2008-08-25 CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING MEETING MINUTESMINUTES OF A PUBLIC HEARING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
PEARLAND, TEXAS, TO BE HELD ON MONDAY, AUGUST 25, 2008, AT 6:30 P.M.,
IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, 3519 LIBERTY DRIVE, PEARLAND,
TEXAS.
Mayor Reid called the meeting to order at 6:42 p.m. with the following present:
Mayor
Mayor Pro-Tem
Councilmember
Councilmember
Councilmember
Councilmember
City Manager
City Attorney
City Secretary
Tom Reid
Helen Beckman
Woody Owens
Steve Saboe
Felicia Kyle
Kevin Cole
Bill Eisen
Darrin Coker
Young Lorfing
Others in attendance: Jon Branson Parks and Recreation Director; Danny Cameron
Public Works Director; Nick Finan Assistant City Manager; Mike Hodge Assistant City
Manager; Claire Bogard Finance Director; Fred Welch Executive Director of Economic
Development Corporation; June Ellis Budget Officer.
PURPOSE OF HEARING -PUBLIC COMMENT AND TESTIMONY REGARDING THE
PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008-2009 (OCTOBER 1, 2008 TO
SEPTEMBER 30, 2009) FOR THE CITY OF PEARLAND. Mr. Bill Eisen, City Manager.
STAFF REVIEW OF PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008-2009
(OCTOBER 1, 2008 TO SEPTEMBER 30, 2009) FOR THE CITY OF PEARLAND.
Mr. Bill Eisen, City Manager.
City Manager Bill Eisen stated the proposed Budget includes funds for 16 new
personnel in the General Fund and 4 in the Utility Fund. Changes have also been made
to increase the employees' dependent insurance coverage benefits from 50% to 70%.
Proposed Funds include salary increases. The proposed Budget includes salary
adjustments for specific personnel, technology, and implements the second component
of the $162 million bond referendum with $109 million remaining. Several of the goals
and strategies established have budget implications that have all been addressed in the
proposed Budget. The City has included funds for the Water Conservation Plan that
includes public education and continued work with workforce training support through
the Pearland Economic Development Corporation. There will be no tax rate increase,
but there will be a proposed 13% revenue increase in water/wastewater fund for high
volume users and solid waste fees. Mr. Eisen continued to provide a detailed review of
the proposed Budget.
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CITIZEN COMMENTS:
Nancy Kozanecki, 3707 Pine Branch Drive, addressed Council and stated she
commends the City for the Budget however she is concerned the reserves are being
used again to help balance the numbers. The City utilized reserves last year and it
appears that this will be a trend. She read an article that stated other Councils have
artificially kept water rates low and this is the reason for the higher rates now. The
Pearland Council needs to review the property tax rate to prevent the same situation
occurring in the future. Staff needs to review other ways of bringing revenue into the
City besides property tax.
COUNCIUSTAFF DISCUSSION:
Councilmember Owens asked if the homestead exemption includes disabled
individuals.
City Manager Bill Eisen stated the homestead exemption includes any owner-occupied
home with the owner being over sixty-five and there is a separate disabled over sixty-
five exemption.
Councilmember Cole addressed the concern regarding utilizing the reserve and provide
a further explanation regarding how it relates to the overall tax strategy to draw the fund
balance down.
City Manager Bill Eisen stated the City has been building the reserve for several years
because of the amounts of the projected tax rate for the future with the plan to mitigate
the effects of the increase. When the City utilizes the reserves, it is for things like
capital projects so that if the funding is not available the following year, it could be
mitigated for a period of time.
Councilmember Cole stated he wanted to highlight that the funds included in the Budget
for paving are cooperative efforts with Brazoria County where the cost is shared.
Councilmember Saboe stated he feels the City is very conscious of the how the budget
is planned out and he is in favor of how the budget has been being handled and
keeping the tax rate down. He does, however, get concerned about what could happen
to future revenues and the commitments the City has made, but the commitments can
be altered in the future to prevent burdening the tax payers. He stated, two years ago,
the City was aggressive in how it budgeted for sales tax under the current system. This
year the City has chosen to be more conservative and feels the tax rate will most likely
increase the following year.
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Mayor Reid stated he feels the City has been very conservative even with having rapid
growth and many projects. The City has stabilized and is moving forward very carefully
and with a great deal of thought. He is comfortable with where the City currently is and
is amazed at what has been accomplished.
Councilmember Saboe stated he feels Staff has done an excellent job preparing the
summary, but large portions of detail are left out in certain areas that he feels are
important. When the City is growing in population, homesteads, and valuation, it should
all weigh in on the over-all tax rate over time and drive it down. The City has taken on
large portions of what citizens ask for in service by adding significant dollars to the
public safety force, fire department, and the physical plan that the City manages. He
stated the tax rate could currently be significantly lower if the City had chosen not to
invest in these areas and he feels citizens tend to forget the level of service they receive
and that it is something that affects the tax rate.
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting was adjourned at 7:25 p.m.
Minutes approved as submitted and/or corrected this the 8th day of September, A.D.,
2008.
Tom eid
Mayor
ATTEST:
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