[00:00:06]
[RECONVENE MEETING]
CALL THE ORDER MEETING BACK TO ORDER AT SIX 30.WE, OUR INVOCATION WILL BE LED BY PASTOR DENNY DAVIS AT ST.
JOHN UNLEASHED AND REVEREND DAVIS, I APPRECIATE SEEING YOU AND LOCAL AND NATIONAL NEWS WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE THERE'S BEEN INJUSTICES, YOU'RE A SPOKESPERSON, UH, NOT ONLY FOR YOUR CHURCH, BUT YOUR BELIEFS IN OUR CITY AND, AND, UH, YOU REPRESENT YOURSELF AND YOUR CHURCH AND OUR CITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT.
THEN OUR PLEDGES WILL BE LED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, DEPUTY MAYOR, PRO TEM COUNCIL, UH, ZANU, REVEREND DAON.
CERTAINLY, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE AND TO LEAD US IN PRAYER.
AND I WANT TO SAY TO THIS GREAT CITY COUNCIL AND MARVELOUS MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER THAT WE HAVE, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OUTSTANDING JOB YOU DO IN THIS CITY TO BRING ABOUT INCLUSION, JUSTICE, AND FAIRNESS FOR ALL.
AND THEREFORE, MY ADVOCACY HAS NOT HAD TO TAKE PLACE IN GRAND PRAIRIE, BUT IN OTHER THANK YOU AREAS OF THE METRO.
AND SO I, AND, AND ALSO TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE, I WANNA THANK HIM FOR DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
AND SO OUR CHURCH EXTENDS BETWEEN, UH, GRAND PRAIRIE TO SOUTH LAKE, BUT AS YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TRAVEL DISTANCES.
NOW WE'VE DISCOVERED THAT OUR MEMBERSHIP EXTENDS OVER, UH, 30 PLUS, UH, CITIES OF THIS METROPLEX, WHICH CAUSES US TO HAVE TO RISE TO THE OCCASION FROM FORT WORTH TO DALLAS.
AND THEREFORE, PERHAPS YOU HAVE SEEN ME QUITE A BIT IN THE NEWS, BUT HOWEVER, I'M THANKFUL THAT THE ONE PLACE I DON'T HAVE TO BRING ATTENTION TO INJUSTICES IS HERE IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
AND SO WITH THAT, I ALSO WANT, AGAIN, THANK YOU MR. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FOR DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB, UH, WITH, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR CITY AND PROVIDING PLACES FOR FAMILY, ENTERTAINMENT AND ALIKE.
AND SO, I'M DRESSED CASUAL TODAY BECAUSE WE HAD A STAFF RETREAT FOR OUR CHURCH STAFF TODAY AT ANDRETTI'S.
AND SO I GOT I SEE THAT PASS THERE, YOU, YEAH.
AND SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS A MARVELOUS CITY TO LIVE IN, AND A GREAT PLACE TO RAISE A FAMILY AND FIND ENTERTAINMENT.
GRACIOUS AND ETERNAL GOD, OUR FATHER.
WE COME THIS EVENING THANKING YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER AND TO DISCUSS THE MATTERS THAT AFFECT OUR COMMUNITY.
LET US TAKE A MOMENT TO REFLECT AND CENTER OURSELVES.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND BELIEFS THAT MAKE UP OUR GREAT CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
MAY WE BE GUIDED BY WISDOM AND COMPASSION AS WE MAKE DECISIONS THAT IMPACT OUR RESIDENTS.
LET US SEEK UNDERSTANDING AND LET US COLLABORATE TOGETHER AS WE STRIVE FOR THE COMMON GOOD.
MAY OUR DISCUSSIONS TODAY BE FRUITFUL, AND MAY WE ALWAYS WORK TOWARDS THE BETTERMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY.
LEAD US, GUIDE US AND DIRECT US THIS NIGHT.
HERE, PLEASE JOIN US STATE ANCE IN HONOR OF TEXAS, FLAG, ID TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA REPUBLIC FOR WHICH CHANGE ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUALS, LIBERTY, JUSTICE FOR ALL HONOR, TEXAS FLAG, TEXAS, ONE STATE UNDER GOD.
[PRESENTATIONS]
THIS FIRST PROCLAMATION.WHEREAS THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE TAKES GREAT PRIDE IN HONORING THE LOCAL, ITS LOCAL INSTITUTIONS THAT HAVE SERVED THE COMMUNITY WITH DISTINCTION AND DEDICATION.
WHEREAS WFAA BEGAN AS A LOCAL TELEVISION BROADCASTER ON SEPTEMBER 17TH.
WHEREAS WFA HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR CITY'S CULTURAL LANDSCAPE, FAR 75 YEARS.
AND WHEREAS WFA HAS TIRELESSLY PROVIDED, INFORMATIVE, ENTERTAINING, AND GROUNDBREAKING NEWS COVERAGE THAT HAS CONNECTED OUR CITIZENS, SHOWCASED OUR CITY'S ACHIEVEMENTS AND HIGHLIGHTED OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES.
[00:05:01]
WFA A'S COMMITMENT TO JOURNALISTIC INTEGRITY, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, PUBLIC SERVICE HAS BEEN EXEMPLARY, FOSTERING INFORMED CITIZENSHIP AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE WELLBEING OF OUR SOCIETY.WHEREAS THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE RECOGNIZED AND CELEBRATES WFA A'S SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR CITY'S HISTORY, CULTURE, AND IDENTITY.
NOW, THEREFORE, I MAYOR RON JENSEN ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND ALL CITIZENS DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2024 W FFAS, 75TH ANNIVERSARY IN OUR OWN CITY.
CITIZEN LIVES RIGHT OFF OF BARDEN ROAD.
SO SEAN, WOULD YOU COME FORWARD AND ACCEPT THIS DOWN THE GROWTH OF MUSCLE BAR? AND WHEN REBECCA AND I ARE HEADED TO STARBUCKS, HE DOESN'T RUN FAR, BUT HE, HE RUNS OFTEN AND HE WILL BE RUNNING ON BARTON.
AND THE OTHER DAY IT WAS RAINING AND YOU, IT WASN'T RAINING HARD, BUT IT WAS RAINING AND YOU WERE RUNNING.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL KNOW IT OR NOT, BUT SEAN DOES LIVE IN OUR CITY.
AND ON BEHALF OF THE COUNSEL AND MYSELF, I'M GIVING YOU THIS PROCLAMATION.
AND HOW'S THAT BABY? HE'S DOING WELL.
EIGHT AND A HALF MONTHS IN THE MORNING.
YOU DO, YOU DO SOME BITS ON GRAND PRAIRIE.
SO PICK OUT ANOTHER SPOT TO DO ONE.
OKAY, I'LL, ALRIGHT CHIEF, LET'S, LET'S GET A CHECK.
CHIEF SLEEVE IS GONNA DO THE DRIVING TODAY, MAYOR, MAKE SURE WE HAVE EVERYBODY UP HERE RIGHT QUICK SPIN AROUND AND FACE THE AUDIENCE.
VINCENT, HOW ARE YOU DOING SWEETHEART? THANK Y'ALL FOR COMING TONIGHT.
WHAT'S GOING ON BUDDY? SO, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TONIGHT.
THIS YEAR WE WERE HAPPY TO HOST OUR 13TH ANNUAL SPRING CLASSIC, UH, MOTORCYCLE TRAINING COMPETITION.
THIS IS AN EVENT, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE HELD SINCE BACK IN, I BELIEVE IT WAS TWO 2011.
SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY YEAR AFTER YEAR TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT TRAINING FOR OUR MOTORCYCLE OFFICERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND EVEN CIVILIAN MOTORCYCLE RIDERS TO REALLY PUSH THE IDEA OF MOTORCYCLE SAFETY ACROSS OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
WITH THE HELP OF ALL OF THESE GREAT OFFICERS, THE COMMUNITY ITSELF, SEVERAL CHURCHES AND OUR VOLUNTEERS FROM ACROSS THE CITY.
ONCE AGAIN, WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DONATION TO SPECIAL OLYMPICS TO HELP ALL THE KIDS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND AROUND THE METROPLEX.
THIS YEAR'S DONATION WILL BE $10,000, BRINGING OUR TOTAL OVER THE HISTORY OF THE EVENT TO OVER $120,000.
AND I UNDERSTAND WE HAD A RIDER ALL THE WAY FROM BRAZIL COME.
Y'ALL DO A GREAT JOB WITH IT AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE THE CHECK AND FOR BRINGING THESE BEAUTIFUL YOUNG LADIES HERE TO CELEBRATE WITH US.
GET OUT THERE AND ACCEPT THAT CHECK.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
PROTE, WE'VE GOT SOME CARDS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.WE'LL GET THROUGH THOSE AND THEN WE WILL,
[00:10:01]
I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU HAROLD.[8. Approve an Agreement with Emergicon, LLC, through a Master Interlocal Agreement with the City of Desoto, for Emergency Medical Services Billing and Collection Services in the Amount of $38 per Transport or 7.5%-22% of Collections, as Applicable, for an Initial Term of Three Years with the Ability to Renew for Two Additional One Year Terms Finance/Government 7/10/2024 and PSHE 7/8/2024]
UH, NUMBER EIGHT.I THINK THIS IS A, UH, WONDERFUL IMPROVEMENT TO HELP, UH, RECOUP AN EXTRA AMOUNT OF MONEY TO KEEP THE SYSTEM RUNNING AND THE OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE BEEN DOING THIS.
I THINK IT'S, THIS IS A GREAT MOVE FORWARD.
[10. Agreement with Trane U.S., Inc in an amount up to $164,392.00 for quarterly HVAC Preventative Maintenance and repairs at the EPIC Recreation Center. This Agreement will include quarterly Preventative Maintenance of the EPIC Recreation Center’s 16 rooftop HVAC units in the amount of $64,392.00, and a contingency for repairs for the same in an amount of up to $100,000.00. This would be for an initial one-year term, with the option for four additional one-year term renewals, for a total amount of $821,960 if all renewals are exercised (Reviewed by the Finance and Government Committee on 09/03/2024)]
10.164,000 FOR QUARTERLY HVAC PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE.
I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE.
WHAT I WANT TO FIND OUT, MAYOR, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT GREG GEISER AND I HAD A LITTLE BIT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT.
WAS ANY OF THESE ISSUES COVERED UNDER THE FORENSIC INVESTIGATION THAT WE PAID FOR STAFF IN TWO 20 AND 20? THE FORENSIC INVESTIGATION FOR EPIC AND EPIC WATERS, CHRIS MALKI, PARKS ARTS AND RECREATION? UH, WE DID, WE DID NOT REVIEW THAT.
UH, IT WAS BASED ON A FAILURE OF ONE OF THE 16 UNITS THAT OCCURRED LAST MAY.
AND WE WANTED TO ENHANCE OUR LIFECYCLE FOR THAT EQUIPMENT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING FOR THIS CONTRACT.
WHAT IS THE WARRANTY ON THESE UNITS SINCE IT OPENED IN 2018, WE'RE SIX YEARS.
WHAT IS OUR WARRANTY COVERAGE ON THIS KIND OF EQUIPMENT? NOT REAL SURE ABOUT THAT, SIR.
I WOULD THINK IF THEY WERE UNDER WARRANTY, THE REPAIR WOULD'VE BEEN UNDER WARRANTY.
BUT I GUESS MY POINT IS, GOING BACK TO 2020 WITH THE FORENSIC INVESTIGATION OF THE EPIC REC CENTER AND EPIC WATERS, LIKE GREG GEISER AND I TALKED ABOUT, WHY ARE WE SPENDING THIS MUCH MONEY ON A FORENSIC INVESTIGATION ON A BUILDING THAT'S TO, THIS ISN'T A FORENSIC INVESTIGATION.
WHAT I THINK THIS IS, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IS WHAT I DO AT MY SHOP.
I PAY A CERTAIN AMOUNT PER YEAR.
THEY COME OUT TWICE A YEAR, CHECK ALL THE BELTS, CHECK EVERYTHING, AND INCLUDE CERTAIN REPAIRS AT THE NO COST.
'CAUSE IT'S COVERED IN THE FEE I PAY ONCE A YEAR.
ISN'T THAT WHAT THIS IS? YES, SIR.
AS KIND OF A MAINTENANCE AND PREVENTING MAINTENANCE THAT COME OUT EVERY SO OFTEN.
AND THIS, THIS WILL BE ON A QUARTERLY BASIS AND THEN THERE'S A SUM OF MONEY THAT'S SET ASIDE FOR, UH, MAINTENANCE YEAH.
UH, YOU CAN GET THAT AT YOUR HOUSE.
YOU CAN GET IT AT, UH, I DO IT AT MY HOUSE AND MY BUSINESS WITH, WITH BONAIR.
AND THIS IS, THIS IS THROUGH TRANE AND THEY'RE DOWN IN TYLER, THE, I THINK THEY GOT A BIG MANUFACTURING PLANT IN TYLER.
THEY DO HAVE A MANUFACTURING PLANT IN TYLER, BUT THEY HAVE LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES THAT SERVICE MOST OF THE DFW AREA.
SO WITH THIS TYPE OF CONTRACT IN NEXT AUGUST, JULY, WE LOSE A UNIT, HOW QUICKLY WOULD IT TAKE FOR THEM TO REPLACE IT? DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA ABOUT THAT? UH, IT TOOK THEM ROUGHLY ABOUT 90 DAYS TO REPRODUCE THE UNIT.
UH, WE WERE ABLE TO SUSTAIN EVEN OVER THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER.
'CAUSE THE FAILURE TOOK PLACE IN MID-MAY.
AND WE GOT THROUGH, UH, THE SUMMER JUST FINE ON THE 15 UNITS.
HOPEFULLY THIS WILL HELP PREVENT FAILURES.
'CAUSE THEY'LL CHECK THE COMPONENTS, GET IT UP FREE ON CHECK THE BELTS.
'CAUSE IT'S ONLY GONNA GET HOTTER OVER SUMMER.
[12. Construction Contract Amendment No. 3 with Modern Contractors, Inc. in the amount of $66,745.00 for Public Safety Storage Facility work, including exterior building enclosure enhancements, additional flooring material required to match existing conditions and landscaping additions at the main entry of the new facility (Reviewed by the Finance & Government Committee on 09/03/2024)]
12, THE $66,000 FOR PUBLIC SAFE PUBLIC SAFETY STORAGE FACILITY WORK.IS THIS WORK GONNA BE DONE AT THE, UM, FIRE AND POLICE HEADQUARTERS? IS THIS WHERE THIS IS GONNA BE OR, UH, HI, HAROLD, ANDY HENNING, DIRECTOR OF DESIGN CONSTRUCTION.
UH, THIS IS ACTUALLY AT THE NEW FACILITY WE'RE BUILDING RIGHT THERE ON 1 61 NEAR OUR SERVICE CENTER.
SO THIS IS WHERE WE, WHERE WE WILL BE PREDOMINANTLY STORING OUR EMERGENCY GENERATORS.
AND SO THESE ARE SOME ENHANCEMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE TO THE PROJECT BASED ON THE, UH, POINT IN THE PROJECT WHERE WE'RE ONLY A COUPLE MONTHS AWAY FROM WRAPPING THAT PROJECT UP AND WE HAD SOME CONTINGENCY MONEY THAT REMAINED.
AND SO THERE'S SOME PROJECT ENHANCEMENTS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO.
WHEN IT JUST, WHEN IT SAID PUBLIC SAFETY STORAGE, I WAS THINKING YEAH.
[14. Interlocal Agreement with Dallas County in amount not to exceed $450,000 for replacement of playground equipment at Sycamore Park]
14 WITH DALLAS COUNTY, THIS $450,000.UH, COULD YOU UPDATE US ON WHERE SYCAMORE PARK IS AND HOW FORTUNATE WE ARE? WHO'S RESPONSIBLE IN DALLAS COUNTY FOR GETTING GAR PRAIRIE? $450,000 FOR THIS EQUIPMENT.
STEVEN BOWLES PARK'S FISCAL MANAGER OF THAT PARK IS LOCATED RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO RAYBURN ELEMENTARY.
[00:15:01]
IT'S JUST SOUTHWEST OF 3 0 3 AND 14TH STREET.AND THEN, UH, I BELIEVE THE FUNDS FROM DALLAS COUNTY CAME FROM DR. GARCIA GARCIA.
ELBA GARCIA IS A TREMENDOUS ASSET TO THIS PART OF DALLAS COUNTY.
SHE DOES A FAR BETTER JOB THAN KEN MAYFIELD.
KEN MAYFIELD WOULDN'T EVEN PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL CITIZENS BACK.
ELBA GARCIA REACH OUT AND GIVE US $450,000 AT ONE OF MY FAVORITE INDIVIDUALS, MR. SAM BURBURN, THIS IS VERY WELCOME.
SO WE OWE DR. GARCIA, THIS IS JUST PART OF, OF WHAT SHE DOES FOR OUR CITY.
WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE YOU COUNT DALLAS COUNTY AND DR.
GARCIA'S HELP US OUT ON A NUMBER OF MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL PROJECTS.
[15. Resolution Approving Assignment of Private Activity Bond Authority to Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs; and Containing Other Provisions Relating to the Subject]
HAROLD, WHO IS THE PRIVATE ACTIVITY BOND AUTHORITY TO THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS IN CONTAINING OTHER PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE SUBJECT.WHAT IS THE SUBJECT? HERE WE GO.
UM, THAT'S ACTUALLY A RESOLUTION ASKING THE CITY TO SUPPORT AN ASSIGNMENT TO OUR HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION FOR BONDS TO PROVIDE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE COSTS FOR THE RESIDENTS.
UM, THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE ANY COMMITMENT.
UM, A BANK TYPICALLY, UM, ADMINISTERS THAT PROGRAM.
UH, THE PARTNERSHIP IS WITH THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, BUT THE STATE DOES NEED THE CITY'S SUPPORT.
HOW MANY HOUSES WOULD BE ABLE TO BE BUILT OUT OF THIS FUND? OH, THEY'RE NOT BUILT.
THEY'RE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE COST AND OH, WE DON'T HAVE THAT DATA BECAUSE THE BANK THAT ADMINISTERS THAT PROGRAM KEEPS ALL OF THAT INFORMATION AND DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY.
AND WHO IS THE BANK? UM, I'M NOT SURE WHO THAT BANK IS.
I, I'VE BEEN TOLD WHO THAT BANK, I JUST DON'T RECALL IT.
IS IT, IS IT A TEXAS BANK? IS IT YES.
IS IT CAPITAL ONE? IS IT, NO, IT'S NOT CAPITAL ONE.
NO, I CAN GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.
I'LL, I'LL, UH, I HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THAT.
SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE DON'T HAVE HOW MANY PROSPECTIVE HOME BUYERS OF DOWN NO, WE DON'T KEEP THAT DATA.
THE CITY DOESN'T REALLY HAVE ANY INVOLVEMENT.
ALL THEY'RE DOING IS SUPPORTING THE PROGRAM TO PROVIDE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE COSTS TO THOSE ELIGIBLE FAMILIES.
THEY'RE USUALLY FALL IN THE 80% OF MEDIUM INCOME RANGE.
WE NEED FIRST TIME ASSISTANT HOME BUYERS.
WE DEF DEFINITELY NEED THAT IN A VERY AGGRESSIVE WAY.
I JUST, WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING COMMUNITY AFFAIRS IS, WE HAVE A CERTAIN LIAISON, A CODE PERSON WE WORK WITH DOWN THERE.
NO, WE DON'T, UH, TYPICALLY WE DON'T WORK DIRECTLY WITH THEM.
A LOT OF TIMES YOU HAVE DEVELOPERS THAT APPLY FOR TAX CREDITS AND THAT'S THE ORGANIZATION OR ENTITY THAT THEY APPLY, UH, THOSE, UH, TAX CREDITS WITH.
NOW WILL THESE BE FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES OR FOR APARTMENT COMPLEXES OR DUPLEXES? NO, THEY'RE SINGLE FAMILY.
THEY WOULD BE ALL SINGLE FAMILY WOULD BE, UH, YES.
SO THEY, THEY PROVIDE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE COST.
SO IF YOU'VE GOT AN ELIGIBLE FAMILY WHO IS PURCHASING A HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME, THEY CAN APPLY FOR THE STATE FOR THOSE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE FUNDS.
IS THERE ANY WAY THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT CAN MAKE THIS MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE TO FOLKS IN GRAND PRIX WHO ARE DESPERATELY NEEDING THIS TYPE OF ASSISTANCE? I HAVE.
I'M, I KNOW YOU DO A GREAT JOB, BUT I'M JUST KIND OF SOMEONE WHO IS STRUGGLING FOR A DOWN PAYMENT WHERE, UH, YES, WE COULD REFER THEM TO THE, UH, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF UH, HOUSING AND AFFAIRS, BUT WE ALSO, THE CITY DOES ADMINISTER A DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE, UH, PROGRAM.
SO THEY COULD APPLY WITH US AND THEY COULD APPLY WITH THE STATE.
NOW IS OUR CITY PROB UH, PROGRAM DIFFERENT FROM THE STATE PROGRAM OR DO THEY COEXIST FOR EACH OTHER? NO, THEY DON'T COEXIST.
THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY ADMINISTERS THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND THOSE ARE USUALLY CDBG FUNDS.
I GUESS BECAUSE THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS A $36 BILLION SURPLUS, WE WANT TO GET EVERY PENNY WE CAN TO HELP FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS.
AND THERE ISN'T ANY GEOGRAPHICAL RESTRICTIONS, WHETHER IT'S INDIAN HILLS OR SOUTH OF 20 WHERE THEY CAN FOLLOW NO, JUST THE RESIDENTS IN, UH, GRAND PRAIRIE AND LIKE I SAY THAT FIRST TIME, FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS.
AND, UM, THAT PARTNERSHIP IS WITH THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, THE HFC.
ANYTHING TO HELP FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS.
[16. Ordinance amending various sections of Articles II and III of the Code of Ordinances, Chapter 26, “Utilities and Services” Relating to Fees for Water and Wastewater (Reviewed by the City Council Development Committee on 09/17/2024)]
ITEM 16, HAROLD, UM, MAYBE ARE YOU GONNA TALK ABOUT THIS UTILITY SERVICES FEES AND WASTEWATER? IS, ARE YOU GONNA SPEAK ABOUT THAT ON, UM, ITEM[00:20:01]
NUMBER 20 UNDER INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION? NO, WE'RE GONNA COVER IT RIGHT NOW.NOREEN'S GONNA GIVE YOU AND, AND, UH, RODNEY TO BOND AN UPDATE.
AND IF EITHER ONE OF YOU, RODNEY, IF EITHER ONE OF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS AFTER NOREEN PRE PRESENTS IT TO US, WE'LL ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
SO NOREEN, TELL US WHAT THIS IS.
SO THIS IS OUR WATER AND WASTEWATER RATES.
THIS IS ACROSS ALL THE, ALL THE RATE CLASSES.
THAT'S RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL.
GET CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE PLEASE.
SO THIS IS OUR WATER AND WASTEWATER RATES FOR YOUR BILL.
SO THIS IS RESIDENTIAL, MULTIFAMILY, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL.
IT'S A SEVEN AND HALF, UH, PERCENT INCREASE ACROSS ALL RATE CLASSES.
DID Y'ALL HEAR THAT? IT'S A SEVEN AND HALF PERCENT INCREASE ACROSS ALL RATE CLASSES.
WE DIDN'T DO SOMETHING GOOFY LIKE WE WE DID LAST YEAR, AND THEN WE HAD TO GO BACK AND AMENDMENT.
THIS IS SEVEN POINT A HALF PERCENT ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMEOWNERS, HALF LARGE APARTMENT COMPLEXES, SEVEN, WHATEVER THE CURRENT RATE IS, IT'S GONNA BE MULTIPLIED BY SEVEN POINT A HALF.
SO IT'S EVENLY DISTRIBUTED AMONGST ALL RATE CLASSES.
UM, THIS IS TO ACCOUNT FOR, UM, BASICALLY ALL, YOU KNOW, WE DO A LOT OF PASS THROUGH.
WE BUY OUR WATER FROM FOUR DIFFERENT AREAS.
WE ALSO PAY FOR TRA TO TREAT OUR WATER.
SO SOME OF THIS IS PASS THROUGH.
WE HAD AN INCREASE FROM DALLAS WATER UTILITIES OF 10%.
WE ALSO HAD AN ALMOST 10% INCREASE FROM TRA TO TREAT OUR WATER.
SO SOME OF THESE INCREASES ARE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PAY OUT TO THOSE ENTITIES TO DO THAT.
SO THIS, AND THIS IS SEPARATE FROM THE ITEM, AN INDIVIDUAL JUST KIND OF A ROUGH BALLPARK FIGURE FOR AN AVERAGE HOMEOWNER, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT MONTHLY INCREASE WISE? OKAY, SO RIGHT HERE IF YOU ARE, YES, PLEASE.
IF YOU ARE LIKE A 10,000 USAGE PERSON, YOU'LL SEE BASICALLY A $9 A MONTH CHANGE.
SO THIS IS JUST KIND OF IN GENERIC TERMS, THE LOWER, LIKE THE 3000 BELOW, THAT'S THE MINIMUM.
WHAT WOULD THAT BE? UH, THE 3000 BELOW, WE ONLY UPPED IT BY 1 CENT PER THOUSAND GALLONS.
UM, BUT 3000, UH, YOU'LL SEE, UH, A $4 CHANGE.
IN YOUR MONTHLY BILL? THAT'S ON THE, THAT'S ON THE WATER AND WASTEWATER.
SO, UM, AND, AND I I, THIS IS MY ONLY COPY TONIGHT, BUT I CAN SEND THIS TO, TO YOU IF YOU THAT'S FINE.
SO BASICALLY WE JUST COMPARED THE CURRENT RATES TO PROPOSED WEIGHT WITH EXAMPLES.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT YOUR BILL WOULD LOOK LIKE.
AS LONG AS WE DON'T HAVE TO DEPEND UPON THE TEXAS COMMISSION AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TO DO THE WATER TESTING.
THAT IT HAROLD, JUST WAIT A MINUTE.
UH, RODNEY, YOU CAN COME DOWN AND SPEAK ON ADAM 16 TWO WHILE, WHILE I'VE GOT THE RING THERE.
SO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UH, RODNEY DEON 39 72 WEST CLIFF ROAD, GRAND PRAIRIE.
SO I'M HOPING WE HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS, BUT ON ITEM 16, I'M, I ONLY HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH A SEVEN POINT A HALF PERCENT INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN PUSHING FOR.
I HAVE QUESTIONS AND I'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SEE THE DETAILS.
UM, SO THE $10 PER UNIT CHARGE, DID YOU ADD SEVEN AND A HALF TO THAT TOO? OR IS THAT STILL $10? NO, THAT ALSO HAD A SEVEN AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE.
SO I AM OPPOSED TO THAT BECAUSE EVERY YEAR YOU KEEP ADDING THAT UP AND YOU'LL EVENTUALLY BE BACK UP TO A MUCH LARGER UNIT FEE.
SO I HAD PROPOSED SOME ITEMS THAT, THAT NEED TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN THIS WAS BEING DONE.
AND I UNDERSTAND THEY, UH, RAN OUTTA TIME EARLIER TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
AND SO I THINK THEY SAID THEY'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT IT NEXT TIME.
BUT, UM, YEAH, YOU GAVE US A NICE LIST AND WE'RE GONNA RUN THAT THROUGH ALL TWO OF OUR THREE COMMITTEES, BILL, JUST TO, AND SO WOULD THERE BE A POINT IN TIME WHEN THAT, WHEN THOSE ITEMS CAN BE, THERE'LL BE A POINT IN TIME WHEN WE MAKE A DECISION ON THOSE ITEMS? YES, SIR.
DEPENDING ON WHAT THE OUTCOME IS OF THE COMMITTEES, RIGHT? I I I DO, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS FULLY AWARE THAT I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THE SEVEN POINT HALF PERCENT INCREASE.
IF YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE TO RAISE UP FEES, YOU RAISE EM WITH EVERYBODY.
BUT EVEN BEFORE THAT SEVEN POINT HALF PERCENT INCREASE THE CITY RIGHT NOW, AND HAROLD, YOU'RE, YOU'RE A BIG CHAMPION OF, OF THINGS THAT ARE DIS DISPARITY.
SO THE CITY RIGHT NOW IS CHARGING ANYWHERE FROM 190 TO 200% MORE FOR APARTMENT RESIDENTS THAN THEY ARE FOR SINGLE FAMILY RENTERS OR SINGLE FAMILY OWNERS ON WATER.
AND THEY'RE CHARGING ANYWHERE FROM 490 TO 600% MORE FOR THE SEWER.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO TRY TO EVENTUALLY FIGURE OUT.
HOW DO WE GET THAT TO A, TO A EQUALITY? THAT'S ONE OF THE, I THINK FOUR THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH THE THREE OR FOUR THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT.
AND IF WE NEED TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS, WE WILL GO IN ARREARS OR GOING FORWARD OR WHATEVER WE FEEL LIKE IS NEEDED TO BE DONE.
[00:25:01]
OKAY.SO JUST AT WHAT POINT IN TIME WILL REVISIT THOSE? WILL I, WILL I BE INVOLVED? UH, IT'LL BE AN AGENDA ITEM.
IT'LL BE AN AGENDA ITEM AND IT'LL BE AN AGENDA ITEM.
AND EVERY TIME IT GOES TO THE CCDC AND WHO ELSE IS LOOKING AT IT? F, F AND G.
[17. An Ordinance Amending the Step Plan Pay Scale for Civil Service Police and Fire Employees]
NUMBER 17.UH, OUR PAY SCALE PLAN FOR CIVIL SERVICE POLICE AND FIRE EMPLOYEES, HOW DOES THIS, UH, PAY SCALE PLAN RELATE TO SAY DALLAS-FORT WORTH, OTHER CITIES AND THE METROPLEX BEING COMPETITIVE? HI, MR. HAROLD TASHA CAMACHO, HR DIRECTOR.
SO EVERY YEAR WE DO A MARKET STUDY, UH, FOR ALL THE P WELL FOR CIVIL SERVICE, UH, POSITIONS.
BUT FOR THE FY 25 BUDGET, IT WAS PROPOSED THAT ALL EMPLOYEES HAVE A 2% INCREASE.
AND BY LAW WE HAVE TO PUT THAT AS AN ORDINANCE FOR OUR FIRE AND POLICE.
AND LET ME EXPLAIN IT TO YOU, HAROLD.
THE BUDGET HAS THE 2% IN IT FOR EVERYBODY, EXCEPT AS SHE JUST STATED, THE STATE LAW THAT WE HAVE TO SEPARATE IT AND VOTE ON THIS SEPARATELY EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT GETTING ANY MORE OR LESS THAN EVERYBODY ELSE.
IS THAT CORRECT STATEMENT? THAT IS CORRECT, SIR.
NOW TO YOUR POINT, QUESTION, CHIEF SES AND I ARE PRETTY WELL DRESSED ON WHERE WE RANK.
AND I WILL TELL YOU BASED ON OUR BREAKFASTS MEETINGS WE'VE HAD, WE'RE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE, BUT AT THE TOP PAY EVERYBODY, ALL THE TOP FOUR OR FIVE ARE WITHIN, WHAT WAS IT, A THOUSAND BUCKS OF EACH OTHER.
AND WE WERE, I SPENT EIGHT BRIEFINGS TALKING ABOUT THIS.
AND WE MAY BE FOURTH ON THE LIST OF SIX, BUT IF YOU DREW THE NUMBER MATH BETWEEN ONE AND FOUR, THEY WERE WITHIN A THOUSAND BUCKS.
EVERYBODY IS TIGHT RIGHT THERE.
AND, UH, WE'RE RIGHT IN THE MIX.
IS THAT A TRUE STATEMENT CHIEF? YES, SIR.
WE'RE, WE'RE PROBABLY NUMBER FOUR OUT OF ABOUT 10.
BUT RIGHT IN THERE WITH EVERYBODY, SO SOMETIMES WE LEAPFROG, THEY LEAPFROG US THIS WAY.
WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE VERY COMPETITIVE, BUT WE NEED TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE.
JUST QUICKLY DOES THIS ARE 9 1 1 DISPATCHERS, ARE THEY CONSIDERED CIVIL SERVICE OR ARE THEY NO, THEY ARE NOT.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE PART OF THE 2% THOUGH.
SEE, THAT'S THE OTHER, EVERYBODY ELSE? YES, SIR.
EVERYBODY GOT 2%? SO OUR STAFFING OF OUR NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTERS OVER WORDS, WE'RE COMPETITIVE IN PAY FOR THROUGHOUT THE NORTH TEXAS AREA.
I'M READY FOR A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM SEVEN THROUGH 17 ON THIS CONSENT AGENDA.
WE HAVE MOTION SECONDED BY DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TIM IS ON.
[18. Action Items Resulting from Staff Presentations: Council Community Engagement Policy]
SPEAK ON 18.I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO TABLE ITEM 18.
SECOND, I I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS SECONDED IT FIRST.
[19. Consider and Take Action on the Petition from DSF MILLER67 LP for the Property Located at Wyatt Road, Midlothian, Texas, Described as 593 L Kelsey & 1280 R M Wyatt, and Identified by Ellis County Appraisal District Property ID 186390 Pursuant to Legislative Authority as Authorized by Texas Local Government Code Section 42.023]
HERE SHE COMES.TIFFANY BULL, DEPUTY CITY, ATTORNEY, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
WE RECEIVED A PETITION FOR REMOVAL OF PROPERTY FROM OUR ETJ.
THE PROPERTY DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR REMOVAL UNDER SENATE BILL 2038.
SINCE IT'S LOCATED IN A DESIGNATED INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT, HOWEVER, COUNSEL HAS THE DISCRETION TO AUTHORIZE REMOVAL FROM THE ETJ.
SHOULD COUNSEL SEE FIT THIS PROPERTY ABUTS THE RECENTLY ANNEXED INDUSTRIAL AREA OF GOODLAND AND STAFF RECOMMENDS DENIAL OF THIS PETITION.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR TIFFANY? I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION MAYOR PRO TEM MAYOR, I MOVE TO DENY THE PETITION FOR ITEM 19.
SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION TO DENY BY MAYOR PRO TEM CLEMSON.
SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON.
MOTION CARRIES TO DENY ITEM 20,
[20. Public Hearing of an Ordinance Adopting the Impact Fees for the City of Grand Prairie’s Water and Wastewater Service Area (Reviewed by the Capital Improvements Advisory Committee on 07/22/2024)]
WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING FILE VOTE.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNSEL NOREEN HOUSER, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING AND UTILITIES.
THIS HERE IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE IMPACT FEES FOR THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE'S WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICE AREA.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO TO KEEP OUR IMPACT FEES FRESH.
[00:30:01]
UM, WE HAVE GONE THROUGH A JOURNEY THIS SUMMER.I KNOW YOU'VE SEEN IT IN SEVERAL F AND G-C-C-D-C.
WE HAD A SPECIAL COMMITTEE, UM, TO GO OVER THESE HEARINGS.
UH, THIS IS OUR FINAL PUBLIC HEARING.
WE'LL DO A BRIEF PRESENTATION, THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP.
WE HAVE ANDREW FRANCO FROM FRIES NICHOLS TO DO THE PRESENTATION.
MY NAME'S ANDREW FRANCO WITH FRIES NICHOLS ENGINEERING, AND TODAY WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE RESULTS OF THE WATER WASTEWATER IMPACT FEE PROCESS.
WHAT IS AN IMPACT FEE? IT'S A ONE-TIME CHARGE THAT'S ASSESSED TO NEW DEVELOPMENT FOR COST RELATED TO SPECIFIC CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WATER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEMS. SO AGAIN, THIS IS ASSESSED TO NEW DEVELOPMENT, NEW DEVELOPMENT ONLY, UH, EXISTING RESIDENTIAL, NON-RESIDENTIAL MULTIFAMILY.
THOSE CUSTOMERS ARE NOT ASSESSED THIS FEE.
UH, WE LIKE TO SAY THIS IS, UH, A CHANCE FOR GROWTH TO PAY ITS FAIR SHARE OF GROWTH.
SO WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE THE COSTS THAT IS REQUIRED FROM A WATER SEWER PERSPECTIVE IN ORDER TO TIE ONTO THE WATER AND SEWER, UH, SYSTEMS? FIRST COMPONENT OF THE, OF THE ASSESSMENT IS TO IDENTIFY STUDY AREAS.
UH, WE HAVE THE SAME STUDY AREAS FOR YOUR WATER AND SEWER SYSTEMS. THEY'RE SPLIT INTO TWO SEPARATE ZONES CALLED THE NORTH SECTOR AND THE SOUTH SECTOR.
THE DIVIDING LINE BEING THE, UM, DALLAS COUNTY, ELLIS COUNTY, UM, EAST, WEST LINE, UH, NORTH SECTOR, WE'RE A LOT MORE BUILT AND DEVELOPED, SO WE HAVE A LOT MORE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE.
SOUTH SECTOR IS MAINLY UNDEVELOPED.
THERE'S A LOT OF NEW GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT COMING ON THE WAY, AND SO THERE'S A LOT MORE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS IN THE SOUTH PORTION.
FROM A LAND USE ASSUMPTIONS PERSPECTIVE, WE LOOKED AT, UM, THE AMOUNT OF GROWTH PROJECTED IN 10 YEAR PERIOD.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT FROM 2024 TO 2034.
WE HAVE A ESTIMATED ALMOST OVER 34,000, UM, GROWTH IN POPULATION OVER THAT TIME PERIOD.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT'S THE, UH, APPROPRIATE OR EQUITABLE FEE FOR THEM TO TIE ON AND, UM, JOIN THE GRAND PRAIRIE WATER AND SEWER SYSTEMS, THE ELIGIBLE WATER AND WASTEWATER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS.
UH, WE HAVE A, UM, A BREAK BREAKDOWN OF THE COSTS.
THESE ARE THE ELIGIBLE COST NUMBERS.
SO IN THE NORTH SECTOR, 10.7 MILLION ROUGHLY ON THE WATER SIDE, AND 6.3 MILLION ON THE SEWER SIDE.
AGAIN, MORE MATURE, UH, AND DEVELOPED, SO NOT AS, AS HIGH OF AN INFRASTRUCTURE NEED.
UH, YOU CAN SEE ON THE SOUTH SECTOR, UM, 110 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS FOR WATER, AND THEN NEARLY $40 MILLION OF ELIGIBLE COSTS FOR THE SEWER PROJECTS IN THE SOUTH.
UH, THESE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROJECTS INCLUDE INCREASING OUR WATER SUPPLY.
UH, WE HAVE NEW PUMP STATIONS, NEW ELEVATED STORAGE TANKS, GROUND STORAGE TANKS, A LOT OF PIPING, UH, WATER TRANSMISSION MAINS, UH, AND THEN GROWTH RELATED STUDIES TO ASSESS HOW MUCH GROWTH IS COMING IN ON THE SEWER SIDE.
UH, WE HAVE THE, UH, TRA SOAP CREEK EXPANSION, UH, PROJECT, UH, OTHER LIFT STATIONS, UH, SEWER INFRASTRUCTURES, AND THE SAME GROWTH RELATED STUDIES.
SO COMPARING WHAT YOUR CURRENT FEES ARE, UH, YOU CAN SEE THEM, THEY'RE SPLIT OUT NORTH AND SOUTH ON THE TABLES ON THE, ON THE SCREEN.
UH, SO WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY ASSESSING IN THE NORTH IS A COMBINED $2,554, UM, AND $6,300 ON THE SOUTH SECTOR SIDE.
THE RESULTS OF THE IMPACT FEE STUDY THAT WE CONDUCTED SHOWED ON THE NORTH SECTOR, WE CAN CHARGE A MAXIMUM OF $3,005 COMBINED WATER WASTEWATER.
AND ON THE SOUTH SECTOR A COMBINED FEE OF 6,505, UH, IN MEETINGS WITH CITY STAFF.
THE CIAC, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UH, THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT'S SET BEFORE YOU TODAY IS ON THE NORTH SECTOR, UM, A COMBINED $3,000, UM, FEE.
AND THEN ON THE, ON THE SOUTH SECTOR, UH, 6,300.
SO THAT'S KEEPING THAT NUMBER, UH, RELATIVELY OR RIGHT AT THE SAME AMOUNT THAT IT'S CURRENTLY ASSESSED.
UH, WANTING TO SHOW A KIND OF A, A BENCHMARK COMPARISON OF WHERE GRAND PRAIRIE STANDS WITH OTHER LOCAL UTILITIES.
YOU CAN SEE HERE, UH, WE HAVE THE, UH, THE FEES THAT ARE, THAT ARE, UH, ASSESSED FOR OTHER METROPLEX UTILITIES, UH, DENTON MIDLOTHIAN, UH, MANSFIELD, ARLINGTON FORT WORTH.
UH, SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHERE GRAND PRAIRIE FALLS IN THAT RANGE.
UH, SO YOU COULD SEE THE, THE BARS THAT ARE HATCHED WITH THE BLUE AND THE GREEN SHOW.
[00:35:01]
UH, THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, REALLY NEXT TO THE, THE KIND OF THE YELLOW AND THE RED ARE SHOWING WHAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY, UM, CURRENTLY CHARGING.NOTHING THAT'S GONNA SLIDE US UP OR DOWN THE SCALE TOO FAR, UM, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
UH, BUT JUST WANTING TO PROVIDE THAT BENCHMARK INFORMATION FOR, UH, COMPARISON.
UH, SO ON THE, ON THE NEXT STEP SLIDE HERE, YOU CAN SEE WE'VE KIND OF REACHED THE END OF THIS PROCESS.
UH, WE'VE HAD A PREVIOUS PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, WE'VE MET WITH, UH, C-C-D-C-F-N-G, UH, MULTIPLE MEETINGS WITH OUR, UM, CIAC TO REALLY ARRIVE AT THE CONCLUSION THAT WE'RE KIND OF PUTTING FORTH BEFORE THE COUNCIL OF THIS EVENING.
UM, SO, UH, ACTION ITEMS THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR TONIGHT IS TO, UH, CONSIDER AN UPDATED IMPACT FEE COLLECTION RATE.
UH, YOU CAN CHARGE UP TO THE 100% OF THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE NUMBERS THAT WERE PRESENTED.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE WHAT CIC AND STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS WERE.
SO FOR THE NORTH SECTOR ON THE WATER, UH, $1,883 WASTEWATER, $1,117 FOR A COMBINED $3,000 FEE IN THE NORTH SECTOR AND THEN SOUTH SECTOR ON THE WATER, $4,676 AND WASTEWATER 1,624 FOR A TOTAL OF $6,300.
I'LL, I'LL OPEN UP TO ANY QUESTIONS.
STAFF HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I'M NOT READY FOR A MOTION, BUT ANY QUESTIONS FROM STAFF? DON'T RUN OFF.
I JUST WANT TO QUICKLY KNOW, IN 1984 IN FORUM VILLAGE AND SOUTH OF 20, WE RAN OUT OF WATER.
AND WHAT TYPE OF SAFEGUARDS DO WE HAVE HERE THAT I REALIZE THE GROVE MAY BE MORE THAN THIS, A BIT LESS, BUT IS WHAT WE WENT THROUGH IN 1984, SOUTH OF 20, NOT HAVING WATER.
IS THIS PLAN THAT YOU HAVE, WILL THIS GUARANTEE US IN ELLISON, JOHNSON COUNTY, EVERYTHING WE HAVE OUT THERE, WILL THIS BE SUFFICIENT TO MEET THE NEED? I I DON'T KNOW IF I'D GO AS FAR TO SAY A GUARANTEES NO, NO SERVICE.
BUT THERE, THERE, IT'S, IT'S A VERY ROBUST PROGRAM THAT, LIKE I SAID, IT INCLUDES ADDITIONAL PUMP STATIONS, TANKS AND LINES.
WE, WE DO A ROBUST FU IN GROWTH TO COME UP WITH THESE NUMBERS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DROPPED THE BALL ON YEARS AGO, BUT OUR STAFF, ALONG WITH OUR CONSULTANTS, LOOK AT THE DATA, HOW THE GROWTH IS OUT THERE TO MAKE SURE WE FORECAST THE VOLUME OF WATER WE BUY FROM MIDLOTHIAN.
THE VOLUME OF BOUGHT WATER WE BUY FROM DALLAS AND MANSFIELD AND MANSFIELD.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH WATER IN 1984 TO FIGHT FIRES.
AND WHERE RICHARD FRIGO LIVED IN FORUM VILLAGE, THEIR FAUCET RAN DRY THERE.
SO THIS IS JUST PART OF THE FUTURE PLANNING HOW CRUCIAL THIS INFRASTRUCTURE UPDATE IS TO THE GROWTH OF THE SERVICE.
I DON'T SEE ANY OF THE LIGHTS.
EVEN IF YOU HAVE NOT FILLED OUT A CARD, IF YOU WANNA ASK A QUESTION OR MAKE A COMMENT, YOU CAN DO SO NOW.
I MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVE ITEM NUMBER 22ND.
AND SECONDED BY DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM.
[21. Ordinance approving the 2024 tax roll resulting in a tax levy in the amount of $166,608,144]
21.OKAY, ALVO MANAGEMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR, MAYOR, AND COUNSEL, WE ARE REQUESTING APPROVAL OF THE 2024 TAX ROLL AS REQUIRED BY THE TEXAS PROPERTY TAX CODE.
THIS TAX ROLL IS BASED ON THE CERTIFIED APPRAISAL VALUES FOR THE 2024 AND APPLIES FOR THE FISCAL 24 25, UH, ADOPTED TAX RATE.
THE TOTAL TAX LEVY WILL BE 166,608,000 $144, SUPPORTING THE CITY'S OPERATIONS AND DEBT OBLIGATIONS.
APPROVAL OF THIS ORDINANCE ENSURES THAT THE CITY CAN COLLECT NECESSARY REVENUES TO CONTINUE PROVIDING NECESSARY SERVICES FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND FUND KEY PROJECTS.
WE RECOMMEND THAT APPROVAL OF THIS ORDINANCE TO PROCEED WITH THE TAX LEVY AND MEET THE CITY'S FISCAL OBLIGATIONS FOR THE COMING YEAR.
AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
AL THANK YOU FOR YOUR GUIDANCE THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB, MAYOR PRO TEM.
I'M NOT READY FOR A MOTION YET, COUNSEL, DOES ANYBODY HAVE A QUESTION OR TA WE'VE BEEN WITH YOU THROUGH THE BUDGET AND ALL THIS.
AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOU AND WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
I JUST WANT UNDER THIS, UH, 166 MILLION, THE TWO APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN
[00:40:01]
OFF, THE TAX ROLLS, THE ONE ON WESTCHESTER AND THE 1 0 1 61, WHAT DATA DOES THIS REFLECT ON THOSE TWO LARGE APARTMENT COMPLEXES BEING REMOVED? I BET HE DOESN'T HAVE THAT INDIVIDUAL DATA.YEAH, SO THE APPRAISAL DISTRICTS WILL GIVE US THE TAX LEVY ON AS OF, UM, JULY 25TH OF THE CERTIFIED TAX ROLLS.
SO IF THEY WERE ON THOSE TAX ROLLS AT THAT TIME, THEN THAT'S CAPTURED IN THE 160.
BUT IF THEY WEREN'T, THEY'RE NOT.
WHEN WERE THEY GOING TO BE REMOVED FROM THE TAX ROLLS? THOSE TWO LARGE
WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHEN, BUT WHEN IT'S SETTLED AND THE SALE IS CONFIRMED, OKAY, COULD THOSE OF US THAT ARE HOMEOWNERS AND OTHER BUSINESSES WERE PAYING OUR TAXES? THESE TWO APARTMENT COMPLEXES ARE BEING REMOVED FROM.
AND WE MET WITH OUR FOCUS ADVOCACY, OUR GROUP THAT LOBBIES DOWN IN AUSTIN.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'LL BE TALKING TO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS IN AUSTIN THIS NEXT SESSION ABOUT, BUT IT WAS AUSTIN WHO ALLOWED THIS TO GO FORWARD.
IT'S AN UPHILL BATTLE, BUT WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING TO 'EM.
BUT THESE ARE YOUR REPUBLICAN BUDDIES DOWN THERE, MAYOR THAT UNDERCUT US IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
HAROLD, I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU GET THE IDEA.
MY, I'M A REPUBLICAN BUT THEY AIN'T MY BUDDIES.
WELL, THERE'S CERTAINLY NO FRIENDS TO GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS BY TAKING THESE TWO LARGE APARTMENT COMPLEXES OFF THE TAX ROWS.
DO WE HAVE A DEFINITIVE DATE AS TO WHEN THEY WILL BE REMOVED? WE DO NOT.
WE ALREADY TOLD YOU WHEN IT WOULD BE REMOVED BASED ON WHEN THEY CLOSED.
WE DO NOT HAVE A DEFINITIVE DATE.
SO WHEN YOU'RE SAYING CLOSING, ARE THEY FLIPPING THIS TO ANOTHER OWNER GROUP? I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD, MAYOR AND, AND HAROLD, WE GET FROM THE HFC, ONCE THIS IS TOTALLY CLOSED, THEY WILL BE PAYING US A PILOT IN WHICH IS A PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES.
AND WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT IS UNTIL THE PROPERTY IS ACTUALLY CLOSED AND FINISHED.
COULD YOU ELABORATE MORE ON THAT PLEASE? MR. CITY MANAGER IN LIEU OF PROPERTY TAXES, WHAT GIVES THIS RIGHT TO THESE TWO APARTMENT COMPLEXES? THE STATE LAW HAROLD AND WHICH STATE LAW? THE STATE LAW, THE STATE LAW THAT GOVERNS HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATIONS ALLOWS THE PROPERTY OWNER OR APARTMENT COMPLEX OWNER TO COME AND PRODUCE OR TO LOBBY OR DEAL WITH A HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION IN ORDER TO CREATE WHAT THEY CALL WORKFORCE HOUSING, WHICH LOWERS RENT.
AND IT CREATES A SITUATION WHERE EITHER 20, 30, 40% OF THE APARTMENT COMPLEX BECOMES PROPERTY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE 80% I MEDIAN OR LESS.
THAT'S WHY THEY ALLOWED IT TO BE TAKEN OFF OF THE TAX ROLL.
NOW THE KEY AT THIS POINT IS OUR HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.
IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO BE LOSING THO THAT MUCH TAX MONEY AS A PART OF THE STATE'S DECISION HAVE VOTED, AND ONCE IT IS COMPLETED, THE DEAL IS COMPLETE.
WE WILL BE RECEIVING A PARTIAL PAYMENT OF THE TAXES THAT WERE LOST THROUGH A PILOT, WHICH IS A PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES FOR THE CITY.
SO WE'RE GONNA GET SOME MONEY OFF OF IT.
WHAT ABOUT THE GRAND PRIX SCHOOL DISTRICT? THIS IS IN THEIR TAXING JURISDICTION.
WHAT ARE THEY? I DON'T HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE AS TO WHETHER THEY'RE GETTING A PILOT OR NOT.
HAROLD, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
SO WHY IS MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT TAKING THIS HIT AND NOT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TAKING THIS HIT? THEY ARE TAKING THE HIT.
THEY'RE TAKING THE HIT, THEY ARE TAKING IT.
THEY JUST, HE JUST DOESN'T KNOW WHETHER THEY'RE GETTING THE PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES.
THIS IS SOME GOOD
AND DO WE HAVE ANY GUARANTEES THAT THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING AT 12 BUCKS AN HOUR, ARE THEY GONNA GET ACCESS TO THESE APARTMENTS WHO, PEOPLE WHO OWN FIXED INCOMES, WHATEVER.
HOW ARE, HOW ARE WE GONNA ADMINISTER THIS FROM MUNICIPAL PROPERTY? THEY ADMINISTER IT.
GO AHEAD CA BILL, THAT PROPERTY IS ADMINISTERED BY THE OWNER AND BY THE PEOPLE WHO HA WHO ARE MANAGING THE PROPERTY.
THEY HAVE TO APPLY AND BE ELIGIBLE AND MEET THE CRITERIA AS ANYONE ELSE.
BUT IF THEY ARE OF 80% OF MEDIAN OR LESS, THEY GET A REDUCED RENTAL RATE.
WHAT DOES STATE SENATOR ROYCE WEST AND CHRIS TURNER, OUR STATE REP, WHAT ARE THEY, WHAT HAVE, WHAT HAVE WE GOTTEN FROM THEM REGARDING THIS ISSUE? THEY ARE FULLY AWARE OF IT AND THEY HAVE AGREED THAT THEY WILL LOOK AT IT IN THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
I JUST, I JUST UNDERSTAND IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING AS, AS HOMEOWNERS TO SEE THERE'S A PLACE THEY'RE ON RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE POST OFFICE AND SUDDENLY NOW THIS LITTLE
[00:45:01]
FORMULA IS GOING.YOUR BATTLE'S NOT WITH US THOUGH.
I'M SORRY, WHAT? MAYOR YOUR BATTLE'S NOT WITH US.
STATE THIS STATE LAW'S THE BATTLE.
OH NO, OUR, OUR BO THIS IS PROJECT 2025 IN AUSTIN.
I STILL WANNA COMMENT ON THAT ONE.
GOOD THING ABOUT THAT, THAT LAW I AGREE STINKS, BUT THE GOOD THING ABOUT IT IS OUR LOCAL GRAND PRAIRIE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION STEPPED UP TO THE TABLE, TOOK THIS ON RATHER THAN LETTING SOME OTHER CITIES HFC GET IT.
THEY TOOK IT ON, THEY'RE PAYING SOME TAXES TO SOME PAYMENTS TO US IN LIEU OF TAXES AND IT'S STAYING LOCAL AND NOT GOING INTO OTHER CITIES AND COMING OFF WITH TAX ROLLS AND WE'RE NOT GET A DIME THAT WAY.
AT LEAST THIS WAY WE'RE GETTING SOMETHING AND I APPLAUD OUR GRAND PRAIRIE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION STEPPING UP THE TABLE AND DOING THAT EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T LIKE THE STATE LAW.
ANOTHER HFC COULD HAVE BOUGHT IT AND NOT PAID PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES AND WE WOULD'VE GOTTEN NOTHING.
SO OUR HFC SAW THAT STAFF SAW THAT WE BOUGHT IT.
UH, QUESTION COUNCIL MEMBER HEADON, UM, BILL THE, UH, PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES, IS THAT A ONE TIME FEE EVERY YEAR? OH, IT'S EVERY YEAR.
MY SECOND QUESTION WITH THE, UH, 80%, UH, MEAN INCOME OR, OR LOWER, WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF UNITS THEY HAVE TO DO FOR THAT? I, I'M NOT SURE.
AND THE REASON I'M NOT SURE IS BECAUSE THAT'S IN THE CLOSING DOCUMENTS AND IT HAS TO BE GREATER THAN 20%.
SO IT COULD BE, IT COULD BE JUST 2020, JUST 20, OR IT COULD BE A HUNDRED.
BUT ON THOSE CASES, I KNOW IT'S NOT A HUNDRED.
I JUST DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT NUMBER AND I WOULDN'T WANT TO GIVE YOU WRONG INFORMATION.
MAYOR PROIN, I ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE APPROVING THE 2024 TAX ROLL RESULTING IN A TAX LEVY IN THE AMOUNT OF 166,608,000 $144.
SECOND, WE HAVE MOTION SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER DEBOSKY.
[22. Public Hearing and Ordinance Adopting the FY 2024/2025 Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) Budget]
ITEM 22 MAYOR AND TO YES, SIR.UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING IN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE FISCAL 24 25 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS BUDGET.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR CIP IS $132 MILLION ON AUGUST 6TH OF THIS YEAR.
CITY MANAGER SUBMITTED THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR CONSIDERATION CITY COUNCIL.
REVIEWED AND DISCUSSED THE BUDGET AT THE BUDGET WORKSHOP ON AUGUST 14TH IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 1 0 2 0 0 7.
TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARING WILL CONCLUDE WITH THE RECORD VOTE ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET COUNCIL MAY MAKE ANY CHANGES THAT SERVE THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE TAXPAYER AND RESIDENCE AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING.
NO STAFF RECOMMENDS MOVING FORWARD WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE FISCAL 24 25 CIP BUDGET.
I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, HAROLD HAS SOME FOR YOU OR SOME COMMENTS? PROBABLY NOT.
QUESTIONS JUST BRIEFLY, FOR THE 132 MILLION ON CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIG BUDGET ITEMS WE'RE GONNA BE SPENDING THIS SUMMER? A LOT OF THEM ARE STREETS, STREETS, PROJECTS AND SEWER PROJECTS AND THOSE TYPE OF, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
SO PROOF AND VEHICLES, EQUIPMENT FOR, UH, THE CITY.
AND WILL ANY OF THIS BE COMING OUT OF BOND PROJECTS OR AAA OR, YES.
SO, UH, THERE WILL, PORTIONS OF THIS WILL BE COMING OUT OF THE, THE TAX NOTE, UH, APPROXIMATELY A LITTLE BIT OVER 5 MILLION IS FOR EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A CO BOND.
EVEN IF YOU HAVE NOT FILLED OUT A CARD AND WANNA SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, YOU CAN COME FORWARD NOW.
SEEING NONE, I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
MAYOR, I MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVE ITEM 22.
SECOND, WE HAVE MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TEM.
SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER HEDEN.
THIS, THAT NEEDED TO BE A, A RECORD VOTE.
SHE SAID NO, NO, NO, THAT'S NOT OKAY.
LATER WE HAVE TO HAVE A RECORD VOTE WHEN WE SET THE, UH, TAX RATE.
THE NEXT TWO ARE, THANK YOU POWELL.
[23. Public Hearing and Ordinance Adopting the FY 2024/2025 Operating Budget]
ITEM 23 IS THE PUBLIC HEARING IN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE FISCAL 24 25 OPERATING BUDGET MAYOR AND COUNSEL.THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL 24 25 OPERATING BUDGET TOTALS $540 MILLION $530,588.
[00:50:03]
ON AUGUST 6TH, THE CITY MANAGER SUBMITTED THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR CONSIDERATION.CITY COUNCIL MET FOR THE BUDGET WORKSHOP ON APRIL 14TH, WHICH ONE OF THEM? IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 1 0 2 0.07.
TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARING WILL CONCLUDE WITH THE RECORD VOTE ON THE ADOPTION OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND A SEPARATE RECORD VOTE TO RATIFY THEIR PROPERTY TAX INCREASE AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING.
STAFF RECOMMENDS MOVING FORWARD WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE FISCAL 24 25 OPERATING BUDGET.
I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
AND WHEN WE GET TO THE MOTION, MAYOR PRO TEM, WE'LL HAVE TO DO TWO MOTIONS ON THIS ONE ITEM.
UH, HAROLD, ARE WE, WHAT IS OUR INCREASE ON THIS BUDGET FOR FIRE AND POLICE DURING THIS BUDGET HEARING? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THEIR PAY OR JUST OVERALL INCREASE? JUST OPERATING BUDGET PLEASE.
I HAVE, SO THE GENERAL FUND OPERATING BUDGET IN TOTAL INCREASE BY FOUR, ABOUT 4 MILLION, BUT THAT INCLUDED, UH, THE 2% OVERALL FOR GENERAL FUND.
SO WE'VE ADJUSTED ACCORDINGLY WITH THE, THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
AND THEN FOR OUR, OUR ENGINEERING FOR, WE HAVE A WATER LEAK, SEWER LEAK, I THINK WORDS MORE BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS FOR IT WAS A TRANSITIONARY YEAR.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE TRIED TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS AND, AND CAUTIONARY WITH, UH, ADJUSTING FOR THIS, EVERYBODY GOT 2%, SO.
I'M JUST ABOUT THE OPERATING HOURS FOR OVERTIME TO FIX THE WATER LEAK THOSE TIMES.
OH, WE, WE ALWAYS, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE ALL BUDGETED.
IT'S, IT'S BUDGETED CURRENT SERVICE LEVEL IS IS WE'RE NOT CUTTING BACK.
NO, WE'RE NOT CUTTING BACK ON THE CURRENT SERVICE LEVEL.
DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM IS ON YOU.
YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT? YEAH.
UM, QUESTION AND A COMMENT, TAU, I KNOW WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHENEVER WE'RE MAKING THESE MOTIONS, UM, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S NOT GONNA BE A PROPERTY TAX RATE INCREASE.
THE PROPERTY TAX RATE WILL, HAS STAYED THE SAME AT A POINT 66 CENTS.
SO, AND WE HAVE A WHOLE, THIS YEAR'S BUDGET HAD A 2.5% HOMESTEAD INCREASE IN HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
WHICH IS IN THIS, WHICH IS LIKE GIVING A HOMEOWNER A TWO PENNY TAX DECREASE.
BECAUSE IT ALL GOES TO HOMEOWNERS.
THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION AND GETS ME READY FOR TOMORROW NIGHT.
AND EVERY OTHER NIGHT THAT WE HAVE A
MAYOR PRO TEM, I'D ENTERTAIN, UH, A MOTION FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE MOTION AND WE'LL DO A RECORD VOTE ON THAT AND THEN WE'LL DO THE SECOND HALF.
I MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND RATIFY THE PROPERTY TAX.
HANG ON, I CAN'T CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING YET, FOLKS, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A, EVEN IF YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED UP AND WANT TO DO SO ON THIS ITEM 23, AND I DON'T KNOW IF I DID IT OR I MAY HAVE ALREADY.
I'VE HAD TO DO IT THE OTHER ONE, SO I WANNA MAKE SURE I DO IT ON THIS.
NOW I'LL LET YOU CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ON MOTION ONE, I MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND RATIFY THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF 0.66 CENTS.
AND THAT'S IN ITEM 22, I MEAN 2323.
COUNCIL, UM, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, HOW DO YOU VOTE? AYE.
MOTION CARRIES, UH, NINE TO NOTHING.
UH, NUMBER TWO IS I MOVE TO ADOPT THE FISCAL YEAR 2024.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND I'LL START OUT ON THIS END.
COUNCIL MEMBER HEAD AND HOW DO YOU VOTE? AYE.
ZANU MOTION CARRIES DOWN TO NOTHING.
[24. Public Hearing and Ordinance adopting and levying the ad valorem tax for the FY 2024/2025 at a rate of $0.66 per $100 of assessed value on all taxable property within the corporate limits of the city on January 1, 2024, not exempt by law; providing revenues for payment of current municipal expenses for interest and sinking fund on outstanding City of Grand Prairie debt; providing for enforcement of collections; providing for a severability clause; and providing an effective date]
24, ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING.THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING IN ORDINANCE ADOPTING AND LEVYING THE AVALOR TAX FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.
THE PROPOSED TAX RATE OF POINT 66 CENTS PER $100 OF VALUATION REMAINS UNCHANGED FROM THE CURRENT TAX RATE.
THE RATE IS ESSENTIAL FOR FUNDING THE FISCAL 20 24 20 25 BALANCE BUDGET.
[00:55:01]
PROPOSED TAX RATE EXCEEDS THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.SO A RECORD VOTE IS REQUIRED AS PER TAX CODE SECTION 26.052 B.
THE REVENUE ALLOCATION FOR THE GENERAL FUND MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS IS 41 CENTS.
0.42 CENTS PER $100 OF VALUATION FOR THE DEBT SERVICE FUND.
INTEREST IN SINKING IT IS 0.24 CENTS PER $100 OF VALUATION.
HAROLD, THE LAW THAT CAME OUT OF AUSTIN FROM DANNY SCOTT GAB.
DAN PATRICK CHANGED HIS NAME FROM DANNY SCOTT GAB TO DAN PATRICK, THE INTERFERENCE THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM AUSTIN, THE, WHAT WAS THE PERCENTAGE THAT AUSTIN, WAS IT 4% OR THREE AND A HALF PERCENT CAP? THREE AND A HALF PERCENT.
SO NONE OF THIS WE'RE BEING MICROMANAGED BY AUSTIN ON THREE I HAVEN TIME.
HAVE WE EVER BEEN, HAD A THREE AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE IN THIS BUDGET DOWN HERE IN 40 YEARS? I DON'T THINK SO.
UH, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THIS ON THE RECORD THAT THE INTERFERENCE FROM AUSTIN OF A GOVERNOR, A LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, EVERYONE IN AUSTIN OF MICROMANAGING THIS LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT AND THEY CAN'T EVEN RUN WHAT THEY'VE GOT GOING ON IN AUSTIN.
SO THIS IS, IF THIS HASN'T THE YEARS THAT THIS HAS BEEN PASSED, HAVE WE EVER BEEN CLOSE TO THAT THREE AND A HALF PERCENT? WE HAVE HIT THE THREE AND A HALF BEFORE.
HOW LONG AGO WAS THAT? UH, SINCE SB TWO.
SO I MEAN WE'VE, WE'VE ALWAYS HIT THE 3.5%.
WE'RE PROBABLY, WE MAY BE HITTING IT RIGHT NOW.
BUT THIS ASSURES US NO INTERFERENCE FROM AUSTIN ON THIS BUDGET.
IT DOESN'T EXCEED WHAT AUSTIN REQUIRES US TO LIMIT IT TO.
WE ARE FOLLOWING AUSTIN'S GUIDELINES EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T LIKE 'EM, BUT WE, IT'S LAW.
YEAH, I JUST THINK IT'S DURING BUDGET TIME.
I DON'T HAVE ANYBODY FROM AUSTIN UP HERE WORKING WITH THE STAFF.
THERE'S NONE OF THE PROJECT 2025 REPUBLICANS UP HERE GIVING US ALL THAT ADDITIONAL MONEY.
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND IF ANYBODY WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, EVEN IF YOU HAVE NOT FILLED OUT A CARD, YOU CAN COME AND DO SO NOW I MAYOR PRO TEM.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE FOUR PARTS TO THIS, UH, TO THIS UH, MOTION OR AT LEAST LET'S START WITH MOTION NUMBER ONE.
I MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS BE SET AT 0.4 1 8 0 3 0 PER $100 OF EVALUATION.
MOTION CARRIES MANANO SECOND MOTION NUMBER TWO.
I MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR INTEREST IN SINKING BE SET AT 0.0 2 0 4 5 6 PER $100 OF VALUATION.
COUNCIL MEMBER DOKI MAYOR AYE.
I THINK I'LL KNOW Y'ALL'S NAME AFTER TONIGHT.
I MAY JUST DO FIRST NAMES ON THE WAY BACK JUST TO YEAH.
I MOVE TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING A TOTAL TAX RATE OF 0.6 6 0 0 0 0 PER 100 OF VALUATION FOR TAX YEAR 2024, WHICH IS THE ADDITION OF MOTION ONE AND TWO TOGETHER TO GET THE 66 JUNIOR.
YOU READY? MOTION NUMBER FOUR.
I MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF 0.6600, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 3.2%
[01:00:02]
INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE.CAN I DO IT ON THIS THING? NO, I DO THIS VOTE MIDDLE NAME THIS TIME.
I DON'T KNOW EVERYBODY'S MIDDLE NAME, UH, IS ON YOU.
WE HAVE A CORRECTION TO MAKE TO THE SECOND MOTION.
I'LL READ IT IN FOUR ONE GEORGIA.
YOU CAN SHOW WE NEED TO CHANGE THE MATH.
I MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR INTEREST AND SINKING BE SET AT 0.241970 SECOND.
I'LL GIVE IT TO HEAD DOWN THERE.
RE VOTING ON ADAM TWO HEADING.
I DON'T REMEMBER US HAVING TO BREAK THIS MANY RECORD OF VOTES DOWN LAST YEAR.
IT WAS ONE FOR THE BUT WHATEVER.
HAVE YOU DONE FOUR ALREADY? YES SIR.
[25. Resolution approving the FY 2025-2029 Capital Improvements Plan as a planning tool]
ITEM 25, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.THIS IS THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE FISCAL 20 25 20 29 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT PLAN.
THIS IS JUST THE PLANNING TOOL FOR THE FUTURE BOND SALES OR ELECTIONS.
ACCEPTANCE OF THIS PLAN DOES NOT COMMIT FUTURE COUNCILS TO APPROVING SPECI SPECIFIC PROJECTS, BOND SALES OR ELECTION AMOUNTS.
THE PLAN PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK TO ASSIST THE CITY IN PRIVATE SECTOR IN PREPARING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE FISCAL 2025 THROUGH 2029 CIP AS A PLANNING TOOL.
UM, HAROLD, ON THE SELLING OF OUR BONDS, WE WILL, THERE WILL NOT BE A BOND ELECTION PER SE, JUST AUTHORIZATION FROM THE COUNCIL.
WE WON'T HAVE TO GO BEFORE THE VOTERS AS A WHOLE FOR NONE OF THIS REQUIRES A VOTE BY THE VOTERS? NO, SIR.
THIS IS JUST A CIP PLANNING TOOL SO WE CAN JUST CONTINUE BUSINESS AS USUAL.
I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION MAY APPROACH TIM, THIS SIT QUESTION HERE.
HOW DOES THIS CIP PLANNING TOOL GET AMENDED AS TIMES CHANGE? 'CAUSE WE PLAN OUT, YOU KNOW, FOR FIVE YEARS.
SO EVERY YEAR AS WE'RE DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE GO THROUGH OUR CIP PROJECT AND THEN WE WILL UPDATE OUR FIVE YEAR CIP PLANS.
AND THEN, SO NEXT YEAR, YEAR ONE WILL DROP OFF AND THEN YEAR TWO BECOMES YEAR ONE, AND THEN WE REEVALUATE.
AND YOU CAN MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO YEAR TWO, WHICH WE BECOMES YEAR ONE AS NECESSARY.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO ADD TO OUR CIP PLAN FOR, WELL, I, I, I'M, I'M THINKING OF A LARGE DOLLAR PROJECT THAT NEEDS TO GET ON THE CIP SOMETIME.
HOW WOULD THAT GET, WE MAKE AMENDMENTS TO OUR, OUR CIP IT WOULD BE VIA VOTE OF THE COUNCIL.
TO ADD IT TO THE CIP AMEND THE BUDGET.
AND HAS IT DONE AT BUDGET TIME? YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TO THE BUDGET.
WE HAVE CIP AMENDMENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
ANYBODY ELSE DOWN HERE? THIS IS NOT A RECORD VOTE, NOT A PUBLIC HEARING.
I'D ENTERTAIN A PLAINO MOTION.
MOTIONS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MAYOR ADAMS. ALL IN FAVOR? SAY YO, LIKE MIKE DID A BE GO.
MOTION CARRIES NINE TO NOTHING.
NOW THIS, THE PIS, HERE'S THE WAY WE DO THE PIS.
UH, WE WILL TAKE ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS ONE AT A TIME THROUGHOUT IT.
UH, LEE, UM, YOU JUST HANG CLOSE AND, UH, WE'LL GO THROUGH.
[Items 26 - 44]
HAROLD, YOU WANNA SPEAK ON ADAM 26,[01:05:01]
THE OLDEST LONGEST SERVING PID, UH, HAROLD WILLIS.I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK LEE FOR ALL OF HER WORK THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AND THE BOARD MEMBERS OF THE PID.
IT HAS MADE SUCH A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT IN THAT AREA.
AND WITH TRAMBLE CROW'S FIRST DEVELOPMENT PUTTING IN GRAND PRAIRIE, UM, THE ONLY THING I WOULD ASK, PLEASE, THROUGH ALL THE PITS IS OUR WATER CONSERVATION AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER, SID MILLER, SAID WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH WATER THIS YEAR FOR THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY TO GROW CROPS.
SO AS THIS WATER SHORTAGE CONTINUES IN TEXAS, I KNOW IT'S, IT'S GOTTEN BETTER WITH THE MOISTURE SENSORS, BUT LIKE ALL THE RAIN WE HAD IN MAY, THE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS
OUR PIGS LEE, WE NEED TO GET THAT WORD OUT.
MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S SENSORS ARE WORKING.
BUT SEE, THE PROBLEM WITH THE SENSORS, HAROLD, IT CAN RAIN TWO INCHES ON MONDAY, BUT THE SENSORS DRY ON TUESDAY AND THE SPRINKLERS STILL COME ON.
SO IT'S MORE THAN THE SENSORS.
WE NEED 'EM TURNED OFF IF IT'S GOT A GOOD RAIN.
AND WE JUST NEED TO INFORM OUR PIS.
'CAUSE WE'LL DRIVE DOWN MANY STREETS LIKE YOU DO AND SEE IT INTO THE STREETS EVEN THOUGH IT RAINED THE DAY BEFORE.
AND IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE WATERING THAT NEXT DAY.
WOULD THIS BE POSSIBLE DURING THIS BUDGET HEARING FOR THE PIT DISTRICTS? I BROUGHT THIS UP LAST YEAR.
YOU, YOU HAVE A MCDONALD'S APP, UBER APP, WHATEVER, OF AN APP THAT THE CITY COULD UTILIZE TO DURING OCTOBER.
SUPPOSED TO BE ONE OF OUR RAINIEST YEARS IN MAY.
LIKE HAROLD TAFT WOULD TELL US THAT SOME WAY YOU COULD HAVE A MASTER CONTROL SYSTEM TO THE PIS HAVE THEIR OWN CONTROLS.
I DON'T THINK WE COULD GET A MASTER CONTROL, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING STAFF COULD LOOK AT.
I JUST WANT TO BRING THIS IN, IN BUDGET TIME GOING DOWN TO DEVELOP THIS TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY.
MAYBE THE KIDS AT, AT DUBISKI AT THE CAREER SCHOOL, THESE KIDS ARE VERY SMART OF IMPLEMENTING SOME KIND OF A APP THAT WOULD ALLOW US GREATER CONTROL TO REDUCE THE WATER WASTE THAT GOES.
UH, DON'T WISH TO SPEAK, BUT READ THOSE INTO THE RECORD.
THESE CITIZENS DO NOT WISH TO SPEAK.
BUT, UM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECORD THEIR OPPOSITION? UM, ITEM NUMBER 26, SUKI RUSSELL.
ITEM NUMBER 42, SUNIL PATAM FOR ITEM NUMBER 31.
UH, THANK YOU MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY FIRST TIME ATTENDING THE CITY HALL MEETING.
I'M SORRY? YOU'RE AMONG FRIENDS.
SO I'M WRITING TO FORMALLY SUBMIT MY OBJECTION TO THE PROPOSED LE OF THE ASSESSMENT ON MY REAL ESTATE PROPERTY, WHICH WOULD RESULT IN NEARLY A $400 BEING ADDED TO MY MORTGAGE ESCROW FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 2025.
AS A PROUD RESIDENT OF GRAND PRAIRIE SINCE 2003, NEARLY 21 YEARS, AND A HOMEOWNER IN DISTRICT SIX PENINSULA, KURT JOHNSON.
SINCE 2018, I VALUE THE COMMUNITY AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE IT OFFERS.
I AM ALSO THE FIRST IN MY FAMILY TO BECOME A HOMEOWNER.
IN ADDITION, I'M A MOTHER, A WIFE, AND A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER WHERE CAREFUL BUDGETING AND FINANCIAL PLANNING ARE VITAL PRIORITIES FOR OUR HOUSEHOLD.
IN RECENT YEARS, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED CONTINUOUS INCREASES IN PROPERTY TAXES AND HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE.
ACCORDING TO LENDINGTREE, TEXAS, HOME INSURANCE RATES HAVE INCREASED BY 54.5%.
FROM 2019 THROUGH MARCH OF 2024, THESE RISING CAUSE PLACED AN EVER INCREASING BURDEN ON HOMEOWNERS LIKE MYSELF.
AND THIS PROPOSED ASSESSMENT ONLY ADDS TO THE FINANCIAL STRAIN.
WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR IMPROVEMENTS, I BELIEVE THE CURRENT ASSESSMENT AMOUNT OF $2,846,504 PLACES AN UNDUE FINANCIAL BURDEN ON HOMEOWNERS.
AND I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE BUDGET BE REEXAMINED TO EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE THE LEVY.
AS AN ALTERNATIVE, I PROPOSE THAT THE CITY CONSIDER INCREASING THE TAX ON COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE PROPERTIES, PARTICULARLY THOSE OWNED BY LARGE CORPORATIONS RATHER THAN SMALL, LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES.
THIS APPROACH WOULD HELP ALLEVIATE THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF HOMEOWNERS
[01:10:02]
ENSURING THAT LARGE COMMERCIAL ENTITIES CONTRIBUTE MORE TO PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS GIVEN THEIR GREATER FINANCIAL CAPACITY.THIS WOULD SPREAD THE RESPONSIBILITY MORE EQUITABLY ACROSS THE COMMUNITY.
I APPRECIATE THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND HOPE WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TOWARD A MORE MANAGEABLE, UH, SOLUTION FOR ALL HOMEOWNERS.
I'LL TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOUR COMMENT AND EXPLAIN SOME THINGS ABOUT A PID.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT COMING TONIGHT.
I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU TO SHOW UP AT THE PID BOARD MEETINGS.
THAT'S WHERE THE ASSESSMENT IS MADE.
FOR EVERY PI THAT'S ON THIS LIST TONIGHT.
WE DON'T ASSESS THE RATE THE PI DOES LEE, DID THEIR RATE GO UP PENINSULA? NO, THERE'S BEEN NO CHANGE.
TO YOUR OTHER QUESTION ABOUT TAXING OTHER BUSINESSES, NONE OF THE BUDGET THAT WE PASS TONIGHT, NONE OF THAT GOES INTO DOING THINGS THAT THE PI DOES.
YOU CAN'T TRANSFER THAT MONEY.
THE PIT IS FOR 'EM TO DO SPECIFIC THINGS JUST IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
THE BIGGEST EXPENSE FOR YOUR PIT, I WOULD SAY WOULD BE MAINTAINING THE PONDS, THE WATER WELLS, AND THE FENCES.
SO THOSE ARE THE PI'S RESPONSIBILITY.
AND WHAT WE TAX HOMEOWNERS ARE THE BUSINESSES OR WAREHOUSES.
OUR APARTMENTS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TAX RATE FOR THE PI TAX RATE.
SO I LOVE YOU COMING UP AND QUESTIONING US TONIGHT.
I WOULD ASK YOU TO GET WITH LEE HARRIS.
LET, SHE WILL INVITE YOU TO THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.
THAT'S WHERE THEY GET INTO THE BUDGET.
UH, AND I'M NOT SAYING THE BUDGET COULDN'T BE TRIMMED OR SHOULD BE TRIMMED.
WE DON'T GET INTO THE MICROMANAGEMENT OF PIS.
SOME PIS WANT THEIR FLOWERS CHANGED OUT ALMOST DAILY.
SOME DON'T EVER, I MEAN,
SO I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU TO GET VISIT THE PI AND GET INVOLVED WITH THE PI.
AND I'VE ALSO CLICKED ON THE WEBSITE FOR THAT ABOUT WHAT THE PIT IS AND WHAT IT INQUIRES.
UM, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDED THAT IT BUDGETS FOR THE MARKETING.
SO THE BAR MARKETING PROMOTIONS.
LET LET THEM, YOU DON'T NEED, NEED TO SPEND MONEY ON MARKETING.
SO THAT'S WHY I JUST WANTED TO BRING, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THAT.
UM, AND THEN I ALSO HAVE ONE OTHER ITEM THAT I WANTED.
WHAT ITEM IS IT? WELL, IT'S ALSO REFERRING TO THE PI COMMUNICATION THAT CAME OUT.
SO ON MY LETTER THAT I RECEIVED, IT HAD, UM, GRAND PRAIRIE PUBLIC INFORMATION DISTRICT NUMBER EIGHT PENINSULA THIS MORNING WHEN I, OR THIS EVENING WHEN I CHECKED IN, I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE IS NO DISTRICT EIGHT.
SO, UM, JUST FOR COMMUNICATION THAT'S GOING OUT TO ALL RESIDENTS.
I JUST ASKED FOR FIRST TIMER, SECOND SIDE.
WE'VE GOT A GOOD BETTER JOB OF THAT.
UH, THIS CAME FROM THE CITY, THE SAME LETTERS THAT EVERYONE RECEIVED.
I HAVE A COPY OF IT HERE, BUT ON IT, IT SAYS IT MULTIPLE TIMES THROUGHOUT IT DISTRICT.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHO SENT IT OUT.
Y'ALL KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? YEAH, BECAUSE THERE'S, IT'S THE SAME.
THERE'S YOU AND IT SAYS DISTRICT EIGHT PENINSULA, RIGHT? IT IS, IT'S PI NUMBER EIGHT.
OH, THERE IS A PI NUMBER EIGHT.
I ALL NUMBER THERE IS PI NUMBER EIGHT.
YEAH, IT'S JUST NOT ON THE AGENDA AS NUMBER EIGHT.
OH, BECAUSE YOU SAID DISTRICT.
UH, I JUST WANNA COMMENT THAT THE PIT MEETING WAS ABOUT A WEEK AGO.
DO YOU REMEMBER SAYING, UH, WE, WE MUST HAVE LEFT BEFORE YOU GOT THERE BECAUSE WE SPOKE QUICKLY AND, AND WE GOT OUTTA THERE.
SO I INVITE YOU TO COME TO THE PIT MEETINGS 'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE THEY DO MAKE THE DECISIONS ON EVERYTHING.
AND I'VE ASKED THAT PIT TO LOOK AT THEIR EXPENSES.
I HOPE YOU GET INVOLVED THE NEXT ONE.
UH, MEL SAYS WE CAN TAKE ONE MOTION TO APPROVE ALL OF 'EM AT ONCE.
THAT WOULD BE 26, UH, THROUGH 44.
I MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVE ITEMS 26 THROUGH 44 AS LISTED FOR EACH P WHO WAS IT? OKAY.
UH, WELL I REALLY, I'LL GIVE ADAMS SECOND.
[Items 45 & 46 ]
ITEM 45.ALL OF YOU HERE TONIGHT THAT ARE HERE FOR THE PS, PLEASE GET INVOLVED IN YOUR P UH, AGAIN, WE DO NOT SET THE RATES.
WE DON'T, UH, TELL 'EM HOW OFTEN TO DO ANYTHING.
IT'S RUN BY THE CITIZENS OF THE COMMUNITY.
PATRICIA REDFERN, CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING DEPARTMENT.
[01:15:01]
UH, THEIR COMPANION PIECES, NUMBER 45 IS THE FIRST READING OF TWO OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING, UH, THE CHAPTER 26 UTILITIES AND SERVICES, CODE OF ORDINANCES REGARDING THE SOLID WASTE RATES.UM, THE PROPOSED RATE FOR THIS, THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR, FISCAL 25 WILL BE 7.5% INCREASE TO THE RESIDENTIAL, THE COMMERCIAL, AND THE INDUSTRIAL SOLID WASTE RATES.
THESE WERE REVIEWS REVIEWED AT THE BUDGET WORKSHOP ON AUGUST 14TH AND ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING YESTERDAY.
AND WE CAN DO 46 AT THE SAME TIME.
SO GO AHEAD AND TALK, TALK TO US ABOUT 46.
NUMBER 46 IS THE SOLID WASTE COLLECTION FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH REPUBLIC SERVICES REGARDING THE SAME.
AND MEL HAS TOLD ME WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS, UH, JUST APPROVE THIS FIRST READING AND SET, SET IT FOR THE SECOND READING NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.
I MAKE THAT IN A FORM OF A MOTION.
UM, CAN YOU, UH, CLARIFY, SO THAT 7.5 WAS THAT, UH, BASICALLY WHAT REPUBLIC TOLD US IT WAS GONNA BE OR FOR THAT I GUESS THAT'S GOING ON TO THE CITIZENS.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS? DID REPUBLIC, UH, GIVE US OR MANDATE SOMETHING HIGHER AND THEN WE NEGOTIATED IT DOWN TO HAVE LOWER FEES FOR OUR CITIZENS? THAT IS CORRECT.
REPUBLIC CAME IN WITH A REQUEST, UM, OF ROUGHLY 10%, UH, BROKEN UP IN DIFFERENT PIECES.
SO 13% ON THE INDUSTRIAL, A LESSER PERCENT ON THE RESIDENTIAL.
AND THEN ANOTHER RATE ON THE COMMERCIAL WE NEGOTIATED DOWN TO A 7.5% INCREASE, WHICH WAS ONE THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR DOING THAT AND TRYING TO GET US THE BEST RATE POSSIBLE.
THAT WAS THE LARGER TEAM COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON.
I HAD SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR TO ASK IN REGARDS.
WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT, UH, EACH YEAR, UH, THEY'VE BEEN RECEIVING A GENEROUS SEVEN AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE.
WE ALSO HAVE A POTENTIAL SEVEN AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE ON THE WATER RATES.
SO LOOK AT THE, WHEN WE START ADDING THESE FEES UP, THEY START COSTING THE HOMEOWNERS MORE AND MORE MONEY.
SEVEN AND A HALF PERCENT OF THE YEAR IS QUITE A BIT.
IN, IN, AND LIKE THE YOUNG LADIES HAD MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT THE INSURANCE RATES ARE GOING UP.
SO, UH, I KNOW REPUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO, UH, THE TRUCKS WITH THE LIFT THE CART SERVICE.
IS THAT PART OF THIS HERE? SEVEN AND A HALF PERCENT CASE? NO, THAT IS NOT PART OF THIS.
YOU'LL BE BRINGING US A PROPOSAL TO THAT AT SOME FUTURE POINT.
AND WHERE ARE WE AT ON THE, UH, PILOT? YEAH, THE PILOT.
NOT THE PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TEXAS, BUT THE OTHER PILOT
UH, WE WILL BE NEGOTIATING WITH REPUBLIC SERVICES FOR A RATE.
WHEN WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD IDEA OF WHAT SIX MONTHS PLUS ONE DAY LOOKS LIKE FOR THE RATE PAYER, THEN WE'LL BE BRINGING YOU THE ENTIRE PROPOSAL.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE STILL BEGINNING OF JANUARY? NO SIR.
THE FINAL PROGRAM GONNA START AS SOON AS WE HAVE THE NEGOTIATION DONE AND THEN WE KNOW WHAT WILL BE CHARGING THEM BECAUSE THE PILOT IS FREE FOR SIX MONTHS.
IT'S NOT FREE AFTER SIX MONTHS.
THE PILOT'S FREE FOR SIX MONTHS.
BUT WHAT MONTH WOULD IT START? 2024.
THE PILOT, I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT DATE YET.
COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON, THE PILOT WILL START.
WE WE'RE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH, DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE PILOT'S GONNA START? IT'S SUPPOSED TO START IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY, BUT IT DEPENDS OF 2025 AT 25.
BUT IT DOES DEPEND ON THE NEGOTIATION THAT WE'RE IN.
AND HOW WILL WE NOTIFY THE RESIDENTS WHO'S IN THE PILOT PROGRAM? AND WE WILL, WE WILL DO A WELL, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
CAN'T, THEY CAN'T PUT TRASH BAGS OUT ANYMORE.
YEAH, WE'LL BE WORKING THROUGH COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING TO GET THE WORD OUT.
WE'LL ALSO BE GETTING THE WORD OUT IT WHEN YOUR CART WILL BE DELIVERED.
WHAT WILL THAT LOOK LIKE? YEAH, CAN I, CAN I JUST BE MAILED INTO IN THE CLOSE ON THIS SO I CAN SEE, SO I CAN ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS WITH YES SIR.
SO, UM, THAT BEGS THE QUESTION, DO WE WANNA START THE PILOT PROGRAM IF WE KNOW WE DON'T WANT TO DO THE PROGRAM? THAT'S, THAT'S A RHETORICAL QUESTION, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
WELL, THE THE POINT IS IF WE KNOW WE'RE NEVER GONNA, YOU KNOW WHAT MY QUESTION IS? UM, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THE SERVICES COMPANIES, NOT JUST REPUBLIC.
OTHERS MAY FORCE CITIES TO DO IT 'CAUSE THEY MAY NOT HAVE ANOTHER WAY TO DO IT IN A FEW YEARS.
[01:20:01]
THAT'S CORRECT.SO BECAUSE OF SAFETY AND ALL, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO LET THE CITIZENS KNOW THAT BECAUSE OUR TOWN IS SPLIT 50 50 ON WHETHER THEY WANT THIS.
BUT FROM MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE FUTURE OF LABOR AND THE FUTURE OF THE SAFETY, WE'RE GONNA BE FORCED INTO IT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THOSE TYING OF TRUCKS ANYMORE.
AND FOR WORKERS' COMP AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WE'RE GONNA BE FORCED THAT WAY.
IS THAT A TRUE STATEMENT? STAFF? THAT'S TRUE.
THEY, THEY PUT IT IN WRITING AND SEND IT TO US IN A LETTER.
THAT THEY WILL NOT BE PICKING UP TRASH BAGS.
AND THAT'S WHY WE NEGOTIATED THE I UNDERSTAND.
I JUST WANNA GET THAT ON THE RECORD.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER HEAD, DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER FOLLOW UP? I DO.
UM, I SPOKE AT THE WESTCHESTER PIT RECENTLY AND I JUST GOT A, A VOTE IN THE ROOM.
AND I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THERE DID NOT WANT THE CANS, THE TRASH CANS, WHICH IS INTERESTING.
UM, I DIDN'T KNOW THEY'RE THE ONES THAT USUALLY WANTED IT.
WHEN WE DID A CITYWIDE SURVEY, THEY WERE PREDOMINANTLY FART AND THE TOWN WAS SPLIT 50 50.
THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE IS WE HAVE TO DO IT ANYWAYS.
LIKE IT MIGHT HAVE, WE MAY NOT HAVE AN, WE MAY NOT HAVE AN OPTION.
AND MY SECOND QUESTION, UM, ARE WE GONNA DO SOME CITYWIDE UH, COMMUNICATION DURING THIS PILOT PROGRAM? BECAUSE I WOULD THINK THAT IF YOU'RE JUST OUTSIDE OF THE AREA THAT'S GETTING, YOU'RE GONNA WONDER WHY.
SO I JUST SUGGEST WE'LL NEED TO DR.
REDFORD, WE COMMUNICATED WITH EVERYONE.
THERE'S A PILOT PROGRAM COMING OUT THERE AND BEFORE WARNED YES.
AND FOLKS, THE REASON THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR CITY THAT DON'T WANT IT IS WE'RE AN OLD CITY.
WE HAVE SOME CITIES WITH NO CURVES, GUTTERS THAT HAVE BARRED DITCHES.
THE CANS ARE GONNA END UP IN THE BARRED DITCH THEY'RE GOING TO.
AND SO IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A BAR DITCH IS, DRIVE DOWN ERNIE, VICKY OR VINEYARD.
SO, UM, THAT'S NOT THE ONLY ONES.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION FOR 45, 46 AND VOTE.
OH, I ALREADY MADE THE MOTION.
[47. SUP-24-08-0031 - Specific Use Permit Review - Zaza Hookah Lounge (City Council District 2). Review SUP No. 1125B, a Specific Use Permit for Amusement Services authorizing a Hookah Lounge, for compliance with SUP conditions, and modify, renew, or revoke if deemed appropriate based upon the review. Lot 2, Block 1, Gibsons Addition, City of Grand Prairie, Dallas County, Texas, zoned PD-394, and addressed as 906 W Pioneer Pkwy Suite 250 (On City Council Meeting – September 17, 2024 Page 8 of 8 September 9, 2024, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval with conditions by a vote of 7-0)]
HAVE ONE ZONING APPLICATION.AND THAT'S THE LAST ITEM EXCEPT FOR CITIZEN COMMENTS.
YOU CAN STICK AROUND FOR THAT.
OR JUST VISIT WITH HAROLD OUT IN THE LOBBY.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UH, THIS ITEM IS A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT REVIEW FOR ZAZA HOOKAH LOUNGE.
IT'S LOCATED AT 9 0 6 WEST PIONEER PARKWAY.
UH, THE PURPOSE OF THE ITEM TONIGHT IS TO REVIEW SUP 1125 B FOR AMUSEMENT SERVICES, WHICH AUTHORIZES A HOOKAH LOUNGE FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE SUP CONDITIONS AND THEN MODIFY, RENEW, OR REVOKE IF DEEMED APPROPRIATE BASED UPON THE REVIEW.
SOME BACKGROUND ON THIS, UH, CITY COUNCIL INITIALLY APPROVED THE SUP BACK IN FEBRUARY OF 2022.
IT HAS GONE THROUGH SOME RENEWALS AND THIS WILL BE THE FOURTH TIME IT'S BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
UH, A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ON THE OPERATIONS AND COMPLIANCE.
UM, IT WAS BROUGHT TO STAFF'S ATTENTION THAT THEY MIGHT BE OPERATING PAST THE HOURS THAT WERE AUTHORIZED BY THE SUP UH, STAFF.
CONFIRMED WITH THE OPERATOR THAT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
UH, THERE IS A ZAZA HOOKA LOUNGE LOCATED AT SUITE 250 AND, UH, ADJACENT TO THAT SUITE IS ZAZA PEAK PIZZA AND WINGS.
UM, SO THE ZAZA PIZZA AND WINGS IS OPEN LATE.
AND THE PIZZA WINGS IS ALLOWED TO OPEN UP, STAY OPEN LATER.
SO ZAZA HOOKAH LOUNGE IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THOSE OPERATIONAL HOURS.
UM, BUT STAFF IS RECOMMENDING SOME, UH, CHANGES TO THE SIGNAGE TO AVOID FUTURE CONFUSION.
UM, SO THE OPERATIONS OF THE HOOKAH LOUNGE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SUP CONDITIONS AND ALL OTHER APPLICABLE RULES AND REGULATIONS.
SO STAFF'S RECOMMENDING THAT IT BE RENEWED WITHOUT A SPECIFIED DATE TO RETURN TO CITY COUNCIL.
NOW IF IT IS IN VIOLATION OF ANY OF COME BACK ANY TIME.
UH, WE'RE ALSO RECOMMENDING THAT ALL OF THE OTHER EXISTING CONDITIONS REMAIN IN PLACE.
UH, SO ON SEPTEMBER 9TH, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS BY A VOTE OF SEVEN TO ZERO.
ALL OF THE CONDITIONS ARE, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THEY REMAIN IN PLACE.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT ONE BE ADDED AND THAT'S THE OPERATOR SHALL REMOVE ANY AND ALL SIGNAGE
[01:25:01]
REFERENCING HOURS BEYOND WHAT IS AUTHORIZED IN THE SUP FROM ZAZA HOOKA LOUNGE AND SHALL POST SIGNAGE REFLECTING THE HOURS OF OPERATION AS REQUIRED BY THE SUP CONDITIONS.THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S PRESENTATION.
I CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
UH, COUNCIL, UH, DEPUTY MAYOR.
UH, THIS IS MORE OF A COMMENT THAN A QUESTION, BUT, UM, A FEW WEEKS AGO WE HAD A HOOKAH LOUNGE OPERATOR COME HERE AND MISLEAD US, UM, SAYING THAT THIS HOOKAH LOUNGE WAS OPEN PAST MIDNIGHT.
AS A, AS A WAY TO TRY TO LOBBYIST TO LET THEM STAY OPEN PAST MIDNIGHT.
SO I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE NEED TO DO ANYTHING ON IT, JUST WANT TO LET THAT I REMEMBER THAT.
YEAH, BECAUSE YOU GOOGLED IT AFTER THE MEETING.
I REMEMBER THAT SHOWED EVERYTHING.
AND I I WILL NOTE THAT THERE'S DUPLICATE SIGNAGE ON EACH BUSINESS THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT A WHOLE DIFFERENT HOOKAH LOUNGE.
AND, AND THEY MAY HAVE BEEN CONFUSED BY THE DIFFERENT SIGNS, CORRECT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY WERE, I DON'T THINK THEY WERE TRYING TO MISLEAD US.
THEY MAY HAVE JUST BEEN CONFUSED LIKE OTHER PEOPLE WERE.
THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT.
WELL, I THINK FOR CLARITY HERE, WHEN YOU DO GOOGLE ZAZA, IT SAYS ZAZA PIZZA AND HOOKAH.
AND WHEN WE LOOKED AT LAST TIME, THAT'S PROBABLY CONFUSING.
YEAH, THAT'S A LOT OF CONFUSING.
'CAUSE WHEN WE DID GOOGLE IT, IT SAID 3:00 AM ON, RIGHT ON THE GOOGLE.
SO IF THEY'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT SIGNAGE, THEY NEED TO ALSO SEPARATE THE GOOGLE ON THE WEBSITE.
TAKE THAT AS A COMMENT AND PASS IT ALONG.
UM, WHEN YOU MENTION THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA PUT A DATE FOR IT TO COME BACK TO US, BUT A, WE SEE, SO HOW MANY CONCERNS OR HOW MANY VIOLATIONS BEFORE YOU COME TO DIVORCE CITY COUNCIL? WE TYPICALLY DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIED NUMBER, BUT WE DO WORK WITH CODE AND PD AND ANY SUP, ANY, ANY TYPE OF USE.
WHEN THERE'S A, AN AMOUNT OF, OF CITATIONS AND THE BUSINESS HASN'T RECTIFIED THOSE, THEN WE, UH, GET TO A POINT WHERE WE BELIEVE THAT THEY NEED TO BE REVIEWED IN A PUBLIC HEARING BY CITY COUNCIL.
WE WOULD BE ABLE TO BRING IT FORWARD.
SIR, OUR CODE ENFORCE IS NOT REALLY GONNA, I MEAN, YOU GET ONE VIOLATION, WE'RE NOT GONNA TRY TO PUT YOU OUTTA YOUR BUSINESS, BUT IF YOU START BECOMING A BAD OPERATOR, THEN THAT'S WHEN THEY, THEY BRING IT BACK.
IF THEY GET A TICKET AND THEY TAKE CARE OF IT, WE WON'T HEAR ABOUT IT.
BUT BOY, IF THEY GET THREE OR FOUR AND THEY HAVE ONE DRAGON THAT THEY NEVER TOOK CARE OF, STAFF WILL GET TIRED OF IT AND SAY WHEN TO LOOK AT IT.
Y'ALL DO A GOOD JOB WITH THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER LOPEZ, I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER CARDS OR SIGNS.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HEDEN? YES.
UM, I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO APPROVE THE SUP APPLICATION FOR ZAZA HOOKAH LOUNGE, UH, WITH THE CONDITIONS THAT THEY UPDATE SIGNAGE, UH, TO LIST THEIR HOURS AND ACCORDING WITH LAW AS WELL AS, UH, ENSURE THAT THEIR WEBSITE HAS UPDATED HOURS.
THIRD, UH, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
IF WE'VE GOT A GOOD OPERATOR, WE NEED TO LET 'EM KEEP IN BUSINESS.
[CITIZEN COMMENTS]
HAROLD? HE PROBABLY DID, DID GO.UH, THIS IS A VERY HISTORIC DAY.
SEPTEMBER 17TH, 1787 IS WHY WE LOOK AT THAT FLAG THERE.
OUR FOUNDING FATHERS DEVELOPED A SPREAD OFFENSE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO RUN AND CONTINUE TO MODIFY.
SO HOW VERY FORTUNATE WE ARE ON THIS DATE IN 2019, WHICH WAS SEPTEMBER 17TH.
THAT WAS JIM LAWFORD'S LAST BUDGET MEETING.
ALSO AT THAT MEETING IN 2019, ON SEPTEMBER 17TH, WE HAD DAVID KUNKLE, OUR FORMER POLICE CHIEF OF THE AUDIENCE.
WHAT DAVID KUNKLE BROUGHT TO GRAND PRAIRIE IN 1982, HIS LEADERSHIP.
ALL THE REFORMS THAT ARE BROUGHT ARE WHY WE HAVE THE QUALITY POLICE FORCE AND THAT WE HAVE GOING ON NOW.
UH, THIS IS VERY, THIS IS WHAT NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY.
I ALSO WANNA BRING FORTH THAT, UM, OUR WATER ISSUE LAST WEEK, TWO WEEKS AGO.
AND I KNOW WE CAN'T TALK BACK AND FORTH, BUT DID WE HAVE ANYONE FROM AUSTIN, FROM THE TEXAS COMMISSION ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY? DID THEY SHOW UP HERE WHEN YOU HAD THE PRESS CONFERENCES? MAYOR? I DON'T THINK THEY DID.
DID WE HAVE TIM O'HARE SINCE THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED IN TARRANT COUNTY? DID TARRANT COUNTY JUDGE TIM O'HARE SHOW UP TO LEND SUPPORT? ARE WE GOING TO RECEIVE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM AUSTIN IF AUSTIN'S GONNA MICROMANAGE
[01:30:01]
US FROM A 3.5% TAX INCREASE? WHAT ASSISTANCE ARE WE GOING TO RECEIVE FROM THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY? THE LATE GREAT MOLLY IVANS BEFORE THEY CHANGED THE NAME TO TCEQ, THE ACKERMAN WAS TRAIN WRECK.AND IT WAS LITERALLY A TRAIN WRECK DOWN IN AUSTIN WITH THE INEFFECTIVENESS OF THIS GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
THE FACT THAT DOING THE WATER TESTING, THAT WHAT WE COULD SEE ON THE NEWS REPORTS, WE HAD TO SEND THAT BY A CITY EMPLOYEE TO CORPUS CHRISTI.
AND YOUR COMMENTS, MAYOR, YOU AND I ARGUE ON EVERYTHING, BUT I WISH YOU WOULD'VE BEEN MORE FORCEFUL WITH THEM.
MAYOR, WHERE WAS GREG ABBOTT? WHERE WAS DANNY SCOTT GAB SLASH DAN PATRICK? WHERE WAS KEN PAXTON? WHERE WAS OUR AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER? DID THEY SHOW UP? ARE WE GOING TO BE REIMBURSED ANY FROM AUSTIN FOR THE COST OF JUST BOTTLED WATER? THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT ON THIS WATER TESTING, LARRY CURLY MO AND SHEMP WOULD'VE DONE A BETTER JOB OF TESTING THE WATER.
WE CAN RELATE TO BEAVERS AND BUTTHEAD.
HEY BEVA, WE'RE ON A TET OF WATER.
WE'RE NOT GONNA FLIP BURGERS ANYMORE.
BEBA AND BUTTHEAD COULD HAVE HANDLED THIS.
MIKE JUDGE COULD HAVE DONE AN EPISODE OUT OF AUSTIN.
HOW THEY MISMANAGED THIS, AND I WANT TO GET THIS ON THE RECORD, THAT GRAND PRAIRIE FIRE RESCUE IS NOT BEING BLAMED FOR THIS.
THE PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS THAT WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE IN GRAND PRAIRIE, IF THEY SOUGHT TO USE THAT FOAM, WHATEVER, UH, THAT BACKFLOW DEVICE, I REMEMBER WE WERE UP HERE EARLY IN THE YEAR AND WE HAD A GROUP CALLED MR. BACKFLOW.
WELL, WHERE WAS MR. BACKFLOW AT THIS BUILDING TO PREVENT THIS, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU PUT FORTH A COMMITTEE TO GIVE ANSWERS TO THE TAXPAYERS, THOSE BUSINESSES THAT WERE AFFECTED.
UH, WHAT LOSSES ARE THEY GOING TO BE REIMBURSED? UH, THE HOMEOWNERS, EVERYBODY ELSE.
FORTUNATELY THOSE OF US SOUTH OF 20 THAT WERE TOLD EVERYTHING WAS OKAY.
THE FACT THAT THIS HAPPENED IN NORTHWEST GRAND PRAIRIE, THE FACT THAT IT WASN'T A TERRORIST ACTIVITY, JUST THE WHOLE THING.
THIS IS WHY MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT IS SO CRUCIAL BECAUSE IT WAS THIS GROUP HERE DOING THE WORK.
AND THAT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WHOLE WEEK THAT KEN PAXTON, WHAT WAS IT, TWO WEEKS AGO, HE HELD THAT NEWS CONFERENCE.
BOY, THERE'S 20 MILLION WET BACK MEXICANS DOWN THERE IN SAN ANTONIO, ALL REGISTERED TO VOTE, FIXING TO VOTE.
THEY HELD THAT RAID DOWN SOUTH OF SAN ANTONIO.
THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE WITH THE LEADERSHIP.
LIKE THE OLD LINE IN THE MOVIE, SHOW ME THE MONEY.
ARE WE GOING TO GET REIMBURSEMENT FROM AUSTIN? THEY, IF YOU'RE GONNA SPEND $15 BILLION ON OPERATION LONE STAR, YOU CAN KICK SOME MONEY BACK UP TO GRAND PRAIRIE BECAUSE THE PAST TWO WEEKS, THAT WASN'T A GOOD WEEK FOR THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND ALL THE OTHER ACTIVITIES.
SO HOPE IT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.
BUT THE FOLKS IN AUSTIN OWE US SOME EXPLANATION AND MONEY.
YEAH, MY NAME IS KEITH HEISEN.
UH, ME AND MY COLLEAGUES ARE HERE ON BEHALF OF A CONCERN ABOUT, UH, UH, A CROSSING AT SOUTHEAST 14TH AND, UH, UM, AND, AND, UH, YEAH, MARSHALL THAT, UH, DOES NOT HAVE, UH, LIGHT PROTECTION RIGHT NOW.
AND UH, WE ALREADY SPOKE TO THE CHIEF BEFORE THE MEETING AND HE TOOK A PHOTO OF THIS.
AND SO WE'RE HOPING THAT, UH, THE PROBLEM WILL BE RESOLVED.
AND SO I REALLY DON'T REALLY HAVE TO GO ON AND TO EXPLAIN TOO MUCH MORE.
WE'LL, WE'LL GET WITH YOU AFTERWARD.
THE CHIEF WILL TAKE CARE OF IT AND GET WITH OUR TRAFFIC.