Minutes  City Council - Regular City Council Meeting  CITY OF SIMONTON September 17, 2024  This is a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the City Council - Regular Meeting of the Simonton  City Council held on September 17, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.  1. Call to Order at 6:04 p.m.  A quorum was] present with the following City Council Members in attendance: Laurie Boudreaux, Courtney Cox, Faith Haley and Burns Turner Kelli Matula and Justin Boudreau were not present  City Staff present: City Secretary Nanci Mohr City Finance Julie Watts Public Present:  Olson and Olson. Attorney Philip Boedeker  Dan McJunkin, Kristi Smith, Susan La Dart, Sheri Buck, JeffNelson, Kevin Malo, Mrs. and Mrs. Louis Boudreaux, Karen Sabrsula Long, Andrew Perry, Stacey Gootee and Sarah Jordan  2. Invocation and Pledge  Mayor Boudreaux gave thei invocation.  Mayor Boudreaux led the assembly int the Pledge ofA Allegiance.  3. Public Comments  Kristi Smith stated that a $0.21 ad valorem tax rate will cripple the City.  Susan La Dart stated that Simonton is a general law city and that City Council was not permitted to Karen Sabrsula Long stated that a $0.21 ad valorem tax rate will cripple emergency management, Simonton Economic Development Corporations A and B, and prevent roadwork, zoning and Andrew Perry presented pictures of roads desperately requiring repair and beseeched the Council Stacey Gootee asked the Council when was thel last time they looked at the City's Vision Statement. She stated that the three Council Members who approved the $0.21 taxi rate (Cox, Haley and Turner) have not been through a flood and that she believes what they are trying to "push through" is a Sarah Jordan stated that she is embarrassed by Council's conduct in previous meetings. She requested the City Council to have fiscal responsibility, to think of the future and to please work  create their own budget per the Texas Government Code.  necessary technology. to get the roads fixed.  crime.  together.    4. Hearing to Approve the 2024 Ad Valorem No New-Revenue Tax Rate of $0.21 per $100  a. Opened at 6:19 p.m. b. Public comments  Susan La Dart commented that the Council does not have the Super Majority to approve $0.21 ad valorem tax rate. She commented that the vote should never have happened as we are a general law city and City Council is not permitted toj present their own budget(s). Andrew Perry stated that he was incredulous at the prospect ofa $0.21 ad valorem tax rate. He does not understand how roadwork or zoning are possible at that rate. Kristi Smith questioned why we are considering Council Member/Pro Tem Courtney Cox's proposed budget. City Attorney Philip Boedeker stated that we were required to follow the Stacey Gootee stated that the City will require two (2) more hearings to pass the new tax  agenda and that it was not appropriate to respond at this time.  rate.  Closed at 6:24p p.m.  5. Consider and take action on the Consent. Agenda  Items listed under the Consent Agenda are considered: routine and are generally enacted in one motion. The exception to this rule occurs when a Council Member requests one or more items removed from the Consent Agenda for separate discussion and action. a. Draft City Council Meeting Minutes of August 27,2024 Regular Meeting. b. Draft City Council Meeting Minutes of August 27,2024 Special Session Meeting. C. Draft City Council Meeting Minutes of September 3, 2024 Special Session Meeting.  d. Council Report, July 2024. Payment Report, July 2024. Year-to-Date Revenue and Expense Report.  a. Draft City Council Meeting Minutes of August 27, 2024) Regular Meeting Motion by Council Member Burns Turner to Approve (a) Meeting Minutes. Seconded by  Council Member/Pro Tem Courtney Cox.  Ayes: Three. Noes: None.  Absent: Kelli Matula and Justin Boudreau Motion approved unanimously.  Present and not voting except in the event of a tie: Mayor Boudreaux.  b. Draft City Council Meeting Minutes of August 27,2024 Special Session Meeting Motion by Council Member Burns Turner to Approve (b) Meeting Minutes. Seconded by  Council Member/Pro Tem Courtney Cox.  Ayes: Three. Noes: None.  Absent: Kelli Matula and Justin Boudreau Motion approved unanimously.  Present and not voting except in the event of a tie: Mayor Boudreaux.    C. Draft City Council Meeting Minutes of September 3.2024 Special Session Meeting Motion by Council Member/Pro Tem Courtney Cox to Approve (c) Meeting Minutes.  Seconded by Council Member Burns Turner.  Ayes: Three. Noes: None.  Absent: Kelli Matula and Justin Boudreau Motion approved unanimously. d. Council Report, July 2024  Present and not voting except in the event of a tie: Mayor Boudreaux.  City Finance - Julie Watts provided a detailed explanation of accounts payable, payroll allocations and fund accounting. Council Member/Pro Tem Courtney Cox questioned the delay in reporting time, to which Julie Watts responded that she is aj part-time employee. Motion by Council Member Burns Turner to Approve (d) Council Report. Seconded by  Council Member/Pro Tem Courtney Cox.  Ayes: Three. Noes: None.  Absent: Kelli Matula and Justin Boudreau Motion approved unanimously. e. Payment Report, July2024  Present and not voting except in the event of a tie: Mayor Boudreaux.  City Finance - Julie Watts provided a detailed explanation regarding fund accounting and Motion by Council Member/Pro Tem Courtney Cox to Approve (e) Payment Report.  explained that this is a system generated report. Seconded by Council Member Burns Turner.  Ayes: Three. Noes: None.  Absent: Kelli Matula and. Justin Boudreau Motion approved unanimously.  Present and: not voting except in the event ofat tie: Mayor Boudreaux.  f. Year-to-Date Revenue and Expense Report  City Finance-Julie Watts provided a detailed explanation that the report reflects actual posted expenses. She stated that the information was entered, audited and complete. Motion by Council Member/Pro Tem Courtney Cox to. Approve (f) Year-to-Date Revenue and  Expense Report. Seconded by Council Member Burns Turner.  Ayes: Two (Cox and Turner). Noes: One (Haley). Absent: Kelli Matula and Justin Boudreau Motion approved unanimously.  Present and not voting except in the event ofa tie: Mayor Boudreaux.    5. New Business  a. Discussion and action to approve $0.21 as the Maintenance & Operations portion of the b. Discussion and action to approve $0.000000 as the Debt Service portion oft the 2024-2025 Discussion and action to approve Ordinance 2024-07. An Ordinance oft the City of Simonton to adopt and levy the 2024 Ad Valorem Tax Rate of $0.21 per $100 dollars of valuation  2024-2025 Ad Valorem Tax Rate (Record Vote). Ad Valorem Tax Rate (Record Vote).  (Record Vote).  d. Budget Adjustment FY 2023-2024.  Discussion and action regarding Payment Report, June 2024.  Mayor Boudreaux stated that the City could not vote on items (a)-(c) above as the required 4- Mayor Boudreaux stated that Item (d). Budget adjustment was incomplete and therefore tabled. City Finance = Julie Watts provided an explanation of fund accounting as it pertains to the June 2024 Payment Report. Motion by Council Member Burns Turner to approve (e) June  out-of-5 Council Members were not present. Items (a)-(c) were tabled.  2024 Payment Report. Seconded by Council Member/ Faith Haley.  Ayes: Three. Noes: None.  Absent: Kelli Matula and Justin Boudreau Motion approved unanimously.  Present and: not voting except int the event ofa a tie: Mayor Boudreaux  6. Adjourn to Executive Session at 6:43 p.m.  Section 551.071- Consultation with. Legal Counsel 7. The City Council reconvened to Open Session at 7:30 p.m. No action was required from Executive Session.  8. Reports a. Mayor - None b. City Attorney  City Attorney Philip Boedeker provided an explanation concerning the next steps regarding the ad valorem tax deadlines and the necessity for an additional City Council Special Meeting  within seven (7) days. C. City Staff-1 None. d. City Council- -1 None.  10. Next City Council Meeting is on September 24, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.  11. Adjournment  Mayor Boudreaux adjourned the City Council Meeting at 7:34 p.m. without objection.    Respectfully submitted,  MayorLauriel Boudreaux laumebadeuys  WV  A/  Nanci Mohr, City/Secretary