[0:01] the mayor's coming. Yeah. So,
[0:20] okay.
[0:22] Um, Mr. Mudar is running a little late,
[0:24] so M, uh, Council President Porterfield
[0:27] asked me to, uh, call the meeting to
[0:29] order. So, I'd like to call finance to
[0:30] order. Um, we have one item on this
[0:33] evening's agenda and that is funding
[0:34] support for Belmont Pop Warner program.
[0:37] U Mr. Fley, would you like to speak to
[0:39] that? Certainly. Um, so over the last
[0:42] few times together um Belmont uh Pop
[0:45] Warner program um has came forth to ask
[0:48] of some institutional support to
[0:50] continue the good work that they're
[0:51] doing in the community. And um we
[0:55] discussed it at length two separate
[0:57] occasions. last time we uh got to a
[1:00] point where there seemed to be some cons
[1:02] consensus on the room that we wanted to
[1:03] support Belmont. We were just waiting
[1:05] for some information um to figure out
[1:07] exactly how much money was identified in
[1:09] the account and hopefully we'll get that
[1:12] information be able to move this
[1:13] forward.
[1:16] Okay. So, who was going to get us that?
[1:18] Oh, um our finance commissioner was
[1:22] going to get that information for you.
[1:24] Yes. Um, did did anyone else receive any
[1:26] information from our finance
[1:28] commissioner around what was left on
[1:29] their account? No. Um, so I did I'm
[1:32] sorry.
[1:34] I'll let the finance commissioner speak
[1:35] to you know directly they'll be back
[1:39] directly. Is that what you said?
[1:42] No, he said he let him speak to it
[1:44] directly. Sorry. What was the question?
[1:46] Well, so the question was weighing on
[1:48] information around the account that was
[1:51] identified um and to see how much money
[1:53] was left in that account before we
[1:55] decided how we were going to move
[1:56] forward. information. I mean, I gave the
[1:59] child myself and um had some
[2:01] conversations, but um I believe that the
[2:05] account um has no money has been spent
[2:08] down account besides I think it's in the
[2:11] area of $8,000 that are here marked for
[2:13] um for uh some students to come to work
[2:16] within city hall is my understanding. Is
[2:19] that your understanding as well, Mr.
[2:20] Mayor? Having trouble hearing you say
[2:22] Teresa, which county talk about the
[2:25] youth employment? Yes. And so there was
[2:27] $108,000 that uh we that we took that
[2:31] from us back. So that's the account I'm
[2:33] talking about. Yeah. So the other um mention was my
[2:39] understanding what the last thing was
[2:41] that there would be here for was in the
[2:44] county left over from the 150,000 for
[2:47] youth employment as well as 108.
[2:53] 150
[2:54] is 99%
[2:58] commit some
[3:04] point just got kids in the high
[3:08] school
[3:09] DC so it's going to be a robust
[3:19] part so where are we Does anyone have
[3:22] this information in terms of the funding
[3:23] is available that number 8,000? I think
[3:26] the finance commission
[3:28] I think finance commissioner is he
[3:31] coming? Are you pointing to him? No, I
[3:33] was thinking maybe we should shut the
[3:35] door but I mean thought all these people
[3:37] were wanting to come to us. Yeah, I I'll
[3:39] look out.
[3:41] Yeah. So, we asked for information there
[3:45] if they're in Did you get any
[3:47] information? I never was
[3:49] council. Did any of the council members
[3:51] get
[3:56] They're coming. They're coming into the
[3:57] meeting.
[4:29] Looks like Demani is actually going down
[4:31] to his
[4:34] office.
[4:37] Excuse me. You can public
[5:12] Oops. Not
[5:53] Mr. Charlie, sorry. Sure. I was going to
[5:56] just ask you. Yeah, I I went down I
[5:58] didn't see our finance commissioner. Um,
[6:00] however,
[6:02] like I said, uh, based on that earlier
[6:05] of Miss Carver that there is out of the
[6:08] $108,000 that we're talking about,
[6:10] there's only $8,000 that's been
[6:12] earmarked for kids who work here in city
[6:15] hall. So, I mean, I'm comfortable moving
[6:18] forward with that information that I got
[6:20] and moving that uh to a vote.
[6:26] Well, I think that has anybody spoken to
[6:29] Cocoa House to find out um the money was
[6:32] earmarked for co Coco House um and the
[6:35] programs that they run for it's not
[6:37] right no the 108 no it oh it was
[6:40] earmarked
[6:42] for for the city but Coco House um was
[6:46] housing it
[6:48] Coco house and then we were going to use
[6:50] it for the
[6:53] Right. Okay. So, now we're not using it
[6:55] for some reason.
[7:00] Well, you're saying it's 8,000. I'm
[7:04] saying out of the 180,000 8,000 has been
[7:07] committed in
[7:09] ear roughly $100,000.
[7:13] No, some of it was allocated to to uh
[7:15] work with what Mr. M was doing in the
[7:17] park. So, there was a money that was
[7:20] allocated there. Um my understanding is
[7:23] um that was about 8,000 then there was
[7:25] another 9,800 that is also allocated. So
[7:28] other money I know there was a budget
[7:30] that was submitted however there's no
[7:34] work that I understand that really get
[7:37] done to hire young people.
[7:43] So Mr. So yeah, so it seems that there
[7:46] so we wouldn't be abandoned. This is
[7:48] money that talked about during the
[7:50] budget period. What I was saying and I
[7:52] asked for the council, I said the first
[7:55] money that we bring back from the Arbor
[7:59] should be going to our youth services
[8:01] line. This is that pot of money and it's
[8:04] in complete alignment with our youth
[8:07] services that you see here. So I don't I
[8:14] Well, I have to say that I still feel
[8:16] very strongly that um I feel like that
[8:19] we really need to be thinking about all
[8:21] of these leagues. Um not just one partic
[8:24] not just singling out one particular
[8:26] league. We got another request since our
[8:28] meeting last week from our youth hockey
[8:31] um league. Uh also now that they're
[8:34] feeling that the conversation has been
[8:36] open that they also are asking for
[8:38] money. Um, my guess is if other leagues
[8:42] knew about that, they too would come
[8:44] forward. I myself would like to see us
[8:46] have a conversation with our parks
[8:47] director and consider funding um con
[8:51] consider whether we want to fund youth
[8:53] sports as part of our 2026 budget. But
[8:57] right now with this budget, I I just
[8:59] feel like it's not really to me it's not
[9:01] fair to be signaling out one one league
[9:05] um in particular, Mr. Far.
[9:08] So again, the way that you're framing
[9:10] that is a little problematic for me. We
[9:13] didn't single anyone out and any youth
[9:16] program has the same opportunity to come
[9:19] forth and request support the way that
[9:21] Belmont did. So we're not singling them
[9:24] out. They're not getting any special
[9:25] treatment or have any special access
[9:27] that any other youth program does not
[9:29] have in the city. What's concerning to
[9:32] me is that now it's being framed that
[9:34] way almost in a way to almost pit
[9:36] programs against each other. And I don't
[9:38] want to do that. I'm actually I'm not
[9:39] going to I'm not going to be a part of
[9:41] that. But what I will say is we have
[9:43] funded our youth service line advocately
[9:46] when I did everything but beg to do so
[9:50] in order to fund this line so our kids
[9:52] and the community can get what they
[9:53] need. We wouldn't even be having this
[9:55] conversation. But being that we failed
[9:57] to act
[9:58] then, I can't accept that as an excuse
[10:01] to fail to act now. The money is there.
[10:04] Belmont has come
[10:05] forward with a request. We need to
[10:07] answer the request. And the thing is, we
[10:10] cannot say we support youth and youth
[10:11] programs. And then when someone does
[10:13] what any other youth program could do,
[10:15] then we say, well, I think everyone
[10:17] should have an opportunity. They did
[10:19] have an opportunity. And they do. And if
[10:20] you take and if you and if you follow
[10:23] what or or at least gave some serious
[10:26] consideration to what I brought forth in
[10:28] the beginning, we wouldn't be having
[10:30] this conversation. And last time we were
[10:32] at this table, I believe that there was
[10:34] more there was an expression of support
[10:37] for for this uh legislation to go
[10:39] through and now I'm I'm I'm concerned
[10:41] about where the hesitation is. I'm
[10:43] sorry, Mr. Williams. I'll just say
[10:45] there's also a grand difference between
[10:47] this and what the hockey association was
[10:49] looking at. I don't think has had a
[10:50] chance to reach out to them, but it
[10:52] appears that it's a county resource. Um,
[10:54] and then I perceive that as them trying
[10:57] to understand the increase in their ice
[10:59] time. So, I didn't necessarily see that
[11:01] as a funding request, but more of a can
[11:03] you help us ensure what is the
[11:05] additional ask of what will be normally
[11:07] expended for speeding time due to having
[11:10] college in transitioning arena. I've had a conversation part two with Miss
[11:15] Porterfield where we designated use of
[11:17] the ARP performance to the arena with
[11:20] the specific understanding that there
[11:21] would be a lot of community partnership.
[11:23] So I think that is simply a conversation
[11:25] that we can have but I saw those as two
[11:27] separate asks. I will say up to this
[11:29] point we have not heard other of the
[11:32] youth programs that you're highlighting
[11:34] which I would also like to point out to
[11:37] Mr. Farley's point. Um we have this
[11:40] program in front of us. Um I am all for
[11:43] proceeding uh with their full ask. Um I
[11:46] think if we're going to transition to a
[11:48] conversation of what is your
[11:50] comfortability as the only other member
[11:52] of the finance
[11:54] committee, but I I didn't want to take
[11:57] any of the talk of anyone, but sincerely
[11:59] the program speak for itself. Uh I think
[12:01] these kids deserve it. So,
[12:04] see, I guess the difference is that and
[12:07] I think that all of our teams um have
[12:10] some measure of need, have some measure
[12:13] of um a desire for support from us. Yes,
[12:16] this is the only one that has except for
[12:18] hockey now um that has come forward this
[12:21] year. I think we've in the past had
[12:23] requests from youth soccer which we have
[12:25] denied. Um, I just feel
[12:27] that in the middle of our budget year is
[12:30] not the time for us to be having this
[12:32] conversation.
[12:35] Um, Mr. So, we amend budgets and do and
[12:39] make changes to what we initially scope
[12:41] every time every every year since I've
[12:42] been on the council. There's been some
[12:44] sort of um
[12:46] uh amendment, if you will, to how we're spending money. So, in the
[12:52] thought of what future programs might
[12:54] come forward, if we go by that
[12:57] reasoning, then any programs that we did
[12:59] support um like with uh uh the money
[13:04] over $300,000 to the fields for the
[13:06] Blues any we would just say,
[13:09] well, let's wait to see who else comes
[13:12] forward and then let's wait to see who
[13:14] else comes forward. Belmont's here.
[13:16] they've come forward and it's I mean
[13:17] they quite
[13:20] honestly either we're going to do what
[13:22] we say and be who we say we are we're
[13:24] not Mr. Williams and I would just say to
[13:27] respond uh there are comments in the
[13:29] paper talking about the responsibility
[13:31] of the council I think it would be
[13:32] irresponsible for us to not consider uh
[13:35] this request and it is beyond
[13:38] frustrating to hear that because their
[13:40] problems don't align with how we review
[13:42] our budget that we're not going to
[13:43] consider their needs. I think this very
[13:45] much speaks to a point that I've
[13:46] singularly made of making sure city hall
[13:49] is meeting people at their doorsteps.
[13:52] Oftent times there's a connect between
[13:53] people understanding how the city hall
[13:55] functions and city hall understanding
[13:57] how uh there may be some gaps to move
[13:59] forward with addressing the needs of the
[14:00] community. Uh so I think it is our
[14:02] responsibility as advocates for them,
[14:04] hear them out as they come forward to us
[14:07] and in these types of considerations uh
[14:09] make those concessions. I think on an
[14:11] ongoing basis, yes, I can see the
[14:13] confidence of continuing to make these
[14:15] types of considerations mid budgetary
[14:17] season, but to my point or to my tenure
[14:20] on this, the first time I've heard of
[14:22] such a request and sincerely, I think
[14:24] that there is a bonafide need to respond
[14:27] in time.
[14:30] So, and in terms of the ARPA funds,
[14:32] because that's it seems like what's
[14:34] boiled down to all the other line has
[14:35] been spent that's in the budget, but the
[14:37] ARPA funds that were uh we left under
[14:39] the um control of Cocoa House, but still
[14:42] for youth employment and as has been
[14:45] said, there's still money on that line
[14:46] that's not been expended. I think that's
[14:48] a place that we can look and to make
[14:50] sure because we have a deadline with our
[14:53] we're facing that deadline very quickly.
[14:55] So, in my mind, using this money from
[14:57] that line
[14:59] And as I said to Mr. Farley, I don't
[15:01] know we be able to fund it entirely, but
[15:04] that is the consideration that's being
[15:06] asked and that money is there right now. So I'm not sure why we
[15:10] didn't get the numbers from the um
[15:12] finance commissioner that was asked of
[15:14] him or that no one has seems to have
[15:16] today. But uh in having a conversation
[15:19] with u Miss Carver the director of
[15:21] development in terms of the ARPA funds
[15:24] because she is in control of that there
[15:26] is funding there that cannot been
[15:28] actually allocated to anything out of
[15:31] that $108,000
[15:33] in your conversation with Clint has been
[15:35] allocated hasn't been focused
[15:39] allocated to youth employment. Yes. So,
[15:42] but no specific has been right for any
[15:45] specific folk. That is my question
[15:47] though. Um because we have it allocated
[15:50] to youth employment and it's an awful
[15:53] fund. Um, can
[15:56] we change the designation? What do we
[16:00] need to do to change a designation of an
[16:01] ARPA funding?
[16:04] We have to do a resolution that I mean
[16:07] from what I'm hearing is the council
[16:09] wishes to use that
[16:11] funding and understanding that's grant
[16:14] funding and not a gift. And as such,
[16:16] Coco House would administer the grant as
[16:18] the recipient of the grant that we gave them.
[16:27] But the city still would have some as we
[16:29] do the fall grants. It still has
[16:30] something.
[16:34] Yeah, we're Yes, we we get the money
[16:36] from federal government.
[16:40] They look at us to make sure it's
[16:42] properly administered and our
[16:47] subsal responsible for getting the grant
[16:53] ated and also created a proper audit
[16:56] trail for this kind of money and it's
[16:59] not a gift at this point. No, I think
[17:02] everyone understands it's not a gift and
[17:03] that is a grant funded and the
[17:06] individuals who uh work who run Pop One
[17:09] would have to make sure that we have all
[17:10] the receipts and everything that's
[17:11] needed to do that. I think that's I
[17:13] think resolution indicate
[17:18] that you
[17:21] so number one I don't want to put
[17:25] any extra stipulation
[17:29] um with this program that we wouldn't do
[17:31] it with any with any other program. So I
[17:34] think that we need to be consistent in
[17:36] that way. Um the money is there. The
[17:40] money uh is
[17:41] available. The money will be going to a
[17:44] program that has
[17:47] survived I believe since the 70s in
[17:49] Skenctity with no true institutional
[17:52] support but a huge impact on our
[17:55] community. I'm struggling to see why
[17:58] we're not moving towards at this point.
[18:00] I really am. I think again I know that
[18:03] you've mentioned that you don't want to
[18:04] pit sport against sport, but I think all
[18:08] of our teams have a huge impact on the
[18:11] youth that they're serving. They do. So
[18:13] I think that's argument I'm not really
[18:16] accepting. And then also the fact well
[18:19] that statement the other piece about the
[18:22] fact that we fund that we spent money on
[18:24] our fields. Again I'm going to reiterate
[18:27] that we own those fields. It's our
[18:30] responsibility as a city to be properly
[18:32] maintaining our parks and our fields.
[18:34] This is different as would be any of the
[18:37] teams. I mean, we would be having to
[18:38] make um a considerable change. I guess
[18:42] I'm just saying I don't want to keep
[18:43] hearing about the fields and the money
[18:45] that we're spending on the fields
[18:46] because they're city of Skenctity
[18:49] fields. Uh we own them. Um we don't own
[18:54] GMA poper. So I again I'm just going to
[18:57] discount that as well. I don't know if
[19:00] we can completely discount that because
[19:02] um the way the fields were constructed
[19:05] were specifically working with Blue Jays
[19:07] I believe they're called. So those
[19:09] fields were created and done in such a
[19:11] way that was specific to them. Uh the
[19:14] cricket fields are being specific to
[19:15] cricket because that's what's played
[19:16] there. And I can also point out the fact
[19:18] that many of the members of Blue Jays
[19:21] are a traveling team. So there's a
[19:23] significant amount of players there that
[19:25] aren't actually disconnected res yet. We
[19:27] still did that. So I just want to make
[19:28] sure that that is part of the framing
[19:30] when we talk about I proud of that. I
[19:33] think that young people should have the
[19:35] ability and the opportunity to be able
[19:37] to play sports. It builds character. It
[19:39] does all those things that we don't need
[19:40] to continue to repeat. But I don't want
[19:43] to say that we didn't do something
[19:44] specific to the team when in fact we did
[19:47] and we did to their specifications and
[19:49] that's not a problem. That's what they
[19:51] needed. Do they know what they need? Cuz
[19:52] I don't play so well. Well, yeah. I
[19:55] mean, I think it we probably turn to the
[19:56] expert just like we turn to experts when
[19:58] we are thinking about what we do with
[20:00] our roads and our streets. I mean, we
[20:02] don't have the knowledge to be able to
[20:04] figure that out. We have to have
[20:06] consultants and and the city engineer
[20:09] looks to the partners that he has. Um,
[20:11] but then he's making decisions. What I'm
[20:14] trying to say, they they have input on
[20:16] what it should look like. Okay. Mr.
[20:19] So I think again when um you talk about
[20:22] our those fields of belonging to the
[20:24] city and it's our word you use is
[20:28] responsibility. Um I also believe in
[20:31] fact I know you can disagree that it's
[20:34] our responsibility to provide
[20:37] opportunities and access to
[20:39] opportunities for our youth in the city.
[20:41] It's our responsibility to make sure
[20:43] that we are making the investments that
[20:45] align with the pictures we take and the
[20:47] things we say all the time. Now, here we
[20:50] have a situation where we're able to do
[20:52] that. We're able to meet the need of a
[20:55] program that came
[20:56] forward. When they came forward with
[20:58] their ass, there was no other ask on the
[21:00] table.
[21:01] So for us to almost penalize them for
[21:05] stepping up and saying, "Hey, our kids
[21:06] in our community need some support here
[21:09] to me is just it it it's unfound." I
[21:11] just I don't understand that. Mr.
[21:13] Williams. And I think all this needs to
[21:15] be taken into context because just
[21:17] challenging myself and my own biases
[21:19] when we had the discussion about the
[21:20] irrigation system with the golf course.
[21:23] I initially was opposed to it not based
[21:26] on its need based on a lot of $3 million
[21:29] funding to that singular project. I can
[21:31] guarantee you everyone in this room does
[21:33] not golf. That is not an assumption.
[21:35] That is me just putting it out there.
[21:38] Now I would say at at this standpoint
[21:40] it's understanding how do we ensure that
[21:43] under considerations if we look at it
[21:45] statistically it is not close but
[21:48] sincerely how do we look at the need and
[21:50] addressing the the interest of everyone
[21:53] of our community and we're not even
[21:54] talking about equally we're talking
[21:56] about equitably and as of right now this
[21:58] is the
[21:59] request Mr.
[22:01] F not trying to put you on the spot here
[22:03] but I heard from everybody except Mr. I
[22:05] was trying to get your thoughts on this.
[22:07] Well, I appreciate you bringing it
[22:10] forward and hearing from everyone. I
[22:12] think this um kind of brings a larger
[22:15] issue for us is looking at um our park
[22:19] and Rex director and looking at how do
[22:22] we make this as a long-term plan. We
[22:24] have this asked now and my understanding
[22:27] is we have that money. It's not
[22:29] allocated the 108
[22:32] now. It's not in Cumber. Okay. So, out
[22:36] there allocated but not in Cumber.
[22:41] Um, where is it? How is it allocated?
[22:46] Like what what's the projection for
[22:48] that? There's a little over
[22:52] 108,000 to Cocoa House
[22:56] and Cocoa House has
[23:00] administered we just heard to Belmont
[23:02] that
[23:07] 108,000 is located
[23:11] to house. So my understanding is that
[23:14] the request here is to take it from that
[23:18] link. So yes, it would be administered
[23:21] by Coco House.
[23:24] Does Coco House have that capacity? I
[23:27] can't speak to that,
[23:30] Miss. Well, when we allocated, we knew
[23:32] that they had to have some of them. So
[23:34] they have to because it was for youth
[23:35] employment. So that was going to have to
[23:36] be done. So in this case, excuse me.
[23:40] what I'm understanding and looking at
[23:41] the budget um some of it is purchasing
[23:45] materials materials uniforms and that
[23:48] kind of thing. So that's like creating
[23:50] invoices and again the city um
[23:53] department of development would make
[23:55] sure that they're doing it
[23:57] properly. So, we all have the budget
[23:59] here.
[24:01] Um, and they're all they're not for the
[24:04] out of state things. They're not asking
[24:05] the additional 30, but it's uniforms,
[24:07] it's cheer uniforms, it's insurance and
[24:09] leave fees. So, it's really just getting
[24:11] those invoices and making sure that
[24:14] they're paying based on on the budget
[24:16] that they they've um presented to
[24:19] us. Madam Chairman, um yes,
[24:23] uh members of the committee have chimed
[24:27] in on this and spoken to this. As of
[24:29] right now, it's 141 against the
[24:31] resolution would fail. Um, as of right
[24:35] now, there's a rule under the city
[24:37] council rules where if you get a
[24:40] co-sponsor for a piece of legislation,
[24:42] if you get a co-sponsor, you get two
[24:44] people, two two council members, they
[24:47] can bring it to the next council meeting
[24:49] or subsequent council meeting. Um, also
[24:53] the rules are that would require
[24:55] unanimous consent. In other words, for
[24:58] example, the resolution were to fail
[25:00] tonight, you could ask for a co a
[25:03] co-sponsor, then that piece of
[25:06] legislation could be as placed on, you
[25:09] know, unanimous consent because it
[25:11] wasn't presented by the deadline last
[25:14] Thursday. So, it's unanimous consent in
[25:17] order for for you all to consider it.
[25:20] That doesn't mean that everybody, you
[25:23] know, if somebody could say, "Okay,
[25:24] let's just deal with this and I don't
[25:26] want to vote for it, but
[25:28] let's doesn't, it just means
[25:31] that it won't be on the consent agenda."
[25:34] In other words, somebody can say, "I
[25:36] want to have a poll vote on this item in
[25:40] order to get couple of procedural
[25:42] things. One is if it fails a committee,
[25:46] the sponsor co-sponsor doesn't need to
[25:48] be a member of the committee. You can
[25:50] get two council members to ask it be
[25:52] placed upon the committee agenda tonight
[25:55] and then for you to consider it tonight
[25:58] meeting upstairs at
[26:00] 7:00, you would require unanimous
[26:02] consent members present.
[26:05] So what I'm saying is at this point, you
[26:07] know, if if if it's if it's going to
[26:10] fail, but if the members want to push
[26:14] the legislation forward for tonight for
[26:17] at least get to the ask for unanimous
[26:19] consent be placed on the agenda when we
[26:22] have to draft a
[26:24] draft resolution. So that I'm just for
[26:27] time
[26:28] purposes. Mr.
[26:31] So thank you for that. I I
[26:34] I'm not sure that it would fail based on
[26:38] previous conversations that have
[26:39] happened. I respect the fact that you're
[26:41] asking questions. We all need to make
[26:43] informed decisions. Um but again, this
[26:46] is money earmarked for uh to support our
[26:49] youth. We have one of the longest
[26:52] standing uh youth serving agencies in
[26:54] the city of Skenctity um with strong
[26:57] demonstration of grassroots effort.
[26:59] they've been surviving and and and and
[27:02] doing things, you know, uh existing in a
[27:04] space with zero to no institutional
[27:07] support. So now we're in now we have an
[27:09] opportunity to make sure that we support
[27:12] them. So I don't again and I believe and
[27:14] I don't want to speak for you um but I
[27:16] believe in our our previous council
[27:18] meetings that this um had your support
[27:22] and I'm sure that in previous council
[27:24] meeting that you said it had your
[27:26] support as well, Mr.
[27:28] So, I'm trying to figure out now. I
[27:30] don't know if we just ask some questions
[27:32] or are you saying that you're voting
[27:34] against this? I'm just trying to get
[27:35] what your position is and be clear about
[27:37] that now. Well, I mean, I really have
[27:38] put a lot of thought into this um over
[27:41] the last week, and I really feel
[27:43] strongly that if we're going to include
[27:46] this type of activity in our budget, um
[27:48] that we should be thinking about how we
[27:51] support all of our I mean, again, as
[27:53] chair of health and recreation, I think
[27:55] it's important for us to be thinking
[27:56] about if we're going to do this at all
[27:58] with any of our teams, um how do we, you
[28:02] know, do it so that we can support beach
[28:04] recreation in general the same way that
[28:07] we're supporting youth employment. Um,
[28:10] so that's sort of my position and what
[28:12] I've been thinking about, I think, in
[28:13] terms of, you know, really being
[28:17] stewards for the for the money and, you
[28:19] know, for our for our city's finances.
[28:22] um knowing you know what's going to be
[28:24] coming
[28:24] ahead you know I'm just I just feel I'm
[28:28] not even sure you know where we should
[28:30] end up on any of this um in terms of how
[28:32] it compares to our infrastructure how it
[28:35] compares to other things other needs of
[28:37] the city um knowing that as you said I
[28:41] think last week you know we had to
[28:43] increase our our our fees for trash
[28:46] collection we you know had to increase
[28:47] our water fees we had to increase our
[28:49] sewer fees I think all of that's going
[28:51] to be worse in the next year's budget.
[28:53] What I'm coming to the table with after
[28:55] thinking about this for the last week is
[28:57] should we be considering and I know I'm
[29:01] stepping ahead here but in our 2026
[29:04] budget how do we think about youth
[29:07] programs? And I also just want to say
[29:09] that I you know Mr. Barrett's meeting is
[29:11] still uh underway uh so I'm not sure
[29:13] he's going to make it uh tonight. So the money that we're talking about about
[29:19] right now is here now. You're talking
[29:22] about in the future and I understand
[29:24] that. But this money or spending this
[29:26] money will have no uh impact to our
[29:30] budget as it stands right now as the
[29:32] money has already been allocated to
[29:34] support the program. So So the things
[29:36] that you brought up though are are are
[29:40] very good points, but they're completely
[29:41] irrelevant to to the issue that's on the
[29:43] table right now. So we are able to um
[29:46] allocate this funding to this youth
[29:48] program right now as it stands without
[29:50] it making any difference to the budget
[29:52] as it exists now and you still have the
[29:55] time and the consideration to make
[29:57] moving forward around what it can look
[29:59] like for all our programs. So I'm
[30:02] starting to hear the
[30:04] different reasons as why not. And it
[30:06] almost feels like we're fighting to find
[30:08] reasons why we can't do it when it's the
[30:12] money's here right now and it doesn't
[30:14] impact us. Uh what our next year's
[30:18] budget Mr. May but I submit to the
[30:22] council for your consideration school
[30:25] move down a path that provides some
[30:28] support to do it. Uh it's an
[30:31] organization that's for 50 years gotten
[30:35] by with community support. All of a
[30:37] sudden this year saying there's no
[30:39] community support. I didn't say that. I
[30:42] just looking for the total amount to
[30:44] come from the city. So what you just
[30:48] talk go through it. Sorry Mr. May
[30:50] apologize.
[30:52] Uh let's look to see what they would be
[30:56] able to raise on their own and put
[30:59] something together to support that to
[31:02] allow still to be a uh first
[31:06] class uh organization that goes forward
[31:10] because a year from now if we give them
[31:12] everything that takes the
[31:15] uh fundraising mechanisms that they have
[31:18] been using it creates a gap people
[31:21] sometimes won't you know if you give to
[31:24] an organization every year you that just
[31:26] becomes part of the business plan for
[31:29] businesses for other
[31:31] organizations if you fund it and they
[31:34] don't have to ask for
[31:36] it a year from now I'll tell you we're
[31:39] going to be in a much more difficult
[31:41] budget process just you know the ARPA
[31:43] money here has roughly $6 million
[31:47] uh is the hole we're starting off with
[31:50] and then so we then take some numbers,
[31:54] see what they can raise realistically,
[31:56] come back and take a number that fills
[32:00] the gap and allows them to maintain
[32:02] their program at a level that they have
[32:04] in the past. He's part um I understand
[32:08] that. I'd like to propose that we um
[32:10] approach it differently though because
[32:11] we've done this with other
[32:12] organizations. I'd like to propose that
[32:14] we give a specific amount. I'll just say
[32:16] one thing you at least have and then
[32:19] we've asked other organizations to if we
[32:21] will allocate this and then you have to
[32:22] have matching funds. So let's give a
[32:24] number so that to say we will allocate
[32:27] this much and then you have to have
[32:28] matching funds and that way we can do
[32:30] that tonight and then say in order to
[32:32] get this you need to have matching funds
[32:34] and then they have an opportunity to um
[32:37] already go out there and get it. They
[32:38] know that the city has made this
[32:39] investment and they can kind of use it
[32:40] to say the city has invested this amount
[32:42] of money and would you now need this is
[32:44] the number we need to get to and are you
[32:46] willing to help us get there. So I would
[32:48] propose it be handled with that that
[32:52] yes I wouldn't disagree with everything
[32:55] that the mayor entirely said but I would
[32:57] say in its
[33:00] uh in its framework isn't that in
[33:04] essence what the community development
[33:05] block grant does like annual repeat
[33:08] funding to the same organizations year
[33:11] in year out and I would say based on
[33:14] that concept I would say if we are then
[33:18] holding this organization to that
[33:20] standard. Then we replicate across
[33:22] entire operations across the city for
[33:25] your various points. So I can respond to
[33:28] that because for my career as a
[33:31] fundraiser um I pretty much every year
[33:34] applied for a CDBG grant and they're
[33:37] very competitive and you don't always
[33:39] get them. Um the same organizations
[33:42] don't get them. There's a whole
[33:43] selection process. Anybody can apply for
[33:45] it. Well, I mean, I shouldn't say that.
[33:48] Um, you have to be a 501c3. You have to
[33:50] fit within the parameters of the CDPG
[33:53] grant program. Um, but the same
[33:56] organizations are not funded every
[33:58] single year. It also people have to keep
[34:00] in mind that it's a competitive grant
[34:02] program. It's not automatically awarded.
[34:05] Um probably I probably got rejected uh
[34:09] many more times than I got funding from
[34:12] CDBG um at my various uh workplaces uh
[34:16] whenever I applied. So I just want to
[34:17] you know make sure people are well aware
[34:19] of that.
[34:21] So let me just I want to add a level of
[34:23] clarity. There are some organizations
[34:25] who consistently over the years and the
[34:26] records will show that they've always
[34:28] there may been some organizations that
[34:29] maybe they were new maybe whatever
[34:31] number of reasons but to Mr. Wayne's
[34:33] point there have been there has been a
[34:34] level of consistency actually it's come
[34:37] into question that we're consistently
[34:39] funding these organizations like if we
[34:41] always give them they're never going to
[34:42] have so there has been a level of
[34:44] consistency when we funded the same
[34:46] organizations over and over again I% and
[34:50] so um I agree with Williams that that
[34:52] maybe next year I'll learn uh should
[34:55] look at CDBG funds but right now we're
[34:57] looking at the ARP funds which have a
[35:00] deadline they you know have an
[35:01] expiration
[35:02] And again, we could if we can't do the
[35:05] entire thing, we could come to this
[35:07] level of compromise where we're saying
[35:09] this is what we can do and then then ask
[35:11] for matching funds.
[35:14] Did you have your hand up? Oh. Oh, I'm
[35:17] sorry.
[35:18] I generally agree with everything
[35:20] everybody's saying, but should also be
[35:24] cognizant of some of the changes in
[35:26] Washington. If anybody at this table can
[35:28] predict what's going to happen, you
[35:30] shouldn't be at this table. You should
[35:32] be on the national news service
[35:35] guiding the country. But if council
[35:38] president's outlined if you want to pick
[35:40] a number
[35:41] of 50% or 20,000 or
[35:46] 22,000 something of that level, make it
[35:49] work.
[35:52] Mr. Farley, Mr. Williams, and I keep
[35:54] thinking you have your ar your hand up,
[35:55] but I guess you don't. You do? Yeah.
[35:57] Okay. No, I'm just Do we I'm still stuck
[36:01] on the
[36:03] um the the money. Is it possible some of
[36:06] that can be covered and allocated? But
[36:08] do we know if if there's been any um
[36:12] programmatic advantage as there are some
[36:14] restrictions on stuff and some of it's
[36:16] to go through what the
[36:20] actual expenditures they're looking to
[36:23] do.
[36:25] Mhm. Sometimes looking at
[36:28] the clips on the list today, there are
[36:31] sometimes like uniforms or helmets or
[36:34] other things that they might buy. I
[36:38] haven't looked into this, but there may
[36:40] be some things where the city has
[36:43] opportunity through state contracts that
[36:45] we could buy those cheaper. So, we
[36:47] wouldn't give them the money, just buy
[36:49] the helmets and give it to them. And so
[36:51] there would be a little bit more
[36:53] negotiations of trying to manage the
[36:55] best value for the outcome of the things
[36:58] that they're attempting to achieve.
[37:03] Yes. I'm I'm sorry. Oh, are you Mr.
[37:06] Crowley? So Mil's not asking us to um
[37:11] fully fund them. That's not that's not
[37:13] what the request. Um the request what
[37:15] they're the requested amount would get
[37:17] them through this season. Um, and they
[37:20] would still have to fund raise and do
[37:22] the hard work that they've been doing, I
[37:24] don't know, for the last 50 years. I'm
[37:25] sure that's not going to change um, in
[37:27] order to um, get them through like the
[37:30] postseason if they get to the Super
[37:31] Bowl, which they have, I think it was
[37:33] like three out of the last five years.
[37:34] I'm not sure about that, but I know. And
[37:36] how I know is because every time they
[37:38] make the Super Bowl, we bring them down
[37:39] here and we smile and cheer for them and
[37:40] take pictures with them again. So what
[37:42] I'm saying is that right now
[37:45] uh the ask would uh help them through the season until they um win uh
[37:52] the and get enough wins and go on to the
[37:54] postseason which I have confidence that
[37:56] uh they'll be able to do that. Um but um
[38:01] it's not asked and again they hadn't
[38:03] come to us with a request uh prior to
[38:07] this because they've been working so
[38:09] extremely hard to provide these young
[38:12] men and women in our community the
[38:13] protective factors that they um that
[38:15] they supply. You know, I was just on at
[38:18] uh the uh YMCA over the weekend where
[38:21] the lieutenant governor was speaking. Um
[38:24] he's a Belmont uh alumni. Uh the
[38:28] executive director is also a Belmont
[38:31] alumni and it got me to thinking about
[38:34] all of the people that have uh raised in
[38:37] this community that has gone on to do
[38:39] some pretty substantial things and you
[38:41] know Belmont is a part of that pedigree.
[38:44] Um, so outside of the 50-year track
[38:47] record, which I, you know, I I think
[38:49] speaks for itself, I think supporting
[38:51] them that money will be in good hands
[38:53] and put to good use. I think they've
[38:54] already proven that with their actions
[38:56] more so than what uh what we're talking
[38:59] about, Miss Porterfield and Mr.
[39:00] Williams. Okay. I just wanted to bring a
[39:02] time to attention to that we had a 7
[39:04] o'clock meeting. So when we have a
[39:06] resolution to this meeting, we have
[39:07] probably about 15 more minutes to make
[39:09] that happen. Thank you, Mr. Williams. Uh
[39:12] so sincerely I was here ready to fully
[39:14] meet the uh requested amount for their
[39:16] regular season seems as though that is
[39:19] not something that we're going to
[39:20] consider. Um it's put out 50%. Is there
[39:25] a number that we work with with um us uh
[39:30] us having a motion on that allows for
[39:33] there to be additional funds in the
[39:36] intent that we hear from other programs.
[39:39] And I say that in a caution of I still
[39:43] want to have this conversation if we
[39:45] hear from no other program because I
[39:47] still heartfully feel that we should
[39:49] fully meet their ask. I would be happy
[39:52] to um I would be willing to uh look at a
[39:55] different number. I do you know I think
[39:58] that you all know that I since we have
[40:00] so many people here who don't know me um
[40:03] they probably know I think they know
[40:05] you. Um, I just need to say that I
[40:08] really have to say that yes, we have
[40:12] photo opportunities uh when we bring
[40:14] people here, but I find it insulting
[40:16] that you're acting like that's the only
[40:18] reason that we do it. And I need people
[40:20] that don't know me to know that uh and
[40:23] I'm speaking personally here, not
[40:24] necessarily my city council hat on, but
[40:27] I do do a lot of work in this community
[40:29] for youth and for other folks in this
[40:31] community. So, I just have to honestly
[40:34] say that it it is somewhat insulting for
[40:37] you to say that we do things just for
[40:40] photo opportunities. Excuse me. Excuse.
[40:43] So, so I just I just really needed you
[40:46] know that I I tend to be let's
[40:48] all the conversation please to the I
[40:51] needed to confront and but but I have to
[40:54] say this he sent it to everybody in the
[40:55] council so everybody could have felt
[40:57] that way but you know
[40:59] I was the person that did do the
[41:00] resolution for the Belmont children when
[41:03] they went so I was taking it a little
[41:05] personally. Let's redirect the
[41:06] conversation please to whether or not
[41:09] funding that we're going to have. We are
[41:10] time limited so we have to do that. And
[41:14] so Mr. um I'm sorry it's your it's your
[41:16] committee Mr. O'Brien has his hand up. I
[41:18] would just say if if one if one of the
[41:20] members of the comm Mr. Williams is the
[41:23] member wishes to make a motion for an
[41:26] amount um to authorize Cocoa House to
[41:30] disperse previously allocated ARPA funds
[41:32] up to a figure. I don't know what that
[41:35] number is. the Belmont Pop Warner
[41:37] football program upon the presentation
[41:39] of documented budgeting requests for
[41:41] uniforms equipment
[41:43] transportation participant registration
[41:46] fees by the Belmont pop football program
[41:49] to the cocoa house that's dealing with
[41:54] it's just put the number in I think
[41:55] that's encapsulating everything also
[41:57] it's grant money we have to be make sure
[41:59] there's a paper audit trail
[42:02] so and substance That's what I'm hearing
[42:07] is a motion. It's a it's a it's a figure
[42:11] a number for me to put in there.
[42:15] Mr. The question is what do you feel
[42:16] comfortable because my number would be
[42:18] 47,000.
[42:19] Oh yeah. Hence what number figure I
[42:22] think that we were I think was it Miss
[42:24] Porterfield or the mayor um were
[42:26] suggesting a compromise perhaps of half
[42:28] FEMA. Did you just say that? I I did say
[42:31] 50% but I rounded it up to 25,000 in my
[42:34] head.
[42:35] So, is that a number that you'd be
[42:36] comfortable with? Mr. Fley,
[42:40] I want to be clear that I definitely
[42:43] like to see um the funded and filled,
[42:46] but also part of our job here is to make
[42:48] concessions and and work with each other
[42:51] to do what we think is best um for the
[42:53] community. And if that's a number that
[42:55] you would uh that you're comfortable
[42:57] with, um then I would support that if we
[43:00] could move that out.
[43:03] So with this whole conversation in mind,
[43:05] I would like to make a motion that we
[43:08] everything you just said.
[43:10] Could you repeat it for us?
[43:17] But you said to put a little flexibility
[43:19] in there because there's still accounts
[43:21] where you may be able to nickel and
[43:23] dime,000
[43:25] bucks, 500 bucks.
[43:29] So just a lot of part get mad at me for
[43:33] that. So just to be clear, are we saying
[43:35] 25,000 here? But there's other accounts
[43:36] of other places that you could
[43:39] if you're taking it. So I had sent the
[43:42] message
[43:44] to Willis who said nobody has talked to
[43:48] him. So Mark had to have a conversation
[43:51] with him and we're taking the whole
[43:54] amount of money from him. he might not
[43:56] be happy with it. So if I nickel and
[44:00] dime other accounts
[44:03] to minimize that and I'm not saying
[44:06] there's money sitting
[44:08] around huge amounts
[44:11] but just a little flexibility in order
[44:15] up to so in other words up to in other
[44:17] words if there's other funding sources
[44:20] there'll be flex flexibility from other
[44:22] funding sources up to
[44:25] So there's there's a firm figure, but
[44:28] it's up to here. So as the mayor just
[44:30] indicated, there could be other sources
[44:34] of that. So
[44:38] go ahead. Well, I was just
[44:41] So was there a plan still for Cocoa
[44:44] House to be using the money? I don't
[44:47] know. Oh, okay. I misunderstood what you
[44:50] were saying. So I'll speak to that. So
[44:53] if we did say summer employment, it is
[44:55] June 9th and so I would thought by now
[44:59] we would be hearing what that is going
[45:00] to look like and to my knowledge we have
[45:02] not heard that and so uh I don't first
[45:05] of all it's it's it's actually city
[45:07] money. We just asked Coco House to
[45:09] administer it. So it is city money. Uh
[45:12] so I don't um want to make sure that
[45:15] we're doing our due diligence and
[45:16] spending the money first and foremost
[45:18] and we're doing it. We I know they're
[45:20] saying is employment but you see the
[45:22] level of flexibility. We're we're still
[45:24] making sure that we are supporting young
[45:25] people in our community and in terms of
[45:28] the amount I say up to 25,000 and um
[45:32] that's not taking the whole 47 that was
[45:34] the ask um from from this organization
[45:37] um doing a summer youth program and and
[45:40] still an opportunity to do the summer
[45:42] youth program. In addition to that, in
[45:43] the past that that particular program
[45:45] has used summer youth from the county as
[45:49] well. So we could look at all the
[45:50] different ways to make sure they're
[45:52] still supporting their summer employment
[45:54] with some of this funding as well as the
[45:56] funding that um the employees the young
[45:59] people that they're getting employed
[46:00] through the county.
[46:02] Mr.
[46:03] So, this money that uh that we're
[46:06] talking about um is part of the money
[46:10] from the legislation that I brought
[46:12] forth um to to fund to make sure that uh
[46:15] the Cocoa House uh got the funding and
[46:18] support that they needed. Um so, the
[46:20] last thing that will do is allow us to
[46:22] turn into something that we're taking
[46:24] from one organization's ability to serve
[46:26] youth. the money that was came back into
[46:29] the city um from the Cocoa House was
[46:31] money that they were unable to spend um
[46:35] within the required deadline. So I
[46:37] advocated for that money to still serve
[46:41] the same purpose, the ultimate purpose,
[46:43] which would be serving the youth of said
[46:45] community. So I think that's a really
[46:47] important distinction to make and it's
[46:48] something that that uh I just want to
[46:50] make sure that we put on record. we're
[46:51] not taking from this organization um
[46:55] with their capacity uh to serve the
[46:57] youth. Um I see this as very uh close
[46:59] alignment. And again, moving forward, I
[47:02] would just think that we would um talk
[47:04] about funding our youth services budget
[47:06] line. Um I asked for it to be up to
[47:09] 300,000 this year. It was only
[47:11] $150,000. And maybe this will be a good
[47:13] point of reflection for us moving
[47:14] forward to make sure that we don't have
[47:16] to make those type of distinctions. Mr.
[47:18] And just my closing statement because I
[47:20] do believe that there is a motion on the
[47:21] table. I would say if the youth of the
[47:23] community are benefiting, who should it
[47:26] truly matter where that money comes
[47:28] from? We're all destined to be here to
[47:30] improve at least in this setting uh the
[47:33] quality of life and living conditions
[47:34] for them. We're able to do that through
[47:37] any means or mechanism that is within
[47:39] our I feel personally responsible to do
[47:42] that. But sincerely, I believe there is
[47:44] a motion. Yes. Um I'll end the whole
[47:46] resolution. I'm going to read the
[47:47] resolution to the council here. So
[47:49] unless it gets printed
[47:51] up says, "Whereas the city council has
[47:53] reviewed the financial needs of the
[47:55] successful youth recreational activities
[47:57] of the Belmont Pop
[47:59] Warner football program and whereas the
[48:01] city council finds that a grant
[48:03] allocating funds to the grant to the
[48:04] Belmont Pop Warner football program to
[48:07] assist with the cost of uniforms,
[48:08] equipment, transportation, registration
[48:10] fees in keeping with the public purposes
[48:13] in the legislative intent of the 2025
[48:15] operating budget for allocation for
[48:17] youth and recreational
[48:19] activities. And now therefore being
[48:21] resolved, the city council does hereby
[48:23] authorize Cocoa House to disperse
[48:24] previously allocated federal ARPA grant
[48:27] funding up to
[48:28] $25,000 to the Belmont Pop Warner
[48:31] football program upon the presentation
[48:33] of documented budget requests for
[48:35] uniforms, equipment, transportation, and
[48:37] particip participant registration fees
[48:39] by the Belmont Pop Warner football
[48:41] program to Coco
[48:44] House. Is everybody okay with that
[48:46] language?
[48:48] Oh, sorry that you were raising your
[48:50] hand. You raising your hand. Okay. Um,
[48:55] the motion needs a second. Oh, second.
[48:58] In favor.
[49:00] You have to call.
[49:02] Sorry, I'm I'm not usually in the role
[49:04] as chair of this committee, but um, all
[49:07] in favor? I I and Madame President, just
[49:10] to save time this because we have to
[49:12] draft this. Does the council have an
[49:14] endless consent to put this piece of
[49:15] legislation on Kent agenda tonight?
[49:18] Well, we have it on for unanimous
[49:19] consent, but we didn't know if it's
[49:21] going to happen, but we were prepared,
[49:22] right? It's on there for unanimous
[49:24] consent. And uh so we're we don't have
[49:27] Are you going to be able to type that
[49:28] up? I have to you have to go type that
[49:31] up. Okay. But it is on the listed on the
[49:33] agenda in anticipation that would happen
[49:35] and if when things don't move forward on
[49:38] the agenda we can always remove it but
[49:40] thankfully we won't have to do that
[49:41] tonight. Okay. Thank you.
[49:45] So I ask for a motion to Is there
[49:47] anything else that needs to come before
[49:48] the finance committee? Okay. Um then I
[49:51] ask for a motion second. All in favor?
[49:54] Thank you. We have nine
[49:59] minutes. How
[50:14] do you
[50:24] feel good?