Thursday Meeting Report
Let's just review a few highlights from last night's meeting. The first speaker in the public hearing asked for financial support for the Children's Advocacy Center. There seemed to be consensus for this item. Then a member of the Golf Association asked for continued support of the golf course. Mayor Lanman gave a double-speak answer voicing support for the golf course but saying money might not be available. Then there was a request for funds for the Historic Survey that is funded mostly by a THC grant and private donations with the city paying less than a quarter of the cost. Another double-speak answer from the mayor trying to avoid funding this work. EMS made a short request. The administrator read a letter from the Family Crisis Center requesting $3,000. Oscar and Lupe voiced support.
Unfortunately, the mayor once again confused preside with control and tried to bully the council and audience with his opinion instead of soliciting council discussion and resolution. The mayor is supposed to prepare the budget draft (he did not, Flo did), and then council is supposed to deliberate it. The process is out of whack.
Then the council took up the important issue of folding chair rental rates. The audience watched as the council finally came alive and debated the merits of rental rates, deposits and replacement cost with gusto! I wish they could give that level of fiscal attention to the city's budget, taxation and spending instead of a couple hundred metal chairs.
They discussed a couple of other agenda items and moved to the comment periods for mayor, council, administrator and citizens.
Some of the highlights include the mayor's claim that the he doesn't understand why some people were not happy with the budget process because the whole process was transparent. Right. As transparent as Alamito Creek in a gully washer. The entire budget process has been a fiasco. Multiple versions of the budget. Math errors. Illegal amendments. Late filings. Late adoption. Last minute cover-up amendment... I spent hours and hours tracking down all these versions to try to understand the one true budget. It does not exist. The only thing that is transparent is the clothing that the emperor is not wearing. That and the incompetence of it all.
The mayor lamented the quorum problem anticipated for tonight. Evidently, this special meeting was not planned with the councilmembers' schedules in mind and may not happen if they don't get four councilmembers. Lorina Chavez was not present last night but Lupe Devine was present! When asked, the Mayor said he had been in contact with Ms. Chavez and told her she was not needed for Thursday night. Remember my theory about the mayor's love of the tie-breaking role.
Mayor Lanman turned his attention to Leo Salgado who had informed the city two weeks ago of his schedule conflict with a meeting tonight. He had made other plans previously. Mayor Lanman, piously told Leo that "it was a sin" to miss the meeting.
Once again Mayor Lanman abused his beloved gavel to silence a citizen who sought permission to address council even though any citizen has the right to comment on ANY agenda item at the time of discussion.
Oscar mentioned a "memo from the state" that he had seen that seemed to say that everything had to be done at the meeting this Friday night or else. I have not see the memo, but I am happy that somebody acknowledged the State of Texas finally. Every elected official swore an oath to uphold the laws of the State of Texas, not just the laws they bothered to read.
I know this is a sharp post, but the city must come to terms with a respect for the law. There are those who think we are exempt from the laws because of our remoteness. They would be mistaken.
Tonight at 5:00 the city will attempt a "special meeting" of the city council. A special meeting requires four members. This meeting has all of the financial foundation for next year including amending the budget for the year ending Saturday, adopting the budget for the year starting Sunday, securing a $115,000 line of credit from the bank, and levying the highest possible tax rate. City hall scheduled this meeting for the last day of the year as a special meeting in a year when the city has missed a third of its meetings due to lack of quorum. Whose brilliant idea was that? Poor planning got us into this mess. Poor execution will not get us out.
Come on down at 5:00. Odds are it will be a very short meeting. The mayor has mismanaged council meetings and offended council members. If they fail to meet, the world will not end. They will simply lose out on the right to raise taxes for next year. They will lose maybe 30,000 to 38,000 in tax revenue without the tax hike, but will still gain $12,000 due to new property on the tax rolls. The proposed budget shows a surplus of $34,000 so I don't see the emergency.
Mr. Sauceda scares us with the threat to not deliver a four percent raise to all employees (including himself) if he does not get the tax hike. This four percent raise would cost $28,000 according to Sauceda which includes $2,600 more for himself. The funny thing is that Mr. Sauceda got a $15,000 raise a year ago which is more than HALF THE COST of a four percent raise for all the employees!
If they don't get the tax hike, let's look at places to cut money to take care of employees. Their families should not suffer because of incompetence at city hall.
P.S. Remember the Mayor's declaration that the city does not need a finance committee? You're doing a heckuva job Davie. Way to go.
Unfortunately, the mayor once again confused preside with control and tried to bully the council and audience with his opinion instead of soliciting council discussion and resolution. The mayor is supposed to prepare the budget draft (he did not, Flo did), and then council is supposed to deliberate it. The process is out of whack.
Then the council took up the important issue of folding chair rental rates. The audience watched as the council finally came alive and debated the merits of rental rates, deposits and replacement cost with gusto! I wish they could give that level of fiscal attention to the city's budget, taxation and spending instead of a couple hundred metal chairs.
They discussed a couple of other agenda items and moved to the comment periods for mayor, council, administrator and citizens.
Some of the highlights include the mayor's claim that the he doesn't understand why some people were not happy with the budget process because the whole process was transparent. Right. As transparent as Alamito Creek in a gully washer. The entire budget process has been a fiasco. Multiple versions of the budget. Math errors. Illegal amendments. Late filings. Late adoption. Last minute cover-up amendment... I spent hours and hours tracking down all these versions to try to understand the one true budget. It does not exist. The only thing that is transparent is the clothing that the emperor is not wearing. That and the incompetence of it all.
The mayor lamented the quorum problem anticipated for tonight. Evidently, this special meeting was not planned with the councilmembers' schedules in mind and may not happen if they don't get four councilmembers. Lorina Chavez was not present last night but Lupe Devine was present! When asked, the Mayor said he had been in contact with Ms. Chavez and told her she was not needed for Thursday night. Remember my theory about the mayor's love of the tie-breaking role.
Mayor Lanman turned his attention to Leo Salgado who had informed the city two weeks ago of his schedule conflict with a meeting tonight. He had made other plans previously. Mayor Lanman, piously told Leo that "it was a sin" to miss the meeting.
Once again Mayor Lanman abused his beloved gavel to silence a citizen who sought permission to address council even though any citizen has the right to comment on ANY agenda item at the time of discussion.
Oscar mentioned a "memo from the state" that he had seen that seemed to say that everything had to be done at the meeting this Friday night or else. I have not see the memo, but I am happy that somebody acknowledged the State of Texas finally. Every elected official swore an oath to uphold the laws of the State of Texas, not just the laws they bothered to read.
I know this is a sharp post, but the city must come to terms with a respect for the law. There are those who think we are exempt from the laws because of our remoteness. They would be mistaken.
Tonight at 5:00 the city will attempt a "special meeting" of the city council. A special meeting requires four members. This meeting has all of the financial foundation for next year including amending the budget for the year ending Saturday, adopting the budget for the year starting Sunday, securing a $115,000 line of credit from the bank, and levying the highest possible tax rate. City hall scheduled this meeting for the last day of the year as a special meeting in a year when the city has missed a third of its meetings due to lack of quorum. Whose brilliant idea was that? Poor planning got us into this mess. Poor execution will not get us out.
Come on down at 5:00. Odds are it will be a very short meeting. The mayor has mismanaged council meetings and offended council members. If they fail to meet, the world will not end. They will simply lose out on the right to raise taxes for next year. They will lose maybe 30,000 to 38,000 in tax revenue without the tax hike, but will still gain $12,000 due to new property on the tax rolls. The proposed budget shows a surplus of $34,000 so I don't see the emergency.
Mr. Sauceda scares us with the threat to not deliver a four percent raise to all employees (including himself) if he does not get the tax hike. This four percent raise would cost $28,000 according to Sauceda which includes $2,600 more for himself. The funny thing is that Mr. Sauceda got a $15,000 raise a year ago which is more than HALF THE COST of a four percent raise for all the employees!
If they don't get the tax hike, let's look at places to cut money to take care of employees. Their families should not suffer because of incompetence at city hall.
P.S. Remember the Mayor's declaration that the city does not need a finance committee? You're doing a heckuva job Davie. Way to go.
posted by RobC at 2:34 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home