[1. CALL TO ORDER – 6:00 PM]
[00:00:03]
WELCOME EVERYONE.IT IS OFFICIALLY 6:00 PM ON MARCH 11TH, 2025.
WELCOME TO THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR THE CITY OF BURN TEXAS.
UM, AT THIS TIME, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO IN INVITE PASTOR NEIL VANDER BUSCH FROM THE MESSIAH LUTHERAN CHURCH TO COME FORWARD AND LEAD US IN A INVOCATION.
ALMIGHTY GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS GOOD DAY AND FOR THE CARE YOU PROVIDE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ALSO THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO SIT ON THIS COUNCIL, THEIR FAMILIES, AND WHAT THEY ARE CALLED TO DO IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THOSE WHO CALL BERNIE THEIR HOME.
GRANT THEM WISDOM AS THEY CONSIDER THE VARIOUS ORDINANCES RESOLUTIONS IN ANY OTHER BUSINESS THAT WILL IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY.
MAY THEY BE GRANTED THE DISCERNMENT TO RECOGNIZE WHAT IS GOOD FOR US HERE IN BERNIE AND IN THE SURROUNDING AREA, AND BE CAUTIOUS OF ANY SPECIAL INTERESTS THAT ARE WILLING TO COMPROMISE THAT.
WE PRAY ALSO FOR OUR CITY AND FOR THOSE IN SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT AND ALL OF THE CITY WORKERS WHO HELP TO KEEP US SAFE AND TEND TO THE NEEDS WE OFTEN TAKE FOR GRANTED, SUCH AS UTILITIES, ROADS, PARKS, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND THE LIKE.
FOLLOWING THIS MEETING, GRANT US A QUIET NIGHT IN SAFE RETURN TO OUR HOMES ALONG WITH A PEACE THAT YOU ALONE CAN GIVE.
BLESS US ALSO WITH RAIN AS THIS LAND DESPERATELY NEEDS IT FOR THE EYES OF ALL.
LOOK TO YOU, OH LORD, AND YOU GIVE THEM THEIR FOOD AT THE PROPER TIME.
YOU STRETCH OUT YOUR HAND AND SATISFY THE DESIRE OF EVERY LIVING THING.
ALL THIS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.
NOW, WOULD YOU JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND THEN TO THE TEXAS FLAG? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TWO REPUBLIC FOR WHICH SAINT ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR THE TEXAS FLAG.
HONOR, HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG, OUR PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO SEE TEXAS ONE SAFE, ONE AN INDIVISIBLE.
[2. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST]
UH, MOVING ON TO AGENDA ITEM, UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.COUNCIL MEMBERS, ANY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST THIS EVENING? LIKE TO MAKE A NOTE THAT COUNCILMAN BUNKER IS OUT ON SPRING BREAK, SO WISHES HIM SAFE TRAVELS AND SAFE RETURN, NO CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
[3. PUBLIC COMMENTS: This is the opportunity for visitors and guests to address the City Council on any issue, in compliance with LGC Section 551.007. City Council may not discuss any presented issue, nor may any action be taken on any issue at this time. (Attorney General opinion – JC-0169)]
MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, PUBLIC COMMENTS.YOU CAN STEP FORWARD ONCE I CALL YOUR NAME TO THE PODIUM AND YOU WILL HAVE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND THIS EVENING? SO OUR FIRST SPEAKER THIS EVENING IS EDDIE HILL.
EDDIE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND YOUR PRETTY WILL BEGIN.
I LIVE AT 2 9 0 8 0 OLD FREDERICKSBURG ROAD, BERNIE, TEXAS, AND I'M PLEASED TO SPEAK WITH YOU THIS EVENING, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, MEMBERS OF THE CITY MANAGEMENT TEAM, INCLUDING THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
I AM PRIVILEGED TO BE HERE THIS EVENING REPRESENTING, UH, A NUMBER OF YOUR CITY RESIDENTS, INCLUDING THE GREATER BERNIE AREA WITH RESPECT TO PICKLEBALL.
AND SO MY APOLOGIES FOR WEARING A T-SHIRT TO YOUR CHAMBERS THIS EVENING, BUT THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
AND THIS EVENING, WE ARE HERE TO MERELY EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE FOR LISTENING TO OUR PETITIONS.
UH, RECENTLY, A FEW MONTHS AGO IN THESE VERY CHAMBERS WHERE WE, UH, ASKED THAT YOU WOULD REPAINT AND REPAIR AND RETRIP AND DEDICATE TO PICKLEBALL COURTS NUMBER SEVEN AND EIGHT TO BIRDIE TENNIS CENTER FOR PICKLEBALL, YOU DID THAT AND THEY ARE QUITE FANTASTIC.
AND SO I, ALONG WITH MY FRIENDS, WE THANK YOU.
AT THIS TIME, NO ONE ELSE HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT CAME IN LATE TO THE MEETING, WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND SAY A FEW WORDS.
YOU HAVE YOUR TIME AT THE PODIUM.
[4. CONSENT AGENDA: All items listed below within the Consent Agenda are considered to be routine by the City Council and may be enacted with one motion. There will be no separate discussion of items unless a Council Member or citizen so requests, in which event the item may be moved to the general order of business and considered in its normal sequence.]
EXITING AND NOT COMING FORWARD TO THE PODIUM, SO WE'LL MOVE WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UH, GENERAL ITEM NUMBER FOUR, CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS, CONSENT, AGENDA.THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL, ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS FOR ANY CONSENT AGENDA? OH MY GOSH, CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS FOUR A THROUGH FOUR C, NO QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.
CAN I GET A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN MACALUSO? MAYOR, I MOVE TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA.
CAN'T SPEAK TO THE RIGHT SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN SCOTT.
[A. RECEIVE THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT (ACFR) FROM ABIP, PC FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024. (Receive the report from the auditors)]
[00:05:01]
ON TO AGENDA ITEM FIVE A 2025 DASH 0 6 1.WE SEE THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT, UH, SARAH BLU PRESENTING.
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO SUBMIT TO YOU OUR ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024.
THIS REPORT WAS PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE HOME RULE CHARTER FOR THE CITY BURNING, AS WELL AS STATUTES AND GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES FOR GOVERNMENT.
IN ADDITION TO MEETING LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, THIS REPORT REFLECTS THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO FULL FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE AND TRANSPARENCY.
THE FINANCIAL REPORT WAS AUDITED BY A PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM OF A BIP WITH LEAD AUDIT PARTNER JANET PITTMAN.
JANET PITTMAN IS A CPA AND A PARTNER AT A BIP WITH OVER 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN PUBLIC ACCOUNTING.
HER EXPERIENCE INCLUDES PROVIDING AUDIT REVIEW COMPILATION AND AGREED UPON PROCEDURES TO CLIENTS IN A VARIETY OF INDUSTRY, FOCUSING PRIMARILY ON GOVERNMENTS.
WITH THAT, THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE MADE BY JANET PITTMAN, AND SO I WILL FORWARD IT ONTO HER SLIDES AND LET HER TAKE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE THIS EVENING TO GO OVER THE RESULTS OF YOUR 2024 AUDIT.
SEE IF I CAN PUSH THE RIGHT BUTTON.
SO YOU HAVE THE DOCUMENT IN FRONT OF YOU.
IT'S RATHER LARGE, ABOUT 165 PAGES.
YOU ALSO GOT IT IN YOUR PACKET, SO HOPEFULLY YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT.
I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THE SLIDES OF, UH, ABOUT 10 SLIDES, JUST THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FINANCIALS.
BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AS WE GO THROUGH, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
THE FIRST ITEM IN THE, UH, IN THE FINANCIALS IS THE TRANSMITTAL LETTER FROM YOUR CITY MANAGERS AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
IT PROVIDES SOME INFORMATION ON THE PROFILE OF THE CITY, THE LOCAL ECONOMY, AND THE MAJOR INITIATIVES FOR NEXT YEAR.
THE NEXT ITEM IN THE FINANCIALS IS YOUR GFOA CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT IN EXCELLENCE FOR FINANCIAL REPORTING.
THIS IS THE 37TH YEAR IN A ROW THAT YOU, THE CITY HAS RECEIVED THIS, THIS PRESTIGIOUS AWARD.
I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A PRESENTATION ON IT LATER, BUT I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.
AND THEN THERE'S VERY, UH, SPECIFIC SECTIONS IN THE FINANCIALS, AND THAT'S A LISTING OF THEM, AND WE'RE GONNA GO OVER SOME OF THOSE ITEMS. SO WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF AN AUDIT IS TO, OR, UM, UH, TO PRESENT A INDEPENDENT AUDIT OPINION ON THE FINANCIALS, AND THAT THEY ARE PRESENTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES.
WE ARE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW TWO LEVELS OF STANDARDS, THE GENERAL, GENERALLY ACCEPTED AUDITING STANDARDS AND GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS.
BECAUSE YOU'RE A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WE HAVE TO, UM, HAVE AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF AUDITING STANDARDS TO FOLLOW.
SO OUR, IN OUR INDEPENDENT AUDIT OPINION IS WHAT WE CALL UNMODIFIED.
MIGHT SOUND BAD, BUT IT'S THE BEST OPINION THAT YOU CAN GET FROM AN FOR AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT.
BASICALLY SAYS, UH, YOUR PR YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE PRESENTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES, AND WE DID NOT MAKE ANY MODIFICATIONS TO THEM.
THE MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS IS THE NEXT ITEM.
IT PROVIDES COMPARATIVE INFORMATION FROM 2023 TO 2024.
IT'S REALLY MEANT FROM THE FI NON-FINANCIAL, UH, MEMBERS OF YOUR CITY TO READ IT, GO THROUGH IT AND KIND OF UNDERSTAND THE CHANGES, UM, BETWEEN THIS YEAR AND LAST YEAR AND HOW WELL THE CITY IS DOING.
AGAIN, WE'LL GO THROUGH SOME OF THE ITEMS. SO YOUR GOVERNMENT, WE CALL 'EM THE GOVERNMENT WIDE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
THEY ARE ON THE FULL ACCRUAL BASIS OF ACCOUNTING.
IT INCLUDES ALL OF YOUR CAPITAL ASSETS AND ALL YOUR DEBT, AND IT'S SEPARATED INTO TWO COLUMNS.
THE GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES, WHICH INCLUDES ALL OF YOUR GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS, YOUR GENERAL FUND, CAPITAL PROJECTS, DEBT SERVICE, SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, AND YOUR BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES.
IT INCLUDES ALL THE FUNDS OF YOUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS, YOUR WATER, YOUR SEWER, YOUR, UM, GAS AND ELECTRIC, ALL COMBINED INTO ONE COLUMN.
SO THE ASSETS OF THE CITY EXCEEDED ITS LIABILITIES, WHICH IS WHAT WE CALL THE NET POSITION BY $250 MILLION AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
40 94 MILLION OF IT IS RELATED TO THE GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES.
156 MILLION IS RELATED TO THE BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES.
SOUNDS LIKE A LOT, BUT THEY'RE DIVIDED INTO THREE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
[00:10:01]
ASSETS, YOU'VE GOT SOME RESTRICTED, UM, UH, NET POSITION, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT UNRESTRICTED.SO THE UNRESTRICTED PORTION IN THE GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES IS ABOUT SEVEN $27 MILLION.
AND IN THE BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES IS ABOUT $59 MILLION.
THOSE DOLLARS ARE MEANT FOR ONGOING OPERATIONS.
THE NET POSITION IN DID INCREASE BY A LITTLE, ALMOST $41 MILLION DURING THE YEAR.
GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES, 15 MILLION ACCOUNTED FOR THAT.
MOST OF THAT WAS, UH, INCREASE IN YOUR ADVIL, EARN TAXES, YOUR SALES TAX, YOUR INVESTMENT EARNINGS, AND ALSO YOUR LICENSE AND PERMIT REVENUE.
THE BUSINESS TIME ACTIVITIES INCREASED BY 25 MILLION.
MOST OF THAT IS FROM, UM, CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM DEVELOPERS, AND THAT WAS ABOUT 17 MILLION ACROSS ALL OF YOUR FOUR MAJOR FUNDS IN THE BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES.
YOUR GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS, WHICH IS, THIS IS THE INFORMATION YOU'RE USED TO GETTING REPORTS ON DURING THE YEAR, UH, WHERE HOW YOU DO YOUR BUDGETS IS AT THIS LEVEL.
SO YOUR GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS HAD A TOTAL FUND BALANCE OF $71 MILLION.
AGAIN, IT'S SEPARATED INTO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
YOUR ASSIGNED FUND BALANCE IN THE GENERAL FUND IS ABOUT $19 MILLION.
YOUR GENERAL FUND, THAT IS REALLY MEANT FOR ONGOING OPERATIONS OF THE CITY.
IT, UH, REPRESENTS 7.4 MONTHS OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES.
LAST YEAR WAS 6.9 MILLION OR 6.6 0.9 MONTHS.
UM, ANYWAY, AGAIN, THOSE NUMBERS ARE FOR ONGOING OPERATIONS OF THE CITY.
ANOTHER PIECE OF YOUR ASSIGNED FUND BALANCE IS 22.8 MILLION.
MOST OF THAT, EXCUSE ME, IS IN THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND, 18.2 MILLION.
THEN YOU HAVE, EXCUSE ME, A NUMBER OF RESTRICTED FUND BALANCES TOTALS 28.2 MILLION.
THE GENERAL FUND HAS 3.1 MILLION.
MOST OF THAT IS, UH, IN TREE MITIGATION.
CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND IS 17.9 MILLION.
THAT'S RESTRICTED FOR, UH, VARIOUS, UH, PROJECTS, CAPITAL, CAPITAL PROJECTS.
AND THEN SOME OF THE SMALLER FUNDS ALSO HAVE SOME RESTRICTED DOLLARS.
GENERAL FUND HIGHLIGHTS, REVENUES WERE 36.8 MILLION, $4.4 MILLION INCREASE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.
AGAIN, IT WAS SALES TAX, THE LICENSE AND PER PERMITS, UM, MISCELLANEOUS REVENUES AND ALSO YOUR INVESTMENT EARNINGS.
HAD ALL THOSE ITEMS INCREASED QUITE A BIT.
EXPENDITURES WERE $31.1 MILLION, $4.6 MILLION INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR.
MOST OF THAT WAS IN PUBLIC SAFETY AND CAPITAL OUTLAY EXPENDITURES.
YOUR PROPRIETARY FUNDS, EXCUSE ME, WHICH AGAIN ARE YOUR, UM, BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES, THEY ALL HAD AN INCREASE OF IN YOUR NET POSITION, UH, WHICH IS VERY NICE TO SEE, HAD AN INCREASE IN ALL THE FUNDS, MOSTLY THAT, AGAIN, WAS CAUSED BY THE CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS FROM DEVELOPERS.
UH, THERE'S ALSO QUITE A FEW STATISTICAL TABLES IN THE BACK OF THE REPORT, WHICH RE UH, SHOWS SOME HISTORICAL TREND INFORMATION.
USUALLY ABOUT 10 YEARS OF INFORMATION.
GIVES YOU A LOT OF GOOD, UH, TREND INFORMATION ABOUT THE CITY.
UH, SOME OF IT IS, IS FINANCIAL, SOME OF IT'S DEMOGRAPHIC.
THE ONE HIGHLIGHT WE LIKE TO BRING OUT IS YOU DO HAVE A $329 MILLION DEBT LIMIT THAT IS BASED ON 10% OF YOUR ASSESSED PROPERTY VALUATION.
YOU HAVE ABOUT $76 MILLION OF OUTSTANDING DEBT.
SO YOU HAVE, YOU COULD ISSUE $254 MILLION.
YOU'VE USED 22.78 OF YOUR, YOUR CAPACITY THERE.
AT THE VERY LAST TWO PAGES OF THE REPORT IS OUR INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT ON GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARD STANDARDS.
IF WE HAD ANY ISSUES WITH INTERNAL CONTROLS OR SEGREGATION OF DUTIES THAT WOULD BE IN THIS REPORT.
UM, ALSO IF YOU HAD ANY NON-COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND REGULATIONS, IT WOULD BE IN THIS REPORT.
UM, WE ARE PLEASED TO SAY WE DID NOT HAVE ANY INTERNAL CONTROL DEFICIENCIES AND NO NON-COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND REGULATIONS.
IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR I'LL MOVE ON TO OUR LETTER ON CONDUCT OF THE AUDIT COUNCIL MEMBERS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR,
[00:15:01]
I DO WANNA MAKE A COMMENT BECAUSE IT'S OFTEN I'VE HEARD PEOPLE COMPLAIN OR CONS RAISE CONCERN ABOUT OUR DEBT.AND I THINK THAT LAST SLIDE YOU SHOWED IS SHOWING THAT WE ARE BEING VERY JUDICIOUS AND VERY REASONABLE IN HOW WE'RE APPROACHING THE MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE.
SO WE ARE NOT BURDENED WITH EXCESSIVE DEBT.
NOT THAT WE WILL ACCESS ALL OF THAT.
NO WALLET, OBVIOUSLY, BUT IT JUST WANNA MAKE THAT POINT.
AND THERE IS 10 YEARS OF INFORMATION THERE THAT SHOWS VERY SIMILAR ANALYSIS ON PAGE.
ANYWAY, WE ARE REQUIRED, YOU HAVE A STAPLE COPY OF THIS REPORT IN FRONT OF YOU.
WE ARE REQUIRED TO ISSUE A LETTER ON THE CONDUCT OF THE AUDIT IS REQUIRED.
COMMUNICATION FROM US, THE AUDITORS TO YOU, THE CITY COUNCIL.
WE WERE REQUIRED TO TELL, IF YOU TELL YOU IF YOU HAD ANY CHANGES IN YOUR ACCOUNTING POLICIES, HOW YOU'RE ACCOUNTING FOR ANYTHING, UM, YOU DID NOT THIS YEAR, NO CHANGES.
THERE WE'RE REQUIRED TO TELL IF YOU HAVE, UH, ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES.
ESTIMATES OF COURSE, CAN CHANGE, BUT THE LARGE ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES IN YOUR FINANCIALS MAINLY ARE THE NET PENSION LIABILITY.
WE GET THAT FROM TMRS, BUT SOME OF THE OTHERS ARE THE FAIR VALUE ON YOUR INVESTMENTS, UM, THE DEPRECIATION EXPENSE ON YOUR CAPITAL ASSETS.
ANYWAY, WE DO EVALUATE ALL THOSE INPUTS AND WE AGREE WITH HOW THE CITY IS RECORDING THOSE.
WE ARE REQUIRED TO TELL YOU IF YOU HAD ANY DIFFICULTIES OR DISAGREEMENTS WITH, UM, WITH YOUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT DURING THE AUDIT.
AND WE'RE PLEASED TO SAY WE DID NOT.
UH, WE'RE REQUIRED TO TELL YOU, YOU, IF WE HAD ANY MATERIAL MISSTATEMENTS THAT WE HAD TO MAKE AUDIT ADJUSTMENTS FOR, UH, WHILE WE WERE DOING OUR AUDIT AND WE DID NOT, THAT TELLS ME THE INFORMATION YOU'RE GETTING OUT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, YOU CAN RELY ON IT TO MAKE YOUR FINANCIAL DECISIONS.
WE DID NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES TO IT.
UM, WE ARE REQUIRED TO GET A LETTER FROM MANAGEMENT THAT SAYS, WE GOT EVERYTHING WE NEEDED TO PERFORM OUR AUDIT.
AND WE HAVE RECEIVED THAT LETTER.
WE'RE REQUIRED TO TELL YOU IF, UM, IF THEY HAVE GONE OUT, IF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT HAS GONE OUT AND TRIED TO GET A SECOND OPINION ON SOME ACCOUNTING ISSUE AND THAT THAT DID NOT OCCUR.
AND THEN THE LAST THING IS, UM, WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO AS PART OF OUR AUDIT, UH, UH, AUDIT OVER THE PUBLIC, YOUR COMPLIANCE WITH THE PUBLIC FUNDS INVESTMENT ACT AND YOUR INVESTMENT POLICY.
AND WE HAVE PERFORMED THOSE PROCEDURES.
AND, UH, YOU ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE PUBLIC FUNDS INVESTMENT ACT.
I WANT TAKE THIS TIME TO THANK SARAH AND HER STAFF FOR GETTING US EVERYTHING WE NEEDED TO, TO PERFORM OUR AUDIT.
UM, WE ASKED FOR A LOT OF INFORMATION,
SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
CAN WE GET A MOTION FROM, UH, TO RECEIVE THIS, THE, THE BUDGET ANALYSIS, A MOTION FROM CRYSTAL AND SCOTT? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE RECEIVED THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT, UH, FROM A-B-I-P-P-C FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 THROUGH 2024.
SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN ALCO MACALUSO, PLEASE VOTE AND MOTION TO PASS THIS FOUR ZERO.
[B. RECEIVE THE POPULAR ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT (PAFR) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024.]
WE'RE NOW GONNA MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM FIVE B 2025 DASH 0 9 2.RECEIVED A POPULAR ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2324, UNLIKE THE LAST ONE, WHICH WAS UNPOPULAR
SARAH, PLEASE PRESENT GOOD EVENING AGAIN.
UM, IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH FUN WITH FINANCIALS, WE HAVE ANOTHER SET FOR YOU, BUT WE THINK YOU'RE GONNA LIKE THIS ONE MUCH BETTER.
UM, THIS IS OUR PR, WHICH IS OUR POPULAR ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT, AND THE PURPOSE OF A PR IS TO PROVIDE A SUMMARIZED, SIMPLIFIED AND VISUALI VISUALLY APPEALING PRESENTATION OF THAT INFORMATION IN THE 160 PAGE VOLUMINOUS DOCUMENT THAT WE JUST WENT THROUGH.
SO THE, THE PURPOSE REALLY IS TO PROVIDE SOMETHING THAT'S TRANSPARENT, MORE EASILY UNDERSTANDABLE, UM, FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
WE DID RECEIVE AN AWARD FOR THIS REPORT.
UH, WE, UM, SUBMITTED IT IN 2022.
WE PREPARED ONE IN 2022, AND WE RECEIVED AN AWARD FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR THE CITY.
UH, THE CITY OF BERNIE WAS ONLY ONE OF 37 CITIES IN THE WHOLE STATE OF TEXAS TO RECEIVE THAT AWARD.
SO WE, UM, WE FEEL THAT THIS REPORT THAT WE HAVE PREPARED FOR 2024 ALSO, UM, IS GONNA ATTAIN THAT HIGH STANDARD AND THEN WE'LL ALSO GET AN AWARD FOR THAT AS WELL.
SO, UM, AGAIN, THE PURPOSE OF THIS ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT IS REALLY JUST TO DEMONSTRATE OUR COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY, UM, INFORMATION THAT'S EASILY UNDERSTOOD BY THE PUBLIC ACCESSIBILITY AND INFORMATION THAT'S HELPFUL.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE REPORT, IT'S ONLY 12 PAGES.
[00:20:01]
TINY, TINY NUMBERS LIKE YOU SAW IN THE OTHER REPORT.IT'S THE MOST POPULAR INFORMATION THAT WE TYPICALLY GET ASKED.
THERE'S A PAGE ON DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION THAT'S TYPICALLY ASKED OF US.
SO IT'S ALL THERE IN ONE PAGE FOR YOUR REFERENCE, ARE FINANCIAL TABLES ARE SUMMARIZED, EASY TO UNDERSTAND, AND AGAIN, THE, THE INFORMATION THAT IS MOST COMMONLY ASKED OF US.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE PROVIDED THIS AND TO HAVE SHOWN IT TO YOU THIS EVENING.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL? NO.
CAN I GET A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN WILSON TO RECEIVE THE POPULAR ANNUAL REPORT? MAY I MOVE THAT WE RECEIVE AND APPROVE THE POPULAR ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 THROUGH 2024.
SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN SCOTT, PLEASE VOTE AND REPORT PASSES.
[C. CONSIDER ON FIRST READING ORDINANCE NO. 2025-03; AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF BOERNE CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 2. ADMINISTRATION, ARTICLE IV RECORDS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, ADDING SECTIONS 2-104 PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS; ADOPTING HOUSE BILL 3033 (2023) VEXATIOUS REQUESTORS PROVIDING FOR A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE.]
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM FIVE C 20 25 0 89.CONSIDER A FIRST READING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2025 DASH ZERO THREE IN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF BERNIE'S CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER TWO ADMINISTRATION, ARTICLE FOUR, RECORDS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, ADDING SECTIONS TWO DASH 1 0 4 PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST ADOPTING HOUSE BILL 3 0 3 3 REQUESTER IS PROVIDING FOR FAVORABILITY CLAUSE PRESENTING LORI CARROLL.
SO THIS AGENDA ITEM ALIGNS WITH OUR STRATEGY MAP IN COMMITTING TO STRATEGIC, RESPONSIBLE AND CONSERVATIVE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT IN PROVIDING STREAMLINE AND EFFICIENT PROCESSES.
THIS AGENDA ITEM IS, IS TWOFOLD, ADDING THE CITY'S POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS TO OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES AND TO ADOPT HOUSE BILL 30 33.
CURRENTLY, THE CITY'S POLICY AND PROCEDURES WHICH FOLLOWS CHAPTER 5 5 2 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE ARE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND ALSO POSTED ON THE BULLETIN BOARD IN THE ADMIN LOBBY.
WE'VE JUST NEVER ADDED IT TO OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES.
AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW, REALIZING AN INCREASE IN PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS, WE FIND IT NECESSARY TO ADOPT HOUSE BILL 30 33, WHICH WAS PASSED IN THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
IT AMENDS GOVERNMENT CODE 5 5 2 0.275 AND ADDRESSES FIX REQUESTERS.
CHAZ AND I DECIDED WE WOULD CALL IT VEY REQUESTERS.
IT'S MUCH EASIER TO SAY, UM, A FICTIOUS REQUESTER IS ONE THAT ABUSES THE TEXAS PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT BY SENDING REPETITIVE AND OR EXCESSIVE REQUESTS TO THE CITY, WHICH CAN CREATE SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL BURDENS.
THESE REQUESTS REQUIRE CITY PERSONNEL TO DIVERT TIME FROM REGULAR DUTIES TO LOCATE, COMPILE, AND REPRODUCE THE REQUESTED INFORMATION HOUSE BILL 30 33 ALLOWS THE CITY TO ESTABLISH BY ORDINANCE A REASONABLE MONTHLY AND ANNUAL TIME LIMIT ON THE AMOUNT OF PERSONNEL TIME SPENT ON RESPONSE TO A PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST.
THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE IN COMPLIANCE WITH GOVERNMENT CODE 5 5 2 0.275 INCLUDES THAT THE ANNUAL TIME LIMIT MAY NOT BE LESS THAN 36 HOURS FOR A REQUEST DURING A 12 MONTH PERIOD STARTING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PHYSICAL YEAR.
THE MONTHLY TIME LIMIT MAY NOT BE LESS THAN 15 HOURS PER REQUESTER PER MONTH.
ONCE THE REQUESTER EXCEEDS THE ESTABLISHED TIME LIMITS, THE CITY MAY IMPOSE CERTAIN COSTS AND PROVIDE A WRITTEN COST ESTIMATE FOR ANY FUTURE REQUESTS.
THE REQUESTER WILL BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE PHOTO IDENTIFICATION SOLELY TO VERIFY THAT THEY HAVE NOT EXCEEDED THE TIME LIMIT OR CONCEALED IDENTITY TO CIRCUMVENT THAT ORDINANCE.
A REQUESTER WHO EXCEEDS THE ESTABLISHED TIME LIMIT MAY NOT INSPECT PUBLIC RECORDS ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER REQUESTER UNLESS THE OUTSTANDING WRITTEN COST ESTIMATES HAVE BEEN PAID.
IN SUMMARY, UM, THE GOAL WITH THIS ORDINANCE IS TO BALANCE THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO ACCESS GOVERNMENT RECORDS WITH THE CITY'S NEED TO CHANGE RESOURCES EFFECTIVELY IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW.
WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? CAN I GET A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MACALUSO? MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 2025 DASH ZERO THREE IN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF BERNARD CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER TWO ADMINISTRATION, ARTICLE FOUR RECORDS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, ADDING SECTIONS TWO DASH 1 0 4 PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST ADOPTING HOUSE BILL 3 0 3 3 PASSED IN 2023, VEXATIOUS REQUESTERS PROVIDING FOR A SEVERABILITY
[00:25:01]
CLAUSE.SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN WILLISON, PLEASE VOTE.
[A. CONSIDER RESOLUTION NO. 2025-R13; A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE 2025 CITY OF BOERNE ROLLING TEN YEAR PLAN.]
ON TO ADDENDUM ITEM 6 8 20 25 0 6 9.CONSIDER RESOLUTION NUMBER 2025 R 13 A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE 2025 CITY OF BERNIE.
ROLLING 10 YEAR PLAN PRESENTING NICK MONTEGO.
I AM HERE BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING TO DISCUSS THE ROLLING 10 YEAR PLAN FOR 2025.
AS ALWAYS, WE'LL START BY DISCUSSING THE STRATEGY MAP.
EVERY PLAN CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT ALIGNS IN SOME FORM OR FASHION TO THE STRATEGY MAP.
UM, EVERYTHING WE DO IS ORGANIZED AND, UH, MOVED FORWARD BASED ON THESE PLANS, INCLUDING THE STRATEGY MAP AS WE FIRST DISCUSSED IN LATE 2021 WHEN WE INTRODUCED THE ROLLING, UH, 10 YEAR PLAN, THE DOCUMENT WAS DEVELOPED AND PUT IN PLACE TO CONSOLIDATE AND SUMMARIZE ALL OUR MAJOR STRATEGIC DOCUMENTS INTO ONE COMPREHENSIVE EASY TO READ DOCUMENT FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE COMMUNITY.
IT WAS PUT IN PLACE TO PROVIDE A DOCUMENT, UH, TO REFERENCE EACH YEAR FOR PROGRESS ON ALL THE ACTIONABLE ITEMS WITHIN EACH OF THESE ADOPTED PLANS.
AND IT WAS HELPED TO GUIDE, UH, PUT IN PLACE TO HELP GUIDE CITY COUNCIL EACH YEAR TO PRIORITIZE PROJECTS AS WE MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.
AS WE LOOK AT THE STRATEGIC BUDGET CYCLE, RECALL THAT IN THE SECOND QUARTER WE BRING THIS DOCUMENT FORWARD EVERY YEAR, UH, TO HELP STAFF AS THEY BEGIN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THE BUDGET AS WE SEE STARTING RIGHT THERE IN APRIL AT THE THIRD QUARTER.
SO WHAT IS IN THE 2025 ROLLING 10 YEAR PLAN? IT'S GONNA LOOK VERY FAMILIAR TO LAST, UH, TO LAST YEAR AS WELL.
WE HAVE THE INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE, THE COMMUNITY EFFORT DEMOGRAPHICS.
REMEMBER, MOST OF THESE DEMOGRAPHICS COME FROM THE, UH, CENSUS BUREAU, RIGHT? AND THESE ARE FIVE AND 10 YEAR SURVEYS THAT WE'RE GETTING THAT DATA FROM.
SO IT'S GONNA LOOK EXACTLY THE SAME AS LAST YEAR.
UH, THERE WAS A 2023 A CS KIND OF UPDATE, WHICH UPDATED SOME OF THE INFORMATION IN THERE, BUT NOT A LOT.
WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY THE GOALS DERIVED FROM THE 2018 MASTER PLAN.
THE MASTER PLAN ITSELF FROM 2018, THE BERNIE PARKS REC AND OPEN SPACE MASTER PLAN, THE PATRICK EVE PUBLIC LIBRARY MASTER PLAN, MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN, MASTER MOBILITY PLAN ADDED LAST YEAR.
OF COURSE, THE MASTER ACTION ITEM LIST, WHICH IS THAT LIST THAT Y'ALL ARE ABLE TO REFERENCE AT ANY POINT IN TIME TO SEE THE PROGRESS OF WHAT WE'VE DONE THIS LAST YEAR.
AND NEW FOR THIS YEAR WAS THE ADDITION OF THE ARTS AND CULTURE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED IN DECEMBER OF 2024, OF COURSE.
AND THIS PLAN, UH, GIVES THE CITY A STRATEGIC PATH FORWARD FOR SPECIFIC QUALITY OF LIFE INITIATIVES RELATED TO BERNESE ARTS AND CULTURE.
IT ADDED SOME 20 ACTUAL ITEMS ABOUT NINE OF WHICH WERE ACTUALLY HAVE BUDGET IMPLICATIONS GOING TO THE FUTURE YEARS.
AND OF COURSE, LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT YEAR'S PLAN OR PERHAPS THE YEAR AFTER, DEPENDING ON THE TIMING OF WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO GET IT, UM, DONE AND ADOPTED.
WE ARE LOOKING AT DOING A DOWNTOWN PLAN.
WE DISCUSSED THIS LAST YEAR KIND OF COMING INTO THIS AND WE BUDGETED FOR IT.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS NOW.
SO LOOKING AT THE YEAR OVER YEAR PERFORMANCE, RECALL THAT LAST YEAR WE HAD 55 ONGOING PROJECTS, 27 PROJECTS COMPLETED OVERALL FOR ALL THE PLANS WE HAD IN THE PLAN AT THAT TIME, AND 70 PROJECTS THAT WERE YET TO BEGIN OR BE PRIORITIZED FOR FUNDING.
IN COMPARISON THIS YEAR, GOING INTO THIS YEAR'S PLAN, WE HAVE 60 ONGOING PROJECTS.
YOU SEE THAT NUMBER OF PROJECTS COMPLETED WENT UP FROM 27 TO 40, AND WE HAVE 69 PROJECTS YET TO BEGIN OR BE PRIORITIZED FOR FUNDING, AND THAT IS WITH THE ADDITION OF THOSE NINE ADDITIONAL PROJECTS FROM THE ARTS AND CULTURES STRATEGIC PLAN.
WITH THAT, I'LL LEAVE IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? ALRIGHT, GREAT JOB, NICK.
UH, CAN I GET A MOTION, MOTION FROM CONSTABLE WILSON, PLEASE, MAYOR, MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 2025 DASH R 13 RESOLUTION, ADOPTING THE 2025 CITY OF BERNIE ROLLING 10, PLAN SECOND FROM COUNCIL MACALUSO, PLEASE VOTE.
[B. CONSIDER RESOLUTION NO. 2025-R14; A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AND MANAGE A CHANGE ORDER NO. 1 TO THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BOERNE AND BADECO BORING & UTILITIES FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE EAST LOOP NATURAL GAS MAIN - PHASE 2 FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $854,450.]
ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO AGENDA ITEM SIX B 20 25 0 9 1.CONSIDER RESOLUTION NUMBER 2025 DASH R 14 RESOLUTION.
AUTHORIZED THE CITY MANAGEMENT TO ENTER INTO AND MANAGE A CHANGE ORDER NUMBER ONE TO THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BURN AND BETA CODE BORING UTILITIES FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE E LOOP NATURAL GAS MAIN PHASE TWO FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED $854,450.
MIKE, THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
AS YOU CAN TELL, I'M VERY EXCITED TO PRESENT TO YOU TONIGHT COMING UP IN MY TURN.
NOW, UH, UH, THIS, THIS ITEM ALIGNS WITH THE CITY OF BERNIE STRATEGY MAP IN, UH, IN A FEW WAYS.
[00:30:01]
MOST UTILITY PROJECTS, IT INCLUDES OFFERING QUALITY CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, INVESTING IN AND MAINTAINING HIGH QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS, UTILIZING DATA TO DRIVE SMART DECISION MAKING AND ADVANCING MASTER PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS.SO THE, THE PRO UH, THE, THE AGENDA ITEM TONIGHT IS ABOUT APPROVAL OF A CHANGE ORDER, BUT A LITTLE BIT CONSIDERING THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND AND INFORMATION ON WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.
WE'VE, WE'VE PRESENTED SOME OF THESE THINGS IN THE PAST, BUT THE WAY THIS IS WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN IS A GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION OF KIND OF A SCHEMATIC REPRESENTATION OF HOW OUR GAS SYSTEM WORKS AND THAT THE BLUE AREA IN THE MIDDLE IS THE OLDER FORMER PROPANE CORE OF OUR SYSTEM THAT WAS ORIGINALLY FED FROM ONE LINE THAT CAME ALONG IH 10 IN THE YEARS, IN THE LAST 20, 25 YEARS THAT IT'S BEEN EXPANDED INTO THAT CORE PLUS A 50 PSI PERIMETER SYSTEM THAT BOTH FEEDS IT AND SERVES NEW DEVELOPMENT AREAS.
AND THE AREA OF HIGHEST GROWTH CONCENTRATION IS UP IN THE NORTHEAST QUADRANT.
AND RIGHT NOW IT IS SERVED BY A SINGLE SIX INCH CASTMATE.
SO WE, AS YOU'RE AWARE, WE HAVE A, UH, PROJECT UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW TO TAKE A SECOND SUPPLY MAIN UP THERE.
IT'S AN EIGHT INCH DIAMETER MAIN WILL, WILL DRAMATICALLY INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF GAS THAT WE CAN PUSH UP INTO THAT PART OF THE SYSTEM.
BUT BECAUSE THE PROJECT WAS RUNNING A LITTLE BIT BEHIND SCHEDULE WAS NOT GONNA BE DONE THE, FOR THIS WINTER, WE RENTED AND YOU APPROVE THE RENTAL OF A BACKUP NATURAL SUPPLY GAS, BACKUP NATURAL GAS SUPPLY TRAILER THAT WE UTILIZED.
AND, UH, IT WAS PLACED OVER IN THIS AREA.
SO WHY, WHY, UH, WHY ARE WE RUNNING BEHIND ON THESE PROJECTS? NUMBER ONE, UH, WE DID FORECAST THE GROWTH.
WE, FOR WHAT WE DID FORECAST CORRECTLY THE NUMBER OF OF CUSTOMERS THAT WERE GOING TO BE COMING ONLINE.
WHAT WE DID NOT FORESEE WAS THE DEMAND INCREASE THAT CAME WITH THOSE CUSTOMERS.
AND THAT'S PRIMARILY DUE TO CHANGES IN THE INDUSTRY AND THE WAY THAT GAS APPLIANCES WORK.
SO THEY'RE MORE EFFICIENT OVERALL, BUT THEY CAN LEAD TO HIGHER DEMAND FOR THE UTILITY TO SERVE AND PUT SIMPLY, UH, WHEN YOU HAVE AUTOMATIC SETBACK FURNACES, THEY TEND TO ALL WANT TO COME ON AT THE SAME TIME TO REHEAT THE BUILDINGS IN THE MORNING.
AND A BIGGER POTENTIAL ISSUE IS TANKLESS WATER HEATERS THAT USE LESS GAS OVER OVERALL BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT REHEATING A TANK ALL DAY, BUT THEY BURN THREE TO FIVE TIMES THE AMOUNT OF GAS WHEN THEY ARE OPERATING.
SO WHEN THE HEATERS ARE WORKING, ESPECIALLY ON A VERY COLD MORNING, AND THE TANKLESS WATER HEATERS ARE WORKING, THE DEMAND, WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IS AN AVERAGE DEMAND.
THAT'S ABOUT ONE AND A HALF TIMES WHAT, WHAT IT HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN.
AND SO THAT MEANS WHEN YOU'RE ADDING A HUNDRED HOU A HUNDRED HOUSES, THE EFFECT ON THE UTILITY IS LIKE ADDING 150 HOUSES.
AND CONSIDERING THE AMOUNT OF GROWTH WE'VE HAD THAT ADDED UP, AND, UH, SO WE HAVE CHANGED OUR MODELING.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE DEVELOPERS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE USING THE CORRECT MODELING NUMBERS AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR CUSTOMERS ARE TAKEN CARE OF IN THE FUTURE.
BUT JUST TO EXEMP, JUST FOR AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING, UH, THESE NUMBERS CAN GET CONFUSING, BUT IF YOU THINK OF THEM AS THE AMOUNT OF BTUS OR THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY THAT'S PEAK THAT YOU CAN PEAK THROUGH AS SERVICE, OUR, OUR SMALLEST GAS SERVICE, WHICH IS WHAT 95% OF THE HOUSES USED TO USE, IS AN R 2 75.
AND THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE NOW USING EIGHT EIGHTIES, WHICH, OR ONE THOUSANDS, WHICH, UM, ARE CAPABLE OF, OF FLOWING THREE TO FIVE TIMES THREE, THREE TO FOUR TIMES THE AMOUNT OF GAS IN A PEAK DEMAND.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S NOT EVERY HOUSE IS DOING IT, BUT THE AVERAGE DEMAND HAS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY.
SO WE'RE DOING THESE PROJECTS.
WE, WE'VE CHANGED OUR MODELING.
WE'VE, WE'RE ADDING PROJECTS TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, AND WE ARE, UH, AND WE'RE FIGURING OUT WHERE TO INSERT THEM AND WHEN TO GET THEM DONE.
SO THE OVERALL PROJECT, AS YOU MAY RECALL, WAS DONE IN TWO PHASES.
ONE WAS A LONG RANCH DRIVE AND IT'S NEARING COMPLETION.
IN FACT, IT WAS TIED IN TODAY AND SHOULD HAVE GAS IN IT TOMORROW OR SOMETIME LATER THIS WEEK.
UH, PHASE TWO IS NEARING COMPLETION.
THE ONLY THING LEFT TO BE CONSTRUCTED IS THE CREEK CROSSING ON THE BEAM OVER THE CIVIL CREEK.
ALMOST DONE, UH, TOO LATE FOR THIS PAST WINTER, BUT WE'LL BE DONE IN PLENTY OF TIME FOR NEXT WINTER.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE FUNDING, WHAT WE HAD ALLOCATED IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, AND THEREFORE THE BUDGET FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE HAVE SOME MONEY LEFT OVER.
UH, THE TOTAL CIP FUNDING OVER TWO YEARS WAS 2.5 MILLION WITH DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
WE GOT REALLY ATTRACTIVE CONSTRUCTION, UH, BIDS, UH, WITH DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
THE TOTAL PROJECT COST AS BID WAS $1.9 MILLION.
THIS FISCAL YEAR, THE AMOUNT WAS 2 MILLION.
UM, JUST A BRIEF HISTORY, AND AGAIN, ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT.
THE, UM, THE TEMPERATURE, THE AIR TEMPERATURE, UH, REALLY AFFECTS THE WAY THE GAS SYSTEM OPERATES FOR THE REASONS THAT I EXPLAINED EARLIER.
[00:35:01]
WERE ACTUALLY EIGHT DAYS THAT WE USED THAT NATURAL GAS BACKUP SUPPLY TRAILER, AND IT WORKED JUST AS DESIGNED ON SIX OF THOSE EIGHT DAYS.THE DEMAND WAS TOO HIGH ON FEBRUARY 19TH AND 20TH WHEN THE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE TEENS AND THE WINDSHIELD WAS IN THE SEVENS, OR IN THE SINGLE DIGITS WAS AROUND SEVEN.
AND SO BOTTOM LINE, TOO MANY, TOO MANY THINGS WERE RUNNING AT ONCE.
AND WE DID, UH, GET PRESSURES IN THE SYSTEM THAT WERE AT SOME AREAS ON THE EXTREME ENDS THAT WERE TOO LOW TO OPERATE SOME APPLIANCES FOR MAYBE 30, 40 CUSTOMERS IS WHAT WE ESTIMATE TWO HOURS OR THREE HOURS ON THE, ON THOSE TWO MORNINGS.
UM, SORRY, JUST FOR THOSE THAT IF YOU WANNA SEE HOW THE GAS SYSTEM REACTS, THESE ARE PRESSURES.
I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO IT TOO, TOO, UH, DEEP.
BUT GENERALLY THE SYSTEM SITTING, SITTING THERE AT BETWEEN 30 AND 40 PSI ON A COLD MORNING, IT CAN DROP TO ABOUT 15.
ANYTHING OVER SAY FIVE OR 10 IS GREAT.
THOSE TWO MORNINGS, IT ACTUALLY DROPPED TO NEAR ZERO AT THIS ONE PARTICULAR GAUGE, WHICH IS IN THE BACK OF ESPERANZA.
NOW, ON THE THIRD DAY OF THIS LAST STORM, WHEN THE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE TWENTIES INSTEAD OF THE TEENS, IT WORKED JUST FINE.
SO AGAIN, SIX OUT OF THE EIGHT DAYS, BUT THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE THAT SHOWS WHY WE NEED TO GET MORE CAPACITY UP THERE AND ADDING, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW FOR A FINANCIALLY ATTRACTIVE, UH, PRICE TO, TO BETTER TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EXTRA SUPPLY CAPABILITY OF THAT EIGHT INCH MAINE.
SO WHAT THE PROJECT AS AS DESIGNED AND BID TIES THAT EIGHT INCH MAINE INTO THE SYSTEM IN AN AREA OF LOOPED THREE AND FOUR INCH MAINS THAT WILL HAVE A LOT OF CAPACITY.
BUT WE HAVE FUNDING AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW, AND, UH, WE HAVE OBTAINED AN EASEMENT FROM THE TRAILS OF HER RANCH HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION TO ROUTE ANOTHER SIX INCH MAIN TO TIE IN FROM THAT EIGHT TO THE SYSTEM THAT WILL JUST REALLY LET US TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT CAPACITY.
AND SO SINCE WE HAVE THE FUNDING AVAILABLE, IS OUR RECOMMENDATION THAT WE GO AHEAD AND GO FORWARD WITH THAT PROJECT AT THIS TIME.
IF WE DON'T DO IT NOW, WE WILL NEED TO DESIGN AND BID IT SEPARATELY AS EITHER STANDALONE OR PART OF ANOTHER PROJECT.
BUT RIGHT NOW WE THINK THE PRICE IS ATTRACTIVE.
NOW, ARE THERE A COUPLE OF, UH, ITEMS UNDER STATE LAW THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS, UH, CHANGE? I THINK IT'S CHAPTER 2 52 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE REQUIRES THAT THE GOVERNING BODY APPROVE ANY CHANGE ORDER GREATER THAN $50,000 AND IT SETS THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF TOTAL CHANGE ORDERS, WHICH IS, UH, 20 125% OR 25% OVER THE CONTRACT AMOUNT.
SO THIS IS WHERE THINGS MIGHT GET A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING, AND I'M GONNA TRY TO, TO EXPLAIN IT.
THE CONTRACT FOR PHASE TWO, WHICH IS WHERE THIS ADDITIONAL WORK WILL HAPPEN, WAS FOR $683,000 PLUS COUNSEL AS WE REQUESTED APPROVED 720.
BUT I DON'T WANT THAT NUMBER TO CONFUSE ANYTHING RIGHT NOW.
THE SECOND FEE CHANGE ORDER, WE'VE NEGOTIATED A PRICE OF $143,360.
SO THAT WILL BE A CHANGE ORDER STANDALONE BY ITSELF NEEDS TO BE APPROVED.
HOWEVER, WHAT WE ARE ASKING IN INSTEAD OF A OF 143,000 ON TOP OF THE SEVEN 20, WE'RE ASKING FOR A DIFFERENT NUMBER.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE IF YOU ADD THOSE TWO NUMBERS UP, IT'S TOO MUCH MONEY.
UH, IT'S OVER THE AMOUNT THAT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE WOULD ALLOW.
NOW, WE HAD ASKED YOU FOR THAT EXTRA MONEY IN CASE INCIDENTALS CAME UP AND THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE, UH, BUT THEY'RE VERY SMALL.
AND SO WE ARE ASKING TONIGHT THAT YOU APPROVE THIS CHANGE ORDER AND, UH, AND SET THE MAXIMUM TOTAL EXPENDITURE AT JUST UNDER 25% OVER THE CONTRACT AMOUNT AT $854,450.
THAT WILL GIVE US ENOUGH, UH, PLENTY OF MONEY TO EXECUTE THIS CHANGE ORDER AND CHANGE ORDER.
NUMBER ONE THAT I'LL TALK ABOUT BRIEFLY HERE IN A SECOND.
UH, WE'LL HAVE PLENTY OF MONEY TO DO BOTH OF THOSE.
THE WORK SHOULD BE DONE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, IF NOT, OR IN, IN A MONTH OR SO.
SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING WE GO FORWARD.
NOW, WHAT I HAVE ON, UH, UH, FULL DISCLOSURE WHEN MY OFFICE PUT THIS, UH, ITEM TOGETHER, WE HAD OVERLOOKED THAT WE'VE ALREADY EXECUTED A CHANGE ORDER ON THIS PROJECT OUT OF THAT PREVIOUSLY APPROVED AMOUNT IN THE AMOUNT OF SIX OR $7,000 CHANGE ORDER NUMBER ONE WAS FOR SOME EROSION CONTROLS THAT NEEDED TO BE ADDED TO THE PROJECT.
AND SO, UH, THE AGENDA ITEM READS CHANGE ORDER ONE, BUT WE'RE AT BOTH THE SUGGESTED MOTION THAT'S UP ON THE SCREEN FOR YOU TONIGHT.
IF YOU CHOOSE TO APPROVE CORRECTLY READS CHANGE ORDER NUMBER TWO, WHICH SEEMS NON, NON-SUBSTANTIVE, BUT WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU WOULD APPROVE THE RESOLUTION WITH THAT WORDING.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? EXCELLENT.
ANY COUNCILOR? SCOTT? I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, I DON'T THINK YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE METERS, BUT YOU'RE TALKING THE SUPPLY LINES TO THE HOUSES.
ARE, ARE THE, IS IT SIMILAR TO WATER METERS WHERE THEY PAY A HIGHER RATE FOR, UH, A LARGER METER, UH,
[00:40:01]
ON, ON FOR GAS SUPPLIES? ACTUALLY, NO.UH, FOR WHATEVER REASON, OUR NATURAL GAS UTILITY DOESN'T HAVE DIFFERENT CUSTOMER CHARGES FOR DIFFERENT SIZE METERS.
WE PROBABLY SHOULD SOMETHING THAT WE COULD CONSIDER, BECAUSE HISTORICALLY, AGAIN, THEY'VE ALMOST ALL BEEN THE SMALLEST METER SIZE.
IT WASN'T THAT IMPORTANT, BUT NOW IT IS.
SO SOUNDS IT MIGHT, IT MIGHT PLAY THAT HAVE AN EFFECT ON OUR UTILITY FOR EVERYONE SWITCHING TO MAYBE LARGER METERS IF THERE'S NO CONSEQUENCES.
SERVING, SERVING THOSE PEAK DEMANDS IS GOING TO COST THE UTILITY MONEY.
AND SO IN ORDER FOR US TO RECOUP THAT COST, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT.
AND, AND PROBABLY WE NEED TO FIND A RIGHT STRUCTURE THAT LETS US RECOUP A LITTLE BIT FROM MORE FROM THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE DRIVING THAT DEMAND.
WE HAVE ALREADY HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ADDING THAT TO, TO CAN WE DO THAT IN THIS YEAR'S WORK PLAN OR DOES THAT NEED TO BE IN NEXT YEAR'S? BUT WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS THAT WE WILL DO THAT.
SO, SO TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF QUENTIN'S, UH, COMMENT, SO ON THE METERS, RIGHT, SO, BUT WE DO CHARGE TO CHANGE OUT METERS IF WE HAVE, IF WE HAVE A CUSTOMER REQUESTING A LARGER METER, WE DO, WE CHARGE ACTUAL COST FOR THE METER GOING IN.
WHAT WE DON'T CHARGE EXTRA FOR IS THE MONTHLY BILL, RIGHT? SO IF YOU HAVE A, A THREE QUARTER INCH WATER METER, YOU PAY X.
IF YOU HAVE A ONE INCH WATER METER, YOU PAY YA LITTLE BIT MORE TO HAVE THAT CAPACITY AVAILABLE.
FOR OUR GAS METERS, WE DON'T DIFFERENTIATE.
SO FOR LARGER CAPACITY METERS, WE SHOULD CONSIDER LARGER CUSTOMER CHARGES ON THE MONTHLY BILL.
NOT JUST THE INSTALLATION, BUT ACTUALLY THE, THE BILL EVERY MONTH.
SO SOMETHING TO CONSIDER, NOT SOMETHING WE'RE RECOMMENDING TONIGHT.
AND IT HAS REALLY LESS TO DO WITH THIS ITEM THAN, UH, BUT WE'VE SEEN THE CONSEQUENCES OF, OF THOSE ACTIONS ALREADY.
I MEAN, JUST WITH THE HISTORICAL TRENDS GOING TO LARGER METERS, I MEAN, THEY'RE HAVING A LARGER ROLL ON OUR UTILITY.
THE, THE INSTALLATION OF THE METERS, IT'S COVERED WITH OUR INSTALLATION COSTS.
IT'S THE OPERATION OF THE, OF THE UTILITY AND THE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT IT TAKES TO, TO PUSH ENOUGH GAS THROUGH THAT'S COSTING MORE MONEY.
UM, SO I'M ASSUMING, UM, THAT ONCE THIS WORK IS DONE, IT SHOULD ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR HAVING TO HAVE TRAILERS TO HELP PRESSURIZE AND PUSH THE GAS UP THROUGH THE FEED EVEN, UM, AT PEAK DEMAND WHEN IT'S ZERO DEGREES.
'CAUSE I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE GOOD FOR A, AN ICE STORM ANNUALLY, AS LONG AS I'VE LIVED THE 20 YEARS I'VE LIVED IN TEXAS, DEFINITELY TRUE FOR THE AREA SOUTH OF 46 MM-HMM
AND PROBABLY TRUE FOR THE AREA NORTH OF 46.
BUT AGAIN, WE'RE MODELING RIGHT NOW.
AND SO WE WILL HAVE THAT DETERMINATION MADE BY THE, BY THE BEFORE NEXT WINTER.
I FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL BE OKAY FOR A FEW YEARS, BUT OF COURSE, WE'RE STILL ADDING CUSTOMERS AND WE'RE ADDING HIGH DEMAND CUSTOMERS, SO WE NEED TO MODEL IT AND, AND WE WILL BE BACK TO YOU WITH RECOMMENDATIONS IF THERE ARE ANY.
AND POTENTIALLY, ARE WE LOOKING TO PROVIDE GAS SERVICE TO ADDITIONAL, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVEN'T COME ONLINE YET THAT ARE FUTURE PLANNED? CERTAINLY DIFFERENT PHASES OF NEIGHBORHOODS, YES.
AND THEY'RE THERE, IT SEEMS TO BE A TREND THAT MORE AND MORE, UH, HOMEOWNERS WANT NATURAL GAS.
AND SO OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN DOES INCLUDE PROJECTS THAT, THAT, UH, THAT UH, THAT FORECAST THAT NEED, THEY'LL NEED TO BE MOVED FORWARD.
WE EVEN HAVE A THIRD DELIVERY POINT IN OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN TO BE INSTEAD OF THE ONE WE HAD 10 YEARS AGO, NOW WE HAVE TWO, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN INCLUDES A THIRD.
SO IT'S PLANNING, IT'S JUST HAVING TO GET ACCELERATED.
AND THAT THIRD ONE PROBABLY WILL COME IN THAT NORTHEAST QUADRANT TOO.
THAT WOULD DEFINITELY HELP BRING IN PRESSURE FROM THE OTHER SIDE.
WE'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO FEED FROM THAT SIDE IF WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND THE, THE DEVELOPER, WILL THEY BE SHARING IN THE COST OF THAT? BECAUSE I MEAN, WE'RE SPENDING THREE QUARTERS OF A MILLION DOLLARS HERE OR, OR POTENTIALLY MORE THAN THAT, UM, TO, TO IMPROVE WHAT WE HAVE.
AND SO IF WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PRESSURIZE FURTHER OUT, SURE.
AND IT'S, IT'S INCUMBENT ON THE DEVELOPER TO PROVIDE FOR THEMSELVES.
AND SO WE ARE TALKING, IN FACT, I EMAILED BACK AND FORTH WITH THEIR ENGINEER TODAY ABOUT UPDATING HIS MODEL AND, AND CHECKING THE SIZES OF WHAT THEY'VE INSTALLED.
I THINK INTERNALLY THEY'RE FINE.
THE QUESTION IS WHEN DO THEY NEED MORE FEEDS INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD? I MEAN, ONE, ONE FINAL QUESTION, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY RELATED TO THIS DIRECTLY, BUT INDIRECTLY IS, UM, I NOTICED THAT OTHER, UH, AREAS LIKE SAN ANTONIO WITH CPS AND WHATNOT, UM, THEY PROVIDE A, AND I THINK I MIGHT'VE ASKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, THEY PROVIDE AN INCENTIVE FOR USING SMART THERMOSTATS WHERE THEY GET A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY BACK FOR IT.
UM, WE DON'T CURRENTLY DO THAT HERE, BUT LIKE I HAVE MY NEST THERMOSTAT SET THAT THAT JUST HAPPENS TO BE THE NICKNAME BRAND I'M USING.
UM, AND IT ACTUALLY HAS A FEATURE WHERE WHEN IT, IT'LL TURN, IT'LL SHUT DOWN THE, THE, UM, THE HEATER OR THE AIR CONDITIONER EARLY, AND THEN IT KIND OF RIDES THE WAVE OF WHAT'S LEFT ON THE COIL.
[00:45:01]
UM, SAVING MONEY, SAVING ENERGY, WHICH POTENTIALLY WITH THE GAS SERVICE WOULD, UM, COULD SAVE, UH, HOW MUCH PEOPLE ARE USING IN DEMAND.
UM, SO I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO SEE IF WE WOULD BE INCENTIVIZING PEOPLE TO HAVE SMART THERMOSTATS TO BE ABLE TO HELP SAVE THAT ENERGY AND DEMAND.
WE CAN PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER FOR YOU FOR INFORMATION PIECE ON THAT.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK YOU SHOULD CONSIDER THE FEE ADJUSTMENT IN THIS WORK YEAR.
I MEAN, IT MAKES NO SENSE BASED ON THE FACT THAT THE WATER SITUATION YOU DESCRIBED WITH THE METERS, I MEAN, IT SHOULD BE, IT SHOULD BE ADJUSTED.
UH, SECONDLY, UH, WITH THE WATER SITUATION, WE DID A, A SURVEY WHERE WE COULD IDENTIFY EXCESS USERS.
HAVE YOU DONE THAT WITH THE GAS AT ALL TO SAY? WELL, I MEAN, OF, OF THOSE PEAK DAYS WERE THERE LIKE, WAS EVERYBODY USING TONS OF GAS OR WAS IT FIVE PEOPLE OR SIX FACILITIES OR, OR WHAT? WE CAN KIND OF DO THAT THROUGH BILLING INFORMATION.
UH, BUT IT HAS TO BE MANUALLY DOWNLOADED RIGHT NOW.
UH, REALLY IT'S MORE OF A FUNCTION OF WHAT SIZE SERVICE DO YOU HAVE? AND SO WE HAVE TO ASSUME THAT THOSE LARGER SERVICES ARE BEING USED TO, TO A GREATER CAPACITY.
THE OTHER QUESTION, NOW, THERE, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE PAID FOR THE SERVICES, IT'S JUST I UNDERSTAND CUMULATIVE DEMAND.
THE OTHER QUESTION IS, CORLEY FARMS IS BASICALLY MINIMALLY ONLINE NOW, RIGHT? THERE'S ACTUALLY ALREADY 220 HOUSES OUT THERE THAT ARE ON, THAT ARE CONNECTED.
THEY'RE CONNECTED TO OUR GAS SYSTEM.
AND, AND HOW IS THAT WORKING? UH, AS FAR AS, AS FAR AS OUR INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE GAS SYSTEM, IT'S GOING FINE.
BUT THAT SUBDIVISION IS SLATED FOR HOW MANY HOMES? UH, RIGHT NOW THEIR MASTER PLAN FOR THREE A CORLEY FARMS IS ABOUT 1200.
SO ARE OUR FEED LINES TO THAT SECTION IN TOWN ADEQUATE VIS-A-VIS THE ISSUE WE'RE JUST DEALING WITH TONIGHT? THEY ARE.
SO WE, SO FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, ANOTHER COUNCIL WON'T HAVE THIS SAME ISSUE WITH PEOPLE IN CORLEY FARMS WHEN IT GETS COLD.
WELL, THE THING ABOUT CORLEY FARMS IS IT'S IDEALLY LOCATED FROM A NATURAL GAS STANDPOINT BECAUSE IT'S NEXT TO THE FEED.
SO IF YOU CAN UNDER, UH, IF YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT IN TERMS OF A TIRE, YOUR FEET, YOU'RE FILLING THE TIRE WITH AN AIR HOSE AND EACH SERVICE IS A HOLE IN THE TIRE.
IF TOO MANY HOLES ARE OPEN AT ONCE, YOU DEPRESSURIZE.
WELL, THE, THE POINT WITH THE, WITH THE, THE BIG DEMAND BEING NEXT TO THE STATION IS IT'S NOT ON THE END.
TAKING OUT OF THE END AFTER A LOT OF OTHER CUSTOMERS IS UPFRONT BUT TO POINT.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE PRESSURE PROBLEMS THERE.
IT LOWERS THE PRESSURE, BUT TO THE POINT EARLIER, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE PUTTING IN ONLY THE BIGGER METERS THEY ARE.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, AND I BELIEVE IT'S BECAUSE OF THE TANKLESS WATER HEATER DEMAND.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE A GREAT APPLIANCE AND THEY SAVE GAS OVERALL.
UH, BUT, BUT THEY DO HAVE HIGH DEMAND WHEN THEY OPERATE.
OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? CAN I GET A MOTION MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN SCOTT? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION WITH THE, WE APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 2025 R 14, THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER INTO, UH, AND MANAGE A CHANGE ORDER NUMBER TWO TO THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BURN AND BITCO, BORING AND UTILITIES FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE EAST LOOP NATURAL GAS MAIN PHASE TWO FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $854,450.
SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN WILSON, PLEASE VOTE.
[A. RECOGNITION OF THE PATRICK HEATH PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR RECEIVING THE 2024 ACHIEVEMENT OF LIBRARY EXCELLENCE AWARD FROM THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LIBRARY DIRECTOR'S ASSOCIATION.]
WE KNOW ON TO ADDENDUM ITEM SEVEN A CITY MANAGERS REPORT 2 25 0 7 RECOGNITION OF THE PUBLIC KEITH PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR RECEIVING THE 2024 ACHIEVEMENT OF LIBRARY EXCELLENCE AWARD FROM THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LIBRARY DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION PRESENTING NATALIE.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THIS RECOGNITION IN RECEIVING THE ACHIEVEMENT OF EXCELLENCE AWARD FROM THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LIBRARY DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION, UM, WHICH IS PART OF THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE.
UM, RECIPIENTS MUST DEMONSTRATE CONSISTENT EXCELLENCE IN 10 AREAS OF SERVICE, WHICH IS WHY SO MUCH OF THE STRATEGY MAP SHOWS ALIGNMENT.
UM, WITH RECEIPT OF THIS AWARD, THE AWARD RECOGNIZES LIBRARIES THAT GO ABOVE AND BEYOND IN THE 10 KEY AREAS THAT ARE LISTED ABOVE OF THE 542 PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN TEXAS, ONLY 102 RECEIVED THIS AWARD.
THE PATRICK KEITH PUBLIC LIBRARY DEMONSTRATED DISTINCTION WITH ITS MANY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, INCLUDING OUR MEMORY LAB FUNDED BY THE MELLON FOUNDATION GRANT AND THE SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF THE LIBRARY OF THINGS FOR BOTH THE ADULTS AND THE YOUTH.
THE LIBRARY AVERAGED, AVERAGED
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NEARLY 680 PROGRAMS THIS LAST YEAR AND WELCOMED JUST OVER 175,000 VISITORS IN 2024.UM, THIS LAST YEAR, THE LIBRARY SAVED CARD MEMBERS MORE THAN $2.9 MILLION BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO LIBRARY MATERIALS, DATABASES, AND OTHER VALUABLE RESOURCES.
IN MY NINE MONTHS WITH THE CITY OF BURN, I HAVE BEEN DELIGHTED TO DISCOVER THAT THE LIBRARY MY FAMILY AND I HAVE ENJOYED OVER THE YEARS OFFERS EVEN MORE THAN EVEN I KNEW ABOUT.
UM, AND PART OF WHAT BROUGHT ME TO WORK FOR THE CITY OF BURN WAS THE ABILITY TO COLLABORATE IN SUCH A LARGE CAPACITY WITH THE CULTURE THAT STRIVES FOR EXCELLENCE WITH INTENTIONALITY.
SO THUS FAR, THAT HAS EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS IN PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES TO DO SO.
I WANNA THANK NATALIE MORGAN, UM, OUR ASSISTANT LIBRARY DIRECTOR FOR PUTTING TOGETHER ALL THE INFORMATION FOR THIS AWARD AND OUR PHPL TEAM FOR ALL THE EXCELLENCE THEY EXEMPLIFY IN SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
PART OF OUR VISION IS TO BE A WELCOMING, EMPOWERING PLACE TO THE COMMUNITY AND A DYNAMIC FORCE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I BELIEVE THIS AWARD DEMONSTRATES THAT.
AWESOME JOB FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR TEAM OVER THERE AT THE LIBRARY.
WHAT A, WHAT A GREAT, UH, ADDITION TO THE CITY OF BRINGING IT IS.
UM, I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK NATALIE AND NATALIE
AND YOU GUYS KNOW THERE'S A GREAT REPUTATION WITH THE PROGRAMMING THAT COMES OUTTA THAT FACILITY.
AND, UM, AND IT'S A, IT'S A TREASURE FOR A COMMUNITY OF OUR SIZE.
AND SO I'M PROUD OF THEM FOR MAINTAINING THIS AWARD.
WE ACTUALLY WOULD LIKE TO GET A PHOTO WITH THEM, AND I SURPRISE THEY HAVE THE AWARD OR A PICTURE OF THE AWARD, BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PHOTO WITH THEM UP OR DOWN.
HEY, WHY'D YOU COME DOWN HERE? DANNY CHRISTIE, THIS WAY.
[B. RECOGNITION OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT FOR RECEIVING THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT (ACFR) AWARD.]
MAYOR.WE HAVE ONE MORE AWARD RECOGNITION.
WE ASK DIRECTOR BUCKLEY TO COME ON UP AND WE'LL ALSO GET ANOTHER PHOTO.
WHILE IT'S HEAVY
THIS RECOGNITION REFLECTS THE CITY OF BERNIE'S COMMITMENT TO FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL REPORTING.
AND IT IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF RECOGNITION IN GOVERNMENTAL FINANCE.
RECEIVING THIS AWARD FOR THE 37TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR IS A TESTAMENT TO THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION OF OUR FINANCE TEAM, OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM, AND OUR COMMUNITY.
WE REMAIN STEADFAST IN OUR EFFORTS TO UPHOLD THE HIGHEST STANDARDS IN FINANCIAL REPORTING, AND WE DO PLAN ON SUBMITTING THE AFER THAT WE, UM, HAVE PRESENTED TONIGHT.
AGAIN, FOR THE AWARD, I WANNA EXPRESS DEEP APPRECIATION TO THE WHOLE FINANCE TEAM, ESPECIALLY KAREN COER, WHICH IS WITH, SHE'S WITH HER FAMILY THIS EVENING.
AND DANIEL MONTEZ OUR REPORTING AND COMPLIANCE MANAGER, AS WELL AS THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR DEPARTMENT AND FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
SO WITH THAT, UH, WE ARE ACCEPTING AND PRESENTING THIS AWARD TO, UM, COUNSEL FOR OUR 37TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR.
I ALSO WANT TO, UM, GIVE A CONGRATULATIONS TO, UH, THE ALL THE CITY TEAM, THE LEADERSHIP TEAM AND THEIR DEPARTMENTS.
IT IT TAKES ALL THEIR COOPERATION TO SUPPORT A CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE
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IN OUR FINANCIAL REPORTING SYSTEMS. AND SO I APPRECIATE ALL OF THEIR ASSISTANCE AND[C. BOERNE LISTENS - A COMMUNITY SURVEY FOLLOW-UP. (Focusing on Water)]
COOPERATION.UH, MAYOR, IF YOU DON'T MIND, WE'LL GO OVER THE LAST ITEM I HAVE.
THIS IS A, A, A, A PRESENTATION ON OUR CITIZEN SURVEY.
YOU MIGHT RECALL LAST MONTH WE TALKED ABOUT HOW I, MY PLANS TO DO THIS.
AT THE FIRST MEETING OF EVERY MONTH, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT A CERTAIN PARTICULAR TOPIC OF EACH, UH, OF THE CITIZEN SURVEY.
AND TONIGHT WE WANT TO REALLY FOCUS ON WATER, THE WATER ASPECT OF, OF THAT SURVEY.
UH, AGAIN, JUST A REMINDER, WE DID THIS LAST DECEMBER IN 2024, WE HAD JUST UNDER 1600, UH, RESPONSES.
75% OF THOSE WERE CITY RESIDENTS WITH ANOTHER 25%, UH, UH, COMING FROM THE GREATER BURN COMMUNITY MEASURED ALL ASPECTS OF OUR SERVICES, UH, DIFFERENT PERCEPTIONS AND, UH, OF, OF THE, UH, COMMUNITY.
NEXT, YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN GO ONLINE AND ACTUALLY SEE AN INTERACTIVE DASHBOARD WHERE YOU CAN, UM, KIND OF PLAY WITH THE DIFFERENT, UH, CONFIGURATIONS OF WHICH AREA, YOU KNOW, RESPONDED IN, IN WHICH WAY, HERE'S JUST ONE, ONE SECTION THAT RATED OUR MOBILITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND UM, AND SPECIFICALLY THERE'S ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE AREAS HERE THAT SPEAK TO WATER FUEL ADVANCE.
NEXT, YOU CAN SEE THOSE HERE, YOU CAN SEE THEY, WE ASKED THEM TO RATE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING EFFORTS.
NOT JUST WATER, BUT ALL OF OUR UTILITY SYSTEMS. HOW ARE WE ACTUALLY MANAGING OUR WATER RESOURCES? THIS IS AGAIN, A PERCEPTION, A PERSPECTIVE THERE.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE RATED THAT AS IMPORTANT.
31% OF THE SURVEY RESPONDENTS SAID, MANAGING OUR WATER RESOURCES IMPORTANT.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE DISSATISFACTION THERE AT 61%.
BUT THEN ON THE FLIP SIDE, THE RELIABILITY OF OUR UTILITY SYSTEMS. AND YOU JUST HEARD DIRECTOR MANN TALKING ABOUT NATURAL GAS, BUT ALSO ELECTRIC WATER, SEWER.
YOU KNOW, THEY DO A GREAT JOB OF MAINTAINING, UH, VERY COMPLEX SYSTEMS WITH REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, TESTING REQUIREMENTS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND, AND, UH, YOU SEE THE IMPORTANCE AND THE SATISFACTION, WHICH IS ACTUALLY, UH, THE HIGHEST IN THIS PERSPECTIVE ON INFRASTRUCTURE.
THEN OF COURSE, CONSERVATION EFFORTS AND PROGRAMS. NEXT.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE, WE ASK, AND YOU GUYS KNOW THIS, IS WE AT THE END OF THE SURVEY, WE ASK IF THERE'S ANYTHING THEY WANT TO TELL US ABOUT, UM, THE CITY, ANYTHING ON THEIR MIND.
AND OUT OF THIS, NEARLY 1600 RESPONDENTS, 43% GAVE US A RESPONSE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE CATEGORIES IN WHICH, UH, THEY GAVE US RESPONSE.
NEXT, YOU CAN SEE 18% OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED ACTUALLY HAD SOME SORT OF A WATER COMMENT.
AND SO WE WANNA ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT THOSE TONIGHT.
IN FACT, I'M GONNA ASK YOU EACH ONE OF YOU, UM, TO READ A AN EXAMPLE OF COMMENT THAT CAME FROM YOUR DISTRICT, YOUR AREA.
AND SO I'M GONNA ASK MAYOR PRO TIMM WILLISON TO READ HIS FROM HIS DISTRICT.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO CONSERVE CITY LAKE.
WE DON'T GET OUR WATER FROM BERNIE.
ODD, WHY NOT? BUT YOU'RE ACCEPTING OTHER PLACES IN TOWN.
ALRIGHT, NOW I'M GONNA ASK COUNCILWOMAN WRIGHT FOR DISTRICT TWO.
RECALCULATE HOW LONG WATER WILL LAST? I DON'T FEEL IT'S ACCURATE.
PUBLICIZE CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR RUNNING OUT OF WATER.
UH, COUNCILMAN SCOTT, WILL YOU READ YOUR QUOTE? I HEAR QUITE OFTEN THAT RESOURCES ARE LIMITED WATER IN PARTICULAR, YET NEIGHBORHOODS ONE AFTER ANOTHER ARE PLATTED AND PERMITTED EVERY YEAR.
RIGHT ACROSS THE HIGHWAY FROM ME IS ANOTHER SEVERAL HUNDRED UNIT COMPLEX ABOUT TO OPEN.
ALL THESE PEOPLE WILL NEED UTILITIES IF RESOURCES ARE IN SUCH SHORT SUPPLY.
WHY DO YOU APPROVE THESE PLATS AND PERMITS? AGAIN, ANOTHER ONE WE HEAR ABOUT QUITE A BIT.
UH, DISTRICT FOUR, THAT'S COUNCIL MEMBER BUNKER.
I'VE ASKED THE MAYOR TO GO AHEAD AND READ THIS ONE.
MANAGE THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT.
OUR WATER RESOURCES CANNOT MEET THE CURRENT RATE OF GROWTH.
THE CURRENT ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE DO NOT MEET THE NEEDS OF CITIZENS AND OTHER COMMUTERS.
AND THEN FINALLY, DISTRICT FIVE COUNCIL MEMBER MACALUSO, GET RID OF FLUORIDE IN THE WATER.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO GET COMMENTS FROM THE GRADE OR BURN AREA, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO I'VE ASKED THE MAYOR TO KIND OF GIVE US, READ AN EXAMPLE OF, OF SOMEBODY WHO'S NOT A RESIDENT BUT LIVES OUT IN THE COUNTY.
THIS IS FROM ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
OUR WATER STORE RESOURCES CAN'T HANDLE ALL THIS GROWTH.
YOU'RE GOING TO BLEED THE GROUND WATER DRY.
SO, UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE'LL DO EACH MONTH.
WE'LL PICK A TOPIC AND WE'LL READ THOSE, UM, KIND OF, UH, SOME OF THOSE COMMENTS I'VE ASKED DIRECTOR MANN TO KIND OF COME UP AND ACTUALLY SPEAK TO EACH OF THESE COMMENTS AS WELL AS GIVE SOME OTHER INSIGHT ABOUT HOW WE MANAGE OUR WATER RESOURCES, OUR WATER UTILITY.
HE'S DONE THESE PRESENTATIONS IN THE PAST.
IT'S VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE, BUT THIS IS GONNA BE MORE TAILORED TO OUR CITIZEN SURVEY DIRECTOR MANN.
SO AS YOU'RE AWARE, I COULD TALK ABOUT WATER FOR HOURS,
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BUT IN THE INTEREST OF YOUR TIME, UH, AND ANYBODY ELSE THAT'S WATCHING, I'LL BE BRIEF.I'LL, I'LL ASK YOU THOUGH TO INTERRUPT ME AT ANY TIME YOU HAVE QUESTIONS IF I'M GOING TOO FAST AND YOU NEED MORE DETAIL.
SO YOU'VE SEEN THESE MAPS BEFORE.
UH, AND, AND SO WHAT IS BERNIE? THE BERNIE COMMUNITY.
AND SO IF YOU LOOK ON THE SCREEN, THE, THE SMALL BLUE AREA IS THE CITY LIMITS OF BERNIE.
THE YELLOW AND GREEN AREAS ARE BERNIE ZIP CODES OR IN OTHER WORDS, ZIP CODES, BUT SAY BERNIE, TEXAS IN FRONT OF THEM.
AND THEN THE WHITE IS THE OUTLINE OF THE BERNIE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND PRETTY MUCH ANYBODY THAT LIVES IN THOSE AREAS WOULD SAY THEY'RE FROM BERNIE.
BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WATER SUPPLY AND OUR UTILITY, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE GREATER AREA OR THE COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE ISSUES THAT ARE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS AND OUTSIDE OF OUR WATER SERVICE TERRITORY THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN OUR WATER UTILITY.
BUT AT TONIGHT, AS WE TALK ABOUT THIS, IT'S ALL ABOUT OUR WATER UTILITY SERVICE AREA.
SO WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW IS OUR WATER SERVICE TERRITORY.
AND IT'S, IT'S A MAP THAT WE'RE UPDATING RIGHT NOW.
IT'S OUR CCN OR CERTIFICATE OF CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY MAP THAT WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF UPDATING RIGHT NOW WITH THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IT INCLUDES MOST OF THE CITY LIMITS, BUT NOT ALL.
UH, THERE, THERE'S SOME AREAS UP.
FOR EXAMPLE, SHORELINE PARK IS NOT IN OUR WATER SERVICE TERRITORY.
UH, OVERLOOK AT BURN AND, UM, OH SHOOT, DURANGO SUBDIVISION, NOT SPENCER RANCH IS NOT, UH, BLUFF VIEW APARTMENTS IS NOT, THOSE ARE ACTUALLY ALL BEING SERVED EVEN INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS BY TEXAS WATER CORPORATION.
SO THAT WAS AN AGREEMENT MADE BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE LANDOWNER AT THE TIME THAT THEY DECIDED TO ANNEX.
AND THAT WAS WHAT THEIR MUNICIPAL SERVICE PLAN SAID.
AND OF COURSE, ANYBODY THAT BUYS IN THERE IS BUYING INTO THAT AREA THAT WAS ANNEXED AND DEVELOPED BY THE, BY THE OWNER OR UH, DEVELOPER.
SO THE REASON FOR THAT, MAJORITY OF IT, IN THAT NORTHWEST QUADRANT, WHICH IS WEST OF I 10 AND NORTH OF 46, IF YOU WILL, UH, TEXAS WATER HAS THE RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL.
THAT WAS THEIR MAIN AREA OF FOCUS.
THEY, IN OUR ETJ, THEY HAVE THE RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL.
WE HAVE THE RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL IN THE CITY LIMITS, OF COURSE.
AND THEN IN A ETJ IN THE OTHER THREE QUADRANTS, THERE'S ALSO A TECHNICAL ISSUE IN THAT THE, WE CAN ONLY SERVE UP TO A CERTAIN ELEVATION WITH OUR PIPELINES.
AND MANY OF THESE AREAS ARE HILLTOPS THAT ARE TOO HIGH FOR OUR MAIN SERVICE PLANE TO, TO SERVE.
UH, WE CAN'T PRESSURIZE THEM TO THE TCEQ MINIMUMS ON A RELIABLE BASIS.
AND THE, THE SYSTEM FROM TEXAS WATER IS SET UP DIFFERENTLY, AND THEY CAN, SO, UH, THE, THE DEVELOPERS CHOSE TO GO WITH THAT WATER, UH, UTILITY EVEN INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, UH, IN LIEU OF EXPANDING OUR UTILITY AND PAYING THE COST FOR THAT.
THERE'S ALSO TWO AREAS OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, KENDALL COUNTY WATER CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT NUMBER TWO, AND KENDALL COUNTY WATER CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT NUMBER FOUR, THAT'S KNOWN AS ESPERANZA AND GEORGE'S RANCH THAT ARE IN OUR SERVICE TERRITORY.
AND THAT WAS DONE, UH, BY, UH, UH, BY COUNCIL.
AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, SINCE THE 1950S, WE'VE HAD A, A POLICY IN PLACE WHERE WE DO NOT SERVE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS UNLESS IT'S DEEMED BENEFICIAL BY THE, BY THE COUNCIL.
AND THOSE AGREEMENTS ARE THE REASON THAT WE SERVE THAT AREA.
BUT THE COMMUNITY PERCEPTION IS, UH, BARNEY DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH WATER, AND THAT IS PROBABLY BASED ON TWO ISSUES.
NUMBER ONE, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ONLY HAVE PRIVATE WELLS OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, AND EVEN A COUPLE INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, AND THEY HAVE RESTRICTIONS SOMETIMES DURING DROUGHT, WATER IS NOT AS AVAILABLE.
UH, THAT OFTEN HAPPENS WHEN IT'S IN THE HEAT OF SUMMER.
UH, THERE, THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR RAINWATER CATCHMENT AT THOSE PLACES, BUT IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE AND HARD TO TREAT AND ALL THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
AND SO IT'S GENERALLY THOUGHT THAT THEY REALLY ONLY HAVE ONE SUPPLY, KIND OF WOULD ARGUE WITH THAT.
BUT THAT'S A DIFFERENT, THAT'S A DIFFERENT DISCUSSION.
UM, TALKED ABOUT THE AREAS WE SERVE AND HOW MUCH WE'VE GROWN.
UH, SO THE CI THE SERVICE TERRITORY IS LARGER.
THE, THE SERVICE POPULATION, I'M SORRY, SERVICE POPULATION AND SERVICE TERRITORY IS LARGER THAN THE CITY LIMITS BECAUSE WE DO SERVE THOSE LARGE AREAS OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.
SO WHEN I TALK ABOUT US SERVING 25,000 PEOPLE, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE POPULATION OF BERNIE.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE WATER SERVICE TERRITORY.
AND YOU CAN SEE FROM THE, FROM THE TABLE, WE'VE, IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, WE'VE GROWN FROM A SERVICE POPULATION ON POTABLE WATER FROM 13,000 TO ABOUT 25,000.
UH, AND IN THAT SAME TIME, WE'VE GROWN FROM ZERO RECLAIMED WATER METERS TO 3,226.
SO THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WITH, UH, RECLAIMED WATER IS INCREASING.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'VE GOT A NEW RECLAIMED WATER SYSTEM IN THE EASTERN PART OF TOWN.
I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT IN A IN A MINUTE.
OUR, THAT IS OUR MAIN CONSERVATION,
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UH, UH, ADVANTAGE.SO WHAT IS, WHY IS RECLAIMED WATER IMPORTANT? BECAUSE THE BASIC HUMAN NEEDS, THE POTABLE WATER HUMAN NEEDS ARE THE SAME FOR EVERY ONE OF THOSE HOUSES.
BUT THEY DON'T CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUMMERTIME PEAK, THE IRRIGATION PEAK AT ALL, EITHER THROUGH THEIR YARDS OR THEIR RIGHT OF WAY IRRIGATION.
THEY, THEY BASICALLY JUST USE, IN GENERAL, THE, THE SAME AMOUNT OF WATER THAT YOU AND I MIGHT USE, BUT NO LAWN IRRIGATION, EVEN IF THEY HAVE A LAWN.
UH, IN 2024, OUR SERVICE POPULATION GREW 6.8%.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE, THE WAY THAT THE, THE DEMAND OCCURRED OVER THE SUMMER WITH SOME RAIN DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER, THE DEMAND GROWTH, IN OTHER WORDS, THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT WE SERVED WAS ONLY 0.6% MORE THAN THE PRIOR YEAR.
NOW, THE PRIOR YEAR WAS REALLY HOT AND DRY LAST YEAR, WE GOT SOME RAIN.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHY THAT INTERACTION HAPPENED.
AND TO THAT END, YOU'VE SEEN THIS GRAPH BEFORE.
UH, THE BASE FLOW OR THE DARK PURPLE AREA YOU SEE ON THE BOTTOM, THAT'S THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT'S REALLY FOR BASIC HUMAN NEEDS.
COOKING, CLEANING, BATHING AT YOUR HOME, AS WELL AS RESTAURANTS, SCHOOLS, UH, COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THAT'S THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT WE WOULD EXPECT TO SERVE EVERY DAY EVEN WITHOUT IRRIGATION.
THE MULTICOLORED BLUE GREEN AND LIGHT PURPLE ARE THE, ARE THE PEAKS THAT OCCUR, UH, PRIMARILY DURING THE HOTTER MONTHS, THE BLACK LINE THAT YOU SEE SUPERIMPOSED ON THAT AS THE PRIOR YEAR.
SO YOU CAN JUST KIND OF COMPARE THE 2023 YEAR TO 2024.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE YEARS IN 20, IF YOU'LL REMEMBER IN 23, WE KIND OF HAD A WET SPRING, SO WE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH DEMAND, BUT WE HAD A BRUTAL SUMMER RECORD HEAT, UH, DROUGHT CONTINUED, AND SO THE PEAKS WERE REALLY HIGH.
LAST YEAR, WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT WET SPRING, WE SAW SOME, SOME IRRIGATION USE, BUT IN JULY, WE HAD SOME SIGNIFICANT RAIN THAT REALLY KIND OF KEPT US FROM HAVING THAT MAJOR PEAK THAT WE'RE USED TO SEEING, AND THAT'S WHY OUR TOTAL WATER USE WAS A LITTLE LOWER LAST YEAR.
UM, COMMUNITY PERCEPTION, HOWEVER, IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WATER.
NUMBER ONE, BECAUSE YOU READ IT A LOT.
AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH NOT JUST OUR UTILITY, BUT THE COMMENTS THAT YOU HEAR FROM OUTSIDE OUR UTILITY.
AND ALSO YOU HEAR A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT, IF WE HAVE ENOUGH WATER, WHY DO WE HAVE TO BE ON RESTRICTIONS? AND, AND THE ANSWER TO THAT IS SIMPLE.
UH, WHEN YOU ARE IN A DROUGHT, ESPECIALLY PROLONGED DROUGHT, THEN NOT ONLY CAN THE SUPPLY BE, UH, LIMITED CURTAILMENT FROM THE GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT, MAYBE EVEN GBRA SURFACE WATER RIGHTS, TCEQ CURTAILMENTS.
SO YOU GET LIMITATIONS ON THE WATER THAT ARE AVAILABLE BECAUSE IT'S NOT RAINING, BUT YOU HAVE DEMAND INCREASES THAT ARE EXPONENTIAL BECAUSE IT'S NOT RAINING.
AND LOTS OF FOLKS WANT TO PUT WATER ON THE LANDSCAPING.
SO IT'S KIND OF A DOUBLE WHAMMY.
THE WAY THAT WE TRY TO MITIGATE THOSE PEAK DEMANDS THAT ARE SO HARD TO MEET IS THROUGH RESTRICTIONS THAT ARE IMPORTANT.
HOWEVER, IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE HAVE A SYSTEM THAT'S SIZED FOR FIREFIGHTING CAPABILITY THAT WE KEEP FLOW THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
SO ONE MIGHT SAY, WHY AREN'T WE ON STAGE THREE RESTRICTIONS ALL THE TIME? WHY, WHY DON'T, WHY AREN'T WE EVEN ON GREATER RESTRICTIONS AND DON'T ALLOW IRRIGATION? THE BOTTOM LINE IS BECAUSE WE ARE PRIMARILY A SURFACE WATER CITY, UH, THERE ARE DISINFECTION BYPRODUCTS THAT ARE INHERENT AND TREATED WITH SURFACE WATER, AND YOU GOTTA KEEP IT FRESH.
AND SO THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME FLOW THROUGH THESE OVERSIZED TANKS AND LINES THAT ARE SIZED FOR FIREFIGHTING AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT IN ORDER TO KEEP THAT WATER FRESH.
LAST SUMMER, WE UNDER PUMPED AND GOT INTO A, UH, A SITUATION WHERE WE LET THE DBP CONCENTRATION GET TOO HIGH.
UH, IT WAS A DOUBLE WHAM, IT WAS A, IT WAS KIND OF A PERFECT STORM.
NOT ONLY DID DID THE WATER, UM, NOT ONLY DID WE NOT SERVE A LOT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER, SUMMERTIME IS WHEN THE DVP CONCENTRATIONS ARE INHERENTLY HIGHER, SO HAD LESS USE, UM, SURFACE WATER.
THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SEEING THE PUBLIC NOTICES THAT GO OUT AND, AND PROBABLY WILL OR ARE, ARE RIGHT NOW.
BUT AS OUR AVERAGE, UH, DVP CONCENTRATIONS ARE BACK WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.
UH, LITTLE BIT MORE STATISTICS.
LAST YEAR WE SERVED 72% SURFACE WATER, 15% GROUNDWATER, AND 13% RECLAIMED WATER.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THAT RECLAIMED WATER, IT'S ALMOST UP THERE WITH, WITH GROUNDWATER, IT'S SIGNIFICANT.
THAT EQUATES TO 2,670 ACRE FEET OF SURFACE WATER, 532 ACRE FEET OF GROUNDWATER AND 480 ACRE FEET OF RECLAIMED WATER.
AN ACRE FOOT IS HARD FOR PEOPLE TO VISUALIZE.
SO IF YOU WANT TO, UH, IF YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT HOW MANY, UH, HOW MUCH WATER 400 ACRE, 480 ACRE FEET IS, IT'S, IT'S EQUIVALENT TO 156 MILLION GALLONS.
SO THAT RECLAIMED WATER, IF YOU WANNA LOOK AT IT THIS WAY, WE USE RECLAIMED WATER INSTEAD OF POTABLE WATER FOR 156 MILLION GALLONS.
IT'S A HUGE CONSERVATION, UH, MEASURE.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT AND OUR RESTRICTIONS AND OUR
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CONSERVATION MEASURES, WE HAVE SEEN OUR AVERAGE PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION, UH, GO DOWN SINCE 2017.UH, FROM 2017 TO 2024, IT'S DOWN FROM 162 GALLONS PER POTABLE.
IT'S DOWN FROM 162 TO 115 GALLONS PER PERSON PER DAY RECLAIMED FOR THE, FOR THAT SAME PERIODS HOLDING PRETTY STEADY, STEADY BETWEEN 13 AND 18 GALLONS PER PERSON PER DAY.
NOW, WE DON'T SERVE EVERYBODY WITH RECLAIMED WATER, BUT THAT AVERAGE IS AVERAGED OVER THE ENTIRE POPULATION.
SO, SEEMS LOW, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY, FOR THOSE THAT ARE USING IT, IT'S A HIGHER PERCENTAGE.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS OUR TOTAL, UH, WATER USAGE PER CAPITA IS 18 PLUS 115 OR 133, IF I'M DOING MY MATH CORRECTLY.
GALLONS PER PERSON PER DAY, WHICH IS, WHICH IS GOOD.
AND IT'S GOOD FOR THE INDUSTRY.
AVERAGE METROPLEX IS PUSHING 200 IN SOME AREAS, SAN ANTONIO ONE 20 TO ONE 40.
UH, WE DO WELL, ESPECIALLY ON THE POTABLE WATER SIDE.
UH, NOW IMPOR ALSO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE NUMBERS INCLUDE THOSE NON SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL CONSUMPTION.
SO THAT'S THE TOTAL WA WATER USE MEASURED, UH, AVERAGED OVER THE POPULATION.
BUT IT INCLUDES SCHOOL USAGE AND RESTAURANT USAGE AND ALL OF THE COMMERCIAL USAGE.
SO WE, WE ESTIMATE THAT ABOUT 25% OF THE WATER WE PRODUCE IS USED FOR OUTSIDE AND NONS SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
SO THAT KIND OF JUST GIVES YOU A, A FEEL FOR, FOR THE, FOR THE FACTS.
BUT WHAT I TAKE FROM THIS GRAPH IS OUR CONSERVATION EFFORTS ARE WORKING.
UH, LAST YEAR THE COUNCIL, UH, IMPLEMENTED SOME RAINWATER OR SOME WATER CONSERVATION INCENTIVES.
AND THESE ARE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE, HAVE, UH, TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF IT.
SO WE HAVE OUR YEAR-ROUND CONSERVATION EFFORTS THAT DISALLOW IRRIGATION OF, OF LAWNS AND LANDSCAPE DURING THE HEAT OF THE DAY.
WHEN IT'S WINDY AND THERE'S MORE EVAPORATION, WE REQUIRE THAT YOU WATER IN THE COOLER HOURS OVERNIGHT OR EARLY MORNING, LATE EVENING IN TIMES OF DROUGHT, THEN WE CAN FURTHER LIMIT THAT THROUGH RESTRICTIONS TO ONE DAY A WEEK, TWO DAYS A WEEK, UH, MAYBE AN OLD ONE, BUT, BUT WE CAN REDUCE THE NUMBER OF DAYS AND EVEN THE HOURS AS APPLICABLE TO TRY TO MEET THOSE DEMANDS.
AND, UH, AND, UH, AS COMPARED TO OUR SUPPLY, OTHER CONSERVATION INITIATIVES, AS SHOWN HERE, WE HAD 10 PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE RAINWATER HARVESTING, UH, REBATE.
UH, WE HAD 47 PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM CONSULTATION AND NINE, UH, FOR THE IRRIGATION RAIN FREEZE SENSORS.
NOW, FOR ME, I THINK THAT THE MOST BENEFICIAL ITEM ON THIS LIST IS THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM CONSULTATION.
UH, IT'S, IT'S TO PAY SOMEBODY TO COME OUT AND TELL YOU HOW TO OPTIMIZE THE IRRIGATION OF YOUR LAWN.
AND THAT REALLY SHOULD REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT YOU HAVE TO PUT ON A LAWN FOR A GOOD FOR TO KEEP IT THE WAY YOU WANT TO KEEP.
IT KEEPS THE, YOU KNOW, THEY LOOK FOR SPRINKLERS THAT ARE SPRAYING IN THE STREET.
THEY LOOK FOR TIMERS THAT ARE SET WRONG.
THEY, ALL OF THEM MAYBE BROKEN HEADS.
SO THOSE KIND OF THINGS REALLY, I THINK DO PAY OFF, AND I'M GLAD THAT MORE PEOPLE ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
ONE THING I WANTED TO MENTION IS THAT WE HAVE THE WATER DASHBOARD, AS YOU ARE AWARE.
UH, WE CREATED THAT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AND IT'S UNDER RIGHT NOW, UNDER A SUBSTANTIAL, SUBSTANTIAL REDO.
WE HAVE A CONSULTANT THAT, UH, THAT IS DOING THAT FOR US.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING IT FOR FREE, UH, AS A MODEL THAT THEY WANT TO, TO, UH, PROVIDE FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES.
WE MAY HAVE TO PAY FOR MAINTENANCE, BUT THE UPDATE IS THEY'RE DOING PRO BONO, AND WE WILL ROLL THAT OUT VERY SOON.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A MUCH, UM, I THINK IT LOOKS A LOT BETTER AND IT'S EASIER TO USE AND, AND VERY USER FRIENDLY DROUGHT.
UH, EVERY WEEK THE DROUGHT MONITOR FOR OUR AREA, FOR EVERY AREA IS UPDATED.
WE ARE, UH, BERNIE IS STILL IN THE EXTREME DROUGHT CATEGORY.
A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THAT DARK RED EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT WAS, WAS BULLSEYE OVER US.
NOW IT'S A LITTLE SOUTH OF US, BUT WE'RE STILL IN A DROUGHT.
UH, ON, ON THE RIGHT, THE, WHAT YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT IS ANOTHER THING YOU DON'T SEE AS OFTEN IS KIND OF THE, IT'S THE HISTORIC WET VERSUS DRY YEARS.
AND YOU CAN SEE IT KIND OF COMES IN CYCLES.
UH, HISTORICALLY IT HAS, YOU GO THROUGH A PERIOD OF WET OR FLOODING WHERE WE KIND OF FORGET WHAT IT'S LIKE TO NOT HAVE ENOUGH WATER BECAUSE THERE'S PLENTY OF WATER BOTH FLOWING ON THE, ON THE GROUND AND IN THE CREEKS AND NOT FALLING ON YOUR LAWNS.
AND THEN WE GO THROUGH A PERIOD OF DROUGHT WHERE WE KIND OF FORGET THAT IT FLOODS.
AND, AND WE WORRY ABOUT HOW MUCH WATER SUPPLY WE HAVE.
WE ARE RIGHT NOW IN THE MIDDLE OF A PROLONGED DROUGHT WHERE WE DID HAVE ONE WET YEAR IN 2022, AND IT WAS A GOOD YEAR, UH, VERY HELPFUL.
BUT WE, UH, BUT WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PROLONGED DROUGHT.
THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE, A BIG ONE FROM 2010 TO 2015, BROKEN BY THE MEMORIAL DAY FLOODS, IF YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT ONE.
SO THOSE KIND OF THINGS, THAT CYCLICAL, WET DRY SEASONS THAT, THAT HAPPENS IN OUR AREA.
MIKE, JUST A COMMENT QUESTION.
[01:15:01]
I THINK I'VE READ SOMETHING THAT THE, UH, TEXAS WATER BOARD HAS SAID.THERE'RE, ASSUMING THIS IS THE DROUGHT OF RECORD, I WOULD NOT DOUBT IT.
I HAVE SEEN SOME, SOME CLIMATE, UH, CLIMATOLOGICAL DATA, AND YOU CAN ARGUE IT BOTH WAYS, BUT, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS IT'S BEEN VERY, VERY DRY FOR ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER OF YEARS AS THE DROUGHT OF THE FIFTIES, ALTHOUGH WE'RE NOT SEEING THE GROUNDWATER LEVELS AS LOW AS THEY WERE, AS THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST YET.
RIGHT? SO, UM, EFFECTS OF THE DROUGHT BURN CITY LAKE LAST, LAST TIME IT WAS FULL WAS 2022.
UH, AND IT HAS DROPPED PRETTY MUCH STEADILY SINCE THEN.
UH, WE DID SEE AN ALL TIME LOW, UH, IT'S FULL AT 42 FEET ABOVE THE FLOOR.
SO AT THE SPILLWAY SERVICE SPILLWAY, IT'S 42 FEET DEEP.
LAST OCTOBER, UH, IT GOT DOWN TO 28.75 FEET, AND THAT'S THE LOWEST WE'VE SEEN IT.
BUT, UH, IT'S, IT, UH, IS STILL, LET'S SEE, RIGHT, IT'S CURRENT LEVEL IS A LITTLE OVER 29 FEET.
IT'S COME UP JUST A LITTLE SIX INCHES SINCE THE LOW IN, IN THE FALL.
BUT RIGHT NOW, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU LOOK AT IT, IT'S EITHER 56% FULL AS AN OPTIMA OPTIMIST OR 44% EMPTY AS A PESSIMIST.
BUT WHAT IS ENCOURAGING TO ME AS FOLLOWING THIS STUFF AND KNOWING HOW THINGS WORK, IS THAT WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS PROLONGED DROUGHT, AND WE STILL HAVE HALF OF THE LAKE AVAILABLE NOW.
WE CAN ONLY BUY PERMIT WITHDRAW, 833 ACRE FEET PER YEAR.
THAT'S HOW MUCH WE ARE, THE WATER ACTUALLY BELONGS TO THE STATE OF TEXAS AS THEY PERMIT WITHDRAWAL.
THAT'S THE SAME NUMBER THAT WE'VE HAD SINCE THE LAKE WAS BUILT IN THE SEVENTIES.
AND WE TYPICALLY USE AS MUCH OF THAT AS WE CAN, AGAIN, TO MINIMIZE THE USE OF GROUNDWATER.
UH, BUT WE CAN'T TAKE ANY MORE THAN 833 ACRE FEET.
MOST OF THE DRAW DOWN IN THE SUMMERTIME IS EVAPORATION, NOT CONSUMPTION THROUGH THE PLANT.
THE REASON IT CAME BACK UP IS JUST THAT, UH, EVAPORATION IN THE WINTERTIME IS LOW, AND THERE IS STILL A LITTLE BIT OF FLOW, BE IT, BE IT FROM SMALL RAINS OR SPRINGS THAT ARE, THAT IS REFILLING AND OUTPACING EVAPORATION AND WITHDRAWAL.
SIMILARLY, CANYON LAKE, OUR OTHER BIG SUPPLY LAST FULL IN 2021, CURRENTLY 48% FULL OR 52% EMPTY.
UH, SO THE, THE GBRA CONSERVATION PLAN, UH, TRACKS AND THEY SET THEIR STAGES OF DROUGHT RESTRICTIONS, UH, BASED ON LEVEL OF THE LAKE.
AND LAST, OH SHOOT, WAS IT SUMMER, FALL, IT PASSED THE 880 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL ELEVATION.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY FEET OF, OF, OF WATER'S IN THE LAKE, BUT THEY DO THEIR STAGES BASED ON MEAN SEA LEVEL ELEVATION PAST THAT 880 ACRE FEET.
AND IT'S STILL DROPPING SLIGHTLY, BUT IT'S BELOW THAT NUMBER.
SO THEY HAVE IMPLEMENTED STAGE FOUR RESTRICTIONS.
THAT INCLUDES MANDATORY CURTAILMENTS FROM MAXIMUM WITHDRAWAL AMOUNTS.
CITY OF BURN IS NOT TAKING ITS MAXIMUM COMMITMENT.
OUR MAXIMUM COMMITMENT IS 3,611 ACRE FEET.
AND SO BECAUSE WE'RE UNDER 85% OR THE CURTAILMENT OF 15%, THE THEIR, THEIR CURTAILMENTS AT THIS POINT DON'T AFFECT US AND DON'T AFFECT THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT THEY DELIVER.
IF THEY GO TO STAGE FIVE, UH, I THINK THE CURTAILMENT AMOUNT IS 40%, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE STILL UNDER 60.
SO IF WE, IF WE WERE AT 70%, THEY MIGHT CURTAIL US DOWN TO 60 OR AT 59.
SO STILL NOT TAKING AS MUCH AS WE COULD.
UH, WE'VE DONE SEVERAL WATER STUDIES OVER THE YEARS.
GOING BACK TO, UH, THE LAST ONE I COULD FIND WAS FROM NINE, OR THE EARLIEST ONE I COULD FIND WAS 1995 AND UP UNTIL 2022.
I'M NOT GONNA BELABOR THESE POINTS BECAUSE YOU'VE SEEN THESE PRESENTATIONS, BUT SUFFICE IT TO SAY, I HOPE THAT WE GENERALLY HAVE ENOUGH WATER TO SERVE BETWEEN 45 AND 50, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE POPULATION SERVICE POPULATION, NOT CITY POPULATION.
UH, BUT THAT ASSUMES THAT WE HAVE, UM, UH, A REASONABLE USE OF WATER CONSERVATION IS IMPORTANT.
IF PEOPLE START TO REALLY, UM, CONSUME A LOT MORE, DEMAND A LOT MORE ON AVERAGE, THEN THE WATER SUPPLIES WON'T LAST THAT LONG.
WE HAVE DONE SOME GROWTH PROJECTIONS AND, UH, ALSO CONSUMPTION PROJECTIONS.
AND WHAT YOU SEE HERE ON THIS CHART ARE TWO SCENARIOS.
WE, UH, WE EXPECT TO GET 900 MORE ACRE FEET FROM GBRA AND ALL INDICATIONS ARE STILL THAT WE WILL GET IT IN 2037 IF WE GET THAT WATER SUPPLY, WHICH WE EXPECT, AND WE HAVE THE PEAKING CAP CAPABILITY ON TOP OF IT.
IF WE GO INTO THE HIGH GROWTH HIGH WATER USE, WHICH WE WOULD NOT EXPECT TO, TO DO, WE HAVE WATER TO THE, TO THE, UH, TIME OF 2050.
IF WE GO LOW GROWTH AND LOW WATER USE, IT'S 2070 LOW GROWTH AND HIGH WATER USE STILL 2070.
UH, BUT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 20 60, 20 70, WE, WE FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH WATER TILL THEN.
QUESTION IN YOUR SIR MODELING, HOW DID YOU USE RECLAIMED WATER AS PART OF THIS CALCULATION? DID YOU MODEL
[01:20:01]
EXPANSION OF THAT SYSTEM? YES.IN, IN SUCH THAT WE REDUCED THE PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION, THAT'S THE LOW WATER USE.
SO LOW WATER USE IS PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION DROPS, WHICH MEANS WE'RE SERVING MORE OUTTA RECLAIMED WITHOUT RECLAIMED WATER.
WE WOULD ALREADY BE SHORT RIGHT NOW.
BUT WITHOUT RECLAIMED WATER, WE WOULDN'T BE SERVING SOME OF THE AREAS WE'RE SERVING TOO.
UM, SO THERE'S SEVERAL SUBDIVISIONS THAT ARE DEVELOPMENTS, IF YOU WILL, OR SUBDIVISIONS THAT ARE IN PROGRESS, BE IT ESPERANZA GEORGE'S RANCH, REGENT PARK, SOUTHLAND, UH, SOUTHLAND'S ABOUT BUILT OUT THAT AREAS WE SERVE THAT ARE IN PROGRESS.
AND WHEN THOSE ARE BUILT OUT, WE EXPECT OUR SERVICE POPULATION TO BE IN WITH THE ADDITION OF WHAT'S HERE NOW IN THOSE PLACES.
NO, THAT'S, THAT'S AN ESTIMATE I SHOULD HAVE.
I SHOULD HAVE, UH, USED A ROUNDER NUMBER.
BUT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE STILL SOME UNDERDEVELOPED OR UNDEVELOPED AREAS IN THE CITY LIMITS, AND THERE MAY BE SOME AREAS THAT WE WANT TO SERVE, UH, WHERE THERE MAY BE AN ADVANTAGE.
PERHAPS WE GET SOME ROAD RIGHT OF WAY THAT WE NEED OR, OR A PARK THAT WE NEED.
AND SO THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO HAVE, UH, THE ABILITY TO EITHER ANNEX AND BRING SOMEBODY INTO OUR TERRITORY OR MAYBE EVEN SERVE OUTSIDE IF IT'S ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE CITY, IF COUNCIL COUNCIL FEELS IT THAT WAY.
BUT JUST TO, TO TRY TO PUT THAT IN SCALE.
PLEASE DON'T LOOK AT THE SPECIFIC PARCELS ON HERE.
IF ONE OF YOURS IS PURPLE AND YOU DON'T THINK IT'LL LEVEL DEVELOP MORE.
I DIDN'T PUT THIS UP HERE FOR SAKE OF ARGUMENT.
I HAD OUR GIS GUY SAY, LOOK AT THE MAP AND SAY, WHERE DO WE THINK WE COULD GROW? WHERE COULD WE REDEVELOP OR WHAT'S VACANT? AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE PURPLE AREAS ON THIS MAP, THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A SCHEMATIC REPRESENTATION OF THAT TOTAL AREA, BUT IT COMES UP TO 1300 TO MAYBE 1500 ACRES.
UH, I CAN ALMOST GUARANTEE YOU THAT SOME OF THE PURPLE AREA WILL NOT DEVELOP, AND SOME OF THE AREA THAT'S NOT PURPLE WILL, MAYBE SOME OF THESE HOLES WILL DEVELOP SOMEDAY.
EVEN THOSE THAT WILL NEVER DEVELOP.
YOU KNOW, UH, WHEN I STARTED HERE IN 2020, I WAS TOLD THIS AREA OUT HERE WILL NEVER DEVELOP.
AND SO MAYBE IT WILL, MAYBE IT WON'T.
UH, BUT WE DO HAVE ENOUGH WATER TO SERVE WHAT WE'RE COMMITTED TO RIGHT NOW, AND IT'S IN OUR POWER, IN YOUR POWER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T OVER ALLOCATE.
THAT'S, THAT'S YOUR, YOUR PREROGATIVE.
BECAUSE OF THE POLICIES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, NOT SERVING OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS OR WE'RE COUNCIL DEEMS IT BENEFICIAL.
WE'RE NOT OVER ALLOCATED AT THIS POINT.
WE HAVE ENOUGH WATER FOR THE POPULATION WE SEE COMING IN THE SERVICE TERRITORY, INCLUDING THOSE AREAS THAT ARE STILL DEVELOPING, UH, AS LONG AS WE'RE JUDICIOUS WITH THE WATER WE USE.
NOW, FULL DISCLOSURE, TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR UPDATE FOR 2025.
AND WHAT THEY ARE GONNA SHOW IS THE STATE DEMOGRAPHER'S ASSUMPTION THAT BERNIE WILL BE 75 TO 80,000 PEOPLE BY 2070.
WE DON'T AGREE, BUT WE CONTROL THAT.
RIGHT? YOU CONTROL THAT BY THE AREAS YOU ANNEX.
COULD THE AREA AROUND US DEVELOP? YES, IT COULD, AND WE COULD GET TO THAT NUMBER.
THE PROBLEM THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE IN THAT PLAN IS THAT THEY ARE BY THE PLAN, ASSIGNING EVERY BIT OF THAT GROWTH TO THE CITY OF BARNEY WATER UTILITY, WHICH WE ARGUED, BUT THEY NEED TO SHOW THAT THE REGION WILL BE LOW ON WATER.
AND THAT'S JUST THEIR METHODOLOGY.
IT IT, AND IT WILL BE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE AREAS THAT WE DON'T SERVE THAT ARE GONNA STRUGGLE WITH WATER.
SO YOU WILL SEE, YOU COULD SEE THAT IF YOU READ THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD THAT WE'RE OUT OF WATER BY 2060, NOT 2070, WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN THE NUMBERS.
OH, I DO WANT TO ADDRESS THE ONE THING THAT I DON'T, ONE QUESTION THAT CAME UP THAT I DIDN'T HEAR ADDRESSED, UH, IN, OR THAT I DON'T THINK WE ADDRESSED, UH, THROUGH THE COMMENTS IS FLUORIDE.
THERE IS FLUORIDE IN OUR WATER, BUT IT'S NATURALLY OCCURRING.
SO THERE IS SOME THAT YOU'LL, IF YOU READ THE THE CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REPORT, YOU MAY SEE FLUORIDE THAT'S NATURALLY OCCURRING.
IT'S A NATIONAL ISSUE RIGHT NOW.
SOME PEOPLE JUST REALLY THINK IT SHOULD NOT BE IN THERE.
I HAD COUNCIL SCOTT, ONE MORE QUESTION.
AND THAT WAS RELATED TO, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, THE TEXAS, UH, UM, THE GOVERNOR'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT WATER THAT THEY'VE SET ASIDE SOME SUPER FUNDS TO TALK ABOUT WATER AND WATER DEVELOPMENT.
HAD, DO WE AS A, FROM A UTILITY STANDPOINT, DO YOU HAVE ANY ASKS OF LIKE WHAT YOU NEED, WHAT YOU FEEL WE WE SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR? I MEAN, SHOULD WE BE LOOKING FOR OUTSIDE WATER SOURCES? SHOULD WE, SHOULD WE BE LOOKING TO TAG ONTO ANY OF THESE OUTSIDE PIPELINES THAT ARE COMING FROM EAST TO WEST? UH, I MEAN, IF WE'RE GONNA DEVELOP SOME ADDITIONAL WATER RESOURCES, IT'S GOING TO BE EXPENSIVE.
IT'S GONNA TAKE A LONG TIME, AND WE KIND OF NEED TO BE PLANNING FOR IT.
SO DO YOU HAVE A WISHLIST TO PROVIDE A ROADMAP FOR
[01:25:01]
20 70 20 50? I MEAN, THAT IS ALWAYS THE KEY QUESTION, RIGHT? AND SO REALLY IT COMES DOWN TO THE POLICIES THAT WE WANT TO IMPLEMENT.IF WE WANT TO GROW AND WE WANT TO ALLOCATE WATER RESOURCES BEYOND WHAT OUR CAPABILITIES ARE, THEN WE NEED ANOTHER SUPPLY.
AND IF WE DON'T GROW BEYOND OUR CURRENT BORDERS AND BEYOND WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY ALLOCATED TO SU OR, UH, UH, THAT WE ALREADY PLAN TO SUPPLY, THEN WE DON'T NEED MORE WATER.
UH, THE ISSUE WITH MORE WATER IS IT'S GOING TO BE ASTRONOMICALLY EXPENSIVE.
SO JUST TO PUT IT IN SCALE BETWEEN OUR OWN LAKE AND OUR OWN SURFACE WATER, IT COSTS ABOUT A DOLLAR 50 A THOUSAND TO PRODUCE THAT WATER.
AND G B'S WATER, WE BUY AT ABOUT $3 PER THOUSAND.
SO THAT SEEMS LIKE DOUBLE THE PRICE, RIGHT? VERY EXPENSIVE WATER.
THE NEXT SUPPLY THAT'S COMING REGIONALLY COULD BE AS HIGH AS $15 PER THOUSAND OR FIVE TIMES THE COST.
AND, AND IF SO, IF WE CHOOSE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GROWTH THROUGH OUR UTILITY, WE WILL NEED TO ACQUIRE SOME OF THAT VERY EXPENSIVE WATER.
OR DO WE PULL BACK WITHIN THE WALLS AND SERVE THE, JUST THE CITY LIMITS WITH OUR WATER THAT WE ALREADY HAVE ALLOCATED.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, GROW OUR RECLAIM SYSTEM RIGHT? TO FURTHER, UH, EXPAND THE, THE RESOURCES WE HAVE.
NOW, REGIONAL SUPPLY WILL BE VERY EXPENSIVE.
UH, WE'VE, AND, AND I'VE TALKED, I'VE I'VE TALKED TO GBRA ABOUT SUPER FUND.
AND THE SUPER FUND IS A DROP IN THE BUCKET WITH REGARD TO COVERING ALL THE COSTS FOR THE PROJECTS.
UM, SO IT WILL BE EXPENSIVE FOR THOSE THAT TAKE THAT WATER AND DISTRIBUTE IT.
THEIR CUSTOMERS WILL LIKELY PAY.
I BELIEVE PERSONALLY THAT BY 20 40, 20 50 WATER IS GONNA BE TOO EXPENSIVE TO PUT ON LANDSCAPE.
AND THAT WILL INHERENTLY BRING DOWN THE PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION.
IF YOU IMAGINE THAT YOUR WATER BILL GOES UP FIVE TIMES BECAUSE THE WATER SUPPLY COSTS FIVE TIMES AS MUCH, YOUR $20 WATER BILL GOES TO A HUNDRED DOLLARS, OR YOUR A HUNDRED DOLLARS WATER BILL GOES TO $500 THAT IN TODAY'S DOLLARS.
AND SO THAT MAY MAKE IT TOO EXPENSIVE TO WATER GRASS WITH, WHICH EXTENDS OUR SUPPLY BECAUSE OF THOSE PEAKS DON'T OCCUR.
YOU KNOW, WHAT WILL, WHAT WILL BE THE DIFFERENCE? I DON'T HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL, BUT WE HAVE SOME POLICY DECISIONS TO MAKE ON TOP OF THAT GROWTH.
FUTURE GROWTH IS GONNA USE LESS WATER.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, WITH, AS WE U EXPAND THE RECLAIMED WATER, ALL THE SUBDIVISIONS THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO IT, PROBABLY NEVER GONNA GET IT.
BUT AS WE, IF WE, IF WE MAKE THE INVESTMENT TO EXPAND THE RECLAIM WATER SYSTEM NOW INTO AREAS THAT DON'T, AREN'T SERVED BY IT, WE CAN, WE CAN ENSURE FUTURE GROWTH IN THAT SYSTEM PENDING, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IT'S AVAILABILITY.
BUT ANYWAY, I THINK IT'S ONE OF OUR LARGEST BENEFITS THAT WE COULD DO.
WOULD TO BE EXPAND THAT SYSTEM.
'CAUSE WE, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE AREAS OF THE CITY THAT JUST ARE NOT SERVED BY AT ALL AT, AT ALL, UM, ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT CAN'T.
AND WE PROBABLY WILL NEVER SERVICE A EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD.
BUT BEYOND THAT, THERE IS POTENTIAL GROWTH IN, YOU KNOW, HOLES WITHIN THE CITY THAT COULD BE SERVICED BY RECLAIMED WATER UPON ITS AVAILABILITY.
YOU KNOW, JUST EVEN OUR OWN PARKS ON OUR, YOU KNOW, ON THE PERIPHERAL AND WESTERN NORTHERN, NORTHERN SIDE OF THE CITY.
ANYWAY, JUST EXPANDING THAT WOULD BE SUPER BENEFICIAL.
I THINK WE'VE ALL TALKED ABOUT CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THAT.
IT'S JUST MORE OF A TIMING THING AND ANYWAY, SURE IT IS TIMING BECAUSE IT, WE ALSO HAVE TO HAVE THE SUPPLY, WHICH MEANS SEWER TREATMENT, RIGHT? AND WHEN WE TRANSFER FLOW FROM THE OLD TO THE NEW, THERE'S A CAPITAL COST WITH THAT, BUT IT WILL MAKE WATER, MORE WATER AVAILABLE.
THERE IS A LIMIT TO HOW MUCH SEWER CAPACITY WE HAVE IN TOWN.
AND, AND WE PUT IT AT ABOUT 50,000 PEOPLE BEFORE WE HAVE TO DEVELOP NEW PLANTS MORE THAN WE HAVE NOW.
JUST PIGGYBACKING ON WHAT QUENTIN SAID, JUST AS THE STATE DECIDES TO ALLOCATE MONEY OR NOT, YOU KNOW, KNOW BILLION A YEAR FOR 10 YEARS IS THE WORD, TO YOUR POINT, THAT'S NOT NEARLY ENOUGH FOR THE LARGER SCHEME.
BUT AS WE STAFF OR A FUTURE COUNCIL CAN TRY TO GET SOME OF THAT MONEY TO HELP HELP WITH THESE PROJECTS, I THINK, I THINK THAT MONEY WILL BE THERE.
WE, WE ARE IN A VERY GOOD POSITION AS WE TALK TO GBRA ABOUT THIS.
UH, THEY'RE, I FORGET WHAT IT'S CALLED NOW.
WATER SECURE IS THE PROJECT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THAT WILL BE $15, 12 TO $15 A THOUSAND ESTIMATES.
THERE ARE UTILITIES, INCLUDING UTILITIES THAT SERVE AROUND US THAT ARE CLAMORING FOR AS MUCH OF THAT WATER AS THEY CAN GET.
WE ARE IN THE U UNIQUE POSITION OF NOT NEEDING IT FOR 20 YEARS, 30 YEARS, 40 YEARS.
SO DO WE PAY INTO THAT PROJECT THAT OTHERS NEED NOW, BUT WE DON'T NEED FOR DECADES? THOSE ARE, AGAIN, POLICY DECISIONS.
A COUPLE OF COUPLE OF QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS.
UM, AS FAR AS THE, UM, EXPANSION OUTSIDE THE CITY, IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMIND THAT ESPERANZA
[01:30:02]
BROUGHT A AGREEMENT FOR I THINK 1200 ACRE FEET OF WATER FROM CANYON LAKE, WHICH THE CITY DID NOT HAVE.AM I CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND THAT'S SO THAT, THAT ADDED TO OUR CAPACITY SIGNIFICANTLY.
SO THEY ACTUALLY BROUGHT SOMETHING TO THE TABLE.
SO THEY BROUGHT, UH, I COULD THROW OUT SOME NUMBERS, BUT IT MIGHT GET CONFUSING.
BOTTOM LINE IS THEY BROUGHT MORE WATER THAN THEY NEEDED, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THEY BUILT THE RECLAIMED SYSTEM THAT REDUCES THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT THEY USE.
SO IT'S, IT WAS FROM A WATER SUPPLY STANDPOINT, A VERY BENEFICIAL, THE, THE OTHER THING I SURFACE EXPANSION, THE OTHER THING I HEAR A LOT IS THAT WE DON'T FOLLOW THE RULES.
I KNOW OUR GROUNDWATER FOLLOWS COW CREEK'S STAGE FOUR RULES.
AND I KNOW THAT WE ALSO FOLLOW, AS YOU POINTED OUT, GB A'S STAGE FOUR RULES.
SO WE ARE FOLLOWING THE RULES DESPITE WHAT SOME TRY TO SAY.
UM, I WOULD ALSO MENTION A COUPLE OF THINGS.
THE HILL COUNTRY ALLIANCE JUST PUT OUT, I JUST SENT IT TO BEN TODAY, THEIR, UH, UH, PROGRAM FOR, UH, HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS TO TRY TO ENCOURAGE HOAS TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF, OF TRANSITIONING THEIR, THEIR, THEIR EXISTING RESIDENTS TO A MORE WATER FRIENDLY SITUATION.
AS PART OF THAT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR CONSERVATION EFFORTS, ONE THING THAT CAME TO ME RECENTLY, AND BEN, YOU WERE PART OF THAT, IS THAT ALTHOUGH WE ARE, WE ARE PROVIDING SERVICE FOR, UH, RECLAIMED WATER IN TERMS OF RAIN CATCHMENT, THAT ONLY WORKS IF IT RAINS.
IF IT DOESN'T RAIN, YOU DON'T GET ANY CATCHMENT.
WHAT I CAME TO UNDERSTAND RECENTLY IS THAT HVAC RECAPTURE, AC CONDENSATE RECAPTURE, WHICH PEOPLE ARE RUNNING NINE OR 10 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR, IS ENORMOUS.
AND IF IT'S A COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE, IT'S BEYOND BELIEF.
IT'S THOUSANDS OF GALLONS A MONTH.
IF IT'S A LOCAL ENTERPRISE IN YOUR HOME, IT CAN BE AS MUCH AS 20 OR 30 GALLONS A DAY DEPENDING ON HOW YOU BEING YOUR HOME IS OR HOW LONG YOU RUN YOUR UNIT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US ADD SOME KIND OF CONSULTATION FOR THAT.
NOW, OBVIOUSLY THESE SYSTEMS, I'VE PRICED 'EM, THEY CAN BE AS LOW AS A THOUSAND OR $2,000.
THEY CAN BE AS MUCH AS 10 OR 20,000.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA PAY FOR, BUT PERHAPS WE COULD PROVIDE SOME CONSULTATION, UH, IN THAT REGARD BECAUSE THE, THE BENEFIT OF THAT VERSUS RAIN CATCHMENT IS DRAMATICALLY GREATER AND NOT, I'M NOT TALKING AGAINST RAIN CATCHMENT.
I'M JUST SAYING IT ONLY WORKS IF IT RAINS.
SO THIS STUFF WORKS 'CAUSE EVERYBODY'S USING THE AIR CONDITIONER SURE.
SO I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD ALL LOOK AT.
THERE IS A LOGISTICS PROBLEM WITH USING CAPTURED RAIN WATER, AND THAT'S THAT YOU HAVE TO PRESSURIZE IT.
BUT THAT AGAIN, IF YOU DON'T HAVE WATER AND THAT'S YOUR ONLY WATER, YOU'RE WILLING TO DO IT.
I'LL ALSO ADD, UH, MIKE SHOWED IT ON A GRAPH, BUT WE'RE USING THE SAME AMOUNT OF GROUNDWATER WE WERE USING 20 YEARS AGO ROUGHLY.
WELL ALSO, ONE, ONE MORE THING.
WHEN YOU MENTIONED THAT THE $15 PRICE FOR NEW WATER, THAT'S THE PRICE TO ACTUALLY HAVE THE WATER, THE PRICE TO PARTICIPATE IN HAVING ACCESS TO THE WATER IS ASTRONOMICAL FOR THE CITY.
SO I MEAN, YOU BASICALLY, YOU HAVE TO PAY TO PLAY.
SO FOR US TO EVEN GET THE $15 PER USE WATER PER GALLON WATER, WE GOTTA PAY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO PARTICIPATE.
AND THAT'S A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
THAT TO YOUR POINT, UNLESS WE'RE GOING TO EXPAND DRAMATICALLY AS FAR AS THE, THE TEXAS WATER BOARD, THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE, THAT'S, THE STATE DOES NOT HAVE A CHANCE.
I MEAN, ONE DESALINIZATION, ALATION PLANT PLANT, WHICH IS GONNA BE FOUGHT, I MEAN, I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO PEOPLE DOWN IN THE CORPUS CHRISTI AREA.
PEOPLE ON, ON MUSTANG ISLAND, PADRE ISLAND, THEY'RE GONNA FIGHT IT 'CAUSE OF THE ISSUE WITH, UH, UH, DISCHARGE.
SO THE TEXAS SITUATION IS GONNA BE NOT THAT EASY TO DO, TO GRAB NEW WATER.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE VERY PRUDENT IN HOW WE CREATE OUR SITUATION.
HOWEVER, ONE OTHER THING, OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO PROVIDE WATER TO THE CITIZENS OF BERNIE.
NOT EVERYBODY WHO LIVES IN BURN.
THAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A UTILITY BOARD AND AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, WE CANNOT BE THE REGIONAL WATER PROVIDER FOR 7 8, 0 0 6 AND ALL THE ZIP CODES.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES FOR THAT.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO UNDERSTAND.
NOW, WHETHER, WHETHER SAWS WANTS TO, I MEAN, I'M TALKING ABOUT THERE ARE LAWS I KNOW, BUT I IF SAWS OR TEXAS WATER, THAT'S THEIR DECISION.
BUT WE CANNOT BE THE REGIONAL PROVIDER FOR WATER IN, IN THIS AREA.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES FOR IT UNLESS WE CHOOSE TO BUY SOME VERY, VERY, UNLESS WE CHOOSE TO BUY VERY EXPENSIVE WATER.
AND THAT WOULD ONLY MAKE SENSE IF WE'RE GONNA ANNEX AND IF PEOPLE WANT TO BE ANNEXED AND LIVE BY CITY RULES, THE ONLY ADVANTAGE FOR US DOING THAT WOULD BE TO IMPLEMENT OUR UDC RESTRICTIONS ON DEVELOPMENT, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T LIKE.
IT'S FINE, BUT THERE'S NO REAL ADVANTAGE FOR US TO DO THAT.
THE DIFFICULTY OF IT ALL IS, IS THAT WE, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME WELL THOUGHT OUT RULES FOR WATER USE AND, AND ALL OF THE OTHER RULES, THE DIFFICULTY COMES IN ENFORCING 'EM ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, A
[01:35:01]
CUSTOMER BY CUSTOMER BASIS.AND SO, BUT IF YOU DON'T, YOU NEVER GET TO YOUR GOAL.
SO ANYWAY, UM, JUST TO HELP THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND, SO THE RECLAIMED WATER, IS THAT PUSHED THROUGH TO BECOME POTABLE WATER OR IS THAT USED FOR A DIFFERENT PURPOSE AT ALL TIMES? SO IN 2017, WE DID A STUDY ABOUT WHAT LOCAL SUPPLIES WE COULD DEVELOP HERE.
NOT BUYING FROM REGIONAL, BUT WHAT LOCAL POSSIBILITIES THERE ARE.
AND THERE'S AQUIFER STORAGE RECOVERY.
THERE'S DEEPER, UH, DESALINIZATION OF DEEPER GROUNDWATER THAT CONTAINS SALT.
THERE'S MORE STORAGE AND RESERVOIRS AND THERE'S DIRECT AND POTABLE, UH, DIRECT AND INDIRECT POTABLE REUSE AS A POTABLE SUPPLY.
IN THAT STUDY, OUR, IT'S POSSIBLE I'M TALKING ABOUT OUR PURPLE PIPE THAT WE HERE.
SO OUR, SO, SO, UH, THE PURPLE PIPE IS NON POTABLE AND IT'S MADE FOR IRRIGATION.
IF WE EVER GET INTO A SITUATION WHERE WE, WE WANT TO USE DIRECT OR, OR INDIRECT REUSE, THEN THAT WATER WOULD NEED TO BE TREATED EVEN FURTHER TO GET IT TO DRINKING WATER STANDARDS.
BUT THE MORE WE CAN USE FOR IRRIGATION, AGAIN, THE MORE WE REDUCE THAT TOTAL AMOUNT.
AND SO HAVING THE PURPLE PIPE NON-POTABLE RECLAIM SYSTEMS WOULD BENEFIT EITHER WAY.
IS THERE A PLAN OR A THOUGHT OF TAKING THAT NON-POTABLE WATER AND EVENTUALLY PUSHING IT UP TO THE SAN ANTONIO TREATMENT, UH, WATER TREATMENT TO CON TO BE FULLY TREATED? SO IF THAT WAS EVER, IF IT WAS NECESSARY TO DO SO, WOULD THAT BE COST LESS MONEY THAN HAVING TO TAP INTO, UM, WHAT MR. SCOTT WAS TALKING ABOUT? BUILDING ANOTHER TREATMENT PLANT AND TREATING, UH, EFFLUENT WOULD BE CHEAPER THAN A REGIONAL SUPPLY? MORE THAN LIKELY.
UH, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A NEW PLANT THAT HAS DIFFERENT CAPABILITIES BECAUSE WE'D BE TREATING DIFFERENT WATER THAN BERNIE CITY LAKE WATER.
SO IT WOULD NEED TO BE A DIFFERENT PLANT WITH DIFFERENT DESIGN, BUT, AND IT WOULD BE EXPENSIVE, BUT NOT NEARLY AS EXPENSIVE AS A REGIONAL SUPPLY, MORE THAN LIKELY.
AND FOR, AS A NICK FACTOR TO IT, THANK YOU.
AND FOR FUTURE COUNCIL, UM, PURPOSES, UM, SAY THE CITY DOES IN 10 OR 20 YEARS, AS YOU KNOW, LET, LET'S SAY WE DO REMAIN IN SOME TYPE OF EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THE LAKE GOES DOWN, IT BECOMES LIKE MEDINA LAKE MM-HMM
BOTH BERNIE LAKE AND UM, CANYON LAKE.
UM, AND AS FUTURE COUNCILS, LET'S SAY THEY DO ANNEX OTHER AREAS AND THEY ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE WATER, WOULD IT BE PRUDENT TO CREATE OR LOOK AT CREATING SOME TYPE OF CITY SUPER FUND OF, UH, FINANCIALLY PLANNING FOR THAT? AND THEN AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY GETS BUILT OUT IF THAT HAPPENS, UM, AS NEIGHBORHOODS ARE BUILT OR WHATNOT, REQUIRE DEVELOPERS TO PAY INTO SUCH A THING.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW, BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT IN THE FUTURE FOR THINKING, YOU KNOW, FUTURE FORWARD.
SO HOW THAT FUND COULD BE FUNDED IS PROBABLY MORE OF A LEGAL QUESTION THAN A OPERATIONAL ONE.
YOU KNOW, UH, CAN WE, IT SOUNDS LIKE AN IMPACT FEE, BUT THERE'S VERY, THAT'S VERY STRICTLY REGULATED.
UH, SO OR DO WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR IMPACT FEE STRUCTURE BASED ON THAT? WELL, WE WOULD NEED TO INCLUDE PROJECTS THAT NEED TO BE BUILT WITHIN THE NEXT 10 YEARS TO CHARGE THOSE FEES.
UH, THE ONLY OTHER OPTION IS TO CHARGE OUR CUSTOMERS MORE MONEY TO BUILD A FUND.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IN THE LAST RATE INCREASE WE DID, WE GOT SOME RESISTANCE BECAUSE, AND WATER RIGHT NOW IS REALLY CHEAP COMPARED TO WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE IN THE FUTURE.
AND I ASK THAT BECAUSE I, I AGREE.
I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO CHARGE OUR, OUR CUSTOMERS MORE MONEY.
I THINK THAT IF IT'S BEING BROUGHT ON BY FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, THAT, UM, THAT COST BE SHARED MM-HMM
UM, BY THE PEOPLE BRINGING THE DEVELOPMENT.
I MEAN, OF COURSE, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT, I WOULD RATHER SEE LOWER IMPACT DEVELOPMENT, UM, IF, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE ANY IN THE FUTURE.
BUT NEITHER HERE NOR THERE, I HAVE TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT WHAT MAY COME IN THE FUTURE WHEN I'M NOT HERE.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE NOT OVER ALLOCATED RIGHT NOW, THE DEVELOPMENT THAT IS, THAT IS PLANNED AND, AND IN OUR SERVICE TERRITORY RIGHT NOW WILL NOT DRIVE MORE SUPPLY THE NEED FOR MORE SUPPLY UNLESS THE LAKES DRY UP.
AND I'M TRYING TO BE REALISTIC BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT OTHER SUPPLIERS SUCH AS TEXAS WATER COMPANY, THEY'RE THE ONES INDEBTED TO PEOPLE OUTSIDE, ESPECIALLY IN ELEVATED AREAS.
BUT I MEAN, WHAT HAPPENS IF THE, YOU KNOW, THAT AQUIFER HAS ISSUES WITH, WITH BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE WATER? AND THAT'S OUR, THAT'S OUR, I THINK YOU SAID 15% RIGHT NOW.
[01:40:01]
WHAT IF WE NEED TO LEAN INTO THAT IN THE FUTURE AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO, SO THAT, THAT'S WHERE MY THOUGHTS ARE COMING FROM.I WISH WE ALL HAD THE CRYSTAL BALL
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A TOUGH SITUATION.
TEXAS POPULATION IS, UH, FORECAST TO OUTGROW CALIFORNIA'S WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DECADES.
IT'S A STATE PROBLEM, NOT A BURNING PROBLEM.
THE QUESTION IS WHAT IS OUR PART OF IT AS A UTILITY? JUST, JUST ONE THING I WANTED TO ADD.
YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
I'VE BEEN BEATING THE DRUM FOR PURPLE PIPE UP ABOVE KENDALL IN TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE FLOW IN, IN THE SLO.
BUT AS YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT, THAT COULD BE DONE AND THAT'S AN EXP CAPITAL EXPENSE TO DO THAT.
BUT THEN THERE'S ANOTHER CAPITAL EXPENSE BECAUSE EVEN IF YOU'RE USING GRAY WATER, IT'S CHLORINATED.
AND TO PUT IT BACK IN THE CREEK, YOU HAVE TO BUILD A DECHLORINATION FACILITY ABOVE KENDALL INN TO PUT IT BACK INTO THE CREEK.
SO EVERYTHING WE DO ABOUT WATER IS EXPENSE IS A CAPITAL EXPENSE.
SO YEAH, I WAS JUST GONNA ADD THAT, UM, IF IT IS, THE CRYSTAL BALL IS THE WORST CASE, DOOMSDAY CANYON LAKE GOES DRY, THE STATE WILL HAVE TO STEP IN BIG TIME AND YOU'RE TALKING WAY MORE MONEY THAN THEY'RE GONNA PUT IN.
AND THAT IF, IF THAT'S THE CASE THEN, AND WE WANT THE TEXAS MIRACLE TO CONTINUE, WELL, THE STATE'S GONNA HAVE TO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY TO BRING WATER FROM SOMEWHERE OR THE MIRACLE'S GONNA NOT WORK.
SO I, I WILL TELL YOU AGAIN, TO PUT IT IN A LOCAL PERSPECTIVE, IT, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THERE, THAT WE HAVE A, A SEVERE WATER SHORTAGE.
BUT WE HAVE TO USE A CLICHE OR A FAIRYTALE REFERENCE.
WE'VE BUILT A HOUSE OF BRICKS.
WE ARE IN GOOD SHAPE WITH WATER SUPPLY.
AND IF THAT DOOMSDAY SCENARIO HAPPENS, THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF FOLKS HERDING WAY BEFORE WE ARE.
AND SO PRESUMABLY THEN THERE WOULD BE A, A REGIONAL PLAN THAT TAKES CARE OF IT.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO BANK ON.
BUT WE HAVE DONE PRIOR COUNCILS AND PRIOR STAFFS HAVE PUT US IN A VERY GOOD POSITION AND ENVIABLE POSITION COMPARED TO MOST OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
BUT ONE, ONE THING, SHARON, TO YOUR POINT, UM, WHETHER IT'S GROWTH OR NOT, INDEPENDENT OF ANY GROWTH, IF WE DO GET TO THE POINT YOU'RE DESCRIBING WHERE THERE'S ISSUES WITH BURN LAKE OR WITH CANYON LAKE, THAT, THAT GOES BACK TO THE ISSUE OF DO WE PAY TO PLAY IN THESE MORE REGIONAL ACCESS TO GET PIPED WATER IN, NOT TO GROW BUT TO SUPPLY OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE CITIZENS OF BURNER.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S, IT COULD BE 10 OR 10 OR $15 MILLION A YEAR WHEN WE DON'T NEED MONEY JUST JUST TO PLAY.
JUST TO PLAY WELL AND THAT'S WHERE MY QUESTION CAME IN.
AND WE DON'T NEED WHAT I, YOU KNOW, DO WE PAY TO PLAY FIRST OR DO WE PUT THE MONEY FIRST INTO ANOTHER WATER TREATMENT PLANT AND THEN USING WHAT WE HAVE AND, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO, UM, TREAT MORE FROM A TOTAL WATER VOLUME AND TOTAL COST STANDPOINT, TREATING OUR OWN IS GOING TO BE CHEAPER.
BUT THERE ARE SOME PUBLIC PERCEPTION.
WHEN DO WE START BUDGETING FOR THAT? YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS I'M THINKING ABOUT.
JUST ONE THING ABOUT PUBLIC PERCEPTION.
'CAUSE I, I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS AND I REMIND PEOPLE, WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY DO ON THE SPACE STATION? THEY DON'T HAVE ANY, THEY DON'T HAVE BURN YOUR LAKE.
HOW MANY, HOW MANY TIMES HAS THE WATER IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER RECYCLED AND TREATED? SO IT IS, YOU CAN, YOU CAN MAKE THE ARGUMENT BOTH WAYS, BUT YOU DON'T CREATE WATER.
ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL? THANKS MIKE.
UH, THAT'S IT MAYOR, COUNSEL, I APPRECIATE IT.
I DO WANT TO THANK BESSIE, UH, BRONSTEIN, WHO'S OUR, UH, FILLING ATTORNEYS ON ZOOM.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? COUNCIL OL? YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO, I THOUGHT TONIGHT WAS ANOTHER GOOD EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW, THE EXCELLENCE OF STAFF.
UM, WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE LIBRARY.
I'VE SAID THAT A MILLION TIMES, YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK EXCITED TO HAVE NEW LEADERSHIP AND OBVIOUSLY THE PRIOR LEADERSHIP DID AN EXCELLENT JOB.
UM, SARAH'S CONTINUING THE EXCELLENCE OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, OF COURSE.
UM, IT'S COOL TO SEE THAT SORT OF SHIFT FROM UPPER MANAGEMENT IN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, BUT STILL WE CONTINUE THE EXCELLENCE.
AND MIKE, AS USUAL, SUCH AN INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION.
I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM YOU ON MY TIME ON COUNCIL.
I REALLY, TRULY LOVE, LOVE THAT YOU'RE A PART OF THIS AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING I'VE LEARNED.
WELL EVERYBODY ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR SPRING BREAK.
WE ARE OFFICIALLY ADJOURNED AT 7:45 PM.