City Council - Regular Meeting

I think I might have left my Okay, we're going. Hold on. Hold on. I did. This is This is the city council work session meeting for Monday, April 20th, 2026. The time now is 6:03. I'll call this meeting to order. Can we all please stand? Uh can you all please join us by saying the pledge of

allegiance to the flag of America to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisibley for all sit Clerk, can you please take the role? Here we go. Council member Murray, present. Council member Kavanagh, present. Council member Hodkins, present.

Councilor Medavetski, present. Council member Rathell, present. Council President Prom Middleton present and council member Dunan is absent. Thank you so much. Uh tonight we will begin our discussion of legislation in the public works committee. U member Hodkus uh Nate I mean um council member Hodkis uh will begin introducing RL26-95 and uh the speaker is Ron Lake. Oh yeah, you can go ahead and do that. Sorry

Ron, if you want to come on down. You're a presenter for RL uh 26-59. This is a resolution to enter into agreement with Barton and Lejudice um to assist with preliminary engineering reports. Good evening How you doing? Um, what are we what are we looking at here for your first one? This is to

I think you need to move a little bit closer to the microphone. Yeah. Okay. This agreement is to update a preliminary engineering report we have with EFC for funding and it keeps us on the list for the next four years. so that we would be eligible for funding when we score high enough. And that's just to make sure that we don't have to they can just update the report and we don't have to start from day one again.

Okay. And it will update according to some of their new requirements for that report too. So, we already have one there. We're on the list, the intended use plan. And this will just keep us there.

This is the list you have to get on to even get in the funding pipeline, right, with the state? Yes. Before they even consider your project. We're on that pipeline right now. And in order to stay there, we have to submit this. Okay, we have to update the plan that we had submitted previously. And we're talking about the environmental facilities corporations clean water state revolving fund. I didn't hear that. That's okay. Did can Did anybody No. Okay. So that list that we're mentioning is the just to clarify it's the environmental facility corporation's clean water state revolving fund. Yes.

Okay. So that's the list we want to stay on to enable us to continue accessing grant funding to complete the project. So as soon as we can figure out funding then we can get the grant.

The also we have in the materials you included and I'm guessing this was the reason for an expedition that the city was notified. Still no. Oh okay. I don't know if it's something I'm doing. Okay. I Oh, that one's cracked me too. Testing. Hello. I think it's the whole system.

I can hear you like that. Okay. Um the also identified in the materials uh you noted that the city received notice that on February 9th that the project is at risk of removal. Is that the reason for expedition? Yes. Okay. And you might also notice that there were two other items in there that they had proposed. I'm not accepting accepting them at this time.

I'm going to review it during the summer and if we need them, we'll do it then. Okay. Any other questions? I see we have request a request for expedition on this RL. Do I have a motion? I'll motion to expedite. Second. A motion and a second. Discussion. There was already an explanation for why uh the expedition was requested. Um it's timesensitive to stay on a list that it's important for us to stay on.

Okay. Yes. This has to be in by the 26th of May or something. So we need to do it quickly. Okay. Clerk, can you please take the role? I I I I I I I

Thank you so much. And Ron, I guess you could still stay here. We'll go back to public works. Um public works. Uh Council Member Murray, can you introduce RL26-96, please? Can you Can you talk into your mic? The mic? I can't hear. Start over. Sorry. It's okay.

Um RL26-96 is a resolution to enter um into agreement with Keystone Associates to assist with construction administration services. Can you share a little bit? Yes. Some of you may remember that we did this last year and it worked out very well and it's actually cheaper than me doing it by hiring somebody in the office because in the winter time we don't have to pay them anything. It's they've got like one guy they assign that you work with basically, right?

They got one guy. Yes. and and it's an agreement with us and them that Keystone would like to keep him employed because he was a faithful employee for a while. So, we get a good deal and it worked out very well and I'm hoping you'll do it again this year. What other What other projects do you anticipate using their services for? Like I think you have the highlighting for the you had the levy project. Um the last time that this came through, I believe. Um but what I'm sorry, I just can't hear down here. Okay.

What other projects besides the levy? Oh, we'll have a we'll have a probably a street project that he'll be on this year. We have several several of those. We have uh some pump station projects and he's good at buildings. So, we have plenty of use for him.

Any other questions? I'll motion expedite. I have a motion. Do I have a second? I'll second. Motion and a second. Any discussion regarding the expedition? Um, yeah. I was going to say a justification for the expedition would be helpful. Okay. Clerk, can you please call the role? Wait a question. Oh, you asked it. I thought you said it was already written in this. No, no, I It's not written. So, I wanted to make sure that it was clearly stated. Construction season start. Yeah, he's Yeah, he said he said it. Sorry. I'm sorry. Okay, clerk. It would be great if we get that on the the form going forward. Thank you.

Oh, okay. It's fine. Can you please follow? Thank you. Council member Rathmemell. Hi. Councelor Mavetski. Hi. Council member Hodkus. Hi. Council member Kavanaaugh. Hi. Council member Murray. I. Council member Dun is absent. Council president Prom Middleton 6. Thank you so much clerk. We're going to move on uh right on again in public works with council member Hodkkins. Can you please introduce RL26-90?

Sure. This is RL 2690. a resolution to extend an agreement with Barton and Legudas to assist with a six ward interceptor project. Feel like we've This is like deja vu. I feel like we've done this before, but same thing. This is This is for our six word interceptor project. It's a new requirement by EFC. It's called equivalency and it's a no cost. We just have to amend their contract to include this equivalency. So there's no cost to it. Just have to amend their contract. This is language the state's mandating or this is language the state is mandating.

Yes. EFC was funding part of it is mandating it.

Any other discussion regarding this? Looks like we have another request for expedition on this RL. Do I have a motion? I'll make a motion. Do I have a second? I'll second. Motion in a second. Any discussion?

Clerk, can you please call the role? Council member Rothwell. I. Council Mavetski, I. Council member Hodkus, I. Council Kavanagh, I. Council member Murray, I. Council member Dunan is absent. Council President Proto Middleton. Thank you. That is 6. Thank you so much. Now uh we'll move on to planning committee chair Rathme will now introduce RL26-91. And thank you so much, Ron. I hope you have a good evening. Thank you. Have a good night, Mr. Lake. Sorry about the mics. We've struggled too. It's okay. We're making it work.

Okay. Thank you, President Promp Middleton. This is RL26-91 to modify the CDY 51 budget to increase the American Civic Association contract uh from September of 2024 to August of 2025. Um, our presenter is Dr. Berling with the planning department. Could you share the details of the proposed increase and reason?

Yep. AB: Absolutely. I hope everybody can hear me. This Okay, good. Um, the American We have a contract with American Ser Civic. What? Can't hear me? Oh, all right. We have an existing contract with the American Civic Association um for renovation of their uh facilities and they have identified an additional need. They're um apparently the the their lighting is so old that they cannot replace the bulbs. So they need to replace the entire ballast the structure and get LED bulbs. So, it's an additional 15,000 that they're asking for. So, we have the funding available in I believe it was fiscal year 50 one or 50. Let me double check.

Right. So, we would just like to increase it increase the award and modify their scope of work to add lighting retrofit. Do we have a So when we first started talking about unspent funding and then most recently in January you mentioned that your office was still reviewing I believe 49 50 and 51. Do you have a tally of what now based on your most recent analysis remains unspent for CD BG or ESG in particular?

Get that for you. 51 and 50 are fully obligated or 50 is fully obligated. 51 we're working through and 49 I believe is also fully obligated but I can get you that tomorrow. Thank you. I think this is a good use of funds. It's literally keeping the lights on at the ACA. Uh I only had a question in that NAERTA has had so many programs doing exactly this um relamping old fixtures and stuff. I don't know if nonprofits are eligible or not, but um I can't hear you. I'm sorry.

Naerta has so many programs that do exactly this. Yeah. I don't know if they're eligible or not, but um for the rebates for lighting if they're No, literally doing lamp changeovers like this. taking the balance out. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. If if they're eligible for any rebates or additional funding through NERD, I'll find that, but I'm not 100% sure if they are. Okay.

So, I don't know if it's for nonprofits or if it's for taxpaying. I don't, you know, I'll have to look, but that's a good question. They said they had exhausted all their resources. So, sorry. They said they had exhausted their resources. So I may have assumed that they had looked at the rebates.

Did they provide any specifics regarding like what that looked like? So if an organization is saying that they've exhausted all their resources like did they kind of provide a list or some details as to you know we've checked here this organization some some details into that just just because I'm just wondering if you know there are other opportunities um that they can access funding and we're aware of that then we would want to fill in that gap. So, I'm just curious if they provided any details. No, they they didn't.

I'm sorry, but I do know it's an emergency that the lighting didn't pass code that they have. It's considered um dangerous. I'm sorry, I didn't catch She said that uh it didn't pass code and it's considered dangerous. The current situation there, the light lighting was it's an urgent matter. Yeah. Yeah. But I will look and see. And do you know how how long do you know how long they've known about it or it's just new that it's come up? Just wondering.

Yeah, they they brought it up um I think it was last month, March time frame, and we're hoping we could help them with additional funding. So, probably end of February, early March. Have they spent down the bathroom money? Pardon me? Have they spent down the bathroom money? Yeah, they're working. They're almost They're getting there.

Does anybody else have any other questions? I do see that we have a request for expedition. Do I have a motion? I'll make a motion. Second a motion and a second. Any discussion regarding it? Um it just says that they need it as soon as possible because it is not up to code and it's dangerous. Clerk, can you please call the role? Council member Rathmemell. I. Council Mavetski. I. Council member Hodkis. Hi. Council member Kavanagh. I. Council member Murray. I. Council Don is absent. Council president prom. Thank you.

Thank you so much. That'll be on Wednesday's uh business meeting. Thank you. Um and then uh next up we have Finance Chair Kavanagh. He'll now introduce RL26-94. Still with you, Dr. Bley. Oh, Julie's here with us. or modify the 2025 general fund budget for purchase of A2 replacement vehicle for $20,400. So, you're on.

That title is a little misleading. I apologize. We're only asking for $9,458. Um, we're asking to move. That's not true either. Huh. The total cost of the vehicle is 35,400. Oh. the there's money in several places. Insurance fund for the re for the refund for the um in from the insurance and then there's $9,000 already in her planning budget and then $15,000 rebate and then the $15,000 rebate. Yeah. That adds up to 35,400 which is what the vehicle is going to cost. Right.

Right. Yep. Thank you. While we're looking for that, is uh can you explain the reason why this needs to be replaced?

Oh, um our vehicle A2 was involved in a stationary accident about a year ago. Um a a young man had a seizure, I believe, and crashed his car into a whole row of cars and completely took ours out. um right at State Street near 20 Holly. So we've been down to just two vehicles and this is for you planning, zoning, historic preservation and housing and rehab. So, it's it's been really tough and we've been borrowing um engineering's car when they have it available. And the rebates are going to we're pushing the limit we need to use them or they'll expire the 15,000. Those rebates we received from we purchased three electric vehicles for code with a Department of Energy grant. We got 15,000 rebates for that that we're going to put towards this vehicle. It's a plug-in hybrid electric so we can use it to attend conferences. It's a little tricky with all electric. I will mention that with our EV, we regularly drive to Montreal and other areas um with without the uh need for gasoline. um with kids and stuff, we're we're still able to to do that.

I'm just I'm just saying that that the EV technology is there, but uh I understand the request for a hybrid. The ones that we have are a little on the older side and um we barely made it to Syracuse. Any other questions? I do see that we have a request for expedition on this RL. Do I have a motion? Yeah. Before the prices go up. Okay. I'll motion motion. Do I have a second? I'll second.

A motion and dis and a second. Any discussion?

Is there Why is it Why does it need to be expedited? Well, we currently are operating under a um OS award and if the price is increased, they'll modify that. Okay. Thank you. Okay. What's the What's the grant money that's being used? Oh, the grant. Yeah. You mean the rebate? Oh, is that all right? That's what we're calling. All right. We've already got This is what Chuck's calling it. The the rebate's calling it the grant. Okay. Never mind. I get it. Clerk, can you please take the role? Council member Rathmemell. I. Council Mavetski. I. Council member Hodkis. I. Council member Kavanagh. I. Council member Murray.

I. Council member Dunan is absent. Council President Prom Middleton. I. Thank you. That is 6. Thank you so much. And that will be on Wednesday's uh business meeting. Uh next up in municipal affairs, council member Metavveski, can you introduce RL26-93? Oh, did you hear me? I asked you. Oh, yeah. I asked if you could introduce RL uh 26-93. Great.

All right. So, we have um RL26. I don't know. Did you hear me or No, it's Everything's still crackling. It's Yeah, it's just hard to hear, but Okay. I'm sorry. It's not your fault. It's not your fault.

RL26-93, a resolution authorizing 2026 Bingmpington Pride Fireworks Display. So, this is the same RL you guys have considered in previous years. These are the fireworks for the Bingmpington Pride Coalition. They are launched from a floating platform in the Suscuana River just off the MLK prominade. Um there's plenty of time for us to do the SRL without expedition because it is for June and it's just one instance. So it's just for one date, correct? Okay. The start time was 9:30, right?

Correct. approximately 9:30 and it's in a different location than um all of the Rumble ponies, right? Um was there any discussion with them when they came in regarding the kind of constituent feedback regarding certain types of fireworks being preferable to other types? That level of conversation usually happens with the fire department, the fire marshall specifically. So I think if this council wants to consider kind of continued conversations around types of fireworks, the most expert department I think would probably the fire department to talk to further.

That's fine. We can invite them to to when we do the town hall. That's fine. Are we looking to maybe do the town hall before voting on this one or I'm I'm not sure. Okay.

But I know this has to be done before June. So, I mean, I'm not The town hall is still in the works. I We have to actually wait on We need I I want the Rumble ponies to be present. Spoke with I spoke with the mayor regarding it and just waiting for like their season to kind of kick off when they have some time. So, that's the main thing. I can't put a date on it. So, as soon as we can get some time scheduled for them, we can do that. Any other questions regarding this? Thank you.

Yeah, I mean they they have the contact info of the fireworks company. I don't know if it makes sense to try and talk with um the organizers or the fireworks company about like what their intentions are in terms of uh noise making fireworks versus visual fireworks. Um but that might be something we can try and follow up on before a vote. I don't know. I'm happy to set up a meeting as as you all would. I'm not sure if that would be effective, but that's fine.

I don't I'm I'm not saying that in in that aspect of it. I mean, we can set up a meeting with the, you know, the people who want to do this for the pride and kind of see what they're expecting. I don't think the talking to the company will. Well, to try and understand what the combination of of fireworks they're planning because I don't think that's okay. That's not covered in the permitting process to know whether or not they're intending to do particularly loud fireworks versus visually stunning fireworks. I would just suggest that I think a more unbiased perspective might come from our fire marshall rather than the company. But they're the ones actually making the plan. I'm sorry.

So the the people making the decisions. Yes. Right. I don't know. Throwing it out there. Yeah, sure. Any other qu any other questions? All right. We're going to move right on uh to RL26-92. Uh in planning chair uh Rathmel, can you please introduce that? Thank you, President Proent Middleton. This is RL26-92, a resolution to enter into an amended agreement with Williams Auto Group for the purchase of 400 Court Street. Our presenter is the corporation council Robert Heiri.

So, we previously had authorized an option agreement for this parcel um with the idea being that there'd be some funding that we'd have access to to be able to facilitate the purchase. That funding hasn't come through yet. So, this is basically to kind of extend this out. Um it would be two sixmonth options for $5,000 each. Um so it' extend it out in total for one year if both the options are exercised. Um and that would kind of give us time to either figure out the funding. Basically it gives us time to figure out the funding to buy the parcel.

Okay. So the anticipated funding didn't come through. This option breaks it out to expand our options for or our opportunities for accessing a either it would it be the same funding source that was identified or identify alternatives is part of the plan. The hope is that the same funding stores will eventually get access, but I don't know what the timeline is for that because originally we were looking at potential federal funding for this and obviously federal funding has gotten a little bit offkilter lately. Um, so it the goal is still to access that funding, but it's not clear if we'll be able to or what the timeline exactly will be for it. Um, I think in the meantime, the plan is still to try and find other sources of funding that we can go after. But regardless, I mean, to do the pump station is probably going to be mostly us paying it up front and then trying to get reimbursement after the fact. um which is where this might end up going either way. Um but this is basically just to buy us some time to figure out that funding piece. Um similar to the previous options, the payments to exercise the options line up getting credit against the purchase price. This this is outside of the what we had zoned for blue buffers program because we're we're right in this court street strip for that. I don't know that this would qualify. Okay,

we can I can look into it, but I think Blue Buffers is more targeted at like acquiring residential parcels versus buying a piece of a commercial property. I think the what comes to mind for the potential of blue buffers to me is that redevelopment is restricted even though theoretically the same kind of conservation perspective would be deployed in constructing a new pump station like I don't uh I would agree I'm not sure it falls under so the total remains so the amended option and totals 10,000.

Yeah. Which is Yes. So we'll pay an additional 10,000 exercise the full 12 months worth of option period and then the actual purchase price is unchanged from the original option. Okay.

Any other questions? What's the dollar amount that they're looking to get or for their actual the purchase price is 275 for it? 275,000.

Thank you. Anything else? Okay. Okay. Well, thank you so much. And we'll now we'll move on to the finance. Uh chair, uh Kavanagh, can you take us through the controllers quarterly report, please?

Okay. So, we're actually looking at the quarterly report ending 1231 2025. So, we've just finished first quarter 2026. So hopefully we can get something relatively soon for that, not a full quarter later. But yeah, I I didn't bring I brought those reports if you wanted to ask some questions about them. Okay. I can do those in a couple of weeks if you like.

Um I think I would like to start with uh kind of uh where we ended up revenue-wise last year, which would be starting on page 213 of the packet. Um uh unless you want to give an overview. Did you have an overview you wanted to give, Chuck? Or I I missed that first part. Did you have an overview you wanted to start with at all or did I want to kind of go through revenues and then expenses?

Well, I I did I sent out that uh this spreadsheet and it hasn't changed very much in the past couple of weeks um for uh with adjustments and what have you. So, um I mean as an overview, the general fund uh is losing about what $750,000. That's about less less than 1% of the total budget. Um we still have a healthy h fun fund balance of 19 million. Um the unappropriated fund balance is about 9 million. Um I don't know, did you want to just hit some highlights of the of the revenues first? Yeah, I want to start. Okay.

I kind of wanted to start unless anyone else has a preferred place, but I kind of want to start with revenues from last year and kind of the hits and the misses. Uh, so that was two, what did I just say? 216.

213, I think. Yep. Sorry. 213. There it is. All right. So, starting uh big item, real property tax revenue, very very close collection to our estimates. Pilots, we seem to be short a significant amount. One one pilot dropped off this year that we didn't know was going to drop off. Broom County let us know about that. I I forgot to ask Terry which one that was though. So did we collect our normal amount of taxes then for they're there for the pilot?

Yeah. It would have been in the in the tax role in the regular taxes. All right. So I'd like to follow up and figure out which one that is. I think it's it's there's the the printing house might might be the one because that wasn't that was in the news. It's been in the Yeah. I think it that might account for a significant chunk of this. Right.

Sales tax was rosier than expected, almost $400,000 over estimates. So, our hotel motel occupancy tax $150,000 over estimate. Looking good. Cannabis falls short again. Um, did we I can't remember. Did we reduce that further this year or do we still expecting we I think um I think we stayed we kept this the same pretty much for this year.

Okay. Um, now the franchise tax, I thought that was kind of a set amount we got by contract. So why is that short? It's based on the utilities. So the utilities don't uh they don't have they don't go through our properties. I I think that's how it works. I thought it was I thought that was mostly the contractual thing with Spectrum. Mostly there's a few odds and ends. um that we get. Um Okay. But yes, spectrum did drop.

Were you talking about the same thing? You just mentioned the franchise thing and then you answered with utilities, which is the next item. Right. Right. I was just getting them getting a little mixed up there. Utilities, gross receipts. That's for the all the utilities. franchise is just the spectrum. Okay. So, it seems like a big missing chunk that I thought was contractual, but it is, but I think it's based on their revenues. Tell me spectrum is bringing in less money. Well, a lot of people green. They have a major competitor.

Could be. Aren't they also subject to the same tax though? Wouldn't they also be subject to the same tax? That's a good question. Say that again. So it it's like all utilities are are subject to that tax. So it doesn't matter whether you're switching from one to another as long as you're receiving internet or right like green light. Yeah. What have you? So So is green light paying into this franchise line? That's the question. I don't know. I I I didn't look at it that close. That might be a Is that a lawyer bomb question?

I can take a look. Um because I know like with Spectrum like there's the cable franchise agreements. That's where the franchise payments come from.

I have to check and see if Pure Internet Service would qualify under that. Okay. Um, parking tickets, uh, looks like, uh, we had adjusted revenue during the year and we still exceeded that by another $30,000. So, uh, over $70,000 beyond our projections for parking ticket revenue, which is nice. Uh, can you explain the the premium on obligations line? the premium on obligations.

Yep. A42710. $269,000. I'm assuming it's 42710. That is when we go out to ban and bond. Um, how they beat the interest rate is they'll somebody may offer a higher little higher interest rate but offer us a premium upfront to take that. Oh,

that that's how they bid on the bonds and the bands. And we every year we usually get some sort of premium and we just got premiums in uh April for our bands and bonds this year as well. We spread them out to the funds. So, you'll see those in the water fund and the sewer fund.

Thank you. All right, that's my kind of those are the questions I had in general fund revenue. Any other questions in general fund revenue from anybody? And then the community development revenues are the federal grants, right? So they are what we've received and where they've gone. It's not I'm sorry, which one?

The the community development. Yeah, those are all the HUD funds. Um it's always an even in and out.

So then the next kind of normal fund would be refuge which we have slightly exceeded our projections. And then we get to parking ramps, which is going to be 219, page 219 of the presentation. And this is a concerning one. It looks like we have to the tune of $700,000 missed our revenue projections and ramps. So, do we have some sort of explanation? Do we need to haul Laz in here? Do we what's I mean

two two large debt service payments for your sevens Holly Street garage and the new debt service that started last year for the water street garage. Right. But the those debt service payments are reflected in the revenues. Right. But those are I mean I'm just looking at the revenue page. I'm just looking at

So okay. So if you look at the expense side of it, their management fees, just their management section, which everything that they usually are accounted for is only $870,000. So $870,000 they made their revenue. They cannot make revenue to pay for our debt service for upkeep of the ramps over the past 20 years. So I don't know. I don't have I printed them out so I don't have your page numbers. So when I look at

But if you're looking at the ramp's expenses, no, I'm looking at ramps revenue. Oh, okay. I I I'm trying to explain from the other side. Yes. Okay.

Their their management fees for the parking ramps, their budget was$870. They came in at$ 8.69. Everything else below the line is all our serial, is all our debt. Um the ramps fund, unless they exorbitantly raise their fees or exorbitantly cut their expenses, it's going to have to be funded by the general fund. They can make their management fees. They just can't make enough to make our debt service payments. To clarify, you're saying they can't or they are not allowed to.

No. Oh, no. I would I would love for them to charge enough to uh make enough to pay for the debt service lines that are below their management fee lines in the expense lines. um they can make if if we didn't have debt service payments in the ramps fund, they would make more than this $870,000 that we pay them every year, right? So basically, they made $700,000 more, but that only pays for a portion of So to to to clarify,

the revenue page here is a page to balance out the expense page really, not reflective of what you would expect or what the ramps actually No, we we budget what they're going to make as a revenue because we have to have a balanced budget. All right. So last year I think we appropriated some money into the into I'm sorry. No, last year we did not appropriate money into the capital fund. So yes, their revenue lines were overbudgeted because we didn't balance it. Well, it was balanced but but negatively it's not it was not zero. It was not brought to zero.

So did you I'm sorry. Did you have the ramp expenses? I I I couldn't tell you what page it's on. Yeah. What page? But because I printed them out differently than you did 188. Oh, sorry. I I'm looking at the digital thing. Sorry. 28. Page 28. I was looking at the digital file. Sorry. Page 28 of the

For the record, I find the packet page helpful if we could do both. Okay. Thanks. 188 in the digital packet, 28 in the printed copy of the Thank you. budget report. Okay. So, we're looking at $869,000 almost $870,000 of expenses. They did overspend their their original budget by $127,000.

Yeah. Um, but we don't so we don't see anywhere in here the actual just the ramp revenue the actual physical revenue of the ramps anywhere. It's in the revenue section that we were talking about earlier. Yeah, but that's lumped in with the debt. What the amount for the debt service? Um, revenue. No. Yes. Revenue. Revenue is revenue. Everything that they made, they made at the ramps for parking.

No, but on the revenue page, you you've just bal you've just increased it to balance out to the expenses. So, I don't actually know how much money the ramps collected. The the parking ramps budget was for revenues was $2.1 million. And The original budget was 2.6 million for expenses. We appropriated 500 million $500,000 from the general fund to balance the budget, but that's in the general fund.

If you look at the revenues, it's Yes. Yes.

Right. And then the original appropriations was 2.6. On page 29, there's a $500,000 difference. See? But I still don't see actual Tell me what I'm missing. I still don't see actual revenue ramp revenue anywhere. The ramp revenue is is is listed right here. It's um on page seven. 7 Holly parking garage. It's 532,000. Collier was made 187. State made 487. And water made 241. and then interest and some other stuff for for the 1.5 million. Page seven

Oh, under actually you Okay, that's for the shortfall. All right. So, this is actual

that's what was actually brought in physical actual revenue.

Yep. The actual revenue brought in was $1.5 million. $64,77353. um the difference of $540,000. That was our premium premium on obligations from last year that we appropriated into the budget called reserve for debt and we use that to pay down their ramp their fund their ramps fund u debt this year a portion of it. That's why that's the difference between the expenses and the revenues. So what's how much of a hole did we leave the ramps fund in at the end of the day

last year? Say that again. You so at the end of so at the end of 2025 budget the Rams fund itself is still in a hole. It's still old. It would still require funding from the general fund or somewhere else to make it. They they lost $1.2 $2 million last year and they owe the general fund about 1 million. So basically they're in a hole about 2.2 million. They have a due to due from that's that this general fund has been giving them money over the past few years that they haven't been able to pay back because they have to make more revenues and expenses.

And how much of a how much more how much how much of a hole are we going to dig this year? So if we do not if you mean in 2026 yes I I don't have that answer for you right now.

Do we have a plan a plan for keeping the ramp solvent

for right now? Um I mean we can trim their budget to the bone but it's not going to be to the tune of 2.2 2 million. We can't adjust our debt service payments. So, the only other thing is is have the general fund fund it in the next year's budget. Not all of it, enough to um probably, you know, pay back some of it, have a plan for like the next few years to fund it till it gets back to a zero balance. I'm I'm going to go out on a a limb here and say it's it's probably common for um parking ramps to be subsidized by other like outside of Bingmpington. Um even though I think I would also I would like parking fees to cover the costs and debt service and everything. Um I would like to get there. I don't know if it's possible or common um or if it's if the fees would become so prohibitive that people wouldn't park at all and it would have diminishing returns. Um but it have you heard of a place where that has a parking fund that doesn't dip into the general fund that can actually sustain itself? I have not done that research, but I have talked to Laz and they have told me that that the parking ramps are usually not um break even. Uh unless you have like a really really really good location um that is 100% or more capacity like

140% that's where we strive to get our 140% capacity if we can do that because we have a good student population that can come in and park during that leaves during the day and we can have daily parkers or and monthly parkers that park during the day and then the students come back at night and the shoppers leave. That's a good rotation. And they they allow for about 140% of turnover in those garages, but that's not happening right now. But they allow for it. Um it's just and we just need to get more businesses in there. But there's a lot more parking ancillary parking spots around our parking lots that

So right now in traffic board there's a proposal to add I don't know it was like 30 some new parking spots um on um near the ACA um which would be a short walk from downtown. Is is there any was there any thought put into how that might impact parking? Where was this at? Traffic board the mayor's office put forward a request at I think it was something around 30 new parking spaces. My understanding is they wouldn't be metered and they're right next basically next to downtown. Um so I'm I'm kind of interested in how all these strategies are going together.

I I wouldn't know. I mean, I know that they've uh they've got a they had a parking study or they're in the middle of doing one. I'm not sure. They're looking at adding a lot of parking um like on on street parking. On street parking. Okay. Um well, that would affect the parking a little bit. Depends upon the location.

Yeah. Right next to downtown. So, do you don't have a projection yet of kind of what this ongoing city expense would be year-toear for say the next five years. You were still talking about the ramps fund.

Yes.

No. No. I I I'd have to sit down with um with LA the last people and see where they're going to be in five years. Um there's a lot of moving pieces. I'd like to I mean we lost one of their garages so that's going to be very helpful this year due to the expenses that we had there. Um and we're trying to fully automate uh collier to get rid of that um uh person. Not not that we're trying to get rid of a person, but if it's fully automated, we wouldn't need a body there. Um, but personnel costs, that's one of the largest ones for the management fees along with maintenance. I'm just trying to for future budgeting purposes is going to be, you know, threequarters of a million dollars a year probably going forward to

Yeah. I I continue to balance the ramps. Yeah. I imagine I'm going to have a lot of conversations with with the last people this this summer, even before budgeting season.

Okay. All right. Back to revenue golf fund page eight. Um, I was surprised to see, and this is a conversation I have with the Gulf folks, but uh that despite record-breaking rounds in year and blah blah blah blah, we still missed our green fees target. Have you heard from them? They had an um management turnaround um and they have a new uh manager over there. I don't I think you probably called him the other day. Um so he is more focused um the the golf and rounds they'll they'll manage themselves. Uh he's more focused on food and beverage and outings and what have you. That's where they can do a lot of um increases in revenues with food and beverage and the pro shop. Um that's where we've seen a lot of growth. the uh the rounds are basically dependent upon weather. I mean, we had a few a little bit more wet days in 2025 than we had in 2024. 2024 was an outstanding year. That was their record-breaking year, and we still had another one last year. Uh and they're hopeful this year. Um I haven't seen any I haven't seen the numbers yet this year. So, I haven't had a contact I haven't had a conversation with the new guy yet. So, other than just a meet and greet. Okay. Next would be uh the water fund. Uh seem to have a half a million dollar miss on our metered water sales.

What? Oh, sorry. That's that's the next in the packet. So page 10 if you're printed and 221 if you're not printed.

Do we know why we sold so much less water than we thought last year?

Yeah. I I talked to Larry and um I was look at our final bill from the joint sewer plant. Our our flows went down, but that's on the sewer side. But if our flows went down, that means our consumption went down on on the water side too here in in the city. I didn't I didn't I didn't ask Larry for the the approximate numbers, but um that's a correlation. Um we probably got less consumption this year. or excuse me, last year. Um, but the water fund has not had a water rate increase for the past I think the last one we did was in the 2020 budget which went into effect on April 1st of 2021. So, we're talking five years and it would be six if we don't do it till next year, which I think that's that's a discussion we're having right now is is uh ticking up the water rates. Um over the past few years, the water fund has has had a healthy fund balance, but it's slowly dwindling. So, we need to stop that and and get it back on track. So, and that's uh weirdly something city council does not set at all. That is water the water rate is set by the superintendent of water and the mayor basically. Yeah,

that's that's correct.

However that came to be, I don't know. But okay. Um so it is probably slightly beyond time to look at that rate. It it is and and the cap fees haven't been changed for even longer. So those are definitely due for a change. So that's going to be FX funds got. So So yeah, so the fund has been taking a loss the last couple of years it looks like 2023 20 2025 the the water fund.

So with that that unappropriated balance down under half a million dollars, right? I and and that's I don't like that trend, but this is something that is very very easy to fix with uh some very it it won't take a lot of of an increase. Um but we have to do that analysis after we're done with the with closing the books so we have some final numbers and then I get the consumption from the the treasurer and then we can um start with the calculations.

Okay. So, so you you plan to do it as an internal study rather than some sort of external study on on what appropriate fees should be. External as in like there's organizations like nonprofits and stuff that do analysis on what an appropriate water fee is. Um it's typically been done by the treasurer in consultation with the um the controller and the water and superintendent. I guess that's how we do it here, but Okay. Okay. Is that what you mean? I'm I'm aware of other communities that do it in other way, but but that's not to say that we're doing it wrong. I'm just as far as I know of the process,

the community has never been involved because they would just say no.

All right. So, next would be the sewer fund. That's the G fund. That's page 11 or 222 depending what you're looking at. Um, can you explain the big fund balance for B fun? The last line. Yeah, that um that was that uh $4.9 million that we had to send back to EFC um to pay back uh I just signed the the paper to refinance the bonds, right?

Yes. Uh they they're using it to pay down three of our older ESC notes that we had on the plan. Uh 2015, 2016. Try the other one. 2015 2016 and uh I think 16 had an A and a B. So, three separate notes that they paid 4.9 million back uh that I'll get new debt service schedules probably this summer. Uh and I'll I can use those to adjust the budget. So, you'll see the debt service go down in the sewer fund which that's very good.

And then uh we see less sewer rents than projected because as you said our flows are down apparently. So, I'm sorry. And we have less sewer rent coming in means you you said our flows are down.

Uh yes uh the flows went down uh from the calculations for the final bill for last year. I don't recall it was about 40,000 units which probably it's a unit is 725 gallons. So multiply that out. It's a lot. Yeah. And then uh capital fund and insurance fund are the next two pages or three pages. Um I mean capital fund is the stuff we've budgeted for grants we've gotten. So that's there's a lot to go through there at the moment. Um and insurance fund end up with a healthy balance that we appropriated out of actually didn't. All right. All right. I guess that's what I have for revenue. Any other comments you like to make about the revenue side of the books

for the insurance fund or for No, no, just in general. Just in general. Well, I know I know we've received an an insurance fund. I know we've received over the last six months about $2 million in the PAS settlements. Yes.

Um our first sales tax came in um above a quarter of the budget. So that means sales tax is tracking well. Um, I mean taxes, uh, cannabis, the cannabis is, um, money is coming in slow. I think there was a problem at the state figuring out the calculations to send down to the counties. At least that was the explanation I got from the county. So, the I remember I asked at one point, I don't know if I ever figured it out for sure. The state is collecting those taxes,

then sends to the county, and the county distributes them to us based on what the state tells them as far as where the sales locations and such are, right? What what locations we have in the city. So, we have well, last year we had two, I believe, right? um Court Street and downtown, right? And now I think we have three. I think three or four. I don't I don't know. I haven't been keeping up on it.

We they've been issued it might just be three. I know I've gotten applications for more than three. Okay. Um but I don't know off the top of my head if anyone else has gotten a permit.

And um on on a on a positive note too um our hotel and motel tax we have been starting to collect from the um other service providers like Airbnbs and what have you. Um, Broom County helped out with their list and we sent uh sent notices and we've been getting payments. They're rather they're rather small. Um, but it's it's still a revenue source. So, is uh is that individual Airbnb owners that have to pay or does the platform pay? Yeah, it depends upon if they're attached to a platform or not. Mhm.

Did that coincide with any zoning notifications? I'm sorry, say that again. Do we know if if um the hotel motel tax for Airbnbs coincided with any uh zoning related notifications because a lot of the Airbnbs are not I wouldn't know aboutifications legally within the city. But I know I'm sure I can I can loop our code in and make sure that that's there's been discussions between council and the mayor's office regarding whether or not he's going to take action on people who are operating okay outside of zoning. So, I was kind of it's like, okay, we're getting our taxes from it, but we're it's also not permitted,

right? Unless you go through the permitting process, which I'm not aware of many that have. I I don't Do they need a separate permit for to be like what what they do? Yeah, you have to go through planning. Do you? Okay. Yeah. Interesting. Which I don't think most of them have.

No. At least at least not the ones in my district. Do we so the revenue coming in is obviously positive. Are we t still however projecting that that revenue will go toward offsetting the cost for Morabido Stadium? That's still the intended use of the hotel motel occupancy tax revenue. Correct. D uh you mean direct? The money goes to the general fund and then we decide how it gets spent. But we have to pay the Moravo debt fee. we have to pay our debt regardless of what right comes in.

It's in the general fund. So I mean basically I can say that portion is paying that specific expense line. But I mean that's just like Yeah. So when we pass the tax, we said that we were going to allocate the funding first towards paying down the debt payments, right? And in the end, I thought we went with it just going to the general fund. No, that that's where the payments are. Trying to remember what we voted on.

The the debt service is in the general fund and the revenue is in the general fund. So, all that revenue um I can break out that payment for that one line item in the bond and figure out what that payment would be. Um, I know that it probably doesn't match the principle and interest, but it pays for most of it. So, let's see. Uh, going through trying to go through revenue, I'm sorry, expense lines. Um, oh, now I lost the page. Um, as far as questions I had, I don't know if other folks have questions, but uh, the, uh, central garage, that's pageu, uh, five or 165, depending on what you're looking at. Um, we seem to have a chunk of money left over there that, um, was for gas, diesel, we see. So did we and I remember we had to move money over to them for parts or vehicle repairs or something they they were short on during the year. I think vehicle parts we moved $90,000 over. Um so the the overall budget probably would have been very close to okay if we didn't do that. But um as far as the gasoline diesel lines here and throughout the budget, I know we've instituted that card system and tracking. Are these now really accurate reflections of

Yes, the card system did go down for a while. Oh.

Um okay. This year or excuse me, last year. Uh I believe it is fixed. Um, so we had to do some estimates, but what happens is is that we pay all of our gas and diesel bills from Bule and Morabo through this line and then at the end of the month, uh, my staff pulls a report from the fuel system and allocates it to the departments. So we do an actual journal entry. So this this budget line could have $100,000 of expenses every month. But police, fire, um, all the water and sewer, all the departments that have a gas, gas and fuel line have zero in their budget. So we do a journal entry at the end of every month based on their usage and then we put that in at the end of every month. So come November, this this line will be over budget. I mean, I can keep it over budget depending upon how much fuel they buy. Um, fuel prices were going up, so we needed some money in that line. We didn't we probably maybe slightly overbudgeted in this one, but all the other revenue or lines for the all the funds are all full up. I think there's only one like the sewer fund probably had about 10 or 12,000 left but the water fund used all its fuel. Um the police and fire they use all their fuel. Um so it's it's it's how it gets allocated every month. Um

the tracking is tracking is is much better than it used to be, but we're still Yes. tracking is much better with this fuel system. And we're able to allocate every gallon purchase. B. Yep. Every gallon. Um and we even allocate it to uh uh the vehicles from the uh joint sewer plant. We bill them as well. Um but that expense is still on the books. The revenue comes in and goes into the general fund.

Okay. Um, see parks. I had a question about I lost the page though. I'll get there. Hold on. Okay. Um Oh, yeah. So, there's uh about $150,000 in this PKO2 youth recreation line. Can you remind me what that is? That's the new um I think it was a grant for Oh gosh, I think it was a grant for the new um rec center.

So is that money that's carrying over for more work this year then I'm assuming? Yes. um from somebody's infinite wisdom they put this grant in the general fund. So um and not in Okay. So what happens is um this year um there will have to be an incumbrance at the end of 2025 to move that 151,000 over into the next year's budget just to get the budget in there and then we take care of the expenses or their revenues when they come in. So it it may the budget is even doesn't affect the budget at all. It's just not where it should have should not shouldn't have been sitting there ideally.

I'm sorry. That shouldn't have been sitting in that in a general fund line like that. Ideally, we we should should have put it in a capital fund.

Yeah. Okay. All right. So this is a bigger question than so page uh that's right I well we go to the retirement lines page 16 or 176. This is a bigger question than now, but um um I uh anything overview wise you want to tell us about retirement contributions and expected contributions this year versus last year? Any nasty surprises coming?

Are you talking about health insurance? Retirement contributions. Retirement.

Yeah. Um, the retirement estimate comes out in July, I believe, or June or July. So, I would probably have a good estimate for what we're going to look look at at the end of the year based on Nisler's or the New York State Retirement Systems estimate for our expenses because our payroll year ended March 31st. So, uh, that's how they report retirement data. That's how we report retirement data for our, uh, covered payroll. And then they take those numbers and do an estimate for the next couple of months. And then they give us a number.

So, the period they're looking at only ended end of March.

That's correct. It goes from April 1st of last year to March 1st of this year. And then they do the estimate. Okay. Okay. I am questioned out for the evening at the moment. Folks have any other stuff?

I do. I was I'm looking at the fire overtime um for the end of the year. I I was hoping so it's a 169 on in the PDF. Um and I have page might be page nine. I don't know what it is for the printed version. Um, but so we did a a transfer and adjustment of $474,000. So that the final percentage is like around 100%.

Probably about 90% of their budget. You're talking about from the 550 to the 473. Yeah. I don't know what that is. I um and I know this was like kind of a a sticking point for me with uh the budget the 20 when we were during budget season. So I was hoping that we could see where the budget run is for like a quarter of the way through the year if they're closer um to being where they're budgeted for. I I can I can tell you that right now. Amazing.

So, right now, um, a quarter of the way through the year. So, I printed this as of, uh, March 31st. Uh, I lost it. Hold on one second. So, fire overtime is at $147,000 almost exactly. That is 26 8%. So they're slightly over 25% which is where you would see should see them at at a quarter of the way through the year. So they're about one one and a half% over what they are right now. So but um we're hopeful that with this new class starting early another month could hopefully cut off that 1% going forward. Um, but that's up to the I mean that's up to the fire department. I I mean we can get the acting chief Madden in here and see if he has any ideas.

Yeah, that's way better than I thought it would be. So that's that's good news that we're okay. We're on pays for that. Thank you. Is that because you had you had some retirements? Is that why it's like that now? They they they did have retirements. Yes. So, um, and not a lot of people have had a chance to move up yet, which is also a good thing because there's no police, there's no fire chief. So, everybody is still in their same positions. Um, so any overtime is at that level from last year. And when do they when do you plan when do they plan to move up? When uh well, it's when uh well, either they hire a fire chief or the people graduate from the academy.

Okay. And then they become pro Then they become probationary firefighters instead of just in the academy, I think. Wait, so but wouldn't they be all getting out of title pay? Wouldn't they be getting out of title pay? No,

only if only on the on when they're on duty, actually doing the next person's job. But right now, everybody's doing what they were doing. So they are they still have the duty chief, they still have the assistant chief. They're all doing the same jobs they did last year. So there's no out of title pay because they're still in those jobs. The only one that should probably be getting title out of title pay is acting chief. I don't know if that if that is available to him based on the position. So, I guess back to fuel prices or cost of fuel for 2026. Um, I know we didn't budget for things to be $4 a gallon or higher. Um, so that kind of has been making me a little bit nervous,

but I we there's probably a little bit of a we got a little bit of a gap because how I understand our fuel system works. Yeah, probably. But is that something you're taking a close look at?

Yeah, I've been I've been watching it. Um, it doesn't look like it's hit us too hard yet. Um, but of course this is from March, so uh we're three weeks into what's going on. Um, yeah. So yeah, I mean they they've accounted for they've only spent $27,000 out of a $280,000 budget. Okay. Um but that does we we probably had a lag in some getting some bills from Rabbidol or Bule. So if $27,000 is for basically for two months, double that for for for March. So 54,000 out of 280,000, that's still pretty good. I I can cross my fingers. Um just one last one. Where are we on our uh our bond uh our bond issuance process? It's should be

the the bond was issued last Thursday and we got all our we got our ban and our bond money last week. So, it's complete. Um we did get premiums and um did we have uh one purchaser again or

No, we had they had they split it. Um we had one purchaser for they took five million out of it. Uh, I think it was BAM, uh, Bank of America, brand, uh, I can't remember who it was now. I think it was Bank of America, and then, uh, Jeff purchased the rest. Okay. All right. Anyone else? I'm sure Sierra would be happy to entertain follow-ups by email or anything. Sure. Yeah. Anything. Anything you want

unrelated to the budget runs but related to finance. Still hoping to see that um general fund policy. Oh, the fund policy. Yeah, fund balance. Working on it. Thanks. Any other questions? If not, I will take I will motion to adjurnn. Okay, I'll second. Motion in a second.