[A. CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:20] THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED VICTORIA CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR DECEMBER 2ND, 2025 POINT >> COUNCILMAN DELAGARZA? >> I'M PRESENT. >> COUNCILWOMAN BUTLER. >> PRESENT. >> MAYOR PRO TEM YOUNG. >> HERE. >> COUNCILMAN LOFFGREN. AND INAUDIBLE ] >> AT THIS TIME I INVITE YOU ALL TO STAND WITH ME FOR THE PLEDGES AND PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR A BRIEF MOMENT OF SILENCE. >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE, TEXAS. ONE STATE UNDER GOD. ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. >> THINK YOU. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY HERE THIS EVENING IN PERSON AND WATCHING. MR. GARZA, GOOD EVENING. [1. Announcements/Reminders:] >> IT IS ME. >> IT IS YOU. >> I'M SORRY. GOOD EVENING, HOW ARE YOU 2 I DO HAVE A FEW ANNOUNCEMENTS THIS EVENING, SO PLEASE BEAR WITH ME. ON BEHALF OF THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE WE WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT WE WILL BE CONVENING ON DECEMBER 12TH AT 9:00 A.M. HERE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS FOR OUR THE COUNCIL WORK SESSION. WE WILL PROVIDE THE ANNUAL -- WESLEY WILL PROVIDE FOR THE FIRST TIME, SPEARHEAD THE DEBT CAPACITY OVERVIEW THAT WE GO OVER EVERY DECEMBER, PROVIDE A CIP UPDATE, AND KEVIN SHEPPARD WILL BE HERE TO PROVIDE A FIVE-YEAR OVERVIEW COMPARISON OF SOME OF THE FISCAL ANALYSIS THAT THE DUE, THAT LOOKS AT ACREAGE, REVENUE, AND ALL SORTS OF FUN STUFF. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT CONVERSATION ON FRIDAY. IN ADDITION, WE'D LIKE TO REMIND THE PUBLIC THAT RESIDENTS WITH AN INTEREST IN PUBLIC POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY CAN APPLY NOW TO BE MEMBERS OF THE NEW VICTORIA CITY CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION. THIS VOLUNTEER COMMISSION WILL OVERSEE POLICIES RELATED TO HIRING, PERMISSIONS, AND DISCIPLINARY MEASURES FOR THE VICTORIA FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE COMMISSION WILL NOT PLAY A ROLE IN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING. THE COMMISSION WILL CONSIST OF THREE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE CITY MANAGER AND CONFIRMED BY COUNCIL WHO WILL SERVE STAGGERED THREE-YEAR TERMS. THE INITIAL APPOINTMENT WILL BE FOR ONE, TWO AND THREE YEAR TERMS. THE COMMISSION WILL INITIALLY MEET TWICE A MONTH, THEN ON AN AS-NEEDED BASIS TO BE DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSION AND CITY STAFF. TO LEARN MORE AND TO APPLY PLEASE VISIT VICTORIA TX.GUV/CIVIL SERVANTS. ON BEHALF OF THE LIBRARY, WE WANT TO REMIND THE PUBLIC THAT WE WILL HOLDING OUR 35TH ANNUAL GINGERBREAD HOUSE WORKSHOP THIS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6TH FROM 10:00 A.M. TO 1:00 P.M. IN THE VICTORIA COMMUNITY CENTER DOME. GINGERBREAD HOUSE KIT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO BUILD AT THE EVENT OR TAKE HOME WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. AND LOOKING FORWARD TO TAKING MICHAEL TO THAT. ON BEHALF OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, WE ARE INVITING RESIDENTS DOWNTOWN THIS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6TH FOR THE LIGHTING OF THE H-E-B CHRISTMAS TREE AT 5:30 P.M. IN DAILY ON PLAZA FOLLOWED BY THE LIGHTED CHRISTMAS PARADE AT 6:00 P.M. BUT THE PARADE AND THE TREELIKE CEREMONY IS EXCUSE ME, THE TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY WILL BE LIVE STREAMED ON THE CITY OF THE AREA GOVERNMENT FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THOSE UNABLE TO ATTEND. ON DECEMBER 13TH THE CITY OF VICTORIA AND MOTHER CLOCKERS DOWNTOWN WILL HOST MARY ON MAIN AT DAILY ON PLAZA FROM 10:00 TO 8 P.M. FEATURING VENDORS, FOOD TRUCKS, ACTIVITIES AND ENTERTAINMENT. I'M ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH, BY THE WAY. ON BEHALF OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WE WANT TO REMIND THE PUBLIC THAT WE ARE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE CIVILIAN POLICE ACADEMY CLASS NUMBER 46 WHICH BEGINS TUESDAY, WHERE 24TH. THE CIVILIAN POLICE ACADEMY IS AN 11 WEEK PROGRAM THAT OFFERS RESIDENTS AN INSIDE LOOK AND HOW THE VICTORIA POLICE DEPARTMENT FUNCTIONS. PARTICIPANTS WILL MEET OFFICERS, LEARN ABOUT VARIOUS DIVISIONS, AND EXPERIENCE FIRST-HAND OMENS OF POLICE TRAINING. CLASSES ARE HELD TUESDAY EVENING FROM 6:00 TO 9:00 A.M. WITH ONE ADDITIONAL SATURDAY SESSION. SPACE IS LIMITED. APPLICATIONS CAN BE PICKED UP AT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFFICE LOCATED WITHIN THE VICTORIA MALL OR DOWNLOADED FROM THE WEBPAGE VICTORIA PD.COM. FOR MORE DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT OFFICER DON TURNER AT 361-485-3811. ON BEHALF OF THE CVB, WE WANT TO REMIND OUR RESIDENTS THAT THEY CAN EARN REWARDS FOR SHOPPING LOCAL, AS DISCOVERED VICTORIA TEXAS AGAIN [00:05:02] HOSTS THE YOU LOVE SHOPPING VICTORIA MOBILE PROMOTION THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. RESIDENTS AND VISITORS CAN GO TO DISCOVERED VICTORIA TEXAS.COM AND CLICK ON YOUR LOVE SHOPPING VICTORIA LOCATED UNDER THE EXPLORER TAB. TO SIGN UP FOR THE MOBILE PASSPORT AFTER SIGN-UP, DISSIDENTS CAN CHECK IN AT PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES TO BE ENTERED INTO A DRAWING FOR ONE OF FIVE GIFT BAGS FILLED WITH ITEMS FROM LOCAL RETAILERS AND RESTAURANTS. RESIDENTS THAT MEET SPECIFIC CHECKING MILESTONES CAN EARN T-SHIRTS AND OTHER SWAG ITEMS. THE LAST DAY TO CHECKING WILL BE DECEMBER 20TH AND THE DRAWING FOR GIVEBACKS WILL TAKE THIS ON DECEMBER 22ND. THAT'S IT. >> THAT WAS QUITE A MOUTHFUL. >> IT WAS. I NEED TO DRINK SOME [2. Public & Employee Recognitions:] WATER NOW. >> I LOOK FORWARD TO A GREAT SATURDAY DOWNTOWN. AT THIS TIME WE'LL MOVE DOWN TO ITEM B2, PUBLIC EMPLOYEE RECOGNITIONS. WE DO HAVE ONE, KEEP VICTORIA BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFICATION AWARD. THERE'S MS. BYRD. >> WE'LL JUST TURN IT OVER TO MEREDITH. >> I DID YOUR PART. >> GOOD EVENING MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCIL. SO ON BEHALF OF NOW BEFORE WE GET TO THE AWARD I WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY AGAIN WHO CAME OUT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO FOR THE CLEANUP OF THE FW GROSS NEIGHBORHOOD. IN TWO SHORT HOURS OUR 108 VOLUNTEERS SERVICE 89 HOMES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, REMOVING 16 TONS OF BULKY TRASH, FIVE TONS OF BRUSH AND TREE LIMBS, AND THE VICTORIA FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO INSTALL 25 SMOKE DETECTORS, AND SO, ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU GUYS AND TO THE COMMUNITY FOR ONCE AGAIN SHOWING UP FOR YOUR COMMUNITY. AND NEXT I WILL -- WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR BOARD MEMBER, KIM MCGILL TO PRESENT THE AWARD. >> GOOD EVENING, KIM . >> GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILMAN. IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY AS WE RECOGNIZE A BUSINESS THAT TRULY EMBODIES WHAT COMMUNITY PRIDE LOOKS LIKE. VICTORIA IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND GROW, AND IT BECOMES AN EVEN BETTER WHEN LOCAL BUSINESSES INVEST NOT ONLY IN THEIR CUSTOMERS BUT ALSO IN THE BEAUTY AND CHARACTER OF OUR CITY. TODAY WE CELEBRATE DR. BRILL'S AND DR. JANSSENS ORTHODONTICS, THE WELL-DESERVED WINNERS OF THE KEEP VICTORIA BEAUTIFUL AWARD. YOU CAN SEE WHAT A PRETTY PICTURE THAT IS. THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN KNOWN FOR CREATING COMPETENT, BEAUTIFUL SMILES, BUT THEY'VE GONE FAR BEYOND THAT. THEY MADE IT A PRIORITY TO EXTEND THE SAME CARE AND ATTENTION TO THE SPACE AROUND THEM, FROM THEIR CLEAN, WELCOMING GROUNDS TO THEIR THOUGHTFUL LANDSCAPING AND INVITING CURB APPEAL. THEY SET A STANDARD THAT INSPIRES THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. THEIR EFFORTS IS A MESSAGE THAT TAKING PRIDE IN WHERE WE ARE LEX PRIDE IN WHO WE ARE. BY MAINTAINING A PROPERTY THAT IS TIDY, ATTRACTIVE, AND WELCOMING, THEY CONTRIBUTE TO MAKING VICTORIA A PLACE WE CAN ALL BE PROUD TO CALL HOME. WE THINK THEM NOT ONLY FOR THEIR PHENOMENAL PROFESSION BUT FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO KEEPING VICTORIA BEAUTIFUL. THEIR DEDICATION IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW LOCAL IS CAN SHAPE THE LOOK AND FEEL OF OUR COMMUNITY, ONE CORNER, ONE FLOWER BED, AND ONE SMILE AT A TIME. LET'S CONGRATULATE THEM ON A WELL-EARNED RECOGNITION AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING VICTORIA, TEXAS, AN EVEN BETTER PLACE TO BE. >> >> YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO SAY SOMETHING. >> GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING, HI, I'M DR. LESLIE FROZE ALONG WITH DR. ABBY JENSEN. WE ARE SO HONORED AND EXCITED TO RECEIVE THE KEEP VICTORIA BEAUTIFUL AWARD. WE ARE THE ONLY LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED ORTHODONTIC PRACTICE IN THE AREA, AND WE TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IN THE OF KEEPING OF OUR BUILDING AND ITS LANDSCAPING. >> SO AS SOME OF Y'ALL, PROBABLY A LOT OF VICTORIANS HERE KNOW, OUR PRACTICE WAS STARTED AND BUILT BY DR. ROBERT WESTBROOK AND HIS MISSION AND HOURS IS TO BEAUTIFY SMILES, AND I THINK THAT STARTS WITH HAVING A BEAUTIFUL SPACE, A WELCOMING SPACE FOR OUR PATIENTS AND PARENTS AND FAMILIES TO FEEL WELCOME. BUT I THINK BEYOND THE SCOPE OF OUR PRACTICE ITSELF, DR. FILES AND I ARE BOTH FROM THE COMMUNITY. BORN AND RAISED SO WE DO TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN VICTORIA AND WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT VICTORIA IS A WELCOMING AND BEAUTIFUL PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO VISIT, A PLACE THAT PEOPLE ARE PROUD TO CALL THEIR HOME. SO I THINK THIS IS SUCH A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION AND WE ARE VERY [00:10:05] MUCH HONORED THAT WE BE RECOGNIZED BY IT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> CONGRATULATIONS. IT'S A FANTASTIC SPACE. YOU GUYS DO WONDERFUL WORK FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THANK. >> ALL RIGHT. WE'LL MOVE ON -- >> I DO HAVE A FEW EMPLOYEE RECOGNITIONS. >> JUMP AHEAD. >> IT'S OKAY, JUST A COUPLE OF ITEMS HERE. RECENTLY WE HAD ANOTHER INTERNAL PROMOTION THAT I WANT TO RELIGION IS SETTING, SO I'D LIKE TO ASK DEBORAH BARNES TO PLEASE RISE. >> PLEASE RISE. >> YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. >> >> SHE WAS RECENTLY PROMOTED TO SOLID WASTE SUPERINTENDENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES. IN THIS ROLE HE WILL OVERSEE THE PLANNING AND OPERATIONS OF THE SOLID WASTE DIVISION WHICH ENCOMPASSES RESIDENTIAL SOLID WASTE SERVICES FOR 21,000 HOUSEHOLDS IN VICTORIA INCLUDING GARBAGE, RECYCLING, YARD WASTE, TREE LINEN BULKY ITEM SERVICE. DARRELL WAS HIRED 13 YEARS AGO AS A DRIVER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, MOVED TO LEAD DRIVER IN 2015 AND PROMOTED TO SUPERVISOR IN 2017. SO IT'S ALWAYS AWESOME, OF COURSE, TO HAVE EMPLOYEES START FROM THE BOTTOM AND NOW THEY'RE HERE. SO CONGRATULATIONS, DARRELL. >> PRETTY COOL RECOGNITION THAT I WANT TO SPEAK TO. OUR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENT IS AN ANNUAL COMMUNITY BUILDING CAMPAIGN THAT PROMOTES POLICE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND NEIGHBORHOOD CAMARADERIE. DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? GOT IT. IS ENOUGH. FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS THE VICTORIA POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS ENTERED THE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AWARDS PROGRAM AND EACH YEAR IT HAS MOVED UP IN RANKING. THIS YEAR VICTORIA WAS RANKED SEVENTH IN THE U.S. AND SECOND IN TEXAS AMONG CITIES WITH POPULATIONS OF 50,000 TO 100,000. LAST YEAR WE WERE RANKED EIGHTH AND THIRD RESPECTIVELY. OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT UNIT WORKS HARD TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR COMMUNITY, AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS AWARD, THEY ARE SETTING THE STANDARD IN THE STATE AND THE NATION. CONGRATULATIONS, JOHN TURNER WAS SUPER VERY INVOLVED IN THAT AND OF COURSE OUR POLICE LEADERSHIP AS WELL, FOR THEIR RECOGNITION. >> AND LASTLY I WANT TO KNOWLEDGE -- OKAY, LASTLY I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE A FEW EMPLOYEES WHO RECENTLY CELEBRATED A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE FOR US. WE RECENTLY HONORED SOME OF OUR LONG TENURED EMPLOYEES AT A BREAKFAST THAT JAN SCOTT HAD A CHANCE TO ATTEND THE, AND SHE WAS HERSELF AN AWARDEE CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF SERVICE, SO CONGRATULATIONS COUNCILWOMAN SCOTT. BUT WE ALSO HAD A CHANCE TO RECOGNIZE DOZENS OF EMPLOYEES REPRESENTING FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE, 10 YEARS OF SERVICE, SO ON AND SO FORTH. AND IT'S ALWAYS REALLY NEED WHEN WE START TO GET TO THE LONGER TENURED EMPLOYEES BECAUSE THE LIST STARTS GETTING SHORTER AND SHORTER. SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO RECOGNIZE OUR EMPLOYEES THAT RECENTLY CELEBRATED 30 YEARS OR MORE, AND SO I'D LIKE TO ASK THEM TO BRIEFLY STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR SERVICE AND THEIR LOYALTY TO OUR ORGANIZATION AND COMMUNITY. AND I'LL START WITH YOURS AND WE WILL BUILD UP TO 45 YEARS. BUT I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T START WITH OUR GODFATHER, GILBERT P REYNA JR. CPA, WHO RECENTLY BECAME ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER BUT HAS BEEN WITH OUR ORGANIZATION SERVICE. AND OUR FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY AND JUST OUR OVERALL FINANCIAL POSITION WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT GILBERT'S DECADES OF SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND SO, GILBERT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. >> >> IN ADDITION, WE ARE ALSO CELEBRATING ANOTHER 30 YEAR SERVICE IN KEVIN SANDERSON, WHO CURRENTLY SERVES AS A POLICE CAPTAIN FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. HAVE -- I SHOULD SAY CAPTAIN. I APOLOGIZE, CAPTAIN. BUT CAPTAIN SANDERSON IS TRULY REFLECTIVE OF WHAT I THINK WE AIM FOR, SPECIFICALLY IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS JUST THAT CONSISTENCY, THAT CONSISTENCY, THAT RELIABILITY, AND REMIND ME HOW MANY YEARS YOU'VE BEEN A CAPTAIN FOR. SO 17 YEARS AS CAPTAIN IS CERTAINLY TELLING OF HIS COMMITMENT AND HIS CONSISTENCY OF LEADERSHIP WITHIN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO CAPTAIN SANDERSON, THANK YOU FOR YOUR 30 YEARS OF SERVICE. >> START APPLAUSE ] >> AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO 35 YEARS OF SERVICE. I MENTIONED HIS NAME ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS TONIGHT ALREADY. HE LOOKS 35 YEARS OLD BUT HE HAS RECENTLY CELEBRATED 35 YEARS OF SERVICE, JOHN TURNER, WHO OF COURSE WE ALL KNOW AS THE FACE, TO SOME EXTENT, BEHIND ROBERT, OF COURSE, OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE OF HIS INVOLVEMENT WITH OUR COMMUNITY [00:15:01] ENGAGEMENT UNIT AS A SENIOR POLICE OFFICER ON PAPER, BUT IN REALITY HE IS OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFFICER INVOLVED A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT EVENTS. WE OF COURSE JUST TALKED ABOUT OUR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENT, WHICH HE SPEARHEADS, BUT IS INVOLVED IN A LOT OF OTHER OUTREACH EFFORTS. EVEN THE VIDEOS ARE AWARD-WINNING, RIGHT AROUND HALLOWEEN, SO ALL THE WORK OF COMMUNITY POLICING, THAT TERM IS SOMETIMES OVERUSED BUT IN REALITY IT'S TRULY CRUCIAL TO HAVE A POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT HAS A PRESENCE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO DO THAT WITHOUT JOHN TURNER. SO JOHN, CONGRATULATIONS THE FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST WE CELEBRATED 45 YEARS OF SERVICE, AND I WILL REPEAT THAT, 45 YEARS OF SERVICE TO JESSE GONZALES, WHO IS ONE OF OUR ENGINEERING TEXTS WITH OUR ENGINEERING SERVICES DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE THE LUXURY OF HAVING OUR RETIRED PUBLIC SERVICE DIRECTOR AND FORMER CITY ENGINEER KEN GILL HONOR JESSE WITH THIS AWARD AT THE BREAKFAST, WHICH WAS, I THINK, VERY APPROPRIATE BECAUSE THEY SPENT LITERALLY DECADES WORKING TOGETHER AND I THINK HAD PUT IT REALLY WELL IN HIS REMARKS ABOUT JESSE AND THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED THE STREET WORK, THE UTILITY WORK, THE LOCATION OF SIGNS, JUST A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE JUST PART OF THE DAY TO DAY MONDAY WORK THAT PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING SERVICES DOES, AND JESSE HAS BEEN PART OF THAT FOR 45 YEARS SO IF THERE IS ANYBODY IN OUR ORGANIZATION THAT HAS LITERALLY PUT THEIR THUMBPRINT ON CRITICAL PROJECTS FOR OUR COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS TYPICALLY, IT CERTAINLY HAS BEEN JESSE, AND IF WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT CONSISTENCY AND RELIABILITY, JESSE REFLECTIVE OF THAT AS WELL, HAVING RECENTLY CELEBRATED 45 YEARS OF SERVICE. SO JESSE, CONGRATULATIONS. >> AND I WILL SAY THAT I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES CELEBRATED A MOUSE, IT ALSO JUST TO OUR EMPLOYEES THAT ARE PART OF OUR ORGANIZATION NOW. I MENTIONED TO THEM AS I MENTIONED AT EVERY NEW EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION, THAT WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL THAT THEY'VE CHOSEN US TO BE THERE WERE FAMILY, AND IT'S A RESPONSIBILITY THAT I AND THAT LOOSELY, AND THAT IS, I HOPE, REFLECTED IN OUR EFFORTS DOING THE BEST WE CAN TO PROVIDE THE BEST COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS THAT WE CAN PLUS DOING THE BEST WE CAN TO PROVIDE THEM THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL, THE FACILITIES THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL. THAT IS A RESPONSE ABILITY THAT IS ALL OF US TO ENSURE THAT OUR PEOPLE HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL. AND I THINK IF WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THAT AND CONTINUE TO DO THAT, I FEEL OPTIMISTIC THAT WE'LL BE CELEBRATING MANY MORE INDIVIDUALS REACHING THESE MILESTONES IN THE NEAR HER. SO THANK YOU AGAIN EVERYBODY FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND THANK YOU COUNCIL FOR THE SUPPORT AS WE TRULY CONTINUE TO MAKE OUR ORGANIZATION AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE, AS THEY SAY. SO THANK YOU. >> WELL PUT. WELL PUT. ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEMS FROM COUNCIL. [4. Citizen Communication:] ANYBODY HAVE ANY ITEMS? ANYTHING TO SPEAK OF? OKAY. WE'LL CLOSE ITEMS FROM COUNCIL AND WE'LL MOVE INTO CITIZEN COMMUNICATION. AT THIS TIME I GOT A FEW CARDS HERE. I WILL CALL YOUR NAME AND IF YOU'LL PLEASE COME UP TO THE PODIUM AND KEEP YOUR COMMENTS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES IT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED. WE WILL START WITH MACKENZIE ABOUT. I HOPE THAT WAS AN A AND NOT A U. >> IT IS. HI, I'M MACKENZIE BACH AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT I'VE ADDRESSED THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VICTORIA. VICTORIA LIBRARY BOOK COALITION. I STARTED THIS BECAUSE I WAS TAKING MY DAUGHTER TO THE LIBRARY AND SHE WAS PICKING OUT -- SHE'S THREE, BY THE WAY, AND I WAS PICKING UP BOOKS AND I LOOKED AT THE BOOKS AND THERE WOULD BE CRAZY RADICAL GENDER IDEOLOGY AND IT CRITICAL RACE THEORY IN THESE BOOKS. WE STARTED THE BOOK COALITION AND FOUND THAT IN 2021 I BELIEVE A GROUP OF CONCERNED PARENTS ABOUT THE SAME THING START A PETITION FOR THE SAME REASONS, BUT OVER 1000 SIGNATURES AND BASICALLY NOTHING WAS DONE, THE COUNCIL VOTED TO KEEP THE BOOKS, THE LIBRARY VOTED TO KEEP THE BOOKS. WE DID TALK WITH THE LIBRARY AND THEY DID MOVE A SIGNIFICANT PORTION BUT ACCORDING TO THEM WAS NOT FOR WHAT WE HAVE DONE, IT WAS BECAUSE THOSE BOOKS WEREN'T CHECKED OUT. SO THAT IS [00:20:02] WHY I'M TRYING TO APPEAL TO THE COUNCIL AND SEE WHAT WILL IT TAKE. WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR THE COUNCIL TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS, TO HEAR WHAT WE ARE SAYING, BECAUSE THE PETITION WITH 1000 SIGNATURES TO NOTHING. HOW MUCH LONGER DO WE HAVE TO ASK Y'ALL TO PLEASE -- WE ARE JUST ASKING TO CHANGE THE POLICY IN THE JUVENILE SECTION OF THE LIBRARY, TO WHERE IT DOES NOT INCLUDE BOOKS OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY AND RADICAL GENDER IDEOLOGY. IT'S THE LAWS IN THIS COUNTRY, AS I'M SURE Y'ALL KNOW, IN TEXAS, ARE CHANGING. THESE FOLKS ARE BEING TAKEN OUT OF SCHOOLS. THERE'S LAWS BEING PASSED WHERE YOU HAVE TO USE THE BATHROOM OF THE SEX YOU WERE SIGNED UP FOR AND I THINK VICTORIA NEEDS TO GO WITH THIS TYPE, GO WITH THIS CHANGE, AS CRAZY AS IT IS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE LAWS THAT SAY, TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN THIS WAY, WE NEED TO, BECAUSE TIME IS CRAZY. THE TIMES ARE CRAZY. AGAIN I'M ASKING FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO PLEASE RESPOND, TALK ABOUT WHAT WE ARE ALLOWING IN THE CHILDREN'S SECTION OF THE LIBRARY AND TO LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE OF VICTORIA BECAUSE I'M SURE Y'ALL KNOW THIS IS NOT A LIBERAL CITY, THIS IS MUCH MORE IN THE CONSERVATIVE SIDE AND THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU MS. BANCO. I WILL ASK FOR STEPHEN BARDO. GOOD EVENING MR. BANCO. >> GOOD EVENING MR. COUNCILMAN AND MAYOR. I'M HERE FIRST AND FOREMOST TO SUPPORT MY WIFE, SUPPORT MY CHILDREN AND SPEAK ON BEHALF OF SOME OF THE CHILDREN WHO DON'T HAVE A VOICE. HAVE COME ACROSS THOSE BOOKS. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT WHEN MY WIFE SHOWED IT TO ME BUT I SAW THEM AND I CAME ACROSS SOME SPANISH-SPEAKING BOOKS WHEN I WAS TRYING TO TEACH MY DAUGHTER SPANISH. WE SAW A FEW PICTURES IN THERE. I WAS LIKE, WOW , INAUDIBLE ] CULTURES WITH EVERYTHING NOW. ANYWAY, THERE'S AN AGENDA BEING PUSHED. WE ALL KNOW THAT. THE AGENDA IS EITHER GOOD OR EVIL, POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE. THE DOOR FOR INNOCENCE WITH OUR CHILDREN IS NARROWING MORE AND MORE AS THE YEARS GO ON, AS GENERATIONS GO ON -- THROUGH PHONES, WITH COMPUTERS, WITH MOVIES, TV CARTOONS AND WHATNOT AND NOW THEY'RE HITTING IT WITH THE BOOKS. SO AS WE ONCE WERE CHILDREN, SOME OF US HAVE CHILDREN, ALL I CAN SHARE IS MY LIFE EXPERIENCES. THEY WEREN'T THERE WHEN I WAS A CHILD IN THE LIBRARY. I THINK I CAME OUT FAIRLY WELL. NOW THEY'RE HERE AND IT'S LIKE, ALL RIGHT, WE PRESENT THIS TO YOU ALL, SOMETHING SMALL CHANGES. YOU KNOW Y'ALL MOVE INTO A DIFFERENT SECTION. NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED. WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO BE NOT JUST MOVED TO DIFFERENT SECTIONS BUT TO BE TAKEN AWAY FROM THE SHELVES AND TO CLUTTER THE SHELVES WITH MORE KNOWLEDGE, MORE ADVENTURES, STUFF THE CHILDREN CAN ENJOY. THEY DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT ADULTS ARE GOING THROUGH AND WHAT THINGS ARE GOING IN LIFE. LIKE I SAID, THE INNOCENT WINDOW DORIES NARROWING MORE AND MORE AND I KNOW Y'ALL KNOW THAT, BY Y'ALL'S GENERATION. SO JUST CONSIDER THE CHILDREN WITH THIS. THERE'S AN AGENDA BEING PUSHED. THERE'S ALSO MONEY TO BE MADE. SO WHAT IS REALLY THE POINT OF THESE BOOKS ON OUR SHELVES. ASK THAT. ASK YOURSELF WHAT'S THE NECESSARY POINT OF THIS. AS KIDS WE ALL GET ALONG. WE HAVE BELIEFS. WE INTERACT DIFFERENTLY. WE DON'T NEED THESE BOOKS TO MOLD OUR MINDS, DIRECT US INTO THE WRONG PATH. JUST LEAVE THE KIDS ALONE AND WE JUST HOPE THAT AS BORN AND RAISED VICTORIA CITIZENS, WE JUST HOPE THAT SOME CHANGES ARE MADE. THEY'LL HAVE ACCESS LATER ON IN LIFE AND THE LIBRARY IS A -- PEOPLE SAY IT'S A PLACE WHERE EVERYBODY CAN ENJOY AND GET ALONG WITH, AND THE THAT AS IT MAY, WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE POLICIES, MORALS. WE CAN'T JUST HAVE ALL NOW IN THE PUBLIC LIBRARY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, MR. BANCO. MR. BONNER? GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING COUNCIL, MAYOR. I'M MICHAEL MONTERO. I LIVE AT 2107 NORTH VAN JORDAN. I WAS JUST WONDERING HOW MUCH MONEY IS THE COUNTY GOING TO PAY FOR THE WATER LEAK AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND LIKE WHAT PERCENTAGE, YOU KNOW, IF THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THEY CAN JUST GET A BIGGER BUCKET OR 55 GALLON DRUM TO GET ALL THE WATER. YOU KNOW IT'S [00:25:05] KIND OF HARD TO READ WHEN YOU HEAR DRIP, DRIP, DRIP. IT'S IN VERY BAD CONDITION AND I AIN'T HEARD ANYTHING. HOPEFULLY THEY'RE NOT STONEWALLING AND THEY REALLY DO WANT TO TAKE CARE OF IT AND ALSO WE HAVE TOO MANY DOG BITES IN THE AREA. WE AVERAGE 27 DOG BITES PER MONTH, THAT'S ABOUT AN AVERAGE OF ONE PER DAY AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE HAVE SO MANY DOG BITES IS ANIMAL CARE SERVICES AREN'T PICKING UP DOGS AND CATS BECAUSE IT'S A NO KILL SHELTER SO THERE'S NO ROOM FOR IT AND BEFORE DOGS AND CATS WOULD GET EUTHANIZED AND WE WOULD MAKE ROOM FOR THEM BUT SINCE IT'S A NO KILL SHELTER THEY'RE NOT KILLING ANY AND THERE'S ALSO DANGEROUS DOGS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT SPECIFICALLY ONES THAT ATTACKED THE POSTAL CARRIER AND THE POLICE OFFICERS ON BRANDYWINE WHERE THE POLICE AFTER SIR HAD TO SHOOT ONE DEAD AND WOUNDED ANOTHER DOG. THAT'S THEIR JOB TO ISSUE THE TICKETS, NOT THE POLICE OFFICERS DOG. AND ALSO ON 21 SEVEN NORTH CHECKERS, ONE OF THEIR DOGS JUST RECENTLY ATTACKED SOMEONE AND THEM AND THEY'RE NOT TAKING CARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND I WOULD LIKE ANIMAL CONTROL OR ANIMAL SERVICES TO ENFORCE THEM. THEIR FENCE AND BIG ENOUGH IN THEIR DOGS ARE JUMPING THE FENCE AND YOU MIGHT SAY WHERE WOULD YOU FIND THE DOG OWNER, WELL HE DOES VOLUNTEER WORK AT CHRIST KITCHEN. HIS NAME IS JOE AND THEY HAD 29 DOGS THEY GOT AND I BET YOU NONE OF THEM HAVE THEIR RABIES SHOT BECAUSE THE LAST SPEECH MARK WAS TALKING ABOUT RABIES SHOTS BUT ARE THOSE 29 DOGS THAT WAS THERE ON THE PROPERTY, DID ANY OF THEM GET THEIR RABIES SHOTS? AND ALSO I WOULD LIKE ANIMAL CARE SERVICES NOT TO GIVE ANY TICKETS IF SOMEONE'S FEEDING THE MUNICIPAL COURT CAT BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SPAYED AND FIXED. BECAUSE ONE PERSON GOT FOUR TICKETS FOR FEEDING FOUR& UNDERNEATH THEIR HOUSE, BECAUSE THEY CALLED ANIMAL CARE SERVICES FOR HELP. BUT I WOULD LIKE THE COUNTY TO TAKE CARE OFF THE ROOF BECAUSE SO FAR IT DON'T SEEM LIKE THEY DOING NOTHING AND THEY NEED TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND TAKE CARE OF IT. THANKS AND HAVE A GOOD AFTERNOON. >> THANK YOU MR. BONNER OF. MR. JOHN SWANSON. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M HERE AGAIN, AND I WANTED TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR DOING ALL THE HARD, DIFFICULT THINGS YOU HAVE TO DO. I'M HERE TONIGHT, I WAS MEANT TO COME TO WEEKS AGO BECAUSE I WANT TO SAY A PRAYER FOR GARY MOSES, OKAY? OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME. THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US, AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL. AMEN. GOD BLESS GARY MOSES. HE'S BEEN AN INSTITUTION FOR US. SO I WANTED TO ALSO GET INTO THESE YOUNG PEOPLE HERE. I TELL YOU WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES OF -- AND I'M LIVING IT. WHEN I GO TO THE LIBRARY, I CAN'T TRUST THOSE BOOKS, WHEN I GOT LITTLE KIDS WITH ME. THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. OKAY? SO I DON'T TRUST THEM. I HAVE TO GO AND LOOK AND READ AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT STUFF IS SUITABLE. THAT'S UNFORTUNATE. I DON'T THINK WE MEANT TO BE THERE. THAT'S NOT WHERE WE WANT TO BE. BUT IF WE CAN'T POLICE IT, IF WE CAN'T POLICE THE DOGS, THEN WE HAVE CHALLENGES. AND I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT Y'ALL HAVE A REALLY TOUGH CHALLENGE. OUR GOAL IS TO RAISE THE SALARY, THE PAY OF OUR CITIZENRY. WE MAKE $35,000 AVERAGE. WE SHOULD BE MAKING $70,000, $80,000, OR LIKE OUR TEACHERS, $50,000, OR LIKE OUR POLICE, $60,000, OR LIKE THE FIREMEN. BUT THE PROBLEM IS, WHEN Y'ALL RAISE THE CITY PEOPLES SALARIES, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S HELPING ALL OF THE PEOPLE, BUT IT'S NOT, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PAY THE TAXES FOR THOSE SALARIES. SO THAT'S THE CONUNDRUM THAT YOU'RE FACING. AS YOU RAISE CITY PAY, IT DETRACTS FROM THE PAY OF THE CITIZENRY AND WE ARE TRPAY SO TE CAN GET MORE OF EVERYTHING THAT'S BENEFICIAL. IT'S A DIFFICULT CHALLENGE TO SEE BUT [00:30:03] RAISING CITIZEN PAY IS NOT THE SAME THING AS RAISING CITY PAY OR COUNTY PAY, OR STATE PAY. IT'S A CHALLENGE. BUT Y'ALL ARE PRETTY SMART PEOPLE. AND I THINK YOU'LL FIGURE IT OUT. AND YOU'LL YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND YOU ARE APPRECIATED. >> THANK YOU. >> MR. STEVE MOSES. GOOD EVENING MR. MOSES. >> THANK YOU HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. APPRECIATE IT. I WROTE TO THE MAYOR IN RESPONSE TO HIS LETTER OVER A MONTH AGO, STATING IT CONTAINED, I'LL SAY IN MY WORDS, BLATANT UNTRUTHS. NOT FROM HIM BUT BY PEOPLE HE TALKED TO AND HIS LETTER WAS UNACCEPTABLE, WITH DEEP RESPECT FOR THE MAYOR. THE FORMER CHIEF OF POLICE CHUCK CONNORS RESIGNATION FOLLOWED HIS IMMEDIATE EMPLOYMENT WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT ENTIRELY, IN MY OPINION, IS THE CREDIBILITY OF THE VICTORIA POLICE DEPARTMENT. IT IS THE GOOD OLD WORK SYSTEM IN VICTORIA, TEXAS. I'M TIRED OF BEING LIED TO FOR FOUR SOLID YEARS AND IT'S AN INSULT TO MY INTELLIGENCE AND INTELLIGENCE OF THE ENTIRE VICTORIA CITY COUNCIL. I WILL CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL AND DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO ENSURE THAT SWANSON IS EITHER TERMINATED IMMEDIATELY OR RESIGNS IMMEDIATELY, AND CLOSE THAT YOU HAVE IS A BLANK VICTORIA POLICE DEPARTMENT COMPLAINT FORM WITH WRITTEN COMPLAINT DOCUMENTATION ATTACHED AND NOTARIZED. ALSO ATTACHED THREE PAGES DETAILING THE LITIGATION THAT WOULD'VE BEEN FILED AGAINST THE VICTORIA POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR BLATANT POLICE MISCONDUCT AND VIOLATION OF MY WIFE'S ELDER AND CIVIL RIGHTS. THE VICTORIA POLICE VIDEO OF AUGUST 26TH, 2021, THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT I SAID IS TRUE. OF EACH MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE A FLASH DRIVE OF THIS OR THEY SHOULD HAVE A FLASH DRIVE OF THIS. THE BAILIFF I TALKED TO TONIGHT, ALWAYS WANT TO REMEMBER TO MAKE SURE DELIVER THESE PAPERS TO EACH CITY COUNCILMEMBER TONIGHT AND DELIVER IT TO THE ACTING CHIEF OF POLICE TOMORROW OR TODAY. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT THE ACTING CHIEF OF POLICE REVIEW THE POLICE VIDEO AUGUST 26TH, 2021, ON THE SUPPLIED FLASH DRIVE. THAT VIDEO PROVES EVERYTHING. IF I DO NOT RECEIVE AN ANSWER TO MY FORMAL COMPLAINT OF THE COUNCIL MEETING, OF THIS COUNCIL MEETING IN TWO WEEKS, I WILL IMMEDIATELY INFORM THE CITY COUNCIL ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16TH, 2023, IF THAT'S THE NEXT MEETING. I INTEND ALSO TO PUT THAT VIDEO ON FOUR DIFFERENT SOCIAL MEDIAS SO ALL THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, I'M VERY SERIOUS ABOUT THIS. I ALSO TALKED TO THREE VERY GOOD BLATANT MISCONDUCT ATTORNEYS IN HOUSTON AND SAN ANTONIO AND THEY REAFFIRMED THIS IS BLATANT POLICE MISCONDUCT. BUT MY DAD ALWAYS RAISED ME, DON'T GATE, SON. I RESPECTED MY DAD SO I DIDN'T. SO IT'S UP TO YOU. BUT UNTIL -- IN TWO WEEKS I'M GOING TO DO EVERYTHING ELSE I SAID AND I'M GOING TO GET JUSTICE FOR MY WIFE. THE LAST THING SHE EVER TOLD ME WAS I MISS YOU, STEVE, THOSE WERE THE LAST WORDS I EVER HEARD WAS THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. MR. MOSES. AND LASTLY WE HAVE MR. STEVE WEST ALL. MR. WEST ALL? >> MY NAME IS STEVE WEST ALL. I LIVED IN AUSTRALIA PARK APARTMENTS HERE FOR THREE YEARS. I WAS WONDERING IF SOMEONE FROM THE CITY CAN GO WITH ME TO MY APARTMENT MANAGER AND STRAIGHTEN OUT A RANDOM ADD-ON COVERED PARKING FREE OF CHARGE. IT'S NOT IN MY CONTRACT AND THE TEXAS PROPERTY CODE SAYS IT'S ILLEGAL. I JUST WONDER IF SOMEBODY CAN HELP ME FROM THE CITY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU MR. WESTFALL. THAT CONCLUDES CITIZENS [D. Consent Agenda:] COMMUNICATION. AT THIS TIME THERE ARE NO ITEMS OF HEARING AND SO WE WILL CONSENT AGENDA. MS. WEST? >> CONSENT AGENDA D 1, ADOPTION MINUTES FOR THE REGULAR MEETING HELD ON NOVEMBER 18TH, 2025. D2, ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 25-2026 BUDGET FOR THE CITY O■F ICTORIA CARRYING FORWARD ENCUMBRANCES OUTSTANDING AT THE 30TH, 2025 FOR THE SECOND AND THIRD READING. D3, A RESOLUTION APPROVING AN AGREEMENT WITH CHRISTIAN GALPIN DBA ST. CHRISTINA'S DNS FOR THE USE OF [00:35:05] CITY OF VICTORIA'S PUBLIC SAFETY RADIO SYSTEM. D4, A RESOLUTION REAPPOINTING NUMBERS TO THE TOURISM BOARD. >> DO WE HAVE A MOTION. >> MOTION TO APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA AS READ. >> SECOND. [1. Approve the selection of and an agreement with Lauger Companies Inc. f...] >> A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IS SAY AYE. OPPOSED, SAME SIGN? CONSENT AGENDA HAS PASSED. WE WILL MOVE ON TO D, ACTION ITEMS. >> D 1, APPROVE THE SELECTION OF AN AGREEMENT WITH LAUGER COMPANIES INC FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK SERVICES FOR THE RENOVATION AND TENSION OF THE COMMUNITY CENTER. >> I SEE WE HAVE A PRESENTATION. >> YOU HAVE ASSUMED CORRECTLY. YES. DID YOU ASSUME IT WOULD TAKE A MINUTE? >> KNOW. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO ASSUME. I COME UP HERE FOR THESE MEETINGS AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S AFTERNOON OR EVENING. I ALWAYS SAY EVENING BECAUSE IT'S AFTER 5:00 WHAT PEOPLE WAS WRONG WITH AFTERNOON SO IT'S ONE OF THOSE GRAY AREAS. >> DID SOMEBODY STEAL THE CLICKER? >> JUST KILLING TIME, FOLKS. >> YEAH. SORRY ABOUT THAT. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL CARRY ON. I MIGHT JUST HAVE TO ASK YOU TO MOVE THE SLIDES BUT IN ANY CASE, AS WE FIGURE THIS OUT, VERY EXCITING DAY AS WE'VE REACHED A MILESTONE IN THE RENOVATION AND EXPANSION OF OUR COMMUNITY CENTER PUBLIC. YOU MAY -- SEE, DID IT GO? NOTHING. >> THERE YOU GO. >> THEY ARE MOVING AT 40. FOLLOWING A VERY SIMILAR FORMAT TO SOME OF THE PRESENTATIONS THAT DEREK WOULD USE IN RELATION TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY HAD ORDERED BUILDING, AND YOU MAY RECALL HIM SPEAKING TO YOU ABOUT THE THREE-PRONGED APPROACH, IF YOU WILL, TO THE PROJECT TEAM. AND OF COURSE WE HAVE ALREADY FORMALLY GOTTEN POPULACE, OUR ARCHITECT, ON BOARD AS PART OF THE TEAM. WE ALSO HAVE A GCM AS OUR OWNERSHIP AS PART OF THE TEAM AND TONIGHT WE ARE RECOMMENDING LAUGER COMPANIES TO BE OUR CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK FOR THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR FOR THE PROJECT. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. I WANTED TO ACTUALLY TAKE A MINUTE TO EXPAND ON THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS BECAUSE WE DID A COUPLE THINGS DIFFERENT THIS GO-ROUND THAT I THINK ARE WORTH HIGHLIGHTING AND QUITE FRANKLY EVEN BEING PROUD OF. WE HAD A COUPLE OF GOALS GOING INTO THIS PROCUREMENT PROCESS. WE WANTED TO FIND A BETTER WAY TO -- AS PART OF THE EVALUATION PROCESS, TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ALL OF THE TRADITIONAL ELEMENTS THAT ARE PART OF A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS, WHICH OF COURSE INCLUDE THINGS LIKE EXPERIENCE, BACKGROUND, PROJECT, TEAM, THINGS OF THAT SORT. BUT ALSO TRYING TO FIND A MECHANISM TO ALSO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT A COST ELEMENT TO IT. BECAUSE AS WE'VE SEEN FROM EXPERIENCES, OFTEN TIMES WHEN YOU FOCUS SO MUCH ON ALTERCATIONS, YOU KNOW YOU END UP BASICALLY THE COST CAN BE VERY HIGH IF YOU JUST FOCUS ON THAT, RIGHT? SO WE ARE TRYING TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL WITH FINDING A CREATIVE WAY TO ACCOUNT FOR ALL OF THAT SIMULTANEOUSLY, TO SOME EXTENT, AND EYELETS PLAN HOW WE DID THAT THROUGH THIS TWO STEP PROCESS HERE SHORTLY. IN ADDITION, WE WANTED TO ALSO BE MORE INTENTIONAL WITH AS PART OF THE EVALUATION CRITERIA, BASICALLY AWARDING POINTS FOR LOCAL EXPERIENCE. AND SO I LITERALLY STOLE SOME OF THE VERBIAGE WE INCLUDED IN THE EVALUATION FORM TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF HOW WE DID THAT AND SO WE, FOR EXAMPLE, AWARDED POINTS FOR SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING PROJECTS IN THE REGION. WE AWARDED POINTS FOR COMMITMENT TO USING LOCAL CONTRACTORS. WE AWARDED POINTS FOR FAMILIARITY WITH REGIONAL CONDITIONS. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE WERE THAT INTENTIONAL WITH INCLUDING VERBIAGE LIKE THAT IN A SCORING MECHANISM. SO AGAIN, THAT WAS VERY INTENTIONAL ON OUR PART. BECAUSE WE WANTED TO TRY AND LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD, IF YOU WILL, BETWEEN LOCAL COMPANIES AS WELL AS THOSE NATIONAL COMPANIES THAT OFTEN TIMES BID ON SOME OF THESE PROJECTS. SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS TWO STEP PROCESS. SO WE ISSUED A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS. WE RECEIVED SEVERAL OF THOSE RESPONSES AND THEN NARROWED IT DOWN TO THREE FIRMS OF WHICH RECEIVED THE RFP OR THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. WITH THOSE THREE FIRMS, WE INTERVIEWED THEM IN PERSON. IT WAS A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL EVALUATION COMMITTEE THAT INCLUDED MYSELF, DARRELL ISSA, LISA BOOTHE A, KATE GARCIA, ROGER WELDER, ELIZABETH WOOD AND KEISHA SMITH AND ALL OF US TOGETHER HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE SUBMITTALS, BOTH THROUGH THE RFQ PROCESS AS WELL AS THROUGH THE RFP PROCESS AND [00:40:02] ALSO BE PART OF THE IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS. AND OF COURSE ULTIMATELY THE COMBINATION OF THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE IN THE RFQ PROCESS AS WELL AS THE TWO STEP APPROACH, OUR INTENTIONAL EFFORT TO TRY AND LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD FOR LOCAL CONTRACTORS, OBVIOUSLY WORKED OUT BECAUSE WE ARE RECOMMENDING LONGER TO BE THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR ON THIS PROJECT. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COMPANY. I'VE ACTUALLY LEARNED QUITE A BIT ABOUT THE COMPANY, NOT BEING FROM VICTORIA, NOT BEING HERE SINCE 1944, YOU KNOW I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE COMPANY AND HOW IT WAS BASICALLY REBRANDED ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT OCCASIONS SINCE 1944 BUT SINCE 1991 HAS BEEN BRANDED AS LAUGER COMPANIES INC AS A GENERAL CONTRACTOR. THAT REFLECTS 81 YEARS OF BUSINESS SPANNING THREE DIFFERENT GENERATIONS AND ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE TEAM, SOME OF WHICH WE ARE PROBABLY ALL FAMILIAR WITH AS THEY'VE BEEN WITH THE COMPANY FOR DECADES. OF COURSE CRAIG LAUGER, CORDON LAUGER, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT RECENTLY JOINED THE TEAM. OF COURSE KEVIN KRUGER, WITH SUBSTANTIAL EXPERIENCE FROM HIS OWN COMPANY, OF COURSE JOINED THE LAUGER TEAM SEVERAL YEARS AGO BUT THEY ALSO HAD RECENT HIRES IN FOLKS LIKE REED SCHIFF BAUER, IF I'M SAYING HIS NAME RIGHT, WHO HAD ESPERANCE WITH A FIRM IN SAN ANTONIO AND IS SPEARHEADING THE MODERNIZATION OF THE COMPANY ON THE ESTIMATING SIDE AND ON THE QUALITY-CONTROL SIDE. CLAY HAS BEEN WITH THE COMPANY AND WITH KEVIN FOR A LONG TIME AS WELL. AND SO HAS DAVID. AND SO THE TEAM THAT WAS PRESENTED BY LAUGER REALLY BRINGS DECADES OF EXPERIENCE TO THE TABLE AND TO EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ON THE COMPANY I WANT TO ASK CORBIN LAUGER TO COME UP FOR A SECOND AND SAY A FEW WORDS. >> HELLO MR. LAUGER. >> HELLO, GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING. >> THANK YOU FOR PLACATING ME. >> I DON'T LIKE TO LEAVE IN THE GREAT. I LIKE TO GO BLACK AND WHITE. THANK YOU. THAT WAS A GOOD SUMMARY OF THE BUSINESS. >> NOW >> I'M WORKING ON IT, I'LL GET THERE. IT'S BEEN 80 YEARS, OVER 80 YEARS, SO THERE IS A LOT. WE'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT. I'M HUMBLED, VERY HUMBLED AND APPRECIATIVE TO BE STANDING HERE TODAY AND I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S CONSIDERATION OF US IN AWARDING US THIS PROJECT. MANY YEARS OF ME BEING A YOUNG KID, GOING TO JOB SITES WITH MY DAD, I DIDN'T KNOW MY GRANDFATHER, THE FIRST GENERATION. HE PASSED AWAY BEFORE I WAS BORN BUT I LEARNED A LOT FROM HIM THROUGH JOB SITES, BECAUSE HIS KNOWLEDGE WAS PASSED ON TO OTHER TRADESMEN ON JOB SITES I'D BE ON AND SO SEEING PROJECTS COME THROUGH TOWN AND HOPING FOR A CHANCE ONE DAY TO BE THAT CONTRACTOR AND JUST BUYING TIME AND WORKING, BECOMING , DOING THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO REACH THAT LEVEL. AND SO I'M VERY HUMBLED TO BE HERE, TO BE THE CONTRACTOR CONSIDERED FOR THIS PROJECT. WE TAKE IMMENSE PRIDE IN ALL OF OUR PROJECTS BUT ESPECIALLY COMMUNITY PROJECTS, BEING THAT I AM THIRD-GENERATION AND BORN AND RAISED HERE, VERY PROUD TO CALL VICTORIA HOME AND SO, JUST LIKE THE DAILY ON PROJECTS, LOOKING FORWARD TO INSTILLING THAT SAME AMOUNT OF PRIDE IN THIS PROJECT. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORDS, MR. LAUGER. >> ANY QUESTIONS FOR HIM? PUT HIM ON THE SPOT. KNOW? OKAY. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CONTRACT STRUCTURE JUST AS A REFRESHER. I DON'T BELIEVE ALL OF YOU WERE ON COUNCIL WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS WITH SPYGLASS FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY HEADQUARTER BUILDING, BUT THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK MODEL REALLY COMES AT YOU TWO DIFFERENT PHASES. IS COMING TO YOU TONIGHT, WHICH IS BASICALLY AN ACTION ITEM THAT AUTHORIZES ME TO BASICALLY ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH LAUGER BUT IN SEVERAL MONTHS THE CONTRACT WILL COME BACK TO YOU AND INCLUDE SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE BASICALLY TO BE DETERMINED. AND SO ONE OF THE BEAUTIES OF THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK MODEL IS THAT IT ENGAGES THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR IN THEORY EARLY OR IN THE MIDDLE OF A PROCESS SO THEY CAN HAVE INPUT IN ESTIMATING A PROJECT. THEY CAN HAVE INPUT IN ANY VALUE ENGINEERING OPPORTUNITIES AND THEY REALLY WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THE ARCHITECT BEFORE THE DESIGN IS COMPLETED. THE OTHER METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS [00:45:01] JUST YOUR MORE TRADITIONAL RFP BASICALLY MODEL FINISHES THE DESIGN FIRST, AND I'M SURE I SHOULD HAVE ADDED A SLIDE OR TWO FURTHER COLLABORATING ON THE DIFFERENCES. BUT A TRADITIONAL CONSTRUCTION WORK CONTRACT WOULD FINALIZE A DESIGN WITHOUT ANY AND BUT FROM ANY GENERAL CONTRACTOR AND THEN YOU WOULD BID OUT THAT DESIGN AND AWARD IT TO A GENERAL CONTRACTOR. THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK MODEL ENGAGES THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PROCESS SO THEY CAN HAVE INPUT AND THAT REALLY ENSURES THAT THE FINAL PRODUCT IS OBVIOUSLY ONE THAT IS DOABLE, THAT YOU GET THE BEST PRICING AS POSSIBLE AND ALL IN ALL PUTS A LOT OF THAT RISK ON THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER, HENCE THE TITLE OF THE METHOD. BUT IN ANY CASE IT COMES AT YOU IN TWO MANNERS . THE INITIAL CONTRACT, AND IT WILL COME BEFORE YOU IN A FEW MONTHS WITH A GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE AND I HAVE A TIMELINE SLIDE WHERE I'LL ELABORATE A LITTLE MORE ON THAT. THESE ARE SOME OF THE PERCENTAGES THAT ARE IN GETTING THE CONTRACT JUST FOR YOUR OWN BENEFIT SO THERE IS A FEE OF 3.5% GENERAL CONDITIONS OF 3.6% AND THEN A PRECONSTRUCTION OF $20,000. SO THE WAY THESE CONTRACTS ARE DESIGNED, IT'S THAT THE PRECONSTRUCTION IS INTENDED TO BE A LUMP SUM THAT IS JUST REPRESENTATIVE OF TIME AND EFFORT AND ENERGY SPENT BY THEIR PERSONNEL, TO HELP WITH THE ESTIMATION OF THE VALID ENGINEERING OPTIONS AND THINGS OF THAT SORT. ONCE YOU START GETTING INTO THE FEES AND THE GENERAL CONDITIONS, THAT'S WHEN IT STARTS TO BE A PERCENTAGE BASED OFF THE TOTAL COST OF THE PROJECT BUT BECAUSE THE DESIGN HASN'T BEEN FINALIZED, THERE IS NO TOTAL COST OF THE PROJECT YET SO THE GMP OR THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE WILL BE FINALIZED AS THE DESIGN REACHES FINAL COMPLETION AND THEN EVERYTHING KIND OF COMES TOGETHER. IF YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT, TO YOUR READING, YOU GOT THAT RIGHT? >> EXCELLENT. >> ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT OF IT HE'LL CLEAR AS MUD? EXCELLENT. NEXT SLIDE. YOU WENT TOO FAR. JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A TIMELINE. IT'S HARD TO SEE SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THE WE HIRED OFFICIALLY POPULOUS AND THEY BEGAN THE DESIGN . IN AUGUST WE HIRED A GCM, WHO IS OUR OWNER'S REP, AND IN THAT SAME MONTH POPULOUS ACTUALLY COMPLETED THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN OF THE PROJECT . AND AS PART OF THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN CAN COST ESTIMATES. AND SO TO BE FULLY TRANSPARENT WITH YOU, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT AS WE PROCEED FROM TODAY, THE PRICE ESTIMATES ARE COMING IN HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED. AND SO THERE HAS BEEN QUITE A BIT OF WORK OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS IN WORKING WITH BOTH POPULOUS AS WELL AS WITH AGCM ON SOME OPTIONS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BRING THE PROJECT MORE WITHIN BUDGET OR PHASEOUT THE PROJECT, OR ELIMINATE CONCEPTS FROM THE PROJECT. ALL OF THAT IS STILL ON THE TABLE. BUT BEFORE WE ARE IN A POSITION TO PRESENT THOSE OPTIONS TO, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE LAUGER ON BOARD SO THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE THEIR INPUT ON THE COST . THEY CAN PROVIDE THEIR INPUT ON SOME VALUE ENGINEERING. SO ONE OF THE VALUES THAT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET ON THIS PROJECT SPECIFICALLY IS THAT LAUGER'S LOCAL EXPERIENCE AND PACIFICALLY THEIR EXPERIENCE IN WORKING WITH METAL BUILDINGS AND THINGS OF THAT SORT I THINK IS DOING TO HELP US MAXIMIZE OUR BUDGET BASICALLY. SO WHAT HAPPENS FROM HERE ON OUT WILL ENGAGE LAUGER, GET THEM OFFICIALLY ON BOARD , THEY'LL WORK WITH US, WITH AGCM, WITH POPULOUS ON SOME OF THOSE POTENTIAL CHANGES TO THE DESIGN. WE WILL PRESENT THOSE TO YOU AS THEY BECOME FINALIZED. SO ULTIMATELY THE PROJECT IS BEGINNING TO BE DELAYED, BASICALLY. WE HAD COMMITTED THAT CONSTRUCTION WOULD START IN MARCH OF 2026, SHORTLY AFTER THE LIVESTOCK SHOW. AT THIS POINT THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN. AT THIS POINT WE ARE PRIORITIZING EXPLORING THE OPTIONS THAT CAN GET US IN BUDGET ON THE PROJECT SO WE ANTICIPATE HEARING THIS PROJECT WITH IN JANUARY, WHICH ULTIMATELY WILL LEAD TO THE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT BEEN COMPLETE IN EARLY 2026 AND YOU CAN'T FINALIZE THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE ON THE CONSTRUCTION SIDE UNTIL THAT TAKES PLACE SO WE ALSO ANTICIPATE THAT OCCURRING IN EARLY 2026 AND WE CAN'T GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHEN CONSTRUCTION IS GOING TO START UNTIL BOTH OF THOSE THINGS HAPPEN. SO THAT'S WHY IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE GET LAUGER ON BOARD AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE PROBABLY ARE ABOUT A MONTH TO A MONTH AND A HALF DELAYED FROM WHERE WE ORIGINALLY WOULD'VE LIKED TO GET A GENERAL CONTRACTOR ON BOARD THAT WE'VE TAKEN THE APPROACH ALL ALONG AS WE WANT TO GET IT RIGHT AND WE'D RATHER GET IT RIGHT THAN GET IT RUSHED. WOULD RATHER GET IT RIGHT THEN THE RASH WITH CERTAIN DECISIONS SO I THINK THEY ARE DEFINITELY TAKING THAT APPROACH AND THAT'S THE APPROACH WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ALSO WHEN WE WANT TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION. SO MORE TO COME OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS ON ANY POTENTIAL RECOMMENDATIONS ON CHANGES TO THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT. BUT FROM NOW WE ARE [00:50:01] EXCITED TO GET THAT THIRD PLAYER INTO THE MIX TO HELP US FINALIZE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE PLAN TO MAKE IN JANUARY, AND WITH THAT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. YOU CAN GO TO THE LAST SLIDE IF YOU WANT. >> ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY. THANK YOU BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOUR BEST VALUE APPROACH. IT'S GREAT FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. >> ALL RIGHT. DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR ANYONE? >> I MOVE WE ADOPT E 1. >> I SECOND IT. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEE NONE, I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ITEM D 1 SAY AYE. THE SUPPOSED, SAME SIGN. ITEM E 1 PASSES. MR. LAUGER , I DO WANT TO -- I'M EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU AND EXCITED COMPANY BUT IT'S A STAMP ON OUR COMMUNITY ONCE AGAIN. THANK YOU. MOVING TO [2. Discuss and Take Action on a Resolution Authorizing Posting and Public...] ITEM E 2 >> E 2, DISCUSS AND TAKE ACTION ON A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING POSTING AND PUBLICATION OF NOTICE AND IN TENSION TO ISSUE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION IN THE MAXIMUM AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF $12 MILLION FOR THE CERTAIN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING STREETS AND SIDEWALKS AND RELATED IMPROVEMENTS, PUBLIC SAFETY AND MUNICIPAL COURT FACILITIES, AND PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES. >> ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL. TONIGHT, LIKE YOU SAID, WE ARE GOING TO BE CONSIDERING A NOTICE OF INTENT TO ISSUE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION. I'VE GOT A SHORT PRESENTATION. FIRST I DO WANT TO CLARIFY SOME ITEMS FOR THE PUBLIC. THE PROJECT THAT THESE BONDS WILL BE ISSUED FOR IS THE BONAIR STREET RECONSTRUCTION PHASE ONE AND TWO. THIS PROJECT AND FUNDING STRATEGY WERE APPROVED AS PART OF THE CITY CIP PLAN EARLIER THIS YEAR. PROJECT COST AND ISSUANCE OF THE DEBT WAS INCLUDED WITHIN THE 26 BUDGET AND THE FISCAL 26 TAX RATE INCLUDED WITHIN ITS INS RATE APPORTIONED DEDICATED TO SERVING THE DEBT ON THIS TAX ISSUANCE. >> THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT. >> ALSO I HAVE JUST THE TRAILER HERE. HE'S OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR WITH RBC CAPITAL MARKETS. HE BE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ON THE PROCESS. BUT JUST REAL BRIEF, WE HAD ORIGINALLY HAD BON AIRE PHASE ONE IN THE 25 BUDGET TO ISSUE BONDS FOR. THAT PROJECT WAS DELAYED DUE TO THE DESIGN SO WE DECIDED TO COMBINE THE TWO PHASES THIS YEAR AND DO THEM ALL AS ONE ISSUANCE, SO THERE WILL BE SOME COST SAVINGS BY COMBINING THOSE TWO PHASES. WE DO HAVE A RATINGS MEETING PLANNED FOR JANUARY OF 2026 WHERE THEY WILL ISSUE A RATING TO THE CITY WHICH WILL IMPACT THE INTEREST RATE THAT WE CAN GET ON THESE BONDS . WE'LL ISSUE OR DO THE SALE IN FEBRUARY OF 2026. THAT TIME WE'LL COME BACK AND PRESENT ANOTHER ITEM TO COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE SALE, AND THEN WE'LL CLOSE ON THE FUNDS IN MARCH OF 2026. SO I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE OR ANY BASTIONS FOR DUSTY. >> ANY QUESTIONS ? >> I HAVE A QUESTION. THERE'S A NOTE IN THEIR. >> >> IS IT ON NOW? THERE IS A NOTE IN THERE REGARDING DEBT CAPACITY SO HOW MUCH DEBT CAPACITY WILL REMAIN AFTER THE COS AND WILL IT LIMIT OUR ABILITY TO RESPOND TO FUTURE EMERGENCIES OR CAPITAL NEEDS? >> KNOW, LIKE I SAID, THIS HAS BEEN ORDERED OUR PLAN AND THIS WAS PRESENTED IN THE DEBT CAPACITY PRESENTATION IN THE PRIOR YEAR, SO WE PLAN DOING THE $12 MILLION THIS YEAR ALONG WITH THE NEXT FEW YEARS OF OUR CIP, SO THIS ALL KIND OF FALLS IN LINE WITH WHAT'S BEEN PLANNED AND WILL HAVE MORE INFORMATION TO PRESENT NEXT WEEK AT THE WORK SESSION. >> AND I THINK ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND, TOO, WHEN IT COMES TO THE ISSUANCE OF DEBT, IS THAT THE ONLY REAL LIMITING FACTOR THAT EXISTS ON HOW MUCH DEBT WE CAN ISSUE IS OURSELVES. AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DEBT CAPACITY, WE TYPICALLY APPROACH IT FROM WHAT YOU WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT NEXT WEEK AT THE WORKSHOP, IF WE CONTINUE TO KEEP THE INS RATE AND THE REVENUES THE SAME AS WE FINISHED PAYING SOME DEBT [00:55:02] OFF, IT FREES UP SOME DEBT. BUT THERE'S FLEXIBILITY IF COUNCIL HAD THE POLICY DIRECTION TO ADDRESS NEEDS OR EMERGENCIES AS THEY COME UP. >> I'D LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING. >> OF COURSE, ONLY BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN HERE 30 YEARS. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THERE'S A CAPACITY AND WE'LL GET INTO THAT NEXT WEEK BUT I JUST WANT TO REMIND COUNCIL, THIS IS NOT LIKE IT HAPPENED OVERNIGHT. THIS HAS BEEN PLANNED FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS. WHY IS THAT, GILBERT 2 WE ARE UP HERE AND EVERY TIME WE HAVE THE CIP MEETING WE ARE TALKING ABOUT REDEEMING BONDS, DEBT MANAGEMENT. WE KEEP OUR DEBT LOW, TAX RATING DROP 7-1 EIGHT CENTS OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS. WE STILL HAVE OUR DEBT CAPACITY BUT THIS IS PART OF THE PLAN. THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT SO IT WAS PLANNED OUT MAYBE THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO BECAUSE ALL THE TIME WHEN WE DID THIS PATIENT STARTING THE CIP IN DECEMBER WE ARE ALWAYS ENCOURAGED THE REDEMPTION OF BONDS AND AS YOU REMEMBER, PREVIOUSLY THAT'S PART OF THE PHILOSOPHY. SO IN SUMMARY, THERE'S PLENTY CAPACITY AFTER THIS, IT DOESN'T HARM US AT ALL. WITH THAT WE CAN GO UP TO TWO DOLLARS IF WE NEEDED TO BUT WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO THAT. BUT OVERALL THE CITY'S FINANCES ARE VERY SECURE. SAY ANYTHING? >> >> GILBERT TOLD ME IF I CAME HE'D MAKE ME COME TO THE PODIUM. DUSTY TRAILER WITH RBC CAPITAL MARKETS. WE HAVE THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF REPRESENTING CITY OF VICTORIA AS FINANCIAL ADVISOR. I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FURTHER TO ADD OTHER THAN -- AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE STEPS THAT YOU ALL HAVE ALREADY TAKEN AND THE FINANCIAL POSITION THAT THE GREAT WORK OF THIS CITY HAS PLACED Y'ALL IN. YOU GUYS HAVE DONE GREAT JOB PLANNING FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND SO THIS ISSUANCE IS JUST SIMPLY PART OF THAT PLAN AND SHOULD NOT LIMIT YOU MOVING FORWARD TO ADDRESS FUTURE CAPITAL NEEDS. AS IT RELATES TO THE BOND MARKET, RIGHT NOW THE BOND MARKET SEEMS VERY STRONG. INTEREST RATES HAVE BEEN TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION HERE RECENTLY AND WE ARE FINGERS CROSSED THAT THEY'RE STILL IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AS WE GET TO PRICE THESE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION IN FEBRUARY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> YES. >> IT'S NOT REALLY A QUESTION. >> ABSOLUTELY, THE MICROPHONE IS YOURS. >> IN THE SPIRIT OF TRANSPARENCY, BECAUSE THERE WILL BE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE FOLLOWING THIS, WHO WILL WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW COS WORK AND I RECOGNIZE THAT GILBERT HAS, ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, EXPLAINED CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATIONS, BUT WESLEY OR DUSTY, WOULD YOU, FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT AREN'T CLEAR ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CO BOND AND A BOND THAT SADIE ISD PROPOSES, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, SO THAT THERE IS A REAL DIFFERENTIAL THERE THAT'S EXPLAINED TO THE PUBLIC? >> YOU'VE GOT IT, FINANCE DIRECTOR. >> NO, COME ON DOWN. >> SO ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS. >> DUSTY CAN ELABORATE IF I DON'T PROVIDE ENOUGH DETAIL, BUT ESSENTIALLY WITH THE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT TO VOTE ON THOSE. THOSE ARE SPECIFICALLY APPROVED VIA COUNCIL THROUGH THE TAX RATE AND THROUGH THIS PROCESS. AND THERE ARE SOME RESTRICTIONS, OR THERE MAY BE CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS IF LEGISLATION PASSES, ON WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO WITH THOSE, BUT ESSENTIALLY IT'S MORE OF A POLITICAL DECISION TO ISSUE A CERTIFICATE VERSUS GOING THROUGH THE ELECTION PROCESS OF A GL BOND. THE RISK OF COURSE OF GOING THROUGH ELECTION IS HAVING CITIZENS VOTE NO AND THEN NOT BEING ABLE TO PROCEED WITH THE PROJECT. BUT IN A NUTSHELL, THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE. >> I'M GOING TO ADD ONE MORE THING TO HIS POINT. EXCUSE ME. THEY CAN PETITION. THEY CAN GET A PETITION ON CM TO KIND OF BRING THIS TO A STOP, TOO AND THAT NUMBER OF 50% OF THE VOTE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THERE IS SOME COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENT THAT SOMEBODY, THE POPULATION DOESN'T WANT TO SEE, HOW THEY ARE STILL GOING TO SUBMIT THE THING TO COUNCIL AND THAT CAN SLOW DOWN OR STOP IT, TOO AS WELL SO IT'S NOT LIKE A FREEBIE THING. >> I THINK THAT'S GOOD. I JUST THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT IT SO I THOUGHT VERIFICATION WOULD BE GOOD. >> TRANSPARENCY IS ALWAYS GOOD. >> THAT'S THE PURPOSE FOR THIS PROCESS THIS EVENING, ACTUALLY, IS THE ACTION ITEM BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING IS THE NOTICE OF INTENTION TO PROCLAIM PUBLICLY THE CITY'S INTENTION TO ISSUE THIS DEBT AND TO START THAT 45 DAY PERIOD. YOU CANNOT ISSUE [01:00:01] THIS DEBT UNDER STATE LAW SOONER THAN 45 DAYS AFTER THIS NOTICE IS PUBLICLY POSTED. AND THAT'S TO GIVE THE CITIZENS THE OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, THE INTENDED PROJECTS, ET CETERA, FOR THE DEBT. >> THANK YOU. >> ALI NORMAL PROCESS FOR THE CITY. OKAY. AND FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. >> MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM E 2. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED . SAME SIGN. ITEM E 2 [3. Approve a renewal contract with current Stop Loss carrier, Sun Life Fi...] PASSES. THANKS, GENTLEMEN. ITEM E 3. >> E 3, APPROVE A RENEWAL CONTRACT WITH CURRENT STOP LOSS CARRIER SUN LIFE FINANCIAL IN THE AMOUNT OF $121,997. >> GOOD EVENING MS. CAMPOS. >> GOOD EVENING MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCIL . SO THE REASON FOR MY VISIT TODAY IS TO DISCUSS THE RENEWAL CONTRACT WITH OUR CURRENT STOP LOSS PROVIDER SUN LIFE FINANCIAL. IF YOU REFER TO THE AGENDA ITEM REGARDING THAT RENEWAL, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING AND REQUESTING APPROVAL TO RENEW THE STOP LOSS LIABILITY INSURANCE CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF $921,997 POINT THIS RENEWAL RATE COMES IN SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN THE ORIGINALLY'S PROJECTION OF 39%, YIELDING A SAVINGS OF 100 $39,195. THIS RECOMMENDATION DOES NOT AFFECT THE 2026 HEALTHCARE PREMIUM FOR EMPLOYEES AND IS BUDGETED OUT OF THE CITY'S HEALTH FUND. ANY QUESTIONS? >> DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. CAMPOS? I DON'T SEE ANY. >> HOW MANY HOURS DID YOU SPEND ON THIS? >> LOCKTON WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HELPFUL IN GETTING ALL THESE PROJECTIONS TOGETHER SO YOU ARE GRATEFUL FOR THAT. >> I APPRECIATE THE THOROUGHNESS OF THE JOB DONE AND THE COST SAVINGS TO OUR CITY, SO THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> AND I'LL JUST BREATHE BEATIFIED A, AND I THINK I DO THIS EVERY YEAR, BUT I THINK IT'S JUST TO KNOW THAT THE EXPENSE OF THIS STOPLOSS INSURANCE, IF YOU WILL, WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OF OBVIOUSLY MAINTAINING IT THIS YEAR BUT COMPARED TO FIVE YEARS AGO AS AN EXAMPLE, 10 YEARS AGO, I MEAN IT'S GONNA PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY, SO I JUST WANT US TO KEEP IN MIND THAT WHERE WE PAY THIS INSURANCE FROM IS FROM OUR HEALTH TURNS FUND. AND SO AS WE HAVE HOLISTIC CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE HEALTH OF THE HEALTH INSURANCE FUND, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ITEMS WHERE THE EXPENSE IS RISING AND SO IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP -- BE MINDFUL OF. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. >> MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM E 3. [1. Water System Review Subcommittee Update. Jesús A. Garza, City Manager] >> SECOND. >> WE HAD A MOTION AND SECOND. ALL THOSE EVER SAY AYE AS OPPOSED, SAME SIGN. ITEM E 3 HAS. WE DO HAVE A CITY MANAGER REPORT. MR. GARZA. >> IT WORKS. >> I THINK SO. >> ALL RIGHT, SO WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE FROM OUR WATER SYSTEM REVIEW SUBCOMMITTEE. AND CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SUBCOMMITTEE. WE THOUGHT IT WAS THING HAVE EVOLVED TO A POINT WHERE I THINK WE CAN SAY THAT THE PROCESS HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND THAT WE MADE THE ADEQUATE CHANGES IN ORDER TO HOPEFULLY PREVENT WHAT HAPPENED IN JULY AND AUGUST FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. BUT BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN SEVERAL MONTHS, I WANTED TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF RECAP, A LITTLE BIT OF A RECAP FOR FOLKS THAT MIGHT BE FIRST ON OR JUST FOR IT TO SERVE AS A REFRESHER. BUT THESE ARE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE PART OF THAT COMMITTEE. INCLUDED OUR MAYOR AS WELL AS MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCILMEMBER JEN SCOTT, INCLUDING MYSELF, OUR NOW RETIRED PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR KEN GILL AND GREG RODRIGUEZ, OUR PUBLIC WORKS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR. CAN ALWAYS FINDS A WAY TO STAY IN . JUST AS A BRIEF REFRESHER, THE COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED IN RESPONSE TO THE JULY 2025 BOILED WATER NOTICE AND RIGHT SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF SOME OF THE COMMITTEE WORK WE ACTUALLY HAD THE SECOND BOIL WATER NOTICE IN AUGUST. THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMITTEE WAS TO BASICALLY TAKE A DEEP DIVE INTO WHAT HAPPENED, TO ENSURE THAT ANY CORE ISSUES ARE ADDRESSED AND TO MAKE SURE [01:05:01] IT DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN FOR SIMILAR REASONS. OF COURSE THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN'T CONTROL IN THIS INSTANCE THERE WERE DEFINITELY ELEMENTS THAT WERE PREVENTABLE AND I'LL GET INTO THAT HERE IN A SECOND. I DO THINK THAT THE MAKE OF THE COMMITTEE ALSO SENT A STRONG MESSAGE THAT WE REVIEW AND MAKE THE CHANGES IN A TIMELY MANNER AND OBVIOUSLY BY COMMITTING TO HAVING CONTINUAL DATES TO YOU AND TO THE PUBLIC, I THINK ALSO IT HELPED ACHIEVE THAT OBJECTIVE. JUST REALLY BRIEFLY, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE COMMITTEE LOOKED AT, IT STARTED WITH A WATER SYSTEM OVERVIEW AND SOME INITIAL BRIEFING. IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMITTEE TO GAIN A REALLY GREAT UNDERSTANDING OF JUST HOW THE WATER SYSTEM WORKS AS A STARTING POINT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED, SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT WE ALSO NEEDED TO UNDERTAKE A PRETTY EXTENSIVE FACT-FINDING AND DATA COLLECTION PROCESS AS WELL AS A REVIEW OF OUR SYSTEM PROCESSES, WHICH ULTIMATELY LED TO A ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS, WHICH I'LL SUMMARIZE HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE SLIDES. AND THEN ULTIMATELY THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO OBVIOUSLY MAKE THE CHANGES THAT NEEDED TO BE MADE BUT ALSO FINALIZE THE REPORT SO THAT ANYBODY WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING WHY IT HAPPENED AND WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT WE WERE DOING TO PREVENT IT WOULD HAVE A RESOURCE TO REFERENCE WITH THAT INFORMATION. AND SO I'VE ALREADY ALLUDED TO A COUPLE OF UPDATES THAT WE PROVIDED YOU BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE COMMITTEE STARTED MEETING ON A WEEKLY BASIS IN JULY. IT NOW IS NOT MEETING AS FREQUENT BUT CERTAINLY AT THE HEIGHT OF IT, IT WAS MEETING ON A WEEKLY BASIS AND WE HAVE PROVIDED TWO DATES TO YOU, IN AUGUST AND IN SEPTEMBER. INSULATING PART OF WHAT I'LL TALK TO YOU ABOUT TODAY IS WHAT HAPPENED SINCE THEN. SOME KEY TAKEAWAYS ALSO AS A REFRESHER IS THAT NITRIFICATION PLAYED A BIG FACTOR IN THOSE TWO BOIL WATER NOTICES AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND AS I WALK THROUGH WHAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS THAT A WAY TO PREVENT NITRIFICATION HISTORY STAYING ON TOP OF OUR CHLORINE SAMPLING, MAKING SURE THAT WE DON'T ALLOW WATER TO STAY STAGNANT WORKING AGE, THAT WE COMPLETE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE SUCH AS FLUSHING THE LINES IN SYSTEM, REPLACING AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH WE KNOW COULD BE A FACTOR, NOT A READING ACTOR BUT CERTAINLY A CONVERTING FACTOR, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, TO ENSURE THAT STAFF STAYS ON TOP OF THE NITRIFICATION ACTION PLAN, WHICH BASICALLY CALLS FOR DIFFERENT MEASURES TO ENACT AS THAT CHLORINE RESIDUAL STARTS TO RISE. IN ADDITION, WE NOTED THAT LOW CONSUMPTION OR I SHOULD SAY SPECIFIC TO THE TWO BOIL WATER NOTICES THAT HAPPEN WE ALSO NOTIFIED THAT LOW CONSUMPTION IN SOME OF THE AREAS OF TOWN WHERE WE EXPERIENCE THE ISSUE WAS A FACTOR, IT WAS DIRECTLY TIED TO LACK OF FLUSHING. WE ALSO NOTED THAT THERE WAS SOME HUMAN ERROR IN THE LACK OF THE MENTATION OF THE NITRIFICATION ACTION PLAN IN A TIMELY MANNER AND FOR SOME OF THAT INVESTIGATION AND TALKING TO EMPLOYEES, WE ALSO OBSERVED THAT THERE WAS JUST A LACK OF CLEAR AND STRUCTURED OPERATING PROCEDURES TO REALLY KIND OF INSTRUCT STAFF ON WHAT TO DO SHOULD AN ISSUE ARISE. IT'S ONE THING TO IDENTIFY AN ISSUE. IT'S ANOTHER TO IDENTIFY WHAT AFTER THAT ISSUE IS IDENTIFIED SO IN OUR INSTANCE, THE ISSUE WAS NOT IDENTIFIED IN A TIMELY MANNER BUT THEN WHEN IT WAS, THE PROCEDURES DIDN'T ALLOW FOR A QUICK ENOUGH RESPONSE TO PREVENT THE OIL WATER NOTICES FROM TAKING PLACE. ULTIMATELY WE SUMMARIZE SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENT AREAS INTO THREE CATEGORIES -- PEOPLE, PROCESSES, AND TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT. SO THAT'S THE WAY IN WHICH I'LL PROVIDE THE OVERVIEW. BACK IN AUGUST, THIS IS THE EXACT SAME SLIDE THAT WE PROVIDED IN AUGUST WHERE WE STARTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOME CHANGES IN JUST THE DAILY OVERSIGHT OF THE PLAN AND THE NEED TO HAVE GREG AS AN EXAMPLE AND ROLE AND MORE INVOLVED WITH THE PLAN. WE DECIDED TO LOOK AT BRINGING SOME PEOPLE FROM THE OUTSIDE TO HELP US ASK IT'S GOING ON, AND I'LL GET INTO THAT. WE OF COURSE HAD THE TRANSITION OUT OF OUR THEN SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT MANAGER SHORTLY AFTER THE FIRST BOIL WATER NOTICE, SO WE KNEW EVEN IN AUGUST THAT HIRING FOR THAT POSITION WOULD BE A CRITICAL STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. IN SEPTEMBERS UPDATE WE PROVIDED THE SNAPSHOT THAT BASICALLY WAS INTENDED TO REFLECT HOW WE WERE GOING TO MORE PERMANENTLY ENSURE THAT THE MANAGEMENT OF THE SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT, THE REPORTING DIRECTLY TO THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, WHICH OF COURSE IS GREG, WHOSE EXPERIENCE IS HEAVILY ON THE UTILITY SIDE GESICKI NOTICE ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE, THE WAY THAT IT WAS PREVIOUSLY IS THAT YOU HAVE A SURFACE WATER TREATMENT MANAGER REPORTING TO ANOTHER MANAGER BEFORE YOU GOT SOME OF THE PUBLIC WORKS LEADERSHIP AND SO WE CHANGED IT TO NOW WHERE THE SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT MANAGER REPORTS DIRECTLY TO AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, WHICH WAS THE POSITION THAT DIDN'T EXIST IN JUNE BUT SINCE WAS CREATED [01:10:02] AND GREG PROMOTED TO THAT POSITION. SOME OF THIS DAILY OVERSIGHT, IT SOUNDS MUNDANE BUT HAS PROVED TO BE CRITICAL TO ENSURING THAT STAFF STAYS ON TOP OF THE PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES AND THAT WE ARE NOW THE RIGHT WAY TO DO THINGS. ONE OF THE THINGS ON A STAFFING SIDE THAT WAS IDENTIFIED EARLY ON WAS JUST THE LACK OF PERSONNEL AT THE SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT AND THE IMPACT THAT THAT HAD ON THEIR ABILITY TO KEEP UP WITH THE FLUSHING OF THE LINES. AND WE DISCUSSED AT THE UPDATE IN SEPTEMBER HOW THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FLUSHING THOSE LINES ISN'T SOLELY ON THE PERSONNEL AT THE SURFACE WATER TREAT PLANT, ALSO A RESPONSIBILITY OF THE UTILITIES DIVISION OF PUBLIC WORKS. AT THE TIME WE NOTED HOW THERE WERE SOME VACANCIES IN BOTH DIVISIONS SO I'VE HIGHLIGHTED THOSE SPECIFIC DIVISIONS ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE TO SHOW YOU HOW THE VACANCIES HAVE PROGRESSED IN THOSE DIVISIONS THAT WERE DIRECTLY OR INVOLVED WITH ENSURING THAT WE ARE KEEPING UP WITH THE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE OF OUR WATER SYSTEM. SO I'LL START WITH THE YELLOW SINCE THAT'S WITH THE SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT. BACK IN SEPTEMBER WE NOTED THERE WERE FIVE VACANCIES. WE ARE NOW DOWN TO ONE SO WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY FILLED SOME KEY VACANCIES WHICH INCLUDED THE NEW SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT MANAGER, JOHN SMITH, WHO STARTED ON OCTOBER 20TH, AND ALSO THE PROMOTION OF TODD HOFF TO BECOME OUR CHIEF OPERATOR. WE ALSO HAD A TRANSITION IN THE CHIEF OPERATOR POSITION. TODD WAS MADE INTERIM ON SEPTEMBER 27TH AND WE INTENTIONALLY WAIT FOR JOHN SMITH TO START SO THAT JOHN SMITH COULD HAVE A SAY IN WHO WOULD BECOME THE CHIEF OPERATOR ON A MORE PERMANENT BASIS, AND HE WENT THROUGH A PROCESS AND CONFIRMED THAT TODD WAS THE BEST INDIVIDUAL TO BECOME THE CHIEF OPERATOR. SO THOSE WERE TWO VERY CRITICAL VACANT POSITIONS THAT WERE FILLED IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS WE'VE ALSO BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN FILLING OTHER POSITIONS AT THE PLANT. THERE'S ONLY ONE REMAINING VACANCY AT THE PLANT. ONE OF THE STAFF CHANCES THAT WE ALSO PROCEEDING WITH HIS SOMEONE MAY RECALL THAT WE PHRASED SOME UTILITY CENTRIC POSITIONS SEVERAL YEARS AGO TO SORT OF MAKE THE BUDGET WORK A LITTLE BETTER IN OUR FAVOR. WE ARE WORKING ON FREEZING ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS IN ORDER TO ADD AN EIGHTH PLANT OPERATOR AT THE SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT. BE USED TO HAVE EIGHT PLANT OPERATORS AND THEN WHEN THE POSITION OF CHIEF OPERATOR WAS RATED A PERMITTED 12 CHIEF OPERATOR BUT NEVER BACKFILLED. BUT NEVER BACKFILLED THAT EIGHTH OPERATOR POSITION. SO YOU THINK OF SHIFTWORK, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WAS IDENTIFIED WAS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH OPERATORS 24/7/365 SO ADDING THAT EIGHTH PLANT OPERATOR WILL ENSURE THAT WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE, TWO OPERATORS ON EVERY SHIFT, AND THAT WILL HELP SIGNIFICANTLY. SO A LOT OF PROGRESS IS BEING MADE ON THE STAFF REPORT. I'LL NOTE THAT ON THE BLUISH HIGHLIGHT, YOU NOTICE THAT OUR VACANCY IN OUR UTILITY DIVISIONS HAVE ACTUALLY GOTTEN WORSE SO IN SEPTEMBER WE SHOW THAT WE HAVE FIVE VACANCIES IN OUR WATER DIVISION WITH UTILITIES AND FIVE WITH OUR WASTEWATER PERSONNEL. THOSE ARE NOW AT SIX AND EIGHT RESPECTIVELY AND SO WHILE WE ARE GETTING BETTER AT FILLING THE VACANCIES OF THE PLANT ITSELF, WE ARE ACTUALLY IN A MUCH WORSE POSITION WITH THE UTILITIES DIVISION ITSELF. YOU MAY RECALL THAT TOWARDS THE END OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE STARTED A CONVERSATION WITH THE COMPENSATION SUBCOMMITTEE BUT ALSO MENTIONED IT PUBLICLY THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT TRYING TO ENHANCE PAY FOR OUR UTILITY CENTRIC POSITIONS. AT THE TIME WE WERE LOOKING AT POSSIBLY ENHANCING PAY FOR ALL OF THE POSITIONS THAT YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE. HOWEVER, AFTER INTERNAL DIALOGUE, AFTER CONVERSATION WITH THE COMPENSATION SUBCOMMITTEE, WE'VE DECIDED TO SOLELY FOCUS ON THE ONES THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW, WHICH ARE MORE OF YOUR FRONT LINE, FUEL CENTRIC POSITIONS AND ARE THE ONES THAT ARE MORE -- WHERE WE ARE SEEING IS PROBLEM, WHICH IS THE DIVISIONS THAT ARE NOW IN A WORSE SPOT THAN THEY WERE A FEW MONTHS AGO. WE ARE NOT -- OUR RECOMMENDATION ON HOW TO ENHANCE THAT PAY IS NOT FINALIZED. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE STILL CONTINUING TO WORK ON WITH THE COMPENSATION SUBCOMMITTEE. ONE OF THE CREATIVE IDEAS THAT CAME FROM COUNCILMAN BUTLER, WHICH WE ALL ACTUALLY REALLY LOVED AND WE WERE SURPRISED WE HADN'T THOUGHT OF IT OURSELVES BEFORE WAS THE IDEA OF REVIEWING JOB TITLES FOR SOME OF THE POSITIONS BECAUSE WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IS THAT WE HAVE SEVERAL MAINTENANCE WORKER POSITIONS IN OUR ORGANIZATION. YOU KNOW WE HAVE A MAINTENANCE WORKER AT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AS AN EXAMPLE. WE HAVE A MAINTENANCE WORKER AT THE STREET DIVISION. WE HAVE A MAINTENANCE WORKER WITH THE UTILITIES DIVISION. BUT THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF EACH OF THOSE MAINTENANCE WORKER POSITIONS ARE VASTLY DIFFERENT. THE NEED FOR THEIR AVAILABILITY [01:15:03] AFTER HOURS IS VASTLY DIFFERENT. PARKS MAINTENANCE WORKER ISN'T GETTING CALLED OUT ON CHRISTMAS DAY TO ADDRESS A CRITICAL FUNCTION THAT MIGHT LEAD TO A BOIL WATER. SO THERE IS AN IDEA THAT POSSIBLY WE ARE EXPLORING, WHICH IS BASICALLY TO MAYBE LOOK AT CHANGING SOME OF THE JOB TITLES ASSOCIATED WITH SOME OF THESE ECCENTRIC POSITIONS THAT COULD HELP BETTER CONVEY THE IMPORTANCE OF THE POSITION BUT COULD ALSO HELP JUSTIFY AND VALIDATE SOME OF THE CHANGES IN PAY THAT WE WANT TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE ABOUT. BUT AGAIN, WE PLAN ON FINALIZING THE RECOMMENDATION WITH SUBCOMMITTEE AND HOPEFULLY HAVE AN UPDATE TO YOU ALL ON THAT HERE SOON. A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE PROCESS I, AND SO I ALLUDED TO THE FACT THAT WE ALSO ASKED SOME THIRD-PARTY -- LEANED ON SOME THIRD-PARTY FOLKS TO ASSIST WITH SOME OF THESE ASSESSMENTS SO WE DID HIRE TEXAS UTILITIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL SHORTLY AFTER THE FIRST BOIL WATER NOTICE TO COME IN AND HELP ASSIST WITH MANAGEMENT OF THE PLANT IN LIGHT OF OUR MANAGER LEAVING ABRUPTLY SHORTLY AFTER THE FIRST BOIL WATER NOTICE, BUT ALSO JUST TO HELP ASSESS THE OPERATION AND THE PROCESS IS TO HELP WITH SOME OF THE STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE SO WE HIRED THEM FOR THREE MONTHS. WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH TCU, MORE SPECIFICALLY THEIR TEXAS OPTIMIZATION PROGRAM TO HELP THEM WITH SOME TRAINING. SINCE THEN, THAT THREE-MONTH CONTRACT WITH TEXAS UTILITIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL HAS EXPIRED. IT EXPIRED AT THE END OF OCTOBER AND THIS IS JUST A LIST OF THE FEW THINGS THEY DID FOR US BUT THE IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE IS THAT WHEN THEY FINISHED MAKING THESE ASSESSMENTS FOR OUR SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT, THERE WAS STILL TIME IN OUR CONTRACT SO WE ACTUALLY ASKED THEM TO GO AND ASSESS OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS . AND SO MIKE WITH TEXAS UTILITIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL ALSO DID AN ASSESSMENT OF OUR REGIONAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AND OUR: WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT TO ALSO HELP ENSURE THAT WE ARE STAYING ON TOP OF STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES, PROCESSES, AND THINGS OF THAT SORT. SO HAVING MIKE ON BOARD FOR THOSE THREE MONTHS WAS VERY HELPFUL NOT ONLY TO THE SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT BUT TO THE UTILITIES DIVISION AS A WHOLE. I MENTIONED THE TRAINING WITH THE TEXAS OPTIMIZATION PROGRAM. I WILL WALK YOU THROUGH THE DETAILS OF THIS BUT I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE LAST AND FINAL TRAINING WITH THE TEXAS OPTIMIZATION PROGRAM IS NOW SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY. THAT WAS ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE IN OCTOBER BUT IT WAS DELAYED SO THAT WILL NOW TAKE PLACE IN JANUARY BUT ONCE WE GET PAST THAT POINT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TEXAS OPTIMIZATION PROGRAM WILL COME TO AN END AS WELL. THEY WILL COME AS A RESOURCE IN CASE YOU WANT TO DO ANY TRAINING IN CASE WE HAVE NEW PERSONNEL OR ANYTHING TO THAT EXTENT. BUT IN TERMS OF THIS VERSE THREE YOU OF THEIR FIRST INVOLVEMENT, THAT WILL COME TO AN END HERE IN JANUARY. ON THE EQUIPMENT SIDE, THIS WAS A SLIDE THAT WE SHARED IN AUGUST, WHICH BASICALLY ATTEMPTED TO ALREADY ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT OUR LACK OF STAFF OBVIOUSLY WORKS AGAINST US. OUR LACK OF EQUIPMENT AND MODERNIZATION TO SOME EXTENT ALSO WORK AGAINST US. SO WE STARTED IN AUGUST TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE ISSUES WITH AUTOMATED PLEASURES, MEANING ISSUES WITH EXISTING BUT ALSO THE NEED FOR MORE. WE ALSO STARTED HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT EXPLORING IN TANK ACTIVE WATER MIXERS TO PREVENT THE AGING OF WATER AND TO PREVENT THE STAGNATION OF WATER, WHICH WE KNOW ARE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO NITRIFICATION. AND WE ALSO NOTED AT THE TIME IN AUGUST THAT IT WAS A VERY PAPER CENTRIC PROCESS ON HOW EMPLOYEES LOLLED DATA, WHICH MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR ANYBODY ON THE OUTSIDE TO TRACK ANY TRENDS THAT MAYBE WEREN'T IN OUR FAVOR. SO THESE WERE THINGS THAT WE BEGAN TO IMPROVE SINCE AUGUST. SINCE SEPTEMBER, THAT UPDATE WE PROVIDED IN SEPTEMBER, WE ALREADY MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS ON THE AUTO FLUSHER'S FRONT SO AT THAT MEETING WE ALREADY SHARED WITH YOU THAT WE HAD ORDERED SOME ADDITIONAL AUTO FLUSHER'S AND THOSE HAD BEEN INSTALLED AT THAT TIME WE ALSO STARTED TO SHARE THIS IDEA OF CHLORINE ANALYZERS. THE IDEA OF CHLORINE ANALYZERS DIDN'T COME UP IN AUGUST BECAUSE WE DIDN'T REALIZE THE EXTENT OF HOW TIME-CONSUMING IT WOULD BE FOR STAFF TO INCREASE THE FREQUENCY OF THE CHLORINE TESTING. AND SO YOU MAY RECALL THAT WE MADE SOMETHING THAT CAN CHANGES AND THAT WE ARE NOW TESTING FOR CHLORINE SEVERAL TIMES PER DAY VERSUS ONCE A WEEK. WE ARE NOW TESTING FOR NITRIFICATION, EVERY WEEK I THINK IT WAS. EVERY WEEK VERSUS LIKE EVERY 90 DAYS, LIKE THE LAW REQUIRES. ALL THESE THINGS WERE VERY TIME-CONSUMING FOR PERSONNEL SO BETWEEN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER CAME THE IDEA OF LOOKING AT CHLORINE ANALYZERS WHICH ARE BASICALLY THE SYSTEMS THAT WE INTENTIONALLY INSTALL AT [01:20:01] OUR WATER TOWERS TO HELP DO SOME OF THAT TESTING FOR US SO THAT IT'S NOT FULLY DEPENDENT ON A HUMAN TO HAVE TO DRIVE EVERYWHERE TO TAKE THE SAMPLES. THIS IS A MAP SHOWING THE LOCATIONS OF THE AUTO FLUSHER'S, SO THE MAP ON THE LEFT SHOWS THE EXISTING LOCATIONS AS WELL AS THE NEW LOCATION. I WILL NOTE THAT FOR THE MOST PART THEY ARE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE SYSTEM, BECAUSE YOU MAY RECALL THAT ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WAS A CONSISTENT ISSUE, SPECIFICALLY WITH THE SECOND BOIL WATER NOTICE, WAS THAT IT WAS IN THE EXTREMITIES OF THE SYSTEM AND THOSE ARE THE AREAS THAT NEED PROBABLY MORE PRIORITY FOR FLUSHING TO ENSURE THAT OLD WATER GETS OUT AND NEW WATER CAN COME AND ENTER THE SYSTEM. THE MAP ON THE RIGHT IS SIMPLY JUST A REFRESHER ON WHERE THE WATER TOWERS ARE LOCATED BECAUSE THAT'S ACTUALLY WHERE WE PLACED THE CHLORINE ANALYZERS. THOSE CHLORINE ANALYZERS WOULD BE LOCATED IN ALL OF THE WATER TOWERS AS WELL AS WATER PLANT THREE AND THAT'S THE MAP ON THE RIGHT. AND WE ACTUALLY PURCHASED THOSE IN SEPTEMBER AND THEY ARRIVED ON DECEMBER 1ST AND WILL BE INSTALLED BY DECEMBER 15. WE ALSO, OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, HAVE RECEIVED AND INSTALLED ALL THE TANK MIXERS SO THREE OUT OF FIVE TANK MIXERS THAT WE NEEDED FOR THE TOWER WERE ACTUALLY ORDERED IN SOME OF HER DREAM LAST FISCAL YEAR AND THEY WERE INSTALLED THAT SAME MONTH IN TOWER STREET, FOUR AND FIVE AND WAS THE NEW FISCAL YEAR BEGAN IN OCTOBER, STEPHANIE TO THE TWO ADDITIONAL TANK MIXERS AND THOSE WERE INSTALLED IN TOWERS 1 AND 6 ON NOVEMBER 10TH. SO AS YOU START TO GET A FEEL FOR THIS, MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD STARTED TALKING ABOUT NEEDING TO GET DONE ARE EITHER DONE OR ARE GOING TO BE DONE THIS MONTH. ON THE SOFTWARE SIDE, ONE OF THE BIGGEST NEWS THAT HAS COME OUT OF THAT IS RELATED TO THE UPDATE THAT WE PROVIDED IN SEPTEMBER WHICH BASICALLY THAT UPDATE SEPTEMBER ACCOUNTED FOR THE NEED TO POSSIBLY LOOK AT AN ALTERNATIVE WAY TO FUND THE SYSTEM BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED FULL COMMITMENT FROM THE PLO ON THAT PROCESS THAT WE FOR SEVERAL YEARS BUT THAT HAS SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED BECAUSE WE DO HAVE AN EXECUTED CONTRACT WITH THE PLO NOW FOR THAT $19 MILLION AND THERE'S ACTUALLY AN OFFICIAL KICKOFF MEETING THAT'S TAKING PLACE THIS THURSDAY IN ORDER TO START THAT PROCESS. AND OF COURSE THE ELEMENT OF THOSE THREE PROJECTS THAT WERE WANTING TO PAY OUT OF THAT $19 MILLION IS PRIORITY. SINCE THEN, STAFF CONTINUES TO EVALUATE PROGRAMS AND WE'VE ACTUALLY ALREADY NARROWED DOWN, I WON'T SAY ANY NAMES BUT WE'VE ACTUALLY NARROWED DOWN THE VENDOR IN THE SPECIFIC PROGRAM THAT WE WANT AND THAT ACTUALLY, BOTH UTILITY STAFF AND I.T.S STAFF ACTUALLY HAVE A SUCCESSFUL VISIT, JUST EARLIER, I WAS GOING TO SAY THIS MONTH, LAST MONTH IN NOVEMBER, TO A DIFFERENT COMMUNITY WHERE THAT SPECIFIC SYSTEM IS IN THE WORKS SO THAT THEY CAN SEE FOR THEMSELVES HOW IT WORKS, TALK TO STAFF THERE ABOUT ANY ISSUES THEY HAD DURING IMPLEMENTATION OR JUST ANY ISSUES THEY HAVE ONGOING SO THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THAT , AND THAT VISIT WAS VERY HELPFUL TO CONFIRM THAT THAT SYSTEM IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO US. AND SO THAT WORK IS ONGOING. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT THINGS WAS WE REFERENCED THE E SENSE SOFTWARE BUT I'D RATHER KIND OF FOCUS ON THE QUALITIES THAT WE NEED FROM A SOFTWARE, WHICH WAS THE NEED TO HAVE A SOFTWARE THAT CAN SUPPLEMENT THE MANUAL LOGS SO WE CAN HAVE THAT REMOTE ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION THAT THE SYSTEM COULD AUTOMATICALLY GENERATE SOME WORK ORDERS IN CASE IT STARTS TO NOTICE THAT THINGS ARE TRENDING IN A WAY THAT THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO. THAT E SENSE SOFTWARE SPECIFICALLY COULDN'T ACTUALLY PROVIDE WHAT WE NEEDED FROM IT OR IT WAS GOING TO COST PROHIBITIVE AS WELL TO DO IT SO STAFF CONTINUES TO EXPLORE DIFFERENT SOFTWARE OPTIONS THAT WOULD FACILITATE HAVING THOSE ELEMENTS. IN THE MEANTIME, STAFF CONTINUES TO USE SHARED FILES TO ACCESS DATA REMOTELY. THAT ACTUALLY PROVED TO BE VERY SUCCESSFUL AND SO WHILE THERE'S STILL THAT NEXT STEP IN FINDING A SOFTWARE THAT ACTUALLY WILL WORK WITH US AND WILL MORE DIRECTLY TIE IN WITH OUR WORK ORDER SYSTEM AS WELL, JUST SOME OF THE, I GUESS MAKESHIFT PROCESSES THAT STAFF IS IMPLEMENTED WITH SOME OF THE SHARED FILES AND AXIS II THEM, HAS ALREADY MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE SO THAT'S PROVED TO BE SUCCESSFUL SO THERE'S STILL WORK TO BE DONE ON THE SOFTWARE FRONT. BUT ALL IN ALL, MOST OF THE CRITICAL WORK IS COMPLETE. I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT WE ARE DONE BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO ALWAYS HAVE A MINDSET THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE PRIORITIZING PEOPLE, PROCESS AND TECHNOLOGY IN THAT MINDSET OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT THE SOMETHING THAT [01:25:01] IS JUST INSTILLED IN OUR DAILY OPERATIONS, AND SO THAT WILL CONTINUE. BUT THE BULK OF THE WORK IS COMPLETE AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT, EVEN JUST THE MEETINGS OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE ARE GOING TO SHIFT TO BE ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS SINCE THERE IS AND REALLY NEED TO MEET ON A RECURRING BASIS ANYMORE AND THE REAL TANGIBLE DELIVERABLE THAT'S REMAINING IS COMPLETING THAT WRITTEN REPORT SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS JUST BEGUN AND THAT WE BEGUN TO ENGAGE OUR COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT BECAUSE SAM HANKINS IS A BETTER WRITER THAN PEOPLE AT PUBLIC WORKS. I %-ÚT SAY ANY NAMES, BUT IN ANY CASE, THAT A SICKLY WRAPS UP AND CONCLUDES THE FINAL UPDATE THAT WE INTEND TO PROVIDE TO YOU ON THE SUBCOMMITTEE FRONT. IN THE WRITTEN REPORT IS COMPLETE WE'LL SIMPLY DISTRIBUTE THAT TO YOU WHEN THAT HAPPENS, AND LIKE I SAID, JUST THE ONGOING ONSET OF BEING MINDFUL OF INVESTING PEOPLE, PROCESS, TECHNOLOGY, WE'LL JUST CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND EMBED THAT IN OUR REGULAR UPDATES, ANNUAL UPDATES TO YOU AND IN OUR ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE OR TURN IT OVER TO ANY COMMITTEE MEMBER THAT MIGHT WANT TO ADD ANYTHING. ANYBODY? >> WHAT'S THE ANTICIPATED OR EXPECTED TIMELINE ON THAT REPORT? >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I WOULD SAY PROBABLY A COUPLE OF MONTHS. REALISTICALLY THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF WORK AND DEMAND ON OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY. SO YOU KNOW WE ARE NEEDING TO FIND A BALANCE WITH THEM ON TIME SPENT ON THIS VERSUS AS AN EXAMPLE, WORKING ON DEVELOPING THE ROLLOUT OF THE STORMWATER UTILITY THAT WE WANT TO ROLL OUT IN SPRING. BUT I WOULD SAY REALLY 2026 IS A REALISTIC TIME FRAME ON WHEN WE CAN EXPECT THAT. >> ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? >> WELL I'D LIKE TO THANK THE SUBCOMMITTEE, STAFF, OUTSIDE COUNCIL THAT HAS BEEN INVOLVED, HELPING TO IMPROVE AND SECURE OUR WATER SYSTEM. IT WAS A DAUNTING TASK. I LEARNED A LOT, A LOT IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. IS A VERY, VERY COMPLICATED PROCESS AND I WILL GO TO BAT AND SAY OUR EMPLOYEES DO A FANTASTIC JOB. NOTED WE HAVE SOME MISSTEPS ALONG THE WAY? ABSOLUTE. I THINK THIS WAS AN OPEN AND HONEST AND THOROUGH, VERY HARD INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT HAPPENED, AND I APPRECIATED BEING OPEN AND HONEST AND HARD SO THAT WE GET THIS RIGHT. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY I WANT TO THANK THE PUBLIC FOR THEIR PATIENCE DURING THIS AS WELL AND TRUSTING US TO GET THIS RIGHT BECAUSE CLEAN, SAFE WATER IS CERTAINLY A PRIORITY AND SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE EXPECTED, AND I THINK THAT THIS PROCESS CERTAINLY HELPS SECURE AND IMPROVE THAT GOING FORWARD. >> GREAT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT. THAT CONCLUDES OUR [H. Executive Sessions:] CITY MANAGER REPORT. I DON'T SEE THAT THERE'S ANY OTHER WORK SESSIONS. MR. GARZA, WE DO HAVE EXECUTIVE SESSION? >> YES OR. >> OKAY. WELL AT THIS TIME, 6:28, WE WILL RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. WE WILL TAKE ABOUT A 10 MINUTE RAKE AND RECONVENE HERE IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES. >> YES, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL RECESS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, SECOND DAY OF DECEMBER, 2025, AT 6:28 POINT SUBJECT MATTER, THE FOLLOWING, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 551.087, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 551.072 AND TEXAS GOVERNMENT * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.