Councilmembers thank staff for trimming $900,000 from budget; say no layoffs were required

Councilmembers at the La Marque City Council meeting praised city staff for identifying approximately $900,000 in budget reductions and said those savings allowed the city to avoid layoffs.

One councilmember thanked "Missus Barbara Holly and Mister Worth Ferguson" for their work on the budget, saying staff worked with department heads to trim spending. "A lot of folks bet against you being able to cut 900, thousand dollars out of this budget," the councilmember said. "But you did. You did. You and your staff, you were able to, and I am proud of you."

The transcript records the councilmember saying the city achieved the savings "without having to lay off anybody," and called the result a "credit and a testament to the staff." The councilmember also offered to assist with volunteer work such as pothole repair.

The remarks were expressions of appreciation; the excerpt did not include a formal motion, detailed budget line items, or staff presentation breaking down the $900,000 in savings. The transcript also recorded the councilmember asking staff to confirm a facilitator for a town hall, but no confirmation was recorded in the provided excerpt.