Sep 01, 2026 Special City Council Meeting

THANK YOU, MAYOR. CHIEF, I HEARD YOU SPEAK A WEEK OR SO AGO AT COFFEE WITH THE MAYOR.

YES, SIR.

MR. COLLINS.

AND YOU SHARED AN INTERESTING STATISTIC THAT I THINK WE ALL SHOULD BE SHOUTING FROM THE TOP OF THE 11TH FLOOR. A REDUCTION IN CRIME RATE IN OUR CITY. CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT FOR ME, PLEASE? YES, SIR. OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, WE'RE SEEING A CONSISTENT DECREASE BY 12%, IF NOT GREATER. BLESS YOU. I ATTRIBUTE THAT, OBVIOUSLY TO THE WORK OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE LUBBOCK POLICE DEPARTMENT.

WITHOUT THEM, THIS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE.

THAT IN ADDITION TO TECHNOLOGY THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED THAT ASSISTS THEM IN THEIR JOBS, WHICH OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT REPLACE A HUMAN BEING, IT STILL REQUIRES THESE OFFICERS ON THE STREETS, PUTTING BAD GUYS IN JAIL, PROTECTING CITIZENS, AND THEN THE INVESTIGATIVE CAPABILITIES BEYOND THAT. BUT TO YOUR POINT. YES, SIR. WE'VE SEEN A CONTINUING DECREASE IN CRIME.

AND SO, WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN OUR STATISTICS OR IN YOUR PRESENTATION IS CONCEIVABLY LUBBOCK SHOULD HAVE ABOUT 540 POLICE OFFICERS. WE'RE AT 460 WITH THE ADDITION OF 10. AND SO, AS THE PUBLIC ASKS US WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, HOW WE'RE TRYING TO ASSIST, BOTH FROM YOUR SIDE OF THE DAIS AND OURS, I COMMEND YOU THAT 12% IS PRETTY AMAZING TO SEE THIS REDUCTION IN CRIME IN OUR COMMUNITY. I'M NOT SURE THAT IT'S PERCEIVED. SO, I WANT TO TELL IT, AND IT'S WHY I'VE ASKED YOU TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR ME, BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO, AGAIN, SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS. YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

IF YOU COULD GIVE US, IN THE PUBLIC A KIND OF A BASIC IDEA. WE'RE ADDING 10 NEW OFFICERS FOR PATROL.

WHAT DOES IT COST, BASICALLY, TO PUT A PATROL ALL IN. A PATROL OFFICER OUT THERE ON THE STREETS? WELL, EQUIPMENT ALONE, I BELIEVE WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT $220,000 PER INDIVIDUAL.

NOW, INCLUDING THE AMOUNTS AS FAR AS PAY AND THEN THE ACCOUTREMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT, CITY MANAGER COULD PROBABLY SPEAK BETTER TO THAT.

WHO TAUGHT YOU THAT WORD? I ACTUALLY LEARNED IT AT SOLROSS STATE UNIVERSITY IN FARRIER TECHNOLOGY.

YOU EVEN SAID IT WITH A FRENCH ACCENT. ALL RIGHT.

I DO MY BEST.

SO, YEAH, EVERY POLICE OFFICER.

IT'S NOT JUST THE PAY, IT'S THE BENEFITS, AND IT IS THE EQUIPMENT.

WITH THE VEHICLE. WE SUPPLY.

SOME PEOPLE DON'T KNOW. WE SUPPLY, AT PRESENT, ALL OF OUR OFFICERS WHO ARE ON PATROL DUTY WITH A. WELL, ACTUALLY, WHO ALL DO. WE PROVIDE VEHICLES FOR PATROL OFFICERS AND ANY OTHERS.

ALL OF OUR PERSONNEL, SIR. ALL OF OUR PERSONNEL. AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR CIVILIAN COMPLIMENTS WHO ARE SUBJECT TO CALL OUTS.

YES, THAT'S A BIG COST, BUT ALSO, I THINK PEOPLE CAN SEE THAT WHENEVER. BUT JUST BY ADDING 10 OFFICERS. IT'S EXPENSIVE. YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO REALLY. IT HAS AN IMPACT ON OUR BUDGET. AND CAN YOU TALK

[00:15:01]

A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE LATERAL HIRE PROGRAM AND HOW THAT'S WORKING? I WOULD COMMEND DEPUTY CHIEF MARK WALL, NOT JUST BECAUSE HE'S IN THE ROOM, BUT BECAUSE HE'S DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB WITH HIS TEAM OF RECRUITING.

OBVIOUSLY NOT ONLY OUR FOR OUR BASIC PROGRAM, BUT ALSO LATERAL HIRES. AND I WILL SAY THIS, WE'VE HAD QUITE A FEW WHO WERE EMPLOYED BY THE LUBBOCK POLICE DEPARTMENT LEFT FOR OTHER ENDEAVORS AND ARE NOW RETURNING. SO, WE'RE PRETTY PROUD OF THAT AS WELL.

NOW, IT'S A DEFINITELY A VERY GOOD SIGN, BUT OUR MEETING CONFERRED LAST YEAR AND THE CHANGES THAT THAT ALLOWED US TO MAKE AND THEN OF COURSE THAT WE WOULD CARRY FORWARD IN THIS REALLY HAS AN IMPACT ON THAT PROGRAM. IS THAT CORRECT? ABSOLUTELY, SIR. WE'RE AVERAGING AND WE CONTINUE TO PROJECT 10 NEW LATERAL HIRES EACH YEAR.

COUNCILWOMAN MARTINEZ-GARCIA.

ALL RIGHT.

OH, MR. MR. HARRIS FIRST.

OKAY, WAIT. OH, WELL, YOURS, IF YOU DON'T MIND. HE HASN'T ASKED A QUESTION.

YEAH, I HAVE A JUST REAL QUICK, SIMPLE QUESTION.

WHERE ARE WE RANKED AS FAR AS PAYING OUR POLICE OFFICERS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS? WHERE? WHAT, WHAT IS OUR NUMBER AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, LIKE RECRUITING? ARE WE ONE THROUGH FIVE OR WE THE TOP PAYING POLICE DEPARTMENT? WHERE WE AT, SIR? IT DEPENDS ON WHO YOU'RE COMPARING US TO.

AND THERE'S ALWAYS A DISCUSSION ON WHO WE SHOULD BE COMPARED TO. IS IT LIKE SIZE CITIES AS FAR AS POPULATION IS CONCERNED? IS IT THE TYPES OF CRIME THAT WE DEAL WITH? IS IT AREA WISE BY AREA? WE'RE DOING PRETTY WELL, I WOULD SAY STATEWIDE. WE'RE.

WE'RE BELOW THE MEDIUM RANGE.

AND OF COURSE THAT'S TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE METROPLEX.

OKAY, THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN MARTINEZ-GARCIA.

I THINK JUST ONE MORE POINT BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING A GOOD TIME TALKING ABOUT THIS, BUT IT'S ALSO VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE AWARE THAT OUR CITY IS GROWING. AND WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BUILD OUR POLICE PROGRAM THE SAME WAY THAT THE CITY WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO BE AVAILABLE TO THE CITIZENS. AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO ACCEPT WHAT YOU HAVE PROPOSED TO US BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE GOT TO FIT THAT GROWTH. IT'S GROWING A LITTLE BIT FASTER THAN WE EXPECTED.

BUT I THINK IT'S. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO CATCH IT BEFORE IT GETS OUT OF CONTROL.

I WOULD AGREE. YES, MA'AM.

AND I DID WANT TO ALSO ASK YOU.

I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT CIVIL EMPLOYEES THAT WORK FOR YOU, AND I HOPE THAT IN THE FUTURE THAT'S. I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT, BUT IT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT TO YOU, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO US AS WELL, SO.

YES, MA'AM.

THEY ARE CRITICAL TO OUR MISSION.

I APPRECIATE YOU.

WELL, I THINK THIS IS VERY CONSISTENT, I THINK, WITH OUR PRIORITIES THAT WE'VE ALL SET AND SPOKEN TO AS A COUNCIL, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE THIS COMING FORWARD FROM THE POLICE ASSOCIATION TO PRESENT IT TO US. I THINK MANY OF US HERE WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LONGER ONE AT SOME POINT IN TIME, IF THAT CAN BE ARRANGED. BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU WORK WITH WHAT YOU GOT, AND THIS IS WHAT WE'VE GOT, AND IT DOES DO A LOT OF THE THINGS WE REALLY, REALLY DO NEED TO DO. THINGS THAT WERE PRIORITIES, I THINK, FOR MOST OF US, IF NOT ALL OF US UP HERE. SO, I WANT TO THANK THE ASSOCIATION FOR WORKING HARD WITH OUR CITY MANAGEMENT TO COME UP WITH THIS AGREEMENT, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. I THINK ANYONE YOU ASK WOULD TELL YOU THAT THE MORALE IN OUR POLICE FORCE IS VASTLY, VASTLY IMPROVED SINCE YOU GOT HERE, SO.

WELL, I THINK MY MOTHER'S ACTUALLY SPREADING THAT RUMOR, SIR.

WELL. AND WE APPRECIATE HER FOR TEACHING YOU WORDS LIKE ACCOUTREMENT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, CHIEF. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, I'M.

SEE ANY. OKAY, THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 3.1? HAVE A MOTION. I HAVE A MOTION. A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN GREEN POLICE ASSOCIATION WAS GOING TO SPEAK, SO I WAS GOING TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY.

WAS THAT OR IT DIDN'T.

YEAH. MR. EVERETT IS HERE.

PLEASE.

DO YOU WANT TO COME FORWARD AND SAY ANYTHING ON BEHALF OF THE ASSOCIATION OR ANYTHING? YEAH.

AND THEN I HAVE ONE FINAL COMMENT AFTER THAT.

I'M HERE. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME THERE.

ANY QUESTIONS? THESE TWO HAVE COVERED

[00:20:02]

EVERYTHING. I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING. I COULD ADD THAT WE HAVE NOT SPOKEN, SO.

AND THANK YOU, MICHAEL. AND I APPRECIATE MEETING WITH YOU THIS PAST WEEK AND GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF BETTER UNDERSTANDING, TOO, WHERE YOU GUYS ARE COMING FROM.

SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU HAD ANYTHING TO SAY, BUT JUST WANTED TO KIND OF TELL YOU WHERE I'M AT NOW.

YOU KNOW, IN. IN ESSENCE, WE DIDN'T GROW BECAUSE AGAIN, OUR REVENUE CAME IN BELOW LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF OUR PROPERTY VALUE. SO WHILE WE NEED NEW OFFICERS, I, I REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE NEED THE 10 OFFICERS AND WE NEED MORE.

BUT, BUT AFTER FURTHER CONSIDERATION, I'M GOING TO RELUCTANTLY GO ALONG WITH THE MEET AND CONFER BECAUSE FOR THE POLICE ASSOCIATION, WHAT THE CHIEF WAS SAYING, LATERAL HIRING IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST PIECES OF THIS MEET AND CONFER. SO, IF WE DENY ANY PART OF THIS, WE DENY ALL OF IT. SO IN ESSENCE WE'RE A LITTLE BIT HANDCUFFED, PARDON THE PUN, THAT WE DON'T HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE NECESSARILY. THE CITIZENS DON'T HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE. SO I WAS A LITTLE LATE TO THE TABLE. SO THIS YEAR I AM GOING TO PRESENT BEFORE MEET AND CONFER STUDENTS STARTS FOR THIS NEXT YEAR I WILL PRESENT SOME ITEMS TO THE POLICE ASSOCIATION AND I'VE ALREADY PRESENTED TO THE CITY MANAGER TO THAT WE REALLY, AND I THINK THE POLICE ASSOCIATION UNDERSTANDS THAT WE DON'T WANT TO SEE A ONE-YEAR TERM AGAIN.

WE WOULD RATHER SEE A LONGER TERM. BUT AGAIN, ON THIS MEET AND CONFER, I REALLY LIKE THE PROMOTIONAL ASPECTS OF IT, THE PHYSICAL FITNESS ASPECTS THAT IT'S INVOLVED. IT JUST, THE TIMING WAS REALLY BAD AND YOU GUYS DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE GOING TO HAVE SUCH A BAD REVENUE YEAR. SO THAT BEING SAID, I'M GOING TO, I'M GOING TO PIVOT AND ACCEPT THE MEET AND CONFIRM ANYONE ELSE HAS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BEFORE WE TAKE THE VOTE. ALL RIGHT, I DON'T SEE ANY. SO DO I NEED TO PUNCH SOMETHING TO START THE VOTING? MIGHT AS WELL. I GOT IT UP HERE. OKAY, SO I'LL VOTE ON ITEM 3.1. HAS EVERYBODY GOT ISSUES? OKAY, WELL, WE ALL VOTED FOR IT, SO WE DON'T NEED TO SEE WHO IT WAS. BUT THAT'S NOT SHOWING UP.

I JUST TO WANT, WANT TO KNOW WHY THE POLICE AREN'T WEARING BLUE SHIRTS BECAUSE THAT'S PRETTY POWERFUL TO READ.

IF YOU'RE HERE FOR THE, FOR THE POLICE, PLEASE STAND.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHO, WHO'S HERE FOR THE POLICE. ALL RIGHT, GOOD DEAL.

THANK YOU, GUYS.

THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO WORK LONG AND HARD ON THAT. LET ME TELL YOU, THEY DID. AND MAYOR, WE APPRECIATE THEM.

MAYOR, WE. IT'S NOT SHOWING.

IT SHOWED THAT YOU VOTED, DIDN'T SHOW HOW YOU VOTED.

I KNOW THAT.

OKAY, SO. AND I DON'T. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A MINUTE BEFORE THEY GET THAT FIXED. SO IF YOU WANT TO MOVE ON, WE'LL MOVE ON.

SHOW A HAND, BUT YOU KNOW.

YEAH, OR JUST DO A SHOW OF HANDS IF YOU WANT TO DO.

WELL, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO IF IT'S A UNANIMOUS VOTE.

WELL, BUT, MAYOR, THE. THE RECORD IS NOT SHOWING THAT TO US.

IT DOESN'T SHOW.

YEAH, IT DOESN'T SAY. OKAY, SHOW OF HANDS.

ALL.

ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND. ALL RIGHT, ANY OPPOSED, RAISE YOUR HAND. I SEE NONE.

ALL RIGHT, PERFECT.

THANK YOU. NEW. IT SAYS VOTING IN PROGRESS. ALL RIGHT. IT DOESN'T SHOW INDIVIDUAL RESULTS, DOES IT? OKAY, WELL, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT TIME.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, NOW TAKE UP

[3.2. Resolution - City Manager: Consider a resolution ratifying a six-year Meet and Confer Agreement negotiated between the City of Lubbock and the Lubbock Professional Firefighters Association, in accordance with Texas Local Government Code 142.064(a)(1).]

ITEM 3.2, A RESOLUTION RATIFYING A SIX YEAR MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENT NEGOTIATED BETWEEN THE CITY OF LUBBOCK AND THE LUBBOCK PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE 142.114 A1.

I'LL NOW CALL ON OUR CITY MANAGER TO PROVIDE A BRIEFING

[00:25:01]

ON THIS MATTER.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. I'LL DISPENSE WITH READING THE LIST OF EVERYBODY THAT PARTICIPATED ON OUR TEAM, WITH ONE EXCEPTION, JOE. MR. JOE JIMENEZ. WE PRACTICALLY WORE HIM SMOOTH OUT PUTTING THIS DEAL TOGETHER.

ACTUALLY, MELTED ONE OF HIS LAPTOPS IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. SO JOE HAS A BRAND-NEW COMPUTER, IF ANYBODY'S CURIOUS, ON THE SIDE FOR THE LUBBOCK PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION, THEIR CHIEF NEGOTIATOR, JOSEPH WALLACE.

JOSEPH IS IN THE MIDDLE IN THE FRONT HERE. AND THANK YOU TO YOU AND TO ALL OF YOUR BARGAINING TEAM. SO, COUNCIL, THIS AGREEMENT, OBVIOUSLY NEGOTIATED AGAIN BY BOTH PARTIES WITH THE SAME RECOMMENDATION THAT THE ASSOCIATION PRESENT IT TO THEIR MEMBERSHIP FOR RATIFICATION. AND THEN FOR ME TO RECOMMEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL, IF IT WAS THE MEMBERS OF THE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION RATIFIED THE AGREEMENT WITH A TOTAL OF 420 VOTES CAST. 404, YES, 16, NO ONE ABSTENTION. ACCORDINGLY, I NOW RECOMMEND THIS AGREEMENT TO YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AS WELL.

THIS AGREEMENT IS FOR A SIX-YEAR TERM AND THIS WILL MARK THE FIRST AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE LPFFA AND THE CITY OF LUBBOCK. IF APPROVED, THIS AGREEMENT WILL RUN FROM OCTOBER 1, 2026, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2032. SO, THIS IS A LONG-TERM AGREEMENT, AND I'LL EXPLAIN HERE IN A MOMENT HOW WE WALKED INTO THAT SEQUENCE. THIS AGREEMENT, I BELIEVE, IS A GREAT BENEFIT TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO THE CITY OF LUBBOCK, AND TO OUR LUBBOCK FIRE RESCUE EMPLOYEES.

AS WE'VE ALL HEARD BY NOW, INCLUDED IS A TRANSITION TO A 42-HOUR AVERAGE WORK WEEK, RATHER THAN THE CURRENT 56-HOUR WORK WEEK FOR ON SHIFT PERSONNEL. IT INCLUDES MANY OTHER THINGS. WE'LL COME BACK TO THEM, BUT THAT IS KIND OF THE HIGHLIGHT. TO DO THIS, 22 PERSONNEL ARE ADDED IN THE FIRST THROUGH THE FIFTH YEAR 22, EACH HERE WITH 23 PERSONNEL IN THE FINAL YEAR, YEAR NUMBER SIX. BECAUSE OF THAT, THE MAJORITY OF THE SHIFT TO THE 42-HOUR AVERAGE WORK WEEK, WHAT WE CALL 2472, THAT OCCURS IN YEAR SIX. SO, THIS IS NOT ONE SHIFT, ONE DEAL MOVE ON.

IT IS CARRYING OVER. AND WE'RE DOING THAT BECAUSE THAT ALLOWS THE NEW PERSONNEL THAT ARE COMING IN AND THEY'LL BE BROUGHT IN PRIMARILY THROUGH LATERAL HIRE.

BUT AS THOSE NEW PERSONNEL COME IN EACH YEAR, THEY ARE ASSIGNED TO MAKE OUR FUNDING MODEL WORK, WHICH IS REALLY USING THOSE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE TO PRODUCE PRETTY INCREDIBLE OVERTIME SAVINGS, WHAT WE CALL KELLY DAY SAVINGS, PARAMEDIC TRAINING, COST REDUCTION, ALL OF WHICH OFFSET THE COST OF THOSE PERSONNEL.

IN OTHER WORDS, TODAY EXPENSES THAT ARE COVERED BY PAYING FULL SHIFT OVERTIME WILL START BEING COVERED AT STRAIGHT TIME ON THE DEAL.

IN ADDITION, THE ASSOCIATION CAME TO THE TABLE AND THEY PROVIDED FURTHER COST SAVINGS TO THE PROGRAM, TO THE MODEL BY A VOLUNTARY REDUCTION IN THE ADDITIONAL VACATION AND SICK LEAVE THAT THEY GET TODAY THAT IS CREATED BY THEIR 56-HOUR WORK WEEK.

YOU'VE GOT A COPY OF THE FULL FUNDING MODEL? I HAVE A SHORT VERSION OF IT I CAN PUT ON THE SCREEN LATER. BUT THIS REALLY WORKS BECAUSE YOU'RE TAKING THE EXPENSE OF THE NEW AND YOU ARE BUYING ALL OF THAT COST DOWN BY OFFSETTING THE OVERTIME KELLY DAYS, THE PARAMEDIC CLASS SAVINGS, PLUS THE ADDITIONAL SAVINGS THE ASSOCIATION HAS PUT ON THE TABLE IN FRONT OF US.

SO THERE WILL BE SOME SMALL REDUCTION AGAINST THAT 56-HOUR WORK WEEK FOR OUR SHIFT PERSONNEL. BUT AT NO POINT DOES IT CREATE 2472 UNTIL YOU'RE IN YEAR SIX WHEN IT IS ALL CREATED. SO, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. SO, IN ADDITION TO THE 2472, WE HAVE OTHER MODIFICATIONS. THIS IS A PRETTY SUBSTANTIVE AGREEMENT. YOU DO HAVE THE COPY OF IT. THIS DOES INCLUDE LATERAL HIRING. I THINK IMPORTANTLY, WE HAVE AGREED TO ADD A PREFERENCE, SO PREFERENCE POINTS FOR LICENSED PARAMEDICS.

BY DOING THAT ON THE LATERAL PROCESS, AS YOU BRING IN THOSE 22 NEW EACH YEAR, YOU'RE BRINGING IN TRAINED CERTIFIED FIREFIGHTERS WITH A MINIMUM OF TWO YEARS EXPERIENCE.

PLUS, THEY'RE COMING WITH THEIR OWN PARAMEDIC CERTIFICATION.

SO, I'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT BEFORE. JUST AS A REMINDER, WE SPEND ABOUT 1.2 MILLION A YEAR ON PARAMEDIC TRAINING, UPGRADING OUR B EMTS TO PARAMEDICS. AND WE'RE NOT KILLING THAT PROGRAM, WE'RE

[00:30:01]

SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCING IT. SO FOR 1.2 MILLION, WE GET AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 15 NEW PARAMEDICS A YEAR UNDER THIS PROGRAM. YOUR FIRST 22 THAT YOU'RE BRINGING IN ARE COMING WITH THAT ALREADY. SO THAT ACCELERATES US MOVING INTO THE ALS PROGRAMS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE WANT TO DO. WE'VE ALSO AGREED TO PROVIDE THAT SAME PREFERENCE FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS THAT WILL BE HIRED ON YOUR MORE TRADITIONAL TESTED PROCESS.

IN FACT, YOU CAN MOVE OFF OF THE LIST OF 22 IF YOU DIDN'T GET IN IN ONE YEAR AND YOU CAN MOVE OVER TO THE TESTED LIST, STILL GET THOSE PREFERENCE POINTS FOR DOING THAT. WE'RE GOING TO HIRE QUICKER, HAVE MUCH LESS TIME AND COST IN TRAINING. AND SO AS WE BRING IN THESE SUCCESSIVE 22S, THEY'RE GOING TO GO TO WORK PRETTY QUICKLY FOR YOU. OKAY. IN ADDITION, THIS INCLUDES A FORMALIZED PHYSICAL FITNESS PROGRAM.

WHILE FIRE DOES NOT CURRENTLY HAVE THE THIRD POSITION FOR THAT RANK IMMEDIATELY BELOW THE CHIEF, THE ASSISTANT LEVEL, WE'VE AGREED THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THIS AGREEMENT THAT IF WE CREATE THAT THIRD POSITION, IT WILL BE AN APPOINTED POSITION RATHER THAN TESTED.

IT'S ANOTHER THING YOU CANNOT DO UNLESS YOU DO IT IN MEET AND CONFER. ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT THE PROMOTIONAL PART OF THE AGREEMENT WE'VE PUT IN FRONT OF YOU. IT IS QUITE SUBSTANTIVE. DEPARTMENT WORKED WITH US OR THE ASSOCIATION WORKED WITH US. AND I THINK YOU ARE SETTING UP THAT LEADERSHIP FOR THE FUTURE OF THE DEPARTMENT. THERE IS INCREASED FOCUS ON INCENTIVE PAY. AND WE DID THAT BECAUSE WE'RE REQUIRING ADDITIONAL CERTIFICATIONS BEYOND WHAT'S REQUIRED TODAY BEFORE PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE.

SO THAT ONE'S A GIVE AND A TAKE ON BOTH SIDES TO BENEFIT THE DEPARTMENT.

THERE'S A MENTAL HEALTH LEAVE COMPONENT AND AS YOU'VE SKIMMED THROUGH THAT AGREEMENT, I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN MANY OTHERS.

THOSE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS I'LL PUT OUT FOR NOW. LET ME TALK THROUGH THE FISCAL IMPACT REAL QUICKLY.

SO, IN THE FIRST YEAR, AND REMEMBER, THIS IS VERY DIFFERENT WHEN YOU ALL DO BUDGETS, YOU DO ONE YEAR AT A TIME. THIS IS A SIX YEAR AGREEMENT. SO, I'M GOING TO RUN THROUGH ALL SIX OF THEM. YEAR ONE, 3% RAISE, 22 NEW. PERSONNEL NET COST 3.095 MILLION. YEAR TWO, 3.25 OR THREE AND A QUARTER PERCENT RAISE, 22 NEW NET COST 1.5 MILLION. SO, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING NOW IS THOSE BIGGER SAVINGS ROLL INTO YOUR MODEL. THE THIRD YEAR, 3.5%, 22 NEW NET COST JUST UNDER 1.8 MILLION. YEAR NUMBER FOUR, THREE AND A QUARTER, 22 NEW. JUST UNDER 2.1 MILLION. YEAR NUMBER FIVE, 3% 22 NEW, 2.2 MILLION NET COST. AND YEAR SIX, THIS IS WHEN THE TRANSITION IS FULLY DONE FOR 2472. YEAR SIX IS A ZERO RAISE 23 NEW. THAT PUTS THE SHIFT CHIEF IN PLACE AND A NET COST OF $4.1 MILLION. COUNCIL WOULD DRAW YOUR ATTENTION THAT THIS AGREEMENT DOES CONTAIN WHAT I'M GOING TO USE EUPHEMISTICALLY CALL A NUCLEAR CLAUSE. THAT CLAUSE EXISTS NOT BECAUSE SOMEBODY CHANGES THEIR MIND, BUT IT EXISTS IF THERE'S AN ISSUE, A FINANCIAL ISSUE THAT IS CAUSED, THAT IS BEYOND THE COUNCIL'S CONTROL.

SO IT'S NOT, WE DON'T WANT TO DO IT ANYMORE. IT'S SOMETHING HAS TAKEN AWAY THE ABILITY TO DO IT THAT WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY TERMINATE THE AGREEMENT, BUT IT PUTS US THEN IN THE POSITION WHERE BOTH PARTIES WILL WORK TO MODIFY THE AGREEMENT, MAYBE TO DEFER THE AGREEMENT BY PUTTING A BLANK YEAR IN IT, POTENTIALLY TERMINATING IT. BUT I DON'T SEE THAT THAT WOULD COME, ESPECIALLY THE WAY THIS HAS BEEN PUT TOGETHER. GOING TO ASK CHIEF STEWART TO MAKE HIS WAY TOWARD THE FRONT. HE'S GOT A HANDOUT THAT EACH OF Y' ALL HAVE. HE'S GOING TO TALK AND ANSWER QUESTIONS.

COUNCIL WOULD REMIND YOU I'VE GIVEN YOU THE SHORT VERSION.

THERE'S A LONGER VERSION IN YOUR PACKET, AS IN THE POLICE AGREEMENT, THOUGH THIS ONE IS ALSO OUTSIDE OF YOUR PROPOSED BASE BUDGET.

SO, IT WILL ALSO REQUIRE ADDITIONAL TAX REVENUE TO FUND IT. SO, I'LL TAKE QUESTIONS, MAYOR. OR IF NOT, I'LL YIELD TO CHIEF STEWART.

COUNCILMAN GREEN, CAN YOU GIVE US EXAMPLES OF A NUCLEAR OPTION? WHAT OR WHAT WOULD CONSTITUTE A NUCLEAR EVENT? IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. AND THEY'RE UNKNOWNS. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE RIGHT NOW. IF THE LEGISLATURE WERE TO SUBSTANTIVELY CHANGE A COUNCIL'S ABILITY TO FUND A BUDGET,

[00:35:01]

I THINK THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE LIKE THIS YEAR WITH THE PROPOSITION NINE BEING VOTED ON. IT CRIPPLED OUR REVENUE.

IT CRIPPLED THE GROWTH IN THE REVENUE. AND I'M NOT SURE THAT. I THINK THAT ONE WOULD AUTOMATICALLY FIT.

OKAY, BUT IF YOU LOST THE ABILITY TO MAKE UP THAT REVENUE, I THINK THAT COULD FIT INTO THERE. IF THERE WAS SOME TOTALLY UNEXPLAINED, UNEXPECTED SWING IN YOUR RECURRING REVENUES LIKE SALES TAX, AND THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE HUGE BEFORE THAT WOULD FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY, BUT I THINK THAT COULD BE ANOTHER. I WISHED I HAD BETTER ANSWERS, BUT WE WERE TRYING TO WRITE LANGUAGE ABOUT. I DON'T KNOW.

YEAH, I CAN SEE HOW THAT WAS HARD TO DO. I WOULD LIKE A LITTLE BIT MORE BIGGER DEFINITION OF THAT, BUT THERE.

I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S PROBABLY NOT NECESSARILY A DEFINITION TO BE HAD. SO JUST KEEPING THAT IN MIND.

WELL, AND IF I UNDERSTAND IF THE LANGUAGE IS SOMEWHAT OPEN ENDED AND NOT NAILED DOWN SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GUESS. I MEAN, NUCLEAR WAR WOULD BE A NUCLEAR EVENT.

YEAH, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT FITS. YES, SIR.

THAT WOULD FIT IF YOU CAN'T BE REALLY SPECIFIC.

NEVERTHELESS, THE, THE ISSUE GOING FORWARD IS, I MEAN, THESE FIREMEN ARE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL. AND THEY, THEY KNOW WHEN, IF WE CAN GOT IN A SITUATION THAT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR OUR TAXPAYERS, I THINK THEY WOULD COME TO THE TABLE AND WORK WITH US IN GOOD FAITH TO TRY TO ADDRESS ANYTHING THAT SEEMED TO BE A DIFFICULTY. EVEN IF YOU CAN'T DEFINE IT EXACTLY.

I WISH WE HAD LIKE A NUMBER OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING.

A PERCENTAGE AND DECREASE IN REVENUE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT I UNDERSTAND AGAIN THAT THERE'S JUST NOT.

IF YOU'D LIKE, WE CAN SWITCH OVER TO THE, THE CHIEF AND I'LL PULL THAT LANGUAGE UP.

BECAUSE I THINK I CAN'T PUT IT ON THE SCREEN. MAYBE SOME OF US, SINCE THIS IS SUCH A LONG AGREEMENT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THE TWO, TWO OPTIONS HERE, A ONE YEAR WITH THE POLICE AND A SIX YEAR WITH THE FIREMAN. WE'D KIND OF LIKE TO HAVE SOMETHING MAYBE IN BETWEEN, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE'VE GOT.

AND THE STATE CAN CHANGE A LOT OF OUR LAWS IN, IN SIX YEARS.

AND I'M AFRAID THAT WE MIGHT HAVE A SITUATION COME UP WHERE WE HAVE. BECAUSE THE STATE IS LOOKING AT LOWERING PROPERTY TAXES NO MATTER WHAT THAT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT TO GET MORE EXEMPTIONS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT WILL REDUCE OUR REVENUE TREMENDOUSLY. BUT AGAIN, I THINK JUST HAVING THAT CLAUSE IN THERE IS PROTECTION FOR THE CITIZENS TO HAVE AN OPTION.

MR. ATKINSON, I DON'T THINK YOU TOUCHED ON THIS, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS ALSO IS THE CONCERN THAT AT SOME POINT IN THE NEAR FUTURE, YOU KNOW, CONGRESS MIGHT STEP IN AND CHANGE THE RULES REGARDING FIREMEN AND REGULATION, ACQUIRE SOMETHING SIMILAR TO A 2472. OR THE STATE COULD, I SUPPOSE AS WELL, IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN. WE'RE KIND OF AHEAD OF THE GAME THEN AT THAT POINT.

THAT'S AN EXCELLENT POINT, MAYOR. THERE'S ALREADY A SEPARATE SET OF RULES IN THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT BECAUSE OUR FIREFIGHTERS WORK A 56-HOUR WEEK. I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSION. I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR IT HAS MOVED. THAT'S ALL THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TO ME. AND I WILL LOOK THAT CLAUSE UP HERE IN JUST A MOMENT. THIS SETS LUBBOCK FIRE RESCUE AS THE PREEMINENT DEPARTMENT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND IF THERE ARE FUTURE CHANGES THAT ARE PUT UPON YOU, YOU'VE ALREADY BUILT YOUR PLAN, YOU'VE BUILT YOUR MODEL THAT SUPPORTS IT, AND I THINK YOU'LL BE IN GREAT SHAPE AND I THINK OUR COMMUNITY IS GOING TO BE MUCH BETTER PROTECTED AS A RESULT.

CHIEF, DO YOU HAVE THAT LANGUAGE YOU CAN BRING UP FOR US OR SOMEBODY? I'M LOOKING IT UP.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE CHIEF WHILE OUR CITY MANAGER IS LOOKING UP THAT LANGUAGE? MR. BRUEGEL, CHIEF, CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THE CHANGING DEMANDS OF THE FIRE SERVICE OVER THE LAST DAYS, DECADE OR SO? I KNOW WE'VE SEEN SOME OF THE NEED FOR THE SHIFT CHANGE HAS COME FROM THE EXPANDED ROLE OF FIREFIGHTERS INTO THE RESCUE SIDE AND EVEN THE MEDICAL SIDE BEYOND THE FIRE SERVICE ITSELF.

CAN YOU WALK THE REST OF THE COUNCIL THROUGH THAT? WELL, I THINK YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT, COUNCILMAN. LUBBOCK FIRE, FOR INSTANCE, STARTED AT 24 ON 365 DAYS A YEAR, AND THEN THEY WENT TO 24 ON, 24 OFF. AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES WERE GOING TO FIRES AS THE 60S AND 70S,

[00:40:03]

70S ESPECIALLY, WE BEGAN BRINGING ON EMS AND SPECIALTY TEAMS, HAZARDOUS MATERIAL RESPONSE, SWIFT WATER, TECHNICAL RESCUE, ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS, NOT TO MENTION THE COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION AND PUBLIC SAFETY EDUCATION. SO TO ME, IT'S THE NATURAL PROGRESSION OF THE SCHEDULE. YOU WENT FROM 24, BASICALLY, 24 ON, 24 OFF, 24 ON, 48 OFF. AND THIS IS THE NATURAL PROGRESSION OF THAT SCHEDULE BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF STUFF WE DO EVERY DAY.

AND THAT CHANGE HAS EVEN BEEN EVIDENT, LIKE I SAID, WITHIN THE PAST DECADE. I REMEMBER AT GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL, I HAD A FEW FRIENDS WHO WERE FIREMEN AND THEY WOULD TALK ABOUT, YEAH, IT'S NOT A BAD JOB. YOU KNOW, WE GO FIGHT SOME FIRE, WE TAKE A NAP, WE PLAY SOME VIDEO GAMES. IT'S NOT LIKE THAT ANYMORE, WORK.

AND TO YOUR POINT, WHEN I WAS ON THE LINE, WHEN I WAS AN OFFICER, PROBABLY IN THE 2000 AND TENS, THE WEEKENDS WERE QUIET.

YEAH, WE COULD, WE COULD JUST HANG OUT AT THE STATION. NOW WE TRAIN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME DURING THE DAY TO DO THAT.

SO, THIS SCHEDULE WILL ALLOW THOSE, I WON'T SAY ANCILLARY, BUT THOSE NON EMERGENT SITUATIONS THAT THE INSPECTION OF THE FIRE HYDRANTS, THE SAFETY SURVEYS, ALL THE COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION WE DO, WE CAN SPREAD THAT AMONG FOUR SHIFTS, FOCUS ON TRAINING AND RESPONDING TO FIRES WITH THIS NEW SCHEDULE.

YEAH. SO, I THINK, IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT THIS WILL RESULT IN HEALTHIER, SAFER AND BETTER TRAINED FIREMEN? ABSOLUTELY. THERE'S BEEN RESEARCH DONE ON SLEEP DEPRIVATION OR POOR SLEEP HABITS. AND THIS 72-HOURS ALLOWS FIRE. IT'S THE OPTIMAL TIME TO RECOVER, TO BE READY FOR THE NEXT SHIFT. SO, IT'LL BE HEALTHIER, THEY'LL BE JUST BETTER OFF OVERALL TO, TO COME. COME TO WORK.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

YES, SIR.

DID YOU FIND THAT LANGUAGE OKAY? CAN YOU BRING THAT UP? IS IT POSSIBLE TO SHOW.

PROBABLY IS. LET ME. THAT'S BETTER THAN ME READING IT TO YOU, ISN'T IT? YES.

LET ME JUST SECOND.

FOR EVERYBODY FOLLOWING ALONG AT HOME. IT'LL BE ON PAGE 64.

CLOSE YOUR EYES.

YEAH. DON'T WATCH WHILE I'M DOING THIS.

OH, WE WENT WAY PAST IT NOW.

OKAY, HERE WE GO. IT STARTS AS SECTION 5 AND I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THESE. I WON'T READ THE WHOLE THING.

SECTION A REQUIRES THE CITY, AND IN THIS CASE THAT REFERS TO THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL USE GOOD FAITH BEST EFFORTS SUBJECT ONLY TO THE LIMITATIONS OF THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION, ARTICLE 11, SECTIONS 5 AND 7, AND LAWFUL ANNUAL APPROPRIATION REQUIREMENTS TO CONTINUE THIS MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENT EACH FISCAL YEAR THROUGH ITS TERM.

THEN WE GO INTO USING CURRENT REVENUES FUNDS THAT ARE LAWFULLY AVAILABLE. I WOULD NOTE THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT PARAGRAPH ON A. NO ADJUSTMENT UNDER THIS SECTION MAY BE BASED SOLELY ON A POLICY PREFERENCE NOT TO USE LAWFULLY AVAILABLE FUNDS, WHICH MAKES SENSE. THIS IS A CONTRACT. IT'S AN AGREEMENT PROVIDED NOTHING REQUIRES THE USE OF RESTRICTED FUNDS OR FUNDS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE VIOLATE LAW, BOND COVENANTS, MINIMUM RESERVE REQUIREMENTS UNLESS THE COUNCIL CHOOSES TO WAIVE THOSE. THE LAST SENTENCE FOR CLARIFICATION.

IT'S UNDERSTOOD THAT TO MEET THESE OBLIGATIONS HEREIN, THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT ON THE PART OF THE CITY TO REDUCE THE ANNUAL APPROPRIATION FOR ANY DEPARTMENT OR COST CITY OF THE GENERAL FUND. SO THIS IS. IT'S GOT TO. THE ASSOCIATION HAS BARGAINED IN GOOD FAITH TO SAY IF IT AFFECTS EVERYBODY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO STAND OUTSIDE OF IT. IT'S GOING TO AFFECT US AS WELL.

AND I APPRECIATE THEM DOING THAT. YOU GET INTO SECTION B AND IT TALKS ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD DO THIS.

SO YOU CAN ONLY INVOKE RELIEF UNDER THIS SECTION IF YOU'VE GOT THE CHANGE IN THE STATE LAW THAT MATERIALLY REDUCES YOUR LEGALLY AVAILABLE BUDGETARY OR REVENUE AUTHORITY. OR B, THE COUNCIL ADOPTS A BUDGET REQUIRING A VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE ELECTION AND THE VOTERS DO NOT APPROVE IT. SO AGAIN, FOR US TRYING TO DEFINE SOMETHING THAT NONE OF US KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS, I THINK BOTH PARTIES TRIED TO MAKE THIS AS FAIR AS THEY CAN.

TO ME, THE SUBSTANTIVE DEAL IS THESE CLAUSES DO NOT GET EXERCISED BECAUSE

[00:45:01]

OF A POLICY QUESTION OR CHANGE.

IF THIS IS APPROVED, IT'S A SIX YEAR DEAL THAT WE'RE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW THROUGH UNLESS SOMETHING OUT OF OUR CONTROL MAKES IT TO WHERE WE CAN'T. YOU CONTINUE ON THROUGH B AND IT GOES OVER TO THE NEXT PAGE AND IT TALKS ABOUT IF WE INVOKE THIS, IF WE TRIGGER THIS, THE PROCESS THAT WE WILL FOLLOW TO TRY TO MODIFY IT, TO DEFER TO DO THOSE THINGS UNTIL IT GETS BACK TO WHERE IT WORKS AGAIN.

COUNCILMAN GREEN.

SO, I, AND I LIKE THAT IT PROTECT, I THINK IT PROTECTS BOTH SIDES WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE, BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T WANT A FINANCIAL CATASTROPHE TO BLOW UP THIS DEAL AT YEAR THREE OR YEAR FOUR.

BECAUSE WE'RE RIGHT. BECAUSE WE, WE'VE ALL COMMITTED SO MUCH EFFORT FINANCE TO IT THAT WE COULD PAUSE, READJUST AND KEEP AND CONTINUE ON WITH THE AGREEMENT.

CORRECT.

I GUESS ONE QUESTION I MIGHT HAVE, AND MAYBE YOU DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THIS, BUT SAY WE DID HAVE TO EXCEED THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE TO DO THIS. FOR SOME REASON WE CAN'T HAVE AN ELECTION UNTIL A GENERAL ELECTION DATE.

SO YEAH, THAT JUMPS INTO IT TO THE MEETING CONFERRED DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME WAITING FOR THAT VOTE. BECAUSE YOU WON'T MAY NOT KNOW THE RESULT OF THAT ELECTION FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

YOU WOULD HAVE ABOUT A 40 DAY GAP. SO THE WAY VOTER APPROVAL RATE AND VOTER APPROVAL ELECTIONS WORK, THIS JUMPS INTO A SEPARATE SET OF LAW THAT'S OUTSIDE OF THIS AGREEMENT. IF THE COUNCIL APPROVES A BUDGET AND THAT BUDGET TAKES YOU OVER THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, YOU GO TO THAT ELECTION IN NOVEMBER. SO YOU BASICALLY END UP WITH THAT 40 OR SO DAYS, FIRST TUESDAY IN NOVEMBER. SO YOU'LL HAVE THAT GAP POTENTIALLY BETWEEN OCTOBER 1ST AND THE 1ST TUESDAY IN NOVEMBER. NOW THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE CITY HAS NO REVENUE DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME, BECAUSE IF THAT VOTER APPROVAL ELECTION WERE TO FAIL, IF, IF THE RULE IS STILL THREE AND A HALF, YOU HAVE YOUR THREE AND A HALF.

BUT IF YOU WERE ASKING FOR FOUR AND A HALF, YOU DON'T HAVE THAT 1% UNTIL SUCH TIME AS YOU KNOW THE RESULT OF THAT ELECTION. THAT MAKES SENSE.

ALL RIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, CHIEF AND MAYOR MR. WALLACE IS ALSO HERE.

MR. WALLACE, COME FORWARD AND.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL. I'LL SAY, IMPORTANT DAY. WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A VERY LONG TIME. I TELL YOU, I GOT ELECTED NOVEMBER 2020. I BROUGHT THIS TO MY BOARD. SO, SOMETHING I WANT TO LOOK AT. I THINK ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, WE STARTED HAVING SOME CONVERSATION WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL AS CITY STAFF.

AND THEN HERE WE ARE TODAY, AS YOU CAN SEE, I MEAN BY THE RESULTS OF OUR VOTE AND THE SOFTBALL TEAM HERE, IT'S EXCITING. IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT THING FOR US. I KNOW WHEN WE FIRST STARTED HAVING CONVERSATIONS, CONVERSATIONS WITH JARRETT, IT WAS LET'S MAKE THIS MEANINGFUL AND TRANSFORMATIONAL. AND I BELIEVE WE'VE HIT THAT MARK.

BUT THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, IF I MAY, I HAVE SOME THANK YOU THAT I'D LIKE TO GIVE OUT BECAUSE, BECAUSE OF THIS PROCESS. BUT I LIKE THANK COUNCIL. FIRST OF ALL, YOU GUYS HAVE, ESPECIALLY YOU THAT HAVE BEEN HERE A WHILE, YOU CONTINUE TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND WE THANK YOU.

YOU'VE ALWAYS HAD AN OPEN DOOR FOR US. AND WHEN WE BRING YOU THE NEEDS AND THOUGHTS AND CONCERNS THAT OUR FIREFIGHTERS NEED IN ORDER TO SERVE THE PUBLIC THAT THEY HAVE SWORE AN OATH TO PROTECT. AND I KNOW THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE, I BELIEVE THAT CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM THAT THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FOLLOW SUIT WITH THAT. I ALSO WANT TO THANK CITY STAFF. I MEAN IT'S THROUGH THIS PROCESS, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE GROUND THIS OUT WITH US. I KNOW MATT WADE AND MITCH AND HIS STAFF CONTINUE TO GIVE US A LOT OF GUIDANCE AND ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT EVERYONE HAD. THEY DID A TOP-NOTCH JOB ON SUPPORTING THAT EFFORT. AND THEN WE HAD OUR CFO JOE JIMENEZ AND HIS STAFF. WE RAN HIM RAGGED WITH NUMBERS, AS YOU CAN SEE WITH WHAT JARED AS PRESENTED YOU GUYS, WE RAN NUMBER AFTER NUMBER AFTER NUMBER. AND JOE, HE GOT HIS STEPS IN EVERY DAY.

BUT THEN I, I, I COME BACK TO

[00:50:01]

JARED. JARED, I WANT TO, I WANT TO THANK YOU. EVERY TIME WE'VE BROUGHT YOU OUR THOUGHTS AND CONCERNS ABOUT THE WELL-BEING OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND WHAT WE NEED.

YOU ALWAYS LISTEN. WHEN LIVE SCAN CAME AROUND AND WE, WE SAID, HEY, LET'S LOOK AT THIS AND MAKE OUR CHANGES TO, TO OUR ANNUAL PHYSICAL, YOU BOUGHT IN. YOU LISTENED TO US AND NOW WE HAVEN'T.

AFTER OUR ACCIDENT IN JANUARY 2020, I CAME TO YOU SAID WE NEED, WE NEED A THERAPIST. OUR GUYS ARE HURTING. YOU DIDN'T HESITATE TO HELP ME WORK THAT OUT.

MENTAL HEALTH LEAVE ON OUR AGREEMENT. WE DIDN'T HAVE AN AGREEMENT YET. AND I CALLED JARRETT BECAUSE I HAD SOME MEMBERS THAT NEEDED HELP AND HE HONORED THAT IMMEDIATELY WITH NO QUESTIONS ASKED. AND THEN I BROUGHT UP THE RADICAL IDEA 2472. AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME STICKER SHOCK WHEN I FIRST BROUGHT IT UP TO HIM, BUT HE LISTENED TO EVERYTHING I HAD. HE DID HIS OWN RESEARCH. HE STARTED CALLING PLANO WAS, WAS A MODEL FOR US AND HE, HE ACTUALLY DUG IN AND HE, AND HE WORKED WITH US TO FIGURE OUT WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE? THANK YOU. JUST THIS AGREEMENT HIGHLIGHTS WHAT GOOD CAN COME FROM A SOLID LABOR MANAGEMENT RELATIONSHIP. AND WE APPRECIATE YOU, JARRETT. I WANT TO THANK MY ASSOCIATION BOARD AND OUR NEGOTIATION TEAM. THEY CONTINUE TO WORK HARD TO REPRESENT OUR MEMBERSHIP AS WELL AS TO, TRUST MY DECISIONS AND FOLLOW MY LEAD. AND THAT'S WHAT SCOTT IS HERE TODAY. AND THEN I WANT TO THANK OUR MEMBERSHIP. AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY SHOW UP. I'M VERY PROUD THAT THEY'RE HERE, VERY PROUD THAT THEY CONTINUE TO GIVE ME THE PRIVILEGE TO REPRESENT THEM. AND I HOPE THEY CONTINUE TO DO SO. AND THEN MORE IMPORTANT, THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE IS MY WIFE.

SHE'S WALKED THIS JOURNEY WITH ME FOR SIX YEARS. SHE'S PUT UP WITH A LOT. WE WOULDN'T HAVE THIS AGREEMENT. WE WOULDN'T BE STANDING HERE IF IT WERE FOR HER. SHE CONTINUES TO BACK ME UP, STAND BY ME, TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING WHEN I'M AWAY. I JUST, I CAN'T.

SHE'S AMAZING AND I APPRECIATE YOU.

YOU KNOW, IN THIS AGREEMENT WE HAVE THIS SCHEDULE CHANGE AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT TO IT, THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE BENEFIT, IT'S NOT ONLY JUST FOR OUR MEMBERS. THERE'S A HUGE BENEFIT THERE, BUT IT'S ALSO FORECASTING.

MR. MAYOR, YOU BROUGHT IT UP THAT THERE'S MOVEMENT ON THE FEDERAL SIDE. THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FIREFIGHTERS, THEY ARE TAKING THIS ON THEIR NEXT DAY IS ON THEIR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA TO TAKE THIS AND WORK ON MAKING CHANGES TO THE 7K EXEMPTION WHICH OUTLINES POLICE OFFICERS AT A 42-HOUR WORK WEEK AND FIREFIGHTERS AT A 53. AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THE GROWING RESEARCH THAT'S SHOWING JUST HOW DAMAGING THIS JOB IS TO US. IT'S NOT JUST DANGEROUS DOING A JOB, IT'S TRYING TO HARM US WHEN WE GO HOME.

BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, IT'S, IT'S MORE. I MEAN IT'S. CHIEF STEWART STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE, THE CHANGE THAT LUBBOCK HAS HAD HISTORICALLY SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1909, THERE'S BEEN FIVE SCHEDULE CHANGES ACROSS THE BOARD UP TO 1960, WHICH. THAT'S OUR SCHEDULE NOW 2448 IS COMING.

THAT'S WHEN IT WAS ENACTED.

AND THE REASON BEING IS THEY CONTINUALLY, AS THE FIRE SERVICE CHANGE, THEY CONTINUE, CONTINUE TO HAVE TO ADD MORE PERSONNEL TO PULL THOSE HOURS BACK BECAUSE OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT GROW THE AMOUNT OF TRAINING. WE JUST, OUR DEPARTMENT LOGGED 200,000 HOURS OF TRAINING LAST YEAR SIMPLY TO MAINTAIN ISO RATINGS, TO JUST KEEP UP WITH EVERYTHING. I MEAN WE CONTINUALLY TAKE ON MORE RESPONSIBILITY. THAT'S OUR ROLE. BUT THERE'S ALSO A, A PRICE TO PAY THAT I WANT TO SIMPLY BRING UP THE.

THERE'S ANOTHER COMPARISON.

YOUR LUBBOCK FIREFIGHTERS WORK 02,912 HOURS A YEAR. AND OVER A 20 YEAR CAREER, THAT'S 58,240 SCHEDULED HOURS. WHEN YOU COMPARE THAT TO A NORMAL EIGHT TO FIVE 40 HOUR WORK WEEK EMPLOYEE, THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL SEASON 16,640 HOURS. THAT'S EIGHT ADDITIONAL YEARS OF WORK IN THAT SAME 20 YEAR TIME FRAME. THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY WORKING. AND WE'RE JUST, WE FEEL IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO TRY TO BRING SOMETHING THAT CAN PEEL THAT BACK SO WE CAN, WE CAN AFFORD THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO RETIRE HEALTHY AND LIVE A MEANINGFUL LIFE

[00:55:01]

AFTER THEY GO, THEY GO ON THEIR WAY.

BUT NOT ONLY THAT, IT'S THE BENEFITS OF COMMUNITIES.

COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, AS WE ADD ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS, YOU HAVE THE BENEFIT OF BOLSTERING YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WE HAVE A LARGE-SCALE EVENT NOW. YOU HAVE ANOTHER 133 FIREFIGHTERS YOU CAN PULL BACK TO HELP COVER THAT. TRAINED, READY TO. BUT IT BRINGS MORE SPECIALTY TEAM TRAINING. IT JUST, IT HELPS WITH THE REDUNDANCY IN THE SYSTEM. SO, THERE'S A HUGE BENEFIT TO THIS. WE, WE DID A LOT OF WORK ON THIS AGREEMENT, AND YOU KNOW, I, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONSIDERATION ON, ON ADOPTING THIS AGREEMENT AS WRITTEN. I'M OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU, JOE.

ANY QUESTIONS, JOE? COUNCILWOMAN MARTINEZ-GARCIA.

SORRY, BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I WANT TO COMMEND YOU GUYS.

SINCE I'VE JOINED COUNCIL, I HAVE SEEN HOW PROACTIVE THAT YOU GUYS ARE IN EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.

YOU'RE ALWAYS THINKING AHEAD, ALWAYS PREPARING, AND NO MATTER THE OBSTACLES THAT YOU'VE HAD.

I MEAN, FROM, YOU KNOW, JUST THINGS THAT HAPPEN NATIONWIDE, THE CAMARADERIE, LOOK, THERE'S AN EXAMPLE RIGHT THERE. I WISH THE CITIZENS COULD SEE WHAT WE'RE SEEING.

I TRIED TO GET THEM SITTING IN THE MIDDLE SO THEY'D BE ON CAMERA.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT, BUT IT'S IMPRESSIVE. IT'S BEEN VERY PROACTIVE. AND I THINK THAT'S WHY FOR ME, YOU KNOW, ONCE UPON A TIME I WAS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY AND I REMEMBER HAVING TO ADMINISTER A CITIZEN SURVEY AND, YOU KNOW, POLICE AND FIRE WERE AT THE TOP WHEN IT CAME TO THE CITIZENS WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAD A VERY SUPPORTED FIRST RESPONDER TEAM.

AND IT'S EVIDENT THAT Y' ALL HAVE DONE THAT. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND COMMEND YOU BECAUSE IT'S A BIG DEAL. AND YOU KNOW SOMETHING THAT YOU SAID, IT'S A PRICE TO PAY. AND NOT JUST FOR YOU, NOT JUST FOR THEM, BUT FOR YOUR FAMILIES. SO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU TO OUR POLICE AS WELL, AND THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO BE PROACTIVE AND INNOVATIVE.

BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE OTHER PART. ONE DAY I STOPPED IN AND I WENT TO STATION NUMBER FOUR. JACK WAS THERE, AND, MAN, EVERY PERSON, EVERY FIREFIGHTER THAT WAS THERE WAS WORKING ON A PROJECT AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT Y' ALL CAME UP WITH, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE I THINK THAT OUR DOLLARS, OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE INVESTED WELL WHEN YOU SEE THAT TYPE OF SERVICE. SO, I APPRECIATE YOU.

YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU.

COUNCILMAN GREEN.

FIRST OFF, JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU AND CITY MANAGER AND ALL THE WORK YOU GUYS DID IN THIS. WHEN I FIRST HEARD OF 2472, I THOUGHT, THERE'S NO WAY IN THE WORLD YOU CAN DO THIS FINANCIALLY. AND I ALWAYS LOOK AT EVERYTHING FINANCIALLY FIRST. AND THIS IS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE HOW YOU DID THIS WITH THE CITIZENS IN MIND. THE PRICE TAG THAT IT TOOK TO GET TO THAT I THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE EXORBITANT, THAT THERE'S NO WAY IN THE WORLD THAT YOU CAN HIRE 133. 123, 133 FIREFIGHTERS IN SIX YEARS WITHOUT A TREMENDOUS COST TO THE CITIZENS. AND I JUST WANT TO TELL THE CITIZENS OUT THERE THAT THIS IS SMALL INCREASE AND IT'S A SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR THE RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET. THE SACRIFICES THAT THESE GUYS HAVE MADE FOR TO MAKE THIS WORK, ESPECIALLY THE OLDER FIREFIGHTERS THAT ARE GOING TO RETIRE WITHIN THE NEXT SIX YEARS.

THEY'RE THE ONES THAT AREN'T GOING TO SEE THIS BENEFIT. AND THEY'VE SACRIFICED POSSIBLY SMALLER PAY RAISES, LESS OVERTIME, GIVING BACK SICK LEAVE THINGS, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO, I REALLY COMMEND EVERY ONE OF YOU. YOU GUYS. THIS IS GENIUS. IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK EVERY DEPARTMENT IN THIS. IN THE UNITED STATES IS GOING TO LOOK AT. THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, THIS IS THE BLUEPRINT TO MAKE 2472 WORK. AND AGAIN, I THINK THERE WILL BE SOME POSSIBLY MANDATES DOWN THE ROAD THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT APPLIES TO THE 2472. AND WE'RE GOING TO BE WAY AHEAD OF THE GAME.

AND SO. AND WITH A. WITH, YOU KNOW, BEING VERY FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE. SO I GUARANTEE YOU OTHER FIRE DEPARTMENTS WILL BEGIN LOOKING

[01:00:01]

AT US WHEN THEIR FIREMEN START LEAVING, COMING OVER HERE.

SO, YEAH, THEY'LL LOOK AT IT.

MAYOR BROTEL.

OH, NO, IT WAS.

THEY TURNED MINE ON. THANK YOU.

JOSEPH'S BACKWARDS TO YOU GUYS. YOU DIDN'T SEE THE EMOTION IN HIS FACE THAT I COULD SEE UP HERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING. THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR OUR COMMUNITY. A PAY RAISE DOESN'T BRING THAT EMOTION OUT IN AN INDIVIDUAL. THE COMMITMENT TO THIS COMMUNITY, I BELIEVE, IS WHERE THAT EMOTION CAME FROM. AND SO, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO GIVE THEIR CAREER TO SERVING OUR CITIZENS. I THINK THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT THING TO RECOGNIZE. WE GIVE THREE- OR FOUR-YEARS YOU GUYS HAVE GIVEN YOUR CAREER. AND SO, AS A CITIZEN OF LUBBOCK, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO JOSEPH AND THE TEAM FOR LEADING THIS EFFORT TO GET US HERE. I WOULD BE REMISS TO NOT SAY THANK YOU TO MR. ATKINSON, THANK YOU TO JOE, THANK YOU TO THE CITY STAFF WHO HAVE ALSO CARRIED THIS BALL, WHO HELP ENSURE FOR ALL OF US THAT OUR COMMUNITY'S SAFE.

THANK YOU TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE. I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING. I'M PROUD TO BE ABLE TO SIT UP AND HEAR AND SAY THAT WE'VE BEEN A PART OF THIS. AND MAYBE I'M BEING PRESUMPTUOUS TO ASSUME THAT THIS IS GOING TO PASS IN JUST A MOMENT, BUT I AM SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR THIS COMMUNITY AS REPRESENTED IN THIS ROOM TONIGHT. SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.

ALL RIGHT.

MAYOR JOSEPH, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU. WHEN WE FIRST MET ABOUT THIS, EVEN AS A MEMBER OF THE FIREFIGHTER FAMILY, EVEN I DOUBTED IF WE COULD GET IT DONE, IF IT COULD BE DONE.

AND. AND NOT BECAUSE THE. THE WILL IS NOT THERE, BUT THE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS WHERE WE KNEW WERE GOING TO BE AN UPHILL BATTLE. SO, THANK YOU FOR NOT GIVING UP YOU AND JACK AND COPE AND EVERYBODY THAT WAS ON THIS TEAM, THE CITY MANAGER, FOR FINDING A WAY WITH YOU GUYS TO MAKE THIS A POSSIBILITY. I AGREE THAT THIS IS GOING TO MAKE L. FIRE RESCUE YOU THE PREMIER DEPARTMENT IN THE STATE. AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THIS DEPARTMENT FROM THE ENTIRE COUNTRY ON HOW TO MODEL WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE HERE TODAY. THAT IS NOT TO DIMINISH ANYTHING THAT THE POLICE ASSOCIATION HASN'T DONE, BECAUSE THEY WERE. THEY FOUGHT HARD FOR THEIR MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENT. AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO FIGHT HARD AND THANK YOU TO YOU GUYS FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.

BUT I WILL TELL YOU, AS BEING A MEMBER OF THE FIREFIGHTER FAMILY, GETTING 96% OF FIREFIGHTERS IN LUBBOCK, TEXAS, TO AGREE ON ANYTHING IS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT WITHIN ITSELF.

PREACH.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE. AND SO, CONGRATULATIONS. NOT ALSO BEING PRESUMPTUOUS THAT IT WILL PASS, BUT CONGRATULATIONS.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, I'LL JUST ADD MY WORDS AGAIN TO OUR POLICE ASSOCIATION, OUR FIRE ASSOCIATION, AND THEIR HARD WORK ON IT.

THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT LIFT. IT IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE TO OUR BUDGET. ASSUMING IT DOES PASS TODAY, IT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW IS TOUGH TO PUT BEFORE YOUR CITIZENS, BUT WE ALWAYS HEAR FROM THEM HOW IMPORTANT PUBLIC SAFETY IS.

IT'S NUMBER ONE. WE SAY THAT CONSTANTLY. IT IS NUMBER ONE.

AND IF SOMETHING IS A PRIORITY, THE WAY YOU SHOW IT'S A PRIORITY IS YOU PUT IN ONE WAY YOU SHOW IT'S A PRIORITY IS YOU PUT DOLLARS THERE. AND SO, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY.

IF THIS BUDGET PASSES WITH THE MEET AND CONFER IN IT, AND IT'S GOING TO ADD TO THE TAXPAYER'S LEVY IN THIS CITY.

BUT I THINK WHAT WE CAN SAY TO OUR PUBLIC AND WHAT I HOPE WE CAN SHOW AT THE END OF THIS DAY WHEN WE GET AROUND TO TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET IS THAT EVERY EXTRA DOLLAR WE LEVY ON THEM THIS YEAR AS A HOMEOWNER IS GOING DIRECTLY TO PAY FOR THE MEAT AND CONFER FOR OUR POLICE AND FOR OUR, FOR OUR FIRE. AND SO, IT MEETS A COMMITMENT THAT I THINK WE FEEL A PRIORITY. WE FEEL IN OUR MINDS WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS IN A CITY GOVERNMENT YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH AND DO AN OKAY, A DECENT, A GOOD JOB. PUBLIC SAFETY IS ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE TO EXCEL IN. AND SO, I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. WE'RE UNITED ON THAT. I THINK WE WILL HAVE THE BACKING OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR THAT. AND

[01:05:01]

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK TO BRING THIS TO US. I WAS SKEPTICAL AT FIRST VERY MUCH OF IT, OF A SIX YEAR PROGRAM AND HOW IT WOULD WORK. BUT LOOKING AT IT AND HOW IT'S BEEN LAID OUT, I THINK IT'S GOING TO WORK FOR OUR CITIZENS AND ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU WANT. AND SO, THANK YOU AGAIN VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, SO THANK YOU. JOE. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 3.2. A MOTION A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I SEE NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED SAY NAY. I SEE NONE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 3.3.

[3.3. Public Hearing - Finance: Hold a public hearing on the Proposed FY 2026-27 Operating Budget and Capital Program.]

HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2026, 2027 OPERATING BUDGET AND CAPITAL PROGRAM. I WILL NOW OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR AGENDA ITEM 3.3. MR. CITY. OH, IT'S PUBLIC HEARING.

IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? I THINK THIS MAY BE THE FIRST TIME EVER. ALL RIGHT.

SINCE NO ONE CAME FORWARD TO SPEAK, I WILL CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING AT 7:10, 07:12. I'M LOOKING AT THIS CLOCK DOWN HERE. SO, THE COUNCIL WILL NOW TAKE UP THE AGENDA ITEM 3.4 AND HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON A PROPOSED PROPOSAL. JUST.

IS THIS RIGHT? IS THIS WHERE WE ARE? OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, I TELL YOU WHAT.

LET'S TAKE A BRIEF 10-MINUTE BREAK HERE. OKAY. WE'LL COME BACK BEFORE WE GET STARTED ON THIS BECAUSE THIS COULD TAKE A LITTLE WHILE. ALL RIGHT.

[01:19:51]

ALL RIGHT,

[01:19:53]

WE'RE ALL BACK NOW. THE COUNCIL

[3.4. Public Hearing - Finance: Hold a public hearing on a proposal to adopt a tax rate of $0.513421 cents per $100 valuation, which is effectively a 9.83 percent increase in the tax rate (percentage the proposed tax rate exceeds the no-new-revenue tax rate).]

WILL NOW TAKE UP AGENDA ITEM 3.4 AND HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING

[01:20:02]

ON A PROPOSED TAX RATE OF $0.513421 PER $100 VALUATION, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 9.83% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE. AND THE PERCENTAGE OF THE PROPOSED TAX RATE EXCEPT EXCEEDS THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE. WE ARE GOING TO BE VOTING ON A FIRST READING OF THE TAX RATE ORDINANCE. IS THIS WHEN I READ THIS TODAY, TUESDAY, SEPT. 1, 2026, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON THE SECOND AND FINAL READING OF THE TAX RATE ORDINANCE AT THE SEPTEMBER 8, 2026, CITY COUNCIL MEETING THAT WILL BE HELD IN CITY COUNCIL CHAPTER CHAMBERS, 1314 AVENUE K BEGINNING AT 2PM ON SEPTEMBER 8TH. SO, I WILL NOW HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR AGENDA ITEM 3.4. IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, THE PROPOSED TAX RATE? I SEE NO ONE COMING FORWARD, SO I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 7:26 WE WILL NOW TAKE UP AGENDA

[3.5. Ordinance 1st Reading - Finance: Consider an ordinance approving and adopting a budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27; approving summary of estimated and forecasted revenues, appropriations, and use of available reserves for all funds of the city; providing for necessary transfers of funds between accounts and departments, if required; authorizing reduction of spending by City Manager if necessary; re-appropriation of balances which support authorized obligations or encumbrances; providing for filing of Adopted Budget; establishing civil service classifications and positions; appropriating funds for the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Operating Budget and Capital Program of the City of Lubbock; providing for continuation of appropriations for projects in the capital program; approving all permit, license, fees, and charges for service recommended to be adjusted; approving the pay plan and positions; approving personnel; Amending of Section 16.04.002 of the Code of Ordinances by revising Community Recreation fees as contained therein; amending Section 34.02.037 of the Code of Ordinances by revising Codes Enforcement fees as contained therein; amending Section 22.03.084 Water Base Charge of the Code of Ordinances by revising the base rates as contained therein; amending Section 22.03.085 (a) and (b) of the Code of Ordinances by revising the volume rates as contained therein; amending subsection (c) section 22.03.095 of the Code of Ordinances by revising the Water fees as contained therein; amending subsection (b) of section 22.06.051 of the Code of Ordinances by revising Solid Waste Landfill service fees as contained therein; amending subsection (a) of section 22.06.185 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Lubbock by revising the Solid Waste Collections service fees as contained therein; providing for the reconciliation of the transfer of funds from the General Fund to Enterprise Funds; accepting the budgets for Lubbock Economic Development Alliance, Market Lubbock, Inc., Civic Lubbock, Inc., and Vintage Township Public Facilities Corporation; finding that proper notice of meeting provided by law and ratifying such; providing for publication; and providing for a savings clause.]

ITEM 3.5 TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AND ADOPTING A BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026-27.

ON FIRST READING, I WILL NOW CALL ON OUR CITY MANAGER TO GIVE A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THIS ITEM.

OKAY, THANK YOU, MAYOR, COUNCIL. FOR OUR NEW MEMBERS THAT HAVE NOT ENJOYED THIS WONDERFUL PROCESS BEFORE, LET ME KIND OF, KIND OF LAY SOME THINGS OUT.

FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING IN MANY WAYS ABOUT BOTH THE BUDGET AND THE TAX RATE INTERCHANGEABLY.

FOR YOUR ACTION TONIGHT AND FOR YOUR ACTION NEXT TUESDAY.

THE DISCUSSION CAN BE COMBINED AND THAT IS FINE, BUT THE ACTIONS ARE TOTALLY SEPARATE.

YOU'RE GOING TO VOTE ON A BUDGET AND A CAPITAL PROGRAM.

THEY'RE TOGETHER. AND THEN YOU'LL SEPARATELY VOTE ON THE TAX RATE THAT SUPPORTS THE BUDGET AND THE TAX RATE. WE'VE TRIED TO PRE CALCULATE WHAT WE THINK MIGHT BE QUESTIONS AND CHANGES, BUT I MIGHT NEED TO ASK AT DIFFERENT TIMES THAT WE PAUSE FOR A MINUTE TO BE SURE WE GET ALL OF OUR NUMBERS RIGHT. I'M GOING TO BEGIN THAT PROCESS BY MOVING TO WHAT IS CALLED EXHIBIT G. SO, EXHIBIT G IS CONTAINED IN THE BUDGET ORDINANCE THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET. AND EXHIBIT G IS WHERE WE LINE OUT THOSE CHANGES THAT WE KNOW ARE COMING TO THE BUDGET. SO, THIS IS COMPARED TO THE BUDGET I PRESENTED TO YOU DURING YOUR WORKSHOPS DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST. SO, KEEP THE LINE STRAIGHT. I'M GOING TO RUN THROUGH THESE REAL QUICK.

THESE ON THIS PAGE ARE ACTUALLY JUST TINY, TINY, TINY LITTLE CHANGES. IT'S REALLY MOVING STUFF OUT OF A FUND INTO A DIFFERENT FUND AND THEN SWAPPING THE EXPENSES.

SO ON THE GENERAL FUND, WE ARE DECREASING OTHER CHARGES FOR OTHER EQUIPMENT. THIS IS IN THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT BUDGET. SO WE'RE PULLING OUT $2,180. WE ARE BRINGING IN A REVENUE. THIS IS THE INCREASED TRANSFER FROM ABANDONED VEHICLE FUNDS.

SO WHAT I'M GOING TO RUN THROUGH ON THESE NEXT LINES, OFFSET THE LOSS LINES ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.

BUT WE ARE BRINGING IN 624,000 TO THE GENERAL FUND. AND THEN WE'RE PULLING DOWN POLICE SUPPLIES. WE'RE INCREASING THAT BY 95,000.

THAT'S AN EXPENSE. WE'RE INCREASING OTHER CHARGES IN POLICE. 295,000. THAT'S AN EXPENSE. AND THEN CAPITAL OUTLAY 233,000 EXP. AN EXPENSE.

THOSE WERE PREVIOUSLY INSIDE OF THAT 624,000. THAT'S IN THE ABANDONED VEHICLE FUND.

SO NOW I'M GOING TO DO THE OPPOSITE THERE.

WE'RE DECREASING SUPPLIES LUMPED TOGETHER 372,000 CAPITAL 251,000. INCREASING TRANSFER TO GENERAL FUND 624. AND WE'RE DECREASING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 18,000. SO ABANDONED VEHICLE FUND IS A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND TO KEEP WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN TERMS OF REPORTING AND GASB AND ALL THOSE THINGS. WE NEED TO TAKE WHERE WE PROPOSED THOSE EXPENDITURES AND THE ASSOCIATED REVENUE AND MOVE THEM OVER TO THE GENERAL FUND. SO FOR THOSE BOTTOM LINES, THAT'S REALLY WHAT THOSE DO.

OKAY. AIRPORT FUND. I MENTIONED TO YOU WHEN WE DID TWO BUDGET WORKSHOPS AGO IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL, I MENTIONED THAT WE HAD A GRANT COMING IN THAT WE WEREN'T SURE WE WERE GOING TO GET, BUT NOW WE DO.

AND IT'S ENTIRELY RELATED TO THE AIRPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE AIRPORT SECURITY DEPARTMENTS. SO HERE ARE MY PROPOSED CHANGES. THERE FIRST

[01:25:01]

LINE IS TO INCREASE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS THROUGH THE AVIATION SECURITY ACCESS AVIATION SECURITY POLICE IN THE AMOUNT OF $120,000.

THAT'S AN INCREASED EXPENSE.

WE ARE BRINGING IN THE GRANT FROM THAT, WHICH IS A REIMBURSABLE GRANT THROUGH THE TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION IN THE AMOUNT OF 146,000. WE ARE ADJUSTING THEN THE FEES THAT YOU SEE BELOW THERE.

OFFICE SPACE FOR AIRLINES AND UPDATED RATE $48. SAME FOR OTHER OFFICE SPACE RENTALS, $48.60. THE UPDATED LANDING FEE RATE WILL BE $4.55 AND THE LANDING FEES OTHER $5.69.

THAT'S GOING TO CAUSE ALSO A DECREASE TO THOSE LISTED REVENUE ACCOUNTS.

LANDING AREA REDUCED BY 9,000 09,900. TERMINAL AREA RENTAL 19,400 TOTAL REVENUE 29,395.

THE LAST ITEM ON THIS PAGE IS A CORRECTION WHEN WE PROPOSED THE $2 FEE. AND THEN YOU KNOW HOW IT'S PRO RATA ALL THE WAY DOWN THROUGH THE REST. WE DIDN'T ADJUST THE ONE THAT WE SHOWED YOU FOR THE COMMERCIAL CHARGE ON AN EIGHT-YARD DUMPSTERS. SO WE'RE FIXING THAT ONE. STILL ALL FITS IN THAT SAME PRO RATA STRUCTURE. JUST A MISTAKE THAT I MADE WHEN WE BROUGHT THAT BUDGET FORWARD. SO COUNCIL, THESE ARE THE CHANGES THAT I AM PUTTING FORWARD VERSUS THE BUDGET I ORIGINALLY GAVE YOU.

I'VE GOT ANOTHER SEQUENCE OF THEM THAT I'LL NEED TO GO THROUGH, BUT I WANT TO STOP HERE, SEE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? SO, IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, THE OFFICE SPACE RENTAL UPDATED RATE, WAS THAT ACTUALLY A LOWERING OF THAT RATE? IS THAT WHY WE HAVE DECREASED REVENUE? I BELIEVE SO. MS. CAMPBELL'S HERE AND CAN SPEAK TO THAT.

GOOD EVENING. JUST REALIZED I LEFT MY GLASSES, SO THIS MAY GET INTERESTING. I THINK YOUR QUESTION WAS WE ARE REDUCING REVENUES ON LANDING FEE AND TERMINAL RENTAL. SO OUR RATES TO THE AIRLINES ARE A COST RECOVERY.

SO, WHEN YOU BRING IN A REIMBURSABLE PROGRAM THAT REDUCES YOUR OPERATING EXPENSES, YOU CAN'T DOUBLE DIP. YOU CAN'T CHARGE THE AIRLINES FOR IT AND GET MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

SO IT DOES ACTUALLY LOWER THOSE.

YOU MEAN THERE'S SOMEONE IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WATCHING THAT? WE'RE AUDED EVERY YEAR.

OKAY. WELL, IT'S NICE TO KNOW WE DO THINGS BY THE BOOK HERE THOUGH.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I DON'T SEE ANY.

ALL RIGHT, MR. ATKINSON.

OKAY, THE NEXT TWO I'LL. I'LL DELINEATE. MS. BROCK IS KEEPING TRACK OF ALL THESE. REMEMBER THAT I CAME FORWARD AND BASED ON THE AUGUST SALES TAX, SO THE JUNE COLLECTIONS, WE WERE ABLE TO INCREASE OUR SALES TAX REVENUE BY JUST SLIGHTLY OVER $1 MILLION. AND I HAD REMOVED THAT ONE ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST. SO THOSE ARE CHANGES THAT I ALSO WISH TO INCORPORATE IN THE BUDGET. I MEAN, QUESTIONS ON THOSE. WE'VE SEEN THOSE TWICE.

YOU DON'T HAVE A SLIDE SHOWING THAT, BUT REPEAT THAT AGAIN.

WELL, THEY GET ROLLED UP ON THE ONES YOU WANT ME TO SHOW. IN A MINUTE.

REMEMBER THAT AS WE'VE WORKED THROUGH ON THESE LAST FEW WEEKS, WE INCREASED THE SALES TAX REVENUE ESTIMATE BY $1,001,000. I ALSO OFFERED TO PULL OUT WHERE I HAD ADDED THE 1 ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST. SO, I NEED THOSE ON THE RECORD BECAUSE WE'LL INCORPORATE THOSE BACK INTO YOUR BUDGET. ALL THIS WILL BE CORRECT. NEXT TUESDAY.

THE LOBBY IN THIS EXHIBIT G IS WHERE YOU'LL FIND THEM.

QUESTIONS ON THAT I SEE NONE. PROCEED.

OKAY, SO WE'LL MOVE FORWARD TO THIS. WE HAVE HERE A PROPOSAL DEVELOPED BY MAYOR MCBRAYER. SO, THIS IS THE BASE BUDGET AS I PRESENTED IT WITH THE 10001 MILLION AND 1000 IN SALES TAX MINUS THE ONE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST. THIS PROPOSAL BRINGS YOUR BASE BUDGET DOWN TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.

PLUS ADDING ON TOP OF IT THE TWO MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENTS THAT WERE APPROVED EARLIER TONIGHT. HERE'S HOW WE DID THAT. SO, THE BASE BUDGET REQUIRED A REDUCTION OF THE

[01:30:01]

01,001,000 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST. AND THEN THE MAYOR IS OFFERING THE FOLLOWING.

REMOVE ONE OF THE THREE ADDITIONAL OR INCREASED PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER POSITIONS AT LUBBOCK POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THAT'S A REDUCTION OF $59,834.

REMOVE ONE OF THE TWO ADDITIONAL LUBBOCK POLICE DEPARTMENT RECORDS SERVICES OFFICERS. THAT'S ALSO AN ADDITIONAL IN THE AMOUNT OF 62,836. REDUCE THE COUNCIL BUDGET BY $15,000. THOSE THREE ARE DEDUCTS AND THE NEXT TWO ARE REVENUE INCREASES.

INCREASE INTEREST EARNINGS BY 50,000. INCREASE SALES TAX REVENUE BY $200,813. IF YOU DO THAT, YOU CAN GO TO THE BOTTOM AGAIN. THESE WILL BE TWO SEPARATE VOTES IN A MINUTE, BUT THIS IS THE TRICKLE DOWN INTO YOUR TAX RATES. YOUR BASE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS TAX RATE 0.367568. THAT'S THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE. THE TWO MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENTS APPROVED EARLIER REQUIRE A RATE, A TAX RATE INCREASE OF 0.032195. AND THEN YOU SEE THE EQUIVALENCY IN THE DOLLARS TO FUND THOSE TWO MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENTS. IF THIS CARRIES THROUGH, WHEN YOU GET TO THE TAX RATE PORTION, YOUR M AND O THAT WILL BE IN THE MOTION IS THE 0.399763 YOUR INS, WHICH AGAIN HAS NOT CHANGED FROM THE PRIOR YEAR AND HAS NOT CHANGED THROUGH ANYTHING ELSE WE HAVE DONE IS 0 0.107586.

TOTAL TAX RATE 0.507349. NOW I WANT TO MAKE A NOTE ON THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.

SO, THIS IS THE IMPACT OF THE PROPOSAL THAT THE MAYOR IS BRINGING FORWARD. WE'RE USED TO SEEING THE TWO ANALOGIES HERE WITH THE HOUSES. THE PROPOSAL ON THE PRIOR PAGE RESULTS IN AN AVERAGE INCREASE ON THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL HOUSE OF $103.40. ONE MORE.

THIS IS BACK TO WHERE WE FIRST STARTED ON AUGUST 8TH. IT WAS $117.33.

WE'LL GO BACK TO THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL AND WANT TO TRY TO TRY TO ADD A LITTLE CLARITY TO NO NEW REVENUE RATE. THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS NOT A RATE THAT THE CITY OF LUBBOCK CALCULATES. IT IS A RATE THAT IS CALCULATED BASED ON THE TOTALITY OF THAT GIANT WORKSHEET THAT COMES THROUGH THE APPRAISAL DISTRICTS. NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS NOT UNIQUE TO A SINGLE PROPERTY NORMAL.

NOR IS IT UNIQUE TO A SINGLE CLASS OF PROPERTY. NO NEW REVENUE RATE BY STATUTE IS THAT RATE THAT PRODUCES THE SAME TOTAL DOLLARS FROM THE SAME PROPERTIES YEAR OVER YEAR. AND THEN YOU ADD THE VALUE OF WHATEVER IS NEW. IT'S NOT CALCULATED ON A SINGLE HOME. IT'S NOT CALCULATED ON AN AVERAGE HOME. IT IS CALCULATED AT THAT TOP LINE.

AND AGAIN, AGAIN, THESE ARE NOT OUR CALCULATIONS.

THESE ARE THE CALCULATIONS WE'RE REQUIRED TO WORK WITH.

BUT IT IS CALCULATED AT THAT TOP LINE FOR THE CITY. SO THOSE NO NEW REVENUE RATE THAT WAS ON THE PRIOR PAGE IS THE RESULT OF THAT AND IT PRODUCES THE SAME REVENUE FROM THE SAME PROPERTY PLUS WHATEVER YOU HAD IN GROWTH. DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL? I KNOW WE FOCUS ON ON OUR INDIVIDUAL CONSTITUENTS, WHICH IS RESIDENTIAL. AND WHAT'S ODD ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE, THAT GREEN ARROW IN THE MIDDLE SFR SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.

THE VALUE, THE TAXABLE VALUE FOR SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DID GO UP SLIGHTLY YEAR OVER YEAR. THAT'S ONLY A PIECE OF YOUR TOTAL VALUE UPON WHICH NO NEW REVENUE IS CALCULATED.

SO IF YOU'LL REMEMBER, YOUR ADJUSTED TAXABLE VALUE FOR THE YEAR VERSUS THE PRIOR IS ACTUALLY DOWN. SINGLE FAMILY IS UP. OTHER CATEGORIES ARE DOWN.

NO NEW REVENUE PUTS THEM ALL TOGETHER AND MAKES THAT CALCULATION. SO, UNDERSTAND THIS LOOKS LIKE, WELL, WHY IF IT'S NO NEW REVENUE, WHY IS IT AN INCREASE FROM APPRAISAL GROWTH ON THE HOMES? AND IT'S BECAUSE

[01:35:01]

THERE ARE DECREASES IN APPRAISAL VALUE ON OTHER CATEGORIES. IS THAT.

DID I GET THERE? ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? I KNOW IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND, BUT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS AN AGGREGATE RATE OF ALL PROPERTIES RESIDENTIAL.

IT'S ON TOTAL VALUE PROPERTY.

AND IT KIND OF STRESSES OR EMPHASIZES WHAT A POINT MANY OF US HAVE BEEN MAKING UP HERE IS IN ORDER FOR THE BURDEN OF TAXES AND TAX INCREASES NOT TO FALL ON HOMEOWNERS, WE HAVE TO HAVE MORE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, MORE BUSINESSES, MORE INDUSTRIES IN THE CITY.

IF WE DO NOT HAVE THAT, THEN AS YOU SEE IN THE EXAMPLE FOR THIS YEAR, AND I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE FEW TIMES I'VE SEEN IT QUITE LIKE THIS BECAUSE SO MUCH OF THAT COMMERCIAL PROPERTY WAS WIPED OUT BY THE INCREASE IN THE BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY.

THE BURDEN FALLS ON HOMEOWNERS AND SO ALL WE'VE EVER SHOWN WITH OUR CHARTS ARE THE HOMEOWNER. IT DOESN'T SHOW ANY, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T SHOW A BUSINESS. IT DOESN'T SHOW AN INDUSTRY.

WE'RE THINKING VERY MUCH ABOUT HOME HOMEOWNERS HERE. BUT IT ALSO MAKES THE POINT WE TRY TO MAKE IS WE'RE TRYING TO GROW THIS CITY WITH INDUSTRY AND NEW BUSINESSES BECAUSE THEY PAY TAXES, AND THAT HELPS TO REDUCE THE BURDEN ON THE HOMEOWNER. THAT'S SOMETHING WE ALWAYS FOCUS ON UP HERE. GROWTH IS, YOU KNOW, GOOD FOR THE CITY, AND IT'S A POSITIVE FOR THE CITY. I THINK OUR NEW COUNCIL PERSON, MR. GREEN, HAS STRESSED THAT POINT MANY TIMES, AND WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT. SO IT'S A DIFFICULT CONCEPT TO UNDERSTAND. NO NEW REVENUE RATE DOESN'T MEAN YOU WILL PAY EXACTLY THE SAME THING THIS YEAR ON YOUR HOUSE THAT YOU PAID LAST YEAR. IT JUST SIMPLY MEANS ALL PROPERTY LAST YEAR TOGETHER IN THE AGGREGATE, YOUR HOUSE AND EVERY OTHER HOUSE, EVERY BUSINESS, EVERY INDUSTRY TOGETHER LUMPED TOGETHER, WILL BRING IN THE SAME DOLLAR AMOUNT AS IT DID THE PREVIOUS YEAR. AND. AND THEN YOU GET TO ADD ON TOP OF THAT THE NEW PROPERTY. SO IT'S DIFFICULT.

BUT THAT'S WHAT MY PROPOSAL HERE AT THE MOMENT BEFORE US IS ATTEMPTED TO DO, IS TO TAKE US BACK TO THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE FOR THE BASE BUDGET AND ADD ON TOP OF THAT STACK ON TOP OF IT, WHAT WE JUST VOTED ON HERE, THE TWO MEET AND CONFER AMOUNTS, WHICH TOGETHER TOTALS $7.8 MILLION. IT'S A LARGE AMOUNT, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT HOPEFULLY FROM OUR DISCUSSION UP HERE, WE BELIEVE IS GOOD AND FITS WITH OUR PRIORITIES AND WE BELIEVE ARE THE PRIORITIES OF THE PUBLIC AT LARGE IN OUR CITY. IT'S WHAT THEY EXPECT FROM US, THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT FROM US, AND HOPEFULLY THEY UNDERSTAND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO THIS YEAR. EVEN THOUGH IT IS A TAX INCREASE THAT'S SUBSTANTIAL, OUR COMMITMENT, AT LEAST MY COMMITMENT WITH THIS BUDGET IS EVERY DOLLAR, EVERY DOLLAR IN ADDITIONAL INCOME THAT YOU.

ADDITIONAL TAXES YOU PAY THIS YEAR DOES GO FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, TO OUR POLICE, TO OUR FIRE, AND TO OUR ANIMAL SERVICES.

SO, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS, MAYOR PRO TEM.

OKAY, TELL ME AGAIN, IS IT SOLID? THE NEXT ONE, THE BLINKING ONE. OKAY, THAT'S WHAT. THAT'S MY PROBLEM.

JESUS.

OH, ME FIRST.

OKAY, THE BLINKING ONE'S THE NEXT ONE. OKAY, COUNCILMAN, WE'LL.

WE'LL GET THIS DOWN. MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THIS PROPOSAL. I APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK.

I'VE SEEN YOU UP IN THE OFFICE MANY TIMES THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS ON YOUR 10 KEY, WORKING ON NUMBERS AND I APPRECIATE THIS. I LIKE IT.

AND I LIKE THAT WE'RE BASED.

EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING IS A NO NEW REVENUE. AND THE ONLY THING ON TOP OF THE NO NEW REVENUE.

THIS IS CLEAN. THAT IS THE MEET AND CONFER THE 3.1 MILLION ON THE FIREFIGHTERS AND THE 4.7 MILLION ON THE POLICE OFFICERS. THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE IS THE INCREASE IN SALES TAX REVENUE. WE DIDN'T JUST. WE'RE HOPING, WE'RE EXPECTING TO GET THAT, THAT INCREASE. KIND OF EXPLAIN THAT. THAT'S THE ONLY THING I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

SALES TAX REVENUE IS UNLIKE PROPERTY TAX BECAUSE ONCE YOU KNOW THE VALUE OF YOUR PROPERTY AND YOU KNOW YOUR TAX RATE, YOU PRETTY MUCH. AND ASSUMING EVERYBODY PAYS THEIR TAX BILL, YOU PRETTY MUCH KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER IS GOING TO BE. OUR CITY MANAGEMENT USES A FAIRLY

[01:40:01]

SOPHISTICATED, I ASSUME, WAY OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT GROWTH IN YOUR SALES TAX WILL BE YEAR OVER YEAR. BUT IT'S NOT INFALLIBLE BECAUSE TWO YEARS AGO, YOU KNOW, WE CAME UP SHORT $5 MILLION.

IT DIDN'T WORK. AS WE HAD A BUDGET OF $105 MILLION FOR SALES TAX REVENUE, IT CAME IN AT ABOUT 100 MILLION. WE WERE $5 MILLION SHORT. SO, WE HAD TO MAKE SEVERE ADJUSTMENTS FOR THAT.

IN THE CURRENT YEAR THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW? NO, THE PREVIOUS YEAR. YEAH, THE PREVIOUS YEAR IS WHEN WE HAD TO MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS TO MAKE UP FOR THAT. AND THEN WE HAD TO WATCH VERY CAREFULLY WHAT HAPPENED WITH OUR SALES TAX REVENUE THIS YEAR. AND IT HAS. AND SO WE WERE, WE WERE VERY CAUTIOUS IN SETTING THE SALES TAX REVENUE IN OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR AT $103 MILLION. IS THAT CORRECT? CURRENT YEAR? WHEN I SAY THIS YEAR, IT'S. WE'RE NOT INTO NEXT YEAR. WE'RE VOTING ON NEXT YEAR NOW, BUT CURRENT YEAR 103. SO, WE ONLY RAISED IT 3 MILLION MORE THAN WE ACTUALLY BROUGHT IN.

SO THAT WAS A VERY CONSERVATIVE MOVE OF $3 MILLION. BECAUSE PREVIOUS TO THAT, WE'VE BEEN HAVING 4, 5, 6 MILLION DOLLAR MOVES EVERY YEAR IN OUR SALES TAX INCREASE.

BUT AS THE MONEY HAS COME IN THIS YEAR, EVEN THOUGH WE SET A BUDGET OF 103 MILLION, IT IS NOW LOOKING LIKE IT'S GOING TO COME IN AT ABOUT 107 MILLION. SO THAT'S ALMOST $4 MILLION ABOVE WHAT WE BUDGETED FOR THIS YEAR. SO SALES TAX IS ALWAYS YOUR BEST GUESS AT WHAT YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO GET. IT'S SOMEWHAT OF A FLEXIBLE NUMBER. AND SO, THIS YEAR IT'S BEEN SET. IF WE BROUGHT IN 106, $7 MILLION THIS YEAR, WE'VE SET IT FOR 109 SOMETHING IN THIS BUDGET. I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT IT IS, $2 MILLION MORE, WHICH IS A FAIRLY CONSERVATIVE BUMP GIVEN THAT WE WENT UP $3 MILLION EVEN WE WENT UP $4 MILLION THIS YEAR OVER WHAT OUR BUDGET WAS. SO, I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S DIFFICULT TO GO IN THERE AND ASSUME THAT YOU MAY GET 200,000 MORE. I STILL THINK WE WILL COVER THAT THIS YEAR. IF WE DO THIS YEAR WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR, AND I DON'T SEE ANY REASON OUT THERE, NO SIGNS OUT THERE THAT SEEM TO INDICATE IT, THAT WE WILL EXCEED PROBABLY THE $109 MILLION THAT WE HAVE.

THIS YEAR JOE FELT COMFORTABLE ALREADY PUTTING IN ADDITIONAL $1,001,999 AND I THINK THE EXTRA 200,000 I DON'T THINK HAS GIVEN HIM TOO MUCH HEARTACHE OR HEARTBURN. IT JUST HELPS US GET DOWN TO SOMETHING OF A COMMITMENT, A NO NEW REVENUE RATE ON A BASE BEFORE WE ADD ON THE COST OF THE MEET AND CONFER. SO.

OKAY, THAT EXPLAINS IT.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, MAYOR.

OKAY NOW, MAYOR PRO TEM.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO, LOOKING AT THIS BUDGET PROPOSAL, I THINK IT IS A GREAT COMPROMISE.

AND I'M USUALLY NOT ONE THAT LIKES, I'M MORE CONSERVATIVE WHEN IT COMES TO SALES TAX REVENUE BECAUSE WE HAVE SEEN YEARS WHERE WE HAD SUBSTANTIAL DEFICIT LIKE WE JUST RECENTLY HAD.

BUT LOOKING AT THE BUDGET THAT JARRETT PROPOSED THIS YEAR, WE DID PULL A LOT OF SMALLER CASH CAPITAL TYPE OF THINGS. AND SO, I THINK THERE'S THINGS IN OUR BUDGET THAT ARE SOME ONE-TIME EXPENSES THAT THIS YEAR I THINK I COULD, I COULD SUPPORT USING A SLIGHTLY HIGHER NUMBER ON A SALES TAX REVENUE INCREASE THAT I THINK WE'D BE OKAY WITH. AND IF SOMETHING WAS TO HAPPEN AND WE START SEEING IT, YOU KNOW, A SMALLER $200,000 PULL OUT OF RESERVE IF WE NEEDED IT AT THE END OF THE YEAR IS AN EASIER PILL TO SWALLOW THAN USING MONEY THAT IS OUTSIDE OF PUBLIC SAFETY THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE ARE ASKING FOR A SUBSTANTIAL TAX INCREASE OF THE CITIZENS TO HELP SUPPORT POLICE AND FIRE. AND SO, I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD COMPROMISE AND I FEEL FAIRLY COMFORTABLE WITH ASKING FOR THAT SALES TAX REVENUE NUMBER IN HERE. AND I THINK THAT WE COULD FIND IT IF WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR BUDGET IS OKAY. OKAY FOR OUR CITIZENS TO SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY AND TO HELP THEM AT HOME. AND SO, MAYOR, I APPRECIATE THIS. I REALLY DO THINK THIS IS A GREAT COMPROMISE FOR THE YEAR TO GET US DOWN TO A BASE OF NO NEW REVENUE AND THEN TO FULLY FUND OUR MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENTS FOR LPPA AND LPFFA.

ANYONE ELSE ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN COLLINS.

ACTUALLY, I THINK IT'S ME.

GO AHEAD.

YEAH, NO, I AGREE. I THINK THIS

[01:45:06]

IS. THIS IS A GOOD PROPOSAL.

MAYOR, I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, BUT, I MEAN, IF LPD IS COMFORTABLE WITH THE REMOVAL OF ONE OF THE THREE ADDITIONAL PSO POSITIONS, ARE YOU GOOD WITH THAT, CHIEF? AND I JUST. THAT REALLY IS THE QUESTION FOR ME.

BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I MEAN, I THINK WE'RE MAKING SOME GOOD COMPROMISES, I CAN TELL YOU.

PUT A LITTLE EFFORT INTO THIS, SO. AND AGAIN, PUBLIC SAFETY HAS BEEN AT THE TOP OF WHAT OUR CITIZENS HAVE BEEN REQUESTING. AND I THINK THIS IS KIND OF JUST BALANCES FOR EVERYBODY. SO, THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS, MAYOR.

AND JUST TO YOUR COMMENT THERE, MY HOPE IS THAT NEXT YEAR TO DO THIS IN STEPS RATHER THAN ADD THE.

ALL THREE OF THEM. ALL TWO OF THEM THIS YEAR, ADAM. AND STEPS. AND ADD THESE OTHERS BACK IN.

IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. JUST EASE IN IT BECAUSE WE'VE GOT SUCH A BIG JUMP OTHERWISE THIS YEAR IN PUBLIC SAFETY. ALL RIGHT, NOW, COUNCILMAN COLLINS.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. YOU KNOW, I THINK HISTORICALLY I HAVE NOT BEEN A NO NEW REVENUE PROPONENT. I FEEL LIKE INFLATION HAS PUSHED OUR BUDGET TO THE POINT WHERE NO NEW REVENUE HASN'T BEEN PRACTICAL.

WE HAVE MADE ADDITIONS, SMALL, SMALL INCREASES OVER THE YEARS. BUT I THINK.

THINK THIS PARTICULAR YEAR WE ARE IN A UNIQUE SITUATION. COLA INCREASES FOR OUR STAFF REMAIN INTACT. I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THE ADDITIONS AT LUBBOCK ANIMAL SERVICES. THE TWO MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENTS ARE HERE AND INTACT, AND WE'RE ABLE TO DO THIS. YOU KNOW, I. I HAVE TO SAY I SUPPORT THIS AND APPRECIATE THE EFFORT. EFFORTS THAT HAVE GONE INTO MAKING THIS WORK. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. OKAY. DAVID BRUEGEL.

MR. COUNCILMAN BRUEGEL.

I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD PROPOSAL. MAYOR. I APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING THE TIME INTO THIS.

I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT INDICATION TO OUR CITIZENS THAT WE'RE WORKING HARD TO BUDGET FISCALLY RESPONSIBLY WITH WHAT WE DO. MY PREFERENCE IS THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DROP OUR RATE BELOW THE NNR, NOTWITHSTANDING THE MEETING CONFER AGREEMENTS.

BUT THIS IS A GREAT STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, SO IS THERE A. NO.

EXCUSE ME, IF I COULD.

FOR THE RECORD, FOR WHAT WILL BE EXHIBIT G NEXT WEEK, ALLOW ME TO READ THOSE CHANGES THAT ARE BASED ON THIS PROPOSAL.

THOSE CHANGES ARE AS FOLLOWS.

DECREASE ONE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER IN THE AMOUNT OF $59,834. DELETE ONE RECORD SERVICES OFFICER IN THE AMOUNT OF 62,836. THOSE ARE BOTH IN THE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS.

THOSE ARE NOT CURRENT POSITIONS. REDUCE THE CITY COUNCIL'S BUDGET IN THE AMOUNT OF $15,000. INCREASE INTEREST EARNINGS IN THE AMOUNT OF $50,000 DOLLARS. INCREASED SALES TAX REVENUE IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,202,812.

THAT'S BOTH THE MILLION THAT I HAD PUT BEFORE PLUS WHAT'S ON THIS PAGE. INCREASE EXPENSE IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,095,854 FOR THE LUBBOCK FIRE RESCUE MEET AND CALL, CONFER AGREEMENT. INCREASE EXPENSE IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,786,599 FOR THE LUBBOCK POLICE DEPARTMENT MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENT. RESULTING TAX REVENUE INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF 6,368,400 533, AS WELL AS REMOVING THE ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST, WHICH WAS ALSO AN INCREASE IN POSITIONS BY THE AMOUNT OF $86,398.

I THINK THAT COVERED EVERYTHING, RIGHT, JOE? SHAKING HIS HEAD.

[01:50:04]

I HAVE TWO HEAD NODS. I PRESUME I DID IT CORRECTLY.

OKAY. YOU KNOW, IT'S, THIS IS ALL REALLY INTERESTING BECAUSE IF YOU EVER JUST WORK WITH YOUR HOME BUDGET AND YOU COME UP HERE AND TRY TO WORK WITH A CITY BUDGET AND FUND ACCOUNTING AND ALL THAT, IT'S JUST A TOTALLY FOREIGN TERRITORY FOR ALL OF US. AND IT'S A STEEP LEARNING CURVE. AND I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL FOUR YEARS AND I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS. I FORGET THINGS. I SLEEP AND THEN I WAKE UP AND FORGET, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU CALCULATE THIS? HOW DO YOU DO THAT? BUT I THINK WE'VE WORKED HARD. I THINK OUR CITY MANAGEMENT HAS WORKED HARD TO TRY TO COME UP WITH A GOOD BUDGET TO COME OUT OF A DIFFICULT YEAR AND TO REGAIN SOME OF THAT LOST GROUND THAT WE LOST WHEN WE HAD SUCH A DIFFICULT YEAR. AND THEN TO PROVIDE FOR OUR POLICE AND FIRE. JUST TO MAKE A STATEMENT HERE FOR PEOPLE WHO KNOW THAT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO TRY TO TAKE OUT OF THIS BUDGET THE JAPANESE AMBASSADOR'S PROGRAM.

I FINALLY KIND OF MAYBE WAVED THE WHITE FLAG ON THAT. HOPE EVERYBODY WON'T HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE TOO MUCH FOR THAT. I STILL DON'T THINK IT REALLY SERVES MUCH OF A PURPOSE IN OUR BUDGET.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS IN SOME WAYS A GROUP EFFORT UP HERE AND WE DON'T ALWAYS GET WHAT WE, EACH ONE OF US WANTS. WE'RE TRYING TO DO THIS FOR THE GOOD OF THE PUBLIC. AND SO JUST FOR ANYBODY WANTS TO ASK ME WHAT HAPPENED TO THE YOUR NO VOTE ON THE JAPANESE AMBASSADOR'S PROGRAM, I'M JUST, I KNOW I'M NOT GOING TO GET THAT. SO, I'M NOT GOING TO FIGHT THAT BATTLE. SO, I'M NOT GOING DOWN THAT HILL ANYMORE. ALL RIGHT. SO. OKAY, WELL. ALL RIGHT. SO HERE WE GO. IS THERE A. ARE WE READY NOW FOR A MOTION? OKAY, THANK YOU.

LET ME SAY THIS OFFICIALLY. IS THERE A MOTION APPROVING AND ADOPTING A BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026, 2027, AS HAS BEEN PRESENTED HERE, AND AS. OH, THIS IS A RECORD VOTE, TOO. SO, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND. NOW, DO WE HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? MR. MAYOR, JUST.

YES, SIR.

IF I COULD ASK THE MOVEMENT THAT INCLUDES THOSE CHANGES AS I READ THEM, YES.

SO, THIS IS A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BUDGET WITH THE CHANGES YOU HAVE JUST ANNOUNCED. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? DISCUSSION? AND THIS IS GOING TO SEEM ODD, BUT I'M GOING TO RECOMMEND AN AMENDMENT TO MY OWN BUDGET HERE. AND THIS IS IN LINE WITH A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT COUNCILMAN BRUEGEL JUST ANNOUNCED. IF POSSIBLE, TO GET BELOW THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE.

I WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO DO THAT. I'VE TRIED TO BRING FORWARD A BUDGET THAT JUST SETS IT AT THAT LEVEL. I ALWAYS TRY TO DO ANYTHING I CAN TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS REASONABLE TO MOVE IT BELOW THAT. SO, I'M GOING TO MAKE ONE AMENDMENT TO MY MOTION AT THIS POINT, AND THAT AMENDMENT WOULD BE TO FURTHER REDUCE EXPENSES ON THE EXPENSE SIDE OF THIS BY $100,000, WHICH WOULD BE TAKEN FROM THE MONEY THAT WE ALLOCATE TO MARKET LUBBOCK. AND SO THAT'S GOING TO BE MY ONE FURTHER PROPOSAL OF AN AREA THAT WE MIGHT FURTHER REDUCE THE TAXABLE BURDEN THIS YEAR. SO THAT'S MY MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? I HAVE A MOTION. AND A SECOND.

IS THERE DISCUSSION ON THAT? MR. LET'S SEE. MR. COLLINS, YOU'RE THE BLINKING LIGHT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD ENOUGH? WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH, I SUPPOSE.

SO, LET'S TALK ABOUT MARKET LUBBOCK 2023. OUR BUDGET WAS $4.25 MILLION IN MARKET LUBBOCK. THAT HAS STEADILY DECREASED. AND I DON'T THINK WE UNDERSTAND AS A COMMUNITY THE IMPACT MARKET LUBBOCK HAS.

MARKET LUBBOCK FUNDS GRANTS TO IMPROVE DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES, DOWNTOWN BUILDINGS. THESE BUILDINGS ARE THE PORT, THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER.

MARKET LUBBOCK FUNDING IS CRITICAL TO THAT. AND IT'S NOT JUST DOWNTOWN. IT'S ALL THROUGH DISTRICT 2 1, AS WELL AS DISTRICT 3 ON 34TH STREET. I THINK THESE ARE CRITICAL ELEMENTS, EFFORTS THAT THIS ORGANIZATION MAKES TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY. MOST OF YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW WE CUT A RIBBON AT GOODWILL INDUSTRIES LAST WEEK AT MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD.

THIS PROJECT INCLUDED A NEW RETAIL STORE FOR GOODWILL, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDED AN EDUCATION

[01:55:02]

COMPONENT FOR THE STUDENTS IN EAST LUBBOCK. PAID INTERNSHIPS THAT OCCUR FOR THOSE STUDENTS AT ESTACADA HIGH SCHOOL AND THE TALKINGTON SCHOOL MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY GRANT FOR MARKET LUBBOCK FOR THE LAND. THESE ARE CRITICAL OPPORTUNITIES CREATED FOR THIS COMMUNITY. AND I JUST FEEL VERY CONTINUATION OF REDUCTION PROPOSED FOR MARKET LUBBOCK IS COUNTERINTUITIVE. IT DOES NOT BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO I'M AN OBJECTION TO THIS. AND THIS OBJECTION CAN CARRY OVER TO THE REST OF THE BUDGET PROCESS IF WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT FURTHER.

COUNCILMAN GREEN.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M GLAD WE BROUGHT THIS UP, THIS SUBJECT UP TOO BECAUSE I TOTALLY AGREE WITH EVERYTHING MR. COLLINS JUST STATED. I'VE GOT A, A SUCCESS STORY HERE FOR LITA AND MARKET LUBBOCK AND WHAT IT HAS DONE FOR OUR CITY IN THE LAST 20 YEARS. THIS, THIS WAS DONE IN 2024 BY THE PERRYMAN GROUP, THIRD PARTY GROUP THAT SHOWED WHAT KIND OF IMPACT THAT OUR DOLLARS GO TOWARDS LITA AND MARKET LUBBOCK AND HOW MARKET LUBBOCK EXPANDS OUR TAX BASE AND EXPANDS OUR SALES TAX ALSO.

AND SO, I AM ADAMANTLY AGAINST LOWERING ANY DOLLARS FUNDED TO MARKET LUBBOCK. AND IN FACT OVER THIS NEXT YEAR, I'M GOING TO PROPOSE MANY CHANGES TO HOW WE FUND MARKET LUBBOCK BECAUSE I WANT TO TAKE THE BURDEN OFF, I THINK THE MAYOR JUST SAID IT EARLIER, THE GROWTH LOWERS THE BURDEN ON THE TAXPAYERS. AND THE MORE GROWTH WE CAN HAVE, WHETHER IT'S IN SALES TAX DOLLARS OR PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS, PROPERTY TAX VALUES, THEN THE BETTER OFF OUR CITIZENS ARE. SO AS OPPOSED TO CUTTING HAND OR CUTTING THE HAND OR BITING THE HAND THAT FEEDS US, I'M GOING TO PROPOSE TO INCREASE DOLLARS TO MARKET LUBBOCK IN THE FUTURE. AND I ACTUALLY WORKING ON RIGHT NOW. AGAIN, GLAD WE BROUGHT THIS SUBJECT UP. I WAS GOING TO WAIT FOR LATER, BUT I'VE GOT A PLAN THAT I'M WORKING ON CALLED TAXPAYER FIRST PLAN AND IT'S A FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY PLAN, STRATEGIC PLAN, MY OWN PLAN. I'M GOING TO PUT IT UP ON MY OWN PERSONAL WEBSITE AND I'M GOING TO WANT INPUT FROM THE CITIZENS BUT TO AGGRESSIVELY GROW OUR TAX BASE, OUR PROPERTY TAX VALUE AND AGGRESSIVELY GROW OUR SALES TAX. AND I HAVE MANY IDEAS ON THAT AND AGAIN IT'LL BE ON MY PERSONAL WEBSITE.

BUT I'M ADAMANTLY AGAINST LOWERING ANY FUNDING TO MARKET LOANS.

COUNCILWOMAN MARTINEZ-GARCIA.

AS ONE OF THE DISTRICTS THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THIS, IT IS A HARD NO FOR ME. I. WE TOOK ONE STEP FORWARD AND NOW WE WANT TO TAKE A FEW BACK.

MARKET LUBBOCK IS, YOU KNOW, YOU SAID IT YOURSELF JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO THAT WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE. TAKE THE TAX BURDEN OFF OF THE HOMEOWNER AND OUR CITIZENS AND SPREAD IT INCLUDE BUSINESSES.

BUT WE HAVE AS MANY BUSINESSES IN THE AREAS THAT WILL BE IMPACTED THAT. AND, AND IT'S JUST OBVIOUS EVERY TIME WE WANT TO MAKE A CUT, LET'S GO TO DISTRICT 1 AND DISTRICT 2 OR DISTRICT 3. WE CAN'T EXPERIENCE ANY MORE CUTS. WE CAN'T HAVE ANY MORE PROGRAMS PULLED AWAY.

WE CAN'T HAVE ANY MORE JUST DECISIONS THAT ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO THE BUSINESS OWNERS IN OUR AREAS. SO, IT IS A DEFINITE AND ADAMANT NO FOR ME. AND I WAS EXCITED TO SEE THAT WE WERE MOVING ALONG AND NOW I'M DISAPPOINTED WITH THE REQUEST, BUT IT IS A NO FROM ME.

MR. HARRIS. COUNCILMAN HARRIS.

OH, EXCUSE ME, MAYOR PRO TEM.

[02:00:02]

WE'LL GET THIS ONE DAY. MR. ATKINSON, REMIND ME, JUST BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE MY BUDGET BOOK IN FRONT OF ME, DID WE ALREADY MAKE A CUT TO MARKET LUBBOCK FOR THIS WITHIN THIS BUDGET, OR IS IT THE SAME NUMBER FROM LAST YEAR? I BELIEVE IT IS VERY SLIGHTLY BELOW.

SO, IT ALREADY HAD A SLIGHT REDUCTION TO IT FOR THIS YEAR ANYWAYS, WITHIN THIS BUDGET.

THE CURRENT YEAR'S TRANSFER TO MARKET LUBBOCK IS $3,106,057. THE NUMBER THAT'S IN THE BUDGET. THE BUDGET YOU'RE CONSIDERING NOW IS $3,060,218. IT'S BEEN DOWN BY ABOUT 4,46,000.

SO, WE ALREADY SAW A REDUCTION THIS YEAR. AND I THINK YOU HAD PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED THAT WITH JOHN OSBORNE, AND HE WAS AWARE OF THAT REDUCTION. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. THE NUMBER THAT'S IN THE PROPOSED.

YEAH.

AND SO AS MUCH AS, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T THINK IT'S INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE MAYOR TO ASK FOR THAT. I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND WHAT HE'S TRYING TO DO. YOU KNOW, I THINK AT THIS TIME IT'S PROBABLY NOT SOMETHING I WOULD WANT TO SUPPORT BECAUSE. BECAUSE I DO THINK IT'S PROBABLY COUNTERINTUITIVE TO WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO, WHICH IS GROW THE BUSINESS ASPECT OF LUBBOCK TO HELP REDUCE THAT PROPERTY TAX BURDEN. YOU KNOW, AND I THINK IN A REALLY TOUGH TIME WHEN WE TRY TO BUDGET PRETTY LEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SEE ALWAYS TAKES A HIT, AND I THINK WE HAD CITIZENS BRING THAT UP RECENTLY IS QUALITY OF LIFE TYPE OF PROJECTS. AND I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT JOHN AND HIS TEAM AT MARKET LUBBOCK RECENTLY SPENT ALMOST 8 MILLION TO PUT INTO EXPANDING OUR BALL FIELDS, WHICH I THINK THEN ALSO GOES INTO WHAT COUNCILMAN GREEN IS SAYING IS TRYING TO IMPROVE SALES TAX AND BRINGING PEOPLE TO LUBBOCK. BY MAKING THOSE BALL FIELDS LARGER, WE'RE INCREASING PEOPLE COMING INTO LUBBOCK FOR TOURNAMENTS AND SOME OF THAT SALES TAX THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR TO TRY TO HELP OFFSET PROPERTY TAX.

SO, 100 MAYOR, UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND THIS, AND, AND I APPLAUD YOUR EFFORT OF TRYING TO FIND SOME OF THOSE REDUCTIONS.

BUT I THINK AT THIS TIME, YOU KNOW, I THINK I'VE SEEN ENOUGH.

WE'VE SEEN SOME REDUCTION AND THEN SOME, SOME GOOD COME OUT OF THAT THAT ACTUALLY HELPS SUPPORT SOME OF THE MISSION THAT I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO DO. AND SO, I, I'M 100% HAPPY WITH THE PROPOSAL THAT YOU PROPOSE, BUT I THINK I'M GOING TO BE A NO, PROBABLY ON THE MARKET.

COUNCILMAN HARRIS? YES, I, I'M GOING TO BE A DEFINITELY NO ON THAT BECAUSE JUST LIKE I SAY, AND I CONSTANTLY SAY, WE NEED MORE INVESTMENTS IN DISTRICT 1, DISTRICT 2, AND DISTRICT 3 NOT TAKEN AWAY FROM.

SO, IT'S A DEFINITE NO FOR ME.

ALL RIGHT. WELL, OF COURSE, MY HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IS NOT TARGETED TOWARDS. TOWARDS DISTRICTS 1, 2 OR 3 AT ALL. IT IS A REDUCTION IN THEIR BUDGET. THE MONEY CAN STILL BE THERE FOR THE PROGRAMS WE CURRENTLY OPERATE FOR DISTRICTS 1, 2 AND 3. AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE DO CONTINUE TO MOVE A MILLION DOLLARS FROM MARKET LUBBOCK OVER TO LITA EVERY YEAR, AND WE'LL DO THAT THIS YEAR.

SO, I STILL THINK THAT THAT IS JUST ONE OF THE AREAS WHEN YOU'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO REALLY SHOULDER A BIG INCREASE IN BURDEN. IT'S JUST AN AREA THAT I FIND I WANTED TO LOOK AT, AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD PLACE TO TRY TO LOOK FOR EVEN LOWERING. PEOPLE SAY, WELL, IT'S A SMALL AMOUNT, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE CAN ACTUALLY MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE IN BUDGETS IS IN SMALL AMOUNTS. THERE'S NOTHING BIG THERE THAT WE CAN GO GRAB HOLD OF AND CHANGE THE DYNAMICS OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE. SO, IT'S A SMALL ASK. I, I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. AND I WILL, OF COURSE, SINCE I MADE THE MOTION, I WILL VOTE FOR IT.

BUT LET'S. IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THIS IS, THIS WILL BE. NOW, I THINK WE'VE GOT RECORDED VOTING NOW.

IS THAT RIGHT? OKAY. YOU'RE VOTING ON THE AMENDMENT OF THE HUNDRED THOUSAND TO WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY.

THAT IS CORRECT.

SO, THIS IS UP AND DOWN ONLY ON THAT. IT'S NOT ON ANYTHING ELSE, JUST THE ADDITIONAL REDUCTION EXPENSE OF 100,000 TO MARKET LUBBOCK, INC. OKAY, SO YOU'RE VOTING EITHER FOR THAT OR AGAINST IT. OKAY. OKAY. THAT MOTION FAILS ON A VOTE OF FIVE TO TWO. ALL RIGHT, SO NOW WE ARE BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION.

RIGHT. AND CAN WE CLEAR THAT.

OKAY, CLEAR THAT OFF NOW. SO, THE MOTION, WE NEED TO STATE IT AGAIN.

BUT, MR. MAYOR, JUST SO I KNOW THAT WE SAID WE TALKED ABOUT THE PROPOSED BUDGET WITH THE CHANGES, BUT MR. ATKINSON BROUGHT CHANGES THAT WERE FROM THE ORIGINAL BUDGET ON YOUR EXHIBIT G TO BEGIN WITH. AND JUST SO WE HAVE THE RECORD CRYSTAL CLEAR, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET

[02:05:01]

WITH YOUR PROPOSED CHANGES AND THE ONES. AND THE ONES, MR. ATKINSON.

YES, IN EXHIBIT G. AND THAT'S.

THAT'S THE UNDERSTANDING, AND THAT'S WHAT'S ON THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW.

YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.

EVERYBODY CLEAR? ALL RIGHT. CRYSTAL CLEAR.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO NOW IF YOU'LL BRING THAT UP, WE'LL VOTE NOW. ALL RIGHT.

THAT WE HAVE A BUDGET. IT'S LIKE WE HAVE A BUDGET. WE HAVE A BUDGET. THAT WAS A UNANIMOUS VOTE NOW. ALL RIGHT. THAT JUST MADE YOUR JOB A LOT EASIER, DID IT NOT, MR. CITY MANAGER AND MITTEN AND JOE.

MR. MAYOR, IF THE COUNCIL WOULD CONSIDER AND PASS ITEM 3.6, WE.

WE CAN BUY THE FORMULA AND THE DIAPERS FOR THE BABY.

ALL RIGHT. 3.6 WILL BE THE TAX RATE.

[3.6. Ordinance 1st Reading - Finance: Consider an ordinance setting the tax rate and levying a tax upon all property subject to taxation with the City of Lubbock for 2026; apportioning said levy among the various funds and items for which revenue must be raised; fixing the times in which said taxes shall be paid and assessing penalty and interest for nonpayment of such taxes within the time provided.]