HomeMy Public PortalAboutCCPD Minutes 08-09-2005 MINUTES OF THE RICHLAND HILLS
TEMPORARY CRIME CONTROL AND PREVENTION BOARD
REGULAR MEETING
AUGUST 9, 2005
1. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m. in the Council Conference
room at City Hall, 3200 Diana Drive.
Directors Present: Kathleen Davis, Director
Kim Finagan, Director
William Kinnaird, Director
James Parker, Vice-Chair
Gerrit Spieker, Director
John Starnes, Chair
Martha Strain, Director
Staff Present: James W. Quin, City Manager
Kim Sutter, City Secretary
2. CONSIDERATION AND DISCUSSION REGARDING THE PROPOSED
CRIME CONTROL AND PREVENTION DISTRICT TWO-YEAR PLAN
AND BUDGET
Director Starnes opened the discussion and stated that he hopes
everyone has had an opportunity to review the guideline budget and plan
for the district. He added that all Directors will have an opportunity to
provide input and ask questions regarding the proposed budget and plan.
Director Finagan stated that she thought the position of Crime Prevention
Officer and the proposed Bike Program was already in existence in the
Police Department.
City Manager Quin stated the Bike Program was reinitiated in May of this
year and the funding associated with this program would be for materials,
training and equipment.
Director Strain inquired as to what the tax rate would need to be set at to
accomplish the funding needs for the police department if the Crime
Control and Prevention District was not created
City Manager Quin responded that the cost of the plan over five years is
$583,158.00. This would require a 38.63 percent ad valorem rate
increase over the next five years. He added that the senior tax freeze,
effective Fiscal Year 2006-07, will have an additional impact as twenty-
City of Richland Hills Temporary Crime Control and Prevention District Minutes
August 9, 2005
Page 2 of 3
eight percent of the properties in the city will have their ad valorem tax rate
frozen.
Director Davis expressed an interest in seeing the DARE program
implemented in the future.
Director Spieker stated that as the plan proceeds, he would like to see the
reporting measures better defined. He added that the cost incurred by the
city to create the district can be reimbursed by the district and it is his
recommendation that the creation cost be shown in the proposed budget.
Director Spieker also suggested that the additional years provided in the
plan and budget beyond the two years required be presented as
estimates.
Director Kinnaird stated that his questions regarding revenue numbers has
been addressed.
Director Parker asked for clarification regarding the additional general
government employees that would benefit from the district.
Mayor Stroder stated that the creation of the district will free-up money in
the General Fund, which then will be used to fund pay increase for front
office and library staff.
With the arrival of Chief Barbara Childress, Director Starnes asked her to
address the question raised by Director Finagan earlier in the meeting
regarding the Bike Patrol Program.
Chief Barbara Childress responded that although we have trained officers
for bike patrol, Officers are not solely dedicated to the program.
Director Finagan asked how vacancies exist in the Police department.
Chief Childress responded that two positions have been frozen for re-hire
due to current budget restraints and one funded position is currently
vacant.
Director Finagan asked if the funds obtained through the district will be
used to add officers to the force or fund pay increases.
City Manager Quin stated that the current objective is to offer competitive
salaries to retain officers.
9110 Director Parks asked how many reserve officers serve in Richland Hills?
City of Richland Hills Temporary Crime Control and Prevention District Minutes
August 9, 2005
Page 3 of 3
Chief Childress responded that the city currently has five reserve officers
and the City Council has approved five more, bringing the total to ten.
3. ADJOURN
There being no further business to come before the board, the meeting
was adjourned at 5:29 p.m.
John Starnes, Presiding Officer/Director
Crime Control and Prevention District
ATTEST:
Kim Sutter, TRMC, City Secretary
City of Richland Hills