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CURVED WOODEN DAYS INTO COUNCIL CHAMBER, RIGHT? THE MEETING IS HEREBY CALL TO ORDER AT 10:01 AM NATIONAL AND STATE FLAGS BEHIND THE ACE COUNCIL MEMBER NORMAN, WILL YOU GO AHEAD AND SAY A PRAYER FOR US? OFFICIALS ARE SEATED AT THE DAS.THE OFFICIALS STAND WITH HEADS BOWED.
A MAN IN THE FOREGROUND WEARS A SHIRT, DISPLAYING THE TEXT.
DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE JUST THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY.
WE WANT TO JUST SAY THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE.
LORD, WE JUST ASK THAT YOU, UH, PROTECT US.
KEEP US THE OFFICIALS, STAND WITH BOW HEADS.
LET US SPEAK WITH CLEAR MINDS, CLEAR HEARTS.
THE MAN IN THE FOREGROUND FACES AWAY FROM THE CANBERRA.
WE JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE BLESSINGS THAT YOU BESTOWED UPON US.
THE FLAGS REMAIN ON DISPLAY BEHIND THE ACE, AND WE GONNA KEEP IT SHORT.
I PEG THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TWO COLOR FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO BE TEXAS.
ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE INDIVIDUAL, THE OFFICIALS TAKE THEIR SEATS AROUND A CURVED WOODEN DESK.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA KICK OFF TODAY WITH ITEM ORDINANCE NUMBER 1 0 7 8 8 PLEASE.
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
DO YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION OR ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE TODAY? UM, YES MA'AM, GO AHEAD.
UH, IF YOU GUYS DON'T MIND, WE ARE, I WOULD LIKE TO COVER, UM, JUST A VERY SHORT PRESENTATION TALKING ABOUT THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AND OVERALL WE'RE ADOPTING, THERE'S THREE MAIN POINTS TO THIS.
WE'RE ADOPTING THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, WE'RE KEEPING OPERATIONS ESSENTIALLY FLAT, AND WE'RE PAYING FOR CAPITAL IDOLS WITH CASH INSTEAD OF DEBT.
TEXT OUR FINANCIAL STRATEGY, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, OUR STRATEGY, AS YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN TO CREATE CAPACITY THROUGH THE EFFICIENCIES, THROUGH THE REVENUE, UM, STREAMS THAT WE HAVE, UM, FOUND THAT HAVE ALLOWED US TO KEEP THE TAX RATE AS AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.
WE ARE, ONCE AGAIN, UM, WE ARE PROPOSING THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.
THAT MEANS THAT LAST YEAR, UM, THE PROPERTIES PROVIDED 65.2 MILLION IN REVENUE, AND THOSE SAME PROPERTIES PROVIDE 65.2 MILLION IN REVENUE FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, THE 2.4 MILLION, UM, IS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AND NEW, UM, PROPERTIES.
SO THAT IS WHAT THAT NEW GROWTH IS.
WOULD ALSO LIKE TO, UM, PRESENT THAT RESIDENTIAL HOME VALUES OVERALL DECREASED BY 6.6% WHILE COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES INCREASED BY 13.2%.
ALSO, MINERALS HAD A DECREASE OF 19% FOR, UM, THIS VALUATION.
AND ALSO OF NOTE, ALMOST HALF OF THE PROPERTIES SHOW A DECREASE IN THEIR TAX BILL.
SO WE DID A LITTLE, SOME CALCULATIONS WITH THE DATA FROM MCAD AND ALMOST HALF OF THE PROPERTIES WE'LL SEE A DECREASE IN THEIR TAX BILL.
THE VIEW SHOWS A CHART OF PROPOSED TAX RATES FOR PEER CITIES.
WITH THIS NO NEW REVENUE RATE, THIS KEEPS US STILL ONE OF THE LOWEST, UH, PROPERTY TAX BILLS AMONG OUR PEER CITIES.
WE ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT OF THE FULL BUDGET OF $504 MILLION, $46 MILLION OF THIS IS CAPITAL ONE TIME COST.
SO IF WE REMOVE THAT, THE BUDGET REMAINS FLAT.
THAT MEANS IT'S WITHIN 1% OF LAST YEAR'S OPERATING BUDGET.
AND I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE ONE COMMENT ON THAT.
UM, COUNSEL HAS DIRECTED THAT WE, UH, PAY AS WE GO FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS AND AVOID DEBT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
SO THAT'S THE REASON FOR THAT BIG NUMBER BECAUSE WE'RE SAVED UP MONEY IN ORDER TO THEN PAY FOR THOSE PROJECTS AT ONE TIME INSTEAD OF DOING IT WITH DEBT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO AGAIN, REMIND THE COUNCIL OF THAT TABLE LISTS DEPARTMENTAL CAPITAL SPENDING AND WE CONTINUE TO MAKE PUBLIC SAFETY ONE OF OUR BIGGEST PRIORITIES.
IT IS OUR BIGGEST PRIORITY, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE MORE THAN DOUBLED OUR PUBLIC SAFETY COST, UM, IN INVESTMENT
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OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS.IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT ANOTHER WAY, A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR PROPERTY TAXES GO TOWARD PUBLIC SAFETY, STILL LEAVING A $37 MILLION GAP THAT MUST BE COVERED IN OTHER GENERAL FUND REVENUE CHART DISPLAYS, EXPENSES, AERIAL VIEW TEXT, DELIVER EXCEPTIONAL SERVICES, AND PROMOTE A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE IN PLACE FOR ALL OUR CITIZENS.
TEXT END OF SLIDESHOW, CLICK TO EXIT.
UM, SO JUST TO, I LIKE TO GO BACK TO THAT ONE.
SO A LOT OF TIMES THERE'S QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT ONE, BUT JUST TO, TO SUM IT UP, THE THREE MAIN POINTS FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET IS KEEPING THE, HAVING THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, KEEPING OPERATIONS ESSENTIALLY FLAT AND PAYING FOR CAPITAL ITEMS WITH CASH INSTEAD OF DEBT.
AND THE MEASURE OF THE BUDGET IS NOT SIMPLY THE TAX RATE, BUT IT IS WHAT THE RESIDENTS RECEIVE FOR THAT TAX RATE.
AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THE NEEDS OF THE GROWING CITY, UM, ABSORBING GROWTH INFLATION, RISING SERVICE DEMANDS THROUGH OTHER REVENUES, THROUGH THE EFFICIENCIES AND THE COST RECOVERIES EVEN KEEPING WITH THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.
UM, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
COUNCIL MEMBERS SIT ALONG THE WOODEN DAYS.
DOES COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THE WOMAN PRESENCE FROM THE SENDER, I JUST WANT TO HAVE A REAL QUICK QUESTION JUST BASED ON CURRENT INFLATIONARY NUMBERS AND LOOKING AT THE BUDGET STAYING FLAT.
SO I MEAN, IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY PROBABLY EVEN CUT BACK SOMEWHAT DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE'RE SEEING LIKE A 3.2 TO 3.4%, UH, INCREASE IN CPI AND I MEAN, THE FACT IS WE HAVE BOND YIELDS THAT ARE REACHING ALL TIME HIGHS, WHAT ARE NOT GREAT INDICATIONS AND POTENTIALLY LEAD TO, YOU KNOW, EVEN HIGHER INFLATION THINGS OF THAT SORT.
SO, UH, JUST KIND OF TALK ABOUT THAT AND, AND, AND WHEN WE'RE DOING THE BUDGET AND TRYING TO STAY AND, YOU KNOW, WITHIN OUR MEANS, I, I'LL LET, I'LL LET HER ANSWER, BUT I WANTED TO INTERJECT CHRISTI, IF I MIGHT, THE, THE MINERALS THAT SHE MENTIONED, WHENEVER IT WAS CALCULATED, IT WAS CALCULATED DURING A TIME OF THE YEAR WHEN THE, THE MINERALS WERE DOWN.
UM, ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT TO YOUR POINT ABOUT BEING A FLAT BUDGET IN YEARS PAST THE LAST THREE BUDGET CYCLES, WHAT THE COUNCIL'S DONE, BECAUSE THE VALUES HAVE GONE UP EVERY YEAR, THE COUNCIL REDUCED THE PROPERTY TAX RATE, BUT PEOPLE STILL PROBABLY SAW AN INCREASE AS SHE POINTED OUT THIS YEAR BECAUSE THE VALUES WERE DECREASED SO MUCH THAT PEOPLE STILL SEE A TAX DECREASE, EVEN THOUGH THAT WE ADJUSTED THE TAX RATE AT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, MEANING THAT IN YEARS PAST WE WEREN'T AT NO NEW REVENUE.
SO BY BEING AT NO NEW REVENUE, WE ARE NOT INCREASING THE REVENUE WE RECEIVED THE PREVIOUS YEAR TO THIS YEAR.
SO THE FACT THAT THAT PROPERTY TAX IS ADJUSTED IS, IS, IS MISLEADING BECAUSE IN YEARS IN THE LAST THREE BUDGET CYCLES, YOU REDUCED THE TAX RATE AND PEOPLE REALLY DIDN'T SEE THAT THAT RATE DECREASE IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY PAID IN TAXES.
THIS YEAR, AT LEAST HALF, ABOUT 46% WILL SEE A TAX DECREASE FOUR MEN AT A TABLE WITH LAPTOPS.
HEY, TO GO TO YOUR QUESTION, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF EFFORTS ACROSS, UM, THE CITY TO FIND INSTANCES WHERE WE CAN LOWER OUR COST.
UM, AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IS, I KNOW IN PARKS INSTEAD OF HIRING SOMEONE TO DO A LOT OF THE SPRAYING FOR WEEDS AND ET CETERA, THEY'RE PAYING FOR THEIR OWN CHEMICALS.
THOSE COSTS WENT UP, BUT THEIR, UM, CONTRACT COSTS WENT DOWN BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA SPRAY IT THEMSELVES.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO MAKE SAVINGS THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO USE OUR OWN STAFF.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THIS IS THE IN-HOUSE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT WE'VE DONE, UM, FOR CERTAIN ROADS, ALLEYS, UM, SIDEWALKS, ET CETERA, THAT WE HAVE FOUND SAVINGS THAT WAY.
UM, WE DO HAVE TO OFFSET THAT WITH THE COST OF STAFFING, UM, FOR THOSE THINGS.
BUT, UM, WE'VE, WE'VE CONTINUALLY LOOKING FOR WAYS TO, TO FIND THOSE SAVINGS.
AND I KNOW JUST RECENTLY WE FOUND SAVINGS IN ONE OF OUR, UM, IT CONTRACTS THAT HAD TO BE RENEWED AND, AND THEY TRY TO GO UP ON YOU ALL THE TIME AND THEY HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY TO GET THAT CONTRACT DOWN.
THEY RESTRUCTURED THE CONTRACT FOR MORE YEARS.
IT'S SOMETHING WE KNOW WE'RE GONNA NEED ANYWAY, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GET A LOWER COST.
SO IT'S JUST EFFORT AND A CONTINUOUS MINDSET ACROSS THE CITY TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO, UH, FOR LESS.
YEAH, AND I APPRECIATE STAFF DOING A LOT OF THOSE THINGS AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON TOO WITH PROCUREMENT AND GOING THROUGH SOME OF OUR, UH, DIFFERENT THINGS AND FINDING WAYS TO CUT SOME OF THOSE EXPENSES TO WHERE WE CAN, WHERE WE CAN USE THAT MONEY AND OTHER WAYS THAT ARE MUCH MORE BENEFICIAL FOR THE TAXPAYERS.
SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AND IN THOSE CASES, TO YOUR POINT, UM, THEY GO TOWARDS THESE OTHER INCREASES THAT WE SEE IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO INCLUDE PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO WHEN PEOPLE SAY WHERE DID THOSE SAVINGS GO? WELL, THEY WENT TO ABSORB THESE INCREASES SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO IMPACT THEM IN OTHER WAYS.
THE OFFICIALS REVIEW DOCUMENTS OF THE CONFERENCE TABLE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? I DO HAVE, THANK YOU CHRISTIE.
I DO HAVE A SPEAKER CARD FOR THIS ITEM.
IF DEREK SMITH WILL COME TO THE PODIUM, THE MAN WALKS TO THE PODIUM.
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I WOULD LIKE TO ASK Y'ALL TO KEEP THE RATE THE SAME IF WHAT OUR PROPERTY TAXES ARE BEING ADJUSTED FOR IS WHAT'S BEING SAID BY RACHEL WALKER.AND THE PERCENTAGES ARE, WE'RE LOOKING AT NEEDING TO CUT 2.5 MILLION BECAUSE IF 1% OF A BILLION, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE SAYING, THAT THE APPRAISALS ARE COMING IN UNDER THAT WE'RE LOSING A BILLION, WE'RE WE'RE USING THIS REALLY BIG NUMBER.
IT'S ALL PART OF THE HEALING DIALECT TO TRY AND JUSTIFY THESE THINGS IS WHAT IT IS.
AND IF THIS COUNCIL, LIKE I BROUGHT LAST TIME AND AMY, IT WAS LACEY, RHONDA LACEY WHO SAID Y'ALL WERE THE STRONGEST BEST COUNSEL WE'VE HAD.
SO IF THERE'S ANY TRUTH TO THAT, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO REPLICATE WHAT THE COUNCIL IN 2009 DID WHEN THEY FOUND 5.5 MILLION AND I CAME UP HERE AND SPOKE TO 'EM AT THAT TIME AND THEY FOUND 5.5 MILLION IN SAVINGS.
AND SO IF BETWEEN ALL THE TAXING ENTITIES, 1% OF 1 BILLION IS 10 MILLION, AND WHAT IS REPORTED ON THE RADIO FROM RACHEL WALKER OF PERMIAN PRESS IS TRUE THAT Y'ALL GET A QUARTER OF EVERY DOLLAR IS BASICALLY WHAT IS BELONGING TO THE CITY.
THAT MEANS WITH THESE ADJUSTMENTS THAT YOU'RE LOSING OUT ON 2.5 MILLION, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND THAT YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO KEEP THE TAX RATE THE SAME AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND WHATEVER THAT 2.5 MILLION THAT WOULD BE A SO SO-CALLED LOSS BY CUTTING OUT TRAVEL EXPENSES.
OTHER THINGS, I MEAN, WE SHOULD KEEP THE RATE THE SAME.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE RUN TRUCKING COMPANIES AND THEY'RE SEEING REALLY HIGH DIESEL PRICES RIGHT NOW.
AND SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND THINGS AND THAT'S, I I WANT Y'ALL TO KEEP IT THE SAME AND POSSIBLY OPEN UP THE BUDGET AND INVITE US DOWN HERE INSTEAD OF SEEING US AS YOUR ENEMY AND AGAINST PROGRESS OR ANYTHING ELSE.
BECAUSE WHENEVER I SPOKE HERE IN 2009, ONE OF THE EXPENSES I FOUND WE WERE STILL PAYING FOR PAGERS AND YET EVERY SINGLE CITY EMPLOYEE IN 2009 HAD A CELL PHONE THAT WAS CAPABLE.
AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT CELL PHONE COMPANIES DID WAS GIVE UNLIMITED TEXT.
YOU STILL HAD TO WAIT UNTIL SEVEN O'CLOCK AT NIGHT TO BE ABLE TO USE YOUR CELL PHONE AND MAKE UNLIMITED LONG DISTANCE CALLING.
AND THAT'S WHEN WE STARTED SEEING A DECREASE IN LANDLINES IS BECAUSE PEOPLE COULD HAVE THEIR CELL PHONE AND THEY COULD TALK UNLIMITED LONG DISTANCE.
AND I MEAN, I'M ALMOST OUTTA TIME, BUT COULD Y'ALL PLEASE INVITE US JUDD CAMPBELL, HE'S A CPA AND POSSIBLY HAVE SOME HEARINGS AND, AND PRINT OUT THE BUDGET FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SEE WITHOUT CHARGING US THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR 300 PAGES AND ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO SIT HERE AND GO LINE BY LINE.
BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS I BROUGHT UP TO THAT COUNCIL AND LIKE SAY, I KNOW THAT Y'ALL ARE CAPABLE OF DOING IT.
AND THAT'S HOW WE DID THINGS THEN WAS THE COUNCIL WORKED WITH US.
THERE WAS NOT THIS ADVERSARIAL THING OF THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
YOU NEED TO SHUT UP AND EVERYTHING ELSE AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES.
I MEAN, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE UP TO TALK.
YOU OF COUNCIL MEMBERS AT THE TABLE.
I I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ISSUE A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
THE CITY DOESN'T CHARGE FOR COPIES OF ITS BUDGET.
ANYBODY CAN GO THERE AND REVIEW THE ENTIRE ITEM.
IS THAT ALL 300 PAGES? THANK YOU FOR YOUR CLARIFICATION.
IS THERE ANY, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THIS ITEM OR ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT, THEN I'LL LOOK, GO AHEAD AND LOOK FOR A MOTION.
I MOVE TO ADOPT THE ORDINANCE SUBJECT TO THE AMENDMENTS TO THE BUDGET REFLECTED IN THE UPDATE DOCUMENT PREPARED BY THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT THAT JUST GOES OVER ALL THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE AT THE LAST MEETING.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ALRIGHT, SECOND BY NORWAY THEN LET'S VOTE TEXT ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MIDLAND PROVIDING FUNDS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2026, TEXT TAXPAYER IMPACT STATEMENT, MOTION TO APPROVE VOTE IN PROGRESS.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY AND THAT CHANGE WAS FOR THE PAY INCREASES FOR THE ENTRY LEVEL FOR FIRE JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE, CASE PEOPLE ARE LISTENING.
I DO WANT TO BRING AND JUST HAVE A REAL QUICK TOPIC OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
SO, AND I APPRECIATE THE FIREFIGHTERS FOR BRINGING UP SOME OF THEIR CONCERNS.
WE GOT TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS OVER THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS AND THIS IS SOMETHING I THINK IS GONNA BE CONTINUALLY AN ONGOING CONVERSATION AS WELL BECAUSE WE DO KNOW, I MEAN, AND IT'S, WE CONTINUE TO SPEND MORE ON PUBLIC SAFETY.
UH, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO HAVE TO SPEND MORE ON PUBLIC SAFETY.
I MEAN WE HAVE LOTS OF THINGS LIKE THE BURN BUILDING AND WE HAVE PAY AND WE HAVE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE AND ADDRESS AND WE WERE HAVING CONVERSATIONS JUST A MINUTE AGO.
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THAT THE FIRST RESPONDERS THAT WE DO HAVE THAT ONE THAT WE'RE RETAINING OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, UH, AND WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING UP WITH WHAT SOME OF THE OTHER ARE, ARE COMPARABLE CITIES ARE PAYING, ESPECIALLY CITIES THAT ARE CLOSE TO US TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FIREFIGHTERS CAN HAVE A, A GOOD WAGE, A GOOD LIVABLE WAGE HERE IN THE CITY OF MIDLAND.SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE A, WE'RE CONTINUING TO TALK ABOUT THAT HEARING.
I THINK ALSO TO YOUR POINT, THERE WAS SOME CONCERN ABOUT COMPRESSION AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO SEE THE BURN BUILDING COMPLETED THIS YEAR.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S A GOAL THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE DONE.
ALRIGHT, LET'S GO AHEAD TO ITEM NUMBER 2 2 0 2 6 DASH 1 24.
RESOLUTION RATIFYING THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE INCREASE REFLECTED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 20 27 BUDGET.
IS THERE ANY COUNCIL DISCUSSION? TEXT CITY COUNCIL? I DO HAVE A SPEAKER CARD IF DEREK SMITH WOULD COME TO THE PODIUM.
I ONLY FILLED OUT THE ONE THROUGH BUDGET.
YOU HAD ONE ITEM ONE THROUGH FIVE.
SO IF YOU, WELL, I GUESS THAT'S WHAT THEY, I WAS JUST MAINLY WANTING WHAT I SAID TO YOU ABOUT THE BUDGET.
OR, YEAH, THE CHART IS VISIBLE ON SCREEN.
IF IT'S ONE THROUGH FIVE, I'LL ASK SOME MORE QUESTIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBERS AT THE BASE, LOOK, WERE THE SPEAKER AT THE PODIUM.
HE SAYS THAT THE BUDGET IS ONLINE.
SO IS THAT ALL 300 OR ARE WE UP TO 350 OR 400 PAGES? HOW MANY PAGES ARE ON THERE THAT, I MEAN, IS IT LINE BY LINE SHOWING WHAT EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT IS SPENDING AND WHO EVERY SINGLE VENDOR CONTRACT WE HAVE? JUST LIKE I BROUGHT UP TO YOU ABOUT THE PAGERS, I MEAN, THAT WAS A LOCAL PAGER COMPANY THAT WAS LOCATED OVER THERE BEHIND WHERE OUR OLD, UH, TAX OFFICE USED TO BE TO GET OUR REGISTRATION.
THEY WERE LOCAL AND SO THERE WAS SOMEBODY WHO WAS BENEFITING FROM THAT.
IT WAS, I MEAN, WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE GOOD OLD BOY SYSTEM IN THIS TOWN.
AND THERE'S PEOPLE WHO BENEFIT FROM IT AND THAT'S WHY PEOPLE THINK THAT YOU'RE ALL CORRUPT IS BECAUSE IT, IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM LIKE YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE.
YOU DON'T WANT TO BE OPEN AND, AND IT'S OUR MONEY IS WHO IT BELONGS TO.
AND SO IS THAT ENTIRE BUDGET ONLINE.
I MEAN, WHY, WHY DOES HE ALWAYS HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER MY TIME'S UP TO ANSWER MY QUESTIONS? WHY? WHY CAN NOBODY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS LIKE SAY COUNTDOWN TIMER TRACKS REMAINING TIME.
I'VE PARTICIPATED IN THESE MEETINGS SINCE I WAS A TEENAGER AND NEVER GOT TREATED THE WAY THAT I DO NOW.
WE HAD A BACK AND FORTH, THAT PAPER THAT I SHOWED YOU, WE HAD A BACK AND FORTH, ME AND MICHAEL TROST AND SCOTT DUFFORD.
WE HAD A BACK AND FORTH AND THAT'S HOW THEY AGREED AND SAID, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SPEND $150,000 ON A GAZEBO OUT AT HOGAN PARK.
BECAUSE THEY HAD A PERSON JUST LIKE THE LADY THAT CAME UP HERE A WHILE AGO AND SPOKE AND THEN THEY SAID, MR. SMITH, YOU GOT ANY QUESTIONS? AND I SAID, I ASKED ALL KINDS OF QUESTIONS.
AND SO IT OPENED THINGS UP TO DEBATE TO SEE IF THESE EXPENSES ARE RIGHT.
AND LIKE I SAY, WHY CAN THINGS NOT BE OPEN? WHY CAN WE NOT HAVE SOMETHING TO WHERE Y'ALL ARE AVAILABLE EVERY THREE MONTHS FOR EIGHT HOURS OF A DAY FOR US TO COME DOWN HERE AND SIT HERE AND TALK TO YOU? BECAUSE LIKE I SAY, WITH ALL THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GOING ON AROUND HERE, WHEN ONE SIMPLE ACRE OF LAND VALUED AT $200,000, WHICH IS PRETTY CONSIDERABLE, HAS 10 HOMES BUILT ON IT AT AN AVERAGE MEDIAN PRICE OF $300,000, THAT RAISES THE APPRAISED VALUE OF THAT LAND.
IF THAT HAPPENS 10 TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF THE CITY, THAT MEANS YOU'RE BRINGING IN 14000% MORE MONEY THE FOLLOWING YEAR THAN YOU DID THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE ADOPTING A CURRENT RATE.
AND LIKE I SAY, H HOW COME HE CAN'T ANSWER MY QUESTION? IT, IT'S A SIMPLE QUESTION ABOUT THE BUDGET.
I MEAN, WHERE DO WE FIND, HE SAYS IT'S ONLINE, BUT PEOPLE AREN'T FINDING IT LINE BY LINE WITH EVERY SINGLE EXPENSE GOING OUT SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT IT AND SEE IF THERE'S THINGS THAT CAN BE CUT.
I MEAN, WHY IS IT ALWAYS WE HAVE TO TIGHTEN OUR BELT BUT GOVERNMENT NEVER HAS TO TIGHTEN THERE.
THE COUNTDOWN TIMER ON THE WALL, WE HAVE TO ALWAYS BRING IN THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY YEAR AFTER YEAR.
WE CAN'T EVER FIND A WAY TO CUT ANYTHING.
AND YET ALL OF YOU RUN BUSINESSES AND HOMES AND YOU'RE REQUIRED TO DO THE VERY THING, BUT FOR SOME REASON IT'S UNREASONABLE FOR THE CITIZENS TO COME UP HERE AND ASK YOU TO DO THE SAME THING THAT YOU DO IN YOUR OWN PERSONAL LIFE.
IS THERE ANY COUNCIL DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, I'LL LOOK FOR A MOTION.
THE MAN WALKS AWAY FROM THE PODIUM.
MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER BERKHOLDER SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER NORMAN.
TEXT TWO RESOLUTION RATIFYING THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE INCREASE REFLECTED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 TO 2027.
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APPROVE.THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
ORDINANCE NUMBER 1 0 7 8 9 PLEASE.
AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE DEBT SERVICE COMPONENT OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2026.
THE WIDE SHOT OF THE COUNCIL CHAMBER SHOWS MEMBERS SEATED AT THE BASE.
IS THERE GONNA BE ANY DISCUSSION FROM COUNCIL ON THIS ITEM? ALL RIGHT, I'LL LOOK FOR MOTION.
MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER NORMAN SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER BERKHOLDER.
THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S CONDUCT VOTES WHILE SEATED AT THE CURVE BASE.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR, ORDINANCE NUMBER 1 0 7 9 0 PLEASE.
AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS COMPONENT OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2026.
AGAIN, ANY DISCUSSION FROM COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT, I'LL LOOK FOR A MOTION.
MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER NORMAN SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER POOLE.
CURRENT ITEM ABOVE AGENDA INFORMATION.
TEXT FOUR, AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS COMPONENT OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 TO 2027.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
THE DISPLAY SHOWS THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE VOTE.
ITEM NUMBER FIVE, ORDINANCE NUMBER 1 0 7 9 1 PLEASE.
AN ORDINANCE FIXING THE TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF MIDLAND, TEXAS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING ON OCTOBER 1ST, 2026 AND ENDING ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2027.
ANY DISCUSSION? I'LL LOOK FOR A MOTION.
MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER KOOL SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER NORMAN.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY, RIGHT.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO SECOND READINGS.
ORDINANCE NUMBER 1 0 7 9 4 PLEASE.
AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING A FEE SCHEDULE CONTAINING A SAVINGS AND SEVERABILITY CLAUSE PROVIDING AN APPEAL PROCESS, ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF OCTOBER 1ST, 2026 AND ORDERING PUBLICATION TEXT SIX.
AN ORDINANCE MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER POOLE.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
ALRIGHT, THIS CONCLUDES OUR AGENDA ITEMS. WE WILL NOW GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 10:23 AM.