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City Council TopicsI am now placing all the City Council Packet Information on this page. Please click open the file of the date you want to view. In that file you will see everything that the City Council has within their laptops and written reports. It will contain the meeting agendas, minutes from the previous meetings, financials, staff reports, proposals, and every ordinance or resolution that the Council approves or passes on. Some of these files are large, so please remember that it may take a while to load them depending on your internet connection.You will need Microsoft Word to read the documents, Microsoft Excel Viewer to read the spreadsheets, and Adobe Reader to view the large reports. If you need to download a free version of Adobe Reader, please click the following link: Adobe® Reader® 7.0 If you need Microsoft
Excel Viewer 2003, please click the following link: If you have a problem with reading or downloading any of these files, please contact me at: info@TimMikeska.com
The Council Archives Of My 3 Year Term: The Following Are My Views and Opinions of Important Topics During My Term As A Councilmember: Click on a Topic or Scroll Down to View
Topics relating to 2002-2003Please Scroll Down To View Specific Topic Updates Water Plant Sale Results in Lower Utility BillsSummer was welcomed in Taylor by the City Council approving
lower utility rates for both residential and commercial customers. The
completion of the sale of our Water Plant to BRA was the catalyst for
this new savings to our citizens. BRA also submitted a plan to the City
that states their plans on the expansion of the new Lake Granger Regional
Water Treatment Facility. This plan calls for a new intake and an expansion
to 6 million gallons of treatable water per day. I hope these discounted
rates are continued indefinitely to help our citizens. I feel however,
that this is only temporary and within the next few years these rates
will rise to pay for additional water supply improvements. Civil Service CommissionThe Council appointed the slate of candidates that was presented
by our City Manager. Leland Enochs, Mary Chapa, and Leon Nickerson were
unanimously approved. These will be excellent commissioners that will
adopt rules and serve as an appeal board for personnel issues involving
the Police and Fire Departments. New Street ImprovementsFinally after a long delay involving the utilities being
moved, Howard and North Drive construction has begun. This is one of the
many frustrating things about city business. Projects move too slow. These
projects should have been completed along with the Sloan Street improvements.
In addition to these two projects, over 10 miles of city streets will
be seal coated this year. New Retail DevelopmentsNorth Taylor is booming....! The new SuperWalmart and the
new HEB are both open and business is good. In May, I attended the International
Council of Shopping Centers Convention in Las Vegas. Also attending was
our City Manager, Mayor and our Economic Development Director. We spent
long days visiting many retailers attempting to sell Taylor. I was very
impressed with just how many already new about our benefits and development
areas. I wish I could mention all of the retailers and developers we met
with, but I must respect their wishes and limit my information due to
their competitive strategies. I don't ever remember walking and visiting
with so many people in such a short time. I must admit that it was an
exhaustive effort for someone recovering from an illness. But I really
believe that we must promote Taylor directly to these retailers. We thanked
Walmart for their tremendous investment in our community. I feel they
were pleased that elected officials from a small Texas community would
take their time to come to Las Vegas and thank them for their commitment.
2004 - 2005 BudgetThe City Manager has submitted his budget for 2004 and 2005. Staff has worked very hard on this very difficult task. I am somewhat pleased with our revenue projections based on the tax base estimates and increase in sales taxes. I do, however, think the sales tax increase estimates are estimated too low at only 8%. There is an increase of $ 100,000 in administrative costs. This additional cost is directly related to the staff submitting a budget which calls for an Assistant City Manager, an Accountant and additional Clerical Staff. The 04-05 Budget calls for the following:
Police and Fire Budgets 2004-2005The Department Heads for both the Police and Fire Departments were given instructions to absorb the cost of Civil Service within their 2004-2005 Budget. In doing this, they raised the entry level positions and cut the pay of some of their senior officers. Additionally, some officers were given compensation based on their additional certifications that help serve the citizens. In the Police Department, 1 full time corporal position and a part time position were cut. I have to admit that I told the City Manager after the Civil Service vote that I wanted to keep the staffing and programs within these departments the same without any increases. I felt that they had each achieved Civil Service status by a very narrow margin and that I wanted to see how the new Commission and new Civil Service requirements were handled by the City. I was not for Civil Service since I thought we could change our personnel policy to reflect the benefits of Civil Service without deleting the merit raises that Civil Service discontinues. I am a strong believer that all termination's should be "for cause". Please read my additional statements further down on this page or simply CLICK HERE. I am very concerned that we are making a mistake by cutting the 1 1/2 Police Department positions. I fear that this will keep us behind the "service curve" that our citizens desire. These elimination's will hurt our response times and investigations. Our City is growing, both in retail and residential development. Cutting these positions is not the answer. I also fear that the Fire and Police Departments absorbing these Civil Service costs could be viewed as punishment for their efforts in seeking Civil Service protection. Victim Services ProposalDuring our recent Budget discussions, I instructed the City Manager to calculate the costs of having our own Victim Services Coordinator. These costs were estimated at a little over $ 50,000 I am a strong advocate of this program. For years, as a Fire Command Officer, I have seen the need for this valuable service. Williamson County has a Crime and Victim Services Department, however, they have been lacking in their service to the Taylor area. I can recall numerous incidents when I have called for victim services and have had to wait hours before they arrived. I have personally collected funds on the scenes of structure fires and accidents to help those who needed a hotel room or gas money. I recall vividly an incident many years ago when we collected money from our firefighters to help a young mother, who was homeless from a fire, purchase baby formula and diapers. I already had citizens willing to volunteer and donate relief funds for this program. I perceived this program as another "star in the crown" of our giving community. Something that helps those in desperate need. A true Christian effort to help those that immediately need relief through skilled volunteers and generosity. ** The City Council voted not to fund this program on a 4 to 1 vote with myself being the dissenting vote** Instead they authorized the new Assistant City Manager position along with the additional clerical staff. I guess what upsets me the most is that the Staff can always find money to fund projects or personnel they feel is necessary. They can manipulate the numbers to appear that their programs will not affect the budget or cost the taxpayers any more money. I know better, and many of you know the real truth. E-mail Direct to Councilmember Tim Mikeska 2005 Tax RateWell..... I tried. I do believe that the citizens need a break. We know that next year the rate will increase due to the voter bonds that were approved for the new library and fire station. That's a given. Why the Councilmembers could not give the citizens this small break is disturbing to me. It may not be much to most of us... but to some that break is very important.... very important indeed. Councilmember McDonald stated his feelings about this. He stated that the up turn in the local economy way be short lived. He also did not want to rely on our increased sales tax revenue and he also stated that the recent conversion to civil service is another reason to keep the rate higher in case of unforeseen expenses related to civil service. When I heard that I was somewhat distressed. Regardless of our feelings about civil service, it was voted on by our citizens and approved. We still should not punish everyone in the City of Taylor for this vote. It's over. We all have to live with it. It should have nothing to do with the tax rate. The City Manager had already instructed his department heads to absorb the new costs within their budget. That's why we are already loosing 2 1/2 positions in the police department. We have already been punished once... why punish everyone again with another penny in the Ad Valorem tax rate. Why? E-mail Direct to Councilmember Tim Mikeska Charter Provision for Direct LegislationA group of our citizens presented a petition that was
verified by our City Clerks office requesting the Council adopt a petition
regarding the proposed Central Texas Airport. On the advice of our City
Attorney, we took no action because he was unsure if the petition as it
was presented fell under the charter provisions as direct legislation.
I understand that the language of the provision is meant to consider items
that directly falls under laws that the city can control. I think we have
to be very careful with this provision. If we don't find out what we can
and cannot do regarding this provision, then we may be inundated with
requests under this provision to regulate all kinds of laws effecting
our citizens. This could be very costly to the city. Technically, we could
have city wide elections using this provision at every state mandated
election date. City wide elections cost an estimated 5 to 6 thousand dollars
each time. I need some clarification on this matter. Since I am not an
attorney, I will request an opinion from the Texas Attorney Generals Office.
Taylor Municipal CourtThe Taylor Municipal Court under the direction of the
Council and City Municipal Judge Randall Pick has become a highly respectable
professional court. Over the years, the court has endured a lot of changes.
No one wants to be in a position to actually be called into court either
for a jury summons, witness subpoena or an infraction, however, rest assured
you will be handled professionally in our Municipal Court. Committees For Our FutureRecently, the City of Taylor held community meetings
with our citizens concerning our Future Comprehensive Plan and our Park
Masterplan. These meetings were very well attended and the input from
our citizens will be very valuable. The City has contracted with Angelou
Economics and Wilbur Smith Associates to develop the best possible plan
for our future. We continue to need your input and I stress the importance
this information will be to our future quality of life. I attended the
Parks Masterplan meeting and realized the need for our youth to have a
skateboard facility and additional youth oriented programs. When I was
growing up in Taylor, we had a very successful "teen den" in
Murphy Park. Ping Pong, pool, darts, and other games were available with
adult supervision. We need a facility like this along with an area for
our youth to rollerblade, skate, bike ride, and skateboard. CENTEX Airport Facility** Let me clarify something, TXDOT has not asked the City of Taylor to be a partner on this project by contributing funds for the completion and operations for the CENTEX airport. I would not be in favor of the City of Taylor spending any funds on this project. We have to many projects that warrant our immediate attention. ** As many of you may know, Taylor Municipal Airport (T74) has made the short list for the planned 60 million dollar CENTEX Airport. We are contending with sites near Hutto and Manor. This is a very unique opportunity for Taylor. Projects of this magnitude rarely come our way. Many of my constituents have long complained to me about their property taxes. The school district, city and county taxes are increasing without additional economic impact from developments that Taylor has been loosing. It’s now time for us to realize the potential economic impact of this project. The following text is taken from some of my letters to our citizens inquiring about the proposed airport: There are a tremendous amount of rumors and unqualified information about this proposed facility. Hopefully, this letter can clear some of them up and make you aware of the scope of the possible benefits this facility would bring to Taylor. Concerns regarding "large jet traffic" must imply that many believe big Boeing Jets will be using this facility. Why would they? Just because a runway is going to be 7,000 feet, does not imply that 737’s would land here. They have to have a reason to. As it was stated, this would not be a commercial carrier facility or a fleet cargo facility. It is reasonable to assume that a small Cessna Caravan type cargo carrier could use this facility. Businesses such as these create jobs. Large Boeing type jets could land on 7,000 feet but why would they want to? Where are they going? As some of you may know, I am a pilot and have been involved in aviation for over 20 years. Aircraft such as these are very expensive to operate and require commercial applications to support their operation. It’s possible to land a 737 on 7,000 feet, but when you fill it full of passengers or cargo it may not be within the distance/weight/stop/go limitations for takeoff. TXDOT has advised the City of Taylor that the ramp, taxiway and runway weight restriction will be 60,000 lbs on this facility. That means that only general aviation aircraft will be capable of meeting the weight restriction requirements. No, 737, 727 and larger commercial aircraft can use this facility since they will exceed the weight restriction. TXDOT has reiterated the fact this is not a commercial airport. It’s general aviation only. General aviation is everything that is not commercial or military. Nobody wants to do anything that may decrease their own property values. Would this actually happen? I don't know. I have been told that the Williamson County Appraisal District plans on lowering the value on homes in Taylor due to the fact we have over 150 on the market that are not selling. However, if Taylor gets additional jobs related to the airport, the marketability and increased home sales customer base may increase the value of homes in Taylor. It does not matter what the market value of a home in Taylor is if you don’t have new people with jobs that can purchase them. It is a fact that modern jet aircraft are now being built quieter. 25 years ago, commercial and business aircraft were built using turbojet axial flow design. They were very noisy. Most importantly to the owners, they burned large amounts of jet fuel. Over time, these aircraft were built or retrofitted with high-bypass turbo fan-jet technology. They are much quieter and burn 75% less fuel than the old axial flow turbojets. I am not aware of any modern manufactured business or commercial jet that does not use this new type of engine. I have heard the "howl and growl" from the crop dusters for years. I can actually tell when they depart the runway early in the morning from my home on Cypress Trail.. As a Councilmember, trains and loud stereo systems are the most prolific complaint that I hear from my constituents in regard to noise. We must also remember that we currently have no noise abatement policies in affect for our airport. There are only published recommended traffic patterns. In a new State managed facility with a control tower, there would be tower controllers managing the traffic flow that will increase safety and prohibit aircraft from flying over our homes at low altitude. We could also mandate by ordinance a noise abatement policy that could answer some of the noise concerns. The noise at McKinney Airport was minimal. We traveled to Addison Airport and parked on the departure end of the runway. We witnessed a Lear Jet takeoff and the noise from that aircraft was not much more dominant than a truck that passed by. I plan on flying a business jet into our present airport and have sound level (VU) monitors at Pasemann Elementary and the Middle School. I also want people monitoring the noise from their homes. I will have the Taylor Daily Press report the date and time for this experiment. The realistic value of this facility being an economic benefit may be the easiest question that I can answer. It will. I travel to general aviation airports all over the southwest United States. Where there's an airport, there is economic benefit. Cities that have general aviation facilities are considered progressive and have strong economic potential. Some are concerned that bars, and gentlemen's clubs usually locate near an airport. That would definitely concern me too. However, I can assure you the City of Taylor has in place ordinances that will protect us from these unwanted businesses. Remember, we do not have liquor by the drink in this part of the county. Therefore bars with liquor would not be possible. There are concerns that no tax revenue will be created by this facility and the loss of 700-800 acres from the property tax rolls would be detrimental. The adjoining private property values would increase substantially. That will offset, many times over, the loss from the tax rolls of 800 acres that are now currently listed as agriculture exempt. Property adjoining this facility may not be valued by the acre, but possibly by the square foot. Property Tax revenue from this facility could be the first real relief that the citizens of Taylor may see in the near future regarding Ad Valorem property taxes. Consider this… One moderately valued business jet (Lear 35 or CitationJet) based at this facility would probably be on the tax rolls at 2 million dollars. Remember, all business aircraft are subject to property taxes where they are based, not where the company is actually located. 2 million dollars on the tax roll is the same as having 20 new masonry homes. However, these aircraft do not place any additional stress on our school system since they have no children. They place no additional pressure on the city infrastructure since the infrastructure will be provided by the State of Texas. In McKinney the City had to spend millions of dollars to build and run that facility. The State of Texas will do that for us. We get all the benefit from the property taxes, sales taxes, jobs, and economic windfall without city bonds, or use of the city’s cash reserves. The taxable aircraft value will provide a lot of money to our city, school and county in the means of property taxes. That's just one airplane. If we have only 20 business aircraft based here in our taxing district, it could provide huge sums of money that may finally relieve our current tax burden. I don't know about you, but it makes me physically sick to pay the astronomical amount of property taxes we have in Taylor. A new Gulfstream V-SP costs about 30 million dollars. Consider what that aircraft or 10 more like it would generate in property taxes. Recently the Taylor Independent School District announced that there would be a huge budget shortfall of over 1 million dollars in the present and following school year. Taylor is bleeding. We need positive economic growth. Now lets look at sales taxes. All sales of aircraft equipment and associated labor revenue at this facility will partly return to Taylor. We must see some type of relief in our property taxes. Economic impact, along with an increase in sales tax revenue is our salvation from high Ad Valorem taxes. Recently the Williamson County Appraisal District levied a new property tax on leased property. That means for all of those companies who lease City or State property must now pay leasehold value taxes. This currently affects our airport. Pilots who rent our local airport T-hangars now have to pay property taxes even though the City of Taylor owns the property. I can't tell you how many phone calls I had on this. It really seems unfair, but their interpretation of the law says they must pay it. We have been advised that if the Hutto site is selected we may have to close our municipal airport with the loss of all of the money the city, county and the federal government has invested over the last 50 years. We are at the mercy of the federal government regarding decisions to maintain our present facility. They may decide that both sites are too close to be viable general aviation facilities. Additionally, please don't assume that the local pilots or aircraft owners are generally in favor of the new CENTEX airport being located in Taylor. I have found only a few that were in favor. Since this new facility would have a governing FAA office or control tower, many are afraid that their "small town" airport will disappear. What I mean by saying "small town" is this..... Currently we have no controlling authority to manage the airplane traffic. Local pilots are worried that they will face stricter enforcement from the government and an increase in possible infractions, fines and suspensions. In other words... more rules ! Remember, I am one of those local pilots. But again, I cannot consider what is best for me. My job is to look at the entire benefit to the public. Please don't think that I will support this airport since I am a retail business owner. This facility won't be built for 5 to 6 years. My health will cause me to retire much sooner than that. I traveled to McKinney Texas to view first hand the Collin County Regional Airport. I was highly impressed with the facility and the economic benefit it awarded the City of McKinney and the School District. A school board member stated that the Texas Instruments hangar and 2 Global Express Jets put 600 children through school from the benefit of the property taxes the aircraft generate. That's over 500,000 dollars! The jobs both direct and indirect are pivotal in the low jobless rate in Collin County. Here are some figures from the McKinney Economic Development Corporation: ** Collin County Regional Airport supports approximately
165 full-time aviation-related jobs, with an estimated direct payroll
of $5.6 million. Total Employment = 470 jobs Many argue about their personal property holdings and the effect this facility may have on their property values. I also have a lot of property in Taylor. I have a home on 2 acres on Potomac St. I am part of a group that has 60 acres consisting of Mustang Creek Golf Course. I have almost an entire downtown city block on West 2nd Street. I have a home on Johnson Drive, 4 lots on Johnson Drive, and a home on Cypress Trail that are all within the great circle depicted on the TXDOT map. I also have a lot of property value at stake. I, however, cannot consider that since it's my job as a Councilmember to do what is right for everyone in Taylor and not just a select few. The single family residences in the close vicinity of the McKinney Airport have seen a steady increase in property values. In fact the Mayor of McKinney informed us that the area around the airport has increased in value percentages higher than the areas further west of the facility. I must make something very clear. When I took office 2 years ago I promised that I would vote for projects that created good quality jobs. I learned many years ago when I was President of the Taylor Chamber of Commerce that "quality of life"… begins with a job. It does not matter the kind of home you have or the type of car you drive. It does not matter what kind of park you have near your home or how your city’s infrastructure is maintained. Without a job, most of that is useless. Many people in our community need jobs. I have had numerous calls from our citizens that implore me to vote for this project because it will provide needed jobs. Most of the citizens who are worried about this facility have nice homes provided by good jobs. Many of our neighbors are not in that position and I understand their anguish. A few have told me that I should not look at those with the personal issues of "not in my backyard" and vote for the welfare of the citizens who need the tax relief and jobs. There is a large silent majority that trusts the council will do what is right for the entire city. They don't come to council meetings, and they don't write letters to the editor. They simply call, write, talk directly or e-mail me with their concerns. What do I tell those citizens struggling in our community without adequate jobs? What do I tell them when they call me complaining about their high property taxes? This is becoming very personal for some of our citizens. This issue becomes an emotional topic when it becomes personal. You must understand, that it's the Councils job is to do what is best for all of Taylor. It can't be personal for us. This facility is a long way from being decided upon.
There will be numerous hearings required to address environmental issues
and transportation issues. The State of Texas rarely proceeds with a project
of this magnitude without public meetings and hearings. I will always
respect the public and listen to their concerns. I hope we can be equitable
and fair to all of our citizens. I have begun to record all of my contacts with the public and their stance on the CENTEX Airport issue.** I am including those citizens who appear with their opinions during the citizens communication period at our Council meetings.
E-mail Direct to Councilmember Tim Mikeska Police and Fire Civil Service ?Within the near future, the citizens of Taylor may be asked to vote in a civil service election for our local Police Department and Fire Department. Nearby cities, Pflugerville, Georgetown, Round Rock, and Cedar Park have recently approved civil service in their cities. Are we ready for this in Taylor? I am undecided. There are benefits and problems associated with civil service. I need your input. Update March 11th, 2004The Taylor City Council received a petition meeting the
requirements for a city wide vote on the Civil Service issue. I wish the
fire department and police department personnel would have given me a
chance to present my proposal that I believe would have been approved
by the city council. ** I believe I could have achieved these goals for our fire and police department. You may ask, why argue over this issue if civil service provides all of these same items you would have implemented? It's because I have been told by other departments that civil service implementation may promote mediocrity. It does away with merit raises that can award those employees who work hard. It promotes employees who can test better than anyone else. As a firefighter, I don't want the Lieutenant in charge of getting me out of a difficult situation to have had the ability to take a test better than someone who has leadership, common sense and most important.... bravery! Like many of you, I know people who can study a book and ace a test. But in reality, they don't have the leadership or common sense especially in an intense emergency situation. I was told a story recently about a department that had a firefighter that was a gulf war veteran who also spent time in Kuwait battling oil well fires. He was incredibly brave and dedicated. He was held in high regard by all of his fellow firefighters. But he had problems with tests. He tested for every promotion but was always passed over due to poor scores. His new Captain was only in the department a short time and excelled in his test scores. He had neither the experience or the nerves to handle difficult situations. This almost cost 2 firefighter their lives. I guess what disappoints me the most is I was never given the chance to achieve these goals. I am also disappointed in the fact that some of our citizens were misled during the petition drive. I talked to a few of the citizens who signed the petition and they told me why they signed it. An honorary retired volunteer firefighter who signed the petition told me that the firefighter told him that .... "it was time that we received a retirement plan". Well, that's not very factual. The police officers and firefighters already have a retirement plan and civil service will not effect it. Another person told me that the petition presenter told him that they had not received a raise in over 5 years. That's not true. In the two years I have been on the council, they received raises both years. I don't like it when our current policy or practices within our city is misrepresented. E-mail Direct to Councilmember Tim Mikeska
Williamson County Water Control and Improvement District No. 2.Tonight (March 11th 2004) the Taylor City Council did a political favor one of our county commissioners. They approved the creation of a Water Control and Improvement District for property outside our city limits that is owned by our county commissioner and his family. It serves absolutely no purpose or benefit for our taxpayers and citizens. The other council members and city staff were afraid that if we did not approve this project that the commissioner may retaliate by limiting the county support of projects in our area. As you may guess by now, I was strongly opposed to this. It benefits not one single citizen of Taylor. Additionally if the District accumulates debt, and the City annexes that area in the future, the City must assume that debt. I am disappointed in my fellow council members. I would never let the possibility of another elected official limiting their local funding of projects in determining a vote on a project that directly benefits that elected official. I do not believe in that. This vote should be in the dictionary under examples of "good ole boy politics" Update March 23, 2004Wow !.......... I would never have imagined the amount of feedback regarding
my comments to this item. I actually had people waiting for me at home
after the press ran this story with my above mentioned comments. Phone
calls, e-mail's, and even 3 people at Mass last Sunday approached me.
All of them had positive comments. Many are disappointed with our local
county politics and the way business is handled. I believe the recent
appointment of a sheriff in Williamson County that was not elected by
the public and who recently lost the election (3rd place) is one of the
main reasons the citizens are upset. I urge the County Commissioners to
rectify this problem by letting the winner of the upcoming runoff be immediately
appointed sheriff. November 4th, 2003 Bond Vote Results and CommentsThe voters have spoken. The Fire Station Bond Issue and
The Library Issue have passed. The Community Center Issue failed. Now
we must come together and make some tough decisions on our future. We
have to evaluate our Community Improvement Projects and decide what we
can immediately afford to support our growth and at the same time, support
the retail developments and help control our rising property taxes. From
talking to the people involved in the election, it appears that our senior
citizens made up the majority of our voters. I hope in the future that
everyone in our community will study the issues and vote for what they
feel is best for our future. Citizens of my generation will have the burden
of paying taxes for a long time. We must allow for our continued growth
to alleviate our property tax burden and to increase our retail sales
taxes. This is the key to our future quality of life in Taylor. Residential Lot and New Home Construction OrdinanceThe Taylor City Council recently introduced an ordinance
that will require some new home construction to have a minimum lot size
of 7,000 sq. feet and a minimum livable area of 1,400 sq. feet. Additionally
the ordinance will not consider hardi-plank or hardi-board as standard
masonry to meet the 3 sided masonry requirements. This ordinance was recommended
by the Planning and Zoning Commission after a long 15 month deliberation.
Members of the Austin Area Home Builders Association came to the meeting
and voiced their concerns regarding this ordinance and their belief that
this will curtail affordable housing in the Taylor area. The Planning
and Zoning Commission had numerous public meetings and public hearings
regarding these changes and few spoke about any perceived problems. I
allowed this ordinance to be introduced on a 3-2 vote because I feel there
was ample time to have public comment. Also, many of my constituents have
told me their concerns about the quality of the homes that were being
built near their homes. I am always open to hear additional concerns regarding
this ordinance from the taxpayers or builders. Please e-mail me with your
concerns. Update October 28th, 2003The Council has restructured this ordinance to grandfather
all existing platted lots and homes from these new regulations. Additionally,
we will use the entire under roof square footage to calculate the minimum
size restrictions. We also will allow the solid composite cement hardi-plank
for the masonry restrictions. Water Bill and Meter Reading ErrorsOuch !! ............. Yes, I have heard from many of
you about this. I voiced my concerns to the City Staff and then I received
MY water bill for my commercial business. It was about 400 % over the
monthly average. The Staff took immediate corrective action in regards
to the personnel problem and then they began to analyze the meter readings
to find an equitable way of resolving this problem. Please contact City
Hall at 352-3675 if you feel there was a problem with your water bill.
The City will wave all late fees, penalties and interest charges for these
effected bills. Bond Projects for Voter ApprovalThe facilities committee has presented their report to
the Council. They voted unanimously to recommend the Council call a November
bond election to decide 3 issues. To vote on an new Fire Station, Library,
and Civic Center. The Council agreed and the voters in Taylor will have
these choices in the November election. Assisted Living CentersOn August 26th, 2003, the Taylor City Council was presented
a plan to convert a residential home to an assisted living center for
senior citizens. It was denied by a unanimous vote. The reason I denied
this request was because of the safety issues. Lake Drive is a busy street
and the house in question sat on one of the busiest intersections in town.
I also have concerns about approving a project that had not been issued
a license and had not been inspected by the fire department to guarantee
compliance with the fire codes. We do need centers like this one in Taylor
and I give the applicant credit for wanting to fulfill this need. We just
need to find a safer place to facilitate this project. Annual City Manager ReviewDecember 17th, 2002 December 15th, 2003 Facilities CommitteeThe City Council at its first meeting in October, named the Planning and Zoning Commission along with 5 individual Councilmember appointees to sit on the City of Taylor Facilities Committee to review and make recommendations to the Council regarding the future of our current building facilities. They will review the recent engineering study that discusses the future use of the library, 1935 City Hall, Downtown Fire Station, The old Taylor High School building and the current City Hall and Auditorium. Update December 17,2002The Facilities Committee continues to meet and review
specific locations. They have a difficult task before them and I want
to publicly thank them for their service. The City of Taylor is fortunate
to have volunteers that will dedicate their time and energy to this very
important committee. The Council looks forward to their final report. Board and Commission AppointmentsThroughout the year, the Taylor City Council appoints
members of our community to serve on numerous advisory boards and commissions.
If you would like to place your name on the appointment list please contact
our City Clerk Barbara Belz at 352-3676 or e-mail your request to me and
I will forward it. My only requirement for appointments is that you are
willing to serve and that you are a citizen of Taylor. It can be very
interesting work and it's an honorable duty to be able to serve your community
by serving on any of our advisory boards. 1935 City HallThe City of Taylor will soon have to decide the fate
of our 1935 City Hall. There are alliances forming to keep the structure
and remodel it for public use including offices for the Chamber of Commerce.
Others are supporting the razing of the building and replacing it with
another useful structure. Some people feel this building has prominent
historical value. Some people believe that razing the building will defeat
the City of Taylor’s commitment to our Main Street Project. I am not an
engineer or architect and I don’t see much historical uniqueness in the
old City Halls design. That, of course, does not mean that there are citizens
in my community that have strong opinions about keeping this building
and those that want something different. We have to also consider the
downtown fire station that has been located on that block since 1879.
Consultants are studying the usefulness of the structure. They are also
studying the most important factor….. $ Cost $. (See:
Facilities Committee) Update January 28, 2003Tonight the City Council decided in a 4-1 vote to keep the $ 17,500 recently awarded to the City of Taylor from the Texas Historical Preservation Trust Fund for preservation work towards the 1935 City Hall. During the Council meeting, many citizens were present and voiced their concerns stating that returning the money would be the first step in the probable demolition of the structure and also that the return on the funds would possibly hurt our chances in receiving other grants from the State. I voted to keep the funds. I believe that we should continue to study the 1935 City Hall as being a viable building for offices. I also want to hear the final report from the Facilities Committee in regards to the future use of this building and finally I hope the City will conduct public hearings with the community to determine their thoughts about the future of this building. The Council agreed with the Facilities Committee to move the firefighters in the attached Fire Station to a portable facility on the grounds nearby. I am unique, in the fact that from 1979 through 1985, I was a field Paramedic with Williamson County and our station was located with the Firemen at the downtown station. Since 1979, I have been involved with the Fire Department in numerous capacities and as of last week, being appointed Chief of The Taylor Fire District. I know that building very well. I even used the basement as an Emergency Operations Center in the early 1980's. I am one of a few citizens that can claim that building as being my home for 5 years. Now, we have to decide what's best for our citizens. Not just those who are dedicated to historic preservation and Main Street, but all of our citizens. Update June 1, 2003The Facilities Review Committee and the City Council
approved Kamatsu Architecture to investigate the continued feasibility
of the Old 1935 City Hall. Soon the Committee will present their findings
to the Council along with their recommendations. Update August 5, 2003This is another long and complicated project that the
Facilities Committee has worked very hard on. Komatsu Architecture has
presented their building estimates and comparisons on using the old 1935
City Hall for continued use as a fire station. This would be a major renovation.
I will support the Facilities Committees recommendations and assume they
will choose building a new station since the costs of both projects were
very similar. I will vote to put this issue on a bond election. Update August 14, 2003This evening the Council and the Facilities Review Committee met in a public hearing at Taylor High School to discuss with the public Komatsu Architecture analysis of our options regarding the future use of the 1935 City Hall as a Fire Station. Here is the estimated project costs:
I have concerns regarding using this facility as a 21st
Century Fire Station for the citizens of Taylor. I would prefer that this
facility be used for something other than a Fire Station. That does NOT
mean I want this facility torn down. I agree that if we are are truly
dedicated to downtown renovation and our Main Street Program, we will
find funds to rehabilitate the 1935 City Hall and find a proper use for
it.
Tax AbatementsI have stated to many of my fellow citizens that I will carefully consider any proposed tax abatements. The recent default in Taylor Technologies has caused me great concern. In September, the Council approved an abatement for Basler. The building Basler had occupied has been empty for some time. An empty building without workers and equipment does little to boost or encourage our economy. Basler will remodel and add between 50 to 100 people to their workforce. I don't like it when a company that wants to move to Taylor says they will relocate or build in our area only if they receive an abatement. They should consider all the other things we can offer. I would also hope that any company considering Taylor as their home, would be financially sound enough not to depend on the financial savings offered by tax abatements. The citizens of Taylor are burdened by high Ad Valorem property taxes. One way to help decrease our dependence on Ad Valorem property taxes is to stimulate our retail sales. Retail sales and the important sales tax rendered from local purchases can be the best catalyst for decreasing our high property taxes. We should focus our business recruiting on retail sales. We need more than just homes in our community. We need additional restaurants, hotels, GROCERY STORES, and general retail merchandise stores. I would consider granting tax abatements for these types of businesses to encourage retail sales and to boost our local economy. Update August 26, 2003The Council recently approved tax abatements for 3 projects.
ERCOT, Laboratory Tops, and Harimasa. These projects were already applied
for prior to the Abatement Ordinance expiring on August 28th. Now, the
staff and the Council are reviewing changes to this Ordinance that will
make it more attractive to the Citizens of Taylor. We need to be competitive,
but we also need to be very careful with how we give our money away. I
came up with an idea to include a "point system" for companies
who use local contractor services. It makes little sense to give a company
an abatement, then they use Austin contractors for their projects. If
a company uses local businesses and services, then points could be acquired
that would go towards completing their abatement requirements. Water and WastewaterIt's very important when you turn on your faucet and
see good clean water and it's even more important when you flush your
toilet and everything "goes away....." The projected growth in Taylor will cause us to consider some important matters dealing with our waterplant on FM 1331. There may be a need to expand its capability. This will be expensive and the City is still carrying debt on the waterplant. The city has been approached by the Brazos River Authority to negotiate the possible sale of the waterplant. This will be one of the most important matters the Council will face this year. I believe water will be our most important resource in the future. I need your input. Taylor Public LibraryOur Public Library is one of our City’s most important assets. The library staff brought to our attention the possibility that mold was evident in the building. Environmental Technologies was hired to conduct testing. They confirmed that mold did exist within the walls, ceilings, windows and other places throughout the building. The Council had no choice but to temporally close the library. Now a difficult challenge faces us. Preliminary reports from the engineers include a lofty price tag to completely remediate and repair the building. Additionally, the size of the facility as it exists today may not be large enough for Taylor’s projected growth. The library staff has done an excellent job using other locations for resource study and accessibility. Beginning in November, the City Hall Auditorium will be used as a temporary location. Some of our options are: · Remediate the mold problem and make the necessary repairs to the existing structure. · Remediate the mold and increase the size of the structure to meet our future needs. · Remediate the mold and use the facility at its present size for other offices and build a new library. · Remove the structure and build a new library in it’s place · Remove the structure and build a new library at another location. I have been very apprehensive regarding mold and its recent notoriety in Texas. My mother used to call this “mildew” and she simply took care of it with some bleach. Now as a Councilmember, I have to be very sympathetic to those citizens who may have sensitivity to mold and its possible adverse effects. The council needs your input. Before I vote to decide this issue, I want to hear from anyone willing to discuss the many choices available. Update December 17, 2002The Taylor Public Library has successfully moved to the
Municipal Auditorium at 400 Porter Street. The Library is open to the
public and the City of Taylor has remodeled the restrooms in the main
foyer. The facilities committee continues to evaluate their options regarding
the future location of the library and other city offices. I want to thank
the staff of the library for their hard work and dedication in relocating
our public library. (See: Facilities Committee) Update August 5, 2003The Facilities Committee will be presenting their final
recommendation's to the Council within the next 30 days. I have reviewed
the data and endorse the presentation of a bond issue to extensively renovate
the present or build a new library facility. Update August 14, 2003This evening the Council and the Facilities Review Committee met in a public hearing at Taylor High School to discuss with the public Komatsu Architecture analysis of our options regarding our public library. Here is the estimated project costs:
E-mail Direct to Councilmember Tim Mikeska
Budget 2002-2003This was an extremely rewarding experience…. That is…. If you like getting flooded with
numbers, requests, spreadsheets, hearings, and arguments for and against
needed projects. I have learned,
in this my first budget process that there are always more requests from
the city staff than money to finance their requests. The city manager did an admirable job sorting through these requests
to determine what departments needed the necessary funding. There are no excessive projects planned
in this budget. We were able to
keep the tax rate at last years operating and maintenance value but we
had to increase the interest and sinking fund based on debt service requirements
for voter approved bonds that were issued last year. Budget 2003 -2004The City of Taylor was surprised to learn that appraised
property values actually decreased within the city causing us a projected
budget shortfall approaching $ 200,000. The city manager and department
heads refocused their priorities to absorb this shortfall and will soon
present a balanced budget for fiscal year 2004. Through their efforts
and the efforts of the present Council, the Ad Valorem tax rate should
remain the same. If your appraisal decreased, this would mean you would
be paying less taxes. Contrary, if your property appraisal increased in
value, your Ad Valorem property taxes will increase.
Trash-Brush CollectionThe spring storms and neglected curbside brush pick-ups have made this subject a matter of some conflict between our city staff and Waste Management. The City Council and staff have heard your many concerns. This problem seems to be getting better. The city manager will maintain contact with Waste Management and monitor their progress. Update October 22, 2002The Council has authorized the City staff to advertise
requests for qualifications to companies interested in contracting the
solid waste collection services for both residential and commercial customers
in Taylor. The current contract will expire on January 31st, 2003. Update December 17, 2002Tonight the City Council approved a new solid waste collection
ordinance for both residential and commercial customers. IESI Corporation
has an impressive history of service to their clients. The city manager
contacted many of IESI's clients and all of them were complimentary of
the company. IESI will begin providing service in February. If you have
problems or complaints with their service, please contact the City of
Taylor at 352-2066.
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