City Council

City of Ingleside Minutes Special City Council Meeting September 22, 2021 6: 30 PM 1. Call meeting to order The Special City Council Meeting on September 22, 2021, was called to order at 6: 30 p.m., with Mayor Pro tem John Schack presiding. 2. Roll Call Council Members present: Council Member Diehl, Council Member Wilson, Council Member Tucker, Council Member Pruitt, and Council Member Salinas via Zoom Meeting. There were approximately nine( 9) city staff and 1 guest in attendance. 3. Invocation 4. Pledge of Allegiance 5. Citizen Comments There were no citizen comments. Action Items: 6. Discussion, consideration, and action with regards to 2021/ 2022 Budget Benefits— Insurance Stipend, and additional recognized holiday. City Manager, Linnette Barker, presented alternatives to the insurance benefits, as requested by Council at the previous meeting regarding paying employee health insurance 100% and 75% for family coverage, and asked Council which of the three plans they would like to base the 75% on. Council Member Diehl, commented there is no perfect plan, but would like to go down the middle of the road, and recommended the 75% be based on the middle plan. Council Member Wilson, commented you can' t make everyone happy, and would recommend the 75% be based on the middle plan. Council Member Pruitt, commented he recommended the 75% be based on the middle plan, but wishes this would have come to Council before the open enrollment period. Council Member Tucker, inquired how much will it cost employees out of pocket. City Manager, Linnette Barker, commented based on the middle plan the 75%, if you are employee and spouse, it would cost the employee $ 242. 00 per month, employee and child/ children, it would cost 128. 35 per month, and employee and family, it would cost the the employee $ employee $ 318. 63 per month. Council Member Tucker, commented regarding what he pays for his individual health insurance. Council Member Tucker, commented he recommended the 75% be based on the middle plan. Council Member Salinas, commented he was concerned at changing anything, due to tax implications, until there was an opportunity to review closely during the next open enrollment period, and asked what the cost will be to the city for this change. City Manager, Linnette Barker, commented the cost was $ 8, 950. 00 decrease annually for the city. Council Member Salinas, preferred to leave it alone until the next open enrollment, but would recommend the 75% be based on the middle plan if Council moves forward with the change. Council Member Diehl, commented employees will be covered under the plan they chose, the impact will be the amount paid for the chosen plan, and the cost should be shared. Council Member Diehl, commented the CHIPS program, which covers children, is still available, and a very good program. There were various conversations by Council Members. Mayor Pro tern Schack, commented health insurance is tax deferred, with the middle plan, the employee pays zero for the employee coverage, employee/ spouse was paying $ 440. 00 per month, now it will cost $ 241. 00 per month, employee/ child/ children was paying $ 11. 00 per month, now it will cost$ 128. 00 per month, employee/ family was paying $ 750. 00 per month, now it will cost$ 318. 00 per month, which would spread the cost. Mayor Pro tem Schack, recommended the 75% with the middle plan. Mayor Pro tem Schack, made a motion, seconded by Council Member Diehl, to direct the City Manager to go forward with the 100% employee, 75% spouse, child and family, based on option 2. The motion passed unanimously. City Manager, Linnette Barker, requested an additional holiday, based on the area cities, to bring the city more in line with the surrounding cities. Council Member Diehl, commented we are actually way below other cities with the number of holidays. Council Member Tucker, asked how much it would cost the taxpayers to add an additional holiday, and commented the city has lots of projects that are behind, and we need people to work. There were various conversations by Council Members, regarding incomplete projects, personal day, percentage of utilization of the personal day, some positions being short staffed, and not affecting the budget. Council Members agreed to not add an additional holiday at this time, but to bring back at a future meeting after the budget is adopted. City Manager, Linnette Barker, commented the proposed budget is based on a 2- step merit increase for all employees based on their evaluations, which is equivalent to 4. 45%, with COLA City Manager, Linnette Barker, 4% COLA and eliminate the 2- step being at 6. 5%. proposed a merit increase. Council Member Wilson, agreed with the City Manager. Council Member Diehl, commented he agreed with the City Manager, as merit increases were not sustainable. Council Member Salinas, commented he agreed with the 4% COLA, however with varying amounts of income might not be fair to lower incomes. Council Member Diehl, commented COLA is equal across the board. Council Member Pruitt, commented he agrees with the 4% COLA versus the 2- step merit increase. Council Member Tucker, commented the differences of pay is based on time and experience, and agreed with the 4% COLA. Mayor Pro tem Schack, agreed with the 4% COLA. City Manager, Linnette Barker, commented there was a discretionary fund to promote. Council Member Diehl, commented you can promote within steps, not outside of grades. Council Member Diehl, made a motion, seconded by Council Member Wilson, for budgetary purposes, to use the 4% COLA. The motion passed unanimously. City Manager, Linnette Barker, commented the city is still at 5% regarding TMRS. If raised, it would go into effect October 1, 2021, and if raised to 7%, it would put the city in a deficit of 1. 6 million, and if raised to 6%, it would be approximately half of the $ 1. 6 approximately $ million. City Manager, Linnette Barker, gave the history of the city' s past deficit with TMRS, because reports were not watched. There were various conversations by Council Members, regarding financial risks to the city, other ways money is being put in to employees' pockets, penalties if enough is put in to TMRS, and the actions if the percentage is kept the same. Council Member Diehl, made a motion, seconded by Council Member Pruitt, to remain at the current 5% TMRS contribution, and direct staff during mid-year budget review no later than March 2022, to come back with an update. The motion passed unanimously. City Manager, Linnette Barker, commented regarding department head stipend increases, to make the positions look more attractive. Council Member Salinas, commented he would not support incentivizing existing department heads without a basis of some type of development program. Council Member Diehl, commented he is not in favor of a blanket department head incentive, and possibly revisit at next budget year. Council Member Pruitt, Council Member Wilson, and Council Member Tucker, agreed to not have a blanket department head incentive. Mayor Pro tem Schack, a possible incentive would be to give department heads additional vacation time. Council Members agreed to not attach the department head stipend to this budget year, and possibly bring it back in the future. 7. Discussion, consideration, and action of an Ordinance, amending the City of Ingleside Personnel and Policy Handbook, Section 7 Benefits, adding Section 7.A. 1 Benefits coverage for Regular City Council Meeting of September 14, 2021) ( First Reading) City Retirees. ( Tabled at Mayor Pro tem Schack, commented ten( 10) years of service, and the age of 62 or over, with the insurance premiums staying the same, seems more reasonable that the proposed five (5) years of service, and the age of 60 years or over. Council Member Diehl, commented this does not affect many employees, but it is more of a recruiting tool. Council Member Diehl, made a motion, seconded by Council Member Wilson, to pass Ordinance 2021- 20 to the second reading with changes of 10 years of service, and at the age of 62 years or older, to lock it in at the rate at the time of retirement, amending the City of Ingleside Personnel and Policy Handbook, Section 7 Benefits, adding Section 7. A. 1. Benefits coverage for City Retirees. The motion passed unanimously. 8. Discussion, consideration, and action of an Ordinance adopting the Annual Budget for the City of Ingleside, Texas for the Fiscal Year beginning October 1, 2021, and ending September 30, 2022; estimating the revenue for said Fiscal Year; appropriating for the purposes stated the sums set forth in said Budget; and directing the City Manager to make necessary entries upon the books and accounts for the City to show the appropriation and allocations herein provided. Tabled at Regular City Council Meeting of September 14, 2021) ( Single Reading) Mayor Pro tem Schack, commented if the head count of full- time employees had increased or decreased. Finance Director, Dawn Tarr, confirmed that there are two ( 2) less full-time employees. Council Member Diehl, made a motion, seconded by Council Member Wilson, to table Ordinance 2021- 19 to the next meeting with changes as discussed previously. 9. Discussion, consideration, and action of an Ordinance adopting the Annual Budget for the Ingleside Development Corporation 4( B), Ingleside, Texas for the Fiscal Year beginning October 1, 2021, and ending September 30, 2022: estimating the revenue for said Fiscal Year; appropriating for the purposes stated the sums set forth in said Budget; and directing the City Manager to make necessary entries upon the books and accounts for the City to show the appropriation and allocations herein provided. ( Single Reading) Assistant City Manager/ Director of Economic Development, Jodi Carr, presented the proposed Ingleside Development Corporation 4( B) budget, with projected revenue around$ 400, 000. 00. Assistant City Manager, Jodi Carr, commented the exceptions from the previous budget included the downtown revitalization, which included funds for the West Main parking area, which has been presented to Council previously. Council Member Diehl, commented he hoped in the future, the Ingleside Development Corporation will broadcast their meetings. Council Member Diehl, commented regarding the procedures of project requests to the IDC. Mayor Pro tem Schack, asked if there was an ending fund balance of$ 1. 8 million. City Manager, Linnette Barker, commented the year end estimate for 2021 is $ 1. 6 million. Mayor Pro tem Schack, asked what single family housing fees were within the IDC budget. Assistant City Manager/ Director of Economic Development, Jodi Carr, commented the IDC would like to investigate helping builders with city fees regarding affordable housing. Council Members, commented the procedures would need to be fair. Council Member Wilson, inquired how much property belongs to the city from San Antonio to Houghton streets. City Manager, Linnette Barker, commented the city has the right of way easement in front of Blackbeard' s on the north side of the road, and the city purchased from 1069 to San Angelo, and the other piece the city did not purchase but the city can pave it, due to the easement. Council Member Diehl, commented if there was an" old west main" project, you could go out for grants. Assistant City Manager/ Director of Economic Development, Jodi Carr, commented the IDC went out for a downtown renovation grant, but the city did not qualify. Council Member Tucker, commented State Highway 200 needs to be completed before the downtown project. Council Member Tucker, commented the facade program has been fantastic, and if the single- family housing program was implemented, if you could pay impact fees of 75 homes, the future of tax revenue would be many folds over. Council Member Tucker, inquired what promotional 10% of revenue was. Assistant City Manager/Director of Economic Development, Jodi Carr, commented there would be more marketing/trade shows than the past year. There were various conversations by Council Members. Council Member Diehl, made a motion, seconded by Council Member Tucker, to authorize the proposed IDC Budget, Ordinance 2021- 22, adopting the Annual Budget for the Ingleside Development Corporation 4( B), Ingleside, Texas for the Fiscal Year beginning October 1, 2021, and ending September 30, 2022; estimating the revenue for said Fiscal Year; appropriating for the purposes stated the sums set forth in said Budget; and directing the City Manager to make necessary entries upon the books and accounts for the City to show the appropriation and allocations herein provided. The motion passed unanimously. Other: 10. Requests from Council Council Member Diehl, requested that Code Enforcement give a presentation with potential action, at an October 2021 City Council Meeting, to discuss any issues that they are having. Council Member Pruitt, inquired regarding the grapevines on utility lines. City Manager, Linnette Barker, commented she would meet with Council Member Pruitt privately, as the city is trying to find out who owns the lines. Council Member Pruitt, commented on the side of the road, the grapevines should be cleared. Council Member Tucker, inquired if the street sweeping machine is working, as Highway 1069 should be cleaned. City Manager, Linnette Barker, commented the street sweeper is working. Council Member Salinas, requested an evaluation of general curb appeal, and regarding the N.O. to be adjusted to spread Simmons lighting, some lights are not functioning correctly and needs light out further on the fields. Council Member Salinas, requested Avenue B and Mustang Drive be evaluated by the Police Department to help with the congestion. Mayor Pro tem Schack, commented the schools appreciate the police presence regarding school traffic congestion. City Manager, Linnette Barker, commented regarding a possible joint meeting with the School District, and asked for suggestions to put on the agenda. Council agreed October 20, 2021 would be the best date. 11. Adjourn Mayor Pro tern Schack, adjourned the Special City Council Meeting at 8: 38 p.m. ATTEST: APPROVED: A Wardinsky, City Secret Ronnie Parker, Mayor