[00:00:01]
>> WE'RE COMING OUT THE CLOSED SESSION AT 6:02 PM.
[1. Call to Order, Roll Call, and Establishment of Quorum.]
GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME, EVERYONE.THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANNA WILL MEET 9-24-2024 AT 6:00 PM IN THE ANNA MUNICIPAL COMPLEX, COUNCIL CHAMBERS, LOCATED AT 120 WEST 7TH STREET TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING ITEMS. AGAIN, WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON AN OPEN SESSION AGENDA ITEM, PLEASE FILL OUT THE OPINION SPEAKER REGISTRATION FORM AND TURN IT INTO THE CITY SECRETARY BEFORE THE MEETING STARTS.
RIGHT NOW, WE'LL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
WE HAVE THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL HERE.
AT THIS TIME, MY LAST COUNCILMAN MAKER, IF YOU DO THE INVITATION AND PLEDGE FOR US, PLEASE.
>> FATHER GOD, WE'RE JUST THANKFUL FOR THE TIME THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER AS A NEIGHBORHOOD AND CONDUCT OUR CITY'S BUSINESS.
FATHER, WE JUST ASK YOUR SPIRIT TO BE WITH US HELP US MAKE WISE DECISIONS TONIGHT THAT AFFECT ALL OUR NEIGHBORS.
LORD, WE'RE MINDFUL OF SOME OF THE RECENT HURT ON SOME FAMILIES HERE IN TOWN OVER THEIR LOSS OF LIFE THAT MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT.
HELP COMFORT THEM DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME, IN JESUS NAME, WE PRAY.
[3. Neighbor Comments.]
US TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 3, NEIGHBORS COMMENTS.WE HAVE SOME SHEETS FILLED OUT.
FIRST UP, WE'LL DO DWIGHT WILLIAMS.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS DWIGHT WILLIAMS, AND I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE NEIGHBORS OF NORTHPOINT CROSSING.
WE RESIDE AT 216 ARRON STREET, ME AND MY LOVELY WIFE, TERRY, OVER THERE.
WE MOVED TO ANNA IN APRIL, 2024.
I WAS PLEASED WITH MY CHOICE, WE MADE UNTIL IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT THE HOA, OF WHICH WE ARE MEMBERS, HAD AN ISSUE RELATIVE TO THE RAVINE, WHICH RUNS THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY STARTING ON THE NORTHERN MOST SECTION.
I'VE HEARD A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPINIONS ABOUT WHERE THE BLAME AND RESPONSIBILITY LIES, AND WHO SHOULD HAVE DONE WHAT WHEN? HOWEVER, IN MY 65 YEARS ON THIS EARTH, I HAVE LEARNED THAT POINTING FINGERS AND PLACING BLAME DOESN'T ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING.
KEEPING THAT FOCUS IN MIND, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COUPLE OF POINTS, AND THEN MAKE A REQUEST.
THE RAVINE PROBLEM IS TOO BIG AND COSTLY FOR THE RESIDENTS TO HANDLE ALONE.
HOWEVER, WE ARE WILLING TO DO OUR SHARE.
SADLY, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE ORIGINAL BUILDER IN OR AROUND 2004, REMOVED THE NATURAL TREES, AND AS A RESULT, THERE IS NOTHING HOLDING THE SOIL IN PLACE.
IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY PLACED IN THE HOAS HANDS TO MANAGE.
THE RUNOFF FLOWS UNDERNEATH VAN AUSTIN ROAD 1106, AND ENTERS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ON MCKINNEY.
THE RESIDENTS OF NORTHPOINT CROSSING WENT WITHOUT A POOL FOR 2024 SEASON AND INCREASED ASSESSMENT FEES TO SAVE MONEY TO HELP PAY FOR THE REPAIRS.
WE THANK THE CITY COUNCIL FOR HEARING US AND ONLY ASKED FOR FINANCIAL AID AND A SAFE AND LASTING SOLUTION TO OUR RAVINE.
I WILL PREFER TO SAY OPPORTUNITY, NOT PROBLEM, BECAUSE WE CONSIDER IT AN OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US ALL TO WIN, CITY COUNCIL, AS WELL AS THE NEIGHBORS OF NORTHPOINT CROSSING.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED. THANK YOU.
>> DELPHINE? I WANT TO MAKE SURE DELPHINE LAURIE.
>> GOOD EVENING. HI, MAYOR, COUNSEL.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME. I'LL BE BRIEF TODAY.
I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, I'M DELPHINE LAURIE, I LIVE AT 132 OLE DRIVE IN NORTHPOINT CROSSING, AND I'M HERE FOR THE SAME REASON AS THE PREVIOUS GENTLEMAN BEFORE ME.
[00:05:01]
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME FURTHER INFORMATION.WE, AS THE BOARD, HAVE JUST ESTABLISHED OUR BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR.
I WANT TO JUST ASSURE YOU GUYS WE'RE DOING ALL WE CAN TO DO OUR PART TO FIX THIS RAVINE.
FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE RAISED ASSESSMENTS TO THE MAX POSSIBLE.
WE ARE RAISING THEM AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
WE CLOSED THE POOL THIS YEAR, BUT WE DECIDED WE WILL OPEN IT NEXT YEAR, BUT ONLY THREE DAYS A WEEK TO HELP SAVE MONEY TO FIX THIS RAVINE, AND AGAIN, TO DO OUR PART.
I WANT TO ASSURE YOU GUYS WE ARE DOING OUR PART.
I'M THE HOA TREASURER. I'M ON THE BOARD.
WE'RE SAVING ROUGHLY ABOUT $50-85,000 NEXT YEAR TO HELP PAY FOR THIS RAVINE.
WE'VE SAVED ABOUT $50-60,000 THIS YEAR.
WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN, BUT WE DO APPRECIATE ANY CONSIDERATION FOR HELP THAT YOU GUYS COULD GIVE US.
THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, MAYOR AND COUNCILMEN AND WOMAN.
I'M MS. T. I'M WITH NORTHPOINT CROSSING AS WELL.
I'M HERE TO REPRESENT, BASICALLY, THE SENIORS HERE AND THE DISABLED THAT COULD NOT COME OUT TONIGHT.
BUT WE REALLY DO NEED YOUR HELP WITH THAT RAVINE, BECAUSE IT'S TO THE POINT THAT IT'S NOT REALLY AFFORDABLE FOR THE DISABLED OR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON A FIXED INCOME.
IT'S GETTING TO THE POINT THAT IT'S NOT THE HOAS DOES EVERYTHING JUST TO BASICALLY MET THE NEED.
AS WE ALL KNOW, THE WORD OF GOD SAYS, YOU HAVE NOT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT, ALREADY WENT NEXT.
NOW I'M HERE TO ASK YOU ALL, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE, WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT ALL, ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO HELP US, IT'S AN EXTREME EMERGENCY.
WE WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT TO HELP, REALLY.
I'M HAPPY TO BE APPOINTED ON. I'M DONE. JUST HELP, PLEASE.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS TERRELL CULBERTSON.
I LIVE AT 10429 COUNTY ROAD 289 IN ANNA.
I DON'T LIVE IN NORTHPOINT CROSSING, BUT THAT'S A PERFECT LEAD IN TO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS WITH YOU THIS EVENING.
I SEE ON YOUR AGENDA THAT YOU HAVE A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM TO REVIEW THE TREE PRESERVATION PLAN.
NORTHPOINT CROSSING IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A BUILDER, DEVELOPER, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TERM TO USE, IS ALLOWED TO BULLDOZE DOWN EVERY TREE INSIDE AND TRY TO-RE ROUTE THE TREE.
I'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL COUNCIL MEETINGS OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, AND THIS ISSUE HAS COME BEFORE YOU MANY TIMES, THESE PEOPLE TRYING TO GET HELP TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT THEY DID NOT CREATE BUT ARE HAVING TO LIVE WITH.
I'M PLEASED THAT THIS IS ON YOUR AGENDA.
I KNOW THAT YOU'RE ALL AWARE THAT ON AUGUST 13TH, I WAS ON THE LOSING SIDE OF AN ANNEXATION ON REZONING PLAN BY LIBERTY HILLS DEVELOPMENT.
THE REASON THIS IS IMPORTANT IS, BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT REPEAT A NORTHPOINT CROSSING.
THE BENTON'S, THEY'RE BORDERED ON THE WEST AND SOUTH OF LIBERTY HILLS.
THREE OF YOUR CITY STAFF MEMBERS HAVE BEEN OUT TO LOOK AT THE SITUATION THERE, AND I INVITE ALL YOU TO COME AND LOOK AT IT.
THERE IS A TREE LINE ON THE NORTH OF THE BENTON'S PROPERTY.
THERE'S A TREE LINE ON THE EAST SIDE.
IF THIS DEVELOPER IS ALLOWED TO COME IN AND BULLDOZE DOWN ALL THOSE TREES, AND SPREAD CONCRETE EVERYWHERE, THE WATER IS GOING TO COME ACROSS THEIR PROPERTY AND DESTROY THEIR PROPERTY AND POTENTIALLY THEIR HOME.
PLEASE WHEN YOU REVIEW THIS PLAN, THIS TREE PRESERVATION PLAN, KEEP IN MIND NORTHPOINT CROSSING,
[00:10:01]
BECAUSE THAT TO ME, IS THE STANDARD OF WHAT NOT TO DO.I KNOW YOU'RE ALL SENSITIVE TO THIS, YOU'RE STRUGGLING WITH IT AS ARE THE HOMEOWNERS.
THANK YOU THIS EVENING FOR LISTENING TO MY COMMENTS.
>> TALKING ABOUT MY TREES IN MY PROPERTY, I'VE BEEN UP HERE BEFORE SINCE THEN.
I'M GOING TO OPEN UP WITH TRANSPARENCY OF GOVERNMENT.
WHY TRANSPARENCY IS IMPORTANT TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
TRANSPARENCY, IT CAN INCREASE PUBLIC TRUST BY PROVIDING PUBLIC WITH ACCESS TO INFORMATION ABOUT GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES, POLICIES, AND DECISION MAKING PROCESSES.
THIS LEADS TO A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF GOVERNMENT OPERATION THAT CAN REDUCE THE POTENTIAL FOR CORRUPTION AND MISMANAGEMENT.
WHAT IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF TRANSPARENCY? TRANSPARENT BEHAVIORS INCLUDE BEING OPEN TO FEEDBACK, COMMUNICATING CLEARLY, AND HONESTLY, AND THE DEFAULTING TO SHARING INFORMATION.
YOU MAY ASK WHY AM I BRINGING THIS UP? BECAUSE MONDAY I FOUND OUT THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING TREES.
I WROTE COUNCIL-MEMBER TOTEN, AN EMAIL.
RESPECTFULLY ASKING TO PROVIDE DETAILS IN REGARDS TO TOMORROW'S COUNCIL MEETING, ITEM 8A.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA STAFF REPORT IS SPARSE IN DETAILS, AND ONLY PROVIDES INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE REQUESTING CHANGES.
THE PROBLEM THAT I'VE GOT IS IN REGARDS TO LIBERTY HILLS.
MR. TOTIN RESPONDED BACK SAYING, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, CHANGES WERE MADE TO A LOT OF ORDINANCES.
THE TREE ORDINANCE IS ONE OF THEM.
COULDN'T GET THE CHANGES, I WANTED BACK SO I'M TRYING AGAIN.
THIS ITEM IS TO GET ON FUTURE WORK SESSION.
NO CHANGES WILL BE MADE TOMORROW.
DESPITE THE FACT I DID WHEN I ASKED FOR.
I WROTE BACK SAYING, THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE.
ANY CHANCE OF REVEALING THE DETAILS, I.E., WHAT ARE THE CHANGES YOU'RE SEEKING.
NEVER DID HEAR BACK. THIS IS TRANSPARENCY AND GOVERNMENT OR THE LACK THEREOF.
THE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION, THAT'S WHAT THESE THINGS ARE GOING TO BE PUT ON.
IT SAYS, FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, DISCUSSION ON AMENDMENTS TO THE CHAPTER 9 PLAN.
IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY DIFFICULT FOR A NON-LAWYER TO UNDERSTAND THE CHANGES YOU'RE GOING TO BE MAKING AND TO ANALYZE THEM IF I'VE GOT TWO DAYS BEFORE THE MEETING HAPPENS.
IT SAYS, THE SUMMARY, IT WILL COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL AS A WORK SESSION ITEM FOR DISCUSSION.
THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS, IT IS READ THAT THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE VOTES INSIDE THE WORK SESSION, NOT OPEN TO PUBLIC VIEW.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING OR ANYTHING.
I CAN ONLY GATHER BECAUSE I'M THE ONE THAT SENT THE EMAIL IN REGARDS TO THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS ARTICLE IN RESPONSE TO THE TREES THAT ARE GOING ON IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M THE ONE THAT SENT ALL THAT ARTICLE.
THAT HAPPENED ON WEDNESDAY OF LAST WEEK.
LO AND BEHOLD, THIS WEEK, WE GET THIS BROUGHT UP.
I CAN ONLY ASSUME IT'S TRIGGERED FROM THAT TYPE OF THING.
I'LL BE SPEAKING ON ITEM 8A THAT I CAN FINISH UP, DETAILING ALL OF THIS. THANK YOU.
>> AS A CLARIFICATION, NOTHING CAN BE VOTED ON WHEN WE'RE ON SESSION.
THERE'S NO CONCERN ABOUT US TO TAKE ANY ACTION.
>> ON ITEM 8A THAT'S FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, THERE WON'T BE ANY ACTION TAKEN AT ALL TONIGHT ON THAT.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO DISCUSS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT ON THE NEXT AGENDA, AND THEN YOU'LL SEE THAT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
FOR A BOARD SESSION THERE ARE RULES THAT SAY THAT BASICALLY THINGS CAN BE DECIDED ON THE SESSION WITHOUT PUBLIC INPUT, THAT'S MY CONCERN.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU TRY TO HIDE ALL. THAT'S MY OWN THINKING.
[00:15:02]
SINCE CHAPTER 9 IS WHAT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS THE ONE THAT PRETTY MUCH ENFORCES.ANY CHANGES TO CHAPTER 9.04 IS THE ZONING ORDINANCE, WHICH REQUIRES HEARING BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION FIRST, THE LANDSCAPE ORDINANCES IN THAT SECTION.
THEN THE TREE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE SECTION REQUIRES AN ORDINANCE THAT COMES BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL.
>> THANK YOU, MS. BECKY. THE LAST CARD THAT I HAVE UP IS BETTY SHARP.
>> BETTY SHARP, 10282, COUNTY ROAD 288.
I WILL FINISH TONIGHT, SO ANYBODY WHO DIDN'T USE ALL THEIR THREE MINUTES, I GET THEIRS.
I'M GOING TO TALK AS FAST AS I CAN.
I WANTED TO DO EMAILS, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE TIME BECAUSE I DO HAVE ANOTHER LIFE BESIDES COMING UP HERE.
I'M GOING TO ADDRESS EACH ONE OF YOU SPECIFICALLY.
COUNCILMAN MILLER, YOU'RE UP FIRST.
YES. THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT PROCESS FOR LIBERTY HILLS WAS RUSHED, BUT IT CAN STILL BE BETTER. SPEAK TO IT.
SMALL LOT SIZE CAN BE CHANGED.
KINLEY HORNS, MR. CONLEY IN FRONT OF THIS COUNCIL TOLD ALL OF YOU THAT MARKET CONDITIONS CAN CHANGE THAT DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
HE SAID THERE WAS FLEXIBILITY.
EVERY PERSON HERE, EVERY ONE OF YOU KNOWS IT'S RIDICULOUS TO PUT SMALL LOTS OVER THOSE BEAUTIFUL GOLF COURSE VIEWS.
SOMETIMES IN A REPUBLIC, THE MAJORITY IS RIGHT.
COUNCILMAN BAKER, YOU HAVE SOME INNOVATIVE CLASSY IDEAS FOR A BETTER DOWNTOWN.
YOU KNOW WHAT YOU NEED FOR CLIENTELE, A MORE DIVERSE POPULATION.
WE ALREADY HAVE A GLUT OF VERY SMALL HOMES.
WE DON'T NEED ANY MORE 40 FOOT HOMES, WE HAVE THEM, AND THEY WERE NECESSARY.
Y'ALL HAVE STOPPED THAT. THANK YOU.
WHAT WE DON'T HAVE ARE UPSCALE HOMES ON LARGE LOTS AND ACREAGE.
I SAW YOU GRIMACE RATHER, WHEN EVERYBODY WAS TALKING ABOUT 40 FOOT LOTS OVERLOOKING THE GOLF COURSE.
COUNCILWOMAN HERNDON, NORTHPOINT.
YOU LIVE THERE. YOU'VE LIVED THROUGH IT.
YOU KNOW ABOUT THE BENTONS, I'M TELLING YOU, CREATIVE ASSISTED INNOVATION, CAI, LEAVE TREES ALONE, WORK WITH THE ENVIRONMENT.
DO YOU KNOW THERE'S PERMEABLE CONCRETE STRONG ENOUGH TO PARK A CAR ON, THAT THE WATER CAN GO THROUGH INTO THE GROUND? INNOVATIVE SOLAR PANELS.
OPP HAS THE STAFF, THE POWER, AND THE MONEY TO BE INNOVATIVE AND DO SOMETHING BETTER FOR ANNA.
IF THEY'RE SUCH STRAIGHT UP GUYS, LET'S TALK TO THEM AGAIN.
MAYOR CAIN, LAST NIGHT, THE PRINCETON COUNCIL VOTED A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON ALL RESIDENTIAL BUILDING.
I BROUGHT UP THE LUXURY APARTMENTS BEFORE IN PRINCETON.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH THAT, SEE ME.
MELISSA DOWNTURNED MORE APARTMENTS ON HIGHWAY 5 TWO WEEKS AGO.
COUNCILMAN CARVER, YOU HAD THE INTEREST AND THE GRACE TO SPEND A DAY GOING THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WE MUCH APPRECIATE IT.
BUT I MUST TELL YOU THAT CONTRARY TO YOUR STATEMENT, NOBODY FROM OPP HAS TALKED TO US EXCEPT TO THE BENTONS, AND IT WAS AT THE BENTON'S REQUEST.
NO, WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT COMMUNICATION.
I HAVE PROPOSED IN THE FIVE POINT PLANS AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS FOR 752.
YOU ALL LIKE HOMES ON ACREAGE.
THIS IS THE PLACE TO DO IT, AND THIS IS THE LAST CHANCE.
[00:20:02]
COUNCILMAN BILLS, I APPRECIATE SO MUCH, YOU SAYING THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE APARTMENTS DROPPED INTO THE MIDDLE OF A PASTURE.LET ME TELL YOU THE GLUT OF SMALL HOMES IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT BEAUTIFUL LAND IS STILL WRONG.
I UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING YOU SAID ABOUT YOUR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES HAVING A HARD TIME BUYING A HOME.
BUT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN LIKE THAT.
I WAS 40-YEARS-OLD BEFORE I LIVED IN A SINGLE FAMILY HOME, MY CURRENT HOME IT'S 1,350 SQUARE FEET.
I KNOW YOU DIDN'T MEAN IT THAT WAY, BUT I'D LOVE TO SHOW YOU OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS IS YOUR LAST DITCH CHANCE.
OPP CAN MAKE MONEY DEVELOPING HOMES ON LARGE LOTS.
COUNCILMAN TOTEN, FIRST OF ALL, THANKS FOR SPEAKING UP ABOUT THE ELDERLY TAX FREEZE LAST TIME. WE NEED THAT.
SINCE I'M ONE OF THE ELDERLY, I DO APPRECIATE IT.
YOU HAVE DRIVEN IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH WE APPRECIATE.
BUT, IT'S NOT WISHES AND WANTS FOR US IN THE ETJ.
WE IN THE ETJ ARE THE SOUL OF ANNA.
ALL OF YOU WHO HAD A QUORUM AT THAT SHIRLEY HERITAGE PARK, YOU KNOW WHAT I'VE TOLD YOU.
WHO DO YOU THINK BROUGHT YOU THAT PART? A LOT OF US OLD WOMEN IN THE ETJ, WHO DO YOU THINK DID THE HISTORY BOOK ON ANNA PICKLEBALL COURTS? I'VE BEEN TRUSTEE OF A MAJOR CHURCH HERE.
COUNCIL, PEOPLE, OPP JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THEY'RE BUILDING THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF SMALL HOMES IN SALINA, WESTON.
THEY'RE WELCOME TO THEIR PROFIT.
WE'RE NOT AGAINST DEVELOPMENT, AND NOBODY'S DISPARAGED THEM.
WE'RE JUST GETTING TIRED OF HAVING OUR LAST RURAL OUTPOST RUIN.
I KNOW YOU'RE BUSY, Y'ALL HAVE JOBS.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I'VE GOT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, LESS THAN TWO MILES FROM ME, A PAINT BALL PARK.
MAYBE IF YOU CAME OUT AND HAD A QUORUM AND A PAINT BALL FIGHT, THINGS WOULD BE BETTER.
I JUST HOPE YOU DON'T WANT TO USE ME AS A TARGET.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INDULGENCE.
>> THANK YOU, MS. SHARP. ANY OTHER CARDS? NO. THAT'LL TAKE US ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 4 REPORTS.
[4. Reports.]
RECEIVED REPORTS FROM STAFF OR CITY COUNCIL ABOUT ANY ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST? STAFF, ANYTHING? COUNCIL?>> I GOT ONE. MAYBE I STOLE IT.
I DON'T KNOW. IF I DID, I APOLOGIZE.
I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE NEXT WEEK, OCTOBER 1ST IS NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, AND EACH NEIGHBORHOOD HAS THEIR OWN LITTLE INDIVIDUAL PARTIES, AND I ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO IT BECAUSE WELL, NOT SO MUCH THIS YEAR, I DON'T GET TO COOK BURGERS, BUT WE'RE HAVING PIZZA.
THEN ALSO FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS, MAYBE FIVE, I'VE CHALLENGED EVERYBODY FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER TO TURN THEIR LIGHTS BLUE TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THIS YEAR, I'VE MADE A LITTLE BIT OF A CHANGE TO THAT AND IT'S OCTOBER 1ST-10TH.
WELL, AUGUST 30TH THROUGH OCTOBER 10TH, I BELIEVE THE DATES.
IF YOU HAVE BLUE LIGHTS, TURN ON THE BLUE LIGHTS TO SHOW OUR SUPPORT TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT ALWAYS PROTECT AND KEEP US SAFE. THANK YOU.
>> I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT THAT, BUT THAT WASN'T WHAT I WAS GOING TO BRING UP.
YESTERDAY, 923 STARTED THE RAIL SAFETY WEEK.
I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY ABOUT RAIL CROSSING SAFETY.
WE HAVE SIX GRADE CROSSINGS HERE IN ANNA.
THEY'RE NOT ALL PROTECTED BY THE GATES THAT GO DOWN.
JUST THE OTHER DAY, RIGHT HERE AT FOURTH STREET, I SAW A TRUCK GO THROUGH THE GATES BECAUSE THE TRAIN IS SLOW.
THE TRAIN WEIGHS 10,000 TONS, IT'S GOING TO PUSH A TRUCK DOWN THE ROAD, SO THIS IS NATIONAL RAIL SAFETY WEEK.
I'M AN AUTHORIZED OPERATION LIFE SAVER VOLUNTEER.
JUST WANT TO REMIND Y'ALL TO BE SAFE.
WE'RE ON THE RAILROAD. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? THAT'LL TAKE US AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 5 WORK SESSION.
[5. Work Session.]
[00:25:02]
DISCUSSION OF FIRE RESCUE SERVICE IN THE COUNTY.>> MAYOR, AND COUNCIL, AS CHIEF ISOM WORKS HIS WAY DOWN TO THE PODIUM, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF A CONTEXT AS TO WHY WE'RE GIVING YOU A PRESENTATION.
CHIEF ISOM WILL GO INTO GREAT DETAIL ON REFRESHER ON THE FIRE DISTRICTS, WHAT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES HAVE BEEN TO DATE, AND TALK ABOUT A LITTLE TOO OF WHAT'S AT ISSUE HERE.
THE HOT TOPIC RIGHT NOW IN COLLIN COUNTY, AMONGST CITY MANAGERS AND AMONGST FIRE CHIEFS ARE, CONTINUED FIRE RESCUE SERVICE TO OUR COUNTY AND ETJ.
YOU ACTUALLY MAY HAVE SEEN SOME NEWS ARTICLES AND STORIES WHERE CITIES ARE ACTUALLY NOW REFUSING TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.
A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH TEXAS LEGISLATURE AND LAWS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED, AND TAKING AWAY OUR ABILITY FOR ANNEXATION IN THE COUNTY AND THE PROLIFERATION OF MUDS IN THE COUNTY.
BUT A LOT OF IT TOO IS REVOLVES AROUND JUST THE COUNTY AND THE FINANCIAL AID THAT THEY PROVIDE US TO SERVE THEIR RESIDENTS IN THE COUNTY, AND HOW CITIES ARE REALLY LOOKING AT IT AND TRYING TO ASK, IS IT ENOUGH? WHERE WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PROVIDING FIRE SERVICE TO OUR ANNA RESIDENTS.
IT'S A BIG TOPIC OF CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW, AND WE FELT THAT IT WAS TIMELY TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOU AND TO PRESENT SOME INFORMATION TO YOU.
WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CHIEF ISOM.
>> HELLO. MAYOR, COUNCIL, GOOD EVENING.
AS MR. HENDERSON JUST EXPLAINED, WE'VE HAD A FEW COMPLICATIONS THAT HAVE CONTINUED TO SNOWBALL OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS REGARDING THE COUNTY RESPONSE DISTRICT, OUR MUTUAL AID ARRANGEMENT, SUBSIDIES, MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT, SO YEAH, THIS IS GOING TO BE A FUN CONVERSATION.
BUT HOPEFULLY, I'LL BRING SOME LEVITY TO IT, BUT ALSO BRING FACTS, AND WHILE CHRIS IS DOING AN EMERGENCY OPERATION TO GET THE POWERPOINT GOING, I'LL START OUT BY GIVING YOU A QUOTE FROM, I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO MARK TWAIN, BUT IT GOES LIKE THIS.
IF YOU DON'T READ THE NEWSPAPER, YOU'RE ACCUSED OF BEING UNINFORMED, BUT WHEN YOU READ IT, YOU'RE MISINFORMED.
THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT THERE, SO I'M GOING TO DO MY BEST TO DISTILL IT, AND HOPEFULLY GET ROLLING HERE.
TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR FIRE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES DISTRICT, AND BASICALLY GIVE YOU HOPEFULLY A SNAPSHOT AND AN ACCURATE DEPICTION OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
AGAIN, I'M GOING TO TRY TO GET THROUGH THIS AS FAST AS I CAN AND DISTILL THE INFORMATION SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN THEN USE IT TO MAKE YOUR POLICY DECISIONS.
THESE ARE THE AREAS WE'RE GOING TO COVER TONIGHT.
OBVIOUSLY, OUR CURRENT FIRE DISTRICT, THE SUBSIDY THAT WE ARE PAID BY THE COUNTY.
I'M INCLUDING A SUB BULLETIN HERE REGARDING OUR DISPATCH SERVICES BECAUSE THAT'S AN ANCILLARY SUBSIDY TO THIS WHOLE EQUATION.
I'LL GET TO THAT IN A LITTLE WHILE.
WHAT ARE THE EXPECTATIONS, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT, AND WHAT IS OUR CURRENT AGREEMENT? WHAT ARE THE CURRENT SERVICES AS FAR AS OUR EFFECTIVE RESPONSE FORCE RIGHT NOW, THAT WE'RE SENDING OUT THERE AS WELL AS WHAT WE'RE PROTECTING THE CITY WITH? A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY.
IT ALWAYS HELPS TO KNOW WHAT THE BACKGROUND IS HERE, ESPECIALLY IF PEOPLE ARE NEW TO THE AREA, OR JUST DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND HOW OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT EVOLVED OVER THE DECADES.
MUTUAL AID. CULTURE BASICALLY HAS TO DO WITH THE FIRE SERVICE CULTURE.
WE'LL BE ASKING OURSELVES, IS THIS MUTUAL? MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT, EVERYONE'S FAVORITE SUBJECT.
HISTORY, HOW THESE THINGS HAVE COME TO BEING.
[00:30:01]
THE CITY ATTORNEY, I'M SURE, CAN ALLUDE MORE ON THAT THAN I EVEN CAN.SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY BRING TO THE TABLE.
SOME ONGOING DISCUSSIONS INSIDE OUR COLLIN COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS A GROUP THAT I'M A PART OF, AND WE MEET ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
THE COLLIN COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE, CITY MANAGERS, ELECTED OFFICIALS AT BASICALLY ALL LEVELS RIGHT NOW.
FINALLY, SOME CONCERNS THAT I'VE POINTED OUT IN GENERAL TAKEAWAYS, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A QUESTION AND ANSWER SINCE THIS IS A WORKSHOP.
I'M GOING TO DO MY BEST TO KEEP EVERYONE FOCUSED ON THE FACTS AND DATA, AND JUST BE AWARE THAT THIS IS A POLITICAL HOT BUTTON RIGHT NOW ACROSS THE COUNTY.
THERE'S AGENDAS AND THERE IS BIAS RIGHT NOW, SO THAT'S JUST PART OF IT.
OUR CURRENT FIRE DISTRICT, I MADE SOME PRINTOUTS FOR EVERYONE.
HOPEFULLY, YOU'VE GOT THE CURRENT PRINTOUT.
THIS IS OUR CURRENT FIRE DISTRICT.
THE RED LINE INDICATES THE ENTIRE DISTRICT, THE BLUE AREA IS OUR CITY LIMITS, AND ALL THAT AREA IN BETWEEN IS WHAT WE ARE NOW REFERRING TO AS THE ETJ.
WE'VE USED THAT TERMINOLOGY FOR DECADES.
THERE'S TALK THAT THE ETJ WILL GO AWAY, THAT THE LEGISLATURE WILL BE ELIMINATING ETJ, SO AT THAT POINT, IT'S JUST OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO JUST CALL IT OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.
BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S CALLED THE ETJ.
CURRENTLY, WE PROVIDE BOTH FIRE RESCUE AND EMS SERVICES INSIDE THAT RED LINE.
THAT'S WHAT WE ARE SUBSIDIZED FOR.
>> YOU CAN PULL THESE MAPS UP AT THE COLLIN COUNTY INTERACTIVE GIS WEBSITE, AND THAT'S PRETTY EASY TO FIND.
BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES EMS DISTRICTS.
THERE'S A LOT OF LAYERS THAT YOU CAN ACTIVATE.
BUT THAT JUST SHOWS YOU THE SAME DISTRICT ON THEIR WEBSITE.
THERE ARE SOME ODDITIES WITH THEIR WEBSITE.
FOR INSTANCE, WE JUST SPOKE ABOUT MUDS.
THERE'S A MUD THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED JUST NORTH OF US HERE.
THAT IS IN OUR FIRE DISTRICT, BUT I KNOW THAT VAN ALSTYNE IS NOT COVERING IT, BUT IT'S IN OUR FIRE DISTRICT.
I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE A RESPONSE FROM THE COUNTY CLARIFYING WHO IS SERVING THAT MUD AS FAR AS EMERGENCY SERVICES.
OUR EMS DISTRICT DOESN'T SHOW UP ON THIS MAP, SO THERE ARE SOME ODDITIES THERE. OUR SUBSIDY.
CURRENTLY, OUR SUBSIDY IS $57,000 A YEAR TO COVER THIS AREA.
NOW, TALKING ABOUT DISPATCH, WE ARE NOT CHARGED BY THE COUNTY FOR DISPATCH SERVICES.
ONLY WYLIE AND MCKINNEY HAVE THEIR OWN DISPATCH CENTERS THAT ARE BASED OUT OF THEIR CITY.
THE OTHER FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE NOT CHARGED FOR DISPATCH SERVICES.
THAT'S WHY I'M CALLING IT AN ANCILLARY SUBSIDY.
JUST HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THAT'S THERE ALMOST PUT AN ASTERISK NEXT TO IT BECAUSE IT'S THERE, YOU JUST DON'T THINK ABOUT IT BEING THERE.
OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES PAY FOR THEIR DISPATCH SERVICES, AND THEIR COST IS SOMEWHERE IN THE $300,000 RANGE.
SPEAKING WITH CHIEF HABEL, THEIR COSTS WILL BE GOING UP TO 335,000 A YEAR IN 2028, SO THAT'S A RECURRING COST EVERY YEAR.
THAT'S NOT JUST A ONE TIME FEE, THAT'S EVERY YEAR.
IT'S EXPENSIVE TO RUN PUBLIC SAFETY.
THE $57,000 SUBSIDY IS DISTRIBUTED TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS BASED ON SQUARE MILES AND POPULATION.
THERE'S A CALCULATION THAT THE COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL RUNS ALONG WITH THEIR GIS DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE POPULATION AND GEOGRAPHIC SQUARE MILEAGE OUT THERE.
AGAIN, I'VE ALREADY SAID THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE NOT CHARGED FOR DISPATCH SERVICES.
[00:35:04]
THAT'S ESSENTIALLY A SAVINGS OF APPROXIMATELY 300,000 A YEAR.NOW, WHEN WE RUN AMBULANCES INTO THIS AREA, WE ARE NOT SUBSIDIZED FOR THAT.
WE CHOSE TO DO THAT FOR VARIOUS LOGISTICAL REASONS, BUT ALSO BECAUSE WE FELT IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
WE STILL PROVIDE THAT SERVICE, BUT WE ARE NOT SUBSIDIZED FOR IT.
WE CHARGE AMBULANCE FEES, SO THERE IS A FEE STRUCTURE THERE.
BUT AGAIN, THE COUNTY DOES NOT ACTUALLY PAY US TO DO THAT.
COLLIN COUNTY IS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THE FOLKS OUT THERE IN THE COUNTY THAT ARE NOT IN THE CITY ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COUNTY.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T WANT TO HELP THEM.
THE COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL OVERSEES AND MANAGES ALL OF THESE FIRE DISTRICTS IN COLLIN COUNTY, AND I BELIEVE HE ANSWERS TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WITH OVERSIGHT FROM THE COUNTY JUDGE.
I'M NOT ACTUALLY SURE ABOUT THIS, SO IT NEEDS TO BE CLARIFIED, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING SERVICES, ULTIMATELY PROVIDING THESE SERVICES.
PROBABLY NEED SOME LEGAL CLARIFICATION ON THAT.
I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON COUNTY LAW OR POLICY.
THIS SLIDE HERE SHOWS YOU ALL OF THE DIFFERENT FIRE DEPARTMENTS WITHIN COLLIN COUNTY AND HOW THEY ARE BEING SUBSIDIZED.
I BASICALLY TOOK IT FROM THE HIGHEST, WHICH IS PRINCETON AT 165, AND YOU CAN SEE WITH PRINCETON, THEIR ETJ POPULATION IS 10,337 WITH A SQUARE MILEAGE OF ROUGHLY 56 SQUARE MILES.
I TOOK IT FROM THE HIGHEST DOWN TO WHERE WE ARE AT.
ANNA HAS APPROXIMATELY 3,000 PEOPLE IN HER ETJ, AND THAT AREA COVERS APPROXIMATELY 34 SQUARE MILES, SO OUR SUBSIDY IS 57,070.
NOW, WHEN YOU COMPARE THIS, THE WAY THAT THEY DO IT BASED ON SQUARE MILEAGE AND POPULATION, CALL VOLUME DOESN'T REALLY REACH INTO THAT CALCULATION.
FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU'RE A MCKINNEY AND YOU RUN 650 CALLS INTO THE COUNTY A YEAR, AND YOUR SUBSIDY IS ONLY 71,000, COMPARE THAT TO A BLUE RIDGE WHO THEIR SUBSIDY IS 82,000.
I KNOW THEY'RE NOT RUNNING 650 CALLS INTO THE COUNTY.
THERE'S A IMBALANCE THERE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
THE FUNDS ARE DISTRIBUTED. WE'VE ALREADY GONE OVER THAT.
WE RAN INTO THE COUNTY 205 TIMES.
NOW, THAT'S MUTUAL AID AND REGULAR SERVICE INTO THE COUNTY.
OUR CURRENT SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 2013, AND IT PROVIDES FOR FIREFIGHTING, FIRE PROTECTION, AND RELATED SERVICES.
THE VERBIAGE IN THERE DOESN'T TALK ABOUT AMBULANCE OR EMS. THERE'S $950,000 IN THE POT, AND THAT GETS SPLIT UP 22 WAYS.
THOSE NUMBERS HAVE NOT CHANGED SINCE 2013.
IMPORTANT NOTE, MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICTS ARE NOT A PARTY TO ANY OF THESE AGREEMENTS.
THEY ARE STAND-ALONE ON THEIR OWN TYPE OF ORGANIZATIONS OR ENTITIES.
CURRENTLY, THE PRINCETON FIRE DEPARTMENT MANAGES THE COLLIN COUNTY AMBULANCE CONTRACT, WHICH THE CONTRACT IS STILL WITH AMR. THEY HAVE FIVE AMBULANCES THAT ARE DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
THERE'S ONE IN MELISSA, THERE'S A FLOATER ONE NOW DOWN THERE.
[00:40:04]
MOST OF THOSE ASSETS ARE IN THE SOUTH, EAST OR EASTERN PORTION OF THE COUNTY.BUT THE PRINCETON FIRE DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY MANAGES THAT CONTRACT.
THEN OUR ANNA AMBULANCES COVER OUR DISTRICT, AS WELL AS REQUESTS FOR MUTUAL AID.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE SENDING OUT CURRENTLY.
WE SEND OUT FIRE ENGINES, BRUSH TRUCKS, AMBULANCES, AND OUR BATTALION ON OCCASION WILL GO OUT INTO THE COUNTY IN OUR MUTUAL AID CALLS.
THIS IS A OPERATIONAL POLICY THAT I'VE ESTABLISHED WHERE WE DO NOT SEND OUR LADDER TRUCK OUT UNLESS IT'S SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED FOR.
I HAVE SEVERAL REASONS FOR THAT.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, TALK TO ME AFTER, I CAN EXPLAIN IT.
BUT THAT'S WHERE I COME OUT ON THIS.
COLLIN COUNTY DOES NOT HAVE AN OPERATIONAL FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THEY RELY ON THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE ALREADY HERE, EITHER THE FULLY PAID FIRE DEPARTMENTS, THE COMBINATION DEPARTMENTS, OR THE VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE HERE.
WE HAVE BEEN OPERATING THIS WAY FOR DECADES.
THIS DEPARTMENT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1939 AS A VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENT.
THE CITY TOOK US OVER IN 2010, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH ACTUALLY CHANGED BETWEEN 1939 AND 2010, PROBABLY NOT VERY MUCH, ACTUALLY.
BUT IT WAS DONE VERY SIMILARLY FOR DECADES.
WE RAN INTO THE COUNTY AND WE DID WHAT WE COULD DO.
THE SITUATION HAS CHANGED OVER THE LAST, PROBABLY 10 YEARS, ESPECIALLY THE LAST 5 YEARS.
MANY OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS TRANSITIONED FROM VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENTS TO PAID DEPARTMENTS, WHICH IS A WHOLE NEW BARGAIN.
AS THAT HAPPENED, THEY ABSORBED GREATER TERRITORY.
A FEW NUMBERS ON OUR 2023 RESPONSES.
LAST YEAR, WE RAN JUST UNDER 2,500 CALLS, TOTAL.
ALMOST 1,600 OF THOSE WERE MEDICAL RELATED.
WE TRANSPORTED OVER 1,000 PATIENTS, AND 75 WERE FIRE RESCUE, 22 STRUCTURE FIRES, VEHICLE FIRES WERE 15, AND THEN OUTSIDE FIRES THAT FALLS INTO THE OTHER CATEGORY WERE 38.
COMPARED TO 2023, SO FAR, WE'RE UP 13% FROM WHERE WE WERE THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
WE MAY GET UP TO 15% BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME LEFT, BUT WE MAY GET UP TO 15%.
I'M EXPECTING A TOTAL OF ABOUT 2,800 CALLS.
NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT RESPONSES OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.
WHETHER THAT'S ETJ OR JUST OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.
IN 2023, 205, 36 OF THOSE WERE IN THE FIRE DISTRICT, 169 WERE MUTUAL AID.
YOU CAN LOOK AT IT. IT DEPENDS ON YOUR PERSPECTIVE HOW YOU LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE MUTUAL AID IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
YOU CAN LUMP IT ALL TOGETHER OR YOU CAN BREAK IT OUT.
WE WENT TO VAN ALSTYNE 93 TIMES, MELISSA 55, WESTMINSTER 11, WESTON 5, FARMERSVILLE 3, PRINCETON, ONE TIME, AND MCKINNEY, ONE TIME.
YES. WE ACTUALLY SENT MUTUAL AID TO MCKINNEY.
THAT WAS COOL, ACTUALLY. I WAS PROUD OF THAT.
WITHIN THE FIRE DISTRICT, 115, AND MUTUAL AID, 109.
HERE'S WHERE WE WENT. MELISSA IS AT THE TOP AGAIN, VAN ALSTYNE IS AT THE TOP AGAIN, SO YOU CAN SEE THERE'S COMMONALITY THERE.
WE'RE GOING NORTH AND SOUTH PRIMARILY.
WESTMINSTER 16, WESTON 3, MCKINNEY 3, PRINCETON 1, FARMERSVILLE 1.
WE WENT WAY OUT TO FARMERSVILLE FOR, I'M SURE SOME MUTUAL AID REQUEST.
OVERALL, RUNNING OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY 8% OF OUR TOTAL CALL VOLUME AT THIS POINT.
NOW, THAT NUMBER IS GOING TO KEEP GOING UP BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE
[00:45:04]
MORE AND MORE DEVELOPMENT OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS AND IN THESE ETJ AREAS, WHATEVER THEY COME TO BE AND IN THE MUDS.ANYBODY KNOW WHAT THESE ARE OR SEEN THESE? IF YOU'VE BEEN UP TO THE NORTHEAST PORTION OF THE UNITED STATES, GO TO BALTIMORE, GO TO CHICAGO, ST. LOUIS, ANY OF THOSE OLDER TYPE CITIES, THESE ARE CALLED INSURANCE PLAQUES OR FIRE MARKERS.
I ACTUALLY HAVE ONE OF THESE THAT HANGS IN MY OFFICE.
IF YOU WANT TO REALLY LOOK AT IT, IT'S JUST A REPRODUCTION, BUT IT HEARKENS BACK TO MANY YEARS AGO, A COUPLE OF HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
IF YOUR BUSINESS WAS ON FIRE, AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE ONE OF THOSE PLAQUES HANGING UP ON THE BRICKS OUTSIDE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PULLED BY AND DIDN'T SEE THAT, THEY WENT RIGHT BACK TO THEIR HOUSE AND HAD A BEER, BECAUSE THEY KNEW YOU HADN'T PAID YOUR FIRE INSURANCE FOR THAT YEAR.
A LOT OF PEOPLE, IT'S A NEAT HISTORY.
NOW AGAIN, FIRE SERVICE CULTURE HAS CHANGED, BUT THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND.
I'M GOING TO LOOP BACK TO THAT CONCEPT. MUTUAL AID.
THE CITY OF MELISSA NOTIFIED COLLIN COUNTY APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AGO THAT THEY WOULD NO LONGER BE RESPONDING INTO THEIR ETJ.
THEY STILL PROVIDE MUTUAL AID, BUT THEY WILL NOT BE THE FIRST RESPONDING AGENCY INTO THEIR ETJ AREA, INTO THEIR FIRE DISTRICT AS IT'S ESTABLISHED BY THE COUNTY.
THEY TOLD THE COUNTY, WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON OUR CITY.
I KNOW THERE WAS A NEWS REPORT ABOUT THAT.
IN JULY OF 2024, WE WERE ASKED ALONG WITH OTHER FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN THE COUNTY TO ABSORB MELISSA'S DISTRICT THAT THEY WERE GIVING UP.
I REFUSED THAT BECAUSE LOGISTICALLY IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT I FELT WAS A RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO FOR THE CITY OF ANNA.
OUR UNDERSTANDING AT THIS TIME IS THAT THE WESTON FIRE DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO BE ABSORBING MELISSA'S ETJ DISTRICT.
>> IF YOU START THINKING ABOUT THAT, THAT CREATES SOME COMPLEXITIES, JUST GEOGRAPHIC COMPLEXITIES.
IF YOU LOOK AT MELISSA'S FIRE DISTRICT, THEY HAVE FIRE DISTRICT ALL AROUND THEM.
YOU CAN IMAGINE THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT OF MELLISSA HAVING WESTON GO DOWN THERE AND SERVE THAT AREA.
TO ME IT DOESN'T QUITE ADD UP, BUT I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND IT HAS TO BE COVERED.
I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW THIS WORKS OUT, BUT AGAIN, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT IT'S NOT OUR PROBLEM TO SOLVE.
WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE MEETINGS WITH THE COLLIN COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS ABOUT THIS.
I KNOW THAT ME PERSONALLY, I'VE BEEN RINGING THIS BELL FOR A WHILE, AND NOW IT FEELS LIKE IT'S IN OUR GRILL, AND NOT THAT IT'S JUST AN EMERGENCY, BUT THAT WE NEED TO THINK OUR WAY THROUGH IT AS A CITY.
BUT AT THE CHIEF LEVEL, OUR MAIN CONCERNS AND FRUSTRATIONS ARE THAT WE DON'T WANT OUR OFFICERS, OUR SUPERVISORS MAKING POLITICAL DECISIONS WHEN THEY REACHED THE END OF OUR CITY LIMITS OR THE END OF OUR FIRE DISTRICT OR WHAT HAVE YOU, AND THEN NOT GOING ANY FURTHER TO HELP SOMEONE.
BUT THIS SITUATION PUTS US IN A WEDGE.
THERE ARE OTHER CITIES THAT ARE CONSIDERING WITHDRAWING FROM THEIR AGREEMENT.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT MCKINNEY WILL BE WITHDRAWING FROM THEIR FIRE DISTRICT SOON.
THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO GIVE A YEAR NOTICE.
THERE'S OTHER CITIES THAT ARE CONSIDERING AS WELL.
BUT MELISSA'S GOES INTO EFFECT OCTOBER 1, WHICH WE'RE JUST DAYS AWAY FROM.
A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THE MUDS.
THEY WERE CREATED BY THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE.
I BELIEVE SENATOR HUFFINES HAD A BIG PART IN THAT WHEN HE WAS IN OFFICE.
I DON'T BELIEVE HE'S STILL IN OFFICE.
THEY ARE INDEPENDENT ENTITIES.
[00:50:02]
THEY'RE SIMILAR TO A MUNICIPALITY.BUT IN ORDER FOR THEM TO GET PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES, THEY EITHER HAVE TO MAKE THEIR OWN OR CONTRACT WITH THE NEAREST FIRE DEPARTMENT OR EMS. NOW, THEY DON'T TECHNICALLY HAVE TO CONTRACT WITH THE NEAREST ONE BECAUSE AS YOU'LL SEE IN A SLIDE HERE IN A MINUTE, THAT'S A BIT OF A CHECKBOX.
MY EXPERIENCE SO FAR WITH MUDS AND I HAD NEVER DEALT WITH THEM IN MY CAREER BEFORE I LANDED HERE.
MY EXPERIENCE WITH THEM IS THAT THEY TEND TO LEVERAGE THE COMMUNITIES AROUND THEM TO TRY AND GET THE BEST DEAL, WHICH IS UNDERSTANDABLE.
THEY ARE A FOR-PROFIT MECHANISM, BUT IT ENDS UP HAVING A NEGATIVE EFFECT.
I THINK WHEN THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE DID THIS, THERE WERE SOME UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE PUBLIC SAFETY WAS REALLY FACTORED INTO THE EQUATION.
SO THEY DO TEND TO INFLAME THE ENVIRONMENT, ESPECIALLY WITH MUTUAL AID, BECAUSE THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS THAT SURROUND US, WE'RE TIED TOGETHER IN THIS MUTUAL AID NETWORK.
WHEN A MUD APPROACHES THIS DEPARTMENT OVER HERE AND SAYS, HEY, WE WANT TO DO A CONTRACT, AND THEN THEY APPROACH THIS DEPARTMENT OVER HERE, AND THEY SAY, WE WANT TO DO A CONTRACT, IT STARTS CREATING ADVERSARIAL COMPETITION.
TO ME, I'M NOT HERE TO MAKE MONEY.
THIS IS NOT A PRODUCTION MODEL.
FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE SERVICE MODELS.
WE WANT TO PROVIDE THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SERVICES WE CAN TO OUR CONSTITUENTS.
WE'RE BACK TO THIS, AREN'T WE? TO ME, THIS IS A REGRESSION OF WE'VE REGRESSED BACK TO A COUPLE 100 YEARS WHERE YOU KNOW, IF THESE FOLKS HAVEN'T PAID, WE DON'T GO.
THE MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICTS MUST BE APPROVED BY THE ELECTED BODY OF THE COUNTY.
I ACTUALLY ATTENDED ONE OF THESE MEETINGS A FEW YEARS BACK.
I BELIEVE COUNCILMAN CARVER WAS THERE.
AT THE TIME, IT WAS THE RESLAND DEVELOPMENT OR RESLAND HOWEVER YOU SAY IT.
LONG STORY, BUT BASICALLY, I ENDED UP TESTIFYING BEFORE THEM AND JUST SAYING, HEY, LOOK, THIS IS GOING TO MESS THINGS UP.
WAS THAT ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO OR SO? LOOK, I'M ONE FIRE CHIEF.
BUT I JUST REMEMBER THEM SAYING, HEY, THEY HAVE A CONTRACT, AND SO MY RUNNING JOKE BECAME, WELL, IF WHAT IF THEY SIGNED A CONTRACT WITH THE EL PASO FIRE DEPARTMENT? IT'S CHECKED OFF. THEY ARE REVIEWED BY THE TCEQ.
THE REASON I SAY THAT THIS IS ESSENTIALLY A PASS-THROUGH IS BECAUSE AFTER THAT MEETING, THE DAYS AFTER THAT, I REACHED OUT TO TCEQ.
AND I INQUIRED ABOUT THIS FIRE SERVICE AGREEMENT MECHANISM THAT THEY HAD IN PLACE.
I SAID, HOW ARE THE DEPARTMENTS VETTED AS FAR AS QUALITY OF SERVICES, EFFECTIVE RESPONSE FORCE, WHAT THEY'RE GETTING? I HAD AN INITIAL CONVERSATION, BUT WHEN I STARTED GETTING DOWN TO THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF IT, THEY WENT SILENT ON ME.
I SAID, WELL, I GUESS THEY DON'T WANT TO TELL ME.
I VIEW THAT AS A PASS-THROUGH.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, I DID INCLUDE A LINK TO THE TCEQ WATER DISTRICT AND THE GIS MAP FOR MUDS, WHICH YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THEM THERE AT THAT WEBSITE.
I THINK IT'S ALSO AN INCOMPLETE GIS MAP BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A FEW IN THE COUNTY THAT AREN'T THERE OR MAYBE THEY JUST HAVEN'T FULLY ESTABLISHED YET.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, YOU CAN LOOK THERE.
AGAIN, THE ONGOING DISCUSSIONS, AS MR. HENDERSON STATED PREVIOUSLY, THIS HAS BEEN A HOT TOPIC WITH THE COLLIN COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS.
I THINK I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THE CITY MANAGERS ARE COMING ON BOARD, AND HOPEFULLY, THE MAYORS CAN GET ON BOARD AND COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN START TALKING ABOUT THIS AS WELL.
BUT THIS GROUP REALLY REPRESENTS YOUR IMPLEMENTERS, BECAUSE WE'RE THE ONES THAT DO THE OPERATIONS.
YOU'RE THE ONES THAT SET THE POLICY.
[00:55:02]
AND IF YOU DECIDE THAT I DO OR I DON'T SEND RESOURCES OUT OUTSIDE THE CITY, THAT'S ULTIMATELY UP TO YOU GUYS.I'VE BEEN DOING THIS A LONG TIME, TO ME, THE FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO OUR CITIZENS.
I HAVE TO PLACE THEM AT THE TOP OF THE PRIORITY LIST BECAUSE THEY'RE PAYING TAXES FOR HIGH LEVEL OF SERVICE.
YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT OUR SERVICES HAVE DRASTICALLY INCREASED, ESPECIALLY OVER THE LAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS.
AS WE'VE ADDED MORE STATIONS, MORE PERSONNEL, MORE EQUIPMENT, MUCH HIGHER QUALITY EQUIPMENT, AMBULANCE SERVICE, LADDER TRUCK, THINGS HAVE EXPONENTIALLY CHANGED HERE IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THAT MEANS OUR SERVICE LEVELS HAVE ELEVATED, BUT WE'RE NOT GETTING ANY MORE SUBSIDY FROM THE COUNTY.
WHEREAS YEARS PRIOR, WE MAY SEND A BRUSH TRUCK TO GO HELP.
NOW THEY'RE GETTING AN AMBULANCE AND A FULL CREW OF A FIRE ENGINE WITH A FULL CREW.
IN MY OPINION, WE'RE IN A BIT OF A COMPROMISED POSITION WITH REGARDS TO PROVIDING THESE SERVICES OUT INTO THE ETJ.
IT'S STRAINING. I ALREADY MENTIONED THIS.
IT IS TENDING TO STRAIN LONGSTANDING FIRE SERVICE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FIRE CHIEFS AND THE GUYS AT THE TOP THAT HAVE TO MAKE ALL THESE PIECES WORK.
THERE'S JUST A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THIS NOW THAT IN THE OLD DAYS, IT WAS JUST SOMEBODY NEEDED HELP AND WE WENT.
ANY POLICY CHANGE NEEDS TO REALLY COME FROM YOU GUYS, AND THEN I CAN ENACT THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US GET COMPENSATED FOR OUR AMBULANCE SERVICE INTO THE COUNTY SINCE WE ARE PROVIDING THAT.
BUT THE AGREEMENT DOES SPECIFY FIRE AND MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT RESPONSE.
I'M NOT SEEING ANY LONG-TERM SOLUTION EMANATE FROM THE COUNTY, AND I DON'T WANT TO THROW ANYBODY INTO THE BUS.
I REALLY DON'T. WE WANT TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE COUNTY.
I'VE GOT A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL.
I THINK HE'S WELL-INTENTIONED.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHY THIS IS OCCURRING THE WAY IT HAS OCCURRED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, BUT I DON'T SEE A LONG-TERM SOLUTION BEING PRESENTED RIGHT NOW.
AS I STATED EARLIER, THESE AREAS ARE ONLY GOING TO KEEP GROWING.
I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT'S AN EMERGENCY RIGHT NOW, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE NEED TO START THINKING THROUGH.
MY OTHER CONCERNS, THERE'S BEEN NO INCREASE IN THE COUNTY SUBSIDY SINCE 2013, BUT OUR SERVICE QUALITY LEVEL HAS DRASTICALLY INCREASED.
WHEN YOU ACCOUNT FOR INFLATION, I DID THE MINIMUM AT 35% INFLATION.
AGAIN, THERE'S NO MECHANISM FOR THAT SUBSIDY TO AUTOMATICALLY INCREASE OR IF NOBODY PUSHES, NOBODY'S GOING TO DO ANYTHING.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS ARRANGEMENT IS SUSTAINABLE.
I THINK I TEND TO AGREE WITH SOME OF THE OTHER FIRE CHIEFS IN THE COUNTY THAT WE SHOULD SWITCH FROM THE CURRENT CALCULATION THAT'S BASED ON SQUARE MILEAGE AND POPULATION AND GO TO MORE OF A PER-CALL SYSTEM.
DENTON COUNTY ACTUALLY UTILIZES THAT TYPE OF SYSTEM.
NOW THERE'S PROS AND CONS EITHER WAY, BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE A BETTER SYSTEM.
YOU ALSO HAVE SOME PEOPLE ARE ATTEMPTING TO GET OUT OF THE ETJ, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY REALIZE WHAT THEY'RE DOING WHEN THAT HAPPENS, BUT IF WE WERE TO PULL BACK TO OUR CITY LIMITS, THOSE NON ANA CITIZENS WOULD NOT BE RECEIVING OUR SERVICES.
TAKEAWAYS, I BELIEVE THAT IT'S RIGHT NOW ECONOMICALLY UNBALANCED WITH REGARDS TO MUTUAL AID.
IT'S JUST AN UNBALANCED SYSTEM.
FOR INSTANCE, IF LET'S SAY WESTON TAKES OVER MELISSA'S AREA IN THEIR AREA, WHO IS GOING TO GET THERE FIRST? IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE WESTON,
[01:00:01]
IT'S GOING TO BE YOURS TRULY.THERE'S COMPLICATED THINGS WITH THIS.
TO ME, IT LACKS SYMMETRY, AND IT AFFECTS OUR RESPONSE TIMES INTO THESE AREAS AS WELL.
AGAIN, MY EXPERIENCES SO FAR ARE THAT THESE MUDS TEND TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SITUATION.
AGAIN, I'M NOT THROWING STONES AT THAT, BUT IT'S A FOR-PROFIT SYSTEM, SO NATURALLY, THEY'RE GOING TO WANT EVERYTHING THEY CAN GET FOR FREE, OR AT LOW COST.
AS I STATED, I DON'T SEE A COHERENT STRATEGY FOR ANY OF THE COUNTY LEADERS.
IT'S A NO-WIN SCENARIO THAT WE'RE HEADING TOWARDS HERE, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S SUSTAINABLE, AND I DON'T BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE TOLERATED, REALLY.
SOMEONE NEEDS TO STEP UP AT THE COUNTY AND START SAYING, WE HAVE A PROBLEM, LET'S SOLVE IT.
LASTLY, LIKE I SAID, IT'S NOT ON FIRE, BUT IT'S GOING TO BECOME A PROBLEM.
RIGHT NOW, OVER THE LAST 24 MONTHS, WE RECEIVE BASED ON OUR SUBSIDY, THAT 57,000 A YEAR AND OUR CALL VOLUME, ABOUT $755 PER CALL OUTSIDE THE CITY.
NOW, OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS, INSIDE THE CITY, YOU CAN SEE WHAT THAT CALLS.
THAT'S A VERY SIMPLE EQUATION.
I TAKE A VERY SIMPLE APPROACH TO THESE NUMBERS.
IT'S OUR OVERALL DEPARTMENT BUDGET DIVIDED BY THE NUMBER OF CALLS.
THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT A CALL COST YOU.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUR RESIDENTS THAT ARE INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, ARE PAYING A LOT MORE FOR THE SAME SERVICE, AND THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY PAYING FOR THAT SERVICE OUT BEYOND OUR CITY LIMITS AS WELL.
WITH THAT, I KNOW THAT WAS A LOT TO TAKE IN AND I KNOW IT'S COMPLICATED, BUT I'LL ATTEMPT TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
>> CHIEF, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING UP.
I KNOW WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS LAST WEEK.
YOU MENTIONED DISPATCH MORE THAN ONCE.
IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT WE WILL START BEING CHARGED FOR THAT?
>> I'M SURE THERE IS A POSSIBILITY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE POSSIBILITY IS PERCENTAGE-WISE.
BUT THAT IS ONE OF THE CAVEATS THAT THAT AGAIN, MCKINNEY DOESN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE THEIR OWN DISPATCH.
WHEN THEY GIVE THE COUNTY THEIR NOTIFICATION THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SERVE ANY LONGER.
NOW, THE COUNTY CAN'T COME BACK AND SAY, WELL, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU FREE DISPATCH ANYMORE.
>> IT'S VERY SPECIFIC TO EACH CITY, REALLY.
>> WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT TOO.
IT COSTS QUITE A BIT TO CREATE YOUR OWN DISPATCH.
>> I KNOW CHIEF HABEL WOULD LOVE TO TAKE ON THAT PROJECT.
BECAUSE HE'S ALL ABOUT DISPATCH.
BUT NO, THAT IS AN EXTREMELY LABOR SOME.
>> THAT IS A BIG, BIG PROJECT, AND IT TAKES YEARS TO GET THAT OFF THE GROUND.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION. I'M JUST NOT REALLY SURE QUITE HOW TO ASK IT.
YOU'VE MENTIONED DENTON COUNTY IN THERE, BUT HAVE YOU COMPARED SOME OF THESE RESULTS AND NUMBERS WITH SOME OF THE OTHER COUNTIES AROUND US, HOW THEY'RE HANDLING THEIR MUTUAL AID?
>> AS FAR AS THE MECHANISMS THEY HAVE IN PLACE, THE ONLY ONE THAT I'M AWARE OF REALLY IS THE DENTON COUNTY MODEL BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY RUN A PER CALL.
I HAVEN'T RESEARCHED ANY OTHER COUNTIES NEARBY.
>> IT JUST SEEMS TO ME LIKE THIS IS A LOT BIGGER PROBLEM THAN JUST COLLIN COUNTY.
THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME BEST PRACTICES.
>> I THINK IT'S BECOMING A PROBLEM IN THE FAST GROWTH COUNTY IN TEXAS.
IF YOU GET OUT WEST TEXAS AND ONE OF THE COUNTIES THAT'S JUST A BIG SQUARE, I DON'T THINK IT'S PROBABLY A BIG DEAL.
BUT IN COLLIN COUNTY, IT'S A BIG DEAL.
>> COUNCILMAN, IT PROBABLY IS A BIGGER PROBLEM STATEWIDE, BUT ARE WE GOING TO DEPEND ON THE STATE LEGISLATORS TO FIX IT? PROBABLY NOT. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT CAUSED IT WITH THE MUDS.
TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF THAT, YOU SAID, WE GET PAID PER SQUARE MILES AND DENTON COUNTY GET PAID PER CALLS.
THAT'S A CHANGE THAT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER WOULD HAVE TO MAKE?
[01:05:05]
>> YES, SIR. THEY WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE UP THEIR CALCULATION ON HOW [OVERLAPPING].
>> THE FEEDBACK IS GENERALLY WELL.
YOU GUYS BEING THE CITIES, TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
BUT THAT'S IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE IT'S A COLLIN COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION MEETING AT A BARBECUE JOINT.
THE POINT I'M MAKING IS THAT, I DON'T SEE ANY FORMAL COHERENT ANSWER TO THIS.
>> TO FIX THAT PROBABLY WE NEED US CITY LEADERS TO APPROACH COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO MAKE THAT CHANGE?
>> I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT IS AT THIS POINT.
IS DEFINITELY ABOVE MY HEAD POLITICALLY.
IT'S BEEN THAT WAY PROBABLY FOR THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS, REALLY.
LIKE I SAID, MOST OF THE COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS THAT THIS DIRECTLY AFFECTS ARE ON THE THE NORTHERN THIRD OF THE COUNTY RIGHT NOW, AND FEW PARTS OF THE EASTERN SIDE.
THE REST OF THE DEPARTMENTS LIKE ALLEN, THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS.
THEY'RE ALREADY BUILT THAT, SO THERE IS A CONTINGENT OF FIRE CHIEFS IN COLLIN COUNTY THAT I'M SURE ARE MAKING NOISE THAT PEOPLE DON'T APPRECIATE, SO A LOT OF THIS HAS JUST BEEN BLOWING STEAM OFF ABOUT IT, BUT IT IS A POLITICAL ISSUE.
I KNOW MR. HERNS CAN SPEAK ABOUT SOME MEETINGS THAT HE'S HAD WITH OTHER CITY MANAGERS.
PERHAPS THAT'S A GOOD PLACE TO START FIGURING OUT WHAT OPERATIONALLY LOOKS THE BEST, AND WHAT FUNCTION PROPERLY.
I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHERE IT GOES FROM HERE.
>> ONE LAST THING. IT JUST BLOWS ME AWAY.
BUT WITH THE MONEY THAT ANNA GETS COMPARED TO 2013-2024, AND TO SEE WHERE WE'RE AT FROM 2013-2024, POPULATION WISE, EVEN IN OUR ETJ, HAS GROWN AND THE MONEY HASN'T CHANGED, BUT IT'S REALLY SAD TO KNOW THAT THE PAY ROLE OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAS CHANGED AND INCREASED SINCE 2013, AND I KNOW THAT FOR FACT.
THAT'S REALLY SAD THAT THEY CHOSE THEIR PAY OVER SAVING LIVES AND HELPING PEOPLE.
I'LL BE REACHING OUT TO SEE WHAT I CAN HELP AND MAYBE JOIN FORCES WITH MY FELLOW COUNCILMEN TO HELP YOU GUYS OUT, AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU.
THIS VAN ALSTYNE ETJ MUD DISTRESSES ME.
FIRST OFF IS CALLED VAN ALSTYNE.
HOW IS IT THAT WE, I DON'T WANT TO SAY ROOKED, BUT IT SURE FEELS WE GOT ROOKED INTO SUPPORTING SOMETHING THAT'S NOT EVEN IN OUR COUNTY, IT'S NOT IN OUR ETJ, IT'S NOT IN OUR CITY LIMITS.
HOW COME WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT? ARE THEY PAYING US? IS THERE A CONTRACT OF ANY KIND?
I NEED TO SEE IF THAT IS IN OUR COUNTY.
I CAN'T RECALL IF THAT'S ACTUALLY IN OUR COUNTY OR NOT.
>> I THINK IT STRADDLES IF IT'S AWAY.
>> IT IS ON THE COLLIN COUNTY, SIDE.
OUR DISTRICT GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE COUNTY LINE THERE.
BUT, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE WEIRD THINGS OVER THE YEARS WHERE THE VAN ALSTYNE ETJ ACTUALLY COMES INTO COLLIN COUNTY.
BUT NOW I BELIEVE VAN ALSTYNE IS NOT WANTING TO SERVE THAT AREA ANY LONGER, BUT YEAH, IT'S DEFINITELY ON THE COLLIN COUNTY SIDE.
BY THE WAY, IT WAS 2021 THAT WE STOOD BEFORE COMMISSIONERS AND ALL OF THAT RAISING ABOUT THIS.
THERE'S NO CONTRACT OR MONETARY COMPENSATION FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT.
THEY ARE EXEMPT FROM MALD THERE'S BEEN TALK AT THE COUNTY OF BRINGING THEM INTO THESE CONVERSATIONS.
[01:10:04]
>> WE'RE JUST AUTOMATICALLY WHEN I SAY WE, I MEAN, EVERY TAXPAYER IN THE CITY LIVING IN ANNA IS AUTOMATICALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS AREA.
THIS THING GETS CRAZY REALLY QUICK.
IT GETS COMPLICATED REALLY FAST BECAUSE WHEN FOR INSTANCE, I DON'T WANT TO PICK ON ANY VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENTS OR ANY PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT.
BUT LET'S SAY THEORY, LET'S SAY THIS MUD APPROACHED WESTMINSTER AND SAID, HEY, WE NEED FIRE SERVICE FOR OUR MUD.
AND WESTMINSTER SAID, SURE, WE'LL DO IT.
HOW ABOUT $100,000? THAT MIGHT GET THEM A NEW ROOF ON THEIR FIRE STATION.
WELL, FOR US, IT'S LIKE I HAVE A $6 MILLION BUDGET.
HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS WE'RE GOING TO LOSE MONEY ON THAT.
IN THOSE INSTANCES WHERE THAT CHECK BOX IS THEN APPLIED, WHO ULTIMATELY ENDS UP GOING AND DOING THE WORK? BECAUSE WESTMINSTER IS VOLUNTEER, AND IF THEY'RE NOT AVAILABLE, WE MUTUALITE WITH VOLUNTEER OR WITH WESTMINSTER.
AGAIN, I'M NOT PICKING ON WESTMINSTER.
I'M JUST SAYING I'M JUST USING THEM AS AN EXAMPLE.
>> WHO ENDS UP DOING THE WORK? ESSENTIALLY, THAT WAS THE SITUATION WE HAD WITH VAN ALSTYNE DURING THE RESLAND MEETING WITH THE COUNTY.
THAT WAS THE POINT I WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER.
>> CHIEF, I APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE THE AREA BASED ON NEED, NOT BASED ON MONETARY COMPENSATION.
I THINK IN GENERAL, IF ANY ONE OF US HAD FRIENDS FAMILY WHATEVER, LIVING IN THOSE AREAS, I THINK WE'D ALL BE DISMAYED IF WE DIDN'T RESPOND IF WE HAD THE ABILITIES.
I DON'T KNOW THE FULL STORY BETWEEN MELISSA AND WHY THEY MADE THEIR DECISION.
EVERY TIME THAT WE'VE HAD A FIRE THAT'S REQUIRED SUPPORT, OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES HAVE BEEN THERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF MELISSA JUST FIGURED THEY'D SADDLE THIS UPON US.
>> I DON'T BELIEVE SO. HONESTLY, ACTUALLY IN SPEAKING WITH THEIR CHIEF, THEIR DECISION TO PULL OUT OF THEIR ETJ, I DO NOT BELIEVE WAS ECONOMICALLY MOTIVATED.
EVEN WHEN I RUN THE NUMBERS ON THAT, IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE.
>> THEY MIGHT BE BREAKING EVEN.
>> WELL, I APPRECIATE YOU KEEPING GREAT RELATIONSHIPS.
I KNOW WE HAD HOUSE FIRE HERE IN ANNA JUST THREE MONTHS AGO, AND IT BECAME FOUR ALARMS. I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS NECESSARY, BUT EVERYONE GOT IN ON THE ACTION TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR TEAMS WERE RELIEVED AND EVERYBODY ALSO GOT EXPERIENCE HANDLING THAT.
I COMMEND YOU FOR CONTINUING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WHILE WE DEAL WITH THE BUREAUCRACY OF ALL THIS AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE SURE THE ENTIRE AREA IS FUNDED APPROPRIATELY.
>> I SAID A COUPLE OF THINGS REAL QUICK.
THAT WAS AN AWFUL LOT TO DIGEST.
I'D SUGGEST YOU BRING TUMS NEXT TIME BECAUSE THAT WAS TOUGH.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT $755 BASICALLY IS WE'RE LOSING I DID A QUICK LITTLE MAP, ABOUT 500 BUCKS EVERY TIME WE DO THIS.
DO YOU SEE A SCENARIO WHERE WE'RE PUT IN THE MELISSA SITUATION? AT SOME POINT THAT BUDGET BECOMES UNSUSTAINABLE, LIKE YOU SAID, IF WE DON'T FIX SOMETHING, IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING, WHATEVER IT IS, ARE WE GOING TO BE IN THAT SITUATION? IF SO, HOW LONG WOULD IT BE? BECAUSE WE CAN SIT UP HERE ALL DAY AND SAY, OH, YEAH, WELL, IT'S GREAT FOR US TO DO THAT, BUT AT SOME POINT IT BECOMES FINANCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE FOR US TO DO THAT.
>> MY OPINION ON THIS IS THAT WE'RE ALREADY IN THE ENVIRONMENT WHERE I THINK THE DISCUSSION SHOULD BE HAD SO THAT WE DON'T GET TO A POINT WHERE WE GO, OH, WE NEED TO CHANGE THINGS.
I'M ALL ABOUT GETTING WAY AHEAD OF THINGS.
BUT TO ME, THE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT RIGHT NOW IS RIPE FOR THIS DISCUSSION.
NOW YOU ARE SEEING CITIES LIKE MELISSA AND MCKINNEY, WHO'S GOING TO FOLLOW OUR SUIT AND PERHAPS TWO OR THREE OTHERS THAT ARE ACTUALLY GOING, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THIS ANY LONGER UNTIL YOU GOT TO STEP UP AND LEAD THE WAY HERE.
[01:15:04]
I DON'T WANT TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S LIKE, WE'RE LOSING MONEY, BECAUSE MCKINNEY IS IN THAT POSITION.THEY LOSE A LOT OF MONEY EVERY TIME THEY GO, WHICH IS WHY I'M VERY CONFIDENT THAT THEY'RE ABOUT TO GIVE THEIR ONE YEAR NOTICE TO THE COUNTY.
THAT WILL PROBABLY MOTIVATE THE COUNTY TO AT LEAST COME TO THE TABLE.
>> CAN YOU GIVE ME A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF HOW YOU WOULD FIX THIS? LIKE, HEY, IF YOU GIVE ME THE MAGIC ONE, I'LL WAIVE IT, AND WE'LL DO STEP 1 AND STEP 2 AND PROBLEM SOLVED.
>> I THINK A PER CALL SYSTEM IS GOING TO WORK BETTER.
I THINK THE SUBSIDY NEEDS TO HAVE A MECHANISM IN IT THAT ACCOUNTS FOR INFLATION AUTOMATICALLY.
BEYOND THAT, I THINK JUST COMING UP WITH AN EQUITABLE APPROACH TO MUTUAL AID AND COVERING THESE DISTRICTS, SOMETHING THAT'S THAT'S LOGICAL, AND I THINK THAT EVERYBODY CAN BUY INTO BEYOND THAT TO ME, PER CALL VOLUME, THE PER CALL SYSTEM IS GOING TO WORK BETTER.
>> IS THERE A WAY BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING RIGHT WHEN YOU'RE BUILT OUT, LIKE ALAN, PLANO, RICHARDSON, THEY'RE NOT STRUGGLING FROM THIS PROBLEM.
IT'S THE FAST GROWTH AREAS THAT STILL HAVE A LARGE ETJ.
IS THERE A WAY THAT WE COULD ESSENTIALLY CREATE, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT A UNION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT I'M SAYING LIKE A GROUP OF YOU ALL THAT REPRESENT SALINA, WESTON, ANNA, BLUE RIDGE, MELISSA, AND THAT'S THE GROUPS THAT ARE STRUGGLING, AND THEN WE CAN GO BACK AND POTENTIALLY THEN AT LEAST THEY WOULD MAYBE BE WILLING TO RE LOOK AND SEND MORE MONEY OUR WAY UNTIL EVENTUALLY WHEN WE GET BELT OUT, AND IT WON'T BE AN ISSUE ANYMORE.
>> ESSENTIALLY, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THE COLLIN COUNTY FIRE CHIEF ASSOCIATION.
THEN WE HAVE A CONTINGENT IN WITHIN THAT ASSOCIATION.
IN FACT, WE'RE ABOUT TO CREATE A COMMITTEE THAT JUST TO LOOK AT IT.
THIS MAY BE A LITTLE ONE DAY LATE IN $1 SHORT TYPE SITUATION BECAUSE I STILL FEEL THAT FROM A FIRE CHIEF PERSPECTIVE, I THINK IT'S ABOVE OUR HEADS.
I THINK THIS HAS GOT THINGS GOING ON UP THERE THAT EVEN IF WE WERE TO COME TO THE TABLE AND SAY, THIS IS HOW WE THINK IT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT APPROACH WOULD BE EFFECTIVE.
>> SURE. ABSOLUTELY. YEAH, YOU DEAL WITH WHAT YOU CAN DEAL WITH CHIEF. I GET IT.
>> I DON'T WANT YOU GUYS TO LOSE ANY SLEEP OVER THIS.
I'M REALLY TRYING TO PAINT A BALANCED PICTURE.
I WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT, AND MR. HENDERSON ASKED ME TO COME UP AND GIVE YOU GUYS [OVERLAPPING].
>> ALL THE INFORMATION I COULD POSSIBLY DO WITHOUT JUST REALLY MAKING YOU GUYS MAD.
>> NO, YOU'RE NOT. YOU SAID SOMETHING THAT STUCK OUT TO ME AND I AGREE WITH YOU 1000%, I TAKE IT TO WHEN I WAS DEPLOYED IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, AND WHEN WE WERE THERE THE FIRST TIME, IT WAS DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO.
THERE WAS NO RESTRICTIONS ON OUR WEAPON SYSTEMS. IT WAS A WILD WILD WEST.
WELL, AS IT GOT GOING ON, OUR LIVES GOT MORE DIFFICULT, AND THEN THEY STARTED PUTTING MORE RESTRAINTS ON TOP OF US.
YOU SAID SOMETHING EARLIER TO WHERE IT WAS LIKE, I DO NOT WANT ONE OF MY PERSONNEL TO GET TO A LINE ON A MAP AND SAY, WE CAN'T GO THERE ANYMORE.
>> YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO. ANYTHING I THINK FROM US, FROM THIS BODY, I THINK WHAT WE CAN DO IN THE MEANTIME IS SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND DO LIKE A OKAY.
IF WE'RE GOING TO SAY WE'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE, THIS IS THE FIRST PLACE THAT I THINK WE NEED TO START WITH.
[01:20:02]
IF IT GETS TO THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, LIKE, HEY, I SAY THAT WE DON'T GO INTO THE MELISSA AREA STARTING NEXT YEAR, IF THINGS DON'T START TO CHANGE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? BECAUSE THEN YOU CAN GIVE US THAT FEEDBACK, WE COULD FEEDBACK, WE CAN COME UP ON THE DICE, AND WE CAN MAKE THE DECISION.THEN WHEN YOUR MEN AND WOMEN AND YOU SAY, WE CAN'T GO THERE, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU.
IT HAS TO DO WITH US BECAUSE WE'RE THE ONES THAT MADE THE DECISION.
I DON'T WANT YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION.
I WANT US TO MAKE THE DECISION AND WE'LL LIVE WITH A DECISION THE WAY IT GOES BECAUSE WE'RE IN CHARGE, AND THAT'S WHERE THE DECISION SHOULD LIE.
>> AGAIN, IT'S NOT WE WANT TO GO.
>> MY DAUGHTER'S SHE'S 17. SHE DRIVES A CAR.
IF SHE GETS IN A WRECK AND IT'S JUST OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS OR ANY ONE OF US, WIVES, KIDS, RELATIVES, IF WE DON'T GO. THAT'S NOT GOOD.
>> BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE THIS COUNTY ISSUE THAT NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO WRAP THEIR ARMS AROUND.
>> I THINK THAT'S THE KEY I WAS GOING TO MENTION.
I THINK WE NEED TO START PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE COMMISSION.
> I THINK THAT'S WHAT MELISSA ESSENTIALLY STARTED THE BALL ROLLING ON THIS BY GIVING A ONE YEAR NOTICE.
>> WELL, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO POUNCE ON BECAUSE IF THAT'S WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO GET THE COLLIN COUNTY PEOPLE MOTIVATED TO GET THIS BALL ROLLING, MAYBE WE SHOULD PUT IN A YEAR'S NOTICE.
THEN THAT SENDS UP ANOTHER FLAG FOR THEM.
>> THEIR YEAR ENDS IN A FEW DAYS.
HAS ANYTHING CHANGED IN THE YEAR? HAVE COUNTY CHANGED ANYTHING OR ANY TALKS? THEIR MELISSA'S ONE YEAR THREAT IS ABOUT TO COME TO FRUITION, AND IT'S CHANGED NOTHING.
>> I'M AWARE OF. THEY DO HAVE A NEW COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, AND I ACTUALLY MET HIM LAST WEEK AND I CAN'T REMEMBER HIS NAME.
BUT IF I'M THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND I WANT TO GET AHEAD OF THIS, I'M GOING TO BE PICKING UP THE PHONE CALLING EVERY CITY MANAGER IN THE COUNTY THAT THIS AFFECTS DIRECTLY, AND I'M GOING TO SAY, HEY, LET'S SIT DOWN.
>> IF I MAY, AND I APPRECIATE COUNCILMAN BILLS FOR ASKING THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU DID, OF ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU.
BUT TO CHIEF I'S POINT, DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO LOSE SLEEP OVER THIS.
WE WANTED TO PROVIDE AN INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATION TO JUST SHOW THE HISTORY OF OUR FIRE MAP AND OUR FIRE DISTRICT, LEVEL OF SERVICE WE PROVIDE TO THE COUNTY AND COUNTY RESIDENTS, AND THE PROFESSIONALISM IN WHICH WE DO IT, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN THE STATE.
BUT I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THE TIMES WHERE YOU AS A COUNCIL HAVE HAD TO TAKE THE DECISION, MADE THE TOUGH DECISION OF SAY WATER RATES AND INCREASING WATER RATES.
I'D ASK WHY THE COUNTY HASN'T DONE SIMILARLY? WHY HAVE THEY NOT STEPPED IN AND DONE THE TOUGH THINGS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS? I THINK THAT THE FRUSTRATION FOR CITY MANAGERS, SELF INCLUDED, FIRE CHIEFS, CHIEF ISOM, INCLUDED, IS THAT THE COUNTY IS ASKING THE CITIES TO TRY TO SOLVE THIS WHERE THE COUNTY NEEDS TO BE SOLVING THIS.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE MELISSA SAID ENOUGH.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE PRINCETON IS SAYING, OKAY, SOMETHING'S GOT TO CHANGE.
>> I THINK THAT TO COUNCILMAN TOTEN'S COMMENT, MELISSA DID THIS A YEAR AGO.
IT'S COME DUE IN A WEEK OR SO.
I THINK THE MORE CITIES THAT GET ON THAT SAME BANDWAGON, I THINK WE START GAINING SOME TRACTION AND START GETTING SOME ATTENTION.
>> I GOT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
>> I AGREE WITH YOU, BUT GOLLY.
THE MOMENT YOU DO THAT AND THEN THERE'S SOMEBODY IN THE ETJ THAT IS JUST, YOU KNOW HOW BUREAUCRACIES WORK AND YOU KNOW HOW THINGS MOVE, AND THEY DON'T MOVE FAST.
IF WE DO THAT AND IT'S FOUR OR FIVE OR SIX YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, IT'S JUST DANGEROUS.
THIS IS ALL OVER SOME MUDS, REALLY. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
>> YEAH. I LIKE TO REFER TO THE MUDS AS I CALL THEM THE AGITATING FACTOR.
>> THAT'S A VERY GOOD WAY TO LOOK AT IT.
I WOULD SERIOUSLY LIKE FOR US TO SOONER THAN LATER HAVE A PLAN BECAUSE WHAT IF
[01:25:01]
IT'S TWO YEARS FROM NOW AND YOU COME IN FRONT OF US AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS, AND THERE'S ANOTHER 10,000 PEOPLE OR 20,000 PEOPLE IN ALL THESE ETJS NOW? YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? THAT'S NOT UNHEARD OF.THEN NOW IT IS TO THAT POINT TO WHERE IT'S LIKE, THAT'S IT.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ANYMORE.
I WOULD LIKE TO POTENTIALLY HAVE A PLAN AND IT CAN BE AN INTERNAL PLAN THAT ONCE YOU SAY, GUYS, I'VE LOOKED AT THE BUDGET, AND ONCE I GET TO THIS POINT, THEN MY RECOMMENDATION TO YOU ALL IS TO SAY, OKAY, WE WILL NOT GO INTO THIS AREA AND SUPPORT WITH THIS WHETHER IT BE MUTUAL AID OR WHATEVER, AND I'M DOING THAT BECAUSE YOU UNDERSTAND THE BOTTOM LINE HAS TO BE THE BOTTOM LINE, I HAVE TO PAY MY PEOPLE, I HAVE TO PAY FOR ELECTRICITY, I HAVE TO PAY ALL THOSE THINGS.
THEN WE CAN AT LEAST WE CAN VOTE THAT IN, AND WE CAN SAY THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
THEN YOU GUYS AREN'T WORRIED ABOUT THAT, YOU'RE JUST DOING WHAT YOU'RE TOLD.
> WE'VE EVEN TALKED ABOUT BILLING MECHANISMS IN MUDS, HOW THAT WOULD LOOK.
THAT WAY, WE STILL RESPOND, BUT WE SEND SOMEONE A BILL.
IT WOULD END UP BEING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT HAS THE CONTRACT WITH THEM.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WOULD BE OPPOSED TO THAT.
THE ADVANTAGE OF COMING INTO THE CITY IF YOU'RE IN THE ETJ IS THAT YOU GET TOP NOTCH CITY SERVICES. THERE'S THAT, TOO.
>> THAT'S A DIRECT REFLECTION RIGHT BACK ON THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOR PULLING THAT ABILITY OF ANNEXING PARTS OF ETJ INTO THE CITY.
>> IT APPEARS THAT THE LEGISLATION IS CREATING SWISS CHEESE OUT THERE IN THE ETJ TO TO GIVE THE MUDS AN ADVANTAGE.
THAT'S JUST OUTSIDER LOOKING IN.
I KNOW WHY THEY DID THE MUDS BECAUSE IN CERTAIN AREAS, NOT IN THIS AREA.
WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH GROWTH, BUT IN CERTAIN AREAS, YOU HAD DEVELOPERS THAT WANTED TO DO SOMETHING, AND THE CITY'S JUST WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING.
THEN THEY GAVE THEM THAT ABILITY TO JUST, WELL, IF YOU CAN RAISE THE MONEY AND YOU CAN GET WATER AND SEWER AND ALL THAT, THEN GO FOR IT.
BUT HERE, IT'S HURTING US BECAUSE WE WANT THEM TO ANNEX AND COME INTO THE CITY AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO.
THEY CAN LOOK AT US AND SAY, NO, THANK YOU, WE'LL BE IN MUD.
>> I LOOK AT IT AS JOIN THE TEAM.
>> YOU'LL GET THE ADVANTAGES OF THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.
>> WE GOT TWO STATIONS NOW. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE.
IF YOU JUST BUY INTO THE SYSTEM, YOU'LL HAVE MULTIPLE STATIONS.
IF THE ONE NEAREST BY YOU MAY NOT RESPOND, YOU'RE STILL PART OF THE WHOLE NETWORK.
>> THAT LEGISLATION WAS TARGETED AT ETJS IN AREAS WHERE THE ADJOINING CITY WASN'T CAPABLE OF PROVIDING SERVICES THAT ALLOWED THEM AS THE LAST RESORT.
IT'S NOT THE WAY IT'S BEING USED.
THE FIRST THING THEY DO IS JUST GO MUD.
THEY DON'T EVEN BOTHER TO GO TO THE CITY.
PROPERLY MANAGED MUD SHOULDN'T BE A BIG ISSUE, BUT YOU GET SOMEBODY THAT'S NOT SET UP CORRECTLY, THEY GET IN FINANCIAL DIRE STRAITS.
WE STILL HAVE TO GO BAIL THEM OUT AND THEY CAN.
>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WE'LL CONTINUE TO KEEP YOU APPRISED OF THIS ISSUE, KEEP YOU UPDATED.
YOU'LL HEAR FROM US, IF ANYTHING, GREAT CHANGES, BIG CHANGES.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF. TO SPEAK TO WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER, I'VE ALREADY REACHED OUT.
ONCE I STARTED RESEARCHING THIS, I'VE ALREADY REACHED OUT TO AREA MAYORS.
WE'RE GOING TO GET TOGETHER TOO AND SEE IF WE CAN'T GET ON THE SAME PAGE, PRESENT A UNIFIED FRONT TO THE COUNTY AND GO FROM THERE.
THANK YOU, THOUGH. EXCELLENT PRESENTATION. I APPRECIATE IT.
>> EVERYBODY HEAR THAT? WE'RE GOING TO DO ROLL CALL TONIGHT.
THEY'VE GOT SOME TECHNICAL ISSUES OVER THERE.
THAT TAKES US TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 6, CONSENT ITEMS.
[6. Consent Items.]
THESE ITEMS CONSIST OF NON-CONTROVERSIAL HOUSEKEEP MINUTES REQUIRED BY LAW.ITEMS MAY BE CONSIDERED INDIVIDUALLY BY ANY COUNCIL MEMBER MAKING SUCH REQUESTS PRIOR TO A MOTION AND VOTE ON THE CONSENT ITEMS. DO I HAVE ANYONE THAT WANTS ANYTHING REMOVED OR A MOTION?
>> EMOTIONALLY APPROVE ITEMS A-J.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. GO AHEAD.
[01:30:01]
>> MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, TAKES US TO ITEM 7,
[7. Items For Individual Consideration]
ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.7A, CONSIDER, DISCUSS, AND ACT ON A RESOLUTION, DIRECTING THE CITY ATTORNEY AND CITY MANAGER TO PREPARE AN AMENDMENT TO THE EXISTING DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT APPROVED ON DECEMBER 13TH, 2022 VIA RESOLUTION 2022-12-1335 PER REQUEST FROM NEXTMETRO COMMUNITIES FOR ADDITIONAL TIME ON THE PROJECT SCHEDULE.
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, MR. PETERS?
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M JUST WORKING MY WAY THROUGH THE CHIEF'S EXCELLENT POWERPOINT PRESENTATION TO GET THROUGH HERE.
IT WAS GOOD THE FIRST TIME. IT'S EVEN BETTER THIS TIME. [LAUGHTER] I DO NOT HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR THIS ITEM.
[LAUGHTER] BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO CONFUSE ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING FROM HOME OR LISTENING IN.
MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THIS ITEM AND THE NEXT ITEM BEFORE YOU ARE BOTH ITEMS REGARDING EXISTING DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE CITY AND DEVELOPERS.
THIS ITEM IS BETWEEN THE CITY OF ANNA AND NEXTMETRO COMMUNITIES.
THEY ARE SEEKING TO DEVELOP A MULTIFAMILY PROJECT.
THE ZONING HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED, AND IT'S LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF US 75, SOUTH OF FM455, AND TO POINT EXACTLY WHERE IT IS.
IF YOU WERE TO TURN SOUTH ON BUDDY HAYES ON 455 AND JUST GO PAST THE WALGREENS.
WE DID ENTER INTO A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE DEVELOPER APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS AGO, AND THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE PROJECT, AND MOVING THINGS FORWARD.
ALL THREE OF THE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON, THEIR CIVIL PLANS HAVE BEEN APPROVED, SO THEIR CIVIL ENGINEERING PLANS ARE APPROVED.
BUT AT THIS POINT, THEY ARE SEEKING SOME EXTENSIONS, SOME ADDITIONAL TIME, IF YOU WILL, TO ALLOW THEM TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT.
THE EXISTING DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE ON RECORD, THERE ARE SPECIFIC TIMELINES THAT THE DEVELOPER IS REQUIRED TO HIT AND BECAUSE OF VARIOUS REASONS, THE DEVELOPER IS ASKING FOR SOME OF THOSE TIMES TO BE EXTENDED.
THEY'RE ALSO ASKING TO COORDINATE WITH US AND WORK WITH US ON MAKING SOME SMALLER REVISIONS TO SOME OF THE LANGUAGE REGARDING THE IMPACT FEE REIMBURSEMENTS AND HOW THAT'S DONE AS WELL, BUT THE PRIMARY REQUEST IS A TIME EXTENSION.
BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY A SPECIFIC REQUEST FROM THE DEVELOPER.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ASK A REPRESENTATIVE FOR NEXTMETRO COMMUNITIES TO COME FORWARD.
I BELIEVE JOSH EADIE IS HERE TONIGHT.
IF YOU CAN COME FORWARD AND JUST WANT TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL, AND COUNCIL, FEEL FREE TO ASK STAFF, MYSELF, OR MR. EADIE ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE AS YOU CONSIDER THIS REQUEST.
I DO WANT TO ADD THIS ITEM IS NOT TO APPROVE THE CHANGES TO THE AGREEMENT, BUT IT IS RATHER TO DIRECT STAFF, CITY MANAGER, AND CITY ATTORNEY TO GO AHEAD AND ENGAGE.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH MR. EADIE ON SOME OF THE LANGUAGE, BUT WE WANT TO GET YOUR APPROVAL.
IF YOU DO APPROVE THIS TONIGHT, WE WILL GO AHEAD, WRAP UP THAT NEGOTIATION, AND PUT IT ON A COUNCIL AGENDA FOR APPROVAL IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.
>> MR. PETERS, JUST TO CLARIFY, NO DEADLINE HAS BEEN MISSED YET.
THIS IS JUST ASKING AN EXTENSION TO THAT.
>> THERE'S SOME EXTENSIONS. I BELIEVE WITH THE PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETINGS MAYBE, BUT HE'S PREPARED.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COUNCIL.
I'M JOSH, VICE PRESIDENT, DEVELOPMENT OF NEXTMETRO.
I WAS ACTUALLY HERE TWO YEARS AGO WHEN WE DID THIS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
ONE POINT OF CORRECTION, GREG, SLIGHT DIFFERENCE IS THIS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WAS MADE WITH THE PRIOR LAND OWNER AT THAT TIME, AND SO THERE WAS A SUBDIVISION OF SORTS, AND SO THIS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AFFECTS OUR PROJECT, AS WELL AS THE APARTMENTS ACROSS THE STREET.
I BELIEVE OUR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT ALSO TOUCHES ON THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM SUBJECT, WHICH IS THE NORTHERN SECTION OF BUDDY HAYES WITH ANOTHER APARTMENT CONTRACT.
[01:35:02]
BETWEEN MYSELF AND NEXTMETRO, HIGHPARK CAPITAL, WHICH IS THE DEVELOPER FOR THE APARTMENTS ON ONE SITE PORTION, AND THE NRP GROUP, WHICH IS DEVELOPING NORTH OF US, WE'VE ALL BEEN SHARING PLANS.AS GREG MENTIONED, OUR CIVIL PLANS ARE FULLY DONE.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE TIMELINE, SO THE ZONING WAS APPROVED, AS GREG MENTIONED, IN LATE 2022.
THE NEXT HURDLE, WE HAD TO SUBMIT A PLAT WITHIN 120 DAYS.
AFTER THAT, WE HAD TO SUBMIT OUR DESIGN PLANS, 180 DAYS AFTER THAT.
THEN WE'VE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY THIS YEAR TO GET OUR CIVIL PLANS APPROVED.
I BELIEVE THAT APPROVAL DATE WAS AT THE END OF JUNE OR SO.
PER THE TERMS OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, ONCE THE PLANS ARE APPROVED, YOU HAVE TO SCHEDULE CONSTRUCTION WITHIN 90 DAYS.
90 DAYS, I BELIEVE, WAS THIS PAST THURSDAY, SO WE DID NOT MEET THAT DEADLINE TO YOUR QUESTION.
THE REASON WE CAN'T SCHEDULE THE PRE-CON IS BECAUSE THERE'S A PRE-CON CHECKLIST.
IN THAT CHECKLIST, THERE'S SOME INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS.
SPECIFICALLY, WE CAN DISCUSS ADDING THE CITY AS ADDITIONAL INSURED TO THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR'S UMBRELLA INSURANCE.
THEY CAN'T DO THAT UNTIL THEY HAVE A BINDING CONTRACTOR THAT ASSIGN THAT INSURANCE TO THE CITY.
YOU CAN'T DO THAT UNTIL YOU HAVE A PROJECT BUDGET THAT MAKES SENSE IN THIS CAPITAL MARKET ENVIRONMENT.
THAT'S WHY WE COULDN'T MEET THE PRE-CON DATE.
WE STILL INTEND TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ROADWAY PROJECT.
OUR ORIGINAL BUDGET WAS SIX MILLION, IT'S NOW 10 MILLION.
WE'RE NOW THE HOME TWO LENDERS AND EQUITY GROUPS THAT AN ELECTION YEAR AREN'T KEEN IN ANY ACTION RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S THE MERCY THAT WE HAVE.
WE'RE ASKING FOR THAT FROM YOU ALL TO HELP CONTINUE WORK WITH CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY.
WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THAT WITH THEM SINCE PRIOR TO LAST WEEK'S DEADLINE, BUT WE JUST TOOK SOME TIME TO GET ONTO THE AGENDA. THAT'S A BRIEF OVERVIEW.
>> HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU THINK YOU'LL NEED?
>> WE'VE ALREADY PREPARED A SUGGESTED AMENDMENT.
I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I BELIEVE WE'RE ASKING UNTIL THE END OF Q1 NEXT YEAR.
WITH THE ELECTION HAPPENING IN NOVEMBER, NOTHING HAPPENS UNTIL JANUARY, GET FUNDED IN JANUARY, WE MEET ALL THE CHECKLIST REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PRE-CON, HAVE THAT PRE-CON MEETING, WE EXPECT TO BREAK AROUND END OF Q1 OR BEGINNING OF Q2 NEXT YEAR.
I WILL ADD, THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM WITH THE NRP GROUP, WE'VE BEEN COORDINATING WITH THEM.
I CAN'T SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF, HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THEY'RE MAINTAINING BUILDING A PORTION OF THAT ROAD TO THE NORTH OF US.
IF THEY START BUILDING THAT ROAD, THEY HAVE TO START MAKING SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS FOR US TO PICK UP AND MOVE DOWN.
IT'S KIND OF A CHICKEN AND THE EGG.
>> WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON'T START CONSTRUCTION AT THE END OF Q1? ARE YOU GOING TO COME AND ASK FOR ANOTHER EXTENSION?
>> WE WOULD HAVE TO JUST BECAUSE THERE'S A MASTER THOROUGHFARE PLAN ROAD GOING THROUGH THERE.
THE SUBJECT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT IS RIGHT NOW MY TRACT IS NOT SERVED BY ANY ACCESS SO I HAVE TO BUILD THE ROAD TO GIVE ME ACCESS.
IT'S A MASTER THOROUGHFARE PLAN ROAD.
THE CITY COULD CHOOSE TO BUILD IT.
BUT I THINK EVERYONE'S ASSURING THE RESOURCES WE ARE AT THIS TIME, SO THAT'S WHY WE LIKE TO BUILD THAT ROAD.
I'M NOT PULLING UP TO SPEED ON WHAT THE RAMIFICATIONS ARE OF A FUTURE AGREEMENT GETTING PUT IN PLACE.
BUT A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WOULD BE NEEDED TO FACILITATE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THAT ROAD SO [INAUDIBLE]
>> I'M GLAD TO HEAR YOU'RE STILL WILLING TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE.
I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT THERE'S A DELAY.
IT'S PROBABLY NOT JUST ME SITTING UP HERE.
IT'S BEEN ONE OF THOSE AREAS OF ANNA THAT WE'VE WANTED TO SEE ACTIVATED.
SO FAR POPEYES HAS DONE SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND WALGREENS, BUT NOT MUCH OTHER ACTION.
THE ROAD ITSELF IS SOMEONE THAT'S VERY HIGHLY RESPECTED PERSON WHO LIVED IN ANNA FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
IT'S NOT JUST ANY ROAD, NOT JUST SOME RANDOM NAME.
ARE YOU STILL WANTING TO BUILD THE SAME PRODUCT ON YOUR SECTION OF THIS DEVELOPMENT? RIGHT NOW IT'S A SINGLE-STORY FOR RENT PRODUCT.
ARE YOU STILL WANTING TO DO A SINGLE STORY FOR RENT OR WOULD IT BE EASIER TO FINANCE A MULTI STORY FOR RENT PRODUCT LIKE TOWNHOMES OR DARESAY APARTMENTS?
>> I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHAT'S EASIER.
I CAN SPEAK TO THE FACT THAT WE SOLD YOU MORE OF OUR PRODUCT.
THAT'S THE SAME STORY WE'RE SELLING TODAY, IS THAT THIS IS ALL WE DO.
WHILE THE CIVIL PLANS ARE FULLY DESIGNED AND
[01:40:02]
APPROVED FOR THE BUDDY HAYES INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT, I THINK WE'RE APPROVED ON OUR PRIVATE CIVIL PLANS TOO.WE'RE NOT WALKING AWAY. WE JUST NEED SOME MORE TIME TO GET WALL STREET FUNDING, THAT'S ABOUT IT/
IF THIS COUNCIL APPROVES EXTENDING THIS OR GIVING STAFF THE ABILITY TO EXTEND THIS, THIS IS GOING TO COST TAXPAYERS AS WELL.
FROM MY STANDPOINT, I WANTED THAT AREA ACTIVATED.
I WANTED PEOPLE TO COME IN FROM THE SOUTHERN BOUNDARY OF ANNA AND SEE MORE THAN JUST THE TRUCK STOP.
I WANT TO SEE THAT WE HAVE A LOT MORE GOING ON FROM THAT AREA.
BUT THIS WILL REQUIRE LEGAL AND STAFF TIME.
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THERE ARE EXPENDITURES THAT YOU CAN FIGURE OUT SOME WAY TO REMEDIATE THOSE, THAT WOULD BE VERY AGREEABLE. THANK YOU.
>> HI, JOSH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CANDOR. I APPRECIATE.
I UNDERSTAND THE CASH FLOW ISSUE TOO AS WELL.
WE'RE USED TO THAT COMING OUT OF COVID.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DELAYS AND THINGS HAPPENING.
THIS SIX MONTHS, IF YOU HIT THAT DEADLINE, I'M GOOD WITH IT, AND I'LL TAKE YOU A CHORE BECAUSE YOU GUYS BUILD A GREAT PRODUCT SO HOPEFULLY WE WON'T HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER CONVERSATION.
>> BASICALLY WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, AND WORKING WITH STAFF GOING FORWARD, IF WE DECIDED THAT'S THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING TO GO.
BE DILIGENT AND FIGURE OUT A DATE.
WE'RE GOING TO EXTEND THIS. WE HAD SOME AGREEMENTS.
I WASN'T ON COUNCIL THEN, BUT IT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT WE WANTED THESE DATES FOR A REASON.
LOOK IT OVER REALLY WELL, MAKE SURE YOU PICK GOOD SOLID DATES THAT WE CAN ALL AGREE TO AND ACCEPT.
>> THAT'S PROBABLY A VALID POINT TO MAKE.
THE EXTENSION REQUESTED, WE ASK ONCE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK A SECOND TIME.
>> REMEMBER, YOU WENT FIRST AND NRP IS SECOND SO IT'S TWO SEPARATE.
WHEN YOU DO YOU ASK FOR SIX, IF THEY DON'T MEET THEIR DEADLINE OR THEY DON'T GET AN EXTENSION, WE STILL WANT YOU TO START IN SIX. GET WHERE I'M GOING THERE?
WE'VE BEEN COORDINATING WITH THEIR GROUP.
THEY'RE GOING TO USE OUR PLANS.
THE PLANS THAT WE HAVE APPROVED FOR BUDDY HAYES, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF COORDINATING AND SIGNING THE SAME PLANS OVER TO THEM.
SAY FOR ACT OF GOD OR SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS IF THEY START TO STOP, WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PATH.
BUT WE FULLY INTEND TO DO WHAT WE TRY TO DO AS SOON AS WE CAN.
OUR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT ALLOWS US TO BUILD THAT SECTION OF ROAD AND HAS SELF HELP TAKEOVER RIGHTS AND REMEDIES.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE AS FAST AS WE CAN.
I CERTAINLY COMMIT TO THAT, AND I VERY MUCH UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ROAD.
>> COUNCIL, ANYONE ELSE? NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
GO AHEAD AND CALL THE ROLL I THINK?
>> AYE. MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU, SIR.
>> THAT'LL TAKE US TO AGENDA ITEM B.
CONSIDER/DISCUSS/ACT ON A RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE CITY ATTORNEY AND CITY MANAGER TO PREPARE AN AMENDMENT TO THE EXISTING DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT APPROVED ON APRIL 12TH, 2022, VIA RESOLUTION 2022-04-1142, PER REQUEST FROM NRP GROUP FOR ADDITIONAL TIME ON THE PROJECT SCHEDULE. MR. PETERS.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THE NRP GROUP PROJECT IS LOCATED IMMEDIATELY NORTH OF THE NEXTMETRO PROJECT, JUST BEHIND THE TACO BELL AREA UP THERE IN THE WALGREENS.
IN SPEAKING WITH THEM, THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO HAVE SOMEONE HERE TONIGHT ON THEIR BEHALF, BUT THEY DID EXPLAIN THAT THEY ARE ACTIVELY WORKING TOWARDS GETTING EVERYTHING READY IN SIMILAR FASHION TO WHAT MR. EADIE PRESENTED TO YOU ON BEHALF OF NEXTMETRO.
[01:45:03]
I AM HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS I CAN TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, BUT YOU MAY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS WHICH STAFF IS NOT ABLE TO ASK, AND I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.BUT HAPPY TO HELP IN ANY WAY I CAN. THANK YOU.
>> GREG, IS THERE A FUNDING MECHANISM? IS IT DELAYED BY ANY GOVERNANCE BECAUSE IT'S A PFC PROJECT, OR IS THIS TOTALLY JUST ON THE PRIVATE SIDE OF THINGS THAT'S CAUSING THE DELAY?
>> SURE. MAYOR PRO TEM, I'M NOT SURE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY DELAYS THAT ARE DUE TO ANY RESPONSIBILITIES ON THE CITY SIDE.
I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE THEIR FUNDING STRUCTURE IS DIFFERENT AS A PFC, IF THAT HAS SOME ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS.
THAT'S JUST OUT OF THE REALM OF MY AREA OF EXPERTISE, AND SO I CAN'T ANSWER THAT.
>> JUST TO REFRESH MY MEMORY, WE HAVE THE PFC AGREEMENT IN PLACE, OR WE JUST HAVE THE FRAMEWORK IN PLACE ON THIS ONE?
>> THERE IS AN MOU IN PLACE FOR THIS PROJECT.
>> IS THERE AN EXPIRATION DATE ON THAT?
>> CURRENTLY, NO. AS FAR AS OUR LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR THE PFC BOARD IS IN THE PROCESS OF REVIEWING IT WITH THEIR LEGAL COUNSEL, SO WE ARE IN DISCUSSION WITH THAT AT THIS TIME.
>> I'LL VOICE THE SAME CONCERN.
I DON'T WANT TO SET A PRECEDENCE.
IF THE RULES WERE REVERSED, I'M AFRAID THERE'D BE LITIGATION AGAINST THE CITY IF WE HAD CAUSED DELAYS.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? I WANT TO BE KIND TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I WANT THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO BE RESPECTFUL OF US AND THE TAXPAYERS.
IF THIS DOES GET APPROVED, THEN WOULD HOPE DEVELOPERS RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BE PRO DEVELOPMENT AND WORK WITH THEM THROUGH CHALLENGES, WHICH WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR FOUR YEARS NOW, AND IT'S TIRESOME ON THE GOVERNMENT SIDE AS WELL AS THE PRIVATE SIDE.
ANYWAY, THANKS GREG FOR REPRESENTING.
>> AGAIN, SAME CONCERNS I HAVE, AND IT'S NOT SO MUCH THE EXTENSION.
I'M SURE A FEW YEARS AGO WAS 2022 WHEN THIS WAS PUT THROUGH WHO COULD PREDICT THE FUTURE? BUT THE WHOLE POINT OF SETTING THAT GOAL WAS IN ORDER TO GET IT DONE.
SAME ASK JUST IF WE APPROVE THIS, LET'S NEGOTIATE A DATE, EVEN IF IT'S A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN EVERYBODY PREFER, LET'S MAKE IT REALISTIC, BUT WE HAVE TO STICK TO THAT DATE.
WE CAN'T JUST KEEP PUSHING IT DOWN THE ROAD.
>> I WOULD JUST ADD I UNDERSTAND DEVELOPMENT.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'VE PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO THIS.
THAT'S COMPLETELY FINE, BUT EVERYBODY KNEW THE ELECTION WAS COMING.
IT'S NOT LIKE THAT WAS OUT OF THE WALL.
MY GOSH, THERE'S AN ELECTION HAPPENING. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? TWO YEARS AGO. I DON'T KNOW THIS AND GREG, TELL ME THIS EITHER BECAUSE IF YOU DO, THAT'S CRAZY MEMORY.
HOW MANY OTHER MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENTS DID WE APPROVE WITHIN A THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE MONTH TIME FRAME OF THAT AND HAVE THEY BROKE GROUND YET?
>> I CAN'T TELL YOU THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT I WOULD BE HAPPY TO GET THAT FOR YOU. I WISH I COULD.
>> DO YOU THINK THERE'S ANY THAT'S BROKEN GROUND?
>> I CAN JUST TELL YOU THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL THAT HAVE BROKEN GROUND DURING THAT TIME, BUT WHAT I'M NOT SURE IS COMPARING THE DATE.
>> THE TWO YEARS. THAT'S WHAT I'M NOT SURE ON.
>> I UNDERSTAND. WE LET THEM CHOOSE THE DATE.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? THEY GET TO PICK THE DATE.
WE'RE NOT LIKE, YOU BETTER HAVE IT DONE BY THIS DATE OR ELSE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
>> I WILL SAY, AND AS MR. EADIE DID MENTION AND HE WAS CORRECT IN THAT, THAT THE ZONING AND THAT AGREEMENT WERE ORIGINALLY SIGNED BY THE PROPERTY OWNER THAT SOLD THE PROPERTY TO THEM.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT LEVEL OF INPUT THEY HAD IN THAT PROCESS, IF ANY.
CERTAINLY IT WAS THE LAND OWNER AT THE TIME THAT HAD THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE THAT INPUT.
THAT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN HOW WE'VE DONE SOME OF THESE IN THE PAST WHERE WE HAD THE FINAL DEVELOPER DIRECTLY INVOLVED ON THE FRONT END.
>> THEY WERE THE FINAL LANDOWNER READY TO DO IT.
>> THAT DOES MAKE THIS A LITTLE BIT UNIQUE.
I APPRECIATE MR. EADIE POINTING THAT OUT BECAUSE IT
[01:50:02]
IS SOMETHING WE DON'T WANT TO GET LOST ON.>> I'LL SAY THIS. I KNOW THAT LIQUIDITY WAS VERY EASY DURING COVID.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT, JUST BEAR WITH ME HERE.
BUT WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP CAME IN, HE WAS JUST BLOWING THE DOORS OFF WITH THE ECONOMY AND THEN COVID HAPPENED AND THEN JUST A LITTLE BIT OF LOW, AND THEN AFTER THAT, EVEN MORE LIQUIDITY.
NOW IT'S GETTING BACK TO NORMAL.
ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE WANT THE DEADLINES IS BECAUSE IN A NORMAL ECONOMY, WHEN LIQUIDITY IS JUST NOT AVAILABLE FOR EVERYBODY, SOMETIMES THESE DEVELOPERS CAN STRING US ALONG FOR 5, 6, 7, 10 YEARS, AND IT'S A PRIME PIECE OF PROPERTY, AND THEY DON'T WANT TO LET GO OF IT BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT, BUT THEY CAN'T GET FUNDING.
NOW WE AS THE CITY WANT IT TO GET DEVELOPED, AND IT'S NOT GETTING DEVELOPED, AND WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S THEIR LAND, THEY CAN JUST HOLD IT FOREVER.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO BE A COMMUNIST HERE AND SAY, GET THE PROPERTY AND DEVELOP IT NOW.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET DEVELOPMENT, AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET IT ON A TIMELINE THAT MAKES SENSE.
I'LL KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU, SIR.
>> I WOULD SAY TO ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
THERE ARE SOME EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES HERE, AND I THINK COUNCILMAN CARVER BROUGHT UP THAT IF WE WERE THE ONES THAT WERE CAUSING THE PROBLEM, THERE'D BE LITIGATION, BUT I KNOW DARN WELL THAT IF WE WERE THE ONES CAUSING THE PROBLEM, WE'D DO THE SAME THING THEY DID AND COME TO US RIGHT AWAY.
WE GOT TO GIVE HIM A LITTLE BIT OF CREDIT CAUSE IN THE PAST, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE ITEMS HERE THAT HAVE BEEN SITTING THERE FOR YEARS THAT STILL HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING THAT WE'RE FIGHTING WITH.
GIVE HIM CREDIT FOR AT LEAST COMING TO US AND TRYING TO WORK WITH US, ANYWAY.
>> THAT WAS MY QUESTION ABOUT IT HAD THERE BEEN ANY MISS DATES ALREADY AND THE ONE, I THINK IS REALLY INSIGNIFICANT.
IT WAS JUST THE OTHER DAY. BAD NEWS DOESN'T GET BETTER WITH AGE.
MS. MACKEY, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD? THANK YOU.
>> NRP WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL DEVELOPER THAT CAME IN.
THE ORDINANCE WAS ADOPTED IN 2022.
NRPS FIRST MEETING WITH CITY STAFF WASN'T UNTIL MARCH OF 2023.
THEY WERE NOT INVOLVED AT ALL IN THIS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
IT WAS MR. CASON WHO STILL OWNS THE PROPERTY THAT WE MADE THE AGREEMENT WITH.
THEN AS TO MR. ELDEN BAKER'S QUESTION.
THEY DID MISS A DEADLINE, BUT THEY HAVE GOTTEN THEIR SITE PLAN APPROVED.
THERE WAS STEPS ABOUT THE PRELIMINARY PLAT AND PRE-PRESERVATION PLAN THAT NEEDED TO BE APPROVED.
EVEN THOUGH THOSE DEADLINES WERE MISSED, THEY HAVE COMPLETED THEM.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU ALL BOTH.
>> ONE QUICK QUESTION, PFC HFC, THIS MIGHT BE FOR YOU, AND I'M GOING TO TIE THIS IN, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DOESN'T GET ANY MONEY FROM PC HFCS, CORRECT?
>> THANK YOU. AS I'VE DONE IN THE PAST, I WILL ALWAYS TRY TO FIND A WAY TO SLOW DOWN MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT.
I KNOW IT'S ALREADY ZONED MULTI-FAMILY.
IS THIS A IDEAL SPOT FOR APARTMENTS? I'VE ALWAYS AGREED WITH THAT, NOT IN THE MIDDLE OF NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT OFF 75, I DO BELIEVE MULTI-FAMILY IS IS THE CORRECT SPOT, SO THE ZONING IS OKAY.
BUT THE PFC, I THINK, IS THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH.
WE HAVE A LOT OF THOSE IN ANNA CURRENTLY.
I WILL MAKE A MOTION, IF YOU'LL ENTERTAIN ONE, THAT WE DENY THE REQUEST FOR AN AMENDMENT ON ITEM 7B.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION TO DENY. DO I HAVE A SECOND?
>> CAN I MAKE A MOTION FOR DISCUSSION?
>> ON THE PFC ARGUMENT ABOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, I DON'T HAVE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE I WASN'T HONESTLY PREPARED FOR THAT PARTICULAR SUBJECT, [LAUGHTER] I GET WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM, BUT THERE'S ALSO SEVERAL THOUSAND HOUSES IN ANNA THAT PAY PROPERTY TAXES THAT DON'T HAVE ANY CHILDREN THAT MUCH OFFSET ANY OF THE APARTMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO
[01:55:01]
HAVE KIDS IN THEM THAT AREN'T GOING TO PAY PROPERTY TAXES.I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THERE'S A LOT OF, FOR LACK OF ANOTHER WORD, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS GETTING A LOT OF FREE MONEY FROM PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE KIDS IN THE DISTRICT.
I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT IN SOME WAYS, THIS IS OFFSETTING AND GIVING THESE PEOPLE THE ABILITY TO COME INTO TOWN, AND WORK, AND MAYBE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A DISCOUNT AND RENT SOME HELP.
IT DOES OFFSET IT MORE THAN OFFSETS, IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS. [OVERLAPPING]
>> BOTH SIDES. [OVERLAPPING] BEING A NON-PARENT, ALL OF MY KIDS GRADUATED LONG BEFORE I MOVED TO ANNA, BUT HAVING A GOOD AISD, A GOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT, PAYING SCHOOL TAXES IN A WAY, IN A LITTLE BIT A WAY, ALSO HELPS ME OUT.
BUILDS BETTER NEIGHBORHOODS, INCREASES VALUES OF OUR HOMES AND STUFF.
THAT'S A TOUGH QUESTION. I SEE BOTH SIDES.
>> BUT ALSO I JUST ARGUED FACT THAT LOOK AT HOW MANY PFC HFCS WE HAVE IN ANNA.
WE HAVE ONE MARKET-RATE APARTMENT COMPLEX, NOT OPENED YET ON THE WEST SIDE OF 75.
EVERY SINGLE OTHER APARTMENT COMPLEX IN ANNA RIGHT NOW BEING BUILT IS GETTING SOME GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE, HFC, PFC, OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.
THIS IS THE WAY I'M TRYING TO MAKE IT BALANCE.
BECAUSE JUST LOOK AT IT THIS WAY.
THE APARTMENT PALLADIUM NUMBER 2 THAT OPENED UP FOSTER CROSSING, I THINK THESE ARE SIMILAR TYPE APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
THE AMOUNT OF CALLS THAT OUR POLICE HAVE BEEN ON IN A MATTER OF A MONTH TO THAT APARTMENT COMPLEX IS RIDICULOUS.
TO JUST SLOW DOWN THE AMOUNT OF THESE TYPE OF APARTMENTS, AND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE GETTING AT, PEOPLE NEED TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE, AND HOPEFULLY SOON, WHERE THEY WORK, I GET THAT, BUT I ALSO BELIEVE WE HAVE ENOUGH IN WORKS ALREADY VERTICAL TO GIVE THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF VERTICAL APARTMENTS.
I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE 50% OCCUPIED IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
[OVERLAPPING] WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF APARTMENTS THAT ARE BEING BUILT IN MELISSA AS WELL, AND ONE OF THEM OFF OF 121, BEEN OPEN FOR A YEAR AND A HALF, AND STILL IS THAT 50% OCCUPIED.
WE HAVE TO BALANCE THINGS OUT.
IF WE CAN SLOW IT DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT, THEN I'M GOING TO TRY. SEE WHAT I'M SAYING?
ON THIS PARTICULAR ONE, IT'S NOT JUST MULTI-FAMILY, THERE'S A COMMERCIAL COMPONENT TO IT, ON THE VERY NORTHERN SIDE, AND THERE ARE A COMMERCIAL COMPONENT TO THAT?
>> THE CURRENT PROPERTY OWNER DOES OWN A VARIETY OF LAND THERE AND THERE IS COMMERCIAL PROPERTY SURROUNDING AND IN THAT AREA.
BUT THE NRP GROUP, THE ONE MAKING THIS REQUEST FOR THIS ITEM SPECIFICALLY IS STRICTLY A MULTI-FAMILY BUILDING.
>> IF THERE'S NOBODY GOING TO SECOND HIS MOTION, I'D LIKE TO [INAUDIBLE] MOTION.
>> I'LL SECOND HIS MOTION FOR THE SIMPLE FACT THAT THEY MISSED THE DEADLINE.
>> I JUST DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO TURN MY MIND BECAUSE YOU SAID YOU WANT TO TALK, SO I'LL SECOND HIS MOTION.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL THE ROLL.
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE SAME CONDITIONS THAT WE SET A REALISTIC DEADLINE IN THE NEGOTIATION.
WHAT'S THAT, MILLER? THANK YOU.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IF WE COULD GO AHEAD AND CALL A ROLL?
>> AYE. MOTION PASSES, FIVE, TWO.
>> HEY, MAYOR, BEFORE WE MOVE ON.
THERE WAS A OUTSTANDING REQUEST A FEW MEETINGS AGO, CITY MANAGER TO GET SOME DATA REGARDING THE PFC HFC,
[02:00:06]
HOW MANY STUDENTS ON AVERAGE ARE COMING OUT OF THESE FACILITIES, AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE SEEN THAT DATA YET, SO JUST A REMINDER. THANK YOU.>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. THAT'LL TAKE US TO AGENDA ITEM 7C.
CONSIDER, DISCUSS, ACT ON A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN IMPACT FEE REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT WITH PULTE HOMES OF TEXAS, LP FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PUBLIC ROADWAY, SANITARY SEWER, AND WATER IMPROVEMENTS, CITY ENGINEER, WES LAWSON.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COUNCIL. TONIGHT, THE IMPACT FEE AGREEMENT WITH PULTE HOMES IS FOR ANNA CROSSING PHASE 9.
IT WOULD CONSTRUCT THE NORTHERN TWO LANES OF EAST FINLEY ROAD FROM SEAN STREET TO THEIR EASTERN PROPERTY LINE.
THE WATER LINE WOULD BE A 12-INCH WATER LINE THAT WOULD BE ADJACENT TO THAT EAST FINLEY BOULEVARD, AND IT ALSO INCLUDES SOME SEWER LINE IMPROVEMENTS.
IT'S A LITTLE OVER A MILE OF FORCE MAIN UPSIZING TO ACCOMMODATE [INAUDIBLE] SEWERS FROM THE WHOLE SUBDIVISION.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCIL. ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS?
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. COULD CALL THE ROLL?
THAT'LL TAKE US ON TO AGENDA ITEM D. CONSIDER, DISCUSS, ACT ON A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE DEDICATION OF, I THOUGHT THAT SAID 12,000 ACRES, 12.642 ACRES OF PARKLAND FROM ANNA 51 JOINT VENTURE, PARK PLANNING DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, DALAN WALKER.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THIS IS FOR A PARK LAND DEDICATION THAT HAPPENS TO BE IN THE AREA THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING A LOT TONIGHT.
THIS IS AN AERIAL WITH AN OVERLAY OF THE PARKLAND DEDICATION, WHICH IS SHOWN IN BLUE, ALONG WITH, RIGHT NOW, WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER A PRELIMINARY TRAIL ALIGNMENT, ALTHOUGH A LOT OF THIS HAS BEEN DESIGNED, SHOWN IN YELLOW.
AT THE FAR SOUTH OR TO THE SOUTH END OF THIS, THE BOTTOM-LEFT CORNER, YOU'VE GOT THE NEXT METRO AREA THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TRAIL COMES OUT OF THAT BLUE AREA, THAT IS GOING ONTO NRPS PROPERTY, AND THAT WILL BE ALSO PARK LINE DEDICATION, BUT THAT HAS NOT YET OCCURRED.
BOTH OF THESE SEGMENTS OR THESE PARCELS HAVE BEEN APPROVED OR RECOMMENDED APPROVAL FROM THE PARKS ADVISORY BOARD.
THAT'S A REQUIREMENT THAT ANY PARK LAND HAS TO GO BEFORE THE PARKS ADVISORY BOARD AND THEN THEY RECOMMEND APPROVAL OR JUST WE LEAVE IT ALONE.
IT'S FROM THE ANNA 51 JOINT VENTURE.
THIS WILL CONNECT INTO ON THE SOUTHERN TIP WHERE YOU SEE THE YELLOW TRAIL THAT ACTUALLY COMES ONTO THE JPI PROPERTY, THE MULTI-FAMILY THERE, AND THEN IT CONNECTS TO [INAUDIBLE] AND EVENTUALLY, IT WILL CONTINUE FURTHER SOUTH.
THAT'S THE PLAN. WE HAVE ALL THE DOCUMENTATION READY TO GO.
I JUST NEED APPROVAL FROM COUNCIL TO ACCEPT THE 12.642 ACRES OF PARK LINE DEDICATION.
>> SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IF YOU COULD GO AHEAD AND CALL A ROLL.
THAT'LL TAKE US TO ITEM E, CONSIDER DISCUSSED, AND ACT ON A FILING VACANCY ON THE DNI ADVISORY COMMISSION.
ELDEN OR KEVIN, WHO AM I TALKING TO HERE, ANYBODY?
>> MAYOR, WITH THE INTERVIEWS COMING UP SHORTLY AND BEING IN A SHORT TURNAROUND, I BELIEVE WE SHOULD WAIT AND LET THIS BOARD OPERATE WITH SIX, AND UNTIL THEN, IT'LL ONLY BE ABOUT 2-3 MONTHS, AND ONE ACTUALLY TWO MEETINGS MAYBE, WELL,
[02:05:03]
ONE MEETING MAY BE CANCELED BECAUSE OF HOLIDAYS, SO I WOULD MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TAKE NO ACTION AND WE WAIT TO APPOINT THIS SPOT ALONG WITH THE REST.>> THAT'S WELL THOUGHT OUT. I'LL SECOND THAT.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
COULD YOU CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE?
>> AYE. MOTION E PASSES, TAKES US TO F, CONSIDER, DISCUSS, OR ACT ON APPOINTMENT OF THE 2025 BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS INTERVIEW COMMITTEE.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, THIS ITEM APPEARED ON THE AGENDA UNDER ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
THERE WAS BRIEF DISCUSSION ON THE ITEM.
I WAS CONTACTED BY THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS ASKING ME TO PUT THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
JUST, IF I MAY, BECAUSE THIS ALSO PLAYS INTO ITEM 8A PROCEDURALLY, IF A COUNCIL-MEMBER REACHES OUT TO ME AND ASKS ME AS A CITY MANAGER TO PUT AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA, PROCEDURALLY, WE PUT IT UNDER ITEMS FOR FUTURE AGENDA CONSIDERATION.
ONLY ONE COUNCIL-MEMBER REACHED OUT, WANTING TO TALK ABOUT TREE PRESERVATION, TREE REQUIREMENTS.
NO OTHERS, AND SO THAT WILL COME UNDER 8A, AND THAT WILL REQUIRE A VOTE FOR IT TO GO ON A FUTURE AGENDA.
HOWEVER, WHEN THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS REACH OUT TO ME, IT GOES STRAIGHT BACK ONTO THE AGENDA, AND IN THIS CASE, THIS ITEM GOES STRAIGHT BACK ONTO THE AGENDA, AND SO WITH THAT, I WILL SAY COUNCILWOMAN HERNDON INITIATED THE REQUEST, SO THIS TIME, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL FOR THE DISCUSSION OF THIS ITEM.
>> I BROUGHT IT BACK BECAUSE IN MY OPINION, THERE NEEDS TO BE TURNOVER ON THIS INTERVIEW COMMITTEE.
KEVIN, YOU'VE BEEN ON IT FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, PETE, YOU'VE BEEN ON IT TWO YEARS, IN 2020 AND 2021, THERE WERE DIFFERENT INTERVIEW COMMITTEES, DIFFERENT PEOPLE ON IT, AND I THINK IT'S FAIR THAT WE ALL GET A CHANCE TO BE ON IT.
>> LOOKING AT THE DATES OF THE INTERVIEWS, I CAN PROBABLY FIX THAT RIGHT NOW.
I AM MORE GLAD TO STEP AWAY FROM THE COMMITTEE BECAUSE OF THE DAYS, WORK GOT ME TIED UP ON A LOT OF THINGS.
BUT JUST REMEMBER HOW LEE, YOU AND I WERE THE ONLY ONES AROUND WHENEVER THIS COMMITTEE THING WAS FORMED.
WE HAVE SOME UNWRITTEN WAYS HOW WE DO IT, SO I WOULD HOPE THAT WE FOLLOW THAT AS WELL.
>> WELL, IF YOU'RE SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE ELECTION ISSUE, I THINK WE CHANGED THAT THIS TIME TO MAKE SOME DIFFERENT ALLOWANCES.
WE NEVER INTENDED TO HAVE SOMEBODY BEYOND FOR MULTIPLE YEARS.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE EVER HAD THAT HAPPEN BEFORE.
I KNOW COUNCILMAN CARVER HASN'T DONE IT FOR A WHILE AND HE EXPRESSED INTEREST. [OVERLAPPING]
>> HE WAS ONE OF THE ONES I WAS GOING TO NOMINATE. [OVERLAPPING]
>> I KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO GO UNTIL DECEMBER 25.
I SAW THE EMAIL EARLIER TODAY.
THAT'S LIKE 3.5, 4.5 YEARS, AND WE SHOULD GIVE OTHER PEOPLE A SHOT AT IT SO I AGREE.
>> JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE ONLY REAL ISSUE I HAD WAS THE AGENDA ITEM DID SAY AN ACTION AND WE DIDN'T TAKE AN ACTION TO ABLE THIS. [OVERLAPPING]
>> PRETTY SURE IT'S OPTIONAL. [OVERLAPPING]
>> IT'S NOT LAW. [OVERLAPPING]
>> BUT JUST FOR CLARIFICATION. [OVERLAPPING]
>> IF NO ONE MAKES A MOTION, YOU CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.
>> WHEN I SAID, I MIGHT HAVE BEEN HASTY, I MIGHT HAVE PUSHED IT THROUGH IT QUICKLY, SO I UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT I WAS ALSO LOOKING AT IT FROM THE FACT THAT THAT COMMITTEE GOES FROM MAY TO MAY.
WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO STOP IN THIS COMMITTEE EARLY.
>> IF WE WERE STOPPING IT EARLY, WHY WAS IT ON THE AGENDA IN THE FIRST PLACE?
>> BECAUSE WE CHANGED THE DATES THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO ALL THE INTERVIEWS AND ALL THAT STUFF.
>> THAT ALSO CHANGED THE TERMS FOR THE OTHER BOARDS, CORRECT?
>> ONE OF THE TWO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO EXTEND LONGER OR SHORTER.
EITHER WE CHANGED THE WAY WE DID THE BOARD.
[02:10:02]
THE COMMITTEE WAS GOING TO HAVE TO EXTEND AND GIVE THAT EXTRA TIME.THEN IN 2025, WHENEVER WE DO THE BOARD'S INTERVIEWS FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR, THE COMMITTEE CHANGES.
>> THE BOARDS GET CUT SHORT, BUT THE INTERVIEW COMMITTEE GETS EXTENDED? IS THAT WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING?
>> UNFORTUNATELY, YES. ONE OF THE TWO HAD TO SACRIFICE.
>> I DON'T WANT TO ELECT PEOPLE ONTO THAT COMMITTEE RIGHT AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE'RE TRYING TO INTERVIEW PEOPLE AND EVERYTHING.
>> I THINK MAYBE A SOLUTION MEMBERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY SERVING ON THOSE BOARDS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THE CHANGE OF THE DATES, GIVE THEM AN OPTION TO EITHER EXTEND THEIR TERM OR RESIGN AT THIS NEXT CYCLE.
>> I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'LL DO. WE'LL GIVE THEM THAT OPTION OR I WANT TO GIVE THEM THAT OPTION.
I'M NOT SAYING WE'RE GOING TO UNILATERALLY DO THAT BECAUSE THERE'S A TON OF PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING UP THAT WE DON'T WANT OFF IF WE CAN AVOID IT.
>> PEOPLE THAT MAY BE ON IT AND THEY'RE SERVING VERY WELL OR WHATEVER, BUT THEY'RE GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE GIVE THEM THE OPTION IF THEY NOTIFY US THAT THEY WANT TO COME OFF EARLY, THAT'S THEIR PREROGATIVE.
>> BUT ANYBODY WILLING TO EXTEND OUT TO THE DECEMBER THE EXTRA SIX MONTHS, WHATEVER IT IS.
>> IF YOU'LL WANT TO APPOINT THIS COMMITTEE TONIGHT, WE CAN DO IT RIGHT NOW. I'M FINE WITH THAT.
>> THAT'S FINE BY ME. I DID WANT TO SAY, I'LL BE CAREFUL HOW WE APPROACH THIS BECAUSE IT FEELS A LITTLE BIT ANTAGONISTIC AND I DON'T WANT IT TO COME ACROSS THAT WAY.
AS FAR AS I KNOW, EVERYBODY THAT WE'VE APPOINTED HAS BEEN ENGAGED WITH MINOR EXCEPTION.
I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A STUMBLING BLOCK THAT WE'VE ALL TOLERATED FOR MANY YEARS.
SITTING HERE TRYING TO DO COUNCIL ELECTIONS AND THEN APPOINT COMMITTEES IN THE MIDDLE OF A POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT, SOME A LITTLE MORE HEATED THAN OTHERS, AND WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO VOLUNTEER, AND NOT GET WRAPPED AROUND THE AXLES WITH ALL THIS, AND MAKE GOOD DECISIONS, AND NOT PLAY POLITICS.
I'M JUST GRATEFUL THAT THIS COUNCIL IS WILLING TO TACKLE THIS AND FIX IT.
I APPRECIATE YOUR KINDNESS ON THAT AS WELL, KEVIN SO THANKS FOR PUBLICLY SAYING THAT.
KEEPING THE OPEN MIC HERE, YOU'VE NEVER SERVED, KELLY'S NEVER SERVED, ELDEN JUST SERVED, PETE SERVED, LEE HAVEN'T SERVED IN TWO YEARS?
IT'S NICE HAVING ONE PERSON FROM THE PREVIOUS COMMITTEE JUST HELP KEEP THINGS GOING SO [INAUDIBLE] PERSON.
>> [INAUDIBLE] PREVIOUS GUY RIGHT THERE.
>> I WOULDN'T MIND SEEING ELDEN. KELLY, AND JODY.
>> NO. [LAUGHTER] Y'ALL MAKE A MOTION AND I'LL VOTE FOR YOU.
>> I'LL MOVE THAT WE DRAFT JODY.
>> THANK YOU. WHY YOU SAY IT THAT WAY? I THOUGHT YOU LOVE THE CITIZENS.
>> I DO AND I'LL DO WHATEVER I CAN.
>> WELL, THEN, HOW ABOUT THE THREE OF YOU GUYS, LEE, ELDEN, AND KELLY.
I THINK YOU, KELLY, AND ELDEN WOULD BE FINE.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? I THINK I'LL MOVE THAT YOU, KELLY, AND ELDEN MAN THIS COMMITTEE FOR US.
>> I GUESS WE CAN CALL THE ROLL.
>> THAT PASSES. CONGRATULATIONS. COMMISERATIONS. THAT TAKES US TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS,
[8. Future Agenda Items.]
8A IS DISCUSSED AND DISCUSS ON AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 9, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO TREE PRESERVATION AND TREE REQUIREMENTS, COUNCILMAN TOTEN.>> A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, FREESE AND NICHOLS REDID A LOT OF OUR ORDINANCES AND IT WAS A BULK EFFORT TO UPDATE OUR ORDINANCES.
WITH THESE DEVELOPERS COMING IN,
[02:15:03]
DOING WHAT THEY WANT WITH THE TREES, PLANTING, I JUST WANTED TO GET IT A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE WEEDS PER SE WITH SOME OF THESE ORDINANCES OR TREES INSIDE THE ORDINANCES.I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A BETTER DIVE INTO IT PER SE.
I KNOW WE HAVE A A COUPLE OF NEW COUNCIL ON HERE THAT WEREN'T A PART OF THE FREESE AND NICHOLS PROJECT.
THIS WASN'T TO DO ANYTHING TO DO WITH LIBERTY HILLS.
IF ANYTHING, IT WAS TO HELP SOME OF IT MORE SO, THIS CAME TO MY ATTENTION AFTER SNOWMAGEDDON, WHENEVER ALL THESE TREES DIED, AND THEY WERE JUST PLANTED THREE MONTHS, AND THESE DEVELOPERS COME IN AND PLANT THE CHEAPEST TREE POSSIBLE, BUT THEY'RE REPLACING NICE TREES THAT THEY CUT DOWN WITH THESE CHEAP TREES.
I'M NO TREE-HUGGER PER SE, BUT I DO LOVE TREES.
THAT WAS MY INTENTION IN THIS TO PUT MORE RESTRICTIONS TOWARDS DEVELOPERS, NOT TO HELP THEM AT ALL, I PROMISE YOU THAT.
I GUESS WE'RE NOT REALLY DISCUSSING IT TONIGHT.
I CAN MAKE A MOTION TO WE PUT IT ONTO A FUTURE WORK SESSION?
>> THAT'S CORRECT, SIR. WHAT I WOULD ASK IS THAT IF THIS COUNCIL WANTS TO PUT IT ON A FUTURE AGENDA, WE PUT IT UNDER WORK SESSION SO STAFF CAN DO A PRESENTATION ON CHAPTER 9 AND THEN ELICIT FEEDBACK, AND THEN AS MS. MACKEY MENTIONED, WE CAN BRING IT THROUGH THE PROCESS AND GET PNC'S FEEDBACK AS WELL.
BUT YES, THIS WOULD ONLY BE TO PUT IT ON A FUTURE AGENDA TO HAVE A CONVERSATION UNDER WORK SESSION WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE.
>> AS PART OF THAT CONVERSATION, ARE WE ABLE TO INVITE SPECIFIC CITIZENS TO SPEAK ABOUT IT AS WELL UNDER OUR DISCRETION?
>> THAT IS NOT TYPICALLY HOW WE HANDLE WORK SESSIONS.
IT WOULD BE STAFF-LED WITH THE COUNCIL.
OF COURSE, THERE'S ALWAYS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR NEIGHBORS TO COME SPEAK UNDER NEIGHBOR COMMENTS.
I WOULD JUST ASK THAT WE PLAY BY THOSE RULES THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
>> THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC HEARING.
>> I GUESS YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT WHEN I WAS UP THERE. THANKS.
>> COUNCIL, ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE THIS ON A FUTURE AGENDA?
>> JUST A QUESTION. DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC ONE OR SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT?
WE'RE LOOKING TO ELIMINATE SOME OF THE TYPE OF TREES THAT DEVELOPERS PLANT BY BULK AND ALSO THE SIZE THAT THEY PLANT INITIALLY.
>> WHENEVER THEY CUT DOWN TREES AND THEN THEY WERE TOLD TO REPLACE THEM AND THEY PUT TWIGS IN?
>> THAT TOPIC WAS MORE SO WHAT GOES IN YOUR FRONT YARD.
BUT I DO WANT TO LOOK INTO THAT AS WELL.
I'VE TALKED TO RYAN, CITY MANAGER HENDERSON ABOUT THAT.
THERE'S MORE TO IT, BUT THAT'S THE BIGGEST ONE IS THESE TYPE OF TREES THAT DEVELOPERS STARTED PLANTING, SIX MONTHS LATER, THEY DIE, AND THEN THE HOMEOWNERS ARE GETTING LETTERS SAYING, HEY, YOU NEED TO REPLACE YOUR TREE, WHICH IN TURN COSTS THEM $500, BUT IT ONLY COST THE BUILDER 50 BUCKS.
THAT'S THE MAIN IDEA FOR THIS AND ALSO LOOK INTO THAT AS WELL.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT I'M REFERENCING, DON'T YOU? [OVERLAPPING]
>> PAUL PARK AND SLAYTER. [OVERLAPPING]
>> PAUL PARK AND ALSO SLAYTER.
>> WELL, AND ON THAT NOTE, WHEN THESE BUILDERS ARE PUTTING IN THESE TREES, THEY'RE NOT PULLING OFF THE BURLAP BAG, AND THAT'S A LOT OF WHAT'S KILLING THESE TREES, AND THEY'RE NOT WARRANTED.
[02:20:01]
>> THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK INTO.
[OVERLAPPING] ALSO SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS IN NORTHPOINTE ARE STILL HERE, SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT NORTHPOINTE RAVINE DOESN'T REPEAT AND CUT DOWN TREES.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE PUT THIS ON A FUTURE WORK SESSION AND HAVE FULL DISCUSSION IN.
>> I ALSO WANT TO REMIND ANYONE IN THE SOUND OF OUR VOICE THAT YOU CAN EMAIL ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THEY'RE NOT HELD TO A QUORUM, AND SO IF YOU HAVE THOUGHTS, YOU'RE VERY WELCOME TO REACH OUT EVERY ONE OF US.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND.
>> AYE. THERE WE GO. BEFORE WE GO INTO CLOSED STATION, MR. SMITH, I DON'T HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, BUT IF YOU WANT THREE MORE MINUTE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO IT, SIR.
>> [INAUDIBLE] LACK OF TRANSPARENCY [INAUDIBLE], COME BACK AND TALK [INAUDIBLE].
BASICALLY, THIS IS COMING FROM DALLAS NEWS ARTICLE, AND JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM.
IT WAS IN THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS ARTICLE.
HE AND OTHERS WHO LIVE NEAR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT SAY THEY FEEL DUPED, POINTING TO PARTS OF THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, DESIGNATED SOME OF LIBERTY HILLS PROJECT LAND AS RANCHING AND AGRICULTURE.
AS YOU REMEMBER, I'M PART OF THE LIBERTY HILLS PROBLEM.
OTHERS SAY THEY HAVE ISSUES WITH THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY ON PROJECTS, POINTING TO OTHER THINGS THAT I'M NOT SURE TO GO INTO, BUT THEN I'LL SKIP THAT.
THE ONLY THING I WANTED TO SAY IN REFERENCE TO THE TREE THING IS SPECIFICALLY LOOK AT THE MITIGATION STUFF.
I CAN'T SHOW YOU THIS, SO I WILL EMAIL YOU ALL OF THESE PICTURES TOMORROW.
THEY BREACH EACH SIDE OF THE DRIVEWAY.
IT'S AN ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPT.
THAT'S ONE OF THESE MODEL HOUSE.
THE BIG CONCRETE IS 133 INCHES IN CIRCUMFERENCE.
THE ONE SITTING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DRIVEWAY IS 111.
I AM CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO GET THEM CERTIFIED SOMETHING.
BUT THE PICTURES YOU WILL SEE, WHAT THE PROBLEM WITH LIBERTY HILLS IS ACROSS THE STREET, THERE'S A LINE OF TREES, AND YOU ALL AGREE THAT LIBERTY HILLS CAN BASICALLY BULLDOZE THEM, THEY'RE GOING TO GO PUT A CONCRETE WALL.
THE ONLY TREES ARE GOING TO BE LEFT THERE ARE MY TWO CONE TREES.
THEY PROVIDE THAT PEOPLE DO THE CORNFIELD HARVESTING AND STUFF AT LUNCHTIME AT NOON IN THE SUMMER, THEY COME WHEN THEY SIT UP UNDERNEATH OUR CONE TREES, EAT THEIR LUNCH.
FOR HORSES IN THE BOTTOM PICTURE, THAT'S WHERE THEY GO FOR SHADE.
I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK FOR MO OR ANYTHING, BUT MO PUT IN A LINE OF TREES ON BOTH SIDES AND HE TOOK GREAT CARE OF THOSE, HE DID THERE ALONG THE SAME THING AND ON THE OTHER SIDE, ALL THE TREES ARE GOING TO BE GONE.
WHEN YOU ALL ARE CONSIDERING WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH CR 290 AND EVERYTHING, THE DEVELOPER CAME IN, AND HE'S GOING TO KILL THE TREES ANYWAY.
HE CAN GIVE THE LAND FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE ROAD OR ANYTHING, BUT LEAVE MY CONE TREES ALONE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TALL THEY ARE.
THEY THEY'RE OVER 100-YEARS-OLD.
THERE IS NO MITIGATION COST THAT WILL MAKE UP FOR THESE CONE TREES.
THAT'S WHERE I WAS COMING FROM.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE [INAUDIBLE], I GOT [INAUDIBLE].
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING, AND THAT'S IT. THANKS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. THAT'LL TAKE US TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 9,
[9. Closed Session (Exceptions).]
CLOSED SESSION AND TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 551, THE CITY COUNCIL MAY ENTER INTO CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS ANY ITEMS LISTED OR REFERENCED ON THIS AGENDA UNDER THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTION, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 551.071, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 551.072, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 551.087,[02:25:01]
AND TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 551.074.DO I HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION?
>> HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. CAN WE CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE?
>> MOTION PASSES. WE ARE IN CLOSED SESSION AT 8:27 P.M.
WE ARE OUT OF CLOSED SESSION AT 9:09. OR 9:12.
WE'LL SAY 9:09. WELL OUT OF CLOSED SESSION, BACK INTO OPEN SESSION AND SEEING NO OBJECTION, WE ARE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.