City Council

Farmers Branch City Hall City of Farmers Branch 13000 Wm Dodson Pkwy Farmers Branch, Texas 75234 Meeting Minutes - Final City Council Tuesday, August 11, 2015 10:00 AM Council Chambers Budget Work Session Mayor Phelps called the meeting to order at 10:02 am. Presiding: 1 - Mayor Bob Phelps Present: 5 - Mayor Pro Tem Kirk Connally, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Harold Froehlich, Council Member Ana Reyes, Council Member John Norwood and Council Member Mike Bomgardner Staff: 4 - Gary D. Greer City Manager, Charles Cox Managing Director - Administration, John Land Managing Director - Operations and Shawna Eikenberry A. INVOCATION & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Council Member Norwwod gave the Invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance. B. BUDGET WORK SESSION B.1 Discuss the City Manager’s balanced budget and organizational funding requests related to the adoption of the Farmers Branch 2015-2016 fiscal year budget. Managing Director Charles Cox gave a presentation on the City's proposed 2015-2016 fiscal year budget. The proposed balanced budget includes a property tax rate at 60.2267 cents, improves target fund balances, increases service levels, and includes minimal Parks & Library Fee increases. Highlights included: City Council Strategic Planning Cycle & Implementation Guiding Principles Proposed Balanced Budget Infrastructure & Equipment Emphasis Fund Balances for General Fund, Fixed Asset Fund, Water & Sewer Fund, and Hotel/Motel Fund Organizational Funding Requests Cost of Service Comparison Tax Rate Comparison Major Revenue Trends Property Values Property Tax Rate Sales Tax Revenues Water & Sewer Rate - includes a 15% water and sewer rate increase, no stormwater fee increase Major Expenditure Trends Minor Funds Debt Service City of Farmers Branch Page 1 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final August 11, 2015 Capital Improvement Funds and Improvements Fixed Assets Facility Improvement Program Trail Improvement Funding The City Council discussed the organizational funding requests that were submitted. The general consensus of the Council was to leave funding for all the organizations at the same rate as last year for Farmers Branch Chamber of Commerce, Metrocrest Chamber of Commerce, Metrocrest Services, The Family Place, Bea's Kids, and Metrocrest Community Clinic. The City has already contractually agreed to pay utilities for The Firehouse Theatre and their building maintenance costs, therefore the Council did not approve The Firehouse Theatre's request for an additional $197,000. Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Froehlich asked, based on the debt service chart, is there a good time to go to the citizens to get bond money to acquire old apartment property? Mr. Cox reported it could not be done with the current tax rate. He also stated that depends on what Council wished to do with the property once it is acquired. Council Member Reyes stated it might be good to look at putting that on a ballot in the May election. The City Council took a 10 minute recess at 12:05 pm. The City Council discussed the proposed Fixed Assets items. Council Member Norwood asked if there was a way to save some of the Fixed Asset funding and use it towards trails. The general consensus of City Council is for City Administration to look for opportunities to fund a trails system, or at least a portion of the system, and how to add to the Economic Development fund. C. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Council Member Norwood, seconded by Council Member Reyes, that this Meeting be adjourned. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 5- Mayor Pro Tem Connally, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Froehlich, Council Member Reyes, Council Member Norwood and Council Member Bomgardner The Meeting adjourned at 1:25 pm. __________________________________ Bob Phelps, Mayor ATTEST: __________________________________ Angela Kelly, City Secretary City of Farmers Branch Page 2