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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Minutes 2014-09-29 Special 09/29/14 4342 STATE OF TEXAS )( CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD )( COUNTIES OF GALVESTON/HARRIS )( SEPTEMBER 29, 2014 )( MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE FRIENDSWOOD CITY COUNCIL THAT WAS HELD ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2014, AT 5:30 PM AT FRIENDSWOOD CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 910 S. FRIENDSWOOD DRIVE, FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS, WITH THE FOLLOWING, PRESENT CONSTITUTING A QUORUM: MAYOR KEVIN HOLLAND MAYOR PRO-TEM JIM HILL COUNCILMEMBER STEVE ROCKEY COUNCILMEMBER BILLY ENOCHS COUNCILMEMBER PAT MCGINNIS COUNCILMEMBER JOHN SCOTT CITY ATTORNEY STEVE WEATHERED CITY MANAGER ROGER ROECKER CITY SECRETARY MELINDA WELSH Councilmember Gustafson was absent from the meeting. REGULAR SESSION Mayor Holland called the meeting to order. ' The invocation was given by Pastor McCauley Austin with Friendswood Baptist Church. Mayor Holland led the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States and to the State of Texas. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC Mayor Holland asked if anyone would like to speak. No one spoke. PUBLIC HEARING Mayor Holland called a Public Hearing to order to receive comments from the public, both oral and written, regarding the proposed tax rate for 2014. Mayor Holland asked if anyone would like to speak in favor of or in opposition to the request. No one spoke. Mayor Holland adjourned the Public Hearing. CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION Mayor Holland asked if anyone would like to speak regarding the Executive Session. No one spoke. Council convened into Executive Session in accordance with the Texas Government Code, pursuant to Section 651.071 — Consultation with Attorney regarding pending or contemplated litigation, to-wit: K. Hovnanian of Houston Il, LLC, v. City of Friendswood. ' RECONVENE INTO OPEN SESSION Council reconvened into Open Session with no action taken later in the meeting. 09/29/14 4343 City Attorney Steve Weathered left the meeting at this time. ACTION ITEMS "Approval of scheduling and announcing the meeting to adopt the tax rate at the October 06, 2014, meeting died for lack of a motion. Mayor Holland announced that the tax rate will be adopted at the October6, 2014, Council meeting. WORK SESSION Mayor Holland opened the discussion regarding the City's proposed Annual Budget for Fiscal Year 2014- 2015. Councilmember Scott asked if Staff had completed the preparation he requested at the last Council meeting. Deputy Director of Fiscal Operations Katina Hampton provided Council with two handouts. City Manager Roger Roecker explained the handouts. Discussion took place between Mayor, Council, and Staff regarding an explanation of the Friendswood Volunteer Fire Department being a separate entity from the City, work on a contract, Fire Department employees are not City employees, part-time Fire Department (FD)/Emergency Medical Services (EMS) employee merit increase, if Effective Tax Rate is used the FD/EMS merit increase would not be funded but the current tax rate would fund the FD/EMS merit increase. Councilmember McGinnis stated he would be in favor of maintaining the current tax rate if debt reduction was included, use the above 90-day fund to pay for some of the Decision Packages to keep from accruing more debt. Councilmember Hill stated he has no problem with the proposed budget, did want the budget to include two full-time Paramedics which it has, is not concerned with Staff wasting money, Council wastes money, have to get Council's approval to spend money, Staff are conservative and thrifty, and City is well managed. Councilmember Rockey stated the difference in the two tax rates is $50 per household, faced with ' uncertainty over the next year or two, cost of bond projects are increasing, spoke about software, sewer system, and radio replacement. Council may need to clarify what is the 90-day reserve and the above 90-day reserve, and what the funds are spent on, need to be aggressive to use reserve but do not think it is the right year. Mayor Holland stated the City has a reserve due to the frugality of Staff, will need $1.5 Million to issue bonds, $1.3 Million for radio replacement, prudent and conservative approach is to keep reserve were it is, will be beneficial in the next budget cycle, not opposed to the proposed Decision Packages, planning for the additional debt that will come with the bonds, and to keep the tax rate flat. Councilmember Scott stated if there is $1.3 Million in expenditures that Staff is aware of then it should be budgeted, should not be taken from the above 90-day reserve. If the difference in the two tax rates is only$50 per household then Council should adopt the Effective Tax Rate, have only proposed to fund the one-time Decision Packages totaling $117,000 with the above 90-day fund. The practice of Council for the past few years has been to adopt the Effective Tax Rate. Councilmember Enochs stated the City of Friendswood is an awesome city, have awards on the wall to prove it, need money to keep it going, the economy crisis hit in 200812009, have been frugal for the last several budget cycles and neglected some things. There is an opportunity to get caught up, if current tax rate is used the tax rate will still be lower than it was a decade ago. Some of the Decision Packages are not options such as employee hearing screening and increase in health insurance premiums, have heard no objections from the public. The meeting was adjourned at 6:18 PM. Mayor Kevi olland ' Attest: 09/29/14 43441 Melinda Welsh, TRMC ,•�FR ENpS .• City Secretary :p :U' :tik Co I i