[00:00:04] WELCOME TO THE TOWNSHIP BUDGET WORKSHOP. [1. Invocation / Pledge of Allegiance;] TODAY'S INDICATION IS BY DIRECTOR NELSON. >> LET'S PRAY. GOD, YOUR WORD SAYS EVERY GOOD AND PERFECT GIFT COMES FROM ABOVE. IT COMES FROM YOU. TODAY WE THANK YOU FOR THE GIFT OF LIFE AND THE GIFT OF LOVE AND THE GIFT OF FAMILY AND FAITH AND FRIENDSHIP. THE GIFT OF FREEDOM FROM THOSE WHO SERVE SELF-LESSLY AND SACRIFICIALLY TO PROTECT AND GUARD THE FREEDOM. WE THANK YOU FOR THEIR SACRIFICE. FOR THOSE ON THE FRONT LINE, WE THANK YOU FOR THE COMMUNITY AND FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY WHOM YOU LOVE AS YOU LOVE THE WORLD. WE PRAY FOR THE WORLD FOR THE PAIN AND HEARTACHE PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING, FOR THOSE WHO ARE GRIEVING OVER THE LOSS OF LIFE IN BEIRUT AND THOSE EXPERIENCING HEARTACHE AND HARDSHIP HERE ON OUR SOIL AS A RESULT OF THE CONFLICTS AND THE COVID CRISIS. WE PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE HURTING PHYSICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY AND EMOTIONALLY. WE ASK THAT YOU USE US, YOUR PEOPLE TO BRING LIGHT AND LIFE TO THOSE DISURGE -- DISCOURAGED. WE ASK YOU TO POUR YOUR SPIRIT OF WISDOM ON US SO WE CANDICE CERTAIN AND DECIDE YOUR WILL AND WAY FOR US IN THE WOODS LANDS. IN YOUR GREAT NAME AND THE POWER OF YOUR SPIRIT. AMEN. >> WE DO THE PLEDGES TO OUR FLAGS. PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDERGOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. OUR TEXAS FLAG. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. TEXAS, ONE STATE, UNDER GOD, ONE INDIVISIBLE. THE MEETING WAS POSTED 72 HOURS IN ADVANCE IN THE TOWNSHIP AND WAS POSTED [2. Call meeting to order;] ONLINE. WE ARE HOLDING THIS MEETING VIRTUALLY BASED ON THE LOOSENING OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT FROM GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT TO ADDRESS CONCERNS WITH COVID-19 THE PANDEMIC EMERGENCY. IT REQUIRES FOUR MEMBERS BE IN ATTENDANCE. DIRECTOR BROWN? >> HERE. >> DIRECTOR MILNER. >> HERE. >> DIRECTOR NELSON. >> HERE. >> MR. RIESER. >> DR. SEKULA-GIBBS? >> HERE. >> AND DR. SNYDER. >> HERE. >> WE NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT OUR AGENDA. [3. Receive, consider and act upon adoption of the meeting agenda;] >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR SAY I. >> I. >> WE HAVE AN AGENDA. THAT TAKES US TO PUBLIC COMMENT. [4. Public comment;* ] PUBLIC COMMENT WE UNDERSTAND HAD DIFFICULTY YESTERDAY. PHONE NUMBERS ARE POSTED WITH THE ONLINE POSTING PORT -- FOR THIS VIDEO CONFERENCING. WE WILL TAKE THE CALLS IN THE ORDER WHICH WE HAVE RECEIVED. WE WILL TAKE OUR FIRST CALLER. PLEASE LET US KNOW YOUR NAME AND WHERE ARE YOU FROM OR WHAT AREA YOU ARE FROM. >> I THINK WE HAVE FOUR CALLERS. >> GOOD MORNING. THIS IS STEVE LAKEY CALLING FROM ALDON BRIDGE. HOPE EVERYONE IS WELL TODAY. I HAVE NOT WATCHED ALL OF THE DELIBERATIONS, I WILL CONFESS. BUT I WATCHED A LOT OF THEM. PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF ANY OF MY COMMENTS ARE REDUNDANT WITH WHAT YOU ALREADY SAID. NUMBER ONE, WE FOR YEARS SMERNSED -- EXPERIENCED HIGH COLLECTION RATES ON OUR PROPERTY TAX AS IN 99.999% ET CETERA. I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE NEXT YEAR. WHO KNOWS? IT WILL PROBABLY HAVE SOME IMPACT BECAUSE OF THE COVID PANDEMIC. TO SOME EXTENT I GUESS THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN THE DELIBERATIONS AS WELL. SECOND, I SUPPORT THE BOARD'S APPROACH TO THE DELIBERATIONS SO FAR, AND YES WE DO NEED TO BE CONSERVATIVE, SAVE COSTS WHEREVER WE CAN, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. WE DO NOT NEED TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AS IF WE HAVE 0 RESERVES. WE HAVE GENEROUS RESERVES THAT WE HAVE BUILT UP OVER THE YEARS WISELY. THIS BOARD AND PREVIOUS BOARDS. SO THAT ALSO NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION, THE FACT THAT WE DO HAVE TREMENDOUS BACKSTOP. CONSERVATIVE, YES. WE DON'T NEED TO OVER DO IT. [00:05:01] BACK TO YOUR ALPHA OMEGA DELIBERATIONS IS THE ROLE IT PLAYS IN THE WOODLANDS BRAND. IT IS A DIFFERENTIATOR. WE COMPETED WITH THE SUGAR LANDS OF OUR REGION FOR JOBS. THE NEXT WILL BE ABOUT JOBS, JOBS, JOBS. HOW DO WE GET NEW ONES AND HOW DO WE KEEP THE ONES WE HAVE? THEY PLAY A ROLE DEFINITELY IN SEPARATING THE WOODLANDS FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES. MEGA THANKS TO THE STAFF FOR STUNNING WORK IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS AND THANKS VERY MUCH TO THE BOARD FOR THE DELIBERATIVE FASHION BY WHICH YOU HAVE CONDUCTED YOURSELVES SO FAR. THANKS VERY MUCH. BYE-BYE. >> THANK YOU, MR. LAKEY. WE'LL TAKE OUR NEXT CALLER. >> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. >> CAN YOU HEAR ME? THIS IS ANNA CASTILLO. GOOD MORNING, DIRECTORS. I'M GLAD TO HEAR I WAS ABLE TO GET THROUGH TODAY. THANK YOU FOR LOOKING INTO THAT SO QUICKLY. I WANTED TO SPEAK ABOUT, WHEN YOU THINK OF THE WOODLANDS WHAT DO YOU THINK OF? I THINK OF TREES. I THINK ABOUT THE WATERWAY. I THINK ABOUT THE ART SKULL -- SCULPTURES. I THINK OF THE MITCHELL PAVILION AND I THINK OF THE OWE MA GAY EUN -- OMEGA UNIFORMS. THEY ARE UNIQUE. ALPHA AND OMEGA IS AN ICONIC PART OF WHAT THE WOODLANDS IS. IT IS FOR CRIME DETERRENCE. I KNOW YOU ARE TRYING TO FUND THIS AND TRYING TO FIND MONEY TO FUND THE NEW FIRE STATION. I DON'T THINK MOVING THE ALPHA AND OMEGA SHOULD BE THE SOLUTION TO THAT. I KNOW YOU HEARD IT MENTIONED THAT A PENNY EQUALS $2.1 MILLION IN REVENUE. I'M NOT SAYING YOU HAVE TO INCREASE THE TAXES BY A PENNY, BUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT SOMEWAY TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN WITHOUT REMOVING THE SERVICES AND THE AMENITIES THAT WE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO AND WHAT WE EQUATE WITH THE WOODLANDS. OUR MOUNTED PATROLS ARE APPROACHABLE. EVEN IF THEY ARE UNDER A TREE WHICH I HAVE SEEN THEM THAT WAY, I THINK THEY BLEND WITH THE SCENERY SO THEY DON'T CALL ATTENTION TO THEMSELVES. I HAVE HEARD MANY DIRECTORS THINK ABOUT A COST EFFECTIVE MEASURE OF WHAT TO DO TO FUND ALPHA AND OMEGA. I HOPE YOU WILL CONTINUE TO TRY TO HEAD IN THAT DIRECTION. EVEN CAPTAIN HOLLYFIELD SAID FOR WHAT THEY DO, A POLICE OFFICER COULD NOT DO THE SAME SERVICE FOR THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT ALPHA AND OMEGA DOES CHARGE THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP. AS YOU SEEK TO FUND THIS BUDGET INITIATIVE, THERE IS NOT REALLY A SURVEILLANCE CAMERA. THERE IS NO I.T. OUT THERE. IT IS AN OVER LOOKED CHILD LEFT IN THE BACKSEAT OF A HOT CAR. I KNOW IT IS IN THE MOMENT AND IT IS ACTIVE AND THERE IS NO PRICE WE CAN PUT ON SAVING THAT LIFE. ALPHA AND OMEGA DO MAINTAIN OUR SAFETY IN PUBLIC PLACES. I HOPE THE DIRECTORS WILL SEARCH DEEP AND RETHINK THE BUDGET AND NOT REMOVE THIS PRICELESS, ICONIC SYMBOL OF THE WOODS -- WOODLANDS I THINK ALL ADORE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR LISTENING TODAY. >> THANK YOU, ANNA. WE WILL TAKE OUR NEXT CALLER. DO WE HAVE A CALLER ON THE LINE? >> THIS IS TOM CHUMBLEY FROM CAWKINS CROSSING. >> GO AHEAD, TOM. >> THIS IS WITH REGARD TO ALPHA AND OMEGA. I CAN'T DISAGREE WITH A LOT OF THE COMMENTS ON EITHER SIDE OF THIS ARGUMENT. HOWEVER, I DO WANT TO SAY THIS. I HAVE TALKED WITH SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE. I OBJECT SERVED THEM. I THINK IT IS A GOOD IDEA IF ALPHA AND OMEGA GET PUT ON A CHOPPING BLOCK IF PUBLICLY THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY BEING LOOKED AT AND MAYBE A DISCUSSION CAN BE HAD ABOUT WHY SO OFTEN ALPHA AND OMEGA PERSONNEL ARE ON THEIR CELL PHONES. WHEN YOU ARE SITTING ON A HORSE, YOU CAN SEE PEOPLE ON THEIR CELL PHONES FROM FAR AWAY. I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THEY NEED TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER. I TALKED WITH THEM ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST AND IT DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE AN EFFECT. BEING PUT ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK IS SOMETHING TO CONSIDER. ANOTHER THING THAT WAS SAID AT THE LAST MEETING ABOUT REDUCING ALPHA AND OMEGA [00:10:01] TIME IN THE SUMMER. ACTUALLY I USED TO BE ON THE WOODLANDS ADVISORY COUNCIL AND SOMEHOW THAT WENT AWAY. CRIME IS HIGH IN THE SUMMER AND AROUND CHRISTMASTIME. IF YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A PERIOD OF TIME -- I KNOW YOU ARE THINKING IN TERMS OF PEOPLE BEING TOO HOT OUTSIDE AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT IF THERE IS A TIME THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THEM, WE PROBABLY NEED TO HAVE THEM DURING THE SUMMERTIMES WHEN CRIME IS HIGHER. ALSO, BRIEFLY ONE TIME I WAS VISITING A CHURCH IN THE WOODLANDS AND I SPOKE TO A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. THE OFFICER WAS A CAPTAIN, PRETTY HIGH UP AND HE WAS NOT A MEMBER OF THE -- HE WASN'T ON THE STAFF HERE IN THE WOODLANDS. HE DIDN'T WORK IN THE WOODLANDS. HE WAS DOING AN EXTRA JOB. BUT I TALKED WITH HIM AND HE SAID THAT WHEN HE GOES TO ARREST A PERSON AND IF THERE IS ANY RESISTANCE WHATSOEVER, AND IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE HUMAN BODY, OFTENTIMES IF YOU GRAB SOMEONE'S ARM THEIR NATURAL REACTION IS TO PULL IT BACK. HE TOLD ME IF HE GOES TO PUT HANDCUFFS ON A PERSON AND HE FEELS RESISTANCE THAT HE RESPONDS BY HITTING THEM IN THE HEAD. I THINK THERE ARE THINGS THAT MAYBE WE CAN INTEGRATE INTO THE WAY WE DO POLICING. IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE GOTTEN AWAY FROM THAT BUSINESS EVEN THOUGH THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT BUSINESS THAT WE DO IN THE WOODLANDS. I THINK WE CAN INCENTI -- INCENTIVIZE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF PEOPLE AS WELL AS GETTING THE BAD GUYS. RIGHT NOW WE LOOK AT NUMBERS, CALL NUMBERS AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARRESTED. WHAT ARE WE DOING TO INCENTIVIZE POLICE ENCOUNTERS WHERE PEOPLE'S RIGHTS ARE UPHELD. I THINK WE CAN DO THAT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. >> THANK YOU, TOM. WE WILL TAKE OUR NEXT CALLER. >> GOOD MORNING. THIS IS MELBA LEE. HOPE YOU ARE DOING WELL. I FEEL QUALIFIED TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THE ALPHA AND OMEGA. I AM THE DIRECTOR OF THE TOWNSHIP FOR 15 YEARS TOTAL. I KNOW A LITTLE ABOUT OUR TOWNSHIP OPERATIONS AND GOVERNING. IN ADDITION I AM A PROFESSIONAL PHYSICIAN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS AND A COMMISSIONER ON THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION FOR ALL LEVELS OF STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR OUR ENTIRE STATE. I KNOW A LITTLE ABOUT THE BOARD OF PUBLIC SAFETY. WHILE I ALSO WORK IN THE WORLD OF POLITICS, I AM NOT HERE IN A POLITICAL ROLE TODAY. I HOPE ALL OF YOU WILL TAKE TO HEART MY EXPERTISE AND WILL GENUINELY LISTEN TO MY THOUGHTS AND ADVICE. THE TOWNSHIP'S ORIGINAL BUDGET CALLS FOR A SMALL INCREASE IN A AND O MOUNTED PATROL. I THINK YOU SHOULD TEACH THAT INITIAL RECOMMENDATION OR INCREASE IT. HERE IS WHY. FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WOODLANDS CONSISTENTLY CITIZENS HAVE CHOSEN PUBLIC SAFETY AS THEIR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. YOU WERE ELECTED BY THE CONSTITUENTS OF THE WOODLANDS AS PUBLIC SERVANTS. THE OPERATIVE WORD IS TO SERVE THE PEOPLE. NOT TO DICTATE OR REIN OVER THEM. LISTEN WHEN PEOPLE SEND HUNDREDS OF E-MAILS TO YOU. I KNOW IT IS NOT ALL MOUNTED PATROL, BUT A LOT OF THEM ARE. EVEN THOSE THAT ARE ON REPEAT WERE SENT BY PEOPLE WHO TOOK TIME OUT OF THEIR FAMILY LIVES AND WORK SCHEDULE TO CONTACT THEIR PUBLIC REPRESENTATIVES AND HOPING THEY WOULD BE LISTENED TO. MANY FAVOR REDUCTION IN SPENDING WHICH IS TO BE EXPECTED IN ADVERSE TIMES LIKE THIS. REDUCTIONS CAN BE MADE IN MANY PLACES. NOT SAFETY. COMMUNITY POLICING HAS BEEN A UNIQUE PART OF THE WOODLANDS. YOU KNOW THAT. IT IS COOPERATION BETWEEN THE SHERIFF, CONSTABLES, VEHICLE, BIKE PATROL, FOOT PATROL AND, YES, MOUNTED PATROL. THEY ARE VITAL. YOU CAN CALL THEM WHATEVER YOU WANT, PUT THEM IN WHATEVER LINE ITEM YOU WANT IN THE BUDGET. YOU CAN TAKE THEM OUT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN STOP THEM FROM BEING A PART OF OUR OVERALL COMMUNITY POLICING. YOU KNOW, MOUNTED PATROL CAN SEE A PERPETRATOR THAT OTHERS ARE CHASING. THAT'S HAPPENED IN OUR HISTORY. THEY CAN SEE A CRIME BEING COMMITTED PERHAPS IN THE WOODLANDS MALL PARKING LOT WHEN NO ONE ELSE IS AROUND AND THEY ARE CONNECTED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT SO THEY CAN NOTIFY THEM. IN TIMES OF PROTEST EVEN IN THE WOODLANDS THEY ASSISTED IN CROWD CONTROL LIKE NO OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY UNIT CAN DO. BUSINESSES AND FAMILIES AND WORKERS, ALL OF US DESERVE TO BE SAFE AND SECURE AS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, DIRECTORS. PLEASE DON'T MESS WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY. [00:15:02] KEEP OUR MOUNTED PATROL. THANKS FOR LISTENING. >> THANK YOU, NELDA. AND WE WILL GO TO OUR NEXT CALLER IF WE HAVE ANYMORE. >> YES. GOOD MORNING. THIS IS MARK FROM COPUS CROSSING. I WANT TO STRAIGHTEN OUT SOMETHING I MAY HAVE CONFUSED THE OTHER DAY WHEN I ASKED Y'ALL TO LOOK AT OPTIONS. IT APPEAR THAT'S SOME PEOPLE SEEM TO THINK THAT LOOK AT OPTIONS FOR THE MOUNTED PATROLS SEEMS TO MEAN THAT PEOPLE DON'T CARE ABOUT SAFETY. I HEARD THAT A COUPLE TIMES THIS MORNING ALREADY. I THINK IN MANY AREAS AND IN MANY COMMUNITIES YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH SAFETY WITHOUT MOUNTED PATROLS. AND THAT IS PROVEN BY THE FACT THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THEM IN MOST PLACES. WHEN I AM TALKING ABOUT LOOKING AT OPTIONS, I AM LOOKING AT OTHER WAYS TO ACCOMPLISH THE SAFETY GOAL AND NOT TO ABANDON THE SAFETY GOAL. A GREAT EXAMPLE IS A LOOK AT MONUMENTS THE OTHER DAY. SOMEBODY SUGGESTED IT COULD BE VARIOUS SIZES. IT COULD BE SMALL, NEED -- MEDIUM OR LARGE. NO ONE SUGGESTED IF WE DIDN'T INSTALL THE BIGGEST, LARGEST, MOST EXPENSIVE OPTION THEN Y'ALL DON'T CARE ABOUT THE WOODLANDS IDENTITY OR IDENTIFYING THE ENTRANCE. YOU DIDN'T SAY THAT AT ALL. YOU TOOK IT AS AN OPTION AND WE CAN LOOK AT DIFFERENT WAYS OF DOING THINGS. AND THAT'S WHAT MAINLY I AM ASKING Y'ALL TO DO. I UNDERSTAND IT IS UNIQUE. I UNDERSTAND IT IS HISTORIC AND WE HAVE HAD IT FOR MANY YEARS. I CAN REMEMBER MY GRANDFATHER TELLING ME ABOUT HIS DAD WHO USED TO PICK UP TRASH IN ANOTHER CITY ON A HORSE DRAWN CART. WE DON'T DO THAT ANYMORE. WE DON'T QUA WASTE MANAGEMENT TO -- WE DON'T ASK WASTE MANAGEMENT TO DRIVE AROUND ON HORSE DRAWN CARTS. IT IS A GREAT PURPOSE. IT IS GREAT FOR PEDESTRIAN CROWD CONTROL. FANTASTIC. WHAT I AM SAYING IS IT IS NOT NECESSARILY THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB. THE JOB OF SAFETY AND THE JOB OF VISITOR INTERACTION. THERE MAY BE OTHER OPTION THAT'S WE CAN LOOK AT. I UNDERSTAND AS PART OF OUR IDENTITY, BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IF THAT'S OUR IDENTITY, THEN IT IS LIMITED TO A VERY TINY AREA OF THE WOODLANDS. I CAN DRIVE 98% OF THE ROADS IN THE WOODLANDS AND NEVER COME ACROSS A MOUNTED PATROL. IF IT IS OUR IDENTITY WE ARE DOING A TERRIBLE JOB IN VISIT THE WOODLANDS BROCHURES OR DEMONSTRATING THAT IDENTITY TO THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY. I ASK YOU TO GO BACK TO THE GOALS, THE GOALS OF SAFETY AND THE GOALS OF VISITOR INTERACTION, HAVING A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE, AND LOOK FOR THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THAT AND MAYBE A PILOT TEST WITH ALTERNATIVES IS A GOOD SOLUTION. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MARK. AND WE WILL GO TO OUR NEXT CALLER IF WE HAVE ANY. >> THAT'S ALL THE PUBLIC CALLERS WE HAVE. >> ALL RIGHT. WITH NO ADDITIONAL CALLERS WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND MOVE TO THE SCRIPT HERE. AGENDA ITEM 5 AND THIS WILL BE BRINGING BACK -- WE HAVE ALREADY APPROVED AGENDA ITEM 5, BASE BUDGET. MONIQUE, DO WE NEED TO CONSIDER ACTIONS WITH AGENDA ITEM 5, DON'T WE? >> AGENDA ITEM 5 WAS THE NO NEW TAX RATE AND VOTER APPROVAL RATE SO WE ARE DONE WITH THAT. >> DONE WITH THAT ONE. OKAY. JUST FOR THE BOARD'S PLEASURE A LOT OF THESE AGENDAS WERE CRAFTED PRIOR TO ALL OF OUR MEETINGS, SO SOMETIMES THINGS ARE REPEATED THAT WE DON'T NEED TO ADDRESS. [6. Receive and consider Budget Initiatives related to the 2021 Preliminary Budget and Five-Year Plan;] AGENDA ITEM 6 WAS BUDGET INITIATIVES. AND THE IMPACT OF THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET AND FIVE-YEAR PLAN. MAYBE THIS IS WHERE WE START. [00:20:01] >> YES, SIR. >> PERFECT. MONIQUE. >> LET ME ASK YOU FIRST, I HAVE A PRESENTATION TO SHOW WHERE WE -- AFTER THE IMPROVEMENTS MADE AND ADJUSTMENTS MADE YESTERDAY AND WE CAN GO THROUGH THOSE OR THE ITEM NUMBER SIX IS REALLY RELATED TO CONTINUING TO CONSIDER BUDGET INITIATIVES AND I THINK YOU STILL HAD A FEW THAT WE ARE GOING TO BRING BACK TODAY, THE MOBILE SURVEILLANCE TOWER AND THE DISCUSSION OF MOUNTED PATROL. >> YEAH, I THINK THE IDEA IS WE WOULD START OFF WITH SHOWING US WHERE WE ARE AT NOW BASED ON THE THINGS WE HAVE ALREADY APPROVED AND THEN GOING INTO THE REMAINING INITIATIVES. >> GREAT. I WILL DO THAT. LET ME PULL THAT UP REAL QUICK. OKAY. SO THIS IS A LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE AFTER THE BUDGET INITIATIVES THAT WERE APPROVED YESTERDAY BY THE BOARD. SO THE FIRST COLUMN IN BROWN WITH THE NUMBERS HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW IS WHERE WE STARTED OUT IN THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET, AND THEN AFTER THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT WERE MADE, THAT IS WHAT IS BEING SHOWN IN THE GREEN. SO IN TERMS OF YOUR 2020 UNDESIGNATED FUND BALANCE, YOU WILL RECALL THE $2.2 MILLION NUMBER, IT IS NOW $1276. THAT'S AFTER THE ADJUSTMENTS RELATED TO OUR COVID RESPONSE WERE TAKEN OUT OF THERE. TO THE EXTENT WE GET REIMBURSED FOR THOSE EXPENSES RELATED TO COVID THAT NUMBER WILL GO BACK UP AND WE WILL RESTORE THAT BALANCE. AND THEN IN 2021 THE ORIGINAL UNDESIGNATED FUND BALANCE WAS $1.73 MILLION AND AFTER THE ADJUSTMENTS IT IS $1.005 MILLION. >> CHAIRMAN AND MONIQUE, DOES THIS FUND BALANCE REFLECT ALL REVENUE, OR JUST PROPERTY TAX REVENUE? I THINK IT IS ALL, BUT COULD YOU VERIFY? >> IT IS ALL. THIS IS INCLUSIVE OF EVERY REVENUE EXPENDITURE IN OUR BUDGET. >> THANK YOU. >> AND IT IS ALSO ALL PROJECTED. SO EVEN THE 2020 PROJECTED UNDESIGNATED FUND BALANCE IS OUR BEST GUESS AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME. >> THAT'S CORRECT. >> I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. >> I BELIEVE THE PROPER PHRASE IS SQUISHY. >> YES, SIR. THAT IS WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO. CHAIRMAN, WOULD YOU LIKE FOR ME TO GO THROUGH THE REST OF THE PRESENTATION NOW? >> I THINK THAT IS HELPFUL. WE TALKED ABOUT YESTERDAY THAT THIS VIEW POINT MAKES THINGS LOOK REALLY GOOD, BUT I WANTED MONIQUE TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT IS HIDING BEHIND ALL OF THIS THAT WE NEED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT. IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, MONIQUE, I THINK IT IS HELPFUL. >> SURE. I WOULD BE GLAD TO. THIS IS ACTUALLY THE SAME THING. I JUST MADE IT LESS BUSY. THIS IS A SNAP SHOT OF WHERE WE ARE WITH UNDESIGNATED FUNDS AT THIS MOMENT. YOU CAN SEE THROUGH THE YEAR 2023 BASED ON CURRENT PROJECTIONS WE HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET AND THEN IN 24 AND 25 WE HAVE A SLIGHTLY UNFAVORABLE BUDGET BALANCE THERE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT OFTEN DURING THIS PROCESS IS SOME OF THE PRESSURES THAT WE MAY HAVE IN THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN AS WE GO OUT AS CHAIRMAN BUNCH JUST SAID. THE NUMBERS RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF OUR BUDGE EXPET FIVE-YEAR -- BUDGET AND FIVE-YEAR PLAN LOOK GOOD. THAT'S OUR JOB EVERY YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT IS BALANCED AND SUSTAINABLE. WE DO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE BOARD AND EVERYONE IS AWARE OF THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN. THESE ARE SOME OF OUR LARGEST INCREASES IN OUR BUDGET EACH YEAR. THESE ARE -- AND IN GENERAL OUR EXPENSES, WE HAVE AN INFLATION FACTOR BUILT INTO THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN ASSUMPTIONS OF AROUND 2%. SOME EXPENSES DON'T TEND TO INCREASE AT ALL. SOME EXPENSES INCREASE LARGER THAN THE 2%. IT IS SORT OF IN A LOT OF WAYS AVERAGES OUT. THESE ARE CRITICAL EXPENSES RIGHT HERE IN TERMS OF SOME OF OUR CONTRACTUAL [00:25:04] OBLIGATIONS AND OUR PUBLIC SAFETY OBLIGATIONS. AND THIS IS REALLY WHAT'S DRIVING THE YEAR OVER YEAR EXPENSE INCREASES IN OUR BUDGET AND FIVE-YEAR PLAN. SO THE SOLID WASTE CONTRACT, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT. WE HAVE A 3.5% ESCALATOR EACH YEAR IN THAT CONTRACT. YOU CAN SEE THERE WHAT THAT EQUATES TO. WHEN YOU TAKE ALL OF OUR CONTRACTED PARK AND PATHWAY CONTRACTS TOGETHER, SO THIS IS GOING TO INCLUDE OUR PARK AND PATHWAYS AND OUR LAKES. THE STREETSCAPE MAINTENANCE IS IN THERE AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ESCALATORS IN THERE, YOU CAN SEE A LARGE JUMP IN 2023 FOR PARK AND PATHWAY AND YOU CAN SEE IT GOES FROM 195 TO 501. WE ARE ANTS -- ANTICIPATING A $300,000 INCREASE RELATED TO WATERWAY MAINTENANCE. THAT'S WHAT THAT NUMBER IS REFLECTING. >> IS THERE A REASON IT DROPS IN 24 AND 25? >> IT IS THE ANNUAL INCREASES. IT IS NOT CUMULATIVE. THAT'S JUST A ONE-YEAR HIT. >> AND THEN AS A REMINDER IN 2023 THE TOWNSHIP ASSUMES THE WATERWAY WHERE TODAY IT IS STILL CONTROLLED BY THE COMPANY. >> AS WE ASSUME THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND THE COST THAT'S WHAT IS REFLECTED THERE. AND THE NEXT LINE IS THE INCREASE IN THE STREETSCAP MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS. CONTRACTED LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES, THIS IS IN GENERAL. WHAT WE HAVE SEEN HISTORICALLY IN TERMS OF INCREASES NORMALLY AROUND 3% A YEAR. FIRE DEPARTMENT FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT TYPICALLY OUT PACED NORMAL INFLATION PROJECTIONS. SO TYPICALLY WE SEE ABOUT 125,000 INCREASE THERE. THE INCREASE IN SALARIES AND BENEFITS BASED ON THE COMPENSATION PLAN IS FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. YOU CAN SEE THE COST THERE AND THEN THE GENERAL EMPLOYEES ARE LISTED BELOW. IN TOTAL EACH YEAR JUST TO DEAL WITH THESE EXPENSES WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT ANY OF THE OTHER EXPENSES WE ARE LOOKING AT ANNUAL INCREASES OF ANYWHERE FROM $1.9 MILLION AND THEN GOING TO ABOUT $2.1 MILLION IN THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN. >> MONIQUE, WHAT WE ARE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT HERE, THIS IS CUMULATIVE. THIS IS 1.9 THE FIRST YEAR AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL 2.3 AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL 2.1 AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL 2.1. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A $10 MILLION INCREASE IN OUR BASE BUDGET BETWEEN NOW AND 2025. >> YES, SIR, YOU ARE CORRECT. WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT HERE IS ANNUAL INCREASES. >> WOW. >> AND THEN WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE FUND THESE WHICH IS FOR US PROPERTY TAX AND SALES TAX. SALES TAX WE HAVE BUILT INTO THE BUDGET A 2% ANNUAL GROWTH AND THAT EQUATES TO ABOUT 1.1 MILLION A YEAR IF WE ACHIEVE THAT 2% GROWTH. AND OBVIOUSLY THE REST OF THESE INCREASES ARE SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE COVERED BY ANOTHER REVENUE SOURCE OR THE CORRESPONDING CONSENSUS. THIS IS STARTING TO LOOK AT, AT CHAIRMAN BUNCH SAID, IF WE GOT BACK TO A LITTLE MORE NORMAL BASIS, WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS ABOUT HOW WE ARE PROPPED UP IN THE CARES ACT FUNDING. IN THE -- AT LEAST THROUGH 2023. WE HAVE CONTRACT REVENUE FROM DEVELOPER AGREEMENTS AT 600,000 A YEAR, BUT THOSE AREN'T GUARANTEED CONTRACT REVENUES. WE ARE HOPEFUL WE CAN MAINTAIN THOSE THROUGH 2025, BUT IT IS NOT A GUARANTEE. ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANTED TO LOOK AT IS IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THOSE LIMITED REVENUE SOURCES HELPING SUPPORT THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN WHAT WOULD OUR BALANCES LOOK LIKE? AND THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE SEEING REFLECTED IN SORT OF THE PEACH COLOR NUMBER THERE. >> I WOULD ALMOST CLASSIFY THIS AS THIS TIME LAST YEAR WHEN OUR BUDGET WAS PASSED, THE PEACH IS REALLY WHAT WE HAD BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE AN ABATEMENT RECAPTURE AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AND DIDN'T HAVE CARES ACT SUBSIDIZING OUR TROLLEY FUNDS. HAD THOSE THINGS NOT OCCURRED, THIS PEACH NEGATIVE BUDGET AND EVERY OUT YEAR IS WHAT WE WOULD BE DEALING WITH. I KNOW IT LOOKS GOOD BECAUSE WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE SOME OF THESE THINGS COME IN, BUT MY CONVERSATIONS OVER THE LAST COUPLE DAYS TALKING ABOUT OUR BASE [00:30:05] BUDGET NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT AS WELL IS BECAUSE BUT FOR THIS FORTUITOUS FUNDING, WE WOULD BE DOING SOME SIGNIFICANT BASE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, AND I KNOW WE HAVEN'T REALLY GOTTEN TO THAT AT THIS POINT, BUT I WANTED EVERYBODY TO SEE THAT BEHIND WHAT LOOKS GOOD IS SOME THINGS THAT ARE NOT SO GOOD, AND YOU CAN'T COUNT ON LUCK IN THE OUT YEARS. WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY WAS CLEAR ABOUT THAT. >> THE OTHER THING THAT NEEDS TO BE POINTED OUT IS YOU ARE LOOKING AT MINUS $1.8 MILLION, BUT THAT'S AFTER WE TOOK OUT 5% OF OUR OPERATING COSTS AND DEFERRED OR -- YOU KNOW, A BUNCH OF CAPITAL EXPENDITURES AS WELL. ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT A MUCH, MUCH BIGGER DEFICIT THAN THAT THIS YEAR IF WE HAD NOT TAKEN PREEMPTIVE ACTIONS. WE CAN PASS THESE BASE BUDGETS, BUT IT IS GOING TO BE -- IT IS GONNA BECOME APPARENT THAT WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE BASE BUDGET LINE ITEMS. YOU OVER LAY THAT WITH THE -- OKAY, SO WE ARE PROJECTING A MILLION DOLLAR INCREASE IN SALES TAX EVERY YEAR AND A MAXIMUM WE CAN COUNT ON IN THE CURRENT AREA IF WE TOOK OUR TAX RATE TO THE MAXIMUM ROLL BACK RATE EVERY YEAR IS ANOTHER ABOUT 1.6 OR $7 MILLION. IT IS GOING TO BE TIGHT. IF WE CONTINUE TO OPERATE ON THE PREMISE THAT WE WILL OPERATE AT THE EFFECTIVE TAX RATE, IT PAINTS A BLEAK SCENARIO IN THE ODD YEARS. >> I ASKED MONIQUE TO SHOW US THOSE VIEW POINTS. >> YES. THE NEXT SLIDE TAKES THE BROWN OR BEIGE COLOR IS WHAT OUR FIVE-YEAR PLAN WOULD LOOK LIKE IF WE CONTINUED TO ASSUME THE EFFECTIVE TAX RATE INSTEAD OF USING PROPERTY TAX GROWTH TO BALANCE THE BUDGET. ONE REASON WE ARE SHOWING IT THIS WAY IS BECAUSE THAT HAS BEEN THE TREND FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO AS A GOAL TO USE THE EFFECTIVE TAX RATE. AND SECONDLY AS WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS OUR GROWTH IN TAX REVENUE HAS BEEN VERY SMALL. IT HAS REALLY SHRINKING FROM WHERE WE WERE THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO IN TERMS OF REEVALUATION. WE ARE NOT GENERATING A LOT OF ADDITIONAL REVENUE GROWTH. IF WE ASSUME WE ARE NOT RELYING ON PROPERTY TAX GROWTH TO BALANCE OUR BUDGET THESE NUMBERS HIGHLIGHTED IN BEIGE IS WHERE WE WOULD BE. AND THEN WHAT WE WANTED TO LOOK AT THAT DIRECTOR REISER WAS SAYING, IF WE WANT TO BALANCE THE BUDGET WITHOUT CORRESPONDING DECREASES IN EXPENSES OR WIND FALL IN REVENUES FROM THE SALES TAX FORCE WE WOULD NEED -- ONE OF THE OPTIONS THAT THE BOARD WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER IS RAISING THE TAX RATE, THE PROPERTY TAX RATE TO THE MAXIMUM 3.5% INCREASE. WHAT THIS IS SHOWING IS EVEN IF WE DID THAT FOR YEARS 24 AND 2025 WE WOULD NOT HAVE ACHIEVED THE BALANCED BUDGET IN THE OUT YEARS. THAT'S WHAT THE NUMBERS HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW SHOW. AND THEN THE FINAL SLIDE. AND SO WE WOULD LOOK AS EARLY AS YEAR 2023 TO START MAKING THAT ADJUSTMENT TO RAISING TO THE MAXIMUM. WE WOULD STILL BE A LITTLE NEGATIVE FOR 2023, BUT THEN WE WOULD GET BALANCED IN 24 AND 25. SO EVEN THOUGH OUR CURRENT YEAR BUDGET AND THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN DOES LOOK GOOD WE HAVE THESE PRESSURES IN OUR FIVE-YEAR PLAN AS WE MOVE FORWARD. >> 8 APPRECIATE YOU -- APPRECIATE YOU ILLUSTRATING WHAT I WAS TRYING TO TALK ABOUT AND WHAT IS STUCK IN MY HEAD. WHAT THIS BASICALLY TELLS YOU IS AT SOME POINT IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE EVERY FUTURE BOARD WILL HAVE TO COMMIT TO ADOPTING A MAXIMUM TAX INCREASE RATE OR GO TO A BALLOT INITIATIVE VOTER APPROVAL FOR COVERING BASE BUDGET ITEMS. [00:35:07] HISTORICALLY THAT HASN'T BEEN OUR TAX RATE. IT IS NEAR THE EFFECTIVE RATE OR BELOW THE EFFECTIVE RATE. AND, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE DIALOGUE WE HAVE HAD ABOUT VARIOUS SERVICES AND HOW DO WE RESTRUCTURE SERVICES THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED AND MAINTAINING THE GOAL ASSIGNED TO THAT PARTICULAR SERVICE THIS IS PART OF THAT EQUATION. CAN WE DO THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THAT TAKES THE PRESSURE OFF THESE BASE BUDGET THINGS. AND IT IS ALL CUMULATIVE. IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT SALES TAX GROWTH AT 2% AS ASSUMED YOU ARE LOOKING AT GROWING 2% AND COMPOUNDING ANOTHER 2% AND COMPOUNDING ANOTHER 2%. AT SOME POINT IN TIME THE SALES TAX PROJECTION IS A SIGNIFICANTLY LARGE NUMBER THAT MAY NOT BE REALIZED BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE SPABDING -- EXPANDING BOUNDARIES AND YOU ARE BANKING ON INFLATION AND WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING INTO A DEFLATION PERIOD OF TIME. THERE IS A LOT OF RISK TO THE OUT YEARS WITH THE CURRENT BASE BUDGET. AND I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT ASKING THE BUDGET TASK FORCE TO REMAIN ENGAGED POST THESE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO WORK ON WAYS WE CAN GET AHEAD OF THESE FUTURE ISSUES. IT IS NOT A CURRENT BUDGET ISSUE. IT IS A THING WE HAVE TO CONSIDER WHEN WE ARE ADOPTING OUR CURRENT BUDGET. ANYTHING WE DON'T ADDRESS IN THIS CURRENT BUDGET IS KICKING THE CAN TO THE NEXT BUDGET. EVEN THOUGH WE ARE PROPPED UP RIGHT NOW, AND THOSE ITEMS BELOW, YOU KNOW, THE 600,000 GOES AWAY IN 2023. IN 2024 YOU CAN'T RELY ON THAT AGREEMENT. THAT CONTRACT DOESN'T EXIST BEYOND 2023. WE KNOW THE CARES ACT FUNDING WAS A WIND FALL THAT NOBODY COULD HAVE FORESEEN. WE LOOK GOOD ON ACCIDENT OR SOME INTENTIONAL ACTIONS. AN AGREEMENT WAS NEGOTIATED AND THE ABATEMENT RECAPTURE WAS NEGOTIATED. THOSE TWO ITEMS WERE INTENTIONAL ACTS WE DID AS A BOARD, BUT THE TROLLEY CARES ACT FUNDING WE WOULD BE MAKING DIFFERENT DECISIONS. >> HONESTLY, GORDY, THIS TOWNSHIP HAS BEEN BLESSED OVER ITS ENTIRE EXISTENCE WITH RAPIDLY INCREASING TAX BASE WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY AS WE REACH RESIDENTIAL BUILDOUT, AND YES WE STILL HAVE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TO BE DEVELOPED. WE'LL GET SOME INCREMENTAL INCREASES IN THE REVENUE. WE ARE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, FROM A STANDPOINT OF, WELL, THE BASE BUDGET EVERY YEAR GOES UP 2.5%. BASE BUDGET GOES UP 2.5%. WE WILL HAVE TO START -- AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THINGS WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HAVE IN THE BUDGET. WE WILL HAVE TO CHANGE THE FOCUS DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS TO IF YOU WANT THIS, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO CUT TO GET IT? YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO -- WITH BUDGET INITIATIVES, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO COME WITH PROPOSED CUTS IN OTHER AREAS IN ORDER TO FUND SOME OF THESE THINGS. AND I DON'T KNOW -- THE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT WE DON'T TALK ABOUT IS GOING BEYOND THE ROLL BACK RATE REQUIRES PUBLIC REFERENDUM. IT DOESN'T MEAN -- YOU CAN BASE YOUR BUDGET ON THIS REFERENDUM NUMBER, BUT IF IT DOESN'T PASS, YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE EFFECTIVE RATE AGAIN. NOW YOU CREATED A HUGE HOLE IN THE BUDGET AND YOU HAVE TO COLLECT THOSE REVENUES YOURSELF WHICH WE ARE NOT REALLY IN POSITION TO DO. AND MR. LEE POINTED OUT EARLIER ABOUT COLLECTIONS. WE ACTUALLY DOUBLED THE AMOUNT OF MONEY -- MORE THAN DOUBLED THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE EXPECT NOT TO BE COLLECTED IN THE PROPERTY TAXES THIS YEAR IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. THERE IS AN AWFUL LOT OF FACTORS -- THIS IS NOT EMOTION. THIS IS DOLLARS AND CENTS. THIS IS FACT. WE GET EMOTIONAL ABOUT THINGS WE WANT TO DO, AND THAT'S GREAT. EVENTUALLY WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO PAY FOR IT. WE'RE RAPIDLY APPROACHING THE POINT WHERE WE WILL HAVE A TRAIN WRECK. I KNOW MONIQUE CAN VERIFY THAT THE TIERS THING I SAID WHEN -- THE FIRST THING I SAID WHEN WE SET UP THE TASK FORCE IS WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO ADJUST OUR THINKING ON HOW WE PUT TOGETHER OUR BASE BUDGET EVERY YEAR. I THINK ALL OF THE SENIOR STAFF AGREED WITH THAT. [00:40:01] GOOD NEWS IS THEY ARE ON BOARD WITH THIS TOO, GORDY. >> NO DOUBT. AND I THINK THAT THIS PRESENTATION WAS REALLY TRYING TO SET THE FOUNDATION FOR, I THINK WE WILL END UP GETTING THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS TODAY, BUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS A BOARD IS COMMIT TO CONTINUOUSLY WORKING ON THESE ISSUES. THE BOARD AT ANYTIME CAN ADJUST ITS OWN BUDGET. IT CAN REACT TO REALTIME TRENDS AND START WORKING TOWARD -- IT IS NOT ALWAYS ABOUT CUT. IT IS ABOUT HOW CAN WE DELIVER SERVICES DIFFERENTLY? SOME OF THOSE SERVICE DELIVERY OPTIONS ARE CHANGES THAT CAN BE MORE COST-EFFICIENT. IT IS ABOUT HOW DO WE PROVIDE CERTAINTY AND SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE HIGH LEVEL OF SERVICES AND SAFETY THAT WE PROVIDE FOR THE COMMUNITY? IT IS GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE MORE EFFORT WITH THESE HEAD WINDS. >> THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO PUT IT, GORDY. IT IS NOT NECESSARILY A CUT. WE JUST HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY WE DO THINGS IN ORDER TO MAKE US MORE COST EFFECTIVE. WE NEED TO LOOK AT EVERY AREA TO JUDGE THE EFFICACY. IT MAKES SENSE TO LOOK AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY. I GET WE HAVE ICONIC SYMBOLS OF THE WOODLANDS. A LOT OF CRUISERS WERE ICONIC SYMBOLS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. THEY WEREN'T SUSTAINABLE. WE HAD TO TAKE THEM OUT OF THE WATER. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THINGS -- IN THE FULL LIGHT OF DAY, WE CAN'T JUST SAY, WELL, WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE IT THIS WAY. FRANKLY SOMEBODY SAYS THIS IS THE WAY WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE IT, THAT'S A PRETTY POOR REASON FOR CONTINUING TO DO SO IF YOU CAN'T REALLY JUSTIFY. I AM NOT SPEAKING ABOUT ANY PARTICULAR ITEM HERE. I AM JUST SAYING THAT'S A GENERAL WAY OF THINKING AS WE GO FORWARD. >> OKAY. WELL, MONIQUE, I THINK THAT COVERS THE -- WHERE WE ARE AT TODAY BASED ON THE DECISIONS WE MADE THROUGH TODAY. WE DO HAVE THE ALPHA AND OMEGA DISCUSSION WE NEED TO GET TO. I KNOW THAT EACH OF THE DIRECTORS AT -- HAD VARIOUS COMMENTS AND DISCUSSIONS AND IDEAS. THE STAFF DID GO OUT AND SAY, OKAY, HERE ARE SOME ALTERNATIVE SERVICES WE CAN ENTERTAIN TO PROVIDE SAME AND SIMILAR-TYPE SAFETY IN THAT TOWN CENTER AREA. AND WE ARE ALSO GOING TO HAVE TO DISCUSS OTHER ALTERNATIVES THAT THE BOARD DIRECTOR HAS AS IDEAS. DO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR THAT PIECE? >> I DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS A POWER POINT, BUT IN TERMS OF THE ALPHA AND OMEGA DISCUSSION, I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS PRESIDENT NORELL OR JOHN POWER THAT'S IS GOING TO INTRODUCE THAT TOPIC. >> OKAY. >> IF I COULD START OUT HERE, AND THEN WE CAN -- I BELIEVE WE HAVE SOME INFORMATION, AND THEN I THINK WE CAN -- WE HAVE A PRESENTATION ON SOME COSTS THAT WE CAN PRESENT IF THAT'S RELEVANT. THE QUESTION, CHAIRMAN BUNCH, YOU ASKED ABOUT YESTERDAY IS THAT YOU HAD ASKED STAFF TO LOOK AT CERTAIN COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY ALTERNATIVES TO A AND O. AND WHAT WE HAVE PULLED TOGETHER IS LOOKING AT FIRST OF ALL WITH THE A AND O YOU HAVE A TROOPER COST OF $48, ABOUT $48.20 PER HOUR RIGHT NOW. AND WHAT THAT IS, IT IS A COST OF ACTUAL HOURS THAT THEY WORK. IT IS ALSO INCLUDING THE HORSE TRANSPORTATION. IT IS THE TOTAL COST OF HAVING THAT PERSON THERE FOR AN HOUR. WE LOOKED AT -- ALSO YOU ASKED ABOUT THE COST OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, COMPARATIVE COSTS. OUR COST OF A DEPUTY IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY IS APPROXIMATELY $97,000 PER YEAR. THAT'S A GROSSED UP FIGURE. THAT'S BENEFITS AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PERSONNEL. IT DOES NOT INCLUDE A VEHICLE. AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TYPICALLY WITH EACH OFFICER OR EACH DEPUTY, WE HAVE, AT LEAST IN MOST OF OUR PROGRAMS, PROVIDED A VEHICLE. THAT VEHICLE COST BY THE TIME WE ACTUALLY LOAD UP A VEHICLE IS PROBABLY IN THE 50 TO $55,000 RANGE BY THE TIME WE GET THE EQUIPMENT ON THE VEHICLE. [00:45:05] THE VEHICLE WILL LAST ABOUT FIVE YEARS. THAT'S TYPICALLY WHAT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED. AGAIN, THAT COST OF 97,000, AS YOU LOOK AT IT I KNOW THAT ON A COMPARATIVE BASIS WE ALWAYS WANT TO LOOK AT WHAT THE COST PER HOUR WOULD BE SAY A AND O TO A SHERIFF DEPUTY. A SHERIFF DEPUTY IF YOU TAKE OUT THE ACTUAL PRODUCTIVE -- OR LOOK AT JUST PRODUCTIVE TIME AND TAKE OUT VACATION AND SICK LEAVE, ET CETERA, YOU ARE PROBABLY LOOKING IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT $53 AN HOUR GENERALLY IN THAT RANGE. AGAIN THAT WOULD COMPARE WITH $48.20 FOR A AND O. AND THEN CHAIRMAN BUNCH ASKED ABOUT THE COST OF A PARK RANGER. A PARK RANGER, AGAIN, I GROSSED UP IN THE SAME WAY WITH SALARY, BENEFITS AND EVERYTHING IS ABOUT $22.50 PER HOUR. THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE A VEHICLE WITH THAT SERVICE. WE DOUGH HAVE -- MR. POWERS HAS PUT TOGETHER A CHART SHOWING A SCENARIO OF IF WE TAKE OUT OUR -- SAY IF YOU CHANGE A AND O TO PARK RANGERS AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE -- I BELIEVE OUR A AND O CONTRACT IS 606 HOURS PER WEEK. WE TOOK A PORTION OF THAT AND CONVERTED IT TO A PARK RANGER PROGRAM. WE HAD THREE DIFFERENT OPTIONS LAID OUT IN A CHART AND WE CAN PULL THAT UP AND GO THROUGH THAT IF YOU WOULD LIKE. AGAIN, I'M TRYING TO DETERMINE WHAT DIRECTION THE BOARD WANTS TO GO AND THAT'S WHY I AM RAMBLING WITH THE NUMBERS HERE. I LOOK TO YOUR DIRECTION AS TO WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE. >> I THINK THE REASON I ASKED YOU TO PUT THOSE TOGETHER IS SEVERAL DIRECTORS MADE DIFFERENT COMMENTS ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE. I THINK IT IS HELPFUL FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND, OKAY, WHAT ARE THE COST ALTERNATIVES? AND THERE IS A DISTINCT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT A LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN ACTUALLY DO VERSUS WHAT A PARK RANGER OR AN A AND O MOUNTED PATROL PERSON CAN DO. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IS DEBATING THE EFFICACY OF THE MOUNTED PATROL FOR CROWD CONTROL. THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE FOR THAT. THEY ARE THE ONLY AND BEST SOLUTION FOR THAT. THERE ARE OTHER TECHNOLOGY THINGS YOU CAN DO, BUT THE PHYSICAL HORSE PRESENCE IS DEFINITIVELY THE GO TO STANDARD FOR CROWD CONTROL. IT IS REALLY ABOUT SOME OF THESE DAY-TO-DAY AREA THAT'S MAY HAVE -- YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WANTS SAFETY AND DETERRENCE. A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER CAN PROVIDE THAT. A PARK RANGER CAN PROVIDE PRESENCE. WHEN I TALKED TO CAPTAIN HOLLYFIELD HE SAID HE UNDERSTOOD BECAUSE OF THE REVENUE CAPS WE WILL ALL BE LIVING UNDER AND THE ISSUES THAT COME OUT OF JUST BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS, THE AREA AROUND TOWN CENTER, MARKET STREET, THOSE ARE THE MOST IMPACTFUL FOR ALPHA AND OMEGA. IT IS ALSO HIGHLY AROUND THOSE CONCERTS AND MARATHONS AND IRONMAN AND ART FESTIVALS, AT THOSE PEAK UTILIZATION OF THOSE TOWN CENTER AREAS WHERE THEY HAVE THE HIGHEST VALUE. ANYWAYS, I THINK WHAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IS HEARING FROM THE DIRECTORS WHAT DIRECTION THEY WANT TO GO INTO AND THEN START LOOKING AT, OKAY, HOW DO WE BLEND THESE THINGS TOGETHER? THERE IS ONE ALTERNATIVE WHICH IS WE HAVE -- WE KNOW WHAT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT HOURLY COST IS AND WE KNOW WHAT THE RANGER COST IS AND WE KNOW WHERE THEY ARE PATROLLING AND WHERE WE MOVED THEM AROUND DURING THE PANDEMIC AND REDUCED HOURS. THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO APPROACH IT. WE COULD LEAVE THE MONEY IN THE BASE BUDGET AND SET IT FOR FUTURE BOARD AGENDAS TO PROVIDE TIME FOR A MORE THOUGHTFUL OUTLINE OF WHERE DO WE CONCENTRATE ALPHA AND OMEGA, WHERE DO WE SUPPLEMENT WITH ALTERNATIVES? [00:50:01] IT IS UP TO THE BOARD TO GIVE US FEEDBACK ON WHICH DIRECTION THEY WANT TO GO. >> CHAIRMAN BUNCH, IF I MAY, I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT WE HAVE SPENT THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS ON TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT I FEEL IS, AS YOU ALL KNOW, VERY IMPORTANT. I ALSO FIND IT INTERESTING THAT WHEN I ASK WHO MULTIPLE DIRECTORS ASKED TO HAVE THE ELIMINATION OF REDUCTION OF ALPHA AND OMEGA, OTHER THAN YOU WHO SAID THAT YOU DID NOT REQUEST THIS, THAT NO ONE SPOKE UP. I FIND THAT VERY INTERESTING. BUT I REALLY FEEL -- WE ARE STILL DISCUSSING IT EVEN THOUGH NO ONE HAS SAID THAT THEY PUT IT ON THE INITIATIVE. I FEEL IN TIMES LIKE THESE, ESPECIALLY DURING NOT ONLY THE CLOUD OF UNCERTAINTY, BUT ALSO IN THE CHAOS THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN MANY, MANY PLACES THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT IS OUR PRIMARY CONCERN. SAFETY IS OUR PRIMARY CONCERN. WE DON'T SUBSTITUTE ONE FOR THE OTHER. WHY NOT -- IF ANYTHING I FEEL THAT WE SHOULD -- IF CAMERAS ARE SOMETHING THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT, THEN WE SHOULD DO BOTH. OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN -- SINCE I HAVE RUN FOR THE BOARD IS LAW ENFORCEMENT, IS SAFETY. I FEEL THAT OUR PEOPLE DESERVE WHAT WE HAVE PROMISED AND WE CAN GO AHEAD AND PUT THEM IN COMMUNITY SERVICE OR WHATEVER CATEGORY THE BOARD SO DESIRES, BUT TO ME AND TO MANY OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC, THEY ARE STILL A PART OF SAFETY IN OUR COMMUNITY. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HOW OFTEN HAVE YOU THIS SUMMER OR THIS SPRING BE IT WALKED OR NOW THAT THE MODELS ARE OPEN AND THE OTHER RETAIL CENTERS WHERE THE ALPHA AND OMEGA ARE, I KNOW YOU ARE THERE EVERY DAY CHAIRMAN BUNCH, BUT OTHER THAN YOU, TO SEE WHAT THEY DO. IT IS MORE THAN CROWD CONTROL. IT IS A PHYSICAL PRESENCE THAT MAKES PEOPLE FEEL SAFE. >> AND, YOU KNOW, TO BE FAIR, I KNOW MR. UNLAND CALLED IN, AND I AM IN THE TOWN CENTER EVERY DAY. >> YES, I KNOW YOU ARE. >> I GET FRUSTRATED BEYOND BELIEF ON THE AMOUNT OF TIMES I SEE THEM ON THEIR CELL PHONES AND NOT LOOKING INTO THE PARKING LOT OR IN AN AREA WHERE THEY COULDN'T EVEN SEE THE PARKING LOT. I WENT TO MARKET STREET THIS WEEKEND AND THEY WERE BEHIND THE HUB IN THE TREES WHERE THEY COULDN'T POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN PROVIDING DETERRENCE BECAUSE THEY WERE COMPLETELY HIDDEN. AND FROM THEIR VANTAGE POINT, THEY COULDN'T EVEN SEE THE PARKING LOT, THE MAIN AREA THEY WOULD BE TRYING TO PROTECT. AND THERE ARE TIMES THEY ARE RIGHT THERE FRONT AND CENTER AND HIGHLY VISIBLE. FOR ME BECAUSE I AM THERE EVERY DAY -- >> I KNOW YOU ARE. >> I SEE TIMES WHERE IT IS WHERE THEY ARE EXPECTED TO BE, AND I SEE TIMES WHERE -- MAYBE THEY ARE AT LUNCH. I DON'T KNOW. IN AN AREA THAT PROVIDES NO VALUE BECAUSE IT IS NOT DIRECTLY VISIBLE TO THE AREA THAT'S YOU EXPECT THEM TO BE IN. >> WELL, AND THAT'S WHY I QUALIFIED IT SAYING YOU WERE THERE, AND I KNOW YOU ARE THERE EVERY DAY CHAIRMAN BUNCH. I AM THERE ALMOST EVERY OTHER DAY, IF NOT EVERY DAY AT SOME POINT IN TIME. MAYBE THEY ARE ON BREAK OR THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I JUST FEEL THAT YOU DON'T TAKE AWAY PART OF OUR -- WHATEVER WE ARE CALLING IT NOW. TO ME IT IS PART OF OUR SAFETY IN THIS COMMUNITY. IT IS A TIME THAT WE ADD TO AND NOT TAKE AWAY AND PUT IT SOMEWHERE ELSE AND FEEL STRONGLY ON THAT. IT IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. >> I ALSO AGREE THAT SAFETY IS A NUMBER ONE CONCERN, AND I WENT TO THE MALL YESTERDAY AND I WAS PURPOSELY LOOKING TO SEE WHERE A AND O WAS AND WHAT THEY WERE DOING. THEY WERE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE PARKING LOT. I EXPECTED THEM TO BE MONITORING WHERE THEY WERE. I KNOW THE FIRST TIME I MOVED TO THE WOODLANDS IN 2013, MY KIDS AND I LOVED -- WE FELT SAFE AND SECURE WHEN WE SAW THEM. THERE IS A CERTAIN PRESENCE THAT THEY HAVE. YESTERDAY I AFFIRMED THAT I WANTED TO HEAR MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND BE [00:55:02] MORE INVOLVED IN THIS DISCUSSION. IT WAS VERY HELPFUL TO HEAR RESIDENTS TALK ABOUT THE COMPARISONS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PARK RANGERS AND SHERIFF. YESTERDAY I WAS PREPARED TO 8YAY OR NAY, NO PUN INTENDED, TO A AND O, BUT I REALLY FEEL LIKE I NEEDED -- AS A NEW DIRECTOR I NEEDED MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WE ARE GETTING FOR THEIR COST. AND NOW I AM LOOKING AT THE COMPARISON AND THE PRICE WITH THE SHERIFF OFFICER AND THE PARK RANGER, AND I KNOW THE PARK RANGER IS NOT REALLY A PARKING LOT RANGER, SO I AM MOVING MORE TOWARD SEEING THEIR PURPOSE. I DO THINK BASED ON WHAT I HAVE SEEN AND WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID THAT THERE MAYBE NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR AND DIRECTION FOR EXACTLY WHAT SERVICES THEY ARE PROVIDING. THAT'S A QUESTION OF SAFETY AS WELL. IF WE ARE EXPECTING THEM TO PROVIDE THIS LEVEL OF SAFETY THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, THEN THEY NEED TO BE DOING THE EXACT SAME THINGS WE EXPECT. MAYBE THIS CONVERSATION AT THE VERY MINIMUM IS BRINGING FORTH OUR LEVEL OF EXPECTATION WHEN IT COMES TO SAFELY KEEPING A HIGH AREA OF THE WOODLANDS IN A SAFE PLACE FOR PEOPLE. AT THIS POINT I THINK THAT WHATEVER DOLLAR AMOUNT WE DECIDE GOES TO PROTECT THESE AREAS, THAT THAT'S THE MEANING THAT NEEDS TO BE SET. THAT'S NONNEGOTIATABLE. HOW WE USE THOSE FUNDS, THAT'S UP FOR DISCUSSION. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THE MOST FOR OUR MONEY. >> HAVE WE ADDRESSED THESE ISSUES PRESIDENT NORRELL WITH ALPHA AND OMEGA? >> WE HAVE NOT. WE HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS. CERTAINLY THEY ARE INTERESTED IN TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE LEVEL OF SERVICE GOING FORWARD. WE HAVE A CONTRACT. THEIR CURRENT CONTRACT ENDS DECEMBER OF 2020 AND SO THE RENEGOTIATION IS COMING UP. THESE ISSUES CAN CERTAINLY BE DISCUSSED AS PART OF THAT. IN FACT, THEY SHOULD BE DISCUSSED. THIS IS THE FIRST I HEARD OF CELL PHONES AND SOME OF THOSE ISSUES. >> ME TOO. >> I GUESS THEY SHOULD BE DISCUSSED IMMEDIATELY WITH A AND O AND LET THEM KNOW OUR EXPECTATIONS OF WHERE THE TROOPERS SHOULD BE AND WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING. I REALLY HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH GETTING -- WITH HAVING THAT DISCUSSION RIGHT AWAY. >> RIGHT. SO THAT WAS PART OF WHAT I WAS SAYING AT THE BEGINNING. BECAUSE IT IS A CONTRACT RENEWAL, ANYTHING WE DO IN THE BUDGET DOES NOT REALLY RENEW THEIR CONTRACT. IT JUST ALLOCATES THAT FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR US TO ENGAGE IN A CONTRACT EXTENSION. IT IS A REIMAGINING OF THE SERVICE AND A HYBRID OF CHANGES. DR. SNYDER, IF I SUBSTITUTE A A AND O OFFICER WITH A CONSTABLE, I HAVE NOT DECREASED LAW ENFORCEMENT OR PUBLIC SAFETY. I HAVE ACTUALLY INCREASED IT. WE LOOK AT THE AREAS OF PATROL AND WE LOOK AT THE TOTAL ROLE AROUND THE MARKET STREET AND THE MALL BEING THE PROMINENT AREA. THIS CAN BE AN AGENDA ITEM -- IT IS GOING TO BE AN AGENDA ITEM. THE BOARD WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE RENEWAL PROCESS. ALL WE HAVE TO DO IN THIS BUDGET IS DO WE WANT ALLOCATE THE FUNDS ELSEWHERE? DO WE WANT TO LEAVE THE FUNDS IN TACT AND DEAL WITH WHATEVER CHANGE OF SERVICE OR SHIFTING OF PARK RANGERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ALPHA AND OMEGA AND A DIFFERENT BLEND THAN WE CURRENTLY HAVE TODAY? >> BASE CHAIRMAN BUNCH, CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG THEY ARE IN THE BASE BUDGET RIGHT NOW. THAT AMOUNT IS IN BASE AND EARMARKED FOR THEM, AND IT IS NOT SUBJECT TO CONTRACT RENEGOTIATIONS AND IT COULD -- >> YEAH. THERE ARE UNKNOWNS. THEY MAY COME BACK TO US AND SAY THEY -- THEIR $48 AN HOUR IS NOW $53 AN HOUR. I DON'T KNOW. WE HAVE A WASTE MANAGEMENT CONTRACT RENEWAL THAT WENT UP SIGNIFICANTLY. WE WANT RELY ON THE CURRENT HOURLY RATE WILL BE THE CONTRACT RENEW RATE. I DON'T HEAR ANYBODY PROVIDING A SOLID PROPOSAL -- OKAY, DIRECTOR MILNER. >> MAY I MAKE A SUGGESTION WE KEEP IT IN THE BUDGET AS A PLACE HOLDER AND THEN WE [01:00:06] ASK BOTH PRESIDENT NORRELL AND GO BACK AND DISCUSS THE ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED WITH THEM AND WHILE AT THE SAME TIME WE DIG DEEPER INTO THE ALTERNATIVES AND MAYBE WE COME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT IS COLLABORATIVE BETWEEN BOTH A AND O AND PARK RANGERS AND TECHNOLOGY OR SOME COMBINATION OF A AND O AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PARK RANGERS AND TECHNOLOGY. WE HAVE THE LEADERSHIP TEAM BRING THAT BACK TO THE BUDGET TASK FORCE AND WORK WITH THEM ON SOME OF THESE OPTIONS THAT WE CAN THEN BRING BACK TO THE BOARD AND PRESENT. I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU AND TELL YOU THAT I AM ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO ASKED TO HAVE THIS PLACED ON THE AGENDA FOR REVIEW. MY WIFE AND I SPEND A LOT OF TIME AT MARKET STREET AND IN THE TOWN CENTER AND THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME I SEE THE HORSES THEY ARE EITHER NOT IN A PRESENCE WHERE I BELIEVE THEY BRING THE PUBLIC A GREAT DEAL OF PROTECTIVE VALUE. I UNDERSTAND THE SENTIMENTAL VALUE THEY PRESENT FOR THE IMAGE OF THE WOODLANDS. I WOULD BE ONE WHO WOULD DISAGREE THAT COMPANIES MAKE DECISIONS ON BRINGING JOBS HERE BASED ON ALPHA AND OMEGA. I NEVER HEARD A BUSINESS SAY ONE OF THE REASONS I CHOSE TO MOVE HERE IS BECAUSE OF ALPHA AND OMEGA. I AM NOT GONNA SAY THAT HASN'T HAPPENED. I WILL JUST TELL YOU THAT I HAVE NEVER HEARD THAT HAPPEN. I THINK THAT IF WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT HOW CAN WE DO THE SAME OR MORE WITH LESS. CAN WE REINVENT HOW WE DO THOSE THINGS AND BRING THEM TO MODERN SOLUTIONS AS OPPOSED TO DOING THINGS THE WAY WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE. I CAN SPEAK FROM BEING IN BUSINESS FOR MANY YEARS THAT IF YOU CONTINUE TO DO THINGS THE WAY YOU HAVE ALWAYS DONE THEM, IN THE FUTURE YOU WON'T GET TO DO THEM ANYMORE BECAUSE YOU WON'T EXIST. THAT WOULD BE ONE SUGGESTION I WOULD HAVE FOR THE BOARD. I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE DR. SNYDER'S COMMENTS AND HER EMOTIONAL CONNECTION TO A AND O AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND I JUST THINK THAT IN TODAY'S TIME WE ARE LOOKING AT FIVE YEARS OF STRUGGLING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE SUPPORT THE CURRENT AMENITIES THAT WE HAVE. WE ARE LIFTING EVERY ROCK IN OUR BUDGET INCLUDING THE BASE BUDGET AND WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT ACROSS THE BOARD AND MAYBE NEXT YEAR 5% ISN'T THE NUMBER. MAYBE IT IS 3% WE LOOK AT. OR IT COULD BE 10%. I THINK AS WE APPROACH MOVING INTO THE YEARS, THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE TODAY ARE GOING TO SET THE FOUNDATION FOR BOARDS IN THE FUTURE, AND WE NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR BOTH THE RESIDENTS AND THOSE FUTURE BOARDS, AND WE DETERMINE TODAY WHAT THE BUDGET MOVING FORWARD IT AND WHAT THE STRATEGY IS FROM A SALES TAX AND PROPERTY TAX PERSPECTIVE. >> AND, DIRECTOR MILNER, I AGREE WITH YOU ONE OF MY PRIORITIES IS BEING FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE. IT IS NOT AN EMOTIONAL THING ABOUT ALPHA AND OMEGA. IT IS ABOUT SAFETY. I BELIEVE THEY BRING THAT PRESENCE TO THIS COMMUNITY. I THINK IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THESE ISSUE THAT'S HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP, THAT PRESIDENT NORRELL HAS A CONVERSATION AND DIALOGUE WITH ALPHA AND OMEGA AND IF THEY ARE ON THEIR CELL PHONES WHICH I HAVE NOT SEEN OR NOT MONITORING AS THEY SHOULD BE, THEN IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND PERHAPS LOOK AT SOMETHING ELSE. I TOO HAVE NEVER LOOKED BACK OR SAID WE NEED TO ALWAYS DO THE SAME THING, BUT I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS WORKED AND HELPED TO DETER CRIME AND BRINGS AN ELEMENT OF SAFETY TO THIS COMMUNITY THAT WE ALSO NEED TO CONTINUE WITH THAT AND I'M OF THE MIND THAT RATHER THAN TAKE AWAY, THAT IF WE WANT TO USE CAMERAS OR WHATEVER OTHER THINGS THAT STAFF BRINGS TO US, THAT IT SHOULD BE IN ADDITION TO. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, CAN I MAKE A SUGGESTION? I THINK SINCE WE APPROVED THE BASE BUDGET WE REVISIT AT CONTRACT RENEWAL AND REMOVE IT FROM ANY DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME. THAT WILL GIVE A CHANCE FOR REALLY A COMPREHENSIVE COMPARISON TO ALL OF THE SUGGESTIONS THE DIRECTORS MADE. AT THAT TIME WE CAN REVISIT IT. >> I THINK THAT'S WISE BECAUSE WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE RENEWAL CONTRACT ANYWAYS. WE CAN LET THE BUDGET TASK FORCE WORK WITH STAFF ON VETTING OUT SOME OF THESE [01:05:02] DIFFERENT SERVICE ALTERNATIVES AND/OR THE EXISTING OPERATIONS AND ADJUSTMENTS THERE TO. IT WILL PUT US IN A BETTER POSITION WHEN THE CONTRACT COMES UP. >> DIRECTOR BUNCH, ONE FINAL COMMENT FROM ME. THE IDEA THAT THIS IS THE FIRST BOARD THAT HAS LOOKED AT THE ALPHA AND OMEGA CONTRACT IS SIMPLY NOT THE CASE. I HAVE BEEN A BOARD MEMBER NOW FOR FOUR YEARS AND EVERY SINGLE BUDGET WE HAVE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS. THERE WERE SEVERAL BOARDS BEFORE I GOTTI ELECTED -- GOT ELECTED WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS. WE HAVE TO -- WE HAVE TO AS WE ARE LOOKING AT THE BUDGET AND PROCESSES DO THINGS IN THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE WAY. NOBODY ON THIS BOARD WANTS TO COMPROMISE THE SAFETY OF THE COMMUNITY. THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE OF DEFUNDING ANYTHING. THIS IS AN ISSUE OF LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN ENHANCE THE SECURITY IN THOSE AREAS WHERE WE THINK THERE ARE MODERN TOOLS THAT CAN HELP US WITH SOME OF THESE ITEMS THAT PRE OCCUPY A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF ALPHA AND OMEGA'S TIME. I ECHO THE CHAIRMAN'S COMMENTS THAT FOR CROWD CONTROL AND AS A SYMBOL, THEY HAVE A VALUE TO THE WOODLANDS, AND I THINK -- WELL I HOPE WE CONTINUE TO HOLD ON TO THEM. WE CAN'T JUST SIT HERE AND GO, WELL, THIS IS THE BEST WAY. IT IS NOT NECESSARILY THE BEST WAY, AND WE REALLY HAVEN'T EXAMINED THE BEST WAY TO ENHANCE SECURITY. IT IS NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE AN ADD ON. SOMETIMES IT HAS TO BE -- IT IS A MORE EFFECTIVE WAY TO DO THINGS. WE JUST CAN'T ADD ON EVERY TIME WE WANT TO SAY, WELL, WE NEED TO RAISE THE SERVICE LEVEL SO ADD MORE COST. YOU SAW THE SLIDES. IT IS THE SAME PEOPLE THAT WERE SAYING AT WHATEVER COST? FINE, ARE YOU PREPARED TO PAY MORE TAXES? THAT'S WHAT IT WILL COME DOWN TO AND EVERYBODY NEEDS AN HONEST DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT. >> ALL RIGHT. SO WE'LL GO WITH ALL THE COMMENTS AND WE WILL DESIGNATE THE BUDGET TASK FORCE TO WORK WITH STAFF ON FULLY VETTING OUT ALTERNATIVE SERVICES AND THINGS RELATED TO TOWN RANGER EXPANSIONS LAWEN FORCE -- LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPANSION AND ALPHA AND OMEGA SO WE CAN BE AHEAD ON THE CONTRACT RENEWAL AND WE WILL DEAL WITH IT AS A FULL BOARD WHEN IT COMES BACK AS AN AGENDA ITEM. SO I THINK WE CAN DEFER DIRECTOR SEKULA-GIBBS THE CAMERA SURVEILLANCE TOWER AND HAVE THAT AS PART OF THAT DIALOGUE. THAT WAS A ASSET THAT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY ASKED US TO CONSIDER THAT WOULD PROVIDE -- A TECHNOLOGY TOOL THAT WOULD PROVIDE CROWD CONTROL AND HIGH VISIBILITY CAMERAS THEY CAN PLUG INTO AND MONITOR IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAN JUST MOUNTED PATROL. IT KIND OF GOES HAPPENED IN HAND AS A CAPITAL ITEM. IF IT COMES BACK FROM THE BUDGET TASK FORCE THAT'S AN INTEGRAL TOOL TO BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF THE REIMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE TOWN CENTER AREA, THEN WE CAN TAKE IT UP WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS. IS THAT FAIR? >> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT. SO THE MONEY STAYING IN THE BUDGET AND WE WILL DEAL WITH HOW THINGS ARE ALLOCATED WHEN THE CONTRACTS GO UP. WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER BUDGET INITIATIVES REMAINING TO DISCUSS. I DID GET SOME INFORMATION THAT MAY BE NEW TO SOME, BUT NOT NEW TO SOME, BUT WE HAD -- WE HAVE ABOUT $200,000 IN OUR CURRENT BASE BUDGET THAT IS NOT SHOWING AS AVAILABLE FUNDS. THAT'S RELATED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT ANNUAL SALARY INCREASES. THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY DID NOT PROVIDE ANY RAISES TO ANY OF THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY EMPLOYEES. OUR BASE BUDGET CONTEMPLATED THAT THE CONTRACT DEPUTIES WOULD HAVE AN INCREASE IN PAY. THEY ARE NOT RECEIVING THAT. THAT $200,000 IS STILL IN OUR BASE BUDGET. I WOULD LIKE TO PUT IT TOWARD OUR OWN STAFF, FIREFIGHTERS, AND NOT MAKE THEM WAIT UNTIL APRIL FOR A RAISE, AND THEN LET US WORK ON OUR LONG-TERM EMPLOY Y -- EMPLOYEE STRATEGY ON ADDRESSING STEPS AND PERCENTAGES AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE YEAR. [01:10:01] BUT NOT LOOKING AT MAKING THEM WAIT A QUARTER TO DECIDE WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO. WE CAN MAKE A CHANGE LATER, BUT LET'S NOT PUT THAT ON THEIR BACKS FOR RIGHT NOW. >> CHAIRMAN BUNCH, YOU ARE TALKING ALL STAFF? >> YES, STAFF, FIRE DEPARTMENT. I TALKED TO MONIQUE THIS MORNING AND IT IS A NEAR REVENUE NEUTRAL, EXPENSE NEUTRAL SHIFT. IS THAT FAIR, MONIQUE? MAYBE $5,000 OR $6,000 ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. >> I'M SORRY, MONIQUE. >> WHAT CHAIRMAN BUNCH SAID IS RIGHT. IT AS PUSH. IT IS A DIFFERENCE OF ABOUT $4900. >> SO IF THE BOARD IS OKAY WITH THAT, CAN WE APPROVE THAT SUBTLE CHANGE? >> YES. >> ALL IN FAVOR SAY I. >> I. >> AND WE WILL BRING IT BACK. ANY OPPOSED? ABSTENTIONS? ALL THAT HAVE WILL COME BACK TO THE FULL BOARD ANYWAYS WHEN STAFF BRINGS US THERE FOR APPROVAL. AS FAR AS THE BUDGET GOES IT IS STILL NOW ALLOCATED. ALL RIGHT, MONIQUE I GUESS WE CAN GO BACK TO THE SLIDE SHOWING US WHAT IS LEFT TO BE DEALT WITH AS FAR AS FUNDS FOR 2020-2021. >> ARE YOU SEEING THAT ON YOUR SCREEN? >> ALL RIGHT. WE STARTED THE BUDGET PROCESS SAYING ANY LEFT OVER OR UNDESIGNATED FUNDS WOULD GO TO FUNDING THE SALES TAX RESERVE THAT WOULD BE DRAWN DOWN BASED ON FUNDS RECEIVED. I HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND TRYING TO SEE -- BECAUSE THEY HAD A LOT OF ITEMS WE BYPASSED. THEY HAVE A SMALL ASK FOR A IMPROVEMENT TO THE ETC, THE TRAINING CENTER, ABOUT 100,000 IN CAPITAL TO BRING IN WATER AND ELECTRICITY AND EXPAND THEIR MAINTENANCE WAREHOUSE. I THINK THAT'S A REASONABLE ASK IF WE WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER THAT. >> CHAIRMAN BUNCH, CAN YOU SPEAK TO WHAT CHIEF SENT US, THE REPORT ABOUT FIRE STATION 5 BEFORE WE GO IN? >> YES. IT IS A GEO TECHNICAL REPORT. I HONESTLY READ IT AS I'M SURE MOST OF YOU HAVE, BUT I ONLY READ IT ONCE. I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US TO HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THAT FIRM TO COME TO THE BOARD AND EXPLAIN TO US THEIR STUDY. I DON'T THINK ANY OF US ARE GEOLOGISTS AND GEO TECHNICALLY QUALIFIED. I KNOW DIRECTOR REISER LOOKS AT THESE REPORTS ALL THE TIME, AND I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE GEO TECHNICAL REPORTS BASED ON MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WITH FOUNDATION ISSUES RELATED TO SOME SURFACE SOILS. I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THEM TO COME AND PRESENT IT TO US AS A BOARD. AND CHIEF PUTNAM KNOWS WE ARE NOT GOING TO MAKE A DECISION TODAY ON STATION 5 AND THAT ANYTHING WE WOULD DO FOR THAT KIND OF LARGE CAPITAL WOULD BE A BONDABLE EVENT GOING FORWARD. IT IS NOT THE CURRENT CAPITAL PLAN, AND WE CAN PROBABLY LOOK AT A NUMBER OF THE OTHER FIRE DEPARTMENT LONGER ASSET CAPITAL REQUESTS AROUND THAT ISSUE. YOU ARE DOING ONE BOND TO ADDRESS MULTIPLE STATION NEEDS. THAT'S WHERE I LEFT IT WITH HIM. >> MY ONLY CONCERN IS THAT IT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN ON THE BOARD'S [01:15:04] TABLE SO TO SPEAK IN 2009. >> WHAT IS? >> I AM GLAD WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PRESENTATION TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO. >> YEAH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN BY 2009. >> I THINK THE FIRST STUDY SHOWED THE CHALLENGES AND I WILL ASK PRESIDENT NORRELL TO ELABORATE, BUT I THINK THE 2019 STUDIES SHARED SIMILARLY AS THE 2009 STUDY? >> I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE ISSUES THAT WE LEARNED ABOUT PROBABLY A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. I AM FAMILIAR WITH THAT, BUT I AM NOT REALLY FAMILIAR WITH THE 2009 STUDY THAT OCCURRED. >> OKAY. >> AND I HAVE BEEN ON HERE SINCE 2012, AND THE FIRST I HEARD OF IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO. >> WELL, WE MIGHT BE WISE TO LOOK. I THINK THERE WAS ANOTHER STUDY IN 2009. I THOUGHT THAT EITHER STAFF HAD PRESENTED A REPORT. I'LL GO BACK AND LOOK AT MY NOTES. THANK YOU. >> DR. SNYDER, THAT WOULD BE VERY USEFUL BECAUSE THAT STATION -- I MEAN IF THIS WAS AN ISSUE IN 2009 AND WE TOOK NO ACTION FOR 9 YEARS, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING WHY. >> IT WILL ALSO BE GOOD TO COMPARE THE GEO TECHNICAL STUDY TO SEE IF THERE WAS A DIFFERING OPINION ON WHAT IS THE CAUSATION OF THE SEPARATION OF THE BAY TO THE BOPPING HOUSE AREA. >> AS LONG AS IT IS A DIFFERENT FIRM, GORDY. >> WELL, THAT'S TRUE TOO. I DO THINK IT WARRANTS A PRESENTATION BECAUSE IT IS A LARGE CAPITAL EXPENDITURE. WE DO HAVE ALTERNATIVE GEOGRAPHY TO RELOCATE IT. THAT WAS REQUIRED BASED ON THE ADDITIONAL LAND REQUIRED LAST YEAR FROM THE PARK AND RIDE AND FROM THE DEVELOPING COMPANY. I KNOW THE CHIEF LOOKED AT THE ALTERNATIVE VENUES WITHIN PROXIMITY OF THE CURRENT FIRE STATION. I THINK AS A BOARD WE NEED TO HAVE THAT FIRM COME IN AND PRESENT THEIR STUDY AND ANSWER QUESTION WHEEZE HAVE AS A BOARD REGARDING THE VIABILITY OF THAT FACILITY. >> AGREED. >> SO BACK TO THE HUNDRED THOUSAND FOR THE ETC CENTER IMPROVEMENTS, I DON'T THINK IT IS A HUGE ASK FOR US TO GIVE THAT. >> VOTE TO INCLUDE. >> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR OF ACQUITTING THAT -- IT IS PART OF THE KNISH TITIS -- INITIATIVES. >> I. >> I. >> OKAY, MONIQUE. I KNOW THAT CAME OUT OF LEFT FIELD FOR YOU, BUT IF WE CAN DO THAT FOR THEM, THAT WOULD BE GOOD. >> YES, SIR. >> DO WE HAVE ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, MONIQUE? >> NO, SIR. AS FAR AS I KNOW WE HAVE ADDRESSED ALL OF THE BUDGET INITIATIVES AND EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE BASE BUDGET. >> DIRECTORS, THEY QUESTIONS? I WILL MAKE A SUGGESTION. THE UNDESIGNATED FUND BALANCE THAT'S ARE REALIZED IN 2020, IF WE CAN USE THOSE FUNDS TO OFFSET ANY SHORT FALLS IN THE 2020 BUDGET BECAUSE I KNOW THERE MAY HAVE TO BE SOME FURTHER ADJUSTMENTS. WE HAVE A PROJECTION RIGHT NOW FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR THAT PROVIDES US THAT. ACTUALLY, IT IS NOT REAL MONEY. YOU'RE RIGHT. FORGET IT. BAD STATEMENT. >> THEN AS THE YEAR GOES ON I WILL REPORT MY FINANCIAL REPORTS WHERE WE ARE, AND THAT MONEY WILL -- >> IT WON'T BE THERE. IT WON'T ACCUMULATE IF THINGS DON'T COME IN CORRECTLY. I GET IT. >> OR, GORDY, IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT WE WILL REALIZE ADDITIONAL COST SAVINGS BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE YEAR AS WELL. IT IS HARD TO SAY. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A GUESS AND, YOU KNOW, MONIQUE IS GOOD AT GUESSING OVER THE YEARS. SHE IS PROBABLY WITHIN 10 OR 15% OF WHERE THAT WILL LAND. >> AND I DO WANT TO SAY AS WE ARE WRAPPING UP THE BUDGET PART OF THE PROCESS, I APPRECIATE MR. LEHEY'S COMMENTS ON PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS CONCERNS FOR NEXT YEAR. THERE ALSO HAS TO BE THE CONCERN FOR REEVALUATIONS ACTUALLY GOING DOWN IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE RECEIVED THIS YEAR WAS BASED ON 19. AM I STILL HERE? I FEEL LIKE I AM FROZEN. [01:20:04] >> YOU'RE CHOPPY, BUT YOU ARE NOT FROZEN. >> IT IS A LAG, BUT WE STILL SEE YOU. >> I DO ANTICIPATE PROPERTY TAX PRESSURES FOR RESIDENTIAL AND SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE ON COMMERCIAL EVALUATIONS. THAT INDUSTRY IS SUFFERING EXTENSIVELY ALREADY FROM OIL AND GAS DOWNTURN AND FROM COMPANIES REEVALUATING THEIR REMOTE WORK ALTERNATIVES TO OFFICE SPACE. I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT OUR PROPERTY TAX IS GOING TO BE PRESSURED COMING INTO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S CONSTRAINT AND WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE PRE-FUNDED PROJECTED LIKELY REVENUE SHORT FALLS AND ALL OF THE CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO THE BUDGET PROCESS AND THANK YOU, MONIQUE AND YOUR STAFF AND DON AND YOUR STAFF. WHAT IS LEFT FOR US TO DO? DO WE NEED TO COME BACK TOMORROW OR ARE WE GOOD UNTIL IT IS TIME TO ADDRESS FORMALLY ADOPTING THE RATE? >> BECAUSE OF THE TAX RATE THAT YOU ADOPTED THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE OR EFFECTIVE RATE A PUBLIC HEARING IS NOT REQUIRED. THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE FORMAL ADOPTION OF THE RATE OF BUDGET AND THEN THE RATES AT YOUR OFFICE I THINK AUGUST 20TH BOARD MEETING. >> OKAY. WELL WE HILLARY -- WE WILL RELIEVE OUR CALENDARS FOR TOMORROW AND DO NOT HAVE TO CONVENE. BUDGET TASK FORCE WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING ON THE LINGERING REMAINING ITEM AND WORKING WITH US TOWARD THAT CONTRACT RENEWAL. I GUESS WE WILL GO -- LET ME GET BACK TO MY AGENDA. WE DON'T HAVE TO DO ANY OTHER APPROVALS. SO THAT WILL MOVE US TO AGENDA EYE SEEM -- EYE SEEM 7 -- ITEM 7 IS WHAT WE DID. WE DID AGENDA ITEM 8 AT A PREVIOUS MEETING. WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING. WE DO NOT HAVE EXECUTIVE SESSION. DO WE HAVE ANY AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MONTH? [12. Consideration of items to be placed on the agenda for next month's meeting;] I THINK WHILE WE ARE HERE MAYBE WE CAN BRING BACK THAT FIRE STATION REPORT. I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US TO TALK TO THE FIRM. ANY BOARD ANNOUNCE -- ANNOUNCEMENTS? [13. Board announcements; and] >> I HAVE ONE. THANK YOU. IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU DURING THIS BUDGET SESSION. IT HAS BEEN VERY EFFICIENT. I WANT TO SHARE THAT THERE IS ON GOING GOOD WORK BEING DONE ON VACCINE DEVELOPMENT FOR COVID, AND I SPOKE WITH A MEDIA PERSON WHO IS REPRESENTING THE HOUSTON FIGHTS COVID.COM INITIATIVE AND THEY ARE WORKING IN -- THEY HAVE SITES IN TOMBALL AND BEL-AIR WHERE THEY ARE DISTRIBUTING VACCINE TRIALS AND THEY ARE WORKING WITH MORE THAN ONE VACCINE. THEY ARE DOING THE MADERNA SACK SEEN -- VACCINE AND PFIZER'S VACCINE. THEY WILL PROBABLY DO OTHERS AS THEY ROLL OUT INTO PHASE 3. THERE ARE AT LEAST THREE VACCINES IN PHASE 3 FOR COVID FOR THE CORONAVIRUS THAT CAME TO US FROM CHINA. THERE ARE AT LEAST THREE, AND THERE ARE PROBABLY ABOUT FIVE OR SIX MORE IN THE PIPELINE. THOSE THREE HAVE RECEIVED SIG FUNDING FROM OPERATION WARP SPEED, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S INITIATIVE TO GET 300 MILLION DOSES OF VACCINE BY 2021. THEY ARE TRYING -- IN THE MADERNA TRIAL, THEY ARE IN PHASE 3 AND TRYING TO GET 30,000 VOLUNTEERS. KRISTINE SAID THEY ARE DOING WELL AND GETTING GOOD TURNOUT. THEY DO WANT MORE PEOPLE TO COME FROM THE HOUSTON AREA BECAUSE WE ARE CONSIDERED A GOOD SPOT TO EVALUATE BECAUSE THERE IS A HIGH -- ONE OF THE POSITIVES OF HAVING A HIGH INFECTION TIFF TEE RATE HERE AND A HIGH POSITIVITY RATE IS THAT IT IS GOOD AREA TO TEST THE VACCINE. THEY ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND THE GOOD RESPONSE. I'M GOING TO TRY TO BE A CANDIDATE FOR THIS VACCINE MYSELF. I WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW IT GOES FOR ME AND I WILL GIVE YOU A REPORT ON THAT ONCE I [01:25:03] DO -- IF I AM ACCEPTED. YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PRELIMINARIES TO BE ACCEPTED. I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANY OF YOU TO JOIN ME IN THAT BOARD. YOU CAN CONSIDER IT AS WELL. IT IS NOT FOR EVERYBODY, BUT I THINK IT IS A VALUABLE WAY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SCIENCE OF DEVELOPING SOMETHING THAT CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN TURNING THIS PANDEMIC AROUND AND RESTORING US TO NORMAL AS MR. DIRECTOR RIESER SAYS. NOT THE NORMAL, BUT THE NEW NORMAL. I HOPE YOU GO TO HOUSTON FIGHTS COVID TO LOOK AT IT. >> YOU ARE A BRAVE INDIVIDUAL, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU OFFERING YOURSELF UP FOR SCIENCE AND THE GREATER GOOD OF THE PUBLIC. >> MY PLEASURE. >> ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? IF THERE ARE NONE WE WILL TAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR SAY I. >> I. >> I. >> I. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.