Weatherford
Weatherford City Council, Sept. 13, 2016: 10 items, 1 split vote; Work Session regarding the Fiscal Year 2016-17 (FY17) proposed General Fund budget
0 consent items, 10 regular items, 3 public hearings; 9 recorded votes. Written from the minutes.
Work Session regarding the Fiscal Year 2016-17 (FY17) proposed General Fund budget. Kyle Lester, Assistant Director of Finance, presented this item. The FY17 budget proposal includes a $31m expense budget, of which $28.5m is recurring operations. The ending fund balance for FY17 is projected at $9,335,813.Mr. Lester discussed the proposed tax rate increase, $0.5213 per $100 valuation, which is 3.47 cents over the City's current FY16 rate. This would allow a gain of approximately $470k in additional revenue over the effective rate. Including $30k in general capacity, allows a total of $500k in capital cash funding each year. The intent is to use these dollars for capital each year, though there may come a time where it would have to be directed to operational if the City does not gain room in property tax values. The first formal capital budgeting cycle will begin this fall. It will involve identification of all capital needs for the next five to ten years, identifying costs, associated operational costs, and funding sources. This tax increase will be an integral source. The major capital priority for FY17 is the land purchase, estimated at $500k, for a new Police Station. Mr. Lester reviewed the tax rate comparison presented at the August 24 City Council Work Session. Weatherford's tax rate, including the proposed increase, is consistently less than 60 percent of the 90 cities [...]
Proclamation naming September 17-23, 2016 as Constitution Week and September 2016 as Constitution Month in the City of Weatherford. Mayor Pro Tem Robinson issued the proclamation to members of the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Presentation regarding “Battle of the Badges” blood drive. Representatives from Rotary and Carter Bloodcare presented a trophy to Police Chief Mike Manning for the first annual “Battle of the Badges” blood drive.
Hold a PUBLIC HEARING on the proposed ad valorem tax rate of $0.5213 per $100 valuation, including $0.3497 per $100 valuation for operations and maintenance and $0.1716 per $100 valuation for interest and sinking (debt service). Kyle Lester, Assistant Director of Finance, presented this item. This is the second and final public hearing on the proposed tax rate. Mr. Lester stated that, following this afternoon's work session, staff will bring back a tax rate that is slightly lower than the proposed rate. Mayor Pro Tem Robinson opened the Public Hearing at 6:51 p.m. As there were no speakers, Mayor Pro Tem Robinson closed the Public Hearing at 6:51 p.m. Hold a PUBLIC HEARING on the FY17 City Manager’s Proposed Budget. Mr. Lester presented this item and stated that this is the first and only required hearing on the budget. Mayor Pro Tem Robinson opened the Public Hearing at 6:52 p.m. As there were no speakers, Mayor Pro Tem Robinson closed the Public Hearing at 6:52 p.m. Hold a PUBLIC HEARING and consider approval of Ordinance 797-2016-43, a request for a zoning change for property zoned AG Agricultural to R1 One-Family, located along Causbie Road between E. BB Fielder and Lockwood Lane, also described as 31.159 acres predominately in the V.A. Holmes Survey, A-658. ZCH2016-0006. CC091316 Page 3 of 6 On the motion of Heidi Wilder, second by Dale Fleeger, the Council voted [...]
Craig Farmer, Director of Planning and Development, presented this item. Mayor Pro Tem Robinson opened the Public Hearing at 6:54 p.m. As there were no speakers, Mayor Pro Tem Robinson closed the Public Hearing at 6:54 p.m. On the motion of Heidi Wilder, second by Dale Fleeger, the Council voted to approve this item. Motion carried 4 - 0.
Hold a PUBLIC HEARING to consider application by Lumar Development Inc. regarding a request for a zoning district Change to allow R1 Residential Single Family to R3 Multi-family Residential located on Old Bankhead Hwy, City of Weatherford, Parker County, Texas. ZCH2016-0007 Mr. Farmer presented this item as well. He stated that the Planning and Zoning Commission tabled this item until the completion of the General Plan; however, because the item was advertised, the Public Hearing should still take place tonight. Mayor Pro Tem Robinson opened the Public Hearing at 6:56 p.m. As there were no speakers, Mayor Pro Tem Robinson closed the Public Hearing at 6:56 p.m. On the motion of Heidi Wilder, second by Kevin Cleveland, the Council voted unanimously to table this item. Motion carried 4 - 0.
Discuss and consider approval of Resolution R2016-23 issuing a Notice of Intent to Issue a Certificate of Obligation for repayment of a loan from the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) for the Reclaimed Water System project. Rick Shaffer, Director of Water Utilities, presented this item. The water utility has a reclaimed water system project that is being developed to supplement water at Lake Weatherford. The City applied and received a financial loan from the TWDB. Incentives for this loan included an interest rate 1.20 percent below the market rate, as well as loan forgiveness of approximately $1.5m. For the approximate $12.8m project, the loan forgiveness reduces the project cost to approximately $11.2m. Both of these incentives result in an overall project savings of approximately $2.5-$3m. The intent is to use utility revenues to pay for the debt service. Hilltop Securities, the City’s advisors, suggested that there are advantages to issuing Certificates of Obligation for the TWDB loan in lieu of issuing Revenue Bonds. Mr. Shaffer introduced Marti Shew, Hilltop Securities, to discuss this further. Ms. Shew stated that the primary difference between a Certificate of Obligation and a Utility Revenue Bond boils down to the security pledge; the structure of the bonds would be the same. A Utility Revenue Bond requires strict pledges of utility revenues. CC091316 Page 4 of 6 [...]
Provide staff direction regarding Outside Agency Funding requests. Mr. Lester presented this item. Council first considered the General Fund requests, which were as follows: Councilman Fleeger proposed to fund all organizations at their full request, even though the total equals slightly over one full day fund balance. Councilman Cleveland proposed not going over one day fund balance and further, to not fund any of the organizations at any level. Councilwoman Wilder proposed cutting funding by proportionate amounts based on the request of each organization. Heidi Wilder moved to fund one-half day and that we equally decrease the amount according to what was requested. This motion died for lack of a second. Dale Fleeger moved to fund requests totaling one full day fund balance and divide the reductions to each agency equally. This motion died for lack of a second. Kevin Cleveland moved that we do not fund any of the above mentioned items. This motion also died. On the motion of Kevin Cleveland, second by Heidi Wilder, the Council voted to fund one-half day being dispersed proportionately based on the agencies’ request. Motion carried 2 - 1.
Councilman Fleeger voted in opposition of this request. Mayor Pro Tem Robinson recused himself from this vote. CC091316 Page 5 of 6 The Council then considered hotel occupancy fund requests as follows: Doss Cultural Center - $30,000 Chamber of Commerce - $76,000 o $25,000 for Peach Overtime already accounted for separately Total Requested: $106,000 Total Available: $96,000 After discussion, on the motion of Kevin Cleveland, second by Heidi Wilder, the Council voted to fund a total of $96k and reduce each one proportionately based on their request. Motion carried 4 - 0.
Discuss and consider the ballot for the Texas Municipal League’s Intergovernmental Risk Pool Board of Trustees Election. City Manager Sharon Hayes presented this item. Staff does not know any of these candidates and has not been very successful in trying to learn more about them or why they are interested in the position. This Board of Trustees is over the liability and workers' compensation portion of the City's insurance. On the motion of Dale Fleeger, second by Heidi Wilder, the Council voted to table this item for further information on the candidates. Motion carried 4 - 0.
Discuss and consider appointments and/or reappointments to the Transportation Advisory Board, the Parks & Recreation Board, and the Planning & Zoning Commission. On the motion of Kevin Cleveland, second by Jeff Robinson, the Council voted to appoint Lexie Lee to replace Will Becknal on the Parks & Recreation Board; to appoint Andy Hough to replace Richard Simmons on the Transportation Advisory Board; and to reappoint Janis Saunders and Ron Lee to the Planning & Zoning Commission. Motion carried 4 - 0.
Future agenda items: conduct a joint meeting with Parker County to discuss library funding, and expansion cancel the October 25 meeting and put those items on the special meeting agenda for November 1
Compiled from the city secretary's minutes by the Ledger's extractor, in the minutes' own wording, item by item; the Ledger adds no characterization. Read the minutes for the full record.
Sources: City of Weatherford: council minutes, Sept. 13, 2016 (Granicus); Agenda for this meeting (Granicus); Meeting video (Granicus)