Written by the reviewer from the ASR + docket; [verbatim-ASR] = quoted machine transcript; [paraphrase] = reviewer's wording, not a quote.
0:00 I'll go ahead and call the February 9th, although it feels like January 800th meeting of the
0:08 Finance Committee to order at 704.
0:12 All the committee members are here and all my council colleagues as well.
0:16 So the first order of business is the review and approval of the December 15th, 2025
0:21 Finance Committee meeting minutes.
0:23 Is there a motion to approve?
0:27 All those in, or any discussion?
0:29 All those in favor say aye.
0:33 And then we have a couple items that we want to get through the night.
0:37 The first one is ordinance 04, 2026, which is a transfer and advances ordinance.
0:46 As you look through it, it looks like we are doing one of our standard transfers
0:49 of funds out of the general fund and into Winterhurst and Office on Aging, as well
0:57 as some wastewater improvement and into the debt service funds.
1:02 And additionally some, it looks to be federal funds out of the general fund.
1:14 Or I guess help me understand that, Director Mahoney.
1:16 It looks like what we're doing is maybe fronting some of that money or paying
1:21 Are you talking about the advances out?
1:24 Yeah, the advances out.
1:25 Those are to pay ourselves back from what we did at the end of 2025.
1:30 So those are from all those funds.
1:33 At the end of 2025, we needed to advance due to timing differences of receding some
1:38 revenues and now once now those revenues have been received and we can pay back
1:46 So that's what that's doing.
1:49 And then the other ones seem to be standard procedure.
1:54 To help me understand these funds on the debt service payment at least, we're
1:59 essentially transferring out of the general fund and for those wastewater treatment
2:04 plan improvements, is that from ease from residents as it relates to like stormwater
2:10 and sewer and then we're putting it into a fund to then pay the debt?
2:16 So the first transfer, the $325,000 to Winterhurst and Aging, that's simply
2:21 to help fund those funds that they need the extra funding just to keep operations.
2:32 The debt service payments are from the wastewater treatment plant.
2:38 Those were fees and those help pay the debt service on the sewer improvements and
2:46 I think I understand.
2:47 Any questions from committee members?
2:50 Thanks, Director Mahoney.
2:51 Just a couple of questions in the same vein.
2:52 And so for the CDBG funds writ large, have those checked?
3:01 The CDBG funds are actually available in the Washington含d of those.
3:14 So, for the CDBG funds writ large, have those checks now been received?
3:23 In other words, the federal government has paid us or were?
3:27 They were not received at the end of December, but now they have been received.
3:30 Okay, so you have got them in hand now?
3:36 Secondly, and if we hadn't, we'd not see that on this and maybe show up in
3:45 Wastewater, for transferring from Fund 512 Wastewater Treatment Plan improvements to
3:50 Fund 511, isn't that capital to operations or what are we needing the monies in 511 for?
3:58 That pays for both 301 and 511, those are to pay some of the debt service from sewer
4:08 So, they're both similar, just some is paid from the debt service fund and some
4:13 is paid from the Wastewater Treatment Plan fund.
4:16 It's not materials or employees?
4:22 And then finally, since I never can recall one year to the next, for the transfers
4:31 to Office on Aging and Winters, can you compare these levels to what they were
4:37 I believe they're identical.
4:41 Have we been trending up, down?
4:43 I seem to think it's largely level but somewhat up compared to the last five years,
4:51 but again, I don't trust your records better than my memory.
4:55 Level, but I can double check that for you.
5:00 So the idea being, if there's some need for us to be cost conscious, are we doing
5:07 The question would be how, and that's just a simple question, not driving at anything
5:16 I just am trying to understand what the trends may be over time.
5:23 For example, Winterhurst, I do believe that's identical in the last recent years,
5:31 but the only increase, if that was needed, would be because of the increase in utility
5:36 That's basically what that's paying for.
5:44 Any other questions from colleagues?
5:48 At this point, then, I'll make a motion to favorably refer ordinance for 2026
5:56 back to full council for approval.
6:00 The motion's been made.
6:04 All those in favor, say aye.
6:06 The next item on our docket is ordinance 05, 2026.
6:12 This appears to be equipment leases in the amount of $2,375, and then there is an
6:22 associated Exhibit A that lays out the amounts for each equipment lease.
6:28 Can you kind of high level explain this, Director Mahoney?
6:34 So, I know lease is a funny word, but basically it's a loan for, to pay, we pay
6:41 for the cost of these vehicles over five years.
6:46 It's just a fancy word for basically a car loan.
6:50 So, this is the way to fund the list that's there for fire, police, refuse, streets.
7:00 So, is this a one, do the numbers on Exhibit A represent a one year for the, what
7:06 the payment will be for the entire year for these, for example, for the fire
7:11 medical squad, our note payment is $385,000 for this year?
7:18 No, that's the cost of the squad.
7:21 So, that would be paid out over five years.
7:24 But we have to take a lease out currently.
7:27 So, we need counsel to approve the lease for the whole amount of the squad.
7:34 So, we will be effectively paying one fifth plus interest of it.
7:43 Well, we don't pay until we actually, so, you know, the timing of a squad or
7:48 a truck or police cars, we draw down those funds.
7:52 They actually earn interest for us once we sign the lease, you know, not as, a
7:57 small amount of interest.
7:58 And then, once we actually acquire each of those vehicles, we draw down those
8:04 funds and then that's when the, we also, so we need to pay back those
8:11 So, these are the, I guess, one, two, three, four, nine, 11 new
8:17 vehicles we're buying this year then?
8:23 And I think these were also represented in the budget just for colleagues as
8:28 Any questions or comments from members of the committee?
8:32 Councilperson Strubeck.
8:34 I'm just interested in what that interest rate is that we're earning on
8:39 Do you have any idea what we're earning?
8:42 The last, I think it's around three percent.
8:46 That's your average one percent.
8:50 That's your savings.
8:55 Any other comments or questions from other members of council?
9:01 Is this about, I know year by year things are going to be different.
9:05 Is this about average what we're spending per year on new vehicle leases?
9:10 Or is it very widely?
9:11 It doesn't very widely.
9:13 This is a little less.
9:15 We used some cash to pay for a few things this year.
9:19 We're again trying to be conscientious for how much debt we're taking out.
9:24 So this is a little bit less, maybe about a half a million dollars to a
9:28 million dollars less than we have in other past years.
9:31 We also don't have, for example, a big fire engine.
9:34 That's a million and a half dollars.
9:36 So that helps for this year.
9:40 And we're not going to be like Lorraine County and send a letter out
9:43 how Enterprise is going to come and seize our cars?
9:47 I don't know how that happened.
9:48 I'm thankful for the great administrators we have in the city.
9:51 Council person Hamilton center.
9:56 So just for my own knowledge, when we say lease, is it a lease?
10:00 Like if I were to lease a car and or is it it's they're using leases
10:05 being used like it's really alone.
10:10 I don't know why they call it a lease.
10:12 But we'll own them ultimately.
10:20 None of these are enterprise.
10:24 I think in director Vargo, correct me if I'm wrong here.
10:26 I think the idea is, is that like in a debt capacity,
10:32 like we take debt through notes and bonds.
10:36 And in this instance, it's a way to get debt and not go through those vehicles,
10:40 not go through notes or bonds.
10:43 So you can basically finance it that way, but it's just a different way.
10:47 And then the collateral for a note or bond is literally our income tax revenue
10:52 or whatever it might be.
10:53 The collateral for these are the vehicles.
10:57 And we pay these a lot quicker than a bond.
11:01 Five years versus 30 years.
11:05 Councilman Bullock had a question, I believe.
11:07 First, Councilman Hamilton, Councilwoman Hamilton.
11:10 I've asked that in the past myself.
11:12 The only reason they call it a lease is to confuse everybody,
11:15 but it's actually a car loan, a traditional car loan.
11:18 Maybe you just covered it, Mr. Schreier.
11:21 So I just want to clarify.
11:22 This is not being rolled into, proposal is not to roll this into the long-term debt financing.
11:27 No, it will not be.
11:31 Paid off over five years.
11:38 If there's not any other questions,
11:39 I will go ahead and make a motion to approve ordinance,
11:44 or to recommend approval of ordinance 05-2026 to full council.
11:50 There's been a motion and a second.
11:53 All those in favor say aye.
11:58 So that is favorably referred.
12:00 The next ordinance is ordinance 37-2025A,
12:05 which is, I believe, pay grade classifications.
12:11 And from my review, public information officer goes from level 31 to 33.
12:19 And then there are, I believe, some associated license and certifications,
12:26 which I believe mimic the CBA updates.
12:32 This was presented before all the CBAs were finalized.
12:36 And so to keep everyone on the same level,
12:41 requesting to mirror the CBAs.
12:48 Question I have is why we remove the master municipal clerk
12:53 and certified municipal clerk from this list out of curiosity.
12:57 It was just in there twice.
13:00 So it's already listed somewhere else.
13:08 It's just a few above it.
13:10 Any questions from my colleagues on the committee?
13:15 Any questions from the rest of my colleagues?
13:18 I think it's pretty self-explanatory.
13:22 So I will go ahead and make a motion to recommend favorable approval of
13:28 ordinance 37-2025A to full council.
13:35 There's been a motion.
13:40 So, Director Mahoney, I think if I follow what we're saying is
13:44 we're seeing another proposed ordinance, salary classification ordinance,
13:50 so quickly after we just approved one on December 15 is the
13:55 administration wants to make even for non-bargaining unit employees.
14:01 Is that what we're saying?
14:04 And to make payroll's life easier, too.
14:07 Instead of trying to keep track of two different certificates.
14:10 Two people, one in a union, one and not in a union,
14:12 with the same certifications having two different rates.
14:17 It's more complex than needed.
14:23 Also, pay grade 38 has city architect, city engineer.
14:28 We currently have a city engineer.
14:29 I know in my past planning commission we had a city architect.
14:34 Has that position just been vacant for the past couple years?
14:39 We do not have a city architect.
14:43 And is there a reason?
14:46 Through President Keppel.
14:47 I don't know what the exact reason is.
14:49 I know that there used to be one on staff a few years ago.
14:54 I don't know if it was two or three years ago, and it just wasn't replaced.
14:57 So I don't have an answer why it wasn't replaced.
14:59 I can shed some light because it was before your arrival.
15:02 We did have a city architect that was a brand new position for that
15:07 individual at that time.
15:09 She had left and it was determined that the workload and the
15:14 requirements just weren't no longer necessary to have a city architect on
15:19 It's still there in case we do need one at some point, but there
15:23 just wasn't the functional need for it.
15:27 Thank you, Mayor and Director Byington.
15:32 Going through our exercise today, I think it would have been nice to
15:34 have a city architect, but understand, you know, we have a
15:39 limited amount of positions and we fill what we can.
15:42 So I certainly understand.
15:44 So there's been a motion and a second.
15:46 All those in favor, or any further, all those in favor say
15:53 The next item is a communication from some of my colleagues,
16:00 Councilman Bullock, Councilperson Hamilton-Steiner, and Councilman
16:06 For ease of docket clarity, I will go ahead and make a motion to
16:13 receive and file that communication.
16:15 There's been a motion and a second.
16:19 All those in favor say aye.
16:22 It is helpful to have on the docket for what we're discussing
16:27 And the next item is Ordinance 33, 2025A, which is an ordinance that
16:41 seeks to adjust some of the appropriations, I believe, from the
16:49 And I believe that there is a proposed substitute that is in
16:55 I don't know if that's in front of us, but I will defer to the
17:00 sponsor that's on the committee, Councilman Bullock, to kind of
17:03 walk through what's in front of us.
17:07 So first is for 2026.
17:09 The 25 on the ordinance is just the numbering.
17:13 So the intent of the proposal is to carry out what was in the
17:18 communication that we just received and filed.
17:21 We listed some of the council budget priorities, the ones that
17:25 had the highest numbers of support from council members over
17:29 the last two committee of the whole meetings that were council
17:33 retreats in 24 and 25.
17:37 So what I've had the chance to talk to Assistant Director
17:42 Swallow and to Director Mahoney.
17:44 So what I'd like to do is propose a substitute amendment, and
17:49 council members, you should have that in your e-mail.
17:52 I don't know if it's in Granicus or not.
17:54 I believe it is in Granicus.
17:56 So I always have too many screens open, so let me see if I
18:01 can get the proper thing in Granicus.
18:05 Second attachment, so substitute amendment.
18:08 Did everybody see that?
18:10 And there's a cleaner copy than this, but included the
18:15 comments to explain.
18:18 There's a Word document comment.
18:20 This is a PDF copy of a Word document comment.
18:22 So broadly speaking, I believe that this is the best way to
18:29 use the whereas clauses, and that would help us to accomplish
18:34 city council's intent, assuming that there is consensus to
18:39 And then secondly, Director Mahoney, the finance department
18:44 said you could also use the whereas clauses to answer the
18:48 questions that you have.
18:50 So I think that's a good idea.
18:53 And then the finance department said you could also use the
18:57 whereas clauses to answer the question of where the funds
19:02 And so following that advice is what the amended substitute
19:08 here before you would do.
19:10 And what that means is in the ordinance itself, the
19:15 substitute amendment would strike all of the words in
19:18 section 1, the new proposed words in section 1, which were
19:23 And the substitute would say, forget about that.
19:26 We've got a different solution, which I'll explain in a
19:31 And then if you scroll down through the attachments,
19:35 exhibits A and B, the proposed substitute would simply
19:40 say, we've got a different solution.
19:42 And then if you scroll down through the attachments,
19:45 exhibits A and B, the proposed substitute would simply
19:50 restore the original number.
19:54 So the original number that's already in place in the
19:58 budget that we passed on December 15 last year is the
20:03 proposed levels that we would stick with.
20:08 So that's what that language would do.
20:10 It basically proposed to remove the amended language.
20:15 Then we go to the new whereas clauses.
20:17 And if you look at the second one first, it's a little
20:22 It would propose that the funds to pay for the council
20:27 priorities would be from the economic development reserves
20:32 That's the economic development fund.
20:34 There's a chart that Director Mahoney shared with us during
20:37 the budget process that projects that to be at 1.5
20:40 million at the end of this calendar year, which is the
20:43 same as this budget year.
20:45 And the total amount of potential spending proposed or
20:50 additional amounts not to exceed would be 570,000 minus
20:57 50,000 we already proposed for composting, so 520,000.
21:04 So in other words, if we were to adopt what's before us
21:08 in this approach, you'd have ample funds in the
21:12 $1.5 million economic development reserve to absorb
21:16 up to not to exceed another $520,000, okay?
21:24 And then finally, what's the additional proposed spending?
21:27 Well, that's in the first whereas clause.
21:29 And you can see it listed right there, the amounts and
21:31 the purposes, which we should talk about now, I think.
21:34 But what those amounts and purposes are is what was
21:38 proposed in some of the material I shared in December,
21:46 and it's an attempt to reflect what the council budget
21:49 priorities process identified.
21:53 One final thing is amounts not to exceed.
21:56 So what this would do if we were to agree, support this,
22:01 is to make available funds up to those amounts.
22:04 But that's not the same thing as compelling that all
22:07 of those funds are spent.
22:09 In fact, it's probably likely that in many of the cases,
22:13 you'd spend less than that amount.
22:15 It's just up to this amount, administration is available
22:18 for expenditure for the listed purpose.
22:21 And then the method by which we would actually expend
22:27 the proposal here would simply follow our customary
22:30 procedure of its really administrative function.
22:34 So things that are in the planning department,
22:36 we'd work with Director Barrington and her team, et cetera.
22:39 And the hope would be that we'd be in good faith partners,
22:42 just as we're already doing that with composting
22:45 proposal, and Councilwoman Steiner has been working
22:48 with the planning department on the early stages of that.
22:50 We appreciate that, or I do.
22:53 But it's not City Council saying, for sure you have
22:56 to spend $50,000 on this by date certain.
23:00 So does that make sense, at least that much?
23:07 Yes, and I'm interested in Director Mahoney's kind
23:12 of analysis of this approach.
23:15 It sounds like it was collaboratively gotten to
23:18 by you and Councilman Olek, but just curious
23:21 if you could elaborate on that.
23:23 Well, I just wanted to save the integrity
23:26 of our structurally balanced budget.
23:29 And this could be a way.
23:32 I'm not saying I agree with what Council is proposing
23:36 to spend on some things.
23:38 But I mean, we do have reserves that could cover these
23:44 if it was presented as a proper public purchase.
23:50 So that, in essence, we're not really changing
23:55 the budget, but Council is just displaying
23:59 their desire for spending on certain things, I guess.
24:05 And Councilman Bullock and I had discussed also
24:08 that this would be much better achieved
24:12 through the budgeting process.
24:15 So we have promised in June to, I will remind you
24:20 to include your requests in with the budgeting process
24:24 rather than separate.
24:27 Yeah, and I do think that there is, as much as I'm sure
24:30 you'd love to have Council in the weeds of you preparing
24:34 your budget as you're bringing online new software
24:38 to manage city finances, I do think that there is
24:41 an opportunity in June, because that's, I know,
24:44 when those things start to kind of establish priorities
24:47 and perhaps even a hearing, a committee hearing,
24:52 to talk about those things kind of more high level
24:56 and then offer the opportunity for in-person
25:00 kind of one-on-one meetings.
25:01 But I do think that we certainly have a cadence
25:05 on the City Council of how budgets go.
25:12 It's obviously worked for a long time.
25:13 City functions do what we have to do.
25:16 I do think there's maybe a little bit more of an opportunity
25:18 always to improve and have a little bit more collaborative
25:21 I think it's going to take, it's on us too.
25:24 So we have to meet the finance department in that respect
25:29 and establish and reiterate what our priorities are
25:37 and have no surprises, right?
25:39 You should know our priorities early.
25:41 We should let you know what we will or won't approve.
25:44 And so then there's no surprises when we come
25:47 But we are ultimately the budget setting entity
25:51 That's what the charter gives us.
25:53 But if this is an approach that,
25:55 and I hear what you're saying, Director Mahoney,
25:57 I do think the way that Councilman Bullock proposed it,
26:02 we could have gotten there in a more prescriptive way.
26:05 I do think what he's done has created a little bit more
26:08 of a suggestive approach than a prescriptive approach.
26:13 And I think that can bear fruit in a collaborative way.
26:21 You know, but I, and we had some discussions, you know,
26:25 in December when he brought some of these proposals forward
26:28 that I didn't necessarily, as one of seven,
26:30 didn't necessarily disagree with the intent of some
26:33 of the funding priorities he was bringing up,
26:35 but maybe just the way we were doing it.
26:37 So I think now we're creating a pathway maybe
26:39 to have a more constructive conversation going into 2027
26:44 because we're only three or four months away
26:46 from forming that budget,
26:48 because it's always budget season.
26:51 So any other comment?
26:53 I'm sorry, Councilman Bullock,
26:54 you were in the middle of your thought
26:55 and we kind of jumped in.
26:56 So if you'd like to continue to expound.
26:59 Any comments or questions from the committee?
27:04 Councilperson, or Council President Keppel.
27:08 And I do appreciate Director Mahoney
27:11 and Councilman Bullock working on this
27:15 to have a solution that we can actually sit
27:19 and look at and process and understand is helpful.
27:24 I just wanted to add to the conversation here
27:28 in terms of meeting and talking in June
27:32 about council budget priorities.
27:34 And I think, you know, we've been trying to do that
27:36 over the last several years of having our retreats
27:38 we have had early in the year.
27:41 Right now we're, we had most of these Monday nights
27:44 tied up with city hall discussion.
27:46 We're going to try to squeeze in.
27:48 We've got to find a place to squeeze in
27:50 another one before the next full council meeting.
27:53 We'll also have charter stuff coming up soon.
27:56 So, but it is my hope that we can do a retreat
28:02 before that June process
28:04 so that we can kind of get that all together
28:07 in one swoop and present to the administration
28:11 as we have, but maybe in a little bit more collaborative way.
28:17 Yes, Council President Keppel,
28:19 I think that the part of kind of developing
28:23 the consensus on council priorities has been tremendous
28:26 under your leadership.
28:27 I think that what I'm committed to do
28:29 as part of this committee is to kind of take that
28:32 and really try to work with the administration
28:34 to integrate it more into the budget document
28:36 in ways that, and I've always been amazed
28:39 at the way we do budgets.
28:41 Every city is different.
28:42 Every public entity is different.
28:45 You know, so I'm excited to get into the weeds with this,
28:48 but not make anyone in the administration's life miserable
28:51 because it's hard enough.
28:53 They do a great job,
28:54 but I do think there are opportunities for us to improve
28:57 and maybe collaborate a little bit more.
29:00 Any other comments?
29:04 Yeah, thank you, Chair.
29:05 I just want to thank everybody as well, Councilman Bullock
29:07 and Director Mahoney for working on this.
29:12 I think it's really important
29:14 that council's budget priorities are taken into account
29:18 much earlier in the process,
29:20 and I'm glad we're having this conversation
29:22 so that we can start that conversation
29:25 much earlier than we have in the past,
29:27 and I think what we're looking at
29:29 with these budget amendments today,
29:31 I'm supportive of as kind of a first step
29:34 to looking at how we can be more proactive
29:40 in making the budget reflect council's priorities
29:43 even before we get to amending
29:46 our official budgeting process year by year,
29:48 so thank you to my colleagues who worked on this.
29:56 Thank you, and then Councilman Bullock,
29:58 I think, you know, as I understand this,
30:02 you know, we're not changing the general appropriations,
30:05 but we are identifying the legislative intent
30:08 to spend certain amounts from the Economic Development Fund,
30:12 and that's what this proposed substitute,
30:15 which we need to add in,
30:18 so I guess to continue that conversation,
30:20 I will go ahead and make a motion to substitute
30:24 with the version that is entitled
30:26 Substitute Amendment that's in Granicus.
30:34 So now that it's moved and seconded,
30:41 All those in favor, aye.
30:44 So now that the proposed substitute
30:46 is what's actually before us,
30:49 it's my understanding that this,
30:52 in the appropriations ordinance,
30:54 will express an intent to use a restricted fund
30:57 on these delineated items,
31:00 but Councilman Bullock, if you can walk through
31:03 kind of the next series of ordinances
31:07 that you think would accomplish your intent,
31:10 and then we can maybe take them in order.
31:12 Yes, thanks, Mr. Chair.
31:15 So I think you mean next items on the docket after this one?
31:20 I think they need to be discussed together.
31:23 So there's two components to our budgeting,
31:25 as Director Mahoney and Director Vargo
31:27 probably constantly remind us,
31:29 but we always appreciate getting the refresher.
31:32 So we have appropriations which obligates money to be spent,
31:35 but then contracting authority that allows it to be spent
31:38 by certain departments for certain purposes.
31:41 And so the two work hand in glove.
31:43 So what you have, what we're currently discussing
31:45 is the first piece, the appropriations,
31:48 which we're saying we're not appropriating anything,
31:50 we're signaling potentially a priority
31:55 of spending up to amounts not to exceed
31:59 from previously appropriated economic development reserves.
32:03 So anyway, that's that part.
32:06 But then how do you know which department's spending
32:09 how much for these different purposes?
32:12 The answer to that comes in the following two,
32:14 contracting authority proposed amended ordinances,
32:17 one for the planning department,
32:20 which has its own separate contracting authority ordinance,
32:23 and then one for everything else,
32:25 which is material supplies, professional services, et cetera.
32:29 So if you look at the next items or scroll ahead,
32:34 you'll simply see the numbers.
32:37 Yeah, ordinance 342025A,
32:40 and I believe ordinance 35...
32:49 The first one is the general contracting authority.
32:52 The second one is planning department's contracting authority.
32:56 Which is where most of that,
32:59 those changes appear alongside the already approved composting.
33:02 So Director Byneton is one of the more busy directors
33:07 in City Hall, and we don't want to break her record.
33:13 We appreciate your good work.
33:15 The other one, though, 34-2025A,
33:22 has a variety of things,
33:27 and I think the only thing that appears here
33:29 is the proposed additional spending
33:31 for the block club program.
33:40 and then the subtotals and the totals are carried forward.
33:44 And then advertising and printing services, okay?
33:48 So that's simply an attempt to break out
33:51 the intended categories of what might be entailed there.
34:02 And I think originally it would be
34:08 in the now unamended appropriations ordinance,
34:13 I'd flag that to be under the City Council budget
34:16 as opposed to some other department.
34:19 But since we're not following that structure right now,
34:26 that would be a point for open discussion.
34:29 So does that, first,
34:32 so that's at least one, that initial question addressed,
34:35 and then if you could look at 36-2025A,
34:39 that's the contracting authority proposal
34:42 for the Planning Department,
34:43 and it lists my screen loads here.
34:48 You've got the totals,
34:49 and then you've got the different broken out items for,
34:54 yeah, Lakewood Alive, Public Art,
34:57 and pedestrian and bike safety improvements
34:59 are a new proposed amount.
35:01 Now, the amount here doesn't,
35:04 I think I have a typo in the appropriations whereas clause.
35:11 It needs 150,000 plus 60,000,
35:14 or 160,000 plus 50,000 was the intent, and vice versa.
35:18 So this is 210, and in the whereas clause,
35:21 we have 200,000, so that needs to be corrected,
35:27 which is a typo in my draft.
35:30 But at any rate, I hope that makes sense to Councilmembers.
35:33 So the idea would be you'd retain this
35:35 if you retained the levels in the proposed whereas clause
35:38 if you want to change the levels in the proposed whereas clause,
35:41 we need to carry forward those same amount changes
35:46 in the other 240,000.
35:55 Any discussion or questions from colleagues?
36:02 Director Mahoney, as I understand it,
36:07 you may, this may not be the way you'd do it,
36:12 but you think this accomplishes the intent
36:15 of what Councilmember Bullock is attempting to do here?
36:18 It does demonstrate the intent, yes.
36:21 Great, yeah, and I think what Director Mahoney is saying
36:26 without saying is that all we can do is authorize more funds,
36:32 and the administration can spend them or not.
36:37 That's true of the whole budget.
36:39 You know, you could appropriate a million dollars for streets,
36:42 and if we don't need the million dollars, we wouldn't spend it.
36:51 So that is definitely the spirit in which we're working here,
36:53 and also that gives us some flexibility to, for example,
36:59 on public art maintenance funds,
37:02 which are needed because we've been creating these great murals,
37:06 but some of them are peeling and so forth,
37:08 and we haven't ever budgeted for maintenance and repair or replacement.
37:13 So we don't know today what the actual cost is,
37:17 so it's up to $30,000.
37:20 So that is perfectly appropriate to give us some opportunity
37:23 after the cold weather breaks, if it ever does,
37:26 to identify and then get a better amount.
37:29 So that's a perfect example.
37:31 Director Mahoney, there could be a different example,
37:33 which I won't bother to think of now,
37:35 where counsel would say the mayor and his or her designee
37:39 are authorized and directed to expend X for purpose Y,
37:43 and the administration prepares those ordinances for us from time to time.
37:48 Often it's road projects, for example.
37:52 But that language comes through.
37:54 So that's not what we're proposing here,
37:56 but there are cases where counsel could direct.
37:59 That's not what we're, I think, called for here.
38:02 Yeah, I'm not sure.
38:03 Counsel's role is to appropriate the funds,
38:05 and the administration is to maintain and spend
38:09 within what counsel appropriates.
38:13 I'm not clear if there's a directive from counsel.
38:17 I don't think that's...
38:20 Okay, well, it's an academic point for now,
38:22 because we're working in a collegial manner,
38:24 but the budgeting function is important,
38:29 and it's counsel's primary in the budget,
38:33 and so that's what we're doing here.
38:37 And so, Counsel Book, you raise a good point,
38:40 which is that these numbers don't match.
38:46 And I think it's because you have 210
38:49 in the planning ordinance
38:51 for bike and pedestrian safety improvements,
38:53 and then you have 200 if you add them up.
38:56 Which number are you intending to go through?
38:58 Which one should we amend?
39:00 The intent was 210.
39:01 It would be 60,000 for traffic calming,
39:04 which is co-equal with the amount we've already approved.
39:08 Do you want to make a motion to amend
39:10 the substitute ordinance to add that to that?
39:12 Okay, so I'll move to amend the amount 200...
39:16 The amount 50,000 that appears...
39:20 Yeah, and whereas clause two.
39:23 In the second whereas clause related to traffic calming
39:26 and replace that 50,000 with 60,000.
39:33 Motion's been made and second.
39:35 All those in favor say aye.
39:38 So now we have the substituted amended ordinance
39:42 that amends the appropriation.
39:48 We're earning our...
39:53 So I think Councilman Bullock has done a good job,
39:57 and I want to thank him and his colleagues
39:59 that brought this forward of taking forward
40:02 some of council priorities and putting them
40:05 and at least giving the administration
40:07 wider birth to implement them in this fashion
40:12 during this calendar year should the occasion arise.
40:17 I believe he wanted to have some discussion
40:19 about whether we wanted different numbers
40:22 or different priorities.
40:23 I'm comfortable with what he put in front of us.
40:26 I don't have any suggested changes,
40:28 but is there any discussion from my colleagues?
40:35 I have a technical thing to point out.
40:37 I spoke with Director Mahoney about this,
40:39 but then forgot to follow up.
40:41 Ordinance 36, 2025, a list of authorized officials
40:49 I think needs to be updated to match the list
40:52 of authorized officials in all of the other budget ordinances,
40:56 and so this might be a good opportunity to do that
40:58 because when it was originally passed
41:00 at the end of 2025,
41:02 this was the last ordinance that didn't correct that,
41:06 so this might be an opportunity to do that.
41:08 So when we get there, you're saying to amend 36, 2025, a
41:16 to add in, do you have the list of what the additional?
41:20 It would be whatever is exactly in ordinance 34, 2025.
41:25 It would replace purchasing manager with procurement officer,
41:29 add in the Director of Human Resources,
41:31 Director of Human Services.
41:37 So because I want to dispose of these in order,
41:42 I think, for order, when we get to that point,
41:44 I will make a motion to do that.
41:49 So for the substitute amended appropriation,
41:56 which is ordinance 33, 2025,
42:02 as substitute and amended,
42:04 I will make a motion to favorably refer this back
42:07 to full council for approval.
42:12 There's been a motion to second in discussion.
42:15 All those in favor say aye.
42:18 So moved, and then for ordinance 34, 2025, a,
42:30 I will also make a motion to favorably refer this
42:33 to full council for approval.
42:37 There's been a motion to second.
42:41 All those in favor say aye.
42:44 And then for ordinance 36, 2025, a,
42:47 I will make a motion to amend,
42:52 yeah, to strike the language in section one
42:55 and then have it say that the mayor,
42:57 the Director of Law, the Director of Finance,
42:59 the Director of Public Works,
43:00 the Director of Planning and Development,
43:02 the Director of Human Services,
43:04 the Director of Human Resources,
43:06 or the Procurement Officer be added to that section one.
43:14 I'll second that motion.
43:16 The motion's been made and seconded.
43:21 Thank you to the clerk for her eagle-eyed work
43:30 Then the motion's been made and seconded.
43:32 Any discussion further?
43:35 All those in favor say aye.
43:37 So then I will make a motion to favorably refer
43:41 the amended ordinance 36, 2025, a,
43:45 to full council for approval.
43:51 My councilperson's too big.
43:55 All those in favor say aye.
43:59 No more business before this committee,
44:01 although I believe we scheduled something later
44:04 to go over the audit,
44:06 the administration's proposal on the audit committee,
44:11 and then also the host candidate's funds.
44:14 We will be having a meeting,
44:16 the finance committee coming up on those two points.
44:18 So no further business coming before this meeting.