. And I said at this price, I'm not sure. But I thought maybe I could talk to the county and see if maybe we could do a 50-50 where they pick up half and the city picks up half. because I know that not everybody that came through were city residents. I know there were people outside the city limit, so maybe you can ask them for money too and do a cost share. Do we have further questions from the council? I have one. Yes. And if they've got a cuss yet, tell them to call me. I've been called more names in the last three years. Things that I didn't even realize. Being from Lakeview, I've understood most of them. I knew what they were calling me, but less more sophisticated people probably wouldn't even realize what they were called. I do have one question though. I had a name called me last week and said that we were now charging for oil when we drop oil off. Is this true? We were because they started charging me $200 to come pick up my oil, which is 900 gallon, so I was charging 25 cents a gallon. and they told me when they came to pick it up, it's going to be $200 plus 29 cents a gallon. So we actually are not accepting used motor oil anymore. And I've told everybody they can go to a Riley's AutoZone or advanced auto care. They can take up to five gallons of used motor oil for free and as many filters, oil filters as they want. But it killed us. I mean, we just said we couldn't afford to do it anymore. And when they came to pick it up on good Friday, it was not a good Friday, because somebody had poured more than one person, had poured something other than used motor oil into two of our tanks, and it was contaminated.

[0:54:17] So it wasn't just oil, it had benzene in it or something. I know how to answer his question now, we are no longer taking it. We are no longer taking it, yes, that is correct. Are the questions from Council, Charlie? Well, yes, your tanks, are they moveable, portable, easily? We just had, they came and pumped them out last Friday and today they're supposed to get the sludge out of them and I'm going to see, I'm also in the council of governments and I'm going to see if somebody in the area would want one of the tanks. We have. The reason I was asking if you could make an arrangement with one of the dealerships that do change oil and these big trucks, you know, they pick up their oil, their used oil, and they pay the dealership for the oil. Oh, no, not anymore. Since the price of oil went down, everybody has to pay now. Except for the city because they were under a contract. To make diesel out of it. They take it down to Corpus to the refinery, And it's made into diesel, so that's why they pay. After the meeting, I'll send you an email address of the company that does pay for the oil. But if you could be connected with, take your oil to the dealer, I'm sure they would take it because of that. And we'll see you talk after that. OK. All right. OK, thanks. Thanks. Yeah. I have public comment on this item before we move on. Thank you very much, ma'am. Appreciate it. Thank you. Our number B is discussion of waste collection survey results and proposed changes to waste collection service presentation by Solid Waste Contract Manager, Mr. Jeremy Miller. You have the floor, sir. Good morning, Mayor Council. Jeremy Miller, the contract manager for the Solid Waste Department. Now, the item we have today is a follow-up from the January 19th meeting where we had a discussion

[0:56:17] from staff about possible changes to the waste collection service. And that was mainly driven by feedback we've received from citizens over the course of the last year since we've implemented the new service. We left that meeting with you tasking us to get more feedback from the citizens to kind of gauge their interest level and changing the wage collection services. So we implemented a survey online with the help of our public information office and survey started on February 15th and ran through March 15th for a full month there just asking citizens you know would they like to move forward proposed changes or do they like the current service that we're receiving. So we received a total of 2,626 submissions and that was just a single vote from each device that you have. So it was kind of a chewy number not people voting over and over. Of the 2016-26 votes, 619 were in favor of the current service that we have, which is roughly 24% of the people that voted. So the majority of the people were in favor of changing the service, 76%. So it was pretty overwhelming majority. We're interested in changing. And just to refresh your memory, the current service that we offer is once a week collection of trash and recycling and then there's a quarterly bulk pickup for items that do not fit in the cart. The proposed changes would be to leave the trash the same still once a week collection and then decrease the recycling to every other week in exchange for a monthly bulk pickup that would be on a set day. So you could be like the first Tuesday of each month or however we work that but that way the citizens would know exactly when their bulk pickup is and it would occur once a month. The main reason for that is the yard waste, the leaves, the trees, the grass clippings. It's just, I mean, you can drive around town and everybody's got 30 bags piled up against their fence because currently the solutions we have are to either put them in your tan

[0:58:22] cart, which if you have too much of that, you're not going to have room for your household trash or you can get an additional cart, which costs more money, and possibly you need more than one additional cart, so it could be quite cumbersome. And then also we do have the quarterly bulk pickup, but inevitably, it's not being utilized correctly because people don't know their dates, and then it's so far out. So if you rake your leaves and then you missed your date, then you've got to hold on to them for another two to three months, so it could be a cumbersome idea. The other option would be to utilize the landfill on the citizens free dumping for no charge with your water bill, but not everybody has the means to do that. So that's the number one complaint I get is what I do. I just cleaned up my garage or I just raked up my yard. What do I do with the leaves? And I go through the options and that's when I get the feedback of, well, this is not acceptable. So that's why we're here today is just to seek your direction as far as how you would like us to move forward. We've been dealing with republic and they're open to the idea of the proposed changes, just to help improve the customer service and to meet the demand of the citizens as far as bulk items, so. I have to answer any questions that you have. All right. What is the percentage of the number of customers versus the number of people that answered the survey? Well, we have roughly 30,000 residents, residential customers, households. So we had, I can't do that in my head, we had 2,600 votes, so. I have a question, Mayor. I had asked that someone put kind of a cost differential to this service over the original contract price. Did anyone do that? Well, you know, the main driving factor is a customer service is changing the proposed service, not necessarily a rate, but with that being said, you know, the three main costs

[1:00:25] to waste collection are employees, equipment and disposal costs out of the landfill. With the proposed changes, you know, currently they have 11 trucks. With the proposed change, they're still going to utilize 11 trucks. They're going to move one from the recycling route over to the bulk route. So they'll have two bulk routes and then reduce one of the recycling since it's going to every other week. So the equipment will stay the same. In addition to that, they're going to have to hire one to two additional personnel to ride on the back of the truck for the bulk route. So they're, you know, the personnel costs are going to go up. And then the biggest variable will be the disposal costs out of the landfill. So based on the feedback we get and the demand at the Citizens Free Dumping Program, the demand for the bulk should be high, which could increase their disposal cost out there. So it's hard to quantify an exact dollar amount, but just face value looking at the equipment, personnel, and disposal costs, it should not be much of a financial difference. It shouldn't be a gain for them at all. Well, I had asked that there be some empirical data on the difference in the cost of service. I ask that from staff as well as from Republic because I mean I appreciate the fact that you've asked the public what they want but when you have less than 10% we also have to look out for the other 90% but you're convinced that the public is actually getting more value out of the service. Citizens of Snazol will get more value because they're still going to have the recycling and they're going to have an increase. You're going to have recycling every other week. I just, again, I want to make sure that if this is not a financial windfall for the contractor. It should not be. The only savings they could possibly have would be reduced driver hours on the shortening of the recycle routes, but that any savings they would experience there would be eaten up by hiring additional employees and then the disposal costs. Now if the citizens are not using the bulk pickup, then yes, it could be an advantage to them because they're not going to have the added disposal costs, but just gauging by the feedback we have and the amount of waste that's around the courts that are overloaded

[1:02:27] on a weekly basis and the amount of people who are going out to the landfill on a monthly basis with their water bill, the demand should be there enough to where the people are going to utilize it. I had started. I had a call Friday and I've already talked to Republic and they're going to take care of it for me and they give that service every time I call, it's taken care of. sad that a citizen has to call me after they've called Republic, but sometimes we don't be patient enough to listen and work with others on the phone. But the gentleman had Modus Yarr trimmed his bushes, trimmed his trees, he's got 42 bags of clippings in the alley and he doesn't want to wait for three months and have it look bad clutter and get torn and everything's scattered again and the folks the Republic told him that it would the next pickup would be in July. I talk to Republic and they're gonna take care of it. If they're not gonna wait till July they're gonna pick it up now. Now I'm not suggesting that everyone do that and but I'm just saying that's the service that they get. The whole reason Republic is on board is perception. They want to provide a good customer service. You know, they've had bad perception over the contract. So they're on board to improve. I mean, they get feedback from citizens as well. So they don't want to have to say no. They want to be able to say yes, we're going to come by next week or next month. So that's the whole one. What I'm saying they are saying yes. And that ratio that I asked for is 11 and a half percent of all the customers, only 11 and a half percent, applied to their survey. It's less than that I think I'm did you have comment? Yes, I did but I think Daniel had no No, I just wanted to add again. This is just seeking direction. I know Lizzie has some questions as far as advantage

[1:04:32] Financial and so forth if there's a I mean that's something we can definitely come back with at this point This is the presentation to the council just based on the survey results any other information that you're requiring We can come back with as well I really believe the citizens need more bulk pickup and I definitely appreciate y'all working together to To answer the needs, but again I had asked for some some financial information and I'd like to see that before I make a decision So any changes that we make would require you know amending the contract and the ordinance So that's today What we're seeking is if you would like us to bring something back to you in the form of amending the contract and we can present The data that you're looking for so I I have a question. I appreciate. I'm sorry. I apologize. I apologize. Thank you, Mary. No, Jeremy, the feedback that I've gotten is that the quarterly is way too long. The monthly has come up time and time again, the monthly idea. So if it takes some kind of amendment to the contract, I think, again, from the folks that have contacted me, I think the interest is very much, we need to at least look at it. Another thing is the recycling, because I threw back a question on the recycling part, there are folks out there that won't put out their recycling bin until two weeks later. It may be even longer than that, because it takes a while for them to collect all that. And sometimes even the trash, because how are you doing with the trash? I can go two weeks. Now these are folks that probably don't have that many family members, but there's folks out there that take their time and don't put it out every week if they don't have to. Again, very much interested in seeing at least looking at the monthly bulk pickup. I think there is a need out there. I think we worry about the way our neighborhood looks and I've gotten phone calls from the people have stockpiled just trash and just makes it all look bad.

[1:06:36] So the monthly is good, the twice a week recycling, there's nothing wrong with that. And I failed to mention, we don't want to hinder anybody from recycling. It's definitely something we still support. So those that do fill the recycling bin on a weekly basis can get an additional recycling bin for no charge. So we don't want anybody to stop recycling because they're bins full. So they can still request an additional one if we move forward and that way they have enough to get through the news. bulk pickup I think even even once every other month would be better than quarterly. Currently we do four so if we do every other month that would just be adding two additional ones I don't. Marty do you have any wisdom to share with us on this? Well if we're gonna look at amending the contract I'd like if I understood when it was brought to us originally or back to do the survey that the both the recycling some of it was getting thrown out because it was contaminated if finder stood that right is that is that how it was supposed to be done in the contract yes I mean because there's things that are if it's contaminated you know they mainly sort through it so they they sort through and then whatever's left they dispose of in the landfill so there's things to make it to the recycling center that are not recyclable there are things that make get to the recycling center that cannot be recycled. So that's the contaminated part that we have to dispose of with the landfill. But the whole load isn't thrown out. No, I mean, the worst case scenario is somebody dumps container full of leaves in there. And they would take that section of the load and dispose of it, not the whole load. They take the truck and they dump it out on the ground at the recycling facility and they start sorting through it. So if there's an area there that has a bunch of leaves in it, they would just take a backhoe and scoop that section out and dispose of it, instead of the whole load that's here. Okay. And I guess my other question, I had a call and I told the individual I would ask the question.

[1:08:40] Are we fairly sure that by picking up the trash in the front now that it's not having any effect on our streets and therefore effects on our water lines? the streets are designed for traffic more so than the alley would be so I would think that they should be able to hold it out. I'm not qualified to answer the street question. On the streets perspective as far as what we look at from additional truck traffic again our streets are are built to handle truck traffic more so than alleys to begin with. But the trucks are traveling down the streets on a regular basis anyway versus the alley so we're seeing a little more traffic and we're seeing a little more traffic closer probably to the edge of the road than normal but so far we haven't seen it any additional where based on based on the new service again we're in it a year ten years from now maybe maybe a different story but right now we're not seeing any additional where based on the experience we have so far okay I just want to tell them I'd answer the question I think I've had several people that have contacted me on this and they are more in favor of doing the the monthly bulk pickup and going to their birth two weeks I actually do a lot of recycling myself and I fill it up but since they're doing this for free and they're offering to do a second trash can I think that that's a good compromise to do to do that correct so I definitely am in favor of it I do believe that we do need to get answer Liz's question before we vote on it about the financial impact on it maybe. Lucy? I just want to say that I also have gotten some phone calls and spoken to some people and they are also in favor of the change and the other thing is that what I've also seen the

[1:10:44] public do is really go out there and do the very best they can for our customers and I appreciate that. And I also have had the calls especially for the long waste, and I think once a month on the bulk pickup would be, I think it would be a real service to our citizens. And every two weeks on recycling, we can handle that at our house. The can's going to be full, but we can handle it at our house. So I would be falling. Second round, Charlie? Thank you. I've had a phone call, several phone calls, but no one wants to give up their recycling. like it, but they don't mind if we only do it twice a month, say, on the 1st and the 15th, so that they know, you know, as close to those dates, that they've got to have their bulk out there and say pick up their bulk on the 15th or on the 1st with that one pick up if it could work out some way. It's just a suggestion, I told them, that I would make the suggestion and, but they want to keep their recycled, but the three months is just too long on the bulk, especially in the springtime in summer. I agree. That's what I've heard from citizens as well. Jeremy, a couple of more comments that I had and I made enough so I wouldn't forget. And I'm glad Candy Pool is here and then Rodney's here because this gentleman emailed me just yesterday evening and said, I wish that the realtors would educate the home buyers as to the rules that Republicans, so maybe there's a disconnect there whether folks moving into town don't know all that's related to the contract and how it works. So that's one. The second, you mentioned that you guys have 11 trucks, is that 11 trucks for the bulk pickup or what does that mean? That's just for residential collection. I think there's six that do the actual trash collection on the routes and then there's one, currently one truck that does the bulk

[1:12:46] pickup and then the other four are on the recycle routes. So on the proposed changes they would still do the six on the trash and then they would take one of the recycling trucks and move it over and create a new bulk route where they could pick everything up on one day. Does that mean that on the bulk pickup idea is it is it one day a certain day of the month for everybody or they want to be broken up into routes so you would know what routes you run and And republic can create those routes and we can communicate them to the citizens, but it would never change. So you would know if you live at this address, then you're always going to be, say, the second Tuesday of each month is going to be your bulk day. However, it works out. And it would be that same day every month from now on, that way you can get used to it and you know, okay, I need to wait until the second Tuesday of the month before I put my stuff out there. And versus now, where you don't know when your date is and you have a weak window, if you do find it, then you have to sit it out there and it may sit out there for a whole week before it's picked up. I don't even know when my date is on both people. Currently it's not easy to get with the realtors and let them tell you. It's not easy to create a specific route the way it is now because the demand fluctuates so much they can't guarantee they can pick it up in a day because if everybody puts stuff out there they're not going to be able to do it so they have one guy and he follows the route starts on Monday more than 7 a.m. and he finishes up Friday depending on the demand he may finish early and then start working on the trash collection. But as it is now, they can dedicate the resources where they're not being utilized correctly on the recycling because only 65% of the people set their card out there every week. And of that most of them are full. Whereas now they can reduce that route to where they will be full. So they'll be using the resources more efficiently because they're gonna pick them up. More people are gonna settle them out since it's gonna be two weeks and they're gonna be full. And then they can use those resources to ship them over to the bulk where the demand is and we can have them pick that and be more efficient in the routes. I think if we do do this change, can we do a flyer that would have that have like the

[1:14:50] routes on there and do the times on there and that would actually be a good thing to get to the to realtor association for all especially for people that are coming in from out of town. The bulk of those people are usually going to go through a realtor and so they could be handing those out to help educate them that way. Yeah, if we move forward in the proposed changes and it gets approved we'll create all the educational information and work with the public and We'll try to make it as simple as possible You know on the recycling everybody still has their same days It'll just be every other week on one day instead of Said I'm shifting the route days and have been to learn new days again So they'll just be you know try to make it as simple as possible. Yeah, no, I agree We'll have information and I did it out to whoever needs it. Thank you or the questions on the right wing comments I was in San Diego a few weeks ago and a friend of mine was we were I don't know how we ended up on trash and maybe it was recycling and in the San Diego area there they said their their recycling container isn't the same size as their trash container they found it very interesting that we were using the same size canister only speaks to the fact that I think that we can all maybe go a little bit longer without the recycling pickup. So as I said, I like the proposed change, but again, I just ask to see numbers. Also, we had a political forum last evening, and there were a couple of people who wanted to talk trash, but by and large, people were satisfied, and I think ready to move forward. There was one woman who spoke and finally said, good Lord, this town just does not like change. Does it, you know, it doesn't matter what it is? And most people kind of started shaking their heads. I think everybody realizes that Republic is really trying to bend over backwards to help people. And I really do appreciate y'all's efforts. Let me see. Third round. Charlotte? Yes. I wanted to mention that if none of us up here have seen it or any of you haven't seen it, but on Channel 17, Brian and Anthony did an absolute excellent video about trash

[1:16:55] and pick up and what should be done and what days and what sections. I mean, it was very educational and it was good. If you're going to change, please get Brian and Anthony on that to get that on Channel 17 as soon as possible. Further comment from Council on this item? Public comment on this item, anyone would speak to it? I want to say a big shout out to Republic because I think they have done a good job of doing what they need to do. But I would say one thing that the citizens still don't realize on the bulk pickup, if we make this particular change, we need to do an education piece, as Rodney said, because people really have trouble understanding when that's gonna be. And if we're gonna change recycling to twice a month, that part needs to also be a part of that. There are a number of people in the community that are recycling every week. And so the offer from Republic for that second can for certain citizens is gonna be key to the success of this situation, thanks. Thank you, Harry. And y'all can handle the logistics on this, can't you, Republic? Yes, sir. So my name's RA, Council, I'm a citizen of St. Angelo. I'd like to thank the City Council for resolving this issue in such a efficient manner with their survey, and I would like to ask you if you wouldn't conduct a survey regarding the use of alleyways. I know the citizens really would like to have that issue examined. Thank you, sir. Is that a yes? We will. Thank you, sir. Just a thank you, sir. Thank you, sir. Did that follow on deaf ears or we're going to get some action on that? I heard you, but this is not the time to start adding agenda items, so I appreciate your comment. Thank you. Thank you. Any other public comment on this item?

[1:18:56] Yes, sir. very early and one of the problems that we have with trash collection is communications. I do not feel I should have to go to a website to find out when my trash is going to be picked up or if it's going to be picked up on a holiday. New Year's. Are we all right on this tree, sir? Okay. Who hits or I'm sorry? New Year's Day. Everybody in my neighborhood we missed trash. Well they went ahead and picked up on New Year's Day so they could have the sariel, make sense, but nobody knows that. And for the streets, I don't know how they would tell if it's doing any damage or not, because my streets had holes in it since the third day it was rebaved, so the streets are a mess to begin with, and it is a problem in this town. So the bulk pick up, I missed for the first six months because I thought they picked up the alley and it's gonna find out to pick up my front yard and you know they've picked up for 20 years in the alley and it was never a problem. I can see where it's a problem with the picking up the containers because of going in and out with the power lines. It should not be a problem with bulk pickup and bulk pick up should be able to go to the alley and we get we pay our bill through the water department. It's part of our water bill. Anytime somebody is going to be notified of something, it should be through that water bill, not a website. Everybody don't own computers, and I don't feel like spending my time going to a computer or finding out what's going on instead of playing golf. I'd rather be playing golf. Okay? Well stated. Okay. Thank you, sir. For the comments on this item, well, have you got your

[1:21:03] direction, Jeremy. I think as far as consensus up here, we'd like you to bring something back so that we can further discuss this and if an ordinance is changes necessary, then I think you've got support. Okay, we'll bring something back to you. Thank you. Well, thank you. It is 955 and my old back is hurting and I've got to get up and move around. However, I would like to ask the council if, and I'd like to take about 10 minutes break now, but I would like to ask when When we come back, if we could move item number M next, everything else on this agenda is staff related, but we do have Bill Ford setting out here to talk with two item M. So if we could after our break do M first, do you have a problem with that Rodney? No. Marty? No. Johnny? Yes. Charlie. No. We will take a 10 minute break and then we will consider item number M. Start the timer. Start the timer. Ready to open the meeting up again. Let's go to item number M, which is to consider a resolution supporting the United States Army Special Operations Command. UW EX 16 exercise realistic military training concept training within the city limits from April 5 to June 5 to 16. Presentation of the time during County Commissioner Bill Ford. Welcome brother Ford and you have the mic sir. Thank you so much, it's a privilege to be here. Orange and extreme with a esteemed group of, certainly esteemed, certainly. And I'm, I'm large, so. I'm not hot. Thank you. I don't want to know if I want everybody to hear me. But thank you again. I've been asked by the military, the training commander, to do this presentation through all the weeks and months of confusion about who can and who will but who won't finally came down to me.

[1:23:03] I volunteered months ago and conflicts with my schedule and their schedule, and y'all schedule not meeting, so it's finally come down to it. So what I'm here for is to ask the city council to invite the military to come into the city limits of San Angelo to do this training exercise over the next six weeks or so or a month, probably as all there is left, to do this training exercise. And I've been working with this group of people for a little over a year now, about a year and a year and a half. I can't tell you how privileged I feel to work around amongst them. I spent several hours in the country yesterday with them. I'm dealing with the training guys who were some of the civilians are all ex-military. And then some of these young men, they're not, to me, they're young men. These are all combat vets. Some of them fresh from the field. at this group was all Green Barrais, I think. I'm telling you, it's a privilege to be amongst them. It's a, they're the real deal. And what they want to do, they'll come into San Angelo and use their process of training. Now, let me explain something, a little bit confusion was in the media on about how this works. There is no facility or base in the United States where this kind of exercise is done. this training is not done anywhere, on any base or a facility, because it's so unique. It has to be done in a civilian or a reality type of environment, because their expected exercises are being trained for hostile government takeovers, where they would go overseas, and they would deal with in a country where the civilians are under a hostile government, and they will be helping those civilians try to get their country back. Very technical, it's low key, they stay out of the vision of the public.

[1:25:07] Last year I saw maybe two or three times and I knew where they were. And they just, they looked like regular civilians, they dress like civilians and they operate civilian vehicles. You don't know that they're any different from the guy working on the ranch or an oil field or a construction job. And what they do a lot of it is at night, and I promise you, I'm not there. So what they're doing is, like I said, it's unique that it's kind of a cat and mouse game with a team of good guys and a team of bad guys and try to see how they got with each other. And they do it in a civilian environment because of the literally the hurdles that would not be available in a military base. That they would have like they need transportation, they need communications, they need food, they need meeting places. And what they've done in the city like they've done in the county and different counties throughout the West Texas and Central Texas is they get written permission from the land owner to use that warehouse, that office, whatever it is, they're going to use for that evening or for that day during the day where they meet or they do whatever exercise they're doing. It's it's really pretty amazing how they do it. Some of it's really high-tech stuff that's way over my head and pay great and so I'm really impressed with what they do and how they do it. So I would I think I've kind of given you an overview of what and how they do it. They work with our law enforcement closely. They've already met with SAPD. If y'all approve this today then they'll have another meeting this afternoon with with SAPD to go over the logistics of the of the plan stay in constant communication with police like they do the sheriff in the county we've had no hiccups no problems at all it's tremendous value for them to communicate together and this helps our guys learn some of the procedures is taking place and so you have any questions I'd be happy

[1:27:13] to entertain and answer what I could. And for the mayor's secrecy issue, I probably have been privy just through some more than I should just because I've been involved with it. But I understand the secrecy that they have on the way they do the process. How they do it, I've just explained. But the intricacies of the details and what they do, there's a reason for that because the world doesn't need to know how we train our troops. And it goes back to the old adage about loose-lips sink ships from a hundred years ago. That's true. That's an adage that we just don't need to know what we don't need to know. I don't need to know what the PD does or our detectives do or what my sheriff department knows. There's a reason for that. And I honor that reasoning behind it. I definitely believe that as a citizen of the community and a taxpayer, a landowner, property owner, city of San Angelo, I would want to know that they're not going to be on my property. They're not going to be invading my privacy. And they're not going to be running around the streets with guns and ammo and in war games on my city streets. So that's not what they do. That's not how they do this. So any questions? Let me start it. And then I'll go to Charlotte. And you say that they are going to work with the SAPD, and you say that this is a military exercise, this is the United States Army. Yes, it's a joint command of all of them. I have been the privilege to meet in several scenarios where there have been Navy SEALs, Rangers, Army Green Barre, Special Forces, the whole gamut of Special Forces troops that come in and train this joint exercise so they can all be prepared to be on the same page when they do get into an overseas situation.

[1:29:16] My problem, Bill, the S.A.P.D. is not here. The U.S. Army that's trying to sponsor and is asking for permission is not here. We've got a county commissioner here, but the people that are involved in this and the people that are doing this and the people that are asking permission for this are not here. Well, I think you communicated with your police department, you please chief in your business. He communicated with the police department. He communicated with Daniel and I, but there are 100,000 citizens in this city. This city belongs to us. This does not belong to the US Army. It belongs to us. I don't want to impose any kind of misconception about what they're doing here. Bill, we don't know what they're going to do here, and they will not show up to a city council to tell us what they're going to do here. They're simply saying, we're from the government, trust us, and I don't. Well, yes you do, yes we do. We trust you, and that's put to us in the same position. My constituents trust me to some extent. And you are there for your constituents, and you show up in front of them and you answer their questions, and so do I. Well, I can't, but let me explain to this situation. This is as early as last week, we had the representative going to be here, we're going to be standing right here and everything was cool. But the interjection from our governor who asked the command not to have him brief, a public forum and I don't know what that was based on other than I'm assuming it took place, what took place in Bastrop last year, which kind of got out of hand because of the fear factor. I've been involved with this thing from the beginning, I have absolutely no fear factor. I have utmost trust in these guys. They're the real deal. They're the patriots that we trust them to go there and risk their life for us so we can wave that flag and stand in a public forum and be out here and represent ourselves. And I don't have their back on something like this.

[1:31:17] I'm sorry, I got their back and I got their side and I got their front. Because they got mine and I'm 120% supporting everything that they do. I've had them in my home. set down and meet with them on Sundays at church. A lot of them visit our little churches down there, and we are extremely pleased with their genuine friendship and appreciation for opening up our land or our country or even our city to support them. We don't need to know what all they do. Let me tell you, they would rather be standing here than me, but I'm telling you the way things things work in the military and the way things work in this government sometime, when they're told to not do you think public to stir anything up, they've met with this in meetings and private they'll meet with you any time to get so you can have that trust in them and then give the trust to your constituents, that's not a problem. I think the deal that gets construed is sometimes through the media, get texted, and runs with it. Last year, it was the martial law, the Wal-Marts, all this stuff that never came to, nothing was true to any of it. It was all fiction. And when the reality came down and they did their exercises and they did their training, and those of us who were participants are actually witnesses of it, were more than pleased and more than satisfied with the professionalism that they handled it with. And I expect the same thing here. And I don't doubt that. And I don't have a problem with the military, but they are not here to answer our questions Bill. They are very, they are conspicuously not here. And when someone is coming into a city of a hundred thousand people and asking for a letter inviting them in and giving them permission to do whatever they want to do, I want to know what they're going to do. And those questions have not been answered.

[1:33:18] And the man that Daniel and I met with, We did meet with an army, I don't know what he was, he was some type of officer out of Washington state, and a man that was ex-military, that was a consultant. Those are the only two people I have met with. They've not answered our questions. I don't have a problem with what I know about them, but I think when they come into a city of 100,000 people that belongs to our citizens, they need to stand where you are, and tell us what they're going to do and why. And for that reason, I will not support them. And I have all, I have pure, pure confidence in what they're doing, but for the citizens of our city, we do not need this secrecy. We need people to stand up and tell us what they're going to do. I'll turn it over short, and I think she has a comment, and then we'll go around the table. Mr. Ford, welcome. Thank you. Glad you're here. I do support you, and I do support the mission, the operation, and I'll tell you why. When I was in Washington, D.C. around the time, the last news broke of what they were coming in to do. And it was just wildfire that I got emails and texts from people that I have no say so in that area, but I had been in Washington and had the pleasure and honor to have lunch with the force charge general at the Pentagon. the subject of these missions and these trainings came up. And I think it's very commendable of our military to realize they can train and train and train. But until they get into a real life situation with real life traffic and people and things, you know, they can't tie down and be expertise without that. And that's not putting anybody in the public in danger. It's literally putting their people, their men, in the public for a public situation. And when they go overseas or even here in the United States

[1:35:21] on a mission, they're in the city with real life people. I welcome them. I welcome if they need a place to stay. I've got an extra bedroom. Be happy to take them to dinner or cook them a meal. And I happen to know of a building that is used for training facilities. And because of secrecy, I won't say where. But if there's an eight, call me later. But it's where, you know, please personnel chain now. So I don't have any questions for you other than that statement. And I do support it. Lucy. I just wanted to answer questions. How many men are we talking about? The teams, there'll probably be as many as three or four teams of three to five men and women and that's it, they really, you rarely see them because they do a lot of their meetings and stuff at night or they meet during the day at a warehouse or something, you don't know they're there because they really, you know, I had the best description of this done a year after I met with a group at the party, and I was scared to death to talk to them about it as nearly as much as I am now, but he made a scenario and he was a veteran of the World War II, and he brought up a scenario that I hadn't matched until he brought it up. And he remembers neighbors of his when he was a young man before the war brought up, before we got into World War II, that citizens of the United States with French background or French speaking volunteered and went into France, not the invasion of France, and went in and did this role, this role of helping the citizens try to get their country back and helps to get the Jews out of Germany or Poland and help them get high up with the Nazis

[1:37:27] we're doing. And we don't have a place to do that except when we come in and we go and these guys work out scenarios that are similar where they have a bad guy and good guy deal. And so, you know, that was the best analogy I've had of it because it hasn't been done in the past. It's been done a few places in the United States in bigger cities like Atlanta and Miami and in North Carolina and in areas up in the northeast where they've done this and but it's rarely been and this and they came to Texas I'll tell you why they came to Texas because he's good. I think why that came to Texas because of the appreciation of environment that we have for our military here, that we opened up our homes and our property or whatever it is to allow my wife, we've had them on our property before and she's not supposed to, we're not supposed to interact with them, but she's going to feed them because she says, no, these are our guys and it's kind of cool. So it's it's pretty simple. They there's not many maybe all in all with the trainees and the train and the train team maybe 30 to 40 people in the city at the time. And it's gonna be for a month correct? Yeah, Elizabeth. And I don't know each other that well but I'm gonna tell you a little bit about myself. My grandfather was in World War I, where he met my grandmother, who was a Red Cross nurse in France. He was wounded. That's how they supposedly met and married. My father was a Navy officer in World War II. I have two of three brothers who served in the military, and one was a career Marine infantry officer.

[1:39:32] When that brother retired from the Marine Corps under a democratic president, even though he went in under a Republican president, he served with honor for the Commander-in-Chief of the time. There's a great deal of military that you know have nothing to do with politics. They have a job to do and their job is to protect us here and overseas. And they do so proudly and they do so willingly. When that brother again retired from the Marine Corps, he went to work for a military contractor. Many of them do. He's still in the Washington, D.C. area, and part of that job was hiring actors for urban exercises just like we're talking about. So when you approached me and the sheriff talked to me about this project, I had no fear whatsoever. My brother is a proud American. I question not one thing what he's ever done or what he will continue to do for this country. I think that the military asking us permission to do an exercise here is a courtesy. And I don't know why anyone in St. Angelo should be worried about this. I think being a base community, we should understand the importance of the military in our lives, if not in our daily lives, and I am beyond supportive of this activity. Like you said, I don't need to know everything, but what I know is they're working on my behalf and I want to host them. Got it? I guess the only comments that I have is, now you do have support of SAPD and the County, the sheriff's department, they're on board with this idea. And good talk, you work hand in hand with Goodtail almost daily, so it's. And I guess the one question that I do have is, Why would in the city limits, what has to have, why does it have to be inside the city limits? Because I mean, it's a government thing.

[1:41:33] I mean, they've got permission to be inside the county, which kind of covers the city too, but it's a courtesy too, and it's a, they really need to make sure that the city's on board with the fact that they would be operating within the city limits. And when they do a certain exercise or do some kind of a training deal, they're going to meet somewhere. They want SAPD, of course, to know where they are, just so there's no interaction that messes up with their exercise, their meeting. And that's just a precaution. And they did that with our sheriff's department on a regular basis. And when they would meet or go somewhere that they would just let us know that they're making a drop off or delivery of some guys to a location, and that's just a, you know, it just happens at night. I really don't know all the scenarios that they use. They're scripting of it. I do know that these guys are serious about it. They take it. Their operations, training, real serious. I mean, it's no different than their training in a hand-to-hand combat or, you know, a facility where they break indoors. They get better at it and every time they do it, every time they practice. And like Liz said, every time I've been involved with them, I think about the opportunity that it gives me that I never would have had to participate in maybe doing something that might save this guy's life two or three years from now when he's out over there. When have we ever had a chance to have their back? You know, they've got ours all the time. And I sat down with him at my dinner table and it was over last year. And I had seven guys in this one group and a range of an age from 25 to 40. One of

[1:43:36] your veterans, all Greenbroughs, everyone I'm served and served in combat, everyone I'm had a Purple Heart, to Bronze Star with clusters. I'm telling you, these guys are American heroes. I mean, you hear the music in the background. And no, they're humble. They're appreciative. Yes, sir. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. And so the conversation came up around the table, and I said, guys, you've read all the stuff on the internet. You read all the martial law and you end those take over the Wal-Martts and we joked a minute and I said, that's where you all stand. You mind telling me where you stand and to a T. And quickly they answered this question and it's almost, the conviction you could, you feel deep down inside was that we believe in the, we sworn our leader to the Constitution of the United States of America. We believe in that with all our heart and soul and body, and they sacrificed it all to that. I said, well, your allegiance to the Commander-in-Chief, because they know I'm not real fond of our Commander-in-Chief. He's our Commander-in-Chief, and I said, what do y'all do there? They said, guys, the rules stay the same. Our allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America, and they left it at that. And I can't tell you how the conviction of these guys is real. And to allow them to come on my property or my county area is a slam dunk. And for them to ask permission for the city, I think it should be the same way, but I understand your thinking, but in some ways I don't. Yes. Is there any interaction with the public at all? Um, what they'll do, and this is really, this is where it's really kind of cool, say for example, they get permission to use a warehouse that you have, and it's signed permission, it's all that, and the owner of the warehouse or property gets no compensation from the government.

[1:45:45] It's a, and if anything is damaged, the government will pay for the damage. Sometimes they will go and they've got eight or ten guys with them and they're hungry. And they'll go and they'll see somebody and they'll try to get, say, can you help us get, we've got food in a certain location. Can you help us get to that food? Can you help us do, just like they would if they were in a foreign country and they're trying to feed their guys and they want to be as least conspicuous as possible to get there and do that and get the food back to the guys. That's where they do the interaction. And last year, they were staying on a ranch out in the country, and the lady knew they were there, but she didn't know what they were doing, and she didn't care. She's a wonderful lady, and she's a widow lady. She had fried chicken for them every day, not just every day, but all day. And so she would deliver it to them. She would take it out there. I don't care about the rule. She's not going to let her boys out there. So that's kind of interaction. They'll make, it's limited, but not very much. If it's, some of it's scripted and planned to meet with civilians, but they'll be in a restaurant, you won't know it, they'll be in church, you don't know it, you'll be in a grocery store with them and you don't know it. I mean, it looks like regular guys and girls, there's a couple women. I guess lastly, is this something sorta, and I don't know, I don't remember if it happened or not that they had military exercises down here in Sonora around the Sonora area. Is this something similar to that? When they did that, they used equipment. They used helicopters and troop equipment. None of that is seen. You don't see any military equipment. No helicopter flying over the middle of the night. No troop errors. Nothing. I'm not going to see that here. We wouldn't see that here.

[1:47:45] You see pickups and bands and cars and You know, that's all you see you see them in and they look like a record guy look like guys coming from Goodfella going home You know they but they're in civilian clothes Marty Why isn't Angela? It's one of the areas that they use are seven states that they're they used and they like said Angela because one you've got a a terrain and with a country they started with us in the county and they still done it this year. The terrain and accessibility to that terrain having the city of this size where they can move around without being conspicuous as if town like merchant or Ballinger someplace they can do their training which would be similar to what they would run into overseas and in either Africa or Eastern Europe or South America or someplace and they've got Goodfella where there's an understanding of this kind of training and procedures from the military troops and the leadership at Goodfella. I think earlier I was kind of against this and I talked to a couple people including you and I think that I've definitely changed my opinion on this I am in favor of it I would like to I'd like for them to get going on it. I don't see this as a, you know, like I shared the conspiracy theorists were coming out of the walls and none of that came to to be and I believe it's the same exercise basically the same exercise they pulled last year. This year they're just they're wanting to do it in town more so than they did in the county. So I am in favor of it. Who came to the county and made the request to the county? The man you met or Tom made, yeah. Why doesn't Tom made come to the city and make the same request to us that he made to the county? And I'm gonna tell you, Bill, this is the only problem I've got with this.

[1:49:46] I don't have a problem with the military. I don't have a problem with the exercise. I don't distrust it. What I distrust is the fact that they will not come and stand before that microphone and answer our questions when we're dealing with the city of 100,000 people. I don't appreciate that. Well, Mayor, I understand that. I understand your dissatisfaction with that, but also understand the role of command and control. And those guys that run the army and run the military and the Pentagon, that's why they have stars and bars. And then they said not to do it. You don't do it. And he doesn't have to answer why. He just got to find a solution. And I'm part of that solution. And having experienced them with them, I think what they're doing is well worth the trust and the effort of getting over that hump, Mayor. I really think that's something that you're not going to find any difficulty with once we've got through it. But we don't know, Bill, and that is the entire thing here. We don't know. We don't know what they're going to do. No. Now, you're standing up here and telling us what you think, but you are not the one in charge of this. That's right. And that's the problem I've got. If a man's going to come in and ask for permission, it needs to be the man that's in charge of it. he is not here. And you tell us that the sheriff is behind this. You tell us PD is behind this, but the sheriff is not here. The PD is not here. And that's what bothers me is all of this clandestine type stuff where they will not stand before us and answer our questions. Did you have a question, Elizabeth, or another statement this second round? I'd like to make a motion to approve the resolution presented. Okay, second. You have a motion to accept from Elizabeth. I do have a second from Rodney if there is no more council discussion I'll open it up to the public. I just want to make one comment. We have a base here and We all think we know what is done out there, but it's a military intelligence training base

[1:51:48] We don't know everything they do and they don't ask us for permission, of course, they're confined in that bench area. But in talking to various people in command in DC, that especially at the National Security Agency and talking with them, they stress the problems with leaks and innuendos that they have. and I do believe it's an honor for them to come to St. Angelo. I truly do. No further council, is there any further to council discussion on this? I will open up the public, Harry. I've ended the microphone way too many times today, but as somebody that served eight years in the US Air Force and was in the security service, I have to say that we did a lot of things that a lot of citizens didn't know about. I guarantee you it was my privilege then go ahead and take care of the citizens of this great country, the state, and it's my privilege now to have these young people working for the safety of my family and my neighbors and relatives. I fully support this. I do not need to know the details. I guarantee you that most citizens in this community do not need to know the details. Thank you, Hank. Yes, sir. All right, I commend you, Mayor Morrison, for standing up on this issue. I don't see how an destined interaction with Americans is going to help our troops defend us overseas. clandestine interaction with Americans has to do with Americans. The United States Constitution is fairly loud about the United States military operating within our borders. Don't accept anything other than communication and writing from a commanding officer with his command identified and make sure he's real

[1:53:54] Brother public comment. Yes, my name is still Jim Turner and I am also a military retiree 20 years in the Army most of the time fixing the equipment that various this three letter agencies and groups within the army used. They broke it, I fixed it. So I've seen a lot of what's going on here. And I understand the concerns that the city has here, especially with having somebody who is, even though he's part of the local government, it's not actually part of the operational control chain of what's going on here. I've served in various exercises, both major ones like Reforger in Germany, where the entire NATO was involved, and I understand the issues with operational security, and there's a lot of things that we don't want to let out on how we do things because that can damage our security and so on. At the same time, one of the reasons you have a representative from the people who are actually running the exercise is so that you've got good two-way communications established where everybody knows what the concerns of both sides are and instead of having something that's dictated, you actually have a partnership between the citizens, the community and the people who are going to be conducting this exercise, those they know what the areas are that are sensitive. When you've got this layer in between, the people are actually running the show and the people are down on the street. Some of the concerns that are not obvious are gonna get overlooked and they're gonna get trampled on

[1:55:55] and that's gonna create friction. The other thing is when you don't have somebody here that seems at least willing to participate, people are going to have more questions that are going to be more likely to have concerns and negative feelings about it than if you just had somebody show up and say, I'm the guy you're going to have to trust, I'm the guy that's going to be answerable is you've got concerns, let me know them now. I can't tell you everything we're going to do but I can tell you that I'm going to make sure that it's going to be the right thing to do and it's going to be there to protect you and the Constitution of the United States just like my office says. That's not happening here and that concerns me. This exercise, I'm absolutely sure, needs to go on. It needs to be done. I've seen the training in Europe. We're no longer doing a lot of this training outside the country because, operationally, politically, security-wise, we can't. We used to do it other places, but we can't now because there are really a lot of other places that are safe to do it anymore just because of security concerns. And it needs to be done. There's no doubt about that. But at the level of getting the community support and involvement, this particular operation is not doing very well and I think it's falling flat on its face because of that. I would, if I was sitting up there, which I'm not, and this is your decision, but if I was up there, I'd recommend say yes we're going to approve this with the caveat we need to have a designated some designated people we can go to with concerns that we get from the public. Maybe even have an executive section where the people up here in council can actually ask that. Not everybody needs to know what they need to know that the people they trust that they like that they control are fully on board and fully understand what's going on. Right now I don't see that as what's happening. Thank you Jim. Further public comment? Yes ma'am. There and Council I'm Gloria Henderson and I just want to make a comment about this.

[1:58:02] The whole damn skies falling again. Remember there are all these oil field workers are going to come in and rape and pillage and burns an Angelo? It's still standing. In answer to your question Johnny, one of your questions, you want to know why they didn't go out in the desert and do it. Unfortunately, the war is going on in hospitals and in schools throughout the world. In the malls, why would you go out and expect someone to train in the country when the war is in a city? It's where people live. My husband's, my brothers, my nieces and nephews have served and are serving. I trust what they do. I don't trust your president, but I trust what they do. And I encourage you, St. Angelo, don't go and send someone to Washington to keep good fell out here. Don't ask the citizens of St. Angelo to come in here and line up and say, come, come, come, come. Come to St. Angelo and live. Don't do that. Don't spend my tax money to do that. I get kind of emotional sometimes, Dwayne. You know that. but I just want to tell you you might have a concern because they won't come and tell you you have no business to know the secret of how they're going to protect me I am one of those hundred thousand people of San Angelo I am one of the 16 percent of seniors of San Angelo I've been around three weeks in this lifetime and I tell you San Angelo you better accept them and accept them willingly because they're here to protect me. You, you care for yourself. Thank you, ma'am. My name is Mike Boyd. Only comment I can make. I checked. I'm going to let you know I'm on Department of Homeland Security State Committee. It's also a

[2:00:04] critical infrastructure committee. All I wanted to say is I did validate that this scenario that's going to go on in Tom Green County and San Angelo is validated by the state and by Department of Homeland Security. Concerns about not being able to talk to you. I understand confidentiality because depending on the type of clearance that's required in that training, it would be at least a secret clearance. And this be a public forum. I can understand why they can't come and present that to you. But my point to tell you is that I have verified that through the state and I know it's what we call the sanction training event, okay? Question, please. Yes. Some of the information I've received on this is that Governor Abbott was opposed to this. Did you get the same email, Daniel, that Governor Abbott had come out against this, this operation of that's the information I've got. If you heard anything about that, yes, he was opposed to he had asked this training exercise not to do a public briefing or because of him kind of fall out. Now, I don't understand that one. That's not the way I read it. But that may be what it was. I think that would be intent of his staff to the to the group. And I have no knowledge of that. I just know but it was briefed at one of our DHS meetings two months ago. And we verified that originally when they went to Tom Green County, because it does obviously cause you concern. But it was a scheduled training event, and we were included one of those seven states. So I hope that helps a little bit. Thank you, Mike. Further public comment on this? I will abide by the council decision. Had they stood up here in front of us and told us what they were going to do, I would support them 100%. They didn't. and because they did not stand up here and answer our questions, I will not. But whatever the council decides, that's the decision we're going to make. One more. Yes, sir?

[2:02:06] Go off the game today. No way. But you're still hurting, aren't you? Yeah, if they stood up here and told you all what they was doing, the exercise would be canceled because it'd be totally useless at that point. They stood before the county commissioners and made the presentation. and they did and at the county commissioner they stood before it made the presentation and it was not canceled. Okay let me ask you this right there's TV cameras worst enemy our soldiers have worst enemies worse than terrorists got all the news media here and you were going to say what they're gonna do won't even know their in town and the reason I know that is because I used to do this when I was in the military, you know, that's our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters. We'd rather let them train in this town or we'd rather come back here in us burial because they didn't train. Thank you, sir. Thank you for your service, sir. Any further public comment for a call for the vote? Motion has been made, do we accept this, that we write a letter of invitation to the army and have them come into our city the motion has been made it has been seconded and if there is no further comment I will call for the vote all in favor of this please say aye aye all opposed nay put a 6-1 on that one let's move on now the regular agenda's first public hearing and consideration of ordinances amending appendix a fee schedule for the code of ordinances number one creating do you We're going to read all of these together, Morgan, or just want to do them one at a time.

[2:04:06] Let's try to tackle them all together and we can. Okay. Creating article A1400 facility use fee, section A14001 airport conference room, deleting and replacing article A1100 fire and rescue service fees, deleting and replacing article A1200 fire safety inspection fees, amending article 89000 planning related fees, and deleting and replacing article 8200 building and construction related fees. Your own, Ms. Jegwin. Thank you, Councilor Mayer. Please bear with me while I'm fighting a cough and sniffle, so thank y'all for being patient with me. What's going on here today, or we had the results of our fee review, we began discussions with the council last meeting and we're continuing those in the introduction of these ordinances. So with before you is what we discussed last time and so we have half of the departments ready for you in this agenda item in first reading of the ordinance and it's specifically airport or the facility use, the fire and rescue fees, the fire prevention fees, and then the planning and as well as the permits and inspections fees. And so as I mentioned they are unchanged from our last council meeting. And so it's really at the council's pleasure if we want to go through these items again one by one, or if you want to take each of those bullets on their own, that's an option as well. Why don't you just flip through them all so that we can see them, Morgan? Yes, sir. So the first ordinance before you is the creating article a 14 facility use fees. So this is simply implementing the airport staff recommendation to charge $25 per hour to use that conference room at the airport terminal. The cost of that service is estimated at $16. Their survey information to support that this is below survey, just implementing a new fee here

[2:06:07] to propose for the airport conference room. The next item before you is the deleting and replacing the fire and rescue service fee. So the only items changing in that fire and rescue service ordinance are these four items before you, the transfer transport for ambulance aircrew at a cost, I mean, I'm sorry, at a proposed fee of $350, the institutional charge for non-reimbursed patient transfer proposed at $350, the absorbent per bag of proposed fee of $25, and the absorbent booms proposed fee of $60 each of those items covering the estimated cost of service. Hold on, let me wrap that down, please. Yes, sir. May I? Yes, sir. Mayor, while you're writing, I was at the fire station Friday and I happened to ask Chief Dunne. I was having a mattress sale the way things were stacked over in the store and the absorb it. We have to buy it's on hand and it sits and it's there when they need it and they use it. This is something that like shopping, you know, they've got it on the shelf whenever they've got an oil spill or a gasoline spill. This absorbent goes to that spill. Is that correct? That's correct. And we pass along that fee. We didn't have it on hand. It would be and had to order it. All right. And it's not uncommon. Our current fee of $17.40. That was implemented when the cost was $17.40. dollars since costs have risen over years, that's why the proposed fee is recommended to increase as well. Looking at the size of those packages, moving, you know, taking a really strong person, just lifting and moving and stacking, it just seems real cheap, in just my opinion. Is it simply the cost of the product? I've got

[2:08:13] them now, Morgan. Thank you, sir. The next item before you is the deleting and replacing article A12 for fire safety inspection fees and the only ones before you for consideration are the ones that we went over last meeting the first item their inspection fee for schools daycares and head starts proposing a fee of $100 plus $10 per building the next item is inspection fee apartment complex so that would be changing the fee to $25 plus $10 per building and the next fee inspection fee for hotels motels, $100 plus $10 per building, and the fire watch per hour implementing a new item for citizens to be able to use at a proposed fee of $25 per hour. Not quite covering costs there, but our intent is to be able to phase in. This is a new thing, so let's start charging $25 an hour and then continue to consider in future years fee review. The next item is a fire code compliance inspection, which is including a plan review and final inspection for the certificate of occupancy, implementing a new fee of $100, not quite covering our costs there, but again, being cognizant of the impact on our customers. Morgan, go back. What is the fire watch? I can let the fire staff speak to that specifically. That's okay, I thought that might be new. I don't understand where it is. It's related to if you wanna hold an event, you want a fire marshal to be on the premises to make sure that the rules are followed, that your maximum occupancy is safe. We can get you those answers. Okay. The next fee recommended is inspection fee for aviation services proposing a fee of $75. Again not quite covering our costs there but with the current fee of $50 we didn't see doubling it you know just in one year. Inspection fee for exhibits and trade shows, again, proposed fee of $100 that does cover cost of service there.

[2:10:19] Inspection fee for high-piled storage, proposing a fee of $75 where the estimated cost of service is not quite covered, but wanting to take that in steps. The inspection fee for lumber yards and woodworking plants, proposing to go to $100. The inspection fee for repair garages and motor fuel dispensing facilities, proposing a fee of $75 that's right at cost, as well as the inspection fee spring and dipping that's right at cost of $75 as well. Continuing with fire prevention, the inspection fee storage of scrap tires and tire products proposing that fee be increased to $75. The inspection fee for wrecking yards proposing that fee at $75. Inspection fee of waste handling and recycling facilities proposing that Phoebe increase to $75, excuse me, the sprinkler system installation kind of cleaning up some language there, instead of having a different phased in approach of $75 to $150, it's really the same to staff no matter where you are in those tiers to propose that fee of, I don't flat $100. The fire alarm system permit fee to propose to increase to $75, the hood system installation to be proposed to increase $250 and the hospitals and nursing homes to propose the fee at $300 plus $10 per building and those are each of the fire prevention fees. The next bullet before you is the amending article A900 related to planning related fees and so there are three fees related to planning before you today. The first there is a new item, a new fee proposed. It's the application for design review for administratively eligible projects within the river corridor, it's kind of a new service that's come about and we wanted to be able to capture and charge for staff time related to those. So that would be proposing a fee of $50, again, not covering the cost on that one, but being cognizant of going from $0 to $50, does have an impact on our customers and wanted to face

[2:12:20] that in over time. The next item for planning is related to the application for expansion of nonconforming use, proposed fee of $350 just at cost of service. supplemental fee for replats, proposing a fee of $125 to increase from $106. And the last ordinance before you is related to deleting and replacing Article A to for building and construction related fees, we have two items that are changing on that ordinance related to the building permit re-inspection, a proposed fee of $35 to get us really close to that covering that cost of service, and then the inspection after $430 for a two-hour minimum, four cases that qualify just covering our cost of service for that at $53 per hour. Those are the fees proposed for you today in those individual ordinances. This is the first reading, the financial impact for the airport fee is $100. The financial impact for the next two items for fire and fire prevention together is right at $135,000 and the financial impact of what we expect would occur in a normal year for the development services items. The planning and the permits would be about $3,000. Are we with you, Rodney? How did we determine the cost of the services? For each of the cost of services, my staff and I met with the managers and directors to work through what items were included in that. And so we have a calculator where we estimate the cost of supplies, consumables, heavy machinery, and staff time. For the vast majority of these, you'll see what's driving them as staff time. For example, in planning, we don't necessarily buy supplies to provide these services. It's primarily the staff time to spend on any one of these specific items. Instead of coming back to me, I'm just going to go ahead and say, my recommendation is

[2:14:22] to go ahead and raise all the fees or lower, there were a couple that were higher than the estimated cost of service. My recommendation is to raise all the fees to the exact cost of service because these are businesses that are coming in and asking for these services. This is not me or Joe Blowout here that has a residential home that's not dealing with these things. This is a person or a business that's asking for these services. So I would recommend raising all prices raising or lowering all prices to the estimated cost of service. Marty. Well I agree with Rodney I think it's a user fee and and rather than rather than go in and raise them now and then look at raising them again in the near future I think we should just take them to the what the estimated cost of the services and be my recommendation. I think that means on some of the proposed fees that would go down, of course, the estimated cost. I'm fine with that. Yeah. I have no problem with it. I do have one question. On that airport conference room, who rents that or who uses it or how often is it rented? I can let Lou speak to that specifically if he wants to make his way up here, but I believe it's a bonus to be able to offer to business people who fly in instead of running a car instead of going to wherever they're going to do their business, they can actually use our facility at our terminal. It's an extra service to them that's really not cumbersome to us, but can provide that extra service to our visitors. We have clients that fly in and fly out and never leave the airport, they just... Is it that big room we... Yes, Morgan answered it correctly. It's businesses that call in ahead of time, fly in, hold the meeting and fly out. For our tenants, they want to use it, we do not charge them, they're already paying rent. But this is for outsiders coming in, wanting to use the

[2:16:24] facility and then take a flight out. He's quite a bit. Lately we haven't, but we just opened it recently. I agree with Rodney. I just don't see why the fees that we charge should be lower than the cost of service plain and simple. It should be run like a business and not ran in the rent. All right, I'm agreeing with Charlotte. Elizabeth. I'm agreeing with Lucy. I think that, well, and so that the public knows because I'm having the pleasure of talking about this about every other night. If we don't do this, the taxpayer who is not pulling a permit is subsidizing these costs for things they have no control over. So the idea of a user fee when When you have the discretionary income or discretionary decision-making ability to be involved in this, I think is important, and that then relieves the taxpayer of subsidizing that burden. So I'm a big believer in the user fee concept, and I'm like Rodney, I think we just go ahead and get to the actual cost of service and move on. And the good thing is, as he's pointed out, there are a couple of things where we're actually going to lower the fees. Are you saying that there's taxpayers out there that don't pull permit fees? Sure, that never pull a permit fee. You're talking about a business owner or just a regular? No, we're all subsidizing these as taxpayers. If we're not building on a carport or if we're not asking for a variance, we're subsidizing those costs if they're not reflecting the actual cost of service. It's my turn now, and once again, I'm going to take the exact opposite side on this.

[2:18:26] But go back to these fees on the inspection fees. I think it's the third one. Permits and inspections of the fire production. Oh, the inspections, $25 per fee, and going to $100, no. Yeah, that was it. The last one. Let me give you a little history on this. Back in 2008, we charged zero for inspections. There was no charge at all. That was part of what we pay in our property taxes to the fire department, part of what the fire department gets, and their job was to see that we were safe and to inspect these businesses. There was zero charge. In 2008, 2008, 2009, they came to us and said it cost us $25 to make these inspections. We would like to be able to charge $25 per inspection to make up our cost. Now we are in 2016, less about seven years later, and all of a sudden the cost has gone from $25 to $172, $172, $134, $165, and $172. In seven years it has gone from $25 cost to $172, and in 2008 we charge nothing. I do not go with the arbitrary figures that we're coming up with. And I think that the people get something for the taxes, the property taxes that they pay and portions of that property tax goes for fire and police protection. That's my first point. The next point I want to make, and I see you coming up, Joanne, are you going to argue with me? I just wanted to point out that one of the fees we are not changing is the one for like the mom and pop and general businesses. Those are still at $25. And so those for the general lower down types of business, I don't mean to use that word, but small businesses. Yes, those are not changing. They were not charged in 2008. Correct. So it was added in 2008 at $25.

[2:20:26] And now it's $172. So it's taken a $405. No, it's still at $25. Small businesses are still only $25. are not listed here. That is what we call a routine. How much did we charge for inspections on a department in 2008? It's $25. And now it's $172. That's what I'm saying. You're making four and five hundred percent increases in the cost to our citizens and it has not gone up four to five hundred percent. You know, if you'd come in and said it costs just 25 and 208, it costs just 50 today, I can buy that. But to go from 25 to 172 is not right. And And my next point, you'll get on the second round. My next point is that in this last couple of months, we have seen some 17% decreases in our sales tax, which means that this recession is now hitting the city of San Angelo. We're dealing with that. We're dealing with that as a city, and I guarantee you we are dealing with this as citizens of this city. And to come up with these tremendous, 400% increases, right here when we're dealing with crisis, people that were making $20 are now struggling for an $8 and a $10 job. It's terrible timing and I cannot believe that we have gone from a $25 cost in 2008 to $172 cost in 2016. I think the numbers are exorbitant and I was and I was going to say if we want to do these one at a time, I will support Brian Dunn's 350 ambulance air crew and I would support the 350 but those are in the absorbent and the fire watch fee. I don't have a problem with those, but I'm going to vote against everything. And if this is put in a package, I'm going to vote against the whole thing. But I can see a couple of these where there might be a reason for it. But these are arbitrary numbers that are not reflective of actualities from 2008 to 2016. Second round, Charlie. Well, I know that in the last budget period, we gave our fireman, police and employees a

[2:22:27] substantial raise five and a half percent. That, to me, tells me that we're going to have to make some adjustments to help us have the income, especially if our sales tax are down to 17 percent. And I personally have walked with an inspector and opened every door in a hundred unit or a hundred and eighty unit, apartment complex, while he checked smoke alarms, batteries, operation, fire extinguishers. That takes time, and that time, especially if that property person has got to stop and go take care of something, because that bar marshal cannot go into any unit without someone there, because it's a private home. So it takes time, it can take half a day, it can take a whole day to do, say, 100 units. It takes time. the same with the schools and it takes considerable time. Sometimes, or my Marshall has to come back the next day to finish the inspection. It runs into money. It's a matter of man hours and hourly time that the city has to pay and sometimes property owners can be difficult or argumentative and be a little slower than they should be when you know they're just you're just trying to do your job and I know that for a fact so I do support the increases. Are the counts comment on this? Well the last thing that I would say on this is these rates have not been raised since 2008 is that correct that alone is blows

[2:24:31] my mind and I know that and within the last two years we've talked about working on keeping our fees up to date of what the actual cost is. So to me, I was put in this position to look after our money and make sure that we are spending it the way it needs to be spent. And I don't think I want to subsidize someone that's doing a business or asking for a permit or something like that, that's their deal. That's not my deal. Now, if I go out and ask for a permit, which I do regularly, I feel as though I need to be paying for that, I don't wanna have some resident in town having to pay or subsidize and we're subsidizing. That's what we're doing on all this. If it says that it's cost us $172 to do it and we're only charging $100, that's $72 don't come out of thin air, the $72 comes out of everybody's pocket. So I move that we move all the fees to the estimated cost of service, whether that be up or down on all the things that are presented. I'm sorry, if I may bring the attention to, there is a fee in the planning proposal for application for design review for administratively eligible projects within the River Corridor. This would make the fee, if we go to cost of service of $195, that would make the fee more than the fee that's charged to folks that do go to the River Corridor Commission and John James can speak to that. So that one would have an impact on other areas in the fee ordinance. And if it's the council's pleasure, we can go back and look at that and estimate the cost on that one, or we could consider the proposal of $50. That's one thing that could be problematic. It would actually be more expensive to do it this way. It costs us to $195 to do that, right? Correct, but we weren't considering proposing a fee increase the application for design review for the other type of river corridor and we

[2:26:34] probably should if we're gonna make this one the higher amount. Well I would want to leave this like it is and bring the other one back and let's raise it. We can do that in second reading current. That's my opinion and then. Sure I have a question. Thank you all. We're getting we're talking about proposed fees and estimated cost of service. Why are we going with a lower amount on the proposed fee if you know that cost of service is higher? Why would you propose a lower amount? You're really three things that drive why we propose the fees that we do. One of them is the cost of service. Another one is survey information. What other cities are charging, what other private entities locally are charging, and then what the financial impact is to the bottom line of each of those divisions. So for some of these, we felt that it was prohibitive compared to the survey information that we would actually be charging more than. I will say that, you know, just last year, we implemented this comprehensive fee review process where we have a standardized approach across the city, where everybody goes through the same process, everybody receives the same information, everybody considers the same costs when they're proposing their fees, and to my knowledge, many peers don't go through that level of detail. And so we also wanted to be cognizant of. So of those three things, that's really what drives why we propose the fees we do. We also want to be cognizant of the impact to our customers in any one fee review year. We didn't want to curtail customers' abilities by proposing the fees at a higher rate. That's consistent with direction we've received in the past, not to be too shocking on those increases. Be able to take baby steps so steps towards progress not perfection in any one year but progress towards improvement over time and all those can hold weight and it's the pleasure of this council how we move forward. We did

[2:28:35] have the same discussion last year I guess some of the areas that were proposed were actually below this and they cost the service and the same discussion was had last year why are we doing it you know and we talked about doing it incrementally. This is basically, I don't know what process was followed back in 2008 to set prices or fees, but I'll tell you at this point what we're trying to absolutely make sure we do is if we look at the estimated cost of service, what it costs the city to provide that service, and these are the numbers that we have developed and we come up with from a business perspective and we started looking at where I provided services for businesses, thought that was fair. Last year, again, we went and incremental incremental amount. We just want to make sure that we don't have a what's happened in the past where you go seven, eight, nine years before a fee is adjusted. All of a sudden we're going up 50%. So we want to review these on a yearly basis and make sure that they're incremental. It seems to me it's really important. Marty's waiting. First of all, for I forget, Mayor, I'd like to thank you for the history Thank you, sir. It makes me feel better. Yeah, but who verified the who verified the estimated cost of service? It was a cooperative effort between my staff and I and the managers and directors that oversee the specific service For fire it was my staff and I in chief done And we know all due respect the mayor has a different opinion really a question of timing and we we remember saying gradually do it but if Rodney is willing to make a motion to move to kind of real costs I don't I don't have a problem with that either if that's the new direction of the council I trust your work and I trust that you can verify that but in the end I think

[2:30:36] the average citizen, the homeowner, who may not be participating in these businesses needs as much relief as anyone. So I think this is the way to get there. And this is real money because just in one of the things, it was 300, was it 300 something thousand, the effect? Yes, sir. Yes, sir. I mean, this is real money. That's 300,000. You could have a sidewalk on 19th street. You could have some new lights down in the historical district. That's $300,000 that aren't coming out of my pocket, they're coming out of someone, they're paying for a service that's being an ender. So it's whatever and so I've made my motion. I don't know if anyone in the second is okay. Thank you Charlotte. I don't comment. We did give raises to our employees, but the property appraisals on our homes and our businesses in the last four or five years have gone up by great percentages every year. And although the city has helped down the property rate, and in fact has lorded some 10 cents in the last 10 to 12 years, taxes have gone up and they're going up every year because the appraisal values that the state set is going up. So even though the tax rate stayed the same, people are paying more taxes each year and they paid more taxes for the last five to six years, the tax increases have increased greatly because the appraisal values have a pre-increased greatly and my whole point is is that we pay property taxes for for core support services one of those being police one of those being fire and we have given raises but we have also received millions of extra dollars per year because of the increase to appraisal values for the next few years and I guess my closing question is when we get things so high for our citizens and in the depressed area of the end of the depressed time like we are now. Who's going to pull a wagon when we've crucified and eaten all

[2:32:40] the horses and that's kind of where I'm coming from here. This is terrible timing. The increases are too high and it'll be another 6-1 vote and that's fine. Do I have perfect comment on this before we vote? You can sneak a sunrise by rooster before you could sneak something about turning, you know it's niegeson, right? I'm still Jim Turner and really what this is is a question of what city council and city government is going to subsidize and how they're going to subsidize it. If you take and look at the entire budget, there's a lot of things that the city council is paying for that could probably be paid for by other ways and the decision philosophically that the council has to make is the impact this particular restructure and how much of it is used for as a substance again how much of it pays for service is the impact that that has on the community and the businesses and the citizens really what Council wants to say. If it is, that's great, but that's really the question here. The amount of the fees is really not the question. The question here is how do we subsidize businesses and citizens and make sure that we're subsidizing fits in with the overall philosophy of City Council. that's what this boat is on. It's not just the bees. If you try to reduce it to that, I think you probably haven't thought about it completely yourself. It's not about that. It's how do we subsidize businesses, community, services, recreation, everything the city subsidizes.

[2:34:41] And that's $50 a year, not just in user fees. How do we subsidize what we and our citizens to tell us this is about you. Thank you. Further public comment? Kelly, I'm going to be wearing my citizen hat because I do happen to live in San Angelo. And there's one item that got my attention. Morgan, would you please come up? You are rushed to con. I'm rushed to con. Yes. Very uncomfortable being here. Speaking to microphone, please, ma'am. Could we go to the fire service fees, please? The one I am concerned about is the institutional charge for non-reimbursed patient transfer. It's going from zero to $350. Now, I have heard a lot of mention about business. Let's run this like a business. And the thing is you're a city government. And one thing I know about business, because I used to actually cover business at one point, is a lot of businesses pass on the cost to the customers, and the non-reimbursed patient transfers too. And if I'm wrong, please feel free to come up and correct me. Involves elderly patients and their families. And I just want to make sure that you all are taking steps to make sure that $350 is not being tacked on to bills that are already pretty hard on them. Thank you. Thank you, Rasta. We talked about this, Brian. Yes, sir. There is a lot that is opening its up to a lot of abuse. This one here, the institutional charge, what is happening is we are building the patient in the nursing home or transport back

[2:36:42] and forth between the hospitals. What may happen is Medicare may deny it because of the way it was set up or something like that. And my understanding from the talks that the chief borned has went around to the nursing homes and talk to them about is that they either get a certain amount of dollars to take care of all the patients that spent at the nursing home or where they happen to be at. And what we're actually doing, because the ability to do the transport is actually more than that. We're trying to work with the institution because we're not getting reimbursed from that first one. So the institution is still responsible for their transport. So they've agreed to, you know, we said, you know, we know that it's not, was a patient that needed the transport, but you guys were required to set this up for them. So we were trying to work something that would help the institutions out because we end up with discussions between the hospitals and the nursing home about who's responsible to get this patient back. And this is what we were trying to do. The charge is already there. It's actually more than the $350 on the initial transport charge. trying to work since the institution is not actually the patient to try and help them out and recover some of our cost. It's 600 something. I'm not sure what the transport charges. That is the explanation for that. And like I said, the other one, the charges are there. She has zeros because they're being reworded in our billing deal for us to help us out. Like I said, the first one we've been building under standby, but we're doing aircraft transports, where we're having arguments with the air transport crews because we never take charge of the patient. We never take responsibility of the patient. We are transporting air crews and equipment back and forth. That's zero, it's not zero. It's not zero. They are being billed right now, about $350.

[2:38:42] But I don't have that specific wording in the ordinances. This is where we get into the semantics with them, because they want us to build a patient. unlike the services being provided to you, because half the time there's not even a patient on board that and once we're carrying the crew and the equipment. And the reason we list that as zero is because it is a new fee, it's a gap in service, as Chief Dunn said. So, absent a specific language to be able to address it, we were charging the $600 fee, which proved troublesome, so. Are there public comment on this? Before it even starts, I'm saving them $13 right there, right off the bat. Ocean has been made that we go to the estimated cost of service and raise that to make that the current fee it has been seconded. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. All opposed? Nay. Put a 6-1 on that one. Let's move on to item number E, which is discussion regarding the annual fee review for neighborhood and family services, finance and water. Mr. Gewiddin, you are on again then. Thank you, Brian's gonna bring up my presentation this next item. So we're continuing. This will conclude our presentation of proposals related to this year's fee review process. Of course, we presented half of the departments. Last meeting, continue those discussions just now. So these are the remaining departments that recommended proposed changes that we wanted to go over with the council at this time as a discussion item. So this is not new information from last time, but this is moving forward with the calendar of introducing the discussions for these folks specifically. So for the finance department specifically real estate, there are a couple fees, if I think five, yes, fees proposed to increase. The first is a transfer fee for leases

[2:40:42] that are these organizational, recreational, grazing or agriculture. We currently charge a fee of $50. We would propose going to $100 because that cost of service is at $113. the granting fee for residential leases. We currently charge $150. We're not quite covering our cost of $57, so we proposed a fee of $500. And then the granting fee commercial, we proposed a fee of $1,000 when that cost of service is $877. I'm sorry, Morgan, can you explain the granting fee, residential granting fee commercial? Yes, I'll actually defer to Cindy Priest. she's available to speak to the specifics of how each of those items. There is another granting fee on your next page considered as well. And a tenant requests a new lease, then that's considered a granting fee. That involves the city actually doing research. We take the item to council, so every new lease requires council action. Does require city attorney's review, so it's just a timely process. Then the late fee for residential leases at late NAS worthy that the current fee is $20. We would recommend proposing a fee of $40 because it is quite costly to the division for those items with the cost of $186. The next division that is proposed for consideration is related to animal services under neighborhood and family services. The first one for consideration is proposing an increase of $210 for the heartworm test that estimated cost of service is $16. The animal pickup at, I'm sorry,

[2:42:42] the Estre Livestock is proposed at $25 that estimated cost of service is actually $83. The animal pickup at owners request proposing to implement a fee of $25 with that cost of service estimated at $39. I will say that for animal services, the estimated cost of service is just that an estimate. For other fees that we've talked about, it's a pretty standard process that if I serve Ms. Grindstaff, it's very similar to when I serve Mr. Fleming, that it basically takes about the same amount of staff time for animal services. It can vary quite a bit, and so this is our estimated cost of service, but it can vary. The next removal of dead animal or livestock proposing a new fee of $25. The next item is an owner-requested flea tick dipping treatment proposing a fee of $8. Yes sir. Yes sir. Yes sir. Could you go back? Are the animal pick up and the removal of a dead animal? Are those in place? Do we service those? Those are services we currently offer? I thought we didn't. That we do not currently charge a fee for? We did not do that. Is that a live animal that someone's surrendering or is that a dead animal? It did. Removal it did. Do we do those too? We are asking as much as possible. I'm sorry, James Flores, Assistant Director and Everybody Family Services, if it's on your private property, we were asking you to help us help you and dispose of it accordingly. However, in that conversation, if it's an item that's big, large, heavy, if it's yeah, or a top five rabbit or elderly disabled, I mean, we really tried to bet that process. If it's a kitten that you ran over in your driveway, we're asking you to dispose of that in normal household which is what we do as a city. We put it in a dumpster. So we are backing down from those services due to an inefficient measure that's taking place by providing that. However, if people want that service,

[2:44:43] this is what it would cost and this is what I prefer. Yeah, in the public right of way, absolutely. We're still to it knows, but this is all private property dealing with it. Next few fees are related to an owner request of euthanasia. We're proposing a tiered schedule because the cost for euthanizing is different based on the size of the animal. And so those fees are at 10, 15, 20, and $25. The next item is a rabies submission head test proposing a fee of $40 that estimated cost is at $81. The transport fee devete proposing implementing a fee of $25. The animal surrender, that would be whether, and I'm sorry, this was an early version, that would be whether it's a single pet or multiple pets or litter that is a proposed fee of $10. And then the next item is a trap deposit to charge $20 to be able to loan out live animal traps to public citizens for use. And then the next item is the spay-neuter program. It'll be $10 to $65, and there's a schedule in your background based on the federal poverty levels that that will be varying amounts from $10 to $65. Excuse me. And James does have more information on the low cost spanner program federal poverty levels if you want to go into that level of detail. Morgan, so now you're saying that if they drop off an animal or some animal that they picked up from somewhere, it's gonna cost them $10? Yes, there is a recommendation to increase that fee from $0 to $10 implementing that new fee. These items have been to the animal services committee for consideration. There has been a lot of discussion on that one in particular. And that's what we determined was was fair as a first stop to to begin People don't have $10. We're just gonna let the animal run wild till y'all go pick them up

[2:46:45] Well again, I think it's about how better we are at the at the front counter And I think there's a way to bet that process as well. We're currently practicing that now Somebody I don't want to discourage somebody from picking up a loose tray animal and bringing it to us because we are the we're ultimately the the safest place for that animal. But we do and can, through a process, figure out if it's in fact an owner surrender. And I think the owner surrender is what's burdening us more than the act of kindness given to buy some citizen. Again, that's a discretionary item that I think in this whole ordinance setup we're asking for a lot of discretion to some capacity, some degree, to be able to utilize to the best of our ability in talking to that citizen customer what really needs to happen here, because we deal with more surrenders than we do with the acts of kindness, but we don't want to discourage the act of kindness. Thank you. The next division for consideration is related to the water fees. Recall that we just did a water rate study, and that's specifically about consumption. But the proposed fees before you today are all the other fees that occur in the water department for the proposal. The first set of fees before you is related to the different grout levels. Instead of having the old methodology of an entirely different set of rates for each of the different levels that we would propose multipliers at these different levels. And the specifics of the meter size and residential in each of that is in your background. But for example, if we were in drought level one, the multiplier would be one to 1.2 times. the base rate, I mean, I'm sorry, the original rates per 1,000 gallons, and so that is in line with discussions we've had, but this would be just the proposal to put it in an ordinance at a future meeting.

[2:48:47] The next set of items, the next one is the fire hydrant deposit proposing a fee of $1,500 to cover our cost of service. The one-inch fire service tabs, the four-inch and the six-inch, $1,250 to $3,000 each of those an attempt to cover cost of service. The next set of fees proposed in water are related to the water deposits. And recall that this is money that the water user gets back upon termination of service if they meet those qualifications. So this is simply the upfront money to turn on your service. So the proposed fee for residential at $75, commercial at that same size, $110, residential $1.85, commercial $1.25, each of these items as you'll see we're going through our intended to cover the cost of service, the deposits for one and a half inch for residential is $95 for commercial is proposed $235 for the two inch it's $110 for residential $435 for commercial and then residential and commercial at the three inch would be $575. The next set of fees for water related to tap charges. So this would be, for example, if there was a new tap being put in for the 5-8 inch meter, our recommendation would be that if it's the meter only, it would be the $250. If it's the tap and meter, it would be the $1,500. And then for the one inch, similarly, $350 for the meter only, $1,600 the tap and meter for the one and a half inch tap charges the meter would be $800 and the tap and meter would be $3,000 and again they're just covering costs on each of those. So the next one would be the $800 for the meter only $3,000 per tap and meter for the compound 2 inch would be meter only at $1,800 and the tap and meter would be $4,000 and that's related

[2:50:51] to our initial cost of buying that meter but then also if there's any trench work or staff time or all of those are related in that the tap and meter amount and then the three-inch would be at meter only of $1,875 in tap and meter of $4,500. Good question. Are these all business or is it business and residential? This would be all development. Any new service added in? Yeah. Each of these new two taps for three inch and four inch similarly to what we just discussed and then the six inch at those amounts there. And then for the lake meters, the one and a half inch would be $1,250 for sewer for the wastewater division, the four inch with trench repair would be $1,225 and for the six inch with trench repair and manhole would be $2,475. for this is water and wastewater together for the water main extension over 300 feet would be we would request that it be reflective of actual material equipment and labor costs. We have a similar statement in other ordinances for fees. This one is just too difficult to determine what the cost would be. It can vary so much depending on the property and so it would be our recommendation that language be included to allow staff to simply pass on the cost of that service specifically, and we can track that easily with our work order system. And then same thing with the sewer line extension for private law. Morgan, you said on some of the animal related fees that y'all had taken those to the board. On tap fees, if you go back, was there any committee outside of staff that input on those? I can defer to Bill and Allison about that.

[2:52:52] I know it's been a long discussion, including the discussions we started with, Ralph Telles, when they were doing the water rate study, these were things that we had in mind and have been working throughout that timeline. So I'll defer to staff for your specific question. The multiplier for the drought fees was reviewed by the advisory committee, other advisory board. However, the TAP fees have not been taken to them, and these do reflect the actual cost of service of providing those. And these are some fees that are very old. Some of these have not been looked at or changed in over 20 years. It was me. In looking at the fees, and yes, they're high, they've not been adjusted up annually, which they should have, shame on us. But you're developers that come in from out of town, and hey, you know, it's a great spot, hot spot. It's selling all the, you know, let's build houses. When do we think about water, water, water? do we have enough water for all of these additional taps? And if they're more expensive, that may be caution. To look at, I don't mean to don't shoot the messenger, Rodney. There's a lot of existing homes out there to sell, other than continuing to build. But to me, this is a cost that is the developer's cost and should be burdened by the developer, not the city. I believe the increase is in order. Well, on this one, this one, I am going to align more with Duane on that. That is a cost that will be directly pushed to the resident. Your house construction costs will go up. This is what I would propose. I would propose on the pet services fees, there are going to be some things that we cannot pass along to the people to pay for, I believe, in my opinion.

[2:54:55] And I would propose not to raise any of the pet services fees at all. that's something that that's a community health services type situation so I think keeping them where they're at now I would not have a problem with. As far as the deposits I don't even understand that as deposits raising those I would not want to raise the deposits either. The tap and meters I would not raise those I would I propose I move that we raise all fees to the current cost of service except for pet services fees, deposits, tap a meter, and sewer connection fees. I can't go with pet services because that's one of the reasons they're in the shape they're in. We never raise any fees and they don't have any money. Oh, you know, I would be willing to go with everything except pet services. And I will say that today is a discussion item. We'll take what you direct us to do today, build the ordinances and hopefully bring that back to you next meeting. And so whatever direction the consensus can give today, we'll work through that with legal staff. Any other council comment on this? There. Good answer. One of the things I'd add about the animal fees is many of those fees are designed to anticipate or stimulate certain types of behavior from owners or the public. And so there has been substantial thought and conversation with the board about designing those fees so that we can have a positive financial impact, but also that we don't shoot ourselves in the foot with fees. We talked earlier about a surrender fee and the difficulty with that, they did spend a lot of time on that. concerned about the behavior we might encourage by moving fees too far, one in one direction or another. So if I could reiterate the recommendation of the animal services advisory committee for

[2:57:01] the proposed fees. The only ones I'm going to support out of this whole thing are the drought fees. I'll support the drought fees because that's our water and that's our city. The city charter has charged us to protect the health, safety, and the welfare of our citizens. And when you've got dead animals laying around, that is a health issue. When we start charging a surrender fee, all these people are going to do. They're not going to pay $10 to let their dog or their cat or something that's come up go. They're going to take them out in the country and they're going to dump them out in front of my property because I've already got about a dozen feral cats living out there that have been dumped. What we're doing is taking the problem from the pound or the animal scouter where it belongs and we're putting it on other people. So we don't want rabies. We don't want to raise all these so the people quit going to the vet until they quit vaccinating because then we're going to have a rabies problem like they had in Fort Worth. We don't want to make the surrender fees because then they're just going to take a might drop them on somewhere else, and these fees to raise these water and sewer is absolutely ludicrous. So I will support the drought fees, but I'm not going to support anything else. Any other comment on this before we go to public comment? Well, can you go over to the, again, to the TAP fees? You know, was it last year, or I don't know, months ago, I can't remember when we talked about some of the of building permit fees. And we went, y'all eventually worked with home builders on a new fee structure and they were supportive of those going up because they realized the benefit and really the necessity of that. I think some of these development fees are necessary. Certainly when you see how different the current fee is versus what you estimate the cost of that service. I would like, like some of the other fees have had, is some feedback from those that are directly affected, those that where there is an entity or an industry that has an association that maybe could at least provide some direct input into that.

[2:59:19] Liz, we can definitely do that. I'm not asking the Fox to look at the in-house, but I think that some of these associations are supportive when they truly understand all of the facts surrounding the issue. We can definitely look at industry numbers as well and not just look at the cost of doing service, but also look at the industry numbers to come back and say, well, this is what we are looking at as far as industry-wide, what it actually does cost those other entities as well to provide this type of service. So we can definitely do that again. This is a discussion item. This is not an action item at this point. I'm going to say, let's see. And we can go back and take a look at that as well. We table, I propose we table this to come back. Well, it's just a discussion. They're going to bring something back. I mean, if you're for it, tell them if you're not for it. Tell them.

Transcribed 2026-07-27 with faster-whisper (base.en) · source: youtube.com/watch?v=wMuZ8Ky6wNI