[00:00:02] ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. IT IS 6 P.M. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 9TH. WE HAVE A QUORUM OF COUNCIL PRESENT, SO I'LL CALL THIS CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO ORDER. WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN TONIGHT WITH INVOCATION AND PLEDGES LED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROGERS. JOIN ME AS WE PRAY. DEAR LORD, WE'RE THANKFUL TO BE ABLE TO BE HERE THIS EVENING AS A COMMUNITY, AS LEADERS AND STAFF AND CITIZENS. AND WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR THE INPUT OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS. AND WE'RE SO THANKFUL FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO MAKING MIDLOTHIAN A BETTER PLACE. WE ARE VERY THANKFUL, LORD, TO BE BLESSED IN A SAFE CITY THANKS TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. AND WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD WATCH OVER THEIR SAFETY EACH AND EVERY DAY FOR ALL THAT THEY DO FOR OUR GREAT CITY. LORD, IT HAS BEEN PLACED ON MY HEART THIS WEEK IN REMEMBERING ABOUT THE FOLKS WITH THE RECENT FLOOD VICTIMS IN THE HILL COUNTRY WOULD ASK THAT THE CONTINUED SUPPORT AND RESPONSE NECESSARY TO GET THOSE LIVES BACK TO NORMAL ACTIVITY WOULD, WOULD BE PLACED INTO EFFECT. AND WE ASK THAT THOSE FAMILIES WOULD BE ABLE TO PLACE SOME GRAVE AND GOOD NEEDED REFLECTION UPON THAT. AND THOSE FAMILIES, AS THEY REFLECT UPON THAT, WE JUST ASK YOU TO BLESS US THROUGHOUT THIS, BLESS THIS WEEK AND BLESS US IN OUR SERVICE AND ALL THAT WE DO. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE. TEXAS ONE. STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN ROGERS. OPENING THE MEETING TONIGHT, 2025 284. [2025-284 Announcements/Presentations ] ANNOUNCEMENTS AND PRESENTATIONS. I WILL ACTUALLY START WITH ITEM C, CITY COUNCIL REPORT ON ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST OPPORTUNITY FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO HIGHLIGHT STAFF MEMBERS OR ORGANIZATIONS OR EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY. MIKE, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING? NO, I SEE YOUR MIC. ANNA. I JUST SO HAPPEN TO HAVE A HARD COPY INVITE HERE OF THIS EVENT. SEPTEMBER 23RD, 1 TO 2:30 P.M.. THIS IS FOR BUSINESS OWNERS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO COME MEET HERE. MOST IMPORTANTLY, HAVE SNACKS. RIGHT? RIGHT. OKAY. WE HAVE SNACKS. AND THEN MAINLY LEARN ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CITY, HOW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WORKS, AND JUST KIND OF LEARN WHAT'S GOING ON. SO Y'ALL SHOULD COME. SEPTEMBER 23RD CONFERENCE CENTER, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, IT'S NOT HERE. IT'S AT THE MIDLOTHIAN CONFERENCE CENTER. EXCELLENT ANNOUNCEMENT. THANK YOU. ROSS. YEAH. TODAY AT OUR ROTARY LUNCH WE HAD A PRESENTATION BY SPECIAL OLYMPICS TEXAS. THEY'RE GOING TO BE HOSTING THEIR NORTH REGION BOCCE BALL AND SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT HERE IN MIDLOTHIAN ON SEPTEMBER 20TH. I BELIEVE IT'S AT THE SOFTBALL FIELD PARK SPORTS COMPLEX NEXT TO FRANKSVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL. I KNOW THEY ARE LOOKING FOR LOTS OF VOLUNTEERS TO HELP WITH THAT, AND I THINK THEY STILL HAVE A FEW SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE. SO SHARE THAT OUT WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES. ABSOLUTELY. THEY'RE LOOKING FOR UPWARDS OF 300 VOLUNTEERS FOR THAT EVENT. I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK ALL OF THE DIFFERENT FOLKS INVOLVED IN A VARIETY OF SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS IN TOWN OVER THE WEEKEND. THE WEATHER ACTUALLY HELD OFF. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO RAIN QUITE A BIT. SATURDAY. IT DIDN'T REALLY EVER HIT TOO HARD. AND WE HAD A PRETTY INCREDIBLE OPENING DAY OF BASEBALL. OPENING DAY OF SOCCER ASSOCIATION HERE IN TOWN, AS WELL AS WRAPPING UP SUMMER FLAG FOOTBALL. THERE'S PROBABLY HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEER COACHES, OFFICIALS ALONGSIDE OBVIOUSLY OUR PARK STAFF THAT ARE DOING A LOT OF THINGS TO MAKE ALL THAT HAPPEN. AND SO A LOT OF INCREDIBLE EVENTS OVER THE WEEKEND AT OUR COMMUNITY PARK AND AND ALL THE FOLKS INVOLVED IN ANY OF THOSE JUST WANTED TO SAY A BIG SHOUT OUT AND THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. MIKE, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING OR YOUR MIKE JUST I DON'T. OKAY, I APOLOGIZE. THERE'S THREE EVENTS I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT. ALL OF THEM HAVE TO DO WITH OUR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE FIRST ONE IS TOMORROW MORNING AT 10 A.M.. THERE IS A POLICE VERSUS FIRE KICKBALL GAME THAT'S SPONSORED BY THE MIDLOTHIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. THAT'S AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, MIDLOTHIAN HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL FIELDS. ALL ARE WELCOME TO JOIN. I BELIEVE TICKETS ARE $20 AT THE GATE. SHOULD BE A GREAT EVENT TO CELEBRATE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. [00:05:03] THE SECOND EVENT IS THE 24TH ANNIVERSARY OF NINE OVER 11, WHICH WILL BE A SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY CENTER. THE NEW PUBLIC SAFETY CENTER THAT WILL BE THURSDAY MORNING AT 9 A.M.. I SAW LARRY SOMEWHERE 9 A.M. 9 A.M. THURSDAY MORNING. THE COMMUNITY IS INVITED TO JOIN ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS IN OFFERING REMEMBRANCE OF THAT TRAGIC EVENT. AND THEN FINALLY, A LITTLE MORE CELEBRATORY IS SATURDAY MORNING AT 9 A.M.. ALSO ON THE 13TH, THERE IS A GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION FOR THE BRAND NEW PUBLIC SAFETY CENTER. TOURS ARE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC UNTIL NOON THAT DAY. THERE'S LIMITED PARKING, SO WE ENCOURAGE ANYBODY WATCHING ONLINE OR IN THE CROWD OR EVEN CITY COUNCIL TO MEET AT CITY HALL AS EARLY AS 8:30 A.M. AND TAKE THE SHUTTLE BUS BACK AND FORTH FROM HERE TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY CENTER. ALL ARE INVITED TO COME CELEBRATE THIS. I'LL CALL IT A HISTORIC EVENT FOR OUR CITY. A GREAT, A GREAT MOMENT IN OUR CITY'S HISTORY. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE ALL INVITED TO THOSE THINGS. ANY OTHER THINGS ON COMMUNITY INTERESTS. OKAY. WE WILL MOVE ON TO PROCLAMATIONS IN LIGHT OF THE TWO. TWO OF THE THINGS THAT I MENTIONED. WE'VE GOT TWO PROCLAMATIONS THIS EVENING. BOTH ARE RELATING TO THE THINGS THAT I JUST MENTIONED, THE FIRST RESPONDERS THE FIRST ONE IS IN HONOR OF NINE OVER 11. AND SO AS I COME UP TO TO THE PODIUM HERE TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION, I'D LIKE TO OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE, IF WE COULD, IN REMEMBRANCE OF OF NINE OVER 11. AND THEN I'LL INVITE ANY FIRST RESPONDERS DURING THAT MOMENT OF SILENCE TO COME FORWARD AND JOIN ME TO RECEIVE THIS PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS OF MIDLOTHIAN. SO LET'S HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE. THANK YOU ALL. EITHER THE CHIEFS OR LARRY, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING ON BEHALF OF THE NINE OVER 11 REMEMBRANCE. THE EVENT ITSELF. OR IN HONOR OF THE THE DAY ITSELF? YES. I WAS LOOKING AT OUR STAFF ROSTER JUST RECENTLY, AND A LARGE MAJORITY OF OUR STAFF ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 30, 25, 25 TO 30, WHICH MEANS MOST OF THEM DON'T EVEN HAVE ANY RECOLLECTION OF HOW IT FELT THAT DAY. AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE THIS DAY COMING UP AS A REMEMBRANCE OF WHAT HAPPENED, THE SACRIFICES THAT WERE MADE ON MANY LEVELS, AND THE FEELING THAT WE HAD THE DAY AFTER THE UNITY THAT WE FELT AND THE THE PATRIOTISM THAT WE FELT THAT DAY AFTERWARDS AS WE STARTED TO RECOVER. SO, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS PRAY THAT WE GET BACK TO THAT DAY. WELL, IT'S IT'S HARD TO BEAT THAT SENTIMENT. AND I REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT I WAS DOING ON THAT DAY. I WAS ACTUALLY OFF. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY. AND I REMEMBER HEARING ABOUT THE FIRST INCIDENT AND THINKING THAT IT WAS A COMMUTER FLIGHT THAT ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE FIRST TOWER, AND THEN THE SECOND, AND THEN THE THIRD INCIDENT COME, AND THEN THE SURREAL REALIZATION THAT THEY HAD SHUT DOWN ALL FLIGHTS. AND IT WAS ALMOST LIKE WATCHING A YOU KNOW, A MOVIE WHERE THERE WERE NOTHING. THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE AIR. I JUST REMEMBER THAT BEING THERE WAS NOTHING. EVERYTHING WAS GROUNDED. PEOPLE WERE THEY WERE ACTUALLY YOU KNOW, STRANDED WHEREVER THEIR PLANE LANDED. AND IT TOOK THEM SOMETIMES WEEKS TO GET BACK HOME. SO WHEN WE GO BACK AND WE THINK ABOUT THE COMPLEXITY OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND HOW SOMETHING LIKE THAT CAN SHUT US DOWN AND HOW FAR WE'VE COME IN TERMS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ALL FIRST RESPONDERS AND, AND TRULY, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT HOW THAT UNFOLDED AND ALL THE EFFORT THAT WENT INTO CLEANING THAT SITE, GOING THROUGH THE SITE. AND I KNOW ADAM AND I TALK ABOUT THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS, BUT IN ORDER TO GET TO THAT SITE, THERE WERE BULLDOZERS, AND THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON THERE THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT OR FIREFIGHTERS, BUT IT WAS A TRUE COMMUNITY EFFORT. AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THIS DAY, IT REALLY IS MORE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WANT TO BE AND WE CAN'T FORGET THAT DAY EVER IF WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD AND CONTINUE TO CONTINUE TO BRING COMMUNITY [00:10:01] TOGETHER AS YOU SAID, IN MANY WAYS, NOT JUST PATRIOTISM, BUT COMMUNITY GATHERINGS AND JUST THAT THAT BENEFIT OF, OF BEING TOGETHER. SO IT WAS A VERY IMPACTFUL THING IN MY LIFE, FOR SURE. YEAH. THESE TWO PROCLAMATIONS ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO RECOGNIZE. AND THESE ARE BOTH NOT ONLY THE NINE OVER 11, BUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY CENTER THAT WE'RE GOING TO ACKNOWLEDGE HERE IN A MOMENT ARE OUR BIG DEALS TO THIS COMMUNITY. THERE'S A LOT OF RESPECTFUL DISAGREEMENT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS AND HAS HAD OVER THE YEARS. BUT ONE THING THAT I THINK I CAN SPEAK CLEARLY ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL IS THAT WE SUPPORT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, BOTH THE RED AND THE BLUE. FULLY AND WHOLEHEARTEDLY. WITH THAT IN MIND, BECAUSE THESE ARE TWO BIG, REALLY BIG DEALS TO ME PERSONALLY AND TO, I BELIEVE, THE REST OF THE COUNCIL, I'D APPRECIATE IF THE COUNCIL WOULD JOIN ME ON THE FLOOR FOR THESE PROCLAMATIONS, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A GROUP PHOTO. FIRST PROCLAMATION IS IN HONOR OF SEPTEMBER THE 11TH. WHEREAS ON SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2001, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ENDURED WITH COURAGE AND HEROISM THE WORST TERRORIST TERRORIST ATTACK ON US SOIL IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY. AND WHEREAS, ALTHOUGH THE TERRORIST GOAL WAS TO STRIKE A POWERFUL BLOW TO THE HEARTS OF ALL AMERICANS AND TEAR THE FABRIC OF OUR NATION ARISING FROM THE VERY ASHES OF THAT TRAGEDY, CAME A REMARKABLE SPIRIT OF UNITY, COMPASSION AND DETERMINATION THAT WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. JUST AS WE WILL NEVER FORGET THE 343 FIREFIGHTERS, 60 POLICE OFFICERS AND MORE THAN 2000 WHO PERISHED. AND WHEREAS THE DATE OF SEPTEMBER 11TH WILL NEVER AND SHOULD NEVER JUST BE ANOTHER DAY IN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF AMERICANS. AND IN THIS. AND IN HONOR OF THIS, WE RECOGNIZE THE BRAVE SERVICE AND SACRIFICE GIVEN EACH DAY BY MEMBERS OF OUR ARMED FORCES AND OF OUR OWN MIDLOTHIAN FIRST RESPONDERS. AND WHEREAS IT'S FITTING AND PROPER THAT ALL CITIZENS OF MIDLOTHIAN OBSERVE THIS DAY WITH REFLECTION, REMEMBRANCE AND SERVICE TO OTHERS, STRENGTHENING THE BONDS OF COMMUNITY THAT MAKE OUR NATION STRONG. NOW, THEREFORE, ON BEHALF OF MIDLOTHIAN RESIDENTS AND OUR CITY COUNCIL, I, JUSTIN KAUFMAN, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF MIDLOTHIAN, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2025, AS A DAY OF SERVICE AND REMEMBRANCE IN THE CITY OF MIDLOTHIAN. AND I URGE OUR OUR CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS. TAKE A MOMENT TO REFLECT, REMEMBER AND NEVER FORGET. WE'RE JOINED TOGETHER AT THE NINE OVER 11 MEMORIAL SERVICE TO HONOR THE LIVES OF THOSE LOST ON THE ATTACKS ON THIS, THE 24TH ANNIVERSARY OF NINE OVER 11. HOW DO YOU WANT TO? WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE TO DOUBLE. DOUBLE DECKER. IT GOT A TILT. WE GOT A. DOUBLE ROW IT. DOUBLE ROW IT. DOUBLE ROW, DOUBLE ROW. YOU GOT TO BE IN THE FRONT. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. LET ME JUST GET GOING. YES, MA'AM. YOU GOT IT. OH, I WAS JUST LIKE. THIS IS LIKE PROM SHOTS HERE. ALL RIGHT, Y'ALL STAY CLOSE. WE GOT ONE MORE. IN HONOR OF THE OPENING OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY CENTER, THIS PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS THE CITY OF MIDLOTHIAN HAS REACHED A NEW HEIGHT OF EXCELLENCE WITH THE OPENING OF ITS NEW PUBLIC SAFETY CENTER AND MUNICIPAL COURT FACILITY. AND WHEREAS THIS MODERN FACILITY OFFERS IMPROVED ACCESS, CONVENIENCE, EFFICIENCY AND PRIVACY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS THAT APPROVED THE PROJECT AT THE MAY 1ST, 2021 BOND ELECTION. AND WHEREAS THE STATE OF THE ART FACILITY PROVIDES A SAFE AND SECURE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND FIRE DEPARTMENT, ADMINISTRATION, POLICE OPERATIONS AND MUNICIPAL COURT PERSONNEL TO SERVE THE PUBLIC FOR MANY YEARS TO COME. WHEREAS THE FACILITY REFLECTS THE HIGH STANDARDS FOR SERVICE DELIVERY, DIGNITY AND FAIRNESS OF OUR CITIZENS HAVE COME TO EXPECT FROM OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS AND PARAMEDICS, AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE PERSONNEL. NOW, THEREFORE, I, JUSTIN KAUFMAN, MAYOR, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF MIDLOTHIAN, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 13TH, 2025 AS THE OFFICIAL GRAND OPENING DAY FOR THE MIDLOTHIAN PUBLIC SAFETY AND MUNICIPAL COURT FACILITY. THIS FACILITY IS A TESTAMENT TO THE DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT OF THE MEN AND WOMEN PROVIDING PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN US AT THE GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION. PROCLAIM THIS THE NINTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025. ONE MORE PHOTO. YES, A LITTLE MORE. NICE TO SEE THEM. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU GUYS. [00:15:02] APPRECIATE Y'ALL. APPRECIATE Y'ALL. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL. WE'LL MOVE ON TO CITIZENS TO BE HEARD. [2025-285 Citizens to be heard ] THIS IS 2025 285. CITY COUNCIL INVITES CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON TOPICS NOT ALREADY SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING. CITIZENS WISHING TO SPEAK SHOULD COMPLETE A CITIZEN PARTICIPATION FORM AND PRESENT IT TO THE CITY SECRETARY. SPEAKERS ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT. ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? CHRIS ROWLAND. MR. ROWLAND, ARE YOU HERE? OKAY. JOHN HIGDON. WELCOME. IF YOU COME UP TO THE PODIUM AND YOU MIGHT HAVE TO SHIFT THAT MICROPHONE AROUND A LITTLE BIT. AND THEN IF YOU'LL STATE YOUR NAME AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU LIVE IN THE CITY LIMITS, AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES. JOHN HIGDON. ADDRESS IS 7001 KENNEDALE PARKWAY. KENNEDALE. TEXAS IS MY OFFICE. I'M WITH FRONTIER WASTE SOLUTIONS. I AM NOT A RESIDENT. I'M A RESIDENT IN ELLIS COUNTY AND ITALY. TEXAS. BIG CITY. GREW UP AND RAISED THERE. BUT I WANTED TO TELL YOU ABOUT FRONTIER WASTE SOLUTIONS. JUST INTRODUCE OURSELVES. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A WASTE AND RECYCLING CONTRACT COMING UP WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR. WE'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR EIGHT YEARS. WE'RE PRIVATELY OWNED, AND OUR MAIN OFFICE IS IN DALLAS, TEXAS. HAVE NINE LOCATIONS HERE IN NORTH TEXAS NOW. AND WE HAVE ABOUT 25 CITY CONTRACTS IN NORTH TEXAS AT THIS TIME. CLOSEST TO YOU WOULD BE KENNYDALE AND MANSFIELD OR 18 MILES AWAY. OUR HAULING COMPANY, WE USE ALL OF THE LANDFILLS IN NORTH TEXAS. SO FERRIS SKYLINES LIKE 29 MILES AWAY, YOU'VE GOT TURKEY CREEK, WHICH IS CURRENTLY BEING USED, AND YOU'VE GOT ITASCA. ALL OF THOSE ARE WITHIN ABOUT THE SAME DISTANCE, BUT WE'VE GOT THE ABILITY TO USE ALL ALL THREE OF THOSE LANDFILLS. ALSO OUR OTHER LARGE CITIES HERE IN, IN NORTH TEXAS ARE MCKINNEY BULK SPRINGS, AND THE LIST GOES ON. I'VE PROVIDED INFORMATION TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF TO BE ABLE TO, TO SUPPORT THAT. THE TOTALLY IN TEXAS, WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN EIGHT YEARS, WE HAVE 70 OR 71 CITIES RIGHT NOW IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. WE'D LOVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH WITH Y'ALL ABOUT PARTNERING IN REGARDS TO TRASH AND RECYCLING SERVICES. AND LET'S SEE IF I LEFT ANYTHING ELSE OUT HERE. THAT'S IT. LIKE I SAID, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY JUST TO PUT FACES WITH THE NAME. I'D BE YOUR ACCOUNT MANAGER. LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE CONTACT INFORMATION? OKAY. THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU. TAMMY. ANY OTHERS? NO OTHER SPEAKERS. AT THIS POINT. WE'LL MOVE ON TO CONSENT AGENDA 20 2286. [CONSENT AGENDA ] ALL MATTERS LISTED UNDER CONSENT AGENDA ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION WITHOUT SEPARATE DISCUSSION. IF DISCUSSION IS DESIRED, THAT ITEM CAN BE REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA. CONSIDERED SEPARATELY. ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS LIKE TO REMOVE ANY ITEMS THIS EVENING. E CLERK REMOVING ITEM E ANY OTHERS FROM ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS. TAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA MINUS ITEM E. SECOND, GET A MOTION TO APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA MINUS ITEM E BY COUNCILWOMAN HAMMOND. SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN ROGERS. PLEASE VOTE. CONSENT AGENDA MINUS ITEM E IS APPROVED 7 TO 0. ITEM E, CONSIDER AND ACT UPON AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF MIDLOTHIAN'S. [E. Consider and act upon an ordinance amending the City of Midlothian’s Fiscal Year 2024- 2025 General Fund Budget Appropriations in an amount not to exceed $490,960 from the Unreserved Fund Balance to fund the construction of the 7" Street parking lot and sidewalk extension. ] FISCAL YEAR 2024 2025. GENERAL FUND BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 490,960 FROM THE UNRESERVED FUND BALANCE TO FUND THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SEVENTH STREET PARKING LOT AND SIDEWALK EXTENSION. CLERK. YOUR QUESTIONS OF AN AN OR. CLYDE I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHO THIS IS DIRECTED TOWARDS. BUT THAT ONE SECTION THAT WAS KIND OF WE ROUGHLY TALKED ABOUT, DIDN'T KNOW IF WE COULD DO OR COULDN'T DO IF THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS ADDED IN. I'M ASSUMING THAT'S NOT PART OF THE 490,000. OH, GOD. I THINK THIS THIS DOES HAVE LIKE, IF WE DID POUR THAT EXTRA. NO, NO, THAT IS NOT INCLUDED. NO, THIS IS JUST SEVENTH STREET. AND IT DOES HAVE THE ADDED ALTERNATIVE TO A ONE POUR ON THAT. BUT NO, IT DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING WITH THE THE ALLEY. OKAY. THAT'S MY ONLY QUESTION. OKAY. IT DOES INCLUDE THE STRIPING. [00:20:03] YES. THROUGH THE WHOLE SECTION THAT COULD BE CONVERTED IN THE FUTURE. YEAH. YEAH. GOOD. OKAY. TAKE A MOTION ON ITEM A UNLESS THERE'S FURTHER DISCUSSION ON IT. MOTION. MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND. MOTION TO APPROVE. ITEM E BY COUNCILMAN WEAVER, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN ROGERS. PLEASE VOTE. ITEM PASSES 6 TO 1. MOVING TO THE PUBLIC. HEARINGS. [2025-287 Conduct a public hearing regarding the proposed FY 2025-2026 Annual Operating Budgets for the City of Midlothian. ] ITEM 2025 287 CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2526 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGETS FOR THE CITY OF MIDLOTHIAN. AND GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'LL ASK EVERYBODY'S INDULGENCE BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF DETAILS. AND LIKE EVERY YEAR I WIND UP READING A LOT OF IT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T LEAVE ANYTHING OUT. SO THIS FIRST ITEM IS THE PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE 2526 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET. THE PROCESS BEGAN IN APRIL WITH A NUMBER OF MEETINGS WITH DEPARTMENTS AND THEN CULMINATED WITH US HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING ON SEPTEMBER 2ND DAY. BUT YOU HAVE A NUMBER OF MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD. WE HAD WORKSHOPS. WE PROPOSED A TAX RATE. THERE WAS A RECORD VOTE. AND SO WE'VE GONE THROUGH ALL THESE STEPS IN COMPLIANCE WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE 102.006. THIS PUBLIC HEARING PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH INTERESTED PERSONS REGARDING THE PROPOSED BUDGETS BEFORE ADOPTION. NOTICE OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING WAS ANNOUNCED AT THE AUGUST 12TH AND AUGUST 2625 CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS. ADDITIONALLY, IT WAS PUBLISHED IN THE MIDLOTHIAN MIRROR ON AUGUST 16TH AND AUGUST 30TH, AND IT'S CURRENTLY POSTED ON THE CITY WEBSITE. YOU'LL NOTICE IN THE AGENDA ITEM THERE IS A NEW ITEM THAT'S INCLUDED. IT'S CALLED A TAXPAYER IMPACT STATEMENT. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS REQUIRED WITH SECTION 550 1.0 043C OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE. AND IF YOU WILL SEE IN THIS TABLE YOU HAVE THE RATES FOR THE LAST WELL, FOR THE LAST YEAR SHOWING OR OUR CURRENT YEAR THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, THE MEDIAN HOMESTEAD TAXABLE VALUE, THE TAX RATE PER 100 VALUE AND THE ESTIMATED PROPERTY TAX BILL FOR THAT MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD. THEN YOU ALSO HAVE 25, 26 THE TAX RATE OR THE BUDGET AND THE TAX PERIOD THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR FOR NEXT YEAR. WE HAVE THE MEDIAN ESTIMATED TAXABLE HOMESTEAD VALUE AT $334,099. THE TAX RATE, THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE IS 0.553371 US CENTS PER HUNDRED. AND THAT WOULD GIVE AN ESTIMATED PROPERTY TAX BILL OF $1,848.81. AND THEN THE FINAL LINE IN THAT TABLE IS FOR NEXT YEAR, THE 2526 PROPOSED TAX RATE OF THE $0.65, WITH THAT HOMESTEAD VALUE REMAINING AT 334 099. AND THAT TAX BILL WOULD BE $2,171.64. THE TOTAL FINANCIAL IMPACT OF AN AD VALOREM TAX RATE OF $0.65. THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RATE WOULD BE 0.333514 PER 100 VALUATION. AND THE INTEREST IN SINKING OR DEBT PORTION WOULD BE 0.316486 PER 100 VALUATION. THAT WOULD GENERATE $25,676,643, AT AN ESTIMATED 100% TAX COLLECTION RATE FOR THE M AND O, AND A $24,365,688 FOR THE INTEREST IN SEEKING OR THE DEBT PORTION, AND THAT DOES INCLUDE AMOUNTS THAT ARE TO BE TRANSFERRED TO THE TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE. SO WITH THAT, THERE IS NO OFFICIAL ACTION TO BE TAKEN BY COUNSEL. THERE'LL BE A RECORD VOTE TO ADOPT THE ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET IN A LATER AGENDA ITEM. THANK YOU. AND AS SHE MENTIONED, THERE'S NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN, BUT IT IS A PUBLIC HEARING. [00:25:01] ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM 287? OKAY. COUNCIL. WE'LL YOU'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY ON ITEM 287 TO ASK QUESTIONS REGARDING THE BUDGET ON ITEM 291 HERE. IN A MOMENT. I FEEL LIKE YOU COVERED A LOT OF 288 AS WELL, BUT I DO NEED TO GO AHEAD AND OPEN THAT PUBLIC AS WELL. [2025-288 Conduct a public hearing regarding the proposed FY 2025-2026 tax rate. ] ITEM 2025 288. CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2526 TAX RATE. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD THAT WASN'T MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY? THE ONLY THING THAT I'LL ADD IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PREVIOUS ITEM WAS THE BUDGET ITSELF. THIS IS THE ACTUAL TAX RATE. A PUBLIC HEARING I WENT THROUGH THE PERCENTAGES. SO THE ONLY THING I REALLY WANT TO STRESS ON THIS ONE IS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL MAY ADOPT A FINAL TAX RATE EQUAL TO OR LESS THAN THE CURRENTLY PROPOSED $0.65 PER 100 VALUATION. HOWEVER, IF A HIGHER TAX RATE IS PROPOSED, THEN THE TRUTH AND TAXATION, LEGAL NOTICE AND PUBLIC HEARING REQUIREMENTS MUST START AGAIN. AND SO THAT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT AT THIS POINT IN THE PROCESS. BUT YOU AGAIN HAVE THE TAXPAYER IMPACT STATEMENT IN HERE. AND AGAIN. THERE'S NO OFFICIAL ACTION TO BE TAKEN ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM. OKAY. JUST LIKE THE ABOVE ITEM, THIS IS SIMPLY A PUBLIC HEARING. ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS CASE? OKAY. SINCE THERE'S NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN ON 287 AND 288, WE WILL THANK ANNE FOR THE INFORMATION AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE REGULAR AGENDA, [2025-289 Consider and act upon an ordinance adopting, by record vote, the FY 2025-2026 Annual Operating Budget and plan for municipal services for the ensuing fiscal year beginning October 1, 2025 and ending September 30, 2026, in accordance with Local Government Code §102; appropriating money to a Sinking Fund to pay interest and principal on the City’s indebtedness; appropriating the various amounts thereof; repealing conflicting ordinances and resolutions; including a severability clause and establishing an effective date ] WHICH IS 2025 289 CONSIDER AND ACT UPON AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING BY RECORD VOTE, FISCAL YEAR 2526 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET AND PLAN FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES FOR THE ENSUING FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2025 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2026, IN ACCORDANCE WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE 102. APPROPRIATING MONEY TO A SINKING FUND TO PAY INTEREST AND PRINCIPAL ON THE CITY'S INDEBTEDNESS. APPROPRIATING THE VARIOUS AMOUNTS THEREOF. REPEALING CONFLICTING ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS, INCLUDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. ANNA. WELL, AGAIN, A NUMBER OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE DISCUSSED EARLIER ARE IN THIS AGENDA ITEM. AGAIN, AGAIN, THAT TAXPAYER IMPACT STATEMENT IS IN THIS ITEM AS WELL. AND WE DO HAVE A SPECIAL CONSIDERATION HERE. TO MAKE NOTE OF THE 2526 FISCAL YEAR PAY PLAN HAS BEEN MODIFIED TO INCLUDE ALL THE NEW POSITIONS RECOMMENDED BY THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY COUNCIL. CHANGES TO THE CURRENT POSITIONS AS A RESULT OF THE CITY'S COMPENSATION STUDY AND CHANGES TO THE CURRENT POSITION TITLE AS A RESULT OF ACTION TAKEN BY MCDC. THE IMPACT OF THESE POSITIONS HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, AND APPROVAL OF THE MODIFIED PAY PLAN IS CONSIDERED A COMPONENT OF THE BUDGET. AND THEN JUST VERY QUICKLY LIKE PREVIOUS YEARS, I'LL READ THROUGH THE AMOUNT OF EXPENDITURES THAT ARE BEING APPROPRIATED BY FUND, AND THAT WILL ONLY TAKE A MOMENT. THE GENERAL FUND ITSELF, $67,715,553. THE UTILITY FUND $42,315,610. MIDTOWN PIT 143,400. ELLIS COUNTY RADIO FUND $946,460. THE SENIOR CITIZEN CENTER $537,973. THE TYPE E AND THAT WOULD BE THE MIDLOTHIAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THAT IS 2,433,789. THE TYPE B, THE MIDLOTHIAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION 07,670,000. AND THE CONFERENCE CENTER AT 693,000. OH 28. AND FINALLY, THE MIDLOTHIAN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AT AND 38, AND THIS ITEM WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROVED AS I WOULD RECOMMEND HAVING IT APPROVED AS PRESENTED. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THIS IS NOT A RECORD VOTE IS THIS IS NOT A IT IS NOT. NO. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS ON ITEM 289? SO MY AGENDA SAYS IT IS A RECORD VOTE. IS THAT I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR. IS THIS REQUIRED RECORD? SORRY. NOT REQUIRED BY RECORD. OKAY. COUNCIL. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS OR GET CLARIFICATION ON ANYTHING BUDGET RELATED. I WILL ASK TO HOLD OFF ON ANYTHING TAX RATE RELATED FOR THE FOLLOWING TWO ISSUES. SO BUDGET RELATED CONVERSATIONS OR QUESTIONS. NOW IS A GOOD TIME. SINCE IT'S IN HERE AS A RECORD. [00:30:03] BUT LET'S JUST TAKE A VOTE. OH THAT'S FINE. YEAH, NORMALLY IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE. NO QUESTIONS ON THE BUDGET. OKAY. TAKE A MOTION ON IT. MOTION TO APPROVE IS PRESENTED BY COUNCILWOMAN HAMMONDS. IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN ROGERS? YOU'RE NOT ROGERS. YOU'RE WEAVER. SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WEAVER. PLEASE VOTE. NO. YOU GO AHEAD AND MAKE AN ELECTRONIC VOTE, AND THEN I'LL READ IT IN THE RECORD. ITEM 289 PASSES BY COUNT OF 6 TO 1 WITH MOORMAN VOTING YES. HAMMONDS VOTING YES. WICKLIFFE VOTING NO. KAUFMAN. YES. ROGERS. YES. WEAVER. YES. SHEFFIELD. YES. THANK YOU. AN ITEM 290. 2025 290. CONSIDER AND ACT UPON AN ORDINANCE BY A RECORD VOTE OF THE CITY COUNCIL. [2025-290 Consider and act upon an ordinance, by record vote of the City Council of the City of Midlothian, Texas, levying and assessing municipal ad valorem taxes for the City of Midlothian, for the fiscal year 2025-2026, at $0.333514 for Maintenance and Operations and $0.316486 for Interest and Sinking Funds, for a total of $0.650000, specifically for the purpose for which said taxes may be expended and directing the assessment and collection thereof; repealing conflicting ordinances and resolutions; including a severability clause and establishing an effective date. ] THE CITY OF MIDLOTHIAN, TEXAS, LEVYING AND ASSESSING MUNICIPAL AD VALOREM TAXES FOR THE CITY OF MIDLOTHIAN FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2526 AT 0.333514 FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, AND 0.316486 FOR INTEREST IN SEEKING FUNDS, FOR A TOTAL OF 0.65. SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH SAID TAXES MAY BE EXPENDED, AND DIRECTING THE ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION THEREOF. REPEALING CONFLICTING ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS, INCLUDING SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND 290. YES, SIR. SO THIS ORDINANCE THAT IS ATTACHED DOES LEVY THE FISCAL YEAR 2025, 2026 AD VALOREM TAX RATES NECESSARY TO FUND THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS OF THE CITY, AND TO PAY PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST FOR THE REDEMPTION OF THE BONDS. I WON'T REREAD THE NUMBERS BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD THEM A FEW TIMES. AGAIN, THE TAXPAYER IMPACT STATEMENT IS SHOWN HERE. THIS IS A WE HAVE A PROPOSED MOTION IN HERE THAT IF YOU DON'T MIND IF Y'ALL WILL USE THAT ONE. AND WE'VE KIND OF GONE THROUGH THE AMOUNTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE LEVIED. SO I GUESS ASK FOR QUESTIONS OR IF ANYONE HAS ANY NO PUBLIC SPEAKERS ON THIS EITHER. COUNCIL THIS IS DISCUSSION REGARDING THE TAX RATE ITSELF. CLERK DOES HAVE A MOTION. ANY QUESTIONS? I JUST WANTED TO ASK FOR CLARIFICATION, PRIMARILY JUST FOR FOLKS WATCHING. TO BE CLEAR ON WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. SO UNDER THIS TAXPAYER IMPACT STATEMENT WHERE IT'S GOT THE MEDIUM HOMESTEAD VALUE, AND CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY THAT BASED ON THIS DOCUMENT, WITH OUR MEDIAN HOMESTEAD VALUE BEING 334? ALTHOUGH WE'RE KEEPING THE TAX RATE THE SAME AS IT WAS LAST YEAR. THE AVERAGE RESIDENTS OR HOMES I GUESS THIS WOULD BE AVERAGE. HOMESTEAD RESIDENTS WOULD SEE ABOUT $110 INCREASE IN THEIR TAX BILL BASED ON THIS MEDIAN EXAMPLE. IS THAT ACCURATE? YES. OKAY. SO I JUST I'M MAINLY JUST SAYING THAT SO FOLKS KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE ADOPTING THE SAME TAX RATE. BUT WITH THOSE VALUATION INCREASES YOU MAY SEE A LITTLE BUMP THERE. AND YOU KNOW JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE CLARITY THERE FOR, FOR HOW THAT'S GOING TO WORK. OKAY. ANY OTHER ROSS. YEAH. SO I MEAN, JUST DOING A LITTLE BIT OF MATH ON THAT. IT'S I MEAN, THE EFFECTIVE CHANGE TO THE TAX BILL IS ABOUT AN INCREASE OF 5.4% OF THE THE AMOUNT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WRITE A CHECK FOR FOR MY PURPOSES. I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE THE SHIP IS IS TOO FAR DOWN THE CHANNEL THIS YEAR TO, TO ADJUST THAT. WE'RE COVERING THE BUDGETARY ITEMS WE NEED TO COVER. ON THE MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS SIDE, WE HAVE SOME LARGE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES ON THE DEBT SIDE, BUT I DO WANT TO TRY TO ALIGN THAT IN THE FUTURE TO WHERE WE'RE NOT OUTPACING INFLATION, RIGHT. IT'S LIKE IF IF INFLATION IS RUNNING AT ABOUT 2%, YOU KNOW, IN OUR ACTUAL BILL THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE GETTING IS GOING UP ABOUT 2%, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'D BE A LOT BETTER THAN US, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY BEING ABOUT DOUBLE THE RATE OF INFLATION WHERE WE ARE RIGHT HERE. IT'S IT'S VERY CHALLENGING IN A GROWTH COMMUNITY. BUT OUR DENOMINATOR IS GETTING BIGGER. SO I REALLY HOPE THAT NEXT YEAR WHEN WE ENTER INTO BUDGET SEASON, WE CAN LOOK AT HOW DO WE START INCREMENTING THIS RATE DOWN A LITTLE BIT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT OUTPACING THE THE RISING TIDE ACROSS THE COUNTRY? SO I'M IN AGREEMENT. WE'LL DEFINITELY VISIT THAT NEXT YEAR. NO OTHER COMMENTS. TAKE A MOTION FROM I MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF $0.65, [00:35:10] WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 17.46% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM THE MAYOR PRO TEM. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND. FROM COUNCILMAN MORMON, PLEASE VOTE. SECOND DID NOT INCLUDE APPROVING THE ORDINANCE. OH, YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY HOW WE WORDED IT LAST YEAR. UNFORTUNATELY, I DIDN'T NOTICE THAT. DO WE NEED TO REVISIT? CAN YOU CLEAR THE VOTE, PLEASE? WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON THIS ISSUE. IS THE LANGUAGE FOR 291 FOR 291, 92, 92, 91? I BELIEVE THAT THE RATIFICATION LANGUAGE 1991. STATE PROPERTY TAX RATE. BUT CAN YOU JUST DO THAT AND SAY AN APPROVED ORDINANCE? THE ORDINANCE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND THEN 291 APPROVES APPLICATION. JUST ADD TO YOUR MOTION APPROVING THE ORDINANCE WITH THAT LANGUAGE AT THE TOP AND CAPTION ON WHAT TO ON 291 OR 2 9290. YEAH. AN ORDINANCE LEVYING TAXES FOR THE CITY OF MIDLOTHIAN FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 2026 AT 0.333514 FOR MAINTENANCE OPERATION. JUST JUST READ THAT. OKAY. AND THEN DO YOU WANT ME TO READ THIS AT THE BOTTOM AGAIN? THE INCREASE. OKAY. I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE? WHERE DO YOU WANT ME TO START, JOE? FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2025, 2026. AT .333514 FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS AND .316486 FOR INTEREST IN SINKING FUNDS, FOR A TOTAL OF $0.65. I FURTHER MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF $0.65, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 17.46% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE. SECOND SECOND STANCE MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TEM, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN MORMON. PLEASE VOTE. ITEM PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, BUT SINCE IT'S A RECORD VOTE, I'LL READ THEM OFF. MORMON. YES. HAMMONDS. YES. WICKLIFFE. YES. KAUFMAN. YES. ROGERS. YES. WEAVER. YES. SHEFFIELD. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. 2025. 291. CONSIDER AND TAKE A SEPARATE VOTE TO RATIFY A PROPERTY TAX REVENUE [2025-291 Consider and take a separate vote to ratify a property tax revenue increase as reflected in the FY 2025-2026 Annual Operating Budget when compared to the FY 2024-2025 Annual Operating Budget; this budget will raise more total property taxes than last year’s budget by $5,448,449 which is a 13.48 percent increase from last year’s budget and, of that amount, $2,651,930 is tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year. (Part 1 of 2)] INCREASE, AS REFLECTED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2526 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET WHEN COMPARED TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2425 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET. THIS BUDGET WILL RAISE MORE TOTAL PROPERTY TAXES THAN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET BY 5,448,449, WHICH IS A 13.48% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR'S BUDGET. AND OF THAT AMOUNT, 02,651,930 IS A TAX REVENUE TO BE RAISED FROM NEW PROPERTY ADDED TO THE TAX ROLL THIS YEAR. AND SO, AS THE MAYOR READ IN THE CAPTION THIS, THE CITY IS ADOPTING A BUDGET THAT WILL REQUIRE RAISING MORE REVENUE FROM PROPERTY TAXES THAN IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. AND THEREFORE, WE'RE REQUIRED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE TO CONDUCT A SEPARATE VOTE TO RATIFY THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET. THIS VOTE IS IN ADDITION TO AND SEPARATE FROM THE VOTE. THE VOTE TO ADOPT THE BUDGET OR THE VOTE TO SET THE TAX RATE. WE'VE DONE THE PROPER PUBLIC POSTINGS AND THE INFORMATION HAS BEEN POSTED ON THE WEBSITE. SO THIS IS JUST TAKING THIS EXTRA STEP REQUIRED BY THE CODE. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS? NO PUBLIC SPEAKERS QUESTIONS ON 291. ROSS. I DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR STAFF. PRIOR TO THE MEETING, THEY PROVIDED SOME ADDITIONAL BREAKDOWN OF THE THE VALUATION, WHICH WHICH ARE APPROXIMATE ESTIMATES BASED UPON THE INFORMATION THEY'RE ABLE TO OBTAIN FROM THE TAX COLLECTOR AND APPRAISAL DISTRICTS OFFICES. THAT THE 2.8 MILLION INCREASE ON EXISTING PROPERTY, ABOUT 1.2 OF THAT WOULD BE AGAINST RESIDENTIAL HOMESTEAD PROPERTIES WITHIN THE CITY OF [00:40:05] MIDLOTHIAN, AND ABOUT 1.6 MILLION OF THAT WOULD BE AGAINST NONRESIDENTIAL EXISTING PROPERTY THAT WAS ALREADY IN THE CITY OF MIDLOTHIAN SO ACCURATELY ACROSS THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. THE TOTAL INCREASE LEVY ON ON OUR INDIVIDUAL RESIDENCES IS ABOUT 1.2 MILLION. JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO READ INTO THE RECORD. YEAH. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I DIDN'T JUST HAVE A COMMENT TO FOLLOW UP ON COUNCILMAN WEAVER'S INFORMATION THERE. ONE OF THE REAL INTERESTING THINGS THAT I'VE SHARED WITH SOME FOLKS IS THAT ROUGHLY TWO POINT. YOU'RE THE MATH GUY. WHAT IS IT ABOUT 2.2. 8 MILLION? THE VAST MAJORITY OF THAT IS THERE IS AN ALLOCATION IN THE BUDGET FOR ADDITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE REGARDING OUR ROADWAYS. SO ALTHOUGH WE'RE SEEING SOME INCREASE FROM CURRENT RESIDENTS, IT IS BEING INVESTED HEAVILY BACK INTO INFRASTRUCTURE. I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THAT. NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS. TAKE A MOTION ON IT. I'M GOING TO USE THE SAME MOTION AS YOU USED ON THE LAST ONE, BUT JUST THE LAST PART OF IT THAT SAYS I MOVE, THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF THE TAX RATE OF. ANYONE ONLY JUST THIS ONE SECTION ONLY THAT AGAIN GOT THE ORDINANCE PASSED. I'LL MOVE THAT. THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF $0.65, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 17.46% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE. DOES THAT COVER IT? I COVERED IT. YOU WANT TO APPROVE THE RATIFICATION OF THE RATIFICATION. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION MADE BY THE PRO TEM. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN HAMMOND. PLEASE VOTE. ITEM PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, 7 TO 0. AND IT'S NOT A RECORD VOTE, SO NO NEED TO READ THEM. THANK YOU. AND. THANK YOU. STAFF. I KNOW THE BUDGET AND TAX RATE PROCESS IS ALWAYS A LONG STRENUOUS PROCESS. SO APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S EFFORTS. 2025 292. [2025-292 Consider and act upon an Agreement for Professional Services with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. for providing engineering services for the design of the Mockingbird Water Lines in an amount not to exceed $155,000.00 and authorize the City Manager to execute. ] CONSIDER AND ACT UPON AN AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WITH KIMLEY-HORN AND ASSOCIATES FOR PROVIDING ENGINEERING SERVICES, ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR THE DESIGN OF MOCKINGBIRD WATER LINES IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 155,000, AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ADAM MAYOR COUNCIL. GOOD EVENING. FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE BUDGET, YOU KNOW, AND THE HARD WORK AND THE CONSENSUS IS WONDERFUL. SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. WHETHER I'M ALLOWED TO SAY THAT OR NOT, BUT THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. TONIGHT BEFORE YOU IS A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH KIMLEY-HORN TO DESIGN A WATER LINE PROJECT ALONG MOCKINGBIRD LANE. WE'RE FROM WALNUT GROVE TO THE EAST. WE'RE GOING TO TIE INTO AN EXISTING DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS A LINE ALREADY STUBBED OUT FOR US. THE GOAL HERE IS TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY IN THAT SIDE OF TOWN. FIRE PROTECTION CAPACITY. AND EVENTUALLY, DEPENDING ON HOW THIS DESIGN WORKS OUT, IT MIGHT PLAY A BIG PART IN THE 1387 FARM TO MARKET ROAD 1387 UTILITY RELOCATION. YOU KNOW, THAT MIGHT ALLOW US TO USE THAT LINE RATHER THAN REALLY FOCUS ON THE 1387 CORRIDOR. SO THIS LINE MIGHT BE A GREAT CONNECTION FOR US ON OUR ON OUR RIGHT OF WAYS RATHER THAN HAVE TO DEAL WITH TXDOT. BUT THAT WOULD BE TO BE DETERMINED AS FAR AS THAT GOES. BUT AGAIN, THIS IS AN IMPACT FEE SEGMENT OF WATER THAT COULD BE CHARGED TO AND HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. THANKS, ADAM. ANYBODY SIGN UP? NO. NO. SPEAKERS. COUNCIL. DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OF ADAM ROSS? JUST A MOTION. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ROSS, TAKE A MOTION. MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND. MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN WEAVER, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN ROGERS. PLEASE VOTE. ITEM PASSES 7 TO 0. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [2025-293 Consider and act upon authorizing the Midlothian Public Works Department to sell three (3) out of service vehicles and associated equipment to the City of Venus for a total sum of $10,000.00. ] 20 2293 CONSIDER AND ACT UPON AUTHORIZING THE MIDLOTHIAN PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO SELL THREE OUT OF SERVICE VEHICLES AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT TO THE CITY OF VENUS FOR A SUM A TOTAL SUM OF $10,000. MAYOR. COUNCIL. GOOD EVENING AGAIN. THANK YOU. THIS IS AN IDEA OF SOME INTERLOCAL COOPERATION AND SUPPORT WITH OUR NEIGHBOR, THE CITY OF VENUS. YOU KNOW, NOT SAYING THEY CAN'T KEEP UP WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE DEMAND, THE WORK THEY HAVE, BUT TO HELP THEM IN A WAY, THEY CAN HAVE EQUIPMENT THAT COULD PROPERLY SERVICE THEIR CITIZENS AND THEIR CUSTOMERS. WE HAVE DONE THIS IN THE PAST WITH PUBLIC WORKS, WITH OTHER ITEMS SOMETHING THAT HAD MET ITS LIFESPAN WITH US. AND THE REASON WHY, WHEN I SAY LIFESPAN FOR EXAMPLE, THE 2009 WAS ACTUALLY AN AMBULANCE BEFORE WE TOOK IT AS PUBLIC WORKS. [00:45:06] WE TOOK THE CHASSIS, CHASSIS OR CHASSIS. BUT IT'S AN INSIDE JOKE. BUT BUT WE ENDED UP PUTTING THE MACHINE ON THE BACK OF THAT CHASSIS AND CHASSIS. SORRY. AND THEN ALSO ON THE CRANE TRUCK OR THE CRANE TRUCK THAT WE HAVE IT MET ITS LIFE EXPECTANCY ALSO IS A LITTLE TOO SMALL FOR THE PUMPS THAT WE'RE GETTING IN OUR LIFT STATIONS. SO COUNCIL APPROVED THE NEW CRANE TRUCK FOR US. AND SO THAT IS ONE OF THE PROCESSES THAT WE HAVE IS UPGRADING OUR SYSTEM AND OUR EQUIPMENT THAT NEEDS TO TAKE IT TO SERVICE IT. AND THEN ALSO THERE'S ANOTHER ASSIGNED TRUCK THAT WE HAVE THAT WE MODIFIED IT TO AS WELL THIS YEAR TO, TO ACCOMMODATE OUR NEEDS IN THE CITY OF MIDLOTHIAN. BUT THEY WILL SERVE A SERVICE FOR THE CITY OF VENUS. AND WE DO HELP VENUS WHERE WE CAN WITH PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT. BUT PROVIDING THIS EQUIPMENT, IF APPROVED, WILL HELP THEM IN THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR TIMES OF NEED TO. SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD NEIGHBORLY OFFER AND EFFORT AND DEPENDING ON YOUR DECISION, YOU KNOW, SPEAKERS COUNCIL QUESTIONS ON THIS, TAKE A MOTION ON IT. MOVE TO APPROVE. MOTION APPROVED BY COUNCILMAN ROGERS, SECONDED BY MAYOR PRO TEM WICKLIFFE. PLEASE VOTE. MISSING ONE VOTE. ITEM PASSES 7 TO 0. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. 2025 294 CONSIDER AND ACT UPON A RECOMMENDATION FROM MIDLOTHIAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO AMEND THE M.ED. [2025-294 Consider and act upon a recommendation from Midlothian Economic Development to amend the MED Promotional Program. ] PROMOTIONAL PROGRAM. KYLE. GOOD EVENING. WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO TAG TEAM THIS ONE TODAY. SO WE ARE BEFORE YOU AS A FOLLOW UP TO OUR PROMOTIONAL PROGRAM THAT WE PUT IN PLACE A YEAR AGO THE PROGRAM WAS INTENDED TO START OUT SMALL. HOWEVER THOUGH IT IS SMALL, IT HAS MADE A BIG IMPACT FOR THE BUSINESSES WHO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO USE IT. AS WE'VE EVALUATED NOW ONE YEAR INTO THE PROGRAM, THERE ARE SOME CHANGES THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE IT BETTER. AND SO THOSE ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE BRING FORWARD FROM THE BOARD. AND I WANT TO INTRODUCE ANNABELLE WHO WILL GO THROUGH THOSE CHANGES. AWESOME. SO THERE ARE A FEW CHANGES THAT WILL BE THAT WE ARE PRESENTING FOR THE OVERALL PROGRAM. SO FIRST IT WOULD BE INCREASING THE REIMBURSEMENT FROM A 50 OVER 50 TO INCREASING IT TO REIMBURSING IT TO 75%. BUT IT'S STILL MAINTAINING THE MAX OF THE 5000. SO WE'D CAP IT AT 5000, BUT THEY'D BE GETTING 75% BACK. AND THEN WE'D REQUIRE M.ED. M.ED. STAFF TO HAVE THE FINAL APPROVAL OF THE AD PRIOR TO IT BEING RELEASED OUT TO WHATEVER CHANNEL THEY'RE ADVERTISING ON. AND THEN WE FIXED UP SOME OF THE LANGUAGE TO BE MORE STRICT ON REQUIRING MIDLOTHIAN ON THE ADVERTISEMENT TO BE MORE PROMINENT. AND THEN ADDING LANGUAGE TO CLARIFY THAT HOME BASED BUSINESSES AREN'T ELIGIBLE AND THAT THE APPLICANT CAN REQUEST AN EXEMPTION IF THEY DO HAVE A DRIVE THROUGH SERVICE. AND WE ARE REMOVING THE ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS BECAUSE WE HAVE A SEPARATE SECTION FOR THAT IN OUR UPCOMING WORK PLAN. WHAT DID YOU SAY ON THE DRIVE THROUGH? I'M SORRY. YEAH. SO FOR OUR CURRENT PROGRAM, KNOW IF A RESTAURANT HAS A DRIVE THRU, THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED AT ALL. AND SO WE CREATED AN EXEMPTION FOR SOME OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES WHO DO HAVE A DRIVE THRU, WHO ARE EXCLUDED, WHO THEY CAN REQUEST AN EXEMPTION THAT WOULD GO TO OUR BOARD, AND THE BOARD WOULD APPROVE IT, NOT STAFF. THANK YOU. ANYBODY SIGN UP TO SPEAK? COUNCIL QUESTIONS. RUSS, HOW MUCH DID WE DEPLOY IN THE PAST YEAR UNDER THIS PROGRAM? YEAH. SO WE HAD AWARDED 21,900, BUT WE ACTUALLY GAVE OUT 5899. SO MORE FUNDS WERE WERE AWARDED. RIGHT. AND SO PEOPLE HAD THE HAD IDEAS TO DO LARGER CAMPAIGNS. ULTIMATELY THEY DID NOT USE ALL OF THEIR FUNDS. WE ALSO HAVE A COUPLE, AS THE PROGRAM RUNS THROUGH THE END OF SEPTEMBER THAT STILL HAVE LEFT TO SUBMIT THEIR REIMBURSEMENTS. OKAY. AND IS THAT. SO THAT WAS OUT OF THE TOTAL 50,000 THAT WAS WAS ALLOCATED FOR THIS. [00:50:07] AND WHAT'S THE EXPECTATION WITH THESE CHANGES FOR DEPLOYING THAT 50,000. I ASSUME IT'S THE SAME DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR THE NEXT YEAR. CORRECT. SO ULTIMATELY, BECAUSE THE CAP DOESN'T CHANGE YOU KNOW, THE BENEFIT TO THE COMPANY IS STILL CAPPED AT 50,000 OR AT 5000. EXCUSE ME, NOT 50,000. AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO USE, YOU KNOW, MORE OF THOSE FUNDS TO GET IT OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY. AND SO, YOU KNOW, OUR HOPE IS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO USE ALL 50,000 IN THE COMING YEAR. THE MODIFICATIONS WON'T ALLOW MORE DOLLARS TO BE DEPLOYED SO THAT THERE IS MORE AWARENESS FOR THE BUSINESSES DIRECTLY USING IT, BUT ALSO THOSE INDIRECTLY THAT BENEFIT BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE AWARENESS. THE OTHER PIECE IS BECAUSE OF HAVING THIS AGREEMENT OR BECAUSE OF HAVING THIS PROGRAM IN PLACE NOW FOR A YEAR, MORE PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT, RIGHT? SO WE REALLY ARE HOPEFUL AND OPTIMISTIC THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DEPLOY ALL 50,000 THIS YEAR. AND HOW DO HOW DO YOU GUYS MEASURE SUCCESS IF YOU IF WE DO DEPLOY ALL 50,000 TO OUR I MEAN, THIS IS VERY TARGETED AT SMALLER AND LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED BUSINESSES. HOW DO WE MEASURE SUCCESS IF WE ARE ABLE TO DEPLOY ALL 50,000? SO AT THE AT THE COMPLETION OF EACH OF THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE AWARDED BEFORE YOU KNOW THEM RECEIVING THEIR FUNDS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY. WHAT WE REALIZED IN GOING THROUGH IN THIS IS THAT THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT IS TO MEET WITH EACH OF THE BUSINESSES INDIVIDUALLY. AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE ROLES THAT ANNABELLE HAS DONE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IN GENERAL, ANNABELLE, HOW HOW HAVE THESE BENEFIT, HOW HAVE THESE BUSINESSES BEEN BENEFITED FROM THE PROGRAM? YEAH. SO AFTER THE PROGRAM OR PROMOTIONAL PROGRAM HAPPENS AND THEY GET THE FUNDS, I GENUINELY OR GENUINELY I GO OUT AND TALK WITH THEM AND JUST ASK THEM, YOU KNOW, HOW BUSINESS WAS AND HOW THEIR ADVERTISEMENT WAS AND HOW THE PROCESS WAS ABOUT THE PROGRAM IN GENERAL. AND A LOT OF THEM, OF COURSE, SAY, LIKE GETTING THE MONEY BACK. THAT'S THE MAIN REASON WHY THEY APPLIED. BUT THIS ALSO ALLOWED OPENED UP FUNDS TO PROMOTE TO AREAS THAT THEY NORMALLY WOULDN'T PROMOTE TO, BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE BUSINESSES, THEY'RE USING THEIR MARKETING DOLLARS TO FUND JUST LOCALLY. BUT NOW THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE GETTING CASH FLOW BACK, THEY CAN EXPAND TO OTHER COMMUNITIES OUTSIDE. AND SO THEY'RE BRINGING IN NEW CUSTOMERS THAT THEY KNOW THEY NORMALLY WOULDN'T. SO THEY SEE A BENEFIT BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING A DIFFERENT A DIFFERENT LIKE FOOT TRAFFIC INTO THEIR STORES, WHICH THEN BLEEDS INTO OTHER AREAS, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S IN FOUNDER'S ROW. THEN THEY CAN GO SEE OTHER BUSINESSES IN THE AREA OR DOWNTOWN. SO NOT ONLY DOES IT HELP THEIR BUSINESS, BUT THEY ALSO KNOW IT HELPS THEIR NEIGHBORS BUSINESS. AND THEN IT BRINGS CASH FLOW BACK INTO THEIR BUSINESS. SO THEN THEY CAN SPEND IT ELSEWHERE AS WELL, OR INCREASE THEIR MARKETING BUDGET BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY'RE GETTING THAT MONEY BACK. THANK YOU. MIKE. YOU MIGHT HAVE MENTIONED THIS AND I MIGHT HAVE MISSED IT IN THE CONVERSATION. I'VE HEARD YOU TALK ABOUT THE MARKETING PROCESS THAT COMES OUT OF THESE FUNDS THAT ARE DISPERSED, BUT AND I CAUGHT WHERE YOU GO OUT PERSONALLY OR THE. EMMY GOES OUT PERSONALLY AND VISITS WITH BUSINESSES. HOW WOULD BUSINESSES FIND OUT ABOUT THESE FUNDS IF THEY WEREN'T VISITED WITH PERSONALLY? AND IF YOU WILL EXPLAIN THE MARKETING PROCESS ON OUR OWN, THAT MAKES SURE THAT ALL BUSINESSES OF THIS SIZE THAT WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS ARE AWARE AND HOW THEY TAKE IN THE PROCESS. YEAH. SO THE APPLICATION IS MADE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE AND THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA. BUT I TRY IN EVERY CONVERSATION WITH A LOCAL BUSINESS TO TRY AND MENTION IT, BECAUSE ONE OF THE MAJOR STRUGGLES FOR LIKE BRICK AND MORTAR IS GETTING FOOT TRAFFIC INSIDE A BUSINESS. AND SO REALLY, I JUST TELL THE BUSINESS TO SUBMIT WHAT THEY HAVE AND THEN TRY AND WORK WITH THEM TO SAY WHAT OUR GUIDELINES ARE AND FOR THEM TO MATCH THAT, BECAUSE OUR GOAL ISN'T TO TRY AND LIKE, GET THEM NOT TO QUALIFY BECAUSE WE WANT THIS MONEY GONE. WE WANT ALL OF IT GONE. AND SO THEY WILL SEND ME WHAT THEY HAVE, AND THEN I'LL WORK WITH THEM. IF IT DOESN'T QUALIFY TO FIGURE OUT, HEY, LIKE WHAT? WHERE CAN WE GET YOU TO QUALIFY FOR THIS PROGRAM? I'M NOT GOING TO, LIKE, TELL THEM HOW TO MAKE THEIR AD BECAUSE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THEIR OWNERSHIP OF IT, BUT HOW THEY CAN BEST LIKE GET CUSTOMERS TO MIDLOTHIAN AND GET IT TO QUALIFY SO THAT THEY CAN GET THE MONEY REIMBURSED. AND I'M NOT I'M NOT SO CONCERNED ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD HELP THEM WITH THEIR AD. [00:55:06] THE CONCERN I HAVE IS, IS THERE'S EQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF UNDERSTANDING. SO THE REGION WIDE OF OF NOT JUST BECAUSE THEY HAPPEN UPON IT IN A FACEBOOK AD OR A FELLOW BUSINESS MEMBER SAYS, HEY, THIS IS AVAILABLE, THAT THEY SOMEHOW FIND OUT ABOUT THIS WITHOUT BEING TOLD OR ASKED. SO ANNABELLE HAS DONE A GREAT JOB IN, IN PROMOTING AND MAKING THIS PROGRAM AWARE TO TO OUR BUSINESSES. WE HAVE DIFFERENT FLIERS THAT WE, WE HAVE CREATED THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO KIND OF SEND OUT. WE'VE ALSO SENT OUT MAILERS. SPECIAL THANKS TO THE CITY. YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A LOT IN HELPING US TO, YOU KNOW, USE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHALLENGES OR CHANNELS TO, TO PUSH THAT OUT. DID A PRESS RELEASE AND REALLY JUST TRYING TO DO ANYTHING THAT WE CAN TO PUT IT OUT THERE. WE WORKED WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE CHAMBER. THEY'VE THEY'VE HELPED PUT IT OUT THERE. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE KEY THINGS WITH THIS PROGRAM IS CONSISTENCY, RIGHT? SO WE'RE HERE TO MAKE THE PROGRAM A LITTLE BIT BETTER. IF YOU FIND TWEAKS TO TO MAKE THE PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY WORK BETTER FOR THE COMMUNITY THE MORE TIME WE HAVE THIS, THE MORE OF THE COMMUNITY THAT KNOWS IT'S OUT THERE THE BETTER WILL BE. AND, YOU KNOW, ALL BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY KNOWING THAT IT'S AVAILABLE TO THEM. IT'S BEEN A VERY POPULAR TOPIC. AND SOME OF THE BUSINESS TO BUSINESS NETWORKING GROUPS THAT I'VE BEEN ASKED TO SPEAK AT. AND SO THOSE GROUPS HAVE BEEN VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE INTENTIONALITY BEHIND THIS COUNCIL AND THE BOARDS TO NOT ONLY WITH THE AID, BUT ALSO TO BE TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT SERVING ALL OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES. SO I APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS AND THE TWEAKS THAT YOU'RE MAKING. MY MY SHAMELESS PLUG, YOU KNOW, IN PART OUR OUR STRONGER TOGETHER EVENT THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THAT EVENT IS TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY AWARE OF PROGRAMS LIKE THIS AND OTHERS. SO THAT THEY KNOW THE RESOURCES THAT ARE THERE ULTIMATELY TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY BETTER. ALSO, YOU AS COUNCIL, I MEAN, YOU GUYS TALKED TO A LOT OF OF BUSINESSES OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, FEEL FREE, MAKE THEM AWARE, KNOW OF THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY HAVE. THIS IS A WAY TO HELP OUR BUSINESSES BRING NEW CUSTOMERS, YOU KNOW, FROM OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY INTO OUR COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED AS A AS A GROWING COMMUNITY. SO OFTEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ASKED, HEY, WHY DON'T WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THESE RESTAURANTS AND DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, RETAIL USES. WE'RE STILL A SMALL COMMUNITY. AND SO OUR ABILITY TO BRING IN MORE YOU KNOW, CUSTOMERS TO OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES IS WHAT WILL MAKE OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES THRIVE. AND, YOU KNOW, THE LOCAL ENTREPRENEUR WHO WANTS TO START UP THE BUSINESS. THIS IS ONE OF THE WAYS TO HELP THEM. FANTASTIC. TAKE A MOTION ON THIS ONE. MOTION APPROVED BY COUNCILMAN WEAVER, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN ROGERS. PLEASE VOTE. ITEM PASSES 7 TO 0. THANK YOU ANNABELLE. THANK YOU. KYLE. OPENING ITEM 2025 295. CONSIDER AND ACT UPON AMENDING THE GOVERNANCE POLICY BOARD [2025-295 Consider and act upon amending the Governance Policy — Board Requirements and Rules, term limits policies. ] REQUIREMENTS AND RULES, AND TERM LIMIT POLICIES. YES. MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I KNOW AT OUR LAST WORKSHOP, WE TALKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF. MODIFYING THE TERM LIMIT TO MAYBE ELIMINATE THE THE ONE THE MANDATORY ONE YEAR OFF BETWEEN EACH SIX YEAR TERM. WHAT WAS DISCUSSED IS WHILE THEY WOULD HAVE TO TAKE A YEAR OFF OF THE BOARD THAT THEY'RE SERVING ON, THEY MAY BE ABLE TO GO TO A DIFFERENT BOARD AND AT LEAST SERVE A ONE OR EITHER A 2 OR 3 YEAR TERM, DEPENDING ON THE TERM OF THAT PARTICULAR BOARD. BEFORE THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD THAT THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY ON. SO THIS IS JUST PUT FORTH BASED ON THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WERE HAD AT THE WORKSHOP. OKAY. TAMMY, ANYBODY SIGN UP TO SPEAK? COUNCIL RECALL THAT DISCUSSION IN THE WORKSHOP SETTING. OKAY. QUESTIONS OR RECOMMENDATIONS OR ADJUSTMENTS? IS EVERYBODY CLEAR ON WHAT CHRIS HAS PUT FORWARD IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY? OKAY. TAKE A MOTION. MOVE TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED. SECOND MOTION TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED BY PRO TEM WICKLIFF, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN SHEFFIELD. PLEASE VOTE. ITEM PASSES 7 TO 0. [2025-296 Consider and act upon an ordinance of the City of Midlothian, Texas, amending the Code of Ordinances by amending Chapter | titled “General Provisions” by amending Article 1.03 titled “Boards, Commissions and Committees” by amending Division 5 titled “Planning and Zoning Commission” by amending Section 1.03.154 titled “Rules and Procedures” by amending Subsection (a)(1) titled “Officers” by amending Subsection (B) to amend the process for election of chairman and vice-chairman; providing a repealing clause; providing a severability clause; and providing for an effective date. ] 2025 296 CONSIDER AND ACT UPON AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MIDLOTHIAN, TEXAS, AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES BY AMENDING CHAPTER ONE TITLED GENERAL PROVISIONS [01:00:02] AND AMENDING ARTICLE 1.03 TITLED BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES BY AMENDING DIVISION FIVE TITLED PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION BY AMENDING SECTION 1.03.154 TITLED RULES AND PROCEDURES BY AMENDING SUBSECTION TITLED OFFICERS BY AMENDING SUBSECTION TO AMEND THE PROCESS FOR ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN, PROVIDING A REPEALING CLAUSE, PROVIDING SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. THAT WAS A MOUTHFUL, JOE. THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO MAYOR AND COUNCIL AGAIN, THIS WAS THIS WAS ALSO DISCUSSED AT THE WORKSHOP. AND WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS, WELL, I'M GOING TO SAY THERE'S BASICALLY FOUR DIFFERENT OPTIONS. AND I'LL KIND OF RUN THROUGH THOSE. THE FIRST WAS LEAVE IT EXACTLY HOW IT IS TODAY, WHERE THE PNC JUST ELECTS THE CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIR ON THEIR OWN OR ONE OF THE THREE NEW OPTIONS, WHICH WOULD BE TO WHERE THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION ACTION CHANGES THAT FROM ELECT TO NOMINATE A CHAIRMAN OR VICE CHAIRMAN, AND THEN THAT IS SUBMITTED TO COUNCIL FOR FINAL APPROVAL. ANOTHER OPTION WAS TO CHANGE THE PROCESS TO WHERE COUNCIL SHALL NOMINATE THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR. AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION WILL VOTE ON THOSE NOMINATIONS, OR THREE JUST TO CHANGE THE PROCESS TO THE COUNCIL MAY APPOINT THE CHAIRMAN AND VICE PRESIDENT AND VICE CHAIRMAN. SO THOSE WERE THE I'M GOING TO SAY FOUR DIFFERENT OPTIONS, THREE NEW AND THEN THE FOURTH BEING JUST TO LEAVE IT THE WAY IT IS. THOSE WERE THE THE OPTIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED AT THE WORKSHOP. AND SO WE JUST HAVE THIS ITEM FOR YOUR DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL IF YOU CHOOSE TO SELECT ONE. CAN ANYBODY SIGN UP TO SPEAK? COUNCIL. YOU'VE HAD SEVERAL DAYS AND WEEKS ACTUALLY TO KIND OF CONSIDER THIS ITEM AND THINK IT OVER. I REALLY AM NOT INTERESTED. UNLESS YOU ALL ARE OF HAVING A DEBATE ON WHICH OPTION TO PROCEED WITH. I WOULD LIKE TO JUST KIND OF KNOW WHERE EVERYBODY STANDS ON WHAT YOUR PREFERENCE IS OF THE FOUR OPTIONS, AND THEN SEE IF WE HAVE CONSENSUS AROUND AN IDEA AND THEN PUSH IT FORWARD. IS THAT FAIR? UNLESS YOU WANT A DEBATE, WE CAN DEBATE. SO WHO WANTS TO KICK IT OFF? WHO'S WHO HAS A OPINION ON ONE OF THE FOUR OPTIONS? GO AHEAD. ROSS. I MEAN, MY OPINION REMAINS THE SAME AS IT DID WHEN WE HAD THIS WORKSHOP THAT IF WE'RE APPOINTING PEOPLE THAT WE FEEL ARE BEST SUITED AND QUALIFIED TO REPRESENT AND SERVE THE CITY OF MIDLOTHIAN, THEN WE SHOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO TRUST THEM TO CHOOSE THEIR OWN LEADERSHIP ON THE BOARD OR, I GUESS, THE COMMISSION IN THIS CASE. SO I THINK IF WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE RULES TO SAY THAT WE NEED TO SAY WHO THAT PERSON IS, THEN WE PROBABLY NEED TO REVISE OUR OUR NOMINATION AND APPROVAL OF CANDIDATES TO APPOINT FOLKS THAT CAN HANDLE THAT THEMSELVES. OKAY, SO YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO LEAVE AS IS. YES, SIR. OKAY. CLARK, DO YOU HAVE AN OPINION? WELL, ROSS SAID WORD FOR WORD WHAT I WAS ABOUT TO SAY. SO WHAT HE SAID. OKAY. DOES ANYBODY HAVE AN OPPOSING OPINION? MIKE, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S THAT OPPOSING. I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH WHAT ROSS AND CLARK HAVE STATED, I DO BELIEVE IT WOULD NOT HURT THAT COUNCIL AT LEAST HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE A NOMINATION OF WHO THAT CHAIRMAN MIGHT BE WITHIN THE PROCESS. BUT YET PNC COULD HAVE THEIR OWN NOMINATION OR TAKE THAT NOMINEE NOMINEE AND HAVE A VOTE ON WHO THEY WOULD DECIDE THAT THAT WOULD PROVIDE SOME LEVERAGE IN A TENSE SITUATION WHERE YOU PERHAPS HAD IN WHICH I STILL SAY WE'RE COMING INTO NOW A PROCESS OF A NUMBER OF POTENTIAL NEWER MEMBERS OF PLANNING AND ZONING, WHERE WE'VE HAD A LONG STANDING, LONG SERVING, DEEP HISTORICAL ROOTS, SERVICE AND TENURE THERE THAT WE WE DON'T KNOW IF THE POOL COULD END UP BEING SOME YOUNGER CANDIDATES, NOT IN AGE, BUT IN SERVICE, AND AFTER THAT APPOINTMENT TOOK PLACE, COULD BECOME PROBLEMATIC. I WOULD HOPE NOT. BUT IT WOULD BE NICE IF WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, IF WE FELT LIKE WE HAD, IN OUR VIEW, A WISER APPOINT APPOINTMENT, THAT WE WOULD HAVE AT LEAST THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR IT TO BE IN THE POOL. AND PNC COULD STILL VOTE ON WHAT THEY WANTED. SO WHICH OF THE OPTIONS ARE YOU? ARE YOU SUGGESTING THE COUNCIL APPOINT? ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT THE COUNCIL CONFIRM THE APPOINTMENT? I APOLOGIZE, I'M JUST I'M JUST I'M JUST SAYING THAT COUNCIL WOULD PROVIDE A NOMINEE. A NUMBER TWO CANDIDATE, AND IT MAY MATCH IN WITH WHAT THEY HAVE IN MIND, BUT JUST A PROVIDE A POOL OF TWO INSTEAD OF JUST ONE. IF IT WAS A TENSE SITUATION, COUNCIL MAY DECIDE TO WAIVE IT. [01:05:01] MOST OF THE TIME. BUT THAT WOULD BE MY TAKE. AND THAT'S I KNOW ROSS HAS SERVED AS CHAIRMAN. I'VE SERVED ON PNC TWICE MYSELF OVER THE YEARS, GOING BACK TO OH NINE. AND THAT CHAIR POSITION IS THE IN MY THAT'S THE KEY TO THAT BOARD OPERATING EFFICIENTLY AND PROPERLY. OKAY. SO I HAVE ONE VOTE FOR NUMBER TWO AND TWO VOTES TO LEAVE AS IS. SO I CAN UNDERSTAND BOTH THEORIES AROUND AROUND THE APPROACH HERE. MY PREFERENCE WOULD, WOULD PROBABLY LEAN TOWARD JUST CONTINUING AS IS, BUT I COULD SUPPORT I WOULD ACTUALLY SUPPORT THE OPPOSITE, HAVING PNC GO THROUGH THEIR NORMAL PROCESS AND JUST HAVE A FINAL CONFIRMATION, LIKE WE DO WITH SO MANY OTHER THINGS WITH BOARDS WHERE THE COUNCIL JUST CONFIRMS THAT APPOINTMENT. I'M OF THE SAME MINDSET. WOULD YOU GUYS BE OPEN TO THE COUNCIL CONFIRMING THEIR APPOINTMENT? ISN'T THAT, IN ESSENCE, WHAT WE DO ANYWAY? I THOUGHT THAT THE THE BOARD NOMINEES. NO, I THOUGHT THEY CAME BEFORE COUNCIL. OR HAVE WE GOTTEN AWAY FROM THAT? YOU JUST YOU'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT TO PUT MEMBERS ON THE BOARD, BUT NOT TO ELECT THEIR CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIR. I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SO. YES. I APOLOGIZE, I KNEW WE HAD APPROVED FOLKS ON THE BOARD, BUT I GUESS THE CHAIR PROCESS THAT I FOLLOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO THE THOUGHT WAS, AND YOU MAY HAVE MISSED THAT MEETING, THE THOUGHT PROCESS WAS BECAUSE P AND Z IS SUCH A FRONTWARD FACING BOARD, OFTEN WITH VERY HIGHLY CONTENTIOUS ISSUES THAT MAY ATTRACT A LARGE CROWD. WE WANT IT TO REPRESENT WELL AND TO BE A REFLECTION OF THE COUNCIL ITSELF. AND I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S YOU KNOW, ANY, ANY ILL WILL OR ANY ISSUES GOING ON. WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PREVENT THAT SHOULD THEY COME IN THE FUTURE. MY ONLY CONCERN. I DON'T HAVE AN EXTREME, EXTREMELY STRONG OPINION ON THIS. MY CONCERN WITH NOMINATE VERSUS CONFIRM. I DON'T THINK. LIKE IF A NAME IS PRESENTED TO US AND WE'RE GOING TO SIT UP HERE AND BE LIKE, NO, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE A GOOD PERSON TO DO THIS. I DON'T THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO HAPPEN. BUT LIKE IF WE NOMINATE AND LET THEM DECIDE, IT'S AT LEAST GIVING INPUT WITHOUT INSULTING EVERYBODY ELSE, LIKE THE LOGISTICS OF ACTUALLY JUST PASSING IT THROUGH. I JUST WONDER IF WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE CHANGING THE PROCESS AT ALL. SO YOU WOULD LEAN TOWARD NUMBER TWO OR LEAVE AS IS? I WOULD SAY NUMBER TWO OR NUMBER FOUR OF LEAVE AS IS. I'M JUST WONDERING IF, I MEAN, MAYBE Y'ALL ARE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT, BUT IF THEY'RE LIKE, OH, I WANT JOE AS OUR CHAIR. AND WE'RE LIKE, NO, WE DO NOT WANT JOE. NOT THIS JOE. BUT JOE SCHMO. OKAY. WAYNE, DO YOU HAVE COMMENTS? WELL, IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT I MEAN, I'M MORE IN FAVOR OF LEAVING IT AS IT IS IN OUR VETTING PROCESS IN TERMS OF NOMINATING AND AND APPOINTING THE MEMBERS IN THAT VETTING PROCESS. I'M MORE AFRAID. I MEAN, IT'S ALWAYS BETTER TO TAKE CARE OF THESE KIND OF THINGS WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH. AND I UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE DEALING WITH IT NOW BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DEAL WITH. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I CAN ALMOST SEE IT BEING IF WE GO WITH A NOMINATION OR APPOINTING IN TERMS OF CHAIRPERSON IF IT'S A NOMINATION, IT'S STILL GOING TO BE PERCEIVED COMING FROM COUNCIL THAT THEY WOULD, YOU KNOW, THOSE THAT WE'VE APPOINTED WOULD BE ARGUING BACK AGAINST THE COUNCIL. IF IT GOES THE OTHER WAY, THEN IT ALMOST SEEMS LIKE WE'RE CAUGHT IN THE POLITICAL QUADRANT OF GOING AGAINST THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES. AND I CAN ALMOST SEE IT BEING A QUAGMIRE OR A TRAIN WRECK MIGHT COULD POTENTIALLY HAPPEN. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID. AND I WOULD HATE FOR US TO GO INTO A CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE WE CREATE IT, YOU KNOW, OR ANOTHER COUNCIL FIVE YEARS, TEN YEARS FROM NOW. IT'S WE'VE CREATED IT FOR THEM. AND I WOULD ALMOST FEEL LIKE THAT GOING THROUGH THE, YOU KNOW, SERIOUS VETTING PROCESS IN THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE OF WHO GOES ON TO THOSE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND, AND COMMITTEES THAT PROBABLY I MEAN, I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE THAT THAT BE THE WAY THAT [01:10:01] WE, WE, WE TAKE THE STAND OF, YOU KNOW, AND NOT APPOINT ANYBODY TO HIM THAT COULDN'T POTENTIALLY BE A GOOD LEADER. NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE SOME THAT WOULD BE BRAND NEW NOVICES STILL TRYING TO LEARN. I DON'T ALMOST FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE SAYING YOU HAVE TO BE ON FOR AT LEAST A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME BEFORE YOU COULD BE ELECTED AS CHAIRPERSON, AND THAT WAY YOU DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY COMING IN WITH AN AGENDA TRYING TO MANEUVER POLITICALLY. SO I LEAN MORE HEAVILY AT THIS STAGE TO KEEPING AS IS AND HAVING A GOOD, STRONG NOMINATION PROCESS OF WHO WE PUT ON THE BOARD. IT SEEMS LIKE THE MAJORITY IS WITH LEAVE, AS IS. IS ANYBODY THAT'S NOT WITH THE LEAVE AS IS? GROUP WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PASSIONATE PLEA TO TRY TO WIN THEM OVER. OR ARE WE GOOD? WELL, I WOULD I WAS ONLY GOING TO STATE THE ONLY PRIMARY CONCERN. AND I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH MUCH OF WHAT WAYNE'S MENTIONED. WE HAVE A SITUATION APPROACHING TO WHERE IF YOU IF YOU THINK OF OUR OUR CHAIRPERSONS FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS HAVE ALL BEEN LONG VESTED HISTORICAL STANDING RESIDENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF OUR PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD, HAVE, I WOULD SAY, 80% BEEN ALL LONG STANDING, VESTED RESIDENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE DON'T INVITE NEW IDEAS AND NEW LEADERS. I SITTING MYSELF ON THE BOARD APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE THIS YEAR FOR THE SECOND TIME ONCE BEFORE ON PREVIOUS COUNCIL. I AM SEEING A LOT OF PEOPLE I DON'T KNOW AT ALL. I'M NOT. I'M TALKING. NOT AT ALL. I'M SEEING FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN LIVING HERE FOR 2 OR 3 YEARS THAT ARE APPLYING, AND I THINK THAT'S WONDERFUL, BUT IT DOES CONCERN ME THAT. I'M A FIRM BELIEVER THAT NEW IDEAS ARE GREAT, BUT I'M A VERY FIRM BELIEVER IN THE REASON WHY MIDLOTHIAN'S AS GREAT AS IT IS BECAUSE OF GREAT WISE LEADERSHIP THAT UNDERSTOOD THE HISTORY WHERE WE CAME FROM, WHAT WE ARE, AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BECOME. AND THAT'S NOT EASILY REPLACEABLE. YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND SMART PEOPLE, BUT ARE THEY WISE? ARE THEY WISE IN HISTORY AND WHO WE ARE AND HOW WE'RE MID-LOTHIAN? AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TO BECOME WHO WE ARE. BUT I THINK WE'RE LEAVING A BIG DOOR OPEN TO TURN AROUND AND 2 TO 5 YEARS, IF WE LEAVE IT AS IS AND SAY, HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHTS. OKAY. APPRECIATE IT. MIKE, DID THAT CHANGE ANYBODY'S MIND ON THEIR LEAVE STANCE? I'M TRYING TO NAVIGATE ALL THE OPTIONS AND IT'S KIND OF DIFFICULT. NO, IT DIDN'T CHANGE MY MIND AT ALL, BUT I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US AS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO ENCOURAGE THOSE FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE FEEL. BEST SUITED FOR THOSE ROLES TO MAKE THE APPLICATION. I MEAN, THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I TRY TO DO. I KNOW WE ALL WORK IN THAT REGARD. IT'S BUT IT'S I SIT ON PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION FOR THE BETTER PART OF A DECADE. IT IS NOT FOR THE GLORY OR THE PAY. IT'S A GREAT WAY TO TURN FRIENDS INTO ENEMIES. IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO UPSET EVERYONE IN TOWN WHERE THEY'VE BEEN HERE FOR TEN MINUTES, TEN YEARS OR TEN DECADES. AND IT IS A VITAL COMPONENT. SO, I MEAN, I THINK THAT THAT IS THE CHALLENGE, RIGHT, IS THAT WE WE HAVE TO GO OUT AND AND SOLICIT, YOU KNOW, GOOD FOLKS WITH THE SALES PITCH LIKE THAT. YEAH, 100%. I MEAN, I JUST I CALL A SPADE A SPADE. I MEAN, I KNOWING THAT I DID IT FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE THIS IS HOME AND IT'S IMPORTANT AND IT'S IMPACTFUL AND AND WE NEED TO GET FOLKS IN WITH THAT RIGHT MINDSET AND, AND GET THEM, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE VETTING COMMITTEE AND, AND GET THEM ONTO THE RIGHT PLACE TO SERVE. SO I STILL THINK WE LEAVE IT AS IS, BUT IT'S ABOUT GETTING THE RIGHT, YOU KNOW, GETTING MORE FOLKS EXCITED ABOUT SHAPING THE FUTURE OF MIDLOTHIAN AND HONORING ITS PAST AT THE SAME TIME. OKAY. DO YOU WANT TO FORMULATE THAT AN OFFICIAL MOTION? I MOVE TO DENY. OKAY. OR IS THAT IS THAT HOW WE SHOULD DO THAT? JOE? JUST LEAVE IT AS IS. JUST LEAVE IT AS. JUST LEAVE AS IS. IS IT DIRECTION TO THE STAFF, OR IS THIS NO ACTION? I MOVE TO TAKE NO ACTION. SO IT'S THE THE THE AGENDA ITEM IS CALLING FOR ACTION. SO MY RECOMMENDATION SHOULD YOU RECEIVE IT IS TO MAKE A MOTION TO LEAVE AS IS. I MAKE A MOTION TO LEAVE THE STATED POLICY AS IS. [01:15:03] OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. MOTION MADE TO LEAVE AS IS BY COUNCILMAN WEAVER. SECONDED BY COUNCIL MAYOR PRO TEM WICKLIFFE. PLEASE VOTE. ITEM PASSES 7 TO 0. APPRECIATE THE DIALOG. OPENING ITEM 20 2297. [2025-297 Consider and act upon a five-year contract with Ellis County Emergency Services District No. 2 (ESD) to provide fire and EMS response within the district and authorize the City Manager to execute the contract. ] CONSIDER AND ACT UPON A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT WITH ELLIS COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICT NUMBER TWO, TO PROVIDE FIRE AND EMS RESPONSE WITHIN THE DISTRICT AND AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE CONTRACT. CHIEF. MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THIS IS THE ONE YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR. THE LAST AGENDA ITEM TONIGHT. SO AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER, OUR CURRENT ONE YEAR CONTRACT WITH ESD NUMBER TWO WILL EXPIRE. AND AS IN YEARS PAST, WE'VE COME TO YOU AT THIS POINT IN THE YEAR TO ASK TO CONTINUE THAT RELATIONSHIP. THIS YEAR, WE'RE COMING TO YOU WITH A LITTLE DIFFERENT TYPE OF CONTRACT, MORE IN THE LINES OF A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT. THIS WOULD ALLOW US TO ENSURE CONTINUITY WITH OUR PARTNERS. AND I THINK ALSO HAVE A DIRECT BENEFIT TO THE CITIZENS OF MIDLOTHIAN FINANCIALLY. SO WITH ITEM BEFORE YOU TONIGHT, WE'RE ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER AND ACT UPON A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT WITH ELLIS COUNTY SERVICE DISTRICT NUMBER TWO FOR FIRE AND EMS RESPONSE. OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE ESD BOARD TO COME UP WITH A FORMULA THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY, IDENTIFY A COST PER RUN. THAT FORMULA HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THE CONTRACT. AND THIS YEAR, BASED ON AN ESTIMATED 550 RUNS THAT WILL BE CALCULATED FROM JULY 1ST OF 25 THROUGH JULY 30TH, 2026, AT 550 RUNS AT. IN JULY OF 2026, WE'LL LOOK BACK TO SEE IF WE EXCEEDED THAT 550 RUNS, AND IF SO, THE ISD WILL PAY US FOR EVERY RUN OVER THAT 550 ON OUR SEPTEMBER PAYMENT. THIS YEAR BASED ON THAT ESTIMATE RUN, WE'RE LOOKING AT $1,430,855 IN REVENUE FROM THE ESD. THAT'S IF MY MATH IS CORRECT, ABOUT $300,000 MORE THAN THEY PAID US LAST YEAR FOR THE SERVICES. THE ONLY THING THAT WILL BE DEDUCTED FROM THAT 1,430,855. FIVE. IS $153,000 THAT THEY HAVE IN DEBT PAYMENTS COMING UP IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. THE REMAINDER OF SO THAT 153 IS DEDUCTED FROM THAT. THE REMAINDER IS A DIRECT CASH PAYMENT THAT THE ESD PAYS US BY ANNUALLY. IN ADDITION TO THAT, IF WE AGREE TO THIS FIVE YEAR CONTRACT, THE ESD IS PROPOSING TO PUT AWAY HALF OF THEIR SALES TAX DOLLARS TOWARDS EVERY YEAR, TOWARDS A FIRE STATION IN THE FUTURE THAT WOULD BE LOCATED SOMEWHERE IN THAT SOUTHERN REGION OF OUR OF THEIR JURISDICTION AND IN A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AREA THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY ENTERED INTO THAT ROUGHLY COULD TOTAL $5 MILLION TOWARDS A FIRE STATION OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD BASED ON THEIR SALES TAX ESTIMATES THAT THEY'VE THEY'VE GOT ON THE BOOKS SO FAR. BEYOND THAT IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE MORE THAN WILLING TO ANSWER THEM TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY AT THIS POINT. THANK YOU. CHIEF. TAMMY. ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? COUNCIL. IF YOU RECALL, WE WENT INTO PRETTY IN DEPTH ON THIS TOPIC DURING THE BUDGET WORKSHOP. SO FEEL FREE TO ASK QUESTIONS, ENGAGE, OR REVISIT SOME OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS SHOULD YOU LIKE TO. SO MY QUESTION FIRST RELATES TO THE NEW FIRE STATION FUND, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY. I LIKE THAT CONCEPT. BUT WHAT HAPPENS IF WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS WE, WE DON'T BUILD ANOTHER FIRE STATION? DO THOSE FUNDS STAY RESERVED FOR A FUTURE FIRE STATION? DO THEY FLOW BACK TO THE ESD? HOW DOES THAT WORK? SO THE ESD HAS A FUND THAT THEY ARE GOING TO PUT THOSE DOLLARS INTO. AND IF WE DON'T BUILD A FIRE STATION IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. THEY'RE JUST GOING TO STAY IN THAT FUND AND BE AVAILABLE IN THE FUTURE. WHEN A FIRE STATION IS DEEMED NECESSARY IN THAT AREA. [01:20:02] OKAY. SO BECAUSE THE WAY I READ IT WAS THAT IF WE TERMINATE OR DON'T RENEW THE AGREEMENT, THEN OUR RIGHT TO THOSE FUNDS GOES AWAY. AND THAT'S A FAIR STATEMENT. SO, I MEAN, IN ALL FAIRNESS TO THE ESD, THEY OBVIOUSLY WANT TO MAINTAIN THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH US. AND THOSE DOLLARS ARE AVAILABLE TO US AS LONG AS OUR RELATIONSHIP IS INTACT. OKAY. AND THEN SO IN THE THE WRITE UP, IT SAID A MILLION. FOUR 3855 BUT IN THE TEXT OF THE AGREEMENT, IT SAYS A MILLION. 468 500. I'M SORRY. SAY AGAIN IN THE TEXT OF THE ACTUAL CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT ATTACHED, IT SAYS A MILLION 468 500. YEAH, I THINK THE I THINK THERE'S A DIFFERENCE. I THINK THE 1,000,004 30 WAS WHAT THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE WAS FOR THE BUDGET, BUT I THINK THE 1 MILLION FOR 68 IS THE CORRECT NUMBER, AND THAT WOULD BE THE 1 MILLION FOR 68, THEN THE 153 IN DEBT PAYMENTS. AND SO, YES, I APOLOGIZE, I WAS READING OFF OF THE AGENDA ITEM AND THAT NUMBER WE WERE BOUNCING SOME NUMBERS BACK AND FORTH AT THE FINAL HOUR TRYING TO GET THE LANGUAGE CORRECT IN THE CONTRACT. BUT I WILL SAY THIS, I DON'T THINK THE 153 COMES OFF OF THAT. WE THE 153, LIKE IN THIS CASE GETS CALCULATED TO GET THE COST PER RUN. SO OKAY. AND I SEE TOM BACK THERE, BUT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET THE 1,000,004 68. THEY'RE MAKING 153 IN DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS TO SEPARATE TO A BANK OR WHOEVER THEY'VE GOT. FINANCE DEPARTMENT IS UTILIZING BOTH IN THE CITY AND IN THE ESD. CORRECT. SO BUT THE NET BENEFIT TO THE CITY THEN BECOMES 1.62 MILLION. YES. OKAY. THAT'S I WAS JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE I'M READING THE RIGHT UP AND READING THE AGREEMENT. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS RECONCILING. YES. CORRECT. AND BUT IN THE FUTURE, IF WE AGREE ON DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS, THEY WILL GET TO REMOVE THOSE DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS TO CALCULATE THE COST PER RUN. IF THAT MAKES SENSE. SO START. AND SO THAT WAY WE CAN GET A COST PER RUN LESS THOSE AMOUNTS. SO AND I APPRECIATE THE ENUMERATION OF THE THE CALCULATION METHODOLOGY SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S FAIR, YOU KNOW, BOTH DIRECTIONS. SO TO CALCULATE THAT COST PER RUN BASED UPON THE BUDGET AND THE DEBT SERVICE RELATED TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. I THINK I APPRECIATE I KNOW A LOT OF HARD WORK WENT INTO THIS AND TO, YOU KNOW, CREATE THIS, THIS SCENARIO. BUT I THINK IT IT COVERS A LOT OF THE CONCERNS THAT THAT MAY HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED PREVIOUSLY ABOUT WHETHER WE'RE SUBSIDIZING OR WHETHER WE'RE TRULY PARTNERING. AND THIS, THIS AGREEMENT, THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN, TO ME, FEELS MORE OF A TRUE PARTNERSHIP. AND KIND OF PUTS IT OUT THERE FOR, FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. CHIEF. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS CASE? JUST CLARIFICATION. THE FIRE STATION FUND WOULD BE FUNDING A FIRE STATION IN THE ISD DISTRICT IN THE SOUTH, ON THE SOUTH END. SERVICE. MIDLOTHIAN. SO THAT'S YET TO BE DETERMINED. THERE IS SOME. THERE IS SOME LAND THAT'S IN THE CITY LIMITS NEAR JONES AND 875. THAT'S WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS. IT'S A PART OF A LARGER DEVELOPMENT THAT'S INCLUDING SOME DATA CENTERS THAT, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE MY PERSONAL PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO BUILD A FIRE STATION IN THE CITY LIMITS OF MIDLOTHIAN, BUT STILL BE ABLE TO SERVICE THAT AREA. I'M MAINLY WONDERING IF IT LIKE, IF IT'S I MEAN, THE AGREEMENT DOES IT SAYS IN THE DISTRICT SOUTH QUARTER. BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT MEANT IT HAD. NO IT WAS FOR SURE. SO THAT'S THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT THE UNDERSTANDING THAT I HAVE. OKAY. THE ONLY THING I WOULD ASK THAT YOU KEEP IN MIND FOR THAT. 875 157 WELL, BB JONES 875 REGION. THERE HAS BEEN SOME CONVERSATION IN THAT CLEAN INDUSTRIAL TALKS OF POTENTIAL FIRE STATION FUNDS, HELP WITHIN SOME OF THAT DEVELOPMENT, RIGHT, TO KIND OF KEEP THAT IN MIND. OKAY. OKAY. TAKE A MOTION ON THIS ONE. MOVE TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED. SECOND. MOTION TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED BY COUNCILMAN MOORMAN. SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WEAVER. PLEASE VOTE. ITEM PASSES 7 TO 0. THANK YOU CHIEF. THANK YOU TOM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT. COUNCIL. WE'VE GOT TO REVISIT SOME OF THE LANGUAGE ON ITEM 291, WHICH WAS THAT A VOTE FOR THE RATIFICATION OF THE TAX REVENUE INCREASE? [2025-291 Consider and take a separate vote to ratify a property tax revenue increase as reflected in the FY 2025-2026 Annual Operating Budget when compared to the FY 2024-2025 Annual Operating Budget; this budget will raise more total property taxes than last year’s budget by $5,448,449 which is a 13.48 percent increase from last year’s budget and, of that amount, $2,651,930 is tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year. (Part 2 of 2)] YEAH. AND I'LL JUST ASK. I KIND OF RUSHED, RUSHED THE THE LANGUAGE ON THE MOTION THROUGH ON THAT. SO I WANT TO GO BACK AND CLEAN UP THE LANGUAGE. SINCE THIS IS A TRUE RATIFICATION OF THE INCREASE IN REVENUE THAT WILL BE RECEIVED, IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, WHICH WILL BE GREATER THAN THE REVENUE RECEIVED IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET. SO I WILL LET SOMEONE UP HERE WHO HAS THE MOTION IN FRONT IN FRONT OF THEM READ IT. I THINK YOU JUST WANTED TO SEE HOW MANY TIMES I COULD READ IT. JUST FOR CLARITY. YES, THIS IS ON ITEM TWO 9191. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO RATIFY THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IN THE 2025 2026 BUDGET. [01:25:06] AS A RESULT OF THE CITY RECEIVING MORE REVENUE FROM TAXES IN THE 2025 2026 BUDGET THAN IN THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR FISCAL YEAR. OKAY. WE'VE GOT A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY. MOTION MADE BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN MORMAN. THIS WILL TAKE THE PLACE OF THE PREVIOUS VOTE FOR ITEM 291. PLEASE VOTE. THE ITEM PASSES 7 TO 0. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE CITY COUNCIL WILL CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS OF THE [EXECUTIVE SESSION] TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE. EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS ARE DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION, BUT ANY AND ALL ACTION IS TAKEN IN REGULAR OPEN SESSION. COUNCIL. TONIGHT WE'RE ADDRESSING ITEM NUMBER TWO, NUMBER THREE AND NUMBER FOUR. I'LL READ THEM IN THE RECORD. NUMBER TWO SECTION 551.072. REAL ESTATE DELIBERATION REGARDING REAL PROPERTY TO DELIBERATE THE PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF MIDLOTHIAN, TEXAS. NUMBER THREE, SECTION 551.071. LEGAL CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY REGARDING PENDING OR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION FAA DOCKET NUMBER 162508 WALTER DARRAH, THE COMPLAINANT. ITEM NUMBER FOUR, SECTION 551.074 PERSONNEL MATTERS TO DELIBERATE THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT OR DUTIES OF A PUBLIC OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE OF THE PARK'S OPERATIONS MANAGER. SO AT 726, WE ARE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. ALL RIGHT. IT'S 819. WE'RE BACK FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION. WE DO HAVE ACTION TO BE TAKEN TONIGHT. THE FIRST ACTION WILL BE ON NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS SECTION 551.071 LEGAL CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY REGARDING PENDING OR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION. FAA DOCKET NUMBER 162508. WALTER DARRAH IS THE COMPLAINANT. IS THERE A MOTION TO BE MADE ON THIS ONE? MAKE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A JOINT ENGAGEMENT LETTER FOR FULL LEGAL SERVICES WITH THE LAW FIRM KAPLAN KIRSCH, TO REPRESENT THE CITY IN MATTERS RELATED TO WALTER DARRAH, THE CITY OF MIDLOTHIAN, TEXAS, AND CITY OF WAXAHACHIE, TEXAS. ALL RIGHT, MOTION MADE. IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMAN WEAVER, SECONDED BY MAYOR PRO TEM WICKLIFFE? PLEASE VOTE. ITEM PASSES. WHAT IS THAT? 1234 5 TO 1. OKAY. ITEM NUMBER FOUR. SECTION 551.074. PERSONNEL MATTERS TO DELIBERATE THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT OR DUTIES OF A PUBLIC OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE. THE PARK'S OPERATION MANAGER. THERE'S A MOTION ON THAT ONE. MAKE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE CITY MANAGER TO PAY ABOVE THE MIDPOINT FOR THE POSITION OF PARKS OPERATION MANAGER. MOTION MADE BY COUNCILMAN WEAVER. IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN ROGERS? PLEASE VOTE. ITEM PASSES 6 TO 0. OKAY. WITH NO FURTHER NO FURTHER ITEMS TO BE CONSIDERED THIS EVENING. THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT STANDS ADJOURNED AT 821. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.