2015-08-17 CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING MINUTESMINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF PEARLAND, TEXAS, HELD ON MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2015, AT 6:00
P.M., IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, 3519 LIBERTY DRIVE,
PEARLAND,TEXAS.
Mayor Reid called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. with the following present:
Mayor
Mayor Pro -Tem
Councilmember
Councilmember
Councilmember
Councilmember
Deputy City Attorney
City Manager
City Secretary
Tom Reid
Tony Carbone
Gary Moore.
Derrick Reed
Keith Ordeneaux
Greg Hill
Lawrence Provins
Clay Pearson
Young Lorfing
Others in attendance: Daniel Baum Deputy Fire Chief; Claire Bogard Finance
Director; Jon Branson Deputy City Manager; Matt Buchanan President of
Pearland Economic Development Corporation; Kevin Byal Building Official; J.C.
Doyle Police Chief; Trent Epperson Assistant City Manager; Roland Garcia Fire
Marshal; Chris Orlea Interim Director of Parks & Recreation; Lata Krishnarao
' Director of Community Development; Frankie Legaux City Planner; Sue Polka
Director of Engineering; Vance Riley Fire Chief; Kim Sinistore Executive Director,
Convention Visitor's Bureau; Eric Wilson Public Works Director; Sparkle
Anderson Communications Manager; Joel Hardy Grants Coordinator; Skipper
Jones Assistant Director of Capital Projects; Michael Leech Assistant Director,
Public Works; Richard Mancilla Assistant City Engineer; John McCarter
Management Assistant; Daniel McGhinnis Chief Information Officer; Rick
Overgaard Assistant Finance Director; Johnny Spires Assistant Police Chief.
CALL TO ORDER
PURPOSE OF THE MEETING:
Council Action — Resolution No. R2015-138 — A Resolution of the City Council
of the City of Pearland, Texas, placing on the agendas of September 14, 2015
and September 21, 2015 City Council meetings, consideration of the proposed
fiscal year 2015-2016 budget and setting the public hearing on the budget for
August 31, 2015.
Councilmember Ordeneaux made the motion, seconded by Councilmember
Moore, to approve Resolution No. R2015-138.
Page 1 of 6 — 8/17/2015
City Manager Clay Pearson reported Council is being asked for approval of a '
Resolution to place on the agendas of September 14, 2015 and September 21,
2015 City Council meetings, consideration of the proposed fiscal year 2015-2016
budget and setting the Public Hearing on the budget for August 31, 2015.
Voting "Aye" Councilmembers Moore, Ordeneaux, and Hill.
Voting "No" None.
Motion Passed 3 to 0, Mayor Pro -Tem Carbone and Councilmember Reed were
absent from the Council Chamber.
Mayor Pro -Tem Carbone and Councilmember Reed entered the Council
Chamber at 6:04 p.m.
Council Action — Resolution No. R2015-139 — A Resolution of the City Council
of the City of Pearland, Texas, voting on a proposed tax rate of $.7053, a
property tax revenue increase of 6.80% above the effective tax rate, and placing
on the agendas of September 14, 2015 and September 21, 2015 City Council
meetings, consideration of the proposed fiscal year 2015-2016 tax rate and
setting the public hearings on the tax rate for August 31, 2015 and September 8,
2015.
Mayor Pro -tem Carbone made the motion, seconded by Councilmember Hill, to '
approve Resolution No. R2015-139.
City Manager Clay Pearson reported Council is being asked for approval of the
Resolution to propose a tax rate of $.7053 on each $100 valuation of property, a
property tax revenue increase of 6.80% above the effective tax rate, and placing
on the agendas of September 14, 2015 and September 21, 2015 City Council
meetings, consideration of the proposed fiscal year 2015-2016 tax rate and
setting the Public Hearings on the tax rate for August 31, 2015 and September 8,
2015.
Director of Finance Claire Bogard gave a presentation regarding the Fiscal Year
2015-2016 Proposed Budget Tax Rate.
Mayor Pro -Tem Carbone thanked Staff for working on this from the last Council
meeting. He further stated he agrees with the way it is being presented.
Councilmember Ordeneaux stated he likes the idea of going over the rollback
rate and letting the residents have a say, but he will not be supporting this.
Page 2 of 6 — 8/17/2015
' Voting "Aye" Councilmembers Hill, Carbone, Reed, and Moore.
Voting "No" Councilmember Ordeneaux.
Motion Passed 4 to 1.
Input and Discussion: Fiscal Year 2015 — 2016 Budget Discussion #3; General
Fund Reductions, Police Staffing, Other Questions.
City Manager Clay Pearson reported at the August 3, 2015 Budget Discussion,
Council requested updates and clarifications to several requests. Staff answered
the majority of those requests with a memo dated August 10, 2015 that was
distributed to Council that evening. The budget discussion will focus on General
Fund expenditure reductions in light of reducing the Operations and Maintenance
(0&M) tax rate pursuant to truth in taxation and police staffing.
Director of Finance Claire Bogard gave a presentation on the Tax Rate Change
to the General Fund.
Assistant Director of Public Works Michael Leech gave a presentation on the
Street Revised Forecast.
Discussion ensued between Mayor Reid and Assistant Director of Public Works
Michael Leech regarding the Sidewalk and Street Budget will be for repair and
rehabilitation of existing streets and sidewalks.
Mayor Pro -Tem Carbone stated the rollback rate lowered taxes, which reduced
revenue. Is there other items that can be looked at more closely that can be cut
besides streets and sidewalks.
City Manager Clay Pearson stated there was not anything else that obvious or
that the City has not already committed to that would make a big difference.
Director of Finance Claire Bogard stated Staff looked at the supplemental list and
there was not anything that would add up to the substantial amount of $580,000.
Discussion ensued between Council and Director of Finance Claire Bogard
regarding going from mowing once a month to twice a month and taking care of
two new parks, is the increase in budget for landscape maintenance.
Mayor Pro -Tem Carbone stated cutting streets and sidewalks is an easy fix.
There are some other big things that can be looked at more closely.
' Deputy City Manager Jon Branson stated it is not the same areas receiving
more frequent mowing and maintaining. It is additional areas that were picked up
Page 3 of 6 — 8/17/2015
through contract agreements or being moved to contract services verses doing it '
in-house.
Councilmember Hill stated he agrees with Mayor Pro -Tem Carbone that some
other things can be looked into more closely that may can be cut from the
budget.
Mayor Reid called for a recess at 6:32 p.m. so the Joint Public Hearings could
convene.
Mayor Reid called the Special Meeting back to order at 9:09 p.m. to continue the
Council Input and Discussion regarding the Fiscal Year 2015 — 2016 Budget
Discussion #3.
Assistant City Manager Trent Epperson clarified information regarding the
additional funding and right-of-way maintenance that is in the purposed 2016
Budget.
Police Chief J.C. Doyle gave a presentation on Police Staffing.
Discussion ensued between Council, City Manager Clay Pearson and Police
Chief J.C. Doyle regarding the School Resource Officer (SRO) position for nine
months and ten days is funded by Pearland Independent School District. '
Mayor Pro -Tem Carbone stated there are 13 police officers spread over 70
square miles. It is shocking that the City is covering so many square miles with
only 13 officers. That is unacceptable for a City this large to not have enough
Police officers.
Councilmember Reed stated he agrees with Mayor Pro -Tem Carbone, that it is
stretching police officers too thin.
Discussion ensued between Council and Police Chief J.C. Doyle regarding 88
officers on patrol at this time and by April 2016 there will be a total of 98 officers
on patrol if they make it through the Academy.
Police Chief J.C. Doyle stated the department is looking for a 60/40 split. 60% of
an officer's time is self-directed and 40% of an officer's time is to do the pro-
active activities.
Discussion ensued between Council and Police Chief J.C. Doyle regarding the
average time on a death investigation is an hour and a half.
Mayor Pro -Tem Carbone stated that Public Safety is a primary concern of the ,
Councilmembers. He stated everyone he has spoken to wants more police
Page 4 of 6 — 8/17/2015
' officers. It has been a clear communicated goal from Council for the last two
years.
Councilmember Ordeneaux stated he does not think there is anyone in the City
that would not like to see more officers. The question is how do we pay for new
officers, he has not heard the answer. Council has a certain amount of money to
work with. What are we going to cut and how much longer are we going to push
things down the road and in doing so add reoccurring costs. When you add
reoccurring costs and cut onetime expenses that snowballs into bigger issues.
Mayor Pro -Tem Carbone stated he agrees there is one pot of money, but he
goes back to this being a clear communicated goal for the last two years. He
expects to see a budget that reflects such. Council has been clear regarding
public safety, but he has yet seen a budget he is comfortable with.
Councilmember Ordeneaux stated he disagrees, he thinks it is Council's job to
set up a revenue screen that meets Council's wish list. He does not think it is fair
to bring up an item in a meeting and not give Staff time to prepare for it.
Discussion ensued between Council and Police Chief J.C. Doyle regarding the
current budget, new officers, new Sergeants and the sixteen new officers that
were requested in last year's budget.
' Councilmember Reed stated he agrees with Mayor Pro -Tem Carbone that he
would like to see a budget that reflects what the community is asking for.
Mayor Pro -Tem Carbone stated he has received many complaints regarding
school zones and heard from citizens that the Police Department does not have
the man power to cover school zones. I feel Council is fighting to get to where we
wanted to be last year.
Councilmember Hill stated he agrees with Mayor Pro -Tem Carbone and
Councilmember Reed that he would like to see a budget in regards to adding
more Sergeants and Patrol officers.
Deputy City Manager Jon Branson stated to add four more Sergeants and four
more Patrol officers would increase the budget $647,000. In addition vehicles
and equipment would be above and beyond that amount. He further stated last
year four new officers was agreed to. This year Staff went to Council and put in
the budget four new officers. Staff did what we heard at the time. If the number is
different than what we have, we need to hear what that number is.
Mayor Pro -Tem Carbone stated a total of 8. Four Sergeants and four Patrol
'officers.
Page 5 of 6 — 8/17/2015
Councilmember Ordeneaux stated if Council is not going to raise the tax rate we '
will be looking at $800,000. to 1.2 million, where is it going to come from.
Mayor Pro -Tem Carbone stated Staff can bring Council a couple of options and it
can be hammered out.
Councilmember Ordeneaux stated Council tied their hands when a tax rate was
set.
Mayor Pro -Tem Carbone stated Council set our priorities, and the priorities have
not changed so give us a budget that meets our priorities.
Mayor Reid stated Staff can take a look at this to see if there can be any
movement in the budget for these new positions. We need to remember every
tax dollar the City brings in we only get 30 cents out of every dollar to put
together services for our community.
Discussion ensued between Council and Director of Finance Claire Bogard
regarding the Pearland Economic Development Corporation debt.
City Manager Clay Pearson stated regarding the budget and new police officers
Staff will present it to Council at the meeting of September 8, 2015.
ADJOURNMENT '
Meeting was adjourned at 10:10 p.m.
Minutes approved as submitted and/or corrected this the 141" day of September,
A.D. 2015.
Tom Reid
Mayor
ATTEST:
Y u g Lorfi = ���;
p
C Secretly
Page 6 of 6 — 8/17/2015