The Odessa City Council will discuss game rooms, next year’s budget and a fire department study Tuesday during its regularly scheduled work session.
Last week, the council asked the city’s legal staff to create an ordinance that will eventually lead to the elimination of all game rooms within the city limits. The ordinance will stop the issuance of new business permits for game rooms and prohibit existing game rooms from renewing their licenses once they expire.
Council members have indicated they are receiving a lot of complaints from constituents who believe the game rooms are unsightly and attract criminals. In addition, undercover Odessa Police Department operations have resulted in numerous arrests for illegal gambling.
Also on Tuesday, the council will hold its first open public hearing on the proposed FY22-23 city budget.
Included in the proposed budget is a 6% increase in water/sewer rates, a 3.5% increase in solid waste rates and a possible 2 cent property tax rate increase for every $100 of assessed valuation.
City staff has recommended the council adopt a $109 million general fund budget compared to $101 million last year, with the additional funding, in large part, going toward park improvements, fire rescue radios, IT switch upgrades, repairs and improvements to several city buildings. The general fund budget also includes a 4% pay hike approved by the council in May.
Included in the proposed budget are two neighborhood parks on the east side and $10 million in street projects, with part of the funding coming from leftover FY21-22 funds.
The council is scheduled to vote on the final budget Sept. 13.
The city council will also discuss the possibility of hiring AP Triton Consulting Tuesday. Odessa Fire Rescue Chief John Alvarez would like the city to spend just under $67,000 on a comprehensive study that will help the department improve its overall strategy in the upcoming years.
According to documents provided to the city, Triton will interview command staff, city officials, union representatives, firefighters, paramedics and dispatchers as part of the process.
In addition, the company will study such things as the community’s population, age and density and the department’s response times, budget and facilities and come up with a strategic plan.
The study will take 120-150 days to complete and it will take an extra 30-45 days for the strategic plan to be written.
The city will also discuss:
>> Consider purchasing a $363,733 automated sideload garbage truck to replace a unit that is consistently out of service and has cost the city nearly $18,000 in maintenance so far this year. The city currently owns four other sideload trucks.
>> Consider purchasing more than 860 replacement water meters for $214,721.
>> Consider purchasing 75 golf carts, two beverage carts and one driving range cart for Ratliff Ranch Golf Links at a total cost of just under $298,000. The city’s current carts will be traded in for the gas carts and the new carts will be placed on a three-year replacement cycle. The price tag includes annual maintenance and GPS costs. The carts wouldn’t be delivered until sometime between December and March.
>> Consider purchasing a $100,000 piece of equipment that fills cracks in city streets. It would replace a 10-year-old unit.
>> A proposal that would allow SciFi Networks to install a city-wide broadband network. Under the agreement, SciFi would make quarterly payments of $8,000 or $2.99 per connected premises to the city, whichever is higher.
>> Purchasing a $54,500 piece of equipment that will filter out debris from street sweeper refuse, therefore reducing the amount that goes to the landfill and tipping fees.
>> Awarding a contract to Smith Pump Company to rebuild Golder Road Pump Station’s Pump No. 7 for $70,557. The pump is currently inoperable.
