Source: YouTube auto-captions via youtube-transcript-api
Meeting: Crockett City Council, 2025-09-15
Title: Crockett City Council Meeting - 09/15/2025
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFpJKOQehJQ
Status: verbatim auto-captions. Names are often wrong. Not reviewed. Not for the public site.

[0:00] How did you see Miss?
[0:02] >> Well, we just talked
[0:03] >> and she talked. You know what? I am
[0:05] amazed. She is so they she always tell
[0:08] them to invite me cuz they've been doing
[0:10] it for a while and I always come and I
[0:12] always fall for it. They going to start
[0:14] on time. So, I come in and apologize.
[0:16] >> I'm glad you wasn't over there too long.
[0:17] >> I wasn't on time. Oh, they get loose
[0:20] over there. They was out there cussing
[0:22] on I didn't go too much with it. But,
[0:23] but you know what? We grew up next door
[0:25] to them. We filled with Prince. And I
[0:28] would say this about her. Every kid in
[0:31] that house read.
[0:34] >> Time to go.
[0:35] >> Read it. No TV books. They would get up
[0:38] early, go to the library on Saturday
[0:41] morning when it open. Come back.
[0:43] Everybody has a stack of book. Everybody
[0:46] read.
[0:46] >> They still do. I
[0:48] >> The whole family. I've never seen a Oh,
[0:49] is it time? It's time.
[0:50] >> Oh, we're having too much fun over here.
[0:55] Good evening everyone. We are about to
[0:57] open our me meeting. We will open it
[1:00] with an invocation and a pledge.
[1:05] Dear father in heaven, we thank you. We
[1:07] thank you for this opportunity, the
[1:08] opportunity to live in the land of the
[1:10] free. Lord, we ask that you give us
[1:12] wisdom, knowledge, and understanding and
[1:14] all the decisions that we make. We ask
[1:16] that it be done in the best interest of
[1:18] those the city. And Lord, we thank you
[1:20] for all that you've done and all that
[1:22] you're going to do. and we give you the
[1:24] praise and the glory in Jesus name.
[1:26] Amen.
[1:27] >> Amen.
[1:28] >> I aliance to the flag of the United
[1:32] States of America and to the republic
[1:35] for which it stands, one nation under
[1:38] God, indivisible, with liberty and
[1:42] justice for all.
[1:46] [Music]
[1:48] >> Once again, we'd like to thank you all
[1:50] for coming here. We know that you why
[1:52] you know why you're here to help assist
[1:54] with taking care of the city's business.
[1:57] And I will say as a starter, it's not
[2:00] only the women up here sweating. It is
[2:02] actually hot in here. Everybody will be
[2:05] in a little bit unless the air kick in
[2:08] quickly. So with that being said, uh do
[2:11] we have uh do we have any comments?
[2:14] Okay. So there are no comments from the
[2:18] audience. Does the council have any
[2:19] statement they would like to share
[2:21] briefly?
[2:23] >> Not a brief statement. Um, mayor and
[2:26] council, I just got a couple of
[2:29] questions that I I need to ask or
[2:31] inquire about because it's not on our
[2:33] agenda.
[2:33] >> If it's not on the agenda.
[2:35] >> Yeah. And I'm It's just I'm going to
[2:36] inquire and then that way you can
[2:38] respond or answer on next at the next
[2:41] meeting. Um but um we had I've had some
[2:45] calls and and um they were inquiring
[2:48] about the uh
[2:54] on the loop the electricity that um is
[2:58] being placed out there at the industrial
[3:01] park. They were wanting to know if the
[3:05] uh taxpayers are responsible for any of
[3:08] the utilities that are being placed out
[3:11] there in that in that park. Um
[3:17] another question I believe was they were
[3:20] concerned about um the Mary Allen
[3:24] College Heritage House uh contract. um
[3:28] they were um asking about it. So, I
[3:33] would like to get an update or some type
[3:35] of uh information um on that as well.
[3:40] And um last but not least, um when we
[3:44] did the the swapping of the U city
[3:48] managers and
[3:50] u deputy manager, did we get the
[3:53] necessary paperwork um for bank
[3:57] statements and all that? Well, all that
[4:00] um changed over to Mr. [name] [name]'s
[4:04] name and um is he going to be the
[4:07] investment officer as well?
[4:09] >> Okay. Well, those will be questions that
[4:11] they won't be those if it's personnel
[4:13] issues, they would have to go under
[4:15] personnel and they won't be discussing
[4:17] stuff. That's fine. I just want to
[4:18] >> and so we'll see if that's something
[4:20] that the council would like on their
[4:22] agenda. Is it something that uh so those
[4:24] items will be entertained for possibly
[4:26] being on their agenda.
[4:29] >> Okay.
[4:30] >> And so with that,
[4:32] Okay, those are your statement and that
[4:34] was just comments and comments from the
[4:36] audience at that time. Okay, with that
[4:39] being said, that bring us to item number
[4:41] one, approve of the regular session
[4:43] September 2nd, 2025.
[4:48] >> I make a motion we approve.
[4:51] >> I second the motion.
[4:52] >> It's been moved and second. All in
[4:53] favor?
[4:55] >> Motion carries. bring us down to reports
[4:57] special project uh update
[5:03] mayor council city administrator I have
[5:06] already
[5:10] in front of y'all
[5:12] I'll go over these I'll highlight some
[5:14] of these projects if y'all have
[5:15] questions we can talk about them um and
[5:18] I'll respond on that
[5:21] the SIB projects the same infrastructure
[5:23] bank projects that are nearing
[5:24] completion
[5:25] All the road construction portions of
[5:28] the construction is complete. We are
[5:32] finalizing uh Sano, the water lines down
[5:35] Sano. Those are being completed um
[5:39] currently with turn off complete. Um and
[5:42] now we're going back on uh many of the
[5:45] roads that had some of the gutter work
[5:47] uh curb and gutter work. We're
[5:49] completing those and some of the ditch
[5:50] ditch work our contractors completing.
[5:53] So, we're finalizing that on the state
[5:56] infrastructure bank project. Storm
[5:58] sirens. Um
[6:01] the uh storm sirens have been ordered
[6:03] and we're expecting a delivery late
[6:05] October. Um we are very fortunate that
[6:09] the vendor and
[6:12] those that construct those sirens u
[6:15] actually got loss of siren orders in
[6:18] over the last few months. And ours was
[6:19] right before that just after the uh
[6:23] river
[6:24] >> flooding and a lot of that. A lot of
[6:25] cities and areas have purchased sirens.
[6:28] So, we would have been
[6:30] >> backlogged for a long time if we would
[6:31] have waited just another month.
[6:35] >> Um, after they're ordered or after
[6:37] they're delivered, we um, our contractor
[6:39] believes that it take about a week or so
[6:41] to install them. So, we should have
[6:44] installed this year.
[6:45] >> Uh, the water lines on East Houston
[6:47] golad, we received all the preliminary
[6:49] engineering this past week. We went over
[6:52] those and marked them up. We found some
[6:54] discrepancies of hydrant locations and
[6:56] valves and a few things like that. All
[6:58] those been marked up and sent back uh
[7:00] going back to the engineer to be
[7:02] completed and then they'll go to bid on
[7:06] those after Texas Development Board
[7:07] signs off on the engineering portion.
[7:11] Um our 2024 uh Texas Water Development
[7:14] Board project for the Nor Wastewater
[7:16] Plant. Um the clarifier uh that we began
[7:20] construction on with in-house funds. Uh
[7:23] we passed a resolution to uh seek
[7:25] reimbursement. It's just we needed to
[7:27] get the work done before the funds were
[7:29] deposited in our accounts. To clarify is
[7:31] complete and we're requesting the funds
[7:33] to be reimbured into our account. Uh the
[7:36] engineering the engineers are working on
[7:39] uh uh releasing funds ahead of time to
[7:42] do work for stretching out the digtor
[7:45] and the oxidation ditch. We have found
[7:48] some additional cracks and things going
[7:50] on with our oxidation ditch. And so
[7:54] that's kind of the next phase of that
[7:55] construction. the water well. Um they've
[7:58] already began our asset management plan.
[8:01] Whereas they go in and bring all of our
[8:03] assets. They
[8:06] check the make model the cost of it. We
[8:09] bought it new when we bought it when
[8:11] it's scheduled for replacement. So we
[8:13] can do a depreciation schedule and know
[8:16] the cost and the cost of replacing all
[8:18] of our assets and our water uh
[8:21] infrastructure. But what we've done is
[8:23] reached out to the water control
[8:25] improvement district, the lake, Houston
[8:28] County Lake, and they're also wanting to
[8:32] u have this the engineers do that same
[8:35] program with there with all their
[8:37] infrastructure. So, we do know all the
[8:40] way from the lake when we're pumping it
[8:41] out until we distribute it through our
[8:45] our city what what uh the true cost of
[8:48] doing business is. Um, so we can do a
[8:50] race setting based on that information.
[8:53] We can also do a a true calculation of
[8:56] what is really needing to be replaced at
[8:58] the lake, you know, their their pumps
[9:01] and their distribution system all the
[9:02] way to the city and throughout our city.
[9:05] Um,
[9:07] and then we'll bring that back to the
[9:08] board to council for y'all to make
[9:10] decisions on how y'all want to
[9:12] distribute those funds of the with the
[9:14] $4 million
[9:17] water board funding that we have,
[9:20] whether we want it to go to a well or
[9:22] whether we want to join in with water
[9:24] district and use those funds elsewhere
[9:26] like council mentioned in our during our
[9:28] budget workshop process.
[9:32] Um just a quick update on the water
[9:35] exploitation, the Redtown Ranch permits.
[9:37] Um there was a bill that was drafted but
[9:41] not was not finally passed through the
[9:44] Senate and the House. Um so currently we
[9:47] have no additional legislative
[9:49] protections against the Redtown Ranch
[9:51] permit. Um we do not know the status of
[9:55] how fast that's going to move forward.
[9:57] Um so our understanding is it goes back
[10:00] to the state office of administrative
[10:02] hearings for them to determine who are
[10:06] the affected parties and just go through
[10:08] that the permit process as it stands.
[10:11] There are there's another um lawsuit by
[10:14] several individuals to consolidated and
[10:18] uh the Sanderson Farms and several
[10:21] others trying to keep that application
[10:23] out. So we don't know the status of that
[10:25] yet. that would have to go.
[10:27] >> Well, was that where they were
[10:29] mentioning
[10:31] a a war another water development board
[10:33] or something today?
[10:34] >> No, that's um this the county is working
[10:36] on uh currently they they've appointed a
[10:40] steering committee for the water
[10:41] conservation district and so that's
[10:44] they're they're trying to put together a
[10:47] case of whether we will get the support
[10:50] and whether we need to have a water
[10:52] conservation district for Houston County
[10:54] as well.
[10:55] Um, we don't think that that water
[10:57] conservation district going through in
[11:00] Houston County will help us on this
[11:01] specific program, you know, the permits
[11:04] by the time it goes through, but it will
[11:07] help for further
[11:09] >> transportation projects.
[11:12] Um, we're closing out our EDA disaster
[11:15] supplement where where we did the south
[11:17] fourth water line, south fifth water
[11:18] line, and the paving. and we're uh going
[11:21] to be expecting our final reimbursement
[11:23] on that project. The gateway signs are
[11:26] complete um as far as being installed
[11:29] and the curving has been installed
[11:31] around it. We have the lighting in and
[11:33] we're going to be installing that
[11:34] ourselves. Uh we're pouring the footers
[11:37] to mount those mount the lights. They're
[11:39] going to be LED LED lights that we're
[11:41] installing around the signs and then
[11:43] back filling it with some nice river
[11:45] rock some some rockers on it to make it
[11:48] look nice. So, but They're nearing
[11:50] completion. We've taken pictures of the
[11:52] current sign in front of Proalis
[11:56] um due to the location of their current
[11:57] wording on the sign and we're sending
[12:00] that in. and proalis has taken it and
[12:01] they're at all they they offer to use
[12:04] their graphics design department to come
[12:07] up with some ideas
[12:09] and then I can seek funding see see if I
[12:12] can get some other businesses to see if
[12:14] proalis wants to share in some of the
[12:15] cost and I'll just come back with y'all
[12:17] with ideas and we can go forward with
[12:19] that
[12:21] approval the downtown master plan it has
[12:24] been submitted we aren't expecting a
[12:26] response until October some time on that
[12:29] being said the pedestrian crossing signs
[12:31] have been installed and within the next
[12:33] month they said during September they're
[12:34] going to be grinding and restriping the
[12:36] square and all the pedestrian cross
[12:37] blocks and everything.
[12:39] >> Um
[12:41] >> so is this the plan that you're going to
[12:42] be talking to the um downtown
[12:46] association about or
[12:48] >> that we're going to present an update?
[12:51] >> Yes ma'am. not the plan itself but just
[12:53] basically
[12:55] >> more of this what what when what I
[12:57] present tonight just a little bit more
[12:58] in depth to explain to them um what text
[13:02] size planner I'm doing
[13:05] um I do have a couple print outs um of
[13:09] some events coming up but one of them um
[13:13] but I don't have I didn't print it out
[13:15] one just a reminder that we have this
[13:17] Wednesday we have our 50th anniversary
[13:20] at the library.
[13:21] >> Yes.
[13:22] >> 50th anniversary celebration at 10 a.m.
[13:24] And so we're asking all the council to
[13:27] to show up and support the library, see
[13:29] some of the things that we've been doing
[13:30] at the library, some of the work that's
[13:32] going on. Uh that's nearing completion
[13:35] as well.
[13:37] Uh civic center, I have that Westbrook
[13:40] House. Um
[13:42] we need to get the bid specs for the
[13:45] replacement of the facial board. Um,
[13:51] okay.
[13:51] >> The in-house street projects,
[13:54] I have a list of where we're at on those
[13:56] things. I know we're I don't want to get
[13:58] too lengthy, but those are the in-house
[14:00] street projects that we're wrapping up
[14:02] out of the current budget year as that
[14:05] we're doing. Um, business projects, um,
[14:08] ANA Texas Capital, I asked them for an
[14:10] update on where they're at in employment
[14:12] and projects. They currently have six
[14:14] employees working. Their construction is
[14:16] underway for their tank farm in their
[14:18] front building um with scheduled
[14:20] completion for November and that will
[14:22] add two people once that tank farm is
[14:24] complete. Uh their fire match line is
[14:27] under construction projected to be
[14:28] complete in December. That adds another
[14:30] four employees. The transformer was set
[14:33] this morning as uh council member [name]
[14:36] mentioned earlier and I can comment on
[14:38] that real quick. There are no taxpayer
[14:40] or public funds going into the
[14:43] electrical lines and transformers.
[14:46] into the industrial park. Encore and
[14:49] Houston County Co-op and BNA Texas
[14:52] Capital are all footing those bills.
[14:56] AA Texas Capital is putting close to
[14:58] half of we're right at half of the
[15:00] investment costs and the co-op and
[15:02] encore.
[15:05] U Proalis the phase 2 construction is
[15:07] complete and all those employees have
[15:08] moved back there. Um and we're doing
[15:11] phase three construction. They're
[15:13] currently at 45 full-time employees.
[15:16] >> How many?
[15:16] >> 45.
[15:18] In October, they are scheduled to hire
[15:21] 15 more. They're scheduled and budgeted
[15:23] to hire 15 more. And in November,
[15:26] they're hiring 51 more.
[15:29] >> Where you going to find those?
[15:30] >> Now,
[15:33] November, they're going to be over 100
[15:36] employees. That's their
[15:38] >> good.
[15:38] >> These are all fulltime employees.
[15:39] >> That's a lot of people. They did ask
[15:40] that we move the construction phasing up
[15:43] because they're not expected to be done
[15:45] until December 15th. And so they're in
[15:49] that much of a hurry that they're
[15:50] willing to build to get it done faster
[15:53] because they need to hire more
[15:54] employees.
[15:55] Um and then I have a couple more
[15:58] comments on other projects that are
[15:59] going on.
[16:00] >> Okay. You say they're willing to help
[16:01] what the bill
[16:05] >> to for the construction. So if if for
[16:08] instance if additional overtime is
[16:09] needed to get work done faster, Proalis
[16:13] is willing to pay foot the bill because
[16:16] they're under contract to hire more
[16:17] people and they want to get the
[16:19] construction work done.
[16:20] >> They doing good then.
[16:23] >> That's what's up, man.
[16:24] >> I don't know they going to hire people.
[16:25] They're going to help pay for them. I
[16:26] like that.
[16:29] >> All right. And then um I have two more
[16:31] flyers for events coming up. The 911
[16:36] ceremony that we had this past week went
[16:38] really well and it looked like it had we
[16:40] didn't number but the alltime high
[16:44] attendance
[16:46] >> and then September the 20th we have
[16:49] Hispanic Heritage Day and then so we're
[16:52] asking council to really plan on being
[16:54] there first this this weekend and then a
[16:58] regional round table by the Texas
[16:59] downtown is in October and so please put
[17:02] that Any
[17:06] other questions? Any questions?
[17:07] >> What does the Brown say?
[17:09] >> Texas Downtown, they're an association
[17:11] of of historic of downtown of downtowns
[17:14] of cities. Um, and they've selected our
[17:19] the city of Crockett as the host for
[17:21] their next round table. So there'll be
[17:24] lots of visiting people from cities all
[17:26] over all over Texas as well as vendors
[17:28] and and business people that will be
[17:31] coming and visiting our town to see the
[17:33] things that we're doing good. And so we
[17:35] get to we get to showcase our our city.
[17:38] >> That's for sure.
[17:39] >> I really said the um
[17:42] the fine arts kicked off that that
[17:44] little theater. It was packed body to
[17:46] body. They sold out and wouldn't let
[17:48] anybody in. That beast must have been a
[17:50] bad boy.
[17:52] But each each of the events that have
[17:54] been there have been well and it's a
[17:57] it's a nice place and what the way they
[17:58] said they were going to open it up for
[18:00] other things uh community based thing. I
[18:03] thought that was really neat. But it's
[18:05] going to seem like it's going to kick in
[18:06] and do what look like it used to be.
[18:09] People all in the street and in the way.
[18:11] But
[18:13] a good thing. Thank you, [name]. I'm
[18:16] sorry. I guess it got that. Okay. It's
[18:20] good to have an update and this will
[18:22] give you an opportunity council to kind
[18:25] of review things and ask if it's
[18:27] anything in detail. And one thing that
[18:29] you don't have to do, uh, you know, you
[18:31] can get with city manager here and if
[18:35] it's a project that you like to hear
[18:37] more explained, a lot of it doesn't have
[18:39] to be done as broadly, but if it might
[18:42] just be some questions that you can jot
[18:44] down and get it to him and he can make
[18:46] sure that you get the answer if it's not
[18:49] necessary for a oneonone or a full
[18:53] committee to address it. A lot of the is
[18:56] just for information purposes. So,
[18:58] thanks for I like that update. It gives
[19:00] you a much broader scope of where we
[19:02] are. And so, that brings us to item
[19:04] number three,
[19:06] fire department monthly activity and
[19:08] status report for July and August 2025.
[19:15] >> Good evening.
[19:20] >> For the month of July, we had a couple
[19:22] of calls. 29 of those being
[19:26] 14 county
[19:31] also for the month of August there 21
[19:34] city calls and 14 calls with a total of
[19:37] 35 calls for that month and if y'all
[19:40] look on your report I made an error I
[19:43] hope that's not somehow
[19:46] I put 164 so that is not right
[19:50] >> praise the lord for that okay
[19:51] >> so that kind of threw off my year today
[19:53] on the
[19:55] third
[19:57] year.
[19:59] I will correct that
[20:04] city for the year 2012 on page three2
[20:19] >> in November instead
[20:21] to September. questions.
[20:25] >> Um, I'd like to ask how's manpower and
[20:28] morale going?
[20:30] >> Good. Manire,
[20:35] we got actually, as you know, your son
[20:39] fire department and his cousin and they
[20:42] hit the road, but the only thing is that
[20:44] they're going to go join army or some
[20:47] military next month. we want to lose the
[20:49] two newest gun people we got that
[20:51] actually showed up to call after call
[20:53] after call. So
[20:55] I appreciate them coming in and I think
[20:58] they're going to be great military
[21:00] respectful and they're willing and you
[21:03] just don't see that anymore.
[21:05] But yeah, we do need more volunteers.
[21:07] That's just the nature of the beast that
[21:09] we're facing. And I tell you where
[21:12] we just need more volunteers.
[21:15] I give kudos to those two guys. They
[21:17] came in, they asked questions and that's
[21:19] what you want people
[21:23] put forth effort and I think they want
[21:26] to do great things in the military.
[21:28] >> Thank you.
[21:30] >> Robert said considering how dry it's
[21:32] been. I think we've been blessed.
[21:33] >> We're getting on the dry so
[21:36] I'm going be watching the index and
[21:40] stuff. So there might not be city burn
[21:42] permit probably next week or two
[21:45] at that right now we shouldn't really be
[21:47] burning especially walk away
[21:51] calls out in the county where people set
[21:52] a fire and they walk off when they come
[21:54] back.
[21:57] So
[21:58] >> we still under we still under burn ban
[22:01] burn yet by the county. We usually
[22:02] follow suit with the county when they do
[22:05] it, but see you got burn permit burns.
[22:20] >> I wouldn't think so.
[22:23] Okay. Anybody else have a question?
[22:25] Thank you so much.
[22:27] >> Thank you, J.
[22:30] >> Okay. brings us to item number four,
[22:33] police department manpower criminal
[22:35] incident report for July and August
[22:37] 2025.
[22:39] >> Good evening, mayor. Good evening, city
[22:41] administrator.
[22:43] Sorry, July criminal activity report
[22:47] total of 16 officers, worked 2,940
[22:51] hours, responded to 452 calls,
[22:54] investigated nine traffic accidents,
[22:57] made 62 arrests, issued 4 145 citations,
[23:03] completed 83 reports, and responded to
[23:06] 30 alarm calls, 28 calls. So sal
[23:14] 16,
[23:16] worked 2,764
[23:19] hours, responded to 453 calls for
[23:22] service, investigated 11 traffic
[23:25] accidents,
[23:27] made 41 arrests, issued 373 citations,
[23:32] completed 78 reports, responded to 23
[23:36] alarm calls, and 19 of those were false
[23:38] alarms.
[23:39] Below you'll see a breakdown on each
[23:42] question you have.
[23:49] Well, maybe the
[23:51] the traffic violations will go down
[23:53] there that the children are back in
[23:55] school.
[23:58] They don't they don't look they beg up
[24:01] >> and then they Whoops. I I was just in
[24:04] the parking lot. It's amazing. But I
[24:07] said maybe they're kind of sure a little
[24:09] difference there. That might be the
[24:11] difference in it in the sense.
[24:13] >> I got one question. Um people that they
[24:16] take to jail. I see they got a something
[24:18] on the internet where they expose
[24:20] everybody's going to jail. I mean
[24:24] >> a sheriff's department. of the sheriff
[24:26] department.
[24:27] >> Yeah, that's not them.
[24:28] >> Yeah.
[24:29] >> So, really,
[24:30] >> do they got to do everybody that goes or
[24:32] is
[24:34] >> everybody My understanding of that
[24:35] program, everyone is booked into the
[24:37] Houston County Jail. Um, they're made
[24:40] available on that. The the post that
[24:43] you're seeing are people that are going
[24:44] on there searching or looking at the
[24:46] daily jail report and posting those
[24:49] specific pictures. So, um,
[24:52] >> some people be on Earth just for a
[24:54] driver license or, you know,
[24:57] >> that's that's something the sheriff's
[24:58] department manages. We don't have
[25:01] anything to do with that.
[25:04] >> And, you know, and so much stuff is now
[25:08] public domain. I mean, if you want to
[25:11] >> a lot of that stuff is public
[25:12] information
[25:13] >> and you can get it.
[25:16] I I've never liked that they post it,
[25:19] but I had explored it once before, but
[25:21] it's not something that the city has
[25:23] control over in terms of can they do it.
[25:26] It's not something that it's when it
[25:29] happens at that level that they
[25:30] identify.
[25:34] >> Thank you.
[25:35] >> Thank you.
[25:39] >> Okay. It brings us uh to item number
[25:42] five uh business. Consider and approve a
[25:45] mentor of understanding between the
[25:47] Houston County Sheriff's Office and the
[25:49] Crockett Police Department for the
[25:50] establishment of a multi- aent major
[25:53] crimes test force.
[25:59] >> Going not going anywhere anytime soon.
[26:02] >> Shortly after the sheriff was elected,
[26:05] he and I, my administration, his
[26:07] administration, we sat down and talk
[26:10] about working together, different things
[26:11] we could do. One of the things we talked
[26:14] about was developing a
[26:18] crime task force or multi- agency crime
[26:21] task force. And don't let the word task
[26:23] force scare you. It's not it's not like
[26:26] >> tactical
[26:26] >> narcotics task force or anything like
[26:28] that. What we've done is we've taken the
[26:31] detective from the police department,
[26:33] the investigator from the sheriff's
[26:35] office, and we formed the team. And what
[26:37] they'll do is they'll work together on
[26:39] any major crimes and homicides,
[26:42] robberies, sexual assaults, things of
[26:44] that nature. So, basically, we're
[26:46] pulling our resources. We were talking
[26:48] the other day, I think combined between
[26:50] the two agencies, it's like 190 years of
[26:53] experience, some crazy numbers. So, they
[26:56] um it's really invaluable to to have all
[26:59] these guys working together. So, um
[27:02] theou is pretty pretty simple. Um, we're
[27:05] responsible for our employees just like
[27:08] we are on a daily basis. We cover their
[27:11] salary. They're they're covered under
[27:13] the city just as they would be any other
[27:15] day. Thank you.
[27:16] >> The sheriff's office, their employees
[27:18] the same way.
[27:19] >> So, will will certain employees be
[27:22] assigned to the task force or will there
[27:24] be
[27:24] >> it'll specifically be our detectives
[27:26] that are already in that position?
[27:28] So instead of they'll still handle
[27:31] stuff, minor things throughout the city,
[27:32] but when it's a major crime scene, say
[27:35] it happens in the city, uh they'll
[27:37] notify the other investigators over the
[27:40] sheriff's office and they'll come out
[27:42] and all work together to help help
[27:44] process process that scene. As far as uh
[27:48] equipment, we'll maintain our equipment
[27:50] as we always do. They'll maintain their
[27:53] equipment. We will share that equipment
[27:55] on scenes. Um
[27:58] dynamics of it. When there's a scene
[28:01] inside the city incorporated city limit,
[28:04] our C lieutenant will be in charge of
[28:06] that and everybody answers to her. When
[28:09] it's a scene outside the city, uh their
[28:12] C lieutenant or I believe the sergeant
[28:15] will uh will be in charge of that. So
[28:18] there's no no confusion, no head button.
[28:20] They're in charge of theirs, we're in
[28:22] charge of ours. We just all work
[28:24] together and we will pull our resources
[28:26] and uh in our equipment also.
[28:29] >> Is that is it going is it going to cost
[28:31] the taxpayers money to get that?
[28:34] >> No, sir. It's not going to additional
[28:37] just like I was saying, we already cover
[28:39] our employees salary. That's not going
[28:41] to change uh our equipment and supplies
[28:43] that we buy. We're going to continue to
[28:45] buy those like we always do. They'll buy
[28:48] theirs and we'll just, you know, we'll
[28:50] use what we have. So, there will not be
[28:52] any additional cost. What?
[28:55] >> They're not going to just be harassing
[28:56] people because, you know, I got I got a
[28:59] few people that feel like it's a certain
[29:02] >> certain officers be harassing.
[29:05] >> No, this as I said earlier
[29:08] the the term task force scare you. This
[29:10] has nothing to do with going out. This
[29:13] is specifically major crimes that have
[29:16] been committed. Someone has committed
[29:17] murder, uh, sexual assault, uh, they're
[29:20] going to go out together and and work
[29:23] those scenes. It's a little different
[29:25] from like a a DWI task force or a
[29:28] narcotics task force. They work a little
[29:30] differently. We work with the state and
[29:31] feds on narcotics. They they handle
[29:34] those task force. We just work with
[29:36] them.
[29:36] >> So there's no additional cost.
[29:38] >> But what you're looking at I'm sorry. It
[29:41] just appears that it's a more organized
[29:43] approach. Usually people call the
[29:46] sheriff department, they call the city,
[29:47] they call all of them at the same time
[29:49] and nobody knows what anybody's doing.
[29:51] But all of them are there and they're
[29:53] all trying to do it. But if you have an
[29:56] organized way, if you know it happened
[29:58] in the city, they're going to come, but
[30:01] they're going to know who's in charge.
[30:02] If it happens in the county, they're
[30:04] going to come and they're knowing
[30:06] charge. And what you're seeing even
[30:08] across the board uh with most cities now
[30:12] they're multitasking because most of the
[30:14] people are dual certified and because
[30:17] they have more than one certification
[30:19] when things show up. The problem has
[30:22] been who's in charge so that it's
[30:24] effectively and efficiently done. So if
[30:27] it falls through you don't have to call
[30:29] the sheriff you and the police
[30:31] department and the fire department. You
[30:33] just call the one that's in charge. And
[30:35] I think it in the long run, it just keep
[30:38] us from wasting time, valuable money and
[30:42] everything that we do. We don't have
[30:43] that many people to spread it out. But
[30:45] if you know this investigation is going
[30:47] on, you know directly who's in charge.
[30:50] Won't have to guess. Won't have to, you
[30:52] know, create chaos. And like you said, a
[30:54] lot of people here are they coming after
[30:56] us for what and what. You be able to go
[30:58] to that one person that's in charge and
[31:01] they can give you what they can. You
[31:03] know,
[31:03] >> I just don't want it to feel like, you
[31:05] know,
[31:05] >> No, it's not like coming in roughing
[31:07] everybody up.
[31:08] >> They gonna feel like they got a little
[31:10] more authority to just
[31:11] >> No, they have no
[31:12] >> harass people and, you know,
[31:16] >> I didn't think we had that much crime
[31:17] me.
[31:18] >> Oh, yeah. I actually I actually thought
[31:21] that you all were already doing that
[31:23] >> basically.
[31:24] >> Um, pretty much. So, I when I saw theou
[31:27] I was like, well, they're already doing
[31:29] this. Why do they even need anou?
[31:31] >> We do. We do. assist each other, but
[31:33] this this covers us in a legal
[31:36] standpoint. If our employee is out
[31:38] assisting on an investigation in the
[31:40] county and something happens, they're
[31:42] still covered
[31:44] without without anou or without an
[31:46] agreement in place um that that could
[31:48] leave them exposed, thus leaving the
[31:50] city exposed. So, I think it was in the
[31:53] best interest of the city and the staff
[31:55] to have a legal agreement in place
[31:58] saying we understand that they're going
[31:59] to be assisting out there, that they're
[32:01] going to assist in the city, everyone's
[32:04] covered.
[32:04] >> This is just this is just one of those
[32:07] things just like the chief just said, it
[32:09] it's
[32:11] makes it
[32:13] less exposure to the city by having a
[32:15] legal document in place between the
[32:17] county and the city. And also it's a way
[32:20] that everybody understands council too
[32:23] that our employees will be assisting and
[32:25] we'll have assistance from the county
[32:27] too. So it it's just a legal process.
[32:29] >> I'm glad y'all addressing that because
[32:31] that's that was one of my questions. Uh
[32:34] because I was going to ask who was
[32:35] liable, you know, with so y'all did
[32:38] that. So I mean so I'm glad you did
[32:40] address that because I was concerned
[32:42] about you know when whoever went out
[32:45] they made a mistake or some type of
[32:47] negligence who will be account who will
[32:50] be held
[32:50] >> account with this in place it it
[32:52] basically mean the off our officers no
[32:55] different than if they were working
[32:56] inside the city limits. So same policy
[32:59] will apply same procedure
[33:02] this just covers the police department
[33:04] and the city as a whole.
[33:06] Chief, so when the call drops, is the um
[33:10] is the task force then is it like uh is
[33:13] response like automatic or is it
[33:15] requested?
[33:16] >> So what'll happen depending on the
[33:18] location that's in the city? Our
[33:20] detectives will respond immediately.
[33:23] Determine what type of scene it is while
[33:26] the other investigators are on standby.
[33:28] Once they determine that the entire team
[33:30] is needed, they'll notify them and
[33:32] they'll all be there together. Okay?
[33:34] >> Vice versa in the county. Okay.
[33:36] >> It stages I guess the situation.
[33:38] >> Yes.
[33:38] >> So I do and I I do have I have a touchy
[33:41] question and it's going to be very
[33:42] touchy because we know the climate of
[33:44] the situation about ICE. Um so when they
[33:49] enter into the city who are come in and
[33:52] want to
[33:55] I guess address the immigration issue.
[33:58] Um how do y'all assist them with that?
[34:01] Do y'all step in or let them how how
[34:04] does that work? So, we're going to work
[34:05] with all state and federal agencies if
[34:08] uh and we have not seen that issue in
[34:11] the city of Crockett.
[34:13] My understanding they they tend to be
[34:15] going towards larger cities with larger
[34:18] population. Uh there was several weeks
[34:20] ago that ICE was in town, but they were
[34:22] here for a specific purpose. They were
[34:24] here for specific people. They weren't
[34:26] just going to businesses um just running
[34:29] businesses. they were here looking for
[34:31] specific people uh for a specific
[34:33] purpose. Um and yes, we did assist them
[34:36] with that. So, anytime a law enforcement
[34:38] agency comes into our city, we're going
[34:40] to be hospitable. Um we're we're still
[34:43] going to act in accordance with our
[34:44] policy. Um what the city expects from
[34:47] us. Uh but um like I said, the dealings
[34:51] that we've had with them, uh it hasn't
[34:54] been this wild or rambunctious show.
[34:56] They've come in specifically for a
[34:59] specific purpose
[35:00] >> and their level authority is different.
[35:02] I mean they they have a ranking that
[35:05] they do
[35:06] >> their ranking is over the city
[35:11] >> in terms of levels
[35:12] >> if I chooses to come to town
[35:16] >> legally they don't have to contact us
[35:18] they don't have to ask anyone's
[35:20] permission
[35:21] >> they can come in on their own
[35:24] is
[35:25] >> hey chief we're in town this is what
[35:27] we're looking for
[35:29] >> at the end of the day they don't have to
[35:31] >> yeah it's courtesy call that they let
[35:33] you know.
[35:34] >> Really is a courtesy call.
[35:35] >> But
[35:36] >> I'm glad y'all working with them,
[35:37] >> sir.
[35:38] >> I'm so I'm glad y'all working with them.
[35:39] >> Yeah, it's better to know what they're
[35:41] doing in
[35:43] >> instead of just arbitrarily
[35:46] >> just to say I'm just do it. At least
[35:48] you're there to give an understanding
[35:50] and a measure of protection to our
[35:52] citizen for reassurance. And I know like
[35:55] I said, I do understand the flow of
[35:57] authority that they do have. I was
[35:59] reading their actual authority that they
[36:01] have, but as you say, when you when they
[36:04] come in and they announce what they need
[36:07] and you're there to not monitor, but
[36:10] observe and assist as they require, I
[36:13] think that's a like you said, a good
[36:15] thing.
[36:16] >> I think it's being a smaller agency,
[36:20] >> we rely heavily on our
[36:22] >> We need to get back to those.
[36:23] >> Yeah. certain situations
[36:26] have to maintain those working
[36:28] relationships.
[36:29] >> That's good.
[36:30] >> Okay, we're back to our regular
[36:31] agreement that we uh put mandatory. They
[36:34] put us back on track. We got a little
[36:35] sidetracked. Okay.
[36:37] >> Uh
[36:37] >> I make a motion we approve agreement
[36:39] between the county and the city.
[36:43] >> Second the motion.
[36:44] >> It's been moved and second. All in
[36:46] favor?
[36:49] Motion carries.
[36:50] >> Anybody oppose?
[36:51] >> You abstain. Uh, oppose. Did you oppose
[36:54] or did you
[36:55] >> I ain't voting on it.
[36:57] >> You either oppose or you
[36:59] >> Yes.
[37:00] >> I ain't I ain't with it.
[37:01] >> So, it's a no.
[37:01] >> I don't know too much.
[37:02] >> Okay. If you don't do it, you It's It's
[37:04] a no. It goes down. It's a no. Oppose.
[37:07] I'm sorry. You either oppose or you
[37:09] Yeah. or
[37:11] Okay.
[37:13] Did you get that, Miss?
[37:15] >> Okay. Thank you. Okay. That takes us to
[37:18] uh item number six.
[37:22] Consider and approve a resolution
[37:23] agreement with the Texas Department of
[37:25] Transportation for the temporary close
[37:27] of state right away for Christmas in
[37:29] Crockett. Mayor and council, this is the
[37:32] normal agreement we send in every year
[37:34] to text dot for Christmas and Crockett,
[37:37] which will be November 22nd, 2025,
[37:41] closing those certain streets from 5:00
[37:43] a.m. to 7:00 p.m. It's attached and it's
[37:46] in your packet. Um the normal streets,
[37:50] nothing's new this year compared to what
[37:52] we've done in the past. So, we just need
[37:55] council's approval to send this into
[37:57] text.
[37:59] I make a motion we approve the streets
[38:01] for closure.
[38:03] >> I second.
[38:04] >> It's been moved and second. All in
[38:06] favor?
[38:07] >> Motion carries. It takes us to item
[38:10] number seven. Consider and approve of
[38:12] resolution R09B-25
[38:15] for amendments to the fiscal year 2025
[38:18] budget.
[38:20] >> Mayor and council, you've got the U
[38:25] budget amendment in front of you. I'll
[38:27] kind of briefly go through, hit some
[38:30] highlights for you, kind of describe
[38:32] where we are, and try to answer some
[38:34] questions if you have them. But
[38:37] basically, as you look at the revenue,
[38:40] starting on the first page, you'll see
[38:42] that the budget change
[38:45] for collections of taxes is down
[38:47] $131,000.
[38:49] That is based upon the fact of when our
[38:52] budget was calculated, it was based on
[38:54] 100%
[38:56] collection rate. And as we know that you
[39:00] probably don't collect 100% often, but
[39:03] with that, you can see a little farther
[39:05] down that delinquent taxes and interest
[39:07] in penalties is up. And so that there's
[39:11] nothing unusual about that. It it's kind
[39:13] of normal. Um sales tax is
[39:18] is a little change that you'll see, but
[39:20] that you have to be very conservative
[39:22] when you put a sales tax number in a
[39:24] budget because you never know if people
[39:27] are going to continue spending or not.
[39:29] And you sure don't want to set a budget
[39:30] based on your sales tax and and then be
[39:33] short.
[39:35] uh rental and lease revenue is down and
[39:38] that was based on the fact of when we
[39:40] put the budget together. There were
[39:42] supposed to be rental and lease revenue
[39:44] from those places like the chamber and
[39:47] the EDC but then those did not come in
[39:51] and so now we do have the lease
[39:52] agreement with the chamber moving
[39:54] forward.
[39:56] um you'll see a deficit in the EIDC
[39:59] because those funds came through the
[40:01] city and after the election in November
[40:05] those funds did not. So that's why that
[40:08] shows up there. Um and so in total Yeah.
[40:12] Go ahead.
[40:13] >> So So on the um so the funds came
[40:17] through the city. What do you mean?
[40:19] >> Yes ma'am. The city would actually write
[40:22] payroll checks and then we would get
[40:23] reimbursed for BDC. Okay. Okay.
[40:26] >> Okay.
[40:27] >> So these So we didn't get the reimburse.
[40:29] >> We didn't we didn't write the check. So
[40:31] we didn't get the reimbursement but was
[40:32] in the budget. So we have to amend it
[40:34] because those funds didn't come through
[40:36] there when the auditors come. That
[40:39] number is different than what would have
[40:41] been there if EDC would have stayed in
[40:44] existence then that number would have
[40:46] been even.
[40:47] >> But since it didn't, there's a change.
[40:50] >> Okay.
[40:50] >> And so you have to account for changes
[40:52] within the budget. And so that's what
[40:54] we're doing.
[40:54] >> Okay. Let me uh ask you about the sale
[40:56] of the assets.
[40:57] >> Yes, ma'am.
[40:58] >> Um sale of assets. Um do we get a list
[41:00] of those assets that we sell? And
[41:02] >> yes, ma'am. In fact, council approved
[41:04] surplus list. When you approve the
[41:06] surplus list, that's the only items we
[41:09] sell. It's anything council approved as
[41:11] a surplus list.
[41:12] >> So once that those items are sold, do we
[41:14] get a list of the amount those items
[41:17] were sold for?
[41:18] >> Sure, I can be happy to do that for you.
[41:19] >> Okay,
[41:20] >> I can do that. Yes, ma'am.
[41:22] Not a problem. Um,
[41:26] so that was the revenue section from the
[41:30] general fund. The revenue from the water
[41:32] and sewer. A lot of that is uh
[41:36] basically the major change orders and
[41:39] reimbursement from Texas Water
[41:41] Development Board as those funds come
[41:42] in. like the clarifier that y'all
[41:45] approved as a change order those monies
[41:48] and in fact [name] alluded to it a little
[41:49] bit in the project updates that those
[41:52] funds will be coming in. So in essence,
[41:55] you're basically your revenue is about
[41:57] 63,000 short from the projected budget
[42:01] last October.
[42:03] And that is being very conservative with
[42:05] part of this month still to go, right?
[42:09] And so we've got some more taxes come in
[42:12] after this was completed because we
[42:14] didn't change this budget amendment. So
[42:16] that number is going to dwindle down.
[42:18] The deficit, as you would call it, is
[42:21] going to dwindle down before the end of
[42:23] the month. expenses.
[42:25] Okay, so as we get into expenses,
[42:29] most departments were either on budget
[42:34] on their budget number or below. We had
[42:37] some that went a little over, but with
[42:40] that, we'll kind of go through them real
[42:41] quickly and real briefly. And then but
[42:45] the key to it is when we get to the end
[42:47] number
[42:49] our expenses zeroed out with this budget
[42:52] amendment. So we'll go through them. So
[42:56] the street department expenses as you
[42:59] can see there's a lot of negatives in
[43:00] there but you see one number that did
[43:03] increase maintenance and repair
[43:05] streetscreased. We spent $71,000 more
[43:09] than
[43:11] what was budgeted.
[43:13] But with that said, within that
[43:15] department, it's still a zero.
[43:18] They didn't overspend.
[43:19] >> They do over
[43:20] >> They didn't overspend. It's a zero.
[43:23] The parks department left a balance of
[43:27] $5,500.
[43:30] The police department had some
[43:31] expenditures based on overtime and
[43:33] salaries. Uh they were
[43:37] of no fault of their own. Um
[43:41] had a lot of major cases as the year
[43:43] went on and used a lot of personnel for
[43:47] things that they didn't plan for, we
[43:49] didn't want to happen, but it just did
[43:51] happen. And so you'll see the biggest
[43:54] majority of their overage is on overtime
[43:57] and salaries. And the rest of that is
[44:01] not unusual for the price with inflation
[44:04] and things going up, but there was a
[44:07] large number in overtime and salaries.
[44:08] Fire department, same thing as the chief
[44:10] just alluded to, volunteerism and those
[44:14] numbers are down. And so with that,
[44:16] overtime has to compensate for our
[44:19] coverage.
[44:21] Um
[44:22] the CIC, as you'll see, most of that is
[44:26] negative because of what we discussed.
[44:29] The expense side also went down in there
[44:33] because we had that budgeted, but we
[44:36] didn't spend it, right? The revenue was
[44:38] down, the expenses are down because it
[44:40] wasn't involved. The library kind of
[44:42] went over a little bit, but based on
[44:44] that, we spent ARPA funds trying to
[44:47] >> work on the library. And with that, as
[44:50] we got into that process, we found some
[44:52] other things that just had to be fixed a
[44:54] little bit. So that's where the the
[44:56] $9,000 overage is.
[44:59] Mechanic shop left us with a balance.
[45:03] And as you remember when we changed or
[45:06] we created the community development and
[45:08] service department, that civic center
[45:11] salary
[45:13] got moved down there. That's why you
[45:16] have that number of showing a extra
[45:20] 29,000 in civic center, but then you go
[45:23] down to community development and
[45:24] services and you have a $35,000
[45:28] change, but yet with that move down it
[45:31] it's a zero. Okay.
[45:32] >> So, civic center civic center expense
[45:36] salaries,
[45:37] >> right?
[45:40] >> Who are they?
[45:42] >> Well, you
[45:42] >> the one that work there.
[45:44] >> Yeah. It's a worker. I thought they work
[45:46] for the city.
[45:47] >> They do. And this is in the city budget,
[45:50] >> but they're there.
[45:51] >> But they're they're job duties include
[45:53] the civic center. And so and so to make
[45:57] one at work over there,
[45:58] >> the longest story short is when you get
[46:02] down there to that underneath where it
[46:04] says total change for general fund
[46:06] expenses is $0.
[46:09] So your expenses are zeroed out. We just
[46:12] had to move money from some departments
[46:15] to cover other departments. That's what
[46:17] that amount
[46:18] >> the amended.
[46:19] >> That's why you have the budget amendment
[46:22] to cover those changes. And with that,
[46:25] you were $63,99
[46:28] short in revenue. Okay.
[46:31] >> As of the time this was done. And so
[46:33] it's showing that 63,000. If you want to
[46:36] change that to zero now, we can do the
[46:39] general administration fees. move that
[46:41] over or I think it's going to be pretty
[46:43] negligible by the time we get to the end
[46:45] of the month and that number is going to
[46:47] be a zero by itself based on our late
[46:49] collections and sales tax. But it's your
[46:51] choice. You can make it a zero tonight
[46:54] or we can just
[46:57] >> see how it plays out
[46:58] >> and then I think we'll be pretty close
[47:00] to zero.
[47:01] >> It'll be accurate. One one thing um
[47:05] I mean I did see the resolution and of
[47:08] course I looked everything up to make
[47:10] sure but um I know it says that the city
[47:14] could um amend the budget with the uh
[47:16] with the resolution.
[47:18] >> Correct.
[47:18] >> But the um Mr. [name] Abbott
[47:22] u ruling was is that the city amends the
[47:27] budget with an ordinance.
[47:29] So
[47:31] um that way uh for it with saying that
[47:35] I'm really not comfortable with um
[47:40] the changing of the money taking money
[47:42] from other departments put it in. So
[47:44] it's not really making you know a lot of
[47:46] sense to me um because of the fact that
[47:49] the budget was set and so when you are
[47:53] taking money from another
[47:55] department putting over in another
[47:57] department to make things
[48:00] seem like they're right.
[48:03] I'm just not in agreement with it.
[48:05] >> Yes.
[48:06] >> But yeah um that was that's one reason
[48:09] um I don't agree with it. Another thing
[48:11] I was want to ask is are we using I
[48:15] think in here in the charter it was
[48:17] saying are we exceeding the 3% total of
[48:20] the general fund of expenditure?
[48:22] >> No ma'am
[48:22] >> we're not. No ma'am.
[48:23] >> And also um just to find out what do we
[48:30] um what is the meaning of unforeseen
[48:35] um expenditures? Well, one one of those
[48:38] would be like when the clarifier that's
[48:41] a we we did not expect to have to go to
[48:46] reserves to pay that large expense, but
[48:49] like those large expenses came before
[48:51] council as a as a budget amendment or to
[48:55] take those then and and some of these
[48:58] things and we're working towards some of
[49:00] those things internally to have a
[49:05] to where
[49:07] it's a little quicker response, but in
[49:09] reality, the budget set is the total and
[49:12] within those departments,
[49:15] you can move those funds. The charter
[49:16] allows that. You can move them within
[49:18] the department. It just takes council
[49:20] approval to move it from one department
[49:22] to another. And and so what I'm trying
[49:24] to do with this is show you where the
[49:27] overages and the underage under was. And
[49:31] as we move forward, that that places
[49:34] everything at zero. And you see that and
[49:37] nobody knew what inflation was going to
[49:39] be this time, the cost of business was
[49:41] going to be and so some of those things
[49:43] change and so we have to monitor that as
[49:47] well. But this is I would tell you with
[49:51] the amount of the budget being nearly
[49:53] $11 million and your $66,000
[49:57] difference as a total that's a pretty
[50:00] well projected budget in my opinion.
[50:05] And the resolution you were as you said
[50:07] it hadn't been a resolution but this is
[50:09] to approve a resolution.
[50:10] >> No ordinance. Um it said that you said
[50:12] resolution when you said
[50:13] >> no I was talking about the resolution. I
[50:15] was saying I know the charter says the
[50:17] resolution but um there was a ruling
[50:20] that Mr. [name] Abbott um u put forward
[50:24] that in order to amend the budget that
[50:27] it should be an ordinance. And with that
[50:30] being said, if we do an ordinance, there
[50:32] should be a public hearing as well. So,
[50:35] >> well, legal counsel reviewed this
[50:37] resolution prior to
[50:39] >> So, Mr. [name], you're saying that even at
[50:41] the with with incoming like delinquent
[50:44] taxes and things like that, it should
[50:46] basically resolve itself by the end of
[50:47] the month anyway.
[50:48] >> Yes, sir. Or you're going to be such a
[50:50] very negligible amount that when the
[50:52] auditors do our annual budget, they will
[50:54] note that difference and and it's not a
[50:56] major issue.
[50:57] >> Okay. I think we I mean I think if we
[51:00] got if we received like statements
[51:02] monthly, we could basically
[51:04] >> and we discussed that and we'll we'll
[51:06] work towards that follow up to make sure
[51:08] that the monies are where they should be
[51:11] and what they're appropriating for. But
[51:13] currently I'm I'm just I'm not in
[51:15] agreement with um
[51:18] the process that we have
[51:20] >> amending the budget
[51:21] >> and the place um that um moving monies
[51:25] from department to department. U matter
[51:28] of fact um
[51:30] [Applause]
[51:33] just to know I mean just to ask I mean
[51:37] some of the departments
[51:42] because when in other words when did
[51:44] y'all know that we had unforeseen
[51:48] >> you never know that
[51:50] >> how would you know that
[51:51] >> and and you know what unforeseen means
[51:54] and that
[51:55] >> and understand too
[51:58] that I'm responsible for the budget.
[52:01] >> Yes, sir.
[52:03] >> And but we have department heads that
[52:07] don't report to me as well, but they're
[52:11] very good at trying to manage their
[52:12] budget. Like the fire chief and the
[52:15] police chief report directly to the
[52:16] council and they're very good on a daily
[52:19] basis trying to manage their budget, but
[52:21] they don't have to come ask me on a
[52:24] daily basis. And when we get what they
[52:26] can and can't do because they report to
[52:28] you
[52:29] >> and so there are sometimes that yes I
[52:34] know earlier and there are sometimes I
[52:36] know when it gets towards the end of the
[52:37] budget year and we start trying to
[52:40] figure out okay can we spend this can we
[52:42] not and that's when we and this is a
[52:45] normal situation of doing a budget
[52:48] amendment at the end of the year and I
[52:50] don't know many cities that don't have
[52:52] to do this it it's just improbable Well,
[52:55] when you start talking about millions of
[52:57] dollars
[52:58] >> and you don't have to change some
[53:00] between departments or even what what
[53:05] because you just can't foresee a year in
[53:07] advance. You can't foresee what goes up.
[53:09] You can't know what's going to break.
[53:11] You can't know what else you're going to
[53:12] need. It's just part of the process. And
[53:15] this is the legal way of showing in
[53:19] transparency of we planned for this, it
[53:23] ended up like this and this is where
[53:25] your money was spent.
[53:27] >> At the end result,
[53:29] it's not any money is being taken away
[53:33] or destroyed. It's not asking for more
[53:36] money. It's just rearranging the money.
[53:39] It's like you said, I meant to buy a
[53:40] dress, a house, pay a note in this. The
[53:44] house didn't cost as much, but the dress
[53:46] cost more. And you move the money to
[53:48] accommodate. It's not creating new
[53:50] money. It's not raising new money. It is
[53:52] the existing money that was there. The
[53:55] departments are aware of the money that
[53:57] was there. And what you have to show at
[54:00] the end of the audit is that as much as
[54:02] possible, you stayed within there,
[54:04] whether you moved it from the house form
[54:07] or that. And that's what the resolution
[54:09] is said that the budget is. And if the
[54:12] department heads have already pretty
[54:14] much discussed what it is, where the
[54:17] problem is and that's who they answer to
[54:20] in term the ones that do answer to the
[54:22] city manager to balance the budget. It's
[54:25] like you hold the pocketbook and your
[54:27] children would like everything out of
[54:29] it, but you balance it out. And that's
[54:31] what the city manager does in asset. Is
[54:34] it any new money? We've already voted on
[54:36] where the money is going to come and
[54:38] what money is in there. This is not
[54:40] creating money. This not making money.
[54:42] This is just moving it to pay a bill.
[54:45] But it's all citybased money out of in
[54:48] this budget.
[54:49] >> So if one department run out of money,
[54:51] y'all go to another department.
[54:52] >> But they go with the understanding that
[54:55] it's going to balance out the year
[54:56] because at the end of the year, all of
[54:59] the budget become invalidated. They have
[55:02] to be redone anyway. So anything that's
[55:05] If a department run out of money, y'all
[55:07] go to another department that probably
[55:08] got extra that didn't get to
[55:11] >> that didn't use it and they just
[55:12] >> and those departments change from year
[55:14] to year. It depends. I mean, uh, for
[55:18] example, parks may next year be the one
[55:21] that has issues and we have to spend
[55:24] more in parks than we did this time. It
[55:26] just depends. And it's a the budget's a
[55:30] daily struggle from day one to the last
[55:33] day. And it's not the fun part of the
[55:36] job. I can promise you that. And so, but
[55:40] like I said, in reality, I think when
[55:42] you take the budget of this size with
[55:45] this many departments and you keep it to
[55:49] these minor changes, I think that's a
[55:53] >> but at the end of the day, the audit is
[55:55] going to say, is it a balanced budget?
[55:58] That's right. And balance means are you
[56:00] able to meet all your obligation? You
[56:03] might have to move. You might have to
[56:05] transfer but at the bottom at the end of
[56:07] the day will you be able to pay what you
[56:10] said you were going to pay and you
[56:11] didn't inter you didn't have to borrow
[56:13] or you didn't have to end anything and
[56:15] that's what makes it balanced and the
[56:17] department's head have had conversation
[56:20] to see what had to be moved and how we
[56:23] know that just looking at it the street
[56:25] department we spend way more than we
[56:29] have traditionally had to spend and some
[56:32] of the stuff in And you can see the
[56:34] areas that they've changed a little bit,
[56:37] but it didn't change enough to throw off
[56:39] the big number. So if you started out, I
[56:42] mean, just on a small scale, say you had
[56:44] $5,000, you divided it five ways, then
[56:47] you just this realize that those five
[56:49] ways didn't cover they didn't need the
[56:51] same have the same needs. So when you
[56:53] don't have the same needs, the money go
[56:55] to another area to make sure you meet
[56:57] those needs. So some days they're
[56:59] different in some, but the the goal of
[57:01] the budget and the resolution is to say
[57:04] that money was moved. But if you start
[57:06] moving the money and you don't get a
[57:08] resolution to move it, then you that's
[57:10] where you get into trouble just moving
[57:12] money and nobody knows it. This way you
[57:15] see where it's moved, how it's moved,
[57:18] and then the approver of the council
[57:20] said it was moved legit because it was
[57:22] actually moved. The department heads
[57:24] knows which where it went to. those that
[57:26] were responsible knows why it was moved
[57:28] and the resolution said yes it's
[57:31] balanced because at the end of the
[57:32] quarter I mean end of the year it needs
[57:35] to be a balanced budget.
[57:36] >> I'm trying to make it make sense though.
[57:38] >> Now what part do you not understand?
[57:40] >> I mean if a department if the department
[57:42] overspend they budget and then this
[57:44] department ain't spent their money. You
[57:47] just like
[57:48] >> go buy anything and get anything just go
[57:50] get it from that department.
[57:51] >> No it don't it doesn't work quite like
[57:53] that. You don't just do it with I'm
[57:55] being I'm just saying but I'm
[57:56] >> cuz I'm Yes.
[57:57] >> Crockett Crockett been down for a
[57:59] minute, man.
[58:00] >> Okay.
[58:00] >> Let's keep it real and y'all can law and
[58:03] such the law what you want. I'm keeping
[58:05] it real, man.
[58:06] >> No, I'm trying to see what real is.
[58:07] >> Trying to grow. We got to get it right.
[58:09] You can't overspend your budget and then
[58:11] go get it from here and cover that, man.
[58:13] >> But it's some crisis. So you have now
[58:16] listen.
[58:18] You don't think the water department You
[58:20] don't think getting the street that he
[58:21] had to get extra money is more important
[58:24] than certain?
[58:24] >> I'm just going along with this stuff,
[58:26] man.
[58:27] >> Okay. Well, it's your call.
[58:29] >> Right now, we're up to item. Uh, are we
[58:32] ready to take it to a motion?
[58:34] >> Yes, ma'am.
[58:35] >> Okay. Can we get a a motion?
[58:38] Cuz nothing is Does someone want to make
[58:41] a motion?
[58:42] >> I make a motion we approve the uh
[58:45] >> Can we get a second?
[58:46] >> I'm sorry.
[58:58] like to amend the motion.
[59:00] >> Okay.
[59:01] >> I I would like to make a motion that we
[59:03] consider we can we we approve the
[59:06] resolution but wait the 30 days before
[59:10] we transfer any fees.
[59:17] Okay, repeat. I'm sorry.
[59:19] >> I'd like to make a motion that we
[59:22] approve
[59:23] the resolution,
[59:26] but wait 30 days or wait to wait until
[59:30] we wait till the end of the month to see
[59:32] what funds we have come in before we
[59:34] move any money
[59:36] >> to zero it out.
[59:37] >> Motion on the floor.
[59:38] >> Yeah, it was
[59:40] a motion on the floor.
[59:42] >> Actually, what? There wasn't a second
[59:44] for it. So
[59:46] >> there wasn't
[59:46] >> It wasn't a second. So it died.
[59:48] >> Yeah.
[59:49] >> And I just
[59:49] >> And he called for an amended.
[59:51] >> I'm sorry.
[59:51] >> Yeah.
[59:52] >> I second that.
[59:53] >> I second.
[59:54] >> And it's been second. So it's been moved
[59:56] and second.
[59:57] >> All in favor?
[1:00:00] Oppose.
[1:00:02] >> Oh, it's a tie. It's a tie.
[1:00:04] >> So I get to break the tie. I'm
[1:00:08] >> Okay. So the motion carries with that
[1:00:10] specular stipulation.
[1:00:14] Okay. Item number eight, consider and
[1:00:16] approve oh a resolution nominating
[1:00:19] candidates to fill positions for the
[1:00:21] board of directors for the Houston
[1:00:22] County Appraisal District at the
[1:00:24] upcoming election.
[1:00:26] >> Mayor and Council, you'll see in the
[1:00:28] back of your packet the
[1:00:34] nominations that
[1:00:37] the following criteria was listed.
[1:00:40] taxing unit may nominate an employee of
[1:00:42] their elected offi
[1:00:44] official only. Any citizen has been a
[1:00:46] resident of the county for preceding two
[1:00:48] years. Presiding officer of each voting
[1:00:50] unit's governing body need submit the
[1:00:52] name of the nominees and writing to the
[1:00:54] chief appraiser before October 15th. We
[1:00:57] nominated one in February. We have the
[1:01:00] option of nominating again if somebody
[1:01:02] has someone to nominate. Not we don't
[1:01:04] have to. It's just I was given the
[1:01:06] option if somebody had somebody they
[1:01:08] wanted to nominate. Will this person be
[1:01:10] going in?
[1:01:12] >> They'll have to be elected. This is just
[1:01:14] a nomination. Then they'll vote on
[1:01:16] >> then they'll vote. The appraisal
[1:01:17] district will vote. So this is just a
[1:01:19] nomination. Strictly a nomination.
[1:01:22] >> So So this won't come back again. Right.
[1:01:24] Correct.
[1:01:25] >> For no.
[1:01:25] >> Okay.
[1:01:26] >> Yes.
[1:01:26] >> Would you like to nominate?
[1:01:27] >> Yes. I have a nomination.
[1:01:30] I like to nominate uh Loris B.
[1:01:34] >> Okay. Are there any other nomination?
[1:01:39] Okay, we have one on the floor.
[1:01:42] Um,
[1:01:44] I'll get ready for
[1:01:47] it be second. Yeah,
[1:01:50] >> you saved it.
[1:01:51] >> Yes, ma'am.
[1:01:51] >> Okay. Um,
[1:01:55] second.
[1:01:56] >> Yeah.
[1:01:57] >> Okay. First, second. Okay. Uh, ready for
[1:02:00] the vote?
[1:02:02] Everybody vote.
[1:02:05] Okay.
[1:02:07] Motion carries. Okay. If there's no
[1:02:10] other business,
[1:02:14] >> how
[1:02:20] do
[1:02:27] I
[1:02:29] just
[1:02:31] make it another way?
[1:02:32] >> No, that's that's not P.
