[0:02] call to order this meeting of the Osmo
City Council
[0:06] on
August, this is September 10th. That's
[0:10] right.
>> August 27th, 2026 at 6 p.m. here in
[0:16] Memorial Hall. Madam Clerk, we do roll
call.
[0:19] » Council member Shane here.
>> Council member Mik
[0:22] » here. Council member De.
>> Council member Dickens
[0:26] » here.
>> Council member Hennis
[0:28] » here. Council member Braden
>> here.
[0:30] » Council member Philip
>> here. Council member
[0:33] » here. Mayor H
>> here. If you'll stand for the pledge of
[0:36] allegiance and remain standing for
invocation.
[0:47] United States of America
which stands one nation
[0:56] with liberty and power.
[1:06] Dear heavenly father, we only ask your
blessing upon the city council tonight.
[1:11] We ask for your wisdom and guidance for
local members of the council and for the
[1:15] community members here tonight. Lord, we
also want to [clears throat] lift up to
[1:19] you tonight all of our first responders
that help to keep us safe. We ask that
[1:25] you would protect them as they protect
us. We also pray that uh the new school
[1:29] year has begun that your blessing will
be upon all of our schools,
[1:33] administrators,
teachers, coaches, staff, and all of
[1:37] those students. We ask for a great
school year and for a safe school year.
[1:42] May your hand protect our schools and
our community. We thank you for all of
[1:46] these that are here tonight to have our
voices heard and for those here to
[1:51] listen to those voices. But Lord, would
you help us tonight to honor you the way
[1:55] that we treat each other, whether we
agree or disagree with one another, may
[2:00] we be willing to listen to one another
and treat each other with compassion and
[2:04] respect. May we believe as your word
commands us and Lord love our neighbors
[2:09] and ourselves. We ask all these things
in Jesus name.
[2:12] » Amen. Thank you.
[2:22] » We move on to uh consent agenda. Consent
agenda items will be acted upon in one
[2:30] motion unless a council member requests
an item be removed for discussion.
[2:34] separate action.
Mayor, I move we approve the consent
[2:39] agenda as presented. Second. Got a
motion by Councilman Dickinson, a second
[2:45] by Councilman Chastine to approve the
consent agenda as presented. There any
[2:50] other questions or comments from
council?
[2:54] Madam Clerk,
>> council member Chhatty.
[2:56] » Hi, Council Member.
>> Hi, Council Member.
[2:59] » I
[3:03] council member Bry.
>> Council member Phill.
[3:06] » Council member Paulo.
>> I.
[3:09] » Motion carries.
We will move on to the next item,
[3:14] [clears throat] which is comments from
the public. Citizen participation will
[3:18] be limited to three minutes. Please
stand and be recognized when we call
[3:22] your name.
[3:30] Let's start with chapter number seven.
[3:48] » Thank you.
>> Thank you.
[3:52] Chain I'm here to use my three minutes
to discuss the significance of the
[3:58] injection of power later on agenda and
the development of the US ambassadors
[4:03] which is actually a spin-off of the
touris commission that the city council
[4:07] has appointed. Um
US ambassadors is about 6 months old.
[4:13] It's open to all who love the
surrounding history and to want to
[4:18] welcome the visitors and inform locals
about it. Initially about 10 to 11
[4:23] people responding. We had a 2.5 hour
crash force on history about 10
[4:29] brochures and homework to be given and a
good discussion. We've been present so
[4:34] far at the John Brown birthday John like
memorial home opening have given tours
[4:41] to new school employees about. So why
did this happen? In spring of 2023, the
[4:48] most womb, pardon me, can't see it
happen marathon was down at mile zero. I
[4:52] went down to check it out and there were
two to 300 people down there with nobody
[4:56] from most to long or so I in my very
imaginable self introduced myself to 25
[5:03] people directing them down to whistle
stop and I thought we need to not miss
[5:09] opportunities like this. So a massive
was born. So what are we promoting?
[5:14] We're promoting the Pawati trail of
death which was the forced misplacement
[5:18] of 900 pawing
Kansas in our very important history of
[5:22] God
state hustle in this district.
[5:27] We had a two and a half hour lecture by
Jim Brown and Ron Hobstein about the
[5:32] railway history. Tedd Roosevelt was
doing this speech. 35,000 people here
[5:38] that gave possibly the most important
speech in the 20th century which
[5:42] introduced such radical things as child
safety, work safety, 40hour work week,
[5:48] social security, um national healthcare
was important that a Democratic
[5:56] president came to red state and gave a
speech 120 years later on the same
[6:00] topic.
Finally, Egyptian Highway
[6:06] was the first north and south highway
that went from New Orleans to Winnipeg,
[6:11] Canada, and called the Paloto Pines
Highway. I don't know if you all have
[6:16] seen in the last year, there's now a
sign on Highway 169 and 165 by Tractor
[6:22] Supply. So, these are signs that are
designating the Jackson Highway. I've
[6:27] been in contact with Roger Bell who's
the president in M for MSI Oklahoma in
[6:33] John right now next month they're having
a convention with several hundred people
[6:37] people coming in from the north and the
south he says we have very significant
[6:42] uh findings here we have the trip mar
bridge
[6:48] the silent bridge and the original red
brick surface we had one of the few
[6:54] original highway original gas stations
down by our people. So the goal is to
[7:00] get people here and designate where
these signs are and bring more people
[7:07] attraction. He said people want photo
ops signs and information. Thank you.
[7:12] » Thank you.
[7:17] » Next we'll go Hson.
[7:22] Do I
>> do you usually ask people?
[7:27] » I think he left. Oh,
[7:31] » I was thinking that when I watch
[7:39] that
still
[8:10] Okay. [clears throat]
[8:13] I'm not out here saying I'm against the
Jefferson highway or think about it or
[8:17] anything else but I
me and my family
[8:22] some nobody really heard of it until
last 6 months and I don't know we want
[8:29] to publicize that as a historic high
[8:35] like you guys can't jump it's it's a
oneway road spots and I called in and
[8:41] asked problems fixed fixed might back in
them and it only last
[8:48] and at the bottom where the floor is
built under the road. I'm guilty of
[8:52] destroying city property because when
the rain gets bad enough, I drive kick
[8:57] them like on the shoulders so the water
got somewhere going. The road is lower
[9:02] than the shoulders. It all runs to the
bottom. That's where it says time as she
[9:08] dies.
[clears throat] Do you want to spend the
[9:11] money on the signs forward? I'm not
saying I know that's part of making a
[9:19] historical deal. making
30 mph can't do 30 mph
[9:28] and then like say hospital but the water
I drove down
[9:34] all the SW historical highway
they get pushed into the lake
[9:42] and if my might be irritated
that's what's going on I got a picture
[9:49] anybody
there now doing it. That's what's
[9:52] happening in the industry. It doesn't
make a whole lot of sense. Like I said,
[9:57] I'm not against historic. It's cool.
Nobody really
[10:03] nobody that I know. It was historic
until 6 months ago when everybody
[10:09] started talking about the big thing.
But yeah, it may not find out. It really
[10:16] be cool. That's the reason I'm here. I
was I
[10:21] bridge.
[10:39] » Good evening, council member and the
mayor. The citizens of Osw follow the
[10:43] process. We wrote an ordinance, went
through the requirement county council
[10:47] review, collected the signatures,
submitted the petition, and it has been
[10:51] certified. There is something very
important to consider. Now, the same
[10:55] petition we have was shared with Emporia
and Elder Radio and both prevailed in
[11:00] district court challenges. The 13th
district court ruled the petition
[11:05] legislator and the district court judges
of both cities ruled the citizens
[11:09] initiatives can move forward to the
ballot and their city council voted in
[11:13] both cities to put them on the ballot.
Those decisions support what we have
[11:17] been saying from the beginning. Citizens
can use the initiative process to
[11:22] establish legislative policy concerning
those massive hypers scale data centers
[11:26] or AIS. Our ordinance doesn't name
alcohol project catalyst or any
[11:31] particular property. It establishes a
general rule for high impact in brown
[11:36] swing.
There's also another experience issue
[11:39] the city needs to address. The city's
redevelopment agreement with alcohol
[11:44] depended on approximately 160 acres
previously conveyed to the city by the
[11:49] state of Kansas. The legislative
language is clear on the quick claim
[11:53] deeds which I have certified copies of.
Quote, "In the event that any portion of
[11:57] the above ascribed real estate has not
been used for economic development by
[12:03] July 1st, 2026 that all rights, title,
and interest in such portion of such
[12:08] real estate shall revert to the state of
Indians."
[12:11] [clears throat] End quote. No amendment
was reported by that date and as of
[12:15] today there is still no amendment
reported. The Kansas statutes provides
[12:19] no express authority for a late opinion
to retroactively undo that reversion.
[12:24] Because of this, the city cannot simply
fix this after the fact. It may require
[12:28] new legislative authority and lawful
rebates. The city should explain how it
[12:33] will continue relying on predevelopment
freedom dependent on land that it no
[12:37] longer owns according to that
legislative and the predevelopment
[12:41] agreement should be rendered invalid
because of these facts. Important
[12:45] citizens led by Jay fought for their
petition and the right to put to a vote
[12:50] in one in court and their city agreed
with them. Eloro citizens led by fought
[12:55] with their petition and right to vote
for a vote in one in court and their
[12:59] city agreed with them. We are not asking
for you to agree with us. We're
[13:03] requesting the city follow the law,
respect the petition process and either
[13:08] adopt the ordinance or place it on the
ballot. Let the people of those have
[13:13] their say in the legal process. Thank
you.
[13:32] » Thank you for letting me talk. Um
[13:37] here we are standing.
Yes. See, here we are standing in the
[13:42] presence of greatness of John Rana.
Edward, we too are standing up against
[13:48] slavery and tyranny of mankind. For the
past several months, we have evidence
[13:54] and reports that these data centers are
the harbinger of tyranny, enslavement,
[13:59] and death of our communities, country,
and planet. My wife had been on the
[14:05] Miami County Economic Development
Committee.
[14:08] uh she was the president of the
committee.
[14:11] Many corporations had come to the area
ready to build.
[14:16] Both of these companies would have had
less impact on our lives than the data
[14:20] centers and every single one of them
rejected.
[14:24] Why would they reject it? It's because
the community did not want mining
[14:28] nuclear identity and become part of the
urban straw.
[14:32] My uncle grew up under the thumb of
terror and enslavement in Nazi occupied
[14:39] France. At age 13, he grew up there and
killed 37 Nazi officers.
[14:47] Even at that young age, he realized that
he was fighting the soul of mankind.
[14:53] Do you not realize they are doing the
same?
[14:57] And why I'm few
data sinners are not our savior. There
[15:02] is only one savior.
His name goes by Allah God and Jesus and
[15:10] the great burial.
Alco and other data centers.
[15:17] I'm sorry. Alco and other data center
contractors to target small rural
[15:22] depressed communities not to help us but
the line of poverty goal. And in this
[15:27] case the goal includes the land, the
air, the water and the sweat of
[15:32] generations that came before us. In this
room you see MAGA, you see progressives,
[15:39] you see Democrats all working together
in fear that the city council is willing
[15:44] to sacrifice ocean water.
You have a chance to stand here with us
[15:50] and defend against this harp of death.
History is waiting for grand.
[15:56] So please make a decision. Help us
protect our community. Thank you.
[16:09] I don't think Paulie Plane made it. Uh
she said she may or may not make it. So
[16:17] » please.
>> No. No. It's the same thing with your
[16:20] son tried to speak for you. We don't
favor. Everybody knows how we're going
[16:24] to leave the story. All right. That's
all citizen comments that we have. So
[16:29] we'll move on to presentation
proclamations under pass. It's
[16:33] constitution week. So believe we have
missing.
[16:41] Thank you for having me. My name is
Renee Slinker and I am the American
[16:46] chapter of American
[16:51] state
constitution week chair and I'm here
[16:56] today to promote awareness of our
constitution. Constitution week was
[17:02] passed uh into uh by Congress
unanimously in 1955 and signed into law
[17:10] uh in 1956.
So uh it is law public 9:15
[17:17] and what we do is we promote the
constitution uh during uh month of
[17:22] August to council meetings and then in
September we go into the schools in
[17:28] several counties and we've been doing
this for 13 years. This is my 14th year
[17:35] and uh so we really enjoy it. I do want
to say and I just want to ask everyone
[17:42] everyone that is here in uh this family
to please contact Trojan Elementary
[17:50] teachers fifth grade teachers because
for the last two years I have not been
[17:56] able to be invited into the school even
if it's for 30 minutes. I do 30 minutes
[18:02] to an hour and I give a great
presentation show a children's video
[18:08] that's from Katie the fifth graders love
it and um it's only a 10minute video and
[18:15] I I just feel that they really are
missing out on our constitution and bill
[18:21] of rights which I feel all schools
should have that opportunity for their
[18:27] children and their students. So anyway,
I just asked everyone to contact the
[18:32] school. I have sent several emails,
including to the superintendent
[18:37] and the principal. Uh, and I just have
not gotten any replies. I did get a
[18:42] reply from the princip
[18:50] elementary school. So, I guess that's
where we need to go. But, uh, I can't do
[18:56] anymore. react to the citizens here in
Oswie to contact the school if they want
[19:03] their children and and I'm sure they get
taught in American history. I just don't
[19:08] know how much of the constitution I have
no advice that they are actually
[19:14] learning. And this is a problem not just
in this town but in the state of Texas
[19:21] and in getting more American history
into our schools. But anyway, I would
[19:27] really appreciate that and thank you
very much for being here. And um Mayor
[19:34] would if you want to read the
proclamation, take the vote and then
[19:37] take a picture and
you want me to hand them out now.
[19:42] » Uh that's fine. Get ready to make the
proclamation and
[19:46] » you can hand them out how we're doing
that. I guess or if you want to wait
[19:50] until after Lawrence is done.
[19:55] application issued by the mayor city
council.
[19:59] Whereas September 17, 2026 marks the
239th anniversary of the drafting of the
[20:05] Constitution of the United States of
America by the constit constitutional
[20:09] convention. And we're add that it's
fitting and proper to aford official
[20:14] recognition to this magnificent document
and its memorable anniversary and to the
[20:19] patriotic celebrations which will
commemorate the occasion. And whereas
[20:25] public law 915 guaranteeing the issuing
of a proclamation each year by the
[20:31] president of the United States of
America designating September 17th
[20:35] through September 23rd as Constitution
Week. Now therefore Nick Hampton mayor
[20:42] of the city of Osami does here proclaim
the week of September 17th through
[20:48] September 3rd 2026 as Constitution week.
And he urges all citizens to reaffirm
[20:55] the ideals that the framework of the
Constitution had in 1787
[21:00] by vigilantly protecting the freedoms
guaranteed to us through this guardian
[21:05] of our liberties. Remembering that lost
rights may never be regained. Proclaimed
[21:11] this 27th day of August 2026 at Hamson
Mayor City Water.
[21:22] We need a motion by council to authorize
a signing of the proclamation.
[21:27] I'll move to approve the proclamation.
>> Second.
[21:31] » We got a motion by Councilman Hennis and
a second by Council Lady Cwell to
[21:36] approve the authorization and signing of
the proclamation of constitution.
[21:41] Any other questions or comments from the
council?
[21:44] » Madam clerk.
>> Council member Sha.
[21:47] » Hi.
>> Basic.
[21:48] » Hi. Council member Dean.
>> Hi. Council
[21:50] » member Jac.
>> Hi.
[21:52] » Council member.
>> Hi.
[21:53] » Council member Graten.
>> Hi.
[21:55] » Council member.
>> Hi.
[21:56] » Council member.
>> Hi.
[21:59] » Motion carries. So we'll take a little
second here. We'll sign the
[22:04] proclamation.
Then we can as a council take a picture.
[22:10] » Does anyone want? I think I've still got
[22:23] » I still got mine.
>> Anyone else?
[22:40] We all together. Yep.
[23:05] discussion
[23:07] » [laughter]
[23:17] [laughter]
[23:28] » Thank you very much.
[23:49] It's like uh thank you Miger.
Move on to assigning delegates to the
[23:55] LKM annual conference in Witchah.
I know I will be there. Florence will be
[24:02] there. He'll be there Saturday
[24:07] and
probably two of us.
[24:12] [clears throat]
I'll do it.
[24:17] I've got
the weekend.
[24:33] I move that um that we have
Mary as our
[24:45] » Kevin
[24:51] for the conference.
[24:56] Motion by council lady Falcon. Second by
council me to
[25:02] appoint Brent and myself is the voting
de and Kevin as alternate. Any other
[25:09] questions or comments from council?
Madam clerk
[25:21] Iceberg
[25:25] I follow.
>> Motion carries. We'll move on to public
[25:30] hearing. We have a public hearing on our
2027 budget.
[25:34] Do we want to present the budget and
then open the hearing? Um get the pass
[25:41] first.
[25:49] So open for public hearing on the 2027
budget.
[25:56] Anybody would like to speak about the
budget?
[26:03] That's the second time. There's anybody
from the public' like to speak about
[26:10] open the hearing at 62.
[26:16] » Yeah.
[26:24] » We had comments from the public earlier.
>> This is not the time.
[26:29] » Okay.
So I think
[26:32] » sir,
>> this is not the time for that.
[26:35] » Talk about the budget.
>> You are going to talk about the budget.
[26:40] » Okay.
>> I I think that we need to be cautious
[26:44] with uh the budget this year. Um I think
that we need to be looking at better
[26:50] ways to use our resources and our money.
Um that I think there needs to not be
[26:57] some influences to build up that gap in
because
[27:04] it's about being able to steer our
community down there
[27:11] and the same thing applies to a lot of
things. I was going to talk about what
[27:16] uh I just hope you guys do the right
things. I'm from
[27:22] I believe
and I want you guys to stand up for all
[27:26] these people out here.
Thank you.
[27:37] Is there anybody else like to speak
about the budget?
[27:45] I'll ask a third and final time if
there's anybody from the public that
[27:49] would like to speak about the budget.
[27:53] Okay, we close the budget hearing at
628.
[27:58] [clears throat]
[28:01] Now I guess we'll do the presentation
budget.
[28:13] Thank you, mayor. Um, I'm going to give
the council a quick update on the on our
[28:19] progress before I jump into the high
level of overview of the 2027 proposed
[28:25] budget. Um, this past year, uh, we've
continued to clean the community up by
[28:30] identifying structures that are needed
repair.
[28:34] We continue to enforce nuisance uh codes
by first through education and and
[28:39] [clears throat] then secondly
enforcement. We use a variety of
[28:42] communication to try to accomplish that.
Um the Swson building is in dire need of
[28:48] uh tension. While it's proving to be a
more difficult more difficult than
[28:53] expected to redevelop that project, they
have an important historic tax credit
[28:57] strategy. They are planning on applying
for a moderate income housing grant this
[29:02] fall and if they're successful in that
then they will start construction
[29:04] shortly after the first of the year. Uh
Brewers Automotive has seen a
[29:09] significant improvement with replacement
of all their sheet metal on the exterior
[29:13] of their building. And there's other
businesses along Sixth Street that have
[29:17] also uh continue to follow in the city's
uh leadership with uh rebuilding uh so
[29:23] many different streets in our community.
Um the Sixth Street business program
[29:27] that was approved as part of the 2026
budget adoption has been handed out.
[29:31] We've received two applications thus far
for that. Um in terms of replacing
[29:36] streets, the 14 million has some sales
tax and improved four years ago has
[29:42] continued to be utilized to uh not only
rebuild uh some certain streets to full
[29:48] depth and then but we've also been uh
doing no overlays the last couple of
[29:54] years, most recently Brown Avenue from
first to sixth because it was
[29:58] experiencing significant reflective and
alligator cracking on the surface and
[30:04] and um also Pacific Hill 6th and 12th.
Um that project that street was also
[30:10] experiencing some significant alligator
crafting. But more importantly, that is
[30:14] the shared use path. That's the bicycle
boulevard that's a part of our
[30:19] transportation alternatives grant which
I'll talk about in a little bit. It
[30:23] makes sense to put the sher on Pacific
Avenue on mold asphalt and then turn
[30:29] around and mill it at the end of the
following year. we have to repaint the
[30:33] the sheriffs. So, so that was uh another
that was a big undertaking. It was one
[30:38] of our brightest needs in the community.
In terms of hard infrastructure,
[30:42] water treatment plan is final design has
been submitted for review and approval
[30:48] with KDH. Um on the electric version,
we're continuing to work on the
[30:53] conversion to the higher voltage high
voltage. currently who's working on uh
[30:59] converting certified.
Uh this 2027 budget keeps operating
[31:04] transfers from utility funds to 5% which
is our cap and our financial policies
[31:09] between each of our utilities as if it
was a uh as a privately owned utility
[31:14] and the 5% reflects a franchise that we
take off of that for operation expenses.
[31:20] Uh the only caveat to that is the water
fund. Four years ago when the council
[31:25] approved the water treatment plant, uh,
one of the things we said that needed to
[31:29] happen was we needed to stop operational
transfers out of the water treatment
[31:33] fund um to help pay for the the new
water project. On the economic
[31:40] development throne, uh, we had 13 new
home permits that were issued in 2025.
[31:46] Um, we've issued so far this year. We've
got four more ready to pick up in city
[31:50] hall. So that would make a total of
eight that have been issued in 2026.
[31:55] Um the uh Fifth Street Terrace, we
actually expect up to four more this
[32:00] year knowing uh the other builders of
the town and what their plans are. Um so
[32:05] Fifth Street Terrace construction will
continue. The loft on Sixth Street is
[32:09] complete and open. 525 Main is nearly
complete. There's a new real estate
[32:14] office realy on Sixth Street. There's a
new bank going in uh where T Bank or
[32:22] Great Southern Bank used to be. It had
been vacant or used to store it for
[32:27] quite a number of years, but it's it's
giving new life into it as we speak.
[32:32] 5510 mainland project was disappointing.
It did not go where we hoped it would
[32:37] go. 510 needs to be demolished. The RFP
is going to be issued to prospective
[32:42] biders. Once 510's down, we will reach
that RFP instruction process over in the
[32:48] north development. There's a lot that's
been said about what's going on in the
[32:51] north land was proposed for the north
land, but uh from my standpoint, this
[32:57] opportunity is the biggest opportunity
to come to the city of Oawatami in the
[33:02] 20 years. It will fundamentally change
this community for the better and for
[33:07] generations to come. On the soft
infrastructure front, the KO
[33:11] transportation alternatives grant starts
in September next month. The
[33:15] reconnaissance survey for the
consideration of John Brown Park being
[33:19] brought in the National Park Service.
The surveys we complete is still being
[33:23] reviewed and awaiting and we are
awaiting the report. Uh the new
[33:27] clubhouse golf course has been designed.
The architectural
[33:32] phase two of the architectural work has
been completed. Uh the next step on that
[33:37] project is this to figure out $217,000
in payment of design. Um we don't know
[33:44] uh where that's going to come from yet.
If we're not going to have the money to
[33:48] build it yet, it doesn't make a lot of
sense to design
[33:52] have
um so we'll continue to work on
[33:56] financing [clears throat] that project.
Um, some of my concerns and goals,
[34:01] retention of existing employees, uh,
compensation of our frontline employees,
[34:05] uh, just to keep pace with our
neighbors. While we don't have a lot of
[34:08] turnover, uh, I don't want to see that
start to happen. I we've got a lot of we
[34:14] got a good group of people working for
our for our community. Um, and I'm I'm
[34:18] proud of him, but I want
um, we need to keep our utilities full
[34:23] by utility rates pace from inflation. uh
grow the new construction needs to
[34:29] increase or keep pace with the rate of
inflation. Um we need to continue to
[34:34] encourage construction on infill lots.
Um so the backside of the combinations
[34:40] while it's not always easy, the backside
of that is those properties get new life
[34:44] into them. Um a couple properties will
be in the last two years already have
[34:49] new homes uh peritted for them or soon
to be soon to have new homes permitted
[34:54] for them. Um there's three loss that we
have out right now. We just approved. We
[34:59] issued that a couple of meetings ago.
Those bids are due on September 14th. So
[35:03] hopefully the meeting after that we'll
have those for the council to consider.
[35:07] Um redeveloping our business corridors
as I mentioned before the law on 6th 544
[35:13] main which has been done a couple years
now. 525 and 519. Uh both equipment
[35:18] buildings continue to see improvements.
Uh I mentioned earlier brewers and then
[35:23] 500 and 510.
Um some of the things we need to
[35:27] continue to keep our focus on is
finishing the projects that we started.
[35:31] Um the water plantation project will
break ground this coming spring or
[35:36] winter shortly after the first year and
then the TA grant which I just mentioned
[35:41] uh will start next month. Um the next
thing we'll need to start looking at
[35:46] though is what are our next big roles?
Um the new the community has mentioned
[35:50] multiple times on social media that they
would like to see a bicycle pedestrian
[35:54] overpass. Um the overpass that we
currently have is not permitted. The
[35:58] bicycles are pedestrian. It's
undersized. Um trucks loaded trucks
[36:02] cannot go over it. Um it's questionable
if we can send fire trucks over it. Uh
[36:08] concrete trucks cannot go over it. The
school bus is questionable as to whether
[36:11] it should go over it. So in reality,
don't build bicycle pedestrian overpass,
[36:15] we really should look at building a new
overpass with bicycle pedestrian
[36:19] accommodations.
Um, another project that we've talked
[36:23] about at least in the 20 years since
I've been here, it's been a dream of the
[36:27] community to restore the asylum bridge
going over the merit scene at first to
[36:32] make that into a shared use path up to
the state hospital.
[36:36] Um, that's a significant expense as
well. um the library expansion, the new
[36:41] clubhouse, additional pool in the
streets, all of those things would
[36:45] require us.
And I'm not eager to be hyperbolic. I'm
[36:50] trying to be hyperbolic, but these
projects get infinitely more difficult,
[36:55] if not impossible to do without a
significant rebalancing tax base and
[37:01] significant outside investment.
Uh so going back into the uh more detail
[37:08] of the budget uh the sources of revenues
for the 2027 budget 50% of it comes from
[37:14] utilities. Uh only 15% comes from
property taxes but that's the 15%
[37:20] everybody feels. Um sales taxes 10% and
then everything else the other 25% say
[37:26] miscellaneous fees charges and interf
transfers.
[37:30] Uh in terms of where those funds are
used, uh the biggest expense is the
[37:35] contractual services. The biggest
contractual service that we have is the
[37:40] uh the purchase and generation of
electricity. Um the next largest expense
[37:45] is 27% on the personnel uh salaries and
benefits. Debt service is 13% and inter
[37:54] transfers uh are 10% of the expenses. uh
everything else needs to capital outlay
[38:00] the nonappropriated dollars that we
reserve for the following year for the
[38:05] 2028 year. Um that's the that's the
remaining 20%.
[38:10] Among our property tax lending funds, we
have three of those general fund. It's
[38:14] the bondage bonds and employee benefits
fund. Um you'll see in 2025 we in the
[38:20] year 40 $40,000 under budget. Um you'll
see that the proposal for the improved
[38:26] budget for 2026 was 4.4 million. Uh the
improved the proposed budget for 2027 is
[38:34] 4.8. That increase is not an increase of
10% in spending. That's an increase in
[38:40] the uh proposed budgeted carryover
balance. our financial policies. One of
[38:45] our goals that we try to shoot for and
to build good financial stability for
[38:50] the community is to have at least a 25%
fund balance uh carried over from one
[38:55] year to the next. Um the general fund uh
25% general fund fund balance would be
[39:02] approximately $1 million. Um we carried
over at the end of 2025
[39:08] 281,000. So, we've got another $700,000
we've got to build up in what I would
[39:14] consider the rainy day funding in case
in a worst case scenario. We have
[39:18] another flood, we have some other
emergency, those dollars are important
[39:23] to have so we can have so we can taken
care of initially while we wait for uh
[39:29] for the aid that we're able to state or
federal disaster declaration.
[39:34] On the employee benefit side, the hard
fund balance in this fund is limited.
[39:38] 30% um the employee benefits only funds
the employee benefits for those
[39:44] employees that do not work for either a
utility
[39:48] the uh the those enterprise funds uh
those employees uh their benefits uh get
[39:54] paid for out of it and then lastly the
bonding interest fund this month bounces
[39:59] to approximately 10% um but this is
where all our debt runs through um and
[40:04] that's
it it recommended um to repay that debt
[40:11] with property taxes a big chunk of it.
The rest of it is pledged under either
[40:16] water revenues, sewer revenues or
line.
[40:24] Um the next page you find fund you'll
see that status of all debt. Um you'll
[40:30] see the the order in which they are
retired. You'll see 2012. the refunding
[40:35] issue uh was done in 2012. Uh that
actually rolls off our books in 2027.
[40:42] And then the next bond that falls off
will be our newest bond which will be
[40:46] the uh 2022 pay which was issued um
which is four years ago. That was only
[40:53] take your note. Um the following page
shows me just that's just a line graph
[40:57] of where residual balances are the next
uh 20 years.
[41:05] Uh the next page is the transfers out of
utilities. The one thing I want to point
[41:10] out is that this is the total transfers.
These are not only operating transfers
[41:15] but they're also service transfers. Uh
and then the the very final page is a uh
[41:22] I guess not final page the biograph in
the in the presentation like this will
[41:28] be made available on the city's website.
So if someone wants to stop at city hall
[41:32] tomorrow or in the coming days uh to
pick up we'll make those available. Then
[41:38] uh that se that last se last page the
red line is assessed value. Blue line is
[41:43] the no levying. of our levies been
coming down and our valuations have been
[41:46] going up.
Important takeaways from the 2027 budget
[41:51] that we proposed. Uh number one, it's a
revenue neutral budget. Um we're
[41:57] continuing to focus on rebuilding our
fund balances. Like I mentioned earlier,
[42:01] uh this budget has 0% cost of living,
but it does have a 3% merit increase. Uh
[42:08] we are planning to pay off a portion of
the temporary notes to be issued in
[42:12] 2023. Uh those come due in 2027. If I
remember right, uh those 10 notes were
[42:18] 2.5ish million for water manes. Uh 2.5
million for six street and 1.6 1.7
[42:28] million for trails. Um we'll be able to
send u most of the trails money back
[42:34] because the cost has not come in where
we expected it. Um then we've got enough
[42:38] money up to be able to pay off the $2.5
million uh water note or or almost pay
[42:45] that off. Um the value
for 2027
[42:51] it actually went down from 2026
426
[42:58] and 2026 to 40,765.
And I want to explain to the council the
[43:02] reason for that.
Excuse me. [clears throat] when we got
[43:06] our our estimated asset valuation in
June of 2020
[43:12] by to build the 2026 budget. That
estimated assessment valuation should
[43:18] have a value of almost $42,000.
Um included in that was the solar
[43:25] um Everg had not gotten their tax
exemption approved by the board of tax
[43:29] appeals yet and it did not get approved
until after the budget was set. So, we
[43:34] took a little bit of a hit, but we're
able to absorb it because we have some
[43:37] of what I mentioned earlier, final
balances help absorb some of that. So,
[43:42] that's why you're seeing a decrease in
the assessed valuation from last year to
[43:46] this year. But if you look at where
assessed valuation was in 2025, we're
[43:51] still well above that.
So, um budget 27 is 18.9 million. In 26,
[44:00] the total approved budget was 18.3.
That's a 3% increase from one year to
[44:05] the next. Um the big water plant will
break ground early next year. Uh we'll
[44:10] continue to focus on Preach Terrace.
We'll renew our efforts to find
[44:14] developers for 500, 510 Bay, Hickory
Valley, and the Indian Ridge properties.
[44:20] And then the last thing we've got to
mention is what we're going to do next
[44:24] year in terms of mill and overlay.
There's [clears throat] still a number
[44:27] of streets with decent curves but have
surfaces but need to be uh refreshed
[44:32] we'll call it. Um the list of those
streets are the candidates car avenue uh
[44:38] from 1st to 6th all the streets around
Vista Bman from 7 to 12 Main Street from
[44:45] 128
O'Neal from Bay to Mill
[44:50] from France Drive. Um, if there's others
that pop up, we will certainly add that
[44:56] to the list. We're not going to be able
to do all of those next year. Um, I
[45:00] think we all know that we'll be we'll do
as many as we can with the money we have
[45:04] available and then we'll do some more
till 2020.
[45:09] And with that, I'll answer any questions
might have
[45:17] a little bit larger trans
[45:27] the the loan. So
if you look at the so in the packet
[45:33] which is available on the city's website
there's a schedule of transfer on page
[45:38] three.
The total transfers
[45:43] uh the total transfers um are in line
with what was approved for 2026
[45:51] and 2027. But you'll remember when we
adopted the 2026 budget, I started
[45:56] talking about needing to start moving
the the water
[46:02] $2 million.
I I don't know. there is there's a
[46:08] there's a large chunk of money in it
because we're building up not only
[46:12] retirement content notes, but also we're
going to start taking on um we're going
[46:16] to have a significant bond payment every
[clears throat] year for 40 years once
[46:20] the water plant is built because that
loan is $30 million for the short and 40
[46:25] years and I think the amortization on
that is like $110,000 a month. So, so
[46:29] that's like the rates of where they're
at, but we have that $2.5 million note
[46:34] in the plan in 2026 and 2027. So, we
took the the water from uh the water
[46:42] transfers from zero of the $678,000
that's going into CIP water. So, when
[46:48] that note comes due in March of 2027,
we'll have those dollars there to retire
[46:53] as much of that bond as possible.
[47:07] on the emergency fund
balance chain. What did you say our goal
[47:14] was 25%.
And
[47:19] how much of that would
or when would we reach that?
[47:25] I I mean, we're really only going to be
able to reach it as fast as we can reach
[47:28] it. I mean, we could levy tax and get
there in two years, but nobody wants to
[47:34] do that. Um, so we're just continuing to
be frugal with what, you know, right?
[47:40] Just we're just slowly trying to build
it over time. Uh, like I mentioned, the
[47:46] employee benefits fund is there. Um the
bond and interest will probably get
[47:50] there uh in three years but the general
fund is going to take a while
[48:01] better than where we've been in the past
where we're better than where we've been
[48:05] the last couple three years. I just
think about it
[48:12] being there. So I remember when I came
in the first fight was it was it was way
[48:17] worse than it is now.
[48:24] » I think it's worth noting the first time
we've ever been to revenue.
[48:27] » That's correct.
[48:48] 388 reoping the 2027 budget.
>> Second.
[48:54] » Got a motion by council shastain, a
second by council lady to approve
[48:59] ordinance 3883 adopting the 2027 budget
for the city of Los. Any other questions
[49:06] or comments for council?
>> Council member.
[49:11] » Hi.
>> Basic
[49:16] council member.
[49:23] » Hi.
>> Council member please. Hi.
[49:26] » Council member. Council member Braden.
>> Hi.
[49:30] » Council member Philippin.
>> Hi. Council member.
[49:33] » Hi. Motion carries. We'll move on to new
business resolution 1391
[49:40] authorizing the installation of
Jefferson Highway Rock.
[49:46] Jefferson already introduced
some of the background on this. I know
[49:50] you guys are all aware of Jefferson
Highway.
[49:55] What I want to answer questions on if
you found them is location, costs, and
[50:01] the rest of the things that impact it.
And so if we have any questions I will
[50:07] go from there.
>> Where's the sign? Let's see.
[50:11] » So the local institute placed at least
two signs maybe three. Um one by the
[50:17] state hospital one on first street and
then it needed one somewhere directing
[50:22] people to go down six because right now
the actually showed them to go down
[50:27] fourth and that's not the most
historically accurate route for him to
[50:31] be taking. We think that that came built
uh when six street construction and so
[50:37] at that point we couldn't go sixth
street. I'll be quite honest.
[50:50] And the gentleman was active and I kept
his name was talking about
[50:59] the road. Um
[51:04] I need time to say you know
if we are going to indicate this the
[51:12] road
should that road be worked on and things
[51:19] a little bit better standard or is that
not very
[51:25] a couple things to address that um first
let me make you feel with the rental is
[51:30] we're encouraging people to go to the
southern portion of the Jefferson
[51:34] Highway behind the state hospital. That
section of the road is in is in um but
[51:41] we don't want to encourage people to
basically end up at a dead end uh where
[51:46] the side is. So the rap is to encourage
them to come in from the highway. They
[51:52] hit the state hospital. They turn down
water and then they actually end up on
[51:56] old Casey to come into town. um and then
want them to come first and then follow
[52:01] from there. Uh and most of the people
who are traveling the Jefferson Highway,
[52:07] they're out looking at the most the
closest they can to historical route. Um
[52:13] they're not to be bothered by the state
of near as much as we are, especially
[52:17] since it's original and they are not
going to be bothered by having to go
[52:21] back and forth because what they're
trying to do is trace the route in the
[52:25] way that they can. Um, I do agree that
the section of a supply that's brick is
[52:31] in dire need of rehabilitation, but by
rehabilitating it, we would take the
[52:36] historic pieces of it away. So, it's
kind of like this or that situation.
[52:50] Is there stuff we can do to help with
the drainage that he mentioned about how
[52:54] the water doesn't have anywhere to go?
Is there things we can do at least
[52:57] improve that?
>> Um, we put in storm bread. Uh, there's
[53:02] not a lot of places for it to go.
[53:12] You know,
[53:17] [clears throat]
[53:25] » the art completes
[53:31] on Brown is definitely some work with
the far to go, but the active solution
[53:38] uh that needed to be able to actually
increase um and to allow low de unabated
[53:44] by
we definitely go out there see about
[53:48] doing some ditching now but not all of
that right is actually reverse either uh
[53:53] through the whole way um so there's some
things that we can definitely look at
[53:57] through there uh I will address that it
is not a one road I have been there um
[54:04] it is a very narrow road when it wasn't
originally the highway was related
[54:12] and then the brick was put in. And so
it's always been very very stiff,
[54:25] but over time we couldn't look at doing
whether it be shoulders
[54:31] or if you had to share the road when
you're running take it all out takes a
[54:35] historic significance.
And these are conversations that we've
[54:40] definitely had before. Everyone said I
would love to be able to take it all out
[54:45] and concrete especially um with the
traffic that comes into the state
[54:49] hospital. There is a highway spur in a
way right there. And obviously there is
[54:54] industrial interest um in some of that
development wherever that may end up
[55:00] being. And so having a concrete grow
there will serve the community better.
[55:04] But it does take away the story aspect.
[55:10] But it looks like your budget for this
is less than 2,000.
[55:15] » Yeah. And that doesn't include an
interpretive sign, which is Dr.
[55:20] Put an interpretive sign up in the first
round of signs. What we're really
[55:24] looking at is the smaller sign that I
think most people have probably seen um
[55:30] that Stephen pointed out on page or
sorry on 169. um kind of find
[55:37] and that's what we originally want to
put up to two maybe three of those and
[55:42] then at some point down the line the
deputy source sign the history or of the
[55:48] gender
[55:55] we have a surplus of money
>> I would not say it's a surplus of money
[56:00] but there is money available and fund to
cover the signs Um, there's also a
[56:06] couple different donations that we're
working on. First, there's a $250
[56:10] donation that will cover the cost of the
two to three original smaller signs. Um,
[56:15] and then there's potentially another
$500 donation to help cover the cost of
[56:19] the larger interpretive side.
[56:38] So really those signs
[56:43] are really just an indication that this
is
[56:46] » yes
[56:49] it's not something
[56:58] » yeah and there are quite a few people I
believe who are already using these
[57:03] streets following this path the signs
there and the sign is
[57:07] just to give a designation that we're
rounding up the Jefferson did come
[57:12] through at the city of Oswag and that
there was an impact from it for the city
[57:16] of I don't expect simply putting the
signs up to access and increase any of
[57:23] the travel these roads.
[57:37] Mr. Mayor, I move to approve resolution
1391 authorizing the installation of the
[57:42] Jefferson Highway.
[57:46] » Second. Got a motion by council Hennis
and second by council lady Philip to
[57:52] approve resolution 1391 authorizing the
installation of the Jefferson highway
[57:57] rout. Any other question or comments
from council?
[58:02] Madam clerk,
>> council member.
[58:05] » Hi.
>> Council member Basic.
[58:07] » Hi.
>> Council member Dean.
[58:08] » Hi.
>> Council member D.
[58:10] » Hi.
>> Council member.
[58:12] » Hi.
>> Council member Braden.
[58:14] » Hi.
>> Council member.
[58:16] » Hi. member.
>> Motion carries. Looks like we do have an
[58:22] executive session for client privilege.
[clears throat]
[58:33] » Mr. Mayor, I move that the city council
recess in a closing second session for
[58:39] the purpose of privilege attorney
consultation with the city attorney
[58:43] pursuant to the exception ASA 5-4192
close meeting last
[58:51] until 7:15 p.m. and will resume here at
7:15 p.m. also attending city manager.
[59:03] Second got a motion by council Dickson
and second by council me to move into
[59:09] executive session for final approvement
attorney privilege start back up at
[59:14] 7:15.
All in favor?
[59:18] » Motion carries.
[59:32] Back into open meeting with no action
taken.
[59:38] Going to move on to council report. I'll
start to my left.
[59:42] Council Shastine.
[59:51] the other day.
[59:54] I do remember
[1:00:09] I didn't know where I went, but I heard
that
[1:00:19] information.
[1:00:23] The more information we get
like that around you
[1:00:28] that happened back in the day
people recognize how much people
[1:00:38] Thank you.
[1:00:47] » [clears throat]
>> Um, I will say I noticed the work that I
[1:00:51] believe volunteers from the city did
around the building that we're using as
[1:00:55] a temporary courthouse. Cleaned up uh
lot and just cleaned it up quite a bit
[1:01:03] made a lot nicer. So, thank you to them
and um [clears throat] employees and
[1:01:07] volunteers and time and equipment work
to do that. Even though we don't own a
[1:01:12] building, it doesn't look nice. Um they
were using explan
[1:01:23] centers and drove by several. Um just
from my own knowledge and my own opinion
[1:01:30] of what uh we've been hearing and seeing
and
[1:01:35] it's very responsive and glad I did
that. I would suggest anybody else like
[1:01:41] to do that point you
that's like
[1:01:47] the only thing I would add is um we do
have acoustic tile work and uh void
[1:01:54] build which is painting one of those 10
by 10 by 10T by 2T panels is an inch
[1:02:03] thick weigh 24 lb
>> and they'll hang from the ceiling
[1:02:08] They will hang on the walls,
the north wall and the south wall.
[1:02:12] » Good East. So that hopefully will
moderate something here and if it does
[1:02:21] not do enough
>> continue to try to make it the color
[1:02:27] will be [clears throat]
[1:02:36] » any other staff reports
[1:02:41] to
got [laughter and clears throat] a
[1:02:43] motion. Move second.
>> Motion by Councilman Brett, a second by
[1:02:48] Council Chastine for a German. All in
favor? I