Carrollton City Council Worksession and Regular Meeting - February 21, 2023

The Carrollton City Council convened for a Worksession and Regular Meeting on Tuesday, February 21, 2023. The Worksession featured a detailed presentation on the 'Carrollton Difference' workplace culture, highlighting recruitment, retention, and leadership development strategies. The Regular Meeting included a proclamation recognizing organ donor Randy Staples, the unanimous approval of a consent agenda (Items 8-14, 16), and the deferral of a trail easement acquisition (Item 15) to a future work session for further study of drainage impacts.

Consent Calendar

• Approved unanimously (Items 8-14, 16).
• Item 10: Authorized a contract with NewGen Strategies for Water and Sewer Rate analysis ($75,000). Staff noted this was an independent periodic review, last done around 2018.
• Item 11: Approved software purchase with Carahsoft for OpenGov, Procore, and Granicus ($154,664.80).
• Item 12: Approved revision of school zone hours for Jerry R. Junkins Elementary School (DISD) to 7:15-8:15 AM and 2:30-3:45 PM due to a modified school schedule.
• Item 13: Approved a budget amendment transferring $574,654 from Drainage Capital to General and Public Safety Capital (TOD Budget) with no net change in the overall budget.
• Item 14: Approved an ordinance (Section 130.28) making possession of catalytic converters without proof of ownership a Class C misdemeanor. Chief Robert Arredondo stated it was a tool for officers to address a 63% increase in thefts (from 233 in 2021 to 379 in 2022), noting similar ordinances helped deter thefts in Victoria, TX. Councilmember Axberg supported the item but requested a future update on its effectiveness.
• Item 16: Authorized a professional services contract with O'Brien Engineering for the Sandy Lake Service Center parking lot design ($84,476).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Public Comment (on agenda items): None.
• Public Forum (non-agenda): Terence Vidovic addressed the Council, accusing Mayor Babick, the police, and county officials of conspiracy, harassment, and criminal activity related to prior legal interactions. The Mayor intervened several times to enforce the two-minute time limit and rules against slanderous remarks.

Discussion Items

• Carrollton Difference Culture (Worksession Item 4):

  • Samantha Dean (Workforce Services Director) and Krystle Boise (Strategic Services Director) presented strategies for attracting and retaining talent.
  • Recruitment: The city is active on LinkedIn and Indeed; streamlined short-form applications were created for maintenance roles; the Employee Referral Program offers $1,000 for successful referrals (4 already paid, 16 pending); a new HRIS system with a state-of-the-art recruiting module is expected in early 2024.
  • Retention & Compensation: The city is in Year 2 of a 3-year compensation review cycle. In FY22, 60 positions were adjusted impacting 188 employees, plus a 5.62% across-the-board increase. FY23 adjustments target administrative and field technician positions (40 positions, impacting roughly 200 employees). FY24 will focus on professional positions. The anticipated salary budget increase for FY24 was reported to be around 4-5%.
  • Leadership & Training Programs:
    • Public Works Apprentice Program: A paid 8-week program for local high school students. Of the six graduates from the inaugural 2019 class, two remain with the city (Tyler Holder and Humberto) and have each been promoted twice. A new class is starting soon.
    • Carrollton Talent Exchange: A job shadowing program (36 hours) allowing employees to explore other departments. It resulted in a unique internal promotion (Callie to Benefits Administrator).
    • Carrollton Leadership Institute (CLI): An advanced competitive program. Past class projects led to the creation of the Talent Exchange program and the Carrollton Difference One-Time Pay (CDOT) program. The fourth class recently began work on a new impactful project.
    • DEI Training: A partnership with UT Dallas provides courses on unconscious bias and inclusiveness.
    • Employee Recognition: Includes the 'Recognize' platform, STARS committee events, Outstanding Performance Awards (vacation time), and challenge coins for years of service.
  • Council expressed strong approval. Mayor Babick framed the investment in employees as core to the city's strategic objectives. Councilmember Axberg lauded the programs as ranking highly against private sector benchmarks.

• Dudley Branch Hike and Bike Trail Easement (Item 15 - Polled):

  • Councilmember Cline expressed concern that the proposed trail alignment would move it into the Dudley Branch Creek drainage area. She requested cross-sections and further data on the impact on drainage capacity, noting her house sits two feet above the 100-year floodplain.
  • Jonathan Wheat, Director of Engineering, stated that hydraulic models of the new design show no base flood elevation increases within the channel, and therefore no expected impact on neighboring homes.
  • Councilmember Cline moved to pull the item from the consent agenda and defer it to a work session for more detailed review. Seconded by Councilmember Fleming. Staff noted the project has been in development for 10 years and that COG funding is on its final extension.
  • Council voted to defer the item to the March 7th work session, with action planned for March 21st.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda Approved: Items 8-14 and 16 were approved unanimously.
• Proclamation Approved: February 21, 2023 was proclaimed 'Randy Staples Recognition Day' for his selfless act of donating 68% of his liver to an unknown recipient, making him the first altruistic live liver donor in the DFW area.
• Catalytic Converter Ordinance Adopted: An ordinance making unprovable possession of a catalytic converter a Class C misdemeanor was passed to give police a new enforcement tool.
• Item 15 Deferred: The resolution to acquire property rights (including via eminent domain) for the Dudley Branch Trail was pulled and deferred to a future work session to address Councilmember Cline's concerns about drainage impacts. The vote to defer was 6-1, with Councilmember Polter opposed.