City Council Committee of the Whole · Saturday, July 27, 2024 · City Council Digest

AGENDA

Welcome

Public Comment

packet pp.5–63

Open packet at p.5 ↗

Staff report:

CITY COUNCIL RETREAT: BUDGET PRIORITIES c) JULY 27,2024 | SPECIAL COMMIT TEE OF THE WHOLE ANDREA SNYDER, DEPUTY CITY ADMINISTRATOR & INTERIM CFO

Overview

Wally Bobkiewicz, City Administrator Andrea Snyder, Interim Chief Financial Officer

Budget Outlook & Priorities

Andrea Snyder, Interim Chief Financial Officer

Topics: Budget

Potential New Funding Options

Andrea Snyder, Interim Chief Financial Officer

Topics: Budget

Lunch & City Council Break Out Sessions Facilitated by: Council President Walsh Deputy Council President de Michele will not be live streamed or recorded. The small break out groups will report a summary of their discussions when the large group reconvenes at 12:30 PM.**

Potential Budget Reductions

Andrea Snyder, Interim Chief Financial Officer

Topics: Budget

Public Safety Facilities Follow-up: Leasing, Next Steps

Director · Andrea Snyder, Interim Chief Financial Officer Autumn Monahan, Administrative Services

Topics: Public Safety

Public Comment

5769 segments .txt ↗

0:02 ↗ there is any reason that we can't be

0:05 ↗ heard but um otherwise I will take this

0:08 ↗ moment to call the meeting to order at

0:11 ↗ 9:08 a.m. um we are meeting as a city

0:15 ↗ council for a budget Retreat and so

0:18 ↗ we're here from 9:00 am to 2 PM

0:21 ↗ everybody's been fed breakfast so that

0:23 ↗ we can have nice good conversations

0:25 ↗ about finances and such um and we will

0:28 ↗ have lunch coming later on what we've

0:31 ↗ got today for an agenda I'm gonna get a

0:35 ↗ little bit of a welcome we've got a next

0:38 ↗ is a budget Outlook um along with

0:41 ↗ questions we've got a section for the

0:44 ↗ administration's priorities um focusing

0:47 ↗ on some potential expenditures then

0:49 ↗ we've got another section for potential

0:51 ↗ new funding options each of those will

0:54 ↗ be followed by a discussion 11:30 we've

0:57 ↗ got lunch um along with some

1:00 ↗ conversation moment for Council um and

1:03 ↗ then we will report back out after that

1:06 ↗ that portion will not be um reported

1:08 ↗ because nobody will be able to hear it

1:10 ↗ believe um and then 12:30 will'll return

1:14 ↗ with potential budget

1:17 ↗ reductions along with Council discussion

1:19 ↗ and then finally the last half an hour

1:21 ↗ on Public Safety facilities followup uh

1:24 ↗ I should mention we will of course have

1:26 ↗ a public comment period at the beginning

1:29 ↗ of the meeting on that as well um and we

1:32 ↗ will be adjourning at

1:34 ↗ 2m so just as a bit of an introduction

1:40 ↗ you know I'm sure everybody has read

1:42 ↗ through the packet and recognizes what a

1:45 ↗ uh situation we are in as we come into

1:49 ↗ the second banal budget we have some

1:53 ↗ tough potentially decisions well not

1:56 ↗ decisions tough feedback to give to the

1:59 ↗ administration

2:00 ↗ so that our feedback can be incorporated

2:03 ↗ into um this next round of budget

2:07 ↗ creation uh this is really early sets of

2:11 ↗ data on Outlook but this has been a

2:14 ↗ strong practice that we've had for the

2:16 ↗ last few budget Cycles um us being able

2:18 ↗ to come in at an early point and provide

2:21 ↗ some priorities provide some feedback on

2:23 ↗ things that we do or don't want to see

2:26 ↗ in the budget so that we can have an

2:29 ↗ easier budget SE later so that the

2:31 ↗ Administration has um our input and

2:34 ↗ understands um some of the scope that we

2:37 ↗ are looking at so a lot of this is going

2:40 ↗ to be getting the information from the

2:42 ↗ administration and then um asking

2:45 ↗ questions having discussion I'm sure

2:47 ↗ Andrea will say it many many times this

2:50 ↗ is July this is very early data uh

2:53 ↗ points to be looking at for the next two

2:56 ↗ years so we're not trying to go down

2:57 ↗ rabbit holes we're not trying to you

3:00 ↗ know question individual points of all

3:02 ↗ of this our goal is to hear what the

3:07 ↗ administration thinks the scope of the

3:08 ↗ problem is and be able to provide

3:11 ↗ feedback using that as a mechanism and

3:13 ↗ then we will get into details um later

3:17 ↗ down the road so if that all sounds good

3:22 ↗ I'm just making sure on

3:25 ↗ [Music]

3:27 ↗ here okay so we've got a moment for a

3:32 ↗ moment we've got time for public comment

3:34 ↗ now um before the next portion the

3:37 ↗ meeting so if anybody is interested in

3:40 ↗ making public comment and is online

3:43 ↗ someone behind we do have someone behind

3:46 ↗ us would like to make public

3:49 ↗ comment listening in fantastic we love

3:52 ↗ that um I do see a hand on there for

3:55 ↗ anyone else because I don't know if

3:56 ↗ there's anyone else um online they could

3:59 ↗ star three so I believe cm is Connie and

4:06 ↗ so and the opportunity to speak honey

4:11 ↗ you should be able to

4:14 ↗ unmute oh wow okay I'm pulling Connie

4:18 ↗ Marsh live on squawk Mountain I'm echoe

4:21 ↗ I'm pulling tax out of the floor at my

4:22 ↗ mom's house so uh I sent you an uh an

4:27 ↗ email because this is the budget

4:30 ↗ decisions are long time in the making

4:32 ↗ and very expected that we would start

4:36 ↗ having this moment so the big question

4:39 ↗ is well what does the community want to

4:42 ↗ have happen and it hearkens back to I

4:46 ↗ believe the last Council Retreat where

4:49 ↗ there was supposed to be more

4:50 ↗ information provided on what was meant

4:53 ↗ by we want more affordability in housing

4:58 ↗ and I never did get to hear the feedback

5:02 ↗ on that because every time you raise

5:05 ↗ utility taxes rates or go out for a bond

5:10 ↗ it makes everyone's home less affordable

5:14 ↗ to live in and so I guess my primary

5:20 ↗ thing here is to create some clarity on

5:23 ↗ the community will for what actually

5:27 ↗ affordable housing or housing afford

5:29 ↗ ability means to them because the city

5:32 ↗ keeps saying we need to build future

5:34 ↗ affordable housing and I think that you

5:38 ↗ will find that what people want is they

5:41 ↗ want to be able to afford the homes they

5:43 ↗ already live in uh as a priority but I

5:47 ↗ don't know how you can make judgment

5:48 ↗ decisions without actually understanding

5:51 ↗ what your community feels on the issue

5:54 ↗ of what to cut and what not to cut and

5:56 ↗ so this is expecting you to use the

5:58 ↗ community survey as a basis but the

6:01 ↗ community survey is too broad and is a

6:03 ↗ poor basis maybe you're going to go

6:05 ↗ another way I don't know but there is my

6:08 ↗ initial comment and I'm going to try

6:09 ↗ watching you while I continue to pull

6:12 ↗ things out of my mother's floor thank

6:15 ↗ you thank you Connie we appreciate your

6:18 ↗ input there

6:20 ↗ and focus of that so I think at this

6:23 ↗ point I'm going to pass it over to

6:26 ↗ interim CFO Andrew Snider to take us to

6:30 ↗ the next C thank you counc president

6:32 ↗ Walsh and actually City administrative

6:34 ↗ bin is gonna take us

6:37 ↗ off well good morning everyone

6:41 ↗ um appreciate you all coming together

6:43 ↗ today as council president have said um

6:47 ↗ this is still uh early days U as we look

6:51 ↗ at uh the next bium but certainly we are

6:55 ↗ in the final quarter of a two-year

6:58 ↗ budget uh we o know things um that we

7:02 ↗ want to share with you on that we have

7:04 ↗ one slide uh at the top of the debt

7:07 ↗ which I want

7:08 ↗ to point out because we certainly don't

7:10 ↗ want to vary the lead uh here with what

7:14 ↗ we think we know uh not only for the

7:17 ↗ current bium but for uh moving forward

7:20 ↗ in the next

7:22 ↗ bium so we are looking at a a deficit um

7:28 ↗ this is in current year year this is

7:30 ↗ next year um but looking at that last

7:33 ↗ year um $7.2 million for 25 8.4 million

7:40 ↗ for 26 11 133% of the budget uh as we

7:45 ↗ look at ending the current bium Andrea I

7:48 ↗ don't know if we have a slide that has

7:51 ↗ that number

7:53 ↗ um so we're looking at um

7:58 ↗ 5.3 uh million deficit without dipping

8:03 ↗ further into ending Fouts you have seen

8:06 ↗ previously as we've talked about future

8:09 ↗ budget deficits the fund balance saving

8:12 ↗ the day uh we are making a policy shift

8:14 ↗ that we're no longer doing that but the

8:16 ↗ idea is that the council has a u 50%

8:21 ↗ undesignated fund balance policy so we

8:24 ↗ will budget accordingly in order to keep

8:27 ↗ that until we are directed otherwise

8:29 ↗ back so that's a little bit of a

8:31 ↗ different uh Viewpoint um we will spend

8:34 ↗ uh much of today talking about uh um you

8:38 ↗ know some of the financial pieces of

8:40 ↗ this but I want to start the day uh

8:42 ↗ talking programmatically because as you

8:44 ↗ look at uh what we are doing what we

8:48 ↗ should be doing in the future what we

8:49 ↗ shouldn't be doing in the future uh it's

8:51 ↗ more than dollars and cents it's the the

8:54 ↗ programs and services that we provide

8:55 ↗ the community um believe it or not I'm

8:58 ↗ coming up on five years as your city

9:00 ↗ administrator and it was about this time

9:03 ↗ five years ago that I started the

9:05 ↗ process um and spent time with mayor

9:08 ↗ paully understanding her vision of what

9:11 ↗ she wanted to see isaa become you know

9:14 ↗ and I could stand here today after five

9:16 ↗ years uh with the mayor's support with

9:18 ↗ the council support a lot of What U you

9:22 ↗ all wanted to see happen has happened um

9:25 ↗ the the issues the priorities the

9:27 ↗ programs um we have been able to address

9:29 ↗ we've been able to implement um and that

9:31 ↗ has been outstanding um one of the main

9:34 ↗ themes of today however is that there

9:37 ↗ are factors that really weren't in those

9:39 ↗ plans that weren't really in the focus

9:41 ↗ of the Strategic plan weren't in some of

9:44 ↗ the long-term issues that the mayor and

9:46 ↗ the city council's had um which really

9:49 ↗ now are coming back um to the Forefront

9:52 ↗ and requiring us to really reposition

9:55 ↗ ourselves with the budget um to deal

9:57 ↗ with and I think if we look at at what

10:00 ↗ the uh what the factors are you know

10:02 ↗ that is certainly a large factor that

10:04 ↗ the cost of Public Safety both police

10:07 ↗ and fire and the cost of Justice

10:09 ↗ Services in the court and the support

10:12 ↗ services for the court um are driving a

10:15 ↗ lot of what we're seeing there's

10:16 ↗ certainly lots of other factors uh costs

10:19 ↗ are increasing more than our Revenue so

10:22 ↗ even if the justice and public safety

10:24 ↗ issues weren't a factor um the ability

10:26 ↗ for us to be pay market rate wages with

10:29 ↗ the revenues that we have are not

10:31 ↗ keeping up and certainly We Are Not

10:32 ↗ Alone um among jurisdictions in

10:35 ↗ Washington state basing that but I want

10:37 ↗ to spend a few minutes um talking about

10:40 ↗ um what we do and some of the issues

10:42 ↗ that I see in the programmatic pieces of

10:45 ↗ what we do um so hopefully that provides

10:48 ↗ a good base Point uh for you one last

10:51 ↗ thought about Community input through

10:54 ↗ this last five years um we've done I

10:57 ↗ think an excellent job of involving

10:59 ↗ dozens and dozens of community members

11:01 ↗ from all walks of B life who had

11:03 ↗ previously not been involved in local

11:06 ↗ government uh from the expansion of our

11:08 ↗ boards and commissions uh from the work

11:10 ↗ we've just done recently on the

11:12 ↗ Strategic plan the work that we did with

11:13 ↗ the capital financing task force many

11:16 ↗ many community members voices we have

11:17 ↗ never heard before who are here living

11:20 ↗ raising their families in this Aqua have

11:22 ↗ been at the table and so as you go into

11:25 ↗ this you've got lots of information you

11:27 ↗ have Citywide plans on everything from

11:30 ↗ sustainability to transportation to

11:32 ↗ housing you have a newly refreshed uh

11:35 ↗ work on the Strategic plan you have the

11:37 ↗ work that the Capital Finance and task

11:38 ↗ force has had so you've got lots and

11:40 ↗ lots and lots of community input so um

11:43 ↗ you have all that we will course

11:45 ↗ provided for you so it's more readily

11:47 ↗ available as we talk about this um but

11:51 ↗ let's start with police I handed out uh

11:54 ↗ the the latest uh June uh report one

11:59 ↗ change that we've had is we now have a

12:00 ↗ crime we have a dedicated staff person

12:03 ↗ who is looking at a crime that is

12:06 ↗ providing information intelligence

12:08 ↗ information back to our police officers

12:09 ↗ on a regular basis uh we're providing

12:11 ↗ more information to the public we're

12:13 ↗ back with a weekly blot um so one

12:17 ↗ Improvement that we've made one

12:18 ↗ additional cost with police has been

12:20 ↗ that and uh and that's great and I think

12:23 ↗ having the information is really good as

12:25 ↗ you look at uh the June report you'll

12:28 ↗ see are really making progress and uh U

12:32 ↗ well I think violent crime is down not

12:34 ↗ only here in this sad but regionally and

12:37 ↗ I think nationally uh property crime is

12:39 ↗ still for us uh those things that are

12:42 ↗ important on quality of life points are

12:44 ↗ really important um you will notice

12:46 ↗ other than Andrea there's only one

12:48 ↗ department head here today that's

12:51 ↗ PR Swan um to to join us um so that we

12:56 ↗ can get from her not only answer

12:58 ↗ straight questions

13:00 ↗ um but also just kind of add to some of

13:03 ↗ the challenges that we continue to face

13:06 ↗ we um a few years ago um had a police

13:09 ↗ department that nearly collapsed uh the

13:12 ↗ number of officers that left the number

13:13 ↗ of dispatchers that left the number of

13:15 ↗ jail Personnel that left were were were

13:18 ↗ incredible um and I think only with a

13:21 ↗ couple of years separation can we really

13:23 ↗ look at U what has happened with the

13:26 ↗ police department um thanks to the good

13:28 ↗ work CH Swan her staff takes the

13:30 ↗ excellent work for our human resources

13:32 ↗ staff thanks to your support financially

13:35 ↗ um we are nearly fully staffed at the

13:37 ↗ police department um we have a full

13:40 ↗ complement of dispatchers um and we are

13:43 ↗ are grappling with what it takes to

13:45 ↗ operate a jail um so in addition to

13:48 ↗ having officers on the street in

13:50 ↗ addition to having U dispatchers uh deal

13:53 ↗ with the day-to-day work we're also

13:55 ↗ bringing people back to do specialty

13:56 ↗ assignments uh we reinforced our detect

13:59 ↗ division you're once again going to have

14:01 ↗ traffic Sergeant um we're going to once

14:03 ↗ again have a community policing officer

14:06 ↗ so that is all great um the other

14:09 ↗ challenge again that was not on

14:10 ↗ anybody's radar years ago was the jail

14:13 ↗ um operating the jail has become much

14:16 ↗ more complicated uh because of Many Many

14:19 ↗ Factors um most of which because of the

14:23 ↗ individuals that were finding

14:24 ↗ incarcerated in

14:27 ↗ the in the jail and so it is required us

14:30 ↗ to make additional expenditures not only

14:31 ↗ on Staffing uh but technology

14:35 ↗ and maintain the jail that work we are

14:39 ↗ finding out certainly any of you who

14:40 ↗ agreed to re press um jails are hard to

14:43 ↗ come by the city of Seattle had come to

14:46 ↗ us uh several weeks ago oneing space in

14:48 ↗ our Jail uh they have gone and looked at

14:51 ↗ score the South King County facility

14:54 ↗ they're talking again with King County

14:57 ↗ uh they pay millions of dollars a year

14:58 ↗ for jail space which they don't have

15:00 ↗ access to currently um so the issues of

15:03 ↗ jail are important um and as we look at

15:06 ↗ why are we even in this business I think

15:08 ↗ that if we operate a department that uh

15:12 ↗ is fully staffed fully properly trained

15:14 ↗ that is good for isapa but it's also

15:16 ↗ good for the the city government in that

15:19 ↗ we can continue to provide services to

15:21 ↗ other communities certainly North V

15:23 ↗ quami we're see dispatch Services uh

15:26 ↗ court services now um there's a market

15:28 ↗ for our jail there will always I think

15:30 ↗ be a market for our jail so if we

15:32 ↗ continue to invest in operating it

15:34 ↗ appropriately um and charge our our

15:37 ↗ neighbor jurisdictions the appropriate

15:39 ↗ fees um that should make sense over time

15:42 ↗ and I think that as we continue to look

15:45 ↗ at the police department and the

15:47 ↗ services it provides I think that there

15:49 ↗ are natural Partnerships uh with other

15:52 ↗ cities in the region that we need to

15:53 ↗ actively explore and I think if that

15:55 ↗ comes to fruition again our doubling

15:58 ↗ down on

15:59 ↗ on the police resources jail resources

16:02 ↗ makes a lot of sense Chief I asked you

16:04 ↗ to come this morning um I don't know if

16:05 ↗ you have any general comment the point

16:08 ↗ about sort of the state of play in the

16:11 ↗ department that you want to add I we

16:14 ↗ have to thing is that we as was

16:17 ↗ mentioned we're almost all staffed in a

16:20 ↗ lot of the different Visions um what it

16:22 ↗ takes to we have two Communications

16:25 ↗ people that are actually in training

16:26 ↗ right now what it takes to get someone

16:28 ↗ up and running was anywhere from three

16:32 ↗ to six or eight months to have been

16:34 ↗ released from training same thing with

16:36 ↗ the officers we have six officers in

16:38 ↗ need relas so it's very new we have

16:42 ↗ someone in in the last two weeks was on

16:44 ↗ off field train field training is what

16:47 ↗ happens after the academy and what

16:49 ↗ happens with the academy is well he is

16:53 ↗ like halfway up in our Rost so we are a

16:55 ↗ very young Department right now what

16:57 ↗ happened over the last

16:59 ↗ multiple years and so it's rebuilding

17:02 ↗ that and when someone someone's hired

17:04 ↗ it's been said before I'm in front of

17:06 ↗ council but it takes about a year to get

17:08 ↗ someone on the road and the wait time to

17:12 ↗ get someone in the academy right now is

17:15 ↗ so um for example even for the

17:17 ↗ Corrections Academy it takes us at least

17:20 ↗ six months and they only build twoy a

17:22 ↗ year so they're oftentimes doing the job

17:25 ↗ before they're actually um have the ex

17:28 ↗ Corrections our own staff train them if

17:30 ↗ they're new if not lateral and then for

17:33 ↗ the the weit time they do a lot of stuff

17:36 ↗ around the office learn the radio and

17:38 ↗ the communications and our different

17:40 ↗ report writing systems before they go to

17:42 ↗ the academy but then they have five and

17:44 ↗ a half months in the academy and then we

17:47 ↗ have the field training officers who

17:49 ↗ their staff it takes a lot of time

17:51 ↗ imagine every day you came to work and

17:54 ↗ someone's sitting next to you all day

17:56 ↗ long every day um and you're grading

17:58 ↗ them 20 different 27 different

18:00 ↗ characteristics and so the pressure also

18:03 ↗ not everybody makes it either because

18:04 ↗ there's so many different personality

18:07 ↗ pieces for that where a lot of people

18:09 ↗ run to

18:10 ↗ it wouldn't say a lot C run to it

18:13 ↗ everybody else might run away yeah so it

18:15 ↗ just varies but then being able to do

18:17 ↗ that with being graded every day on

18:20 ↗ everything you do 27 different things

18:22 ↗ whether you get along with the city

18:23 ↗ members what do you get along with the

18:24 ↗ public what do you get how are your

18:26 ↗ appearance did you dress appropriately

18:28 ↗ are you you did you write your report

18:30 ↗ right did you use your signal did you

18:32 ↗ did you run appropriate code to it fall

18:35 ↗ all of those things matter and it takes

18:37 ↗ a lot of time um I think the other piece

18:39 ↗ that it's very important for people to

18:41 ↗ understand as far as going to the

18:43 ↗ jail the jail piece is as we all know

18:47 ↗ because you all you all are in business

18:49 ↗ and span of control is usually one

18:50 ↗ supervisor to maximum of six is actually

18:54 ↗ optimal and for many many years now

18:58 ↗ we've had one jail manager or sergeant

19:01 ↗ and he was in charge of all 12 to 14 in

19:04 ↗ jail that's been problematic um and so

19:07 ↗ that's hence why we've asked we are

19:10 ↗ implementing and pushing forward with um

19:13 ↗ moving asking for Sergeants and the

19:15 ↗ corkal and the people to be the Sant

19:17 ↗ because then they're one each on Squad

19:20 ↗ which is the exact format that we are

19:21 ↗ using in Patrol so it's bringing them up

19:25 ↗ to where

19:27 ↗ um we've been doing in the other groups

19:30 ↗ in our city and our organization and

19:32 ↗ making them more successful with that

19:34 ↗ span of control another piece to that is

19:37 ↗ in the importance of a jail because a

19:39 ↗ lot of people like the Jail's so

19:40 ↗ expensive why do we have it the quality

19:43 ↗ of life that we have that everybody

19:45 ↗ comes to work and live at can play here

19:47 ↗ right in Isa is aborted because we have

19:51 ↗ the opportunity unlike Seattle Belleview

19:54 ↗ many other jurisdictions to have a jail

19:57 ↗ to where those other jurisdictions that

19:59 ↗ either have to pay and drive miles and

20:02 ↗ miles and take an officer off the street

20:04 ↗ for hours we have the option to where if

20:07 ↗ for

20:09 ↗ example council member Hall committed a

20:12 ↗ crime and he was local business right

20:17 ↗ and so and then I made contact with him

20:20 ↗ because we have our own jail I I don't

20:22 ↗ just give him a piece of paper and say

20:24 ↗ okay we need to go to court on this date

20:26 ↗ and then he gets to go to the next

20:27 ↗ business that committ

20:29 ↗ and so in our city uh they don't get

20:32 ↗ that option instead we like okay come in

20:35 ↗ you know stay at our establishment or

20:38 ↗ however many nights the judge feels is

20:40 ↗ appropriate so that's something that

20:42 ↗ people don't come here for that reason

20:45 ↗ um to commit as many crimes that's super

20:48 ↗ helpful and it also affords the officers

20:51 ↗ to be the ability to do their jobs and

20:53 ↗ want to be here that's one one factor in

20:55 ↗ keeping people as well so but that that

20:57 ↗ is a huge OPP opportunity to where

20:59 ↗ people don't want to commit crimes

21:00 ↗ because they know what that is also all

21:02 ↗ our resources obviously with human

21:04 ↗ services that we're providing for them

21:06 ↗ but the jail is a is a big factor and

21:08 ↗ then we house that we've got people

21:09 ↗ living down there that we have 53 on

21:12 ↗ that average over a year span on a daily

21:15 ↗ basis and the average say is about nine

21:18 ↗ days but once they're sentenced they can

21:20 ↗ if they're not sentenced to a year they

21:22 ↗ can spend 364 days here and that's just

21:25 ↗ post sentencing they may have been in

21:27 ↗ our facility for a couple months prior

21:29 ↗ to that if they didn't get time served

21:32 ↗ so that's the other aspect of that and

21:34 ↗ people have some of the services and the

21:36 ↗ upgrades and things that we we instill

21:38 ↗ down the jail so just a little bit of

21:41 ↗ understanding to What It Takes

21:43 ↗ especially and how important the jail is

21:45 ↗ for the quality and everything that

21:46 ↗ everybody incurs in our city we that the

21:50 ↗ jail is helpful um and a lot of people

21:52 ↗ that live in our city don't even realize

21:54 ↗ that we have the jail um because it is

21:56 ↗ in the basement and so we we really

21:59 ↗ don't like it to be out of sight out of

22:00 ↗ mind but it it is a very integral piece

22:02 ↗ of

22:05 ↗ our could answer any questions

22:08 ↗ about can you also speak to the state of

22:12 ↗ dispatch dispatch three years ago um was

22:16 ↗ down to 37 and we were literally

22:19 ↗ Contracting with another city we are now

22:21 ↗ up to we have a conditional out for an

22:24 ↗ over hire and that makes 13 in this in

22:29 ↗ 14 including the

22:30 ↗ supervisor which

22:33 ↗ is we have two leads now and ultimately

22:37 ↗ longterm I would really like it to be

22:39 ↗ similar to patrol and the jail to where

22:41 ↗ it's one supervisor onage Squad um which

22:45 ↗ would be more like the reden model and

22:47 ↗ we're doing as well as far as the

22:49 ↗ capacity but currently right now we have

22:52 ↗ part-time non regulars that are filling

22:53 ↗ some of those spots uh we do have enough

22:56 ↗ that are we're keeping um the staff is

22:59 ↗ in the schedule very well the problem is

23:02 ↗ right now even with the Staffing is that

23:04 ↗ we have say one person gets sick has a

23:08 ↗ family issue has to go on FMLA or even

23:11 ↗ takes vacation somebody else has to work

23:13 ↗ over time not like there's people

23:16 ↗ covering in it then people can go on

23:18 ↗ vacations with spots that are already

23:20 ↗ covered because there's overlap um but

23:22 ↗ that's why we have the hard

23:23 ↗ [Music]

23:24 ↗ time for that but we are better staff

23:29 ↗ than we've been in three years in fact

23:30 ↗ that used to be only 10 so the fact that

23:32 ↗ we have three in a supervisor or 13 in a

23:34 ↗ supervisor is better staff than it's

23:36 ↗ been in many years is that optimal no

23:39 ↗ but it's way better than we've been and

23:41 ↗ people that have been here for a lot of

23:42 ↗ years well I do appreciate

23:46 ↗ that so police big deal um $16

23:52 ↗ million um sorry can I do one more

23:55 ↗ explain one more thing I we didn't talk

23:56 ↗ about sure we have a 16 ,000 signing

23:59 ↗ bonus which is amazing and I very

24:01 ↗ apprecia that um there's two cities in

24:03 ↗ our area that have a $40,000 bonus for

24:07 ↗ lateral officers California has a

24:09 ↗ $100,000 signing bonus for laterals and

24:13 ↗ $40,000 siging bonus for entry level and

24:16 ↗ we are almost staed so we're doing

24:20 ↗ something right that's huge we're even

24:22 ↗ getting some laterals um and so that's a

24:25 ↗ huge thing that what we offer here and

24:28 ↗ that people are wanting to come and to

24:29 ↗ stay so that's a huge Kudos um but we

24:33 ↗ have to continue doing some of those

24:35 ↗ things um because of the other um

24:38 ↗ factors now for a newer officer $100,000

24:41 ↗ my I'm AOW I've been in two years

24:44 ↗ wow I

24:46 ↗ mean but anyway so but just a little bit

24:49 ↗ of perspective in where we are at and

24:52 ↗ how well we've done which is pretty

24:54 ↗ amazing and I'm super huge kudos to our

24:57 ↗ staff

24:58 ↗ um the hours and energy it takes to get

25:01 ↗ I've done over 200 Chiefs interviews in

25:04 ↗ what

25:05 ↗ years and imagine all that's going on

25:08 ↗ with that meaning holographs sites

25:11 ↗ background investigators all those

25:13 ↗ things that go with that and all the

25:15 ↗ scheduling of all that um and my support

25:18 ↗ service people are the ones doing that

25:19 ↗ and that's over and above their regular

25:21 ↗ dues and so that's that's been huge and

25:23 ↗ they've done a phenomenal job to get us

25:25 ↗ work well can I just plus one something

25:28 ↗ that she said at the picnic I was

25:29 ↗ talking with Commander niece about that

25:31 ↗ just because of the Seattle's push to

25:33 ↗ find 400 officers and he said you know

25:37 ↗ ma'am this is an amazing place to work

25:40 ↗ his team is very solid the attitude is

25:42 ↗ super positive it's not about the

25:45 ↗ signing Bo so he was really happy that

25:50 ↗ was really happy all that you're doing

25:54 ↗ CH so that's police um Court of course

25:59 ↗ is another key component we've talked a

26:01 ↗ little bit uh already through the court

26:04 ↗ the last several months about some

26:05 ↗ issues at the court uh the court

26:08 ↗ Staffing is generally fine uh we'll be

26:10 ↗ recommending um taking a a part-time FTE

26:13 ↗ and making it full time uh but the court

26:15 ↗ Staffing the the city staff that work at

26:18 ↗ the court we we feel comfortable the

26:20 ↗ challenges of the Court are the

26:23 ↗ prosecutor and the public offender um

26:25 ↗ you are I think mostly aware that

26:27 ↗ washingon State the Supreme Court which

26:30 ↗ has jurisdiction over case load for

26:32 ↗ public defenders is considering a

26:34 ↗ initiative that would take down the case

26:37 ↗ load by 2third of what an individual

26:41 ↗ public depender can have um so that is

26:44 ↗ going to have a huge impact on us

26:45 ↗ needless to say uh if that passes us and

26:48 ↗ everyone other municipality that FES

26:50 ↗ Court um so we are looking to be mindful

26:53 ↗ on costs there and we'll talk a little

26:54 ↗ bit more uh throughout the presentation

26:57 ↗ about that um the city prosecutor the

27:01 ↗ mobile a firm who's been with us for

27:03 ↗ number of years excellent job she CH is

27:06 ↗ having challenges of finding uh folks to

27:10 ↗ represent us um and we are going to need

27:12 ↗ to look more dollars there the third

27:15 ↗ piece uh to the court issues are

27:17 ↗ facilities uh we've talked about that as

27:19 ↗ well and we'll talk more about that

27:21 ↗ later on this morning this afternoon uh

27:24 ↗ the final piece of our Public Safety

27:26 ↗ Justice portion of the budget is fire e

27:29 ↗ Side Fire and Rescue 8.5 million of our

27:32 ↗ budget which we pay in Easy monthly

27:35 ↗ payments they uh do an excellent

27:37 ↗ excellent job they are working on their

27:40 ↗ budget process and then let us know

27:42 ↗ they're looking for a 177% increase uh

27:44 ↗ to their um fees that are we are charged

27:48 ↗ for fire service uh that is a lot of

27:51 ↗ money um they too like us have their own

27:55 ↗ Staffing challenges wage challenges

27:57 ↗ equipment facilities challenges uh but

28:00 ↗ they also set a level of service uh that

28:04 ↗ you as the city council do not have

28:06 ↗ direct Authority Representatives on the

28:09 ↗ eer board working with colleagues do but

28:12 ↗ we do not and so one of the things we

28:15 ↗ have to Grapple with is can we afford uh

28:18 ↗ the level of service that e wishes to

28:20 ↗ provide in the community um and what

28:22 ↗ impacts that have on the rest of the

28:24 ↗ city budget uh when you take um that

28:27 ↗ addition increase on top of the already

28:30 ↗ $8 half million that we spent so when

28:32 ↗ you look at 16 million for fire eight uh

28:35 ↗ 6 million for police 8 and a. half

28:37 ↗ million for fire and a court budget

28:40 ↗ that's about $1 A5 million doar um

28:43 ↗ Administration is going to be coming to

28:45 ↗ with a budget that says that's the

28:47 ↗ beginning that's the things we need to

28:49 ↗ do everything else is nice to have um

28:52 ↗ and I want to talk about the long list

28:54 ↗ of nice to have um in our public works

28:57 ↗ department as you know over the last

28:58 ↗ five years we went from having two

29:00 ↗ separate departments to one Department

29:03 ↗ um with the able leadership of Emily

29:04 ↗ Moon we really have been able to uh gel

29:08 ↗ that group together on the engineering

29:10 ↗ side we've been able to staff up to have

29:13 ↗ the people that we need to deliver

29:14 ↗ capital projects one of the things I

29:16 ↗ heard five years ago is why do we have

29:18 ↗ this long list of capital projects they

29:19 ↗ never get done or you promis that

29:21 ↗ they're going to get done and they don't

29:22 ↗ then happen on the time frame that you

29:24 ↗ have so we work very diligently in a

29:26 ↗ very difficult labor market

29:28 ↗ to find staff to do that um now our

29:31 ↗ challenge will be how do we pay for some

29:33 ↗ of those projects many of which are

29:35 ↗ funded through uh internal service funds

29:37 ↗ or outside grants uh but that is going

29:39 ↗ to remain a challenge on the the

29:41 ↗ maintenance side again a lot of

29:43 ↗ frustration from the council why are we

29:46 ↗ investing in infrastructure and not

29:47 ↗ properly maintaining it so we've been

29:49 ↗ able to raise uh uh the budgets over the

29:51 ↗ last several years uh for contracts for

29:54 ↗ pavment management we've been able to

29:56 ↗ bring on and keep staff to do uh the

29:59 ↗ maintenance of our streets of our STM

30:03 ↗ water our water Ur Utility Systems um

30:07 ↗ but all that comes at a cost and so as

30:09 ↗ we look at budget reductions

30:12 ↗ unfortunately looking at the money that

30:14 ↗ we invest on the public work side is

30:16 ↗ going to be among among those issues

30:19 ↗ we're going to need to talk with you

30:20 ↗ about um transportation is also part of

30:23 ↗ that um Community has said

30:26 ↗ transportation is this number one

30:27 ↗ priority we have put together I think a

30:29 ↗ great team on the infrastructure side to

30:32 ↗ look at smart Transportation initiatives

30:35 ↗ we have invested hundreds of thousands

30:38 ↗ of dollars in things like um Transit

30:42 ↗ shared Riot Services uh with great staff

30:45 ↗ to work these issues um all of that is

30:48 ↗ jeopardy um and we will need to decide

30:51 ↗ um where does that fit in C as much of

30:53 ↗ that is paid for

30:54 ↗ with um Community Planning and

30:56 ↗ Development those velopment Services

30:59 ↗ five years ago and uh probably was on

31:01 ↗ the top well absolutely was on the top

31:03 ↗ of Mayor Paulie's list uh and was on the

31:06 ↗ top of many of your lists of things that

31:08 ↗ we just didn't do very well we had land

31:10 ↗ use code uh that didn't make sense um we

31:13 ↗ had processing times that were

31:16 ↗ ridiculous um and change was needed and

31:18 ↗ change was made um and we have an

31:20 ↗ entirely new team managing that

31:22 ↗ department we still have work to do U

31:25 ↗ there but uh as we as you have seen and

31:29 ↗ we will talk more about um development

31:31 ↗ in isqua remains a challenge uh with the

31:34 ↗ national economy construction loans um

31:38 ↗ certainly the creation of Title 18 makes

31:40 ↗ development and isqua continues to make

31:42 ↗ it a challenge and so with that we've

31:45 ↗ had budgeted dollars for permits that

31:48 ↗ are not happening and budgeted dollars

31:51 ↗ for sales tax for construction materials

31:54 ↗ aren't happen so that is all uh an

31:57 ↗ impact there we are committed to

32:00 ↗ continue to make sure that we have staff

32:02 ↗ in place in community Planning and

32:03 ↗ Development to process permits to do

32:06 ↗ proper inspections um so we're committed

32:08 ↗ to continue to do that but the revenue

32:10 ↗ that they're generating and have been

32:12 ↗ budgeted to generate has gone down

32:15 ↗ significantly on the park side um we've

32:18 ↗ uh We've made changes we've took Park

32:20 ↗ maintenance and moved it two parks and I

32:23 ↗ think uh with the Staffing changes we've

32:25 ↗ made there our Parks um and and uh and

32:29 ↗ uh maintenance of our RightWay is just

32:32 ↗ outstanding and so we've been able to

32:33 ↗ hire great people manage them

32:36 ↗ appropriately and that's worked great um

32:38 ↗ also we have added Park Rangers we've

32:41 ↗ added Urban Forest managers uh to really

32:44 ↗ again listening to the community the

32:45 ↗ community saying we live here because we

32:48 ↗ value the Open Spaces we want uh trees

32:51 ↗ planted we want Trails maintained we

32:53 ↗ want nice parks and so we have invested

32:55 ↗ money now some of that is coming out of

32:58 ↗ our storm waterer dollars but not all of

33:00 ↗ that and so as we look at that as we

33:01 ↗ look at we have two Park planners again

33:04 ↗ uh working on a park strategic plan

33:06 ↗ implementing projects um those are all

33:09 ↗ wonderful nice to have things much of is

33:11 ↗ paid for by the general fund and so as

33:13 ↗ we look at that moving forward uh on the

33:16 ↗ recreation side we have people wanting

33:18 ↗ to participate in our programs uh one of

33:21 ↗ the biggest surprises of calendar year

33:23 ↗ 23 budgeting was the sheer amount of

33:26 ↗ money that our parks programs bring in

33:28 ↗ hundreds of thousands of dollars over

33:30 ↗ budget uh in Revenue uh so that is a

33:33 ↗ growth industry and we don't want to cut

33:35 ↗ that off uh but we also have to be

33:37 ↗ mindful how much the general fund uh

33:39 ↗ supports Park recreation programs um

33:43 ↗ then we turn to our internal Services uh

33:46 ↗ the finance department um lots of good

33:48 ↗ talented people um you know we I think

33:51 ↗ had Beth Goldberg's uh time as Finance

33:55 ↗ director really turned around the

33:56 ↗ department that

33:58 ↗ um that needed to be turned around and

34:00 ↗ we have good people doing outstanding

34:02 ↗ work using systems that generally make

34:05 ↗ sense however that is all general fund

34:07 ↗ supported so we're going to need to be

34:09 ↗ mindful of the costs associated uh there

34:13 ↗ same thing with human resources um we

34:16 ↗ have hired hundreds of Staff in the last

34:19 ↗ five years and then all of those require

34:21 ↗ recruitments and onboarding and policies

34:24 ↗ procedures of folks who don't make it

34:26 ↗ have to be offboard

34:28 ↗ um so we have a very substantial human

34:31 ↗ resource uh function right now including

34:33 ↗ a recruitment and retention coordinator

34:36 ↗ uh to help uh us work with our staff to

34:38 ↗ help provide better training all of

34:40 ↗ that's General funded um we're going to

34:42 ↗ have to look very closely at that um on

34:46 ↗ the administrative Services side five

34:47 ↗ years ago we didn't have an

34:48 ↗ administrative Services Department we

34:50 ↗ had a very talented assistant to the

34:51 ↗ city administrator who over time picked

34:53 ↗ up uh additional responsibilities uh we

34:56 ↗ converted that into a department uh that

35:00 ↗ contains information technology

35:02 ↗ Communications um which is what Autumn's

35:04 ↗ portfolio was and then added Fleet uh

35:07 ↗ and and Facilities to that um it we've

35:11 ↗ been so and I hate to say this too loud

35:14 ↗ uh so well served uh by our information

35:17 ↗ technology look at what we were able to

35:19 ↗ do uh pivoting into the pandemic what we

35:22 ↗ were able to do continuing with uh

35:25 ↗ perhaps some of the highest percentage

35:26 ↗ of remote work for office staff of

35:28 ↗ anyone anywhere um a lot of that comes

35:31 ↗ from a very solid it um Foundation all

35:35 ↗ much of which is funded by the general

35:36 ↗ fund so we're going to need to continue

35:38 ↗ to be mindful there our Communications

35:41 ↗ uh staff there is no press as you all

35:43 ↗ well know uh that cover what happens

35:46 ↗ here how do people find out about the

35:48 ↗ good work that we do as a city

35:50 ↗ government let alone the good things

35:52 ↗ that are happening in the community

35:53 ↗ largely falls on our um uh ways we reach

35:57 ↗ out the community um our social media

36:00 ↗ per capita has the highest number of

36:03 ↗ followers of any community in the region

36:07 ↗ um it's truly outstanding um all that is

36:09 ↗ general fund supported um on the fleet

36:12 ↗ side Fleet is an issue we still haven't

36:15 ↗ fixed um we we look to have the

36:18 ↗ Departments and the funding sources of

36:20 ↗ those departments fund lead operations

36:23 ↗ um we continue to work diligently on

36:25 ↗ that it's still not right um add on to

36:28 ↗ that changes in the marketplace

36:30 ↗ especially with police where there is

36:32 ↗ now an expectation that every patrol

36:34 ↗ officer have a vehicle how much does a

36:38 ↗ Cruiser cost these days to one before

36:41 ↗ you even outfit

36:46 ↗ It uped Whatever number you want yeah

36:50 ↗ like

36:52 ↗ $80,000 around for the fully loaded

36:56 ↗ fully loaded so

36:58 ↗ every patrol officer expects to get an

36:59 ↗ $80,000 vehicle to drive home every

37:01 ↗ night um because every other community

37:04 ↗ around us does it so while the the issue

37:08 ↗ of ass signing bonus perhaps has not

37:09 ↗ been as much of an issue certainly I

37:12 ↗ think in please correct me if I'm wrong

37:13 ↗ chief that is an issue that people want

37:16 ↗ that take home be is that a first

37:18 ↗ statement it is it's also a benefit

37:21 ↗ because when we need them to come in and

37:22 ↗ we've had several instances lately we

37:25 ↗ had people have had to come in and

37:27 ↗ respond urg so it's nice having the

37:29 ↗ community but that is something that all

37:31 ↗ the other urgencies have people in down

37:33 ↗ in Pierce County that are have County

37:36 ↗ cars in Seattle cars

37:39 ↗ so but an additional expense one that we

37:41 ↗ did not have uh we still don't again as

37:44 ↗ I say have all of this figured out we're

37:47 ↗ in good company many communities don't

37:49 ↗ uh but uh and then as we look at

37:51 ↗ converting the fleet from internal

37:53 ↗ combustion engines to electric vehicles

37:56 ↗ uh there are costs associated with that

37:58 ↗ there's cost associated with charging um

38:01 ↗ fleet vehicles um all things that uh um

38:04 ↗ we look to the general fund then the

38:06 ↗ final piece of administrative Services

38:08 ↗ um has been facilities um the approach

38:11 ↗ of the city for facilities was

38:13 ↗ facilities fixed the clog toilet when

38:16 ↗ there was a problem and that's what

38:18 ↗ facilities did uh there was very little

38:21 ↗ that was done to be proactive on the

38:22 ↗ maintenance of our facilities

38:26 ↗ um very little done to look at space

38:28 ↗ planning look at Future needs um and we

38:31 ↗ knew this was a problem and so we moved

38:34 ↗ facilities from uh Parks Community

38:36 ↗ Services two administrative Services

38:38 ↗ hired a new manager NG uh justice uh and

38:43 ↗ now have I think an outstanding group

38:46 ↗ dealing with facilities not only dealing

38:47 ↗ with st maintenance but also dealing

38:50 ↗ with what our our you know small medium

38:53 ↗ and long-term needs are uh on facilities

38:56 ↗ much of that is general f costs um and

39:00 ↗ so as we are getting our handle on that

39:02 ↗ we also have to balance how much money

39:04 ↗ do we spend again not only on the big

39:06 ↗ things we've spend a lot of time talking

39:08 ↗ about but just the daytoday uh facility

39:10 ↗ needs of of all of our of our city

39:13 ↗ facilities and then there's the

39:14 ↗ executive uh Administration piece um we

39:18 ↗ changed a couple of years ago City

39:19 ↗ attorney um the uh amount of money that

39:23 ↗ I think Madrona law has saved the city

39:25 ↗ at the time that they've been here has

39:27 ↗ been

39:28 ↗ a lot um the downside is the amount of

39:31 ↗ money we spend on City Attorney Services

39:33 ↗ has increased substantially so in my

39:36 ↗ mind it's a wash rather spend the money

39:38 ↗ up front and be better lawyered uh this

39:41 ↗ organization was not well lawyered um we

39:45 ↗ had an attorney that came to meetings um

39:49 ↗ they were not asked to do anything more

39:50 ↗ they did not offer to do anything more

39:52 ↗ and we have spent millions and millions

39:55 ↗ and millions of dollars over the course

39:57 ↗ of the last certainly five years if not

39:59 ↗ longer dealing with that and we now have

40:02 ↗ a City attorney staff that are

40:04 ↗ integrated into the organization at

40:05 ↗ every level work with all key staff

40:08 ↗ members on everything from land use

40:10 ↗ projects from once an application is

40:13 ↗ file uh to contracts and keos and uh

40:18 ↗ fish colberts and all the other uh

40:21 ↗ things that that come before the city um

40:24 ↗ which is great and we can't do it any

40:26 ↗ other way um but the costs associated

40:28 ↗ with having that Daily City attorney

40:31 ↗ support are more than they were prior

40:34 ↗ the city clerk's office we have the best

40:35 ↗ city clerk operation in the United

40:37 ↗ States I would put us up against any any

40:40 ↗ city clerk operation um and it's three

40:44 ↗ it's three and a little bit FTE um but

40:48 ↗ what we've been able to do uh again with

40:51 ↗ our boards and commissions to make sure

40:53 ↗ that they work seamlessly uh what we've

40:56 ↗ been able to do with the council so it's

40:58 ↗ able to work seamlessly uh public

41:00 ↗ records requests are ridiculous every

41:02 ↗ Community faces it we do it

41:05 ↗ expeditiously and professionally um but

41:08 ↗ there's there are costs associated with

41:11 ↗ that um we when I arrive public records

41:14 ↗ position was vacant because we didn't

41:16 ↗ have money can you imagine what that

41:19 ↗ must been like um so we are so fortunate

41:23 ↗ to have that service um nearly all

41:26 ↗ general fund support that let alone all

41:27 ↗ the records of work that's been done all

41:29 ↗ of that is truly outstanding Economic

41:32 ↗ Development also part of the executive

41:36 ↗ but we're at three FTE that has bounced

41:38 ↗ around with numbers of FTE and location

41:41 ↗ in the organization it's been in the

41:42 ↗ executive office for the last several

41:44 ↗ years um in addition to Economic

41:46 ↗ Development Jen Daves also is our lead

41:49 ↗ housing policy person so as we look at

41:51 ↗ affordable housing uh there's pieces

41:54 ↗ that are in uh Community planning and

41:55 ↗ development but also the pieces

41:57 ↗ uh as far as actually trying to bring

42:00 ↗ housing here do the deals all of that is

42:03 ↗ also an economic development all that

42:05 ↗ general fund supported the office of

42:08 ↗ sustainability huge transformation over

42:11 ↗ the last five years uh great team of uh

42:16 ↗ two two full-time staff plus a Civic

42:19 ↗ spark fellow um that's

42:23 ↗ um it's difficult for me to know exactly

42:26 ↗ how many people

42:29 ↗ clearly we have two and a half now uh

42:32 ↗ supporting a board that didn't exist

42:35 ↗ previously in the environment board we

42:37 ↗ do have a dedicated funding source but

42:39 ↗ that funding source is dedicated by you

42:42 ↗ you could take all of the trash

42:44 ↗ administrative fee and use it to buy

42:45 ↗ police vehicles if you wanted to uh we

42:48 ↗ hear from the community that after

42:51 ↗ Transportation sustainability is is a

42:53 ↗ clear priority um so there is a funding

42:56 ↗ source for that so very work that's

42:59 ↗ there um the last piece on the exec side

43:03 ↗ um all things we really weren't doing on

43:05 ↗ a regular basis before performance

43:06 ↗ measurement Equity um the work with the

43:09 ↗ Strategic plan uh again taking the will

43:12 ↗ of the community uh measuring what we're

43:16 ↗ doing and making the government work

43:18 ↗ better all things that we didn't do five

43:20 ↗ years ago all things funded by the

43:23 ↗ general

43:25 ↗ so that's where we're at um Public

43:29 ↗ Safety justice peace uh the

43:32 ↗ administration is going to propose full

43:34 ↗ funding for that we'll work through

43:37 ↗ epher um I think that there's additional

43:39 ↗ conversations that could be had um the

43:42 ↗ administration is going to need the city

43:43 ↗ council support dealing with your

43:46 ↗ colleagues in other jurisdictions that

43:47 ↗ are part of eer uh to help come up with

43:50 ↗ better Solutions um there there are

43:54 ↗ between esqu samamish 100,000 residents

43:57 ↗ uh covered uh between the residents of

43:59 ↗ our two communities yet there are other

44:01 ↗ smaller communities that sit on the eer

44:03 ↗ board um that also have a voice and I

44:07 ↗ think it's the administration will

44:08 ↗ respectfully request that the council do

44:11 ↗ what you can do to work with your

44:12 ↗ colleagues and samamish U to make sure

44:14 ↗ that the voices of those 100,000

44:16 ↗ residents and the other priorities that

44:18 ↗ are there are appropriately heard um

44:22 ↗ after that is where we really need your

44:25 ↗ help what are the things that most

44:27 ↗ important to you what do you based on

44:29 ↗ everything we hear from the Community

44:31 ↗ Transportation sustainability all

44:34 ↗ important things dealing with the

44:35 ↗ environment trees uh all things we want

44:38 ↗ to do but then we have all the internal

44:40 ↗ Services we have um you know the

44:43 ↗ continued investment uh in our staff

44:47 ↗ Citywide those are all priorities too so

44:49 ↗ I hope that this first half an hour or

44:52 ↗ so at least provide some context and

44:55 ↗ some background

44:57 ↗ um for the additional information that

44:59 ↗ Andrea is going to share here in a

45:00 ↗ moment uh but also for the discussions

45:04 ↗ the percentages we're talking about

45:06 ↗ aren't great but they're not horrible

45:08 ↗ either and I also wantan to you know I

45:10 ↗ guess want to end with sort of the the

45:13 ↗ the aspes the caveats to all this that

45:16 ↗ you know we've tried to come up with

45:18 ↗ what we think is as about worst Cas

45:20 ↗ scenario as possible uh we did get our

45:23 ↗ bill for liability insurance yesterday

45:26 ↗ which went up

45:27 ↗ $45,000 so that's one other one other

45:31 ↗ kick in the teeth um that we're going to

45:33 ↗ have to Grapple with and that's shelter

45:36 ↗ and other things that now are coming

45:39 ↗ home to ro from the Washington City's

45:41 ↗ Insurance Authority but we we'll work on

45:44 ↗ that number as well um but these are

45:47 ↗ still early days the overall percentage

45:49 ↗ even worst case scenario is absolutely

45:51 ↗ doable um but it's going to change how

45:54 ↗ we do business it's going to take away

45:57 ↗ from um I think a some of the good work

45:59 ↗ that we're doing and we're going to have

46:00 ↗ to do less of it in order to fund police

46:03 ↗ fire and

46:05 ↗ Justice that's not in any strategic plan

46:08 ↗ um so thank you for letting me go on for

46:11 ↗ a little while this morning really

46:13 ↗ appreciate it

46:14 ↗ appreciate those of you who are around

46:16 ↗ the table um I've been doing this for 35

46:19 ↗ years um you are among the most

46:22 ↗ thoughtful uh detail oriented council

46:25 ↗ members that I've ever worked with with

46:27 ↗ no one throws chairs no one spits at

46:30 ↗ each other

46:32 ↗ yeah the war still early it's only

46:36 ↗ 955 but but that but that is hugely

46:39 ↗ important because I spent a lot of time

46:41 ↗ working with colleagues around country

46:43 ↗ um who are in Desperate Straits dealing

46:46 ↗ with their elected bodies who do not get

46:49 ↗ long who do not have any commonality in

46:52 ↗ their view of the world their view of

46:54 ↗ the community let alone their view of

46:56 ↗ the world unfortunately the view

46:57 ↗ people's view of the world is now coming

46:59 ↗ home to roost City Halls around America

47:02 ↗ we don't suffer any of that so thank you

47:05 ↗ that have let me take a moment before we

47:08 ↗ get into questions we've got a little

47:10 ↗ bit off agenda here and I just want to

47:13 ↗ take a moment to check in with Andrea

47:16 ↗ we're supposed to do a budget Outlook

47:18 ↗ and have questions on that and

47:19 ↗ administration's priorities and have a

47:22 ↗ discussion about that this went into a

47:24 ↗ lot of the priorities so how do want to

47:27 ↗ kind of approach yeah we have more

47:29 ↗ detail to provide so if there's

47:31 ↗ questions about wanting more detail and

47:33 ↗ information that's really the next

47:35 ↗ segment while I was providing uh an

47:37 ↗ overview of what we're about to go into

47:40 ↗ much more detail over the next hour plus

47:43 ↗ when it comes to our budget Outlook and

47:45 ↗ also more information on those

47:47 ↗ administrative priorities so that next

47:50 ↗ part of the presentation we can go over

47:52 ↗ very quickly because City administrator

47:54 ↗ Bob quitz has already provided a great

47:56 ↗ introduction to this

47:57 ↗ so if possible I'd like to ask to hold

47:59 ↗ questions write them down something like

48:01 ↗ that so that we can get into the Outlook

48:03 ↗ and the priorities being very polite yes

48:07 ↗ yes you were and I am being very much

48:10 ↗ like Hey we're behind our

48:12 ↗ schedule can I just ask an overall

48:15 ↗ question from the budget last year to

48:18 ↗ where we are now um so if we look at the

48:21 ↗ budget from last year it had a forecast

48:23 ↗ of um you know it didn't look like we

48:26 ↗ were going to in deficit for 25 and

48:28 ↗ 26 um but now we're seeing numbers of

48:31 ↗ 4.2 in in the red and 6.3 in the red

48:35 ↗ just from a high level point of view um

48:38 ↗ what changed did the economy crash did

48:40 ↗ we lose a lot of revenue from a source

48:43 ↗ um just the messaging that we can give

48:45 ↗ to yeah let's go expenditures are

48:48 ↗ generally fine it's some of the revenues

48:52 ↗ okay

48:54 ↗ yeah right again thank you

49:01 ↗ and so we'll provide a few more details

49:05 ↗ uh thank you City administrator op for

49:07 ↗ that overview uh wanted to share this

49:12 ↗ slide um just at the top here again we

49:15 ↗ don't want to bury the lead and so um

49:17 ↗ we're going to talk about each of these

49:19 ↗ pieces in a lot more

49:21 ↗ detail uh this this forecast is really

49:25 ↗ looking at our base budget taking

49:29 ↗ 2024 and I'm taking out some of those

49:32 ↗ onetime

49:33 ↗ expenditures adding what we think is

49:35 ↗ going to be inflation CPI is

49:38 ↗ 3.8% uh and then um so looking at those

49:42 ↗ expenditures and then our forecasted

49:45 ↗ revenues which is something that budget

49:47 ↗ manager Susie monel is going to go over

49:49 ↗ in more detail in a little bit so that's

49:52 ↗ what we see here with the deficit

49:53 ↗ numbers um we look at also going to be

49:57 ↗ discussing today potential new revenues

49:59 ↗ to be looking at um we'll discuss that a

50:02 ↗ little bit later in the day um and then

50:04 ↗ these new expenditures the

50:06 ↗ administration's priorities we're going

50:07 ↗ to be talking about that a lot more

50:09 ↗ detail of course City administrator Bob

50:11 ↗ hitz summarized it for us it's Public

50:13 ↗ Safety plus a few other things but

50:15 ↗ really the focus is Public

50:17 ↗ Safety um and so taking all these things

50:20 ↗ together we're looking at okay what is

50:22 ↗ that what does that look like for 2526

50:26 ↗ of course we still have to go through

50:27 ↗ the whole process of budget creation but

50:29 ↗ if we looked at this picture zooming out

50:32 ↗ um what's the general Outlook and so

50:34 ↗ that leaves us with a deficit of 7.2

50:37 ↗ million for to keep that 15% of

50:40 ↗ undesignated fund balance there um and

50:43 ↗ just to give a scale of what 7.2 million

50:46 ↗ means general fund that's 11% of the

50:49 ↗ general fund that's that's a that's a

50:52 ↗ large amount the last time uh that we

50:54 ↗ had to make cuts um it was small on the

50:57 ↗ scale of

50:58 ↗ 5% so and of course as we look into 2026

51:02 ↗ similar similar picture uh so wanted to

51:05 ↗ give you that punchline first we can

51:07 ↗ come back and review this slide once

51:08 ↗ we've talked more about um the the uh

51:11 ↗ forecast of deficit once we've talked

51:13 ↗ more about those potential new revenues

51:15 ↗ and of course the priorities that the

51:17 ↗ administration is going to be proposing

51:19 ↗ today with that I want to bring up

51:21 ↗ Andrea does that include the eeper

51:23 ↗ numbers uh yes this includes the eer

51:26 ↗ numbers

51:27 ↗ this slide includes e numbers yes it

51:29 ↗ does not include WCA since that was late

51:33 ↗ but e numbers it

51:35 ↗ doesn't so just clarification are these

51:39 ↗ compounding numbers or are these we're

51:42 ↗ going to have 7.2 and then we're going

51:44 ↗ to have another 8.4 so so all together

51:48 ↗ we're having like $6 million well so

51:51 ↗ these are these are uh much of the

51:55 ↗ reason for the much of a concern here

51:57 ↗ are ongoing expenditures right and so if

52:01 ↗ we continue spending on certain programs

52:03 ↗ in 25 and keep those programs in 26 um

52:06 ↗ 8.4 then okay so we what we're really

52:11 ↗ looking for as we talk to internally

52:15 ↗ about how to curb expenses for the rest

52:17 ↗ of 2024 um to set us up in a good better

52:21 ↗ position for 25 26 as we look at the

52:23 ↗ drafting of the 2526 budget um is how

52:26 ↗ how we should be addressing those

52:28 ↗ ongoing expenditures to avoid those

52:30 ↗ future uh potential deficits yeah uh so

52:35 ↗ with that Susie you want to come

52:41 ↗ up at some point during this um intro

52:45 ↗ Park could we also whatever your your in

52:48 ↗ terms of how other exper cities

52:50 ↗ experience

52:52 ↗ yeah yeah um so I'm going to go through

52:55 ↗ this slide quickly because well I talked

52:57 ↗ through some of it already but um and

52:59 ↗ there's a lot of details so if you want

53:01 ↗ to look at that in the it might be a

53:03 ↗ little easier to go through each line

53:06 ↗ but the punch line on this line is that

53:08 ↗ Ro highlighted in Red so if we were to

53:12 ↗ uh end each year 2024 five and six at a

53:16 ↗ 15% undesignated uh fundance as a

53:19 ↗ percent of expenditures we would need to

53:21 ↗ reduce in 2024 about 5.3 million 4.2 and

53:26 ↗ 25 and 6.3 to 26 and to your question uh

53:30 ↗ that is cumulative as well so if we were

53:31 ↗ to produce 5.3 million of ongoing

53:34 ↗ expenditures this year that would flow

53:35 ↗ into the next years as

53:37 ↗ well um any questions on this slide

53:41 ↗ before

53:42 ↗ wait so when you I think I didn't

53:46 ↗ understand the last thing you said so if

53:47 ↗ we reduced 5.3 then we would have we

53:51 ↗ wouldn't have to make any additional

53:52 ↗ reductions in the second year because

53:53 ↗ that 5.3 would we would we would have

53:56 ↗ one

53:57 ↗ whatever the okay yeah but then we still

54:00 ↗ need to reduce in 26 so at some point

54:03 ↗ and I'm not expecting today um I would

54:05 ↗ like to understand how we will actually

54:08 ↗ get to a 15% Target I don't think we've

54:11 ↗ ever been below like 22% in the 15 years

54:14 ↗ that have been our counsil and so if

54:16 ↗ we're going to take that 15% Target

54:18 ↗ seriously and if we're going to

54:19 ↗ potentially make uh painful cuts to get

54:22 ↗ to that 15% I really don't want to be at

54:25 ↗ 22 to 25% again in January I'll feel

54:28 ↗ like I've done a disservice to the

54:29 ↗ residents of isqua who are so at some

54:32 ↗ point I want to know how we're going to

54:33 ↗ do things differently such that we

54:35 ↗ aren't going to be in the 20s or even

54:36 ↗ 30s as we have beened

54:39 ↗ abely great um so diving just one layer

54:43 ↗ down into Revenue um so um getting to

54:46 ↗ your question a little bit earlier

54:48 ↗ council member Joe um the primary reason

54:51 ↗ that revenues are coming down are due to

54:54 ↗ sales tax and um Community Planning and

54:57 ↗ Development

54:59 ↗ R um so those two really go hand inand

55:02 ↗ um primarily for sales tax the place

55:05 ↗ where we've seen those continued

55:06 ↗ reductions is in construction related Z

55:08 ↗ STX we've continued to see about 20 to

55:11 ↗ 25% reductions over 23 in which we saw

55:15 ↗ 25 20 to 25% reductions over 22 so that

55:19 ↗ is continuing to decline and that's

55:21 ↗ really why we see it start to come down

55:24 ↗ continuing in 25 and 26 it's primarily

55:27 ↗ that construction related sales tax um

55:30 ↗ the other sales tax sectors have been uh

55:33 ↗ pretty much squill for the most part um

55:35 ↗ over last year so that's good news

55:36 ↗ especially with retail but construction

55:39 ↗ is really having that big impact um and

55:42 ↗ that goes hand inand as I mentioned with

55:44 ↗ the um Community Planning and

55:45 ↗ Development permit revenues as that is

55:47 ↗ highly dependent on new construction as

55:48 ↗ well um or um PR models as well but uh

55:53 ↗ those are the two primary places um as

55:55 ↗ City

55:56 ↗ administrator Bitz mentioned um it is a

56:00 ↗ revenue issue primarily we're not

56:02 ↗ overspending our budget um to your point

56:04 ↗ council member Mars we are very closely

56:06 ↗ watching our expenditures this year um

56:09 ↗ and we'll be working with departments to

56:10 ↗ really forecast where they see UND

56:12 ↗ spense this year to ensure that we can

56:15 ↗ work those into our forecasting and to

56:17 ↗ work those into how we build our 25 26

56:20 ↗ budget Susie if I may I just want to add

56:23 ↗ something about construction sales tax

56:25 ↗ uh it's these are forecasts they are

56:28 ↗ educated estimates but they are still

56:30 ↗ estimates and guesses and with

56:33 ↗ construction sales tax as you all know

56:36 ↗ it's uh very volatile and very volatile

56:38 ↗ for a city of our size so one project

56:42 ↗ can really have a very big impact the

56:45 ↗ problem with construction is it's very

56:47 ↗ hard to figure out exactly when that's

56:49 ↗ going to occur let's take the school

56:51 ↗ district as just an example of a

56:52 ↗ construction project we were on a path

56:55 ↗ for uh building that new Campus of a

56:57 ↗ high school and Elementary School that

56:59 ↗ project's been delayed a couple of years

57:02 ↗ uh they took out part of that project

57:04 ↗ Elementary School it's changed so much

57:06 ↗ over time even though we felt like we

57:08 ↗ were on a pretty steady and predictable

57:10 ↗ trajectory and that's just the example

57:12 ↗ of one project and one such project can

57:15 ↗ have a really big impact on um our sales

57:18 ↗ Tech so as you look at Council has

57:20 ↗ approved this year for example the

57:21 ↗ Lakeside uh we we've talked about the

57:24 ↗ Lakeside development agreement or

57:25 ↗ shelter as well those can be very large

57:27 ↗ projects for the city of isqua exactly

57:29 ↗ when we can expect the the construction

57:32 ↗ to occur permit revenues to occur very

57:35 ↗ difficult to for forecast and so what we

57:37 ↗ try to do is we try to make sure that

57:39 ↗ we're forecasting and estimating

57:40 ↗ responsibly so not always taking into

57:43 ↗ account those large projects and banking

57:46 ↗ on them happening within one year um

57:48 ↗ because they may not and you know

57:50 ↗ interest rates may change whatever may

57:52 ↗ happen that can affect those projects

57:54 ↗ and completely change them so um

57:56 ↗ construction sales tax is very difficult

57:58 ↗ to forecast sales tax itself is also

58:00 ↗ volatile and so this is this is our best

58:03 ↗ estimate trying to be responsible with

58:04 ↗ how we estimate what to expect in the

58:06 ↗ coming

58:08 ↗ years thank you um I'm I'm kind of

58:11 ↗ curious about sales tax and it really

58:13 ↗ reflects our I want to dig into a little

58:15 ↗ bit about what we're thinking inflation

58:17 ↗ is going to do and what's going to

58:18 ↗ happen with CPI because sales tax is one

58:20 ↗ of the few things that naturally

58:22 ↗ occurring adjust to to increases in cost

58:26 ↗ so what are we projecting or what are we

58:28 ↗ thinking is going to happen with

58:29 ↗ inflation over the next um threee period

58:32 ↗ two and a half year period you want to

58:34 ↗ go into your reception sure yeah um so

58:37 ↗ in looking at historical actuals in

58:40 ↗ comparison to where interest rates have

58:42 ↗ been and not interest rates inflation

58:45 ↗ yeah and inflation both um as they both

58:47 ↗ have a strong impact on on sales taxs

58:51 ↗ but um looking at historicals and tied

58:54 ↗ to what we actually received they do

58:56 ↗ have a fair Fairly large impact so we

58:59 ↗ are

59:00 ↗ anticipating the um the CPI built in to

59:04 ↗ those assumptions forward hly CPI for 26

59:08 ↗ is a little bit of a mystery the um CPI

59:11 ↗ numbers have been going up and down a

59:13 ↗ little bit um over the last few years as

59:15 ↗ you may recall in 2021 I believe it was

59:17 ↗ it was above

59:18 ↗ 10% so um we're looking at 3.8 for the

59:22 ↗ June to June um that just came out and

59:25 ↗ that is good news to us we did not think

59:27 ↗ it would be that low um that said um in

59:31 ↗ looking at the actuals it's been

59:33 ↗ interesting to see how revenues have

59:35 ↗ actually stayed fairly flat outside of

59:38 ↗ um construction so that interplay

59:41 ↗ between inflation and where costs have

59:44 ↗ been higher and how consumption plays

59:47 ↗ into that it's been interesting to see

59:49 ↗ that those have stayed relatively flot

59:51 ↗ over the last couple years um

59:54 ↗ primarily um and there's a question

59:56 ↗ earlier about what this looks like

59:58 ↗ regionally um we're seeing the same

1:00:01 ↗ regionally everywhere in hearing from

1:00:02 ↗ other cities um everyone is considering

1:00:05 ↗ fairly large reductions right now um uh

1:00:08 ↗ that's both local and County it's a it's

1:00:12 ↗ not a great economic Outlook at the

1:00:13 ↗ moment and we're not

1:00:15 ↗ alone um so uh that is my uh overview I

1:00:21 ↗ can hand it back to Andrea unless there

1:00:22 ↗ are other questions on

1:00:29 ↗ oh I'm sorry I

1:00:31 ↗ actually sorry so um I looked over the

1:00:35 ↗ February memo Retreat memo that we had

1:00:38 ↗ too this one of the key takeaways from

1:00:41 ↗ that was yeah sales takes sales tax is

1:00:44 ↗ not where we thought it was going to be

1:00:45 ↗ but utility taxes

1:00:47 ↗ over are Returns on some Investments are

1:00:51 ↗ overperforming and so that's kind of

1:00:53 ↗ helped but those are volatile is that

1:00:55 ↗ the same

1:00:56 ↗ are we still tracking that the same way

1:00:58 ↗ now that it's July terms of utility tax

1:01:01 ↗ yes thank you for asking about utility

1:01:03 ↗ tax that is a ray of good news um so uh

1:01:07 ↗ but maybe not for the best reasons so

1:01:09 ↗ utility tax we Contin we're forecasting

1:01:12 ↗ increases primarily due to rate

1:01:14 ↗ increases um and not primarily our own

1:01:17 ↗ so looking at um Natural Gas and

1:01:19 ↗ Electric primarily psse is really

1:01:21 ↗ increasing their rates over the next

1:01:23 ↗ couple years I think I saw natural gases

1:01:25 ↗ going up up by over

1:01:28 ↗ 10% um so that does translate to higher

1:01:32 ↗ utility tax um that also does include

1:01:35 ↗ our projected um our already adopted

1:01:37 ↗ rate increases for our own City run

1:01:39 ↗ Utilities in

1:01:40 ↗ 25 um so there are uh some good news on

1:01:45 ↗ that but probably not the best reasons

1:01:47 ↗ for why it's good news um and on

1:01:50 ↗ investment interest um that's another

1:01:52 ↗ one that continues to perform well the

1:01:54 ↗ last couple years were an outlier on how

1:01:56 ↗ much we got but it's continuing to still

1:01:58 ↗ be fairly High

1:02:02 ↗ um we are expecting uh Investments not

1:02:06 ↗ to perform as well as um we expect

1:02:08 ↗ interest rates to fall and so we have we

1:02:11 ↗ have a number of Investments with the

1:02:13 ↗ state that have been historic highs and

1:02:17 ↗ um all of my peers and other communities

1:02:19 ↗ are expecting that to pretty much tank

1:02:21 ↗ next year back to normal low low returns

1:02:24 ↗ for very stable steady Investments so um

1:02:28 ↗ that's probably not going to be our

1:02:30 ↗ saving gas in 25

1:02:37 ↗ 26 okay so um we can dive right into our

1:02:41 ↗ Administration priorities um despite all

1:02:44 ↗ of these challenges with the budget we

1:02:46 ↗ still have things that we believe are

1:02:47 ↗ very urgent very important things that

1:02:49 ↗ we need to address the 25 and 26 City

1:02:52 ↗ administrator Bob quids gave a nice

1:02:54 ↗ overview of those things um here here's

1:02:56 ↗ here's some round numbers to understand

1:02:58 ↗ the budgetary impacts and we're going to

1:02:59 ↗ go over some of these items in a lot

1:03:01 ↗ more detail uh the items with asteris

1:03:04 ↗ that you see are a one time costs

1:03:07 ↗ everything else on this list are ongoing

1:03:09 ↗ and we'll have ongoing impacts onto the

1:03:11 ↗ budget so we're going to talk more

1:03:12 ↗ specifically about Personnel ads um at a

1:03:15 ↗ time like this we may be facing

1:03:17 ↗ reductions um but we also have some key

1:03:20 ↗ positions that we think are really

1:03:21 ↗ urgent uh for Council to consider adding

1:03:23 ↗ to the budget we're going to go over

1:03:25 ↗ those in more detail

1:03:26 ↗ next uh salary adjustments to market

1:03:28 ↗ we've been doing a market study and

1:03:32 ↗ understanding are the wages we pair we

1:03:34 ↗ pay our staff competitive to other

1:03:36 ↗ cities U while we want to provide high

1:03:39 ↗ quality service to our community we need

1:03:42 ↗ to make sure that we're not losing them

1:03:45 ↗ uh losing our employees who provide the

1:03:46 ↗ service to other communities and that

1:03:48 ↗ we're able to retain staff and that

1:03:50 ↗ remains a priority for the

1:03:50 ↗ administration is to retain staff um so

1:03:54 ↗ we've we've done uh a survey of how our

1:03:57 ↗ wages compare across the market and we

1:04:00 ↗ believe we need to make a few

1:04:02 ↗ adjustments to the tune of about

1:04:03 ↗ $200,000 in the next year and is that so

1:04:07 ↗ that is our current Personnel without

1:04:10 ↗ the Personnel ads that we are you're

1:04:13 ↗ also looking at correct so salary

1:04:16 ↗ adjustments to Market are accounting for

1:04:18 ↗ the current Personnel that we have who

1:04:20 ↗ we feel are underpaid in relation to

1:04:22 ↗ peer cities okay thanks um we also a

1:04:27 ↗ city administrator Bob Co talked about

1:04:29 ↗ leasing costs uh for court and council

1:04:32 ↗ chambers as well um we've talked a lot

1:04:34 ↗ about facilities there's dedicated time

1:04:37 ↗ on this agenda today this afternoon to

1:04:39 ↗ talk more about facilities so we're

1:04:41 ↗ going to be doing that later but

1:04:42 ↗ definitely wanted to account for them um

1:04:45 ↗ here in this chart Fort operating

1:04:47 ↗ expenses we've talked in the past

1:04:49 ↗ there's another slide following this to

1:04:51 ↗ break those out a little bit more but

1:04:53 ↗ we've talked about public defender costs

1:04:56 ↗ prosecutor costs making sure that again

1:04:58 ↗ we're paying competitive um uh

1:05:03 ↗ competitive in our contracts for service

1:05:04 ↗ on that so we don't lose Public Defense

1:05:07 ↗ staff who were critical so we don't lose

1:05:08 ↗ our prosecutor so we anticipate some

1:05:11 ↗ increases to those more detail in a

1:05:13 ↗ little bit um question about the public

1:05:16 ↗ defender um I know we um contract court

1:05:18 ↗ services to a number of other cities do

1:05:21 ↗ we also um contract Public Defender

1:05:23 ↗ Services or in some cases yes yeah yep y

1:05:27 ↗ so we will be looking at our court

1:05:29 ↗ contracts to be able to make sure that

1:05:31 ↗ those cities are paying that is supp and

1:05:34 ↗ providing subsid to other city

1:05:37 ↗ services so I know the safety secur

1:05:40 ↗ safety whatever

1:05:42 ↗ SSP we received a request from uh judge

1:05:47 ↗ Stewart and does its number reflect that

1:05:49 ↗ request or yes okay so this is exactly

1:05:52 ↗ what they were asking for yes and and

1:05:55 ↗ we've done our own research so we'll go

1:05:56 ↗ into it a little bit but we've done our

1:05:58 ↗ own research into what are other cities

1:06:00 ↗ paying um what are other cities doing so

1:06:02 ↗ we're not just necessarily taking the

1:06:04 ↗ information from our judge and just the

1:06:06 ↗ information from our prosecutor for

1:06:07 ↗ example we did um a survey of trying to

1:06:10 ↗ find out again what is the market look

1:06:11 ↗ like how can we stay competitive uh

1:06:14 ↗ giving these Changing Times uh and the

1:06:17 ↗ need for uh judges the need for public

1:06:20 ↗ defenders

1:06:23 ↗ Etc um we've talked about he Side Fire

1:06:26 ↗ and Rescue and they have asked for an

1:06:28 ↗ additional of 1.7 in 202 five and a bit

1:06:33 ↗ more than that in 2026 that's something

1:06:36 ↗ that council member Hall uh and I are

1:06:39 ↗ still trying to sore through um as of

1:06:41 ↗ yesterday the the CFOs and finance

1:06:44 ↗ directors of the member cities um all

1:06:48 ↗ decided to gather together and uh we're

1:06:51 ↗ meeting on Monday to discuss further

1:06:53 ↗ there's lots of questions that we have

1:06:55 ↗ of East Side Fire Rescue so um there

1:06:58 ↗ will be a lot more discussions about

1:06:59 ↗ this yeah I'm I'm sorry I'm just full of

1:07:01 ↗ questions today on the East Side Fire

1:07:03 ↗ and Rescue stuff while you're digging

1:07:05 ↗ into the budget can you see what the

1:07:07 ↗ financial benefit if any to us of having

1:07:10 ↗ lots of contract cities is and enumerate

1:07:13 ↗ that because I'm not 100% sure that

1:07:14 ↗ that's beneficial to us and we've added

1:07:17 ↗ all these contract cities I I just want

1:07:19 ↗ to see the numbers yeah yeah and that's

1:07:21 ↗ yeah part part of that's in the slides

1:07:22 ↗ show okay cool oh yeah by the way if you

1:07:25 ↗ don't find

1:07:26 ↗ just

1:07:28 ↗ say anyone has questions about St I've

1:07:31 ↗ already told

1:07:33 ↗ you I put down a few already so that's

1:07:37 ↗ that's that' be awesome I also think

1:07:39 ↗ that Chief Lane should watch your

1:07:41 ↗ discussion that he should get link to

1:07:42 ↗ the video because you're talking about

1:07:44 ↗ the state of our city and he needs to

1:07:47 ↗ understand that yeah and just a quick

1:07:50 ↗ question uh and I think I asked Council

1:07:52 ↗ B Hall this earlier um is my

1:07:56 ↗ understanding that this is the first

1:07:57 ↗ increase that they've asked for for in

1:08:00 ↗ other words we went several years

1:08:02 ↗ without a request for an

1:08:04 ↗ increase yeah there um yeah so they have

1:08:07 ↗ several funds within their budget just

1:08:09 ↗ like the city does some of those funds

1:08:12 ↗ um the partners have contributed to um

1:08:16 ↗ indirectly through using their ending

1:08:18 ↗ fund balance so they have spent down

1:08:20 ↗ some of their ending fund balance um

1:08:23 ↗ that's kind of essential they've shifted

1:08:24 ↗ a little bit of money around but

1:08:26 ↗ that is true um so we have not been they

1:08:28 ↗ haven't asked for a lot of increases

1:08:30 ↗ from us over the past few years during

1:08:32 ↗ the pandemic we really from what I

1:08:35 ↗ understand the board wanted them to

1:08:37 ↗ control their costs because a lot of the

1:08:38 ↗ Cities needed to control their costs as

1:08:40 ↗ well um that said we're still at a time

1:08:44 ↗ where I think samamish has similar

1:08:45 ↗ budgetary concerns as isqua maybe not

1:08:48 ↗ exactly but they expressed them in the

1:08:50 ↗ meeting that we had earlier this week um

1:08:52 ↗ and so cities are still crunched to

1:08:54 ↗ respond to council member uh Hall's

1:08:56 ↗ question early about how are our peers

1:08:58 ↗ doing um many of the cities are in the

1:09:00 ↗ same boat and are concerned because um

1:09:02 ↗ there's some significant cost increases

1:09:05 ↗ that as FR is asking

1:09:08 ↗ for I want to ask the question a little

1:09:10 ↗ bit differently um for all of our major

1:09:15 ↗ elements um I continue to want to look

1:09:18 ↗ at real at per capita costs in real

1:09:20 ↗ dollars so you know at some point I

1:09:23 ↗ don't know if it's today but want to

1:09:25 ↗ look at epher another way to think about

1:09:27 ↗ the last few years is what's the you

1:09:30 ↗ know long-term trend line of per capita

1:09:33 ↗ cost in real dollars right and the

1:09:34 ↗ reason real dollars is so important is

1:09:37 ↗ as we've seen inflation as we were

1:09:38 ↗ talking about just a few minutes ago you

1:09:40 ↗ can correct your wall somewhat um and

1:09:43 ↗ get to really uh what is that trend line

1:09:47 ↗ right if if we actually saw you know if

1:09:49 ↗ there hadn't been any increases for a

1:09:51 ↗ while you actually see that number come

1:09:52 ↗ down for a while and then start to come

1:09:53 ↗ back up that looks different than uh you

1:09:56 ↗ know costs that are keeping track uh

1:09:58 ↗ keeping Pace with inflation and then all

1:10:00 ↗ of a sudden seeing an increase that's a

1:10:02 ↗ completely different uh uh you know uh

1:10:06 ↗ leadership challenge so that I'm going

1:10:09 ↗ to continue to want to see uh those kind

1:10:11 ↗ of numbers or point me to where I go

1:10:13 ↗ calculate

1:10:16 ↗ them Andrea just a question about uh

1:10:19 ↗ conversation that's been in background

1:10:20 ↗ for a long time for reer but never

1:10:22 ↗ actually made it to the table was that

1:10:24 ↗ the funding for is based on expenses and

1:10:26 ↗ not revenues and is actually generates

1:10:29 ↗ more revenues than other cities but gets

1:10:31 ↗ no credit for that and so is there an

1:10:33 ↗ option to say that this is the year that

1:10:36 ↗ that has to be built into the the

1:10:38 ↗ formula so we pay more uh we also

1:10:42 ↗ generate more Revenue but we don't get

1:10:44 ↗ any credit for them so we're actually

1:10:45 ↗ bearing more of the burden than any of

1:10:47 ↗ the other jurisdictions in the

1:10:49 ↗ membership so it's it's when they

1:10:52 ↗ haven't wanted to talk about well I

1:10:54 ↗ think they need to talk about

1:10:58 ↗ thank you m

1:11:00 ↗ pa

1:11:02 ↗ um we haven't talked about this Equity

1:11:05 ↗ assessment let me take a second to do

1:11:07 ↗ that um it's something that the

1:11:09 ↗ administration would like to propose um

1:11:13 ↗ and uh what we're looking at is we've

1:11:15 ↗ had some and we've heard also some input

1:11:18 ↗ from the equity board that one of the

1:11:20 ↗ difficulties is we try to align our

1:11:21 ↗ budget more according to equity

1:11:23 ↗ principles right we've done this with

1:11:25 ↗ this CIP with different criteria in the

1:11:26 ↗ CIP trying to infuse Equity into

1:11:29 ↗ everything that we do we look at the

1:11:31 ↗ city budget um it's a little more

1:11:33 ↗ difficult for us to do that in this than

1:11:36 ↗ maybe some other cities other cities

1:11:37 ↗ have um areas of of town that maybe have

1:11:41 ↗ had less investment so it makes it more

1:11:43 ↗ obvious okay we need to we need to

1:11:45 ↗ invest more in parks in this part of

1:11:46 ↗ town or we need to invest more in

1:11:48 ↗ sidewalks and other pieces of

1:11:49 ↗ infrastructure in this part of town is

1:11:51 ↗ is not exactly uh like other cities in

1:11:54 ↗ that way and so as we look at trying to

1:11:57 ↗ um better affect Equitable outcomes for

1:12:00 ↗ the community um we need a little bit of

1:12:02 ↗ help in understanding where those gaps

1:12:04 ↗ are so to do an assessment on how we

1:12:07 ↗ deliver service to the community and

1:12:10 ↗ where are those gaps that we need to be

1:12:12 ↗ addressing um so that's really the goal

1:12:14 ↗ of what this Equity assessment is uh the

1:12:16 ↗ intent is for us to talk uh a little bit

1:12:18 ↗ more about it during the budget process

1:12:20 ↗ uh we want to talk more about it with

1:12:22 ↗ the uh Equity board as well but it's

1:12:24 ↗ something that they have recommended and

1:12:25 ↗ it's a new priority that I wanted to

1:12:27 ↗ highlight fre quickly

1:12:29 ↗ today can I gently push back on that um

1:12:33 ↗ I think squawk mountain and South Cove

1:12:37 ↗ and uh what's the one above Fred Meer I

1:12:39 ↗ just that neighood the black nugget area

1:12:42 ↗ no no no the the one

1:12:44 ↗ we over there yeah I think those three

1:12:47 ↗ neighborhoods are

1:12:50 ↗ underinvested they have a inadequate

1:12:52 ↗ sidewalks they have inadequate parks

1:12:55 ↗ um I think that they look very different

1:12:58 ↗ than the more recent developed parts of

1:13:00 ↗ the city and while they are certainly

1:13:03 ↗ they do not have uh you know the housing

1:13:07 ↗ is it's it's fine housing stock and all

1:13:09 ↗ that I think that the residents in those

1:13:11 ↗ three areas have said time and time

1:13:13 ↗ again that they feel under uh under

1:13:16 ↗ impacted by projects that we do that the

1:13:18 ↗ newer parts of town get all the cool

1:13:20 ↗ stuff we don't get and and and Hillside

1:13:23 ↗ Park is a great uh St step in a

1:13:25 ↗ different direction but I do think those

1:13:27 ↗ three neighborhoods are older and um

1:13:29 ↗ have a different profile in terms of uh

1:13:32 ↗ Municipal Investments the other the more

1:13:34 ↗ recent and I think councils what the

1:13:36 ↗ equity board was pushing on was more of

1:13:38 ↗ an access to service than um physical

1:13:41 ↗ assets so where are our poor populations

1:13:45 ↗ and what is their distance to aart Where

1:13:47 ↗ do we need to put our Ada rent so that

1:13:50 ↗ those who are most Mobility impacted so

1:13:53 ↗ there's the infrastructure question

1:13:54 ↗ about when your neighborhood got built

1:13:56 ↗ but I think what they're focusing is on

1:13:58 ↗ is you know language barriers um access

1:14:02 ↗ barriers and that and um the

1:14:05 ↗ infrastructure question probably fits in

1:14:08 ↗ there to a degree and and I get that I'm

1:14:10 ↗ I'm not opposed to doing that but what I

1:14:11 ↗ heard was that you know some some cities

1:14:14 ↗ have you know communities with different

1:14:16 ↗ levels of investment and services and

1:14:19 ↗ thank heavens we're not that way and I'm

1:14:21 ↗ here to tell you living in squat that

1:14:23 ↗ doesn't feel that way but I totally get

1:14:24 ↗ with the board is certain de and I'm not

1:14:26 ↗ opposed to that I just want to point out

1:14:27 ↗ that there are neighborhoods in this

1:14:29 ↗ city that feel that they don't get a lot

1:14:31 ↗ of

1:14:34 ↗ attention um sounds like we're going to

1:14:36 ↗ talk more about the equity assessment

1:14:38 ↗ but I did uh in reading the letter from

1:14:41 ↗ the equity board I think it would also

1:14:43 ↗ be good to reflect on the work that the

1:14:46 ↗ city did with the equity lens I know you

1:14:48 ↗ know from during uh I think around 2020

1:14:51 ↗ and 2021 we talked about wanting to have

1:14:53 ↗ an equity lens over the fight of across

1:14:55 ↗ all the city services and I know there

1:14:56 ↗ was some effort to do that and to do

1:14:58 ↗ trainings and um so I think it would be

1:15:00 ↗ good to reflect on how that went and

1:15:03 ↗ what this would do differently or how

1:15:05 ↗ this would you know interact differently

1:15:07 ↗ with the way that we're providing

1:15:08 ↗ Services then then that work um and and

1:15:12 ↗ then similarly the Human Services report

1:15:14 ↗ did look at a lot of demographics and

1:15:16 ↗ how Services were provided and so like

1:15:18 ↗ what is this uh what is this ad um

1:15:22 ↗ because it is a it is a cost and I

1:15:24 ↗ understand that being advocated for but

1:15:26 ↗ it's also a cost in in a difficult

1:15:27 ↗ budget year so wanting to make sure that

1:15:29 ↗ we are really you know using the

1:15:32 ↗ information in a way that's different

1:15:33 ↗ than those two existing efforts

1:15:38 ↗ great or Deputy Council

1:15:41 ↗ pres okay um and and I will just add

1:15:43 ↗ that this is something that's being

1:15:45 ↗ discussed across the east side as um

1:15:48 ↗ we're seeing uh and I think the equity

1:15:50 ↗ board talked to of that in their letter

1:15:52 ↗ we're seeing people draw back from De I

1:15:56 ↗ uh initiatives all across the country

1:15:58 ↗ but also uh on the east side not so much

1:16:01 ↗ pulling back but struggling with how how

1:16:04 ↗ are we reflecting um Equity throughout

1:16:07 ↗ the organization so I see this as a

1:16:09 ↗ chance for us to actually provide a

1:16:11 ↗ positive um solution to some of those uh

1:16:14 ↗ challenges and again be a leader in the

1:16:18 ↗ region in the area of equity so I think

1:16:21 ↗ this is really a good

1:16:22 ↗ thing thank you another fact factor that

1:16:25 ↗ I um would hope that Equity assessment

1:16:29 ↗ addresses is the potential that isqua

1:16:32 ↗ could have a number of varas that are

1:16:33 ↗ food deserts or areas where grocery

1:16:35 ↗ stores are not within walking distance

1:16:38 ↗ uh we have a a merger of a a big company

1:16:42 ↗ QFC and Safeway in Albertson's and if

1:16:45 ↗ you look at the map while the closures

1:16:47 ↗ or the stores that will be changing um

1:16:49 ↗ it makes it very difficult for some of

1:16:51 ↗ our populations to get to a grocery

1:16:54 ↗ store already Hutchinson house uh you

1:16:56 ↗ know when Front Street Market was just

1:16:59 ↗ down the street it was easy for them to

1:17:00 ↗ get to a store easier now they're

1:17:02 ↗ walking all the way to Safeway which is

1:17:05 ↗ about a mile to that store and back with

1:17:08 ↗ their groceries so just one example of a

1:17:11 ↗ population that we don't often think

1:17:13 ↗ about experiencing a food desert so I

1:17:16 ↗ hope that we would look at that as well

1:17:18 ↗ in um in the equ

1:17:23 ↗ assessment uh

1:17:25 ↗ we've also just recently talked about

1:17:27 ↗ the sustainability initiatives that the

1:17:29 ↗ city has we look at implementing more of

1:17:32 ↗ IAP this climate action plan um waste

1:17:36 ↗ diversion Etc we've talked about that

1:17:38 ↗ with Council recently um and we are

1:17:41 ↗ looking to uh well Council has adopted

1:17:44 ↗ administrative fee increase in order to

1:17:46 ↗ accomplish those objectives I didn't

1:17:48 ↗ want to lose sight of that priority

1:17:51 ↗ getting baked into the 2526 budget as

1:17:53 ↗ that was Council that we've just

1:17:55 ↗ performed recently so that is something

1:17:57 ↗ that's still on our list that we can

1:17:58 ↗ still achieve with the 2526 budget um

1:18:02 ↗ despite some of these other budget

1:18:04 ↗ challenges because uh we have identified

1:18:06 ↗ funding for those initiatives so

1:18:08 ↗ sustainability remains a priority uh for

1:18:12 ↗ the city thanks to council's recent

1:18:14 ↗ support So as we look at all of these um

1:18:17 ↗ priorities and again we're going to talk

1:18:19 ↗ more about them in detail um that's

1:18:21 ↗ about four $4.3 million

1:18:27 ↗ um so I talked about Personnel ads and

1:18:30 ↗ what types of personnel ads the

1:18:31 ↗ administration would like to propose of

1:18:33 ↗ this budget um Chief Schwan already

1:18:36 ↗ talked about sergeants these are for

1:18:38 ↗ Corrections sergeants so they would be

1:18:40 ↗ um specifically assigned to the jail um

1:18:43 ↗ there would be two new positions and

1:18:45 ↗ also that we would reclass corporals to

1:18:47 ↗ Corporal positions into sergeants again

1:18:50 ↗ for the jail and oversite of the jail so

1:18:53 ↗ here are the annual impacts ful loaded

1:18:55 ↗ with Benefits anticipate from the adds

1:18:58 ↗ also to support ipds we talked about

1:19:00 ↗ more P Patrol vehicles um we need

1:19:04 ↗ another Fleet mechanic because uh we've

1:19:07 ↗ been seeing a lot of OT in Fleet um for

1:19:10 ↗ those of you are looking at those

1:19:11 ↗ overtime reports um we have been seeing

1:19:14 ↗ a lot of backups and backlogs with our

1:19:17 ↗ Fleet and maybe maintaining our Fleet

1:19:19 ↗ and how that's been impacting different

1:19:22 ↗ parts of City operations including ipd

1:19:25 ↗ um permit Center coordinator council's

1:19:28 ↗ talked about this recently uh with the

1:19:30 ↗ RIS report and what their

1:19:32 ↗ recommendations are to be able to um

1:19:35 ↗ improve our processes within the permit

1:19:38 ↗ Center that would be a new position for

1:19:40 ↗ the city and then uh Court Clerk an

1:19:43 ↗ additional Court whoer going from

1:19:44 ↗ part-time to full-time um this would be

1:19:47 ↗ a new impact uh for the court as we've

1:19:49 ↗ just seen is the Clause growing the

1:19:52 ↗ regions growing uh they they're they're

1:19:57 ↗ the busiest clerks um per case load in

1:20:00 ↗ King County so we need to um provide a

1:20:02 ↗ little bit more support to the to the

1:20:05 ↗ board and then uh finally this is making

1:20:07 ↗ an existing systems analyst who's um

1:20:10 ↗ limited term employee into a full-time

1:20:12 ↗ employee to support Asset Management uh

1:20:15 ↗ the new software that we have uh that we

1:20:18 ↗ are implementing right now in the city

1:20:20 ↗ that was part of the Strategic plan um

1:20:22 ↗ we need them to stay on board to support

1:20:23 ↗ that effort and other IT projects in the

1:20:26 ↗ city as well we estimate the total

1:20:29 ↗ annual impacts from these position ads

1:20:31 ↗ to be um just under

1:20:33 ↗ million so I'm gonna go to council

1:20:35 ↗ member Ray but just keeping in mind we

1:20:39 ↗ are I'm just curious why we're looking

1:20:42 ↗ at a um increasing Staffing in CPD when

1:20:45 ↗ we're looking at construction and

1:20:48 ↗ permitting going on a decline um and

1:20:52 ↗ can't we repurpose existing staff

1:20:56 ↗ that doesn't mean we would

1:21:05 ↗ reduce uh we have talked a lot about

1:21:07 ↗ court so I just wanted to show a

1:21:09 ↗ breakdown of what these additional court

1:21:10 ↗ operating costs are so we just talked

1:21:12 ↗ about a court Personnel um ad we've

1:21:15 ↗ talked about prosecutor and public

1:21:16 ↗ defender again as we looked across the

1:21:18 ↗ market and what our peer communities are

1:21:21 ↗ providing uh in terms of compensation

1:21:23 ↗ for these types of I and contracts um

1:21:26 ↗ we're looking at really a total of

1:21:28 ↗ $400,000 um also want to highlight

1:21:31 ↗ there's miscellaneous costs outside of

1:21:32 ↗ prosecutor and public spend interpreting

1:21:35 ↗ Services Services the need for these way

1:21:37 ↗ up at is compared to what we've done

1:21:39 ↗ historically so year over year we're

1:21:41 ↗ seeing the need for a lot more

1:21:42 ↗ interpretive Services um security you

1:21:45 ↗ know these These are regular contracts

1:21:48 ↗ that we had but they're all um those

1:21:51 ↗ contract costs are increasing drug

1:21:53 ↗ testing SP

1:21:57 ↗ um so we also have a list so we talked

1:21:59 ↗ about our priorities that we'd like to

1:22:00 ↗ propose and we understand what those

1:22:02 ↗ impacts are that doesn't mean that we're

1:22:04 ↗ done there's a whole month left of this

1:22:06 ↗ budget drafting process and some of

1:22:08 ↗ these things of course are going to be

1:22:09 ↗ informed by the discussions we hear

1:22:10 ↗ today from city council um but here are

1:22:13 ↗ things that we're still looking at um to

1:22:15 ↗ try to understand their impacts on the

1:22:17 ↗ budget so we have jail contracts with

1:22:20 ↗ other municipalities as we increase the

1:22:22 ↗ staff for our jail we're increasing the

1:22:24 ↗ Services we want to make sure that the

1:22:26 ↗ cities that are um we're Contracting

1:22:28 ↗ with that is is not subsidizing them

1:22:31 ↗ that they are paying um for the services

1:22:33 ↗ that we provide on their behalf so we

1:22:35 ↗ need to look at jail contracts and

1:22:37 ↗ increasing the fees that we charge for

1:22:38 ↗ jail contracts that work is really going

1:22:41 ↗ to be done in the month of August we'll

1:22:42 ↗ understand the revenue what the positive

1:22:45 ↗ Revenue impacts would be to that court

1:22:47 ↗ court contracts as well we need to take

1:22:49 ↗ a look at those um we anticipate those

1:22:51 ↗ Revenue impacts to incur in

1:22:53 ↗ 2026 uh Parks and Recreation Revenue

1:22:55 ↗ City administrator bobit said earlier

1:22:57 ↗ that revenue is going up as those demand

1:22:59 ↗ for services continues to rise we want

1:23:01 ↗ to take a look at that

1:23:03 ↗ programming um we also are uh under way

1:23:08 ↗ with the utility rate study we

1:23:10 ↗ anticipate those um the findings of that

1:23:12 ↗ rate study to come back to Council in

1:23:15 ↗ early 2025 so that's something that's

1:23:17 ↗ coming but won be part of um the initial

1:23:20 ↗ proposed

1:23:22 ↗ budget uh also CP we need to replace our

1:23:25 ↗ permitting software it's at that point

1:23:27 ↗ where we need to replace it um it's

1:23:29 ↗ aging it isn't supported um we've had us

1:23:32 ↗ a tech fee to help replace software it's

1:23:35 ↗ not high enough so we need to take a

1:23:37 ↗ look at that as a revenue source to help

1:23:38 ↗ pay for some of the CPD software costs

1:23:41 ↗ because that is a very big expensive

1:23:44 ↗ system um medical Insurance Fund

1:23:46 ↗ allocation this is from when the city

1:23:48 ↗ was uh self-insured and so we have a

1:23:51 ↗ small balance it's a little over a

1:23:53 ↗ million bucks from from what I remember

1:23:55 ↗ um and we have to allocate that and

1:23:58 ↗ figure out how we want to spend that

1:23:59 ↗ million dollars it's it's a one-time

1:24:02 ↗ thing but we can use it for one-time uh

1:24:05 ↗ costs and and projects so that's

1:24:07 ↗ something that um we can use as part of

1:24:10 ↗ this budget process but we haven't quite

1:24:12 ↗ figured out what our recommendations

1:24:13 ↗ would be to spend that

1:24:15 ↗ M um expenditures as well that are

1:24:18 ↗ coming up that we haven't quite

1:24:20 ↗ understood what the impacts are because

1:24:21 ↗ it's a little too soon in the process

1:24:23 ↗ labor agreements be doing bargaining

1:24:25 ↗ agreements we're just trying to extend

1:24:27 ↗ them for one year but there may be

1:24:29 ↗ something that comes out of that

1:24:30 ↗ bargaining process um with our

1:24:32 ↗ bargaining units um that may have an

1:24:34 ↗ impact on expenditures Parks and

1:24:36 ↗ Recreation programs as well so there's

1:24:38 ↗ the revenue side of things and then

1:24:40 ↗ there's the expenditure side of things

1:24:41 ↗ so how do we expand that programming

1:24:44 ↗ what what do we provide but there may be

1:24:45 ↗ some other expenditures that come with

1:24:47 ↗ that programming um so that's something

1:24:49 ↗ that again we need to be taking a look

1:24:51 ↗ at through the next month wanted to

1:24:53 ↗ preview these things for City County

1:24:55 ↗ um Fleet the fleet fund we need to Che

1:24:57 ↗ up we haven't been contributing to the

1:24:59 ↗ fleet fund as we should um and so uh

1:25:03 ↗ again with ipd needing to provide more

1:25:07 ↗ Patrol Vehicles more take-home Vehicles

1:25:09 ↗ having other costs um this is something

1:25:11 ↗ that we expect is going to be an

1:25:13 ↗ additional expenditure that we more uh

1:25:15 ↗ fully investigate in August and then the

1:25:18 ↗ art fund we know that art is underfunded

1:25:20 ↗ we know that we used to have robust

1:25:22 ↗ movie uh ticket sales multiple theaters

1:25:25 ↗ in town that's no longer the case we

1:25:27 ↗ only have one Cinema that pays into this

1:25:29 ↗ fund and we need to figure out other

1:25:31 ↗ sources of funding if we were to keep

1:25:33 ↗ our Arts programming

1:25:36 ↗ up and Andrea um I thought we were going

1:25:39 ↗ to do that this year um that we were

1:25:41 ↗ going to have that study or or at least

1:25:44 ↗ assemble a group of people to talk about

1:25:46 ↗ it and um you know I'm thinking about

1:25:49 ↗ our Jacob two trees and how many

1:25:52 ↗ thousands of people came to isqua

1:25:54 ↗ because of that and how can we recapture

1:25:59 ↗ some of that tourist dollars that were

1:26:02 ↗ uh generated through what was basically

1:26:04 ↗ came out of our our commission so so at

1:26:08 ↗ any rate U very interested in how we

1:26:12 ↗ turn

1:26:13 ↗ that funding source into a more

1:26:15 ↗ productive Source I guess so we've done

1:26:18 ↗ the internal work we think we need

1:26:19 ↗ $300,000 a year well I I like that

1:26:22 ↗ number so we have we have no

1:26:26 ↗ recommended thank you

1:26:28 ↗ OE um before we go to council m Joe is

1:26:32 ↗ this like the last slide of the

1:26:35 ↗ administration priorities okay one more

1:26:38 ↗ then council member Joe just a quick yes

1:26:40 ↗ or no are there any restrictions on use

1:26:43 ↗ of the medical Insurance Fund allocation

1:26:46 ↗ if so I'd like a list

1:26:49 ↗ later thank you

1:26:54 ↗ question for the council president um

1:26:58 ↗ this is the most important thing that we

1:27:00 ↗ do of our entire year and of our entire

1:27:04 ↗ bium so um I'm I'm a little concerned

1:27:08 ↗ about the that if if we have too much

1:27:11 ↗ for five hours today let's schedule more

1:27:15 ↗ time um there's nothing that's more

1:27:17 ↗ important in this and and you know I'll

1:27:20 ↗ I'll I'll skip sailing on a Sunday

1:27:22 ↗ whatever any any day budget there's

1:27:24 ↗ nothing I mean there's nothing more

1:27:26 ↗ important so I just just want to point

1:27:28 ↗ that out like

1:27:29 ↗ I okay okay good uh feedback I think we

1:27:34 ↗ will likely try and stay with our agenda

1:27:37 ↗ for this because there's some things you

1:27:39 ↗ know obviously the administration needs

1:27:41 ↗ feedback as early as possible but if we

1:27:43 ↗ need to schedule something or have

1:27:45 ↗ deeper conversations I appreciate that

1:27:47 ↗ thank you and my REM marks used to tell

1:27:49 ↗ you you guys are so far ahead of every

1:27:51 ↗ other I mean the fact that you're having

1:27:53 ↗ this kind of conversation in this month

1:27:55 ↗ has shocked other cities that I talked

1:27:58 ↗ to so thank you to spend this

1:28:01 ↗ time

1:28:03 ↗ yeah um and so as as council's

1:28:07 ↗ considering budget priorities we're also

1:28:10 ↗ going to be having a discussion later on

1:28:12 ↗ um areas of reductions as well one of

1:28:15 ↗ the things we did want to highlight are

1:28:16 ↗ some Equity considerations so here are

1:28:18 ↗ some of the recommendations we received

1:28:20 ↗ from the equity board guidance for

1:28:21 ↗ Council for your discussions and

1:28:23 ↗ considerations today

1:28:24 ↗ um they really wanted to emphasize and

1:28:27 ↗ wanted to ask you to emphasize Equity

1:28:29 ↗ over equality and that sometimes we

1:28:31 ↗ spread the peanut butter out and we

1:28:32 ↗ think that that's good if it affects it

1:28:34 ↗ serves everybody equally then that's

1:28:36 ↗ good they said really we need to focus

1:28:37 ↗ on more equity and so that means let's

1:28:40 ↗ look at how um how to provide for those

1:28:43 ↗ who are underserved or underresourced

1:28:45 ↗ and prioritize those populations um they

1:28:48 ↗ also uh wanted to endorse the equity

1:28:50 ↗ assessment which we can talk about

1:28:51 ↗ further later uh in this in the budget

1:28:54 ↗ process and then also here are some

1:28:57 ↗ considerations so council member hun had

1:28:59 ↗ mentioned the um Equity framework that

1:29:02 ↗ we had done which was 13 or so questions

1:29:04 ↗ that could guide City decision making at

1:29:06 ↗ a policy level also at a at a staff and

1:29:08 ↗ programmatic level um here are some of

1:29:10 ↗ the questions that were pulled out

1:29:12 ↗ related to that Equity framework and so

1:29:16 ↗ um we can go over this quickly this is

1:29:17 ↗ also in your packet as well so I don't

1:29:19 ↗ and purposes of saving time I don't know

1:29:21 ↗ that I need to read through them but

1:29:23 ↗ basically looking at impact

1:29:25 ↗ understanding who might be impacted by

1:29:26 ↗ those decisions um have we sacrificed

1:29:29 ↗ the experience of marginalized people

1:29:30 ↗ for the comfort and say it was privilege

1:29:32 ↗ who will benefit or be

1:29:35 ↗ bur okay so now on to Direction needed

1:29:39 ↗ of say what are council's thoughts about

1:29:42 ↗ these priorities that we presented for

1:29:43 ↗ you today um are there other priorities

1:29:46 ↗ that Council may have that we haven't

1:29:48 ↗ listed um are there certain priorities

1:29:50 ↗ that rise to the top for you please

1:29:54 ↗ please give us your thoughts let me

1:29:56 ↗ start with one of the reasons I was

1:29:57 ↗ trying to push us through this other

1:29:59 ↗ step so that we have the space to have

1:30:02 ↗ this conversation because this is the

1:30:05 ↗ feedback that the administration needs

1:30:08 ↗ from all of us so who wants to

1:30:11 ↗ start I'll start because I'm kind of

1:30:14 ↗ hung up on priorities right now just as

1:30:16 ↗ a word you know that the word priorities

1:30:18 ↗ wasn't a plural until the early 20th

1:30:20 ↗ century it was a thing it was my

1:30:22 ↗ priority not my priority

1:30:24 ↗ so I think we have to set when we start

1:30:26 ↗ talking about priorities we have to be

1:30:29 ↗ disciplined enough to have a finite

1:30:31 ↗ number of them or everything becomes a

1:30:33 ↗ priority and nothing becomes a priority

1:30:35 ↗ and this is a waste of time so I'm just

1:30:38 ↗ you know kind of want to paint this

1:30:39 ↗ canvas here this says um it's not a wish

1:30:43 ↗ list it's a what are the the five things

1:30:46 ↗ we have to do to be a viable City and um

1:30:50 ↗ if we're going to use the word

1:30:50 ↗ priorities it's not everything so I

1:30:53 ↗ don't really know that I have things

1:30:55 ↗ that I would want to take away or ADD

1:30:57 ↗ but I just want to I want to lecture you

1:31:00 ↗ first on that similar to that one of my

1:31:06 ↗ issues in looking at priorities and

1:31:09 ↗ potential expenditure is how do we do

1:31:12 ↗ that when we're looking at this type of

1:31:14 ↗ a budget deficit how how do we jump so

1:31:19 ↗ quickly over oh my goodness we've got a

1:31:23 ↗ huge huge deficit even in 24 that we

1:31:26 ↗ have to

1:31:28 ↗ overcome and now we're going very

1:31:30 ↗ quickly in my opinion

1:31:32 ↗ toward and we have all of these things

1:31:34 ↗ that the administration thinks we need

1:31:38 ↗ uh I'm not on board for that at this

1:31:40 ↗ point I haven't been convinced that

1:31:42 ↗ these administ these priorities are

1:31:44 ↗ there um Mary you want to put your yeah

1:31:48 ↗ got one up um I'm not convinced that

1:31:52 ↗ these are the community priorities that

1:31:55 ↗ all of them are necessary in this coming

1:31:58 ↗ year or that we should even be looking

1:32:02 ↗ at

1:32:03 ↗ priorities without fully addressing the

1:32:07 ↗ revenue side and I don't I know that's

1:32:09 ↗ coming later but I don't think the

1:32:11 ↗ revenue uh recommendations are covering

1:32:15 ↗ our

1:32:15 ↗ holes so uh mayor ply thanks um I think

1:32:22 ↗ Wally made a really good point when um

1:32:26 ↗ whoever asked the question about how do

1:32:28 ↗ you add a position how do you add a

1:32:29 ↗ position and his answer was because we

1:32:32 ↗ may still be cutting a position so the

1:32:35 ↗ priorities are whatever the final budget

1:32:38 ↗ amount is that you have there will be

1:32:40 ↗ priorities embedded in it and it will

1:32:42 ↗ meet the number and so it's not that you

1:32:45 ↗ know we're set the administration's

1:32:47 ↗ priorities are an ad they are what we do

1:32:51 ↗ within the administration to adjust I

1:32:54 ↗ consider it an adjustment within the

1:32:56 ↗ organization itself we will fit in the

1:32:58 ↗ boundaries and I think Andrea's question

1:33:00 ↗ is this is where we think the

1:33:03 ↗ administration needs to make a shift

1:33:05 ↗ which we do every couple of years make a

1:33:07 ↗ shift in order to provide the service

1:33:09 ↗ the community wants and we will stay

1:33:11 ↗ within the

1:33:13 ↗ budget Deputy council president so maybe

1:33:16 ↗ priorities

1:33:17 ↗ is because um I I totally think that we

1:33:22 ↗ have got to address the uh needs of the

1:33:25 ↗ court and um um at service of safeties

1:33:29 ↗ in in Parks committee we had a

1:33:32 ↗ tremendous uh presentation from Judge

1:33:34 ↗ Stewart and our public defenders and our

1:33:37 ↗ and our attorneys um we are so far

1:33:40 ↗ behind there and you know it's the same

1:33:43 ↗ thing that I was talking about at at an

1:33:44 ↗ earlier council meeting deferred

1:33:46 ↗ maintenance this is something that we

1:33:48 ↗ should have been keeping on top of for a

1:33:51 ↗ long time we have it and we need to

1:33:54 ↗ catch up and so um I I understand where

1:33:57 ↗ you're coming from absolutely but there

1:34:00 ↗ are some things that unfortunately we

1:34:02 ↗ have not been on top of that we really

1:34:05 ↗ really need to address and it's a it's a

1:34:07 ↗ justice issue it's a uh you know an

1:34:11 ↗ equity issue in many ways that our court

1:34:15 ↗ uh that we have public defenders for

1:34:17 ↗ Indigent um individuals that we are able

1:34:20 ↗ to process people in a timely fashion

1:34:23 ↗ that we do all of that uh in uh in a way

1:34:27 ↗ that is uh and also that we're able to

1:34:29 ↗ hire public defenders uh we need the the

1:34:32 ↗ funds to support those salaries and

1:34:34 ↗ contracts so uh maybe priorities is the

1:34:37 ↗ wrong word maybe we say these are the

1:34:40 ↗ things we need to adjust to catch up

1:34:42 ↗ with that we haven't been uh catching up

1:34:44 ↗ with before um so council member Ray

1:34:49 ↗ you remarks um I I think qualitatively

1:34:54 ↗ we need to think about things that we're

1:34:57 ↗ doing to improve functions that we

1:35:00 ↗ already are delivering and things that

1:35:03 ↗ would be new functions and part of the

1:35:06 ↗ reason for that is um if we have to

1:35:09 ↗ think about any reductions in staff I

1:35:13 ↗ think um you have to have a higher bar

1:35:16 ↗ for new functions that you're not

1:35:18 ↗ already doing than you do for

1:35:20 ↗ maintaining the functions that are

1:35:21 ↗ already there so I don't know exact how

1:35:24 ↗ that teases out but it's it's in my

1:35:26 ↗ thinking lurking in the back of my brain

1:35:29 ↗ that if if you know if we reach a point

1:35:32 ↗ where we have to do reductions um which

1:35:34 ↗ the last major ones occurred just before

1:35:36 ↗ I got on Council 15 years ago um we had

1:35:41 ↗ we had a we had a small one since then

1:35:43 ↗ but but we had a big one in 2008 um you

1:35:46 ↗ know those are traumatic and we have to

1:35:47 ↗ make sure that anything that we think

1:35:49 ↗ about doing particularly new functions

1:35:51 ↗ we are sensitive to the fact that it

1:35:52 ↗ could be occurring time when we're when

1:35:54 ↗ we're shrinking the overall size of

1:35:56 ↗ municipal government Mars I thought you

1:35:58 ↗ were part of that we were not part it

1:36:00 ↗ just before me it had just gotten done

1:36:02 ↗ like six months before I got

1:36:04 ↗ there but we R do staff significantly

1:36:08 ↗ during the pandemic but you we did it

1:36:11 ↗ administrative so rather than adjust

1:36:14 ↗ your budget we reduced your expenditures

1:36:17 ↗ so we didn't bring a list to the city

1:36:20 ↗ council and asked you choose we just

1:36:23 ↗ said we're not going to be doing several

1:36:25 ↗ things and so we will repurpose

1:36:27 ↗ positions to do covid projects until

1:36:30 ↗ we're stabilized and then we so I really

1:36:34 ↗ thought we were going to have this

1:36:36 ↗ experience I've lived through this

1:36:37 ↗ before and have some thoughts on it

1:36:39 ↗ council member

1:36:41 ↗ sorry

1:36:45 ↗ okay um yeah thanks first of all I want

1:36:48 ↗ to

1:36:50 ↗ really great start this all say that to

1:36:53 ↗ keep our priorities this tight spum um

1:36:57 ↗ so I don't really want

1:36:59 ↗ to but I I don't know I feel a little

1:37:02 ↗ differently I agree I think that this

1:37:04 ↗ these all really really most basically

1:37:07 ↗ Public Safety Poli which seems like one

1:37:10 ↗ of our major main responsibilities as a

1:37:14 ↗ so I think it makes

1:37:15 ↗ sense top priorities list um and then of

1:37:20 ↗ course you got sustainability climate

1:37:22 ↗ and waste diversion in there

1:37:24 ↗ because we most Rec but I did go back

1:37:26 ↗ through the community survey looked at

1:37:29 ↗ the satisfaction readings to think about

1:37:31 ↗ kind of what are the areas that the

1:37:34 ↗ community most wants to see outside of

1:37:36 ↗ Public Safety um and wanted to at least

1:37:39 ↗ say that there are two that and I'll get

1:37:42 ↗ into a lot more I have lots of potential

1:37:44 ↗ budget reductions so um I'll get into

1:37:47 ↗ more of this later on but the community

1:37:49 ↗ survey results definitely suggest

1:37:51 ↗ continued it in some places long

1:37:53 ↗ emphasis on traffic cing and ease of

1:37:56 ↗ travel by public transportation car

1:37:58 ↗ andite traffic and congestion management

1:38:00 ↗ so that bucket to me is a priority and

1:38:04 ↗ then the other one really is the built

1:38:06 ↗ environment affordable housing and um

1:38:09 ↗ divers types of housing um ease of

1:38:11 ↗ getting a permit is kind of the other

1:38:14 ↗ bucket um outside of Public Safety that

1:38:16 ↗ rises to the talk of the Comm survey

1:38:18 ↗ that I want to bring up

1:38:22 ↗ um I think

1:38:25 ↗ Public Safety is

1:38:26 ↗ probably tier one though and then those

1:38:30 ↗ two would in my mind probably be like

1:38:31 ↗ tier

1:38:32 ↗ two I wouldn't I wouldn't necessarily

1:38:35 ↗ say everything else is tier three those

1:38:37 ↗ are just the ones that I

1:38:41 ↗ want right yeah I want to keep going on

1:38:45 ↗ my uh how do we how do you make good

1:38:47 ↗ decisions and um one of the things

1:38:49 ↗ that's uh those who have been around for

1:38:51 ↗ a long time and know stepen cvy and is

1:38:52 ↗ seven hav Highly Effective People one of

1:38:55 ↗ the things that he talks about is no

1:38:57 ↗ don't work on your to-do list work on

1:38:59 ↗ your stop todoing list and so one of the

1:39:02 ↗ things we should probably be having a

1:39:03 ↗ conversation about is what are we

1:39:05 ↗ willing to reduce or re remove from our

1:39:08 ↗ current uh program and government is the

1:39:11 ↗ worst at cutting any program because

1:39:13 ↗ there's always somebody who loves some

1:39:14 ↗ program and it's hard it's it takes real

1:39:16 ↗ political will to do that but I think

1:39:19 ↗ you know if we want to do the things we

1:39:20 ↗ want to do then we got to have some hard

1:39:22 ↗ conversations about the that somebody is

1:39:24 ↗ going to be really really unhappy with

1:39:25 ↗ us but we need to count we need to

1:39:27 ↗ reduce so save that political will for

1:39:30 ↗ this afternoon all right and bring it at

1:39:33 ↗ that point because we have a

1:39:34 ↗ conversation scheduled for that okay

1:39:37 ↗ yeah um council member hunt council

1:39:40 ↗ member Joe haven't heard from you guys

1:39:42 ↗ on this anything you wna throw

1:39:46 ↗ in

1:39:49 ↗ um so uh I think two things that I

1:39:52 ↗ haven't uh that maybe I can add the

1:39:55 ↗ conversation I don't think we've touched

1:39:56 ↗ on one is um I think when we were

1:40:00 ↗ talking about doing the climate isqua

1:40:02 ↗ climate action plan and then also with

1:40:04 ↗ the urban forestry program and green

1:40:06 ↗ isqua those were all things that we

1:40:08 ↗ recognized were important for the

1:40:10 ↗ community they came out in a strategic

1:40:11 ↗ plan taking care of our environment was

1:40:13 ↗ a big part of the original strategic

1:40:14 ↗ plan and is in the Revis updated

1:40:17 ↗ strategic plan as well but also that uh

1:40:21 ↗ we couldn't do it without a lot of

1:40:22 ↗ community support and it was something

1:40:23 ↗ the community wanted to participate in

1:40:25 ↗ so I do think as we as we think about

1:40:28 ↗ things that we want to continue doing I

1:40:30 ↗ would like to also think about how we

1:40:32 ↗ can make sure that we are able to uh

1:40:35 ↗ mobilize community involvements in a for

1:40:38 ↗ things like the urban forestry program

1:40:40 ↗ um so that we can keep those programs

1:40:42 ↗ going but not necessarily through an

1:40:45 ↗ additional cost to the city services or

1:40:47 ↗ City personnel um because I think we

1:40:49 ↗ have a lot of very motivated community

1:40:51 ↗ members that really do want to um

1:40:53 ↗ support and there are ways that we can

1:40:56 ↗ continue to use that um the other thing

1:40:59 ↗ is the court I do see the court um as

1:41:04 ↗ having this Nexus with equity and and

1:41:07 ↗ also um with our Human Services which

1:41:10 ↗ we've really increased um and I think

1:41:12 ↗ has been a huge benefit in terms of

1:41:13 ↗ behavioral health and mental health that

1:41:15 ↗ we've been able to provide and so that

1:41:17 ↗ you know in in the community court and

1:41:19 ↗ the therapeutic Court that's all been

1:41:21 ↗ really beneficial um I don't I think it

1:41:26 ↗ is important though if that's what we're

1:41:28 ↗ as we're thinking about what we're what

1:41:30 ↗ we're focusing and this is a large

1:41:32 ↗ percent of the increase um tying that

1:41:36 ↗ human services and how it's benefiting

1:41:37 ↗ in terms of equity into the court uh to

1:41:42 ↗ to make sure that the community knows

1:41:44 ↗ about about all of that being

1:41:46 ↗ interconnected because I from my

1:41:48 ↗ strategic plan conversations and

1:41:50 ↗ conversations with the community I think

1:41:53 ↗ that sometimes those are seen as sort of

1:41:55 ↗ separate entities and so if we can make

1:41:57 ↗ sure that those are all working together

1:41:58 ↗ but also that the community knows that

1:42:00 ↗ those are the benefits that that those

1:42:02 ↗ are benefits to them even if they aren't

1:42:04 ↗ directly using the court system that our

1:42:07 ↗ community is benefiting I think that's

1:42:09 ↗ that's important um because I do think

1:42:12 ↗ the Community Values you know equity and

1:42:14 ↗ and those Human Services but I think

1:42:16 ↗ there might be a little bit of a

1:42:17 ↗ disconnect if you're not actually

1:42:18 ↗ physically the person going to use the

1:42:21 ↗ cour

1:42:24 ↗ thank you um I haven't certainly

1:42:26 ↗ formulated any final opinions on this

1:42:29 ↗ but the way I look at the administration

1:42:31 ↗ priorities that are on that that slide

1:42:33 ↗ is is um I think about them as

1:42:36 ↗ Investments we're doing a great job

1:42:38 ↗ we've got a 97% response is a great

1:42:40 ↗ place to live in the survey um Public

1:42:42 ↗ Safety is 88% terms of favorable

1:42:45 ↗ favorable responses um the salary

1:42:48 ↗ adjustments how is that investment going

1:42:51 ↗ to pay off for um increase in the

1:42:53 ↗ quality of life for the people in our

1:42:55 ↗ city as council member hunt pointed out

1:42:58 ↗ how does uh Court operations or um you

1:43:01 ↗ know leasing cost for the court Chambers

1:43:03 ↗ increase the quality of life for

1:43:05 ↗ everybody people as they're living in

1:43:07 ↗ their homes are thinking about their

1:43:08 ↗ four walls in their property but we as a

1:43:10 ↗ council have to think about the

1:43:11 ↗ Investments for the entire community so

1:43:14 ↗ that's kind of how I'm putting these uh

1:43:16 ↗ priorities and and framing them as I'm

1:43:18 ↗ looking forward and that's just an

1:43:21 ↗ initial thought as we as we analyze

1:43:22 ↗ these

1:43:25 ↗ I'll add more feedback just after what

1:43:28 ↗ I've heard um I really appreciate what L

1:43:32 ↗ council member marks was saying about if

1:43:34 ↗ we're going to add in a time when we're

1:43:36 ↗ also going to do reductions that's

1:43:38 ↗ pretty high bar and so we really really

1:43:41 ↗ need to prove those pieces out toward

1:43:45 ↗ that idea um I'm not sure and this is

1:43:49 ↗ hard coming for me to say that we're

1:43:51 ↗ ready for a permit coordinator right now

1:43:54 ↗ considering the number of permits are

1:43:56 ↗ down um I really want to get permitting

1:44:01 ↗ addressed so if I'm saying that I you

1:44:04 ↗ know it's coming from a very tough place

1:44:09 ↗ um similarly you know I wasn't in the

1:44:12 ↗ services safety and park so I really

1:44:15 ↗ need to know more about the court

1:44:17 ↗ operating costs and how much they are

1:44:22 ↗ legally required versus how much we are

1:44:26 ↗ acting ahead of what we think is going

1:44:29 ↗ to happen um I've heard from other

1:44:32 ↗ communities that they are thinking that

1:44:34 ↗ might be those requirements might be

1:44:36 ↗ pulled back and so I need to know a

1:44:39 ↗ little bit more about is that a

1:44:42 ↗ certainty do we need to go in that

1:44:44 ↗ direction um

1:44:48 ↗ eeper is a really tough one and I will

1:44:51 ↗ absolutely be in there you know talking

1:44:53 ↗ to other council members from other

1:44:55 ↗ cities because I just don't think we can

1:44:57 ↗ sustain that level of service with that

1:45:02 ↗ kind of an increase at this point um and

1:45:06 ↗ then the equity assessment I not yet

1:45:09 ↗ sold that that is the right expenditure

1:45:12 ↗ if we're also looking at reducing

1:45:16 ↗ personnel and we have a deficit uh so I

1:45:20 ↗ think all of these require

1:45:24 ↗ much more thorough assessment before we

1:45:28 ↗ are really

1:45:32 ↗ there yeah to a little further on the

1:45:35 ↗ epher um point you know there was a time

1:45:39 ↗ before I think almost any of you were on

1:45:41 ↗ the council we spend a lot of time

1:45:43 ↗ talking about eeper funding we to talk a

1:45:45 ↗ lot about uh stations and the fractions

1:45:49 ↗ of uses that were in isqua versus uh

1:45:52 ↗ Savanah

1:45:53 ↗ and those sorts of things and and that

1:45:56 ↗ hasn't happened in a while so I'm really

1:45:58 ↗ eager to find out it wouldn't surprise

1:46:01 ↗ me if epher has just been sort of like

1:46:05 ↗ going along and just not updating their

1:46:07 ↗ costs in a while if if they if they've

1:46:09 ↗ really just been sort of napping and are

1:46:11 ↗ just coming back to it and there's a big

1:46:13 ↗ increase because they haven't been

1:46:15 ↗ keeping Pace with inflation that's so

1:46:18 ↗ different to me than if we've been

1:46:20 ↗ seeing increases in cost um and then now

1:46:23 ↗ all of a sudden they want to jump

1:46:24 ↗ forward because they have a wish list or

1:46:25 ↗ whatever and uh so I think it's really

1:46:27 ↗ important to understand that because we

1:46:30 ↗ used to I mean like I said we just spent

1:46:31 ↗ a lot of time talking about Eep funding

1:46:33 ↗ and I think it's our second largest

1:46:36 ↗ expenditure large I think it's bigger

1:46:38 ↗ than pars but less than police so and

1:46:40 ↗ it's just my sense that we haven't spent

1:46:42 ↗ a lot of time on it in a long time

1:46:43 ↗ because they either because they haven't

1:46:45 ↗ asked us for increases or whatever but

1:46:48 ↗ you know he hearing the mayor talk about

1:46:50 ↗ it does not surprise me that you you

1:46:53 ↗ know the funding mechanisms are have

1:46:55 ↗ have cobwebs on them because we just

1:46:57 ↗ haven't put the the the juice on it that

1:46:59 ↗ we used to so I'm I'm eager to get back

1:47:02 ↗ to doing that because it's such a huge

1:47:03 ↗ fraction of our

1:47:05 ↗ budget Deputy

1:47:08 ↗ Council um I would just first of all I

1:47:10 ↗ would just urge everybody who wasn't on

1:47:13 ↗ safety uh services and parks to watch

1:47:16 ↗ that video of the um presentation of the

1:47:19 ↗ court it's a long presentation but it's

1:47:22 ↗ really impactful a couple we've got it

1:47:26 ↗ linked in the email we sent yeah um the

1:47:30 ↗ our City attorney has served us for over

1:47:32 ↗ 20 years and she's the lowest paid City

1:47:34 ↗ attorney on the east side the prosecutor

1:47:37 ↗ or prosecutor excuse me and then uh and

1:47:40 ↗ uh our uh public defender the person in

1:47:43 ↗ charge of that said that even if they

1:47:46 ↗ don't reduce the obligations he's having

1:47:50 ↗ a really difficult time recruiting uh

1:47:53 ↗ public defenders there that's something

1:47:55 ↗ across the state of Washington they are

1:47:57 ↗ so underpaid uh it's not a easy job to

1:48:00 ↗ do and I think during the pandemic they

1:48:03 ↗ lost 50% of the public defenders and so

1:48:07 ↗ even if the standards stay the same

1:48:10 ↗ which are incredible I think it's 400

1:48:13 ↗ cases per public defender I mean I don't

1:48:16 ↗ know how you would do that under any

1:48:18 ↗ circumstances but even if they remain

1:48:20 ↗ the same we still got an issue so you

1:48:23 ↗ you need to listen to that whole

1:48:25 ↗ presentation yes it's long but you it's

1:48:28 ↗ they really made a really compelling

1:48:30 ↗ case that we have a lot of catchup to do

1:48:33 ↗ there

1:48:36 ↗ so mine is just a comment on what

1:48:38 ↗ council member Mark said and that is you

1:48:41 ↗ know isaa was one of the first

1:48:42 ↗ jurisdictions to push back Onie for

1:48:45 ↗ several years ago uh and have them put a

1:48:48 ↗ pause on things like equipment fund

1:48:50 ↗ contributions and others but and you

1:48:53 ↗ know them not being a city them being an

1:48:56 ↗ organization that gets checks written by

1:48:58 ↗ their members they um are not as

1:49:01 ↗ familiar with if we take a cut in a

1:49:04 ↗ certain year um we don't just jump back

1:49:07 ↗ the next year to where we were it's a

1:49:09 ↗ cut it hurt and it leaves a Mark and I

1:49:13 ↗ think I had a conversation with chlan

1:49:15 ↗ about that that the cities don't have

1:49:18 ↗ the capacity if there was a cut in a few

1:49:20 ↗ years to double up it's a cut C it's

1:49:23 ↗ gone the revenue wasn't there we didn't

1:49:25 ↗ get double the revenue when we did get

1:49:27 ↗ the revenue back and you kind of have to

1:49:29 ↗ have that conversation is that yes we

1:49:32 ↗ understand when you delay equipment

1:49:33 ↗ purchases you're stretching out the

1:49:35 ↗ purchase and that's it you don't get to

1:49:38 ↗ accelerate the purchase because all of a

1:49:41 ↗ sudden there's a little more Revenue we

1:49:42 ↗ never catch up like that and so that was

1:49:44 ↗ a conversation he and I had and I think

1:49:46 ↗ part of it is they get their membership

1:49:48 ↗ organization and um they don't walk

1:49:51 ↗ through what you guys are walking

1:49:52 ↗ through right now on your budget so I

1:49:53 ↗ think a lot of conversations between our

1:49:56 ↗ representatives and the chief and our

1:49:59 ↗ Council and other members cities is

1:50:01 ↗ important because um we've never been

1:50:03 ↗ able to double the work once you know

1:50:06 ↗ the next year it's like you just go back

1:50:08 ↗ with Pace you were at so anyway it's

1:50:10 ↗ going to be an interesting conversation

1:50:11 ↗ a tough conversation um but we support

1:50:15 ↗ that organization and we want to make

1:50:16 ↗ all of this work but we have Financial

1:50:18 ↗ realities that they do not

1:50:23 ↗ oh Council M Melle sorry thank you um

1:50:25 ↗ let me just Echo and support some of the

1:50:27 ↗ comments from my colleague Barbie

1:50:29 ↗ Michelle um as many of you know I've sat

1:50:32 ↗ as the municipal court judge I've uh

1:50:35 ↗ served as prosecutor for some other

1:50:37 ↗ jurisdictions and small cities I've been

1:50:39 ↗ a defense attorney for um clients

1:50:42 ↗ throughout the region um we are very

1:50:45 ↗ lucky to have the prosecutor that we

1:50:47 ↗ have um she's the best in the business

1:50:50 ↗ for uh this type of contract prosecutor

1:50:53 ↗ work they have a contingency plan to

1:50:57 ↗ continue that firm because uh her

1:51:00 ↗ daughter who's a very capable prosecutor

1:51:03 ↗ is now part of that firm so you have the

1:51:05 ↗ continuity that we need as well um

1:51:08 ↗ giving uh the consideration to the

1:51:11 ↗ increase of this prosecutor contract as

1:51:13 ↗ a long-term investment as I mentioned

1:51:15 ↗ before um that I think we need to make

1:51:17 ↗ if we really want to keep our our courts

1:51:19 ↗ in a a high level of service um I the

1:51:22 ↗ public defender personally uh We've uh

1:51:25 ↗ I've been on uh the other side of some

1:51:27 ↗ of the cases he's been working on and

1:51:30 ↗ he's got a quality firm as well and I

1:51:33 ↗ think if we I have seen um the merry go

1:51:38 ↗ round of public defenders in a court and

1:51:41 ↗ what we lose in terms of uh client

1:51:44 ↗ service and the efficiencies of the

1:51:46 ↗ court so I would just uh ask that you do

1:51:49 ↗ look at that uh video that uh my

1:51:52 ↗ colleague reference and if you have

1:51:54 ↗ questions about the coordinates

1:51:55 ↗ operations I think anyone on the

1:51:57 ↗ services committee or my myself from an

1:51:59 ↗ inside baseball point of view we'd be

1:52:00 ↗ happy to um give you any information

1:52:03 ↗ that you might need thank

1:52:05 ↗ you right than you administrator um I

1:52:08 ↗ have two kind of diverse topics one is

1:52:10 ↗ uh Eide fire and rescue in my five years

1:52:12 ↗ on the Eide fire and rescue board I

1:52:13 ↗ worked really diligently and hard to

1:52:16 ↗ have the funding formula looked at and

1:52:18 ↗ have the uh Revenue side of it looked at

1:52:21 ↗ and that was a hard sell it's really

1:52:24 ↗ hard when you have fire districts that

1:52:25 ↗ have a completely different funding

1:52:27 ↗ model than cities and the fire districts

1:52:29 ↗ have nearly the same way on the board

1:52:32 ↗ and so it's going to be a really great

1:52:35 ↗ conversation for you guys to have but we

1:52:38 ↗ we we we've got to get them

1:52:41 ↗ um uh aligned and their their um

1:52:44 ↗ approval rating in the survey is 91%

1:52:46 ↗ which is awesome can we afford 91% is

1:52:49 ↗ the question you know or is 90% okay is

1:52:53 ↗ 85% so I think we it's it's not a

1:52:55 ↗ they're great and we all love them but

1:52:58 ↗ can we afford them I mean because I

1:52:59 ↗ really want that Maserati I really

1:53:00 ↗ really do I just can't afford it so we

1:53:03 ↗ have to make that decision not arguing

1:53:05 ↗ with the conversation about the courts

1:53:07 ↗ and the importance of the courts $1.2

1:53:09 ↗ million up there for courts uh we have a

1:53:11 ↗ $7.2 million shortfall in 2025 so for

1:53:15 ↗ that 1.2 millionar that $1.2 million we

1:53:19 ↗ have to find Cuts someplace else so is

1:53:21 ↗ that going to be Parks is that going to

1:53:22 ↗ be our human services coordinator is

1:53:24 ↗ that going to be um well it's not going

1:53:26 ↗ to be police because that's up there too

1:53:27 ↗ so where are we going to take it so

1:53:28 ↗ that's the question it's the stop what

1:53:30 ↗ are we not gonna do and that is I

1:53:33 ↗ understand the conversation for this

1:53:34 ↗ afternoon so

1:53:35 ↗ I City

1:53:36 ↗ administrator um regarding the

1:53:39 ↗ prosecutor and the public defender we're

1:53:40 ↗ not asking the council to negotiate the

1:53:42 ↗ contract this morning with those two

1:53:44 ↗ entities so we are just trying to put

1:53:46 ↗ money aside at this early stage that we

1:53:49 ↗ think is appropriate all of this is

1:53:51 ↗ subject to negotiation with them uh

1:53:54 ↗ Washington state supreme court is still

1:53:57 ↗ uh considering its policies um every

1:54:00 ↗ indication is that there will be

1:54:02 ↗ reduction in the case though we don't

1:54:04 ↗ know if it be what's currently on the

1:54:05 ↗ table or something else so the purpose

1:54:07 ↗ of the numbers you're seeing today

1:54:09 ↗ really are just to kind of make sure

1:54:11 ↗ it's on the list put that aside um but

1:54:14 ↗ we're not asking to negotiate those

1:54:16 ↗ contracts today okay so looking at the

1:54:20 ↗ schedule the next section we have before

1:54:23 ↗ a lunch is potential potential new

1:54:26 ↗ funding options so are we ready to move

1:54:29 ↗ on to that and if you're not we can the

1:54:35 ↗ the pieces here are not ridiculously

1:54:37 ↗ elaborate so if you want more time

1:54:39 ↗ you'll still be fine for a little just

1:54:41 ↗ sensing that we were maybe at a moment

1:54:45 ↗ so come one more um a couple of things

1:54:50 ↗ we have

1:54:52 ↗ when we talk about so we absolutely have

1:54:56 ↗ a value in having police dispatch police

1:55:01 ↗ uh court and jail right do we have the

1:55:04 ↗ ability to uh hope hopefully that shows

1:55:08 ↗ up in our cost structure and compared

1:55:12 ↗ and that there's there's a challenge you

1:55:13 ↗ have to compare to like like right like

1:55:16 ↗ the the I'm pretty sure that the

1:55:18 ↗ resident satisfaction in samamish with

1:55:21 ↗ having a contract model isn't the same

1:55:23 ↗ as we get in isqua or having police

1:55:25 ↗ department so I wouldn't want to compare

1:55:26 ↗ us to samanage but comparing us to a

1:55:28 ↗ Belleview or Redmond or Kirkland can we

1:55:31 ↗ and again not this afternoon at some

1:55:33 ↗ point it would nice to be it would be

1:55:35 ↗ nice to be able to say those

1:55:36 ↗ efficiencies that we see allow us to be

1:55:38 ↗ competitive from a price point if if if

1:55:41 ↗ we are looking at challenging decisions

1:55:43 ↗ coming up I want to be able to tell the

1:55:45 ↗ community that not only does that allow

1:55:47 ↗ us better Public Safety but it also

1:55:50 ↗ keeps us at a at a good um economic

1:55:53 ↗ position and and the second part of my

1:55:55 ↗ question is really you know it gets

1:55:57 ↗ weird right because we do contract we do

1:55:59 ↗ take people in from you know communities

1:56:02 ↗ further east from here we have revenues

1:56:05 ↗ I think the revenues of the of the speed

1:56:08 ↗ cameras are are are focused right yes so

1:56:13 ↗ so I I the funding model for those four

1:56:15 ↗ pieces that I just mentioned gets

1:56:17 ↗ complicated it's not just general funds

1:56:19 ↗ I again right and we have and we have

1:56:21 ↗ pieces of that that we get benefit from

1:56:23 ↗ elsewhere and may increase as we look to

1:56:26 ↗ increase the number of traffic CES right

1:56:28 ↗ um so anyhow I'm just hoping that at

1:56:30 ↗ some point I want to be able to say when

1:56:32 ↗ the hard decisions come we know how

1:56:34 ↗ important Public Safety is for everybody

1:56:37 ↗ in the community but I also want to be

1:56:39 ↗ able to say and by the way it also puts

1:56:40 ↗ us in a good economic position compared

1:56:43 ↗ to cities that don't have the kind of

1:56:45 ↗ model that we

1:56:47 ↗ have thanks I'd just like to briefly

1:56:50 ↗ touch on the topic of the permanent

1:56:52 ↗ Center coordinator um we had Senate Bill

1:56:55 ↗ 5290 which came out and we received a

1:56:57 ↗ report from our um our director um it

1:57:02 ↗ puts certain obligations on our our

1:57:04 ↗ permitting department and if they're not

1:57:06 ↗ met there certainties and there's a you

1:57:09 ↗ know some type of of rejiggering that

1:57:12 ↗ has to go on in terms of the software

1:57:14 ↗ that's going to be needed and the

1:57:16 ↗ coordination and the knowledge to make

1:57:17 ↗ that software work um so when we're

1:57:20 ↗ talking about are we complying with

1:57:21 ↗ state law the permit Center coordinator

1:57:24 ↗ I think has an element to complying with

1:57:26 ↗ Senate Bill 5290 that I'd like to hear

1:57:29 ↗ more about from the administration um if

1:57:31 ↗ we are going to uh think about fully

1:57:33 ↗ justifying that piece so I'll just put

1:57:35 ↗ that down as a note for for future

1:57:36 ↗ discussion thank you and you can just

1:57:39 ↗ star that anything that has state

1:57:42 ↗ requirements we want to

1:57:48 ↗ know okay how are we feeling now about

1:57:52 ↗ talking about funding

1:57:54 ↗ options once twice three times

1:57:58 ↗ go great um so we have and looking at

1:58:04 ↗ ahead at this budget foring of those

1:58:06 ↗ priorities we just discussed we're also

1:58:08 ↗ looking at other revenues since ongoing

1:58:10 ↗ revenues is um continuing to be a

1:58:13 ↗ challenge for the city we've talked

1:58:14 ↗ about it over a number of years so um

1:58:17 ↗ one of the big sources of revenue for

1:58:19 ↗ the city we call them the big five is

1:58:21 ↗ utility tax

1:58:22 ↗ so we as we um prepared for today looked

1:58:26 ↗ at how we relate to our neighbors what

1:58:28 ↗ is our utility tax that we charge what

1:58:30 ↗ is what are some other potential sources

1:58:32 ↗ of revenue right so if we look at

1:58:34 ↗ utility tax we currently charge 3% for

1:58:37 ↗ water uh sewer and storm water and so

1:58:40 ↗ these are the city provided utilities um

1:58:45 ↗ and an if we were to increase from three

1:58:47 ↗ to

1:58:48 ↗ 6% um which is what we charge for other

1:58:51 ↗ non cities utilities so making it even

1:58:53 ↗ 6% across the board we'll see that in a

1:58:55 ↗ minute um that we estimate should get us

1:58:59 ↗ about 1.2 a little more than $1.2

1:59:01 ↗ million annually so that would be an

1:59:03 ↗ ongoing source of revenue for the city

1:59:05 ↗ as we think about how do we make ongoing

1:59:08 ↗ reductions what are other areas that we

1:59:10 ↗ can look at for increasing revenues on

1:59:12 ↗ an ongoing

1:59:13 ↗ basis um as we look at how our utility

1:59:16 ↗ tax Compares against our neighbors so is

1:59:19 ↗ it was there at the top of this chart we

1:59:21 ↗ see it highlighted in green um So

1:59:24 ↗ currently it's as I said 3% water SE

1:59:27 ↗ storm water but then when we look at the

1:59:29 ↗ non- City Utilities electricity natural

1:59:31 ↗ gas Solid Waste cable TV telephone those

1:59:33 ↗ are about 6% for the city and so what

1:59:36 ↗ the administration is interested in

1:59:37 ↗ hearing from Council is um uh whether

1:59:41 ↗ you would consider through this budget

1:59:43 ↗ process would you would like to consider

1:59:45 ↗ increasing that from 3% to 6% across the

1:59:48 ↗ board for All City

1:59:50 ↗ utility um we look at our neighbors and

1:59:53 ↗ you can see there's various rates Bel

1:59:56 ↗ has 10% for water but 5% for storm water

1:59:58 ↗ for example um and different rates for

2:00:01 ↗ other utilities Federal Way is

2:00:04 ↗ considerably higher across the board um

2:00:06 ↗ isqua kind of an outlier here with 3%

2:00:09 ↗ for City provided utilities uh among the

2:00:12 ↗ lowest of our peers outside of Redmond

2:00:15 ↗ which currently does charge and utility

2:00:16 ↗ tax and so at this point um just want to

2:00:19 ↗ remind Council that there's a difference

2:00:21 ↗ between our utility rates and what we

2:00:23 ↗ charge per unit of use versus utility

2:00:25 ↗ tax general fund Revenue source that can

2:00:27 ↗ be used for any um save purpose Andrea

2:00:31 ↗ before you go on um one piece of

2:00:33 ↗ information I think would be useful as

2:00:35 ↗ we talk about this later is what are the

2:00:37 ↗ maximums that we could charge on each of

2:00:40 ↗ the areas and what would that create in

2:00:44 ↗ Revenue because obviously we're going to

2:00:45 ↗ get less from telephone if we increase

2:00:48 ↗ that to the max versus um water or

2:00:52 ↗ something like that so understanding

2:00:55 ↗ what's possible at a rate level and

2:00:57 ↗ what's possible at a revenue level for

2:01:00 ↗ each of them rather than just looking at

2:01:03 ↗ the three to six% that you've talked

2:01:05 ↗ about yeah I think we can answer that

2:01:07 ↗ question isn't it 9% uh there I believe

2:01:11 ↗ it is 9% is the maximum except for water

2:01:14 ↗ sewer storm and solid waste there is a

2:01:17 ↗ maximum so so state law sets the cap at

2:01:21 ↗ 9% for electricity natural gas Solid

2:01:23 ↗ Waste Etc I'm sorry yeah solid waste and

2:01:26 ↗ then for the others we could charge or

2:01:29 ↗ if we wanted but um 9% we could charge

2:01:31 ↗ higher for with a vote of

2:01:34 ↗ people great and then the information on

2:01:37 ↗ the amounts I think would be useful as

2:01:39 ↗ we have future

2:01:44 ↗ mations yeah um and on utility tax do we

2:01:48 ↗ already have a waiver for low income

2:01:52 ↗ residents on

2:01:54 ↗ that I know that we have programs for

2:01:57 ↗ the utility bills themselves I don't

2:01:59 ↗ know about the utility tax so that would

2:02:01 ↗ be something we could look into thank

2:02:04 ↗ you Joe followed by thank you just said

2:02:07 ↗ a question about the utility taxes is

2:02:09 ↗ the 3% to 6% a straight line estimated

2:02:13 ↗ revenue or is there some accounting for

2:02:16 ↗ um avoidance or

2:02:18 ↗ conservation um I know it might not be a

2:02:20 ↗ big amount but the 5 ,000 change in

2:02:23 ↗ water for example but if we do go to 9%

2:02:25 ↗ we're talking about a million dollars

2:02:26 ↗ potentially in the revenue or you know

2:02:29 ↗ 750 um just is a straight line or is it

2:02:32 ↗ account for people reducing their

2:02:34 ↗ consumption straight line um I think

2:02:37 ↗ what we could expect is as we look at

2:02:38 ↗ our utility rate study which is going to

2:02:40 ↗ come out in the first quarter of next

2:02:41 ↗ year that rate a rate change may affect

2:02:45 ↗ demand a little bit more than a straight

2:02:48 ↗ across tax but it it's not something

2:02:49 ↗ we've accounted for in this test okay

2:02:51 ↗ thank you

2:02:54 ↗ yeah it

2:02:55 ↗ works so uh this is super helpful um I I

2:02:59 ↗ really appreciate this a lot P really

2:03:02 ↗ likes

2:03:03 ↗ 7.7

2:03:05 ↗ 7.75 or

2:03:07 ↗ 17.75 um so if I could wave the magic

2:03:10 ↗ wand and I don't know if it's even

2:03:13 ↗ possible but the way I would the what

2:03:16 ↗ I'd be really curious about is the total

2:03:20 ↗ Municipal uh utility

2:03:22 ↗ and tax load for the average homeowner

2:03:25 ↗ and for the average rent right and and

2:03:28 ↗ maybe you don't do maybe you can't do

2:03:30 ↗ that for 10 communities and and I don't

2:03:32 ↗ know if it's even possible but you know

2:03:34 ↗ my trouble with some of this is I don't

2:03:36 ↗ know the the you know the Baseline what

2:03:38 ↗ this corresponds to for an average you

2:03:40 ↗ know like I said for an average

2:03:41 ↗ homeowner for an average renter uh and I

2:03:45 ↗ think that would be helpful and at least

2:03:47 ↗ and compare at least one or two I was

2:03:49 ↗ like

2:03:50 ↗ because uh uh so anyhow I don't know

2:03:53 ↗ what our ability to do that but like I

2:03:55 ↗ said this is this is helpful but in my

2:03:58 ↗ way of thinking like what would the

2:03:59 ↗ actual bill be for somebody and what's

2:04:02 ↗ the aggregate Municipal

2:04:04 ↗ load

2:04:05 ↗ thanks yeah and even if you can only get

2:04:08 ↗ that I'd be very interested in that at

2:04:10 ↗ our current and at the potential lias

2:04:13 ↗ yeah absolutely plus plus one current

2:04:16 ↗ and proposed yeah yeah I very similar I

2:04:20 ↗ was just wondering if we could get get

2:04:22 ↗ the this is the utility tax but if we

2:04:24 ↗ could get the rates because if some of

2:04:26 ↗ these are very different rates per tax

2:04:29 ↗ very different rate that would also be

2:04:32 ↗ good to

2:04:33 ↗ know we're getting all of these

2:04:35 ↗ questions out early so that we can uh

2:04:37 ↗ have the information

2:04:40 ↗ thanks okay thank you for those uh

2:04:42 ↗ questions um we also looked at business

2:04:45 ↗ and occupation tax um because that's

2:04:47 ↗ another one of our big revenues big

2:04:49 ↗ sources of revenues for the general fund

2:04:51 ↗ as we looked at our business and

2:04:53 ↗ occupation tax um and compared it

2:04:55 ↗ against our peer cities um there's

2:04:58 ↗ there's no clear a trend line but it

2:05:00 ↗ does seem like we are somewhat within

2:05:03 ↗ the range of our other cities um many

2:05:06 ↗ other cities of course don't charge youo

2:05:08 ↗ taxes um and so as you can see here

2:05:12 ↗ maximum tax rate cannot exceed more than

2:05:14 ↗ 0.2% without voter approval so we're

2:05:16 ↗ already

2:05:19 ↗ at% this is of course on grocery gross

2:05:22 ↗ receipts for

2:05:23 ↗ businesses um one thing that might be

2:05:26 ↗ interesting for the city to explore at a

2:05:28 ↗ future date that we welcome council's

2:05:30 ↗ feedback on this is whether the city

2:05:32 ↗ should explore kind of a bellw model

2:05:34 ↗ bellie does two types of business taxes

2:05:37 ↗ one is on gross receipts like most

2:05:39 ↗ cities in Washington state uh the other

2:05:42 ↗ is that they charge a square footage tax

2:05:44 ↗ and the reason for this is that there

2:05:46 ↗ are um a number of businesses that don't

2:05:49 ↗ actually pay bnot tax for um for

2:05:53 ↗ operating so if we look at headquarter

2:05:55 ↗ operations Regional Offices let's say

2:05:58 ↗ maybe payroll functions or HR functions

2:06:01 ↗ none of those are taxable under these

2:06:03 ↗ categories in Washington state we have

2:06:05 ↗ categories of manufacturing extracting

2:06:07 ↗ retailing wholesaling printing Retail

2:06:10 ↗ Services other types of Professional

2:06:13 ↗ Services what we find is we have uh

2:06:17 ↗ several thousand employees uh who are

2:06:20 ↗ working at headquarters in this

2:06:22 ↗ they're using Isa roads on a daily basis

2:06:25 ↗ um other types of Isa services that we

2:06:27 ↗ provide for from the general fund um but

2:06:29 ↗ that business isn't necessarily paying

2:06:32 ↗ in from those headquarter or Regional

2:06:34 ↗ Offices type operations so we have

2:06:36 ↗ people who are benefiting from city

2:06:38 ↗ services but not helping to pay for

2:06:40 ↗ those city services and so that's one of

2:06:42 ↗ the reasons why bie charges a square

2:06:44 ↗ footage tax in addition to a gross

2:06:46 ↗ receipts tax and so um if that's

2:06:48 ↗ something the council would like us to

2:06:49 ↗ look further into future date we can

2:06:52 ↗ certainly do

2:06:55 ↗ that um but at this time we're not

2:06:57 ↗ recommending an increase in bno taxes

2:07:00 ↗ just wanted to know we looked at

2:07:03 ↗ it um also um another thing that we have

2:07:07 ↗ been looking at our school zone in red

2:07:08 ↗ light cameras of course the purpose of

2:07:10 ↗ this would be safety first and trying to

2:07:13 ↗ address pedestrian safety and um roadway

2:07:16 ↗ user safety this presentation has come

2:07:19 ↗ to the mobility and infrastructure

2:07:21 ↗ committee a few weeks ago and looking at

2:07:23 ↗ should the city consider additional

2:07:26 ↗ school zone or red light cameras um to

2:07:28 ↗ bring the rest of the counil up on that

2:07:30 ↗ presentation generally the committee

2:07:31 ↗ said yes take a look into it um so we

2:07:33 ↗ did some analysis on this um and what we

2:07:37 ↗ found is we looked at red light cameras

2:07:40 ↗ um as we looked at uh school zone

2:07:42 ↗ cameras in a couple of locations

2:07:43 ↗ including Talis drive and Discovery and

2:07:46 ↗ Newport we've really only found one one

2:07:49 ↗ type of camera and one location to be

2:07:51 ↗ finan ially feasible and that would be

2:07:54 ↗ um Newport Way and so as we look at

2:07:57 ↗ trying to um improve safety outcomes for

2:08:00 ↗ the community when it comes to reducing

2:08:02 ↗ um uh vehicle motor speeds and enforcing

2:08:05 ↗ our uh our um speed zones um the city

2:08:11 ↗ the administration would like to

2:08:12 ↗ recommend moving forward with that

2:08:14 ↗ schools on safety camera on Newport way

2:08:17 ↗ if we did this then taking out program

2:08:20 ↗ costs for the contractor um and the the

2:08:24 ↗ court staff um and ipd staff that would

2:08:27 ↗ be needed uh to service this camera and

2:08:30 ↗ service the program who would expect a

2:08:33 ↗ net revenue of about a half a million

2:08:35 ↗ dollars per year that could um go

2:08:39 ↗ towards our schools and safety camera

2:08:41 ↗ Revenue fund which is where current uh

2:08:43 ↗ revenues come from uh sorry where

2:08:46 ↗ current revenues go

2:08:48 ↗ towards uh and so um that's another

2:08:52 ↗ potential source of funding as we look

2:08:54 ↗ at for costs or other Transportation

2:08:57 ↗ type funding and this would again be an

2:09:00 ↗ ongoing source of Revenue right I gotta

2:09:03 ↗ tell you I hate this idea I mean I just

2:09:04 ↗ hate it I hate it I hate it I love the

2:09:06 ↗ idea of safety I just hate being that

2:09:08 ↗ town with a speed trap to generate

2:09:10 ↗ revenue and I hate the idea of even

2:09:12 ↗ packaging this in a revenue discussion I

2:09:14 ↗ think it's an appropriate and I just

2:09:17 ↗ can't I mean if this is a safety issue

2:09:19 ↗ let's do it if this is a revenue issue I

2:09:22 ↗ can't get behind

2:09:24 ↗ it uh the enabling legislation makes it

2:09:28 ↗ so that you can only apply it in a

2:09:30 ↗ safety situation um we

2:09:33 ↗ we we have always had members of the

2:09:36 ↗ community who did not like having a

2:09:39 ↗ speed camera by our high school and we

2:09:41 ↗ have been adaman te about uh its need as

2:09:45 ↗ a safety feature um I understand having

2:09:50 ↗ this in the middle of this conversation

2:09:52 ↗ will

2:09:54 ↗ cause some folks to think a weird

2:09:57 ↗ coupling but I'm confident this Council

2:10:00 ↗ will only put speed cameras in where it

2:10:02 ↗ is a potential safety benefit and both

2:10:05 ↗ because we won't put a speed trap in and

2:10:09 ↗ because the legislation doesn't allow us

2:10:13 ↗ to I also just add that the capital

2:10:16 ↗ finance committee task force talked

2:10:17 ↗ about this they recommended moving

2:10:20 ↗ forward about this as soon as possible

2:10:24 ↗ it's the council president yeah just

2:10:27 ↗ someone who travels New Way frequently

2:10:30 ↗ uh I can tell you it's a safety issue

2:10:33 ↗ it's uh and it's someone who's gotten

2:10:35 ↗ kicked over by high school I can tell

2:10:38 ↗ you it's a safety issue yeah so uh yeah

2:10:42 ↗ I as soon as I heard about this I said

2:10:44 ↗ wow we need that on Newport way it's

2:10:47 ↗ people there's lots of kids lots of

2:10:49 ↗ families Lots traffic in out and people

2:10:53 ↗ tend to go zooming through there so um I

2:10:57 ↗ I definitely think it's a safety yeah

2:10:58 ↗ and and and I'm not GNA get recognized I

2:11:01 ↗ I Concur and I've done it too um and I

2:11:04 ↗ think if it's a safety issue yeah more

2:11:06 ↗ power to us and council member Mart's

2:11:08 ↗ Point that's what the law says I just am

2:11:11 ↗ objecting to it being in a budget

2:11:12 ↗ discussion because it the Optics are bad

2:11:15 ↗ it the Optics say oh we're doing this to

2:11:17 ↗ raise revenue because it's in a budget

2:11:19 ↗ discussion about Revenue sources and I

2:11:21 ↗ think that the fact that the revenue or

2:11:23 ↗ the capital financing task force

2:11:25 ↗ recommended as a revenue source is

2:11:27 ↗ inappropriate solear they didn't okay

2:11:30 ↗ yeah no it was like in an addend like

2:11:32 ↗ this came up we didn't want it to be

2:11:34 ↗ part ofation okay but the city should

2:11:36 ↗ look into it yeah it's and it's a great

2:11:38 ↗ idea I mean I'm off for traffic cameras

2:11:40 ↗ like red light cameras to stop blocking

2:11:42 ↗ intersections like traffic cameras to

2:11:43 ↗ stop people from speeding through

2:11:45 ↗ traffic zones I just don't like it as a

2:11:47 ↗ part of a revenue discussion so it's

2:11:49 ↗ just kind of a little bit of a button

2:11:51 ↗ there

2:11:52 ↗ you can put me in that camp I'm not sold

2:11:56 ↗ on this at all

2:11:59 ↗ whatsoever uh same I won't repeat but

2:12:02 ↗ this exact same conversation several

2:12:05 ↗ years ago also in revenue and I also

2:12:07 ↗ feel that it's inappropriate to to frame

2:12:09 ↗ it this way um so

2:12:16 ↗ same can I actually ask a question to

2:12:19 ↗ challenge the safety exception so it's

2:12:21 ↗ definitely a road

2:12:23 ↗ people um it's also definitely road that

2:12:26 ↗ get very backed up during deep traffic

2:12:29 ↗ TOS pass through computers going through

2:12:30 ↗ it but it's also got the flashing Beacon

2:12:33 ↗ crosswalk and the stoplight and pretty

2:12:37 ↗ big rideway ditches that separate the

2:12:41 ↗ sidewalk and the road so is there some

2:12:43 ↗ sort of documented like pedestrian

2:12:45 ↗ safety issue on that road it's not clear

2:12:47 ↗ to me exactly what that I bet you the

2:12:50 ↗ chief has some thoughts on yeah that's

2:12:51 ↗ what that's why I mention we do get

2:12:54 ↗ reports people skaing on report um can't

2:12:59 ↗ give you I have to get more data which

2:13:01 ↗ that's why R um grab that information

2:13:05 ↗ for you and and get that need follow up

2:13:09 ↗ um I know engineering has talked about

2:13:12 ↗ their being

2:13:14 ↗ roundabouts related for going in that

2:13:16 ↗ area as well but I think the the section

2:13:19 ↗ there because people don't realize it's

2:13:21 ↗ all the the housing and the apartment

2:13:22 ↗ complexes and the traffic that also goes

2:13:25 ↗ from you know Target and shopping center

2:13:28 ↗ that's there there's a lot of people

2:13:30 ↗ that do frequent that area um as well as

2:13:34 ↗ the children that are playing there is a

2:13:36 ↗ fence but there's a fence on almost any

2:13:39 ↗ school zone where these cameras are as

2:13:41 ↗ well so I think it's more um it's also

2:13:44 ↗ the people walk for different factors

2:13:47 ↗ today when I was coming here I drove

2:13:49 ↗ down new Hort there's you know people

2:13:51 ↗ walking their dogs and people riding on

2:13:54 ↗ my tail because they don't I'm in car

2:13:58 ↗ so it's a regular thing and then it's

2:14:00 ↗ what when we say speed and safety it's

2:14:03 ↗ the stopping distance Factor that's the

2:14:04 ↗ biggest piece to this it's the stopping

2:14:07 ↗ distance Factor when the people are

2:14:09 ↗ going even that five mile an hour

2:14:11 ↗ changes drastically with the stopping

2:14:13 ↗ distance is and so even though there's

2:14:15 ↗ the beacon I mean there's beacon on

2:14:16 ↗ Front Street ignore it and don't see

2:14:19 ↗ people oh I didn't see the sign because

2:14:21 ↗ they were doing whatever so that being a

2:14:24 ↗ location and it's such a straight

2:14:26 ↗ stretch that's flat and it's um we do

2:14:31 ↗ get complaints about it regularly I have

2:14:32 ↗ option tickets I know on that area um

2:14:36 ↗ and they don't like it because they even

2:14:38 ↗ sit we even have complaints because the

2:14:39 ↗ officer sits in some of those um

2:14:42 ↗ jurisdictions say it's hard for us to

2:14:44 ↗ see if your park there because we're

2:14:46 ↗ trying to be a

2:14:47 ↗ deterent so I can I can speak that that

2:14:50 ↗ is has been an issue as far as those

2:14:53 ↗ factors go and the concerns that um the

2:14:58 ↗ it's the schol zone and it's only 20

2:14:59 ↗ miles an hour during certain times um

2:15:02 ↗ but at the same time if you're looking

2:15:05 ↗ at like the speed camera on second is

2:15:07 ↗ we've dropped it down because it was

2:15:09 ↗ originally like 27 and then they dropped

2:15:11 ↗ it down to 26 um and the point was

2:15:14 ↗ because people were still oh I know that

2:15:16 ↗ I can go so so fast and so that changes

2:15:19 ↗ that stopping distance which you know it

2:15:21 ↗ only takes one right it only takes the

2:15:24 ↗ one that's helpful and then I guess the

2:15:27 ↗ other half plus question

2:15:29 ↗ is has the school or the community that

2:15:33 ↗ lives around this road ever come forward

2:15:35 ↗ and said we' like camera or some sort of

2:15:38 ↗ traffic yes as a as a former uh Ive

2:15:43 ↗ parent and PTA board member 100% to the

2:15:46 ↗ city yes that we need more traffic

2:15:49 ↗ calming in that area to traffic down uh

2:15:52 ↗ to to uh keep the kids safe and also uh

2:15:55 ↗ to help parents uh access that

2:16:03 ↗ be just to put the uh conversation in

2:16:06 ↗ context I have it on good authority that

2:16:08 ↗ in 3 at 3 in the morning you can reach a

2:16:11 ↗ speed of 57 miles hour on that so we

2:16:14 ↗ think of as a small backward country

2:16:16 ↗ road but speeds can get very high there

2:16:20 ↗ uh if we're not watching what we're

2:16:23 ↗ doing yeah are you admitting to personal

2:16:25 ↗ experience or something I can either

2:16:26 ↗ confirm or deny that it

2:16:28 ↗ was yesn't the office pres so it's all

2:16:34 ↗ good C president can I just add to this

2:16:37 ↗ so um it was probably 10 years ago that

2:16:42 ↗ the conversation came up about is this

2:16:44 ↗ for safet years is for funding and I've

2:16:47 ↗ never had an issue hearing about it on

2:16:50 ↗ the revenue side

2:16:51 ↗ because what we learned was that the

2:16:54 ↗ camera goes in um to change Behavior to

2:16:57 ↗ get these speeds lower so that the

2:16:59 ↗ damage if damage occurs is the minimum

2:17:02 ↗ that it can be but what we learned was

2:17:04 ↗ if one of the one is about camera was

2:17:07 ↗ earning Revenue over expenditures and

2:17:10 ↗ that that was just going to the G fund

2:17:12 ↗ and that's typically what many cities do

2:17:15 ↗ is it's not doesn't have a Nexus back to

2:17:18 ↗ safety so council member good man put a

2:17:21 ↗ proposal forward that said if we're

2:17:24 ↗ getting the behavior we and there are

2:17:27 ↗ revenues in excess it can't go to the

2:17:29 ↗ general fund it has to go to the safety

2:17:31 ↗ fund and so I've always viewed this as

2:17:34 ↗ as long as the community and the police

2:17:36 ↗ chief are saying that there is

2:17:38 ↗ definitely going to be an improvement to

2:17:40 ↗ safety if in the event that there is

2:17:43 ↗ revenue over and you can fund Capital

2:17:45 ↗ Improvements engineer a solution um I

2:17:49 ↗ don't think I don't I've never never had

2:17:51 ↗ a problem seeing it as cited as a

2:17:54 ↗ revenue Source especially when the Nexus

2:17:56 ↗ is Public Safety student safety so for I

2:18:00 ↗ know it it it I agree with council

2:18:02 ↗ member Ray it can look like we're trying

2:18:04 ↗ to make money but we're not doing what

2:18:07 ↗ most cities do we don't put that money

2:18:08 ↗ in the general fund we actually do the

2:18:10 ↗ Nexus right back because the goal is if

2:18:13 ↗ you can get them to slow down because of

2:18:15 ↗ the fine if you can get them to slow

2:18:16 ↗ down because you did the blinking

2:18:18 ↗ crosswalk that you paid for with the

2:18:19 ↗ money in that says if whatever you can

2:18:22 ↗ do to get the lower speed if it's

2:18:24 ↗ getting the lower speed then we're

2:18:25 ↗ moving in the right

2:18:28 ↗ direction thank you may PA that's why we

2:18:30 ↗ have see on the minimum range you see a

2:18:33 ↗ declining source of Revenue because we

2:18:35 ↗ do hope that it changes changes behavior

2:18:39 ↗ of course it it also depends on traffic

2:18:41 ↗ patterns and population growth but yeah

2:18:43 ↗ the dream would be that if you've done

2:18:45 ↗ everything correct and the community is

2:18:47 ↗ responding and it is engineered to be as

2:18:51 ↗ safe to get those feeds we've we we're

2:18:53 ↗ done we probably don't need that K

2:18:57 ↗ reading so so that was the presentation

2:19:00 ↗ on potential revenues that the

2:19:02 ↗ administration would love to have

2:19:03 ↗ Council feedback on of course we've

2:19:05 ↗ already had some feedback on those items

2:19:07 ↗ so that's great uh but I think we only

2:19:11 ↗ have a few more minutes uh until I think

2:19:13 ↗ lunch was

2:19:16 ↗ scheduled yes sorry you have a little

2:19:18 ↗ bit more time uh prob will be here

2:19:21 ↗ hopefully around

2:19:22 ↗ 11:40 sound good um this is a question a

2:19:26 ↗ process question um are you interested

2:19:28 ↗ and other thoughts around Revenue at

2:19:30 ↗ this point or is that for uh this

2:19:32 ↗ afternoon we are interested yes all

2:19:35 ↗ right well I've been thinking about this

2:19:37 ↗ as we've had this discussion about

2:19:38 ↗ Contract Services all morning and that

2:19:42 ↗ um and I know that one of the things

2:19:43 ↗ we're looking at right now is

2:19:45 ↗ re-evaluating our cost to our partner

2:19:48 ↗ our customer cities for courts

2:19:51 ↗ um for jail um for dispatch um I want

2:19:55 ↗ you to cons think about considering not

2:19:58 ↗ just the operating cost but the capital

2:20:00 ↗ cost as we look at new buildings um we

2:20:03 ↗ own those buildings we pay for those

2:20:05 ↗ buildings those costs need to be

2:20:06 ↗ reflected in the cost of our services so

2:20:09 ↗ so dispatch and jail and all of those

2:20:12 ↗ things that not only we're cing

2:20:13 ↗ operating cost but we're should also be

2:20:16 ↗ um yeah and and our operating cost in

2:20:19 ↗ those contracts but also the the capital

2:20:22 ↗ cost of the existing infrastructure so

2:20:26 ↗ um something just to

2:20:28 ↗ consider thank you just uh council

2:20:30 ↗ member H reference the uh Capital fund

2:20:34 ↗ uh ad hoc made that he was on have we

2:20:36 ↗ explored all of the revenue sources that

2:20:39 ↗ were discussed in that um you know fine

2:20:43 ↗ work and if they if we have could you

2:20:45 ↗ bring any of those up to the floor we've

2:20:48 ↗ gone through them all unless you want to

2:20:49 ↗ remind us kind of would talked

2:20:52 ↗ about yeah

2:20:54 ↗ distri yeah so they they recommended uh

2:20:58 ↗ TBD sales tax which um the city voted in

2:21:02 ↗ a council medic version of that um they

2:21:06 ↗ also recommended a metropolitan Parks

2:21:08 ↗ district for a Parks District levy um

2:21:11 ↗ that's something in the future uh date

2:21:13 ↗ for us to explore they also recommended

2:21:15 ↗ a ly Li lift considering that um and um

2:21:19 ↗ how to fund the facilities through some

2:21:22 ↗ sort of uh vot uh vot of people so I

2:21:27 ↗ think that's a high Lev summary those

2:21:29 ↗ things and of course we've been talking

2:21:30 ↗ about the possibility of a bond in order

2:21:33 ↗ to fund facilities great thank you I

2:21:35 ↗ just wanted to make sure we had all the

2:21:36 ↗ cards on the table so to

2:21:38 ↗ speak I'm gonna go just because it

2:21:41 ↗ relates back to what council member Ray

2:21:43 ↗ said I want to look at other revenues

2:21:45 ↗ and so looking at what are costs that

2:21:49 ↗ can be passed on to our contracts is

2:21:51 ↗ really important making sure that

2:21:54 ↗ inflationary increases are included in

2:21:58 ↗ areas where we charge fees such as

2:22:00 ↗ Recreation programs and permits and

2:22:03 ↗ things like that that was something that

2:22:04 ↗ we did in our last um Council budget and

2:22:07 ↗ so I really want to make sure those are

2:22:09 ↗ in there um Recreation programs that's

2:22:12 ↗ an area where if we can make a little

2:22:14 ↗ bit of money off of it and provide huge

2:22:18 ↗ benefit to the community

2:22:21 ↗ that should be number like one if we're

2:22:23 ↗ looking at something that raises revenue

2:22:26 ↗ and provides additional quality of life

2:22:29 ↗ and provides

2:22:30 ↗ jobs yes yes yes so um I want to make

2:22:34 ↗ sure that we also look at that I also

2:22:37 ↗ recognize that we are sitting in a

2:22:39 ↗ building that does not have as many uses

2:22:43 ↗ and I would like to make sure we have

2:22:46 ↗ the money whether it's an expenditure or

2:22:49 ↗ just the time to absolutely look at

2:22:51 ↗ property

2:22:53 ↗ cing so I will just add all of that I

2:22:57 ↗ heard a lot of amens Thumbs Up just want

2:22:59 ↗ to recognize that for the record

2:23:02 ↗ um so those are some facts I have others

2:23:06 ↗ on regular Revenue but I'll leave it at

2:23:08 ↗ that um mayor py Deputy so one of the

2:23:11 ↗ things we're we benefited from was that

2:23:15 ↗ not all levels of government uh were

2:23:18 ↗ seeing the kinds of challenges that we

2:23:20 ↗ do we are very very constrained so the

2:23:23 ↗ federal government gave us a lot of

2:23:24 ↗ funding during Co that sort of delayed

2:23:26 ↗ your conversation by two to three years

2:23:29 ↗ um thank goodness that was wonderful our

2:23:31 ↗ state government also has a lot of

2:23:33 ↗ surplus and there is hopefully the

2:23:37 ↗ potential for us to be more successful

2:23:39 ↗ in working with our state legislator and

2:23:41 ↗ our governor to find ways to get more of

2:23:44 ↗ the fees and taxes that are being

2:23:46 ↗ collected back to the local level there

2:23:48 ↗ was a proposal on the wealth tax that if

2:23:51 ↗ the wealth tax was Co collected it could

2:23:53 ↗ be redistributed back to cities in a way

2:23:56 ↗ that would help us cover some of our

2:23:58 ↗ cost to be able to not increase property

2:24:01 ↗ taxes there was also a discussion about

2:24:04 ↗ marijuana taxes which we were proposed

2:24:06 ↗ to get three times the amount of money

2:24:08 ↗ back it could come back to cities to

2:24:11 ↗ work for your Human Services expenses

2:24:13 ↗ your court system your justice system

2:24:17 ↗ and those promises were not kept and so

2:24:20 ↗ um while we are struggling um there are

2:24:24 ↗ the opportunities of us possibly being

2:24:26 ↗ able to use our advocacy to get the

2:24:29 ↗ state to share more revenues with local

2:24:32 ↗ jurisdictions to help in these Human

2:24:34 ↗ Services Public

2:24:35 ↗ Safety um

2:24:40 ↗ Arena so plus one on the idea of I

2:24:43 ↗ talked about this before when we when I

2:24:45 ↗ was talking about deferred maintenance

2:24:48 ↗ uh we need a plan for all of the city fa

2:24:50 ↗ ities we have and uh which ones do we

2:24:53 ↗ want to Surplus now that's a one-time

2:24:55 ↗ income uh but but we are in a position

2:25:00 ↗ where we to look at those kinds of

2:25:01 ↗ Revenue sources so plus one on that um

2:25:04 ↗ the other thing is I I heard that we are

2:25:06 ↗ not looking at a B of tax increase but

2:25:10 ↗ I'll go back to my earlier remarks Arts

2:25:13 ↗ bring a lot of people to the area um

2:25:16 ↗ could we increase the B by one ten of 1%

2:25:21 ↗ or two10 of 1% and dedicate that to the

2:25:24 ↗ Arts fund um I have no idea what kind of

2:25:27 ↗ Revenue that would bring in but I'd

2:25:29 ↗ really like it to look and consider that

2:25:32 ↗ as part of our touret

2:25:34 ↗ Zone um funding and but that funding

2:25:38 ↗ would go to the Arts fund because the

2:25:40 ↗ Arts fund brings in a lot of tourists to

2:25:43 ↗ our area so those are two areas that I

2:25:45 ↗ would like us to explore

2:25:50 ↗ [Music]

2:25:51 ↗ uh thanks so one thing I I wanted to

2:25:54 ↗ recognize that the recreation programs

2:25:56 ↗ you know there is a noticeable increase

2:25:57 ↗ in the capacity of those programs um I

2:26:01 ↗ will say it it still is the case that

2:26:03 ↗ you have to put an alarm clock on and

2:26:06 ↗ your computer and get in but there are

2:26:08 ↗ additional programs if you don't get

2:26:09 ↗ into into the program and so I think

2:26:12 ↗ there is though so firstly I just wanted

2:26:14 ↗ to recognize that you know staff are

2:26:15 ↗ amazing that's why it's they're so

2:26:17 ↗ popular but there is still demand I very

2:26:20 ↗ much believe that I still hear from

2:26:23 ↗ other parents other moms that are you

2:26:25 ↗ know at their computer and not able to

2:26:26 ↗ get into that first program so I I think

2:26:29 ↗ there's a huge potential there it's a

2:26:31 ↗ winwin it's a demand that the community

2:26:34 ↗ that or Community need that we would

2:26:36 ↗ also be able to benefit from and then uh

2:26:39 ↗ on the surplus of of properties we

2:26:42 ↗ several years ago developed the

2:26:43 ↗ framework for when there was a an a a

2:26:47 ↗ request um you know for RightWay or

2:26:49 ↗ thing so that we would go through a

2:26:50 ↗ process of looking at a community

2:26:52 ↗ benefits and making that decision but I

2:26:53 ↗ do think it would be great to kind of

2:26:54 ↗ extend that into it more proactive you

2:26:57 ↗ know these are the the facilities that

2:26:59 ↗ we have and what should we prioritize

2:27:02 ↗ Surplus um and why based on community

2:27:05 ↗ benefit versus benefit of of of not of

2:27:08 ↗ no longer having that property um and

2:27:12 ↗ then lastly on the bno tax um I think

2:27:16 ↗ that the per square footage is

2:27:18 ↗ interesting but I also think that a lot

2:27:21 ↗ of uh you know a lot of the companies

2:27:24 ↗ that have headquarters those sorts of

2:27:27 ↗ positions are uh requiring less office

2:27:30 ↗ space because a lot of that can be done

2:27:32 ↗ remotely especially after Co and more

2:27:35 ↗ remote work so I wondered if those

2:27:38 ↗ places that have that you know

2:27:40 ↗ headquarters and and then based on the

2:27:43 ↗ office if there's any conversation about

2:27:45 ↗ a way to make sure you know as was

2:27:48 ↗ pointed out those folks are

2:27:50 ↗ using um using public services using

2:27:53 ↗ public safety there's there's all kinds

2:27:55 ↗ of impacts and so it seems reasonable to

2:27:59 ↗ to look into how to make sure that that

2:28:02 ↗ they are that those costs are being paid

2:28:05 ↗ into but I'm not sure about the square

2:28:07 ↗ footage because I think a lot of these

2:28:08 ↗ jobs are are going more remote and not

2:28:11 ↗ meeting that square footage so is that

2:28:12 ↗ really the accurate me metric so I

2:28:14 ↗ wondered if other if there's other

2:28:17 ↗ approaches looking into

2:28:19 ↗ that I'll continue on the B route I'm

2:28:22 ↗ interested in that I think it's

2:28:25 ↗ definitely reasonable um but as a

2:28:28 ↗ business owner I would

2:28:33 ↗ be I really think we need to get online

2:28:36 ↗ bot tax payments

2:28:39 ↗ available we look to charge anything

2:28:42 ↗ else to

2:28:44 ↗ businesses um I have to keep a checkbook

2:28:48 ↗ for my business only because of the city

2:28:50 ↗ of

2:28:51 ↗ me uh and so I would like to make sure

2:28:56 ↗ that the businesses are getting the

2:28:59 ↗ benefit um and see that

2:29:02 ↗ benefit if we're going to talk about

2:29:04 ↗ that

2:29:05 ↗ area Rick yeah I'm gonna keep ripping on

2:29:08 ↗ bot tax because um I may be on the other

2:29:10 ↗ side of this equation but I think uh

2:29:13 ↗ economic development is one of the

2:29:14 ↗ things that we really need to push in

2:29:15 ↗ this city and and it is a huge source of

2:29:18 ↗ revenue from property tax and sales tax

2:29:20 ↗ and other taxes and um I don't know that

2:29:24 ↗ if we were to do a minimal square foot

2:29:27 ↗ or a minimal B tax increase that would

2:29:29 ↗ drive anybody out but it is the sort of

2:29:31 ↗ thing that prevent people from coming in

2:29:33 ↗ and so you know we would be across

2:29:35 ↗ purposes to some of our Economic

2:29:37 ↗ Development activities if we say hey we

2:29:39 ↗ we're going to have this new uh square

2:29:41 ↗ foot tax um I know if I was a business

2:29:44 ↗ owner and when I was a business owner

2:29:45 ↗ that is something that I would look at

2:29:46 ↗ and go you know I'm not really

2:29:48 ↗ interested in doing that so um

2:29:50 ↗ so that's just what we just when you

2:29:52 ↗ know I guess when the administration is

2:29:53 ↗ kind of doing some balancing acts here

2:29:55 ↗ looking at okay if we can drive economic

2:29:58 ↗ growth can we generate more through

2:30:00 ↗ making the pie bigger than taking a

2:30:01 ↗ bigger slice on the

2:30:03 ↗ pie so request for more data and

2:30:08 ↗ information so that maybe we have a

2:30:11 ↗ little best conversation it sounds like

2:30:13 ↗ the administration isn't ready to put

2:30:16 ↗ that into the budget this year so is

2:30:19 ↗ this feedback on bno tax more about what

2:30:23 ↗ information we would need in a future

2:30:25 ↗ year

2:30:26 ↗ conversation uh yes yes exactly or if

2:30:30 ↗ Council felt really strongly about it we

2:30:32 ↗ could you know uh change uh we could

2:30:36 ↗ also try to get it for 25 26 but it is

2:30:38 ↗ it's a New Concept for us and we thought

2:30:40 ↗ that community outreach Etc would be

2:30:42 ↗ needed and it's there's not a lot of

2:30:45 ↗ time that's why we're not recommending

2:30:46 ↗ that this cycle but just wanted to take

2:30:48 ↗ this opportunity to gather some of your

2:30:49 ↗ thoughts and feedback if this is

2:30:51 ↗ something worth

2:30:52 ↗ exploring and I think we're going to

2:30:54 ↗ take the second Direction off that um

2:30:58 ↗ we'll we'll pursue a speed camera

2:31:00 ↗ separate from the bud discussion if it

2:31:02 ↗ ends up happening great if it doesn't it

2:31:04 ↗ doesn't um you know we started with five

2:31:07 ↗ other locations through this sort of

2:31:09 ↗ internal review We rejected those five

2:31:12 ↗ locations because they didn't meet the

2:31:13 ↗ safety requirement and so it'll be

2:31:17 ↗ cleaner I we will continue to pursue it

2:31:19 ↗ but we'll take it out great idea it ends

2:31:22 ↗ up happening and we we'll do it co

2:31:26 ↗ terminous we'll do it in the fall so

2:31:28 ↗ that it'll be either up or down

2:31:32 ↗ um it'll be either up or

2:31:37 ↗ down okay um before I go over I got

2:31:43 ↗ stracted I was

2:31:45 ↗ thinking oh on the bno tax if we could

2:31:49 ↗ get of order of magnitude what that

2:31:52 ↗ potential Revenue would be for a square

2:31:55 ↗ footage just so that we have a sense of

2:31:58 ↗ whether it's something we would be

2:32:00 ↗ interested in pursuing that would be

2:32:02 ↗ great I don't want to send the

2:32:03 ↗ administration down a rabbit hole but I

2:32:06 ↗ think having whether 100,000 or two

2:32:10 ↗ million would be

2:32:13 ↗ important and we can apply that

2:32:16 ↗ model yes exactly so I know we got a lot

2:32:20 ↗ going on um I want to get to council

2:32:25 ↗ member Hall um I also want to make sure

2:32:28 ↗ we come back and touch base on utility

2:32:31 ↗ tax before we break into lunch because

2:32:33 ↗ we haven't heard a lot of feedback on

2:32:36 ↗ that

2:32:38 ↗ area uh no go ahead how should we think

2:32:41 ↗ about whether or not to touch

2:32:46 ↗ any so uh city council has adopted a

2:32:49 ↗ policy to try to keep it at

2:32:51 ↗ 15% um that's a generally uh accepted

2:32:55 ↗ best practice in across other cities so

2:32:59 ↗ some say 15 some say 20 others go as

2:33:02 ↗ high as 25 wouldn't recommend that so I

2:33:04 ↗ think that you know as the

2:33:06 ↗ administration we wouldn't recommend

2:33:08 ↗ dipping below that

2:33:09 ↗ 15% at least not on July 26 at least

2:33:13 ↗ not

2:33:16 ↗ so these are these are reserves right

2:33:19 ↗ pandemic has has shown us things happen

2:33:22 ↗ that we can't always forese costs

2:33:24 ↗ increased capital projects um over the

2:33:27 ↗ years sometimes our guest CPR incor so

2:33:31 ↗ having having Reserve support any

2:33:35 ↗ other to is just I know we're going to

2:33:38 ↗ have to do both increasing revenues and

2:33:41 ↗ reducing expenditures but I am very

2:33:44 ↗ veryy inreasing taxes feel like we've

2:33:47 ↗ done it quite a bit we've raised sales

2:33:49 ↗ tax by 2% over the last several years

2:33:52 ↗ for the transportation stuff for housing

2:33:54 ↗ and housing a health stuff raise

2:33:57 ↗ property taxes annually have this

2:33:59 ↗ potential ballot measure coming property

2:34:02 ↗ taxes continue to go up in K County and

2:34:04 ↗ there are M more com the school

2:34:07 ↗ districts so I just feel very wary of

2:34:09 ↗ tax fatigue in general and we have to

2:34:11 ↗ kind of pck our battles support

2:34:13 ↗ priorities moving forward and we've had

2:34:16 ↗ this year and a half twoe conversation

2:34:18 ↗ about the C least um so something we

2:34:22 ↗ should be mindful of I'm very eager to

2:34:24 ↗ have this conversation about where the

2:34:26 ↗ potential Productions we can make right

2:34:31 ↗ sizeing so I do want to make sure we're

2:34:33 ↗ touching on utility tax before we get

2:34:37 ↗ off to lunch so that the Administration

2:34:39 ↗ has their

2:34:40 ↗ feedback uh council member Mars council

2:34:42 ↗ member

2:34:43 ↗ Joe yeah I just uh want to I I it was

2:34:48 ↗ really a comment on the ment about the

2:34:50 ↗ ending fund balance um it just always

2:34:53 ↗ seems like we end really high and so I

2:34:56 ↗ just I want foot stop this idea of if we

2:34:58 ↗ want I think 15% is the right number to

2:35:00 ↗ shoot for I wouldn't want to shoot for

2:35:02 ↗ below 15% but we never ever every

2:35:06 ↗ year every you know three different city

2:35:11 ↗ administrators and Untold number of

2:35:13 ↗ Deputy City administrators have assured

2:35:15 ↗ me that now we will get closer to our

2:35:17 ↗ Target number and we never do we always

2:35:19 ↗ come any anywhere from 7 to 25% over

2:35:22 ↗ that number and so I I really want to

2:35:25 ↗ know later how we get closer to that 15%

2:35:29 ↗ I'll be really really bummed if after

2:35:30 ↗ all these conversations were at

2:35:32 ↗ 25% Andrew too it might be helpful to

2:35:35 ↗ have some other city data because we can

2:35:38 ↗ never go under we can only go over I

2:35:42 ↗ mean there's only one way to do it um

2:35:44 ↗ I'd be curious if other cities where

2:35:47 ↗ they stand in our area

2:35:50 ↗ their ending balance versus their

2:35:53 ↗ budgeted because it may just be the

2:35:56 ↗ nature of the Beast you make a

2:35:58 ↗ conservative budget you make some

2:35:59 ↗ conservative assumptions you're going to

2:36:01 ↗ end up higher but if your assumptions

2:36:03 ↗ all prove out you'll end up you can only

2:36:06 ↗ end up at 50 because you Le we can't go

2:36:08 ↗ can't spend sure but if we always if we

2:36:11 ↗ always claim 10 percentage points High

2:36:13 ↗ you should aim for 5% because we're

2:36:14 ↗ going to get 15% right so whatever

2:36:18 ↗ however however it works but I just I I

2:36:20 ↗ agree with the administration that 15%

2:36:22 ↗ is a it's a healthy number I wouldn't

2:36:23 ↗ want to go below it but I just go above

2:36:26 ↗ it that idea Andre I think one of the

2:36:29 ↗ the earliest slides that showed the 2024

2:36:33 ↗ midby for December

2:36:35 ↗ 2023 showed us at

2:36:38 ↗ 11% so if we could get a little bit more

2:36:42 ↗ of that concept of where we are now and

2:36:47 ↗ where we are as of July so that we have

2:36:51 ↗ a better sense if we are for that 15%

2:36:55 ↗ Target that would be useful okay yep we

2:36:59 ↗ can do that I would refer back to the

2:37:01 ↗ Chart but my computer has decided time

2:37:03 ↗ is not yes fantastic job oh quickly u b

2:37:08 ↗ andot tax um I think that should stay in

2:37:11 ↗ place I would not recommend a footage

2:37:14 ↗ tax for offices I think it puts puts us

2:37:16 ↗ at a disadvantage um the if the state

2:37:20 ↗ were to

2:37:21 ↗ approve an increase in either of those

2:37:23 ↗ taxes then we could consider that our

2:37:25 ↗ own option but I would hope that we

2:37:27 ↗ don't raise tax on small business

2:37:30 ↗ businesses in our community and those

2:37:31 ↗ that have headquarters as they're in a

2:37:33 ↗ very competitive environment on the

2:37:35 ↗ utility tax um I would ask my colleagues

2:37:39 ↗ to consider staying in line with bellw

2:37:42 ↗ and not going to 6% but going to 5%

2:37:44 ↗ instead so we can kind of say we're at

2:37:46 ↗ the rate that our closest neighbor is at

2:37:49 ↗ but not over that amount so just a

2:37:51 ↗ couple of thoughts for a

2:37:54 ↗ consideration okay and I know you did

2:37:57 ↗ hear from some of us earlier about

2:37:59 ↗ utility taxes of wanting more

2:38:03 ↗ information um I don't I don't know if

2:38:06 ↗ I'm hearing from anybody that they want

2:38:08 ↗ to provide specific feedback other than

2:38:12 ↗ we'd like some information on

2:38:16 ↗ that

2:38:17 ↗ great the overall rate and the overall

2:38:21 ↗ cost yeah yeah the cost per bill for a

2:38:26 ↗ an individual the um for a homeowner and

2:38:30 ↗ a renter just more information to

2:38:33 ↗ understand what the impact is not only

2:38:35 ↗ on our budget but on

2:38:37 ↗ households you use

2:38:40 ↗ M yeah yeah there we go volunteer

2:38:44 ↗ [Laughter]

2:38:48 ↗ table okay

2:38:50 ↗ so I think we may be at a point where we

2:38:53 ↗ can do a break for lunch um I know coun

2:38:58 ↗ Deputy council president de Michelle is

2:38:59 ↗ going to kind of lead this so um I will

2:39:03 ↗ just say we've

2:39:06 ↗ got a little bit less than an hour now

2:39:09 ↗ at this point what we would like to do

2:39:12 ↗ is take two groups of four including the

2:39:15 ↗ mayor we're going to set you guys up on

2:39:18 ↗ table

2:39:20 ↗ um and have you grab lunch bring it back

2:39:24 ↗ and then we've got a few questions for

2:39:27 ↗ yall to discuss and then we're going to

2:39:29 ↗ report back um because we are not going

2:39:31 ↗ to record that portion of meeting

2:39:33 ↗ because nobody wants to eat on c um

2:39:42 ↗ so council member and a breast together

2:39:46 ↗ we are not talking about

2:39:51 ↗ Yeah

2:39:53 ↗ question y sorry I had to do a little

2:39:56 ↗ bit of an introduction um do you want to

2:40:01 ↗ talk it over at all um the groups so

2:40:06 ↗ um myself Mary Lou Russell and Chris are

2:40:12 ↗ group a deputy council president TOA

2:40:15 ↗ Zach and Victoria

2:40:18 ↗ are um

2:40:21 ↗ uh Tammy where are you gonna have the

2:40:23 ↗ two tables uh I thought we could

2:40:25 ↗ reconfigure the your shape here okay so

2:40:28 ↗ we'd like at least them separated out

2:40:31 ↗ enough

2:40:32 ↗ that come over here okay great we're

2:40:35 ↗ gonna have one group over there and

2:40:37 ↗ oneou here a here B there great go get

2:40:41 ↗ food and the police chief's GNA leave

2:40:47 ↗ so thank you oh and she's got yeah so um

2:40:52 ↗ just taking a minute after um we had

2:40:55 ↗ finished lunch to kind of provide a

2:40:58 ↗ little bit of a summary we our goal was

2:41:00 ↗ just to have group conversations to get

2:41:03 ↗ everybody communicating um think a big

2:41:06 ↗ picture all of that so um group a which

2:41:09 ↗ was mayor Polly myself council member

2:41:11 ↗ Ray and council member Joe um everybody

2:41:14 ↗ had the same questions um between the

2:41:17 ↗ two groups but the

2:41:20 ↗ we asked what do you think we don't talk

2:41:22 ↗ about enough and we said property we own

2:41:25 ↗ that's under UTI benefit

2:41:28 ↗ landlord um we don't talk enough about

2:41:30 ↗ what we shouldn't do or who should do it

2:41:33 ↗ instead and our Communications to the

2:41:37 ↗ community businesses engagement with um

2:41:40 ↗ under uh reach groups and to highlight

2:41:43 ↗ the work that we do and relate it back

2:41:46 ↗ to

2:41:47 ↗ proclamations um the second question we

2:41:50 ↗ looked at was what are you looking

2:41:52 ↗ forward to in the next year for the city

2:41:54 ↗ we talked about a robust priorities

2:41:56 ↗ discussion how do we use the community

2:41:59 ↗ survey data and recognizing that it's

2:42:02 ↗ different from the board feedback that

2:42:05 ↗ we received different um groups May

2:42:08 ↗ Polly said she was very interested in

2:42:09 ↗ cutting ribbons she was looking forward

2:42:11 ↗ to that um we talked about housing and

2:42:14 ↗ parking study um the facilities

2:42:18 ↗ maintenance and surplus ing

2:42:20 ↗ conversation um IAP and environmental

2:42:23 ↗ resiliency implementation and what that

2:42:26 ↗ looks

2:42:27 ↗ like uh what topics on Council interest

2:42:30 ↗ you most uh here was where we recognized

2:42:33 ↗ that it was really useful to have kind

2:42:34 ↗ of a diverse set of council members who

2:42:37 ↗ all have different interests and areas

2:42:39 ↗ so we had some on the uh permitting and

2:42:43 ↗ housing uh we've got one weird outlier

2:42:46 ↗ over there who's interest in budgets uh

2:42:49 ↗ mayor py red her uh in uh engineering

2:42:53 ↗ background said capital projects um we

2:42:55 ↗ also heard police in

2:42:59 ↗ court to our

2:43:02 ↗ chamber when children come to the

2:43:04 ↗ council chamber yeah yeah um and then we

2:43:09 ↗ had what do you hope uh the city will

2:43:12 ↗ accomplish in the near- term long term

2:43:14 ↗ um a a lot of our stuff here was we hope

2:43:17 ↗ to strategize about something in the

2:43:19 ↗ near term and accomplish it in the long

2:43:21 ↗ term so um we talked about uh our

2:43:24 ↗ Revenue picture so in the short term we

2:43:26 ↗ want to create a strategy for state

2:43:28 ↗ level and federal level shared revenues

2:43:30 ↗ maybe working with SCA and AWC

2:43:34 ↗ strengthen that collaborative

2:43:36 ↗ relationship um and then we also talked

2:43:39 ↗ about kind of creating a developing a

2:43:42 ↗ relationship around a regional approach

2:43:44 ↗ to Public Safety um we already have

2:43:47 ↗ epher but can we look at that for police

2:43:50 ↗ and courts um do we have any neighboring

2:43:53 ↗ cities that would be interested in that

2:43:55 ↗ and then um so that was develop the

2:43:58 ↗ relationship shortterm create the action

2:44:01 ↗ long term and then for facilities we

2:44:04 ↗ thought about you know Surplus and those

2:44:06 ↗ types of things in the near term and

2:44:08 ↗ then potentially how do we deal with our

2:44:11 ↗ new needs um in the short and long term

2:44:14 ↗ and then finally I think the elephant of

2:44:15 ↗ the room is almost always Sound Transit

2:44:18 ↗ and the centralis plan and how we kind

2:44:20 ↗ of develop that as the long term so

2:44:23 ↗ that's just going really quickly through

2:44:26 ↗ um does someone from group be want to

2:44:28 ↗ report out gr B great so the first one

2:44:31 ↗ so we did uh what are you looking

2:44:33 ↗ forward to in the next year for the city

2:44:36 ↗ uh finishing the to OC uh project in

2:44:39 ↗ terms of breaking uh getting ready to

2:44:41 ↗ break ground and also Northwest samamish

2:44:44 ↗ road again getting ready to uh getting

2:44:48 ↗ uh set up to break brand um rebranding

2:44:51 ↗ of the trail system Peaks to Creeks

2:44:54 ↗ Title 18 uh whiteboard items discussion

2:44:58 ↗ of central isqua mfte but basically the

2:45:02 ↗ Central isqua and then um Surplus in

2:45:06 ↗ properties but also just sort of a

2:45:08 ↗ master plan for

2:45:09 ↗ that um what topics on the council

2:45:13 ↗ interest you most uh Public Safety

2:45:16 ↗ Emergency Management and resilience uh

2:45:19 ↗ multimodal uh specifically bikes and

2:45:22 ↗ pedestrian um transportation Light Rail

2:45:26 ↗ position yourselves with sale Transit

2:45:28 ↗ I'm sorry the opposite of what you just

2:45:30 ↗ said okay multimodal specifically buses

2:45:34 ↗ and and like yeah three yeah sorry

2:45:39 ↗ I sorry um Arts fund and again Surplus

2:45:45 ↗ properties have a theme here okay then

2:45:48 ↗ we kind of

2:45:51 ↗ crazy what what do you think we don't

2:45:54 ↗ talk about enough this is what we spent

2:45:55 ↗ the rest of the conversation on so um

2:45:59 ↗ Arts uh emergency

2:46:02 ↗ preparedness uh power grid uh I think

2:46:05 ↗ Lindsay and uh Zach and I uh had a

2:46:09 ↗ presentation or a discussion at the um

2:46:13 ↗ what was

2:46:14 ↗ thata social oh the SE yes about the

2:46:17 ↗ power gr of what PC is thinking about

2:46:20 ↗ doing and we haven't heard anything

2:46:21 ↗ about that at the council level so we

2:46:24 ↗ were saying that would be something that

2:46:27 ↗ we ought to be paying a little bit more

2:46:28 ↗ attention to uh Communications of public

2:46:31 ↗ engagement how do people get information

2:46:33 ↗ about the City Civic engagement

2:46:36 ↗ identifying Future Leaders or

2:46:38 ↗ encouraging Future Leaders or cultivate

2:46:41 ↗ Future Leaders um all those uh items um

2:46:46 ↗ renter protections Regional collabor

2:46:49 ↗ oration I think you mentioned that as

2:46:50 ↗ well we specifically talked about

2:46:52 ↗ Regional collaboration with animal

2:46:54 ↗ control efr Transportation Public Health

2:46:58 ↗ uh all of those need to be uh focused on

2:47:01 ↗ more State advocacy for increased

2:47:04 ↗ Revenue I think the other group talked

2:47:05 ↗ about that too cannabis Public Safety

2:47:08 ↗ fund uh can we get more money out of

2:47:11 ↗ that um then we had quite a discussion

2:47:14 ↗ about the so-called epidemic of

2:47:17 ↗ loneliness um the social Services

2:47:19 ↗ particularly senior services and the

2:47:21 ↗ needs of seniors in our community for um

2:47:25 ↗ not

2:47:26 ↗ only more social activities but also

2:47:29 ↗ just uh Social Services in general as

2:47:32 ↗ and it also impacts Police Department uh

2:47:35 ↗ lak mam State Park youth and drugs and

2:47:40 ↗ drugs and youth so we had quite a good

2:47:42 ↗ discussion we did not get to question

2:47:44 ↗ number four was Lakeside was lak M State

2:47:48 ↗ Park um

2:47:49 ↗ Initiative for the city to take it over

2:47:51 ↗ or just better integration and

2:47:53 ↗ collaboration uh the question is what do

2:47:55 ↗ you think we don't talk enough about

2:47:57 ↗ okay so we thought we haven't really had

2:47:59 ↗ a discussion about what we want to do

2:48:01 ↗ okay got it thank you yeah and I I I

2:48:04 ↗ mentioned that on the sarine covery

2:48:06 ↗ Council I feel like we've and a number

2:48:08 ↗ of times had uh the state parks

2:48:10 ↗ department come and talk about PL and it

2:48:13 ↗ it's very unclear to me you know where

2:48:15 ↗ they are in terms of going with a

2:48:18 ↗ particular

2:48:19 ↗ clear yeah and so you know like how much

2:48:21 ↗ is Recreation how much like how much are

2:48:23 ↗ they thinking about reorienting the main

2:48:26 ↗ the main driveway which they had talked

2:48:27 ↗ about previously but onm there was also

2:48:29 ↗ the Trails program that they had talked

2:48:31 ↗ about and a bike trail which now seems

2:48:33 ↗ like is maybe so there's just there was

2:48:35 ↗ a lot of like trying to understand what

2:48:38 ↗ that plan is and having them come and

2:48:39 ↗ like you know say through the funds that

2:48:41 ↗ we have this is road map like where they

2:48:43 ↗ are with all great they and also liid

2:48:46 ↗ right next empty office

2:48:50 ↗ Space

2:48:52 ↗ Storage this is there's High use land

2:48:56 ↗ that can

2:48:59 ↗ support okay so I think we're gonna take

2:49:01 ↗ these pass them down to Tammy so that

2:49:03 ↗ she has them in the record on that and

2:49:07 ↗ then we've got two topics for the next

2:49:10 ↗ hour and 15 minutes before we adjourn at

2:49:13 ↗ 2m the first is uh potential budget

2:49:17 ↗ reductions so we've got

2:49:19 ↗ time on that and then finally um a

2:49:23 ↗ follow up on the public safety

2:49:25 ↗ facilities so

2:49:28 ↗ Andrea ructions thank you council

2:49:31 ↗ president W um so I'm showing this slide

2:49:38 ↗ again because

2:49:40 ↗ uh I don't have much in the way of

2:49:42 ↗ additional presentations to make I think

2:49:44 ↗ City administrator Bob Kitz uh went over

2:49:47 ↗ a lot of the city's services and things

2:49:49 ↗ that we do at the beginning of the day

2:49:51 ↗ today um we have already had some

2:49:54 ↗ discussion over over reductions and

2:49:56 ↗ priorities to some extent so this is

2:49:58 ↗ really your time what I wanted to point

2:50:00 ↗ out for you uh to help inform this

2:50:02 ↗ discussion is looking back at this chart

2:50:05 ↗ we have talked about our forecasted

2:50:07 ↗ deficit largely due to declining

2:50:09 ↗ revenues we've talked about the

2:50:11 ↗ administration's priorities we talked

2:50:13 ↗ about new revenues um still we're still

2:50:16 ↗ looking for something uh along the of7

2:50:20 ↗ million more depending on what happens

2:50:22 ↗ with priorities and revenues so I wanted

2:50:24 ↗ to give a scale of that as we talk about

2:50:26 ↗ reductions really thinking about ongoing

2:50:29 ↗ reductions so not just a onetime cut um

2:50:33 ↗ that's not really going to get us there

2:50:34 ↗ over the long term right we need to be

2:50:36 ↗ thinking about longterm what do we stop

2:50:38 ↗ doing uh to council member Ra's point

2:50:41 ↗ that he made earlier um along the

2:50:44 ↗ magnitude of of several Millions ofs uh

2:50:48 ↗ so something for you to consider uh I

2:50:50 ↗ know we've had a strategic plan uh

2:50:53 ↗ presentation recently to council for

2:50:54 ↗ that update those recommendations um

2:50:57 ↗ there was Data included in the packet

2:50:59 ↗ the agenda and also the the council

2:51:01 ↗ president speak so many things for you

2:51:04 ↗ to consider as you start your discussion

2:51:06 ↗ today of what are areas that you would

2:51:09 ↗ recommend cutting so we're going to be

2:51:11 ↗ looking at from the administration's

2:51:12 ↗ perspective for 24 is are there some

2:51:15 ↗ immediate Cuts we can make to things

2:51:17 ↗ like Professional Services just for

2:51:19 ↗ 2024 um are there are there also uh

2:51:24 ↗ programmatic cuts that we need to be

2:51:26 ↗ taking to look at do we need to look at

2:51:28 ↗ general fund contributions to capital

2:51:30 ↗ projects as well so there's there's many

2:51:33 ↗ things that we're taking at general

2:51:35 ↗ areas but we'd love feedback from you

2:51:37 ↗ today or if there's program areas Beyond

2:51:40 ↗ those things right so spe diving a

2:51:42 ↗ little bit more specifically what are

2:51:44 ↗ some of the areas that we should be

2:51:45 ↗ considering cutting uh to better

2:51:48 ↗ position us in the

2:51:50 ↗ future okay so starting on that we've

2:51:54 ↗ got a council member Hall by

2:51:57 ↗ councils um so I have some questions and

2:52:01 ↗ then I have several comments should I

2:52:02 ↗ just start questions sure question

2:52:09 ↗ um so

2:52:13 ↗ um thinking that uh director W be here

2:52:17 ↗ but um for I want to ask about the open

2:52:19 ↗ space acquisition program that we have

2:52:22 ↗ um so we currently set aside at least in

2:52:25 ↗ the CIP about

2:52:26 ↗ $700,000 a year I think it worked out in

2:52:30 ↗ the actual budget to be

2:52:33 ↗ like 380,000 for 2023 and 668 for 2024 I

2:52:39 ↗ just wanted to get a sense of like and I

2:52:41 ↗ know this is for what strategic

2:52:43 ↗ opportunities right so we can't always

2:52:44 ↗ predict but I wanted to get a sense of

2:52:46 ↗ like how often we draw down that fund

2:52:49 ↗ and

2:52:50 ↗ uh how optim really using that money and

2:52:54 ↗ and generally if they're think they're

2:52:55 ↗ going to be any timing opportunities in

2:52:57 ↗ the next pandum and that might be a j

2:53:00 ↗ question well I can speak to the last

2:53:03 ↗ part um the staff has identified

2:53:06 ↗ probably half a dozen properties um that

2:53:09 ↗ we're looking at and the park staff's

2:53:12 ↗ going to come to the council probably in

2:53:14 ↗ September with a couple of parcels to

2:53:17 ↗ talk about um you know the reason we

2:53:20 ↗ collect that money is it's for a couple

2:53:23 ↗ different reasons one to have cash on

2:53:25 ↗ hand the other to leverage grant

2:53:29 ↗ opportunities um but we've had internal

2:53:32 ↗ discussions um basically saying let's

2:53:35 ↗ get on with it that we

2:53:38 ↗ can't can't just be collecting money

2:53:40 ↗ collecting money collecting money you

2:53:43 ↗ know there are small medium and large

2:53:44 ↗ everything is not a bur MoDOT uh there

2:53:47 ↗ are strategic parts

2:53:50 ↗ so you'll be hearing a little bit more

2:53:52 ↗ on that in September okay so that will

2:53:55 ↗ be part

2:53:57 ↗ of it'll be separate from budgets

2:53:59 ↗ because really you know Le it's sort of

2:54:02 ↗ a rolling topic so we're going to have

2:54:06 ↗ discussions par s budes but the question

2:54:09 ↗ for the council are you comfortable with

2:54:11 ↗ the with the balance are you comfortable

2:54:14 ↗ with positing additional dollars in and

2:54:16 ↗ the next finum those are

2:54:18 ↗ questions for

2:54:21 ↗ the all right

2:54:25 ↗ um utilities um so we designed our grade

2:54:29 ↗ study to pay

2:54:30 ↗ for utilities but um the do rate dollars

2:54:35 ↗ pay for staff and administration

2:54:37 ↗ associated with that so there's no

2:54:38 ↗ general fund um aspect the

2:54:43 ↗ utilities um thank you and then for art

2:54:47 ↗ fund contribution

2:54:48 ↗ um for some capital

2:54:50 ↗ projects it includes a Contrition the

2:54:53 ↗ Arts fund um some of the revenues

2:54:55 ↗ associated with that are are restricted

2:54:57 ↗ so they're not general purpose but for

2:54:59 ↗ the revenue that is general purpose that

2:55:02 ↗ ends up becoming our exp contribution is

2:55:05 ↗ that well I guess the question is um is

2:55:08 ↗ that some policy that we have that we

2:55:11 ↗ that we make a contribution to Arts

2:55:12 ↗ finder a half a percent for the Arts so

2:55:16 ↗ um that's our that's our program and is

2:55:18 ↗ law um other cities do a full percent uh

2:55:22 ↗ but we do half perc of our project

2:55:24 ↗ Capital project cost goes towards um the

2:55:27 ↗ Arts are is that common I mean any

2:55:29 ↗ cities that don't do that there are

2:55:31 ↗ cities that don't do it so I think what

2:55:33 ↗ we see among peer cities is there some

2:55:36 ↗ that do a percent some do a percent and

2:55:38 ↗ a half some don't do it at

2:55:40 ↗ all so we're but then there's the

2:55:42 ↗ operating piece that we get through the

2:55:44 ↗ amusement tax which is a general purpose

2:55:47 ↗ Revenue so this Council chooses and many

2:55:50 ↗ communities do to put it toward arts or

2:55:54 ↗ something related to that but there's

2:55:55 ↗ nothing

2:55:57 ↗ statutory you could spread it on police

2:55:59 ↗ officers Vehicles right

2:56:02 ↗ okay um let me stick with that idea of

2:56:07 ↗ questions any other questions that come

2:56:10 ↗ up

2:56:12 ↗ with areas of the budget yes that's why

2:56:15 ↗ I have my tag fantastic

2:56:18 ↗ uh two areas are have we closed out the

2:56:21 ↗ benefits liabilities fund that gone and

2:56:24 ↗ done with yes okay good uh second thing

2:56:28 ↗ is just in the area of consultants in

2:56:29 ↗ general both statements of work based

2:56:32 ↗ consultants and you know open-ended type

2:56:35 ↗ Consulting um and I'm and I'm thinking

2:56:37 ↗ about it here when I ask about it but

2:56:40 ↗ really in general um I think that in

2:56:43 ↗ flush years my sense is that we're very

2:56:47 ↗ comfortable uh bringing Consultants

2:56:49 ↗ because we're relatively small community

2:56:51 ↗ and there's areas of expertise we don't

2:56:52 ↗ have but I think in a tough time we

2:56:54 ↗ should review uh what Consultants we

2:56:57 ↗ have uh you know I I continue to wonder

2:57:00 ↗ about Erp software and how much we're

2:57:02 ↗ spending theer on Erp Consultants just

2:57:04 ↗ as a as an example but I I think we

2:57:07 ↗ should really understand in general

2:57:08 ↗ where we use Consulting is um you know

2:57:12 ↗ typically uh at some point you want to

2:57:15 ↗ move that inhouse for

2:57:19 ↗ yes thank you uh we have done some of

2:57:21 ↗ that review since the pandemic using a

2:57:24 ↗ lot of consultants for example in

2:57:25 ↗ engineering for Community Planning

2:57:27 ↗ Development and we brought a lot of that

2:57:29 ↗ expertise in house um I think we

2:57:32 ↗ continue to do that but thank you for

2:57:33 ↗ the question around it as

2:57:39 ↗ well so that's some

2:57:43 ↗ questions um now we get get into as

2:57:47 ↗ council member R says the hard part of

2:57:51 ↗ bringing our political will and

2:57:54 ↗ recognizing that it is difficult to

2:57:58 ↗ manage any kind of a budget um let alone

2:58:01 ↗ sit here and recommend areas for

2:58:05 ↗ reductions so there's two parts of this

2:58:07 ↗ reduction conversation one is what do

2:58:11 ↗ you think we should do less of what do

2:58:13 ↗ you think we should spend less on the

2:58:15 ↗ other is are there areas that you AB

2:58:18 ↗ absolutely think should be protected um

2:58:20 ↗ or areas that you would preferably don't

2:58:25 ↗ get into um so those are the two pieces

2:58:30 ↗ of feedback there that I think we're

2:58:31 ↗ looking

2:58:33 ↗ for

2:58:34 ↗ no I'm sorry I didn't see you up there

2:58:37 ↗ were like twins separated at Birth um

2:58:39 ↗ most people can't tell us apart really

2:58:41 ↗ true so

2:58:43 ↗ uh at a high level I'm still not sure

2:58:48 ↗ whether we are whether we are in a speed

2:58:51 ↗ bump or whether we are in a changed set

2:58:53 ↗ of circumstances right um we have seen a

2:58:57 ↗ Slowdown in new development in the city

2:59:00 ↗ that has had an impact on our economics

2:59:03 ↗ it's not clear to me that that that is

2:59:05 ↗ the new normal right um the entire King

2:59:08 ↗ County area is bonting the fact that

2:59:09 ↗ they're not seeing the development that

2:59:11 ↗ they saw pre-co and so um I want to be

2:59:15 ↗ careful I I'm not yet sure whether we

2:59:18 ↗ think this is the new normal or whether

2:59:19 ↗ we think this is a blip if it's a blip

2:59:21 ↗ we should handle it differently than if

2:59:23 ↗ it's the new normal if it's the new

2:59:24 ↗ normal I think we need to look at right

2:59:27 ↗ sizing the organization and whether you

2:59:30 ↗ know I'm not going to pick on any

2:59:32 ↗ individual uh departments but you know

2:59:35 ↗ if if there's a new normal then we need

2:59:36 ↗ to think about substantive fundamental

2:59:39 ↗ changes if this is a blip and we think

2:59:42 ↗ that the fundamental economics of our

2:59:44 ↗ community is such that we think

2:59:46 ↗ development is going to come back

2:59:48 ↗ and that you know five years from now

2:59:50 ↗ it'll look like two years before covid

2:59:53 ↗ then I think we want to look at more

2:59:54 ↗ shortterm uh Solutions what were the

2:59:56 ↗ other two parts of your question I

2:59:58 ↗ apologize um that was what should we do

3:00:02 ↗ less of and what um should potentially

3:00:05 ↗ be protected from reduction yeah I mean

3:00:07 ↗ I think the things I think you have to

3:00:10 ↗ say you know you go to Mel's hierarch of

3:00:12 ↗ needs right the toilets have to flush

3:00:15 ↗ water has to come out of the tap uh you

3:00:17 ↗ have to be protected from fire and

3:00:19 ↗ assault and everything after that is

3:00:22 ↗ nice to haves some of our nice to haves

3:00:24 ↗ are really important and and are part of

3:00:26 ↗ how we Define ourselves parks are how we

3:00:28 ↗ part of how we Define ourselves right um

3:00:30 ↗ having a beautiful downtown that is

3:00:32 ↗ vibrant as part of how we Define

3:00:33 ↗ ourselves so I don't I don't imply that

3:00:36 ↗ those are not important but you know I

3:00:39 ↗ just look at the what I just said right

3:00:41 ↗ those those are the things that have to

3:00:42 ↗ most be protected and everything else as

3:00:44 ↗ nice thanks so before I move on on that

3:00:48 ↗ sounds like there's I really appreciate

3:00:51 ↗ bringing up the concept of is this a

3:00:54 ↗ speed bump or is this a long-term

3:00:57 ↗ correction um the new the new normal is

3:00:59 ↗ yeah The New Normal so I think that

3:01:02 ↗ would be something to be able to come

3:01:06 ↗ back to us and some of that may be what

3:01:08 ↗ are other communities doing so that we

3:01:10 ↗ don't feel like we're an outlier in that

3:01:13 ↗ um Al although the mayor told us we're

3:01:15 ↗ ahead of everybody else right now on

3:01:17 ↗ this can make a I can make a small

3:01:19 ↗ comment to this effect so if we're

3:01:21 ↗ looking at specifically

3:01:22 ↗ construction we know that we have less

3:01:25 ↗ Green Space we've had before in our in

3:01:28 ↗ our history Isa Highlands years and

3:01:30 ↗ years of construction activity from that

3:01:32 ↗ we received construction sales tax Talis

3:01:35 ↗ as well so as we look at our buildable

3:01:37 ↗ land area we know that it's diminishing

3:01:40 ↗ so then we are going to be shifting as

3:01:43 ↗ as time progresses uh to more

3:01:45 ↗ Redevelopment and Redevelopment is

3:01:48 ↗ harder to achieve economically

3:01:50 ↗ financially um those projects are not as

3:01:52 ↗ big and as sweeping they tend to be

3:01:54 ↗ smaller than say an entire iSell

3:01:57 ↗ Highlands uh area so so we I think what

3:02:00 ↗ we can see is some some cities in King

3:02:04 ↗ County are seeing a construction boom

3:02:07 ↗ relative to us um because they have more

3:02:10 ↗ buildable land that's a little easier to

3:02:12 ↗ build on than what we have in isqua so

3:02:14 ↗ most of the good Parcels are taken we

3:02:16 ↗ know that we can expect construction

3:02:18 ↗ from shelter we know that we can expect

3:02:20 ↗ construction from Lakeside um after that

3:02:23 ↗ it's going to get really tricky so so

3:02:26 ↗ you know when is that really going to

3:02:28 ↗ fall off for us um more than it what

3:02:31 ↗ we're seeing in our forecast I think

3:02:33 ↗ it's probably in somewhat of the near

3:02:35 ↗ future as those other two major projects

3:02:37 ↗ get built out so that's something for us

3:02:39 ↗ to consider is just the Arc of

3:02:41 ↗ development in isqua and how that's a

3:02:44 ↗ factor in our city budget um and you

3:02:47 ↗ know

3:02:48 ↗ so but some of these things might be obl

3:02:50 ↗ related to interest rates as well not

3:02:52 ↗ influencing construction activity so

3:02:55 ↗ that's another thing to think about but

3:02:56 ↗ overall that long Arc as we look 10

3:02:58 ↗ years into the future um I think what

3:03:00 ↗ we're seeing is less buildable lands

3:03:03 ↗ equals less construction sales tax okay

3:03:06 ↗ because like Atlas was a was a re was a

3:03:08 ↗ re re y right to La quickly yeah and

3:03:13 ↗ still and yeah it's big project for us

3:03:17 ↗ but still a small blip when it comes to

3:03:19 ↗ what we had been seeing historically in

3:03:21 ↗ Development and Construction sales tax

3:03:23 ↗ and all the revenue that that was

3:03:25 ↗ bringing in gota you're saying the

3:03:28 ↗ multifam Redevelopment Central one at a

3:03:32 ↗ time that in which is our future is

3:03:34 ↗ going to be much less than scale pirs

3:03:36 ↗ and tops that's

3:03:39 ↗ correct but didn't we have a solid

3:03:41 ↗ decade like what's the what's the

3:03:43 ↗ commercial development forgive me I'm

3:03:45 ↗ blanking on the name the big one right

3:03:47 ↗ there grandidge right didn't we have

3:03:49 ↗ basically a decade after Grand Ridge got

3:03:51 ↗ built where we w we didn't have another

3:03:53 ↗ Grand Ridge be built but we had enough

3:03:55 ↗ onesie twosies everywhere that we were

3:03:57 ↗ still doing a ton of business that

3:03:58 ↗ decade came to a close with covid there

3:04:00 ↗ was still a lot of neighborhood

3:04:02 ↗ development within the Highland so

3:04:04 ↗ different parts of the Highlands that

3:04:05 ↗ were getting built out we saw Town Home

3:04:07 ↗ Development other multif family

3:04:09 ↗ development and single family

3:04:10 ↗ development still occurring so BR Plaza

3:04:13 ↗ big visible from the street but there

3:04:15 ↗ was a lot of other neighborhoods that

3:04:16 ↗ were being um developed veloped uh kind

3:04:19 ↗ of behind that see thank

3:04:23 ↗ you great um it is my belief that this

3:04:27 ↗ is not a a speed bumper a blip that this

3:04:29 ↗ is the new normal and partly for the

3:04:32 ↗ last te years we have been projecting

3:04:34 ↗ the property tax systemic systematic um

3:04:38 ↗ deficit so it's it's it's you know and

3:04:40 ↗ it just got exacerbated by a 10% uh

3:04:43 ↗ inflation rate with a 1% uh property tax

3:04:46 ↗ increase so boom and also so we're also

3:04:48 ↗ falling off this Cliff because we're not

3:04:49 ↗ finding the covid relief money so we've

3:04:52 ↗ had a couple of really nice happy things

3:04:55 ↗ happen to us over the the last couple

3:04:57 ↗ years that have pushed this out but this

3:04:58 ↗ was inevitable so um so it's time to say

3:05:03 ↗ this is I I believe that this is the new

3:05:05 ↗ normal and if it's not hoay but we ought

3:05:07 ↗ to pretend like it is because if if we

3:05:10 ↗ if it's if we think it's a blip and

3:05:11 ↗ we're not going to take action and it's

3:05:13 ↗ the new normal then then it's going to

3:05:15 ↗ be worse next time it comes around if we

3:05:17 ↗ take action now and it's just a blip

3:05:19 ↗ then oh hooray we we're in a better

3:05:20 ↗ position next time we're around um so

3:05:24 ↗ that's that's that's kind of my response

3:05:25 ↗ to that I think there's an interesting

3:05:27 ↗ thing that council member Mars brings up

3:05:28 ↗ that really relates to what do people in

3:05:31 ↗ this town uh really value and what did

3:05:35 ↗ they say they value um so I'm not sure

3:05:37 ↗ that those are always aligned um but I'm

3:05:41 ↗ just looking at the community survey and

3:05:43 ↗ um you

3:05:45 ↗ know there's the things

3:05:49 ↗ that we think are the differentiating

3:05:52 ↗ qualities maybe we under the Community

3:05:54 ↗ survey undervalues them because we do so

3:05:56 ↗ well at them like fire and ambulance

3:05:59 ↗ service isn't viewed as a high priority

3:06:02 ↗ and you know parts are not viewed as a

3:06:04 ↗ high priority um and the you know Barb I

3:06:07 ↗ hate to do this to you but the Arts are

3:06:08 ↗ at the very bottom of the the list of

3:06:10 ↗ things that we care about um but I think

3:06:13 ↗ that the one things the couple things

3:06:16 ↗ that really do kind of stand out to me

3:06:19 ↗ um uh Mobility is huge um and really

3:06:24 ↗ when it when the general population

3:06:26 ↗ talks about Mobility they're talking

3:06:27 ↗ about cars getting around town so I know

3:06:30 ↗ that's hard but that's what people say

3:06:32 ↗ is really important uh land use is

3:06:34 ↗ really important so I think we've done

3:06:35 ↗ some good things there and people want

3:06:36 ↗ to see that we're we're we're not doing

3:06:39 ↗ stupid stuff with land use and then um

3:06:41 ↗ you know but but Street infrastructure

3:06:43 ↗ is big economic development is good um

3:06:46 ↗ are as big so I I think there's some

3:06:49 ↗ really great information in the

3:06:50 ↗ community survey to help inform what we

3:06:52 ↗ should be

3:06:53 ↗ prioritizing um and and it breaks my

3:06:56 ↗ heart because one of the things I love

3:06:57 ↗ about isqua is our Park system but I

3:07:00 ↗ don't think we can say because we gotta

3:07:02 ↗ right say we got to stop doing something

3:07:05 ↗ and I think Parks has got to be on the

3:07:06 ↗ agenda I think we got to talk about

3:07:08 ↗ Parks um um you know it's the hierarchy

3:07:11 ↗ and needs you talked about I I concur I

3:07:13 ↗ think fire and police we need to bring

3:07:15 ↗ as much um efficienc

3:07:18 ↗ as out of those areas as we can but

3:07:21 ↗ those are those are for shures and then

3:07:24 ↗ beyond that I think you know the things

3:07:26 ↗ that

3:07:27 ↗ um that are not necessarily those core

3:07:30 ↗ Public Safety things are got to be on

3:07:32 ↗ the

3:07:34 ↗ table so I'll go next on that is related

3:07:39 ↗ um I know people love our perks

3:07:44 ↗ um but without

3:07:48 ↗ we dedicate a lot more money to Parks

3:07:50 ↗ than other communities do and when we're

3:07:54 ↗ in a situation where we have a

3:07:59 ↗ revenue

3:08:01 ↗ shortfall um until we really truly look

3:08:06 ↗ at and pursue a Parks

3:08:09 ↗ District I think it has to be on the

3:08:12 ↗ line for

3:08:13 ↗ cutting um toward that idea I think

3:08:16 ↗ Parks planners kind of the idea of

3:08:20 ↗ trying to some of those areas where

3:08:22 ↗ we're trying to do more where we're

3:08:24 ↗ looking out into the future may be an

3:08:27 ↗ area um that we need to look at at

3:08:28 ↗ cutting similarly I would want hope that

3:08:31 ↗ we look at all of our capital projects

3:08:35 ↗ um and really just understand what what

3:08:38 ↗ those are whether we're

3:08:41 ↗ getting money from Grants or federal or

3:08:45 ↗ whatever um or if it's all coming from

3:08:48 ↗ us um what our options are there then

3:08:52 ↗ the area that I would like to make sure

3:08:55 ↗ we're not doing as much cutting on is

3:08:59 ↗ the pavement and concrete management I I

3:09:02 ↗ think as much as that is an area that we

3:09:05 ↗ could cut I think it costs us money in

3:09:08 ↗ the future it's very short decited to

3:09:13 ↗ try and take money from that area to

3:09:17 ↗ keep up other operational costs because

3:09:22 ↗ we're going to have to put the money

3:09:23 ↗ back into that and it's going to be more

3:09:26 ↗ expensive to maintain that pavement um

3:09:29 ↗ as mayor Paulie was saying if we make

3:09:32 ↗ Cuts in an area we don't suddenly get

3:09:34 ↗ the money to be able to double down on

3:09:36 ↗ that in the future and we would have to

3:09:39 ↗ more than double down on an area of

3:09:42 ↗ maintenance if we cut that out and don't

3:09:46 ↗ have opportunities uh in the future so

3:09:50 ↗ those are some of the things that I am

3:09:53 ↗ coming through on um I think as's

3:09:57 ↗ hierarchy of needs it's a very good

3:09:59 ↗ concept I don't think for me that means

3:10:03 ↗ that that one like a me that was me yeah

3:10:07 ↗ um I don't think that means that those

3:10:09 ↗ areas are fully like protected

3:10:12 ↗ 100% um because I think we are looking

3:10:16 ↗ at he fire and rescue and are those

3:10:18 ↗ service levels I think we should be

3:10:21 ↗ doing the same thing at pts and police

3:10:26 ↗ and um you know all of those areas is

3:10:29 ↗ let's make sure those are right size to

3:10:31 ↗ our community right size to our Revenue

3:10:34 ↗ picture um we have the right resources

3:10:37 ↗ in place and feel free to shift things

3:10:40 ↗ around as needed um just because they're

3:10:44 ↗ important doesn't mean we're doing all

3:10:46 ↗ of the important things always right

3:10:52 ↗ already oh

3:10:55 ↗ counc yeah I feel like the staff that K

3:10:58 ↗ the under the table yeah

3:11:01 ↗ yes um so I also thought about kind of

3:11:03 ↗ needs for response what what are the

3:11:05 ↗ areas that we can Press PL on um and

3:11:09 ↗ really relied on the community survey

3:11:12 ↗ also Ray has kind of like a guiding

3:11:14 ↗ document for us here um so in I I looked

3:11:17 ↗ at kind of the important satisfaction

3:11:19 ↗ ratings that are there and I thought

3:11:21 ↗ there's some kind of interesting

3:11:23 ↗ takeaways

3:11:25 ↗ um um what are things to maintain what

3:11:27 ↗ are things to increase emphasis on what

3:11:29 ↗ are things that it's not necessary um to

3:11:32 ↗ have emphasis um so I guess first bucket

3:11:36 ↗ areas to avoid first that comes to mind

3:11:39 ↗ of course is Public Safety preventing uh

3:11:43 ↗ particularly crime prevention and police

3:11:44 ↗ response and visibility um

3:11:48 ↗ is it really important in the community

3:11:49 ↗ survey um so we know that some of these

3:11:52 ↗ operational um Investments and capital

3:11:54 ↗ investments in police will help um with

3:11:57 ↗ that so that seems like an area to avoid

3:11:58 ↗ and seems like that's what the

3:11:59 ↗ administration wants to do um also like

3:12:03 ↗ I said earlier traffic calming ease of

3:12:05 ↗ travel by by public transportation Car

3:12:07 ↗ and Bike and traffic and congestion

3:12:09 ↗ management are all very high created in

3:12:11 ↗ the community survey um so trying to do

3:12:14 ↗ our best to maintain um

3:12:17 ↗ Investments there um Metroflex comes to

3:12:20 ↗ mind too because it's also an investment

3:12:23 ↗ in our future to show Metro that we are

3:12:26 ↗ worth additional or continued investment

3:12:29 ↗ of boms so doing our best to maintain

3:12:32 ↗ Metroflex is important me um into to

3:12:35 ↗ maintain our investments and just ease

3:12:36 ↗ of travel around

3:12:38 ↗ town

3:12:40 ↗ um climate action work um seems

3:12:43 ↗ important and it seems like we have at

3:12:45 ↗ least a solution for the coming vium

3:12:49 ↗ with the administration fee increase for

3:12:51 ↗ a solid waste um so that's that's good

3:12:54 ↗ and then also echoing council member Ray

3:12:57 ↗ the buil environment portal housing and

3:12:59 ↗ housing diversity ease of giving a

3:13:01 ↗ permit was in red in the community

3:13:04 ↗ survey for definitely increase Focus um

3:13:07 ↗ now I think our public commentary brings

3:13:10 ↗ up a good point because I remember when

3:13:11 ↗ we first got the survey there asked the

3:13:14 ↗ question about build environment there

3:13:17 ↗ or maybe it was one of the other ones

3:13:18 ↗ like what are they all meeting the same

3:13:20 ↗ thing and they respond to that and we

3:13:22 ↗ never really got into that and there's

3:13:24 ↗ really no way to get into that either so

3:13:26 ↗ um perhaps that's just a lesson to learn

3:13:29 ↗ for the next survey and how we word that

3:13:31 ↗ question or maybe it's maybe we can

3:13:33 ↗ change it to that but anyways that whole

3:13:34 ↗ bucket seems to be something we should

3:13:38 ↗ try to avoid um if possible

3:13:43 ↗ um and then of course the court services

3:13:46 ↗ investment are compelling um I did go

3:13:50 ↗ through the budget and all the

3:13:53 ↗ Departments and highlight things that I

3:13:55 ↗ think are important for us to look at at

3:13:58 ↗ staff so first and foremost asking the

3:14:01 ↗ question um is there any low hanging

3:14:04 ↗ fruit seems like the answer is um but

3:14:08 ↗ and but the properties are there any

3:14:10 ↗ properties that potentially cir it

3:14:11 ↗ sooner around

3:14:13 ↗ later is an important question but that

3:14:15 ↗ also seems to be a question that the

3:14:16 ↗ community be a part of and we need to

3:14:18 ↗ have deliver a compation with Council so

3:14:20 ↗ once again it seems like no no

3:14:23 ↗ load um there are several um programs

3:14:27 ↗ that I think we should look at none of

3:14:28 ↗ which makes me feel good but the first

3:14:30 ↗ one that came to mind for me is the open

3:14:33 ↗ space acquisition program and

3:14:34 ↗ potentially cutting back on how much we

3:14:37 ↗ invest in that annually um but you know

3:14:40 ↗ you look at the cre survey and they

3:14:42 ↗ actually

3:14:43 ↗ suggest an increase emphasis in open

3:14:46 ↗ space acquis position but I I'm not

3:14:48 ↗ convinced that the

3:14:50 ↗ $700,000 is budget that we have every

3:14:53 ↗ year in the CIP is the right amount so

3:14:55 ↗ maybe I just need a little bit more

3:14:56 ↗ information and maybe this conversation

3:14:58 ↗ September will help too

3:15:00 ↗ but I think that's an area worth

3:15:03 ↗ exploring for staff to consider what's

3:15:06 ↗ be appropriate amount

3:15:08 ↗ there um Park and trail planning is

3:15:11 ↗ something I also agree on where can we

3:15:13 ↗ press pause on new Investments it's not

3:15:15 ↗ necessarily clear um to me where those

3:15:18 ↗ would be but there are certainly a

3:15:20 ↗ number of projects slated for 25 26 in

3:15:23 ↗ the capital Improvement plan um could we

3:15:28 ↗ shift to a focus on maintenance creative

3:15:32 ↗ use of space Oh I watched one of the

3:15:34 ↗ recent Services safeties and Parks

3:15:36 ↗ meeting and the IDE of cricket pitch

3:15:38 ↗ again came up from chair Mars which is

3:15:41 ↗ always such an interesting idea and

3:15:43 ↗ director Wy was talking about how

3:15:46 ↗ they've been using C use of space the

3:15:48 ↗ soer fields up in the highlands and

3:15:50 ↗ being able to transform that so maybe we

3:15:52 ↗ shift our Parks focus into maintenance

3:15:55 ↗ creative use of space

3:15:59 ↗ um being strategic about any new

3:16:02 ↗ Investments like there are some things

3:16:03 ↗ that's important to set aside money Turf

3:16:06 ↗ replacement over the years and we don't

3:16:07 ↗ want to get caught five years from now

3:16:10 ↗ with a low balance and you can't the tur

3:16:13 ↗ or um I don't know why that went that's

3:16:17 ↗ just an example um looking at the

3:16:18 ↗ community survey too people are very

3:16:20 ↗ satisfied with Park maintenance with um

3:16:23 ↗ the number of parks in athletic fields

3:16:25 ↗ satisfaction with access to natural

3:16:27 ↗ environment was in the 90s was one of

3:16:29 ↗ the highest things I saw in the survey

3:16:31 ↗ availability of paath walking trails was

3:16:33 ↗ in the 80s and then just ditto about how

3:16:36 ↗ this could help lead us into a

3:16:38 ↗ conversation

3:16:41 ↗ about um the next kind of bucket area is

3:16:45 ↗ economic vitality

3:16:47 ↗ um you know the community survey

3:16:50 ↗ suggests that people are really

3:16:51 ↗ satisfied with economic health in the

3:16:53 ↗ city with the mix of businesses that are

3:16:55 ↗ available um they're satisfied with

3:16:57 ↗ shopping and dining experiences and Etc

3:16:59 ↗ I know there's a lot more that we do in

3:17:02 ↗ this work and we have this new action

3:17:03 ↗ plan and it's great but perhaps

3:17:05 ↗ similarly to Parks there's more of a

3:17:08 ↗ focus on maintenance or cutting back on

3:17:10 ↗ some Investments um and holding off on

3:17:13 ↗ kind of new exciting Investments for the

3:17:15 ↗ time being something for staff to look

3:17:17 ↗ into at least I disagree on pavement and

3:17:20 ↗ concrete Management Programs I think

3:17:23 ↗ back in February our memo even said that

3:17:26 ↗ it's increased by 118% 900,000 to 2

3:17:29 ↗ million which is great we all pushed for

3:17:31 ↗ that because we wanted to see more of an

3:17:33 ↗ effort and it it shows but I'm not

3:17:36 ↗ necessarily convinced that $2 million is

3:17:38 ↗ the right number so maybe that's just

3:17:40 ↗ understanding are we spending all of

3:17:42 ↗ that do we feel like that's the right

3:17:44 ↗ number is there anything that could be

3:17:46 ↗ saved there without risking the

3:17:48 ↗ Integrity of Street sustainability or or

3:17:53 ↗ maybe there is some politic discussion

3:17:55 ↗ to be had about level of service for um

3:17:58 ↗ Street Health something but anyways I

3:18:00 ↗ just think that should be on the table

3:18:02 ↗ it should be talked

3:18:03 ↗ about um this doesn't apply well

3:18:07 ↗ actually it does apply to utility so we

3:18:10 ↗ have the design rate study for very

3:18:13 ↗ dollar of paying

3:18:15 ↗ for these Investments um and staff time

3:18:19 ↗ oh and staff okay so forget utilities um

3:18:23 ↗ but

3:18:24 ↗ it um one thing I've thinking about like

3:18:27 ↗ about it and Technology systems is it's

3:18:29 ↗ so hard for me to know actually what the

3:18:31 ↗ needs are because I no based in that in

3:18:34 ↗ that field so I have to trust that staff

3:18:37 ↗ are saying this is actually what we need

3:18:39 ↗ for this coming by any name from the CIP

3:18:41 ↗ or this is really what we need over the

3:18:42 ↗ next six years

3:18:45 ↗ um and and trust that the Staffing and

3:18:48 ↗ adment costs associated with that too

3:18:50 ↗ are

3:18:51 ↗ are appropriate so I just ask that you

3:18:55 ↗ know staff kind of robust in their

3:18:57 ↗ review of really what do we need to do

3:18:59 ↗ versus what would be nice um to do in

3:19:02 ↗ kind of those like

3:19:05 ↗ it um and then and then finally art fund

3:19:09 ↗ um I do think

3:19:12 ↗ um we should consider scaling back our

3:19:15 ↗ contributions it's really important that

3:19:18 ↗ we that we invest in the Arts but I

3:19:20 ↗ think some of these other things are

3:19:21 ↗ more important um and so I think getting

3:19:24 ↗ a sense of scale of how much the

3:19:28 ↗ investments from Capital to Arts fund is

3:19:32 ↗ because it could be almost and if that's

3:19:34 ↗ the case then I don't want to do that

3:19:36 ↗ but and there are

3:19:39 ↗ certainly lines to be drawn for

3:19:41 ↗ investment in the Arts and Community

3:19:43 ↗ outcomes positive Community outcomes

3:19:44 ↗ Economic Development all that but think

3:19:47 ↗ in my opinion there could potentially be

3:19:49 ↗ better use of

3:19:51 ↗ of spend there um but interested in

3:19:55 ↗ having the conversation so those are

3:19:56 ↗ kind of my initial thoughts of where I

3:19:57 ↗ think staff

3:20:03 ↗ should

3:20:04 ↗ ohy presentation yeah thank you um just

3:20:08 ↗ some observations or thoughts um first

3:20:13 ↗ of all uh the community survey to me was

3:20:15 ↗ done in a very different environment and

3:20:18 ↗ so I think we have to take into account

3:20:20 ↗ the changes that have occurred since

3:20:22 ↗ that survey was done and also we as we

3:20:27 ↗ have the conversation with our community

3:20:28 ↗ about the change environment and the

3:20:30 ↗ change prospects for Revenue um we may

3:20:34 ↗ be hearing very different things from

3:20:36 ↗ them than we heard on the general

3:20:37 ↗ Community which was a satisfaction

3:20:39 ↗ survey not how do you want to spend your

3:20:42 ↗ dollar survey

3:20:44 ↗ exactly um so um just a couple of uh

3:20:49 ↗ general principles I think I think

3:20:51 ↗ everybody takes some kind of hit now in

3:20:55 ↗ my mind I would prior prioritize safety

3:20:59 ↗ police and fire and as uh C Mar says

3:21:03 ↗ flushing the toilets Public Works uh and

3:21:07 ↗ so I would prioritize them but I still

3:21:10 ↗ think that everybody takes some kind of

3:21:12 ↗ hit and uh maybe that's a a small hit

3:21:16 ↗ but we ask every Department to look at

3:21:18 ↗ what they're doing and see if they can

3:21:20 ↗ reduce their their expenses so um I also

3:21:26 ↗ think uh that we should look at that we

3:21:29 ↗ should avoid um our small programs that

3:21:34 ↗ would be the Arts fund and some uh I'm

3:21:36 ↗ sure there's some other things uh I

3:21:38 ↗ don't want us to end up in October

3:21:40 ↗ November arguing over $25,000 or $30,000

3:21:44 ↗ or you know if it's a small program and

3:21:47 ↗ it's

3:21:49 ↗ not uh costing us a lot of uh of money

3:21:54 ↗ and it's relatively small savings for a

3:21:56 ↗ big impact uh I think it should be off

3:21:59 ↗ the off the table or uh again look at

3:22:02 ↗ how they could save some money but not a

3:22:04 ↗ lot uh the Arts fund is dedicated

3:22:07 ↗ funding from ticket sales and that's the

3:22:10 ↗ reason we've been I've been asking that

3:22:12 ↗ we look at how we get a different

3:22:14 ↗ Revenue stream going there um and if uh

3:22:19 ↗ uh I I don't know how much is coming out

3:22:21 ↗ of the general fund to support that

3:22:23 ↗ artstones right now but I can't imagine

3:22:25 ↗ a huge that we're really going to be

3:22:27 ↗ saving a lot of money doing that um one

3:22:30 ↗ of the problems I think we have is that

3:22:32 ↗ everybody in the city is doing a great

3:22:34 ↗ job I you know I love what uh City

3:22:38 ↗ administrator bwoods went over this

3:22:40 ↗ morning we have a great staff I guess I

3:22:43 ↗ would caution us to be very careful in

3:22:45 ↗ our Miss

3:22:47 ↗ uh around this U having gone through

3:22:50 ↗ staff reductions as County Council

3:22:52 ↗ employee you can really cut your staff

3:22:56 ↗ morale by incorrect messaging and the

3:22:59 ↗ other thing is I think we should be

3:23:01 ↗ really clear when to cut something uh

3:23:03 ↗ we're cutting our services this is this

3:23:06 ↗ is how we're reducing the services to

3:23:09 ↗ the community because again you could

3:23:11 ↗ just kill them Mor by reducing personnel

3:23:14 ↗ and leaving the the adjust BL the same

3:23:17 ↗ as it was um and I've I've seen that

3:23:20 ↗ happen so I I would be caution us to be

3:23:23 ↗ really really careful and also very

3:23:25 ↗ direct about what we will no longer be

3:23:28 ↗ doing if we cut this this and

3:23:31 ↗ this

3:23:32 ↗ um I want to I think that I uh agree

3:23:37 ↗ with council president Walsh in terms of

3:23:40 ↗ payment management projects some of

3:23:42 ↗ these longer term uh things I think we

3:23:45 ↗ should be looking at uh how do we

3:23:48 ↗ maintain these programs that if we don't

3:23:52 ↗ do them it's more expensive in the long

3:23:54 ↗ run certainly the pavement Management

3:23:56 ↗ program Falls in that sustainability

3:23:59 ↗ falls into that um as I I said the other

3:24:02 ↗ night at one of the council meetings uh

3:24:05 ↗ sustainability is not going to be cured

3:24:07 ↗ in in a year or two it's going to go on

3:24:09 ↗ and on it's going to get worse and worse

3:24:12 ↗ I think cutting sustainability at this

3:24:14 ↗ point would be just crazy

3:24:18 ↗ um I I wanted to uh also comment on um

3:24:23 ↗ Council Hunt's discussion about how do

3:24:25 ↗ we encourage more volunteerism in in

3:24:28 ↗ some of our programs where it's

3:24:30 ↗ appropriate not where you know we can't

3:24:32 ↗ do that everywhere but certainly in

3:24:34 ↗ sustainability we could encourage a lot

3:24:36 ↗ more volunteer um help and it would

3:24:39 ↗ probably be worth for a while and then

3:24:41 ↗ finally if I was going to prioritize

3:24:43 ↗ things again any pro program that's

3:24:46 ↗ bringing in more money than spending

3:24:48 ↗ such it's Parts I I think we have to be

3:24:51 ↗ very careful again we're getting more

3:24:53 ↗ Revenue than we are expending money

3:24:56 ↗ there so why would we cut into Parks um

3:24:59 ↗ we might cut into areas where in fact

3:25:02 ↗ that isn't uring but we don't want to

3:25:04 ↗ kill the Golden Goose that's giving us

3:25:06 ↗ uh a revenue so those are just some

3:25:09 ↗ general thoughts do you mean Parks or

3:25:11 ↗ Recreation Recreation okay thank

3:25:14 ↗ you mostly take place place in our parks

3:25:17 ↗ and

3:25:24 ↗ park okay council member hunt then right

3:25:28 ↗ then

3:25:32 ↗ Joe um so I wanted to also you know

3:25:37 ↗ emphasize that our Recreation programs

3:25:39 ↗ are one of the areas where I think we

3:25:41 ↗ have both we're increasing Revenue but I

3:25:43 ↗ think there's also a lot of untapped

3:25:45 ↗ capacity

3:25:46 ↗ for additional Revenue there and jobs

3:25:50 ↗ and uh you know and a service that's

3:25:52 ↗ really valued by the community um so I

3:25:55 ↗ think potentially if we're if we're

3:25:57 ↗ thinking about you know Parks as one of

3:26:00 ↗ the the things that isn't public service

3:26:02 ↗ and therefore maybe is lower on the

3:26:04 ↗ hierarchy of needs I think we might also

3:26:07 ↗ I would advocate for using that funding

3:26:10 ↗ to make sure that we are continuing to

3:26:12 ↗ take care of our Parks if we're able to

3:26:14 ↗ generate additional revenue from

3:26:17 ↗ programming then maybe we put a Nexus

3:26:19 ↗ with the maintenance and the taking care

3:26:21 ↗ of the parks making sure that we're up

3:26:23 ↗ to date on the needs of the community in

3:26:24 ↗ terms of the facilities like the cricket

3:26:27 ↗ pitch and those sorts of things so that

3:26:28 ↗ we don't just stop that that's those

3:26:32 ↗ Services because that will be noticed

3:26:35 ↗ it's always the conundrum because they

3:26:37 ↗ are rated highly but that's because

3:26:38 ↗ we're doing a good job they

3:26:40 ↗ will that will not happen if we aren't

3:26:44 ↗ you know taking care of our or perks um

3:26:49 ↗ also I wanted to plus one on not wanting

3:26:54 ↗ to really get into the weeds and talk

3:26:57 ↗ about some of these programs that are

3:26:58 ↗ you know

3:26:59 ↗ $20,000

3:27:01 ↗ I we had earlier many many years ago

3:27:05 ↗ sometimes we would have budget

3:27:06 ↗ discussions where we would kind of look

3:27:08 ↗ at line items that were less than

3:27:11 ↗ $50,000 and um I think uh I think that

3:27:17 ↗ we could cut many many many programs

3:27:20 ↗ there'd be noticed by many people that

3:27:21 ↗ rely on those programs but really I

3:27:23 ↗ think the the big items are you know

3:27:25 ↗ looking at our contract for eper and and

3:27:28 ↗ seeing what you know what how we can

3:27:30 ↗ work with the cities that are in that

3:27:32 ↗ epher contract and you know really

3:27:34 ↗ working on those because those are the

3:27:36 ↗ the real if you look at the tiie of cost

3:27:39 ↗ those are the big costs

3:27:42 ↗ um so you know I I think that spend

3:27:48 ↗ I think that looking at those smaller

3:27:49 ↗ items um yes they there are probably

3:27:52 ↗ some savings but I I also think we need

3:27:55 ↗ to focus our advocacy and our kind of

3:27:58 ↗ policy making at the higher level items

3:28:00 ↗ um which is you know that e contract

3:28:03 ↗ definitely comes to mind I also was

3:28:06 ↗ thinking about the right the the

3:28:07 ↗ pavement management um there is you know

3:28:10 ↗ we don't want to do all of our

3:28:12 ↗ preventative maintenance or all the

3:28:14 ↗ projects across the city at once uh and

3:28:16 ↗ so we've we've really up the maintenance

3:28:20 ↗ fund and I think we might want to look

3:28:24 ↗ at look at that now that we've you know

3:28:27 ↗ adjusted and I think we have some room

3:28:29 ↗ where we could adjust that

3:28:33 ↗ down um let's

3:28:39 ↗ see yeah um yeah I I think my main my

3:28:44 ↗ main point is is around like I think

3:28:47 ↗ that for the parks and for the open

3:28:49 ↗ space I would also say

3:28:52 ↗ that that is not one that I would draw

3:28:55 ↗ down in part because I think we have it

3:28:58 ↗ gives us having that fund gives us the

3:29:00 ↗ opportunity to go for Grants and

3:29:02 ↗ leverage grants and if we don't have

3:29:04 ↗ that we can't be nimble and it's

3:29:06 ↗ ultimately kind of like an insurance

3:29:08 ↗ policy or I think of that way that

3:29:11 ↗ allows us to take advantage of

3:29:12 ↗ opportunities that we won't be able to

3:29:14 ↗ do if we don't have that and relative to

3:29:16 ↗ the whole budget it is small and I think

3:29:19 ↗ has an outsized Community benefit to

3:29:21 ↗ have that

3:29:23 ↗ there I would advocate for not trying

3:29:25 ↗ down

3:29:27 ↗ that okay right thanks um three thoughts

3:29:32 ↗ one is um plus warnings to the park

3:29:36 ↗ programs that actually generate Revenue

3:29:38 ↗ so I think anything that can pay for

3:29:41 ↗ itself you know pays for itself and

3:29:43 ↗ that's great and if we can generate a

3:29:45 ↗ surplus so much the the better so that's

3:29:47 ↗ number one number two is um an emphasis

3:29:50 ↗ on administrative costs that are um it's

3:29:54 ↗ not clear that there's um Community

3:29:56 ↗ value to them and I know there's a

3:29:59 ↗ quality of work life but let's uh let's

3:30:01 ↗ push a little bit on that so you know I

3:30:03 ↗ don't know what our workstation

3:30:05 ↗ replacement um cycle is but maybe we add

3:30:07 ↗ a year to that um you know what can we

3:30:11 ↗ do in terms of driving down some of our

3:30:13 ↗ um other uh discretionary costs you know

3:30:16 ↗ are we can we dve some cost out of

3:30:18 ↗ communications because if you look at

3:30:20 ↗ the survey a lot of people are not I we

3:30:22 ↗ spend a lot on Communications and it's

3:30:23 ↗ not sure I'm not 100% certain that that

3:30:25 ↗ really um reaches people so let's

3:30:28 ↗ evaluate that program and then finally I

3:30:31 ↗ disagree with you Barb on the on the

3:30:33 ↗ community survey it's a year old it's a

3:30:34 ↗ 2023 survey and it does have both a how

3:30:38 ↗ are we doing but it also has where

3:30:40 ↗ should your emphasis be so I I think

3:30:42 ↗ it's valid I think it you know I mean we

3:30:44 ↗ can disagree on this but I think it

3:30:45 ↗ provides us some insights on to where um

3:30:49 ↗ where the community's head is today and

3:30:51 ↗ I don't think it's in a radically

3:30:53 ↗ different place today than it was here

3:30:55 ↗ ago

3:31:00 ↗ good thank you for the conversation it's

3:31:04 ↗ been very interesting for us to hear our

3:31:07 ↗ priorities um we've been my comments

3:31:11 ↗ would probably just nibble around the

3:31:13 ↗ edges like everyone else's and we're

3:31:15 ↗ talking about a budget of 5 million or

3:31:16 ↗ six million depending on the year that

3:31:18 ↗ we're looking at so I appreciate the

3:31:20 ↗ conversation that has been focusing on

3:31:23 ↗ needs versus wants and Public Safety

3:31:26 ↗ Public Works make sure our roads work

3:31:28 ↗ Transportation um certainly are the top

3:31:30 ↗ three for me um but as we look at things

3:31:34 ↗ is it time for us to perhaps look at the

3:31:37 ↗ programs and the uh initiatives that are

3:31:40 ↗ most beneficial to those that live here

3:31:43 ↗ or pay the tax um we are involved in bu

3:31:46 ↗ of different Regional initiatives and

3:31:48 ↗ the council certainly needs to step up

3:31:50 ↗ and support the mayor in those

3:31:51 ↗ initiatives I'm not saying that we draw

3:31:53 ↗ back and um not be involved in the

3:31:56 ↗ region anymore but um

3:31:59 ↗ just a focus on what programs are most

3:32:02 ↗ beneficial to those that live here or

3:32:03 ↗ pay the tax I think helps us kind of um

3:32:07 ↗ put the programs into into a little more

3:32:09 ↗ Focus um and so uh if we look at the

3:32:14 ↗ revenue enhancements we've been talking

3:32:15 ↗ talk about and or the cuts it probably

3:32:18 ↗ still only gets us about halfway there

3:32:19 ↗ and I don't um Envy the administration's

3:32:23 ↗ position as they're trying to sort

3:32:24 ↗ through these Myriad of comments that

3:32:26 ↗ we're making along the way but um I'm

3:32:28 ↗ going to just throw out there that um

3:32:32 ↗ perhaps we need to have a conversation

3:32:34 ↗ about dipping into the ending fund

3:32:36 ↗ balance I know it's not a popular thing

3:32:38 ↗ to look at but we keep that ending fund

3:32:41 ↗ balance for times when times start to

3:32:43 ↗ get tough and after Co we had a lot of

3:32:46 ↗ support from the feds and other

3:32:48 ↗ organizations that kept our budget

3:32:51 ↗ afloat that funding is going away um but

3:32:54 ↗ can we tie a reduction in that fund if

3:32:58 ↗ we decide to do it to a particular

3:33:00 ↗ program or initiative that will improve

3:33:02 ↗ the lives of those that live here and

3:33:04 ↗ that have contributed to that fund over

3:33:07 ↗ time and so I think if we have some

3:33:11 ↗ Revenue enhancements if we do some of

3:33:13 ↗ the cuts that people have been talking

3:33:14 ↗ about keeping a priority on Public

3:33:16 ↗ Safety Public Works and transportation

3:33:19 ↗ but dip into the ending fund balance a

3:33:21 ↗ little bit um Council M March points out

3:33:24 ↗ that oftentimes we set a 15% Target but

3:33:27 ↗ we end up with 17 or 20% at the end of

3:33:30 ↗ the year I don't know that's going to

3:33:32 ↗ happen again this year but we save that

3:33:34 ↗ money on behalf of the community so that

3:33:37 ↗ we can put it toward um uh times when

3:33:41 ↗ it's tight or a specific project that we

3:33:43 ↗ think will improve the lives of those

3:33:45 ↗ who live here in taxes so that's the

3:33:48 ↗ cursory guidance that I would give to

3:33:49 ↗ the administration I know it doesn't get

3:33:51 ↗ us all the way but but those are my

3:33:54 ↗ thoughts and I would love to go a second

3:33:56 ↗ time around on everybody but I'm not

3:33:58 ↗ sure we have the time I'll let you

3:34:01 ↗ finish up and then we've got 30 minutes

3:34:03 ↗ on facilities I take the time we can we

3:34:06 ↗ can come and talk about the last piece

3:34:08 ↗ another time or you're on a roll so okay

3:34:12 ↗ I'm I'm G these are things that I had

3:34:14 ↗ written down and couldn't read my

3:34:17 ↗ so the uh Community Planning Development

3:34:21 ↗ uh we recently had um you know it's a

3:34:24 ↗ study we had analysts come and look at

3:34:26 ↗ the processes and how we can improve

3:34:28 ↗ efficiency and um I think you know that

3:34:31 ↗ combines with the fact that we do have

3:34:33 ↗ this uh new we're entering a new era of

3:34:36 ↗ Redevelopment rather than whole

3:34:38 ↗ neighborhoods being built out I think

3:34:40 ↗ that just looking at how those

3:34:42 ↗ efficiencies uh are playing out and if

3:34:45 ↗ there's if there's any potential cost

3:34:47 ↗ savings there that we could um that we

3:34:50 ↗ could uh adjust for this new reality

3:34:53 ↗ where we're no longer in with large

3:34:56 ↗ development um would be good and then

3:34:59 ↗ the second thing was just again on the

3:35:01 ↗ community uh involvement I think we have

3:35:03 ↗ a lot of really motivated community

3:35:05 ↗ members I think they would you know

3:35:08 ↗ there there are some things that they

3:35:09 ↗ would be able to um assist us with and

3:35:11 ↗ make sure that we're maintaining you

3:35:13 ↗ know and I think that uh Park and our

3:35:16 ↗ sustainability initiatives that's an

3:35:17 ↗ area where we could uh you know continue

3:35:20 ↗ on the good work of Blake green as squa

3:35:22 ↗ and getting people involved and then

3:35:23 ↗ also arts and I think that's another

3:35:25 ↗ area where we could potentially leverage

3:35:27 ↗ Community groups and community members

3:35:29 ↗ and and uh continue to make prod of

3:35:31 ↗ there it is $200,000 that's how much the

3:35:34 ↗ city paid into that fund last budget so

3:35:38 ↗ that's the order of magnitude we're

3:35:39 ↗ talking about but you know while we're

3:35:41 ↗ talking about it I think that's an area

3:35:42 ↗ where we might be able to use Community

3:35:44 ↗ enthusiasm yeah Arts the Arts yeah I

3:35:48 ↗ think that's so we've got 30 minutes to

3:35:51 ↗ go anybody want to continue on this

3:35:55 ↗ conversation it sounds like there're

3:35:57 ↗ okay so I'm gonna say let's continue

3:35:59 ↗ we'll go verb to russle myself okay you

3:36:04 ↗ need to leave I'm slowly getting ready I

3:36:06 ↗ have half but my Uber will be here at

3:36:09 ↗ two so

3:36:11 ↗ okay so uh just I want to say this real

3:36:13 ↗ tedly so nobody throw to at me but uh uh

3:36:18 ↗ there are days like yesterday when there

3:36:21 ↗ was this horrible backup on Front Street

3:36:23 ↗ that went back to back to back I think

3:36:25 ↗ there was an accident on sr900 and all

3:36:28 ↗ the traffic came you know and I have to

3:36:30 ↗ say I was just looking at it in it and

3:36:33 ↗ going what are we really going to be

3:36:35 ↗ able to accomplish in

3:36:37 ↗ transportation um so I guess very

3:36:40 ↗ tentatively and don't throw anything at

3:36:42 ↗ me but maybe we should be looking at the

3:36:45 ↗ trans

3:36:46 ↗ project listed saying which projects

3:36:52 ↗ are you said chair is getting thrown

3:36:55 ↗ apparently it's

3:36:56 ↗ laptops I don't have M to replace it so

3:37:00 ↗ yeah the chairs I could replace more

3:37:05 ↗ eair yeah so just basically what

3:37:08 ↗ projects are are really going to make a

3:37:10 ↗ difference in the in the mobility in

3:37:13 ↗ this area which you know which are uh

3:37:16 ↗ things that uh the community has asked

3:37:18 ↗ for but may not actually get us to our

3:37:20 ↗ goals so I'm just throwing that out

3:37:22 ↗ there that maybe that's something that

3:37:23 ↗ we really need because those are big

3:37:25 ↗ bucks and those are big long projects so

3:37:29 ↗ just something to think about and don't

3:37:32 ↗ throw that

3:37:34 ↗ lapop yeah

3:37:38 ↗ okay two things I'll I'll add to that um

3:37:41 ↗ and the administration will probably

3:37:43 ↗ throw chairs at me you know new Port is

3:37:46 ↗ an immense amount of money for um to me

3:37:49 ↗ not I mean it's we we've done things and

3:37:52 ↗ we've made promises to other

3:37:54 ↗ organizations and that's why we're gonna

3:37:56 ↗ we're going to spend something like $60

3:37:57 ↗ million on Newport it's not at all clear

3:37:59 ↗ to me that that's going to have any

3:38:00 ↗ impact on traffic or quality of life or

3:38:03 ↗ anything like that um I think

3:38:04 ↗ roundabouts might have a might have a

3:38:06 ↗ benefit but the rest of the $60 million

3:38:08 ↗ is so I'm plus wanting the idea that

3:38:11 ↗ maybe we revisit some of these things

3:38:13 ↗ and see how much they they still the

3:38:15 ↗ community's priorities the other thing

3:38:17 ↗ is I I want to respond um council member

3:38:19 ↗ Joe this this question about the ending

3:38:21 ↗ fund balance and uh whether we want to

3:38:25 ↗ uh take a a hit on it this comes back to

3:38:28 ↗ this issue of whether This Is The New

3:38:29 ↗ Normal or whether it's a speed right if

3:38:31 ↗ it's a speed bump I'm absolutely with

3:38:33 ↗ you if it's a new normal I'm more I'm

3:38:35 ↗ more concerned right I think that having

3:38:36 ↗ a healthy any fund balance is is always

3:38:39 ↗ great and uh and it you know and covid

3:38:42 ↗ was the the the test like going into Co

3:38:45 ↗ having healthy ending fund balance you

3:38:47 ↗ know we stressed less than we would have

3:38:48 ↗ if we had been keeping a smaller amount

3:38:51 ↗ so I'm I'm I would be concerned about

3:38:53 ↗ changing or or you know using a

3:38:56 ↗ different bogey if in fact This Is The

3:38:58 ↗ New Normal um I I do I do wonder what

3:39:03 ↗ the world will look like after

3:39:04 ↗ development comes back I had um uh sent

3:39:07 ↗ Wally a note about how the whole King

3:39:10 ↗ County was basically feeling like postco

3:39:13 ↗ the development level was had not return

3:39:15 ↗ to where it had been before because we

3:39:17 ↗ had had this conversation about the

3:39:18 ↗ incentives that we needed to have out in

3:39:19 ↗ the community but it does make me feel

3:39:21 ↗ heartened that there will be a rebound

3:39:24 ↗ eventually if everybody's complaining

3:39:26 ↗ about it right now you know maybe baffle

3:39:28 ↗ is not because baffle and Woodenville

3:39:29 ↗ are special but you know everybody else

3:39:31 ↗ I think is still complaining about it so

3:39:33 ↗ anyhow that was just my other is uh if

3:39:36 ↗ this is the new normal it's uh it's a

3:39:39 ↗ sobering

3:39:43 ↗ conversation thank you would just uh

3:39:46 ↗ plus one some the ear conversation about

3:39:49 ↗ uh parks and recck programs that create

3:39:51 ↗ Revenue they should be um given some

3:39:53 ↗ additional protection uh I'll speak to

3:39:56 ↗ Pavement management just briefly um

3:39:58 ↗ again in my earlier comments I was

3:40:00 ↗ wanting us to focus on programs

3:40:02 ↗ reductions or improvements that'll

3:40:04 ↗ improve the lives of those that live

3:40:06 ↗ here pavment Management in my mind is a

3:40:08 ↗ direct benefit to those that block our

3:40:10 ↗ streets Ada Mobility um is important in

3:40:14 ↗ public safety is important uh component

3:40:17 ↗ to that pavement management uh from my

3:40:19 ↗ point of view um I'd like us to also

3:40:22 ↗ keep in mind uh to not do any any um

3:40:27 ↗ cuts or um program reductions that might

3:40:30 ↗ reduce sales tax um I know the

3:40:33 ↗ construction sales tax is down but we

3:40:35 ↗ still have a robust retail sales tax

3:40:38 ↗ it's um that's here because we're

3:40:40 ↗ Regional Center we're in an EnV enviable

3:40:43 ↗ position of having at least some

3:40:45 ↗ reasonable semblance of a balance

3:40:47 ↗ between property tax and sales tax and

3:40:49 ↗ so um you know as you're looking at a

3:40:51 ↗ program um is it uh creating some

3:40:54 ↗ Revenue bringing in people that are

3:40:56 ↗ spending money here for sales tax that

3:40:58 ↗ helps balance the equation it's not

3:41:00 ↗ going to get us all the way but we

3:41:01 ↗ certainly don't want to um hamper any of

3:41:04 ↗ our efforts on that Revenue side thank

3:41:12 ↗ you um

3:41:15 ↗ I do believe this is the new normal

3:41:17 ↗ given that we are only going to have INF

3:41:19 ↗ F

3:41:20 ↗ development um that impacts construction

3:41:24 ↗ sales tax we also have a issue of

3:41:28 ↗ inflation which developers are slow to

3:41:32 ↗ respond to changes there because they're

3:41:34 ↗ going to have to get through permitting

3:41:36 ↗ before they can get to construction and

3:41:39 ↗ so even if inflation and interest rates

3:41:44 ↗ come down

3:41:45 ↗ we're not going to see the development

3:41:48 ↗ construction happen that will impact our

3:41:50 ↗ sales tax revenue there so E I think

3:41:53 ↗ it's definitely an issue for the next

3:41:55 ↗ two years whether it's an issue for four

3:41:59 ↗ or 10 I don't know um but right now

3:42:02 ↗ we're planning for a two-year budget so

3:42:04 ↗ I think that's pretty important to keep

3:42:06 ↗ in mind um I want to say I do agree with

3:42:09 ↗ Deputy council president D Michelle that

3:42:11 ↗ re-evaluating our transportation

3:42:13 ↗ projects that may not move the needle on

3:42:16 ↗ the issue that the community cares about

3:42:19 ↗ which is

3:42:21 ↗ congestion um is really

3:42:24 ↗ important and so I think looking at our

3:42:28 ↗ capital projects in particular in that

3:42:31 ↗ realm of what is actually G to make a

3:42:33 ↗ difference there is totally valid um and

3:42:37 ↗ then I also agree with counc member hunt

3:42:39 ↗ about looking at our CBD functions with

3:42:43 ↗ this new development pattern and

3:42:45 ↗ understanding how we best serve the

3:42:48 ↗ community in those areas um and whether

3:42:52 ↗ current consultant or engineering or

3:42:55 ↗ Staffing um not just levels but

3:42:57 ↗ positions and what they're doing is um

3:43:00 ↗ the most appropriate and the right um

3:43:03 ↗ functionality there and I obviously

3:43:05 ↗ leave that to staff but I'm saying I

3:43:07 ↗ think that's an open area for

3:43:10 ↗ conversation counil member hun and right

3:43:16 ↗ um one additional thing I was thinking

3:43:19 ↗ about is in the last in the conversation

3:43:21 ↗ we had about the um facilities in City

3:43:24 ↗ Hall it was mentioned that from some of

3:43:27 ↗ the data that was shown um in the school

3:43:29 ↗ bonds considerations was that going for

3:43:32 ↗ going for what you need at in one go uh

3:43:36 ↗ sometimes is better and so I just

3:43:38 ↗ thought that might we have a we have a

3:43:40 ↗ couple casts there but for a city hall

3:43:42 ↗ where we would either need to lease or

3:43:45 ↗ or have a a city hall facility and so um

3:43:49 ↗ I do think I think that like having that

3:43:51 ↗ long-term lease on top of our other um

3:43:55 ↗ budget considerations is also something

3:43:57 ↗ that

3:43:59 ↗ uh could factors into my thinking about

3:44:02 ↗ those two options and also is something

3:44:05 ↗ that I think um I think it was probably

3:44:07 ↗ something we would already go out to the

3:44:09 ↗ community to survey on but I do think

3:44:13 ↗ just getting a sense of if if you know

3:44:15 ↗ asking for what we need at once and then

3:44:17 ↗ avoiding that long-term lease which is

3:44:19 ↗ only going to compound all of our budget

3:44:22 ↗ deficit um would be would be something

3:44:26 ↗ that the community would

3:44:29 ↗ support um two thoughts um one is thank

3:44:33 ↗ you for bringing up the transportation

3:44:34 ↗ stuff we're not throwing stuff out other

3:44:36 ↗ than compliments um because it's right I

3:44:38 ↗ mean the things that we're talking about

3:44:40 ↗ doing are not going to move the needle

3:44:41 ↗ significantly on what the um the

3:44:43 ↗ populace is is concerned about so that

3:44:46 ↗ gives us a little bit of flexibility

3:44:48 ↗ there it's something we might want to do

3:44:50 ↗ but it won't move the needle on things

3:44:51 ↗ that they're most concerned about the se

3:44:53 ↗ but my second comment which is riffing

3:44:56 ↗ on pavment management is as kind of

3:44:58 ↗ guidance to the administration when

3:44:59 ↗ putting together the budget don't kick

3:45:01 ↗ the can down the road because um I I I

3:45:04 ↗ believe that this is the new normal so

3:45:06 ↗ um if we kick things down the road that

3:45:09 ↗ um are going to get more expensive um

3:45:11 ↗ get better with age more expensive with

3:45:13 ↗ age then we should figure figure out how

3:45:15 ↗ how to not defer them because we won't

3:45:18 ↗ have the money you know down the road

3:45:20 ↗ either and then we might as well just

3:45:21 ↗ not do them so it's a kicking the can

3:45:24 ↗ down the

3:45:25 ↗ road is a yes and a no those things that

3:45:29 ↗ can be moved down without significant

3:45:32 ↗ impact or significant costs defer those

3:45:35 ↗ things that are just going to get you

3:45:37 ↗ know worse over time um and suck it up

3:45:40 ↗ and let's do it

3:45:45 ↗ okay so this is where we stand with the

3:45:48 ↗ feedback on reductions you know whenever

3:45:52 ↗ we it gets brought up there's always a

3:45:54 ↗ concern is everybody just G to stay

3:45:56 ↗ silent and not be willing to contribute

3:45:59 ↗ I think you've heard there's some

3:46:01 ↗ political will here maybe not all in the

3:46:03 ↗ same direction but at least

3:46:07 ↗ there's there's a willingness to talk

3:46:09 ↗ about it and I will take that any day um

3:46:14 ↗ about the can you hear a tree fall in

3:46:16 ↗ the forest if no one's there can you

3:46:18 ↗ feel political will if it's all in

3:46:19 ↗ different

3:46:21 ↗ directions yeah because there's words

3:46:23 ↗ coming out we're not all walking away

3:46:25 ↗ from the question so is there anything

3:46:28 ↗ that you want us to keep talking about

3:46:31 ↗ where it

3:46:32 ↗ seems

3:46:33 ↗ clear well I mean the stuff you haven't

3:46:35 ↗ talked about which is I guess largely on

3:46:37 ↗ our shoulders is the internal services

3:46:40 ↗ so

3:46:41 ↗ HR

3:46:43 ↗ it um Finance you know those things that

3:46:47 ↗ we use every day you know what and will

3:46:50 ↗ have to come I mean there's going to be

3:46:52 ↗ no question we're going to have to come

3:46:53 ↗ with reductions in all those areas and

3:46:55 ↗ so then it's just things are

3:46:57 ↗ slower hopefully you know keep an

3:47:01 ↗ infrastructure of capable competent

3:47:03 ↗ people as long as we pay them reasonable

3:47:05 ↗ wage but things are just slower and so

3:47:08 ↗ everything will just get slower so even

3:47:11 ↗ if we're still making progress we're not

3:47:13 ↗ making progress that the speed so I'll

3:47:17 ↗ just put that out there I mean I

3:47:18 ↗ wouldn't expect you to say

3:47:21 ↗ yeah we're all we're all for you know

3:47:25 ↗ less payables being taking longer to pay

3:47:28 ↗ a bill or something but but that's

3:47:30 ↗ that's where we're heading based on this

3:47:33 ↗ conversation is that we're going to have

3:47:34 ↗ to lean in to those internal

3:47:38 ↗ services and then it is the is a couple

3:47:41 ↗ of you were mentioned it's the great big

3:47:43 ↗ question mark is is you want to have I

3:47:47 ↗ mean cyber security is a huge issue

3:47:50 ↗ there are communities All Over America

3:47:52 ↗ that have been brought to their knees

3:47:54 ↗ some of which you read about the

3:47:55 ↗ newspaper most of which you don't um and

3:47:58 ↗ so we don't want to be um you know

3:48:01 ↗ Pennywise there um but we were so

3:48:04 ↗ relyant on city-wide systems for

3:48:06 ↗ everything you know why why don't we

3:48:08 ↗ have B know online I mean there's so

3:48:11 ↗ much time energy and effort behind some

3:48:13 ↗ of this um so I that that's I guess the

3:48:17 ↗ only piece that hasn't been talked about

3:48:18 ↗ today I guess I would expect you to talk

3:48:20 ↗ about it but it's it's going to be a

3:48:23 ↗ piece of the puzzle big de

3:48:25 ↗ things um the other thing I would say on

3:48:28 ↗ that I know you had instituted a Hing

3:48:31 ↗ free and so better understanding what

3:48:35 ↗ our situation is if each of those

3:48:37 ↗ positions remains empty for this period

3:48:42 ↗ of the budget what we are at service

3:48:45 ↗ level what we are at Cost um and

3:48:48 ↗ expenditure level and if there are any

3:48:51 ↗ of those that you'd be looking to fill

3:48:55 ↗ um so it's going to be a soft at this

3:48:57 ↗ point okay um you know we're largely

3:48:59 ↗ fully staffed yeah um you know I think

3:49:03 ↗ as we see positions if it's if it's a

3:49:05 ↗ single position of a multiple position

3:49:07 ↗ one we work one Park maintenance I think

3:49:10 ↗ those will be easier you know we have a

3:49:12 ↗ couple key positions that we we just

3:49:15 ↗ have to fill we're having trouble

3:49:16 ↗ filling so if we can find someone to do

3:49:18 ↗ that we're also looking at expenditures

3:49:21 ↗ over $50,000 so there's additional

3:49:24 ↗ scrutiny Citywide be put to that um you

3:49:27 ↗ know we're we're three quarters through

3:49:29 ↗ a two-year budget so our ability to kind

3:49:32 ↗ of Slam the brakes uh even with six

3:49:34 ↗ months to go isn't a lot so we're going

3:49:37 ↗ to do our best and if there's anything

3:49:38 ↗ significant We'll advise the council

3:49:41 ↗ this we're we're what four days in five

3:49:43 ↗ days in so yet and then I think the

3:49:46 ↗ other thing that would be useful as we

3:49:49 ↗ come into more of these conversations is

3:49:52 ↗ um better understanding what the

3:49:54 ↗ 2024 um impact to General fundas where

3:49:57 ↗ you predict that to be at the end of the

3:49:59 ↗ year and just knowing what our

3:50:03 ↗ checkpoints are on that or getting more

3:50:06 ↗ information so I know there's a future

3:50:09 ↗ budget presentation to us um coming up

3:50:13 ↗ but we could also just include some of

3:50:15 ↗ that

3:50:16 ↗ timetable yeah I think it's going to be

3:50:18 ↗ a

3:50:19 ↗ monthly thing you know uh you know

3:50:22 ↗ Nathan and Susie are here and want to

3:50:24 ↗ publicly thank them both for their good

3:50:27 ↗ work getting ready for today um you know

3:50:30 ↗ they they' had in some cases what three

3:50:33 ↗ or or maybe four months worth of data on

3:50:36 ↗ a 12-month year to come to you and say

3:50:38 ↗ this is how it's going to end um and

3:50:41 ↗ that's really hard and so you know part

3:50:43 ↗ of this will be as as revenues actually

3:50:45 ↗ come in that'll also really give us a

3:50:48 ↗ better idea we wanted to give you if not

3:50:50 ↗ worst case scenario you know certainly

3:50:53 ↗ eyes wide open uh scenarios today but uh

3:50:56 ↗ our hope is is that uh some of these

3:50:59 ↗ revenues continue to perform you know

3:51:01 ↗ Costco buys a new computer system and

3:51:03 ↗ our budet problems are solved so um you

3:51:06 ↗ know we just never know but I want to

3:51:08 ↗ thank them both for their good work uh

3:51:10 ↗ getting us here today and uh I think

3:51:12 ↗ it's just probably just be a monthly

3:51:14 ↗ check in if there's anything significant

3:51:16 ↗ may we put on agenda but otherwise we'll

3:51:18 ↗ just keep your

3:51:20 ↗ posted and certainly we expect to have

3:51:22 ↗ an update to the forecast in October

3:51:24 ↗ like typically du um you know we have

3:51:27 ↗ our preliminary forecast at this point

3:51:29 ↗ as City admin bwood said with very

3:51:31 ↗ little data on the year so one you

3:51:35 ↗ know a couple of dots don't equal a

3:51:38 ↗ trend right I mean we're reading the tea

3:51:40 ↗ leaves as much as we can but um things

3:51:42 ↗ may change and so um we can expect to

3:51:45 ↗ come you can expect to have us come back

3:51:47 ↗ to you in October with more data and

3:51:49 ↗ updated forecast and we're probably

3:51:51 ↗ going to release the budget a little

3:51:52 ↗ later too it's it's been the second or

3:51:54 ↗ third week in September last few years

3:51:57 ↗ we'll probably go into the first part of

3:51:59 ↗ October this year just to make sure

3:52:01 ↗ you've got the best information possible

3:52:03 ↗ we don't want I mean as Council marks

3:52:06 ↗ has said several times today you know to

3:52:08 ↗ say whoops all of a sudden all the

3:52:11 ↗ expanses are much less than we thought

3:52:13 ↗ whatever we want to be as accurate and

3:52:15 ↗ precise as you deliberate as possible so

3:52:17 ↗ we'll probably wait till the first month

3:52:19 ↗ of

3:52:20 ↗ October September this

3:52:23 ↗ year so um given that we are skipping

3:52:27 ↗ for now the public safety facilities

3:52:29 ↗ followup and maybe we could just do a

3:52:31 ↗ little piece of that we mayor Paul would

3:52:33 ↗ like to go forward with uh appointing a

3:52:35 ↗ task force so she's going to start

3:52:37 ↗ soliciting names to do that um you know

3:52:41 ↗ in the month of August and probably come

3:52:44 ↗ back into the council in September with

3:52:46 ↗ that uh we'll also start looking for a

3:52:48 ↗ firm to help us on the survey public

3:52:51 ↗ relations piece of that um the last

3:52:55 ↗ piece which I will in the time today

3:52:57 ↗ we'll bring to you we'll talk figure

3:52:59 ↗ this out over the next several days is

3:53:03 ↗ uh our intentions to move forward with a

3:53:05 ↗ lease with the with the county for uh

3:53:08 ↗ court services that deserves more time

3:53:11 ↗ and attention than you have at this

3:53:13 ↗ point in the day um but we feel strongly

3:53:15 ↗ that that makes sense we feel strongly

3:53:18 ↗ that to not do that there are additional

3:53:20 ↗ costs to invest in a building that we

3:53:22 ↗ have more future potential use for and

3:53:25 ↗ so that's also something that is

3:53:27 ↗ Weighing on us so we'll we'll start the

3:53:30 ↗ task force selection we'll start the

3:53:32 ↗ process looking for a firm uh but we'll

3:53:34 ↗ come back to you Auto Monahan had a

3:53:36 ↗ family issue come up today so she was on

3:53:38 ↗ aable to join us and it'd be really good

3:53:40 ↗ to have her be part of that discussion

3:53:42 ↗ so uh likely not on August 5th but

3:53:46 ↗ perhaps then for in September uh we'll

3:53:48 ↗ just put it on the council's

3:53:53 ↗ agenda would we make would we get a

3:53:56 ↗ better sense of what council chambers by

3:53:59 ↗ that well we're also we're also trying

3:54:01 ↗ to sort through that um you know we've

3:54:03 ↗ we've talked to the school district

3:54:05 ↗ about a couple different options one is

3:54:07 ↗ their former uh board Chambers on their

3:54:11 ↗ hly Street campus uh they also have

3:54:14 ↗ their existing

3:54:15 ↗ Chambers um on the other side well this

3:54:19 ↗ on this side of town that that way um

3:54:22 ↗ and there maybe opportunities to use

3:54:23 ↗ that uh We've also talked about you know

3:54:26 ↗ the council chambers are a TV studio and

3:54:28 ↗ so is there another option either on

3:54:31 ↗ property we own uh or something else so

3:54:34 ↗ we've not quite vetted through all of

3:54:36 ↗ that um so a little bit more time would

3:54:38 ↗ be

3:54:40 ↗ helpful um one more comment and then I

3:54:42 ↗ know we have to get public comment to

3:54:44 ↗ well and I know you have to go um I'm

3:54:47 ↗ fine I'm fine my person's not going to

3:54:48 ↗ be here till a couple minutes after two

3:54:49 ↗ any just letting you know be done well

3:54:53 ↗ so just U question really I guess is is

3:54:57 ↗ I'm not understanding what we're taking

3:54:59 ↗ to this community Tas course what what

3:55:02 ↗ what are we asking them to do what

3:55:04 ↗ proposals are we asking them to bet we

3:55:06 ↗ don't even

3:55:07 ↗ have we haven't really decided

3:55:10 ↗ on have we that what we want on this

3:55:14 ↗ well and I and I and mayor Paulie's not

3:55:16 ↗ here to to add to this but I think we

3:55:19 ↗ want to basically say here's the work

3:55:21 ↗ that's been done so far here's some

3:55:22 ↗ outstanding questions what's your

3:55:24 ↗ feedback and then come back to the

3:55:25 ↗ council so they're not really it's not

3:55:28 ↗ like the school district they're not

3:55:29 ↗ recommending a bond TST I think they

3:55:32 ↗ likely recommend a package based on what

3:55:35 ↗ is before them which will be um City

3:55:38 ↗ Hall being updated uh the fire station

3:55:42 ↗ um and then a new profal City Hall

3:55:45 ↗ facility so let let us we could we'll

3:55:48 ↗ work on a more specific charge and we

3:55:50 ↗ come back to the council in September

3:55:52 ↗ and so if the council wants to talk

3:55:53 ↗ about it we'll put that on agenda so

3:55:56 ↗ you're taking the community temperature

3:55:58 ↗ as to how big of a package or small of

3:56:00 ↗ the package they might be willing to

3:56:02 ↗ support and and talk further about right

3:56:05 ↗ and we'll have and we'll we'll ask the

3:56:07 ↗ council to allocate resources for a

3:56:09 ↗ third party firm to come and do some

3:56:11 ↗ survey work but then we come back to

3:56:12 ↗ that task force as well

3:56:16 ↗ I just

3:56:17 ↗ don't you know I still feel like we

3:56:20 ↗ should be looking at a bigger picture

3:56:21 ↗ that's just why you know I'm not

3:56:24 ↗ speaking for anybody else

3:56:25 ↗ but I just feel like the conversation

3:56:28 ↗ has been way too narrow we not looking

3:56:30 ↗ at enough options and I don't want a

3:56:33 ↗ community task force to just be

3:56:36 ↗ presented with here's what we want you

3:56:37 ↗ to do do you like it or don't you like

3:56:40 ↗ it I want them to be presented with here

3:56:43 ↗ are some there's some several options

3:56:46 ↗ how would you give us feedback on that

3:56:49 ↗ and they'll have the benefit of all the

3:56:50 ↗ work that you all have done last you

3:56:53 ↗ know six seven eight months so let let's

3:56:57 ↗ ra again the hour of the day we'll we'll

3:56:59 ↗ put together a charge when the mayor has

3:57:02 ↗ the group selected um and then the

3:57:04 ↗ council wants to talk further about it

3:57:06 ↗ at that

3:57:10 ↗ point talk about it right

3:57:12 ↗ now sorry sorry we can have this

3:57:15 ↗ conversation offline too bit but I would

3:57:17 ↗ hope that we would do something broader

3:57:19 ↗ than we usually do with tax for uh can

3:57:21 ↗ we have a representative from every

3:57:23 ↗ neighborhood can we make this a a real

3:57:26 ↗ Community task force I know we don't

3:57:28 ↗ want the school district had 60 people

3:57:30 ↗ we don't want to probably do that but

3:57:33 ↗ could we get it to 20 25 people and

3:57:35 ↗ really represent uh not only every

3:57:38 ↗ neighborhood but every demographic and

3:57:40 ↗ isqu we really make this a community

3:57:44 ↗ task force and I'm I'm happy to share

3:57:47 ↗ your thoughts with mayor Paulie I'm

3:57:49 ↗ watch the last this and I can share it

3:57:51 ↗ with her as well you know but I just uh

3:57:54 ↗ I'm

3:57:55 ↗ feeling not real um confirmed that this

3:57:59 ↗ is the time to go forward with this but

3:58:02 ↗ anyway that's and that may be one of the

3:58:04 ↗ outcomes but honestly survey results and

3:58:08 ↗ community board feedback um so that'll

3:58:11 ↗ be two pieces of that remarks so I will

3:58:14 ↗ will give an example to to further I I

3:58:16 ↗ share some some of your concerns I don't

3:58:17 ↗ know about school district size group

3:58:20 ↗ but um any example of the breadth of a

3:58:24 ↗ conversation that I suspect would not be

3:58:26 ↗ in the cards would be I have been told

3:58:28 ↗ Time and Time Again by longstanding

3:58:30 ↗ members of the community that the green

3:58:32 ↗ area to the north of the community

3:58:35 ↗ center was the intended next location

3:58:37 ↗ for a city hall I don't have any

3:58:41 ↗ confidence that that will be part of the

3:58:42 ↗ conversation as to whether we value that

3:58:44 ↗ space as a green space or whether that

3:58:46 ↗ could be a city hall but it's certainly

3:58:47 ↗ enough land um and that's that was how

3:58:51 ↗ the community felt 25 years ago I don't

3:58:54 ↗ know how the community feels today but

3:58:56 ↗ that would be an example of if you're

3:58:57 ↗ gonna have a broad conversation add that

3:59:00 ↗ to the conversation Right add holding on

3:59:02 ↗ to the property at City Hall Northwest

3:59:05 ↗ and figuring out if we want to do

3:59:06 ↗ something with that and I just don't

3:59:08 ↗ know if you if you engage a community

3:59:10 ↗ group right now if those sorts of

3:59:12 ↗ degrees of freedom are going to be

3:59:14 ↗ solution space to use a n so I've heard

3:59:17 ↗ that we will talk about that as

3:59:18 ↗ leadership about how we can incorporate

3:59:21 ↗ a conversation about it so that

3:59:23 ↗ everybody gets okay I just want to give

3:59:25 ↗ some specific examples because I agree

3:59:26 ↗ with you broadly that if you have a

3:59:28 ↗ narrow conversation with the community

3:59:30 ↗ it's not as valuable as a more broad

3:59:32 ↗ conversation those are examples of what

3:59:34 ↗ would be part

3:59:35 ↗ ofation I'm just gonna add that I

3:59:39 ↗ agree options and we have kind of gone

3:59:43 ↗ down a certain PA but I do think opening

3:59:45 ↗ it up like what if they what if the fire

3:59:48 ↗ department um on Sunset was remodeled in

3:59:51 ↗ place yes there are consequences that

3:59:54 ↗ but what if the cost versus moving it to

3:59:56 ↗ the the process relocation so I think

3:59:59 ↗ options is important so wanted to

4:00:03 ↗ us great we will make sure that

4:00:05 ↗ conversation happens um take a moment

4:00:09 ↗ for public comment hey we're right on

4:00:12 ↗ time 155

4:00:15 ↗ um I we don't have anybody in the

4:00:18 ↗ audience here I see a hand up there so

4:00:21 ↗ Tammy if you could facilitate

4:00:24 ↗ that con you should be able to um unmute

4:00:27 ↗ yourself put your camera on if you'd

4:00:31 ↗ like okay well I thought council did

4:00:35 ↗ very well even even uh pushing back on

4:00:39 ↗ the let's be let's just be a little bit

4:00:41 ↗ pregnant on the moving of the fire

4:00:43 ↗ station and I appreciate you're pushing

4:00:45 ↗ toward that conversation so there are a

4:00:48 ↗ few things that are missing to me I

4:00:51 ↗ watched the water rate uh conversation a

4:00:54 ↗ long time ago and it was huge it was

4:00:58 ↗ like 10% 10% 10% year-over-year and now

4:01:01 ↗ you're adding taxes to that and a lot of

4:01:04 ↗ that was because of the whole posos

4:01:07 ↗ thing because we had to build all these

4:01:08 ↗ new facilities in addition to what we

4:01:11 ↗ already needed to do so I'm wondering

4:01:13 ↗ about

4:01:14 ↗ um replacement funding for all the

4:01:16 ↗ Investments that the city has had to do

4:01:18 ↗ to its water structure and if people are

4:01:21 ↗ looking if we think we're going to get

4:01:23 ↗ some of that money to refund some of the

4:01:26 ↗ water rates that the community has had

4:01:29 ↗ to pay uh that was one two is

4:01:39 ↗ you break up I don't know if you walked

4:01:42 ↗ into a different area

4:01:45 ↗ no I'm standing in the exact same spot

4:01:50 ↗ okay try turning

4:01:51 ↗ your and let's see if we can hear you

4:01:55 ↗ better okay video off okay is that gonna

4:01:59 ↗ be any better

4:02:02 ↗ okay I don't know where you lost me um

4:02:05 ↗ posos I was talking about refunding some

4:02:08 ↗ of the money from uh posos by some sort

4:02:11 ↗ of uh reimbursement and whether that was

4:02:15 ↗ going to happen and then I moved on to

4:02:18 ↗ uh Parks recreational revenue and in the

4:02:21 ↗ past whenever I've seen Parks

4:02:23 ↗ recreational Revenue I don't see it

4:02:25 ↗ burdened with capital and you don't it's

4:02:28 ↗ not really uh

4:02:31 ↗ profit profit unless you burden it with

4:02:34 ↗ some share of the capital and the fees

4:02:36 ↗ are reimbursing the capital expenditure

4:02:39 ↗ that you have to have in order to

4:02:41 ↗ provide the facility for your program s

4:02:44 ↗ and so I very rarely see any detailed

4:02:48 ↗ information um from how Parks does their

4:02:51 ↗ books but uh that needs to be added in

4:02:54 ↗ before you decide that this is you're

4:02:56 ↗ actually making money yeah you're

4:02:58 ↗ feeding money into the pot but is it the

4:03:01 ↗ right amount of money I don't know and

4:03:04 ↗ then as a community member who watches

4:03:07 ↗ the over enthusiasm of the city as well

4:03:11 ↗ as the agony of no the is going away uh

4:03:15 ↗ we have wasted more money in

4:03:18 ↗ overenthusiastic duplication of planning

4:03:22 ↗ of varying roads projects we have

4:03:24 ↗ partially done Gilman we've done Newport

4:03:27 ↗ Way like I don't know three times or we

4:03:29 ↗ on our third time uh parks department

4:03:33 ↗ started with planning three different

4:03:35 ↗ Master plans all simultaneously and then

4:03:37 ↗ got whacka mold instead into um Federal

4:03:42 ↗ funding parks and dropped those planning

4:03:45 ↗ processes and it's all a waste so I

4:03:50 ↗ don't know how to pull people back from

4:03:53 ↗ the enthusiasm of look we're getting a

4:03:56 ↗ little bit of money so we need to do a

4:03:58 ↗ whole bunch at once when we don't seem

4:04:00 ↗ to have the capacity to finish it and

4:04:02 ↗ it's millions and millions and millions

4:04:04 ↗ and millions of dollars so where and how

4:04:09 ↗ can y'all restrain yourselves and the

4:04:11 ↗ city restrain itself in their enthusiasm

4:04:16 ↗ and instead think to oneself here's a

4:04:19 ↗ department we're going to give it one

4:04:21 ↗ good Capital project a year that it can

4:04:24 ↗ actually do and complete it and I can

4:04:28 ↗ tell you if you started doing that I

4:04:30 ↗ think the community would be more

4:04:32 ↗ interested in giving money because we're

4:04:35 ↗ really tired of watching the same things

4:04:37 ↗ being planned all over again and never

4:04:39 ↗ getting a result from them and then

4:04:41 ↗ things pop up like wow we needed new

4:04:43 ↗ city administration building instead of

4:04:46 ↗ anything that we really feel like we

4:04:47 ↗ want it's frustrating out here in the

4:04:50 ↗ world of ever increasing taxes it's

4:04:53 ↗ expensive and then we pay money for

4:04:55 ↗ affordable housing when we can't afford

4:04:57 ↗ our own homes because they cost so much

4:04:59 ↗ and you never talk about us and uh so I

4:05:02 ↗ think you start to need to talk about

4:05:04 ↗ the people who live here and the burden

4:05:07 ↗ of the cost that you're looking to add

4:05:09 ↗ on to the people who live here because

4:05:10 ↗ not everybody who lives here is super

4:05:12 ↗ wealthy a lot of them are just getting

4:05:15 ↗ by all right was that enough of a tie

4:05:17 ↗ raade for youall fun but thank you I

4:05:20 ↗ appreciated your uh your meeting it was

4:05:22 ↗ pretty

4:05:23 ↗ entertaining thank you Connie and it

4:05:25 ↗ really did help turning the video off so

4:05:28 ↗ we appreciate that we were able to hear

4:05:30 ↗ all the I appr I appreciate it too I'm

4:05:34 ↗ pretty sweaty but the the nails are

4:05:36 ↗ mainly out in the living

4:05:39 ↗ room by thanks

4:05:41 ↗ Scotty okay I think with that I can

4:05:46 ↗ adourn our meeting at 2 o'clock thank

4:05:50 ↗ you everyone good job well

4:05:56 ↗ done better

Approved minutes

Extracted from the next meeting's packet, where this meeting's minutes were approved as a consent-calendar attachment.

Open PDF

Attendance

Council / Members (9)

Barbara de Michele

Zach Hall

Victoria Hunt

Russell Joe

Tola Marts

Chris Reh

Lindsey Walsh

Susie Monsell, Budget Manager

Nathan Hatia, Financial Analyst