[00:00:02]
GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME TO THIS MEETING OF THE DENTON CITY COUNCIL.
[WORK SESSION]
IT IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2023.WE DO HAVE A QUORUM, SO I'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER AND THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS.
OR DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS? ANY SPEAKERS? OKAY, GREAT.
THAT TAKES US TO OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS, WHICH IS THE WORK SESSIONS OR ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? EVERYONE HAS A COPY OF THE ANSWERS THAT WERE SENT IN, ANY QUESTIONS THAT STAFF NEEDS TO PREPARE FOR FOR THIS EVENING BEFORE WE MOVE ON? COUNSELOR MELTZER YEAH, I'M AFRAID I'D LIKE TO ASK FOR A PRESENTATION ON AB.
I JUST AND FUNDAMENTALLY, I JUST WOULD LOVE TO HEAR VERY CONVINCINGLY AND WITH PICTURES AND MORE DETAIL, LIKE WHY THE WHY THE EQUIPMENT REQUESTED IS WORTH THAT AMOUNT.
HE MAY BE ABLE TO COME IN AND ANSWER SOMETHING NOW THAT I DON'T KNOW.
YEAH, I WAS ASSUMING THAT THERE SORT OF ALREADY WAS ONE.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO MAKE A FIRE DRILL.
GOOD AFTERNOON. GARY PACKAN, DIRECTOR, PARKS AND RECREATION.
WELL, THE WHAT'S IT CALLED? INSTANT IMPACT LED MOBILE.
MOBILE MONITOR. IT'S A LOT OF MONEY.
IT HASN'T IT HASN'T REALLY BEEN EXPOSED TO IT BEFORE.
I HOPE THERE WAS GOING TO BE AN EASY WAY TO KIND OF NO BRAINER GET THE VALUE.
THAT'S WHY I ASKED ABOUT HOW MUCH WE'RE SPENDING ON RENTALS.
YOU MENTIONED LIKE JUST HELP US UNDERSTAND THAT THE VALUE IS THERE.
SO IT GIVES US A LOT MORE FLEXIBILITY TO START THE MOVIES AND EVENTS EARLIER IN THE DAY.
OUR THOUGHT PROCESS IS WE COULD USE IT FOR OUTREACH EVENTS.
WHEN WE HAVE OUR MOBILE RECREATION EFFORTS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE COULD SET UP POWERPOINTS, WE COULD RUN VIDEOS, WE COULD HAVE SPECIAL EVENTS ON THERE.
GIVES US A LOT MORE FLEXIBILITY.
WE ALSO HAVE TALKED ABOUT PARTNERING WITH YOU AND WE HAD SOME EARLIER PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM, WHETHER IT'S PRE-GAME EVENTS AND THEN INTENTION TO TALKING TO DECIDE TO SEE IF THAT WOULD BE AN OPTION LONG TERM TO TRY TO MAKE THEIR EVENTS BETTER AND THEN ALSO POTENTIALLY WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS THAT WE CO SPONSOR, WHETHER IT'S ARTS AND JAZZ, BLUES FESTIVAL, WHATEVER, TO USE THAT FOR SCREEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE BANDS LIKE THEY SET UP AT AT QUAKERTOWN OR JUST FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION.
MAYOR WOULD YOU MIND IF I. NO, GO AHEAD.
YEAH, THANKS. HOW OFTEN, HOW OFTEN WOULD YOU EXPECT TO BE USING IT AND DOES IT REQUIRE DEDICATED STAFF TO JUST BE OPERATING THAT? YEAH. SO THE THIS, THE MODEL THAT WE HAVE PROPOSED HAS ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES.
SO IT'S PRETTY MUCH PLUG AND PLAY.
WE DON'T EVEN HAVE TO HAVE ELECTRIC.
IF WE HAD IF WE HAD AN ELECTRIC OUTLET WE COULD PLUG INTO IT.
IF NOT, IT CAN RUN OFF A GENERATOR.
SO WE CAN TAKE IT ANYWHERE IN THE CITY.
SO OUR INTENTION IS TO GET THIS OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND USE IT.
NOW, SOME OPPORTUNITIES MAY BE MORE CHALLENGING BECAUSE OF SPACE REQUIREMENTS AND BE ABLE TO GET A TRAILER IN THERE, BUT OUR INTENTION IS TO GET IT OUT AND ACTIVE INTO THE COMMUNITY AS MUCH AS WE CAN, SO IT'LL BE USED BY OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
OKAY, I'LL YIELD IF OTHER PEOPLE WANT TO ASK ABOUT IT OR ANYTHING.
OKAY. AND JUST FOR THOSE TRACKING ALONG, THERE'S ANSWERS PROVIDED.
[00:05:01]
RESPONSES. I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO DIRECT PEOPLE TO WHERE THOSE ARE ONLINE.AND I GUESS CAN SOMEONE REMIND ME ON THE ON THE MINUTES ITEM THAT I ASKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WHAT RULES ARE IN PLAY TO WHERE WE HAD TO HAVE THE SUPERMAJORITY.
WHAT WHAT CONDITIONS WERE SETTING UP THOSE REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE PNC PASSED IT.
SO ARE WE ARE WE DONE WITH WITH AB WHAT DOES THAT IS? YEAH. YES.
YOUR QUESTION IS NOT AB NO, I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
YEAH. NO. CAN SOMEONE JUST REMIND ME WHAT WHAT REQUIREMENTS ARE IN PLACE THAT WERE CAUSING THE SUPERMAJORITY? I JUST DON'T. I'M JUST TRYING TO FOLLOW UP FROM.
NO PROBLEM. AND I MAY HAVE TO, TO YIELD TO SOMEONE FROM DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
THE PROPERTY OWNERS. YEAH. OKAY.
THAT'S SUFFICIENT. I JUST LOOKED BACK IN MY NOTES AND I COULDN'T FIND THAT.
AND I APPRECIATE STAFF'S TIME.
THAT'S ALL, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU.
OKAY. UM, SO JUST TO SO THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE, THERE IS NO PRESENTATION BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TIME TO PREPARE THAT YOU STILL WANTING THEM TO STAY.
YES, WE'RE GOOD. THAT TAKES US TO OUR FIRST WORK SESSION.
SO FIRST SESSION IS ITEM A ID 231123.
[A. Receive a report and hold a discussion regarding the Stormwater Master Plan Needs Assessment study and recommendations. [Estimated Presentation/Discussion Time: 45 minutes]]
RECEIVE REPORT. WHOLE DISCUSSION REGARDING THE STORMWATER MASTER PLAN NEEDS ASSESSMENT, STUDY AND RECOMMENDATIONS.GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I AM BRETT BOURGEOIS, THE DEPUTY CITY ENGINEER, AND I'M HERE WITH CHRIS JOHNSON.
FREESE NICHOLS AND WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE STORMWATER MASTER PLAN NEEDS ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS A PHASE ONE OF A LARGER PLAN TO KIND OF GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW OF WHAT A STORMWATER MASTER PLAN IS.
AND SO WE NEED TO UPDATE THIS DOCUMENT.
WHEN STAFF STARTED TALKING ABOUT HOW WOULD WE GO ABOUT UPDATING THIS DOCUMENT? WE WORKED WITH A CONSULTANT WHO HAPPENED TO BE FRASER NICHOLS, AND WE CAME UP WITH TWO DIFFERENT WAYS TO APPROACH THIS.
A STORMWATER MASTER PLAN IS A MULTI YEAR, MULTI MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT AND SO WE DECIDED TO TAKE IT AN APPROACH OF DO IT IN PHASES WHERE WE BREAK OFF IN SMALLER PIECES, DO MORE FOCUSED APPROACH AND MAKE INCREMENTAL CHANGES AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO THIS IS PHASE ONE OF A MUCH BIGGER DOCUMENT, MUCH BIGGER PLAN.
STORMWATER IS PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING THAT COMES FROM THE RAIN, RIVERS, CREEKS, LAKES AND SNOWMELT.
SO THAT'S ALL STORMWATER COMES INTO THE CITY, COMES INTO AREAS WE NEED TO CONTROL IT WITHIN OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM AND OUR DRAINAGE STRUCTURES TO MAKE SURE AND MINIMIZE FLOODING AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I'M HERE ALSO WITH A COLLEAGUE OF MINE.
HOLLY AHUMADA IS HERE TO HELP US TO RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
OUR DISCUSSION TODAY OF THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
A STORMWATER PROGRAM IS A MANAGED AND COORDINATED SUITE OF FUNDING AND STAFF RESOURCES, ORGANIZED AND MANAGED IN MULTIPLE FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS TO ACCOMPLISH THE CITY'S OBJECTIVE FOR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT.
IT TYPICALLY INCLUDES OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT, REVIEW, CAPITAL PROJECTS, HAZARD WARNING AND RESPONSE AND WATERSHED PROTECTION AND DENTON STORMWATER PROGRAM INCLUDES EACH OF THESE ELEMENTS.
STORMWATER PROGRAMS ARE IMPORTANT TO COMMUNITIES BECAUSE THEY IDENTIFY AND ELIMINATE OR MINIMIZE STORMWATER RELATED RISKS TO PEOPLE AND PROPERTY FROM EITHER FLOOD EVENTS OR IMPAIRED WATER QUALITY.
[00:10:10]
THIS SLIDE IS ONE EXAMPLE THAT ILLUSTRATES HOW WE WORK WITH YOUR STAFF TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL FLOOD RISK AREAS THAT CORRELATE WITH REAL, EXPERIENCED HISTORICAL EVENTS OUTSIDE THE LIMITS OF WHAT IS SHOWN ON FEMA'S FLOOD PLAIN MAPS.ALL. STORMWATER RUNOFF FROM THE CITY OF DENTON EVENTUALLY CONTRIBUTES TO LAKE LEWISVILLE.
APPROXIMATELY 1500 SQUARE MILES CONTRIBUTE TO WATERWAYS IN THE CITY OF DENTON AND THE EXTENT STRETCH IN THE MONTE COOK, GRAYSON AND WISE COUNTIES.
DENTON HAS AN EXTENSIVE SYSTEM OF STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE TO HELP MANAGE AND CONVEY THE STORMWATER THROUGH THE CITY, BUT IT DOES NOT HAVE AUTHORITY TO REGULATE DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES BEYOND THE CITY.
IT COULD BE FOCUSED EXCLUSIVELY ON CAPITAL PROJECTS OR IT COULD INCLUDE POLICIES, CRITERIA, FUNDING STRATEGIES, INFRASTRUCTURE RENEWAL AND OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PRACTICES DEPENDING ON THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF EACH COMMUNITY.
THIS IS WHERE YOU'RE ULTIMATELY HEADED, OF COURSE.
BUT THIS IS A LARGE EFFORT, AND SCREENING OUT UNNEEDED WORK TASKS ALLOWS FOR THE MASTER PLAN TO BE COMPLETED FASTER AND AT A LOWER OVERALL COST.
A NEEDS ASSESSMENT IS THE FIRST STEP IN PREPARING A COMPREHENSIVE STORMWATER MASTER PLAN.
IT IS A HIGH LEVEL EVALUATION OF THE ENTIRE STORMWATER PROGRAM TO OMIT THOSE UNNEEDED TASKS AND DETERMINE ONLY THE BEST OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT TO DELIVER SERVICES TO DENTON RESIDENTS.
STAFF WORKING WITH FRIEZA NICHOLS JUST COMPLETED A NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR THE STORMWATER PROGRAM.
WE ALSO REVIEWED YOUR DATA, SUCH AS FLOOD HISTORY, CONDITION ASSESSMENTS, BUDGETS, CAPITAL PROJECT BACKLOG ORDINANCES, CRITERIA, AND MORE AND MORE. WE CONDUCTED PILOT CONDITION ASSESSMENTS OF A SAMPLING OF YOUR CHANNELS AND PIPES, BOTH CONCRETE AND EARTHEN CHANNELS AND CONCRETE AND CORRUGATED METAL PIPES.
WE PREPARED A PLANNING LEVEL IDENTIFICATION OF FLOODING PRIORITY AREAS BASED ON SCORING METRICS DEVELOPED COLLABORATIVELY WITH YOUR STAFF.
WE ALSO HELD A SERIES OF STAFF WORKSHOPS TO PLAN FUTURE PRACTICAL STEPS TO IMPROVE THE PROGRAM.
HERE'S A SUMMARY OF DENTON'S MAJOR STORMWATER PROGRAM ELEMENTS AND SUBELEMENTS.
SEVERAL STRENGTHS WERE IDENTIFIED AS A PART OF THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT, SUCH AS YOUR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE TEAM CAPABILITIES, YOUR RECENT FEMA COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM FIVE DESIGNATION, AND YOUR WATER QUALITY PROTECTION EFFORTS.
OUR WORK ALSO PROVIDED THE FIRST FOUNDATIONAL BUILDING BLOCKS FOR A COMPLETE MASTER PLAN.
THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT PROVIDED A CITYWIDE PRIORITIZATION OF FLOODING PROBLEM AREAS.
A SAMPLING OF INFRASTRUCTURE INSPECTIONS FOR PIPES AND CHANNELS.
A PRIORITIZATION OF CURRENTLY KNOWN CAPITAL PROJECT NEEDS.
A HIGH LEVEL OF EVALUATION OF YOUR OVERALL PROGRAM AND RECOMMENDED NEXT STEPS.
ADDS THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT WAS UNDERWAY.
YOUR STAFF TOOK ACTION CONCURRENT TO OUR WORK TO PURSUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT.
A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES INCLUDE MAKING PROVISIONS FOR AN IN-HOUSE CCTV PIPE INSPECTION CAPABILITY.
ESTABLISHING. MICHAEL LENDERS YOUR STORMWATER PROGRAM, COORDINATION LEAD AND PROGRAMING, $59 MILLION OF STORMWATER PROJECTS IN YOUR 2023 BOND PROGRAM.
[00:15:10]
THIS PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF DENTON'S MAJOR STORMWATER PROGRAM ELEMENTS AND A SUMMARY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOR IMPROVEMENT AS IDENTIFIED AS A PART OF THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT.THEY'RE ORGANIZED BY EACH MAJOR PROGRAM ELEMENT.
THESE OPPORTUNITIES HAVE BEEN ORGANIZED INTO PRACTICAL NEXT STEPS, STRATEGY AND ARE ALL THINGS THAT HELP THE STORMWATER PROGRAM TO OPERATE MORE EFFICIENTLY AND IMPROVE SERVICE DELIVERY TO DENTON RESIDENTS.
EACH RECOMMENDED STRATEGY SHOWN HERE ADDRESSES IN A LOGICAL SEQUENCE, THE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ONE OR MORE OF THE PROGRAM ELEMENTS SHOWN ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
IN SUMMARY, THE RECENT STORMWATER PROGRAM NEEDS ASSESSMENT RECOMMENDS THAT DENTON MAKE THESE FUTURE INVESTMENTS IN THE STORMWATER PROGRAM IN THE COMING YEARS, BEGINNING IMMEDIATELY AND AS A PART OF THE BUDGET PLANNING CYCLE FOR FY 2025.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SO SO, CHRIS, FIRST LET ME SAY, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T READ ALL 400 PAGES, BUT I WENT THROUGH THE MAJORITY OF IT AND IT WAS A DENSE READ.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. AND AS PART OF THAT RUNNING START, AND I KIND OF ALLUDED TO THIS IN MY MY QUESTIONS TO STAFF, YOU KNOW, AND YOU SORT OF ALLUDED TO IT A LITTLE BIT IN THE TIMELINE THAT WAS YOUR LAST SLIDE.
BUT WHEN DO WE INSERT IN OUR NEEDS ASSESSMENT, CHANGING THE PARADIGM FROM, YOU KNOW, OKAY, WE SEE THAT THIS CONCRETE CULVERT IS CRACKED, BUT RATHER THAN ASSESS IT AS WELL, WE'RE GOING TO RE CEMENT IT OVER.
WE'RE GOING TO ASSESS THAT AS A WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO PUT THIS SOME SORT OF PERMEABLE PERVIOUS SOLUTION OR GREEN SPACE SOLUTION OR SOMETHING THAT IS MORE 21ST CENTURY INSTEAD OF THE 20TH 19TH CENTURY SOLUTIONS THAT ARE NOW AT THE END OF LIFE.
SO WHEN IS THE RIGHT MOMENT FOR THAT? YES, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
SO A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE SITUATIONS.
SO WE'RE FINDING CONCRETE AREAS, THE CONCRETE CHANNEL THAT IS FAILING.
IF IT'S A SMALL FAILURE, THAT'S A MAINTENANCE REPAIR OPTION.
IT'S VERY. IT'S VERY DEPENDENT UPON THE SITUATION AND THE CONDITION.
IT'S ALL ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
WE CAN'T NECESSARILY MAKE A BLANKET STATEMENT BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MUCH EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE TO KIND OF LOOK AT THEM ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS TO HOW IT FITS WITHIN THE OVERALL NETWORK.
SO IF I COULD FOLLOW UP THEN, THAT IT SEEMED LIKE FROM THE TIMELINE THAT WE HAD DELIVERABLES IN THE NEXT YEAR UP TO I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 7 TO 10 YEARS.
SO AS WE DO THESE CASE BY CASE ASSESSMENTS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I GUESS I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO FOCUS ON IS, YOU KNOW WHAT, BECKY, WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE WORD, THE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO THIS, RATHER THAN I DON'T WANT US TO GET TRAPPED BY, WELL, OKAY, THERE'S THIS ONE CRACK VERSUS LET'S LET'S REDO THE THE WHOLE AREA KIND OF APPROACH.
SO SO I GUESS THE WAY TO THINK ABOUT IT IS WITHIN THE CITY OF DENTON, WE HAVE FOUR MAJOR WATERSHEDS.
WE HAVE THE PACKAN CREEK, THE CLEAR CREEK, THE HICKORY CREEK AND THE COOPER COOPER CREEK.
[00:20:04]
SO WE HAVE FOUR MAJOR WATERSHEDS.PACKAN CREEK IS ALMOST FULLY DEVELOPED ALREADY.
SO WHEN WE WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT IT FROM A HOLISTIC STANDPOINT, OUR ONE OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS OR ONE OF OUR THINGS THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IS LET'S LOOK AT LIKE THE HICKORY CREEK, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT IS NOT DEVELOPED YET AND HOW DO WE PLAN FOR THAT TO DEVELOP IN A SUSTAINABLE, BETTER WAY THAN WE'RE TRYING TO PATCH IN WORK INTO A FULLY DEVELOPED AREA ALREADY.
SO WE'RE KIND OF WE GOT TO DO BOTH TO JUGGLE BOTH THINGS AT THE SAME TIME.
FAIR ENOUGH. FAIR ENOUGH. NO, I APPRECIATE THAT.
ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE FAST ENOUGH OFF THE BLOCKS TO TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE? BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE ONLY ABOUT 2 OR 3 YEARS LEFT IN THOSE PROGRAMS? OR ARE WE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR FUNDING LATER DOWN THE ROAD? WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT FUNDING LATER DOWN THE ROAD.
WE DO HAVE SOME FUNDING FROM SOME GRANTS THAT WE SUBMITTED BACK, I WANT TO SAY IN 2005 FROM ARMY CORPS THAT THEY JUST GOT AROUND TO AWARDING ON PROJECTS FROM THEN.
AND SO WE'RE STILL TRYING TO EVALUATE IN TERMS OF HOW CAN WE USE THAT FUNDING.
THE AREA FALLS WITHIN THE COOPER CREEK WATERSHED.
SO WE HAVE WE'RE LIMITED TO THAT AREA TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS.
SO IT DEPENDS ON IF WE HAVE PROJECTS THAT ARE READY TO GO FOR THOSE FUNDING CYCLES.
SO WE'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN FIND.
ALL RIGHT. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANKS, BRETT.
SO CAN YOU BRING UP THAT LAST SLIDE JUST FOR A SECOND? I'M GONNA SHARE IT AGAIN. YES.
THAT'S A PRETTY HIGH LEVEL KIND OF ASSESSMENT OF FURTHER ASSESSMENT OF YOUR PROGRAM.
SO WE'VE IDENTIFIED SOME SOME QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TRYING TO UNDERSTAND BETTER WHAT ARE THE COMMUNITY'S PRIORITIES WITH REGARD TO STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SO THAT WE CAN THEN DO A CRITICALITY ANALYSIS TO SAY, WELL, THE COMMUNITY OF VALUES SUSTAINABILITY SAY MORE THAN IT DOES CONCRETE INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND SO WE COULD BEGIN TO LOOK AT THAT AND THEN WE HAVE TO BALANCE THE ADDITIONAL COSTS AND THE LAND USE IMPLICATIONS VERSUS THE COST OF IMPLEMENTING A CAPITAL PROJECT.
SO WE TRY TO, IN THAT OVERALL PROGRAM EARLY ON, WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THAT STRATEGICALLY.
AND THEN OF COURSE, ALL THE THINGS THAT BRETT MENTIONED WILL COME INTO PLAY AS AS A RESULT OF THAT.
NO, I APPRECIATE THAT CLARITY.
THANKS, CHRIS. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SEE. SEEING NONE I DO WANT TO JUST PICK UP ON A COUPLE OF THINGS.
YOU TALK ABOUT EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT'S KIND OF THE EARTHEN CHANNELS AS WELL, RIGHT? AND SO IT'S PART OF THE FUTURE WORK GOING TO BE TO FORECAST EROSION AND THOSE CONCERNS.
IS THAT IS THAT BAKED INTO THAT? YEAH. SO THERE IS A EROSION STUDY THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AND LAUNCHING WITHIN THE CITY TO LOOK AT THE EROSION OF THE EARTHEN CHANNELS.
YEAH, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S CRITICAL.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT IT'S NOT, AS YOU SAID, IT'S NOT JUST AS SIMPLE AS THIS OR THAT.
IT'S ALL OF THEM HAVE CONSEQUENCES THAT TIE TO THEM.
SO THAT'S THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW AND THAT'LL KIND OF HELP GIVE DIRECTION ONCE WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
AND THEN THIS LAST POINT YOU TOUCHED ON, IS THERE A WAY TO QUANTIFY POLLUTANTS, WATERSHED, KIND OF WHAT LEVELS KIND OF BEGIN TO AFFECT OUR.
AND THE REASON I ASK IS BECAUSE THIS IS NEW TO ME.
I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BECAUSE I'VE SEEN IT, BUT I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT TILL IT BECAME AN ISSUE.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF RESIDENCES IN THE CITY OF DENTON THAT HAVE WRECKED CARS, WHATEVER, AND YOU CAN KEEP THOSE IN YOUR BACK YARD AS LONG AS THEY'RE FENCED.
[00:25:02]
BUT THAT'S JUST ONE CAR AND SEVERAL HUNDRED GALLONS.THOUSANDS OF GALLONS, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT IS THERE A WAY TO QUANTIFY SO THAT WE CAN THEN AS A BODY, DISCUSS HOW WE WANT TO HANDLE THOSE THINGS GOING FORWARD? IS THERE A WAY TO QUANTIFY, HEY, HERE'S WHAT IT TAKES TO AFFECT THE WATERSHED, HERE'S WHERE YOU NEED TO TIGHTEN UP ORDINANCES OR BE MINDFUL, THAT SORT OF THING. SO IS THERE A WAY TO QUANTIFY THAT? I DON'T KNOW ABOUT QUANTIFYING IT, BUT YOU ARE KIND OF TOUCHING ON WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BRING FORWARD LATER THIS YEAR AND OUR CRITERIA, MANUAL UPDATES.
WE DO HAVE THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE CITY THAT THAT IS THEIR ROLE IS TO PROTECT THE WATERWAYS AND MAKING SURE THEY'RE FREE OF POLLUTANTS AND FRIENDLY FOR, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GOOD CLEAN WATER.
SO WE DO HAVE A WHOLE DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
SO WHEN WE GO INTO THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE, WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKING FOR FURTHER REVIEW OF OUR ORDINANCES, OF OUR CODES AND OUR CRITERIAS, AND HOW CAN WE MAKE ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THEM BEYOND WHAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE.
OKAY. CAN I ADD TO THAT? SO JUST LIKE THE MODELS THAT WE DEVELOP TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF RUNOFF, THE PEAK DISCHARGE AND HOW HIGH THE WATER WILL BE IN STREAMS AND STREETS AND SO FORTH, HYDROLOGY AND HYDRAULICS MODELS.
AND YOU CAN YOU CAN VARY THE THE POLLUTANT LEVELS TO SEE WHAT THE SENSITIVITY IS.
AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR POINT, BECAUSE IT MAY BE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THEN MAYBE IT FILTERS THROUGH THE GROUND IN THIS AREA.
IT'S IN A CEMENT OR CONCRETE AREA IN THIS AREA.
SO IT'S GOING TO GO FLOW FASTER.
IT DOESN'T GET FILTERED THROUGH THE GROUND, IF YOU WILL.
SO JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND BEST PRACTICES SO THAT WE AS WE GET TO THAT POINT WHERE WE NEED TO DISCUSS OR ADJUST ORDINANCES, WE HAVE THE RELEVANT INFORMATION. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT.
OKAY. THAT TAKES US TO ITEM B, WHICH IS ID 231403.
[B. Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding consideration of making Election Day a municipal holiday. [Estimated Presentation/Discussion Time: 30 minutes].]
RECEIVE A REPORT, WHOLE DISCUSSION.GIVE STAFF DIRECTION REGARDING CONSIDERATION OF MAKING ELECTION DAY A MUNICIPAL HOLIDAY.
CITY COUNCIL SARA KESSLER, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
THIS ITEM IS BEFORE YOU TODAY.
I HAVE JUST A BRIEF PRESENTATION FOR YOU WITH SOME BACKGROUND ON CITY HOLIDAYS.
SO CURRENTLY THE CITY OF DENTON OFFERS 13 HOLIDAYS AND THAT'S BROKEN DOWN BY 11 DESIGNATED HOLIDAYS AS WELL AS TWO PERSONAL FLOATING HOLIDAYS THAT EMPLOYEES CAN USE AT THEIR DISCRETION.
THE NUMBER OF HOLIDAYS WAS LAST UPDATED BY CITY COUNCIL ON JANUARY 1ST, 2022.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, VETERANS DAY THIS YEAR WILL FALL ON A SATURDAY, MEANING THAT FRIDAY BEFORE VETERANS DAY, ALL CITY FACILITIES AND OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED AND EMPLOYEES WILL HAVE THAT DAY OFF.
HOWEVER, AS YOU KNOW, WITH CITY OPERATIONS, THERE ARE SOME FUNCTIONS THAT JUST CANNOT CLOSE.
SO EMPLOYEES THAT ARE REQUIRED TO WORK THAT DAY, WORK A HOLIDAY, RECEIVE OVER TIME.
THIS SLIDE IS PROVIDED FOR BACKGROUND AS COUNSEL AS WELL.
WHEN COUNSEL ASKS CONSIDERED UPDATING THE NUMBER OF HOLIDAYS FOR CITY EMPLOYEES.
[00:30:07]
AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON OF WHY THE NUMBER OF HOLIDAYS WERE INCREASED.SO WE UPDATED THAT DATA FROM THE SURVEY THAT WAS DONE IN 2021.
WE OFFER 13 HOLIDAYS, SO WE'RE STILL ON THE HIGHER END OF THE SCALE HERE, COMPETITIVE.
WE'RE ACTUALLY OFFERING THE MOST HOLIDAYS HERE AT 13.
SO WE ARE VERY COMPETITIVE IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF HOLIDAYS AS A BENEFIT OFFERED TO OUR EMPLOYEES.
I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION THAT THE CITY HAS A PERSONNEL POLICY THAT ALLOWS FOR SHORT TERM PAID LEAVES OF ABSENCE FOR EMPLOYEES TO GO VOTE WHEN THEIR WORK SCHEDULE WOULD INTERFERE WITH THEM PARTICIPATING AND VOTING IN AN ELECTION.
THIS IS A LONG STANDING POLICY.
UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T HAVE MUCH MORE DATA OR INFORMATION TO PROVIDE IN TERMS OF ITS USAGE, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE NOT HAD ANY RECENT CONCERNS REPORTED TO HR IN TERMS OF REQUESTS BEING DENIED AND AN EMPLOYEE NOT BEING ABLE TO GO TO VOTE.
AND THEN THIS IS WHAT I MENTIONED EARLIER IN TERMS OF ESTIMATING A COST IMPACT FOR HOLIDAY.
THIS IS ON AVERAGE FOR HOLIDAY, NOT SPECIFIC TO A CERTAIN HOLIDAY.
SO THE TOTAL ESTIMATED PAYROLL COSTS IS ABOUT 519,000.
THIS IS A PAYROLL COST, SO IT IS ALREADY BUDGETED FOR.
IT IS NOT AN ADDITIONAL EXPENSE.
HOWEVER, IT'S REPRESENTED AS MOST EMPLOYEES.
RATHER THAN COMING TO WORK AND BEING PRODUCTIVE HOURS FOR THE CITY.
THEY WOULD RECEIVE THAT AS A PAID DAY OFF.
AND THAT'S ESTIMATED AT $258,000 ON AVERAGE PER HOLIDAY.
THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL JUST AHEAD OF THE PRESENTATION.
COULD WE LOOK AT THAT MORE SPECIFICALLY, MAYBE FOR A NOVEMBER DAY? AND SO WE JUST QUICKLY PULLED NUMBERS FOR WHAT WE WOULD PROJECT TO VETERANS DAY THIS YEAR TO COME IN AT FOR OVERTIME COSTS.
AND IT WAS ABOUT 207,000 WILL BE THE ESTIMATED OVERTIME COST.
WE ALSO RECOMMEND THAT THIS WOULD COME FORWARD AS A BUDGET SUPPLEMENTAL ITEM IN THE NEXT BUDGET PROCESS FOR ACTUALLY THE FISCAL YEAR 2425 BUDGET PROCESS, SO WE CAN ACCOUNT FOR THOSE ADDITIONAL EXPENSES AND THEN WE'D HAVE TO MAKE A POLICY REVISION AS WELL.
THAT'S ALL. OKAY, WELL, I'LL GET OUT OF THE WAY.
THE $300,000 INTO NEXT YEAR IS HARD.
AND THERE'S JUST THERE'S AVAILABILITY CURRENTLY.
WE'RE NOT I'M NOT HEARING THE CONCERNS.
THERE'S AVAILABILITY ON WEEKENDS.
THE POLLS OPEN EARLY ENOUGH DURING THE DAY.
AND EVEN IF THEY DON'T OPEN EARLY ENOUGH, YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE KIDS TO SCHOOL.
THERE'S THE OPTION TO GET TIME OFF THROUGH THE OTHER MECHANISM YOU TOUCHED ON.
SO I JUST THINK WE HAVE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT MECHANISMS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE CAN GET TO THE POLLS.
AND THEN I WANT TO AVOID THE CONFLICT OF JUST KIND OF, HEY, IS WHAT IS THIS USED FOR? DID THEY VOTE? DID THEY NOT VOTE? I MEAN, IT'S JUST I JUST TO KEEP VOTING OUT OF THIS PROCESS OF TIED TO THE BUDGET, I JUST FOR WHATEVER REASON, I JUST FEEL A LITTLE BIT LIKE WE HAVE IT COVERED.
WE'RE LEADING OUR PEER CITIES IN DAYS OFF.
BUT I JUST I DON'T SEE IT AS AN ISSUE YET.
AND SO I JUST I'LL DO THE MATH.
IT'S JUST HARD FOR ME TO SQUARE.
DIRECTION FROM ANYONE'S COUNCILMAN COUNCILMAN HOLLAND.
[00:35:08]
THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO.WHAT IS IT? OPTION? OPTION ONE.
I DON'T SEE THE NEED FOR THIS.
THIS IS A THIS IS A SOLUTION IN NEED OF A OF A PROBLEM.
WE'RE NOT HEARING ANY PROBLEM FROM FROM EMPLOYEES.
250 $300,000 IS A BIG, BIG HIT THAT OF MONEY THAT COULD BE USED IN ANOTHER WAY.
THERE'S PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO VOTE.
I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS ALL DAY TODAY.
IT TAKES ABOUT, AS THE MAYOR SAID, ABOUT FIVE MINUTES TO VOTE.
IF YOU MULTIPLY THAT TIMES ABOUT TEN, IF YOU'RE VERY, VERY SLOW IN VOTING AND IT TAKES ABOUT 50 MINUTES TO VOTE, IT STILL DOESN'T JUSTIFY A DAY OFF TO VOTE.
OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SO IN THE QUESTIONS, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I ASKED FOR STAFF WAS SORT OF WHY DO WE HAVE HOLIDAYS? AND ONE OF THEM IS THE RETENTION THAT YOU ASKED FOR OR THAT YOU YOU GAVE US A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT AND THAT YOU ALLUDED TO.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO WORK ON STAFF RETENTION.
AND THAT WAS WE ARE WE ARE CELEBRATING AN EVENT.
WE ARE WE ARE CELEBRATING, YOU KNOW, A PARTICULAR HOLIDAY OR, YOU KNOW, A CULTURAL PRACTICE HOLIDAY.
WE ARE CELEBRATING THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER PIECE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE THE 4TH OF JULY IS IS JUST US CELEBRATING THE FOUNDATION OF OUR COUNTRY.
SO, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE REASON I ASK THAT QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, IS IT IS VOTING IMPORTANT? AND I WOULD SAY, YES, VOTING IS ONE OF THE MOST FUNDAMENTALLY AMERICAN THINGS.
NOW, I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER DEMOCRACIES IN THE WORLD, BUT BUT WE ARE THIS IS, I THINK, AN EFFORT TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS IN A WAY THAT KNITS OUR CULTURE TOGETHER.
AND YES, RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT CITY EMPLOYEES, BUT THERE'S SEVERAL THOUSAND CITY EMPLOYEES THAT AND I THINK ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I'D RECOMMEND IS NOT JUST SORT OF PUTTING OUR TOE IN THE HOT TUB AND ESTABLISHING A NEW PRACTICE THAT SAYS THIS IS AN IMPORTANT THING.
AND I THINK MAYBE I WANT TO GET AROUND TO THE LAST PART OF MY COMMENT HERE, AND THAT IS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ELECTION DAY ITSELF.
SO I THINK A LOT OF THE COSTS THAT YOU ALLUDED TO, AS I AS I PUT INTO MY QUESTIONS, WE WON'T HAVE THE BULK OF THOSE COSTS FOR MUNICIPAL SATURDAY ELECTIONS BECAUSE THE BULK OF THE EMPLOYEES ARE OFF, RIGHT? NO. SO IF RIGHT NOW OUR HOLIDAYS ARE STRUCTURED, IF IT FALLS ON A SATURDAY, THAT PRECEDING FRIDAY IS ACTUALLY THE OBSERVED HOLIDAY.
SO I AM I AM SUGGESTING, THOUGH, THAT IF THE ACTION IS THE DAY ITSELF, THE THE ACTIVE DAY ITSELF, THE ELECTION DAY ITSELF, WHETHER WE DO ALL ELECTION DAYS IN MAY AND NOVEMBER, OR WE JUST FOCUS ON NOVEMBER TUESDAYS, WHICH IS NOT TYPICALLY A DAY OFF, IF YOU FOCUS ON THAT AS YOUR HOLIDAY, AS THAT IS YOUR FLAG IN THE MAP, THEN THEN THE COSTS ARE MUCH REDUCED.
AND WE ARE STILL MAKING THAT CULTURAL STATEMENT ABOUT HOW MUCH WE VALUE.
SO NOT MY MY DIRECTION WOULD BE TO HAVE THE ELECTION DAY ITSELF.
IF IT FALLS ON A WORKDAY, SAY NOVEMBER, TUESDAYS, BE THE HOLIDAY, NOT NOT BACK IT OFF TO FRIDAYS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE ADDITIONAL OVERTIME COST IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE ABOUT THE SAME BECAUSE YOU'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE IF YOU SATURDAYS, THE HOLIDAY POLICE, FIRE, DISPATCH, UTILITY OPERATIONS AND SO FORTH.
AND ALL THOSE OVERTIME COSTS ARE MOSTLY FOR THOSE WORK GROUPS.
SO THEY WOULD BE GOING FROM NORMAL PAY HOURS TO OVERTIME HOURS.
AND I THINK THAT MY DIRECTION IS, IS I THINK THAT WE SHOULD MAKE NON-WEEKEND ELECTION DAYS,
[00:40:10]
THE HOLIDAY. SO THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT I'M I'M NUMBER THREE PROVIDING OTHER DIRECTION.I'M GOING TO TEND TO AGREE WITH THE MAYOR IN REGARDS TO NUMBER ONE BEING THE DECENT CHOICE IN MY MIND FOR US TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP OUR COSTS DOWN LOW.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THAT FUNDING GOING SOMEWHERE ELSE AND AND JUST JUST KEEP EVERYTHING COPACETIC, YOU KNOW, SO WE WON'T START CONFUSING OURSELVES AS TO WHICH HOLIDAY IS WHICH HOLIDAY.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT TO ME ONE MORE TIME? SURE. SO IF THE HOLIDAY WERE TO FALL ON SATURDAY, IT WOULD BE THAT PRECEDING FRIDAY.
IF IT FALLS ON SUNDAY, IT'S THE FOLLOWING MONDAY.
OKAY, WELL, THAT SOUNDS PRETTY SIMPLE.
OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? COUNCILMAN MELTZER. YEAH.
THANK YOU. I THINK THE MAIN IMPETUS FOR THIS IS AROUND THE THE ELECTIONS THAT ARE ON EVEN YEARS ON IN NOVEMBER, ON TUESDAYS.
IT WOULD AFFECT NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
I MEAN, AND BY NEXT YEAR, I MEAN THE NEXT YEAR THAT WE'RE NOT EVEN CONSIDERING NOW.
SO MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO TEE IT UP AS A SUPPLEMENTAL FOR THAT BUDGET.
AND IN THE INTERVAL, IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, AS YOU PROBE AND EMPLOYEES INTEREST IN A VARIETY OF TOPICS, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY IF YOU JUST SAY, WOULD YOU LIKE ANOTHER DAY OFF, I THINK MOST PEOPLE WOULD WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME SAYING YES, BUT YOU KNOW, VERSUS OTHER THINGS YOU MIGHT BE CONSIDERING OR IF THERE'S SOME WAY TO GET A READ ON HOW THAT WOULD BE VALUED, NOT WHETHER AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, TO ENABLE PEOPLE TO VOTE.
AND AND ALSO IT DOES CELEBRATE A KIND OF AN AMERICAN COMMON.
SO SO I'D SAY, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S SOMEBODY TO GET A READ ON EMPLOYEE FEELINGS ABOUT THAT AND AND PUT IT ON THE THE BURNER TO COOK FOR CONSIDERATION FOR A SUPPLEMENTAL.
SO LIKE I SAID, WHAT IS IT, TWO OR SOMETHING? IT'S A VARIATION ON TWO.
NO, I JUST FOR MY MY COUNTING, THAT'S GOING TO BE THREE BECAUSE I JUST DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING DEFINITIVE ABOUT THAT WOULD CAPTURE ITEM TWO.
IT'S IT'S. I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T MEAN TO SPEAK OVER YOU.
YEAH, NO, NO, IT'S JUST THREE OTHER DIRECTION IS WHAT I'M NOTING.
AND THE CITY MANAGER WILL NOTE THAT YOU SAID GET MORE INFORMATION AND READ OF EMPLOYEES.
THAT PART WAS OTHER DIRECTION.
SO IT'S LIKE TWO PLUS THREE IF YOU WANT.
TWO AND A HALF. YEAH, NO, WE'LL JUST CALL IT TWO.
ALL RIGHT. ANYONE ELSE? COUNCILWOMAN. MCGEE.
GETTING THIS WORK SESSION PULLED TOGETHER QUICKER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE.
DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THIS. WE'RE GOING TO GIVE DIRECTION FOR THIS TODAY.
SO I'LL TAILOR MY COMMENTS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING THAT NO OTHER CITY I BELIEVE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS IS DOING.
WE'VE LOOKED AT THE GRAPHS THAT HAVE BEEN SHOWN IN THE PRESENTATION.
DR. BECK. THIS IS A VALUES QUESTION.
WHAT DO THE SEVEN OF US VALUE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES? DO WE THINK VOTING IS IMPORTANT OR NOT? ALL OF US GOT HERE BECAUSE SOMEBODY TOOK THE TIME TO GO VOTE FOR US.
I DON'T ACCEPT THAT THIS IS A SOLUTION.
[00:45:03]
LOOKING FOR A PROBLEM BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE MAJOR PROBLEMS OF GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS IS THAT WE ARE NOT PROACTIVE.GOVERNMENT IS ALWAYS REACTIVE.
THEN THE MUNICIPALITY OR THE COUNTY DECIDES TO COME AND ADD THE ROAD AND WIDEN THE ROAD.
WELL, THEY KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE BUILT ANYWAY.
THIS IS THE WAY THAT WE CAN BE PROACTIVE RATHER THAN JUST REACTIVE.
THIS WOULD HAVE HELPED US IN RECRUITING.
YOU ALL SEE THE THE QUESTIONS THAT THAT I POSED TO STAFF THAT THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO US.
SHOULD WE JUST STAY WHERE WE ARE? SHOULD WE CONTINUE TO PUSH BECAUSE NO MUNICIPALITY IS EVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO OUTSPEND WHAT A PRIVATE EMPLOYER CAN.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE UP FOR IT AND OTHER BENEFITS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES THAT ARE HERE.
WE HAVE THE HARDEST WORKING PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF DENTON WORK FOR THE CITY OF DENTON.
WE CAN HAVE ANOTHER CITY HALL TO MAKE THIS A BETTER PLACE TO WORK.
WE DON'T HAVE TO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ABOUT PLUCKING THESE FOLKS FROM OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
IT'S HARD. SO WE'VE GOT TO BE BETTER THAN THAT.
NOBODY ELSE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS DONE THIS.
TODAY. WE COULD HAVE BEEN GREAT.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU.
COUNCILWOMAN. WHAT'S. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT'S DOING IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
SECONDLY, I, UM, I HOPE THAT THE COMMENT ABOUT.
IT'S ABOUT OUR VALUES AND THAT WHAT WE VALUE AND THAT THAT WASN'T INTENDED TO SAY THAT THE OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL DO NOT VALUE VOTING BECAUSE THOSE WHO HAVE SO FAR EXPRESSED A UM, OPPOSITION OR A NEED TO NOT MOVE FORWARD, DECISION NOT TO MOVE FORWARD, THAT THEY DON'T SOMEHOW VALUE VOTING.
UM. AND AS FAR AS THAT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE RECOGNIZE AND WE HOLD TRUE IN OUR NATION.
AS MAYOR PRO TEM SAID, THAT IT'S SOMETHING WE RECOGNIZE TO CELEBRATE.
I THINK YOU'LL NOTICE THAT WE HAVE IS IT 13 HOLIDAYS? 14 WHAT IS IT? LET ME PULL THAT PRESENTATION BACK UP.
A TOTAL OF 13. AND HOW MANY FEDERAL HOLIDAYS ARE THERE? 11. SO IT LOOKS LIKE THAT WE THE ONLY FEDERAL HOLIDAY THAT WE DO NOT THE ONLY FEDERAL HOLIDAYS THAT WE DO NOT RECOGNIZE AS TIMES OFF OR PRESIDENT'S DAY.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
ALL RIGHT. AND THEN WE GIVE A HOLIDAY FOR THE FRIDAY AFTER THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS EVE HOLIDAY THAT THE FEDERALS DO NOT GIVE, WHICH MOST LIKELY ALLOWS PEOPLE TO HAVE.
GOOD HEAVENS, WHAT IF IT CERTAINLY FALLS ON A SATURDAY OR SUNDAY OR A FRIDAY OR A MONDAY? OR YOU COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY FOR 4 OR 5 DAYS OFF JUST FROM HOLIDAY, THREE TO 3 TO 4 DAY WEEKEND, JUST FROM THE HOLIDAYS, NOT HAVING TO USE PERSONAL TIME.
SO I THINK THAT THE CITY OF DENTON, AS A TESTIMONY BACK FROM IN 2021 TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF HOLIDAYS, IS INDICATION THAT WE DO VALUE OUR EMPLOYEES. I KNOW THAT THIS COUNCIL EVERY YEAR TALKS ABOUT EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS.
HOW CAN WE INCREASE THE NUMBER OF VOTING LOCATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE IT EASIER TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE, AND THAT OUR CITY EMPLOYEES HAVE SEVERAL DAYS WHERE THEY CAN GO VOTE? THEY HAVE A POLICY THAT ALLOWS THEM TO TAKE TIME OFF TO VOTE.
[00:50:05]
SO I'M JUST A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE JUSTIFYING THIS IN SOME SAYING THAT IF WE DON'T SUPPORT IT, THAT THAT ATTRIBUTES SOMETHING TO OUR VALUES, BECAUSE I TOTALLY REJECT THAT.WE DO TAKE CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
THE CITY BENEFITS ARE COMPARED TO NOTHING TO PRIVATE SECTOR SIMPLY BECAUSE WE ALSO PROVIDE SOCIAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTIONS, AS DO REGULAR EMPLOYEES, BUT WE ALSO PROVIDE AS IT MRS CONTRIBUTIONS.
YES. AND BOTH OF THOSE COMBINED CAN EQUAL IN THE TEENS TO 12 TO 15 TO 17%.
AND THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T WORK ON SATURDAY GET A HOLIDAY.
GUESS THEY WOULD GET WOULD THEY GET ADDITIONAL PAY FOR THAT DAY? IS THAT IS THAT HOW I'M SEEING THAT IF THEY WEREN'T REQUIRED TO WORK, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE OVERTIME, DOES THAT MEAN IF IF THERE'S A STAFF MEMBER THAT IS NOT REQUIRED TO WORK ON SATURDAY, THEY WOULD JUST HAD AN EXTRA DAY OF OF PAY TO THEIR TO THAT MONTH.
SO CITY OFFICES AND EVERYONE WOULD BE CLOSED ON FRIDAY.
AND THEN IF YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND.
NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE THAT MAYBE WE JUST NEED TO MAKE THIS THE HOLIDAY, THE ACTUAL DAY OF THE HOLIDAY OR THE ACTUAL DAY OF THE EVENT BEING CELEBRATED OR RECOGNIZED BY THE HOLIDAY.
SO AND JUST JUST FOR MY I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND THE NUMBERS.
SO JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, UM.
WHEN I SEE WHERE IS IT? WHERE ARE THE NUMBERS? THERE THEY ARE. OKAY.
IN YOUR SLIDE NUMBER SIX, IT SAYS ESTIMATED TOTAL PAYROLL COST FOR A HOLIDAY IS $519,287.
NOW, ON AVERAGE, THIS 200 AND ON AVERAGE.
OKAY. BUT DOES THAT FIGURE INCLUDE THIS 258 AVERAGE OVER TIME DUE TO BECAUSE OF A HOLIDAY? IS THAT IN ADDITION? IT IS IN ADDITION.
SO WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME IS WHETHER IT'S A VOTING HOLIDAY, WHETHER IT'S WHO KNOWS WHAT KIND OF HOLIDAY THAT THAT WOULD BE, ON AVERAGE, $770,000.
CORRECT. IS THAT CORRECT? AM I SEEING THAT CORRECTLY? YES. BUT THE 519 IS ALREADY BUDGETED FOR.
NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT. YOU'RE SAYING FOR A NEW HOLIDAY.
WE ADD IT. THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL $519,287.
CORRECT. IT'S NOT ADDITIONAL TO THE BUDGET, BUT IT REPRESENTS UNPRODUCTIVE.
IT'S UNPRODUCTIVE HOURS FOR THE CITY.
SO THAT'S FOR A DIFFERENT DISCUSSION.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU JUST SAID, BUT IT'S JUST REGULAR.
IT'S JUST THEIR REGULAR WAGES.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I'LL STILL HAVE A CONVERSATION.
BUT ANYWAY, MY DIRECTION IS, UM.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I VALUE VOTING.
UH, CLEARLY VOTING IS IMPORTANT, AND THAT'S WHY WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROVIDE THE LOCATIONS AND THE TIMES TO MAKE IT THE MOST CONVENIENT FOR EVERYONE, NOT JUST CITY EMPLOYEES.
SO THOSE THINGS I HOLD DEAR, UH, YET I WILL NOT SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S NEEDED.
I THINK WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE.
AND IF WE'RE GOING TO FIND A WAY TO HELP EMPLOYEES, I THINK WE CAN FIND SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE PRODUCTIVE THAN THIS THAT MAY THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO RIGHT NOW, WHICH THEY DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO RIGHT NOW ON MANY OCCASIONS DURING THE ELECTION CYCLE.
OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS, COUNSELOR MELTZER?
[00:55:05]
I. I'D BE CURIOUS TO KNOW IF THOSE WHO DIDN'T WANT TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS WOULD STILL BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING IF THERE WERE SOME FUTURE SURVEY OF EMPLOYEES AMONG DIFFERENT POSSIBLE THINGS THAT STAFF MIGHT WANT TO DO TO ENHANCE THEIR.THEIR COMPENSATION OR OTHER QUALITY OF LIFE THINGS.
WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN THAT BEING SORT OF ON THE LIST TO FIND OUT HOW THAT WOULD FARE RELATIVE TO OTHER THINGS YOU MIGHT WEIGH? YOU KNOW, WE HAVE INSURANCE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TONIGHT, YOU KNOW, THE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO I WAS GOING TO TRY TO MOVE FORWARD.
BUT YOU OPEN THE DOOR, SOMEONE WALK THROUGH IT.
BUT WHAT I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT IS WE HAVE I DON'T I DON'T TAKE BREAKS AND WE HAVE 12 HOUR MEETINGS.
I THINK EVERY EMPLOYEE IN THE ORGANIZATION WOULD APPRECIATE SHORTER COUNCIL MEETINGS, RIGHT? I THINK THERE'S PRIORITY THINGS THAT WE CAN DO THAT ARE IN OUR CARE AND CONTROL THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF BEFORE WE GET TO THIS LEVEL OF FOCUS.
AND SO I'M HAPPY FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO ASK A BLANKET QUESTION.
AND I BET YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED, RIGHT? AND SO BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN HERE SINCE EIGHT IN THE MORNING AND THEN WE KEEP THEM HERE TILL MIDNIGHT OR TEN, YOU KNOW.
SO I JUST I ABSOLUTELY HAVE A THE HIGHEST RESPECT HONOR FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
THEY GET IT. THEY DON'T DESERVE IT.
AND JUST BECAUSE I DON'T BRING IT UP HERE DOESN'T MEAN IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS IF WE WANT TO DO THAT, SURE.
HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. BUT WHEN THAT FEEDBACK COMES BACK, LET'S ACT ON IT.
IF THEY SAY THEY APPRECIATE SHORTER MEETINGS, HAVE SHORTER MEETINGS, IF THEY APPRECIATE US NOT ARGUING WITH THEM AND GETTING INTO THE MINUTIA OF THE DETAILS, LET'S GET OUT OF THE MINUTIA AND DETAILS AND GET INTO VISION CASTING.
SO LET'S ACT ON WHAT WE HEAR AND TURN IT WIDE OPEN FOR WHATEVER WE HEAR.
LET'S THEN ACT ON WHAT WE'RE HEARING AND MAKE LIFE BETTER EVERY MONTH, NOT ONCE A YEAR.
THAT WOULD BE MY ASK THE CITY MANAGER.
YOU GOOD, MR. COUNCILMAN? WHAT'S. YEAH, I THINK WE'RE WAY OUTSIDE OF POSTING ON THIS.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE POSTED TO TALK ABOUT SURVEYS.
BUT I THINK WE'RE WELL BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THE POSTED AGENDA ITEM.
I COULD BE WRONG. THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I BRING IT UP.
SO THE CAPTURE THREE CAPTURES OTHER DIRECTION AROUND HOLIDAYS.
STRIKE EVERYTHING I SAID FROM THE RECORD.
THERE YOU GO. ANYONE ELSE? COUNCILMAN MCGEE.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. YEAH, I APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS.
THIS DISCUSSION HAS BEEN HAD WITH DISD MULTIPLE TIMES EVERY OTHER YEAR.
THEY CONSIDER CLOSING SCHOOLS ON ELECTION DAY.
AND TO BE CLEAR, I'M NOT SURE WHY WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT SATURDAYS OR ANY OTHER DAY.
MY ORIGINAL PITCH WAS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL ELECTION DAY.
THAT HAPPENS THE SECOND TUESDAY OF EVERY EVEN NUMBERED YEAR.
SO THIS IS IT'S NOT LIKE THIS WOULD BE A BUDGETARY HIT TO THE CITY EVERY YEAR.
THIS WILL BE EVERY OTHER YEAR.
AND YEAH, MR. MAYOR, I APPRECIATE ALL THE CONVERSATION, PARTICULARLY AROUND VALUES.
SO I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE TELLING AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, MISS ANYONE? GREAT. THAT TAKES US TO.
OKAY. TAKES US TO ITEM C ID 231768.
[C. Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding processing petitions for removal from the City’s Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). [Estimated Presentation/Discussion Time: 30 minutes].]
[01:00:01]
RECEIVE REPORT HOLD DISCUSSION.COUNCIL. SCOTT MCDONALD, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES HERE THIS AFTERNOON TO DISCUSS SOME RECENT LEGISLATION, CHANGES, LEGISLATIVE CHANGES AND HOW IT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO PROCESS PETITIONS FOR RELEASING PROPERTIES FROM THE CITY'S EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION. BASIC SUMMARY OF THE RECENT LEGISLATION IS, IS THAT PROPERTY OWNERS MAY PETITION THE CITY TO BE RELEASED FROM OUR EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF METHODS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO DO THIS.
THE PETITION MUST INCLUDE SIGNATURES OF AT LEAST 5% OF THE REGISTERED VOTERS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE IN THIS IS AGAIN THAT THE PETITION IS SUBMITTED TO THE CITY AND IT ISN'T NECESSARILY GIVING THE CITY THE AUTHORITY TO SAY, NO, WE DON'T WANT TO RELEASE YOU. SO JUST TRY TO KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE GO THROUGH THIS.
FOR US, IT'S REALLY KIND OF A QUESTION OF HOW IT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO PROCESS THESE PETITIONS.
WE'VE OUTLINED SEVERAL OPTIONS FOR COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION AND FOR THAT DISCUSSION.
ONE IS THAT IF THE CITY TAKES NO ACTION, WE RECEIVE A PETITION, WE TAKE NO ACTION.
BOTTOM LINE, BY THE 45TH DAY AFTER RECEIVING THE PETITION, WE TAKE NO ACTION.
THEN THAT PROPERTY IS AUTOMATICALLY REMOVED FROM THE CITY'S ETJ.
NUMBER TWO IS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE AN ORDINANCE OR A RESOLUTION ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WE RECEIVED A PETITION TO BE REMOVED FROM OUR ETJ.
SO COUNCIL WOULD THEN JUST RECOGNIZE THE REQUEST.
AGAIN, THIS A MINISTERIAL ACTION.
IT'S NOT AS IF IT'S A VOTE FOR A YES OR A NO.
IT'S JUST THE REALITY OF JUST ACKNOWLEDGING THAT AND THEN WE'RE PROVIDING SOME DOCUMENTATION.
SO THAT WOULD RELEASE THOSE, THOSE PETITIONERS FROM THE ETJ IMMEDIATELY.
AND THEN THE THIRD METHOD WOULD BE THAT OF JUST IT BEING AN ADMINISTRATIVE RECOGNITION OF THE PETITION SO THAT THE CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE WOULD THEN VET THE PETITION AND THEN TAKE THE SAME ACTIONS AS COUNCIL WOULD, WHICH WOULD BE JUST ULTIMATELY PROVIDING AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED THE PETITION AND WE'RE REMOVING THAT FROM OUR ETJ.
AND METHOD B, WHERE IT IS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ELECTION.
THE CITY THEN WOULD HAVE TO COORDINATE WITH DENTON COUNTY.
WE'D HAVE TO HOLD AN ELECTION THROUGH THAT ELECTION.
THE THE VOTERS IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA WOULD BE THE ONLY ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS TO VOTE ON THIS.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY, THE THE ELECTIONS WOULD BE DONE THROUGH DENTON COUNTY.
[01:05:06]
WE JUST GO AHEAD AND CONCEDE OR JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT THAT PROPERTY COULD COME OUT.CURRENTLY, WE HAVE RECEIVED FIVE, ULTIMATELY FIVE PROPERTIES UNDER PETITIONS.
THIS MAP IS A HIGH LEVEL VIEW OF THOSE, TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE THESE ARE AT.
AND IF I START AT THE VERY NORTH, YOU HAVE A 57 ACRE TRACK TO THE VERY NORTH, WHICH IS BORDERED BY SANGER'S ETJ LAKE, RAY ROBERTS.
IT ULTIMATELY HAS NO STRUCTURES OR RESIDENTS ON THAT PROPERTY.
AND THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT PROPERTIES, AND WE'LL CALL THIS IRWIN TWO, WHICH IS 7.5 ACRES.
THERE IS ONE RESIDENTIAL DWELLING.
WE ANTICIPATE THAT THERE IS THREE RESIDENTS THAT ARE INCLUDED WITH THAT AS WE GO SOUTH.
IRWIN, SITE ONE, WHICH IS THE 22 ACRE PIECE, THIS PARTICULAR SITE DOES NOT HAVE ANY DWELLINGS THAT WE'RE AWARE OF OR RESIDENTS TO THAT SITE. IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS PROPERTY ALSO HAS A RESTRICTED COVENANT ON THAT PROPERTY, ALONG WITH THE ADJACENT PROPERTIES THAT ARE IDENTIFIED IN THAT TEAL COLOR.
IMMEDIATELY SOUTH OF THAT IS WHAT IS CALLED THE HAWK SITE, WHICH IS 18.62 ACRES.
THERE IS ONE RESIDENTIAL DWELLING, I BELIEVE THREE RESIDENTS WITH THAT.
AND THEN AS WE HEAD TO THE EAST, LONG TRAIL INVESTMENTS, 120 ACRES IT IS THERE ARE FOUR DWELLINGS UNITS ON THERE AND WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE 12 RESIDENTS.
I HAVE EXCUSE ME, I HAVE LARGER IMAGES OF EACH OF THESE SITES.
OKAY. AND JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
SO DIRECTION YOU NEED, IS THAT THE LET ME GET THAT LANGUAGE IN FRONT OF ME.
IT IS IT IS THE BEST METHOD FOR US TO PROCESS THE PETITIONS, REALLY.
AND WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT MEANS.
NUMBER TWO WOULD BE THAT WE BRING THESE ITEMS BEFORE COUNCIL AS A ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION FOR COUNCIL TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PETITION, WHICH WOULD THEN HENCE REMOVE THE PROPERTY FROM THE ETJ, OR WE DELEGATE THIS TO STAFF AND FOR STAFF TO MAKE THAT ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
YEAH. IN THE PRE-SUBMITTED QUESTIONS I ASKED IF THE RESULTS ARE THE SAME FOR ALL THREE PATHS AND THE ANSWER IS YES, THEY ARE.
SO THERE'S NOTHING TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THEM ON THAT BASIS.
SO IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WOULD MAKE.
LIFE EASIER FOR YOU? DO YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION? BETWEEN THEM? I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO PICK BASED CONSIDERING THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE IN IN THE END RESULT.
BUT IS THERE A DIFFERENCE IN THE PROCESS THAT THAT WORKS BETTER FOR THE CITY ONE WAY OR THE OTHER? I WOULD SAY FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE, ANY TIME THAT WE HAVE TO PREPARE COUNCIL ITEMS, THERE'S THERE'S DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE TO BE PREPARED, ITEMS THAT HAVE TO COME FORWARD.
THEN IT HAS TO GO ONTO AN AGENDA.
SO IT STARTS IT STARTS TRIGGERING, I THINK, A NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT HAVE TO OCCUR FROM FROM MY PERSONAL RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT IS THAT IT'S JUST DELEGATED TO A STAFF DECISION.
YES. AND AND WHY WOULD YOU PREFER THREE, 2 TO 1? JUST TAKING NO ACTION? WELL, I, I WILL SAY I THINK I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DOCUMENT FOR A RECORD THAT WE'VE ACKNOWLEDGED RECEIPT THAT WE SOMEONE ACKNOWLEDGED IT BACK AND THAT WE HAVE A RECORD IN PLACE.
IF WE DON'T, NUMBER ONE MEANS WE TAKE NO ACTION.
WE KNEW IT WAS THERE THIS WAY, THOUGH.
[01:10:04]
THANK YOU. OKAY.COUNCILMAN. BYRD. I'M GOING TO SAY OPTION THREE IS FINE WITH ME.
BUT I ALSO HAD A QUESTION IN REGARDS TO THE RESPONSIBILITY LEVEL OF THE CITY TO THE PERSONS THAT MAY BE LIVING IN A DWELLING.
IS THE CITY STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR RESPONDING TO THESE PEOPLE? HOW DOES SOMETHING LIKE THAT WORK? FOR EMERGENCY PURPOSES, THEORETICALLY, NOTHING REALLY CHANGES FROM A SERVICE, PROVIDING IF I DISTILL THIS DOWN TO THE SIMPLEST, IT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE PLANNING AUTHORITY FROM THE CITY OF DENTON TO DENTON COUNTY.
OKAY. AND THAT REALLY IS THE BASICS TO THIS.
AND THEN IT LIMITS OUR ABILITY TO ANNEX THAT PROPERTY BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN OUR ETJ.
OKAY. SO I AGAIN, I THINK NUMBER THREE IS A GREAT OPTION FOR TODAY.
SO SO, A, IF YOU'VE GOT TO GET A 50% PETITION TO TRIGGER A, THEN YOU'VE ALREADY ACHIEVED 50%.
SO I'M FINE WITH OPTION THREE.
OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? COUNCILMAN. MCGEE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I MEAN, NOT CHAIR.
CHAIR. SAME THING, RIGHT? YEAH.
CHAIR SO READING THE LEGISLATION, I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING IN THE LEGISLATION IF THE PETITIONER HAS TO.
GRANT A REASON FOR WHY THEY WENT OUT.
NOW, AS I'M CURIOUS, IS THERE ANY WAY FOR STAFF TO KNOW? NO. OKAY.
THEY HAVE THE REQUISITE NUMBER OF FOLKS THEY WANT OUT.
WE WOULD THEN OPERATE WITH THEM THE WAY THAT WE OPERATE WITH ANYONE IN OUR ETJ.
CORRECT. WELL, I THINK TWOFOLD.
WE TREAT WE TREAT EVERY CUSTOMER THE SAME.
SO SOMEONE COMES TO ASK FOR SERVICES OR ASK QUESTIONS OF US.
WE WILL PROVIDE THOSE RESPONSES.
BUT IT WOULD BE NO DIFFERENT IF A IF A COUNTY RESIDENT CAME TO OUR COUNTER TO ASK QUESTIONS OF US, WE WOULD PROVIDE THEM WHATEVER THE RULES ARE, WHETHER IT BE THE COUNTY OR THE ETJ OR THE CITY.
SO THEY GET THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING IS THE SAME.
OKAY. IF THAT ANSWERS, WHERE YOU GOING? YEAH. ALL RIGHT. I'M A DIRECTION.
I GUESS I'M. SINCE YOU PREFER THREE.
I'LL GO WITH. I'LL GO WITH THREE.
IS THERE ANY? ANY. SO WILL THESE JUST BE PROVIDED TO US IN A LIST IN A FRIDAY REPORT OR AN ESR? LIKE FOR FOR TALLYING PURPOSES.
WE'LL PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION ON A REGULAR BASIS OF THE ONES LIKE TODAY.
YOU'RE SEEING THE ONES THAT HAVE COME FORWARD TO US.
WE WILL WE WILL TRACK AND MAP AND THEN WE WILL KEEP A LIST OF WHAT THIS IS.
WE'LL UPDATE. YOU'RE GOING TO BE YOU'RE GOING TO DESIGNATE THEM WITH A DIFFERENT COLOR JUST BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE HARD FOR US TO TRACK WHAT'S IN, WHAT'S OUT. WE MOVE FORWARD.
WE'LL BRING INDIVIDUAL WE'LL BRING INDIVIDUALS THROUGH THE FRIDAY REPORT.
WE'LL IDENTIFY THEM ON AN INDEPENDENT MAP OF THE PARCEL IN QUESTION.
OUR GIS MAP LAYER WILL REFLECT ANY PROPERTIES THAT ARE REMOVED FROM OUR FROM OUR ETJ.
[01:15:01]
COUNCILMAN COUNCIL MEMBER.THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMEMBER, WHAT'S.
JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THIS DOES NOT REQUIRE A PRESENTATION, A FORMAL PRESENTATION TO CITY COUNCIL.
THE ONLY MEANS OF REPORT IS THROUGH THE FRIDAY REPORT OR SOME OTHER REPORTING MECHANISM.
FOR THE BEE. WHAT? WHAT KIND OF TIME FRAME? UNTIL WE'RE ASKED TO DISCUSS BEE OR IMMINENTLY.
WE WE HAVE NO CASES PENDING TODAY ON THAT.
AND I THINK FOR THE MOST PART, BEE IS GOING TO BE IF WE HAVE LARGER PARCELS THAT ARE MORE COMPLEX AND WE HAVE QUESTIONS AS TO WHETHER IT'S GREATER THAN 50% OR GREATER THAN THE 5% OR LESS THAN THE 50% THAN WE'D PROBABLY COME FORWARD.
MACK I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT THOUGHT WITH THAT OR.
YEAH, IT'S HARD TO GET DIRECTION TODAY FOR ALL THE POTENTIAL SCENARIOS THAT WE MAY SEE ON THIS.
SO I THINK WHAT WE WOULD DO IS BRING EACH ONE TO COUNSEL.
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS TO WEIGH AND CONSIDER WHETHER TO CALL THE ELECTION OR NOT.
THOSE ARE REALLY YOUR TWO CHOICES.
EACH EACH CASE WE WOULD PREFER TO BRING FORWARD.
FAIR ENOUGH. THANK YOU FOR THE CLARITY.
AND I DON'T. CORRECT ME IF I'M CORRECT ME IF I GET OUT OF WHACK HERE, BUT I JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND.
DO WE HAVE A MAP THAT HAS THE ETJ OR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY? THOSE SORT OF THINGS.
I MEAN, THIS ONE IS BEST I CAN TELL ON GOOGLE MAPS.
IT'S AROUND HICKORY CREEK AND IT'S IT'S IT'S WOODED AREA AND FLOODPLAIN.
SO I'M NOT AS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
THOSE ARE KIND OF IN THE ETJ BUT REALLY CLOSE TO THE CITY.
HOW ARE WE? IF THOSE REQUESTS COME BEFORE US, IT HAS A DIRECT EFFECT ON THE CITY.
AND SO THAT MAY NOT BE A CONVERSATION FOR TODAY.
MAYBE WE GET A MAP THAT SAYS HERE'S SOME CONCERNS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY.
WAVING. NOT THAT THERE'S ANYTHING TO DO ABOUT IT, BUT JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST AND WE CAN PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN A FUTURE FRIDAY REPORT.
I WILL SAY THAT OUR INTERACTIVE MAP FOR THOSE THAT ARE VIEWING THIS TODAY, IF THEY WANTED TO SEE WHAT IT IS THAT ETJ THAT EXISTS, THAT IS SURROUNDED BY OUR CORPORATE LIMITS, THAT IS A LAYER ON OUR GIS MAPS.
SO ALL OF THOSE AREAS ARE AVAILABLE AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF THOSE THAT EXIST.
AND AGAIN, FOR THE MOST PART I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE MINIMAL IMPACT.
IT REALLY KIND OF GETS INTO ANNEXATION AND THERE MAY BE SOME CODE ITEMS THAT COULD BE.
AND IF WE GET INTO ANY, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT STAFF IS GOING TO VET EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE, AND IF THERE ARE ANY EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES, COUNCIL WILL HEAR ABOUT IT BEFORE STAFF TAKES ANY ACTION EITHER WAY ABOUT IT.
ANYONE ELSE? COUNCILMAN MCGEE TO GO A STEP BEYOND WHERE YOU TWO WERE TRACKING.
THE REASON I ASKED THAT QUESTION IS BECAUSE I'M, YOU KNOW, AS AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS SOME WAY FOR STAFF TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE IS A PROBLEM AND FOLKS ARE CONTINUING TO DO THIS.
IF THERE IS A SOLUTION THAT WE CAN MEET TO AVOID THIS, THAT'S YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M ASKING? THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING IF THERE'S I KNOW THAT THE LEGISLATION DOES NOT REQUIRE THEM TO GIVE US A REASON, BUT IF THERE IS A WAY FOR YOU ALL TO TRACK, HEY, HERE'S THE REASON WE KEEP SEEING THIS HAPPEN. HERE'S THE POLICY CHANGE THAT THIS BODY CAN MAKE.
THAT'S WHY I ASKED THAT, JUST JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW.
SO THANK YOU, MAYOR. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
[D. Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction on pending City Council requests for: 1) Request for a work session for the creation of a comprehensive program for public hydration stations (exterior water fountains and bottle fillers), with an initial short-term goal of tripling the number of stations across Denton. [Estimated Presentation/Discussion Time: 30 minutes]]
DISCUSSION. GIVE STAFF DIRECTION ON PENDING CITY COUNCIL REQUEST.AND SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
THERE HE GOES. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
[01:20:01]
JENNIFER RANEY, ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER.WE HAVE ONE WORK SESSION REQUEST.
AND THEN AS A REMINDER, YOU CAN RANK THAT IN HIGH, MODERATE OR LOW PRIORITY.
WE HAVE ONE TODAY, AND THAT'S FROM MAYOR PRO TEM BECK.
BUT IN SUMMARY, WHAT I'VE ASKED IS THAT WE HAVE A WORK SESSION IN WHICH WE DESIGN AMONGST THE BODY AND WITH STAFF A PROGRAM FOR INCREASING THE LEVEL OF EXTERIOR HYDRATION STATIONS, WATER FOUNTAINS AND BOTTLE FILLERS.
I'M KIND OF USING HYDRATION STATION AS A SHORT FOR FOR BOTH OF THEM WITH THE SHORT TERM GOAL OF TRIPLING THE NUMBER OF THESE ACROSS THE CITY IN A SHORT TERM PERIOD AND THEN EXTENDING THAT TO MORE AS AS A NEEDS ASSESSMENT WOULD WOULD VALUE.
AND IN THAT WAY YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE PROGRAMING PUBLIC WATER FACILITIES FOR THE PUBLIC.
I LIST A LOT OF RATIONALES, YOU KNOW, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVANTAGES, YOU KNOW, HEALTH BENEFITS, OBVIOUSLY MAKING US COMPETITIVE TO BE ATTRACTIVE CITIES, TO LIVE IN, IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE, ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS ISSUES.
AND AND I ALLUDED TO POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRANT FUNDING.
THAT AMOUNTS TO A MARKET RATE, ABOUT $127,000 WORTH OF OPPORTUNITY COST VERSUS $934, $35 OF CITY COST.
IF WE HAD PAID FOR THE WATER AT AT OUR CURRENT RESIDENTIAL RATES.
I THINK THIS IS A THIS IS A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE FOR US.
AND I ASK THAT WE HAVE A WORK SESSION TO DESIGN OUT HOW WE CAN GET A BROADER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE NETWORK OF OF OF HYDRATION STATIONS GOING ON AND THE THE LAST AND THE FINAL CLOSING MINUTES, I'LL POINT OUT IS THIS ALIGNS WITH OF THE 26 PRIORITIES THAT WE JUST APPROVED, IT ALIGNS WITH 12 OF THEM.
SO, YOU KNOW, ROUGHLY 46% OF OUR PRIORITIES ALIGN WITH INCREASING THESE HYDRATION STATIONS.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. ALL RIGHT.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS READY FOR A WORK SESSION.
I TAKE YOUR NOTE ON TRIPLING THE NUMBER, BUT I DID NOT SEE A NUMBER THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED.
UNDERSTANDING. EVERY CITY FACILITY, EVERY PARK HAS WATER FOUNTAINS.
WE HAD TO LOOK AT THOSE, LOOK AT HOW LONG THAT WAS GOING TO TAKE TO ROLL OUT.
THEN WE JUST HAD A BUDGET CONVERSATION AND WE DIDN'T HAVE THIS IN FRONT OF US.
I JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE IT FITS IN OUR PRIORITY LIST.
AND I WANT TO BE TRUE TO THE FACT THAT WE SAID WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON PRIORITIES.
I DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY FROM PRIORITIES FOR SOMETHING THAT WE'VE NOT DISCUSSED.
AND THEN ALSO I'D JUST SAY WE SPENT $14 MILLION ON A SHELTER.
AND I THINK THAT IS WHERE WE NEED TO PUSH TO TO PARTNER WITH THEM.
SO THAT'S MY ONE MINUTE I HAVE MORE TO SAY, BUT ANYONE ANYONE ELSE? COUNCILMAN MCGEE.
I APPRECIATE MAYOR PRO TEM DR.
I THINK THAT WE HAVE A GREAT STAFF AND THE STAFF CAN WALK AND CHEW GUM AT THE SAME TIME.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE EITHER THIS OR THAT.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET BETTER.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING A WORK SESSION ON THIS.
[01:25:02]
I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT THE WORK SESSIONS ARE FOR.SO I'M A I'M A FULLY YES ON THIS.
I DON'T MIND HAVING A CONVERSATION.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE HAVE A TWO MINUTE PITCH TO GO TO A WORK SESSION FOR THIS COUNCIL TO DECIDE BASED UPON PRESENTATIONS AND THE GATHERING OF DATA, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO DO.
IF YOU VOTE ON THIS, THEN THAT THAT YOU'RE YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.
I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION.
IF THE WORK SESSION IS TO DO THAT, THEN TO MAKE A DECISION, GREAT.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME, SO I CAN'T SUPPORT THE REQUEST AS IT'S PRESENTED.
OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? COUNCILMAN MELTZER? YEAH. I SUPPORT THE WORK SESSION.
AND MY WHAT MY EXPECTATION FOR IT IS THAT THAT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SEE WHAT THE DATA IS, WHAT ACTUALLY ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES, WHERE MIGHT THAT WHERE THE SORT OF MOST OPPORTUNE PLACES BE TO EXPAND WATER AVAILABILITY? I THINK THE NEED HAS BEEN AMPLY DEMONSTRATED AND ALSO TO UNDERSTAND THE COST AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES, I THINK YOU KNOW.
I THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT THE WORK SESSION IS I ALSO WOULD HAVE SUPPORTED ESSER, FRANKLY.
BUT I WANT TO GET THOSE FACTS SO THAT WE CAN DELIBERATE ABOUT THEM BECAUSE.
I'M GOING TO SUPPORT A WORK SESSION ON THIS.
I THINK THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NEEDING TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT'S NEEDED.
ESR I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE JUST A BIT MORE THAN AN ESR, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.
OKAY. ANYONE COUNCILMAN HOLLAND.
I'LL SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION WITH A LOW PRIORITY.
I HOPE WE CAN DO THIS WITHOUT ADDING MORE PLASTIC BOTTLES TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
OKAY. SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CITY MANAGER TO GET DIRECTION BECAUSE I'LL LET HER JUST SPEAK TO IT.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR ON DIRECTION.
SO I'M COMING BACK WITH THE RIGHT STUFF HERE.
JUST ONE IS I DIDN'T GET PRIORITIES OTHER THAN FROM COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLAND.
WE ARE BOOKED UP ALL THE WAY UNTIL DECEMBER AND IT LOOKS LIKE PROBABLY THE 12TH, BUT.
I'LL HAVE TO BUMP SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT IF THAT'S OKAY, IT WOULD BE DECEMBER 12TH.
AND I'M LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES, LOCATIONS, RECOMMENDED LOCATIONS, COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH WATER AVAILABLE WITHOUT WATER HAVING TO RUN IT, AND THEN INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES, WHICH GOES ALONG WITH, YOU KNOW, THE PADS AND THAT KIND OF THING.
AM I COVERING IT? YEAH, THESE THESE ARE ALL THINGS FOR US TO BE SCOPED.
BUT I THINK THOSE ARE THE TOPIC CATEGORIES.
I THINK IT'S COMPLETELY AVAILABLE FOR US TO DESIGN THE SCOPE FROM FROM SOUP TO NUTS.
YEAH, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS WHAT WE AS STAFF WOULD COME BACK WITH.
WE'D COME BACK WITH WHAT STAFF COULD SAY HERE.
WE'VE WE'VE LOOKED AT THIS IF WE WERE GOING TO PUT SOME IN, HERE ARE SOME LOCATIONS THAT MAKE SENSE.
AND I CAN TELL YOU JUST REALLY BRIEF VERY BRIEFLY, 25 TO 30,000 PER WATER FOUNTAIN PER UNIT AND TO RETROFIT WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE WOULD PROBABLY NOT BE VERY FINANCIALLY VIABLE.
AND THEN INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES WOULD BE THINGS LIKE HERE'S WHAT WE'D HAVE TO DO.
WE'D HAVE TO POUR PAD OR THERE'S AN EXISTING PAD.
WE'D GO TO THAT DETAIL SO WE COULD BRING THAT BACK FOR YOU TO MAKE A DECISION.
AM I ON THE RIGHT TRACK? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE.
TAKES US TO WE'LL I'LL CALL THE TAKE US INTO CLOSED SESSION, THEN WE'LL WE'LL TAKE A BREAK.
THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW AT 3:30 P.M.
[1. Closed Meeting:]
CONVENE IN CLOSED MEETING TO DELIBERATE THE CLOSED THE CLOSED MEETING ITEMS SET FORTH ON THE AGENDA, WHICH INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING A ID 231636 DELIBERATIONS REGARDING REAL PROPERTY UNDER GOVERNMENT CODE.SECTION 551.072 AND ALSO ITEM C ID 231862 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEYS UNDER TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071 REGARDING DELIBERATIONS INVOLVING ENGAGEMENT OF OUTSIDE COUNSEL FOR PERSONAL
[01:30:06]
PERSONNEL INVESTIGATION.SO THOSE TWO ITEMS, WE'RE IN CLOSED SESSION NOW.
WE'LL TAKE THAT UP AT 335, GIVE A 35 MINUTE BREAK.
OH, GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THIS MEETING OF THE DENTON CITY COUNCIL.
TODAY IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2023.
I WILL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
COUNCIL MEMBER WATTS WILL BE ABSENT THIS EVENING FOR THIS EVENING PORTION OF THE MEETING.
WE DO HAVE A QUORUM, SO WE'LL GET STARTED.
GET THAT GOING. SO THE FIRST THING ON THE AGENDA IS PLEDGES TO THE UNITED STATES AND TEXAS FLAG.
PLEASE STAND WITH ME IF YOU'RE ABLE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.
OKAY. AND THEN WE HAVE SEVERAL PROCLAMATIONS.
[2. PROCLAMATIONS/PRESENTATIONS]
SO IF YOU THE FIRST OF WHICH IS THE SUICIDE PREVENTION AWARENESS MONTH, IF YOU CAN MEET ME AT THE PODIUM IF YOU'RE HERE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.AND IF YOU COULD TELL US WHAT WE'RE RECOGNIZING AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. DO I NEED TO HOLD THIS? YES, PLEASE. HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? HELLO.
I WORK AT DENTON COUNTY, MMR. I AM THE ID, SO THE INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY CRISIS SUPERVISOR.
IN 2022, THERE WAS 123 SUICIDES IN DENTON COUNTY, AND WE BELIEVE THAT ONE IS ONE TOO MANY SUICIDES.
WE WANT TO STOP THE STIGMA OF INDIVIDUALS SEEKING HELP AND SERVICES TO SUPPORT THEIR MENTAL HEALTH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOW, SIR, IS THERE A NUMBER WEBSITE? WHERE CAN PEOPLE GET MORE INFORMATION, HOW TO HELP, HOW TO VOLUNTEER, THOSE SORT OF THINGS? ABSOLUTELY. SO WE ALWAYS RECOMMEND ANYBODY WHO IS FEELING ANY TYPE OF SUICIDAL OR HOMICIDAL IDEATIONS OR ATTEMPTS TO CALL OUR NATIONWIDE HOTLINE, WHICH IS NINE, EIGHT, NINE, EIGHT EIGHT, BUT ALSO DENTON COUNTY HAS A CRISIS HOTLINE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A 24 HOUR CRISIS TEAM THAT WORKS IN OUR SCRIPTURE OFFICE.
AND. WHEREAS, 10% OF ADULTS EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND 1 IN 5 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS REPORTED THINKING ABOUT SUICIDE, OF WHOM 20% MAKE A PLAN AND 12% AN ATTEMPT.
AND. WHEREAS, ADDRESSING THE NEED FOR COORDINATED MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION SERVICES FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH, ADULTS IS FUNDAMENTAL TO THE FUTURE OF THE CITY OF DENTON.
AND. WHEREAS, EACH CITIZEN OF OUR COMMUNITY SHARES THE WEIGHT OF SUICIDE CONCERNS AND HAS RESPONSIBILITY TO PROMOTE MENTAL WELLNESS RECOVERY AND SUPPORT PREVENTION EFFORTS. AND.
WHEREAS, DENTON COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH LEADERSHIP TEAM, DENTON COUNTY, MHMR CENTER, DENTON COUNTY, ZERO SUICIDE TASK FORCE, DENTON COUNTY LOSS TEAM AND DENTON REGIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION COALITION STRIVE TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS THE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION NEEDS OF FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
CAN WE GIVE THEM A HAND? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT EVENING. OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE CONSTITUTION WEEK.
[01:35:07]
IF YOU'RE HERE FOR CONSTITUTION WEEK, IF YOU CAN COME ON DOWN.OKAY? OH, I HAVE A COPY AS WELL.
HEY, HOW ARE YOU? WHAT'S THAT LAST STEP THERE? OKAY. VERY GOOD.
HEY, HOW ARE YOU? GREAT TO SEE YOU.
YEAH, THAT'S GREAT. I'M CONNIE SHERMAN.
AND WE ARE HERE TODAY TO RECOGNIZE THE 236TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIGNING OF THE CONSTITUTION.
THIS IS OUR REGENT, JILL JOHNSON.
AND WE HAVE SYLVIA HOBDY AND SARA MACK, WHO IS ALSO A PART OF THE DAR.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
NOW, WHAT DO YOU HAVE THERE? I GOT MY GLASSES.
I UNDERSTAND. I CARRY MINE WITH ME EVERYWHERE.
I'M WITH YOU. THAT'S YOUNG PEOPLE.
THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION CONSTITUTION WEEK COMMITTEE.
THIS IS A CERTIFICATE OF AWARD PRESENTED TO MAYOR GERALD HUDSPETH IN RECOGNITION OF OUTSTANDING WORK IN UPHOLDING AND PROMOTING THE IDEALS OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES ON THIS DAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2023.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I SURE APPRECIATE IT.
ALL RIGHT. HERE WE GO. AND THEY JUST AND DO YOU ALL HAVE YOU HAVE REGULAR MEETINGS.
PEOPLE WANT TO LOOK UP YOUR MEETING SCHEDULE.
WHERE DO THEY GO TO LOOK THAT UP? THEY CAN. WELL RIGHT NOW OUR WEBSITE IS A WORK IN PROGRESS, BUT WE MEET THE SECOND FRIDAY OF THE MONTH AT 2:00 IN THE AFTERNOON, USUALLY AT THE EMILY FOWLER LIBRARY.
SOMETIMES IT'S THE DENTON NORTH BRANCH LIBRARY.
OKAY, GREAT. AND IT'S A GREAT GROUP AND I ALWAYS LEARN A LOT WHEN I'M ABLE TO ATTEND.
YEAH, WE HAVE A LOT OF IT IS LINEAGE.
YOU HAVE TO BE A DESCENDANT OF A PATRIOT.
WHEREAS OUR FOUNDING FATHERS, IN ORDER TO SERVE THE BLESSING OF LIBERTY FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR POSTERITY, DO ORDAIN AND ESTABLISH A CONSTITUTION FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND. WHEREAS, IT IS THE GREATEST SIGNIFICANCE, IT IS OF THE GREATEST SIGNIFICANCE THAT CITIZENS UNDERSTAND THE PROVISIONS AND PRINCIPLES IN THE CONSTITUTION TO EFFECTIVELY SUPPORT, PRESERVE AND DEFEND IT.
AND. WHEREAS, THE 2,236TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIGNING OF THE CONSTITUTION PROVIDES A HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL AMERICANS TO REMEMBER THE RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AFFORDED TO US IN THE CONSTITUTION.
AND. WHEREAS, IT IT IS THE PRIVILEGE AND DUTY OF ALL AMERICANS TO COMMEMORATE THIS ANNIVERSARY.
NOW, THEREFORE, I GERARD HUDSPETH, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, DO HEREBY DECLARE AND PROCLAIM THIS WEEK, SEPTEMBER 17TH TO 23RD, 2023, AS CONSTITUTION WEEK IN THE CITY OF DENTON.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO GET WE'LL GET A COUPLE OF PICTURES HERE.
AND WE GOT ONE MORE HERE FOR US.
YEAH. APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
WE'LL COME OVER THERE AND STICK MY HEAD IN BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU.
OKAY? IF YOU ARE HERE TO RECOGNIZE NATIONAL SENIOR CENTER MONTH, YOU CAN COME DOWN, PLEASE.
YOU JUST DON'T. YOU JUST DON'T KNOW IT.
GO MEAN GREEN. THIS PART OF THE DICE.
[01:40:01]
HI. HI. HELLO. HELLO.WE'LL KEEP IT SHORT. YES, GOT IT.
OKAY. WELL, GREAT TO SEE EVERYONE.
WE'RE FROM THE DENTON SENIOR CENTER, BUT ALSO DENTON PARKS AND REC.
WE DO A LOT, A LOT OUTSIDE OF OUR FOUR WALLS OR EIGHT WALLS WITH OUR TWO SENIOR CENTERS.
AND THEN THERE'S HISPANIC HERITAGE CELEBRATION AT RH.
THAT'S WHEN IT'S AT I THINK IT WAS LAST FRIDAY, WAS IT THE 15TH? SHALON IT WAS ON FRIDAY, RIGHT? OR WAIT. OH, THE ONE COMING ON.
YEAH. OKAY. THAT'S WHY I WAS CONFUSED.
AND. WHEREAS, THE AMERICAN LEGION HALL AND DENTON SENIOR CENTER ACT AS CATALYST FOR MOBILIZING THE CREATIVITY, ENERGY, VITALITY AND COMMITMENT TO OLDER RESIDENTS OF THE DENTON, TEXAS.
AND. WHEREAS, THROUGH THE WIDE ARRAY OF SERVICES PROGRAMS, ACTIVITIES, THE CITY OF DENTON SENIOR CENTERS EMPOWER THOSE OVER 50 TO CONTRIBUTE TO HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THEMSELVES AND THE COMMUNITY.
AND. WHEREAS, AMERICAN LEGION HALL AND DENTON SENIOR CENTER AFFIRM THE DIGNITY, SELF-WORTH AND INDEPENDENCE OF OLDER PERSONS BY TAPPING INTO EXPERIENCES, SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE. AND NOW, THEREFORE, I GERARD HUDSPETH, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, DO HEREBY DECLARE AND PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 20TH, 23 AS NATIONAL SENIOR CENTER MONTH.
WE CAN GIVE THEM A HAND. AND I CAN'T RECOMMEND ENOUGH.
IF YOU'VE NOT BEEN TO THE SENIOR CENTER HERE.
THEY HAVE A THEY HAVE A SHOPPING CENTER THERE.
THEY HAVE GREAT THINGS THEY MAKE.
AND THEN IF YOU'RE ABLE IF YOU'RE 50 AND OVER AND YOU DON'T PLAY CHAIR VOLLEYBALL, SHAME ON YOU.
IT IS IT IS A GREAT, GREAT GAME.
LOTS OF FUN. SO YOU HAVE TO GO TRY IT OUT.
ALL RIGHT. AND THEN WE HAVE A ROOMMATE WORKING ON.
YEAH, WE GOT AN ANGLE AND STACK.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ALL THINGS I DO WHEN YOU GET OLD.
I'M TO THE SENIOR. YEAH, FOR SURE.
HERE YOU GO, GARY. THERE'S ANOTHER COPY.
OKAY. THIS IS LIVE UNITED MONTH IF YOU'RE HERE FOR LIVE UNITED MONTH.
HEY. JUST TO GET IN AN OLD PICTURE.
ALL RIGHT. AND SO WHO'S WHO'S TELLING US WHAT WE'RE RECOGNIZING? I GUESS. YEAH. YEAH.
YOU LOST. SO, I'M CAROLINE SIMMONS, A LIFETIME MEMBER OF UNITED WAY.
AND WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO LET OUR MAYOR PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER IS LIVE UNITED MONTH.
THIS PAST YEAR, UNITED WAY WAS ONLY ABLE TO FUND A LITTLE OVER 50% OF OUR PARTNER AGENCIES REQUEST.
AND THAT'S THAT HURTS ALL OF DENTON COUNTY.
WE DO HAVE A WEBSITE AND UNITED WAY, DENTON DENTON COUNTY UNITED WAY.ORG IS THE WEBSITE UNITED WAY, DENTON COUNTY.ORG.
OKAY. YEAH. AND YOU CAN EVERYONE CAN INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
THAT'D BE GREAT. YEAH, I AM TEDDY YAN.
[01:45:03]
I'M OUR DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL INITIATIVES.I CURRENTLY SERVE AS OUR HOMELESSNESS DATA MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST AT UNITED WAY OF DENTON COUNTY.
FRANK DIXON CURRENTLY SERVE AS A BOARD MEMBER.
JESSICA DRAKE I'M ALSO A BOARD MEMBER.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY A WORD OF THANK YOU TO CITY OF DENTON FOR RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER AS AS LIVE UNITED MONTH AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE THE WORK THAT YOU MAYOR THAT YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, THAT CITY STAFF DO TO HELP US LIVE UNITED EVERY DAY OF EVERY OF EVERY YEAR. WE COULDN'T DO THE WORK THAT WE DO WITHOUT YOU AND WE COULD NOT ACCOMPLISH THE WORK WE DO.
AS PART OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH LEADERSHIP TEAM, THE HOMELESSNESS LEADERSHIP TEAM, THE WORKFORCE SUCCESS LEADERSHIP TEAM, WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF ALL OF OUR MUNICIPALITIES, BUT ESPECIALLY CITY OF DENTON.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT.
AND IS THERE A GOLF TOURNAMENT COMING UP? AM I RIGHT? AM I CLOSE? THE NEXT JUNE. NEXT JUNE? I THOUGHT THERE WAS ONE PENDING, MAYBE.
NO, IT ALL RUNS TOGETHER ON ME.
EVERY JUNE. THE LONGEST RUNNING GOLF TOURNAMENT.
GOOD. GOOD. THAT GIVES ME TIME TO PRACTICE.
IT SAYS TO ALL WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME.
AND. WHEREAS, WITH SUPPORTERS AND COLLABORATORS ACROSS DENTON COUNTY, UNITED WAY OF DENTON COUNTY IMPROVES ACCESS TO EDUCATION, ECONOMIC MOBILITY, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH FOR OVER 42,000 RESIDENTS ANNUALLY.
AND. WHEREAS, UNITED WAY, DENTON COUNTY CLOSES GAPS AND OPENS OPPORTUNITIES BY WORKING WITH NONPROFIT GOVERNMENT, GOVERNMENTS, BUSINESSES AND DONORS TO RESPOND TO IMMEDIATE NEEDS AND SEEK SOLUTIONS FOR COMMUNITY WIDE ISSUES.
AND NOW, THEREFORE, I GERARD HUDSPETH, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, DO HEREBY DECLARE AND PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 2023 AS LIVE UNITED MONTH IN THE CITY OF DENTON, AND CALL UPON ALL OF DENTON TO GIVE, TO ADVOCATE AND VOLUNTEER TO LIVE, UNITED AND BUILD A BETTER DENTON COUNTY FOR ALL.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SEE, THE LAST ONE WE HAVE IS HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.
IF THERE'S SOMEONE HERE TO RECEIVE.
GREAT. HELLO? YEAH. HEY, HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. GOOD. YES.
OKAY, SO WHO WANTS TO TELL US WHAT WE'RE RECOGNIZING? SURE. GREAT. ALL RIGHT.
HELLO. MY NAME IS LILLIAN PRADO.
CARRILLO AND I CURRENTLY SERVE AS THE LULAC PRESIDENT HERE IN DENTON.
LULAC IS THE LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS.
IT IS THE OLDEST CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION FOR LATINOS HERE IN THIS COUNTRY.
I ALSO SERVE AS THE DISTRICT THREE DIRECTOR, WHICH IS THE NORTH TEXAS REGION.
AND ALSO I'M THE DEPUTY THE DEPUTY STATE DIRECTOR FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS.
I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR MAYOR AND OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND RECEIVE THIS PROCLAMATION FOR THE MANY CONTRIBUTIONS THE LATINO PEOPLE HAVE MADE TO THIS COUNTRY, OUR STATE, OUR COUNTY AND OUR CITY. I'M VERY PROUD OF THE MANY BUSINESS OWNERS, THE LOCAL ORGANIZERS AND ACTIVISTS, THE MANY EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS THAT MAKE MORE THAN 31% OF THE DENTON ISD STUDENTS, NOT TO MENTION U.A.W AND CTC ARE ALL HIGH SCHOOLS, WHICH MEANS THERE ARE HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTIONS.
AND I WANT TO LEAVE EVERYONE WITH A SPECIAL QUOTE THAT I HOLD DEAR.
WE MUST INCLUDE IN OUR IN OUR AMBITIONS.
WE MUST INCLUDE THE ASPIRATIONS AND THE NEEDS OF OTHERS FOR THEIR SAKE AND FOR OUR OWN.
SO I HOPE THAT WHEN WE KEEP THIS IN MIND THAT WE WILL ALL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER.
I ALSO WANT TO INVITE ANYBODY THAT'S INTERESTED OR CURIOUS ABOUT JOINING LULAC TO PLEASE JOIN US.
WE MEET EVERY THIRD SATURDAY AT 930 IN THE MORNING AT THE MLK CENTER.
AND SO THE ORGANIZATION IS OPEN TO ANYONE.
WE'D LOVE TO SHARE WHAT WE'RE ABOUT AND JUST GET TO KNOW MORE OF OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.
[01:50:04]
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.SO I DO RECOMMEND, IF YOU ARE IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE TO TO JOIN, IT'S IT'S A GREAT ORGANIZATION.
WHEREAS HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH BEGAN IN 1968 AND WAS ENACTED INTO LAW IN 1988, COVERING A 30 DAY PERIOD STARTING SEPTEMBER 15TH.
AND. WHEREAS, MEMBERS OF LA VIDA DENTON AND THE LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS COUNCIL NUMBER 4366, SUPPORTING THE LATINO COMMUNITY FOR OVER 40 YEARS, ORGANIZED LOCAL CULTURAL ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS IN CELEBRATION.
AND SO THAT'S IN SPANISH RIGHT THERE.
SO HOW DO YOU SAY THAT UNIDOS AND CULTURA E TRADITION? MAN YOU DID GREAT. THANK YOU.
YEAH. I'M GONNA STICK ON THIS SIDE OF THE CAMERA HERE.
THAT'S. THAT'S. THAT'S MY SWEET SPOT.
UNITED IN CULTURE AND TRADITION.
YOU'RE AWESOME. HIGHLIGHTING THE RICH AND DIVERSE TAPESTRY OF HISPANIC CULTURES.
AND. WHEREAS, THIS RECOMMENDATION RECOGNITION PROMOTES AWARENESS OF THE OF MANY UNIQUE TRADITIONS, LANGUAGES, HISTORIES ACROSS HISPANIC WORLD, ALONG WITH A SHARED SENSE OF IDENTITY AND HERITAGE HERITAGE, BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER.
AND. WHEREAS, HISPANICS ARE THE LARGEST ETHNIC MINORITY GROUP IN THE UNITED STATES, TEXAS DENTON COUNTY, UNITED STATES, TEXAS, DENTON COUNTY, AND IN THE CITY OF DENTON.
NOW, THEREFORE, I GERARD HUDSPETH, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, DO HEREBY DECLARE AND PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2023, THROUGH OCTOBER 15TH, 2023, AS HISPANIC HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.
COOK FOR US, AND THEN I HAVE SOME MORE COPIES.
ALL RIGHT, GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND THEN I HAVE SOME EXTRA COPIES HERE ON THE END FOR YOU.
IF NONE OF YOU, ANY OF YOUR SPEAKERS DON'T SHOW UP.
GOT IT. OKAY, IF WE COULD PLAY THE RULES OF PROCEDURE.
[3. PRESENTATIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC]
THAT VIDEO. THE DENTON CITY COUNCIL HAS ADOPTED RULES OF PROCEDURE, INCLUDING A CODE OF CONDUCT THAT APPLIES TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBERS.THESE RULES WERE ENACTED TO PROMOTE AN ORDERLY PROCESS AND TO PRESERVE DECORUM.
A BELL WILL RING WHEN TIME IS EXPIRED.
IF THE REMARKS ARE NOT CONCLUDED BY THAT TIME, THE SPEAKER WILL BE ASKED TO STOP SPEAKING.
SPEAKERS SHOULD NOT APPROACH THE DAIS.
THE COUNCIL MAY INITIATE DISCUSSION OR ASK QUESTIONS FOR AN UNSCHEDULED OPEN MIC REPORTS.
THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT PROHIBITS DISCUSSION OR DECISION BY THE COUNCIL ON NONSCHEDULED ITEMS. AS A RESULT, THE COUNCIL MAY ONLY PROCEED AS FOLLOWS ON NONSCHEDULED ITEMS PROPOSED TO PLACE THE ITEM ON A FUTURE AGENDA.
MAKE A STATEMENT OF FACTUAL POLICY OR A RECITATION OF EXISTING POLICY.
PLEASE REFRAIN FROM MAKING ABUSIVE, PERSONAL, IMPERTINENT, PROFANE OR SLANDEROUS REMARKS.
ANYONE WHO VIOLATES THE COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE MAY BE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED FROM THE CHAMBER.
THANK YOU. IN ADVANCE, COPIES OF THE RULES OF PROCEDURE ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE CITY SECRETARY.
OKAY. THANK YOU. FIRST SPEAKER IS MR. STEVEN DILLENBURG.
IF YOU CAN COME DOWN AND GIVE YOUR NAME, YOU'LL HAVE FOUR MINUTES.
[01:55:12]
ALL RIGHT. MY NAME IS STEPHEN DILLENBURG, 1004 ABBOTS LANE HERE IN DENTON.I HAD A FEW THINGS TO TALK ABOUT REAL QUICK.
THIS FIRST, IT WAS KIND OF SOMETHING I TRY TO BRING TO THE Y'ALL'S ATTENTION WHILE BACK.
THIS IS THE GUY WHO BROUGHT THE TOBACCO LAWSUIT.
SO THIS IS JOHN HOUGHTALING OF HOUGHTALING AND GUTHRIE.
NOW, THE MAJORITY OWNING PARTNER IN THAT LAW FIRM.
I'M JUST GOING TO PLAY THE VERY FIRST PART OF THIS CONVERSATION.
I'LL SEND IT TO EACH OF YOU GUYS AFTER THIS AND GO TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
RIGHT. AND I SAY AND I WANT THIS GUY ARRESTED.
I CAN HEAR IT. IF YOU COULDN'T HEAR IT, IT'S NOT THAT IMPORTANT.
THAT GUY, I DON'T KNOW, BROUGHT THE MOST $246 MILLION LAWSUIT THAT ENDED UP BEING.
SO THAT'S THE MOST EXPENSIVE ONE IN UNITED STATES HISTORY.
THAT GUY CALLED ME AS A RESULT OF MY ACTIVISM IN MARCH AND APRIL OF 2019, AND I RAN INTO SOME CALL THEM ROADBLOCKS RELATIVE TO THE CONSTITUTION ESPECIALLY.
AND SO SOME THINGS THAT DIDN'T REALLY MAKE A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO BRING TO THE ATTENTION OF OUR COMMUNITY.
FIRST, THANK YOU ALL FOR A GREAT APP.
I'VE LOVED IT SO FAR, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO WITH IT.
KIND OF LATE IN THE GAME, LIKE TWO OUTS, BOTTOM OF THE NINTH FULL COUNT TYPE SITUATION, AND I'M HOPING FOR AN ASSIST WITH A FEATURE THAT MIGHT NOT BE TOO HARD TO DEVELOP OR PERMISSION TO ACCESS.
YOU ALL GIVE ME ACCESS TO THE SOURCE CODE SO I CAN DO IT MYSELF.
I'VE HAD TO DELVE INTO XCODE AND IDA PRO A LITTLE BIT HERE SINCE BECOMING AN ENEMY OF THE STATE, SO I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOFTWARE AND PROGRAMING, SO I COULD PROBABLY FIGURE IT OUT.
BUT ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, Y'ALL'S APP IS REALLY GOOD AND I'VE DEFINITELY APPRECIATED IT SO FAR.
SO LET ME GET TO THIS NEXT PART HERE.
IS THERE INSTEAD A WAY TO ENTER A SPEAKER ASSIGNING MODE, THEN PULL UP ONE OF THE SEGMENTED EXPORT OPTIONS THAT LISTS THE SEGMENTS BY SPEAKER THAT WOULD STREAMLINE THE PROCESS A LOT FOR SOMEONE WHO IS HAVING TO PREPARE FOR COURT HEARINGS AND TRIALS BY HIMSELF BECAUSE NO ATTORNEYS WOULD HELP HIM, WHICH IN ADDITION, BECAUSE OF WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, WHICH IN ADDITION TO PROVING THE CURE FOR CANCER WAS PUBLISHED IN 2002 BY THE NUMBER ONE CANCER RESEARCH HOSPITAL IN THE WORLD, MD ANDERSON ALSO PROVES IN EXCESS OF $250 MILLION PER YEAR IS STOLEN FROM THE FORCED AMERICAN CONSUMERS OF INSURANCE IN THE UNITED STATES EVERY YEAR BY THE INSURANCE COMPANIES THAT ARE RUN BY OUR STATE LEGISLATORS AND ARE CREATING BAD LAWS THAT SCREW EVERYONE KNOWINGLY ONLY SO THE ATTORNEYS CAN WRITE IN ON A WHITE HORSE ON THE 5% OF CLAIMS THAT ARE STILL COVERING THE PROPERTY OF THE MOST WEALTHY PEOPLE.
FULLY AWARE THAT MEANS 95% HAVE NO ONE TO HELP THEM IN THEIR TIME OF NEED.
THEY ACTUALLY GO AS FAR AS TO SAY IT'S ILLEGAL TO SPEAK FREELY AND EVEN DISCUSSING THE CONTRACTS IF YOU'RE A CONTRACTOR OR EXPLAINING TO YOUR CLIENTS FOR A LOSS OR CLAIMING YOU'RE EITHER PRACTICING LAW OR PRACTICING PUBLIC ADJUSTING WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION.
IF YOU'RE THE CONTRACTOR THAT IS, EVEN IF YOU DON'T CHARGE A FEE FOR THAT SERVICE, ALL OF WHICH IS IDIOTIC, BUT THEY LIE ABOUT YOU AND THE OTHER, QUOTE UNQUOTE, SHADY CONTRACTORS WHICH STAINED THE INDUSTRY.
THEY REFUSE TO ALLOW TO LEGITIMIZE ITSELF BY FORCING LICENSURE AND BONDING.
YOU DIDN'T EVEN TELL YOUR REAL ESTATE CLIENTS YOU HAD A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY FOR TWO YEARS.
SOMEONE ASKED YOU TO HELP THEM WITH KNOWING ONE DAY YOU WOULD FINISH AND GET TO COLLECT THE MONEY.
YOU WOULD WORK SO HARD FOR 130 PLUS HOURS A WEEK FOR FOUR YEARS.
APPRECIATE IT. YEAH. SEEING NO QUESTIONS.
GREAT. NEXT IS MR. BENJAMIN COPELAND.
IF YOU CAN COME DOWN AND GIVE YOUR NAME, YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES.
MY GOSH. HI, MY NAME IS BEN COPELAND.
I'M IN MY FINAL YEAR AT UEA FOR ECOLOGY.
AND SO, AS WE KNOW, DENTON HAS SEEN CHANGES OVER THE PAST 510 YEARS WHICH CONTINUE EXPONENTIALLY.
THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF THIS URBAN SPRAWL LIKE CHANGING INFRASTRUCTURE, INCREASING POPULATION DENSITY THAT ARE INEVITABLE, SOME THAT ARE JUST A LITTLE BIT CHALLENGING AND SOME ELEMENTS THAT CALL FOR CAREFULLY WEIGHTED CONSIDERATION.
[02:00:03]
AND THE NORTHEAST DENTON DEVELOPMENT PLAN REQUIRES THAT CONSIDERATION.SO NORTHEAST IS A CRUCIAL WILDLIFE CORRIDOR FOR A HUGE VARIETY OF SPECIES.
INTENSE DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT A FULLY FORMED UNDERSTANDING OF NESTING LOCATIONS WOULD WARRANT THE INTERVENTION OF PARKS AND WILDLIFE, TCU AND THE EPA, FURTHER DISPLACING NATIVE PRAIRIE WITH IMPERVIOUS SURFACE MATERIALS LIKE CONCRETE THAT WILL NOT ONLY SEVERELY IMPACT WATER RETENTION, INTENSIFYING POTENTIAL FOR FLOOD DAMAGE, BUT ALSO CONTAMINATE THE CLEAR CREEK WATERSHED.
TRINITY'S ELM FORK AND ALL DOWNSTREAM WATERS.
THE WHOLE FLUVIAL NETWORK WITH EXCESSIVE RUNOFF.
AND ECOLOGISTS HAVE DEVELOPED MODELS FOR QUANTIFYING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES WHICH ARE JUST BASICALLY HUMAN BENEFITS PROVIDED BY NATURE IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS SPECIFICALLY, AND BY FAR AND AWAY, GRASSLANDS AND WOODLANDS ARE THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE ENGINES OF DRIVING QUALITY OF LIFE AT LITTLE TO NO COST.
AND WE ALREADY HAVE ONE. IT'S PERFECT.
SO THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS WERE AWARE RANKED THIS AREA IN NORTHEAST DENTON AS THE MOST ECOLOGICALLY VITAL AND SENSITIVE IN THE ENTIRE DFW METROPLEX OF 12 COUNTIES, WHICH IS SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS A PRODUCT OF AND DIRECTLY REFLECTS THE SPIRIT OF DENTON.
IT'S DISTINCTLY OURS, RIGHT? AND SOMETHING TO BE ACTIVELY PROTECTED AND REALLY CHERISHED, TRULY CHERISHED.
BUT AT THE CENTER OF THIS ISSUE TO ME IS IDENTITY.
SO THERE'S A REASON THAT DENTON IS ISN'T DALLAS? RIGHT? IT'S NOT FORT WORTH, FRISCO OR PLANO, ANY OF THAT.
DENTON HAS ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT, SOMETHING ITS OWN.
WE ARE SLOW TO BEND TO SOCIETAL MACRO TRENDS AND ARE VERY QUICK TO EMBRACE CONSCIOUS GROWTH THROUGH COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND SUSTAINABILITY. SO I'M NOT HERE TO ARGUE THAT EVERY SINGLE SQUARE INCH OF THIS AREA SHOULD REMAIN UNTOUCHED.
IT'S NOT REALISTIC. IT'S TRUE THAT EVENTUALLY THIS LAND WILL CHANGE.
IT'S THE ONLY CONSTANT IN LIFE IS CHANGE.
RIGHT? BUT I AM HERE TO SAY THAT THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT.
THERE'S VIABLE LAND CLOSER TO AMENITIES MORE SUITED TO SUBDIVISION DEVELOPMENT.
RIGHT. SO THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DELIBERATE LIGHT DEVELOPMENT THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF HARTLEY FIELD AND COOPER CREEK TO UTILIZE THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT TO FOSTER THE HEALTHY GROWTH OF FUTURE GENERATIONS.
TO SHOW THAT DENTON KNOWS HOW TO MOVE INTO THE FUTURE.
BECAUSE WHEN WE TAKE CARE OF THE LAND, WE'RE REALLY TAKING CARE OF OURSELVES, TRULY.
AND THERE'S ONLY ONE REAL WAY TO PROTECT WHAT WE KNOW NEEDS PROTECTING.
AND THAT'S BY DOING IT TOGETHER.
AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE BEHIND CAN HEAR BECAUSE IT'S BORING IF THEY CAN'T HEAR.
RIGHT? I KNOW THE THUGS IN AUSTIN ARE TRYING TO TAKE OVER OUR CITIES AND THAT THERE ARE THINGS ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT THAT ARE AN ATTEMPT TO MITIGATE THE STATE'S INTERFERENCE.
MANY CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND THAT IF IT'S NOT GROWING, IT'S DYING.
THAT PHILOSOPHY APPLIES NOT ONLY TO PLANTS, BUT BUILDINGS, CITIES AND PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THEM.
HOWEVER, GROWING PLANTS THRIVE ONLY WHEN THEY'RE BEING TAKEN CARE OF.
FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS, THIS COUNCIL HAS ONLY BEEN TENDING TO THE ANNUALS AND IGNORING THE PERMANENT PERENNIALS THAT THEY ARE THE ANCHOR AND THE LIFE FORCE OF ANY GARDEN.
SOME OF YOU ARE NEW TO CITY COUNCIL.
[02:05:07]
ITSELF BECAUSE YOU'VE DONE NOTHING TO SUPPORT OUR SYSTEM.YOU HAVE EITHER FAILED TO DELIVER OR HAVE HIDDEN BEHIND THE.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE CAN DO.
EXCUSE. A FEW MONTHS AGO, I ATTENDED A MEETING WHERE A STAFF MEMBER SAID THAT THE CITY GOAL WAS TO HAVE 80,000 MORE PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE RATHER THAN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE PEOPLE CAN PUT DOWN ROOTS.
THE VERY SPACES THAT PROVIDE OXYGEN, SHADE AND SERENITY TO ANY CITY.
EVERY TIME YOU TAKE AWAY LAND, YOU NEED TO THINK HARD ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO GIVE BACK.
HARTLEY FIELD IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF DESTROYING OUR ECOSYSTEM AND GIVING NOTHING BACK.
IT COULD BE PROTECTED AS A PARK AND THEIR STATE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT THIS IDEA.
WE WALKED AWAY FROM DENTON DEVELOPMENT 2030 CODE MEETING, FEELING THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS WERE SAFE AND THE CITY WAS PREPARED TO GROW THOUGHTFULLY AND MODERATELY. PLANNING AND ZONING AND THIS COUNCIL HAVE WORKED HAND IN GLOVE TO CHANGE ZONING AND REINTERPRET CODES IN ORDER TO ALLOW MULTIFAMILY ZONES WHERE THERE WASN'T.
IN ADDITION TO ENCOURAGING THOUSANDS OF APARTMENTS BUT FEW NEIGHBORHOODS, THUS CHEATING OUR CITIZENS OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT DOWN ROOTS AND THRIVE. WE'RE BEGINNING TO LOOK LIKE A WASTELAND.
HARTLEY FIELD IS AN ESTABLISHED GREEN SPACE AND WOULD NOT NOW BE THREATENED BY A DEVELOPER HAD THIS CITY SHOWN ANYTHING BUT GREED IN THEIR DECISIONS. THERE'S AN IMMORTAL LINE FROM OSCAR WINNER PETER FINCH IN THE FILM NETWORK THAT REFLECTS OUR FEELINGS ABOUT THE STATE AND THIS CITY. I'M MAD AS HELL AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE.
REPRESENT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY THE PERENNIALS IN YOUR GARDEN.
YOU HAVE A DUTY AND THE ABILITY TO SAVE HARTLEY FIELD.
YOU CAN GIVE YOUR NAME. YOU'LL HAVE FOUR MINUTES.
I'M A PHOTOGRAPHY MAJOR ATTENDING AA.
TODAY I NOT ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF, I SPEAK FOR THE WILDLIFE.
I SPEAK FOR THE NATURE ENTHUSIASTS.
I SPEAK FOR THE FEARLESS MOUNTAIN BIKERS, THE HIKERS.
I SPEAK FOR THE HARTLEY FIELD AREA.
DO NOT PUSH FURTHER INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENTS ONTO THIS LAND WITH THE DFW AREA HOLDING THE RECORD FOR THE 16TH MOST POLLUTED CITY IN THE OZONE LAYER IN 2022. WE SHOULD BE CHERISHING AND PROTECTING THIS AREA, NOT DESTROYING IT.
DENTON CLAIMS TO HAVE 37 OUTDOOR TRAILS FOR RECREATIONAL USE.
UTILIZE IT RATHER THAN PUSH IT AWAY.
IF YOU WANT TO EXPAND THIS LAND, EXPAND THE TRAILS, PUT IN MORE CAMPGROUNDS AND EXPAND THE COMMUNITY AND WILDLIFE THAT WILL LOVE AND RESPECT THIS LAND.
HIRE MORE PARK RANGERS AND EXPAND THIS COMMUNITY.
ASK YOURSELVES, DO YOU WANT ANOTHER INDUSTRIAL PARK, ANOTHER STARBUCKS, ANOTHER OVERPRICED APARTMENT COMPLEX? OR WOULD YOU WANT ANOTHER PRICELESS MEMORY WITH THE ONES YOU LOVE? I UNDERSTAND YOU WANT TO EXPAND DENTON AND THAT YOU CAN WITH DENTON BEING THE SIXTH FASTEST GROWING COLLEGE TOWN IN THE UNITED STATES.
THINK HOW MUCH THAT NUMBER WOULD GROW IF THERE WAS A STATE PARK.
THERE IS A WAY TO GROW THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS PRESERVE AND EVEN EXPAND THE WILDLIFE WITH THE WHOOPING CRANE, THE TEXAS HORNED LIZARD AND THE GOLD CHEEKED WARBLER.
[02:10:06]
BESIDES, A TEXAS SUNSET LOOKS BETTER OVER A PRAIRIE THAN A NEW BLOCK LONG AMAZON FACTORY.YOU HAVE ASKED THE COMMUNITY WHAT THEY THINK AND THE COMMUNITY HAS SPOKEN.
WE COME TODAY AS FRIENDS, NOT ENEMIES.
ASKING YOU AND PROTESTING AND PROTESTING YOU TO PLEASE SAVE THE HARTLEY FIELD AREA.
KATE LINDEQUE. IF YOU CAN COME DOWN AND GIVE YOUR NAME, YOU'LL HAVE FOUR MINUTES.
I'M CATHERINE LANDDECK AND I LIVE ON FERRIS ROAD.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT NORTHEAST DENTON AND ABOUT TRUST ON MAY 30TH.
THE TEAM OF SHY BRUCE, THE CONSULTANT HIRED BY THE CITY TO WORK ON THE NORTHEAST DENTON AREA PLAN, GAVE THE STEERING COMMITTEE A PRESENTATION THAT INCLUDED THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPORTANCE OF THE AREA, AND IT INCLUDED INFORMATION ABOUT HYDROLOGY IN THE AREA.
THE IDEA THAT FEMA FLOODPLAINS WERE ONLY PART OF THE STORY.
IT INCLUDED INFORMATION ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY OF THIS AREA, MENTIONING THE CROSS TIMBER, UPLAND HABITAT, RIPARIAN BUFFER, ESAS FLOODPLAIN, ESSAS AND WATER RELATED HABITAT. IT INCLUDED THE VAST DIVERSITY OF NORTHEAST DENTON ECOSYSTEMS. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PRESENTATION, EVEN THE DEVELOPERS IN THE ROOM UNDERSTOOD THE SENSITIVITY IN THE AREA, AND THEY LITERALLY SLUMPED IN THEIR CHAIRS, BELIEVING THAT THEIR CAUSE TO MAKE LOTS OF MONEY HAD LOST.
THE STEERING COMMITTEE MADE UP OF DEVELOPERS, CITY RESIDENTS, BUSINESS OWNERS AND LANDOWNERS.
A COMMITTEE GATHERED BY THE STAFF AND APPROVED BY THIS COUNCIL VOTED TO APPROVE THE VISION STATEMENT THAT SOME 170 PEOPLE HAD ADVOCATED FOR ONLINE AND TO GIVE SHIRASE'S DIRECTION TO DEVELOP AN AREA PLAN FOLLOWING THAT VISION.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE VISION, WHICH YOU'VE HEARD BEFORE, IS THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING RURAL HOUSING OF 2 TO 5 ACRE LOTS, AND OUR VISION RECOGNIZES THE SPECIAL AND SENSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL REALITIES OF NORTHEAST DENTON, INCLUDING THE VALUABLE, INVALUABLE GREEN BELT AND CRUCIAL WATERSHED.
DESPITE THIS CLEAR DIRECTION, WHICH HAS OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FROM THE PEOPLE OF DENTON SHY BRUCE, THE CONSULTANT GUIDED YOU INSTEAD TO RADICALLY ALTER THE ZONING AND COMPLETELY DISREGARD THE VISION STATEMENT OF THE COMMITTEE AND INSTEAD FOLLOWS THE WISHES OF SOME VERY SPECIFIC DEVELOPERS.
WE TRUSTED YOU WHEN WE WORKED TO DEVELOP A DRAFT OF AN AREA PLAN IN SEPTEMBER OF 21, A DRAFT SO EXTENSIVE BOTH STAFF AND COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESUMED WE HAD HIRED IT, DONE A DRAFT WITH A TRUE VISION FOR WHAT WE CAN BE.
WE TRUSTED YOU WHEN YOU UNANIMOUSLY VOTED IN APRIL 22ND TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE AREA PLAN PROCESS.
WE TRUSTED YOU WHEN YOU CREATED A STEERING COMMITTEE THAT HAD ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS.
WE UNDERSTAND EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A VOICE AND IN THE PROCESS AND WE HAVE TRIED TO RESPECT THAT.
WE HAVE RESPECTED THE PROFESSIONALISM OF THE CITY STAFF AS WE'VE MET WITH THEM REPEATEDLY.
WE KNOW THEY ARE SHORTHANDED AND YET THEY ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS AND MEET WITH US ANYWAY.
WE WERE CONCERNED IN JANUARY OF 23, WHEN SHY RUSS MET WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND INFORMED MANY OF US THAT ZONING DOESN'T MATTER AND THAT HER JOB WAS TO MAKE SURE DEVELOPERS MADE MONEY. WHEN WE REPORTED OUR CONCERNS, WE WERE TOLD WE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW THINGS WORK AND TO TRUST THE PROCESS.
WE WERE TOLD TO SHOW THAT PEOPLE CARE ABOUT THIS AREA.
SO WE WORKED TO GET HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMUNITY, VISIONING OPEN HOUSES.
WHEN WE PARTICIPATED IN THE STRATEGIC FORESIGHT WORKSHOP AND REALIZED THAT ONE DEVELOPER, ORION AND NANBAN, WAS REPRESENTED AT ALL FIVE TABLES, WE WERE TOLD THAT'S HOW THINGS WORK WHEN EMPLOYEES OF CFM WHO WORK FOR ORION AND NANBAN STARTED CRYING LOUDLY NIMBY, NIMBY, NIMBY WHEN PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT THE VALUE OF THE AREA.
HUNDREDS OF OTHERS WHO LIVE IN EACH DISTRICT AND EVERY DISTRICT IN THE CITY.
AUGUST 15TH WE BROUGHT OVER 80 COLOR CODED BECAUSE WE TRUST YOU TO LISTEN.
IT'S NOW OVER A MONTH LATER AND NOTHING HAS CHANGED.
[02:15:01]
SO WE BROUGHT MORE PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT NORTHEAST DENTON AGAIN, COLOR COORDINATED.I JUST WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE THE ENTHUSIASM.
NO PROBLEM. BUT YOU DO DELAY OUR GETTING TO THE NEXT.
SPEAKER ONE BUT THEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, NOT NOT ABOUT THAT.
BUT STAFF'S BEEN HERE SINCE EIGHT THIS MORNING.
AGAIN, IF YOU WANT TO CLAP FOR FIVE MINUTES, WE'RE NOT GOING TO RUN ALL OF YOU OUT OF HERE.
YOU CAN CLAP AS LONG AS YOU WANT.
BUT JUST UNDERSTAND YOU'RE NOT AFFECTING ONLY US.
YOU'RE AFFECTING OUR STAFF MEMBERS.
AND SO I ASK YOU TO FOLLOW THE RULES.
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO FOLLOW THE RULES, THAT'S YOUR PREROGATIVE.
IF YOU WANT TO CLAP FOR FIVE MINUTES, THAT'S YOUR PREROGATIVE.
IF YOU WANT TO IGNORE MY REQUEST, THAT'S YOUR PREROGATIVE.
BUT JUST UNDERSTAND IT HAS A CUMULATIVE EFFECT.
AND AGAIN, YOU CAN AFFECT ME, BUT IT ALSO HAS RESIDUAL EFFECTS.
NEXT SPEAKER, MR. ALAN LEE. IF YOU CAN GIVE YOUR NAME, YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES.
I'M A RETIRED TEACHER AND COACH WITH DENTON ISD.
I VOTE FOR PEOPLE THAT SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
I'M A GRANDFATHER OF EIGHT AND I LIKE TO TAKE MY GRANDCHILDREN ON SAFE BICYCLE RIDES.
SO WE ALREADY HAVE A VISION PLAN FROM THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND THAT ADDRESSES THE CONTINUED RURAL CHARACTER OF NORTHEAST DENTON.
I'M NOT GOING TO THROW A BUNCH OF NUMBERS AT YOU.
EVERY DAY IN MY NEWS FEED, THERE ARE ARTICLES ABOUT BICYCLISTS BEING RUN OVER AND KILLED.
I'M ONE OF THE MANY PEOPLE WHO RIDE THE HARTLEY FIELD LOOP REGULARLY, PRIMARILY BECAUSE IT'S SAFE AND PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE CITY COME AND RIDE THERE.
WE'VE GOT THE BIKE PATH ON MAYHILL, WE'VE GOT MINGO ROAD, WE'VE GOT KINGS ROW, ALL OF THOSE GRANT EASY ACCESS TO THIS AREA FOR PEOPLE TO COME WALK AND RIDE BIKES. I USED TO RIDE ON SHERMAN SLASH FOR 28.
I JUST DON'T DO IT ANYMORE. IT'S SCARY.
PEOPLE ARE GOING OVER 50 MILES AN HOUR ON THEIR PHONES AND IT'S JUST SCARY.
I HAVE NEVER BEEN AFRAID RIDING IN NORTHEAST DENTON.
THERE ARE THOSE BIG CEMENT TRUCKS.
THEY'RE GOING 30 MILES AN HOUR AT THE MOST.
I'VE NEVER BEEN SCARED UP THERE.
ALSO, INVARIABLY WHEN I'M WRITING, I SEE PEOPLE WALKING, ENJOYING THE AREA.
SO. INCREASING THE POPULATION TRAFFIC WILL CAUSE IN THIS AREA WILL CAUSE IRREPARABLE HARM TO THE CLEAR CREEK NATURAL HERITAGE CENTER.
THE INCREASED ROADKILL WILL BE TREMENDOUS.
ACTUALLY, THEY'LL PROBABLY APPRECIATE THE SMORGASBORG OF HOUSE PETS PROVIDED.
BUT ALL THE OTHER ANIMALS WILL SUFFER.
I PERSONALLY WILL MISS THE ROADRUNNERS.
ALSO, EVERY TIME YOU COVER AN AREA THAT USED TO BE GRASS AND TREES WITH CONCRETE, THE SUMMERS GET HOTTER, THE WINTERS GET COLDER, THE FLOODS GET WORSE.
WE'RE GOING TO LOSE THE GREEN BELT MORE THAN WE DO NOW.
WHEN CLEAR CREEK FLOODS, WE LOSE THE GREEN BELT.
THAT'S ANOTHER PLACE TO GO. ENJOY NATURE.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO LOSE THAT MORE WITH FLOODS.
I UNDERSTAND THERE IS SOME PRESSURE TO INCREASE HOUSING IN DENTON.
BUT THE HARTLEY FIELD NORTHEAST DENTON AREA IS NOT THE ANSWER.
[02:20:03]
THERE IS ABUNDANT LAND WEST AND SOUTHWEST OF THE CITY THAT WILL NOT IMPACT THE SOCIAL AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT THAT DESTROYING HARTLEY FIELD AND NORTHEAST DENTON WOULD.HOWEVER, WE'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR A COMPANY'S SPECULATIVE BUYING.
IF IT'S A BAD DEAL FOR US, IT'S A BAD DEAL FOR US.
SO PLEASE INSTRUCT THE CONSULTANT TO GO BACK TO THE LONG STANDING PLAN AS EXPRESSED IN THE STEERING COMMITTEES VISION STATEMENT.
SO I'M GOING TO BRING UP A PRESENTATION REAL QUICK.
ALL RIGHT. CHARLIE COLLIER, LONG TIME RESIDENT OF DENTON.
I WANT TO DO A QUICK ANALYSIS OF THE NORTHEAST DENTON AREA PLAN.
THERE WAS A SERIES OF PUBLIC WORKSHOPS HELD BY THE CITY TO COLLECT PUBLIC FEEDBACK.
WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF PUBLIC FEEDBACK SO FAR AS WELL.
SOME OF THAT FEEDBACK IS RURAL COUNTRY LIVING IN CHARACTER, OUTDOOR, RESIDENTIAL, GREEN SPACE.
PROTECT. CONSERVE NATURAL SYSTEMS. IT KEEPS GOING.
THE HARTLEY FIELD AIRSTRIP AND HANGARS.
ONE THING TO GET RID OF IN NORTHEAST DENTON APARTMENTS, TRAFFIC, ZONING TRACT HOMES.
IT SEEMS PRETTY CLEAR THESE WERE THE TWO DEVELOPMENT PLANS PROPOSED.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE BALANCING ACT IS THE ONE THAT THE COUNCIL WAS LEANING TOWARDS.
LET'S ZOOM IN HERE TO HARTLEY FIELD ROAD, SPECIFICALLY THE FORMER CARTER RANCH AREA.
ONE LOT FOR 2.5 ACRES, THREE LOTS PER ACRE.
IT CONTRADICTS THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
AS WE'VE HEARD, IT'S A TWO LANE RURAL ROAD.
IT'S USED BY CYCLISTS, RUNNERS.
I'VE BEEN RIDING THAT AREA MY WHOLE LIFE.
THIS IS THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT FOR HARTLEY FIELD ROAD FOUR LANES.
THE CENTENNIAL PARKS CONSERVATION FUND IS THE LARGEST ECOLOGICAL INVESTMENT IN TEXAS'S HISTORY.
TEXAS NEEDS TO ADD 1.4 MILLION ACRES OF STATE PARK BY 2030 TO KEEP UP WITH PUBLIC DEMAND.
WHY WOULD DENTON NOT WANT TO BE PUT ON THE MAP AS CONTRIBUTING TO THAT? THE CENTENNIAL PARKS CONSERVATION FUND WILL HELP CONSERVE LAND AND WATER RESOURCES, PROTECT OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND PRESERVE NATURAL AREAS FROM DEVELOPMENT THAT FALLS IN LINE PERFECTLY WITH THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S THE TWO DEVELOPMENT PLANS AND WHAT I THINK SHOULD BE THE NUMBER ONE OPTION WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY, THE SAME COMMUNITY THAT THE COUNCIL TOOK AN OATH TO REPRESENT, WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY TO DRAFT A STATE PARK PLAN TO PRESERVE NORTHEAST DENTON AND PRESERVE WHAT MAKES DENTON SPECIAL AND PRESERVE THE LEGACY THAT WE'RE HONESTLY BLESSED TO HAVE.
AS FAR AS THE HISTORY AND THE ECOLOGY, LET'S PRESERVE IT.
THAT'S WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS.
BUT. TAKES US TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
[4. CONSENT AGENDA]
WE HAVE TWO ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED.[02:25:02]
ITEM B AND ITEM P ARE GOING TO BE SEPARATE VOTES, ONE FOR RECUSAL, ONE FOR A INDIVIDUAL VOTE, NO PRESENTATIONS.SO I'LL TAKE A MOTION FOR EVERYTHING, BUT FOR B AND P, B, AS IN BOY P AS IN PAUL.
OKAY. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MELTZER.
ANY DISCUSSION? IT'S COUNCIL MEMBER BET.
YES. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. OR HOW WHAT'S THE PROCESS FOR ITEM B? I'M GOING TO CALL IT AFTER WE PASS THE OTHER CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, SIR. YEP.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY, LET'S VOTE ON. SO WE'RE VOTING ON CONSENT, BUT FOR B AND P VOTE ON THE SCREEN.
AND THAT PASSES SIX ZERO TAKES US TO ITEM B AND I'LL.
MAYOR PRO TEM. DO YOU WANT TO.
YES, I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO SEPARATE ALL THE ITEMS INTO ONE ALL THE ALL THE NOMINATIONS INTO ONE ITEM, ACCEPTING PLANNING AND ZONING FOR JOHN RYAN AND HAVE THAT AS A SEPARATE VOTE.
SO IS THAT YOUR MOTION? YES. GREAT.
MAYOR PRO TEM HAS A MOTION FOR ALL THE NOMINEES, BUT FOR P AND Z NOMINATION.
JOHN RYAN COUNCIL MEMBER MCGEE SECOND.
OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS ALL THE NOMINATIONS, BUT FOR THE ONE ON P AND Z.
THAT PASSES SIX ZERO TAKES US TO THAT INDIVIDUAL ITEM.
[B. Consider nominations/appointments to the City’s Boards, Commissions, and Committees: Airport Advisory Board, Animal Shelter Advisory Committee, Board of Ethics, Committee on Persons with Disabilities, Community Services Advisory Committee, Health & Building Standards Commission, Historic Landmark Commission, Library Board, Parks, Recreation & Beautification Board, Planning & Zoning Commission, Public Utilities Board, and Zoning Board of Adjustment.]
I'LL AND LET ME CALL THAT IT'S ITEM B23068.CONSIDER NOMINATIONS APPOINTMENTS.
AND THIS IS SPECIFICALLY REGARDING P AND Z APPOINTMENT BY LET ME GET THERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLAND TO APPOINT JOHN RYAN TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MR. MAYOR, I. SO MOVE.
OKAY. MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLAND.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY MAYOR HUDSPETH.
SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSPETH FOR APPOINTMENT ON P AND Z.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAYOR PRO TEM? YEAH. I RESPECT THE THE NOMINEES PRIOR SERVICE, BUT RECENT PUBLIC STATEMENTS AND PREVIOUS ABSENTEEISM GIVE ME PAUSE AS TO HIS ONGOING SUITABILITY FOR A COMMUNITY WIDE POSITION.
OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE? COUNCILMEMBER HOLLAND.
MAYOR, I'VE KNOWN JOHN RYAN FOR FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
HE'S HE'S DEMONSTRATED HIMSELF TO BE A VERY STUDIOUS PERSON OF CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS.
HE AND HIS WIFE HAVE LIVED IN IN CITY OF DENTON FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
I HONESTLY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE THE THE PROBLEM THAT THAT ANYONE WOULD HAVE WITH WITH MR. RYAN. I THINK HE'S I THINK HE'S A GOOD NOMINEE.
I APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUES NOMINATION.
I APPRECIATE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH MR. RYAN. I'M NOT SURE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH MR. RYAN REFLECTS MR. RYAN'S RELATIONSHIP WITH MORE THAN HALF OF THIS COMMUNITY.
I'M NOT INTERESTED IN PUTTING SOMEONE ON THE SECOND HIGHEST BODY IN THIS CITY WHO BELIEVES, AND I'M QUOTING THIS IS FROM HIS FACEBOOK PAGE FORGET DOGS AND CATS, SPAY AND NEUTER LIBERALS.
I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT IS REFLECTIVE OF SOMEONE WHO SHOULD BE IN LEADERSHIP.
REGARDLESS OF HOW WE FEEL ABOUT SOME DEAD NIGHTS, A MEME FROM JOHN RYAN'S FACEBOOK.
NEVER ASK A WOMAN WHAT HER AGE IS, A MAN, WHAT HIS SALARY IS, AND A LEFTIST WHAT A WOMAN IS.
[02:30:02]
APPRECIATE HIS PRIOR SERVICE TO COUNCIL.RESPECT THAT HE'S A BUSINESS OWNER.
WANT HIM TO DO WELL IN HIS BUSINESS AS WELL AS ALL DENTON NIGHTS.
JUST CAN'T SUPPORT IT IN THE PLANNING AND ZONING.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLAND.
YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE ARE GOOD AT TELLING JOKES AND SOME ARE NOT.
AND AND SOMETIMES SOMETIMES HUMOR IS BEST LEFT AFTER 1030 ON THE ON THE TELEVISION.
I HAVE A HARD TIME BELIEVING THAT THAT THOSE ARE ACTUALLY THE THOUGHTS OF MR. RYAN RATHER THAN HIS ATTEMPT AT HUMOR.
I THINK HE'S A SMART GUY AND WOULD BE AN ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY.
I HOPE THIS GAINS THE VOTES IT NEEDS BECAUSE I JUST DON'T WANT TO HAVE THIS APPOINTMENT PROCESS DEVOLVE TO PERSONAL. WHAT WE HAVE TO START REVIEWING PEOPLE'S POSITIONS AND WEIGHING THAT INTO A BODY THAT RECOMMENDS TO THIS BODY.
WE ULTIMATELY MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
I JUST DON'T WANT THAT TO BE THE PROCESS WE APPOINTED PEOPLE THAT HAVE.
I TOOK ISSUE WITH PEOPLE THAT HAVE SUED THE CITY AND THAT THAT WAS A BRIDGE TOO FAR FOR SOME.
SO 100 PLUS THOUSAND DOLLARS OF TAXPAYER MONEY SPENT AND AND WE WERE OKAY WITH THAT AS A BODY.
SO I JUST I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU DRAW THE BRIGHT LINE.
I HOPE WE JUST ALLOW PEOPLE TO SERVE.
AND I ABSOLUTELY HAVE ISSUES WITH PEOPLE WHEN IT.
BUT THE ISSUES I POINTED OUT HAVE HAPPENED AT THE DAIS AND ON THE JOB, IF YOU WILL.
I'VE NEVER PULLED IN SOMEONE'S PERSONAL LIFE INTO THIS PROCESS.
AND SO I JUST THINK IT'S A IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE IF WE'RE GOING TO GO DOWN THAT ROAD.
BUT THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THE VOTE WILL BE.
THE VOTE. COUNCIL MEMBER MELTZER I'M GOING TO VOTE TO SUPPORT AND LET THIS BE THE END OF HECTORING PEOPLE OVER MEANS OR OR AND LET THIS BE AN END TO ABUSIVE.
I DON'T MEAN FROM US. I MEAN IN SOCIAL MEDIA.
IF WE CAN GET TO SOLVING PROBLEMS FOR THE CITY.
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE CANDIDATE IS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE, VERY CAPABLE.
I'M I'M PAINED TO DO THIS IN THE FACE OF SOME, YOU KNOW, FAIRLY OFFENSIVE COMMENTS MADE. I DON'T THINK THEY RELATE TO THE POSITION.
I HOPE I DON'T SEE ANYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT.
AND I HOPE I NEVER SEE PEOPLE CHASE DOWN.
WHO WANT TO BE A PUBLIC SERVICE OVER MEMES AGAIN.
I WAS GOING TO SAY, MAYOR, I WAS GOING TO SAY I TAKE MY MY COLLEAGUE, MR. HOLLAND'S COMMENTS TO HEART, GIVEN THAT HE'S KNOWN RYAN FOR A LONG TIME.
MY SUGGESTION WAS GOING TO BE TO TABLE THIS UNTIL NEXT WEEK, UNTIL COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN CAN APPEAR BEFORE US THE SAME WAY THAT COMMISSIONER VILLARREAL HAD TO APPEAR BEFORE US AND AND MAKE HIS CASE WHICH HE WHICH HE DID.
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM MR. RYAN HIMSELF THAT HE DOESN'T THINK THESE THINGS.
I'M PRETTY SURE IF I POSTED SOMETHING OFFENSIVE ABOUT WOMEN OR ABOUT JEWISH FOLKS OR ABOUT WHITE FOLKS OR HISPANIC FOLKS ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE, THE PUBLIC WOULD RIGHTLY ASSUME THAT I THINK THESE THINGS.
PERHAPS WE'RE MAKING A MISTAKE.
PERHAPS. MAYBE WE SHOULD GET TO KNOW MR. RYAN. BUT I'LL.
I'M. I'M STILL NOT SURE I CAN SUPPORT THIS NOMINATION WITHOUT HIM APPEARING BEFORE US.
I'M SURE THAT GIVEN THE VOTE, THIS PROBABLY WON'T HAPPEN.
SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT MORE THAN HALF OF THE CITY, GIVEN THE POLITICAL DEMOGRAPHICS OF DENTON.
[02:35:04]
THIS. THERE'S THIS GENTLEMAN THAT CAME AND STOOD BEFORE US AND BROUGHT IN A MEME THAT ONE OF OUR FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD MADE ON HER PAGE, AND THAT MEANS TOOK HER TO A RECALL AND SHE WAS RECALLED BECAUSE OF A MEME.AND ME KNOWING THAT PERSON THE WAY THAT I KNEW HER, I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE THAT DID NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT WHAT I THOUGHT, WHAT SHE MEANT.
I READ SOMETHING DIFFERENT INTO THE BEING.
SO MEMES DO MEAN SOMETHING AND THEY MEAN SOMETHING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE AND THEY MEAN SOMETHING IN DIFFERENT WAYS TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE. SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
THEN WE JUST HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT WE PUT OUT THERE.
WE CAN'T JUST SAY SOMETHING AND THEN WE SAY, OH, I DIDN'T MEAN THAT.
THAT'S NOT THE WAY I FEEL INSIDE.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, AND WE TEND TO DO THAT A LOT AS, AS A PEOPLE.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO JUST LEAVE THAT RIGHT THERE AND WE'LL JUST SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS VOTE.
OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLEN MAYOR, I, I HAVE I HAVE HAD DINNER AT JOHN RYAN'S HOME. JOHN RYAN HAS HAD DINNER AT MY HOME.
I'M REALLY, REALLY STUNNED THAT THAT THIS IS EVEN COMING UP.
I HOPE WE CAN PASS THIS NOMINATION.
OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HOLLAND, SECOND BY MYSELF.
LET'S VOTE ON THE SCREEN. AND THAT FAILS 3 TO 3. JUST IF IF WE JUST PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT WEEK WHEN WE'RE ALL HERE, WE'LL HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AGAIN.
ALL RIGHT. THAT TAKES US TO ITEM P, WHICH IS ID 231537.
[P. Consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton approving a grant application from Bullseye Investments & Holdings LLC., located at 108 W. McKinney St. from the Downtown Reinvestment Grant Program not to exceed $50,000.00; and providing for an effective date. The Downtown Denton Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone No.1 Board recommends approval (5-0).]
CONSIDER ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON APPROVING A GRANT APPLICATION FROM BULLSEYE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS, LLC, LOCATED AT 108 WEST MCKINNEY STREET FROM DOWNTOWN REINVESTMENT GRANT PROGRAM NOT TO EXCEED $50,000.SO THIS WAS. I HAD TO THINK FOR A SECOND, SO.
COUNCILMAN HOLLAND'S RECUSING HIMSELF.
SO LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT.
THAT TAKES US TO OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS.
[A. Hold a public hearing and receive citizen input on the FY 2023-24 Proposed Budget. The Proposed Budget will raise more total property taxes than last year’s budget by $11,411,410 or 12% and of that amount $5,790,516 is tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year.]
THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING ITEM.A ID 23276 HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AND RECEIVE CITIZEN INPUT ON FY 20 2324 PROPOSED BUDGET.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET WILL RAISE MORE THAN WILL RAISE MORE TOTAL PROPERTY TAXES THAN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET BY $1,411,410 OR 12%.
AND OF THAT AMOUNT, 5,790,516 IS TAX REVENUE TO BE RAISED FROM NEW PROPERTY ADDED TO THE TOTAL TAX ROLLS THIS YEAR? AND I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL CASSIE OGDEN, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER HERE TO PRESENT THE PUBLIC HEARING ITEM FOR THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET. AND AS YOU RECALL, WE'VE WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS BUDGET SINCE ABOUT MAY OF THIS YEAR. THE PROPOSED TAX RATE IS THE SAME AS THE CURRENT YEAR, SO A LITTLE OVER $0.56.
OUR NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS $0.49.
THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE IS $0.57 AND THE PUBLISHED MAXIMUM TAX RATE IS 56 AND ONE HALF CENTS.
[02:40:02]
SO YOU CAN SEE THE HISTORY OF OUR TAX RATE.IT HAS DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THE AVERAGE TAXABLE HOME VALUE HAS INCREASED.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TOTAL INCREASES BETWEEN NOT ONLY THE UTILITIES, BUT THE TAX RATE FOR A TOTAL OF $251 ANNUALLY BASED ON THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER.
YOU SAW THIS LAST WEEK, BUT A GENERAL FUND FORECAST.
FORECAST UPDATED WITH THOSE SUPPLEMENTAL REQUEST AS AS DISCUSSED WITH COUNCIL PREVIOUSLY.
SO THE GENERAL FUND FORECAST RIGHT AT OUR FUND BALANCE TARGET AT CURRENTLY 25%.
THE DRAWDOWN FOR THIS YEAR OF 666,000 IS THAT ONE TIME PAYMENT TO FOR THE BEZOS ACADEMY.
AS DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY, WE HAVE ADDED THE THE THE LAND ACQUISITION FUNDING TO FIRE BASED ON COUNCIL'S CONVERSATION ABOUT FIRE STATION PROPERTY ACQUISITION.
YOU CAN SEE THE ASTERISK BY THE 12 FTES FOR FIRE.
SIX OF THOSE ARE BEING FUNDED FROM A SAFER GRANT.
SO THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE TOTAL COST, BUT THE FTE COUNT IS INCLUDED.
YOU CAN SEE A TOTAL OF 27 NEW FTES ACROSS OUR GENERAL FUND.
SO $4.9 MILLION TOTAL FOR SUPPLEMENTAL PACKAGES FOR FY 24 IS PROPOSED.
JUST A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OUR UTILITY FUNDS.
SO THE ELECTRIC FIVE YEAR FORECAST, YOU SEE TOTAL FUND BALANCE IS RIGHT IN BETWEEN THOSE TARGETS.
WE ARE WITHIN THE FUND BALANCE TARGETS FOR WATER.
HOWEVER, WE ARE PROPOSING FUTURE RATE INCREASES, BUT THAT WILL DEPEND ON HOW THE CAPITAL PROGRAM, THOSE THOSE RATE INCREASES ARE REALLY DRIVEN BY THE CAPITAL PROGRAM AND THE NEED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE REPLACEMENT OF OUR WATER NETWORK.
WASTEWATER. WE ARE IN THE IN THE FUND BALANCE TARGET.
HOWEVER, WE'RE ON THE LOW SIDE IN WASTEWATER.
SOLID WASTE, NO RATE INCREASE PROPOSED FOR NEXT YEAR.
YOU CAN SEE A SLIGHT DRAWDOWN OF OUR FUND BALANCE, AGAIN, DRIVEN REALLY PRIMARILY BY THE THE WHOLESALE AGREEMENT REVENUE COMING IN LESS THAN WHAT WE PROJECTED.
BUT WE ARE STILL WITHIN THOSE FUND BALANCE TARGETS AND THEN FUTURE RATE INCREASES PROGRAMED IN.
BUT WE ARE GOING THROUGH A COST OF SERVICE STUDY.
SO THOSE MAY CHANGE AS WE GET THE RESULTS OF THAT COST OF SERVICE STUDY.
A COUPLE OF FEE CHANGES FOR YOU.
WE'VE GONE OVER THESE BRIEFLY BEFORE, SO PROPOSING TO INCREASE JUST BASED ON OUR COSTS AND THE BRUSH RATE AND THEN THE CART FEE CHANGE, THE RECYCLING CART, CONTAMINATED BRUSH, DYNO DIRT, AND THEN ELIMINATING THE ROOFTOP SOLAR REBATE.
JUST A REMINDER, WE HAVE WE HAVE NOT HAD RATE INCREASES IN OUR UTILITIES FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
WE'VE ACTUALLY SEEN RATE DECREASES SINCE 2019, 2018.
SO THIS IS THE FIRST RATE INCREASE WE ARE PROPOSING BASED ON, AGAIN, THOSE CAPITAL PLANS.
AND JUST A QUICK REVIEW OF OUR CIP BUDGET.
SO THIS IS GENERAL GOVERNMENT.
THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE UTILITIES 126 MILLION PROPOSED FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR, THE 2019 BOND ELECTION, THE 54.5 MILLION THAT YOU SEE, THOSE ARE THE LAST TWO YEARS OF ISSUANCE FOR THE 2019 BOND PROGRAM.
[02:45:07]
CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION.THE FIVE YEAR CIP FOR THE UTILITY FUNDS.
AGAIN, THOSE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION.
CURRENTLY, THIS IS FUNDED THROUGH SEVERAL FUNDS, SO WATER, WASTEWATER, GENERAL FUND AND SOLID WASTE.
AFTER THIS PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT, WE ARE SLATED FOR COUNCIL ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET.
THE TAX RATE, THE FEES AND THE RATES AND THEN THE CIP.
HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION FOR ME.
WHEN IT COMES TO WASTEWATER THAT INCREASE, PEOPLE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS.
SO SURE IT'S ABOUT $3 A MONTH FOR THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER.
SO $3 A MONTH ON YOUR BILL FOR 11% INCREASE.
BUT IT'S REALLY BASED ON THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL PLANT CAPACITY.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE ONE WASTEWATER PLANT.
WE NEED TO BUILD ANOTHER PLANT AND THE PLANTS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE.
THAT'S JUST WATER THAT GOES DOWN THE DRAIN.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? THEN WE HAVE A COUPLE OF SPEAKERS.
IF NOT SO, ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF FROM THE DAIS? SEEING NONE. YEP.
YEAH. WE'RE NOT VOTING ON BUDGET TONIGHT.
THIS IS PUBLIC INPUT. DOES THE BUDGET ALSO INCLUDE THE DISTRIBUTION OF PROCEEDS FROM THE DATA CENTER? THAT ITEM AND THAT WILL COME BACK TO US AS PART OF THE VOTE.
OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? OKAY. FIRST SPEAKER IS TOM.
IF YOU CAN COME DOWN AND GIVE YOUR NAME, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
HUDSPETH, MAYOR DENTON AND THE REST OF THE BOARD MEMBERS.
I DON'T KNOW IF SHE INCLUDED IN THERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M PAYING TWICE AS MUCH NOW.
GAS. GAS IS TWICE AS MUCH NOW, TOO, AND JUST RIDICULOUS.
I NEVER HAVE PAID THAT MUCH THIS MUCH MONEY.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF SHE INCLUDED THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
IS THAT INCLUDED? NO, SIR. THAT'S A SEPARATE ENTITY.
SEPARATE? YEAH. THEY'RE $1.10 PER 100.
CAN I. CAN I TALK ABOUT THE TAX? BECAUSE THAT APPEARS ON MY TAX FORM THERE.
WE HAVE NO CONTROL. I'M SORRY.
SO I TALK TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THAT.
YEAH. BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF OUR.
ALL RIGHT, THEN. THAT'S ALL I GOT.
OKAY? YEAH. NO, AND I DO WANT TO.
SHE DID TOUCH ON THE UTILITIES, THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT FOR ATMOS GAS, THAT WOULD BE SEPARATE.
AND I'LL JUST SHARE WITH YOU THAT PROCESS.
THEY GO TO, THEY GO TO THE STATE AND THEY HAVE RATES THAT THEY REQUEST.
AND WE HAVE A A GROUP OF CITIES THAT ADVOCATE AND TRY TO GET THAT NUMBER AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.
BUT ULTIMATELY, THAT'S IT'S NOT UNDER OUR DIRECT CONTROL.
BUT WE WE ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT.
SO BUT THE APPRAISAL OF OUR HOME IS.
YES. YEAH. SO THAT'S THE ALL CONNECTED.
SO YES, I CAN, I CAN I, I CAN'T SPEAK ON THE SCHOOL THERE FOR THAT.
[02:50:02]
AND SCHOOL BOARD. YES.AT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. AND THEY MEET ON TUESDAYS AS WELL.
SO IT'S KIND OF CHALLENGING TO GET TO BOTH.
BUT IF THEY ARE THERE, MEETING TIMES ARE POSTED AND THAT'S THEY HAVE CARE AND CONTROL OVER THAT NUMBER AND JUST THEY'RE THE HIGHEST GOVERNMENT OF PAID GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.
SO STAFF'S GOING TO GET YOU SOME INFORMATION AFTER THIS SO YOU CAN TALK TO RYAN THERE.
AND THEN, LIAM, IF YOU CAN COME DOWN AND GIVE YOUR NAME, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
HOPEFULLY THIS IS THE RIGHT ITEM, BUT I'M NOT HERE.
LIKE TO HARANGUE YOU ON TAX NUMBERS.
SO YOU GOT. YOU'RE OFF FOR THAT AT LEAST.
BUT I'M JUST SORT OF HERE TO TALK ABOUT LIKE, WE TAX BY PROPERTY.
SO AND A LOT OF OUR THE WAY WE THE WAY WHAT WE END UP TAXING IS DUE TO OUR LAND USE DESIGN.
AND WHAT WE USE OUR TAXES TO PAY FOR IS ALSO HOW WE DESIGN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
A LOT OF OUR FOR THE PAST 50, 60 YEARS, A LOT OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN TENDING TOWARDS SEEING SINGLE FAMILY SUBURBAN HOMES. BUT THOSE AREN'T NECESSARILY WHAT BRINGS IN THE TAX REVENUE FOR A MULTITUDE OF REASONS.
ONE IS AND THEY ALSO COST MORE PER HOUSING UNIT AND RETAIL UNIT BECAUSE IT'S SORT OF SIMPLE, SIMPLE ECONOMICS.
THEY ALL FEED INTO ARTERIAL STREETS.
THERE'S NOT LIKE AROUND DOWNTOWN DENTON HERE.
THERE'S THROUGH TRAFFIC THERE.
I MEAN, I KNOW I UNDERSTAND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THROUGH TRAFFIC, THROUGH THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT YOU GET MORE COMMUNITY USE OUT OF THEM INSTEAD OF BEING SPECIFICALLY JUST FOR THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND YOU'RE NOT YOU'RE LESS CONSTRAINED BY TRAFFIC.
OR WHEN CARROLL TURNS INTO A CREEK.
I'VE HAD SOME CAR DAMAGE WHEN THAT FLOODS.
AND IT'S SIMPLY THE TWO MOST POPULAR.
I DON'T I NEED A DOUBLE CHECK ON THE TAX REVENUE.
AND THOSE ARE ILLEGAL TO BUILD THESE DAYS DUE TO OUR LAND USE, ZONING, OUR PARKING REQUIREMENTS.
I WANT MY CITY TO BE FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE.
I WANT IT TO BE FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE IT HELPS MAKE THE CITY BETTER.
IT PAYS OUR STAFF. IT ALLOWS US TO HAVE GOOD CITY SERVICES, GOOD PARKS.
TAXING IS JUST MORE THAN JUST TAXING WHAT YOU HAVE.
IT'S ALSO PLANNING WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO TAX IN THE FUTURE.
THERE. AND IF WE DON'T BUILD IN CERTAIN AREAS BECAUSE WE WANT TO PROTECT EITHER HISTORICAL REASONS OR GREEN SPACE, WE NEED TO ALLOW FOR DENSER AREAS IN OUR CORE.
WE NEED TO ALLOW GREATER USAGE IN THE MORE WE HAVE TO DEVELOP AREAS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN THAT ARE DEVELOPED AND IN POPULAR AND TO ALLOW MORE PEOPLE TO COME INTO THOSE PLACES BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T GO AWAY JUST BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET INTO A PLACE, THEY EITHER GO FURTHER OUT OR THEY END UP IN PLACES WHERE YOU DON'T NORMALLY THINK THEY'D GO OR WANT THEM TO GO.
THANK YOU. AND I YIELD THE REMAINDER OF MY TIME.
AND THEN THE LAST CARD I HAVE.
BUT THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING THAT ANYONE THAT CARES TO SPEAK CAN COME DOWN AND SPEAK.
YOU JUST HAVE TO FILL OUT A CARD AFTERWARDS.
BUT CHRISTINE BRAY, IF YOU CAN COME DOWN.
GIVE YOUR NAME. YOU'LL HAVE FOUR MINUTES.
CERTAINLY. IF WE CAN GET THE CAMERA, PLEASE.
HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING? VERY WELL, THANK YOU.
[02:55:02]
AND NOW ZOOM IN HERE IN A BIT.SO LATE LAST YEAR, KEVIN SHEPHERD, WHO IS THE HEAD OF A CITY FINANCE CONSULTING FIRM NAMED VIRGINITY, TWEETED, QUOTE, I PRESENT TO 30, PRESENTED TO 30 ISH NEW AND ASPIRING CITY MANAGERS FROM AROUND NORTH TEXAS.
THIS MORNING, I ASKED THE QUESTION, HOW MANY OF YOU THINK YOUR CITY HAS THE MONEY IT NEEDS TO MAINTAIN YOUR EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE? NOT A SINGLE HAND WENT UP.
I RESPONDED, ASKING IF DENTON WAS REPRESENTED AMONG THOSE CITIES, AND HE SAID YES.
THIS CAUSES MANY PROBLEMS. RENT IN DENTON HAS SPIKED.
BUT DO WE HAVE 40,000 PERSONS WORTH OF HOUSING NEAR UNT? AS RENT SPIKES, FOLKS BECOME DISPLACED.
HOMELESSNESS RISES. STUDIES SHOW 9% RISE IN HOMELESSNESS PER $100 INCREASE IN AVERAGE MONTHLY RENT.
ALL OF THIS DRAINS OUR INFRASTRUCTURE BUDGET AS WELL.
PIPES, LINES AND ROADS COST NOT BY USER REALLY, BUT BY THE MILE.
AS REFERENCED THERE, LAST YEAR, THE CITY COLLECTED APPROXIMATELY $120 MILLION IN PROPERTY TAXES.
IT ALSO SPENT APPROXIMATELY $120 MILLION ON ROAD RECONSTRUCTION AND EXPANSION.
THIS IS NOT FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE.
WE NEED TO ALLOW HOUSING IN THE PLACES PEOPLE WANT TO BE NEAR YOU.
AA T.W.U AND DOWNTOWN, APPROXIMATELY 40% 47% OF AMERICANS PREFER WALKABLE BIKEABLE AREAS TO LIVE IN.
BUT WHAT PERCENTAGE OF OUR HOUSING STOCK ALLOWS PEOPLE TO LIVE THOSE KIND OF LIFESTYLES? WHERE CAN DISABLED OR ELDERLY NON-DRIVERS LIVE IN DENTON AND GET AROUND INDEPENDENTLY? WHERE CAN FAMILIES LET THEIR KIDS BIKE TO SCHOOL KNOWING THAT THEY WILL COME HOME SAFELY THAT AFTERNOON? DO OUR CODES EVEN ALLOW SUCH PLACES TO BE BUILT? NOT REALLY. IN MINNEAPOLIS, THEY MADE HOUSING REFORM CHANGES THAT MADE DENSE, CLIMATE FRIENDLY, WALKABLE, BIKEABLE, POSSIBLE NEIGHBORHOODS POSSIBLE.
YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT MINNEAPOLIS BUILT MORE HOUSING THAN MOST OTHER MIDWESTERN CITIES AND ALSO WAS THE ONLY MIDWEST MAJOR MIDWESTERN CITY TO EXPERIENCE A DECLINE IN REAL RENTS. IT IS TIME FOR DENTON TO LEARN FROM THE ABJECT FAILURE OF PLACES LIKE AUSTIN OR CALIFORNIA AND THE RESISTANCE TO ALLOWING PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY HAVE HOMES NEAR THE PLACES WHERE THEY LIVE THEIR LIVES IN CALIFORNIA.
IF WE WANT TO LOWER TAXES MORE, IF WE WANT LOWER TAXES, MORE SERVICES, FISCAL STABILITY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SAFE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS, IN SHORT, TO AVOID WHAT AUSTIN IS BECOMING. I KNOW PEOPLE TALK ABOUT DENTON AS THE LITTLE AUSTIN OR DENTON AS WHAT AUSTIN USED TO BE, BUT WE'RE WELL ON OUR WAY AT THE MOMENT TO BEING WHAT AUSTIN IS NOW. SO IF WE WANT TO AVOID THAT, WE NEED TO STOP SPRAWLING AND START GROWING OUR CORE.
SO ANYONE ELSE CARE TO VOTING TODAY? JUST A PUBLIC HEARING.
JUST GOT TO FILL OUT A BLUE CARD AFTERWARDS.
CERTAINLY. COME ON DOWN AND YOU'LL HAVE TO GIVE ME YOUR NAME AND THEN YOU CAN.
I AM IN THE NORTHEAST DENTON AREA.
BUT MY QUESTION IS, I'VE BEEN COMING TO MEETINGS AND I'VE BEEN LISTENING.
SO I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT IS ALL THAT WE'RE DOING, DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? WILL ANYTHING BECOME OF THIS? I MEAN, I SAW SOMEBODY COME UP WITH ANOTHER PROPOSAL TONIGHT FOR A POSSIBLE STATE PARK, BUT WHAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEP TO EVEN EXPLORE THAT? DID ANYBODY WILL WHO WOULD TAKE THAT IDEA FORWARD? I MEAN, ARE ANY OF THESE THINGS GOING TO HAPPEN OR IS ANYTHING CHANGE HAPPENING WILL HAPPEN BECAUSE OF ALL OF THIS EFFORT THAT EVERYBODY'S GOING THROUGH? I MEAN, I HEARD ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, THE THE VISION AND EVERYTHING THAT THE TRUST AND ALL OF THAT.
[03:00:07]
SO I'M WONDERING WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP AND WHAT OPTIONS DO WE HAVE? SO I'M GOING TO ASK ONE OF THE STAFF MEMBERS TO TO TALK TO YOU.SO THE ITEMS ON THIS BUDGET AND INCLUDING PROPERTY IN THE NORTHEAST DEVELOPMENT AREA WOULD BE CONSTRAINED TO THE CITY PROPERTY IN THAT AREA.
AND SO I, I ANTICIPATE THE NEXT CONVERSATION WILL BE IDENTIFYING WHAT AREAS ARE TRULY IN THE CITY AND APPLY TO THIS BUDGET AND WHAT WHAT AREAS ARE IN THE COUNTY AND WOULD NOT APPLY TO OUR BUDGET.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S FROM SCRATCH.
SO BUT STAFF WILL TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE OTHER STUFF.
SO SCOTT'S THERE IN THE CORNER.
DON'T LET HIM SCARE YOU. HE'S NICE.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.
OKAY. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU KEPT THAT ON POSTING.
HEY, MAN, YOU ALL OKAY? THIS IS GONNA BE GOOD TO KIND.
OKAY, SO I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
[B. Hold a public hearing on a proposed property tax increase that will not exceed $0.565682 per $100 valuation. The proposed rate will exceed the no new revenue tax rate ($0.494865 per $100) but will not exceed the voter-approval tax rate ($0.570783 per $100).]
THAT'LL TAKE US TO ITEM B, WHICH IS ID 23277.HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON A PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX INCREASE THAT WILL NOT EXCEED $0.56 PER 100.
VALUATION FOR PROPOSED RATE WILL BE WILL EXCEED THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE OF $0.49 PER 100, BUT WILL NOT EXCEED THE VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE, WHICH IS $0.57 PER 100.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL.
SO AGAIN, JUST THE SLIDE YOU SAW EARLIER, OUR ASSESSED VALUES HAVE INCREASED THIS YEAR BY ABOUT 15%.
THE AVERAGE TAXABLE HOME VALUE INCREASED FROM $307,000 TO $344,000.
WE ARE PROPOSING A 56 CENT TAX RATE, SO A PORTION OF THAT GOES FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, SO FUNDS THE GENERAL FUND, SALARIES, PROGRAMS, PARKS, LIBRARIES, THINGS, PUBLIC SAFETY, THINGS LIKE THAT, THE DEBT PORTION.
SO THE $0.20 FUNDS OUR DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS SPECIFICALLY FOR GENERAL GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES.
AGAIN, JUST A COMPLETE SNAPSHOT OF OUR AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL HOME, INCLUDING UTILITY AND THEIR THEIR ASSESSED VALUES AND TAX RATE.
SO ABOUT WE'RE PROPOSING ABOUT $250 OF INCREASING BETWEEN THE TAX BILL AND THE UTILITY RATES.
OUR ONLY UTILITY RATE THAT'S INCREASING IS THE WASTEWATER RATE FOR 11% INCREASE.
HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
OKAY. THANK YOU. I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? SEEING NONE.
I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE WILL VOTE ON THAT NEXT WEEK.
TAKES US TO ITEM C, HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING.
[C. Hold a public hearing and consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton, Texas amending the Denton Development Code, specifically amendments to Section 2.6.3 Preliminary Plat related to the applicability and requirement of preliminary plats; providing a severability clause and an effective date. The Planning and Zoning Commission voted [7-0] to recommend approval of the request. Motion for approval by Commissioner Smith and second by Commissioner Cole. (DCA23-0009a, Preliminary Plats, Hayley Zagurski).]
CONSIDER ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, AMENDING THE DENTON COUNTY AND PARDON ME, DENTON DEVELOPMENT CODE.SPECIFICALLY AMENDMENTS TO SECTION 2.6.3 PRELIMINARY PRELIMINARY PLAT RELATED TO APPLICABLE APPLICABILITY AND REQUIREMENT OF PRELIMINARY PLATS.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
HALEY ZAGORSKY ASSISTANT PLANNING DIRECTOR.
I WILL KEEP THIS VERY BRIEF TONIGHT.
THIS IS A VERY SIMPLE CHANGE TO THE DENTON DEVELOPMENT CODE.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE RED BOX ON YOUR SCREEN, WE ARE PROPOSING TO STRIKE THE APPLICABILITY OF PRELIMINARY PLATS IN THE CITY LIMITS THAT CURRENTLY HAS THEM AS A REQUIREMENT FOR ANY NEW DEVELOPMENT AND MAKE THOSE OPTIONAL.
TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF THE RATIONALE BEHIND THAT, THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO RECENT LEGISLATION.
SO WHERE TODAY YOU WOULD FIND UNLESS YOU'RE GOING THROUGH A ZONING ENTITLEMENT, THAT PRELIMINARY PLATS, THE FIRST STEP WHERE WE TYPICALLY ASK FOR A TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS, YOUR TREE PRESERVATION PLAN.
[03:05:01]
WE CHECK THAT YOU'VE DONE YOUR ESSER FIELD ASSESSMENTS, THAT SORT OF THING.WE CAN NO LONGER DO THAT WITH THE PLATTING STEP IN THE PROCESS.
SO WE ARE SIMPLY TAKING THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
WE ACTUALLY UPDATED OUR CHECKLIST ON OUR WEBSITE TO REFLECT THIS BEGINNING ON THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF SEPTEMBER 1ST AND MOVED THOSE SAME REQUIREMENTS TO EITHER THE ZONING COMPLIANCE PLAN STEP OR TO THE CIVIL ENGINEERING PLAN STEP, DEPENDING ON WHERE THEY'RE MOST APPROPRIATE.
SO WITH THAT, THERE IS NO CHANGE.
WE'RE SIMPLY DOING IT AT A DIFFERENT POINT IN THE PROCESS.
WITH THE PRELIMINARY PLANS BECOMING OPTIONAL, THIS WILL STREAMLINE OUR DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS AND TAKE OUT ONE STEP THAT'S CURRENTLY IN THERE FOR MOST DEVELOPMENTS, AND THAT WILL HELP US AVOID ANY REDUNDANCY IN HAVING THOSE REQUIREMENTS KIND OF REPLICATED AT DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE PROCESS THAT WOULD OCCUR IF WE HAD BOTH A ZONING COMPLIANCE PLAN AND A PRELIMINARY PLAT REQUIRED WITH THESE THINGS IN PLACE.
THANK YOU. AND I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND MAYOR PRO TEM.
HALEY, I APPRECIATE IN QUESTIONS TO STAFF THAT WE HAD EARLIER, YOU HAD A NICE FIVE STEP AVERAGE SORT OF WORKFLOW TO HAPPEN TO HAVE THAT I DO IN YOUR HAND THAT YOU COULD SHOW THE PUBLIC BECAUSE THAT WAS PARTLY THE REASON I ASKED FOR IT IS SO THAT THE PUBLIC COULD HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE NEW PROCESS AND WORKFLOW WOULD BE. SURE. SO IF WE CAN GET THE SCREEN PULLED BACK UP, I HAVE THAT HERE, A COMPARISON OF OUR WHAT WHAT WAS IN PLACE PRIOR TO THIS CHANGE AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WITH THIS PROPOSAL.
NUMBER ONE, OF COURSE WOULD NOT APPLY TO EVERYONE UNLESS THEY NEED A ZONING CHANGE OR A PD.
I APPRECIATE THAT, HALEY. THANK YOU.
STATE LAW. NOW, HOW IS THIS GOING TO BE COMMUNICATED TO TO TO TO DEVELOPERS TO TRY TO SAVE THEM THAT STEP BEFORE THEY DO THIS? SURE. SO WE WE UPDATED OUR CHECKLIST, LIKE I MENTIONED, ON SEPTEMBER 1ST.
SO THAT KIND OF GAVE ANYONE THAT'S LOOKING AT OUR APPLICATIONS A PREVIEW OF SOMETHING HAS CHANGED.
AND THEN LAST THURSDAY, WE HAD A DEVELOPER TOWN HALL WHERE WE ACTUALLY WENT OVER THIS CHANGE AS WELL AS OTHER CHANGES THAT PEOPLE CAN EXPECT TO COME DOWN THE PIPELINE IN RESPONSE TO STATE LEGISLATION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? AND THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
ANYONE CARE TO SPEAK? YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO.
JUST GOT TO FILL OUT A CARD AFTERWARDS.
CERTAINLY YOU CAN COME ON DOWN AND GIVE YOUR NAME AND WE'LL DO OUR BEST.
SURE. MY NAME IS DALE CAMPBELL, AND I'M A DEVELOPER.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE IN BETWEEN.
AND IS THE ZONING IS THE PLAT GOING TO BE REQUIRED IN ZONING COMPLIANCE GOING FORWARD, WHICH WE'RE JUST ABOUT THROUGH? OR IS IT GOING TO BE REQUIRED IN THE STEPS? AND DO WE WITHDRAW OUR PRELIMINARY PLAT NOW AND JUST TAKE CARE OF IT IN THE STEPS? OKAY. LET ME SEE.
HI, HALEY. AND YES, I'D BE HAPPY TO LOOK AT YOUR SPECIFIC APPLICATION.
SO BUT TO THAT TO TO THE BROADER POINT IN GENERAL, IF SOMEONE'S SIMILARLY SITUATED, THEY SHOULD REACH OUT TO CORRECT THE WE HAVE DEVELOPMENT FACILITATORS ON STAFF AND WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GIVE PEOPLE A HEADS UP THAT THIS CHANGE WAS LIKELY COMING AT OUR PRE-APPLICATION MEETINGS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. SO I HOPE WE CAUGHT MOST PEOPLE AND WE ONLY HAVE A COUPLE THAT ARE KIND OF CAUGHT IN THE IN-BETWEEN, BUT CERTAINLY THEY CAN REACH OUT TO THEIR FACILITATOR OR TO ME AND WE CAN HELP THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS.
PERFECT. GREAT. WELL, THANK YOU.
ANY ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? GREAT QUESTION. SEEING NONE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND COUNCILMAN MCGEE MOVE APPROVAL OF ITEM C.
OKAY. MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER MCGEE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. LET'S VOTE ON THE SCREEN.
THAT PASSES 6 TO 0 TAKES US TO OUR FINAL PUBLIC HEARING ITEM D, WHICH IS D, C,
[D. Hold a public hearing and consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton, Texas amending the Denton Development Code, regarding Animal and Agricultural Use Regulations and Definitions, specifically amendments to Section Table 5.2-A: Table of Allowed Uses, Section 5.3.5: Commercial Use-Specific Standards, Section 5.4.4: Additional Standards, and Section 9.2: Definitions; providing for a penalty in the maximum amount of $2,000.00 for violations thereof; providing a severability clause and an effective date. The Planning and Zoning Commission voted [7-0] to recommend approval of the request. Motion for approval by Commissioner Smith and second by Commissioner Pruett. (DCA23-0010b, Agricultural and Animal Uses, Angie Manglaris)]
[03:10:02]
A23-0010B, HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, AMENDING THE DENTON DEVELOPMENT CODE REGARDING ANIMAL AND AGRICULTURAL USE REGULATIONS AND DEFINITIONS.SPECIFICALLY AMENDMENTS TO SECTION TABLE 5.2 A AND SECTION 5.44.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL ANGIE ANGLER, SENIOR PLANNER, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
THIS IS DCA 23 0010 AND IT'S RELATED TO STATE LEGISLATION CHANGE THAT AFFECT OUR AGRICULTURAL USES ANIMAL USES IS IN THE TITLE THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW DUE TO RECENT LEGISLATION, SO THERE ARE NO ANIMAL CHANGES BEING MADE AT THIS TIME.
WE'RE JUST DISCUSSING THE ANIMAL OR THE AGRICULTURAL USE PART.
IF WE NEED TO COME BACK AND AMEND ANIMAL USES, WE WILL.
BUT IN SHORT, HOUSE BILL 1750 WAS PASSED AS PART OF THIS RECENT LEGISLATIVE SESSION HELD BY THE STATE AND 1750 STATES THAT CITIES MAY NOT IMPOSE GOVERNMENTAL REQUIREMENTS ON AGRICULTURAL USES.
AND SO IT REALLY LIMITS WHAT A CITY CAN CONTROL IN RELATION TO AGRICULTURAL USES.
HOUSE BILL 1750 DOES ALLOW STATE CITIES TO RETAIN SOME REGULATORY AUTHORITY.
THAT INCLUDES MATERIALS THAT MIGHT EXPLODE OR OTHERWISE BE HAZARDOUS.
IT ALSO ALLOWS THE CITY TO COMMISSION ITS CITY HEALTH OFFICIAL OR A THIRD PARTY CONSULTANT TO COMMISSION A REPORT TO FIND IF AN AGRICULTURAL OPERATION MAY CAUSE HARM TO AN ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER.
APART FROM THAT, THE HOUSE BILL 1750, ALSO COMMISSIONED THE TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE TO DEVELOP A MANUAL THAT OUTLINES GENERAL BEST PRACTICES FOR AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS FROM THIS MANUAL.
THAT INCLUDES MAKING AGRICULTURAL USES PERMITTED IN ALL OF OUR ZONING DISTRICTS BEFORE YOU CAN KIND OF SEE HERE WHERE WE'VE UNDERLINED THE CHANGES, IT WAS REALLY RESTRICTED TO RR AND SOME OF OUR LARGER ZONING DISTRICTS.
IN THIS CASE, IT COULD BE ALLOWED IN ANY ZONING DISTRICT WITHIN THE CITY THAT WILL ALSO AFFECT COMMERCIAL STABLES AND URBAN FARMS. AND WE DO HAVE YOUTH SPECIFIC STANDARDS THAT AFFECT GENERAL AGRICULTURE AND COMMERCIAL STABLES RATHER THAN REMOVING OUR YOUTH SPECIFIC STANDARDS ENTIRELY.
WHAT WE'VE DONE IS PUT IN SORT OF A PLACEHOLDER THAT REFERS BACK TO HOUSE BILL 1750, THE DANGEROUS ITEMS THAT THE BILL LISTS, AS WELL AS THE TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE MANUAL. SO ANY REGULATIONS WE'D LIKE TO HAVE OVER THESE USES NEEDS TO COME FROM ONE OF THOSE ITEMS REFERENCED HERE IN THE SAME WOULD APPLY TO THE SALES OF PRODUCE AND PLANTS THEIR USE SPECIFIC STANDARDS.
WE'VE REPLACED WITH THAT SAME STANDARD LANGUAGE AS WELL.
THEN THERE WERE TWO OTHER BILLS THAT DID COME INTO EFFECT HOUSE BILL 20 308 AND 2947.
THEY WERE MUCH MORE SMALL IN SCOPE.
THEY DID MAKE MODIFICATIONS TO THE DEFINITIONS OF AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS.
SO TO COME IN LINE WITH WHAT THE TEXAS AGRICULTURAL CODE WROTE, WE ARE RECOMMENDING TWO DEFINITION CHANGES, ONE TO OUR AGRICULTURAL AND ANIMAL USES, WHICH INCLUDES THE ADDITION TO THE LAST SENTENCE YOU SEE THERE THAT ALLOWS FOR ACCESSORY USES TO BE INCLUDED IN YOUR OVERALL AGRICULTURAL DEFINITION.
SO WE'RE IN LINE WITH WHAT'S BEING TALKED ABOUT IN ALL OF THESE BILLS.
STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THESE CODE AMENDMENTS AS THEY DO MEET OUR CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU GUYS MAY HAVE.
I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND MEMBER BECK.
SO, ANGIE, I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
I ASK THAT THE THIS AFTER THE HEARING AND I FORGOT TO BRING IT UP EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON.
DO WE HAVE AN ETA ON WHEN TEXAS AGRILIFE EXTENSION IS ANTICIPATING GETTING THESE CRITERIA MANUAL SATISFIED? BECAUSE WE'RE KIND OF IN A LIMBO RIGHT NOW.
PRESUMABLY IT'S FORTHCOMING AS THIS WENT INTO EFFECT ON SEPTEMBER 1ST.
BUT I DON'T HAVE A DATE TO PROVIDE.
AND SO JUST REAL BRIEFLY TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, DO WE KNOW WHAT OUR PROCESS IS GOING TO BE IF WE'RE REFERENCING A DOCUMENT THAT DOESN'T EXIST IN OUR REGULATIONS? SURE, THERE ARE.
[03:15:01]
HOUSE BILL 1750 DOES ALSO CALL OUT TO OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH A CITY COULD REGULATE AN AGRICULTURAL USE.THE BILL HAS WHAT WE KIND OF AFFECTIONATELY CALL A LIST OF DANGEROUS THINGS.
BUT IF YOU SUSPECT A USE MAY HAVE HARM ON AN ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER, THAT REPORT COULD KIND OF SPELL OUT WHY YOU THINK IT'S A HARM, PROVE THAT IT'S A PUBLIC HEALTH VIOLATION.
SO THERE ARE TWO MECHANISMS THAT ARE IN PLACE.
IN THE INTERIM WAITING FOR THIS MANUAL TO COME FORTH.
AND BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIAL, WE'D BE USING THE COUNTY.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER ON, BUT.
PRESUMABLY. WE DON'T MEAN THAT THAT'S AN OFF TOPIC ITEM, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ONE.
NO, WE DON'T HAVE ONE. BUT IF WE IF WE WON, IT WOULD BE THE COUNTY.
BUT I'M NOT SURE IT'S APPLICABLE.
IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR US TO HIRE A CONSULTANT, I BELIEVE.
SO WE COULD COMMISSION A THIRD PARTY TO SUPPORT US, FOR EXAMPLE.
WE DO HAVE OUR HEALTH DIVISION WITHIN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES THAT COULD HELP KICK SOMETHING OFF AND MAYBE HELP US FIND A CONSULTANT IF WE NEEDED TO, AND THAT WOULD BE PERMISSIBLE WITHIN THE GUIDELINES. OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THE CLARITY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? AND AGAIN, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, SO IF ANYONE WANTED TO SPEAK ON IT, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME.
JUST NEED TO FILL OUT A BLUE CARD AFTERWARDS.
SEEING NO SUDDEN MOVEMENTS, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I WILL TAKE A MOTION.
MAYOR PRO TEM. YEAH, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO RELUCTANTLY MOVE APPROVAL.
MCGEE. BECAUSE WE HAVE NO CHOICE.
SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER MCGEE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? LET'S VOTE ON THE SCREEN.
THAT PASSES SIX ZERO TAKES US TO OUR ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
[A. Consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton, a Texas home-rule municipal corporation, authorizing the City Manager to execute a contract with Humana Insurance Company, for voluntary dental coverage for City of Denton employees for the Human Resources Department; providing for the expenditure of funds therefor; and providing an effective date (RFP 8240 - awarded to Humana Insurance Company, for three (3) years, with the option for two (2) additional one (1) year extensions, in the total five (5) year not-to-exceed amount of $8,620,676.17).]
SIX A IS ID 231664.CONSIDER ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON, A TEXAS HOME RULE MUNICIPAL CORPORATION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH HUMANA INSURANCE COMPANY. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR.
CITY COUNCIL SARA KESSLER, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
SO THIS ITEM IS FOR OUR CONTRACT AWARD FOR DENTAL INSURANCE FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES.
SO JUST VERY BRIEF PRESENTATION.
OUR CURRENT DENTAL INSURANCE PROVIDER IS DELTA DENTAL.
THAT CONTRACT GOES THROUGH THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
THROUGH THAT CONTRACT, WE OFFER TWO PLANS TO OUR EMPLOYEES.
WE HAVE A HIGH PLAN AND A LOW PLAN.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER, THIS IS A VOLUNTARY BENEFIT.
SO IT IS PAID 100% BY EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES.
AND THIS IS THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION.
WE HAD ABOUT 600 RESPONSES TO THAT EMPLOYEE SURVEY.
WHAT WE HEARD AS COMMON FEEDBACK IS SHOWN HERE ON THE SCREEN.
EMPLOYEES WERE LOOKING FOR A HIGHER COVERAGE AMOUNT FOR DENTAL.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR AN INCREASED NETWORK OF PROVIDERS THAT WOULD FALL IN NETWORK AND THAT ALSO IT WOULD PROVIDE 100% COVERAGE FOR PREVENTATIVE COVERAGE ON THE LOW PLAN. RIGHT NOW, IT'S ONLY AT 80% COVERAGE THERE.
WE RECEIVED EIGHT BIDS FROM THAT RFP AND THEY WERE EVALUATED BY AN INTER-DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE, AND THAT COMMITTEE INCLUDED REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUR EMPLOYEE INSURANCE COMMITTEE. WE DO HAVE THAT COMMITTEE THAT WE USE THAT'S MADE UP OF STAKEHOLDERS THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION TO GIVE US FEEDBACK ON OUR BENEFITS ON AN ONGOING BASIS.
SO THEY EVALUATED THOSE BIDS AND THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO AWARD TO HUMANA.
SO THAT WOULD BE A CHANGE IN OUR PROVIDER FROM DELTA TO HUMANA.
THERE IS A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REASONS WHY WE MADE THAT RECOMMENDATION.
OVERALL, IT IS GOING TO BE A BETTER BENEFIT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
[03:20:07]
I THINK IT'S $0.70 PER BIWEEKLY PREMIUM IF OUR EMPLOYEE ONLY COVERAGE.SO VERY SLIGHT INCREASE, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SO MUCH MORE BENEFIT ON THAT LOW PLAN.
IT ALSO INCREASES THE COVERAGE AMOUNTS FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR MAXIMUMS THAT EMPLOYEES CAN HAVE DOES ACHIEVE THAT 100%, 100% PREVENTATIVE COVERAGE ON THE LOW PLAN.
AND THEN ALSO JUST WANT TO HIT THAT IT DOES HAVE A FIVE YEAR RATE GUARANTEE.
SO THAT'S JUST AN OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE BENEFITS FOR AWARDING TO HUMANA.
AND THIS IS FOR A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT AND THEN NOT TO TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF 8.6 MILLION.
SO WE'RE GETTING PREPARED TO DO PRESENTATIONS TO EMPLOYEES ABOUT OUR BENEFITS OVERALL.
WE HAVE AN EMPLOYEE GUIDE THAT WE SEND OUT AS WELL.
WE WANT TO EDUCATE THEM ON WHAT THOSE CHANGES MEAN TO THEM AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE INFORMED.
MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I HAVE I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.
ARE THE MAJORITY OF DENTISTS IN TOWN AND OR IN THE REGION IN THAT IN NETWORK? YES. WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING JUST A SLIGHT INCREASE IN NETWORK COVERAGE GOING FROM DELTA TO HUMANA.
78%. RIGHT NOW WE'RE ABOUT 74%.
SO IT'S A SLIGHT INCREASE IN COVERAGE.
THERE IS A SMALL AMOUNT OF EMPLOYEES.
SO IT'S KIND OF THAT NETTING OUT.
AND DO OUR PLANS COVER ORTHODONTIA? YES, THEY DO COVER THAT AS WELL.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. MAYOR SARA, WHAT PRECIPITATED THIS CHANGE? BENEFITS ASIDE, WHAT PERCENTAGE SORRY, CAN YOU SAY THAT WHAT PRECIPITATED THE CHANGE? BENEFITS ASIDE, WHY THE CHANGE? WHY THE CHANGE OF PROVIDERS? WAS IT JUST THE BETTER BENEFITS? BETTER COVERAGE? YES.
BETTER BENEFITS. BETTER COVERAGE OF THE EIGHT BIDS THAT WERE RECEIVED.
OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? SEEING NONE COUNCILMAN MELTZER.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCGEE I SECOND.
GO RIGHT AHEAD. COUNCILMAN. MCGEE.
I JUST WANT TO APPLAUD STAFF CONTINUING TO.
GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND. TAKE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE.
JUST WANT TO APPLAUD STAFF AND TAKING CARE OF AND TAKING CARE OF ALL THE STAFF MEMBERS OF THE CITY.
DIDN'T REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR DILIGENCE AND YOUR WORK FOR THAT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. LET'S VOTE ON THE SCREEN.
[B. Consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton, a Texas home-rule municipal corporation, authorizing the City Manager to execute a contract with Humana Insurance Company, for voluntary vision coverage for City of Denton employees for the Human Resources Department; providing for the expenditure of funds therefor; and providing an effective date (RFP 8242 - awarded to Humana Insurance Company, for three (3) years, with the option for two (2) additional one (1) year extensions, in the total five (5) year not-to-exceed amount of $2,609,403.86).]
TAKES US TO ITEM B AND THAT'S ID 231665.CONSIDER ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, A CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL.
I JUST HAVE ANOTHER QUICK PRESENTATION.
THIS IS ON THE VISION INSURANCE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES.
SO SAME AS CURRENTLY JUST COVERED.
WE HAVE UNITED HEALTH CARE AS OUR CURRENT PROVIDER FOR VISION BENEFITS.
THAT CONTRACT IS UP AT THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR FOR VISION RIGHT NOW.
CURRENTLY WE ONLY OFFER ONE PLAN AND I'LL TOUCH UPON THAT IN THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT FROM EMPLOYEES WHERE THEY WANTED TO SEE TWO PLANS, JUST LIKE WE HAVE FOR DENTAL, A HIGH AND A LOW, JUST DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY NEED FOR THEIR OWN PERSONAL DETERMINATION.
[03:25:02]
ALLOWED TO HAVE AN ANNUAL FRAMES ALLOWANCE EVERY YEAR INSTEAD OF EVERY OTHER YEAR.SO THAT WAS THE MAJOR FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED.
IT WAS RECOMMENDED TO ALSO MAKE A CHANGE IN PROVIDERS FROM UNITED HEALTH CARE TO HUMANA.
AND THE REASONS WHY THIS RECOMMENDATION WAS MADE WAS THAT WE SAW A PREMIUM REDUCTION ON THE CURRENT PLAN THAT WE HAVE, AND THEY WERE ALSO OFFERING THAT SECOND HIGH PLAN OR ENHANCED PLAN WITH A HIGHER LEVEL OF BENEFITS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, WHICH INCLUDES A NUMBER OF THINGS.
BUT IT IS ALLOWING A REPLACEMENT OF FRAMES EVERY 12 MONTHS INSTEAD OF EVERY 24 MONTHS, A $0 COPAY FOR ROUTINE EYE EXAMS, AND THEN INCREASE MONETARY ALLOWANCES FOR FRAMES AND CONTACT LENSES EACH YEAR.
AND THEY ALSO ARE OFFERING A FIVE YEAR RATE GUARANTEE, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT.
SO BECAUSE OF THAT, WE'RE AWARDING A WE'RE RECOMMENDING AWARD OF A CONTRACT AND A FIVE YEAR NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF 2.6 MILLION AS SEEN HERE ON THE SCREEN. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I HAVE. I HAVE ONE JUST SO I CAN MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND IT.
IS THAT RIGHT? BUT SO HOW DO YOU RECONCILE THAT WITH THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT? SO MEANING IF WE DON'T HAVE A PORTION.
SO WE PROJECT, BASED ON THE CURRENT MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES SUBSCRIBED IN THE PLAN AND ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT WE MAY HAVE AS AN INCREASE IN TOTAL EMPLOYEE COUNT OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OF WHAT OUR TOTAL SPEND WOULD BE.
SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO NOT GO ABOVE THAT CONTRACT AMOUNT.
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES OR EMPLOYEES ENROLLING.
SO IS THAT BECAUSE WE IS IT A REIMBURSEMENT? I JUST DON'T I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE THE THE MONEY EXCHANGE THERE.
IT'S JUST TO GIVE US THE EXPENDITURE AUTHORITY.
THE REVENUES COME IN ON A DIFFERENT ACCOUNT.
GOT IT. SO IT COMES IN AND THEN WE ALLOCATE IT.
GOT IT. OKAY. I JUST COULDN'T MAKE THE CONNECTION.
OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? SEEING NONE, I'LL TAKE A MOTION.
MAYOR PRO TEM. I MOVE APPROVAL.
IS THERE A SECOND? COUNCIL MEMBER. MCGEE SECOND.
MAYOR PRO TEM. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MCGEE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? LET'S VOTE ON THE SCREEN. AND THAT PASSES SIX ZERO TAKES US TO CONCLUDING ITEMS.
[7. CONCLUDING ITEMS]
ANY CONCLUDING ITEMS? COUNCILMAN. MCGEE. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. JUST TWO QUICK THINGS.TODAY IS NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY.
AGAIN. WE ALL GOT HERE BECAUSE SOMEBODY TOOK THE TIME FOR US TO VOTE.
SO LET'S JUST KEEP THAT AT HEART TODAY AND EVERY DAY.
AND THE LAST THING I WILL LIFT UP IS WE WEREN'T HERE ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, BUT WE JUST RECENTLY CROSSED THE 60 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE 16TH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH BOMBING IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.
LET'S KEEP THAT AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT DENTON NEVER BECOMES A PLACE THAT THAT HOUSES THOSE TYPE OF FEELINGS.
SO JUST WANT TO ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT WHAT HAPPENED ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, 1963.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. COUNCILMEMBER HOLLAND.
THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT CAME BY DENTON HIGH SCHOOL OVER THE WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 11TH TO SEE THE KEY CLUB SEPTEMBER 11TH EXHIBIT.
NONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT PUT FLAGS OUT TODAY WERE BORN SEPTEMBER 1ST OF 2001.
SO IT'S IT'S A IT'S IT'S SORT OF A IT'S AN INTERESTING THING.
IT'S THE SAME WAY I LOOK AT PEARL HARBOR.
I KNOW IT HAPPENED, BUT I DIDN'T LIVE IT.
BUT BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THAT THESE KIDS SEE SEE THIS THING.
[03:30:02]
AND I APPRECIATE THOSE OF YOU WHO CAME OUT TO SEE IT.THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE I WAS GOING TO MENTION.
MY OLDER SON, JOE, AND HIS WIFE, KATIE, ARE PREGNANT WITH TWINS AND THEY'RE GOING TO DELIVER THE END OF DECEMBER OR THE FIRST PART OF JANUARY.
AND THEIR GRANDMOTHER, MY WIFE AND I ARE VERY, VERY EXCITED.
AWESOME. CONGRATULATIONS, MAYOR PRO TEM.
I DID NOTICE THAT COUNCILOR BYRD WAS ON THE SHE OFF.
I DIDN'T WANT TO SUPERSEDE HER.
DO YOU WANT ME TO GO AHEAD OR DO YOU WANT TO GO RIGHT AHEAD? ALL RIGHT. I'LL JUST NOTE THAT OUR VFW POST 2205 IS IS HAS A LOCAL PROGRAM THAT YOU MAY HAVE SEEN ON CHANNEL EIGHT NEWS.
THEY'RE TRYING TO RAISE FUNDS FOR FOR THEY'RE TRYING TO TRANSITION TO A YOUNGER VETERAN SERVICE MODEL THAT PROMOTES THEY'VE GOT A GAMING ROOM THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO SET UP BECAUSE THE DOD IS DETERMINED THAT SOCIAL INTERACTION THROUGH GAMING IS PARTICULARLY HELPFUL TO TO VETERANS RESPONDING TO PTSD.
AND THEY WOULD REALLY LOVE IT IF PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY COULD FUND THEIR HELP, FUND THEIR GAMING ROOM RATHER THAN THEM HAVING TO SEEK LARGE OUTSIDE INTEREST, BECAUSE THEN IT'S REALLY A COMMUNITY PROJECT.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE VFW.
OKAY? COUNCILMAN BYRD ALSO WANT TO REMIND US THAT WE ARE STILL IN THE SEASON OF QUAKERTOWN.
THE CITY HAS BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S BEEN GREAT IN DONATING CERTAIN MONIES FOR FOR PART DOCUMENTARY TO START, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON IT, BUT NOW WE'RE PIVOTING TO ADD ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO THAT.
SO THE QUAKERTOWN PROJECT IS IN A NOW IN A CROWDFUNDING MODE.
I KNOW THAT THE DENTON BLACK FILM FESTIVAL IS PRETTY MUCH HEADING UP THAT FOR THEM.
SO THERE ARE THERE'S A WEBSITE AVAILABLE, QUAKERTOWN CROWDFUNDING THAT YOU CAN GO AND LOOK INTO.
AND, AND THIS IS ALSO A COMMUNITY PROJECT.
THIS IS NOT JUST FOR VERY LARGE ORGANIZATIONS, BUT WE NEED TO COME TO A LEVEL OF RECONCILIATION FOR THIS ACT THAT HAPPENED A BIT OVER 100 YEARS AGO, ABOUT THE SAME TIME WHEN THE TULSA RIOTS WAS HAPPENING.
THIS SITUATION WAS HAPPENING HERE IN DENTON.
SO I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS DOCUMENTARY SERIES COMING THROUGH.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE CITY OF DAYTON IS GOING TO PUT ON THE DTV, A LITTLE SAYING ABOUT QUAKERTOWN AND GIVE SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND REACH IN OUR POCKETS AND HELP THIS PROCESS ALONG THE WAY.
I DO HAVE QUITE A FEW THINGS HERE, BUT I'LL TRY TO SPEED THROUGH THEM.
IT'S IN THE EVENING, MAYBE LIKE FIVE OR SO.
BUT YOU CAN LOOK THAT UP ON THE PARKS WEBSITE.
IT'S STILL TIME TO SUBMIT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD FOR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
I DO BELIEVE. I THINK THE DEADLINE'S SEPTEMBER 22ND, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
THAT'S WHERE NEIGHBORHOODS COME TOGETHER AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOES OUT, POLICE DEPARTMENT GO OUT.
YOU KIND OF MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS.
IT'S A REALLY GREAT EVENT HERE.
AND SO WE'LL HAVE A MAP OF ALL THOSE SATURDAY.
THERE'S A RIBBON CUTTING FOR SEQUOIA PARK PLAYGROUND, AND THAT'S ON UNIVERSITY DRIVE.
AND SO THAT'LL BE JUST KIND OF JUST EAST OF THE BOWLING ALLEY ON UNIVERSITY DRIVE.
SHOUT OUT TO YOU AND FOR WINNING THEIR FIRST FOOTBALL GAME.
AND THEN CONGRATS TO TEXAS WOMAN'S UNIVERSITY FOR THE GROUNDBREAKING.
AND SO THAT'LL BE A GREAT NEW AMENITY FOR THE CITY.
AND THEN I JUST WANT TO CALL OUT SOME OF OUR CORPORATE ONE OF OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS I TEACH.
IT'S A HOMEGROWN COMPANY THAT'S GROWING.
AND THEN MY BUDDY JERRY DELANO, I CALL HIM AND GARY LIKE THEIR IT GROUP, JERRY AND GARY.
[03:35:08]
BUT THEY ARE SO JERRY IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TEXAS VETERANS HALL OF FAME AND HIS BIRTHDAY IS COMING UP THURSDAY.SO I DON'T WASTE JERRY A HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
AND THEN CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER'S HAVING THEIR GALA THIS SATURDAY I DO BELIEVE.
AND I SPOKE TO SOME LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS OR ONE ALREADY.
THERE'S SOME OTHERS COMING UP AND I REALLY ENJOY THAT.
I GOT SOME REALLY GREAT FEEDBACK WE HAD ABOUT AND TRADITIONALLY IT'S HELD FOR HIM.
IT'S ABOUT TEN MINUTES OF ME TALKING AND IN ABOUT 40 MINUTES OF QUESTIONS.
SO IT'S YOU'D BE AMAZED AT HOW SMART OUR SECOND GRADERS ARE AND FIRST GRADERS.
SO REALLY ENJOY THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
BLUES FEST WAS FANTASTIC IF YOU MADE IT.
YOU WANT TO THANK ALL THE VOLUNTEERS.
BLACK CHAMBER, ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT MADE THAT HAPPEN.
WHAT A GREAT BENEFIT TO OUR COMMUNITY, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, ALL THOSE THINGS.
AND THEN LET'S SEE, HISPANIC HERITAGE.
WE TALKED ABOUT THAT EVENT. IT WAS SATURDAY.
IT'S AT MLK CENTER, A REALLY GREAT TURNOUT, A LOT OF GOOD CONVERSATIONS.
DANCES REALLY LEARNED A LOT THERE.
AGAIN, BACK TO THE TEXAS VETERANS HALL OF FAME.
THEY HELPED WITH PAGE TOWN CEMETERY.
BEHIND THERE, THERE'S AN OLD CEMETERY WHERE YOU HAVE CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS BORN ONE.
BUT IT WAS A TRUE COMMUNITY EFFORT.
THERE WAS AMERICAN HERITAGE GIRLS, THE RESTAURANT THERE.
I CAN'T THINK OF THE NAME SHAME ON ME.
BUT THERE'S A THERE'S A GOOD VIDEO THAT CAPTURES ROOSTERS, I THINK NOT ROOSTERS.
TEXAS ROADHOUSE WAS THERE, LATTER DAY SAINTS WERE THERE AND THEN FRANK.
COULD WAS THERE TEXAS VETERANS, A LOT A LOT OF GOOD COMMUNITY SUPPORT THERE.
AND IT WAS I MEAN, IT WAS AN AMAZING TURNOUT.
SO YOU CAN LOOK ON SOCIAL MEDIA, JUST SEARCH MISS ROPER, CRAWL AND DENTON.
AND IT WAS IT WAS REALLY NEAT.
IT'S AN ANNUAL EVENT AND PEOPLE DRESS UP AND IT'S BECOMING QUITE THE THING FOR HERE IN DENTON.
AND SO DENTON FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME OUT AND HELPED ME WITH THAT TO REPRESENT DENTON.
AND THEN LASTLY, JUST WANT TO REMEMBER MARY DENNY.
I WORKED WITH HER SON, BRIAN DENNY, AND MARY DENNY WAS A FORMER STATE REP.
SHE IS A REGENT OF UNT, AND SO SHE PASSED AWAY.
BUT WHAT A WHAT AN AMAZING ASSET SHE WAS TO THE DENTON COMMUNITY.
AND SHE SERVED THE STATE VERY WELL.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR I'VE NOT SEEN ANY SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT, BUT WE JUST WANT TO SAY MY CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY AND THANK SHE JUST REMEMBER HER AND HER SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY WITH THAT AT 838 WILL CONCLUDE TONIGHT'S MEETING.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.