HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2020-08-17 Minutes MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS
HELD IN THE CITY HALL 4301 CITY POINT DRIVE
AUGUST 17, 2020
Via Webex Video Conference
SPECIAL MEETING
A. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Trevino stated in accordance with the Texas Governor's March 13, 2020 Disaster
Declaration and subsequent suspension of certain Texas Open Meetings Act Provisions,
this August 17, 2020 special meeting of the North Richland Hills City Council is hereby
called to order at 7:00 p.m.
Mayor Trevino stated that tonight's meeting will be conducted using Webex video
conference in order to observe physical distancing to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Mayor Trevino conducted a roll call of City Council members to confirm the presence of
a quorum.
Present via video conference:
Oscar Trevino, Mayor
Scott Turnage, Mayor Pro Tern, Place 6
Tito Rodriguez, Deputy Mayor Pro Tern, Place 1
Rita Wright Oujesky, Place 2
Suzy Compton, Place 3
Mason Orr, Associate Mayor Pro Tern, Place 4
Mike Benton, Place 5
Tim Welch, Place 7
Staff present via video conference:
Mark Hindman, City Manager
Alicia Richardson, City Secretary
Maleshia B. McGinnis, City Attorney
A.1 INVOCATION
Council member Compton gave the invocation.
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A.2 PLEDGE
Council member Compton led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Untied States and Texas
flags.
A.3 CITIZENS PRESENTATION
There were no requests to speak from the public.
A.4 PUBLIC COMMENTS
There were no requests to speak from the public.
B. GENERAL ITEMS
B.1 CONSIDER ORDINANCE NO. 3660, ADOPTING THE TAX RATE FOR TAX
YEAR 2020.
APPROVED
Director of Budget and Research Robert Myers informed City Council the purpose for
this item is adopt the fiscal year 2019/2020 revised budget and fiscal year 2020/2021
proposed budgets. Mr. Myers reminded City Council the City held a public hearing on
the revised fiscal year 2019/2020 budget and proposed fiscal year 2020/2021 budget on
Thursday, August 13, 2020 to gather public input. Mr. Myers stated the proposed tax rate
for tax year 2020 is $0.5757 cents per $100 of value, which will be used to fund the fiscal
year 2020/2021 proposed budget. The proposed tax rate is an increase of $0.0037 cents
or a 0.65% increase from the tax year 2019 adopted tax rate. The City's proposed tax
rate this fiscal year is below both the no-new-revenue tax rate and voter-approval tax rate.
Tax year 2020 taxable values total $6.34 billion. This reflects an increase of 2.6% over tax
year 2019 net taxable values. The increase in value for tax year 2020 was driven by
increases from new construction and appreciation in existing property values. Residential
values account for 65% of the taxable value, commercial accounts for roughly 34% of the
taxable value and 1% is mixed between industrial, minerals, and agriculture. The City tax
bill for an average single-family home in North Richland Hills with a value of $206,645 and
based on the tax year 2020 proposed tax rate of $0.5757 cents would be $1,189.66,
which is equivalent to $99.14 per month.
Mr. Myers shared with City Council there are a number of exemptions eligible to
residents to reduce their tax burden. A homestead exemption of 15% or a senior or
disabled person tax ceiling. The City's property tax rate accounts for roughly 22% of the
total tax rate before factoring exemptions and the senior tax ceiling. The bulk of the total
property tax rate goes to the school district and Tarrant County. Mr. Myers was available
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to answer questions.
The City Council discussed citizen impact, long term financial health for the city, difficult
decisions now and in the future, citizen comments on Tarrant County website.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY MAYOR PRO TEM TURNAGE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL
MEMBER COMPTON TO APPROVE THE PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR
MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION BE SET AT$0.343611 PER$100 OF VALUATION.
MOTION TO APPROVE CARRIED 7-0.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER WELCH, SECONDED BY MAYOR
PRO TEM TURNAGE TO APPROVE THE PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR INTEREST
AND SINKING BE SET AT $0.232089 PER$100 OF VALUATION.
MOTION TO APPROVE CARRIED 7-0.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER BENTON, SECONDED BY DEPUTY
MAYOR PRO TEM RODRIGUEZ TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NO.3660, ADOPTING A
TOTAL TAX RATE OF$0.5757 PER$100 OF VALUATION FOR TAX YEAR 2020.
MOTION TO APPROVE CARRIED 7-0.
B.2 CONSIDER ORDINANCE NO. 3661, ADOPTING THE FISCAL YEAR 2019/2020
REVISED BUDGET AND THE FISCAL YEAR 2020/2021 PROPOSED
BUDGET.
APPROVED
Director of Budget and Research Robert Myers presented item and informed City
Council the fiscal year 2019/2020 revised budget included significant impacts in the
City's major funds due to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the general fund, parks
fund, and aquatic park fund. These funds saw a combination of significant drops in
revenues, cuts in operational expenditures, and impacts in reserves. This fiscal year a
$2.3 million interfund loan is being made to the aquatic fund to mitigate significant
impacts to operations from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr. Myers reviewed the fiscal year 2020/2021 proposed operating budget. The proposed
budget is $125.9 million and the general fund is approximately 40%. This fund is used to
account for the city's primary services including police, fire, emergency medical
services, street maintenance, and parks & library services. Approximately 61% of
expenditures in the general fund are dedicated towards public safety services.
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Approximately 61% of revenue in the general fund comes from property and sales taxes,
with the rest of the funding sources coming from fees, fines, charges, miscellaneous
revenues and transfers.
Mr. Myers reviewed the special revenue funds.The parks and recreation development
fund is $9.75 million. This fund is used to account for the maintenance of City parks and
grounds, the NRH Centre, the NRH Tennis Center, and athletic programs. The primary
funding source for this fund comes from a dedicated portion of the sales tax and user
fees. This year's budget includes funding $689,000 in capital projects including funding
for the replacement of the Richfield Park Tennis & Pickleball court. The crime control
district fund is $5.6 million. This fund is used to account for crime control and prevention
programs including, but not limited to patrol activities, the City's school-resource-officer
program, criminal investigations, and community crime prevention. The primary funding
source for this fund comes from a dedicated portion of the sales tax.
Mr. Myers reviewed the enterprise funds. The utility fund is $38.4 million. This fund is
used to account for the operation and maintenance of the city's water and sewer system.
The utility fund is supported through user fees for water and sewer treatment services.
Roughly 48% of the expenses in this fund are for fixed costs, which includes water
purchases, sewer treatment services, and debt service. Water purchases and sewer
treatment services are direct charges from the Trinity River Authority and the City of
Forth Worth who serve as the City's suppliers. Due to the estimated performance of the
fund for fiscal year 2020/2021, the proposed budget does not include utility rate
increases this fiscal year. The aquatic fund is $4.2 million. This fund accounts for the
operation of the City's water park, NRH2O, and related capital projects. The aquatic park
fund is supported through user fees. The proposed budget includes $100,000 for cash
funded capital projects. The golf course fund budget is $2.7 million. This fund is for the
operation and maintenance of the Iron Horse Golf Course. The golf course fund is
supported through user fees. The fund this year reflects a return to normal operation
levels with the expected grand re-opening of the Iron Horse Golf Course in September
after the completion of significant renovations and improvements to the course made
during the current fiscal year.
Lastly, Mr. Myers shared the capital budget is $19.3 million. The majority of the projects
included in this year's proposed budget are related to public works projects. Proposed
street projects include funding for the reconstruction of Glenview Drive East from
Boulevard 26 to Flory Street, a traffic signal at Davis Boulevard and Hightower Drive, and
reconstruction of Iron Horse Boulevard from York Street to Browning Drive, which is
proposed to be 80% funded through a federal grant in the amount of $7.3 million. Mr.
Myers was available to answer questions from the City Council.
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A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER WRIGHT OUJESKY, SECONDED BY
DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM RODRIGUEZ TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NO. 3661,
ADOPTING THE FISCAL YEAR 2019/2020 REVISED BUDGET AND THE FISCAL YEAR
2020/2021 PROPOSED BUDGET.
MOTION TO APPROVE CARRIED 7-0.
B.3 CONSIDER RATIFYING AN INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAX REVENUES
REFLECTED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2020/2021 ADOPTED BUDGET.
APPROVED
Director of Budget and Research Robert Myers informed City Council State law requires
a separate vote of the governing board to ratify the property tax increase when a City
adopts a budget that will raise more revenue from property taxes than in the previous
year. The proposed operations and maintenance accounts for 0.343611 cents of the total
0.5757 cent tax rate and will generate $20 million in tax revenue for the general fund,
which is an increase of $935,000 from prior year collections. The debt service rate is
0.232089 cents of the total 0.5757 cent tax rate and will generate $11.2 million in tax
revenue for debt service, which is an increase of $1,700 from the prior fiscal year. Mr.
Myers was available to answer questions.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM RODRIGUEZ, SECONDED BY
COUNCIL MEMBER COMPTON TO RATIFY THE INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAX
REVENUE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020/2021.
MOTION TO APPROVE CARRIED 7-0.
B.4 CONSIDER RESOLUTION NO. 2020-035, APPROVING THE CERTIFIED TAX
ROLL FOR TAX YEAR 2020.
APPROVED
Director of Budget and Research Robert Myers informed City Council State law requires
that the governing body approve the certified tax roll as a separate action item during the
budget and tax rate approval process. The City received the certified tax roll from the
Tarrant Appraisal District on Friday July 24, 2020. This year's total estimated net taxable
value totals $6.34 billion, which reflects an increase of 2.6% over tax year 2019 values.
Mr. Myers was available to answer questions.
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A MOTION WAS MADE BY ASSOCIATE MAYOR PRO TEM ORR, SECONDED BY
COUNCIL MEMBER WRIGHT OUJESKY TO APPROVE RESOLUTION NO. 2020-035,
APPROVING THE CERTIFIED TAX ROLL FOR TAX YEAR 2020.
MOTION TO APPROVE CARRIED 6-0. ASSOCIATE MAYOR PRO TEM ORR WAS
ABSENT WHEN THE VOTE WAS TAKEN.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
C. EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS - CITY COUNCIL MAY TAKE ACTION ON ANY
ITEM DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION LISTED ON WORK SESSION
AGENDA
Mayor Trevino announced that City Council did not convene into Executive Session.
D. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Trevino adjourned the meeting at 7:36 p.m.
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