STATE OF TEXAS             )( )(
                                                                                 COUNTY OF RUNNELS    )( )(
	                CITY OF BALLINGER        )( )(

	On this the 8th day of September 2020 the Ballinger City Council met in regular session at 5:30 p.m., in the Council Chamber of City Hall located at 700 Railroad Avenue with the following members present:

	         Dawni Seymore                    Mayor
                    Ken Manley                          Council Member # 1
                    Richard “Rick” Morrish         Mayor Pro-tem
	         Ryan Lange                          Council Member #3
                    Michael Riley      	           Council Member # 4

	City Staff:

	         Bonita Shields                       City Secretary
	         Brian Frieda                          City Manager
	         William “Pat” Chesser           City Attorney
	         Stanley Maresch                   Chief of Police
	          Chad Mercer			 Code Enforcement
	         John Pierik, III			 Finance Director
	     	     	
	Others present- Brent Allen, Chad Hardy, Steve Gray, Jr., Suzanne Torres

	CALL TO ORDER:
Mayor Dawni Seymore called the meeting to order at 5:31 p.m.

PRAYER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
	Council Member Rick Morrish was asked to lead the group in a word of prayer and the pledge of allegiance and pledge to the Texas flag.

	PUBLIC HEARINGS & PUBLIC COMMENTS:
	VISITORS:
	Steve Gray, Jr. requested that the City consider another source other than face book to get notices out to residents. He had to be informed by someone that the” Boil water notice” had been lifted. He was told that the notice went out on face book, Nixle and the City’s web page.

	CITY COUNCIL MAY HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED 2020-21 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET FOR THE CITY:
	The Mayor opened the public hearing on the proposed 2020-21 budget at 5:35 p.m.
	Chad Hardy questioned if the budget would be posted on the City’s web site.
	There were no other matters or comments to be discussed and the Mayor closed the public hearing at 5:38p.m.
	CITY COUNCIL MAY CONSIDER APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE 2020-21 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET FOR THE CITY:
	The Mayor told the Council that included in their packets is an ordinance for them to consider. 
	Council Member Rick Morrish made the motion to approve an ordinance # 09022020 approving and adopting the 2020-2021 fiscal budget as presented. Second by Council Member Ken Manley and the motion carries with Mayor Dawni Seymore and Council Members Ken Manley, Rick Morrish, Ryan Lange, and Michael Riley voting “For” and no one voting against.

	CITY COUNCIL MAY HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED TAX RATE FOR THE 2020 CITY TAXES:
Mayor Dawni Seymore opened the public hearing for the proposed 2020
City tax rate at 5:41 pm. Since this budget will raise total property tax revenue than the budget for the previous fiscal year, the Council must take a separate ratification vote on the budget ordinance. The ratification vote must be a record vote.
Chad Hardy asked for an explanation of the process to figure the new tax rate. Brian Frieda explained that there is no easy way to explain the changes that were made with Senate bill 2 because they are still making changes to the bill up to this date. The old bill allowed entities to go up on the rate by 8% for an effective tax rate before you hit the roll back rate and now with the Senate bill only allows a 3.5% increase for a no vote approval rate. You now can have a detimina rate that would generate $500,000 for the entity. This rate would be $1.01, which is way to high for the city. The staff looked at all the rates which include a no new revenue tax rate of $0.521397, No new revenue maintenance & operations tax rate of $0.749608 or the voter approval tax rate of $0550937. The staff recommends that the Council approve the tax rate of $0.540000 per 100 valuation for the 2020 City tax rate which is a 3.57% increase of taxes. Council Member Ryan Lange questioned if this would increase the revenue and what the certified valuation of property was. There were no more matters to discuss, and Mayor Dawni Seymore closed the public hearing at 5:49 p.m.

	CITY COUNCIL MAY CONSIDER APPROVAL OF AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE PROPOSED TAX RATE FOR THE 2020 TAX YEAR:
	Mayor Dawni Seymore  stated in your packets is an ordinance of the City of Ballinger approving and adopting the city tax rate for the tax year 2020. Since the ordinance will adopt a tax rate that will exceed the no-new revenue tax rate the motion to approve the ordinance should precisely the wording required by law to be specific. 
	Council Member Rick Morrish move that the property tax rate be increased by adoption of a tax rate, $0.540000, which is effectively a 3.57% in the tax rate as set forth in Ordinance No 09082020A. Second by Ken Manley.
The Mayor asked is there any discussion on the tax rate and ordinance. Council Member Ryan Lange stated that he did not feel it was a good thing to increase the tax rate because of the Covid-19 crisis and everyone jobs are limit and the valuation of resident’s property being increased.
	The motion carries with Mayor Dawni Seymore, Council Member Ken Manley, Rick Morrish, and Michael Riley voting for approval of the tax rate ordinance and Council Member Ryan Lange voting against the ordinance.

	BUSINESS:
	CITY COUNCIL MAY CONSIDER AND AUTHORIZE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN:
	Brian Frieda reported to the Council that it is required for the Council to approve the drought contingency plan every two years. The original plan was approved during the drought in 1991. There were different stages of watering allowed and penalties set for non-compliances. This part of the ordinance will stay the same. After further discussion, Council Member Rick Morrish made the motion to approve a resolution amending the drought contingency plan. Second by Council Member Mike Riley and was unanimously approved.

	CITY COUNCIL MAY COMSIDER AND APPROVE THE HIRING OF NEW EMPLOYEES FOR THE CITY OF BALLINGER:
Council Member Ken Manley made the motion to approve the hiring of 
J.R. Griswold-Water distribution, Austin Keesee- Water distribution, Bryan Scott Watkins-Street department, and Esmeralda Hernandez-Water utility clerk. Second by Council Member Ryan Lange and was unanimously approved.

	CITY COUNCIL MAY CONSIDER AND APPROVE THE 	RECOMMENDATION OF THE SCORING COMMITTEE TO HIRE SAN ENGINEERING FIRM FOR THE TEXAS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM CONTRACT # 7219019 FOR THE PROPOSED STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECT:
	Brian Frieda reported to the Council that new RFPs were sent out for this project and four proposals for engineering service were received. The scoring committee which consisted of Dawni Seymore, Blaine Ross and John Pierik III reviewed the proposal from Jacob and Martin, Enprotec/EHT, SK Engineering and KSA Engineering. The committee recommends that the engineering firm be awarded to Enprotec/EHT. After discussion, Council Member Mike Riley made the motion to accept the recommendation of the scoring committee to initiate a contract with Enprotec/EHT as the engineering firm for the CDBG contract 7219019 for proposed street improvement project. Second by Ryan Lange and was unanimously approved.
	
	CITY COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER ALLOWING USE OF THE COMMUNITY CENTER FOR THE HALLOW FEST OCTOBER 31, 2020:
	Stan Maresch and Suzanne Torres met with the Council to discuss having the Hallow fest at the community center on October 31, 2020. The safety issues were discussed again. The police department stated that they will be posting notice of If you are sick don’t come, If you are scared don’t come and if the COVID-19 count increases above 20 between now and then a mask will be required. They will take all necessary measures to make sure everyone in attendance is safe. They would like to get started setting up and then bring a detail layout for Council review.
After discussion, Council Member Mike Riley made the motion to allow the use of the community center for the Hallow fest on October 31, 2020 contingent that they come back to the Council with a detail plans for the event. Second by Council Member Ryan Lange and was unanimously approved.

	SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS:
	HEAR A PRESENTATION FROM POLICE DEPARTMENT ON BALLINGER NIGHT OUT SET FOR OCTOBER 6, 2020:
	Chief Stan Maresch reported that this will be the third year for this event. Last year it was held at the 7th Street Baptist Church and they had a good turnout. This year they would like to hold it at the community center. After discussion, Council Member Ryan Lange made the motion to approve the request of the police department to hold their Ballinger Night Out at the community center on October 6, 2020. Second by Council Member Ken Manley and was unanimously approved.
	
	ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS:
	CITY COUNCIL MAY CONSIDER AND APPROVE THE MINUTES OF AUGUST 17, 2020 MEETING:
	Council Member Michael Riley made the motion to approve the minutes of the August 17, 2020 meeting, with note of one correction. Second by Council Member Rick Morrish and was unanimously approved.

	CITY COUNCIL WILL HEAR AN UPDATED FINANICAL REPORT FROM JOHN PIERIK III FOR THE MONTH ENDING AUGUST 31, 2020:
	John Pierik III reported to the Council that the revenue collected for the 2020 fiscal year budget as of August 31, 2020 is up by 125% of what was budgeted. The expenditures spent as of August 31, 2020 is at 93% of what was budgeted.
	Rick Morrish reported that he would like a complete financial statement each month for Council review.

	ADJOURN:
	Council Member Michael Riley made the motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:35 p.m. Second by Council Member Ken Manley and was unanimously approved.

			_________________
		     Dawni Seymore
                                                                                      Mayor

ATTEST:

__________________
Bonita F. Shields
City Secretary