Work Session Notes - April 1, 2024
There are nine-million bicycles in Beijing. That's a fact, It's a thing we can't deny, Like that fact that I will love you 'til I die.
I hope everyone has had a wonderful Easter Sunday! As always, my comments will be in bold italics. Please share this Substack with a friend or leave a comment if you find it valuable or interesting.
PUBLIC COMMENTS ON WORK SESSION ITEMS
CONSIDER THE CONSENT AGENDA
One interesting item from the Consent Agenda is Item 8. Agreement with Good Samaritans of Garland, Inc. Regarding the Purchase and Leaseback of 210/214 N. Twelfth St. and the Lease of 3319 Edgewood Drive.
Good Sam’s, as it is affectionately known, is a food pantry located west of Downtown on 12th Street. As the need to serve the public has grown, Good Sam’s has outgrown its current location. In February, the Council discussed allowing Good Sam’s to lease what will soon be the former Walnut Creek Branch Library building as the new West Branch Garland Library is currently being constructed adjacent to Hollabaugh Recreation Center.
This should be a win-win for Good Sam’s and the City of Garland as the new location is close to a DART station which allows for greater public transit access and as the current location has created some disturbances for the neighboring residents and businesses. The larger former library building should allow Good Sam’s to grow to serve the great need of food insecure individuals in North Texas.
WRITTEN BRIEFINGS
Council may ask for discussion, further information, or give direction to staff on an item posted as a written briefing.
Youth Programs Standards of Care
Written staff presentation regarding youth programs Standards of Care. Unless otherwise directed by Council, this item will be scheduled for formal consideration at the April 16, 2024 Regular Meeting.
Annually the City Council considers regulations concerning the standard of care for youth programs hosted at our Recreation Centers. This item is the annual review with no major changes from last year’s plan.
Issuance of General Obligation Refunding and Improvement Bonds
Council is asked to consider the issuance of General Obligation Bonds to fund the 2004 and 2019 Bond Programs.
This is the mechanism for which the projects approved in the CIP budget are actually funded. Interest rates have risen over the past few years which unfortunately ends up costing taxpayers more to fund capital improvements.
3. Water and Sewer System Refunding Bonds
Council is asked to consider refunding approximately $45 million of Water and Sewer System Commercial Paper Notes, Series 2015 and approximately $10.5 million Water and Sewer System Revenue Bonds, Series 2012 with Water and Sewer System Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2022.
This item is for Council to approve refunding approximately $55 million in variable rate commercial paper notes and replacing it with fixed rate long-term debt. The fixed rate will result in lower interest rate payments over the life of the note.
4. First Amendment to the Project Specific Agreement with Dallas County for Rowlett Road Cycle Track from Greenbelt Parkway to Lake Ray Hubbard
Council is asked to consider approving a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute the First Amendment to the Project Specific Agreement with Dallas County.
In 2021, Garland entered into an agreement with Dallas County to construct transportation improvements (bike paths) to the Rowlett Road Multimodal Connection MCIP Project, from Greenbelt Parkway to Lake Ray Hubbard. This amendment updates the estimate of probable costs based on current construction costs. TxDOT will provide $4.2 million, Dallas County will provide $4.6 million, and the City of Garland will provide $1.7 million – nearly double the previously estimated contribution.
Do the cost overruns still make the project worth doing? I would still say yes. Dallas County’s portion increased by 2.5x from about $2.0 million to $4.6 million so they are taking the larger share of the cost increase. TxDOT’s contribution did not increase since 2021.
(Perhaps our next family bike ride will be on the new Rowlett Road Cycle Track!)
VERBAL BRIEFINGS
Council may ask for discussion, further information, or give direction to staff on an item posted as a verbal briefing.
5. Introduction of Niels Brown, Real Estate Director
Phil Urrutia, Assistant City Manager, will introduce Niels Brown, Real Estate Director. Mr. Brown will lead the newly created Real Estate Office to manage acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, and licensing of real property in support of city projects.
Mr. Brown is the first hire of our newest department — the Real Estate Department — which will manage the city’s vast real estate holdings. The City owns and leases hundreds of properties across the city including parks, libraries, and municipal buildings. The Real Estate Department will coordinate directly with other departments on the maintenance and management of properties that they operate.
When a project requires additional land (for example, a roadway project which may require the acquisition of additional right-of-way), the Department will oversee the negotiations concerning those acquisitions.
Before coming to Garland, Mr. Brown served as the Real Property Manager for the City of Fort Worth. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Finance and a concentration in Real Estate from the University of Texas at Austin.
6. Audit Committee Meeting Report
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Ed Moore, Chair of the Audit Committee, with the assistance of staff, will present the Council with a verbal report regarding recent audits.
The results of three audits will be presented — the Weaver Presentation, the Municipal Court Compliance Program Update, and the Drug and Firearm Disposition.
The Weaver Presentation is an external audit of the City provided by Weaver tax consultant and advisory firm.
The audit focused on specific risks including:
Enterprise Funds’ revenue recognition and related receivables
Grant revenues and related receivables
Capital projects, purchasing, and compliance with bid procedures
Unrecorded liabilities
Transaction-specific data-mining over purchases
Compliance and controls related to major federal programs: - Emergency Rental Assistance (Federal) - HOME (Federal) - American Rescue Plan Act (Federal)
Weaver also tested internal controls over payroll and cash disbursements, journal entries for management override of controls, governance, and adequacy of disclosure among many other areas.
The bottom line is they issued an “Unmodified” report with no material weaknesses identified from the audit. This is the highest rating the City can receive.
The Municipal Court Compliance Program audit analyzed our Municipal Court payment plans which allow offenders to pay their court fines over a predetermined time. Out of 3,650 payment plans created over the audit period, the audit analyzed 132 plans which consisted of 376 citations and provided eight recommendations for the Court to improve its processes. Management concurred with all eight recommendations which concerned payment processes, tracking, and information security.
Finally, the Drug and Firearm Disposition audit evaluated the risks and related controls of drug and firearm disposition through our civilian staff in the Police Department’s Property & Evidence (P&E) Unit. The Internal Audit made several recommendations regarding property tracking, process efficiency and data security, destruction process and documentation, inventory analysis and reporting, and access.
ANNOUNCE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
A Council member, with a second by another member or the Mayor alone, may ask that an item be placed on a future agenda of the City Council or of a committee of the City Council. No substantive discussion of that item will take place at this time.
I have a future agenda item I will be requesting. You will have to tune into the Council Meeting at garlandtx.swagit.com to see what it is. How’s that for a teaser?
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Council will adjourn into executive session pursuant to the following Sections of the Texas Government Code.
The City Council will adjourn into executive session pursuant to Sections 551.087, 551.086, 551.089, and 551.071 of the Texas Government Code to deliberate or discuss
Economic development matters related to commercial or financial information that the City has received from one or more business prospects that the City seeks to have locate, stay, or expand in or near the territory of the City and with which the City is conducting economic development negotiations; or to deliberate the offer of a financial or other incentive to a business prospect to relocate a proposed development in the vicinity of State Hwy 190 (551.087); and attorney/client matters concerning privileged and unprivileged client information related to the same (551.071).
Security assessments or audits relating to information resources technology (551.089) and attorney/client matters concerning privileged and unprivileged client information related to the same (551.071).
Competitive matters of a public power utility related to risk management information and strategies (551.086) and attorney/client matters concerning privileged and unprivileged client information related to the same (551.071).
Potential and contemplated claims or litigation related to contractor performance and obligations under city construction contract, consultation with the City Attorney regarding a matter in which the duty of the City Attorney under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of Texas clearly conflicts with Chapter 551 of the Texas Local Government Code, and attorney/client matters concerning privileged and unprivileged client information related to same (551.071).
ADJOURN
Here’s another great bicycle groove after I’ve already used “Bicycle Ride” from Queen. It’s “Nine Million Bicycles” from Katie Melua.
So glad to hear the old Walnut Creek Branch Library building will continue to make positive contributions to society. I'll miss the times I had at that library but, I'll have to move on and accept the changes that will be hopefully better. I may not frequent libraries as much anymore but, they'll always have a special place in my heart and memories.
I remember taking my college math placement exams there when I didn't had any internet or a computer. I used to be poor back then and that library helped me a lot. They also had study guides for my SAT exam and helped me get a better score than before. In fact, that library helped me succeed in applying for college and some of my courses before I could finally get internet at my home.
My childhood times were well spent there with dvds and comics galore. One time, they had a clown performing years ago in summer which was the best part of being at the library as a kid.
I hope the children of Garland can have happy times at the new library building. I hope the food bank soon to occupy the old library building can do their noble mission in feeding the needy. I looked up Good Sam's on google maps and I understand they need the space more.
I can see nearby businesses benefiting from this relocation with such close proximity to the new building.
Sorry if this was long and personal but, public libraries as a kid in the 2000's without internet or cable was like paradise to me. Hope the books the current Walnut Creek library has will be moved to the new building. They might like the classic Disney comic books I used to enjoy as a kid if they are still in shelves.