[00:00:01]
GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? CALL] THE MEETING JUST CALLED TO ORDER IS A SPECIAL MEETING AND AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN.I DON'T SEE ANY SPEAKER CARDS, BUT PUBLIC COMMENT IS OPEN.
YOU CAN FILL OUT FILL OUT A CARD IF AFTER YOU SPEAK, NO SPEAKERS.
ALL RIGHT. PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.
[3.A. 2024 Budget Book]
IS THAT CORRECT, MR. SIMPSON? GOOD AFTERNOON.GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
YES, I WOULD CALL THIS A MINI BUDGET BOOK.
MORE OF A LEAFLET VERSUS THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT WILL PRESENT IN OCTOBER.
THE PURPOSE OF TODAY IS TO BRIEF YOU ON WHERE WE ARE.
I RAN THE NUMBERS AS OF APRIL 30TH.
IT'S GOT SIX MONTHS OF EXPENDITURE DATA IN IT AND I SPENT MOST OF MY TIME ANALYZING REVENUES, AND WHAT WE WILL DO FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS AS A MANAGEMENT TEAM IS FINE TUNE THE EXPENDITURE SIDE BECAUSE WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF EXPENDITURE ACCOUNTS.
IT'S NOT POSSIBLE TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THOSE IN DETAIL IN TIME FOR THIS MEETING.
SO WHAT I'LL PRESENT TO YOU THIS EVENING IS MY BEST GUESS AS OF RIGHT NOW FOR REVENUES, WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE WILL SPEND OUR OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGETS.
WE DID DO A RUDIMENTARY PERSONAL SERVICE PROJECTION.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT IN IN THIS PROJECTION FROM HERE, WE WILL GO INTO THE OFFICIAL BUDGET SEASON WHERE EVERYBODY SUBMITS THEIR EXPENDITURE BUDGETS, THEIR REQUEST FOR NEW POSITIONS.
ON JUNE 1ST, WE WILL GET A PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE FROM THE PROPERTY APPRAISER AS FAR AS OUR ANTICIPATED INCREASE IN TAXABLE VALUES, AND THE MIDDLE OF JUNE, WE SHOULD GET SOME VITAL DATA FROM REGARDING THE CPI FROM THE BUREAU OF LABOR THAT WILL DRIVE A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF OUR BUDGET IS COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WILL DIVE RIGHT INTO THIS DOCUMENT.
THE FISCAL YEAR 23 MID-YEAR BUDGET ANALYSIS AND PROJECTION.
THIS MAY APPEAR RATHER SMALL, BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE THE SUPPORTING MATERIALS IN FRONT OF YOU , AND WHAT WE HAVE IS APPROXIMATELY A $76 MILLION TOTAL BUDGET CITYWIDE.
THIS ADOPTED BUDGET SHOWS THE CITY'S STRONG COMMITMENT TO FUNDING THE PRIORITIES OF THE CITY'S STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH WE WILL BE REVIEWING IN MORE DETAIL IN THE NEXT MONTH, PROBABLY AT A SEPARATE WORKSHOP, AND WE WERE HOPING FOR A ROUND TABLE SITUATION TO REVIEW THE STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT JUST BRIEFLY, THE BUDGET PRIORITIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY IN, FISCAL YEAR 2023 FOCUSED ON INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION, MOBILITY PLANNING, SUSTAINABLE BEST PRACTICES, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, PLANNING, ARTS AND CULTURE ENHANCEMENT, ENHANCING OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS IN REGARDS TO HOMELESSNESS, EVENT PLANNING, CAPITAL PLAN FINANCING AND COMMUNICATION AND ONLINE PRESENCE TO PROMOTE CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT.
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO RUN THIS? WAIT UNTIL HE FINISHES OR ASK QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY.
I'LL LEAVE THAT UP TO MR. SIMPSON. THANK YOU. SURE.
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY RATHER THAN WAIT TILL THE END.
PLEASE JUST GO AHEAD AND STOP ME AND WE CAN, BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE BROKEN UP INTO SECTIONS.
[00:05:04]
SO PLEASE, I ENCOURAGE QUESTIONS.IT'S A WORKSHOP, SO LET'S BE INFORMAL AND FIRE AWAY.
PLEASE. I KNOW THIS ISN'T A LAUNDRY LIST OF THE BUDGET PRIORITIES, BUT I KNOW THAT WE'RE SPENDING A LOT ON RESILIENCY, AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE SHOULD.
ABSOLUTELY, AND IF I CAN JUST COMMENT FURTHER ON THAT, IT MOST OF OUR RESILIENCY IS IN OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND IT'S GRANT FUNDED. SO WHAT WE ARE ADOPTING THIS SUMMER IS BASICALLY OUR OPERATING BUDGET, AND THEN THE CAPITAL FINANCING PLAN IS A SEPARATE COMPONENT OF IT, BUT I WILL CERTAINLY INCLUDE THAT IN FUTURE MATERIALS BECAUSE IT IS ONE OF OUR NUMBER ONE CHALLENGES.
I MEAN, WE HAVE WE CAN DISCUSS THAT AT THE TIME.
YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD SUGGESTION.
YEAH, SO I WILL PROBABLY SPEND THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME ON THE GENERAL FUND.
SO WITH THE GENERAL FUND, WE HAVE A PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE TO END THE YEAR APPROXIMATELY $1.8 MILLION ABOVE BUDGETED LEVEL. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS ACROSS THE BOARD.
THIS IS LARGELY DUE TO THE FEDERAL RESERVE AND INTEREST RATES.
THE REMAINDER OF THAT IS PERSONAL SERVICES COMING IN A LITTLE UNDER BUDGETED, BUT AND OTHER SHARED REVENUES LIKE SALES TAX, REVENUE SHARING, THINGS OF THAT NATURE ARE COMING IN A LITTLE BETTER THAN EXPECTED.
WE DO BUDGET ACCORDING TO STATE ESTIMATES IN MANY AREAS, AND THOSE ARE CONSERVATIVE AND WE USUALLY DO COLLECT A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN 95% OF OUR AD VALOREM BUDGET.
SO CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE AT THIS TIME IS $1.8 MILLION FOR THE GENERAL FUND, AND YOU CAN SEE IN THE GRAPH THERE THAT THIRD COLUMN WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE REVENUES ARE FAR EXCEEDING EXPENDITURES AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE TIMING OF AD VALOREM REVENUES.
WE GET THE LION'S SHARE OF IT IN NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, JANUARY, FEBRUARY.
SO WE'VE RECEIVED 85% OF OUR AD VALOREM REVENUE AND THAT HAS TO CARRY US FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, AND AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE A VERY STRONG OVER 5% INTEREST RETURN ON OUR SAVINGS. SO THAT IS THAT'S DRIVING A LOT OF THE SURPLUS THERE AND.
THE EXPENDITURES ARE ANTICIPATED TO GENERATE SOME SAVINGS.
LIKE I MENTIONED, IT'S DUE TO TURNOVER AND WE WILL BUDGET AS WE STAND IN JULY, AND SOME PEOPLE MIGHT BE AT A STEP 20 OR A STEP 30 AND WHEN THEY VACATE THAT POSITION, WE HIRE AT A STEP ONE.
SO IT'LL WIND UP BEING A LITTLE LESS EXPENSIVE THAN WHAT WE BUDGETED.
EXCUSE ME, MADAM MAYOR, AGAIN.
MR. SIMPSON, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT THIS.
THE LAST SENTENCE OF YOUR SECOND PARAGRAPH ON THAT SLIDE THAT THE ACTUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT OF HIRING AND TRAINING NEW EMPLOYEES IS NOT MEASURABLE, BUT MANAGEMENT BELIEVES THE COST EXCEEDS SHORT TERM SAVINGS.
SO I'M GOING TO BE KEEPING THAT IN MIND AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.
TRY TO BE AWARE AND CAUTIOUS ABOUT THAT.
[00:10:08]
PREFERENCES FOR PEOPLE'S WORK IS CHANGING AND THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS WHO WOULD RATHER WORK REMOTELY AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, AND JUST THE TENDENCY OF SOME PEOPLE TO BE NOMADIC, I THINK, AND NOT STAY IN THE SAME JOB FOR FOR VERY LONG.IT'S A DIFFERENT WORLD WE LIVE IN NOW.
I WISH I DID, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO BE COGNIZANT OF IS HOW MUCH TURNOVER ACTUALLY DOES COST FROM AN ECONOMIC STANDPOINT BECAUSE WE TEND TO BE REACTIVE INSTEAD OF PROACTIVE, SOMETIMES BECAUSE WE'RE TRAINING THE NEXT PEOPLE.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU HIGHLIGHTING THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY.
I WILL MENTION THAT WE HAVE USED SOME GENERAL FUND RESERVES SO FAR THIS YEAR.
WE PURCHASED SOME CONSERVATION LAND LAST WEEK WE DID CLOSE ON THE SOUTH STREET PROJECT FOR $1.15 MILLION FOR THE LAKE MARIA SANCHEZ.
THAT WAS GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS THAT WERE USED.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, WHAT WE'VE ALREADY SPENT OUT OF RESERVES THIS YEAR, WHEN WE START WITH A $1.8 MILLION PROJECTED SURPLUS AND YOU SUBTRACT WHAT WE'VE SPENT OUT OF RESERVES THIS YEAR, I STILL EXPECT US TO END THE YEAR WITH AT LEAST A HALF $1 MILLION INCREASE TO RESERVES.
THAT IS THE BIG PICTURE SUMMARY OF IT.
ON THE FOLLOWING SLIDE, YOU HAVE GOT SOME GRAPHS AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE GET OUR MONEY AND HOW WE USE OUR MONEY.
LION'S SHARE OF THE GENERAL FUND DOES COME FROM AD VALOREM TAX AND WE GET A LOT FROM FRANCHISE FEES, FROM THE UTILITY SERVICE TAXES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT IT IS MAINLY AD VALOREM FUNDED.
AS EXPECTED ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE? SURE. YES.
OF THE AD VALOREM TAX, DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THE PERCENTAGE IS BETWEEN COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL? I DID TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
FIRST BLUSH WITHOUT VERIFYING THIS WITH THE PROPERTY APPRAISER AND TAX COLLECTOR, WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO DO DURING THE DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS, IS COMMERCIAL IS AT 52.5% AND RESIDENTIAL IS AT 45% WITH A SMALL RESIDUAL ATTRIBUTED TO MIXED USE.
YEAH. OKAY. SO THAT'S ABOUT 8 MILLION FROM RESIDENTS AND ABOUT 9.5 MILLION FROM BUSINESS.
OKAY. THAT'S JUST A NICE EDUCATIONAL PIECE.
I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO TO KNOW WE DON'T JUST GET OUR MONEY FROM THE PROPERTY TAX.
WE GET IT FROM ALL OVER, AND IT'S A SMALL IT'S A LARGE PIECE OF THE PIE, BUT IT'S A--THE BUSINESSES ARE PAYING FOR, AND I HAVE STOOD UP HERE AND ASKED FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES TO TRY TO HELP FUND THE EXTRA COSTS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE WE'RE IN A POPULATION OF 15,000 AND WE'VE GOT A POLICE DEPARTMENT BUILT FOR A LARGE TOURIST POPULATION.
SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE GENERATING THE NEED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY ARE PAYING A LOT OF THE TAX THAT IS PAYING FOR OUR WHOLE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND HALF OF OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
NOW, YOU MAY NOT KNOW THIS, BUT ARE THE SHORT TERM RENTALS CONSIDERED BUSINESS OR ARE THEY RESIDENTIAL? THEY SHOULD HAVE LOST THEIR HOMESTEAD.
IF I HAD TO GUESS, I WOULD SAY THEY'RE STILL CONSIDERED RESIDENTIAL.
FOR FINANCIAL REASONS, THEY MIGHT BE GOOD, BUT QUALITATIVE REASONS.
[00:15:02]
MY PLEASURE. SO THE CHART IS DEFINITELY TELLING.THE GENERAL FUND IS PRIMARILY PRIMARILY TO COVER GENERAL GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE DO HAVE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT IN THERE.
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT WOULD BE ENGINEERING.
TRANSPORTATION IS YOUR STREETS.
CULTURE AND RECREATION WOULD BE GROUNDS AND LIKE COMMUNICATIONS AND EVENTS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE AND TRANSFERS GO OUT TO PAY THE OTHER FUNDS FOR SERVICES THAT THE GENERAL FUNDS NEED.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE GRAPHS BEFORE I MOVE ON INTO JUST A COUPLE DETAILS ON THE REVENUES? I HIGHLIGHTED A FEW ITEMS IN KIND OF A LIGHT GREEN ON THE REVENUE ANALYSIS PAGE.
JUST TO ILLUSTRATE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF THE SURPLUS ON THE REVENUE SIDE, THE FRANCHISE FEES ARE COMING IN MUCH BETTER THAN EXPECTED, ALMOST HALF $1 MILLION, AND THAT'S YOUR YOUR GREEN TROLLEYS AND YOUR RED TRAINS, SOME UTILITY FRANCHISES, ETCETERA.
THOSE ARE COMING IN VERY NICELY AS TOURISM CONTINUES TO BE REALLY WELL.
IMPACT FEES, THAT'S YOUR MOBILITY FEE, AND WE HAD A BIG ONE COME IN THIS YEAR.
WHY WOULD WE NOT CALL THAT MOBILITY FEE? WE DO. THAT IS HONESTLY THE BUDGET SOFTWARE SPITTING OUT ITS ACTIVITY AND THE MOBILITY FEE IS THE ACCOUNT NUMBER.
IF YOU NOTICE THAT 324 NEXT TO IT, THAT'S AN ACTIVITY AND I CAN CERTAINLY CHANGE THAT, BUT THE MOBILITY FEE TECHNICALLY IS AN IMPACT FEE. IT'S THE ONLY IMPACT FEE WE CHARGE.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD IDENTIFY THAT.
THAT WAS MY ONE QUESTION ON THAT PAGE.
THE TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING FEES ARE COMING IN MUCH BETTER THAN EXPECTED AS WELL, BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT AT THE TIME THIS BUDGET WAS CREATED, IT WAS BEFORE THE FEDERAL RESERVE REALLY STARTED HIKING INTEREST RATES AND AN ORIGINAL BUDGET OF 325,000 TO A PROJECTED BUDGET OF INTEREST, EARNINGS OF $1.4 MILLION.
THAT'S LARGE, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT'S NOT RESTRICTED.
SO WE HAVE FROM NOW UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR TO DISCUSS WHAT YOU MAY LIKE TO DO WITH THAT.
I BELIEVE ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAS SAID THEY WOULD LIKE TO SET ASIDE MONEY FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS, AND THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE COULD WORK WITH AT YEAR END, BUT AS FAR AS PROCEDURALLY, THE WAY WE CREATE OUR BUDGET, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY APPROPRIATE TO BUDGET FOR SURPLUSES.
IT WOULD BE PROCEDURALLY BEST TO WAIT TILL THE END OF THE YEAR.
I'LL PRESENT YOU WITH SOME FINANCE, SOME FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, AND YOU CAN SAY, OKAY, OUR SURPLUS IS THIS WE WOULD LIKE AS THE COMMISSION TO ASSIGN SOME OF THIS SURPLUS TO VARIOUS THINGS, SUCH AS LAND ACQUISITION, SUCH AS WEST AUGUSTINE, SUCH AS THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE APPROPRIATE FROM A BEST PRACTICES STANDPOINT, THEN BUDGETING FOR SURPLUS OR SAVINGS, BECAUSE SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE LONG TERM, LIKE WE COULD SAVE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS AND BUILD THESE SURPLUSES AND THEN SPEND A LOT OF IT AT ONCE, LIKE THE SOUTH STREET LOT FOR 1.15 MILLION.
SO THAT WOULD BE A RECOMMENDATION FROM MANAGEMENT ON HOW TO PROCEDURALLY FUND CERTAIN THINGS THAT IS TRANSPARENT. IT'S PERFECTLY FINE WITH THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, BUT WE COULD HAVE A PROBLEM IF WE WANTED TO BUDGET FOR A SURPLUS.
THE WAY THE GENERAL FUND WORKS AND THE WAY THE ACCOUNTING RULES WORK.
[00:20:02]
SO I DID WANT TO POINT THAT OUT.LIKE THE INTEREST INCOME THAT WE'RE EARNING IS UNRESTRICTED.
IF I COULD, I'D LIKE TO SAY I APPRECIATE THAT SUGGESTION, THAT RECOMMENDATION, AND I SUPPORT THAT, AND I JUST WANT TO COMMENT THAT WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE THINKING OF NON-RECURRING EXPENSES, NOT PERSONNEL.
THESE ARE JUST PROJECTS, MORE OR LESS.
CORRECT AND THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
ON TO THE EXPENDITURES IN THE GENERAL FUND.
WE HAD AN ADOPTED BUDGET OF 43,361,000, AND OUR BUDGET HAS BEEN REVISED SUBSTANTIALLY.
THIS IS LARGELY DUE TO GRANTS AND RE-APPROPRIATING THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDING, AND IN OUR ACTUAL MIDYEAR, IT WAS ONLY 17.5 MILLION, BUT WE DO PLAN TO SPEND THE MAJORITY OF OUR PERSONAL SERVICE MONEY. THE MAJORITY OF OUR OTHER OPERATING AND CAPITAL SHOULD EITHER BE SPENT OR ENCUMBERED.
SO THE REVISED BUDGET IS 47 MILLION.
END OF YEAR PROJECTION IS SOMEWHERE AROUND 44.6 BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE TO CARRY OVER A LOT OF THOSE BUDGETS FOR LONG TERM NEEDS, SUCH AS THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, WHICH IS TECHNICALLY CONTAINED IN THE GENERAL FUND.
SO ON THE BOTTOM THERE'S THE SUMMARY, WITH THE TOTAL PROJECTED REVENUES, TOTAL PROJECTED EXPENDITURES AND THE PROJECTION OF $505,337.
THAT COVERS MY PORTION OF THE GENERAL FUND.
BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS ANYTHING ELSE RELATED TO THE GENERAL FUND.
AT THIS TIME, IT'S PRETTY PRELIMINARY.
I'LL GET IN A LOT MORE DETAIL AS AS THE BUDGET SEASON PROGRESSES.
YOU CAN SEE THE GRAPHS ARE KIND OF SIMILAR TO THE GENERAL FUND, BUT WITH THE UTILITY FUND.
WE HAVE GOT AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF NEW WATER AND SEWER CONNECTION FEES.
SO AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, WE DO KIND OF LOCK THOSE UP IN RESTRICTED RESERVES AS A BEST PRACTICE OUTLINED BY OUR RATE PAYING AGENCIES THAT HELP US WITH OUR WITH OUR RATES.
DOES THAT ALSO MEAN THAT IT CAN'T BE APPLIED TO EMPLOYEES AND MORE EMPLOYEES OR HIGHER PAY FOR EMPLOYEES IF IT'S RESTRICTED? YEAH, I WOULD THINK.
NO, IT IS FOR THE CAPITAL PLAN.
YEAH. I'D LIKE TO WEIGH IN ON THIS.
VICE MAYOR, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PRACTICE THAT WE STARTED ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE MONIES WHEN WE HAVE TO EXPAND THE PLANT.
OUR OLD PRACTICES USED TO BLEND THAT MONEY INTO OPERATIONS BUDGETS, INCLUDING PERSONNEL.
SO IT SHOULD BE SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS? CORRECT. MARK, DO YOU KNOW THE BALANCE OF THE RESTRICTED FUND? IT'S ABOUT 12 MILLION.
DO WE TAKE THE INTEREST AND PUT IT IN THE GENERAL FUND? THE INTEREST IS GOING BACK INTO THAT UTILITY ACCOUNT RESERVED FOR THE CONNECTIONS.
IT HAS ITS OWN SEPARATE AND IT IS ACCRUING INTEREST AS WELL.
CORRECT. THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY BEING ACCRUED.
YEAH, IT IS, BUT AS THE CITY MANAGER, I DON'T REMEMBER THE COST WHEN WE WENT TO THE REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER PLANT, BUT WASN'T IT 20 OR $30 MILLION. YES, I'M A LITTLE OFF ON WHAT CAPACITY COSTS TODAY, BUT AN MGD CAN BE LIKE $10 MILLION
[00:25:05]
PER MILLION GALLONS OF CAPACITY, AND KEEP IN MIND, YOU HAVE TO ADD WATER AND WASTEWATER CAPACITY.SO WHEN WE SPEND, WE SPEND FAST WHEN IT COMES TO TREATMENT, PLANT EXPANSIONS AND REHABILITATION.
VERY, VERY LARGE CAPITAL EXPENSE.
WE THOUGHT THAT THE UTILITY FUND WAS DOING WELL ENOUGH TO SUPPORT A 5% INCREASE AND WE WENT WITH THAT AND WE ARE STILL EXCEEDING BUDGET WITH THAT , AND SO THAT IS GOING WELL.
THE EXPENSES ARE PROJECTED RIGHT NOW TO BE 300,000 BELOW BUDGETED LEVELS, AND ONCE AGAIN, THAT IS BECAUSE OUR UTILITY FOLKS, THEY'RE ONE OF OUR HIGHEST TURNING OVER AREA OR IN THE AREA OF OUR UTILITY WORKERS.
SO BOTTOM LINE IS AN EXPECTED INCREASE OF 1.5 MILLION TO THE UTILITY RESERVE BALANCE.
THESE THINGS CAN BE TRICKY AT YEAR END WITH WITH FIXED ASSETS AND LATER ON IN THE PRESENTATION, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON HOW FIXED ASSETS WORK OR CAPITAL ASSETS WORK WITH DEPRECIATION AND OUR BUSINESS FUNDS.
WE CAN HAVE A BRIEF DISCUSSION ON THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE UTILITY FUND? SURE. FUNDS FOR THE WEST SIDE DURING THE WATER HOOKUP WE PUT THAT $250,000 A YEAR FOR THE WEST AUGUSTINE SEPTIC TO SEWER, WE HAVE PLACED THAT IN THE GENERAL FUND DUE TO OUR BOND COUNSEL SAYING THAT WE NEEDED TO DO THAT FOR BOND COVENANT REASONS.
SO THERE IS RESERVE FUNDING AVAILABLE, BUT IT IS IN THE GENERAL FUND.
IT IS NOT IN THE UTILITY FUND AND THAT IS LESS THAN THREE YEARS OLD, THAT PRACTICE OF DOING THAT.
OKAY. THANK YOU. MR. REGAN, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.
COMMISSIONER GARRIS, SO TECHNICALLY THE MONEY COMES FROM ALL THE RATEPAYERS.
I MEAN, I JUST WANT TO MAKE, EVEN THOUGH WE DO THAT, TRANSFER, THOSE OF US THAT LIVE IN THE CITY ARE HELPING TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A BLENDED RATE SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THAT PROGRAM GOING IN WEST AUGUSTINE.
VICE MAYOR. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, MOST OF OUR GROWTH IS NORTH OF THE CITY AT THIS TIME, RIGHT? THAT KIND OF INFORMATION I AM NOT PRIVY TO, BUT I COULD CERTAINLY OBTAIN THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU, AND PART OF THE PURPOSE OF TODAY IS TO SOLICIT INPUT ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO BUILD THIS BUDGET, AND LAST YEAR WE STARTED RATCHETING DOWN THE SURCHARGE FOR OUTSIDE THE CITY, AND WE HAD ALREADY LOWERED IT FROM 25% DOWN TO 20% LAST YEAR.
SO WITH WITH CONSENSUS, I'LL BUILD A REVENUE BUDGET FOR THE UTILITY FUND AT AT AN 18% SURCHARGE FOR OUTSIDE CITY RESIDENTS. MR. REGAN, YOU HAD TO ADD TO THAT.
THE SHORT ANSWER IS YOU ARE CORRECT.
MOST OF THE GROWTH IS TO THE NORTH.
WHEN YOU SEE THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES NEAR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING AND ALSO YOU CAN SEE THE TAKE UP AS YOU DRIVE TOWARDS JACKSONVILLE, EVEN THE BIG SUBDIVISION ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS.
ALSO GROWTH OUT ON THE 16TH QUARTER.
SO THAT'S THE PREDOMINANT AMOUNT OF GROWTH, BUT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE SHIPYARDS.
THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE ON UTILITY FUND.
STORMWATER FUND IS IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
IT'S A SMALLER FUND AND REVENUES ARE COMING IN ALMOST PERFECTLY FAVORABLE VARIANCE OF 300,000.
WE DO HAVE AN EXPENDITURE VARIANCE WHICH IS ALSO FAVORABLE OF 130,000.
[00:30:01]
INCREASE. IF IF WE DON'T PURCHASE FIXED ASSETS THIS YEAR AND WE HAVE TO BOOK DEPRECIATION, IT COULD WIPE AWAY SOME OF THIS RESERVE.SO WHAT I'VE DONE WITH ALL THESE FUNDS, I'VE PUT TOGETHER A VERY SIMPLISTIC CHART TO SHOW THE COMMISSION HOW DEPRECIATION WORKS AT YEAR END WITH THESE BUSINESS TYPE FUNDS.
BECAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS MAY VARY.
THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE IS THESE ARE PROJECTIONS BASED ON REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES.
IT IS NOT BASED ON BALANCE SHEET ACCOUNTING.
SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO DEMONSTRATE THAT AT THE CONCLUSION OF MY PRESENTATION.
THERE'S NOT A LOT OR EXCUSE ME, STORMWATER, THERE'S NOT A LOT.
NOTEWORTHY GOING ON IN THIS FUND.
AS YOU MIGHT RECALL, LAST YEAR WE HAD TO INCREASE RATES BY $5 A MONTH PER HOUSEHOLD AS WE DID THE PRIOR YEAR, AND WE ARE SEEING COSTS START TO COME UNDER CONTROL WITH REGARD TO TIPPING FEES, BUT WHAT WE ALSO HAVE IS A VERY PROACTIVE MANAGER OUT THERE WHO IS CHARGING THE OTHER FUNDS BETTER.
WE AS A CITY OPERATE AS A WHOLE, BUT OLIVIA IS DOING A GREAT JOB OF CHARGING EACH DIVISION EVERY TIME SHE WORKS FOR THEM SO THAT THE FUND IS DOING BETTER FROM A FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S PAYING EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO, AND THAT WAS A PRETTY MONUMENTAL JOB THAT SHE UNDERWENT, DID DID SOME INTERNAL AUDITING, AND WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE DOING A MUCH BETTER JOB WITH OUR REVENUES ON THE SOLID WASTE SIDE.
THE INTERNAL AUDITING ENHANCEMENTS SUCH AS ADDITIONAL.
SHE'S DOING GREAT WITH THE FRANCHISE FEES AND SALE OF SCRAP.
SO REALLY HAPPY WITH THE WAY SOLID WASTE FUND IS PERFORMING THIS YEAR AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S A PROJECTED SURPLUS WHICH HAS BEEN HARD TO COME BY IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS WITH SOLID WASTE.
THE EXPENDITURES ARE STILL HIGH.
MR. SIMPSON, THAT'S GREAT NEWS.
IT REALLY IS. IT'S THE FEEL GOOD STORY OF THIS WHOLE YEAR SO FAR IS THE TURNAROUND AND SOLID WASTE.
MY QUESTION WAS, DID SHE PRODUCE MORE OF A SAVINGS THAN THE $5 INCREASE? IF SHE HAD NOT DONE SUCH A TERRIFIC JOB, WOULD WE STILL BE IN THE BLACK? WE WOULD PROBABLY BE AT A BREAK EVEN.
YEAH, IF I HAD TO GUESS AND REALLY DRILL INTO THE NUMBERS, I WOULD SAY THAT THE SURPLUS IS DUE TO MOSTLY OLIVIA AND THAT EXPENDITURES AND WHATNOT WOULD HAVE BROKEN EVEN WITH THE EXTRA REVENUE.
OKAY. SHE'S SCRAPPING, NO PUN INTENDED.
THE REVENUES ARE NO LONGER SKYROCKETING.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE COST OF FUEL OR MAYBE THE BOATING INDUSTRY ISN'T AS POPULAR AS IT ONCE WAS, BUT REVENUES PROJECTED TO SLIGHTLY EXCEED BUDGETED REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES ARE RIGHT UP THERE.
WE HAVE A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF OUR SALES THAT ARE RELATED TO FUEL.
THERE IS A FIXED GROSS MARGIN ON THAT FUEL.
SO EXPENDITURES COULD BE UP A LITTLE BIT TOO, BUT YOU CAN SEE BY THE GRAPH ON THE MARINA FUND, WHICH IS HERE, I GOT AWAY FROM MYSELF, JUST A SMALL SURPLUS ANTICIPATED, AND YOU KNOW, THE BIG CHALLENGE WITH THE MARINA FUND THIS YEAR IS REBUILDING THE BREAKWATER DOCK 100% GRANT FUNDED BUT FROM AN OPERATING REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE STANDPOINT DOING JUST FINE. NOTHING REALLY NOTEWORTHY THERE.
NOW THE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER FUND IS STILL EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS WITH PARKING GARAGE REVENUE, AND I WILL SAY THAT THEIR GIFT SHOP IS BACK UP TO WHERE WE BUDGETED IN PRIOR YEARS.
WE BUDGETED 600,000 A YEAR FOR GIFT SHOP REVENUE.
[00:35:04]
FOR A FEW YEARS IT DROPPED.NOT AS MANY SCHOOL FOLKS WERE COMING THROUGH.
PEOPLE JUST WEREN'T COMING IN AND BUYING FROM OUR GIFT SHOP, BUT BASED ON THE PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES, I DO HAVE THE GIFT SHOP COMING IN AT BUDGET AT 600,000, BUT THE PARKING GARAGE IS EXPECTED TO EXCEED THE BUDGET BY 600,000 THIS YEAR.
SO, MARINA FUND DOING VERY WELL AND EXPENDITURES ARE STEADY, AND IT'S MY PROJECTION THAT WE SHOULD ADD AT LEAST 500,000 TO THE RESERVES AFTER THE YEAR IS CLOSED AND DEPRECIATION IS BOOKED AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN DISCUSSIONS ON.
PARKING FEE REVENUE, BUT WE DO HAVE A DEDICATED WORKSHOP FOR THAT COMING UP IN EARLY JULY.
HAVE A QUESTION ON THAT. IS THAT GOING TO BE THE JULY 10TH MEETING? THE WORKSHOP THAT COMES BEFORE THE COMMISSION MEETING ON JULY 10TH? IT IS, UNLESS YOU'D LIKE TO RESCHEDULE IT.
SO WE CAN EXPECT TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION, AND I WILL HAVE THE AD VALOREM, AND YES, BY THAT TIME I'LL HAVE THE EXPENDITURE DATA IN GOOD SHAPE BY THEN.
SO THEN THE THEORY IS WE TRY TO MATCH THE REVENUES WITH THE EXPENSES, COME UP WITH A SHORTFALL, WORK FOR THE REMAINDER OF JULY, TRY TO BRING A BALANCED BUDGET IN AUGUST. OKAY.
THANK YOU. SO I'VE GOT A SUMMARY HERE OF OUR RESERVES.
WE DO FOUR MONTHS OF OPERATING REVENUES IN A GENERAL FUND AND THREE MONTHS OF OPERATING REVENUES IN OUR BUSINESS TYPE FUNDS, AND YOU CAN SEE AT THE VERY BOTTOM THAT.
THE SOLID WASTE FUND IS THE ONLY FUND THAT DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO COVER ITS RESERVE BALANCE POLICY AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO BUILD THAT RESERVE, BUT THE REMAINDER OF THE FUNDS ARE IN POSITIVE TERRITORY WITH THE GENERAL FUND, EVEN WITH OUR USES SO FAR, IN 2023, THE GENERAL FUND STILL HAS APPROXIMATELY $2.5 MILLION OF RESERVES.
THE MARINA ACTUALLY HAS $1.7 MILLION IN RESERVES AFTER THE REQUIREMENT, AND THE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER, $2.6 MILLION IN RESERVES.
SO MY QUESTION IS ABOUT THE SOLID WASTE FUND.
YOU SAID YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THE.
WELL, I GUESS THERE IS HAS BEEN NO RESERVE ON THE SOLID WASTE FUND, BUT GOING BACK IN, WHAT YOU HAD SAID IS WILL YOU BE ABLE TO ADD TO THAT BY THE END OF 2023? THAT IS THE PERFECT SEGUE INTO HOW THE YEAR END ACCOUNTING WORKS WITH RELATION TO CAPITAL ASSETS.
THE SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, MADAM MAYOR, IS IT DEPENDS.
THE WAY RESERVES WORK, CAN EVERYBODY READ THIS? BARELY. I WISH THERE WAS A WAY I COULD MAYBE ZOOM IN ON THAT A LITTLE BIT.
IN THIS EXAMPLE, WHAT I'VE DONE IS TRIED TO DEMONSTRATE THE EFFECT ON OUR RESERVES OR FUND BALANCE BASED ON.
PURCHASE OF CAPITAL ASSETS AND YEAR END BOOKING OF DEPRECIATION.
SO WITH THIS EXAMPLE RIGHT HERE, WE HAVE AND I'M USING SOLID WASTE AS AN EXAMPLE BECAUSE WE MAY HAVE A $700,000 PURCHASE OF TWO GARBAGE TRUCKS FOR $700,000 AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
[00:40:07]
THE $700,000 DOES NOT HIT OUR PROFIT AND LOSS STATEMENT.IT GETS MOVED OVER TO THE BALANCE SHEET AND YOU CAN SEE THE CAPITALIZATION OF IT ON SEPTEMBER 30TH WHERE WE MOVED THE 700,000 OUT, BUT BOOK $140,000 OF DEPRECIATION ON IT BECAUSE IT'S A FIVE YEAR ASSET.
SO THE NET EFFECT IN THE YEAR THAT WE BOUGHT THE CAPITAL ASSET IS ACTUALLY AN INCREASE IN OUR RESERVES OF $560,000, AND PEOPLE THINK THAT'S GREAT, BUT IT'S NOT REAL BECAUSE WE NEED THAT $560,000 TO OFFSET THE NEXT FOUR YEARS OF DEPRECIATION OF $140,000. SO THIS IS JUST A VERY BASIC EXAMPLE OF SOMETIMES RESERVES ARE TRICKY TO DISCUSS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO FACTOR IN YOUR FIXED ASSETS, YOU HAVE TO FACTOR IN WHAT YOU NEED FOR DEPRECIATION FOR THE COMING YEARS, AND YOU CAN SEE BASED ON THIS.
AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS, IF EVERYTHING FELL PERFECTLY, THE FUND BALANCE WOULD BE ZERO.
SO THAT IS VERY, VERY BASIC EXPLANATION OF HOW FIXED ASSETS AND SUBSEQUENT DEPRECIATION LIE WITH ENTERPRISE FUND RESERVES.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO POINT OUT ABOUT THE WAY OUR RESERVE POLICY WORKS, WE DID THIS I WANT TO SAY ABOUT 2011 WAS WHEN WE SET IT UP BUT IF YOU GO AND READ THE ACTUAL POLICY, THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT IT SAYS THAT WE HAVE TO GIVE WHEN YOU'RE BELOW THE STANDARD OF A THREE MONTH MINIMUM IN SOLID WASTE, WE HAVE TO GIVE YOU A DELIBERATE PLAN ON HOW TO REBUILD THAT SURPLUS TO GET THAT THREE MONTHS IN RESERVE.
I WON'T BE HERE, BUT PART OF THE BUDGET PRESENTATION NEEDS TO BE REALLY LOOKING OF THE EXPENSES AND ALSO REVENUES, WHETHER OR NOT A RATE HIKE IS, YOU KNOW, NECESSARY, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO REBUILD THAT NO MATTER HOW THE ACCOUNTING WORKS AND DEPRECIATION.
AGREED. THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR REMINDING US.
IF WE'RE NOT SEEING AN INCREASE, WE NEED A SOLID PLAN.
THANK YOU. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RESERVES, ABOUT ANYTHING MID-YEAR AND ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO BE WORKING ON ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE BETWEEN NOW AND JULY 10TH.
WE'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS AND THERE'S COMMENTS AT THE NEXT MEETING AT 5:00 AS WELL.
SO I'M HERE IF YOU NEED ANYTHING.
UNLESS YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM THE HEAR FROM US BEFORE THAT, THAT IS PERFECTLY FINE.
THAT STILL GIVES ME A MONTH TO BUILD IT IN.
OKAY, WELL, SO COMMISSIONERS CAN MEET.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO MEET WITH MR. SIMPSON AND LET HIM KNOW THAT YOUR DIRECTION, AS WELL AS MR. BIRCHIM, AS WELL AS ANY ITEMS THAT YOU HAVE COMING COMING UP THAT ARE SPECIAL REQUESTS OR SO FORTH AND SO ON.
SO THAT'S JUST KIND OF A HEADS UP TO GET READY FOR THAT.
MR. REGAN, YES? MAYOR, IN MY BRIEFINGS WITH EACH OF YOU, I'VE COUNSELED YOU TO COME TO THIS MEETING WITH SOME SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT MIGHT BE GOOD FOR US TO KNOW.
MARK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR SOME OF THE BIG TICKET ITEMS THAT COMMISSIONERS ARE THINKING ABOUT, OR DO YOU WANT TO WAIT? SURE, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY FINE.
DO YOU HAVE? DO YOU WANT TO START? OH, IF YOU'D LIKE, I COULD GO AHEAD AND START.
WHY DON'T WE START WITH COMMISSIONER GARRIS? THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE $300,000 RESERVED FOR SOUTH DIXIE HIGHWAY.
[00:45:07]
THERE IS NO SIDEWALKS THERE, AND THAT ROAD HASN'T BEEN PAVED IN A CENTURY.IN THE DAYTIME, YOU CAN, LIKE, WEAVE AROUND THE HOLES, BUT AT NIGHTTIME, YOU CAN'T SEE THEM, AND SO I'M SURPRISED WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN NUMEROUS CALLS ABOUT TIRES BLOWING OUT.
WHEN I WAS CAMPAIGNING AND WENT DOOR TO DOOR, A MAN TOLD ME THAT HE FEARED FOR HIS LIFE BECAUSE HE WORKED AT WINN-DIXIE AND THERE IS NO SIDEWALKS LEAVING THAT PARTICULAR AREA, GOING TO WINN-DIXIE, AND EVERYBODY DOESN'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF A VEHICLE.
SO, THAT'S A START TO SEE ABOUT GETTING SOME OF THAT AREA TAKEN CARE OF.
IT IS A WELL-TRAVELED ROAD WHEN PEOPLE TRY TO BYPASS US ONE.
SO I WOULD LIKE THAT TAKEN CARE OF.
MR. REGAN, YOU HAD A QUESTION? COMMENT? I'M SORRY.
I WAS JUST GOING TO MENTION THAT WE ARE REPAVING SOUTH DIXIE IN THE NEXT THREE WEEKS, WHICH IS GOOD, BUT I ALSO WANT TO SAY WHAT YOU PRESENT TONIGHT ISN'T LIKE THE END OF THE PROCESS BY ANY MEANS.
IT'S JUST THAT I KNOW THAT YOU'RE ALL THINKING ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE OF MAGNITUDE.
IT'S A GREAT PROJECT, AND I THINK WE GOT MONEY.
SO THE COUNTY WAS ABLE TO GET MONEY AND PAY AT LEAST A PORTION OF IT.
SO I'M WONDERING, WHICH PORTION IS IT IN THE CITY LIMITS PORTION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? OR IS IT. YEAH, IN THE CITY LIMITS.
IS IT CITY AND COUNTY? IS IT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 312 OR WHAT SEGMENT OF WHAT ARE WE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 312 BUT IF THEY COULD PAVE FROM WHERE OUR GARAGE IS COMING ON, TURNING ONTO PALMER GOING DOWN OLD DIXIE HIGHWAY, THEY DID A SMALL PORTION BY THE BRIDGE BECAUSE THEY DID A LITTLE RECAP OF THAT, BUT ONCE YOU COME AROUND THAT BEND AND HIT [INAUDIBLE] AND ALL THOSE STREETS, IT'S A COMPLETE NIGHTMARE.
OKAY. OTHER COMMISSIONER NAILED IT.
PELLICER TO 207 IS THE PAVING, BUT ONE THING I THINK THAT WAS--I'M SORRY, NOT 312.
207. ONE THING I THINK THAT'S EXCITING IS WHAT MARK SAID EARLIER ABOUT TARGETING SOME OF OUR SURPLUSES, BUT I THINK YOU SHOULD CONSIDER TAKING SOME SURPLUS AND ALLOCATING IT TO THIS PROJECT BECAUSE IT IS A BIGGER PROJECT THAN 300,000 AND BUDGET, 300,000 IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
OKAY, LET'S PUT THIS IS ANYONE KEEPING A LIST? YOU'RE KEEPING THE LIST. OKAY, SO LET'S KEEP THAT LIST AND LOOK TO IT.
I KNOW THAT WE TRIED WITH MARTHA GRAHAM, AND I THINK REUBEN FRANKLIN TRIED TO GET SU FUNDS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION BUDGET BUT HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITH THAT. SO THAT'S A VERY COMPETITIVE FUND.
SO IT DOES LOOK LIKE IT'S GOING TO FALL TO US TO FUND IT IF DEPENDING ON THE PROJECT.
OKAY. MS. GARRIS, DID YOU HAVE MORE ITEMS? I JUST WANTED TO SAY THIS, THAT BACK WHEN SHAR WAS OVER, STREETS AND GROUNDS, SHE TOLD ME MONEY WAS ALLOCATED FOR THAT AND NOTHING EVER HAPPENED.
THERE WAS, IT WAS A PROJECT PLAN.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YEAR IT WAS, BUT WE STARTED TALKING WITH MARTHA GRAHAM WAS HERE AS OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, AND WE HAD A GOOD PROJECT PUT TOGETHER AND WE WENT FOR THE FUNDING THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AT NORTH FLORIDA TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATION, AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET THOSE FUNDS.
IS THAT IN OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
SO THE 300,000 OR I'M SORRY, THE REPAVING IS IN THE REPAVE, WHAT IS IN THE BUDGET NOW FOR THIS? REPAVING, BUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT MARK NOW KNOWS TO BE PUTTING A PLACEHOLDER, AS HE DOES THE ITERATIVE BUDGET PROCESS FOR A SOUTH DIXIE SIDEWALK.
OKAY, FOR THE SIDEWALK, SINCE IT'S GOING TO BE REPAVED THAT'S ALREADY BUDGETED.
[00:50:05]
THE ASPHALT IS GOING TO BE REPAVED.THAT'S BUDGETED. SO THIS IS FOR A SIDEWALK PROJECT.
GOOD. ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE MOVE ON? I DO HAVE SOMETHING ELSE.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT FACILITIES.
HAVING WORKED WITH THEM DILIGENTLY FOR OVER THE YEARS.
THEY'RE THE NEXT SOURCE THAT GO OUT DURING ALL THESE HURRICANES.
THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH TRYING TO REMOVE THE HOMELESS OUT OF RESTROOMS. THEY DO SO MUCH STUFF THAT IS IN THEIR PAY GRADE, IS RIGHT OVER THE CUSTODIANS AND I THINK THEIR CARPENTERS, THEY'VE LOST A LOT OF SUPERVISORS BECAUSE THEY HAVE MOVED ON BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GETTING ENOUGH REVENUE, AND RIGHT NOW TIM SHIELDS IS RETIRING AND THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A VOICE FOR THEM, AND SO I'M GOING TO BE THAT VOICE BECAUSE I KNOW THE MAGNITUDE OF WORK.
THEY HAVE TO REMOVE ALL THE GRAFFITI.
THEY HAVE TO GET ON THE BUILDINGS, CHECK FOR LEAKS ON ROOFS.
THEY'RE DEALING WITH A MAGNITUDE OF WORK, AND I DON'T THINK THEIR PAY GRADE SUPPORTS ANY OF THAT AND NOBODY APPRECIATES THEM UNTIL THEY HAVE A PROBLEM, AND SO I CONSTANTLY HAD TO SHIFT THEM FROM ONE AREA TO ANOTHER.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE A MAJOR LEAK SOMEWHERE.
THEY'RE DEALING WITH THIS WHAT THEY CALL IT PESTO FOR THE CONCRETE.
SO THEY NEED TO FEEL VALUED, AND WHEN I TALK TO THEM AND ASK THEM WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO SEE HAPPEN, AND THEY SAY, WE THINK OUR PAY GRADE NEEDS TO BE HIGHER.
MY AREA OF INTEREST, BESIDES ALL THE OTHER THINGS WE DO IS ART AND CULTURE, AND YOU'LL REMEMBER, I WORKED A LITTLE BIT ON THE FRONT FOUNTAIN OUT HERE AND INVESTIGATED GETTING A NEW FOUNTAIN BEFORE WE ACTUALLY REFURBISHED THE OTHER ONE, AND IT WAS SHOCKING HOW MUCH A FOUNTAIN WOULD COST.
I MEAN, TOTALLY BLOWS MY MIND.
THINKING ABOUT THE MAY STREET PROJECT, WHICH COULD POSSIBLY BE A FOUNTAIN.
WE DON'T KNOW. IT COULD BE AN ART PROJECT.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO COMPLETE BEFORE I LEAVE THE COMMISSION.
SO IT WAS A STARTING PLACE HOLDER.
YES, I KNOW IT WAS, BUT ANYWAY, I'LL BE ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL ON THAT.
I 100% SUPPORT THAT, AND I WAS GOING TO SAY, I THOUGHT, AS I RECALL, BECAUSE I RECENTLY ASKED ABOUT WHAT WAS IN THE BUDGET AND I THOUGHT WE HAD A $75,000 HOLDING PLACE FOR THAT, WHICH I DON'T THINK IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE ENOUGH.
AM I WRONG OR RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW.
I CAN LOOK IT UP, BUT I THINK IT WAS MORE THAN THAT.
NOT A LOT MORE. I FEEL LIKE YOU'RE.
YOU'RE RIGHT. I THINK SO, BUT IT COULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
WE'LL JUST HAVE TO GET THE EXACT NUMBER.
WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT IT'S NOT ENOUGH.
SO THEN I A LITTLE BIT OFF OF THAT, IS THERE ANY WAY TO I DON'T KNOW IF WE EVER INVESTIGATED THIS, BUT I KNOW MANY PLACES, CITIES, COUNTIES DO A 1% SET ASIDE FOR ART IN PUBLIC SPACES.
ISABELLE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE ADDRESSED THIS IF SHE WERE HERE.
THERE ARE COMMUNITIES THAT DO THAT.
THAT'S A POLICY QUESTION THAT WE COULD BRING UP UNDER AS A POLICY MATTER.
RIGHT? YEAH. SO THAT'S A BROADER DISCUSSION.
SURE, BUT I JUST DIDN'T WANT IT TO FALL.
SINCE WE'RE TALKING, EVENTUALLY WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING FOR WHEN YOU, I'VE BEEN ENCOURAGING MR. BIRCHIM TO SCHEDULE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE A VERY ROBUST STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION, AND THAT WOULD BE A GOOD TOPIC.
[00:55:09]
OKAY, GREAT. ALL RIGHT.PERFECT. I WAS SO HAPPY TO HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT THE ART PROJECT AT MAY STREET.
SIMILAR TO COMMISSIONER GARRIS, I THINK WE SHOULD RESEARCH BEST PRACTICES ABOUT RETENTION OF CITY EMPLOYEES.
RESEARCH IS ALWAYS EXPENSIVE, AND I WAS THINKING WE COULD DO A PUT SOME MONEY ASIDE JUST TO DO SOME RESEARCH, MAYBE TO HIRE A CONSULTANT TO FIND OUT WHAT SUCCESSFUL CITIES ARE HAVING DONE TO KEEP THEIR EMPLOYEES BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS BESIDES MONEY THAT PEOPLE WANT AND IT JUST MAY BE SOME LEADERSHIP TRAINING OR IT MAY BE SOME EXTRA BENEFITS.
WE'RE GETTING READY FOR THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SISTER CITY AGREEMENT WITH AVILES, AND WE'LL HAVE SOME KIND OF CELEBRATION, AND SO I'D LIKE TO PUT ASIDE 50,000 OR SO FOR THAT CELEBRATION, WHICH WILL BE NEXT SEPTEMBER 6TH, 7TH AND 8TH.
I THINK IF WE CAN CONVINCE THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS TO PICK THAT DATE AND ALSO INVESTIGATE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT TOO PUBLIC, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT FRANCIS FIELD AND THE EVENTS FIELD AND POTENTIALLY TAKE HALF AND MAKE A PARK, AND LEAVE HALF OF THE EVENT'S FIELDS AVAILABLE FOR EVENTS, AND LOOK AT A DESIGN WHERE OUR CURRENT EVENTS SIMILAR TO THE ONE THIS WEEKEND.
I JUST THINK IT'D BE A NICE USE FOR THAT SPACE, AND SO JUST MONEY SET ASIDE TO LOOK INTO THAT POSSIBILITY AND WE'D PROBABLY WANT TO SURVEY RESIDENTS TO SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD REALLY WANT US TO DO AND IT'S NOT JUST A HAREBRAINED SPRINGFIELD IDEA.
THE OTHER THING IS TO TEST OUT AND FUND THE TEST OF USING ELECTRIC TOOLS INSTEAD OF GAS POWERED TWO-CYCLE ENGINES AND ALSO LOOK TOWARD ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
SO MAYBE WE COULD SET ASIDE SOME FUNDS THAT WE DON'T TAKE AWAY MONEY FROM THE CURRENT EQUIPMENT BUDGET TO SET ASIDE SOME FUNDS TO TRY SOME ELECTRIC TOOLS FOR GROUNDSKEEPERS, CARPENTER SHOPS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE MOVED TO AND THEY ACTUALLY HAVE COMMERCIAL LAWNMOWERS NOW THAT ARE ELECTRIC.
CALIFORNIA HAS MORE POLLUTION FROM TWO-CYCLE ENGINES, FROM LAWN EQUIPMENT AND BOATS THAN AUTOMOBILES, AND SO I JUST THINK IT'S A GOOD THING TO SORT OF PROJECT OUT THE FUTURE, MAY WE MAKE A TEN YEAR PLAN.
SO I DON'T HAVE ANY $300,000 ISSUES, BUT IT MAY ADD UP.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MS. MAYOR FOLLOWING UP ON COMMISSIONER SRINGFIELD'S SUGGESTION ON THE FRANCIS FIELD, I LOVE THE IDEA, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I DIDN'T MENTION WAS FUNDING FOR SOME FACELIFTS, FOR SOME SMALL RENOVATIONS OF THE DOCTOR'S BUILDING THE OLD DOCTOR'S BUILDING NEEDS SOME DENTAL DOCTOR.
YEAH, BECAUSE IT NEEDS SOME SERIOUS LOVE.
IT REALLY HAS POTENTIAL TO BE A SMALL GROUP SPACE AND WITH A LITTLE BIT OF FACE LIFTING AND SHIELDING OF EQUIPMENT AND LANDSCAPING, IT COULD BE AN ASSET AS OPPOSED TO WHAT IT IS RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS KIND OF UGLY.
OKAY, THANK YOU. AS I HAVE MENTIONED ON TWO PREVIOUS OCCASIONS, I THINK I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE US HAVE A FORMAL LAND ACQUISITION PROGRAM FOR CONSERVATION AND RESILIENCE, AND IF WE WERE JUST LOOKING AT THIS YEAR'S I'VE ASKED FOR 250 AND THEN I'VE ASKED FOR 300.
[01:00:01]
KERN'S LOT WAS, BUT 84 AND THEN THE 1.15 MILLION FOR THE CONNOR PROPERTY, WE WOULD HAVE FALLEN VERY FAR SHORT IF WE WERE TO BUDGET 250 OR EVEN 300,000.SO THE I LOOK AT THE COUNTY'S LAND ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AND THEY'RE AT 500,000 NOW, I THINK, AND COMMISSIONER DEAN IS GOING TO TRY TO ADVOCATE FOR 2 MILLION.
SO I THINK IT'S COMPARABLE FOR US TO TRY TO GO FOR 500,000, AND I'LL LEAVE THAT ON THE TABLE.
I DID ALSO ASK FOR A PENSION REFORM PROPOSAL.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT AT OUR WORKSHOP, IF THAT'S NOT OVERLY AMBITIOUS AND AS A DIRECT, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL SOLUTION FOR INCREASING SALARIES AND OR BENEFITS.
OKAY, AND THEN LASTLY, THE COMPOSTING AND CANOPY TREE COVER PROGRAM AND CANOPY TREE PROGRAM, BOTH OF THOSE PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN WILDLY POPULAR AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO AT LEAST DOUBLE MR. GRANT'S BACK THERE, PROBABLY CRINGING, BUT AT LEAST DOUBLE THE WHAT WE ARE CURRENTLY FUNDING WITH BOTH OF THOSE PROGRAMS AND GO AS FAR AS WE CAN WITH BOTH OF THOSE.
THE COMPOSTING WOULD ENABLE US TO GET A LOT OF OUR SOLID WASTE OUT OF THE TIPPING FEE, STREAM OFF OUR TRUCKS, SAVING FUEL AND METHANE PRODUCTION IN THE LANDFILL OF THAT ORGANIC MATERIAL.
METHANE'S THE WORST OF THE GREENHOUSE GASES; NOT THE MOST ABUNDANT, BUT CERTAINLY THE WORST.
OKAY. MS. MAYOR, COULD I FOLLOW ON SOMETHING THERE ON THE COMPOSTING OR RECYCLING? WE ALSO HAVE IN THE WORKS, I BELIEVE, THE GLASS RECYCLING.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CERTAIN LOCATIONS, BUT THINKING ABOUT THAT, ARE WE ACTUALLY, IT SEEMS TO ME RESIDENTIAL GLASS AT A REMOTE SITE, WE COULD ALL DO IT, BUT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REALLY MAKING A DIFFERENCE, THE COMMERCIAL RECYCLING OF GLASS, THESE BARS, HOW MANY BEER BOTTLES, HOW MANY WINE BOTTLES DO THEY GO THROUGH? ARE WE ACTUALLY ADDRESSING THAT? AND IF NOT, I WOULD LIKE THAT WE WOULD.
WE HAVE A COMMERCIAL RECYCLING? IT'S AN EXTENSIVE PROGRAM? YES. I'M GOING TO LET MR. GRANT ADDRESS ALL THAT IN THE FOLLOWING PRESENTATION.
MY LIST IS I ALSO AGREE ON FRANCIS FIELD, FOR I BELIEVE WE WOULD PROBABLY WANT TO LOOK AT A REDESIGN BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME IS THERE'S NO ENTRANCE SIGN FOR THE FRANCIS FIELD.
THE BATHROOMS NEED TO BE REDONE.
THE DOCTOR'S BUILDING, THE DENTISTS DENTAL OFFICE NEED TO BE THEY'RE IN GOOD SHAPE.
DON'T GET ME WRONG, BUT I THINK THAT WE COULD MAYBE ADD TO THEM, BUT I LIKE THE IDEA OF A FLEXIBLE SPACE, AND I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD PROPOSAL, AND I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK INTO IT MORE AND BEGIN LOOKING AT THE FUTURE OF THAT.
I ALSO AGREE WITH THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF SISTER CITIES AND I SUPPORT THAT VERY MUCH.
I ALSO SUPPORT BRINGING THE VISITOR'S INFORMATION EXHIBIT SPACE BACK INTO USE WITH PROGRAMS, AND WHILE I DON'T HAVE DETAILS RIGHT NOW, I AM WORKING ON THAT WHAT THAT FUTURE OF THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE KINGDOM OF SPAIN, THE MINISTER OF CULTURE, BUT WE WILL WE WILL NEED MONEY FOR AN EXHIBIT DESIGNER. I MEAN, WE CAN'T DO THAT OURSELVES.
RIGHT, WELL, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TALKING TO THEM.
THEY ARE WELL AWARE THAT WE DON'T HAVE A DESIGNER AND WE'RE IN THE BEGINNING STEPS OF LOOKING INTO WHAT THEY CAN DO AND ACCOMPLISH THAT THEY WOULD THAT THEY WOULD DESIGN FOR US.
FOR A SPECIFIC EXHIBIT? FOR A SPECIFIC EXHIBIT, BEGINNING WITH A FIRST EXHIBIT AND CONTINUING THROUGH OTHER EXHIBITS, AND IT'S IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
[01:05:04]
WELL, I'M NOT SURE I FEEL COMFORTABLE TURNING OVER THE DESIGN OF OUR SPACE TO SOMEBODY IN SPAIN.THE [INAUDIBLE] SPACE IS DESIGNED.
WHAT YEAR WAS THAT, JOHN, WE DID THAT? 2012. I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING ON THAT, AND I'VE BEEN HERE FOR [INAUDIBLE] $1.2 MILLION ON THE REDESIGN OF THE VISITOR'S INFORMATION CENTER.
COULD YOU GET ME SOME INFORMATION ON THAT? SURE.
I DO REMEMBER THAT. I REMEMBER THAT, AND THAT ALSO INCLUDED THE INITIAL SALES THAT WE HAD.
SURE, I REMEMBER ALL OF THAT, BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY EXHIBIT FURNITURE.
I WOULD IMAGINE THAT WE'D WANT SOME LIGHTING, SOME SPECIFIC LIGHTING.
IT SHOULD BE A FLEXIBLE SPACE THAT CERTAIN PARTS OF IT CAN BE USED AS SMALL CONFERENCE AREA.
YOU KNOW, THERE SHOULD BE LOTS OF THINGS CONSIDERED AND I HAVE SEEN NOTHING.
OKAY. SO THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING MAYBE EARMARK SOMETHING FOR AN EXHIBIT DESIGN OR A MUSEUM DESIGN OR SOMEBODY THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO PUT THAT, AND I'D LIKE TO KIND OF BE INVOLVED IN THAT SINCE THAT'S AN AREA THAT I WORK IN.
VERY NICE. I JUST WANT--TO HAVE THE SUPPORT-- TO SAY THAT BOAT THAT'S IN THERE, THAT BOAT THAT'S THERE CANNOT BE TAKEN DOWN BECAUSE IF IT'S TAKEN DOWN THIS TIME, IT WON'T BE ABLE TO BE PUT BACK TOGETHER.
I WAS THE ORIGINAL DESIGNER ON THE BOAT, BUT BOB BONNER WAS THE BUILDER OF THE BOAT.
IT SHOULD NOT BE IN THAT SPACE.
IT DOESN'T MAKE IT MADE SENSE AT ONE TIME WHEN WE HAD IT ALL DESIGNED AS A SMALL VILLAGE , AND YOU OFFLOADED OFF THE BOAT ONTO A DOCK AND ALL OF THAT, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE NOW. SO I'D SAY IT COULD BE MOVED, TAKEN AWAY, AND IF IT'S NO LONGER VIABLE AFTER THAT, SO BE IT.
I LOVE THE SUPPORT AND THERE WILL BE MORE.
SO ANOTHER IDEA IS REALLY KIND OF A SMALL THING.
I DO SUPPORT INCOMING CITY MANAGER DAVID BERTRAM'S IDEA TO FUND A NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE AND CONTINUE THE GRANT PROGRAM WITH THE POTENTIAL TO EXPAND THE GRANT PROGRAM.
WHAT IS A NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE? IT WAS IN HIS PROPOSAL.
I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT HE COVERED ON THAT.
OKAY. YES, MR. REGAN? I THINK IN HIS REMARKS HE COVERED A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS, BUT HE TALKED ABOUT CONSOLIDATING DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES THAT WE DO INTO MORE OF A ONE STOP SHOP.
IT'S IN SUPPORT OF THAT IDEA AND TO CONTINUE WITH THE GRANTS PROGRAM AND POTENTIALLY EXPAND IT.
THE CITIZENSHIP AWARDS, THE AWARD THAT THE MONETARY AWARD THAT WE GIVE TO THE STUDENTS THAT COME FROM THE DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOLS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A NICE, HEALTHY CHECK FOR THEM, AND I WOULD SUPPORT INCREASING THE AMOUNT TO HELP THOSE STUDENTS. THAT'S A SMALL ITEM.
I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED ANOTHER COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER POSITION IN THE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE.
I WORK CLOSELY WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE AND I FEEL LIKE THEY WORK VERY EFFICIENTLY FOR WHAT THEY HAVE, BUT IN THE TIME WHEN THERE IS ESSENTIALLY NO NEWSPAPER, WE ARE LEFT TO TELL OUR OWN STORY AND GET OUR OWN NEWS OUT, AND THAT'S PUTTING A TREMENDOUS STRAIN ON THAT DEPARTMENT.
SO I WOULD SUPPORT THAT POSITION.
I WOULD ALSO SUPPORT STRONGLY MORE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS VERY STRONGLY, JUST LIKE WE HEAR FROM EVERY DEPARTMENT, THE CITY HAS GROWN, OUR TOURISM HAS GROWN, OUR POPULATION HAS GROWN.
NOT VERY MUCH, BUT IT HAS GROWN AND WILL EXPECT TO CONTINUE ALONG THOSE FIELDS, AND I THINK I WAS STRUCK THE OTHER DAY WHEN I WAS LISTENING TO MR. BIRCHIM SPEAK, AND HE REFERRED TO WHO WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, AND THAT IS HUMAN SOULS, AND I THINK THE WAY HE PUT IT WAS HOMO SAPIENS OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES OF IT'S NOT JUST OUR RESIDENTS, IT'S NOT JUST THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE AND WORK HERE.
[01:10:06]
IT'S ALSO THE PEOPLE THAT VISIT HERE, AND WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE, AND PUT IN THAT LIGHT, IT MADE ME EVEN FEEL MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL THE TOOLS AND ALL THE STAFFING THAT'S NEEDED AND BOTH IN OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT SPECIFICALLY IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, SO MUCH FALLS TO THEM ON THE WEEKENDS WHEN WE DON'T HAVE CODE ENFORCEMENT, AND IT IS REALLY THE WE CAN'T BE A GREAT CITY WITHOUT A SAFE CITY AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT SO THAT I WOULD SUPPORT AND IF I HAD ORIGINALLY SAID THREE POSITIONS, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ACTUALLY MAYBE FOUR, BUT BASICALLY, I THINK WE'VE TALKED YOU HAVE TALKED ABOUT ADDING A WHOLE ZONE TO THE CITY AND OR WHATEVER THAT ENTAILS.I 100% SUPPORT IT JUST SO WE CAN GET MORE OFFICERS ON THE STREET.
WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE PROPOSED STAFFING IS THE CREATION OF A NEW DOWNTOWN ZONE.
THIS HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL FOR STAFF.
I WOULD LIKE TO. MAY I INTERRUPT ONE SECOND? AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SUPPORT OF STAFF, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE SOME MORE MANAGEMENT STAFF FOR THE RESILIENCY PROJECTS WE HAVE.
I AGREE, WE NEED--WE'RE STRETCHED IN EVERY DEPARTMENT, AND THEN FINALLY, THIS IS REALLY A FUTURE THING THAT I DON'T WANT TO FALL OFF THE RADAR, BUT I WANT TO--I KNOW WE HAVE NEW COMMISSIONERS THAT MAY NOT BE AWARE OF THIS, BUT WHEN AS MADEIRA.
IS IT MADEIRA TO THE NORTH, WHICH WAS AN ANNEXATION INTO THE CITY.
IT WAS OUR OLD HISTORIC GOLF COURSE THAT WAS TAKEN FOR DEVELOPMENT, WHICH I STILL HAVE A BAD FEELING ABOUT TO THIS DAY WAS A WONDERFUL DONALD ROSS COURSE.
WE WERE GIFTED OR GIVEN IN THAT AGREEMENT.
I WAS NOT ON THE COMMISSION AT THE TIME; IT WAS MANY, MANY YEARS BEFORE ME, BUT THE COMMISSION AT THE TIME ACCEPTED 11 ACRES WERE GIVEN AND ACCEPTED 11 ACRES BY THE DEVELOPER, AND THAT'S A LARGE PARK TO DEVELOP OR NOT DEVELOP OR DECIDE WHAT WE WANT TO DO, BUT I WANT US TO BEGIN THINKING AND ENVISIONING WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH THAT 11 ACRES.
WE MAY HAVE SOME GREAT IDEAS COMING FORWARD.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHEN WE WILL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO TAKE POSSESSION OF THAT PARK, BUT I IT'S BEEN A REALLY LONG TIME AND I REALLY HOPE IT'S SOON.
MADAM MAYOR, IF I MIGHT ADD TO THAT, THE THIRD PHASE OF MADEIRA IS JUST GETTING UNDERWAY AND IT'S TAKEN A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE FIRST AND SECOND PHASES BY SURPRISE.
I BELIEVE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT PARK IS WATERFRONT OR NOT, BUT THERE'S APPARENTLY IT'S NOT.
OKAY. OKAY, SO I THINK YOUR TIMING IS GOOD, THOUGH, IN MAKING THAT SUGGESTION.
WELL, MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT THIS PARK WAS TO BE TURNED OVER TO US IN PHASE ONE, SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE ARE, BUT MAYBE WE'LL GET SOME MORE CLARIFICATION ON THAT.
MAYBE THAT'S JUST ME RUNNING OFF MY MOUTH, BUT I MY PASSION IS STRONG ON THIS ISSUE, AND I THINK THAT WE DO NEED TO BE AWARE OF IT ONE AND TO PLAN FOR IT AND IT MAY BE AND NEED SOME FUNDS.
SO AND THAT'S CERTAINLY NOT ALL THE LIST, BUT THOSE ARE THE BIG ONES I HAVE.
I HOPE YOU TAKE GREAT NOTES AND PLEASE REACH OUT TO EACH ONE OF US.
IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION, WE'LL JUST KEEP WORKING RIGHT ALONG.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE I TURN IT OVER FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN? THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ALL RIGHT. WE WILL ADJOURN UNLESS WE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE FOR MR. CITY MANAGER. YES, WE HAVE THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
[4.A. Public Works and Utilities Approved Capital Improvement Plan]
OH, YES. OKAY.REVIEW AND PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES WE HAVE A MAJOR PRESENTATION ON.
WE STILL HAVE. OH, THAT'S RIGHT.
WELL, LOOK AT THE AGENDA, NANCY.
YEAH, BUT WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'LL WE'LL WRAP IT UP IN NO LATER THAN 4:45.
SO WE HAVE TIME TO TAKE A BREAK. RIGHT, I WOULD SAY WE PROBABLY NEED ABOUT HALF AN HOUR TO DO THAT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
REUBEN FRANKLIN PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR.
[01:15:04]
BASICALLY WE'RE GETTING INTO THE NEW BUDGET AND SO I WANTED TO JUST GIVE YOU AN UPDATE OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN.LAST SEPTEMBER, SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2022, THE CITY COMMISSION APPROVED OUR FIVE YEAR PLAN IN THIS NEW FORMAT WHERE WE PROVIDE EVERY PROJECT LISTED IN THE FIVE YEAR PLAN HAS A PROJECT INFORMATION SHEET, SO YOU CAN GO AND SEE DETAIL OF THE PROJECT, ITS LOCATION , BUT THIS WAS ALSO THE SAME TIME THAT WE WERE PLANNING TO DO OUR QUARTERLY UPDATE.
SO I DID ADD IN THE FRONT END OF THE PRESENTATION KIND OF UPDATES OF PROJECT-SPECIFIC THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW, AND THEN I'LL COVER THE OVERVIEW OF THE CIP PLAN AND ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE FEEL FREE TO ASK ALONG THE WAY.
SO TO START, WE'LL GO THROUGH THE RESILIENCY PROGRAM UPDATES.
OUR FMA 13 LIFT STATION REHABILITATION PROJECT, THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT HEADWORKS.
THESE ARE ALL ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS RIGHT NOW.
WEST THIRD STREET, GRAVITY SEWER, WEST AUGUSTINE GRAVITY SEWER IMPROVEMENTS, GIVE YOU A GENERAL OVERVIEW.
WE PUT THAT OUT TO BID AND THE BID CAME BACK OVER BUDGET.
SO I WANT TO GET SOME DIRECTION OF HOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD.
WE ALSO PUT THE APPENDIX WITH ALL THE CIP PROJECT INFORMATION SHEETS GLOSSARY OF TERMS, AND THEN WE ALSO INCLUDED EXHIBIT A, WHICH IS OUR RESILIENCE PROGRAM INFORMATION PACKET, AND THAT'S A PACKET WE PUT TOGETHER THAT SUMMARIZES ALL OF OUR RESILIENCY EFFORTS AND THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER SO WE CAN SEND THAT OUT TO NEIGHBORHOODS AND BUSINESSES SO PEOPLE CAN BE INFORMED.
THE RESILIENCE PROGRAM UPDATE AND ALSO IN THE AUDIENCE, WE HAVE MRS. BEACH AND MR. SLAUGHTER HERE. IF YOU HAVE ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS THAT I CAN'T HANDLE, THEY'LL BE HAPPY TO COME UP.
PARDON ME WE'RE ALL LOOKING THROUGH OUR PACKAGES, BUT THIS IS IS THIS WHAT YOU EMAILED THIS AFTERNOON? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY, SO WE DON'T HAVE PAPER COPIES? THAT'S CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. WE CAN LOOK IN OUR EMAILS AND WE CAN GO THROUGH THIS AND WE'LL PUBLISH IT THROUGH COMMUNICATIONS SO THE PUBLIC GETS IT AND THE CLERK AS WELL, BUT THE RESILIENCE PROGRAM, WE'VE GOT A ROBUST ONLINE REPOSITORY NOW THROUGH OUR CITY WEBSITE.
WE TRY TO MAKE IT A ONE STOP SHOP.
THIS IS THE FMA, I BELIEVE TWO MEETINGS AGO THIS COMMISSION, APPROVED THE FIRST APPLICATION TO RAISE A HOUSE, AND THAT'S ACTUALLY UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE 62 APPLICATIONS IN CURRENTLY FOR THIS YEAR.
WE'RE HOPING IN AUGUST WE'LL WE'LL GET AN ANSWER ON THOSE APPLICATIONS.
THIS IS THE BASICALLY THE START OF THE PACKET.
SO ON THE LEFT WE HAVE A MAP THAT SUMMARIZES ALL OF THE PROJECTS.
LAKE MARIA SANCHEZ, SOUTH WHITNEY AND WEST KING STREET DRAINAGE INLET DRIVE SHORE STABILIZATION, SOUTH DAVIS SHORES DRAINAGE COURT THEOPHELIA AND AVENIDA MENENDEZ.
SO WE'LL BE MOVING FORWARD WITH GETTING THE DESIGN TEAM UP TO SPEED AND THEN HOLDING SOME NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS TO GO OVER THAT PROJECT AND INFORM THEM OF THE DESIGN PROCESS.
NEXT UP WOULD BE SOUTH DAVIS SHORES, WE'RE GOING TO DEVELOP THAT RFQ AND ADVERTISE THAT NEXT AND DO THE SAME THING THERE AS WELL.
LAKE MARIA SANCHEZ, WE JUST HAD A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH WITH THE ACQUISITION OF 5 SOUTH STREET.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO GET THAT MOVING FORWARD.
AGAIN, THE INLET DRIVE SHORE STABILIZATION THAT'S MOVING FORWARD AND THE AVENIDA MENENDEZ SEAWALL IS IN PHASE TWO. THAT'S AN HMGP APPLICATION AS WELL.
SO WE'RE MOVING INTO CONSTRUCTION BID CONSTRUCTION ON THAT, AND THEN JUST OVER ON THE--LET ME GO BACK ONE--OVER ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE GETTING WHEN I WAS TALKING TO FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY, WE WERE GETTING CONFUSED OF A LOT OF THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN TANDEM AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED TO PUT THIS TIMELINE TOGETHER ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE THAT SHOWS YOU ALL OF THESE ACTIVITIES ARE MOVING FORWARD AT ONE TIME, AND THAT INCLUDES OUR STUDIES, OUR VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS AND THE BACK BAY STUDY AS WELL.
SO WE'RE NOT SITTING AROUND WAITING.
WE'RE DOING ALL OF THESE THINGS CONCURRENTLY, AND THEN WE GO INTO THE BREAKDOWN OF THE STUDIES, THE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT AND THE BACK BAY STUDY.
[01:20:03]
WE HAD THE THREE-DAY CHARRETTE PLANNING WITH THE BACK BAY, AND THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS IS WORKING ON FINALIZING THEIR SCOPE.JUST TO GO BACK TO THAT POINT, I NOTICED THAT THE STORMWATER MASTER PLAN UPDATE IS GOING TO BE POSTPONED UNTIL AFTER WE GET THE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT AND BACK BAY FEASIBILITY STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY.
SO WE DECIDED TO POSTPONE THE STORMWATER MASTER PLAN SO WE COULD FUND THE OTHER STUDIES, AND PRACTICALLY WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE STAFFING CAPACITY TO DO THREE CONCURRENT STUDIES ALL AT ONE TIME AND I THINK WHAT'S COMING OUT OF THE ARMY CORPS STUDY AND THE VULNERABILITY IS BASICALLY A STORMWATER MASTER PLAN, RIGHT? YEAH, SO I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND YOUR STAFFING DEMANDS AND APPRECIATE THAT, BUT I THINK IT IS WISE TO WAIT TO UPDATE THAT UNTIL WE DO GET THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE OTHER TWO.
YEAH, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
YEAH, COULD YOU GO BACK TO THE LAST SLIDE? DOES IT MAKE ANY SENSE TO MAYBE HAVE A DIFFERENT COLOR CODE FOR, SAY, SO THAT WE'RE AWARE OF WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO REDO THE BRIDGE ON KING STREET? DOT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.
IT'S NOT OURS, BUT IT MAY ENLIGHTEN US TO KNOW THAT IT'S ALL HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SO WE COULD PUT THIS WAS JUST A TIMELINE EFFORT FOR THE CITY'S RESILIENCY EFFORTS.
WE COULD EXPAND IT TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE OTHER AGENCIES.
THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PLAN IS IN THE APPENDIX, BUT WE COULD SIT DOWN AND KIND OF MAP OUT THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION ACROSS DIFFERENT AGENCIES, TOO. I MEAN, IT'S GOING TO BE KIND OF FRIGHTENING TO SEE, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO ACTUALLY SEE IT.
CURRENT FUNDING, WE HAVE ALMOST $70 MILLION AND THAT IS LARGELY THANKS TO THE COMMISSION'S EFFORTS AND MRS BEACH AND MRS. SARGENT, ALL THEIR HARD WORK WORKING TOWARDS THIS.
WE'RE CLOSING OUT THE PROJECT.
THIS WAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED BY MR. SLAUGHTER AS THE PROJECT MANAGER.
IT TACKLED SOME OF THE TOUGHEST LIFT STATIONS THAT THE CITY HAS.
OUR OLDEST ONES, OUR MOST VULNERABLE ONES, AND SO IT'S A GREAT PROJECT.
IT WAS FEDERALLY FUNDED AND WE ARE WRAPPING THIS UP.
WE DO HAVE TWO AREAS IN NORTH AND SOUTH DAVIS SHORES THAT WE WILL BE WORKING ON A LANDSCAPING PLAN, BUT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THAT OUTSIDE OF THE GRANT APPLICATION SO WE CAN CLOSE IT OUT.
THIS IS OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, HEADWORKS REHABILITATION.
THIS IS ANOTHER MAJOR PROJECT THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION, $4.3 MILLION, ABOUT 60% COMPLETE.
IT'S A CRITICAL PIECE OF THE PROCESS.
IT SEPARATES GRIT AND DEBRIS OUT FROM THE PROCESSES DOWNSTREAM OF IT.
OH, THIS IS OUR WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
HIGH SERVICE PUMP MOTOR CONTROL AND EMERGENCY GENERATOR REPLACEMENT.
IT'S ABOUT 36% COMPLETE RIGHT NOW, BUT MOVING FORWARD.
WEST 3RD STREET, THIS IS OUR GRAVITY, SEWER AND SEPTIC TO SEWER CONVERSION PROJECT.
THE CONTRACTOR IS HAS BEEN SELECTED AND THEY SHOULD BE STARTING TO MOBILIZE VERY SHORTLY AND THIS IS ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT HAS STATE FUNDING AS WELL.
JUST AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON IN WEST AUGUSTINE WITH GRAVITY SEWER.
WE DO HAVE A MASTER PLAN THAT WE'RE IN THE THROES OF DESIGNING, AND WE'LL BE BRINGING BACK THE NEXT STEPS OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET GRAVITY SEWER TO THE REMAINDER PARTS OF WEST AUGUSTINE.
THIS WAS ENABLED BY TAKING OVER A LIFT STATION AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, I BELIEVE IT'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OR WEBSTER , AND WE TOOK OVER THAT LIFT STATION, WHICH ENABLED US THEN TO BE ABLE TO PROPAGATE GRAVITY SEWER OUT.
[01:25:01]
THAT WAS WORKING VERY NICELY WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD, AND THIS PROJECT IS GETTING READY TO BE BID.SO THAT WILL BE GOING INTO CONSTRUCTION HOPEFULLY BY THE NEXT TIME I TALK TO YOU NEXT QUARTER.
THIS IS THE DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
THIS IS THE CONTINUATION OF THE CURB-LESS STREETS.
THIS WOULD BE CONVERTING THAT ASPHALTED PORTION OF SPANISH STREET BETWEEN [INAUDIBLE] STREET AND ORANGE STREET INTO THE CURB-LESS STREET DESIGN WITH NEW STREET LIGHTING. WE HAD PACKAGED THIS UP WITH THE TOTAL TOLOMATO LOT FOR COMMERCIAL LOADING.
WELL, THE BID CAME IN WAY OVER BID.
WE HAD $2.3 MILLION ALLOCATED AND WHEN WE PACKAGED IT ALL TOGETHER, IT CAME BACK AT $6.1 MILLION.
I WORKED WITH THE CONTRACTOR TO NEGOTIATE THE TEAM WORK, TO NEGOTIATE THE COST DOWN.
WE ACTUALLY HAD TO REMOVE THE TOLOMATO LOT IMPROVEMENTS TO REDUCE THE SCOPE AND WE GOT THEM DOWN TO $3.5 MILLION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT.
THE DISCUSSION FOR TODAY IS IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE FORWARD WITH THIS CONSTRUCTION, WE WOULD NEED TO REALLOCATE FUNDS FROM THE SEVILLA STREET PROJECT SO WE COULD FULLY FUND THIS.
WHAT WE WOULD DO IS THAT WOULD FULLY FUND SPANISH STREET AND TOLOMATO LANE SO WE'D EXTEND THE BRICK WITH NEW STREET LIGHTING LED LIGHTING FROM [INAUDIBLE] STREET TO ORANGE STREET AND THEN TOLOMATO LANE.
WE WOULD THEN TAKE OUT THE TOLOMATO LOT PLANS AND PUT THAT BACK INTO THE CIP TO BE FUNDED AT A FUTURE DATE, AND THE SAME THING WITH SEVILLA STREET. WE WOULD TAKE SEVILLA STREET AND PUSH IT OUT IN THE CIP.
I KNOW WE'RE RUNNING LATE ON TIME.
ONE OF THE THOUGHTS WOULD BE IS WE COULD GET THIS TO GO.
WE COULD HAVE THE CONTRACTOR QUEUED UP TO START RIGHT AFTER 4TH OF JULY TO START CONSTRUCTION.
HOW MUCH LEFT DO YOU HAVE ON YOUR PRESENTATION? I'M TRYING TO DECIDE ON WHETHER WE HAVE TIME TO CREATE THIS DISCUSSION. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO COME BACK TO IT? YES, LET'S COME BACK TO IT.
NOT MUCH LONGER IS THE ANSWER THE.
YEAH, LET'S CIRCLE BACK. THE PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN, WE JUST CUT A PO FOR $854,000 FOR THIS YEAR.
AS DISCUSSED, SOUTH DIXIE HIGHWAY IS PART OF THIS BATCH OF PAVING.
WE HAVE NORTH WHITNEY, WHICH WILL BE PAVED FROM CHAPIN TO RAVENSWOOD, FLORIDA AVENUE FROM EVERGREEN TO HELEN, CARRERA STREET, RIBERIA STREET, SOME SMALLER STREETS ON THE ISLAND, INCLUDING THE BOAT RAMP, SAINT GEORGE STREET , AND EUGENE PL, WHICH IS ALSO ON THE ISLAND.
SO ALL OF THAT IS UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU DO GET ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING, JUST SEND IT MY WAY.
WE'VE PUT SIGNAGE OUT AND EVERYTHING, BUT THIS SHOULD TAKE PLACE OVER THE NEXT THREE WEEKS.
THIS IS THE OVERALL SCHEDULE FOR THE CIP OUT TO 2027.
IN THE NEXT COMING MONTHS, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO START TO IN OUR SIP WORKSHOPS, WE'LL HAVE 2028, 2023 IS GOING TO FALL OFF AND WE'LL BE BRINGING YOU A NEW SIP FOR APPROVAL BY SEPTEMBER 8TH OF THIS YEAR, WHICH WILL BE OUR OUR ROADMAP FOR THE NEXT YEAR, BUT THIS IS THE TIME TO LOOK AT THE PROJECTS AND REPRIORITIZE THEM, ADD NEW ONES.
ONE PROJECT THAT WE HAD DISCUSSED WAS THE SIDEWALK.
WE WERE LOOKING AT ACTUALLY BRINGING BACK THE SIDEWALK FROM ANDERSON STREET SOUTH WHITNEY TO ANDERSON STREET TO SOUTH DIXIE HIGHWAY WAS THE SIDEWALK PROJECT WE WERE GOING TO BRING BACK FOR FUNDING FOR DESIGN.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
AGAIN, ALL OF THESE LISTED HERE HAVE AN APPENDIX WITH A PROJECT INFORMATION SHEET IN THE BACK FOR ANY COMMISSIONER THAT WOULD LIKE TO SET UP A MEETING INDIVIDUALLY, WE I'M HAPPY TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU TO GO OVER THIS IN MORE DETAIL IF YOU WOULD LIKE, AND THEN WE HAVE THE PROJECT INFORMATION SHEET. SO WITH THAT, IF IT'S OKAY, I'D LIKE TO TURN BACK TO THE DID PROJECT.
YES, LET'S DO AND I THINK SO PLEASE RESTATE YOUR REQUEST TO REMOVE TOLOMATO
[01:30:02]
LOT FROM THE PROJECT.REMOVE SEVILLA STREET, WHICH WAS WHAT? A RE-BRICKING REPAVING? YES. REFRESH MY MEMORY, PLEASE.
WE HAVE TWO PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE DESIGNED SEVILLA STREET, WHICH THEY'RE COMPLETING THE DESIGN ON NOW, AND THAT WAS A COMPLETE ROAD RECONSTRUCTION, JUST LIKE THIS PROJECT.
SO SEVILLA STREET HAD $1.3 MILLION ALLOCATED TO IT, AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THOSE FUNDS TO THIS PROJECT SO WE CAN FULLY FUND IT FOR CONSTRUCTION.
I HAD TO CUT SCOPE OUT OF THE CONTRACT THAT WE BID SO THAT WHEN I CUT THE SCOPE OUT, I REMOVED THE TOLOMATO LOT FROM THE CONSTRUCTION PLANS. THERE'S TWO REASONS I DID THAT.
WHEN WE GOT INTO THE PRACTICAL WAY THAT WE WERE GOING TO CONSTRUCT THE STREET, WE REALLY WANTED TO CONSTRUCT SPANISH STREET FIRST, USE THE TOLOMATO MODEL LOT AS A LAY DOWN AND THEN BACK AND THEN DO THE TOLOMATO LOT IMPROVEMENTS LAST AS WE WERE EXITING THE AREA.
SO WE'LL STILL DO THAT, BUT LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE WE'LL JUST REPACKAGE THE TOLOMATO LOT UP AGAIN, POTENTIALLY USE MOBILITY FEES TO FUND IN THE FUTURE. A QUESTION ABOUT SEVILLA STREET.
WASN'T THERE SOME UNDERGROUND UTILITIES IN INCLUDED IN THAT? WE EXPLORED UNDERGROUND TO UNDERGROUND UTILITIES, BUT WE NEVER REALLY MOVED FORWARD WITH.
SO THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE, IF THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THE COMMISSION, THAT WE ADD TO THE SCOPE OF WORK, IF WE PUSH SEVILLA STREET OUT, BUT WE LOOKED AT UNDERGROUNDING THE UTILITIES.
WE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH FPL, BUT UNDERGROUNDING THE UTILITIES COMES WITH ITS OWN CHALLENGES.
SO WE HAD OPTED NOT TO DO THAT.
WELL, I THOUGHT I HAD READ TODAY IN PREP THAT THERE WAS SOME UNDERGROUND UTILITIES.
SO THAT 1.3 MILLION DOES NOT INCLUDE ANYTHING UNDERGROUND.
OKAY, THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME THEN.
COULD I ASK A QUESTION? JUST ONE MINUTE, MR. REGAN, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THE PROJECT DOES INCLUDE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE WATER AND SEWER UTILITIES THAT ARE UNDERGROUND, AND MR. FRANKLIN IS ALLUDING TO ELECTRICAL UNDERGROUNDING.
OKAY, AND THEN I WASN'T CLEAR ON WHETHER THERE WERE ANY TYPE OF STORMWATER IMPROVEMENTS FOR SEVILLA IN THAT PROPOSAL OR THAT PLAN BECAUSE THAT STREET FLOODS BADLY.
WE ALL KNOW AND THE ISSUE WITH THE STORMWATER IMPROVEMENTS WITH SEVILLA STREET IS IT'S LANDLOCKED, SO ANY PIPES THAT YOU'D HAVE TO IMPROVE TO GET IT, YOU'D HAVE TO GO DOWN CARRERA STREET ALL THE WAY DOWN.
SO THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS PLAN.
YEAH, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD WE PROBABLY REGRADED IT.
SO, COMMISSIONERS, USUALLY WE DO NOT MAKE DECISIONS DURING WORKSHOPS AND CERTAINLY ONES THAT COME UP THAT INVOLVE WELL OVER $1 MILLION AND REALLOCATE I'M NOT EVEN SURE HOW MANY EXACTLY WHAT THE AMOUNT IS REALLOCATING PROJECTS WE MAY NOT ALL BE FAMILIAR WITH. I MEAN, I FEEL VERY FAMILIAR WITH TOLOMATO LOT JUST BECAUSE I'VE DEALT WITH IT FOR SO MANY YEARS IT'S BEEN ON THE LIST.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH MAKING THIS DECISION NOW OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE COME BACK TO US WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL, OR DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'VE GOTTEN ENOUGH INFORMATION TO MAKE THE DECISION? I PERSONALLY WOULD ALMOST RATHER SEE SEVILLA STREET DONE, BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC, THAT'S A THOROUGHFARE AND THAT'S A LOT OF RESIDENTS.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONLY A FEW RESIDENTS ON SPANISH AND IT'S MOSTLY FOOT TRAFFIC, AND I UNDERSTAND THE REASON FOR DOING THAT, BUT I'M NOT SOLD ON IT ANYWAY, BUT I JUST WOULD HATE JUST TO PULL IT OUT WITHOUT REALLY THINKING.
I THINK WE OUGHT TO REALLY THINK ABOUT IT.
IS THERE ENOUGH ROOM IN SEVILLA STREET TO DO ANY VAULTING FOR SHORT TERM STORAGE OF FLASH RAIN? I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT IF WE GOT GEO TECH DONE WITH IT.
THE THING, THOUGH, IS SEVILLA STREET, THE DESIGN OF THAT STREET IS DONE NOW OR CLOSE TO DONE.
[01:35:08]
ONE OF THE THINGS WITH SPANISH STREET WAS THAT IT IS GETTING A LOT OF FOOT TRAFFIC.IF YOU GO OUT THERE AND THIS PROJECT BRINGS LIGHTING THERE THAT INTO THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
SO THOSE WERE JUST TWO IMPORTANT ASPECTS THAT WE WERE THINKING ABOUT.
ALL RIGHT, MADAM MAYOR, I KIND OF FEEL LIKE GIVEN THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE HEARING THAT WE ARE NOT PREPARED TO MAKE A DECISION RIGHT NOW THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS COME BACK, MYSELF.
I MEAN, I FEEL FAMILIAR WITH THE PROJECTS AND I'M COMFORTABLE WITH MAKING THE DECISION OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT IT'S AT A WORKSHOP, BUT ON YOUR BEHALF, I THINK THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO GET MORE INFORMATION TO THE COMMISSIONERS AND THEN HEAR A PRESENTATION AND REQUEST, AND THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE, AND PART OF THE REASON I JUST WANTED TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION TODAY WAS TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.
WHAT I'LL DO IS PUT TOGETHER SOME MORE DETAILS AND MAYBE BRING IT FOR THE JUNE 12TH MEETING FOR DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE THERE. PERFECT.
SO THANK YOU FOR I THINK YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO GATHER SENTIMENTS HERE.
OKAY. OTHER ITEMS, I THINK ARE WE FINISHED WITH [INAUDIBLE] AGENDA? QUESTIONS FOR ME? ALL RIGHT. SO THAT CONCLUDES THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN REVIEW, AND SO WE HAVE ABOUT 21 MINUTES BEFORE THE UNLESS ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANYTHING ELSE.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN UNTIL THE 5:00 REGULAR MEETING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.