[A. CALL TO ORDER-MAYOR]
[00:00:03]
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED. THE TIME IS 6:01 AND THIS WILL START OUT PRE-COUNCIL MEETING. TODAY IS MONDAY, JULY 13TH, 2026, AND I'LL CALL TO ORDER. MS. DAVID-GRAVES' NOT HERE, MR. JOHNSON. HERE. MS. TODD IS NOT HERE. MR. WASHINGTON.
HERE. MR. RUTLEDGE. HERE. MR. DEFFIBAUGH. HERE.
MR. LONG. HERE. AND WE HAVE A QUORUM. THIS WILL TAKE US INTO OUR REGULAR.
[C. WORK SESSION AGENDA]
I'M SORRY, NOT REGULAR. OUR WORK SESSION, AGENDA ITEM C1.PROVIDE DIRECTION TO STAFF. HELLO. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. TODAY, THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE IS SEEKING DIRECTION FOR LEGAL NOTICES.
I DIDN'T SEE THAT THE CITY HAD OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED A PAPER FOR LEGAL NOTICES YET.
AND SINCE I KNOW THAT THIS IS COMING UP, WE'RE GOING TO START PLACING MORE NOTICES.
THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO PAPERS WITH GENERAL CIRCULATION IN PRINCETON TEXAS.
AND WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE PRINCETON HERALD.
THE COLLIN COUNTY COMMERCIAL RECORD IS MAYBE LESS KNOWN BECAUSE IT HAS MORE LEGAL NOTICES, BUSINESS NOTICES, AND IT IS COUNTY WIDE. IN ADDITION TO KNOWING THAT THE COMMERCIAL.
THE DISTRICT CLERK. THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
PRECINCT 2 OF PRECINCT 3 OF PLANO PRECINCT 4 OF FRISCO AND THE TEXAS ALCOHOL BEVERAGE COMMISSION.
AND RECENTLY, THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR THE CITY OF NEVADA RECOMMENDED THEM FOR THEIR BUDGETARY NEEDS ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AND THEY NOW USE THE COLLIN COUNTY COMMERCIAL RECORD FOR THEIR NOTICES.
SO THIS IS THE EXAMPLE I WANTED TO SHOW, IS THAT UP UNTIL JUNE 30TH, THE CITY OF PRINCETON HAS SPENT $52,720.25. AND THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE IDENTIFIES THAT THE LEGAL RATE TO BE CHARGED FOR PUBLICATION IS TO BE THE LOWEST PUBLISHED RATE FOR CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING, AND ON THIS IS THE LOWEST RATE THAT THEY HAVE LISTED, WHICH IS $29 A WEEK. BUT WHEN WE RAN AN AD FOR JUNE 22ND, THE PUBLIC NOTICE WAS REQUESTED FOR AN RFP.
WE WERE CHARGED $354. NEXT TO US IS AN AD FOR THE CITY OF FARMERSVILLE, AND WHEN I TRY TO GET INFORMATION FROM CITY OF FARMERSVILLE, THEY DIDN'T GIVE ME THIS EXACT PRICE, BUT THEY SAID THAT THEIR FEES RANGE BETWEEN $800 TO $3,000.
C&S MEDIA INVOICE CHARGES CAN RANGE BETWEEN $202.50 TO $607.50, AND THAT IS JUST FOR THE ADS I'VE PLACED. THAT'S NOT CITYWIDE. THAT'S JUST MY ADS.
SO I'M TRYING TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT I CAN TO LOWER THE PRICE, HAVE MORE CONCISE LANGUAGE.
SO THAT WAY IT CAN BE THE BEST POSSIBLE PRICE.
BUT WHEN I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW COME IT WAS $354 INSTEAD OF $202.50.
AND THEN THAT'S WHERE I HAD GOTTEN ADDITIONAL QUOTES FROM C&S MEDIA CLASSIFIEDS.
AND I DID GET IT IN WRITING. I JUST DID AN OFF THE CUFF.
IN WRITING THEY HAD PUT THAT $172.75 PER WEEK FOR A LINER, WHICH WOULD BE THE SAME, SIMILAR TO WHAT COLLIN COUNTY COMMERCIAL RECORD DOES. AND THAT VERSUS WHAT WE HAD WAS $177, WHICH WOULD BE A DIFFERENCE OF $4.25.
SO THE QUESTION I HAD WAS, WHY HAVE WE NOT BEEN OFFERED THE $29 PER WEEK? SO IT WAS TODAY THAT I HEARD FROM THE C&S PUBLICATION, AND THEY DID MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT FROM MISTER. THE PUBLISHER IS CHAD ENGBROCK. AND I WANT TO CLARIFY.
SO YOU HAVE ALL THE FACTS. THE THE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL RATE APPLIES ONLY TO BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL ADVERTISING SPACE AND DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING. SO THEY WOULD CHARGE US $58.72 PER WEEK, WHICH IS $117, WHICH IS STILL DIFFERENT
[00:05:06]
THAN WHAT WE'D BE GETTING FROM THE COMMERCIAL.THE COLLIN COUNTY COMMERCIAL RECORD. SO BY COMPARISON, IT WOULD BE MORE.
MAYBE THERE'S MISCOMMUNICATION OF HOW THEY'RE BEING RUN IN TERMS OF THE LINE, BUT BASICALLY THE DIFFERENCE IS $0.50 PER WORD VERSUS BY COLUMNS OR LINES. SO WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR DIRECTION.
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE US TO PURSUE LEGAL NOTICES IN THE FUTURE? WE ARE A CAPTIVE CUSTOMER FOR WHICHEVER PAPER YOU SELECT.
WE HAVE TO PUT THEM. SO BY LAW IT SHOULD BE THE LOWEST CLASSIFIED RATE.
IT SHOULDN'T BE ARBITRARY. IT'S SET. SO THERE REALLY IS NO BIDS TO SEE WHO WOULD BE THE CHEAPEST.
SO WITH THAT, I JUST PUT IT TO YOUR DISCRETION.
YOU'D GIVE US DIRECTION WHICH YOU WOULD LIKE FOR US TO DO. I'D.
BEFORE WE DISCUSS THIS CAN. CAN CAN WE HAVE THEM RESPOND? BOB, CAN WE HAVE YOU RESPOND TO KIND OF THE QUESTIONS? BECAUSE I COULDN'T ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS EITHER SO.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? MAYOR, COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
THE PRINCETON HERALD HAS BEEN SERVING THIS COMMUNITY SINCE 1970.
I THINK THERE'S SOME CONFUSION ON HER PART AS FAR AS I.
ADVERTISING SECTION THAT ENDED UP ON THE CLASSIFIED AD PAGE.
IT'S OUR BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL SECTION. THERE IS A MINIMUM PRICE FOR WHAT WE CALL RUN OF PRESS IN THE NEWSPAPER INDUSTRY, OR ROP. THAT SECTION SITS TYPICALLY OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSIFIEDS, BUT IN THIS CASE, ON JUNE 18TH IT WAS ON THE CLASSIFIEDS.
IT HAS A MINIMUM RATE OF $29 AND GOES UP TO $60 OR $70.
THAT IS FOR A FIXED SIZE ADS. SHE IS CORRECT IN THAT BY LAW, WE DO GIVE THE LOWEST PUBLISHED RATE FOR LEGAL NOTICES TO WHICHEVER COMMUNITIES USE US. WE SERVE PROBABLY 15 CITIES AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS EASTERN COLLIN COUNTY AND HAVE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
AS FAR AS I KNOW, I THINK WE'VE BEEN THE PAPER OF RECORD FOR THE CITY OF PRINCETON FOR THE PAST, WELL, PROBABLY SINCE 1970, SINCE THE PAPER STARTED.
I'VE BEEN PUBLISHER FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. AND THE PROTOCOL THAT WE HAVE USED AT THE DIRECTION OF THE TWO CITIES WAS TO PLACE LEGAL NOTICES IN BOTH THE FARMERSVILLE TIMES AND THE PRINCETON HERALD, BECAUSE WE HAVE CROSS DISTRIBUTION IN THOSE TWO COMMUNITIES.
HOWEVER WE CAN TAKE OUT PRINCETON HERALD'S SEPARATELY AND BID AND SEND YOU OR INVOICE YOU FOR JUST THAT PORTION AND NOT INCLUDED IN THE FARMERSVILLE PAPER. I GAVE MS. METZNER A COST FOR PRINCETON ONLY ON THE AD BID THAT SHE HAD GOTTEN FROM COMMERCIAL.
COLLIN COUNTY COMMERCIAL RECORD WAS $58.
THE COLLIN COUNTY COMMERCIAL RECORD WAS $16 PER WEEK.
A LITTLE CLARIFICATION. AND I SENT THIS TO MS. METZNER. THERE IS A GOVERNMENT CODE THAT TELLS YOU GUYS WHERE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO PUT OR WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO LEGAL NOTICES.
AND THEN THERE IS ALSO A GOVERNMENT CODE, 2051.044 THAT DESCRIBES WHAT PAPERS OR WHAT TYPE OF QUALIFICATIONS A PAPER NEEDS TO SATISFY BEING ABLE TO RUN LEGAL NOTICES FOR A MUNICIPALITY OR TAXING ENTITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THE VERY FIRST ONE DICTATES THAT THE NEWSPAPER IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED, AND THERE'S THREE OTHER ONES BESIDES THE FIRST ONE MUST RUN A MINIMUM PERCENTAGE OF GENERAL INTEREST CONTENT. AS I EXPLAINED TO MS. METZNER, I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE COLLIN COUNTY COMMERCIAL RECORD.
[00:10:03]
I'VE KNOWN THE, DEBBIE DRIVER, WHO'S A PUBLISHER FOR A LONG TIME.THEY ARE GENERALLY A LEGAL JOURNAL. AS I INDICATED TO YOU GUYS IN MY EMAIL TO YOU, THEY RUN NOTICES OF DEATH, SHERIFF'S AFFIDAVITS, NOTICES OF SALES A LOT OF LEGAL REQUIREMENTS FOR PROBATE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEY DO NOT RUN GENERAL INTEREST NEWS AT ALL.
IN FACT, IF THEY NEED TO PUT ADDITIONAL COPY, THEY JUST PULL FILLER OFF THE INTERNET AND DROP IT IN.
SO THEY ARE PRIMARILY A VEHICLE THAT SATISFIES ATTORNEYS REQUIRED PUBLICATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO PROBATE AND PERSONAL MATTERS AND SHERIFF'S TYPE STUFF.
THOSE ARE GENERALLY GOING TO THAT PARTICULAR PUBLICATION.
I'VE BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS FOR A LONG TIME. THE PRINCETON HERALD WAS STARTED IN 1970.
WE HAVE A FREE NEWSLETTER THAT GOES TO PEOPLE IF THEY LIKE TO TAKE IT.
IT HAS LINKED TO PUBLIC NOTICES, WHICH ARE ALSO ON A TEXASPUBLICNOTICES.COM WEBSITE, AS ARE THE COMMERCIAL RECORDS THAT GIVES PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THEM THERE. WE ALSO PUBLISH, OBVIOUSLY OUR WEBSITE PRINCETONHERALD.COM.
THIS PAST 30 DAYS IT HAS EXCEEDED OUR OTHER WEBSITES IN NUMBER OF UNIQUE VISITORS.
WE HAD 249,000.3 UNIQUE VISITORS COMING TO PRINCETONHERALD.COM.
A LOT OF TRAFFIC COMES THROUGH THAT WEBSITE. AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE, WHICH HAS ABOUT 10,000 FOLLOWERS. ON OUR WEBSITE WE HAVE A LINK ON HOW TO GET TO PUBLIC NOTICES, AS WELL AS HOW TO FILE A PUBLIC NOTICE. WE HAVE A PRETTY BROAD DISTRIBUTION THROUGH THOSE VEHICLES, INCLUDING SATISFYING THE PAID CIRCULATION THROUGH THE PRINCETON HERALD.
I'VE GOT SOME INFORMATION FROM THE TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION.
THE COLLIN COUNTY COMMERCIAL RECORD AS OF OCTOBER OF THIS PAST YEAR HAD 79 SUBSCRIBERS.
SIX OF THOSE WERE IN COLLIN COUNTY. THE OTHER ONES WERE OUTSIDE OF COLLIN COUNTY.
I'VE HEARD FROM PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. HOW DO YOU GET A COPY OF IT? THERE'S REALLY NO WAY TO GET A COPY OF IT UNLESS YOU SPEND $200 A YEAR FOR A SUBSCRIPTION.
IF YOU'VE GOT ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OUTSIDE OF THIS MEETING, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT. I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANYTHING TODAY IF YOU. IF I CAN. THANK YOU THIS IS WE'RE STRICTLY TALKING ABOUT LEGAL NOTICES, CORRECT? NOT EXACTLY WHAT OUR PAPER OF RECORD IS. RIGHT.
THIS IS JUST FOR LEGAL NOTICES. I DID SPEAK WITH MS. DEBBIE THIS AFTERNOON. SHE SAID SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
AND I DO HAVE A COPY OF THE COMMERCIAL RECORD, AND IT DOES HAVE INTEREST NOTICES.
IT EVEN HAS A SMALL LITTLE, MAYBE NOT IN EVERYONE, BUT THIS ONE'S ABOUT BEACHCOMBERS.
TXDOT. CS. CPA ABOUT THE ANIMALS. AND THEN THERE'S ALSO A SPORTS SECTION.
THERE'S A KIRA NEWS. IN MY COMMUNITY WHERE I HAD COME FROM BEFORE MOVING UP TO THE PRINCETON AREA, THIS IS WHERE WE PUBLISHED OUR ADS BECAUSE WE COULDN'T AFFORD THE PROPER NEWSPAPER.
AND THESE COURTHOUSE TYPE, THEY DO COUNT. AND WHAT IS [INAUDIBLE].
THE END OF THE DAY, THEY ALL GO TO THAT CLEARINGHOUSE ACROSS THE STATE, WHICH IS THAT TEXAS PUBLICATION FOR ALL THE ADS ACROSS THE STATE. AND THEN THEY ALL ROLL UP AND PEOPLE GRAB FROM THERE.
SO WE ARE GETTING THE ADS OUT BY SIMPLY JUST THAT STATEWIDE WEBSITE.
BUT AGAIN, THIS IS THE DIRECTION, WHATEVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO, JUST GIVE US DIRECTION.
I'M JUST TRYING TO LOOK AT ALSO TO THE BOTTOM LINE, GET THE WORD OUT.
THE BOTTOM LINE, WHAT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE AND WHAT CAN WE AFFORD? THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD, I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR.
SO THE COLLIN COUNTY COMMERCIAL RECORD DOES OR DOES NOT HAVE ALL OF THE QUALIFICATIONS NEEDED TO PUBLISH THE LEGAL NOTICES? IT DOES. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I GOT A STATEMENT OF FACT.
[00:15:07]
AND THEN THEY ALSO PUT OUT A NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING PROPOSAL GENERIC.AND THEN JUST TALKS ABOUT HOW THEY DO MEET ALL THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS, WHICH MEANS YOU NEED TO DEVOTE NOT LESS THAN 25% OF TOTAL COLUMN LINEAGE TO GENERAL INTEREST ITEMS. SO YOU CAN HAVE 75% OF OTHER JUST LEGAL CONTENT AND IT BE STILL CONSIDERED FOR PUBLIC NOTICES.
IT NEEDS TO BE PUBLISHED AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK.
IT NEEDS TO BE ENTERED INTO A SECOND CLASS PORTAL MATTER, THE COUNTY WHERE IT'S PUBLISHED.
AND THAT'S THE BIG THING. IT'S COUNTY WIDE. THAT'S THE REQUIREMENT.
AND I WANT TO SAY THAT THEY PUBLISH IT MORE THAN TWICE A WEEK.
SO THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTAND. AND AGAIN, THIS IS WHERE MY PREVIOUS EMPLOYER, THIS IS THE TYPE OF STYLE OF PAPER THAT THEY HAD PUBLISHED IN PART BECAUSE OF THE PRICE. AND THERE COULD BE AT YOUR DIRECTION, IF YOU WANT TO DO A QUASI MAYBE BID NOTICES, BIDS, LEGAL NOTICES, AND SOMETHING LIKE THE COLLIN COUNTY COMMERCIAL RECORD, MAYBE FOR THE VOTING AT LARGE IN THE PRINCETON HERALD, SOME SORT OF HYBRID. YOUR DIRECTION. YOU JUST YOU WHATEVER YOU DECIDE IS REALLY WE JUST NEED DIRECTION.
OKAY, I'VE GOT I'VE GOT A QUESTION, MAYOR. SO THE WHAT TYPE OF LEGAL PUBLICATIONS DO WE DO MAINLY LIKE FOR ZONE, YOU KNOW, ZONING HEARINGS, PLAT HEARINGS, SOME STUFF LIKE THAT.
IS THAT THE MAIN THING WE DO OR? WELL, FOR ME, IT'LL BE BIDS.
THAT'S BIDS FOR ME. I'M EXPECTING AT LEAST A ROUGHLY 30 ADS ROUGHLY IN A YEAR.
OKAY. SO THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, MAYBE, BUT FOR ZONING CHANGES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU'RE TRYING TO REACH MORE OF THE LOCAL PEOPLE THAT REALLY HAVE THE NEED TO KNOW.
SO, SO HYBRID TYPE WAY TO, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, BIDS MAY NEED TO GO OUT MORE NATIONAL, SO TO SPEAK.
I DON'T THINK. NO YOU'RE RIGHT. WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO BASED ON YOUR DIRECTION, IS COME TOGETHER THE NEXT TIME AROUND FOR RESOLUTION ON WHO WILL BE THE PAPER OF RECORD FOR A FISCAL YEAR.
THAT'S TYPICALLY A FISCAL YEAR. AND AGAIN, BASED ON YOUR DISCRETION, WHETHER IT'S SINGLE, QUASI, HYBRID, WHATEVER THAT IS, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE, SO THAT WE HAVE DIRECTION OF WHAT TO DO WHEN WE COME BACK NEXT TIME.
AND IT COULD BE A CONSENT ITEM TOO. AND I AGREE WITH COUNT COUNCILMAN.
I BELIEVE THAT ZONING CHANGES THINGS THAT AFFECT THE COMMUNITY. THOSE NEED TO BE IN A NEWSPAPER THAT ALL OF THE RESIDENTS SEE, AND I THINK THAT MAKING A MOVE LIKE THAT TO ANOTHER NEWSPAPER COULD ACTUALLY HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON THE CITY WHERE THE RESIDENTS THINK THAT WE'RE HIDING THINGS. ESPECIALLY IF THEY'VE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1970. I WANT TO GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO AT LEAST WE CAN COME TO AN AGREEMENT OR SOMETHING WHERE IF RATES ARE AN ISSUE FOR US OR, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT WITH THEM INSTEAD OF JUST KIND OF CUTTING TIES FULLY.
BUT I THINK THAT IF THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO GET IT OUT TO THE RESIDENTS, THAT IS THE BENEFIT VERSUS THE MONEY ITSELF, BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO SPEAK TO SEE AND COME IN HERE.
THINK IT'S 1,300. OKAY. YEAH. BUT I UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE.
NO, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY I THINK IF I MEAN, BASED ON THE RELATIONSHIP WE ALREADY HAVE WITH THE HERALD, IF WE CAN SOMEHOW NEGOTIATE THE RATES A LITTLE BIT MORE, THAT PROBABLY BE FIRST THING TO EXPLORE WITH THAT.
I ALSO WANT TO ASK ABOUT THE WHENEVER YOU SEND OUT, SUBMIT FOR BIDS OUT.
IS IT TYPICALLY ALSO DEPARTMENTS? SOMETIMES YOU SAY, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT FOR BIDS.
DID YOU ACTUALLY CONTACT SOME OF THE VENDORS PERSONALLY? EITHER THROUGH EMAIL OR BY OTHER CORRESPONDENCE BESIDES JUST THE NOTICES LEGALLY REQUIRED.
SO, SO LOTS OF TIMES YOU ACTUALLY GO OUT. SO WHETHER THEY READ IT IN THE NEWSPAPER OR NOT, THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN NOTIFIED. YES. WE DO WANT TO WIDE CANVAS IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO.
[00:20:01]
AND THEN WHOEVER IS ALREADY LOGGED INTO OUR BID NET.THE NEXT STEP WAS WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR BID NET ROLLOUT OF OUR SOFTWARE WORKED WELL.
NOW THAT WE KNOW THAT IT'S WORKED WELL AND WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF INSTANCES, WE WANT TO START DOING SOCIAL MEDIA BLASTS AND THAT BE THE NEXT PRIMARY TARGET FOR, HEY, WE HAVE A NOTICE COMING OUT IN ADDITION TO [INAUDIBLE] AND THE PAPER AND WHAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO.
YEAH, I WOULD AGREE WITH THESE GENTLEMEN HERE IN TERMS OF FINDING A BALANCE IN BETWEEN.
I DID NOTICE WHEN I FORGOT HIS NAME, MR. BLAINE, IF I GOT THAT NAME RIGHT.
SPOKE. THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME TYPE OF DISCREPANCY IN TERMS OF HOW THEY WERE PUBLICATED.
AND THAT'S HOW THE FEES WERE, BECAUSE AS I WAS LOOKING AT THIS AND I'M JUST GOING TO ROUND IT UP TO $350 IN COMPARISON TO $29, THAT IS A BIG DISCREPANCY. SO MAYBE IF WE CAN FIND SOME COMMON GROUND IN TERMS OF HOW THOSE FEES ARE SUPPOSED TO WORK WITH THE WAY WE PUBLICATE I THINK WE CAN KIND OF FIND THAT HAPPY MEDIUM IN THE MIDDLE AND SATISFY OUR LEGAL OBLIGATION AS WELL AS MAKE SURE WE MAINTAIN THAT COMMUNITY FEEL WITH THE PAPER.
SO I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH THE DIRECTION WITH THAT.
YEAH. I THINK THAT WE CAN. IF YOU CAN BRING BACK, I GUESS, A FINAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CHANGES IN THE PUBLICATION AND SEE WHAT THOSE RATES ARE AND BRING BACK TO US, OR IF WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO A.
AND THEN ALSO EXPLORE, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT'S LOCAL ZONING CHANGES THAT AFFECT THE COMMUNITY.
THOSE NEED TO STAY WHERE THEY ARE. ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THAT WHERE WE CAN SAVE MONEY IF THEIR BIDS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I DON'T MIND EXPLORING THOSE, THOSE ALSO, BUT ANYTHING THAT GOES TO THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT NEEDS TO STAY.
IT'S RIGHT ON POINT WITH WHAT I HAD NOTED DOWN.
MY BIG THING IS, I WANT TO POINT OUT IS THE SUBSCRIBERS OF THESE PUBLICATIONS WOULD HAVE A HAVE A STARK DIFFERENCE IN FEES THAT THEY PAY PER YEAR. SO IF WE SAVE TAXPAYER MONEY HERE, THEY'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO PAY IT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO WE SHOULD CONSIDER THAT BECAUSE 29 YEARS, $29 A YEAR FOR THE PRINCETON HERALD THE E-EDITION IS A GREAT BARGAIN COMPARED TO $200 A YEAR PLUS MORE IF YOU WANT EMAIL EDITION.
SO DEFINITELY TRY TO FIND A BALANCE. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT THANK YOU DUE TO ALL COUNCIL NOT BEING HERE, I'M GOING TO SKIP C2 AND WE'LL DO THAT AT THE NEXT MEETING.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. IT'S GOING TO BE A JOINT PRESENTATION TODAY.
WE'RE DOING A PRESENTATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FEES AND ALSO THE FIRE REVIEW FEE.
SO I'VE GOT OUR FIRE MARSHAL, SAM JONES, WITH US HERE TO HELP OUT ON THAT ONE.
SO ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE DOING THE FEE, IT'S ALWAYS VERY HARD TO SAY WHY ARE WE DOING AN UPDATE.
SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE WERE THE FASTEST GROWING CITY IN THE UNITED STATES IN 2025.
THAT TELLS YOU THE WORKLOAD WE HAD. THAT TELLS YOU THE THIRD PARTY HELP WE'VE NEEDED.
AND NONE OF THESE FEES HAVE BEEN RECOVERED IN THE PAST, AND THEY HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN CHANGED TOO MUCH.
WE DID DO A LITTLE CHANGE IN SEPTEMBER, BUT NOT ENOUGH.
AND SO ALSO WE OUR REVIEWS NEED TO HAVE A LOT MORE TECHNICAL REVIEW.
IT'S BECOME MORE COMPLEX. THE LEGISLATION KEEPS CHANGING RULES ON US.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, THEY MADE IT COMPULSORY FOR CITY STAFF, OR RATHER P&Z TO GO POST THE SIGNS FOR EVERY ZONING CASE. AND TAKE PHOTOS IN BETWEEN TO MAKE SURE, WELL, WE CAN PASS THOSE COSTS ON TO THE DEVELOPER, BUT WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO IT, WHICH MEANS MORE STAFF TIME OVER TIME TO FINISH THE WORK.
SO THOSE ARE THE REASONS WE'RE ASKING FOR SOME OF THE FEES TO BECOME MORE COMPARABLE TO WHAT THE CITY IS PAYING FOR THOSE SERVICES, BECAUSE IF IT'S NOT RECOVERED THROUGH FEES, THEN OUR TAXPAYERS ARE SUBSIDIZING THE COSTS.
[00:25:04]
OUR TAXPAYERS SHOULD NOT BE PAYING FOR PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT COSTS.AND THEN WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE FEE SCHEDULE GOING FORWARD PRETTY OFTEN.
I DO WANT TO SAY, WHEN WE BROUGHT THIS TO YOU ALL, BOTH OF US HAVE LOOKED AT OTHER COMPARABLE CITIES, SO OURS IS NOT OUT OF WHACK AT ALL. IT IS WHAT THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY IS USED TO PAYING IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.
THEY MAY NOT BE USED TO PAYING IT IN OURS, BUT I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT IF WE WANT QUALITY DEVELOPMENT, THEN LET'S DO IT RIGHT AND CHARGE FOR IT. AND ALSO, LIKE WE SAID, THE BENEFITS ARE IT IS FAIR TO TAXPAYERS, IT IS. COST RECOVERY. SO IT'S FISCAL STEWARDSHIP AND IT'S REGULATORY COMPLIANCE TOO.
THERE ARE DEADLINES THAT WE HAVE TO MEET BECAUSE OF THE STATE LAW.
SO WE DO NEED SOME MORE HELP. AND THAT SHOULD NOT FALL ON OUR TAXPAYERS BECAUSE IT GOES TO PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT SPECIFICALLY. SO THE WHOLE REASON IS NOT INTENDED TO DISCOURAGE DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S REALLY INTENDED TO RECOVER JUST A PORTION OF OUR COSTS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, OUR REZONING FEES RIGHT NOW ARE $1,200 PER CASE.
FLAT FEE. FOR A NORMAL CASE, SMALL WITHOUT DOING ANY STUDIES, ANYTHING.
OUR STAFF IS SPENDING 2504. $2,504 AND THAT'S WHEN I COUNT NO PHONES, NO DISTURBANCE. WORKING ON IT AND DOING A FANTASTIC JOB.
ON A. ON THAT POINT, IT'S STILL TAKING US $2,504 OR SO.
AND THAT'S NOT COUNTING ENGINEERING REVIEW. FIRE REVIEW.
JUST THE PLANNING REVIEW. AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE COMING TO YOU IS THAT'S HOW DIFFERENT IT IS.
BUT OF COURSE WE CAN'T CHARGE $2,500. ESPECIALLY AS OUR NEIGHBORS ARE NOT.
SO THERE ARE SOME THAT IF YOU SAY $750 PLUS $30 PER ACRE.
IMAGINE 200 ACRES. THAT'S WAY MORE THAN WHAT WE WOULD BE RECOMMENDING TO CHARGE.
SO JUST I WANTED YOU ALL TO KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FEES IS WHAT IS IT GOING TO DO? AND SO OF COURSE, APPLICANTS WILL ONLY PAY FOR SERVICES THAT THEY ASK FOR.
YOU WILL SEE THERE IN THE APPLICATION. FEE SCHEDULE.
WE'VE ADDED SOME FEES IN IT THAT WEREN'T HERE BEFORE.
ONE IS THE EXPEDITED REVIEW FEE. AND THAT'S BECAUSE IF AND WHEN PEOPLE REALLY.
SO IT DOESN'T STOP DEVELOPMENT. WE. THERE'S ONLY SO MANY HOURS IN THE DAY THAT MY STAFF CAN WORK.
SO WE WOULD NEED A THIRD PARTY. EVEN THIRD PARTY STAFF HAS ONLY SO MANY DAYS THEY NEED.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'VE THROWN LIKE 300 PERMITS AT THEM.
SO IF PEOPLE DO NEED EXPEDITED, IF YOU NEED IT TOMORROW, SOMEBODY IS WORKING OVERTIME TODAY.
SO THAT'S WHY WE ADDED THAT SERVICE SO THAT IT BALANCES OUT.
YES, WE'RE INCREASING THE COST, BUT YOU'RE GETTING IT FASTER TOO.
SO IT DOESN'T STOP YOUR DEVELOPMENT. RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO. WHAT'S CHANGING? IT'S JUST SPECIAL ON THE SCHEDULE THAT IS ATTACHED WITH THE PACKET. YOU'LL SEE THAT PRICE THE RED THE SERVICE TYPES IN RED ARE THE ONES THAT ARE CHANGING.
EITHER WE'RE INCREASING THE FEES FOR THAT THOSE SERVICES.
AND THEN FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WERE NO FEES FOR LIKE SITE DEVELOPMENT PACKAGE.
IF YOU SEE THE EXISTING FEES, FINAL PLAT AND CONSTRUCTION PLANS, THEY WERE BOTH IN THERE AND IT'S $325 FOR A FULL BIG SET OF PLANS. AND SO THAT'S WHAT IS CHANGING.
[00:30:06]
WE'VE NOW CREATED A CATEGORY THAT'S SUBDIVISION IMPROVEMENT PLANS AND SITE DEVELOPMENT PACKAGE.LANDSCAPE PLAN HAD NO REVIEW, BUT PEOPLE DO SUBMIT JUST LANDSCAPE PLANS.
AND THEN OF COURSE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A CASE 15TH REVIEW SUBMITTAL FEE PAID $325. IT'S BEEN GOING ON. SO TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LOOK AT THEIR OWN CONSULTANTS AND HIRE SOME COMPETENT CONSULTANTS, WE ARE INSTITUTING THAT 4TH REVIEW ONWARDS.
YOUR INITIAL FEE GIVES YOU THE FIRST REVIEW AND TWO EXTRA SUBMITTALS.
4TH, RESUBMIT YOU PAY THE FEES. SO THAT'S WHAT THAT ONE IS.
4TH OR MORE REVIEW FEE IS TO ENCOURAGE MORE EFFICIENCY.
AND WE HAVE INSTITUTED DETAILED CHECKLISTS. SO IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE JUST INCREASING FEES.
SO THAT'S THE GOAL HERE. AND THEN SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE FEES, NEW CATEGORIES, SERVICE SPECIFIC CHARGES THAT YOU CAN SEE IN DETAIL AND THEN IN FIRE.
SORRY, SAM, DO YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FIRE FEES? YEAH BUILDING. IT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE IN PLAN REVIEW TO LOOK AT A SIMPLE TENANT FINISH OUT OF A RETAIL SPACE VERSUS LOOKING AT A BIG BOX.
SO I DID IT BASED OFF OF OTHER CITIES THAT ARE SURROUNDING US IN MY PREVIOUS CITY.
THESE ARE VERY SIMILAR CITY FEES THAT WERE COLLECTED.
AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT EQUALS OUT TIME VERSUS THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING.
SO AND THEN I ALSO COMBINED, WE HAD A LOT OF OPERATIONAL PERMITS THAT WERE NOT RELEVANT TO THE CITY.
AND NOBODY KNOWS WHAT THAT IS. BUT IF ONE COMES UP, IT'S AN OPERATIONAL PERMIT.
SO I BASICALLY JUST COMPILED IT ALL INTO ONE PERMIT.
YOU KNOW, I APPLAUD YOU FOR DOING A FEE SCHEDULE AND GOING TO DATE MYSELF.
SO WE CALLED AROUND TO DIFFERENT CITIES TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY CHARGED, AND WE BASED IT ON A CERTAIN SIZE OF HOUSE, LIKE A 2500 SQUARE FOOT HOME AND, YOU KNOW, THREE-BEDROOM, TWO-BATH, ALL THIS STUFF.
BY THIS, I MEAN IT. IT WAS PRETTY CUMBERSOME.
AND ANOTHER ONE CITY ASKED HIM, HOW MUCH WOULD YOU CHARGE FOR THIS PERMIT FEE? AND THEY TOLD US AND SAID, HOW DO YOU BASE THAT? AND THEY SAID, WELL, WE KIND OF FIGURE IF THEY CAN AFFORD THAT SIZE OF HOUSE, THEY CAN AFFORD THIS PERMIT FEE. AND I THOUGHT, WELL, THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT [LAUGHTER].
YEAH. YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO HAVE A BASIS ON IT. AND, AND THEN ALSO, AND I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL'S IN WHENEVER YOU DO A BUILDING PERMIT FEE, DOES IT INCLUDE, DOES THE FEE INCLUDE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF INSPECTIONS? OR DO YOU CHARGE? OR DO YOU YOU KNOW, YOU FINALLY GET TO THE TOP OUT STAGE AND ALL THAT SO.
SO BUT IT INCLUDES THE FOUR. AND THEN IF THEY HAVE.
NOW THE INSPECTORS WOULD GO. AND THE FIRST TIME THEY, WHENEVER THEY FIND A CODE VIOLATION OR SOMETHING, THE VIOLATION, THEY'D STOP RIGHT THERE AND THEN THEY'D CHARGE THEM RESECTION FEE AND THEN THEY'D FIND ANOTHER ONE.
BUT I HOPE THAT WE DO IN OUR 100% AND. I DON'T WANT TO COME BACK A THOUSAND TIMES.
SO I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A LIST OF ALL 100 VIOLATIONS.
YOU'RE GOING TO FIX ALL 100 OF THEM, AND THEN I'LL COME BACK.
YEAH. THAT'S GOOD, I APPRECIATE THAT. SO I APPLAUD THIS DOING THIS.
AND ALSO IS COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL. I DON'T KNOW IF KELLY MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS.
I DON'T I YOU KNOW, IT WAS SET UP BY A TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE OR WHATEVER FOR COUNTY FIRE MARSHALS.
[00:35:02]
THAT WOULD ACTUALLY FUND THE DEPARTMENT AND FOR PERSONNEL, VEHICLES, EVERYTHING.SO I DON'T KNOW, YOU MIGHT WANT TO RESEARCH THAT TO SEE IF.
BUT IT IT MIGHT JUST BE FOR COUNTY FIRE MARSHALS.
BUT I DON'T KNOW IF MUNICIPAL CAN DO THAT OR NOT.
ANYWAY THANK YOU. YEAH. I THINK THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT STEP.
I'M IN AGREEANCE TO MAKING THESE CHANGES TO OUR FEE SCHEDULE.
I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE REST OF COUNCIL, BUT YEAH.
YEAH, I JUST WANT TO SAY AS WELL, JUST I KNOW BACK IN JANUARY 14TH OF THIS YEAR, I SENT AN EMAIL TO PREVIOUS MANAGEMENT IN REGARDS TO LOOKING OVER THESE FEES. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS WHERE THAT STEMMED FROM OR IF THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS ALREADY IN THE PIPELINE.
AND AS I LOOKED AT THE UPDATED ONES HERE THAT WE'RE PROPOSING WHICH I 100% AGREE WE SHOULD NOT BE SUBSIDIZING YOU KNOW, DEVELOPMENT AS TAXPAYERS. HOWEVER, WITHIN THESE FEES, THERE ARE ITEMS THAT WILL IMPACT RESIDENTS LIKE THE FENCE PERMIT.
IT GOES FROM 25 TO 75, WHICH IS A 200% INCREASE.
AND WHAT I WAS ASKING FOR, NOT STATING THAT IT IS ALWAYS GOING TO STAY THE SAME AT SOME POINT.
IT DOES NEED TO INCREASE EVEN FOR RESIDENTS JUST SO THAT IT MAKES SENSE FISCALLY, RIGHT? BUT WHERE WE ARE NOW, WE HAVE SO MANY PROMISES OUT TO OUR RESIDENTS AND WE'VE DELIVERED ON ALMOST NONE OF THEM, EVEN TO WHERE WE MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THE NEW YOU KNOW, GROCERY STORE COMING.
NOBODY BELIEVES IT BECAUSE THE MORALE IN THE CITY IS JUST THAT LOW.
SO I WOULD ASK THAT IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY POSTPONE ANY OF THE DELAYS THAT WILL HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON RESIDENTS LIKE THE FENCE PERMIT FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IS THAT, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN FEASIBLY DO AND STILL INCREASE THE OTHER ONES? YES, SIR. BUT MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT WE CHANGE THE ORDINANCE TO SAY THAT THERE IS A VARIANCE ALLOWED AND NO FEE FOR A RESIDENT FOR THIS, THIS, THIS, WHICHEVER FEES THAT Y'ALL THINK WOULD IMPACT A SINGLE FAMILY, OUR RESIDENTS, WE CAN. RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NO PROCESS TO COME TO YOU ALL FOR A WAIVER.
AND THEY ALWAYS HAVE TO PAY A FEE. SO IF FEES IS THE ISSUE FOR RESIDENTS.
LET'S DO THAT SO THAT THE DEVELOPERS CAN STILL PAY.
I MEAN, THEY CAN ALSO COME TO YOU ALL [LAUGHTER] TO ASK FOR A WAIVER.
IT'S YOUR PREROGATIVE WHO YOU GIVE AWAY.
RESIDENTS AT SOME POINT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
I THINK THAT AS WE SEE OUR CITY GROW, THESE THINGS ARE INEVITABLE, RIGHT? WE'RE GOING TO START TO SEE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE AN INCREASE IN CHARGE OF YOU KNOW, FEES FOR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
THE ONLY RECOMMENDATION I WOULD HAVE WOULD BE AS WE START TO LOOK, AND I NOTICE THAT YOU GUYS, WHEN I WAS DIGGING THROUGH THIS EARLIER, I NOTICED THAT YOU DID. I COMPARED THEM TO OTHER CITIES AROUND US AND THEY DID LOOK COMPARABLE. AS WE START TO REVISIT THIS, JUST TO KIND OF KEEP A TAB ON THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED AROUND OUR COMMERCIAL GROWTH AND ENSURE THAT WE'RE STANDING IN LINE WITH THE SURROUNDING AREAS, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT PRINCETON IS GOING TO START TO SEE THAT GROWTH COMING SOON.
THANK YOU. I DO LIKE A LOT OF THESE ADJUSTMENTS AND CHANGES.
I KIND OF COLOR CODED THIS AND MOST OF IT IS GREEN.
BUT I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT SOME OF THE LARGE PERCENTAGE INCREASES.
YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE SHOULD INCREASE BASED ON NEED, BUT WHEN CERTAIN THINGS LIKE MR. JOHNSON SAID, 200% INCREASE ON ONE LINE ITEM, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A VERY LARGE JUMP.
SO IF THERE'S ROOM FOR MORE OF A STAGED APPROACH TO THE INCREASE ON THE LARGER ONES I DO AGREE WITH YOU KNOW, DEVELOPERS COMING INTO TOWN TO DEVELOP NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMERCIAL PROJECTS.
THEY PAY WHAT NEEDS TO BE PAID TO DO THE JOB.
BUT WE DO NEED TO CONSIDER THE RESIDENTS BECAUSE RESIDENTS ALL THE TIME BY OUT HERE, PUT PATIO COVERS, PUT FENCES UP, EXTEND FENCE LINES, AND ADDING MORE FEES TO THEM AFTER THEY'RE ALREADY PAYING PROPERTY TAXES INTO THE CITY.
[00:40:08]
JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME. IT'S JUST ONE MORE TAX TO THE INDIVIDUAL THAT'S ALREADY LIVING HERE, PAYING TAXES. SO I KNOW YOU CAN CALL THEM FEES, BUT IN A SENSE, IT'S A TAX.SO YOU ADDED QUITE A FEW LINE ITEMS HERE. SO THAT'S JUST MORE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO OVERSEE MORE, MORE OVERSIGHT. SO YOU'RE JUST, YOU'RE ADDING TO THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE HERE IN PRINCETON YOU'RE PROPOSING NEW FEES. AND WE'RE TRUSTING THAT THEY'RE JUSTIFIED IN ACTUAL COST.
BUT I DEFINITELY WANT TO URGE THAT WE DON'T MAKE SUCH DRASTIC INCREASES TO EXISTING FEES.
THERE'S NOT VERY MANY OF THEM, BUT THERE ARE A FEW.
AND JUST BE WARY OF HOW IT'S GOING TO AFFECT THE INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNERS THAT ARE ALREADY HERE.
AND THEN ALSO SMALL BUSINESSES. I KNOW VARIOUS SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE ATTEMPTED TO OPEN UP HERE IN PRINCETON AND OPENED UP AND THEN TRY TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS. AND THEY STRUGGLE WITH THE FEES AND DEALING WITH PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.
SO JUST KEEP THEM IN MIND WHEN GOING THROUGH THIS AND I'LL BE, I'LL BE HAPPY TO SHARE WITH YOU MY NOTES HERE ON WHAT I SEE AS ACCEPTABLE AND WHAT'S QUESTIONABLE, BECAUSE THERE'S TOO MANY THANK YOU. I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION. SO AND MAYBE THIS IS JUST, YOU KNOW, MY IGNORANCE AND MAYBE I CAN KIND OF EDUCATE MYSELF OFFLINE.
SO THE PROCESS FOR THESE FEES BEING CHARGED, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT IS DONE, LIKE MANUALLY THROUGH EACH IN EACH SITUATION OR OCCURRENCE, OR IS THERE LIKE A SYSTEMIZED WAY TO WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY LOOK FROM POOR REPORTING TO SEE EXACTLY HOW THIS IS IMPACTING, YOU KNOW, THE CHANGE IN THE REQUESTS THAT ARE COMING IN.
SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN FIVE YEARS THAT THEY'RE DOING A COMPREHENSIVE CHANGE.
LAST TIME WAS BEFORE COVID, [LAUGHTER] I THINK, OR RIGHT AFTER AND SO WE HAVE NOT BEEN KEEPING TRACK OF IT UNLESS BUT NOW WE ARE. SO SINCE WE'VE GOT A NEW STAFF NOW WE'RE KEEPING TRACK, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU A BETTER ANSWER ON THAT, HOW IT'S GOING NEXT YEAR. YEAH, I THINK THAT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SEE HOW THIS KIND OF WORKS OUT.
WE WILL MAKE SURE TO PRESENT THAT TO YOU NEXT YEAR.
PERFECT THEN IF YOU CAN GET THEM OVER YOUR COMMENTS AS WELL, SO WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE NEXT TIME.
YEP. ALL RIGHT. THAT WORKS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. THIS WAS I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO SKIP ITEM D.
WE HAVE A MOTION. I'LL SECOND. MR. WASHINGTON SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ANY NAYS? THE TIME IS 6:45,
AND THIS WILL TAKE US TO OUR REGULAR.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.