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MEETING.THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I WANNA WELCOME YOU TO CITY COUNCIL AND WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN BY STANDING FOR OUR INVOCATION.
I WANNA WELCOME FATHER ABALA, ANTHONY VINDU FROM ST.
STEPHENS CATHOLIC CHURCH, TEXT LORI BLANC, MAYOR MIDLAND, TEXAS, SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2026, 10:00 AM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, UNDER THE SON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
ALMIGHTY AND GRACIOUS GOD, YOUR WAR TELLS US, SEEK THE WELFARE OF THE CITY AND PRAY TO THE LORD ON ITS BEHALF.
FOR IN ITS WELFARE, YOU WILL FIND YOUR WELFARE WITH GREAT WILL HEARTS.
WE ASK YOUR BLESSINGS UPON THE CITY OF MIDLAND.
AND UPON EVERYONE GATHERED FOR THIS CITY COUNCIL MEETING, BLESS OUR MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY MANAGER, COMMISSIONERS, CITY STAFF, AND ALL WHO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
GRANT THEM WISDOM TO UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF OUR PEOPLE.
INTEGRITY IN EVERY DECISION, PATIENCE IN TIMES OF DISAGREEMENT, ENCOURAGED TO PURSUE WHAT IS RIGHT AND JUST MAY THE DISCUSSIONS HELD HERE.
BE RESPECTFUL, THE DECISIONS THOUGHTFUL AND THE ACTIONS TAKEN.
ALWAYS DIRECT DIRECTED TOWARD THE COMMON GOOD.
HELP OUR LEADERS USE THE RESOURCES INTERESTED TO THEM RESPONSIBLY.
AND REMEMBER, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHOSE VOICES ARE EASILY OVERLOOKED.
BLESS EVERY CITIZEN OF MIDLAND, OUR FAMILIES, CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE, SENIORS, SENIOR CITIZENS, NEWCOMERS, AND LONG LONGTIME RESIDENTS.
MAY OUR CITY BE A PLACE OF SAFETY, OPPORTUNITY, UNITY, COMPASSION, AND HOPE, PROTECT AND STRENGTHEN OUR POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS, EMERGENCY RESPONDERS, HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS, EDUCATORS, UTILITY WORKERS, SANITATION WORKERS, OIL FIELD WORKERS, AND ALL ESSENTIAL WORKERS WHO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY EACH DAY.
BLESS OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, INDUSTRIES, SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT FOR THOSE SEEKING WORK, HOUSING FOR THOSE IN NEED.
COMFORT FOR STRUGGLING FAMILIES, AND CARE FOR THE POOR AND VULNERABLE.
OUR LAND NEEDS PROTECTORS FROM SEVERE WEATHER AND EVERY DISASTER.
AND US TO BE RESPONSIBLE STEWARDS OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES.
WE ALSO PRAY FOR OUR NATION AND FOR PEACE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
COMFORT THOSE SUFFERING BECAUSE OF WAR, VIOLENCE, HUNGER, DISPLACEMENT AND INJUSTICE.
GUIDE THE LEADERS OF NATIONS THROUGH A DIALOGUE, RECONCILIATION, AND LASTING PEACE.
BLESS THIS MEETING AND ALL THE WORK UNDERTAKEN HERE TODAY.
MAY EVERY DECISION HELP MIDLAND GROW, NOT ONLY IN PROSPERITY, BUT ALSO IN JUSTICE, KINDNESS, UNITY, AND CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER.
WE INTEREST OUR CITY, ITS LEADERS, ITS CITIZENS, AND ITS FUTURE TO YOUR LOVING PROVIDENCE.
BLESS THE AGENDA OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO, TO THE PUBLIC PERVI STANCE ON NATION UNDER GOD INVIS.
AND IT IS FOR ALL HONOR THE TEST OF VIRTUAL DISTANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.
WE ENERGIZE AND I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE.
MY VOICE IS WEAK AND WEIRD TODAY, SO WE'LL JUST DO OUR BEST.
UM, WE ARE GONNA GET STARTED WITH OUR CONSENT AGENDA AND I WILL START OVER HERE WITH YOU, COUNCILMAN MEMBER.
'CAUSE DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO PULL? UH, NUMBER 17.
NUMBER 17, THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE SEATED AT A CURVE TABLE.
UM, LEMME MAKE SURE MAYOR LORI BELONG, SITS AT THE DESK LOOKING DOWN AT PAPERS.
SORRY, I HAVE 'EM ON MY, MY OLD AGENDA.
UM, IT'S NUMBER NINE, 10, AND 11.
AND HONESTLY WE CAN JUST PULL NINE, BUT IT'S TO REFERENCE NINE, 10, AND 11.
TEXT ROBIN POOL, COUNCIL MEMBER MIDLAND, TEXAS.
UH, COUNCILMAN STEPS? I THINK I'M GOOD.
UM, I'M NUMBER SEVEN AND I'M NUMBER THE FLAGS STAND BEHIND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TEXT JACK LAB.
THE CAMERA ZOOMS IN ON COUNCILMAN JACK LAB TEXT JACK LAD, DISTRICT THREE.
THEN I'M ALSO GOING TO ADD ITEMS 4, 13, 14, AND 16 FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
COUNCIL SITS AT A CURVED DESK.
SO FOUR 13 COUNCIL CONTINUES AGENDA REVIEW.
MAYOR LONG REVIEWS THE MEETING DOCUMENTS AND 16 FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO THEN THAT GIVES US IN ORDER AS I HAVE
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IT.ITEM 4, 6, 7, 9, 13, 14, 16, AND 17.
MAKE SURE I HAVE THOSE NOTATED.
MAYOR LONG FLIPS A PAGE OF THE DOCUMENT ON HER DESK.
I'LL MAKE MOTION TO APPROVE THE REST OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN POOLE TO APPROVE AND A SECOND FROM COUNCILWOMAN BURS.
IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S VOTE.
LONG MAYOR, THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH ITEM NUMBER FOUR, A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE PURCHASE OF A MOBILE COMMAND SUBSTATION FROM SEWELL FAMILY OF COMPANIES, INCORPORATED THROUGH BUYBOARD FOR A TOTAL COST OF $119,695 AND 75 CENTS IN AUTHORIZING PAYMENT.
MAYOR LONG SITS UPRIGHT AT HER DESK.
DOES IT, THIS WAS PULLED FOR THE PURPOSE OF PUBLIC COMMENT.
DOES ANYONE ON COUNCIL NEED STAFF REVIEW OR OKAY, THEN I'D LIKE TO CALL DEREK SMITH TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM FOUR.
MAYOR BLO TAKES A DRINK OF WATER.
UH, THE ONLY REASON I'M AGAINST THIS IS WE'VE HAD A MOBILE SUBSTATION IN THE PAST AND IT WAS NOT USED VERY FREQUENTLY.
UM, I WOULD RATHER SEE THAT SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY GO TOWARDS, UH, YEARLY RETENTION BONUSES FOR OUR OFFICERS WHO MAYBE ARE GETTING READY TO RETIRE.
I MEAN, THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY WOULD BE $6,000 FOR A YEARLY RETENTION BONUS.
SOMEBODY OVER 20 OFFICERS, IT WOULD BE $3,000 A YEAR RETENTION BONUS OVER 60 OFFICERS.
AND I JUST THINK THAT THERE'S A BETTER USE OF THAT MONEY.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT MANY EVENTS THAT GO ON IN OUR COMMUNITY.
LIKE, SAY THE OTHER SUBSTATION WE HAD, IT WAS A VERY LONG, UH, WINNEBAGO LOOKING THING AND I SAW IT MAYBE ONCE A YEAR AT CHRISTMAS TIME OUT AT MIDLAND PARK MALL.
AND I JUST THINK THAT THIS IS A WASTE OF MONEY.
I MEAN, I'D LIKE Y'ALL TO SIT THERE AND REALLY LOOK AT HOW OFTEN THE MOBILE SUBSTATION THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY WAS USED AND THEN REALLOCATE THAT MONEY TOWARDS LIKE, SAY, RETENTION BONUSES FOR GUYS WHO ARE EXPERIENCED, WHO KNOW OUR TOWN SO THAT WE CAN RETAIN QUALIFIED TALENT INSTEAD OF JUST SPENDING IT ON SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA SET IN A, UH, POLICE GARAGE AND JUST BE PULLED OUT TO GO TO THE SCHOOLS TO SHOW OFF TO KIDS EVERY NOW AND THEN, OR OUT TO THE MALL JUST TO SHOW THE RESIDENTS, HEY, WE GOT THIS COOL THING.
BUT IT, IT JUST, IT NEVER GOT USED FROM WHAT I SAW.
AND SO THAT'S THE ONLY REASON THAT I'M AGAINST IT, IS, LIKE I SAY, I, I'D RATHER SEE THAT EXPENSE GO TOWARDS RETAINING QUALIFIED PEOPLE SO THAT WE DON'T LOSE ANYBODY TO SOME COMPETING DEPARTMENT AND JUST LOOK AT WAYS TO KEEP OUR QUALIFIED PEOPLE HERE SO THAT THEY CAN PASS ON THAT KNOWLEDGE TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING THROUGH THE ACADEMY.
DO WE HAVE ANY STAFF THAT WANTS TO GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE UTILITY OF THIS? YEAH, I THINK CHIEF SNOW AND, AND, UH, YEAH, CHIEF TELLIER HERE AND SO IS, UH, CHUCK BLUMENAU THAT THEY CAN SPEAK TO IT.
I KNOW THAT DURING THE TRAGIC EVENT THAT HAPPENED IN JUNE, UH, I KNOW THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY HAD REQUESTED IN THE BUDGET PROCESS AND THAT'S WHEN IT'S UTILIZED IN THOSE KINDS OF EVENTS.
AND ALTHOUGH THOSE ARE INFREQUENT WHEN THEY DO HAPPEN, THEY DO NEED THIS AS A TOOL IN ORDER TO COMBAT THE COMMUNICATIONS, UH, THAT THEY HAVE TO DO WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE OUT ON THE FIELD.
BUT I'LL LET GREG SPEAK TO IT.
YES, AND I UNDERSTAND MR. SMITH'S CONCERNS.
HOWEVER, JUNE 12TH IS, IS JUST AN EYEOPENER AS FAR AS WHAT WE DO NEED.
THE OLD COMMAND STAFF, WHICH WAS A A, A BIG WINNEBAGO LOOK THING, WAS JUST SO OLD AND DECREPIT.
IT WASN'T EVEN REALLY WORTH SAVING.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVEN'T BEEN USING IT.
SO A MOBILE COMMAND POST WILL ALLOW US A CENTRAL LOCATION TO HAVE OFFICERS AND, UH, SUPERVISORS COME AND ATTACK A PROBLEM MEET.
WE ALSO PLAN TO USE THAT MORE GOING FORWARD AT, AT OTHER EVENTS, NOT JUST TO SHOW OFF TO THE KIDS, ALTHOUGH THAT WILL BE A PURPOSE OF IT AS WELL.
BUT LARGE EVENTS, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE BLUE SANTA, UH, THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS UNIT WILL USE THAT THROUGH VARIOUS EVENTS LIKE AT HEB, LIKE THE THANKSGIVING AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
AND AGAIN, THAT PROVIDES AN AREA FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO COME IN, GET OUT OF THE WEATHER FOR A MOMENT IF IT'S, IF IT'S UH, TOO COLD.
WE'VE ALSO MADE THIS NEW ONE A LITTLE BIT SMALLER SO IT WON'T BE QUITE, UM, AS LARGE AND BULKY AS THE OLD ONE OFFICIAL STANDS BEFORE THE COUNCIL, THE, THE MAYOR.
I, I WOULD ADD THAT, UM, IN THE LAST THREE TO FOUR YEARS, UH, ACTUALLY THE LAST THREE YEARS, UH, THREE YEARS AGO, WHICH IS, UM, TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO, WE PUT A, A, UM, INCREASE IN PAY FOR POLICE IN PLACE.
AND THEN WE ALSO EITHER IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, THE BUDGET BEFORE WE INCREASED THE STARTING PAY FROM THE 60,000 RANGE TO ABOUT 81,000 FOR STARTING POLICE OFFICERS.
SO THAT IS AN IMPORTANT ITEM AND A PRIORITY FOR THE CITY COUNCIL AND SOMETHING THAT WE DID PUT IN PLACE.
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THERE'S ALSO SOME THINGS WE'VE DONE FOR FIRE AS WELL THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT, UH, IF COUNCIL HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.BUT SINCE THIS IS SPECIFICALLY TO THIS, I'LL JUST LEAVE IT.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
HAVING NO FURTHER REQUEST TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, I WILL LOOK FOR ACTION FROM COUNCIL.
ON ITEM FOUR, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN NORMAN AND A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN STUBBS.
IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S VOTE.
TEXT RESOLUTION APPROVING THE PURCHASE OF A MOBILE COMMAND SUBSTATION FROM SEWELL FAMILY OF COMPANIES, INCORPORATED FOR A TOTAL COST OF $119,695 AND 75 CENTS.
THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
WE'LL MOVE FORWARD TO ITEM NUMBER SIX, A RESOLUTION AWARDING A CONTRACT FOR THE UTILITY EXTENSION PROGRAM OH SEVEN EDUARDO, UH, MADRID AND ASSOCIATE LLC OF MIDLAND, TEXAS AT A TOTAL COST NOT TO EXCEED $2 MILLION IN AUTHORIZING PAYMENT.
COUNCILMAN LADD, I BELIEVE YOU PULLED THIS.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE THE THE PUBLIC A BRIEF OVERVIEW, KIND OF WHAT Y'ALL DO WITH THIS MONEY SO THEY'RE BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHY WE NEED IT, WHERE IT GOES TO.
UH, JOSH FERGUSON, ASSISTANT CITY ENGINEER FOR THE CITY OF MIDLAND.
THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT WE'VE HAD FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND PRIMARILY WHAT WE USE THIS FOR ARE SMALLER SCALE UTILITY PROJECTS, SOME OF WHICH ARE KNOWN MAINTENANCE ISSUES THAT WE JUST DON'T HAVE LARGER PROJECTS NEARBY TO TIE IT TO, BUT WE STILL NEED TO ADDRESS.
BUT IT ALSO GIVES US A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY WITH DEALING WITH EMERGENCY SITUATIONS WHERE IF WE HAVE, SAY, A WATER MAN THAT GOES OUT NEAR A SCHOOL OR A HOSPITAL AND WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO THROUGH A SIX MONTH DESIGN PROCESS, BUT WE NEED SOMETHING OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, WITHIN A WEEK OR TWO, THIS GIVES US A FLEXIBILITY TO JUMP ON THAT MUCH FASTER.
IT'S AN ANNUAL PROGRAM WITH OPTIONS TO RENEW SO THAT IF THE PROGRAM IS WORKING FOR US AFTER THE FIRST YEAR, WE CAN LOOK AT EXTENDING IT AND IF IT'S NOT WORKING OUT OR IF WE NEED TO CHANGE THINGS, IT GIVES US THAT OPTION AS WELL.
SO WE'RE NOT LOCKED INTO ANYTHING LONG TERM UNLESS WE WANNA BE, AND WE'VE BEEN USING THIS PROGRAM OR A VARIATION OF IT FOR OVER A DECADE NOW, VERY SUCCESSFULLY.
COUNCIL OBSERVES THE PRISONER.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN LAD, A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN NORMAN.
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S VOTE.
TEXT VOTE RESULTS RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT TO ADO MADRID VOTE IN PROGRESS.
THE MOTION CARRIES YOU UNANIM, LESLIE.
WE'LL MOVE FORWARD TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, A RESOLUTION AWARDING A CONTRACT FOR THE WAYFINDING SIGNS PHASE ONE PROJECT TO THE SOLE BIDDER SSC SIGNS AND LIGHTING LLC OF LEWISVILLE, TEXAS AT A TOTAL COST OF $713,805 AND 34 CENTS, APPROVING $5,000 FOR CONTINGENCIES AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF A SUM OF 238,000 FROM VISIT MIDLAND AND THE SUM OF $62,805 FROM THE DOWNTOWN MIDLAND MANAGEMENT DISTRICT FOR SAID PROJECT AND AUTHORIZING PAYMENT.
YES, I PULLED THIS, I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO BREAK DOWN OF WHERE THESE SIGNS WOULD BE GOING AND, UH, HOW MUCH MONEY THE VISIT MIDLAND WAS GONNA BE GIVING TO US AMONG OTHERS.
SO GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
TAYLOR NOVAK, THE CHIEF OF STAFF.
UM, SO I DO HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION.
I'LL JUST GO TO SOME OF THOSE SLIDES THAT YOU, YOU PARTICULARLY BROUGHT UP.
SO AS FAR AS THE SIGNAGE GOES, UM, THERE'S 49 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THAT THESE SIGNS WILL BE PLACED IN.
UM, THESE ARE NOT STANDARD TRAFFIC SIGNS.
THESE ARE VERY INTRICATE DESIGNED, UH, WAYFINDING SIGNAGE.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE A PHOTO OF THOSE RIGHT THERE.
AND THEN THESE ARE THE DISTRICT LOCATIONS WHERE THOSE SIGNS WILL BE LOCATED.
SO PRIMARILY THEY'RE ON THE I 20 CORRIDOR, UM, AND THEN IN CENTRAL MIDLAND, INCLUDING DOWNTOWN AND OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT AS WELL.
SO POINTING PEOPLE TO, UH, MUSEUMS, UM, ATTRACTIONS, DOWNTOWN PARKING ESPECIALLY, UM, SO THAT WE'RE GETTING THOSE VISITORS TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO AND OUR RESIDENTS AS WELL.
UM, AS FAR AS THE FUNDING BREAKDOWN GOES, UM, WE'VE GOT OVER 300,000 COMMITTED FROM PARTNER FUNDERS.
UM, SO 238,000 OF THAT WILL BE FROM VISIT MIDLAND AND ABOUT 62, ALMOST 63,000 WILL BE FROM THE DMMD, WHICH IS THE DOWNTOWN MIDLAND MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
UM, AND THEN THE REMAINING COST WILL COME OUT OF HOTEL MOTEL IF APPROVED.
UM, AND SO THIS IS, IS NOT TOUCHING THE GENERAL FUND.
THIS IS NOT TOUCHING PROPERTY TAX.
THIS IS SPECIFICALLY FROM HOTEL MOTEL AND IT'S ONE OF THE MOST COMMON, UM, USES OF HOTEL MOTEL THROUGHOUT THE STATE AS WELL.
TEXT BID LINES WITH THE PROJECT ESTIMATE.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY AND FROM DIFFERENT PARTNERS IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE GOOD SIGNAGE ON OUR PARKING AVAILABILITY, PARTICULARLY DOWNTOWN.
I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY LONG OVERDUE FOR THOSE PARTICULAR LOCATIONS AND ESPECIALLY.
AND SO I THINK THIS WILL BE HELPFUL TO IDENTIFY WHERE THE PUBLIC PARKING IS.
UH, WE OFTEN GET FRUSTRATED FOLKS THAT SAY, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PARKING DOWNTOWN AND WE DON'T HAVE IN CERTAIN AREAS, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME LARGE GARAGES THAT ARE UNDERUTILIZED, SO HOPEFULLY THIS WILL HELP WITH THAT AS WELL.
AND WE'VE DONE SOME WEB, UH, WEBSITE UPDATES AS WELL, AND SO WE HAVE VERY DETAILED INFORMATION ON DOWNTOWN PARKING.
AND JUST RECENTLY I HAVE TO PUT THIS PLUG INTO, WE LAUNCHED THE NEW AIRPORT WEBSITE, UM, LATE LAST WEEK, SO IT NOW HAS LIVE AVAILABILITY OF PARKING AT THE AIRPORT AS WELL.
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IT'S JUST ALL OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE COMING TOGETHER TO HELP THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE OVERALL.WELL, I WANT TO COMMEND STAFF ON WORKING SO HARD TO GET, UH, SUBSTATIVE FUNDS FUNDING FROM VISIT MIDLAND DMMD.
THAT MAY A LOT MORE, UH, EQUITABLE IN MY MIND.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP ON THAT.
YEAH, THANK THOSE GROUPS FOR THEIR, THEIR HELP.
YEAH, WE WOULD LIKE TO REALLY THANK THE CHAMBER AND THE DMMD FOR DOING THAT AND STEPPING UP AND COVERING THEIR COSTS.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU TAYLOR.
UM, THEN I WILL LOOK FOR YOUR ACTION FROM COUNCILMAN LADD.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN NORMAN ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S VOTE.
TEXT SEVEN RESOLUTION AWARDING A CONTRACT FOR THE WAYFINDING SIGNS PHASE ONE, THE MOTION OF CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
WE'LL MOVE FORWARD TO ITEM NUMBER NINE, A MOTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY ATTORNEY TO EXECUTE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION GRANT NUMBER 78 IN ORDER TO RECEIVE GRANT FUNDS FOR THE MIDLAND INTERNATIONAL AIR AND SPACEPORT MASTER PLAN AND MIDLAND AIR PARK MASTER PLAN COUNCILWOMAN POOL.
I JUST PULLED THESE JUST TO CONGRATULATE YOU, JUSTINE, FOR UM, JUST BEING ABLE TO ALWAYS SECURE FUNDING, UM, SO THAT WE'RE NOT ON THE HOOK FOR ALL OF IT.
UH, SPECIFICALLY, UM, THE, THE RUNWAY PROJECT HERE.
UM, IF THERE'S ANY OF THESE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT, YOU'RE WELCOME TO, BUT I, I MAINLY JUST WANTED TO CALL YOU UP AND, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK FOR ALWAYS DILIGENTLY GOING AFTER GRANT FUNDING FROM FROM THE STATE TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO OUT AT THE AIRPORT.
UM, THESE GRANTS TOTAL ABOUT 12.6 MILLION AND OF THAT 12.6 MILLION, ONLY 10% WILL BE AIRPORT FUNDED.
THE REST COMES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
IT'S IN 90 10 GRAND, ALL THREE OF THEM.
SO THAT'S GREAT WAY TO, TO MAKE OUR MONEY GO A LOT FURTHER IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE, UM, WE'RE GOING TO MASTER PLAN BOTH MIDLAND INTERNATIONAL AND MIDLAND PARK, WHICH WILL GIVE US, UH, PLANS FOR WAY INTO THE FUTURE.
UH, THE RUNWAY PROJECT THAT YOU APPROVED LAST YEAR, THE AWARD TO JONES BROTHERS, THAT PROJECT'S GONNA BE GREAT FOR THE AIRFIELD.
AND THEN, UM, THE, THE THIRD ONE IS THE INSTALLATION OF VEHICLE MOVEMENT AREA TRANSMITTERS.
THEY'RE CALLED V MATS AND THAT'S A SPECIAL GRANT THAT THE FA JUST PUT OUT BECAUSE OF THE CRASH THAT HAPPENED IN LAGUARDIA WHERE THE FIRE TRUCKS WERE HIT.
THIS WILL ALLOW US TO PUT EQUIPMENT ON ALL OF OUR VEHICLES THAT DRIVE ON THE RUNWAYS SO THAT THE TOWER CAN ALWAYS KNOW WHERE WE ARE TO AVOID THAT KIND OF SITUATION.
SO IT'S A GOOD THING FOR ALL OF US.
CAN YOU RESTATE THE NUMBER OF THE TOTAL OF THOSE THREE ITEMS AND GRANTS THAT WE'RE RECEIVING? IT WAS ABOUT 12.6 MILLION.
OH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORK.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILWOMAN POOL ON ITEM NUMBER NINE AND A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN NORMAN.
IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S VOTE.
MOTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
WE, UM, WILL GO FORWARD TO ITEM NUMBER 13, A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE DATES OF THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS TO BE HELD DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR OF 2027.
UM, DOES ANYONE ON COUNCIL HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ON THIS ONE? FIRST, I PULLED IT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PUBLIC COMMENT AND WOULD LIKE TO INVITE LANCE WINKLER TO COME AND MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME, THE MAN WALKS TO THE PODIUM TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.
UH, I CHOSE THIS TOPIC MAINLY BECAUSE THE PLANNING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING AS WELL IS PRETTY MUCH, I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO TAKE A, I MEAN, ANY PERSON NOT ON THE COUNCIL, YOU HAVE TO TAKE A PTO DAY, YOU HAVE TO TAKE A DAY OFF, YOU HAVE TO TAKE WHATEVER HOLIDAY YOU WANNA, THEY EVEN COME TO THESE THINGS.
UH, MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE AT THESE MEETINGS AT FIVE O'CLOCK RIGHT AT THE END OF THE WORKDAY.
THINK INSTEAD OF TAKING MY PTO TIME AND HAVING ME BURN PTO, WHY DON'T WE BURN YOUR FIVE O'CLOCK? THE MAN STANDS.
THE MAN WALKS ACROSS THE FRAME AND EXITS.
ALRIGHT, ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS? WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN STUBBS.
WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN NORMAN.
IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S VOTE.
TEXT ITEM 13 DATES OF THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
ITEM NUMBER 14 IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A VOLUNTARY PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH SCP HIGHWAY 1 91 LAND LLC AS THE DEVELOPER REGARDING DEVELOPERS', VOLUNTARY CONSTRUCTION AND DEDICATION OF CERTAIN PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS FOR DEVELOPERS.
PROPOSED MULTIFAMILY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ON THE CONTRACT OF LAND THAT IS GENERALLY LOCATED AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION OF VILLE BOULEVARD.
ITEM 14, CITY COUNCIL
UM, ORDERING THE CITY SECRETARY TO RECORD THE VOLUNTARY PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT
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AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER OR CITY MANAGER OR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO ACQUIRE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY ANY RURAL PROPERTY INTERESTS NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF ANY PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS THAT WILL BE LOCATED ON LAND THAT IS NOT PRESENTLY OWNED BY THE CITY OR DEVELOPER, AND THAT THE CITY DOES NOT OTHERWISE HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE FOR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO PURCHASE APPRAISALS AND TITLE INSURANCE POLICIES, NEGOTIATE, EXECUTE, AND FILE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO ACQUIRE, SET REAL PROPERTY INTERESTS AND HOLD THE CLOSING FOR SET ACQUISITIONS, AUTHORIZING PAYMENTS FOR SET APPRAISALS, TITLE INSURANCE POLICIES AND PAYMENTS FOR SAID APPRAISALS.
TITLE, UH, AND CLOSING COSTS, EXCUSE ME, AUTHORIZING PAYMENTS FOR SAID REAL PROPERTY INTERESTS IN AMOUNTS THAT DO NOT EXCEED THEIR FAIR MARKET VALUES IN ORDERING THE CITY SECRETARY TO RECORD OR ENSURE THAT THE TITLE COMPANY RECORDS ALL INSTRUMENTS OF CONVEYANCE.
SO WITH THAT, DOES ANYONE ON COUNCIL HAVE ANYTHING FOR ITEM NUMBER 14? SEEING NONE, I'D LIKE TO INVITE GRIFFIN PEROTTI TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM 14.
MAYOR BLO LOOKS UP FROM HER DOCUMENTS.
ACTUALLY, I SEE THAT YOU CHECKED, YOU WISH TO SPEAK ONLY IF NEEDED, BUT YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME AND MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE SAME FOR JORDAN COX ONLY IF NEEDED.
SO, ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I READ ALL OF THAT UNNECESSARILY.
WE COULD'VE JUST HANDLED THAT IN CONSENT.
MAYOR BLANC LOOKS TO HER, RIGHT? WELL, IF NO ONE ON THE COUNCIL HAS ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, I'LL LOOK FOR YOUR ACTIONS SINCE IT WAS PULLED.
THE ONLY THING I'LL MENTION IS I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD WAY TO LOOK AT INFRASTRUCTURE FIRST.
AND SO I, IN DOING THIS AND A LOT OF WORK BEHIND THE SCENES, I THINK THIS IS MOVING FORWARD A STANDARD AND WE'RE GLAD THEY VOLUNTEERED TO DO THAT.
I DO THINK TO YOUR POINT, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO SAY THANK YOU TO DEVELOPERS THAT ARE WILLING TO HELP WITH THESE SORTS OF THINGS WHEN YOU'RE ADDING SOMETHING IN A NEW AREA, UM, TO, TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY, WELL, TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO DO THAT AND WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT I KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT YOU EXPECTED WHEN YOU STARTED.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? SEEING NONE, I'LL LOOK FOR YOUR ACTION.
ON ITEM NUMBER 14, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN NORMAN, A SECOND FROM COUNCILWOMAN BURKES.
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S VOTE.
TEXT 14 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A VOLUNTARY PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
MOTION APPROVE VOTE IN PROGRESS.
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO VOTE? COUNCILMAN NORMAN.
OKAY, MAYOR, I VOTED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE SAFE, EXCUSE ME.
THE SCREEN SHOWS THE VOTE CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
WE WILL MOVE FORWARD TO ITEM NUMBER 16, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF AN OPERATING CERTIFICATE FOR RED RAIDER RIDES LLC SETTING FORTH CONDITIONS ACCOMPANYING THE CERTIFICATE AND NOT ESTABLISHING THE TERMS OF THE CERTIFICATE.
DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THIS? ALL RIGHT, THEN I'D LIKE TO INVITE DEREK SMITH TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT FLAGS STAND BEHIND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, I PUT THAT I WAS IN FAVOR OF THIS AND THE ONLY REASON I WANTED TO SPEAK WAS HAVING COME BACK FROM VEGAS AND TALKING TO SOME OF THESE PEOPLE THAT GO THROUGH OUR PROCESS SUCH AS, UH, TARA MCLEAN.
UM, I'D LIKE Y'ALL TO LOOK AT HOW VEGAS RUNS THINGS, THEIR VARIOUS HOTELS, THE AIRPORT, AND THESE RIDESHARE COMPANIES THAT GO THROUGH THE CITY AND DO EVERYTHING THE RIGHT WAY.
BY PAYING THESE FEES, WE SHOULD BE DIRECTING THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING OFF THE PLANES TO THOSE PEOPLE BECAUSE WHENEVER I GOT OFF AT THE VEGAS AIRPORT, THERE WAS CLEAR SIGNAGE THAT THIS IS RIDESHARE, THESE ARE TAXIS.
AND I MEAN, I, I PERSONALLY JUST PREFER TO TAKE A TAXI BECAUSE IT HAS THE PERSON'S LICENSE, ALL THIS INFORMATION.
AND THEN, AND I'M KIND OF GLAD THAT I DID TAKE A TAXI BECAUSE WHENEVER I REACHED OVER TO PAY, I ACCIDENTALLY UNC CLIPPED MY PHONE AND I WAS ABLE TO CALL THE TAXI COMPANY AND GET MY PHONE BACK, WHICH I NEEDED.
AND TALKING TO THESE PEOPLE, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT'S OUT THERE AND OTHER AIRPORT PERSONNEL WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ENFORCING RULES, WHICH IS WHY THEY'RE APPLYING FOR THESE PERMITS AND EVERYTHING, THOSE RULES AREN'T GETTING ENFORCED LIKE THEY SHOULD.
AND SO I JUST WANTED Y'ALL TO BE AWARE OF THAT ON THEIR BEHALF AND TO TRY AND DO SOMETHING THAT BETTER GIVES THEM THE PROTECTION THAT THEY'RE SEEKING.
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE TRYING TO ABIDE BY ALL OF OUR RULES AND TO JUST LOOK AT HOW OTHER CITIES WITH THEIR AIRPORTS AND EVERYTHING DO THIS STUFF SO THAT THOSE WHO PAY THESE FEES, THEY SHOULD GET SOMETHING IN RETURN FOR THAT FEE.
THEY SHOULD GET SOME KIND OF RECOGNITION THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I PREFER A TAXI OVER ONE OF THESE RIDE SHARES.
I'VE SEEN TOO MANY STORIES OF HORROR STORIES
[00:25:01]
WITH THESE RIDE SHARES THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN WITH A TAXI.I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE IT BECAUSE THE CONVENIENCE AND EVERYTHING, BUT I JUST WOULD LIKE TO ASK Y'ALL TO LOOK INTO HOW OUR AIRPORT IS HANDLING THE SITUATION AND THEN IT SHOULD BE A COMPLETELY SEPARATE AREA FOR THE RIDE SHARES AND A COMPLETELY SEPARATE AREA FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THESE PERMITS.
AND THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE ON THIS.
DO WE HAVE ANYTHING FURTHER FROM COUNCIL OR STAFF ON THIS ITEM? I'LL, I'LL LOOK FOR YOUR ACTION IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
TEXT MAYOR, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN STRETCHER BERKS AND A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN NORMAN.
IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S VOTE.
THE BLACK SCREEN DISPLAYS THE MIDLAND BE THE ENERGY LOGO IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER.
THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AND WE'LL MOVE FORWARD TO ITEM NUMBER 17.
A MOTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF NR LOCAL AGREEMENT WITH MIDLAND COUNTY, UNDER WHICH THE CITY WILL CONSTRUCT A PORTION OF SINCLAIR AVENUE FROM A POINT APPROXIMATELY 1500 FEET WEST OF STATE HIGHWAY 1 58 TO THE LOCATION OF THE EXTENSION OF COUNTY ROAD 1250, A PORTION OF COUNTY ROAD 1250 FROM SINCLAIR AVENUE TO STATE HIGHWAY 1 91 AND INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS AT THE INTERSECTION OF SINCLAIR AVENUE AND COUNTY ROAD 1250.
AND UH, TWO THAT MIDLAND COUNTY WILL PAY THE SUM OF $3 MILLION.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER BURS, I BELIEVE YOU PULLED THIS ONE.
I JUST KIND OF WANTED A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND SO WE CAN KIND OF GO OVER THAT AND THEN HIGHLIGHT THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
LINDSEY ADAMS, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS OFFICER.
UM, I DO HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION.
UM, SO THIS ITEM IS AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH MIDLAND COUNTY.
WE ARE EXTENDING SINCLAIR FROM, UM, BASICALLY WHERE COSTCO IS, UM, HEADING WEST TOWARDS FUTURE COUNTY ROAD 1250.
I DO HAVE A MAP SO IT'S EASIER TO UNDERSTAND.
UM, AND THE COUNTY HAS BEEN A GRACIOUS PARTNER AND IS, UM, GIVING US $3 MILLION TOWARDS THIS PROJECT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY COUNTY ROAD 1250 IS A COUNTY ROAD.
UM, AND SO THEY'VE BEEN EXCELLENT PARTNERS TO US IN THIS AND THIS WILL ALLOW US TO GET THAT INFRASTRUCTURE AS THAT SIDE OF TOWN CONTINUES TO GROW AND DEVELOP.
CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE MAP? SURE.
THE, THAT INTERSECTION AT 1250 DOESN'T CURRENTLY TIE IN RIGHT THERE.
AND SO THIS WILL, THIS WILL CREATE ANOTHER PACKAGE AND, AND CIRCULATION, UH, CAPACITY FOR ALL OF THE TRAFFIC THAT IS ALREADY OVER THERE.
I JUST WANTED TO AGAIN, THANK THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND THAT WE WORK VERY WELL TOGETHER AND TO CONTINUE FINDING ROADS AND WORKING TOGETHER.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL LOOK FOR YOUR ACTION ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR, UH, 17.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN BURKES AND A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN NORMAN.
THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
LET'S VOTE TEXT ROBIN POOL AT LARGE.
THE MOTION TO CARRIE UNANIMOUSLY.
WE WILL MOVE FORWARD TO SECOND READINGS AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE NEW TO OUR COUNCIL MEETING, THAT THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE HAVE SEEN AND DISCUSSED IN PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEETINGS.
SO SOME OF THESE MAY MOVE QUICKLY AND IF THERE IS NO DISCUSSION, JUST BE AWARE THAT THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE, IN THE PREVIOUS MEETING.
SO WE'LL START WITH ITEM NUMBER 19, PLEASE.
AN ORDINANCE VACATING AND ABANDONING AND APPROXIMATELY 0.055 ACRE PORTION OF ALLEY RIGHT OF WAY LOCATED ADJACENT TO LAPS 21 AND 22 BLOCK TWO RELAID UP ALL GLEN ARDEN, CITY AND COUNTY IN MIDLAND, TEXAS, GENERALLY LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF WEST WILDLY AVENUE.
APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET EAST OF BRACKET CLUB DRIVE ON REQUEST ARE ONE OR MORE ABUTTING PROPERTY OWNERS IN EXCHANGE FOR PAYMENT TO THE CITY IN THE SUM OF $9,600, RETAINING A NON-EXCLUSIVE UTILITY EASEMENT AND ORDERING RECORDATION BY THE CITY SECRETARY COUNCIL MEMBERS STUDY PAPERS.
DO WE HAVE ANY ACTION? WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILWOMAN S DR.
BURKES AND A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN STUBBS.
IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S VOTE.
THE COUNCIL MONITOR DISPLAYS ITEM 19, AN ORDINANCE REGARDING AN ALLEYWAY FOLLOWED BY THE STATUS OF THE MOTION TO APPROVE AND THE VOTE IN PROGRESS.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MIDLAND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MIDLAND, TEXAS.
PROVING AND NEGOTIATING A SETTLEMENTS BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE CITY SERVED BY ATMOS WEST TEXAS, CITIES AND ATMOS ENERGY CORP.
WEST TEXAS DIVISION, THE COMPANY REGARDING THE COMPANY'S 2026 RATE REVIEW MECHANISM FILING, DECLARING EXISTING RATES TO BE UNREASONABLE, ADOPTING TARIFFS THAT REFLECT RATE ADJUSTMENTS CONSISTENT WITH THE NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT, FINDING THE RATES TO BE SET BY THE SETTLEMENT TARIFFS TO BE JUST AND REASONABLE AND IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST, APPROVING AN ATTACHMENT, ESTABLISHING A BENCHMARK FOR PENSION AND RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS, REQUIRING THE COMPANY TO REIMBURSE CITY'S REASONABLE RATE, MAKING EXPENSES DETERMINING THAT THIS ORDINANCE WAS PASSED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETING ACT CONTAINING A CUMULATIVE CLAUSE AND A SAVINGS CLAUSE DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CITY SECRETARY TO DELIVER THIS ORDINANCE TO THE COMPANY AND CITY'S LEGAL COUNSEL AND ORDERING PUBLICATION.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILWOMAN POOL.
WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COUNCILWOMAN STRETCHER BURS.
IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S VOTE.
THE COUNCIL MONITOR DISPLAYS ITEM 20 A NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT ORDINANCE AND SHOWS A VOTE IN PROGRESS.
[00:30:01]
UNANIMOUSLY.WE WILL MOVE FORWARD TO ITEM NUMBER 21, PUBLIC HEARINGS.
GATHER PUBLIC INPUT ON THE PROPOSED 20 26 20 27 BUDGET AND CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MIDLAND PROVIDING FUNDS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2026, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2027 BY APPROVING THE BUDGET FOR SAID PERIOD AND APPROPRIATING AND SETTING ASIDE THE NECESSARY FUNDS OUT OF THE GENERAL AND OTHER REVENUES AND UNAPPROPRIATED FUND BALANCE OF THE CITY OF MIDLAND FOR SAID FISCAL YEAR FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND FOR VARIOUS ACTIVITIES AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CITY AND ORDERING PUBLICATION.
WE'D LOVE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT FROM YOU.
UM, I KNOW YOU'VE PREPARED A COUPLE THINGS FOR US, SO WE'LL LET YOU START.
CHRISTIE WEAKLAND, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
UH, YES MA'AM, THIS MORNING I AM PRESENTING THE FISCAL BUDGET FOR 2027.
UM, THIS BUDGET HAS THREE BASIC ELEMENTS.
WE ARE ADOPTING THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, WE'RE KEEPING OPERATIONS ESSENTIALLY FLAT, AND WE'RE PAYING CASH FOR CAPITAL ITEMS INSTEAD OF DEBT.
SO OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, UM, WE'VE BEEN TALKING QUITE A BIT ABOUT OUR FINANCIAL STRATEGY.
WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND CAPACITY AND HAVE BEEN FINDING CAPACITY THROUGH EFFICIENCIES, COST RECOVERIES, PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY, ET CETERA.
AND FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE'VE SAVED OR RECOVERED, WE ARE PUTTING THAT BACK, INVESTING IT BACK INTO MIDLAND TEXT, NO NEW REVENUE PROPERTY TAX DATA.
SO AS I SAID, WE ARE PRESENTING TO YOU TODAY ARE PROPOSING THE NO NEW REVENUE PROPERTY TAX RATE.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS COUNSEL LOOKS AT PRESENTATION SCREEN PROPERTY ALREADY ON THE TAX ROLL GENERATED $65.2 MILLION LAST YEAR, AND IT GENERATES $65.2 MILLION UNDER THIS BUDGET.
THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL 2.4 MILLION THAT COMES FROM NEW CONSTRUCTION AND NEW GROWTH AND LOOKED AT ANOTHER WAY.
AND WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT AS WE ADD NEW HOMES AND NEW BUSINESSES, THAT EQUALS NEW SERVICES THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE FOR THOSE.
SO THAT IS THE NEW GROWTH POR PORTION OF IT.
UM, THIS, THIS NO NEW REVENUE RATE, UM, ALLOWS US TO HAVE MIDLAND CONTINUE TO BE, HAVE ONE OF THE LOWEST PROPERTY TAX RATES AMONG OUR PURE CITIES TEXT INVESTING IN CAPITAL $46 MILLION.
SO LOOKING, UM, ALL IN THIS YEAR'S, THE 2027 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET IS $504 MILLION, BUT INCLUDING INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET IS $46 MILLION OF CAPITAL ITEMS. THOSE ARE ONE-TIME ITEMS, NOT, UH, GROWTH IN OUR OPERATING COSTS.
SO IF YOU REMOVE THOSE, UH, THE $46 MILLION OF CAPITAL ITEMS, WE ARE WITHIN 1% OF OUR LAST YEAR'S OPERATING BUDGET.
DEPARTMENT BUDGETS RANGE FROM 700,000 TO 15.8 MILLION.
ALSO, WANNA BE CLEAR ON THESE, WE, WE OFTEN THROW AROUND OUR GENERAL FUND VERSUS OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
SOME OF THESE ARE, ARE GOING TO BE PAID FOR THROUGH SPECIFIC LIKE AIRPORT FUNDING.
SOME OF THESE PROJECTS COME FROM THE AIRPORT FUND ITSELF, CORRECT.
WHICH DOES NOT IMPACT, WE'RE NOT USING PROPERTY TAXES TO SUBSIDIZE THAT.
I JUST WANT THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE VARIOUS DIFFERENT FUNDS AND THE GENERAL FUND IS WHERE OUR A VALOREM TAX COMES IN.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON TODAY ALONG WITH OUR BUDGET THAT IS CORRECT, IS THE A VALOREM TAX.
AND SO WHEN THESE NUMBERS START TO FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T LINE UP, IT'S BECAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE COMING FROM OTHER FUNDS.
A WOMAN IN A TAN SUIT STANDS IN THE FOREGROUND.
AS YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAFETY HAS CONTINUED TO BE ONE OF MIDLAND'S HIGHEST PRIORITIES OVER THE LAST DECADE.
THE INVESTMENT IN POLICE AND FIRE HAS DOUBLED SAID ANOTHER WAY.
IF YOU LOOK AT OUR FULL PROPERTY TAX REVENUE THAT COMES IN, IT A HUNDRED PERCENT GOES TOWARD PUBLIC SAFETY AND THEN THERE'S STILL A $37 MILLION GAP UP AND ABOVE, UM, OUR PROPERTY TAX REVENUE THAT HAS TO BE FUNDED THROUGH SOME OTHER REVENUE SOURCES.
SO THAT IS, THAT IS THE SHORT PRESENTATION TODAY.
BUT BASICALLY THIS BUDGET IS BUILT AROUND THE CLEAR PRIORITIES OF PUBLIC SAFETY, WATER, ROADS, PARKS, AND MIDLANDS FUTURE.
WE'RE PROPOSING NO NEW REVENUE RATE, WE'RE KEEPING OPERATIONS RELATIVELY FLAT AND WE ARE PAYING CASH FOR CRITICAL, UH, INVESTMENTS INSTEAD OF DEBT.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS? I I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND EFFORT THAT GOES INTO THIS IS AMAZING.
SO, UM, Y'ALL DID A GREAT JOB INFORMING US OF THIS TIME.
I
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE UPDATES THAT YOU'VE
[00:35:01]
BEEN DOING.UM, IT'S VERY COMPREHENSIVE THIS TIME.
WELL, AND FOR ANYONE THAT THAT WANTS A MORE THOROUGH PRESENTATION, WE DID ALREADY MEET ABOUT THIS ONCE AND WE, WE WENT THROUGH EVERYTHING.
AND SO THAT INFORMATION IS OUT THERE.
YOU CAN GO BACK AND VIEW THAT MEETING.
UM, IF YOU WANT ANY MORE CONTEXT, IT'S PRESENTATION THAT WAS GIVEN AT THAT TIME IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.
SO WE WOULD INVITE ANYBODY FROM THE COMMUNITY TO, TO FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES AND ASK ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE.
IT'S, IT'S TALK ABOUT THIS BOOK.
I WOULD JUST ADD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET THIS TO COUNCIL A FULL MONTH IN ADVANCE OF LAST YEAR AND LAST YEAR AND THE YEARS BEFORE.
IT'S BEEN IN ADVANCE OF THE BUDGET.
AND THIS YEAR Y'ALL ASKED FOR ANOTHER 30 DAYS AND I KNOW SEVERAL OF YOU HAD SEVERAL INDIVIDUAL BRIEFINGS WITH US THAT Y'ALL REQUESTED.
AND I, I DID JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT AGAIN, JUST THE, THE PORTION WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT HOW WE ARE SPENDING CASH ON SOME OF THOSE CAPITAL, UM, PROJECTS.
AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, TOMMY, YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE TAKEN WHAT WE HAVE SAID AS COUNCIL AND WANTING TO, TO PUT MONEY BACK SO THAT WE CAN START PAYING CASH FOR THOSE LARGER, THOSE LARGER PROJECTS.
YOU'VE DONE THAT AND IT'S VERY, VERY PLAIN TO SEE THAT.
SO, UM, I KNOW I SPEAK FOR MYSELF, BUT I I FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT I CAN SPEAK FOR COUNCIL TO SAY THAT WE REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL DOING THAT AND I THINK THE COMMUNITY APPRECIATES THAT.
THEY MAY NOT REALIZE IT, BUT, BUT WE ARE, WE ARE TRYING TO SAVE UP FOR THOSE BIG PROJECTS JUST LIKE WE DO AT HOME.
SO
YEAH, SO THE WATER AND LANDFILL AND SOME OF THESE ROADS AND DRAINAGE, THOSE ARE JUST NOT VERY, YOU KNOW, EXCITING ON THE DAYS THAT WE DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE, BUT THEY ALLOW US TO LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND, AND HAVE THE LIVES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE.
YES, THERE'S A LANDFILL CELL THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED TO BUILD PRETTY SOON AND THAT DEFINITELY IS NOT VERY ATTRACTIVE, BUT IT WON'T BE ATTRACTIVE IF WE DON'T BUILD IT.
KINDS AND IT'S COSTLY OF NEW PROBLEMS. TEXT ADDENDUM TO CAPITAL.
SO THROUGH THESE CONVERSATIONS LAST, I DUNNO, THREE WEEKS NOW, UM, AND AGAIN, GREAT JOB INFORMING US.
UM, I DO THINK THERE IS AN ISSUE THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UH, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FIREFIGHTER PAY AND FIREFIGHTER RETENTION.
UM, AND SO I KNOW THE CITY STAFF HAS DONE AN AMAZING DEEP DIVE OVER THE WEEKEND AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, THERE IS A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION THAT WE'VE BEEN BEEN GIVEN.
UM, SO I DO DO THINK THAT THERE'S A CONVERSATION THAT WE NEED TO HAVE ABOUT, UM, MOSTLY THAT YOUNGER FIREFIGHTER, LESS EXPERIENCED FIREFIGHTER RETENTION RATE.
UM, WE DID A GREAT JOB ABOUT TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO KIND OF CORRECTING THE, THE POLICE PAY, UM, AND MAKING THAT MORE COMPETITIVE.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY LOOK AT DOING THE SAME THING, UM, EVEN THIS YEAR, UH, FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS IN THE SAME KIND OF TOKEN THAT WE DID WITH POLICE A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA, I WANNA SECOND YOU ON THAT.
I I FEEL COMPLETELY THE SAME WAY.
TEXT BRIAN STUBBS, COUNCIL MEMBER, CITY OF LUBBOCK REPRESENTED, WENT PUBLIC AND STATED THAT HE ACTIVELY WAS PLAYING ON TAKING 30 OF OUR FIREMEN.
UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE INSTITUTING A NEW SHIFT SERVICE OVER THERE THAT ALLOWS THEM TO HAVE NOT JUST AN A, B, C SHIFT, BUT A B, C, D SHIFT, WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO HAVE A LOT MORE TIME OFF.
AND OUR GUYS, NOT ONLY THAT, THEY'RE ALL ALMOST ALL TRAINED EMTS.
OUR GUYS ALSO SERVE THE COUNTY AND DO ALL KINDS OF AMAZING WORK.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO ADDRESS THAT.
AND I JUST WANNA REMIND THE PUBLIC THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU COMBINE POLICE AND FIRE, THAT'S $98 MILLION AND WE'VE DOUBLED THE, WE'VE DOUBLED THE, WHAT WE'VE PUT INTO THOSE DEPARTMENTS, BUT 81 MILLION COMES OUT OF THE GENERAL PHONE.
SO THE AOR CAN YOU ADVANCE TO THAT SLIDE? LEAN A VALOREM TAX, PROVIDE US, LET'S SAY 81 MILLION SO THAT THE AVALOR TAXES AS THEY EXIST RIGHT NOW DON'T EVEN COVER THOSE TWO DEPARTMENTS $66 MILLION FOR WELL REALLY? YEAH, REALLY IT'S 60.
YEAH, BECAUSE IF WE FACTOR IN THE DEBT.
SO, UM, I DO THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT AND I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE, DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS STAY HERE AND RETENTION RATES ARE, ARE ADDRESSED AND, UH, DUTIFULLY.
AND LAST THING I WANNA SEE IS HAVE 30 OFFICERS GO TO, TO LUBBOCK, TEXAS.
SO, WELL, AND I THINK YOU BRING SOME REALLY VALID POINTS AND LUBBOCK HAS RESET THE, THE SCALE FOR THINGS IN WEST TEXAS FOR SIMILARLY SIZED CITIES.
UM, I DO WANNA POINT OUT A FEW THINGS THAT ARE DIFFERENT ABOUT MIDLAND AND LUBBOCK.
UM, ONE OF THOSE IS THAT OUR MIDLAND FIREFIGHTERS HANDLE ALL OF THE EMS SERVICES FOR OUR HOSPITAL DISTRICT.
THAT IS NOT THE CASE IN LUBBOCK.
UM, SO LUBBOCK, THEIR FIRE DEPARTMENT IS JUST THEIR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEN THEIR HOSPITAL DISTRICTS AND THEIR HOSPITALS ARE MANAGING THEIR EMS. SO WE'RE ABSORBING AS A CITY AND AS A LOCAL VALOREM TAX RATE, WE'RE ABSORBING SOMETHING THAT IS NOT THE CASE FOR THEM.
ADDITIONALLY, I BELIEVE, CORRECT ME
[00:40:01]
IF I'M WRONG HERE, TOMMY OR OTHERS, BUT WE ARE COVERING ALL OF THE FIRE IN EMS FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY OF MIDLAND.LUBBOCK IS ONLY THE CITY LIMITS OF LUBBOCK.
AND SO THERE ARE SOME MASSIVE DISTINCTIONS HERE WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THE COSTS THAT ARE INCURRED FOR CITY OF MIDLAND RESIDENTS, UM, THAT ARE NOT DEFRAYED ACROSS THOSE OTHER TAXING ENTITIES IN THE WAY THAT THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, TEXT LORI BLOM, UH, LUBBOCK, THEY HAVE OTHER TAXING ENTITIES THAT ARE COLLECTING MONEY, HAVE THEIR OWN BUDGETS AND THEIR OWN COST INCURRED FOR THAT.
WE'RE ABSORBING ALL OF THAT IN OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF MIDLAND.
AND SO THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT THING FOR US TO TAKE SERIOUSLY.
WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T WHINE ABOUT THAT.
IT IS, IT IS OUR CURRENT REALITY, BUT WE DO NEED TO BE PRAGMATIC ABOUT THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN WHAT WE'RE COVERING AND WHAT SOME OF THESE OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE COVERING.
SO WITH THAT, UM, THE, THIS MOST RECENT CHANGE THAT LUBBOCK HAS MADE WAS NOT CONTEMPLATED IN ALL OF THE SIX MONTHS OF PREPARATION FOR THIS BUDGET.
WE JUST, SO WE ARE WORKING ON THIS REAL TIME, SO WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS ABOUT HOW WE WILL ADDRESS THIS.
WE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS OF MIDLAND.
I THINK MOST OF US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS GOT TO MEET WITH THEM AND TALK ABOUT THAT.
THE REALITY OF WHERE WE ARE IN OUR BUDGET CYCLE MEANS THAT WE'VE ALREADY SET THE CEILING FOR OUR TAX RATE.
WE CAN'T COME OUT AND SAY NOW WE'RE GONNA DO THESE THINGS WITHOUT IMPACTING THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE PLANNED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
AND SO IF WE ARE TO MAKE A CHANGE TODAY, THEN THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES WE EITHER HAVE TO, THERE'S REALLY TWO OPTIONS, TOMMY, CAN YOU TELL US WHAT ARE THE TWO WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP TO ADDRESS THIS? SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE SOME CUTS AND WE'RE PREPARED TO DO THAT.
I KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL I HEARD FROM, UH, COUNCIL FIRST ON LATE THURSDAY NIGHT AND THEN FRIDAY.
AND THEN SO STAFF, UH, WANNA COMMEND THEM FOR, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS THE WHOLE WEEKEND IN ORDER TO ADDRESS IT.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, UH, I DO THINK THAT IN LUBBOCK'S ACTIONS THAT THEY TOOK IT IS GOING TO IMPACT THE REGION.
AND SO WE WE'RE NOT BLIND TO THAT.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY DONE IN POLICE AND FIRE.
WE, AND IT'S A, IT'S A MOVING TARGET AND WE KNOW THAT, I THINK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT KNOWS THAT.
I MEAN, THAT SLIDE RIGHT THERE IS, IS NO MISTAKE.
I MEAN THERE IS ACTUAL REAL DOLLARS THAT GO INTO A LOT OF THESE DECISIONS AND THE PRIORITIES THAT THE COUNCIL HAS FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY AT THE TOP ROADS, UM, OBVIOUSLY WATER AND, AND PARK MAINTENANCE, BUT IT'S IN THAT ORDER.
SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON SOME THINGS AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE, WE'VE SPOKEN TO, UH, COUNSEL ALREADY ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF FIREFIGHTERS THAT WE HAVE AND THE NUMBER OF FIREFIGHTERS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED SINCE 23.
SO I WANTED TO, TO MAKE THAT POINT.
AND THEN WE HAVE LOOKED AT PAY RAISES IN OTHER RANK POSITIONS, LIKE EVEN IN LAST YEAR THAT WAS DONE.
WE DID INCREASE THE PAY FROM 60 TO 65.
OBVIOUSLY, LIKE I SAID, IT'S A MOVING TARGET.
SO THIS IS A, A, YOU KNOW, AN ORGANIC TYPE OF THING.
SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO, TO NICOLE TO KIND OF SHARE WITH COUNCIL WHAT WE LOOKED AT THIS WEEKEND AND KIND OF WHAT WE FEEL LIKE WOULD MAKE A LOT OF SENSE TO DO.
AND THEN COME BACK FOUR MEN SIT AT A CONFERENCE TABLE WITH A SECOND AND THIRD YEAR, UH, UH, PROGRAM OF WHAT WE CAN DO GOING FORWARD.
UH, BUT WE'LL HAVE SOME TIME TO PLAN FOR THAT.
AND THIS, THIS PARTICULAR YEAR WILL ADDRESS KIND OF THE, THE, THE MEAT OF THE ISSUE, WHICH IS THE STARTING OF PAY.
I KNOW THAT THE ZERO TO FIVE YEARS IS KIND OF THE, THE SPOT THAT WE ARE BEING IMPACTED.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT TODAY'S PRESENTATION WILL FOCUS ON.
WELL, AND I I WANT TO, BEFORE WE GO FORWARD, ALSO JUST STATE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE, MAKE SOME JUDGMENT CALLS HERE BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE GONNA PRESENT TO US.
I THINK WE ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, WE'D LIKE TO DEFER THIS CONVERSATION TO A FUTURE DATE AND MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO OUR BUDGET BASED ON THE INFORMATION.
SO THAT WON'T CHANGE THE TAX RATE, BUT THAT WOULD AMEND OUR BUDGET.
WE REALLY ONLY HAVE TWO OPTIONS HERE.
WE CAN EITHER CUT SOME SERVICES OR SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S CURRENTLY IN OUR BUDGET OR WE CAN GO INTO FUND BALANCE THIS YEAR TO COVER THE COST THAT WE'RE INCURRING.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
AND SO YOU'RE GONNA GIVE US SOME OPTIONS THAT WE CAN CONSIDER.
WE CAN CHOOSE TO DO THAT WITHIN THIS BUDGET VOTE OR WE CAN CHOOSE TO DEFER IT AND COME BACK AND MAKE AN AMENDMENT IN THE FUTURE.
AND, AND OUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO MAKE CUTS, UH, NOT, NOT TO GO INTO THE FUND BALANCE, BUT YES MA'AM.
THOSE ARE THE TWO CONSIDERATIONS.
AND THEN IF WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE SECOND AND THIRD YEAR AND BRING THAT BACK TO COUNCIL FOR COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION, UH, WE WOULD WORK, UH, DILIGENTLY TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE REOCCURRING REVENUES TO PAY FOR THOSE ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT WE WOULD BE INCURRING SO THAT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A DEFICIT GOING INTO THE SECOND, THIRD, AND FOURTH YEAR.
UM, AS COUNCIL KNOWS, YOU DO HAVE A FIVE-YEAR BUDGET FORECAST.
THIS IS FACTORED INTO THAT FIVE YEAR FORECAST.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE DO THAT IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO SURPRISES AS YOU'VE ALREADY POINTED OUT AND, AND, UH, IN THE DEFENSE OF THE, OF THE DEPARTMENT.
THIS JUST HAPPENED WITH, WITH LUBBOCK.
SO THERE IS A REACTION THAT HAS TO TAKE PLACE TO THAT ACTION.
NICOLE, WE'RE ANXIOUS TO HEAR FROM YOU.
SO YES, WE DEFINITELY HEARD THE REACTION FROM THE LUBBOCK SIDE OF
[00:45:01]
THINGS AND OVER THE WEEKEND DID A LOT OF DEEP DIVING INTO NOT ONLY WHAT THAT REACTION LOOKS LIKE FOR US TO STAY COMPETITIVE IN THIS MARKET.UM, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE COMPETING WITH LUBBOCK BUT ALSO ODESSA, ABILENE, SAN ANGELO, SOME OF THOSE LOCAL AREAS.
SO THAT WAS A BIG PIECE OF IT IS WHERE DO WE STAND CURRENTLY IN THAT MARKET? WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO STAY COMPETITIVE IN THAT MARKET? DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN WE'RE THE TOP IN THAT MARKET, BUT WE'RE STILL COMPETITIVE.
UM, SO LOOKING AT SOME OF THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS, WE WANTED TO FIRST TOUCH ON WHERE OUR VACANCIES TRULY LIE RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE THIR 23 POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE ADDED TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SINCE 2023.
UM, AS OF FRIDAY WE HAVE 16 IN THE ACADEMY.
SO THAT LEAVES US 17 VACANCIES.
AND I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR THAT THOSE 17 VACANCIES TRULY REFLECT THE ADDED POSITIONS, NOT THE LOSS OF PERSONNEL.
SO I THINK THAT'S A CLEAR DISTINCTION THAT WE NEED TO MAINTAIN THROUGHOUT THIS CONVERSATION.
UM, OUR FOCUS IN THE RECENT YEARS HAS BEEN ON PUBLIC SAFETY AS A WHOLE WITHIN PD OF COURSE.
UM, AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, THE SALARIES HAVE INCREASED FROM 60, 80,000.
WE'VE DECREASED THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY CAN MAKE IN A SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME, SO THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO EARN MORE QUICKER.
AND THEN WE'VE UM, THIS YEAR LOOKED AT INVESTING INTO THAT TACTICAL GEAR FOR THEM.
SO IN THE PD SIDE, WE'VE HANDLED A LOT OF THOSE CONCERNS.
NOW LOOKING INTO THE FIRE SIDE, UM, WE'VE INCREASED THEIR BUDGET BY 50% SINCE 2018.
SO WE'VE DOUBLED THAT BUDGET EACH YEAR.
WE'VE INCREASED MORE AND MORE.
UM, WE'VE ADDED SOME MAJOR FACILITY AND EQUIPMENT IMPROVEMENTS OVER THE YEARS.
WE'VE HAD CONSISTENT COST OF LIVING INCREASES EACH YEAR, ANYWHERE FROM TWO TO 5%.
UM, THAT'S LOOKING BACK FROM 2023 TO CURRENT.
UH, WE'VE ALSO INCREASED THAT STARTING SALARY.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE SITTING AT 65,000 BEFORE MOVING INTO THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
SO THAT'S A MAJOR INCREASE JUST IN THE STARTING SALARY FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE THE LEADERSHIP PAY.
LAST YEAR THAT WE DID AN INCREASE, WE LOOKED AT THE BATTALION CHIEFS AS WELL AS THE CAPTAINS.
UM, CAPTAINS HAD A 17, UM, IN PERCENT INCREASE AND THE BATTALION CHIEFS HAD A 23% INCREASE FOR THOSE UPPER LEADERSHIP POSITIONS.
AND OF COURSE THE PENSION FUND LAST YEAR WE ADDRESSED THAT AS WELL.
AND, AND, AND IF I MAY, I KNOW THAT SOUNDS LIKE A BIG NUMBER, BUT AGAIN, WHEN WE LOOK AT, UH, STAYING, UH, WITH THE COMPETITION AND JUST MAKING SURE WE DON'T GET BEHIND, UH, THAT'S THE REASON FOR THOSE ADJUSTMENTS.
SO WE'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF THE LEADERSHIP SIDE OF THINGS AND LOOKING AT HOW DO WE KEEP THOSE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS FUNDED WELL WITHIN COMPETITIVE AND MANY CASES ABOVE OTHER RATES OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
SO WE'VE REALLY ADDRESSED THAT UPPER TIER OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO OUR FOCUS NOW IS REALLY SHIFTING TO THAT ZERO TO FIVE YEAR MARK TO COUNCILMAN STUBBS.
TO YOUR POINT, THAT IS OUR FOCUS NOW MOVING FORWARD IS WE'VE GOT TO ADDRESS THAT EARLY ON PIECE OF THOSE FIREFIGHTERS GETTING 'EM IN THE DOOR.
SO RECRUITING THEM, BEING ABLE TO RETAIN THEM, BUT ALSO BEING ABLE TO TRAIN THEM AND GIVING THEM WHAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO TRAIN APPROPRIATELY.
AND NICOLE, I HATE TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT WE DID PART OF THOSE CHANGES TO THE UPPER MANAGEMENT PORTION BECAUSE OF, OF ALL OF THE CHANGES, FIREFIGHTERS VOTED TO DECREASE THEIR BENEFITS, UM, AS PART OF OUR SOLUTION FOR THE FUND.
AND SO BECAUSE WE, WE HAD THEM VOTE ON THAT, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE GONNA RETAIN SOME OF THOSE TENURED AND EXPERIENCED FOLKS.
AND SO I THINK THAT WAS SOMETHING WE NEEDED TO DO.
I'M GLAD WE DID IT AND I THINK THAT IT HAS ACCOMPLISHED SOME OF WHAT WE NEEDED.
THAT DOESN'T LEAVE OUT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
BUT I JUST DON'T WANT US TO FORGET THAT WE DID IT FOR THAT REASON.
UM, AND ALSO WE ASK OUR FIREFIGHTER, I JUST WENT THROUGH THAT WE ASK OUR FIREFIGHTERS TO DO MORE THAN SOME OF THESE OTHER CITIES.
THEY'RE DOING THING, YOU KNOW, HANDLING TANK BATTERY FIRES IN THE COUNTY AND MANAGING ALL OF THE EMS AND ALL THOSE ADDITIONAL CERTIFICATIONS.
SO WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF NOT JUST WHAT WE'VE DONE, BUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING AS WELL.
THEY WORK HARDER THAN I WOULD ARGUE WITH LUBBOCK.
UM, WE MIGHT BE BIASED, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
UM, SO YES, WE'VE MADE THOSE MAJOR STRIDES, BUT NOW WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT THAT EARLY ON PIECE OF IT.
UM, AND SOME OF THE DATA THAT WE'VE PULLED, WE LOSE MAJORITY OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS IN THAT FIRST THREE YEARS.
SOME OF THOSE HAVE LEFT BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST NOT INTERESTED IN FIRE SERVICE AND LOOKING AT OTHER CAREERS.
THEY DON'T MAKE IT THROUGH THE ACADEMY.
UM, VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THOSE ACTUALLY GO TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
SO WE'RE JUST LOSING THEM BECAUSE WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, GETTING PEOPLE THAT REALLY WANT TO BE IN THAT SERVICE.
THEY TRY IT OUT, THEN THEY WANT TO GOTTA MOVE ON TO OTHER THINGS OR THEY'RE JUST NOT EQUIPPED TO DO THAT JOB.
SO THAT IS OUR BIGGEST PIECE THAT WE'VE GOT TO FOCUS ON.
UM, SO WE'RE SHIFTING THAT FOCUS TO THAT ZERO TO FIVE YEAR STAFF.
WE'VE PROVIDED A FEW OPTIONS THAT WE THINK COULD BE A SOLUTION.
UM, AGAIN, TO TOMMY'S POINT, THERE ARE CUTS THAT ARE GONNA HAVE TO HAPPEN IF WE PUT THOSE INTO PLACE, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY INTO THAT BUDGET YEAR.
SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO BE AWARE OF.
UM, THE FINANCE TEAM, CHRISTINE AND ALYSSA HAVE IDENTIFIED SOME AREAS WHERE WE CAN MAKE THOSE CUTS.
UM, BUT THOSE ARE DEFINITELY THE CONSIDERATIONS.
IF WE DO ANY OF THESE OPTIONS, THERE ARE CUTS ELSEWHERE.
UM, I THINK OUR, OUR PROPOSAL TO YOU AT THIS POINT IS TO INCREASE THE STARTING PAY UP TO A $70,000 MARK.
SO GOING FROM 65 UP TO 70,000 AND THEN ALSO INCLUDING INCREASING OUR DRIVER CERTIFICATION PAY CURRENTLY THIS LAST FISCAL YEAR, IT SITS AT 500.
WE HAD ALREADY BUDGETED TO MOVE IT UP TO $700 PER MONTH.
THIS WOULD PROPOSE THIS PROPOSAL WOULD MOVE IT UP TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS PER MONTH.
BOTH OF THOSE WOULD TAKE PLACE IN ON APRIL ONE IS WHAT OUR PROPOSING
[00:50:01]
PROPOSAL IS.UM, THE ALTERNATIVE IS THE, UM, THE REQUEST THAT COUNCIL HAD KIND OF LOOKED AT, WHICH WOULD BE THE $5,000 INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD, UM, THAT WOULD FOLLOW OUR 2% COLA THAT WE'D ALREADY PUT INTO PLACE AND APPLYING THAT TO EVERYBODY ACROSS THE BOARD.
THAT'S OF COURSE A MUCH LARGER ASK.
UM, THAT DOES ADDRESS EVERYBODY, GIVES EVERYBODY AN EVEN BIGGER BUMP.
BUT THAT'S NOT FOCUSING TRULY ON WHAT OUR CORE FOCUS NEEDS TO BE, WHICH IS THAT ZERO TO FIVE YEAR.
SO THAT GIVES YOU KIND OF BOTH ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM TO LOOK AT.
AND THEN OF COURSE WE CAN LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS AS YOU SEE FIT.
JUST TO CLARIFY, YOUR SECOND OPTION IS THAT EVERYBODY IN THE DEPARTMENT, 'CAUSE WE KIND OF JUST TALKED ABOUT DOING THE DRIVER AND BELOW, GIVING THEM A BUMP.
SO A CLEAR DISTINCTION TOO, JUST SO Y'ALL ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
THE DRIVER IS A FIREFIGHTER LEVEL.
THERE'S NOT A DRIVER DISTINCTION.
SO THEY WOULD GET, THOSE DRIVERS WILL GET AN INCREASE.
THEY'LL, WE WERE LOOKING TO BUMP THAT TO A THOUSAND A MONTH, UM, FROM THE CURRENT 500.
SO THAT WOULD BE IN EFFECT FOR SURE.
UM, THAT FIRST OPTION OF THE $70,000 BUMP IS THAT FIREFIGHTER LEVEL STARTING AT THAT 70,000 AND GOING UP FROM THERE.
SO THAT LEVEL WOULD GET THAT INCREASE.
THE SECOND OPTION GIVES EVERYBODY THAT INCREASE THE 5,000 INCREASE.
WHAT IS THE STARRING SALARY FOR A LUBBOCK FIREFIGHTER THAT'S ALREADY GONE THROUGH THE ACADEMY, GONE THROUGH PROBATION? THERE'S SEVERAL FIREFIGHTERS IN THE AUDIENCE THAT COULD ANSWER THAT.
I WAS GONNA SAY THEY PROBABLY ANSWER REAL QUICK.
I KNOW, I KNOW SHE SAID THE 70, BUT WE ALSO LOOKED AT A HIGHER AMOUNT OH YEAH.
THAT I TALKED TO THE COUNCIL ABOUT, UH, TO JUST GET US STRAIGHT, UH, WITH LUBBOCK.
AND SO I WOULD TELL YOU THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND A HIGHER AMOUNT THAT GETS US CLOSER TO THE LUBBOCK, UH, STARTING SALARY.
IS THAT DOABLE IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET? IF WE START ONE APRIL, UH, THAT GIVES US A LITTLE BIT OF LEAD TIME TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND, AND ALSO TO SEND A STRONG MESSAGE NOT ONLY TO UH, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT THE, THE CITY, UH, THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, AND ALSO THE LUBBOCK, QUITE FRANKLY.
SO THAT WOULD START THAT SAL STARTING SALARY AT THE 75,000 AND THEN OF COURSE GO UP FROM THERE.
SO, SO THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION AND I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
I KNOW SHE SAID 70, BUT I WOULD SAY I'M, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
'CAUSE I ALSO WANNA LOOK AT A POLICY IN THE FUTURE WHERE MAYBE WE MATCH LUBBOCK.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO GO AHEAD AND MAYBE EVEN, I WOULD LIKE TO ACT ON SOMETHING TODAY, BUT I DO WANT TO LOOK AT POTENTIALLY HAVING A POLICY WHERE WE MATCH LUBBOCK BECAUSE WE NEED TO STAY COMPETITIVE AND WE DON'T NEED TO LOSE FIREFIGHTERS TO DO.
AND THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT, WHEN I MENTIONED ON THE SECOND AND THIRD YEAR PROGRAM, THAT WE COULD FOLLOW SUIT ON THAT FAIRLY QUICKLY TO PUT THAT IN FRONT OF COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.
WELL, THE CONCERN IS, IS NOT JUST THE PAY THOUGH, FROM MY STANDPOINT, IT'S ALSO THE SHIFT CHANGES A THROUGH D IN LUBBOCK.
I MEAN, THAT'S PRETTY APPEALING TO SOMEBODY.
SO I THINK IF WE'RE GONNA DO THAT, IF WE'RE GONNA STAY AT A THROUGH C, WHICH WHAT I UNDERSTOOD THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WOULD LIKE, I I DON'T KNOW IF WE, IF MATCHING IS GONNA BE ENOUGH OR NOT.
I'M JUST WANTING TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
I I, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION IN LIGHT OF WHAT LUBBOCK IS, BUT TO HAVE A POLICY WHERE IF THEY GO UP, WE AUTOMATICALLY DO TIES FUTURE COUNCILS TO SOMETHING THAT IS CONCERNING TO ME.
I THINK THIS HAS TO BE A CASE BY CASE.
LOOK WITHIN OUR OWN BOUNDARIES HERE AND OUR BUDGET, OUR REVENUE, OUR DETAILS, THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE EMS SERVICE AND THE COUNTY, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
WE HAVE A DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCE HERE.
SO YES, I WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO MATCH THEM, BUT TO SET A PRECEDENT IN THE FUTURE THAT WE'RE TIED TO THAT.
YEAH, I'M, I'M UNCOMFORTABLE DOING THAT.
WELL, AND, AND THAT WOULD BE COUNCIL POLICY IN TERMS OF HOW TO WORK THAT.
UH, I WILL SAY, SPEAKING TO COUNCILMAN LAD'S POINT, PLAINTIFFS HAD THE 24 72, I THINK, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG, BUT THEY HAVE IT IN PLACE.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY NORTH TEXAS CITIES HAVE FOLLOWED SUIT TO YOUR POINT.
EVERY, EVERY BUDGET'S DIFFERENT.
UM, AND LUBBOCK'S THE FIRST ONE TO DO IT IN WEST TEXAS.
IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT EVERYONE'S GONNA FOLLOW SUIT, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE CONSIDERED AND, AND PUT IN, YOU KNOW, FRONT OF MIND IN TERMS OF WHAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, REVIEW DOCUMENTS, THE FACT THAT WE'RE COVERING THE COUNTY AND THE HOSPITAL, EMS PORTION, TEXT LORI BLANC, MAYOR, I MEAN, WE'RE TAKING THAT OUT OF, BASICALLY WE'RE BALANCING THAT WITH OUR SALES TAX.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT.
WE'RE USING OUR AD VALOREM TAX AND THEN WE HAVE TO BALANCE THE REMAINDER WELL WITH OUR SALES TAX AND OTHER THINGS IN OUR, IN OUR STR IF YOU DON'T MIND.
UM, IN OUR STRATEGY AND WHAT WE'VE PROPOSED AND, UM, POSI IT TO THE COUNCIL AND WE'VE SHARED THE FIVE YEAR, UH, STRATEGIC PLAN AND FIVE YEAR FINANCIAL FORECAST.
THOSE AREN'T JUST THROWAWAY PHRASES.
IF YOU FOCUS ON THOSE TYPES OF THINGS THAT BRING IN MORE SALES TAX, THEY BRING IN MORE HOTEL MO MOTEL TAX.
WE CAN'T USE HOTEL MO MOTEL TAX FOR THIS, BUT THEY'RE ONE AND THE SAME.
IF YOU HAVE MORE SALES TAX, MORE HOTEL TAX, YOU PROBABLY GONNA HAVE MORE OF THE OTHER.
AND SO WHEN WE DO THAT AND WE FOCUS ON THAT, I MEAN LIKE BEAL PARK DOING MORE FIELDS, THE, THE, THE SYNDICATE AND HAVING MORE EVENTS.
I KNOW THOSE THINGS ARE, YOU KNOW, THOSE NICE TO HAVE, BUT WHEN PEOPLE COME HERE, THE COSTCO PEOPLE COME HERE, THERE'S MORE DOLLARS THAT WE GET INTO, UM, OUR FUNDS.
IT HELPS US TO DO WHAT YOU'RE JUST SAYING.
[00:55:01]
ASPECTS OF THE TOTAL OPERATIONS OF THE CITY.IT, IT'S, IT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE NOT A BUSINESS, BUT YOU HAVE TO OPERATE AS A BUSINESS IN ORDER TO TRY TO GET THESE REVENUES TO, TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO SO THAT WE DON'T, AND AREN'T DEPENDENT ON THE PROPERTY TAX.
EVEN THOUGH THE DISCUSSION HAS BEEN HAD ABOUT PROPERTY TAX REDUCTIONS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN THE WHOLE THING WHERE THE VALUES GO UP.
YOU REALLY HAVEN'T REDUCED THE TAXES.
WELL, THIS YEAR WITH NO NEW REVENUE 'CAUSE THE VALUES WENT DOWN.
SO WE WENT UP, I MEAN, ONE CAN'T BE TRUE IN THE OTHER.
I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TIED TO ONE ANOTHER.
AND THE STATE FORCES US TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT HOW WE PRESENT THIS.
BUT THE FACT IS, LAST YEAR WE GOT X AMOUNT OF REVENUES THIS YEAR WE MATCHED THOSE REVENUES.
AND WHEN SHE TALKS ABOUT NEW GROWTH, IT'S LIKE TWO, THREE HOUSES, YOU KNOW, TWO, THREE BUSINESS, HOWEVER MANY BUSINESSES THAT MAKE UP THE 2.4 MILLION, THAT'S LIKE SAYING WE'RE NOT GONNA TAX THEM.
WELL, THE OTHER, THE OTHER THING TOO, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FIRE DEPARTMENT IS WE'RE TAKING ON THE GROWTH OF THE COUNTY, NOT JUST THE GROWTH OF THE CITY, BUT WE DON'T GET INCREASED REVENUE FROM THOSE TAXES.
SO ON THAT NOTE, I'M, I'M GLAD YOU SAID THAT BECAUSE WE NEED TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION.
WE'VE HAD THIS PUBLICLY, THE COUNCIL'S HAD THIS PUBLICLY.
WE TALKED ABOUT REVENUE STREAMS. NOT ONLY WHEN IT HAS TO DO WITH THE SPORTS COMPLEX RUNNING OUT OF FUNDS THERE BECAUSE THE SALES TAX WENT AWAY.
NOW THE HOSPITAL TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT AND THAT'S GONNA RUN OUT.
AND WHEN THAT RUNS OUT, WHAT DO WE DO? WELL, THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE, UM, DISCUSS A TAX INCREMENT REFINANCE ZONE.
I KNOW PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THAT, BUT YOU HAVE TO DEDICATE SOME MONEY BECAUSE THAT'S GONNA RUN OUTTA MONEY AND YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN IT.
WE'VE LOOKED AT OTHER OPTIONS.
I WON'T TALK ABOUT IT NOW, BUT THE COUNCIL IS AWARE.
THERE'S TWO OTHER OPTIONS THAT DON'T COST PEOPLE IN MIDLAND ANY MONEY.
THOSE ARE DOLLARS THAT WOULD COME FROM OTHER PEOPLE AND OTHER, OTHER FOLKS THAT VISIT.
BUT WITH REGARD TO WHAT YOU JUST MENTIONED WITH THE FIRE, THE EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICT THAT YOU'RE VERY WELL AWARE OF, AND THE COUNCIL'S WELL AWARE, AWARE OF IS A DISTRICT THAT WOULD BE SET UP IN, THAT COULD BE SET UP IN THE COUNTY THAT COULD HELP PAY FOR THESE SERVICES SO THAT WE COULD GROW OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT TO INCLUDE KEEPING UP WITH THE COMPETITION AND MAKING SURE WE DON'T GET BEHIND, UM, DEPENDING ON WHAT KIND OF POLICY.
SO THOSE COUNTY RESIDENTS AND THE, AND THE OIL COMPANIES WITH FACILITIES IN THE COUNTY, THEY PAY A PORTION OF THEIR TAXES TO HELP COVER THESE COSTS.
THAT RIGHT NOW THAT'S CORRECT.
MIDLAND CITY RESIDENTS NEED TO BE AWARE THAT YOU ARE BEARING THE BURDEN AND THE COST.
YOU'RE SUBSIDIZING, YOU'RE SUBSIDIZING THOSE THAT LIVE IN THE COUNTY AND THE OIL AND GAS COMPANIES THAT HAVE TANK BATTERY.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION? YES, MA'AM.
UH, TO NICHOLAS, SO IS THE EMERGENCY DISTRICT, IS THAT THE ONLY WAY, OR COULD WE ACHIEVE THIS WITH SOME KIND OF INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE HOSPITAL IN THE COUNTY? MY, MY CONCERN WITH GOING TO THE DISTRICT PIECE OF IT IS WE HAVE TO CREATE A WHOLE NOTHER ENTITY.
WE HAVE MORE BUREAUCRACY THAT WAY.
I WOULD MUCH RATHER SEE THE, THE MIDLAND POLICE OR THE MIDLAND FIRE DEPARTMENT CONTINUE TO CARRY OUT OPERATIONS, BUT WE BE FUNDED ON THE LEVEL THAT WE SHOULD BE FROM THE COUNTY AND THE HOSPITAL AS WELL.
CERTAINLY, I, I HESITATE TO SPEAK ON FUNDING MECHANISMS AND ALLOWABILITY WHEN IT COMES TO OTHER ENTITIES, UH, FUNDS, BUT CERTAINLY IN THE CONTEXT OF AN INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENT THAT THE CITY CAN GET BACK SOME CONSIDERATION FOR THE SERVICES THAT IT DOES PROVIDE AND THAT DO THE COMMUNITY AND NOT JUST THE CITY OF MIDLAND, UH, PROVIDE VALUE THERE.
UM, YES, THE SIMPLE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS YES.
AND COUNCIL, AND PAUL, IT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT IF, IF A DISTRICT WAS CREATED, YOU, YOU'RE RIGHT, IT WOULD TAKE LONGER.
IT, IT WOULD JUST BE A, A LABORIOUS PROCESS.
BUT IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN, WE WOULD STILL, WE WOULD FUNCTION AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PROVIDING THOSE SERVICES.
SO WE WOULD LIMIT ATTEMPT TO LIMIT.
BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE WOULD'VE TO BE A BOARD THAT HAD TO BE A CERTAIN PROCESS SET UP IN ORDER FOR THAT TO, TO HAPPEN.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS ABOUT FINDING NEW REVENUE STREAMS, WHEN CHRISTY STARTED THE PRESENTATION ABOUT COST RECOVERY AND JUST THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, THIS IS A PRO A BYPRODUCT OF THAT.
I MEAN, THEY REALLY MEAN SOMETHING AND THEY TURN INTO ACTION.
THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A SAY IN WHETHER IT'S CREATED OR NOT.
IT WOULD ONLY, SO, AND MY NEXT QUESTION WOULD BE, IS IT, DOES IT INCLUDE THE WHAT'S INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, OR IS IT ONLY OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS THAT THIS WOULD THIS WOULD BE EFFECTIVELY A NEW TAX.
MY UNDERSTANDING WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS IN THAT DISTRICT ITSELF.
THE EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICT WOULD BE IN THE DISTRICT THAT IT'S SET UP FOR IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES IN THAT ZONE.
IS IT SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS GET TO HAVE A SAY IN, LIKE DRAW IT OUT? OR IS IT, IS IT AUTOMATICALLY OUTSIDE THE STATE LIMITS? IT WOULD BE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.
AS, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, I'VE HAD CHUCK DO SOME RESEARCH ON IT.
HE MAYBE COULD PROVIDE FURTHER CONTEXT, BUT I'VE, I'VE READ THE MATERIAL AND IT WOULD BE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? YEAH, SO IT, IT WOULD BE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS AND AS FAR AS THE, THE BOARD PIECE, BUT YOU, WHAT HAVE TO DO, THERE'S, THERE ARE TWO OTHER EMERGENCY DISTRICTS.
I KNOW YOU'RE LOUD ENOUGH, BUT YOU DON'T NEED IT.
BUT THERE ARE TWO OTHER EMERGENCY DISTRICTS IN THE STATE THAT ACTUALLY CONTRACT THE MUNICIPAL FIRE DEPARTMENT TO RUN THEIR ESD.
SO, BUT THERE STILL WOULD HAVE TO BE A BOARD IN PLACE.
UH, IT WOULD, IT DOES TAKE, THE COUNTY
[01:00:01]
HAS TO BE, UH, BROUGHT TO BY A COUNTY, UH, CITIZEN TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT TO THEN GO OUT FOR A VOTE FOR THEM TO VOTE ON IT, TO GET IT PASSED AT THAT POINT IN TIME.UH, BUT AGAIN, AT THAT POINT IN TIME, THEY COULD CHOOSE TO, UH, CONTRACT THE CITY OF MIDLAND FIRE DEPARTMENT TO DO ALL THE SERVICES FOR THE COUNTY.
UH, AND I DO KNOW COMMISSIONER VI HAS HAD A LITTLE, I'VE HAD ONE CONVERSATION WITH HIM.
I KNOW HE IS, UH, FOR THAT POTENTIAL, UH, ESD IN THE COUNTY.
AND I THINK JUST IN CONVERSATIONS WITH SEVERAL OF THEM, I THINK EVERYONE'S WILLING TO EXPLORE OPTIONS.
I THINK WHAT, WHAT COUNCILWOMAN POOL HAS PROPOSED HERE IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF THOSE MEMBERS AS WELL ON THE COURT TO SAY, HEY, WE CAN LOOK AT BOTH OF THESE.
LET'S LOOK AT THE PROS AND CONS OF DOING AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT VERSUS DOING AN ESD.
I THINK WE NEED TO WEIGH THOSE OUT.
WE NEED TO HAVE SOME FURTHER CONVERSATIONS.
WE ARE GETTING A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AWAY FROM OUR BUDGET CONVERSATION TODAY, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE FULL CONTEXT OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
UM, FOR THIS REASON, LORI BELONGED AT HER DESK.
I, I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME VALUE IN COMMITTING HERE AS A COUNCIL THAT WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING TO ADDRESS THIS.
BUT LET'S GIVE IT, I MEAN, LET'S GIVE IT ANOTHER COUPLE OF WEEKS AND BRING IT BACK INTO A FUTURE COUNCIL MEETING.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REST OF COUNCIL'S APPETITE IS.
THIS IS NOT US PUNTING AND SAYING WE'RE NOT HANDLING IT, BUT LET'S GET TO SOME RIGHT ANSWERS.
LET'S HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME RATHER THAN JUST HAVING STAFF WORKING THROUGH THE WEEKEND TO MAKE SOME PROPOSALS.
BUT IF, IF COUNCIL FEELS OTHERWISE, THEN LET'S, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT, MAYOR.
THE SECOND READING OF THE BUDGET IS A WEEK FROM TODAY, MAYOR.
BUT WE WOULD STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK AND EDIT OR AMEND, CORRECT? YES.
SO WE, WE WILL, THE BUDGET, JUST LIKE A BUDGET AMENDMENT GOTCHA.
BUDGET CAN BE ADOPTED AND THE TAX RATE CAN BE ADOPTED.
THE TAX RATE WON'T BE CHANGED.
WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE THE AMENDED BUDGET.
AND, AND IF THAT'S NOT EVERYONE'S APPETITE, THEN, AND THEN I'M FINE WITH GOING AHEAD AND ADDRESSING THIS TODAY.
I JUST DO FEEL LIKE WE ARE PUSHING ON SOMETHING THAT IS A VERY LARGE CONVERSATION AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO AN ANSWER QUICKLY.
MAYOR, IF I, IF I MAY FROM STAFF'S POINT, UM, THE TEAM DID A GREAT JOB OVER THE WEEKEND GATHERING INFORMATION I THINK THEY WERE IN CONTACTS WITH, WITH SOME OF YOU, BUT, UM, BUT WE, I, I REALLY WOULD LIKE FOR US TO LOOK AT IT FROM A BIGGER PICTURE AS WELL.
I, ONE THING I THINK IS REALLY CRITICAL, THE WAY I'M, I LOOKED AT IT IN THE CONVERSATIONS I, AND WHERE I'M LANDING, UM, IS I THINK LUBBOCK IS KIND OF THE, IT'S A HORSE RACE, RIGHT? THEY'RE KIND OF IN THE LEAD RIGHT NOW.
BUT WE ACTUALLY NEED TO START LOOKING KIND OF INTERNALLY TOO.
WE, WE HAVE A VERY YOUNG FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S VERY GOOD IN A LOT OF WAYS, BUT IT ALSO CAUSES SOME PROBLEMS IN A LOT OF WAYS.
UM, SO I, I REALLY THINK TO MAKE OUR, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT BETTER, REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON THESE YOUNGER CAREER, UH, INDIVIDUALS.
SO THEN OUR LEADERSHIP CAN REALLY FOCUS ON WHAT THEY NEED TO FOCUS ON, WHICH IS THE STRATEGY, THE GROWTH, UM, AND NOT JUST RECRUITING.
UM, SO I DO THINK WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING PRETTY QUICKLY.
UM, AND THAT, THAT'S WHERE I'M REALLY LEANING TOWARDS.
I DO THINK WE NEED TO INCREASE THE STARTING PAY AND THEN DO SOMETHING FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS.
UM, AND AGAIN, THE THE $5,000 NUMBER WAS KIND OF JUST SOME QUICK MATH THAT WAS DONE.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I DON'T, I'M NOT TIED TO THAT NUMBER, BUT I THINK IN ORDER TO FOCUS, REFOCUS OUR DEPARTMENT ON WHAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON, WHICH IS PROCESS AND IMPROVEMENT AND QUALITY AND SAFETY, WE GOTTA FIX THE RECRUITING PROBLEM AS SOON AS WE CAN.
AND MAYBE THERE'S THE COMPROMISE.
WE DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT TODAY, AND THEN WE HAVE THE MORE ROBUST CONVERSATION GOING FORWARD.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I THINK IS, IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND WE, WE'VE GOTTA FIND A WAY TO KIND OF STEER THE SHIP SO WE'RE NOT JUST FOCUSED ON RECRUITING, UM, AND DOING WHAT, WHAT OUR LEADERSHIP NEEDS TO BE DOING.
WELL, I THINK TOMMY HAD SAID THAT THE 75,000 STARTING PAY IS DOABLE.
AND I, I WOULD PREFER TO SEE US MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT TODAY.
AND THE REST OF IT CAN BE A LONGER CONVERSATION.
UM, I THINK IT'S SMART TO HAVE A LONGER CONVERSATION.
I THINK ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE TO RUSH IS, IS NOT REALLY WORTH IT.
UM, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF NUANCE TO THE CONVERSATION.
I THINK WE, WE DIDN'T EVEN ADDRESS THE BURN BUILDING THAT WE DESPERATELY NEED.
AND SO I THINK THAT HAS TO BECOME A PART OF THE EQUATION.
BUT I THINK TACKLING THE STARTING PAY IS, IS GENERALLY SOMETHING WE CAN DO.
I, I, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD FIRST STEP.
UM, I'M VERY WORRIED ABOUT SALARY COMPRESSION.
UM, AND AGAIN, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S A HARDER PROBLEM.
AND I THINK THAT DOES TAKE A LOT MORE KIND OF DISCUSSION AND THINKING ABOUT HOW WE FIX, UM, SALARY COMPRESSION TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S KIND OF BEING, UM, PAID EQUITABLY.
LET ME ASK THIS, IF, I MEAN, I'M, I'M PERFECTLY FINE WITH DOING THAT TODAY AS WELL.
HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE A MORE AT LARGE 50,000 FEET COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF SALARY INCREASES.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY FALL INTO THAT PLAN AND, AND WHERE WE BALANCE THAT WITH THE OTHER THINGS WE NEED.
THE THE CONCERN I HAVE IS IF WE DO, IF WE DO 75 TODAY, ARE WE GOING TO, WHAT IF THE PLAN TELLS US, OH, WELL WE REALLY SHOULD BE DOING 82 OR
[01:05:01]
WHATEVER.ARE WE WILLING TO COME BACK AND ADDRESS THAT AGAIN, EVEN IF IT IS THAT? I THINK, I THINK WE'RE SAYING YES, WE ARE.
REAL QUICKLY, JUST SO I CAN HELP.
'CAUSE SOMEBODY ASKED THE QUESTION WHILE AGO.
SO OCTOBER ONE LOVE ENTRY PAY WITH THEIR 3% RAISE WILL BE 71,580.
UH, AND IF, IF WE GO TO THE, THE 74,000, THE THAT NUMBER WITH US, THAT MEANS A MIDLAND FIREFIGHTER WOULD MAX OUT AT YEAR 10.
WE ALREADY MAKE MORE AT MAX THAN THAN LUBBOCK.
UH, SO WE'D GET THERE FASTER EVEN.
SO, UH, THAT'S THE OTHER ADVANTAGE TO THAT, THE, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY AS FAR AS, UH, AFFECTING THAT BEGINNER PAY, UH, IS THE GUY WOULD GET THEM, INSTEAD OF TAKING RIGHT NOW 14 YEARS TO MAX OUT, UH, IF WE MADE THIS ADJUSTMENT, UH, HE WOULD MAX OUT NOW AT, AT 10 YEARS.
SO, AND TWO, TO CLARIFY, WITH THESE ADJUSTMENTS THAT GO UP TO THE NIGHT, NO, I'M SORRY,
SO THE COMPRESSION IS NOT GOING TO COMPOUND ON IT JUST BECAUSE WE'RE BUMPING THAT LOWER UP.
WE'RE JUST REMOVING LOWER STEPS TO ALLOW US TO START AT THAT 75.
AND THEN THOSE DIFFERENCES ARE GONNA CONTINUE UP THE CHAIN.
SO THERE'S NOT SO MUCH A, AN ISSUE WITH THAT COMPRESSION.
WE'RE JUST LIMITING LOWER LEVELS.
THAT'S WHAT THEY DID THIS WEEKEND AND WE'RE VERY INNOVATIVE IN THAT BY REMOVING THOSE STEPS ON THE FRONT END, IT, IT ATTACKED THE COMPRESSION ISSUE SO THAT THAT WOULDN'T BECOME AN ISSUE.
CAN YOU TELL, TELL US, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WE'RE WE'RE NOT GOING TO COME OUT OF FUND BALANCE FOR THIS, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS WITH CUTS IN OTHER PLACES.
UM, CAN YOU TALK TO US A LITTLE, YOU AND I HAVE HAD SOME CONVERSATION, BUT FOR THE ROOM, THE COUNCIL MONITOR SHOWS THE SLIDE.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THE WHITE ANGLE SHOWS THE TABLE.
THERE'S, THERE'S FOUR DIFFERENT AREAS THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT.
ONE IS ITSD, UH, WE FOUND, UM, AROUND $500,000 IN CUTS IN ADDITION TO THAT.
UM, RECENTLY JUST FOUND ANOTHER 250.
WELL, I, I SHOULD SAY WHEN SHE SAYS FINE, I MEAN, THESE ARE AREAS WE'VE HAD, SHE'S WILLING TO CUT.
NOT THAT THERE WAS ANY ADDITIONAL DOLLARS, I'M NO, I'M NOT TRYING TO CORRECT YOU.
BUT, BUT I KNOW SHE STRUGGLED.
HER AND THE LISTA, THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO NEXT YEAR THAT WE HAD PLANNED TO DO.
USUALLY WHEN I ASK THEM FOR SOMETHING, THEY'LL GET IT BACK PRETTY QUICK.
THIS ONE TOOK THEM A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE THEY RESPONDED TO ME.
WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT CERTAIN FACILITIES MAINTENANCE DEFERRALS AS WELL AS EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT DEFERRALS.
UM, ONCE AGAIN, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'VE DETERMINED THAT ARE NEEDED TO EITHER, EITHER MAINTENANCE OR, OR EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENTS THAT WE WOULD DEFER.
AND THEN OUR, OUR LAST ITEM IS WE, WE CAN MAKE A TEMPORARY USE OF SOME OF THE FIRE VACANCIES, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY A TEMPORARY, UM, THAT'S COST.
THAT'S MORE BELTS AND SUSPENDERS.
AND REALLY YOU'RE ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL THERE.
YOU'RE USING MONEY THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A FULL, YOU DON'T HAVE THAT MONEY.
SO OUR GOAL IS STILL TO FULLY STAFF.
AND SO WE HOPE THAT THAT ONE IS NOT AVAILABLE.
YOU GET TO THE ACADEMY, THEN THAT NUMBER SHRINKS, UH, BECAUSE THEN THEY BECOME FIREFIGHTERS.
WELL, SO WE HAVE THESE THINGS IN FRONT OF US TO GO TO THE INCREASED COMPENSATION STRUCTURE WITH THESE CUTS CONSIDERED.
AND COUNCIL MEMBERS REMAIN SEATED AT THE CURVE DAYS.
CHRISTIE CAN GIVE MORE DETAIL TO ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WANT THAT, OR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WANT THAT AFTER WE'RE DONE WITH THIS CONVERSATION.
BUT SHE'S TOLD US WHERE THAT WILL COME FROM.
WE HAVE, THE REST OF THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR PREVIOUS BUDGET HEARING THAT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR PEOPLE TO VIEW AND THAT THAT PACKET IS ALSO AVAILABLE.
UM, SO THE CONSIDERATION HERE IS WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US.
WE DO HAVE SOME REQUESTS TO SPEAK, BUT I WANTED TO ALLOW ANY FURTHER DIALOGUE FROM COUNSEL BEFORE WE OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION.
I MEAN, I, I WAS ABLE TO TAKE SOME NOTES WHILE WE WERE KIND OF HAVING DISCUSSION, UM, IN REGARD TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND CITY EMPLOYEES.
I KNOW WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF STAYING COMPETITIVE.
I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER LADD MADE A REALLY GOOD POINT ABOUT KIND OF THE OVERALL OVERARCHING CONVERSATION.
BUT, YOU KNOW, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, THEY WORK REALLY HARD AND WE NEED THEM TO BE THEIR BEST.
AND WE, WE WANNA REDUCE TURNOVER.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT LUBBOCK BEING VERY IMPORTANT.
I THINK THAT'S KIND OF, THEY'RE SETTING THE BENCHMARK RIGHT NOW.
AND I ALSO, I'D LIKE TO TAKE, I WANNA TAKE ACTION TODAY ON SOMETHING.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT WITH THE 75,000, BUT I DON'T ONLY WANT TO FOCUS ON THE ZERO TO FIVE.
I WANNA FOCUS ON EVERY SINGLE GROUP BECAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE RETAINING THEM AT ALL DIFFERENT LEVELS.
AND SO I ALSO WANT TO COME BACK NEXT BEFORE NEXT VOTE AND HAVE THE TWO TO THREE YEAR PLAN, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO KIND OF KNOW WHAT WE'RE WANTING TO DO.
ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS' THOUGHTS ON THIS? AMY STRETCHER BURS LOOKS DOWN AT HER DESK AND WE, WE CAN HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ABOUT OTHER THINGS THAT CAN BE CUT OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
SO IT'S NEXT TUESDAY, NEXT ONE WEEK.
TEXT GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTAL EXPENDITURES.
BUT BACK TO WHAT WE, NICHOLAS HAS ALREADY EXPLAINED, WE
[01:10:01]
CAN, WE CAN COME BACK AND AMEND THE BUDGET.LORI BLANC LOOKS AT THE COUNCIL MORE SIGNIFICANTLY, YOU KNOW, OR AT A FUTURE DATE.
SO IF WE ADOPT THIS TODAY WITH THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING HERE, THEN WE CAN COME BACK AND MAKE ADDITIONAL CHANGES.
EVEN, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY IN NOVEMBER WE LEARN MORE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER THAT'S STILL AVAILABLE TO US.
AND IT WOULD TAKE AN ACT OF COUNSEL.
THAT CANNOT BE DONE ADMINISTRATIVELY.
IT WOULD TAKE AN ACT OF THE COUNCIL.
WELL, GIVEN THE LIGHT OF THE NEW CONVERSATION, I DON'T WANT US TO GET IN THE WEEDS, BUT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOLUTIONS TODAY, PART OF ME WANTS TO REVISIT ITEM NUMBER SEVEN AND ADDRESS WHETHER DO WE NEED THOSE SIGNS TODAY? THAT COULD BE $500,000 THAT WE COULD HOTEL.
WELL THOSE FROM HOTEL, HOTEL, HOTEL.
AND THEN WE, THOSE OTHER GROUPS, UM, THAT DONATED, UM, WAS FOR THE, YEAH, GOTCHA.
TEXT JACK LADD, DISTRICT THREE.
WELL, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE FLOOR FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, SO THE PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN AND I'D LIKE TO FIRST CALL RUTH MEYER TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
RUTH MEYER STANDS AT THE PODIUM, A MONITOR DISPLAYS TEXT.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME TODAY.
UM, I ACTUALLY, MAY I CLARIFY SOMETHING SURE.
A COUPLE SLIDES AGO, IT SHOWED A LITTLE CHART THAT SAID LIKE THE 2026 VERSUS 2027 BUDGET.
AND THEN IT ALSO HAD NEW CONSTRUCTION.
LANDON, WILL YOU GO BACK TO THAT PLEASE? TEXT PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX RATES.
THERE WAS ONE I THINK IT WAS BEFORE, YES.
SO IS THAT THE DIFFERENCE IN TAX RATE THAT WE'RE SEEING THAT THE 34 VERSUS 38 IS ONLY BECAUSE OF THE REVENUE FROM NEW CONSTRUCTION? IS THAT CORRECT? NO, MA'AM.
SO THE, THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS WHAT IT TAKES FOR US TO GET $65.2 MILLION.
THE ORIGINAL NUMBER THAT WE WERE GIVEN LAST YEAR.
SO, SO THE, THE AVERAGE HOME VALUE OF MIDLAND WENT DOWN.
SO FOR US TO KEEP THE SAME REVENUE, WE HAD TO INCREASE THE TAX RATE.
SO THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS WHETHER OR NOT WE DO INCREASE THE TAX RATE TO THE, TO A NO NEW REVENUE FROM THE 34 TO THE 38, CORRECT? YES MA'AM.
I'M A FAIRLY NEW RESIDENT, SO I'M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO MY ONLY ARGUMENT HERE WOULD BE I FEEL LIKE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE INCREASED SHOULD HAVE A SAY IN THAT.
AND I DON'T LIKE JUST HAVING THIS SORT OF SLID IN LIKE, OH, HERE WE ARE.
ALL OF A SUDDEN YOUR TAX RATE IS GOING TO INCREASE WITHOUT THE PEOPLE REALLY GETTING A SAY OR EVEN VOTING ON WHAT THAT IS.
AND SO I WOULD, I WOULD PREFER THAT THIS WOULD BE MORE OF A PUBLIC DISCUSSION.
AND I REALIZE WITH THE BUDGET COMING UP IN A WEEK, THAT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
BUT THIS IS PART OF WHY A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T TRUST GOVERNMENT IS BECAUSE THERE'S LIKE THESE LITTLE HIDDEN THINGS THAT KIND OF SLIDE IN JUST BELOW THE RATE TO ACTUALLY HAVE TO VOTE ON IT.
AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR US AS CITIZENS TO REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON BEHIND CLOSED DOORS UNLESS WE TAKE TIME OFF WORK AND WE COME TO A 10 O'CLOCK MEETING ON A TUESDAY MORNING, YOU KNOW, OR WHATEVER IT IS.
SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE THAT THIS BE MORE OF A PUBLIC DISCUSSION.
AND LIKE I SAID, I'M A FAIRLY NEW RESIDENT.
I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE THREE MONTHS, SO THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN MORE OF THAT THAN I'M AWARE OF.
BUT THIS BEING MY FIRST COUNCIL MEETING, I'M STILL WEARING THE ROPES.
AND I WOULD JUST REALLY APPRECIATE A LITTLE BIT MORE TRANSPARENCY FROM THE VOTERS.
AND I WILL SAY WE HAVE PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HELD PRIOR TO THIS WHERE WE'VE HAD THE PUBLIC CONVERSATIONS AND THOSE ARE AVAILABLE, THEY'RE POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE.
SO WE'D LOVE FOR YOU TO GO IN AND YOU CAN WATCH THE ENTIRETY OF THAT CONVERSATION AS WELL.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME? OKAY.
DEREK SMITH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME? UH, YES.
MAYOR LORI BLO LOOKS DOWN AT HER DESK.
UH, THIS PAPER HERE IS FROM WEDNESDAY, AUGUST THE 26TH, 2009.
AND THAT COUNCIL FOUND $5.5 MILLION IN BUDGET CUTS.
AND WITH OUR PROPERTY TAX RATES, UH, OR OUR APPRAISALS FALLING, WHAT'S ESSENTIALLY GOING ON IS LIKE AN OVERPAYMENT TO AN EMPLOYEE.
SO IMAGINE AN EMPLOYEE IS PAID $30 AN HOUR AND NORMALLY TAKES HOME $1,200 PER PAY PERIOD.
THE COMPANY ACCIDENTALLY OVERPAYS THE EMPLOYEE $200.
INSTEAD OF SIMPLY REDUCING THE EMPLOYEE'S FUTURE PAY TO RECOVER THE 200, THE EMPLOYEE SAYS I'LL INCREASE MY HOURLY RATE SO THE COMPANY CAN RECOUP THE $200, BUT I'LL STRUCTURE IT SO THAT MY TOTAL TAKE HOME PAY REMAINS EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS BEFORE.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.
SO THE EMPLOYEE'S PAY RATE GOES UP, THE COMPANY GETS THE $200 OVERPAYMENT BACK, AND THE EMPLOYEE CONTINUES TAKING HOME THE SAME $1,200.
THAT IS ESSENTIALLY THE ARGUMENT BEING MADE WHEN PROPERTY VALUES FALL.
BUT A LOCAL GOVERNMENT RAISES THE TAX RATE ENOUGH TO COLLECT THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE.
FOR EXAMPLE, SUPPOSE A PROPERTY WAS WORTH $300,000 AND THE TAX RATE WAS 1% PRODUCING 3000 IN
[01:15:01]
PROPERTY TAXES.IF THE PROPERTY'S VALUE FALLS TO $250,000, A 1% TAX RATE WOULD PRODUCE ONLY $2,500.
BUT IF THE GOVERNMENT RAISES THE TAX RATE TO 1.2, THE $250,000 PROPERTY NOW PRODUCES $3,000 IN TAXES.
AGAIN, THE PROPERTY'S VALUE WENT DOWN, THE TAX RATE WENT UP ENOUGH TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT'S REVENUE AT THE SAME LEVEL.
IN SIMPLE TERMS, PROPERTY VALUE GOES DOWN, TAX RATE GOES UP, GOVERNMENT REVENUE STAYS THE SAME, IT'S COMPARABLE TO AN EMPLOYEE'S ORIGINAL PAY.
THE OVERPAYMENT OCCURS, HOURLY RATE GOES UP TO RECOVER THE OVERPAYMENT.
EMPLOYEE'S TAKE HOME PAY STAYS EXACTLY THE SAME.
THE IMPORTANT DISTINCTION IS THAT THE PROPERTY TAX EXAMPLE ISN'T LITERALLY AN OVERPAYMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT TO THE TAXPAYER.
THE ANALOGY IS ABOUT THE MECHANISM OF OFFSETTING A REDUCTION IN THE UNDERLYING BASE BY INCREASING THE RATE APPLIED TO THAT BASE.
SO THE AMOUNT COLLECTED REMAINS UNCHANGED.
AND I WOULD LIKE, I I REALLY WISH Y'ALL WOULD GIVE US MORE THAN JUST THREE MINUTES BECAUSE SOME OF THIS EXTRA REVENUE STREAMS THAT Y'ALL ARE LOOKING AT, I CAN EXPLAIN IT TO YOU AND I WILL ATTEMPT TO DO THAT DURING PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.
BECAUSE WHEN WE HAVE ONE ACRE OF LAND, IF IT'S VALUED AT $200,000 AND WE PUT 10 NEW HOMES WITH A MEDIAN PRICE VALUE OF 300,000 ON IT, WE HAVE RAISED THE VALUE OF THAT SAME ACRE OF LAND.
THE APPRAISAL IS NOW 1400% MORE.
AND THAT IS HAPPENING AT AN EXPONENTIALLY INCREASING RATE AS DEVELOPMENT GOES ON.
SO WHERE IS ALL THIS ADDITIONAL REVENUE FROM THE NOW 2.8 MILLION GOING? AND THEN WHEN YOU HAVE COMMERCIAL PROJECTS THAT RAISE, SAY, FIVE ACRES FROM A MILLION DOLLARS AT 200,000 PER ACRE UP TO, AND THAT'S 1 MILLION UP TO $80 MILLION FOR ONE COMMERCIAL PROJECT, THAT'S A 7900% INCREASE IN THE APPRAISED VALUE OF THAT ONE ACRE OF LAND OR THOSE FIVE ACRES.
TOMMY, UM, JUST TO ADDRESS THAT, UM, IN ORDER TO GET US TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, WHICH IS WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED TODAY, I BELIEVE WE MADE MORE THAN $5 MILLION IN CUTS.
IS THAT ACCURATE? WHEN, WHEN WE STARTED THE, THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE DID MAKE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF CUTS, UM, THAT COUNCIL SEIZED IN TERMS OF WHAT DID NOT GET FUNDED.
UM, THE NO NEW REVENUE THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED IS ACTUALLY THE GOLD STANDARD.
YOU WANT TO GET TO THE NO NEW REVENUE.
IF YOU SAY YOU'RE NOT GONNA INCREASE TAXES.
I THINK WHAT'S DIFFERENT THIS YEAR IS THAT THE VALUES WERE DECREASED DRAMATICALLY THROUGHOUT MIDLAND MM-HMM
SO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SAW A DECREASE, EVEN WITH THIS, UH, PROPERTY TAX RATE INCREASE, WE'LL STILL SEE A DECREASE IF THEIR, IF THEIR, UH, HOMES WERE DEVALUED SIGNIFICANTLY ENOUGH TO CONTINUE TO SEE THAT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE SAW AN INCREASE.
UH, AND SO THIS IS ON TOP OF THAT INCREASE, BUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WAS GENERATED LAST YEAR WITH LAST YEAR'S TAX RATE AT 34.7 WAS 65.2.
THIS YEAR, IN ORDER TO GET THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE OF 65.2 IS 38.30 CENTS.
AND THE MIDLAND COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, LAST YEAR OR SO RADICALLY CHANGED THEIR CALCULATIONS THIS YEAR.
UM, AND I DON'T BELIEVE, AND I THINK CHRISTIE CAN SPEAK TO THIS, BUT IN THE LAST 20 OR 30 YEARS, THERE MAYBE I'M, MAYBE, MAYBE I'M ADDING YEARS, BUT I KNOW SHE LOOKED BACK AND I KNOW THERE WAS OVER A DECADE AT LEAST, THAT THERE HAD NOT BEEN A DECREASE IN THE VALUES IN MIDLAND, TEXAS.
I THINK IT GOES FURTHER THAN THAT.
I MEAN, EVEN IF THEY WOULD'VE JUST MAINTAINED IT AT, AT WHAT THEY HAD, UH, AND WE WOULD'VE GENERATED 65.2, THERE WOULD'VE BEEN NO 5 MILLION TO MAKE UP.
UH, I, I'LL SAY THIS AGAIN 'CAUSE I SAID IT BEFORE, AND THESE, THESE ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.
AS I SAID, THE LAST THREE YEARS, COUNSEL ACTUALLY REDUCED THE PROPERTY TAX RATE AND PEOPLE'S ARGUMENT, WHICH THEY'RE NOT WRONG.
IF THEIR VALUE WENT UP, THEN THEY DIDN'T SEE A, A DECREASE, EVEN THOUGH WE, THE COUNCIL DECREASED IT.
IF, IF, UH, IT STAYED THE SAME, THEN THEY'D SEE A DECREASE IF IT WENT UP.
OBVIOUSLY THEY DON'T SEE ONE BECAUSE THE VALUES ARE WHAT THEY ARE.
THAT'S THE BYPRODUCT OF LIVING IN MIDLAND, TEXAS.
UH, THIS YEAR THEY WENT DOWN DRAMATICALLY AND IT, IT IS IMPACTING THE TAX RATE.
I WILL SAY THAT IN YEARS PAST, THE TAX RATE HAS BEEN A LOT HIGHER THAN 34.7.
IT'S BEEN A LOT HIGHER THAN 3.3.
AND SO WE HAVE, WE'VE SHOWN YOU THAT, THAT GRAPHIC WHERE WE'VE, WE'VE STEADILY GONE DOWN ON THAT.
AND WHAT WE'VE WORKED ON IS COST RECOVERY.
WE'VE WORKED ON SALES TAX INCREASES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
I THINK THAT WE WERE, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS A BIT OF A CURVE TO SEE THE VALUES GO DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY.
'CAUSE AGAIN, IT'S MIDLAND, TEXAS AND YOU SCRATCH YOUR HEAD.
WHY WOULD WE REDUCE IT SO MUCH FROM A VALUE STANDPOINT? 'CAUSE OUR VALUES AREN'T NECESSARILY GOING DOWN, YOU KNOW, THE INFLATION'S NOT GOING DOWN.
AND SO THAT, THAT WAS KIND OF A HEAD SCRATCHER.
I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO IDENTIFY
[01:20:01]
THAT I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING 'CAUSE WE HAVE NO FURTHER REQUEST TO SPEAK.BELONG GESTURES TOWARD THE MONITOR ON HER DESK.
EACH OF EACH PERSON WHO OWNS PROPERTY IS EXPERIENCES THIS DISTINCTLY.
SO WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE SITTING IN THIS ROOM AND CERTAINLY ACROSS MIDLAND WHOSE PROPERTY VALUATIONS WENT UP THIS YEAR, OR WHOSE PROPERTY VALUATIONS WENT DOWN IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
SO WHAT WE ARE BASING, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE, THE VALUES WENT UP OR THEY WENT DOWN, WE LOOK AT IT FROM THE TOTAL NUMBER THAT IS PROVIDED TO US FROM THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT FOR THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT THEY PROJECT FOR THE CITY OF MIDLAND.
THE, THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT GETS THEIR OWN NUMBER LIKE THAT.
THE, THE COLLEGE AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE COUNTY.
EACH TAXING ENTITY GETS A NUMBER LIKE THAT FROM THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
AND WE HAVE TO BUILD A BUDGET BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF, OF REVENUE THAT THEY PROJECT FOR US.
THEY'RE PROJECTIONS, THEY'RE PREDICTIONS, THEY ARE NOT, UM, THE REAL COLLECTIONS.
AND SO WHEN WE, WHEN WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS, I CAN SEE IN PEOPLE'S FACES FRUSTRATION LIKE, HEY, MINE WENT UP OR MINE WENT DOWN.
AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT EACH PERSON EXPERIENCES THESE THINGS DISTINCTLY.
AND WE ARE, WE'RE NOT MAKING LIGHT OF THAT.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO MAKE BUDGET PROJECT PROJECTIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE FOR THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE CARING WELL FOR THE FACILITIES AND THE MAINTENANCE AND THE PERSONNEL AND ALL OF THE OTHER OBLIGATIONS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, WE KNOW THAT YOU, YOU PERSONALLY MAY HAVE BEEN IMPACTED DIFFERENTLY THAN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
AND TODAY'S CONVERSATION THAT THE COUNCIL HAD IS A BYPRODUCT OF YOUR LIST OF PRIORITIES.
YOU SAY YOUR PRIORITIES ARE PUBLIC SAFETY, WE'RE GONNA MAKE CUTS IN OTHER AREAS AND WE DON'T SAY THAT BEGRUDGINGLY.
WE JUST, WE'LL, WE'LL THAT'S JUST A MATTER OF FACT THERE.
WE WE'RE GONNA MAKE CUTS IN OTHER AREAS IN ORDER TO MEET THAT DEMAND.
AND THE DEMAND IS IN THAT ORDER.
PUBLIC SAFETY, ROADS, WATER AND PARK MAINTENANCE.
OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS OR COMMENTS FROM STAFF? DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING CHRISTIE? UH, JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE, THE FULL BUDGET, UH, PROPOSED BUDGET HAS BEEN PLACED ONLINE AND, UH, PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PAPER.
ALL OF THAT'S BEEN SINCE AUGUST THE 12TH.
UM, BASED ON WHAT'S REQUIRED FOR US TO DO.
UM, THE ONLY OTHER THING I WAS GONNA SHOW IS IN, IN THE, THIS VERY LONG THING, WE ARE REQUIRED NOW STARTING LAST YEAR, UM, BY THE STATE TO PUT OUT WHAT IS LAST YEAR, WHAT THE AVERAGE, UH, OR AVERAGE OR MEDIAN, UM, COST WAS.
TAX COST WAS FOR THE MEDIAN HOME AS COMPARED TO THIS YEAR'S MEDIAN HOME AND WHAT THOSE TAX RATES WERE.
SO LAST YEAR THE MEDIAN TAX RATE WAS 9 45.
THERE AGAIN, MANY PEOPLE SAW HIGHER, MANY PEOPLE SAW LOWER TAX REVENUE.
THERE, THERE'S GONNA BE MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCE A LOWER TAX BILL THIS YEAR BASED ON THEIR VALUATIONS DECREASING EVEN WITH A HIGHER RATE.
SO IT'S, I I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE TRANSPARENCY ITEMS WERE THERE AND THAT Y'ALL REALIZED THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO PUT THAT DATA OUT THERE.
THE VALUES ARE, ARE WHAT DRIVES THE TAX RATE.
I THINK I WOULD JUST SAY IT'S, IT'S A VERY LARGE BLENDED AVERAGE.
AND SO SOME HOUSES WENT UP, SOME HOUSES WENT DOWN, SOME PEOPLE'S TAX RATE, EVEN WITH THE INCREASED TAX RATE IS THAT IT'S STILL GONNA BE LESS AND SOMEONE'S GONNA BE MORE.
AND WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THAT.
'CAUSE THAT'S THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
WHAT WE'RE WORKING OFF IS REALLY THE AVERAGE.
UM, AND THEN HOW WE BALANCE OUR BUDGET WITH THAT AVERAGE.
AND MAYOR, TO BE CLEAR, THE THE MCAT IS A PRO BYPRODUCT OF THE STATE.
THE CITY HAS NO CONNECTIONS TO THAT AT ALL WHATSOEVER.
WE DO NOMINATE A, A PERSON TO SIT ON THEIR ADVISORY BOARD.
ONE PERSON JUST AS THE COUNTY DOES AND ONE PERSON THE OTHERS.
FOUR AND A TABLE TEXT MIDLAND.
SO I, I THINK NICOLE, THESE ARE FOR YOU.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE WE, WE KIND OF HAVE THE NUMBERS ON THE TABLE, I GUESS.
SO IF WE DID THE 75,000 EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, WHAT IMPACT WOULD THAT HAVE TO JANUARY 1ST OR APRIL 1ST? WAS IT APRIL 1ST? APRIL.
APRIL 1ST IS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
UM, THE 75,000 WITH THE ADDITIONAL TO THE DRIVER CERTIFICATION, BUMPING IT TO THE A THOUSAND PER MONTH.
UM, IF YOU IMPLEMENT IN BOTH OF THOSE IN APRIL THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT $564,348.
SO THAT'S 1.1 MILLION FOR THE YEAR.
AND ANYWAY, SO SAID DIFFERENTLY THEN.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY ONE APRIL IS WHAT SHE'S STATING, BECAUSE THEN THAT MAKES IT TO WHERE WE CAN HAVE SOME TIME TO PLAN THAT OUT FOR THE NEXT YEAR, EVEN THOUGH WE WILL DO IT IN THIS FISCAL YEAR BUDGET STARTING ONE APRIL.
CAN YOU EMAIL THAT TO US, NICOLE? ABSOLUTELY.
AND, AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THAT'S ON ADDITION.
ADDITIONAL TO WHAT WE'VE ALREADY GOT BUDGETED FOR THE CURRENT CHANGES, RIGHT? AND THEN HOW MANY SALARY GRADES WOULD WE BE, I'M REDUCING HOW MANY SALARY GRADES WOULD WE BE TAKING AWAY FOR THAT ONE? WE'RE ELIMINATING THE FIRST FOUR STEPS.
AND SOMETHING THAT WE'VE PROPOSED, THIS IS THAT LONG-TERM THING THAT WE
[01:25:01]
DON'T WANNA SAY THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING, BUT WE CAN LOOK AT ADDING THOSE STEPS ON THE HIGHER END SO THAT YOU STILL HAVE THOSE ADDITIONAL AREAS.THOSE ARE SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AT THE YEAR TWO AND THREE OPTIONS.
BUT PLEASE, ANYONE LISTENING, DON'T TAKE THAT TO THE BANK.
'CAUSE WE HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED VETTING THE PROCESS FOR THE SECOND AND THIRD YEAR.
NO, BUT THAT CAN, THAT TELLS YOU WE'VE ALREADY BEEN LOOKING AT THE SECOND AND THIRD YEAR.
THAT'S PART OF THE ONGOING CONVERSATION THAT WE ALREADY YEAH.
AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE STARTED LOOKING AT AS WELL, SO THAT WE WOULD BE PREPARED IF COUNSEL SO CHOSE TO ASK US THOSE QUESTIONS.
WELL, AND BEFORE, BEFORE WE CLOSE, I JUST WANTED TO COMMEND STAFF.
I MEAN, WE LITERALLY HAD THE FIRE LIT UNDER US LAST WEEK, PUN INTENDED.
UM, AND Y'ALL REALLY JUMPED IN AND, AND GOT TO WORK.
AND SO I KNOW IT WAS A HOLIDAY WEEKEND AND THAT WAS A LOT OF EXTRA HOURS.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT MORE THAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S TURNING ON A DIME.
JUST WANTED TO SAY I I DO SUPPORT THAT.
I DO THOUGH I'M GONNA REITERATE AGAIN, I WANT TO LOOK AT ALL THE PERSONNEL WITH THAT AS WELL.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL'S WANTING TO KIND OF COMMIT TO FOR THE NEXT VOTE.
AND I DON'T WANNA VOTE NO AGAINST THE BUDGET BECAUSE I DO, BUT I DO BELIEVE WE NEED TO LOOK AT ALL THE PERSONNEL IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
SO, SO I THINK I HAVE A MOTION.
NICHOLAS, YOU CAN GRADE ME LATER.
I CAN, CAN I READ IT REAL QUICK AND MAKE SURE IT'S CLOSE TO WHAT I HAVE? PLEASE, PLEASE TEXT BRIAN STUBBS DISTRICT ONE.
I MEAN, I'M JUST GONNA ADD TO COME BACK WITH THE THREE YEAR PLAN.
I THINK THIS IS CLOSE TO WHAT I HAD.
SO, UM, I MOVED TO APPROVE THE, UH, THE ORDINANCE SUBJECT OF THE FOLLOWING BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
UM, ESTABLISHING A STARTING FIREFIGHTER SALARY OF $75,000 BY ELIMINATING THE FIRST FOUR STEPS OF THE FIGHT OR FIRE PLATE PAY PLAN, INCLUSIVE OF A 2% ADJUSTMENT ALREADY INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET TO BE EFFECTIVE ON APRIL 1ST, 2027.
AND NUMBER TWO, INCREASING FIRE DEPARTMENT DRIVER CERTIFICATION PAY TO $1,000 PER MONTH TO BE EFFECTIVE ON APRIL 1ST, 2027.
AND DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO PROPOSE AMENDMENTS, MAKING CUTS TO THE BUDGET TO FUND THOSE INCREASES AT THE SECOND READING OF THE BUDGET ORDINANCE.
AND ALSO AT THE SECOND READING OF THE BUDGET ORDINANCE REPORT BACK TO CITY COUNCIL WITH A THREE YEAR PLAN OF, UM, STABILIZING OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT SALARY ADJUSTMENTS.
COUNCILMAN STUBBS SITS AT THE CURVE TABLE.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN STUBBS WITH AN AMENDMENT AS STATED.
AND THEN A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN LADD.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION FROM COUNCIL? SEEING NONE, I'LL LOOK FOR YOUR ACTION ON ITEM 21.
THE MOTION TO AMEND CARRIES SIX TO ZERO.
WE WILL MOVE FORWARD TO ITEM 22, PLEASE.
AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE DEBT SERVICE COMPONENT OF THE FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 20 27 TAX RATE.
SO IN GRAND, UH, STATE FASHION, THEY'VE ADDED ANOTHER RULE THIS YEAR.
SO NORMALLY WE JUST APPROVE THE TAX RATE AS THE NEXT ITEM.
NOW THEY'VE BROKEN THAT INTO THREE ITEMS. SO FIRST WE HAVE TO APPROVE THE DEBT SERVICE RATE.
THAT'S THE RATE THAT TAKES CARE OF OUR TAX SUPPORTED DEBT ONLY.
UM, AND THEN THE NEXT ITEM, NUMBER 23, TAKES CARE OF THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS PORT PORTION OF OUR TAX RATE.
AND THEN NUMBER 24 IS THE ENTIRE TAX RATE, UM, AS A WHOLE.
SO JUST GIVING YOU THE BACKGROUND OF WHY THAT'S CHANGED THIS YEAR.
THIS IS THE, THE RATE THAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED IN ALL OF THE BUDGET CONVERSATIONS, AS YOU SAID, THAT HAVE BEEN POSTED SINCE AUGUST 12TH, PUBLICLY ON OUR WEBSITE AND IN THE MIDLAND REPORTER TELEGRAM.
AND WE'VE HAD BUDGET HEARINGS ACCORDINGLY.
SO WE HAVE THAT BEFORE US COUNSEL.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER? THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, WE HAVE NO REQUEST TO SPEAK, SO I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING WITH NO REQUEST TO SPEAK ON ITEM 22.
DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION OR ACTION FROM COUNSEL? WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN NORMAN, A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN LADD.
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S VOTE.
AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE DEBT SERVICE COMPONENT OF THE FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 20 27 TAX RATE.
THE DISPLAY UPDATES TO SHOW MOTION, APPROVE AND VOTE IN PROGRESS.
THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
IN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION COMPONENT OF THE FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 20 27 TEXT RATE.
OKAY, SO SIMILARLY, WE HAVE THAT BEFORE US AND HAVE HAD IT POSTED FOR THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS.
I'LL LOOK FOR DISCUSSION OR OPEN PUBLIC HEARING.
WE HAVE NO REQUEST TO SPEAK, SO I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND LOOK FOR ACTION OR DISCUSSION FROM COUNCIL.
[01:30:01]
HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN STUBBS, A SECOND FROM COUNCILWOMAN POOL.IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S VOTE.
TEXT 23, AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS COMPONENT OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
ITEM NUMBER 24, PLEASE ESTABLISH A TAX RATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 20 27 AND ORDINANCE FIXING THE TAX LOBBY FOR THE CITY OF MIDLAND, TEXAS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2026, AND ENDING ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2027.
OKAY, SO THIS IS THE COMBINED RATE OF THE TWO.
UM, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS AMONG COUNCIL MEMBERS? OKAY, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
I'D LIKE TO INVITE HECTOR COVARRUVIAS IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME AND MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
MAYOR BLO, ADJUSTER KUPIN LOOKS TOWARD THE COUNCIL.
HECTOR VARLAND, TEXAS MAYOR, CITY COUNCILMAN, LADIES.
AND, UH, IN LIGHT OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU SHARED HERE TODAY AND, UH, DISCUSSIONS, UH, I LIKE IT AND THIS IS WHAT THE CITIZENS OF MIDLAND ARE LOOKING FOR.
AND UH, I WAS OPPOSED TO THIS, BUT IN LIGHT OF EVERYTHING THAT I HEARD AND SAW AND HEARD, CITY COUNCIL BEING INTERESTED AS TO HOW WE'RE GONNA GET FROM ONE POINT TO ANOTHER, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US, AND THAT'S ALL THE CITIZENS OF MIDLAND ARE ASKING FOR.
AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WITHDRAW.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO CALL LANCE WINKLER.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT? NO.
WITH THAT, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 24 AND LOOK FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION OR ACTION FROM COUNCIL.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN LAD.
WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN NORMAN.
IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S VOTE.
TEXT 24, ESTABLISH THE TAX RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 TO 2027.
AN ORDINANCE FIXING THE TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF MIDLAND, TEXAS.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
WE'LL MOVE FORWARD TO ITEM 25.
THE PROPOSED GRANTING OF OIL AND GAS WELL PERMITS TO THE PERMIAN DEEP ROCK OIL COMPANY, LLC FOR THE DRILLING OF THE FOLLOWING, OIL AND GAS WELLS, THE CHAPARRAL LISTED THERE.
UM, ALL OF THOSE LISTED THERE, IT SAID WELLS BEING GENERALLY LOCATED BETWEEN 1,214 FEET AND 1,456 FEET EAST OF NORTH GARFIELD STREET IN BETWEEN ONE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND TWO THOUSAND FIFTY FEET OF WEST LOOP TWO 50 NORTH.
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING ONLY.
IS THERE ANY QUESTION OR ANYTHING FROM COUNSEL? THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
WE HAVE NO REQUEST TO SPEAK ON ITEM 25, SO I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THERE IS NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN ON THIS ITEM.
UM, THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION ONLY, AND WE'LL COME BACK AT A FUTURE DATE TO TAKE ACTION.
UM, SO WE'LL MOVE FORWARD TO ITEM NUMBER 26.
THE PROPOSED GRANTING OF OIL AND GAS WELL PERMITS TO THE PETRO PLEX ENERGY INCORPORATED, LLC FOR THE DRILLING OF THE FOLLOWING.
OIL AND GAS WELLS LISTED THERE SAID WELLS BEING GENERALLY LOCATED BETWEEN 316 FEET AND 356 FEET OF LA MEA ROAD AND 480 FEET NORTH OF WEST LOOP TWO 50 NORTH.
AGAIN, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING ONLY.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS? FOR OUR STAFF COUNCIL MEMBERS REMAIN SEATED AT THE DESK.
I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WOULD LIKE TO INVITE SONYA MILLIAMP TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY COMMENTS.
UH, I'D LIKE TO OPPOSE THESE OIL AND GAS, UM, DRILLING RIGHT NEXT TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, WE ALREADY HAVE OIL AND GAS WELLS EVEN CLOSER TO OUR HOMES THAN THIS, AND IT'S NOT BEEN FUN LIVING THERE WITH THE NOISE AND LIGHT AND VIBRATIONS.
UM, BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT, OH, ONE MORE, ONE MORE RIG ISN'T GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
UM, MY MAIN CONCERN IS THE AIR POLLUTION RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S ALREADY MANY DAYS IN THE YEAR WHEN I HAVE DIESEL FUMES FROM ALL THE DRILLING ALL AROUND US COMING INTO MY HOME.
AND THESE WELLS ARE RIGHT TO THE SOUTH.
THE PROPOSED ONES ARE TO THE SOUTH OF MY HOME AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I'M REALLY CONCERNED THE AIR, THE WIND COMES FROM THE SOUTH
UM, ESPECIALLY WITH A NEW RIG THAT GENERATORS RUNNING 24 7.
UM, WHEN IT HAPPENED BEFORE, I THINK THAT WAS HAPPENING AT LEAST A YEAR.
I FEEL CONCERNED ABOUT OUR HEALTH.
I FEEL CONCERNED ABOUT CANCER RISK.
I FEEL WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ENJOY OPENING OUR WINDOWS OR SITTING IN OUR YARDS OR TAKING A WALK.
SO, UM, I I REALLY DON'T THINK WE SHOULD HAVE THESE WELLS SO CLOSE TO WHERE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO LIVE HERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
AND NICHOLAS, COULD I ASK YOU TO, UM, GIVE US SOME INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING ONLY, AND WHEN WILL ACTION BE TAKEN? YES, ACTION WILL BE TAKEN 30 DAYS AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING IS HELD.
SO, WE'LL, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE BRINGING THIS ITEM BACK.
THIS ALLOWS THE PUBLIC TO COMMENT AS YOU HAVE, AND THEN YOU
[01:35:01]
CAN COME BACK.WE'LL TAKE ACTION 30 DAYS FROM TODAY.
AND I, I JUST WANNA SAY, MAYOR, UM, I, I, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING UP AND SPEAKING.
UM, I KNOW I'VE BEEN, UH, PRETTY VOCAL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DRILLING IN THE CITY LIMITS OR WHATNOT, BUT TO HAVE OTHER PEOPLE THAT, I MEAN, I KNOW I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE NOW.
UM, I MEAN, I KNEW I WASN'T THE ONLY ONE PRIOR TO, BUT JUST COMING UP AND SPEAKING, UM, ABOUT IT, ESPECIALLY IN THE INDUSTRIES THAT WE HAVE, IS IT, IT TAKES A LOT TO DO THAT, AND I APPRECIATE YOU COMING UP AND SPEAKING ON THIS.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE TWO REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE APPLICANT WHO ARE HERE TO SPEAK IF NEEDED, I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY, JEFF NEWTON OR DARRYL BLAKENEY IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE MAYOR SITS AT THE DESK WHILE A MAN STANDS AT THE PODIUM.
IF YOU WOULD GIVE US YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME UP AND SPEAK.
I JUST WANTED TO, TO TO SAY, YOU KNOW, PETRO PLEX IS, IS FUELED BY MID LENDERS.
UM, OUR, OUR PRINCIPALS ARE HERE.
I MYSELF LIVE JUST A FEW MINUTES FROM THE LOCATION THAT WE'LL BE DRILLING OUR GOALS TO GET IN AND GET OUT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THERE'S A LARGE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S, THAT'S FIXING TO HAPPEN RIGHT HERE, AND WE'RE WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH, UH, WITH, UH, THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE DOING THAT DEVELOPMENT.
SO, UH, WE, WE, WE HEAR THE CONCERN, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE RIGHT THERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD TOO, AND WE'LL DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO MITIGATE, UM, ANY POTENTIAL IMPACT TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE CAN.
WE CAN'T CONTROL THE WIND, BUT, UM, WE'LL DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO, TO MITIGATE THAT IMPACT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, DAR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THAT? OKAY, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND, UM, THERE IS NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN.
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS? ALRIGHT, THEN WE WILL MOVE FORWARD TO ITEM NUMBER 27, PLEASE.
IN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING DISTRICT MAP OF THE CITY OF MIDLAND TO ARIZONA, 20.15 ACRE TRACT LAND OUT OF SECTION 38 BLOCK 40 TOWNSHIP, ONE SOUTH T AND P RAILROAD COMPANY, SURVEY CITY AND COUNTY OF MIDLAND, TEXAS FROM MF 16, MULTIPLE FAMILY DUALING DISTRICT TO PD PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT FOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT LY LOCATED AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION OF ARLINGTON ROAD IN BELLEVILLE BOULEVARD CONTAINING A CUMULATIVE CLAUSE CONTAINING A SAVINGS AND SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, PROVIDING FOR A MAXIMUM PENALTY OR FINE OF $2,000 AND ORDERING PUBLICATION.
ELIZABETH TRIGGS PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICER.
SO THIS IS A ZONE CHANGE REQUEST FROM, UM, MF 16, WHICH ALLOWS FOR A MULTI-FAMILY, UM, APARTMENTS, UM, AT A DENSITY OF 16 UNITS PER ACRE, UM, TO A PD THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR A DENSITY OF 24.6 UNITS PER ACRE ON AN APPROXIMATELY 20 ACRE SITE AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF VILLE AND ARLINGTON.
UM, SO AGAIN, THE PROPOSED, UM, DEVELOPMENT IS STILL MULTIFAMILY JUST AT A HIGHER DENSITY, UM, TYPICAL OF ALL OF OUR PDS, THERE IS A SITE PLAN THAT'S ATTACHED TO THIS PROJECT THAT SHOWS HOW IT WILL BE LAID OUT.
UM, THESE WILL BE THREE STORY BUILDINGS, UM, AND THEY DO MEET ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF OUR EXISTING CODE.
THE, THE, THE ASK HERE IS THE HIGHER DENSITY.
UM, YOU SAW AN ITEM EARLIER ON THE AGENDA, ITEM 14, UM, WHICH ALLOWED FOR THE DEVELOPER TO TAKE ON SOME PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS THAT AREN'T OTHERWISE REQUIRED, UM, BY CODE.
BUT THOSE IMPROVEMENTS DUE, UM, AS HAS BEEN SHOWN BY A TRAFFIC STUDY UNDERTAKEN BY THE DEVELOPER IMPROVE SUBSTANTIALLY THE INTERSECTION DELAYS AT, UM, VILLE AND ARLINGTON, UM, TO, TO BE EVEN BETTER THAN WHAT THEY ARE TODAY, EVEN AFTER THE DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO FOR THAT REASON, WE DO RECOMMEND APPROVAL.
HERE'S A LOOK AT THE CURRENT ZONING AND THE SURROUNDING ZONING.
THIS IS JUST SOUTH OF 1 91 SOUTH OF WHERE THE CAR DEALERSHIP IS IN THE NORTH OF SOME SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL HOMES.
UM, I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT THE DEVELOPER MET, UM, WITH SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS IN THE AREA.
UM, IN TALKING WITH ONE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, ONE OF THE CONCERNS WAS, UM, JUST ENSURING THAT THE BUILDINGS AREN'T FACING THE BACKYARDS OF THE HOMES.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE IN THE SITE PLAN THAT THEY'RE ORIENTED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY DO NOT DO THAT.
SO, UM, THAT WAS TAKEN CARE OF.
HERE'S AGAIN, A LOOK AT THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY UNDEVELOPED.
UM, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES SUPPORT THIS TYPE OF USE IN THE AREA.
AND THEN HERE'S A LOOK AT THE SITE PLAN ITSELF.
UM, THE PROPERTY WILL BE DEVELOPED IN TWO PHASES.
UM, AND THE DEVELOPER SUBJECT TO THAT PREVIOUS ITEM THAT COUNCIL APPROVED WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR BUILDING OUT THE FULL WIDTH OF VILLE, UM, BY CODE THAT TYPICALLY IS LIMITED TO ONLY HALF OF THE PORTION OF THE PRO OF THE ROAD THAT ABUTS THE PROPERTY.
SO THEY ARE COMMITTING TO THE FULL BUILD OUT.
THEY'LL ALSO BE PUTTING IN A ROUNDABOUT AT VILLE AND ARLINGTON.
AND THAT'S WHAT IMPROVES THE DELAYS THAT WE SEE.
THAT ROUNDABOUT IS PROJECTED TO RESULT IN DELAYS OF ABOUT SIX SECONDS, UM, AFTER THE DEVELOPMENT IS DONE COMPARED TO WHAT
[01:40:01]
IT IS TODAY, WHICH IS NINE TO 10 SECONDS.UM, SO AN IMPROVEMENT AND THERE WERE NO OBJECTIONS RECEIVED WHEN WE SUBMITTED NOTICE.
UM, TEXT REPORT, AGAIN, THIS, THE COMMISSION, UM, PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL.
AND, UM, THERE IS A CAP ON THE NUMBER OF UNITS THAT ARE PERMITTED WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT.
IT MUST BE DEVELOPED IN LINE WITH THE, UM, SITE PLAN ATTACHED AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
SO THIS CONSISTENTLY WITH OTHER PDS, ANY CHANGE TO THE SITE PLAN WOULD RESULT IN IT COMING BACK TO COUNCIL? THAT'S CORRECT.
ANY CHANGE TO THE SITE PLAN WOULD NEED TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
DO WE KNOW WHAT THE WALL WILL LOOK LIKE? THAT'LL SEPARATE THE NEIGHBORHOOD? YEP.
SO THE WALL, UM, THAT IS, UH, DIRECTLY ABUTTING THE NEIGHBORHOOD WILL NEED TO BE A MASONRY WALL.
THERE'S A PORTION THAT DOESN'T ABUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD DIRECTLY, AND SO THAT CAN BE A DIFFERENT MATERIAL, BUT THE PORTION THAT IS UP AGAINST THE NEIGHBORHOOD WILL HAVE TO BE MASONRY.
WHAT HEIGHT? I BELIEVE IT'S, IS IT EIGHT? EIGHT.
COUNCIL MEMBERS AT A CURVED DESK COUNCIL CONTINUES THEIR MEETING.
I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE DO HAVE REQUESTS TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
UM, SO I, I'D LIKE TO CALL GRIFFIN PEROTTI IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
YOU CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE TO, BUT YOU MAY.
THE SPEAKER AT THE PODIUM FACING THE COUNCIL MEMBERS SEATED AT THE CURVE DESK.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
FIRST I WANNA SAY THANK YOU GUYS FOR, FOR TAKING THE TIME TO WORK WITH US HERE.
UM, ELIZABETH DID A GREAT JOB IN GIVING THE OVERVIEW, SO I WANTED TO COME UP AND, UH, TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE TRAFFIC STUDY THAT WE CONDUCTED, BECAUSE WE THINK THAT'S A MAJOR POINT THROUGH CONVERSATIONS WITH NOT ONLY THE CITY AND THE CITY ENGINEERS, BUT ALSO THE, THE LEGACY NEIGHBORHOOD OF BUDDING THE PROPERTY TO THE SOUTH.
AND SO, UM, I APOLOGIZE LANDON TO SKIP THROUGH MOST OF IT.
THE LIST OF ITEMS APPEARS ON THE TELEVISION SCREEN ON THE LEFT.
AND I MIGHT BE ONE OR TWO MORE DOWN, BUT IT'S A TABLE.
SO TAKING A LOOK AT THIS SLIDE, WE, WE DID THIS STUDY ABOUT 60 DAYS AGO.
SO IT WAS, UH, SUMMER MONTHS SCHOOL, NOT IN SESSION.
UM, WHAT OUR ENGINEER DID TO COMBAT THAT IS THEY ADDED A 15% ADDER ONTO THE TRAFFIC COUNTS.
AND THEN FROM 2026 OR TODAY ALL THE WAY TO 2029, THEY GREW THOSE COUNTS BY 10%.
AND THEN AFTER 29, THEY GREW THOSE COUNTS BY AN ADDITIONAL 5% A YEAR.
AND SO WHAT THEY CAME OUT WITH WAS AT TODAY'S CONDITIONS, THE SPEAKER GESTURES, YOU KNOW, NO, NO ADDITIONAL MULTIFAMILY UNITS.
UM, A LEVEL OF SERVICE AT AROUND NINE SECONDS.
UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR, OUR SITE PLAN AND OUR, OUR PD WITH THE INCREASED DENSITY, EVEN AT 2032 WHEN WE INCREASED THOSE COUNTS RATHER SIGNIFICANTLY AND ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT'S NORMAL IN A TIA STUDY, WE BRING THAT DOWN TO SIX SECONDS IN THIS ROUNDABOUT THAT WE ARE CONTEMPLATING, HAVE, HAVE AGREED TO DOING IN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT WE DIS DISCUSSED ON ITEM SEVEN, PRESENTER GESTURES TO COUNCIL, BUT AGAIN, HERE TO, TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, ALL THE TIME SPENT AND JUST COLLABORATIVE EFFORT THAT EVERYONE TOOK, UM, BETWEEN THE CITY AND STONE HAWK AND, AND ANDREW AT, AT MAVERICK.
JUST REAL QUICK, YOU ALREADY HAVE PROPERTIES IN MIDLAND.
CAN YOU KIND OF, WE DO TOUCH ON THAT.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE CONVERSATION.
SO STONE HAWK CAPITAL PARTNERS WAS FOUNDED IN 2013.
WE ARE A BOUTIQUE MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPER BASED OUT OF DALLAS, TEXAS.
WE'VE DONE 25 PROJECTS ALL OVER THE STATE, UM, DFW AUSTIN, BUT MIDLAND IS OUR HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF PROJECTS.
SO OUR, OUR FIRST PROJECT IN OUR COMPANY HISTORY WAS THE OASIS.
UM, AND SO WE COMPLETED THAT BACK IN 2015.
SINCE THEN, WE'VE DONE IT IN ADDITIONAL FOUR GROUND UP DEVELOPMENTS FOR A TOTAL OF FIVE.
UH, THE LAST ONE BEING HUDSON ON 1 58, WHICH IS, UH, WALEY AND 1 58.
UH, AND THAT'S A COMMUNITY THAT WE STILL OWN, OPERATE TODAY.
WE ALSO OWN AND OPERATE THE WOODFORD AT MOCKINGBIRD TODAY.
UM, AND WE ALSO ACQUIRED THE WALL STREET LOFTS HERE IN DOWNTOWN IN 2018.
AND SO MIDLAND IS, IS A PLACE THAT NOT ONLY HAVE WE BEEN IN THIS MARKET FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, OVER A DECADE NOW, BUT SOMEWHERE WE PLAN TO INVEST LONG TERM.
WE SEE IT AS, AS KIND OF A, A CRUX TO WHO WE ARE.
UM, WE'RE INTEGRATED WITH OUR GENERAL CONTRACTOR COMPANY, STONE HUNT CONSTRUCTION, UM, AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY FOUNDED OUT HERE IN WEST TEXAS.
UM, AND, AND THE PARTNER OF THAT COMPANY STILL LIVES OUT IN WEST TEXAS.
WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUR COMPANY, INCLUDING MYSELF,
[01:45:01]
UM, HERE, YOU KNOW, THREE TIMES, FOUR TIMES A MONTH.THE REASON I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT I THINK YOU'LL HAVE A, A GOOD PRODUCT THAT WE'VE ALREADY SEEN AND ESTABLISHED, UM, AND THEN YOUR WILLINGNESS TO COME TO US AND ACTUALLY WORK THROUGH THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEMS, UM, AND THE GROWTH THAT WE'RE SEEING BECAUSE OF THESE, UM, DEVELOPMENTS HAS BEEN REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO I WANT TO COM COMMEND YOU FOR THAT AND MAKE SURE, UM, IT'S KIND OF ON RECORD THAT, YOU KNOW, PARTNERS THAT CAN COME TO US AND WORK THROUGH SOME OF THESE COMPLICATED PROBLEMS, UM, HAVE, HAVE REALLY CHANGING THE WAY MIDLAND OPERATES.
AND, UH, AGAIN, WE HAVE A, A BIG APARTMENT SHORTAGE IN MIDLAND AND Y'ALL ARE DOING A GREAT JOB TRYING TO FIX THAT FOR US AND WE APPRECIATE IT.
I ALSO THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT YOU MET WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND I THINK THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TOO.
I THINK THE, THE MAYOR SAID IT EARLIER ON THE FIRST ITEM THAT Y'ALL WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND, UM, FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS TO MEETING WITH US MULTIPLE TIMES, THE TRAFFIC STUDY, THE INVESTMENTS YOU'RE MAKING, WE'RE JUST REALLY EXCITED TO PARTNER WITH YOU.
UM, JORDAN COX, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT? ALRIGHT, WE HAVE NO FURTHER REQUEST TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, SO I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, LOOK FOR ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION OR ACTION FROM COUNSEL ON ITEM 27.
WE HAVE MOTION FROM COUNCILWOMAN POOL, A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN STUBBS.
IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S VOTE.
TEXT ITEM 27, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING DISTRICT MAP OF THE CITY OF MIDLAND TEXT VOTE IN PROGRESS.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
AN ORDINANCE CHANGING THE NAME OF EACH PORTION OF SINCLAIR AVENUE THAT IS LOCATED WEST OF THE INTERSECTION OF SINCLAIR AVENUE IN MOSSWOOD DRIVE TO DIANE AND JOSE CUEVAS BOULEVARD CONTAINING A COMMUNAL CLAUSE CONTAINING A SAVINGS AND SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND DIRECTING CITY SECRETARY TO SEND THE MIDLAND EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION DISTRICT A CERTIFIED COPY OF THE ORDINANCE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE THIS ONE OFF JUNIOR? SURE.
YOU WANNA PUT JUNIOR IN THERE? NO, WE'RE GOOD.
I, I THINK IT'S PERFECT THE WAY IT'S, I AM, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS ITEM.
UM, I THINK IT KIND OF, THE DIANE AND JOSE CUEVAS ARE LONGTIME BUSINESS OWNERS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THEY'VE GIVEN A TON BACK TO MIDLAND AND AT THE TIME HE, JOSE CUEVAS WAS THE YOUNGEST, UH, TO BE ELECTED TO CITY COUNCIL AT THE TIME.
I MEAN, THEIR FAMILY IS INCREDIBLE.
HE'S THE YOUNGEST NOW WHAT? HE WAS THE YOUNGEST NOW, WELL, FEMALE RIGHT HERE.
SO I GET TO FOLLOW IN GREAT FOOTSTEPS.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT JUST FOLLOWS A LONGSTANDING TRADITION THAT WE'RE ABLE TO NAME CITY FACILITIES OR ROADS AFTER PEOPLE THAT HAVE GIVEN SO MUCH TO THIS COMMUNITY.
SO IT IS AN HONOR TO HAVE THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
HE ALSO GAVE A STEW MEAT AND AVOCADO, SO YEAH, HE DID
OKAY, WELL THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER, OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS BEFORE I OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INVITE DEREK SMITH TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
LORI BLO LOOKS DOWN AT THE DESK, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS REVIEW DOCUMENTS AT THE DESK.
UH, YES, GOING BACK TO MR. CUEVAS TIME ON THE CITY COUNCIL, I THINK HE HIMSELF WOULD BE AGAINST THIS BECAUSE WE HAD A CONTROVERSIAL STREET CHANGE NAME COME UP DURING HIS TIME AND HE VOTED AGAINST IT.
WE WERE WANTING TO RENAME FAIRGROUNDS OR EITHER FRONT STREET TO MARTIN LUTHER KING JR BOULEVARD.
AND MR. QUAVIS VOTED AGAINST THAT.
AND IN FACT, UH, I'LL READ TO YOU WHAT I READ DURING THAT HEARING, WHICH IS PROVERBS 2228, WHICH SAYS, REMOVE NOT THE ANCIENT LANDMARK, WHICH THY FATHERS HAVE SET.
AND THEN THERE'S A SIMILAR WARNING FOUND IN PROVERBS 2310 AND DEUTERONOMY 1914.
UM, IF YOU'VE NEVER DRIVEN AN 18 WHEEL TRUCK, ESPECIALLY BEING NOT FROM AN AREA, WHEN CITIES DO THINGS LIKE THIS, IT TAKES A LONG TIME FOR IT TO GET CHANGED ON MAPS.
AND OUR ROADWAYS ARE ALREADY DANGEROUS ENOUGH AS THEY ARE.
I'M NOT OPPOSED TO NAMING SOMETHING AFTER MR. QUAVIS OR HIS WIFE, BUT I AM AGAINST CHANGING ANYTHING DUE TO THE CONFUSION IT CAUSES FOR DELIVERY DRIVERS AND OTHER PEOPLE WHO COME IN.
I MEAN, SOMEBODY FROM BEACONS OR ATLAS MOVING COMPANY COULD BE DRIVING IN FROM PENNSYLVANIA TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING AND THEY HAVE GPS ON THERE AND THEY'RE LOST.
AND SO NOW YOU'VE GOT A BIG RIG OUT THERE AND YOU'VE ALREADY GOT EVERYBODY AROUND HERE WHO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE OIL INDUSTRY AROUND HERE IS EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE DONE LAST WEEK.
AND SO EVERYBODY'S JUST IN A HURRY TO GET EVERYWHERE.
AND SO IT'S ALSO A SAFETY CONCERN.
IT'S NOTHING AGAINST NAMING SOMETHING AFTER MR. CUEVAS, BUT IF SOMETHING'S ALREADY NAMED, IT JUST NEEDS TO REMAIN WHAT IT IS FOR THAT PURPOSE.
AND LIKE I SAY, HE HIMSELF, HE VOTED AGAINST RENAMING STREETS
[01:50:01]
AFTER A HISTORICAL FIGURE, AND HE AGREED WITH ME AT THE TIME THAT WE HAD PLENTY OF DEVELOPMENT GOING ON.AND THAT'S WHAT I HAD BROUGHT UP DURING THAT MEETING WAS WE HAD ALL THIS DEVELOPMENT GOING ON, AND I BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE ENDED UP NAMING AFTER MARTIN LUTHER KING IS THE CIRCLE AROUND OUR STADIUM, WHICH WAS SOMETHING THAT I HAD SUGGESTED.
AND I HAD TOLD HIM THAT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD PREFER TO SEE IT OVER IN THAT AREA OF TOWN BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY OTHER TOWN YOU GO TO, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BAD SIDE OF TOWN.
AND SO IF HE HIMSELF VOTED AGAINST RENAMING SOMETHING, I THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO LOOK AT THE RECORD AND JUST FOLLOW SUIT AND SAY, YEAH, LET'S, UH, FIND A NEW DEVELOPMENT AND RENAME A BRAND NEW STREET AFTER HIM INSTEAD OF RENAMING SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA CAUSE CONFUSION AND POSSIBLY LEAD TO HAVOC OUT ON THE ROADWAYS WHENEVER SOME TRUCK IS TRYING TO MAKE A DELIVERY.
AND IT'S LOST BECAUSE GPS HAS THE CURRENT SETTINGS AND THEN IT TAKES SO MUCH LONGER FOR THESE THINGS TO UPDATE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, MIKE.
CAN I JUST SPEAK TO THAT? SURE.
BECAUSE THIS IS NOT ALL OF SINCLAIR.
THIS IS JUST WEST OF THE LOOP, WHICH IS NOT CURRENTLY A DEVELOPED AREA.
SO I MEAN, I THINK THAT WAS CONTEMPLATED AND JUST, JUST WANTING TO CLARIFY, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT RENAMING THE ENTIRE STREET.
AND, AND THAT WASN'T I ITEM WE DID TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, UM, MR. SMITH BRINGS UP A GOOD POINT.
AND SO THIS PORTION IS INCLUDED THAT'S BEING RENAMED, HAS NOTHING ADDRESSED OFF OF IT.
SO BACK WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WALL STREET OR FAIRGROUNDS, I, I, I THINK AS STAFF WE WOULD BE RELUCTANT TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THOSE ROADS EVEN TODAY BECAUSE OF ALL THE DIFFERENT PARCELS THAT ARE ADDRESSED OFF OF THOSE ROADWAYS.
THERE'S NOT A SINGLE PARCEL ON THIS SECTION OF SINCLAIR THAT IS ACTUALLY ADDRESSED OFF OF THIS PORTION.
AND TO YOUR POINT, EVERYTHING EAST OF THE LOOP, WHO REMAINS SINCLAIR? THIS IS WEST OF SINCLAIR OF, UH, THE LOOP AND LIKE, AGAIN, HAS NO ADDRESSES ON IT.
AND I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO, TO THE POINTS THAT MR. SMITH MADE, BUT ALSO TO ANY EXISTING BUSINESSES THAT WOULD THEN INCUR THE COST OF HAVING TO REBRAND AND REDO ALL THEIR PRINTING AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO THERE'S NOBODY THAT IS IMPACTED IN THAT WAY THAT WE ARE AWARE OF.
WE, WE ASKED THAT A QUESTION, MAYOR.
UM, YOU KNOW, HEARING COUNCIL'S CONCERNS ABOUT COSTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
I ASKED THAT QUESTION AND THEY SAID THERE WOULD BE NO COST OTHER THAN THE SIGN.
UH, AND WE HAVE AN DOING THAT INTERNALLY.
SO ZERO ADDRESSES, ZERO CONFUSION MM-HMM
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, MR. QUAVIS IS VERY HONORED THAT WE, UH, UH, DOING THAT.
SO I JUST WANT TO THROW THAT OUT THERE AS WELL.
THIS WAS BROUGHT FORTH BY COUNCIL TEXT CITY OF MIDLAND.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE HAVE NO FURTHER REQUEST TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM AND LOOK FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION OR ACTION FROM COUNCIL.
ON ITEM 28, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILWOMAN STRETCHER BERKS, AND A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN NORMAN.
IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S VOTE.
TEXT 28, AN ORDINANCE RENAMING A PORTION OF SINCLAIR AVENUE TO DIANE AND OSA QUAVIS BOULEVARD.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
WE'LL MOVE FORWARD TO MISCELLANEOUS ITEM NUMBER 29, PLEASE.
AN ORDINANCE ADAPTING A FEE SCHEDULE CONTAINING THE SAVINGS AND SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, PROVIDING AN APPEAL PROCESS, ESTABLISHED AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF OCTOBER 1ST, 2026.
UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THIS IS JUST A ROUTINE.
UM, EVERY YEAR WE DO ANY KIND OF UPDATES NEEDED.
SOMETIMES WE'RE REMOVING THINGS OR DOING, UH, JUST PLANNED INCREASES FOR CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS THAT DO A, A REGULAR, UM, TRUE UP.
WE HAVE NO REQUEST TO SPEAK ON THIS, SO I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING BECAUSE WE HAVE NO REQUEST TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS? MAYOR, LOOKS FORWARD.
ALRIGHT, THEN WE WILL, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN NORMAN, A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN LADD.
IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S VOTE ON ITEM 29, PLEASE.
MAYOR BLANC STUDIES THE COMPUTER MONITOR AT HER DESK.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
MOTION MAKING APPOINTMENTS TO VARIOUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
SO WE FLAGS BEHIND COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE CHAMBER.
EACH YEAR WE HAVE, DURING THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, WE HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT APPOINTMENTS AND REAPPOINTMENTS TO MAKE.
UM, WE HAVE GONE TO THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WHERE WE'VE HAD A PROCESS WHERE WE WRITE THESE DOWN JUST FOR CLARITY'S SAKE, BUT WE, I THINK STAFF HAS PREPARED LITTLE BALLOTS FOR US THAT WILL BE PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD THAT ARE OPEN RECORDS.
REQUESTABLE, WE'LL PUT OUR NAMES ON THEM AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO VOTE.
UH, BUT THIS JUST HELPS US TO STREAMLINE THE CLARITY OF THE PROCESS.
UM, FIRST OF ALL THOUGH, WE FOUND A MECHANISM THAT I BELIEVE BOTH CITY LEGAL AND THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE ARE COMFORTABLE WITH US APPOINTING ALL OF THE, THOSE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE
[01:55:01]
AND INTERESTED IN REAPPOINTMENT.UM, SO COUNSEL, YOU HAVE THOSE LISTED HERE BEFORE YOU, UM, WE ARE ABLE TO TAKE THOSE WITH THE LANGUAGE THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED, IF WE WANT TO JUST REAPPOINT THOSE AS A SLATE RATHER THAN TO SEPARATE THOSE OUT.
AND THEN WE CAN TAKE UP THE NEW APPOINTMENTS SEPARATELY.
SO THAT'S AVAILABLE TO COUNCIL MEMBERS IF YOU'D LIKE TO DO THAT.
MAYOR, BEFORE WE DO THAT, UM, I JUST WANT TO, I, I JUST WANNA SAY, UM, 'CAUSE I KNOW THERE'S LIKE GETTING ALL OF THEM OUT OUT AT, AT ONE TIME, BUT I KNOW WE HAD TALKED TO THE CITIZENS ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, APPLYING FOR THESE POSITIONS YES.
AND, UH, JUST WITH, WITH SOME OF THEM, AND I WON'T, UH, GO INTO SPECIFICS, BUT WITH SOME OF 'EM, WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT APPLIED AND, UM, JUST KNOW THAT LIKE, IT'S SOME, LIKE SOME OF THESE THINGS, IT'S RULES AND REGULATIONS WE HAVE TO GO BY.
CERTAIN PEOPLE HAVE TO BE ON, UH, CERTAIN BOARDS MM-HMM
AND SO WE HAVE TO, LIKE, THE OIL AND GAS ADVISORY HAS TO HAVE AN ENGINEER AND A REALTOR.
WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY SOME OF THOSE KIND OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO.
SO WE HAVE THOSE THINGS GOING ON.
SO, I MEAN, I, I JUST, I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE DISCOURAGED, UM, BY THOSE CERTAIN RULES OR WHATNOT AND JUST KEEP APPLYING AND, AND, AND TRYING TO GET INTO THESE POSITIONS AND WHATNOT.
AND THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.
THERE WAS A BIG PUSH ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER PLACES TO BE ABLE TO GET AS MANY APPLICANTS.
I FEEL LIKE WE ABSOLUTELY KIND OF ONE UP OURSELVES WITH THE TOTAL NUMBER OF APPLICANTS EACH TIME.
SO THANK Y'ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOUR OFFICE, THE CITY SECRETARY AND THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT HAVE DONE ON THAT.
UM, THE, THE LIST HERE JUST FOR COUNCIL'S AWARENESS, WE ASKED, AND THESE HAVE ALREADY BEEN VETTED FOR ATTENDANCE.
SO THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ON THOSE BOARDS, THEY HAVE ATTENDED AT THE CRITERIA THAT WE HAVE SET FORWARD.
AND THEY HAVE BEEN, THEY HAVE INDICATED THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE FOR AN ADDITIONAL TERM.
SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REAPPOINTMENT OF ALL CURRENT BOARD AND COMMISSION MEMBERS WHOSE TERMS ARE EXPIRING AND WHO ARE RECOMMENDED FOR REAPPOINTMENT BY THEIR RESPECTIVE STAFF LIAISONS BASED ON THEIR GOOD STANDING SATISFACTORY ATTENDANCE AND CONTINUED WILLINGNESS TO SERVE.
AND I'LL SECOND VERY MUCH, AND WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILWOMAN POOL AS STATED AND A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN NORMAN.
IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE SLATE OF OFFICERS.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
WE WILL NOW MOVE FORWARD TO THE APPOINTMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED.
AND RACHEL, DO YOU HAVE THOSE BALLOTS THAT YOU CAN PASS OUT TO US? AND WE WILL DO HAND VOTES ON THESE? WE'LL DO HAND VOTES ONCE WE'VE GOT THE SLATE THOUGH.
SO THE WAY THAT WE'RE GONNA DO THIS IS FOR EACH PARTICULAR BOARD, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO WRITE DOWN, I THINK YOU DON'T, WE EACH TAKE A PACKET? UH, NO MA'AM.
SO THE TAKE THE ONE WITH YOUR NAME ON IT.
YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO WRITE YOUR NAME.
SO THEN FOR THE AIRPORT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO WRITE WHO YOUR CHOICES ARE.
MAYOR BLO FILLS OUT VOTING BALLOTS FOR BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS.
THE WHITE SHOT OF THE MUNICIPAL MEETING ROOM SHOWS TWO WALL-MOUNTED SCREENS IN THE BACKGROUND DISPLAYING THE TEXT STEM.
I-D-L-A-N-D-T-E-X-A-S-G-O-D STAFF MEMBERS DISTRIBUTE PAPERWORK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS AT THE DAYS THE WOMAN WALKS FROM THE LEFT END SITS AT THE TABLE.
MAYOR BLANC GLANCES TOWARD THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AS THEY ORGANIZE THE MATERIALS.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND PASS ALL THESE OUT AND WE CAN, IS THAT ALL, WILL THAT CONFUSE THINGS FOR Y'ALL? IF WE JUST GO AHEAD MAN.
AND A LIGHT JACKET POINTS TO THE DA.
JUST TAKE YOURS AND PASS THE REST OF THEM DOWN.
AND COUNCIL MEMBERS PASS PAPER FILES TO ONE ANOTHER ALONG THE DA.
THE HORSESHOE SHAPED DAYS OCCUPIES THE CENTER OF THE COUNCIL.
CHAMBER COUNCIL MEMBERS ORGANIZE
[02:00:01]
AND DISTRIBUTE PAPERWORK AT THE CURVE DAYS.MAYOR LONG REVIEWS DOCUMENTS OF THE DAYS, BUT THERE ARE THREE VACANCIES FOR THE AIRPORT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
THE THREE, UM, APPLICANTS THAT RECEIVED THE MOST VOTES WAS CHRISTINA RA.
I APOLOGIZE IF I SAY ANY OF THESE WRONG.
BARRETT BOLE AND BERNADETTE GRANGER.
OKAY, SO WE HAVE A SLATE THAT RECEIVED THE MAJORITY OF THE VOTES.
CHRISTINA RENTER, BARRETT BOWL.
UM, DO WE HAVE, AND WE CAN AND WE CAN DO ALL THE VOTES AT THE VERY END IF YOU LIKE.
SO WE'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND NOTATE THAT ON OUR PAGE.
MAYOR BLANC REVIEWS AND ORGANIZES PAPERWORK.
WE DON'T NEED TO DO ONE FOR THIS ONE.
MAYOR LONG EXAMINES THE DOCUMENT.
THE, SO THE BARBARA AND GEORGE HW BUSH CONVENTION CENTER ADVISORY BOARD.
SO YOU CAN SET THAT ONE ASIDE HERE.
THERE'S TWO MORE TEXT MIDLAND WHERE THE ENERGY IS THE SAME FOR THE OIL AND GAS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
IT WAS JUST THE REAPPOINTMENT.
COUNCIL MEMBERS OCCUPY THE CURVE DAYS WHILE REVIEWING MATERIALS.
THE MAYOR BLANC LEANS TO READ CITIZEN, THE HOTEL MOTEL ADVISORY BOARD.
DO WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF HOTELIERS OR JUST ONE? ONE ONE NEEDS TO BE IN A HOTELIER.
AND THAT'S THE, UM, ON THE LIST.
THE ADRIAN LORI BLO LOOKS AT DOCUMENTS, BUT WE ALREADY HAS HOTELIERS ON THE BOARD, CORRECT? WELL, HE'S OR ARE THEY ROLLING OFF? HE'S ROLLING OFF.
SO WE, UH, UH, ON CITIZENS DEVELOPMENT HOTEL MOTEL, WE LOOKING FOR THREE OR 2 3, 3.
TEXT CITY OF MIDLAND AND BE THE CHANGE IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER.
COUNCIL MEMBERS CONVERSE AND REVIEW DOCUMENTS OF THE DAYS.
TWO MEN SIT AT A RECTANGULAR TABLE IN THE CENTER OF THE CHAMBER FACING THE COUNCIL BASE REVIEWING DOCUMENTS.
THE SEVEN OFFICIALS ARE SEATED AT THE CURVE DAYS IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS WHERE THEY REVIEW DOCUMENTS AND CONSULT WITH EACH OTHER.
SEVEN OFFICIALS AT THE CURVE DAYS REVIEW AND EXCHANGE FILES.
THE MIDLAND SPACEPORT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
I THOUGHT WE HAD THREE TOTAL SEATS AND WE JUST REAPPOINTED ONE.
SO THERE'S ONLY TWO THAT ARE ELIGIBLE.
WE JUST HAVE THE ONE VACANCY FOR FRANK NER AND DAN CHANCE WAS JUST REAPPOINTED.
SO THAT, THAT'S THE ONLY ONE WE HAVE.
SO WE ONLY HAVE ONE AVAILABLE OPTION FOR THAT ONE.
SO I THINK WE MIGHT'VE, I MIGHT'VE MESSED SEVERAL OF THESE UP.
LET'S, YEP, LET'S GO BACK AND TALK THROUGH THEM.
SO THE VACANCIES IS WHAT WE SHOULD BE GOING ON.
SO THEN FOR ANIMAL CONTROL ADVISORY COMMISSION, WE HAVE THREE CHOICES.
THREE PLACES THAT WE CAN MAKE DECISIONS.
WE ONLY HAVE TWO, SO WE NEED TO CHOOSE WHO AMONG THOSE THREE.
ONE MUST BE A VETERINARIAN AND NONE APPLIED.
SO REALLY WE'D JUST PROBABLY BE, WE JUST NEED ONE FILLING THE ONE VACANCY, RIGHT? MM-HMM
SO THEN MAKE ONE CHOICE FOR THE ANIMAL SERVICES.
[02:05:01]
SUPPORT FROM A, A VETERINARIAN BECAUSE WE HAVE NO APPLICATIONS.SO WE'LL HAVE TO WORK ON THAT.
SO ONE CHOICE FOR GAVEL AND MICROPHONE.
THE CUP WITH A LID SITS NEAR THE MICROPHONE.
AND THEN WE HAVE NO APPLICANT OR NO OPTIONS, NO VACANCIES FOR THE GEORGE BUSH ADVISORY CENTER.
FOR ADVISORY BOARD WE HAVE TEXT.
LORI BELONG THE CITIZENS' DEVELOPMENT.
SHE TOUCHES HER CHIN THREE VACANCIES TO FILM THREE VACANCIES.
LORI BLO ATTENDS TO BOARD APPOINTMENT DOCUMENTS BEFORE THE CAMERA CUTS TO A WIDE SHOT OF THE DAYS.
THE MIDLAND HOUSING AUTHORITY.
WE ONLY HAVE ONE CORRECT VACANCY MM-HMM
MIDLAND, ODESSA URBAN TRANSIT DISTRICT BOARD.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE ONE CHOICE ON THAT ONE, CORRECT? YES.
AND THEN THE SPACEPORT DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
WE HAVE ONE VACANCY COUNCIL MEMBERS LEAN OVER AND EXAMINE BOARD APPOINTMENT MATERIALS ON THE OIL AND GAS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE NO VACANCIES, CORRECT? WE JUST DID THE REAPPOINTMENT.
AND THEN FOR THE PARKS AND REC, WE HAVE ONE VACANCY, RIGHT? CORRECT.
THE COUNCIL MEMBER ARRANGES PAPERS.
THANK YOU FOR THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS.
ONE FULL MEMBER, ONE ALTERNATE.
SO SHOULD WE NOTATE ON OUR CARD WHO WE'RE NOMINATING FOR THE VACANCY AND ONE FOR THE ALTERNATE? THAT WOULD BE, YES, PLEASE.
WHICH ONE? THE ZONING BOARD OF, UH, ADJUSTMENTS.
DO NOT HAVE A CARD FOR SOMEONE.
SHE SITS AT THE DESK LOOKING DOWN AT THE PAPERWORK, SHE GATHERS HER PAPERS STANDS AND EXITS THE FRAME TO THE LEFT.
ZONING BOARD ADJUSTMENTS OR AIRPORT ZONING.
TWO TELEVISION SCREENS ON THE WALL.
DISPLAY MEETING GRAPHICS AND AMERICAN AND TEXAS FLAGS STAND BEHIND THE ACE I, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS REMAIN SEATED AT THE CURVE DAYS WHILE CONSULTING DOCUMENTS, I THINK IF I DID IT RIGHT.
I THINK WHILE WE'LL GIVE Y'ALL SOME TIME TO TALLY THOSE AND WE'LL GO FORWARD IT.
CAN WE DO THIS NICHOLAS, WITH PROCEDURALLY? GO AHEAD AND TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT WHILE WE'RE WAITING? YES, WE CAN.
AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND TAKE ACTION.
SO WE WILL DEFER THE COMPLETION OF ITEM 30 UNTIL AFTER ITEM 31, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
ITEM NUMBER 31, WE'LL RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS WHERE INDIVIDUALS MAY ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON CITY RELATED ISSUES NOT AND PROJECTS NOT ON THE PRESENT AGENDA.
ANY DELIBERATION OF OR DECISION BY THE CITY COUNCIL REGARDING THE ITEM BEING DISCUSSED SHALL BE LIMITED TO A MOTION TO PLACE THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR A SUBSEQUENT MEETING.
WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES OR LESS WIDE SHOT MEETING CHAMBER.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH FIRST INVITING LANCE WINKLER.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME AND MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT, THE CAMERA ZOOMS IN ON LORI BLANC AGAIN.
MY COMMENT WOULD BE MORE ABOUT THE TIMER DISPLAYS.
UH, NOTICING THAT THERE ARE MORE FLOCK CAMERAS OUT THERE CURRENTLY.
IF I'M A BENT MAN, THAT'S PROBABLY CLOSER TO 200 BY NOW.
AT AND T AND DISH ARE REALLY GOOD ABOUT INSTALLING THESE THINGS IN THE NIGHT.
UH, WHERE'S THE CONTRACT FOR THE FLOCK CAMERA? THE MAN STANDS AT A WOODEN PODIUM.
AND SECOND, IF HE FOLLOWS THE SAME PATTERN, HE ALWAYS DOES.
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO WHEN GOVERNOR ABBOTT MAKES A LPR CAMERAS ILLEGAL IN THIS, IN THE STATE? ARE YOU GONNA SUE HIM TO KEEP YOUR FLOCK CAMERAS LIKE THE BIGGER CITIES? THANK YOU.
THE MAN WALKS BY THE TIMER COUNTS DOWN.
I DO WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT, WE, WE ARE ACTUALLY TAKING A LOOK INTO THIS.
WE MADE, AT A PREVIOUS MEETING, WE TALKED ABOUT FLOCK CAMERAS IN OUR DESIRE TO MOVE AWAY FROM THOSE, UM, AND TO ULTIMATELY FIND OTHER SOLUTIONS THAT HELP SUPPORT OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND GIVE THEM THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED, BUT DON'T HAVE THESE KINDS OF CONCERNS THAT WE SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE RAISED THESE.
SO CONSISTENT WITH WHAT ITEM 31 SAYS HERE,
[02:10:01]
WE, I AM MOVING TO PUT THIS ON A FUTURE AGENDA.WE WILL BE BRINGING THIS BACK PROBABLY IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER.
UM, TO BE ABLE TO REEVALUATE THIS AND HAVE A MORE ROBUST CONVERSATION AS A COUNCIL.
UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT.
WE ARE MOVING TO MAKE CHANGES.
AND, UM, I WOULD SAY THAT MY PER PERSONAL OPINION IS NOT DISSIMILAR TO YOURS.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD AND I AM MOVING TO PUT THAT ONTO A FUTURE AGENDA.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO NOTE A LOT OF THE FLOCK CAMERAS THAT YOU SEE ARE NOT CITY FLOCK CAMERAS.
BUSINESSES ARE PUTTING THEM IN.
SO YOU MAY SEE THEM, BUT THEY'RE NOT ALL CITY OWNED.
SO WE HAVE A CONTRACT, UM, THAT WE CAN REEVALUATE AND BRING BACK.
AND SO I BELIEVE THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED IN DETAIL IN OCTOBER.
AND JUST TO PUT A FINE POINT ON WHAT COUNCILWOMAN POOL SAID, UH, MISD, THE COUNTY DPS ALSO HAVE CAMERAS.
AND AS THE MAYOR HAS ALREADY ALLUDED TO, COUNCIL HAS TALKED TO US ABOUT LOOKING AT A DIFF DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
SO THAT MORE TO COME ON THAT WE DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU.
UM, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD TO ITEM 31, UM, AND INVITE DEREK SMITH TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS TEXT.
MIDLAND, TEXAS, UH, I JUST WANNA GO BACK TO THE BUDGET.
THE MAN OF THE PODIUM READS NOTES.
LIKE SAY, I WOULD LIKE Y'ALL TO MAKE MORE CUTS.
AND IF THAT MEANS CUTTING THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE SPEND WITH K, WELL THEN SO BE IT.
I MEAN, WE SHOULD NOT BE SPENDING TAXPAYER DOLLARS ON SOMETHING THAT'S NOT VIEWPOINT NEUTRAL ANYHOW.
AND SOMEBODY WHO'S A HYPOCRITE AND SAYS THAT, YOU KNOW, PBS AND NPR ARE NOT VIEWPOINT NEUTRAL, SO THEY DON'T DESERVE OUR TAX DOLLARS.
SO, YOU KNOW, AND I REALLY WISH Y'ALL WOULD STOP AVAILING YOUR YOURSELVES TO THAT BECAUSE THEY JUST MAKE YOU LOOK FOOLISH AND LIKE HYPOCRITE YOURSELVES.
UM, WE ALL WANTED TO SEE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF AND THEN IT GOT PASSED.
BUT, AND THIS IS OUTTA Y'ALL'S CONTROL.
WE GOT HIT WITH THAT BILLION DOLLAR SCHOOL BOND.
AND SO, LIKE, GOING BACK TO THIS NO NEW REVENUE THING, IT GOES BACK TO THE EXAMPLE THAT I GAVE Y'ALL ABOUT THE EMPLOYEE GETTING OVERPAID.
Y'ALL ARE TRYING TO JUSTIFY KEEPING THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY COMING IN INSTEAD OF SAYING, OKAY, THIS IS MONEY THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN RECEIVING.
WHAT ALL THINGS CAN WE CUT OUT AND LIKE SAY, GOING BACK TO DEVELOPMENT, HOW COME NONE OF THIS STUFF THAT HAD BEEN SOLD TO US BY PREVIOUS COUNCILS, LIKE THE HORSESHOE ARENA, THE STADIUM, UH, THIS COUNCIL HERE, YOU KNOW, ALL THIS DEVELOPMENT WHERE, WHERE IS ALL THIS ADDITIONAL MONEY GOING BECAUSE LIKE, SAY JUST ONE ACRE, WHICH HAS OVER 43,000 SQUARE FOOT AND THE AVERAGE HOME IS ANYWHERE FROM 1800 TO 2000 SQUARE FEET IN A MEDIAN PRICE, LIKE SAY $200,000 FOR ONE ACRE OF LAND IS A LOT OF MONEY.
AND SO WHEN YOU PUT 10 HOMES ON THAT ONE ACRE AND RAISE THE VALUE TO 3 MILLION, THAT IS A 1400% INCREASE IN THE TAXABLE VALUATION OF THAT ONE PIECE OF LAND.
AND IT'S HAPPENING EXPONENTIALLY.
SO IF WE DEVELOP 10 ACRES IN ONE YEAR, WHICH IS 8.33 HOMES PER ACRE OVER 12 MONTHS, YOU HAVE JUST BROUGHT IN 14000% INCREASE IN TAXABLE VALUATIONS OF WHAT WAS ONCE RAW LAND.
AND THEN WHEN YOU TAKE A COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT LIKE OXY, ANADACO, CHEVRON, THOSE BIG PROJECTS LIKE THAT, LIKE SAY I'VE LOOKED AT 'EM AND IF THAT'S ON FIVE ACRES AT 200,000 FOR 1,000,001 OF THOSE BUILDINGS IS VALUED AT 80 MILLION, THAT IS A 7900% INCREASE IN THE TAXABLE VALUATION OF WHAT WAS ONCE JUST RAW LAND.
WE NEED MORE TAXING FROM THE PEOPLE.
AND I WANT US TO STOP PAYING FOR ANY ADVERTISING TO ANY BROADCAST MEDIAN OTHER THAN WHAT IS REQUIRED BY LAW.
BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY FREE WAYS TO IT.
AND I'M TIRED OF BEING EXPECTED AS AN INDIVIDUAL TO CONTINUE TO GIVE MORE TO MY COMMUNITY.
BUT THESE BUSINESSES LIKE RADIO AND TV AND NEWSPAPER, THEY DON'T HAVE TO DONATE OR GIVE ANYTHING TO Y'ALL AND IT COMES FROM US.
SO FIND THINGS THAT YOU CAN CUT PLEASE, KING.
WE NEED TO, DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR RESPONSES FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS? OKAY, MAYOR, I THINK ON, I DO HAVE ONE COMMENT.
UM, WITH RESPECT TO, UM, THE VALUES OF THE PROPERTIES, THEY MAKE UP THAT $65.2 MILLION.
THAT, SO, SO THE VALUES THAT GO UP MAKE, MAKE UP THAT AMOUNT.
OUR PERCENTAGE IS 23% OF THE DOLLAR.
SO THE MAJORITY OF THAT GOES TO MISD PORTION GOES TO THE COUNTY, GOES TO THE OTHER TAXING ENTITIES LIKE THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT AND MIDLAND COLLEGE.
ANOTHER WAY OF LOOKING AT IT, IF YOU HAVE A DOLLAR, WE'LL ONLY GET 23 CENTS.
[02:15:02]
AND SO THAT MAKES UP TO 65 MILLION.SO THESE PROPERTIES THAT ARE VALUED OR WHATEVER THEY'RE VALUED AT COUNCIL DID GIVE BACK MONEY THE LAST THREE YEARS, AS I POINTED OUT ALREADY.
WHEN THEY GIVE MONEY BACK PEOPLE, UM, ARGUABLY, AND THEY'RE RIGHT.
I DIDN'T SEE A TAX DECREASE THIS YEAR.
SO THAT'S WHAT MAKES UP TO SIX 5 MILLION.
I I I WOULD ALSO POINT OUT THAT I, I UNDERSTAND, BUT THE VALUATIONS, LIKE YOU'RE, YOU'RE TAKING THE HIGH END OF A, OF, OF PROPERTIES, THE TOP RATE OF PROPERTIES.
WHAT I WOULD SAY THOUGH IS FOR EVERY ONE OF THOSE HOUSES THAT GOES IN, ARE YOU FACTORING IN THAT WE HAVE TO PUT IN SEWER LINES THAT WE HAVE TO PUT IN WATER LINES TO, ARE YOU FACTORING IN THAT WE NOW THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TRASHED HOW
SO I THINK GO AHEAD AND FINISH WHAT YOU WERE SAYING.
NO, I WAS JUST, I WAS, I MEAN WE, IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE A BUSINESS WHERE WE'RE MAKING A TON OF MONEY FROM THESE SERVICES.
MOST OF THAT MONEY GOES BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH SERVICES IS ALL I WAS SAYING.
THERE'S ALSO THE COST OF THE SERVICES THAT THOSE REQUIRE OF US.
SO FOR EACH OF THOSE, WE STILL HAVE TO PAY FOR ROADWAY AND, AND WATER AND SEWER AND POLICE SERVICE AND ALL THE THINGS THAT GO TO SUPPORT THEM.
SO FOR THE, THE NEW PROPERTIES, NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT WERE ADDED TO THE TAX ROLL THIS YEAR, OUR PORTION OF THE REVENUE FROM THAT TAXABLE VALUATION THAT WAS ADDED IS $2.4 MILLION.
THAT WAS WHAT WAS PRESENTED EARLIER.
THAT'S THE PROJECTED REVENUE THAT WE SHOULD RECEIVE FOR THE THINGS THAT WERE ADDED TO THE TAX ROLLS THIS YEAR.
AND SO WE USE THOSE TO PROVIDE EXPANDED SERVICES FOR THOSE EXPANDED AREAS OF TOWN.
I WAS JUST GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT ONE SLIDE ABOUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY.
I MEAN THE 60, THE 60, UH, 7 MILLION IS UH, TWO THIRDS OF WHAT IT COSTS TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SAFETY.
THE ONLY REASON THAT IS GIVEN AS AN EXAMPLE, 'CAUSE THAT'S OUR TOP PRIORITY, THAT'S THE COUNCIL'S TOP PRIORITY AND IT'S THE MOST EXPENSIVE.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO CALL STAN SMITH TO COME FORWARD TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT TEXT MIDLAND, BE THE ENERGY.
I WAS GONNA SAY GOOD MORNING MAYOR BELONG AND COUNCIL ALL THIS MCAD STUFF THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
I'VE HEARD YOU MAKE THE COMMENT BEFORE THAT YOU KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH MCA.
EARLIER YOU STATED THAT WE HAVE JOHN SCARBOROUGH, WE GOT A REPRESENTATIVE.
I WANNA LOOK AT THIS A LITTLE DIFFERENT ANGLE.
WHEN WE LOOK AT MONEY IN MIDLAND, I WANNA TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT EVERY TAXPAYER IN MIDLAND SHOULD CARE ABOUT.
NOT WHETHER THEIR PROPERTY VALUES ARE GOING UP OR DOWN.
NOT WHETHER TAXES ARE HIGH OR LOW, BUT WHETHER TWO TAX PAYERS WITH SIMILAR PROPERTIES ARE BEING TREATED EQUALLY BY THEIR PROPERTY TAX SYSTEM.
THE TEXAS COMPTROLLER'S 2024 STUDY, WHICH IS ALL I CAN FIND, GIVES US SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT MIDLAND COUNTY.
THE STUDY FOUND THE MEDIAN APPRAISAL OF 0.98 AND A COEFFICIENT OF DISPERSION RCOD OF A 9.82.
OVERALL, THE MIDLAND COUNTY NUMBERS WERE 0.98, MEDIAN APPRAISAL LEVEL AND A 12.11 COD.
NOW, 0.98 TELLS US THAT THE COMPTROLLER STUDY SAMPLE THE TYPICAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MIDLAND'S APPRAISALS AND THE STUDY INDICATED VALUES WAS ABOUT 98%.
BUT THE COD TELLS US SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
IT TELLS US ABOUT UNIFORMITY, HOW HOW MUCH INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES VARY AROUND THAT CENTRAL LEVEL.
AND THAT'S WHERE I BELIEVE TAXPAYERS NEED TO PAY ATTENTION.
THE SINGLE FAMILY COD OF 9.82 MEANS THAT WHILE THE OVERALL MEDIA MAY LOOK REASONABLE, INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES ARE NOT BEING APPRAISED EXACTLY THE SAME RELATIONSHIP TO MARKET VALUE.
IN FACT, THE COMPTROLLER'S DATA SHOWS THAT ONLY 65 POINT 14% OF THE SAMPLED SINGLE FAMILY RATIOS WERE WITHIN THE PLUS OR MINUS 10% OF THE MEDIUM.
THINK ABOUT THAT AND WHAT THAT MEANS FROM A TAXPAYER'S PERSPECTIVE.
TWO HOUSES CAN BE SIMILAR IN VALUE.
THEY CAN BE IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY CAN HAVE BE SIMILAR IN SIZE, AGE, AND CONDITION.
YET IF ONE APPRAISES AT A HIGHER PERCENTAGE, IT'S ACTUAL MARKET THAN THE OTHER TAXPAYER THAT THE PROPERTY CARRIES A DIS APPROPRIATE SHARE OF THE TAX BURDEN.
THAT'S THE ISSUE I WANT TO FOCUS ON.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT ASKING FOR EVERYBODY'S PRAISE TO BE LORD.
IT'S ABOUT ASKING FOR EVERYBODY TO BE TREATED FAIRLY.
AND THE NUMBERS BECOME EVEN MORE CONCERNING WHEN WE LOOK BEYOND SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
THE COMPTROLLER REPORTED CODS OF 14.37 FOR MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES, 20.64 FOR COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE PROPERTY.
45 POINT 11 FOR VACANT LOTS, 43.64 FOR RURAL AND NON-QUALIFIED PROPERTIES.
THOSE NUMBERS TELL US THAT UNIFORMITY IS NOT THE SAME ACROSS THE PROPERTY CATEGORY.
SO I'M ASKING MIDDLE AND CENTRAL PA DISTRICT FOR SOMETHING VERY SIMPLE, WHICH I TALKED TO THEM.
LET'S, LET'S EXAMINE THIS DATA.
LET'S IDENTIFY WHERE THE GREATEST VARIATIONS ARE OCCURRING.
LET'S LOOK AT THE APPRAISAL UNIFORMITY,
[02:20:01]
NEIGHBORHOOD PROPERTY TYPE MARKET SEGMENT, AND LET'S MAKE THAT INFORMATION MORE UNDERSTANDABLE AND AVAILABLE TO THE TAXPAYERS WHO ARE ULTIMATELY PAYING THE BILLS.THE CITY COUNCIL DOES NOT SET INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY APPRAISALS.
I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO CONTINUE, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THE REST OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IN YOUR PROPOSED SOLUTION.
THE CITY COUNCIL DOES NOT SET INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY APPRAISALS, WHICH I KNOW THAT THAT'S THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT'S RESPONSIBILITY.
BUT THE CITY DOES DETERMINE HOW MUCH TAX REVENUE IT COLLECTS THROUGH THAT TAX RATE.
AND WHEN THAT APPRAISAL VALUES ARE DISTRIBUTED UNEVENLY, THE BURDEN CAN BE DISTRIBUTED.
UNEVENLY FOR FAIR TAXATION REQUIRES MORE THAN GETTING THE AVERAGE.
IT REQUIRES GETTING THE INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYER RIGHT.
SO MY REQUEST TODAY IS SIMPLE.
USE THEM TO IDENTIFY WHERE APPRAISAL EQUITY CAN BE IMPROVED BECAUSE MIDLAND TAXPAYERS AREN'T ASKING FOR SPECIAL TREATMENT.
THEY'RE ASKING FOR EQUAL TREATMENT.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO PROPERTY TAXES, FAIRNESS ISN'T A FAVOR TO THE TAXPAYER.
IT'S A STANDARD THE SYSTEM SHOULD S STRIVE TO ACHIEVE.
ONE OTHER NOTE THAT I'D LIKE TO JUST SHOW YOU, I IF I HAD A SLIDE, I WOULD, I GOT IT ON WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT THAT COEFFICIENT OF DISPERSION, OKAY, TEXT CITY OF MIDLAND, TEXAS, IT HAS TO BE WITHIN 10 PLUS OR MINUS 10%.
SO YOU GOT SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES, WHICH THEY DO PRETTY WELL.
IT'S 9.82, BUT THAT ONLY TELLS YOU THAT 65 POINT 14% ARE COVERED UNDER THAT GUIDELINES.
YOU GOT MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENCE, WHICH WOULD BE APARTMENT COMPLEXES 14.37, WHICH IS 40.74%.
THE MAN ADDRESSES THE COUNCIL.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU SEND THIS TO US? 'CAUSE I I WOULD LIKE TO STUDY THIS FURTHER AND I I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING UP HERE.
I I THINK THAT THIS DOES BEAR FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS AS A COMMUNITY.
MY, MY QUESTION IS, IS WHO WITH, WE HAVE A MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL, A MEMBER OF THE CITY ON THE BOARD.
I I SAT THERE THROUGH THEIR MEETING AND I GAVE THEM THE SAME DEAL.
WHO WITH THE CITY AUDITS MCAD TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE DOING A PROPER JOB OF COLLECTING THE TAX TAXES THAT ARE DUE BASED ON WHAT Y'ALL HAVE TO WORK WITH THE O THE OTHER THING IS THE SPEAKER GESTURES TO HIS NOTES.
IT JUST, I, I LISTENED TO THE CHIEF APPRAISER GIVE A PRESENTATION TO THEM, ISD, WHICH MADE ME START LOOKING AT THIS.
AND BASICALLY SHE TOLD ME THEY HAD NO WAY THAT THEY COULD GO MARKET VALUE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE PBOR OR THAT MLS.
SO THEY'RE BA BASICALLY JUST SCATTER SHOOTING.
SO IT TELLS ME THAT WE GOT A LOT OF PROPERTIES OUT THERE THAT'S NOT GONNA BE TAXED LIKE THEY OUGHT TO BE TAXED.
THANK YOU FOR IF YOU WOULD SEND THOSE OVER TO US.
AND I THINK WE NEED SOME MORE INFORMATION.
THERE'S A REALLY GOOD PERMIAN PRESS ARTICLE.
THAT WAS, WE'RE ALL, IT'S ALL TIED TOGETHER.
I COMPLETELY AGREE, BUT I, I THINK THERE'S PROPERTIES THAT ARE NOT BEING TAXABLE.
I MEAN, YOU TAKE A VACANT LOT THAT A GUY BOUGHT FOR A THOUSAND DOLLARS 10 YEARS AGO AND TODAY THE MARKET VALUES WHAT, YEAH.
I MEAN WE'RE ALL BEING TAXED ON MARKET VALUE AND THAT'S WHAT WE OUGHT TO BE TAXED ON.
PLEASE DO EMAIL THOSE TO US AND WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
TO THE EXTENT THAT WE HAVE ANYTHING TO DO ABOUT IT.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO I'LL CLOSE OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND WE'LL COME BACK TO MAKING THE REST OF OUR APPOINTMENTS TO VARIOUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
UM, I BELIEVE, HAVE YOU GUYS HAD A CHANCE TO COMPILE THOSE? SO WE HAVE A SLATE OF THE, THE MOST VOTE GETTERS? MM-HMM
UM, I DON'T KNOW THE THE PROPER WAY TO SAY THAT, BUT IF YOU WOULD GIVE US THOSE AND WE CAN VOTE ON THEM INDIVIDUALLY, I THINK WOULD BE APPROPRIATE SINCE THESE ARE GONNA BE AN INDIVIDUAL SLATE.
SO WE'LL START WITH THE AIRPORT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
SO THE FIRST APPOINTMENT WOULD BE CHRISTINA RENTIER MEMBERS REVIEW DOCUMENTS, FLAGS AND BACKGROUND.
DO YOU WANNA DO 'EM AS A SLATE THOUGH? LET'S DO THAT.
SO CHRISTINA, DO WE HAVE THREE? YES.
SO WE HAVE THOSE AS OUR SLATE FOR THE AIRPORT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
UM, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILWOMAN POOL.
WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN LAD.
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S VOTE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES SIX TO ZERO.
WE'LL MOVE FORWARD TO THE ANIMAL CONTROL ADVISORY COMMISSION AND WE HAVE TWO VACANCIES, BUT ONE OF THOSE IS A VETERINARIAN, WHICH DID NOT APPLY.
SO WE'LL ONLY HAVE ONE TO FILL TODAY.
AND THAT APPOINTMENT WOULD GO TO KELLY HINSLEY.
SO WE HAVE A NOMINATION OF KELLY HENSLEY.
DO WE HAVE THAT IN THE FORM OF A MOTION? SO MOVED.
[02:25:01]
MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN LADD, A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN STUBBS.IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S VOTE.
OKAY, WELL WE HAVE UH, NO VACANCIES FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER.
SO WE'LL MOVE FORWARD TO THE CITIZEN DEVELOPMENT HOTEL MOTEL ADVISORY BOARD.
SO FOR THE HOTELIER POSITION, ADRIAN VILLALOBOS, UM, THE SECOND POSITION, MARY SERGIO, THE THIRD POSITION ADAM LAWLESS.
SO WE HAVE NOMINATIONS OF ADRIAN VILLALOBOS, MARY SERGO, AND ADAM WALLACE.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILWOMAN POOL.
WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN LACK.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES SIX ZERO.
OKAY, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD TO THE MIDLAND HOUSING AUTHORITY COMMISSION.
UM, AND MARIE RID, UH, RECEIVED MOST VOTES TEXT LORI BLANC.
SO WE HAVE MARIE RID WHO HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR THAT SEAT.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN LAD.
SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN NORMAN.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES SIX TO ZERO.
OKAY, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD TO THE MILLER ODESSA URBAN TRANSIT DISTRICT BOARD, WHICH IS OUR PUBLIC TRANSIT.
AND TWO REAPP APPOINTMENTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE.
SO ONE VACANCY AND, UM, INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING THE MOST VOTES.
I APOLOGIZE IF I, UM, INCORRECTLY SAY THIS NAME.
I, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AT THE DAY'S FINALIZED BOARD APPOINTMENT DOCUMENTS DE OD THANK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
LONG REVIEWS MEETING MATERIALS.
ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE, THIS PERSON HAS BEEN NOMINATED.
DO WE HAVE THAT IN THE FORM OF A MOTION? WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN STUBBS.
AND SECOND, A SECOND FROM COUNCILWOMAN POOL.
ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIE? SIX TO ZERO.
OKAY, THEN WE'LL MOVE FORWARD TO THE MIDLAND SPACEPORT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
UM, JEFF GASH WAS THE ONE RECEIVES THE MOST VOTES.
JEFF GASH RECEIVED THE MOST VOTES.
DO WE HAVE THAT IN THE FORM OF A MOTION? SO MOVED.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN STUBBS.
ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES SIX TO ZERO.
WE HAVE NO VACANCIES ON THE OIL AND GAS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE ONE VACANCY ON PARKS AND REC.
MARK WALTERS RECEIVED THE MOST VOTES.
MARK WALTERS, DO WE HAVE THAT IN THE FORM OF A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
ROBIN POOLE HAS MOVED TO APPOINT MARK WALTERS.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND.
AND THEN ZONING, BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS AND AIRPORT ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
THE VACANCY, UM, THAT RECEIVED OR THE AN INDIVIDUAL THAT SEE THE MOST VOTES FOR THE FULL MEMBERSHIP SEAT IS ADRIAN VAZQUEZ AND ALTERNATE RUTH PINEDO.
OKAY, SO WE HAVE ADRIAN VASQUEZ AS THE, THE MAIN SEAT AND THEN RUTH PINEDO AS THE ALTERNATE.
MM-HMM
WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN STUBBS.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES SIX TO ZERO.
COUNCIL MEMBERS REVIEW MEETING MATERIALS AT THE DESK.
I'M SO GLAD THAT THE ATTENDANCE HAS BECOME SO MUCH MORE CLEAR.
THANK Y'ALL FOR THE WAY THAT Y'ALL HAVE COMMUNICATED THAT WITH US.
AND RACHEL, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS TO REALLY STREAMLINE THINGS.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE FORWARD TO EXECUTIVE SESSION NUMBER 32.
PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 5 5 1 1 0 1, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL HOLD AN EXECUTIVE SESSION WHICH IS CLOSE TO THE PUBLIC TO DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING MATTERS AS PERMITTED UNDER THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 1.
CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY WILL DISCUSS MATTERS IN WHICH THE DUTY OF THE ATTORNEY TO THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY UNDER THE TEXAS DISCIPLINARY RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT OF THE STATE BAR OF TEXAS CLEARLY CONFLICT WITH CHAPTER 5 5, 1 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE DISCUSS PENDING AND CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 2 DELIBERATION REGARDING REAL PROPERTY, DISCUSS THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE, LEASE, OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY.
SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 4 PERSONNEL MATTERS DELIBERATE THE EMPLOYMENT EVALUATION AND DUTIES OF THE CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY, CITY SECRETARY,
[02:30:01]
MUNICIPAL COURT PRESIDING JUDGE, MUNICIPAL COURT ASSOCIATE JUDGE, SECTION 5 5 1 0 8 7 DELIBERATION REGARDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS.DISCUSS BUSINESS PROSPECTS THAT THE CITY SEEKS TO HAVE, LOCATE, STAY OR EXPAND IN OR NEAR THE CITY OF MIDLAND, TEXAS, AND DISCUSS POSSIBLE INCENTIVES.
AND WITH THAT, WE STAND ADJOURNED AT 1230 TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.