Carrollton City Council Regular Worksession & Meeting - August 15, 2023

The Carrollton City Council held a combined regular worksession and meeting on Tuesday, August 15, 2023, beginning at 5:45 PM in the Council Briefing Room and reconvening at 7:00 PM in the City Council Chambers. The agenda included consent agenda approvals, a worksession for fiscal year 2024 budget and tax rate decisions, and a public forum. The council made substantial progress on the proposed budget, setting employee compensation, a preliminary tax rate reduction, and allocating funds for multiple capital and operational initiatives.

Consent Calendar

• Items 8 through 17 were approved unanimously. These included: authorization for municipal court credit card processing services ($250,000 over five years); approval of a Parks and Recreation Master Plan contract with Dunaway Associates ($235,155); amendments to contracts with Robert Half Companies and Protiviti Government Services (shifting $204,050 between vendors); an ordinance establishing speed limits on Dickerson Parkway (40 MPH from Frankford to MacArthur, 35 MPH from MacArthur to the PGBT access road); acknowledgment of Castle Hills Public Improvement District annual service plan updates (Nos. 1 and 2); a resolution authorizing additional engineering services for the Nob Hill Section 2 street reconstruction ($103,000, total contract $354,500); a resolution authorizing defeasance of Series 2014 GO Bonds (estimated savings of $1.5 million in future interest); and a resolution suspending the effective date of CoServ Gas’s requested rate change to allow study and negotiation.

Public Comments & Testimony

• David Vetovich addressed the council with multiple grievances, referring to pending litigation against the city and accusing council members of misconduct. His remarks were heated and at times slanderous.
• Katrina Aldridge (Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD) provided a school district update: current enrollment is 24,000 students (300 above last year); over 100 families received immunizations at the central office; the district welcomed 4,000 employees back with a convocation and distributed $300 bonuses to each employee; Creekview High School and Jamie Stark Elementary were named National Schools of PTA. She also mentioned partnerships with local pastors and mid-school mentoring programs at Blaylock and Pope.
• Susannah Dooling questioned the TC Rice allocation of $1.3 million, noting excavation activities near the property (allegedly related to Hyundai) and arguing that funds should instead be directed to roads, alleys, sidewalks, and lighting. She expressed support for a future park but not for spending design money now.
• Adam Poulter detailed his history with TC Rice, referencing past CPAC recommendations (2022) that unanimously declined funding for TC Rice. He argued that the property is in flux due to I-35E expansion, NTTA property issues, and floodplain challenges, and that a design study would not deliver immediate value. He urged the council to focus on sidewalks, Wood Lake, streets, and smart meters.
• Lori Foster echoed the timing concerns, stating that 1.3 million is a large sum and that other projects (roads, alleys, etc.) should take priority. She asked the council to defer TC Rice design.
• Kate Huey declined to speak.

Discussion Items

• Fiscal Year 2024 Community Service Committee Funding – The committee (Nancy Cline, Daisy Palomo, Chris Axberg) recommended $490,273 in allocations to community organizations. This amount is included in the proposed budget. Council expressed appreciation for the committee’s work.

• Fiscal Year 2024 Proposed Budget and Tax Rate – Finance Director Melissa Dipprey and City Manager Aaron Renn presented slides showing the general fund revenue sources (property tax, sales tax, franchise fees) and a capital infrastructure investment of $127 million for FY24 (compared to ~$121 million last year, excluding ARPA). The council then worked through a detailed spreadsheet of recurring and non-recurring decision points.

  Recurring decisions (approx. $5.1 million available):

  • Employee merit increase: council agreed to target a 5% raise, but later increased to 5.62% (matching last year’s figure) to allow a larger tax rate cut.
  • One-time pay (annual incentive): funded at the usual 1%.
  • Compensation study adjustments for the final third of positions: funded as recommended ($400,000 estimated).
  • Salary structure increases for first responders (police and fire) to improve step function competitiveness: $1.078 million.
  • Color print fee for library, elimination of budgeted vacant positions, board/commission software ($11,000), National League of Cities dues, TMRS pension funding (above required), Christmas in Carrollton ($30,000), and other items were approved.
  • Tax rate: After extensive discussion, council decided to reduce the property tax rate by 0.875 cents per $100 valuation (from 56.25 cents to approximately 55.375 cents), with the reduction funded by rolling the additional salary cost into the employee raise (5.62%).

  Non-recurring decisions (approx. $22.2 million available):

  • Korea Fest: $25,000 approved.
  • Carrollton Women’s Club: increased from $1,000 to $1,500 for a fundraiser event.
  • Targeted economic development recruitment strategy: $500,000 for a study.
  • TC Rice Park Phase 2 design: originally $1.3 million, but after discussion and public input, council agreed on a “save as you go” approach—allocating $300,000 (one-quarter of the full amount) this year, with future phased funding.
  • Pothole response / rapid infrastructure repair: $1 million outsourced program for alley base failures and street repairs.
  • Animal shelter expansion pay-as-you-go: funded to complete the project.
  • Council facilitated planning sessions: combined with Vision 2040 plan—$150,000 total for both items.
  • Fire Station 5 pay-as-you-go: first of two years of contributions for station replacement.
  • Wood Lake Park Phase 2 design: funded.
  • Stormwater drainage system analysis: $1 million (phased over three years instead of full $3 million).
  • Purpose-built reserve fire apparatus: one unit funded (with a plan to evaluate and potentially purchase more next year).
  • Chatbot for city website: $80,000 for design and implementation.
  • Upgrade/refresh of IP cameras: $1 million plus $100,000 recurring annual set-aside.
  • Library amenities (tables and chairs): $75,000 one-time plus $10,000 recurring.
  • Elm Fork Nature Preserve Center facelift: $265,000.
  • Playgrounds and pavilions: funded per staff recommendation.
  • Outdoor fitness gym along trails: funded.
  • Police memorial fund: funded.
  • City conference (employee engagement): funded.
  • Vision 2040 plan: combined with facilitated planning sessions ($150,000).

• Mayor and Council Reports and Information Sharing – Multiple council members reported on community events: back-to-school fairs, ribbon cutting for a restoration company’s international HQ, the Make It Count summer program luncheon, K-Town designation in North Dallas, and a regional transportation council initiative to evaluate future transit needs. Mayor Babick indicated he would ask the Regional Transportation Council to fund a regional transit study.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda approved (items 8–17) unanimously.
• Community Service Committee recommendations approved as presented.
• Employee raises set at 5.62% (matching last year’s increase), including merit, one-time pay, and compensation study adjustments.
• Property tax rate reduced by 0.875 cents (from $0.5625 to $0.55375 per $100 valuation).
• TC Rice design funding deferred to a phased “save as you go” plan with $300,000 allocated this year.
• $1 million allocated for pothole response and infrastructure repairs.
• $1 million allocated for IP camera upgrades plus $100,000 annual recurring.
• Stormwater drainage analysis funded at $1 million in FY24 as first of three phases.
• Fire apparatus one new reserve truck ordered; re-evaluation before further purchases.
• Council facilitated planning sessions combined with Vision 2040 at $150,000 total.
• August 29 worksession cancelled; final budget and tax rate adoption scheduled for September 12, 2023, including a public hearing.
• Total capital infrastructure investment for FY24 budgeted at approximately $127 million.
• Regional transit study to be requested from the Regional Transportation Council.