Weatherford
Weatherford City Council, Sept. 13, 2022: 11 items; Proclamation naming September 17-23, 2022 as Constitution Week in the City of Weatherford
2 consent items, 9 regular items, 2 public hearings; 7 recorded votes, all unanimous. Written from the minutes.
Proclamation naming September 17-23, 2022 as Constitution Week in the City of Weatherford. Council Member Jeff Robinson presented this proclamation to members of the Weatherford Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Proclamation naming September 2022 as Hunger Action Month in the City of Weatherford. Council Member Kevin Cleveland presented this proclamation to representatives of the Tarrant Area Food Bank West.
Report on the upcoming National Night Out at Heritage Park on October 4, 2022. Community Services Sergeant Tiffany Vanzant gave this report. National Night Out will be held at Heritage Park on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Consent agenda, approved as one vote (5-0, on the motion of Heidi Wilder, second by Jeff Robinson): Authorized the City Manager to execute a Service Agreement with Motorola Solutions for $104,577 for annual maintenance and service of existing equipment and infrastructure. Approved Ordinance O2022-21, adopting a municipal fee schedule for FY23.
Hold a PUBLIC HEARING on the proposed ad valorem tax rate of $0.4581 per $100 valuation, including $0.3321 per $100 valuation for operations and maintenance and $0.1260 per $100 valuation for interest and sinking (debt service). Finance Director Dawn Brooks presented this item. On August 23, 2022, the City Council voted to propose a tax rate for FY23 of $0.4581 per $100 valuation, including $0.3321 per $100 valuation for operations and maintenance and $0.1260 per $100 valuation for interest and sinking (debt service). This is the first and final public hearing on the proposed tax rate. Mayor Paschall opened the public hearing at 6:54 p.m. • Richard Heizer, 1001 Thistle Hill Trail, asked the Council to consider the No-New-Revenue rate instead of the proposed rate. • Robert Anderson, 311 West Owens Street, asked the Council to consider the No-New-Revenue rate. As there were no other speakers, Mayor Paschall closed the hearing at 7:00 p.m. After discussion, Council consensus was to adopt the No-New-Revenue rate of $0.456344, which would reduce revenue by approximately $53,000 versus adoption of the proposed rate of $0.4581. Mayor Paschall noted that Weatherford is a full-service City offering police, fire, library, and animal services and that Weatherford’s tax rate is very competitive when considering the quality, width, and depth of the services provided. Hold a PUBLIC HEARING [...]
Consider and/or act upon approval of Ordinance O2022-22 adopting the City Manager's Proposed Budget for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2022 and ending September 30, 2023. Finance Director Dawn Brooks presented this item. This budget encompasses 24 separate funds, 15 departments, 313 employees and all city programs with the exception of electric and water utilities. The proposed budget is balanced, maintains current service levels, and will leave the City in a financially sound position. Total budgeted revenues (across all funds) is $69.3 million and total budgeted expenditures is $66.8 million. The General Fund budget includes $45.5 million in revenues and $45.3 million in expenditures. On an ongoing basis, the budget is balanced with a surplus of $45K. The projected fund balance at the end of FY23 is $25.3 million, 211 working days. Of that, $10.4 million will remain available outside of the 120-day reserve policy. On the motion of Kevin Cleveland, second by Jeff Robinson, the Council voted unanimously to approve this item with the no new revenue rate. Motion carried 5 - 0.
On the motion of Heidi Wilder, second by Jeff Robinson, the Council voted unanimously to ratify the adoption of the FY23 budget which will generate the same amount of revenue from property taxes than in the previous year. Motion carried 5 - 0.
Consider and/or act upon approval of Ordinance O2022-23 adopting the ad valorem tax rate of 45.81 cents per $100 of valuation for the 2022 tax year (2023 fiscal year). Finance Director Dawn Brooks presented this item. During the public hearing on the ad valorem tax rate earlier in this meeting, Council directed staff to change the proposed tax rate to the No-New-Revenue rate of $0.456344. The FY23 proposed rate is equal to the No-New-Revenue rate, which means it will raise the same amount of revenue for properties on the roll in both the current fiscal year and the next fiscal year, it also means that the City is not proposing to increase property taxes and lastly, it is below the maximum rate that will trigger an election. The proposed rate will provide adequate revenue to meet the needs of the City for the fiscal year. Pursuant to Truth-In-Taxation laws, the adoption of the tax rate must be within 7 days of the public hearing. The No-New-Revenue tax rate calculation was published in the newspaper and posted on the City's website as required by Truth-In-Taxation laws. Adoption of this tax rate would allow for full implementation of the FY23 Proposed Annual Budget, containing any changes City Council, as a complete governing body, has requested since the budget's presentation. Jeff Robinson moved that the property tax rate be decreased by the adoption of a tax rate of 45.6344 [...]
Discuss and consider the Official Ballot for the Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool Board of Trustees Election for places 6 - 9. City Manager James Hotopp presented this item. On the motion of Kevin Cleveland, second by Jeff Robinson, the Council voted unanimously to vote for the following: Place 6 Kimberly Meismer, Place 7 James Hotopp, Place 8 Chris Coffman, and Place 9 Opal Jones. Motion carried 5 - 0.
Consider authorizing the City Manager to execute a master services and purchasing agreement with Axon Enterprise Inc. for $179,985 through the BuyBoard Contract 603-20. Assistant City Manager Lance Arnold presented this item. On the motion of Heidi Wilder, second by Jeff Robinson, the Council voted unanimously to approve this item as presented. Motion carried 5 - 0.
Discuss and consider the City Council meeting schedule for November and December 2022. City Manager James Hotopp recommended the following dates for the holiday City Council meeting schedule: November 15, 2022, and December 13, 2022. No action was required or taken.
Future agenda items: • Special Purpose District work session prior to meeting on 27th • Work session requested by Council Member Wilder
1 resident spoke during citizen comments on non-agenda items; the minutes record the topics. The Ledger counts residents at comment and does not name them.
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, 2022 (Granicus); Agenda for this meeting (Granicus); Meeting video (Granicus)