[0:00] Okay, after we stand and join me in the
pledge of allegiance, please
[0:06] allegiance to the flag of the United
States of America and to the republic
[0:11] for which it stands, one nation under
God, indivisible, with liberty and
[0:17] justice for all.
>> Thank you.
[0:20] Um, number one, this evening our um our
video uh AV videographer is out ill and
[0:28] so we will be um recording the meeting.
the controller, the uh clerk will be
[0:36] recording the meeting on her laptop and
we will be posting that entire
[0:40] transcript, the entire um sound record
of this meeting on the Facebook page and
[0:48] making it available to the public so
that we are recording this meeting so
[0:51] that it can be reviewed at a later time.
But unfortunately due to illness um it
[0:56] will not be uh there will be no video
recording of this meeting. So, um, also
[1:03] let's see, uh, welcome to the second of
the three working sessions of the Muny
[1:09] City Council finance committee. These
working sessions are being held strictly
[1:12] for the purpose of gathering and
processing a lot of detailed information
[1:16] by asking questions of the department
heads regarding their proposed 2026
[1:20] budgets. No decisions will be made
regarding possible amendments to the
[1:24] budget ordinance and no action will be
uh will take place. Therefore, no public
[1:28] comment will be taken at this evening's
meeting. However, the public is welcomed
[1:33] and encouraged to provide in uh in input
at any of the five in-person
[1:38] opportunities before adoption takes
place. There is the public hearing on
[1:42] September the 8th before our regular
city council meeting. There are several
[1:46] times during the regular city council
meeting on the 8th. There are also um
[1:50] the final finance committee meeting on
Tuesday, September the 23rd. And then
[1:56] there will be an opportunity before
adoption to uh make public comment at
[2:00] our October 6th meeting. Uh the public
is also of course welcome to contact any
[2:05] and all of us uh by email as any and
often times as you'd like before now and
[2:10] then. Um we do welcome your input.
Next so many things. Um, we have a
[2:17] situation where one of the department
heads was not able to make the meeting
[2:21] on the 9th. And so I would like to
entertain a motion to suspend the rules
[2:26] and add the clerk's uh report as well as
uh city council report and channel 60 to
[2:33] this evening's agenda so we can discuss
those budgets.
[2:36] » So move second.
>> Second.
[2:37] » All right. We have a motion by council
person Selvi and a second by council
[2:43] person Golian. Thank you, gentlemen. I'm
not here to take that one. Um, do we
[2:47] need to do a roll call on the suspension
of the rules?
[2:52] » I would assume Selby.
>> Yes.
[2:55] » Golian,
>> yes.
[2:56] » Garrett,
>> yes.
[2:57] » Macintosh,
>> yes.
[2:59] » Basham,
>> yes.
[3:00] » Dishman,
>> not here. Green,
[3:04] » here.
>> Yes.
[3:05] » Mason,
>> yes.
[3:06] » And Powell,
>> thank you. And I think I skipped um roll
[3:10] call, so we'll go back to that and do
that. got so good lasting I forgot to
[3:14] say who's here. So
>> Macintosh
[3:17] » present
>> Basham
[3:19] » here.
>> Green
[3:20] » here.
>> Dishman not here. Garrett
[3:24] » here.
>> Selvi
[3:26] » here.
>> Goian
[3:28] » here.
>> Mason
[3:30] » here.
>> Powell
[3:31] » here.
>> Eight present.
[3:33] » Okay. So having suspended the rules and
added the clerk's budget to this
[3:38] evening's meeting, we will start with
the clerk.
[3:44] Thank you very much, Belinda. That is on
page two of your 2025 and 2026 budgets.
[3:53] [Applause]
Hold on. Let us all get situated with
[4:02] all of our papers and then we will
start.
[4:06] Okay.
Thank you for uh suspending the rules so
[4:12] I could speak this evening. I have a
fire engagement that conflict for next
[4:17] Tuesday
[4:20] [Applause]
and um I was when I was reviewing what
[4:27] was advertised.
>> Let's make sure that microphone is on so
[4:31] that we can get
>> I'm sorry. I'm just trying to get
[4:34] organized.
>> You're fine. We're going to we're going
[4:36] to wait for just a moment. We have some
technical difficulties that we can
[4:39] » Good.
[Music]
[4:42] » Thank you.
>> What what we're going to hold on for a
[4:46] moment before you start that. Um the
clerk's office starts on page two
[4:51] » of both the 25 and 26 budgets.
>> All right.
[4:56] Are all committee members ready or
>> it's a lot of stuff. So So don't feel
[5:02] » Gotcha.
>> Okay. I'd rather everybody be situated
[5:05] and ready to try and catch up. Okay.
>> All right.
[5:10] » Um, good evening and thank you for
amending the rules so I could speak this
[5:13] evening kind of commitment next Tuesday.
I was looking at the advertised
[5:21] budget and I noticed that there were
some changes from what I actually
[5:25] originally submitted. I'm sure there's a
typo there, but uh I did provide
[5:30] everyone a copy of
what I had drafted. Does everyone have
[5:36] that?
>> Yeah.
[5:38] » Okay. Um I'll point out some of the some
of the items that were reduced. Now,
[5:43] overall, my budget is lower than last
year's because I
[5:48] » I do need to let you know that we cannot
raise we cannot increase any line item.
[5:52] And so that the the totals that we
discussed tonight are going to be on
[5:55] what was advertised in the newspaper.
>> I'm aware.
[5:58] » Okay. I just wanted to make sure that
you that we did not take
[6:01] » Oh, I I'm aware. I've known that for
years. Um the uh but there are but my
[6:07] overall budget is lower than last year's
because I have two employees that are
[6:12] not using the insurance currently. So
the the difference is over 42,000
[6:21] uh from last year to this year. But
there are some some things that again
[6:26] that I had
uh added to my budget. One of the things
[6:31] I reduced was overtime.
I reduced that by 15
[6:37] um00 and again the insurance is down by
40 actually 42,863
[6:45] 12 from last year and I reduced the
unemployment by a,000 from
[6:51] » yes from 2000 um see here postage I
increased partially because we do uh in
[6:59] the clerk's office aside from supporting
the council we support the court we are
[7:04] now doing certified mail for the
building commissioner for the trash um
[7:10] notice. You can't collect on debt if you
don't have a judgment, which means it
[7:18] has to go through court. Certified mail
has gone up to almost $10 an envelope.
[7:23] So, I increased that by a thousand. I am
trying to work on um finding
[7:29] some support to have reimbursement and
there is in the software the option to
[7:35] get reimbursed for certified mail but
not at your city court only for circuit.
[7:42] So there's there's some legislation that
needs that will actually help with the
[7:45] line item if we that would completely
wipe that out if we actually can do
[7:50] something about that. But right now I
had to increase it by a thousand
[7:55] So those are
the actual changes I've made and then um
[8:05] but as you said you can't raise
>> no I understand that
[8:10] » I have
>> the soonest that we could do anything
[8:12] along those lines is an additional
appropriation after January 1st. Well, I
[8:16] have an option. What we could do because
of the perpetuation fund, which I have a
[8:21] surplus, I could zero out an item that's
being paid for out of general fund and
[8:27] we could use that money to offset the
>> again, we cannot increase any line items
[8:33] until January. So that is an option that
we could do in January but but
[8:38] unfortunately state budgetary you know
statute regulations
[8:43] 18 more that
>> right won't allow
[8:45] » right so but I'm presenting an option
here so we have line items that I can
[8:51] actually use for perpetuation and we
could zero those line items and use that
[8:55] to offset what I had actually submitted
>> is that an option that you're proposing
[9:00] for January
>> well either but I mean that that That is
[9:04] what I would like to propose.
>> Unfortunately, no. We cannot raise any
[9:07] line items. So, I I'm sorry, Madam
Chair. Is that is that a line item? We
[9:13] can't raise any line item.
>> We cannot
[9:18] We cannot increase any line items that
have been advertised already.
[9:21] » Yes.
>> It's it's not even a a local law. It's a
[9:26] state law. Um if they I think I can't
remember what year it was but several
[9:31] years ago the previous council tried to
increase the line item to move some
[9:35] rainy day fund into animal shelter for
increased food and the entire budget
[9:39] gets gets pushed out. That's not an
option because if your budget gets
[9:42] rejected it's not just that you fall
back to these line items. It's also that
[9:47] any increases in tax dollars is
forfeited. You go back to exactly what
[9:51] you have and so we won't let that
happen.
[9:54] » Right.
>> Okay. Good. So that's that's
[9:56] » I just wanted a clarification.
>> Absolutely. Absolutely. Um and so I
[10:00] apologize again, but that's that's not
possible.
[10:05] » So if I wanted to take the equipment
rental and repair maintenance, that's
[10:08] 9,000 and use perpetuation money to fund
that. I couldn't use that 9,000 to cover
[10:16] the other.
>> We cannot increase any line items.
[10:19] » That's fine. No, I'm just go ahead. If
you want to go ahead and say, "I will
[10:24] reduce this." But honestly, I would not
do that at this time. I would not
[10:28] voluntarily give up money that you plan
on using for something else at this
[10:31] time. I would wait until January.
>> Oh, that's fine. I'm just presenting the
[10:35] information that I have.
>> I appreciate that. And I don't know why
[10:38] your budget wasn't submitted as
presented as an elected official. That's
[10:43] not council or the finance committee's
situation. We did not change this budget
[10:48] at all. That would be a conversation to
have with the administration.
[10:52] » Oh, I'm sure it's a typo
>> or or not.
[10:56] » Um, I did have one question. As of June
30th, you'd only spent 3% of training,
[11:01] travel, and fees. Is that something that
you do reg uh toward the end of the year
[11:07] or is that just something that as of
right now you just haven't used it or
[11:10] » and again these are June June 30th,
correct?
[11:13] » No, as of right now, I did send some of
my staff to training. Okay. Um,
[11:17] actually, and I would like to point out
some things about my staff, which is why
[11:21] I actually had suggested, and I know
you're not funding it, a 5% raise for
[11:26] them because we are they are doing
excellent work. They are.
[11:30] » I have court staff that are being asked
to train out of county. Um, Lacy's taken
[11:36] on some other responsibilities. So, a
lot of times when Lacy um would go on
[11:42] her lunch breaks or if she wasn't busy
doing council items, she would work the
[11:47] front. She doesn't have that opportunity
anymore because she's busier now.
[11:51] » So, that takes a person off of the floor
to help with answering questions at the
[11:58] window or taking phone calls. But I do
have staff that are, like I said, asked
[12:03] to train in other courts. So, uh, my
staff are doing excellent right now.
[12:09] Very proud, very proud of them. And they
do deal with more of the general public
[12:15] than any other office here in the
building. Um, and and often it's not
[12:19] very pleasant. I'll be honest. They get,
you know, people come in to pay fines
[12:23] that they're not happy about. So, they
get a lot of hostility. And I, um, very
[12:28] proud of how they handle the situations.
I like I like how things are going. Uh,
[12:33] the most recent hire has been a good
fit. We're fully staffed right now. So,
[12:38] it's it's been a great it's been a great
year. The training um I have not been
[12:45] able to attend as many trainings this
year because of some
[12:49] um
family issues,
[12:53] but um
hopefully
[12:57] next year we'll be able to do that more.
What I would like to do if I cannot
[13:00] personally attend some of the trainings,
I'd like to send word my staff. I sent
[13:04] some to court training this year and
they had a wonderful time. Brought back
[13:08] a lot of good information which we
shared with the court. Okay. So, uh it's
[13:12] a good working environment and um I'd
love to do more of that. But yes, the we
[13:17] didn't spend very much of that this
year.
[13:18] » I wanted to touch on something you said.
You said you're fully staffed right now.
[13:22] » Do you intend to stay that way through
the end of the year so that this hiring
[13:25] freeze that happens in January will not
affect your staff?
[13:28] » I hope not.
>> Okay.
[13:30] » I mean, I can't predict the future,
>> of course. Um, everyone seems to be I
[13:34] mean we we've done a a good job training
the new hires. She's an excellent fit.
[13:39] Uh I hopefully hopefully we don't have
those problems. I had I've had some
[13:45] years where we
just had some changes in staffing.
[13:50] » Okay. Um anyone up here have questions
for the clerk? Right ahead.
[13:58] » Let's start let's start with you council
person Salvi. Thank you. are welcome.
[14:02] » Uh your electricity 2375
compared to do you occupy most of that
[14:10] area right?
>> Uh we have
[14:13] » because the judges when I compare I
think it was 500
[14:17] electricity.
>> I I don't know the actual square
[14:20] footage. I I don't know what her charges
are compared to ours. We I mean we have
[14:25] the uh the common area. There are four
people in it. Lacy has an office. I have
[14:31] an office and Ruby has an office and
then we had the file room which as a
[14:36] slashfile room slash break room.
>> Okay.
[14:38] » Um when I when we first when I first got
my first term we scanned uh every court
[14:45] document every file. There are some
things that I legally have to keep the
[14:49] ordinance the original ordinances and
there are certain documents that I can't
[14:53] scan and throw out. Then there's
retention rules of course, but anything
[14:58] we could scan, we square footage wise, I
don't I don't really know.
[15:02] » And I know the controller mentioned that
eventually everybody will be square foot
[15:06] away, you know, regarding like even
fairly even now. Hopefully in the
[15:10] future,
>> honestly, I could probably use some more
[15:13] room for storage with the the other uh
boards that Lacy's supporting. We're
[15:18] we're going to probably need more file
space
[15:22] eventually. Not this year. I'm sure
that's something you'll probably have to
[15:25] bring up with.
>> That's going to be a future issue,
[15:28] » not us.
>> Right.
[15:30] » Okay.
>> Okay. That's it. Councilman Garrett,
[15:34] » your postage um when you took over the
postage for the building commissioner's
[15:40] office, is that the the trash, the
grass, the tall grass, is that
[15:45] everything or is it just one?
>> Like, do you send out certified mail for
[15:51] » We're not doing all of that right now.
We're just starting. We're just we're
[15:54] just transitioning in. Um and I think
we're we've worked we're trying to work
[16:00] out where we were trying to work out
where they would pay for the postage,
[16:06] but um ideally it it would be better if
all of it just came through my office
[16:12] and we got reimbursed.
>> The software actually allows for that.
[16:16] You can actually charge for that on a
case if you file a case, but it's only
[16:21] if your circuit, it's not if you're
city. The same thing happened with
[16:24] overpayment. So, uh, we had circuit
courts could take up to $3 in overp
[16:31] payment. So, if somebody pays a ticket
and they're 50 cents, 25 cents, uh, a
[16:36] dollar, or up to three, we would have to
refund that money. Well, the stamp and
[16:40] the envelope and the check cost more
than a 50 cent refund, which happens. It
[16:45] would happen a lot to have a 50. So, I
was able to talk to some legislators and
[16:52] they changed that to where the city
court can can keep that instead of
[16:56] sending out those checks out. I'd like
to do the same thing with the certified
[16:59] mail.
>> Yes.
[17:02] » All right. Yeah. I just wanted to know
if you had taken on all of it.
[17:06] » Not completely. And we all know when you
you tag those properties and you lean
[17:10] that it's uh it's a kind of a shot in
the dark if we get paid or not from
[17:16] that. So
>> well but you can't collect so with the
[17:21] judgments.
So you have someone that goes to court
[17:25] for grass,
>> right?
[17:29] » They can't collect overdue fines and
fees until there's a court hearing and a
[17:34] judgment on the case. And then you have
a time frame after that that you can
[17:37] actually send it to collection. What
we're trying to do is set it up to where
[17:41] we can actually set it uh collect it
like we did with parking.
[17:45] » Oh, okay. Okay.
>> Um right now there wasn't anything. So
[17:49] the the judges worked that out with the
building commissioner. Our office is pro
[17:53] providing that support so we can
actually collect on those people that
[17:56] never paid their fines or fees.
>> Oh, okay. Good. Good.
[17:59] » But there is a statute of limitations on
those things too. So, like after a
[18:03] certain period of time, you can't
collect, but that's what we're working
[18:07] on. Yeah.
>> Well, did you have a followup? I'm
[18:12] sorry. And then your uh Oh, never mind.
Wait, hold on.
[18:20] » I just hit someone else. I'm sorry.
>> You're fine. Well, I do have
[18:24] » Okay, I'll talk while you find it.
>> Got it. And then um I've been noticed
[18:30] that you know just because of SB1 and
things are tight uh telephone 4,275
[18:36] and just educate me what does that mean?
>> I'm not
[18:41] » we the phone bills is
>> oh we don't have I don't have a cell
[18:45] phone. We don't have a personal cell
phone. It's all through the office.
[18:49] » Okay. So these are all for landlines.
>> Okay. Thank you.
[18:54] » Okay. And then Councilman Bash.
>> Thank you. um you know, we're all uh
[18:59] being asked to do more with less and I I
understand the frustration and I want to
[19:05] commend you because um when I look at
your budget performance report
[19:10] throughout every line item, we're about
60% of the year and you fall well within
[19:15] that 60 50 70%.
However, when we're looking for ways to
[19:23] come up with other income, I noticed
that um item is it uh printing and
[19:31] advertising and also um other services
and charges are just at 9%. Meaning that
[19:39] you're you've only spent 9% of all those
dollars. And I wonder if you had a
[19:45] chance to look at those lines to see if
maybe you could move some things around
[19:53] where they are needed more in
>> Are you looking at the income statement
[19:58] or what what are you looking at?
>> I'm looking at the budget performance
[20:02] report from this last year's budget. And
when you look at last year's budget to
[20:08] help you decide what you're going to ask
for this year, it's really helpful for
[20:14] me to look at this report to see what
percentages of each line have been spent
[20:21] at this point in time. I know that's
kind of
[20:24] » you say other services and charges.
>> Yeah. and you know that there's a
[20:27] there's a few hundred dollars, maybe
even $1,000, and you can go through
[20:31] those lines um for your long um
performance report. And again, because
[20:37] it's early tonight, I didn't have a
chance to really study it, but you know.
[20:43] » Okay. No, I I have it here. Um a lot of
times towards the end of the year now,
[20:49] what was the date on what was the final
date?
[20:51] » That was my next question. For
clarification, what what budget forms
[20:54] are you using? Is that June 30th?
>> Um, it's uh No, it's 9425.
[21:00] » All right. You got the update today.
>> Okay.
[21:04] » Okay. Um,
sometimes we use that to cover the
[21:08] equipment, rental, repair, and
maintenance. And sometimes we uh will
[21:12] use that other services or charges to
cover if we are over in another area.
[21:17] » Sure. It's kind of like a
>> I know. I just noticed those little
[21:20] things.
>> I just perused it because I didn't look
[21:23] good on you tonight. perfectly fine.
It's it's a buffer for some of the other
[21:26] expenses that come up. It It could end
up being used in postage depending on
[21:31] what we end up at the end of the year.
>> Well, you do a great job and your people
[21:35] are are terrific.
>> I have great staff. I'm very proud of
[21:39] them.
>> All right. Well, I appreciate you coming
[21:42] in and and making the giving us an
opportunity to review your budget. And
[21:48] as far as the other options that you
were discussing, those will be things we
[21:50] need to discuss in January.
>> That's perfectly fine. I just wanted to
[21:54] present my information and um thank you
for suspending and letting me speak this
[21:58] evening.
>> Absolutely.
[22:00] » I have a question.
>> Oh, I'm so sorry. One moment.
[22:03] » One question for me on your uh deputy
clerks that you have. Are they salary or
[22:08] are they hourly and how many do you
have?
[22:10] » They're salary. I have the deputy chief.
I have Lacy, which is a council
[22:16] secretary. And I have four that are um
just considered chief deputies.
[22:22] » Deputy clerks.
>> Deputy. Yeah. I mean,
[22:25] » so they are all salary.
>> Yes. And longevity. We have Oh gosh, I
[22:32] can't think. Uh
[22:36] four with long you
>> the deputy clerks are hourly and then
[22:41] the chief deputy I'm sorry salary,
>> right? And then yeah, there's four.
[22:47] Okay.
>> Okay. Clarifies. Thank you.
[22:52] » So to follow up on that, the chief
deputy clerk increased significantly and
[22:56] we're not talking about any kind of
reductions there, but I just want to
[22:59] clarify that that would be the 1% that
was adopted into the budget last October
[23:04] and then the 4% that was added at a
later time for this year to do the 5%
[23:08] this year and then another 4%
that you were instructed to add. No. Um,
[23:16] let me convoluted, but
>> let me find my paper.
[23:20] » It was hard to follow.
>> Well,
[23:22] » well, what what
I was trying to come up with the budget,
[23:26] we were told um
>> to do 4%. I did
[23:31] » hoping that I could help my staff out
because they are doing extra work.
[23:35] » And um so I was looking at the salary
ordinance and I was looking at the
[23:39] adopted budget and the numbers didn't
match.
[23:41] » No, they don't. They don't. Um, so I
honestly that's if you look at even like
[23:47] my FICA, Medicare and Perf based on the
numbers I use, not what was advertised,
[23:52] the numbers are off. They're a little
higher because I was I was adding
[23:56] longevity and you have to factor in
whether they're
[24:00] it it was complicated.
>> We're not questioning any of that. We
[24:04] know that that it's not a a cut and dry
formula. There are so many variables as
[24:08] we all learned last year that could
could change so many things. You can't
[24:12] use a a cut formula.
>> But I mean as far as like the benefits
[24:16] of perf the Medicare and those things I
kind of leave that whatever numbers um
[24:21] payroll
they're the experts in that I give they
[24:24] give me the percentage and I try to add
that in to be as close as possible. But
[24:29] the salary ordinance and what was in the
there were just some slight differences.
[24:34] So
I went with the salary ordinance because
[24:39] I
>> un unfortunately and we established that
[24:42] last year the salary ordinances would
not match what was adopted into the
[24:46] budget what we've appropriated into line
items. Salary ordinance is just a
[24:49] maximum of what can be paid but not what
is appropriated into line items. So
[24:54] » we should be going by what council
appropriated into line items.
[24:58] » Okay. Um, well, I appreciate the
clarification,
[25:03] » but that's the way it should be legally,
>> right? So,
[25:07] okay. No, I appreciate the clarification
because like I again, I was just trying
[25:12] to figure out which formula to use
>> to come up with and I just I just chose
[25:17] Chief Deputy Click. I'm sorry if I cut
you off.
[25:19] » Oh, that's fine. I just chose that one
because it almost fits perfectly into
[25:24] last October, council adopted a budget
that had 1% which is what the
[25:27] administration told council they would
do a max of at that time when we were
[25:32] going through the budget.
>> Um, and then after the fact they gave 4%
[25:37] to ask me, I'm guessing. I don't know
how that all worked, but everybody got a
[25:42] 5% raise, I guess, um, last year. And so
that would have been the 1% plus 4% and
[25:50] then this year I'm understanding they
were you're instructed to add 4% salary
[25:55] increase for next year. And that's what
I just was clarifying that that's kind
[25:59] of the formula you used in calculating
some of these increases
[26:05] because they're much larger than just a
normal.
[26:08] » Right. Well, I'll be honest because the
because of the differences,
[26:13] » what I did was I had all of my staff
pull up their payroll and I actually
[26:18] looked at what it actually said they got
on the payroll
[26:23] um because I couldn't re I apologize I
couldn't figure out
[26:27] » No, it's okay.
using the salary ordinances, which are
[26:32] the max you can be paid. Almost every
line item that's in the budget that that
[26:37] we we appropriated money for will run
out of money at some point in time
[26:41] without an additional appropriation
because they're paying above what we
[26:44] appropriated into those line items.
>> Right.
[26:49] » But um no, I just wondered if that's the
calculations you used. Um we can talk
[26:54] about the other things in January. I
honestly um
[26:59] what
I I did it several different ways. I I
[27:03] did it I did the numbers three different
times and but ultimately council has
[27:11] control of the budget. So whatever you
guys decide, I'm 100% supporting
[27:17] whatever your decision is. I I would
like my staff to get paid better and if
[27:21] I can find a way to do that
uh within the the rules
[27:28] » I would like to do that for them
>> again and and then we'll move on but
[27:32] that you know we cannot increase
anything this year. So
[27:34] » I know.
>> All right. Thank you very much for your
[27:37] time.
>> Thank you.
[27:38] » All right. Next we will move on if
everyone's ready to the mayor and his
[27:42] budget starts on page three of both 2025
and 2026.
[27:48] Mayor Ryower, we'll welcome you to the
front. I will ask you to make sure
[27:52] you're speaking into the microphone.
>> Let's make sure it's still
[27:56] » um is not here this evening due to
illness and so we are recording this
[28:00] meeting on a laptop and that will be
posted to the Facebook page at a later
[28:05] time.
And let's make sure one last thing is
[28:08] that we are not talking any more than we
have to because we don't want to
[28:12] interrupt the recording.
>> We don't want to conflict. So,
[28:17] » all right.
>> Good evening.
[28:19] » Good evening,
>> Mayor Dan Rydenower.
[28:23] Um, I think the adjustments
on my budget um none of the items uh
[28:31] within the budget other than uh salary
had the adjustments. We just have a 4%
[28:37] uh increase as all employees are
getting. Um, and then the PEF was
[28:42] considerably lower uh because we no
longer have uh Deputy Mayor ID.
[28:50] » Okay.
Your part I'll go ahead and go ahead.
[28:56] » I was just going to ask before we really
get started is what what formula did you
[29:00] use to for the wages and raises?
>> Um 4% over this
[29:05] » but just like as as chairman Powell was
asking.
[29:08] » Yeah. 4%. Well, but my sentence was
what? 4% over the salary ordinance.
[29:13] » The salary ordinance.
>> Yes. Because the executive does have the
[29:16] authority during the year to add uh
income or subtract uh income and we did
[29:23] that when we received actually when the
when the police and fire received their
[29:28] increase, we did a new salary ordinance
for them. And then a month later, we
[29:32] brought in the one that's for the
employees which was unanimously approved
[29:35] by this council. So, we use the we use
the salary ordinance. If the budgets are
[29:41] necessary, then we will before the end
of the year get an updated
[29:45] appropriations if if it's necessary.
>> Before the end of the year,
[29:50] » if you'll be moving money into those
line items to cover those salaries, that
[29:54] will be necessary.
>> Yeah, that's what I'm saying. If if if
[29:57] that looks like it will be the case, we
will definitely do that.
[29:59] » All right. Um,
so let's see.
[30:06] Your part-time went up. Is that you have
>> I believe that's 4%.
[30:12] » Yeah,
>> 4% on part-time. Is that a designated
[30:15] part-time employee or is that
>> It is a designated part-time employee.
[30:19] » Okay.
>> We did not I'm not increasing that
[30:21] person's actual receiving amount. Um,
but it went up 4%.
[30:27] » So that the hourly wage went up 4%. No,
the hourly wage will remain the same,
[30:32] but that
>> they will just be working more to
[30:35] generate the
>> that will allow that. Yes,
[30:38] » it's not a lot of time,
>> just a few hours actually.
[30:42] » And then looking at the and I'm looking
at the June 6th report. Your overtime
[30:49] overtime, you've only spent 19% of your
overtime budget as of the middle of the
[30:54] year. June the third. uh is that
something that you're not using a lot of
[31:00] and could potentially be surrendered to?
>> We have been uh especially with
[31:04] everything that's going on with Senate
Bill One, we're trying to be as careful
[31:06] as we can and that is an area that is
easily controlled by a department and so
[31:12] I have been pretty strict. I don't know
what the 94 number is. I I don't receive
[31:16] that from uh the controller as you guys
do before your meetings. But uh
[31:21] » okay,
>> we're as careful as we can because we
[31:23] know I don't want to have to appropriate
u if we can if we can and and save
[31:29] money. Therefore, uh we try and be
careful on that item.
[31:33] » And and 6% of gas and oil at June 30th,
is that is gas and oil considered that
[31:40] automotive gas and oil? Because that
seems like a very small percentage of
[31:46] that line item for June. I believe
that's um I'd have to I
[31:53] » 31 now.
>> Is it?
[31:55] » Okay.
>> Okay.
[31:56] » All right. All right.
>> Again,
[31:58] thank you. Um
>> 62. I'm sorry,
[32:01] » mayor. I'm I'm glad you're here. Could
you just recap real quick as
[32:08] the leader of the city
since this is being recorded, how will
[32:13] SB1 levy caps affect the long-term
staffing needs?
[32:18] » Oh, I think it it has a negative impact.
Um, and um I um have had conversations
[32:25] with many mayors and many county
officials. It has a negative impact and
[32:28] the and the schools as well has a
negative impact. We've got we've got to
[32:34] we'll have to come up with ways in the
future. We're covered this year and next
[32:38] year uh because of edit funds
but uh in 28 it will be u if if we
[32:45] haven't to come up with new methods and
new techniques to figure out how to
[32:49] operate with fewer people um
we will have to do some drastic things
[32:55] in 28
>> or or maybe shared staff or something
[32:59] between the department. down.
>> There could be some of that. Uh it gets
[33:04] complic complicated, but um that's
certainly something we we off we do now
[33:09] in a lot of ways. Um my office pays for
a lot of the office supplies uh that are
[33:16] kind of third floor,
>> but
[33:19] » that's okay. That's how it's been
budgeted and we're happy to keep it that
[33:22] way.
>> Yeah, it looks like your budget is
[33:25] maintaining the operation. I would say
>> due to SB1. So, thank you for that.
[33:31] » We're we're trying.
>> I have a question for you.
[33:34] » Sure. Council person Green.
>> Um on the promotion of businesses, um
[33:40] you got a line item of $5,200. Could you
explain to us how this exactly works and
[33:47] what that money is used for?
>> Sure. Sure. That could be um a marketing
[33:52] piece that markets the city uh to
organizations that are looking to
[33:56] expand. uh that could be me going and
meeting with an organization. Uh uh so
[34:04] it's it's promoting the city but a lot
of it is a lot of it is advertising
[34:09] andor pieces that we use to share with
organizations that are looking to
[34:14] looking at cities okay as possible
locations as possible places to invest
[34:20] their funds.
That's that's what I always viewed that
[34:24] as
the the purpose of that particular line
[34:28] item.
>> Thank you.
[34:31] » Um,
anyone? Okay. So, you brought up the
[34:35] edit funds and I know at your press
conference the other day you said that
[34:39] you were going to be subsidizing the
general fund budget with $900,000
[34:44] of edit. Correct?
>> That's the plan. Yeah.
[34:47] » Okay. Well, we appreciate that. Um I
hold on one second.
[34:54] The um edit dollars actually went up
or will go up about
[35:02] $1.9 million. That's what I'm seeing
from estimate uh miscellaneous revenue.
[35:09] So, even with the 900,000 that you're
going to be subsidizing
[35:16] um the the general fund, you'll still
have a million more this next year than
[35:22] this. Correct.
>> That would be correct.
[35:24] » All right.
>> Yep. There are there are um there are
[35:29] liabilities. Uh for example, the fire
station uh that is all paid out of edit.
[35:35] Um the fire the next fire station is
also planned to be paid out of edit. Um
[35:42] so and the income taxes are what the
state assets to us based on the incomes.
[35:47] We have had rising incomes in the city
of Muny. We have grown in population in
[35:51] the city of Muny. All of that makes a
difference in those edit funds and
[35:56] that's that's how come that is going up
is we have higher incomes more people in
[36:01] the city and more income within the
city. President Mason,
[36:05] » with the with the increase of the
million dollar surplus, does that mean
[36:09] that the $500,000 for the community
center is still in play?
[36:14] » That is in play.
>> That's wonderful to hear.
[36:17] » That is in play.
>> Absolutely.
[36:20] » Okay.
All right.
[36:23] Council,
>> mayor, could you just um the part-time
[36:27] position? What What kind of position is
that? mostly answering the phone but
[36:31] also does a lot of the expenses uh for
the city and then does miscellaneous
[36:36] activities for the city engineer does
miscellaneous activities uh for me. Um,
[36:42] so
>> administrative type.
[36:44] » Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah.
>> Okay. Anyone else have questions for
[36:50] Mayor Ridenower?
>> And and I do want to thank you for going
[36:54] and advocating to squash Senate Bill
One. Uh, I mean, it was a bipartisan.
[37:00] » So, I appreciate you and I have continue
to do that.
[37:05] » Thank you.
>> Thank you for that. All right. Thank you
[37:07] for your time this evening.
>> Thank you.
[37:09] » Okay. We will move on to board of works
which I believe Craig right we're going
[37:14] to pull you up here and keep you for a
little bit of time.
[37:19] The board of works is on page five of
both your 20
[37:24] 26
>> 20 years 2026 and 2025 budget.
[37:30] » It's kind of going in. Yes,
>> it's muting itself after so long.
[37:34] » So board of works page five.
All right. Um, let me get where I
[37:44] Okay.
[37:47] » All right. First thing we notice is that
you've moved all of the health insurance
[37:51] expenses for the general fund into
>> the board of works
[37:55] » into the board of works. And I I think
that will will be beneficial. It's
[38:00] something we tried to do before. Um
C
[38:04] » could you go into detail about that and
tell us more about the reasoning behind
[38:09] that?
>> Well, we're just uh trying to
[38:12] consolidate every it's easier to control
like when you get uh for the claims and
[38:16] stuff. You got to start separating it
into departments instead of just taking
[38:21] it out of the line. So simplifies.
>> Yep. Good. But we will still see and we
[38:26] we did see health insurance line items
in other funds that are not under that
[38:31] for departments that don't fall under
the general fund. Correct. Okay.
[38:34] » I just wanted to explain that's why you
saw that's why you would see those
[38:38] coming up.
>> Um what comprises other insurance for
[38:44] works? These are just mostly some
procedural questions.
[38:48] » Yeah. the other other insurance you'll
have like you got uh audits at the the
[38:52] insurance companies do that uh we'll
take it out of that they do uh uh
[38:59] workers comp audits and uh the uh other
insuranceances or um general liabilities
[39:08] etc.
>> Okay. And then kind of following on what
[39:12] council person Salvi asked of um
uh the clerks, there's a telephone. Is
[39:18] this just when we see telephone in these
different departments, is this just a a
[39:24] main telephone bill that is sparsed out
based on square footage.
[39:28] » It was se it was Yeah. was done that
years ago
[39:31] » cuz I I just just was curious and so
that
[39:34] » is it square footage or number of
>> items instruments or is it is I know
[39:41] square footage as an is an issue with
insurance
[39:44] » I don't think so because council has I
mean there are departments that don't
[39:48] have board of works where would your
phone be
[39:52] so
>> okay
[39:54] » event well eventually all the utilities
that not including the sanitary district
[40:00] will be folded into the board of works.
So that
[40:04] » just like for budgeting purposes, but
since sanitary district pays for their
[40:08] own, we have to parse out what their
part of the utilities and such and
[40:17] » which
>> you also have like the animal shelter
[40:21] that's kind of
>> All right. Yes, please. Does that
[40:26] include internet too in that in the
telephone or am I
[40:31] » okay technology aside
>> okay and then um the line item repair to
[40:37] buildings what what does that cover
>> repairs to city hall any major repairs
[40:43] » right elevators any repairs
>> that would come out of that
[40:47] » become necessary
>> I think the work in the basement uh
[40:52] would come out of that
>> for the police department um council
[40:56] I have a question concerning that uh
very line item.
[41:00] » Sure.
>> The repairs to the building. Uh there
[41:02] are state and federal grants that are
available for repairs and infrastructure
[41:07] and improvements. Have you uh tried to
apply for any of those? And if so, are
[41:15] there any other funding mechanisms
available that you're aware of uh to
[41:20] help offset that rather large cost?
Yeah, I have I haven't applied for him.
[41:26] How ever. Uh we do have an individual
that does look into grants that does a
[41:32] great job that uh be something moving
forward.
[41:35] » Okay. Haven't found anything yet.
>> No.
[41:38] » Okay. Do I have another question?
>> Absolutely. Council Green,
[41:42] » a question on the electric bill. Uh I'm
assuming that that includes it's all
[41:49] inclusive of all the different buildings
that are owned by the city and their
[41:54] electric will also does that include
street lights,
[41:59] city lights, signals and all.
>> Yeah, there's one particular
[42:04] electric bill that is for traffic
signals. It's $42,000 a month. So that's
[42:08] almost $500,000 right there.
>> And that's on average is tra traffic
[42:12] signals and street lights. Does that
come out of board of works or does that
[42:16] come out of streets because I know they
have looked at that on T. Okay. All
[42:19] right.
>> So, was that come May?
[42:21] » No, please go ahead.
>> Was that coming out of board of works?
[42:24] Have you looked into the possibility of
different alternative
[42:29] » uh sources of electricity? We have those
that are available.
[42:35] » Uh solar,
>> wind,
[42:38] » well, we we tried solar. That didn't
work out for us. So, um, but,
[42:44] uh, no, we I mean I don't know that we
don't own the electric lines. That's the
[42:51] electric company. So, I don't know how
that would work as far as electric as
[42:56] electricity production or the type of
electricity. It comes from a
[43:01] » cuz they own them,
>> right? I understand that. But if we may
[43:06] continue,
>> please. It's all building on the same
[43:09] question.
>> Okay. It's uh an opportunity to draw in
[43:15] free electricity and store it and we
could have a substation and then put it
[43:19] back on the grid. Um is that something
that the administration may be
[43:24] considering that we could do that to
help reduce it? This is a large line
[43:28] item and it' be nice to reduce that
number.
[43:32] » Yeah, I it's I and I'm sure I know that
it's getting looked at.
[43:37] » Okay. All right. Thank you. So, council
person green, are you advocating for a
[43:41] solar arm? Is that what you're doing?
>> I'm advocating for all of them.
[43:45] » We have we have we have a large property
on 8th Street. We
[43:51] » Let's
move on to council.
[43:54] » No, no, I just wanted to say I like I
may I make a comment or no?
[43:59] » Absolutely.
>> Okay. The comment is regarding solar and
[44:02] I really appreciate the council here
keep bringing it up at every opportunity
[44:06] as a way to reduce and if I may speak
for myself but you guys can we support I
[44:13] support the administration to keep doing
whatever I know it didn't work on the
[44:16] last council with the last council but
looking at this council I think um you
[44:23] have people who would support that so
thank you for keep trying and I know you
[44:26] guys have been trying thank Okay.
>> Um, council person,
[44:32] » you said you tried out solar.
>> How how can you How didn't it work?
[44:38] » Uh, the council voted it down.
>> Okay. Yeah. Yeah.
[44:41] » Uh, at the Chevy plant.
>> Yep. Solar field.
[44:44] » Have we Sure. Sure. when have you looked
into like um what the cost is for the
[44:52] I'd like the solar little solar panels
to go on top of the street lights and
[44:56] everything like that to what like do we
know what that would be?
[45:00] » Yeah. Well, I can't give you a dollar
figure, but if you go to Canon Commons,
[45:04] those are solar lights.
>> Okay.
[45:06] » So, when we have those opportunities
now, that was paid for by Edit.
[45:09] » Okay.
>> But, um and in partnership with C.
[45:13] » Yep. Um, so we always appreciate Rick
Ziggler, but those those were solar. I
[45:17] wanted to mention as far as searching
for solar, uh, we did apply for multiple
[45:23] grants. They're all very were very
competitive, and we were granted $3.6
[45:28] million for that 8th Street Field in a
grant. Uh, but those funds were pulled
[45:34] by the new by Doge. So, uh, and so we
were one of six cities that got that
[45:41] grant. we were going to be able to put
in a field for all of those 55 acres.
[45:46] Um, but that went away. So, we've
continued to look for opportunities,
[45:51] especially since the last council did
vote down the solar option, which would
[45:55] have generated over at this point would
have been about $590,000
[45:59] into the general fund, but uh that is no
longer an option. and the the amounts
[46:06] that the utilities are allowed to pay
Cuh customers who put in solar fields
[46:11] has now dropped substantially and to
where it's not economically viable
[46:15] because I was going to use edit funds
and put in a partial solar field but it
[46:20] would take over 50 years to get that
money back.
[46:23] » Um and so we we looked for grants and we
were granted we were one of six cities
[46:28] in Indiana that got and we got $3.6
million.
[46:32] um but that was pulled back um as they
didn't want to didn't want to do that.
[46:38] And so we continue to look for that
opport those opportunities and for other
[46:43] grants. Uh there are there aren't a lot
of grant opportunities out there to help
[46:48] people with help cities with building
maintenance. Uh that's just not
[46:53] something that's pretty very exciting.
um it might be for us, but it's not
[46:59] something for a federal government or a
state government to say, "Hey, we will
[47:02] help you pay for X, Y, and Z." Uh they
will they're happy to do that or or help
[47:08] individuals who are on the lower income
scale to help with paying for utility.
[47:15] It's we're finding that's not uh we're
not finding very many options for grants
[47:20] in that area. These two are not have not
been part of that process. I just
[47:23] thought I'd come up and say that not we
have diligently looked for opportunities
[47:28] and had one that we thought was going to
go in and even made the first cut
[47:33] through uh the Doge um and they had
received that their money the
[47:39] organization that we were going to get
those funds from but uh in the end it
[47:42] got pulled in the second in the second
one. So that's why we never announced
[47:46] it. This is kind of the first time I've
ever publicly announced that. That would
[47:50] have
>> it would have been nice
[47:52] » would have been nice. Uh but the amount
we would have received is far different
[47:55] than we would have received back in 2022
because the utilities don't have to pay
[48:00] as much. It has to go in it doesn't go
they didn't have to pay the same uh rate
[48:05] that they were required to pay back in
that time. So it's adjusted but we
[48:10] continue to look and as far as solar
we've we've we've talked it. It's just a
[48:16] it's more expensive. Um, that's the
reality. It's more expensive to put on.
[48:22] Um, it has a good return down the road,
but uh, it's it's just a real challenge.
[48:29] I just want to say that we have not only
looked, but we were granted. All right.
[48:33] And it was
>> We appreciate that clarification. We're
[48:35] going to move on.
>> Um,
[48:39] Miss Wright, health insurance, how much
did that increase? How overall, I mean,
[48:45] for our entire city, how much Did we
budget for an increases in health?
[48:50] » But actually, you mean as far as an
individual or total
[48:53] » total?
>> Total actually we budgeted down
[48:57] » budget down
>> rates in we got a better deal.
[48:59] » And why is
>> Excuse me. That's all right. Council
[49:03] person Dash.
>> Now could could you go into further
[49:06] detail about that?
>> Why is Yeah, we changed providers.
[49:12] That's given us a better deal.
>> Okay. Okay. And to follow up on that,
[49:17] so we can expect that we won't be
increasing our health insurance premiums
[49:22] for our employees?
>> No,
[49:23] » we will not.
>> Good.
[49:25] » Okay.
>> They're actually
[49:26] » That's good news right there.
>> It's actually going down 13%.
[49:30] » For our employees?
>> Yes.
[49:31] » That's wonderful.
>> Yeah. And
[49:33] » with comparable coverage or are we
unfortunately losing out on Dr.
[49:37] » Same.
>> Basically the same.
[49:39] » Okay.
>> I'm sorry for that.
[49:41] » That's okay. You're fine. We're we're
we're working through uh council person
[49:46] going you have a question on board works
>> I do um there are a couple things I'm
[49:51] looking at the today's the budget
performance thank you for sending that M
[49:56] um through today um toward the bottom of
this actually that were pretty low on
[50:00] and a couple that were over on and I'm
just kind of wondering when we were
[50:04] talking earlier about the other
insurance looks like he's only used 9%
[50:07] of that
>> no that all cut towards the end of the
[50:09] year
>> that's what I was going to ask is that
[50:10] when the audits address and everything
Okay.
[50:12] » All right. And then we're quite a bit
over on the just general other services
[50:18] and charges. We're 159% already. Any
idea what why that is and what that's
[50:24] for?
>> A lot of
[50:25] » I know it's a lot of probably
miscellaneous, but
[50:28] » it's it's legal a lot of legal fees that
we get that put get put into other
[50:32] services charges.
>> Okay.
[50:35] » Okay. One more question.
>> Yes. Board of work question from council
[50:39] person Salvi.
>> Thank you.
[50:42] Chair chair.
>> Uh um the communication fee that comes
[50:47] from the board of works, right? With
Yeah. And that went up
[50:52] » 10%. Is that right?
>> But the comm communication center is at
[50:56] $1 million.
>> It's still the same. It didn't go up.
[50:59] Okay.
>> Okay. Any other questions at this end
[51:03] for board of works?
>> No. At this end. All right. So, we will
[51:08] move on and we'll quickly go over the
city council budget which is on page
[51:13] five.
We don't have a whole lot of us. So, um
[51:18] » 4%
>> 4% salary increase. Um and
[51:21] » unless you don't want it on it,
>> we'll see. We can help out. Um and the
[51:25] only other thing I had is I would like
for you to kind of explain the city
[51:28] council ethics commission $3,000 charge.
Um just so that people are aware that we
[51:34] are taking on that expense. What is that
charge for?
[51:38] » That's the
videotaping.
[51:40] » Videaping the that
>> or the streaming. I I'm old school. So I
[51:45] say streaming
>> and this year that is being covered by
[51:48] our um our attorney has covered those
costs. So all right
[51:51] » which yeah I kept your uh the you know
the attorney fees the same of course an
[51:56] increase.
>> They should be all right. Any questions
[52:00] about city council budget from any of
our finance committee members?
[52:07] All right. And so then we will move on
to channel 60. And channel 60 is on page
[52:12] 18.
[52:15] And that would uh as we turn to page 18,
uh channel 60 is another it is the um
[52:23] communications director. Correct.
>> Yes.
[52:25] » Okay.
[Applause]
[52:28] So
>> no changes with the exception of the
[52:31] pay. Well, it uh my first question is,
is there intention to fund this position
[52:35] out of a general fund in 2026? Okay.
>> And the salary increase is more than
[52:42] 13%. Is there a reason why this salary
is 13% higher than it was scheduled uh
[52:47] budgeted appropriated?
>> From the I took it from the salary
[52:51] ordinance that was the amended salary
ordinance and added 4% to it.
[52:57] » Okay.
and we'll review that salary ordinance
[53:01] and the minutes circulate uh that go
with that. And then um just for my own
[53:07] clarification, so the funding was
eliminated for that position this year
[53:11] out of the general fund, but we are
paying $18,000 from the general fund in
[53:16] benefits for that position that was
eliminated.
[53:19] But you the money was moved from the
money was moved from edit to that to pay
[53:24] it because there weren't the the
benefits
[53:28] weren't benefits lines in edit.
>> Well, let's see.
[53:35] » I believe that to be I'll confirm that
with the with our
[53:39] » Hold on one second and then I will open
for questions. But let me find it.
[53:47] There's um life insurance, there's
health insurance, there's all of those.
[53:53] So those you're saying that that's money
being paid for out of edit, but it's in
[53:57] the general fund. So you've moved money
out of edit into the general fund this
[54:02] year?
>> I believe that be the case. I can
[54:04] confirm that for you.
>> Yeah. Could you confirm that and send
[54:06] that that documentation to us? Thank
you.
[54:09] » All right. Anyone else have questions
for channel 60?
[54:13] No problem.
anyone. Okay. So then having
[54:20] we'll move on to you controller and that
is on page one.
[54:25] » No changes
um with the exception of the salary and
[54:30] everything else is stay the same.
>> Okay.
[54:35] So
um hold on hold on. And so again, I ask
[54:39] you is it your intention to fund the
position of deputy controller out of the
[54:44] general fund for 2026?
>> Yes.
[54:46] » Okay. And your salary uh increase is
slightly more than 6% from the line item
[54:52] appropriated for 2025. Is that
>> an error?
[54:55] » Took it from the salary ordinance from
the amended salary ordinance and
[55:00] budgeted 4% on it. So what you're saying
is that you took the the 6968
[55:08] 86 that we appropriated into the line
item. It would have been the salary from
[55:14] 2024
plus 1% cuz that's what we did for this
[55:17] budget. You added 4% to it this year.
Correct.
[55:22] » Correct.
>> And then you're adding four more% for
[55:24] next year. But that would be more than
6%. You've only added 6%. So my question
[55:31] is
what's up with the math? I mean that
[55:37] that doesn't that doesn't make sense
with what you're saying. So I guess I'm
[55:41] just wondering how you calculated that.
>> I took the amended salary which was
[55:45] right now it's at 2580885
bi-weekly
[55:52] and then added the 4% to it.
>> Okay. So you're saying you did not get
[55:57] 4% increase this year. You got just the
1% and some change.
[56:03] » This is from this is the current salary
ordinance, the amended one that we did.
[56:10] » Okay. For me and civilian employees.
>> Pardon?
[56:15] » Okay.
>> Um Okay. So, next question about your
[56:18] overtime line item. It went from 5,130
to $53,352.
[56:25] Is that
is that what you're budgeting?
[56:30] » Yes.
>> You are you are increasing your
[56:33] » Well, wait.
>> Overtime line item by more than
[56:38] » almost Yeah. Almost $50,000.
>> No.
[56:44] » Overtime. We're at
See
[56:51] » overtime.
>> Yeah, that is an error. I did I did not
[56:55] catch that mic. Okay.
>> Yeah.
[56:56] » So,
>> yes,
[56:58] » that we have we have our first
reduction, ladies and gentlemen.
[57:01] » There you go.
>> There you go.
[57:03] » Yes, we just were looking for
>> that parking spot out there.
[57:07] » Okay.
>> Um All right. Hold on. And I have turn
[57:13] open it up to the floor.
>> So, that is definitely you're going to
[57:16] hit a star by that one.
>> And I would agree with that 100%.
[57:21] » All right. Um let's see and then some
questions and I'm asking from the June
[57:28] budget report. Um how do you decide a
budget amendment for
[57:35] the budget? Um for instance and I'll
just go in your budget there's what the
[57:40] first line is the adopted budget and
then there's the next the next column is
[57:45] budget amendments. And so for deputy
controller, you amended in $1,725.
[57:52] For city controller, you amended in
$1,874.
[57:56] For payroll clerk, you amended in
$3,900. And those happen throughout the
[58:01] budget. And so my question is,
why are you amending in money to
[58:07] appropriated line items? And um where
does that money come from?
[58:11] » Yeah.
>> And why? I believe originally when we
[58:16] budgeted for this year, we budgeted a 3%
increase.
[58:23] » Originally when we budgeted and adopted
the budget in October, we budgeted for a
[58:26] 1% increase because we had all three
unions in active negotiations.
[58:31] » So we passed an adopted budget that had
the 2024 salaries plus 1%. And so I'm
[58:38] just curious why you're amending money
into these line items without coming
[58:43] before council.
>> These
[58:48] I mean go ahead.
>> No, go ahead. No, it's uh you know from
[58:54] » I mean it's throughout the budget if you
everyone committee members will look at
[58:58] their budget performance report there's
there's a lot of money and this is from
[59:04] June so I haven't even looked at the
most recent you're amend you're putting
[59:07] money into line items that have been
adopted by council without coming before
[59:11] council. So I'm curious where that money
is coming from.
[59:14] » Um I I'll I'll I'll look into it and get
an answer for you on that. Okay, I I do
[59:20] expect an answer on that. And then my
next question is why why are you adding
[59:24] money to line items that have already
been adopted from appropriations by the
[59:29] fiscal body
>> from the from the additional percentage
[59:32] that we got from the the ask me?
>> No, you're not a member of ask me, sir.
[59:38] » My department is
[59:42] » your deputy controller is not. He should
be being paid by edit. So, that wouldn't
[59:46] be in there. Um, let's see. Uh,
Miss Munson, are you a member of ASME?
[59:54] » No.
>> Okay. So, that wouldn't be it. So, I'm
[59:57] just curious why there are
monies being amended into line items
[1:00:01] that we've adopted as a fiscal body
without coming before council.
[1:00:07] » Oh, I mean, I know that something is on
there. So,
[1:00:12] » and so then depending on where it comes
from, because there are certain
[1:00:15] situations where you can move money
around without getting approval, but
[1:00:18] depending on
>> as long as you're in the line items from
[1:00:21] the four ones and the four twos and four
threes.
[1:00:24] » Is that what you said?
>> So, sorry
[1:00:28] you watch. So, so again, it would have
to come from another category that has
[1:00:33] to do with employee service charges. So,
we're looking at Medicare or overtime or
[1:00:39] things along those lines, but we should
see decreases in those line items in
[1:00:42] this budget if that's where they're
coming from. And we don't see those. So,
[1:00:46] I just am curious again where this money
is coming from that you're putting into
[1:00:49] these line items that we've adopted
totals for
[1:00:53] » and I will get I will get the answer for
you.
[1:00:55] » And so, then my next question is
why there wasn't a transfer that came
[1:01:01] before council with an additional
appropriation or even a line item
[1:01:04] transfer. and you're going to get to us
with that. And then there are instances
[1:01:09] and I'll have to find it, but there's
actually instances where you took money
[1:01:12] out of budgets, but I guess that's your
priority. It's it's, you know, um,
[1:01:18] and then I because it's such an
interesting instit I guess I asked
[1:01:23] again, how can you amend the budget
without council approval? But I will
[1:01:27] allow an open floor so that others can
ask some questions. Any questions from
[1:01:33] the council as of yet? Okay.
So, our general um now we'll go on to a
[1:01:40] couple of the miscellaneous revenues
for next year.
[1:01:46] Um generous our general uh general fund
miscellaneous revenue increased by about
[1:01:50] almost $900,000.
But almost every other line item went um
[1:01:57] fund went down. Local roads and streets
other receipts is down by $1.2 $2
[1:02:00] million. Can you explain that?
>> The edit.
[1:02:04] » It's form two.
>> Yeah.
[1:02:06] » Would be the edit funds. They would be
considered
[1:02:09] » considered in the
>> miscellaneous
[1:02:11] » as a transfer
>> for local roads and streets.
[1:02:14] » Not for local roads and streets.
>> That's what I'm asking about. Local
[1:02:16] roads and streets other receipts is down
$1.2 million.
[1:02:23] And I'm just curious where that one
point I mean if have we lost major
[1:02:27] amounts of funding in local roads and
streets.
[1:02:30] » That would be Adam uh the city engineer
and street.
[1:02:35] » I'll make sure to ask I'll just ask you
because you're the one that input the
[1:02:37] information. Um next
>> and he's got an explanation on this.
[1:02:41] » I'll I'll ask him on Tuesday. Thank you.
Um next $500,000 in motor vehicle in
[1:02:47] other receipts. So I guess we'll have to
ask Mr. leech what other receipts are so
[1:02:52] we'll know why we're losing almost $1.7
million out of our street department
[1:02:58] uh as far as
>> but he also I know he has cash the
[1:03:02] beginning cash balance in this
>> okay so then again we talked about edit
[1:03:07] being up $1.9 million and that was an
excellent question and I appreciate the
[1:03:10] mayor making sure that the commitment to
the community center is still on board
[1:03:15] for that $500,000
but the overall picture is that we are
[1:03:19] um nearly every fund except the general
fund, the edit, and the parks
[1:03:25] uh decreased. And so there's nearly $5
million decrease in our miscellaneous
[1:03:30] revenue for 2026 or 2025. And I'm just
curious, is that are you saying that
[1:03:35] that's due to state board mean one or
is that is that where we're seeing that
[1:03:42] or is it just the fact that that's the
way the numbers went that day? Uh I mean
[1:03:48] you certainly set in with the DLGF. I
mean
[1:03:51] » well unfortunately you didn't have any
of the miscellaneous revenues ready that
[1:03:54] day. So
>> So I mean it's you know a lot goes into
[1:03:59] miscellaneous revenues. Yeah.
>> You know uh
[1:04:04] » well a lot came out this year for next
year. So that's unfortunate for us.
[1:04:08] » So m right. Well the miscellaneous
revenues that comes from the state. Um,
[1:04:13] do they? Because actually when we met
with DGF, council person Bash and I,
[1:04:18] they were expecting you to already have
entered those things and they weren't
[1:04:21] entered that day. Those those come from
you from what I understand.
[1:04:24] » I think it was form one that they
>> No, no, form one wasn't wasn't
[1:04:29] completed, but form two, which is
miscellaneous revenues, wasn't completed
[1:04:32] as well. You had just started putting in
some data, but they were asking about
[1:04:36] that
>> because it wasn't in. So I So are you
[1:04:39] saying that the DLGF creates these
numbers or do you create these numbers?
[1:04:44] » We that's my question. Do you create the
miscellaneous revenue numbers
[1:04:49] » for there are certain miscellaneous
revenues which we gave you and
[1:04:54] Councilwoman Basham copies at the
meeting.
[1:04:58] » You you gave us a a
>> and then but then there's like um
[1:05:04] building permits. There's different fees
and those those probably not.
[1:05:09] » Those would be generated by us based on
what the building commissioner projects
[1:05:13] that they're like for in in the for the
instance building permits,
[1:05:19] » but some of the miscellaneous revenues
come from the state. Some of them and
[1:05:23] it's on the DLGF website. Anybody can
look it up.
[1:05:26] » Well, I don't know that we can look it
up at this point in time without without
[1:05:30] having access to it because you can't
look up the current year.
[1:05:32] » It's on their it's on their website.
>> I don't believe we can look up the
[1:05:35] current year. We can look up this year.
I'll I can email you a c the link which
[1:05:41] takes you right to you just have to go
to county specific.
[1:05:44] » So you would you would give us access to
reading rights only to the deal the
[1:05:47] gateway.
>> No I would give you access to the I this
[1:05:50] is going through the front door like any
other citizen could do.
[1:05:54] » I I because that is something I think we
would all appreciate is access to
[1:05:58] gateway read only rights to see what's
going in and what's going out.
[1:06:01] » Uh that's
>> but that's another conversation for
[1:06:03] another day.
>> Right. But I can send you an the link
[1:06:07] that I use that is not it's not
specific. I don't enter a password or
[1:06:12] anything. It's it's on the internet that
shows county specific. You can go
[1:06:17] through all 92 counties and look at all
their miscellaneous revenues and things
[1:06:21] and but yeah, and I'm happy to do that.
And that's the the copies that I gave
[1:06:28] both of you were off of that website.
>> Okay. All right. I don't know that they
[1:06:33] were complete from what we see as form
two. I know that there were probably 10
[1:06:37] 10 line items at that point.
>> There was some things that weren't that
[1:06:40] weren't in yet, but as far as the
miscellaneous revenue that the state
[1:06:45] produces that was in that part of
>> to be fair, I think we also had
[1:06:50] anticipated another meeting for updated
data, but I don't I don't know that.
[1:06:56] » No, we were hoping and and yes, you're
exactly right, Councilman Basham. We
[1:07:00] were hoping that um our DJF field rep
would fill out the budget worksheet
[1:07:05] based on this year's numbers because we
didn't have the data for next year at
[1:07:09] that point in time because it hadn't
been entered and so we were going to
[1:07:13] meet in their office when it came in but
it didn't come in for a long time.
[1:07:16] » So through no fault of your own.
>> All right. So then we will um open up
[1:07:21] the floor. Any questions for the
controller
[1:07:24] » on the controller budget?
>> I think that's been covered. Very good.
[1:07:27] » Okay. So, we will move on from
controller to personnel. Thank you very
[1:07:32] much for your time and I appreciate you
guys answering our questions.
[1:07:38] Uh control uh I'm sorry, personnel is on
page six.
[1:07:49] I'm going to do a mic.
>> Make sure that we can hear you on the
[1:07:52] mic because that's the only
>> I know it's been
[1:07:56] so many.
I'll put my eyes back on.
[1:08:01] » All right.
>> Good evening, council.
[1:08:03] » Good evening.
>> We appreciate you coming in on a Friday
[1:08:06] night. I know it's where you want to
spend all your time. Um, we will start
[1:08:10] with your salary increase by more than
6%. Can we understand? Can you give us
[1:08:16] an explanation why?
>> I can. So, we took the salary budget
[1:08:20] that was adopted in I believe March of
this year and 4% on top of that, which
[1:08:25] is what we budgeted. So,
>> okay.
[1:08:28] » Okay.
>> So, you base it on the salary ordinance,
[1:08:30] not what was appropriated.
>> That is correct.
[1:08:34] » All right. Your specialist salary only
went up $83 though. Is there an
[1:08:38] explanation there? Cuz that's not 4%.
>> What happened there?
[1:08:41] » It actually should. My numbers were not
that, but I'm not sure. Let me look at
[1:08:46] the numbers that you have in front of
you. Okay. I have my
[1:08:49] » number six of the proposed budget uh
personal personnel specialist. It went
[1:08:55] up $83 from what? Let me make sure here.
Page six. Page six. So in 2025 for this
[1:09:03] year, the council adopted a budget
for specialists for 47074
[1:09:11] and the 2025 total is 47157.
They made a whopping $83.
[1:09:19] » Well, that certainly wasn't intentional.
That is what happened. Um, look, I have
[1:09:25] the salary ordinance over here. Now I'm
not finding it because you're putting me
[1:09:28] on the spot, Miss Pal.
>> I I asked you to come prepare to answer
[1:09:33] questions about your proposed budget
>> and I did and I I was just joking with
[1:09:37] you. I'm sorry.
>> Okay.
[1:09:38] » Um, just give me a moment if you would.
>> Sure.
[1:09:42] » So, the salary is right here.
[1:09:56] That's a third line down, right?
>> Yes. Personnel specialist.
[1:10:04] » It's page six on both budgets.
[1:10:11] » Okay.
So the salary ordinance for this year
[1:10:17] for the annual would have been 4534374.
[1:10:22] So if the new budget is just what you
said is actually $2,000 more.
[1:10:30] » So the salary ordinance from from
>> Please continue. I'm sorry. I didn't
[1:10:34] mean to interrupt.
>> No, you're fine. The salary ordinance
[1:10:37] personnel specialist is 1743.99
bi-weekly on an annual rate that's
[1:10:43] 45,34374
[1:10:46] and then it went up in my budget
proposal to 47,157.
[1:10:52] » Well, that's very interesting because we
adopted 47,074.
[1:10:56] So, we've been underpaying your
personnel specialists this entire year
[1:11:00] from what the council appropriated for
them to earn. And the thing my
[1:11:05] understanding is about the salary
ordinance is that is an up to amount if
[1:11:10] I'm absolutely correct and so if they're
being paid less than the salary
[1:11:14] ordinance that's okay. So if we're under
budget
[1:11:17] » Okay. So my next question is for you Mr.
Craig. Right. Um if we're saying that
[1:11:21] it's okay that we don't go up to salary
ordinance and everyone else has been
[1:11:25] being paid at the salary ordinance this
year. Why isn't the personnel specials
[1:11:28] being paid at the salary ordinance?
Um,
[1:11:32] » could could I clarify?
>> Hold on. I'm asking a question of Mr.
[1:11:35] Wright.
>> I apologize.
[1:11:38] » Yeah, I mean it's uh look at the salary
ordinance and we did the 4% as well.
[1:11:44] » Is this personnel specialist a member of
ask me?
[1:11:47] » Are they a member of the Okay, that's
fine. I was asking you. no members of my
[1:11:52] team are a member of ask me. And the
reason the salary is less is because the
[1:11:58] person is a fairly new hire within my
department. They're not experienced yet.
[1:12:03] » Um, and we had someone who was long-term
who's retired.
[1:12:08] » And so once they get their skill set up,
experience, etc., then we will go up to,
[1:12:12] which is what I encourage all of our
department heads to do to not
[1:12:16] necessarily start them at the top.
>> So we will put that. Do you intend? So
[1:12:20] then the intention is to pay this
personnel specialist um 47157
[1:12:26] in 2026
>> once they get up to where I would expect
[1:12:30] their performance to be. Yes, ma'am.
>> Do you have a date for that? I mean I I
[1:12:33] I
>> the person this
[1:12:36] » that's very subjective.
>> It is very subjective. I will tell you
[1:12:39] the person is newly hired about 6 weeks
in. It was vacant for about 6 weeks
[1:12:44] maybe 2 months. Um, so it just depends
on how he does
[1:12:49] » and I understand that and I respect
that. I just want to we are always going
[1:12:52] to advocate for our employees and make
sure that they are being paid as much as
[1:12:55] possible as soon as possible. And so
that's the reason I asked that question.
[1:12:58] Council person,
>> may I just put an exclamation mark on
[1:13:02] Congress person?
[1:13:06] » I mean person
>> um that I I appreciate knowing that.
[1:13:13] Yeah, that was a that was a very
>> Yeah, absolutely.
[1:13:16] » And anyone else down there?
>> I have one.
[1:13:18] » Uh, council person Garrett,
>> do you have like just to kind of dig
[1:13:23] back, do you have a timeline or or like
a a training that you go through to get
[1:13:27] this employee up to par where she'll be
at this like or is it kind of like when
[1:13:32] you think she's there?
>> So, if I can correct you at actually
[1:13:35] this position is filled by a male.
>> Okay, sorry.
[1:13:38] » That's okay. Um, and uh, I have a
timeline when they're working
[1:13:43] independently is what I would like to
see. I don't have that at this point.
[1:13:47] Okay.
>> Um, so I I feel like once they're
[1:13:50] through the training period, typically
that would take about 90 days. 90 days.
[1:13:55] » Um, but again, we're not there yet.
>> Um, and you know,
[1:13:59] » it's an incentive as well, you know, to
work toward. Right. Correct.
[1:14:03] » So,
>> yeah. Thank you.
[1:14:04] » Thank you. Thank you.
>> Uh, next. I'm sorry. Did I hear? Okay.
[1:14:08] Um, next question. Employee assistance
program is zeroed out.
[1:14:12] » That is correct.
>> So, we're not offering that anymore or
[1:14:15] is that being funded from another?
>> It's being funded, I believe, from the
[1:14:19] board of works. It's the employee
assistance program. We do have it and
[1:14:22] folks are actively using it. I refer it
all the time.
[1:14:26] » Thank you very much. I know. I know
that's very important to our employees.
[1:14:29] Why is there not a line item in board of
works for employee assistance program if
[1:14:32] it's being paid for out of out of board
of work? Sir,
[1:14:36] » add other services and charges.
>> Thank you. Okay.
[1:14:40] All right. And my last question is that
you've added other services and charges
[1:14:44] line item and I'm just curious what that
includes.
[1:14:47] » Okay. Actually, I moved $300 from my
office supplies down to other services
[1:14:52] and charges because I can't move because
the four ones and the 42s and the four
[1:14:56] threes, right?
>> Yes.
[1:14:57] » Um and some of my charges, if you will,
don't fall under office supplies. For
[1:15:02] example, I had to have locks fixed in my
office on my furniture. Um, and that
[1:15:07] doesn't fall under office supplies. It
doesn't really fall under any of my
[1:15:11] categories, right? And so, I needed some
funding in that line item so I could put
[1:15:15] some miscellaneous things in there.
>> Okay. So, you you've created that or or
[1:15:19] either that or you funded a line item
that wasn't showing up because it wasn't
[1:15:22] fun.
>> That's correct. It was not funded last
[1:15:24] year, but I just moved money from office
supplies down to a service.
[1:15:29] » Great. Um, any questions for personnel?
>> Council person Green.
[1:15:33] » Yes, thank you. Uh, I have a question on
the other insurance. Would like you
[1:15:38] clarify what that is. That 3850.
>> You know, I I actually thought that was
[1:15:43] like life insurance and those kinds of
things, but I'm not positive. That's
[1:15:47] kind of one of those I think every
department head has said, I'm unsure.
[1:15:50] Let's ask the controller. And so, I
guess I'm going to do the same thing.
[1:15:54] And I'm sorry. Um, I don't actually get
bills for it. If you continue,
[1:15:59] » may we ask Mr. Wright what
>> that general liabilities
[1:16:03] work? Yeah.
>> Okay. Thank you, Craig. I apologize that
[1:16:07] I don't know. I don't get invoices for
it. So,
[1:16:10] » because you do have a a life insurance
line item.
[1:16:13] » Okay. 12 minutes. Thank you, Laura.
>> I appreciate it. You're welcome.
[1:16:18] » Another question from Council Green.
>> Um, training fees and instructions. Yes,
[1:16:23] we have not utilized that much this
year. Um, as I've already explained
[1:16:28] earlier in the presentation, we've had
some transition in my department.
[1:16:32] Actually, since I started, maybe because
of me. I'm not sure. Not. But, but at
[1:16:37] any rate, we've had some transition. We
haven't been able to utilize it.
[1:16:40] However, we are spending some now out of
there and will continue to do so. We
[1:16:45] don't plan to use the entire 3,000 this
year.
[1:16:48] » So, you do intend to next year? Um, I
hope to continue to have that budget for
[1:16:53] next year, the same amount, so that we
can utilize it more next year than we
[1:16:57] were able to this year.
>> Okay.
[1:16:59] » Thank you.
>> Uh, councilman, do you have a question?
[1:17:02] I thought I thought cut you off.
>> That's great.
[1:17:05] » Any questions for personnel? Any
questions? All right, we are finished.
[1:17:08] Thank you very much.
>> And it is a little nerve-wracking having
[1:17:14] » you did just fine.
>> Thanks, guys.
[1:17:17] We are going to take a breath and
welcome the myy department up to the
[1:17:22] podium
and they are on starting with the fire
[1:17:26] department general fund budget. It is
page 11 of your 2025 and your 2026
[1:17:32] budgets. And chief, if you'll give us
just a moment to get to the right spot.
[1:17:37] Again, I want to remind you to please
talk clearly into the microphone so Lacy
[1:17:41] can work her magic.
[1:17:47] Okay,
I'll make sure everyone gets on the
[1:17:57] a rather large budget. So, I am going to
ask people to uh be recognized before
[1:18:02] they as we get I'm sorry and I did that.
I apologize. Um but yes, so we will we
[1:18:09] will go ahead and start um
Oh, sorry.
[1:18:17] Sorry.
All right. So,
[1:18:22] uh, your chief salary line item
increased by 36 over $36,000. Is that
[1:18:27] you and deputy chief?
>> It's just the two of us.
[1:18:30] » Correct. You remember last year there
was there was a lot cut from the chief's
[1:18:35] line item.
>> Yes.
[1:18:36] » But what the salary ordinance, you know,
read there again. So, um, you know, we
[1:18:41] had figured those raises and then we put
4% on what on what that was, what we
[1:18:45] were currently.
>> And so, I have a question. Are you part
[1:18:49] of the city's negotiation team?
>> We do.
[1:18:53] » You sit down on the city side.
>> And you're members of the union as well?
[1:18:57] » Well, we're members.
>> You fall under you fall under the CVA.
[1:19:01] » No,
>> you don't.
[1:19:03] » Not technically. We don't technically
negotiate the the chief salary.
[1:19:09] Okay. Um, so you fall under the you fall
under the CBA and you sit in on the
[1:19:16] city's negotiation team,
>> but we don't technically fall completely
[1:19:20] under the CBA, but under the salary
ordinance, we do receive the longevity
[1:19:24] um, you know, the tech pays, things like
that, as it's written in the salary.
[1:19:28] » And, and just for clarification, so in
the 10% that was negotiated for next
[1:19:32] year, if and when you would have gotten
that 10%
[1:19:37] I assume so.
>> So, you do fall under the CDA in regards
[1:19:40] to salaries and things like that.
>> Traditionally, they have the chiefs of
[1:19:46] the fire department have received the
same base pay raises as firefighters
[1:19:51] did.
>> Okay. I just I wasn't familiar with the
[1:19:54] chiefs being under the um so I guess on
that did you we all fill out a conflict
[1:20:02] of interest form? Mhm.
>> Have you filled that out and provided it
[1:20:05] to either HR or
>> we Yeah, we they require us to fill them
[1:20:08] out annually.
>> Okay.
[1:20:09] » Correct.
>> All right.
[1:20:12] So, um all and and moving on down. All
of your department positions are put
[1:20:17] into one line item.
>> Yeah. And that's if I can the easiest
[1:20:21] way for me to explain was I took this
year's budget, the 25 budget,
[1:20:25] » and I figured the 4% raises and what
those costs are across the board across
[1:20:30] all three funds. um technically four
funds because we have two in 104 that we
[1:20:35] pay um to come up with what the totals
were, what the total impact was per
[1:20:39] fund. And then from there, we took those
that dollar amount and then combined
[1:20:45] things um so that we're down instead of
paying a firefighter salary out of three
[1:20:49] separate funds, we're paying out of one,
>> the general fund. So you put all that
[1:20:53] financial burden into the general fund.
>> Well, but we removed the overtime out of
[1:20:57] the general fund. We removed the PERF
out of the general fund as well. So, it
[1:21:02] balanced the totals that it was costing
per fund. But this is something that,
[1:21:07] you know, in the three and a half years
that I've been in with the
[1:21:09] administration, I've been looking
forward to do because it makes it easier
[1:21:12] for us to stand here and budget with
you. Makes it easier for you to go
[1:21:16] through the budget. Makes it easier for
the controllers's office to pay. We have
[1:21:19] such a problem with funds and things
getting mixed up. So, um,
[1:21:23] » well, we I'm I'm probably going to go
through with the questions as I've
[1:21:26] reviewed the budget, so I probably won't
be lumping everything together. Well, I
[1:21:29] know I won't. I'm going to go with the
questions that I wrote, but you're more
[1:21:32] than welcome to explain that you've done
that and that's why you've done that.
[1:21:35] Yep.
>> Um,
[1:21:37] » but so all all of the the um
all of the firefighter
[1:21:44] everything from deputy chief or no,
deputy chief is is put in with you,
[1:21:48] correct? Correct. And then everything
else is put into the firefighter line
[1:21:51] item. And and we don't we're not asking
anything about that or because we know
[1:21:56] again we learned last year that there's
many many different variables and so
[1:22:00] we're going to have to take your word on
it that that's 4% and and go from there.
[1:22:05] Um but your other employees they all
increase by 4% office manager and and
[1:22:10] things along those lines.
>> Correct.
[1:22:12] » Okay. And then um
see your holiday pay in the and I'm
[1:22:19] talking strictly general fund increased
by uh $51,000
[1:22:23] » and that's correct because we took
holiday pays from the other funds put
[1:22:27] them into this fund as well and then
transferred things out of this fund into
[1:22:31] so that we had like I said we have
single line items now for holiday pay. I
[1:22:36] didn't know if that was just a
contractual bump or if so, but that's
[1:22:39] just
>> No, the total actually stays the same,
[1:22:41] but now instead of paying for multiple
funds, it will be paid from the 101.
[1:22:45] » Okay. And so your perf expense went to
the other fund and so there's no perf
[1:22:50] coming from anywhere other than the the
and I have to get to it, but
[1:22:54] » yes, for suppression personnel, um,
their PEF is being is being moved to the
[1:22:58] 105
>> suppression. And I'll ask a question
[1:23:02] about that personel.
[1:23:06] All right. And I promise I will let
other people ask. Clothing allowance was
[1:23:10] increased by $195,000. Is that
>> again moving it from another fund to
[1:23:17] » it? Decreased.
>> It's in 101. It should have gone down to
[1:23:20] zero because that was moved to another
fund as well.
[1:23:26] » Is that what you have as a zero?
>> Okay. Then I didn't set funds there. So
[1:23:30] that's zero. Thank you. And then just
some some clarification questions.
[1:23:37] Um condition of maintenance $11,000.
What is that?
[1:23:41] » That's the contractual um amount. It's
$100 per per merit firefighter. Um that
[1:23:48] is for the individuals to use at their
stations. It's divided up by stations so
[1:23:52] they can purchase televisions, grills,
um things they need for their stations.
[1:23:57] » Okay. And then repairs and maintenance,
$126,000. What is that? Is that repairs
[1:24:02] for the different stations soft tours?
>> No, this this is equipment rental and
[1:24:07] repair. Um
>> um I am looking at and I could be wrong.
[1:24:12] Let me put my um repair and maintenance.
Uh other services and charges
[1:24:17] 10121436011.
It just says repair and maintenance
[1:24:22] equipment. Oh man,
>> that is was in the 436011
[1:24:27] in the 105 as it reads on our chart and
it's been used is equipment rental,
[1:24:32] repair and maintenance and that was
moved out of the 105 up to the 101.
[1:24:36] » Okay.
>> Okay. Um and and
[1:24:40] » Okay. So that is moved
>> and furniture and fixtures 15,000.
[1:24:48] Would that would that be TVs and grills
and stuff or is that
[1:24:52] » that's beds, sofas, recliners, the
things that the city provides
[1:24:56] automatically for the firefighters?
>> Of course. And then what vehicle is
[1:25:00] being leased that we see vehicle lease?
>> The vehicle lease in the 101 that is for
[1:25:05] the aerial truck that Ball State pays.
Um Ball State's revenue and ball
[1:25:11] hospitals revenue go directly into the
101.
[1:25:13] » Okay.
>> So that's why that's paid out of 101.
[1:25:17] And then
one moment please. So
[1:25:23] looking at this
as of June 79% of your overtime budget
[1:25:30] for general fund have been spent down.
I'm not sure and I'm sure that council
[1:25:35] Basham can tell me.
[1:25:38] » It's at 122 as of today.
>> I'm sorry what?
[1:25:42] » It's at 122 as of today.
>> That's right.
[1:25:46] 122 depleted.
>> Mhm.
[1:25:48] » Okay.
>> And then but we are
[1:25:50] » out of general fund.
>> What's that?
[1:25:52] » And that's out of general fund,
>> correct? Yeah.
[1:25:54] » Yeah. If you look through all the
overtimes and all the funds right now
[1:25:57] are are they're maxed out.
>> And then 200% of your unemployment
[1:26:00] budget was spent by the June 30th.
>> 300.
[1:26:04] » Yeah. There was no money in the in the
uh unemployment line item at all.
[1:26:10] » And that that's taken out upstairs.
And then an odd question for this is
[1:26:16] that um other insurance wasn't even
budgeted in the general fund, but you
[1:26:21] spent $79,000 out of that line item.
Um when you look at the budget
[1:26:27] performance report, where did it go?
Where did it go? Other insurance.
[1:26:31] » Well, I see where you're at.
>> Other insurance.
[1:26:34] And so
what is that? And is that a situation
[1:26:39] you're amending money into a a line item
that
[1:26:42] » the that other insurance line item I
said that's that's done through the
[1:26:45] controllers's office as far as where our
insurance has come from. The other
[1:26:48] insurance of the 105 though I know that
pays for our liabilities our vehicles
[1:26:53] our stations those policies.
>> So you
[1:26:57] other insurance general fund let me make
sure that that's where I am. other
[1:27:02] insurance general fund budgeted for a
nothing. Current monthly transactions
[1:27:08] are $7,800.
So you're spending $7,800 out of a line
[1:27:13] item that that had no money put into it.
I again I don't understand how that's
[1:27:19] » Yeah.
>> happening.
[1:27:21] » We haven't g anything for that line item
from our office.
[1:27:25] » Okay. So you are are $79,000 in the hole
of a line item that has never had money
[1:27:32] appropriated into it.
So we'll make a mark by that one.
[1:27:39] Um
I'm sorry. So software is and again I'm
[1:27:44] going by June 30th. So software is 88%
expanded. And is that a set annual
[1:27:50] amount that you
that's contractual like that's our
[1:27:54] software contract or
>> it is and the majority of that comes out
[1:27:57] in January.
>> Sure.
[1:27:59] » Front ended.
>> And then um
[1:28:03] other services and charges
99% expended as of June the 30th. Um
[1:28:10] Council Person Bashman, what are we at
now?
[1:28:12] » 100.
>> 100. So you spent one more percent.
[1:28:16] » Yeah.
>> All right.
[1:28:18] And so when we do that and we're
[1:28:24] at least three months left in the year
are I mean at what point do you come to
[1:28:29] council and say we're this line item
>> well we have three other services and
[1:28:32] charges lines.
>> Thank you very much. And and again
[1:28:34] that's perfect explanation. Thank you.
>> So we should not see any more charges
[1:28:39] coming out of the general fund other
services and charges.
[1:28:42] » We won't we won't take anything more.
>> Okay. Thank you.
[1:28:45] » Um let's see.
So, are there any questions from the
[1:28:49] council on the general fund budget for
the Mercy Fire Department? No.
[1:28:53] » No.
>> Council person Green,
[1:28:55] » I have a few questions if I may. Um, the
holiday pay is that at one and a half
[1:29:00] time.
>> The this holiday pay is figured
[1:29:03] contractually.
>> So, when a when a holiday's work, it's
[1:29:07] $150 for the shift.
>> Okay.
[1:29:09] » Yeah.
Next question I have is the uh the
[1:29:13] promotion of business at 12 and a half.
What exactly is that? Could you explain
[1:29:20] that?
>> Um one of the big things we use
[1:29:22] promotion of business is and it's our
community promotions. I mean as we as
[1:29:26] it's spelled out in ours but that goes
for recruitment um trying to get people
[1:29:31] but we also use community promotions for
events that we do within the public as
[1:29:34] well.
[1:29:38] » Yes, please. Councilman Green, other
question.
[1:29:40] » Uh,
>> general fun question.
[1:29:42] » Question on page 14 where you have
copier maintenance is 65,000 and
[1:29:49] computers, printers, and hardware at
5,000. It appears like you're repairing
[1:29:55] uh copers, spending 65,000 repairs when
you
[1:30:02] » This is one of those line items that
what it reads there is not what it reads
[1:30:05] within our inhouse.
>> Could you? So, that one um the 65,000
[1:30:10] that we have, that's our software
maintenance agreements.
[1:30:15] » I think we went through that last year
as well.
[1:30:17] » Yeah.
[1:30:20] » Okay.
>> Councilman Green, do you have any other
[1:30:24] follow-up questions?
>> I don't believe so.
[1:30:26] » All right. Anyone else for the general
fund budget?
[1:30:30] I'll give everyone a moment to to
>> and we can always circle back if we need
[1:30:35] to.
All right.
[1:30:39] Um we will move on to my fire department
uh local income tax budget and that is
[1:30:45] going to be of your 2025 budget is page
18 and then chief has graciously
[1:30:51] provided us with a schedule.
[1:30:58] Give me one second, please.
[1:31:19] Okay.
[1:31:22] When we are all ready for the local
income tax discussion, we'll move
[1:31:27] forward. All right. So,
do you know what your current
[1:31:32] nonappropriated balance is for fund 105?
>> It'll be 1649.
[1:31:39] » Good job.
[Music]
[1:31:42] » And so, your entire per expense was
moved to it.
[1:31:46] » Correct. Yeah.
>> Thank you.
[1:31:50] » This one's going to be a really easy
one.
[1:31:52] » No, we're good.
>> Going forward. And so you're no longer
[1:31:56] paying firefighter wages out of this
fund.
[1:31:57] » Correct.
>> And no longer paying holiday pay. Um and
[1:32:02] so those are being shifted to to general
fund,
[1:32:07] » but you're also removing general fund
expenses as well. So I appreciate that
[1:32:12] very much.
>> Um and you're budgeting health insurance
[1:32:16] because it's a different fund.
Um and again, we go back to that other
[1:32:22] insurance for lit. What is what are your
fees?
[1:32:24] » This is the one that pays all of our
liabilities and stuff out of.
[1:32:26] » Okay. So, these are your legal fees.
>> Well, yeah.
[1:32:29] » And liability and and such.
>> A lot of our legal fees come out
[1:32:33] » legal. A lot of our legal fees come out
of other services.
[1:32:36] » Okay. All right.
And then um
[1:32:42] and and this I am asking mostly for my
own
[1:32:47] understanding because your on page 13 of
the June 30th um budget performance
[1:32:55] report. It has your fund 105
but then it goes down to fund 105 coit
[1:33:04] public safety. Is that is that because
it's saying that you're overdrawn
[1:33:11] by that? According to June 30th, it says
revenue totals are 16 1,630,649
[1:33:20] and expense totals are 2,22,354.
[1:33:25] And so, but it's not saying that. So,
I'm just curious and maybe that's a
[1:33:29] discussion that we'll have later, but I
just ran across it today and I wanted to
[1:33:32] tag it because I don't know that I
understand the difference between and
[1:33:35] maybe that's a question for the
controller. Uh, what is the difference
[1:33:39] between um
fun 105 coit and expense
[1:33:47] and and lit any anyone?
>> I can't answer that either. I know we
[1:33:52] have corporate cash available in our in
our lit as of this afternoon. reach out
[1:33:57] and ask for.
>> So I guess and and I'm going to ask I'm
[1:33:59] going throw it to Mr. Wright really
quickly. Um is there a difference
[1:34:02] between what we're saying is co I mean
why would they show why would fund 105
[1:34:08] show a negative balance for fire
when we know that there is at least
[1:34:16] 164,000 in there.
So that's that's a question maybe uh we
[1:34:22] can we can resolve. Thank you sir. I
appreciate that. All right.
[1:34:26] » One of the things I do know reviewing
these when we go through them is a lot
[1:34:30] of times that things are flip-flopped on
there where it'll show it'll show that
[1:34:35] um it's a debit and a credit. They're
actually backwards on a lot of our
[1:34:39] revenue streams when you read them. So
sometimes when you see them in the
[1:34:42] brackets in there, you know, that's
actually a revenue, but it shows up as a
[1:34:47] negative. And so that's possible.
>> That's something we have to ask because
[1:34:50] it's like this does not make sense. I'm
going to to shoot to the audience very
[1:34:55] quickly and this is an orthodox Mr.
>> Chapen the coit comes from the county
[1:35:00] monthly we're budgeting yearly so our
yearly budgets two million or whatever
[1:35:05] that the full amount if you look in June
we've only got half you know we're not
[1:35:10] getting all
>> makes sense yeah right okay he's solved
[1:35:13] the problem thank you sir you're off the
hook Mr. Right.
[1:35:18] So, we'll continue on. Thank you. And uh
so that was expires my question for the
[1:35:24] lit. Are there any other questions from
the from the committee on my uh fire
[1:35:28] department public safety uh local income
tax? And I do appreciate I know that you
[1:35:33] guys have worked hard to move things
into your local income tax funds to free
[1:35:39] up money in the general fund. I know
that it's you know it's it's a it's hard
[1:35:43] because you do have comprised one of the
biggest budget but you're you really
[1:35:48] would love to see those general fund
total you're you're like I think 34% of
[1:35:54] our general fund budget comes is from my
fire and so and then police is another
[1:35:59] 40 some and so 75% of our general fund
is is public safety and I understand and
[1:36:06] don't get me wrong I understand and
that's something we all expect and
[1:36:09] that's one one of our big expenses and
it will always be but anytime we can put
[1:36:14] elbows up and hopefully push some more
money towards animal shelter and other
[1:36:19] departments to get paid off general fun
and you've always worked with us on that
[1:36:21] and I appreciate
>> sure like I said several years ago
[1:36:24] police and fire a lot higher percentage
of
[1:36:27] » you know and so
>> absolutely twothirds of our employees
[1:36:29] it's all work I mean we're still
building our EMS program and we're
[1:36:33] working to try to get our stations
updated I mean there's a lot going on so
[1:36:36] you know there there's a lot going on
right now with fire department
[1:36:38] » and so We will go on to fire EMS and
then we we see the end of the tunnel
[1:36:45] people. So um
do you want to
[1:36:49] » absolutely we are going to take a fivem
minute recess for the bathroom. You're
[1:36:54] welcome Mr.
[1:37:02] » All right. Putting you on timer, sir.
[1:37:07] 34.
>> 34 of the old one. Thank you.
[1:37:12] » And so, uh, questions on that.
>> Ambulance shift pay was zeroed out. What
[1:37:16] What is ambulance shift pay?
>> Well, ambulance shift pay is
[1:37:19] contractual. The the firefighters that
ride ambulances get paid based on their
[1:37:24] uh, EMS certification per day. Okay.
>> Well, that was down in the in the 24
[1:37:28] part. We just shifted it up into the 21
um and then adjusted it for the the
[1:37:34] Medic 7, the addition of medic 7.
>> Okay. And just since we're not the
[1:37:38] jargon,
>> um 24 is what? And 27 is what?
[1:37:43] » Okay. Uh the 10421 is a firefighter
line.
[1:37:47] » Okay.
>> The 10424 is EMS.
[1:37:49] » EMS. Okay. So, within that one fund,
there are two different offshoots. So,
[1:37:55] we're we're looking at at that. And then
um and then so you almost deplete or or
[1:38:03] moved the two ones the two four whatever
the firefighters was.
[1:38:09] » No, it it's actually
>> I'm not I'm going to use words and not
[1:38:12] numbers on it because
>> No, what we did was because we we
[1:38:16] brought down and put all the overtime
there because that is the big unknown
[1:38:20] » and that's the one we always have to we
always I mean in all reality we come
[1:38:24] back and ask. So that's why we put it
here because when we come to ask you to
[1:38:29] appropriate money, we're asking you to
appropriate money out of the EMS funds
[1:38:32] for that.
>> Okay. And so um the am pay is not
[1:38:37] needed. It was a contractual thing you
gave to firefighters who
[1:38:40] » Yeah. And EMS.
>> It's in the 25 budget, but it was down
[1:38:44] on the EMS part. We moved it up here
because the firefighters who get paid
[1:38:47] for that. So we just shifted that up
there.
[1:38:49] » Okay. And shifted it from within the
same fund, but the two different parts.
[1:38:53] » Correct. Thank you for y
>> drawing that breadcrumb for me.
[1:38:58] » Uh building maintenance um building
maintenance in the EMS is for
[1:39:04] again is it is it just their share of
building maintenance for the different
[1:39:07] fire stations?
>> Yeah. And and that was I mean that was
[1:39:11] put in there like that long before I
came in. But what we did we shifted the
[1:39:15] other building maintenance out of 105
and put that into the 10424. So it's the
[1:39:19] same amount of money there. Again, we
just kind of shelled some things, but it
[1:39:22] makes it easier for us so that when we
do building repairs and stuff,
[1:39:26] » they come out of one line.
>> And and again, these this is not DJ
[1:39:31] oversight. We're just asking for our own
and any money that you know would would
[1:39:35] just go right back into these these
accounts. So, it's not
[1:39:38] » it's mostly just a learning adventure
here.
[1:39:40] » Yes, absolutely.
>> Uh so, you're no longer paying
[1:39:43] firefighters out of EMS, but those
weren't you using a positions before?
[1:39:47] Was that what we what you
>> Yes, we were. Okay. And so those eight
[1:39:52] positions have been shifted to the
general fund.
[1:39:56] » Yep. All salaries, all salaries went to
the general fund.
[1:40:00] » Okay. And I'm sorry if
>> we would have moved all the salaries
[1:40:03] down into one of the we would not have
had enough funding to do that. That's
[1:40:06] why we put them into the general fund,
but then removed several things from
[1:40:09] there to balance it.
>> All right. And I I apologize if some of
[1:40:12] these are repeat questions. It's it's
just the way I went through this. Um,
[1:40:15] and so because of the no firefighters
out at the EMS, you've eliminated the
[1:40:19] holiday pay from EMS. That's why that
did. And you added $553,683
[1:40:24] to overtime.
>> Correct.
[1:40:26] » But that is because, and if I understand
this correctly, you took on an entire
[1:40:31] department without adding any staff.
>> And so there's naturally going to be
[1:40:36] overtime. That's something that we're
never going to get away from.
[1:40:38] » Correct. When you have a firefighter who
is an EMT riding an ambulance, you have
[1:40:44] to replace that person on fire
suppression side. Correct. And if I'm
[1:40:48] wrong,
>> yeah, I mean, technically we what we
[1:40:50] have is we have a minimum staffing for
fire personnel every day.
[1:40:53] » And that's 33, correct?
>> And that covers fire and the the
[1:40:58] firefighter portion of the ambulances
other than the four um civilian medics
[1:41:03] that we staff daily.
>> Okay. So, but is that I mean I know it's
[1:41:07] simplified for nonf fire staff, but so
you have firefighters who cover an
[1:41:13] ambulance and then you have to replace
them on fire suppression side
[1:41:17] » because you don't have someone who's you
for that day you don't have someone
[1:41:20] who's used who's uh working both
>> ambulance and fire truck. Correct.
[1:41:26] » They can't ride both pieces of
correctly. And so that is where we're
[1:41:29] generating all this overtime because
you've you've taken on an entire
[1:41:32] department without adding staff.
>> Correct. But we have actually added some
[1:41:35] minimum staffing since the EMS service.
>> You got a minimum staffing but not
[1:41:39] » but not actual extra
>> personel. So what it's actually doing is
[1:41:42] generating by adding additional staffing
per day. You actually increase the
[1:41:46] number of minimum manning shifts that
would be required to meet those. Okay.
[1:41:51] So that's why we're seeing that and um
and the overtime. I appreciate that
[1:41:56] you've moved a great chunk of that into
EMS because that is
[1:42:00] » that Absolutely.
>> program is what's generating a lot of
[1:42:03] that overtime. Correct. So, I do
appreciate that as well.
[1:42:06] » And like I said, it get makes it easier
for us when we come back like I will be
[1:42:11] in October coming to ask for more for
additional overtime
[1:42:14] » when it's right there. It's the money
that we have generated. We're not
[1:42:18] asking, you know, for an already
strapped general fund, right,
[1:42:22] » to come up with that money. It's the
same thing with purchasing our fire
[1:42:24] trucks and stuff as well.
>> Well, and I know Councilman Mintosh and
[1:42:28] I uh early on in 2024 met with both you
and Chief and and Chief Nindy about um
[1:42:35] because at that point in time before
you'd hired this whole new
[1:42:39] » group, we were
a lot of overtime early in the year. And
[1:42:44] so I I you we sat down and and and you
talked through a plan. You were able to
[1:42:49] tell us how you were going to solve that
problem. And I I appreciate that because
[1:42:53] » we we are down greatly from last year in
our
[1:42:56] » times and I'm pleased to say that. But
you know if if we can get and keep our
[1:43:01] staff, it won't be a work at that time.
>> Well, and I and again with I appreciate
[1:43:06] you moving that into another fund from
the general fund, which as we've all
[1:43:10] said. So fun office manager for EMS.
What What is that?
[1:43:15] » That's the EMS office manager that was
put in. And are they upstairs or
[1:43:20] » No, they're at station one with the EMS
chief.
[1:43:22] » Okay. Okay. I just wasn't I wasn't
familiar. And again, like I said, this
[1:43:26] is And then um 100% of your EMS
equipment lease rental payments or um
[1:43:32] money has been spent. Is that something
that it's a one year? It's one time
[1:43:38] deal.
>> That's a January payment for the cardiac
[1:43:41] monitors.
>> Okay. All right.
[1:43:45] » Yeah. If you look like through the
budget performance report and you one of
[1:43:48] the things we do when we're figuring out
our where we're how we're moving and
[1:43:52] taking things some light items go high
first some go less and then we also have
[1:43:56] some dual items and multiple we try to
keep the actual whole fund balanced. So
[1:44:01] if you look at where our whole fund is
actually going also we're not just
[1:44:04] balancing the line items we're balancing
out the fund for the year.
[1:44:09] » All right. Um, are there any questions
for either chief about their EMS budget
[1:44:16] for 2026?
>> Okay.
[1:44:19] » Sure. Absolutely. Council person Goian,
>> um, the clothing pay went up a lot, too.
[1:44:24] Is that something else that you moved?
>> We Yeah, we combined the three separate
[1:44:29] clothing line items and put them into
one here in the water.
[1:44:33] » Okay. Like I said, moving forward, this
is going to be so much easier for all of
[1:44:36] us when we're budgeting. You know, when
you guys are reviewing it and also when
[1:44:39] the controllers's office are paying
these, we have to I know you talk about
[1:44:44] sometimes it looks like we've added
money into a line item. Well, we didn't.
[1:44:47] We actually went up and filed an
amendment because people weren't they
[1:44:51] weren't paid correctly or that overtime
fund was was becoming, you know,
[1:44:57] uh over spent, if you will. And so we
did an amendment, you know, so it
[1:45:01] actually didn't we didn't really move
money. We said we paid people out of the
[1:45:05] other fund, which then
>> Well, but again,
[1:45:10] I hate to be a stickler. If you're
moving money from one fund to another
[1:45:13] fund, it has to come through us.
>> Well, but the way it was was told with
[1:45:18] us when we talked with, you know, state
board of accounts and everything, we're
[1:45:20] not technically moving money. We're
saying these people should not have been
[1:45:24] paid here. They should have been paid
here. So now that's
[1:45:27] » So they're correcting an error. That's a
whole other story. They were correcting
[1:45:30] an error if someone got paid out of the
wrong fund. Yes. Putting that money back
[1:45:33] into the to the original fund and taking
it out of the correct fund that
[1:45:36] » right like all of our ambulance shift
pay had been paid
[1:45:41] » overtime. So we had to go through every
member of the department and see where
[1:45:45] how much they had earned and we
corrected that. So we wanted to get that
[1:45:49] done so that when we come forth and ask
you know to correct our overtime we can
[1:45:54] do that. So
>> Okay. And I appreciate that explanation.
[1:45:56] Was there something anyone else down
here or down here?
[1:46:00] » Realigning all this prevents that in the
future which is going to be great for
[1:46:04] all of us.
>> All right. Um I appreciate your time and
[1:46:08] especially on a Friday night and so we
are we are done. Thank you. And and I
[1:46:14] will uh entertain a motion to amend to
adjurnn. So move second.
[1:46:19] » All right. Done.