The Ledger

Fate City Council Special Workshop - November 20, 2023

Fate Gazette

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The Fate Gazette — Ledger Entry

Meeting

Special City Council Workshop

Date

November 20, 2023

Location

Fate City Hall
1900 CD Boren Parkway
Fate, Texas

Call to Order and Quorum

  • Mayor David Billings called the special meeting/workshop of the Fate City Council to order at 5:00 p.m.
  • City Secretary Victoria Raduechel confirmed the presence of a quorum.

Council Members Present

  • David Billings, Mayor
  • Heather Buegeler
  • Mark Harper
  • Scott Kelley
  • Allen Robbins, Mayor Pro Tem (arrived at 5:02 p.m.)
  • Jim Deland
  • Lance Megyesi, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem

Council Members Absent

  • None

City Staff Present

  • Michael Kovacs, City Manager
  • Steven Downs, Assistant City Manager
  • Victoria Raduechel, City Secretary
  • Spencer Foster, Assistant to the City Manager
  • Shelbi Stofer, Public Engagement Coordinator
  • Lyle Lombard, Director of Public Safety
  • Ryan Ragan, DPS Captain, Police Operations
  • Ryan Wells, Director of Planning and Development Services
  • Steve Gilbert, Director of Community Services and Building Safety
  • Scott Monaghan, Director of Public Works
  • Raju Anthony, Director of Finance
  • Isaiah Tackett, Systems Administrator
  • Michael Wright, IT Manager
  • David Overcash, City Attorney

Public Comment

  • Public comment guidelines were stated.
  • There was no one present wishing to speak.
  • City Secretary’s note: Council Member Allen Robbins arrived at 5:02 p.m.

Workshop

Three-Year Critical Actions and Buildout Staffing Estimates for Departments

The City Manager led the Council in a workshop regarding three-year action plans and buildout staffing estimates. City staff presented information and responded to Council questions.

Fate Department of Public Safety

  • Three-Year Considerations
    • Multi-use facilities
    • Personnel: officers, firefighters, fire inspector, narcotics investigator, training officer
    • Fire apparatus (2) for Fire Division
    • Patrol vehicles
  • Staffing Estimates
    • Current staff: 35 split between police and fire divisions; 2 administrative civilian staff
    • 2040/buildout staff: 73 police, 53 fire (stand-alone divisions); 4 administrative civilian staff
    • Hiring plan: annual hiring of single-certification police and fire personnel with gradual division separation

Finance Department

  • Initiatives
    • Create an electronic budget book in OpenGov downloadable as PDF
    • Transition to electronic bank payments
    • Add a second utility customer counter
    • Include QR codes on customer bills
    • Add staff positions in accounting, utility billing, and municipal court
  • Staffing Estimates
    • Current staff: 9 total
    • 2040/buildout staffing includes creation of a finance department and expanded accounting, utility billing, and municipal court staffing

Public Works Department

  • Key Responsibilities
    • Bond oversight and project management
    • In-house road maintenance and repair
    • Traffic calming measures
    • Equipment replacement cycles
    • Meter testing and replacement programs
  • Staffing Estimates
    • Current staff: 16
    • 2040/buildout staff: expanded engineering, street, stormwater, and water/wastewater positions
    • Hiring plan: add 8 staff over 16 years

Building Safety Department

  • Focus Areas
    • Vested single-family lots
    • Yu Tract mixed-use development
    • Hunt properties
    • Fate Village development
  • Staffing Estimates
    • Current staff: 8
    • 2040/buildout staff: 15, including building, civil, and administrative positions
    • Near-term hiring projected for permit technician and project manager

Facilities Department

  • Responsibilities
    • Maintenance of parks, rights-of-way, city-owned properties, and buildings
    • Support for special events
  • Staffing Estimates
    • Current staff: 8
    • 2040/buildout staff: 30 full-time equivalents
    • Hiring plan outlined for 2025–2027

Property Standards

  • Responsibilities
    • Code enforcement and nuisance abatement
    • Rental registration and inspections
    • Health inspections and mosquito abatement
  • Staffing Estimates
    • Current staff: 1 code enforcement officer; contract health inspector
    • 2040/buildout staff: 10
    • Near-term staffing additions anticipated

Planning and Development

  • Top Initiatives
    • Downtown proactive zoning
    • Sidewalk and trail gap analysis
    • Major land use project management
    • Comprehensive Plan update
    • City modeling and fiscal analysis
  • Staffing Estimates
    • Current staff: 3
    • 2040/buildout staff: 7
    • Hiring plan: add 4 staff over 12 years

Information Technology

  • Key Responsibilities
    • Upgrade council chamber audio/visual and voting systems
    • Cybersecurity evaluation and compliance
    • Evaluation of contracted services
  • Staffing Estimates
    • Current staff: 2
    • 2040/buildout staff: 6
    • Hiring plan: add 4 staff over 16 years

City Secretary’s Office

  • Initiatives
    • Complete Laserfiche installation and configuration
    • Expand Laserfiche licensing and department migration
    • Implement an electronic records policy
  • Staffing Estimates
    • Current staff: 2
    • 2040/buildout staff: 4
    • Hiring plan outlined over 16 years
  • Human Resources: Not present
  • Economic Development: Not present

Adjournment

  • Council Member Robbins moved to adjourn.
  • Council Member Harper seconded the motion.
  • Vote: Unanimous approval.
  • Mayor Billings declared the meeting adjourned at 5:47 p.m.

Record Note
This Ledger entry records the publicly observable proceedings of the meeting listed above. It does not offer analysis or commentary.

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