FY 2025 Budget Workshop: Solid Waste, Public Works, Animal Care, and Health – August 15, 2024

The City Council held a workshop on August 15, 2024, to receive briefings on the proposed FY 2025 budgets for Solid Waste Services, Public Works (Streets and Stormwater), Animal Care Services, and the Health Department. The meeting was informational only; no formal votes were taken, and no public comment was solicited. Council members engaged with department directors on budget proposals, service levels, and operational challenges.

Discussion Items

Solid Waste Services

• Director David Lafeld presented the FY 2025 budget, noting a slight increase driven largely by pass-through costs for water department sludge. The department serves 98,000 residential/commercial customers and recycled over 12,000 tons in the past year.
• Proposed changes to reduce costs: reducing brush collection from four to two times per year, canceling the two-person litter crew program, and reducing the "Recycle Right" lid-flipping inspection program (contamination reduced from 43% to 29%, but program cost now exceeds savings).
• Council discussion focused on glass recycling: a glass crusher would cost $150,000–$200,000; the city has a stockpile of glass but no current recycling route; staff will re-engage with a potential local glass recycling company. The landfill has an expected 170-year life span; recycling contributes only about 4% of diversion.
• Councilman Hernandez questioned overtime budgeting (same amount despite reduced headcount) and the $1.4 million increase in professional services (largely due to sludge handling costs).

Public Works – Streets

• Director Ernie De la Garza reported that for the first time in five years, all planned residential street work (34 centerline miles) will be completed by fiscal year-end. The department targets a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) of 71.87 by FY 2025, a year early.
• FY 2025 street improvement budget: $129.4 million (12.2% increase from FY 2024), with $32 million for residential streets. An additional $36 million (if a bond passes) would bring total to ~$68 million for residential streets; staff confirmed capacity to execute.
• A new skin patch program (thin asphalt overlay) is being deployed to address streets beyond pothole repair; decision packages request a new paver and materials. This will reduce pothole teams from six to three.
• Council requested a map showing where street funds are spent and better data consistency across city communications.

Public Works – Stormwater

• The stormwater FY 2025 budget is $33.7 million. Proposed enhancements: adding five street sweepers (for a total of 13), creating a nine-person maintenance-of-line crew for underground pipe inspection, and inventorying 35 miles of underground system per year.
• Stormwater rates are proposed unchanged from last year: residential tier 1 at $7.74, tier 2 at $10.32 per month.
• The first-ever citywide drainage master plan was adopted in January 2024. In-house street sweeping removed 1,630 tons of debris; contractors removed an additional 1,400 tons (total 3,000 tons, equivalent to 220 dump trucks).
• Council discussed floatable control devices: three pilot sites (including Cole Park and Waters Edge Park) are testing different technologies; six more are planned pending funding.

Animal Care Services

• Director Kathleen Choppa noted the department, standalone since June 2023, faces staff shortages and facility challenges. A comprehensive operational assessment by Citygate Associates is due for final review in November 2024.
• FY 2025 proposed budget relies 98% on general fund. Key proposal: continue $250,000 spay/neuter program, but reduce two vacant kennel technician positions (from 13 to 11), despite national standards recommending 11 per morning shift. This could strain operations and require pulling officers from field duty.
• Achievements include 17 new rescue partnerships, over 8,000 microchips, 30,000 completed service calls (average 100/day), and transfer of vector control to Health.
• Council discussed the intact pet permit program: only 28 permits issued (far below expected $50,000 revenue); communication with veterinarians needs improvement. Extended hours (noon to 9 p.m. shift) started two weeks ago to improve response times.

Health Department

• Director Dr. Fozia Khan presented the health budget: 80% grant-funded, with a $5.9 million general fund contribution. Key achievements included 10,000+ clinical services, 4,000+ food inspections, and 11,000+ communicable disease samples processed.
• Vector control transferred from Animal Care in May 2024. The department requests four dedicated vector positions and two new foggers (replacing outdated equipment). With six foggers, it takes seven days to cover the entire city. Adulticiding is done at night (8 p.m.–5 a.m.); larviciding is done during the day. The current pesticide cannot be used near water bodies, prompting a search for alternatives.
• Council emphasized better public education on mosquito control and consistent social media messaging. The department will post FAQs and increase outreach.
• Other initiatives: swimming lessons (255 children), CPR training (56 trained), public health summit (157 attendees), and a new community health needs assessment survey launching within a month.
• The county partnership (Nueces County) contract was extended to December 31, 2024, providing $1.8 million (31% of the health department's journal fund). Fee schedule for environmental health services will be updated (first since 2006), projected to generate $167,000.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken; the workshop was informational.
• City staff will develop a map of street improvement spending by district and ensure consistent reporting of street data across departments.
• Solid Waste will re-engage with a potential glass recycling company and consider a glass crusher.
• Public Works will pre-order a new paver and five street sweepers to avoid long lead times (budget adoption pending).
• Animal Care will develop a communication plan with veterinarians about the intact pet permit ordinance and continue to build volunteer base.
• Health Department will launch a community health needs assessment and improve vector control public outreach, including social media and a FAQ page.
• Council will receive the final Citygate Animal Care assessment in November 2024 for a workshop.
• Next community budget input sessions: August 15 (District 4, Fund Trackers), August 19 (Doc Seafood, Island), August 21 (Railroad Seafood & Brewery, Cal Allen). Next week's workshop (August 22) will cover Police, Fire, and Development Services.