1 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:40,069 That's the thing. 2 00:00:40,079 --> 00:00:47,670 We're not 3 00:00:47,680 --> 00:01:14,230 That's really important. 4 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:57,429 Oh yeah. 5 00:01:57,439 --> 00:01:59,280 Everyone 6 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:07,590 confusion. 7 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:37,350 Yeah. 8 00:02:37,360 --> 00:03:38,149 some of it's 9 00:03:38,159 --> 00:03:49,030 Facebook. 10 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:56,949 Here's the resolution. 11 00:03:56,959 --> 00:04:04,550 Exactly. 12 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:29,590 Here's the job description. 13 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:41,030 for a while. 14 00:04:41,040 --> 00:05:03,189 Chair 15 00:05:03,199 --> 00:06:22,150 Yeah, I don't 16 00:06:22,160 --> 00:12:12,310 some of the previous information. 17 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:51,590 I don't even 18 00:12:51,600 --> 00:14:00,949 Does this 19 00:14:00,959 --> 00:14:33,430 Yeah. Yeah. 20 00:14:33,440 --> 00:15:29,750 That's 21 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:46,470 All right. 22 00:15:46,480 --> 00:16:09,189 Official 23 00:16:09,199 --> 00:16:25,350 That's true. 24 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:46,550 I didn't know it was heard. 25 00:16:46,560 --> 00:17:16,309 email. 26 00:17:16,319 --> 00:18:41,430 There's one out there. 27 00:18:41,440 --> 00:20:35,590 How do you say? 28 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:41,750 Well, 29 00:20:41,760 --> 00:23:32,470 Yeah, I got 30 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:54,710 I did 31 00:23:54,720 --> 00:24:05,510 something. 32 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:38,310 You Remember? 33 00:24:38,320 --> 00:27:34,630 What the hell? 34 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:39,269 I'm sure 35 00:27:39,279 --> 00:28:05,990 you feel 36 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:26,870 I mean, what I know about 37 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:47,430 Everybody 38 00:28:47,440 --> 00:28:49,520 Good evening everyone. It is 6:30 p.m. 39 00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:51,600 So I will call the Tuesday, August 18th 40 00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:52,960 meeting of the Superior Common Council 41 00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:54,559 to order. Please rise for the pledge of 42 00:28:54,559 --> 00:28:58,630 >> allegiance 43 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:01,039 to the flag of the United States of 44 00:29:01,039 --> 00:29:03,679 America and to the republic for which it 45 00:29:03,679 --> 00:29:06,640 stands. One nation under God, 46 00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:09,039 indivisible with liberty and justice for 47 00:29:09,039 --> 00:29:11,600 all. 48 00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:14,080 >> Will the clerk please call the role? 49 00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:15,200 >> Councelor Ledine 50 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:15,679 >> here. 51 00:29:15,679 --> 00:29:16,720 >> Councelor Anderson 52 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:17,200 >> here. 53 00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:18,320 >> Vice President Moffett [clears throat] 54 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:18,640 >> here. 55 00:29:18,640 --> 00:29:19,600 >> Councelor Sweeney 56 00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:20,000 >> here. 57 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:21,200 >> Councelor Radkkey 58 00:29:21,200 --> 00:29:22,880 >> here. Councelor Elm 59 00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:23,360 >> here. 60 00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:24,480 >> Councelor Caven 61 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:25,120 >> here. 62 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:26,080 >> President Heric 63 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:26,799 >> here. 64 00:29:26,799 --> 00:29:27,760 >> Councelor Herring 65 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:28,240 >> here. 66 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:29,200 >> Councelor Graskki 67 00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:29,679 >> here. 68 00:29:29,679 --> 00:29:34,789 >> We have a quorum. 69 00:29:34,799 --> 00:29:37,360 » Item 4.1 is the approval of the August 70 00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:40,000 4th, 2026 regular common council meeting 71 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:42,399 minutes. 72 00:29:42,399 --> 00:29:44,480 >> Motions by councelor Elm, the second by 73 00:29:44,480 --> 00:29:48,000 councelor Anderson. Is there discussion? 74 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:49,360 Hearing none. All those in favor, please 75 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:50,640 signify by saying I. 76 00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:53,120 >> I. Those opposed say no. The motion 77 00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:55,120 carries. 78 00:29:55,120 --> 00:29:58,000 >> Item 6.1 is a report from Mayor Payne. 79 00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:01,120 >> Okay. Good evening again, councilors. Uh 80 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:06,240 the only thing on my report is to finish 81 00:30:06,240 --> 00:30:08,799 our priorities based budgeting process. 82 00:30:08,799 --> 00:30:12,480 So, what you uh Justin should have 83 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:15,200 passed out a few items uh which will 84 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:18,480 include a an example, a printed example 85 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:23,120 of how the priorities based budgeting exercise will work. Do not use 86 00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:24,559 this paper form. You're going to be 87 00:30:24,559 --> 00:30:26,000 taking this online. We'll send you the 88 00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:28,159 link uh either well first thing in the 89 00:30:28,159 --> 00:30:30,480 morning. That's what you will use. Uh 90 00:30:30,480 --> 00:30:32,240 then you got an addendum to the 91 00:30:32,240 --> 00:30:34,880 prioritiesbased budgeting survey. And 92 00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:37,039 what this is meant to do is to help you 93 00:30:37,039 --> 00:30:39,200 explain and understand how to vote if 94 00:30:39,200 --> 00:30:41,200 there were specific priorities that you 95 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:43,440 wanted to pursue. So, in a minute, I'm 96 00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:44,799 going to open it up to any questions 97 00:30:44,799 --> 00:30:46,799 anybody has or any comments anybody has 98 00:30:46,799 --> 00:30:49,520 on any of uh proposals you may have 99 00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:52,399 authored, especially uh but if you were 100 00:30:52,399 --> 00:30:54,799 to look closely through this draft of 101 00:30:54,799 --> 00:30:56,480 priorities based budgeting, the first 102 00:30:56,480 --> 00:30:58,240 thing I'm going to point out is that you 103 00:30:58,240 --> 00:31:01,279 will uh notice that many things that you 104 00:31:01,279 --> 00:31:02,960 might have expected to see will not be 105 00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:05,039 on here. So, some of your specific 106 00:31:05,039 --> 00:31:07,120 proposals will not be on here because 107 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:09,840 they they fall within categories that we 108 00:31:09,840 --> 00:31:12,159 will budget for later. So, I'm going to 109 00:31:12,159 --> 00:31:14,399 explain how this works. Uh, and and of 110 00:31:14,399 --> 00:31:16,080 course, we can answer questions 111 00:31:16,080 --> 00:31:18,720 afterwards, but you're going to 112 00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:22,000 participate in once you get the link, 113 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:25,200 you're going to participate in five 114 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:28,640 exercises. All right? So, the first 115 00:31:28,640 --> 00:31:30,640 well, the first is your name. So, I hope 116 00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:33,120 everybody gets that right. Uh the second 117 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:34,960 is to rank your overall spending 118 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:36,480 priorities. 119 00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:39,360 The the most significant interplay that 120 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:40,880 we will see in the general fund 121 00:31:40,880 --> 00:31:44,240 budgeting process is the relationship 122 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:46,960 between the general fund and the capital 123 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:49,360 improvement plan. Many cities in 124 00:31:49,360 --> 00:31:51,600 Wisconsin include that capital plan as 125 00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:54,159 part of their general fund. We do not. 126 00:31:54,159 --> 00:31:56,080 But it's a separate budget. It's a 127 00:31:56,080 --> 00:31:58,480 separate document. But those two relate 128 00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:01,120 to each other because all of the revenue 129 00:32:01,120 --> 00:32:02,720 comes from the same source. There are 130 00:32:02,720 --> 00:32:04,880 many sources of revenue, but it is 131 00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:08,159 allocated to those two budgets. So what 132 00:32:08,159 --> 00:32:10,799 we need from you is which of them is 133 00:32:10,799 --> 00:32:12,480 more important to you? What kind of year 134 00:32:12,480 --> 00:32:14,480 do you want this to be? And so you're 135 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:16,559 just going to rank one, should we just 136 00:32:16,559 --> 00:32:19,039 spend less on everything and reduce the 137 00:32:19,039 --> 00:32:21,519 levy? Okay, that's that's one option. 138 00:32:21,519 --> 00:32:24,960 And then uh for your second choice uh 139 00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:26,720 you could you could choose for example 140 00:32:26,720 --> 00:32:28,720 to divert terminal tax to the general 141 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:30,880 fund for an increase in operations or 142 00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:33,440 divert terminal tax to the CIP for an 143 00:32:33,440 --> 00:32:35,200 increase in capital spending. The reason 144 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:37,600 we describe uh highlight specifically 145 00:32:37,600 --> 00:32:39,440 terminal tax is it's the most 146 00:32:39,440 --> 00:32:42,320 discretionary revenue. On the whole our 147 00:32:42,320 --> 00:32:44,960 levy is completely obligated to the 148 00:32:44,960 --> 00:32:46,799 general fund. In fact the levy doesn't 149 00:32:46,799 --> 00:32:48,480 come close to covering all the expenses 150 00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:50,240 of the general fund. We have several 151 00:32:50,240 --> 00:32:52,000 other revenue sources that that we use 152 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:55,600 to accomplish that. We will use some cap 153 00:32:55,600 --> 00:32:59,200 uh uh to oil pipeline terminal tax for 154 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:01,679 the general fund. How much will be set 155 00:33:01,679 --> 00:33:05,440 by you? The CIP on the other hand mostly 156 00:33:05,440 --> 00:33:07,919 relies on terminal tax. Every once in a 157 00:33:07,919 --> 00:33:09,760 while there are other uh uh grants and 158 00:33:09,760 --> 00:33:12,159 things but they're pretty spotty. Most 159 00:33:12,159 --> 00:33:16,320 of that money is terminal tax. Okay? So 160 00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:18,320 don't worry too much about the tax 161 00:33:18,320 --> 00:33:20,240 that's funding it. What I want you to 162 00:33:20,240 --> 00:33:22,080 think about when choosing between 163 00:33:22,080 --> 00:33:25,519 capital or operations or general fund is 164 00:33:25,519 --> 00:33:27,279 what the kind of things you want to see 165 00:33:27,279 --> 00:33:29,919 funded. Most of the general fund is 166 00:33:29,919 --> 00:33:32,240 taken up by staffing. The vast majority 167 00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:34,399 of that fund is staff wages and 168 00:33:34,399 --> 00:33:36,720 benefits. So, as you look at your 169 00:33:36,720 --> 00:33:38,880 priorities uh later on, if you think 170 00:33:38,880 --> 00:33:40,399 you're going to be supporting many more 171 00:33:40,399 --> 00:33:42,320 staff positions, there are many staff 172 00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:43,840 positions on this priority ranking 173 00:33:43,840 --> 00:33:45,600 sheet. If that's where your priorities 174 00:33:45,600 --> 00:33:47,360 are, then you're probably going to want 175 00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:49,200 to elevate the general fund in this 176 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:51,279 second exercise. If on the other hand, 177 00:33:51,279 --> 00:33:52,960 you want to do the big projects. Several 178 00:33:52,960 --> 00:33:54,399 of you actually recommended big 179 00:33:54,399 --> 00:33:56,240 projects, sports complexes, parks 180 00:33:56,240 --> 00:33:58,000 improvements, then you're going to want 181 00:33:58,000 --> 00:33:59,600 to make sure that the capital 182 00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:02,000 improvement plan is well funded. Okay? 183 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:03,039 So, think about that a little bit 184 00:34:03,039 --> 00:34:05,039 carefully. And again, if neither of 185 00:34:05,039 --> 00:34:06,960 those matter to you very much and you 186 00:34:06,960 --> 00:34:08,320 want to just reduce the levy, you can 187 00:34:08,320 --> 00:34:10,800 elevate that as well. Uh this is just 188 00:34:10,800 --> 00:34:12,399 going to give us a general sense of 189 00:34:12,399 --> 00:34:15,679 where the council is at. Okay, it has it 190 00:34:15,679 --> 00:34:17,760 does not influence the later priorities 191 00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:20,320 based budgeting. So then the second part 192 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:23,520 of the exercise uh and this is where you 193 00:34:23,520 --> 00:34:25,040 are it's going to be challenging. You 194 00:34:25,040 --> 00:34:26,800 are not going to have as much fun as uh 195 00:34:26,800 --> 00:34:29,599 I I promised earlier in the process when 196 00:34:29,599 --> 00:34:31,520 you can ask for anything you want and 197 00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:33,760 money is no object. It's definitely an 198 00:34:33,760 --> 00:34:38,639 object. Now, uh so in uh exercise number 199 00:34:38,639 --> 00:34:40,560 three, you're going to rank your general 200 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:43,839 fund items in order of priority. You 201 00:34:43,839 --> 00:34:46,560 have 10 choices. As you can see, there 202 00:34:46,560 --> 00:34:49,599 are far more than 10 choices available. 203 00:34:49,599 --> 00:34:51,280 You are going to leave things off the 204 00:34:51,280 --> 00:34:52,879 list. That's what makes this so 205 00:34:52,879 --> 00:34:56,159 difficult. And so I I have to give you a 206 00:34:56,159 --> 00:34:57,599 couple of warnings here, though. I think 207 00:34:57,599 --> 00:34:58,800 I gave this at our committee of the 208 00:34:58,800 --> 00:35:01,599 whole at the last meeting. If the 209 00:35:01,599 --> 00:35:04,960 council as a whole does not prioritize 210 00:35:04,960 --> 00:35:08,000 something, it will not be funded or it 211 00:35:08,000 --> 00:35:11,280 will see reductions in funding. The this 212 00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:12,640 has not been a problem for years, but 213 00:35:12,640 --> 00:35:14,000 early versions of this, I heard 214 00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:15,520 councelor say, well, you know, the 215 00:35:15,520 --> 00:35:17,920 mayor's not going to defund streets 216 00:35:17,920 --> 00:35:19,040 maintenance. The mayor's not going to 217 00:35:19,040 --> 00:35:21,119 defund the police and fire equipment and 218 00:35:21,119 --> 00:35:23,599 vehicles. No, I would not choose to do 219 00:35:23,599 --> 00:35:25,680 that, but if you do, they will be 220 00:35:25,680 --> 00:35:28,800 defunded. And so you do have to exercise 221 00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:32,640 some responsibility and fund those uh uh 222 00:35:32,640 --> 00:35:34,079 principal services that are funded 223 00:35:34,079 --> 00:35:36,560 year-over-year. Now when we allocate the 224 00:35:36,560 --> 00:35:38,560 scores later, the things that do get 225 00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:40,720 funded on an annual basis uh the things 226 00:35:40,720 --> 00:35:42,400 that have been in the budget before like 227 00:35:42,400 --> 00:35:45,520 those uh like existing staff positions 228 00:35:45,520 --> 00:35:48,480 or uh I'm sorry that in the capital like 229 00:35:48,480 --> 00:35:51,040 uh police and fire vehicles those are 230 00:35:51,040 --> 00:35:53,280 going to get higher scores. Similar 231 00:35:53,280 --> 00:35:54,880 similarly, if something has been 232 00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:58,079 proposed in years past, uh even if it 233 00:35:58,079 --> 00:35:59,920 wasn't funded, that will get a higher 234 00:35:59,920 --> 00:36:01,599 score. Uh an example in the general fund 235 00:36:01,599 --> 00:36:03,119 is the fire marshall that's been 236 00:36:03,119 --> 00:36:04,800 proposed for a few years now by the fire 237 00:36:04,800 --> 00:36:09,359 chief uh and councelor Leadine. If uh 238 00:36:09,359 --> 00:36:10,800 those of you that vote for it, those 239 00:36:10,800 --> 00:36:11,839 that's going to get higher points 240 00:36:11,839 --> 00:36:12,960 because it's something we've been 241 00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:14,880 considering now for several years. 242 00:36:14,880 --> 00:36:17,119 Whereas those brand new proposals that 243 00:36:17,119 --> 00:36:19,280 you just brought up in uh the last few 244 00:36:19,280 --> 00:36:22,160 weeks, those are not going to get very 245 00:36:22,160 --> 00:36:24,720 uh any bonuses to their scores and they 246 00:36:24,720 --> 00:36:26,960 are far less likely to be funded. That 247 00:36:26,960 --> 00:36:28,560 doesn't mean you shouldn't support them 248 00:36:28,560 --> 00:36:30,400 because if you support them this year, 249 00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:32,079 same as the fire marshal, it's going to 250 00:36:32,079 --> 00:36:34,720 gain in strength as the years go on. In 251 00:36:34,720 --> 00:36:36,400 other words, the things that are most 252 00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:38,079 vetted are the things that are more 253 00:36:38,079 --> 00:36:40,480 likely to be funded. But uh overall, 254 00:36:40,480 --> 00:36:42,560 it's going to be your collective 255 00:36:42,560 --> 00:36:44,640 priorities that drive this. So 10 256 00:36:44,640 --> 00:36:47,359 choices in the general fund and then the 257 00:36:47,359 --> 00:36:50,480 capital improvement plan is exercise 258 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:52,400 number four. 259 00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:54,640 Uh this is where you're going to see a 260 00:36:54,640 --> 00:36:55,760 lot of your priorities kind of 261 00:36:55,760 --> 00:36:57,440 disappeared and that's why this addendum 262 00:36:57,440 --> 00:36:59,200 is important. So I want to teach you how 263 00:36:59,200 --> 00:37:00,880 to do this. Look carefully at this 264 00:37:00,880 --> 00:37:05,920 because many of you have proposals. The most common is uh parks 265 00:37:05,920 --> 00:37:07,760 improvements. Many of you requested 266 00:37:07,760 --> 00:37:11,200 parks improvements uh and or have in 267 00:37:11,200 --> 00:37:13,200 years past. you will not see, for 268 00:37:13,200 --> 00:37:14,560 example, the Barker's Island fishing 269 00:37:14,560 --> 00:37:18,800 pier or Guj Park or Hammond Park uh uh 270 00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:22,720 listed on the capital uh spending items. 271 00:37:22,720 --> 00:37:24,400 So, for example, councelor Caven wanted 272 00:37:24,400 --> 00:37:26,640 to see improvements to Hammond Park. She 273 00:37:26,640 --> 00:37:28,079 won't vote for that directly. That's not 274 00:37:28,079 --> 00:37:29,599 on there. She's going to vote for parks 275 00:37:29,599 --> 00:37:31,760 improvements. Okay? And then what 276 00:37:31,760 --> 00:37:33,520 happens if enough of you support parks 277 00:37:33,520 --> 00:37:35,520 improvements even if all of you value 278 00:37:35,520 --> 00:37:37,760 different projects parks improvements 279 00:37:37,760 --> 00:37:40,000 overall is going to get elevated then 280 00:37:40,000 --> 00:37:42,480 it's going to get more funding and then 281 00:37:42,480 --> 00:37:44,960 you as a council will will decide how 282 00:37:44,960 --> 00:37:47,280 that funding is going to be allocated at 283 00:37:47,280 --> 00:37:50,640 a later date. So the point nothing gets 284 00:37:50,640 --> 00:37:53,200 passed in the budget they only get 285 00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:55,280 funded. So, in other words, uh if 286 00:37:55,280 --> 00:37:56,960 everybody supports parks improvements, I 287 00:37:56,960 --> 00:37:58,960 shove a bunch of money into that line 288 00:37:58,960 --> 00:38:02,079 item and then you you spend it later. 289 00:38:02,079 --> 00:38:03,839 So, you don't have to worry about if if 290 00:38:03,839 --> 00:38:05,520 some of you like Guja Park and some of 291 00:38:05,520 --> 00:38:07,119 you like Hammond Park, that's not 292 00:38:07,119 --> 00:38:09,040 something you're fighting about now. You 293 00:38:09,040 --> 00:38:11,839 are in agreement that you like parks. 294 00:38:11,839 --> 00:38:13,680 Okay? And that is true for each of these 295 00:38:13,680 --> 00:38:15,839 other things. Uh they uh and you'll see 296 00:38:15,839 --> 00:38:17,520 these bold categories. parks 297 00:38:17,520 --> 00:38:18,560 improvement, marina improvements, 298 00:38:18,560 --> 00:38:20,560 historical properties, uh the equipment 299 00:38:20,560 --> 00:38:22,720 and vehicles, streets improvement, uh 300 00:38:22,720 --> 00:38:24,960 sidewalks, the IT fund. Those are broad 301 00:38:24,960 --> 00:38:27,119 categories that you would uh generally 302 00:38:27,119 --> 00:38:30,480 support. And then fin uh same thing 303 00:38:30,480 --> 00:38:33,920 here, you have many more than 10 to 304 00:38:33,920 --> 00:38:35,839 choose from. There were a couple of 305 00:38:35,839 --> 00:38:40,800 items that are so unique that they they 306 00:38:40,800 --> 00:38:43,280 don't fit neatly in a a broader category 307 00:38:43,280 --> 00:38:46,320 or they would be difficult to fund in uh 308 00:38:46,320 --> 00:38:47,599 even if they were in that category. An 309 00:38:47,599 --> 00:38:50,320 example is the pedestrian bridge/archch 310 00:38:50,320 --> 00:38:54,160 over highway uh 2 and 53 which was 311 00:38:54,160 --> 00:38:56,400 proposed by in some version was proposed 312 00:38:56,400 --> 00:38:59,359 by councelor Sweeney and Leine. 313 00:38:59,359 --> 00:39:00,720 We could conceivably put that in 314 00:39:00,720 --> 00:39:02,000 sidewalks funding. Folks, we're never 315 00:39:02,000 --> 00:39:03,359 going to use sidewalks funding to do 316 00:39:03,359 --> 00:39:05,280 that. uh we have to build sidewalks with 317 00:39:05,280 --> 00:39:07,280 that money. And so even though that is a 318 00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:09,599 sidewalk, I want to know, do you 319 00:39:09,599 --> 00:39:11,280 actually want to do this? And if this 320 00:39:11,280 --> 00:39:12,640 gets a bunch of votes and we're going to 321 00:39:12,640 --> 00:39:14,720 just allocate direct spending for it. 322 00:39:14,720 --> 00:39:16,640 Okay. Uh I know I've said a lot there. 323 00:39:16,640 --> 00:39:18,640 And I'm sorry, the last uh section is 324 00:39:18,640 --> 00:39:21,680 the uh grant funding. There are several 325 00:39:21,680 --> 00:39:24,560 forms of grants uh including a new one. 326 00:39:24,560 --> 00:39:26,160 Um and we just went ahead and made this 327 00:39:26,160 --> 00:39:28,240 hard for you as well. You have uh what 328 00:39:28,240 --> 00:39:30,160 five potential grant categories. You got 329 00:39:30,160 --> 00:39:32,320 to pick your top three. And so that 330 00:39:32,320 --> 00:39:34,079 again, there are several of you I know 331 00:39:34,079 --> 00:39:35,280 that have been very passionate about 332 00:39:35,280 --> 00:39:36,640 these grants, have worked on these for 333 00:39:36,640 --> 00:39:38,960 years. So, sorry about it. We're going 334 00:39:38,960 --> 00:39:40,240 to have to make some tough choices. So, 335 00:39:40,240 --> 00:39:41,680 just uh choose the ones that you love 336 00:39:41,680 --> 00:39:43,280 the most. Again, nobody will hold it 337 00:39:43,280 --> 00:39:45,839 against you uh that you didn't uh if 338 00:39:45,839 --> 00:39:47,520 some didn't make the cut. That is just 339 00:39:47,520 --> 00:39:51,440 the nature of budgeting. Okay. Uh rather 340 00:39:51,440 --> 00:39:53,920 than list all of these, I'm going to see 341 00:39:53,920 --> 00:39:56,720 if anybody has any questions right now 342 00:39:56,720 --> 00:39:59,520 about how this will work. Councelor 343 00:39:59,520 --> 00:40:03,040 Grass. Um, at our last meeting, uh, you 344 00:40:03,040 --> 00:40:04,800 know, some were on paper, some were 345 00:40:04,800 --> 00:40:06,640 verbalized. Um, should we just reference 346 00:40:06,640 --> 00:40:09,280 the last meeting in order to understand, 347 00:40:09,280 --> 00:40:11,440 um, just if there's like a project 348 00:40:11,440 --> 00:40:14,320 that's listed just to kind of, uh, 349 00:40:14,320 --> 00:40:16,160 follow through the committee, the whole 350 00:40:16,160 --> 00:40:17,680 >> Yeah. And what we can do, I think we've 351 00:40:17,680 --> 00:40:20,079 got a a super complete packet as of 352 00:40:20,079 --> 00:40:21,040 today. Sure. 353 00:40:21,040 --> 00:40:22,720 >> So, if anybody wants to see that, just 354 00:40:22,720 --> 00:40:24,800 shoot uh myself or Justin an email and 355 00:40:24,800 --> 00:40:26,240 we'll send that right out. Yeah, I know 356 00:40:26,240 --> 00:40:27,760 it's a lot. So, I just appreciate the 357 00:40:27,760 --> 00:40:29,920 work from your office and just trying to 358 00:40:29,920 --> 00:40:32,400 also kind of verbalize other tools that 359 00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:34,480 we can use as a group to make sure we're 360 00:40:34,480 --> 00:40:36,000 not getting too stuck on this. So, I 361 00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:36,720 appreciate that. 362 00:40:36,720 --> 00:40:37,920 >> That is a fair point. I had to refresh 363 00:40:37,920 --> 00:40:39,280 myself several times as I was doing 364 00:40:39,280 --> 00:40:40,960 this. 365 00:40:40,960 --> 00:40:42,240 >> Other questions? Councelor Caven. 366 00:40:42,240 --> 00:40:44,320 >> Um, I did see that there are some um 367 00:40:44,320 --> 00:40:47,200 items that have uh double asterisks. Is 368 00:40:47,200 --> 00:40:50,320 there any u like the purpose for the the 369 00:40:50,320 --> 00:40:53,359 double asterisk? 370 00:40:53,359 --> 00:40:54,480 >> Remind me [clears throat] the asterisk. 371 00:40:54,480 --> 00:40:56,720 >> That is you might get. 372 00:40:56,720 --> 00:40:58,720 >> Yes. 373 00:40:58,720 --> 00:41:02,079 Um, so if you look through the 374 00:41:02,079 --> 00:41:03,920 capital investment programs that are 375 00:41:03,920 --> 00:41:05,520 listed there, they've got the double 376 00:41:05,520 --> 00:41:07,599 stars, right? Then if you go to the last 377 00:41:07,599 --> 00:41:10,800 page, that's the addendum. So everything 378 00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:14,480 listed in bold here on the last page, 379 00:41:14,480 --> 00:41:17,599 that is going to be the asterisk. 380 00:41:17,599 --> 00:41:18,400 >> Okay. Thank you. 381 00:41:18,400 --> 00:41:21,040 >> Categories 382 00:41:21,040 --> 00:41:21,839 for the dean. 383 00:41:21,839 --> 00:41:25,040 >> Um, question, mayor. Um, five, uh, grant 384 00:41:25,040 --> 00:41:28,480 spending. Um, I guess my question is I 385 00:41:28,480 --> 00:41:31,119 don't see the recreation event grants. 386 00:41:31,119 --> 00:41:31,839 Are we just 387 00:41:31,839 --> 00:41:32,319 >> good? 388 00:41:32,319 --> 00:41:35,359 >> Um, assuming now from my standpoint, if 389 00:41:35,359 --> 00:41:36,400 you just want to assume we're going to 390 00:41:36,400 --> 00:41:40,400 fund those, then that's fine. 391 00:41:40,400 --> 00:41:41,760 >> No, I'm going to add it on there. That's 392 00:41:41,760 --> 00:41:44,079 a good catch. Uh, well, so before we 393 00:41:44,079 --> 00:41:45,359 send this out in the morning, we'll add 394 00:41:45,359 --> 00:41:47,359 the wreck grants that there is an 395 00:41:47,359 --> 00:41:49,839 argument for not because they have some 396 00:41:49,839 --> 00:41:52,400 dedicated funding. There's a portion of 397 00:41:52,400 --> 00:41:54,400 the hotel motel tax that is specifically 398 00:41:54,400 --> 00:41:58,640 reserved for parks and wreck and I had 399 00:41:58,640 --> 00:42:02,000 uh uh intend I I may assign that money 400 00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:04,160 to it but at the same like how much it 401 00:42:04,160 --> 00:42:05,680 gets the council should be weighing in 402 00:42:05,680 --> 00:42:07,200 on that. So we'll add the wreck grants 403 00:42:07,200 --> 00:42:09,359 by morning. 404 00:42:09,359 --> 00:42:10,480 It's going to make it harder. There's 405 00:42:10,480 --> 00:42:12,640 one more to choose from. Not councelor 406 00:42:12,640 --> 00:42:13,200 Moffet. 407 00:42:13,200 --> 00:42:16,560 >> Can we can we I sent those descriptions 408 00:42:16,560 --> 00:42:19,440 uh of the my budget items um after the 409 00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:21,599 last meeting. Can we push those out to 410 00:42:21,599 --> 00:42:22,720 counselors rather than having them 411 00:42:22,720 --> 00:42:24,000 request them? Sure. 412 00:42:24,000 --> 00:42:26,240 >> Okay. And a few of the things that I had 413 00:42:26,240 --> 00:42:27,920 requested aren't on here. So, just 414 00:42:27,920 --> 00:42:29,440 curious if they fall under other 415 00:42:29,440 --> 00:42:31,359 categories or and I want to make sure 416 00:42:31,359 --> 00:42:32,640 that if they don't get funded this year, 417 00:42:32,640 --> 00:42:35,119 I get my bonus points next year. So, um, 418 00:42:35,119 --> 00:42:37,680 the regional bioolids resource recovery 419 00:42:37,680 --> 00:42:41,839 feasibility study for ESD, the superior 420 00:42:41,839 --> 00:42:44,800 legacy fund, the community stabilization 421 00:42:44,800 --> 00:42:47,760 fund, the solar feasibility engineering 422 00:42:47,760 --> 00:42:51,119 study for the library, 423 00:42:51,119 --> 00:42:53,040 uh, I think the other ones are on here. 424 00:42:53,040 --> 00:42:56,800 So, okay. Uh, let me There is 425 00:42:56,800 --> 00:42:59,200 the legacy fund. Yes, I apologize. I did 426 00:42:59,200 --> 00:43:02,720 miss that. Uh, 427 00:43:02,720 --> 00:43:06,400 and then the the bios that's ESD. So 428 00:43:06,400 --> 00:43:07,680 since those are enterprise funds, we 429 00:43:07,680 --> 00:43:09,520 will do that as a separate process. 430 00:43:09,520 --> 00:43:11,200 There were a few ESD requests. They're 431 00:43:11,200 --> 00:43:12,720 just not part of this at all. They'll be 432 00:43:12,720 --> 00:43:14,319 totally separate. But yours will be a 433 00:43:14,319 --> 00:43:15,359 part of that process. 434 00:43:15,359 --> 00:43:17,200 >> And the community stabilization fund. 435 00:43:17,200 --> 00:43:19,040 Can we put that on here? Also, 436 00:43:19,040 --> 00:43:20,480 >> remind me that briefly the difference 437 00:43:20,480 --> 00:43:21,599 between that and the and the legacy 438 00:43:21,599 --> 00:43:21,839 fund. 439 00:43:21,839 --> 00:43:23,119 >> Yeah. So, the legacy fund is setting up 440 00:43:23,119 --> 00:43:24,880 a long-term uh essentially like 441 00:43:24,880 --> 00:43:26,480 permanent fund or endowment for this 442 00:43:26,480 --> 00:43:28,960 city um that would grow over time and we 443 00:43:28,960 --> 00:43:30,480 wouldn't touch the principal but would 444 00:43:30,480 --> 00:43:32,319 be able to receive essentially like 445 00:43:32,319 --> 00:43:34,400 dividends from that um each year in the 446 00:43:34,400 --> 00:43:38,079 future um to prevent future property tax 447 00:43:38,079 --> 00:43:39,599 increases and kind of stabilize our 448 00:43:39,599 --> 00:43:41,599 long-term financial outlook. Being that 449 00:43:41,599 --> 00:43:43,839 we have sources of revenue right now 450 00:43:43,839 --> 00:43:45,920 like the terminal tax that are 451 00:43:45,920 --> 00:43:48,240 potentially not permanent, um it would 452 00:43:48,240 --> 00:43:50,720 allow us to have a backup mechanism to 453 00:43:50,720 --> 00:43:52,560 continue to fund capital expense 454 00:43:52,560 --> 00:43:54,560 projects in the future if we lost some 455 00:43:54,560 --> 00:43:57,200 of that revenue. Um the community 456 00:43:57,200 --> 00:44:00,000 stabilization fund is essentially the 457 00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:02,880 concept that our uh neighbors out there 458 00:44:02,880 --> 00:44:05,200 are uh struggling financially a lot of 459 00:44:05,200 --> 00:44:09,280 them uh and they get stuck uh going for 460 00:44:09,280 --> 00:44:11,040 credit card payments on things or 461 00:44:11,040 --> 00:44:14,079 highinterest loans. Uh, and this would 462 00:44:14,079 --> 00:44:17,440 allow us to team up with local uh, 463 00:44:17,440 --> 00:44:20,640 credit unions or local banks, offer um, 464 00:44:20,640 --> 00:44:23,760 small low interest loans essentially to 465 00:44:23,760 --> 00:44:25,680 community members for emergency 466 00:44:25,680 --> 00:44:28,160 purchases, whatever like that. So, okay. 467 00:44:28,160 --> 00:44:31,040 Uh, I'm the legacy fund will fall under 468 00:44:31,040 --> 00:44:34,720 uh, capital because it uh, it's an 469 00:44:34,720 --> 00:44:36,720 intermittent funding program. So, it'll 470 00:44:36,720 --> 00:44:38,240 look a lot like the economic development 471 00:44:38,240 --> 00:44:40,400 fund or the affordable housing fund. So, 472 00:44:40,400 --> 00:44:42,720 that's where that will fall. And unless 473 00:44:42,720 --> 00:44:44,880 you have strong objection, I am going to 474 00:44:44,880 --> 00:44:46,560 put the community stabilization fund 475 00:44:46,560 --> 00:44:48,240 under the grants because it appears to 476 00:44:48,240 --> 00:44:49,520 function very similar to the small 477 00:44:49,520 --> 00:44:50,960 business grant. 478 00:44:50,960 --> 00:44:52,880 >> Yeah. In a way, it would offer it would 479 00:44:52,880 --> 00:44:55,280 essentially work as a revolving loan 480 00:44:55,280 --> 00:44:56,319 fund. Okay. 481 00:44:56,319 --> 00:44:59,119 >> So, we could set like however amount we 482 00:44:59,119 --> 00:45:01,040 want like into that fund. We would team 483 00:45:01,040 --> 00:45:02,880 up with banks and then let's say we put 484 00:45:02,880 --> 00:45:04,480 $100,000 in and that would be available 485 00:45:04,480 --> 00:45:06,240 for small loans or whatever like that. 486 00:45:06,240 --> 00:45:07,680 But essentially those people would pay 487 00:45:07,680 --> 00:45:09,680 the loans back, right? And so then you 488 00:45:09,680 --> 00:45:12,000 know the money would be revolving. Um 489 00:45:12,000 --> 00:45:13,760 the question is just like how much we 490 00:45:13,760 --> 00:45:15,680 funded is how many people are impacted 491 00:45:15,680 --> 00:45:17,040 by the amount of money that's available. 492 00:45:17,040 --> 00:45:18,560 Right? So like how the amount of loans 493 00:45:18,560 --> 00:45:20,800 we could do is greater based on the 494 00:45:20,800 --> 00:45:23,839 amount of money we put in. So 495 00:45:23,839 --> 00:45:25,599 okay other questions or discussion? 496 00:45:25,599 --> 00:45:31,349 Anything else I've missed? 497 00:45:31,359 --> 00:45:33,599 Okay. Again, feel free like even by the 498 00:45:33,599 --> 00:45:34,640 end of this meeting, as you know, 499 00:45:34,640 --> 00:45:36,240 counselors, I always linger afterwards 500 00:45:36,240 --> 00:45:38,079 if if other questions come to mind as 501 00:45:38,079 --> 00:45:39,599 you're just kind of scrolling through 502 00:45:39,599 --> 00:45:42,240 this and then we'll we'll put out the 503 00:45:42,240 --> 00:45:44,160 full version in the morning with those 504 00:45:44,160 --> 00:45:47,440 changes. Uh it will accompany the entire 505 00:45:47,440 --> 00:45:50,160 packet. Uh as well as this addendum. You 506 00:45:50,160 --> 00:45:51,040 don't have to worry about keeping this 507 00:45:51,040 --> 00:45:52,240 if you want to recycle it on the way out 508 00:45:52,240 --> 00:45:55,920 the door. And uh as always, feel free to 509 00:45:55,920 --> 00:45:57,680 reach out if you have questions either 510 00:45:57,680 --> 00:45:59,200 over the phone if you want to pop in for 511 00:45:59,200 --> 00:46:01,920 a quick meeting uh uh to discuss how 512 00:46:01,920 --> 00:46:04,000 it'll work. Uh and if you're curious, 513 00:46:04,000 --> 00:46:05,680 pull up last year's budget book, 514 00:46:05,680 --> 00:46:07,280 especially the new counselors, and you 515 00:46:07,280 --> 00:46:09,839 will see how this looks in the end, how 516 00:46:09,839 --> 00:46:11,839 you are going to be represented in the 517 00:46:11,839 --> 00:46:14,400 budget book because uh while we are 518 00:46:14,400 --> 00:46:16,000 looking at what your collective goals 519 00:46:16,000 --> 00:46:18,640 are, your individual goals will be 520 00:46:18,640 --> 00:46:20,000 published in there. And so you're going 521 00:46:20,000 --> 00:46:22,240 to get a little profile of what if you 522 00:46:22,240 --> 00:46:24,640 were writing the budget by yourself what 523 00:46:24,640 --> 00:46:27,040 it would look like. And you'll notice 524 00:46:27,040 --> 00:46:29,520 even at the uh very back end of this 525 00:46:29,520 --> 00:46:31,200 priorities process, you got a little 526 00:46:31,200 --> 00:46:33,359 chance to make a a bit of a statement on 527 00:46:33,359 --> 00:46:35,280 the budget and your priorities. And that 528 00:46:35,280 --> 00:46:38,560 will go in the budget book as well as your picture. So make sure that 529 00:46:38,560 --> 00:46:41,359 is up to date and looking good. Any 530 00:46:41,359 --> 00:46:44,400 further discussion? 531 00:46:44,400 --> 00:46:48,240 Councelor Sweeney. Um whether it be in 532 00:46:48,240 --> 00:46:50,560 the general fund or not, there are names 533 00:46:50,560 --> 00:46:54,319 of council mentioned it, but there are 534 00:46:54,319 --> 00:46:56,640 others that have no name. Is that from 535 00:46:56,640 --> 00:46:57,920 management? 536 00:46:57,920 --> 00:46:59,680 >> Uh you can assume that. In fact, some of 537 00:46:59,680 --> 00:47:02,079 the council proposals were also proposed 538 00:47:02,079 --> 00:47:05,200 by management. So, uh like you see 539 00:47:05,200 --> 00:47:06,800 councelor Leadine's name next to the 540 00:47:06,800 --> 00:47:08,000 fire marshall. Well, of course, the fire 541 00:47:08,000 --> 00:47:10,640 chief proposed that as well. And so that 542 00:47:10,640 --> 00:47:12,000 was just sort of the last minute 543 00:47:12,000 --> 00:47:14,240 addition we threw in there because this 544 00:47:14,240 --> 00:47:16,640 was one of the 545 00:47:16,640 --> 00:47:19,359 bigger years for council participation 546 00:47:19,359 --> 00:47:23,040 and in terms of ideas. And so Justin 547 00:47:23,040 --> 00:47:25,359 actually insisted on that that uh you 548 00:47:25,359 --> 00:47:27,760 should get credit for your ideas. I was 549 00:47:27,760 --> 00:47:30,079 a little nervous that uh you might it 550 00:47:30,079 --> 00:47:31,440 might lead you to use your relationships 551 00:47:31,440 --> 00:47:32,800 with each other and vote for the people 552 00:47:32,800 --> 00:47:35,040 you like instead of the ideas, but he uh 553 00:47:35,040 --> 00:47:37,599 he trusts you quite a bit more. 554 00:47:37,599 --> 00:47:40,870 >> Thank you. 555 00:47:40,880 --> 00:47:44,880 Any further discussion or questions? 556 00:47:44,880 --> 00:47:49,030 That concludes my report. 557 00:47:49,040 --> 00:47:51,599 Item 7.2 is the business of the public 558 00:47:51,599 --> 00:47:53,839 works committee with a meeting held on 559 00:47:53,839 --> 00:47:56,000 August 6th. Is there a report from the 560 00:47:56,000 --> 00:47:57,280 chair? 561 00:47:57,280 --> 00:47:58,800 >> Yes, there is. Just a short one. Thank 562 00:47:58,800 --> 00:48:00,800 you. Thank you very much, uh, chair. Um, 563 00:48:00,800 --> 00:48:02,319 the recommendations from the public 564 00:48:02,319 --> 00:48:05,200 works committee meeting on August 6th. 565 00:48:05,200 --> 00:48:07,520 Um, you see a recommendation to wave the 566 00:48:07,520 --> 00:48:09,280 bidding requirements for the repair of 567 00:48:09,280 --> 00:48:12,160 the SS Meteor. Um, SS Meteor has a 568 00:48:12,160 --> 00:48:14,560 cracked hull and we're hoping to wave 569 00:48:14,560 --> 00:48:16,079 the bidding requirements and give that 570 00:48:16,079 --> 00:48:18,720 to Frasier Shipyard. Total quoted cost 571 00:48:18,720 --> 00:48:21,680 of $29,900. 572 00:48:21,680 --> 00:48:23,599 Nice side 573 00:48:23,599 --> 00:48:26,640 mention on that. Frasier shipyard was 574 00:48:26,640 --> 00:48:29,200 originally the ones who built the whale 575 00:48:29,200 --> 00:48:31,040 back and now are the ones repair and 576 00:48:31,040 --> 00:48:33,200 possibly repairing it. if if we decide 577 00:48:33,200 --> 00:48:34,960 to approve that that I throw that one 578 00:48:34,960 --> 00:48:37,920 out there. Um 4 point um or our other 579 00:48:37,920 --> 00:48:40,000 recommendation was to approve the 2026 580 00:48:40,000 --> 00:48:42,559 hot mix asphalt proposals. Um those are 581 00:48:42,559 --> 00:48:44,000 in the minutes from from the public 582 00:48:44,000 --> 00:48:47,119 works committee meeting. Um we also have 583 00:48:47,119 --> 00:48:48,480 a recommendation to award the 584 00:48:48,480 --> 00:48:50,240 engineering design contract for the 585 00:48:50,240 --> 00:48:52,400 North 28th Street grade separation 586 00:48:52,400 --> 00:48:55,040 project and that would go to to SRF 587 00:48:55,040 --> 00:48:58,880 consulting group. um public works was uh 588 00:48:58,880 --> 00:49:01,599 lucky enough to u um to go out find 589 00:49:01,599 --> 00:49:04,960 whatever but to be awarded um a uh 2.4 590 00:49:04,960 --> 00:49:09,119 million dollar grant um to look at this 591 00:49:09,119 --> 00:49:12,400 um possible design at 28th Street. The 592 00:49:12,400 --> 00:49:16,000 big one um looking at that is um the 593 00:49:16,000 --> 00:49:19,359 possibility of a viadok um over over the 594 00:49:19,359 --> 00:49:22,480 railroad tracks there. Um this grant 595 00:49:22,480 --> 00:49:27,440 came with an 8020 match. um 80% feds, 596 00:49:27,440 --> 00:49:29,760 20% from the city. The railroads um 597 00:49:29,760 --> 00:49:33,119 kicked in half of the city match um on 598 00:49:33,119 --> 00:49:36,720 that. Um this has the possibility of 599 00:49:36,720 --> 00:49:40,480 being a critical um transportation hub 600 00:49:40,480 --> 00:49:43,440 um as far as smoothing out uh traffic 601 00:49:43,440 --> 00:49:46,240 congestion there along those. So, we 602 00:49:46,240 --> 00:49:51,839 look for your recommendation on that or to approve that. And then uh lastly 603 00:49:51,839 --> 00:49:55,200 um the the committee recommends that a 604 00:49:55,200 --> 00:49:57,839 uh resolution be published uh for a 605 00:49:57,839 --> 00:49:59,680 referendum question to be placed on the 606 00:49:59,680 --> 00:50:02,640 April 2027 ballot. Uh the question is 607 00:50:02,640 --> 00:50:04,400 related to the city reclaiming the water 608 00:50:04,400 --> 00:50:06,480 utility um from Superior Water, Light 609 00:50:06,480 --> 00:50:09,440 and Power. Um this follows the uh 610 00:50:09,440 --> 00:50:11,760 process under Wisconsin state statute 611 00:50:11,760 --> 00:50:14,720 that uh lays out the whole whole thing 612 00:50:14,720 --> 00:50:17,440 for the process of reclamation. 613 00:50:17,440 --> 00:50:21,599 um under state law that uh this res this 614 00:50:21,599 --> 00:50:23,280 resolution must be passed to be 615 00:50:23,280 --> 00:50:25,920 published um at this meeting and then 616 00:50:25,920 --> 00:50:28,400 also be voted on at at a subsequent 617 00:50:28,400 --> 00:50:31,040 meeting um be before getting on the 618 00:50:31,040 --> 00:50:34,640 ballot. That that is the state um law 619 00:50:34,640 --> 00:50:38,480 for um referendums. Um, this also 620 00:50:38,480 --> 00:50:40,960 follows the uh proc the reclamation 621 00:50:40,960 --> 00:50:42,559 process like I stated under state 622 00:50:42,559 --> 00:50:45,200 statute that in order to get a hearing 623 00:50:45,200 --> 00:50:47,680 um before the Wisconsin public service 624 00:50:47,680 --> 00:50:49,760 commission which would set set the price 625 00:50:49,760 --> 00:50:52,480 in stone that there needs to be a 626 00:50:52,480 --> 00:50:56,480 successful referendum. Um that was my 627 00:50:56,480 --> 00:50:58,880 report. I can answer any questions. I 628 00:50:58,880 --> 00:51:01,359 will um allow the clerk to read 629 00:51:01,359 --> 00:51:05,599 everything individually. Thank you. 630 00:51:05,599 --> 00:51:07,920 >> 7.2.1 2.1 is to wave the bidding 631 00:51:07,920 --> 00:51:10,079 requirements for the repair of the SS 632 00:51:10,079 --> 00:51:12,240 Meteor's cracked hole and award the work 633 00:51:12,240 --> 00:51:14,400 to Fraser shipyards in the amount of 634 00:51:14,400 --> 00:51:16,559 $29,900. 635 00:51:16,559 --> 00:51:17,839 >> Motion to approve second. 636 00:51:17,839 --> 00:51:19,200 >> The motion's by Council Dean, the second 637 00:51:19,200 --> 00:51:21,760 by councelor Elm. Is there discussion? 638 00:51:21,760 --> 00:51:23,040 Hearing none, all those in favor, please 639 00:51:23,040 --> 00:51:24,160 signify by saying I. 640 00:51:24,160 --> 00:51:24,559 >> I. 641 00:51:24,559 --> 00:51:27,599 >> Those opposed say no. Motion carries. 642 00:51:27,599 --> 00:51:31,119 >> 7.2.2 is to approve the 2026 hotmix 643 00:51:31,119 --> 00:51:32,720 asphalt proposals. 644 00:51:32,720 --> 00:51:33,920 >> Motion to approve a second. 645 00:51:33,920 --> 00:51:35,200 >> Motion's by council the dean. the second 646 00:51:35,200 --> 00:51:38,160 by councelor Elm. Is there discussion 647 00:51:38,160 --> 00:51:39,520 hearing? None. All those in favor, 648 00:51:39,520 --> 00:51:41,200 please signify by saying I. 649 00:51:41,200 --> 00:51:42,800 >> Those opposed say no. The motion 650 00:51:42,800 --> 00:51:46,000 carries. 7.2.3 is to award the 651 00:51:46,000 --> 00:51:47,920 engineering design contract for the 652 00:51:47,920 --> 00:51:49,920 North 28th Street grade separation 653 00:51:49,920 --> 00:51:52,960 project to SRF Consulting Group in an 654 00:51:52,960 --> 00:51:57,670 amount not to exceed 2,464,37. 655 00:51:57,680 --> 00:51:59,200 » Motion to approve. 656 00:51:59,200 --> 00:51:59,839 >> Second. 657 00:51:59,839 --> 00:52:01,200 >> Motion's by councelor Dean. Second by 658 00:52:01,200 --> 00:52:03,839 councelor Moffett. Is there discussion? 659 00:52:03,839 --> 00:52:05,440 Uh I'm not sure. The public works 660 00:52:05,440 --> 00:52:06,640 committee noticed that this was 661 00:52:06,640 --> 00:52:08,400 originally as uh part of priorities 662 00:52:08,400 --> 00:52:10,640 based budgeting. Uh this in order to 663 00:52:10,640 --> 00:52:12,160 advance the project and getting get it 664 00:52:12,160 --> 00:52:13,839 moving. This is no longer a part of 665 00:52:13,839 --> 00:52:14,880 priorities based budgeting. If you 666 00:52:14,880 --> 00:52:16,240 approve this tonight, it's going to have 667 00:52:16,240 --> 00:52:19,440 to be in the 2027 budget. So you'd be 668 00:52:19,440 --> 00:52:21,599 your first budget allocation. Discussion 669 00:52:21,599 --> 00:52:25,270 or questions? 670 00:52:25,280 --> 00:52:28,480 Councelor Sweeney. Um, I have a question 671 00:52:28,480 --> 00:52:31,599 on the um 672 00:52:31,599 --> 00:52:33,760 a couple questions actually on the 673 00:52:33,760 --> 00:52:35,040 sending [clears throat] it over to the 674 00:52:35,040 --> 00:52:38,160 uh public service commission. First of 675 00:52:38,160 --> 00:52:40,960 all, on this uh vote, is this a bind is 676 00:52:40,960 --> 00:52:41,680 this a binding? 677 00:52:41,680 --> 00:52:42,960 >> Uh I'm sorry, council. We're still on 678 00:52:42,960 --> 00:52:44,319 the uh the previous 679 00:52:44,319 --> 00:52:46,480 >> without that. 680 00:52:46,480 --> 00:52:48,559 >> Okay. Further discussion on the award 681 00:52:48,559 --> 00:52:51,280 for 28th Street grade separation 682 00:52:51,280 --> 00:52:53,520 project, which is a potential vioaduct 683 00:52:53,520 --> 00:52:56,559 on 28th Street hearing. Uh, councelor 684 00:52:56,559 --> 00:52:57,280 Herring. 685 00:52:57,280 --> 00:52:59,599 >> Uh, just to clarify for my own 686 00:52:59,599 --> 00:53:02,480 knowledge, the 24 million is the total 687 00:53:02,480 --> 00:53:06,800 overall project and not just the design. 688 00:53:06,800 --> 00:53:10,480 >> No, this is design. Uh, the the or 689 00:53:10,480 --> 00:53:11,280 sorry, 690 00:53:11,280 --> 00:53:13,599 >> this is only design. So, the the project 691 00:53:13,599 --> 00:53:15,599 will be most likely tens of millions of 692 00:53:15,599 --> 00:53:16,079 dollars. 693 00:53:16,079 --> 00:53:18,319 >> Okay. And where is all that money coming 694 00:53:18,319 --> 00:53:20,480 from then? That's part of just the the 695 00:53:20,480 --> 00:53:21,920 8020 696 00:53:21,920 --> 00:53:23,760 >> with 10% coming out of us. 697 00:53:23,760 --> 00:53:27,200 >> Yeah, it's actually 9010. we pay 10% uh 698 00:53:27,200 --> 00:53:30,960 the uh because it is an 8020 award but 699 00:53:30,960 --> 00:53:34,880 the BNSF is covering half of our match 700 00:53:34,880 --> 00:53:37,599 that's why it's 9010 uh the rest would 701 00:53:37,599 --> 00:53:38,400 have to come from the capital 702 00:53:38,400 --> 00:53:39,760 improvement fund and so that's what I 703 00:53:39,760 --> 00:53:41,440 mean when I say that will have to be 704 00:53:41,440 --> 00:53:42,960 allocated if we approve this tonight we 705 00:53:42,960 --> 00:53:47,119 must allocate it uh from that budget 706 00:53:47,119 --> 00:53:48,480 >> thank you 707 00:53:48,480 --> 00:53:49,839 >> any uh council lady 708 00:53:49,839 --> 00:53:52,400 >> if I could just clarify um or or or ask 709 00:53:52,400 --> 00:53:54,319 a question for you to ask councelor I 710 00:53:54,319 --> 00:53:56,160 think he was looking at if we were going 711 00:53:56,160 --> 00:53:58,960 to build the VIA doc, where would those 712 00:53:58,960 --> 00:54:01,520 tens of millions of dollars come from 713 00:54:01,520 --> 00:54:02,640 for that? 714 00:54:02,640 --> 00:54:05,359 >> Oh, who knows? The uh uh that that is 715 00:54:05,359 --> 00:54:07,520 not determined. So, this uh we did not 716 00:54:07,520 --> 00:54:10,559 lead on this project. Uh the it's 717 00:54:10,559 --> 00:54:13,119 largely the railroad that wants to see 718 00:54:13,119 --> 00:54:15,040 this happen. As as everybody here knows, 719 00:54:15,040 --> 00:54:17,119 28th Street has a number of rail 720 00:54:17,119 --> 00:54:21,520 crossings and uh the railroad as a whole 721 00:54:21,520 --> 00:54:24,000 does not like crossing streets. creates 722 00:54:24,000 --> 00:54:26,079 a lot of problems and inefficiencies for 723 00:54:26,079 --> 00:54:28,640 them and of course for all of us as 724 00:54:28,640 --> 00:54:30,400 well. The only solution that works for 725 00:54:30,400 --> 00:54:32,720 everybody is to uh they would prefer to 726 00:54:32,720 --> 00:54:35,280 just eliminate the crossings as in close 727 00:54:35,280 --> 00:54:37,119 28th Street. That's obviously not 728 00:54:37,119 --> 00:54:40,240 acceptable to us. So the only real 729 00:54:40,240 --> 00:54:41,839 compromise is what the city's done twice 730 00:54:41,839 --> 00:54:44,720 before a vioaduct over 28th Street. 731 00:54:44,720 --> 00:54:46,880 They're very interested in pursuing that 732 00:54:46,880 --> 00:54:48,960 but we're still years out. the the 733 00:54:48,960 --> 00:54:50,480 design and engineering will take a very 734 00:54:50,480 --> 00:54:53,280 long time and then if they want to p if 735 00:54:53,280 --> 00:54:55,200 they want to move forward the city will 736 00:54:55,200 --> 00:54:56,559 almost certainly have to be a part of 737 00:54:56,559 --> 00:54:59,359 that project. Uh but there's no world 738 00:54:59,359 --> 00:55:00,640 where we would be able to fund the 739 00:55:00,640 --> 00:55:02,480 entire project. So the railroad is going 740 00:55:02,480 --> 00:55:04,640 to have to continue to be a major 741 00:55:04,640 --> 00:55:08,640 partner in this project. Uh so we'll as 742 00:55:08,640 --> 00:55:10,800 time goes on if it looks like a feasible 743 00:55:10,800 --> 00:55:13,040 project uh which I mean hey we're 744 00:55:13,040 --> 00:55:14,319 spending a significant amount of money 745 00:55:14,319 --> 00:55:18,880 just to study it. So, you know, when you study it, you hope that it's 746 00:55:18,880 --> 00:55:20,400 going to move forward, but we're going 747 00:55:20,400 --> 00:55:21,520 to need quite a bit of financial 748 00:55:21,520 --> 00:55:23,040 partnership here. So, I would hope that 749 00:55:23,040 --> 00:55:25,839 in addition to what the railroad's going 750 00:55:25,839 --> 00:55:27,760 to cover, as time goes on, we get some 751 00:55:27,760 --> 00:55:30,640 participation from uh uh maybe our state 752 00:55:30,640 --> 00:55:32,319 government as well, but obviously no 753 00:55:32,319 --> 00:55:34,960 guarantees and this is not budgeted yet. 754 00:55:34,960 --> 00:55:37,359 The final project is not budgeted. Okay, 755 00:55:37,359 --> 00:55:40,640 further questions or discussion? 756 00:55:40,640 --> 00:55:42,319 Hearing none, all those in favor, please 757 00:55:42,319 --> 00:55:43,839 signify by saying I. 758 00:55:43,839 --> 00:55:45,440 >> Those opposed say no. The motion 759 00:55:45,440 --> 00:55:46,960 carries. 760 00:55:46,960 --> 00:55:50,400 >> Item 7.2.4 is to publish a resolution 761 00:55:50,400 --> 00:55:52,079 relating to the water utility 762 00:55:52,079 --> 00:55:53,280 acquisition 763 00:55:53,280 --> 00:55:54,480 >> to approve. 764 00:55:54,480 --> 00:55:56,000 >> Uh the motion is by councelor Dean, 765 00:55:56,000 --> 00:55:57,119 second by councelor Moffett. We have 766 00:55:57,119 --> 00:55:58,400 several folks signed up for public 767 00:55:58,400 --> 00:56:00,240 comment. Uh as I introduce public 768 00:56:00,240 --> 00:56:02,480 comment, I wanted to offer a little bit 769 00:56:02,480 --> 00:56:06,000 more uh introduction in addition to 770 00:56:06,000 --> 00:56:08,480 chair lean's introduction mostly to 771 00:56:08,480 --> 00:56:10,000 explain the process so everybody knows 772 00:56:10,000 --> 00:56:12,720 what we're doing here. Uh publishing a 773 00:56:12,720 --> 00:56:14,160 resolution is going to be new to almost 774 00:56:14,160 --> 00:56:16,720 everybody here, but it's not a terribly 775 00:56:16,720 --> 00:56:19,440 strange concept. You'll notice many uh 776 00:56:19,440 --> 00:56:22,079 of our state and federal grant programs 777 00:56:22,079 --> 00:56:24,000 along with several other things require 778 00:56:24,000 --> 00:56:26,880 us to hold public hearings on uh certain 779 00:56:26,880 --> 00:56:28,880 items. And many of you will remember we 780 00:56:28,880 --> 00:56:31,200 will take a vote here at this council to 781 00:56:31,200 --> 00:56:34,079 set a public hearing at the next council 782 00:56:34,079 --> 00:56:35,680 meeting. So we'll have a resolution in 783 00:56:35,680 --> 00:56:36,799 front of us, we'll set the public 784 00:56:36,799 --> 00:56:39,760 hearing. This is a similar process. So, 785 00:56:39,760 --> 00:56:41,839 what's on the agenda tonight is the 786 00:56:41,839 --> 00:56:44,720 publication of this resolution that is 787 00:56:44,720 --> 00:56:47,359 in your packet. We uh you are not able 788 00:56:47,359 --> 00:56:49,599 to adopt this resolution tonight. The 789 00:56:49,599 --> 00:56:51,760 state statute does not allow that. All 790 00:56:51,760 --> 00:56:54,400 you're voting on is to take whether this 791 00:56:54,400 --> 00:56:58,480 language will get published for the uh 792 00:56:58,480 --> 00:57:00,799 public to see so that you may take 793 00:57:00,799 --> 00:57:05,119 action at uh at on September 1st at the 794 00:57:05,119 --> 00:57:07,200 earliest. It has to be noticed for at 795 00:57:07,200 --> 00:57:10,240 least a week. So, what is possible 796 00:57:10,240 --> 00:57:11,839 tonight is if there's something about 797 00:57:11,839 --> 00:57:14,880 this resolution that you see needs to be 798 00:57:14,880 --> 00:57:16,720 changed, and I'll have at least one 799 00:57:16,720 --> 00:57:19,359 suggestion, now would be the time to do 800 00:57:19,359 --> 00:57:21,680 that because in the future, if we make 801 00:57:21,680 --> 00:57:24,559 changes later, that will trigger another 802 00:57:24,559 --> 00:57:27,040 publication. So, any changes after 803 00:57:27,040 --> 00:57:30,079 tonight will automatically postpone the 804 00:57:30,079 --> 00:57:32,640 resolution. So, uh the I I want to thank 805 00:57:32,640 --> 00:57:33,839 the public works committee for working 806 00:57:33,839 --> 00:57:37,200 on this for months. uh the and uh 807 00:57:37,200 --> 00:57:38,720 spending quite a bit of time even in the 808 00:57:38,720 --> 00:57:40,640 last meeting making sure this language 809 00:57:40,640 --> 00:57:42,880 felt correct. But before I turn it over 810 00:57:42,880 --> 00:57:44,319 to the council, I'd like to invite the 811 00:57:44,319 --> 00:57:46,960 public to speak. So how this is in in a 812 00:57:46,960 --> 00:57:49,119 moment, I'm going to invite up Cody 813 00:57:49,119 --> 00:57:51,680 Strem. How this will work is you will 814 00:57:51,680 --> 00:57:53,599 have three minutes and no more than 3 815 00:57:53,599 --> 00:57:55,119 minutes. That is a rigorously enforced 816 00:57:55,119 --> 00:57:57,599 rule. So, I will give you a 30 second 817 00:57:57,599 --> 00:58:00,000 warning when your time is about to 818 00:58:00,000 --> 00:58:02,640 expire and then it's a hard stop at 3 819 00:58:02,640 --> 00:58:04,640 minutes unless the city council takes 820 00:58:04,640 --> 00:58:07,839 action to extend the time. Uh, which 821 00:58:07,839 --> 00:58:10,160 they rarely do, but counselors, as 822 00:58:10,160 --> 00:58:12,319 always, I would encourage you if you 823 00:58:12,319 --> 00:58:14,319 want to take action to extend time, 824 00:58:14,319 --> 00:58:17,760 please do so unifor uh uniformly. So, if 825 00:58:17,760 --> 00:58:19,040 somebody gets a little extra time, 826 00:58:19,040 --> 00:58:20,400 everybody should get the same amount of 827 00:58:20,400 --> 00:58:22,640 extra time. Uh, that's my opinion 828 00:58:22,640 --> 00:58:24,400 anyways. Although I would point out on 829 00:58:24,400 --> 00:58:26,880 the whole three minutes has uh typically 830 00:58:26,880 --> 00:58:30,559 worked. I see 831 00:58:30,559 --> 00:58:32,880 seven people signed up to speak but I 832 00:58:32,880 --> 00:58:35,680 will also call afterwards. 833 00:58:35,680 --> 00:58:37,280 I'm sorry six people signed up to speak 834 00:58:37,280 --> 00:58:38,799 on this but I'll also call afterwards if 835 00:58:38,799 --> 00:58:40,079 somebody changes their mind and would 836 00:58:40,079 --> 00:58:42,079 like to approach the podium. So unless 837 00:58:42,079 --> 00:58:45,119 there are questions or objections I'm 838 00:58:45,119 --> 00:58:46,160 going to move forward with the first 839 00:58:46,160 --> 00:58:50,079 speaker who will be Corey Strem. Uh, 840 00:58:50,079 --> 00:58:52,480 please approach the podium. Uh, um, 841 00:58:52,480 --> 00:58:55,920 state your address for us, please. 842 00:58:55,920 --> 00:58:57,839 The button, uh, looks like a person 843 00:58:57,839 --> 00:58:59,920 speaking. It's the third from the left. 844 00:58:59,920 --> 00:59:01,280 There you go. 845 00:59:01,280 --> 00:59:04,480 >> Um, I live in 11658 South Hillside 846 00:59:04,480 --> 00:59:06,799 Street in Solen Springs. 847 00:59:06,799 --> 00:59:08,640 I'm not a resident of Superior. I'm an 848 00:59:08,640 --> 00:59:10,799 employee of Superior Water and Light and 849 00:59:10,799 --> 00:59:13,920 I have been for over two decades. And 850 00:59:13,920 --> 00:59:17,440 what I'm going to speak today is uh with 851 00:59:17,440 --> 00:59:21,359 this trying to take over the water for 852 00:59:21,359 --> 00:59:23,839 the city. It's really going after our 853 00:59:23,839 --> 00:59:26,319 livelihoods as workers. 854 00:59:26,319 --> 00:59:28,720 It's gambling with my pension. All of 855 00:59:28,720 --> 00:59:31,119 our pensions over the next so many years 856 00:59:31,119 --> 00:59:33,280 could all be gone. 857 00:59:33,280 --> 00:59:36,400 Um, you nobody in here has ever come by 858 00:59:36,400 --> 00:59:38,559 to once talk to a worker, never been to 859 00:59:38,559 --> 00:59:40,000 the water plant, never stopped and 860 00:59:40,000 --> 00:59:42,400 talked to a person to ask how we like 861 00:59:42,400 --> 00:59:44,880 working for Spir Light and Power because 862 00:59:44,880 --> 00:59:46,640 every single one of us would say we love 863 00:59:46,640 --> 00:59:48,799 it. It's we're treated fair, we're 864 00:59:48,799 --> 00:59:50,319 treated right, and we're paid for our 865 00:59:50,319 --> 00:59:52,799 jobs. I've spent many nights out there 866 00:59:52,799 --> 00:59:54,960 working endless hours and storms and 867 00:59:54,960 --> 00:59:58,880 rain to miss family vacations, sporting 868 00:59:58,880 --> 01:00:01,920 events, concerts to put the power, 869 01:00:01,920 --> 01:00:03,920 water, gas back on for the people of 870 01:00:03,920 --> 01:00:06,400 Superior and my company shows a lot of 871 01:00:06,400 --> 01:00:08,960 appreciation for that. Nobody in here 872 01:00:08,960 --> 01:00:10,880 has done anything to talk to anybody 873 01:00:10,880 --> 01:00:12,559 about taking over this company and 874 01:00:12,559 --> 01:00:14,720 people are being impacted all over the 875 01:00:14,720 --> 01:00:16,079 place. 876 01:00:16,079 --> 01:00:17,839 Um, 877 01:00:17,839 --> 01:00:20,240 secondly, uh, 878 01:00:20,240 --> 01:00:22,559 working for the city, you lose all your 879 01:00:22,559 --> 01:00:24,880 union rights. There's no bargaining. Uh, 880 01:00:24,880 --> 01:00:27,920 it's a big thing. We're pretty IBW31. 881 01:00:27,920 --> 01:00:31,280 We're a very strong union and, uh, we 882 01:00:31,280 --> 01:00:32,799 stick together and the company has a 883 01:00:32,799 --> 01:00:35,599 really good relationship with our union. 884 01:00:35,599 --> 01:00:38,799 We've been in Spear for 137 years. Does 885 01:00:38,799 --> 01:00:41,119 anybody in here know what a water boil 886 01:00:41,119 --> 01:00:43,839 is? Water boil notice. 887 01:00:43,839 --> 01:00:46,319 >> We can't take questions. No. Okay. What 888 01:00:46,319 --> 01:00:50,000 a water boil is is when a pipe is, say a 889 01:00:50,000 --> 01:00:51,920 main blows and doesn't get put back 890 01:00:51,920 --> 01:00:53,520 together, right? No sectionalized, none 891 01:00:53,520 --> 01:00:55,839 of that. Contaminations get in your 892 01:00:55,839 --> 01:00:57,359 water. 893 01:00:57,359 --> 01:00:59,839 And everybody has to boil their water to 894 01:00:59,839 --> 01:01:02,000 use it. That's never happened once in 895 01:01:02,000 --> 01:01:04,640 the 130 years water and lights been 896 01:01:04,640 --> 01:01:06,799 here. People in Two Harbors are going 897 01:01:06,799 --> 01:01:08,799 through that right now. They cannot 898 01:01:08,799 --> 01:01:10,799 drink their water. So, a lot comes. It's 899 01:01:10,799 --> 01:01:12,480 not just as easy as turning your faucet 900 01:01:12,480 --> 01:01:14,000 on. 901 01:01:14,000 --> 01:01:16,720 Um, we have a a president for our 902 01:01:16,720 --> 01:01:18,960 company, not a CEO like you've stated a 903 01:01:18,960 --> 01:01:21,760 thousand times, who comes back and sits 904 01:01:21,760 --> 01:01:24,240 and talks to us employees. Comes in, 905 01:01:24,240 --> 01:01:26,880 sits down, asks us how we're doing, asks 906 01:01:26,880 --> 01:01:29,119 us if he can do anything to help us out. 907 01:01:29,119 --> 01:01:32,000 He cares for us a lot. And I don't get 908 01:01:32,000 --> 01:01:33,200 that from the same from the city 909 01:01:33,200 --> 01:01:33,680 workers. 910 01:01:33,680 --> 01:01:34,640 >> 30 seconds, please. 911 01:01:34,640 --> 01:01:39,119 >> And uh let's see what else. Uh, well, the 912 01:01:39,119 --> 01:01:41,680 workers the workers aren't going to 913 01:01:41,680 --> 01:01:43,359 happily want to come in and work for a 914 01:01:43,359 --> 01:01:44,720 place that's been bashing them for 915 01:01:44,720 --> 01:01:47,520 months, bashing the company that we work 916 01:01:47,520 --> 01:01:49,520 for, that we take pride in working for, 917 01:01:49,520 --> 01:01:51,760 and then you expect people to come in 918 01:01:51,760 --> 01:01:53,520 and just work for the city like nothing 919 01:01:53,520 --> 01:01:56,079 happened. Thanks. 920 01:01:56,079 --> 01:02:09,030 >> Thank you. Up next is Joe Stencland. 921 01:02:09,040 --> 01:02:11,200 Hi. Uh, I'm Joe Stenland, local 922 01:02:11,200 --> 01:02:14,480 resident. Uh, 5631 Banks Avenue is my 923 01:02:14,480 --> 01:02:18,319 address. Um, I'd like to thank Corey for 924 01:02:18,319 --> 01:02:20,480 speaking up on his behalf. I think 925 01:02:20,480 --> 01:02:22,720 perspective is always interesting and 926 01:02:22,720 --> 01:02:24,720 such an issue as this because there's 927 01:02:24,720 --> 01:02:28,160 there are good questions, there are good 928 01:02:28,160 --> 01:02:32,319 um curiosities, there are um good things 929 01:02:32,319 --> 01:02:34,720 to consider with this. And I think at 930 01:02:34,720 --> 01:02:36,799 this particular point in time um I think 931 01:02:36,799 --> 01:02:39,599 there are several camps um you know some 932 01:02:39,599 --> 01:02:41,200 people don't want to see anything done 933 01:02:41,200 --> 01:02:42,480 some people want to leave things the way 934 01:02:42,480 --> 01:02:44,319 they are. Some people don't know enough 935 01:02:44,319 --> 01:02:47,200 don't what know whether it's yes or no 936 01:02:47,200 --> 01:02:49,280 in speaking with others and attending 937 01:02:49,280 --> 01:02:53,680 some of the um local uh workshops and 938 01:02:53,680 --> 01:02:56,400 discussions. Um, I learned a lot and I 939 01:02:56,400 --> 01:02:58,240 think it was very valuable and I'd like 940 01:02:58,240 --> 01:03:00,160 to thank the Superior Community 941 01:03:00,160 --> 01:03:02,160 Coalition for hosting their events and 942 01:03:02,160 --> 01:03:03,680 for the city hosting their events 943 01:03:03,680 --> 01:03:05,599 because each side is pretty passionate 944 01:03:05,599 --> 01:03:07,680 about what they're doing. And I think 945 01:03:07,680 --> 01:03:09,760 that it's really really important to um 946 01:03:09,760 --> 01:03:11,599 for everybody to understand how that 947 01:03:11,599 --> 01:03:13,359 process is going to work. And only 948 01:03:13,359 --> 01:03:15,200 because I've attended those events do I 949 01:03:15,200 --> 01:03:16,960 understand that there is a process there 950 01:03:16,960 --> 01:03:19,680 just to get to the final number. And um 951 01:03:19,680 --> 01:03:22,240 to reiterate to the public and say this 952 01:03:22,240 --> 01:03:24,400 is what we're doing and when we get that 953 01:03:24,400 --> 01:03:26,559 number. Um 954 01:03:26,559 --> 01:03:28,400 what that means in terms of like 955 01:03:28,400 --> 01:03:30,880 actually deciding that because um it's 956 01:03:30,880 --> 01:03:33,119 really really important to inform people 957 01:03:33,119 --> 01:03:35,520 about where this is going. But once you 958 01:03:35,520 --> 01:03:37,920 trigger that process, once you trigger 959 01:03:37,920 --> 01:03:40,319 this to happen, uh because some people 960 01:03:40,319 --> 01:03:44,240 don't even want to see that, it's really important to make sure that 961 01:03:44,240 --> 01:03:45,920 people know what's going on in this 962 01:03:45,920 --> 01:03:47,680 process. And that was the main question 963 01:03:47,680 --> 01:03:51,200 that I had raised about this. Um and so 964 01:03:51,200 --> 01:03:53,359 I learn something new every time, but I 965 01:03:53,359 --> 01:03:55,039 also learn kind of, you know, like how 966 01:03:55,039 --> 01:03:57,440 personal this is for folks who are on 967 01:03:57,440 --> 01:03:59,520 that side of the bridge, you know, um 968 01:03:59,520 --> 01:04:03,200 working um for SWLP as well. So there's 969 01:04:03,200 --> 01:04:05,039 a lot I I like to consider with this 970 01:04:05,039 --> 01:04:07,440 issue as well. So just some things to 971 01:04:07,440 --> 01:04:09,119 consider. Thank you. 972 01:04:09,119 --> 01:04:17,349 >> Thank you. Next is Bill Fennessy. 973 01:04:17,359 --> 01:04:18,720 » Good evening, Mayor Payne, city 974 01:04:18,720 --> 01:04:21,680 councilors. Bill Fennessy, 52 Billings 975 01:04:21,680 --> 01:04:24,480 Lane. I'm here on behalf of Superior 976 01:04:24,480 --> 01:04:26,480 Community Coalition, a coalition of 977 01:04:26,480 --> 01:04:28,559 business, labor unions, and individuals 978 01:04:28,559 --> 01:04:31,599 who oppose the takeover. There's a huge 979 01:04:31,599 --> 01:04:33,599 price range on the table for this 980 01:04:33,599 --> 01:04:37,359 takeover. 58 million to 186 million. 981 01:04:37,359 --> 01:04:39,200 Mayor Payne and some counselors appear 982 01:04:39,200 --> 01:04:42,000 to want to approve unlimited taxpayer 983 01:04:42,000 --> 01:04:44,160 dollars to go through the PSC process to 984 01:04:44,160 --> 01:04:47,359 find out where the price tag lands. The 985 01:04:47,359 --> 01:04:50,160 number the PSC ultimately provides does 986 01:04:50,160 --> 01:04:52,160 not by any means represent all of the 987 01:04:52,160 --> 01:04:54,559 legal costs. As a former PSC 988 01:04:54,559 --> 01:04:55,920 commissioner told us, there are two 989 01:04:55,920 --> 01:04:58,319 rounds of legal appeals guaranteed under 990 01:04:58,319 --> 01:05:01,119 the law, each of which will take years. 991 01:05:01,119 --> 01:05:02,640 Fundamental questions have not been 992 01:05:02,640 --> 01:05:04,240 answered, including how much has already 993 01:05:04,240 --> 01:05:06,319 been spent on consultants and lawyers, 994 01:05:06,319 --> 01:05:08,400 and how much is expected to be spent 995 01:05:08,400 --> 01:05:10,000 throughout this contested takeover 996 01:05:10,000 --> 01:05:12,559 process. You have already spent hundreds 997 01:05:12,559 --> 01:05:14,480 of thousands of taxpayer dollars on this 998 01:05:14,480 --> 01:05:16,319 endeavor, and additional spending has 999 01:05:16,319 --> 01:05:18,640 already been budgeted. July 15th, the 1000 01:05:18,640 --> 01:05:20,720 city shared that quote upfront legal 1001 01:05:20,720 --> 01:05:22,880 costs, the city has a substantial legal 1002 01:05:22,880 --> 01:05:25,200 fund already budgeted. End quote. 1003 01:05:25,200 --> 01:05:26,960 Regardless if they are already in an 1004 01:05:26,960 --> 01:05:28,240 existing account or not, they are 1005 01:05:28,240 --> 01:05:30,400 taxpayer dollars. 1006 01:05:30,400 --> 01:05:32,000 This is just the beginning of a very 1007 01:05:32,000 --> 01:05:34,160 costly undertaking. The additional cost 1008 01:05:34,160 --> 01:05:35,680 to taxpayers, including expensive 1009 01:05:35,680 --> 01:05:37,520 outsourced attorney services combined 1010 01:05:37,520 --> 01:05:39,839 with spending so far, will easily exceed 1011 01:05:39,839 --> 01:05:41,599 half a million dollars and grow quickly 1012 01:05:41,599 --> 01:05:44,000 from there. The city council should not 1013 01:05:44,000 --> 01:05:46,160 approve the referendum tonight. Council 1014 01:05:46,160 --> 01:05:47,760 has until January to put this on the 1015 01:05:47,760 --> 01:05:50,160 April ballot if they feel the need to do 1016 01:05:50,160 --> 01:05:52,000 so at that time. However, if you 1017 01:05:52,000 --> 01:05:54,240 authorize this referendum, I ask that on 1018 01:05:54,240 --> 01:05:56,079 behalf of all taxpayers, you require 1019 01:05:56,079 --> 01:05:58,079 spending transparency. 1020 01:05:58,079 --> 01:05:59,359 Something as simple as detailed 1021 01:05:59,359 --> 01:06:00,720 reporting of spending to date and 1022 01:06:00,720 --> 01:06:02,880 monthly reports of ongoing expenditures 1023 01:06:02,880 --> 01:06:05,119 by category, including internal labor 1024 01:06:05,119 --> 01:06:07,440 materials. Residents and counselors 1025 01:06:07,440 --> 01:06:08,720 deserve opportunities to fully 1026 01:06:08,720 --> 01:06:10,480 understand what is at stake with this 1027 01:06:10,480 --> 01:06:13,359 referendum, not a public debate. So, in 1028 01:06:13,359 --> 01:06:14,720 the Wisconsin tradition of strong 1029 01:06:14,720 --> 01:06:16,960 council governance, the coalition will 1030 01:06:16,960 --> 01:06:18,640 be hosting a series of community forums 1031 01:06:18,640 --> 01:06:20,319 that will provide multiple opportunities 1032 01:06:20,319 --> 01:06:22,559 for city councilors and residents to 1033 01:06:22,559 --> 01:06:25,599 better understand the issue. Thank you. 1034 01:06:25,599 --> 01:06:33,349 Next is Dean McCall. 1035 01:06:33,359 --> 01:06:35,440 Initially 1036 01:06:35,440 --> 01:06:37,440 had two points I was going to make, but 1037 01:06:37,440 --> 01:06:39,920 I added a third one to this. to put a 1038 01:06:39,920 --> 01:06:42,480 face to the name. I sent a lengthy email 1039 01:06:42,480 --> 01:06:44,799 to all the counselors and the mayor. I 1040 01:06:44,799 --> 01:06:46,799 got two responses. One from councelor 1041 01:06:46,799 --> 01:06:49,200 Herring and very lengthy uh response 1042 01:06:49,200 --> 01:06:51,280 from the mayor. Thank you for taking the 1043 01:06:51,280 --> 01:06:53,231 time to respond regarding 1044 01:06:53,231 --> 01:06:55,760 [clears throat] the resolution. 1045 01:06:55,760 --> 01:06:57,520 I think you're missing the point on the 1046 01:06:57,520 --> 01:07:00,240 wording of the resolution. It's not a 1047 01:07:00,240 --> 01:07:02,319 question of what the city can can 1048 01:07:02,319 --> 01:07:04,319 afford, [snorts] 1049 01:07:04,319 --> 01:07:07,440 but the whole purpose of this exercise 1050 01:07:07,440 --> 01:07:10,400 is that supposedly there will be lower 1051 01:07:10,400 --> 01:07:13,599 rates that customers will pay. There's 1052 01:07:13,599 --> 01:07:16,880 been no quantification of this. A 1053 01:07:16,880 --> 01:07:19,760 promise to lower the rates needs to be 1054 01:07:19,760 --> 01:07:23,200 incorporated into the resolution so that 1055 01:07:23,200 --> 01:07:26,079 there is stated quantifiable 1056 01:07:26,079 --> 01:07:29,280 information there. 1057 01:07:29,280 --> 01:07:30,799 You don't know what the costs are going 1058 01:07:30,799 --> 01:07:32,240 to be. You can't determine what the 1059 01:07:32,240 --> 01:07:33,520 costs are going to be till you have a 1060 01:07:33,520 --> 01:07:35,599 detailed business plan. Nothing's been 1061 01:07:35,599 --> 01:07:37,680 done there. [clears throat] 1062 01:07:37,680 --> 01:07:39,359 The rates have not been approved. You 1063 01:07:39,359 --> 01:07:40,799 have no idea what the costs were going 1064 01:07:40,799 --> 01:07:43,039 to be. But you need to tell the people 1065 01:07:43,039 --> 01:07:44,640 are going to vote on this. You're going 1066 01:07:44,640 --> 01:07:46,960 to have lower costs. Well, words don't 1067 01:07:46,960 --> 01:07:49,280 matter. You have to have facts. You have 1068 01:07:49,280 --> 01:07:52,160 to have data. You have to have analysis. 1069 01:07:52,160 --> 01:07:54,400 This has not been done. And then how 1070 01:07:54,400 --> 01:07:56,799 will the cost be paid? [clears throat] 1071 01:07:56,799 --> 01:07:59,599 If I go to the restaurant and buy a 1072 01:07:59,599 --> 01:08:02,640 meal, I am not going to be charged for 1073 01:08:02,640 --> 01:08:05,440 somebody else's meal sitting next to me. 1074 01:08:05,440 --> 01:08:08,240 But I live at one Whitebridge Drive. We 1075 01:08:08,240 --> 01:08:10,559 have no wells and we have no water out 1076 01:08:10,559 --> 01:08:12,960 there. We all have wells. Many, many 1077 01:08:12,960 --> 01:08:16,080 people in the city have vacant lots. 1078 01:08:16,080 --> 01:08:18,319 They're not customers of spare water 1079 01:08:18,319 --> 01:08:20,480 light. So, should they have to pay for 1080 01:08:20,480 --> 01:08:23,920 that other person's meal? No. It's just 1081 01:08:23,920 --> 01:08:27,120 not fair. Why should you charge somebody 1082 01:08:27,120 --> 01:08:29,520 else to pay for another customer? Yeah, 1083 01:08:29,520 --> 01:08:32,000 there might be sa some savings, but it's 1084 01:08:32,000 --> 01:08:34,239 still not right. You need to address 1085 01:08:34,239 --> 01:08:38,159 who's going to pay what. This is 1086 01:08:38,159 --> 01:08:41,520 important to consider. And also, 1087 01:08:41,520 --> 01:08:44,239 as Bill Finennessy alluded to, as one 1088 01:08:44,239 --> 01:08:47,279 wise attorney told me, this is going to 1089 01:08:47,279 --> 01:08:50,880 be a litigator's dream. You can just 1090 01:08:50,880 --> 01:08:53,679 imagine the attorneys just rubbing their 1091 01:08:53,679 --> 01:08:56,640 hands and saying, "This is going to be 1092 01:08:56,640 --> 01:08:59,440 great." Kaching, kaching, kaching as 1093 01:08:59,440 --> 01:09:01,040 they're going to wrap up their 1094 01:09:01,040 --> 01:09:04,400 attorney's bills. Not $100 an hour, not 1095 01:09:04,400 --> 01:09:07,839 $200 an hour, maybe $500 an hour. Good 1096 01:09:07,839 --> 01:09:10,080 attorneys, $1,000 bucks an hour. You 1097 01:09:10,080 --> 01:09:12,480 need to all factor that in. And then 1098 01:09:12,480 --> 01:09:14,159 when you're talking about budget choice, 1099 01:09:14,159 --> 01:09:16,560 general fund choices, hopefully this 1100 01:09:16,560 --> 01:09:18,319 will be an item on your general fund 1101 01:09:18,319 --> 01:09:20,560 choice so you can rank how much you want 1102 01:09:20,560 --> 01:09:22,799 to allocate the general fund to. The 1103 01:09:22,799 --> 01:09:24,880 only fair way to deal with this is 1104 01:09:24,880 --> 01:09:28,000 through having a special assessment to 1105 01:09:28,000 --> 01:09:31,600 spare water light customers. Thank you. 1106 01:09:31,600 --> 01:09:36,239 >> Thank you. Next is Kristen Rinskers. 1107 01:09:36,239 --> 01:09:38,159 If I mispronounce anybody's name, please 1108 01:09:38,159 --> 01:09:43,829 uh correct it when you come up. 1109 01:09:43,839 --> 01:09:46,080 Thank you, mayor. That was perfect. So, 1110 01:09:46,080 --> 01:09:49,199 Kristen Rinskers, 12691 Sunset Lane, 1111 01:09:49,199 --> 01:09:52,159 Side Lake, Minnesota. My name is Kristen 1112 01:09:52,159 --> 01:09:54,640 Rinskers, the business manager of IBW 1113 01:09:54,640 --> 01:09:57,600 Local 31. I was elected by our members, 1114 01:09:57,600 --> 01:09:59,840 including those at SWLP, to safeguard 1115 01:09:59,840 --> 01:10:02,560 their rights, history, and futures. It 1116 01:10:02,560 --> 01:10:04,400 is the ultimate honor to work for 1117 01:10:04,400 --> 01:10:06,400 working people. And as elected 1118 01:10:06,400 --> 01:10:08,320 officials, I imagine you understand that 1119 01:10:08,320 --> 01:10:09,920 responsibility. 1120 01:10:09,920 --> 01:10:12,000 Municipalization directly affects the 1121 01:10:12,000 --> 01:10:13,679 people operating the system and the 1122 01:10:13,679 --> 01:10:15,280 futures they believed they were earning 1123 01:10:15,280 --> 01:10:18,080 through a lifetime of service. Rafelis 1124 01:10:18,080 --> 01:10:19,920 assumes the city could operate the water 1125 01:10:19,920 --> 01:10:22,480 system for the same amount SWLP assigns 1126 01:10:22,480 --> 01:10:25,840 to the water operations. But SWLP is an 1127 01:10:25,840 --> 01:10:27,760 integrated water, gas, and electric 1128 01:10:27,760 --> 01:10:30,400 utility. Its costs are allocated among 1129 01:10:30,400 --> 01:10:32,480 three utilities. They do not represent 1130 01:10:32,480 --> 01:10:34,719 the cost of operating a standalone water 1131 01:10:34,719 --> 01:10:38,000 utility. We estimate that 43 of our 50 1132 01:10:38,000 --> 01:10:40,800 union members touch water. Our members 1133 01:10:40,800 --> 01:10:43,520 work across multiple utilities and SWLP 1134 01:10:43,520 --> 01:10:45,199 distributes their costs while making 1135 01:10:45,199 --> 01:10:47,280 their skills and experience available to 1136 01:10:47,280 --> 01:10:49,920 each utility. The city would only 1137 01:10:49,920 --> 01:10:52,080 acquire the water. Yet Raelis provides 1138 01:10:52,080 --> 01:10:54,480 no staffing numbers or labor costs. 1139 01:10:54,480 --> 01:10:56,480 Historical spending by an integrated 1140 01:10:56,480 --> 01:10:58,960 workforce is not a municipal staffing 1141 01:10:58,960 --> 01:11:01,760 plan. There is no credible scenario in 1142 01:11:01,760 --> 01:11:03,600 which a takeover benefits these 1143 01:11:03,600 --> 01:11:06,480 employees. Under Wisconsin's Act 10, 1144 01:11:06,480 --> 01:11:08,159 transferred employees would lose 1145 01:11:08,159 --> 01:11:09,679 meaningful bargaining over health 1146 01:11:09,679 --> 01:11:12,159 insurance, retirement benefits, hours, 1147 01:11:12,159 --> 01:11:15,040 and working conditions. Their SWLP 1148 01:11:15,040 --> 01:11:16,880 pension would stop acrewing and a 1149 01:11:16,880 --> 01:11:19,360 separate state pension would begin. Two 1150 01:11:19,360 --> 01:11:21,600 partial pensions do not equal one career 1151 01:11:21,600 --> 01:11:24,560 pension. Rafellis calculated neither the 1152 01:11:24,560 --> 01:11:26,800 loss nor the cost. 1153 01:11:26,800 --> 01:11:28,560 suggestions that these employees could 1154 01:11:28,560 --> 01:11:30,320 keep their union or negotiate a 1155 01:11:30,320 --> 01:11:32,320 comparable city agreement are simply not 1156 01:11:32,320 --> 01:11:34,560 true. Even if Act 10 disappeared 1157 01:11:34,560 --> 01:11:36,880 tomorrow, no new agreement could 1158 01:11:36,880 --> 01:11:39,040 recreate nearly 90 years of bargaining 1159 01:11:39,040 --> 01:11:42,159 history. This campaign repeatedly points 1160 01:11:42,159 --> 01:11:44,080 to Black Rockck as an imminent threat 1161 01:11:44,080 --> 01:11:46,800 and casts a city takeover as the noble 1162 01:11:46,800 --> 01:11:49,440 act that will save Superior. Despite 1163 01:11:49,440 --> 01:11:51,679 knowing the company's partners, I do not 1164 01:11:51,679 --> 01:11:53,600 know Black Rockck and respectfully, 1165 01:11:53,600 --> 01:11:55,360 neither do most people invoking its 1166 01:11:55,360 --> 01:11:58,800 name. It is not here. But I do know Rob, 1167 01:11:58,800 --> 01:12:01,520 Jossi, and the SWLP leadership team. 1168 01:12:01,520 --> 01:12:03,679 They are actual people working in this 1169 01:12:03,679 --> 01:12:06,080 community. We call them, meet with them, 1170 01:12:06,080 --> 01:12:08,320 and hold them accountable. I know 1171 01:12:08,320 --> 01:12:10,480 Elite's leadership, including its CEO, 1172 01:12:10,480 --> 01:12:11,920 whose commitment to putting people 1173 01:12:11,920 --> 01:12:15,040 first, has been proven to us repeatedly. 1174 01:12:15,040 --> 01:12:16,960 We do not blindly trust 1175 01:12:16,960 --> 01:12:18,159 >> 30 seconds, please. 1176 01:12:18,159 --> 01:12:20,960 >> Any owner or investor. Utilities should 1177 01:12:20,960 --> 01:12:22,800 be regulated, and owners should be 1178 01:12:22,800 --> 01:12:24,880 accountable. commitments should be 1179 01:12:24,880 --> 01:12:27,520 enforced. As a union, we believe deeply 1180 01:12:27,520 --> 01:12:30,000 in those principles. Major public 1181 01:12:30,000 --> 01:12:31,920 decisions should be based on evidence 1182 01:12:31,920 --> 01:12:34,000 and this takeover does not punish Black 1183 01:12:34,000 --> 01:12:36,159 Rockck. Black Rockck will not lose its 1184 01:12:36,159 --> 01:12:38,400 pension. Black Rockck will not lose its 1185 01:12:38,400 --> 01:12:40,480 collective bargaining agreement, but we 1186 01:12:40,480 --> 01:12:43,840 will. We appreciate your consideration 1187 01:12:43,840 --> 01:12:46,320 and future communication. And I would 1188 01:12:46,320 --> 01:12:49,440 love it if our SWLP local 31 members 1189 01:12:49,440 --> 01:12:50,480 could stand. 1190 01:12:50,480 --> 01:12:51,840 >> That is three minutes. Thank you. 1191 01:12:51,840 --> 01:12:55,910 >> Thank you. 1192 01:12:55,920 --> 01:13:05,910 would uh I'm sorry, Dan Olsson is next. 1193 01:13:05,920 --> 01:13:08,000 Good evening, mayor, counselors. I am 1194 01:13:08,000 --> 01:13:11,520 Dan Olsen, 6001 Avenue, lifelong 1195 01:13:11,520 --> 01:13:16,080 resident of Superior, Wisconsin and a 1196 01:13:16,080 --> 01:13:18,159 uh customer of Spear Water, Light and 1197 01:13:18,159 --> 01:13:21,040 Power. I want to address the resolution 1198 01:13:21,040 --> 01:13:22,560 that's in front of you. Hopefully, 1199 01:13:22,560 --> 01:13:24,800 you've got it. And and I sent you all an 1200 01:13:24,800 --> 01:13:28,239 email earlier today. I would uh ask that 1201 01:13:28,239 --> 01:13:31,600 the council amend this resolution. 1202 01:13:31,600 --> 01:13:34,080 The current language says the very last 1203 01:13:34,080 --> 01:13:37,360 whereas whereas this resolution was 1204 01:13:37,360 --> 01:13:39,199 published in the Superior Telegram at 1205 01:13:39,199 --> 01:13:41,040 least one week prior to the regular 1206 01:13:41,040 --> 01:13:43,280 meeting of the Superior City Council on 1207 01:13:43,280 --> 01:13:46,640 September 1st, 2026 1208 01:13:46,640 --> 01:13:50,480 and and moves on to the now. Therefore, 1209 01:13:50,480 --> 01:13:54,159 I'd like the the amendment to read, 1210 01:13:54,159 --> 01:13:57,920 "Whereas this resolution is published in 1211 01:13:57,920 --> 01:14:00,560 the Superior Telegram at least one week 1212 01:14:00,560 --> 01:14:02,159 prior to the regular meeting of the 1213 01:14:02,159 --> 01:14:05,760 Superior City Council on September 1st, 1214 01:14:05,760 --> 01:14:09,920 2026 for further discussion. 1215 01:14:09,920 --> 01:14:12,320 Now, I don't believe there's any harm in 1216 01:14:12,320 --> 01:14:14,239 discussing this any further because this 1217 01:14:14,239 --> 01:14:15,840 looks like it's going to go on a long 1218 01:14:15,840 --> 01:14:18,719 ways. I know that there's a proposal to 1219 01:14:18,719 --> 01:14:21,120 have this on the April ballot as a 1220 01:14:21,120 --> 01:14:23,440 referendum. The deadline to get that 1221 01:14:23,440 --> 01:14:28,560 onto the ballot is January 29th, 2027. 1222 01:14:28,560 --> 01:14:31,440 We all know sitting here that there's 1223 01:14:31,440 --> 01:14:33,440 going to be a lot more meetings. There's 1224 01:14:33,440 --> 01:14:36,480 going to lot be a lot more discussion. 1225 01:14:36,480 --> 01:14:39,520 So I would ask the motion maker and the 1226 01:14:39,520 --> 01:14:42,000 person that seconded the motion to 1227 01:14:42,000 --> 01:14:43,679 include 1228 01:14:43,679 --> 01:14:46,960 this uh this change that I've made and 1229 01:14:46,960 --> 01:14:50,960 the basic part of it is the word is from 1230 01:14:50,960 --> 01:14:55,520 was published and adding the words for 1231 01:14:55,520 --> 01:14:59,360 further discussion. Thank you. 1232 01:14:59,360 --> 01:15:01,920 >> Thank you. Would anybody else like to 1233 01:15:01,920 --> 01:15:04,239 speak to this item on the council? 1234 01:15:04,239 --> 01:15:14,070 Please comport. 1235 01:15:14,080 --> 01:15:15,600 Please state your name and address for 1236 01:15:15,600 --> 01:15:16,320 us, please. 1237 01:15:16,320 --> 01:15:19,360 >> My name is Jim Dolberg. I live at 16 1238 01:15:19,360 --> 01:15:21,040 Shardy Drive here in [clears throat] 1239 01:15:21,040 --> 01:15:24,159 Superior. I was born in Superior some 75 1240 01:15:24,159 --> 01:15:28,159 years ago. And uh to be perfectly 1241 01:15:28,159 --> 01:15:30,640 forthright here, I am a former Superior 1242 01:15:30,640 --> 01:15:32,719 Water Light and Power Company employee. 1243 01:15:32,719 --> 01:15:37,760 I worked there some 41 years ago. Um 1244 01:15:37,760 --> 01:15:41,440 I would I'm speaking because I think the 1245 01:15:41,440 --> 01:15:43,440 city seems to be trying to rush this 1246 01:15:43,440 --> 01:15:45,920 thing. I don't know that I've got any 1247 01:15:45,920 --> 01:15:48,159 answers on a couple questions that I 1248 01:15:48,159 --> 01:15:52,000 have with regard to uh how this whole 1249 01:15:52,000 --> 01:15:54,719 situation with the Wisconsin PUC affects 1250 01:15:54,719 --> 01:15:56,800 the fact that the well is located in 1251 01:15:56,800 --> 01:15:59,040 Minnesota. 1252 01:15:59,040 --> 01:16:03,120 Also, I'm wondering what happens as I 1253 01:16:03,120 --> 01:16:04,960 believe Superior Water Light and Power 1254 01:16:04,960 --> 01:16:07,760 Company currently play pays 1255 01:16:07,760 --> 01:16:11,600 state, federal, and local taxes on the 1256 01:16:11,600 --> 01:16:15,280 water utility. What taxes will the city 1257 01:16:15,280 --> 01:16:17,600 be paying when they take it over? That 1258 01:16:17,600 --> 01:16:18,880 money is going to have to be made up 1259 01:16:18,880 --> 01:16:21,679 from somewhere. 1260 01:16:21,679 --> 01:16:24,640 as as was spoken earlier, one of the 1261 01:16:24,640 --> 01:16:26,560 things you're doing is the the people 1262 01:16:26,560 --> 01:16:28,960 that currently work at the water plant, 1263 01:16:28,960 --> 01:16:30,960 even if you do hire them, they're going 1264 01:16:30,960 --> 01:16:33,440 to lose union representation. It's very 1265 01:16:33,440 --> 01:16:35,280 important to me. I've been a member of 1266 01:16:35,280 --> 01:16:39,120 the IBW for 55 years. It's been very 1267 01:16:39,120 --> 01:16:41,440 good to me. 1268 01:16:41,440 --> 01:16:43,679 It has been very good to those employees 1269 01:16:43,679 --> 01:16:48,630 that may be affected by this. 1270 01:16:48,640 --> 01:16:52,080 Again, I think you're acting way too 1271 01:16:52,080 --> 01:16:55,920 fast for this. I don't you you when I 1272 01:16:55,920 --> 01:16:58,159 don't know when you will know what the 1273 01:16:58,159 --> 01:17:00,880 actual cost will be. I don't know if 1274 01:17:00,880 --> 01:17:02,880 there's a possibility for anybody to 1275 01:17:02,880 --> 01:17:05,760 back out at that point for the city. I 1276 01:17:05,760 --> 01:17:07,920 think that need that should be known 1277 01:17:07,920 --> 01:17:11,760 before this is put before the people 1278 01:17:11,760 --> 01:17:16,400 and and I ask the city councilors 1279 01:17:16,400 --> 01:17:20,080 to consider if it ain't broke don't 1280 01:17:20,080 --> 01:17:23,040 break it. Thank you. 1281 01:17:23,040 --> 01:17:25,280 >> Thank you. Would anybody else like to 1282 01:17:25,280 --> 01:17:28,400 speak in public comment? 1283 01:17:28,400 --> 01:17:31,760 Would anybody else like to speak to this 1284 01:17:31,760 --> 01:17:34,880 publication? Would anybody else like to 1285 01:17:34,880 --> 01:17:37,760 speak to this resolution? 1286 01:17:37,760 --> 01:17:42,400 Hearing none, I will proceed to council 1287 01:17:42,400 --> 01:17:45,120 discussion. Again, councilors, we have a 1288 01:17:45,120 --> 01:17:49,280 motion and a second. Uh first, I'm just 1289 01:17:49,280 --> 01:17:50,800 going to open a general discussion and 1290 01:17:50,800 --> 01:17:53,120 questions. I do have one potential 1291 01:17:53,120 --> 01:17:54,560 change that I'll suggest in a moment 1292 01:17:54,560 --> 01:17:56,080 though, but it's uh I think relatively 1293 01:17:56,080 --> 01:18:00,239 minor. So, discussion. Councelor Hering. 1294 01:18:00,239 --> 01:18:04,080 Um yeah, one of my big concerns um 1295 01:18:04,080 --> 01:18:06,320 couple of them is one I feel we're 1296 01:18:06,320 --> 01:18:09,360 moving too fast and we need to look at 1297 01:18:09,360 --> 01:18:11,760 it. A rush thing usually means bad 1298 01:18:11,760 --> 01:18:14,719 choices or it's not as good as it seems. 1299 01:18:14,719 --> 01:18:16,800 So it's uh you're trying to make it go 1300 01:18:16,800 --> 01:18:20,159 through. Um one of my biggest questions 1301 01:18:20,159 --> 01:18:22,400 and a lot of the residents have been 1302 01:18:22,400 --> 01:18:25,679 asking is what is our hard cut off for 1303 01:18:25,679 --> 01:18:28,320 the spending? Um, I know what we can 1304 01:18:28,320 --> 01:18:32,080 afford up to, but you know, if Raphelis 1305 01:18:32,080 --> 01:18:34,880 came in at 58, are we saying if they 1306 01:18:34,880 --> 01:18:37,760 come in, if the P 1307 01:18:37,760 --> 01:18:42,719 the uh PUC or PSC comes in at 72? Is are 1308 01:18:42,719 --> 01:18:44,960 we still there? Are we going to 100? 1309 01:18:44,960 --> 01:18:47,840 Like, we need a number an exit plan 1310 01:18:47,840 --> 01:18:49,679 before we start. That's all part of a 1311 01:18:49,679 --> 01:18:52,480 business management plan. um we haven't 1312 01:18:52,480 --> 01:18:54,480 I haven't seen in other things but with 1313 01:18:54,480 --> 01:18:56,719 this price tag I feel that it really 1314 01:18:56,719 --> 01:19:00,800 needs to to be there. Um and then the 1315 01:19:00,800 --> 01:19:04,239 other one is as was brought up by uh one 1316 01:19:04,239 --> 01:19:07,120 a couple of speakers is the people that 1317 01:19:07,120 --> 01:19:11,520 don't currently have water or sewer. Um 1318 01:19:11,520 --> 01:19:13,920 you know what how are they going to be 1319 01:19:13,920 --> 01:19:15,520 affected? How are we going to pay? And 1320 01:19:15,520 --> 01:19:17,199 before you say well it's only it's 1321 01:19:17,199 --> 01:19:19,760 coming out of our rates and all that. We 1322 01:19:19,760 --> 01:19:23,520 all pay storm water protection acts for 1323 01:19:23,520 --> 01:19:26,960 no storm water protection and um for the 1324 01:19:26,960 --> 01:19:30,320 water in the s the well and holding tank 1325 01:19:30,320 --> 01:19:33,120 or septic customers. So and then of 1326 01:19:33,120 --> 01:19:34,960 course we're paying already higher for 1327 01:19:34,960 --> 01:19:38,480 wastewater dump fees. So you know that's 1328 01:19:38,480 --> 01:19:40,159 granted now it's not a huge part of the 1329 01:19:40,159 --> 01:19:42,239 city that deals with that but it's just 1330 01:19:42,239 --> 01:19:44,800 main concerns that I haven't gotten 1331 01:19:44,800 --> 01:19:47,360 answers for and the residents haven't 1332 01:19:47,360 --> 01:19:51,840 either. Uh I believe you asked me two 1333 01:19:51,840 --> 01:19:53,600 questions. The first of which is what's 1334 01:19:53,600 --> 01:19:55,920 the cuto off number? Many uh many people 1335 01:19:55,920 --> 01:19:57,920 at uh first there is there's no 1336 01:19:57,920 --> 01:19:59,360 reasonable person that can say that this 1337 01:19:59,360 --> 01:20:00,880 has been a rush process. We have been 1338 01:20:00,880 --> 01:20:02,960 working on this for years. We've had 1339 01:20:02,960 --> 01:20:05,600 multiple public meetings uh where we 1340 01:20:05,600 --> 01:20:07,600 took questions from the public uh both 1341 01:20:07,600 --> 01:20:10,239 in committee and we have ventured out 1342 01:20:10,239 --> 01:20:12,000 into the public where I stayed for as 1343 01:20:12,000 --> 01:20:13,520 long as everybody asked me to stay and I 1344 01:20:13,520 --> 01:20:15,679 answered every question. Uh this 1345 01:20:15,679 --> 01:20:17,760 referendum is in my experience I believe 1346 01:20:17,760 --> 01:20:19,920 the third potential referendum front of 1347 01:20:19,920 --> 01:20:22,159 the city. The the first two one was to 1348 01:20:22,159 --> 01:20:25,440 allow ATVs on all of city streets. The 1349 01:20:25,440 --> 01:20:27,920 other was to change the city government 1350 01:20:27,920 --> 01:20:30,800 to make the mayor a part-time role. Both 1351 01:20:30,800 --> 01:20:32,960 of those referendums went directly to 1352 01:20:32,960 --> 01:20:34,640 council were immediately passed and 1353 01:20:34,640 --> 01:20:37,040 placed on the ballot without even seeing 1354 01:20:37,040 --> 01:20:39,120 committee. So this process has been 1355 01:20:39,120 --> 01:20:40,880 probably more exhaustively studied than 1356 01:20:40,880 --> 01:20:43,840 almost any other city issue. Uh, of 1357 01:20:43,840 --> 01:20:45,600 course we have a long way ahead of us. 1358 01:20:45,600 --> 01:20:46,960 This is not the completion of the 1359 01:20:46,960 --> 01:20:48,880 process. This is merely the beginning. 1360 01:20:48,880 --> 01:20:50,239 Everything until this point has been 1361 01:20:50,239 --> 01:20:53,600 introduction. Uh, but the in terms of 1362 01:20:53,600 --> 01:20:55,840 what is the cut off, what is the most we 1363 01:20:55,840 --> 01:20:57,040 would pay? I've been asked that question 1364 01:20:57,040 --> 01:20:58,640 a number of times and I've answered it a 1365 01:20:58,640 --> 01:21:00,960 number of times with what my opinion is. 1366 01:21:00,960 --> 01:21:02,640 I think you have all heard that answer. 1367 01:21:02,640 --> 01:21:08,719 Most of you have been in attendance at least uh one of the uh uh public 1368 01:21:08,719 --> 01:21:10,239 meetings that I have answered that at. 1369 01:21:10,239 --> 01:21:11,840 And of course, I would answer any of you 1370 01:21:11,840 --> 01:21:13,440 if if you want my opinion. But the fact 1371 01:21:13,440 --> 01:21:15,600 is my opinion doesn't matter nearly as 1372 01:21:15,600 --> 01:21:17,520 much as yours does. So I hope any 1373 01:21:17,520 --> 01:21:19,440 counselor that has been asked that 1374 01:21:19,440 --> 01:21:22,239 question has given an answer because it 1375 01:21:22,239 --> 01:21:24,880 will be your duty to make that decision. 1376 01:21:24,880 --> 01:21:27,440 If the number is too high in your 1377 01:21:27,440 --> 01:21:30,000 opinion, then this does not move 1378 01:21:30,000 --> 01:21:32,560 forward. Once we see the number from the 1379 01:21:32,560 --> 01:21:34,080 public service commission, the city 1380 01:21:34,080 --> 01:21:37,520 council determines whether that number 1381 01:21:37,520 --> 01:21:40,320 is an uh is something that we can afford 1382 01:21:40,320 --> 01:21:42,239 to pay and something that we should move 1383 01:21:42,239 --> 01:21:44,239 forward with. The second is what is the 1384 01:21:44,239 --> 01:21:47,280 impact on nonwater customers that are 1385 01:21:47,280 --> 01:21:49,120 taxpayers within the city. They benefit 1386 01:21:49,120 --> 01:21:50,960 as well. Uh everybody in the city 1387 01:21:50,960 --> 01:21:53,120 benefits from this. Everybody in this 1388 01:21:53,120 --> 01:21:55,840 city, every taxpayer pays water rates 1389 01:21:55,840 --> 01:21:58,639 because the city of Superior itself owns 1390 01:21:58,639 --> 01:22:00,880 several buildings including a uh several 1391 01:22:00,880 --> 01:22:03,199 fireh halls and we have significant 1392 01:22:03,199 --> 01:22:05,679 water bills at the city of Superior. So 1393 01:22:05,679 --> 01:22:07,600 does Douglas County. So does the school 1394 01:22:07,600 --> 01:22:09,520 district of Superior. All own buildings 1395 01:22:09,520 --> 01:22:12,400 all pay the highest water rates in the 1396 01:22:12,400 --> 01:22:14,719 state of Wisconsin. All of those costs 1397 01:22:14,719 --> 01:22:17,040 are passed on to taxpayers. So I'm not 1398 01:22:17,040 --> 01:22:19,199 promising a tax decrease because of 1399 01:22:19,199 --> 01:22:22,239 water utility acquisition. uh the tax 1400 01:22:22,239 --> 01:22:24,560 burden on the city of Superior, Douglas 1401 01:22:24,560 --> 01:22:25,760 County, and the school district of 1402 01:22:25,760 --> 01:22:29,520 Superior all go down once we eliminate 1403 01:22:29,520 --> 01:22:32,480 or reduce uh those water fees. Uh we 1404 01:22:32,480 --> 01:22:34,080 would still probably pay them to our own 1405 01:22:34,080 --> 01:22:36,400 utility as we do with wastewater. Uh so, 1406 01:22:36,400 --> 01:22:38,239 but they would go down and so everybody 1407 01:22:38,239 --> 01:22:40,239 would experience that impact. And then 1408 01:22:40,239 --> 01:22:41,920 finally, I just want to uh make a brief 1409 01:22:41,920 --> 01:22:44,000 defense of uh the environmental services 1410 01:22:44,000 --> 01:22:45,520 division. The entire city benefits from 1411 01:22:45,520 --> 01:22:47,440 this uh storm water fund. The storm 1412 01:22:47,440 --> 01:22:49,199 water fund does not just do storm water 1413 01:22:49,199 --> 01:22:51,040 mitigation on private individual 1414 01:22:51,040 --> 01:22:53,360 properties. It's preventing flooding for 1415 01:22:53,360 --> 01:22:55,920 uh throughout the entire city and so it 1416 01:22:55,920 --> 01:22:57,679 uh creates significant facilities that 1417 01:22:57,679 --> 01:23:00,000 help offload water that would otherwise 1418 01:23:00,000 --> 01:23:01,760 wash out roads and cause significant 1419 01:23:01,760 --> 01:23:03,360 property damage. So everybody is 1420 01:23:03,360 --> 01:23:05,199 benefiting from that. Uh I hope I've 1421 01:23:05,199 --> 01:23:06,480 answered those questions. I will move to 1422 01:23:06,480 --> 01:23:08,480 councelor Anderson 1423 01:23:08,480 --> 01:23:09,760 or I'm sorry I'm sorry. Councelor 1424 01:23:09,760 --> 01:23:10,800 Hering, I'm going to recognize you still 1425 01:23:10,800 --> 01:23:12,400 have the floor if you'd like to respond. 1426 01:23:12,400 --> 01:23:14,800 >> Yeah. What was your number just for the 1427 01:23:14,800 --> 01:23:17,840 record of what you would go to for the 1428 01:23:17,840 --> 01:23:18,560 purchase? 1429 01:23:18,560 --> 01:23:21,920 >> So the the city's debt capacity is 138 1430 01:23:21,920 --> 01:23:23,520 million. That is the max that we can 1431 01:23:23,520 --> 01:23:25,679 take out at any given time. What that 1432 01:23:25,679 --> 01:23:29,440 capacity is at the point that uh at the 1433 01:23:29,440 --> 01:23:31,360 point that we would be in a position to 1434 01:23:31,360 --> 01:23:33,840 take out the bond is a moving number 1435 01:23:33,840 --> 01:23:35,600 because the city's financial health has 1436 01:23:35,600 --> 01:23:37,920 been growing steadily. so that uh our 1437 01:23:37,920 --> 01:23:41,520 potentially upper end number grows with 1438 01:23:41,520 --> 01:23:43,280 the financial health of the city. That 1439 01:23:43,280 --> 01:23:46,320 said, at this point, I think anything 1440 01:23:46,320 --> 01:23:48,560 under roughly 1441 01:23:48,560 --> 01:23:52,400 $100 million as long as it was financed 1442 01:23:52,400 --> 01:23:54,320 by a revenue bond, which this would be, 1443 01:23:54,320 --> 01:23:56,560 and as long as it was only paying for uh 1444 01:23:56,560 --> 01:23:59,120 the existing fair market value, uh which 1445 01:23:59,120 --> 01:24:01,040 it would be, that's all it would be. Uh 1446 01:24:01,040 --> 01:24:03,760 that would be a financial asset to the 1447 01:24:03,760 --> 01:24:05,520 city. It would be financially beneficial 1448 01:24:05,520 --> 01:24:08,719 if the sale were today, but again, time 1449 01:24:08,719 --> 01:24:10,800 changes that question most likely for 1450 01:24:10,800 --> 01:24:12,880 the positive. 1451 01:24:12,880 --> 01:24:13,520 >> Thank you. 1452 01:24:13,520 --> 01:24:15,600 >> Councelor Anderson, did you still have a 1453 01:24:15,600 --> 01:24:16,080 question? 1454 01:24:16,080 --> 01:24:18,000 >> Yep. I just have two questions. Well, it 1455 01:24:18,000 --> 01:24:20,320 might be bad. Maybe I have three, but 1456 01:24:20,320 --> 01:24:22,239 the first question, um, how much has the 1457 01:24:22,239 --> 01:24:25,760 city already spent on, um, consulting 1458 01:24:25,760 --> 01:24:29,679 and attorney fees? I believe we have uh 1459 01:24:29,679 --> 01:24:31,360 I believe the initial raft talis 1460 01:24:31,360 --> 01:24:34,239 appraisal was about $150,000. 1461 01:24:34,239 --> 01:24:35,520 Counselors might remember that more than 1462 01:24:35,520 --> 01:24:38,320 I will. Uh attorneys fees a few thousand 1463 01:24:38,320 --> 01:24:40,880 for uh consultancies. In fact, that will 1464 01:24:40,880 --> 01:24:42,400 be a bill that as that we'll be 1465 01:24:42,400 --> 01:24:44,960 presenting to you or a a retainer that 1466 01:24:44,960 --> 01:24:47,120 will present you with more outlined 1467 01:24:47,120 --> 01:24:48,880 legal costs for the next few months. And 1468 01:24:48,880 --> 01:24:50,880 then we'll probably re-evaluate that if 1469 01:24:50,880 --> 01:24:53,600 and when the referendum passes uh to 1470 01:24:53,600 --> 01:24:57,679 come up with a broad legal strategy for 1471 01:24:57,679 --> 01:25:00,080 uh uh the contested case hearing. The 1472 01:25:00,080 --> 01:25:01,840 reason it's small now is because right 1473 01:25:01,840 --> 01:25:03,440 now we're just getting advice like how 1474 01:25:03,440 --> 01:25:05,199 to form a question like this. What is 1475 01:25:05,199 --> 01:25:07,520 the uh process? We're learning and our 1476 01:25:07,520 --> 01:25:08,880 attorneys are functioning as a little 1477 01:25:08,880 --> 01:25:12,000 more than legal teachers right now. when 1478 01:25:12,000 --> 01:25:13,600 we go into a contested case hearing 1479 01:25:13,600 --> 01:25:15,520 that's much more involved but that's 1480 01:25:15,520 --> 01:25:17,679 something that you know many communities 1481 01:25:17,679 --> 01:25:20,000 have been a part of before these are 1482 01:25:20,000 --> 01:25:21,679 common thing contested case hearings 1483 01:25:21,679 --> 01:25:23,199 while they don't usually involve the 1484 01:25:23,199 --> 01:25:25,199 acquisition of entire water utility they 1485 01:25:25,199 --> 01:25:27,520 are common events at the PSC so uh I I 1486 01:25:27,520 --> 01:25:31,040 do imagine a a bill but right now it's 1487 01:25:31,040 --> 01:25:33,520 not I I don't believe it's much higher 1488 01:25:33,520 --> 01:25:36,960 than that consultant fee 1489 01:25:36,960 --> 01:25:38,719 >> councelor 1490 01:25:38,719 --> 01:25:39,440 I have one more question 1491 01:25:39,440 --> 01:25:40,960 >> oh I'm sorry please councelor Anderson 1492 01:25:40,960 --> 01:25:42,800 >> um how much do anticipate the city will 1493 01:25:42,800 --> 01:25:45,520 be spending to go through the process of 1494 01:25:45,520 --> 01:25:47,600 acquiring the utility? 1495 01:25:47,600 --> 01:25:50,639 >> That's hard to say exactly, but it is uh 1496 01:25:50,639 --> 01:25:51,760 certainly narrower than some of the 1497 01:25:51,760 --> 01:25:53,360 numbers you've seen. I think uh you've 1498 01:25:53,360 --> 01:25:55,440 seen numbers as high as like 15 million, 1499 01:25:55,440 --> 01:25:57,679 which it won't be that. Uh the Wisconsin 1500 01:25:57,679 --> 01:25:59,440 process only allows a contested case 1501 01:25:59,440 --> 01:26:02,480 hearing first, followed by a right to an 1502 01:26:02,480 --> 01:26:05,440 appeal. So, uh there is a limited amount 1503 01:26:05,440 --> 01:26:07,600 of time that can take. It's tough for me 1504 01:26:07,600 --> 01:26:09,600 to put a specific number on that, but 1505 01:26:09,600 --> 01:26:12,560 when we bring a firm's retainer, a not 1506 01:26:12,560 --> 01:26:15,840 to exceed uh uh could probably be 1507 01:26:15,840 --> 01:26:17,920 negotiated. Uh but I do expect there 1508 01:26:17,920 --> 01:26:20,239 will be a real legal bills. I'm not 1509 01:26:20,239 --> 01:26:21,280 going to pretend that there aren't. 1510 01:26:21,280 --> 01:26:23,520 Obviously, this is a litigated process 1511 01:26:23,520 --> 01:26:28,790 and so I think it is reasonable. 1512 01:26:28,800 --> 01:26:30,880 Do you want to dare venture a guess? 1513 01:26:30,880 --> 01:26:32,639 >> I do not. 1514 01:26:32,639 --> 01:26:33,440 >> Uh [snorts] 1515 01:26:33,440 --> 01:26:37,199 yeah, I better not either. I think um I 1516 01:26:37,199 --> 01:26:40,880 looked at a city that's spent in a much 1517 01:26:40,880 --> 01:26:44,000 more hostile state to this process. A 1518 01:26:44,000 --> 01:26:46,480 state that does not allow cities to 1519 01:26:46,480 --> 01:26:47,760 automatically acquire their water 1520 01:26:47,760 --> 01:26:49,920 utilities. In fact, requires a much more 1521 01:26:49,920 --> 01:26:52,480 extensive legal process. I saw that city 1522 01:26:52,480 --> 01:26:55,040 recently spent $4 million on legal fees. 1523 01:26:55,040 --> 01:26:57,280 So, call that an upper number. Uh that 1524 01:26:57,280 --> 01:27:00,880 then would of course uh uh be placed on 1525 01:27:00,880 --> 01:27:02,320 the rates at the point of acquisition. 1526 01:27:02,320 --> 01:27:04,159 So that's that's all factored into the 1527 01:27:04,159 --> 01:27:04,639 transition. 1528 01:27:04,639 --> 01:27:05,600 >> Can I ask one more, 1529 01:27:05,600 --> 01:27:06,000 >> please? 1530 01:27:06,000 --> 01:27:08,880 >> Okay. So in the I I'm going to say it 1531 01:27:08,880 --> 01:27:10,800 wrong. The Rafa Tillis study it says 1532 01:27:10,800 --> 01:27:13,040 that utility will be paid entirely by 1533 01:27:13,040 --> 01:27:15,120 revenue bonds I think is what you've 1534 01:27:15,120 --> 01:27:18,639 said. But on the resolution it says um 1535 01:27:18,639 --> 01:27:21,679 that you want to authorize or we want to 1536 01:27:21,679 --> 01:27:24,080 authorize general obligation and revenue 1537 01:27:24,080 --> 01:27:26,000 bonds as well. 1538 01:27:26,000 --> 01:27:29,199 >> Yes. Uh I I added uh general obligation 1539 01:27:29,199 --> 01:27:31,199 bonds mostly to preserve the flexibility 1540 01:27:31,199 --> 01:27:33,199 of the council. Ultimately that's a 1541 01:27:33,199 --> 01:27:35,840 council decision. Rafelis would almost 1542 01:27:35,840 --> 01:27:37,760 certainly recommend revenue bonds. Our 1543 01:27:37,760 --> 01:27:39,199 bond adviserss would almost certainly 1544 01:27:39,199 --> 01:27:41,040 recommend revenue bonds and I'm very 1545 01:27:41,040 --> 01:27:44,880 highly to recommend revenue bonds but uh 1546 01:27:44,880 --> 01:27:48,239 I don't want to leave financial options 1547 01:27:48,239 --> 01:27:50,239 on the table. when we come to make a 1548 01:27:50,239 --> 01:27:52,159 large capital purchase especially one 1549 01:27:52,159 --> 01:27:55,040 this large you are always advised by 1550 01:27:55,040 --> 01:27:56,880 your bond adviserss so you're not 1551 01:27:56,880 --> 01:27:59,199 looking for advice from me or Rafelis 1552 01:27:59,199 --> 01:28:01,040 you're looking for advice largely from 1553 01:28:01,040 --> 01:28:02,800 Ellers for how to structure that and 1554 01:28:02,800 --> 01:28:05,600 what that would really that the I don't 1555 01:28:05,600 --> 01:28:07,280 imagine a world as I just said where 1556 01:28:07,280 --> 01:28:08,880 general obligation bonds are a better 1557 01:28:08,880 --> 01:28:12,800 bet but there are some scenarios where 1558 01:28:12,800 --> 01:28:14,239 you could structure it in a way that the 1559 01:28:14,239 --> 01:28:16,400 interest might be beneficial uh in the 1560 01:28:16,400 --> 01:28:19,600 shorter or long term so but I'm I'm not 1561 01:28:19,600 --> 01:28:21,280 capable of giving that advice right now. 1562 01:28:21,280 --> 01:28:22,639 The point of adding that in there was to 1563 01:28:22,639 --> 01:28:25,840 preserve options in the long term. 1564 01:28:25,840 --> 01:28:29,920 Any further council? 1565 01:28:29,920 --> 01:28:32,880 Excuse [clears throat] me. Um, as far as 1566 01:28:32,880 --> 01:28:34,639 I understand it, this proposed 1567 01:28:34,639 --> 01:28:37,360 referendum is non-binding. 1568 01:28:37,360 --> 01:28:39,760 Um, I think a little time needs to be 1569 01:28:39,760 --> 01:28:43,600 spent on explaining this process. 1570 01:28:43,600 --> 01:28:45,280 citizens. I think there's some maybe 1571 01:28:45,280 --> 01:28:47,280 confusion. A lot of referendums that are 1572 01:28:47,280 --> 01:28:49,600 put out there have a dollar amount on 1573 01:28:49,600 --> 01:28:52,239 it. So, it's like is this the cart 1574 01:28:52,239 --> 01:28:55,440 before the horse? So, but Wisconsin 1575 01:28:55,440 --> 01:28:58,560 state statute is clear from section uh 1576 01:28:58,560 --> 01:29:02,239 197.02. It's action by municipalities to 1577 01:29:02,239 --> 01:29:04,560 acquire the utility. The first step is 1578 01:29:04,560 --> 01:29:07,040 the referendum of vote of electors. This 1579 01:29:07,040 --> 01:29:09,679 helps determine u the majority of 1580 01:29:09,679 --> 01:29:12,560 electors do we move forward. Then if 1581 01:29:12,560 --> 01:29:15,440 required the circuit court determines a 1582 01:29:15,440 --> 01:29:17,280 necessity proceeding. This brings the 1583 01:29:17,280 --> 01:29:20,239 action concerning the nec necessity of 1584 01:29:20,239 --> 01:29:23,520 the taking. Uh number three there's a 1585 01:29:23,520 --> 01:29:27,040 notice to the PSC. Uh the municipality 1586 01:29:27,040 --> 01:29:30,400 gives notice to the utility and the PSC 1587 01:29:30,400 --> 01:29:33,760 and that's under section 197.03. 1588 01:29:33,760 --> 01:29:36,400 Then uh the PSC has a valuation 1589 01:29:36,400 --> 01:29:38,000 proceeding 1590 01:29:38,000 --> 01:29:40,880 and then it goes to the PSC to do to 1591 01:29:40,880 --> 01:29:43,040 determine the price. It's my 1592 01:29:43,040 --> 01:29:45,120 understanding that once that price is 1593 01:29:45,120 --> 01:29:48,080 determined, there's still 60 days that 1594 01:29:48,080 --> 01:29:50,400 the city could back out. It's just I 1595 01:29:50,400 --> 01:29:52,239 think if you could spend a little more 1596 01:29:52,239 --> 01:29:55,040 time on that process to clarify maybe 1597 01:29:55,040 --> 01:29:58,080 any confusion that's out there. Sure. I 1598 01:29:58,080 --> 01:29:59,760 have some follow-up questions. 1599 01:29:59,760 --> 01:30:01,600 >> Yeah, sure. I I think you did a very 1600 01:30:01,600 --> 01:30:03,120 good job, counselor, of describing it. 1601 01:30:03,120 --> 01:30:04,639 Um, working backwards, I would make a 1602 01:30:04,639 --> 01:30:07,679 very minor correction. It's not so much 1603 01:30:07,679 --> 01:30:10,880 that the city has 60 days to back out. 1604 01:30:10,880 --> 01:30:13,440 The city has 60 days to produce the 1605 01:30:13,440 --> 01:30:15,520 payment. And so, the city actually has 1606 01:30:15,520 --> 01:30:17,840 to take overt action within that 60 1607 01:30:17,840 --> 01:30:19,520 days. So, we would have to work pretty 1608 01:30:19,520 --> 01:30:21,760 hard to even be prepared to do that. 1609 01:30:21,760 --> 01:30:23,600 Now, obviously, we're going to prepare 1610 01:30:23,600 --> 01:30:26,159 months and months in advance of that, 1611 01:30:26,159 --> 01:30:29,120 have that prepared. The default is 1612 01:30:29,120 --> 01:30:31,120 actually not to do it. The city has to 1613 01:30:31,120 --> 01:30:33,840 approve this multiple times along the 1614 01:30:33,840 --> 01:30:36,000 way and the council can back out at any 1615 01:30:36,000 --> 01:30:39,440 point. Uh however, before engaging in a 1616 01:30:39,440 --> 01:30:43,280 process this large, the uh uh the 1617 01:30:43,280 --> 01:30:45,840 statute as you mentioned requires the 1618 01:30:45,840 --> 01:30:48,080 electors to authorize it to move 1619 01:30:48,080 --> 01:30:50,880 forward. So as you said correctly, we 1620 01:30:50,880 --> 01:30:54,320 cannot get the number from the PSC 1621 01:30:54,320 --> 01:30:56,480 beforehand. But there is one thing I 1622 01:30:56,480 --> 01:30:58,719 want to clarify. It would be I agree 1623 01:30:58,719 --> 01:30:59,920 with those that say it would be 1624 01:30:59,920 --> 01:31:03,600 irresponsible to go forward blind. We 1625 01:31:03,600 --> 01:31:06,080 should get a sense of what this cost. 1626 01:31:06,080 --> 01:31:08,560 That's why we spent $150,000 1627 01:31:08,560 --> 01:31:11,120 for an appraisal. And one of the uh 1628 01:31:11,120 --> 01:31:13,440 things that I confess to being a little 1629 01:31:13,440 --> 01:31:16,000 amusing in this process has been an 1630 01:31:16,000 --> 01:31:18,400 effort to pretend as though the Raftelis 1631 01:31:18,400 --> 01:31:19,920 report was not accurate or that there 1632 01:31:19,920 --> 01:31:21,760 are two competing appraisals out there. 1633 01:31:21,760 --> 01:31:23,920 are not. There is only one 1634 01:31:23,920 --> 01:31:26,159 appraisal out there. Uh there was 1635 01:31:26,159 --> 01:31:27,360 another number released at something 1636 01:31:27,360 --> 01:31:29,760 like 187 million that was not an 1637 01:31:29,760 --> 01:31:34,320 appraisal that did not use evidence uh produced that was publicly available 1638 01:31:34,320 --> 01:31:36,880 at the PSC. It did not use professional 1639 01:31:36,880 --> 01:31:39,120 appraisal standards and it is not 1640 01:31:39,120 --> 01:31:42,000 admissible in a contested case hearing. 1641 01:31:42,000 --> 01:31:44,480 Our appraisal is admissible and all of 1642 01:31:44,480 --> 01:31:45,840 you were there for this process council. 1643 01:31:45,840 --> 01:31:47,920 Well, most of you uh so I don't know 1644 01:31:47,920 --> 01:31:51,440 that I have to remind you but Rafelis 1645 01:31:51,440 --> 01:31:53,920 was selected in a competitive process by 1646 01:31:53,920 --> 01:31:56,080 this council and the mission that we 1647 01:31:56,080 --> 01:31:59,199 gave Rafelis was to give us an unbiased 1648 01:31:59,199 --> 01:32:00,719 number. So you know I did not select 1649 01:32:00,719 --> 01:32:03,440 Rafelis you did and you specifically 1650 01:32:03,440 --> 01:32:06,000 asked for the real number. You hired 1651 01:32:06,000 --> 01:32:07,840 that firm to give you an accurate number 1652 01:32:07,840 --> 01:32:11,040 not a lowball number. We also looked for 1653 01:32:11,040 --> 01:32:13,679 uh a highly respected and qualified firm 1654 01:32:13,679 --> 01:32:16,080 and we checked their work in the past. 1655 01:32:16,080 --> 01:32:18,560 So, Rafelis has a long history of 1656 01:32:18,560 --> 01:32:21,280 producing professional appraisals and 1657 01:32:21,280 --> 01:32:24,320 they are largely accurate. They're uh so 1658 01:32:24,320 --> 01:32:28,239 they've been proven correct over and over again. So unless for some 1659 01:32:28,239 --> 01:32:31,440 reason they're just lying or uh uh 1660 01:32:31,440 --> 01:32:33,600 trying to manipulate this process and 1661 01:32:33,600 --> 01:32:35,120 risking their entire professional 1662 01:32:35,120 --> 01:32:37,840 reputation, I imagine that number that 1663 01:32:37,840 --> 01:32:41,199 $58 million number is as accurate as 1664 01:32:41,199 --> 01:32:42,880 every other appraisal they have they 1665 01:32:42,880 --> 01:32:45,920 have conducted. So we have done that due 1666 01:32:45,920 --> 01:32:48,480 diligence. That is the most likely and 1667 01:32:48,480 --> 01:32:51,199 the most accurate number. That does not 1668 01:32:51,199 --> 01:32:53,440 mean it will be the number. We uh when 1669 01:32:53,440 --> 01:32:57,920 we go to the PSC there will uh there is a long process where we we 1670 01:32:57,920 --> 01:32:59,840 debate this. Superior waterline power 1671 01:32:59,840 --> 01:33:01,840 gets to present evidence. So do we. Uh 1672 01:33:01,840 --> 01:33:04,239 Rafelis will pre present their argument. 1673 01:33:04,239 --> 01:33:06,639 Uh and then time will also pass the the 1674 01:33:06,639 --> 01:33:10,480 value of that asset u may have changed. 1675 01:33:10,480 --> 01:33:12,000 They may they have they are likely to 1676 01:33:12,000 --> 01:33:14,000 have added to the value of that asset or 1677 01:33:14,000 --> 01:33:15,679 other elements may have depreciated by 1678 01:33:15,679 --> 01:33:18,320 the time we get to the PSSE. So this is 1679 01:33:18,320 --> 01:33:19,920 the beginning of the process. This is 1680 01:33:19,920 --> 01:33:21,520 what the statute requires. I I hope I 1681 01:33:21,520 --> 01:33:23,120 didn't talk too long there, but I think 1682 01:33:23,120 --> 01:33:24,880 you kind of asked me to explain a link. 1683 01:33:24,880 --> 01:33:26,159 Uh follow-ups, please. 1684 01:33:26,159 --> 01:33:30,560 >> And again, if the referendum fails, none 1685 01:33:30,560 --> 01:33:32,800 of those steps happen beyond that. This 1686 01:33:32,800 --> 01:33:33,360 is done. 1687 01:33:33,360 --> 01:33:34,480 >> That is correct. 1688 01:33:34,480 --> 01:33:36,080 >> So, I think that's uh there's a lot of 1689 01:33:36,080 --> 01:33:38,800 phases to that. And personally, I'm not 1690 01:33:38,800 --> 01:33:40,880 comfortable not putting the referendum 1691 01:33:40,880 --> 01:33:43,440 to ballot cuz going through this 1692 01:33:43,440 --> 01:33:45,920 process, uh, I would not want to inhibit 1693 01:33:45,920 --> 01:33:48,159 the voice of the citizens on how we want 1694 01:33:48,159 --> 01:33:50,400 to move forward. Uh, I know there's a 1695 01:33:50,400 --> 01:33:52,000 lot of details I still need to learn. 1696 01:33:52,000 --> 01:33:53,920 I've been going to almost every meeting 1697 01:33:53,920 --> 01:33:56,800 I can to learn about this uh, and make 1698 01:33:56,800 --> 01:33:58,960 the right decision. Uh, there's a lot 1699 01:33:58,960 --> 01:34:01,600 impacted and a lot at stake here. Uh, 1700 01:34:01,600 --> 01:34:03,360 but this is the survey that's 1701 01:34:03,360 --> 01:34:05,920 non-binding that uh, would help us move 1702 01:34:05,920 --> 01:34:10,159 forward. Um, back to uh Dan Olsen's uh 1703 01:34:10,159 --> 01:34:14,560 modification request. Uh um I'm Can can 1704 01:34:14,560 --> 01:34:18,000 you help guide us through that request? 1705 01:34:18,000 --> 01:34:20,159 I I'm not seeing the merit of adding 1706 01:34:20,159 --> 01:34:23,280 discussion when each agenda item can be 1707 01:34:23,280 --> 01:34:25,600 discussed anyway. Am I mistaken by that 1708 01:34:25,600 --> 01:34:27,120 or did I miss something? 1709 01:34:27,120 --> 01:34:29,679 >> No, you were correct. I believe 1710 01:34:29,679 --> 01:34:31,280 conceivably that would be out of order 1711 01:34:31,280 --> 01:34:34,000 because amendments cannot do the same a 1712 01:34:34,000 --> 01:34:36,560 motion can't do the same thing as 1713 01:34:36,560 --> 01:34:38,800 nothing and so you're correct this when 1714 01:34:38,800 --> 01:34:40,880 this comes back to the council it is 1715 01:34:40,880 --> 01:34:42,880 discussion is automatically allowed you 1716 01:34:42,880 --> 01:34:45,199 know this is Robert's rules of order so 1717 01:34:45,199 --> 01:34:48,000 uh this will be discussed at uh when it 1718 01:34:48,000 --> 01:34:50,960 comes back to council um I also disagree 1719 01:34:50,960 --> 01:34:53,199 with changing the tense of the sentence 1720 01:34:53,199 --> 01:34:56,400 uh this was uh written largely by our 1721 01:34:56,400 --> 01:34:59,600 attorney's office and uh the past tense 1722 01:34:59,600 --> 01:35:02,639 was published will this will be past 1723 01:35:02,639 --> 01:35:05,040 tense at the point you approve it. So 1724 01:35:05,040 --> 01:35:08,400 you write resolutions so that they are 1725 01:35:08,400 --> 01:35:11,600 grammatically correct at the moment 1726 01:35:11,600 --> 01:35:13,679 after they are passed. So that's that's 1727 01:35:13,679 --> 01:35:15,120 why that's in the past tense. Just a 1728 01:35:15,120 --> 01:35:17,360 minor grammar point but I I agree with 1729 01:35:17,360 --> 01:35:19,040 the original author here. 1730 01:35:19,040 --> 01:35:21,440 >> Thank you. 1731 01:35:21,440 --> 01:35:22,719 >> Further discussion from councelor 1732 01:35:22,719 --> 01:35:24,639 Sweeney. 1733 01:35:24,639 --> 01:35:26,719 My first uh is going to be a statement. 1734 01:35:26,719 --> 01:35:28,560 Um 1735 01:35:28,560 --> 01:35:30,639 what we do today seriously affects 1736 01:35:30,639 --> 01:35:33,520 tomorrow and what we bond for today 1737 01:35:33,520 --> 01:35:36,000 seriously affects what we do in future 1738 01:35:36,000 --> 01:35:40,639 years be it this large amount. We are um 1739 01:35:40,639 --> 01:35:44,000 perhaps um the word crippling is too 1740 01:35:44,000 --> 01:35:46,960 strong a word, but we are certainly uh 1741 01:35:46,960 --> 01:35:49,600 holding back some future capital 1742 01:35:49,600 --> 01:35:51,920 expenditures if we're going to come 1743 01:35:51,920 --> 01:35:57,440 close to our uh loan amount. Okay. 1744 01:35:57,440 --> 01:35:59,360 And so 1745 01:35:59,360 --> 01:36:01,280 this amount that the companies come up 1746 01:36:01,280 --> 01:36:02,800 with spare water light has another 1747 01:36:02,800 --> 01:36:04,480 number 1748 01:36:04,480 --> 01:36:07,600 is this figure that with whatever that 1749 01:36:07,600 --> 01:36:11,600 figure is is this for capital only. 1750 01:36:11,600 --> 01:36:13,280 No, there are a few other elements such 1751 01:36:13,280 --> 01:36:17,840 as going concern built into it. It's generally 1752 01:36:17,840 --> 01:36:20,800 the statute calls for a payment of the 1753 01:36:20,800 --> 01:36:23,040 fair market value of those assets 1754 01:36:23,040 --> 01:36:26,159 necessary and convenient and uh to the 1755 01:36:26,159 --> 01:36:28,239 operation of the water utility and 1756 01:36:28,239 --> 01:36:32,719 because this is uh it is not technically 1757 01:36:32,719 --> 01:36:35,040 a condemnation process. It is its own 1758 01:36:35,040 --> 01:36:37,199 process in the statute but many parts of 1759 01:36:37,199 --> 01:36:39,840 it refer to the condemnation process. So 1760 01:36:39,840 --> 01:36:42,560 we imagine there will be uh case law 1761 01:36:42,560 --> 01:36:44,560 from condemnation 1762 01:36:44,560 --> 01:36:47,840 applied to uh the the contested case 1763 01:36:47,840 --> 01:36:48,960 hearing. So there are a few other 1764 01:36:48,960 --> 01:36:51,199 elements to the value that Raph Talis 1765 01:36:51,199 --> 01:36:52,880 has added in. So it's not just but what 1766 01:36:52,880 --> 01:36:55,040 we are taking are the physical assets. 1767 01:36:55,040 --> 01:36:55,760 Yes. 1768 01:36:55,760 --> 01:36:58,880 >> Okay. So basically it may not be 100 but 1769 01:36:58,880 --> 01:37:00,400 basically it's capital. 1770 01:37:00,400 --> 01:37:00,960 >> Yes. 1771 01:37:00,960 --> 01:37:02,480 >> Okay. 1772 01:37:02,480 --> 01:37:09,600 And if we're the whatever the number is, that a turnkey amount? Then we can 1773 01:37:09,600 --> 01:37:11,600 January one we start it's a turnkey. 1774 01:37:11,600 --> 01:37:14,560 We've got all all the equipment, all the 1775 01:37:14,560 --> 01:37:19,040 assets fixed and whatever that we can 1776 01:37:19,040 --> 01:37:21,040 start operating a business with the 1777 01:37:21,040 --> 01:37:22,960 correct capital as of the day we 1778 01:37:22,960 --> 01:37:25,440 purchase that. Is that a fair statement? 1779 01:37:25,440 --> 01:37:28,800 >> Uh that is that is fair. Yes. But uh we 1780 01:37:28,800 --> 01:37:31,199 we've expressed that several times 1781 01:37:31,199 --> 01:37:33,040 internally because it sounds a little 1782 01:37:33,040 --> 01:37:35,280 bit extreme that just one day we own a 1783 01:37:35,280 --> 01:37:36,719 we don't own a water utility and the 1784 01:37:36,719 --> 01:37:41,040 next day we do. And however um the one 1785 01:37:41,040 --> 01:37:43,119 other element of the statute is that the 1786 01:37:43,119 --> 01:37:46,159 PSC also sets terms and conditions of 1787 01:37:46,159 --> 01:37:49,920 the transition. So yes, it is turnkey. 1788 01:37:49,920 --> 01:37:51,280 we get everything at the point of 1789 01:37:51,280 --> 01:37:53,199 acquisition, but the PSC is also 1790 01:37:53,199 --> 01:37:55,440 describing how that acquisition will 1791 01:37:55,440 --> 01:37:58,080 work and a lot of that is negotiated. 1792 01:37:58,080 --> 01:37:59,679 >> Okay. I'm thinking on the other side of 1793 01:37:59,679 --> 01:38:02,320 the coin, I'm thinking it's while we 1794 01:38:02,320 --> 01:38:03,920 purchased 1795 01:38:03,920 --> 01:38:06,239 turnkey so-called, there's still more 1796 01:38:06,239 --> 01:38:09,600 capital that must be for any more 1797 01:38:09,600 --> 01:38:11,840 capital expenditures that is not on the 1798 01:38:11,840 --> 01:38:14,719 table with this number. 1799 01:38:14,719 --> 01:38:16,880 is that to our knowledge is this this is 1800 01:38:16,880 --> 01:38:20,080 a turnkey deal and we in theory then if 1801 01:38:20,080 --> 01:38:22,560 I hear what people are saying the day 1802 01:38:22,560 --> 01:38:25,119 that January comes we turn key we we 1803 01:38:25,119 --> 01:38:26,880 don't need to put another dollar into 1804 01:38:26,880 --> 01:38:30,320 the capital to run this utility is that 1805 01:38:30,320 --> 01:38:31,600 fair to say 1806 01:38:31,600 --> 01:38:34,000 >> yes actually and I know that that sounds 1807 01:38:34,000 --> 01:38:36,480 like a reach like there we should need 1808 01:38:36,480 --> 01:38:38,000 other things but the statute's very 1809 01:38:38,000 --> 01:38:40,960 clear it's all uh equipment and assets 1810 01:38:40,960 --> 01:38:42,320 necessary and convenient to run the 1811 01:38:42,320 --> 01:38:44,719 water utility and so yes it's We 1812 01:38:44,719 --> 01:38:46,320 shouldn't need to put another dollar in 1813 01:38:46,320 --> 01:38:48,080 until we do more infrastructure of 1814 01:38:48,080 --> 01:38:48,560 course. 1815 01:38:48,560 --> 01:38:50,080 >> No, I'm I'm saying that yep 1816 01:38:50,080 --> 01:38:53,119 >> January 1st we started December 31st we 1817 01:38:53,119 --> 01:38:56,320 don't own January 1st we own it. We have 1818 01:38:56,320 --> 01:38:58,159 public service commission has deemed the 1819 01:38:58,159 --> 01:39:00,560 mount that is to operate this with all 1820 01:39:00,560 --> 01:39:01,760 capital needed 1821 01:39:01,760 --> 01:39:03,679 >> to the same yes to the same degree that 1822 01:39:03,679 --> 01:39:05,360 the current water utility is operating 1823 01:39:05,360 --> 01:39:06,880 it. Yes. 1824 01:39:06,880 --> 01:39:09,440 >> And then I've talked about this before 1825 01:39:09,440 --> 01:39:11,520 but I I've yet to see an operating 1826 01:39:11,520 --> 01:39:13,760 statement too. Okay. and and I think 1827 01:39:13,760 --> 01:39:17,280 that's a extremely critical piece. In 1828 01:39:17,280 --> 01:39:20,400 fact, in one of my um 1829 01:39:20,400 --> 01:39:23,440 this I I suggested that we hire our 1830 01:39:23,440 --> 01:39:25,280 accounting firm to look at these, okay, 1831 01:39:25,280 --> 01:39:27,199 to put another set of eyes on that. I 1832 01:39:27,199 --> 01:39:28,719 don't know whether that where that will 1833 01:39:28,719 --> 01:39:31,600 go or it'll make it, but um I just think 1834 01:39:31,600 --> 01:39:33,679 there's not enough I don't have enough 1835 01:39:33,679 --> 01:39:35,199 information 1836 01:39:35,199 --> 01:39:38,000 uh to vote on this one way or the other. 1837 01:39:38,000 --> 01:39:41,280 I I just think there's too many um 1838 01:39:41,280 --> 01:39:44,800 unknowns for me to support this at this 1839 01:39:44,800 --> 01:39:47,600 time. I'm not saying I won't, but I uh 1840 01:39:47,600 --> 01:39:49,199 it isn't what I know, it's what I don't 1841 01:39:49,199 --> 01:39:50,800 know that always bothers me. I've said 1842 01:39:50,800 --> 01:39:54,239 that enough times. So, um I'm extremely 1843 01:39:54,239 --> 01:39:56,000 concerned that I just don't have enough 1844 01:39:56,000 --> 01:39:59,360 information right now. Thank you. 1845 01:39:59,360 --> 01:40:01,920 >> Further discussion, 1846 01:40:01,920 --> 01:40:03,040 councelor Hick. 1847 01:40:03,040 --> 01:40:05,199 >> Yeah, just a couple comments here. So 1848 01:40:05,199 --> 01:40:08,239 for the PSC to look at this, it has to 1849 01:40:08,239 --> 01:40:11,280 go to to the referendum. Correct. 1850 01:40:11,280 --> 01:40:13,040 >> Yes. The next uh the next step is 1851 01:40:13,040 --> 01:40:14,880 referendum followed by PSC. So for us to 1852 01:40:14,880 --> 01:40:17,679 acquire more information that uh without 1853 01:40:17,679 --> 01:40:20,000 spending money unnecessarily, the next 1854 01:40:20,000 --> 01:40:21,600 step is to go to the PSC. That's where 1855 01:40:21,600 --> 01:40:23,440 we answer a lot of the questions that 1856 01:40:23,440 --> 01:40:26,000 have been asked. So in order to ask the 1857 01:40:26,000 --> 01:40:28,000 questions that many people are to get 1858 01:40:28,000 --> 01:40:30,480 the true and final answers to the 1859 01:40:30,480 --> 01:40:32,080 questions that many folks are asking 1860 01:40:32,080 --> 01:40:35,119 including several of you the public must 1861 01:40:35,119 --> 01:40:37,760 approve a referendum. 1862 01:40:37,760 --> 01:40:40,080 >> Okay. Then do we what would the cost be 1863 01:40:40,080 --> 01:40:42,960 roughly from now let's say you know the 1864 01:40:42,960 --> 01:40:45,360 people want us to go forward from now 1865 01:40:45,360 --> 01:40:48,639 until it gets to the PSC. So what what I 1866 01:40:48,639 --> 01:40:50,239 mean is there cost for the PSC to 1867 01:40:50,239 --> 01:40:52,239 actually do this themselves or is there 1868 01:40:52,239 --> 01:40:53,760 something I mean what costs are 1869 01:40:53,760 --> 01:40:56,480 associated with that that process 1870 01:40:56,480 --> 01:40:58,080 >> get to the PSC there's actually not much 1871 01:40:58,080 --> 01:40:59,760 more cost so between now and the 1872 01:40:59,760 --> 01:41:01,920 referendum there's not a lot left to 1873 01:41:01,920 --> 01:41:04,639 spend uh this we have as I said before 1874 01:41:04,639 --> 01:41:06,239 we've spent years acquiring this 1875 01:41:06,239 --> 01:41:08,000 information learning about this process 1876 01:41:08,000 --> 01:41:09,679 it's time to turn it over to the people 1877 01:41:09,679 --> 01:41:11,360 there's not much more we can collect now 1878 01:41:11,360 --> 01:41:13,280 the city council can continue to discuss 1879 01:41:13,280 --> 01:41:14,960 this and evaluate it and if you want to 1880 01:41:14,960 --> 01:41:16,880 be availed of more consultants or legal 1881 01:41:16,880 --> 01:41:19,440 advice will absolutely provide that the 1882 01:41:19,440 --> 01:41:25,280 uh but it between now and the referendum 1883 01:41:25,280 --> 01:41:27,520 there shouldn't be much more cost once 1884 01:41:27,520 --> 01:41:29,040 it [snorts] goes to the PSC that's 1885 01:41:29,040 --> 01:41:30,800 what's called a contested case hearing 1886 01:41:30,800 --> 01:41:33,760 that works a lot like a a trial in that 1887 01:41:33,760 --> 01:41:35,600 there's evidence and witnesses and so 1888 01:41:35,600 --> 01:41:37,840 then we would have legal fees that 1889 01:41:37,840 --> 01:41:40,080 ultimately would be rolled into the cost 1890 01:41:40,080 --> 01:41:41,920 of acquisition. 1891 01:41:41,920 --> 01:41:44,080 >> Okay. So basically if we said yes we 1892 01:41:44,080 --> 01:41:45,840 were interested then that's when 1893 01:41:45,840 --> 01:41:46,159 >> Yes. 1894 01:41:46,159 --> 01:41:50,159 >> Yeah. Okay. All right. Thank you, 1895 01:41:50,159 --> 01:41:52,080 >> Councelor Graskki. 1896 01:41:52,080 --> 01:41:54,400 >> Okay. It's clear that there's going to 1897 01:41:54,400 --> 01:41:55,679 be a lot of steps to this. I think 1898 01:41:55,679 --> 01:41:57,600 that's what this council has been asking 1899 01:41:57,600 --> 01:42:00,480 a lot. But this is a draft that we're 1900 01:42:00,480 --> 01:42:02,560 voting on and let's say it approves 1901 01:42:02,560 --> 01:42:05,679 tonight. The next meeting is when we 1902 01:42:05,679 --> 01:42:08,480 vote to pass a referendum to be put on 1903 01:42:08,480 --> 01:42:09,760 the ballot. Is that correct? 1904 01:42:09,760 --> 01:42:10,719 >> That is correct. 1905 01:42:10,719 --> 01:42:12,835 >> Thank you. 1906 01:42:12,835 --> 01:42:15,270 [cough and clears throat] 1907 01:42:15,280 --> 01:42:16,880 Uh, one of the most important things to 1908 01:42:16,880 --> 01:42:20,000 council lady and and I think councelor 1909 01:42:20,000 --> 01:42:22,960 her councelor Elm and councelor Graskki 1910 01:42:22,960 --> 01:42:25,760 hit the nail right on the head before we 1911 01:42:25,760 --> 01:42:28,880 move forward and um it's important we're 1912 01:42:28,880 --> 01:42:31,440 not buying nothing tonight. We're not 1913 01:42:31,440 --> 01:42:33,760 approving bonds. 1914 01:42:33,760 --> 01:42:36,400 We're not looking at costs. The ultimate 1915 01:42:36,400 --> 01:42:39,520 question is, do we publish this to where 1916 01:42:39,520 --> 01:42:42,480 we come back next meeting and vote to 1917 01:42:42,480 --> 01:42:44,719 put this on a referendum to let the 1918 01:42:44,719 --> 01:42:48,639 people of Superior decide what they want 1919 01:42:48,639 --> 01:42:51,920 to do to move forward? And that is where 1920 01:42:51,920 --> 01:42:54,639 we are at in this process right now. 1921 01:42:54,639 --> 01:42:58,080 That I fullheartedly 1922 01:42:58,080 --> 01:43:00,719 agree with putting this to referendum 1923 01:43:00,719 --> 01:43:03,760 and seeing what the people of Superior 1924 01:43:03,760 --> 01:43:05,679 want to do with this. This is the 1925 01:43:05,679 --> 01:43:08,320 process. I don't know what the cost is. 1926 01:43:08,320 --> 01:43:11,760 None of us know what the cost is. The PSC won't give us a cost until after 1927 01:43:11,760 --> 01:43:13,679 a referendum. 1928 01:43:13,679 --> 01:43:16,080 But it is important that the citizens 1929 01:43:16,080 --> 01:43:21,520 are involved. It's it is their utility. 1930 01:43:21,520 --> 01:43:24,239 It is their water that they are paying 1931 01:43:24,239 --> 01:43:28,239 for. It is them that have been paying 1932 01:43:28,239 --> 01:43:30,880 the rates for years and it is their 1933 01:43:30,880 --> 01:43:33,040 decision to make as far as where they 1934 01:43:33,040 --> 01:43:37,040 want to go with that and they will have 1935 01:43:37,040 --> 01:43:39,199 the ultimate choice in this. If it's a 1936 01:43:39,199 --> 01:43:41,520 no, it's done and and then if it's a 1937 01:43:41,520 --> 01:43:44,159 yes, then then we move forward. But I I 1938 01:43:44,159 --> 01:43:46,000 do believe 1939 01:43:46,000 --> 01:43:49,119 a res a referendum to allow the people 1940 01:43:49,119 --> 01:43:54,159 to decide is always a right thing to do. 1941 01:43:54,159 --> 01:43:56,320 I'll just point out at the next meeting 1942 01:43:56,320 --> 01:43:58,719 that doesn't actually pass this either. 1943 01:43:58,719 --> 01:44:00,960 The only the public can pass this. The 1944 01:44:00,960 --> 01:44:03,280 uh if if this moves to the next meeting 1945 01:44:03,280 --> 01:44:05,520 and uh the council adopts the 1946 01:44:05,520 --> 01:44:06,880 resolution, it does not buy the water 1947 01:44:06,880 --> 01:44:08,639 utility. It does not spend any money. It 1948 01:44:08,639 --> 01:44:10,400 places a question on the ballot for the 1949 01:44:10,400 --> 01:44:13,360 public to set the next steps for the 1950 01:44:13,360 --> 01:44:15,600 public to weigh in. This council has 1951 01:44:15,600 --> 01:44:18,960 discussed this for years. Uh it this is 1952 01:44:18,960 --> 01:44:20,560 an opportunity for the people of 1953 01:44:20,560 --> 01:44:22,719 Superior to have their say to determine 1954 01:44:22,719 --> 01:44:24,239 if we should be spending this much time 1955 01:44:24,239 --> 01:44:26,320 on it or if we should spend much more 1956 01:44:26,320 --> 01:44:28,800 time on it. I think uh it's just their 1957 01:44:28,800 --> 01:44:31,360 turn. Uh I think we have talked about it 1958 01:44:31,360 --> 01:44:32,639 enough. It doesn't mean we have to stop 1959 01:44:32,639 --> 01:44:34,080 talking about it. Of course, we'll keep 1960 01:44:34,080 --> 01:44:35,840 talking about it and do everything we 1961 01:44:35,840 --> 01:44:38,480 can to keep educating folks uh about 1962 01:44:38,480 --> 01:44:41,040 this question, what it means. And that's 1963 01:44:41,040 --> 01:44:42,560 why 1964 01:44:42,560 --> 01:44:45,119 uh uh I wanted to bring this resolution 1965 01:44:45,119 --> 01:44:48,800 now because setting the question now 1966 01:44:48,800 --> 01:44:51,199 gives more time for the public to study 1967 01:44:51,199 --> 01:44:52,800 that question, learn that it's coming, 1968 01:44:52,800 --> 01:44:54,480 for it to be covered in the press, for 1969 01:44:54,480 --> 01:44:57,679 folk to to trigger more questions, for 1970 01:44:57,679 --> 01:45:03,189 more folks to get more answers. 1971 01:45:03,199 --> 01:45:06,320 I would like to suggest 1972 01:45:06,320 --> 01:45:09,040 two amendments. The first I think is 1973 01:45:09,040 --> 01:45:10,239 relative. I don't think either of these 1974 01:45:10,239 --> 01:45:12,000 are controversial. And so I am going to 1975 01:45:12,000 --> 01:45:15,440 ask unanimous consent. 1976 01:45:15,440 --> 01:45:17,119 I'm going to ask unanimous consent to 1977 01:45:17,119 --> 01:45:18,400 make an amendment to this resolution. 1978 01:45:18,400 --> 01:45:19,440 For those of you that don't know what 1979 01:45:19,440 --> 01:45:21,600 that means, what that means is I believe 1980 01:45:21,600 --> 01:45:23,520 that all 10 of you will easily agree 1981 01:45:23,520 --> 01:45:26,560 with what I'm about to suggest. Uh 1982 01:45:26,560 --> 01:45:27,679 councelor Cait, why don't you take the 1983 01:45:27,679 --> 01:45:28,159 floor? 1984 01:45:28,159 --> 01:45:31,199 >> Um I just had one uh question. um if 1985 01:45:31,199 --> 01:45:33,600 this goes or when it goes to referendum, 1986 01:45:33,600 --> 01:45:36,239 whatever that looks like, um you you 1987 01:45:36,239 --> 01:45:37,679 know, we're talking about um you know, 1988 01:45:37,679 --> 01:45:40,480 having our our uh citizens vote. Um what 1989 01:45:40,480 --> 01:45:45,119 is the pass? Like is it like 50.1% 1990 01:45:45,119 --> 01:45:51,600 like just curious um like looking at the scheme of of um the this journey um 1991 01:45:51,600 --> 01:45:54,159 I'm just wondering for clarification's 1992 01:45:54,159 --> 01:45:57,280 sake, what is the passing referendum? 1993 01:45:57,280 --> 01:45:58,719 Actually, there's a part of that 1994 01:45:58,719 --> 01:46:01,600 question I can't answer because 50% plus 1995 01:46:01,600 --> 01:46:04,960 one passes. If there are 1996 01:46:04,960 --> 01:46:10,719 1,000 votes, 501 votes in favor, uh I'm 1997 01:46:10,719 --> 01:46:13,040 sorry, if there are more yes votes than 1998 01:46:13,040 --> 01:46:16,239 no votes, the plurality wins. Okay? So, 1999 01:46:16,239 --> 01:46:17,520 if there are more yes votes than no 2000 01:46:17,520 --> 01:46:19,199 votes, that passes. It doesn't have to 2001 01:46:19,199 --> 01:46:22,480 be for 50% of the total vote. Uh I don't 2002 01:46:22,480 --> 01:46:24,080 know what happens in a tie for a 2003 01:46:24,080 --> 01:46:26,880 referendum. [snorts] Probably fails. 2004 01:46:26,880 --> 01:46:28,960 My guts say fail right now. Yeah, 2005 01:46:28,960 --> 01:46:30,320 without having researched, 2006 01:46:30,320 --> 01:46:32,400 >> right? Ties happen in Superior, 2007 01:46:32,400 --> 01:46:34,080 Wisconsin. 2008 01:46:34,080 --> 01:46:37,440 >> I probably not in a citywide race, but 2009 01:46:37,440 --> 01:46:38,560 that's a good question. Thank you for 2010 01:46:38,560 --> 01:46:40,000 asking that. Did uh any anything 2011 01:46:40,000 --> 01:46:43,040 further? Okay. So, as I was saying, I'm 2012 01:46:43,040 --> 01:46:44,960 going to uh make request a motion by 2013 01:46:44,960 --> 01:46:46,800 unanimous consent. What that means is I 2014 01:46:46,800 --> 01:46:48,800 believe that what I'm about to suggest 2015 01:46:48,800 --> 01:46:51,520 the entire council will agree with and 2016 01:46:51,520 --> 01:46:52,480 therefore we don't need to have 2017 01:46:52,480 --> 01:46:53,679 significant debate. Even though I'm 2018 01:46:53,679 --> 01:46:54,880 talking it out right now, I want folks 2019 01:46:54,880 --> 01:46:56,880 to It speeds things along in the future, 2020 01:46:56,880 --> 01:46:58,880 even though I'm slowing it way down now. 2021 01:46:58,880 --> 01:47:00,800 Uh, so all I'll do is I will request 2022 01:47:00,800 --> 01:47:03,920 unanimous consent. I will say the 2023 01:47:03,920 --> 01:47:05,920 amendment, describe it, and then I will 2024 01:47:05,920 --> 01:47:08,159 ask, does anybody object to that? If you 2025 01:47:08,159 --> 01:47:11,040 even have a question about it, raise 2026 01:47:11,040 --> 01:47:13,360 your hand or say object, and then I will 2027 01:47:13,360 --> 01:47:15,199 call for a motion to see if it's 2028 01:47:15,199 --> 01:47:17,760 discussed. I we only use this when I 2029 01:47:17,760 --> 01:47:18,400 expect something to be 2030 01:47:18,400 --> 01:47:21,119 non-controversial. And uh so this first 2031 01:47:21,119 --> 01:47:22,639 one conceivably could be or could 2032 01:47:22,639 --> 01:47:24,880 trigger some questions, but I will ask 2033 01:47:24,880 --> 01:47:27,920 unanimous consent to strike the third 2034 01:47:27,920 --> 01:47:31,440 paragraph which reads, "Whereas superior 2035 01:47:31,440 --> 01:47:33,679 water, light, and power is not open to a 2036 01:47:33,679 --> 01:47:35,600 negotiation of a voluntary sale of 2037 01:47:35,600 --> 01:47:38,320 utility and counselors. At first I 2038 01:47:38,320 --> 01:47:40,080 agreed with that because that to my 2039 01:47:40,080 --> 01:47:43,440 knowledge is true today. that may not be 2040 01:47:43,440 --> 01:47:45,280 true tomorrow and I would like to 2041 01:47:45,280 --> 01:47:47,360 continue to keep the door open for 2042 01:47:47,360 --> 01:47:50,239 possible negotiation. So I I think it is 2043 01:47:50,239 --> 01:47:53,360 in our interest to at least keep that 2044 01:47:53,360 --> 01:47:57,440 option available to all parties. So I 2045 01:47:57,440 --> 01:48:00,320 will ask does anybody object to striking 2046 01:48:00,320 --> 01:48:04,870 the paragraph I just read? 2047 01:48:04,880 --> 01:48:07,600 Hearing no objection that amendment is 2048 01:48:07,600 --> 01:48:09,760 passed by unanimous consent. The second 2049 01:48:09,760 --> 01:48:12,320 is the question itself. So, this is a 2050 01:48:12,320 --> 01:48:13,920 little bit more involved, but I would 2051 01:48:13,920 --> 01:48:16,000 like to make a grammatical change. The 2052 01:48:16,000 --> 01:48:17,600 attorney and I were talking about this 2053 01:48:17,600 --> 01:48:20,800 today, and I I could describe this 2054 01:48:20,800 --> 01:48:22,800 wrong. So, if there's uh somebody that's 2055 01:48:22,800 --> 01:48:24,880 more of a grammar nerd than I am, feel 2056 01:48:24,880 --> 01:48:26,000 free to correct me, but I think there 2057 01:48:26,000 --> 01:48:28,000 was a dangling modifier, which there's 2058 01:48:28,000 --> 01:48:29,840 nothing wrong with this question. It is 2059 01:48:29,840 --> 01:48:31,119 perfectly legal. It's been reviewed by 2060 01:48:31,119 --> 01:48:33,040 the attorneys, and it it does work 2061 01:48:33,040 --> 01:48:34,560 grammatically, but the goal is to make 2062 01:48:34,560 --> 01:48:37,040 it as clear as possible. So I would like 2063 01:48:37,040 --> 01:48:41,520 to reorder it uh to make it exactly 2064 01:48:41,520 --> 01:48:44,400 clear uh what is happening. And so what 2065 01:48:44,400 --> 01:48:46,719 I would do is 2066 01:48:46,719 --> 01:48:51,520 strike and amend so that it reads after 2067 01:48:51,520 --> 01:48:54,560 the word event that the value of the 2068 01:48:54,560 --> 01:48:58,400 utility comma as determined by the PSC 2069 01:48:58,400 --> 01:49:00,639 public service commission comma falls 2070 01:49:00,639 --> 01:49:03,840 within the city's financial means that 2071 01:49:03,840 --> 01:49:05,040 uh the effect of that amendment 2072 01:49:05,040 --> 01:49:09,440 counselors is to clarify that the public 2073 01:49:09,440 --> 01:49:11,360 service commission is determining the 2074 01:49:11,360 --> 01:49:15,280 cost not who determines whether not 2075 01:49:15,280 --> 01:49:16,800 whether it falls within our financial 2076 01:49:16,800 --> 01:49:18,719 means only you determine whether it 2077 01:49:18,719 --> 01:49:20,080 falls within our financial means. So I 2078 01:49:20,080 --> 01:49:21,760 wanted to clarify that point. Does 2079 01:49:21,760 --> 01:49:24,560 everybody understand that? 2080 01:49:24,560 --> 01:49:26,639 Does anybody object to that amendment? 2081 01:49:26,639 --> 01:49:27,760 >> Can you reread it please? 2082 01:49:27,760 --> 01:49:30,880 >> Yes. The the amendment, if adopted, uh 2083 01:49:30,880 --> 01:49:33,520 would the entire question would read, 2084 01:49:33,520 --> 01:49:35,280 should the city transition to a 2085 01:49:35,280 --> 01:49:37,600 community-owned water utility in the 2086 01:49:37,600 --> 01:49:40,159 event that the value of the utility as 2087 01:49:40,159 --> 01:49:41,520 determined by the public service 2088 01:49:41,520 --> 01:49:43,679 commission falls within the city's 2089 01:49:43,679 --> 01:49:46,159 financial means. 2090 01:49:46,159 --> 01:49:50,719 Is there objection to that change? 2091 01:49:50,719 --> 01:49:52,239 Hearing none, that amendment is adopted 2092 01:49:52,239 --> 01:49:54,560 by unanimous consent. councilors. Uh 2093 01:49:54,560 --> 01:49:55,840 I'll give you a chance to think of more 2094 01:49:55,840 --> 01:49:57,360 questions while I redescribe the 2095 01:49:57,360 --> 01:50:00,080 question before you. The motion is to 2096 01:50:00,080 --> 01:50:03,840 publish this resolution as amended uh 2097 01:50:03,840 --> 01:50:08,800 for at least one week and uh prior to 2098 01:50:08,800 --> 01:50:11,600 the a uh the September 1st city council 2099 01:50:11,600 --> 01:50:13,760 meeting. So once it has been published 2100 01:50:13,760 --> 01:50:15,840 for one week, it is eligible to return 2101 01:50:15,840 --> 01:50:18,880 to the city council. At that point, it 2102 01:50:18,880 --> 01:50:21,360 will be a new resolution which will 2103 01:50:21,360 --> 01:50:23,360 still require a motion, a second, and a 2104 01:50:23,360 --> 01:50:26,239 majority vote of the council. From that 2105 01:50:26,239 --> 01:50:29,119 point, the res uh the ballot question is 2106 01:50:29,119 --> 01:50:32,639 set and we are in a referendum. However, 2107 01:50:32,639 --> 01:50:34,480 at any point between now and the 2108 01:50:34,480 --> 01:50:37,040 deadline to change the April election, 2109 01:50:37,040 --> 01:50:40,159 which falls in the spring, the uh the 2110 01:50:40,159 --> 01:50:42,719 council can uh bring this resolution 2111 01:50:42,719 --> 01:50:45,360 back. You can amend it in any way. You 2112 01:50:45,360 --> 01:50:47,199 can change the question. You can change 2113 01:50:47,199 --> 01:50:49,199 the date of the election. You can resend 2114 01:50:49,199 --> 01:50:51,679 the election altogether. This starts a 2115 01:50:51,679 --> 01:50:53,280 process, but it is subject to more 2116 01:50:53,280 --> 01:50:55,520 change. Of course, I am going to 2117 01:50:55,520 --> 01:50:58,080 strongly recommend that once you adopt 2118 01:50:58,080 --> 01:51:02,560 the question, which is not tonight, you should preserve that question until 2119 01:51:02,560 --> 01:51:04,800 the election so that the council so that 2120 01:51:04,800 --> 01:51:06,960 the public can can study it in its 2121 01:51:06,960 --> 01:51:08,239 entirety and have the most amount of 2122 01:51:08,239 --> 01:51:10,400 time. Does everybody understand what 2123 01:51:10,400 --> 01:51:11,600 we're doing tonight? What the what 2124 01:51:11,600 --> 01:51:13,840 you're voting on, 2125 01:51:13,840 --> 01:51:14,880 Council Harry? 2126 01:51:14,880 --> 01:51:18,560 >> Yeah. So if we approve this tonight, we 2127 01:51:18,560 --> 01:51:21,440 can still make amendments to this. This 2128 01:51:21,440 --> 01:51:23,840 is not a final draft than that we're 2129 01:51:23,840 --> 01:51:25,600 approving. Correct. 2130 01:51:25,600 --> 01:51:27,360 >> It 2131 01:51:27,360 --> 01:51:29,920 that is correct. But amendments will 2132 01:51:29,920 --> 01:51:32,960 work differently going forward. So first 2133 01:51:32,960 --> 01:51:35,760 from this point forward, well including 2134 01:51:35,760 --> 01:51:38,400 right now, any change to this means it 2135 01:51:38,400 --> 01:51:41,520 must be republished. So if on September 2136 01:51:41,520 --> 01:51:43,599 1st we make more changes then we have to 2137 01:51:43,599 --> 01:51:45,280 publish it for another week and then 2138 01:51:45,280 --> 01:51:47,119 comes back. But of course that's no 2139 01:51:47,119 --> 01:51:49,040 different than postponing something. We 2140 01:51:49,040 --> 01:51:50,560 postpone things all the time. So if you 2141 01:51:50,560 --> 01:51:53,119 get to September 1st and we feel like h 2142 01:51:53,119 --> 01:51:54,639 we should change the language here a 2143 01:51:54,639 --> 01:51:56,960 little bit. Uh then that's you'd be 2144 01:51:56,960 --> 01:51:59,119 postponing it for a meeting. Um that's 2145 01:51:59,119 --> 01:52:01,280 why you know I recommend have this 2146 01:52:01,280 --> 01:52:03,199 language tight which only the therefore 2147 01:52:03,199 --> 01:52:06,320 section is what really matters and is 2148 01:52:06,320 --> 01:52:09,840 binding on the administration. But yes, 2149 01:52:09,840 --> 01:52:13,520 you can change it then and uh you can uh 2150 01:52:13,520 --> 01:52:15,119 the motion is actually called amend 2151 01:52:15,119 --> 01:52:17,119 something previously adopted. You can 2152 01:52:17,119 --> 01:52:19,040 change it in the future as well. It will 2153 01:52:19,040 --> 01:52:22,000 require publication. Uh but yes, any 2154 01:52:22,000 --> 01:52:23,599 pretty much any point between now and 2155 01:52:23,599 --> 01:52:26,000 the deadline that can happen. It's a 2156 01:52:26,000 --> 01:52:27,360 long way of saying yes, you have it 2157 01:52:27,360 --> 01:52:29,679 correct. 2158 01:52:29,679 --> 01:52:31,679 Further discuss 2159 01:52:31,679 --> 01:52:34,239 counc again 2160 01:52:34,239 --> 01:52:36,639 >> just for my curiosity what is the 2161 01:52:36,639 --> 01:52:40,080 benefit of passing this tonight versus 2162 01:52:40,080 --> 01:52:42,880 waiting a few more weeks to let some of 2163 01:52:42,880 --> 01:52:46,800 the more um city or not city the the 2164 01:52:46,800 --> 01:52:51,119 council meetings or the um um the the 2165 01:52:51,119 --> 01:52:53,520 discussions the forums about the the 2166 01:52:53,520 --> 01:52:57,440 purchase take place. Uh the merit is 2167 01:52:57,440 --> 01:52:59,840 that it preserves the most amount of 2168 01:52:59,840 --> 01:53:02,719 options. So if you publish tonight, that 2169 01:53:02,719 --> 01:53:04,320 gives you the opportunity to set the 2170 01:53:04,320 --> 01:53:06,000 referendum at the next meeting. It does 2171 01:53:06,000 --> 01:53:07,679 not require you to set the referendum at 2172 01:53:07,679 --> 01:53:10,080 the next meeting. But I still think that 2173 01:53:10,080 --> 01:53:11,440 would be a good idea. That will be your 2174 01:53:11,440 --> 01:53:14,639 choice, not mine. But uh the the 2175 01:53:14,639 --> 01:53:16,800 advantage of putting the question out 2176 01:53:16,800 --> 01:53:18,960 now is when we go to those public 2177 01:53:18,960 --> 01:53:21,360 meetings, we know what we're discussing. 2178 01:53:21,360 --> 01:53:22,960 We know exactly what that question will 2179 01:53:22,960 --> 01:53:25,119 be. every time I appear in front of a 2180 01:53:25,119 --> 01:53:27,199 public meeting now, I will be able to 2181 01:53:27,199 --> 01:53:29,840 put that question right on the wall and 2182 01:53:29,840 --> 01:53:32,080 make sure folks know what it means. So 2183 01:53:32,080 --> 01:53:34,400 there's no more mystery about that. And 2184 01:53:34,400 --> 01:53:36,400 so it just just makes sure we all know 2185 01:53:36,400 --> 01:53:40,400 what's coming. And uh I was going to say 2186 01:53:40,400 --> 01:53:42,400 the the the shameless advantage, but 2187 01:53:42,400 --> 01:53:44,719 it's not shameless at all. Uh when you 2188 01:53:44,719 --> 01:53:46,960 do it, the press covers it. The second 2189 01:53:46,960 --> 01:53:48,320 you set the referendum, that's news. 2190 01:53:48,320 --> 01:53:49,760 That will be in the news that the 2191 01:53:49,760 --> 01:53:51,599 council set the ballot. And it goes 2192 01:53:51,599 --> 01:53:54,480 other places, too. it uh uh it goes play 2193 01:53:54,480 --> 01:53:57,520 like ballad balledia. It will it will be 2194 01:53:57,520 --> 01:54:00,560 an election in Wisconsin. And finally, 2195 01:54:00,560 --> 01:54:02,480 maybe most importantly, it triggers 2196 01:54:02,480 --> 01:54:04,800 Wisconsin campaign finance law. There 2197 01:54:04,800 --> 01:54:06,719 are a lot of folks spending a lot of 2198 01:54:06,719 --> 01:54:08,560 money trying to influence the public on 2199 01:54:08,560 --> 01:54:13,599 this question. And state law really, wants transparency in its 2200 01:54:13,599 --> 01:54:15,679 elections. And those of us that are sp 2201 01:54:15,679 --> 01:54:18,800 uh spending money ought to be uh uh 2202 01:54:18,800 --> 01:54:20,400 keeping track of that and eventually 2203 01:54:20,400 --> 01:54:21,920 reporting it to the Wisconsin Election 2204 01:54:21,920 --> 01:54:24,639 Commission to make sure that uh all 2205 01:54:24,639 --> 01:54:27,840 electors are treated fairly. So it just 2206 01:54:27,840 --> 01:54:32,550 starts the process in its fullest. 2207 01:54:32,560 --> 01:54:35,040 Further discussion council muffin. 2208 01:54:35,040 --> 01:54:36,560 >> Yeah, just a couple of things. I wanted 2209 01:54:36,560 --> 01:54:38,960 to reiterate how important that is to me 2210 01:54:38,960 --> 01:54:41,199 in this process. like I I we've been 2211 01:54:41,199 --> 01:54:42,800 working on this for a couple years now 2212 01:54:42,800 --> 01:54:46,000 and moving to this next step allows that 2213 01:54:46,000 --> 01:54:47,920 transparency for the public on who's 2214 01:54:47,920 --> 01:54:50,000 spending what and I think that's really 2215 01:54:50,000 --> 01:54:51,360 important because they want to know 2216 01:54:51,360 --> 01:54:54,080 who's trying to influence them. Um just 2217 01:54:54,080 --> 01:54:55,360 a couple other things I wanted to 2218 01:54:55,360 --> 01:54:57,599 mention like again tonight we're we're 2219 01:54:57,599 --> 01:54:59,920 not voting on the purchase. The superior 2220 01:54:59,920 --> 01:55:02,400 council uh can't choose to purchase the 2221 01:55:02,400 --> 01:55:04,239 utility. We're only voting to publish 2222 01:55:04,239 --> 01:55:06,960 tonight and then 2223 01:55:06,960 --> 01:55:09,119 later we would be deciding if we want to 2224 01:55:09,119 --> 01:55:10,960 ask the residents their opinion and then 2225 01:55:10,960 --> 01:55:12,239 if the residents want us to move 2226 01:55:12,239 --> 01:55:14,159 forward, we would move forward. So this 2227 01:55:14,159 --> 01:55:15,599 is just like the next step in the 2228 01:55:15,599 --> 01:55:17,679 process. We're not deciding to purchase 2229 01:55:17,679 --> 01:55:19,520 tonight. We're not taking out bonds or 2230 01:55:19,520 --> 01:55:21,840 anything like that. It's just moving us 2231 01:55:21,840 --> 01:55:23,440 in the direction where we can ask the 2232 01:55:23,440 --> 01:55:25,119 residents what they want. And I think 2233 01:55:25,119 --> 01:55:30,400 that's the right thing to do. Um, and I do want to reiterate also what the 2234 01:55:30,400 --> 01:55:33,760 mayor said about uh the flexibility this 2235 01:55:33,760 --> 01:55:35,760 gives us because we can modify this 2236 01:55:35,760 --> 01:55:39,599 later if we want to. We can pull it away 2237 01:55:39,599 --> 01:55:41,840 uh or or whatever we want. uh we've got 2238 01:55:41,840 --> 01:55:44,000 a lot of um opportunities to continue 2239 01:55:44,000 --> 01:55:45,920 discussing it or modifying it or 2240 01:55:45,920 --> 01:55:48,480 whatever until January which gives us a 2241 01:55:48,480 --> 01:55:50,080 lot of time but this does provide 2242 01:55:50,080 --> 01:55:51,840 transparency for the public to 2243 01:55:51,840 --> 01:55:54,159 understand like what are we working on 2244 01:55:54,159 --> 01:55:56,719 exactly here and it provides that money 2245 01:55:56,719 --> 01:55:58,320 transparency so they know what people 2246 01:55:58,320 --> 01:56:00,480 are spending 2247 01:56:00,480 --> 01:56:02,480 uh as we've been working on the water 2248 01:56:02,480 --> 01:56:05,679 utility it's also important to me um 2249 01:56:05,679 --> 01:56:08,400 that we've also been looking at our 2250 01:56:08,400 --> 01:56:11,280 electric and gas um utility facilities 2251 01:56:11,280 --> 01:56:14,960 in the city as well. And we we do have 2252 01:56:14,960 --> 01:56:16,960 uh numbers back on the cost of those, 2253 01:56:16,960 --> 01:56:19,520 but we do not have rate analysis back. 2254 01:56:19,520 --> 01:56:22,800 And ultimately like the prices of these 2255 01:56:22,800 --> 01:56:26,000 things are less important than how they 2256 01:56:26,000 --> 01:56:28,239 affect people's payments, right? And so 2257 01:56:28,239 --> 01:56:31,040 like I I think if you tell somebody how 2258 01:56:31,040 --> 01:56:33,040 much something costs total, like yeah, 2259 01:56:33,040 --> 01:56:34,400 sure that's a number, right? But they 2260 01:56:34,400 --> 01:56:36,080 want to know like how did how does it 2261 01:56:36,080 --> 01:56:38,239 affect their expenses every month? They 2262 01:56:38,239 --> 01:56:40,719 want to know, is this going to cause my 2263 01:56:40,719 --> 01:56:42,800 um rates to go up or whatever. And like 2264 01:56:42,800 --> 01:56:44,320 that's what people really want to know, 2265 01:56:44,320 --> 01:56:45,520 like how does this affect their 2266 01:56:45,520 --> 01:56:47,599 pocketbook? And so, like, I'm really 2267 01:56:47,599 --> 01:56:50,159 excited that soon hopefully we'll have 2268 01:56:50,159 --> 01:56:52,560 that electric and gas rate analysis 2269 01:56:52,560 --> 01:56:55,520 back. And I think all the reasons, well, 2270 01:56:55,520 --> 01:56:57,360 a lot of the same reasons that the water 2271 01:56:57,360 --> 01:56:59,119 utility is important, the natural gas 2272 01:56:59,119 --> 01:57:00,960 and the electric are also important for 2273 01:57:00,960 --> 01:57:02,800 our residents. um they're essential 2274 01:57:02,800 --> 01:57:05,679 services. They're extremely expensive 2275 01:57:05,679 --> 01:57:09,280 and uh the the profit margins are are 2276 01:57:09,280 --> 01:57:12,080 likely higher than um what the water 2277 01:57:12,080 --> 01:57:15,599 utility is. So, um moving forward in 2278 01:57:15,599 --> 01:57:17,280 this process, we could decide at some 2279 01:57:17,280 --> 01:57:19,040 point to potentially add those to the 2280 01:57:19,040 --> 01:57:21,599 April ballot and modify the question uh 2281 01:57:21,599 --> 01:57:23,920 or do separate questions or whatever. 2282 01:57:23,920 --> 01:57:25,440 But the the whole point is that we have 2283 01:57:25,440 --> 01:57:28,159 a lot of flexibility here. Um, and and I 2284 01:57:28,159 --> 01:57:31,360 really think the transparency portion is the reason that we should move 2285 01:57:31,360 --> 01:57:35,599 forward as quickly as possible to get a question going so that at least 2286 01:57:35,599 --> 01:57:37,119 there's that transparency for the public 2287 01:57:37,119 --> 01:57:39,119 on who's spending what and and and 2288 01:57:39,119 --> 01:57:41,119 what's being done to influence their 2289 01:57:41,119 --> 01:57:43,440 vote. Um, I do also want to talk briefly 2290 01:57:43,440 --> 01:57:46,159 about the the payment mechanisms. Like 2291 01:57:46,159 --> 01:57:49,119 we're not I I appreciate that this is uh 2292 01:57:49,119 --> 01:57:50,800 providing flexibility for the city to 2293 01:57:50,800 --> 01:57:52,800 use general obligation or revenue bonds. 2294 01:57:52,800 --> 01:57:54,719 I do want to mention revenue bonds are 2295 01:57:54,719 --> 01:57:56,320 as the mayor said probably the likely 2296 01:57:56,320 --> 01:57:58,719 source of revenue. Um state statute 2297 01:57:58,719 --> 01:58:00,800 66.0621 2298 01:58:00,800 --> 01:58:05,360 revenue obligation uh section two um 2299 01:58:05,360 --> 01:58:07,599 solves that water source issue. It says 2300 01:58:07,599 --> 01:58:09,679 directly a source of water 50 mi beyond 2301 01:58:09,679 --> 01:58:11,920 a municipality's corporate limits shall 2302 01:58:11,920 --> 01:58:14,159 be within the municipalities authority. 2303 01:58:14,159 --> 01:58:15,760 Uh so that takes care of the water 2304 01:58:15,760 --> 01:58:18,080 intake issue. Um there's also been a 2305 01:58:18,080 --> 01:58:20,480 state um Supreme Court ruling about that 2306 01:58:20,480 --> 01:58:22,639 in the past as well. And then also draw 2307 01:58:22,639 --> 01:58:27,360 attention to the um section three there. 2308 01:58:27,360 --> 01:58:28,880 A municipality may by action of its 2309 01:58:28,880 --> 01:58:30,400 governing body provide for purchasing, 2310 01:58:30,400 --> 01:58:31,840 acquiring, leasing, constructing, 2311 01:58:31,840 --> 01:58:34,560 extending, adding to, improving, con 2312 01:58:34,560 --> 01:58:36,320 conducting, controlling, operating or 2313 01:58:36,320 --> 01:58:38,880 managing a public utility, uh, motor, 2314 01:58:38,880 --> 01:58:40,960 bus or other systems of public 2315 01:58:40,960 --> 01:58:42,960 transportation from the general fund or 2316 01:58:42,960 --> 01:58:44,320 from the proceeds of municipal 2317 01:58:44,320 --> 01:58:46,239 obligations including revenue bonds. an 2318 01:58:46,239 --> 01:58:48,239 obligation created under those revenue 2319 01:58:48,239 --> 01:58:50,719 bonds option is not an indebtness to the 2320 01:58:50,719 --> 01:58:52,159 municipality and shall not be included 2321 01:58:52,159 --> 01:58:54,560 in arriving in the constitutional debt 2322 01:58:54,560 --> 01:58:56,400 limit. And we're still looking into the 2323 01:58:56,400 --> 01:58:58,480 implications for this, but it's my 2324 01:58:58,480 --> 01:59:00,239 understanding so far and we'll find out 2325 01:59:00,239 --> 01:59:02,800 more that these revenue bonds 2326 01:59:02,800 --> 01:59:05,040 potentially would not impact our debt 2327 01:59:05,040 --> 01:59:06,560 limit at all. And so if we needed to 2328 01:59:06,560 --> 01:59:09,280 borrow for an emergency later or another 2329 01:59:09,280 --> 01:59:12,400 fire station or or just for uh extra 2330 01:59:12,400 --> 01:59:14,080 staffing or whatever the council wanted, 2331 01:59:14,080 --> 01:59:16,000 we would still have that flexibility 2332 01:59:16,000 --> 01:59:17,599 available. And so as we continue to look 2333 01:59:17,599 --> 01:59:19,520 into this, I think maintaining all those 2334 01:59:19,520 --> 01:59:21,520 options uh is really good. And I just 2335 01:59:21,520 --> 01:59:23,280 want to say I'm hoping we can move 2336 01:59:23,280 --> 01:59:24,480 forward tonight and just get this 2337 01:59:24,480 --> 01:59:26,239 published so we can get more public 2338 01:59:26,239 --> 01:59:28,880 input. Thank you. 2339 01:59:28,880 --> 01:59:30,000 >> Council Sweeney, 2340 01:59:30,000 --> 01:59:31,679 >> I'd just like to have a roll vote when 2341 01:59:31,679 --> 01:59:32,880 we do this, please. 2342 01:59:32,880 --> 01:59:35,440 >> Of course. Councelor Caitlyn. 2343 01:59:35,440 --> 01:59:38,480 >> Um I do have one question as far as um 2344 01:59:38,480 --> 01:59:41,360 you the the transparency in the question 2345 01:59:41,360 --> 01:59:43,840 and it could be something that might be 2346 01:59:43,840 --> 01:59:46,000 put you know like amended in the future 2347 01:59:46,000 --> 01:59:48,719 but um is with this language of this 2348 01:59:48,719 --> 01:59:51,679 question um do you think that and I know 2349 01:59:51,679 --> 01:59:53,520 uh with the city attorney is this clear 2350 01:59:53,520 --> 01:59:55,040 enough that we wouldn't have to put 2351 01:59:55,040 --> 01:59:57,119 something in the question itself for the 2352 01:59:57,119 --> 02:00:01,830 referendum saying non-binding? 2353 02:00:01,840 --> 02:00:04,639 I think that's a question for you. 2354 02:00:04,639 --> 02:00:06,000 >> No, I don't I don't believe 2355 02:00:06,000 --> 02:00:09,109 >> the button. 2356 02:00:09,119 --> 02:00:11,840 » I do not believe we have to fold binding 2357 02:00:11,840 --> 02:00:14,159 or non-binding language into the actual 2358 02:00:14,159 --> 02:00:15,760 referendum question itself. I think that 2359 02:00:15,760 --> 02:00:18,000 actually might set [snorts] the table 2360 02:00:18,000 --> 02:00:20,400 for potential confusion. 2361 02:00:20,400 --> 02:00:23,199 understand too that 2362 02:00:23,199 --> 02:00:27,760 um by statute we will be obligated to 2363 02:00:27,760 --> 02:00:32,560 um produce and and and have on file and 2364 02:00:32,560 --> 02:00:36,159 I think actually even publish a um 2365 02:00:36,159 --> 02:00:39,280 notice of referendum and that notice of 2366 02:00:39,280 --> 02:00:42,320 referendum will include a number of 2367 02:00:42,320 --> 02:00:44,800 details that aren't folded in that would 2368 02:00:44,800 --> 02:00:46,639 be far too cumbersome to actually fold 2369 02:00:46,639 --> 02:00:48,968 into the referendum question itself. 2370 02:00:48,968 --> 02:00:49,119 >> [snorts] 2371 02:00:49,119 --> 02:00:50,880 >> And some of those details will include 2372 02:00:50,880 --> 02:00:52,560 for example 2373 02:00:52,560 --> 02:00:54,800 a a general description of the utility 2374 02:00:54,800 --> 02:00:57,280 plant itself. 2375 02:00:57,280 --> 02:00:59,599 Um as discussed already, the mechanism 2376 02:00:59,599 --> 02:01:02,880 through which um the the acquisition of 2377 02:01:02,880 --> 02:01:08,960 the utility would be paid for and and almost certainly the the question 2378 02:01:08,960 --> 02:01:13,360 you just brought up which is the um the 2379 02:01:13,360 --> 02:01:16,320 binding or non non-binding 2380 02:01:16,320 --> 02:01:19,753 component behind the question. 2381 02:01:19,753 --> 02:01:21,830 [clears throat] 2382 02:01:21,840 --> 02:01:25,510 Further discussion 2383 02:01:25,520 --> 02:01:27,440 council. 2384 02:01:27,440 --> 02:01:30,000 >> This is the process that's provided to 2385 02:01:30,000 --> 02:01:32,480 municipalities by the state of Wisconsin 2386 02:01:32,480 --> 02:01:35,280 and it's not a rushed process. In fact, 2387 02:01:35,280 --> 02:01:37,199 if we wanted to rush this, we could have 2388 02:01:37,199 --> 02:01:40,880 put this forward for a November ballot. 2389 02:01:40,880 --> 02:01:43,440 Um so you know I think that we are 2390 02:01:43,440 --> 02:01:47,920 taking prudent steps to pro provide for 2391 02:01:47,920 --> 02:01:52,320 the public to learn more. Uh there's 2392 02:01:52,320 --> 02:01:54,560 months ahead for that process to take 2393 02:01:54,560 --> 02:01:57,920 place and I think we should proceed with 2394 02:01:57,920 --> 02:02:00,800 this. Thank you. 2395 02:02:00,800 --> 02:02:04,709 Further discussion. 2396 02:02:04,719 --> 02:02:07,520 The question councilors is whether to 2397 02:02:07,520 --> 02:02:11,360 publish this resolution before you as 2398 02:02:11,360 --> 02:02:13,599 amended. 2399 02:02:13,599 --> 02:02:16,320 Unless there are questions about the 2400 02:02:16,320 --> 02:02:23,589 process, we will proceed by roll call. 2401 02:02:23,599 --> 02:02:26,400 » Councelor Radkkey. 2402 02:02:26,400 --> 02:02:27,920 >> Yes. 2403 02:02:27,920 --> 02:02:30,239 >> Councelor Elm. Yes. 2404 02:02:30,239 --> 02:02:31,360 >> Councelor Caven. 2405 02:02:31,360 --> 02:02:33,040 >> Yes. 2406 02:02:33,040 --> 02:02:34,080 >> President Heric. 2407 02:02:34,080 --> 02:02:35,360 >> Yes. 2408 02:02:35,360 --> 02:02:37,440 >> Councelor Herring. 2409 02:02:37,440 --> 02:02:38,560 >> Yes. 2410 02:02:38,560 --> 02:02:40,080 >> Councelor Grasskey. 2411 02:02:40,080 --> 02:02:40,960 >> Yes. 2412 02:02:40,960 --> 02:02:42,159 >> Councelor Leine. 2413 02:02:42,159 --> 02:02:42,880 >> Yes. 2414 02:02:42,880 --> 02:02:44,560 >> Councelor Anderson. 2415 02:02:44,560 --> 02:02:46,480 >> No. 2416 02:02:46,480 --> 02:02:48,000 >> Vice President Moffett. 2417 02:02:48,000 --> 02:02:48,960 >> Yes. 2418 02:02:48,960 --> 02:02:50,000 >> Councelor Sweeney. 2419 02:02:50,000 --> 02:02:52,480 >> No. 2420 02:02:52,480 --> 02:02:54,159 >> There are eight in favor and two 2421 02:02:54,159 --> 02:03:07,990 against. The motion passes. 2422 02:03:08,000 --> 02:03:11,199 Item 8.1.1 is the business of the public 2423 02:03:11,199 --> 02:03:12,960 art commission with a meeting held on 2424 02:03:12,960 --> 02:03:14,880 July 30th. Is there a report from the 2425 02:03:14,880 --> 02:03:18,880 chair? Well, um, switch it up here a 2426 02:03:18,880 --> 02:03:22,000 bit. Let's see. 2427 02:03:22,000 --> 02:03:25,119 Uh, excuse me. Hold on. Okay. Since the 2428 02:03:25,119 --> 02:03:26,560 inception of the Superior Public Arts 2429 02:03:26,560 --> 02:03:28,000 Commission, the council has approved two 2430 02:03:28,000 --> 02:03:30,639 rounds of $25,000 each to support public 2431 02:03:30,639 --> 02:03:32,639 arts initiatives in the city of Superior 2432 02:03:32,639 --> 02:03:34,960 over the last two years. At our most 2433 02:03:34,960 --> 02:03:36,560 recent meeting, we utilized the 2434 02:03:36,560 --> 02:03:38,159 remaining funds to back several 2435 02:03:38,159 --> 02:03:40,800 projects, including a Nordic interactive 2436 02:03:40,800 --> 02:03:42,400 handcrafting workshop at the Douglas 2437 02:03:42,400 --> 02:03:44,239 County Historical Society, uh support 2438 02:03:44,239 --> 02:03:46,560 for reenactment actors at for the St. 2439 02:03:46,560 --> 02:03:48,480 Louis River rendevous, which is now 2440 02:03:48,480 --> 02:03:50,960 being relocated over to Billings Park 2441 02:03:50,960 --> 02:03:55,280 from over in Duth um this summer. And 2442 02:03:55,280 --> 02:03:58,880 also we supported uh Time Arc Theater 2443 02:03:58,880 --> 02:04:02,719 along with a um event that will be for 2444 02:04:02,719 --> 02:04:04,719 happening at the Fairlon during the 2445 02:04:04,719 --> 02:04:06,480 Halloween Halloween season. I just want 2446 02:04:06,480 --> 02:04:08,480 to thank this council support as we 2447 02:04:08,480 --> 02:04:10,639 nearly supported almost 20 public art 2448 02:04:10,639 --> 02:04:13,360 experiences throughout the um community 2449 02:04:13,360 --> 02:04:15,199 for the citizens. And as we move 2450 02:04:15,199 --> 02:04:16,639 forward, this commission will adopt a 2451 02:04:16,639 --> 02:04:18,639 new approach as we outline as I outlined 2452 02:04:18,639 --> 02:04:20,320 in our last report. It'll focus more on 2453 02:04:20,320 --> 02:04:22,000 creating spaces for artists rather than 2454 02:04:22,000 --> 02:04:23,520 artists coming to us to tell us about 2455 02:04:23,520 --> 02:04:25,520 what they would like to create. And I 2456 02:04:25,520 --> 02:04:27,119 look forward to sharing about those next 2457 02:04:27,119 --> 02:04:29,440 projects when those are approved and 2458 02:04:29,440 --> 02:04:31,840 voted on. Additionally, we have a 2459 02:04:31,840 --> 02:04:34,239 request in front of you. Um this amount 2460 02:04:34,239 --> 02:04:36,880 is coming from the overall fund. Um, it 2461 02:04:36,880 --> 02:04:38,320 is to help support an upcoming event 2462 02:04:38,320 --> 02:04:40,000 that will be hosted by the Superior 2463 02:04:40,000 --> 02:04:42,000 Council for the Arts is essentially 2464 02:04:42,000 --> 02:04:43,840 inviting statewide representation to 2465 02:04:43,840 --> 02:04:46,159 come to the city, allow somewhat of a a 2466 02:04:46,159 --> 02:04:48,480 summit to facilitate not only local 2467 02:04:48,480 --> 02:04:50,560 conversations, but also talk about 2468 02:04:50,560 --> 02:04:52,639 statewide opportunities, how can we add 2469 02:04:52,639 --> 02:04:54,800 more art to our community, and also how 2470 02:04:54,800 --> 02:04:57,679 can our grant program be assisted as we 2471 02:04:57,679 --> 02:04:59,840 move further into creating more arts in 2472 02:04:59,840 --> 02:05:02,159 the community. So, as of now, I would 2473 02:05:02,159 --> 02:05:04,800 ask that the um assistant clerk or 2474 02:05:04,800 --> 02:05:07,360 sorry, um please read the ask in front 2475 02:05:07,360 --> 02:05:09,520 of them. 2476 02:05:09,520 --> 02:05:12,080 8.1.1 2477 02:05:12,080 --> 02:05:14,960 is to award the sponsorship to Superior 2478 02:05:14,960 --> 02:05:17,360 Council for the Arts for the 2026 2479 02:05:17,360 --> 02:05:19,280 Regional Creative Industries Summit 2480 02:05:19,280 --> 02:05:23,669 event in the amount of $5,965. 2481 02:05:23,679 --> 02:05:24,480 » Second. 2482 02:05:24,480 --> 02:05:25,840 >> Motion's by Councelor Alm, second by 2483 02:05:25,840 --> 02:05:28,719 Councelor Graskki. Is there discussion? 2484 02:05:28,719 --> 02:05:30,159 Hearing none. All those in favor, please 2485 02:05:30,159 --> 02:05:31,679 signify by saying I. 2486 02:05:31,679 --> 02:05:34,800 >> Those opposed say no. Motion carries. 2487 02:05:34,800 --> 02:05:36,400 >> At this time, are there any other 2488 02:05:36,400 --> 02:05:38,000 committee or commission reports to be 2489 02:05:38,000 --> 02:05:41,350 made? 2490 02:05:41,360 --> 02:05:42,800 » Hearing none, we can proceed to new 2491 02:05:42,800 --> 02:05:43,920 business. 2492 02:05:43,920 --> 02:05:47,119 >> Item 10.1 is miscellaneous licenses. 2493 02:05:47,119 --> 02:05:48,560 >> Motion. 2494 02:05:48,560 --> 02:05:49,920 is by councelor Dean, second by 2495 02:05:49,920 --> 02:05:52,239 councelor Heric. Is there discussion? 2496 02:05:52,239 --> 02:05:53,440 Hearing none. All those in favor, please 2497 02:05:53,440 --> 02:05:55,040 signify by saying I. 2498 02:05:55,040 --> 02:05:56,239 >> Those oppose say no. [clears throat] 2499 02:05:56,239 --> 02:05:58,159 Motion carries. 2500 02:05:58,159 --> 02:06:00,960 Item 10.2 is an amended premise for a 2501 02:06:00,960 --> 02:06:02,880 special event license application for 2502 02:06:02,880 --> 02:06:05,840 Atypical Enterprises Incorporated, DBA, 2503 02:06:05,840 --> 02:06:08,320 the main club located at 1217 Tower 2504 02:06:08,320 --> 02:06:10,880 Avenue for Pride Weekend, September 4th 2505 02:06:10,880 --> 02:06:13,199 through September 7th. 2506 02:06:13,199 --> 02:06:14,239 >> Motion to approve. 2507 02:06:14,239 --> 02:06:15,199 >> Second. 2508 02:06:15,199 --> 02:06:16,560 >> Motion's by Councelor Graskki, a second 2509 02:06:16,560 --> 02:06:17,840 by councelor Anderson. Is there 2510 02:06:17,840 --> 02:06:20,239 discussion? 2511 02:06:20,239 --> 02:06:21,520 Hearing none, all those in favor, please 2512 02:06:21,520 --> 02:06:23,119 signify by saying I. I. 2513 02:06:23,119 --> 02:06:26,159 >> Those opposed say no. Motion carries. 2514 02:06:26,159 --> 02:06:28,400 10.3 is amend the premise for a special 2515 02:06:28,400 --> 02:06:30,000 event license application for the 2516 02:06:30,000 --> 02:06:32,960 Superior Flame DBA, the Superior Flame 2517 02:06:32,960 --> 02:06:36,639 Nightclub located at 1612 Tower Avenue 2518 02:06:36,639 --> 02:06:38,800 for Superior Pride Block Party on 2519 02:06:38,800 --> 02:06:40,480 September 5th. 2520 02:06:40,480 --> 02:06:41,599 >> Second. 2521 02:06:41,599 --> 02:06:42,960 >> Motion's by Councelor Anderson, second 2522 02:06:42,960 --> 02:06:44,000 by Councelor Herring. Is there 2523 02:06:44,000 --> 02:06:45,840 discussion 2524 02:06:45,840 --> 02:06:47,520 hearing? None. All those in favor, 2525 02:06:47,520 --> 02:06:49,520 please signify by saying I. 2526 02:06:49,520 --> 02:06:52,800 >> Those oppose say no. The motion carries. 2527 02:06:52,800 --> 02:06:55,199 >> 10.4 4 is an original class B beer 2528 02:06:55,199 --> 02:06:58,719 license. Class B beer and class B liquor 2529 02:06:58,719 --> 02:07:00,400 license application for Solomon 2530 02:07:00,400 --> 02:07:02,880 Witherspoon Group LLC doing business as 2531 02:07:02,880 --> 02:07:05,840 Solomon Witherspoon located at 1108 2532 02:07:05,840 --> 02:07:08,320 Tower Avenue for the current license 2533 02:07:08,320 --> 02:07:11,760 period through June 30th, 2027 pending 2534 02:07:11,760 --> 02:07:13,520 fire, police, and health department 2535 02:07:13,520 --> 02:07:16,800 approvals and proposed leased condition. 2536 02:07:16,800 --> 02:07:20,480 >> Counselors, uh the clerk has provided a 2537 02:07:20,480 --> 02:07:22,159 sample motion. I'll read it and see if 2538 02:07:22,159 --> 02:07:26,239 there is any concurrence. Uh, is there a 2539 02:07:26,239 --> 02:07:27,840 I would recommend a motion to approve 2540 02:07:27,840 --> 02:07:31,679 the class B beer beer and class B liquor 2541 02:07:31,679 --> 02:07:35,199 license for Solomon Witherspoon at 1108 2542 02:07:35,199 --> 02:07:37,520 Tower Avenue subject to a receipt of 2543 02:07:37,520 --> 02:07:38,960 recommendations for approval from the 2544 02:07:38,960 --> 02:07:41,280 police, fire, and health departments and 2545 02:07:41,280 --> 02:07:42,880 proof of a lease agreement for the 2546 02:07:42,880 --> 02:07:44,800 premises. 2547 02:07:44,800 --> 02:07:45,119 >> Second. 2548 02:07:45,119 --> 02:07:46,320 >> The motion's by councelor Moffett, the 2549 02:07:46,320 --> 02:07:48,000 second by councelor Grassi. Is there 2550 02:07:48,000 --> 02:07:49,679 discussion 2551 02:07:49,679 --> 02:07:50,960 hearing? None. All those in favor, 2552 02:07:50,960 --> 02:07:52,400 please. I'm sorry, Council Heric. 2553 02:07:52,400 --> 02:07:54,880 >> Yeah, just just one question. Um, well, 2554 02:07:54,880 --> 02:08:00,000 since he has a another license for 424 2555 02:08:00,000 --> 02:08:02,000 uh Tower Avenue, does he have both 2556 02:08:02,000 --> 02:08:03,360 license apparently at this time or is 2557 02:08:03,360 --> 02:08:05,119 one kind of surrendered? 2558 02:08:05,119 --> 02:08:07,679 >> No, that was also conditional. And so, 2559 02:08:07,679 --> 02:08:09,840 similar to this, uh, because Mr. 2560 02:08:09,840 --> 02:08:11,840 Witherspoon would be leasing the space, 2561 02:08:11,840 --> 02:08:14,320 not owning it. uh he doesn't actually 2562 02:08:14,320 --> 02:08:16,639 achieve the license until the the 2563 02:08:16,639 --> 02:08:17,920 conditions like demonstrating control of 2564 02:08:17,920 --> 02:08:18,880 the property and then of course all 2565 02:08:18,880 --> 02:08:21,280 these inspections are met. So my 2566 02:08:21,280 --> 02:08:22,880 understanding is he's not currently 2567 02:08:22,880 --> 02:08:25,040 holding any license in the city of 2568 02:08:25,040 --> 02:08:26,639 Superior unless and until these 2569 02:08:26,639 --> 02:08:28,000 conditions would be met. So it would be 2570 02:08:28,000 --> 02:08:30,400 for conceivably he could go and meet the 2571 02:08:30,400 --> 02:08:31,679 conditions for the but I believe that 2572 02:08:31,679 --> 02:08:33,599 other building sold. So I don't I don't 2573 02:08:33,599 --> 02:08:34,639 think that's an option anymore. 2574 02:08:34,639 --> 02:08:35,360 >> All right. Thanks. 2575 02:08:35,360 --> 02:08:36,719 >> Yep. 2576 02:08:36,719 --> 02:08:38,639 >> Further discussion 2577 02:08:38,639 --> 02:08:40,000 >> hearing none. All those in favor please 2578 02:08:40,000 --> 02:08:41,440 signify by saying I. 2579 02:08:41,440 --> 02:08:44,400 >> Those oppose say no. The motion carries. 2580 02:08:44,400 --> 02:08:48,719 >> And item 10.5 is to file a cross appeal 2581 02:08:48,719 --> 02:08:50,320 with the Wisconsin State Board of 2582 02:08:50,320 --> 02:08:52,800 Assessors to the objected valuation of 2583 02:08:52,800 --> 02:08:56,560 property located at 153 Main Street 2584 02:08:56,560 --> 02:09:00,400 owned by Exodus Real Estate Holdings. 2585 02:09:00,400 --> 02:09:00,960 >> Second. 2586 02:09:00,960 --> 02:09:02,159 >> The motion's by councelor Caven, the 2587 02:09:02,159 --> 02:09:04,000 second guy by Councelor Moffett. Is 2588 02:09:04,000 --> 02:09:07,510 there discussion 2589 02:09:07,520 --> 02:09:08,960 hearing? None. All those in favor, 2590 02:09:08,960 --> 02:09:10,960 please signify by saying I. I. Those 2591 02:09:10,960 --> 02:09:13,360 opposed say no. The motion carries. 2592 02:09:13,360 --> 02:09:15,040 Councilors, we have one per That's it 2593 02:09:15,040 --> 02:09:16,639 right. Yeah, we have one person signed 2594 02:09:16,639 --> 02:09:19,599 up to speak in general public comment. 2595 02:09:19,599 --> 02:09:22,239 Uh I believe I'm reading this to be 2596 02:09:22,239 --> 02:09:24,800 Marsha Adams, but please correct that as 2597 02:09:24,800 --> 02:09:28,000 you approach. Uh the button to turn on 2598 02:09:28,000 --> 02:09:29,440 the microphone is the third from the 2599 02:09:29,440 --> 02:09:31,840 left. Looks like a person speaking. And 2600 02:09:31,840 --> 02:09:34,480 as before, you'll have uh exactly 3 2601 02:09:34,480 --> 02:09:36,079 minutes. I will give you a warning at 2 2602 02:09:36,079 --> 02:09:37,679 minutes and 30 seconds, but I'd remind 2603 02:09:37,679 --> 02:09:39,599 you we're you have it on. I'd remind you 2604 02:09:39,599 --> 02:09:40,719 we're at the end of the meeting. So if 2605 02:09:40,719 --> 02:09:41,760 you're not able to express everything 2606 02:09:41,760 --> 02:09:43,280 you want to say, you can feel free to 2607 02:09:43,280 --> 02:09:45,119 come up and speak to me afterwards. 2608 02:09:45,119 --> 02:09:49,520 >> My name is Marcia Adams. I live at 2609 02:09:49,520 --> 02:09:53,199 713 Bridge Avenue. We're having issues 2610 02:09:53,199 --> 02:09:56,400 with the crossing thing on 7th Street. 2611 02:09:56,400 --> 02:09:59,040 People are flying off the bridge like 2612 02:09:59,040 --> 02:10:01,119 whatever they want and they're flying 2613 02:10:01,119 --> 02:10:04,400 off and on the bridge and I've almost 2614 02:10:04,400 --> 02:10:07,599 got hit three times crossing that thing. 2615 02:10:07,599 --> 02:10:09,199 I would like to know if there's 2616 02:10:09,199 --> 02:10:12,880 something you guys can do to protect us 2617 02:10:12,880 --> 02:10:16,800 people who walk on Seventh Street or 2618 02:10:16,800 --> 02:10:18,400 not. 2619 02:10:18,400 --> 02:10:20,079 >> So, we don't have conversation here, but 2620 02:10:20,079 --> 02:10:21,360 uh we'll we'll take note of your 2621 02:10:21,360 --> 02:10:22,239 comments and if you want to come and 2622 02:10:22,239 --> 02:10:23,199 chat with me afterwards. 2623 02:10:23,199 --> 02:10:25,280 >> Okay. But I just wanted to let you guys 2624 02:10:25,280 --> 02:10:29,119 know that it's it really dangerous. 2625 02:10:29,119 --> 02:10:32,880 I'm not my residents in that area have a 2626 02:10:32,880 --> 02:10:36,400 fear of one of us can be hit. That's all 2627 02:10:36,400 --> 02:10:39,040 I wanted to know. 2628 02:10:39,040 --> 02:10:40,000 >> Thank you very much. 2629 02:10:40,000 --> 02:10:41,599 >> You're welcome. 2630 02:10:41,599 --> 02:10:44,560 >> Is there any further public comment? 2631 02:10:44,560 --> 02:10:46,719 >> We have no further business and are 2632 02:10:46,719 --> 02:10:50,360 adjourned. Thank you, counselors.