Carrollton City Council Regular Worksession & Meeting - June 25, 2024

The Carrollton City Council convened for a combined Worksession and Regular Meeting on Tuesday, June 25, 2024. The Worksession included discussions on council committee appointments, a scholarship for the Leadership Metrocrest program, a detailed primer on the Fiscal Year 2025 budget process, and an extensive update on storm recovery efforts following the May 28 severe weather event. During the Regular Meeting, the Council unanimously approved a Consent Agenda that included major economic development incentives for BuzzBallz LLC and DuraPlas LC, the appointment of a new Mayor Pro Tempore, and a tax exemption increase for seniors and disabled persons. During the Public Forum, residents voiced concerns about homelessness in neighborhoods and praised the city's storm response.

Consent Calendar

The Council unanimously approved the consent agenda (Items 9–24) in a single roll call vote. Key approvals included:

• Minutes: Approval of the May 21 and June 4, 2024 regular meeting minutes.
• Information Technology: Renewal of Palo Alto Network firewall maintenance ($112,673), extension of Ion Wave bidding software contract ($208,000 total), and a five-year contract for AdComp Systems kiosk solutions ($420,000 total).
• Public Works: Traffic signal equipment contract from multiple vendors ($1.2 million total), purchase of a water meter testing bench ($120,000), and a residential street replacement contract with B & E Concrete Paving ($6 million total).
• Personnel: Ordinance reclassifying Fire Department civil service positions, decreasing Firefighters from 82 to 76 and increasing Apparatus Operators from 51 to 57.
• Taxation: Ordinance increasing the Over-65 and Disabled Persons property tax exemption from $87,000 to $97,000 for Tax Year 2024.
• Charter: Ordinance adopting the restated Home Rule Charter as approved by voters in the May 4, 2024 election.
• Finance: Resolution accepting the Investment Officer's Quarterly Report for the second quarter ending March 31, 2024.
• Procurement: Resolution authorizing a city-wide Amazon Business account through Omnia Purchasing Cooperative (not to exceed $303,500 annually).
• Economic Development – DuraPlas LC: Resolution authorizing an incentive agreement for the company to relocate its headquarters and manufacturing operations. The package includes two tax rebate grants (50% of taxes on new personal and real property) over two three-year terms, not to exceed $481,284, in exchange for $90.5 million in investment and 304 new jobs.
• Economic Development – BuzzBallz LLC: Resolution authorizing an incentive agreement for the company's expansion into a fifth building. The package includes a 50% tax rebate on new real and business personal property for five years, not to exceed $242,768, in exchange for $17.9 million in investment and 194 new jobs.
• Appointments: Councilmember Richard Fleming was elected Mayor Pro Tempore and Councilmember Christopher Axberg was elected Deputy Mayor Pro Tempore.

Public Comments & Testimony

Regular Meeting Public Comment: No speakers addressed the council on specific consent agenda items. Public Forum:

• Paul Gilmore (Carrollton resident): Expressed deep gratitude to the council, staff, and first responders for the impressive storm recovery effort, stating the city "done a phenomenal job."
• Sue Jepsen (Carrollton resident): Spoke on behalf of a group of neighbors expressing significant concern about homeless individuals in their community. She detailed several incidents, including trespassing, use of outdoor hoses, and safety fears. She submitted a petition and asked the council about the potential for increased police patrols, signage, and street lighting to address the issue.

Discussion Items

Worksession: Council Liaison and Committee Appointments The Council discussed the proposed liaison roster. Councilmember Palomo requested rotation off the "Make It Count" committee to allow other members to experience the organization. Mayor Babick confirmed he would adjust the assignments. The expanded role of the Community Funding Committee to act as a cultural liaison was also discussed.

Worksession: Leadership Metrocrest Scholarship Staff reported that one application for the city-sponsored scholarship was received. Councilmembers Nancy Cline and Jason Carpenter expressed interest in participating in the program. The Council reached a consensus to fund both the single resident applicant and the participation of the two council members.

Worksession: Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Process Orientation Finance Director Melissa Everett presented an orientation on the upcoming FY2025 budget cycle. She defined key terms (Base Budget, Additions to Base, Truth in Taxation rules) and outlined the process timeline, noting that the tax rate must be set by early August and the budget adopted by September 10. Staff has built $351,000 in recurring inflationary cost increases into department base budgets. Councilmember Fleming asked about increasing the community funding budget, and staff confirmed it is part of the balancing act during appropriation discussions. Councilmember Cline requested a separate, deeper briefing on the city's "Managed Competition" process for internal service delivery reviews.

Worksession: Storm Recovery Update Emergency Management Coordinator Elliot Reep provided a comprehensive update on the May 28 storm aftermath:

• Impact: The most significant vegetative debris event in 40 years, with an estimated 50,000 cubic yards of debris spread across the city's 37.1 square miles and 456 damage reports filed.
• Response: The city activated a standby contract with Crowder Gulf (in place since 2022). In four weeks, the city collected half of the total bulk trash collected in all of 2023. Operations are 54% complete with primary passes.
• Clarifications: Mayor Babick noted the importance of managing public expectations regarding timelines. Reep clarified that the "June 10th" communication was a deadline for residents to place debris curbside, not a promise for complete pick-up, and that providing exact daily pickup schedules was not operationally practical due to the variable volume of debris. An after-action review will be scheduled later.

Council Reports and Recognitions

• Councilmember Richard Fleming: Participated in multiple Juneteenth events and shared his family's history. He formally proposed the formation of a council committee or commission to organize and enhance Carrollton's future Juneteenth celebrations, garnering support from his colleagues.
• Councilmember Rowena Watters: Highlighted her graduation from the Citizens Fire Academy and attendance at the Citizens Police Academy graduation.
• Councilmember Daisy Palomo: Reported attending the Metrocrest Coffee with Council, the NCTCOG annual meeting, and a CPR class hosted by the Fire Department.
• Councilmember Christopher Axberg: Congratulated the new Mayor Pro Tempore and reported on the Hospital Authority meeting.
• Mayor Pro Tem Nancy Cline: Attended several community meetings and expressed concern about creek flooding caused by debris and potential code enforcement actions against residents.
• Mayor Steve Babick: Formally recognized and thanked retiring Assistant City Manager Marc Guy for his 38 years of dedicated service to the city, eliciting a round of applause from the council and audience.

Key Outcomes

• Votes and Decisions: The Consent Agenda was approved unanimously, officially authorizing all contracts, ordinances, and resolutions within it.
• Council Appointments: Richard Fleming was named Mayor Pro Tempore and Christopher Axberg Deputy Mayor Pro Tempore, effective July 1, 2024.
• Economic Development: Incentive agreements for DuraPlas LC and BuzzBallz LLC were authorized, projected to bring a combined investment of over $108 million and nearly 500 new jobs to Carrollton.
• Storm Recovery: Debris removal operations continue. An after-action review will be conducted post-recovery.
• Future Agenda Items: A formal briefing on the Managed Competition process and a council discussion on creating a Juneteenth committee will be scheduled for upcoming meetings.