City Council Committee of the Whole · Monday, October 28, 2024 · City Council Digest

3. AGENDA ITEMS

2025-26 Proposed Budget 2 hrs. Overview COM 0038

Andrea Snyder, Interim Chief Financial Officer & Deputy City Administrator · packet pp.5–143

Topics: Budget

▶ Watch from 1:43 Open packet at p.5 ↗

Staff report:

2025-2026 Proposed Budget Overview O C TO B E R 2 8 , 2 0 2 4 | C I T Y C O U N C I L C O M M I T T E E O F T H E W H O L E A N D R E A S N Y D E R , D E P U T Y C I T Y A D M I N I S T R ATO R A N D INTERIM CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

3631 segments .txt ↗

0:06 ↗ welcome everyone I council president

0:08 ↗ Walsh call the October 28th Committee of

0:11 ↗ the whole meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.

0:15 ↗ as a reminder we continue to have a

0:16 ↗ remote aspect to our meeting so both

0:19 ↗ staff and members of the public may be

0:21 ↗ participating in tonight's meeting

0:23 ↗ remotely via

0:25 ↗ WebEx um there are multiple public

0:27 ↗ comment opportunities at tonight's

0:29 ↗ meeting there is a general public

0:30 ↗ comment opportunity at the beginning of

0:32 ↗ the meeting or you can make comments

0:35 ↗ after the presentation and Council

0:36 ↗ question and answer period on tonight's

0:38 ↗ agenda

0:39 ↗ item um so members of the public May

0:42 ↗ address council at this time in person

0:44 ↗ or virtually those who signed up in

0:45 ↗ advance to make comments we be called on

0:47 ↗ first if you're joining us virtually and

0:50 ↗ would like to make comments you go ahead

0:52 ↗ and raise your virtual hand if you're on

0:54 ↗ the phone you're going to press star

0:56 ↗ three if you're on a smartphone or a

0:58 ↗ computer look for the hand icon or you

1:01 ↗ can send the host a chat message if

1:04 ↗ you're in the room and did not sign up I

1:05 ↗ will ask for other speakers before

1:07 ↗ closing that portion of the meeting so

1:09 ↗ I'm going to wait a moment see if anyone

1:11 ↗ wishes to raise their hand and I will

1:15 ↗ ask the clerk if anyone has signed up to

1:17 ↗ speak or indicated a desire to speak

1:19 ↗ this evening we don't have any virtual

1:21 ↗ members of the public with us tonight

1:23 ↗ and no one has signed up in advance to

1:24 ↗ make

1:25 ↗ comments anyone in the room we've got

1:29 ↗ one member the public and a bunch of

1:31 ↗ Staff members so you know just just do

1:33 ↗ the

1:34 ↗ checkin okay so as a reminder written

1:37 ↗ comments can always be submitted email

1:40 ↗ city council isqua

1:43 ↗ wa.gov so we have one agenda item um on

1:49 ↗ our agenda this evening Comm

1:52 ↗ 0038 the 2025 2026 proposed budget

1:56 ↗ overview and I believe we are starting

2:00 ↗ with mayor Paulie on that

2:10 ↗ one thank you council president and good

2:12 ↗ evening to the city

2:14 ↗ council my name is marily PA I'm the

2:16 ↗ mayor of the city of isqua and I'll open

2:18 ↗ up the presentation tonight with some

2:20 ↗ comments so dear community members and

2:23 ↗ dedicated city council I'm pleased to

2:25 ↗ present my 2025 2026 proposed budget the

2:29 ↗ city of isqua second ever banial budget

2:32 ↗ this budget was challenging to produce

2:35 ↗ as the fiscal outlook for the next two

2:37 ↗ years is declining many hard choices

2:40 ↗ were made to deliver a proposed budget

2:42 ↗ that is balanced in revenues and

2:43 ↗ expenditures while also maintaining

2:46 ↗ healthy reserves I'm grateful to all of

2:49 ↗ the city staff who contributed to this

2:51 ↗ budgeting process with creative ideas

2:52 ↗ for reducing

2:56 ↗ cost while some general fund revenues

2:58 ↗ including property tax and bno business

3:01 ↗ and operation tax remain strong this

3:03 ↗ proposed budget forecasts on reductions

3:06 ↗ in construction sales tax and permit

3:08 ↗ revenues which are Trends we've already

3:11 ↗ been observing in

3:13 ↗ 2024 this proposed budget also supports

3:15 ↗ substantial increases in public safety

3:18 ↗ costs including jail fire and emergency

3:20 ↗ services and the provision of Justice

3:23 ↗ through isqua Municipal Court Rising

3:25 ↗ Insurance costs are also creating

3:27 ↗ significant pressures on our financial

3:29 ↗ pi

3:31 ↗ my budget which totals 193. million in

3:34 ↗ expenditures for

3:36 ↗ 2025 and 22.6 million in for

3:40 ↗ 2026 respectively across all funds

3:44 ↗ includes a proposed 66.7 million for

3:48 ↗ 2025 and 68.3 million for 2026 in

3:52 ↗ general fund

3:54 ↗ expenditures the 2025 2026 proposed

3:57 ↗ budget represents 54.1 million 50 or a

4:01 ↗ 15.8% increase from the 2023 2024

4:05 ↗ adopted budget with the general fund

4:08 ↗ budget uh at 7.6 million or 5% lower

4:13 ↗ than in the previous

4:15 ↗ bium despite these significant general

4:17 ↗ fund reductions my proposal remains

4:19 ↗ shaped by our community's priorities

4:22 ↗ this plan makes investments in public

4:24 ↗ safety it preserves Transportation

4:26 ↗ Investments as much as possible and

4:28 ↗ maintains isqu commitment to

4:32 ↗ sustainability the top priority of my

4:34 ↗ proposed budget is clear essential

4:36 ↗ Public Safety Investments this includes

4:39 ↗ changes to the management structure of

4:41 ↗ our Municipal Jail creating two new

4:43 ↗ correction

4:45 ↗ surgeons as well as reclassifying two

4:48 ↗ current corrections corporals to

4:49 ↗ sergeants while eliminating the jail

4:51 ↗ manager position this will enhance jail

4:54 ↗ support and safety at all hours of the

4:57 ↗ day I'm also proposing new invest ments

4:59 ↗ for isqua Municipal Court which is

5:01 ↗ currently located at City Hall South

5:04 ↗ building that you're

5:06 ↗ in this was originally designed as a

5:09 ↗ fire station this aging structure was

5:12 ↗ never well suited for court operations

5:13 ↗ and lacks the appropriate space

5:15 ↗ accessibility and security features

5:17 ↗ needed to operate a modern Court in

5:20 ↗ addition recent evaluations of this

5:22 ↗ building have revealed it requires

5:24 ↗ significant maintenance

5:25 ↗ Investments thankfully we found a

5:27 ↗ potential new location at the King

5:29 ↗ County District Courthouse which can

5:30 ↗ lease us space collocating with the King

5:33 ↗ County court is more efficient and

5:35 ↗ enables better customer service and

5:37 ↗ enhanced safety to ensure the provision

5:40 ↗ of Justice my proposed budget includes

5:42 ↗ market rate compensation increases for

5:44 ↗ our city prosecutor and public defenders

5:47 ↗ we are also anticipating a state Supreme

5:50 ↗ Court ruling that would require isqua to

5:52 ↗ Triple the number of its public

5:54 ↗ defenders in total the annual cost

5:56 ↗ increases for our prosecutor and public

5:58 ↗ defender contracts is

6:00 ↗ $400,000 in addition I propose changing

6:03 ↗ a Judicial specialist position from

6:05 ↗ part-time to full-time in order to keep

6:08 ↗ up with growing case loads as well as

6:10 ↗ increases to interpretation

6:12 ↗ Services expenses for eastside fire and

6:15 ↗ rescue which is our contracted fire and

6:17 ↗ emergency service agency also continue

6:20 ↗ to grow to support Staffing and capital

6:22 ↗ Investments this budget reflects about

6:24 ↗ $3.3 million increase during the next

6:27 ↗ biennium which is almost 20% from what

6:30 ↗ was originally adopted in the 2023 2024

6:34 ↗ budget even though our financial rest

6:36 ↗ restraints require reductions of some

6:38 ↗ Transportation Investments I am grateful

6:40 ↗ the city council adopted a dedicated

6:42 ↗ Revenue stream in

6:44 ↗ 2023 this proposed budget invests 1.2

6:48 ↗ million each year for improved traffic

6:50 ↗ management and congestion control last

6:53 ↗ year we piloted Metroflex in isqua which

6:55 ↗ is an OnDemand carpooling and Transit

6:57 ↗ connection service partnership with met

6:59 ↗ Transit and the response from our

7:01 ↗ community was encouraging this program

7:04 ↗ works and it meets many of our Transit

7:07 ↗ goals now that the demand in isqua is

7:10 ↗ clear I look forward to working with my

7:12 ↗ fellow elected leaders to encourage

7:13 ↗ Metro transit to fund this service

7:15 ↗ without City assistance like it does for

7:18 ↗ other communities over the long term

7:21 ↗ isqua cannot afford to fund services

7:23 ↗ that are offered by other levels of

7:25 ↗ government as a result my proposed

7:27 ↗ budget does not continue funding for

7:29 ↗ this this most popular program meanwhile

7:32 ↗ isqua made historic investments in

7:34 ↗ Street and sidewalk maintenance during

7:35 ↗ the past several years I'm proud that

7:38 ↗ these projects increase the safety and

7:40 ↗ usability of our paved surfaces across

7:42 ↗ the city while we can now rep prioritize

7:45 ↗ some of those maintenance funds

7:47 ↗ elsewhere my proposed budget continues

7:49 ↗ to support higher service levels than

7:51 ↗ before the pandemic in addition recent

7:54 ↗ equipment purchases will facilitate

7:56 ↗ bringing more of this work inhouse

7:58 ↗ during the next B

8:01 ↗ thanks to the revenue increases in our

8:03 ↗ sustainability fund I am proud that my

8:05 ↗ proposed budget invests in key

8:06 ↗ initiatives that further implement the

8:08 ↗ isqua climate action plan including

8:11 ↗ reducing residential and Commercial

8:13 ↗ emissions through electrification

8:15 ↗ incentives and Energy Efficiency

8:17 ↗ programming decreasing C City facility

8:20 ↗ and Fleet emissions through renewable

8:22 ↗ energy and

8:23 ↗ electrification supporting Solid Waste

8:25 ↗ diversion and food waste prevention

8:27 ↗ initiatives and enhancing the resiliency

8:30 ↗ of city and Community

8:32 ↗ facilities in order to develop a

8:34 ↗ balanced budget in all Department all

8:37 ↗ departments excluding those that support

8:39 ↗ Public Safety and Justice provided

8:41 ↗ recommendations that would reduce their

8:43 ↗ expenses by at least

8:44 ↗ 12% I couldn't be prouder of our city

8:47 ↗ team for their thoughtful and thorough

8:49 ↗ approach to reducing costs while also

8:51 ↗ maintaining the highest service levels

8:53 ↗ possible to the community our approach

8:56 ↗ to budget reductions includes the

8:57 ↗ following reducing professional service

9:00 ↗ costs and bringing more services in

9:02 ↗ house anything from planning studies to

9:04 ↗ traffic control for construction

9:06 ↗ projects this will create more

9:08 ↗ limitations on what we can get done and

9:11 ↗ when we can get it done by using some

9:14 ↗ onetime ending fund balances some

9:16 ↗ special City funds had accumulated extra

9:19 ↗ ending fund balances over time as

9:21 ↗ projects came in under budget or Grant

9:23 ↗ funds were realized my proposed budget

9:25 ↗ puts these one-time dollars back to work

9:27 ↗ for the community

9:29 ↗ we are delaying or reducing capital

9:31 ↗ projects with fewer staff and less

9:33 ↗ Reliance on Professional Services or

9:35 ↗ Consultants the capacity from my

9:36 ↗ Administration to implement these

9:38 ↗ projects is also reduced these projects

9:41 ↗ still need to get done in order to

9:42 ↗ maintain and appropriately provide

9:44 ↗ infrastructure but they must happen in

9:46 ↗ future years and last but probably the

9:49 ↗ most painful for me personally and

9:51 ↗ professionally is that this budget

9:53 ↗ proposes reducing or reassigning staff

9:55 ↗ this propos budget includes eliminating

9:57 ↗ 18 positions seven of which were vacant

10:01 ↗ positions that people currently have and

10:02 ↗ are doing a great job in but we can no

10:04 ↗ longer afford to have along with my

10:07 ↗ internal departments I'm also asking the

10:09 ↗ Community Partners we fund to share in

10:11 ↗ cost cutting measures this proposed

10:14 ↗ budget includes a 12% reduction in

10:16 ↗ funding to several nonprofit

10:18 ↗ organizations starting in the year

10:21 ↗ 2026 this gives our valued organizations

10:24 ↗ a year to prepare for reduced city

10:25 ↗ funding anticipating an influx of local

10:28 ↗ Arts funding through the du K count King

10:30 ↗ County doors open program I also

10:33 ↗ recommend a 35% reduction to the city's

10:35 ↗ Arts grant

10:37 ↗ program due to State imposed

10:39 ↗ restrictions on Revenue collection most

10:41 ↗ cities in Washington are experiencing a

10:43 ↗ structural deficit isqua is no different

10:47 ↗ in order to address this deficit while

10:49 ↗ still preserving a level of service that

10:50 ↗ isqua residents expect we most we must

10:54 ↗ both cut expenses and raise revenues my

10:57 ↗ proposed budget includes increas ining

10:59 ↗ water sewer storm water and cable

11:01 ↗ utility taxes from 3% to 4.5% in 2025

11:06 ↗ and to 6% in

11:08 ↗ 2026 this would generate approximately

11:10 ↗ $1.4 million of ongoing additional

11:13 ↗ Revenue in 2026 and Beyond while staying

11:17 ↗ in step with tax rates of isqua peer

11:20 ↗ cities other increases to revenue

11:22 ↗ include an update to our contracts with

11:24 ↗ neighboring cities for jail and court

11:25 ↗ services to better ensure isqua's cost

11:28 ↗ recovery in total these contract updates

11:31 ↗ would generate an additional $600,000

11:33 ↗ each year I'm also proposing a small

11:35 ↗ increase from 5% to 6% to cover growing

11:38 ↗ technology costs for the community

11:40 ↗ Planning and Development this fee is

11:42 ↗ applied to permit applications and will

11:44 ↗ raise about $140,000 each year to help

11:47 ↗ pay for permit software and Associated

11:51 ↗ technology it's extremely important to

11:53 ↗ maintain Fair compensation for our city

11:55 ↗ employees I'm proud to work with an

11:57 ↗ exceptionally talented staff and retain

11:59 ↗ Ming such a great team translate to

12:01 ↗ consistent and quality services for our

12:03 ↗ community my proposed budget includes a

12:06 ↗ 3.8% cost of living increase for

12:08 ↗ non-represented employees which matches

12:10 ↗ the Consumer Price Index for workers or

12:12 ↗ the CPI W in our area bargaining is

12:15 ↗ ongoing for some of our Union

12:17 ↗ represented teams in addition the

12:20 ↗ proposed budget includes some salary

12:21 ↗ adjustments determined necessary to keep

12:23 ↗ salaries within our organization within

12:25 ↗ market rate of our region and meanwhile

12:28 ↗ equity remains a key focus of my

12:30 ↗ Administration I am proud to have formed

12:32 ↗ the city's first Equity board but our

12:35 ↗ work is not done ensuring isqua is a

12:37 ↗ fair and welcoming Place requires

12:39 ↗ ongoing dedication my proposed budget

12:41 ↗ includes $50,000 toward an equity

12:44 ↗ assessment which will help establish

12:45 ↗ isqua Futures goals and identify areas

12:48 ↗ for

12:49 ↗ improvement our long-term Financial

12:51 ↗ sustainability remains a challenge as

12:54 ↗ our proposed budget was largely balanced

12:56 ↗ this time with one-time measures as

12:59 ↗ costs for Public Safety maintenance of

13:01 ↗ our aging infrastructure and insurance

13:03 ↗ continue to rise the city must examine

13:05 ↗ additional opt options to increase

13:08 ↗ ongoing revenues at the same time we

13:10 ↗ must also continue exploring funding

13:12 ↗ options for the replacement enhancement

13:14 ↗ of our aging infrastructure this

13:16 ↗ includes notable Transportation parks

13:19 ↗ and facility projects in the upcoming

13:21 ↗ years that are currently unfunded I look

13:23 ↗ forward to working with the city council

13:25 ↗ and the entire

13:27 ↗ community on implementing this budget

13:29 ↗ and developing a long long-term

13:32 ↗ solutions to and developing long-term

13:35 ↗ solutions to our financial

13:36 ↗ sustainability so that together we can

13:39 ↗ ensure isqua continues to deliver an

13:41 ↗ exceptional quality of life thank

13:47 ↗ you thank you mayor Paulie and I think

13:50 ↗ we've got Andrea Snider coming up give

13:55 ↗ us presentation and the details

14:15 ↗ thank you mayor paully good evening

14:17 ↗ members of city council and uh members

14:19 ↗ of the community who may be watching my

14:21 ↗ name is Andrea Snider I'm the deputy

14:22 ↗ City administrator and I am serving

14:25 ↗ currently as the interim

14:26 ↗ CFO um before we get into our budget

14:29 ↗ presentation for you tonight I just want

14:31 ↗ to thank all of the staff who were

14:34 ↗ involved in the drafting of the uh

14:37 ↗ budget as mayor Paulie noted this year's

14:39 ↗ budget was more challenging than budgets

14:42 ↗ that we've done in the recent past so

14:44 ↗ really wanted to thank uh Nathan Lisa

14:48 ↗ Susie um they're all in the chambers

14:50 ↗ right now as well as um Jillian Dale

14:54 ↗ Steve some of them are online so um

14:56 ↗ thank you to all the staff who've been

14:58 ↗ working really hard to bring bring this

14:59 ↗ together

15:00 ↗ tonight

15:05 ↗ um so as we get started a couple of

15:09 ↗ things for you this evening it is going

15:10 ↗ to be a long presentation we'll we'll

15:12 ↗ make it as quick as we possibly can for

15:14 ↗ you so there should be plenty of time to

15:16 ↗ ask questions but um we do have some

15:18 ↗ policy questions that you're going to

15:19 ↗ see throughout Council deliberations

15:22 ↗ then we'll go into the budget priorities

15:24 ↗ for this budget um some of the forces on

15:26 ↗ the budget this year that were unique uh

15:29 ↗ and that we Face throughout 25 and 26

15:32 ↗ and perhaps Beyond an overview of the

15:34 ↗ general fund the general fund is the big

15:36 ↗ fund that most of the government

15:38 ↗ operating uh Services come out of and

15:41 ↗ then um the proposed new revenues that

15:43 ↗ mayor Paulie summarized we'll talk a

15:45 ↗ little bit about those and household

15:46 ↗ impacts and then um departmental budget

15:49 ↗ highlights and impacts and we have um

15:51 ↗ the almost the entire senior leadership

15:53 ↗ team here to present on their

15:55 ↗ departmental budgets then we'll go over

15:57 ↗ next steps

15:59 ↗ so first those policy questions does

16:02 ↗ council agree with the budget priorities

16:05 ↗ reflected in the proposed budget these

16:07 ↗ are some high level questions for you to

16:09 ↗ consider throughout the

16:11 ↗ deliberations and then is Council

16:13 ↗ supportive of increasing the revenues as

16:15 ↗ proposed as mayor Paulie said that's a

16:18 ↗ utility tax rate from 3 to 4 and a.

16:20 ↗ half% in

16:22 ↗ 2025 and um up to 6% in

16:25 ↗ 2026 also looking at the property tax

16:29 ↗ would be um in the proposed budget

16:31 ↗ includes a 1% increase that the city

16:33 ↗ would collect on property tax uh and

16:36 ↗ then for Community Planning and

16:38 ↗ Development they have a tech fee that

16:40 ↗ they apply to permits um any permits

16:43 ↗ that folks uh apply for that would

16:46 ↗ increase from 5 to 6% to help cover

16:48 ↗ software

16:50 ↗ costs as a reminder our budget process

16:53 ↗ is related to the Strategic plan this

16:55 ↗ year it is a little awkward as Council

16:57 ↗ has yet to adopt the Amendments or any

17:00 ↗ amendments to the Strategic plan we've

17:02 ↗ gone through this process through this

17:04 ↗ year of trying to update the Strategic

17:06 ↗ plan and gathered some Community input

17:08 ↗ task force um input and so we've taken

17:11 ↗ that feedback from that task force in

17:13 ↗ that process and tried to incorporate it

17:15 ↗ into the budget um and uh certainly use

17:19 ↗ the Strategic plan as guidance for where

17:21 ↗ Cuts should come from where they

17:23 ↗ shouldn't come from

17:26 ↗ Etc budget priorities so first and

17:29 ↗ foremost priority on the proposed budget

17:32 ↗ is Public Safety we've been talking a

17:34 ↗ lot with Council over the past couple of

17:36 ↗ months about needs and police and uh

17:40 ↗ jail corrections as well as Justice

17:43 ↗ Municipal Court as we look at those

17:45 ↗ prosecutor contracts public defender

17:47 ↗ contracts contracts and um even the

17:50 ↗ Municipal Court facilities itself and

17:53 ↗ Eastside fire and rescue and we've been

17:54 ↗ talking with Council about that as well

17:56 ↗ so all of those um are Public Safety

17:59 ↗ needs whose costs are increasing and

18:01 ↗ have been increasing we'll talk a little

18:03 ↗ bit more about that later in the

18:04 ↗ presentation to give you an

18:05 ↗ understanding of um what those increases

18:08 ↗ have looked

18:10 ↗ like other priorities included in this

18:12 ↗ proposed budget are preserving

18:14 ↗ sustainability initiatives as mayor

18:16 ↗ Paulie said uh the sustainability fund

18:19 ↗ is largely funded by an administrative

18:22 ↗ fee that's applied to the Recology

18:24 ↗ contract this is a general fund Revenue

18:27 ↗ the city of isqua has typically in the

18:30 ↗ past taken that revenue and applied it

18:32 ↗ all towards sustainability initiatives

18:35 ↗ um Council may recall recently

18:37 ↗ increasing that fee by 3% and applying

18:39 ↗ it all towards sustainability

18:40 ↗ initiatives but it doesn't have to be

18:43 ↗ and so what the administration has

18:44 ↗ chosen uh is to continue to preserve

18:47 ↗ sustainability initiatives as much as

18:48 ↗ possible and not try to take the rest of

18:51 ↗ that revenue and funnel it towards other

18:53 ↗ um other

18:55 ↗ uses um also enhancing Equity there's

18:58 ↗ some

18:59 ↗ um Equity project that we'll talk about

19:00 ↗ a little bit later in this

19:03 ↗ presentation as mayor paully said we're

19:05 ↗ looking at maintaining Investments and

19:06 ↗ transportation as much as possible you

19:08 ↗ heard a summary of those cuts we'll go

19:10 ↗ into that a little bit deeper into the

19:11 ↗ presentation later another priority was

19:14 ↗ to continue to compensate staff fairly

19:17 ↗ and this was important because um while

19:19 ↗ we did have to lay off staff in order to

19:21 ↗ balance this budget uh we wanted to make

19:24 ↗ sure that the staff that remain are paid

19:28 ↗ commensurate to to what the market would

19:29 ↗ suggest so that means there is money in

19:31 ↗ this budget for 3.8% Cola or cost of

19:33 ↗ living increase and um as well as money

19:37 ↗ to continue to pay fair market wages

19:40 ↗ based on our salary surveys that we've

19:42 ↗ conducted and finally we wanted to make

19:45 ↗ sure to cover obligations like our

19:47 ↗ insurance obligations which is a major

19:49 ↗ driver on this budget and we'll explore

19:50 ↗ that in a little

19:52 ↗ bit our approach to budget balancing I

19:55 ↗ think mayor Paulie already went over

19:56 ↗ this in her opening remarks so I'm not

19:58 ↗ going to spend to much time on this

19:59 ↗ slide but really we left no stone

20:02 ↗ unturned and what I want to emphasize

20:04 ↗ from here yes we looked at professional

20:06 ↗ service costs and trying to bring more

20:08 ↗ of those services in house um we looked

20:11 ↗ at delaying or reducing capital projects

20:14 ↗ and the general fund contribution to

20:15 ↗ those projects spending down ending fund

20:18 ↗ balance across other funds to save on

20:21 ↗ the general fund contribution to those

20:23 ↗ funds um Staffing reductions we've

20:25 ↗ already talked about and an increase in

20:27 ↗ in um Reven news but what I really want

20:30 ↗ you to take away from the slide is how

20:31 ↗ many of these measures are onetime

20:34 ↗ savings versus uh something that's

20:37 ↗ ongoing and that's going to be a big

20:39 ↗ theme of this presentation tonight is

20:41 ↗ talking about the structural deficit

20:43 ↗ that we have that we need to um continue

20:46 ↗ to work on and this issue of onetime

20:49 ↗ cost savings versus ongoing something to

20:51 ↗ keep in mind throughout the

20:52 ↗ deliberations process as

20:54 ↗ well a quick uh summary of the Staffing

20:57 ↗ reductions that we had to perform seven

21:00 ↗ of those uh reductions were vacant

21:02 ↗ positions that we've eliminated in the

21:04 ↗ proposed budget that includes planning

21:06 ↗ manager the jail manager mayor paully

21:09 ↗ talked about um adding in other staff to

21:11 ↗ the jail instead of the jail manager we

21:13 ↗ can talk more about that later tonight

21:15 ↗ as well a recreation aord coordinator

21:18 ↗ for the senior center Labor Relations

21:20 ↗ and risk manager Economic Development

21:22 ↗ coordinator Human Services Supervisor

21:25 ↗ and uh a part-time Parks maintenance

21:28 ↗ worker we've also had a transfer so

21:30 ↗ we've tried to look at things like well

21:31 ↗ if there's this position that we need to

21:34 ↗ cut do we have other needs um that won't

21:36 ↗ impact the general fund that um maybe we

21:39 ↗ have other needs and utilities and so

21:40 ↗ that's what we've done with this

21:41 ↗ transfer here um we have two limited

21:45 ↗ term employee assignments that were

21:48 ↗ scheduled to end at the end of this bium

21:50 ↗ and that were not extending and that

21:52 ↗ includes the transportation program

21:54 ↗ coordinator who manages the Metroflex

21:56 ↗ project that mayor Paulie talked about

21:58 ↗ earlier this evening as well as a

22:00 ↗ Communications coordinator um and then

22:02 ↗ we had seven layoffs uh unfortunately

22:05 ↗ that were build positions those staff

22:08 ↗ are affected and that's across different

22:10 ↗ departments that are general fund funded

22:13 ↗ that includes an ENC accountant shop Aid

22:16 ↗ uh several cuts to community Planning

22:19 ↗ and Development you'll see as we talked

22:21 ↗ about at the July city council Retreat

22:23 ↗ we do anticipate declines in

22:26 ↗ construction sales tax and per revenues

22:29 ↗ and so that's why you see a few more

22:30 ↗ Cuts in community Planning and

22:32 ↗ Development as we see construction is

22:34 ↗ declining a recreation manager and a

22:37 ↗ senior Park planner planner both in the

22:39 ↗ Parks and Community Services

22:41 ↗ departments so coming off of those

22:43 ↗ layoffs um wanted to look at what is the

22:48 ↗ Personnel ratio for per resident and

22:51 ↗ look at that effect so there's a lot

22:53 ↗ going on on this graph I understand we

22:56 ↗ can look at the green bars on the bottom

22:58 ↗ and that shows Trends over time from

23:00 ↗ 1999 all the way through 2026 with the

23:03 ↗ proposed budget and those green bars on

23:05 ↗ the bottom show that uh really since

23:09 ↗ about 2010 we've been mostly holding

23:11 ↗ steady in terms of FTE per capita and

23:15 ↗ you can see on the orange line that's

23:18 ↗ total FTE line or full-time employee uh

23:22 ↗ you can see some events kind of

23:24 ↗ punctuated to help make sense of the

23:26 ↗ graph so um

23:30 ↗ any questions on this slide or so

23:33 ↗ far okay

23:36 ↗ great wanted to talk a little bit about

23:38 ↗ some of the forces on this budget that

23:40 ↗ are different from years

23:43 ↗ past so we know and we've talked about

23:46 ↗ this a lot with Council the structural

23:48 ↗ deficit that most cities in Washington

23:50 ↗ face and that's including isqua and we

23:53 ↗ see here how um the green line is our

23:56 ↗ revenues over time from 2019 through the

23:59 ↗ 2029

24:01 ↗ forecast and the red line is our

24:03 ↗ expenditures we see those um pretty much

24:06 ↗ meet in 2022 and then again in

24:10 ↗ 2025 um and so this is looking at

24:12 ↗ actuals of course until the 2024 year

24:16 ↗ and then it's uh or and then it's what

24:18 ↗ we have

24:19 ↗ budgeted we can see that over time

24:23 ↗ holding things constant not adding to

24:25 ↗ our expenditures just thinking about

24:27 ↗ what does inflation look like to for

24:28 ↗ existing expenditures in the proposed

24:30 ↗ budget compared to how much our revenues

24:33 ↗ typically um increase that we do expect

24:36 ↗ um a deficit in future

24:42 ↗ years and then as we look at the primary

24:45 ↗ drivers of this deficit uh some things

24:47 ↗ that are unique in this budget we've

24:49 ↗ talked in the past about personnel as

24:51 ↗ one of those drivers but we wanted to

24:54 ↗ pull out some of the other Trends so

24:55 ↗ looking at our Public Safety which is

24:58 ↗ our number one priority that we talked

24:59 ↗ about in the budget Police Court fire so

25:03 ↗ police is that Top Line in blue we can

25:05 ↗ see how much that budget is over time in

25:08 ↗ relation to these other priorities for

25:10 ↗ example and the cost increases from 2020

25:13 ↗ to

25:14 ↗ 2023 um and and increasing even beyond

25:17 ↗ that a lot a large part of that is

25:20 ↗ Personnel related but also as we look at

25:22 ↗ insurance and other cost drivers and

25:25 ↗ then we have East Side Fire and Rescue

25:26 ↗ and you can see um that is fairly level

25:29 ↗ until we get to 2024 where we see those

25:31 ↗ costs

25:33 ↗ increasing um next slide is going to

25:36 ↗ paint perhaps even a better picture on

25:38 ↗ this which is the increases by

25:40 ↗ percentage and the impact of the budget

25:43 ↗ based on percentage and when you look at

25:46 ↗ things like police Municipal Court uh

25:50 ↗ this does not include

25:53 ↗ um uh so this does include the

25:55 ↗ prosecutor and public defender contracts

25:57 ↗ and some of their um space needs but

26:00 ↗ East Side Fire and Rescue Insurance uh

26:03 ↗ facilities Etc this is the percentage

26:05 ↗ increase since 2023 so you have an

26:08 ↗ understanding of what is that increase

26:09 ↗ from the last BM to the end of the next

26:12 ↗ BM and it's pretty substantial when

26:14 ↗ through the same period of time the CPI

26:18 ↗ or the Consumer Price Index is 12% over

26:20 ↗ the same time period so when you look at

26:22 ↗ things like

26:23 ↗ 129% 84% you can see the dramatic

26:27 ↗ increase in Impact is going to have in

26:28 ↗ our budget also during this time sales

26:32 ↗ tax which we're going to talk about as

26:33 ↗ one of our major Revenue sources sales

26:36 ↗ tax during the same time period has

26:38 ↗ decreased by

26:43 ↗ 2% so I've talked about one-time

26:46 ↗ solutions to ongoing

26:49 ↗ problems it's important to understand

26:51 ↗ that this budget was difficult to

26:53 ↗ balance and about 40% of those

26:56 ↗ adjustments to that deficit that we're

26:58 ↗ predicting for 25 and 26 40% were

27:02 ↗ ongoing adjustments that includes the

27:03 ↗ layoffs and the revenue proposals but

27:07 ↗ 60% are onetime adjustments so that's

27:10 ↗ spending down of ending fund balance

27:12 ↗ that's delaying capital projects that's

27:15 ↗ um Etc and so what that means is that in

27:18 ↗ the future those one-time adjustments

27:20 ↗ are not available to us anymore so as we

27:22 ↗ look to even the next bium um unless we

27:26 ↗ solve some of our ongoing deficit issues

27:29 ↗ it may be more difficult to balance the

27:30 ↗ budget over the next

27:33 ↗ bium looking at the general fund

27:35 ↗ specifically again this is the fund that

27:37 ↗ funds most of our government services on

27:39 ↗ an ongoing

27:40 ↗ basis uh here is a summary of our

27:43 ↗ expenditures for the 25 26 proposed

27:46 ↗ budget as you can see police municipal

27:48 ↗ court and fire those Public Safety

27:50 ↗ related departments provide a bulk of um

27:54 ↗ or certainly a large share about 43% of

27:57 ↗ the expenditures out of the general

28:00 ↗ fund sources of revenue um we can see

28:04 ↗ sales tax is 31% a major source of

28:07 ↗ revenue for the city of isqua it's been

28:09 ↗ great for us other cities don't have

28:11 ↗ such a large um sales tax as a

28:14 ↗ proportion of their total funding um but

28:17 ↗ certainly it's a volatile source as

28:20 ↗ well revenues per capita this shows

28:24 ↗ again Trends over time from all the way

28:26 ↗ from 2003 to to the 2026 proposed so you

28:30 ↗ can see what that tax burden is per

28:32 ↗ person and um how that has gone down and

28:35 ↗ remained relatively stable over time uh

28:39 ↗ with slight increases in uh the proposed

28:43 ↗ years expenditures per capita again from

28:46 ↗ 20 uh 2003 through uh 2026 and you can

28:50 ↗ see how those are a little bit more

28:52 ↗ volatile than the uh revenues

28:58 ↗ looking at our revenue and um major

29:01 ↗ sources of revenue and how those have

29:02 ↗ trended over the past few years you can

29:04 ↗ see that Top Line in Orange is sales tax

29:08 ↗ that's a major component of revenue for

29:10 ↗ us um the next line is our departmental

29:14 ↗ revenu so that can be uh the permit fees

29:18 ↗ or parks and wreck fees other grants as

29:21 ↗ well um and other fees that the city

29:23 ↗ would charge and then let's um also want

29:27 ↗ to identify utility tax that's the

29:29 ↗ yellow line on the bottom there the

29:31 ↗ reason why you see that increase from 24

29:33 ↗ to 26 is of course reflected in The

29:36 ↗ Proposal is that increase the utility

29:38 ↗ tax

29:39 ↗ rate looking at sales tax in particular

29:43 ↗ there's various types of sales tax um so

29:46 ↗ we wanted to break this down for you

29:48 ↗ since it is such a large Revenue source

29:49 ↗ for the city as we look at that Top Line

29:52 ↗ That's the retail trade tax and that we

29:55 ↗ see it going up it's going up because

29:58 ↗ businesses are overall succeeding the

30:00 ↗ city's local economy is strong um that's

30:02 ↗ exactly what we want to see it's good

30:04 ↗ news for the community let's look at

30:06 ↗ that ugly red line down on the chart so

30:10 ↗ these are Trends from 2013 through the

30:12 ↗ proposed budget you can see that red

30:15 ↗ line is construction sales tax it goes

30:18 ↗ way up in 2021 as a lot of projects were

30:21 ↗ shut down in 2020 from the pandemic and

30:24 ↗ then they were finished off in

30:26 ↗ 2021 and then you see the decline from

30:29 ↗ 2021 to 2023 and then continued we're

30:33 ↗ forecasting that this is somewhat

30:36 ↗ influenced by the national um uh uh

30:40 ↗ rates for borrowing um but at this point

30:43 ↗ it's something that we know that there's

30:45 ↗ a trend across other cities in

30:46 ↗ Washington state as well as the nation

30:49 ↗ and it's something that we're concerned

30:50 ↗ about one of the things so you can see

30:52 ↗ this impact from the decline in

30:54 ↗ construction sales tax at the same time

30:57 ↗ again expenditures are rising so this

30:59 ↗ has a very big impact on our budget and

31:01 ↗ was a huge driving force in the

31:04 ↗ predicted deficit that we

31:09 ↗ have general fund historical Trends as

31:12 ↗ we look at I think there was a question

31:13 ↗ from a council member earlier wanting to

31:15 ↗ see a breakout in departments and

31:17 ↗ looking at Department budgets over time

31:20 ↗ so this is from 2018 this Loosely tracks

31:23 ↗ to some of our departments you may know

31:25 ↗ that we've made some changes in

31:27 ↗ departments some Services going from one

31:29 ↗ to another over time so this isn't you

31:31 ↗ know exact but just taking a step back

31:34 ↗ and looking at um Trends in departmental

31:37 ↗ budgets and changes you see police and

31:39 ↗ Public Safety um up there uh with the

31:42 ↗ yellow line um and then changes also in

31:46 ↗ Parks uh some of these are reflective of

31:48 ↗ grants that we've received you see that

31:50 ↗ giant spike in uh non-departmental from

31:54 ↗ 2018 to 2020 that's the bergsma purchase

31:57 ↗ um

31:58 ↗ large purchase of land that the city

32:00 ↗ made and also received some grants

32:03 ↗ for I'm moving pretty quickly here so

32:06 ↗ any

32:07 ↗ questions okay

32:10 ↗ great uh looking at the five-year

32:12 ↗ forecast for the general fund budget um

32:15 ↗ we can see evidence of the structural

32:18 ↗ deficit so you see in 2025 it says

32:20 ↗ undesignated fund balance as a

32:22 ↗ percentage of expenditures this is

32:24 ↗ slightly different from what you'll see

32:25 ↗ in the budget document and that's only

32:26 ↗ just because of rounding and how it was

32:28 ↗ rounded across different charts um but

32:30 ↗ it's it's um 15 to 16% undesignated

32:34 ↗ ending fund balance and then um with uh

32:37 ↗ that continued in 2026 it was also a

32:40 ↗ priority of the mayor that we maintain

32:42 ↗ that

32:43 ↗ 15% uh ending fund balance as part of

32:45 ↗ this proposed budget so that we can

32:47 ↗ ensure we have enough reserves if

32:49 ↗ there's another downturn or something

32:51 ↗ else were to occur so we wanted to make

32:53 ↗ sure to keep that 15% ending fund

32:55 ↗ balance it is a best practice for cities

32:57 ↗ like ours looking forward to 2027 and

33:01 ↗ Beyond you see that ending fund balance

33:03 ↗ decrease to 5% in 2029 and again it's a

33:08 ↗ function of that graph we saw earlier

33:10 ↗ where expenditures are rising um at a

33:13 ↗ faster rate than our revenues holding

33:16 ↗ everything else

33:18 ↗ constant so let's talk about

33:21 ↗ revenues utility tax is our major yes I

33:25 ↗ see we have a question go ahead if

33:28 ↗ that's okay I have a couple questions

33:29 ↗ about the expenditures part thank you by

33:31 ↗ the way appreciate thorough presentation

33:34 ↗ um on the slide that describes the

33:37 ↗ primary drivers list um one of the

33:41 ↗ ones was facilities and it said non-

33:44 ↗ Capital so I was just curious what makes

33:45 ↗ up non- Capital facilities expenditures

33:48 ↗ there examples there go back to that um

33:52 ↗ so this is great question thank you this

33:54 ↗ is related to maintenance of our

33:57 ↗ facilities so this doesn't include for

33:59 ↗ example we've been talking about uh a

34:01 ↗ new fire station we've been talking

34:03 ↗ about what do we do for um City Hall

34:06 ↗ none of those um assumptions are

34:09 ↗ included in the budget this is really

34:11 ↗ just looking at rightsizing our

34:13 ↗ maintenance and um Council may recall

34:17 ↗ you received a report earlier this year

34:19 ↗ on trying to understand what the

34:21 ↗ maintenance needs and the conditions are

34:22 ↗ of the various facilities that we manage

34:25 ↗ and um we need to invest a lot more in

34:27 ↗ facilities that was really the

34:28 ↗ conclusion of the report this budget

34:31 ↗ tries uh to do some of that but does not

34:33 ↗ meet the expectations of the report

34:35 ↗ which I think included over a million

34:37 ↗ dollars a year in additional maintenance

34:39 ↗ than what we've typically provided so we

34:41 ↗ have increased some of that operating

34:43 ↗ I'm sorry some of that maintenance uh

34:45 ↗ budget but it's not to what was

34:47 ↗ recommended in the

34:49 ↗ report facilities maintenance got it um

34:53 ↗ then a few slides later let's see Ral

34:56 ↗ actually the general fund historic

34:58 ↗ Trends on Revenue the where you show

35:00 ↗ property tax sales tax B tax and utility

35:03 ↗ tax um I just wanted to clarify so we

35:06 ↗ are are we are anticipating a decrease

35:09 ↗ in bno tax revenue over the bium is that

35:12 ↗ over the next bium is that correct um

35:14 ↗ yeah and I think that this is really

35:16 ↗ related to what was adopted and what we

35:19 ↗ discovered in the 2324 B anym budget is

35:24 ↗ that the bno tax was anticipated to be

35:27 ↗ higher than what we've seen in actual

35:29 ↗ receipts so that could be an error in

35:32 ↗ forecasting that was made in 23 and 24

35:35 ↗ as we see from the chart um it's it's

35:39 ↗ holding pretty steady from 2022 levels

35:41 ↗ so I think what we're seeing is more of

35:43 ↗ a difference in what was forecasted over

35:46 ↗ actuals and I think there was an error

35:47 ↗ in forecasting for 23 24 so we've

35:49 ↗ decreased it from the adopted budget of

35:53 ↗ the last

35:54 ↗ bium okay thank you

35:58 ↗ one more go ahead since there was a

36:00 ↗ break in the action um on the ending

36:02 ↗ fund balance slide I am curious because

36:05 ↗ the total ending fund balance from 25 to

36:08 ↗ 29 goes down slightly but the

36:12 ↗ unrestricted ending fund balance goes

36:14 ↗ down precipitously so what are the

36:16 ↗ restricted funds that are being

36:19 ↗ reflected here restricted funds include

36:22 ↗ the affordable housing sales

36:25 ↗ tax uh so that's something that we have

36:27 ↗ amassed a very large budget in for

36:30 ↗ Capital

36:31 ↗ purchases um and other things we haven't

36:33 ↗ been spending that down uh this proposed

36:36 ↗ budget does include using that

36:39 ↗ affordable housing sales tax to uh cover

36:42 ↗ the arch trust fund contributions for

36:44 ↗ example that are capital we've also

36:46 ↗ included more allocations of Staff

36:49 ↗ behavioral health staff to that

36:50 ↗ affordable housing sales tax revenue

36:53 ↗ source so you see a spending down of

36:55 ↗ that budget over time because we have

36:56 ↗ accumulated such a large ending fund

36:59 ↗ balance so is that um I mean I I'm just

37:03 ↗ looking at just really quick numbers so

37:05 ↗ in 25 it's it's $9 million and then it's

37:08 ↗ $9 million and then it's $10 million and

37:11 ↗ then it's um $1 million is the

37:14 ↗ difference and now then it's 13 million

37:16 ↗ so it's it's it's creeping up so is that

37:19 ↗ just a result primarily of the 1% 1%

37:24 ↗ sales tax I I believe so okay I'm

37:28 ↗ getting nods from Susie our budget

37:30 ↗ manager so yes I I think that's accurate

37:32 ↗ okay

37:34 ↗ thanks good Ahad really and is the TBD

37:37 ↗ the transportation benefit district

37:38 ↗ sales tax is that also technically

37:40 ↗ restricted revenue or does that go to

37:42 ↗ general fund it is restricted

37:48 ↗ Revenue

37:49 ↗ great new

37:52 ↗ revenues uh we are proposing an increase

37:54 ↗ in the utility tax uh it's a stepped

37:58 ↗ increase from 3% to 4.5 in 2025 and then

38:03 ↗ to 6% in

38:05 ↗ 2026 so you see here on this table

38:08 ↗ highlighted in green font is our current

38:11 ↗ tax rate it's 3% for water seus storm

38:14 ↗ water and cable TV there are other

38:17 ↗ components of utility tax that are

38:18 ↗ already at 6% so this increase in 2026

38:22 ↗ would make us 6% across the board of the

38:25 ↗ various utility tax types you can see a

38:27 ↗ comparison of isqua against other cities

38:30 ↗ and a proposal to increase it to 6% um

38:34 ↗ might be on par with other cities it's

38:36 ↗ kind of all over the map in terms of

38:38 ↗ what cities

38:40 ↗ do we anticipate the impact of raising

38:45 ↗ the utility tax to be um about

38:50 ↗ $27 in 2025 on the average household so

38:54 ↗ for every 1 and a half% that the utility

38:56 ↗ tax would be raised there would be an

38:58 ↗ impact to a single family home typical

39:01 ↗ single family home of about

39:04 ↗ $27.3 that would equate to additional

39:07 ↗ Revenue raised about $633,000 in 2025

39:12 ↗ and then a total of

39:14 ↗ $1.26 million in 2026 and that would be

39:17 ↗ an ongoing

39:22 ↗ revenues another part of our Revenue

39:25 ↗ proposal within this budget is

39:27 ↗ increasing our jail contracts the city

39:30 ↗ operates a Municipal Jail we contract

39:32 ↗ with other cities for jail services and

39:36 ↗ you can see that top row is our current

39:39 ↗ rate that we charge $115 a day for

39:41 ↗ guaranteed beds um versus what our

39:45 ↗ proposed rate is in upcoming contracts

39:48 ↗ that's highlighted in red $150 a day

39:51 ↗ with additional booking fees that would

39:53 ↗ be added to this Con to these contracts

39:55 ↗ we don't have booking fees at this point

39:58 ↗ but it is um somewhat common in the

40:00 ↗ industry um this would raise

40:04 ↗ approximately half a million dollar per

40:06 ↗ year and would put us on the higher end

40:08 ↗ there's a lot of things that we've

40:10 ↗ considered uh within establishing this

40:13 ↗ rate including how much it costs to run

40:15 ↗ a jail and provide these Services we

40:17 ↗ have a lot of insurance costs that have

40:19 ↗ been increasing food and Medical

40:20 ↗ Services have been increasing as well uh

40:23 ↗ and we want to make sure that the isqua

40:25 ↗ taxpayer is not reimbursing jail

40:26 ↗ services for for other cities so um

40:29 ↗ there's other things to consider you can

40:30 ↗ see other rates for Lynwood and score um

40:33 ↗ are also uh well Lynwood's higher but

40:36 ↗ scores at 143 per day but they also

40:39 ↗ offer a lot more services than isqua

40:41 ↗ jail does and so um for more complicated

40:44 ↗ cases people with higher medical needs

40:46 ↗ Etc um so that's another factor in how

40:49 ↗ we set the rates for the

40:52 ↗ jail and the police chief is also here

40:54 ↗ to answer any questions you might have

40:56 ↗ about this

40:58 ↗ um other Revenue proposals one we've got

41:00 ↗ a question um on the last slide yeah um

41:04 ↗ it says score and that has in

41:05 ↗ parenthesis isqua rate does that mean

41:08 ↗ they charge different rates for

41:10 ↗ different um jurisdictions they

41:14 ↗ do that might be good to since we're

41:16 ↗ comparing against that and that one

41:18 ↗ looks like it's comparable to our

41:21 ↗ proposed rate it might be good to know

41:24 ↗ um what other rates how how much it

41:26 ↗ varies for other jurisdictions if that's

41:28 ↗ only a successful okay that's

41:31 ↗ information we can provide at a future

41:33 ↗ date thank

41:37 ↗ you Court contracts similar thing we

41:39 ↗ want to make sure that uh that the court

41:42 ↗ services that were providing other

41:44 ↗ jurisdictions are reflective of the

41:46 ↗ increase in cost that we've seen for the

41:47 ↗ courts and so we've redone the cost

41:50 ↗ recovery model by looking at percent of

41:53 ↗ filings previously there was a minimum

41:56 ↗ base charge for for these other cities

41:59 ↗ um but a decline in filings demonstrates

42:01 ↗ the base charge is too low for cost

42:03 ↗ recovery and we're seeing a decline and

42:05 ↗ filings not necessarily because crime is

42:08 ↗ reducing but because um fewer arrests

42:11 ↗ are being made perhaps it's a shortage

42:14 ↗ of police officers to make those arrests

42:17 ↗ that's that's more of the reason why we

42:19 ↗ predict we're seeing a decline in

42:20 ↗ filings from these other

42:24 ↗ cities um the anticipated additional Vue

42:27 ↗ from this adjustment to those contracts

42:29 ↗ is about $100,000 a year and um again

42:33 ↗ with the attempt to make sure that isqua

42:35 ↗ not subsidizing the court costs of other

42:40 ↗ cities other Revenue adjustments

42:43 ↗ Community Planning and Development has a

42:45 ↗ tech fee a technology fee that they

42:47 ↗ apply to permits we are proposing to

42:50 ↗ increase that fee from 5 to 6% in order

42:52 ↗ to help pay for permit software our

42:54 ↗ permit software track it is um

42:57 ↗ living past its useful life and needs

42:59 ↗ replacement in the next couple of years

43:01 ↗ and it's a very expensive and

43:03 ↗ complicated Software System the

43:05 ↗ anticipated additional revenue from this

43:07 ↗ is about $140,000 per year you can see

43:09 ↗ how isqua's rate Compares with other

43:12 ↗ cities again um this would put us at

43:15 ↗ about at a higher range for a technology

43:18 ↗ fee applied departments but still not as

43:20 ↗ high as

43:25 ↗ samamish okay now um any questions

43:28 ↗ before we move on to Department budget

43:33 ↗ presentations okay great well with that

43:36 ↗ then I would like to welcome Chief

43:48 ↗ Schwan good evening thank you for having

43:51 ↗ us the council members um first of all

43:53 ↗ our priorities for the police department

43:55 ↗ are maintain our full Staffing

43:57 ↗ over the last three years I've have over

43:59 ↗ 220 Chiefs interviews to getting to the

44:02 ↗ point where we have some good staff in

44:04 ↗ our department as you know we don't have

44:05 ↗ that many people in our department um

44:07 ↗ and it's a process to get people through

44:09 ↗ and we want to have good people that are

44:10 ↗ working here and so we want to maintain

44:13 ↗ that as much as possible we are

44:14 ↗ currently fully staffed in dispatch we

44:17 ↗ are almost fully staffed in Patrol we're

44:20 ↗ only down three at this time and we have

44:23 ↗ interviews a full day or two half days

44:25 ↗ coming up with 10 um spots already full

44:28 ↗ um for those interviews so we're hoping

44:30 ↗ to get full in the next time and we also

44:33 ↗ have um two in backgrounds so we have a

44:35 ↗ good possibility of that being close and

44:37 ↗ then we have two that are down in

44:40 ↗ Corrections right now with the hopes of

44:42 ↗ this proposed budget possibility of two

44:44 ↗ more um as far as Insurgent positions

44:46 ↗ moving

44:48 ↗ forward our another priority would be

44:50 ↗ our jail operations including the

44:52 ↗ contract updates which we've expressed

44:54 ↗ to you as far as our fees go um we're

44:56 ↗ going with within market and the biggest

44:59 ↗ piece for that is in we haven't moved

45:00 ↗ those very much in the past and we've

45:02 ↗ never had a booking fee to my knowledge

45:03 ↗ in the past and so that's helping with a

45:05 ↗ lot of the different fees that are

45:07 ↗ moving forward and what all our other

45:08 ↗ agencies that are comparables are

45:11 ↗ definitely doing at this time um

45:13 ↗ comparatively to what we were like had

45:16 ↗ been mentioned um those with mental

45:19 ↗ health issues and medical issues those

45:21 ↗ are the ones and why we would ship out

45:22 ↗ to other places or why other people

45:24 ↗ might go to other locations we're also

45:26 ↗ increasing our people that show up um it

45:30 ↗ used to be $180 fee it wasn't on the

45:32 ↗ chart but it used to be $180 if someone

45:35 ↗ for example got a DUI in Spokane but

45:38 ↗ lives over here and they want to do

45:39 ↗ their time here in our jail they can

45:41 ↗ just show up and do so but they have to

45:43 ↗ pay per day and we've changed that up to

45:45 ↗ $225 per day for someone that's doing

45:48 ↗ that um so that's another fee that's

45:50 ↗ been increased and last year

45:51 ↗ approximately we had about 160 that

45:54 ↗ actually were booked in our jail for

45:55 ↗ that specific piece

45:58 ↗ um we also want had renewed our PR

46:00 ↗ programming that we've had in the past

46:02 ↗ because we've put people as our

46:03 ↗ community resource officer back in

46:04 ↗ Specialties we have someone that's now

46:06 ↗ in that position officer Helms we also

46:09 ↗ have um someone in our Traffic Division

46:10 ↗ we've moved Corporal filb to that

46:12 ↗ position and we hope to move another

46:14 ↗ traffic officer um soon and soon as we

46:17 ↗ get a couple more people off field

46:18 ↗ training and we have a couple more

46:20 ↗ graduating in the next couple of months

46:22 ↗ from the academy um so the some of those

46:25 ↗ programs that we're going to be doing

46:26 ↗ doing our our

46:29 ↗ community um Academy used to be called

46:32 ↗ the Citizens Academy now it's we do the

46:34 ↗ Community Academy and as well as our

46:37 ↗ parent project and maybe our p on patrol

46:40 ↗ but those are some of the other projects

46:41 ↗ that we had programming before that

46:43 ↗ we're going to try and reestablish and

46:45 ↗ be moving forward with in the near

46:48 ↗ future also we're improving productivity

46:50 ↗ through datadriven um predictive

46:53 ↗ policing um that's kind of a fancy word

46:55 ↗ for our crime analyst is basically

46:57 ↗ figures out where the stuff's happening

46:58 ↗ at a lot and we can Target more of our

47:00 ↗ resources in the spaces where things are

47:02 ↗ we we're not where our perception is

47:04 ↗ that they are but where they actually

47:05 ↗ are happening and so that's what our

47:07 ↗ goal is really focusing towards in

47:09 ↗ having our crime

47:15 ↗ analyst the 25 26 proposed um the

47:18 ↗ Staffing reduction the jail manager um

47:21 ↗ and the over hires we have one overhire

47:24 ↗ and that's currently in dispatch but

47:26 ↗ that's um not look we're not going to

47:28 ↗ have any Cuts necessarily uh but that's

47:30 ↗ to maintain because right now as it was

47:33 ↗ in the past when someone took a time off

47:36 ↗ just regular days off that was automatic

47:38 ↗ filled with some other person had to

47:40 ↗ then come in and fill and it was

47:41 ↗ automatic overtime we were ending up

47:43 ↗ paying more in overtime than we were to

47:45 ↗ have an actual another person on staff

47:47 ↗ so it made more sense to have that extra

47:49 ↗ body there and it also helped with all

47:51 ↗ that Staffing and the services because

47:53 ↗ then we had three people in the center

47:55 ↗ and someone could take breaks while

47:56 ↗ people people are still managing the

47:57 ↗ radio and the phones at the same time

47:59 ↗ which is more of a model that other

48:01 ↗ larger agencies also handle for our call

48:03 ↗ volume and as it

48:04 ↗ increases um as far as the other

48:06 ↗ Staffing the jail manager it was decided

48:09 ↗ that we had one person that was doing

48:10 ↗ the job of what four people could be and

48:12 ↗ the oversight as many of you are in

48:14 ↗ other businesses and know that span of

48:16 ↗ control um one in charge of 14 is not

48:18 ↗ realistic so now we would have one in

48:21 ↗ charge of three which three uh span of

48:23 ↗ control of 1 to six is actually ideal

48:25 ↗ and so that's more of what they'll be

48:27 ↗ doing so it made sure we also modeling

48:30 ↗ what the patrol schedule works right we

48:31 ↗ have one Sergeant for every Squad it

48:33 ↗ would be exactly the same in the jail

48:35 ↗ it's worked very well on patrol for many

48:37 ↗ many years and so that's what we were

48:39 ↗ trying to attempt and model with that

48:40 ↗ spin of control and

48:43 ↗ supervision and then Professional

48:45 ↗ Services for social media and wellness

48:47 ↗ um we've decreased that we had someone

48:49 ↗ that was on staff for wellness we are

48:52 ↗ still having them as a resource and they

48:53 ↗ are a need based now instead of having

48:55 ↗ them just in the building

48:57 ↗ so they still are available for our

48:58 ↗ staff when needed they've helped a lot

49:00 ↗ with debriefs um critical debriefs

49:03 ↗ theyve helped a lot with our peer

49:04 ↗ support program they are still available

49:06 ↗ to come and do some of those trainings

49:07 ↗ as we need them and we'll pay as as

49:09 ↗ necessary and they're needed versus

49:11 ↗ having them just be on contract and

49:13 ↗ paying for their services to be in house

49:14 ↗ on a regular basis so we wanted to look

49:16 ↗ at that and they're still available also

49:18 ↗ if an officer was in need of that and

49:20 ↗ needed to have someone to reach out to

49:23 ↗ um and that's another process that's

49:24 ↗ still available but again we're not

49:26 ↗ paying on a a contract that's a flat

49:29 ↗ rate and the summary of additions we're

49:32 ↗ our goal is to have two more correction

49:33 ↗ sergeants as I express so we've added

49:35 ↗ four one on each Squad we' move the two

49:37 ↗ that are corporals now up to sergeants

49:39 ↗ and then we would have two more added

49:41 ↗ sergeants for that span of control one

49:42 ↗ on every Squad four and they would all

49:45 ↗ be doing all the rest of those jobs of

49:46 ↗ billing contracts with the other jails

49:49 ↗ medical with dealing with hospitals all

49:51 ↗ those other pieces in the

49:53 ↗ jurisdictions upgrade the corrections um

49:55 ↗ we Corrections Corporal evidence Tech

49:58 ↗ from fulltime or part-time to full-time

50:01 ↗ she right now currently is working 30

50:03 ↗ hours and has full benefits so it would

50:06 ↗ be just increasing her by 10 hours um

50:08 ↗ our goal would be also um in the event

50:10 ↗ that we increase we do not have to have

50:12 ↗ a sworn person that now does our speed

50:14 ↗ cameras so we would have the ability to

50:17 ↗ use that person with the proper training

50:19 ↗ and credentials to also fulfill a lot of

50:21 ↗ those hours instead of being an officer

50:23 ↗ off the street so if we do have that

50:25 ↗ opportunity to add those cameras they

50:26 ↗ would be able to work on that as

50:28 ↗ well U we would like to increase um we

50:31 ↗ did talk about increase of jail costs

50:33 ↗ added in that booking fee is for

50:35 ↗ insurance as well as some of those other

50:38 ↗ parts to what it's going to cost for

50:40 ↗ upgrading and um increase to uh Fleet

50:44 ↗ fund um being we need those cars for the

50:46 ↗ take-home vehicles in that process

50:48 ↗ because that's not um inexpensive

50:52 ↗ so any questions I can answer for you

50:58 ↗ I'm not seeing any thank you

51:04 ↗ Chief and chief Lane is joining us

51:07 ↗ remotely and chief Lane I'm happy to

51:09 ↗ control the slides for

51:10 ↗ you okay I think I just have one slide

51:13 ↗ so that should be pretty easy uh good

51:15 ↗ evening members of council Ben Lane far

51:17 ↗ a chief of East Side Fire and Rescue uh

51:19 ↗ thank you for the opportunity to speak

51:20 ↗ with you

51:21 ↗ tonight um I just want to Echo the

51:24 ↗ statements of uh Deputy City

51:26 ↗ administrator Snider early on um the

51:28 ↗ challenge that the city of isqua has

51:30 ↗ gone through in this budget process

51:32 ↗ Eastside fire and rescue has also gone

51:34 ↗ through a significant budget challenge

51:36 ↗ this year and so we've had adjust some

51:38 ↗ of our priorities going into 25 and

51:40 ↗ 26 uh our top priority and again thank

51:44 ↗ you to the city for also supporting uh

51:46 ↗ emergency services so our top priority

51:48 ↗ going into 25 and 26 is to maintain our

51:51 ↗ emergency services and our critical

51:53 ↗ non-emergency service levels uh our

51:55 ↗ emergency service

51:57 ↗ would certainly be Fire EMS and our

52:00 ↗ technical rescue response hazardous

52:02 ↗ material material spills um and and such

52:06 ↗ uh critical non-emergency service levels

52:08 ↗ that would be our mobile Integrated

52:10 ↗ Health our our Wildfire mitigation

52:13 ↗ Specialists and our fire Marshall's

52:16 ↗ office specifically our plan reviews and

52:19 ↗ our fire

52:20 ↗ inspections uh given the challenging

52:22 ↗ nature of this budget process one of the

52:25 ↗ things that we'll be focusing on in 25

52:27 ↗ and 26 is to explore alternate funding

52:30 ↗ structures um I look at this really in

52:32 ↗ two phases one um as you as you know or

52:35 ↗ may not know Eastside F and rescue has

52:38 ↗ no tax taxing Authority so our ability

52:40 ↗ to generate revenue is very very limited

52:44 ↗ um one of the revenue sources we do have

52:46 ↗ is our fee for transport and the board

52:48 ↗ did support increasing our fee for

52:50 ↗ transport rate going into 25 and 26 so

52:53 ↗ we're projecting a slight increase in

52:55 ↗ Revenue there to offset our partner

52:57 ↗ costs um and then we're also looking at

53:01 ↗ um reaching out to our partner cities uh

53:03 ↗ the city of isqua mamish North End and

53:06 ↗ see if we can do some work around

53:08 ↗ aligning our fire fees our plan reviews

53:11 ↗ and inspections so we we believe that

53:13 ↗ there are some uh ability to capture

53:15 ↗ some Revenue there that would also

53:17 ↗ translate to a reduction in the partner

53:20 ↗ contributions bigger picture uh

53:23 ↗ long-term sustainability would be

53:25 ↗ looking at maybe a different

53:27 ↗ funding structure um for eastside fire

53:29 ↗ and rescue some of the things that have

53:31 ↗ been discussed would be um at other

53:33 ↗ cities of

53:35 ↗ discussed a public safety Levy um

53:38 ↗ looking at annexations into a fire

53:40 ↗ district or a regional Fire Authority so

53:44 ↗ I see this as a a quite robust

53:46 ↗ discussion um but it's something that

53:48 ↗ we're hoping to accomplish over the next

53:50 ↗ couple of years I just given how

53:52 ↗ challenging this particular budget cycle

53:54 ↗ was and the goal is for the organization

53:56 ↗ to not be in the same position in the

54:00 ↗ future and then last priority is to

54:03 ↗ address the critical apparatus and

54:05 ↗ facility needs um there was a prior

54:08 ↗ policy decisions that were made um at

54:11 ↗ the time to address uh the critical

54:13 ↗ nature of all of our partner cities and

54:15 ↗ districts um unfortunately we were we

54:18 ↗ got off track in our ability to properly

54:20 ↗ fund and replace our fire apparatus so

54:23 ↗ we're looking to get that back on track

54:26 ↗ we we' adopted a new policy practice

54:29 ↗ instead of purchasing those outright uh

54:31 ↗ the board has supported a finance model

54:33 ↗ um this allows for more of a smoothing

54:35 ↗ method to reduce a uh a quite volatile

54:40 ↗ um pricing structure for a purchasing

54:43 ↗ apparatus and then lastly is uh our

54:46 ↗ critical facility needs um as you know

54:49 ↗ there's been discussions between East

54:50 ↗ Side Fire and the city to address uh

54:53 ↗ fire station

54:54 ↗ 71 um but uh in the building that I'm

54:57 ↗ currently sitting in here at HQ just a

54:59 ↗ couple blocks away uh there's arguably

55:01 ↗ quite a few things that we need to

55:03 ↗ address so this budget process starts us

55:07 ↗ down the path of working towards

55:09 ↗ whatever that long-term term solution is

55:12 ↗ um and again I just wanted to express my

55:14 ↗ appreciation for the epher board

55:16 ↗ directors from uh the city of isqua and

55:19 ↗ deputy director or Deputy City

55:21 ↗ administrator Andrea Snider for their

55:23 ↗ engagement and involvement in our budget

55:25 ↗ process uh certainly was a challenge um

55:28 ↗ but I do appreciate their support

55:29 ↗ through that and I'm happy to answer any

55:35 ↗ questions I'm not seeing any questions

55:37 ↗ Chief Lane thank you thank you

56:03 ↗ there we go thank you Christy Sha Court

56:06 ↗ Administrator and judge Stewart's here

56:08 ↗ to help answer any questions tonight um

56:11 ↗ while our Cas load has steadily

56:13 ↗ increased um we've utilized State

56:16 ↗ funding to help build a community Court

56:18 ↗ program we've been Incorporated

56:20 ↗ technology that allows us to be 100%

56:23 ↗ electronic and we now offer Court

56:25 ↗ customers and community Court um

56:27 ↗ Partners a hybrid courtroom model all

56:30 ↗ completed with a very lean but

56:32 ↗ experienced team of Court professionals

56:35 ↗ we have five FTE three part-time team

56:37 ↗ members and a part-time contracted

56:40 ↗ security officer our t top priorities

56:43 ↗ are to streamline interpreter scheduling

56:46 ↗ and bring down costs I'll expand more on

56:48 ↗ this in the next slide but there's

56:50 ↗ currently a national shortage of

56:52 ↗ certified Court interpreters that is

56:54 ↗ steadily driving the market for language

56:56 ↗ access to higher and higher hourly

56:58 ↗ ratees we are implementing a new

57:00 ↗ software program and app that we hope to

57:02 ↗ help steady the market our next um

57:05 ↗ priority will be to on board a new

57:07 ↗ Statewide case system the administrative

57:10 ↗ office of the courts is upgrading their

57:12 ↗ 30 plus year old system with a Tyler

57:15 ↗ Technologies product there have been

57:17 ↗ several project delays so much so that

57:20 ↗ our probation officer Melanie vanck has

57:22 ↗ been on the project steering committee

57:24 ↗ for over a decade the first two pilot

57:27 ↗ courts on boarded late last year and

57:28 ↗ nine Eastern Washington courts on

57:31 ↗ boarded today however the project has um

57:35 ↗ courtroom processing shortfalls that we

57:37 ↗ currently handle with our o Court

57:38 ↗ software

57:40 ↗ program we are one of four state courts

57:43 ↗ currently providing business

57:44 ↗ requirements to the state to build an

57:46 ↗ integration platform with an API between

57:49 ↗ ortt and the new state CMS system there

57:52 ↗ will be significant training and mapping

57:54 ↗ requirements and it support needed to

57:57 ↗ make sure we have a successful

57:58 ↗ transition in

58:01 ↗ 2026 as mentioned earlier the city is

58:04 ↗ considering moving the court to lease

58:05 ↗ space at King County District Court we

58:08 ↗ will be working closely with it for a

58:10 ↗ smooth transition to bring all our

58:12 ↗ technology efficiencies to the new

58:15 ↗ facility including video and remote

58:17 ↗ hearings we'll also be prioritizing

58:20 ↗ Communications with the public Our

58:21 ↗ Community Partners and core customers

58:24 ↗ regarding the potential move

58:26 ↗ as mentioned in earlier slides this

58:28 ↗ evening the court will work closely with

58:30 ↗ the city in

58:31 ↗ 2025 to implement an updated cost

58:33 ↗ recovery model for court services with

58:35 ↗ our partner

58:39 ↗ cities the court has no significant

58:42 ↗ budget reductions but has captured All

58:44 ↗ State funding in the budget this budget

58:47 ↗ um

58:48 ↗ dium as as an emphasis is placed on

58:50 ↗ Public Safety additional resources will

58:52 ↗ need be needed to sustain Port

58:55 ↗ operations we heard earlier tonight that

58:57 ↗ isqua Police Department is nearly fully

59:00 ↗ staffed as additions are made to law

59:02 ↗ enforcement the impacts within six

59:04 ↗ months to a year have a downstream

59:07 ↗ effect on Justice Services and there is

59:09 ↗ a significant need for additional

59:11 ↗ resources to support the judicial

59:14 ↗ branch since 2019 there has been 133%

59:18 ↗ increase in DUI filing and a 27%

59:21 ↗ increase in criminal non-traffic filings

59:24 ↗ such as domestic violence and S charges

59:27 ↗ in the city of

59:28 ↗ isqua also impacting the Court's case

59:30 ↗ load are changes in drug possession laws

59:34 ↗ that now have charges once filed as

59:36 ↗ felonies now being filed in court based

59:40 ↗ on the trends and filings the court is

59:42 ↗ requesting our current part-time point6

59:45 ↗ judicial judicial assistant position who

59:48 ↗ has been with the city for 14 years to

59:50 ↗ move into an FTE specialist

59:54 ↗ position in a comparison study conducted

59:57 ↗ earlier this year the court is

59:59 ↗ processing three to four times the

1:00:01 ↗ annual case filings per staff member

1:00:03 ↗ than surrounding

1:00:05 ↗ jurisdiction so to continue meeting

1:00:07 ↗ Court mandated mandated requirements and

1:00:10 ↗ to to support therapeutic

1:00:13 ↗ recovery and um the court is

1:00:15 ↗ recommending a staffing increase in

1:00:17 ↗ hours to help reduce filings process for

1:00:20 ↗ staff in a different budget climate the

1:00:23 ↗ court would be requesting additional

1:00:24 ↗ Staffing ads to both probation

1:00:26 ↗ and judicial support to align with

1:00:28 ↗ Staffing levels in neighboring cours our

1:00:31 ↗ request in this budget is to help narrow

1:00:33 ↗ the Gap to allow reassignment of

1:00:36 ↗ workload

1:00:39 ↗ Demand by far the largest increase in

1:00:41 ↗ the past several years to the Court's

1:00:43 ↗ budget has been language access costs

1:00:46 ↗ interpreter related expenses have nearly

1:00:48 ↗ doubled in the past two years as

1:00:51 ↗ mentioned we are in the process of

1:00:52 ↗ adding software to streamline

1:00:54 ↗ interpreter

1:00:56 ↗ um scheduling and to reduce costs the

1:00:59 ↗ state reimburses the city for a portion

1:01:01 ↗ of The Interpreter expenditures but

1:01:02 ↗ interpreter reimbursements have not kept

1:01:04 ↗ pace with the increases in hourly rates

1:01:08 ↗ and the number of

1:01:10 ↗ assignments next is alcohol and drug

1:01:13 ↗ testing um we are requesting a budget ad

1:01:16 ↗ in response to increases in Du VII

1:01:19 ↗ filings and du the opiate and Fentanyl

1:01:22 ↗ prices some of the testing costs will be

1:01:25 ↗ covered annually with opiate settlement

1:01:27 ↗ funded funding received by the

1:01:31 ↗ city um this program is essential and

1:01:33 ↗ complying with court rules to provide

1:01:35 ↗ less restrictive pre-trial alternatives

1:01:38 ↗ to jail while still protecting the

1:01:40 ↗ community for the moderately at risk

1:01:42 ↗ individuals before the

1:01:44 ↗ court we appreciate the city and Council

1:01:48 ↗ continued thank

1:01:50 ↗ you I'm not seeing any questions here so

1:01:54 ↗ thank you very much

1:02:04 ↗ good evening Stacy Vin mckinstry

1:02:05 ↗ sustainability manager for 25 and 26 our

1:02:09 ↗ focus of investment for the

1:02:11 ↗ sustainability funds are on reducing

1:02:13 ↗ greenhouse gas emissions to advance

1:02:15 ↗ progress towards our climate action plan

1:02:17 ↗ targets Investments include programming

1:02:20 ↗ projects and incentives we will continue

1:02:23 ↗ and expand programs that reduce missions

1:02:26 ↗ from the built environment including

1:02:28 ↗ Energy Efficiency and cleaner fuel

1:02:30 ↗ sources for commercial and residential

1:02:32 ↗ buildings we know we must lead by

1:02:34 ↗ example as a city and therefore we

1:02:37 ↗ propose to invest in our own buildings

1:02:38 ↗ and Fleet to reduce emissions through

1:02:40 ↗ renewable energy and to transition to

1:02:43 ↗ Electric wear

1:02:45 ↗ feasible while waste is not a

1:02:47 ↗ substantial contri contributor to

1:02:49 ↗ emissions in our community the impacts

1:02:51 ↗ on the environment and human health are

1:02:53 ↗ significant waste reduction efforts are

1:02:55 ↗ are very visible and our community is

1:02:58 ↗ Desiring more programming for the most

1:03:01 ↗ part there are actions that our res

1:03:03 ↗ residents can take with the proper

1:03:05 ↗ resources our other major area of focus

1:03:08 ↗ is a proposed investment focused on

1:03:11 ↗ enhanced resilience in partnership with

1:03:13 ↗ our emergency manager and our community

1:03:15 ↗ organizations this includes supporting

1:03:18 ↗ the continued development of resilience

1:03:20 ↗ hubs exploring opportunities for micro

1:03:22 ↗ grids and advancing the resilience of

1:03:24 ↗ our own facilities

1:03:28 ↗ for reductions we have pulled back from

1:03:31 ↗ one of our large program asks around

1:03:33 ↗ residential

1:03:34 ↗ electrification while we will continue

1:03:36 ↗ some investment in this area due to it

1:03:39 ↗ being one of our largest greenhouse gas

1:03:40 ↗ contributors we anticipate pursuing

1:03:42 ↗ grants and Partnerships to fill the

1:03:44 ↗ funding gaps we reduced investment in a

1:03:47 ↗ tree giveaway program which is

1:03:49 ↗ supporting progress towards our tree

1:03:51 ↗ canopy targets however we have grant

1:03:53 ↗ funding we can pursue as well as commit

1:03:56 ↗ staff time to advancing that

1:03:58 ↗ program and then in terms of um

1:04:01 ↗ advancing or uh supplementing our budget

1:04:04 ↗ we are very fortunate that we have Grant

1:04:06 ↗ funds available that we can use to cover

1:04:08 ↗ some of our staff costs our Civic spark

1:04:10 ↗ fellow as well as some of the

1:04:12 ↗ programming that was originally proposed

1:04:14 ↗ in the sustainability fund

1:04:19 ↗ budget no questions at this time thank

1:04:22 ↗ you oh excuse me we've got one slow on

1:04:25 ↗ the draw um and I know we've talked

1:04:28 ↗ about this before but um if um 2117 is p

1:04:34 ↗ I'm presuming we have a plan B for this

1:04:37 ↗ budget so maybe go into that a little

1:04:39 ↗ bit Yeah so as of now we have full

1:04:43 ↗ funding that we need for our programming

1:04:45 ↗ in 25 and 26 through the proposed budget

1:04:48 ↗ if

1:04:49 ↗ 2117 um does pass and the climate

1:04:51 ↗ commitment Act is repealed we anticipate

1:04:54 ↗ less access to grant funding in the

1:04:57 ↗ future um that would be add-ons to what

1:04:59 ↗ we proposed this year so more solar

1:05:01 ↗ projects more um resilience programs

1:05:05 ↗ more incentives that go directly to

1:05:07 ↗ community members but right now um our

1:05:10 ↗ budget we see as whole for the

1:05:11 ↗ programming that we anticipate moving

1:05:13 ↗ forward in 25 and

1:05:17 ↗ 26 thank you

1:05:26 ↗ good evening city council Emily Moon

1:05:29 ↗ Public Works

1:05:30 ↗ director there are six divisions in

1:05:33 ↗ public works so we've given you seven

1:05:36 ↗ priorities from those divisions our

1:05:38 ↗ first is to continue our work to

1:05:40 ↗ implement our new asset management

1:05:44 ↗ system we went live recently with that

1:05:47 ↗ system it's uh helping us to track our

1:05:50 ↗ efforts and to schedule our resources

1:05:53 ↗ better and to forecast future needs

1:05:56 ↗ needs second is to ensure compliance

1:05:59 ↗ with mpds which is the national plant

1:06:02 ↗ discharge elimination

1:06:04 ↗ system and that's our regulatory

1:06:07 ↗ environment for all things storm

1:06:11 ↗ water third is to construct the Newport

1:06:14 ↗ sewer relocation which is the first

1:06:17 ↗ project and a series of projects uh

1:06:20 ↗ related to fish passage from wash do and

1:06:24 ↗ so we hope to be underway with that um

1:06:27 ↗ we're we're starting design uh this

1:06:31 ↗ year number four is to perform water

1:06:35 ↗ reservoir rehab this year we did an

1:06:37 ↗ evaluation of water reservoirs and we

1:06:40 ↗ now have a list of things to do to uh

1:06:43 ↗ improve each of those critical

1:06:45 ↗ infrastructure sites and that will

1:06:48 ↗ include a variety of tasks including

1:06:51 ↗ improving security doing some uh

1:06:54 ↗ replacement of age infrastructure adding

1:06:56 ↗ some decoris etc etc it's a very long

1:07:00 ↗ list at multiple

1:07:02 ↗ facilities number five is to complete

1:07:04 ↗ and Implement our utility rate study we

1:07:07 ↗ have that underway right now we

1:07:08 ↗ anticipate being back before you at the

1:07:11 ↗ end of q1 early Q2 next year to provide

1:07:15 ↗ you with those

1:07:17 ↗ recommendations number six is to update

1:07:20 ↗ our scada and its related Communications

1:07:23 ↗ skada is our water sewer in storm water

1:07:26 ↗ brain it's our control system that

1:07:28 ↗ allows us to uh operate certain features

1:07:32 ↗ remotely and to monitor their

1:07:36 ↗ performance number seven is to complete

1:07:38 ↗ the I90 Crossing study city council

1:07:41 ↗ knows we're in our early phase of

1:07:43 ↗ exploration on that project but we hope

1:07:45 ↗ this will culminate with a

1:07:47 ↗ recommendation of a future location for

1:07:49 ↗ an I90 Crossing that will feature

1:07:52 ↗ multimodal functionality

1:07:58 ↗ summarize the reductions in public works

1:08:01 ↗ first we have some staffing impacts

1:08:03 ↗ prositions are being reduced uh we

1:08:07 ↗ talked a little bit in the opening about

1:08:09 ↗ the uh Transportation program

1:08:11 ↗ coordinator which is a limited term

1:08:13 ↗ position that was to end at the uh end

1:08:16 ↗ of this year it is not being renewed or

1:08:19 ↗ converted a senior engineer from

1:08:21 ↗ Transportation were fortunate to have a

1:08:23 ↗ vacancy at the same time and utilities

1:08:25 ↗ engineering so that engineer will move

1:08:27 ↗ over to that Division and then a shop a

1:08:30 ↗ position which Services both Public

1:08:32 ↗ Works operations divisions and our Fleet

1:08:36 ↗ shop Metroflex mayor paully spoke about

1:08:39 ↗ Metroflex in her opening remarks this is

1:08:41 ↗ the on demand transportation service

1:08:44 ↗ that started this past year or year ago

1:08:47 ↗ and was due to be a 2-year

1:08:51 ↗ pilot Professional Services we have

1:08:54 ↗ reduced substantially in our engineering

1:08:59 ↗ Transportation division uh for a variety

1:09:01 ↗ of projects including the concurrency

1:09:03 ↗ policy and traffic impact fees update

1:09:07 ↗ and we've completed the technical update

1:09:10 ↗ on Transportation concurrency our next

1:09:13 ↗ phase was to evaluate our current policy

1:09:15 ↗ and make some recommendations if

1:09:17 ↗ warranted uh for any adjustments to that

1:09:19 ↗ policy we're now going to do what is

1:09:22 ↗ required minimally by state law

1:09:25 ↗ in order to make sure that we have um

1:09:28 ↗ addressed any policy gaps under state

1:09:31 ↗ law and we're going to do that work in

1:09:34 ↗ house we're also hoping that the

1:09:37 ↗ Washington State Department of Commerce

1:09:39 ↗ may have future grants that would allow

1:09:42 ↗ us to do some additional scope in a

1:09:45 ↗ future year to address the uh State's

1:09:48 ↗ requirements under the P plan for

1:09:51 ↗ 2029 for

1:09:53 ↗ multimodal and then Bennett is going to

1:09:57 ↗ talk soon about streets maintenance so

1:09:59 ↗ I'm not going to dive into that right

1:10:03 ↗ now some yes before we're going on go

1:10:09 ↗ ahead thanks um if you could go back to

1:10:12 ↗ the previous slide please so in regards

1:10:14 ↗ to Metroflex have we talked to King

1:10:17 ↗ County about um what we can and can't do

1:10:21 ↗ going forward and uh attempting to

1:10:23 ↗ maintain this service we have not yet

1:10:25 ↗ yet started those conversations we had a

1:10:27 ↗ conversation months ago uh about future

1:10:32 ↗ service

1:10:33 ↗ expansion uh we talked about the level

1:10:37 ↗ of City contribution in comparison to

1:10:41 ↗ other municipalities we have not yet had

1:10:44 ↗ a conversation with them about what it

1:10:45 ↗ means to reduce a portion of the overall

1:10:48 ↗ service budget city is contributing

1:10:52 ↗ roughly about 1/4 of the cost of this

1:10:55 ↗ service right now got it and I

1:10:58 ↗ understand that there are other

1:10:59 ↗ communities that are not having to

1:11:01 ↗ contribute that quarter uh is

1:11:06 ↗ there in absent to anything else

1:11:08 ↗ assuming that we don't have uh

1:11:11 ↗ productive conversations with King

1:11:13 ↗ County when will this service

1:11:14 ↗ end at the end of 2025 it was due to

1:11:19 ↗ end the budget for 2025 only includes a

1:11:23 ↗ portion of the city's contrib bution

1:11:25 ↗ there's a requirement that we provide

1:11:29 ↗ 100 days 180 days notice prior to the

1:11:32 ↗ next scheduled service change by Metro

1:11:35 ↗ which has not yet been announced and

1:11:37 ↗ then we have some pro-rated costs as

1:11:39 ↗ well so how much runway do we have right

1:11:42 ↗ now I I would say we have about six

1:11:45 ↗ months planned in the budget for

1:11:47 ↗ 2025 so we have six months to either

1:11:51 ↗ figure something out with the county or

1:11:53 ↗ shut this service I would say we have

1:11:55 ↗ less than that to figure out about

1:11:57 ↗ Runway sure so I would say we have a

1:12:00 ↗ couple of months to figure this out and

1:12:03 ↗ then provide that notice and not miss

1:12:06 ↗ the next scheduled change in that 180

1:12:09 ↗ day window thank you

1:12:15 ↗ sure so I wanted to also highlight some

1:12:18 ↗ additions that we have on the Utility

1:12:20 ↗ Fund side uh the public works department

1:12:23 ↗ is supported both by the general fund

1:12:25 ↗ and the Utility Fund and a variety of

1:12:28 ↗ special

1:12:29 ↗ funds in the Utility Fund we have

1:12:32 ↗ proposed some additional positions to

1:12:35 ↗ maintenance workers in storm water

1:12:37 ↗ utilities and all of these additions are

1:12:39 ↗ spread across uh the two years so two

1:12:42 ↗ maintenance workers in storm water an

1:12:45 ↗ mpds inspector that would provide some

1:12:49 ↗ assistance to both operations and

1:12:51 ↗ engineering and then a sewer maintenance

1:12:54 ↗ worker and also a utilities Tech and

1:12:58 ↗ maintenance workers provide our

1:13:00 ↗ day-to-day Service uh maintaining all of

1:13:02 ↗ our infrastructure the mpds inspector

1:13:06 ↗ would also help us to make sure that we

1:13:08 ↗ are performing the necessary compliance

1:13:11 ↗ inspections um in storm water in

1:13:13 ↗ particular we have had a huge increase

1:13:16 ↗ in the number of detentions treatment

1:13:19 ↗ and flow control devices in town uh for

1:13:22 ↗ example in 2018 there were 228 of those

1:13:27 ↗ devices and today we have approximately

1:13:31 ↗ 425 new regulations are constantly

1:13:34 ↗ changing mandating that we build more

1:13:36 ↗ facilities that we also design them to

1:13:39 ↗ be larger require them to have more

1:13:42 ↗ inspections Etc so our storm water fund

1:13:45 ↗ is in need of more assistance to keep

1:13:48 ↗ up on the the same is true on sewer in

1:13:52 ↗ terms of uh we are not meeting our

1:13:55 ↗ targets for inspection goals and

1:13:57 ↗ maintenance schedules and then on the

1:13:59 ↗ water side uh with the proposed

1:14:01 ↗ utilities tech there have been a lot of

1:14:03 ↗ changes in water regulations over the

1:14:05 ↗ last several years our last utilities

1:14:08 ↗ Tech was added in 2016 and if you think

1:14:11 ↗ about all the changes with lead copper

1:14:13 ↗ rules and pasas and a required amount of

1:14:16 ↗ sampling reporting Inventory management

1:14:19 ↗ and the customer service that comes with

1:14:22 ↗ our water utility all of those things

1:14:24 ↗ have grown in terms of the time

1:14:28 ↗ demands and with that I'm going to ask

1:14:31 ↗ if Bennett ashot before you go we've got

1:14:34 ↗ a question can we talk about the

1:14:37 ↗ additions

1:14:38 ↗ to utility Staffing and I guess I'm

1:14:40 ↗ really curious about two things one is

1:14:44 ↗ when when are we scheduled to do another

1:14:47 ↗ um rate study because I mean we we

1:14:50 ↗ fixate a lot or talk a lot about the

1:14:51 ↗ general fund but the Enterprise funds

1:14:53 ↗ are just as significant um and and

1:14:56 ↗ particularly since we're looking at

1:14:57 ↗ raising utility taxes I'm I'm just cons

1:15:01 ↗ curious about what the next rate study

1:15:05 ↗ would look like and what do we think the

1:15:07 ↗ impact of these new positions might be

1:15:11 ↗ yeah so the new the rate study is

1:15:14 ↗ underway right now we plan to bring

1:15:15 ↗ recommendations back to you at the end

1:15:17 ↗ of first quarter beginning of the second

1:15:19 ↗ quarter city council has adopted it's in

1:15:22 ↗ our ordinance currently the 202 5 rates

1:15:25 ↗ we have tried to balance to that uh 2026

1:15:29 ↗ proposes the same sort of year-over-year

1:15:31 ↗ increase just as a way to hypothesize

1:15:34 ↗ what we will need and to uh make sure we

1:15:37 ↗ don't have um irregular spikes in that

1:15:40 ↗ utility rate we know for certain utility

1:15:43 ↗ rates aren't going to go down um the

1:15:45 ↗ cost of services continues to go

1:15:48 ↗ up so we will be back with some updated

1:15:51 ↗ numbers about long-term costs and uh how

1:15:55 ↗ sufficient the proposed rate for 2026 is

1:15:58 ↗ when we come back in uh at the end of

1:16:02 ↗ q1 and just for this banal budget

1:16:07 ↗ where we've got

1:16:09 ↗ sufficient head Headroom in in the

1:16:13 ↗ utility budget and fund balances Etc to

1:16:17 ↗ cover

1:16:18 ↗ this we do but that's a short-term

1:16:21 ↗ picture uh we have outstanding and um

1:16:26 ↗ very large capital projects that are

1:16:28 ↗ coming in some funds uh that will drive

1:16:32 ↗ rates or our need to borrow ands

1:16:36 ↗ rates and uh certainly uh our operating

1:16:40 ↗ costs have continue to go up so we are

1:16:43 ↗ expending fund balance in 26 25 and 26

1:16:48 ↗ in order to uh make our uh expenditures

1:16:53 ↗ align with that forecast Ed and adopted

1:16:57 ↗ rate increase great

1:17:03 ↗ thanks okay now we can move on Street

1:17:05 ↗ operating ashb street operations

1:17:17 ↗ manager good

1:17:19 ↗ evening uh first I want to say thank you

1:17:22 ↗ guys for the past years of investment in

1:17:25 ↗ uh and Trust into the roadway

1:17:27 ↗ maintenance we made huge strides in our

1:17:29 ↗ mobility and Ada access um make more

1:17:33 ↗ visible Crossings and safer

1:17:35 ↗ roadways uh while we are looking at this

1:17:38 ↗ graph of street operations and

1:17:41 ↗ Engineering

1:17:42 ↗ operations uh along with the concrete

1:17:44 ↗ maintenance program and the pavement

1:17:46 ↗ Management program uh you're going to

1:17:48 ↗ see some uh decline in uh budget uh for

1:17:53 ↗ the 2025 and 26 proposed budget um the

1:17:58 ↗ reductions in the street operations and

1:18:00 ↗ Engineering lines uh mainly refers to uh

1:18:03 ↗ a reduction in stock

1:18:05 ↗ supplies um will'll make some changes to

1:18:08 ↗ some less durable

1:18:09 ↗ materials um will extend the life of

1:18:12 ↗ certain

1:18:14 ↗ facilities um and we are going to reduce

1:18:16 ↗ the outsourced work um that help

1:18:19 ↗ supplement our program during the summer

1:18:21 ↗ season uh as you guys are well aware we

1:18:23 ↗ have a you uh a very defined period of

1:18:29 ↗ dry weather in Washington and we have to

1:18:31 ↗ get a lot of work done on the Street

1:18:32 ↗ Maintenance side during that during that

1:18:34 ↗ time um so to get that to get all of

1:18:38 ↗ those tasks done in a reasonable amount

1:18:40 ↗ of time and get more done we have hired

1:18:43 ↗ out flagging

1:18:44 ↗ operations um Trucking operations and

1:18:47 ↗ other things like that we're going to

1:18:48 ↗ bring that back inhouse now that we have

1:18:51 ↗ a full staff um and we're going to

1:18:54 ↗ hopefully get that same amount of work

1:18:56 ↗ done um over the past years uh we have a

1:19:01 ↗ relatively new crew um we hired seven

1:19:04 ↗ individuals on our street maintenance

1:19:05 ↗ crew out of eight in the last uh three

1:19:09 ↗ years um over the last three years

1:19:12 ↗ they've really Advanced their skill uh

1:19:14 ↗ their skill level and their production

1:19:16 ↗ rate uh their production has gone up

1:19:19 ↗ drastically um so I'm confident that

1:19:22 ↗ with the reduced budget and with the uh

1:19:26 ↗ with the reduced budget and the street

1:19:27 ↗ operations that we can still maintain

1:19:28 ↗ the city um in a safe and reliable

1:19:32 ↗ way

1:19:34 ↗ um on CMP the concrete maintenance

1:19:37 ↗ program the orange line on the bottom um

1:19:41 ↗ you'll see that there is a pretty large

1:19:43 ↗ strike in the 2023 and 2024 uh or spike

1:19:47 ↗ in budget that was the uh arpa funding

1:19:51 ↗ increase um that was a huge investment

1:19:54 ↗ for the city we were able to not only

1:19:57 ↗ support the pavment management program

1:19:59 ↗ by updating ramps regulatory ramps that

1:20:02 ↗ were required to do um we were able to

1:20:05 ↗ uh make large investment in updating the

1:20:09 ↗ drainage along those roadways in the

1:20:10 ↗ curbing Gutter and then we were also

1:20:13 ↗ able to get a highedge mitigation

1:20:15 ↗ contract for concrete panels that are

1:20:17 ↗ lifted um and that contract was able to

1:20:21 ↗ mitigate 29% of our known High edges

1:20:24 ↗ throughout the city um that's a huge

1:20:27 ↗ number for us and we'll be conducting a

1:20:29 ↗ new a new inspection in 2025 to see

1:20:32 ↗ where we sit based on

1:20:34 ↗ that

1:20:36 ↗ um

1:20:38 ↗ so I'm going to talk about PMP so the

1:20:41 ↗ payment Management program um is the

1:20:44 ↗ green line there you can see we had um

1:20:48 ↗ we started off around 900,000 2019 we

1:20:51 ↗ had the covid impacts in 2020 uh and

1:20:54 ↗ then in 2021

1:20:57 ↗ 2022 you guys and administration chose

1:21:00 ↗ to fully fund that program um over the

1:21:03 ↗ last four years we have been able to

1:21:06 ↗ make huge strides in the uh pavement

1:21:09 ↗ condition index now I want to talk about

1:21:12 ↗ that so the pavement condition

1:21:17 ↗ index is a numerical rating from 0 to

1:21:20 ↗ 100 um that the worst possible condition

1:21:23 ↗ being Z and the best being 100 you can

1:21:25 ↗ kind of look at it as grades in the in

1:21:27 ↗ in uh in school so in 2019 we had a scan

1:21:32 ↗ done and our PCI was a

1:21:35 ↗ 69 general practice throughout the uh

1:21:38 ↗ throughout the industry throughout the

1:21:39 ↗ country is you want to shoot between

1:21:41 ↗ that 70 to 75 range as a cyia to have a

1:21:45 ↗ reliable

1:21:46 ↗ Network now that does that does change

1:21:49 ↗ based on that Rogue class right so in

1:21:53 ↗ 2022

1:21:55 ↗ we got another rating and our PCI jumped

1:21:58 ↗ to a

1:21:59 ↗ 76 and the reason for that is we did a

1:22:03 ↗ huge focus on arterial roadways um

1:22:06 ↗ arterial

1:22:08 ↗ roadways uh our rating was a 66 on

1:22:11 ↗ average and as you guys may have been

1:22:14 ↗ able to tell we've done Sunset and all

1:22:17 ↗ sorts of roadways throughout the city

1:22:18 ↗ and we also um were able to secure two

1:22:21 ↗ grants the help of engineering the NHS

1:22:23 ↗ grants um we were able to do Southeast

1:22:25 ↗ 43rd which is one of our worst artill

1:22:28 ↗ roadways and East Lake

1:22:31 ↗ samamish um so all of these different

1:22:34 ↗ the street operations the concrete

1:22:35 ↗ maintenance program the pavement

1:22:37 ↗ Management program all are tied together

1:22:40 ↗ um in a lot of

1:22:41 ↗ ways so um we're in a position if you

1:22:46 ↗ look at the red line on the on the graph

1:22:49 ↗ that's at the 25% that's what we've been

1:22:52 ↗ focusing on we've been focusing on the

1:22:54 ↗ arterior that are in poor condition to

1:22:55 ↗ try to raise that overall PCI the 75% is

1:23:00 ↗ keeping the good good roads good and

1:23:02 ↗ that is an integral part of the pavement

1:23:04 ↗ condition program so as we reduce

1:23:08 ↗ budget as needed um we are able to

1:23:12 ↗ switch our focus on that 75% because

1:23:15 ↗ we've made such an investment on the on

1:23:17 ↗ the arterial side so a perfectly

1:23:20 ↗ balanced payment Management program is

1:23:22 ↗ 75% keeping the good roads good and 25%

1:23:25 ↗ keeping the bad getting the bad roads

1:23:27 ↗ better right so we are now going to move

1:23:30 ↗ into that with surface seals crack seal

1:23:34 ↗ other preventative maintenance

1:23:36 ↗ activities that are really you have to

1:23:38 ↗ do to maintain the system as a ho um

1:23:43 ↗ we're that is a a surface Seal program

1:23:46 ↗ can run between eight and $10 a square

1:23:48 ↗ yard and overlay is going to run between

1:23:50 ↗ 35 and 45 so we can do a lot more and we

1:23:54 ↗ have communities that were all built at

1:23:56 ↗ once so we have Talis all built at once

1:23:58 ↗ all the roadways are built at once uh

1:24:00 ↗ Highlands you have two different groups

1:24:02 ↗ built there at once we need to start

1:24:04 ↗ breaking those roadways up so we can

1:24:07 ↗ have a manageable program we're not

1:24:09 ↗ going to be able to do a full investment

1:24:11 ↗ of many millions in those in those

1:24:13 ↗ neighborhoods all at once as they all

1:24:15 ↗ fail at the same rate so that that is

1:24:18 ↗ where we're going to move to uh in the

1:24:20 ↗ 25 26 Season we're going to focus on

1:24:23 ↗ preventative Main M and we still have a

1:24:26 ↗ few um roadways that we are fortunate

1:24:29 ↗ enough with the arpa funding to get

1:24:30 ↗ ahead on we've already performed all the

1:24:33 ↗ concrete on Talis drive for example we

1:24:35 ↗ performed all the concrete on 9th and

1:24:37 ↗ Highlands Drive so those are prepped and

1:24:40 ↗ ready for us when we need to perform

1:24:42 ↗ those

1:24:43 ↗ overlays so that's our that's the plan

1:24:45 ↗ moving forward um it's all part of the

1:24:50 ↗ program as we have fluctuations in

1:24:52 ↗ budgets we can make adjustments and it

1:24:54 ↗ will feed to good roadway

1:24:57 ↗ system any

1:25:01 ↗ questions oh I waited long enough go

1:25:05 ↗ ahead I would imagine that uh there's an

1:25:09 ↗ optimal if you look at the

1:25:11 ↗ cost like let's say I look at this and I

1:25:15 ↗ see that a road typically lasts 20 years

1:25:17 ↗ before it's basically so cooked as to be

1:25:20 ↗ very poor so you could

1:25:23 ↗ do certain amount of improvements every

1:25:25 ↗ single year or you could do a certain

1:25:28 ↗ different amount every four years or a

1:25:31 ↗ different amount every five years or

1:25:32 ↗ different amount every 10 years to cover

1:25:34 ↗ that 20-year interval um is there an

1:25:37 ↗ optimal from a cost standpoint like I

1:25:39 ↗ assume that um you know earlier is less

1:25:43 ↗ degr the degradation is nonlinear uh to

1:25:47 ↗ the system so uh more frequent early or

1:25:50 ↗ or more frequent smaller uh maintenance

1:25:53 ↗ is better than uh waiting 10 years yeah

1:25:57 ↗ so the degradation curve is this graph

1:26:01 ↗ so you know it platto in that good

1:26:03 ↗ category and then it just Dives really

1:26:05 ↗ hard uh down so the payment condition

1:26:09 ↗ index is proportional to the cost of of

1:26:11 ↗ getting it back up uh I mean it's all

1:26:13 ↗ tied together uh so yeah as you get

1:26:16 ↗ further down in the fair and poor

1:26:18 ↗ categories you're going to have to do

1:26:19 ↗ extensive patching to be able to just

1:26:21 ↗ put two Ines of asphalt on top

1:26:24 ↗ right so you're going to have to do

1:26:26 ↗ structural repairs once you get into the

1:26:28 ↗ poor and very poor and at this point in

1:26:31 ↗ time that's also ster uh triggering some

1:26:33 ↗ pretty significant storm water upgrade

1:26:36 ↗ requirements as well so we want to stay

1:26:38 ↗ ahead of them we want to break them up

1:26:40 ↗ as much as we can um but yes the optimal

1:26:44 ↗ time to do anything on the road and to

1:26:46 ↗ extend that life further would be in the

1:26:49 ↗ good the very top of the fair category

1:26:52 ↗ unfortunately our system is is doing

1:26:55 ↗ really well at the time because of our

1:26:57 ↗ investment thank you that's a that helps

1:27:00 ↗ me

1:27:03 ↗ understand thanks

1:27:07 ↗ Bennett who's

1:27:20 ↗ next me good evening Council I'm autumn

1:27:23 ↗ monah and I'm the administrative

1:27:25 ↗ Services director my department includes

1:27:27 ↗ several divisions it Fleet facilities

1:27:31 ↗ Emergency Management and

1:27:33 ↗ Communications priorities for uh this

1:27:35 ↗ proposed budget include as mentioned

1:27:37 ↗ before facilities maintenance following

1:27:39 ↗ our facilities condition assessment last

1:27:41 ↗ year long-term space planning which

1:27:43 ↗ we've talked a lot about um recently uh

1:27:47 ↗ we are now searching for a consultant

1:27:49 ↗ and have just um put out an RFP looking

1:27:51 ↗ for assistance to help us with a

1:27:53 ↗ community task force and some

1:27:54 ↗ recommendations on what's next for City

1:27:56 ↗ Hall and for uh the police building as

1:27:59 ↗ well as fire station

1:28:01 ↗ 71 uh in addition as you've heard too

1:28:04 ↗ are plans for moving the Municipal Court

1:28:05 ↗ over to the King County District Court

1:28:07 ↗ in at least space in addition uh

1:28:10 ↗ enhanced Fleet Maintenance more

1:28:12 ↗ resources are needed for that division

1:28:14 ↗ um we have had the same Staffing level

1:28:16 ↗ since 2004 but in that time we've added

1:28:20 ↗ 78 licensed vehicles to our Fleet and

1:28:23 ↗ more than 220 pieces of equipment so uh

1:28:26 ↗ more resources are needed to keep up

1:28:27 ↗ with maintenance of our

1:28:29 ↗ Fleet for it our priorities include

1:28:32 ↗ cyber security as always as well as

1:28:35 ↗ supporting the skada project uh that

1:28:37 ↗ Public Works has already

1:28:38 ↗ referenced and in Emergency Management

1:28:41 ↗ uh we remain focused on building

1:28:43 ↗ resiliency both internally as uh we

1:28:46 ↗ prepare for a response for any

1:28:47 ↗ emergencies as well as getting our

1:28:49 ↗ community ready as

1:28:52 ↗ well as for the reductions it includes a

1:28:56 ↗ uh limited term position as a

1:28:57 ↗ Communications

1:28:58 ↗ coordinator um some emergency management

1:29:01 ↗ funds that have been helpful for us as

1:29:02 ↗ we have attained state Grant matches and

1:29:06 ↗ some capital projects for

1:29:08 ↗ it a summary of additions include a

1:29:11 ↗ fleet mechanic um more uh resources

1:29:14 ↗ toward facilities maintenance to start

1:29:15 ↗ making some Headway on that uh condition

1:29:18 ↗ assessment and then the relocation of

1:29:20 ↗ Municipal Court and potentially council

1:29:21 ↗ chambers

1:29:24 ↗ any

1:29:29 ↗ questions okay we'll go Deputy council

1:29:32 ↗ president um so I had I had quite a few

1:29:35 ↗ questions about fleets so um just for my

1:29:38 ↗ own clarity about what I'm reading here

1:29:41 ↗ it looked like there was a substantial

1:29:43 ↗ increase in the Fleet Maintenance B

1:29:45 ↗ budget maintenance and as I understand

1:29:48 ↗ it now uh Fleet comes from many

1:29:51 ↗ different departments each department

1:29:53 ↗ has its own Fleet so this is a way of

1:29:57 ↗ putting all of those expenses together

1:29:58 ↗ into one account that correct what

1:30:01 ↗ you're seeing as far as the The

1:30:02 ↗ increased costs are mostly Capital costs

1:30:05 ↗ or or acquisition of replacement

1:30:07 ↗ vehicles um and a lot of those are also

1:30:10 ↗ driven by um other funds like utility

1:30:12 ↗ funds that can support them so it's not

1:30:14 ↗ all general fund so we can provide a

1:30:16 ↗ breakdown to that too for you yeah that

1:30:18 ↗ would be great really helpful to uh

1:30:21 ↗ understand um why there's such a

1:30:24 ↗ substantial increase in what's happening

1:30:26 ↗ there and uh I would appreciate a lot

1:30:28 ↗ more information about that thank

1:30:34 ↗ you any other questions okay I um also

1:30:38 ↗ had one trying to understand with the

1:30:41 ↗ Fleet Services let me find the line um

1:30:45 ↗ it looks like so you get cost

1:30:48 ↗ allocations from other City departments

1:30:51 ↗ and I'm showing in the 2023 202 for

1:30:54 ↗ adopted revenues was 5.4 million for the

1:30:57 ↗ fleet fund and then in 2025 2026

1:31:01 ↗ proposed revenues is 9.4 million that's

1:31:04 ↗ a huge increase so I'd love to know more

1:31:07 ↗ about that and whether it's coming from

1:31:10 ↗ any particular department and how we

1:31:13 ↗ better understand that sure definitely

1:31:16 ↗ thanks

1:31:35 ↗ good evening Council I'm here to talk

1:31:38 ↗ about Community Planning and Development

1:31:40 ↗ budget um in terms of our priorities of

1:31:44 ↗ course the number one priority is um

1:31:47 ↗ permit efficiency um so we've briefed

1:31:50 ↗ you before uh in terms of the findings

1:31:52 ↗ uh of our

1:31:54 ↗ consultant work that we did um which

1:31:57 ↗ outlined 12 different uh tasks that we

1:32:00 ↗ we plan we have already undertaken all

1:32:03 ↗ our staff has formed different groups

1:32:06 ↗ and and um is looking at holistically

1:32:09 ↗ all our process and procedures of course

1:32:11 ↗ this is coming at the heel of doing a

1:32:13 ↗ code update um also you know uh doing

1:32:17 ↗ all our paper records into digitization

1:32:21 ↗ and having them all on the SharePoint so

1:32:23 ↗ having those two large efforts underway

1:32:26 ↗ uh now the time is for all the

1:32:28 ↗ nitty-gritty implementation piece which

1:32:30 ↗ is no small task and feast to to get

1:32:34 ↗ into all the nuances of Permitting um so

1:32:37 ↗ we'll be spending a lot of our time uh

1:32:39 ↗ and that will be in addition to all the

1:32:42 ↗ permits that we'll be processing during

1:32:44 ↗ that time to the order of uh and all the

1:32:47 ↗ emails and the phone calls because CPD

1:32:50 ↗ is one division of the city that

1:32:52 ↗ actually brings in Reven Revenue into

1:32:54 ↗ the general fund uh we also support

1:32:57 ↗ direct interaction with community in

1:33:00 ↗ terms of all their questions about

1:33:02 ↗ growth and development what's happening

1:33:03 ↗ next to my neighbor's property what is

1:33:05 ↗ all of this uh why are these trees

1:33:07 ↗ coming down to uh you know uh all of

1:33:11 ↗ that um in addition to all the permits

1:33:14 ↗ that we process which um the last we

1:33:17 ↗ checked for 2024 we had 7,000

1:33:20 ↗ inspections we had 4,000 review line

1:33:23 ↗ items so all of the permit process

1:33:25 ↗ enhancement work is happening while

1:33:28 ↗ we're also doing all our permit process

1:33:30 ↗ which our team is excited uh you know

1:33:33 ↗ looking at holistically all our process

1:33:35 ↗ and procedures uh the second list uh

1:33:37 ↗ item in here that is currently underway

1:33:40 ↗ is the midal housing study uh so we've

1:33:43 ↗ had multiple meetings with the planning

1:33:45 ↗ and policy commission we had a tour last

1:33:47 ↗ Thursday we're planning a tour for

1:33:49 ↗ Council um that comes from um the state

1:33:52 ↗ bill that you know um wants us to allow

1:33:56 ↗ uh all the duplexes triplexes and cages

1:33:59 ↗ in all our single family zones um so

1:34:02 ↗ there's a lot of community conversations

1:34:04 ↗ around that topic uh a lot of practical

1:34:07 ↗ implications that we need to study that

1:34:09 ↗ work is funded by grant that we applied

1:34:12 ↗ for uh Department of Commerce uh in the

1:34:14 ↗ last bium and that is funding uh the

1:34:17 ↗ remainder work is uh staff supported uh

1:34:20 ↗ the third one on this list is um active

1:34:24 ↗ Transportation study that we have a

1:34:26 ↗ phenomenal senior Transportation planner

1:34:29 ↗ he took it upon himself to apply for

1:34:31 ↗ this funding uh to the order of $200,000

1:34:35 ↗ if we are successful in getting that

1:34:36 ↗ Grant uh there is a matching uh fund uh

1:34:40 ↗ of about $60,000 uh but it would bring

1:34:42 ↗ in

1:34:44 ↗ $240,000 uh to look at all the you know

1:34:47 ↗ our um our infrastructure or a Walk and

1:34:51 ↗ Roll plan that was done in 2015 is

1:34:53 ↗ establishes some of the things so this

1:34:55 ↗ would update a lot of the stuff for

1:34:57 ↗ mobility and and have Community

1:34:59 ↗ conversations about prioritizing the

1:35:01 ↗ elements on Transportation but again if

1:35:04 ↗ we don't get the grant then this work

1:35:06 ↗ will not

1:35:08 ↗ happen um in terms of reductions um our

1:35:11 ↗ department has uh some staffing

1:35:14 ↗ reductions of not only vacant positions

1:35:17 ↗ but um staff that fill those positions

1:35:20 ↗ uh the current um um list here is the

1:35:24 ↗ department operations specialist Uh

1:35:26 ↗ current planning manager which is

1:35:28 ↗ currently vacant uh associate planner

1:35:30 ↗ and an engineer position um and then

1:35:34 ↗ also Professional Services uh for all

1:35:37 ↗ these studies um which housing and

1:35:39 ↗ parking study was in our budget from

1:35:41 ↗ last year uh transfer of development um

1:35:45 ↗ Rights was also part of the last year's

1:35:47 ↗ bayum uh but those are not reauthorized

1:35:50 ↗ in the next in the next banian budget um

1:35:53 ↗ we were contemplating a light rail

1:35:55 ↗ station analysis and design study that

1:35:57 ↗ was informed by the Light Rail planning

1:35:59 ↗ guide that Council uh adopted uh so that

1:36:02 ↗ will be deferred as well

1:36:05 ↗ um uh in terms of additions uh the first

1:36:08 ↗ one is we've asked our long-range

1:36:10 ↗ planning manager to take on current

1:36:11 ↗ planning manager duties um a senior

1:36:14 ↗ planner Position will transition from

1:36:15 ↗ part-time to full-time and in your

1:36:18 ↗ budget you also see a permit Center

1:36:19 ↗ coordinator

1:36:21 ↗ position I think that's it for before

1:36:25 ↗ you go yes um Deputy council president D

1:36:29 ↗ Michelle so I know that we're in the

1:36:31 ↗ process right now doing visioning for uh

1:36:34 ↗ the Light Rail station and what that is

1:36:37 ↗ going to look like and then so how does

1:36:40 ↗ this reduction of a analysis and design

1:36:43 ↗ study fit with the process that we're

1:36:46 ↗ already in if we're going to reduce in

1:36:49 ↗ other words is what we're doing now

1:36:51 ↗ going to go forward into the next step

1:36:55 ↗ or are we reducing that we will be

1:36:57 ↗ reducing

1:36:59 ↗ that okay thank you for that

1:37:06 ↗ information

1:37:16 ↗ okay good evening Council Jeff Watling

1:37:18 ↗ parks and Community Services uh director

1:37:21 ↗ uh here to to talk about the Department

1:37:24 ↗ uh real quickly um some of the top

1:37:26 ↗ priorities for 25 26 for us across all

1:37:29 ↗ lines of um work uh within the

1:37:32 ↗ department um comprised of of five

1:37:34 ↗ divisions um first um and thank you um

1:37:39 ↗ as well um Park open space and Trail

1:37:41 ↗ maintenance remains a high priority for

1:37:43 ↗ us um I say thank you I think over the

1:37:46 ↗ last couple of years uh with additional

1:37:49 ↗ resources um including General Park

1:37:51 ↗ maintenance um as well as Urban forestry

1:37:54 ↗ um our green isqua program we've seen um

1:37:57 ↗ significant um improvements in the level

1:37:59 ↗ of service uh within uh within the park

1:38:01 ↗ system and um as we now look at

1:38:04 ↗ absorbing reductions uh we're going to

1:38:06 ↗ do all we can to to not go too far

1:38:09 ↗ backwards um another priority remains

1:38:11 ↗ Park capital projects and Investments uh

1:38:14 ↗ with our Park planning team uh two

1:38:16 ↗ capital projects currently underway a

1:38:18 ↗ third one uh that we'll have underway

1:38:20 ↗ early next year so we anticipate in

1:38:22 ↗ completing those three projects projects

1:38:23 ↗ by the end of 2025 that's our Hillside

1:38:26 ↗ Park project um and new Wetland uh that

1:38:29 ↗ are near completion um the arpa funded

1:38:33 ↗ pedestrian Park Senior Center pla Plaza

1:38:35 ↗ project that's about to get underway

1:38:37 ↗ constructionwise and then the Rainer

1:38:39 ↗ Trail Dog Park uh we also have

1:38:41 ↗ priorities uh for continued Capital

1:38:44 ↗ planning uh for um other Investments uh

1:38:47 ↗ that communi certainly identify as as

1:38:50 ↗ high priorities and having a a high

1:38:53 ↗ functioning

1:38:54 ↗ well performing Park

1:38:56 ↗ system uh next priority uh continued

1:38:59 ↗ emphasis in human services and how we

1:39:02 ↗ serve this community um serve uh those

1:39:05 ↗ in need in this community uh really

1:39:07 ↗ through a mix of um outstanding Grant

1:39:10 ↗ Administration and making sure those

1:39:12 ↗ grants are achieving the outcomes we

1:39:13 ↗ want um as well as our investments and

1:39:16 ↗ excellent staff in Behavioral Health um

1:39:19 ↗ and homelessness Outreach which again is

1:39:21 ↗ programs we've seen uh mendous progress

1:39:24 ↗ in over the years so that remains a

1:39:26 ↗ priority another priority within human

1:39:28 ↗ services will be uh seeking a new model

1:39:32 ↗ um and a new partner uh for our

1:39:34 ↗ emergency housing program within the

1:39:36 ↗ proposed 2526 budget uh we propos

1:39:39 ↗ keeping some funding in there um as you

1:39:42 ↗ know we just completed our pilot

1:39:44 ↗ emergency housing program with a

1:39:45 ↗ partnership with Motel 6 and saw some

1:39:47 ↗ very successful outcomes with that uh

1:39:50 ↗ with that project and program

1:39:54 ↗ uh next priority is continuing to

1:39:56 ↗ provide excellence in Recreation

1:39:58 ↗ programs and services and events uh this

1:40:01 ↗ is really through constant evaluation of

1:40:03 ↗ those programs uh making sure we are

1:40:06 ↗ meeting Community needs um through a

1:40:09 ↗ variety all four of our facilities um

1:40:12 ↗ and a wide variety of of programs um I

1:40:15 ↗ would want to note um this work includes

1:40:18 ↗ some proposed fee increases um you heard

1:40:21 ↗ some of the fee increases mentioned

1:40:22 ↗ earlier so as we get further into budget

1:40:24 ↗ deliberations the proposed fee increases

1:40:26 ↗ we have in Recreation uh will will most

1:40:29 ↗ likely be part of that conversation as

1:40:31 ↗ well uh last priority um is the

1:40:34 ↗ Arts um and U more specifically uh

1:40:38 ↗ identifying an additional Revenue Source

1:40:40 ↗ or sources uh to support the art fund uh

1:40:44 ↗ you know from prior conversations we've

1:40:46 ↗ had with you um over the last couple of

1:40:48 ↗ years um one of the um recognitions

1:40:51 ↗ we've seen coming out of the pandemic is

1:40:53 ↗ the movie industry the entertainment

1:40:54 ↗ industry has changed uh the primary

1:40:56 ↗ funding source of the art fund is the

1:40:58 ↗ emissions tax uh that's a different rate

1:41:00 ↗ right now uh coming in at a different

1:41:02 ↗ rate and so knowing general fund is not

1:41:05 ↗ in a position to uh support uh that art

1:41:08 ↗ program on an ongoing basis currently um

1:41:11 ↗ Amy dukes and I will be taking it upon

1:41:14 ↗ ourselves and and leading an effort to

1:41:16 ↗ uh seek some additional um external

1:41:19 ↗ Revenue sources that could help um that

1:41:22 ↗ um priority

1:41:25 ↗ program as I now shift to um identifying

1:41:29 ↗ just talking through the reductions I

1:41:31 ↗ just want I want to give some context um

1:41:33 ↗ as stated earlier U the general fund is

1:41:36 ↗ certainly a a big portion of this budget

1:41:39 ↗ reset we're looking at in

1:41:41 ↗ 2526 um the department of parks and

1:41:43 ↗ Community Services um its primary um

1:41:47 ↗ operational fund is the general fund uh

1:41:49 ↗ so um as those reductions are made uh

1:41:53 ↗ just just again for context uh we're

1:41:56 ↗ absorbing through these reductions uh

1:41:58 ↗ just over a million dollar a year uh

1:42:00 ↗ reduction in the in the general fund

1:42:02 ↗ investment level um into the department

1:42:04 ↗ and so that really translates to uh some

1:42:07 ↗ pretty significant impacts into uh the

1:42:10 ↗ service levels um um to the community so

1:42:15 ↗ going down this list and and really I'm

1:42:17 ↗ highlighting this by division uh within

1:42:19 ↗ the within the department uh within our

1:42:21 ↗ Park planning team um

1:42:23 ↗ these reductions include the elimination

1:42:25 ↗ of a senior Park planner position

1:42:28 ↗ leaving us with one um Park planner for

1:42:31 ↗ that U group to continue to do um

1:42:34 ↗ important um Capital planning and

1:42:37 ↗ capital Investments within um the parks

1:42:39 ↗ and open space system um it's just going

1:42:41 ↗ to result in a diff a decreased rate um

1:42:44 ↗ of of work and projects that we're able

1:42:46 ↗ to get done uh within the park

1:42:48 ↗ Operations Division uh the elimination

1:42:51 ↗ of a 75 full-time maintenance worker 2

1:42:55 ↗ position as well as some reductions in

1:42:57 ↗ part-time seasonal staff we're also

1:43:00 ↗ looking at the expenditure expenditure

1:43:02 ↗ wise within that division reducing uh

1:43:05 ↗ some of our watering our irrigation um

1:43:08 ↗ and our turf maintenance practices

1:43:09 ↗ throughout uh the the park system uh

1:43:12 ↗ this is going to result in come

1:43:14 ↗ summertime U some of our street Scapes

1:43:17 ↗ uh some of our turf areas um taking on

1:43:19 ↗ more of a a brownish tint uh throughout

1:43:22 ↗ the the summer months

1:43:25 ↗ uh within

1:43:27 ↗ Recreation um the proposed reductions

1:43:29 ↗ include the elimination of one of our

1:43:31 ↗ Recreation coordinator positions uh this

1:43:34 ↗ will result in reduced programming

1:43:35 ↗ levels um throughout our four facilities

1:43:40 ↗ namely um as the the rest of the

1:43:43 ↗ coordinating team the rest of the

1:43:44 ↗ programming team um absorbs that absorbs

1:43:47 ↗ that

1:43:48 ↗ loss uh within Human Services uh we are

1:43:51 ↗ looking at uh proposing to resize the

1:43:53 ↗ leadership team within that division um

1:43:56 ↗ with the elimination of the behavioral

1:43:58 ↗ health supervisor position um uh

1:44:02 ↗ previously in the 2324 budget the

1:44:04 ↗ leadership team within the human

1:44:06 ↗ services division was Monica Nilla as

1:44:08 ↗ manager uh Brenda as the behavioral

1:44:11 ↗ health supervisor and Hannah as the

1:44:14 ↗ human services coordinator uh this

1:44:16 ↗ budget would resize that group to two

1:44:18 ↗ individuals uh it would be Brenda and H

1:44:21 ↗ and Hannah um again two incredibly

1:44:24 ↗ capable professionals uh but I would

1:44:26 ↗ note it reduces our capacity um within

1:44:30 ↗ that uh within that group and and within

1:44:33 ↗ our ability to respond uh to to Human

1:44:36 ↗ Services needs as they as they

1:44:39 ↗ arise within Arts as was mentioned

1:44:42 ↗ earlier a reduction in our grant program

1:44:44 ↗ in 2526 by

1:44:46 ↗ 35% um I would note in this um along

1:44:50 ↗ with um just General Grant reduction

1:44:53 ↗ um this

1:44:54 ↗ 35% um reduction is really

1:44:57 ↗ representative and reflective of what

1:44:59 ↗ the admissions tax can afford uh so what

1:45:01 ↗ we're proposing in 2526 while we're

1:45:04 ↗ going out and seeking additional Revenue

1:45:06 ↗ sources uh we're proposing a 2526 budget

1:45:11 ↗ that is able to live within the

1:45:13 ↗ admissions tax um revenues so it will

1:45:16 ↗ not um though not directly benefiting

1:45:19 ↗ the general fund uh we're positioning

1:45:21 ↗ that arts program and that Arts fund not

1:45:23 ↗ to be reliant on the general fund for

1:45:27 ↗ 2526 and then last uh reduction as we

1:45:31 ↗ look at um all of our divisions

1:45:33 ↗ absorbing a pretty sizable reduction

1:45:35 ↗ within the department uh we took a look

1:45:36 ↗ at the department leadership team um and

1:45:40 ↗ reduce the size of that group with the

1:45:42 ↗ elimination of the the recreation

1:45:44 ↗ manager position um as we again absorb a

1:45:47 ↗ 15% reduction uh we wanted to make sure

1:45:50 ↗ that we were not

1:45:51 ↗ disproportionately uh cutting reducing

1:45:54 ↗ all Frontline Services um in um what we

1:45:58 ↗ do in the services we do across those

1:46:00 ↗ five divisions in um to in and for the

1:46:05 ↗ community this will reduce our uh

1:46:08 ↗ Department leadership team the rest of

1:46:10 ↗ of U the managers and myself will um um

1:46:14 ↗ work at um absorbing that and making

1:46:16 ↗ sure that the our Recreation team and

1:46:20 ↗ those

1:46:21 ↗ Recreation uh facilities excuse me still

1:46:24 ↗ get the quality leadership um and

1:46:26 ↗ management that they um need and that

1:46:28 ↗ they uh they

1:46:32 ↗ deserve lastly uh two additions I wanted

1:46:35 ↗ to note um both of these would be um

1:46:39 ↗ requested expenditure increases that

1:46:41 ↗ also bring with them grant funding um

1:46:43 ↗ being proposed for both of them so first

1:46:45 ↗ with the success of green isqua uh we're

1:46:48 ↗ proposing to um increase that from a 0.5

1:46:51 ↗ FTE to a 75

1:46:53 ↗ um FTE position we've had such great

1:46:55 ↗ response from the community um residents

1:46:58 ↗ and business Community to our green

1:46:59 ↗ isqua program we want to increase the

1:47:01 ↗ capacity of that coordinator again that

1:47:03 ↗ would be Grant funded um the next um

1:47:07 ↗ addition also Grant funded um as the

1:47:11 ↗ we've been working on the urban Forest

1:47:12 ↗ management plan that um services safety

1:47:15 ↗ and Parks committee will be seeing next

1:47:16 ↗ month uh one of the recommendations not

1:47:19 ↗ to to spoil it uh will be uh completing

1:47:22 ↗ a tree in ventory we would like to do

1:47:24 ↗ the first phase of that tree inventory

1:47:26 ↗ in 2526 and again um go get some grant

1:47:29 ↗ funding uh to be able to get that

1:47:33 ↗ done

1:47:38 ↗ questions all right I've waited long

1:47:40 ↗ enough thank

1:47:42 ↗ you I believe Andrea going back to you

1:47:53 ↗ thank you Jeff uh so last slide because

1:47:56 ↗ there are smaller departments thought

1:47:58 ↗ we' just combine them and provide a high

1:47:59 ↗ level summary uh for the exec Department

1:48:03 ↗ uh HR and finance so um we have

1:48:06 ↗ reductions we've already talked about

1:48:08 ↗ those positions unfortunately uh then um

1:48:11 ↗ we also similar to what director Watling

1:48:14 ↗ was just talking about with a reduction

1:48:16 ↗ to the Arts grants um we've looked at

1:48:19 ↗ those Community groups um like friends

1:48:22 ↗ of Lake s fish uh Isa history museums

1:48:26 ↗ and the city provided grants to those

1:48:27 ↗ Community groups were decreasing by 12%

1:48:30 ↗ in 2026 the reasons behind this is that

1:48:33 ↗ in order to balance the budget for 25

1:48:35 ↗ and 26 we asked our departments to

1:48:38 ↗ provide recommendations for reductions

1:48:40 ↗ around 12% and so we wanted um while we

1:48:44 ↗ had to do layoffs and cut back costs we

1:48:46 ↗ felt it only appropriate to ask our

1:48:47 ↗ Community Partners to do the same this

1:48:51 ↗ allows them 2025

1:48:53 ↗ to figure out how they would deal with a

1:48:55 ↗ decrease in funding from the city

1:48:57 ↗ whether that means changes to their

1:48:59 ↗ operations or other ways to fund raise

1:49:01 ↗ for their

1:49:04 ↗ organizations also uh reductions among

1:49:07 ↗ these budgets the the three departments

1:49:10 ↗ right sizing legal costs so in the past

1:49:12 ↗ we've paid a lot more for legal costs

1:49:14 ↗ we've had large uh litigation budgets

1:49:17 ↗ for example so the budget includes the

1:49:20 ↗ proposed budget includes right sizing

1:49:21 ↗ those legal costs to

1:49:23 ↗ um more of what our actuals were in 24

1:49:27 ↗ and what we predict moving forward and

1:49:29 ↗ then our training costs we've had large

1:49:31 ↗ unspent budgets in HR and training and

1:49:35 ↗ so we're right sizing those to about

1:49:36 ↗ what we had

1:49:38 ↗ anticipated summary of additions to

1:49:41 ↗ these budgets we talked before about the

1:49:43 ↗ public defender and prosecutor contract

1:49:45 ↗ increases while that's a cost-free

1:49:47 ↗ municipal court it comes out of the

1:49:50 ↗ exact Department budget

1:49:52 ↗ and then um also the equity assessment

1:49:55 ↗ so we had said in the beginning that

1:49:57 ↗ Equity was one of the budget priorities

1:49:59 ↗ for mayor pully for this proposed budget

1:50:01 ↗ the equity assessment you may recall we

1:50:03 ↗ discussed as a priority from the

1:50:05 ↗ administration in the city council

1:50:07 ↗ Retreat back in July at that time we had

1:50:10 ↗ identified the equity assessment uh to

1:50:13 ↗ be very robust and thorough and cost uh

1:50:17 ↗ $250,000 in the proposed budget we

1:50:19 ↗ reduced that amount to $50,000 so that

1:50:21 ↗ we can continue to kind of make progress

1:50:24 ↗ on Equity we hope for this Equity

1:50:26 ↗ assessment is that we come together uh

1:50:29 ↗ use that Professional Service 50,000 to

1:50:31 ↗ establish goals for equity and identify

1:50:34 ↗ areas of needed Improvement to uh reach

1:50:37 ↗ those

1:50:39 ↗ goals that's it on the department um

1:50:43 ↗ specific budget

1:50:46 ↗ breakdown any questions at this point

1:50:48 ↗ before we move on to next steps with the

1:50:50 ↗ budget

1:50:55 ↗ not seeing any right now great thank

1:50:59 ↗ you so there's a lot that we did not

1:51:02 ↗ solve with this 2526 proposed budget and

1:51:06 ↗ there's a lot of future work that we

1:51:08 ↗ want to um discuss as we move on uh past

1:51:13 ↗ this budget adoption process one of

1:51:15 ↗ those things I'm going to go back to the

1:51:17 ↗ structural deficit and we've talked

1:51:20 ↗ about how those expens ures are rising

1:51:24 ↗ um faster than our revenues are and uh

1:51:27 ↗ we believe that this is a revenue

1:51:29 ↗ problem because Washington State

1:51:31 ↗ restricts our growth in revenues and so

1:51:33 ↗ what we would like to do is the

1:51:34 ↗ administration is come back and talk to

1:51:36 ↗ council about how to address the

1:51:38 ↗ structural deficit uh especially as we

1:51:42 ↗ progress through 2025 and 2026 in

1:51:45 ↗ advance of that creation of the 2027

1:51:48 ↗ 2028 budget so looking at the structural

1:51:50 ↗ deficit is something that we want to

1:51:51 ↗ continue those conversations with you on

1:51:54 ↗ also as part of addressing the

1:51:56 ↗ structural deficit we would like to come

1:51:58 ↗ back and talk about revisions to our

1:52:00 ↗ financial management policy to address

1:52:02 ↗ the construction sales tax in the past

1:52:05 ↗ the city of isqua has balanced our

1:52:08 ↗ operating needs off of what we've

1:52:11 ↗ received in construction sales tax and

1:52:14 ↗ while that's a it's a volatile Revenue

1:52:16 ↗ Source the city has experienced great

1:52:18 ↗ growth over the past couple of decades

1:52:20 ↗ it was less volatile than what we see

1:52:23 ↗ today and what we're predicting in the

1:52:24 ↗ future and so we need to shift and

1:52:27 ↗ change our relationship with this uh

1:52:29 ↗ source of funding so that we don't end

1:52:30 ↗ up in a position where we have to make

1:52:32 ↗ dramatic Cuts just because construction

1:52:35 ↗ has

1:52:37 ↗ fallen another uh item that we'd like to

1:52:40 ↗ solve in future work that isn't resolved

1:52:42 ↗ with this proposed budget is capital

1:52:43 ↗ funding we've been talking with Council

1:52:46 ↗ about needed Public Safety facilities

1:52:48 ↗ funding as I said earlier those

1:52:51 ↗ assumptions are not in this budget

1:52:53 ↗ we've talked in the past about what

1:52:54 ↗ could that funding source be is that a

1:52:56 ↗ is that a bond or what is that those

1:52:58 ↗ discussions we'd like to continue with

1:53:00 ↗ city council we've also talked as you

1:53:02 ↗ recall with the uh Community uh task

1:53:06 ↗ force Capital financing task force

1:53:09 ↗ long-term funding for parks and

1:53:10 ↗ transportation which are also big um

1:53:13 ↗ expenditure areas in our budget last

1:53:15 ↗ year city council passed the

1:53:16 ↗ transportation benefit district sales

1:53:18 ↗ tax on Transportation that's been really

1:53:21 ↗ helpful we've put that to good work in

1:53:22 ↗ the proposed budget but we have

1:53:24 ↗ continued needs in transportation that

1:53:26 ↗ are very expensive and um we'll need to

1:53:28 ↗ address that sometime in the

1:53:31 ↗ future and before we move on question go

1:53:35 ↗ ahead um in terms of future work um we

1:53:39 ↗ have a presidential election in a little

1:53:41 ↗ couple of weeks um could you talk about

1:53:44 ↗ how the administration game theories or

1:53:46 ↗ kind of plans for potential financing

1:53:50 ↗ through grants depending on which

1:53:52 ↗ Administration might win or which party

1:53:54 ↗ might win and I've heard a lot from

1:53:56 ↗ staff tonight about positioning

1:53:59 ↗ themselves for these grants and um you

1:54:01 ↗ know to to make sure that we get that

1:54:03 ↗ funding if you could talk a little bit

1:54:05 ↗ about that in general I'd appreciate

1:54:07 ↗ it well the city's been very fortunate

1:54:10 ↗ with grants we've gotten pretty good at

1:54:12 ↗ applying for them and that's great um we

1:54:15 ↗ also with grants for capital projects um

1:54:18 ↗ it may be that if we don't achieve

1:54:20 ↗ funding for certain capital projects

1:54:22 ↗ then we push those projects into future

1:54:24 ↗ years um so those are some of the

1:54:27 ↗ options but I don't know if City

1:54:28 ↗ administrator Bob quit wants to add

1:54:30 ↗ anything I haven't said much tonight I

1:54:32 ↗ want to contribute to the cause

1:54:36 ↗ um clearly on the national level there

1:54:38 ↗ are two very different views of the

1:54:40 ↗ world and I think as those views of the

1:54:43 ↗ world are measured by voters over the

1:54:45 ↗ next week or so uh they will have an

1:54:48 ↗ impact uh I think one view uh shows that

1:54:50 ↗ there'll be continued investment uh by

1:54:53 ↗ the federal government and a whole

1:54:54 ↗ variety of things we've talked about

1:54:56 ↗ tonight um I think there's another view

1:54:58 ↗ where that investment is discontinued or

1:55:01 ↗ certainly discontinued in parts of the

1:55:02 ↗ country that may be viewed as not

1:55:04 ↗ needing it or not using it in in an

1:55:08 ↗ appropriate way so um it's difficult to

1:55:11 ↗ have tea leaves and and look at this as

1:55:14 ↗ carefully as we would like um but uh um

1:55:18 ↗ you know the role of the Federal

1:55:19 ↗ Government in supporting uh local

1:55:21 ↗ governments is is certainly on the

1:55:23 ↗ ballot in a week and a

1:55:28 ↗ half thank you I appreciate that I I

1:55:31 ↗ have great trust that the administration

1:55:33 ↗ is is um planning for that and you're

1:55:36 ↗ positioning

1:55:37 ↗ yourselves uh depending on how this

1:55:40 ↗ election comes out and uh I know that

1:55:42 ↗ you'll do your very best to give us all

1:55:45 ↗ the opportunities to have budget

1:55:47 ↗ flexibility so thank

1:55:50 ↗ you thank you council member

1:55:53 ↗ other things that are not addressed in

1:55:55 ↗ the 2526 proposed budget that we'd like

1:55:58 ↗ to continue conversations with Council

1:56:00 ↗ past this budget process or jail

1:56:02 ↗ services so you heard us say earlier

1:56:05 ↗ that we are adjusting some of the

1:56:06 ↗ contracts to try to make sure that we

1:56:08 ↗ are um covering the cost of jail

1:56:11 ↗ services but this is something that we

1:56:13 ↗ feel needs further analysis the cost for

1:56:16 ↗ jail is increasing greatly the insurance

1:56:19 ↗ the medical costs Etc and uh we would

1:56:23 ↗ like to take this opportunity to do an

1:56:25 ↗ analysis to really understand what are

1:56:26 ↗ those costs to isqua taxpayers um are

1:56:30 ↗ there better ways to do it Etc so we

1:56:32 ↗ think this is going to be an ongoing

1:56:33 ↗ conversation we'll have in the next

1:56:34 ↗ bayum with

1:56:36 ↗ Council then we talked

1:56:39 ↗ to one more thank you um when we look at

1:56:43 ↗ that jail service analysis um do we put

1:56:47 ↗ in the some type of accounting for the

1:56:50 ↗ fixed costs that we as citizens have put

1:56:53 ↗ forward to build that jail and maintain

1:56:56 ↗ that facility uh along the way and um I

1:56:59 ↗ know that when we do contract sometimes

1:57:00 ↗ it's just the cost of the service to get

1:57:03 ↗ UPS to deliver our package or what have

1:57:05 ↗ you but you can comment on that that' be

1:57:07 ↗ much

1:57:09 ↗ appreciated certainly facility costs

1:57:11 ↗ need to be part of this analysis when

1:57:13 ↗ we've done a back of the envelope

1:57:15 ↗ analysis for the preparation of this

1:57:18 ↗ budget we did include some estimates for

1:57:20 ↗ facilities um the jail facility needs a

1:57:23 ↗ lot more Investments moving forward as

1:57:26 ↗ well just like the rest of our

1:57:28 ↗ facilities and infrastructure and so

1:57:30 ↗ that is part of the total cost of

1:57:32 ↗ providing this service is is the

1:57:35 ↗ facilities cost and is something that we

1:57:37 ↗ would be sure to include in further

1:57:43 ↗ analysis um other things that we uh

1:57:45 ↗ talked about I know Council had some

1:57:47 ↗ questions about this evening is Fleet

1:57:48 ↗ fund we have provided a a fleet study

1:57:52 ↗ over the past year or so to better

1:57:54 ↗ understand um what the costs are of

1:57:57 ↗ managing the city fleet moving forward

1:58:00 ↗ and while there is a large jump as was

1:58:03 ↗ preserved in this Fleet fund budget um

1:58:07 ↗ our Fleet study would suggest it's not

1:58:09 ↗ large enough and so there are we

1:58:12 ↗ anticipate additional contributions we

1:58:14 ↗ will need to make in the future in order

1:58:16 ↗ to rightsize the fleet fund with um the

1:58:20 ↗ the assets that we have replacement of

1:58:22 ↗ of those assets maintenance of those

1:58:23 ↗ assets and of course future purchases

1:58:25 ↗ according to our needs so that is

1:58:28 ↗ something that we do anticipate coming

1:58:30 ↗ back it is uh a liability that we have

1:58:32 ↗ not fully resolved in this proposed

1:58:35 ↗ budget and of course we will come back

1:58:37 ↗ to council with more information as

1:58:38 ↗ requested on the fleet fund and what's

1:58:40 ↗ driving those

1:58:41 ↗ costs in addition I believe director

1:58:44 ↗ Watling already talked about the art

1:58:45 ↗ fund with uh the revenues declining and

1:58:49 ↗ certainly not growing with related

1:58:51 ↗ expenditures that's a future

1:58:52 ↗ conversation we would like to have with

1:58:54 ↗ Council to understand uh what's the

1:58:56 ↗ council's will with the future of this

1:58:58 ↗ fund uh similar but to a less degree

1:59:01 ↗ cable TV fund the rules around cable TV

1:59:05 ↗ fund have changed with the FCC and what

1:59:08 ↗ we can do and what we can't we may just

1:59:10 ↗ absorb that into the general fund we can

1:59:12 ↗ talk about that in the future but that's

1:59:14 ↗ something that we'll want to resolve in

1:59:16 ↗ the next couple of years and then labor

1:59:18 ↗ contracts we have a couple of Labor

1:59:21 ↗ contracts that are coming to council

1:59:23 ↗ this fall the next month really uh those

1:59:26 ↗ are each one-year labor contracts so

1:59:29 ↗ they don't cover the entire bium of this

1:59:31 ↗ budget those labor contracts uh

1:59:34 ↗ anticipate a 3.8% cost of living

1:59:36 ↗ adjustment U just like our

1:59:38 ↗ non-represented employees but it remains

1:59:41 ↗ to be seen what that liability would be

1:59:43 ↗ a year from now as we need to go into

1:59:45 ↗ renegotiations and how that would affect

1:59:47 ↗ 2026 so that's still something to think

1:59:49 ↗ about over uh the next BM 25 and

1:59:55 ↗ 26 now as we get uh past those big

1:59:58 ↗ Concepts and things we need to resolve

2:00:00 ↗ on the budget just looking at

2:00:01 ↗ forthcoming legislation and Council

2:00:03 ↗ action on the proposed 2526 budget of

2:00:06 ↗ course we have the list of ordinances

2:00:08 ↗ that we always do with every budget just

2:00:10 ↗ wanted to make sure that you were aware

2:00:12 ↗ of what those approvals that would be

2:00:13 ↗ looking to council for the budget

2:00:16 ↗ schedule here we are on the 28th that's

2:00:19 ↗ highlighted on this slide we have uh

2:00:22 ↗ public hearings on the budget and the

2:00:24 ↗ property tax on the November 4th city

2:00:27 ↗ council meeting plenty of opportunities

2:00:29 ↗ for Budget deliberations between now and

2:00:32 ↗ when we would anticipate adoption on

2:00:34 ↗ December 9th uh if council is ready to

2:00:37 ↗ adopt the budget on December 3rd we

2:00:40 ↗ won't wait for December 9th we can we

2:00:42 ↗ can do it early if Council chooses but

2:00:43 ↗ we wanted to just highlight all of the

2:00:45 ↗ opportunities for Budget discussion and

2:00:47 ↗ deliberation moving

2:00:49 ↗ forward and just a reminder what some of

2:00:52 ↗ those overarching policy questions are

2:00:54 ↗ for city council during this

2:00:55 ↗ deliberations process does the city

2:00:58 ↗ council agree with the budget priorities

2:01:00 ↗ reflected in the proposed

2:01:02 ↗ budget and is the council supportive of

2:01:05 ↗ increasing revenues with the increased

2:01:07 ↗ utility tax property tax and the CPD

2:01:11 ↗ technology

2:01:13 ↗ fee that concludes our presentation

2:01:15 ↗ tonight are there any

2:01:16 ↗ questions great so we'll start with

2:01:19 ↗ Council questions and then we can go to

2:01:21 ↗ public public comment I know we had a

2:01:23 ↗ lot of questions that we're able to ask

2:01:25 ↗ during the presentation but does anybody

2:01:27 ↗ have anything outstanding at this

2:01:39 ↗ point you look like you're about to

2:01:42 ↗ raise your

2:01:43 ↗ mic yeah well I just I have lots of

2:01:46 ↗ questions but I don't know if I should

2:01:47 ↗ we also have like the question portal so

2:01:49 ↗ I was thinking maybe they might be more

2:01:51 ↗ appropriate there great yeah any

2:01:53 ↗ detailed questions Council may have we

2:01:56 ↗ have in the past we're going to do it

2:01:57 ↗ again uh I believe uh sus just sent out

2:02:00 ↗ something to council where you can go

2:02:02 ↗ ahead and type in your questions and we

2:02:04 ↗ will um provide those answers through uh

2:02:07 ↗ the information at the next council

2:02:09 ↗ meeting or as that information becomes

2:02:11 ↗ available during the deliberations

2:02:17 ↗ process okay so with that we have been

2:02:20 ↗ reminded that we can ask questions at

2:02:22 ↗ the portable and then those will

2:02:25 ↗ definitely come back to us um in future

2:02:27 ↗ packets as well as interim as well um

2:02:31 ↗ okay so we have an opportunity then for

2:02:34 ↗ public comment so I will again remind

2:02:37 ↗ anybody if they are online on the phone

2:02:40 ↗ you can hit star three or on a

2:02:43 ↗ smartphone or computer raise the hand

2:02:45 ↗ icon or send the host a chat message and

2:02:49 ↗ those in the audience just get to raise

2:02:51 ↗ their physical hand because we need to

2:02:53 ↗ do a little bit of work around here um

2:02:56 ↗ do we have anybody indicating desire

2:02:58 ↗ speak nope nobody

2:03:00 ↗ online nobody in the audience that would

2:03:02 ↗ like to speak okay so Council any levels

2:03:08 ↗ of feedback or any indication of kind of

2:03:12 ↗ conversations that you'd like to have I

2:03:14 ↗ mean I know we are very early in this

2:03:17 ↗ process um but we are having a much

2:03:21 ↗ later start start to our budget season

2:03:24 ↗ this year and so it's going to be

2:03:26 ↗ important for us to get focused on what

2:03:29 ↗ we see as the policy questions and kind

2:03:32 ↗ of how we're going to approach our

2:03:34 ↗ deliberations here pretty shortly so go

2:03:38 ↗ ahead council member

2:03:40 ↗ Mars

2:03:42 ↗ so pardon me I assume that we're uh

2:03:45 ↗ looking for feedback on the two

2:03:47 ↗ questions that were listed uh in front

2:03:49 ↗ of us so does the Council agree with the

2:03:52 ↗ budget priorities reflected in proposed

2:03:54 ↗ budget um generally yes um I have

2:03:59 ↗ specific concerns around

2:04:01 ↗ Metroflex um that's the piece of it that

2:04:04 ↗ uh I want to see us try to work a

2:04:06 ↗ solution with the county uh I don't want

2:04:09 ↗ us to give up on that merely because

2:04:11 ↗ right now we're at a financially

2:04:13 ↗ disadvantaged position let's get let's

2:04:16 ↗ get a good conversation going with the

2:04:18 ↗ county other than that um I like what

2:04:21 ↗ I've seen in in terms of priorities

2:04:23 ↗ there are some bigger long-term capital

2:04:25 ↗ questions that are really part of a

2:04:27 ↗ separate conversation that we've been

2:04:28 ↗ having in parallel to this but in terms

2:04:31 ↗ of the operating budget um I was very

2:04:34 ↗ very happy to see when I looked at the

2:04:36 ↗ uh per capita expenditures in real

2:04:39 ↗ dollars not we had we had in recent

2:04:42 ↗ years been slowly creeping up in that

2:04:44 ↗ number and it hadn't been growing

2:04:47 ↗ rapidly but I hadn't liked the direction

2:04:48 ↗ it was going in and this upcoming budget

2:04:51 ↗ what's been submitted it's completely

2:04:52 ↗ flat for both revenues and expenditures

2:04:55 ↗ and I think that's really important as

2:04:57 ↗ I've said before to the public you know

2:05:00 ↗ there's a perception out there that

2:05:01 ↗ government grows to fill the space

2:05:03 ↗ available and we can just

2:05:05 ↗ demonstratively show that that's not the

2:05:07 ↗ case that we're being careful uh we're

2:05:09 ↗ being uh judicious stewards with the

2:05:12 ↗ Public's precious tax money and so I

2:05:15 ↗ think that those uh the general

2:05:17 ↗ priorities and the general size of what

2:05:20 ↗ we're looking at um this process that

2:05:22 ↗ we're going to be going over in the next

2:05:24 ↗ month or so uh I'm very comfortable with

2:05:27 ↗ and then uh the revenues I'm also

2:05:29 ↗ comfortable with uh the proposed um

2:05:32 ↗ increased revenues I think these are uh

2:05:35 ↗ again looking at an overall model that

2:05:37 ↗ we are U keeping the size of government

2:05:40 ↗ reasonable I think these are um a a a

2:05:44 ↗ reasonable and um spread of regressive

2:05:48 ↗ and Progressive ways to um

2:05:52 ↗ uh attach this and and the regressive

2:05:54 ↗ ones tend to be uh fees rather than uh

2:05:58 ↗ you know what I think it was a head tax

2:06:00 ↗ or a flat tax so I'm I'm comfortable on

2:06:02 ↗ both of these policy questions generally

2:06:05 ↗ yes on the priorities and and yes on the

2:06:08 ↗ funding thank

2:06:09 ↗ you I don't think that will be the last

2:06:11 ↗ time we hear about Metroflex so um thank

2:06:14 ↗ you for starting that out uh council

2:06:16 ↗ member Hall I actually did think of a

2:06:18 ↗ question I want to ask that might

2:06:19 ↗ influence um how I think about the

2:06:22 ↗ second policy question on revenues so I

2:06:24 ↗ noticed when we were looking at the

2:06:26 ↗ utility tax spread among cities um there

2:06:30 ↗ was a lot of variety in terms of whether

2:06:32 ↗ it was the same across all the different

2:06:34 ↗ utilities or if there was different

2:06:37 ↗ someone like Seattle had much more in or

2:06:40 ↗ higher in like water as opposed to like

2:06:42 ↗ cable TV or something like that so I was

2:06:44 ↗ just wondering in kind of our analysis

2:06:46 ↗ of where we should set um utility tax

2:06:49 ↗ rates did we consider um something other

2:06:52 ↗ than kind of uniform 6% across the Grid

2:06:55 ↗ or some sort of staggered um arrangement

2:06:58 ↗ of percentages or walk me through that a

2:07:01 ↗ little um we we that's a lot so if we

2:07:04 ↗ need to revisit that question we can't

2:07:06 ↗ too sorry great great question thank you

2:07:08 ↗ council member um we were we were really

2:07:11 ↗ trying to look at what um was uh easy to

2:07:16 ↗ implement what um didn't put a

2:07:19 ↗ particular strain on one type of utility

2:07:21 ↗ over another um and so I think in the

2:07:25 ↗ past Council has chosen to keep utility

2:07:28 ↗ tax rates for city-owned utilities

2:07:31 ↗ rather low compared to the other

2:07:33 ↗ categories of utilities which we did not

2:07:35 ↗ really discuss tonight um so you see

2:07:38 ↗ some of that that thought behind what

2:07:40 ↗ you see in the other City rates you also

2:07:42 ↗ saw some cities had really high for

2:07:44 ↗ something like say water but not as much

2:07:46 ↗ for sewer or storm water and I think

2:07:49 ↗ it's it's just kind of dependent on what

2:07:51 ↗ the philos ophy is at the time we were

2:07:52 ↗ really looking at how how can we make

2:07:55 ↗ something that seems reasonable keeps

2:07:57 ↗ the tax rate about on par with what we

2:08:00 ↗ see as other cities in some cases less

2:08:03 ↗ and is also um easier to implement and

2:08:11 ↗ understand and I'll just jump in on that

2:08:15 ↗ um is the 6% the

2:08:19 ↗ Max uh this 6% across most utilities is

2:08:24 ↗ a Max I believe with city-owned

2:08:27 ↗ utilities we could go higher if we want

2:08:29 ↗ to other types of facil of utilities

2:08:32 ↗ we'd need to have a public

2:08:43 ↗ vote Deputy council

2:08:46 ↗ president um thank you um yes I do

2:08:50 ↗ support the priority prorities as they

2:08:52 ↗ were presented and yes I do uh support

2:08:56 ↗ increasing the revenues as presented so

2:08:59 ↗ I've just selected some things I'd like

2:09:01 ↗ to talk about a little bit more um in

2:09:04 ↗ the area of those that I support and I I

2:09:07 ↗ certainly support the um proposal that's

2:09:10 ↗ put forward for Public Safety um we've

2:09:13 ↗ had a a lot of work go into uh

2:09:17 ↗ increasing our police department and

2:09:19 ↗ making sure that we're fully staffed and

2:09:22 ↗ um I think that investment that we've

2:09:24 ↗ made in the last few years should be

2:09:26 ↗ continued and so I'm very happy to see

2:09:29 ↗ that I'm very happy to see the proposal

2:09:31 ↗ for the court uh and we've heard uh

2:09:34 ↗ especially at the um service of safety

2:09:37 ↗ and Parks committee uh about the dire

2:09:40 ↗ needs that uh the court has and so I'm

2:09:42 ↗ very happy with that

2:09:44 ↗ proposal um I do agree with the

2:09:46 ↗ administration on the metr flex proposal

2:09:48 ↗ that was put forward and you know I'm a

2:09:50 ↗ big quter of Metroflex but I totally

2:09:54 ↗ agree that we need to talk to Metro and

2:09:56 ↗ see if they uh certainly can fund that

2:09:59 ↗ the way they are funding it for other

2:10:01 ↗ communities I don't know why isqua

2:10:03 ↗ should be paying and and other

2:10:06 ↗ communities are not so uh I hope I'm

2:10:09 ↗ keeping my fingers crossed that we keep

2:10:11 ↗ it because it is a popular service and

2:10:14 ↗ uh also meets a lot of our

2:10:16 ↗ transportation goals but the funding of

2:10:18 ↗ that definitely needs to be transferred

2:10:21 ↗ um pavment Management program Bennett

2:10:23 ↗ thank you so much for explaining that

2:10:27 ↗ graph I did could not read that graph so

2:10:30 ↗ now I think I understand it a little bit

2:10:32 ↗ better so thank you and I also wanted to

2:10:35 ↗ comment on the commitment to uh making

2:10:38 ↗ sure that the Personnel that we do have

2:10:41 ↗ uh are well paid and compensated

2:10:44 ↗ appropriately uh we are a place where

2:10:47 ↗ many many of our employees have to

2:10:48 ↗ commute because the cost of living here

2:10:50 ↗ is so high and so uh I think that we

2:10:55 ↗ need to recognize that by uh making sure

2:10:57 ↗ that the compensation they receive is is

2:11:00 ↗ appropriate and uh covers uh the

2:11:02 ↗ additional costs that they have of of

2:11:04 ↗ coming here to work and we certainly

2:11:06 ↗ appreciate the employees that we have so

2:11:09 ↗ I do have some concerns that I want to

2:11:10 ↗ talk a little bit about um uh and this

2:11:14 ↗ is no surprise but let's talk about the

2:11:16 ↗ Human Services reductions I appreciate

2:11:19 ↗ that uh we're giving some of our um uh

2:11:23 ↗ our uh organizations are nonprofits in

2:11:26 ↗ town a year to adjust for it but there's

2:11:29 ↗ I just want us to Think Through we have

2:11:32 ↗ some nonprofits that are really dealing

2:11:35 ↗ in basic Services food housing

2:11:38 ↗ clothing um and the their ability to

2:11:43 ↗ serve the poorest Among Us um is also

2:11:47 ↗ preventive in in in that it helps people

2:11:51 ↗ will not fall out of below the Crocs or

2:11:55 ↗ not uh become in more severe trouble

2:11:58 ↗ than they're already in and so I'm

2:12:01 ↗ thinking we have a year for them to

2:12:03 ↗ accommodate it but I'm wondering if we

2:12:05 ↗ can also use that year to think about uh

2:12:08 ↗ if we can mitigate that blow and uh when

2:12:11 ↗ we talk about Equity um we're not always

2:12:14 ↗ talking about treating everyone equally

2:12:17 ↗ and so I'm wondering if we can look at

2:12:19 ↗ those organizations that deal with basic

2:12:21 ↗ services and see if we can really

2:12:24 ↗ mitigate the blow to them because every

2:12:26 ↗ dollar that we can return to those

2:12:29 ↗ groups will be helping someone stay uh

2:12:32 ↗ maybe in their housing or be more food

2:12:35 ↗ secure or those kinds of things so I'd

2:12:38 ↗ like us to look at that um I appreciate

2:12:42 ↗ the approach to the Arts um I am sorry

2:12:45 ↗ to see the 35% cut but I realize that

2:12:47 ↗ we're going to be looking at King

2:12:49 ↗ County's uh Open Door funding and I

2:12:52 ↗ would just ask that we monitor that and

2:12:54 ↗ make sure that our strategy there is

2:12:56 ↗ working um and if it appears that it's

2:12:59 ↗ not then we really double down on that

2:13:02 ↗ Arts fund review um I just want us to

2:13:05 ↗ keep a close eye on that and just make

2:13:07 ↗ sure that we're not setting up a a a s a

2:13:12 ↗ a situation of failure for that for that

2:13:14 ↗ uh for the Arts because they're

2:13:16 ↗ important to our community I am

2:13:18 ↗ concerned about reduction in the Light

2:13:20 ↗ Rail station analysis and designed

2:13:23 ↗ because again we've invested a lot in

2:13:26 ↗ studies um to get ready for that light

2:13:28 ↗ rail station and I I would hate to see

2:13:30 ↗ us get a lot of work done and then come

2:13:32 ↗ to a full halt so again maybe let's

2:13:35 ↗ revisit that one more time before we do

2:13:38 ↗ the final budget proposal and then when

2:13:41 ↗ I look at that undesignated ending fund

2:13:43 ↗ balance in 2026 of 4% my hair sort of

2:13:47 ↗ stands on end so so that is wores some

2:13:51 ↗ to me um and I i' well first of all

2:13:54 ↗ thanks to everybody who worked on this

2:13:56 ↗ budget this was really really hard work

2:13:59 ↗ and so I realized that a lot went into

2:14:02 ↗ coming up with that final uh projection

2:14:06 ↗ but that to me is scary so uh let's look

2:14:09 ↗ at that again and then I want to call on

2:14:12 ↗ our city administrator because he said

2:14:14 ↗ something at the All City meeting that I

2:14:16 ↗ thought needed to be repeated about

2:14:19 ↗ we're not going to do more for less

2:14:21 ↗ we're going to do less with less you

2:14:24 ↗ want to talk about that uh because I

2:14:26 ↗ think that's an important thing if we're

2:14:28 ↗ going to reduce our uh expenditures and

2:14:32 ↗ our

2:14:33 ↗ Personnel we just can't the public just

2:14:37 ↗ cannot expect us to do the same job that

2:14:39 ↗ we've been doing so I'll turn that over

2:14:42 ↗ to you for a little pep

2:14:45 ↗ talk well I think you you said it um you

2:14:49 ↗ know we we are fortunate to have

2:14:50 ↗ excellent staff you've heard you know

2:14:52 ↗ your leadership uh this evening under

2:14:55 ↗ mayor Paulie's Direction um but they all

2:14:59 ↗ we all work with extraordinarily

2:15:01 ↗ talented people uh we want to keep them

2:15:04 ↗ here we want them to feel that they have

2:15:08 ↗ an opportunity to to be their best

2:15:10 ↗ professional selves that they have

2:15:12 ↗ opportunities to accomplish things and

2:15:15 ↗ part of our responsibility as management

2:15:18 ↗ is to make sure that we don't ask too

2:15:20 ↗ much of them we balance those resources

2:15:23 ↗ uh and you know sometimes we have to say

2:15:25 ↗ no and we'll have to say no to you we'll

2:15:29 ↗ have to say no to members of the

2:15:30 ↗ community uh you and your colleagues uh

2:15:33 ↗ we will have to say no to members of the

2:15:35 ↗ community um and that's hard been doing

2:15:38 ↗ this a long time no one ever wants to

2:15:39 ↗ hear no uh but I think that's part of uh

2:15:43 ↗ your charge as a council uh as as

2:15:46 ↗ stewards of the budget it's the mayor's

2:15:48 ↗ role as the leader of the organization

2:15:51 ↗ uh to you know provide that policy

2:15:52 ↗ guidance uh uh dayto day uh and it's my

2:15:56 ↗ role to help say

2:15:59 ↗ no so we're committed to that we hear

2:16:02 ↗ from our employees uh you know that they

2:16:06 ↗ want to stay here they want to be uh

2:16:08 ↗ well compensated but they also want to

2:16:10 ↗ know that they can succeed with the work

2:16:12 ↗ that they do and not be overwhelmed by

2:16:14 ↗ taking on tasks beyond their their scope

2:16:18 ↗ or beyond the 40 hours a week or so we

2:16:20 ↗ pay for them

2:16:25 ↗ okay so we're starting to hear some

2:16:26 ↗ themes some ideas coming out um council

2:16:30 ↗ member H you have your more say go ahead

2:16:35 ↗ um thank you yeah let me just also Echo

2:16:38 ↗ oh both you came up now um me also Echo

2:16:40 ↗ Deputy council president in just saying

2:16:43 ↗ thank you to staff for your incredible

2:16:45 ↗ professionalism and stewardship really

2:16:47 ↗ over your departments and your budgets

2:16:48 ↗ and helping us get through this process

2:16:50 ↗ so just thank you for everything thank

2:16:52 ↗ you of course for uh Andrea and

2:16:54 ↗ everything that you do for the city I

2:16:56 ↗ just think of the emotional labor of

2:16:57 ↗ some of this work that you all have been

2:16:59 ↗ involved in and I imagine it so just

2:17:01 ↗ thank you for

2:17:03 ↗ for for doing everything you've done and

2:17:05 ↗ for being here with us as we make some

2:17:07 ↗ of these hard decisions as well um so

2:17:10 ↗ going through the um policy questions

2:17:13 ↗ the first one agreeing with budget

2:17:16 ↗ parties uh in agreement with what's been

2:17:19 ↗ said before I think focusing on police

2:17:22 ↗ fire court jail sustainability Equity

2:17:25 ↗ Transportation as much as possible

2:17:27 ↗ paying staff fairly these kinds of

2:17:29 ↗ things seem exactly the kind of feedback

2:17:32 ↗ that we gave you in the original Council

2:17:34 ↗ Retreat back in the summer so to me it

2:17:37 ↗ seems that the priorities are on track I

2:17:40 ↗ also am concerned with um Metroflex

2:17:43 ↗ reduction um I think if we're unlucky

2:17:46 ↗ with having conversations with Metro

2:17:48 ↗ over the next few months this kind of

2:17:50 ↗ two Monon Runway we have um I would like

2:17:53 ↗ to see what funding at ourselves

2:17:56 ↗ maintaining the funding ourselves would

2:17:59 ↗ look like and what kind of impact that

2:18:00 ↗ might be so we as a council can kind of

2:18:02 ↗ Judge whether or not that's worth

2:18:05 ↗ continued investment from the

2:18:07 ↗ city um other than that again agreed

2:18:11 ↗ with budget priorities um I also support

2:18:13 ↗ I also just wanted to say for the record

2:18:14 ↗ support maintaining the 15% general fund

2:18:17 ↗ ending fund balance so thank you for

2:18:18 ↗ making that a priority through this

2:18:20 ↗ process

2:18:21 ↗ um for the revenue increases for the

2:18:23 ↗ most part yes I agree with um all three

2:18:26 ↗ I think for the CPD Tech fee I would

2:18:28 ↗ like to understand what that really

2:18:31 ↗ means in terms of the a average impact

2:18:33 ↗ on a permit and whether or not it could

2:18:35 ↗ be seen as kind of a barrier to to our

2:18:38 ↗ customers um trying to receive permits

2:18:40 ↗ so I think just a little bit more

2:18:41 ↗ information I will submit that through

2:18:43 ↗ the the question portal so I see you

2:18:45 ↗ franly scribbling notes I'll make sure

2:18:47 ↗ to get it in there so don't worry um as

2:18:50 ↗ for just other comments to um for the

2:18:54 ↗ future work slide to I mean one thing

2:18:56 ↗ I've really been thinking about I've

2:18:57 ↗ talked with you about this before is

2:18:59 ↗ whether or not we need to have um um a

2:19:02 ↗ levy or a levy lid lift here in Isa

2:19:05 ↗ specifically for Public Safety and

2:19:07 ↗ recognizing the uh importance of Public

2:19:10 ↗ Safety in our community and also the

2:19:12 ↗ ever increasing costs of Public Safety

2:19:14 ↗ including Court um in our community um I

2:19:17 ↗ think that that's a conversation that is

2:19:19 ↗ worth having sooner rather than later um

2:19:23 ↗ and I just want to put that on the

2:19:24 ↗ record um I

2:19:26 ↗ think probably important to have in

2:19:29 ↗ tandem too with whatever our facilities

2:19:31 ↗ if whatever our facilities conversations

2:19:33 ↗ are with fire station 71 because if you

2:19:36 ↗ asked me between having dedicated

2:19:39 ↗ funding for Public Safety or fire

2:19:41 ↗ station 71 I I need to think about that

2:19:43 ↗ a little bit more so I think we need to

2:19:46 ↗ have kind of a more involved

2:19:47 ↗ conversation with that next year um and

2:19:50 ↗ I just wanted to make sure to say that

2:19:51 ↗ for the record I have lot a lot of other

2:19:53 ↗ questions that I'll be uh concerns based

2:19:55 ↗ on some questions that I have that I'll

2:19:57 ↗ be adding into the um form because I

2:20:01 ↗ don't know if they're necessarily

2:20:02 ↗ concerns yet but mostly about um well

2:20:05 ↗ and you you recognize this many times

2:20:06 ↗ throughout uh how we think about

2:20:08 ↗ construction sales tax in the future

2:20:09 ↗ also onetime adjustments versus ongoing

2:20:12 ↗ adjustments um so it sounds like we are

2:20:14 ↗ planning on kind of have getting more in

2:20:15 ↗ depth and having those conversations but

2:20:17 ↗ also concern about the light rail um

2:20:21 ↗ uh losing the Light Rail station

2:20:22 ↗ analysis and design study the housing

2:20:24 ↗ and

2:20:25 ↗ parking study and um a reduced

2:20:29 ↗ irrigation um also kind of having Brown

2:20:31 ↗ bushes around the city also kind of

2:20:33 ↗ concerns me because that is a very

2:20:34 ↗ visible thing that the community seees

2:20:36 ↗ same with potholes right so um these are

2:20:39 ↗ other things I'd like to ask questions

2:20:40 ↗ about and get more in depth

2:20:42 ↗ conversations with C about um again

2:20:44 ↗ thank you to everyone um thank you for

2:20:46 ↗ the long presentation today and yeah

2:20:48 ↗ lots more work to come

2:20:51 ↗ we have dueling microphones and I didn't

2:20:53 ↗ see okay uh council member hunt then you

2:20:57 ↗ go

2:20:59 ↗ ahead thank you thank you for all of the

2:21:01 ↗ information that you provided tonight I

2:21:04 ↗ I firstly wanted to start off by

2:21:06 ↗ recognizing um the the unfortunate

2:21:09 ↗ layoffs that are in this budget and the

2:21:11 ↗ mayor's comments about you know these

2:21:13 ↗ were folks that were doing a good job

2:21:14 ↗ for the city and it was the position

2:21:16 ↗ that we found ourselves with the budget

2:21:18 ↗ this year that that those layoffs um

2:21:20 ↗ were necessary and I wanted to recognize

2:21:23 ↗ the hardship um those folks but also

2:21:25 ↗ their service to the city um in the on

2:21:29 ↗ the first question about the priorities

2:21:31 ↗ I do um agree with the prior priorities

2:21:34 ↗ especially the um the newer Focus or the

2:21:39 ↗ uh increased focus on equity and on

2:21:42 ↗ sustainability um were things that we've

2:21:45 ↗ recently focused on more in our

2:21:47 ↗ comprehensive plan as well to make sure

2:21:49 ↗ that we're addressing um equity and

2:21:51 ↗ sustainability there and it was also

2:21:53 ↗ something that we talked um quite

2:21:55 ↗ extensively about during the update to

2:21:58 ↗ our city strategic plan in that group

2:22:02 ↗ making sure that we are thinking more

2:22:04 ↗ about um about climate change for

2:22:07 ↗ example um as that has increased in the

2:22:10 ↗ community's awareness about um the

2:22:12 ↗ impacts of that and then also with the

2:22:14 ↗ new Equity board making sure that we're

2:22:16 ↗ um including that in our overall

2:22:18 ↗ planning um

2:22:21 ↗ I have several things that I think uh I

2:22:24 ↗ would like to talk more about with my

2:22:25 ↗ fellow council members um Fleet and so

2:22:30 ↗ for Fleet there is this large increase I

2:22:33 ↗ I would like to understand that more and

2:22:36 ↗ understand our options more for

2:22:37 ↗ potentially smoothing that out or

2:22:39 ↗ phasing that in just what are the

2:22:41 ↗ options for that large increase that

2:22:43 ↗ we're seeing in Fleet um tenant

2:22:46 ↗ improvements we have uh a million

2:22:49 ↗ dollars in the current budget for tenant

2:22:52 ↗ improvements over the next two years to

2:22:54 ↗ a space that we as the city would not

2:22:56 ↗ own um for the Municipal Court

2:22:58 ↗ relocation so I'd like to understand

2:23:00 ↗ that more and and think about that from

2:23:02 ↗ a policy perspective as investing a

2:23:05 ↗ large amount of money in a building that

2:23:07 ↗ the city the city will not

2:23:09 ↗ own versus um making improvements to a

2:23:12 ↗ building that we we currently

2:23:14 ↗ have um on utility tax uh I would like

2:23:20 ↗ more information and like to have a

2:23:22 ↗ conversation just to make sure that we

2:23:23 ↗ fully understand the impacts to

2:23:26 ↗ Residents information about how many

2:23:29 ↗ people would be impacted um by the

2:23:31 ↗ different rate changes and what the

2:23:33 ↗ average household um accumulated rate

2:23:36 ↗ would be or the overall amount of impact

2:23:39 ↗ to different residents for example we

2:23:41 ↗ have a 6% cable uh Fe utility packs and

2:23:45 ↗ I don't know how many residents are

2:23:47 ↗ actually um currently impacted by by

2:23:50 ↗ that um so just to get a sense of that

2:23:52 ↗ for our for our

2:23:54 ↗ residents uh Human Services I would like

2:23:58 ↗ to better just fully wrap our arms arms

2:24:02 ↗ around what that um will mean if we are

2:24:05 ↗ uh cutting some of those services or

2:24:07 ↗ some of that funding and then the two

2:24:10 ↗ studies that have been mentioned the

2:24:11 ↗ light rail um but also the housing and

2:24:13 ↗ parking study would like us as as people

2:24:16 ↗ that would uh be using the information

2:24:18 ↗ from the studies and policy to think

2:24:20 ↗ about what the impacts are for our

2:24:22 ↗ future policym um to not have that

2:24:24 ↗ information that we would gain from

2:24:25 ↗ those studies and uh and think through

2:24:28 ↗ that pavement management one thing I

2:24:31 ↗ wanted

2:24:33 ↗ to posit is that we had such a big um a

2:24:37 ↗ big investment from arpa and over the

2:24:40 ↗ last couple years uh very visible very

2:24:42 ↗ appreciated improvements um to a number

2:24:45 ↗ of our roadways as was mentioned um and

2:24:48 ↗ so I think potentially with all the

2:24:50 ↗ other Cuts in the budget thinking about

2:24:53 ↗ how we might um use that as maybe to to

2:24:58 ↗ have we had so many improvements that

2:25:00 ↗ maybe we would you take a break or slow

2:25:04 ↗ down on some of the pavement management

2:25:06 ↗ if we are looking for areas to balance

2:25:08 ↗ out other parts of the

2:25:11 ↗ budget and then lastly uh I so I do

2:25:15 ↗ agree with the the overall themes of the

2:25:18 ↗ budget as I as I think I said um

2:25:21 ↗ especially sustainability and Equity it

2:25:23 ↗ seems to me that when we did our Equity

2:25:24 ↗ training we we were taught to think

2:25:27 ↗ about the whole

2:25:29 ↗ um all of the policies with this Equity

2:25:32 ↗ lens and we've been trying to do that as

2:25:34 ↗ a city and it seems to me that the

2:25:37 ↗ Metroflex is a really important Equity

2:25:39 ↗ program that we as the city have adopted

2:25:41 ↗ as well as a sustainability program and

2:25:44 ↗ so if we are focusing on that um I would

2:25:46 ↗ like to make sure that we're thinking

2:25:48 ↗ about that cut um as really impacting uh

2:25:52 ↗ folks that don't have access to a car um

2:25:56 ↗ or are benefiting from it um and it's

2:26:00 ↗ also important from the sustainability

2:26:02 ↗ perspective so I would like more

2:26:03 ↗ information about the likelihood I would

2:26:05 ↗ like to get those conversations started

2:26:06 ↗ with Metroflex Metroflex to get

2:26:08 ↗ information about the likelihood of um

2:26:12 ↗ this of the plan that they might funds

2:26:14 ↗ this so we can factor that in um but I

2:26:17 ↗ would definitely like to have that

2:26:18 ↗ conversation

2:26:21 ↗ thank

2:26:23 ↗ you go ahead um thanks uh just a couple

2:26:27 ↗ things I'll try and be really brief um

2:26:29 ↗ I'm trying to rationalize a couple

2:26:31 ↗ things and one is the statement that

2:26:33 ↗ we're having fewer filings from contract

2:26:35 ↗ cities and yet we're anticipating the

2:26:37 ↗ court uh the court workload to increase

2:26:40 ↗ and I'm I'm trying to figure out what

2:26:42 ↗ we're doing different than other these

2:26:43 ↗ cities that we're seeing an increase in

2:26:44 ↗ filings while other cities are seeing a

2:26:47 ↗ decrease in filings so um something to

2:26:49 ↗ help me wrap my brain around that um I

2:26:52 ↗ am as others still concerned about um

2:26:55 ↗ the increases in Fleet and facilities

2:26:57 ↗ and I'd really like a further

2:26:58 ↗ explanation on what's built into

2:27:01 ↗ that um and then I'm going to be a bit

2:27:03 ↗ of a contrarian um on Metroflex and

2:27:06 ↗ light light rail St station I think

2:27:09 ↗ Metroflex may be a good program um but

2:27:12 ↗ given our budget constraints I'm not as

2:27:14 ↗ sure it's one that that we need to

2:27:16 ↗ continue if we're going to um pick up

2:27:19 ↗ the whole load and then think I really

2:27:20 ↗ want to understand the demographics of

2:27:22 ↗ who's using it and how effective it's

2:27:24 ↗ been in reducing trips because I'm not

2:27:27 ↗ sure that um that is really it is

2:27:30 ↗ providing clearly a service to those in

2:27:34 ↗ need but I think it's also providing a

2:27:35 ↗ service for those who are not in need

2:27:37 ↗ and I'm not sure that that's something

2:27:39 ↗ I'm I'm super excited about funding the

2:27:41 ↗ Light Rail station design can wait it's

2:27:43 ↗ still a long ways out we've done some

2:27:45 ↗ work the world is going to change a long

2:27:47 ↗ ways between here and when light rail

2:27:49 ↗ arrives and so I guess given our tight

2:27:51 ↗ budget constraints I think it makes

2:27:52 ↗ sense to push this out and then the one

2:27:56 ↗ thing that really struck me on the

2:27:57 ↗ priorities as identified specifically

2:28:00 ↗ was this is in quotes but maintain

2:28:03 ↗ investment in transportation as much as

2:28:06 ↗ possible um the as much as possible

2:28:09 ↗ strikes me as well tell me what is

2:28:11 ↗ possible then um it's a it's a it's a

2:28:13 ↗ kind of a weasel phrase there and I

2:28:15 ↗ don't know what it means then so kind of

2:28:17 ↗ like is it a priority or isn't a

2:28:18 ↗ priority so I need some help in in

2:28:20 ↗ wrapping my brain around what we think

2:28:23 ↗ is an important priority around

2:28:26 ↗ Transportation um and then I'm going to

2:28:28 ↗ kind of Riff a little bit on uh Deputy

2:28:30 ↗ president D Michelle's um comments

2:28:33 ↗ they're all good um no this is you know

2:28:35 ↗ the things that we choose to um fund or

2:28:38 ↗ or to reduce fundings in really um this

2:28:41 ↗ budget is a manifestation of our

2:28:43 ↗ priorities and so what we're saying is

2:28:46 ↗ these are the things that we want to

2:28:47 ↗ make sure we maintain and and as as the

2:28:51 ↗ city administrator said there are some

2:28:52 ↗ things we're just not going to be able

2:28:53 ↗ to deliver at the same level because we

2:28:56 ↗ just don't have the resources so I think

2:28:58 ↗ as we go through this process you know

2:29:00 ↗ it's not just dollars and cents it's

2:29:01 ↗ actually um services and not services so

2:29:05 ↗ um that's you know what it all comes

2:29:06 ↗ down to U looked at the revenue stuff

2:29:09 ↗ I'm perfectly fine with that I like the

2:29:11 ↗ idea of staging in the increases over a

2:29:13 ↗ couple of years in the bay

2:29:17 ↗ any council member Joe thank you you uh

2:29:20 ↗ first thank you to City administrator

2:29:23 ↗ Bob ktz and uh mayor Paulie for your

2:29:27 ↗ leadership during this difficult time I

2:29:29 ↗ know that um great deal of work was done

2:29:32 ↗ a lot of late nights with with uh your

2:29:34 ↗ staff and the leadership team like to

2:29:36 ↗ acknowledge the entire leadership team

2:29:38 ↗ for proposing a budget that um allows us

2:29:41 ↗ to to continue to focus on our

2:29:43 ↗ priorities as we go forward I know that

2:29:45 ↗ all of you did a great deal of work to

2:29:48 ↗ try to find the the the cuts that would

2:29:50 ↗ still keep the priorities of Public

2:29:53 ↗ Safety fire Poli and Courts at a

2:29:55 ↗ Forefront and also have the

2:29:57 ↗ environmental emphasis emphasis and the

2:30:00 ↗ other uh programs that are in there

2:30:01 ↗ including Transportation so thank you

2:30:04 ↗ for all of your hard work um I won't

2:30:07 ↗ belabor too long but just uh focusing a

2:30:11 ↗ little bit on what council member Ray

2:30:13 ↗ said our our budget uh emphasizes what

2:30:16 ↗ our priorities are and in isqua we have

2:30:18 ↗ a a uh both focus a laser focus on

2:30:23 ↗ environmental issues and if we look at

2:30:25 ↗ the sustainability programs that we're

2:30:27 ↗ doing um it that directly impacts the

2:30:31 ↗ environment we also need to think about

2:30:32 ↗ the other environmental things that

2:30:33 ↗ we're doing whether it's tree canopy

2:30:35 ↗ buying open space for around around the

2:30:38 ↗ streams to to keep The Greenery in in

2:30:40 ↗ the city um uh reservoir infastructure

2:30:44 ↗ for water supply and large CA uh catch

2:30:47 ↗ basins for storm water um as the climate

2:30:50 ↗ gets more severe in terms of the the

2:30:53 ↗ storms etc etc there's more runoff that

2:30:55 ↗ needs to be accounted for and properly

2:30:57 ↗ taken care of so these are other

2:30:59 ↗ environmental priorities that are hidden

2:31:02 ↗ in the budget but are all part of the

2:31:04 ↗ green emphasis that we have in isqua and

2:31:07 ↗ I want to really thank staff for making

2:31:09 ↗ sure those elements were not um left off

2:31:13 ↗ the uh the list because that

2:31:15 ↗ infrastructure is so important to make

2:31:17 ↗ sure that we're deing things the green

2:31:19 ↗ right right way uh for our our

2:31:21 ↗ environment and also the fish passage

2:31:24 ↗ work of course is is going to be an

2:31:26 ↗ important element going forward so um

2:31:29 ↗ those are all just kind of hidden green

2:31:31 ↗ things that are in there we talk about

2:31:32 ↗ all the visible green things that are

2:31:34 ↗ out there but the budget does have these

2:31:36 ↗ other elements in there that um I know

2:31:38 ↗ our citizens see as a priority and we've

2:31:41 ↗ got to make sure that um we're

2:31:43 ↗ accounting for them in the budget and we

2:31:44 ↗ can talk to our citizens about those

2:31:46 ↗ other elements that are there when we're

2:31:48 ↗ out in the public

2:31:50 ↗ um I'll just briefly talk about the uh

2:31:53 ↗ reduction in the Light Rail station

2:31:55 ↗ analysis um certainly

2:31:58 ↗ 2043 is a ways off but I would just ask

2:32:01 ↗ it that the uh Light Rail station

2:32:04 ↗ analysis continue to coincide and be

2:32:07 ↗ coordinated with the uh construction of

2:32:10 ↗ the I90 overpass perhaps leading that by

2:32:13 ↗ a year or year and a half so that they

2:32:15 ↗ work together in time and um are ready

2:32:18 ↗ about the same time for uh presentation

2:32:22 ↗ implementation and a conversation uh in

2:32:25 ↗ our city for our citizens to take a look

2:32:28 ↗ at that project uh uh in depth and they

2:32:31 ↗ can help uh form that vision for that

2:32:34 ↗ Terminus um finally on the uh uh sales

2:32:38 ↗ tax revenues I definitely think the

2:32:40 ↗ enhancements proposed are appropriate uh

2:32:43 ↗ I would generally agree with them as as

2:32:45 ↗ they're put together um just one last

2:32:48 ↗ thing for the future of of construction

2:32:50 ↗ sales tax I'm certainly am interested in

2:32:52 ↗ hearing the proposals by the mayor and

2:32:55 ↗ the administration on how those funds

2:32:57 ↗ would be used I know you're going to

2:32:58 ↗ come up with a creative idea as you

2:33:00 ↗ always do to make sure those funds um

2:33:03 ↗ from construction go to support uh the

2:33:06 ↗ same U type of programs that that make

2:33:09 ↗ isqua a great place to live work and

2:33:11 ↗ play thank

2:33:15 ↗ you well gosh we're already in it aren't

2:33:19 ↗ we I wasn't sure if everybody was going

2:33:21 ↗ to come in and you know bring all of

2:33:23 ↗ these great policy questions but you can

2:33:25 ↗ see we obviously have a conversation to

2:33:28 ↗ be had so we'll look forward to working

2:33:31 ↗ with the administration on that we are

2:33:34 ↗ reminded once again that we can uh ask

2:33:37 ↗ our questions to the portal and get them

2:33:40 ↗ over to Susie and the budget

2:33:43 ↗ team letting your way it will be

2:33:46 ↗ exciting um is there anything the

2:33:49 ↗ administration needs other than that

2:33:50 ↗ from

2:33:51 ↗ us no thank you very much Council okay

2:33:55 ↗ well I will also throw another thank you

2:33:57 ↗ in to our senior leadership team and

2:33:59 ↗ staff and department heads who have come

2:34:02 ↗ and uh shared with us and struggled

2:34:06 ↗ along with us on this lovely fun budget

2:34:10 ↗ um situation so very much appreciate

2:34:13 ↗ your contribution as we sort through all

2:34:17 ↗ of these pieces so thank with that

2:34:21 ↗ um yes let's see we've already done a

2:34:24 ↗ community comment so going back to uh

2:34:29 ↗ we've got good of the order any good of

2:34:30 ↗ the order

2:34:32 ↗ items okay well then I will note that we

2:34:35 ↗ are adjourned at 9:05 p.m. thank you

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 (7)

Barbara de Michele

Zach Hall

Victoria Hunt

Russell Joe

Tola Marts

Chris Reh

Lindsey Walsh