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The Grant County Record
in Grant County · Budget committee · 2025-08-21 · full transcript
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    1:12  Good evening everyone and welcome to the city council chambers. Today is August 21st, 2025.
    1:21  Uh we're going to have a budget committee meeting tonight for the 2026 budget that's been presented by the mayor. Each member of the council has
    1:30  been provided a copy of the budget in advance. And so I will start out by saying I do have a hard cut off for 8:00
    1:38  p.m. tonight. I don't want these to drag out too long. If we feel like uh we absolutely need another budget committee meeting, we will discuss that and come
    1:47  up with a date next week. Keep in mind this is just a committee meeting. No formal decisions are made. No votes are
    1:53  taken. Uh once uh we feel appropriate, this will move on to the next council meeting. I would like to get this uh
    2:03  budget process officially started at the first meeting of September. We do have a deadline basically end of October to get the budget submitted per state statute.
    2:13  So I would like to get this completely finalized by the first meeting of October. That gives us an extra meeting
    2:21  October just in case anything else comes up. I don't want to be kind of right to the end. So, I want this budget
    2:27  committee to be uh productive, ask questions, and uh from what I understand, not a whole lot's changed,
    2:36  but we still want to have this meeting to present for the mayor to present and us ask questions. This is not a public comment meeting. So, members that are in
    2:44  the audience, we do appreciate you coming tonight. Uh we do have quite a few department heads in here that will have an opportunity to come up to the
    2:50  microphone as well. Um but this is not a public comment night. So, just want to set those ground rules and let everyone know kind of how this looks. So, I'm
    2:58  going to hand this over to the mayor and let him go from here.
    3:02  Well, thank you all so much for uh being here. This is my honor to present the uh city of mayor's budget for the calendar year 2026. All of our team has worked
    3:10  very hard to put this together and I know this is arguably the heaviest thing that we do all year. So, I really appreciate the the committee meetings
    3:17  and the understandings and as you know um there's a curveball that we received this year from Senate Bill One. So you'll see um one of the glaring
    3:25  differences is that there is um no raises increases for the employees. Um but um we'll go through that. So I'll
    3:31  highlight um one change that I a couple changes I want to highlight specifically are the separation of departments. So um
    3:39  under the building commissioner, the animal care and control used to reside underneath that department and we're splitting that out into its own department. And then the street
    3:48  department and parks department have been combined um on and off for some years now. And then we're looking to separate those out. Um not only from a
    3:55  functionality standpoint, but because by law, by state law, they shouldn't be using cross funds to fund each other.
    4:01  Thankfully, we haven't got dinged for it yet, but I don't want to be now that I know about it, I don't want to be in a position where we do end up getting dinged for that. Um so that's a highlight difference that you'll see.
    4:10  Um, another thing that um we're I am proposing that is that is different for the city is a a one-time employee
    4:18  appreciation bonus for all of our employees. So, all of our full-time employees would receive a one time minus elected officials, I'm sorry, but um one
    4:27  of all of our full-time employees would receive a one a onetime $1,000 bonus and all of our part-time will receive um a
    4:34  $500 bonus in lie of us not being able to accommodate raises this year due to due to Senate Bill one. Um, quick
    4:41  highlights. Our general fund this year is proposed at um 24 million, $700,000
    4:51  um with the police department being at 8.3 million, fire department being at 7.5 million and the other city departments um being at $ 8.7 million.
    5:01  Um for percentage breakdown, police being 33.75%, fire department being at 30.69% 69% and
    5:08  um every other remaining city department being at 35.56%.
    5:12  Um our you will you will see a new line item which is the food and beverage tax.
    5:18  Um and um that'll be a new new for us and thank you guys for working through that with with me and getting that done.
    5:27  the um I think as far as as far as changes, you won't see you won't see much other than costs that have to go up
    5:34  naturally um like um like a phone bill or things like that that are due to inflation or adjustments from outside
    5:41  vendors. Um so we worked very hard to put it together. Um um our controllers's office did a great job and one thing that I'm very proud of is that this
    5:50  budget is balanced and still leaves us in a situation where we have a 45% cash reserve. So, we we we're being very responsible with the taxpayer dollars
    5:58  and making sure that um our city has a um it stays within the financial advisement um of that um 45% cash reserve. So, again, thank you so much.
    6:10  Any questions? What I would like to do is get any questions you have for me done and then if we can go individually through the departments, I think that
    6:18  would be um I would really appreciate that. So, any questions for me?
    6:23  Thank you so much, Mayor. appreciate that. Uh, any council members want to ask questions with the mayor currently?
    6:34  Councilman Whitten.
    6:36  Um, just real quick, I know you went through the numbers and Senate Bill One's on everybody's mind and it's got
    6:42  us all kind of defeated. I I did some research on cost of living and it's 2.4
    6:49  to 2.7 in Indiana and there's no way we can come up with that money to give the employees raises this year.
    6:58  Um, yes, we could, but that would result in us spending out of our um our savings account. So, it would be result in a
    7:05  balance uh budget being passed unbalanced and um us going into I mean us dispersing more money than what's coming in.
    7:13  Thank you.
    7:14  I just want to add clarity on that as well um because I've really been looking at this really hard. Uh
    7:22  so I just want some clarity because while we have cash reserves and we could pay for that today, the problem is in
    7:31  2028, is it sustainable? Right? And it's like pulling it's like buying a house and
    7:38  your your um your payment with escrow is more than you're bringing in each month.
    7:43  So you're pulling from your savings for two years, but in year three you run out of savings. the bill hasn't changed and
    7:50  you default. So, that's kind of I just want the public to hear that as well. That's kind of the position we're in.
    7:55  It's like it's not that we couldn't can't afford the raise. I think it would the easy thing would be to do that, but
    8:02  then we're not then we're setting ourselves up for failure in 2028.
    8:07  Um, and I think that's why doing this onetime bonus, we have the cash reserves. I think the way I view it is
    8:14  is it gets us through next year, gets us through the next legislative session because we're being told kind of like, hey, hold on, we have another the state
    8:23  has another legislative session and they want to maybe fix, tweak, change things so that way we don't see that cliff as
    8:31  much. And there's also um contradicting numbers as well. So the state says they have a set of numbers. Baker Tilly has a
    8:38  set of numbers for us. And um there's just so much uncertainty on who's right and who's wrong and they're not talking to each other uh that I know of right
    8:46  now. So it's just though we can't commit until we know.
    8:51  And and one more thing to add, one thing that's real immediately from Senate Bill One is a we're as of next year we're receiving $840,000 less. Um that's a
    9:01  that's an immediate change. So 2028 is a obviously a cliffall, but as of next year that's an immediate change of $840,000.
    9:09  um less.
    9:10  Yeah. And that's next 26 and then 27 we're losing that kind of money. But then 28 it's literally in the multiple
    9:18  of millions. Correct. That um what like 9 million or something. So it's the state has really
    9:27  put the screwins to the city. I'm not make any bones about it. I don't care if I'm not, you know, what I'm supposed to say, what I'm not. Um they they've done
    9:34  this without consulting or thinking of what they're doing to the cities in in Mar in Indiana.
    9:41  Yeah. I mean I mean I mean yeah again I mean it's every city. I'm in a I'm in a group text and all of the conversations with mayors and even our larger cities
    9:49  um like the mayor of Fort Wayne she said they're going to be struggling to try to do 1% and that's the second largest city in the state of Indiana. So, um it's
    9:56  affect it's affecting everyone, but I mean I don't want to lay lay on that heavy too much tonight, but that's the that's the reality of where we are and the reality of the decisions we made regarding um raise increases.
   10:08  And just so people know too, it's not just a percentage and raise, but uh we do pay 100% of PEF. So when somebody's
   10:16  salary goes up, PEF goes up. So even if it's a 3% raise on the base salary, it actually also increases what we pay in
   10:24  Perf and I think one of the contracts it also increases what we pay for holiday.
   10:31  So there's a it's a sliding scale. It's not just well just this salary times 0 whatever. It's you got to add all those
   10:39  other things into it. So it's it's more complex and I hate it. I hate that we're in the position I don't if if we didn't have uh Senate enrolled act one or
   10:48  Senate Bill one uh we probably would be in a much different position right now and and definitely probably looking at raises. Yeah.
   10:56  So any other any questions for the mayor or comments before we go to department heads?
   11:05  All right.
   11:05  All right. I think Yeah, I think last year we made animal control. We made parks go last. So last year. Yeah.
   11:12  So Parson gets to go first and this will be a good one because they're going to be her own department again. So Parson come first.
   11:18  Yeah. Rose, uh, I thought about you today and I thought, wow, she had to wait the whole meeting last year and,
   11:27  um, I thought, let's make her go first so you don't have to sit all night. So, welcome.
   11:37  Yeah, we're on a Titan crunch here. No, I'm just kidding. Hope you're all right.
   11:42  Yeah, you can sit down. So, welcome Rose Cadina and um yeah, excited for next
   11:50  year for you. Um so, is there anything you want to share first before we ask questions?
   11:58  Um not really share. I mean, you guys see the numbers. They kind of are what they are. Just keep in mind that we're
   12:05  separating. So, we're creating two new budgets, park and street. Um, and separating. There's a lot of things to
   12:14  take in consideration um in splitting those.
   12:21  All right. Anyone with questions for Rose on parks? Go ahead, Councilman Calg.
   12:27  Hi, Rose. Good to see you. Um, we used to be two separate entities in the city before they combined them. Um, was you was you with the city?
   12:36  Correct.
   12:36  Um, are we as far as like uh manpower and things like that from when what we had before to what we're going to have
   12:44  now? Is there considerable differences in there? Um, with this budget, we'd have 12 full-time employees. Um, before
   12:54  we split, we had 15, but we didn't have the gardens. Um, so we didn't have uh um
   13:05  the uh splash house, the splash pad, so different things. And we did get a couple rid of a couple parks. Um we've gotten rid of three um since we split.
   13:16  Um but those were just un unutilized, really underutilized parks. Um, and then
   13:23  you have to also keep in mind that the gardens didn't exist and those three employees would have been part of the
   13:31  laborers, which they can't be now because they have to stay stationed in there to take care of gardens and all the rentals. They just they can't be um utilized anywhere else.
   13:43  Okay. Thank you.
   13:46  Just a question. With the new structure we're looking at for next year, how do you anticipate um it will help or improve our parks?
   13:57  It's going to be tough at first. I mean, because we're going um from eight laborers to five laborers and a working
   14:05  foreman um to keep up 13 parks, but we're not going to be taking care of anything outside of parks. So mowing,
   14:13  trash route, things like that, um that are outside the park. Street department's going to be taking care of those. So it takes a little bit of
   14:20  things off of our plate. Um but still, we have four guys that mow Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Friday is
   14:28  the reprieve day to spray, do anything that's, you know, needs done besides mowing. Um we're also going to um hire
   14:36  some seasonal uh people during the summer um like we used to to help with the mowing and uh things like that. So
   14:45  um it's still going to be a big adjustment period I think for everyone.
   14:49  Um but I think we'll do fine.
   14:55  Question on the splash house. Maybe this more for the mayor, but I remember at the beginning of this summer there was an issue with the toilet bowl, what we call it. What's the status on that?
   15:07  Um, yeah. So, that'll be one of the one of the first things we consider out of that comes to the council for out of the food and beverage tax. Um, because we
   15:15  have to do an additional appropriation for it. So, that'll be some what we use some of that money for to be able to fix that. What's the estimate on that so far?
   15:22  It it ranges a wide range. I mean, some of them are 30 to 40,000 to all the way up to 300. So, that's a too wide for me.
   15:29  So, we'll narrow it down and then we'll get it before the board of works u to see what's the best choice. All right. Thank you.
   15:37  Any other council members? Councilman Brunner Rose, I know you can't control the weather, but I believe this was probably about as late as we got the pool open.
   15:48  And of course with the schools now starting so early, you probably had the fewest number of weeks you've ever been open. Am I correct with that statement?
   15:56  We did close two weeks earlier this year. We were closed the first five days. Yeah.
   16:01  The splash house season due to the weather. Um but when I talked to Andy, I think we've made that up um as far as um
   16:09  revenue. So I don't think that we've I don't think it hurt us too bad in revenue.
   16:15  Your numbers looked when I would go by there and I usually almost daily have a
   16:21  way of coming by the splash house. It looks like you had a lot of people there this year.
   16:28  Is that I mean on night days it was very well attended. Absolutely. Sometimes uh maybe too many.
   16:35  But you are at mercy of the weather because you can't get open unless the temperatures at a certain degree. Right. Correct.
   16:42  Okay. Well, thank you for coming here with your ailment and I hope you're feeling a lot better soon. Thanks.
   16:54  Any other council members for Rose? Yes, Councilwoman Devon.
   16:58  So, are any of the street employees coming over or is this creating new openings within the parks department?
   17:05  No, our plan is to um divide our employees. That's the plan. Okay.
   17:12  Because I saw all the names on the street ones, so that's why I wasn't sure. Um, and then there's some without names. So, how many are you anticipating
   17:20  that'll have to be hired that are not seasonal?
   17:24  Well, we have six positions plus the the foreman. So, that's six. Five laborers.
   17:28  So, we'll be taking six people from streets, parks now.
   17:35  Okay. And then that lowers theirs down by six people. Just making sure I understand. Yes.
   17:45  Oh, I see it now. Okay. I didn't look that far. I was counting people. So, okay. Um, and so that makes up the diff
   17:55  most of the difference going over into the park budget is pulling those salaries from the street and into the park's budget. Yes.
   18:03  Is what I'm It's not quite even, but um Yeah. But but then also, you know, the the parks and streets have two
   18:12  different things. But yes. Okay.
   18:17  And this with the way this is set up, we're not having to use any of the um the new tax we just passed to cover
   18:26  operating expense for the parks or it will have to be supplemented. there'll be some supplemented and you'll see um some of the equipment line items missing
   18:35  and materials in your this budget and that's what the food and beverage tax um was allowed to alleviate from there.
   18:41  Okay. Any other council members?
   18:54  All right. Thank you so much, Rose. Appreciate it.
   18:59  Thanks for all you do and thanks for putting on the largest and best fireworks show in the county this year.
   19:09  Okay.
   19:11  So, we just wanted parks to go first since they went last last time. So, now um is there certain order you want to go? Mayor, let's
   19:19  run down. Let's do our new stuff. Let's do animal uh care and control.
   19:27  Forgot what that was.
   19:46  Yeah, it might be after this might be just go through the book. The same order in the book. Oh, it's hard to find.
   19:52  Yeah, it's Yeah, we've got Britney here. We'll let you go, Bernie, and then we're going to go back to the start so we're not all flipping the whole night. Uh I'm trying
   20:00  to find where it was again. It was in the middle to the back. Yeah.
   20:08  Yeah.
   20:18  All right. Any council members with questions for Britney or Britney, do you want to share anything first?
   20:26  No, I don't think so. This is my first time doing a budget and first time animal control has a budget.
   20:32  I will put a side note. I saw Britney earlier today. I stopped in animal care to get some stuff for my dogs and I told
   20:39  her I immediately noticed that it smells not that it was really bad before. is very fresh in there and I'm very
   20:46  sensitive to animals and cats and uh it was like wow huge difference whatever she's doing. She said oh I actually have
   20:54  staff in there to keep it cleaner. So mega kudos to Britney and the team there. Walked right in. It was like it it smelled amazing in there. Which the first time I could ever say that.
   21:05  Thank you. Not that it was bad before. You just smelled it.
   21:08  Just you smelled a little bit more. So anyways, any council members or questions?
   21:17  I I do actually have one. Yeah. Um so I know the county gave some money.
   21:24  Um do you know if the counties have committed to any more in the future or is that a one time for the next how long?
   21:31  They they did a 10-year agreement with us. So, we still we still bill out the individual cities within the um the
   21:38  county, but the county paid us for um the unincorporated areas. And then the cities um I think we have them all under
   21:45  contract now besides she can tell you which ones we have and which ones we don't.
   21:49  We have Jonesboro, Gas City, and Van Beern.
   21:54  Did do you see any of the we'll say revenues go up this year?
   21:59  Um, so I would say they use us more like bike cases, police assist, but that's the only time they will usually call us for the cities.
   22:07  So essentially it slowed down the abuse they were doing to us because they have to pay now. So are they paying per call? Yes.
   22:14  Okay, sounds great. Any council members with questions for Britney?
   22:19  Yeah. So it's just you three people. So, we have three city employees and then we use pro resources for the shelter staff and I have five of them.
   22:44  That would be that's what's under the contractual services. Correct. I just want to make sure I have it figured. But yes, in case he was wondering.
   22:53  Yeah, thank you, Nick. Any other questions for Britney?
   23:03  All right. Thanks so much, Britney. Keep up the great work over there. Thank you.
   23:08  And she told me today that they're looking at upgrading the fence out front so it'll just look more attractive and and look a lot nicer. So, just really
   23:17  excited for all the things they're doing over there. They're using some of the county money for that. So, and we appreciate the county for for helping
   23:24  with this. So, all right, we'll start at the front of the book and if you're at the end of the book, then you can blame
   23:31  controllers's office. Uh next year, you can pouch to be in the front. So, uh page one, controllers's office. We have Dana.
   23:40  Yes. Welcome. Thank you.
   23:42  Anything you want to share before we go to questions?
   23:44  No, I do not. Council members, questions with Dana.
   23:51  Yeah. Like just the obvious, the contractual services going up. Is that
   23:57  like just with this IT stuff and Yes. Okay. That's the software. Yeah. Yes. That's what that big difference is.
   24:06  Yes. That's what I'm saying. Yeah. Okay. Come to the mic.
   24:16  Sorry. Previously, our um software was paid for out of the board of works. So, we kind of tried to shift the the um
   24:25  expenses to the department that it's going to be paid out of.
   24:38  Okay. Any other council members questions?
   24:42  Again, everything's pretty much the same. And pretty cut and dry. Any other questions?
   24:54  Well, we hope that's no more questions for you, but you may get called up on some other category, but uh thanks for coming.
   25:01  Okay, moving into department three, common counsel. So, I will speak on this
   25:08  one. Um, and I knew we'd have a conversation about it and I'm open to ideas. Again, this is
   25:15  discussion. We can change things. If you notice, um, I
   25:22  proposed travel and train. So, first of all, I'll say I cut the council's budget about 6%. knowing that what's coming um
   25:33  and I know 6% doesn't sound like a lot but it's about as much as I could trim because ma mainly what our big expense
   25:40  is is our part-time salary and if there's healthc care benefits but other than that everything else is
   25:48  very very minute detail and and a smaller amount the salaries is the most but the the main change I dropped our travel and training from 5 to 200 we're
   25:57  not traveling anywhere going anywhere. I kept it at 2,00 um in the event we want to do any kind of AIM summits. I know
   26:04  there's some coming up next year. Um so that's always available if if there's an AIM training or um something specific to
   26:13  the council we can look at. Um and then technical equipment I dropped as well.
   26:20  You know, last year we had at 23,400.
   26:23  I think that was just kind of a carryover.
   26:28  I think if every council member got new laptops and new phones, that's what it would cost. But obviously, we all have phones and laptops. I did send an email
   26:36  to full council a while back that um if you're not using it at all and that phone stays off all the time, I just ask
   26:45  if you don't want it, give it back to Danny. We can turn that line off so we don't have to pay for it through Verizon. Uh I know some council members just still use their regular personal
   26:54  phone number. I happen to use my city phone just to keep things separated. Um
   27:01  but yeah, that's why it dropped. Um the technical equipment um what we do pay under technical
   27:08  equipment is our monthly phone bill though. So if you see the expenditures, that's monthly phone bills um for Verizon. So dropped that down to 10.
   27:18  That would more than enough cover. And I left a little bit in there just in the event that somebody's laptop working. We got a little bit in there to buy one or
   27:27  two laptops. So, any questions for me or input or Yes,
   27:36  I'll make I'll make an input because, you know, this was important with Senate Bill One and President McKenley called
   27:43  me and asked me my opinion on this and I I want the public and and the employees to know that um on our other supplies
   27:51  and services, our total amount last year was 93,400.
   27:56  We cut 21,400 out of that because we knew we were going to have to cut ours, too. So, the
   28:04  only thing we didn't cut out of ours was uh our wages. So, other than that, we cut 21,400 out of the rest of our
   28:13  budget, which left it at 72,000. So, um we we just felt that that was imminent.
   28:19  Uh we asked everybody else to make sacrifices and cuts, so we went ahead and did that with our budget. So, thank you.
   28:28  I appreciate that, Vice President Fordis. Actually, there was another 5,000 in there, too. If you notice, under miss miscellaneous contractual, that category we we kept there just in
   28:37  the event that we needed any extra expertise on any kind of um ordinance um
   28:44  that maybe Marty wasn't able to do. Uh we didn't end up using any of this year so far. Marty's done a great job. He's kind of like the the quiet behind the
   28:52  scene, but he's done a lot for me this year. helped write some new ordinances, gives legal advice, lots of phone calls and meetings that most people don't see
   29:00  about. So, um, Marty's a tremendous asset to this council, at least to me, every council member can use him as
   29:07  well, but I did cut that down 5,000 because we just really didn't use much, but I still want a little bit in there just in case we need to hire outside
   29:16  counsel for any kind of specialty type um, ordinances or legal advice. But other than that, any other questions, comments, input?
   29:26  I I don't I don't think they could cut anything out of our pay. I think it would be illegal at that point, wouldn't it? Well, we can cut our own pay.
   29:34  Yeah, I think it would be.
   29:37  Yeah, that's probably right. Uh, and I will speak out of the side of my mouth when I say this. Well, I think the president should probably make more
   29:46  because how much work the president does, but um I didn't sign up for this for the pay and I would probably do this voluntarily just like any other board
   29:53  I'm on as well. So um I say that humbly that this is a it's it's a tiring job.
   30:00  You get very little pay and if you probably broke down my hourly wage, it's probably 25 cents an hour. But I'm not asking for pity or sympathy. I
   30:08  absolutely love what I do. But um yeah, I would not ask I could have kept it last year the same and um and be fine
   30:16  with that. But uh I'm not here for the pay. I'm here for the hard work. So any other council members?
   30:24  Okay, we'll move on from the common council and go to board of works.
   30:31  Anybody from the board of works going to speak or is that going to be you, mayor? Yeah.
   30:35  All right. Anything you want to make comments on? No, I don't have any opening comments.
   30:42  Looks like the changes were office supplies. Um, a reduction in workman's comp.
   30:49  Um, just curious. I'm glad to see that, but is that because I know we estimated 310 this year? Is that because that's
   30:57  just more in line where we think this year's number is going to be as well? I don't know, Linda, if you want to answer that.
   31:04  So, you'll see the reduction in Sorry. um you'll see the reduction in workers comp, but normally what happens
   31:11  is we'd have to transfer the money from workers comp because it usually runs between 238,000
   31:17  [Music]
   31:19  250 maybe a little bit more but the balance of the money that was remaining in that appropriation we would had have to transfer down to like liability. So
   31:28  we tried to put uh the money where the cost is. So if the the liability is actually more closer to 420,000 where we
   31:37  were only budgeting like 300,000. So we would take the money the appropriation from the workers compline and move it down to liability. So we just tried to put it where it should be at.
   31:49  Okay. Yeah. The next line wasn't as a good one. Wasn't as good. Yeah. Uh we lost on one and gain on another.
   31:55  Yeah. Can you explain to me I'm just curious that liability where does where all $420,000 Okay. Where's that all going to go?
   32:03  That's uh liability for um police of course for fire for all city uh staff
   32:11  attorney um liability um yeah all it just covers all all city hall employees.
   32:20  So we pay $420,000 and does that give us uh like what liability limit are we at?
   32:27  Are we at a 10 million 100 million? Do you have a limit on liability or is it unlimited?
   32:32  That is a question I don't know, but I can find out the answer, too. Okay.
   32:36  I'm just curious how much we're paying in premium versus the the coverage and protection. Yeah.
   32:42  That we're getting. And are there any other um endorsements that might be worthwhile or are paying for an endorsement we
   32:50  don't need. So, yeah.
   32:51  Um obviously that's kind of my area of expertise on the outside of here. So, I'm just curious about it. We can talk about it offline.
   32:59  Okay. Um and then also I took out the um auto. I tried to put that in the
   33:07  department's that pay. So if the police department was a little bit more and the fire department is a little bit more. I
   33:14  say that Jake jokingly because the chief didn't want me to increase his budget.
   33:18  But it just goes from one department to the actual department that spends the fund. So that's what we were trying to do. make it um what it costs basically
   33:27  to fund each department. So you'll see in each department's fund that automobile if they have vehicles their automobile insurance will come out of their fund or their Yeah. their fund.
   33:38  I think that's better anyway. It's more transparent. You know exactly instead of you guys having a big category for everybody.
   33:45  Right. Right. And then it was kind of if they get new cars or things like that, there's not money in the board usually
   33:52  extra money left over. So those departments usually have a little bit to move around to fund their own um
   33:59  additions. So um and then the only other thing would
   34:06  be uh the koi bond payment went down just a little bit and then the transportation match. Um we do match 10%
   34:14  the city's portion uh for transportation. So that that went increased a little bit. That's it.
   34:25  All right. Uh, maintenance agreement.
   34:27  Uh, what is the maintenance agreement for?
   34:30  Um, that covers all of our copers. We have a maintenance agreements for copers. Um, trying to think what else it covers.
   34:42  Can we lease all of our copers? Yes, we do. All right.
   34:47  Any other council members? Questions for the board of works? All right. Thank you so much, Linda.
   34:56  Thank you, Mayor.
   34:59  Moving on to department five, community development.
   35:19  Good evening. Welcome.
   35:25  Anything you want to share with us first before questions?
   35:29  I guess I would just say we have two full-time employees. Um when I started 11 years ago, we had four full-time
   35:36  employees. And so it's me and Dina Vice now. We're doing um a lot of work, but we're managing. If anything, um I I
   35:44  really need an assistant. Um, Dena is doing all of the the vouchers, accounts payable, I'm doing the payroll. Um, but
   35:52  I got good news from the mayor that there is a partnership through the Grant County Economic um, um, it's the ECI
   36:00  regional partnership and they're able to supply an intern for a whole year for free to us and they're paying for it.
   36:07  So, I'm really excited about that. I just wanted to share that promising news. That is good. That's great. Is that through the 4GCI?
   36:15  Okay. Yes. Great.
   36:18  Yeah, sounds great.
   36:22  Uh, only thing I noticed difference on there was the auto was added. So, what what's that's what's that's what's
   36:28  that's what's that's what's that's
   36:28  that's what's that's what's that's
   36:39  Yeah. Okay.
   36:42  All right. Anybody with any council members with questions for Leila?
   36:46  You guys do a great job with just two of you. I mean, all departments, it's it's amazing to me that everybody's doing
   36:54  more with less and it just shows you what kind of city employees we have and I wish we could do more for you.
   37:02  I understand the position that we're in.
   37:04  You know, we got to do what we got to do.
   37:11  All right. Any other questions, comments for Ila? Councilwoman Divine.
   37:16  Uh, under professional services, what all do we put in the contractual services?
   37:20  So, right now, so it started out that Jeff Ray, our grant writer, and Joe Murphy, the economic development director, was getting paid from a
   37:29  different budget, and now it's actually coming out of our budget.
   37:35  Are they? And that's just those those are the two biggest payments out of that contractual. So there's more that we pay for through contractual.
   37:44  And we're expected to keep both of those for next year as well then. Okay.
   37:48  And is that a set monthly amount that we pay?
   37:52  Jeff Rays is um a set amount and then Joe Murphy his his amount has varied
   37:59  quite a bit from what was planned. So I'm really hoping to keep that 8300 or 83,000 in there.
   38:10  Do we have an estimate of what uh 2025 is going to land at? I know we estimated
   38:17  83,000 for contractual this year. We have any kind of idea we're going to be close over or under that.
   38:24  We'll probably use all the all of it. Okay.
   38:32  Okay. Sounds good. Any other council members? All right. Thanks so much, Laya.
   38:41  Appreciate everything you do. Thank you.
   38:44  And if people don't know, um, you got to check out the podcast that, uh, they put on house how the city works. So, they do
   38:53  a great job with that. All right, moving on to department six, city hall maintenance.
   39:03  Come on up, David.
   39:06  Happy birthday. Oh, it's his birthday today. Glad everybody.
   39:12  Vice President Port says, "Are you volunteered to lead uh the birthday?" You know, we'll pass.
   39:20  Simon Cowell says, "We got the X." Uh, and we're good. But yeah, you are.
   39:28  All right. So, appreciate you coming in.
   39:31  Um, anything you want to share before we go to questions? I don't think so. Turn.
   39:36  Everything's any council members with questions?
   39:57  You feel like this is sufficient to do your job and keep everything looking nice and shiny and Yeah, I think so. I think next year I've
   40:06  got a few things planned if you'd like to go over that. We're looking for a re-roofing the MPD and above here. Then
   40:14  the whole building will be completed roofed and that's going to be another 25 years or 30. We should be okay with
   40:22  that. Um I'm looking next summer to hire some seasonal help. some it's just me and Ruben, you know, and when one of us is off, it's it puts a lot on our plate.
   40:33  You know, my wife teaches, so I like to take some summertime off. And you know, we last couple years been a lot going
   40:41  on, and I want to keep it going. You know, you know, some prices went up, permits,
   40:49  fire alarm inspections, elevator stuff, you know, stuff like that just went up.
   40:54  But if I can just keep where I'm at now and it'll be very appreciated.
   41:03  Any council members questions, comments?
   41:12  All right. Thanks so much, David. You're doing a great job. Thank you.
   41:22  All right. Moving into department seven, city court. Anyone from city court here to speak? Okay.
   41:32  Um, yeah, I don't remember seeing I think it's all the same, right? Yeah, I think
   41:40  I don't remember seeing anything different on that one. Okay.
   41:48  Um, go ahead. Have we discussed the possibility of turning the city court back over to the county?
   41:57  Is that a Well, there's I'm I'm just putting it out there as we're talking about ways to possibly
   42:03  save money or you know, I don't know what it brings.
   42:08  That's probably a conversation for a different meeting.
   42:10  Okay. Just Yeah, it's it's been brought up.
   42:13  It's been brought up every year for the last several years. So, it's a separate discussion. Okay. It's more complex than it sounds.
   42:21  I didn't know if it was just a budgetary thing or if there was other stuff involved. So, there's a lot involved, but uh it has been brought up, but yeah, there's that's a whole another discussion.
   42:30  Okay. Happy to talk to you again about it. Okay.
   42:36  Okay. Uh moving on to department 8, legal department.
   42:44  I did see Michael Hot's back there. So, he's here to speak. Welcome, Michael.
   42:53  Got a got an update. So, luckily I'm pretty good with my feed.
   42:56  If you want to turn the mic on, but I'm not a numbers guy, so I'm gonna lean on the rest of these. Okay.
   43:05  So, I do have a question. Uh there were some emails back and forth just today of the publishing of updated ordinances
   43:14  to American Legal. I was emailing back and forth with um our city clerk Debbie Goodman. She
   43:20  wasn't able to make it tonight. Um and she she said she had not put it in their budget but that she wasn't sure if it
   43:29  was in the legal budget or not. So can you tell me is first of all I know we've had discussion about this who is getting
   43:37  those updated for American Legal and what budget are we putting it under?
   43:42  Uh yeah so we we've we've taken uh kind of over just from what's been done in
   43:49  the past as far as updating those things um and submitting those. We we submit that to American Legal was kind of an
   43:56  ongoing thing. So the the clerk will get the signed version sent to us and then we'll forward that on and then they they
   44:02  come back um on on a yearly basis. They they're not they're not the quickest, you know, but they're they they're
   44:09  they're one of the best in town um that in the business as far as updating them.
   44:16  So yeah, it should be done every year.
   44:19  Um I I tried to get a quote kind of earlier from them. Uh last year I think we talked about it and um I know it historically is a couple thousand
   44:28  dollars every time they do it, but they they really couldn't give me a solid quote, you know. Um so uh it's not in
   44:35  our budget. It is something that uh we need to do um there should be an update
   44:42  um probably from from last year, you know, uh that that comes out yearly. Um, now they don't put everything in there.
   44:48  So, it's it's really more of the substantive type thing like the salary, the resolutions, those don't go in there, but you know, major things do.
   44:55  So, I my opinion is it's more of a clerk functionality, right? They're the keeper of the records. They have all the
   45:03  records themselves, the original copies, the publication, and we rely on them. If we we have a gap in something, we're going over there. So once it kind of
   45:11  gets signed and done, it should just be sent over over there and probably is put in their budget. But I wish I could give
   45:19  you a solid figure. I know that when they did the whole version years ago and updated, it was a 20 to $30,000 deal. My
   45:27  guess is it's less than $10,000, probably less than five uh to do a yearly update.
   45:34  I mean, it's something that I'm very passionate about because I mean, we have a link on the website. So, if somebody that lives here wants to know what the current ordinances are, that's where they go.
   45:44  And we've made changes last year and this year, I know on the council rules and other ordinances. And so, I mean, we
   45:51  I want to get those updated pronto. Um, so I I mean, yeah, they're all they're definitely all assembled and sent over. It's it's just probably put a little more fire on
   45:59  American Legal to say, "Hey, you know, get us the updated version, get on our website, you know, get the
   46:05  hard copy." Well, I'll Yeah, Mr. President, I not that it can't be
   46:12  changed, but in years past that's always been a a clerk function.
   46:17  Well, I've talked to Aisha and Debbie, and when Aisha worked in legal, she said for the previous administration, they
   46:24  the legal kind of did it, but I agree that it should be a clerk functionality.
   46:28  And so, I've had conversations. That's why I was emailing Debbie about it. Um, but so, you know, she wasn't the clerk at that time, so she's not used to
   46:37  putting in her budget. So that's why I didn't know if by chance you'd thrown it in yours by by chance, but if not, then
   46:44  this will be under the city clerk. So, we're going to want to budget that, mayor, for next year. Uh we're I mean, it's maybe 5,000 or less. Um and if it
   46:53  would go over that, we have to look at an appropriation. But, uh I think it's critically important that we stay on top of that. Uh we don't want things that
   47:00  happen that we've discovered that from 20 years ago was passed, but it was never updated. and and nobody had any idea. So,
   47:09  I just want to make sure it's just a I think it's it's one of those things that if if it kind of lives with the clerk that way they get the final version, it's less people touching
   47:17  it, right? So, because if if they touch it, sign it, then you know, they didn't get sent over to us and we don't, you know, forward it on. And so, and then also, you know, city attorneys come and
   47:26  go, administrations come and go. So, if it lives with the clerk's office, then there's just not that transitional thing. It's just like, hey, we it's just part of our our practices in our budget.
   47:34  We take care of it. So, but yeah, we're taking care of as far as goes now to get it updated. And so, we'll I'll I'll circle back and find out what the update is. American Legal is because they they owe us an update.
   47:45  Okay. Yeah, we can make sure those are in and then get the bill for it and then um yeah, we can talk to the clerk's office about adding that to their budget.
   47:53  Any uh any other questions for city legal?
   48:03  All right, I think we're good. Thanks, Mike. Appreciate it.
   48:10  All right. And um segus into the city clerk, department 9. Um Debbie had informed the council that she couldn't make it tonight, unfortunately. But
   48:19  there really are no changes in her budget. Um other than um adding 415
   48:26  for subscription and dues. It's actually actually it's less than that. I think it's like 200 something. Um but the When
   48:34  we do the minutes for the city council meetings, we started this last year, they are recorded and then they use a software called Otter AI that actually takes that and puts it into the minutes.
   48:45  Aisha does correct and update everything, but it has saved them uh probably at least a half to a full day
   48:51  of work from transcribing an entire city council meeting. Especially those three-hour meetings are a lot to transcribe. So that's for the software.
   48:59  That's the only update, only increase.
   49:01  It's like 200 some dollars a year for that software and it saves them a lot of time. So, she said there's nothing else.
   49:08  I think Mayor I'll talk to um um Debbie this week and that might be the only ask
   49:17  I have from them is to add something in there for the American Legal Publishing so we can make sure we're getting everything updated on that website
   49:25  because if if you can't trust what's on there, no one's gonna going to go look at it. So, Any council members input, questions?
   49:36  All right, moving on to department 12, mayor's office.
   49:45  Go ahead, mayor.
   49:46  It's me. Um um everything is pretty pretty much the same other than we see you see a reduction in um staff, which
   49:54  is about a 27% decrease. So um other than that, we're pretty much the same.
   49:59  Any council members questions?
   50:13  Uh, vice president for eyes. Go ahead.
   50:15  Uh, mayor, how come uh we've increased travel? I mean, oh, we've gone from uh 2024 it was 9,000.
   50:24  Last year was 12,000. You increased it to 20,000. Come gone a lot. No, no, no. Seriously.
   50:30  Um, usually usually when um I'm traveling to meet with potential businesses and clients that are looking to come to the city of Marion, it
   50:37  results in me having to travel to those specific locations and that's where that budget is used for.
   50:43  But why why such a big increase from years before?
   50:46  Because we are Are you saying the mayors before never did anything?
   50:51  I didn't throw a shot. I didn't say that. I didn't say I didn't say that.
   50:56  Um, but what I'm saying is the the justifi the justification for that expense is um the traveling um that have
   51:04  I have been doing. So I mean I just got an invitation today to go speak at a um a a national conference on behalf of the city of Marian and that wasn't on my
   51:12  agenda normally. So that's where that those kind of things come from to be able to take care of when we travel to those or if I get another White House invitations I want to make sure that we
   51:20  can um have a budget to be able to take care of it. Can you invite them here instead of the White House if they if they want to come? I would love to host them.
   51:28  You know, we might be able to cover their travel in your budget. I would love to host.
   51:32  Well, I would like to say probably not. I would I would say the taxpayer cost for the president to come here is exorbitantly higher than him to go.
   51:39  Okay. And then on your promotional and your educational, you increase that $500 each.
   51:45  Yeah. So, um the um the educational we use that as well for when we um travel
   51:52  to AIM. That's a lot of um expenses for that. And that's just for you though, correct?
   51:56  Yeah, just just for me. Yep. And also when I I'm involved in the mayor's innovation project, which is a um a nationwide um um gathering of mayors
   52:06  that were thankful to be selected for, but when we go to those, that's a part of the um expenses of education and instructions that we have to Okay. So, is that for the like the conference fee? Yep.
   52:15  On promotional, they charge you $500 fee for It varies or Yeah, it varies for what the what the specific conference is.
   52:23  Okay. Thank you.
   52:28  Thank you. Any other council members questions?
   52:37  All right, we will move on to department 13, engineering and planning.
   52:47  The soon to be retired mic, but not quite retired migra. Not quite. Yeah. few just a about a week.
   52:55  Well, we still get good to see you, though.
   52:57  Yeah. Well, thank you. It's good to see you all, too. So I um as you peruse through this uh you're going to see a
   53:04  substantial uh decrease in in the engineering and planning budget uh one uh the the salary for the head of
   53:12  engineering is gone and the the larger item is the 33604 street maintenance is
   53:19  down to zero from $260,000 at the request of the lovely Linda Fall to be able to help with Senate Bill One.
   53:29  Can you elaborate more on that? I know we briefly talked the other day.
   53:32  Yeah. So, um what's not on here and and uh we don't really talk about it,
   53:39  but I get funding from the state, uh several different buckets, local road and street, uh CCI, CCD, and now we get
   53:48  uh the the county wheel tax. So next year the anticipation of that we've been
   53:55  having for the last couple years is we tried to go after the max for community crossing that match has been $1.5
   54:03  million and next year the max we'll be able to get is $1 million from the state. So, I can decrease the uh local
   54:12  road or the street maintenance budget by the amount that I've got because I'm not going to be dispersing the additional $500,000
   54:21  to go after the match because quite honestly, I can't there it's not going to be available for us. So, $2 million
   54:29  would be the the max expenditure, a million dollars from the state and a million dollars from this budget. So, taking the $260,000
   54:37  out does not really impact because I'm not expending the other $500,000. So,
   54:44  question on that. Um, there is a wheel tax. Currently, the county has it and we receive some of that. Uh, moving forward, if we were to
   54:52  implement our own wheel tax, would that wheel tax just uh be equivalent to what we're getting from the county or would it increase if we had to pass a wheel tax? I don't have those exact numbers,
   55:01  but my anticipation since we since we're splitting the um the amount that the
   55:08  that the county gets and it's distributed among the different entities within the county, we we will probably likely increase. Uh not that we would
   55:17  stack uh the city citizens of Marian would not get the county added to them plus the the city. It would just be the
   55:25  city. Um, so there there would be I don't I certainly don't have those numbers because I don't know what the
   55:32  what the calculation would be. So, and I think this is in line with Senate Bill one that uh I think the
   55:41  state really wants to put the taxation control in the local hands. Um, and so unfortunately the path we're going to
   55:48  have to take and talk about the big T word a couple times. Yes. as the state reduces taxes on other ends um for our
   55:55  locals, they want us as a city to um find other ways to fund oursel and the wheel tax, while there is currently
   56:04  one in place that that you go register your car, you pay it, it does trickle down to the city.
   56:10  Um moving forward, possibly next year or the following year, we would have to implement our own that would replace what we're getting from the county. So,
   56:18  I just wanted to share that for the public and You can speak, David. We we kind of had a brief conversation about it and I sent you an email.
   56:26  Can you explain that why why the city run uh wheel tax is going to be very very important financially to the city.
   56:37  So going back to what you just said uh President McKenley is that that the state is looking for the locals to start taking care of their own obligations
   56:46  locally rather than getting state funding. So, uh, by 2027, the if we start looking at trying to get
   56:54  additional funds from the state, i.e., uh, community crossing, if we've not implemented our own municipal, uh, wheel
   57:03  tax, then that we would we won't even be considered for those additional dollars.
   57:09  So, we will still get the dollar. We'll still get the the money from the county.
   57:13  That's not going to change. we just will not be able to uh levy that money to to go after additional money for community
   57:21  crossing. And I sent an email uh out to um u uh Councilman Kaine and Councilman Calgill um that kind of gives some
   57:30  deadlines of when this is coming. So 2026 is when we really need to look at it in
   57:38  order to we have to have it by September of 2026 in order to uh be able to implement it for 2027. So something that
   57:47  obviously it's no one likes to talk about it, but it's not any really more of a burden than what you're already paying now. It's just going to come more directly to us.
   57:57  But we can't afford not to get No. Well, if you want to go after community crossing, I mean, you're already the citizens are already paying
   58:04  for it, so you need to pass it uh so that you can you can levy those dollars because if if not, you're still
   58:11  going to get the county, but no additional funds. Yeah. Go ahead. Quick, if I may. Yeah.
   58:18  Um is that wheel tax in addition to the county or it's just we get the same amount proportional? Yeah.
   58:26  So when you go to get your license plate, if it's $35, $25, whatever you pay for the plate, then the county gets it and then they take the distribution
   58:35  and give it to the other smaller communities and then we get a distribution of it. If we initialize it,
   58:41  we may encounter all of it. I I don't know what the breakdown is, but instead of it being partial, I was just curious. So it's not going to cost the taxpayers any more money. It's
   58:50  just a different we're already paying now. We're just going to garnish more locally.
   58:54  Understood. Thank you. Well, to clarify that, we do have we could set our own wheel tax. That's where they're putting it in the control of the cities and the
   59:02  counties. So, we could look at kind of what we're getting out of that and just set ours to be the same. We could do less. We could do more.
   59:10  Yeah, you're right. I mean, so when the when the county said it, they they they sent a specific number because they had to
   59:17  distribute more. If let's say you could actually s I don't know what the number I'm just this is a kind of a pie in the
   59:24  sky. If it being 35 now it could be 25 but we may get out of that 25 the full 25. So you could decrease the amount to
   59:33  the taxpayer and still gain the same amount of money and then have that flexibility for the the community crossing.
   59:41  Yeah.
   59:42  Well, yeah, but the county can still Well, if the county county can still do theirs. Yes. Would it stack on top of those that live in Marion though?
   59:49  No, just in the unincorporated.
   59:51  A little bit. Not I mean not 100% but okay.
   59:55  I'm positive I read in one of the final versions of that bill that we didn't have to do the wheel tax in order I
 1:00:04  thought they wrote I'm positive they wrote that in. Did they that they wrote it out? Did they dump it out? Did they sneak it back in?
 1:00:10  Yes. I think the what they've done is they used the what they're calling lane miles. So if you've not if you're not
 1:00:17  adopting it for your lane miles, then that's where they that's the kind of the caveat of where they changed the language.
 1:00:24  Yeah. Any other questions for Mike?
 1:00:34  Okay.
 1:00:36  I guess maybe for uh well transparency purposes, right? So people might think we're not going to have everyone here for engineering and planning. It's zero dollars. Can you share mayor kind of what the plan is with that?
 1:00:47  So we switched to the um contractual model to where the u engineering the head of engineering and planning will be
 1:00:54  uh contractual services and that will be done by um a company called HWC which uh specializes in this kind of thing. So,
 1:01:02  and obviously Michael will still be around um in a different capacity, but still be able to give help and advice to them as well as um Brian and um and
 1:01:10  Lisa. And this was also uh a tax to be able to save money due to Senate Bill one.
 1:01:17  And with that, we don't have to pay perf, social security, all those other things add on top of the salary. So, just want to make sure the public knew.
 1:01:26  Uh anything else for engineering planning? Any other council members? All right. Thanks, Mike. Appreciate it.
 1:01:33  Your last budget.
 1:01:35  You'll see me again for the next Yeah, I'll be handling the budget. I I don't think we'll get HWC because I'm not going to pay them the money to come and talk to you. So, sounds good. Thanks, Mike.
 1:01:46  I'm going to stay up here.
 1:01:48  Well, I see the building department's next uh building uh department uh or the department number 14.
 1:01:54  So, building department, um anything you want to share or any questions? Oh, it's I mean it it's pretty standardized. Uh
 1:02:03  as you see down the board, nothing's really I mean there was a little bit of health insurance changes and that's that's a decrease, but uh everything else is pretty well stayed the same.
 1:02:11  Jerry's not here. He had surgery, so I'm kind of filling in for him. So,
 1:02:20  yeah. I mean, I saw the the big drop in salary.
 1:02:25  Um, what was the is that because we're shifting to another department? What was that for? Animal care control.
 1:02:32  Yes, animal care and control was part of that. That's right. Yep. Okay.
 1:02:39  Any council members questions? Vice President Ford.
 1:02:43  Yeah. Mike, I don't see a a building inspector on here. What do you What do you have him under?
 1:02:48  That's permit compliance officer. You're using permit compliance as a building inspector. Correct.
 1:02:52  Okay. Why are we keeping building commissioner? That's Jerry. Why do we need a building commissioner? He's retiring.
 1:03:00  I I don't know. That's a That's a question for the mayor.
 1:03:04  We're taking animal care and control away.
 1:03:07  So what? He's just going to be over what what's the commissioner going to do? No, he was over three departments, I believe.
 1:03:13  So the building commissioner would now actually get the function of what a building commissioner is supposed to do, which is um well, he still has code enforcement. So now he still does a building commissioner. the the role
 1:03:22  would do a building commissioner and um code enforcement. Um but then now we have a building commissioner that can actually be a building commissioner and then that that job description is
 1:03:30  extensive in and of itself. So really um having a building commissioner over animal care and control was a uh I mean
 1:03:38  on my opinion not not a very good choice because the building commissioner and animal care and control have nothing in common. So um this is now allows that
 1:03:46  position to be able to function in it uh where it's supposed to be. So, what's the what's the building commissioner going to do?
 1:03:52  Oh, so it ranges from building inspections to assisting in code enforcement to demolitions to um what are some other things when new bills and
 1:04:00  new companies come, they have to do all the um the paperworks that comes with that. So, I mean it's it's an extensive job.
 1:04:07  Commercial building sign off to go through all the drawings, all the plans. He's the one that goes
 1:04:14  through when we get like a Lo's edition or a Walmart. He's the one that goes through all the drawings and and approves them from after it comes from the state.
 1:04:24  Okay.
 1:04:26  In that the ability, don't they get probably the majority of the phone calls that come into the city as well?
 1:04:33  I think it's between the code enforcement and and engineering, right?
 1:04:37  We probably get the bulk that that those two departments. Yeah. People don't realize too, I mean, any sign you put up, if you have a business, you want to
 1:04:45  put a sign up, permit. I mean, there's a lot constantly any any new new restaurant comes in town or new business, it goes through the building
 1:04:54  commissioner. So, any other questions? Are we really done with you, Mike?
 1:05:04  You don't want to talk about it?
 1:05:05  I'm gonna go home and watch a little league. All right, sounds good. Thanks, Mike.
 1:05:10  Moving on. Department 17, information technology.
 1:05:19  Welcome, Danny. Good evening.
 1:05:24  Is there any way we can cut some of the employees in this department? I guess we go down part time.
 1:05:33  Yeah. So, essentially Danny is it. So, um, there's no other positions to cut and Danny does
 1:05:41  a great job and I don't envy you, uh, all the different buildings, departments. Uh, I know you have some
 1:05:47  help from the police department, um, some help in there, but, uh, there's a lot to to manage. So, anything you want to point out before we go to questions?
 1:05:58  Anything?
 1:05:58  Uh, you can see the increase for what contra contractual services. That's uh our cyber security we have right now
 1:06:05  with Exosit. Uh that's why you see that increase. That's something we need. Uh we need we got it for this year. We'll
 1:06:14  need it for next year. So that's the increase you see for me. And then I think uh also the auto insurance. I have a Jeep,
 1:06:22  a city Jeep. And uh I'm going to start paying I guess for my budget now. So you see that?
 1:06:31  Oh yeah, that was the transfer she Yeah. Yeah. So it's not necessarily a net increase.
 1:06:37  It's just the moving from one department to another show that you have car insurance on your city car. Okay.
 1:06:45  Yeah. What's the This looks about the same other than about six cents. Is that why we got it?
 1:06:54  The uh and ours book says 74,885 and this paper says 74,8856 cents.
 1:07:08  Oh, I see. Okay. I dropped it on the floor. Okay.
 1:07:16  Okay.
 1:07:18  Do you feel like this is sufficient for our Yeah, actually I'd like it. I sleep a little better at night now. Uh knowing
 1:07:27  we have some funds there to Yeah.
 1:07:29  secure the building and it and with the transition from the controllers's office going to the cloud base, that's going to take a little bit
 1:07:36  of a stress and load off of some of our servers or how's that?
 1:07:40  Uh yeah, we'll we won't have to replace the server. Uh that'll help in the future.
 1:07:47  don't really take a lot off my plate. It was just one server and Keystone's really good about taking care of the girls. So, okay.
 1:07:55  All right. Any other questions, comments for Danny. All right. All right.
 1:08:03  Thanks, Danny. Appreciate you. Thanks, guys.
 1:08:12  Okay. Moving on to department 21.
 1:08:18  Um, that one will be the fire department.
 1:08:37  Welcome. Good evening, Chief Gar.
 1:08:39  Hello. Hello. Good evening. How's everybody doing? Anything you want to state or comment about before we ask questions?
 1:08:48  Um, no. I'm just uh glad it's not less. I'm good.
 1:09:01  Um, I think we're seeing we're paying more
 1:09:07  in the p pension. So line 113-08 um just for clarity that is what we are
 1:09:17  paying towards the PF that's the 6%
 1:09:26  the the the firefighters match. Can you come up? I just want everyone to hear this so they know what we're paying and why. uh firefighters and police pension
 1:09:35  went up and it's actually state or mandated by the retirement system that we pay into and it was 26.3% and it's
 1:09:43  going up to 29.3% of their salary and the city does pay the entire portion of their retirement.
 1:09:51  So we pay the all 26% of what a first class firefighter makes. So I hear this correctly.
 1:09:59  So, property tax is going down, the city budget's going down, the state told us to lower it, but they also want us to pay more towards the retirement, too.
 1:10:08  Yes. Yes.
 1:10:09  Just making sure I understand this puzzle. Um, and you say we pay 100% of I
 1:10:17  think it's police and fires pension portion, right? Because normally they pay most they would pay the 6%. 6%.
 1:10:25  So, um, is that the standard? Is that normal um for most cities or how do we look on that?
 1:10:31  Um I don't think that it's normal for most cities. It was just something that they had negotiated in their contract
 1:10:38  uh probably under Mayor Seabold. So it's been a long time.
 1:10:46  Yeah. Yeah. So that's a perk of the job say. Okay.
 1:10:50  Glad we can do that. Y great. I just want to understand that pension.
 1:10:54  I saw it go up and like why and where I want the public to understand that we don't just pay a salary but we're paying retirement pensions and all that which
 1:11:03  are great and they they deserve it. So any questions? Any council members? Council member Brunner.
 1:11:10  Chief, uh you've had some really nice weather. Are things going well on the uh downtown fire station?
 1:11:16  Uh far as I know, they're pretty busy over there. They've already got Boo Street cut up for the u the water supply for the sprinkler system of the building.
 1:11:26  They're going pretty quick.
 1:11:37  Well, we want to make sure your mic's on. We want everyone to hear the joke. Uh, okay.
 1:11:47  Any other questions, council members?
 1:11:51  Give you a chance. So, it's a little bit larger than the other sections.
 1:11:55  Of course, you'll see the automobile, but that's the insurance just moving over to your department. The 110,000 and automobile or firetruck insurance.
 1:12:06  Not cheap.
 1:12:07  Did we have any claims last year? Any large fire uh claims on the fire trucks? I mean, we How's our record look?
 1:12:15  I think it's pretty clear as far as our I don't I don't think we had anything.
 1:12:21  So, we saying we need to go back to the insurance company and negotiate the lower. Maybe I shouldn't be saying that.
 1:12:28  Little reimbursement or something? No. Some claim free discount on that. Yeah. Okay.
 1:12:35  Sounds good to me. I have a question.
 1:12:40  Oh, go ahead, Councilman Marshall. Uh, I'm curious about line item 20 or 22302 vehicles vehicles equipment $115,000.
 1:12:50  It's the same as as last year. Uh, so what? Yeah. What's that for?
 1:12:56  That is all of our uh vehicle maintenance is done out of that and some equipment, but it's mostly vehicle maintenance, but not the trucks.
 1:13:06  The trucks. Yes. So all of the fire trucks, all of our command vehicles, u my chief's vehicle, all those any vehicle that we have, maintenance comes out of that budget or that line item.
 1:13:23  Thank you, Councilman Marshall. Um Mayor and Chief, just the question, so I've had this question brought to me um just about the fire station downtown.
 1:13:33  Um, with this budget, does this budget cover any potential maintenance? I know it's going to be new and it's not even
 1:13:40  going to be done. Uh, well, shoot. I don't know if it's not done next year, is it? 20 is it end of next year? Yeah.
 1:13:48  Okay. I believe a year from now we should be.
 1:13:50  So, this budget necessarily isn't going to cover any bills, maintenance because that department's really not going to be open very long next year. So, moving
 1:13:59  into 2027 is when we're going to have to look at any potential extra electricity and expenses. Correct. Okay. Just didn't
 1:14:07  know if there's anything in here for that being that it probably won't be open very long next year. No. Okay.
 1:14:16  Any other council members? All right. Chief, thank you so much.
 1:14:23  Thank you.
 1:14:25  Moving on to department 22, police department.
 1:14:36  Good evening, Chief.
 1:14:38  Good evening, Mr. President, mayor, members of the council. I'm glad to answer any questions you have about funding the uh finest police department in the state of Indiana.
 1:14:52  Any council members questions? Uh, Councilman Brunner, I'm looking at your regular salaries um just a little bit more than this year.
 1:15:03  Um, meanwhile, the total dollars are uh right about the same. So, are are you not giving raises or are you are you
 1:15:12  running the same number of uh policemen or what uh what is going on in the upcoming year?
 1:15:20  Yes, we're at uh 59 officers. I think the last year's number probably reflected uh one or two more than that
 1:15:28  and that helped facilitate the raise the officers received last year which was pretty substantial. Thank you, mayor. Uh I think it I think last year the raise
 1:15:36  was the largest raise that I've been associated with in 40 years on the police department. So we're grateful for
 1:15:43  that. And also another uh change if approved will be the bonus uh that's being uh offered by the mayor. if if you
 1:15:52  see fit to approve that that's affected that number. Thank you, Chief. Yeah.
 1:15:58  Question for you, Chief. Um so can you kind of outline what is the current
 1:16:05  um how to describe it? Retention or um longevity structure look like? Can you explain that?
 1:16:15  A moving target. Uh we have um lifers like me who are committed and will be
 1:16:22  committed and um then you just you just have this u uh constant moving and shaking of we we just talked to an
 1:16:30  officer today who's applied to the federal level border patrol ICE that's still in flux. He doesn't know but he
 1:16:38  was kind enough to let us know that he was looking. Uh uh I just saw one of our officers, a veteran officer, uh wheeling
 1:16:45  a two wheel cart by my door to remove his stuff from his office. He's going to IU police department for more money. And
 1:16:52  he's a sustain uh he is a veteran officer. Um but we're holding the line.
 1:16:59  We're uh I'll be brief.
 1:17:03  When we took over, I think we were losing. It was a one step forward, two steps back proposition. I think we're, if I had to put it in those kind of
 1:17:11  terms, I think we're at a three steps forward, two steps back ratio now.
 1:17:16  Hopeful to be increasing that ratio on the win side. I we're winning more than we're losing now. Uh we've had uh a
 1:17:23  couple lateral transfers that we hadn't had in quite a while. Uh we're we're uh when we took over, we were uh I want to
 1:17:31  say uh 14 15 officers short with no one in the pipeline. Now we're uh pretty
 1:17:39  close to fully staffed and we have recruits coming to us on a regular basis. We interviewed today candidates
 1:17:47  who would be in the uh standby list if we don't have spots for them. We're going to be having a position that we haven't been in for quite some time to
 1:17:54  actually have guys standing by working guys and gals working the jobs that they have ready to come and give their two weeks notice and come work for us when
 1:18:02  the next person leaves. So, it's happening in less frequency frequently.
 1:18:08  We're having more. We've had a couple laterals which is encouraging and we're not losing as many, but we still it will always be the case that we'll have turnover.
 1:18:18  Do we pay anything for lateral transfers right now? No, we've never we we've discussed that.
 1:18:23  Uh uh but we haven't we haven't made u we haven't formalized anything in terms of money.
 1:18:31  They they come the laterals. The feedback I've gotten is uh they they like what we're offering here at MPD in
 1:18:38  terms of the I'd like to think the support that we provide, the uh empowerment to do their jobs, the support when they do do their
 1:18:47  jobs, and our family. We have a I don't want to say family, we're still we're still a business. We're running a
 1:18:55  business. Um but our guys take care of one another and I think that has value.
 1:19:00  When we have officers leave, typically what they'll say when they come back to visit, which number one, they come back to visit. And what they'll typically say
 1:19:08  is some some version of, "I'm making more money where I'm at now and the guys are good guys, but it's not like it was
 1:19:15  here and I miss it." That's what I'll typically hear and that's what we sell.
 1:19:21  Yeah. Well, um, just want to give you mega kudos for increasing the the staffing and getting fine officers in here. I'm sure that takes some of the
 1:19:29  load off the other officers that were probably, you know, towing the rope with less staffing. Um, is the
 1:19:39  lateral transfer amount, is that something that would be a negotiated thing or is that just something the city does? How does that work?
 1:19:47  That would be that I I wouldn't be in favor of putting that in the contract as a negotiated items. I think that's a management right. I'm reluctant. I'm always reluctant to put management
 1:19:55  issues in the contract. contract to me and I've been on both sides of the table, administration and labor. Uh I
 1:20:03  think that should be for benefits, uh things like that. I think a lateral move would be in the recruitment category. I think that's something that should be administrative.
 1:20:11  Okay. I really do.
 1:20:12  Sounds good. I'm just the world I come from. So I just have more questions than you.
 1:20:16  I think it behooves us to keep the contract as tight and as simple and as uh concise as possible. You get too many management things in there, then it gets
 1:20:25  cloudy and I've seen that happen in other departments. It's not productive.
 1:20:29  What's the max uh that an officer will max out on on longevity bonus? Is it bonus or I don't know what what you guys
 1:20:37  call what's the max longevity extra?
 1:20:40  I'm I'm sorry. I don't I don't know the answer.
 1:20:43  In terms of dollar amount, yeah, I'll take Linda's work for she's more school.
 1:20:46  So max out of the thousand. So if you're here for 20 or 30 years, no matter what, it's a thousand. I just read it. That's right. I Yeah. Okay.
 1:20:53  That's correct. I I'm sorry. I didn't understand your question.
 1:20:56  Sorry. Yeah, maybe I didn't I didn't know how to ask that. So, yeah, trust me. U Okay.
 1:21:02  Yeah, just I I was thinking about I was thinking about the pension uh the points you earn after 20. That's No. Yeah, I understand that one.
 1:21:10  I want to skew. Yeah. Go ahead, Councilman Calg.
 1:21:14  It just goes back to what we're saying now about and it's every department. You know, obviously I know more the police to fire issue part of it, but every
 1:21:22  single department you guys are doing asking to do more with less and we we
 1:21:30  finally get to a point where we're trying to build up money where we can give um raises. You know, like we talked
 1:21:37  a while ago about the pension, why these guys don't pay their six. That's stuff that was negotiated in lie of pay.
 1:21:44  That's why our pay is low. And I congratulate you on keeping the guys here that you can. And it this man, it
 1:21:51  just makes me sick. These guys at the state level. They do this to us and handcuff us and don't allow for the
 1:21:58  people that deserve the money. It's tied in the mayor's hands and everything else. But boy, they by God, they sure didn't change their the way they do it.
 1:22:07  If Fitz is so great, why don't they do it that way? But they don't want to do that. And I I everybody you ought to be on your representatives, your senate. I
 1:22:15  mean, let them know because I'm telling you, it's ridiculous. And I it makes me sick as a councilman that we can't do that for you guys. And I'm sorry that we can't.
 1:22:24  Well said. I I commend you for saying it and I couldn't agree more. In fact, I mentioned to Lori Goss Reeves the other day that a version of that very thing.
 1:22:32  It it seems uh I don't like the word unfair because life is not fair, but it seems unfair to
 1:22:41  put on a mayor and elected officials who get unelected by raising taxes. The burden of raising taxes when you at the
 1:22:50  state level will overtake credit for and I'm I'm not blaming Lori Gossery. She's very very good at her job. But but she's the representative so she had to hear it
 1:22:59  from me. uh that that the on the state level you can take credit for reducing property taxes and the the hidden thing is that now now
 1:23:08  he has to uh consider raising taxes, you have to approve it and we're still we're we're we're not frivolous here. So
 1:23:16  there's not much to cut. So then you raise those taxes, you you guys feel the pain of that. We're still not much in a better position to raise taxes and then
 1:23:23  the state police can get a raise that puts them at $30,000 more than we make a year. You can't compete with that. I don't care how much of a family
 1:23:30  environment you have or uh how welcoming you are, how supportive you are, when you're talking $30,000 more a year,
 1:23:39  that's that's tough. And guys like like these guys in the back of the room, uh it's it's hard for me to look them in
 1:23:45  the eye and say, I um I I don't blame you. Uh and uh I tell I tell these guys
 1:23:54  when they come into my office to say, "Hey, I'm looking elsewhere." Uh, I think they're kind of shy about it because they think I'm gonna be mad. I'm not mad. If we loved you coming in, we're gonna love you going out the door.
 1:24:04  And I don't blame you. Now, but I do say, "What can we do to keep you, but I you can't blame a man or a woman uh for
 1:24:10  for looking to improve their situation." That's not wrong. But, but I think as time goes on, I think we'll be more
 1:24:18  competitive. I hope so. Anyway, I know the mayor's on the same page with that.
 1:24:22  I' I've That's one of the reasons I'm working for him because I know he cares about public safety. He cares about these people. Um, and I I think we're going to do better as time goes on, but
 1:24:30  I just would caution patience and understanding, but I I don't want to believe you were exactly right. It just
 1:24:38  seems duplicitous on we're going to lower taxes and we're going to give state police no offense to state police, but uh to give them these robust raises
 1:24:47  at the same time that we're we're feeling hardship and we have to tell our police officers, "No, we can't do that." That that's not right.
 1:24:56  That's not right.
 1:24:58  Well, I appreciate that and I would, you know, goes back to how much it costs to hire
 1:25:05  both firefighter and a police officer to train them, go through academy equipment, um, versus to keep them, retain. Um, and
 1:25:14  so, and I know the mayor would do anything he could if he could. his hands are tied right now, but I just want to go on the record that I would support
 1:25:23  um when the time when we are able to and the budget allows
 1:25:29  um I would support increasing that um retention amount, $1,000. I don't I
 1:25:37  don't know what it is for fire, but if it's anything close to that, I mean, that's that's crazy to me. Um but I it just our hands are tied right now. But
 1:25:45  um I still have friends in another department in this state and um I think their max is like 10,000.
 1:25:53  Yeah.
 1:25:54  So this tells us what we're competing against around the state. $10,000 max for retention isn't is really nice, but we're at a thousand. So I hope maybe at some point we can get to that.
 1:26:03  And that that word competing is exactly what it is. We're we're competing. It it it's uh if if you're not hiring the best, you're
 1:26:12  hiring the rest. And I and I can only say it again. I said I've said it in this setting before. If you're hiring if you're not hiring the number one
 1:26:19  candidate or the A+ candidate, you're hiring something less than that. In our business, that's not good. We need to hire the best candidates who want to be
 1:26:27  quality people, who who have the character to be quality people. When you start hiring people who are questionable, that's when you get on the news. I don't intend for us to be on the
 1:26:35  news. So, uh, we we just have to we have to keep doing the best we can. It's not a selfish thing. The officers don't it's
 1:26:43  not selfish for them to say they want more to provide for their families, but they earn everything they've gotten. So, um, I just agree with you. I just hate
 1:26:51  that we're in this situation. I know the mayor does, too.
 1:26:55  Well, I appreciate it and thanks for your leadership. Thank you to all the officers and firefighters. Um, we just ask be patient with us. Let us get
 1:27:02  through the next legislative session. we have this onetime amount to be able to do the the bonus which might to some seem like, you know, a little little
 1:27:10  peas in a pod. Um, but it's what we can do until we can figure out what 2028 is going to look like. And we're being told
 1:27:18  that the next legislative session they are looking at other alternatives or whatever, but we don't know until we get
 1:27:25  through that. So, I just appreciate you holding the line and ask the officers and the firefighters to be patient with us, but I would say when we can and when
 1:27:33  we're able to u I would be a huge proponent for that longevity because it's not just how much to cost to replace them, but you lose that retained
 1:27:42  knowledge, that experience. Um, you know, a brand new firefighter is going to attack a fire a little bit different and maybe a little bit slower than an
 1:27:50  experience. No different than a officer showing up to a shooting. It's a that that experience makes a huge difference.
 1:27:58  I I don't want to belabor the point, but it it's timely that you said that. The the officer I mentioned who had the two wheel cart moving out of his office,
 1:28:05  he's a captain. Uh he's been on uh since 2009. He's not earned his 20-year pension yet. And that that's important
 1:28:13  because he's leaving within he can see a light at the end of the tunnel of earning a 20-year pension.
 1:28:20  He's leaving before he's earned that to go to a department. He's already done the math. He's he's a smart man. He's done the calculation that if I work at
 1:28:27  this other department x number of years, I will have made up the loss that will have on the pension I would have earned here and I will I will have doubled my
 1:28:36  investment. So he's he's rolling the dice and I'm going to work if I work there and he's old young enough to do it. If I work there x number of years, I
 1:28:44  will have erased that that loss, that deficit. I will have double and tripled it. He'll make more money leaving even
 1:28:51  though he's leaving behind a 20-year pension. Uh that that's start that is eyeopening. Uh when
 1:29:00  he first mentioned it, I thought I I told him I thought he was stupid, but he laid it out for me and I couldn't argue with it. That's crazy.
 1:29:08  I appreciate it, Chief. I know I want to be conscious of time. Any other council members? Council member Brunner, real quick. Um I'm on the streets a lot and it just seems like I see a lot of
 1:29:17  your cars out on the street. Do you have more officers spending time on the streets this past year?
 1:29:24  Uh yes, but not uh as substantial as you might think. What what we've done is
 1:29:32  we've streamlined other all other parts of our department. We uh we we have a kind of a skeleton crew in all other
 1:29:40  areas. Um I I don't like talking about the past except what it means today, but in the past we would have doubledigit numbers of detectives. Uh I I remember having 15 detectives at a point in time.
 1:29:51  We have uh seven or eight right now. Um uh we we used to have a training officer. We do not have a training
 1:29:57  officer. Uh now um uh in our narcotics unit, we used to have anywhere when I was chief before, we'd have six six or
 1:30:05  seven officers, detectives, and we we have two now. Um so so we we we've recognized that patrol is the backbone
 1:30:12  of the department. Uh we have to for we have to hold the line there. So we we've streamlined every other part of our department to maximize our our exposure
 1:30:21  on the street and that's what we've done. So that's why you're seeing that. Thank you. Any other council members?
 1:30:30  Thanks so much, Chief. Appreciate it. Thank you. Appreciate you.
 1:30:37  All right, moving on to Well, we did animal control already.
 1:30:46  transportation. All right. Well, good evening.
 1:30:57  It's only been a couple weeks since I've seen you since we featured you on the city employee spotlight. Jeff, thanks for coming.
 1:31:03  My wife the other day. So, look at that. You know, I didn't plan it that way. It just happened that way.
 1:31:08  But, uh, good timing. Maybe we should have done both you at the same time and No. No.
 1:31:12  Okay. separate separate ent. Okay, gotcha.
 1:31:15  Yeah, hers hers was real good. I appreciate you guys doing that for us.
 1:31:19  Absolutely. Well, thanks for coming. Um, anything you want to say before we go to questions?
 1:31:23  Yeah. Yeah, I got a mixed emotions today. You know, this is Chuck's last budget meeting of budget uh he's
 1:31:31  returned, but we do have uh Andrea W who's taking his place and Pam Leming
 1:31:38  and Chuck is training her to uh take that position.
 1:31:43  Good luck, darling. You got some big shoes to fill.
 1:31:46  Chuck, we really appreciate you. I mean, you've been probably doing this job longer than I've been alive. Um, 45 years.
 1:31:54  Yeah. 41. So, um, I really, really appreciate all your service to the city and all the writers,
 1:32:03  uh, that have benefited from your work and services. And um uh there's just nothing we can say to to encompass what all you've done for the city.
 1:32:13  And we really really appreciate you.
 1:32:15  Andrew's got a lot to learn. I'm sure she can do fantastic. And and I'm glad you I appreciate you doing this so we can transition. You can
 1:32:24  share some of that knowledge with her and she can maybe in 30 40 years we're talking about how you've been doing it for so long. So
 1:32:33  well I'm retiring at the end of this year and getting an old man take over. I will uh I do have something to report.
 1:32:41  You know the uh as you all know these are reimbursement grants that we get for transportation and the amount that's for
 1:32:50  2026 that we applied for in in May of this year. Uh I came before you in March for the authorizing resolution and we
 1:32:59  filed a grant application in May per INDOT requirement and that's in we're still waiting to hear back from INDOT as
 1:33:06  to where the final numbers rest. Uh but the amount we have applied for covers
 1:33:13  the amount of the city budget for 2026 that's before you now. So anyway, if
 1:33:20  that is approved, we believe we believe that's going to take place in September, uh then uh you'll be reimbursed about
 1:33:28  60% of the cost of that you incur in 2026 for the transportation department.
 1:33:34  So just wanted to say that get that out there for you and I'll be happy to answer any questions I may be able to.
 1:33:42  All right, any council members questions?
 1:33:52  You did such a fantastic job. No one has any questions. So, look at that. Good. Yeah. Yeah.
 1:34:01  I'll just echo since I don't look like there's much questions. Again, Chuck, thank you. 45 years of what you've done is been amazing. And I think 45 years of
 1:34:10  service when he retires, don't he get a bus to take home or no? Thank you, Chuck, for everything. Thank you very much.
 1:34:19  Anyone else? Okay. Well, thank you. Thank you.
 1:34:24  No more budgets. You going to frame that one on the wall and say that's my last one? I'm done with this one. Yeah. You're like, I'm done with it. Yeah.
 1:34:30  Well, Chuck, actually, one other thing I want to ask. So, what what do you have planned for retirement?
 1:34:34  Well, spend six months in Indiana and six months in Florida. Oh, where in Florida? Fort Myers. Oh, yeah.
 1:34:41  So, you're gonna stay here in the winter? No. No, it's just the opposite.
 1:34:47  Well, have a great retirement. Thank you so much. I know it's not your last day, but you know, I want to We have a public platform. Want to say thank you so much.
 1:34:54  Thanks very much, gentlemen. I appreciate it. Appreciate it. Yeah.
 1:34:57  [Applause]
 1:35:04  All right. And you don't have to do any more late nights coming in here. You can uh you can be on the beach instead. All right. And last but not least, because
 1:35:13  we've already done parks or wait, was there another one after that?
 1:35:17  Uh, we got aviation as well. Uh, Marian Street Department.
 1:35:24  Don't worry. Next year, I'm going to try and maybe we'll flip these. I'll leave that when you do it.
 1:35:29  Rotate it. Well, Rose got to go and we'll get that.
 1:35:33  Me and Andy asked him to put you up, but he said no. So, we'll just ask uh well, I guess it's department numbers really kind of going in order, but maybe we can do the highest number first next year.
 1:35:44  See, we're already negotiating on your behalf, Randy. Where's the dinner we talked about?
 1:35:52  I don't have to turn the camera off. One second. Just kidding.
 1:35:56  All right. U Randy, anything you want to share before we go to questions?
 1:36:01  You answered. We're dead last again, so I don't have any issues.
 1:36:09  How does it look next year? I know we're kind of splitting off parks and street. Um, how how do you think that looks?
 1:36:17  It we're going to go back to being a more traditional street department. So, hate to say it, but right now we're like
 1:36:24  an a glorified parks department. We do most of our work through the parks. I mean, we do street work, but not what a normal street department does. So, to be
 1:36:33  honest with you, we're kind of looking forward to taking that role again.
 1:36:37  What uh for our residents and people driving on the roads, do you see a change or ability to
 1:36:46  provide more services to the streets with this new structure?
 1:36:50  I don't necessarily see the ability to provide more, but we will do more pothole filling and things of that nature than what we do now.
 1:36:57  That would be more. Well, and for the people driving on the streets, that's music to the We do it now, but not Oh, I know.
 1:37:03  as often, but you can concentrate more on what what you should be doing. Correct.
 1:37:07  Yeah. I know you're trying to be humble, but that is more. So, we appre Yeah, I mean in a good way. So, we're excited that you guys can focus more on the streets.
 1:37:16  And I appreciate the mayor doing this.
 1:37:18  It's been a concern. People talk about potholes and alley maintenance, things like that. So, I am looking forward to
 1:37:26  you guys being able to actually be the street department again. So, us too.
 1:37:31  And I think you're the right guy to do it. So, appreciate that.
 1:37:34  Any council members with questions, Mr. President? This is an email I got
 1:37:40  yesterday from a street department from Ronda Pearson. And I'm reading it. It's not lobbying, not I'm just being the conduit reading it.
 1:37:52  Good afternoon, Mike. We as a group would like to propose a one-year delay in the departmental split. We believe this postponement would allow department
 1:38:01  heads ample time to assess their needs and gain a clearer understanding of their projected cash revenue. This
 1:38:09  additional year would also uh facilitate the determination and acquisition of necessary equipment ultimately leading
 1:38:17  to a more financially responsible tradition. Just passing along an email that I got.
 1:38:27  Any comment? Mayor, it's illegal.
 1:38:34  So, this really should have according to law should have never been done because of the the inter inner mingle of funds or let's get some clarity on that.
 1:38:45  Minda, Linda's coming up.
 1:38:48  When the departments were combined, it was a a legal thing. In 2018, they
 1:38:55  passed a House bill that said the street department funds should be used for street departments. Um, it's been a long
 1:39:03  time to try to tackle the separation back the way that it should be, partially because of the finances. Um,
 1:39:13  but actually we were in a better place this year than Senate Bill One decides to take about $840,000
 1:39:21  from us. But we do with um taking some of the staff from the street department
 1:39:29  that normally work at the parks department. Um anyway, we feel like it's the time to to do the right thing um and
 1:39:37  separate the funds out because there are two different funds where and they both have their own property tax levy. So, we
 1:39:44  need to put the expenses where they go and try to uh get in line with uh uh the
 1:39:52  state statute. Well, I appreciate you sharing and clarifying that. Just so people know, the parks department actually has a parks board. The street department does not have a street board.
 1:40:00  So they are really separate entities with the parks could levy its own tax. It could have its own police department.
 1:40:07  So by statute they are separate. But I you know I'm sure I'm just I'm just passing that on.
 1:40:13  Oh no. I I I know. I'm just saying I'm sure it's going to be uncomfortable and bumpy at first. Um but at some point you
 1:40:20  got to rip that band-aid off. And here we are ripping it off. And I think it's better for the streets. I hope it's better for the parks. But anyone that
 1:40:29  works in either of those departments, I ask them just to ride it out and I think things will make more sense and be more smooth when it's all said and done.
 1:40:37  I agree.
 1:40:39  Any other questions from the council for Randy? Thank you.
 1:40:46  All right. Thanks so much.
 1:40:52  Or skipping parks. We'll let him go first. So Randy, remind me next year or whoever is sitting at this desk next year to let you go first. Okay,
 1:41:02  it's on. It's recorded. Yeah, but I'm somebody else can be sitting here, so it may not be me.
 1:41:06  All right. Uh, last but not least, Board of Aviation.
 1:41:11  And same thing applies to you. Remind us next year. Okay. Appreciate it. Thank you.
 1:41:16  Good evening and welcome. Uh, we're at the 206 fund, last one in the book for the council members. Anything you like to share?
 1:41:24  Uh, nothing particular. Just thank you for the opportunity to defend.
 1:41:31  Okay. Any council members questions?
 1:41:35  Hopefully things are going well with the the fuel tanks. Yes, moving along now.
 1:41:39  It is moving along. It is. We've signed an agreement and we're getting things moving. Excellent. Council members, questions?
 1:41:49  No changes here? No.
 1:41:53  Okay. You had to wait till the very end for nothing, but you had to be here. Thank you so much.
 1:42:00  You're still keeping the ice cream shop, right?
 1:42:02  Yes. That's We will keep that at all costs.
 1:42:07  I appreciate Councilman Klein. He always finds a good way to plug the ice cream shop. I love it. So, um, all right. Any other council members with any other
 1:42:16  questions for the mayor or mayor, anything else you want to share?
 1:42:20  Nope. I just say thank you all so much um for working with us. We obviously have three more meetings um to get through
 1:42:28  this and um I'm available. Our um you want any appointments with our department head and just reach out to them via email and then we can um set it
 1:42:36  up. Any other questions? I'm open to it and we want to work through this. And thank you all so much for working hard.
 1:42:41  I know this is a big deal for you. It's a lot of pages, lot to understand. First of all, again, we appreciate your service for um um for passing uh working with us on getting the budget passed.
 1:42:52  Appreciate it. Thank you, Mayor.
 1:42:56  Um we safe to say we can send this we don't any consensus on needing another
 1:43:03  budget committee meeting because if not, you can still ask questions before the next council meeting. Of course, we're going to go
 1:43:10  through three hearings, so we're not going to suspend rules on that. I don't even know if we can, but I wouldn't anyways. So, we're going to do three readings,
 1:43:18  uh, both in September and the last one first week of October.
 1:43:22  So, as the time goes on, if you see something else, ask questions. Um, of course, the second ring will be a public hearing as well. So,
 1:43:30  we're good. Okay. All right. Thanks so much, Mayor. Appreciate it. Dismissed.