HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN 07.19.2022 CC-WMinutes of a Special Meeting of the
Governing Body of the City of Georgetown, Texas
Tuesday, July 19, 2022
The Georgetown City Council will meet on Tuesday, July 19, 2022, at 2:00 PM at Community
Room located at 808 Martin Luther King Jr. Street.
The City of Georgetown is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA). If you require assistance in participating at a public meeting due to a disability, as defined
under the ADA, reasonable assistance, adaptations, or accommodations will be provided upon
request. Please contact the City Secretary's Office, at least three (3) days prior to the scheduled
meeting date, at (512) 930-3652 or City Hall at 808 Martin Luther King, Jr Street for additional
information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711.
Mayor Schroeder called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m. The following Council Members were
in attendance: Mayor Josh Schroeder; Amanda Parr, Council Member District 1; Shawn Hood,
Council Member District 2; Mike Triggs, Council Member District 3; Ron Garland, Council
Member District 4; Kevin Pitts, Council Member District 5 and Mayor Pro Tem; Jake French,
Council Member District 6; and Ben Stewart, Council Member District 7. A quorum of Council
Members was present.
The following staff members were in attendance for the Budget Workshop: City Manager David
Morgan; Assistant City Manager Wayne Nero; Assistant City Manager Nick Woolery; Assistant
City Manager Laurie Brewer; City Secretary Robyn Densmore; Assistant City Attorney James
Kachelmeyer; Assistance Finance Director Elaine Wilson; Assistant Finance Director Nathan
Parras; Finance Director Leigh Wallace; Budget Analyst Isan Van Eenoo; Treasurer Karrie
Pursley; Senior Budget Analyst Erika Young; Administrative Assistant Sharon Parker; HR
Director Tadd Phillips; Fire Chief John Sullivan; Police Chief Cory Tchida; Public
Communications Manager Keith Hutchinson; Parks and Recreation Director Kimberly Garrett;
CAPE Director Aly Van Dyke; Acting Economic Development Director Kim McAuliffe; Fleet
Services Manager Scott Parker; Inspections Director Glen Holcomb; ERP Applications
Administrator Cindy Pospisil; Support Services Manager Ed O'Neal; Customer Care Director
Leticia Zavala-Jones; General Manager of Electric Daniel Bethapudi; IT Director Chris Bryce;
Water Services Director Chelsea Solomon; Library Director Sally Miculek; Public Works Director
Eric Johnson; Assistant Public Works Director Jackson Daly; Police Fred Pitcher; Municipal Court
Administrator Debbie Landrum; Assistant Planning Director Travis Baird; and Systems
Engineering Director Wesley Wright.
Legislative Regular Session
(This Regular session may, at any time, be recessed to convene an Executive Session for any
purpose authorized by the Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code 551.)
A. Overview, discussion and feedback regarding the FY2023 City of Georgetown Budget and
Tax Rate -- David Morgan, City Manager
Morgan presented the item and reviewed the following: development of the Current FY2023
Budget; budget development workshops with Council; budget themes for FY2022 and
FY2023; maintaining service levels; water utility growth; police calls for service; priority
response times; risk management; recruitment and retention including compensation and
benefits; preliminary budget; budget revenue assumptions for property tax; and budget
revenue assumption for sales tax
General discussion among Council and staff regarding the City's stability reserve and
volatility of sales tax and other revenue sources.
Morgan resumed the presentation and reviewed the following: budget revenue assumptions
for other revenue; budget revenue assumptions for Electric; budget revenue assumptions for
Water; and budget components for expenses.
General discussion among Council and staff regarding how many positions have been filled
of the approved positions in the FY2022 Budget and the City's attrition rate.
Morgan resumed the presentation and reviewed the following: budget assumptions for
General Fund and Joint Services; budget assumptions for Electric Utility; budget assumptions
for Water Utility; summary of new staffing by fund; budget workbook review; and
governmental budget and accounting refresher.
General discussion among Council and staff regarding inflationary budget measures
including base increases of 3%; increased costs for fuel and water treatment chemicals; and
proposed rate structures.
Laurie Brewer, Assistant City Manager; Nick Woolery, Assistant City Manager; and Wayne
Nero, Assistant City Manager walked the Council through the budget workbook and
reviewed the different funds, budget requests that are proposed to be included in the FY2023
budget.
General discussion among Council and staff on the budget workbook regarding: number of
current vacancies in Planning Department, which is 2 at this time; number of monthly
applications accepted by the Planning Department; costs of consulting services; possibility for
a mid -year hire in Planning for FY2023 due to growth happening; mowing maintenance;
landscape contracts; timing of the mowing of medians; increasing the pay of lifeguards;
recreation Center feasibility study and possible partnerships; expected turnaround time for a
feasibility study; future support for special events; possibility of promoting from within for
public safety positions; current status of fire staffing with 143 positions staffed out of 155 total
positions; overstaffing of public safety positions; Stryker chair that was not proposed to be
funded; one-time costs associated with new positions for IT equipment and vehicle; TDS fuel
surcharge as a one-time expense; timing of the implementation of 311 like system; process for
overstaffing; if the County will also allocate funding for the City of Georgetown 175th
Anniversary Celebration; adding County and Southwestern University representatives to the
anniversary celebration committee; City owned crime scene equipment; final numbers for
compensation, benefits and proposed enhancements will come later as they are currently
changing; economic development agreements and associated revenues; school resource
officers are located in all the middle schools and each high school with occasional visits to
elementary schools; if there is a need to increase the total number of school resource officers;
joint discussions with school district regarding student safety; formatting of budget in the
new Workday structure; (Emergency Services District) ESD8 funding and contract; and how
ESD8's service model could be effective if they have inconsistent funding.
Mayor Schroder called for a break at 4:02 p.m. and resumed the meeting at 4:09 p.m.
Leticia Zavala-Jones, Customer Care Director, presented and reviewed the following:
miscellaneous utility fee review; establishing a routing rate study rotation; background; cost
considered for fees; meter tampering fee; repayment plan administration fee; reconnect fee;
after-hours reconnect fee; temporary meter; electric service trip fee (new fee); utility account
set-up fee; current and recommended fees; recommended fees compared to regional Texas
utilities; and revenues under current and proposed fees. Megan Helper with Newgen
Strategies and Solutions, LLC joined remotely to assist with any discussion. Council had no
questions on the proposed fees.
Morgan presented and reviewed the Electric Fund in detail including proposed service level
enhancements. General discussion among Council and staff, including Daniel Bethapudi,
General Manager of the Electric Utility, regarding the following: how the proposed employee
recognition money will be sent; overall employee recognition at the City of Georgetown;
cybersecurity funding for Electric specific needs; and increase in contract funding for
preparation of broadband services that will need to attach to City poles.
Brewer presented and reviewed the Water Fund in detail including proposed service level
enhancements. General discussion among Council and staff, including Chelsea Solomon,
Water Utility Director, regarding the following: clarification of additional positions being
added; the need to add more resources for compliance; working with the development
community related water conservation; available rebates for customers; possibility of
increasing rebates that can be offered; water reclamation; and aquifer wells.
Nero, Woolery, and Brewer reviewed proposed enhancements for the Airport Fund,
Stormwater Fund, Special Revenue Funds, Tourism Fund, Council Discretionary Fund,
Georgetown Economic Development Corporation (GEDCO) Fund, Georgetown
Transportation Enhancement Corporation (GTEC) Fund, Street Maintenance Fund, Facilities
Maintenance Fund, Fleet Services Fund, Information Technology Fund, Joint Service Fund,
and Self -Insurance Fund.
General discussion among Council and staff regarding the following: design consultant for
the Visitors Center; when work would begin on the Visitors Center; planning of future
projects; possibly providing more IT support during Municipal Court; and systems
engineering positions that were not proposed in the budget and how to fill the gap by those
not being added.
Morgan reviewed next steps, FY2023 Budget changes in development, FY2023 proposed
budget calendar, and proposed public outreach. Council had no additional questions or
comments and thanked staff for their work.
Adjournment
Mayor Schroeder adjourned the meeting at 5:49 p.m.
Approved by e G orgetown City Council on - i_-)- -
;' Date
Josh Achroeer, Mayor Attest: Oty Secretary