Source: YouTube auto-captions via youtube-transcript-api
Meeting: Crockett City Council, 2025-08-04
Title: Crockett City Council Meeting - 08/04/2025
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBZaCmGz_2A
Status: verbatim auto-captions. Names are often wrong. Not reviewed. Not for the public site.

[0:00] what it is. At this time, we have the
[0:02] fiscical year budget 2026 budget update.
[0:22] I need to join the
[0:26] a invoice from the terminates
[0:31] from
[0:35] Yeah, I don't have it
[0:38] off, but it's an invoice from the
[0:39] terminates.
[0:40] >> All right.
[0:41] Um,
[0:43] okay. Mayor and council, we have
[0:46] I have some sheets that are before y'all
[0:49] that look like these here. It's a tax
[0:52] rate analysis.
[0:54] >> Um,
[1:02] >> here.
[1:03] >> And then I have your draft budget.
[1:06] >> I also have your draft budget before
[1:08] you.
[1:09] Um, council, I'm going to hit some of
[1:11] the highlights and it's it's here
[1:13] available. We can go through we can dig
[1:16] deeper into any of this that council
[1:18] needs more um insight on on
[1:24] our draft budget. um
[1:29] on our draft budget right now that as we
[1:32] propose I have a M rate of 4795 cents.
[1:38] Over to the right you're going to have
[1:40] no new revenue rates, voter approval
[1:42] rates, and your dimminimous rates. Those
[1:44] are the three rates that were required
[1:45] by state statute to put parts together
[1:47] for
[1:49] our no new revenue rates
[1:52] for maintenance and operations.
[1:55] all the bills that we pay, everything
[1:57] that we expend through the city outside
[1:59] of debt payments, salaries, materials,
[2:03] fuel, insurance, paying the light bills,
[2:06] anything like that. That's mainted
[2:09] through maintenance and operations.
[2:10] That's what operates the city on a
[2:12] day-to-day basis, pays everybody.
[2:15] The maintenance and operations budget
[2:20] required to fund this budget from taxes
[2:25] is 2 million and 52,000.
[2:29] If you look over here, the 16 cents INS
[2:33] tax, that's the amount necessary to
[2:35] bring in enough revenue to pay for all
[2:38] of our debt. The 16 cents, it's one.1630
[2:42] debt service rates.
[2:44] um you'll see that all the way across
[2:46] the board. So no matter what debt what
[2:48] tax rate we adopt up above this debt
[2:52] rate is the amount necessary to secure
[2:55] and pay for all of our existing debts.
[2:59] If you go currently our M
[3:04] tax rate is 505019.
[3:08] So right at 50 cents per $100 value
[3:11] for a no new revenue rate. That means
[3:13] the amount of revenue that we brought in
[3:16] this year to bring in that same amount.
[3:18] >> We could do it.
[3:19] >> Our tax rate drops to 47 cents. 4 and a2
[3:23] 47 1/2 cents. So a little over 2 1/2
[3:26] cents lower than this current year.
[3:32] The amount that's allowed by state
[3:34] statute is the voter approval rate.
[3:38] >> Let me just pull that up since we're
[3:39] talking about that one.
[3:46] the voter approval rate. So the voter
[3:48] approval rate allows us to raise that M
[3:51] rate up to 51 cents.
[3:53] >> PN
[3:54] >> we can go up to 51 cents. So anywhere
[3:57] between 40
[3:58] >> 52
[3:59] >> correct? Yes sir.
[4:04] 47 12 cents is the no new revenue rate.
[4:07] That brings in the same amount as last
[4:08] year. 52 cents 5194
[4:13] >> is the amount that is allowed to bring
[4:15] in that's 3.5%
[4:18] more revenue than last year.
[4:21] If y'all if if council goes over that
[4:24] that goes up into the dimminimous
[4:26] bracket.
[4:28] um which doesn't trigger an immediate
[4:30] election, but for many cities over 30
[4:32] well for cities over 30,000 population,
[4:34] it triggers an election to to but
[4:38] council says, "Hey, we really need a
[4:39] half a million dollars for this major
[4:41] project.
[4:43] The dimminimous rate is the amount
[4:45] necessary to bring in 500,000 to fund a
[4:50] project and then you run the risk of an
[4:52] election. So election can happen and we
[4:55] just have to be prepared to present the
[4:57] the need and then the public decides
[4:59] whether they want that need or not
[5:01] >> and they can they can
[5:04] >> uh cancel that and back us back down to
[5:06] the voter approval rate or allow it to
[5:09] happen. So those are the three rates
[5:11] that are required by law to be presented
[5:13] tonight. Our current budget I said right
[5:16] here this no new revenue rate up here is
[5:20] at
[5:22] 4747.
[5:24] So almost for uh 47 1.5 cents. Our
[5:28] budget that you that's in front of you
[5:30] is based on 4795
[5:34] slightly higher. It's about $20,000
[5:38] higher than what the no new revenue rate
[5:40] is. So truthfully, I went down using
[5:43] last year's budget
[5:45] actual expend expenditures and I had to
[5:48] go through and any of our hard numbers
[5:50] that had to increase some of them. I
[5:54] believe this to the point one of them
[5:56] being our insurance. I really I we need
[5:58] to go out and probably shop for
[6:01] liability and property insurance to see
[6:03] if we can get some better rates. They
[6:05] went up by 15% for property and 41% for
[6:08] liability.
[6:11] um insurance rates have gone up. Those
[6:13] are one of the bigger impacts to our
[6:14] budget um this year. Health insurance
[6:18] staying steady. Um all of the other
[6:21] personnel related costs, none of those
[6:23] really fluctuated. Um
[6:26] retirement contributions, all of those
[6:29] are steady.
[6:30] >> Can we shop that before this is
[6:32] finalized?
[6:34] >> No, I No, sir. We'll have to adopt this,
[6:37] but we can definitely go shop and amend
[6:39] this budget, too. We can amend this.
[6:41] >> Yeah, you can amend the budget, but you
[6:43] can't amend the tax rate. That's not
[6:45] >> Yeah, you're right.
[6:46] >> What's the ISO rate for the city?
[6:52] >> Um,
[6:54] this budget made for so any additional
[6:57] revenues that I could find. I know we
[6:59] went over this budget in detail a couple
[7:02] meetings ago as far as revenues and what
[7:05] we were expecting to come in and and
[7:07] decreases in revenues. This reflects
[7:10] those we um numbers that we've shored up
[7:15] a little bit more using this year's
[7:16] revenue is our license and permits and
[7:19] fees, building permits and inspections.
[7:21] You'll see that um that number has
[7:24] increased. We've just become busier in
[7:26] building inspections and permitting.
[7:28] We're getting a lot more construction
[7:29] going on
[7:30] >> and so we have a third party company
[7:32] that we hire. So that's an in andout
[7:34] revenue. We that money comes into our
[7:36] budget and we pay u inspectors and
[7:39] building officials to to sign off on
[7:42] those. That's that money comes in and
[7:44] out
[7:45] um
[7:48] for revenue.
[7:50] >> So uh I was going to ask a question. So
[7:53] basically everything that you placed in
[7:55] in this um were all of the wish list
[7:58] that the uh specifically
[8:01] >> capital request.
[8:02] >> Yeah. What what did you actually
[8:05] place in here? Everything that they
[8:06] asked for or
[8:08] >> none of it.
[8:08] >> None of it.
[8:09] >> There's none of it.
[8:11] There's not enough money in our tax rate
[8:14] to fund any of the capital requests.
[8:15] >> Capital request.
[8:16] >> The capital requests that were one-time
[8:18] expenditures. I would I'm recommending
[8:21] that council we come back that's not
[8:23] something that can be fit in this budget
[8:26] but we come back with
[8:28] um any remaining cash reserves that we
[8:31] have in ARPA and our ARPA fund um we can
[8:37] spend onetime payments to meet some of
[8:39] those capital requests but as far as
[8:41] appropriating those um requests into
[8:44] this budget our tax rate and revenues
[8:46] can't support any of our capital
[8:48] requests
[8:49] Um, so
[8:52] the firefighter positions, police
[8:53] officer positions, the colas, the cost
[8:56] of living adjustments, none of that has
[8:58] been
[9:00] appropriated in this budget.
[9:02] So if you look up at the top of of your
[9:06] your sheet,
[9:09] using this 4795 in um tax rate,
[9:14] it leaves us about $170,000
[9:17] of money on the table. that the voter
[9:20] approval rate will be able to bring in.
[9:23] So if if y'all increase the tax rate at
[9:26] all, we have up to about $170,000
[9:31] that we can appropriate to capital
[9:33] expenditure, capital requests. If you um
[9:37] you want to assign some money towards
[9:38] cost of living, if you want to um hire a
[9:42] new officer or firefighter, any of those
[9:46] items. Um, and obviously the big one,
[9:49] the big one that is directly impacted by
[9:53] this budget is our street construction
[9:54] budget.
[9:55] >> I see.
[9:55] >> So, if y'all want any money
[9:58] to go into that, I have a breakdown on
[10:00] that. So, we can talk about that real
[10:02] quick before we
[10:04] But anything that we talk about, just
[10:07] know that our voter approval rate allows
[10:09] for up to 170,000. That's kind of the
[10:11] target.
[10:13] That's the only amount of money that we
[10:14] can bring in without going over that
[10:16] cap.
[10:20] Okay. So,
[10:23] >> um Okay. Um I guess I just need because
[10:26] I was going over a few things on
[10:28] yesterday evening and I didn't have
[10:32] the uh draft of this budget, but um just
[10:36] going over what I had. I was going to
[10:38] ask you a question about the uh $520,000
[10:43] that we're collecting uh in fees.
[10:46] Do you know
[10:48] >> are you talking about the general fund
[10:49] admin fee?
[10:50] >> I believe so.
[10:51] >> So that's the portion that's the portion
[10:53] that the utility fund pays to the city
[10:57] to take care of business.
[10:59] >> Okay.
[11:00] >> It's a it's a the utility. So so much of
[11:03] our work for instance even at city hall
[11:05] our electricity bill covers a portion of
[11:08] the utility department right we pay the
[11:11] city the the uh fund 01 pays for the
[11:14] electric bill but when that light bill
[11:17] comes in is to fund
[11:20] use uses and needs of our utility
[11:22] department um clerks um city attorney my
[11:26] own job I'm funded out of o fund 01 I'm
[11:30] funded from property I
[11:33] My salary is paid from fund 01 which is
[11:35] paid out of property taxes but 50% of my
[11:40] job arguably if not greater is
[11:44] >> overseeing and busy with utility
[11:46] department needs and oversight and
[11:49] construction and everything that we do.
[11:51] So that's the amount that the utility
[11:54] fund pays to the
[11:57] um our proprietary or our fund 01 to
[12:00] cover for all of those
[12:02] needs, legal, travel and training,
[12:06] electricity, city hall, utility
[12:08] department costs and salaries.
[12:13] >> It pays it back. Otherwise, the property
[12:15] taxes is paying to run a utility
[12:17] department.
[12:18] >> You know, a fundo one is paying for
[12:20] fundo two.
[12:23] Okay.
[12:24] Um,
[12:28] so
[12:30] I put a This is going to require council
[12:34] to look at the numbers and come back
[12:36] with what y'all believe y'all's
[12:39] priorities and street department y'all
[12:40] street department um priority list needs
[12:43] to be.
[12:45] Um,
[12:47] but this gives you just a
[12:50] a little bit of an idea.
[12:53] I went through the requests that I
[12:55] received from different council members
[12:57] as well as our streets department and
[13:00] just my own personal knowledge of
[13:01] different streets that are just in
[13:03] really poor condition that we we've
[13:05] tried to budget for over years and it
[13:08] fell down in the lower priority list.
[13:10] So, we rolled it over into the the new
[13:12] year. Precinct one,
[13:16] I've met with I've met with our public
[13:17] works director and we came up with costs
[13:20] on repairing these streets. And these
[13:23] are some of the streets that
[13:26] um we put the estimates down just for
[13:29] council to understand
[13:32] with this budget has appropriated has
[13:34] appropriated us with $410,000
[13:37] for street construction.
[13:41] Every year we easily use up at least 50
[13:44] or $60,000 worth of patching material.
[13:48] We purchased dump truck 18-wheer loads
[13:51] of patch material
[13:53] for for keeping up with potholes,
[13:56] pothole repair mix. It's a different
[13:58] type of a mixture that is supposed to
[14:02] hold better and stay longer arguably,
[14:07] but a lot of our money is just trying to
[14:09] keep those holes filled where water
[14:10] doesn't
[14:12] >> go in. And so that's the that's the
[14:14] fight against time and erosion and
[14:17] everything.
[14:18] We about a 100,000 gives us roughly
[14:22] eight streets of seal coating. Some of
[14:26] the streets that we've already finished
[14:28] and many of them are going on to four
[14:29] and five years. Now, we need to go back
[14:32] and seal coat them. Otherwise, pretty
[14:34] soon we're going to be back at ground
[14:37] zero again. We're going to be starting
[14:38] over because the coat the the the mat
[14:41] that we put down is beginning to erode
[14:43] and we're starting to see little holes
[14:44] and stuff. We got to go and silk coat it
[14:46] to make sure that we extend the life of
[14:48] it some more years. Um Edmonston Drive,
[14:53] we remix that road and spend a lot of
[14:55] nice money in it. It's getting to the
[14:56] point it needs a chip seal otherwise
[14:58] we've lost it again. Um, so and that's
[15:02] and that goes to that's just in most of
[15:04] in most of our precincts that we've
[15:06] done. Streets setting aside 100,000 is
[15:11] not near enough, but that gives us about
[15:13] eight streets that we can prioritize
[15:15] that are the worst for us to go in and
[15:17] chip seal. Then that leaves us roughly
[15:20] with 250,000 for construction. About
[15:23] 50,000 per precinct.
[15:26] >> Uhhuh. So that's why we put this grocery
[15:28] list of a few streets that really need
[15:30] attention.
[15:36] >> All right. So
[15:40] >> pass maybe not.
[15:51] So just to give an idea, 50,000
[15:55] does not go too far.
[15:57] >> Last year we adopted the no new revenue
[15:59] rate. So my budget for last year stayed
[16:02] the same.
[16:03] But in one year,
[16:06] most of our most of our supplies,
[16:08] material supplies that we purchased went
[16:10] up by 20% or more.
[16:12] the cement that we buy, the the 18
[16:15] winter loads of Portland cement went
[16:16] from 4,200 to 6,000
[16:19] in one year, but I was still operating
[16:22] down to the same pot of m, you know, the
[16:23] same amount of money to try to get the
[16:25] same amount of streets done. And that's
[16:27] just
[16:29] that's to give y'all an idea of 50,000
[16:34] does not go too far. And truthfully, if
[16:37] we went all the way up to the voter
[16:38] approval rate,
[16:40] >> what what I was about to say, what from
[16:42] what you're saying, then we need to at
[16:44] least look at the voter approval rate.
[16:49] >> If we're going to get more,
[16:52] >> we do have a good system. We have a good
[16:54] system. Our our street department guys,
[16:56] our construction guys, they have a good
[16:58] system together.
[17:01] Their biggest our weakest link is
[17:03] finances for the materials because we
[17:06] salaries, all the everything's accounted
[17:07] for. We have we have the the equipment
[17:10] we need to be able to buy cement and oil
[17:13] and rock and asphalt and put new curbs
[17:16] and gutters in where needed.
[17:18] >> And that that's where this budget demand
[17:21] comes in.
[17:21] >> But where we are right now, could we do
[17:23] that?
[17:26] >> Yes, we can. But more limited. I mean,
[17:30] so
[17:30] >> Well, right.
[17:31] >> Yeah. Yeah. then our then our list
[17:35] of streets that that has messing up
[17:37] needs is going to increase.
[17:39] >> I mean, we got one page here, you know,
[17:42] next year we may have two then.
[17:45] >> Anything that we don't fund this year is
[17:47] just going to be in a little bit worse
[17:49] shape next year.
[17:50] >> Well, if not a lot worse shape.
[17:53] >> Um,
[17:53] >> that's what I'm saying.
[17:56] And so
[17:58] I have no house to
[17:59] >> I would suggest I would suggest to allow
[18:01] the the taxpayers to decide if
[18:05] >> that's
[18:07] how the the um taxes raised or
[18:11] >> I would say let them decide
[18:13] >> how you would be in
[18:15] >> you want to go over the voter approval
[18:16] rate.
[18:16] >> No, we do would we have to vote
[18:20] >> you to go over it?
[18:21] >> Go over
[18:22] >> you go to to the the minimist rate. in
[18:25] order to Okay.
[18:26] >> Yes, ma'am.
[18:27] >> You have to go to that.
[18:28] >> We just don't we just don't put it on
[18:29] the on the ballot,
[18:31] >> right?
[18:32] >> So, if you go over the voter approval
[18:34] rate, if a petition is presented
[18:36] >> Mhm.
[18:36] >> If a petition is presented, we we have
[18:39] to call for an election,
[18:40] >> pay for it,
[18:41] >> and it'll be voted on at an election.
[18:43] >> So, how much does an election cost
[18:44] again?
[18:45] >> And if it's rolled back, you're going to
[18:46] go less than what you
[18:48] >> we go back to the voter approval rate.
[18:50] >> Yeah.
[18:51] >> So, if you lose, you still go back to
[18:53] it.
[18:55] I'd rather not do that.
[18:58] >> How much is an election again?
[19:00] >> You're talking from from what we have
[19:02] currently in the
[19:03] >> election 10.
[19:05] >> See the difference between current
[19:06] >> 10 or 12,000. Sorry.
[19:08] >> No, I just said the difference between
[19:09] the current and the voter approval. It's
[19:12] not
[19:16] it's not that much.
[19:18] >> It's a little less than two cents.
[19:20] >> That's what I said. So the two if the
[19:22] voter approver you probably spend been
[19:24] about that much on an election.
[19:28] Um
[19:30] well not quite that much but it would
[19:32] only change two cents
[19:36] a short two cents but it will be able to
[19:39] get the the areas that people are most
[19:42] wanting done.
[19:46] Just looking at the budget at look
[19:48] looking at the budget most
[19:50] most of those streets with our current
[19:53] budget you could end up selecting
[19:55] probably one good project one street
[19:57] project to get done.
[20:00] >> Okay approval rate would probably
[20:04] be able to add one more in there.
[20:06] >> All right. So we so we pick one one
[20:08] project out of each precinct and do
[20:11] that. Okay. Then you got all these other
[20:14] ones. They're not going to heal
[20:15] themselves.
[20:17] >> I mean, you know, they're just going to
[20:19] get worse
[20:21] >> degree.
[20:22] >> And that's why I have to maintain so
[20:24] much of
[20:26] the budget
[20:27] >> forward
[20:28] >> to keep those band-aids.
[20:30] >> Yeah.
[20:33] >> Running
[20:33] >> well, you know.
[20:34] >> Okay. So, what is the what are we
[20:36] looking at? Um,
[20:40] we did we I spoke with the police chief.
[20:43] Uh, one of the um
[20:46] one of the items that he was definitely
[20:49] looking at was a police officer
[20:51] position, part-time position, maybe
[20:52] another full-time position. This budget,
[20:57] you have that 170,000 that you could
[20:59] appropriate to that.
[21:01] One thing that I think that he did agree
[21:04] to
[21:05] was um
[21:08] well, I don't want to speak for you, but
[21:10] it you know, for the uh part-time
[21:12] officer,
[21:14] you know, do you feel like that that's
[21:16] something that we need to account for?
[21:20] >> We have we have one position that has
[21:22] announced um her retirement in April.
[21:26] our municipal court clerk. Um, municipal
[21:30] court clerk, she's retiring in April. We
[21:33] could appropriate some of that line
[21:35] item. Miss Miss [name] has taken over a
[21:38] lot of the finance roles that she was
[21:40] doing as far as accounts payable. Miss,
[21:43] with Missina taking on that role, her
[21:45] job is now more strictly to accounts I
[21:49] mean to uh municipal court clerk,
[21:52] right? And so that's not a full-time
[21:54] position. We would like to reduce that
[21:56] position back to halfime to we still
[21:59] have to have a municipal court clerk but
[22:01] appropriate some of that budget to a
[22:04] police officer a halftime police officer
[22:06] or part-time police officer for downtown
[22:08] square duty for parking enforcements for
[22:13] stopping 18-wheers
[22:16] addressing some of the the biggest needs
[22:18] that people are you know concerned
[22:20] about.
[22:22] and we could use that in that in this
[22:23] budget without raising taxes.
[22:28] >> So, I think like Mr. said with with a
[22:32] part-time position, the funds are
[22:34] already there. Um, but I think utilizing
[22:37] those funds for a part-time officer that
[22:41] strictly focuses on the downtown area,
[22:44] probably the last six to eight months,
[22:45] I've received more complaints on from
[22:48] pedestrians, uh, truck
[22:51] 18 wheelers coming through. I spoke with
[22:54] Councilman [name]. He's called me several
[22:56] times about it. We've talked many nights
[22:58] about it. Um because he's getting calls.
[23:01] I understand that there's a 18 problem
[23:04] coming across the square
[23:06] >> and we can talk all day long about the
[23:08] signs that are up, the text I've put up,
[23:10] the new signs, but until it gets changed
[23:14] in their GPS, it routes every single
[23:16] truck. probably 98% of the trucks that
[23:19] we do stop, that's the first thing they
[23:21] show the officers. Well, this way my GPS
[23:23] took them. Um, unfortunately, that that
[23:26] doesn't matter for them. Uh, they still
[23:28] they still get a citation for that. Um,
[23:32] there's there's a lot of times that uh I
[23:36] think this last month we ended up with
[23:38] 36 37 um citation for trucks coming
[23:43] across the square, but they probably I
[23:46] bet there was
[23:48] 80, 90, maybe 100 that come through
[23:50] there. Without somebody that's dedicated
[23:52] to that area that can stay there, that's
[23:54] not bouncing around from call to call or
[23:56] the other side of town. Um, that's the
[23:59] only way you're going to see that number
[24:00] go up. Another issue we run into with
[24:03] those trucks is a lot of them are from
[24:04] out of state. It's not a moving
[24:06] violation, not a state violation. So, it
[24:09] doesn't go on their driving record. So,
[24:11] we issue that citation, they head out of
[24:14] town, they don't ever come back to
[24:15] Crockett, we're not going to see any
[24:17] results from that from that citation.
[24:20] Now, I don't know the numbers as to what
[24:23] the ones that pay versus the ones that
[24:25] don't pay. Um, but u we do see a lot of
[24:28] that. So, I do think that a part-time
[24:31] officer in that area that's just focused
[24:34] on downtown, responding to calls
[24:36] downtown and probably a two, three block
[24:38] radius is paying attention to pedestrian
[24:42] traffic, uh, parking violations,
[24:44] 18-wheeler violations. I think we could
[24:47] make a, uh, a difference in that
[24:49] traffic. Hopefully, as the more
[24:52] 18-wheelers that get stopped, the more
[24:53] talking that happens and gets passed on
[24:56] down the line, but, uh, that's it's a
[24:58] difficult battle with the 18 because
[25:01] their GPS takes them right through there
[25:04] every time.
[25:04] >> It is a safety. So, could you not uh
[25:07] control that traffic uh on the on the
[25:09] loop? I mean, those uh in those thares
[25:14] that they're they're coming down. I
[25:16] mean,
[25:17] >> are you talking
[25:17] >> or the the the truck traffic, the 18
[25:20] traffic?
[25:21] >> Now, you're talking about like
[25:22] notification or signs?
[25:24] >> Just basically I know there's kind of
[25:25] like signs out there that says note
[25:27] through traffic.
[25:29] >> Issues with the signs. We we have signs
[25:32] on the outside of the loop.
[25:33] >> Yes,
[25:34] >> they're not flashing. They're a little
[25:35] bigger than the ones that are on the
[25:36] inside of the loop. A lot of times those
[25:39] 18 motors get to that stop sign, they
[25:41] take off and when they realize that
[25:43] signs there, they're already committed
[25:45] through that intersection.
[25:46] >> They can't turn those trucks around. So,
[25:48] they're just going to go with it and
[25:49] hope that they don't get caught.
[25:51] >> Yeah. Cuz I'm basically saying
[25:52] patrolling the loop. I mean, if you had
[25:53] someone patrolling,
[25:56] you know,
[25:57] >> the loop is not the problem. Square is
[25:59] they're they have to come from the loop
[26:01] to get to the square.
[26:02] >> But they're on the loop. But if they're
[26:04] coming off you,
[26:04] >> you can tell the way you stop them
[26:07] before they get into.
[26:08] >> Not necessarily with the numbers. Yes.
[26:10] To answer your question,
[26:12] >> they're giving tickets.
[26:14] >> You're you're looking at eight major
[26:15] intersections.
[26:17] >> Yeah.
[26:17] >> That they're having to to work. They may
[26:20] be at 19 south, uh, but you've got 10
[26:23] coming in off of seven or 21. Um our
[26:27] busiest um routes for truck traffic are
[26:32] going to be 7 and 21 east and west in
[26:35] Houston
[26:36] >> constantly. That's where they're going
[26:38] to come from. So if you're working out 7
[26:40] and 21 west, you're going to miss
[26:42] everything that comes. So uh the truth
[26:46] is once they don't commit that violation
[26:49] until they come on the inside of that
[26:50] loop. So if we're working downtown
[26:53] watching watching for those they've
[26:55] committed that violation. They don't
[26:57] necessarily have to receive a citation.
[26:59] They can receive a warning. That's
[27:00] officer discretion. I can't control
[27:02] that. Uh but I think to get more bang
[27:05] for your buck. We need to have somebody
[27:07] stationed in the downtown area that's
[27:09] focused on that among other issues that
[27:12] we have.
[27:13] >> Chief, um so hear me out. Correct me if
[27:16] I'm wrong. Um
[27:18] does uh the uh traffic stopping uh you
[27:22] know citations from traffic and
[27:24] everything like that that creates
[27:26] revenue for the city. Correct.
[27:27] >> That's correct.
[27:28] >> Um then that revenue from traffic stops
[27:32] can only be then used for say streets
[27:37] and things of that nature. Is that
[27:39] >> all that revenue goes back to the
[27:40] general fund for the city?
[27:42] >> Correct. Now, whatever, however it's
[27:44] placed out there, that's that's up to to
[27:46] council.
[27:47] >> Okay. Um, so having said um had
[27:53] patroller or whatnot in the downtown
[27:55] area, that would create more revenue for
[27:58] the city.
[27:58] >> So, essentially uh the revenue or
[28:02] revenue from uh city ordinance
[28:04] violations, which is what mayor's tape
[28:07] truck ride is, it's a city ordinance
[28:09] violation that was adopted by the city.
[28:11] The He gets 100% of those proceeds.
[28:13] Okay.
[28:14] >> Versus if it's a state law or a
[28:16] violation of a state code, the state
[28:18] gets a portion of that from those funds
[28:20] as well.
[28:20] >> Okay. So, anything that you stop on the
[28:22] square is cities.
[28:24] >> What about um hazmat spill spills? Those
[28:29] hazardous hazardous spills on those
[28:31] trucks. do they get fined or not just
[28:34] that I think I was talking to um Chief
[28:37] Brazelle and we were talking about um
[28:40] did they have the fire department have
[28:42] to come out and clean up spills and
[28:45] things like that that and I was asking
[28:47] him how to how they compensated how does
[28:49] the city compensated and he said that
[28:51] basically they don't uh charge or um
[28:55] file on the insurance for whatever
[28:57] company
[28:58] >> supposed to whoever um How how are we
[29:01] handling that?
[29:03] >> If there's a truck that comes through
[29:05] that's a hazmat truck or it's a spill
[29:06] and they've created a or committed a
[29:08] class C traffic offense or a crime. Yes,
[29:11] we would cite them or we would deal with
[29:13] that criminally. When it comes to
[29:16] reimbursement to the city or the fire
[29:18] department, that's up to the fire chief
[29:21] to to claim that on on their insurance.
[29:24] I'm not sure exactly how he does that.
[29:26] We don't do that. We handle the the
[29:29] criminal side. So basically, so if any
[29:32] any spills like that happen at any of
[29:35] the local like the convenience stores
[29:37] and stuff like that that they have to
[29:39] come in and clean up, would that that
[29:41] would constitute as a filing on their
[29:44] insurance because the fact that we've
[29:46] had to come out to address the issue?
[29:48] >> A lot of that is is handled by the
[29:51] state. Okay. They send their
[29:53] investigators in. Uh they issue the
[29:55] fines. They also do the criminal
[29:57] investigation on a spill or something
[29:59] like that. a gas station. So they they
[30:02] would handle those fines. Now like the
[30:04] most recent one, our agency assisted
[30:06] them with the criminal investigation
[30:08] side of it. Don't have say so over the
[30:11] fines and the administrative side.
[30:15] >> I'm just I just want to know so y'all
[30:17] saying like the 170,000 we got we need
[30:21] to hire another officer to work downtown
[30:24] instead of fixing the streets.
[30:26] So, so the part-time officer that I'm
[30:29] talking about, we already have the funds
[30:32] budgeted for that because the position
[30:34] that's that's being paid full-time now,
[30:37] she's retiring and that position she's
[30:39] taking on would be would be parttime.
[30:41] So, that would leave us another
[30:42] part-time half of funds to utilize. So,
[30:45] that would not be creating it would
[30:47] essentially be creating a new position,
[30:49] but the plans are already there.
[30:51] >> So, it's not it's not going to touch
[30:53] that 170,000.
[30:54] >> No, sir.
[30:56] Now, as I talked before on on new
[30:58] positions, full-time officers, I think
[31:01] if we chose to do that, we need to apply
[31:03] for the cops grant because
[31:07] that would lighten a burden on us for
[31:10] five years. In the first year, they pay
[31:12] >> get some money from somewhere else.
[31:14] >> Jim take over and that fifth year would
[31:18] be our responsibility to full time.
[31:24] Um
[31:27] the fire department uh the fire chief
[31:29] was not able to be here tonight. He's
[31:31] with his father.
[31:34] >> Um lifellight and he's got some medical
[31:36] issues. So he's with his father. He did
[31:39] um you know we we spoke um and obviously
[31:43] spoke about our budget and the limited
[31:45] finances that we have. Um he's going to
[31:48] the ESD emergency services district to
[31:50] try to get some more support from them
[31:53] >> for us to continue the uh county
[31:55] responses that we do and um we hope to
[31:59] gain some support and finances there for
[32:03] a firefighter position instead of taxing
[32:05] our taxpayers
[32:08] uh for that for an additional position.
[32:10] Um so other than that that addressed you
[32:14] know any of our appropriated requests.
[32:19] The other one we had to come up with
[32:22] finances for um debt service for the
[32:26] water with the wastewater treatment
[32:28] plant and the water well. Right. So, the
[32:31] bonds that are coming due on that
[32:33] council, at your at your last meeting,
[32:35] they said that y'all advised that to uh
[32:40] to come up with the the financial number
[32:42] for the utility departments to pay for
[32:45] those two bonds
[32:47] >> and our property taxes to pay for the
[32:49] street the street bond and the fire
[32:53] department because we we bought a fire
[32:55] truck, we got a new fire truck, we
[32:57] refurbished another one and bought three
[32:59] police vehicles.
[33:00] So that bond would be paid out of our
[33:02] INS debt service tax
[33:06] in order to come up with
[33:09] the financing
[33:12] um to pay for both bonds for our
[33:15] wastewater treatment plant and our water
[33:17] well.
[33:19] I ran some numbers based on consumption.
[33:22] Consumption is probably the the greatest
[33:25] equalizer
[33:27] for those that are on fixed income.
[33:30] stable.
[33:32] >> Those are the ones that typically use
[33:34] the least amount. If it's a single it's
[33:36] a single person in a home or two people
[33:38] in a home, they're going to use the
[33:40] smallest amount of consumption versus a
[33:42] growing family, you know, with five and
[33:44] six kids or
[33:46] >> multiple people in the household or a
[33:48] commercial business, right?
[33:50] >> Yes. So in order to impact those on
[33:54] fixed income the least,
[33:57] a consumptionbased increase is the only
[34:00] way to do that. Otherwise, it's a fixed
[34:02] rate where everybody pays the same.
[34:06] >> Um to do a fixed to do a a a consumption
[34:11] rate increase per 100 gallons. If you
[34:15] see down here, the total revenue that I
[34:17] need to pay for that bond is 159,000. In
[34:20] order to bring in 157 and it's that's
[34:23] just some rounding numbers also, right?
[34:26] But that's to bring in the bulk of that
[34:27] payment
[34:29] to increase the rate value from 54.9
[34:34] to 63 cents. An 8 cent per 100 gallon
[34:39] increase. If you see up here, this base
[34:41] rate that doesn't change. The base rate
[34:43] stay the same
[34:45] going forward. The old rate and the new
[34:48] rate right here. The new rate stays the
[34:51] same as the base rate.
[34:53] The rate consumption rate per 100
[34:56] gallons goes from 54 cents to 63. That
[34:59] brings in
[35:01] 157,000 needed to cover that note. And
[35:05] for the residential for the average
[35:07] residential user, it impacts them by
[35:10] $3.19.
[35:13] a month. $3.19 a month for on their
[35:16] utility on their water bill.
[35:18] >> So,
[35:19] >> but it's based on their consumption.
[35:21] >> So, what do we do in the last meeting?
[35:23] Did we do raise
[35:25] >> y'all? Y'all gave me a direction instead
[35:28] of putting all of the debt repayment on
[35:30] property taxes to move anything that was
[35:33] going towards water and utilities to
[35:36] move it to let this pay it back, not
[35:38] property taxes. And so this is that
[35:41] amount
[35:43] >> necessary to pay for it out of utility
[35:46] funds and not property taxes.
[35:47] >> But yeah, but the good thing about it is
[35:49] broken down from residential, not
[35:51] commercial. You just be paying for what
[35:53] you consume as a
[35:54] >> We pulled up Yes, ma'am. And so we
[35:57] pulled up several people like just
[35:58] people that I know throughout town
[35:59] that's of a a single elderly person.
[36:04] Most of them use under 1,000 gallons per
[36:06] month. 600 to 1,000 gallons. So that's
[36:10] let's say it's 1,000 gallons. That's a
[36:12] 10 increment.
[36:14] That's they're paying for 10 increments
[36:16] times 8 cent. So it's 80 cents for that
[36:18] person. If they say say they're using
[36:22] 2,000 gallons even that's $160
[36:26] >> versus the average family. The average
[36:30] family in Crockett uses 4,000 gallons.
[36:33] >> That's worth being. So that's why the
[36:35] $3.19 for the average family.
[36:39] >> Um if you have sprinkler systems and
[36:42] other things,
[36:43] >> you're going to pay more.
[36:44] >> It's more than $3, right? So that's why
[36:46] it averages out from
[36:49] >> Yeah.
[36:49] >> the single lady versus a full family and
[36:52] a sprinkler system.
[36:54] >> So
[36:55] >> commercial getting hit.
[36:58] >> The commercial is getting hit here, but
[37:01] it is not. No sir, not comparison.
[37:05] That's why I would like at some point to
[37:07] do a rate study because the only
[37:11] differencing between commercial and
[37:13] residential is the base rate which is a
[37:15] $10 change.
[37:17] >> Usually cities pay you pay by the size
[37:20] of meter.
[37:21] >> Yeah.
[37:22] >> We don't differentiate
[37:24] >> the size of what? The meter.
[37:25] >> The size of the meter. So the amount of
[37:27] consumption that you use,
[37:28] >> you pay a higher percentage per 100
[37:31] gallons. You pay a higher a dollar rate.
[37:34] Um, a lawyer, an attorney's office, say,
[37:37] or maybe an insurance office downtown
[37:40] that probably has one toilet in there
[37:42] just for their office. They pay a
[37:44] commercial rate,
[37:46] >> and they pay obviously it's less, right?
[37:49] Because they're not consuming a lot.
[37:50] >> The load of the cost is based on
[37:52] consumption,
[37:55] but they pay the same rate that a major
[37:59] industry out on the loop would pay.
[38:02] They pay the same rate. It's just based
[38:04] on consumption. So if you use a little
[38:05] bit, you pay a little bit. The more you
[38:07] use, the more you pay.
[38:09] >> So it's not unfair,
[38:12] but it's not typical.
[38:14] >> Normally cities pay differently.
[38:16] >> You got two or three more businesses
[38:17] around it's adding up.
[38:21] >> Yes, sir.
[38:23] >> So it would be changing the consumption
[38:26] rate from 54.9
[38:28] to 63 cents.
[38:31] for water customers and sewer customers
[38:33] from 24.2
[38:36] cents to 33 cents
[38:39] to bring in the amount amount of revenue
[38:42] needed to cover that debt.
[38:50] Is there questions on that?
[38:53] >> Equally spread.
[38:56] It's just the easy the easiest way
[38:59] >> to apply to
[39:04] >> Okay.
[39:06] No questions on that on um are there any
[39:11] other questions on our
[39:13] draft budget? How much do y'all want to
[39:17] um
[39:18] >> go through that?
[39:20] >> I'm here available. I'm just uh my my
[39:23] question is is there anything else in
[39:26] this budget that we could look at
[39:28] cutting or deleting or something to
[39:33] >> Yes, ma'am.
[39:34] >> to help.
[39:35] >> So, I made some notes.
[39:39] Here's and I highlighted them over here.
[39:41] The ones that you see yellow. So, in my
[39:43] general admin expenditure budget, um I
[39:47] dropped that back. I I initially plugged
[39:49] in a dollar amount for us to repaint the
[39:51] inside of city hall to fix our our our
[39:54] walls and the areas that are all
[39:56] boogered up and float them out, sand
[39:59] everything and repaint it like we did
[40:01] this room in here.
[40:02] >> Um I even took that out. I I went back
[40:05] to just an annual maintenance fee
[40:09] >> and I didn't put that money in there. If
[40:11] we had some more money, that would be
[40:14] something that we could apply.
[40:17] Um,
[40:18] roughly $10,000 using the previous bid
[40:22] that we did this this uh council room
[40:26] and everything from the lobby down to
[40:28] the utility office. When we fix that, I
[40:31] think it it would be roughly about that
[40:33] much to hire a painting crew to come in
[40:35] and float the walls and sand everything
[40:37] and repaint it. If we're getting a good
[40:39] price, you know, and obviously I would
[40:42] make sure we, you know, got
[40:44] >> just hiring any general contractor. We
[40:46] can find some people that can do it for
[40:47] that price, especially if we give them,
[40:50] you know, a budget threshold.
[40:52] >> How how can we get um more tax dollars
[40:55] without
[40:57] taxing like the customers,
[41:01] >> new new businesses.
[41:02] >> You did good tax dollars.
[41:05] >> The only way to get more money in
[41:08] >> is bring in more business that pays a
[41:10] lot of focus on bringing more business.
[41:12] >> That's what that's my job.
[41:14] >> That's it. That's what we do. Well,
[41:18] >> we're doing it. We're doing it.
[41:20] >> We're doing it. This year this year, we
[41:21] brought in over $11 million in new
[41:24] business
[41:25] >> this year. And so this next year, right
[41:28] now we have over $18 million permitted
[41:31] for this next year. So we're bringing in
[41:34] new people to share pieces of that pie.
[41:37] >> It's going to kind of get hard on some
[41:39] people, man. Keep going up.
[41:41] >> Understand?
[41:41] >> Not everybody.
[41:42] >> Now we finding out
[41:47] one of one of our tools basically
[41:49] finding out now.
[41:51] We got to be mindful of how we manage
[41:55] the city's money,
[41:56] >> the taxpayers money.
[41:59] >> So, maintenance and repair streets,
[42:01] >> maintenance of repair streets, that's
[42:03] obviously the one that I can
[42:05] >> fluctuate with, right?
[42:07] Um,
[42:08] >> if you go down,
[42:10] >> uh, something else that I took out of
[42:12] the budget that initially we've been
[42:14] running every year in our parks
[42:16] department budget due to the amount of
[42:17] equipment that we go through the those
[42:19] zero turns, they're not cheap. We we
[42:23] have big bang for buck and TDC inmates,
[42:27] >> but they need reliable. They need
[42:28] equipment that doesn't break down when
[42:30] when they have a crew of four guys
[42:32] sitting in there. And
[42:33] >> so we've been getting them
[42:35] >> good zero turns and rotating them out.
[42:37] We have three of them. So every third
[42:38] year we buy another zero turn.
[42:41] >> What I was wanting to do this year is
[42:43] buy a shredder instead of a zeroturn.
[42:45] >> Let's eat it one year. Let's hold
[42:48] >> with the equipment that we have, but buy
[42:50] a shredder.
[42:52] >> We We just inherited right at 90,000 90
[42:56] acres of additional industrial park
[42:57] property that has to be mowed. We have a
[43:00] small one. Oh, that's that's
[43:02] >> we really need
[43:03] >> a good shredder.
[43:04] >> Okay.
[43:05] >> And so I did have that in the budget,
[43:06] but in order to meet this no new revenue
[43:08] rate, I pulled that out of the budget as
[43:10] well.
[43:12] >> Um,
[43:12] >> we're just going to have to deal with
[43:14] what we have, you know, make do with
[43:16] what the the
[43:18] >> equipment that we have. Um, but that's
[43:21] another placeholder that I that I put in
[43:24] the budget.
[43:27] Um,
[43:29] >> so basically I parked
[43:31] uh management. They're going to have to
[43:33] take on mowing and pretty much like
[43:37] >> this past three these the past three
[43:39] months are not typical for the city. So,
[43:42] I know that y'all have seen us getting
[43:45] behind on mowing.
[43:47] >> This last year, we had a TDC crew boss
[43:50] that retired.
[43:52] >> And so, we had a dedicated crew come
[43:54] into Crockett for the last several
[43:56] years. The crew boss retired. They just
[43:59] appointed they started this week and if
[44:02] you notice the West Golad at the
[44:03] underpass. Yes. They start already
[44:05] started on that project.
[44:06] >> So they're already hitting the ground
[44:08] running. But that's not atypical.
[44:10] >> Having them helping us can free up more
[44:12] of our people to go out and do
[44:14] >> really
[44:15] >> mowing once a month or something like
[44:17] that in Industrial Park. So I'm not
[44:19] saying we can't keep up with it. It's
[44:21] just it's a struggle. We have to
[44:23] prioritize
[44:24] >> keeping all of our properties up and now
[44:27] bringing in additional 90 acres of more
[44:29] property when we are already kind of
[44:31] behind.
[44:32] >> Yeah.
[44:32] >> With no additional funds to to pay for
[44:35] it from. So, um
[44:39] I did want to bring that to y'all's um
[44:41] to y'all's attention. Um the other thing
[44:44] on our water side,
[44:47] I added $18,000. I used the last couple
[44:50] of months worth of of u legal costs for
[44:55] our water attorney that's helping us on
[44:57] this
[44:58] >> on the well application
[45:00] >> all over it
[45:02] >> that's going in in Redtown Ranch.
[45:04] >> So we've hired an attorney that that
[45:06] money has to come from somewhere. So I
[45:08] plugged in an additional $18,000
[45:11] for a year in legal fees as a
[45:14] >> as an as an expected or projected budget
[45:17] for that.
[45:19] Um,
[45:23] this budget also included on the utility
[45:25] side since we're not this is not coming
[45:27] out of property taxes. That's coming out
[45:29] of the utility side of utility revenues.
[45:32] When I asked council earlier during the
[45:34] capital request process out of out of
[45:37] for funding from property taxes,
[45:41] we we all agreed that if we're going to
[45:43] raise taxes or going to do anything to
[45:44] our taxes, it needs to go to streets.
[45:46] We're not putting it, we're not taking
[45:48] it out of there.
[45:50] Um the money to purchase a car
[45:55] to purchase a vehicle
[45:57] to relieve the fire marshall truck to be
[46:01] to be able to transfer the fire marshal
[46:03] truck to the fire department. And so the
[46:04] fire department's truck can be used in
[46:06] our public works department. It's a
[46:07] three it's a three-way swap. They don't
[46:10] need a one ton truck.
[46:14] City Hall does not need a 3/4 ton truck.
[46:17] So that purchases us a replacement
[46:20] vehicle for that.
[46:26] >> So what we buying we buying a new
[46:28] vehicle?
[46:30] >> No, just a used vehicle.
[46:33] >> That was something that we said we
[46:34] weren't doing, right? Or
[46:35] >> Yeah. We're not going to pay
[46:38] >> Yeah, we're not going to pay for
[46:45] Um, this also addresses the the repair
[46:48] state the the uh list station repair.
[46:52] Um, we have the money
[46:55] in the budget. I put 100 we have 125
[46:58] from from last year. I want to keep that
[47:00] in there and that will give us the funds
[47:02] to repair the lift station that I
[47:04] brought to council that during our
[47:06] capital request process that is under a
[47:09] TCQ.
[47:10] Uh it's we we haven't received
[47:12] violations for it, but if if inspected,
[47:14] we would we need to get that lift
[47:17] station repaired and back online.
[47:21] >> So, let me ask you a question about the
[47:22] car. So, do we have to buy a car?
[47:26] >> We don't. There's a lot of No ma'am. So,
[47:28] can we just give
[47:30] leave your car?
[47:33] >> If you give me a car,
[47:35] >> why do we need to give you a car?
[47:38] >> Okay, that's up to council to answer.
[47:41] >> I'm just asking.
[47:43] >> By the way, we doing a lot of business
[47:45] for the city. So, yes, I would need a
[47:47] vehicle.
[47:48] >> Your dad will pay me a vehicle stacking.
[47:50] >> We have a vehicle. Yeah.
[47:53] >> Not if you give it away. if you give him
[47:55] my vehicle.
[47:57] >> So,
[47:58] >> you're going to need a vehicle or else
[48:00] you going to have to pay travel.
[48:01] >> Council can let me know if that's
[48:02] something that you got to have
[48:04] transportation.
[48:05] >> Everybody in a if you travel in a in a
[48:09] town, you need transportation.
[48:11] >> Yes, ma'am.
[48:13] >> Yes.
[48:15] Tear up your own riding around. You got
[48:18] to give a stip and that's more than
[48:19] trans. Well, I mean, it's not like he
[48:21] can't like, you know,
[48:23] one you need a vehicle here or when he
[48:26] needs to go use the vehicle, you use it.
[48:30] And
[48:30] >> I mean, you can
[48:32] >> we can work it out.
[48:33] >> Well, I think that you need I think if
[48:35] you don't have Okay, we'll discuss that.
[48:39] >> We don't have to purchase any other
[48:40] vehicles. I mean,
[48:41] >> you need another transportation. You got
[48:43] to have transportation,
[48:44] >> right? And it doesn't need to be your
[48:46] personal
[48:48] >> what
[48:49] >> that makes sense.
[48:51] >> What's council's um we covered in in
[48:56] some of our biggest
[49:00] items during our budget process over the
[49:03] past couple of meetings. I have a
[49:06] followup. I have a balanced budget. What
[49:09] we would do tonight, what I'm requesting
[49:12] of council is for council to provide me
[49:15] with a proposed tax rate to fund this
[49:18] budget.
[49:20] This proposed tax rate, I have to call
[49:22] for a public hearing. I have to put it
[49:24] in the newspaper, post it on our
[49:26] website, put it in on hard copies at
[49:29] city hall for pickup for anyone that
[49:30] wants to look at it and ask questions
[49:32] and go over it in depth. Then at our
[49:35] next council meeting on the 18th, we
[49:38] would have that public hearing that's
[49:40] posted in the newspaper.
[49:42] We have a public hearing where people
[49:44] can comment for against
[49:47] um council can then decide after that
[49:50] council
[49:52] um approves the or adopts the tax rate.
[49:55] Tonight we're only asking you to provide
[49:58] us with a proposed tax rate.
[50:02] Um,
[50:04] and so
[50:06] if you look here
[50:14] 2026,
[50:19] Can you put in
[50:24] the voter approval tax rate?
[50:31] and you go to
[50:34] let's say street department
[50:55] that could increase our street
[50:57] department budget from 500 00 410,000 to
[51:00] 574121
[51:04] to rebalance the budget.
[51:08] Let me do something that
[51:11] >> using the voter approval rate instead of
[51:13] the no new revenue rate
[51:15] >> the voter approval rate
[51:17] >> using this 51 94 M tax rate instead of
[51:22] the so we're going from 5019
[51:26] >> the no new revenue rate would drop it
[51:28] down to 4747
[51:30] the voter approval rate would increase
[51:32] it slightly above this one to 5194
[51:36] it's almost 52 cents
[51:40] or anywhere in between.
[51:42] >> I think that
[51:45] that it's not that big of a difference
[51:48] between our current
[51:50] and a vote to approve
[51:53] if we want the things done. We want the
[51:55] streets fixed. That's I don't think we
[51:58] have much choices.
[52:05] No.
[52:07] >> Okay.
[52:09] >> Are there any other questions on the
[52:10] budget,
[52:13] >> the water and sewer rates, the tax
[52:15] rates, the budgeted amounts? Um,
[52:21] >> nothing. just asking that you go back
[52:23] through and see what we could
[52:27] possibly remove or need or
[52:31] >> if you have if you want to meet with me
[52:32] and you want you want to ask it you know
[52:34] look let's look into any of those we
[52:37] definitely can I've gone through it and
[52:40] last year we had to make this budget
[52:42] really lean because we went from last
[52:45] year we went into the no new revenue
[52:46] rate so we really had to cut costs last
[52:49] year to make the budget
[52:52] This year, I'm rolling that forward into
[52:54] a no new revenue rate. So, the the the
[52:57] budget that you see before is what we
[53:00] really shaved down from last year. And
[53:03] we've continued shaving down more
[53:04] because some things had to go up. Our
[53:07] electricity costs, our insurance costs,
[53:09] some of those all went up. So, we had to
[53:11] find more areas to shave and cut. And so
[53:14] the things that I cut were like normal
[53:17] replacements of lawnmowers in our parks
[53:19] department. You know, all of those we
[53:21] just we took out if if it could wait
[53:25] another year. It's not recommended, but
[53:28] it just had to be cut out and so we cut
[53:29] it out. Um so yes, we can do another
[53:32] year. not expecting all of those vehicle
[53:42] lean
[53:45] as you're going to find.
[53:46] >> I think I asked you before that uh
[53:48] sundry what what is what is that
[53:52] on page three
[53:54] >> on revenues? Yeah,
[53:56] >> that's brought in for utilities. Um
[54:04] this one here remind me what
[54:08] overall sunundry is. It's in over bills
[54:11] um payments that were passed due.
[54:14] There's
[54:15] >> tax. It's also water taps
[54:17] >> and water taps. So not
[54:21] guaranteed revenue.
[54:22] >> Okay.
[54:29] Well,
[54:30] >> okay. Council,
[54:34] >> what's your pleasure?
[54:37] >> So, at the I mean, at the no
[54:41] new revenue rate. I mean, it's gonna be
[54:46] hard to
[54:47] >> get everything
[54:48] >> to to get every I mean,
[54:51] >> just get up.
[54:53] >> A lot of our a lot of our needs would
[54:55] would go unmet. Am I right?
[55:00] >> Yeah.
[55:01] >> At the no new revenue rate.
[55:04] >> Yes, sir.
[55:05] >> So,
[55:08] we'd have to look to the right more to
[55:10] the to the voter approval rate.
[55:15] I'm just asking a question.
[55:19] >> Well,
[55:21] it looks like that's the way we're going
[55:23] to have to go
[55:25] >> just to fund the city.
[55:28] >> I I feel like that is the one
[55:30] department, especially our street
[55:31] department, that's the one variable
[55:34] >> that we can't play
[55:35] >> that can improve if we just have more
[55:38] money. Otherwise, we we run out of the
[55:41] funds that we have. um
[55:44] when we still have people and equipment
[55:46] to do work. That's the one variable that
[55:49] cost a lot. The oil, the rock, the
[55:53] asphalt, the cement,
[55:55] the curbon gutters that we've been
[55:56] doing, you know, those those just take
[55:58] up a lot of money.
[56:01] And that's the biggest need
[56:05] that goes unmet every year.
[56:07] >> Well,
[56:07] >> and it's getting worse.
[56:10] And those streets that we would we that
[56:13] we would set aside that's in need of
[56:15] repair right now, they're not going to
[56:17] fix themselves and they're just going to
[56:19] get worse if we
[56:23] mean if we have put everything aside
[56:25] because
[56:28] of not having the the money to do it.
[56:33] >> But I don't like for things to go up
[56:35] either.
[56:36] >> Nobody does. I don't fuss about it. I do
[56:39] what you do.
[56:40] >> I just got my one my one of my insurance
[56:43] packages just a couple of days ago and
[56:46] it's gone up.
[56:47] >> Everything.
[56:52] >> Okay, council.
[56:55] Well, if there's no questions on that,
[56:58] um,
[57:00] then council can we can if you want to
[57:02] move to
[57:04] number three, that's going to be to
[57:07] approve the proposed tax rate.
[57:10] >> Okay. Item number three, consider an
[57:12] approved proposed tax rate. What would
[57:14] it be? What should you
[57:17] [Music]
[57:28] I make a motion to approve and consider
[57:31] the approved um proposed tax rate.
[57:37] >> So just if you
[57:38] >> approval rate,
[57:39] >> the voter approval rate,
[57:40] >> right?
[57:41] >> Okay, we have a
[57:43] >> I second. It's
[57:45] >> second. Moved and second. All in favor?
[57:52] Oppose.
[57:54] Motion carries.
[57:56] Move it to item number four.
[57:59] Public hearing on tax abatement
[58:01] agreement between Houston County and the
[58:03] city of Crockett under the tax abatement
[58:05] guidelines and criteria Texas Tax Code
[58:08] Chapter 312 section 312.002.
[58:14] Council.
[58:15] >> Mayor and council. This is a a public
[58:17] hearing that we're required to hold
[58:19] every two years before we adopt the tax
[58:21] abatement guidelines and criteria
[58:23] policy. We have a joint one with a joint
[58:27] tax abatement and guidelines policy with
[58:30] the uh with Houston County. Um that's
[58:33] something that we can pass off to any
[58:35] business prospect that's looking to come
[58:37] into Crockett and that sets kind of our
[58:40] policy and guidelines for seeking any
[58:44] kind of a tax abatement. um that
[58:48] um is spelled out by um chapter 312 and
[58:52] chapter 3A of the Texas local government
[58:54] code. Um in order to issue a tax
[58:57] abatement, we have to have a policy on
[58:59] file and this addresses that to maintain
[59:03] a policy on file. Um
[59:07] the count the county I sent this out to
[59:10] council a couple months ago to look over
[59:12] and I mentioned in there I'm going to
[59:14] reissue I'm going to re uh remention
[59:18] down on page
[59:29] uh one of the concerns that the county
[59:31] had um was in years prior are not
[59:35] receiving um annual assessment reports
[59:39] or timely filing. Businesses that have
[59:43] tax abatements with the city are
[59:45] required to do quarterly and annual
[59:47] filing showing that they met those
[59:48] performance agreements that they've
[59:49] hired. If they said they are going to
[59:51] hire 20 people, they need to show us the
[59:52] books that they've hired 20 people. If
[59:55] they said they're going to invest 10
[59:56] million, they need to show at least 10
[59:57] million in, you know, their expense
[1:00:00] report. So um
[1:00:03] up and up and you know the the county's
[1:00:06] concern was that they had not been
[1:00:08] receiving that in years prior timely.
[1:00:11] When they go into a joint agreement with
[1:00:13] us as a lead then we're the primary
[1:00:18] point of contact
[1:00:20] to provide it to ensure that we have
[1:00:22] those reports in and to make sure that
[1:00:25] we pass them on to the county. And so
[1:00:27] they requested to add this clause here.
[1:00:30] Um
[1:00:32] the annual assessment report upon
[1:00:34] completion of construction, the
[1:00:35] designated representative of Houston
[1:00:37] County or the city of Crockett,
[1:00:38] whichever entity takes lead on the
[1:00:40] abatement shall annually evaluate each
[1:00:42] facility receiving the abatement to
[1:00:44] ensure compliance with the agreement and
[1:00:45] a formal report shall be made to the
[1:00:47] commissioner's court and city council of
[1:00:49] Crockett. So we do an annual report on
[1:00:51] that. That's something that uh we're
[1:00:53] going to need to be doing. the timely
[1:00:56] filing the county or city whichever
[1:00:58] entity takes lead on the baitment shall
[1:01:00] ensure timely filing with the Texas
[1:01:02] Department of Economic Development and
[1:01:04] the state controllers office all in
[1:01:06] information required by the tax code. So
[1:01:08] that was added in there. Other than
[1:01:09] that, the abatement um policy is the
[1:01:13] same is the same policy.
[1:01:14] >> So based on that in that policy, we're
[1:01:17] basically equally
[1:01:19] um responsible for whatever happens,
[1:01:22] >> whoever takes lead on the project. Um,
[1:01:25] so if the county was to take lead on any
[1:01:29] economic development project, then they
[1:01:31] would provide those reports to us and
[1:01:33] vice versa.
[1:01:35] >> Yes, ma'am.
[1:01:37] >> But this addresses clawback clauses that
[1:01:40] every abatement has to have cure
[1:01:42] notifications.
[1:01:44] Basically, what we've been dealing with
[1:01:46] this evening, uh, the claw clawback
[1:01:48] clauses, um, performance agreements
[1:01:51] under the recapture. This basically
[1:01:53] spells out the policy to any business
[1:01:56] coming in. They're not taking
[1:02:00] >> they're not unaware of of the
[1:02:02] requirements.
[1:02:05] >> Um so this is just a public um hearing
[1:02:09] for anybody from the public that wishes
[1:02:11] to speak for and against. And then after
[1:02:14] the public hearing is open and no one if
[1:02:17] after comments then we would adopt it in
[1:02:20] the next
[1:02:21] >> agenda item.
[1:02:22] >> We officially open
[1:02:23] >> and this
[1:02:24] >> okay the public hearing is now
[1:02:26] officially open. If you have any
[1:02:28] comments
[1:02:35] >> and this is updated every two years
[1:02:39] >> you can I mean you can share.
[1:02:41] >> Yes ma'am. It's It's to be updated every
[1:02:43] two years. It expires in a this this
[1:02:45] month and so we need to update it to
[1:02:48] have one on file.
[1:02:50] >> Okay. Does anyone from the audience have
[1:02:52] any comments
[1:02:55] council?
[1:03:00] If no comments,
[1:03:02] >> nope.
[1:03:03] >> We're closing the hearings there. Close.
[1:03:08] Okay. Can we
[1:03:11] Do we have to
[1:03:13] >> go then? Item number five.
[1:03:14] >> Okay. Okay. Item number five. Consider
[1:03:17] and approve adopt an updated policy for
[1:03:19] joint tax abatement agreements with
[1:03:22] Houston County under the tax abatement
[1:03:24] guidelines and criteria pursuant to
[1:03:27] Texas tax code chapter 312 section
[1:03:31] 312.002.
[1:03:34] Council.
[1:03:37] I'll make a motion we adopt the updated
[1:03:40] policy.
[1:03:42] >> I second the motion.
[1:03:43] >> It's been moved and second. All in
[1:03:46] favor?
[1:03:49] >> Motion carries. No post. Okay. Item
[1:03:52] number six, consider and approve a
[1:03:55] resolution agreement with the Texas
[1:03:57] Department of Transportation for the
[1:03:58] temporary closure of the state right
[1:04:00] away for the World Champions Fillers
[1:04:03] Festival in Crockett.
[1:04:08] Council,
[1:04:09] >> mayor, council, this is
[1:04:13] a new thing.
[1:04:13] >> That map is not Oh, here it is.
[1:04:17] They're wanting to re
[1:04:21] I believe they didn't do it the last two
[1:04:25] years. They skipped a couple years.
[1:04:27] What's that? The Fiddler's Festival.
[1:04:31] They've had it been out in the park,
[1:04:32] >> but they didn't do it last year. I
[1:04:34] believe
[1:04:34] >> something happened. Did they do it last
[1:04:36] year?
[1:04:37] >> Huh?
[1:04:39] >> Yeah, they skipped one year.
[1:04:41] >> Yeah, they skipped.
[1:04:41] >> They had some more
[1:04:43] >> some more people join and really wanted
[1:04:45] to see it that that we not skip any more
[1:04:47] years. So, they had some more people
[1:04:50] join um the group and they've come back
[1:04:53] with a vengeance and ready to
[1:04:55] >> to do at the World Championship
[1:04:58] Festival. They are wanting it back down
[1:05:00] on the square for a closed event. Um,
[1:05:05] and so this is us to be able to take it
[1:05:08] and get it approved through text dot for
[1:05:10] street closures.
[1:05:12] >> What is that?
[1:05:13] >> It's a fiddler festival.
[1:05:16] >> What about 20 years?
[1:05:18] >> Y was over there where they would have
[1:05:22] the old pavilions where they first
[1:05:23] started
[1:05:24] >> and they used to put that
[1:05:27] >> they block off the old pavilion parts of
[1:05:29] the
[1:05:29] >> Hold on. Let me see. been doing it for a
[1:05:30] long year.
[1:05:34] >> I believe it's the 88th. They've been
[1:05:35] having it for 88 years.
[1:05:37] >> Yeah, you ate it somewhere.
[1:05:41] >> You've had 88 years to figure this out.
[1:05:44] >> I think for Monday,
[1:05:46] >> you probably see I think y'all going
[1:05:48] over.
[1:05:48] >> You don't have your fiddle.
[1:05:49] >> I might show up this year though.
[1:05:52] >> All right. Uh
[1:05:56] any
[1:05:58] recommend uh
[1:05:59] >> uh just real short there um on Friday on
[1:06:02] Friday they're going to be closing um
[1:06:05] parking spaces in front of uh basically
[1:06:09] from the roller skate rink from the um
[1:06:13] skate down to le
[1:06:14] >> they're going to um close those parking
[1:06:17] spaces and that parking lot and they're
[1:06:20] bringing in I believe 10 or 12 stake
[1:06:24] Uh,
[1:06:28] >> pits. Yeah, pits. They're doing a steak
[1:06:30] cook off.
[1:06:31] >> They're bringing for steaks.
[1:06:33] >> Um, and they're going to do a sale that
[1:06:36] night. They're going to do a steak sale.
[1:06:38] They're going to have a big cook off
[1:06:40] >> that night and then the next day we'll
[1:06:43] kick off the Fiddler Festival.
[1:06:45] >> Are they going to put up cheese? Are
[1:06:46] they going to do it open there? How are
[1:06:47] they going to do it today?
[1:06:48] >> They're going to open some of the
[1:06:49] restaurants. So, they're going to you're
[1:06:51] going to be able to go out on the um
[1:06:53] sidewalk and purchase steaks. You're
[1:06:56] going to have a bunch of vendors, steak
[1:06:57] cookoffs. You're going to be able to
[1:06:58] purchase steaks. And then the
[1:07:00] restaurants um it's on uh Friday night,
[1:07:02] but Moose Head's going to be open.
[1:07:04] They're going to have seating area and
[1:07:07] you can just go and
[1:07:09] >> have steak. And then they're going to be
[1:07:10] sitting around the the this park here
[1:07:13] and then downtown around under the trees
[1:07:16] around the courthouse. They're just
[1:07:17] going to be a bunch of
[1:07:18] >> fiddling around
[1:07:19] >> people out there fiddling and playing
[1:07:21] banjos and
[1:07:21] >> fiddling around.
[1:07:24] >> That sound interesting
[1:07:25] >> that night and then the next
[1:07:28] >> and then the next day Saturday will be
[1:07:29] this the main square club
[1:07:33] >> just that night this but the square
[1:07:35] won't be closed.
[1:07:36] >> They're just going to close off that
[1:07:37] parking lot and everything
[1:07:40] >> and then
[1:07:42] >> All right. Sure.
[1:07:45] be interested.
[1:07:47] >> We need a motion to approve.
[1:07:48] >> Okay.
[1:07:49] >> Yes.
[1:07:51] >> I'd like to make a motion to approve the
[1:07:54] What's that?
[1:07:55] >> Temporary closure.
[1:07:56] >> Temporary closure.
[1:07:59] >> Second.
[1:08:01] >> State right away. It's item six.
[1:08:04] >> State right away. I'm sorry
[1:08:06] >> for the world.
[1:08:08] >> There you go.
[1:08:08] >> Got a motion in second.
[1:08:10] >> Okay. It's been moved and second. All in
[1:08:12] favor?
[1:08:14] Motion carries. It should be
[1:08:16] interesting.
[1:08:17] >> I'm going be there for the second.
[1:08:18] >> Okay. Uh
[1:08:21] uh number seven. Item number seven,
[1:08:24] consent and approve gateway sign
[1:08:26] locations.
[1:08:29] Pick that.
[1:08:30] >> Mayor and council. I wanted to review
[1:08:32] this again with count with council. We
[1:08:34] actually had one or two
[1:08:37] by the time we got through the whole
[1:08:39] process with prospective owners. Oh, too
[1:08:42] much
[1:08:42] >> interested parties and um so there's
[1:08:45] been a few adjustments. However, the
[1:08:47] signs are made. They're finished.
[1:08:49] They're ready for delivery.
[1:08:51] >> They're waiting um they're waiting for
[1:08:53] us just to prove this tonight. They're
[1:08:55] going to be bringing their crews in to
[1:08:56] start the uh pouring the footers and
[1:08:59] bringing the signs in. So, here's the
[1:09:02] ones that we we have the easements
[1:09:04] already for all of these spots. This is
[1:09:06] one coming in from 7 east into town
[1:09:09] behind Waterburger right after Fastrack.
[1:09:13] The old Leslo cells where Fast Tracks
[1:09:15] at. There's currently a sign there.
[1:09:17] We're going to replace that sign with
[1:09:19] this new sign.
[1:09:20] >> There is a sign
[1:09:23] >> 21 East. There's currently a sign
[1:09:28] >> on the inside on the inside of the
[1:09:31] intersection. When you get to the
[1:09:32] intersection, Taco Bell's over here on
[1:09:34] your left. Crockett Vet is on your on
[1:09:36] your right as you're coming into the
[1:09:38] square or the loop. We're moving that
[1:09:41] sign from that location. We were not
[1:09:43] able to get easement on the current
[1:09:45] location where that sign is or we also
[1:09:49] talked with the Southland Federal and
[1:09:50] they had some concerns about their
[1:09:52] bylaws and abilities to do an easel for
[1:09:55] us. So, we started working our way back
[1:09:58] for the next best available location
[1:10:01] right here on the second entrance of Dr.
[1:10:03] cravens of the Crockett Vet.
[1:10:05] >> Um, veterinary hospital right here
[1:10:08] coming into town. Right after that
[1:10:10] driveway, he has an area of land that
[1:10:13] he's dedicated to allowing us to do
[1:10:15] that.
[1:10:15] >> That's close.
[1:10:16] >> And it's it's actually a really nice
[1:10:18] spot right under the tree
[1:10:20] >> because you won't run into the
[1:10:22] >> And so, um, we weren't able to get any
[1:10:26] on this piece of property. It's for sale
[1:10:28] and nobody wanted to work with us on an
[1:10:31] easement on that, but Dr. Cravens was
[1:10:33] more than willing to help us on that.
[1:10:35] >> That's a nice piece.
[1:10:36] >> The little the other one, this is coming
[1:10:39] in on 19 North from Lexo. This is a
[1:10:43] Houston County Nursing Home.
[1:10:44] >> Okay, that's pretty easy.
[1:10:47] >> Um, we looked at several different sites
[1:10:48] and none of them just this this is the
[1:10:52] only one that's on the inside of the
[1:10:54] loop
[1:10:55] after you've come to a stop. So, it's a
[1:10:58] little bit further away than we would
[1:10:59] like, but the that visibility and that
[1:11:01] hill would make it really stand out.
[1:11:04] >> So, even though it's a little bit
[1:11:05] further away and you're not passing it
[1:11:07] coming into town,
[1:11:08] >> it's easy to
[1:11:09] >> It's a good spot. It's a really good
[1:11:10] spot. And um
[1:11:12] >> Mr. Baker and Mrs. Baker
[1:11:15] >> allowed us to have an easement there.
[1:11:19] >> Um this is coming in on 287. This is
[1:11:22] Life Point First Assembly uh church
[1:11:25] coming into town at 287 South. So,
[1:11:29] putting
[1:11:30] where we're not eating up any, you know,
[1:11:33] frontage, but right on the front corner
[1:11:36] coming into town.
[1:11:40] And the last one is coming in on SE from
[1:11:43] 721 from Centerville or uh Madisonville
[1:11:48] after the road joins together there
[1:11:50] after the after the Y and it comes
[1:11:52] together.
[1:11:54] >> You're coming up on the intersection
[1:11:55] here. There's a pulloff right here on
[1:11:57] the right hand side.
[1:11:58] >> There's a big pulloff area of asphalted
[1:12:01] area. So it's perfect for people to
[1:12:02] >> pull over and go out and stand and take
[1:12:04] pictures and stuff like that.
[1:12:06] Um, and we received easement for the
[1:12:09] corner of his property. Past this is all
[1:12:12] textile property.
[1:12:13] >> So, we got that very outer edge of
[1:12:15] corner of his property.
[1:12:17] >> And we've already, if you go out there
[1:12:18] now, we did some dirt work because there
[1:12:20] was underbrush and some small scrubby
[1:12:22] trees that we went in and cleaned up.
[1:12:24] And so, you'll get an idea of where
[1:12:27] where that one is.
[1:12:28] >> We got now coming 19 South.
[1:12:31] >> That is the one that we have.
[1:12:34] We we had an existing base there in
[1:12:38] front of the college building.
[1:12:40] >> Okay.
[1:12:40] >> In front of the college building. Yeah.
[1:12:42] >> It used to have Angelina College on it.
[1:12:44] All that's been removed. Proalis has put
[1:12:46] their
[1:12:47] >> I don't know
[1:12:48] >> their their wording on the sign itself.
[1:12:51] I would like to talk.
[1:12:52] >> That's the hottest. That's to go now
[1:12:56] coming.
[1:12:57] >> Let me come up with some Let me come up
[1:13:00] with some ideas.
[1:13:01] >> That's the main one we should have had.
[1:13:03] see if I can receive funding, see if I
[1:13:05] can get some support
[1:13:07] >> from other businesses, maybe even
[1:13:09] proales to help us.
[1:13:11] >> And we use that sign that's already
[1:13:13] there and we put a lit sign something
[1:13:16] incorporate that big brick base.
[1:13:19] >> Yeah.
[1:13:19] >> Where we're not tearing all that down.
[1:13:22] >> And I think if we incorporated that big
[1:13:24] brick
[1:13:26] >> base and we put a nice sign city of
[1:13:28] Crockett something on. Let me let me
[1:13:30] come up with some designs, some costs,
[1:13:32] and see if I can't find some people to
[1:13:34] help fund it as well.
[1:13:36] >> We just didn't have the money in this
[1:13:38] >> for this round,
[1:13:40] >> this this round.
[1:13:43] >> And I just wanted to go over these
[1:13:45] locations to be sure that everybody's
[1:13:48] >> aware of it and doesn't have any issues
[1:13:50] on it. But it is the hottest.
[1:13:52] >> You got to have 19, man. I'll come back
[1:13:55] with some
[1:13:56] >> I'll come back with some u some options.
[1:13:59] >> Ready for a motion?
[1:14:00] >> Yes. Ready for a motion?
[1:14:01] >> I make a motion that we approve the
[1:14:03] gateway sign locations.
[1:14:06] >> Can we get a second?
[1:14:07] >> Second.
[1:14:08] >> It's been moved and second. All in
[1:14:09] favor?
[1:14:11] Motion carries. Okay. Uh now we're up to
[1:14:16] our
[1:14:18] uh item eight, results of the executive
[1:14:21] session. Uh section 551071
[1:14:25] consultation with attorney regarding
[1:14:28] Lincoln lumber recapture of incentives
[1:14:31] and tax abatements.
[1:14:34] >> Mayor and council um move that we well I
[1:14:38] motion that we move to ex extend the
[1:14:41] cure period uh for Lincoln lumber to
[1:14:45] allow for legal research.
[1:14:48] >> Second.
[1:14:49] >> Okay. Been moved and second. All in
[1:14:51] favor?
[1:14:53] Motion carries. It brings us to item
[1:14:55] number nine, government code 551074,
[1:14:58] personnel matters. Consider matter
[1:15:01] related to city administrator and
[1:15:02] assistant city administrator and plan of
[1:15:05] secession.
[1:15:09] >> I make a motion that we
[1:15:13] approve the plan of succession for the
[1:15:15] city administrator and assistant city
[1:15:18] administrator.
[1:15:24] Can we get a second?
[1:15:26] >> Second.
[1:15:26] >> Okay, it's been moved and second. All in
[1:15:28] favor?
[1:15:29] >> Um
[1:15:29] >> Oh, I'm sorry.
[1:15:30] >> Before we go for a vote, do you mind
[1:15:32] looking um providing us some
[1:15:35] >> recommendation,
[1:15:36] >> further direction on the other portions
[1:15:38] of the plan of secession?
[1:15:43] Um
[1:15:45] >> get providing direction.
[1:15:48] >> No.
[1:15:50] Okay.
[1:15:50] >> The fire marshall position as well.
[1:15:53] >> Okay. All right.
[1:15:55] >> You want to reward?
[1:15:56] >> I move. Yeah. Oh, couldn't call for
[1:15:58] rewarding.
[1:16:00] >> Mhm. Okay. He's going to reward it.
[1:16:04] >> All right. Can I make a motion that we
[1:16:07] move that the city council approve the
[1:16:09] plan of succession
[1:16:11] as presented, which includes
[1:16:13] the uh
[1:16:18] ascension of assistant city
[1:16:19] administrator [name] [name] to the
[1:16:21] position of city administrator, the
[1:16:23] reassignment of city administrator [name]
[1:16:25] Anggerstein to the role of deputy city
[1:16:28] administrator to provide transitional
[1:16:30] support and oversight of ongoing
[1:16:32] projects and the transfer of fire
[1:16:34] marshall duties from the assistant city
[1:16:37] administrator to the fire chief with the
[1:16:40] fire investigation inspection
[1:16:42] responsibilities delegated to designated
[1:16:45] fire department officers effective
[1:16:47] October 1, 2025 and approve the
[1:16:50] presented employment agreements of the
[1:16:52] city administrator and deputy sitter
[1:16:56] city administrator.
[1:16:58] >> Okay, the motion second. Yes.
[1:17:00] >> Okay, it's been moved and second. All in
[1:17:02] favor?
[1:17:05] Oppose.
[1:17:08] Okay. Motion.
[1:17:09] >> Let the record reflect his note in
[1:17:10] policy.
[1:17:13] >> Mayor and council. Um
[1:17:16] I have a a short statement tonight and I
[1:17:20] I won't be too long because I know it's
[1:17:22] late.
[1:17:25] >> But it is with pride, humility, and hope
[1:17:28] for the future that I share this message
[1:17:29] with you. After nearly 10 years serving
[1:17:32] as your assistant as your city
[1:17:34] administrator, I have made the decision
[1:17:35] to step back from my current role and
[1:17:38] transition into supportive capacity as
[1:17:40] deputy city administrator.
[1:17:42] This brings the question, why now? Why
[1:17:45] after all we've been through and the
[1:17:48] progress that we've made? And my answer
[1:17:50] is simple. Why not now? This city has
[1:17:53] come so far during my time here, even
[1:17:56] through tough challenges. There are
[1:17:57] moments I wonder how much further ahead
[1:17:59] we might have been if we had always had
[1:18:02] the right people fully committed to
[1:18:03] Crockett's best interest. But I'm
[1:18:05] reminded that it was the perseverance of
[1:18:07] good people, those who stayed the course
[1:18:09] despite the obstacles that allowed us to
[1:18:10] recover and move forward. From the
[1:18:13] beginning, I promised to leave this city
[1:18:14] better than I found it. Tonight, I can
[1:18:17] say without a doubt that promise is
[1:18:18] kept. When I stepped into this role in
[1:18:21] 2016, Crockett was in an unstable state.
[1:18:24] We had cycled through several city
[1:18:26] administrators. Our finances were poor
[1:18:28] with no reserves. Equipment was failing.
[1:18:31] Morale was low and the future felt
[1:18:33] uncertain to many. In fact, the outgoing
[1:18:36] city administrator told me when he was
[1:18:39] leaving, he told me he felt like he and
[1:18:41] previous administrators were in a game
[1:18:43] of musical chairs and no one wanted to
[1:18:46] be the one standing when the music
[1:18:47] stops.
[1:18:49] I became determined that I wasn't just
[1:18:51] looking for a chair to sit in.
[1:18:57] I didn't take this job as a stepping
[1:18:59] stone
[1:19:02] and I didn't plan to leave when times
[1:19:03] got tough.
[1:19:05] >> You did.
[1:19:05] >> I took it because I believe Crockett
[1:19:07] deserved servant leaders.
[1:19:09] >> Yes.
[1:19:09] >> Willing to put aside egos and themselves
[1:19:11] and someone willing to see it through
[1:19:12] hard times.
[1:19:14] Together, we made the tough decisions
[1:19:16] that needed to be made and have come
[1:19:19] so far. our finances. We went from
[1:19:23] budget deficits. We borrowed money from
[1:19:25] our enterprise fund just to pay bills.
[1:19:28] Our credit rating was a BB minus.
[1:19:32] And now today, we have healthy reserves
[1:19:34] and moved up 10 points to a strong and
[1:19:35] double A credit rating.
[1:19:38] In infrastructure, we rebuilding roads,
[1:19:40] improving water and sewer, upgrading
[1:19:42] parks, providing employees with reliable
[1:19:45] equipment and vehicles.
[1:19:47] our employees. We transformed the
[1:19:49] workforce into a hometown team that
[1:19:51] takes pride in their work. They save the
[1:19:54] city's hundreds of thousands of dollars
[1:19:55] by doing more and more in-house every
[1:19:57] day. And they're doing it every day
[1:19:59] without complaint.
[1:20:02] The chaos surrounding economic
[1:20:03] development has been stabilized. We see
[1:20:07] successful businesses being brought into
[1:20:09] town. We're filling up vacant buildings.
[1:20:12] We have new businesses being built in
[1:20:13] our industrial park for the first time.
[1:20:16] We've created a path towards lowering
[1:20:18] property taxes once the debt has been
[1:20:20] paid off.
[1:20:22] We have secured funding and equipment
[1:20:24] and training that has draft drastically
[1:20:26] improved our ISO fire rating and
[1:20:28] modernized police operations. We used to
[1:20:31] buy broke down army surplus and force
[1:20:33] service vehicles. We used to buy down
[1:20:36] hand-me-down vehicles from Lufkin Police
[1:20:38] Department and and and spend money to
[1:20:41] make them last. Today we have reliable
[1:20:43] ones that everybody can be proud of.
[1:20:46] All of these are milestones or countless
[1:20:48] projects that have quietly transformed
[1:20:50] how Crockett functions day-to-day.
[1:20:53] That being said, I never intended to
[1:20:55] hold this seat so long that I held
[1:20:56] others back or to the point that I
[1:20:59] stopped being effective.
[1:21:01] Looking back, I know I was appointed for
[1:21:04] such a time as this.
[1:21:06] It was my duty to help lead through
[1:21:07] crisis and play my role in helping
[1:21:10] stabilize the city and put right people
[1:21:11] and systems in place. Now those people
[1:21:14] and systems are in place. We have a
[1:21:16] healthy city, strong leadership and
[1:21:18] momentum. This is the right time for a
[1:21:20] smooth transition, not in crisis, but
[1:21:23] during stability.
[1:21:25] In my new position, I hope to continue
[1:21:27] supporting Crockett, oversee major
[1:21:29] projects already underway,
[1:21:32] attract new businesses, and work hard
[1:21:33] towards their successes, and ensure no
[1:21:36] momentum is lost as the next
[1:21:37] administrator steps into the role.
[1:21:40] I think first I thank God for giving me
[1:21:43] this opportunity.
[1:21:52] >> Take your time.
[1:22:00] >> It is only by his grace that I've been
[1:22:02] able to serve you. And I pray I've been
[1:22:04] a witness worthy of him.
[1:22:08] >> Amen.
[1:22:11] to the mayors and city council members
[1:22:13] who appointed me
[1:22:16] and supported the tough decisions. Since
[1:22:19] then, I've served under 17 council
[1:22:21] members and four mayors.
[1:22:26] Thank you for your trust in me. Thank
[1:22:28] you for serving with me and allowing me
[1:22:31] the honor of a lifetime.
[1:22:35] to our amazing city employees.
[1:22:40] You are the backbone of this community.
[1:22:41] Thank you for showing up every day and
[1:22:43] making me proud to serve alongside of
[1:22:45] you.
[1:22:47] And to the citizens of Crockett,
[1:22:50] thank you for the honor of serving you.
[1:22:53] I've met some of the most wonderful
[1:22:54] people on this journey, many of whom I
[1:22:56] now call lifelong friends.
[1:22:59] And finally, to my wife and family,
[1:23:02] thank you for your patience.
[1:23:06] through the late nights, phone calls,
[1:23:07] and interruptions that come with the
[1:23:09] job.
[1:23:11] My wife Christa has been my strongest
[1:23:12] supporter, and I couldn't have done this
[1:23:14] without her.
[1:23:19] I'm sorry for being emotional, but this
[1:23:21] job has meant the world to me.
[1:23:26] >> I'm not sad. I'm not sad.
[1:23:30] I'm hopeful and looking forward to the
[1:23:32] future.
[1:23:34] This transition is going to feel
[1:23:36] strange. I promise you. But I want you
[1:23:37] to know I'm not leaving you. I'm leaving
[1:23:40] you in a place of strength. This city
[1:23:42] has been good to me and my family, and I
[1:23:43] hope I've honored the trust that you've
[1:23:45] placed in me.
[1:23:48] Serving you as your city administrator
[1:23:50] has been the greatest honor of my
[1:23:51] professional life. And now it will be my
[1:23:54] honor to support the city in a more
[1:23:55] focused way
[1:23:58] as deputy city administrator.
[1:24:01] Thank you.
[1:24:06] [Applause]
[1:24:15] before you said you got to make a speak
[1:24:17] about you know
[1:24:19] I guess I'm partial when I came in as
[1:24:22] mayor
[1:24:24] I noticed how things were falling apart
[1:24:27] and how much [name] has done I know a lot
[1:24:29] of it go unnoticed but it's never been
[1:24:32] point where we anybody couldn't ask him
[1:24:34] something, he was able to do. I don't
[1:24:37] care. You see a hole, he's in the hole.
[1:24:39] You see him on top of the roof, you see
[1:24:40] him everywhere. And I know that even in
[1:24:43] this new role that he takes, it's just
[1:24:46] going to be still beneficial because
[1:24:47] well, he won't have to have as much
[1:24:49] conversation with me every day as he'll
[1:24:52] be around and be able to be even more so
[1:24:54] hands-on. But I it's without a doubt,
[1:24:57] you have changed the dynamics of the
[1:24:59] city. You made it look like a city. You
[1:25:02] made it feel like a city. And you made
[1:25:04] it function like a city even more so.
[1:25:08] And we're glad. We're so grateful that
[1:25:11] you're willing to stay and continue to
[1:25:13] work with it. And we know as our new
[1:25:15] city manager come in that we're going to
[1:25:17] still be a team. We don't have to start
[1:25:19] from scratch. And I am elated about
[1:25:21] that. I'm excited. And we're going to do
[1:25:24] some great things. We have a full
[1:25:25] counselor that's ready to go to work.
[1:25:28] and everybody's excited and we're so
[1:25:31] excited and thank you so much. We can't
[1:25:33] say the words, but I am going to thank
[1:25:35] your wife for putting up with you. I I
[1:25:37] know it was hard and we appreciate your
[1:25:40] family and everything that they done and
[1:25:42] so what can we say but thank you and
[1:25:44] glad that you're not leaving. You're
[1:25:46] just transitioning.
[1:25:48] Oh, and that's it. Woo! You get to come
[1:25:51] home.
[1:25:58] Yes, ma'am.
[1:26:01] >> Okay. I got a
[1:26:03] >> I got I got
[1:26:06] >> um pass those out before you got it.
[1:26:11] That's fine.
[1:26:16] >> Say that's my brain.
