May 20, 2025 City Council on 2025-05-20 2:30 PM

[WORK SESSION]

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GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME TO THIS MEETING OF THE DENTON CITY COUNCIL. TODAY IS TUESDAY, MAY 20TH, 2025. IT IS 2:30 P.M, SO WE HAVE A QUORUM. CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. THE FIRST THING ON THE AGENDA IS CITIZENS COMMENTS ON CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. SEEING NONE, THAT TAKES US TO REQUEST FOR CLARIFICATION ON AGENDA ITEMS LISTED ON THIS AGENDA FOR PUBLIC HEARING AND INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION. ANY REQUESTS FOR CLARIFICATION? SEEING NONE, THAT TAKES US TO

[A. Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding Audit Project 031 - Recreation Facility Operations: Follow-Up Review. [Estimated Presentation/Discussion Time: 15 minutes]]

>> HELLO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I'M MADISON DENTON, CITY AUDITOR. I'M HERE TO PRESENT OUR FINDINGS FROM THIS FOLLOW UP REVIEW. AS A REMINDER, AUDIT FOLLOW UP REVIEWS ARE INTENDED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON WHAT CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE IN RESPONSE TO AN ISSUED AUDIT. THIS REVIEW WAS BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND MANAGEMENT RESPONSES ORIGINALLY COMPILED IN THE AUDIT OF RECREATION FACILITY OPERATIONS, ISSUED IN APRIL OF 2023. THIS AUDIT GENERALLY EVALUATED THE CONTROLS IMPLEMENTED TO ENSURE RECREATION PROGRAMS AND EMPLOYEE TRAINING ARE ADEQUATELY MANAGED, AND ENSURE CASH AND OTHER ASSETS ARE MANAGED AND SAFEGUARDED APPROPRIATELY. GENERALLY, WE FOUND IMPROVEMENTS TO PHYSICAL CASH SAFEGUARDS AND ADDITIONAL TRANSACTION CONTROLS HAVE BEEN MADE, AS WELL AS INVOICE REVIEW AND INCIDENT REPORTING IMPROVEMENTS. HOWEVER, CONSISTENT REC PROGRAM RISK REVIEW PROCESS WAS JUST ESTABLISHED IN ASSET MANAGEMENT.

IMPROVEMENTS ARE CONTINGENT UPON A NEW CITY CITYWIDE ASSET MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE. IN GENERAL, RECREATION CENTER PROGRAMS CAN BE REGISTERED AND PAID FOR ONLINE THROUGH THE CITY'S RECREATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OR IN PERSON USING CASH CHECKS AND DEBIT OR CREDIT CARDS. FOR THIS REASON, THE RECREATION DIVISION HAS ESTABLISHED PAYMENT PROCESSING PROCEDURES THAT ALIGN WITH THE CITY'S CASH HANDLING POLICY. THIS POLICY IS GENERALLY COMPREHENSIVE, INCLUDING REQUIRING SAFES AND CASH DRAWERS TO BE LOCKED AND OUT OF PUBLIC VIEW, ACCESS TO BE RESTRICTED, AND CASHIERS TO BE TRAINED. HOWEVER, DURING THE ORIGINAL AUDIT, WE FOUND THAT THE POLICY DID NOT REQUIRE SAFES OR CASH DRAWERS TO BE PHYSICALLY SECURED TO THE BUILDING, AND IT ONLY RECOMMENDS THAT SAFES BE RECOMMENDED, THAT SAFES BE UNDER DIRECT VIDEO SURVEILLANCE, WHICH ARE CONSIDERED PHYSICAL CASH SAFEGUARD BEST PRACTICES. FURTHER, DURING THE ORIGINAL AUDIT, NOT ALL SAFES AND CASH DRAWERS WERE PHYSICALLY SECURED FOR SAFES WERE NOT UNDER DIRECT VIDEO SURVEILLANCE, AND THE KEY TO OPEN THE CASH DRAWER WAS LOCATED AT THE FRONT DESK FOR FIVE OF SIX LOCATIONS, INCREASING THE RISK OF THEFT AND LIMITING STAFF'S ABILITY TO INVESTIGATE IF THEFT OCCURRED. SINCE THE ORIGINAL AUDIT, ALL SAFES AND DRAWERS HAVE BEEN PHYSICALLY SECURED TO THE BUILDING. ALL CASH DRAWER KEYS ARE STORED IN THE SAFE, AND THESE ASSETS ARE LOCATED UNDER DIRECT VIDEO CAMERA SURVEILLANCE, SO THESE ISSUES ARE NO LONGER PRESENT. FURTHER, DURING THE ORIGINAL AUDIT, WE FOUND THAT ALL RECREATION CENTERS WERE GENERALLY PROCESSING PAYMENTS ACCURATELY AND HAD APPROPRIATE RECREATION, RECONCILIATION, AND SEPARATION OF DUTIES. HOWEVER, WHILE ISSUED REFUNDS GENERALLY HAD A CLEARLY DOCUMENTED PURPOSE, THERE WERE NO CLEAR REQUIREMENTS FOR A SUPERVISOR TO REVIEW REFUNDS PRIOR TO ISSUANCE AT ANY VALUE, INCREASING THE RISK THAT A REFUND COULD BE ISSUED INAPPROPRIATELY. IN ADDITION TO REFUNDS WERE ISSUED BY RECREATION EMPLOYEE TO THEMSELVES, WHICH PRESENTS A CLEAR CONFLICT OF INTEREST. THOUGH THEY WEREN'T, WE DIDN'T FIND THAT THEY WERE INAPPROPRIATE. SINCE THEN, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT HAS IMPLEMENTED A REFUND STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE THAT REQUIRES REFUNDS TO BE REVIEWED BASED ON THEIR VALUE, AS WELL AS A POLICY OUTLINING EMPLOYEE USAGE OF THE RECREATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. BASED ON A REVIEW OF A STATISTICAL SAMPLE OF REFUNDS, WE FOUND THAT ALL HAD A CLEARLY DOCUMENTED PURPOSE AND WERE APPROPRIATELY APPROVED PER THE NEW PROCEDURE. IN ADDITION, NO TRANSACTIONS ON AN EMPLOYEE'S ACCOUNT APPEARED TO BE INAPPROPRIATELY PROCESSED BY THE EMPLOYEE THEMSELVES. LAST, THE CITY'S CASH HANDLING POLICY REQUIRES THAT ALL CITY CASHIERS RECEIVE A CASH HANDLING CERTIFICATE FROM THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, WHICH MUST BE REFRESHED EVERY THREE YEARS. WHILE ABOUT 14% OF RECREATION CASHIERS DID NOT HAVE A CURRENT CERTIFICATE DURING THE ORIGINAL AUDIT, ALL CASHIERS HAD UP TO DATE TRAINING AS OF MAY 2025.

DURING THE FOLLOW UP REVIEW, NEXT RECREATION DIVISION STAFF ARE GENERALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR SOLICITING, VETTING, VETTING, MARKETING, AND MANAGING RECREATION PROGRAMS THAT ARE HELD THROUGHOUT THE CITY, INCLUDING RECREATION PROGRAM IDEAS SUBMITTED BY INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS. THE ORIGINAL AUDIT FOUND THAT THE DIVISION HAD ESTABLISHED STANDARDIZED DOCUMENTATION TO FACILITATE THE SUBMISSION AND REVIEW PROCESS FOR THESE PROGRAMS. HOWEVER, THE DIVISION RELIED ON RECREATION SUPERVISORS TO DETERMINE WHEN THEY SHOULD REACH OUT TO THE CITY'S RISK MANAGEMENT DIVISION TO DETERMINE IF LIABILITY INSURANCE SHOULD BE REQUIRED FROM THE CONTRACTOR, POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN INCONSISTENT REQUIREMENTS. AS NOT ALL PROGRAMS WERE REVIEWED BY THE CITY'S RISK DIVISION. AS OF FEBRUARY 2025, HUMAN RESOURCES ESTABLISHED A PROCESS TO FORMALLY RECORD RISK MANAGEMENT REVIEWS IN OF INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR PROGRAM. I'M SORRY. YEAH. HUMAN RESOURCES ESTABLISHED A PROCESS TO

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THIS PROCEDURE HAS IMPROVED INVOICE ACCURACY AND DETAIL AS SHOWN IN THE TABLE ON THE SLIDE.

LASTLY, RECREATION CENTERS ARE GENERALLY HIGH RISK SAFETY LOCATIONS AS THEY ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND INVOLVE A MIX OF AGE AND ACTIVITY LEVELS. DURING THE ORIGINAL AUDIT, WE FOUND THAT SOME SAFETY RELATED INCIDENTS WERE NOT REPORTED TO THE CITY'S RISK MANAGEMENT DIVISION IF THEY WERE DEEMED TO BE MINOR, THOUGH THERE WAS NO DEFINITION OF THIS BASED ON DISCUSSION, THIS APPEARED TO BE DUE TO UNCLEAR CITY-WIDE GUIDANCE FROM RISK MANAGEMENT, AS WELL AS OPERATIONAL ISSUES, AS REC STAFF ARE NOT ALWAYS ABLE TO COMPLETELY HALT AN ACTIVITY TO COMPLETE AN INCIDENT REPORT. WHILE THE CITY'S RISK MANAGEMENT DIVISION HAS NOT YET ESTABLISHED CITYWIDE GUIDANCE ON INCIDENT REPORTING, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT HAS ESTABLISHED INCIDENT REPORTING PROCEDURES BASED ON REVIEWING A JUDGMENT SAMPLE OF PARKS AND RECREATION INCIDENTS. ALL WERE APPROPRIATELY REPORTED THROUGH THE CITY'S INCIDENT ENTRY PORTAL, INCLUDING NECESSARY SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION. FURTHER, THE ORIGINAL AUDIT FOUND THAT 15% OF RECREATION STAFF DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE CURRENT CPR OR AED TRAINING AS RECOMMENDED BY ACCREDITATION STANDARDS. SINCE THEN, THE DEPARTMENT HAS ESTABLISHED A PROCESS TO TRACK STAFF TRAINING. WHILE ALMOST ALL THAT NEEDED STAFF TRAINING REPORTEDLY HAD COMPLETED IT. THERE WAS SOME STILL STILL SOME DOCUMENTATION ISSUES WITH TRAINING CERTIFICATIONS. FINALLY, DURING THE ORIGINAL AUDIT, WE FOUND THAT RECREATION DIVISION STAFF GENERALLY MAINTAIN A LIST OF RECREATION CENTER ASSETS. HOWEVER, THIS LIST IS MAINTAINED ON A SHARED NETWORK DRIVE THAT CAN BE ACCESSED AND CHANGED BY ALL RECREATION STAFF WITHOUT LOGGING. THE CHANGES MADE INCREASING THE RISK THAT ASSETS COULD BE TAKEN AND NOT IDENTIFIED AS MISSING. FURTHER, PERIODIC INSPECTIONS OF OTHER VALUABLE ASSETS WERE NOT PERFORMED BY RECREATION FACILITY STAFF, INCREASING THE LIKELIHOOD THAT ASSETS COULD BE TAKEN AND NOT IDENTIFIED AS MISSING AS WELL. SINCE THEN, THE CITY HAS BEGUN UNDERGOING A NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR A NEW CITYWIDE ASSET MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE. PARK STAFF HAVE DRAFTED A STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE TO DOCUMENT THE ASSET MANAGEMENT PROCESS THAT IS INTENDED TO BE FINALIZED ONCE THIS NEW SOFTWARE IS ACQUIRED AND IMPLEMENTED. AND LASTLY, THE ORIGINAL AUDIT FOUND THAT ACCESS TO THE CITY'S RECREATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WAS GENERALLY GRANTED APPROPRIATELY BASED ON AN EMPLOYEE'S ROLE, BUT ABOUT 4% OF USERS WERE INAPPROPRIATE DUE TO NO LONGER BEING A CITY EMPLOYEE, AND A THIRD OF EMPLOYEES WITH ACCESS TO THE SYSTEM USED NON CITY EMAIL ACCOUNTS, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CYBERSECURITY EVENT. AS A SECURITY SETTINGS OF THESE EMAIL ACCOUNTS ARE NOT MANAGED BY THE CITY. SINCE THEN, PARKS HAS ESTABLISHED A PROCEDURE DETAILING MANAGEMENT OF USER ACCESS TO THE REC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, STILL BASED ON REVIEW OF USERS IN MARCH 2023, ABOUT A THIRD OF USERS STILL HAD NON CITY EMAILS AND THERE WERE SIMILAR RATES OF INAPPROPRIATE USERS. DESPITE THE CITY, DESPITE THE DEPARTMENT CONDUCTING REGULAR ACCESS REVIEWS, THREE OF THE FOUR INAPPROPRIATE USERS HAD NON CITY EMAILS, WHICH MAY INDICATE THAT THIS MIGHT BE PART OF THE ISSUE. HISTORICALLY, DUE TO THE HIGH VOLUME OF SEASONAL EMPLOYEES HIRED AND CONCERNS ABOUT LICENSING ISSUES, SEASONAL EMPLOYEES WERE NOT ALWAYS ASSIGNED CITY EMAILS. HOWEVER, SINCE THE ORIGINAL AUDIT, THE CITY'S TECH SERVICES DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT HAS ESTABLISHED NEW CITY EMAIL OPTIONS THAT MAY BE MORE APPROPRIATE FOR SEASONAL RECREATION CENTER EMPLOYEES. WHICH PARKS PLANS TO EXPLORE. IN SUMMARY, WE FOUND THAT 13 OF THE 19 ORIGINALLY ISSUED RECOMMENDATIONS ARE NOW IMPLEMENTED, WITH SIX IN PROGRESS, AS SUMMARIZED ON THE SLIDE. BASED ON THIS INFORMATION, WE PLAN TO PERFORM A SECOND FOLLOW UP REVIEW IN THE NEXT 18 TO 36 MONTHS, LIKELY IN FISCAL YEAR 2027. SO ANY

QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS REVIEW? >> THANK YOU. QUESTIONS FOR STAFF REPRESENTATIVE FROM

DISTRICT FOUR. >> THANK YOU. EXCELLENT REPORT. TELL ME GIVE ME SOME EXAMPLES OF REFUNDS CUSTOMER REFUNDS AND PARTICULARLY EMPLOYEE REFUNDS PLEASE.

>> SO A REFUND MIGHT BE ISSUED LIKE IF YOU REGISTER FOR A PROGRAM AND THEN YOU DON'T ATTEND. YOU MIGHT BE ISSUED A REFUND FOR THAT. SO YOU COULD CALL AND SAY I'M NOT. I DIDN'T ATTEND THIS PROGRAM. THEY WOULD VERIFY THE ATTENDANCE LIST AND THEN THEY WOULD ISSUE THE REFUND BASED ON THAT. AND THEN A CITY EMPLOYEE MIGHT PARTICIPATE IN A PROGRAM. AND SO THE REFUND MIGHT

OCCUR THAT SAME WAY. DOES THAT HELP EXPLAIN THAT PROCESS? >> YEAH. YEAH. IS THERE IS THERE AN OBLIGATION ON THE PART OF THE CUSTOMER IN THIS CASE TO, IF THEY SIGN UP FOR THE PROGRAM TO

PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM? >> I WOULDN'T SAY THERE'S NECESSARILY AN OBLIGATION.

>> I MEAN, THE PRESUMPTION IS THEY'RE GOING TO ATTEND. >> RIGHT. BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT, LIKE, LEGALLY THERE'S AN OBLIGATION, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE I'D HAVE TO.

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>> OKAY. >> YEAH. >> OKAY. THANK YOU.

>> OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? SEEING NONE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THAT

[B. Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction on the proposed Animal Services Responsible Euthanasia Policy and the proposed Animal Services rates and fees. [Estimated Presentation/Discussion Time: 1 hour]]

SERVICES. RATES AND FEES. >> MICKEY'S ON OKAY. >> THANK YOU.

>> WHAT? OH, I LIKE YOUR OUTFIT. I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE. >> THANK YOU. YEAH.

>> YEAH, YEAH. >> YEAH. >> SHE'LL BE HERE IN ABOUT FIVE

MINUTES. >> FIVE. OKAY. IS THE WHO'S. CAN WE SKIP THE C OR. ALL RIGHT. GO

[C. Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding the current fiscal year budget and preliminary FY 2025-26 impacts. [Estimated Presentation/Discussion time: 1 hour]]

CURRENT FISCAL YEAR BUDGET AND PRELIMINARY FY 20 2526 IMPACTS. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR.

MEMBERS OF COUNCIL JESSICA WILLIAMS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER I'M HERE TODAY, A MONTH EARLIER THAN YOU WOULD GENERALLY SEE ME. I'M SURE THAT'S EXCITING. AS WE ARE TALKING THROUGH THE CURRENT YEAR BUDGET AND THE PRELIMINARY IMPACTS THAT WE ARE SEEING TO FISCAL YEAR 2526 AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION, I WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE OF THINGS CLEAR. THE FIRST IS THAT THIS IS A SNAPSHOT. IT'S A POINT IN TIME WE'RE HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME CONCERNS TO SHARE WITH YOU. WE ALSO HAVE SOME MITIGATING FACTORS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY PUT INTO PLACE TO ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS. SO KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION. ADDITIONALLY, I WILL BE BACK. ALMOST EVERY SINGLE COUNCIL MEMBER MEMBER MEETING THIS SUMMER. SO RATHER THAN SEEING ME THE STANDARD 3 OR 4 TIMES, YOU'LL SEE ME JUST ABOUT EVERY WEEK. SO I'M GOING TO START OUT TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THIS YEAR. THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD WITH ALL OF YOU BACK IN APRIL. I'M HAPPY TO SAY WE HAVE SOME UPDATED NUMBERS TO SHARE, AND YOU'LL CONTINUE TO SEE THIS UPDATE AS THE SUMMER GOES ON. SO RIGHT NOW, THE GENERAL FUND IS FORECASTED TO END THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR WITH A NET OPERATING DEFICIT PRIMARILY ATTRIBUTABLE TO REVENUE SHORTFALLS AND INCREASED EXPENDITURES. THE CURRENT FORECAST ESTIMATES THE YEAR END DEFICIT TO RANGE BETWEEN 2 MILLION AND $8 MILLION, WITH 6.3 MILLION BEING THE AVERAGE FORECASTED YEAR END LOSS AT THE CLOSE OF MARCH. SO AGAIN, POINT IN TIME, WE'RE LOOKING AT WHERE THE NUMBERS HAVE COME IN FROM MARCH 31ST. THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WE'RE SEEING AT THIS POINT IN TIME IS REVENUE PRESSURE. PROPERTY AND SALES TAX REVENUE IS ESTIMATED TO COME IN AT ABOUT 98% OF BUDGETED COLLECTIONS. WE ARE SEEING SLOWDOWN IN THE ECONOMY, AND WE ALL ARE WELL AWARE THAT CONSUMER SENTIMENT IS AT ACTUALLY ITS SECOND HISTORIC LOW. THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT ONGOING INFLATION AND INCREASED COSTS DUE TO TARIFFS. WE ALSO ARE SEEING PERSONNEL, DRIVERS, CIVIL SERVICE OVERTIME IS HAS INCREASED PRIMARILY DUE TO STAFF SHORTAGES AND SCHEDULING. AND THIS YEAR WE'RE SEEING LOW VACANCY RATES OUTSIDE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO HISTORICALLY, THE CITY HAS BEEN ABLE TO COUNT ON IN THE GENERAL FUND, ABOUT 1 MILLION TO $2.5 MILLION IN SALARY SAVINGS EVERY YEAR. THIS YEAR, THANKS TO OUR EFFORTS OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS TO BECOME AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE, WE HAVE BECOME JUST THAT. AND WE ARE JUST ABOUT FULLY STAFFED. SO WHAT I HAVE HERE FOR YOU IS LOOKING AT AGAIN WHERE WE WERE, WHERE WE ARE AS OF 331. SO IN TAXES WE ARE SEEING A DECREASE DUE TO SEVERAL THINGS. IN PROPERTY TAXES. WE'RE SEEING ABOUT $1 MILLION THAT WE HAVE LOST DUE TO LEVY ADJUSTMENTS AND SUCCESSFUL PROTESTS THAT OCCURRED AFTER THE CERTIFIED VALUATIONS FROM LAST YEAR WERE RECEIVED BY THE CITY. WE ALSO HAVE SEEN ABOUT $1.2 MILLION IN JUST OVERALL COLLECTIONS, SLOWING IN PROPERTY TAXES AND SALES TAXES. AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE, WE'RE ABOUT $350,000 BEHIND WHERE WE ANTICIPATED TO BE. WE'VE SEEN SLOWING OVER THE LAST THREE MONTHS. WE ANTICIPATE THAT THAT SLOWING WILL CONTINUE AS WE GO THROUGH THE REST OF THE FISCAL YEAR. WE'RE SEEING SOME DECREASE IN BUILDING PERMITS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AS WE LOOKED AT THE AUDIT AND ENDED LAST YEAR, THAT WE REALLY SAW SOME DECREASES IN BUILDING

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WE'RE SEEING SOME DECREASE BASED ON WHAT WE'RE SEEING FOR THE OVERALL REVENUES IN ELECTRIC, WATER, WASTEWATER. WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT THE FOURTH QUARTER, AS IT GETS WARMER AND WE USE OUR AIR CONDITIONING UNITS MORE AND WE, YOU KNOW, WATER OUR LAWNS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. WE MAY SEE THAT GO AHEAD AND REBOUND AS WE GO INTO THE END OF THE YEAR. WE'RE ALSO SEEING A SLOWING IN INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE. THIS IS WHEN WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AT LENGTH, WE'VE ISSUED SEVERAL ICERS TO YOU OVER THE LAST FIVE MONTHS OR SO AS WE'VE LOOKED AT THIS UNCERTAINTY. SO WHAT YOU CAN SEE HERE IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR IS WE COLLECTED ABOUT A HALF $1 MILLION IN REIMBURSEMENT FROM INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES. SO THOSE ARE SOME OF OUR GRANT PROGRAMS THAT SOME OF THE FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE COUNTY FOR THINGS LIKE VEHICLE REGISTRATION TAX, SOME OF OUR CONTRACTS WITH OTHER ENTITIES, THIS IS A BIT OF A WILD CARD AS WE GO INTO THE END OF THE YEAR. SO WE HAVE RELEASED OUR PAUSE ON MOST OF OUR FEDERAL FUNDING, ANTICIPATING THAT WE WILL RECEIVE THOSE REIMBURSEMENTS. HOWEVER, WE ANTICIPATED WE WOULD RECEIVE THOSE REIMBURSEMENTS GOING THROUGH THE ENTIRE FISCAL YEAR. SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH WHAT HAPPENS AND WHAT WE SEE COME OUT OF WASHINGTON AS WE GO THROUGH THE REST OF THE YEAR. ALL OF THIS TO SAY, IF WE WERE TO LOOK AT WHERE WE'RE PROJECTING THE END OF THE YEAR AND OUR SECOND HALF FORECAST, I WANT TO BE CLEAR, IS BASED OFF OF A FIVE YEAR HISTORY BY MONTH OF THE PERCENT OF BUDGET THAT WE HAVE COLLECTED IN REVENUES. AND IT IS EXCEPTIONALLY CONSISTENT. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT FIVE YEARS, WE SEE VARIANCE ONLY 1 TO 2% PER MONTH. SO WHEN WE COME HERE, WE ARE CONFIDENT WITH WHAT WE'RE PROJECTING. AGAIN, VARIABLES LIKE WHAT HAPPENS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL IS A VARIABLE THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH. SO WE ANTICIPATE THAT REVENUES ARE GOING TO COME IN ABOUT $4.5 MILLION OFF OF WHAT WE HAD ESTIMATED WHEN WE STARTED THIS BUDGET YEAR. WHEN WE LOOK AT EXPENDITURES. SO THIS SAME THEORY, SAME ANALYSIS, SAME DATA, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE EXPENDITURE SIDE. AND AGAIN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE GENERAL FUND ONLY FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR. WE SEE THE PERSONNEL SERVICES ARE RUNNING JUST ABOUT RIGHT AT BUDGET. THAT'S THAT 100% STAFFING FOR THE SECOND HALF. WE ANTICIPATE WE WILL BE JUST ABOUT THERE. BUT WE ALSO HAVE SOME HISTORY IN THAT LATER FOURTH QUARTER WHERE WE HAVE INCREASED COSTS. WE RUN SEASONAL PROGRAMS FOR PARKS AND RECREATION. WE HAVE SEEN SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN POLICE AND FIRE OVERTIME THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR, MUCH OF THAT DUE TO THEIR STAFFING LEVELS. SO WHILE WE ARE ALMOST FULLY STAFFED, AS I SAID IN JUST ABOUT EVERYONE BUT POLICE, SO WHEN WE'RE DOWN OFFICERS, WE USE OVERTIME TO FILL THOSE VACANCIES. WE ARE SEEING SAVINGS IN MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES AND MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OUR INSURANCE. WE ARE SEEING SOME SAVINGS RIGHT NOW, OUR OPERATIONS, IF WE CONTINUE TO RUN AT THE CURRENT RATE THAT WE ARE RUNNING, WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL HAVE A LOSS OF ABOUT 881 OR 818,000, BUT THAT WILL BE OFFSET BY SOME SAVINGS IN OTHER EXPENSES AND OUR FIXED ASSETS. SO PROJECTED NET LOSS. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS IT LOOKS A LITTLE BIT. LET ME GO BACK ONE FOR YOU. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE PROJECTED NET LOSS, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS THAT 203 MILLION TO THE 209 MILLION, GIVING US A PROJECTED NET LOSS OF 6.3 MILLION IN THE GENERAL FUND. SO AS WE'VE BEEN WATCHING THIS VERY CLOSELY, LOTS OF THINGS WE'VE DONE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THIS YEAR. YOU'VE SEEN MONTHLY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THAT COME TO YOU IN ISR. THEY'RE ALSO POSTED ON THE WEBSITE THAT WE HAVE INCREASED IN FREQUENCY. WE HAD DONE QUARTERLY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IN THE PAST. WE'VE GONE TO MONTHLY AS WE'VE CONTINUED TO TRACK WHAT IS HAPPENING. WE ARE CLOSING EVERY MONTH. EVERY FISCAL MONTH CLOSES ON THE 15TH DAY FOLLOWING THAT MONTH. IN THE CURRENT YEAR, WE HAVE ALSO IMPLEMENTED A MANAGED VACANCY PROGRAM. SO AS POSITIONS IN THE GENERAL FUND BECOME VACANT, WE ARE NOT FILLING THOSE POSITIONS. WE'RE HOLDING THOSE VACANCIES OPEN SO THAT WE CAN RECOGNIZE SAVINGS AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT THAT WILL SAVE US ABOUT $2.2 MILLION. WE'VE ASKED ALL DEPARTMENTS TO REDUCE DISCRETIONARY SPENDING. THIS IS A CITYWIDE INITIATIVE. THE REASON THAT CITYWIDE AFFECTS THE GENERAL FUND HAS TO DO WITH THOSE TRANSFERS THAT WE SEE BETWEEN FUNDS AT THE END OF THE YEAR. SO AS EVERY FUND SAVES MORE, THOSE TRANSFERS REDUCE. WE ARE EVALUATING OUR EXISTING AND FUTURE TRANSFERS BETWEEN FUNDS.

YOU WILL HEAR THE CITY AUDITOR TALK TO YOU LATER THIS EVENING ABOUT A CHANGE TO THEIR AUDIT

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THAT IS LEWIS MCLEAN'S COMPANY. LEWIS PROVIDES SALES TAX INFORMATION FOR US. HE'S A RECOGNIZED EXPERT IN THE MUNICIPAL FIELD, PARTICULARLY IN NORTH TEXAS. WE ANTICIPATE THAT THROUGH THESE STRATEGIES WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO CLOSE THIS GAP THIS YEAR. MOVING ON TO NEXT YEAR. SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THE GENERAL FUND IS PRELIMINARILY ESTIMATED TO HAVE A $14 MILLION NET OPERATING DEFICIT IN FISCAL YEAR 2526. AND THIS IS WITHOUT ANY SUPPLEMENTAL PACKAGES OR COMPENSATION ADJUSTMENTS. THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS HERE ARE WHAT WE'RE ALREADY SEEING THIS YEAR. OVERALL REVENUE IS SLOWING. ALL GROWTH FACTORS IN THE ECONOMY, FOR THE MOST PART, ARE SLOWING. WE'RE SEEING SLOWING SALES TAX. WE'RE SEEING SLOWING PROPERTY TAX. AND OVERALL WE'RE SEEING SOME REDUCED GROWTH RELATED REVENUE. PUBLIC SAFETY OVERTIME IS BEING EVALUATED GOING INTO FISCAL YEAR 2526. THAT EVALUATION IS SOMETHING THAT WE STARTED BACK IN JANUARY. LOOKING AT RIGHTSIZING. WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE COVER ALL MANDATORY OVERTIME. SO ALL OVERTIME REQUIRED BY HOLIDAY HOURS, VACATION, SICK PAY FOR ALL OF OUR OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS. WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL SEE INCREASE IN BENEFIT COSTS AS HEALTH CARE COSTS ARE INCREASING THROUGHOUT THE NATION, AND AS LONG AS ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY CONTINUES, WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE SOME SLOW GROWTH. SO THE STRATEGIES WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AS WE GET STARTED AND AGAIN, WE'RE VERY, VERY EARLY IN THIS PROCESS. SO WE HAVE AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE COMPLETED OUR DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET ENTRIES. WE'VE HELD PUBLIC PUBLIC, WE'VE HELD HEARINGS WITH OUR CITY MANAGER TO GO THROUGH EVERY DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET. WE'RE TARGETING REDUCTIONS IN DISCRETIONARY SPENDING OF 3%. WE'RE FOCUSED ON ZERO BASED BUDGETING, WHICH I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE NEXT SLIDE. AND WE ARE REVIEWING AND EVALUATING CAPITAL EXPENDITURES. AND AS I MENTIONED, THAT NOTICE OF INTENT FOR THE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION THAT YOU WILL SEE TONIGHT HAS DECREASED BY ABOUT $130 MILLION FROM WHAT THE REFUNDING ORDINANCE WAS THAT WAS ANTICIPATED AT THE START OF THE FISCAL YEAR. ZERO BASED BUDGETING. SO PRIOR TO THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, WE IMPLEMENTED ZERO BASED BUDGETING FOR THE 2526 FISCAL YEAR. OUR STANDARD PRACTICE PRIOR TO THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR HAD BEEN TO ROLL FORWARD THE AMOUNTS OF THE BUDGET THAT WERE REQUESTED IN THE PRIOR YEAR INTO THE NEW YEAR. THIS YEAR, WE DECIDED TO FOCUS ON TAKING A ZERO BASED APPROACH. THAT MEANS THAT ALL DISCRETIONARY SPENDING LINES, WHEN THE BUDGET MODULE WAS OPENED FOR ENTRY BY DEPARTMENTS, WERE AT ZERO, WE ASKED DEPARTMENTS TO GO THROUGH AND ENTER DETAILED LINE ITEMS THAT OUTLINED EVERY REQUEST WITHIN THEIR BUDGET. WE'VE DONE THIS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE SPEND IS JUSTIFIED, AND THAT WE'RE SPENDING IT WHERE IT HAS THE MOST IMPACT. OUR FUNDING PRIORITIES IN FISCAL YEAR 2526 ARE OUR EXISTING EMPLOYEES AND PUBLIC SAFETY. WE'RE LOOKING AT ACTIVE PROJECTS WITHIN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM THAT HAVE ALREADY STARTED. SO THOSE ARE PRIORITIZING PROJECTS THAT ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY. WE HAVE SPENT THE LAST YEAR OR SO WORKING WITH THE CIP DIRECTORS TO EVALUATE WHERE OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS ARE, WHERE OUR CURRENT FUNDING IS, WHAT FUNDING IS AVAILABLE, WHAT CAN BE MOVED. AND WE PUT TOGETHER FUNDING AND CASH LETTERS OUT TO EACH PARTICULAR MONTH. FOR EVERY PROJECT THAT IS CURRENTLY ONGOING. I WILL BE BACK IN JULY.

WE WILL HAVE AN ENTIRE SESSION ABOUT THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM WHERE WE'LL TALK THROUGH THOSE CHANGES. OUR BUDGETARY FOCUS IS EVALUATING CORE SERVICES THAT THE CITY OF DENTON PROVIDES AND ALIGNING OUR RESOURCES ACCORDINGLY. AGAIN, WE ARE ANTICIPATING LOSSES IN THE CURRENT AND NEXT FISCAL YEAR. WE DO HAVE MITIGATION FACTORS THAT WE ARE PUTTING INTO PLACE THAT WE THINK WILL WILL GET US TO A BALANCED BUDGET, BOTH THIS YEAR AND IN FISCAL YEAR 2526. WE'RE

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YOU'LL SEE THAT EVERY YEAR GOING FORWARD THAT HAS BEEN SENT TO THE GFOA FOR EVALUATION. YOU HAVE ALSO SEEN A BUDGET, IN BRIEF, THAT WE COMPLETED THIS YEAR THAT HAS A VERY LONG DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW CITY FINANCES WORK, THE DIFFERENT BUCKETS OR FUNDS THAT WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN OUR FUNDING IN, AND A CONVERSATION ABOUT DEBT AND CAPITAL. SO AS I MENTIONED, I'LL BE HERE, I'LL BE JOINING YOU A LOT. AREN'T YOU THRILLED? NO, NO ONE'S THRILLED. THANK YOU. JILL IS THRILLED. SO THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT WILL BE BACK ON THE 3RD OF JUNE TO TALK ABOUT SPECIAL EVENT FEES. AND THEN I WILL BE BACK ON THE 17TH OF JUNE, AND WE WILL REVIEW THE BUDGET AGAIN. WE WILL LOOK AT PROPOSED PROGRAM UPDATES, AND WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT 2526.

WE'LL THEN TALK ABOUT THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM JULY 15TH, JULY THE 22ND. WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE UTILITY BUDGETS AND UTILITY RATES. ON AUGUST 9TH, WE'LL HOLD OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP.

THAT'S A SATURDAY. IT'S A LOT OF FUN. PLEASE JOIN US. AND THEN ON THE 19TH WE WILL HAVE FOLLOW UP TO THAT BUDGET WORKSHOP. SO THAT'S A TIME WHEN WE WILL BRING BACK ANY FOLLOW UP ITEMS THAT YOU HAD. AND THEN WE WILL ADOPT THE BUDGET AND THE TAX RATE IN SEPTEMBER. SO I'D ALSO LIKE TO MENTION AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THESE STRATEGIES THIS YEAR, WE HAVE, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY YEARS, COMPLETED A RETAIL WATER RATE STUDY. WE'VE COMPLETED A WHOLESALE WATER RATE STUDY, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT COST OF SERVICE ACROSS THE CITY. SO ALL OF THOSE REPORTS WILL BE COMING TO YOU AS WE GO THROUGH THIS SUMMER, AND WE'LL HAVE LOTS MORE INFORMATION AND LOTS MORE DISCUSSION AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE NEXT THREE MONTHS. AND I WILL STAND FOR QUESTIONS.

>> GREAT. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS FOR STAFF REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT THREE.

>> AT THE RISK OF BEING THE SKUNK HADN'T ALREADY PRETTY GLOOMY PARTY. IF WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO LESS, IS THERE SOME ROOM FOR A LITTLE RATIONAL RESTRUCTURING TO LIKE YOU SAID, THE PRIORITY IS CURRENT EMPLOYEES. I TOTALLY GET THAT. BUT IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE AS BROAD OF A PROGRAMMATIC MENU, THEN. SORT OF GOING.

>> YES, I DO. YES. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING ACTUALLY, TODAY, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS MET WITH A TEAM OF DEPARTMENT HEADS TO GO THROUGH THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REDUCTIONS. BUT ALL DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN ASKED TO LOOK AT RESTRUCTURING. AND, YOU KNOW, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, WE HAVE TWO POSITIONS IN OUR OFFICE THAT WE'RE NOT FILLING. WE'RE ALL LOOKING AT HOW WE'RE STRUCTURED. CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE IS NOT FILLING A POSITION. THEN THEY'RE LOOKING AT WHAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR IN THEIR SORT OF THE DIRECTOR LEVEL, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR LEVEL AND OTHERS. THEY'RE LOOKING AT HOW TO RESTRUCTURE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STILL ABLE TO OPERATE, BUT WE'RE BEING BEING VERY CAUTIOUS ABOUT AFFECTING ANY OF THE FRONT LINE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE OUT THERE WORKING, YOU KNOW, EMPTYING THE TRASH, FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES AND FIRE AND POLICE, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

SO WE ARE WE ARE LOOKING AT RESTRUCTURING. WE ARE LOOKING AT VACANCIES. WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW DO WE DO SOMETHING. I THINK IF YOU ALL WILL RECALL, IN MY NOVEMBER MEETING, I TALKED ABOUT SOME THINGS, BUT PARTICULARLY IN THE FEBRUARY REVIEW, I SAID, I'VE ASKED THREE QUESTIONS. WHAT ARE WHAT ARE WE DOING? WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING? WHAT ARE WE DOING? SOMEONE ELSE CAN DO BETTER, AND WHAT ARE WE DOING WE NEED TO IMPROVE UPON? AND THEN I SAID, WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING ZERO BASED BUDGETING, AND WE NEED TO GET A HANDLE ON POLICE AND FIRE OVERTIME. AND SO THEY'RE EVEN LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE RESTRUCTURING WHAT, WHAT WHAT ARE THINGS THEY COULD DO DIFFERENTLY. PROCESSES THAT ARE TOO CUMBERSOME THAT THEY'VE JUST ALWAYS DONE IT THAT WAY. SO AS BAD AS THIS LOOKS, I LOVE YOUR QUESTION BECAUSE IT IS BAD. THIS IS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR A CITY TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING FROM FEES TO HOW THINGS ARE RUN. ARE WE DOING THINGS WE'VE ALWAYS DONE WITHOUT REALLY LOOKING AT IT? ARE WE TOO HEAVY HERE? ARE WE TOO LIGHT

[00:30:01]

WHICH ONE DOES IT BETTER? IS IT GOOD TO BUS A BUNCH OF KIDS AROUND, OR IS IT BETTER TO HAVE THEM STAY AT THEIR SCHOOL SITE AND THEN SAVE $300,000, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS? SO YES, THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES. AND WHILE IT'S PAINFUL IN A LOT OF WAYS, IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

>> OKAY. >> SURE. >> I APPRECIATE THE RESPONSE ON

THE POLICE OVERTIME. >> YEAH. PUBLIC SAFETY OVERTIME, WHICH I KNOW IS GOING TO BE THE SUBJECT OF AN AUDIT AND MAYBE EVEN A BROADER ONE. BUT DIDN'T WE JUST GRADUATE LIKE THE

BIGGEST POLICE CLASS RECENTLY? I'M MAKING THAT UP. >> YES. AND THAT HELPS.

>> US TO MAKING IT UP. >> OR NO YOU'RE NOT. >> OH NO NO NO.

>> ONE OF ONE OF ONE OF OUR PROBLEMS IS WHICH I WAS THRILLED. WE HAD 139 CANDIDATES THE FIRST GO ROUND WHEN JESS WAS HERE, CHIEF. JESS. BUT WHEN YOU GOT DOWN TO IT, WE GOT EIGHT.

AND SO. AND HERE'S THE OTHER THING THAT'S HAPPENING TO US. 25, 30 YEAR OLD VETERANS ARE LEAVING US. I MEAN, EVERY WEEK. AND SO AS FAST AS WE GET THEM IN THE ACADEMY AND IT TAKES ALMOST A YEAR, WE'RE LOSING THEM. AND SO THEN THERE'S THE OTHER PART THAT IS WE HAVE TO REALLY TRY TO WORK ON THIS. AND WE REALLY, WE REALLY DO FIGURE ALL THIS IN FIRE DOES TO VACATION SICK

UNEXPECTEDLY LEAVE. >> FMLA. >> FMLA, YOU NAME IT. AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE DRIVING THIS. NOW, THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT THOUGH, IS WHAT YOU MENTIONED, WHICH IS A VERY VALID QUESTION, WHICH IS LOOKING AT RESTRUCTURING. WHAT ARE WE DOING? HOW DO WE AFFECT THAT? YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE NORMAL OVERTIME THAT'S COMING, BUT SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS AND PART OF THAT WAS SPECIAL EVENTS. ONE OF THEM IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO MANAGE THAT. AND SO WE HAVEN'T EVER TAKEN A LOOK AT THAT REALLY HARD. SO WE ASK WE ASK MATT MADISON TO EXPAND THAT REACH FOR POLICE AND FIRE SO THAT NOT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THEM TO BE THERE WHEN WE NEED THEM BECAUSE WE DO. BUT BUT HOW ARE WE MANAGING THAT? AND SO YES, IT'S A LARGER CLASS, BUT EVERY TIME WE GET 8 TO 12 IN, WE SEE OVER THE NEXT 3 TO 6 MONTHS WE LOSE 8

TO 12. >> THANKS. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?

REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT TWO. >> THANK YOU. YEAH. THE COUPLE OF QUESTIONS TO KIND OF FOLLOW ON FROM THAT. LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT SERVICE TREES, THE LEVEL OF STAFFING YOU TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HEAVY HEAVY BRANCHES AND LIGHT BRANCHES, AS IT WERE. SOME OF THOSE I'D BE REALLY INTERESTED IN HOW WE'RE DEFINING THAT AND WHERE WE'RE GOING, BECAUSE SOME SOME OF THOSE STAFFING IS REALLY CRITICAL AND SOME OF THOSE THERE IS ROOM FOR STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT. AND, AND SO I'M, I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN HOW WE'RE DEFINING SOME OF THOSE THINGS. SO AS WE GET ADDITIONAL MEETINGS I'D BE REALLY INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, SORT OF WHAT'S A CORE SERVICE AND SORT OF HOW CRITICAL OUR INDIVIDUAL STAFF MEMBERS TO THAT SERVICE SO THAT WE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE PRIORITIZATION DISCUSSION. AND THEN THE OTHER THING, AND I SENT THIS AS A QUESTION LATE TO STAFF. SO IT'S NOT ON OUR SHEET, BUT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS, I THINK YOU SORT OF ALLUDED TO IT EARLIER. COULD WE THERE'S A SORT OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT CAN BE STARTED AND STOPPED VERSUS ONES THAT LIKE THEY'LL JUST DIE IF YOU STOP THEM. CORRECT. SO IF WE COULD GET SOME CLARITY ON WHERE WHERE OUR FLEXIBILITY MIGHT BE. AND THEN THE LAST ONE I'LL BRING UP, AND I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT REVENUE SOURCES AND ALTERNATIVE THINGS. AND ONE OF THEM THAT YOU BROUGHT FORWARD WAS SORT OF, HOW ARE WE DOING COST RECOVERY ON VARIOUS THINGS? AND I WANT TO BE CAREFUL THAT AGAIN, LIKE, LIKE SOME OF THESE EARLIER ISSUES, NOT ALL COST RECOVERY IS CREATED EQUAL.

YOU KNOW, SOME SOME IMPACT A LARGE NUMBER OF CITIZENS. AND EVEN ASKING A DOLLAR OR TWO WILL MAKE THAT SERVICE, YOU KNOW, REALLY IMPACTFUL TO A BROAD NUMBER OF DANITES. WHEREAS OTHER CATEGORIES. YEAH, YOU CAN YOU CAN DOUBLE IT AND IT WILL. PEOPLE WILL GRUMBLE AND IT WILL BE FINE. SO I'D LIKE IT IF WE COULD WHEN WE BRING BACK FUTURE INFORMATION, IF WE COULD KIND OF FOCUS ON THOSE KINDS OF ELEMENTS AS WELL. OH, AND I DO HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION WHY? AND IT MAY

[00:35:01]

KNOWING WE WERE TRYING TO FILL THE VACANCIES? >> WELL, IT IS HISTORICAL AND IT IS BECAUSE IN THE LAST, SAY, FOUR YEARS OR SO, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE HAD SIGNIFICANT TROUBLE HIRING, AND SO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COUNT ON THAT SAVINGS IN PRIOR YEARS. SO THAT WAS BUILT IN AS WE WENT INTO THIS YEAR, WE WILL NOT BE BUILDING.

>> NEXT YEAR. NEXT QUESTION. THANK YOU. >> KNOW, THERE'S BEEN SOME.

>> I. >> MEAN THIS IS. I DON'T WANT TO SEEM TOO POSITIVE ABOUT THINGS BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A POSITIVE TIME FOR ANY CITY IN THE STATE HERE OR EVEN IN THE COUNTRY FROM A LOT OF PERSPECTIVES WITH TARIFFS AND THE GRANTS IN QUESTION. CDBG, THE WE WEREN'T SURE UNTIL RECENT ABOUT THE SUMMER FOOD PROGRAM THAT OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, JUST CREATES MORE FOOD INSECURITY AMONG FAMILIES THAT ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING TO FEED THEIR CHILDREN. AND SO ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES THAT CITIES ARE FACING IS THAT LOSS OF MONEY.

AND WE'RE LUCKY IN SOME SENSES THAT WE DIDN'T RELY SO HEAVILY ON IT. ON THE OTHER SIDE, WE ARE NOT IN A POSITION THAT UNLESS THAT'S A OBVIOUSLY A COUNCIL DECISION OF WHERE THE PRIORITIES LIE. BUT I WILL SAY THE WHAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH IS AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY. AND NEXT YEAR, ZERO BASED BUDGETING NEEDS TO HAPPEN AGAIN BECAUSE NOT EVERY BUDGET IS EQUAL. AND TO YOUR POINT, BUDGETING FOR VACANCIES SHOULD NO LONGER BE THE PRACTICE. FUNDING EVERYTHING THROUGH CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION SHOULD NO LONGER BE THE PRACTICE. FLOATING BONDS AND NOT QUITE SURE YOU HAVE THAT ABILITY TO PAY THAT DEBT OVER 30 YEARS. NOT KNOWING WHAT THE ECONOMY LOOKS LIKE SHOULD NOT BE A STANDARD PRACTICE. THE MANTRA SHOULD BE, WE NEVER KNOW WHAT YEAR NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO BRING US. AND WHEN YOU MENTIONED CORE SERVICE, I WILL TELL YOU, ACROSS THE COUNTRY, CORE SERVICES HAVE BEEN LISTED AS FIRE POLICE, EMERGENCY SERVICES, WATER, WASTEWATER, ELECTRICITY, ELECTRICITY AND YOUR TRASH. AND I MENTIONED THAT I THINK BEFORE WHEN I WHEN I DID IN FEBRUARY, PEOPLE WANT THEIR TRASH PICKED UP. PEOPLE WANT THEIR WATER TO COME ON AND THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO FLUSH THEIR TOILETS. THEY WANT THE LIGHTS TO WORK SO THE AIR CONDITIONING CAN WORK. AND THEN THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THEY HAVE A FIRE, FIRES THERE, IF THEY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH POLICE WHERE THEY NEED A POLICE OFFICER, THEY'RE THERE AND CERTAINLY AN AMBULANCE. THERE ARE OTHER CORE SERVICES THAT ARE IMPORTANT. THEY WANT YOU WANT A LIBRARY OPEN. YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO GO TO A PUBLIC PARK. BUT ALL THE OTHER EXTRA THINGS THAT WE THROW IN, INCLUDING PROGRAMS AND THINGS, MAY OR MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED CORE SERVICES. THAT'S SOMETHING YOU ALL, AS A COUNCIL, WILL HAVE TO PUT IN CONCRETE FOR US. BUT FROM A STANDARD POINT OF VIEW ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE CONSIDERED CORE SERVICES. AND DURING SURVEYS AND THINGS, WHEN YOU ASK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S HOW OUR DEPARTMENT OF SOLID WASTE BECAME NUMBER ONE IN OUR COMMUNITY SURVEY WAS SOLID WASTE BECAUSE PEOPLE FELT LIKE THEY GOT THEIR TRASH PICKED UP ON TIME AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IT DOES VARY IN SOME CITIES, AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF OTHER THINGS THAT MAY NOT RISE TO THE TOP AS A CONSISTENT, YOU KNOW, NOT POLICE, NOT FIRE, NOT ELECTRIC AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. BUT JUST SO YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WAS A QUESTION THAT WAS RAISED. WE WORKED DILIGENTLY WITH THE DIRECTORS WHEN WE SAID, LOOK AT 3% REDUCTIONS, THEY MADE THOSE REDUCTIONS. THEY WERE NOT FORCED TO MAKE THEM. IT WAS THEIR SUGGESTIONS. AND THEY LOOKED AT RESTRUCTURING. THEY LOOKED AT, HOW CAN I LIVE WITHOUT THIS VACANT POSITION? WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THIS AND FINE TUNE. IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT WITH THE 14 MILLION, AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME THINGS COMING FORWARD IN THE NEXT BUDGET IN OUR NEXT WEEK, NEXT COUNCIL MEETING DOWN THE ROAD THAT WILL LOOK AT SOME UPDATING POLICIES, ONE OF WHICH IS A REDUCTION IN FORCE. AND I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT AND THAT WE UPDATED THAT.

NOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THAT. NOT NECESSARILY, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE UPDATED SO THAT IF IT'S NECESSARY, WE HAVE THAT THAT POLICY APPROVED BY COUNCIL, OTHERS ARE OVERTIME AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD TO YOU AS THE POLICY MAKERS SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THEM. 14 MILLION WILL BE A HARD ROAD TO HOE. AND THE VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE NOW ARE LIKELY TO BE STAYING AS VACANCIES FOR THE FUTURE. BUT WE ALSO DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REVENUES ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE NEXT YEAR EITHER. SO IT'S THIS GUESSING GAME, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR US, NOT FOR US TO JUST NOT SHARE THIS WITH YOU AND NOT TELL YOU KIND OF WHAT WE'RE DOING. AND THOSE DIRECTORS HAVE BEEN WITH US LOCKSTEP, AND THEY'VE BEEN VERY PROFESSIONAL AND HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MEETING THOSE CUTS WITHOUT REALLY CUTTING SOME OF THOSE GOOD SERVICES WE HAVE. WE KNOW THAT SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM IS IMPORTANT, AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR A LOT OF REASONS. WE KNOW HAVING LIBRARIES OPEN IS IMPORTANT. ACCESS TO THE COMPUTERS, WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT. SO WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING

[00:40:03]

TRAINING, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS ON THE BUDGET? OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO GET A FEEL FOR AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, IS IT ARE WE STILL AROUND THE 1.3 1.4 MILLION EQUALS $0.01 ON THE TAX RATE RANGE.

>> WE'RE IT'S ABOUT 1.7, 1.8, >> 1.71.8 IS A CENT OKAY. GREAT. YES. OKAY. AND THEN I THINK AS A COMPARE AND CONTRAST WHEN YOU COME BACK, I'D LOVE TO SEE KIND OF A LOOK AT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT STORY TO TELL THAT, HEY WE'RE DOING THE THINGS THAT ARE IN OUR CONTROL TO GROW SALES TAX, YOU KNOW, THOSE SORT OF THINGS. AND AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, THE ECONOMY IS ECONOMY, RIGHT? BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TELL THAT OTHER SIDE OF THAT STORY, SHOWING THE ACTIVITY WE'RE HAVING AND THE SUCCESS WE'RE HAVING TO TRY TO

ADDRESS THOSE THINGS SUCH THAT WE CAN. >> ABSOLUTELY.

>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. THAT TAKES US BACK TO ITEM B. I'D 25893 RECEIVE REPORT DISCUSSION. GIVE STAFF DIRECTION ON PROPOSED ANIMAL SERVICES, RESPONSIBLE EUTHANASIA POLICY AND PROPOSED ANIMAL SERVICES RATE AND FEES.

>> GOTTA BE ON HERE SOMEWHERE. >> OR NO, IT'S NOT ON HERE. >> OKAY, LET ME PULL UP MY.

>> I DON'T KNOW, I EMAILED IT TO. YA ON FRIDAY. >> WITH THE NEW.

>> IT'S BEEN A DAY. >> WHAT? OH, OKAY. I NEED A MICROPHONE OR WE JUST WANT TO PUT SOME LITTLE BREAKS IN HERE FOR Y'ALL. JUST BECAUSE WE KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO BE A HEAVY MEETING. I AM SO TERRIBLE. RIGHT? TERRIBLE. WE DIDN'T USE A LOT OF THOSE.

>> I CAN PULL UP MY THING. I DON'T KNOW WHO THIS IS, BUT I CAN PULL UP MY EMAIL, PULL UP MY

EMAIL. OR JUST GET SAVED IN THE INCORRECT NAME. >> THERE YOU GO.

>> IT WAS SAVED IN THE INCORRECT FILE NAME. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, I APOLOGIZE.

>> NO PROBLEM. >> NIKKI SASSNITZ, DIRECTOR OF ANIMAL SERVICES. WE HAVE TWO ITEMS FOR YOUR REVIEW AND DIRECTION AND DISCUSSION TODAY. PART ONE WILL BE OUR RESPONSIBLE EUTHANASIA POLICY AND THE SECOND PART WILL BE OUR UPDATED SCHEDULE OF FEES. SO FIRST, JUST A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF OUR RESPONSIBLE EUTHANASIA POLICY AND ITS DEVELOPMENT. SO WE IDENTIFIED SEVERAL ISSUES AND CHALLENGES DURING THE REVIEWS AND AUDIT CONDUCTED IN 2024. WE FOUND THAT DAS LACKED A FORMAL, WRITTEN, ADOPTED POLICY FOR EUTHANASIA DECISION MAKING. NOW THIS IS SEPARATE FROM OUR ACTUAL SOP FOR THE PROCEDURE, BUT THE DECISION MAKING DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING FORMAL AND WRITTEN DOWN. AND ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THE INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE, THERE IS A LACK OF AN ESTABLISHED, STANDARDIZED PROCESS THROUGHOUT THE INDUSTRY. WE DID REVIEW VARIOUS ENTITIES AND CONFIRMED THAT THAT THERE'S JUST THE NUMBER OF ENTITIES THAT THERE ARE IS THE NUMBER OF POLICIES AND WAYS THAT THEY ARE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS. SO THE PURPOSE OF OUR POLICY, OUR GOAL IS REALLY TO ENSURE HUMANE, ETHICAL AND CONSISTENT DECISION MAKING REGARDING ANIMAL EUTHANASIA. ESTABLISH WHO IS GOING TO BE MAKING THE DECISION SO THE REVIEW TEAM AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AND ROLES ON THAT REVIEW TEAM SET CLEAR DECISION MAKING, DOCUMENTATION AND APPROVAL PROCESS. THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS ALSO NOTED IN THE AUDIT AND REVIEWS, WAS THE NEED FOR CONSISTENT DOCUMENTATION AND THEN ESTABLISHED CRITERIA FOR EMERGENCY USE IN ASIA, INCLUDING AN AFTER ACTION REVIEW. WE DO

[00:45:01]

AND FEEDBACK ON THE RESPONSIBLE EUTHANASIA POLICY. >> THANK YOU. QUESTIONS FOR

STAFF REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT TWO. >> THANK YOU I APPRECIATE YOU

[00:50:06]

COMMUNICATIONS IT'S TARGETING? >> SURE. SO THE POINT YOU'RE REFERENCING IS IF THERE IS WE WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS AN EMOTIONAL TOLL TO EUTHANASIA. AND SOMETIMES NOT EVERYONE MAY AGREE WITH THE DECISION THAT'S BEING MADE. BUT WE WANTED TO PROVIDE A MECHANISM FOR STAFF TO BE ABLE TO VOICE THAT AND NOT CAUSE CONFLICT WITH THE OTHER STAFF, WHO MAY HAVE TO JUST PERFORM IT BUT DIDN'T WAS NOT PART OF THE DECISION MAKING. AND SO TO NOT PROVIDE THAT FORM FOR CONFRONTATION, WE WANTED TO GIVE THEM A METHOD OF BEING ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT. SO RATHER THAN HAVING SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, GO TRY TO START A CONFLICT WITH SOMEONE ACTUALLY PERFORMING IT, THE STAFF MEMBER, IF THEY HAVE A CONCERN, CAN ADDRESS IT THROUGH A PROPER CHANNEL WITH WITH

SUPERVISORY STAFF. >> SO JUST LET ME REPHRASE THAT AND YOU SEE IF I'M CORRECT, IT'S TO PREVENT INTER-TEAM DISCUSSION OF WHAT MAY BE SENSITIVE COMMUNICATIONS AND TRY TO KEEP IF SOMEONE HAS AN ISSUE OR A CONCERN TO BRING IT TO YOU AS THE DIRECTOR OR YOUR DESIGNEE. I GUESS THE ONLY REASON I BRING ALL THAT UP, BECAUSE THAT ALL THAT SOUNDS FINE. THE ONLY REASON I WAS THE WORDING WAS A LITTLE ODD, IN THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WANT TO. SEE IT ON SORT OF FREE SPEECH AND COMMUNICATION ISSUES, BUT THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS. I, I DON'T WANT TO PRECLUDE SPEECH. I JUST WANT TO I UNDERSTAND THE GOALS NOW.

>> BASED ON WHAT. >> YOU SAID, AND IT'S NOT TO QUIET ANYONE FROM HAVING A DIFFERENT OPINION, IT'S JUST TO PROVIDE THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO VOICE IT, RATHER THAN SHARE IT WITH SOMEONE WHO MAY NOT HAVE HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT DECISION. SO. SO ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER WHO'S PERFORMING IT SHOULDN'T HAVE TO SIT THERE AND TAKE ANY TYPE OF VERBAL ABUSE OR OR CONFRONTATION IF THEY WEREN'T PART OF IT. SO THAT ANY CONCERNS WE CAN ADDRESS, AND MAYBE IT'S A PROCESS IMPROVEMENT, MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING WE DIDN'T CONSIDER, THAT WE CAN CHANGE THE POLICY OR ADD TO THE POLICY, BUT JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT MECHANISM FOR THAT.

>> OKAY, I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. THAT'S THAT'S ALL MY CONCERNS ON THE EUTHANASIA

POLICY. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT SIX

THEN? >> ONE THANK YOU, COUNCILPERSON JESTER. WELL, FIRST I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR I HAD SEVERAL QUESTIONS AND A LOT OF IT WAS JUST CLARIFICATIONS OR DEFINITIONS. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TURNING THOSE RIGHT AROUND. AND THEY WERE VERY HELPFUL. THIS WHOLE PRESENTATION HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL. I THINK THE ONLY THING THAT CONCERNED ME WAS THE WHICH I UNDERSTAND. WE WANT ALL THE CHECKS AND BALANCES THAT IS THAT ARE BUILT IN HERE, BUT SO IT'S SIX PEOPLE THAT NEED TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS BEFORE AN ANIMAL IS PUT DOWN. AND MY ONLY CONCERN WAS, IS DIFFICULT TO GET ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE TOGETHER BECAUSE I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A VET 24 OVER SEVEN. SO THAT'S MY ONLY CONCERN, IS THAT WE'VE GOT AN ILL OR INJURED ANIMAL THAT IS GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT SOME TIME BEFORE THAT GROUP CAN GET TOGETHER. AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST A LAYPERSON'S READING. BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE ONLY THINGS I HAD A FURTHER

QUESTION ABOUT. >> SURE. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO PUT IN THE MECHANISM FOR EMERGENCY EUTHANASIA. IF THERE'S AN ANIMAL THAT, YOU KNOW, THE VET STAFF HAS LOOKED AT OR HAS COME IN FROM THE FIELD OR IS PICKED UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND IT'S AGONAL BREATHING, IT CAN'T USE ITS BACK, LEGS OR WHATEVER IT IS. IF IT'S SOMETHING WHERE IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT THE ANIMAL IS IN IMMEDIATE PAIN, THAT CANNOT BE REMEDIED, THEN WE CAN PROVIDE FOR EUTHANASIA THERE. THEY'LL CALL ME AND WE'LL TALK THROUGH THE SITUATION. AND, YOU KNOW, IF OUR VET TEAM IS THERE, WE HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT QUICKLY AND THEN KIND OF CONVENE THE FORMAL REVIEW COMMITTEE. YES, SOMETIMES IT IS HARD TO GET IT TOGETHER JUST BECAUSE THE SHELTER IS CONSTANTLY OPERATING. BUT WE DO HAVE THE VET SIT IN AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN THEY'RE DONE WITH THEIR SURGERIES, THEY PROVIDE THE MEDICAL EXAM. AND THEN OUR REVIEW TEAM MEETS AT LEAST AT LEAST WEEKLY TO GO THROUGH THE CASES THAT WE HAVE. BUT AGAIN, IF THERE'S AN EXTREME NEED OR AN ANIMAL THAT IS SUFFERING, WE DO NOT WAIT FOR THE COMMITTEE TO CONVENE TO BE

ABLE TO HELP THAT ANIMAL. >> WELL, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, JUST AS YOU STATED, YOU'VE GOT THAT AFTER PROCEDURE REPORTING THAT MORE THAN ONE PERSON IS GOING TO BE INVOLVED. AND SO AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT SOME CHECKS AND BALANCES BUILT IN. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN. IT SOUNDS LIKE SOME OF IT HAD TO JUST BE CREATED

[00:55:02]

AND SO I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR TURNING WHAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY UNFORTUNATE INTO THIS EXCELLENT WORK, AND ALSO THAT THE GOALS OF SHELTERS ARE A 90% LIVE RELEASE AND THAT AT THIS POINT IN TIME IT'S BEEN EXCEEDED, MET OR EXCEEDED AT OUR SHELTER. IT IS SOMETHING TO BE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF. I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OUR COMMUNITY CARES VERY MUCH ABOUT AND WE CARE VERY MUCH ABOUT. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY, ALL OF THE WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS IS WORTH

IT AND SEEN AND APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT ONE. >> COUNCILMEMBER JESTER, YOU PRETTY MUCH. GOTTEN MY QUESTION, BUT I APPRECIATE THAT. SO I DON'T HAVE TO ASK THAT PART. BUT I ALSO ON TOP OF THAT, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. REAL QUICK QUESTION. SO WE KNOW THAT THIS PROCESS IS GOING TO GO THROUGH PEOPLE, PARTICULAR PEOPLE AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE. BUT MY QUESTION IS, IS MORE THAN ONE PERSON DOING THE YOUTH AND EUTHANIZING OR THERE'S JUST A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT CAN DO IT.

>> YES, WE HAVE OUR ALL OF OUR STAFF ARE YOUTH EUTHANASIA CERTIFIED.

>> OKAY. >> AND THEN YOU KNOW, IT'S A ROTATION OR WHO'S AVAILABLE TO BE ABLE TO PERFORM THE EUTHANASIA. AND THEY DO HAVE TWO PEOPLE WHEN THEY'RE PERFORMING

IT. >> OKAY. AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT JUST PRETTY MUCH ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD ON ON TOP OF WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER JESTER HAD. SO I APPRECIATE

THAT. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF SEEING NONE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH

I APPRECIATE IT. >> WE GET THE SECOND PART. SORRY.

>> YEP. >> THAT'S RIGHT. MORE FUN OKAY. SO THE SECOND PART OF OUR DISCUSSION IS OUR ANIMAL SERVICES SCHEDULES OF FEES. SO WITH THE RENEWED FOCUS ON ANIMAL WELFARE AND PRIORITIZING LIFE SAVINGS, WE HAVE SEEN A MARKED INCREASE IN THE NEED TO OUTSOURCE CARE AND TREATMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, PARVO CASES. WE NOW TREAT THOSE FYP AND LUKE, ALL OF THOSE ILLNESSES YOU CAN SEE IN THE TABLE BELOW THE INCREASE IN OUR SPENDING THIS LAST FISCAL YEAR. AS OF APRIL 26TH. AND YOU'LL NOTE HERE, IT LOOKS LIKE IT WENT UP IN FISCAL YEAR 23 AND THEN DOWN AND THEN BACK UP. THAT'S BECAUSE WE STARTED PERFORMING X RAYS IN HOUSE. SO A LOT OF THE ONES THAT WERE OUTSOURCED IN FISCAL YEAR 23 ARE JUST IMAGES. BUT NOW THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT IN-HOUSE, BUT THE 82 DOES NOT INCLUDE X RAY IMAGES, IT IS ALL TREATMENTS. SO WITH THAT, OUR CURRENT SPEND ON EXTERNAL VETERINARY SERVICES, YOU CAN SEE WHAT IT IS THERE. WE ARE MOVING TOWARDS HIRING AN IN-HOUSE VET, BUT ALL OF THOSE OUTSOURCE TREATMENTS AREN'T GOING TO BE REMEDIATED BY HIRING IN-HOUSE. THERE ARE STILL THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE OUTSOURCED. CURRENT OPERATIONS, IF WE CONTINUE IN THIS MANNER, ARE GOING TO PUT A STRAIN ON OUR RESOURCES. WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE MAY NEED TO EXPLORE KIND OF A COST BENEFIT FRAMEWORK FOR GUIDING TREATMENT AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION. SO THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER GOING FORWARD. ONE WAY WE CAN HELP OFFSET EXPENSES IS EXAMINING OUR CURRENT SCHEDULE OF FEES. AND SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING UPDATING OUR CURRENT SCHEDULE OF FEES FOR ANIMAL SERVICES. SO OUR SCHEDULE OF FEES ARE LISTINGS OF FEES AND RATES CHARGED TO THE PUBLIC. FOR SERVICES WE PROVIDE. OUR CURRENT FEE SCHEDULE WAS ADOPTED IN 2013. SO IT HAS BEEN A NUMBER OF YEARS SINCE IT HAS BEEN UPDATED. WE DID CONDUCT A FORMAL DEPARTMENT COST OF SERVICE STUDY TO LOOK AT WHAT OUR DIRECT COSTS WERE PER ANIMAL, AND WE DID BENCHMARK WITH SURROUNDING AND LIKE CITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE STAYING WITHIN MARKET RATES. WE DID ALSO LOOK AT THE RATES AND WHAT WE ARE REQUESTING BASED ON CURRENT FEES, OUR CURRENT COST RECOVERY RATE AND THE IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY. SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BALANCING WHAT THE MARKET CAN BEAR. IF OUR IF OUR RECLAIM RATE WAS 100% OF OUR COSTS, NO ONE WOULD EVER COME AND RECLAIM THEIR ANIMALS. SAME THING WITH THE ADOPTION RATES. SO THERE'S A BIT OF A BALANCE THERE. ALSO, THE PROPOSED FEES REFLECT RECENT CHAPTER SIX ORDINANCE CHANGES, CURRENT PRACTICES AND OFFSETS INCREASE IN EXPENSES FOR GOODS AND SERVICES. LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, THE COST FOR US TO DO BUSINESS IS GOING UP, SO OUR PROPOSED RATE CHANGES AND ADDITIONS, WE HAVE THEM ALL LISTED OUT HERE. YOU WILL NOTICE THAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO REDUCE THE ADOPTION FEE. THE CURRENT ADOPTION FEE IS $60 FOR DOGS AND CATS. WE'RE PROPOSING TO REDUCE IT DOWN TO 40. A NUMBER OF ADOPTIONS ARE DONE AT THE SUBSIDY RATE ANYWAYS, AND SO IT WON'T HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON OUR REVENUE. AND WE'RE HOPING TO INCREASE ADOPTIONS THAT WAY,

[01:00:01]

WE'RE CHANGING THOSE CLASSES TO ENCOURAGE SPAY AND NEUTER. SO THE FIRST ONE IS UNALTERED. AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THE IMPOUND FEES ARE HIGHER. NOW THE SECOND IMPOUND FEE REQUIRES STERILIZATION. AND THAT WAS WITH A CHANGE TO THE CHAPTER SIX ORDINANCE. WE ARE PROPOSING TO ALSO INCLUDE STERILIZATION IN HOUSE, SO WE CAN ENSURE THAT THE STERILIZATION DOES GET DONE. AND THAT WILL BE A CHARGE OF $150, WHICH DOES RECOVER THE COST OF WHAT THE SURGERY COSTS US. THE IMPOUND FEE. WE CHANGE THE CLASS UP FOR ALTERED. THIS IS TO HELP ENCOURAGE SPAY AND NEUTER. SO YOU'LL SEE THAT THE FEES FOR RECLAIM HERE ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN THE PREVIOUS FEES. AND THEN WE CREATED AN IMPOUND FEE FOR CLASS B, WHICH IS PROHIBITED. EXOTIC OR WILD ANIMALS. THOSE ANIMALS REQUIRE TYPICALLY SPECIAL FOODS SPECIAL HOUSING, SPECIAL BEDDING SPECIAL HANDLING, ALL THE SPECIAL THINGS. SO WE'RE TRYING TO RECOVER THE COST FOR THAT. WE ACTUALLY HAD A SNAKE COME IN TODAY. YEAH, IT'S IN MY OFFICE. I'M HOPING IT DOESN'T ESCAPE.

STEVE I'M NOT KIDDING. SO OUR DAILY HANDLING FEE. YES, HE'S A BALL PYTHON. YEP. SORRY. OUR DAILY HANDLING FEE. WE'RE UPPING THAT. AND THE QUARANTINE FEE JUST TO RECOVER A LITTLE BIT OF ADDITIONAL COSTS THERE. AND THEN DROP OFF OR CITY PICKUP DISPOSAL FEES OF DEAD ANIMALS. AND THEN THE DANGEROUS ANIMAL FEE IS STAYING THE SAME. THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT THE DANGEROUS DOG FEE SIGN. WE DO ALLOW PER ORDINANCE PEOPLE TO RETAIN DOGS IF THE COURTS DO DEEM THEM DANGEROUS. HOWEVER, THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO RETAIN THE DOG. ONE OF THEM IS TO HAVE A SIGN THAT, AS AT THE PROPERTY ENTRANCES ARE SAYING THAT THE DOG IS DANGEROUS. WE DO HAVE THOSE SIGNS. SOMETIMES PEOPLE CANNOT GET THEM THEMSELVES. AND THERE'S IN THE ORDINANCE SPECIFIC WAYS THAT THE SIGN NEEDS TO BE MADE. SO WE DO SELL THOSE. SO WE'RE JUST RECOVERING THE COST FOR THOSE. CURRENTLY WE DO CHARGE FOR THEM, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO PROHIBIT ANIMAL PERMIT IS UPPING OUR MICROCHIP FEE. SO NOW WE MICROCHIP WITH CHAPTER SIX. THAT'S $25. AND THEN OUR OWNER SURRENDER FEE. THERE WAS A QUESTION ON OWNER SURRENDER. WE DON'T CURRENTLY CHARGE ONE. IT DOES COST US MONEY TO TAKE AN ANIMAL IN WITH THE VACCINATIONS. THE DE-WORMER, THE MICROCHIP, THE EXAM. SO THIS DOES NOT RECOVER OUR COSTS, BUT IT DOES HELP OFFSET THE COSTS A LITTLE BIT. THERE'S A QUESTION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE'LL SEE INCREASED DUMPING. THAT'S THAT IS A POSSIBILITY. BUT IT MAY ALSO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO REHOME THEMSELVES RATHER THAN JUST BRING THE ANIMAL TO THE SHELTER. SO WE CAN CERTAINLY ELIMINATE THAT FEE IF COUNCIL WISHES. OR WE CAN COLLECT DATA FOR SIX MONTHS A YEAR AND SEE. SO I'LL LEAVE THAT UP TO YOU DIRECTION OF THE COUNCIL. BUT WE ARE PROPOSING TO IMPLEMENT THE FEE REMOVAL OF FEES. THESE CLASSES ARE NO LONGER APPLICABLE. WE, THE COUNTY HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DEALING WITH LIVESTOCK PER THE AG CODE CHAPTER 142. WE DO NOT EMPOWER THEM, SO WE DON'T NEED TO CHARGE THESE FEES AND THEN ANIMAL EUTHANASIA FEE. WE ARE NOT DOING OWNER REQUESTED EUTHANASIA UNTIL THEY GO THROUGH REVIEW COMMITTEE. WE'RE NOT CHARGING A FEE FOR THOSE AND THEN CAT AND DOG REGISTRATION FEES. WE'RE NOW MICROCHIPPING AND NOT DOING THE REGISTRATION SO WE ARE REMOVING THOSE. SO THOSE ARE THE FEES THAT WE CHARGE FOR ANIMALS THAT ARE COME FROM WITHIN THE CITY AND OR PEOPLE ARE ADOPTING FROM THE CITY. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A RESIDENT TO ADOPT, BUT THOSE ARE THE ANIMALS THAT ARE BROUGHT IN FROM WITHIN THE CITY. THOSE ARE FEES. THE SECOND PART OF THIS ARE THE FEES THAT WE CHARGE TO COUNTY OR TO THE RESIDENTS FROM THE COUNTY. IF THEY'RE ANIMALS BROUGHT IN BY THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR RECLAIM. SO OUR CURRENT CONTRACT WITH DENTON COUNTY TO PROVIDE SERVICES IS THESE ARE THE RATES THAT ARE GOING TO BE INCLUDED IN THERE. AND WE ARE UPDATING THE IOLA INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT TO BETTER REFLECT RISING COSTS. SO AGAIN, THESE ARE FEES THAT ARE COLLECTED FROM THE CITY, FROM OWNERS OF ANIMALS RECEIVED FROM THE COUNTY. SO THE COUNTY BRINGS US AN ANIMAL AND THE OWNER COMES TO RECLAIM IT. THIS IS WHAT THEY WOULD BE CHARGED. AND THESE ARE ARE HIGHER THAN WHAT WE'RE CHARGING OUR CITIZENS. THE NEXT TWO SLIDES OR THREE SLIDES, ARE THE FEES THAT ARE CHARGED TO DENTON COUNTY IN PER OUR CONTRACT. WE INVOICE THEM FOR THE SERVICES SUCH AS HOLDING OF

[01:05:03]

WE ARE SEEKING FEEDBACK FROM COUNCIL TODAY ON THE SCHEDULE OF FEES, AND WITH THE PLAN OF BRINGING IT BACK TO COUNCIL IN JUNE FOR FORMAL ADOPTION. IF APPROVED, WE PLAN TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW FEES ON JULY 1ST. WE'LL WORK WITH MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS ON A PUBLIC INFORMATION PLAN, AND THEN THE UPDATED FEES FOR COUNTY WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE REVISED ILA AGREEMENT. THAT REVIEW IS CURRENTLY IN PROCESS, WITH A PLAN TO BRING IT TO COUNCIL IN

JUNE FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL. SO I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU. QUESTIONS ON FEES

REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT THREE. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT VERY THOROUGH REVIEW. MUST HAVE BEEN A PAINSTAKING PROCESS. JUST A QUESTION ABOUT THE ADOPTION FEES FOR THE NON CAT, DOG, FURRY AND FEATHERY THINGS. YOU SAID THAT YOU'RE LINING UP WITH WHAT'S ACTUALLY CHARGED. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? THAT WE HAVE A PRACTICE OF WHAT'S ACTUALLY CHARGED

THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN THE CURRENT SCHEDULE OF FEES? >> I GUESS WE DID NOT GO THROUGH THE PROPER PROCESS OF GETTING APPROVAL TO CHARGE FEES WHEN WE DECIDED TO START CHARGING THOSE

FEES. >> AND HONEST ANSWER, OKAY, THANKS.

>> ANYONE ELSE? REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT FOUR, THEN TWO. >> THANK YOU. I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU DO. THANK YOU. NOW SEE, I'M GOING TO GET ALL EXCITED ABOUT THIS.

COMPARE FOR ME PLEASE. THE COST, THE SURRENDER FEE VERSUS THE ADOPTION FEE.

>> IN WHAT MANNER. I'M SORRY. SO ADOPTION FEES ARE $40. THE SURRENDER FEE WOULD BE 45 OR 75, DEPENDING ON IF THE ANIMAL IS ALTERED OR NOT. AND ALTERED MEANS WE'D HAVE TO PROVIDE

STERILIZATION SURGERY. >> OKAY. AND DO I PRESUME THAT THAT'S PER ANIMAL?

>> YES, SIR. >> OKAY. DO YOU GET LITTERS OF PUPPIES FROM TIME TO TIME?

>> WE DO. TYPICALLY, THEY'LL COME IN AS STRAYS. I FOUND THESE PUPPIES, SO. BUT YES, WE HAVEN'T HAD A TYPICALLY WE DON'T GET AT LEAST ANECDOTALLY I DON'T HAVE DATA TO BACK THIS UP. BUT ANECDOTALLY I HAVE NOT SEEN PEOPLE COME IN AND SURRENDER LITTERS OF PUPPIES OR KITTENS.

WE DO HAVE IT OCCASIONALLY. AND FORGIVE ME, I DID ADMIT THAT THE SCHEDULE OF FEES WOULD ALLOW FOR THE DIRECTOR OR THE SHELTER MANAGER TO ALTER THE FEES FOR EITHER ADOPTION, OWNER, SURRENDER, OR IMPOUND BASED ON THE BEST INTEREST OF THE ANIMAL. SO LET'S SAY SOMEONE HAS A FINANCIAL ISSUE WHERE THEY CAN'T PAY RECLAIM FEES IF IT'S BETTER FOR THE ANIMAL NOT TO BE IN THE SHELTER AND TO BE WITH THE PERSON. IF THEY CAN'T PAY THE $50 RECLAIM FEE, I'D RATHER GIVE THEM THE ANIMAL BACK AND SAY, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP KEEP THAT ANIMAL WITH YOU SO IT DOESN'T END UP BACK HERE? IS IT MICROCHIP? IS IT A BAG OF FOOD? IS IT A COLLAR? WHAT HAVE YOU? SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE PRIORITIZING, WHAT WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS. AND WHILE THESE FEES ARE SET, IF THERE IS A NEED, STAFF HAS THE FLEXIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITHIN THAT.

>> AND SO AND SO A PERSON CAN DO A WORKAROUND AND CALL IT A STRAY RATHER THAN A SURRENDER. THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING. YES, SIR. OKAY, OKAY. I'M, I'M I'M HAPPY WITH EVERYTHING. EXCEPT I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE SURRENDER FEE. I'M JUST I'M JUST AFRAID THAT THAT'S GOING TO. I CAN'T AFFORD TO SURRENDER MY DOG. I'M GOING TO TAKE IT OUT IN THE COUNTRY AND DROP IT OFF. AND I KNOW THAT HAPPENS, THAT THAT WOULD BE MY. THAT WOULD BE MY ONLY RECOMMENDATION. OTHERWISE. I'M

[01:10:05]

VERY HAPPY WITH THIS. >> THANK YOU. THE ONLY REASON I WOULD SAY I FEEL YOUR PAIN THERE. COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLAND. WHEN WE TAKE ON AN OWNER SURRENDERED, WE'RE PAYING FOR THEIR MANY TIMES THEY HAVEN'T BEEN CHECKED OUT. FROM A VETERINARIAN PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE FEEDING THEM OR TAKING CARE OF. AND $45 IS A VERY INSIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'RE COLLECTING, QUITE FRANKLY, JUST SO THAT WE CAN MANY TIMES GIVE THEM THE PROPER HELP THEY NEED

AND PROPER FOOD. SOME OF THESE ANIMALS COME IN UNDERNOURISHED. >> AND I COULD NOT AGREE MORE AT THE SAME TIME. EITHER I DON'T HAVE $45, OR I'M NOT WILLING TO PAY $45, I WILL. I WILL DO A

SELF-HELP THING OUT ON ON A FARM TO MARKET ROAD. >> YEAH. AND WE GET IT THERE FROM THERE, TOO. I WOULD SAY WE DO HAVE SOME FUNDS FROM OUR NONPROFIT THAT HELPS US IN SOME OF THESE AREAS THAT WE CAN PUT TOWARDS OWNER SURRENDERED FEE IF THAT BECAME A PROBLEM, I MEAN, THE DENTON ANIMAL SERVICES FOUNDATION, THE MONEY THAT THEY GIVE US. SO THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY THERE. BUT I DO UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM. I IT'S A THIS IS A LIKE I SAID BEFORE, THIS IS A VERY TOUGH FIELD TO BE IN AND VERY EMOTIONAL AT ALL TIMES.

>> AND WE CAN CERTAINLY REMOVE THAT FEE IF THAT'S WHAT COUNCIL DESIRES. BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, AN INTAKE EXAM, MICROCHIP VACCINATIONS, WHICH INCLUDE DE-WORMER, IS $77.68. IF THE ANIMAL NEEDS TO BE SPAYED OR NEUTERED FOR A DOG, IT'S AN ADDITIONAL $98, ALMOST $99. SO THAT'S A LARGE EXPENSE THAT THE CITY INCURS FOR TAKING IN AN OWNER. SURRENDER. AGAIN, WE CAN ELIMINATE IF THAT'S WHAT COUNCIL WISHES, BUT WE WERE JUST TRYING

TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN RECOUP SOME EXPENSES. >> IT'S A IT'S A THORNY PROBLEM.

AND I AND I SEE THAT IT IS I WOULD RESPECT WHATEVER THE REST OF THE COUNCIL THINKS.

>> REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT TWO. >> THANK YOU. AND, NIKKI, IF I REMEMBER YOU LED WITH THAT. IT COST US ROUGHLY $75 AN ANIMAL FOR A DOG, I THINK YOU SAID. AND WE'RE WE'RE ADOPTING IT OUT AT 40. AND SO WE'RE SUBSIDIZING ROUGHLY HALF. IS THAT CORRECT?

>> YES, SIR. >> AND SO DO YOU. YOU YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT YOU COMPARED IT TO COMPARABLES, BUT YOU DIDN'T LIST ANY COMPARABLES. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE TODAY UNLESS YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW THE COMPARABLES. BUT AS YOU COME BACK, IF YOU COULD THROW SOME COMPARABLES AT US SO THAT WE COULD JUST SEE WHERE WE FIT IN NORTH TEXAS IN TERMS OF FEE STRUCTURE, SURE.

>> I DO HAVE THAT. WE DID A FEE STUDY, SO I'M HAPPY TO SHARE IT WITH COUNCIL.

>> OKAY. >> AND THEN I'M YOU ANSWER ONE OF MY QUESTIONS. I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YOU BROUGHT UP THE ISSUE OF DIRECTOR DISCRETION ON SOME OF THOSE WAIVE FEES. OH, OKAY. SO THE TWO REMAINING QUESTIONS AND I THINK IT'S JUST BECAUSE I'M, I'M COUNCILOR JESTER HAD SIMILAR QUESTIONS. THINGS THAT ARE NOT CAT DOG THAT ARE NOT DOMESTIC LIVESTOCK, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY'RE PETS OR NOT. SO LAMBS AND CHICKENS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IT THEY'RE STILL HANDLED BY THE COUNTY AND THE COUNTY'S RULES OR HOW WHAT'S THE INTERACTION OF THOSE WHEN

THEY'RE WHEN THEY'RE KEPT AS A, AS A DOMESTIC ANIMAL. >> SURE. OUR ORDINANCE DOES PROVIDE SOME REGULATIONS AS TO THE GENERAL CARE FOR THOSE ANIMALS. AND SO IF SOMEONE IS IN VIOLATION OF THAT, WE CAN GO OUT AND DO AN ANIMAL WELFARE CHECK. WE CAN CITE THEM. WE CAN HELP THEM GET UP TO STANDARDS. BUT AS FAR AS A LOOSE LIVESTOCK THAT FALLS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE COUNTY, SO AN ASTRAY. SO LET'S SAY SOMEONE'S GOAT GETS OUT OR SOMEONE'S HORSE GETS OUT, OR A BULL THAT FALLS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE COUNTY. NOW, THAT'S NOT SAYING WE WON'T GO OUT AND ASSIST IN FINDING AN OWNER, BUT OUR OFFICERS DON'T HAVE THE MEANS TO DISPATCH OR CATCH OR CONTAIN OR TRANSPORT OR HOUSE ANY OF THOSE TYPES OF ANIMALS. AND SO, PER THE CODE,

IT DOES FALL UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE SHERIFF. >> SO WE WOULD IF WE IF WE OBTAINED AN ANIMAL OF THAT SORT, WE WOULD SURRENDER IT TO THE COUNTY AND IT WOULD BE ON THEIR, THEIR FEES, THEIR, THEIR BUDGET TO, TO MANAGE AND DEAL WITH OR I MEAN, THAT'S THIS I'M ASKING THE BUDGET QUESTION OF WHEN WE DON'T HAVE TYPICAL HOUSEHOLD ANIMALS BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE SAYING REMOVE THOSE FEES. AND I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE ANIMALS AND WHO

DEALS WITH THEM. >> IT DOES. THERE IS A MECHANISM IN THAT SAME AG CODE FOR DEALING WITH ANIMALS AND THEN RECLAIM OF THE ANIMALS. SO. AND YOU'LL FORGIVE ME, I DON'T KNOW. I CAN'T CITE IT EXACTLY, BUT IT IS THE THEY CAN DO AN AUCTION TO RECOUP SOME OF THE FEES. THERE'S

[01:15:02]

THE SHERIFF. >> OKAY. AND SIMILARLY, AND MAYBE I JUST MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT YOU SAID. WE'RE NOW REFUSING TO HANDLE EUTHANASIA FOR ANY COUNTY ANIMALS. IS THAT WHAT. AND WE DID IN THE PAST, WE ANIMALS SURRENDERED TO US FROM THE COUNTY IF NECESSARY WERE EUTHANIZED. AND WE'RE SAYING WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT. IS THAT WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY?

>> CORRECT. THEIR OFFICERS BRING IN THE ANIMALS. AND SO THEY ARE NOW EUTHANASIA CERTIFIED, AND THEY CARRY THEIR OWN CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES AND HAVE THEIR OWN LAWS. SO WE PROVIDE THE

FACILITY, THEY PERFORM THE EUTHANASIA. >> OKAY.

>> AND IS THERE. WELL, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY AN ADMINISTRATIVE TRIVIA. SO I'M NOT GOING TO BELABOR THAT. SO THAT THAT'S SIMPLY OFF THE BOOKS. OKAY. I THINK THAT'S ALL

MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT ONE.

>> MY QUESTION GOES TO THE SHELTER AND THEIR ANIMALS THERE AT THE SHELTER. ARE YOU ALL THE

CITY PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THE ANIMALS AT THE SHELTER? >> LIKE IN WHAT MANNER?

>> SORRY WE TALKED TO A EIGHT. >> YEAH. 288 SHELTER. YEAH. >> OH, SHELTER.

>> WE HAVE WORKED WITH THEM IN THE PAST IF THEY NEED. THEY DO HAVE SOME REQUIREMENTS FOR ANIMALS TO BE VACCINATED. AND SO IF THAT IS NEEDED FOR A PERSON TO BE ABLE TO STAY THERE, WE WILL HELP THEM OUT WITH VACCINATIONS. LAST YEAR WE DID A MICROCHIP VACCINATION CLINIC OVER AT ODB. IF THEY NEED HELP, WE'RE WILLING TO HELP THEM OUT AS BEST WE CAN. SO YES.

>> SO THAT DOES THAT HAVE A PARTICULAR LINE ITEM FUNDING THAT'S SET ASIDE TO DO THAT, OR IS THAT JUST ABSORBED INTO THE TYPE OF HELP THAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO ANYONE ELSE THAT MAY.

>> WE DO ABSORB IT INTO OUR GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES. WE DO FROM TIME TO TIME PROVIDE COMMUNITY OUTREACH, SPAY NEUTER SERVICES OR VACCINATIONS. THE THOUGHT IS THAT IT PREVENTS AN ANIMAL FROM COMING INTO THE SHELTER AND OR IF THE ANIMAL IS UNVACCINATED AND HAS A HIGHER PROPENSITY OF COMING INTO CONTACT WITH AN ANIMAL THAT MAY HAVE RABIES OR DISTEMPER, SUCH AS UNHOUSED ANIMALS. AND THEN IT COMES INTO THE SHELTER AS A STRAY, THEN WE HAVE THE RISK OF EXPOSURE IN THE SHELTER. SO TO US, IT'S A BENEFIT OF PROVIDING THOSE VACCINATIONS, THAT STERILIZATION, THAT MICROCHIP, SO WE CAN RETURN THE ANIMAL BACK TO ITS OWNER. WE ARE LOOKING PART OF OUR OUR STRATEGIC PLAN LONG TERM IS TO CREATE A HOLISTIC COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM AND EDUCATION PROGRAM. WE AS SOON AS WE GET THROUGH ALL OF THIS, WE'RE WORKING ON

FOCUSING ON THAT. NOW THAT WE HAVE A FULL MANAGEMENT TEAM. >> SO ALL RIGHT, DO YOU ALL HAVE DO THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS AT THE SHELTER THAT'S BEING ASSISTED. DOES THAT NUMBER SEEM TO BE OF SIGNIFICANCE OR THIS IS IT. WOULD IT BE A, YOU KNOW, A NUMBER THAT WE COULD BE ASSURED

THAT SHOULDN'T AFFECT ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE MAY NEED. >> FROM THE VACCINATION CLINIC THAT WE DID LAST MAY? IT WAS OUR FIRST ONE. WE HAD 11 ANIMALS AND ONE OF THEM WAS A RABBIT, AND WE ENDED UP WITH ONE SPAY OUT OF THAT. AND SO THAT PREVENTED, YOU KNOW, HOWEVER MANY LITTERS OF HAPPENING. SO I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S A HUGE PERCENTAGE OF THE ANIMALS THAT WE SERVICE. WE HAVE

OVER 1300 ANIMALS THAT WE INTAKE A YEAR. SO 11 IS. >> A DROP IN THE BUCKET.

>> PRETTY MINOR. YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AGAIN. YOU ALL ARE DOING A GREAT JOB. WE

APPRECIATE IT. >> THANK YOU. >> REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT

THREE. >> I JUST WANT TO MAKE A SUGGESTION TAKING VERY SERIOUSLY BOTH COUNCILMEMBER HOLLAND'S COMMENTS ON THE SURRENDER FEE AND YOUR NEED TO RECOVER COSTS.

WHAT ABOUT LIKE, JUST LIKE AN ISR IN THREE MONTHS, BRIEF TO SAY HOW IT'S BEEN GOING AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AND IF IT'S STILL SEEMS LIKE REASONABLY OKAY AT SIX MONTHS, YOU KNOW, A KIND

OF AN EVALUATION SAID WOULD THAT ADDRESS. YEAH. >> SURE.

>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, MR. CITY MANAGER. >> SO COUNCIL THIS IS A AS YOU KNOW, AN OPERATION THAT'S VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO ME. AND I STOOD BEFORE YOU A WHILE BACK WHEN THINGS WERE NOT SO WONDERFUL AND SAID TO YOU THAT I PROMISED THAT WE WOULD TURN THIS PLACE AROUND, THAT NIKKI WOULD LEAD THIS PROCESS AND DO WHAT IT TOOK TO PUT THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE

[01:20:05]

IT'S PAINFUL WHEN YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH ANIMALS THAT AREN'T GOING TO LIVE BECAUSE OF ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS AND THEN NOT TO MENTION ALL THE THINGS YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH WHEN SOMEONE COMPLAINS ANIMALS ARE BEING ABUSED, THE HOUSE CALLS, THE STAFF HAVE TO MAKE, AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO HER, TO THE STAFF THAT SHE'S HIRED.

CASSEY IS OVERSEEING FRANK BEFORE THAT. CASSEY NOW WITH NIKKI, I ASSURE YOU. WILL THERE BE BUMPS IN THE ROAD? YES. AND FOR ME TO SIT HERE AND TELL YOU THERE WON'T BE ANOTHER ISSUE WOULD BE A LIE, BECAUSE ANIMAL SERVICES IS A VERY SENSITIVE AREA IN EVERY CITY THAT THEY HAVE AN ANIMAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT. BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE'LL HANDLE IT WITH GRACE, WE'LL HANDLE IT WITH TRUTH, AND WE'LL HANDLE IT WITH TRANSPARENCY, AND THAT YOU WILL GET THE BEST OF WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE FEES AND EVERYTHING WE HAVE. AND I HAVE THE UTMOST FAITH IN HER ABILITY TO LEAD THAT. AND I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING US BECAUSE IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN. THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE TIME TO FIX THIS AND MAKE IT WORK. AND, YOU KNOW, WE PROMISE YOU THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE.

>> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? ANYTHING ELSE? I JUST WANT TO CLOSE OUT, JUST ASK. SO LOOKING AT THE CARCASS HANDLING DEAD ANIMAL DISPOSAL FEE. SO THE QUESTION WAS ASKED OF ME AND I DIDN'T KNOW THE ANSWER. SO IF SOMEONE HAS LET'S SAY IT'S IN THIS INSTANCE WAS A POSSUM.

LIKE, HEY, WHAT DO I DO? WHAT DOES SOMEONE DO IN THAT SITUATION LIKE POSSUMS DECEASED.

>> AND THAT'S A GOOD POINT. WE CAN CLARIFY IN THIS. THIS IS MORE FOR DOGS AND CATS. IF SOMEONE HAS A POSSUM OR THERE'S A DEAD POSSUM OUT, WE COME OUT AND WE CAN PICK IT UP OR THEY CAN DROP IT OFF AT THE SHELTER. WE DON'T CHARGE FOR DISPOSAL FOR THAT.

>> OKAY. >> YEAH. GOT IT. OKAY. AND THEN. DO YOU KNOW OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD JUST GENERALLY WHAT SURROUNDING CITIES HAVE ANIMAL CITY OPERATED ANIMAL SHELTERS. I DON'T THINK THERE'S MANY IN THE, IN THIS AREA BECAUSE LAKE CITY'S CLOSED THEIRS.

>> DALLAS CLOSED THEIRS. LITTLE ELM, NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, FORT WORTH, MESQUITE, PLANO. GREAT

GRAND PRAIRIE, GRAPEVINE, ARLINGTON. >> YEAH, SO ALL THOSE ARE PRETTY

FAR AWAY. >> BUT FOR. LITTLE ELM. >> YES, THERE IS IN DENTON

COUNTY, THERE ARE NOT VERY MANY. >> RIGHT. YEAH. RIGHT. >> SO TO ME THAT'S THE IMPORTANCE OF AT LEAST THE FEES AND RECAPTURING BECAUSE OR AT LEAST SENDING A MESSAGE TO PEOPLE THAT IT'S NOT JUST, HEY, THE CITY OF DENTON WILL PAY FOR IT, RIGHT? I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. AND OBVIOUSLY WITH THE FLEXIBILITY THE DIRECTOR HA. AND THEN. JUST AS A SIDE, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOUR STAFF AS WELL. THANK YOU TO AND STAFF AND JESSE, ALL THE WORK HE DID WITH HIS PROGRAMING AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF, CODING, WHATEVER YOU CALL IT, BUT ALSO WANT TO THANK, TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THE COUNTY FOR HELPING US GET TO THIS POINT. RIGHT. AND SO AND IT TOOK A FEW ITERATIONS BUT WE'RE THERE. AND SO THAT'S GOOD. AND I THANK THEM FOR THAT AND FOR ALL THEIR HELP. AND THEN LASTLY HAVE WE AND THIS IS NOT MAYBE THIS GO ROUND. BUT I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND FROM A FEE PERSPECTIVE AND FROM A GETTING PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE

[01:25:05]

THINGS. HAVE WE CONSIDERED SOME SOME SERVICE LIKE THAT? >> HOW MUCH TIME YOU GOT? I CAN TELL YOU A WHOLE STORY. YES. SO A FEW THINGS. ONE, WHEN WE HAVE THE IN-HOUSE VET, WE'LL HAVE MORE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. RIGHT NOW WITH THE CONTRACTED SERVICES. IT'S HARD TO GET A VET TO DO THAT WITH US. THE SECOND PART OF THAT IS WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE BOND PROJECT AND CONSTRUCTION, THERE'S GOING TO BE A POINT IN TIME WHERE WE REDUCE CAPACITY, AND SO WE'LL HAVE MORE BANDWIDTH TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND BUILD OUR OUTREACH PROGRAMS THAT THEN CAN CONTINUE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IS MAYBE POTENTIALLY A FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITY WITH OUR PARTNERS IS A MOBILE SPAY UNIT BUS, AND THOSE YOU CAN ACTUALLY DRIVE OUT TO A COMMUNITY. WE CAN GO TO AN APARTMENT COMPLEX AND KNOCK OUT 50 SPAY NEUTER IN AN AFTERNOON, BRING EVERYONE OUT, AND THEN THAT REALLY HELPS CONTROL YOUR PET POPULATION BECAUSE YOU'RE ELIMINATING THE BARRIER OF HAVING TO COME TO THE SHELTER. WE'RE RIGHT HERE. LET'S GET YOUR ANIMAL MICROCHIPPED. LET'S GET VACCINATED. LET'S GET IT SPAYED AND NEUTERED. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S, I THINK, A PIE IN THE SKY DREAM FOR ALL OF OUR STAFF. IT'S A LITTLE EXPENSIVE.

CASSEY MIGHT KILL ME IF I TELL YOU ABOUT IT. IT'S $300,000 FOR A SMALL ONE, BUT IT IS, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN WRAP IT. IT'S GREAT ADVERTISING AS WELL. IT HELPS BUILD THAT BRAND AND THEN THAT HELPS INCREASE ADOPTIONS AND TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY. WE COULD ALSO TAKE IT OUT TO THE CAMPS, RIGHT, THE UNHOUSED CAMPS AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE OUT HERE. WHAT CAN WE PROVIDE YOU TO HELP KEEP THIS ANIMAL WITH YOU AND OUT OF THE SHELTER? LET'S VACCINATE IT. LET'S MICROCHIP IT. DO YOU NEED FOOD? DO YOU NEED WHAT DO YOU NEED? DO YOU NEED A LEASH? HEY, DID YOU KNOW THAT? YOU KNOW RABIES IS REAL. SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE CAN. WE CAN HELP IF WE START FOCUSING ON THOSE COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS. AND NOW THAT WE HAVE OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM IN PLACE, AND AS WE INCREASE OUR BANDWIDTH A LITTLE BIT MORE, WE CAN START FOCUSING ON THAT COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS, BECAUSE IT DOES SAVE US MONEY IN THE LONG RUN, MAYBE $300,000 FOR THE BUS. BUT IF I DON'T HAVE TO HOUSE AN ADDITIONAL 600 ANIMALS, THAT'S A HUGE SAVINGS.

>> YEAH. NO, I'M I'M FULLY SUPPORTIVE FOR THAT REASON. I MEAN, YOU REALLY IT RESONATES WITH ME. THE VALUE OF ONE, GETTING MORE PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE. IT'S EASIER IF YOU GO TO THEM AND GET THEM TO BUY IN. AND THEN TWO THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT AWARENESS AND THEN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF IT AND SOMEONE ELSE IS JUST DRIVING BY HAPPENS TO SEE IT ALL. I NEED TO DO THAT AS WELL, JUST KIND OF ALL THE WAY AROUND. I THINK IT'S A WIN. AND WE'VE WE'VE. SPENT

200,000 ON WORSE. >> SO AND. >> IT'S NOT JUST THE SPAY NEUTER CLINIC, YOU CAN ALSO USE IT AS A MOBILE ADOPTION CENTER. SO YOU CAN DRIVE OUT TO AN EVENT. AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO GET OUT TO EVENTS. PEOPLE THINK, OH, JUST BRING OUT PUPPIES AND HAVE AN ADOPTION EVENT. WELL, THAT TAKES STAFF AND YOU NEED POP UP CRATES AND YOU NEED WATER AND YOU NEED CLIMATE CONSIDERATIONS. BUT IF YOU HAVE THE MOBILE UNIT, IT'S ALL SELF-CONTAINED. YOU JUST DRIVE OUT TO THE EVENT AND YOU CAN HIT UP A LOT MORE EVENTS. WHEN YOU ONLY TAKE A VOLUNTEER

IN ONE STAFF PERSON TO GO OUT THERE AND OPERATE IT. >> GOOD. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU FOR BEING AWARE AND LOOKING INTO THAT. I AM SUPPORTIVE WHEN WE GET THERE.

UNDERSTANDING THAT TAKES TIME. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. YEAH. SO OKAY THEN LET ME READ THIS. THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW AT 3:58 P.M, CONVENE A CLOSED MEETING TO

[1. Closed Meeting:]

[AFTER DETERMINING THAT A QUORUM IS PRESENT, THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL WILL CONVENE AT 6:30 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT CITY HALL, 215 E. MCKINNEY STREET, DENTON, TEXAS AT WHICH THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WILL BE CONSIDERED:]

ABLE. >> 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. >> HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE.

>> ALLEGIANCE TO THEE. TEXAS. ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.

[2. PROCLAMATIONS/PRESENTATIONS]

>> OKAY. AND THEN WE HAVE SOME PROCLAMATIONS. WE'LL START WITH WATER SAFETY AWARENESS MONTH. IF

[01:30:08]

YOU CAN MEET ME DOWN AT THE PODIUM, WE'LL RECOGNIZE THAT. >> I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL. RIGHT.

NO, NO. HELLO? ALL RIGHT. >> OKAY, SO WE'RE RECOGNIZING WATER SAFETY. WHO'S GOING TO

WHO'S SPEAKING FOR US? >> OKAY. THERE YOU GO. >> WATER SAFETY AWARENESS MONTH IS A NATIONAL DEAL. IT IS SOMETHING THAT EACH STATE PROCLAIMS IN ORDER TO BRING AWARENESS TO SAFETY IN, ON OR AROUND WATER. IT CAN BE ANYTHING FROM THE POOLS IN YOUR BACKYARD TO COMMUNITY SPACES, LAKES, PONDS, OPEN WATER AND OR OCEAN. THIS IS A PROCLAMATION THAT IS GOING TO HONOR THE PEOPLE WHO HELP BRING SAFETY MEASURES TO THE WATER, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER, SUCH AS OUR SWIM LESSONS, OUR INSTRUCTOR LED COURSES, OR LIFEGUARD. LIFEGUARD CERTIFICATIONS, KAYAKING CLASSES. IT CAN BE ANYTHING FROM THE PROACTIVE THINGS THAT WE DO IN ORDER TO HELP BRING AWARENESS TO WATER. IT CAN BE THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS WITH COOK CHILDREN'S OR THROUGH THE WATER WATCHERS PROGRAMS. IT CAN BE THROUGH PARENTS JUST GETTING INVOLVED IN THE SCHOOLS. SO TODAY WE WOULD LIKE TO JUST HONOR AND RECOGNIZE WATER SAFETY AWARENESS MONTH IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

>> OKAY. >> AND DO YOU HAVE A SCOPE OR A SCALE THAT YOU CAN GIVE US EITHER LESSONS, NUMBER OF LIFEGUARDS, ANYTHING AROUND THAT THAT KIND OF FROM A CITY

PERSPECTIVE. ANYBODY HAVE THOSE NUMBERS? >> YEAH. THE CITY OF DENTON CURRENTLY EMPLOYS ABOUT 155 LIFEGUARDS. WE JUST STARTED OUR ORIENTATION LAST WEEK. WE'VE GOT OPENING WEEKEND AT WATERWORKS PARK AND THE CIVIC CENTER POOL THIS WEEKEND. MEMORIAL WEEKEND.

SO COME OUT AND JOIN US. AND THEN FOR OUR SWIM LESSON INSTRUCTORS, WE CAN HAVE ANYWHERE UP TO ABOUT 50 TO 60. WE PUT THROUGH IN AND AROUND 300 CHILDREN THROUGH SWIM LESSONS, THROUGH GROUP SWIMMING, WITH AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT FOR PRIVATE LESSONS. HOMESCHOOL, SWIM

LESSONS AND MORE. >> WOW, EXCELLENT. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYONE? ANYONE ELSE? ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD? NO. OH, GOOD. OKAY, GREAT. WELL, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO. AND THAT IS ESPECIALLY AT OUR FACILITIES, AS BIG AS THEY ARE TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP AN EYE ON EVERYONE. THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S A LOT OF WORK. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. OKAY. AND IT'S A PROCLAMATION BY THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, TO ALL WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME. GREETINGS. WHEREAS SWIMMING AT A AND AQUATIC RELATED ACTIVITIES OFFER SIGNIFICANT RECREATIONAL, HEALTH AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS FOR ALL, FOR ALL PEOPLE. AND WHEREAS OUR CITIZENS UNDERSTAND THE ESSENTIAL ROLE THAT EDUCATION REGARDING THE TOPIC OF WATER SAFETY PLAY IN PREVENTION OF DROWNINGS AND RECREATIONAL WATER RELATED INJURIES. AND WHEREAS, DENTON IS COMMITTED TO PROMOTING WATER SAFETY AND RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT POTENTIAL HAZARDS BY WORKING TOGETHER WITH RESIDENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO CREATE A CULTURE OF WATER SAFETY FOR ALL AGES AND ABILITIES. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GERALD HUDSPETH, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, DO HEREBY DECLARE AND PROCLAIM MAY 2ND, 2025 AS WATER SAFETY AWARENESS MONTH IN THE CITY OF DENTON AND ASK THE CITIZENS TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF PROMOTING WATER SAFETY RULES AND FAMILIES TO FAMILIES. INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES, WHETHER OWN OWNERS OF PRIVATE POOLS, USERS OF PUBLIC SWIMMING FACILITIES OR VISITORS TO WATER PARKS IF WE CAN GIVE THEM A HAND.

>> WE HOLD THAT IN FOR ME. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, SLIDE IN. SHE DOESN'T WORK. ALL RIGHT, THERE WE GO. ALL RIGHT. AWESOME. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THERE YOU GO. APPRECIATE YOU. YEAH, SURE.

GREAT TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU I APPRECIATE IT. GREAT INFORMATION. ALWAYS GOOD

TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU. >> OKAY. NEXT IS NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER. HEY THERE Y'ALL ARE.

HELLO. GREAT TO SEE YOU. YEAH. FOR SURE. HEY, HOW ARE YOU? YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR

BEING HERE. OKAY. YOU WANT TO TELL US WHAT WE'RE RECOGNIZING? >> YES. OKAY, GREAT.

>> THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER, OF COURSE, IS A NATIONAL EVENT. THERE IS A DENTON COUNTY EVENT THAT WE ASKED THE CITY OF DENTON TO RECOGNIZE WHICH THEY HAVE DONE. AND THE MAYOR HAS COME AND HELPED PRESENT THAT. BUT WE LIFT UP PRAYER DURING THAT EVENT FOR OUR CHURCHES, OUR FAMILIES, OUR SCHOOLS, FIRST RESPONDERS, MILITARY. AND WE WANT TO THANK THE CITY FOR ALWAYS

PARTICIPATING IN THAT EVENT AND WELCOMING US TO THE CITY FOR IT. >> RIGHT.

>> THANK YOU. AND ANYTHING. OKAY. ALL GOOD. OKAY. GOT IT, GOT IT. WANT TO MAKE SURE. GOT IT. OKAY. AND IT'S A PROCLAMATION BY THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS. TO ALL

[01:35:04]

AND WHEREAS THE CITY ACKNOWLEDGES THE IMPORTANCE OF FAITH AND PRAYER IN OUR LIVES, AND MANY ACROSS THE DENTON COMMUNITY, RECOGNIZING THE STRENGTH AND COMFORT AND GUIDANCE THEY PROVIDE. AND WHEREAS A GATHERING WAS HELD ON MAY 1ST, DENTON COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE COURTHOUSE, WHILE BRINGING INDIVIDUALS TOGETHER TO PRAY FOR SEVEN CENTERS OF INFLUENCE, GOVERNMENT LEADERS ON ALL LEVELS OUR MILITARY, THE MEDIA, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, EDUCATION, CHURCHES AND FAMILIES. NOW, THEREFORE, I, JERROD HUDSPETH, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, DO HEREBY DECLARE AND PROCLAIM THE FIRST DAY OF MAY 2025 AS DENTON COUNTY NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER IN THE CITY OF DENTON AND ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS

COMMUNITY PRAYER EVENTS, WE GIVE THEM A HAND. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. SLIDE IN THERE. YES. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HAVE A GREAT EVENING. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU I APPRECIATE IT. GREAT TO SEE YOU. >> OKAY. AND THEN NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK. OH MAN. EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT. GOOD TO SEE YOU. OKAY. WHO'S WHO'S

SPEAKING FOR US. >> ALL RIGHT. >> ALL RIGHT. GREAT.

>> SO NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK IS HERE TO CELEBRATE THE MULTIPLE WORKERS THAT WE HAVE ACROSS THE WORLD THAT WORK WITH ALL OF YOUR PUBLIC WORKS, YOUR WATER, YOUR WASTEWATER, PARKS, SOLID WASTE AND KEEP EVERYTHING, YOUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE MOVING ACROSS. IT'S PUT ON BY THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION, WHICH HAS ROUGHLY 32,000 MEMBERS WORLDWIDE. GREAT.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND SO IF PEOPLE WANT TO KIND OF GET A FEEL FOR THE SCOPE OF THAT, CAN YOU GET A GET A FEEL FOR EITHER LANE MILES OR KIND OF WHAT'S A KIND OF AN INDICATION YOU COULD GIVE OR A KIND OF DATA POINT ON? BECAUSE THERE'S A LARGE SCALE THING. IT'S A LOT. SO CAN YOU GIVE US A FEEL FOR AN EXAMPLE KIND OF ANECDOTALLY WHAT THAT. WOULD TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND

WHAT THAT. >> WOULD BE? WELL, HERE IN HERE IN DENTON, WE HAVE JUST SHY OF 1600 LANE MILES FOR THE ENTIRE CITY THAT WE MAINTAIN WITH. 40, 43, 43 STAFF MEMBERS. WOW. SO

YEAH. >> NO, I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. ANYTHING TO ADD ON YOUR.

OKAY. GREAT. ALL RIGHT. WELL AND SO THIS IS A PROCLAMATION BY THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS TO ALL WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME. GREETINGS. WHEREAS PUBLIC WORK SERVICES PROVIDE IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR CITIZENS EVERYDAY LIVES. AND WHEREAS THE SUPPORT OF THE AND AN UNDERSTANDING AND INFORMED COMMUNITY IS VITAL TO EFFICIENT OPERATIONS, PUBLIC WORKS SYSTEMS PROGRAMS SUCH AS WATER, SEWERS, STREETS AND HIGHWAYS, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, AND SOLID WASTE COLLECTION. AND WHEREAS, THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND COMFORT OF THIS OF THIS CITY GREATLY DEPENDS ON THESE SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY ACKNOWLEDGES AND APPRECIATES THE COMMUNITY. THE COMMITMENT, EXPERTISE AND SKILLS OF PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES. AND NOW, THEREFORE, I, GERALD HUDSPETH, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, DO HEREBY DECLARE AND PROCLAIM THIS WEEK OF MAY 18TH THROUGH 24TH, 2025, AS NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK IN THE CITY OF DENTON AND ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS IF WE GIVE

THEM A HAND. >> GET A HOLD THAT IN. WE'RE GOING TO PUT YOU TO WORK.

THEY'RE GOING TO PUT MY WORK. YES, SIR. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT.

YEAH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. OH, HERE'S ANOTHER PROBLEM. YES, SIR.

>> AND THEN, IS THERE ANYONE HERE FOR BIKE MONTH? OKAY. YOU CAN COME ON DOWN. SO DIFFERENT FROM. AND WE ALSO HAVE MOTORCYCLE SAFETY. YEAH. OKAY. GOT IT. OKAY. YEAH. YEAH YEAH.

Y'ALL DON'T TELL ME Y'ALL WERE BACK. OKAY. WHO'S WHO'S. OKAY. >> YOU GOT IT.

>> SO THIS MONTH, WE'RE CELEBRATING BIKE MONTH, BUT IT'S ALSO BIKE WITH THE MAYORS. SO

[01:40:02]

GET OUT AND USE YOUR BIKE. >> YES. >> YEAH. NO, I I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. IT'LL BE GREAT. AND I AM IN NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM IN SHAPE FOR THIS. SO I HAVE AN E-BIKE. AND MAYOR GILMORE WAS GIVING ME A HARD TIME IN LEWISVILLE. BUT. BUT IT WILL BE OKAY. I'LL MAKE IT. YEAH, BUT THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR HELPING TO PULL THIS TOGETHER. IT'S SO IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY WHILE WE CAN, BEFORE IT GETS SO HOT, RIGHT, TO GET OUT AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THOSE, THOSE TRAILS AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE. SO IT'S A PROCLAMATION BY THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, TO ALL WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME. GREETINGS.

WHEREAS THE CITIES OF LEWISVILLE, CORINTH, AND DENTON PROUDLY INVITE THE COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A REGIONAL GROUP RIDE EVENT CELEBRATING THE BENEFITS OF BICYCLING. AND WHEREAS, THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF MAY IN THE CITY OF DENTON WILL CELEBRATE BIKING AND RECOGNIZE THE TRANSFORMATIVE INFLUENCE THAT GROWING, GROWING COMMUNITY OF CYCLISTS BRINGS IN ENHANCING THE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF DENTON PROMOTES THE USE OF BICYCLES AS BOTH A MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION AND RECREATION YEAR ROUND TO ATTRACT MORE VISITORS TO ENJOY OUR PARKS AND TRAILS SYSTEMS, AS WELL AS RESTAURANTS, RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS, ESTABLISHMENTS AND CULTURAL AND SCENIC ATTRACTIONS. NOW, THEREFORE, I GERALD HUDSPETH, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, DO HEREBY DECLARE AND PROCLAIM THE. MAY 20TH MAY 2025 AS BIKE MONTH IN THE CITY OF DENTON AND MAY 31ST AS BIKE WITH THE MAYOR DAY AND

MOVE WITH THE MAYOR DAY IF WE GIVE THEM A HAND. >> OKAY, THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU. YOU GOT A SLIDE IN HERE? ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU. IT'S BEEN A WHILE. YEAH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> OKAY. AND OUR LAST ONE IS MOTORCYCLE SAFETY AND AWARENESS MONTH. THERE WE GO. HEY. SO TELL

US WHAT WE'RE RECOGNIZING. >> RECOGNIZE THAT MOTORCYCLES ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE ON THE ROAD THESE DAYS AND DURING THE SUMMER. SO WE JUST WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER TO LOOK TWICE WHEN YOU MOVE FROM ONE LANE TO ANOTHER. BECAUSE MOTORCYCLES CAN BE DIFFICULT TO SEE. THEY'RE NOT AS BIG AS CARS, AND UNFORTUNATELY, ACCIDENTS WITH MOTORCYCLES COULD BE A LOT MORE DEVASTATING. SO WE'RE JUST ASKING THAT MOTORCYCLISTS PAY ATTENTION, DRIVERS PAY

ATTENTION. >> GREAT. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY. OKAY. AND IT'S A PROCLAMATION BY THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, TO ALL WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME. GREETINGS. WHEREAS CAMPAIGNS HELP INFORM RIDERS AND MOTORISTS ALIKE ON MOTORCYCLE MOTORCYCLE SAFETY ISSUES TO REDUCE MOTORCYCLE RELATED RISK INJURIES AND FATALITIES THROUGH THE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO MOTORCYCLE SAFETY. AND WHEREAS IT IS IMPORTANT THAT ALL VEHICLES BE AWARE OF ONE ANOTHER AND LEARN TO SHARE THE ROAD AND PRACTICE COURTESY. AND WHEREAS, DUE TO THE INCREASED NUMBER OF MOTORCYCLES ON THE ROAD AND HIGHWAYS, OUR STATE AND THROUGHOUT THE NATION, IT APPEARS IT'S APPROPRIATE TO SET ASIDE A TIME TO ALERT MOTORISTS TO THE NUMBER OF MOTORCYCLISTS ON OUR ROADS AND TO HELP MOTORCYCLISTS BECOME MOTORCYCLISTS, BECOME AWARE THEY CAN THEY CAN PROMOTE SAFETY NOW.

NOW, THEREFORE, I GERALD HUDSPETH, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, DO HEREBY DECLARE AND PROCLAIM MAY 2020 AS MOTORCYCLE SAFETY AND AWARENESS MONTH IN THE CITY OF DENTON. IF

WE CAN GIVE THEM A HAND. >> HANG OUT THERE. THIS IS. OH, MOMENTS TO BEAR WITH ME, I HAVE THE THING GOING. JUST WONDERFUL. THERE WE GO. AND BEAR WITH ME. OKAY? OH, GOD. HOLD ON. I NEED SOME MORE HANDS. OR A BIGGER FOLDER. ONE AND TWO. I JUST WANT NOT. OKAY, WELL, NO, THEY THEY

[01:45:02]

NOW THAT WE WON'T MESS IT UP. AWESOME. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> APPRECIATE IT. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

>> OKAY. IF WE COULD PLAY THE VIDEO FOR ADDRESSING COUNCIL, PLEASE.

>> 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. SPEAKERS WILL HAVE FOUR MINUTES TO GIVE A SCHEDULED REPORT AND FOUR MINUTES TO GIVE AN OPEN MIC REPORT. A BELL WILL RING WHEN TIME HAS EXPIRED. IF THE REMARKS ARE NOT CONCLUDED BY THAT TIME, THE SPEAKER WILL BE ASKED TO STOP SPEAKING IF THE SPEAKER DOES NOT CEASE AND A SECOND REQUEST IS MADE, THE MAYOR MAY REQUEST TO HAVE THE SPEAKER REMOVED FROM THE CHAMBER. SPEAKERS SHOULD NOT APPROACH THE DAIS. IF A SPEAKER HAS MATERIALS FOR THE COUNCIL, PLEASE NOTIFY THE CITY SECRETARY IN ADVANCE FOR SCHEDULED REPORTS. THE COUNCIL MAY INITIATE DISCUSSION OR ASK QUESTIONS FOR NONSCHEDULED OPEN MIC REPORTS. THE COUNCIL MAY LISTEN, HOWEVER, BECAUSE NO NOTICE OF THE SUBJECT OF THE OPEN MIC REPORT HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC IN ADVANCE. 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.

SPEAKERS ARE ASKED TO DIRECT ALL REMARKS AND QUESTIONS TO THE COUNCIL AS A WHOLE, AND NOT TO ANY INDIVIDUAL MEMBER. 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

[4. CONSENT AGENDA]

FROM THE CITY SECRETARY. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT TAKES US TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA. IF I'LL TAKE A MOTION. NOTHING WAS PULLED. REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT FOUR.

>> SO MOVE. >> REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT SIX.

>> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, LET'S VOTE ON THE SCREEN. THAT PASSES 7 TO 0. TAKES US TO OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH

[A. Hold a public hearing and consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton making a finding, pursuant to the requirements of Chapter 26 of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code, that (1) there are no feasible and prudent alternatives to the change in use of approximately 4.3689 acres of city park land for a public utility easement, located within a portion of Vintage Park and Tamarack Park in the City of Denton, Denton County, Texas, for the purpose of installing and maintaining an underground sanitary sewer line that serves the southwest side of Denton, and (2) finding that all reasonable planning has been done to minimize harm to the land as a park, and providing an effective date.]

>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS ZIAD KHAIRAT FROM THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND I'M HERE TO BRING FORTH AN ITEM FOR CHAPTER 26 REGARDING A SEWER LINE FOR A LONG BRANCH. ON BEHALF OF THE CITY AND HILLWOOD DEVELOPMENT FOR A MAJOR WASTEWATER LINE. AS A REMINDER TO THE COUNCIL, CHAPTER 26 IS A TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE CODE THAT FOCUSES ON PROTECTING PUBLIC PARKS AND RECREATION LANDS, ENSURES THE PRESERVATION OF ECOLOGY, ESTHETICS AND RECREATIONAL PURPOSES. IT'S A CODE THAT SETS FORTH FOR ANY DISTURBANCE OR ENCUMBRANCE ON CITY PARK LAND, AND IT OUTLINES SPECIFIC PROCEDURES ON HOW TO SAFEGUARD THOSE AREAS AND HOW TO MOVE FORWARD WITH APPROVAL OF PROJECTS OR CONSIDERATION OF THOSE PROJECTS. THIS SLIDE THAT'S IN YOUR PACKET OUTLINES IS BASICALLY A SNIPPET FROM THE STATE CODE. THERE ARE TWO MAJOR POINTS THAT HAVE TO BE PROVEN OUT AS PART OF THIS PROCESS, THAT THERE IS NO FEASIBLE AND PRUDENT ALTERNATIVE TO THE USE OR TAKING OF THIS PARKLAND, AND THAT THE PROJECT OR PROGRAM INCLUDE ALL REASONABLE PLANNING TO MINIMIZE HARM TO THE LAND AS A PARK RESULTING FROM THE USE OR TAKING IN YOUR PACKET. YOU'LL NOTICE. A NUMBER OF ATTACHMENTS THAT PROVED ALL THESE TWO POINTS

[01:50:06]

YOU'LL NOTICE THE ORANGE LINE IS WHERE THE ALIGNMENT IS ON THIS EXHIBIT. AND PROXIMITY TO THIS ESA WETLAND AREA AND THIS THIS AREA. SO ANY WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE DEVELOPER AND IN THESE AREAS WHERE THERE'S POTENTIAL FOR INTERACTION WITH AN ESA, THERE WILL BE A BORING, ESSENTIALLY UNDERGROUND DRILLING OF THIS WASTEWATER LINE TO ALLOW FOR MINIMAL DISTURBANCE OF THAT ESA. AND SO AS JUST AS A SUMMARY OF THE PURPOSE OF THE REQUEST, AS WE COMMUNICATED WITH THE DEVELOPER, AND WE HAVE TO PROVE OUT THAT THERE'S NO FEASIBLE AND PRUDENT ALTERNATIVE. THE DEVELOPER AND THEIR ENGINEERING CONSULTING GROUP WENT THROUGH AN ANALYSIS TO LOOK AT OTHER LOCATIONS. THIS THERE WERE SEVERAL CONDITIONS THAT WERE ASSESSED IN THIS. PRIMARILY ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THIS THIS AREA WAS, WAS IDENTIFIED AS IT IS IDENTIFIED ON THE WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN. AND SO THE LINE IS GOING TO BE ROUGHLY BETWEEN 42IN AND 48IN IN DIAMETER. IT'S A VERY LARGE FACILITY. AND. WITH THIS REQUEST, THERE WILL BE EASEMENTS AS PART OF, YOU KNOW, TEMPORARY ACCESS AND PERMANENT PERMANENT EASEMENT. AND SO THE ALIGNMENT WILL MINIMIZE TREE DISTURBANCE AND IMPACT. THE DISTURBED PARKLAND WILL BE RETURNED TO ITS ORIGINAL CONDITION OR BETTER. AND AS PART OF THIS, THE DUE TO IT BEING ON THE A FUTURE CITY FACILITY. AND IT'S ON THE CITY'S WASTEWATER MASTER PLAN. THE TREE MITIGATION FEES AND EASEMENT COSTS WILL NOT BE ASSESSED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE IT WILL BE A SERVICE, A PUBLIC PUBLIC FACILITY FOR THE CITY. WITH THAT, I'LL CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION AND OPEN UP FOR

ANY QUESTIONS. >> OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND QUESTIONS FOR STAFF. SEEING NONE, I'LL TAKE A MOTION. OH YEAH. SO IT IS A PUBLIC HEARING.

ANYONE CAN SPEAK AND COME DOWN AND FILL OUT A CARD AFTERWARDS. SEEING NO SUDDEN MOVEMENTS. I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT FIVE.

>> MOTION TO APPROVE. >> REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT ONE.

>> I'LL SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND QUESTION. REPRESENTATIVE FROM

[01:55:03]

DISTRICT TWO. >> THANK YOU. I'M NOT GOING TO BE VOTING TO SUPPORT THIS, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT HOLDING OURSELVES TO THE SAME STANDARD AS WE DO EVERY OTHER DEVELOPER WITH REGARDS TO TREE MITIGATION, WE I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IS SOMEWHAT SHUFFLING MONEY FROM ONE POCKET INTO ANOTHER, BUT THAT IS HOW WE ALLOCATE BUDGETS FOR THOSE PARTICULAR NEEDS AND PURPOSES. SO UNLESS WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING IT THE SAME FOR EVERYONE, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD MAKE IT CHEAPER AND EASIER ON OURSELVES TO DEVELOP THAN ANYONE ELSE.

>> OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? SEEING NONE, WE HAVE A MOTION. AND A SECOND. LET'S VOTE ON THE SCREEN. THAT PASSES 6 TO 1. TAKES US TO ITEM B, D, CA2400111. HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING

[B. Hold a public hearing and consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton, Texas amending the Denton Development Code, specifically amendments to Table 5.2-A- Table of Allowed Uses, Section 5.3.5 Commercial Use-Specific Standards, Table 7.9-I: Minimum Required Off-Street Parking, and Section 9.2 Definitions related to Commercial Animal Service; providing for application requirements and process; providing for a penalty in the maximum amount of $2,000.00 for violations thereof; providing savings and severability clauses, and an effective date. The Planning and Zoning Commission voted [4-0] to recommend approval of the request. Motion for approval was made by Commissioner Riggs and seconded by Commissioner Padron. (DCA24-0011d, Commercial Animal Services, Bryce Van Arsdale).]

STREET PARKING. ET CETERA. AND I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. BRYCE VANARSDALE, ASSISTANT PLANNER. THIS IS DCA 2411 RELATED TO COMMERCIAL ANIMAL SERVICES. CURRENTLY, MOST OF OUR DOMESTIC ANIMAL RELATED LAND USES FALL UNDER EITHER THE KENNEL OR PERSONAL SERVICE. GENERAL DEFINITIONS. HOWEVER, AS THE MARKET HAS DEVELOPED, WE'VE SEEN A TREND AWAY FROM SINGLE SERVICE BUILDINGS, INSTEAD SEEING MULTIPLE DOMESTIC ANIMAL SERVICES UNDER A SINGLE BUILDING. THIS MAY INCLUDE SOMETHING LIKE A DOGGY DAYCARE, WHICH ALSO PROVIDES TRAINING SERVICES AS WELL AS GROOMING SERVICES. THIS LEADS STAFF IN A BIT OF A GRAY AREA WHEN APPLYING ZONING REGULATIONS, AND USE SPECIFIC STANDARDS. ON THE LEFT, YOU'LL SEE OUR EXISTING DEFINITIONS, AND YOU'LL FIND THAT THE BOARDING OF OVERNIGHT ANIMALS, AS WELL AS TRAINING OF ANIMALS, FALL UNDER THE KENNEL DEFINITION. HOWEVER, THE GROOMING DEFINITION FALLS UNDER THE PERSONAL SERVICE GENERAL. WITH OUR PROPOSED DEFINITIONS, WE ARE OPTING TO INCLUDE THE TRAINING OF ADOPTION, BOARDING OR DAYCARE SERVICE OF ADDITIONAL OR OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS, THE COMMERCIAL ANIMAL SERVICE INDOOR AND THE OUTDOOR DEFINITIONS ARE DIFFERENTIATED IN THE YOUTH SPECIFIC STANDARDS. IN THE TABLE OF ALLOWED USES, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT BOTH THE COMMERCIAL ANIMAL SERVICES FOLLOW VERY CLOSELY WITH THE VETERINARY CLINIC ALLOWED ZONING DISTRICTS. THE MAIN DIFFERENCE IS THAT THE COMMERCIAL ANIMAL SERVICE OUTDOOR USE IS NOT PERMITTED IN THE MIN OR MD ZONING DISTRICTS. IN ADDITION TO ESTABLISHING THE DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN THE COMMERCIAL ANIMAL SERVICE INDOOR AND THE COMMERCIAL ANIMAL SERVICE OUTDOOR DEFINITIONS, THE USE SPECIFIC STANDARDS TAKE CARE OF A COUPLE KEY ITEMS WHICH WE FELT WERE IMPORTANT. THESE INCLUDE ESTABLISHING TIME LIMITS AND DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS FROM THESE OUTDOOR ELEMENTS WHEN THEY'RE ADJACENT TO OR WITHIN A RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICT.

ADDITIONALLY, ALL OF THE BOARDING THAT WE PROPOSED UNDER THIS AMENDMENT WILL BE REQUIRED TO BE CLIMATE CONTROLLED. SOME OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING ARE TO REMOVE THE KENNEL DEFINITION FROM THE DEVELOPMENT CODE, AS ANYALL UNDER ONE OF THE TWO COMMERCIAL ANIMAL SERVICE DEFINITIONS. THIS PROPOSAL WAS NOTICED IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE STATUTE, AND WHILE STAFF DID ANSWER SEVERAL QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS REGARDING THE CLARITY OF THE PROPOSAL, WE RECEIVED NO FEEDBACK IN OPPOSITION OR IN FAVOR OF THIS. THIS PROPOSAL IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS AND POLICIES SET FORTH IN THE DENTON 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AS WELL AS THE DENTON DEVELOPMENT CODE.

STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS PROPOSAL AS IT MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL, AS SET FORTH IN DDC 2.74 D AND ON APRIL 23RD OF THIS YEAR, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION VOTED FOUR ZERO TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THESE PROPOSALS. I'LL STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. IF YOU CARE TO SPEAK, YOU CAN FILL OUT A CARD AFTERWARDS. AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT TWO.

>> THANK YOU. BRYCE I ASKED THIS IN THE IN THE QUESTIONS TO STAFF EARLIER, BUT I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND. CAN YOU GIVE CLARITY ON IF WE'RE REMOVING ANIMAL SALES FROM ALL THESE OTHER

CATEGORIES? WHAT CATEGORIES ANIMAL SALES GOING INTO. >> SO ANIMAL SALES WILL FALL UNDER THE ONE OF THE RETAIL DEFINITIONS, WHICH ARE DIFFERENTIATED BASED ON THE

SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE BUILDING. >> SO IN ANY, ANY ANYTHING THAT SELLS AN ANIMAL THAT USE WOULD FOLLOW THOSE RETAIL DEFINITIONS. BUT THEN ANIMAL SALES HAVE PARTICULAR USE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY COVERED IN CHAPTER SIX THE ANIMAL. SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW WE'RE NOT SORT OF OPENING UP AN ANIMAL SALES TO SORT OF BE LESS REGULATED THAN THEY WERE BEFORE.

>> SURE. SO THE ANYTHING THAT INVOLVES ADOPTION, SO WHETHER IT'S A RESCUE OR SOMETHING OF

[02:00:03]

THOSE BUSINESSES. >> SO THEN ARE THE STORES LIKE LIKE THAT GOING TO BE COVERED

UNDER THE INDOOR USE? >> I'M SORRY. >> THE NEW INDOOR USE PROPOSAL.

>> SO IF THEY'RE OUTRIGHT SELLING THE ANIMALS THAT WILL FALL UNDER THE RETAIL DEFINITIONS AND THOSE ARE GENERALLY INCLUDED, ARE EXCLUSIVELY INDOOR TO THE BUILDING, RATHER THAN HAVING AN OUTDOOR ELEMENT, WHICH MOST OF OUR USE SPECIFIC STANDARDS, BOTH

IN THE PREVIOUS DEFINITION AND IN TODAY'S DEFINITION, APPLY TO. >> I THINK WE'RE GOING TO NEED SOME ADDITIONAL MODIFICATIONS. I FEEL LIKE WE'RE LEAVING A GAP THERE.

>> OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SEEING SEEING NONE. I'LL MOVE. APPROVAL REPRESENTATIVE FROM

DISTRICT SIX. >> I'LL SECOND. >> HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? AND THEN I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND LET'S VOTE ON THE SCREEN.

[A. Consider adoption of an ordinance directing the publication of Notice of Intention to issue $46,535,000 in principal amount of Certificates of Obligation of the City of Denton for General Government and Solid Waste projects; and providing an effective date.]

WASTE PROJECTS, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. >> MAYOR, I ALSO HAVE THIS ONE PRESENTATION FOR THE NEXT ITEM AS WELL. IF YOU MIND GETTING THAT, PLEASE.

>> CERTAINLY WILL, AND ITEM SIX B, WHICH IS ID 25455. CONSIDER ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE DIRECTING THE PUBLICATION AND NOTICE OF INTENTION TO ISSUE 207,515,000, IN PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION. THE CITY OF DENTON. FOR WATERWORKS AND WASTE WATER

SYSTEMS AND ELECTRIC SYSTEM PROJECTS. >> YES. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING.

RANDY. TREASURY MANAGER. AS STATED, I HAVE ONE PRESENTATION FOR BOTH AGENDA ITEMS, BUT THEY WILL BE VOTED ON SEPARATELY. SO WHAT I HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY IS OUR NOTICE OF INTENT, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW FOR ALL CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION BOND SALES, WHICH WE'LL BE HAVING LATER IN THE SUMMER. THIS REQUIREMENT MANDATES THAT WE PUBLISH THE NOTICE IN A GENERAL CIRCULATION AT THE CITY, WHICH WILL BE THE DENTON RECORD-CHRONICLE. I WILL ALSO PUT THAT ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, AND IT WILL STAY UP THERE UNTIL WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE BOND ORDINANCE. AND LATER IN THE SUMMER, IN JUNE OR JULY, WE MUST PUBLISH THIS, PUBLISH THIS IN THE PRINTED PAPER FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE WEEKS. AND AFTER THE FIRST PUBLISHED ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE NOTICE OF INTENT, 46 DAYS FROM THAT, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND DO THE BOND ORDINANCE AT THAT TIME, WHICH WILL PUT OUR FINAL NUMBERS OUT THERE ON WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO WITH THE BOND SALE.

ALL THE INFORMATION THAT I AM GOING TO BRIEFLY GO OVER IN THE SLIDE PRESENTATION IS ALSO IN YOUR EYES. YOU WILL NOTICE A COLUMN FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT ORDINANCE, WHICH YOU PASSED IN OCTOBER, AND THEN THE NOTICE OF INTENT WILL BE THE SECOND COLUMN. AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE GOING FOR TODAY. AND THIS IS ONLY FOR THE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION. SO FOR OUR GENERAL GOVERNMENT CLASS ONE SUBCATEGORY IS INTERNAL SERVICES, WHICH THEY REDUCED THEIR ROW TO NOTICE OF INTENT TO $3.7 MILLION. THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT AS WELL A LARGER ACCOUNTING TYPE FUND, IF YOU WILL, HAS REDUCED THEIRS FROM 85 TO $31.2 MILLION AND SOLID WASTE STAYED THE SAME FROM THEIR REIMBURSEMENT TO THEIR NOTICE OF INTENT. SO FOR GENERAL GOVERNMENT SOLID WASTE NOTICE OF INTENTIONS, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF $46,535,000. AND THAT KIND OF ENCOMPASSES YOUR FIRST AGENDA ITEM THERE FOR GENERAL GOVERNMENT AND SOLID WASTE. NEXT, WE HAVE OUR UTILITY AGENDA ITEM FOR THEIR CEOS. WE HAVE WATER HERE, WHICH TAKES UP A COUPLE OF SLIDES FOR YOU BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LONG LIST FOR THOSE CAPITAL PROJECTS. I WILL NOT GO OVER THESE, BUT IF THERE ARE

[02:05:04]

THOSE PROCEEDS. I'LL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS

FOR STAFF REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT SIX. >> HI, COUNCILPERSON JESTER, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THE ANSWERS EARLIER. AND AM I CORRECT THAT THIS THESE AMOUNTS HAVE BEEN LOWERED OVER 100,000 FROM THE INITIAL REQUEST, LOOKING AT THE BUDGET FORECASTING ET-CETERA. SO THIS HAS BEEN WORKED THOROUGHLY, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> YES, VERY THOROUGHLY, GIVE OR TAKE. SO LIKE I SAID, THAT WIFIA PROGRAM, WE'RE HOPING TO REDUCE THOSE DOLLARS AND EVEN FROM THE BUDGETED AMOUNTS FOR THE GEOS AND EVERYTHING, WHEN WE COME BACK IN JULY, WE'LL WE'LL REDUCE AND FINE TUNE THAT AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

>> WELL, I APPRECIATE YOU ALL WORKING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ONLY DOING THIS AS NECESSARY, AND I

FEEL CONFIDENT IN THE WORK. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> YES. APPLAUSE TO THE BUDGET

TEAM AND THE CAPITAL PROJECT TEAM. >> APPLAUSE REPRESENTATIVE FROM

DISTRICT TWO. >> THANK YOU. YEAH I ALSO APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT PUTTING INTO IT. I APPRECIATE THE QUESTIONS. THE ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS EARLIER, I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION THAT OCCURRED TO ME AFTER THAT. AND THAT IS IF FOR SOME REASON CONTINUED CHURN CHAOS HAPPENS AND DISRUPTS THE WIFIA PROGRAM. AND WE'VE ALREADY STARTED DOWN THE PATHWAY ON THAT BECAUSE WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT IT IT APPEARS, WHAT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO THEN.

>> THAT I MAY HAVE TO DEFER TO SOMEBODY ELSE? I KNOW THEY'VE BEEN HAVING THOSE DISCUSSIONS.

SO JESSICA AND STEVE WILL COME DOWN. STEPHEN WILL COME DOWN AND HELP ME OUT WITH THAT.

>> MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL JESSICA WILLIAMS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER IN THE EVENT THAT WE CONTINUE TO SEE DISRUPTION, WHICH WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE AT THIS TIME WITH WITH YOU, WE WILL GO AHEAD WITH THIS ISSUANCE AND THEN WE WILL ISSUE LESS IN FUTURE YEARS ONCE WE HAVE OUR

MASTER PROMISSORY NOTE IN PLACE. >> THAT WOULD INCORPORATE WHATEVER CHANGES THAT WE WOULD

REQUIRE. OKAY. >> BECAUSE WITH US AT 49, 51%. SO THIS WOULD BECOME THEN PART OF OUR 51%, AND WE WOULD BE ABLE TO CAPTURE THAT SAVINGS IN FUTURE YEARS. BUT WE HAVE OUR APPLICATION IN TO THE EPA TEAM. THEY'VE BEEN IN TOUCH. WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE WORKING DILIGENTLY

TO GET US THROUGH THE PROCESS. >> SO WE HAVE WE HAVE A PLAN B IN CASE OF PROBLEMS. OKAY. YES.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT. THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? SEEING NONE. REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT THREE. THIS IS AND THIS IS ITEM

A. >> YEAH. COUNCIL MEMBER MELCHER I MOVE APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM.

>> REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT SIX. >> I'LL SECOND.

>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM A? SEEING NONE, LET'S VOTE ON THE SCREEN. THAT PASSES SEVEN ZERO TAKES US TO ITEM B. I'LL TAKE A MOTION. REPRESENTATIVE

[B. Consider adoption of an ordinance directing the publication of Notice of Intention to issue $207,515,000 in principal amount of Certificates of Obligation of the City of Denton for Waterworks and Wastewater System and Electric System projects; and providing an effective date.]

FOR DISTRICT THREE. >> I MOVE APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM. >> REPRESENTATIVE.

>> DISTRICT SIX. I'LL SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR ITEM B. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ANY QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE. LET'S VOTE ON THE SCREEN. THAT PASSES 7 TO 0.

[C. Consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton amending the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Annual Internal Audit Plan; and providing an effective date.]

[02:10:03]

AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. >> MAYOR AND COUNCIL MADISON DENTON, CITY AUDITOR I'M HERE TO PRESENT THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE FISCAL YEAR 25 INTERNAL AUDIT PLAN. JUST AS A BRIEF REFRESHER, THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING INDEPENDENT, OBJECTIVE REVIEWS OF CITY FUNCTIONS TO STRENGTHEN PUBLIC TRUST AND PROMOTE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THESE REVIEWS GENERALLY FALL UNDER ONE OF THREE LINES OF SERVICES RELATED TO ASSURANCE, CONSULTING, AND INVESTIGATIONS, AS SHOWN IN THE FIGURE. IN ADDITION, WE PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THE BOARD OF ETHICS AND ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT THESE. THIS AS WELL. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE OFFICE'S LARGEST FOCUS IS ON PROVIDING ASSURANCE SERVICES, INCLUDING AUDITS AND AUDIT FOLLOW UP REVIEWS. WHEN CONSIDERING A MID-YEAR MID-YEAR AMENDMENT TO THE AUDIT PLAN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER HOW MUCH TIME IS STILL AVAILABLE TO PERFORM CHANGED PROJECTS BASED ON STAFFING AND HISTORICAL TIME USAGE. CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE BUDGETED JUST OVER 3500 HOURS OF WORK TIME FOR THE ANNUAL AUDIT PROJECTS THIS FISCAL YEAR OVER THE BUDGET DECREASED BY 200 HOURS DUE TO THE AUDIT INTERN POSITION BEING HELD VACANT FOR THE REST OF THE FISCAL YEAR. PER THE MANAGED VACANCY PROGRAM. TO DATE, WE'VE SPENT ABOUT 67% OF THE ADJUSTED TIME BUDGET FOR AUDIT PROJECTS. IN ADDITION, WE ESTIMATE THAT 225 HOURS ARE NEEDED OVER THE REST OF THE FISCAL YEAR TO COMPLETE AUDIT PROJECTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEGUN, SPECIFICALLY, THE AUDIT OF PUBLIC WORKS MAINTENANCE AND THE AUDIT OF PARKS MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING, WHICH MEANS THAT THERE ARE ABOUT 925 HOURS STILL AVAILABLE AVAILABLE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR. AUDIT PLAN PROJECTS OR AUDIT PROJECTS. THE OPTIONS PRESENTED INCLUDE TWO NEW AUDITS THAT WERE ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, AS WELL AS THE SIX ORIGINAL FOLLOW UPS PLANNED FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR. THE PROPOSED ATTACHED ORDINANCE WOULD AMEND THE AUDIT PLAN TO INCLUDE THE ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT, AUDIT, THE CITY WIDE OVERTIME AUDIT, WHICH WAS IS EXPANDING IN SCOPE BASED ON CITY MANAGEMENT REQUEST, AND THE ANIMAL SERVICES FOLLOW UP REVIEW, WHICH COUNCIL PREVIOUSLY GAVE DIRECTION TO AMEND THE AUDIT PLAN TO INCLUDE. AND SO, WHILE THIS IS WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE AMENDED ORDINANCE, COUNCIL MAY GIVE DIRECTION TO PERFORM ANY ANY DIFFERENT MIX OF THESE PROJECTS THAT THEY WISH. IF THEY YOU FEEL IT'S MORE APPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME. SO I'LL STAND FOR ANY

QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. QUESTIONS FOR STAFF.

REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT TWO. >> THE 925 HOURS. I GUESS MY CONCERN IS WE HAVE EXISTING ISSUES. I DON'T HAVE ANY EXISTING ISSUES WITH KIND OF KICKING THE CAN A LITTLE BIT AT SOME OF THOSE OTHER ITEMS, BUT THE TOP ITEM ON THE FOLLOW UP REVIEWS IS COUNCIL PRIORITY AS WELL. YOU KNOW, CONSIDERING RECENT RECENT CHANGES. AND SO HOW MUCH TIME ABILITY TO INTEGRATE THAT ONE SINGLE ITEM DO YOU THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE ON

ON THE 925 HOURS AVAILABLE TO YOU? >> YEAH. SO THE AMENDMENT THAT IS PROPOSED IN YOUR PACKET INCLUDES THE EMPLOYEE ON THE LEFT SIDE, THE NEW AUDITS, THE EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE ALL THREE OF ALL FOUR OF THOSE OVERTIME AUDITS. AND THEN IT ALSO INCLUDES THE ANIMAL SERVICES FOLLOW UP. SO THAT'S ALSO INCLUDED. SO IT'S INCLUDED CURRENTLY IN THE AMENDED PROPOSED AMENDED PLAN OKAY.

>> ALL RIGHT. >> THANK YOU. >> I MOVE APPROVAL REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT FOUR. SECOND WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE. LET'S VOTE ON THE SCREEN. THAT PASSES SEVEN ZERO. THANK

[D. Consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton repealing an Initiative Ordinance Chapter 21, Article V - Marijuana Enforcement of the City of Denton Code of Ordinances; providing for severability; and providing an effective date.]

>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THIS IS MACK REINWAND, CITY ATTORNEY. WE'RE PRESENTING FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE TO REPEAL THE PROPOSITION B MARIJUANA ENFORCEMENT. WE'VE BEEN IN LITIGATION FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF NOW ON THIS THIS ORDINANCE, AND WILL SEEK COUNCIL DIRECTION ON HOW THE CITY PROCEEDS, LIKE ALL LITIGATION FOR THE CITY, WE'VE GOT JOE DE LA FUENTE. HE'S OUR OUTSIDE COUNSEL THAT'S BEEN REPRESENTING THE CITY. HE'S FROM LLOYD GOSSELINK, AND HE'S HERE, HE'S GOING TO TALK TO COUNCIL ABOUT A SUMMARY OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN THROUGHOUT THIS LITIGATION. HE'LL THEN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE 15TH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS AND WHAT THEIR RECENT DECISIONS MEAN FOR THE CITY. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CHRISTIE FOGLE, THE CHIEF OF STAFF, COME TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME PENDING LEGISLATION AS WELL THAT HASN'T PASSED YET, BUT COULD BECOME ADOPTED AND WOULD IMPACT THIS, THIS LAWSUIT. SO, JOE, COME ON UP AND WE'LL TURN THE TIME OVER TO JOE DE LA FUENTE.

>> THANK YOU. >> MR. MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU. SO

[02:15:06]

[02:20:04]

IT THEN SENT THE CASE BACK DOWN TO THE TRIAL COURT. BUT IT DIDN'T JUST SEND IT BACK DOWN, IT SENT IT BACK DOWN WITH AN ORDER FOR THE TRIAL COURT TO CONTINUE THE PROCEEDINGS, CONSISTENT WITH THE RULINGS OF THE COURT OF APPEALS AND TO ENTER A TEMPORARY INJUNCTION, THAT IS, TO ENJOIN THOSE CITIES FROM TAKING ACTION TO ENFORCE THEIR ORDINANCES. IT SAID THAT, NOPE, THE STATE GETS TO COME IN HERE AND BRING THIS SUIT. AND IT SAID THAT YOU LOWER COURT ARE ORDERED TO ENJOIN THEM FROM ENFORCING THEIR THEIR THEIR ORDINANCES. NOW PROCEDURALLY, THE CASE HAD NOT GONE TO FINAL ADJUDICATION. IT WAS DISMISSED BECAUSE THE TRIAL COURT DECIDED YOU DIDN'T STATE A CLAIM, SO IT HADN'T GONE TO A FULL FINAL TRIAL. ON, ON, ON THE MERITS IS THE PHRASE THAT'S USED ON THE ON THE EVIDENCE. HOWEVER, WHEN AGAIN THE CASE WAS PRESENTED, THAT WAS A LEGAL QUESTION OF WHETHER THE ORDINANCE WHICH HAS WORDS IN IT THAT ARE NOT IN DISPUTE WAS UP AGAINST THE STATUTE THREE 7003, WHICH HAS WORDS ARE NOT IN DISPUTE. THE COURT CONSIDERED IS THAT PREEMPTED AS A MATTER OF LAW? AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CAN DIFFER WHETHER THEY AGREE WITH THE OPINIONS OF THE COURT. BUT THAT'S WHAT THE COURT OF APPEALS RULED. SO IT SENT IT BACK DOWN WITH THE ORDER OF INJUNCTION AND THE NEXT STEPS FOR THOSE CITIES ARE DEPENDING ON WHETHER THEY WANT TO SEEK A REHEARING BY THE COURT OF APPEALS, APPEAL TO THE SUPREME COURT, ACCEPT THE RULING, AND THEN MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR PROCEEDING AND ARGUE ON ON THE MERITS. ALTHOUGH THEY'VE ARGUED FUNDAMENTALLY THE MERITS OF WHETHER THE ORDINANCE IS PREEMPTED. BUT BUT WHETHER THEY WANT TO PROCEED WITH ARGUING AGAIN ON THE MERITS, TO TAKE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH TRIAL AND THEN GO BACK UP TO THE COURT OF APPEALS, PRESENTING FUNDAMENTALLY THE MOSTLY THE SAME QUESTIONS THE COURT HAS ALREADY HEARD. SO THAT'S WHERE THAT STANDS. AND THOSE HAVE ALL BEEN DEVELOPMENTS AGAIN, CITY OF DENTON'S MANDAMUS BEING DENIED.

SO THE CITY NOW FACING A DISCOVERY ORDER THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DOES EXPECT COMPLIANCE WITH, AND THE CITIES OF SAN MARCOS AND AUSTIN BEING SENT BACK DOWN WITH INSTRUCTIONS THAT THEIR ORDINANCES ARE PREEMPTED AND THAT THEY ARE TO FOLLOW THE INJUNCTION. NOW, THE COURT DID DID ALSO SPEAK ON A COUPLE OF OTHER MATTERS. FOR EXAMPLE, IT DID FIND THAT THE COURTS DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ORDER A CITY TO REPEAL AN ORDINANCE THAT IS TO STRIKE IT OFF THE BOOKS. SO WHILE THEY HELD THAT IT'S PREEMPTED AND YOU CAN'T ENFORCE IT, AND IT HAS NO LEGAL FORCE AND EFFECT, THEY COULDN'T REQUIRE YOU TO TAKE AN ERASER TO THE BOOKS. SO THOSE ARE THOSE THAT WAS AN A PERTINENT RULING IN THOSE CASES THAT THAT DOES RELATE TO, AGAIN, THE TEXT BEING ON THE BOOKS. BUT AS FAR AS THE ORDINANCE HAVING ANY LEGAL EFFECT, THEIR ORDER RIGHT NOW MEANS THAT IN ONCE IT GOES BACK DOWN IN AUSTIN AND SAN MARCOS, THE ORDINANCES HAVE NO

LEGAL EFFECT. >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. CHRISTY FOGEL, CHIEF OF STAFF. AS MACK MENTIONED, THERE IS SOME PENDING LEGISLATION RELATED TO THESE LAWS AND WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU. SENATE BILL 2858, WHICH HAS BEEN VOTED FAVORABLY OUT OF THE SENATE AND OUT OF A HOUSE COMMITTEE FAVORABLY, AND IS WAITING FOR BEING SENT TO THE CALENDARS COMMITTEE AND PLACED ON THE HOUSE CALENDAR. THERE IS A MAY 27TH DEADLINE FOR IT TO BE

[02:25:03]

AND THEN THEY RESTRICT THAT A CITY OR COUNTY FOUND WITH THIS FILING WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ADOPT AN AD VALOREM TAX RATE THAT EXCEEDS THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE, AND WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ADOPT A BUDGET THAT EXCEEDS THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF OPERATING BUDGET AT THE TIME OF FILING. SO OUR BUDGET WOULD BASICALLY BE FROZEN, AS WELL AS TAX REVENUE. AND WE WOULD ALSO NOT BE ABLE TO RECEIVE ANY STATE GRANT FUNDING. THERE IS AN EXCEPTION FOR STATE DECLARED DISASTERS IN THAT INSTANCE. AND THEN WE WOULD ALSO NOT BE ABLE TO HOLD AN ELECTION. SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE RESTRICTIONS THAT A CITY FOUND IN VIOLATION OF STATE LAW. AT THE TIME OF THE FILING OF THE AG AND THROUGH THE ENTIRE PENDENCY OF THE FILING, WOULD BE FROZEN. WITH THAT, I'M

HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. ANYTHING TO ADD.

>> TO THAT? NO, SIR. >> OKAY. GREAT STAFF. I DON'T KNOW WHO WOULD DO IT, BUT AT SOME POINT I MAY ASK YOU TO DO A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH AND PULL UP. IT'S BEEN THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 37.03 HAS BEEN MENTIONED. I THINK IF YOU CAN HAVE IT KIND OF READY, JUST IN CASE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT CONTEXT. AND THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT IT UP. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO LET

THE PEOPLE SPEAK. >> BUT. >> 370.003 TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE. AND WHILE SHE'S JUST KIND OF GETTING THAT TO WHERE IF I NEED IT, I CAN PULL IT UP, BUT THERE'S ONE, ONE CARD WE HAVE THAT WISHES NOT TO SPEAK BUT IS IN OPPOSITION FOR THE RECORD. OKAY. ALL GOOD. YOU CAN LEAVE IT THERE. YEAH, I'LL GRAB IT IN A BIT. OKAY. FIRST SPEAKER AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES. FIRST SPEAKER NICHOLAS STEPHENS, IF YOU CAN COME DOWN AND GIVE

YOUR NAME, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES. >> HOW'S IT GOING? NICK STEPHENS, 417 AMARILLO STREET AND THE CO-CHAIR OF DECRIMINALIZED DEBT. AND HONESTLY, I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY OTHER THAN AN OBSERVATION AND THEN AN ASK. THE OBSERVATION REALLY IS THAT I'M JUST DISAPPOINTED. I'M DISAPPOINTED IN THIS COUNCIL BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A TREND, WHICH IS THAT IN THE 20 YEARS I'VE LIVED HERE, IT SEEMS LIKE ONE OF THE MOST DYSFUNCTIONAL COUNCILS I'VE OBSERVED. AND IT SEEMS THAT OFTEN Y'ALL RESPECTFULLY REACT RATHER THAN DO ANYTHING PROACTIVE. AND WHEN I WAS SITTING THERE, I JUST KIND OF CAME UP WITH A LIST OF EXAMPLES OF THAT GUN OR THE DOG, THE UNT POLLING LOCATION, THE TIME THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ASKED FOR TWO EMS LIEUTENANTS, THE DOWNTOWN CIVIC CENTER POOL THAT YOU'RE ALL GOING TO CLOSE DOWN, WARMING AND COOLING STATIONS THAT NOW Y'ALL AREN'T GOING TO TALK ABOUT UNTIL SEPTEMBER, PASSING A AI DATA FACILITY WITH OUT A PLAN FOR HOW TO PRODUCE DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY FOR THE CITY. EVERYTHING IS A REACTION RATHER THAN BEING PROACTIVE. THAT'S RELEVANT TO THE DISCUSSION TODAY, BECAUSE I'M FRUSTRATED THAT THIS IS NOW APPEARING WITHOUT ANY KIND OF DIALOG FROM THE COMMUNITY. NONE OF YOU HAVE DIALOGED WITH THE COMMUNITY WHO, IF MY MATH IS RIGHT, PROP B HAS RECEIVED MORE VOTES THAN I THINK AND I COULD BE WRONG. ALL OF YOU PUT TOGETHER, BUT THERE WASN'T ANY DIALOG. YOU HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH DIALOGING, WITH DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES, WITH THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, YOU HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH POLLING YOUR FAVORABILITY RATINGS WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR THERE WAS A MEETING LAST YEAR WITH THAT YOU HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH WITH POLLING IN REGARDS TO THE POPULARITY OF THE HALLOWEEN TOWN AND WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM, AND HOW MUCH MONEY THAT BROUGHT INTO THE CITY. I WOULD EXPECT THE SAME FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS. AND SO MY ASK IS THAT YOU OPPOSE IT, AND IF YOU CAN'T GET THERE, MY ASK IS JUST TO BE CREATIVE. MAKE A MOTION TO PAUSE THIS FOR AT LEAST A MONTH SO

[02:30:02]

YOU COULD HAVE MERELY REVISITED THE PART THAT THE CITY SAID WAS LEGAL BY THEIR OWN OPINION, WHICH WAS THE THC TESTING. NO ONE HAS BROUGHT THAT PART UP. IF IT WAS GOING TO FAIL TONIGHT, I SURE HOPE SOMEONE MAKES A MOTION TO REPEAL EVERYTHING WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THAT, SO THAT WE CAN STILL HAVE SOMETHING. AND SO I'M ASKING THAT YOU BE PROACTIVE, THAT YOU LISTEN TO THE RESIDENTS THAT HAVE ELECTED YOU AND THAT YOU FIGHT FOR US. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. THE NEXT SPEAKER. OKAY. WE'RE NOT WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO AGAIN, DECORUM.

AND WE GOT TO GET THROUGH THESE NAMES. SO IF YOU COULD IF YOU COULD HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE, THAT'D BE GREAT. IF YOU DON'T HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE, THEN I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT ACCORDINGLY. BUT WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO GET THROUGH THESE NAMES. SO SAMUEL FRAGA ESCALANTE, IF YOU

CAN COME DOWN, GIVE YOUR NAME. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. >> HI, EVERYONE. I'M DOCTOR SAMUEL FRAGA ESCALANTE. I'M A RESIDENT OF DENTON, SO I WANT TO TALK TO SIMILARLY TO HOW NICK FELT. I AM DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE MANY OF US ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE DISAPPOINTED IN THEIR DEMOCRATIC SYSTEMS. WE IN MANY WAYS, REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU ARE IN THE POLITICAL AISLE, HAVE BEEN LET DOWN BY NATIONAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS. AND I'M NOT A FAN OF EITHER OF THE TWO MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES. AND SO A LOT OF US, ESPECIALLY SINCE 2016 AND 2020, HAVE REALLY DOUBLED DOWN ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CITY GOVERNMENT. AND ESPECIALLY IN A CITY LIKE DENTON, WHERE WE HAVE NONPARTISAN ELECTED OFFICIALS ON CITY COUNCIL. AND I'M AFRAID OF HOW NOT JUST THIS VOTE, BUT THE HOW THIS HAS TRANSPIRED COULD SET A PRECEDENT, OR AT LEAST OPTICS, FOR THE IMPORTANCE AND VIABILITY OF FOLKS TO HAVE THEIR VOTE NOT JUST COUNTED AND ACCEPTED, BUT SUSTAINED AND DEFENDED IN AN ENVIRONMENT SPECIFICALLY IN TEXAS, BUT NOT UNIQUE TO TEXAS, IN WHICH STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE BEEN AND CONTINUE TO BE AT ODDS WITH ONE ANOTHER. AND SO I NOW BRING THE DISAPPOINTMENT THAT I FEEL WITH MY NATIONAL AND STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS. UNFORTUNATELY, TO THE CITY, IF THEY WERE TO VOTE TO REPEAL THIS, GIVEN THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE AFTER THAT, WE ARE TOLD TIME AND TIME AGAIN VOTING MATTERS FOR THE PRESIDENCY, FOR THE CONGRESS, FOR STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT MATTERS. WHO TAKES CARE OF YOUR ROADS? WHO TAKES CARE OF THE PRIORITIES FOR ARRESTS, MATTERS? AND THIS SENDS, YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH US OR NOT. IT SENDS A MESSAGE THAT SOMETIMES IT ACTUALLY DOESN'T MATTER, THAT FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE CHOOSE HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THIS OR ANY OTHER VOTE TO REPEAL THE WILL OF THE VOTERS MAY NOT MATTER IN THE LONG RUN. SO I ALSO ASK YOU TO VOTE NO. IF WE NEED TO POSTPONE THIS, TO GET CREATIVE, TO UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION BETTER, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT. LASTLY, I KNOW THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, MAYBE SOME HERE FEEL THAT WHEN THEY ARE VOTED IN, THAT IS THEN A MANDATE FOR THEM TO ACT ON WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS BEST. WE HAVE A UNIQUE SITUATION HERE WHERE, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY HAVE A MANDATE FROM BEING VOTED INTO YOUR OFFICE, BUT BEING VOTED SPECIFICALLY, OVERWHELMINGLY FOR YES TO DEPRIORITIZE THE ARRESTS OF MISDEMEANOR LEVELS OF CANNABIS. AND AGAIN, I THINK IT WOULD SET A REALLY, REALLY BAD PRECEDENT, REALLY BAD OPTICS, IF WE WEREN'T TO REALLY DIALOG WITH THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT TO DO GOING FORWARD. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. NEXT, SPEAKER, RICHARD GLADDEN, IF YOU CAN COME DOWN, GIVE YOUR NAME. YOU HAVE

THREE MINUTES. >> ARE. >> YOU HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY

[02:35:01]

>> AND THAT'S YOUR TIME. >> ALL RIGHT. THIS IS A POLICY DECISION. IT'S NOT A LEGAL DECISION. YOU'VE EXPENDED A LOT OF MONEY. I THINK YOU SHOULD STICK WITH YOUR GUNS, STICK TO

YOUR GUNS AND LET THE COURTS DECIDE. >> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. DEB, IF YOU CAN COME DOWN, GIVE YOUR NAME. YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.

>> WELCOME. >> DEB. >> ARMENTOR, I.

>> WANT TO FIRST OF ALL, JUST AGREE WITH EVERYBODY WHO HAS SPOKEN BEFORE. I'M HAVING A LOT OF DEJA VU RIGHT NOW TO A TIME BEFORE ANY OF YOU WERE ON THIS, THIS DAIS. AND THAT IS THE TIME OF THE DENTON FRACKING BAN, WHEN DENTON CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO REPEAL OUR OWN DEMOCRATICALLY DECIDED FRACKING BAN THAT, LIKE OUR DECRIMINALIZATION ORDINANCE, WAS ALSO DECIDED BY CITIZEN PETITION INITIATIVE COUNCIL ENDED UP REPEALING THE BAN. ONLY ONE PERSON ON COUNCIL, KEELEY BRIGGS, VOTED AGAINST IT. AND THE REASON THAT THEY WERE GIVEN IS BECAUSE, OH, THERE'S A LAWSUIT, THERE'S MULTIPLE LAWSUITS, AND NOW THERE'S A MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT, AND THERE'S A DISCOVERY ORDER. AND THESE ARE REALLY TERRIBLE, SCARY THINGS AND WE CAN'T GO THROUGH WITH THEM. SO WE HAVE TO REPEAL. AND THAT WAS JUST PURE GASLIGHTING. DISCOVERY ORDERS, AS IN THE DISCOVERY ORDERS THAT Y'ALL HAVE GOTTEN AND MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT ARE JUST PART OF THE PROCESS. SO I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO JUST DISTINGUISH SOME OF THE GASLIGHTING THAT I'M SEEING HERE, ESPECIALLY COMING FROM THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU ALL ARE GOING

[02:40:08]

NUMBER TWO IS THE MYTH THAT THIS THAT DEFENDING IT IS A WASTE OF MONEY. THE TRUTH IS, IT'S A WASTE OF MONEY TO ALLOW THE CITY MANAGER AND POLICE CHIEF TO NOT IMPLEMENT IT. IF WE WERE IMPLEMENTING THAT ORDINANCE, YOU WOULD BE SAVING SO MUCH MONEY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS EACH YEAR ON CITATIONS, ARRESTS, THC TESTING, JAIL TIME AND HIGHLY PAID POLICE WORK BOTH ON THE STREETS AND ALSO BEHIND THE DESK, POLICE DESK WORK, ALL TO DOCUMENT A VICTIMLESS NONVIOLENT CRIME. THIRDLY, IS WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID. BETTER THAN I COULD BY OUR LAWYER, RICHARD GLADDEN. AND FINALLY, I JUST WANT TO SAY, IN SOLIDARITY WITH EVERYONE ELSE WHO HAS SPOKEN, WE HAD BARELY A WEEKEND TO MOBILIZE ON THIS. THERE HAS BEEN NO NO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT. AND THAT IS A

SCANDAL ON A MATTER THAT WAS A POPULAR VOTE, 72%. THANK YOU. >> VERY MUCH.

>> EVERY SINGLE ONE. >> CHARLIE ROSE. CHARLIE ROSE. H A R L Y R O S E. ONE MORE TIME.

OKAY. NEXT IS. NEXT IS JOHN HOLT. PARDON ME. JOANNE. FORGIVE ME. JOANNE HOLT. JOANNE. HOLT.

ONE MORE TIME. OKAY. SURE. B B R E. SORRY. THANK YOU. YOUR NAME? YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.

>> HELLO. COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M SEAN WITH TSA NORTH TEXAS, AN ORGANIZATION ADVOCATING FOR WORKING CLASS POWER. WE BELIEVE THAT CRIMINALIZATION OF CANNABIS IS UNJUST, UNNECESSARY, AND A METHOD THE POLICE USES TO TARGET POOR FOLKS IN OUR BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORS AND CLEARLY DIDN'T AGREE. WHICH IS WHY A VERY MODEST REFERENDUM DECRIMINALIZING MISDEMEANOR AMOUNTS OF CANNABIS PASSED SO OVERWHELMINGLY IN 2022. BUT THE DEMOCRATIC CHOICE OF THE PEOPLE OF DENTON HAS BEEN IGNORED FOR OVER TWO YEARS, AND THE CITY MANAGER AND POLICE CHIEF HAS NOT BEEN HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR IGNORING DEMOCRACY. NOW WE HAVE A REPEAL VOTE INTRODUCED LAST MINUTE WITH NO PRIOR OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC INPUT, AND THEY'RE GOING TO USE THE EXCUSE THAT GOVERNOR ABBOTT HAS FORCED THEM WITH THIS LAWSUIT. BUT NO COURT HAS MADE A DEFINITIVE RULING ON THE MERITS ON THIS TOPIC. AND AS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE, OUR CITY SHOULD FIGHT FOR ITS MUNICIPAL INDEPENDENCE AND NOT ROLL OVER WITHOUT EVEN TRYING TO TAKE ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION. AS OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE NOTED, DALLAS, WHICH JUST PASSED A SIMILAR ORDINANCE, IS IMPLEMENTING THEIR POLICY AND NOT IGNORING THE WILL OF THE VOTERS. DENTON HAS NO EXCUSE, AND WE AND DSA NORTH

TEXAS URGE A NO VOTE ON THIS REPEAL. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT, SPEAKER, JODY ISMERT, COME DOWN AND GIVE YOUR NAME. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

>> JODY ISMERT. >> 819 ANNA. SO I'M GOING TO PROBABLY SAY SOME SIMILAR THINGS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD, BUT I STOOD HERE A DECADE AGO TO TELL YOU THE EXACT SAME THING I'M GOING TO SAY TODAY, BUT EXCEPT IT WAS FOR THE FRACKING BAN, AS DEB TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, THE CITY OVERWHELMINGLY VOTED TO HAVE THE FRACKING BAN. AND A DECADE AGO, I STOOD HERE AND I ASKED YOU TO PLEASE UPHOLD IT. AND TODAY I'M ASKING YOU THE SAME THING. THE CITY OVERWHELMINGLY VOTED IN FAVOR OF PROP B, AND THERE ARE MANY REASONS. FINANCIAL REASONS, AS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED, ARE DEFINITELY AT THE TOP OF THAT LIST. AND REALLY JUST VICTIMLESS

[02:45:06]

UPHOLD OUR VOTE. PLEASE UPHOLD OUR VOTE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS PETER. PETER. MENGELE. MENGELE, YEAH. COME DOWN. GIVE YOUR NAME. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS PETER GUERRA JUNIOR. I LIVE IN DISTRICT THREE, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN STRONG OPPOSITION TO RESCINDING THE MARIJUANA DECRIMINALIZATION ORDINANCE THAT VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY PASSED IN 2022. THIS WAS NOT A CLOSE CALL, AS YOU'VE HEARD MULTIPLE TIMES CITYWIDE. THIS PASSED WITH OVERWHELMING SUPPORT. I DID WANT TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, THOUGH, THAT THIS WASN'T JUST ONE PART OF TOWN. IT WAS NEARLY EVERY PART OF DENTON. DISTRICT ONE, 74.9% FOR DISTRICT TWO, 75.1% FOR DISTRICT THREE, 80.9% FOR DISTRICT FOUR, 60.5% FOR ACROSS ALL FOUR DISTRICTS. VOTERS MADE THEMSELVES CLEAR THEY WANT A CHANGE IN HOW LOW LEVEL MARIJUANA ENFORCEMENT IS HANDLED, AND THEY TRUSTED YOU TO PROTECT THAT VOICE. AS AN ATTORNEY, I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS ABOUT LITIGATION COSTS, BUT THIS IS ABOUT PRIORITIES. THAT'S WHY HOLDING THE LINE MATTERS NOT JUST FOR OUR VALUES, BUT FOR OUR AUTONOMY AS A CITY. RESCINDING THIS ORDINANCE MIGHT END THE LAWSUIT, BUT ONLY BY GIVING KEN PAXTON EXACTLY WHAT HE WANTS. THIS LAWSUIT WAS NEVER ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY. IT'S ABOUT CONTROL. CAPITULATING NOW WOULD TELL AUSTIN THEY CAN OVERRIDE OUR ELECTIONS WITH LEGAL THREATS. THIS FITS INTO A LARGER PATTERN FROM THIS LAWSUIT TO THE SO-CALLED DEATH STAR BILL OF STATE LEADERS TRYING TO STRIP CITIES LIKE DENTON OF THE RIGHT TO GOVERN THEMSELVES. I WOULD ALSO MENTION THAT ANY PENDING LEGISLATION THAT MAY TOUCH THIS ORDINANCE WOULD NOT GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR, AND WE WOULD WE COULD WAIT A FEW WEEKS UNTIL THE SESSION ENDS TO GET A BETTER READ ON THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE. BUT THIS IS NO LONGER JUST ABOUT MARIJUANA.

IT'S ABOUT WHO DECIDES WHAT HAPPENS IN DENTON. IS IT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE, WHO WORK HERE AND VOTE HERE? OR IS IT POLITICIANS IN AUSTIN WHO DON'T BELIEVE IN LOCAL CONTROL OR DIRECT DEMOCRACY? RESCINDING THIS ORDINANCE UNDER STATE PRESSURE WOULD SEND THE MESSAGE THAT DENTON'S ELECTIONS ARE CONDITIONAL, THAT WHEN POWERFUL PEOPLE DISAGREE WITH OUR VOTES AND OUR CHOICES, WE FOLD. I URGE YOU, STAND FIRM. RESPECT THE WILL OF THE VOTERS, DEFEND HOME RULE, AND DON'T HAND THIS VICTORY TO THOSE WHO THINK OUR VOICES DON'T MATTER. THAT'S WHAT

LEADERSHIP DEMANDS, NOT RETREAT, BUT RESOLVE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS MADELINE CLARK. YOU COME NOW. GIVE YOUR NAME. YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.

>> HELLO, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS MADELINE CLARK. I'M A STUDENT HERE AT UNT. I'VE WRITTEN A PREPARED STATEMENT. AS MANY OF MY FELLOW SPEAKERS HAVE SAID, THIS ISSUE IS LARGER THAN JUST THE CONTENTS OF PROPOSITION B, IN MY UNDERSTANDING. MORE CITY FUNDS HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED DEFENDING THIS ORDINANCE THAN SPENT ON ANY ATTEMPT TO ENFORCE IT AT ALL. DESPITE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY VOTE IN FAVOR. IS OUR MONEY REALLY GOING TOWARDS DEFENDING AN ORDINANCE THAT YOU WERE GOING TO END UP REPEALING IN THE FIRST PLACE, IF IT HAD BEEN EFFECTIVELY ENFORCED AND THOSE TWO REFUSED TO IMPLEMENT IT, WERE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, THESE FUNDS WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COME BACK TOWARDS OUR CITY, TO PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE HERE IN DENTON.

THIS SPEAKS TO US AS YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, THAT OUR VOTES ARE EFFECTIVELY MEANINGLESS, THAT OUR REPRESENTATIVES ARE UNABLE TO LISTEN TO OUR NEEDS AND REQUESTS, WHETHER IT BE DUE TO DECISIONS MADE AT A CITY OR STATE LEVEL. AND FOLLOWING THAT LOGIC, WILL DISENFRANCHIZE AND DISCOURAGE RESIDENTS AND VOTERS FROM WANTING TO VOTE OR PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL POLITICS AT ALL. WE NEED TO FEEL OUR VOICES WILL BE HEARD AND NOT SIMPLY DISCARDED. I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE FOR MORE THAN ONE COUNCIL MEMBER HERE TODAY, AND I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT VOTING ON THE LOCAL LEVEL WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY, THAT I COULD ACTUALLY HELP OUR CITY THRIVE, AND VOICE CONCERNS TO MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT CARE ABOUT OUR TOWN AS MUCH AS I DO. I REMEMBER PERSONALLY VOTING IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE IN 2022, AS I'VE LIVED HERE IN DENTON FOR ABOUT TEN YEARS NOW, AND I FOUND OUT TODAY, MAY 20TH, 2025, THAT IT HAD NEVER BEEN ENFORCED WITHIN THE CITY AT ALL. IT TOOK THREE YEARS FOR THAT INFORMATION TO GET TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, MYSELF IN PARTICULAR, BUT STILL, THIS MAY BE DUE TO MY LIMITED PURVIEW AS SIMPLY A CITIZEN AND STUDENT. BUT WHAT DOES IT SAY TO US THAT WE CAN VOTE ANY PROPOSITION INTO EFFECT AND NOT HAVE IT TAKE EFFECT? WE'RE TOLD

[02:50:01]

YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU. OKAY, I'LL TAKE I'LL TAKE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF DISCUSSION OR MOTION. REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT FOUR.

>> MAYOR, IN LIGHT OF THE OVERWHELMING LEGAL FEES, THE POSSIBLE FREEZING AND JEOPARDIZING OF TAX REVENUE, JEOPARDIZING STATE GRANTS, AND THE ABILITY TO HOLD ELECTIONS, I

MOVE THE APPROVAL OF THIS ORDINANCE. >> REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT

ONE. >> I'LL SECOND. >> THAT MOTION. A SECOND

DISCUSSION REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT TWO. >> I'M GOING TO BE VOTING AGAINST THIS REPEAL. THERE IS CURRENTLY THIS IS BASICALLY UNNEEDED CAPITULATION TO POLITICAL PRESSURE. AND CAPITULATION TO CREEPING AUTHORITARIANISM. THE FACTS THAT I HAVE SEEN THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO ME, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED.

YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'VE SEEN IN YOUR HEADS. BUT WHAT I'VE SEEN SUGGESTS STRONGLY THAT WE ARE JUMPING SHIP BEFORE THE SHIP IS SINKING. THIS THIS IS NOT AVOIDING CONFLICT. THIS IS AVOIDING RESPONSIBILITY AND FAILING TO STAND UP FOR LOCAL CONTROL AND SELF-GOVERNANCE. AND THE COURTS THEMSELVES HAVE EXPLICITLY SAID THAT THEY CANNOT AND SHOULD NOT ORDER US TO REPEAL. SO THE REPEAL ITSELF IS UNNECESSARY. I HAVE HEARD NOTHING FROM THAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO ME IN ANY CONTEXT THAT SAYS I AM CURRENTLY FORCED TO ENGAGE IN ANYTHING. THERE'S NO I'VE NOT HEARD ABOUT ANY CONSEQUENCES, ANY PENALTIES, ANYTHING THAT IS ACTIVELY IMPLICIT ON THE CITY OF DENTON RIGHT AT THIS MOMENT THAT SAYS THAT WE SHOULD THWART THE WILL OF THE VOTERS. INSTEAD, IT'S INDIVIDUAL COUNCILORS WHO ARE WHO WILL BE CHOOSING TO DO SO.

SO I AM NOT JUST A NO, BUT I'M A HELL NO. >> REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT

ONE. >> I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING TIRELESSLY ON THIS PROJECT. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US. WE ALL KNOW HOW WE INDIVIDUALLY FEEL. THERE'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE MINDFUL OF THE PRACTICALITY BEHIND WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES, THERE'S OPTIONS FOR US HERE. WE DO HAVE AN OPTION TO GO WITH IT.

STAY, STAY IN FRONT OF IT. BUT WITH ALL THAT IS GOING ON IN AUSTIN, THESE PEOPLE ARE RUTHLESS. THEY HAVE AN AGENDA. THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY. THERE'S SOME WORDS I WANT TO USE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO PUT IT OUT THERE LIKE THAT BECAUSE I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN AUSTIN. I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED IN OUR LEADERSHIP IN AUSTIN, AND I WANT US ALL TO KNOW THAT WE REALLY HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE NEED, AND WE SHOULD BE MAKING OUR VOICES LOUDER IN AUSTIN.

YOU'RE THE ONES THAT'S HOLDING THE BOOKS. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT'S GUIDING THE STATE. IT'S JUST UNFORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT'S GUIDING THE STATE THAT THAT'S NOT THEY'RE NOT HEARING US. ALSO, I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT ALSO OUR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAME OUT IN FULL FORCE TO THIS. AND I KNOW THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE VERY HIGH. WE JUST HAD AN ELECTION AND WE BARELY HAD PEOPLE TO SHOW UP FOR THE ELECTION. NOT INTERESTED IN PUBLIC. ACCOUNTABILITY. OTHERWISE, YOU PUT PEOPLE ON THIS DAIS THAT THINKS MORE LIKE YOU. YOU WOULD GO TO AUSTIN AND VOTE IN THOSE ELECTIONS. YOU WILL GO AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL AND VOTE FOR FEDERAL ELECTIONS. THIS ONE THING RIGHT HERE IS NOT GOING TO STOP US FROM BEING A GREAT CITY, BUT WE MAY HAVE TO REVISIT THIS AT A LATER DATE. WE CAN DO THAT. WE HAVE OPTIONS TO DO THAT AS WELL. SO JUST WITH THE PRACTICALITY IN MIND OF DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR THE RIGHT REASON, FUNDING, WE'RE GOING TO BE SHORT. OUR BUDGET IS COMING UP. ALL OF THAT HAS TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN THIS DECISION. SO I KNOW THAT I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR REPEALING IT, BUT WE'RE NOT DONE WITH IT. WE STILL HAVE OPTIONS OUT THERE TO BRING IT BACK TO US IN A DIFFERENT KIND

[02:55:06]

FOR IT. >> OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE VOTE? REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT SIX.

>> COUNCILPERSON JESTER I JUST WANTED TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT WHY I'M VOTING THE WAY I'M VOTING. FIRST OF ALL, VOTES DO MATTER. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION MATTERS, AND THE VOTE HERE TONIGHT IS NOT ANYTHING THAT IS TAKEN LIGHTLY, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE VOTES THAT SUPPORTED THIS ORDINANCE. SO ONE QUESTION THAT HAS NOT BEEN ASKED IS WHY NOW? WE'VE BEEN IN LITIGATION FOR ALMOST A YEAR AND A HALF, DEFENDING THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS VOTED ON FROM OUR CITIZENS. SO WHY NOW? WHY NOW? ARE WE CONTEMPLATING REPEALING IT? AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE IN LEGAL PRECEDENT. THE CHANGE OCCURRED IN APRIL OF 2025 WITH, AS WE'VE SAID, THE 15TH COURT OF APPEALS, A COURT OF APPEALS THAT IS SOLELY APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR. THERE'S NO VOTING INCLUDED. THERE WON'T BE ANY VOTES INCLUDED ON WHO THE JUDGES ARE, AND THEY HAVE EXCLUSIVE PURVIEW OVER THESE TYPES OF CASES. SO WE ALREADY KNOW IN ADVANCE WHERE OUR APPEAL GOES, WHERE OUR INITIAL APPEAL WENT REGARDING DISCOVERY AND THE APPEAL. IN ANY APPEAL REGARDING THE TRIAL COURT CASE. AND THE ISSUE IS THE PROHIBITION OF ENFORCING CERTAIN DRUG LAWS, WHETHER THEY ARE MISDEMEANORS OR FELONIES. THERE IS NOT A DISTINCTION THAT THE COURTS MAKE. IT'S BEEN MENTIONED EARLIER THAT I AM A PRACTICING ATTORNEY NOW. I'M CERTAINLY NOT A MUNICIPAL LAWYER. HOWEVER, I DO TAKE THIS ROLE VERY SERIOUSLY AND WANTED TO PUT IN THE RESEARCH BEFORE MAKING A DECISION. SO I CALLED A LAW PROFESSOR. I CALLED THE PROFESSOR AT THE BAKER INSTITUTE AT RICE IN DRUG PUBLIC POLICY. I CALLED A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER IN ANOTHER CITY INVOLVING THE LITIGATION. I RESEARCHED THE OPINIONS THAT HAVE COME OUT IN INTERVIEWS AND THE TEXAS TRIBUNE THAT HAVE COME OUT IN THE TEXAS NEWSROOM. THEY'VE ALL COME TO THE SAME DETERMINATION THAT I HAVE AFTER READING THESE MATERIALS AND WANTING THAT KIND OF BACKUP BEFORE I MADE THIS KIND OF DECISION THAT I KNOW TO SOME WILL SEEM TO FLY IN THE FACE OF THE PUBLIC'S WILL. HOWEVER, IT IS MY BELIEF THAT WE TONIGHT ARE NOT WHETHER OR NOT TO UPHOLD AN ORDINANCE. WE'RE NOT VOTING ON CANNABIS LEGALIZATION TONIGHT. WE'RE RECOGNIZING THAT THE CONSTRUCT THAT THE TRIAL COURTS HAVE NOW BEEN ORDERED TO USE IN ORDER TO DETERMINE IF AN ORDINANCE IS OUT OF LINE, HAS BEEN SET BY THE 15 COURT OF COURT OF APPEALS. AND IS THE WRITING ON THE WALL THAT OF WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DECIDE FROM HERE ON OUT? THEY ARE ANTICIPATING SOMETHING LIKE 500,000 IN FUTURE ATTORNEY'S FEES. BUT THAT'S NOT THE ONLY REASON. I ALSO WANT TO STATE THAT PART OF THE REASON I THINK THAT YOU HEAR THE RHETORIC TONIGHT ABOUT THIS COUNCIL BEING DYSFUNCTIONAL IS BECAUSE OF SOME OF THESE COUNCIL PEOPLE, AND I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT I AM PERFECT OR INNOCENT, BUT I WILL SAY WHEN I SEE THREATS PUT ON FACEBOOK AND OTHER PLACES, CALLING ANYONE THAT DISAGREES WITH THEM AUTHORITARIAN OR ANTI-DEMOCRATIC OR A SLIPPERY, SLIPPERY SLOPE, YOU KNOW, TO. CEDING TO THE STATE THE DECISIONS BEEN MADE. IT'S OUT OF OUR HANDS. IT IS A STATE ISSUE AND NOT A LOCAL ISSUE. I AM NOT SHIRKING MY RESPONSIBILITY, AS SOME UP HERE MIGHT SAY, BY VOTING THE WAY I'M VOTING TONIGHT. I'M TAKING MY RESPONSIBILITY VERY SERIOUSLY, KNOWING THAT MANY OF YOU WILL BE ANGRY AT ME. AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I DO LIGHTLY. AND IT'S NOT EVEN SOMETHING I WANTED TO DO, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT MY CONSCIENCE TELLS ME I HAVE TO DO, AND I'M GOING TO DO WHAT I BELIEVE IS THE RIGHT THING FOR

[03:00:04]

AND EARLIER THERE WAS AN ARGUMENT SAYING THAT BECAUSE POLICE CAN HAVE DISCRETION AND INDEED THEY CAN AS FAR AS ENFORCING CERTAIN LAWS. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE AS A COUNCIL CAN DIRECT OUR POLICE TO DO. AND WE HAVE BEEN EVEN THOUGH THE ORDINANCE HAS NOT BEEN TECHNICALLY ENFORCED, WE DO HAVE CERTAIN POLICIES REGARDING OUR PRIORITIES. BUT AS FAR AS THE ARGUMENT OF THE DISCRETION ON PAGE 15 OF THE SAN MARCOS OPINION FROM THE 15TH APPELLATE COURT, IT SAYS THE CITY ALSO ARGUES THAT THE ORDINANCE IS NOT PREEMPTED BECAUSE THE ORDINANCE WILL OPERATE IN MANY CIRCUMSTANCES, JUST LIKE THE ORDINARY EXERCISE OF CRIME, PRIVATIZATION AND PROSECUTORIAL DISCRETION. IN OTHER WORDS, OFFICER COULD HAVE EXERCISED THEIR DISCRETION IN CHOOSING NOT TO ISSUE CITATIONS OR MAKE ARRESTS IN THE SAME CATEGORIES OF CASES, EVEN IN THE ABSENCE OF THE ORDINANCE. THIS DOES NOT SAVE THE ORDINANCE. WE FIND GUIDANCE SIMILAR IN A SIMILAR PREEMPTION ARGUMENT REJECTED BY THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT, AND IT GOES ON LOCAL REGULATIONS THAT AUTHORIZE ENFORCEMENT BASED ON STANDARDS THAT ARE INCONSISTENT WITH THE STATUTORY STANDARD ARE NOT SAVED FROM PREEMPTION MERELY BECAUSE SOME APPLICATIONS MAY PRODUCE CONSISTENT RESULTS. AND THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS I HAVE NOTICED THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACTIVISTS IN TOWN, AND WITHOUT ACTIVISTS, PEOPLE DON'T KNOW INFORMATION.

PEOPLE AREN'T PUSHING OUT INFORMATION. BEING INVOLVED IN GOVERNMENT IS GOOD. EVEN WHEN WE DISAGREE, WHICH WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT A CONTEST OF IDEAS AND BATTLE OUT. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DISAGREE WITH EACH OTHER WITHOUT CALLING EACH OTHER NAMES AND WITHOUT THREATENING EACH OTHER, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW SHARED GOVERNANCE AND THAT'S DEMOCRACY.

BUT I WILL SAY THAT THERE ARE ACTIVISTS THAT RALLY AROUND A PLAN TO MAKE CHANGE. AND THEN THERE ARE ACTIVISTS THAT IT'S MORE OF AN EMOTIONAL, CATHARTIC VENTING, AND WE CAN'T YELL ENOUGH TO CHANGE. THE 14TH COURT OF APPEALS MEMORANDUM. WE CAN'T WISH IT AWAY, IN MY OPINION.

THERE IS NO HOPE AT THIS TIME WITH THE CURRENT LAWS, AND WE SHOULD PUT OUR FOCUS ON THE STATE THAT CLEARLY HAS THE PURVIEW OF THESE TYPES OF LAWS. AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME

TALK SO LONG. I'LL REST AS THEY SAY. >> REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT

FIVE. >> I WANT TO START OUT BY FIRST THANKING THE CITY MANAGER. I WANT TO THANK THE CITY ATTORNEY. GUYS, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS A LONG TIME, HAVEN'T WE? I APPRECIATE I APPRECIATE ALL THE DISCUSSIONS THAT YOU ALL HAVE HAD PUBLICLY WITH US AND PRIVATE WITH ME, WALKING ME THROUGH ALL THE STEPS OF THIS FOR THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF. I WANT TO THANK OUR OUR POLICE OFFICERS FOR, FOR THE MOST PART, DOING THEIR JOB WITH COMPASSION, WITH RESPECT FOR CITIZENS. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL. DEB. AS I TOLD YOU WHEN I TALKED

[03:05:02]

GOVERNMENT IS GETTING A BAD RAP RIGHT NOW, JUSTIFIABLY SO BECAUSE OF MANY ACTIONS COMING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE OF THE VAST OVERREACH FROM THE STATE GOVERNMENT. BY AND LARGE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS IN TEXAS, WE DO OUR JOB. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE DO AS MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS, IN MY OPINION, IS WE HANDLE THE PURSE. IT'S ABOUT MONEY, RIGHT? AND WHAT I MEAN IS THAT WE CAN FILL A GALLERY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DE-PRIORITIZING MARIJUANA, WHICH IS IMPORTANT, DON'T GET ME WRONG. BUT WHAT WE WON'T DO IS WE WON'T FILL A GALLERY WHEN WE IN THIS BODY ARE SPENDING 20 MILLION OF YOUR TAX DOLLARS. LET ME BE CLEAR. ALL OF IT MATTERS.

BUT I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE MONEY REAL QUICK, IF YOU DON'T MIND. YOU ALL KNOW THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN PUSHING FOR THE MOST IS FAIR CHANCE HIRING. RIGHT? AND WHY HAVE I BEEN PUSHING FOR THAT? BECAUSE SOMETIMES PEOPLE MAKE MISTAKES. SO WHAT THAT MEANS FOR ME IS I WANT EVERYBODY IN THE CITY OF DENTON TO HAVE A CHANCE TO BE MAXIMUM SALARY EARNERS.

WHY IS THAT? BECAUSE IF YOU ARE A MAXIMUM SALARY EARNER, YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO COMPETE IN THIS SYSTEM. YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO PAY YOUR FULL FREIGHT IN TAXES. AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT IF YOU CAN PAY YOUR FULL FREIGHT IN TAXES, WE HAVE A CHANCE TO LOWER EVERYBODY'S TAXES WHEN WE SADDLE COLLEGE KIDS, YOUNG PEOPLE, PREDOMINANTLY BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE, OLDER FOLKS WITH PETTY MARIJUANA CHARGES. IT SETS THEM BACK. IT PUTS THEM BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL. SO NOW THEY ARE NO LONGER MAXIMUM TAX EARNERS IN THE CITY. THEREFORE, IT SHIFTS A DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN ON THE REST OF US. THAT'S HOW I GOT HERE. FOR ME, IT'S VERY CLEAR. WE SEE THINGS AS WE ARE. AS A BLACK MAN IN AMERICA, I UNDERSTAND THAT DRUG LAWS OVERWHELMINGLY DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME. THE DATA IS CLEAR. HOW DID WE GET HERE? YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY IT BEFORE. FROM THIS DAIS, NIXON FLOODED OUR COMMUNITIES WITH DRUGS.

REAGAN CAME AFTER HIM AND DOUBLED DOWN WITH THE WAR ON DRUGS. AND THEN AFTER HIM, CLINTON HIT US WITH THE CRIME. BILL. THREE STRIKES. YOU'RE OUT. AND WHAT DID THAT DO? IT REMOVED A GENERATION AND A HALF OF BLACK MEN FROM THE HOME. AND BROWN MEN. THERE IS NO WAY FROM THIS DAIS I COULD TAKE A VOTE TO REPEAL THIS ORDINANCE FOR THOSE REASONS. LAST ONE.

DECRIMINALIZED. DENTON DID A HELL OF A JOB GETTING THIS ORDINANCE PASSED BACK IN 22. I THINK ON THE WAY OUT, WE ALL SHOULD CELEBRATE THEM AND LOVE ON THEM FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DID IN GETTING THIS DONE. 72% OF THE CITY VOTED FOR THIS. AS WAS SAID. I APPRECIATE MR. MUNGER.

[03:10:09]

WORTH? I DON'T WANT? I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE. >> RIGHT. GO AHEAD, WRAP IT UP.

YOU SAID IT WAS YOUR LAST POINT. I'M NOT. I'M NOT. YOU SAID LAST THING, SO I'M JUST SAYING

CONCLUDE. >> I DON'T WANT PEOPLE IN THIS CITY TO CONTINUE TO HAVE.

ARRESTS ON THEIR RECORD FOR LOW LEVELS OF MARIJUANA. I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO START, PARTICULARLY YOUNG PEOPLE, TO START OUT THEIR LIFE BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL WITH A CHARGE. THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. I DRIVE A TRUCK FOR A LIVING AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR REGULAR WORKING PEOPLE LIKE ME TO BE ABLE TO GO TO WORK AND MAKE A LIFE FOR THEMSELVES AND FOR THEIR FAMILIES. AS I STARTED OUT SAYING, LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS THE LAST GUARDRAIL FOR DEMOCRACY IN THIS COUNTRY. HOW MUCH DO WE VALUE OTHER PEOPLE? I DON'T THINK FOR ME, I DON'T THINK I CAN PUT A PRICE ON HOW MUCH I VALUE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THE WILL TO SUPPORT AN ORDINANCE THAT YOU ALL PASSED. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO REMEMBER WHO I WORK FOR. I DON'T WORK FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. I DON'T WORK FOR THE STATE GOVERNMENT. I WORK FOR YOU ALL. AND I TRUST THAT IN THE FUTURE, WHETHER WE'VE DONE GOOD OR WHETHER WE'VE DONE BAD, WE SHOULD ALL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE THINGS WE'VE DONE. ULTIMATELY, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT WE SAY FROM HERE. WHAT REALLY MATTERS IS HOW WE VOTE. AND. I TRUST THIS PROCESS.

I'M GONNA LET THE PROCESS WORK OUT, WORK ITSELF OUT. BUT SOMETHING TELLS ME THAT I BELIEVE THAT THE FIGHT IS NOT GOING TO BE OVER HERE. SO IF THIS VOTE DOES NOT GO THE WAY THAT MANY OF US WANT, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO CONTINUE TO STAY ENGAGED ON THIS ISSUE. AND PLEASE KNOW THAT WHETHER I'M SITTING UP HERE OR DOWN THERE WITH YOU, I WILL BE WALKING WITH

YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> OKAY. ANYONE? >> OKAY, FOLKS, THAT'S ENOUGH.

>> ALL RIGHT. >> COME HERE. WE'RE GOING TO START WITH RICHARD. ALL RIGHT? NEVER MIND. OKAY. OKAY. SO ANYONE ELSE, ANYONE ELSE CARE TO SPEAK? ANYONE ELSE? SEEING NONE.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. CHRIS, IF YOU COULD HELP ME AND THEN MISS, MISS CITY MANAGER, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK WHO'S PREPARED TO SPEAK ON WHERE THE STATE OF THE. THE CITY HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO HOW IT ENFORCES THESE ISSUES, AND I THINK THAT'S NEEDS TO BE SAID OR READ INTO THE RECORD. KIND OF THE ADJUSTMENTS THE COURT'S MADE TO THE DISCRETION THAT THE POLICE CHIEF HAS EXPRESSED. SO JUST BE THINKING ABOUT WHO'S BEST TO SPEAK TO. AT LEAST GIVE AN OVERVIEW, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. SO IF YOU CAN PULL UP THAT. THANK YOU. MAYBE IF YOU COULD MAYBE HIGHLIGHT IT. SO IT'S ALREADY READ. I JUST WANTED TO HAVE IT AS A BACKDROP.

AND THEN. THANK YOU. AND THAT'S GOOD. AND SO I DON'T KNOW ANY OTHER WAY BUT TO BE CONSISTENT.

AND I'VE BEEN THAT ODDLY ENOUGH I WILL AGREE WITH SOMETHING THAT SAID, NICK, I TAKE MY HAT OFF TO

[03:15:02]

AND SO THE QUESTION IS, WE'RE AT $0.59 PER 100. THERE'S NO OTHER CITY IN OUR AREA PER TAX RATE.

AND WE WOULD THEN KICK THAT UP A LEVEL. WE'RE FACING $14 MILLION IN DEFICIT NEXT YEAR, 6 MILLION THIS YEAR. SO AM I WILLING TO TAX THE. CITIZENS TO PROTECT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT ENFORCING. AND THAT'S REALLY THE KEY. IT'S NOT BEING ENFORCED CURRENTLY. SO THE QUESTION BEFORE ME IS DO I WANT TO SPEND ANOTHER $500,000 FOR SOMETHING WE'RE NOT ENFORCING TO HOPE THAT STATE LAW CHANGES? I DON'T, AND THEN I SAY THIS REGULARLY AND I'M GOING TO READ IT STRAIGHT OUT OF THE ORDINANCE. I DO BELIEVE THIS IS ACCURATE, AND I STAND WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THAT'S, THAT'S THAT'S ABSOLUTELY UNQUESTIONED. THAT'S CONSISTENT THAT WAY. AND IT'S SECTION 2185 AND IT'S THE DISCIPLINE PARAGRAPH. AND IT SAYS ANY VIOLATION OF THIS CHAPTER MAY SUBJECT A DENTON POLICE OFFICER TO DISCIPLINE, AS PROVIDED BY THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE AND PROVIDED IN THE CITY POLICY. SO IMAGINE WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT THAT.

PEOPLE NEED TO BE AT PEACE AND PEOPLE NEED TO BE SAFE, AND PEOPLE NEED TO FEEL OKAY. WELL, IMAGINE IF YOU'RE A POLICE OFFICER, THAT YOU'RE AUTHORIZED BY THE STATE TO DO YOUR JOB, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE CITY THAT SAYS THEY SUPPORT YOU SAYS THEY WORK. THAT YOU WORK FOR SAYS, WE'RE GOING TO HANG THIS OVER YOUR HEAD, AND WE COULD DROP IT ON YOU AT ANY POINT IN TIME. BUT HEY, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. WE PROBABLY WON'T DROP IT ON YOU, BUT WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE IT HANGING OVER YOU JUST IN CASE. AND SO I'VE ALWAYS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THAT. AND SO TO THAT END, I THAT'S A PROBLEM FOR ME. AND THEN LASTLY, I JUST DID NOT HEAR ANYONE SPEAK ON. AND I'VE ASKED THIS QUESTION AND I'LL, I'LL CEDE THE FLOOR TO ANYBODY AT THE DAIS. CAN'T DO IT TO THE PUBLIC, BUT TO THE DAIS THAT WANTS TO SAY THAT THEY BELIEVE THE STATE SUPREME COURT WILL SUPPORT THIS.

THE NAME ME ONE STATE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE, ONE PATH TO VICTORY. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT EVERYONE'S TALKED ABOUT LOWER COURTS. EVERYONE'S TALKED ABOUT DISTRICT COURTS. NO ONE'S TALKED ABOUT THE APPELLATE COURT CHANGING ITS MIND ALL OF A SUDDEN HAVING AN EPIPHANY. AND THEN ALSO THE STATE COURT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING. IT'S STRAIGHT UP. IF YOU GO BACK TO THE DISTRICT COURT, YOU STILL GOT TO GO BACK THROUGH THE APPELLATE COURT. SO THE PATH FORWARD IS THE APPELLATE COURT OR THE STATE SUPREME COURT. AND NO ONE HAS SAID THAT THEY BELIEVE WE WILL WIN, CALL IT MERITS, CALL IT RIGHTS, CALL IT WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO. SOMEONE TELL ME THAT WE CAN WIN AT THE STATE OR APPELLATE COURT LEVEL BECAUSE THAT'S THAT'S NEXT.

WELL, AND YEAH, IT GOT IT GOT BROUGHT UP THE WHATEVER THAT ENTITY IS THAT WAS THAT'S BEEN REPRESENTED. THEY HADN'T HAD A WIN YET. IT JUST IT'S JUST THE FACTS DON'T LINE UP WITH WHAT'S BEEN SAID. AND THAT'S OKAY. IF CAN SOMEONE SPEAK TO WHAT THE CHANGES WE'VE MADE PLEASE. YEAH.

>> YEAH. GO AHEAD. >> YEAH. MAYOR, JUST IN RESPONSE, I'M LOOKING BACK AT A PRESENTATION THAT WAS GIVEN BY THE CITY MANAGER. I JUST WANT TO BE VERY NARROW HERE BECAUSE WE ARE STILL IN LITIGATION AND NOT KNOWING THE OUTCOME OF THE, OF THE VOTE. SO NUMBER ONE IS THE CITY HAS PUT IN PLACE THE ABILITY OFFICERS HAVE THE DISCRETION TO ISSUE A CLASS C PARAPHERNALIA CITATION IN LIEU OF POSSESSION CHARGE. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR OFFICERS ARE AUTHORIZED TO DO AND HAVE DISCRETION TO DO, AND ACTUALLY WAS ADDRESSED IN THE 14TH COURT OF APPEALS, 15TH COURT OF APPEALS OPINION. AND THEY AGREED THAT THAT'S WITHIN THEIR

[03:20:04]

>> OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THAT'S GOOD WORK. AND THAT'S TO BE APPLAUDED. AND THAT THAT DOESN'T GET HIGHLIGHTED WITHOUT THE EFFORTS OF THE COMMUNITY RAISING THOSE CONCERNS. AND SO I, I FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT. I CONCLUDE WITH THIS, I. I WAS ON THE BALLOT BEFORE THIS IN 22. I WAS ON THE BALLOT AFTER THIS IN 24, I WAS SUBJECT TO OTHER STUFF THAT I WON'T MENTION. AND SO MY ANSWER HAS BEEN MY ANSWER. AND I TO HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE TO THOSE THAT ELECTED ME. AND I TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY VERY CLEAR. AND I'VE NEVER SHIRKED MY RESPONSIBILITY OR WHERE I STOOD ON THIS ISSUE OR ANY OTHER ISSUE. AGAIN, I WELCOME YOU TO DO A GOOGLE SEARCH. AND JUST BECAUSE I DID THE SAME THING, IT'S MAYOR HUDSPETH AND MARIJUANA AND READ THE CAPTIONS AND THEY'RE CONSISTENT FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND THEY'LL BE THAT. AND SO THERE'S NO WAVERING. THERE'S NO CHANGES. PRETTY PREDICTABLE THAT WAY. SO I STAND SUPREMELY COMFORTABLE.

AND I WANT TO THANK THE CITY MANAGER AND STAFF FOR DOING WHAT THEY DO, WHICH IS EXECUTING ON ON REQUEST OF THE MAJORITY OF THIS COUNCIL. WITH THAT, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND VOTE ON THE SCREEN. AND THAT PASSES 4 TO 3. THAT. AND THEN THAT TAKES US TO

[7. CONCLUDING ITEMS]

DISTRICT FOUR? >> MAYOR. FORMER PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN GOT SOME BAD HEALTH NEWS

JUST RECENTLY, AND I WISH HE AND HIS FAMILY WELL. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT. ANYONE ELSE CONCLUDING ITEMS REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT FIVE?

>> COUNCIL STAFF I WANT TO I DON'T WANT TO APOLOGIZE FOR MISSING TODAY'S WORK SESSION BY ANY MEANS, BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONE TIME TODAY I WAS DOING SOMETHING THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY MORE IMPORTANT. GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND MY BABY FOR HER GRADUATION FROM FOURTH GRADE. SO I'M SORRY THAT I WAS NOT WITH YOU ALL FOR WORK SESSION. ALTHOUGH AGAIN, THIS IS MORE IMPORTANT. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. LOOK FORWARD TO A FULL PARTICIPATION AT OUR NEXT

MEETING. >> ANY OTHER CONCLUDING ITEMS? THEN I'LL WRAP UP WITH THIS.

FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT HELPED PUT ON THE HOMETOWN PARADE AND ALL THOSE THINGS FOR THE FOR BRIANA NICKS. AND MAN, IT WAS A LOT OF WORK AND A LONG DAY, SHORT NIGHTS, BUT GREATLY APPRECIATED. AND TO HAVE RYAN SEACREST SAY DENTON, TEXAS TWICE ON NATIONAL TV IS YOU CAN'T BUY THAT TYPE OF PUBLICITY. AND THEN THE VIDEO WAS WAS OUTSTANDING. RIGHT TO HAVE US FEATURED THERE AS WELL. SO LOOK FORWARD TO THE BENEFITS THAT WILL COME FROM THAT EXPOSURE. AND I WAS PROUD TO WEAR MY ONCE MORE, WEAR MY BRIANA KNICKS SHIRT AND REPRESENT THE KNICKS NATION. AND SO I WISH HER WELL AS SHE COMES BACK AND HOPEFULLY GETS A GET SOME WELL DESERVED REST AND CONTINUES TO GET BACK IN STUDIO AND DO AMAZING THINGS AND REPRESENT DENTON VERY WELL TO THOSE. WE WON'T BE BACK BEFORE THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. SO I WANT TO SAY PLEASE HAVE A HAPPY, SAFE MEMORIAL DAY, BUT IT IS A TIME OF REFLECTION ON THOSE THAT DIED WHILE SERVING. SO PLEASE, LET'S HONOR THEM AND REMEMBER THEM WELL AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE AND THE FREEDOMS WE HAVE. THEN I WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATED THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO RYAN HIGH SCHOOL BAND BANQUET AND GOT TO HANG OUT WITH THOSE KIDS AND TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES. AND JUST ALL THE ALL THE ISD'S ARE DOING AMAZING WORK. AND THEN I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THOSE AT NETTIE SCHULTZ. I HAVE A DAUGHTER THERE AS WELL. THEY HAD THEIR AWARD CEREMONY IN THIS PAST WEEK, AND SO THAT WAS GREAT TO BE BE A PART OF THAT. AND THEN THE LEADERSHIP DENTON HAD THEIR MIXER THIS THIS PAST WEEK. AND SO IF YOU IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT IT'S A GREAT ORGANIZATION AND THEY'LL BE GRADUATING. BUT DOING GOOD WORK.

AND SO IT WAS IT WAS GREAT TO BE IN THE ROOM AND HEAR WHAT THEY'RE WORKING ON. AND IT'S GREAT THEY'RE PARTNERING WITH THE CITY AND GIVING US SOME SOME OF THEIR INSIGHTS. SO THAT WAS GOOD TO HEAR WHAT THEY'RE WORKING ON. AND THEN LASTLY THIS SUNDAY IS TOMMY NELSON AT DENTON BIBLE'S LAST SERVICE. AND IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE IMPACT DENTON BIBLE'S HAD ON THE CITY, YOU NEED LOOK NO FURTHER THAN SHILOH GARDENS, THE LARGEST COMMUNITY GARDEN IN THE UNITED

[03:25:02]