1 00:00:01,040 --> 00:00:07,680 Good evening, Witchah and good evening to all of you. Thank you for 2 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:12,960 City Council meeting. We'll call this meeting to order. With us this evening 3 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:17,840 is Reverend Ben Staley of Chapel Hill United Methodist Church invocation. 4 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:24,199 Following the invocation, we will have the pledge of allegiance and ask you to 5 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:24,199 please stand for both. 6 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:37,200 Let's pray together. Oh Lord, we give you thanks for the 7 00:00:34,559 --> 00:00:42,640 freedom that is ours to participate in a process that determines 8 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:46,800 the direction for our community. And we thank you for our good mayor and the 9 00:00:44,480 --> 00:00:53,920 council members. And we ask that you would give them wisdom as they lead us 10 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:59,199 and give us all wisdom to make good choices 11 00:00:55,600 --> 00:01:03,520 that helps us as a community to live according to values that should guide us 12 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:08,159 all. ways that are committed to helping one 13 00:01:06,479 --> 00:01:14,320 another and give us the grace 14 00:01:10,960 --> 00:01:21,040 and patience to be able to step back as needed, the courage to step forward. 15 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:26,560 Help us to know how to act in ways that are in keeping with uh the values that 16 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:32,159 we care about. We pray Lord that decisions made here 17 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:38,000 tonight will remember that. Help us to remember that every voice should be 18 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:41,680 heard and every life matters and that no one gets left out or behind. 19 00:01:40,159 --> 00:01:46,640 » For all that you do, Lord, we'll give you praise in Jesus' name. Amen. 20 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:56,880 I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the 21 00:01:53,439 --> 00:02:04,119 republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and 22 00:02:00,399 --> 00:02:04,119 justice for all. 23 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:15,040 » Thank you, Reverend Staley. Before we continue, I just want to 24 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:21,239 recognize that we have a new Witchah fire chief. Chief Michael Mir is in 25 00:02:18,239 --> 00:02:21,239 attendance. 26 00:02:22,791 --> 00:02:24,811 [applause] 27 00:02:26,319 --> 00:02:32,080 I also want to give a quick shout out to building services and public works for 28 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:37,440 cleaning. There was a little bit safety issue and 29 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:42,959 we got that all clean. So, thank you so very much to the building services 30 00:02:39,920 --> 00:02:47,599 staff. With that, Madame Clerk, can you please call the first item? Approve the 31 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:53,040 minutes of the regular meeting, August 18th, 2026. 32 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:58,800 » Council members, are there any items to be edited from the minutes? 33 00:02:55,840 --> 00:03:03,599 I see none. With that, I will move to approve the minutes for the regular 34 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:07,200 meeting of August 18th, 20. >> Second. 35 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:11,720 » Motion second. Discussion. See none. Madame clerk, please open the role. 36 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:20,720 Motion passes 70. Before we continue, I also want to 37 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:25,120 recognize that the mayor's youth council is hosting their first 38 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:31,959 and they just came into the chambers. So, we welcome our youth leaders into 39 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:31,959 the council chambers. 40 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:42,959 Madame clerk, please call the next item. >> Public agenda. Uh, from the city's 41 00:03:40,959 --> 00:03:47,360 recently adopted civility pledge. The CI the city 42 00:03:45,519 --> 00:03:51,200 they stand united. They lead with respect and dignity and they honor every 43 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:54,080 resident in all communities. They are working to create an environment that 44 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:58,480 values shared goals with increased empathy and genuine dialogue. We now 45 00:03:56,319 --> 00:04:01,280 come to public agenda. The public agenda allows for up to five speakers to have 46 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:04,720 five minutes each to address the council. Please bear in mind that this 47 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:08,640 is not a period of dialogue with city council or question. 48 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:11,920 This is your opportunity to address the city council with your concerns. I ask 49 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:16,239 that you address your remarks to the city council as a body and not to any 50 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:19,759 individual council member. No action will be taken relative to items on the 51 00:04:17,919 --> 00:04:23,680 public agenda other than referral to the city. 52 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:26,720 Speakers will please speak into the microphone. Please state their name and 53 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:29,680 address for the record. A time clock will display the speaker's remaining 54 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:33,199 time to speak. Order and rules of decorum will be observed. The first 55 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:36,199 speaker is William Glander, Storm Drains. 56 00:04:41,280 --> 00:04:49,040 » Good evening, council members and fellow I'm William Glander. I live at 235 North 57 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:53,120 Elizabeth. I'm speaking to you tonight because our 58 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:59,280 city's infrastructure is failing to keep up with and it is directly causing the 59 00:04:57,199 --> 00:05:04,880 flooding that we are seeing in our streets. I have over 15 years hands-on 60 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:10,080 experience in earthwork, grading, water management. I know how water moves and 61 00:05:07,919 --> 00:05:14,880 more importantly I know why it's backing up in our city. The problem is 62 00:05:12,479 --> 00:05:19,600 overdevelopment, bottlenecks. The core issue is simple. We are covering up 63 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:25,280 ground with concrete faster than the drainage system can handle. Loss of 64 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:31,360 green space. Water cannot soak into concrete. It needs soil and root system 65 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:35,479 when large developments like new like the new Lo's gas station 66 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:43,919 or massive apartment complexes take over acres of dirt. that rainwater has 67 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:49,919 nowhere to go except to our storm systems all at once. 68 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:55,440 System overload. The massive volume of runoff is overt taxing the main canal. 69 00:05:52,800 --> 00:06:02,800 We need the river and and the river rises at at the outlets. Incoming runoff 70 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:08,720 collides with rising water creating a tidal wave effect. This pressure forces 71 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:14,080 flap gates stuck close, sending water straight back up through the structures 72 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:20,800 and out into our streets. Internal blockages inside the drainage network 73 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:26,319 have design flaws where flowing water hits crossing pipes forcing water to 74 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:32,160 spill over instead of flowing freely. That creates immediately immediate back 75 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:38,639 flooding. the solution. We cannot just keep building bigger concrete boxes and 76 00:06:35,039 --> 00:06:45,680 hoping for the best. We need smart natural structures fixes. Establish a 77 00:06:43,039 --> 00:06:51,759 secondary blowoff. We need an overflow mechanism for the canals so pressure 78 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:56,560 doesn't forgate shut during restore and maintain our ditches and 79 00:06:53,840 --> 00:07:03,360 canals. Decades of neglect means parts of our canal system are near collap. We 80 00:06:59,759 --> 00:07:08,800 must reestablish and destyle all dirt ditches, especially when paving dirt 81 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:14,000 roads so runoff doesn't pull on the pavement. Integrate smart green 82 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:19,919 infrastructure requires developments to pre functional dirt and tree space for 83 00:07:17,599 --> 00:07:24,400 natural absorbent. When old driveways are removed, don't just leave the 84 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:30,000 concrete. Fill them in with curb and trees to capture street runoff. Our 85 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:35,440 growth is great for this city, but if we do not fix the water where the water 86 00:07:32,479 --> 00:07:40,479 goes, we are setting our residents up for costly flood damage. I care deeply 87 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:46,080 about making this city the best, safest place it can be. I have the hands-on 88 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:51,520 experience and the practical knowledge to help fix these drainage bottlenecks 89 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:56,879 before the system collapse. I urge the council to review these drainage points 90 00:07:53,680 --> 00:08:02,479 and reach out so we can get to work on real solutions to add to this. Someone 91 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:07,440 brought up drainage ditch in West Witchah on the news. 92 00:08:05,039 --> 00:08:11,160 We do not need that brought up at all. We need to be able to 93 00:08:11,919 --> 00:08:19,680 it makes our city look bad when we get brought up on the news and people say 94 00:08:17,199 --> 00:08:27,800 that hey this is a problem. We got standing water. Thank you. 95 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:27,800 » Thank you very much, William. 96 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:38,680 » We will continue with our next speaker, >> Barbara Meyers. Waiver of fee 25 97 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:38,680 military veteran cemetery marker. 98 00:08:41,680 --> 00:08:50,720 Hello. Well, I came to you tonight originally 99 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:55,279 to ask for a waiver. of permit fees. However, 100 00:08:52,240 --> 00:09:00,399 I was informed last night at 4:45 that those had been waved. 101 00:08:57,839 --> 00:09:04,560 So, first of all, I want to thank Reggie for doing that. We appreciate you very 102 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:10,080 much. We appreciate the city for paying attention to this need. And I want to 103 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:17,000 point out that this is for Highland Cemetery, the oldest cemeter. 104 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:17,000 and 105 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:25,839 uh it's for 25 veterans of five different wars. It has been said that we 106 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:31,360 die twice. Once when our bodies give up and once when it's the last time anyone 107 00:09:27,839 --> 00:09:39,920 says our name. So on behalf of Charles Adams, Jesse 108 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:48,560 Anderson, Is Baker, Eli Benton, Armstead Bradford, Warren Busel, Samuel Card, Eli 109 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:54,800 Carter, Edward Cook, Roger Davis, RD Still, Eugene Estill, 110 00:09:51,279 --> 00:10:01,519 Elmer Foris, Francis Fox, Charles Harrington, William Hincher, Zachariah 111 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:10,080 Lure, Steuart Logan, Walter Marchale, Marcelus McGriff, Henry 112 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:18,160 Molenik, Manford Miler, William Norris, Homer Osborne, and Eugene Whitted 113 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:22,560 and my my team of volunteers. We thank you very much and we appreciate 114 00:10:20,959 --> 00:10:27,440 everything that you're allowing us to do with that cemetery and we hope that 115 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:34,040 you'll come to our event on November 14th which is one of the America 250 116 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:34,040 events that's being held acad 117 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:51,320 clerk please call the next individual >> Oswald called Witchaw Public Library. 118 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:09,120 » Good evening, Mayor and Council members. My name is Kurt Oswald and I'm the vice 119 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:13,600 president of the Witchaw Public Library, chairperson of the library advocacy 120 00:11:10,959 --> 00:11:19,040 committee and district 3 advisory board member. Concerned citizen, I appreciate 121 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:23,120 the opportunity to speak with you. Last Tuesday, a proposal was made to 122 00:11:21,207 --> 00:11:26,880 [clears throat] delay the requested increase in funding for the Witchaw 123 00:11:24,560 --> 00:11:30,959 Public Library. Tonight, I want to ask you to think about what the decision 124 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:35,440 really means. So, I want you to imagine imagine if a child needed help learning 125 00:11:32,959 --> 00:11:42,000 to read. The child needed access to books, literacy programs, a computer, or 126 00:11:39,680 --> 00:11:46,320 a librarian who could help them find exactly what they needed. Now, imagine 127 00:11:44,959 --> 00:11:51,040 there aren't enough staff members available when the family need. 128 00:11:49,040 --> 00:11:55,760 Imagine if you're looking for a job, you need a computer, internet access, help 129 00:11:54,000 --> 00:12:00,160 completing an online application, creating a resume, or uploading 130 00:11:57,519 --> 00:12:05,040 documents. The library can provide those sources, but imagine needing assistance 131 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:09,360 and not having a staff member available because the library doesn't have enough 132 00:12:06,639 --> 00:12:14,079 people to maintain the hours and service our community needs. Imagine if you're a 133 00:12:12,079 --> 00:12:18,800 senior citizen, you need help accessing an online government service, completing 134 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:23,120 a form, or simply learning how to use a computer, tablet, or a smartphone. The 135 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:27,519 library isn't just a building where you check out books. It's a place where 136 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:32,800 people get help. And library service requires people. That's what the funding 137 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:37,519 request is really about. Imagine if the libraries had the staffing they need. 138 00:12:35,680 --> 00:12:41,360 Imagine more hours when families can walk through the doors, more librarians 139 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:46,240 available to help children, more technology assistance for seniors, more 140 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:50,480 program for our neighborhoods, more opportunities for people looking for 141 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:54,560 jobs, learning new skills, or simply trying to improve their lives. That's 142 00:12:52,800 --> 00:13:00,639 what this additional funding could help make possible. The Witchaw Public 143 00:12:56,959 --> 00:13:05,440 Library serves nearly 401,000 through seven locations and a book bus. 144 00:13:03,519 --> 00:13:12,320 Last year, our libraries had more than 650,000 visits. Nearly 2 million items 145 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:17,760 were circulated. More than 54,000 people participated in library programs. And 146 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:22,399 staff provided approximately 46,000 technology. 147 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:26,320 Those aren't just numbers. Those are people, Witchah residents, walking 148 00:13:24,079 --> 00:13:31,200 through our doors because they need something from their library and the 149 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:36,880 demand continues to grow. Witchah has grown. Library use has grown, but 150 00:13:33,519 --> 00:13:41,680 library staffing has been kept at the current level. So when we talk about 151 00:13:39,279 --> 00:13:45,360 delaying the library's funding increase, we need to be honest about what we are 152 00:13:43,519 --> 00:13:49,519 actually delaying. We aren't delaying the need. The need is 153 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:55,360 already here. We are delaying our ability to adequately respond to it. We 154 00:13:53,440 --> 00:14:00,240 are asking library staff to continue doing more with resources that they 155 00:13:57,839 --> 00:14:05,360 already have and ultimately the residents who depend on those services 156 00:14:02,639 --> 00:14:11,760 are the ones who feel the impact. I understand you have difficult choices to 157 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:15,680 make and other important pri priorities competing for our funding. But I'm 158 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:19,600 asking you to dig deeper into this budget. 159 00:14:17,199 --> 00:14:24,240 Look at what can be re reduced, what can be delayed, what can be re reallocated. 160 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:28,680 Ask whether there are dollars that can be rededicated to the library 161 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:36,959 because tonight you have a choice. You can delay this investment and hope the 162 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:41,279 need somehow becomes less or you can recognize that Witchah has already told 163 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:46,720 us what it needs. More access, more staff, more hours and more programs. And 164 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:51,519 we want to leave you with one final imagine if. Imagine a parent finding a 165 00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:57,120 job because the library provided a computer, internet, resources, and 166 00:14:54,560 --> 00:15:00,880 assistance they needed. Imagine a senior gaining confidence with technology 167 00:14:58,959 --> 00:15:06,079 because someone at the library took the time to help. Imagine an unhoused 168 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:10,000 resident building trust and connections because the library staff helped them 169 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:14,560 connect with housing resources, employment assistance, and opportunities 170 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:19,920 to engage with their community. And imagine if the number of Witchah third 171 00:15:17,199 --> 00:15:25,920 graders reading at grade level increased because we invested in literacy, 172 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:31,120 learning, and access to information. Imagine if we invested in making those 173 00:15:27,839 --> 00:15:34,560 opportunities more avail. You aren't simply voting on a budget. 174 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:39,519 You're voting on what Witchaw will be able to provide with its to its 175 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:44,880 residents in 2027. I respectfully ask you, don't delay the library investment. 176 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:50,320 Dig deeper. find the resources, fund the staffing, protect and expand library 177 00:15:47,519 --> 00:15:55,040 hours, invest in programs, and most importantly, invest in the people of 178 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:58,279 Witchaw who depend on their public life. Thank you. 179 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:04,480 » Thank you, Kurt. From district number three, Council Member Mike Hohheisle. 180 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:07,360 Madame Clerk, can you please call the next individual? 181 00:16:06,079 --> 00:16:11,240 » David Bradock, Witchah Non-Discrimination Ordinance. 182 00:16:24,639 --> 00:16:30,399 Good evening, Mayor Woo and city council members. If you don't know, my name is 183 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:34,480 David Bradock. I live in Riverside, so Maggie's district, District 4. I've 184 00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:38,079 addressed you multiple times on this, but tonight I just want to remind people 185 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:42,000 who don't know I was the first person ever to file a complaint that was 186 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:45,600 actually adjudicated through Utah non-discrimination ordinance. It was 187 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:50,079 actually a religious discrimination against me. 188 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:55,519 The company I alleged discriminate against me admitted in writing before it 189 00:16:52,000 --> 00:17:01,839 was even office of the law to review that they made a mistake. They already 190 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:07,120 admitted guilt. Our own director of law found my case had merit and initiated 191 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:13,039 mediation and paid funds from the city to do so. Because it was done in the 192 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:16,959 executive branch, not the judicial, the person I was suing or complaining 193 00:17:14,640 --> 00:17:21,720 against walked out because there was no force of law behind what we were doing. 194 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:29,200 Unfortunately, I then had my case then reviewed by a subordinate of the 195 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:34,480 director of law who found that my case had no merit at all despite her his boss 196 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:38,880 saying it did and that was done without ever interviewing me once. 197 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:42,799 My case was then buried and trying to get records out and I couldn't. So, I 198 00:17:40,799 --> 00:17:46,960 had to pull multiple Kansas open record acts just to find my own data. I thank 199 00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:51,280 Maggie Ballard for helping me getting that released under the former may was 200 00:17:49,360 --> 00:17:53,919 quite an interesting challenge. I think Becky who was 201 00:38:53,440 --> 00:39:02,240 much for allowing that break. We return from that break at 7:01 p.m. Uh, thank 202 00:39:00,320 --> 00:39:07,680 you to the communications department. They have been working diligently to try 203 00:39:04,240 --> 00:39:14,000 to get sound on YouTube. It is now on YouTube. Uh they also have informed me 204 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:18,800 that any of the sound prior to 7:01 p.m. will be married with the team's sound 205 00:39:16,960 --> 00:39:23,119 that has been recording this entire time. But it does take a little bit of 206 00:39:21,359 --> 00:39:28,960 time. So it will take until tomorrow before you will have the sound before 207 00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:34,160 7:01 p.m. Um but again, we are now back full sound. Um I do want to recognize 208 00:39:31,359 --> 00:39:39,680 that Senator Oltha FaDau is in the audience this evening. 209 00:39:37,677 --> 00:39:45,040 » [applause] >> Madame clerk, please call the next item. 210 00:39:43,119 --> 00:39:50,440 » Revenue neutral rate self-supported municipal improvement district 2027 211 00:39:47,440 --> 00:39:50,440 budget. 212 00:39:51,680 --> 00:39:57,119 » Well, good evening, mayor, members of the city council. I'm Mark Manning with 213 00:39:54,560 --> 00:40:01,040 the Department of Finance. Well, today's the day that uh we've been uh working 214 00:39:59,119 --> 00:40:04,880 towards since January. Today's the day that you will adopt the city's budget. 215 00:40:02,800 --> 00:40:08,079 But before we do that, uh we have a couple other public hearings that we 216 00:40:06,480 --> 00:40:12,400 need to take care of and those are associated with the revenue neutral 217 00:40:10,079 --> 00:40:15,760 rate. So we'll do one for the self-supporting municipal improvement 218 00:40:13,839 --> 00:40:18,240 district or what we call the Schmid and then we'll do one for the city of 219 00:40:16,880 --> 00:40:23,680 Witchaw and after we conduct those hearings uh then we can get on with the 220 00:40:20,480 --> 00:40:28,640 uh budget process. Uh so statutoily we have to set the 221 00:40:26,480 --> 00:40:32,640 public hearing date uh for the revenue neutral rate hearing that was set on 222 00:40:30,640 --> 00:40:37,920 July 14th for tonight. So that's why we're here tonight. The revenue neutral 223 00:40:34,880 --> 00:40:43,680 rate uh is a tax lid created by the state legislature in 2021 and basically 224 00:40:41,680 --> 00:40:48,400 uh it determines the level of property tax funding available to taxing 225 00:40:45,599 --> 00:40:53,520 districts. So the Schmid is a taxing district for 226 00:40:50,880 --> 00:40:57,599 which you do set the uh mill levy rate. Uh typically we set that uh based on the 227 00:40:56,000 --> 00:41:02,079 request of the Witsto Downtown Development Corporation uh which makes a 228 00:41:00,240 --> 00:41:06,079 formal request to you based on the work plan and the objectives and outcomes 229 00:41:04,160 --> 00:41:10,720 that they want to achieve. And then based on that again we will adopt their 230 00:41:08,319 --> 00:41:16,480 budget here in a little bit. So they did request a budget for 2027 uh with a mill 231 00:41:13,680 --> 00:41:20,560 levy rate of 10 mills. Again, that 10 mills is just within their taxing 232 00:41:18,160 --> 00:41:25,599 district, which is essentially the downtown area. 233 00:41:22,960 --> 00:41:32,079 That 10 mill levy would be identical to the mill levy rate assessed in 2026 or 234 00:41:28,720 --> 00:41:37,359 the previous year. So, this slide shows you the impact of 235 00:41:34,240 --> 00:41:43,040 the revenue neutral rate. Last year, uh we levied $1,396,000 236 00:41:40,560 --> 00:41:49,119 on behalf of the Schmid. Based on the state statute, we cannot levy $1 more 237 00:41:46,079 --> 00:41:55,760 than that unless we exceed the revenue neutral rate. So whether we levy $10 238 00:41:52,000 --> 00:42:01,680 more or $38,000 more, in this case, we will exceed the revenue neutral rate if 239 00:41:57,520 --> 00:42:05,920 that's the desire of the governing body. So to exceed the revenue neutral rate, 240 00:42:04,160 --> 00:42:10,319 uh we have to take a few steps. Again, these are prescribed by statute. Uh we 241 00:42:08,880 --> 00:42:14,640 have to provide notification, which we have done. we have to hold the hearing 242 00:42:12,240 --> 00:42:18,400 prior to consideration of the budget, which is why we're holding this hearing 243 00:42:16,160 --> 00:42:22,640 right now. And then finally, if it is your desire to exceed the revenue 244 00:42:20,480 --> 00:42:28,400 neutral rate, uh you need to do that based on state statute by a individual 245 00:42:25,280 --> 00:42:33,280 roll call vote uh to exceed the RNR. Last thing I would note is even if you 246 00:42:30,640 --> 00:42:37,839 do vote to exceed the RNR, you will set the level of taxes levied later in our 247 00:42:35,520 --> 00:42:42,000 budget uh discussion. So you're not are not committing to a tax levy by 248 00:42:39,520 --> 00:42:47,119 exceeding RNR with this activity. You're just allowing yourself to determine a 249 00:42:45,440 --> 00:42:51,920 tax levy during the budget hearing that is higher than the tax levy of last 250 00:42:49,200 --> 00:42:55,760 year. Uh so based on the proposed budget 251 00:42:54,079 --> 00:42:58,400 proposed by the city manager in concurrence with that staff would 252 00:42:57,040 --> 00:43:02,240 recommend that you do approve a resolution to exceed the RNR for the 253 00:43:00,720 --> 00:43:07,359 self-supporting municipal improvement district and that is the recommended 254 00:43:04,240 --> 00:43:10,560 action. Uh Heather, I believe from Witto Downtown Development Corporation is 255 00:43:08,800 --> 00:43:13,680 here. If you have any questions about their work plan or the outcomes that 256 00:43:12,160 --> 00:43:17,680 they have proposed based on the tax levy, I'm sure she'd be happy to address 257 00:43:15,760 --> 00:43:22,960 those and I'd be happy to address any questions if you have any. 258 00:43:20,800 --> 00:43:29,280 » Thank you, Mark. I would like to ask Heather to come forward and share 259 00:43:26,000 --> 00:43:34,359 highlevel executive summary what the $1.4 million would fund. 260 00:43:40,400 --> 00:43:47,040 Thank you, mayor, council members. Uh the $ 1.4 million budget proposed for 261 00:43:45,520 --> 00:43:52,319 2027 uh would continue the daily operations 262 00:43:49,599 --> 00:43:57,440 of our um downtown stewardship. So downtown Witchdaw is responsible for um 263 00:43:54,720 --> 00:44:02,160 maintaining 103 blocks that comprise the Smid. Um that entails making sure that 264 00:44:00,640 --> 00:44:06,880 our development community has the resources that they need. Our business 265 00:44:04,000 --> 00:44:11,520 community um is supported both in terms of retention and recruitment. Uh we are 266 00:44:09,040 --> 00:44:15,680 marketing the district proactively um both internal events that we put on and 267 00:44:13,839 --> 00:44:20,079 everything else that's happening uh in the Smid. We have a big year coming up 268 00:44:17,280 --> 00:44:25,200 with NCAA returning downtown. So that'll get quite a bit of our attention in the 269 00:44:21,440 --> 00:44:30,079 springtime. And uh of course my favorite um focus area that we have is enhancing 270 00:44:27,520 --> 00:44:34,079 vibrancy. Um that's everything from our downtown clean team that provides uh 271 00:44:32,400 --> 00:44:40,000 maintenance services six days a week in the core. Um to our uh public art 272 00:44:37,599 --> 00:44:44,800 initiatives to programs like our free yoga in the park which starts up again 273 00:44:41,920 --> 00:44:49,920 on Wednesday, September 9th. Um, so really just making sure that uh downtown 274 00:44:47,200 --> 00:44:55,599 is a uh clean, welcoming, vibrant place to be um for stakeholders and business 275 00:44:52,960 --> 00:45:00,800 owners. >> Thank you, Heather. Um, do you have any 276 00:44:57,920 --> 00:45:04,720 data so that the audience that maybe is just now joining us regarding the 277 00:45:02,319 --> 00:45:09,440 downtown clean team? It was initially a pilot and it looks like that pilot has 278 00:45:06,960 --> 00:45:14,400 been successful and has continued on as a full-time operation and the 10 mills 279 00:45:12,400 --> 00:45:18,400 would help in portion support the downtown clean team. 280 00:45:15,839 --> 00:45:22,400 » Absolutely. So, uh, with the additional support that we had by raising the 281 00:45:19,920 --> 00:45:26,720 downtown mill levy last year, um, again only on downtown properties, we were 282 00:45:24,240 --> 00:45:31,599 able to hire a full-time clean team, which is, um, a fourperson crew, uh, 283 00:45:29,680 --> 00:45:36,480 that is working from, well, in the summer hours, 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. 6 284 00:45:34,160 --> 00:45:40,240 days a week. Uh, the only day they have off is Sunday. Um, so they are out there 285 00:45:38,640 --> 00:45:46,240 making sure that we're picking up litter. um since the program was started 286 00:45:43,520 --> 00:45:51,200 on February 1st of 2026 um through its uh you know first 5 287 00:45:48,800 --> 00:45:56,319 months of operation ending June 30th of 2026 uh we measured more than two tons 288 00:45:54,640 --> 00:46:00,960 of litter that they had collectively removed from our public realm. Um so 289 00:45:58,800 --> 00:46:05,760 that's sidewalks, streets, um anything that's a public space. Um, you know, we 290 00:46:03,680 --> 00:46:10,119 assist our our city departments by providing that extra layer of services. 291 00:46:10,560 --> 00:46:17,440 » Thank you, Heather. Uh, one more question. What is the biggest challenge 292 00:46:14,160 --> 00:46:21,280 in downtown Witchah right now? >> Oh, goodness. I don't know that I I 293 00:46:19,599 --> 00:46:25,040 don't know that I could say. Um, implementing our newly adopted action 294 00:46:23,040 --> 00:46:29,920 plan. Um, we have we have a host of 295 00:46:26,480 --> 00:46:34,400 challenges, mayor. Um, you know, we we have a housing shortage. Um, so making 296 00:46:32,000 --> 00:46:38,880 sure that we're both building enough housing and also taking care of our 297 00:46:36,160 --> 00:46:43,440 unhoused neighbors um who reside in and around the downtown district. Um, making 298 00:46:41,440 --> 00:46:48,880 sure that we have a full range of amenities uh for our, you know, daytime 299 00:46:46,079 --> 00:46:54,720 and evening populations of employees and residents. Um, transportation is a huge 300 00:46:51,520 --> 00:46:59,520 challenge. Um, so we're we're tackling all of these and and more. 301 00:46:57,920 --> 00:47:03,040 » Sorry, I'm asking a lot of questions. There's no one on the board, but I do 302 00:47:01,040 --> 00:47:06,960 have one more. And you just talked about unhoused neighbors. Uh would there be a 303 00:47:05,359 --> 00:47:11,839 possibility to utilize some of the budget to help with funding homeless 304 00:47:09,359 --> 00:47:16,000 services in the downtown area? >> So, the increase that we're anticipating 305 00:47:13,680 --> 00:47:20,079 this year is not sufficient to hire that additional position, but it's something 306 00:47:17,280 --> 00:47:21,520 that we're looking at in the future. >> Thank you, Heather. 307 00:47:20,960 --> 00:47:25,920 » Thank you. >> I see no further questions. Um I do know 308 00:47:24,240 --> 00:47:31,920 are there three members who are part of the downtown Witchaw board? Is that two? 309 00:47:29,680 --> 00:47:36,160 » There's just uh council member Maggie Ballard and 310 00:47:34,319 --> 00:47:40,960 three members. So, council members for district 1, four, and six are 311 00:47:38,800 --> 00:47:42,400 represented as part of downtown Witchah. Thank you very much. 312 00:47:41,839 --> 00:47:47,240 » Thank you. >> With that, we will open it up for public 313 00:47:44,240 --> 00:47:47,240 comment. 314 00:47:48,319 --> 00:47:54,680 I see no one from the >> I'm sorry. 315 00:47:58,000 --> 00:48:08,079 Thank you, mayor and city council members and uh city manager. I'm Eugene 316 00:48:03,599 --> 00:48:13,760 Snyder. I live at 515 South Maine. And I came tonight to respectfully 317 00:48:10,800 --> 00:48:18,800 request that the city of Witchita identify the specific legal authority 318 00:48:16,400 --> 00:48:25,599 that supports the inclusion of the residential condominiums at 515 South 319 00:48:21,920 --> 00:48:31,599 Maine being part of the downtown self-supporting municipal improvement 320 00:48:28,000 --> 00:48:37,599 district. Kansas law establishes specific zoning criteria for properties 321 00:48:34,880 --> 00:48:43,359 eligible for inclusion in a SMID district limiting participation to those 322 00:48:41,680 --> 00:48:48,319 designated for commercial or industrial use as 323 00:48:46,559 --> 00:48:53,040 reflected by the requirement in the statute that says none of which property 324 00:48:50,960 --> 00:48:59,520 is zoned for any use other than commercial or residential. In contrast 325 00:48:56,079 --> 00:49:06,559 with that, 515 South Main residential condominiums are classified under a PUD 326 00:49:03,040 --> 00:49:11,359 zoning designation. Given the zoning and the state statute, we are requiring the 327 00:49:08,720 --> 00:49:15,119 Kansas statutory basis which these residential condominium properties have 328 00:49:13,200 --> 00:49:19,520 been included in the district and subjected to this 10 mill tax 329 00:49:17,200 --> 00:49:25,119 assessment. It was 10 mills last year. Before that, it was about 6.6 six and it 330 00:49:23,359 --> 00:49:29,200 has been raised and that's what brought all this to our attention. It's one 331 00:49:26,800 --> 00:49:36,319 thing to contribute six mills but all of a sudden to be paying practically 10% of 332 00:49:32,559 --> 00:49:41,839 your total tax bill to live downtown based on and we are residential not 333 00:49:38,960 --> 00:49:47,359 commercial not industrial but it doesn't matter because our zoning does not meet 334 00:49:44,640 --> 00:49:51,359 the requirements of the Kansas statute. So therefore, based on the Kansas 335 00:49:49,119 --> 00:49:56,000 statute and the zoning code, these properties have been incorrectly 336 00:49:52,880 --> 00:50:02,400 included and assessed. And accordingly, we respectfully request that the Smid 337 00:49:58,640 --> 00:50:06,880 budget be reduced by 25,000 until this matter is fully reviewed and resolved. 338 00:50:04,960 --> 00:50:11,599 And that is based on the fact that we have 46 residential units at the 339 00:50:09,119 --> 00:50:16,480 Waterwalk. And I went through the tax sheets for every residential property 340 00:50:13,920 --> 00:50:19,480 and I added it up and it comes to $22,238.99. 341 00:50:20,720 --> 00:50:28,079 So I think to be safe I would set $25,000 aside. [gasps] 342 00:50:26,160 --> 00:50:36,920 And just to assure you that we will still be contributing the commercial 343 00:50:30,880 --> 00:50:36,920 part of Waterwalk pays in $8,19 344 00:50:36,960 --> 00:50:46,880 a year. The Fairfield Inn contributes $19,822. 345 00:50:42,480 --> 00:50:51,319 The realator's building pays in $5,819. And the King of Freight puts in 346 00:50:48,319 --> 00:50:51,319 $19,3625. 347 00:50:52,480 --> 00:51:01,599 Approximately $55,000 would be collected by the other four buildings. 348 00:50:59,440 --> 00:51:07,359 I thank you for your time and I look forward to working with the city on this 349 00:51:03,599 --> 00:51:10,760 statutory issue. Thank you. Thank you, Lugene. 350 00:51:17,440 --> 00:51:25,839 Good evening, Celeste, Witchaw native. At the last city council meeting, August 351 00:51:22,559 --> 00:51:29,599 18th, a comment was made that no one had spoken about the Schmid last year. So, 352 00:51:27,599 --> 00:51:35,440 I'm here to correct you on that. I spoke. In fact, I'm going to read my 353 00:51:32,079 --> 00:51:38,880 comments from August 26, 2025 about the Schmid. 354 00:51:37,520 --> 00:51:42,319 Today, I want to speak about the proposed self-supporting municipal 355 00:51:40,559 --> 00:51:46,720 improvements district's budget, what you all call Schmid. This downtown Schmid 356 00:51:45,040 --> 00:51:51,440 was approved by the city council in 2000. Special taxpayer property tax 357 00:51:49,440 --> 00:51:56,079 funds are given to a Witchaw downtown corporation for improvements in downtown 358 00:51:53,440 --> 00:52:00,800 Witchaw, Washington to our Kansas, central to Kellogg. However, condo 359 00:51:58,800 --> 00:52:06,319 owners and private residences in this area may not know they have to pay this 360 00:52:02,960 --> 00:52:09,280 extra mill levy. So, if any property tax increase, there needs to be 361 00:52:07,520 --> 00:52:14,240 justification for them to pay this expense. Why is this budget increasing 362 00:52:11,920 --> 00:52:18,880 to 1,400,000? Last year, that was a 55% increase. The 363 00:52:17,200 --> 00:52:22,880 city of Witchaw is supposed to provide downtown cleanup and park maintenance. 364 00:52:20,800 --> 00:52:28,160 So, why is the city giving up what it does to this private entity, downtown 365 00:52:25,520 --> 00:52:33,440 Witchaw? Is the city not able to take care of downtown parks? Is the city not 366 00:52:30,880 --> 00:52:38,000 able to maintain downtown flower beds? How would we request spending records? 367 00:52:36,400 --> 00:52:43,359 How would we see what the dollars go for? Can I file a Kansas open records 368 00:52:40,559 --> 00:52:48,000 request to request the travel expenses or the meeting expenses? How would I 369 00:52:45,760 --> 00:52:53,520 request the salaries? Now, remember this is last year. I find this interesting. 370 00:52:50,640 --> 00:52:58,000 Is this a way to hide taxpayer money? Would a slush fund be created? And how 371 00:52:55,760 --> 00:53:03,280 would I know? Taxpayers can't look inside downtown Witchaw finances to see 372 00:53:00,319 --> 00:53:08,240 individual salary, travel expenses, and marketing costs. Once you give up 373 00:53:05,280 --> 00:53:13,680 control, taxpayers are count cut out of the picture. So, I would suggest, and I 374 00:53:11,040 --> 00:53:19,280 still suggest this year, we use the nearly $500,000 budget increase to hire 375 00:53:16,319 --> 00:53:24,079 more parks department staff. Employees have dropped from 158 employees to 376 00:53:21,760 --> 00:53:28,559 barely a hundred. The And this is still true. This is so ironic. I was just 377 00:53:25,680 --> 00:53:33,839 there today. The graffiti on the West Riverbank has been there for over two 378 00:53:31,359 --> 00:53:38,960 weeks and no one has responded to the request I made to clean it up. Hire more 379 00:53:36,400 --> 00:53:44,000 maintenance public staff. The irrigation system for the flower beds and a Price 380 00:53:41,440 --> 00:53:48,559 Witter Park has been broken for months and here a year later, I'm here to tell 381 00:53:45,920 --> 00:53:53,520 you it is still broken. It has still not been fixed. 382 00:53:50,319 --> 00:53:59,200 Um, we worked really hard with Lowe's Home Improvement Store Heroes Project to 383 00:53:56,559 --> 00:54:03,760 plant a thousand flowers. The flowers have not been watered the entire summer. 384 00:54:01,680 --> 00:54:09,119 So, now we're going on year two. They have still not been watered now for over 385 00:54:06,000 --> 00:54:13,599 a year. This is still true, too. There are weeds, trash, graffiti. Several 386 00:54:11,599 --> 00:54:18,559 trees have been cut down, leaving bare stumps. The broken branches are still 387 00:54:15,760 --> 00:54:24,319 lying in the streets around Century 2. Hire more maintenance staff, please. So, 388 00:54:21,599 --> 00:54:28,720 here we are a year later. You did raise the budget. Downtown Witchaw supposedly 389 00:54:26,720 --> 00:54:34,240 is doing the cleanup, and everything I talked about last year, I'm horrified, 390 00:54:32,000 --> 00:54:39,359 is still there today. In fact, I was there today with someone who's going to 391 00:54:36,160 --> 00:54:43,920 give us Save Century 2 and Witchah area sister cities a grant to help us with 392 00:54:41,839 --> 00:54:47,839 watering. And I was so proud of the work we did. I took them down there, two of 393 00:54:45,839 --> 00:54:52,319 them today, to see the work we did at a price park, a park that was created in 394 00:54:50,720 --> 00:54:57,520 honor of the first black mayor of Witchaw. He was a wonderful man. Um, I 395 00:54:55,599 --> 00:55:02,000 won't go into detail, but my father knew him. And here I was disgraced and 396 00:54:59,760 --> 00:55:07,119 embarrassed to see the state of that park. So, we've given him more money. 397 00:55:04,800 --> 00:55:11,920 Something's not working. I say bring this back in house with city employees. 398 00:55:09,920 --> 00:55:16,079 And I know part of the problem is you're not offering enough salaries. Not any 399 00:55:14,400 --> 00:55:20,559 more than someone can make in a fast food restaurant. And I can't even turn 400 00:55:18,400 --> 00:55:26,400 the irrigation on because I was told I don't have a backflow certification. So 401 00:55:23,440 --> 00:55:31,599 I have to water by hand or with hoses around Jon of Arc. This is ridiculous. 402 00:55:29,040 --> 00:55:37,680 Please hire people. Give them a decent salary. Fill those positions. Fix the 403 00:55:34,800 --> 00:55:43,200 irrigation. And this is the riverbank that downtown Witchah was. so critical 404 00:55:40,960 --> 00:55:48,559 to expanding the vision of Witchah to our visitors. And today I saw a visitor 405 00:55:46,000 --> 00:55:52,319 with a name badge around her. Headed down there to look at Price Woodard. You 406 00:55:50,559 --> 00:55:56,720 know what she did? She beat a hasty retreat because of how awful it looked. 407 00:55:54,400 --> 00:56:00,880 You can see my pictures on Facebook. I posted them on my Save Century 2 408 00:55:58,640 --> 00:56:04,799 Facebook page and you'll see what it looks like. But I will give kudos where 409 00:56:02,880 --> 00:56:08,799 kudos are due. So Maggie, you joined us when we planted those thousand flowers 410 00:56:06,640 --> 00:56:12,799 and you were the only one who did. So, hats off to you. But if you look at what 411 00:56:11,040 --> 00:56:19,183 it looks like now, you'll think we didn't do a dang thing. Thank you. 412 00:56:16,880 --> 00:56:21,203 » Thank you, Celeste. [applause] 413 00:56:21,839 --> 00:56:28,960 » Council member Shepard. >> Thank you. Uh, city manager uh or 414 00:56:26,319 --> 00:56:35,160 Reggie, I I know that there is a plan in the works for a price. Can you please 415 00:56:30,880 --> 00:56:35,160 update the public on that plan? 416 00:56:37,760 --> 00:56:43,680 And also can you add the caveat of how long that plan has been in place and how 417 00:56:41,599 --> 00:56:46,920 have we communicated that that plan is moving forward? 418 00:56:47,119 --> 00:56:52,480 » So we're in the process right now of looking at doing renovations to a price 419 00:56:50,640 --> 00:56:58,000 woodard. Uh we put a selection committee in place to look at uh respondents to 420 00:56:54,880 --> 00:57:02,720 the RFP. Uh we had approximately 60 uh companies that applied for that. Uh we 421 00:57:00,720 --> 00:57:06,319 reviewed that and narrowed it down and we're beginning discussions again this 422 00:57:04,720 --> 00:57:09,839 week to start looking at next steps with that project. As part of that, it will 423 00:57:08,319 --> 00:57:13,359 get community engagement to see what that space looks like moving forward, 424 00:57:11,920 --> 00:57:16,799 which include addressing some of the issues that's with the irrigation that 425 00:57:14,960 --> 00:57:20,160 they're talking about there, as well as seeing some of the artwork that'll be 426 00:57:18,400 --> 00:57:23,680 incorporated into that project as well. So, we're actually scheduled to meet 427 00:57:21,760 --> 00:57:25,920 this week to discuss the next steps in that project. 428 00:57:24,319 --> 00:57:29,119 » Thank you, Reggie. What has been done to communicate with those interested in a 429 00:57:27,680 --> 00:57:32,799 price winter park and those who are contributing to the vitality and 430 00:57:30,559 --> 00:57:37,119 vibrancy of the area surrounding the park? Okay. So, we have uh have 431 00:57:35,440 --> 00:57:40,240 opportunities to get information out so once we move forward with it that we'll 432 00:57:38,720 --> 00:57:43,839 have community engagement for them to see what that space looks like moving 433 00:57:41,760 --> 00:57:48,400 forward. So, as part of that, once we have the consultant on board to do that, 434 00:57:45,920 --> 00:57:52,000 we will have uh listening sessions and information for the community, provide 435 00:57:49,920 --> 00:57:54,160 feedback on what the envision for the space once we start moving forward with 436 00:57:53,520 --> 00:57:57,040 the project. >> Thank you, Reggie. And I know that we've 437 00:57:55,599 --> 00:58:00,720 met about this and one of the things that I've stressed is that the community 438 00:57:58,720 --> 00:58:04,160 must be engaged to include the volunteers who have contributed so much 439 00:58:02,400 --> 00:58:07,920 to the park. And then when we also talk about the irrigation system, can you 440 00:58:06,000 --> 00:58:12,160 also talk about what discussions are happening from the city lens uh in 441 00:58:10,160 --> 00:58:15,440 regards to that irrigation system? >> Sure. So, one of the challenges that we 442 00:58:13,839 --> 00:58:19,359 have with that, I know that we were in the the the point where we had the 443 00:58:17,760 --> 00:58:23,440 drought previously where we didn't do any improvements to that fountain during 444 00:58:21,520 --> 00:58:26,960 that time frame and we discussed getting those back on board again this year and 445 00:58:25,680 --> 00:58:29,920 the cost to be able to get that functioning and then the work that's 446 00:58:28,559 --> 00:58:33,280 going to be taking place with the master plan. We didn't want to spend dollars 447 00:58:31,599 --> 00:58:36,559 for something that may be replaced in the long run once we do the additional 448 00:58:34,960 --> 00:58:40,079 development. So, that's why it's been a delay with the sprinkler system there 449 00:58:38,240 --> 00:58:43,760 and moving forward. I hear a commitment from you that we will engage the 450 00:58:41,920 --> 00:58:48,720 community about the future of a price winter park. They will be involved, not 451 00:58:46,240 --> 00:58:52,480 just a subset. Everyone will be welcome to the table to share their thoughts on 452 00:58:50,640 --> 00:58:56,240 that and that we actually have funds allocated to invest in that area of the 453 00:58:55,599 --> 00:58:59,040 park. >> That is correct. We will have community 454 00:58:57,680 --> 00:59:02,240 engagement for everyone to have an opportunity to participate in it and 455 00:59:00,480 --> 00:59:04,880 there are dedicated dollars in the CIP for those improvements. 456 00:59:03,359 --> 00:59:13,359 » Thank you. I just hope the public heard that. Council member Johnston Sten. 457 00:59:09,119 --> 00:59:18,079 » Thank you, Mayor. Uh Jennifer Legal, um regards to the uh first speaker, the 458 00:59:15,599 --> 00:59:23,040 Waterwalk Condos. I know several council members reached out to you for a legal 459 00:59:20,160 --> 00:59:26,720 opinion on on that. Uh would you either mind sharing a summary or meet with them 460 00:59:25,440 --> 00:59:29,359 later and share it with them? >> Happy to. Yes. 461 00:59:28,319 --> 00:59:32,000 » Thank you. >> Is is [clears throat] 462 00:59:30,000 --> 00:59:36,640 » would be able to visit with council members or however you'd like to arrange 463 00:59:33,760 --> 00:59:42,079 that. I've asked attorney Magna to share that privately with Waterwalk, but she 464 00:59:39,119 --> 00:59:46,799 shared a memo with us, Lugene, to uh we met this morning. We got the legal memo 465 00:59:44,480 --> 00:59:49,599 back this afternoon, and I've asked our attorney to meet with you privately so 466 00:59:48,240 --> 00:59:53,119 that way we can have those discussions like we've discussed. Thank you so much 467 00:59:51,359 --> 00:59:56,720 for being here. >> Thank you. 468 00:59:54,799 --> 00:59:59,880 » We'll continue with public comment on the Smid. 469 01:00:17,359 --> 01:00:20,760 Well, unfortunat 470 01:00:23,501 --> 01:00:31,160 [clears throat] I'm looking at the ordinance. It says, 471 01:00:26,559 --> 01:00:31,160 "Ordinance number 53-080 472 01:00:32,160 --> 01:00:42,119 published in the Witchah Eagle on August 28th, 2026." 473 01:00:38,720 --> 01:00:42,119 Is that right? 474 01:00:43,040 --> 01:00:47,359 Is it going to be published in three days? 475 01:00:45,200 --> 01:00:51,440 » Sorry, this is five minutes for you to speak. We will ask staff or else it will 476 01:00:50,079 --> 01:00:56,799 count against your time. So >> that's just a a question that I look at 477 01:00:53,599 --> 01:01:01,680 this and it says it's going to be this is this is what you have on your 478 01:00:58,319 --> 01:01:08,160 website. Uh the other thing is uh this is listed as item six. The item before 479 01:01:05,200 --> 01:01:13,640 was listed as item seven. So whoever does the uh numbering should pay 480 01:01:10,640 --> 01:01:13,640 attention. 481 01:01:15,119 --> 01:01:19,960 » City manager, can you please address both items? 482 01:01:20,720 --> 01:01:27,280 Mayor the first item was seven because it was u moved to the agenda out of 483 01:01:25,200 --> 01:01:31,200 order. So it was taken up. It's usually in that category of seven on your 484 01:01:29,040 --> 01:01:36,640 agenda. That's why. And as to the ordinance, um this hearing has a we're 485 01:01:33,760 --> 01:01:40,799 in has is is a strict hearing right now on just the RNR for the SMID. The 486 01:01:39,119 --> 01:01:45,200 ordinance I think he's referencing is part of the budget item. So we're not 487 01:01:42,799 --> 01:01:49,760 there yet. >> Thank you. We will continue with the 488 01:01:47,599 --> 01:01:55,680 public comment. I see none. We will close public comment 489 01:01:52,160 --> 01:01:59,079 on the RNR for the SMID. We'll bring it back to the bench. 490 01:02:01,440 --> 01:02:07,040 » Council member Shepard. >> Thank you. I would recommend that we 491 01:02:05,520 --> 01:02:10,480 close the public hearing record, approve the resolution to exceed the revenue 492 01:02:09,119 --> 01:02:13,680 neutral rate for the self-supported municipal improvement district SMID, 493 01:02:12,559 --> 01:02:17,839 conclude the public hearing, and authorize the necessary signatures. 494 01:02:15,680 --> 01:02:22,000 » I will second that um with comments as well. I know that I've talked to Lugene, 495 01:02:19,920 --> 01:02:25,040 members of the Waterwalk, and this conversation won't end. I think you 496 01:02:23,280 --> 01:02:29,359 brought up really good questions that we should get answers from the state and I 497 01:02:27,280 --> 01:02:32,480 think I've expressed to both of you that this is not going to be solved by today, 498 01:02:31,200 --> 01:02:35,760 but I think you brought up questions that we should look at um regarding 499 01:02:34,319 --> 01:02:41,599 what's in the Smid, what's not in the Smid. Um and I will be happy to go over 500 01:02:38,720 --> 01:02:44,880 the uh legal opinion with um Jennifer as well to figure out a way that we can 501 01:02:43,520 --> 01:02:47,920 make sure that you're represented. But I think you also brought up a really good 502 01:02:46,079 --> 01:02:52,079 point that there's not a a representative um that lives downtown on 503 01:02:50,640 --> 01:02:56,400 the Smid and I think that has to change next time we do appointments. I believe 504 01:02:53,599 --> 01:02:59,119 that's in April of every year um that will do appointments and so that's 505 01:02:58,079 --> 01:03:02,079 something that we'll take in consideration when it comes because you 506 01:03:00,400 --> 01:03:05,359 should have a representative um on that as well. So much more to come and I'm 507 01:03:04,000 --> 01:03:10,160 sure that we will continue conversations. 508 01:03:08,160 --> 01:03:14,799 » We have a motion and a second discussion. I will just add a couple of 509 01:03:12,400 --> 01:03:20,240 points. I will be in favor of this because this is specific to the downtown 510 01:03:17,920 --> 01:03:25,920 area. Uh for many of the residents who are present this evening, um you're not 511 01:03:23,280 --> 01:03:31,359 being taxed this extra levy. However, those in the downtown area to provide a 512 01:03:28,720 --> 01:03:36,720 lot of resources for everyone else in various parts of our community. Uh this 513 01:03:34,079 --> 01:03:41,839 specific tax is to provide added opportunities for downtown Witchaw 514 01:03:39,039 --> 01:03:46,559 including a clean team and I am in favor of that clean team. Uh that is because 515 01:03:44,160 --> 01:03:52,400 the city manager has informed us that again public works and parks do a lot in 516 01:03:49,760 --> 01:03:57,839 our community and this specific area, the downtown area needs extra attention. 517 01:03:56,000 --> 01:04:04,079 Therefore, the downtown Witchaw board has been thoughtful about adding a clean 518 01:04:00,720 --> 01:04:09,760 team specific to the downtown area and I am in favor of that um as I was in favor 519 01:04:06,720 --> 01:04:14,799 of that last year. However, also taken into account what Lugene and various 520 01:04:12,000 --> 01:04:19,839 other property owners who came before us last week to share their feedback about 521 01:04:17,200 --> 01:04:23,680 being a property owner uh a residential property owner. I am looking forward to 522 01:04:21,839 --> 01:04:29,200 the leadership of council member Shepard who represents uh water walk that area 523 01:04:26,880 --> 01:04:34,480 and look forward to them following up with you and moving that uh forward for 524 01:04:31,920 --> 01:04:39,280 the next round. So again um I am also in favor of adding someone from the 525 01:04:36,640 --> 01:04:44,240 residential area into the downtown witch board. With that we have a motion 526 01:04:42,079 --> 01:04:48,559 second. Any further discussion? See none. Madame clerk please open the role. 527 01:04:47,119 --> 01:04:52,480 » Mayor we have to do a verbal vote on this. So, Mayor Woo, what is your vote? 528 01:04:51,280 --> 01:04:54,319 » I, >> Vice Mayor, 529 01:04:53,520 --> 01:04:56,240 » I. >> Uh, Council Member Shepard, 530 01:04:55,680 --> 01:04:57,599 » I. >> Council member Tuttle, 531 01:04:57,280 --> 01:04:59,440 » I. >> Council member Hohisel, 532 01:04:58,960 --> 01:05:01,200 » I. >> Council member Johnston, 533 01:05:00,720 --> 01:05:02,720 » I. >> Council member Ballard, 534 01:05:02,319 --> 01:05:10,119 » I. >> Motion passes seven to zero. 535 01:05:05,599 --> 01:05:10,119 » Madame clerk, please call the next item. 536 01:05:15,039 --> 01:05:21,559 » Revenue neutral rate. City of Witchah 2027 proposed budget. 537 01:05:22,799 --> 01:05:28,319 » Good evening again. Mark Manning with the Department of Finance. Uh to our 538 01:05:26,640 --> 01:05:32,240 next item that we need to discuss is the revenue neutral rate for the city of 539 01:05:30,319 --> 01:05:36,160 Witchaw. Again, we have to have this hearing prior to our discussion on the 540 01:05:34,319 --> 01:05:40,400 budget. So, some of this will be repetitive. Again, the revenue neutral 541 01:05:38,319 --> 01:05:47,280 rate or what we call the RNR is concept approved by the legislature in 2021. 542 01:05:43,920 --> 01:05:52,720 The RNR, if we choose not to exceed it, does not allow any growth in property 543 01:05:49,920 --> 01:05:58,319 tax revenue. Not $1 of additional growth from the prior year. No growth from new 544 01:05:56,000 --> 01:06:03,039 construction, no growth from annexation, no growth from expire expiring tax 545 01:06:00,400 --> 01:06:08,640 abatements, no growth from anything if you uh do not exceed the RNR. 546 01:06:06,640 --> 01:06:12,880 Now, property tax revenue is very important to the financing of the city 547 01:06:10,559 --> 01:06:17,200 of Witchaw. It is the largest revenue source in the general fund. And I would 548 01:06:15,280 --> 01:06:23,520 remind you that the general fund funds mostly public safety. 67% of the general 549 01:06:20,799 --> 01:06:27,520 fund funds public safety. And again, the property tax is a very significant 550 01:06:25,440 --> 01:06:32,319 revenue to the general fund uh which funds that public safety. It's also the 551 01:06:30,400 --> 01:06:37,520 uh primary revenue source to the debt service fund. The debt service fund pays 552 01:06:35,599 --> 01:06:42,079 for the infrastructure costs of public safety, fire stations, police stations, 553 01:06:39,599 --> 01:06:45,839 things like that. and it also funds a significant portion of our maintenance 554 01:06:43,760 --> 01:06:50,240 activities primarily on our building maintenance side. So, property tax 555 01:06:47,760 --> 01:06:54,319 revenues are important uh to our operating and capital improvement 556 01:06:51,680 --> 01:07:00,000 budget. So, this slide shows you the taxes levied last year uh just a little 557 01:06:56,559 --> 01:07:05,920 bit north of $175 million. Uh if we do not exceed the revenue 558 01:07:02,480 --> 01:07:13,319 neutral rate in 2027, that means that the city budget would be built around 559 01:07:08,559 --> 01:07:13,319 the exact same 175,61,325 560 01:07:15,200 --> 01:07:22,240 with no increase. Now, the budget as proposed by the city 561 01:07:19,520 --> 01:07:26,400 manager does keep the mill levy flat on an estimated basis. uh but it would 562 01:07:24,640 --> 01:07:29,440 result in additional property tax revenue between both the debt service 563 01:07:27,920 --> 01:07:35,039 fund and the general fund of approximately $13.1 million. 564 01:07:33,200 --> 01:07:40,400 Again, with a flat mill levy, that means that most of that or all of that revenue 565 01:07:37,680 --> 01:07:44,880 is generated by changes in our assessed valuation. Assessed valuation changes 566 01:07:42,720 --> 01:07:49,680 due to reappraisal. It also changes due to new construction and annexation or a 567 01:07:47,599 --> 01:07:54,079 variety of other factors. But again, the budget is based on an increase in 568 01:07:51,440 --> 01:08:00,160 property tax revenue, but a flat mill levy aligned with last year's mill levy. 569 01:07:58,000 --> 01:08:04,240 Let's look at what other communities do uh with the revenue neutral rate. I just 570 01:08:02,240 --> 01:08:09,280 picked three of our larger counties in Kansas as the example. Seduit County and 571 01:08:06,720 --> 01:08:13,280 Shauny County, Topeka, and Johnson County. Uh you can see that all three of 572 01:08:11,440 --> 01:08:16,799 those counties have voted to exceed the revenue neutral rate each of the last 573 01:08:14,960 --> 01:08:19,679 three years. All the school districts in those 574 01:08:18,239 --> 01:08:24,480 counties have voted to exceed the revenue neutral rate in each of the last 575 01:08:21,600 --> 01:08:28,560 three years. And in Seduit County, uh you can see last year that 17 cities, 576 01:08:26,960 --> 01:08:33,679 including the city of Witchaw, exceeded the RNR. Two cities did not. Uh you may 577 01:08:32,080 --> 01:08:38,239 be interested to know those two cities were Andale, which has a population of 578 01:08:36,719 --> 01:08:43,040 924, and Clearwater, Kansas, which has a 579 01:08:40,159 --> 01:08:47,440 population of 2,682. In other words, some of our smaller 580 01:08:44,640 --> 01:08:51,440 neighbors are able to uh fund their operations apparently without exceeding 581 01:08:49,120 --> 01:08:57,600 the RNR, but uh the vast majority of other municipalities in our area have 582 01:08:54,080 --> 01:09:01,199 and do exceed the RNR. Again, same checklist. We'd need to pro 583 01:08:59,679 --> 01:09:04,799 provide notification, which we have done. We have to hold a hearing prior to 584 01:09:03,359 --> 01:09:09,759 talking about the budget, which is what we're doing right now. And if you choose 585 01:09:07,040 --> 01:09:15,600 to exceed the RNR, you must do so with a roll call vote. Again, final reminder, 586 01:09:13,040 --> 01:09:19,279 your vote on this does not commit you to a level of taxes levied. We'll determine 587 01:09:17,440 --> 01:09:24,239 that when we talk about the operating budget, but it does allow you to 588 01:09:21,839 --> 01:09:29,120 consider a level of taxes levied that is greater [music] than the taxes levied in 589 01:09:26,480 --> 01:09:33,920 2026. So, with that, I'd be happy to answer any questions and the recommended 590 01:09:31,359 --> 01:09:38,400 action is to approve the resolution by roll call vote to exceed the RNR for the 591 01:09:36,480 --> 01:09:43,759 city of Witchaw. >> Thank you, Mark. Questions for staff? I 592 01:09:41,359 --> 01:09:47,159 will start. Um, can you go back to slide number 25? 593 01:09:47,679 --> 01:09:53,120 » Sorry, 28. >> 28. 594 01:09:51,040 --> 01:09:58,719 » Yes, ma'am. >> So, it appears right here that the 595 01:09:55,120 --> 01:10:03,679 budget will increase by 13.156 million. That is a 7.49% 596 01:10:02,960 --> 01:10:08,640 increase. >> Yes, ma'am. Um I have previously asked 597 01:10:06,480 --> 01:10:15,199 um I would be in favor of exceeding revenue neutral if it only captured 598 01:10:11,679 --> 01:10:19,280 inflation which is roughly 3% and new growth uh new construction that is 599 01:10:17,920 --> 01:10:24,000 » can you tell me what that total would have been if it was just inflation and 600 01:10:21,520 --> 01:10:33,320 that new construction? Yeah, we estimated that uh those two uh would 601 01:10:26,640 --> 01:10:33,320 mean growth of about $9 million. U 602 01:10:33,360 --> 01:10:38,320 » and the percentage would be what percent? 603 01:10:36,640 --> 01:10:41,199 » Uh [sighs] 3.8 604 01:10:40,000 --> 01:10:44,880 I believe it was somewhere in the neighborhood just north of 5% if I 605 01:10:43,040 --> 01:10:49,920 remember correctly. You're testing my memory, mayor, but uh I believe it was 606 01:10:46,400 --> 01:10:55,120 somewhere around 5.1 or 5.2%. >> It was 4.5% total. This is from previous 607 01:10:53,040 --> 01:10:59,600 meetings ago. Um I'm just asking this because several people here were not 608 01:10:57,120 --> 01:11:06,320 present during that time. Um and I am still um in that same mindset as I was 609 01:11:03,040 --> 01:11:13,679 last year that the city should only take in inflation and new construction versus 610 01:11:10,800 --> 01:11:18,480 additional assessed valuation growth. I've heard from many residents that have 611 01:11:15,600 --> 01:11:23,840 said you have increased you meaning the counties but not necessarily the county 612 01:11:20,800 --> 01:11:29,040 but the treasurer um the register of deeds rather is really encouraging 613 01:11:26,560 --> 01:11:33,440 people to look at their tax bill and see how much assessed valuation growth has 614 01:11:31,360 --> 01:11:39,040 happened in their homes and people are frustrated seeing that their homes have 615 01:11:36,480 --> 01:11:43,280 increased by double digits but they can't really sell those properties at 616 01:11:40,640 --> 01:11:46,960 those amounts right now. Can you explain the difference between the city, county, 617 01:11:45,280 --> 01:11:51,120 and state levels when it comes to assessed valuations? 618 01:11:49,120 --> 01:11:55,360 » Yeah, each of uh each of those taxing districts have different areas. Now, our 619 01:11:53,360 --> 01:12:00,320 evaluation tends to be very close to Seduit County. I mean, after all, we are 620 01:11:57,280 --> 01:12:04,400 76% of the assessed valuation in Seduit County, but they have some more uh 621 01:12:02,239 --> 01:12:07,600 suburban areas than we do. So, sometimes their assessed valuation will grow a 622 01:12:05,760 --> 01:12:11,520 little bit higher than ours. Sometimes it'll grow a little bit lower than ours, 623 01:12:09,120 --> 01:12:16,239 but it tends to be relatively in line. Of course, USD 259, which is the largest 624 01:12:13,920 --> 01:12:19,679 school district in the Witchaw area, uh, also has a little bit different 625 01:12:17,600 --> 01:12:24,320 characteristics at ours than the city of Witchaw. So, their valuation will grow a 626 01:12:22,239 --> 01:12:28,560 little bit differently than ours. Uh, but all of us generally grow about the 627 01:12:26,480 --> 01:12:32,960 same amount each year other than a few percentage points here and there. So, 628 01:12:31,760 --> 01:12:37,920 » thank you, Mark. >> I see no questions from the bench. We 629 01:12:35,840 --> 01:12:44,120 will now open it up for public comment specifically to the RNR for the city's 630 01:12:41,120 --> 01:12:44,120 budget. 631 01:12:54,239 --> 01:13:02,080 Good evening, Mayor Woo Celestat, Witchaw native, former chief internal 632 01:12:58,800 --> 01:13:05,440 auditor, former bank examiner. IRBs cost the city about the same amount you're 633 01:13:03,840 --> 01:13:09,840 looking for to keep the budget at revenue neutral. It's about 10 million a 634 01:13:07,360 --> 01:13:14,480 year in city funds. It's about 11 million a year in school funds. 635 01:13:12,159 --> 01:13:19,280 Commercial tax incentives like IRBs you hand out are broken. I am suggesting a 636 01:13:17,360 --> 01:13:24,320 one-year moratorum until the commercial tax incentive process gets fixed. When 637 01:13:22,320 --> 01:13:28,239 commercial taxes are not collected, the county loses out, the city loses out, 638 01:13:26,239 --> 01:13:32,480 and the school district loses out. Residential homeowners are then asked to 639 01:13:30,960 --> 01:13:37,040 make up the difference like we're hearing today. We are the ones paying 640 01:13:34,880 --> 01:13:42,320 for tax giveaways given to developers for industrial revenue bonds. And until 641 01:13:40,000 --> 01:13:46,800 the broken given ways are fixed, the city of Witchaw has got to stop posting 642 01:13:44,719 --> 01:13:52,320 misleading statements about how these incentives are not costing taxpayers 643 01:13:49,520 --> 01:13:57,120 because taxpayers do pay for incentives either through a broken IRB process or 644 01:13:54,880 --> 01:14:01,760 because starbond debt agreements require it. The state of Kansas recently 645 01:13:59,600 --> 01:14:06,640 completed an audit on industrial revenue bonds and the results were not good. 646 01:14:03,920 --> 01:14:11,120 Here's what the audit stated. The Sedick County Appraisers Office didn't submit 647 01:14:08,560 --> 01:14:17,360 many IRBX applications to BOD for approval over the past 30 years as 648 01:14:14,320 --> 01:14:21,600 required by state law. 112 were not filed properly. Poor segregation of 649 01:14:19,760 --> 01:14:26,719 duties at the Sedick County Appraisers Office, unclear timelines, and a lack of 650 01:14:24,320 --> 01:14:31,040 state agency oversight allowed this situation to happen. This issue could 651 01:14:29,280 --> 01:14:36,880 affect some Sedick County business property taxes and the quality of BOD's 652 01:14:33,679 --> 01:14:41,199 IRBX data. When I read this audit, I became concerned. Concerned because 653 01:14:38,880 --> 01:14:44,960 residential homeowners just got a huge increase in their property tax bills. 654 01:14:43,440 --> 01:14:49,280 concerned because you are not keeping the budget at revenue neutral, but are 655 01:14:46,880 --> 01:14:52,480 asking for an increase in spending. Hardworking families and seniors 656 01:14:50,960 --> 01:14:56,880 struggle to keep the roof over their head, yet commercial businesses are 657 01:14:54,400 --> 01:15:02,159 getting a free ride because you approved it. I specifically asked a Seduit County 658 01:14:59,840 --> 01:15:06,159 Commissioner and I spoke in several Witchaw City Council meetings if anyone 659 01:15:04,400 --> 01:15:11,920 was concerned about this broken incentive process and I asked if there 660 01:15:08,719 --> 01:15:17,760 was an impact to taxpayers. I was told no, there was no impact to taxpayers. I 661 01:15:15,360 --> 01:15:23,280 was told in emails and phone calls there was no impact to taxpayers. I was told 662 01:15:20,800 --> 01:15:27,760 there was no missed revenue. So I decided to find out for myself. Here's 663 01:15:25,840 --> 01:15:32,480 the list of taxexempt properties for Witchaw. These are the businesses who 664 01:15:29,920 --> 01:15:36,719 pay no property tax or pay reduced property taxes because you have given 665 01:15:34,159 --> 01:15:42,000 them tax perks. I looked at four properties. One of them, Poet Ethanol 666 01:15:39,600 --> 01:15:47,040 Products, has been receiving IRB tax perks since 2004. 667 01:15:44,719 --> 01:15:52,560 They have 24 million in appraised values that are taxexempt. They also received 668 01:15:49,679 --> 01:15:57,360 sales tax exemption on all the furniture and equipment that went into their new 669 01:15:54,800 --> 01:16:03,840 offices at 39th and Web. You gave them nearly everything in tax incentives. I 670 01:16:01,199 --> 01:16:09,280 found unusual fluctuations in property valuations. Every single time I asked 671 01:16:06,960 --> 01:16:14,400 someone in authority if this fluctuation was a mistake, I was told no. There was 672 01:16:12,560 --> 01:16:21,360 nothing unusual about the fluctuations in assessed value. I was told all of the 673 01:16:17,199 --> 01:16:27,600 112 exceptions in the state audit had no problems and I quote to wrongly reduce 674 01:16:24,480 --> 01:16:32,400 the county tax base. But I'm stubborn and I persisted and I asked for a 675 01:16:29,840 --> 01:16:38,880 meeting to discuss the results I found. Last Thursday in a meeting, I was told I 676 01:16:35,440 --> 01:16:43,280 was right. There was a problem. And contrary to what I had been told in 677 01:16:40,719 --> 01:16:50,400 emails and over the phone, there was a fiscal impact to taxpayers. Ethanol 678 01:16:46,480 --> 01:16:57,760 Products LLC owes $119,000 in back taxes. They have 45 days to pay. 679 01:16:54,560 --> 01:17:04,000 I was told, and I quote, "The appraiser made a calculation error in the 2025 680 01:17:00,800 --> 01:17:08,400 value." who will apologize to me for the false statements I was given about this 681 01:17:05,840 --> 01:17:13,679 problem, for the push back I received when I tried to explain the dramatic 682 01:17:10,960 --> 01:17:17,840 swings in oppressed value that I saw. And more importantly, here's the key 683 01:17:15,840 --> 01:17:22,159 that I hope you work with the county on. And I think Mayor Woo, you probably will 684 01:17:20,000 --> 01:17:26,159 reach out to Ryan Batty. I hope so anyway, because I wanted to know what 685 01:17:24,159 --> 01:17:30,159 systems were being put in place to prevent calculation errors in the 686 01:17:28,000 --> 01:17:35,520 future. How do we know there aren't more of the 112 that were put on the system 687 01:17:33,760 --> 01:17:40,159 at a lower assessed value than they should have been? If I wasn't stubborn, 688 01:17:37,760 --> 01:17:44,480 I wouldn't have found this. Property tax exemptions cost the city roughly $6 689 01:17:42,320 --> 01:17:50,320 million per year. Property tax exemptions cost the USD 259 almost 11 690 01:17:48,000 --> 01:17:54,560 million per year. My recommendation is to put a one-year moratorum on any new 691 01:17:52,719 --> 01:17:58,719 tax incentives until this system is fixed. My second recommendation is to 692 01:17:57,040 --> 01:18:03,840 set up a fraud abuse whistleblower hotline with finder fees to encourage 693 01:18:01,520 --> 01:18:09,040 this type of citizen reporting. Thank you. 694 01:18:06,578 --> 01:18:13,679 [applause] Thank you, Celeste. I do have a follow-up question to Mark 695 01:18:11,199 --> 01:18:18,480 Manning. Um, I did send an email to you and the city manager on Saturday 696 01:18:15,679 --> 01:18:24,320 regarding uh what Celeste has posted regarding the poet ethanol owing 697 01:18:20,640 --> 01:18:30,400 $100,000. Can you please uh share where the city um is at in terms of recouping 698 01:18:27,920 --> 01:18:35,199 some of those dollars and how many more of these have not been checked? 699 01:18:32,080 --> 01:18:38,800 » Sure. Uh first of all, let me uh kind of expand on the city's relationship 700 01:18:37,120 --> 01:18:44,880 regarding everything Celeste talked about. Uh the city has virtually nothing 701 01:18:42,640 --> 01:18:48,960 to do with the processes she talked about. Everything she talked about is 702 01:18:46,800 --> 01:18:54,560 done by our our partners over at the county. the city has absolutely nothing 703 01:18:51,360 --> 01:18:59,679 to do with the appraisal of property or with the entry into the system of those 704 01:18:57,440 --> 01:19:02,880 appraised values. I I understand the same thing she did. I understand it was 705 01:19:01,040 --> 01:19:06,800 a data entry error on behalf of a county staff. That's I'm sure regrettable on 706 01:19:04,960 --> 01:19:11,199 their behalf. Uh we're humans. That happens occasionally. But again, the 707 01:19:08,800 --> 01:19:18,000 city has absolutely nothing to do with that. Uh there are about 180,000 parcels 708 01:19:15,120 --> 01:19:23,760 in Seduit County in the city of Witchaw. the city really doesn't have the ability 709 01:19:19,840 --> 01:19:28,000 to audit the valuation of those 180,000 properties. It's really not our 710 01:19:25,120 --> 01:19:32,320 function. Again, it's regrettable. Uh it does impact the city. Uh but that 711 01:19:30,239 --> 01:19:35,120 function is entirely on the county and I'm going to assume all the 712 01:19:33,520 --> 01:19:39,360 correspondence that she mentioned was with county representatives as well. I 713 01:19:37,440 --> 01:19:43,280 wanted to make that clear. Having said that, our understanding is that the 714 01:19:41,199 --> 01:19:49,920 county appraiser has corrected the valuation. Uh our understanding is that 715 01:19:45,920 --> 01:19:55,600 they have uh adjusted the taxes payable uh for this entity and uh they are 716 01:19:52,880 --> 01:20:00,400 coordinating with us to ensure that that entity is aware of that and presumably 717 01:19:57,679 --> 01:20:06,080 pays their taxes and and uh they will take care of the problem that way. 718 01:20:04,000 --> 01:20:09,920 » Do you know how much the city will be owed from that $100,000 that was 719 01:20:08,560 --> 01:20:14,000 mentioned? >> Uh I don't know off top of my head. I 720 01:20:12,159 --> 01:20:19,120 would guess it's somewhere around 29% of the 112 or 118,000 whatever the number 721 01:20:16,640 --> 01:20:23,520 is. I have not seen it specifically but you know based on our mill levy split 722 01:20:20,800 --> 01:20:27,679 probably about 29% of it. So what $35,000 maybe? 723 01:20:25,840 --> 01:20:31,520 » So that money will go into the general fund when it is accepted. 724 01:20:29,679 --> 01:20:36,480 » Uh it'll go to the general fund and the debt service fund. Yes ma'am. 725 01:20:33,360 --> 01:20:40,239 » Thank you Mark. Uh Vice Mayor Glasco. >> Thank you Mark. I know we have a 726 01:20:38,000 --> 01:20:44,640 workshop regarding city incentives at the end of September and so this will 727 01:20:42,000 --> 01:20:47,840 likely be brought up. Could we try to work and maybe this is a question for 728 01:20:45,840 --> 01:20:51,040 the manager to get somebody from the county to be able to answer some of 729 01:20:49,360 --> 01:20:54,560 those questions to make sure that perhaps this problem doesn't happen 730 01:20:52,239 --> 01:20:59,199 again on the county side and how maybe we can be proactive in making sure that 731 01:20:57,040 --> 01:21:02,000 we're also catching it as well if that's a function that we're able to take. But 732 01:21:00,719 --> 01:21:07,840 I think that should be maybe part of the conversation in September. 733 01:21:05,520 --> 01:21:10,560 Council member Shepard. 734 01:21:08,800 --> 01:21:14,400 » Thank you. And I want to echo the sentiments of Vice Mayor Mark. Thank you 735 01:21:12,800 --> 01:21:17,280 for apologizing on behalf of the county, but this is the city. I don't think you 736 01:21:15,840 --> 01:21:22,159 need to take ownership for a mistake that our neighbors uh made and certainly 737 01:21:20,320 --> 01:21:25,360 understand that human error is a situation that occurs often. The 738 01:21:24,159 --> 01:21:28,640 difference is whether or not you take ownership for it. So, I hope that they 739 01:21:26,800 --> 01:21:32,239 do take ownership for it and that they can meet the moment with the previous 740 01:21:30,400 --> 01:21:37,040 speaker who asked for an apology. that to in my opinion is not your apology to 741 01:21:35,040 --> 01:21:40,560 render. Um, and with that being said, city manager, I know that we've 742 01:21:38,880 --> 01:21:44,320 discussed this, but as I've been out engaging the community, not only does 743 01:21:42,480 --> 01:21:47,120 the county need to be at the table, but the board of education needs to be at 744 01:21:45,840 --> 01:21:51,199 the table when we talk about these incentives, as well as um I think we 745 01:21:49,679 --> 01:21:55,440 need to lean on the expertise of our business community. And I would also 746 01:21:52,880 --> 01:21:59,679 like to see before we make a decision on what that economic incentives package 747 01:21:57,600 --> 01:22:04,560 looks like, which I know will be a long-term process, it should go to every 748 01:22:02,320 --> 01:22:08,320 single DAB board so we can get community input as well, so that way we make sure 749 01:22:06,560 --> 01:22:14,239 all factions and stakeholders are a part of that conversation. Thank you. 750 01:22:11,920 --> 01:22:17,560 » Thank you, Mark. We will continue with public comment. 751 01:22:17,600 --> 01:22:24,480 » Hello, Faith Martin. Uh, I've been through this process with county and uh, 752 01:22:23,040 --> 01:22:29,440 I think a lot of people don't realize it's either exceeded or don't. We can't 753 01:22:26,960 --> 01:22:34,400 do percentages or inflation or some of those things. So, I imagine that you 754 01:22:31,600 --> 01:22:39,760 will vote to exceed today, but uh on this I do agree with the mayor that uh 755 01:22:37,280 --> 01:22:44,960 as a as a taxpayer, as a private property owner, you know, I get 756 01:22:41,520 --> 01:22:50,159 appraised 25% higher year-over-year and I don't see any I don't see any benefit 757 01:22:48,239 --> 01:22:55,040 from that personally, and usually I'm here speaking on other people's behalf, 758 01:22:51,760 --> 01:22:59,199 but you know, when we get over year over year exceeding exceeding exceeding to 759 01:22:57,120 --> 01:23:04,480 the point where our budget is so bloated that if we don't exceed, we can't even 760 01:23:01,679 --> 01:23:08,400 pay for basic things that we need. And so I would like to see a plan moving 761 01:23:06,719 --> 01:23:12,800 forward if we know it's going to be specifically 13 million or 12 million or 762 01:23:10,880 --> 01:23:18,080 20 million that we're going over. What is the plan for those specific dollars? 763 01:23:15,120 --> 01:23:23,120 Is it to invest in infrastructure? Is it to pay off debt? I think people get 764 01:23:20,400 --> 01:23:26,560 upset when they don't see what that's, you know, if we're going to take the 765 01:23:24,400 --> 01:23:29,920 full appraised value and go over revenue neutral, just show us what you're using 766 01:23:28,320 --> 01:23:34,080 it for. I think that's what people want to see. I I would hope that you don't, 767 01:23:32,480 --> 01:23:38,239 but I know that it's going to exceed because you budgeted for that 13 768 01:23:36,159 --> 01:23:43,120 million, but I think if we can see what you're doing with that 13 million, um 769 01:23:41,520 --> 01:23:46,880 maybe it wouldn't be as painful. I know it wouldn't be as painful to me. Um if I 770 01:23:45,440 --> 01:23:51,360 know that it's paying for things that I care about. Um so that's what I'd leave 771 01:23:49,120 --> 01:23:57,080 you with. Thank you. >> Thank you, Faith. We'll continue with 772 01:23:53,840 --> 01:23:57,080 public comment. 773 01:24:00,639 --> 01:24:09,280 Uh, Michael Girkin, 1818 Harbor Light, District 6. Um, I guess, you know, I I 774 01:24:06,159 --> 01:24:12,639 agree, Mayor Will, we can't just say, "Oh, good. We get this much money 775 01:24:10,719 --> 01:24:20,239 because we didn't raise the mill levy." Um, I've seen my values go up 21% in two 776 01:24:15,600 --> 01:24:25,360 years. Okay. Um, and what I really don't understand is it's this attitude that we 777 01:24:23,199 --> 01:24:30,080 have to spend, spend, spend. Where is the attitude to get more efficient and 778 01:24:27,280 --> 01:24:34,080 reduce cost? I never see it. We pat ourselves on the back. We didn't raise a 779 01:24:32,000 --> 01:24:39,840 mill levy, but we raising$ 13 more million dollars. Okay? There's no I 780 01:24:37,440 --> 01:24:44,719 don't see an effort to reduce cost. I I was a business owner before I retired. 781 01:24:42,400 --> 01:24:48,800 Every day we were cutting cost. We had to to survive. You know, we didn't raise 782 01:24:47,280 --> 01:24:54,320 our budget every year. We tried to cut it. And I just think that we need to get 783 01:24:51,679 --> 01:25:01,560 more fiscally responsible and figure out how to reduce cost rather than just say, 784 01:24:56,880 --> 01:25:01,560 "Oh, good. We didn't raise a mill levy." 785 01:25:01,853 --> 01:25:07,960 [applause] Thank you, Michael. We'll continue with public comment. 786 01:25:13,120 --> 01:25:19,199 » Hello. Good evening. Zoe Chittik, 13521 East Rose Street. I believe I'm in 787 01:25:17,280 --> 01:25:24,080 District 2. Um, you mentioned that there's a public safety fund within 788 01:25:21,600 --> 01:25:28,800 this. So, I wanted to ask what percentile of this budget with our 789 01:25:26,480 --> 01:25:33,440 public safety fund is spent on flock cameras? How much of that increase is 790 01:25:31,520 --> 01:25:39,760 spent on those? And where is our money going when it goes to public safety? 791 01:25:36,719 --> 01:25:44,239 We have about 190 cameras in Witchah that WPD says they have on their 792 01:25:42,400 --> 01:25:50,480 website. And I'm not sure how familiar folks are, but the subs subscription 793 01:25:46,159 --> 01:25:55,920 cost is about $2,000 to $3,000 per flock camera. So, some quick math there is 794 01:25:53,040 --> 01:25:59,199 that's about half a million. Now, I know there's some active litigation ongoing 795 01:25:57,440 --> 01:26:05,040 and we've had different cities in Kansas, including um Wellsville, decide 796 01:26:02,639 --> 01:26:09,840 to remove their flock cameras. So, that offers a lot of cost savings. Now, do we 797 01:26:07,840 --> 01:26:14,480 have any data on if these cameras are actually helping our city or are they 798 01:26:12,080 --> 01:26:18,719 just skimming daily information from us? The last updates on the transparency 799 01:26:16,400 --> 01:26:22,000 flock safety website on benefits on how they were for the community were in 800 01:26:20,000 --> 01:26:26,400 June. So, what happened in July and August? Did it actually do anything for 801 01:26:23,679 --> 01:26:30,400 the town of Witchah? If Wellsville, Kansas is removing their flock cameras, 802 01:26:28,320 --> 01:26:36,400 when will we? And how much money would we get back to pour into humans in our 803 01:26:33,679 --> 01:26:41,199 public safety resources instead of AI? and would that create overall cost 804 01:26:39,120 --> 01:26:47,840 savings in Witchah that taxpayers would see coming back to us? Thank you. Thank 805 01:26:45,199 --> 01:26:50,840 you, Zoe. We'll continue with public comment. 806 01:27:06,159 --> 01:27:12,719 first time here. Let's see here. My name Good evening, mayor and members of city 807 01:27:10,880 --> 01:27:16,719 council. My name is Jamie Kissinger and I live in district 5. I'm standing here 808 01:27:14,960 --> 01:27:21,199 tonight because I'm deeply discouraged and frankly angry about how this city 809 01:27:19,280 --> 01:27:26,239 treats the workers who actually keep it running. My husband has worked n 39 810 01:27:24,239 --> 01:27:31,199 faithful years for the city and public works as a surveyor laying out the very 811 01:27:28,719 --> 01:27:36,000 roads we drive on. He doesn't stay because he lacks options. Contractors 812 01:27:33,360 --> 01:27:41,360 try to recruit him constantly for far more money. I tell him all the time he 813 01:27:38,320 --> 01:27:47,280 should go, but he stays because he takes pride in serving our community. He goes 814 01:27:44,080 --> 01:27:52,880 out in 100°ree heat and freezing snow, routinely catching and correcting 815 01:27:50,080 --> 01:27:57,440 engineering, designing errors right on the job site so our streets actually lay 816 01:27:55,199 --> 01:28:02,320 out and drain correctly. Yet over the last eight years, workers in the 817 01:27:59,600 --> 01:28:09,360 division has seen only a 20% pay increase, while other city sectors 818 01:28:05,280 --> 01:28:14,560 receive over 29 to 39%. Tell me there isn't something deeply broken in the 819 01:28:11,280 --> 01:28:21,159 system. Our son Oh, here we go. Sorry, 820 01:28:17,440 --> 01:28:21,159 I lost my place. 821 01:28:25,120 --> 01:28:28,120 Um, 822 01:28:30,239 --> 01:28:37,600 our son recently hired on in a different city department and within one year he 823 01:28:35,600 --> 01:28:44,159 is making more money than his father ever nearly for four decades of service. 824 01:28:40,719 --> 01:28:48,800 I'm not asking for pity, but it stings. As Esau Freeman pointed out in last 825 01:28:46,480 --> 01:28:54,800 week's meeting, for every nine new hires, you lose five within 180 days. 826 01:28:52,080 --> 01:29:00,080 Because this isn't a livable wage, the city saves massive amounts using 827 01:28:56,960 --> 01:29:03,679 internal staff over outside contractors. To make matters worse, the money that 828 01:29:02,000 --> 01:29:08,639 was supposed to go towards essential workers was pulled back during COVID 829 01:29:05,679 --> 01:29:13,600 ARPA funds with only a fraction paid out while the rest was redirected into 830 01:29:10,719 --> 01:29:18,639 nonprofit grants. Now, you are proposing to cut merit raises for the frontline 831 01:29:15,600 --> 01:29:24,000 employees making well under $60,000. While this city remains widely topheavy, 832 01:29:21,679 --> 01:29:31,199 let's look at the math. A 3% raise for an employee making $60,000 is $1,800 a 833 01:29:27,199 --> 01:29:36,880 year, barely $100 a month after taxes. A 3% raise for an administrator making 834 01:29:33,360 --> 01:29:42,719 $200,000 is an extra $6,000 a year of taxpayers pockets. Does someone earning 835 01:29:39,600 --> 01:29:48,000 2 thou $200,000 really need another $500 a month while road crews can't keep up 836 01:29:45,120 --> 01:29:52,320 with inflation? Taking raises from essential work workers who keep this 837 01:29:50,320 --> 01:29:56,639 city functioning is unacceptable. This city needs to be audited from top to 838 01:29:54,800 --> 01:30:01,120 bottom. Pay our essential workers what they deserve and stop cutting the bottom 839 01:29:58,480 --> 01:30:05,199 to protect the top. Thank you. >> Thank you, Jamie. 840 01:30:03,280 --> 01:30:08,639 Council member Hoheiser. >> Thank you, Mayor. And thank you, Jamie, 841 01:30:06,800 --> 01:30:13,840 for coming up for your first time. It was uh really good job. You did a good 842 01:30:11,199 --> 01:30:18,800 job there. Um I do want to say thank you to all our workers. Um I'm a big 843 01:30:16,639 --> 01:30:24,000 advocate for unions and a lot of that pay discrepancy you see has to do with 844 01:30:21,679 --> 01:30:28,800 uh certain employees in our organization being unionized, but I do I do want to 845 01:30:26,639 --> 01:30:34,719 say that we I do think we have ground to make up with uh non-unized workers in 846 01:30:31,679 --> 01:30:39,280 our in our city. um we need to treat everybody and give them the give them 847 01:30:37,360 --> 01:30:42,159 what they're worth essentially. So I do appreciate you and your husband and 848 01:30:40,960 --> 01:30:46,800 that's something I think we're going to be working on over this next year. So 849 01:30:44,320 --> 01:30:50,000 thank you for coming up and speaking. >> Council member Tuttle. 850 01:30:47,920 --> 01:30:53,040 » Thank you. Um thank you Miss Kissinger for being here. Really appreciate it. 851 01:30:51,440 --> 01:30:58,639 Appreciate your comments. I do just want to clarify that not everyone in this 852 01:30:55,280 --> 01:31:03,760 body has asked for merit uh cuts. Only specific members have. Um, and we also 853 01:31:01,360 --> 01:31:08,320 did an employee survey and we heard loud and clear that that is not something 854 01:31:06,000 --> 01:31:12,000 that employees are interested in. I've said now during two of these meetings 855 01:31:10,080 --> 01:31:17,440 that there will be no way that I am supportive of cutting merit raises for 856 01:31:14,080 --> 01:31:23,280 employees. All of us who who work in our community know that it costs more to 857 01:31:20,239 --> 01:31:28,880 hire and train an employee than it does to retain an employee. and cutting merit 858 01:31:26,400 --> 01:31:33,760 ra merit raises for our city employees who work so hard every day to provide 859 01:31:31,679 --> 01:31:37,600 effective and efficient service will mean that we will lose good employees. 860 01:31:36,000 --> 01:31:42,000 They will do exactly as your husband could and go to another another 861 01:31:39,520 --> 01:31:45,360 opportunity. So, um I think I've stated from this bench twice, but I'll say it 862 01:31:43,600 --> 01:31:51,233 three times. I would be in no way supportive of cutting merit raises for 863 01:31:47,760 --> 01:31:53,253 City of Witchah team members. Thank you. [applause] 864 01:31:53,600 --> 01:31:59,199 Thank you, Jamie, for attending the meeting. We had a conversation this 865 01:31:57,199 --> 01:32:03,520 afternoon, and I really appreciate not just your son's service, but your 866 01:32:01,199 --> 01:32:08,800 husband's service to the city, as well as the 3,100 employees for the city of 867 01:32:06,000 --> 01:32:15,040 Witchah. For context, I gave her that information as well. The top 25 earners 868 01:32:12,080 --> 01:32:20,920 at the city of Witchah get paid between $298,000 869 01:32:17,520 --> 01:32:20,920 to $181,120. 870 01:32:21,600 --> 01:32:32,480 Those are the top 25 earners. Last week, 627 of the city's 818 871 01:32:29,120 --> 01:32:39,120 nonUN employees responded to an employee survey. rate of pay was their highest 872 01:32:35,520 --> 01:32:44,320 priority, followed by merit pay. Tuition reimbursement ranked last. 873 01:32:42,320 --> 01:32:50,639 I appreciate their feedback in the service of all $3,100 city employees. To 874 01:32:47,920 --> 01:32:55,520 be clear, the proposal I was considering for tonight would not have affected 875 01:32:52,560 --> 01:33:01,600 employees earning less than $60,000 a year. After hearing concerns about the 876 01:32:58,239 --> 01:33:06,800 broader idea, I narrowed it to pausing merit increases for one year for 877 01:33:03,920 --> 01:33:11,520 eligible non-union employees earning more than $60,000 878 01:33:09,120 --> 01:33:20,000 in light of the city's difficult budget condition, which includes $8 million in 879 01:33:14,880 --> 01:33:24,000 budget shortfalls for 2028 to 2030. It would not have reduced existing 880 01:33:22,159 --> 01:33:30,159 salaries or affected the separate general pay increase. Staff estimated 881 01:33:27,280 --> 01:33:36,800 that the one-year pause could have saved approximately $600,000. 882 01:33:33,760 --> 01:33:42,639 I have listened to those concerns and the proposal does not have council 883 01:33:38,880 --> 01:33:49,840 support, so I will not pursue it. For context, Cedric County's proposal is 3% 884 01:33:46,480 --> 01:33:57,040 general pay adjustment plus a 1% scale bump, whereas the city's proposal is a 885 01:33:53,199 --> 01:34:06,480 2.5% general pay adjustment plus an additional 2.5% merit raise. The US rate 886 01:34:01,600 --> 01:34:11,679 of inflation last year was 2.7%. That does not resolve the larger 887 01:34:08,239 --> 01:34:16,719 structural challenge. More than 75% of the general fund supports employee pay 888 01:34:13,600 --> 01:34:23,520 and benefits. The proposed budget relies on reserves, $3 million to be exact, and 889 01:34:20,719 --> 01:34:29,760 an additional shortfall is projected for the following year. The city manager and 890 01:34:26,480 --> 01:34:37,199 human resources must comprehensively examine compensation, 891 01:34:32,080 --> 01:34:42,480 wage compression, frontline retention, staffing, vacancies, and management 892 01:34:39,920 --> 01:34:47,600 structure. The council must then be willing to make responsible budget 893 01:34:44,560 --> 01:34:52,560 choices that value essential employees and protect taxpayers. 894 01:34:50,000 --> 01:34:58,159 I am reading this because I shared that before coming to this council meeting. 895 01:34:55,199 --> 01:35:05,120 And so again, Jamie, thank you for your thoughtful conversation. Um, and again, 896 01:35:02,000 --> 01:35:11,760 thank you to the 3,100 employees and those who are not represented by unions. 897 01:35:07,920 --> 01:35:16,719 We do appreciate your service and there should be pay that is commeasurate to 898 01:35:14,239 --> 01:35:23,040 the value that you do create for the city. And so I can see that pay is the 899 01:35:20,639 --> 01:35:29,280 most important thing that individuals value. But the lowest priority was a new 900 01:35:26,719 --> 01:35:35,280 program that the city manager proposed, which is a new tuition reimbursement 901 01:35:32,239 --> 01:35:41,920 program at $300,000. So I will be um asking for the delay of 902 01:35:39,440 --> 01:35:46,000 creating a new program for tuition reimbursement in the following vote. 903 01:35:44,400 --> 01:35:50,159 Council member Shepard. Thank you, mayor, and thank you to the speaker who 904 01:35:47,679 --> 01:35:53,600 spoke courageously about the importance of paying people what they're worth, 905 01:35:52,080 --> 01:35:56,560 especially in this economy where people are worried about how they're going to 906 01:35:55,040 --> 01:36:01,120 put gas in their tank, food on the table, and be able to provide for their 907 01:35:58,080 --> 01:36:06,400 family. I want to also uh say that, and I said this last week, that when we even 908 01:36:02,719 --> 01:36:11,840 look at the data, 627 employees, non-UN employees out of 800, 76.7 response 909 01:36:09,679 --> 01:36:16,639 rates statistically significant. As the mayor mentioned, uh not only rate of pay 910 01:36:14,480 --> 01:36:21,360 but followed immediately by merit pay, insurance coverage and retirement was a 911 01:36:18,960 --> 01:36:25,840 top priority. But again, as we keep spitting out these data points, we also 912 01:36:23,440 --> 01:36:30,080 need to disagregate the data. Uh for example, we keep saying that tuition 913 01:36:28,000 --> 01:36:34,239 reimbursement ranked the lowest amongst the poll. But we also need to 914 01:36:32,159 --> 01:36:38,800 disagregate that data to figure out why that is. meaning does majority of our 915 01:36:36,800 --> 01:36:42,719 workforce already have an education that they don't feel the need to go back to 916 01:36:40,320 --> 01:36:46,400 college for or what is the average salary of that particular household 917 01:36:44,400 --> 01:36:49,520 that's working for the city of Witchah. I know that the mayor did make the 918 01:36:47,920 --> 01:36:54,159 recommendation to potentially freeze salaries for anybody making 60,000 and 919 01:36:51,679 --> 01:36:58,560 above. I would argue that that is still very hard on a lot of Americans in 920 01:36:55,760 --> 01:37:02,239 Witchens today who are making $60,000. Uh we hear from the United Way all the 921 01:37:00,239 --> 01:37:05,840 time about the Alice report and that there is a such thing as the working 922 01:37:03,920 --> 01:37:09,760 poor and that people are relying on that next paycheck and they're one emergency 923 01:37:07,760 --> 01:37:13,760 away from ending up in one of our homeless facilities. And so I feel very 924 01:37:12,159 --> 01:37:16,800 passionate about this. I think it's one thing to say we value our employees. 925 01:37:15,440 --> 01:37:20,080 It's another thing to ensure that the policies and the actions align with 926 01:37:18,320 --> 01:37:23,840 that. I'm not sure if we've done a good job. Um, I know that our city manager 927 01:37:22,320 --> 01:37:27,760 from the moment that he has walked in has been very clear that he wants to 928 01:37:25,760 --> 01:37:31,360 enhance the culture and morale in the space. And I think that that does 929 01:37:29,040 --> 01:37:35,280 include not only employee benefits, but also making sure that we are honoring 930 01:37:33,440 --> 01:37:39,119 our employees in a way that respects the dignity, value of not just them, but 931 01:37:37,360 --> 01:37:42,880 their whole family. It's why I want paid family leave because when a person is 932 01:37:40,880 --> 01:37:46,320 experiencing a loss in their family, uh being an elderly parent or bringing a 933 01:37:44,880 --> 01:37:50,800 child into this world, they should be able to step away to spend their time 934 01:37:48,080 --> 01:37:54,639 with that family and have pay associated with that to uh recognize the value of 935 01:37:53,199 --> 01:37:57,760 the whole person. And there's so many more things that we can do. U my 936 01:37:56,400 --> 01:38:01,360 commitment is to make sure that we get there. I think tonight you're going to 937 01:37:59,040 --> 01:38:06,159 hear some conversations about the start of that for our employees, but to me 938 01:38:03,360 --> 01:38:09,360 that is not even the the surface to be completely honest. We got to do much 939 01:38:07,440 --> 01:38:12,560 more. Thank you for speaking up for your husband. Thank you for speaking up for 940 01:38:11,119 --> 01:38:17,520 all the employees who don't feel that they have both the ability to speak 941 01:38:15,280 --> 01:38:21,600 publicly because the the culture of fear is real sometimes. And also thank you 942 01:38:19,920 --> 01:38:24,320 for speaking up for the people who are currently out on the streets right now 943 01:38:22,960 --> 01:38:29,040 working for the city of Witchaw and cannot be here. 944 01:38:26,880 --> 01:38:33,040 » C Vice Mayor Glasco. >> Thank you, Mayor Jamie. I'll keep it 945 01:38:31,040 --> 01:38:36,480 very simple. I agree with you and I said that from the bench last week and for 946 01:38:34,800 --> 01:38:40,400 any employee listening right now, you're valued. We want you here. We want to 947 01:38:38,400 --> 01:38:44,320 hear your concerns and you can come directly and also express those as well. 948 01:38:42,159 --> 01:38:48,639 And we want to know that this wants this place is where we want you to work and 949 01:38:46,639 --> 01:38:52,000 show your talents as well. So did not support a cut to merit pay and I thank 950 01:38:50,400 --> 01:38:55,920 you for standing up for a lot of the employees who I've heard similar 951 01:38:53,199 --> 01:39:00,199 sentiments for as well. >> We'll continue with public comment. 952 01:39:10,880 --> 01:39:18,719 Good evening, Mayor and Council. It's good to see each of you. I know you as 953 01:39:16,480 --> 01:39:24,960 individuals with high integrity, and the things you're working with this evening 954 01:39:20,880 --> 01:39:28,480 are not easy. This revenue neutral vote is going to be a train already out the 955 01:39:27,280 --> 01:39:34,239 station. I know you're going to make that hard decision and vote yes. So, I'm 956 01:39:32,560 --> 01:39:40,159 not going to belver the issue a whole lot about can we lower property taxes. 957 01:39:37,280 --> 01:39:44,560 That is obviously not going to happen. Each of our government agencies 958 01:39:41,760 --> 01:39:50,080 continues to add to their budget and I'm not sure what to possibly do to stop it. 959 01:39:47,679 --> 01:39:54,400 But uh I do have a proposal today that I've worked on for the last couple of 960 01:39:51,600 --> 01:39:58,159 years and shared with you by email to help some of the people in our community 961 01:39:56,080 --> 01:40:02,719 that are homeless. They have no place to go to the 962 01:40:00,000 --> 01:40:06,480 restroom. And it's a very difficult decision for every single one of them. 963 01:40:04,560 --> 01:40:11,199 Do I talk to the business that I go into? Do I get them to use, you know, 964 01:40:08,880 --> 01:40:16,239 allow me to use the restroom? This is something that we all need to take care 965 01:40:13,679 --> 01:40:20,960 of obviously in our own lives, but for our homeless, there are about 700 of 966 01:40:18,080 --> 01:40:25,600 them in our community that are in a very tough bind. Now, this isn't my first 967 01:40:23,840 --> 01:40:31,040 time to talk about this. I actually brought this proposal two years ago. 968 01:40:28,719 --> 01:40:36,639 I've sent a number of emails. I've sent you links to other cities, parts of the 969 01:40:33,760 --> 01:40:40,880 world that this is common. I've traveled much of the world. I've been in India. 970 01:40:38,320 --> 01:40:44,880 I've been in Russia. been in in Europe. They have public facilities for people 971 01:40:42,960 --> 01:40:49,760 who are visiting. They have homeless just like we do, but 972 01:40:47,760 --> 01:40:55,679 they also have places for people to take care of their daily needs with having to 973 01:40:51,600 --> 01:41:00,560 be shephered around and and and end up going to the restroom out there on the 974 01:40:57,440 --> 01:41:07,199 public street. This is embarrassing. It's a tragedy. We need to pe treat our 975 01:41:03,040 --> 01:41:14,480 our friends with dignity and respect. So I ask you to please do this rather than 976 01:41:09,840 --> 01:41:19,679 raise the whole issue of okay this is an additional expense. Let's talk about 977 01:41:16,560 --> 01:41:24,320 putting it under the second light budget that you have a million dollars for. 978 01:41:22,080 --> 01:41:28,159 I've done budgeting for 50 years. I know that money is funible. You have an 979 01:41:26,639 --> 01:41:32,239 opportunity to take the funds you already are going to appropriate for 980 01:41:29,679 --> 01:41:37,520 that facility and say all right let's put that $50,000 that I'm requesting in 981 01:41:35,280 --> 01:41:43,360 that budget. Make sure that happens. Make sure that the uh public works 982 01:41:40,320 --> 01:41:48,000 people pick up the containers every day or two whenever they need to have them 983 01:41:45,360 --> 01:41:54,080 recycled. But the actual equipment, I've sent you an email. It's only $5,000 984 01:41:51,040 --> 01:41:59,360 for three toilets. Those toilets can serve as a major major opportunity for 985 01:41:57,119 --> 01:42:04,159 people to feel like they're respected in our community and we don't have to worry 986 01:42:01,679 --> 01:42:09,679 about them being chased around, put in jail for public indecency or having the 987 01:42:07,600 --> 01:42:14,719 uh businesses having to continually say no, you can't use my facility. This is 988 01:42:12,239 --> 01:42:18,800 something that can stop. Now, I want to take a second opportunity 989 01:42:16,639 --> 01:42:26,080 while I'm here at the at the microphone to mention we have a major problem with 990 01:42:22,239 --> 01:42:31,679 diseased trees in our city. The drought and disease is killing many of our trees 991 01:42:28,800 --> 01:42:35,280 on private property as well as public. And I don't know if it's already in your 992 01:42:33,280 --> 01:42:39,360 budget someplace, but somehow we need to work with homeowners and businesses and 993 01:42:38,000 --> 01:42:43,760 be able to say, "All right, if you've got a tree down, let's find a way to get 994 01:42:41,600 --> 01:42:48,880 that wood off of that property rather than just have it lay out there for 995 01:42:46,000 --> 01:42:52,880 years and years and accumulate. This is something that we can do as a 996 01:42:50,480 --> 01:42:57,440 public private combination that will help all of us clean up our city and 997 01:42:55,119 --> 01:43:03,360 make sure that these disease trees are actually removed and we can get on to 998 01:43:00,159 --> 01:43:07,119 taking care of our own. If you have any questions about that, I'd be glad to 999 01:43:04,960 --> 01:43:12,080 talk to you more about it. On my own property, I have four trees down. I'm 1000 01:43:09,760 --> 01:43:16,719 cutting them up with chainsaws. That's really uh something I'm able to do, but 1001 01:43:14,239 --> 01:43:21,600 a lot of other people aren't. So, I ask you to find a way to make sure that the 1002 01:43:19,440 --> 01:43:26,239 city is involved in helping us remove that wood and get it out of the 1003 01:43:23,360 --> 01:43:30,639 community. I thank you for your time. God bless you. 1004 01:43:27,920 --> 01:43:34,760 » Thank you, Walt. We'll continue with public comment. 1005 01:43:41,119 --> 01:43:48,239 Good evening. My name is Zach Wehan and I live in District 1. 1006 01:43:45,840 --> 01:43:52,480 City Council, Mayor, City Manager, thank you for the work that you've done on 1007 01:43:49,840 --> 01:43:57,600 this budget. It's much appreciated. Property taxes seems to be one of the 1008 01:43:54,880 --> 01:44:02,320 hot topic issues in the state of Kansas that's generating frustration. It spans 1009 01:44:00,239 --> 01:44:05,520 generations. Young people, retirees on fixed incomes are all looking for 1010 01:44:04,000 --> 01:44:09,920 solutions. So, your vote with this budget matters 1011 01:44:07,280 --> 01:44:14,560 beyond Witchah. I believe how we handle property taxes here can show the rest of 1012 01:44:12,239 --> 01:44:18,560 Kansas what a better path forward can look like. Because regardless of what 1013 01:44:16,800 --> 01:44:23,600 other cities are doing, I don't think Kansas has solved its property tax 1014 01:44:20,320 --> 01:44:27,440 issue. So, here's my ask. I'm asking city, excuse me, I'm asking the city 1015 01:44:25,679 --> 01:44:32,560 council and mayor and the city manager to cap property taxes at inflation and 1016 01:44:29,920 --> 01:44:37,600 new construction, no matter how far appraisals rise or whether the levy ends 1017 01:44:34,639 --> 01:44:43,199 up getting set. That way, every citizen knows that there's a ceiling on how far 1018 01:44:40,000 --> 01:44:48,000 taxes can go up. In Witchaw, we have firsttime homeowners who save for years 1019 01:44:45,440 --> 01:44:50,880 to afford their house, and now their tax bill climbs a little higher 1020 01:44:49,360 --> 01:44:54,719 year-over-year. On the other end, we have retirees who 1021 01:44:52,639 --> 01:44:58,400 have paid off their homes, who raised their whole family in that house, and 1022 01:44:56,320 --> 01:45:03,600 are watching the same bill climb year after year. This creates a tension for 1023 01:45:01,119 --> 01:45:09,360 our people and a cap at inflation and new construction fixes this tension. It 1024 01:45:06,239 --> 01:45:14,880 hands our people predictability and predictability is the ground that growth 1025 01:45:11,199 --> 01:45:18,880 is built on. When a family or a business can count on what next year's bill looks 1026 01:45:16,960 --> 01:45:23,520 like, they can plan, they can invest, and they can stay. Because evaluations 1027 01:45:21,760 --> 01:45:27,520 here climb this year, that same rate pulls in 13 million more than it did 1028 01:45:25,840 --> 01:45:33,199 last year without a single vote to raise anyone's rate. That's unpredictable 1029 01:45:29,920 --> 01:45:37,119 growth. How much will it be next year? Now, a cap at inflation and new 1030 01:45:34,960 --> 01:45:41,679 construction raises a fair question. What happens to the essential services 1031 01:45:38,800 --> 01:45:46,880 we count on? I believe a cap does not starve their work. It disciplines it. 1032 01:45:44,239 --> 01:45:51,760 And discipline is what protects protects predictability itself. A cap means our 1033 01:45:49,679 --> 01:45:56,159 budget is built on discipline. And a disciplined budget is one that taxpayers 1034 01:45:53,840 --> 01:46:00,639 can put their trust in and it holds up when the next hard year comes. 1035 01:45:58,639 --> 01:46:04,719 And here is why I believe Witchaw specifically is the right place to lead 1036 01:46:02,400 --> 01:46:08,719 on this. When the state finally picks this up in the next legislative session, 1037 01:46:07,280 --> 01:46:14,400 they have a very difficult version of this job. They have to create one rule 1038 01:46:11,199 --> 01:46:18,560 that fits every city in Kansas. And that tends to work better on paper than in 1039 01:46:16,639 --> 01:46:23,760 practice. A cap at inflation and new construction 1040 01:46:20,960 --> 01:46:29,840 says in writing that growth is our strategy. that as a city, growth is how 1041 01:46:27,119 --> 01:46:34,320 we continue to get to the next level, not another year of squeezing the same 1042 01:46:31,600 --> 01:46:38,719 taxpayers just a little bit harder. And this city council and mayor has worked 1043 01:46:36,000 --> 01:46:42,320 hard for the city to grow. Thank you. The businesses you've welcomed, the 1044 01:46:40,320 --> 01:46:47,600 development you've championed, I'm asking you to keep going and cheering 1045 01:46:43,920 --> 01:46:51,199 you on along the way. When growth is the front and center 1046 01:46:49,199 --> 01:46:54,880 strategy of the city, it's what turns a cap from a one-year gesture into an 1047 01:46:53,040 --> 01:47:00,719 actual promise that we pass forward of keeping our taxes low. And finally, my 1048 01:46:58,320 --> 01:47:04,159 last ask is for the people in this room and every Witchaw citizen, for the 1049 01:47:02,639 --> 01:47:08,320 people online, if you guys can finally hear, if we as citizens are serious 1050 01:47:06,800 --> 01:47:12,560 about wanting growth in our city, it doesn't just happen because of the team 1051 01:47:09,920 --> 01:47:16,960 sitting in front of this chamber. A city grows because of one thing. It's people. 1052 01:47:15,440 --> 01:47:21,520 You and your family make up our communities, businesses, schools. And 1053 01:47:19,440 --> 01:47:26,480 when you also choose to invest in your neighborhood, your place of work, your 1054 01:47:23,679 --> 01:47:30,960 home, invest in Witchah, that is what makes a city thrive and grow. So I'm 1055 01:47:29,199 --> 01:47:34,960 asking you to make the same commitment that I'm asking this council to make 1056 01:47:32,400 --> 01:47:38,560 tonight. A commitment to grow together. And as a proud Witchaw resident, I'm 1057 01:47:36,719 --> 01:47:43,360 asking you to put a cap at inflation and new new construction in place to show 1058 01:47:41,280 --> 01:47:50,639 the rest of Kansas what property tax leadership looks like. Thank you. 1059 01:47:47,199 --> 01:47:53,960 » Thank you, Zach. We'll continue with public comments. 1060 01:47:56,880 --> 01:48:04,679 » I see no one else from the public who would like to speak. Thank you to the 1061 01:48:00,080 --> 01:48:04,679 seven. Oh, we have one more. 1062 01:48:10,639 --> 01:48:17,280 Good evening, Mayor and Council members. I did not come tonight with anything 1063 01:48:15,520 --> 01:48:23,600 prepared. I just wanted to come and hear what all is being said, but after seeing 1064 01:48:21,360 --> 01:48:29,280 the proposal of what my taxes are going to be being retired now and how much 1065 01:48:26,320 --> 01:48:35,280 they're going to raise them, I have deep concern for that as well as many other 1066 01:48:32,239 --> 01:48:42,000 people around this city. And I don't know what it's going to take 1067 01:48:39,119 --> 01:48:49,440 out of the council, out of the mayor, out of the whole 1068 01:48:45,040 --> 01:48:53,119 body of people that control and are overseeing our budget and those kind of 1069 01:48:51,440 --> 01:48:58,239 things. But I look at our streets, how terrible they are, all and I look and I 1070 01:48:55,600 --> 01:49:02,800 see the commercial buildings and the residential and the taxes that are 1071 01:49:00,880 --> 01:49:10,480 coming from all the people. and I see the the poor uh condition of lots of 1072 01:49:07,760 --> 01:49:14,960 things and I I ask where are all of our tax dollars going 1073 01:49:13,440 --> 01:49:20,960 where that's a lot of money 1074 01:49:18,320 --> 01:49:26,639 and so I am begging the council I'm begging all city officials if you are in 1075 01:49:23,600 --> 01:49:31,280 a position to be able to look into 1076 01:49:29,600 --> 01:49:36,320 where our dollars are going and I think all of this should be transparent to me 1077 01:49:33,280 --> 01:49:42,000 as a taxpayer and every other citizen of the of the city here. We should all know 1078 01:49:39,840 --> 01:49:47,920 exactly where those dollars are going. You all have to have accountability to 1079 01:49:44,719 --> 01:49:53,760 me, the taxpayer, and all of us where our money's going. And to hide things or 1080 01:49:50,639 --> 01:49:59,440 do anything like that is totally out of line. It should not be happening. And 1081 01:49:56,800 --> 01:50:03,840 you all need to humble yourselves and treat everybody the way they should and 1082 01:50:01,760 --> 01:50:08,320 need to be treated and make sure that you guys are taking 1083 01:50:05,840 --> 01:50:13,520 care of us. We rely upon all of you that are in these positions to take care of 1084 01:50:10,239 --> 01:50:17,760 us and to do the right thing. And I'm not seeing that happen here. I haven't 1085 01:50:16,159 --> 01:50:24,159 seen it for a long time. I've been in Witchah all my life, 1086 01:50:20,719 --> 01:50:28,960 67 years. And the things that I'm seeing here, the last five to six, they appall 1087 01:50:27,360 --> 01:50:34,000 me. Where are the dollars going, guys? 1088 01:50:31,440 --> 01:50:38,800 There's got to be accountability to me and to the whole city. There's got to 1089 01:50:36,480 --> 01:50:44,800 be. I'm retired now. I'm on a limited budget 1090 01:50:41,840 --> 01:50:50,080 and I expect for you guys to help me maintain things to I I mean, I'm much 1091 01:50:47,199 --> 01:50:54,400 more well off than a lot of the citizens here in Witchah. I don't know how these 1092 01:50:51,840 --> 01:51:00,239 people on minimum wage are making it as we see these tax dollars keep going up. 1093 01:50:57,920 --> 01:51:04,480 So I say again, humble yourselves, do the right thing, and look into where 1094 01:51:02,560 --> 01:51:10,880 these dollars are going and give me and every other Witchah resident 1095 01:51:08,880 --> 01:51:15,679 some answers on where they are. You guys have accountability and you you owe it 1096 01:51:13,119 --> 01:51:20,719 to us. you took your oath to come in and do what you're supposed to do and that 1097 01:51:18,080 --> 01:51:26,639 oath should be taken very seriously because it is affecting a lot of people 1098 01:51:23,600 --> 01:51:33,360 a lot. So, I'm asking you guys to not approve 1099 01:51:30,400 --> 01:51:39,199 raising the what is DN the RNR? Is that what it is? 1100 01:51:36,719 --> 01:51:44,960 To leave it alone. Take a look at things. Get a good get a 1101 01:51:41,360 --> 01:51:50,800 good grip on what's going on and show some accountability and win the support 1102 01:51:48,239 --> 01:51:55,599 from the Witchah people. I think you talk about this wanting the the citizens 1103 01:51:53,440 --> 01:52:00,239 to work with you, then do the right thing and make it right and we'll all 1104 01:51:57,520 --> 01:52:03,679 work with you. Okay. So, thank you very much. Thank you, mayor, for what you're 1105 01:52:01,840 --> 01:52:07,119 doing and thank you council members for what you're doing. Let's do the right 1106 01:52:05,520 --> 01:52:09,760 thing. Okay. >> Can you please share your name and your 1107 01:52:09,040 --> 01:52:14,560 district? >> Yes. Grant Delmar, District 4. I'm a 1108 01:52:11,840 --> 01:52:16,480 former District 4 advisory council member. 1109 01:52:15,199 --> 01:52:24,199 » Thank you very much, Grant. >> Thank you very much, guys. 1110 01:52:19,679 --> 01:52:24,199 We'll continue with public comment. 1111 01:52:24,800 --> 01:52:31,520 I see no one else from the public who would like to speak on the revenue 1112 01:52:28,639 --> 01:52:36,560 neutral rate for the city's budget. Thank you to the eight speakers who 1113 01:52:33,520 --> 01:52:41,599 spoke before the council this evening. We will now bring it back to the bench. 1114 01:52:39,119 --> 01:52:47,440 Um as my intention is not to vote in favor of revenue neutral, um I will not 1115 01:52:44,320 --> 01:52:50,239 be making that motion today. Vice Mayor Glascop. 1116 01:52:48,400 --> 01:52:54,000 » Mayor with a motion to close the public hearing record, approve the resolution 1117 01:52:52,320 --> 01:52:56,880 to exceed the revenue neutral rate for the city of Witchaw and conclude the 1118 01:52:55,520 --> 01:53:01,920 public hearing and authorize the necessary signatures. Um, with the 1119 01:52:59,280 --> 01:53:06,000 understanding that again from Mark Manning's uh comments earlier, if 1120 01:53:04,239 --> 01:53:09,760 we take one additional dollar, we have to exceed this. And I haven't heard a 1121 01:53:07,440 --> 01:53:15,520 proposal from anybody at this bench on how to cut $13 million from the budget. 1122 01:53:12,960 --> 01:53:20,320 Um I think there is legitimate concerns about the amount that we bring in but 1123 01:53:18,239 --> 01:53:23,840 that is not uh for this discussion. That's for the budget discussion to 1124 01:53:21,599 --> 01:53:26,880 happen in a second. So with that motion >> second and I agree with everything you 1125 01:53:25,599 --> 01:53:32,400 said. >> Motion second. Discussion. See none. 1126 01:53:30,320 --> 01:53:36,560 Madame clerk can you please open the role by voice? 1127 01:53:34,320 --> 01:53:39,280 » Yes. Mayor Woo. What is your vote? >> Nay. 1128 01:53:38,080 --> 01:53:40,960 » Vice Mayor Glasco. >> I. 1129 01:53:39,920 --> 01:53:43,199 » Council member Shepard. >> I. 1130 01:53:41,280 --> 01:53:44,800 » Council member Tuttle. I. >> Council member Hohheisel. 1131 01:53:44,400 --> 01:53:46,480 » I. >> Council member Johnson. 1132 01:53:46,080 --> 01:53:48,239 » I. >> Council member Ballard. 1133 01:53:47,679 --> 01:53:56,520 » I. >> Motion passes 6 to one. 1134 01:53:51,760 --> 01:53:56,520 » Madame Clerk, please call the next item. 1135 01:53:58,560 --> 01:54:06,360 » 2027 annual operating budget and 2027 to 2036 capital improvement program. 1136 01:54:12,159 --> 01:54:18,880 Good evening, Mayor and Council. Dennis Marsall, city manager. It's a pleasure 1137 01:54:16,800 --> 01:54:23,760 to be before you again tonight on budget adoption night. We've had several 1138 01:54:21,440 --> 01:54:28,719 meetings where we've talked about the budget. Um we have here what's on the uh 1139 01:54:27,520 --> 01:54:33,119 proposed budget tonight. We're going to walk through how when we put this budget 1140 01:54:30,960 --> 01:54:37,760 together. Uh, one I want to highlight the department directors certainly their 1141 01:54:35,280 --> 01:54:44,159 work and the finance team and so putting together a city budget one that's really 1142 01:54:40,880 --> 01:54:48,960 around the hund 825 million range is certainly got a lot of complex um facets 1143 01:54:47,280 --> 01:54:52,800 to it when you talk about debt service talk about revenue neutral there's a lot 1144 01:54:51,119 --> 01:54:57,440 of parts to help bring the community along to understand how a municipal 1145 01:54:55,199 --> 01:55:01,360 budget comes together we have certainly tried to be transparent um all past 1146 01:54:59,679 --> 01:55:05,520 budgets and this proposed budget budget's been online. Um, and so we have 1147 01:55:04,000 --> 01:55:10,400 put this out there so people can see line by line what departments are 1148 01:55:07,760 --> 01:55:14,400 funded, excuse me, funded in what manner and what line item. But as we put this 1149 01:55:12,400 --> 01:55:20,400 budget together, I first presented this in July 14th of this summer. And it was 1150 01:55:17,760 --> 01:55:24,480 a reflection of many factors certainly with meetings with department directors 1151 01:55:22,800 --> 01:55:28,159 and a review of the many budget requests that they submitted. As I went through 1152 01:55:26,639 --> 01:55:32,560 it from my review, we looked at wants and needs. We certainly looked at 1153 01:55:30,159 --> 01:55:37,520 service delivery levels, inflation impacts, current staff workloads, and 1154 01:55:35,199 --> 01:55:42,400 past staffing and efficiency adjustments among others. Um, what you've seen in 1155 01:55:40,080 --> 01:55:46,880 this budget is recommendations for more staffing, particularly when you look at 1156 01:55:44,320 --> 01:55:51,119 the fire department, but it's been a judicious request in some of the other 1157 01:55:49,040 --> 01:55:54,800 areas that have been noted in the budget presentation 1158 01:55:52,639 --> 01:55:59,360 as we looked at this. Also, when you start out with a budget and you look at 1159 01:55:56,719 --> 01:56:03,840 what's ahead in the coming year, we've got to honor our labor agreements. And 1160 01:56:01,599 --> 01:56:08,239 so, when you talk about revenue neutral, part of that is impacted by the more 1161 01:56:06,320 --> 01:56:13,679 than five labor agreements that we have to manage and if they have cost 1162 01:56:10,080 --> 01:56:19,040 escalations for increase in pay, salary, wages, and merit. Those all were factors 1163 01:56:16,560 --> 01:56:22,719 as we put this budget together. Um certainly as we looked at that again as 1164 01:56:20,639 --> 01:56:26,880 we said what are the priorities of the city council we looked at such things as 1165 01:56:25,280 --> 01:56:30,880 preventive maintenance. We've heard about tree care. When you think about 1166 01:56:28,960 --> 01:56:36,960 running everything from animal shelter to zoning services in a 400,000 top 50 1167 01:56:34,320 --> 01:56:40,800 city there's a lot of wants and needs. But we also looked at our existing labor 1168 01:56:38,800 --> 01:56:44,800 and commodity contracts. And certainly my focus in my first eight months is 1169 01:56:43,119 --> 01:56:50,239 looking at our workforce and employee morale. So given all that, this has been 1170 01:56:47,679 --> 01:56:54,159 some of the thoughts and some of the inputs that go into putting together the 1171 01:56:52,639 --> 01:56:58,000 budget recommendation that I've put since July 14th. Um, as we've 1172 01:56:56,480 --> 01:57:03,280 highlighted on here, we're aligned with the city's strategic plan and it's 1173 01:56:59,840 --> 01:57:07,440 funded with a stable mill levy rate. Um, we do have engagement as we've talked 1174 01:57:04,880 --> 01:57:12,719 about. We even did community town halls, seven specifically. This is again our 1175 01:57:10,560 --> 01:57:18,320 last budget hearing. We've had one on July 14th, August 4th, August 18th, and 1176 01:57:15,679 --> 01:57:23,040 August 25th. So, council and I could hear from the citizens as this budget 1177 01:57:20,560 --> 01:57:29,159 was presented on July 14th. And as we highlighted, this budget is available 1178 01:57:25,360 --> 01:57:29,159 presently at witchaw.gov/budget. 1179 01:57:29,360 --> 01:57:36,080 So, we do talk about it being balanced. We do have healthy fund balances or 1180 01:57:33,679 --> 01:57:40,080 savings that are associated with it. Um, but we do recognize future funding 1181 01:57:38,000 --> 01:57:46,800 concerns. part of the conversation that you're having now and that we've looked 1182 01:57:42,159 --> 01:57:51,840 at in 2027, 2028, and 2029. How are we sustaining our labor contracts? How are 1183 01:57:49,360 --> 01:57:55,760 we sustaining just like families around the kitchen table, the cost of 1184 01:57:54,000 --> 01:58:00,400 inflation? Whether you think about your own insurance costs when you see things 1185 01:57:58,000 --> 01:58:05,520 go up, the cost of gas, when you look at what a road mile cost 5 years ago versus 1186 01:58:03,280 --> 01:58:10,320 what the city's paying today. All these are different factors that continue to 1187 01:58:07,840 --> 01:58:15,040 impact the city's budget going forward. But more importantly, 1188 01:58:12,239 --> 01:58:19,920 we've said it before, what the state does impacts us here at the local level. 1189 01:58:18,320 --> 01:58:24,960 There are certainly last year during the last legislative session were several 1190 01:58:22,239 --> 01:58:29,679 proposals in the state legislature about capping property taxes. 1191 01:58:27,360 --> 01:58:34,239 That again seems to be a conversation that will be entertained come January at 1192 01:58:32,080 --> 01:58:38,880 the new legislative session. that will clearly have an impact as we go forward. 1193 01:58:37,199 --> 01:58:43,199 So, how do we think about that? How do we plan for that based upon the variety 1194 01:58:41,119 --> 01:58:48,800 of proposals that were presented last year and might be re um presented again 1195 01:58:46,320 --> 01:58:52,960 in the upcoming legislative session. Um but again, our focus on our core 1196 01:58:50,719 --> 01:58:56,960 priorities as I talk about, yes, we do talk about wants and needs, but what are 1197 01:58:54,800 --> 01:59:01,599 the core functions and priorities that this community wants for a service level 1198 01:58:59,199 --> 01:59:04,800 that witchens want to have? thinking about our tree canopy and different 1199 01:59:03,199 --> 01:59:08,719 things that we've heard about. Thinking about our parks and recreation and 1200 01:59:06,400 --> 01:59:14,000 services and programs and the condition of our parks um and plantings and 1201 01:59:11,280 --> 01:59:17,760 different things that we've heard from. As we put this together, I want to kind 1202 01:59:16,000 --> 01:59:21,840 of wrap up my section and invite our director of finance, Mark Manning, up. 1203 01:59:19,440 --> 01:59:26,639 As I said, this is roughly $825 million budget. Um you'll see here where the 1204 01:59:24,400 --> 01:59:31,040 city dollars come from. Property taxes as was highlighted earlier and then 1205 01:59:28,800 --> 01:59:34,800 sales taxes and other sources are highlighted in that graph. And then 1206 01:59:32,560 --> 01:59:39,599 where the dollars go. As we talk about being a municipality, we are staff 1207 01:59:37,199 --> 01:59:44,880 heavy. It takes people to provide services. It takes people to do our road 1208 01:59:42,719 --> 01:59:50,320 work engineering to run our parks and recreation to maintain our trees to 1209 01:59:47,760 --> 01:59:55,920 maintain our utility system. It takes staff intensive and certainly public 1210 01:59:52,480 --> 02:00:00,159 safety. As we said or I said earlier, this budget has a proposal for new 1211 01:59:58,320 --> 02:00:04,880 firefighters to staff a new fire station. I've also got some limited 1212 02:00:02,480 --> 02:00:09,440 requests or recommendations in there for our police department. Um, we've also, 1213 02:00:07,280 --> 02:00:13,679 as you take into account, we do have some vacancies. The good news is is 1214 02:00:11,520 --> 02:00:17,520 we've been filling the positions in our police department. We have been filling 1215 02:00:15,599 --> 02:00:22,080 some of our positions that were vacant in the last year or two. That again has 1216 02:00:19,920 --> 02:00:26,400 a full cost effect that we've got to account for in our funding and our 1217 02:00:24,000 --> 02:00:30,880 wages. And certainly I can't leave this podium without recognizing the 1218 02:00:28,560 --> 02:00:35,040 employees. You've heard certainly from the survey that we've done this week. Um 1219 02:00:33,280 --> 02:00:40,400 you've heard from my focus that I do have a recommendation in here for a new 1220 02:00:38,320 --> 02:00:44,080 uh benefit. It is called the tuition assistance program. Understanding not 1221 02:00:42,239 --> 02:00:47,920 everyone will be interested in that, but I do think it's something to help invest 1222 02:00:45,520 --> 02:00:52,159 in our employees. We're also looking at our health program in terms of thinking 1223 02:00:50,080 --> 02:00:56,719 about short-term disability being offered. There's a way to help address 1224 02:00:54,159 --> 02:01:00,400 some people's interests and needs for family leave time and how we might get 1225 02:00:58,400 --> 02:01:04,719 at that at a different way. So, there's a whole bunch of strategies that we can 1226 02:01:02,080 --> 02:01:09,040 put together that not not nearly full cost on the taxpayer. And so, we do look 1227 02:01:06,960 --> 02:01:14,480 for these efficiencies, but also recognizing the value of our employees 1228 02:01:11,920 --> 02:01:19,840 certainly from public safety on down. As I said, when you go from A to Z in city 1229 02:01:16,560 --> 02:01:25,199 services, that's 3,100 people who are providing for the 400,000 people in the 1230 02:01:22,960 --> 02:01:28,320 city of Witchah. Um, then when you look where the dollars go, certainly salary 1231 02:01:26,639 --> 02:01:33,040 and benefits, as we've highlighted, contractuals to do some of our work with 1232 02:01:30,880 --> 02:01:37,679 support, but a lot of it's debt service. We have that mentioned here on the pie 1233 02:01:34,880 --> 02:01:43,119 chart, how we do pay for our bills and for our debt service. Um, as you look, 1234 02:01:40,239 --> 02:01:48,080 we say it is balanced. Um certainly we said planned that we would take $3 1235 02:01:45,440 --> 02:01:51,520 million from the stabilization fund. So again that is incorporated into this. 1236 02:01:50,000 --> 02:01:56,800 It's been planned from our savings account um as we think about going 1237 02:01:53,840 --> 02:02:01,440 forward for some contract um negotiations with our unions to honor 1238 02:01:59,119 --> 02:02:06,560 those pay increases to think about how we address the pay for those who are not 1239 02:02:03,920 --> 02:02:10,800 in unions. Um and then you also see here we break it out by general fund. As I 1240 02:02:09,040 --> 02:02:14,880 said, we probably have nearly 30 different funds when you look at the 1241 02:02:12,719 --> 02:02:20,159 airport fund, the general fund, the transit fund, the uh utilities fund. So, 1242 02:02:18,239 --> 02:02:23,440 the general fund is what funds most of general government when you think about 1243 02:02:21,360 --> 02:02:29,280 public safety. And so, we focus on this one the most and a lot. And you see it's 1244 02:02:25,679 --> 02:02:33,440 352 million of our full budget, 825 million. So, here's the recommendations. 1245 02:02:31,599 --> 02:02:37,280 This is again as I said I met with department directors reviewed the wants 1246 02:02:35,440 --> 02:02:41,840 and needs looked at the goals of the council and put together my view and the 1247 02:02:39,599 --> 02:02:48,080 priorities going forward. These are some of the um big items that um we've uh 1248 02:02:45,679 --> 02:02:52,000 evaluated and included going forward knowing that the list is much much 1249 02:02:49,840 --> 02:02:56,560 longer for requests but this is again what I thought was fiscally responsible 1250 02:02:54,159 --> 02:03:00,480 based upon citizen input and department input as well for service delivery 1251 02:02:58,320 --> 02:03:05,199 levels. I will say there are things on here that do have increases that we 1252 02:03:03,280 --> 02:03:10,480 didn't call out. Um for instance, supporting um our transit with some new 1253 02:03:07,760 --> 02:03:15,280 transit route support. Um you'll see in here we have again limited uh positions 1254 02:03:13,199 --> 02:03:19,599 for a community service representative and a cultural service development 1255 02:03:17,119 --> 02:03:24,400 specialist. So some limited positions that I felt were meritorious to be 1256 02:03:21,760 --> 02:03:29,119 included in my recommendation. And then certainly as we talked about the fire 1257 02:03:26,320 --> 02:03:33,360 station 23 staffing is included in here and some other support as we talked 1258 02:03:30,800 --> 02:03:36,800 about the tuition reimbursement as well. So that kind of gives the overview of 1259 02:03:35,040 --> 02:03:41,119 what I looked at when I put this budget together. And so certainly council 1260 02:03:38,800 --> 02:03:45,840 members, this is one of the key issues that you get a vote on every year and 1261 02:03:43,599 --> 02:03:50,239 how you set the policy and what we communicate as priorities is all 1262 02:03:47,920 --> 02:03:54,880 reflected in this budget. And I take that very seriously as I put my 1263 02:03:52,480 --> 02:03:58,880 recommendation forward. And I I know I've been asked and even people in the 1264 02:03:56,960 --> 02:04:03,840 community have said, "Well, how would you help the mayor and council reduce 1265 02:04:02,000 --> 02:04:07,840 the use of the stabilization fund?" Or, "I know there's other priorities about 1266 02:04:06,000 --> 02:04:11,920 having property tax relief. There's priorities in having millage reduction. 1267 02:04:10,639 --> 02:04:15,840 There are different things about different programs or more benefits that 1268 02:04:13,679 --> 02:04:21,360 people want. What I have said from the very beginning on July 14th is if you 1269 02:04:18,639 --> 02:04:25,920 want to make some cuts or reductions, I would start from what I added as new. 1270 02:04:24,080 --> 02:04:30,400 And so these two pages that I just highlighted are what I consider the new 1271 02:04:28,080 --> 02:04:35,360 things added to the budget. And so that's been my recommendation. I even 1272 02:04:32,080 --> 02:04:40,800 highlighted um in a memo to council this week about we do have funds for $300,000 1273 02:04:39,199 --> 02:04:45,679 is what we've called contingency that we've used in different manners over 1274 02:04:42,800 --> 02:04:49,280 previous years. That is again some more opportunity if you want to reprogram 1275 02:04:47,360 --> 02:04:54,960 that, eliminate that, whatever it may be. But I believe that my recommendation 1276 02:04:52,560 --> 02:04:58,480 is fiscally responsible, but certainly understand there are different competing 1277 02:04:56,320 --> 02:05:02,080 priorities. And so as you continue tonight for your deliberations, you'll 1278 02:05:00,000 --> 02:05:06,719 certainly hear from citizens and Mr. Manning in a second, but I think that um 1279 02:05:04,880 --> 02:05:10,800 the information you have in front of you gives you enough framework to work with 1280 02:05:08,400 --> 02:05:14,639 to meet your policy goals and objectives so we can come to an adopted [snorts] 1281 02:05:12,639 --> 02:05:19,639 budget tonight. I will now ask Mr. Manning to come forward as our director 1282 02:05:16,480 --> 02:05:19,639 of finance. 1283 02:05:20,141 --> 02:05:22,161 [snorts] 1284 02:05:25,760 --> 02:05:31,199 Hello again. Uh I want to go a few other items in a 1285 02:05:29,920 --> 02:05:35,040 little bit more detail. some of the recommendations in the budget. Uh, one 1286 02:05:33,280 --> 02:05:38,159 of the priority areas that we're trying to address in this budget is 1287 02:05:36,239 --> 02:05:41,599 homelessness. Uh, we've talked about this a lot in the past, so I won't 1288 02:05:39,440 --> 02:05:46,719 belabor it. Uh, but the budget would set aside an estimated $5 million from the 1289 02:05:44,960 --> 02:05:51,280 permanent reserve to address homelessness solutions. Again, what we 1290 02:05:49,679 --> 02:05:56,239 would envision is setting that money aside so that it could be allocated 1291 02:05:53,760 --> 02:06:00,880 based on the prioritization of the city council. uh but this recommendation 1292 02:05:58,239 --> 02:06:06,000 would provide a amount of money uh to address those challenges that we face. 1293 02:06:04,080 --> 02:06:09,599 Let's talk about employee compensation and I want to use this slide to address 1294 02:06:07,920 --> 02:06:13,920 some of the comments we heard earlier. I think I can wrap up a couple of those 1295 02:06:11,280 --> 02:06:17,599 with this slide here. Uh we noted that the general fund uh would receive about 1296 02:06:16,000 --> 02:06:23,599 13 million additional property tax revenue. Uh this slide here shows you 1297 02:06:20,719 --> 02:06:28,800 that we have about $9 million budgeted for employee compensation. that is 1298 02:06:26,320 --> 02:06:33,440 increases in employee pay for those that uh do not have union contracts passed 1299 02:06:30,719 --> 02:06:37,920 this year, which is most employees. Uh we do have a pay structure that provides 1300 02:06:35,520 --> 02:06:41,760 cost of living raises and merit adjustments for those that are eligible. 1301 02:06:40,159 --> 02:06:47,040 Those eligible employees are the ones that are not at top wage and who uh 1302 02:06:43,840 --> 02:06:51,599 perform within certain standards. So $9 million basically of that 13 million is 1303 02:06:49,520 --> 02:06:54,639 to address some of our challenges in employees which was spoken about 1304 02:06:53,280 --> 02:06:57,920 earlier. We also have health insurance and 1305 02:06:56,239 --> 02:07:01,199 pension contributions that we need to make. Uh those are pretty sizable. We 1306 02:06:59,840 --> 02:07:06,400 talked about those last week, so I won't belabor that point. Uh but this city has 1307 02:07:03,440 --> 02:07:11,119 a or this uh budget has a lot of money invested in our employees. 1308 02:07:09,520 --> 02:07:15,040 I talked about the mill levy rate a little bit during the RNR presentation, 1309 02:07:12,880 --> 02:07:19,599 but I wanted to show this slide again. Again, this proposed budget is based on 1310 02:07:17,679 --> 02:07:25,440 an estimated mill levy that would be exactly equal to the mill levy for 2026. 1311 02:07:22,800 --> 02:07:30,320 that is 32.340 mills. Now reminder, uh we do not set 1312 02:07:28,320 --> 02:07:34,560 the mill levy rate. Seduit County sets that and they don't set it until 1313 02:07:31,840 --> 02:07:39,119 November. Uh it's based on finalization of assessed valuations again of which we 1314 02:07:36,560 --> 02:07:43,440 have no control. Uh so I am telling you what the estimated mill levy rate would 1315 02:07:41,280 --> 02:07:47,840 be based on the city manager's proposed budget. uh it's likely it would be up or 1316 02:07:46,159 --> 02:07:51,920 down very slightly from that amount, but just recognize that the final mill levy 1317 02:07:49,599 --> 02:07:55,440 rate probably will be slightly different than what we're proposing here today. 1318 02:07:53,920 --> 02:08:01,599 But again, we are proposing a budget with a estimated flat mill levy rate. 1319 02:07:59,440 --> 02:08:08,480 So, what's that mean to a taxpayer? Uh if you own a home in Witchaw valued at 1320 02:08:04,159 --> 02:08:12,800 $200,000 just uh to pick a a point uh about 29% of the property taxes that you 1321 02:08:11,199 --> 02:08:16,960 pay are going to come to the city of Witchaw. Uh you also have to pay 1322 02:08:15,280 --> 02:08:23,040 property taxes to the county which is roughly 24% and to the school district. 1323 02:08:20,000 --> 02:08:27,679 Uh this represents USD 259 which is the bulk of the city of Witchaw. That's 1324 02:08:24,880 --> 02:08:32,480 about 46% of your property tax bill. In other words, City Witchaw is a fraction 1325 02:08:29,520 --> 02:08:38,000 of your property tax bill. Uh that homeowner of a $200,000 home would pay 1326 02:08:34,639 --> 02:08:45,360 approximately $744 a year in city property taxes uh to the city. Uh 1327 02:08:43,599 --> 02:08:50,320 so let's look at the proposed budget just on a uh kind of big big picture 1328 02:08:47,760 --> 02:08:54,960 basis here. Uh the proposed budget was somewhere in the neighborhood of 352 1329 02:08:52,239 --> 02:08:59,920 million. That expenditure growth in 2027 is shown on this slide at 1.8 8%. 1330 02:08:58,480 --> 02:09:04,079 However, in the interest of transparency, I did want to point out uh 1331 02:09:02,159 --> 02:09:09,440 that with centralization, we're moving some costs off the general fund. Uh so 1332 02:09:06,960 --> 02:09:14,800 if you unwind that, uh the net effect would be a general fund increase in 2027 1333 02:09:12,079 --> 02:09:18,639 of somewhere in the neighborhood of 3.6% or relatively consistent what the 1334 02:09:16,320 --> 02:09:24,159 inflation rate is. But again, nominally, it's increasing at 1.8. But again, uh to 1335 02:09:21,199 --> 02:09:28,639 be fully transparent, the impact of of centralization actually reduces what uh 1336 02:09:26,960 --> 02:09:33,760 in reality would be a growth rate of somewhere in the neighborhood of 3.6%. 1337 02:09:31,520 --> 02:09:37,440 Uh also note the asterk on this slide. As the manager noted, uh we are 1338 02:09:35,599 --> 02:09:43,440 balanced. Uh we are balanced because this budget is based on using $3 million 1339 02:09:40,239 --> 02:09:47,119 from our stabilization reserve in 26 and 27. 1340 02:09:45,440 --> 02:09:51,520 Let's look at that real quick. We're going to come into the year somewhere 1341 02:09:48,159 --> 02:09:55,119 around $45 million in round numbers. Uh based on the proposed budget, we would 1342 02:09:53,119 --> 02:09:59,360 use about 5 million of that to set aside for homelessness solutions. And we would 1343 02:09:57,599 --> 02:10:03,599 use about 9 million of that over the next three years to stabilize the city 1344 02:10:01,760 --> 02:10:08,400 budget, which would mean we would come out in 2028 with somewhere around 31 1345 02:10:05,840 --> 02:10:12,880 million in stabilization reserve funds. Now, reminder, uh this is our 1346 02:10:10,560 --> 02:10:18,400 stabilization reserve. Our general fund also has a reserve which is more 1347 02:10:15,840 --> 02:10:23,679 relevant for us in a few areas. Uh that reserve would remain somewhere in the 1348 02:10:20,320 --> 02:10:27,520 neighborhood of $52 million. Reserves of course are very important. 1349 02:10:25,280 --> 02:10:31,040 Uh we would still remain well reserved. Uh but we would utilize a little bit of 1350 02:10:29,360 --> 02:10:35,119 our stabilization reserve over the next few years. 1351 02:10:33,040 --> 02:10:38,639 Let me talk about the CIP very briefly. We've talked about it a lot in the past. 1352 02:10:37,119 --> 02:10:42,560 I won't take up much your time on the CIP. CIP is a 10-year plan for community 1353 02:10:41,040 --> 02:10:46,639 improvements. you actually will be asked to adopt that today as well. We like to 1354 02:10:44,639 --> 02:10:51,920 do them in tandem because they are uh very integrated. Uh the CIP is aligned 1355 02:10:49,520 --> 02:10:56,000 to the community investments plan. Uh by the way, statutoily the planning 1356 02:10:54,239 --> 02:11:00,400 commission is required to find that our CIP is in conformance with that plan and 1357 02:10:58,719 --> 02:11:05,599 I'm happy to report to you that they have made that finding in a meeting last 1358 02:11:02,800 --> 02:11:10,079 week. So we are good to go there. CIP is designed to be financially viable. Think 1359 02:11:08,159 --> 02:11:13,360 of the CIP as a three-year action plan and maybe a seven-year conceptual plan. 1360 02:11:12,000 --> 02:11:17,679 So, the first three years are things that will come to you for uh project 1361 02:11:15,920 --> 02:11:24,000 approval for. We have relatively specific plans. The seven years uh past 1362 02:11:20,960 --> 02:11:28,639 that are more conceptual ideas, issues that departments see that we might need 1363 02:11:26,000 --> 02:11:32,239 to invest capital uh improvement funds on. Maybe the plans aren't fully fleshed 1364 02:11:31,040 --> 02:11:37,760 out, but that's kind of the way to look at the CIP. We tend to focus more on the 1365 02:11:34,480 --> 02:11:42,880 first three years. Here's the pie charts for the CIP. It's about a $2.9 billion 1366 02:11:40,560 --> 02:11:46,639 plan. Vast majority of that money comes from our water and sewer utility. 1367 02:11:44,320 --> 02:11:50,880 They're very capital intensive. You can see the geo at large slice. That is the 1368 02:11:48,719 --> 02:11:57,040 property tax funded slice. That is somewhere in the neighborhood of uh 1369 02:11:52,480 --> 02:12:00,320 380ome million dollars I believe. I want to talk about property tax relief 1370 02:11:58,800 --> 02:12:05,119 program briefly. We have talked about that in the past. Uh so I will go over 1371 02:12:02,159 --> 02:12:09,040 that again. Uh uh we did use a program like this in 2024 and we're certainly 1372 02:12:07,199 --> 02:12:13,040 able to replicate that type of program if that's the will of the body. Uh we 1373 02:12:11,280 --> 02:12:17,760 would uh recommend designing it around the state of Kansas's homestead property 1374 02:12:15,440 --> 02:12:22,159 tax exemption program. That makes it much easier for our applicants. It makes 1375 02:12:19,599 --> 02:12:26,480 it much easier for us to administer. Uh as I mentioned last week, uh we don't 1376 02:12:23,920 --> 02:12:29,840 know exactly what the cost would be, but we would guess that somewhere around 1377 02:12:27,840 --> 02:12:34,880 $100,000 would probably fund the program. Uh we would suggest you that if 1378 02:12:32,560 --> 02:12:39,520 this is something of interest to you uh that you approve the allocation of the 1379 02:12:37,280 --> 02:12:42,639 funding and direct staff to come back with a more detailed plan. We'd be happy 1380 02:12:41,199 --> 02:12:46,320 to do that and then we would present a plan to you for formal approval at a 1381 02:12:45,040 --> 02:12:50,159 later date. That'll give us a little bit of time to make sure we can structure it 1382 02:12:48,239 --> 02:12:55,119 based on the prioritization and the and the desired outcomes. 1383 02:12:53,119 --> 02:12:58,960 So our recommended action tonight again tonight is the hearing in which we will 1384 02:12:56,880 --> 02:13:02,079 ask you to adopt the budget. Uh so let me go through some of the recommended 1385 02:13:00,239 --> 02:13:06,719 actions and explain the actions we need you to take. Before I do that though, I 1386 02:13:04,560 --> 02:13:10,880 wanted to take a brief second and talk about uh some of the statutory 1387 02:13:08,480 --> 02:13:16,880 requirements. We set today is our hearing date. Uh today ends at 11:59 1388 02:13:14,560 --> 02:13:22,079 p.m. which is relatively rapidly approaching. Uh we would recommend to 1389 02:13:19,679 --> 02:13:26,560 you as soon as I'm done presenting that you open the public hearing. We would 1390 02:13:24,400 --> 02:13:31,599 also recommend to you that when the public comment period is over that you 1391 02:13:29,040 --> 02:13:36,000 formally close the public hearing before you engage in your discussion. Uh that I 1392 02:13:34,239 --> 02:13:41,040 think would make us more statutoily compliant because again we are required 1393 02:13:38,159 --> 02:13:46,719 to hold the public hearing today on August uh 25th. So you know who knows 1394 02:13:44,560 --> 02:13:51,199 how late we'll go tonight. Uh, but I think we would maybe reduce some of our 1395 02:13:48,960 --> 02:13:55,360 legal liability if you would have the public hearing as soon as I'm done and 1396 02:13:53,040 --> 02:13:59,119 then at after the last speaker close the public hearing and then we can stay well 1397 02:13:57,199 --> 02:14:03,760 past midnight if that's your desire and take all the questions that you want. 1398 02:14:01,040 --> 02:14:07,760 Uh, I'm sorry, mayor, I forgot to address one other question I was going 1399 02:14:05,360 --> 02:14:12,239 to talk about on I'm going to back up to this slide right here. Uh, I talked 1400 02:14:09,840 --> 02:14:15,360 about the growth right here. Uh I I was upstairs earlier and I understand there 1401 02:14:13,599 --> 02:14:18,719 was a speaker that asked about growth in our library system. So I thought I would 1402 02:14:17,119 --> 02:14:24,480 address that briefly because I understand that question came up. Uh the 1403 02:14:21,040 --> 02:14:29,199 library budget in 2027 uh does grow about 14% actually. Uh but there's a 1404 02:14:27,440 --> 02:14:34,480 couple reasons for that uh which are really not reflective of the financial 1405 02:14:31,920 --> 02:14:39,679 commitment to the library. Again, we have a contingency that the city manager 1406 02:14:36,560 --> 02:14:43,760 recommended 375,000, but we also as part of our centralization effort, we are 1407 02:14:41,440 --> 02:14:48,239 allocating our cost to the general fund departments. Uh those two are really 1408 02:14:45,840 --> 02:14:52,880 more technical adjustments. Uh so if you take those out, the library budget in 1409 02:14:50,000 --> 02:14:58,159 2027 to answer the uh public comment question earlier tonight is closer to 1410 02:14:55,119 --> 02:15:01,840 about 5 a.5%. Uh library has some challenges. uh they have a lot of 1411 02:14:59,920 --> 02:15:06,960 technology a lot of their software costs did increase over the last uh year or 1412 02:15:04,400 --> 02:15:11,599 so. Uh they also have a very beautiful and large building which we have to 1413 02:15:08,960 --> 02:15:16,000 ensure and building insurance rates have gone up uh materially. So both of those 1414 02:15:13,920 --> 02:15:20,159 had an impact on the library budget but in answer to the question library budget 1415 02:15:17,840 --> 02:15:25,119 did go up approximately 5 and a half% or is expected to go up about 5 and a half% 1416 02:15:22,079 --> 02:15:29,760 in 2027. So, back to your recommended actions 1417 02:15:26,800 --> 02:15:33,520 today. Again, we need you to adopt the proposed budget as amended if you choose 1418 02:15:31,920 --> 02:15:39,280 to amend it, but we need you to adopt the budget. We also have some ordinances 1419 02:15:36,480 --> 02:15:44,239 uh that you read for the first time on July 14th. Tonight is the night in which 1420 02:15:42,000 --> 02:15:49,199 you will read those uh for the second time. And uh we need you to take care of 1421 02:15:46,800 --> 02:15:52,800 that. Uh there's a couple of funds that we are projecting we might spend a 1422 02:15:51,199 --> 02:15:56,719 little bit more than what we suggested last year. The reason on both those are 1423 02:15:55,040 --> 02:16:00,000 they're activity based. Sometimes activity is higher. That means revenue 1424 02:15:58,000 --> 02:16:03,280 is higher and expenditures higher. Uh and that's essentially two in the 1425 02:16:01,360 --> 02:16:07,440 affordable housing fund. Kind of more of a technical adjustment. Finally, uh we 1426 02:16:05,760 --> 02:16:11,679 would ask you to authorize us to take the necessary steps to implement your 1427 02:16:09,280 --> 02:16:17,280 recommendations. Uh implementing the budget is based on state statutes and a 1428 02:16:14,480 --> 02:16:21,440 variety of state forms that are very complicated and difficult to fill out 1429 02:16:19,440 --> 02:16:24,719 sometimes. So, uh, sometimes it's necessary for us to make adjustments to 1430 02:16:22,880 --> 02:16:30,159 make sure we can complete those forms correctly and in in in adherence with 1431 02:16:27,599 --> 02:16:34,160 the budget that you choose to adopt. Uh, we would also ask you to adopt the 1432 02:16:32,000 --> 02:16:38,000 proposed CIP. And then finally, and we need to have 1433 02:16:35,760 --> 02:16:41,359 this done in a separate motion, uh, we would ask you to approve the use of 1434 02:16:39,439 --> 02:16:46,160 local funds uh, derived from property taxes within our corporate limits that's 1435 02:16:43,519 --> 02:16:50,559 allocated to Witto State University. Uh you may remember that the county levies 1436 02:16:48,800 --> 02:16:56,559 a mill and a half for Witchaw State University. We do not. The county does. 1437 02:16:53,359 --> 02:17:02,399 Uh but the city uh has a say in how they spend 75% of that funding. And uh so 1438 02:17:00,240 --> 02:17:07,599 it's it's just kind of a formality that we approve their expenditure of funds. 1439 02:17:05,120 --> 02:17:12,080 Uh since we have a role in in the funding of WSU through the countywide 1440 02:17:09,280 --> 02:17:15,280 mill levy. That's all I have. Uh that's the end of 1441 02:17:13,760 --> 02:17:18,240 our presentation. So, mayor, I would recommend that you open the public 1442 02:17:16,559 --> 02:17:22,639 hearing and take public comment and then close the public hearing. 1443 02:17:20,880 --> 02:17:28,080 » Thank you, Mark, and thank you, city manager. Uh, to be in compliance, to 1444 02:17:25,599 --> 02:17:33,120 have public hearing first instead of council members asking questions and 1445 02:17:30,000 --> 02:17:38,359 then public hearing and then um motions, we will open it up for public comment 1446 02:17:35,359 --> 02:17:38,359 first. 1447 02:18:03,679 --> 02:18:09,920 Kevin Mcuarter, District 5. Good evening, Mayor Woo and city council 1448 02:18:07,920 --> 02:18:14,399 members. I'm Kevin McQuarter, current president of the Witchah Library 1449 02:18:11,840 --> 02:18:18,880 Foundation Board and past president of the Witchah Library Board. I am here on 1450 02:18:17,200 --> 02:18:24,080 behalf of the foundation this evening regarding the 2027 city budget and how 1451 02:18:22,559 --> 02:18:29,599 your decisions will affect the operations of the Witchah Library branch 1452 02:18:27,120 --> 02:18:35,519 system. The foundation has been watching this budget process since the beginning. 1453 02:18:32,800 --> 02:18:40,960 We feel we are partners with the city since we both provide support to the 1454 02:18:37,599 --> 02:18:46,160 library. Our goal is the same as yours. Support the effort to provide and 1455 02:18:42,719 --> 02:18:51,679 operate a worldclass library system for all witchans. The foundation is here 1456 02:18:48,880 --> 02:18:55,359 this evening to offer its assistance to the council to ensure that the goals of 1457 02:18:53,599 --> 02:19:00,719 the steering committee of the master plan for the city of Witchah's branch 1458 02:18:58,000 --> 02:19:07,519 library system adopted by the library board of directors and endorsed by the 1459 02:19:03,359 --> 02:19:13,120 Witchah City Council on June 11th, 2019 are accomplished. But first, I'd like to 1460 02:19:09,920 --> 02:19:19,439 take a moment to provide some history as to how we got here. Because back in 1461 02:19:15,599 --> 02:19:24,080 2013, none of you were on the bench. I was appointed to the library board in 1462 02:19:21,280 --> 02:19:28,880 2013 when the central library was located on Main Street. There had been 1463 02:19:26,719 --> 02:19:35,040 years of community discussion regarding renovations to address the extension 1464 02:19:31,599 --> 02:19:39,920 extensive functional and ADA issues or to build a new one. In 2015, as 1465 02:19:38,399 --> 02:19:43,840 president of the library board, I was appointed to the foundation board. And 1466 02:19:41,599 --> 02:19:49,120 it was then that a member of the city council approached me and foundation 1467 02:19:46,319 --> 02:19:53,840 member Don Barry with the idea that if the foundation would commit to raise 1468 02:19:50,960 --> 02:19:59,680 $2.5 million, he believed he could secure four votes to get the new library 1469 02:19:56,720 --> 02:20:05,040 built. The city had set aside in previous CIPs 40 million for a new 1470 02:20:01,920 --> 02:20:10,000 library. We agreed and said that if he could get the votes, the foundation 1471 02:20:07,120 --> 02:20:14,560 would commit not only to the 2.5 million, but we would double it to 5 1472 02:20:11,760 --> 02:20:18,880 million. A few months later, the votes were secured, but the commitment by the 1473 02:20:16,240 --> 02:20:23,040 city was reduced to 30 million, resulting in a facility that would be 1474 02:20:20,640 --> 02:20:27,760 about 20% smaller than originally planned. The foundation was 1475 02:20:25,200 --> 02:20:32,800 disappointed, but kept working. But we eventually raised $8.8 8 million for 1476 02:20:31,120 --> 02:20:40,000 what is now the Advanced Learning Library. It opened in June of 2018 and 1477 02:20:36,880 --> 02:20:45,840 was 29% funded by the foundation through the generosity of hundreds of Witchans 1478 02:20:43,120 --> 02:20:52,240 and businesses who all believed in a strong Witchita's public library system. 1479 02:20:50,080 --> 02:20:57,280 Soon thereafter, our previous city manager suggested we needed a new master 1480 02:20:55,040 --> 02:21:03,920 plan for the branch libraries as the quality of resources in each of the six 1481 02:21:00,399 --> 02:21:08,800 districts was nowhere near equal. And in fact, district number three had no 1482 02:21:05,520 --> 02:21:14,080 library branch at all. The manager put together a dedicated committee and after 1483 02:21:11,439 --> 02:21:19,040 two years of hard work, the branch master plan was created. The result is 1484 02:21:16,720 --> 02:21:23,359 that district 3 now has a strong strong branch presence with the Walters branch 1485 02:21:21,359 --> 02:21:29,920 and all other branches were renovated and extensively expanded. The master 1486 02:21:26,399 --> 02:21:33,439 plan was completed in 2025. The foundation is proud to have worked 1487 02:21:31,680 --> 02:21:38,800 with you by contributing another $2 million in our most recent capital 1488 02:21:36,160 --> 02:21:44,319 campaign to see that through. That is the history. But here is the challenge 1489 02:21:41,280 --> 02:21:49,600 facing this council. The branch master plan increased our overall square 1490 02:21:46,080 --> 02:21:54,000 footage by over 40,000 square feet. Now that all the upgraded facilities are 1491 02:21:51,600 --> 02:21:58,720 available for our residents, it will take additional funding to properly 1492 02:21:55,920 --> 02:22:04,399 staff. The city council and the library board both knew this would be the case 1493 02:22:01,600 --> 02:22:09,600 when the plan was adopted. And let's be clear, one of the goals of the plan was 1494 02:22:07,040 --> 02:22:14,080 to provide additional hours of service to the public because most of the 1495 02:22:11,359 --> 02:22:18,960 branches were wolffully understaffed and not open to our residents for enough 1496 02:22:16,080 --> 02:22:23,760 hours a week to fill the the library's mission. That mission is the same as 1497 02:22:21,040 --> 02:22:28,800 yours. The foundation is concerned that the council may not allocate all the 1498 02:22:26,319 --> 02:22:33,760 necessary funding to at a minimum maintain current levels of service and 1499 02:22:31,760 --> 02:22:38,560 will not provide the additional staffing needed for the increased square footage 1500 02:22:36,720 --> 02:22:44,720 the branch master plan agreement provided. Therefore, as the foundation 1501 02:22:42,080 --> 02:22:50,479 desires to be part of the solution, we propose the following. In addition to 1502 02:22:47,600 --> 02:22:56,960 our annual support, the foundation will donate $300,000 1503 02:22:52,720 --> 02:23:03,120 to the 2027 library materials budget if the city agrees to invest an additional 1504 02:22:59,760 --> 02:23:08,479 1.4 million to fund 22 and a half additional positions representing the 1505 02:23:05,840 --> 02:23:14,760 minimum staffing infusion necessary to sustain current library 1506 02:23:11,760 --> 02:23:14,760 operations. 1507 02:23:14,880 --> 02:23:19,560 Thank you. Thank you, Kevin. 1508 02:23:20,640 --> 02:23:24,840 We'll continue with public comment. 1509 02:23:26,240 --> 02:23:34,479 Sorry. Good evening everyone. I'm Lwanda Duchaer, District 1. Um, 1510 02:23:32,240 --> 02:23:43,439 I'm just up here once again to advocate for organizations that work with our 1511 02:23:37,280 --> 02:23:48,479 youth and to advocate for a bigger, not pool of money, but a distribution of 1512 02:23:46,399 --> 02:23:53,359 the money and that we really take a look at grassroots uh, organizations that 1513 02:23:50,960 --> 02:23:58,560 work with our young people. You know, um, for those that really know me know 1514 02:23:55,439 --> 02:24:03,520 how much I love football, right? And it broke my heart this year when the uh 1515 02:24:01,120 --> 02:24:08,720 announcement was made that the city is not doing little league tackle football 1516 02:24:05,920 --> 02:24:13,359 this year. Um [snorts] I love Reggie. We have a great relationship, but I love 1517 02:24:11,359 --> 02:24:19,120 football, too. And I know what it means to little kids to to be able to play 1518 02:24:16,000 --> 02:24:25,359 football. My son played uh little league football with the city. My son played 1519 02:24:21,520 --> 02:24:29,600 football at Heights. My son went to uh Coffeeville. Then he ended up at 1520 02:24:26,960 --> 02:24:34,080 McFersonen football scholarship and academic scholarship. My son now works 1521 02:24:31,920 --> 02:24:39,840 for the Houston Texans. He gets a check from the NFL, not on the field, but in 1522 02:24:36,960 --> 02:24:45,439 the back office because we instill not just football, right? We instill pride 1523 02:24:42,960 --> 02:24:49,760 and community. And we always the ones that really care, we let our kids know 1524 02:24:47,600 --> 02:24:54,479 that you won't advance if you don't do well in school. And so again, it broke 1525 02:24:52,240 --> 02:24:59,280 my heart when I heard that little league football has been cut. So as we think 1526 02:24:56,880 --> 02:25:06,720 about our youth, we think about how do we um prevent crime in our older kids, 1527 02:25:04,160 --> 02:25:11,920 always say let's prevent it from even happening and let's work with our 1528 02:25:08,479 --> 02:25:18,319 younger uh citizens in Witchah, especially in the district I live in. 1529 02:25:15,120 --> 02:25:23,200 Sports is important. Um, it opens doors to scholarships, like I said, to jobs. 1530 02:25:21,040 --> 02:25:27,920 And so, again, I'm just here advocating for our young people. Um, although the 1531 02:25:25,920 --> 02:25:32,560 city of Witchah is not doing youth football due to a lack of numbers, 1532 02:25:30,240 --> 02:25:37,600 people didn't sign up. They actually signed up for another organization and 1533 02:25:34,960 --> 02:25:41,439 they're full. So, it's not that kids don't want to play. It's not that we 1534 02:25:39,280 --> 02:25:45,520 don't have the numbers. I think just like everything else, we have to sit 1535 02:25:43,120 --> 02:25:50,160 down and regroup and really think about what can we do for our young people. And 1536 02:25:47,600 --> 02:25:53,840 it's not just football, even though I love football. It's really about our 1537 02:25:52,000 --> 02:25:58,880 kids and trying to prevent something down the road from happening. So again, 1538 02:25:56,080 --> 02:26:03,200 I'm Lewanda Deaser. I'm here advocating on behalf of our young people and I'm 1539 02:26:01,200 --> 02:26:08,160 hoping that there is a pool of money that we can distribute to lots of 1540 02:26:05,439 --> 02:26:14,160 organizations so we all can do the work to prevent all this stuff that happens 1541 02:26:10,399 --> 02:26:19,240 down the road. Thank you. >> Thank you, Lwanda. We'll continue with 1542 02:26:16,000 --> 02:26:19,240 public comment. 1543 02:26:23,680 --> 02:26:30,240 » Hello. Okay. Uh hi. Hi, my name is Xavier Dyelbis. Miss Tuttle, you are my 1544 02:26:28,479 --> 02:26:33,600 representative. I'm going to have to I'm going to have to talk a bit fast here. 1545 02:26:31,600 --> 02:26:36,800 So, uh, today I'll be speaking on behalf of myself and many other citizens. In 1546 02:26:35,760 --> 02:26:39,840 the interest of seeing our local communities flourish, I seek to address 1547 02:26:38,319 --> 02:26:43,280 the excessive share of city funds that are directed towards our local police 1548 02:26:41,200 --> 02:26:46,560 department. Specifically, I will address the following points in brief to be 1549 02:26:44,720 --> 02:26:50,560 mindful of time. How effective or otherwise increased policing funding is 1550 02:26:48,319 --> 02:26:54,000 with regard to reducing crime. Solutions for reducing crime through the lens of 1551 02:26:51,920 --> 02:26:58,399 root cause analysis. and the city's priorities as expressed through the lens 1552 02:26:55,520 --> 02:27:02,319 of the 2027 proposed budget. To begin, I will expand on the notion that increased 1553 02:26:59,920 --> 02:27:05,600 police expenditures improve crime rates. Supporters of this kind of spending will 1554 02:27:03,760 --> 02:27:08,880 often use a common sense approach in an equation that boils down to rate of 1555 02:27:07,200 --> 02:27:13,120 crime equals number of criminals minus law enforcement capacity. Basically, if 1556 02:27:11,359 --> 02:27:16,560 you have enough cops, crime simply won't happen. But as we are tasked with 1557 02:27:15,120 --> 02:27:20,399 guiding the city not towards the common sense solution to issues, but instead 1558 02:27:18,080 --> 02:27:24,319 the best solution to issues, we must question and examine that common sense. 1559 02:27:22,479 --> 02:27:27,680 To do this, it is prudent to research the effect that more officers have on 1560 02:27:25,840 --> 02:27:31,359 the rate of crime. Historically, or so far as I could find, that has typically 1561 02:27:29,439 --> 02:27:35,280 been done within spec specific regions or jurisdictions. This means that there 1562 02:27:33,520 --> 02:27:38,720 is not a single comprehensive study on the matter. Instead, we may select 1563 02:27:37,120 --> 02:27:43,760 criminology research that focuses on what I quote, large enough populations. 1564 02:27:41,600 --> 02:27:47,439 For this purpose, I have selected a 2024 report from the Center on Juvenile Crime 1565 02:27:45,680 --> 02:27:51,600 and Criminal Justice titled More Law Enforcement Spending Accompanies worse, 1566 02:27:49,280 --> 02:27:55,120 not improved crimeolving. The report outlines that even though we often 1567 02:27:53,359 --> 02:27:58,800 perceive crime rates as ever increasing, they've actually been on a very steady 1568 02:27:56,560 --> 02:28:04,880 decline since 1990 in which the entire nation's homicide rate declined from 9.8 1569 02:28:01,120 --> 02:28:09,200 per 100,000 to just 5.5 per 100,000 in 2000. As of 2020, the earliest data I 1570 02:28:07,600 --> 02:28:13,280 could easily locate, that rate is at roughly four per 100,000. Notably, this 1571 02:28:11,680 --> 02:28:17,040 does not include property crime, but I hope it is illustrative of the trend. 1572 02:28:15,439 --> 02:28:20,720 The report expands on this, finding that in California and despite unprecedented 1573 02:28:19,040 --> 02:28:25,280 levels of funding, the clearance rates, i.e. the sheriff crimes solved by making 1574 02:28:22,479 --> 02:28:34,240 an arrest, experienced a 41% decline from 22.3% in 1990 to just 13.7% in 1575 02:28:29,920 --> 02:28:37,840 2023. This is in spite in spite of a 46% increase in total law enforcement 1576 02:28:36,080 --> 02:28:43,200 budget. and the fact that the number of sworn officers per 10,000 crimes 1577 02:28:40,160 --> 02:28:47,280 reported has risen 129%. With total law enforcement staff per 1578 02:28:45,200 --> 02:28:51,280 10,000 crimes reported having risen 144%. I believe at the last meeting a 1579 02:28:49,920 --> 02:28:55,120 speaker at a previous meeting expanded on how this dynamic is playing out 1580 02:28:52,640 --> 02:28:58,240 within our own police department. To be clear, I do not seek to blame our 1581 02:28:56,800 --> 02:29:01,439 dedicated law enforcement officers for this gross misallocation of resources 1582 02:28:59,840 --> 02:29:04,960 being done by many cities across our nation. Instead, I lay much of the blame 1583 02:29:03,439 --> 02:29:07,840 with various media providers who seek to fill their 24-hour news cycle with any 1584 02:29:06,560 --> 02:29:11,680 and everything that will keep people's keep people tuning in, which inevitably 1585 02:29:09,760 --> 02:29:16,399 leads people to believe crime is much worse than it actually is. Indeed, there 1586 02:29:14,399 --> 02:29:19,200 is actual crime to be solved. But it is made clear to me through engaging with 1587 02:29:17,600 --> 02:29:22,399 the existing literature on the subject that simply hiring more officers or 1588 02:29:20,880 --> 02:29:25,680 giving them toys like robot dogs or dragnet surveillance networks is 1589 02:29:23,920 --> 02:29:29,760 unlikely to improve crime rates in our city. Instead, we may take a root cause 1590 02:29:28,160 --> 02:29:33,760 approach to crime reduction. This involves analyzing the specific factors 1591 02:29:31,439 --> 02:29:37,040 that contribute to people to our people deciding to commit a crime. These are 1592 02:29:35,439 --> 02:29:40,479 often things like these are often things like housing and food insecurity, mental 1593 02:29:38,960 --> 02:29:43,760 disorders, access to affordable healthcare, or freedom from 1594 02:29:41,600 --> 02:29:49,040 environmental toxins. While I feel our city excels uh while I feel our city 1595 02:29:46,880 --> 02:29:51,840 excels compared to others in some of these regards, such as mental health 1596 02:29:50,560 --> 02:29:56,000 support, thanks mostly to county programs like Comare, we fall quite 1597 02:29:53,840 --> 02:29:59,920 short in other areas. Modern research into this subject often finds that 1598 02:29:57,359 --> 02:30:03,040 expanded social safety net is far far more reliable in reducing crime rates 1599 02:30:01,760 --> 02:30:06,399 than simply increasing the share of budget going towards law enforcement. 1600 02:30:05,040 --> 02:30:09,760 This is theorized to be due to an improved social safety net lessening or 1601 02:30:08,000 --> 02:30:13,439 outright removing the conditions that often lead up to criminality. Finally, I 1602 02:30:12,319 --> 02:30:17,120 want to take a brief look at how the city's priorities are expressed viewed 1603 02:30:15,120 --> 02:30:20,319 through the lens of our proposed budget. In a budget, we can see an expression of 1604 02:30:18,720 --> 02:30:24,160 a person's or in this case a city's priorities. For instance, in my budget, 1605 02:30:22,240 --> 02:30:26,800 I spend far too much eating out. This indicates to me that while I may not 1606 02:30:25,359 --> 02:30:30,800 want to admit it, I actually really like food. Additionally, I spend quite 1607 02:30:28,960 --> 02:30:34,160 generously on charity and donations. This indicates to me that while I may 1608 02:30:32,319 --> 02:30:37,600 not always feel it about myself, I am a caring individual who wants to help 1609 02:30:35,439 --> 02:30:41,520 others. So, when I look at our city's proposed general fund, I see something 1610 02:30:39,200 --> 02:30:45,120 quite stark. Our biggest priority is not putting out fires or fixing potholes in 1611 02:30:43,439 --> 02:30:48,399 streets or educating with our libraries or providing child care to our parents 1612 02:30:46,880 --> 02:30:52,640 or providing green energy to our environment. No, our biggest priority is 1613 02:30:51,280 --> 02:30:56,000 to make sure that there's plenty of men and women with guns and body armor in 1614 02:30:54,399 --> 02:31:00,319 our communities. That is all. Thank you for your time. 1615 02:30:58,754 --> 02:31:04,640 [applause] >> City manager, I do have a question for 1616 02:31:02,399 --> 02:31:09,040 you. Um, I'm looking at the proposed budget and it does not look like there 1617 02:31:06,399 --> 02:31:13,560 are additional police officers as part of this budget. Is that accurate? 1618 02:31:23,920 --> 02:31:30,319 tree, our budget director, give you that breakdown. 1619 02:31:26,960 --> 02:31:34,160 » Yeah. So, in the 2026 revised budget, there are four additional police 1620 02:31:32,319 --> 02:31:38,880 positions in the police department. None of those are police officer positions. 1621 02:31:36,720 --> 02:31:42,880 One is a sergeant and which is a commission position and then four are 1622 02:31:40,880 --> 02:31:46,479 community service officers and those are non-commission positions. 1623 02:31:48,479 --> 02:31:58,560 And can you also address how many new firefighter positions do we also have? 1624 02:31:54,399 --> 02:32:05,040 So in the 2027 proposed budget, we did not add new firefighter positions um for 1625 02:32:02,720 --> 02:32:10,399 the new station. We didn't itemize out new positions. There is a line item in 1626 02:32:08,319 --> 02:32:18,160 the general fund mo that's probably around page 67 that's for fire station 1627 02:32:14,000 --> 02:32:22,800 23. Um it's a lump sum for anticipated staffing costs at the station. I know 1628 02:32:20,720 --> 02:32:28,240 that the fire department has applied for a safer grant, but that's in place in 1629 02:32:25,760 --> 02:32:33,600 case that grant isn't successful. There is one position that's added to the fire 1630 02:32:30,479 --> 02:32:39,040 department um and that is a position an inspection position and it's fully 1631 02:32:35,600 --> 02:32:44,920 reimbursed by MABCD. Thank you. We'll continue with public 1632 02:32:41,920 --> 02:32:44,920 comment. 1633 02:32:56,319 --> 02:33:02,479 Hello, Faith Martin, District 2. I know you've heard a lot from me lately, but I 1634 02:33:01,120 --> 02:33:08,000 have a lot to say and I only get five minutes at a time. So, um, this time, as 1635 02:33:05,920 --> 02:33:12,720 you can see, I'm here in support of public libraries. I feel like when I 1636 02:33:10,960 --> 02:33:17,280 talk about public safety, and I try to say this very often, public safety is a 1637 02:33:15,280 --> 02:33:21,840 lot of things. And as someone that lives in a district that doesn't have any 1638 02:33:18,720 --> 02:33:27,040 libraries, I go to the libraries outside of district 2. So I spend time at 1639 02:33:24,000 --> 02:33:32,560 Walters. I spend a lot of time over at 9inth Street. You know, uh it it's 1640 02:33:29,840 --> 02:33:36,160 important to me and my family uh that we have access to these resources. The one 1641 02:33:34,720 --> 02:33:40,800 thing that hasn't been talked about is the impact to the public if places like 1642 02:33:38,880 --> 02:33:45,040 the Advanced Learning Library and other libraries do not have the staffing they 1643 02:33:42,800 --> 02:33:48,160 need to keep ours. You may not know this, but I can't say no to 1644 02:33:46,720 --> 02:33:53,040 volunteering. And I'm on a lot of boards, and those boards meet at the 1645 02:33:50,080 --> 02:33:56,960 Witchaw Public Libraries. Even our city boards meet at the Witchaw Public 1646 02:33:54,720 --> 02:34:02,240 Library. So, if staffing makes it to where we can't have board meetings 1647 02:33:58,399 --> 02:34:07,200 there, we are back to pegging to find spaces for nonprofits or community 1648 02:34:04,479 --> 02:34:12,240 boards that have no budgets for meeting spaces because we have graciously worked 1649 02:34:10,080 --> 02:34:16,640 with the city of Witchah. nonprofits don't have to pay to use the library. 1650 02:34:14,319 --> 02:34:20,960 And there are going to be a lot of community groups and nonprofit boards 1651 02:34:18,720 --> 02:34:26,800 that no longer have spaces to meet. As it is, we're there till 8:00 p.m. on the 1652 02:34:23,120 --> 02:34:31,439 dot until the man uh in the booth starts yelling at us to check out our books and 1653 02:34:29,120 --> 02:34:35,600 finish up because it's time to go. And I hear that message two to three times a 1654 02:34:33,439 --> 02:34:41,920 week because there's so many boards that use the library. $1.4 $4 million is a 1655 02:34:39,840 --> 02:34:45,040 drop in the bucket to some of the budgets that we're talking about 1656 02:34:43,200 --> 02:34:49,600 tonight. Witchaw public libraries aren't even 4% of the general fund. That is a 1657 02:34:47,520 --> 02:34:53,920 tiny amount for the number of public safety things that could be addressed 1658 02:34:51,439 --> 02:34:57,120 through libraries. Look at the heat, the terrible, terrible heat that we've had 1659 02:34:55,520 --> 02:35:00,560 recently. It was not just homeless people that went to the library. There 1660 02:34:58,880 --> 02:35:04,319 are many people in my neighborhood that do not have air conditioning that were 1661 02:35:02,560 --> 02:35:09,920 going to these public spaces because there was nowhere else to go. I I think 1662 02:35:06,880 --> 02:35:15,280 we we think about public safety in too narrowly and not funding public library 1663 02:35:12,720 --> 02:35:20,080 staffing uh and existing hours of operation is going to impact the 1664 02:35:17,760 --> 02:35:24,880 community in a bigger way than you have even anticipated because you think about 1665 02:35:22,960 --> 02:35:30,800 uh there's a quote that I love because people think the library is just books 1666 02:35:27,200 --> 02:35:34,560 and that's not actually the case. Uh oh gosh I hope I have it here. Here it is. 1667 02:35:32,800 --> 02:35:38,560 They say you can't judge a book by its cover. Increasingly, you also can't 1668 02:35:36,560 --> 02:35:42,399 judge a library's value to its community by simply looking at books. And what the 1669 02:35:40,720 --> 02:35:45,840 Witchaw Public Library does for the city of Witchah is something that I don't see 1670 02:35:44,000 --> 02:35:50,000 in a lot of other communities. I'm usually advocating to minimize budgets. 1671 02:35:48,160 --> 02:35:54,880 But I think you need to fully fund this 1.4 million or it's going to hurt 1672 02:35:52,080 --> 02:35:58,800 Witchah very negatively. And since I'm talking about staffing, I would also 1673 02:35:56,640 --> 02:36:03,439 like to uh talk a little bit about the CIP. Um 1674 02:36:01,600 --> 02:36:08,000 I would like the fire to be staffed more. Obviously, station 15 is my local 1675 02:36:05,840 --> 02:36:14,560 station, and I am heartbroken sometimes to see that that station has is the only 1676 02:36:11,600 --> 02:36:17,680 one that's able to be on call right at that moment because we don't have the 1677 02:36:15,760 --> 02:36:23,840 staffing levels we need to have multiple fire uh to uh respond to calls. We live 1678 02:36:21,280 --> 02:36:27,600 in a very, very dense neighborhood and we're very proud of Station 15 and I 1679 02:36:26,399 --> 02:36:31,600 would hate to see any other neighborhoods that call in and they 1680 02:36:29,840 --> 02:36:36,640 don't have the staffing they need to send people out to handle the things 1681 02:36:33,520 --> 02:36:41,359 that need to be done. Um, but the CIP, I mentioned that uh I voted no on the 1682 02:36:39,040 --> 02:36:45,600 sales tax because I felt like we weren't spending our money wisely. And when I 1683 02:36:43,280 --> 02:36:50,240 look at the CIP, it's more like a wish list that we kind of write down and then 1684 02:36:48,080 --> 02:36:53,920 we put it somewhere and it may or may not happen depending on who sits in 1685 02:36:51,920 --> 02:36:58,560 these seats next year or 5 years from now. I would like to see community 1686 02:36:55,680 --> 02:37:03,920 oversight over the CIP, some sort of advisory board that is not people that 1687 02:37:01,520 --> 02:37:08,640 are going to benefit from the CIP, but the actual community that holds this 1688 02:37:06,640 --> 02:37:12,479 body and the city accountable to the things that they say they're going to 1689 02:37:09,920 --> 02:37:17,439 spend their money on. If we say that we care about public safety, I would love 1690 02:37:14,960 --> 02:37:21,840 to see every >> Sorry about that. I would love to see 1691 02:37:19,120 --> 02:37:25,120 every um that's nine o'clock by the way. I would love to see every fire station 1692 02:37:23,760 --> 02:37:28,800 that we said we were going to build built. I would love to see the all the 1693 02:37:27,280 --> 02:37:33,280 projects that we have in there. We all have different projects that we care 1694 02:37:30,160 --> 02:37:37,600 about, but the CIP seems to just be very willy-nilly. And I would ask this body, 1695 02:37:35,600 --> 02:37:42,000 dabs don't really cost that much and neither do advisory boards because we do 1696 02:37:39,280 --> 02:37:45,200 all the work out of our and we volunteer to do that. I think there will be people 1697 02:37:43,439 --> 02:37:49,920 in the community that will happily step up to give oversight to the CIP to make 1698 02:37:48,399 --> 02:37:53,680 sure that the things that we care about in this community are funded properly. 1699 02:37:51,920 --> 02:37:59,399 Thank you. >> Thank you, Faith. [applause] We'll 1700 02:37:55,520 --> 02:37:59,399 continue with public comment. 1701 02:38:29,680 --> 02:38:37,280 Good evening, Mayor and city council members. My name is Jonathan Winkler. I 1702 02:38:34,160 --> 02:38:42,960 live in district 6. >> I have also had the honor of serving on 1703 02:38:39,439 --> 02:38:46,680 the library board >> for 10 years now. 1704 02:38:50,560 --> 02:38:59,600 » I want to say upfront >> that we are thankful 1705 02:38:55,600 --> 02:39:05,560 » for any funding you do give us. But 1706 02:39:01,920 --> 02:39:05,560 » at the same time, 1707 02:39:05,680 --> 02:39:13,319 » just if you just as you have had to make difficult decisions regarding this 1708 02:39:10,319 --> 02:39:13,319 budget, 1709 02:39:13,359 --> 02:39:19,680 » we are going to have to make difficult choices 1710 02:39:16,399 --> 02:39:25,720 » once you approve it. Since 375 >> Since $375,000 1711 02:39:22,399 --> 02:39:25,720 » for staffing 1712 02:39:26,640 --> 02:39:32,920 » is not enough >> to maintain our current hours. 1713 02:39:35,439 --> 02:39:39,720 » The previous speaker mentioned 1714 02:39:40,080 --> 02:39:45,080 » staying at the library until closing at 8. 1715 02:39:45,200 --> 02:39:52,920 » We've been looking at a plan that calls for closing at 7. 1716 02:39:53,200 --> 02:40:04,680 » No weekend openings at all >> except at the advanced learning library 1717 02:40:00,319 --> 02:40:04,680 » and for Saturdays only there. 1718 02:40:05,280 --> 02:40:12,520 » So I just want to make it very clear >> to all of you 1719 02:40:13,120 --> 02:40:20,800 » that this is a choice you have in front of you. 1720 02:40:17,920 --> 02:40:25,880 So, >> please do what you can to find more. 1721 02:40:26,880 --> 02:40:33,720 » Thank you. >> Thank you, Jonathan. And thank you for 1722 02:40:30,720 --> 02:40:33,720 interpreting. 1723 02:40:33,851 --> 02:40:35,870 [applause] 1724 02:40:36,800 --> 02:40:41,000 » We'll continue with public comment. 1725 02:41:02,880 --> 02:41:11,680 Good evening, Mayor Woo and council members. My name is Brock Booker and I 1726 02:41:08,479 --> 02:41:17,520 am a resident of District 2. I want to speak briefly on tonight's 1727 02:41:13,840 --> 02:41:25,600 adoption of the 2027 budget and the 10-year capital improvement program. 1728 02:41:21,920 --> 02:41:31,840 First, thank you for holding the mill levy flat again this year. That matters 1729 02:41:29,680 --> 02:41:39,359 to families who are already feeling the pressure of rising property valuations. 1730 02:41:36,080 --> 02:41:44,960 That said, city staff have been clear that while this budget is balanced, 1731 02:41:42,319 --> 02:41:49,680 projections show inspixes outpacing revenue in the years ahead. And I'd 1732 02:41:47,520 --> 02:41:55,359 encourage the council to start planning for that now rather than waiting until 1733 02:41:52,319 --> 02:42:01,280 it becomes a crisis. Second, on infrastructure, 1734 02:41:58,080 --> 02:42:06,720 I'm glad to see the 235 million committed over the next decade for our 1735 02:42:04,080 --> 02:42:12,479 streets, and I'd ask that the project prioritization stay transparent and that 1736 02:42:10,080 --> 02:42:20,399 older workingclass neighborhoods aren't left waiting at the back of the line. 1737 02:42:16,319 --> 02:42:24,960 Thirdly, on housing, the $500 million Second Light is a real and needed 1738 02:42:22,960 --> 02:42:31,520 investment in emergency shelter capacity, but shelter beds alone don't 1739 02:42:28,000 --> 02:42:36,479 solve housing instability. I'd encourage the council to pair this investment with 1740 02:42:33,760 --> 02:42:41,760 a broader strategy that helps people move from emergency shelter towards 1741 02:42:38,960 --> 02:42:49,840 stable, permanent housing and housing options for every stage of life. 1742 02:42:46,319 --> 02:42:57,359 Finally, public safety funding for fire station 23 and additional firefighters 1743 02:42:53,439 --> 02:43:02,720 is good news for the entire city. I'd only ask that response time equity 1744 02:43:00,160 --> 02:43:08,479 across districts remain part of that conversation, 1745 02:43:04,479 --> 02:43:15,520 not just total station count. This is a well-built budget. 1746 02:43:11,920 --> 02:43:20,319 And may my ask tonight is simple. Keep an eye on long-term fiscal 1747 02:43:18,160 --> 02:43:25,920 sustainability. Prioritize infrastructure equity across 1748 02:43:22,880 --> 02:43:30,880 neighborhoods and treat homelessness as a housing problem, not just a shelter 1749 02:43:28,399 --> 02:43:35,000 one. Thank you for your time and your service to the city of Witchaw. 1750 02:43:35,120 --> 02:43:39,880 » Thank you, Brock. We'll continue with public comment. 1751 02:43:42,160 --> 02:43:48,319 I see no one from the public. That means we will close public comment. Thank you 1752 02:43:47,680 --> 02:43:52,640 to the >> If I may, mayor, before we close, could 1753 02:43:50,479 --> 02:43:59,040 we actually have a formal motion to close the public hearing? Thank you. 1754 02:43:56,479 --> 02:44:04,720 » Thank you to the six speakers um who shared their public comment regarding 1755 02:44:01,279 --> 02:44:07,520 the proposed 2027 budget. I move to close the public hearing. 1756 02:44:06,880 --> 02:44:15,479 » Second. >> Motion. Second. discussion. See none. 1757 02:44:11,120 --> 02:44:15,479 Madame clerk, please open the role. 1758 02:44:19,840 --> 02:44:28,399 Motion passes 70. We are now closed with public comment and we'll bring it back 1759 02:44:25,520 --> 02:44:33,439 to the bench. Uh first and foremost, I wanted to say uh thank you again to the 1760 02:44:30,479 --> 02:44:39,200 six individuals. All six of you um have shared a portion of um additions. 1761 02:44:36,800 --> 02:44:43,439 Unfortunately, no reductions and that is my biggest concern. I think one of the 1762 02:44:41,520 --> 02:44:49,520 individuals said you will have difficult choices and these are difficult choices. 1763 02:44:46,479 --> 02:44:54,160 We have a budget shortfall right now. We're taking $3 million from the savings 1764 02:44:52,160 --> 02:44:58,399 account. We'll be taking 3 million additionally 1765 02:44:56,479 --> 02:45:02,640 next year because there's another budget shortfall. 1766 02:45:00,240 --> 02:45:07,279 So, it is difficult decisions we have to make. And as the city manager said, he 1767 02:45:05,279 --> 02:45:12,560 has proposed multiple items and I'm going to ask for those slides to be 1768 02:45:09,279 --> 02:45:18,960 shown. Slides 40 and 41 are new additional programs or individuals. Um, 1769 02:45:16,479 --> 02:45:26,240 and I think we I'm going to ask for specific ones. So I know that we will 1770 02:45:22,160 --> 02:45:34,560 have lots of comments and questions. Um, so I will start with um slide number 40. 1771 02:45:31,040 --> 02:45:41,359 Um, I wanted to know uh regarding the current staffing at the library. Sorry, 1772 02:45:38,240 --> 02:45:47,840 this is not the library one 41. Regarding staffing for the library, uh, 1773 02:45:44,000 --> 02:45:54,880 is there a plan for what $375,000 additional dollars will help cover 1774 02:45:51,439 --> 02:45:58,240 regarding staffing. >> Mayor, thank you for asking that. what 1775 02:45:56,240 --> 02:46:02,880 was communicated to me, I believe the finance team is that that can be 1776 02:46:00,479 --> 02:46:08,399 structured either for increase in staffing for part-time 1777 02:46:05,359 --> 02:46:13,120 um nine positions or four and a half positions full-time I believe is the uh 1778 02:46:11,279 --> 02:46:18,960 equivalent of how that money can be used and then they would use that staffing 1779 02:46:15,279 --> 02:46:23,680 level to determine what libraries based upon need and usage those staff would be 1780 02:46:21,520 --> 02:46:29,439 assigned to. But they're saying it would be for backfilling and supporting 1781 02:46:26,080 --> 02:46:33,319 existing staff and to help relieve some of our existing staff. 1782 02:46:33,439 --> 02:46:40,399 » Um with that, um I have a specific uh comment regarding this and I don't think 1783 02:46:38,640 --> 02:46:45,359 there's enough on this council that want to do this and I hear your plea from the 1784 02:46:43,120 --> 02:46:50,080 individuals who are asking for $1.4 million. 1785 02:46:46,960 --> 02:46:56,800 Um, and I want to say thank you to Kevin who has served as your president of the 1786 02:46:52,720 --> 02:47:02,399 Witchaw Library Foundation. Um, I I did want to ask and I will ask offline. Uh, 1787 02:46:59,760 --> 02:47:07,680 you did mention a member of the council approached you about building this new 1788 02:47:04,880 --> 02:47:13,439 all um advanced learning library. So, I'm going to ask who that was uh who was 1789 02:47:10,000 --> 02:47:17,600 able to secure the four votes. Um this has been something that this council has 1790 02:47:15,120 --> 02:47:23,680 said we don't want to tie the hands of future council members and that is the 1791 02:47:20,399 --> 02:47:30,479 responsible thing to do. Um and while the branch master plan was adopted by 1792 02:47:26,960 --> 02:47:38,880 the council in 2019, none of us well maybe one of us was on that council. And 1793 02:47:33,600 --> 02:47:45,359 so I cannot um in good faith right now uh give you $1.4 4 million from what 1794 02:47:42,720 --> 02:47:52,000 currently looks like 3.962 million in new additional items. Um so I 1795 02:47:50,080 --> 02:47:55,279 I want to share with you that I do value libraries and I don't think there's 1796 02:47:53,600 --> 02:48:02,319 anyone on this council that doesn't value libraries. 1797 02:47:57,279 --> 02:48:09,279 Um but now given that even with 375,000 additional dollars um it would only 1798 02:48:05,439 --> 02:48:15,359 allow for uh either nine part-time individuals or 4 and a half uh full-time 1799 02:48:12,800 --> 02:48:20,560 positions and there would still be a reduction in hours. Um, this seems like 1800 02:48:18,880 --> 02:48:27,520 right now we need to have a deeper conversation about how we're going to uh 1801 02:48:24,000 --> 02:48:33,200 move forward with branch hours because even if we gave you the full um ask that 1802 02:48:30,800 --> 02:48:38,399 the city manager currently is um asking of us of 375, 1803 02:48:36,160 --> 02:48:45,680 you have all shared that there will be a reduction in hours. Um, so I am I cannot 1804 02:48:42,640 --> 02:48:50,399 in good faith uh move forward with um having the city manager's proposal of uh 1805 02:48:48,240 --> 02:48:54,800 adding 375,000 if it's still going to reduce library 1806 02:48:53,279 --> 02:48:58,760 hours. Uh council member Hohheisle. 1807 02:49:01,359 --> 02:49:08,479 » Thank you, Mayor. Um I don't really have a question. I just want to go ahead and 1808 02:49:05,840 --> 02:49:13,359 get this moving along. Uh, so I will make a motion to adopt the 2027 proposed 1809 02:49:11,120 --> 02:49:17,760 budget. Approve the second reading of the necessary budget ordinances for the 1810 02:49:15,279 --> 02:49:22,800 tax increment financing districts in the Smid. Um, adopt the second reading of 1811 02:49:20,960 --> 02:49:26,880 the budget ordinance for the city taxing funds, including a technical adjustment 1812 02:49:25,040 --> 02:49:33,200 to align the estimated mill levy in the ordinance to 32.340. 1813 02:49:30,880 --> 02:49:37,279 Approve amending the 2026 budget for the Century 2 and affordable housing funds. 1814 02:49:35,520 --> 02:49:41,600 authorize staff to take the necessary steps to implement the budget, including 1815 02:49:39,600 --> 02:49:45,680 budget adjustments, expenditure control levels, budget administration 1816 02:49:43,680 --> 02:49:49,760 procedures, and adjustments outlined in the agenda report, and to make any 1817 02:49:48,000 --> 02:49:56,720 technical adjustments necessary to compete, complete and submit the state 1818 02:49:52,479 --> 02:50:01,359 certification forms, adopt the 27 2027 to 2036 proposed capital improvement 1819 02:49:59,040 --> 02:50:05,920 program, and approve the use of local funds derived from property within the 1820 02:50:03,359 --> 02:50:11,200 corporate limits for Witchah State University Board of 1821 02:50:08,399 --> 02:50:13,840 Trustees interlocal agreement between the city and the county. 1822 02:50:12,640 --> 02:50:19,520 » Second, >> mayor with a substitute motion. I move 1823 02:50:16,880 --> 02:50:23,359 that the city council adopt the 2027 proposed budget with amendments to be 1824 02:50:21,279 --> 02:50:26,240 proposed in a second. Approve the second reading of the necessary budget 1825 02:50:24,640 --> 02:50:30,720 ordinances for the tax increment financing to districts and the the SMID. 1826 02:50:29,279 --> 02:50:34,640 Adopt the second reading of the budget ordinance for the city taxing funds 1827 02:50:32,479 --> 02:50:38,640 including a technical adjustment to the aligned estimated mill levying the 1828 02:50:36,240 --> 02:50:42,640 ordinance to 32.340. Approve amending the 2026 budget for 1829 02:50:40,800 --> 02:50:46,720 Century 2 and affordable housing funds. Authorize authorized staff to take the 1830 02:50:44,800 --> 02:50:50,720 necessary steps to implement the budget, including budget adjustments, 1831 02:50:48,479 --> 02:50:53,439 expenditure control levels, budget administration procedures, and 1832 02:50:52,080 --> 02:50:56,319 adjustments outlined in the agenda report and to make any technical 1833 02:50:54,720 --> 02:51:02,160 adjustments necessary to complete and submit the state certification forms, 1834 02:50:58,240 --> 02:51:06,960 and adopt the 2027 20 through 2036 proposed capital improvement district 1835 02:51:04,479 --> 02:51:10,399 with these changes. that all general fund savings resulting from budget 1836 02:51:08,720 --> 02:51:13,920 amendments adopted today after accounting for any new general fund 1837 02:51:12,399 --> 02:51:18,399 appropriations adopted as part of this package be used 1838 02:51:16,399 --> 02:51:22,800 dollar for dollar to reduce the plan 2027 transfer or draw from the 1839 02:51:20,880 --> 02:51:27,279 stabilization reserves into the general fund. That would also eliminate 250,000 1840 02:51:25,760 --> 02:51:32,319 from the employee tuition program appropriation from the 2027 general fund 1841 02:51:30,080 --> 02:51:37,520 and reduce the 2027 general fund expenditures by 250,000. That leaves 1842 02:51:34,960 --> 02:51:42,720 50,000 in the tuition program. That we would also reduce the 2027 general fund 1843 02:51:40,080 --> 02:51:47,240 line item tited titled unallocated administrative cost from 1,447,332 1844 02:51:47,600 --> 02:51:50,600 to947,332 1845 02:51:50,960 --> 02:51:58,160 for a general fund reduction of 500,000. That we would establish a $400,000 1846 02:51:56,399 --> 02:52:03,439 process and administrative efficient saving target in the 2027 general fund. 1847 02:52:01,359 --> 02:52:08,000 And that staff are should report to council during 2027 where that savings 1848 02:52:05,840 --> 02:52:14,160 was achieved. That the 2020 stabilization fund mean for second light 1849 02:52:11,359 --> 02:52:18,800 multi- agency center be conditioned on them working to increase emergency or 1850 02:52:16,160 --> 02:52:24,880 low barrier shelter bed capacity based on space and staffing. That we would 1851 02:52:21,680 --> 02:52:27,920 appropriate 15,000 in one-time 2027 general fund support for the mayor's 1852 02:52:26,399 --> 02:52:33,359 youth council funded from an equal reduction in the council travel budget. 1853 02:52:30,319 --> 02:52:37,600 that 100,000 in one-time 2027 general funding for a Witchaw property tax 1854 02:52:35,600 --> 02:52:42,000 relief program pilot to be developed by staff and approved by mayor and council. 1855 02:52:39,920 --> 02:52:45,920 That we would allocate 50,000 to develop and implement a community-based violence 1856 02:52:44,080 --> 02:52:51,279 prevention strategy from the manager's contingency fund. that we would also 1857 02:52:49,279 --> 02:52:56,000 authorize a cash funded project for urban forestry backlog and restoration 1858 02:52:53,200 --> 02:53:00,479 and approve the transfer of 400,000 from the general fund to this project and to 1859 02:52:58,080 --> 02:53:05,439 eliminate 400,000 in goat atlarge funding from the CIP allocated for Pony 1860 02:53:03,520 --> 02:53:10,080 Prairie Park and to direct staff to close out the inactive CIP project 1861 02:53:07,520 --> 02:53:15,439 accounts totaling 400,000 and credit those revenues to the general fund that 1862 02:53:12,399 --> 02:53:19,040 we would then reallocate 325,000 towards design and construct 1863 02:53:17,439 --> 02:53:22,479 vehicle mitigation improvements including ballards or comparable 1864 02:53:20,560 --> 02:53:27,840 protective measures and that would come from the allocation in the CIP towards 1865 02:53:25,359 --> 02:53:33,520 uh the police robotic dog and that we would reallocate 150,000 from proposed 1866 02:53:30,479 --> 02:53:36,520 dash cams to the library budget as well. >> Second. 1867 02:53:37,120 --> 02:53:43,680 » We have a a motion and a second uh further discussion. I see council member 1868 02:53:42,800 --> 02:53:48,880 Hoheisel. >> Thank you, mayor. Um, I like what uh 1869 02:53:46,479 --> 02:53:53,840 council member do uh Glascock or Vice Mayor Glascock's proposed. I just have 1870 02:53:51,040 --> 02:53:58,160 one amendment proposal to transfer 200,000 from the city manager's 1871 02:53:55,600 --> 02:54:04,160 contingency fund to fund violence interruption or intervention programs. 1872 02:54:02,720 --> 02:54:07,600 » I believe we need a second on the amendment. 1873 02:54:05,439 --> 02:54:12,080 » Second >> motion and a second on an amendment. 1874 02:54:10,240 --> 02:54:15,439 Madame clerk, please open the role. >> We is there any discussion? Excuse me. 1875 02:54:14,479 --> 02:54:18,960 » Any discussion? >> Any discussion? Council member Shepard. 1876 02:54:17,520 --> 02:54:23,760 » Thank you, Mayor. I just wanted to affirm Vice Mayor GL GlassCox's motion, 1877 02:54:21,520 --> 02:54:27,359 which is why I second it. I believe that this is taking a necessary step to get 1878 02:54:25,600 --> 02:54:31,920 our libraries where they should be. It's not at the full point of where it needs 1879 02:54:29,840 --> 02:54:36,160 to be. I hope that you get a commitment from all of us to eventually get you 1880 02:54:34,000 --> 02:54:41,680 there over a reasonable amount of time. This is a start, not a finish. Um, I 1881 02:54:38,720 --> 02:54:47,279 also appreciate the um ability for violence prevention. Um, and I also 1882 02:54:45,040 --> 02:54:50,880 agree with Vice Mayor Glascock on the efficiencies and savings as well as the 1883 02:54:48,880 --> 02:54:56,080 property tax relief. So, I appreciate the colleagues uh for uh moving forward 1884 02:54:53,520 --> 02:55:00,560 these motions today and I think that this is taking our community in the 1885 02:54:58,319 --> 02:55:05,120 right direction. >> Council member John Stunn. 1886 02:55:02,399 --> 02:55:10,720 » Thank you, Mayor. Uh, I also agree. I think this gets the libraries to 525,000 1887 02:55:07,840 --> 02:55:15,040 if I'm correct about 40% of their their ask which helps a lot and I agree that 1888 02:55:13,439 --> 02:55:20,479 we need to continue to work on that in the future. Library funding I think is 1889 02:55:17,200 --> 02:55:28,800 very very important and I also think it rep prioritizes some some funds in our 1890 02:55:23,120 --> 02:55:35,279 uh in our budget um to uh more community uh benefits and quality 1891 02:55:31,680 --> 02:55:38,800 of life. So, I will be supporting this. >> Council member Tuttle. 1892 02:55:36,720 --> 02:55:41,760 » Thank you. Um, I just wanted to make a few comments. Um, this is the eighth 1893 02:55:40,319 --> 02:55:47,359 budget that I've worked on since I've been on city council. Um, and I've been 1894 02:55:45,200 --> 02:55:51,920 um impressed with how this the majority of 1895 02:55:49,840 --> 02:55:55,840 this team has worked together. Um, leadership is about choices and there 1896 02:55:53,920 --> 02:55:59,760 are hard choices to be made. We all wish there was money to fund everything. Um, 1897 02:55:58,080 --> 02:56:04,399 everybody I think on this council has things that they're passionate about and 1898 02:56:01,120 --> 02:56:09,600 want to see funded, but leadership also means working together. Um, I've said 1899 02:56:07,840 --> 02:56:15,120 this every year, so I'm going to say it the eighth time. The most important vote 1900 02:56:12,880 --> 02:56:19,920 that I make all year is on our budget and where you allocate your treasure is 1901 02:56:17,359 --> 02:56:25,040 a reflection of your values. And I think that is true tonight and that's why I 1902 02:56:22,160 --> 02:56:29,279 will be supportive. Um, I just wanted to point out something too that um, Gary 1903 02:56:27,120 --> 02:56:32,160 Jansen, our director of public works, has stated that since people always want 1904 02:56:30,880 --> 02:56:37,040 to know where the money goes, why does it cost more? Why do you why are we 1905 02:56:33,680 --> 02:56:41,120 spending more? Since 2020, construction costs for our utility projects within 1906 02:56:39,439 --> 02:56:45,359 the city, not just new builds, but if we're doing a road, anything, 1907 02:56:42,960 --> 02:56:50,800 construction costs since 2020 for utility projects have increased by 66%. 1908 02:56:48,800 --> 02:56:55,120 So what the community members, what you are feeling, what I am feeling, we're 1909 02:56:52,880 --> 02:57:00,399 also feeling at the city of Witchah and that's why we're trying to make these 1910 02:56:56,640 --> 02:57:05,040 hard decisions. Um I also just wanted to um say that we've been working on this 1911 02:57:01,840 --> 02:57:09,040 for 9 months and kudos to us and I'm going to thank a few other people, but 1912 02:57:06,800 --> 02:57:14,319 during the nine months anybody at any time could have made any suggestions. 1913 02:57:11,600 --> 02:57:18,800 And so it's sometimes disheartening to me when we get to this point and you 1914 02:57:16,479 --> 02:57:22,720 know comments are or decisions are being thrown at the last minute, but at this 1915 02:57:20,720 --> 02:57:27,200 at this stage so far with what's been proposed, I'm excited and it shows true 1916 02:57:25,040 --> 02:57:30,800 collaboration. Um I do want to thank Mark Manning and the finance team. Um 1917 02:57:29,279 --> 02:57:34,160 Elizabeth, I hope you go home and get some rest. Much deserved. I know y'all, 1918 02:57:32,880 --> 02:57:38,720 like I said, have been working on this for nine months and couldn't be more 1919 02:57:35,920 --> 02:57:43,200 proud. also to our new city manager. Um your first budget process um couldn't be 1920 02:57:40,960 --> 02:57:47,279 more pleased with your attentiveness. You're willing to dive in deeper. You're 1921 02:57:45,520 --> 02:57:50,399 willing to provide us solutions and options and things that we haven't 1922 02:57:48,560 --> 02:57:53,680 thought about before. So, thank you for certainly being part of the process. I 1923 02:57:52,240 --> 02:57:57,279 also want to thank all the departments within the city of Witchaw. Every 1924 02:57:55,680 --> 02:58:01,279 department had to probably give up something, right? and every department 1925 02:57:59,279 --> 02:58:06,240 did a good job of fighting fairly for what they think is important for the 1926 02:58:03,520 --> 02:58:10,319 work they do as content experts. And then finally, I just want to say thank 1927 02:58:08,240 --> 02:58:14,319 you to my colleagues who have been willing to have dialogue and 1928 02:58:12,000 --> 02:58:18,560 collaboration. And to me, that represents bold leadership. So, thank 1929 02:58:16,960 --> 02:58:23,439 you for everyone for all of your hard work. Looks like we're almost there. 1930 02:58:21,520 --> 02:58:28,000 » I have a question for legal before we continue. We have an amendment that has 1931 02:58:25,840 --> 02:58:31,760 a motion and a second. Yes. Uh, can another motion be put forward? Uh, an 1932 02:58:30,640 --> 02:58:35,520 amendment rather? >> No, we can amend. What we're doing right 1933 02:58:33,439 --> 02:58:39,279 now is an amendment of a substitution. That is where this one has to stop. I 1934 02:58:38,560 --> 02:58:42,960 think we can. >> So, this one right now is at violence 1935 02:58:40,960 --> 02:58:47,120 interruptors getting an additional $200,000 1936 02:58:44,560 --> 02:58:51,920 » intervention. It's the strategy, not a program. 1937 02:58:49,600 --> 02:58:56,160 » Is that accurate? which would give the city manager the full autonomy and 1938 02:58:53,680 --> 02:58:59,760 authority to work with the council to identify a strategy where those dollars 1939 02:58:58,960 --> 02:59:05,200 would go. >> Yeah, that's what's on the um item to 1940 02:59:03,359 --> 02:59:11,760 vote, I believe. Yes. >> Uh I do have one additional question. uh 1941 02:59:08,319 --> 02:59:17,120 last year uh and two years prior uh council member Tuttle had to uh abstain 1942 02:59:14,800 --> 02:59:22,160 from voting because she's a she is employed by Witchah State's WSU Tech uh 1943 02:59:20,160 --> 02:59:27,120 arm. Will you need to do that? >> Uh that's why his substitute motion did 1944 02:59:24,319 --> 02:59:29,200 not include the WSU and WSU Tech and so that will be the next motion that will 1945 02:59:28,560 --> 02:59:32,399 be made. >> Thank you very much, Council Member 1946 02:59:30,880 --> 02:59:37,760 Ballard. Thank you, Mayor. I'm not going to um 1947 02:59:35,840 --> 02:59:41,279 share all of the same I mean I share all the same comments um as my colleagues, 1948 02:59:39,600 --> 02:59:46,560 but I also wanted to point out I appreciate um that the city manager 1949 02:59:44,080 --> 02:59:52,240 tried to bring back a tuition program while we might not be able to fully fund 1950 02:59:48,960 --> 02:59:59,920 it this year. Um I appreciate that you are thinking about uh ways to offer our 1951 02:59:57,200 --> 03:00:04,800 employees um additional education and opportunity. So, um I will definitely be 1952 03:00:02,800 --> 03:00:09,279 supportive of all of the uh conversations that we have had with this 1953 03:00:06,560 --> 03:00:14,960 amendment and excited for whatever employees are able to uh utilize this 1954 03:00:12,000 --> 03:00:19,040 new opportunity. I will add my comments. Um I will not be 1955 03:00:17,279 --> 03:00:25,200 voting in favor of this as I have not voted in favor the last three years. Um, 1956 03:00:21,920 --> 03:00:30,240 and again, more specifically, this budget takes $3 million from the savings 1957 03:00:28,399 --> 03:00:36,240 account called the stabilization reserve. Um, while I understand that 1958 03:00:33,920 --> 03:00:42,720 many of the programs are important, it's also prudent to not add additional items 1959 03:00:39,439 --> 03:00:47,200 that cannot be paid for or will continue to have ongoing expenses moving forward. 1960 03:00:45,920 --> 03:00:53,920 And knowing that we have a budget shortfall yet again next year, it is not 1961 03:00:50,560 --> 03:00:59,439 prudent again to not go line item by line item going over each of these 1962 03:00:57,200 --> 03:01:05,359 proposals that the city manager specifically has said are new items. Uh 1963 03:01:03,439 --> 03:01:09,120 so again, I appreciate that there have been reductions. I appreciate that there 1964 03:01:07,200 --> 03:01:14,000 has been collaboration amongst this council um through again Vice Mayor 1965 03:01:11,600 --> 03:01:20,560 Glascock, thank you for providing those uh comments and that specific um motion. 1966 03:01:17,760 --> 03:01:28,640 But again, not in good faith can we continue sustaining this type of budget 1967 03:01:24,560 --> 03:01:34,160 where we are outgrowing inflation and we are outgrowing to the point where 1968 03:01:30,880 --> 03:01:40,640 we don't have a balanced budget. We're only balanced because we get again $3 1969 03:01:37,439 --> 03:01:47,279 million from the savings account. That is not a balanced budget. Um so I will 1970 03:01:44,399 --> 03:01:50,800 not be voting in favor of this motion. Um and so I see that there are 1971 03:01:49,359 --> 03:01:56,600 additional individuals that want to speak. Vice Mayor Glascock 1972 03:01:52,479 --> 03:01:56,600 » call the question on this amendment. 1973 03:01:56,800 --> 03:02:03,120 » Okay. >> Motion. Second. Any further discussion? 1974 03:02:00,080 --> 03:02:07,680 There's council member Shepard. Let's move forward. 1975 03:02:05,120 --> 03:02:11,479 » Uh, madame mayor, madame clerk, can you please open the role? 1976 03:02:12,960 --> 03:02:21,439 » Motion passes 6 to one. Madam, actually, we have to come back. Are you going to 1977 03:02:19,840 --> 03:02:25,319 propose? >> I just general comments. 1978 03:02:25,760 --> 03:02:30,479 » Vice Mayor Glass. >> Thank you. Now we're on the the 1979 03:02:28,960 --> 03:02:34,240 substitute motion that's on the floor with the amendment that council 1980 03:02:32,720 --> 03:02:36,880 Councilman Shepard has made. Correct. >> Correct. 1981 03:02:34,720 --> 03:02:42,319 » Okay. I just want to say thank you to my colleagues uh who did uh meet with me 1982 03:02:38,960 --> 03:02:46,640 this week. I hope that the package presented was a compromise of things 1983 03:02:45,040 --> 03:02:50,560 that we've heard from residents and knowing that we did hear from people 1984 03:02:48,319 --> 03:02:54,000 speaking today as well. We're called to lead and we have a duty to govern and 1985 03:02:52,399 --> 03:02:57,439 that's why we are elected and so I'm thankful that we've stepped up um to be 1986 03:02:56,080 --> 03:03:00,880 able to offer a solution. Is there everything that all of us agree with in 1987 03:02:59,279 --> 03:03:05,439 the budget? No. And we're going to have those votes subsequently throughout the 1988 03:03:02,720 --> 03:03:10,240 year on each specific item. But I think this puts us in a direction I think this 1989 03:03:07,120 --> 03:03:14,000 puts us in um a place where we also are taking less from the stabilization 1990 03:03:11,840 --> 03:03:17,200 reserves and we're keeping more of that in the future. I think that's good 1991 03:03:15,439 --> 03:03:20,880 responsible leadership and I'm thankful for my colleagues that were willing to 1992 03:03:18,800 --> 03:03:23,120 compromise to get to this place and um just thank you for your hard work on 1993 03:03:22,160 --> 03:03:26,880 this. >> Council member Hois. 1994 03:03:24,479 --> 03:03:30,640 » Thank you, Mayor. Um to my colleagues, I appreciate the work that you guys have 1995 03:03:28,160 --> 03:03:35,040 done on this as well. Um libraries, we're going to try and get there. Um I 1996 03:03:32,479 --> 03:03:38,640 know it's not all at once. This is um nobody looks at any budget that's passed 1997 03:03:36,960 --> 03:03:45,040 and says, "Oh, this is exactly what I want." But we are trying to get there. 1998 03:03:41,040 --> 03:03:49,200 Um we did eliminate um a substantial amount of money coming out of the 1999 03:03:46,399 --> 03:03:53,920 stabilization fund. We also looked at some other um investments that we we 2000 03:03:51,279 --> 03:03:58,640 wanted across the board. um increasing in dead tree removal as was spoken about 2001 03:03:56,160 --> 03:04:02,240 earlier is one of them. Um just a number of other issues as well. So no this 2002 03:04:00,240 --> 03:04:06,960 isn't the perfect budget to our employees. Um we are intent to work with 2003 03:04:04,479 --> 03:04:12,720 you over the next year. We did see that tuition reimbursement was at the bottom 2004 03:04:09,439 --> 03:04:17,760 of um the the wants that you guys had. We we got that survey here in the last 2005 03:04:15,200 --> 03:04:22,960 week. So, uh we are dedicated to see what we can do to help um help with your 2006 03:04:20,960 --> 03:04:29,680 your lifestyle, help with the challenges that you guys face because if we don't 2007 03:04:25,840 --> 03:04:33,840 pay our own people living wages, then um that's a bad look on us definitely. So, 2008 03:04:32,240 --> 03:04:39,359 again, this budget's not perfect for anybody, but um I think it's a good 2009 03:04:37,040 --> 03:04:42,720 budget. So, I appreciate everybody's work on this. 2010 03:04:41,520 --> 03:04:48,960 » Council member Shepard. >> Thank you, Mayor. Um, I also want to uh 2011 03:04:46,399 --> 03:04:53,439 just acknowledge that this took a lot of collaborative effort. And I know I say 2012 03:04:51,840 --> 03:04:56,960 that intentionally because I think that often times the narrative gets 2013 03:04:55,120 --> 03:05:01,680 misconstrued that we don't work well together. And while we have very 2014 03:04:59,760 --> 03:05:05,520 different priorities at times and very different outlooks on how those 2015 03:05:02,960 --> 03:05:11,600 priorities should be should be handled. Um I think that we were able to come to 2016 03:05:08,240 --> 03:05:15,520 a healthy decision tonight on what does it mean to invest in a witchaw not just 2017 03:05:13,760 --> 03:05:20,479 for today but a witchaw for tomorrow and for years down the road. Um yes the 2018 03:05:18,240 --> 03:05:25,120 budget is increasing but our our needs are evolving just as our families are 2019 03:05:22,800 --> 03:05:30,080 evolving. And so I'm really grateful that we, you know, when we first got 2020 03:05:27,120 --> 03:05:32,960 this budget, the libraries had zero and and we said, "City manager, can you do a 2021 03:05:31,760 --> 03:05:37,200 little bit more?" And then he got us to a little bit more. And then we decided 2022 03:05:34,880 --> 03:05:41,439 to do our part to do a little bit more. But I think that's not a testament to 2023 03:05:39,120 --> 03:05:46,240 us. I want to be very clear. It's a testament to Jamie Nicks and her staff 2024 03:05:43,840 --> 03:05:51,439 and the incredible work that they do every single day. Um, and the and the 2025 03:05:49,279 --> 03:05:56,319 resources that are being provided all across this community. Maya Angelou has 2026 03:05:54,160 --> 03:06:01,760 a community garden in the middle of the food desert. Seniors are there all the 2027 03:05:59,520 --> 03:06:06,560 time working on their resumes, getting job applications. The dignity and 2028 03:06:04,240 --> 03:06:09,279 humanity that you see in every single family, [music] 2029 03:06:07,120 --> 03:06:13,520 including our unhoused neighbors, that is to be commended. And we have to quit 2030 03:06:11,120 --> 03:06:18,240 asking our staff to do more with less, as if it's a normal expectation. 2031 03:06:16,160 --> 03:06:22,319 It's not okay anymore. And we've got to turn a corner. So, thank you for being 2032 03:06:20,000 --> 03:06:25,359 the example of what it means to step up to the plate. And tonight, I think we 2033 03:06:24,000 --> 03:06:28,399 are showing that when you step up to the plate to do more, we're going to meet 2034 03:06:26,319 --> 03:06:32,800 you in the middle. Um, finally, I do want to say thank you to the city 2035 03:06:29,680 --> 03:06:35,120 manager. Um, it's no secret I feel passionate about the things I'm 2036 03:06:33,920 --> 03:06:38,880 passionate about, and I will fight for the things that I'm willing to fight 2037 03:06:36,319 --> 03:06:42,720 for. But the city manager has worked with me to really help meet me in the 2038 03:06:41,200 --> 03:06:46,960 middle, especially on paid family leave. We didn't get it this year paid for in 2039 03:06:44,479 --> 03:06:50,880 the budget, but we found an alternative and I think that's important as well. 2040 03:06:48,720 --> 03:06:53,840 So, to the staff who are listening, um I'm not just going to say you're valued. 2041 03:06:52,640 --> 03:06:56,800 I'm going to make a commitment that we're going to continue to work to 2042 03:06:55,120 --> 03:07:00,560 figure out how to build a stronger culture in city hall, how to make sure 2043 03:06:58,800 --> 03:07:04,560 you are valued, and how to make sure we take care of the whole family. Because 2044 03:07:02,880 --> 03:07:07,840 it's not just you that shows up here every single day. Your family deals with 2045 03:07:06,479 --> 03:07:12,160 the brunt of the work that you carry back home every day as well. And this 2046 03:07:09,840 --> 03:07:15,520 $50,000 is just a pilot to see where we can go from here. With that, thank you 2047 03:07:14,000 --> 03:07:18,619 colleagues for your support in making this first year of my budget hearing a 2048 03:07:17,840 --> 03:07:22,479 meaningful and pleasurable [clears throat] one. I hope it happens 2049 03:07:20,080 --> 03:07:27,359 again. >> Council member Johnston. 2050 03:07:24,880 --> 03:07:31,040 » Thank you, Mayor. I will echo that this is not the perfect budget. Uh if I was 2051 03:07:29,520 --> 03:07:37,279 doing it myself, this is not what I've come up with. Um I don't like taking 2052 03:07:34,000 --> 03:07:42,399 money from our reserve fund, $3 million. I don't think that's prudent. I think it 2053 03:07:39,840 --> 03:07:47,200 was planned that there was probably a presumption that the economy would be in 2054 03:07:44,560 --> 03:07:53,040 a recession by now and it has not been. I think that's the reason it was planned 2055 03:07:48,960 --> 03:07:58,479 for now. Um, next year I hope we do not take that $3 million. Um, unless there 2056 03:07:56,560 --> 03:08:03,680 is a severe recession and we need the money. Um, I think one thing we need to 2057 03:08:01,520 --> 03:08:09,760 address and it's the elephant in the room is public safety. 2058 03:08:07,120 --> 03:08:15,439 Public safety is very important. There's no doubt. Everybody tells us that we 2059 03:08:12,880 --> 03:08:20,479 need to fund public safety. I think the question is how much. If you look at our 2060 03:08:18,160 --> 03:08:28,160 palm card, which is outside the room there, public safety this year is 64% 2061 03:08:24,080 --> 03:08:35,279 of our budget. Next year, it rises to 67% of our budget. So, at what point do 2062 03:08:32,720 --> 03:08:40,640 we say public safety? Yes, but we also have to 2063 03:08:37,279 --> 03:08:46,960 invest in libraries and parks and and amenities of life that can help reduce 2064 03:08:43,680 --> 03:08:51,680 violence and and ed educate people and and really help fund uh some of the 2065 03:08:49,840 --> 03:08:57,279 disadvantaged neighborhoods. I think that's important. Um what I hear from my 2066 03:08:55,279 --> 03:09:02,880 district is they they want to see more police 2067 03:08:58,880 --> 03:09:08,240 officers in the district on the street. um and maybe not so many uh softwares 2068 03:09:06,160 --> 03:09:12,720 and programs and things. So, that's what I hear from my district. Um it may be 2069 03:09:10,800 --> 03:09:17,840 different tomorrow when I wake up and see emails. Who knows? But uh I'm just 2070 03:09:15,680 --> 03:09:23,120 glad we did get a budget approved and it's not 11:59. So, thank you, 2071 03:09:21,920 --> 03:09:25,680 » Vice Mayor Glass. >> Thank you. But I will call the question 2072 03:09:24,160 --> 03:09:29,040 in a second and there's just one thing I want to highlight and I really want to 2073 03:09:27,040 --> 03:09:33,359 thank the work of council member Hohis on that and that's the home the 2074 03:09:30,640 --> 03:09:36,960 homeowner property tax relief program. I think that's one of the best things to 2075 03:09:34,720 --> 03:09:40,479 come from this budget. We hear often about property tax relief in this 2076 03:09:38,640 --> 03:09:44,560 community and this is a very targeted way to provide property tax relief to 2077 03:09:42,560 --> 03:09:47,600 those that need it the most. And so I'm thankful for his leadership on this and 2078 03:09:46,240 --> 03:09:51,279 his passion for this because if he didn't continue to advocate it for it, 2079 03:09:49,520 --> 03:09:55,600 it wouldn't be in this today. But I think the 100,000 is a really good first 2080 03:09:53,680 --> 03:09:59,760 step toward that. And hopefully we continue to offer more targeted property 2081 03:09:58,000 --> 03:10:03,040 tax relief because that's I guarantee you the number one thing we hear from 2082 03:10:01,600 --> 03:10:07,600 residents up here. And so with that, I'll call the question. 2083 03:10:05,520 --> 03:10:13,880 We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? I see none. Madame 2084 03:10:09,920 --> 03:10:13,880 clerk, please open the role. 2085 03:10:15,600 --> 03:10:23,279 Motion passes. 61. Mayor with a motion to approve the use 2086 03:10:21,600 --> 03:10:26,000 of local funds derived from property within the corporate limits for the 2087 03:10:24,560 --> 03:10:30,240 Witchaw State University Board of Trustees and our local agreement between 2088 03:10:28,160 --> 03:10:33,600 the city and the county. >> Council member Tuttle. 2089 03:10:31,760 --> 03:10:37,840 » Thank you. Due to a conflict of interest, I will be abstaining from this 2090 03:10:35,520 --> 03:10:42,640 vote. >> I will add my comments. Um I'm a board 2091 03:10:40,240 --> 03:10:48,319 member of WSU Tech, but I get no financial gain. It is also on my 2092 03:10:45,359 --> 03:10:54,960 statement of interest. Uh so therefore I will be taking a vote on this. Madame 2093 03:10:51,520 --> 03:10:58,640 cler or we have a motion. >> Second. 2094 03:10:55,520 --> 03:11:04,040 » Second. Any further discussion? I see none. Madame clerk please open the role. 2095 03:11:08,080 --> 03:11:16,960 Motion passes 60 with one abstension. Madame clerk please call the next item. 2096 03:11:15,600 --> 03:11:19,960 Council member appointments and comments. 2097 03:11:20,960 --> 03:11:27,040 C. >> Uh, we'll start with appointments. Any 2098 03:11:23,840 --> 03:11:31,040 appointments, council members? >> I have one and so does council member 2099 03:11:29,439 --> 03:11:33,520 Ballard. We'll start with council member Ballard. 2100 03:11:32,160 --> 03:11:39,359 » Thank you, mayor. I would like to appoint Michaela Ramirez to the library 2101 03:11:35,680 --> 03:11:43,920 board and uh Jeppi Hammer to the sustainability board. 2102 03:11:42,080 --> 03:11:49,920 » Council member Johnston. >> Thank you. I'd like to appoint Josh 2103 03:11:46,399 --> 03:11:55,520 Shepus to District 5 Advisory Board and to the Park Board of Commissioners. 2104 03:11:53,200 --> 03:12:00,880 » And I would like to appoint John Frederick on behalf of Commissioner Jim 2105 03:11:58,080 --> 03:12:06,479 Howell to the Witchaw Airport Advisory Board. 2106 03:12:02,640 --> 03:12:08,960 I see no further uh appointments. I move to approve all those appointments. 2107 03:12:08,479 --> 03:12:15,520 » Second. >> Motion second. Discussion. See none. 2108 03:12:11,439 --> 03:12:15,520 Madame Clerk, please open the role. 2109 03:12:18,160 --> 03:12:24,880 Motion passes 70. Madame clerk, actually we can start with 2110 03:12:23,040 --> 03:12:28,640 council member comments. Any council member comments? 2111 03:12:25,920 --> 03:12:34,399 » Mayor, I just want to say congratulations to our vice mayor. He's 2112 03:12:31,680 --> 03:12:39,200 an engaged man now, y'all. So, congratulations on your engagement. I'm 2113 03:12:36,880 --> 03:12:42,720 really excited for you. Uh people know that council member or vice mayor 2114 03:12:40,720 --> 03:12:46,640 Glascock and I kind of grew up together. Um, and I'm so excited for this next 2115 03:12:44,560 --> 03:12:49,680 phase of your life. Maybe I get to be a flower boy. 2116 03:12:48,000 --> 03:12:55,279 » I think uh, council Tuttles already called it. It's been a very [laughter] 2117 03:12:50,720 --> 03:13:00,880 busy week. Right on. I promise that. >> I see no further comments from the 2118 03:12:58,399 --> 03:13:07,359 council members. With that, I will move to adjourn this meeting at 9:35 p.m. 2119 03:13:05,120 --> 03:13:13,439 » Motion second. Discussion. See none. Madam clerk, please open the role. 2120 03:13:10,319 --> 03:13:16,240 » All those in favor say I. I motion passes