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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Fort Worth City Committee Meetings - October 13, 2026: Audit, Environmental, and Community Development Updates

City Council — Tuesday, October 13, 2026

BodyFort Worth, Texas

SessionCity Council

DateTuesday, October 13, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 2:07:28

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

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.

Speaker 1

1:22

Okay.

Speaker 2

1:23

All right.

1:23

It is one o'clock, and I'm gonna call our audit and finance committee meeting to order.

1:28

Um first order of business is the approval of the August 4th meeting minutes.

Unassigned speaker

1:34

Can

Speaker 2

1:34

I get a motion?

Speaker 3

1:38

Move to approve.

Unassigned speaker

1:40

Thank

Speaker 2

1:41

you.

1:41

All in favor.

Unassigned speaker

1:43

All

Speaker 2

1:43

right, okay, motion passes.

1:45

Um next up is briefings.

1:47

We have our annual comprehensive financial report, and Rachel Ormsby and Dan Barron are here to do that.

Speaker 4

2:00

Thank you.

2:01

Appreciate the opportunity to be here this afternoon.

2:03

Um, great to be back for another year.

2:06

I can't believe it.

2:07

We're already back here for another year under the audit cycle.

2:10

So just to kind of remind y'all we're uh performed the uh annual comprehensive financial report audit as well as a single audits.

2:17

And uh so this will be for the our year-ended uh September 30th, 2026.

2:22

So we're kind of starting our planning and our risk assessment phase, and want to hear one wanted to come uh today just to give you uh an idea of of our risk assessment and our planning, kind of our just to remind you of the responsibilities and our responsibilities and what we're um engaged to to perform.

2:39

So with that, I'm gonna um we'll talk a little bit about the key team members.

2:43

It's really gonna be Rachel that's gonna go through the presentation and she'll talk about our responsibilities, our scope and timeline, um the deliverables, and then uh some a little bit of about some of the new pronouncements that are coming up.

2:55

So um please don't hesitate at any point in time to stop us um for any questions.

3:00

And as I mentioned, um my name's Dan Barone, so I've been the engagement partner uh for the last four years and working with your team in the city and uh always your city's very the management team is very cooperative, uh one of our best clients by far, um do a great job, always on the forefront of uh you know making sure that pronouncements are are are looked at early, that your financial statements are materially correct, uh really great team to work with.

3:26

So we look at this as a partnership.

3:28

So with that, um we hope we'll have the majority of our engagement team is all coming back, so that's very positive.

3:34

A lot of our team members have been here uh for a number of years on your engagement team.

3:38

So we have Josh and Tiffany.

3:40

Tiffany just had her baby, so she's on maternity leave, but she'll come back uh and then at the end of the year, right before year end, uh, when we issue the financial statements, and she'll be back around and really our our Kelsey's really our team member that is is really our day to day out here uh on a daily basis.

3:56

And we also work with Juliette Williams.

3:58

She works with us on um on a lot of the single audit program.

4:02

So with that, um y'all know who I am.

4:04

Uh I'm still gonna be around.

4:05

Um be here to support uh the engagement team and support the city however y'all need um from me.

4:11

But really the one of the things the decisions we made was to have Rachel.

4:14

It's always good to have a new perspective, a fresh set of eyes to kind of lead the audit.

4:19

So that's gonna be Rachel this year.

4:20

So Rachel's really gonna be um in charge of the audit and the engagement team.

4:24

But I'm uh I'm uh two one or two doors down from Rachel, so she knows how how's it found find me, and I'm still gonna be around and as I said, I'll still, you know, come to meetings here when needed and and uh you know be working with your team and and her team to make sure that we um you know continue providing a uh great service and uh I'm sure you're in really really good hands with Rachel.

4:43

So with that I'm gonna turn it over to Rachel.

Speaker 5

4:45

All right.

4:46

Thank you, Dan.

4:47

Well, hi everybody.

4:48

It's a pleasure to be here this afternoon, as Dan mentioned.

Unassigned speaker

4:51

I am new to the city, but I'm not new in terms of I've been with our firm for over 15 years, and so I've been kind of behind the scenes making sure that every milestone and deadline that we've agreed to meet for the city has been met by this team here.

Speaker 5

5:05

Um again, as I mentioned, I have over 15 years of experience.

5:08

I'm an audit partner in our Dallas office, and I also serve as our national industry leader for public sector.

5:15

So this is an industry that I'm very, very passionate about, and I'm super excited to be working with the city this year as your audit partner.

5:22

So wanna kind of talk through uh this is our annual pre-audit communication to you all as those charged with governance.

5:31

And so we think it's really important to just walk through what our team, uh, our firm, what our roles and our responsibilities are, and then we'll talk through what we believe yours as those charged with governance as well as management.

5:42

So you all have hired us to do an external independent audit of the city's annual comprehensive financial report.

5:50

So that is the 300-plus page book that your team prepares on an annual basis.

5:55

We will read that cover to cover and we will give you audit opinions on every opinion unit in the financial statements.

6:03

You all, as a large municipality in uh Texas receive a significant amount of federal and state funding.

6:09

So, as part of our scope of work, we will also do a separate compliance, also known as a single audit over those major federal and state programs, which we'll go through here in a minute.

6:20

And then here's how we're gonna conduct our audit, of course, in accordance with government auditing standards as well as the uniform guidance and as well as the Texas grant management standards.

6:29

And our goal is to not come in and provide absolute assurance.

6:34

We would be here all day looking at every transaction that you all do throughout the year.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Budget Equity Analysis████████████████16%

Solid Waste Management██████████████14%

Cannabis Regulation██████████10%

Internal Audit█████████9%

Personnel Matters███████7%

Public Works███████7%

Transportation Impact Fees███████7%

Community Engagement██████6%

Zoning█████5%

Summary of Proceedings

Fort Worth City Committee Meetings - October 13, 2026

On October 13, 2026, the City of Fort Worth convened three separate committee meetings: the Audit and Finance Committee at 1:00 PM, an afternoon committee (covering recycling, litter cleanup, and medical marijuana zoning) at 2:00 PM, and the Community Development Committee at 4:06 PM. The meetings concluded by 4:34 PM. This summary covers all briefings, discussions, and decisions from the day.

Consent Calendar

The Audit and Finance Committee approved the August 4, 2026 meeting minutes (motion passed unanimously).
The Community Development Committee approved the September 15, 2026 meeting minutes (passed unanimously).

Public Comments & Testimony

No public comments were made during any of the three committee meetings.

Discussion Items

Audit and Finance Committee (1:00 PM)

Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) Audit Planning: Rachel Ormsby (audit partner) and Dan Barron (engagement partner) presented the risk assessment and planning for the FY2026 audit (year ending September 30, 2026). They outlined the audit team, responsibilities, scope (including single audit for federal/state grants), and timeline (field work through February, presentation in March). Three significant risks were identified: management override of controls, revenue recognition (especially grants), and non-compliance. Upcoming GASB pronouncements (103, 104, 105) were discussed, with implementation for FY2026.
Internal Audit Work Plan and Activities: City Auditor Patrice Randall reported on completed audits: major public event preparedness (FIFA) found adequate planning; internal service billings found uncharged third-party radio services; payroll internal controls discovered overpayments of approximately $28,000 to 38 employees (32 fire, 6 police) due to incentive pay errors (e.g., employees receiving both associate and bachelor degree incentives). Data analysis for Q3/Q4 found no major exceptions except late fees for waste management at MedSTAR and two duplicate payments totaling $700. Follow-up on NTTA toll tags showed continued charges for untagged vehicles; personal holiday pay was corrected. The audit office reported a 94% concurrence rate and updated its manual to comply with “yellow book” requirements. A peer review for calendar years 2024-2026 has been applied for.
Monthly Financial Report – Fiscal Year 2026 Final: Christine Simmons and Kate Perry presented the last monthly report. General fund highlights: property tax revenue was $13.8 million under budget due to mid-year value losses and appraisal errors; sales tax revenue was $3.5 million over budget, aided by World Cup activity. Departments deferred $16 million in discretionary spending, resulting in a net contribution to fund balance of $2.4 million (offsetting a budgeted use of $12.5 million). All departments were within budget except fire (less than 1% overage due to deployment costs). Police had significant vacancy savings. Other funds (enterprise, internal service, EMS) were all contributing to fund balances. The health fund received interest income allocation to support reserve compliance.

Afternoon Committee – Recycling, Litter, and Medical Marijuana Zoning (2:00 PM – 4:00 PM)

Recycling Outreach Update: Dr. Wittenberg (Director of Environmental Services) presented new educational videos and materials emphasizing the “Empty, Clean, Dry” message. Current contamination rate is approximately 30%, with a goal of reducing to 10%. The city received a $4.8 million EPA grant for education. America Recycles Day will be celebrated on November 14, 2026, at Hewland Mall and La Gran Plaza with touch-a-truck events. Partnership with Republic Services and WM was highlighted. Councilwoman Laura Starf asked about the styrofoam recycling machine at Hillshire; staff said the machine was temporarily out of service but shared that styrofoam can be dropped off at collection stations and processed at the ECC.
Litter Cleanup and Staff Recognition: Dr. Wittenberg recognized the Environmental Services litter team, including retiring superintendent Neil Johnson (22 years of service). Statistics: 11 citywide litter crews, 2 highway crews, street sweepers expanded to 12 vehicles. The team handles illegal dumping, camp cleanups, and dead animal pickup. Upcoming events: Neighborhood Litter Stomp on October 17 (8-11 AM) and Tire Takeback event on October 17 (8 AM-noon) at South Side Community Center. The team is partnering with TxDOT, NTTA, and other city departments.
Medical Marijuana Zoning Update: Dave (Planning Department) presented a recap of the March 10 presentation. The Texas Compassionate Use Program (T-CUP) allows low-dose THC cannabis for qualifying conditions via registered providers. Two of three licensed dispensaries have satellite locations in Fort Worth; 12 more licenses are conditionally approved, with two in Public Health Region 3. Staff recommendation (unchanged from March): define satellite locations as pharmacies (allowed in all commercial/industrial zones and some form-based districts) and establish a new land use for cultivation/extraction/testing/packaging/processing/distribution, allowed only in industrial IJ and K districts. Councilman Crane asked clarifying questions to confirm the update aligns with state law and does not legalize recreational marijuana. Councilman Martinez expressed concern about allowing cultivation/processing in light industrial zones adjacent to residential neighborhoods, suggesting removing light industrial (I) from the proposed uses. Staff noted that currently no cultivation sites are in Fort Worth, and only two conditional licenses exist for the region. No vote was taken; the committee discussed further study of preemption and potential conditional use permits.

Community Development Committee (4:06 PM – 4:34 PM)

Community Center Facilities Master Plan and Woodhaven Community Center: Teresa Thompson presented the master plan, which assessed all 25 community center facilities (including Let Rise, North Park YMCA, and Hays Athletic Center) for age, condition, functionality, and capacity. Five service gaps were identified (north, west, southwest, east Fort Worth). The Woodhaven Clubhouse site (5 acres, owned by the developer of the former golf course) was selected for a new community center using TIF 13 funds. Philip Michael Smart explained that TIF 13 expires in 2028 and has a remaining balance of $27.3 million (expected total $33 million). The TIF board will be asked on November 4 to approve $2.5 million initially for acquisition and demolition, with a total project estimate of $28 million for a 25,000 sq ft center. The community center aligns with the Woodhaven Conservation Plan and the facility master plan. Councilman Charlie noted service gaps in south Fort Worth; staff explained future bond programs could address other areas.
Community Quarterback Training Program: A presentation on a 7-month leadership program developed from the Main Street pilot. The program will train 35 participants from 12 revitalization target areas (though open citywide) in corridor revitalization principles (design, economic vitality, organization, promotion). Workshops will be virtual and in-person, led by Main Street America and city staff, covering market analysis, fundraising, small business support, etc. The program begins in October 2026. Councilman addressed ensuring the trainings remain community-centric and not political; staff said the application process will clarify the focus.
Nuisance Enforcement Task Force (NetForce) Update: Brian Doherty (Code Compliance Director) reported on the pilot program’s success: three target properties (ECO, Southside Food Mart, Rockies 2, Sandy Oaks) saw significant improvements, including six buildings declared hazardous, owner compliance, property closures, and over 800 code violations corrected. The program was made permanent with additional staff. The new structure includes an active list (currently Cowboy Inn, Ranch Motel, Central Motel with pending demolition permit, Maribo Apartments, and residential properties), a monitoring list (pilot properties), and properties of interest (including lounges and nightclubs). The team meets monthly with participating departments. A new dashboard will be presented to council on October 20. The task force is also exploring funding for a demolition fund.

Key Outcomes

The Audit and Finance Committee approved the August 2026 meeting minutes (unanimous).
The Community Development Committee approved the September 2026 meeting minutes (unanimous).
No other formal votes were taken; all items were briefings for discussion.
The medical marijuana zoning recommendation will be brought back to committee after further legal review regarding preemption and potential conditional use permits.
The Woodhaven Community Center project will proceed to the TIF 13 board on November 4, 2026, followed by a work session on October 27, park board on November 18, and city council on December 8.
NetForce will present its dashboard and seek a demolition fund; the annual evaluation of capacity will occur after six months.
The recycling and litter programs will continue with upcoming events on October 17 and November 14.
The community quarterback training program will begin in late October with applications.

Meeting Transcript

Okay. All right. It is one o'clock, and I'm gonna call our audit and finance committee meeting to order. Um first order of business is the approval of the August 4th meeting minutes. Can I get a motion? Move to approve. Thank you. All in favor. All right, okay, motion passes. Um next up is briefings. We have our annual comprehensive financial report, and Rachel Ormsby and Dan Barron are here to do that. Thank you. Appreciate the opportunity to be here this afternoon. Um, great to be back for another year. I can't believe it. We're already back here for another year under the audit cycle. So just to kind of remind y'all we're uh performed the uh annual comprehensive financial report audit as well as a single audits. And uh so this will be for the our year-ended uh September 30th, 2026. So we're kind of starting our planning and our risk assessment phase, and want to hear one wanted to come uh today just to give you uh an idea of of our risk assessment and our planning, kind of our just to remind you of the responsibilities and our responsibilities and what we're um engaged to to perform. So with that, I'm gonna um we'll talk a little bit about the key team members. It's really gonna be Rachel that's gonna go through the presentation and she'll talk about our responsibilities, our scope and timeline, um the deliverables, and then uh some a little bit of about some of the new pronouncements that are coming up. So um please don't hesitate at any point in time to stop us um for any questions. And as I mentioned, um my name's Dan Barone, so I've been the engagement partner uh for the last four years and working with your team in the city and uh always your city's very the management team is very cooperative, uh one of our best clients by far, um do a great job, always on the forefront of uh you know making sure that pronouncements are are are looked at early, that your financial statements are materially correct, uh really great team to work with. So we look at this as a partnership. So with that, um we hope we'll have the majority of our engagement team is all coming back, so that's very positive. A lot of our team members have been here uh for a number of years on your engagement team. So we have Josh and Tiffany. Tiffany just had her baby, so she's on maternity leave, but she'll come back uh and then at the end of the year, right before year end, uh, when we issue the financial statements, and she'll be back around and really our our Kelsey's really our team member that is is really our day to day out here uh on a daily basis. And we also work with Juliette Williams. She works with us on um on a lot of the single audit program. So with that, um y'all know who I am. Uh I'm still gonna be around. Um be here to support uh the engagement team and support the city however y'all need um from me. But really the one of the things the decisions we made was to have Rachel. It's always good to have a new perspective, a fresh set of eyes to kind of lead the audit. So that's gonna be Rachel this year. So Rachel's really gonna be um in charge of the audit and the engagement team. But I'm uh I'm uh two one or two doors down from Rachel, so she knows how how's it found find me, and I'm still gonna be around and as I said, I'll still, you know, come to meetings here when needed and and uh you know be working with your team and and her team to make sure that we um you know continue providing a uh great service and uh I'm sure you're in really really good hands with Rachel. So with that I'm gonna turn it over to Rachel. All right. Thank you, Dan. Well, hi everybody. It's a pleasure to be here this afternoon, as Dan mentioned. I am new to the city, but I'm not new in terms of I've been with our firm for over 15 years, and so I've been kind of behind the scenes making sure that every milestone and deadline that we've agreed to meet for the city has been met by this team here. Um again, as I mentioned, I have over 15 years of experience. I'm an audit partner in our Dallas office, and I also serve as our national industry leader for public sector. So this is an industry that I'm very, very passionate about, and I'm super excited to be working with the city this year as your audit partner.

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