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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Minutes 2024 06 22 SpecialMINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD JUNE 22, 2024 THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD MET IN A SPECIAL MEETING ON SATURDAY, JUNE 22, 2024, IN THE PUBLIC WORKS CONFERENCE ROOM, LOCATED IN THE BLACKHAWK FACILITY, 15355 BLACKHAWK BOULEVARD, FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS, WITH THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS PRESENT CONSTITUTING A QUORUM: John Ellisor Sally Branson Trish Hanks Robert J. Griffon Joe Matranga Mike Foreman Morad Kabiri Karen Homer Raquel Martinez 1. CALL TO ORDER Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember Mayor Pro Tern Mayor City Manager City Attorney Deputy City Secretary Mayor Foreman called the meeting to order with a quorum present at 8:00 A.M. All members were present with the exception of the absence of Councilmember Brent Erenwert. 2. INVOCATION The invocation was led by Councilmember John Ellison 3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor Foreman led the Pledge of Allegiance of the United States and to the State of Texas. 4. PUBLIC COMMENT Mayor Foreman announced no member of the public had signed up to speak for a public comment. 5. DISCUSSIONS A. Receive and discuss current and future City operations, plans, budgets, and goals for the City of Friendswood. The item was opened with Mayor Foreman discussing over the City Council Liaison List for FY 2024- 2025, which was presented as follows: City Council Special Meeting Minutes June 22, 2024 Page 2 of 10 COUNCIUNIUMBER CONIN11TTEE Robert Griffon (Primary) Clear Creek Watershed Steering Committee Trish Hanks (Alternate) Sally Branson (Primary) Community & Economic Development Committee Brent Erenwert (Alternate) Brent Erenwert (Primary) 41' of July Steering Committee John Ellisor (Alternate) Robert Griffon (Primary) Galveston County Consolidated Drainage District Trish Hanks (Alternate) All City Council Members Galveston County Mayors' & Councils' Association Mike Foreman (Primary) Gulf Coast Authority John Ellisor (Alternate) Sally Branson (Primary) H-GAC Mike Foreman (Alternate) All City Council Members Harris County Mayors' & Councils' Association Trish Hanks (Primary) Keep Friendswood Beautiful Brent Erenwert (Alternate) John Ellisor (Primary) Library Board Sally Branson (Alternate) Trish Hanks (Primary) Planning & Zoning Commission Joe Matranga (Alternate) Robert Griffon (Primary) Senior Citizens Advisory Committee Mike Foreman (Alternate) John Ellisor (Primary) Zoning Board of Adjustment & Appeals Joe Matranga (Alternate) City Manager Morad Kabiri noted there were two (2) big topics they were going to discuss today: 1) their strategic plan and visioning, and 2) the budget. Mr. Kabiri noted the last time the City of Friendswood looked at their visioning comprehensively was in 1998. Their mission statement was presented as follows: "It is the mission of the Council and Staffof the City of Friendswood to provide the highest level ofservice to our citizens at the greatest value. " At that time, the City Council had also adopted the following philosophy: • To act in the best interest of the citizens; • To consistently demonstrate respect to Staff; • To invest our resources effectively for the future of Friendswood; and • To handle disagreements/conflicts in a respectful manner. Mr. Kabiri then identified the current challenges their organization was facing as follows: • Organizational culture • Community Expectations • Sustainability • Generational culture • Generational Equity • Operational Solvency • Employee retention • Future Citizen Concerns • Developed Environment • Inflation 0 Aging Infrastructure With that stated, Mr. Kabiri established their goals for the meeting as follows: • Identify Council's Vision for Friendswood; Develop their Mission as an Organization; and Unify Council's Vision to the Organization's Mission. To develop their vision, Mr. Kabiri engaged each Councilmember to discuss their individual priorities for the City of Friendswood. Each Councilmember provided their priorities as follows: Mayor Foreman • Drainage and flooding • Mobility • Diversification of Tax Base • Maintain Small Town Feel Councilmember Branson • Drainage and Flooding • Mobility • Diversification of Tax Base • Public Safety • Maintain Great Level of Service and Invest in Personnel Councilmember Griffon • No New Revenue Rate Budgeting as a Starting Point • Maintain Great Level of Service and Invest in Personnel • Emergency Preparedness • Mobility (to include Friendswood Pkwy and Greenbriar Drive) Councilmember Hanks • Manage Growth • Good Stewards of Taxpayer Dollars • Mobility • Maintain Great Level of Service/Quality of Life • Good Relationship with Friendswood Schools • Diversification of Tax Base • Address Deferred Maintenance • Downtown • Friendswood Parkway Mayor Pro Tem Matranga • Public Safety • Education • Good Stewards of Taxpayer Dollars • Transparency/Communication • Mobility • Drainage and Flooding • Maintain Small Town Feel Councilmember Ellisor • Infrastructure • Mobility • Drainage and Flooding • Public Safety • Emergency Preparedness • Transparency Councilmember Erenwert • [Absent] Based on this feedback, Mr. Kabiri summarized that Council wants to foster an environment that invests in safety, infrastructure (mobility and drainage), quality of life, and transparency while being good stewards of taxpayer dollars. He relayed that he would also visit with the absent Councilmember Erenwert to have this same discussion with him on his priorities. Subject to that discussion, Mr. Kabiri would come up with a vision statement for the City of Friendswood and later present that to Council. Councilmember Matranga gave additional requests that he wished to also discuss with Staff and Council. He discussed the benefit it would be to have City Staff live in Friendswood. Councilmember Hanks concurred with this idea. Mayor Foreman suggested evaluating an incentive for City employees to be able to live in Friendswood. In addition, the Councilmembers requested dollars to be allocated to boost communication with citizens. Along that same note, Councilmember Griffon requested to improve the communication between Council and the Planning and Zoning Commission. Councilmember Matranga City Council Special Meeting Minutes June 22, 2024 Page 4 of 10 also wondered if their community wanted more Flock/License Plate Cameras and, if so, to work with homeowner associations (HOAs) to offset the costs. Councilmember Matranga then wished to discuss matters concerning the procedures of their City Council meetings. City Attorney Karen Horner presented and discussed with Council possible revisions to their Rules of Procedure. The revisions up for Council's consideration were to better align their rules with the City Charter and to further streamline their City Council meetings. Moreover, Councilmember Matranga requested and inquired if there was a way to better drain Stevenson Park. Councilmember Hanks requested that the erosion of Lake Friendswood be addressed. She also wished to establish a "Friends of the Park" program for each park in Friendswood. At 9:37 A.M., Mayor Foreman recessed the meeting for a short break and later reconvened at 9:54 A.M. Director of Finance Rhonda Bloskas provided Council with a presentation on the City of Friendswood FY2024-2025 Budget. Ms. Bloskas identified and discussed over their key budget drivers as follows: INSURANCE COSTS 5% Increase • Windstorm • Vehicle Insurance • Real and Personal Property OPERATIONAL COSTS 5% Increase • Supplies • Services PERSONNEL COSTS 4% - 5% Increase Includes: Wages, Taxes, Benefits, and Overtime • Merit Increase • Salary Survey Adjustments • Health and Dental Insurance DEFERRED GRANT ADVANCE FUNDING Not included in the tax rate EMS ONBOARDING FY25 Expenses - $2,953,095 • Personnel • Operational Costs • Facilities Maintenance • Information Tech Costs • TESRS Obligations Less Revenue/Savings - $2,305,821 Net addition - $647,274 F00A -W)X91 ►M_ FY25 Increase - $64,125 • Inflation Adjustment • Stipend • Equipment Costs BOND PROJECT Increase Overhead $44K • Utilities • Janitorial • Maintenance GRANT PROJECT Increase Operating Budget Bid Publications $27K City Council Special Meeting Minutes June 22, 2024 Page 5 of 10 In addition, Ms. Bloskas presented the following chart regarding the City's ageing infrastructure: WATER & SEWER AGING INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS FY25 Project Costs $29.9M FY26 Project Costs $26.9M FY27 Project Costs $14.6M FY28 Project Costs $12.5M FY29 Project Costs $5.5M Ms. Bloskas noted this list did not include grant funded projects. For FY2025, the City of Friendswood's Engineering Department has been encumbered for projects without a funding source for construction. The estimated costs of these unfunded projects totaled nineteen point two million dollars ($19.2 M). The Councilmembers requested a list of those unfunded projects. With regard to the General Fund, Ms. Bloskas relayed their revenues were at forty-two point two million dollars ($42.2 M). She displayed the following graph for Council to further illustrate their revenues: Beverage Tax i Charges for Service Miscellaneous Intergovernmental Permits & Licenses r_ Fine & Forfeitures Transfers In Franchise Taxes err Sales Tax Property Taxes $0 $4 $8 $12 $16 $20 $24 2024 ■2025 Millions *Charges for Services includes $1,035,000 for EMS Revenue Ms. Bloskas noted the budget was being developed with an expected tax increase. The City received preliminary net taxable values from both Galveston County Appraisal District (GCAD) and Harris County Appraisal District (HCAD). She noted that estimated taxable value was at six point one billion dollars ($6.1 B), which is up five hundred and ninety-eight million dollars ($598 M). Five point nine million dollars ($5.9 M) of that value would go to tax debt service obligations. The General Fund expenditures were presented to be forty-two point two million dollars ($42.2 M). Ms. Bloskas presented the following charts to further illustrate those expenditures: PERSONNEL $28.6M UP $3.5 EMS Personnel Onboarding $2.4M Merit and Salary Adjustment 4% Health & Dental Increase 4-5n/o Police 12-Hr Shifts $305K FAW Parks Maintenance Worker $88K City Council Special Meeting Minutes June 22, 2024 Page 6 of 10 NON -PERSONNEL $13.6M UP $513 Operational Impact 5% G.O. Bonds and Grants Impact $66K Deferred Maintenance $500K EMS Contract Elimination $1.02 FAW Vehicles F, PD, ENG $206K FAW Personnel Deferred Maintenance ■ FAW Non -Personnel Non -Personnel Personnel $(1) $5 $10 $15 $20 $25 Millions 2024 ■ 2025 (est) GENERAL FUND - EXPENDITURES BY CATEGORY $30 $25 $20 r $15 $10 $5 Mao $0 Personnel & Supplies Maintenance Services Capital Outlay Other Benefits ■ 2020 ■ 2021 ■ 2022 2023 ■ 2024(budget) ■ 2025(est) City Council Special Meeting Minutes June 22, 2024 Page 7 of 10 TAX RATE ANALYSIS WITH DEBT ISSUANCE GENERAL FUND — FUND BALANCE — $16.7M Planned Use Available for Capital $382,020 Projects 2 % $462,970 FY24 Uses or Fund 3% Nonspendable & Advance Grant Funds Balance e Restricted $702,900 $5,521,605 $9,669 58 ° 4°/ 33% 58% The Water and Sewer Fund revenues were presented to be twenty-one point eight million dollars ($21.8 M). Ms. Bloskas provided the following chart to further illustrate the fund's revenues: Water Meter Sales , Interest sms Administrative Fees i Water Revenues Sewer Revenues --- - "" $- $2 $4 $6 $8 $10 $12 Millions 2024 ■ 2025 (est) City Council Special Meeting Minutes June 22, 2024 Page 8 of 10 The Water and Sewer Fund expenditures were presented to be twenty-one point two million dollars ($21.2 M). Ms. Bloskas presented the following charts to further illustrate those expenditures: PERSONNEL $3.4M PRELIMINARY — ALL FUNDED All Personnel Costs $133K Decision Packages $825K Est. Increase 4% NON -PERSONNEL $17.OM Current Services $8.2M FAW-Insurance $27K FAW-Purchased Water Rate Increase $93K FAW-Blackhawk Wastewater Operations $287K Sewer Line Maintenance $300K Debt Service Obligations $5.3M Transfer to General Fund $2.8M FAW and DP Packages Transfer General Fund Debt Service Sewer Line Maintenance Engineering Public Works Insurance Finance Total Personnel $- $1 $2 $3 $4 $5 $6 $7 $8 ■ 2024 ■ 2025(est) Millions WATER AND SEWER FUND — EXPENDITURES BY CATEGORY $8 $6 a $4 $2 Personnel & Supplies Maintenance Services Capital Other Transfer to W & S Debt Benefits Outlay General Fund Service ■ FY2020 ■ FY2021 ■ FY2022 FY2023 ■ FY2024(budget) 0 FY2025(est) City Council Special Meeting Minutes June 22, 2024 Page 9 of 10 WATER & SEWER FUND UTILITY REVENUE & EXPENDITURE COMPARISON $30 $25 $20 - C $15 - 0 $10 $5 FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24(BDGT) FY25(BDGT) Water RevSewer Rev ■ Water Exp a Water Debt Sewer Exp ■ Sewer Debt WATER & SEWER WORKING CAPITAL — $17.8M ES2,513,76]7 Planned Uses $9,906,746 FY24 Use of Working As of June 3, 2024, Ms. Bloskas noted the net balance for their working capital is negative seven hundred seventy-two thousand one hundred and thirty-five dollars (-$772,135). To close the discussion on the City of Friendswood FY2024-2025 Budget, Ms. Bloskas presented the following key dates as their next steps: • Proposed Budget Delivered — 08/01/2024 • Budget Work Session — 08/05/2024 • Proposed Budget Public Hearing (Special Meeting) — 08/26/2024 • Public Hearing on Tax Rate — 09/09/2024 • Budget and Tax Rate Adoption — 09/09/2024 At 1 1:11 A.M., Councilmember Griffon stepped out of the meeting and later returned at 11:13 A.M. At 11:17 A.M., Mayor Foreman recessed the meeting for a short break and later reconvened at 11:25 A.M. Upon the meeting reconvening, Police Chief Josh Rogers provided the following updates to Council on current City of Friendswood Police Department affairs: • Challenges with Retention/Recruitment • Policy Accreditation/Training Requirements • 8 to 12-Hour Shift Changes • Flock Systems/License Plate Recognition • Staffed at 66 (67 Total — I position vacant) Cameras (Around 30 total) • Officer Mental Health City Council Special Meeting Minutes June 22, 2024 Page 10 of 10 At 11:50 A.M., Mayor Foreman recessed and convened into an Executive Session pursuant to Section 551.071 of the Texas Government Code to consult with the City Attorney regarding legal issues concerning the current and future operations, plans, budgets, rules, policies, and/or goals for the City of Friendswood. At 1:14 P.M., Mayor Foreman reconvened the meeting and announced that, in accordance with Section 551.102 of the Texas Government Code, no action was taken in the Executive Session. 6. ADJOURNMENT With there being no further business to discuss, Mayor Foreman adjourned the June 22, 2024, City Council Special Meeting at 1:15 P.M.