Analysis of Strategic Plan 2010 for NRH
Plan Cost the City over $25,000, Council Approved by 5 to 1 vote with one abstain. (Bielik voted against, Cox abstained.)
Analysis by Citizen without charge!
by Ron West - March 9, 2005
I have scanned the plan into a computer with optical character recognition so that
comments could be added as necessary to this document. The portion that follows was
spread out over 12 pages - but easily condenses to 6. For your ease of reading, the original
plan is in black type. The small page numbers to the left are from the original document. My comments and observations have been added in blue italics type. Despite the current incumbents
- you the citizens of NRH will ultimately have the real say on whether this plan is the will of the people.
This plan was developed without citizen input during a meeting held at Garrett Ranch in February. The cost of the meeting to the citizens was over $25,000 and paid for out of the $4.8 Million slush fund controlled by the Mayor and City Manager.
City of North Richland Hills
Strategic Plan 2010
Mayor, City Council and Executive Staff
February, 2005
Report prepared by
Conbrio and The Mercer Group
Table of
Contents
,
North Richland Hills Vision 2010 page 3
North Richland Hills Goals 2010 page 4
North Richland Hills Action Agenda 2005 page 11
North Richland. Hills Mayor and Council 2005 Code. of Conduct
- House Rules page 13
North Richland Hills Mayor and Council 2005 Governance Process Actions page 14
Page 2
City of North Richland Hills Vision 2010
The City of Choice - A Community for
Family Living - Business and Job Opportunities - Quality Neighborhoods
This page was apparently used for filler since our city has always presented
family living, job opportunities and quality neighborhoods. Unfortunately, our
city is now business unfriendly and the definition of quality neighborhoods has
been "upgraded" or "revitalized" by the current council.
Page 3
North Richland Hills Goals 2010
Quality Community Development and Revitalization -
Now it begins - a new key word - revitalization. To the current council this means imploding our current library, running off the small businesses along Grapevine Highway, denying the use of pole signs to businesses with an illegal ordinance and replacing all lower income housing in our city. (The smallest house now allowed in our city by ordinance is 1700 square feet, in reality, only new housing greater than 2000 square feet is being allowed. If you live in a smaller house and it burns down, you cannot replace it in NRH with the same size house.) All costs of "revitalization", of course, is to be passed on to the taxpayers.
Efficient, Effective Transportation System
-
At the current time, we use automobiles. There is no bus or rail system currently available. To expand Hwy 820, Mayor Trevino & company appear to be favoring Toll Lanes. A new rail station for non-existent trains is also planned as an expenditure of your money. This is one of Mayor Trevino's pet projects.
Safety and Security
With the Crime Control District Revenue, the city now has the finest equipment money can buy - regardless of cost. The annual budget for the Police Department alone is over $13 Million. We have numerous unused Police cars parked at city hall all hours of the day and night. We are faced with a "wrongful death" lawsuit from a Police Officer who killed a citizen using a deliberately falsified warrant according to court records. The police officer is still on staff. The solution is to spend more money? Wonder what the specifics of this goal are?
Financial Stability
This can be translated to the urgent searching for ever more taxes and fees to fund runaway spending. With over $75 Million on deposit in financial institutions, the city never has enough money. It may be difficult to really be financially stable when we face potentially very expensive lawsuits against the city for obviously wrong actions by city employees. This also empowers the sitting council to issue Certificates of Obligation to borrow money without voter approval. At the present time, the council has authorized over $21 Million in outstanding debt without voter approval.
Preserve Positive City Image
I do not believe that the current image of repressive unfriendly government is
the image they are talking about. People and businesses migrate to cities
that are people and business friendly. We are a city of closed government,
erratic code enforcement, runaway spending and ever higher taxes. This
should probably be changed to "Create a Positive City Image" which would be a
worthwhile goal.
Quality of Life
If this "goal" were the #1 priority for our city, we would be on the right
track. When you have a Mayor who tells people to "ignore the little
people" and seemingly all actions of the sitting council are hidden from public
view, you probably need to interpret this as "quality of life for the special
aristocratic few".
Page 4
North
Richland Hills Goals 2010
Quality Community Development and Revitalization
.
Objectives:
Develop build out strategy
Money is at the bottom of virtually all aspects of this spurious plan. The build out strategy is designed to maximize taxes to the city. Remember - with runaway spending you always need more money.
Expedite development of North Hills Mall
Is the city working on a secret deal? Maybe this is tied to the "land banking" later in this plan. Perhaps the city is planning to enter the real estate business using your tax money? Is this tied to the $1,000,000 give-away in the city budget for street and signal improvements for the mall? Is there already a secret deal in the works with a major discount outlet?
Complete and implement Loop 820 study objectives
Note the use of the work "implement". The outcome of this expensive and premature study is apparently already determined. This suggests the use of eminent domain for unidentified purposes but at least one member of the sitting council has defended such use already. This must include the destruction of our award winning library and the building of the new monument to the council in Hometown NRH. This would have been more reasonable if the goal was to review the study and submit it to the citizens with recommendations.
Complete implementation of South Grapevine study
Note the use of the work "implement". The outcome of this expensive and premature study is apparently already determined. The city is already announcing that the "corridor is coming" with a very biased "survey". The comments relating to the 820 study also apply. There is a very biased survey on the web for this "study" that indicates pre-determined conclusions.
Revitalize residential neighborhoods
Same item as addressed in Quality Community Development and Revitalization above - a new key word - revitalization. To the current council this means imploding our current library, running off the small businesses along Grapevine Highway, denying the use of pole signs to businesses and replacing all lower income housing in our city. (The smallest house now allowed in our city by ordinance is 1700 square feet, in reality, only new housing greater than 2000 square feet is being allowed. If you live in a smaller house and it burns down, you cannot replace it in NRH with the same size house.) All costs of "revitalization", of course, is to be passed on to the taxpayers. This must be a space filler for this expensive meeting and report.
Create rail station development plan
This might be a worthwhile goal if there were trains to service the station and a rail line that went to any desired destination. Watch for another expensive study to justify more spending. (Remember this is Trevino's pet project.)
Provide standards to maintain quality housing
They would like to
get rid of the lower income housing in our city and have bigger more expensive
housing built so that there would be more tax revenue to spend. If you live in
"lower income"
housing, our currently elected officials would like for you to move. They
will not allow similar housing in our city in the future. They are seeking snob appeal and want
remake our city to be like Southlake and Colleyville!
Actions 2005:
Maximize land use values
Same song as maintaining financial stability. This can be translated to the urgent searching for ever more taxes and fees to fund runaway spending. With over $75 Million on deposit in financial institutions, the city never has enough money. It may be difficult to really be financially stable when we face potentially very expensive lawsuits against the city for obviously wrong actions by city employees. This is closely tied to trying to run off lower income citizens and small business.
Review/update ordinances
This is a worthy goal but should read - "Review/Update Ordinance and bring all Ordinances into compliance with state law". It could be further enhanced by committing to pre-publication of all new or changed ordinances for public review prior to passage. While we are on the subject of ordinances, it could also be a goal to make sure that city employees do not use deception to enforce city ordinances or that city employees do not "extend" the intent of ordinances. Current code enforcement practices are building on the business unfriendly reputation of our city.
Update comprehensive land use plan
i.e. figure out how to get more taxes.
Encourage more businesses to locate in North Richland Hills
This is a worthwhile goal. Maybe if you asked the business people what would attract them to our city you could work on some realistic objectives. Higher taxes than surrounding cities, difficult departments in city government, micromanagement by city council and obnoxious ordinances are certainly not encouraging to new business. You might also want to discuss the current definition of "beautification" as being imposed by the council.
Land bank property in key development areas if possible
This is WRONG! The city should not entertain getting into the real estate market. We do not need development at any cost and the city has no legal funds to "speculate" with. Should not be a goal and needs to be removed!
Commit public funds to stimulate reinvestment
Does this mean sending out a crew to cut down pole signs you don't like and paying for the cutting with taxpayer funds? Maybe it means giving tax dollars to developer friends? Note the repeated use of the word "reinvestment" which in this case means replacing prior investments that the city doesn't like. Is this a private property rights issue?
Facilitate hometown development
Another whole can of worms. All new property tax revenue from Hometown NRH
is being diverted to monument building for the "board" created by the current
council majority. A bronze plaque with their names on expensive new
buildings is the goal. Watch out for an announcement of moving the current
(and not fully paid for) city hall to Hometown NRH using more of your money.
By the way, TIF#2 Hometown NRH is not supposed to be over 10% residential to be
legal. At last notice, it is 25% residential and that number is growing.
If Hometown NRH is such a good deal then why do all other citizens of NRH have
to pay for all city services to this area?
Page 5
Efficient,
Effective Transportation System
Objectives:
Maintain leadership role on regional transportation
Mayor Trevino serves on the Regional Transportation Board (or council) so this is really important to NRH.
Improve traffic flow
More signal lights and road humps. Perhaps a new "widening" contract will come up for bid. It could help to "phase signals" which is identified as a separate goal below.
Maintain lead on regional rail issues
Repeating above rail station without trains or destinations. Perhaps more filler to make the goals look longer and help justify paying $25,000+ for the meeting and this report.
Actions 2005:
Improve corridors - access and appearance
Since they have already planned to implement the corridors studies above, this is a repetition of the above for filler. I suppose it makes someone look busy.
Expand street maintenance - older neighborhoods
This should be a battle cry for many areas of our city. We have over $4,800,000 hidden in the current budget as a slush fund for Mr. Cunningham (see page 279 of budget) but we have only $600,000 budgeted for all city street maintenance. Wonder if they know some way to expand this without budgeting more money for it? Perhaps Mr. Cunningham will transfer part of his slush fund to street repairs. (If you live in one of the "lower quality" neighborhoods, don't hold your breath waiting for city help.)
Smooth intersections
I really don't know what this means.
Implement image study with transportation
Implementing another study without revealing what the study says and without citizen input. Certainly not a goal, rather a method of doing business in a closed government that excludes the citizens. Again - paid for with Cunningham's slush fund.
Evaluate 820 impact on city facilities
This is a very clear announcement of their intentions to move city hall to Hometown NRH. The fact that the 820 expansion will only affect some parking at city hall will be ignored and a good building will be replaced with a grandiose monument to ego. They will tell you that funds from the TIF#2 will pay for the new city hall but in reality we all will have to pay for all city services to TIF#2 area as their taxes are used for these pet projects.
Alternative traffic routes during 820 widening
Seems like a reasonable statement that is the responsibility of TXDOT. Perhaps our current city council would like to micromanage this also.
Maintain/increase street maintenance funds (CIP)
Replenishing and increasing the various funds is a high priority of the current council. Don't ever forget that all this money comes from you. CIP stands for Capital Improvement Projects which are budgeted separately. Most CIP projects are paid for with debt service with or without voter approval. All such projects and funding raise your taxes.
Phase signals
More filler and a repeat of "Improve Traffic Flow" above.
Re-stripe Davis Boulevard
This might also help. A repeat of "Improve Traffic Flow" above.
, ,
Page 6
Safety and Security
Objectives:
Maintain low response time.
Does this mean make better use of existing assets? Will the millions already being spent to move two fire stations achieve this goal?
Maintain low crime rate
By being a goal, this probably means hiring more police officers.
Provide state-of-art public safety communications
No expense is unjustified when you have unlimited funds to spend. The growth of spending for public safety over the past 5 years has been incredible. Obviously - we can spend more though.
Provide effective police, fire, EMS
It mikes you kind of wonder about this when you consider the $4,800,000 slush fund of Mr. Cunningham's is more important than staffing the third ambulance until near the end of this fiscal year. Perhaps this should read after funding all pork barrel spending "provide...".
Enhance citizen education in public safety
Look over here so you won't have time to look at actual city government.
Improve property protection classification
Spending of millions of dollars to move our fire stations was justified by this
"continuing" goal. Probably a way to spend more money that we haven't
heard about yet.
Actions
2005:
Do fire inspections
Part of the firemen's regular jobs. Works OK if not used to harass or fine small business owners. It should NOT be a revenue source to the city.
Increase fire training and education
The last bond election provided millions to build additional - unnecessary - training facilities for the fire department. Recent expenditures are for exercise rooms at the two older fire stations. Wonder what this goal will cost and for what?
Hire and retain quality public safety personnel
More people, more expense and more taxes. Focus should be on taking care of our existing city employees, not building an ever bigger staff.
Increase use of web-based data for safety and security
Sounds reasonable. Why not expand this goal to provide more information about all local government operations.
Enhance community involvement of police department and fire department administrative staff - be more visible
Do more PR work so we can authorize more spending.
Continue to operate police department where laws are enforced in traffic violations.
Should there be exceptions for executives such as the City Council or Chief of Police? Perhaps this would read better if included "...except for special city employees."
Friendly, open employees - be sociable when giving a ticket
I don't know about you, but if I am getting a ticket, I don't need a "chatty cathy".
Page 7
Financial Stability
Objectives:
Continue pay-as-you-go where possible
With a $4,800,000+ slush fund, give the bill to Mr. Cunningham. He can afford it. He controls the spending of over 20% of all property tax revenue with his slush fund.
Maintain current tax rate
This is an insult to the citizens. Taxes have gone up due to appraisals over 100% over the past 12 years of "maintaining the current tax rate". To quote a recent Star Telegram Editorial "If the complaint is that taxes are too high, appraisals aren't the villains. The culprits: elected officials who have declined to lower tax rates when appraised values go up." Our city leadership should be looking at the tremendous growth in revenues as an avenue to reduce the tax burden on property owners in our city. Instead, they just spend every dime they can get. To add insult to injury, they approve allocation of over 20% of all property taxes to slush funds controlled by the City Manager. If you cut the slush fund by 1/2, you could reduce property taxes by 10%!
Maintain AA bond rating
Watch out for this one. Several members of the council are already talking about issuing more Certificates of Obligation which are simply bonds (borrowing) without voter approval. The higher the bond rating, the more inclined they are to borrow more. After all, they don't have to pay for it, do they?
Continue to update long-range financial plan
Does this mean to continue to increase spending and taxes far, far faster than population an inflation?
Maintain cash reserves policies
Probably a good idea since the money to pay for all the lawsuits has to come from somewhere! With over $75 Million on deposit and only 1/2 of it obligated, the "stashing" appears to have worked.
Maximize grant funding
Grants may be good - but - this is just another indication of how rabid the
council is to find money to spend.
Actions 2004:
(This is not a typo.
Plan was probably copied from an earlier version.)
Update building and equipment replacement plans
Increase budget for this area. This should justify future spending and tax collections.
Update plan for rebuilding insurance reserves
Might be a good idea to look into outside insurance. Reserves were really depleted last year.
Develop technology replacement plan
Plan to spend more on new computer systems.
Continue to monitor and respond to changes in financial trends
Look for more sources of money to the city such as "impact fees" or increases in water rates.
Examine gas drilling on city properties
Wouldn't drilling rigs be uglier than pole signs? How much open city land is available for this "examination"?
Continue existing budget process
I guess if you have a terrible process in place that effectively hides
information from the citizens (and that is your goal) you would want to
perpetuate it. The current schedule for development of the annual budget
for our city is totally obscured from both the public and the City Council until
it is virtually cast in stone. While the council could change it, there is
inadequate time for them to even review it. One council member doesn't
recall any discussion on the $4,800,000+ that was effectively hidden in the
current 595 page document. To even find the total projected sales tax
revenue, you must look on 3 widely separated pages. The budget has won
some awards (from other folks who also prepare such budgets) but they must be based on volume rather than process or content.
There is virtually no provision for citizen input and the current hearing
process is a joke meant only to fulfill the letter of the law but not the
intent.
Page 8
Preserve
Positive City Image
Objectives:
Enhance public information initiatives
What initiatives? Our local government is closed.
Continue communication flow to citizens
Like the cryptic and uninformative agendas for council meetings? Since there is virtually no flow to the citizens without public record requests, this must mean to shore up the dam unless there is a flood.
Construction of new public facilities
No citizen input - but - the city knows what is best for us.
Focus on and recognize city successes
This should be an easy goal to achieve since the current council meetings spend
an inordinate amount of time doing political back patting.
,
Actions 2005:
Improve on-line services
Good idea. Make agendas descriptive instead of cryptic. Pre-publish all ordinance changes and all new ordinances. Put all existing ordinances online for public viewing. Provide email contacts for all city department heads so citizens can contact them.
Develop a city facilities location plan
Start planning your new offices in the new city hall. Figure out what to do with the good fire stations that we are vacating.
Conduct citizens survey -- city service quality
Make sure if you do a survey it is not biased with a pre-determined outcome to "implement".
Evaluate/formalize Goodwill Ambassadors program
Is this some special group of insiders who will put out city propaganda?
Follow or utilize standards of city image study, branding efforts - South Grapevine Highway
If you participate in the "survey" for the South Grapevine Highway study, you will be able to see the plan for this area. Beware of eminent domain to take your property for "higher and better" city use definitions.
Continue to hold informative meetings with citizens on all important issues
How about "starting the holding of informative meetings with citizens". Who is going to determine what is important? The current council does not think that anything they do is important enough to discuss it with the citizens of the city.
Create programs that involve community
This could be a good idea if it is opened up to all citizens!
Build public facilities in Hometown
This is a goal for Trevino and his private
board. It is not either important or a goal of all citizens of our city,
rather part of a deal with Arcadia Corporation, the developer of Hometown NRH.
If the expensive new library and recreation center are so important to the city,
then open the issue up for a vote by the citizens before proceeding.
Continue to promote North Richland Hills to the outside world
The council's goal here is to get more money to spend. The city would be better served by concentrating on fair treatment for existing residents and businesses. Continue open communication with the media
Unless I am mistaken, this city does not have
open communications with anyone.
Page 9
Quality of Life
Quality of life in our city should be the first priority of the city instead of
the last as in this "plan". Even it's location in the plan shows the level
of unconcern that the majority on the council have with this "goal".
It is time that the city started looking first at the concerns of existing
citizens and businesses rather than a voracious search for ever more money to
spend.
Objectives:
Complete, implement trails plan
Trails are good. Bike trails are good. The new and "highly dangerous" bike route signs are truly a joke.
Maintain parks program at current high level
Might want to talk to the citizens about future design of parks. Parking has been ignored to the point of limiting the use of some facilities.
Develop, maintain sense of community
If the citizens are included this will occur. If they are excluded, you will get more opposition to all efforts.
Encourage volunteerism
Good idea if not diverted to personal political benefits.
Maintain cultural arts program
Not sure about the scope of this good idea.
Expand/improve public arts program
If this is the costly "artsy" stuff that is showing up on the playgrounds or along Bedford-Euless Road, then, citizen input might help. Just spending tax dollars to pay for the current council's definition of art and beauty is not a good idea.
Actions 2005:
Relocate south side recreation center
Not necessary or desirable. Keep it where it is until the final decision is made on the wasteful new proposed recreation center. The south side of the city does not want or need a second class facility to the big one in Hometown NRH for the "better side" of town.
Main Street festival
No comment. What does this cost?
Continue Nights of Holiday Magic
No comment. What does this cost?
Complete dog park
I like dogs. Is this going to be Hometown NRH development also?
Oktoberfest on south side by Richland Business Center
Will this attract new business to TIF#1? What does this cost?
Complete parks master plan
Is a "master plan" a set of suggestions that can continually be modified and changed? Did we not have a "master plan" for parks on our land usage map?
Continue concerts in the park
Good political exposure for incumbents. What does this cost?
Library south of 820
Not necessary or desirable. Keep it where it is until the final decision is made on the wasteful new proposed library. The south side of the city does not want or need a second class facility to the big one in Hometown NRH for the "better side" of town.
Study rotating music festival north/south
No comment. What does this cost?
Promote/increase health and wellness program/opportunities
Good idea. Is there a cost associated
with this initiative?
Page 10
North Richland Hills
Action Agenda 2005
This appears to be a summary with priorities
established. It looks like window dressing. Perhaps with the Council
saying that "communication flow" is the highest priority, they will entertain
comments from you on this "strategic plan 2010" and will actually listen to your
comments. (Or it could be that they only want to "tell" you what they are
doing and define that as "communication flow to the citizens."
Highest Priority:
Provide state-of-art public safety communications
Complete implementation of South Grapevine study
Maximize grant funding
Maintain cash reserves policy
Maintain lead on regional rail issues
Continue communication flow to citizens
Complete and implement Loop 820 study objectives
Maintain leadership role on regional transportation
High Priority:
Provide effective police, fire and EMS
Maintain current tax rate
Continue pay-as-you-go where possible
Develop build-out strategy
Expedite development of North Hills Mall
Develop/maintain sense of community
Maintain parks program at current high level
Page 11
Medium Priority:
Create rail station development plan
Construction of new public facilities
Expand/improve public arts program
Maintain cultural arts program
Complete/implement trails plan
Page 12
It should be noted that there are four more pages to this document that deal with rules that the majority of the council sought to impose on the entire council. Two of the pages spell out how the real power of communications is controlled by the Mayor and City Manager. The additional four pages will be reproduced and commented on in a follow up article. It is also interesting to note that the published agenda for the meeting that developed this document had no provision for the discussion of rules and interactions of the council so such subject discussion was possibly a violation of the Open Meetings Act. The above development of the goals was the only item on the agenda published exactly 7 days before the meeting.