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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Carrollton City Council Regular Worksession & Meeting – June 3, 2025

City Council — Tuesday, June 3, 2025

BodyCarrollton, Texas

SessionCity Council

DateTuesday, June 3, 2025

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:34:50

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

0:00

Couple seconds.

Unassigned speaker

0:02

Okay,

Speaker 1

0:02

guys, we're about to start here.

0:05

All right.

0:06

Welcome, welcome to our one session.

Unassigned speaker

0:09

Uh,

Speaker 1

0:09

we're gonna dive right in.

0:10

It's a brief brief agenda um with between holidays and graduations and so forth, but one of our shorter ones that you'll have.

0:21

Um we'll start with the uh consent agenda minutes.

0:26

Item number seven, any questions or comments?

0:29

I will note that uh council member Palmo is out of town.

Unassigned speaker

0:36

Okay

Speaker 1

0:36

no comments uh number eight, an ordinance amending ordinance 4143 increasing the amount of homestead exemptions for individual 65 years of age or older, and individuals who are disabled from 97,000 to 110,000 for tax year 2025.

0:54

This went through our finance committee.

0:56

Any comments on that?

0:57

Yeah,

Speaker 2

0:57

just other than um this keeps us by raising this, it keeps us at the level that we like to see for our citizens, and so um this is an actual uh tax benefit for them by decreasing the amount of taxes that they would have to pay.

Speaker 1

1:10

And that's 35 percent.

Speaker 2

1:11

Uh 35% is the number, yeah.

1:13

That's excellent.

Speaker 1

1:14

Good work, got a good uh good process on that.

1:17

Appreciate the uh your hard work on that and staff.

1:20

Item number nine, consider ordinance amending the operating and capital budgets for fiscal year October 1, 24 through September 30, 25.

1:29

Uh also went through finance committee.

Speaker 2

1:31

Yeah, this is uh a couple of different things.

1:33

Uh biggest one is is the um debris removal and the increase um in cost there, and I think we'll address something later this year, hopefully to increase that.

1:42

And we're ratifying.

1:44

Yeah, we're we're

Speaker 1

1:45

approving the prices that we have now, but I think we'll have some other things later.

1:48

And uh

Speaker 2

1:48

I think there's

Speaker 1

1:50

the uh the golf thing here as well.

Speaker 2

1:52

Yeah,

Speaker 1

1:52

and so as you uh as you think about the debris removal two years in a row, right?

1:57

It's pull me one shame on you, pull me twice, shame on me, right?

2:00

So probably something we need to say for now.

Unassigned speaker

2:05

Uh

Speaker 1

2:06

any other questions.

2:08

Number nine, uh got that.

2:10

Number 10, consider a resolution authorizing the city manager to participate in the state of Texas events trust fund program to support a request from Live Golf Dallas for a golf event at the Marido Golf Course in June 2025 with a local funding match from the city of Carleton and the amount not to exceed 83,549 dollars.

2:31

Any questions?

Speaker 3

2:34

Did we ever get a recap as to

Unassigned speaker

2:38

I

Speaker 3

2:38

guess we did February 18th, Mr.

2:40

Clark came and gave a presentation, right?

2:42

Yes.

2:43

Um gave us a brief uh presentation.

2:48

Uh I actually kind of what I was looking at is is kind of a more detailed information.

2:52

He just kind of just talked general.

2:55

Um do we have anything more detailed as to you know the dollars, where they came from, you know, vendors, things like that.

3:05

Um breakdown between each city.

3:09

I know you said something to the fact that uh 30,000, 30,000 attended the live event 2024.

3:19

But when you look at their paperwork, I think it was only 17,000 that attended the live.

3:25

Um so there's a little bit of discrepancy there.

3:28

Again, of course, I talked a little bit about this last time it was on the agenda.

3:33

As you guys know, live golf uh came in 2024.

3:38

Um back then, my whole premise.

3:41

Well, my whole thought process was that you know if anything that could, you

Unassigned speaker

3:45

know,

Speaker 3

3:46

uh come in and be a catalyst,

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Economic Development████████████████████████████████32%

Fiscal Sustainability████████████████████20%

Procedural█████████████13%

Public Engagement███████████11%

Active Transportation████████8%

Public Safety██████6%

Engineering And Infrastructure████4%

Budget Equity Analysis███3%

Community Engagement███3%

Summary of Proceedings

Carrollton City Council Regular Worksession & Meeting – June 3, 2025

The City Council of Carrollton convened for a Regular Worksession at 6:00 PM and a Regular Meeting at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at City Hall. The council approved most consent agenda items unanimously and held a contentious debate on a resolution to support LIV Golf Dallas with a local funding match. A long-term financial planning update was also presented during the worksession.

Consent Calendar

Item 7: Approved the May 20, 2025 Regular Meeting minutes (unanimous).
Item 8: Approved an ordinance increasing the homestead exemption for individuals 65 years or older and disabled persons from $97,000 to $110,000 for tax year 2025, providing an estimated $70 annual tax reduction per eligible resident (unanimous).
Item 9: Approved an ordinance amending the FY2025 operating and capital budgets, including a $510,800 transfer from the General Fund to the Solid Waste Fund for storm debris costs, $83,549 for the LIV Golf event trust fund match, and $110,000 for golf fleet replacement (unanimous).
Item 11: Approved a resolution supporting Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s (DART) application for TxDOT funding to construct a multi-use trail along the DART Silver Line north of Belt Line Road between Downtown Carrollton and McInnish Park. The project is estimated at $20,000,000; Carrollton's local match is $351,446 (unanimous).
Item 12: Approved a resolution supporting an application for TxDOT funding to construct a multi-use trail (Trade Center Trail) between TC Rice Park and the Carrollton Blue Trail at Furneaux Creek. The maximum grant is $10,000,000 with a 20% local match (up to $2,000,000) (unanimous).
Item 13: Approved a resolution ratifying emergency storm debris removal services by CrowderGulf, LLC in an amount not to exceed $510,800 for work performed after the March 4, 2025 straight-line wind event (unanimous).

Public Comments & Testimony

Public Comment (on agenda item 10): A speaker, Mr. Vidovic, opposed the LIV Golf funding, stating it was a misuse of taxpayer money. He was warned to follow rules.
Public Forum (non-agenda items): Mr. Vidovic again spoke, accusing the mayor and council of campaign finance violations and calling Councilmember Fleming “the only honest person.” He was dismissed after warnings.

Discussion Items

Long-Term Financial Planning Update (Worksession): CFO Diana Vaughn presented a sobering outlook. She noted that Carrollton has historically strong financial policies but faces constraints from Senate Bill 2 (property tax growth capped at 3.5%), flat sales tax, and new state mandates. The city will need to consider new revenue sources and strategic reductions. Property tax is 54% of general fund revenue; the residential capped value dropped from nearly $1 billion to $493 million. Sales tax variance for September 2024 vs. 2023 was negative $457,904. The city’s AAA bond rating was reaffirmed (two out of two rating agencies).
Trail Funding Overview (Worksession): Jonathan Wheat, Director of Engineering, presented three regional trail projects: the TC Rice Trail (0.8 miles, $10 million grant, 20% local match), the Trade Center Trail (1.5 miles, up to $10 million grant, 20% local match), and the DART Silver Line Trail ($25 million multi-city application, Carrollton’s local match $351,446). Council discussed connectivity and right-of-way.
Resolution for LIV Golf Dallas (Item 10): The council considered authorizing participation in the State of Texas Events Trust Fund for LIV Golf Dallas at Maridoe Golf Club, with a local match not to exceed $83,549 (reimbursed by Outlyr). Councilmember Fleming opposed, presenting hotel and sales tax data showing negative variances for Carrollton and neighboring cities after the 2024 event. He also raised concerns about the funding source (Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund) and lack of contract transparency. Councilmember Axberg supported the event, citing community exposure, volunteer benefits, and the zero-risk nature of the match (reimbursed). Councilmember Watters noted the sales tax data might be incomplete and stressed branding benefits. After debate, the motion passed 6–1, with Councilmember Fleming dissenting.

Key Outcomes

All consent agenda items (7–9, 11–13) approved unanimously.
Resolution for LIV Golf Dallas 2025 (Item 10) approved 6–1 (Fleming opposed). The city will submit a local match of up to $83,549, reimbursed by Outlyr, with state funds flowing based on audited receipts.
Council received the long-term financial planning update and will begin budget deliberations, with a council retreat scheduled for July 25–26, 2025.
The city’s ISO fire rating remained a “1” (highest possible), and the AAA rating was maintained.

Meeting Transcript

Couple seconds. Okay, guys, we're about to start here. All right. Welcome, welcome to our one session. Uh, we're gonna dive right in. It's a brief brief agenda um with between holidays and graduations and so forth, but one of our shorter ones that you'll have. Um we'll start with the uh consent agenda minutes. Item number seven, any questions or comments? I will note that uh council member Palmo is out of town. Okay no comments uh number eight, an ordinance amending ordinance 4143 increasing the amount of homestead exemptions for individual 65 years of age or older, and individuals who are disabled from 97,000 to 110,000 for tax year 2025. This went through our finance committee. Any comments on that? Yeah, just other than um this keeps us by raising this, it keeps us at the level that we like to see for our citizens, and so um this is an actual uh tax benefit for them by decreasing the amount of taxes that they would have to pay. And that's 35 percent. Uh 35% is the number, yeah. That's excellent. Good work, got a good uh good process on that. Appreciate the uh your hard work on that and staff. Item number nine, consider ordinance amending the operating and capital budgets for fiscal year October 1, 24 through September 30, 25. Uh also went through finance committee. Yeah, this is uh a couple of different things. Uh biggest one is is the um debris removal and the increase um in cost there, and I think we'll address something later this year, hopefully to increase that. And we're ratifying. Yeah, we're we're approving the prices that we have now, but I think we'll have some other things later. And uh I think there's the uh the golf thing here as well. Yeah, and so as you uh as you think about the debris removal two years in a row, right? It's pull me one shame on you, pull me twice, shame on me, right? So probably something we need to say for now. Uh any other questions. Number nine, uh got that. Number 10, consider a resolution authorizing the city manager to participate in the state of Texas events trust fund program to support a request from Live Golf Dallas for a golf event at the Marido Golf Course in June 2025 with a local funding match from the city of Carleton and the amount not to exceed 83,549 dollars. Any questions? Did we ever get a recap as to I guess we did February 18th, Mr. Clark came and gave a presentation, right? Yes. Um gave us a brief uh presentation. Uh I actually kind of what I was looking at is is kind of a more detailed information. He just kind of just talked general. Um do we have anything more detailed as to you know the dollars, where they came from, you know, vendors, things like that.

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