The city of Dublin has contracted with a new firm to aid in delinquent tax collections and substandard structures.
Texas Communities Group, LLC and Perdue Brandon Fielder Collins and Mott, LLP were approved by the council at the Thursday, Jan. 18 meeting.
Revitalize Dublin, a civic group dedicated to cleaning up the city and improving code enforcement, had previously met with Texas Communities Group who has worked with other cities. Revitalize Dublin recommended them to the city as a potential way to help the city combat the number of vacant and substandard structures.
Danny Barrett, director of Texas Communities Group and the law firm traveled in to speak to council and answer any questions.
Barrett explained that delinquent tax contracts do not cost the city anything, but rather are paid for by those who owe delinquent taxes. The law firm and Texas Communities Group, a sister company, work together to help cities.
“We feel like there are several statutes that really help and benefit cities that maybe are not normally taken advantage of,” he said.
“You hire us and we will be focusing on how we can help you with your delinquent tax roll by working with unknown owner properties,” Barrett said. “We really take our commitments seriously.”
“One of the great benefits to this is maybe a long time property that has been an eyesore that can maybe be cleaned up and rejuvenate some economic development here,” Barrett said.
Barrett explained they were throwing in some other tools for the city such as the problem property app, address research and a team of code enforcement officers that will be available to give advice to Dublin’s own code enforcement officer.
The company also aids in substandard structure hearings should that need arise.
Councilmember Keegan Mcinroe read a comment submitted to him by a citizen that alleged the company as an “HOA, POA on steroids” and stated that the law firm is not accredited by the BBB and is an “attack dog that often gets it wrong.”
Mcinroe said he looked it up and the comment on the BBB was true, and there were several complaints from people getting harassed for awhile.
“The motto for Perdue Brandon Fielder Collins and Mott is ‘Firm but Fair,’” Barrett said. “We collect delinquent taxes and we do a great job with it. I also think we are very fair about it. We look at litigation as a last resort. We will take it very seriously that we are an extension of the city of Dublin.”
Barrett clarified that the company and law firm handle cases at the direction of the city of Dublin, so they dictate how they interact with the citizens.
“We work for the city. We answer to you guys,” he said.
“Every taxing entity in the state has someone working with them to collect delinquent taxes,” he said.
The agenda items for a year contract passed unanimously. (Darren Turley was absent from the meeting).
New cell phone tower After hearing from representatives from AT&T for several months on a variance for a new 5G cellphone tower, a motion for the height variance was approved. The variance is to allow the tower to be put up at 145 feet instead of 75 feet, per city ordinance.
Adam Sibley, a representative from AT&T, previously addressed concerns from the council on the location of the tower in proximity to the elementary and intermediate schools. After speaking with the property owner, the tower location was moved further away from those school but closer to the secondary school – about 800-900 feet from the property line and 1,400 feet from the high school itself.
Citizen Heidi Haby expressed concerns about 5G coverage and the impact on children, citing a 2021 Federal lawsuit stating the FCC had failed to research the affects of 5G coverage on humans.
“I have no idea who is right or wrong no more than I can tell those who believes in bigfoot or UFOs who are right or wrong,” Sibley said. “All I know is they (FCC) are the authority that is put in place when it comes to telecommunication equipment and we comply with everything they ask us to comply with.”
Mendez explained there was nothing to stop AT&T from putting up the tower, they were simply asking for a variance to put the tower higher. Mayor David Leatherwood explained the issue in front of them was the height of the tower, not if the tower could be built.
Councilmember Sammy Moore said that putting the tower higher would actually increase the distance from kids.
“I’m not for the tower going up but like we’ve said the decision is actually for the tower being 75 foot or 145 foot,” Mcinroe said.
Mendez stated the city’s legal counsel supported the city’s ordinance.
The motion passed for the tower with Mcinroe abstaining.
Bureau Veritas contract The council also approved a contract with Bureau Veritas to utilize their inspection services, specifically for plumbing inspections.
Mendez explained that the city recently found out that they could not do plumbing inspections so they would either need to hire the appropriate staff or to contract with a company such as Bureau Veritas.
Though the contract is specifically for plumbing inspections, other services are included in the contract if they need them. There is no retainer to use the company and inspections are done on an individual cost need.
Waste Connections increase The council also approved a $1 per month pass through rate increase from Waste Connections.
The 4.6 percent rate increase was addressed by representatives of Waste Connections, who explained across the board cities were seeing increases this year. Most cities were much higher than the 4.6 percent Dublin customers are faced with.
“I know we are hesitant to pass on costs to consumers but if we are going to pass anything on, this would be it,” Mendez said.
The rate increase is for residential polycarts only and would increase the monthly amount to $23.23 (from $22.22).
Councilmember Keegan Mcinroe expressed concern about passing through the amount to customers stating that with the economy every increase, no matter how small, impacted citizens. Mcinroe voted in opposition to the motion.
Police report
Police Chief Cameron Ray also received approval to move forward with applying for two grants – one for mobile data terminal updates (in car computers) and one for an upgrade to rifle resistant vests.
Ray explained that neither grant would cost the city anything and would aid the department greatly.
He also presented the Dublin PD racial profiling report for 2023, which was unanimously approved by council. By Texas statute, each department must present a racial profiling report by March 1 of each year.
Per information contained in the report, Dublin PD conducted 1,916 traffic stops in 2023 (an increase of 100 stops from 2022 and an increase of 523 from five years ago). There were 1,545 warnings given, 253 citations (a decrease in 64 citations from 2022).
“We received no racial profiling complaints nor did we use any physical force on any arrest,” Ray said.