[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6654854,"mediaKeyId","5442524-ee008dcb22a20b7b025c691bc2a28a9b","parentId",5442524,"title","Officials debate consolidating seed funding for local charities, festival and animal‑services gala","audioSeconds",1155,"startMs",1960000,"endMs",3115000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5442524-ee008dcb22a20b7b025c691bc2a28a9b&start=1960&end=3115","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5442524-ee008dcb22a20b7b025c691bc2a28a9b/thumbnail_1960000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6654854/Dickinson/Galveston-County/Texas/Officials-debate-consolidating-seed-funding-for-local-charities-festival-and-animalservices-gala","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6654854-f820f9100be296b7d31334ff1120cec5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770934524&Signature=jW90vkgcSDvi59VRC~5J7f5wmU~CUlmQAtwWbx0mUBM-4~ZhGMMNg~HLOwpNgDHCPLyiQmEbnOD9blMhner26zlQ6NP9FFQW9jOrWiCGKtLPAMx9wJ8w7R-aFNlueUqVCwmDsE4ISBAkp3PZxelRJzxvbdRh6hy5UDf0QBPdGAl4DyCuYQf9YGaKQnMWmX3NKBvMjPkJQRUub8CLRrBfbS-jmuwp3bUN5bUVmWWCreBHurj2nldiuWBfKsmXUeLb7eh16gdbKZChaufTVN0qLBoJPTk2Je-2S9LBkRcqp5brA1Uf44HWqpL6W9Y~wNlZgDpKV-9E34dJIHQ71NA1xQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Dickinson","date","2025-07-22T00:00:00Z","article","Council members and representatives of the Dickinson Management District and Economic Development Corporation discussed whether multiple public entities should each seed nonprofit fundraisers and suggested consolidating seed funding where legal and efficient.

Bayou Animal Friends: Participants said Bayou Friends Forever — a nonprofit that channels funds to Bayou Animal Services — received $5,000 commitments from the EDC, DMD and the city in recent years. EDC board members said the combined seed money helped generate larger sums returned to the animal shelter and that the DMD’s sponsorship for workforce development is a legally supported activity. At the workshop one board member proposed that, for transparency and efficiency, a single entity manage the initial $15,000 seed rather than each body separately committing $5,000.

Festival of Lights and HOT funds: Council members confirmed hotel occupancy tax (HOT) revenue can be used only for tourism promotion and events that generate “heads and beds.” Staff said HOT receipts total roughly $30,000 a year, which can support but not fully fund the Festival of Lights; council members discussed using HOT money to supplement festival costs while reducing duplicative contributions from other funds.

Officials emphasized process and legal constraints: Speakers repeatedly noted that DMD and EDC funding must comply with statutory and bylaw limits and that some grant or buyback properties have restrictions tied to FEMA or other programs. No formal action was taken; council members asked staff to refine the approach for consolidating seed funding and to return recommendations at a future workshop.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Dickinson - Special City Council - Jul 22, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At the budget workshop, council and board members discussed DMD/EDC/City contributions to local galas and festivals, suggested consolidating the $15,000 seed contribution for Bayou Animal Friends, and noted HOT funds can contribute to tourism events such as the Festival of Lights.","taxTitle","Dickinson, Galveston County, Texas","taxId",69479,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6654859,"Dickinson Management District budget includes police vehicle replacements, EMS and IT upgrades",0,1674000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5442524-ee008dcb22a20b7b025c691bc2a28a9b&start=1674&end=1674","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5442524-ee008dcb22a20b7b025c691bc2a28a9b/thumbnail_1674000.jpg","/articles/6654859/Dickinson/Galveston-County/Texas/Dickinson-Management-District-budget-includes-police-vehicle-replacements-EMS-and-IT-upgrades","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6654859-ba942039fa9a2b6d936942f0808dbd32/orig.mp4?Expires=1770934524&Signature=A0ulw30~hk6ZjxN7-RUIHwgJphcwbK8Vx7cjHPvZzsBOSPYRYFL5rfvJMfV~WJLWMSURuyCbx6~lBXLpqhdnb-pvEE4CjlxTmr2OezU1HXSf8zvse-tcwV9hUix419Bbb8slNHe0pZBAVHK-TzdnG3qRw9ITFJioe8rMuB14wIWQsXDbabTELf4AlfMC2xJ6pF6hbitxxF5M976BVv5k9nGlQ3VqV5qak9ieRCde2mGPJ7IQO3Il-g-8TrMHnmBP-srkJK6QyfH9K5hCq8tLTKYEGK38OOuxMGUpY64yZlI5bQlSMZFOqVUSkWZLy4q3WFxBcC~KNARsTAS5joBJTg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Officials at the Dickinson Management District budget workshop laid out specific capital and operational spending requests for FY2025–26, with several line items tied to public safety and information technology.

The DMD’s materials show planned capital spending requests that include funding for police vehicle replacements, EMS vehicle and equipment purchases, an air compressor for the central fire station and an upgrade to the city’s firewall. The district’s expected sales‑tax revenue for the year was shown at about $4,085,000, with expenditures — including rebates and transfers — at about $3,800,000.

Public safety equipment: Workshop participants discussed a request for a new EMS vehicle budgeted at roughly $90,000 and requests to buy multiple police vehicles each year. Police officials said the department typically replaces three to four frontline vehicles annually; a frontline vehicle’s service life was described at roughly five years under heavy usage and about seven years if assigned as a take‑home car.

Fire station compressor and ambulance support: Staff and council members discussed a $10,000 estimate to replace the central station air compressor, which supplies air to vehicle brake systems and bay reels; officials said the existing original unit has had repeated pump and motor failures and may be due for full replacement rather than piecemeal repairs.

IT/security upgrade: Staff described an upcoming end‑of‑life replacement of the citywide firewall due next year and recommended keeping details of IT security upgrades out of the public record; the firewall upgrade was presented as a citywide expense to maintain network security for all municipal services.

Funding approach and vehicle replacement policy: Council and staff discussed how DMD funds have been used to support vehicle replacement and suggested the district can legally support police services. Council members and the police chief discussed extending vehicle life by assigning take‑home vehicles to reduce mileage and idling; that approach was presented as a way to stretch replacement dollars.

Ending: No spending decisions were made; council and DMD representatives asked staff to provide more detailed quotes and options for vehicle life‑cycle management, compressor alternatives, and firewall procurement ahead of future workshops.","DMD line items presented at the workshop include transfers for street maintenance and capital requests for police vehicles, EMS equipment, a station air compressor and a citywide firewall upgrade.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6654864,"Dickinson leaders flag heavy reliance on Chapter 380 incentives as they review FY2025–26 budget",109,91000,200000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5442524-ee008dcb22a20b7b025c691bc2a28a9b&start=91&end=200","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5442524-ee008dcb22a20b7b025c691bc2a28a9b/thumbnail_91000.jpg","/articles/6654864/Dickinson/Galveston-County/Texas/Dickinson-leaders-flag-heavy-reliance-on-Chapter-380-incentives-as-they-review-FY202526-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6654864-efd1a6c08b940619924dc7c948308f0a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770934524&Signature=AfT2PzBU2FZOio8IvZzucoLsCnQMGuFc6oQbD5vV0O12qY5UTwD8nNWE-NgVftOoEZcN80Ldm6MirMXo2Fv26oOyBLmGHfOQWj6SkrgeWEzZpJxmN17CUF-3LM~wu04~2HfCwXCrFjXz0NA7VI2Jh4C7sUbN5ZZ~rRwmxMMrp95IsdgBGMa-FGxJyJmtrmtdEYxbZ3-qEFHAvkDE~mAtCxnlagLiFhGHoODt~LhMYFo7nu7svHbFYjvNN1FEic9KMsC-gPIGA0es3MYNmEN7hKPN6-WD5VLNodfSz3pCyvAE9e~dohPoVDH097RkTAUWXcmKcJoZX7VlGHGY-YfCkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dickinson leaders and representatives of the Dickinson Management District (DMD) and Economic Development Corporation (EDC) met at a special workshop to review the proposed fiscal year 2025–26 budget and warned the city remains heavily dependent on Chapter 380 economic development agreements for sales-tax revenue.

The discussion centered on fiscal risks from that dependence, a recent multi‑million‑dollar drop in revenue, and short‑term choices the DMD might make to support core city services. Interim City Manager Chase Carey called the meeting “a pivotal, pivotal moment in our city's history,” and said the city must move past internal divisions to implement a long‑term plan that improves services for residents.

Why it matters: Carey warned that the city’s current revenue mix is fragile because “our 3 eighties represent around 35% of our total sales tax revenue across all of our funds.” He told the workshop that state action to limit or repeal Chapter 380 agreements would create major budgetary pressure. Officials noted a $9,700,000 drop in revenues from 2022 to 2023 that they tied, in part, to changes in 380‑related collections.

Workshop details and financial position: DMD materials shown at the meeting estimate the district will collect roughly $4,085,000 in sales tax in the coming year, with planned expenditures — much of which are rebates tied to 380 agreements — around $3,800,000. Board materials also show a possible surplus line (listed in materials as $254,719) after a planned $250,000 transfer to the street maintenance fund.

Officials discussed several responses: reallocating DMD funds toward police services (a use the district indicated it can legally support), building fund balance, and using debt strategically to pay for large capital needs such as street repair. Carey and Mayor Travis Magliolo both said the city’s recently restored bond rating and repaired county relationships give Dickinson room to pursue debt for infrastructure when it is fiscally prudent.

Context and constraints: Carey summarized the challenge plainly: the city long underinvested in infrastructure and now faces much higher costs to repair or replace roads and other capital assets. Council members cited an existing Hewitt‑Zollars streets study estimating roughly $85 million to bring all city roads to standard and discussed smaller interim needs of about $5–10 million to avoid further deterioration.

Next steps: Council and district leaders agreed to schedule additional workshops and to return with more detailed proposals on DMD reallocations, the street maintenance transfer, and potential uses of EDC and DMD borrowing authority. No formal votes were taken at the workshop.

Ending: Officials emphasized a long‑range plan to increase revenue and protect service levels; Carey said that strengthening revenue and balance‑sheet capacity will be essential to use tools such as bonds or EDC‑sponsored financing without putting the city’s credit at risk.","At a special budget workshop, Dickinson officials reviewed the FY2025–26 draft budget, highlighted a sharp sales-tax revenue decline tied to Chapter 380 agreements and discussed using Management District funds for streets and police to shore up the city’s finances.","actionData","errors"]

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Officials debate consolidating seed funding for local charities, festival and animal‑services gala

Dickinson Management District budget includes police vehicle replacements, EMS and IT upgrades

Dickinson leaders flag heavy reliance on Chapter 380 incentives as they review FY2025–26 budget