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Home My WebLink About2025-064 Budget Workshop ResponsesAugust 15, 2025 Report No. 2025-064 INFORMAL STAFF REPORT TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL SUBJECT: FY 25-26 Budget Workshop Follow Up BACKGROUND: On August 9, 2025, the FY 25-26 Budget Workshop was held. During the session, City Council Members requested additional information that required follow-up. DISCUSSION: General Fund One-Time Funding Priorities During the Budget Workshop, each Council Member provided their priority ranking for one-time funding considerations that were not included in the City Manager's FY 2025-2026 Proposed Budget. The table below reflects the Council’s cumulative ranking. Staff will monitor the budget as we approach fiscal year-end. If funding becomes available through operating and completed project savings, items will be funded according to the priority rankings listed below. Council Cumulative Ranking Ranking One-Time Consideration Amount 1 Civic Center Pool Site Analysis and End of Lifecycle Plan 55,000 2 Expiring Incentive roll to Catalyst Fund 38,174 3 In-Kind Funding for special events 120,000 4 Campaign Finance Consultant 70,000 Total $283,174 August 15, 2025 Report No. 2025-064 Provide an overview of the Managed Vacancy Program The Managed Vacancy Program is a strategic initiative designed to achieve a target of $3.0 million per fiscal year in General Fund salary savings in the current fiscal year and upcoming fiscal year. Rather than permanently eliminating positions, the program temporarily freezes positions as they become vacant. This approach provides the City with maximum flexibility to manage its workforce and service levels. Oversight of the program is provided by the Vacancy Review Committee, composed of representatives from Finance, the City Manager's Office, and Human Resources. This committee meets monthly to review year-to-date salary savings and projections, as well as to evaluate department requests to fill vacant positions. The program prioritizes filling front-line and public safety positions to ensure essential services are not impacted. All other vacant positions are reviewed on a case -by-case basis to determine if they are critical to city operations. This includes a thorough review of the department director’s justification for each request. Provide an overview of the proposed 4.5 Day Work Week The City Manager has proposed a one-year pilot program for a 4.5-day work week, starting tentatively on October 1, 2025. This initiative is focused on improving employee recruitment and retention, a benefit seen in neighboring cities like Lewisville and Flower Mound that have already adopted similar schedules. This pilot will apply to City Administrative Offices, including but not limited to City Hall, City Hall East (excluding Police Headquarters), and Development Services. Under the proposed schedule, these offices will close at noon on Fridays. Forward-facing operations such as Customer Service and Municipal Court currently have online systems to assist residents and customers outside of business hours. Specific volume information by location will be provided to the City Council along with a communication plan in early September. A dedicated work group has been formed to finalize program details. This group will also establish a system for collecting and evaluating feedback throughout the pilot year to assess its overall effectiveness. Is there an option to use available funding in a special revenue fund to lower the Interest & Sinking (I&S) portion of the tax rate? Following the Budget Workshop, further due diligence confirmed the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) requires special revenue funds to be used exclusively for their specific, intended purpose. Relocating prior-year funding could compromise compliance with GASB standards. August 15, 2025 Report No. 2025-064 While it is technically possible to reallocate a portion of the current year's revenue before it is officially recorded, the timing of setting the I&S rate poses a risk. Given the unpredictable nature of special revenue streams, this approach is not recommended since a reallocation could result in the City not levying enough tax revenue to cover the debt service payment in the upcoming fiscal year. Provide the effect of tax-exempt properties on the City. The FY 2025-26 City Manager’s Proposed Budget includes a tax rate of $0.59542 per $100 valuation. Exemption Category Exemption Value Tax Revenue Loss Description Homestead (Includes over 65) 876,689,804 5,219,986 Own and occupy as a primary residence. Homestead (Disabled Veteran) 8,115,308 48,320 100% Disabled Veteran Special 629,532,001 3,748,359 Charitable organizations Absolute 3,722,833,041 22,166,492 Religious or Government Other 5,915,234 35,220 Childcare facilities Total $5,243,085,388 $31,218,379 A $100,000 exemption represents $595.00 Why did the expenses decrease from the current year to the proposed year for the Legends Municipal Utility District Fund? The proposed budgeted revenue of $147,000 is tied to the projected number of new rooftops and the construction timeline. Originally, the revenue forecast only included single-family homes. Following a review, staff will update the budget to include multi-family units, which are expected to bring in an additional $57,500 for a total budgeted revenue of $204,500 for FY 25-26. August 15, 2025 Report No. 2025-064 • Multi-family units: An additional 230 units are forecasted for 2026, adding $57,500 in revenue. What is the sales tax generation from the proposed Ambassador boundary? The data in the attached exhibit (Exhibit 1) presents monthly sales tax revenues from September 2024 through July 2025. These figures do not represent revenues from within the new proposed boundary, which would only include the square proper. The revenues reflect the approximate monthly sales tax generated, by category, from the original Ambassador boundary, which is the boundary used to look at the impact of Denton Halloween. This area runs from Carrol Blvd to Bell Street (East to West, extending past the DCTA Transit Center) and from Quakertown Park to Sycamore Street (North to South, extending down to Eagle Drive between Elm Street and the railroad tracks). Please note that sales tax revenue is received two months after it is collected and remitted to the state. The table is presented by category to comply with the confidentiality requirements of the Texas Tax Code, sections 111.006, 151.027, and 321.2022. Provide a list of the arrests within the Ambassador Program boundary. From August 2024 to 2025 the City of Denton Police Department has made 267 arrests in the existing Ambassador Program boundary (Exhibit 2). What do delays cost us? Delays to Street Fund projects can be costly, and who pays depends on the cause of the delay. The actual cost of delay varies by project. • If the City is at fault, we are responsible for costs such as material escalations, extended general conditions, and re-mobilization fees. The City also pays more for project management and inspection time. • If the contractor is at fault due to nonconforming work or material issues, they are responsible for the additional time and costs. If they exceed the project's contractual deadline, the City can apply liquidated damages, which are deducted from their payment. How do we determine when sidewalks should be replaced at the same time as a street? The City determines when to replace sidewalks alongside a street by having the Project Manager and a design engineer conduct a joint site walk during the project's design phase. They thoroughly evaluate the condition of all sidewalks and ramps within the project area. August 15, 2025 Report No. 2025-064 All ramps connected to a reconstructed roadway are required to be upgraded to ADA compliance. The City evaluates the adjacent sidewalks for deficiencies, and any found to be in poor condition are considered for replacement as part of the overall project, depending on the project budget. Can the proposed Hotel Occupancy Tax Fund distribution be redistributed by Council? Yes, the City Council can redistribute the proposed Hotel Occupancy Tax Fund distribution. The distribution is a recommendation from the Community Partnership Committee, an advisory body to the City Council. The Council has the authority to make changes wi th consensus, but any redistribution must be given to organizations that submitted an eligible application for sponsorship for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 (Exhibit 3). ATTACHMENTS: 1. Exhibit 1 – Sales Tax Generation 2. Exhibit 2 – Arrest Records 3. Exhibit 3 – Proposed Hotel Occupancy Tax Distribution STAFF CONTACT: Christine Taylor, Assistant City Manager REQUESTOR: City Council, Budget Workshop Follow Up STAFF TIME TO COMPLETE REPORT: 5 hours PARTICIPATING DEPARTMENTS: Finance City Manager’s Office Human Resources Capital Projects Transportation Fire Exhibit 1 Sales Tax Revenue September 2024 – July 2025; Original Ambassador Boundary Category Sep-24  Oct-24  Nov-24  Dec-24  Jan-25  Feb-25  Mar-25  Apr-25  May- 25  Jun-25  Jul-25  Total  Hotel & Food Services $41,076 $35,873 $37,246 $46,794 $33,041 $32,665 $30,522 $28,601 $34,518 $35,521 $35,130 $391,014 Retail Trade 28,550 26,224 26,273 27,263 24,818 28,912 22,502 22,786 26,236 23,727 26,553 $283,845 Professional & Other Services 6,472 6,014 5,533 6,553 4,371 7,105 5,746 4,537 5,401 5,751 5,050 $62,533 Construction 5,932 4,632 5,271 5,782 6,256 3,492 1,798 2,981 1,322 14,563 9,028 $61,056 Wholesale & Related 2,248 2,506 2,496 3,438 2,570 4,349 1,147 2,533 3,500 2,819 2,885 $30,491 Manufacturing 1,863 918 460 1,199 442 549 424 304 1,224 830 1,462 $9,675 Telecom & Rentals 205 244 226 313 291 431 295 277 340 338 271 $3,230 Finance Rentals 163 99 131 88 81 91 87 219 93 87 96 $1,236 Total $86,509 $76,510 $77,635 $91,429 $71,869 $77,594 $62,522 $62,239 $72,634 $83,636 $80,474 $843,080 Exhibit 2 Ambassador Program Existing Boundary Map & Arrest within the boundary from August 2024 to 2025 Exhibit 3