LANCASTER – With all Lancaster City Council members in attendance, including District 3 Marco Mejia, in attendance via video call, the council heard nine public hearings regarding proposed supplemental services being ordered in connection with the city’s Public Improvement Districts.
These items will be on the city’s September 9 Regular City Council agenda for discussion and vote.
During the nine public hearings for each separate PID, several residents spoke and said they were confused with what was being said in the public hearings. It was determined a staff member would communicate with residents after the public hearings were closed, however, one resident wondered if they would still be able to voice opposition if they desired after the public hearing was closed. Residents were assured they could speak at the September 9 meeting in support of or in opposition before a final council vote to approve or deny.
According to city staff, PIDs are a mechanism to assure the neighborhood’s financial sustainability and “are considered to be a more equitable means of collecting fees to maintain the neighborhood’s open spaces and common areas.”
The nine public hearings in connection with the proposed supplemental services ordered pertaining to each PID included the Beltline Ashmoore Public Improvement District with two in opposition. Staff said the fiscal impact for each PID in the public hearings were not expected to have direct financial impact on the city. The fiscal year 2024/2025 proposed service and assessment plan budget for Beltline Ashmore PID is $106,304.00 and assessments have been proposed at $0.1500 per one hundred dollars assessed valuation.
A public hearing for the Boardwalk Public Improvement District had one in opposition. The fiscal year impact for this PID’s 2024/2025 proposed service and assessment plan budget is $162,947.00, and assessments are proposed at $0.2000 per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation.
The Glendover Estates Public Improvement District has a fiscal year 2024/2025 proposed service and assessment plan budget at $58,551.00 and assessments are proposed at $0.2400 per one hundred dollars assessed valuation.
For the Lancaster Mills Public Improvement District, the proposed service and assessment plan budget for fiscal year 2024/2025 is $00.00, and assessments are proposed to be $0.0000 per $100 assessed valuation. The zero amount for this PID is due to the fact that no homes have been constructed.
In the Meadowview Estates Public Improvement District, the proposed service and assessment plan budget for fiscal year 2024/2025 is $429,663.00, and assessments are proposed at $0,100 per one hundred dollars assessed valuation. One person supported this item.
There was discussion of the Millbrook East Public Improvement District, and one person supported it. The proposed service and assessment plan budget for fiscal year 2024/2025 is $169,848.00, and assessments are proposed at $0.1300 per one hundred dollars assessed valuation.
District 2 Councilmember Stanley Jaglowski said, “It looks like this one here, they increased it and went from .11 per $100 of assessed value now to .13. When it comes to the budget cycle again next year, the board has the option to make the adjustment if they want to adjust either higher or lower next year as well. So, every year, each individual PID puts forth a budget, and they can make their changes, and if they need to re-evaluate next year, they have the ability to bring it back or increase it or decrease it.”
District 1 Carol Strain-Burk ask “Is part of the increase on this one because of the improvements they have made? I know they added streetlights in that district and they were also going to build a playground.”
Lancaster Deputy City Manager Carey Neal Jr. said, “That is a portion of it, and this particular PID during COVID-19 reduced their rate to .11 to accommodate COVID-19 and the impacts it had on the residents. During that specific time since they did that, they had been utilizing their fund balance to accommodate the cost, so now they are increasing it back to make sure they have enough money to sustain their normal operations as well as fund some of those additional capital improvements they have planned for in the future.”
Another question District 4 Derrick Robinson raised was, “Is the problem the constituents do not understand what is going on because they are not justifying these increases?”
Neal said there had been two public meetings where they discussed the increases and there were no residents in attendance at those meetings. The meetings were posted by law and notices of the meetings mailed to every homeowner.
Lancaster’s legal also mentioned that on each of the PIDS there is a five-year service plan, which often avoids one-year changes up and down. The PID boards when looking at setting budgets are looking out five years and are trying to account for any large items so the five-year outlook gives PID residents a look at what the board sees upcoming.
The Pleasant Run Estates Phase 1-A and Phase 1-B Public Improvement District public hearing had one opposing and one supporting the proposed fiscal year 2024/2025 service and assessment plan budget of $108,790.00 and assessments proposed at $0.2200 per one hundred dollars assessed valuation.
The public hearing for the Rolling Meadows Public Improvement District has a fiscal year 2024/2025 proposed service and assessment plan budget at $1178,423 and assessments proposed at $0.25 per one hundred dollars assessed valuation.
The final public hearing for the Tribute at Mills Branch and Tribute East at Mills Branch Public Improvement District has a fiscal year 2024/2025 proposed service and assessment plan budget of $115,487 and assessments proposed at $0.3600 per one hundred dollars assessed valuation.
Resident Martha English spoke during this public hearing and asked who approves the budget for PID and how they determine it. She also wanted to know who makes sure the board is doing what it needs to do.
One action was passed to approve a resolution declaring vacancies and appointing new members to the Rolling Meadows Public Improvement District (PID) advisory board. At the May 13, 2024, regular city council meeting Shelley Hamilton was appointed to that board. However, there were two vacancies due to the recent resignation of both Hamilton and Kimberly Jones. That PID held a meeting on August 8, 2024, and considered names/nominees to serve on the advisory board. The PID nominated Felicia Williams, Jacqueline Williams, and Stacey Jaglowski to serve on the board for the fiscal year 2024, with the term ending in December 2024.
Councilmember Jaglowski recused himself from this item.
All consent agenda items passed unanimously, including adopting the City Council goals and objectives from the June 14, 2024, City Council Strategic Planning Report, a resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a resolution for an assignment agreement approved by resolution of the North Central Texas Housing Finance Corporation (NCTHFC) assigning its single-family mortgage revenue bond authority to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA). TDHCA will issue bonds for the purpose of financing home mortgage loans for qualified first-time homebuyers in The Housing Finance Corporation (HFC) jurisdiction, including the City of Lancaster.
A resolution passed to ratify the implementation of the 2024 Special Projects Grant for the installation of Esports and Gaming equipment at the Veterans Memorial Library, not to exceed $23,953.00 and a resolution approving the terms and conditions of the 2023 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program Funds Sharing and Fiscal Agency Agreement between the City of Lancaster and the County of Dallas was approved in order to provide funds to prevent and control crime and to improve the criminal justice system in the city.
Two citizens spoke. The first was Fredwyn Brooks. He asked the city to help him remove 80 hedges, several trees, and a dumpster on his property because he had run out of funds. He explained that costs had added up, and he ended up needing funds for some of the city’s requirements regarding this property. He was told to meet with the Planning Department to apply for exceptions.
Dr. Jeffrey Thompson and his wife also presented during public comments. They offered the council information about a new clinic in Lancaster, St. Paul Medical Clinic. Thompson said this is a non-profit clinic providing low-cost medical and women’s health services in lower-income areas in Dallas County. Thompson said he chose this area after a health care assessment by Parkland Hospitals, and he saw a need in this area.
