Town Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening everyone. Welcome to the mayor and city council workshop Wednesday, February 4th, 2026. If you'd please stand with me for the pledge of allegiance of the United States of America and to for it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all.

Up next, we have roll call. Please show all council members present. Up next, we have review of the minutes from December 3rd, 2025 and December 8th, 2025 regular meetings. Any questions, comments, or concerns from council regarding those? Nope. Nope.

Hearing none, I'm proceeding forward to council member statement regarding conflicts of interest on agenda items. Would any council member like to make a statement tonight? Hearing none, I am proceeding forward. So, up next, I have the state of the city, which is something I do yearly. Um, I want to give everybody a heads up. This is going to be a pretty long one. Um, yeah, I got about 10 pages to read through, so bear with me as I read through it. Um, and again, I might pause a little bit because I am in just a little bit of pain from slipping on some ice. Good evening. One, good evening everyone, council, staff, residents, and guests. Tonight, I want to speak to you plainly about where Tony Town stands, what this administration is pursuing, and why the work ahead matters. Our main focus is this. restoring a sense of community and taking back our future. But you don't build you don't rebuild a community with good intentions alone. You rebuild it by protecting quality of life, restoring safety, and making Tony Town an easier place to live, not harder. And the biggest threat to that right now is one we live with every day. Traffic and the safety issues related to it. The reality is that traffic in Tony Town is a safety related issue, a neighborhood issue, and a quality of life issue here in Tony Town. Traffic isn't just inconvenient inconvenience anymore. is showing up as unsafe speed in residential neighborhoods as as drivers try to make their own bypass through our residential neighborhoods. Walkability issues that make families think twice about crossing through town. Heavy truck traffic that's not just loud but is impacting homes and foundations. A strain on small town environment where people choose that the people choose to live here for. This administration will keep the safety of residents at the forefront and that's not negotiable. The bypass is not just a talking point. It's a priority for us. Everyone has heard the 50-year has heard about the bypass for 50 years. For 50 years, people have talked and talked about this. What we're going to do in this administration is do more than just talk

about it. We are going to undertake one of the most aggressive pursuits of the bypass in Tony Town's history. And I want to be clear about why. The bypass is not a nice to have. Again, it's not about just trying to get traffic out of town. It's the difference between our neighborhoods being neighborhoods versus being treated as secondary highways through our city. Our focus will be the southern portion of the bypass, alleviate alleviating traffic along the 140 194 southern routes, which will reduce the majority of the traffic that cuts through Twin Town today. And to show how serious we are, we will pump the brakes on development that worsens the problem until easements are secured related to the bypass. This is not anti-development. This is a pro resident stance. We cannot continue allowing the problem to worsen while we're still missing the tools we need to begin meaningful work on the bypass. The first step is securing those easements that we need for it. And I want this to be understood in no no uncertain terms that the council supports this aggressive pursuit. The city will use every tool available to secure the bypass and protect our neighborhoods and streets. We will work with the state, county, and our local partners. And we will not just work with them, but we will lead and we will push. And we will not accept another decade of nothing. In addition to the bypass efforts, I'll be forming a traffic alleviation and bypass task force. It will meet regularly and produce workable recommendations for council to act on. I'll personally chair it to ensure it stays active and efficient. And while we pursue the bypass, we we still need to act now and make sure that our residents and our streets are protected. With that being said, recently we have implemented a speed camera on Travenian Road. We'll begin using the revenues from the speed camera on Travenian Road to do a couple of different budget related programs to help with speed calming and safety in our neighborhoods. I'll be proposing a use of those funds in the FY27 budget with a focus and results driven safety improvements, including a foundation impact grant program for buildings infected by heavy heavy truck traffic, ensuring homes and structures remain safe and sound along the historical 20 Main Street route.

This will be guided by recommen recommendations from the design review and historic preservation committee which will be re which will be renamed from the committee as in a proposal. Next will be the rapid flashing beacons at crosswalks to increase visibility and pedestrian safety. Some of the revenues from the speed camera will be used to implement those across the city. One of our main focuses uh at the administration level is going to be focusing on KE Drive over by Twintown Elementary and the middle school. Next would be sidewalk expansion and connectivity to link the areas of town that are not fully connected. Wendy Hills, Carol Vista, and other gaps so that residents can walk through our town safely. In addition to that, we will add additional speed common measures in areas that are experiencing increased traffic related to people trying to bypass the main street route. This includes Wendy Hills, Carol Vista, or my bad, this includes Keenan Street, Grand Drive, Carnival Drive, Courier Court, Fairground area, George Street, Middle Street, and other areas. A portion of this will also be set aside for public safety commission to make recommendations based on input from from the neighborhoods and their specific representatives. I'll talk more about that later in this, but one proposal on the table tonight is again one that we had seen previously was the funding of a second crossing guard. When we originally funded the second crossing guard, there was a problem as far as actually filling the role. Tiny Town Elementary School has made it has let us know that they have somebody they believe that can fill that role. Um, so until we're able to implement some of these and create that safety in that area, I will be proposing or asking for consensus from council tonight to refund that position so we can get a second crossing guard out there. In addition to that, prioritizing the rapid flash and beacons for the crosswalks along that KE Drive. Again, our goal is simple, which is to pursue the bypass aggressively and reduce danger immediately where we can. Got to stop typing stuff.

Revitalization Main Street in the whole town. Adaptive reuse parking and better public space. Traffic relief is one step as far as our goal of bringing community back to Tony. Re revitalization is what makes people want to stay local, shop local, and feel proud again. That's why I'm suggesting we pursue re revitaliz revitalization through adaptive reuse and functional improvements, not just cosmetic ones. One of those is a consolidation of city offices into one building. It will be a one-stop shop for our services here in town and will allow us to reuse several buildings along the main street avenue that belong to the city currently. This will improve not only resident services and build cohesion among staff but will create an stronger internal or operation as well as allows us to do something a little bit more allows us to do something as well in the main street area which is again reuse those buildings for economic development and main street revitalization efforts. One of those re one of those related reuses that I intend to propose to council is transforming one of the city related buildings into a staple restaurant into a staple sitdown restaurant. That work is underway and anticipated being included in the CIP attached to the FY27 budget. In addition to that, one of the main things we want to make sure is we're doing a project like that is a communitydriven selection process. The town in previous years has uh had proposals related to it to city buildings and their reuse. Um, one of the things we're going to do a little bit differently here is actual citizen engagement of what that reuse and what those prop and what proposals we get to make that reuse the city buildings. And again, this won't be city elected picking favorites or anything like that. I'd am mount it more towards a business challenge and again supporting a business that residents want to support. In addition, the next thing we'll be trying to do is um address deficiencies. Green space, um the haunted barn, cremator building, whatever you call it, and community focused facilities. Um one of those things is trying to create two new green spaces. One in the Carnival Drive area and one in the main street area. These are not just these are not

just add-ons, but these will help build community and provide breathing room and walkability to green space in those selected areas. Next would be the rehab of the Haunted Barn Premier Building into a small recreation facility. One of the 180day legislative priorities of the council when enacted in uh May of 2025 was again a recreation center. One of the things we've identified is some of the previous plans for the reuse of the uh crearyy haunted barn building to make it into a recreation center. And again, it won't be some major project. It won't be a major project in the sense that we're not going to expand it thoroughly, but the idea is a recreation space that people can use here in town. Next would be a parking strategy. Um, currently we're looking at a four corner public parking strategy which makes Main Street not only easier to live but shop in. The goal isn't to knock down any corner buildings or anything like that to build street parking but it's to build parking similar to the parking behind city hall. Again, parking behind buildings where people can park, residents can park and uh people who are looking to shop at our businesses can park instead of just the metered parking along the streets. And the goal is to have one at each of the corner areas of the main street area. We already have one behind city hall. So that kind of leaves us with three main ones to do. Next up would be economic development. And the goal of the administration is to get back to the basics. Facilitation, information, and equal opportunity among our businesses. It is not the goal of the admin of this administration at least to control the culture of Tony Ton from city hall. Culture is fostered naturally by what residents in the surrounding area choose to support with their dollars. The city the city of Tonytown does not make it difficult for businesses to conduct normal operations. We maintain a hands-off approach that allows entrepreneurs to succeed or fail on merit and what they offer and how it resonates with the local market. Our focus is building a town where the local economy serves residents first and that starts with giving businesses an equal opportunity to succeed here regardless of what they sell and letting residents vote with their patronage. What we do, what we will do to facilitate information opportunity,

which would be giving out information through a newsletter, going out to businesses related to grants and state programs, promotional opportunities that all businesses can opt into. An example of that would be a universal gift card program where all small businesses can opt into it and it can be used across our businesses. What that allows us to do instead of selecting businesses who get to contribute or what gift cards we're given away at our events, we can give away one universal gift card and residents can choose where they want to spend that money at their local businesses. And again, one of the biggest things we want to do is commu consistent communication with our business community. Um, again, we don't want to play favorites. We're not picking and choosing who gets what. The idea is everybody gets the same information across the board and the same access across the board. As far as economic development staffing, one of the direct asks I'm going to have to council tonight is to give us six months to demonstrate what we can effectively provide at the current staffing level rather than immediately filling or branching off positions here in town. We've retained our status as an aspiring main street community with DHCD and the city manager, executive assistant and I are intending monthly coursework tied to DHCD's Main Street program. This will not only help and strengthen the understanding that we have at the administrative level, but will also give us information that can be passed down um in various ways should we lose any kind of staffing or anything like that. Again, the idea is retention of information. Um and every Main Street is different and I'm going to tell you that's one of the first things you see in that program is every Main Street is different. the the ways that Main Streets are succeeding is different. The resources that they're utilizing is different. The programs they're able to do are different. Um, and again, we need to find the path that fits for Tonny Town. And for me, that doesn't it isn't changing the culture of Tonytown, but again, it's giving everybody that equal opportunity and equal shot and equal information. Next up is the CIP um which will be presented with FY27 budget which will list the projects that this administration would like to present before council to pursue over the next several years and serve as a guiding instrument for the future we are trying to build. One of those will be bypass related budgeting and actions, adaptive

reuse projects, consolidation of city offices, infrastructure and safety improvements, parking and revitaliz revitalization projects, green space and community facility improvements. This is us taking back control of our city's future and making sure we're creating a town that residents that serves the residents it represents and giving people more of an opportunity to stay local and feel pride in where they live. One of the biggest things I want to try to do over these next couple years is rebuilding community engagement, volunteerism, and driving and driving that by results. A bypass matters, revitalization matters, but a town like ours depends on something even deeper, which is a sense of community. Over the next couple years, we will lead efforts to promote volunteerism, civic organizations, local shopping, and programs that get residents invested locally because what we can do is build community through participation. And we will measure that success by results, not just by talking about the programs. Next, we have a stronger we want to create a stronger civic structure where residents have more of a voice and council engagement goes beyond just the monthly meetings. One of the things I want to be clear about everything I've talked about so far is I can't do it alone. It takes council support. It takes council votes and it takes funding. And I believe we're in a youth we're we're in a unique movement and a unique position where the mayor and council are aligned on some of the bigger picture items. And it's time for Tiny Town to make some bigger moves. Not for ego for politics, but for the future of this town and securing our future. Council should not just be a body that meets and approves items. It should be a driving force in resident concerns, cooperation, and advocacy. That's why over the next few months, I will form ad hoc committees aligned with the council liaison rules. So each council member is invested beyond the regular meetings. Some of these are things that many of you have already indicated that we should work on like a public safety commission. In that goal, I'm looking to create six ad hoc committees that will align with lison positions and some of the work already lined out in the 180day legislation. Um, one would be renaming

and restructuring a committee we already have, which is the design review committee, and making that into the design review and historical preservation committee. The goal there would be broader historical preservation focus, identifying funding sources that actually work and support the preservation. Next up would be the public services commission, which will work to examine water rates, public services, and serving as a bridge between DPW and residents. Next would be public safety commission, community based advocacy to help guide safety measures funded by public safety related dollars. And next, instead of a dedicated main street board, we will look at an economic vitality commission, a bridge between local business activity and revitalization efforts with businesses and res and with business and resident representation. And another being the citizen advocacy board promoting volunteerism, civic understanding, communication avenues, and managing a citizens academy. We will retain our existing boards PNZ, BZA, elections, ethics, and parks and recreation. These new committees would start as ad hoc until missions are defined, then brought to the council to become official committees of the council. And let me be clear, let me be clear, this is not about committee bloat. Council retains decision-making and funding authority over all committees. The point is to strengthen resident voices and create and better informed decisions that we're trying to make at the council level. Next up, beginning with the next regular council meeting, um not this Monday, but after that, we'll be starting the charter and code review, um which will focus on one of the 180day outlines, which is the separation of Tyanton's administrative and legislative branches and moderizing modernizing Tanton's framework. A core part of restoring trust and effectiveness is reorganizing reorganizing how we govern. Over the next 10 months, we will conduct a full charter and code review broken into sections and presented to council monthly with goals including separation of administrative legis administrative

and legislative roles, addition of a six council member, creation of a council president role, term limits and updating antiquated code. We will open up a public hearing for the entire duration of this process and track public comment throughout. At the end of the 10 months, changes will be bundled into a repeal and replacement package for the Tonytown Charter and Code. These changes are anticipated to take it take effect after the 2027 election. So, we are not changing the rules midterm. The end goal is a government that functions effectively, not one where administrative and legislation administrative and legislation are in a constant combat. This is about clarity, roles, responsibilities, and productive oversight. Next up, one of the things I'd like to bring into the fold in the next couple months and into the fall would be a citizens academy. The idea here is to build an informed civic leadership and potential members for our boards, our commissions, and even our council. The idea is a six-month program to educate residents who want to be involved in city affairs. It will cover what the mayor does, what the council does, what the police department does, what the department of public works does, what it does, what commissions do, what's permissible under charter and code, how businesses come to town, and how elections work, and so on. In closing, again, this is a strong, ambitious, ambitious, and resident first approach. It is going to take a lot of time and is going to take a lot of action by not only myself, but by council. The state of the m municipality is strong. We've accomplished a lot over the last couple years. Expanded drug enforcement efforts, rebuilt the police department, added community services, reduced water rates, set the table for bypass work, supported commercial and industrial expansion, implemented traffic calming, supported water relief programs, worked towards modern signage and metered parking, modernized communications, and developed a strong pool of department heads and expanded and rehabilitated parks. And this is just the beginning. We will move fast and we will move with purpose. We will make the next four to 5 years count. We

are asking for something this town hasn't done before. Active deferral to protect residents while we secure the bypass. Not to stop progress, but to stop progress from coming at the cost of our safety in our neighborhoods. I'm asking for council's support and I'm asking for the residents support. And Tiny Town is open for opportunity, but not at the expense of those who live here. We are not Frederick. We are not Westminster. We are not Baltimore. Our residents didn't choose those places. They chose Tonny Town because it is uniquely Tony Town. and our job is to pro protect that and strengthen it. Thank you to our department heads, our staff and our residents who support this work. My expectations are high. The results we want are high and I'll put everything I have into making sure we achieve the results set for results that delivering those results. But I cannot do it alone. We are a team and we are going to and we are going to take back our future here in Tony Town. Thank you. Oh, thank you for the applause.

You're welcome. You're welcome. But again, that's my state of the municipality address. The idea here is one of the biggest focuses we're going to have is an active and aggressive pursuit of the bypass. And the first thing towards that is securing our easements that we need for it. Without the easements, there is no bypass. So, just be aware. Um, one of the items on here tonight is the deferral related to the bypass corridor and development. Okay.

You okay, man? I'm I'm in pain. Um so without further ado, we will entertain public comment pertaining to agenda and non-aggenda items for anybody who is here regarding to the uh council applications and consideration. That'll be in the new business section which we I'm going to warn you guys now. We got a little bit before we get there. So again, public comment pertaining to agenda non-aggenda items. Whoever wants to go first.

Good evening, members of the council. Mayor, um, Kelly Schaefer, Miller, 73 East Main Street, Westminster, Maryland, 21157. I'm not sure if the deferral is being proposed to be introduced tonight, but I have a few introductory comments in case it is up for introduction tonight. As most of you are aware, I represent uh Ward Communities who is processing the Mountain Brook development proposal. Um they are the contract purchasers of that property. They have been processing plans since 2022 related to Mountain Brook. So we're a little bit confused by the purpose of the deferral as it relates to that project because their project accommodates the bypass. Um the plans show a design for the bypass and they would construct the bypass over the entirety of their property. So I I would submit to you that their plans and allowing them to continue uh further the goals that you just stated in terms of securing the bypass and ensuring that it actually happens. Um, obviously we can't control property that other people own, but we are the contract purchasers of that property and that is a significant portion of the bypass that is shown on properties in that geographical area that are under corporate that are within the corporate limits for the town. Um so we would suggest that you take that into consideration um and looking at this proposed deferral and uh exempt that project from any proposed deferral such that it can continue moving in the process and accommodate the bypass as the plan has shown. Um so we will be continuing to remain active in your consideration of the deferral and this process as it moves forward. Uh I know that tonight is the beginning of that discussion and we anticipate that there

will be several additional meetings um and a public hearing at some point. So we will be participants in that but uh I will keep it to that tonight and um we appreciate your consideration. Thank you. Yep. And same thing it is up for introduction but it's same thing. It's the beginning of the conversation in regards to it. It isn't voted on for introduction tonight but it is up for introduction this week. Um so again over the next they can't adopt it either way tonight because it's an ordinance um or even Monday for instance but this is the start of a conversation regarding it essentially. Understood. Will there be a public hearing date release? Yeah there if when it goes up for approval we'll put a public hearing date up in regards to the deferrals. Okay. So perhaps the next council meeting there.

Yeah that's about when that's about when it would be. Okay. Um and again in in the proposed current deferral, it does have information um regarding to like DAR and again what what can be agreed to basically still continue um to go through that while also preserving again the idea of not exacerbating the problem before we're a able to actually examine doing the bypass. Um because that's that's really what we're trying to hit on is that it it doesn't make sense to exacerbate a problem if we're not able to fix the problem. And again, that's a that's a worry not only that I've had expressed to me by council members, but even the residents here in town. Um, and like I like I said, this isn't about stop and development necessarily. This is again trying to get everybody back to the table so we can secure the easements that we need for the bypass. And that's the end goal is that bypass.

Understood. Um, and sorry to be involved in the continuation of this discussion. Thank you. Thank you. Additional public comment regarding agenda or non-aggenda items. Can I ask a question? Yeah, I'm here. Can you call up to the mic? You have to come up to the mic, please. I mean, I can hear you, but I just need to know whether I we're talking about the economic development director. Can you come up to the mic, please? The agenda or do I speak now?

Uh, he's he's just ask he's just asking when he can talk about it. So, you can talk about it now or if you want to specifically talk about it when we get to the economic development update, which is number four on new business, you can sign up with Clara and she'll let us know to call you up during that time. Next up, we uh any additional public comment pertain to agenda or non-aggenda items. Seeing no movement, I am heading into consideration review. Do any council members need to pause for consideration or review tonight? Good. Um, yep. Not seeing anything. So, we are heading down to resolution, ordinances, and agreements. Introduction ordinance 01-2026, amendment to snow and ice removal. Um, so two things here for council. Our current code says that snow and ice will be removed within 10 hours of the secession of any snowfall. Um, that is very hard to enforce if there is any kind of ice or major snowfall. Um the ask here would be to extend it to a time frame of no less than 24 hours or again a reasonable time frame after that is indicated by the city in relation to the actual response efforts. Um and that is pretty much the only thing that is being changed in this section. Is there additional comments, questions, concerns by council regarding it?

The language of this does not it says within 24 hours. It doesn't say minimum. I think uh yesterday or the day before did they send out the updated? Yeah. what I'm seeing in front of me is not that. So that's why why I'm asking there. I know an updated email came out, but this says within 24 hours after the cessation is I'm looking at three. It's it's still within 24 hours. Yeah. Can we just change the language on that to make sure it's clear that the that the 24 hours is the minimum and then the reasonable time frame is after that 24 hours. Actually, the the well that's what it says, right? um within 24 hours after the secession of snowfall or a reasonable time frame of no less than 24 hours is indicated by the city.

I feel like I I actually have a problem with the reasonable time frame. Who determines that and what does that mean exactly? Is it you know when April comes is that a reasonable time frame or I I would think that it'd be similar to what happened with uh with this particular last storm where the word went out. Hey, we're we're putting 48 hours on this because people are trying to uh to deal with this. I I the point is I it needs to be specified. It can't it can't be left open-ended like that or anybody uh

what is reasonable for one person cannot is not necessarily reasonable for another person. So there needs to be some kind of guideline if there's a is there not more than 24 hours or a reasonable time frame not exceeding 48 hours whatever whatever you you decide to put in but just saying a reasonable time frame is indicated by the city that that that doesn't no one would ever have to shovel their walk.

Well I mean that's not true again if the city indicates what that reasonable time frame is. The issue there is is again if you don't leave it open-ended there is there's no room for actual there's no room for actual response in relation to bigger snowfall events. The point is you can't leave it open you can't leave it open-ended because a reasonable time frame for somebody might be when the weather's warmer and the snow melts. Well, it's not it's not based upon the person. It's based upon the city. It's indicated by the city. Yeah. What they determine is reasonable time frame. not the individual.

And it's kind of like uh and let's say this last snowstorm, right? So before uh before the snowstorm even happened um or it might have been the day after, Andrew, you know, came to me. He's like, "Hey, you know, our code says we need to start enforcing this 10 hours after um and he was kind of, you know, he was basically telling me there's no way that people are going to have this clear 10 hours after this after the event." Because again, we're we were still clowning. I don't disagree with that part. I think 10 hours is too short. But again, there there needs to be some kind of number there that say you can't go beyond this time unless unless it's improved by council if you want to say that. But I but again you just can't leave it open. You can't leave it open.

I think administration can figure that out for themselves.

That should fall to administration. I mean that's what we have to enforce. Um and again it's kind of the same thing is we we also have to make sure sidewalks get cleared. that is an obligation that we have as a city to at some point make sure those sidewalks get cleared. Um, so again, I think that would fall to not only the city manager, code enforcement officer, but even the mayor of what that time frame looks like. I mean, that's part of the reason why we have elected officials to make those kind of responses. Um, but again, I think council's role here is elevating what that minimum is. Um, and Jen or I guess Andrew is not here, but you know, I talk with Andrew, even Andrew indicated that 24 hours is pretty much the standard minimum that he sees across municipalities. Um, so again, that's why the 24-hour minimum, but I do think as indicated by the city again gives that leeway for us to actually respond. Jim,

just a suggestion as a possible alternative rather than as determined by the city. Perhaps it could be as uh directed through executive order and put that upon the you know, so it's on it's on paper essentially on on what that enforcement window should look like and then it it doing it by executive order gives it a little bit more of a um maybe a little more clarity. Yeah, I like that better. I think that's what's everybody think on that. Again, I think I think that basically does set it what it is. Um, so 24 hours unless stated otherwise by executive order of the mayor. Something along those lines.

That sounds good because then it automatically defaults to that 24. So yeah. Anybody have any additional No, I'm good. I misread it earlier. I'm good. Okay. Hear no additional comments. Jim, if you can or Jim and Claire, if we can just make sure we get that updated before Monday. Um, next up we have the fiscal year 2026 budget amendment number two. Jim, did you want to talk about this at all?

I can. Uh, the treasures put notes on most of the line items for you. I do want to just call to your attention the on the general fund budget the uh let's see moment please revenues expenditures printing And I think I did. Oh, there we go. On under streets, uh the snow removal figure is not is not final. Um we estimated that early in the um digging out process and we have not we did not spend $180,000 uh on the snow. Uh it was closer to and we haven't tallied everything up like overtime yet, but it was closer to a 100,000 than the 180.

So we can revise that number down probably. Um right now it gives us a little window for any additional snows to still have funds to take care of it. Um but it it could be probably brought down from that 180 figure. Right now, we're looking at about $100,000 above what was budgeted.

Could we uh and again I'll I'll open it up to council here in a second, but could we bring it down to what the original budget was for snow minus the storm if that makes sense. Again, I trying to recall what it was off the top of my head, but bring it down to that again that keeps us outside of the emergency for this current storm. Again, leaves us with what we had budgeted originally, right? Um it's We only are build for salt um annually. So, it's a little tough to to know yeah

to know for sure what we might spend um for the rest of the season. Um, but I can certainly work with the treasurer uh to have some figures for you by Monday that I'm not certain where we were percentage-wise on the snow removal before the storm hit. Yeah. So, we can we can massage that number a little bit and bring it down a bit. So that would result in taking a little bit less out of fund balance.

Council have any other alternatives that want to get a number maybe they have in their head. For me it seems I see a entry for the water. uh if we've had do we h have we achieved $10,000 donations or is that just an arbitrary figure that's plugged into the amendment that's basically just a placeholder have we had anybody that has contributed to the fund we haven't opened it up for contributions yet um so when we get to 18 day day uh legislation I'll go over updates on that but um currently we're waiting for another meeting with um oh my gosh human services program

HSP so we had one meeting we had a meeting with HSP in January Um, and again, it looks it looks like they indicated that they are willing to hold those funds and distribute those funds. Um, so again, the follow-up meeting will basically be hammering out what that looks like between our staff and their staff. That that is correct. There have been some changes in management there. Uh, that's delayed things a little bit. Uh, but they were are working on drafting an agreement uh to establish the fund. Yeah, because they had a swap like literally a couple weeks ago. Director. Yeah, their director swapped.

Yes. So again, that's that's also the update for the water relief program is we have another meeting that we need with HSP regarding it, but again, they've indicated that they're willing to hold and distribute those funds, but that $10,000 is basically just a placeholder for when those do start up. And again, that's a matching balance. Um, so again, that could even out closer towards the when the budget season closes, but that's essentially what half of what half of what uh because we did was it 20 for five a quarter, right? So 20. Yeah. So the the 10,000 is just to be able to cover in the event that we have quarter one and quarter two

is donated to the fund for the remaining the remaining half of the year. Yep. And it won't be spent unless monies are donate. It won't be uh right that the city's portion is matching. So if funds don't come into this new fund by other donations, the city doesn't have anything to match. The $10,000 is just a a cap of what we would match.

And then just to touch, um there's also the 10,000 for the newsletter there. Um, again that was that covers some of the initial printings that we had and then again starting what March is our last edition that goes out printed. Starting in April it will be a digital format but we do have people signed up for the printed version but currently it is much less than what we're currently printing. So any additional comments, questions, concerns on numbers on the snow removal? I'd probably keep it where it is just in case we've got other stuff at the moment. Um, it can be revised just cuz we're Yeah, I mean because Yeah, it can be revised anyways, but

at this point it's it's kind of it's kind of like the 10,000. It's a placeholder. So, plus I mean we have spent a chunk of it, but I'm saying that that way we're in we seem to be in an active pattern at the moment for for things. Looks like we got another little clipper thing going to happen on Friday. So, uh, uh, so yeah. So, I think I think we may want to keep that in there just to keep ourselves above water on that.

Yeah. I mean, again, I that's fine with me if council's fine with that as well. Um, because again, that's a number that can be adjusted when we go to the actual um finalization of FY26 budget when the auditor does the review and whatnot. Um, I do want to note that, you know, while the other groundhog might have said six more weeks of winter, the Tony Town Groundhog did not. We are we're good. Tony Town Groundhog was under threat. Again, it knew what it got itself into when it got caught. Can I be reminded what use of fund balance means? Is that the use of liquidity reserves or uh Yep, that is it. Yeah. Okay.

Basically straight out of reserves. Um, yeah. Any additional comments, questions, concerns? Hearing none, and proceed forward to the next one. Um, which is the bypass corridor development deferral. Um, so again, only 301 and text and whatnot. Um, the biggest thing that it's looking to accomplish here is basically a deferral on projects that are on the anticipated southern part of the bypass route. um couple different projects are caught up in this. However, again, there is a trying to remember where it is. Um there is an exemption um to be able to get out of it. Essentially, if you sign into a DAR with the city that you are not going to start construction until the city has secured its right ofways for easements of the bypass. Um because again, the goal here is that we need our easements. Without those easements, the bypass isn't really a real thing. Um, and the idea here is to put pressure along the corridor to be able to get our easements. The faster we get our easements, the faster everybody can go back to normal. Um, but again, we need to apply pressure and we need to be aggressive in it. Um, one of the number one the number one thing I've heard as I've met with uh multiple people along that area is was the city, you know, really serious about this bypass. um you know they've had elected officials coming to them for the last 40 years talking about it. Um and so far nobody's seemed particularly serious about it, but this is this is an example of that we are serious on it and we need the easements regarding it.

My only real suggestion would be um that for your exhibit A in here um it's a it's a placeholder. I was going to say, yeah, because it says southern bypass deferral area map and it it actually just has the the uh the east side. So, just a placeholder currently, but we'll have the full one when we go to the actual um

probably as we head into the adoption area, but we'll include that into the adoption part or again whenever we get it out, we'll send it to council for review. Um, but right now it does it does only show the southsoutheastern part of it, but the idea is Antrum Boulevard over to 194, 194 back over to 140 um through the Mountain Brook project and uh flow server. So again, lengthy um this is one thing that has been reviewed by legal. Um some of the suggestions in here are from legal to make sure again that there are no issues with the council actually um adopting or going through with this. Um again just be aware that this is more aggressive than the city has ever previously been in regards to this. Um but again if we are going to actually be serious about allevi alleviating traffic and actually getting into work on the bypass um this is the next step at least from my mind and proposal and that's after consultation with the city attorney or special counsel go any additional comments questions concerns regarding it hearing none proceeding forward amendment to section 193 vehicles and traffic. Oh, I don't remember what it was. I don't think I needed it, though. No, no, I don't need that. Um, okay. So, this is a draft ordinance regarding chapter 193, vehicles and traffic. Currently, um for anybody who is aware, we are facing an issue where we are having trailers, RVs, commercial vehicles parked along street roads, um that are causing issues getting through the streets, um congestion in the streets, and overall our code, you know, currently says that we do have the ability to tow them, for instance. Um

but towing them all is not realistic. We don't have the space for it. Um we also don't there's not many tow companies who are going to go out there and start to RVs for us. Um so what we're looking for here is a practical implementation and tool that we can use to effectively enforce the uh again new RVs, commercial vehicles, etc. Um any questions, comments, concerns from council? Um I had a couple on this. Um, in the past when I've heard about uh dealing with the with boots and things, they didn't fit on the larger vehicles. Um, so do we have a boot that actually functions for this?

I know Bob was looking into it. Um, I'm not sure what specifically is found thus far, but the goal is anything that we're going to find is to specifically target what is in this ordinance. So yeah, it isn't it isn't necessarily about regular um regular pedestrian vehicles. Again, the idea is commercial large commercial trailers, recreational vehicles on residential streets. So it's it's just it's something to be aware of that uh that that is a restriction on on a number of the boots that uh that seem to be out there is that they only work on on passengeriz cars. And when we've got like semisize vehicles floating around that uh if we need to make sure that we've got something that actually is workable for that.

So there's a couple different variations of boots nowadays as well. They have the boots that you actually can put on the windshield as well. And I know uh that's something TBD has looked at as well. But in the area that you know if this is um vehicles that we can't apply directly to the tire there are boots that go in the windshield essentially. I mean, Chief, did you have any anything you wanted to add in regards to it? Yeah, that's what I I figured you guys were. I just wanted to bring up the couple of complications that that we could run into just to be on the on the lookout for.

And and again, this is kind of the more reasonable take rather than trying to tow people because we we don't have the we don't have that impound lot space. Um, and again, I I don't think any of our guys want to try to start towing RV vehicles. So, and our tickets are what, only like 20 bucks or something like that.

The tickets related to them don't really cover the additional space that we need to be able to do that. And again, that's one thing council can explore is raising those. Um, in addition to this draft ordinance, council would have to adopt a resolution regarding the actual fees related to the boot. One minor thing, very minor, is that it doesn't seem like the um that boat trailers or boats are mentioned in this uh ordinance at all. And I could see that recreational boats and pontoon boats and jet skis and things like that should fall under this ordinance. I don't know whether that needs to be included or not. I would think it would fall under any trailer. Yeah,

because it because it went under the definition of trailer in uh in A2. Um it just says trailer means any trailer, semi-trail, and then it just gives a few more extras. I mean, we could we could broaden it, but I'm going to say you can still apply that in the way that with similar to conveyance for that.

Yep, that's what I mean. This that's broad enough to where you could apply that to a trailer towing a or having a boat on it, for instance. Um Jim, what what is your thoughts on that? This will be U A one. Oh no, A2 section one. I think we can may need to modify that a little bit. The code, the current code has um language that talks about any towed vehicle. So we might want to use something like that. any towed recreational equipment maybe

or or any I mean if we wanted to apply to trailers in general you could say as the That probably would cover it all and be good.

Yeah, that sounds good to hear. Any additional comments, questions, concerns by council. Just a quick question about the administrative hearing. That's the city doing that, right? Yep. Is there a a particular committee that will probably there's a there's a process for um for basically an appeal if I'm remembering correctly. This might be zoning. I can't remember if it applies to regular code as well, but that an appeal of a citation goes to you right Jim is the next level of it essentially. And technically that would be

generally with with code enforcement that's appealable to the city manager uh within by writing within I believe it's 7 days of of notice of the violation. So it's it's technically not a an administrative hearing. It's it's a a city manager decision to either affirm or or contradict the notice of violation. So that that may be able to be streamlined a little bit, but um you know otherwise we probably need to establish the details on the hearing. Yeah, I was if the the fee is only like 20 bucks, why are we going to have a hearing on that? Well, it I was going to say the the fee wouldn't be 20 bucks.

It is I think it I think you said it is right now though. Like for the ticket we probably change it, but like Yeah, I think the fee is is minimal. Like why have a hearing on it? Why not? Like I have a resolution to go with this that essentially starts it at a $50 installation and then a $15 a day cural essentially. Um I think if I'm I thought you had to have and our code allows it is the appeal process. So again, maybe we don't need the hearing part in there or this appeal part because I think our code naturally allows it. So,

um, I just I the the the the hearing hearing appeal area was a little a little vague for what what I was looking just just in my my going over it. I I think it was fine enough for it to get introduced, but

but I want I kind of wanted to hammer hammer that out a little bit as to to how that would work just because I was I was trying to come up with the scenarios of okay, we put a boot on and then they request a hearing about the boot. Now we do we take the boot off while we're waiting for the hearing or do we do So it there's it seemed like there we need to we need to to hammer out a few details in this in this section. No, it's it not insurmountable by any stretch, but uh but it just seemed like we might need to hammer out some details. Yeah. I mean, even if the if it needs to the ordinance needs to be revised later, like it's fine. Yeah. The idea was just to get an introduction on this so it can start the time.

Yeah. Um, I was mostly just curious how how how something like that would work conceptually because

yeah, the hearing is really just coming before the administrative officer and basically you it doesn't have to be like a hearing like this for instance. Um, but again, we can tighten that up and we'll get some we'll get some additional drafts at the council before next month's meeting. Um, and again, if you guys have specific specific ideas as far as the appeal process or anything like that, don't hesitate to send them over. Um, again, I'm trying to think that we do have a specific appeals process that is labeled out in the code. Um, I'll have to double check on that, but again, this is mainly just to get into the introduction phase. So, any additional comments, questions, concerns regarding that from council? Hearing none, I am proceeding forward. Ordinance 05-2026 bees and data center development deferral. Um, again, this is more of a getting ahead of potentially something so it doesn't land on our planning commission before council has actually had a chance to look at or even before our planning commission has had a chance to look at. Um, again, nothing has come to Tonytown yet in regards to a battery energy store system, storage system or anything like that, or even a data center. The idea is just to get ahead of it so our planning commission isn't somehow trying to clean it up if it does get introduced. Um, and again, this deferral,

thank you.

And and again, this deferral is to give council time to consider it. It's to give our staff time to consider recommendations. Um, and this isn't something we want to just try to throw together because there's a couple different we things in the weeds here. The county's working on their own deferral regarding this. The state's working on um I I don't know if the states currently work on any preemptions regarding this. Um, but the idea is is anything that we want to put um, you know, when talking with staff and whatnot, we want to put something into effect that even if the state does come with a preeemption, it doesn't just null and void what we've already put into place. Um so we're trying to account for that and again the the county itself has put an um deferral into place regarding these. Um the only reason um and I had talked with the county before they had introduced their stuff regarding this. Um but the idea is let's say the county rescended and then somebody was like okay well I want to try to get something in real quick to plan in zoning before we have anything on our books. Um this is again the backup in case the county's deferral goes under. Um so again it's u you know legal has reviewed it. They had their own recommendations. This is a very um rough draft copy um because I will tell you legal's primary focus was the uh development deferral currently. So, while legal did give some recommendations regarding this, they're still reviewing it and I know me, the city manager, um, special attorney Golo have gone back and forth on what this language will ultimately look like. Um, but the idea this this one is solely to give council time that nothing can be put into the process while we're still trying to figure out what to do with it at the city level. So, questions, comments, concerns? term is for roughly six months and is this going to be worked on primarily by city staff or is this going to be a a P&Z project?

So I think city staff are going to come up with some of the original recommendations to planning and zoning and then planning and zoning will conduct their own hearing, give recommendations to council and then council will receive what those recommendations were and what city staff has worked on essentially.

So it's going to go through a couple different people before it uh during this deferral process. Any additional comments, questions, concerns regarding this hearing? None. Proceeding forward. So, you guys might remember the amendment to fences and walls. Um, since we ran into some hiccups in January, unfortunately, this needs to be reintroduced. So, apologies there, but are we introducing? Um, not tonight, but Monday. Um again it's the same ex Jim it's the same exact language as u the original introduction right just the date changed for the public hearing

that's correct

okay um so again same language you guys saw when we made the original introduction um we just have to reintroduce and yep any additional comments questions concerns by councel so next up we have charter resolution term limits amendment commitment to terms of office. Um, this is something as part of the 180day legislation. Um, and again, this was this is so we can hammer this out before we start the review, the monthly reviews. Um, so the idea here is 8-year term, two full terms for mayor, a total of eight years, and then three for council, a total of 12 years. In the event that nobody runs for an office and there is a vacancy, the charter already speaks that council fills that vacancy. However, what this also reads out though is that if no if no person um ran for office, the council can fill that vacancy regardless of term limits. So, what that allows is again if if there's just nobody willing to step up, council can return somebody who has previously served essentially. Um, and again, this would start counting. The current iteration of this would start counting with the 2027 election. So, it doesn't post date, it doesn't back date, nothing like that. Um, so again, it's nothing to worry about currently. Maybe they do in the future though. And again, this is a this is an introduction and this won't see like an this for the introduction of the charter resolutions. They can be introduced and sit through the cycle for a very long time. They don't have like a time limit like the ordinances. Um, so again, we're just trying to get an idea of what this should look like when we go to do the charter and code review. Um, so people, everybody's good with what these terms should look like. This would be what we'd include in the draft version of the charter part when it gets to this part.

Well, obviously I would be opposed to any kind of term limitations. So, I've been serving the town for over 35 years. Uh it also uh would eliminate any third term mayor from uh wanting to run for mayor in 2027. And uh no we're in the start it starts in 277. Everybody's grandfathered in. Yeah. It starts counting in 2027. Everybody has a slight in your in your case, you'd still have three council terms and two mayor terms if you wanted to run. So you could potentially serve in office for another 20 years.

Yeah. The the idea was this for this not to immediately exclude anybody.

Well, the um idea of term limits is is bogus anyway. People elect the people that are going to serve them. We shouldn't dictate to the public who can serve and who cannot serve. We need to find the best qualified individuals regardless of how long they've been in service. And I don't think that term limits accomplish anything except uh feed the woke agenda. So we we do pretty good job feeding the woke agenda here. But this is this is something that just is beyond uh need. No need for term limits. People determine the term limits. So, one thing I'll say as for why I'm an advocate for term limits is um the longer you are a sitting mayor, the easier it is the easier it is to win subsequent mayor elections. Um

I don't agree with that. And there's there's incumbent power. I mean, it's not impossible to overcome. I don't think that's true at all. Um I think the uh people judge on the on the merits. Very unfortunately very few people vote in our zillia elections. That's the that's the biggest travesty. But the fact is that the people who are interested do vote and the people who are whose needs are being served as citizens in this town have the right to make that decision. Not an arbitrary change in the city code.

Well, I will say for instance, when I ran for mayor, one of the things I ran on was term limits. Um I think actually if I remember the slate when they ran, same thing. And they ran term limits, too. So, yes, I I guess if you're in McGomery County or Prince George's County, it might appeal to you, but I don't think it's appropriate for our community. Entrenched power leads to stagnation. Stag stagnation leads to decline. Period. Full stop. Happens everywhere. You need change. That's for the people to decide. That's for the people to decide, not for us to decide. We're not limiting people's ability to decide. We're just saying every once in a while you should have some new leadership come in to move things forward.

Sometimes new leadership is good, sometimes it's not. And sometimes the French leadership is good and sometimes it's not. Goes both ways. Works both ways. That's right. So it's up to the people to determine what kind of leadership they want, not us, which we're not limiting that. Certainly you are. Only limit you want. You can have say you can have somebody coming in with the same ideas and policy continuity and and continuity and all things. It's just changing the people. It's all it's doing. Well, I'm not going to bel labor the conversation. You know how I feel about this and you know how I vote for it. Sure. Yeah. I mean, we're going to agree to disagree here.

Yeah. Again, same thing I'd say is multip multiples of us ran for this u ran on this specific thing which was term limits. Um I don't think there's any detriment um to changing of faces and again this isn't something that somehow automatically disqualifies uh previous people who have served. Again it's this beginning count for 2020. Well unfortunately and and our examples over the last four years have proven this. The the effect the ability to get people to volunteer to run for public office is a challenge in itself. and uh which is why there's a mechanism for that. This will restrict it even further. No, there's a mechanism.

Be aware that the if we put these term limits in the difficulties we've had in the past of getting people to run is going to be magnified. And the mechanism for that is that people can be reappointed if they're their term limited out. Yeah. Again, no matter what, you're able to fill you're able to fill the seat. And I I I'd say more I've said I've said my piece.

I'd say more people are turned away from an entrrench by an entrenched candidate than you know. One of the biggest complaints I heard about was the good we the good old boys club needed to get broken up and if you have an entrenched power that's just how it's always going to be and I think what so most of our council is made up of first term or first time elected officials um again I don't think there's an issue with people stepping up I disagree with that. Okay. Any additional comments, questions, concerns by council? Hearing none. Proceeding to the next ordinance, which is amendment to removal of office. So, this is an interesting one to try to tackle. In the current charter, people cannot petition out an elected official without council first censuring them. And council currently has the authority to remove elected officials. So, to give you a backstory on this, um, when I was first elected to office, for instance, I was basically told, you know, get in line or we're going to remove you from office. Um, again, council shouldn't be able to decide who gets to sit on council. The elected the electorate gets to decide that. Um, you know, if people decide, hey, we don't want that guy anymore. They should be able to petition them out of office or to again, you don't even immediately get petitioned out of office. You get petitioned to recall. Um, and then you still have a chance that they're recalled to make your case of why you shouldn't be recalled. Um, but it shouldn't have to wait for a council censure. For instance, let's say you have a council that um you know they've sat up here for 10 years together. Um what are the chances of them actually centurying one another? Realistically

doesn't happen. Well, it certainly did happen. It's happened several times in my administration. Did you guys sit on councel with Frasier very long? That's right. So they they censured uh they censured council member Frasier but he was a new face to council at the time. Um

so and again I I would argue he didn't act any different than to what I saw in the last or in the first two years of my office for instance. Um, you know, I got, again, I'm not going to delve into too much specifics, but I got basically contacted to me saying that council members are trying to bring up charges on me to apply the charter to remove me from office. Oh, this is this is for your self-preservation. Is that what this for?

It's to prevent it from happening in the future. Nobody should have to go through that. is to prevent council from waging war against mayor or other council members that they don't like because they an election didn't go the way they wanted it to go. The only people who should have the ability to put somebody into office or even take them out of office is the electorate. Um there's a clause in here for basically and and one breath you say that and the other breath you say you want term limits. It doesn't make any sense at all. Mayor, two different issues.

There are two Yeah, they're definitely two different issues. Um this is actually removing an elected person from office. Um and again it still allows the removal uh for a final criminal commission related to their office essentially. So again council can remove somebody if they are convicted related to a crime of their office. Um so is this replacing uh what is that subsection B of C519?

Yep. And it's changing the petition part of it. The only thing I I forgot when um I was looking at this was there should be a provision in there that says, you know, only a recall petition on you can only be started once every six months. Um it has to be turned in by like 90 days, for instance. So someone can't start a recall petition on you and have it out for four years. Um or again start a recall petition on you. The object of that is to make the process difficult to to achieve because when the citizen elects elects somebody to council

or to the mayor, it should be very difficult for to turn that citizens to turn the citizen's will away. This and that's why there's the 25% signature threshold. So that 25% Well, see, see that's another thing. 25% signature threshold. There's never been an election we've ever held that's had 25% of the electorate vote. And that's that's kind of the idea, right? Is if 25% of our eligible voters say that you should be petitioned out of office, that's double hated. That's double the amount of people who voted in the election. Essentially, they they're saying you should probably be out of office. But again, why?

Well, again, the the any charter resolutions has to go before the people. So, yeah. But that's I mean why I have every confidence in the citizens of Tony Town. I'll put it that way.

But why should the people have to again if they have to get currently it's 20% signature threshold again you're still looking at um you're still looking at over a thousand signatures it's like 1,300,400. So, let's say you get a the current way that this is set up is is that even if somebody wanted to get a petition, even if they wanted to get 1,400 signatures, which is double the amount of our highest almost almost double the amount of our highest election in the town, they still can't petition you out of office until council gives gives you the okay to petition them out of office. Um, and again, depending on your council makeup, that could never happen. Um, and again, I know you guys I know you guys censored, Council Member Frasier, for instance, but again, some of the stuff that I saw in my first two years, uh, I would say equaled, if not surpassed, um, some of what I saw from his term.

And we weren't there. Can you help me understand uh B1B? Um, first off, I think these are all ands and and and not ors. So each one of these uh sections A, B, and C need to apply. Am I understanding that correct? Yep. So So the council does retain an ability to remove an elected official, but basically under some of the more extreme circumstances of that elected official actually being convicted of a crime related to in their official capacity, council doing an active. Why is it only uh the official capacity? like why is why why wouldn't it be for for other potential like high crimes or whatever?

I mean you could put other potential high crimes of character maybe. Um again I am also a little bit concerned about there there being no no provisions in here for potential like serious ethical violations or or you know serious criminal activity, right? Like if if we get a a mayor council person who's a drug lord or something like that, right? that something like that comes out, right? Like I feel like we should have a mechanism. The state does have a provision for that. Essentially, it it will automatically remove you from office. Um I can't remember what the specific crime threshold is, but the state it's been a while since I looked at it, but the state will basically remove you from office if you've committed a grievous crime essentially. Okay.

Um so the state preempts that. Okay, got it. Um, I mean, should we have anything in here for like any serious like ethical transgressions?

My argument would be that again, ethics is an appointed board of is an appointed board by the mayor, for instance. Um, and again, not trying to think of a way that people could game the system, but let's say you you have a you have an ethics board that likes you, but doesn't like a council member. um and they convict that council member or an ethics board that likes the council member so they don't convict him for instance even if again he for sure is in the wrong of the ethics violation um I think the idea is if a court has convicted you I mean you've been convicted

oh no I'm I'm not saying I'm not saying remove the um you know crime arising like I'm I'm totally fine with that I'm just wondering if if there should be any other inclusions uh outside of of you directly related to official duties or actions taken in an official capacity. Um that's that's just what I'm trying to game out. Like every everything else in here is basically fine and it makes sense to me.

Yeah. My take on it is again if you're at that point where you've done something so egregious, I think you're going to have a recall petition against you to begin with if you haven't already resigned at that point. Um, I don't know if our ethics board is at the same capacity of a conviction by like the judge or jury. And that that's kind of my I can see it being gamed out in ethics to then allow counsel to remove somebody. But that makes sense. That's that's kind of what I'm getting especially especially if it's the mayor trying to like oust a council person or something like that. Yeah. As you said like mayor uh appoints those positions. So, I'm not trying to weaponize ethics committee. And it's kind of the same thing, you know, let's say we don't need any more of that.

Let's say an old mayor appointed the majority of it. Um, new people don't like, new mayor, same thing. Yeah. Um,

then again, it's u it's not to take away from ethics because technically if you if ethics has found you guilty of a crime related to your office, you're more than likely heading to some kind of court. Um, but Again, that's my that's at least my take on it. Um is it doesn't limit the council still has the ability in a serious grievance situation or again related to the office. Um and there is some state stipulation regarding um can't remember what the state there's there's a specific part where the state will automatically oust you from your seat essentially. Um I don't remember what the criteria for that is.

I don't remember either. Um, but it's kind of the same thing. Again, if it's something that the voters find so egregious that they can't live with, I mean, that's why they have the petition. Um, and I think the real thing here is again the ability to petition without the censure. Um, because again, that means that people do have the ability to hold their elected officials accountable if they are not holding themselves accountable essentially. Yeah. Yeah, I mean I I'm reading the the just cause provision and I mean to me it it does look a little bit well it does it doesn't really define it thoroughly. Um even in our current section um you know one of the arguments I heard is that it doesn't it doesn't say you actually have to be convicted or anything. You just have to be charged.

Yeah. And again I'll be honest with you a court's going to turn that away anyways. But um again, it's ridiculous to and again thinking of the time when it was put in, the idea was to have the ability to take a specific member of council off the council. Um but council shouldn't be weaponized against each other just because they don't like the results of an election or again what uh no what the elected what the elected officials working on for instance because again then it allows them to apply pressure on that individual or that mayor for instance.

No I mean that that's corruption. Yeah. So any additional comments, questions, concerns by council? hearing none. Proceeding forward. City manager report. Jim,

Jim Phill.

Okay. It's uh pretty short this month, which is good since we had a lot of other things on the agenda. So, we already talked about the fences and walls amendment as far as uh charter and code updates. Um, so we're still chipping away at the site plan chapter. Uh, we do have a first draft together. I'm hoping that we can get something to you next month at least in draft form, maybe not ordinance form. Uh but some of the things that are in there is uh creating a simplified site plan so that a project that say doesn't have storm water management requirements uh doesn't have to go through the entire uh three-stage process that we've got right now. And um also rather than the planning commission having the ability to wave the preliminary plan where no new streets are done and no new subdivision is involved. Uh rather than making that discretionary uh the the revisions are proposing that for that type of a project we would just go right from concept to final and just eliminate the preliminary plan step alto together. Uh so hopefully, as I said, we'll have a draft before you next month on that. Uh as far as the Roberts Road Broad Street project, uh the paving issue that we've had, uh little movement on that. Uh the paving subcontractor, we we anticipate meeting with them in the near future. Uh we've been the special counsel Gullo has been working with uh the bond company uh that has made the paving subra subcontractor whole uh based on the statement that they completed the work and um to satisfaction. So they were made whole when the primary contractor went bankrupt. um but they didn't um disclose

I guess that there was warranty work that needed to be done. So some movement on that finally um and uh as I said hopefully we'll be meeting with uh representatives from the paving contractors. Uh lastly uh the bid opening for the Memorial Drive water service reconnections was on the 23rd of January. We got four bids and uh there's a recommendation in your packet this month. Um, so hopefully we can award that on Monday night. And that's all I have unless there are questions uh council has for me. Any questions from council related to the city manager's report?

Uh, I don't know that it's not on this report, but uh I am curious if there are any updates on the street specs. We haven't done it yet. Okay, got it. We did want to get some input from the planning commission. Uh there's been a lot of discussion at planning commission regarding street widths and parking and so on. So uh and a spirited discussion

everybody happy with this um you know some some favor wider streets uh for parking and for ease of emergency equipment. Uh we we are aware of course wide streets tend to increase vehicle speeds. So, it's sort of contrary to the goal of having people drive slower through the city. Um, but with narrow streets comes, you know, a restriction in parking. Um, I think cost increases, too.

Well, certainly. Yes. So, wider streets, right, there's more storm water management and then more costs associated with that as well as for when we do have repaving projects that considerably adds to the cost as well. So, um, but we did we did want to get get some input at least from the planning commission. They, you know, obviously council has the final word on it. Uh, but we typically when there's anything related to uh development and construction, we usually give the planning commission a chance to have some input for it. Yeah, I know you guys have had a really full agenda for quite a while. So, yes. Yeah, they have been busy.

Yeah. Any additional comments, questions, concerns regarding the city manager report hearing? None. Proceeding forward to the department reports. Jim, was there anything additional? Uh, no. Unless unless there are questions, I can certainly try to have answers for you by Monday if I can't answer anything tonight. Any questions regarding departmental reports? Hearing none. I'm proceeding forward. Thank you, Jim. I'm proceeding to old business. Again, we just talked about this approval provisions to this general specifications for street and storm water management facilities construction. Wait,

I can add on that that the engineer has finished reviewing uh to make sure that all the um model numbers and manufacturer information that that all has been updated. That was one of the things that was pending when we talked about this a couple months ago. That that effort is done. Yeah, I remember talk talking about that part. Um, again, mainly waiting to see what the planning commission's feedback is and then we'll talk about it council councilwise. So, anything else, Jim, that you had on it before I proceed? No, thank you.

Okay. Uh, proceeding forward to the, uh, welcome signs. Oh, actually, that might have been that paper that I dropped. Um, so the welcome signs, if I remember correctly, the uh, general cost for an electric one was about $70,000. Is that still council's uh you know is that still council's prerogative that they want to go forward with the electronic billboard signs versus a um static sign?

I think at the very least we need to plan for it even if we don't have an electric section at when it's built. It needs to be ready for an electric section to to be put in there if we're if we're having to uh to scrape money together. Um, I do agree that we need a real welcome sign on the other end of town, but uh, if the if the sticking point becomes not having the LED portion of the sign, then I think we just need to make sure that it's set up for it and so we can in the future essentially.

Yeah. So, we're planning to have this particular setup for uh for LED signage and we'll do that next year or or or when I mean the it may be an answer in sol in search of a problem. But well, you just want to make sure that we can iterate to it if if if need be. You can always go with the the banner part two until we get like ID section. That's good.

Because honestly, like sometimes there's electronic signs like I I can't tell you how many times I have to drive by the elementary before I can actually see the electronic like what's going on, the dates. I have to pass it like three or four times before I read it. But so I think at least it needs a like placeholder is fine, but like a banner would be nice

on that end of town. I'd pass it every day. So what we'll do on the admin side is we'll prepare a figure with one that has a general welcome sign without the without it already iterated into it and but again the ability to and then one where it has them iterated in um and council can decide what they when we go to the budget season and even the C because that's even going to be maybe even a CIP project um is what again where they want to fund that and when. Um but again we can at least start working towards the general welcome signs and we can implement the actual electronic part as uh as we're able to funding wise. That sounds good with again we'll present both so council can make that decision. Um but we'll we'll work towards preparing both and uh we'll start working on the admin side of what where those locations look like. Um so again we'll again if that's council's direction we'll go that way then.

Yeah. Sound good? Yep. Um, next up, parking meters. Again, just kind of ask council to really mole on the idea of how much it would cost to implement those new systems. Um, again, enforcement wise, a lot better. I think you're going to have more u actual traffic customer-wise as well. Um, again, the the parking meters themselves, the coin operated kind of antiquated at this point. Um, I think if I remember the quotes, um, one was in the 60 range, one was in the 70 range, but the 70 range one actually costs less over time due the subscription fees and management. Um, and I can have them resend what those two out are out. Um, but again, if council if council wants to head in the direction of that kind of automated system where it is, people come over it, they park on it, that's how we're reading it and go away from the coin operated ones. Um, again, we can start preparing those for contract presentation.

Yeah, that council wants to. Yes. Sounds good. We'll start preparing that. Jim will prepare that for March. Let's go ahead and try to get actual contracts from people in regards to it. Yeah, I got you. I got you. Now you're muted. You're muted. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let you on. See you talking. Don't hear anything. Sorry. We do have actual proposals from those those two firms, the two packets, right? Yeah, it it's been a couple months. So, we'll recirculate those. Okay. Um Yeah. Yeah, we'll go ahead and recirculate those then. That works probably somewhere.

Um Okay. Um up next. Now, I got to find out where I put this. Um you think that was what went over? No shot. Now, this might be it. Um, 180day update. I do have updates regarding just about all the items. I just got to remember where I put the piece of paper. Maybe that was what you dropped. No, there's no way I wouldn't do that. I'm starting to think I might have did that. Just walk around the table. Go get it.

My back is on fire. You don't even You don't even understand. Oh, nope. Here we are. See, I would have walked over there for nothing. Um okay so on the 60 days um again one of the first things we had was street street spec specifications um again engineers reviewed them wait for PNC comment next up funny commitment and framework for useful advertising supporting to local newspaper to promote regional journalism um currently we have the newsletter that's in publication um as far as the actual paper goes they've been having trouble with actually locating local funding um again if council's prerogative is to kind of seed fund that we can go in that direction um just be aware if I remember correctly it's a it's a decent little chunk of money to when they do put it out but again if council is willing to contribute um some seed money I can come back on Monday with what that would look like but that's up to council if they feel the news newsletter is adequate in lie of the in lie of a actual circulating newspaper. Um anybody have any feedback in regards to that? would you like to because again they've been they've been having trouble getting any kind of regional funding from businesses in regards to actually getting it started. Um

I mean I think the newsletter's been doing great. like if people seem happy about it, for our purposes, the newsletter is probably a more economical use of of money than than trying to uh to seed a newspaper cuz it I mean it sucks for some people, but newspapers are on their way out and the Washington Post just fired

twothirds of their staff or something like that uh today. one it but a chunk of their staff went out today. Um so it's it doesn't seem like we probably should chase that. That's just that's just my opinion. Anybody else? I'm indifferent.

I'm pretty indifferent as well. I'll come back with what a seed what a seed money would look like on Monday. and again ask the same question. Um, but again, I'll say I haven't heard I've heard I've only heard good things about the newsletter, so I haven't heard a like a stronger demand. So, um, up next, evaluation of city attorney requirements. Again, we took care of that in May. Um, we still do have the city attorney job posted out, by the way. Um, special counsel Golo is currently reviewing all of our legal stuff until that role is filled. um establishing a main street committee framework. Um again, probably looking at that ad hoc economic vitality. Um and we'll probably do we'll probably spin it off as far as what the um actual DHCD framework is requiring. The idea is at the end of the 2-year commitment of us attending the classes and everything like that is for it to be spun up into its own nonprofit status. Um so that is the goal of even what we're doing on the admin side. Um, but I'll tell you, I I don't think it makes sense to try to do just try to start up a main street committee and hope it gets its footing again. Um, again, every every time it is, it seems to end the same exact way. Um, so again, the idea is kind of ad hoc economic vitality. Um, and if we can spin that into some main street focus as well, um, you know, we'll present that to council as it as it forms up. But I have talked with with a couple different individuals. Um the idea is to get kind of a broader representation, not just strictly Main Street business rep representation, but again residents. Um even my goal is to hopefully have representative from the Chamber of Commerce on that board to give feedback as well. Um so again, I'll let council I'll give announce an update on council in hopefully March in regards to what that main street looks like. Um but me,

the city manager, and uh the executive admin assistant, uh McKenzie, we are we started attending the DHCD required classes in January. Um, so it's a one once a month class with homework and I think our next one's in like two weeks. So we're doing that, learning what all they want from the program. And like I said, the first thing you kind of notice the first day we're in there and everybody's talking about their main streets is everybody's main street situation is different. Um, you know, some were able to leverage rivers going through their towns. And one of the feedbacks you first heard is, well, I don't have a river going through my town. You know, what what does that mean for me? Um, so start digging. I listen the train tracks converted into a river. You could have a draw bridge.

You could draw. I agree. Um could have otter like Pokémon. Actually, the otter went bye-bye.

Unfortunate. Um next up, charter language regarding term limits. That was in today's acquisition for equipment to weigh and stop trucks. There's an initiative being started in the spring by TPD in regards to that. Um, so again, our officers will be kind of shadowing the Carol County officers as they uh do some of their initiatives in regards to that to see what we need to actually carry out that mission. Um, and as we talk about some of the consolidation of offices, one of the things that was brought up is the area that we're looking at might be the perfect area to conduct some of those services essentially. Um, so we'll give more of an update on that, but again, there's an initiative scheduled for spring in regards to truck weighing. um draft legislation for election reform. Um there's a there is a draft in regards to the actual like um campaign finance and everything like that. When we get to the actual part of it as we're going through the code, we'll present what that draft looks like. Um again, the idea is to cut down, I would say, on the amount of repetitive form submitts. Um, I don't think we're looking to change too much on what's, you know, what how you're allowed to donate or anything like that. Um, but to kind of clarify some of that language. Um, you know, it's kind of what we saw in the last election. If you're going to have an authority line, maybe you got to maybe you should specify how big it's supposed to be. Um, or not, you know, and if you don't, then you probably can't force how big the authority line is. But again, there's some stuff that we probably need to speak to so it doesn't get ridiculous. Um, next up, training plan and budget for committees. This will be worked on as part of the commission review of the additional ad hoc committees. Um, one of the things when talking with Andrew, for instance, is I would like the department heads to take on what that looks like for their specific committees. Um, because for instance, Andrew is going to have more of an idea of how he would want that board to be trained up and the information that they have. Um so again

as we expand those commissions for the department and the liaison um and as I present those ad hocs to council my goal is to have the respective department head essentially overview what they want what they want those committees trained on. So that is in the works and that'll be part of the the ad hoc committee creations um creation and funding mechanism for the water relief program. um again created or awaited an additional meeting with HSP. Um the first meeting again indicated that they are willing to take on that and disperse it. We just have to have an additional meeting to kind of hammer that out. I think we're still on track unless Jim has a different opinion on this being a quarter 1 2026 being available for quarter one quarter 1 2026 billing. Um for reference, this bill that just went out was quarter 4 of 2025. So just just so everybody's aware that yeah

that's still the target.

That's still the target. Sounds good. Um next up proposal to separate administrative and legislative powers six council member designate mayor pro 10 presiding presiding officer of council which would be a council president role. Um so again same thing here that'll be part of that uh charter and code review and the idea would be for that to be implemented after the 2027 election. So again, we're not changing roles, titles, and responsibilities midstream. It'd be that start of the new council meeting essentially. Um, and again, that way everybody can know what they're also what they're also signing up for as they're running for office. Um, up next, ordinance to establish chart review committee. Um, again, I will say if we were to go that route, I don't think we get I don't think we get anything respectively done in a timely manner. Um, I will say opening it up for public hearing at every meeting for 10 months. I mean, that gives people the opportunity to come out and talk about what the specific sections are. Um, so again, unless council has a different perspective on that, I think having the citizen advisory board annually like review code or charter for things that need to be changed and then make suggestions, that would be a way to go. But having them in the initial charter encode repeal and replace that could take a while and that's my only worry with the committee process. But again the idea is to separate into 10 basically fragments present those 10 fragments over the next 10 months. Um the idea is hopefully right after that Monday meeting council will have the first segment to start reviewing get critique in by the next workshop and the workshop would have a presented draft of whatever suggestions had been brought up.

Okay. I was going to say yeah on on that what uh what we're doing is closer to what I had envisioned I know we we same okay um street interconnectivity and sidewalk plan um again I talked about that as part of the what the revenue from the speed camera would look like the idea is to finish up some of that connectivity that we have with the sidewalks um one of the bigger projects and it's going to require getting an easement across a property that isn't within city limits currently but the idea getting Carol Vista connected by a sidewalk path um I feel is important. Again, they're currently they're running in the street or right off of it to get into city limits to do their running or even walking. Um

not just a couple years ago was that lady hit too there. So, I think that would definitely help alleviate any issues. And I will say if we uh if we go to the respective property owner um and we're asking for the easement to do that sidewalk um my ask for council would be probably and even for the staff would be we clear that sidewalk until there's actually something developed along along it. Um, so because the city sidewalk that we clear, so whoever we're asking for that easement going across the property that doesn't have anything on it currently isn't responsible for clearing that sidewalk because I think that would be kind of a non-starter for them entertaining the idea of a sidewalk essentially. You know, why would they if that's something more they have to maintain that if if everybody get what I'm kind of going with?

You're saying the city's responsible for for maintaining it basically.

Yeah. For that portion until something's built alongside of it. Um, so we can have an agreement for that as we get to it. Um, ordinance establishing public safety committee. Again, that'll be part of those ad hocs. Same thing situ citizen advisory board. Um, we'll put them in ad hoc format, get them started, and then we'll present to council again what what their mission looks like, what they're doing um for official adoption as an ordinance. Um, so the so we already started the transition to emergency dispatch with services with Carol County. Um, we've been going back and forth with Carol County currently. We actually just got a a re-up quote from uh what was what are they called out there? What's the service?

Keystone.

Keystone. Yep. So, we got a we got a new quote from Keystone regarding what that transition looks like to the actual software and program. Um because the last call we had was from a year ago. Um so, we got that new quote today. Again, we're waiting for the county to say a yay or a nay. Um they're currently in a back and forth of whether they want to do whether they need to add another dispatcher or not. Sheriff's department is saying no. County officers are saying yes. Um but when I talk with the commissioners so far seems like everybody's on board to getting us there. It's just going through the process of what they're looking at. So that is in the works and has continued to be in the works. Um establishing a criminal investigator. Um when talking about the chief, again, this is going to be a manpower thing. um and more likely deferred until later until we feel we have the adequate manpower to do both the street coverage and um a criminal investigator position. But the idea would be to eventually have that capability within the city um because that does expand the resources that we have locally preliminary recre uh recreation community center plan. Um me and the city manager have talked a little bit about this. Um actually back during the 2000s there was a plan to refurb the uh haunted barn crearyy into a recreation type center. Um so we kind of redug out that plan and again something needs to be done with that building. Um it's either a demolish or we need to refurb it. My suggestion to be council and one of the things I'm going to include in the CIP for how hopefully for council approval would be a refurb and a rehab of the building to something productive um similar to the lines of what was originally thought of which would be a recreation and green space on that property. And that would serve for both again that main street area and the recreation center part. Um yeah, again, one of the biggest problems with that recreational part is we don't have like a an abandoned middle school or an abandoned high school. We don't have just a big building to give to somebody essentially to do that salary restructuring. Um there's going to be a

proposal to council for the first half of the base salary restructure for TPD. Um, so Westminster sits at about 62, looking to bring that up to 60 on the town side. Um, that remains as competitive for the local area. Um, again, we're not as big as Westminster, so I'm not going to try to match them directly. Um, but the idea is to present to council a first half of that um, and the mid-year budget, the second half, and the FY27 budget. So, to kind of ease ease the budget pain going into it. So, expect to see that next month. Oh, boy. um program framework in partnership with nonprofits or elder resident assistants including criteria administrative process. So this is the only one that hasn't had much movement on it. Um again I think this is going to be something that's going to be looped into some of the more civic organization plans. Um, so that's probably one you're not going to hear about for a month or two as we're looking at it because we we do have a especially with some of the other bigger projects that have come onto our slate since the beginning of this. Um, we are pretty loaded with projects right now. So, we'll work at it. It's not going to be this winter, but the hopeful I would hope to have something worked out by summer or even uh going into fall of next of this year. So, that's update on 180. Um any questions, comments, concerns? So again, most of the stuff is in some kind of working fashion. It's waiting on basically the final execution. Hearing none, I am proceeding forward to new business. Monthly financial report. Questions, comments, concerns regarding it.

Sorry, give me one second. Yeah. I'm good. Yeah, but as you can see there is I have one one question but I'll I'll that's better in email probably.

Okay, that works for me. Um accounts payables questions, comments, concerns hearing none. Proceeding forward approval of special event permit German Shepherd Club fast event April 11th and April 12th. Jim, is this the one where we need retroactive approval? Going to say so. Do you remember, Nick? Yeah, this is the this is that one, right? Yeah, that's correct.

So, just so council was aware, I did sign the approval back in January because this specific event was in a time crunch. So, the approval that I'm looking for from council is a retroactive approval. I did inform the parks and recre leaison that that was an ask from parks and wreck um due to the time crunch that that um program was under um and again hearing no concerns was signed by me and that again I'll be asking for retroactive um approval from council regarding it. It's no different than some of the other events that we've hosted here in the city in regards to the dogs. It's just German Shepherd instead of terrier if I'm remembering correctly. Any additional comments, questions, concerns by council regarding that hearing? None. I am proceeding forward. Economic development update. Um mentioned it earlier today. My recommendation to council is give us 6 months to evaluate the position if it does need to be refilled. Currently in talking with the city manager, um executive administrative assistant, and again just the generality of what we believe economic development is for the city of Tonytown, the institute itself. we we don't feel that it is adequate to keep filling the position. Um that we're not seeing measurable results from the position. Um if anything, it seems to create more issues than than are being solved. So again, the idea is to kind of go back to the basics. Um get out information, business lo newsletter, um do some simple projects that we're able to manage on the city's end like u universal gift card and again work through that economic vitality committee. Um, in regards to that though, we do have a representative from the Chamber of Commerce who'd like to give their take on economic development for the city of Donington. Bob, sorry to make you wait.

I did warn you it was going to be a long meeting.

We uh got an invitation from the mayor. Um, we being the board of directors of the Tonytown Chamber of Commerce do meet on the 22nd of December and we did with the mayor and Mr. Wyreck. Uh, we were introduced to McKenzie. Some of them already knew McKenzie uh, the executive assistant. And we were asked at that point to discuss at our board meeting what we felt about the position of an e economic development director in Tonytown. Uh let me give you two caveats for those who don't know me. Number one caveat is I am not related to the mayor or the prom or the attorney that was here earlier.

Not that we know of you. We're all Millers, but you know, what can I say? I always have to throw that out there. Uh, and Rachel, mayor, the prom was with us at the meeting now that I recall that. Yeah, I guess she was.

And they asked us to discuss it and come back with a recommendation to the council. We met in January. We discussed it. Uh there are five members left uh on the board right now. And I will also add the other caveat is that the chamber is presently assessing their value and trying to come up with a methodology of reinforcing what the chamber used to be or at least a semblance of it would used to be in way of uh an economic engine within the city of Tony Town. Uh we are pl we have a plan coming to see just what the future of the chamber should look like with some personal visits by the board of directors to local businesses as time permits and as weather permits recently. But we have a plan that we're working on to do that and to uh have that done prior to the end of the first quarter. uh we hope to have some results to report back at our first quarterly meeting which is in March. Uh the overall recommendation is kind of twofold that came out. Number one is, and this may already have happened and we just don't know it, that the city needs to have a designated staff person or some kind of person within the organization of the city government. That is the contact person for someone who wants to call in about questions on businesses. Now, the

contact person doesn't necessarily have to be the answer person, but it has to be a person that it's advertised on the website and advertised to the public that this is who you contact if you have a question regarding businesses, whether you want to come in and establish a business or whether you're an existing business and you have some thoughts of possibly expanding or doing some other things within your business location and that person's name and number should be available to the public and certainly to the chamber so that we can direct that to that person while you are using your six-month time period to figure out whether there will be or will not be a future economic development director position. Our second suggestion has to do with that position and we believe that there's an opportunity to have that position and a necessity to have that position that someone is designated to do that job for the city of Tony Town and the community of Tony Town. But we're saying that there's a possibility you could get that job done in a part-time situation. You could either have someone work you could you could structure the part-time part of it any way you wanted. You could do three days a week. You could do what the chamber used to do when the chamber had a paid executive director. That director was on call in an office five days a week, four hours a day. So, we paid for 20 hours worth of

paid work. They were able to do some organizational work for the chamber as well as field all calls and do businessto business visits uh on their own. and they had to report back to the board as to what their what they had accomplished over the period of a month uh to accomplish that 20 hours. Now when COVID hit and things of that nature, we well actually when we lost the office that we had, we even rented a space for a period of time. It just didn't work out properly and it was costing more than it was worth. So we had to do away with that right now. That's part of what we're looking at in the manner of uh our rea reorganization. But we believe that if we have if you have someone in that position that meets the qualifications, one of the challenges to that position could be you start off part-time, but if you do the job that we believe could be done, they could work themselves into a full-time position. I've I've heard you mention and I don't mean to go on a side road here, but I will. I heard you mention HSP a few times. I was the president of HSP for 23 years, so I'm familiar with the organization. That's how we used to hire grant writers. We would hire a grant writer on a part-time basis and challenge them to earn their way into a full-time position. and it worked many times very successfully. Uh but we believe there's a need even if it's a part-time basis for someone who's

designated as that party that's on the street visiting businesses on a regular basis and has a designated person as their contact within the city government. For example, I know each of the council people are related to the police department or department uh department of rec uh the rec council and things of that nature. So you would and the zoning commission, you attend their meetings, you attend their board meetings uh and you get input back and forth. The economic development director needs someone like that that they go to and report to on a regular basis. Doesn't have to be the mayor. Mayor's got multiple jobs to do. He's got the whole city to run. But someone who is designated for that particular position, economic development, and that is what we came up with as the consensus of the report. I drew the short straw to come and visit to you because I'm so reticent when I speak in public and I'm proud to do it. I the other caveat I always always give people I do not live in Tony Town. I am not a registered Tonytown voter. I am a consumer in Tony Town and a unpaid volunteer in many issues in Tony Town. I love this town. My family moved here in 1962 uh when I was a junior in high school. So a long time ago. I've been familiar with Tony Town. I'm involved in Tony Town. I love the way this town works. I hate it when I see the infighting that I see in many times, but it happens cuz

we're all big family and all families fight. And unless you have any questions, that's what I got. Thank you. Council, did you guys have anything? Again, we'll we'll definitely take the chamber's recommendation to consideration. Um, as far as the point of contact goes, so the one of the things we started in December was a um in case there's any kind of uh department head vacancy or anything like that, we've moved over to emails that are a bit broader um instead of specific staff emails. For instance, economic development at tonnytown or tonnytownmd.com no.gov. Yeah.gov. Um that goes to I think me, the city manager, and the executive administrative assistant currently. Um so that gives three three different eyes on whatever comes in for economic development currently. The actual contact while we're going through kind of the six-month period to see um or again the six-month ask that we have for council would be McKenzie Alvin. Um, but again, we we I'd say right now we advise everybody to go through the general mailboxes as that allows more eyes to see them as they come in. Um,

out of curiosity, can I ask a question? Why isn't Andrew involved in that too? Like I I I feel like for our purposes there'd be a lot of overlap with planning, the zoning part. And again, I think that's where that's kind of where we are at is is that for the most part when a new business is when a new business is coming into town, they're going through the process. The person they're talking with is is Andrew, right? That's what I figured and that was also my understanding. So like I don't know. I I feel like he might be like him and McKenzie would probably be the best point of contacts. Uh that way you're also not not loading up Jim W with too much stuff. I feel like he's probably got enough on his plate. He's pretty good about routing information to where it needs to go as well though.

Yeah. Like like I figured it would you know them be the main points of contact because I agree with that. Like Andrew is going to have all the He's a subject matter expert on on on the planning zoning planning and zoning stuff. So if I want to start a business, he's he should know like what you need from a code perspective. Yeah. And again, that's kind of that's that's why I'll say that why I like you going through Mackenzie right now is she does know where to route that information. Um because again, everything we have everything we do have that comes in for economic development isn't necessarily u isn't necessarily code or zoning related. Um fair it I would say that's actually that's the smaller part of it. Um

because anybody who knows they have to go through that is probably already going through the correct process. They've probably already reached out or getting onto the schedule and whatnot. Um, a lot of it that we see is, you know, are there any grant opportunities and stuff like that? That's kind of where we we've signed up McKenzie for some of the county's emailing lists. So, we're getting those. And the idea is to translate that into the business newsletter to go out to businesses who register for it. So, again, that it's I will say she knows to route it to Andrew if it's the specific zoning and ordinance question. Are we going to put anything that stuff uh on the city website as well? So, like which part? the uh

you you said uh uh incorporate something into a business newsletter should they uh sign up for it or whatever. Um would good idea to have those uh grant lists or whatever uh on the the website too. So if somebody doesn't want the newsletter or doesn't have it, it be like point to go to the the website, go here and it's like those are the grants that we're aware of that you might be eligible for. Yeah, we can set up something that again that that'd be a good one. Same thing for McKenzie. Um, she knows to contact Dan as far as, you know, any kind of web website setup and whatnot. Um, so again, I do feel that she's the appropriate contact right now for economic development. Um, just because she knows where where that needs to route to and who it should go to. Um, and again, she is handling a lot of our communications aspects parts. Um, which again, I will say a lot of the economic development part is the communications part. Um, hey, we have a ribbon cutting. you know, who's coming out for does anybody come out for the ribbon cutting? Um, and again, they they message Clara as well sometimes when it comes to that part. Um, so it really is that's why we went to the consolidated emails is so multiple eyes are seeing it. And in the case of a staff vacancy, um, it's still one email that the emails are going towards. Um, because that was kind of the common thing that we're getting towards is that,

um, when we have a staff vacancy, people are still emailing that specific staff email. And it's not that we can't still catch that. um it just makes more sense for it to go to an economic development email. And that's one thing I also saw during the uh DHCD training session was a lot of those emails for the cities are economic development at city isn't necessarily department head at city. Um so again I think that's a standard practice that we're now moving to. So that's kind of a lot of this is standard practice cleanup I'd say. Um but again I'd say she's the she's the Mackenzie is the appropriate contact currently for economic development. Um, yeah, I think that's that's what I

and I understand what you're talking about with the electronic and technology world of emails, but I'm here to tell you, those of us from the old school want a name and a number that they can contact, a person that they can contact, cuz I send emails all the time, and I hope and pray to God they get through. and 90% of them do, but it's a question always there in your mind. Did they get what I sent them? Especially if there's a time frame. So, there needs to be I, you know, I want to go to the website of the city of Tonytown and say if you have a business question, this is your contact person and this is their number and extension to reach them.

I'm just that's the recommendation of the chamber. Uh, and that's all I can do for you. I mean, people know right now, I get calls that people looking for information on the chamber and I'm the treasurer. So, they at least know they're going to get a call or get a person they can call and the person's going to call them back. Just an email is still a shot in the dark to many of us. Yeah. And that's

all I'm saying. That's the same thing. Again, we can add McKenzie's name above the email, for instance. Um, and the city offices are all the same number when you call in and what you're asking for gets routed through the central city office. Um, so they'll know who to put you in contact with when you call the city office. Um, but again, we'll add a number, we'll add the email. My ask would be again, council gives us six months to examine the position, what we're able to handle on our side, what we're able to put out. Um, we'll give our feedback. We'll just say February. Okay. So, we'll give our feedback in August. My ask would be, you know, same thing, Chamber of Commerce, if you know, representative from Y'all can come out in August for it. Um, and we'll talk through the recommendation, what that looks like. Any additional from council?

Only thing I' I'd look for in um a potential economic development role is having kind of a clearly defined uh outline of what the scope is going to be and and the deliverables ultimately. I mean, we we've talked privately about some things that I would expect from a good economic developer, but uh I know or in my mind at least last year, what what was expected of the economic developer was murky at best and in my mind at least.

Well, that's kind of every new council is a transition transition of what that role even looks like. Um and talking with uh and talking with Carol County Economic Development for instance, you know, their recommendation was we handle the majority of your major economic development. Um you know, they'll say their recommendation is we don't think you guys need the position, right?

Um but in talking with them, you know, one of the things we did talk about is how do we how do we measure the results? How do we measure the communication going out? And again, I think one of the things we're going to go towards is is hey, this is everybody we sent out to. This is the response we got. Again, we're going to send out regular emails of, hey, is there anything you're looking for econom are are you doing okay? Is there anything you're looking for economic development wise? And again, record that transaction, record that communication. And again, that is the deliverable. We have made contact because I can't tell you how many times since I've been here in the last two years is one economic development director will say, "Well, I did make contact with them." And the business will say, "They never made contact with me." Um, so again, the idea is I would say to get more towards recordkeeping of the actual contacts and u where they're going out and stuff like that rather than just the council report actual an actual record of how the conversation went. Again, if there was any um anything expressed by the business owner and stuff like that. So, I think that's what we're going to head towards. Um, and we're going to try that out in practice with the current staff. And again, the the real question just comes down to are we able to handle it in our current staffing capabilities? Um cuz it seemed to be that even when they were doing the part-time main street, even when they're doing the part-time economic development, I don't think there was enough productive time to fill that role and they were finding themselves engaged in business drama essentially.

Yeah. Um and again, it seems to be the repeating door every time. Sometimes it means a little bit different each time, but that seems to be the common theme. Um so again, we're going to give it a good six months to try it out. um we'll give a recommendation on the staff side and again if if it's getting to a point where McKenzie is swamped with other responsibilities or other duties um you know maybe we do make the recommendation of part-time um you know my only question is what do are you going to get a serious economic development director at a part-time position and that's a yeah I'm very skeptical of that I don't I don't know that that uh

I don't this is something that that I feel like you'd have to to do full-time to do well. I I don't I don't know that it's applicable or comparable to something say like a grant lighter a grant writer where you know you're you're basically doing more ad hoc jobs. Um I'd be skeptical about about that being a a good part-time role personally.

Is is everybody okay with us doing six months of again trying to figure out again come back with a recommendation? Yeah. Um, again that that's kind of where we sit on the admin side. We really want to see if this is and again maybe it does come back that we Mackenzie doesn't have enough time. We don't have enough time in the mayor or city manager's office to handle some of the other inquiries. Um, but again I think some of the trouble we keep running into is funding a position that doesn't have enough responsibilities. And again, maybe we broaden that scope like you said. Um, but again, I would my ask to council as well would be, you know, think over these next six months of what does that position mean to you? What what is it in your eyes what they should be out there doing? You know, what do you see from the businesses? What do you see in the community? Um, so that's my ask to council. And again, it looks like everybody's okay with the six-month part. Um, and again, same thing. Um, we'll be in contact. I mean, we know how to get in contact with each other. Um, so you know, you let me know whatever comes in on your end and same thing on mine. Um, but I'm sure we'll see each other over the next six months. So again, that that's any additional comments, questions, concerns by council.

Not for me. Not at this time. Hearing none. Proceeding to consideration of council applications. So it looks like we have three candidates who submitted their council applications. I'm just going to go from front to back. Um, council members, I'm assuming you have received the applications in your emails and have reviewed them. So, again, what we're looking for tonight, um, again, just kind of give us an idea of why you want to be on council. Um, is there specific, you know, projects, objectives that you're looking to do, and then I'll open up the floor to council members to ask questions and whatnot. So, Bill, may I sit instead of

Yeah, that's fine. Yeah, man. doesn't allow me to stand for very long. Okay. I'm Bill Kennedy. I live in Warfare Town, Lane, Tony Town. Uh, I submitted all the advertisement in the paper of the vacancy and it took me a while to uh think it over, consider it. and having been a member of several town city's boards for extended periods of time. Uh I thought that I still had things to give. ed the application. Uh my main one of my main interests parks and recreation side I want to see the property known as festival park fully developed. I understand fully that that project going to take time and it's going to be expensive simply because of where the location is.

But in my view, a certain portion of that provides venue that can be used could be used for a way to make money for the town. recoup some at least of the development pro costs. Um but otherw other than that I am open I am open-minded. One has a reasonable argument for whatever question arises give it my careful consideration. I would imagine you all have seen copies of that. Uh, and I stand by every answer there. And if you have questions for me, feel free. I have nothing to hide.

I'll start from the left side of council. Nick, pardon me. Or ask for council questions if council members have questions. I skip for now. I'm I'm looking at it again. Rachel, so you say you want to see Festival Park come to fruition, correct? Um, and it's so that the town can have like a uh a place for a venue essentially for uh concerts, etc. Um, it has a natural amphitheater feature.

Okay. So, and I know you're really pushing for this. Um, so, but why why when you could have like something like a better park there for instance. Why? Why essentially? I don't feel like it's gonna I I have not seen

a full plot plat of that property. So I don't know exactly how much is there. I know there are there's large hill amphitheater area and there is a large very flat parcel that can hold couple of ball fields and also be used for parking when there's a performance at the amphitheater. Uh there is other property I know further deep in from the road. Um that could be used, playground, well, walking trails, all kinds of different things. But I, as I say, I don't I have not seen a full plat of the property or an aerial photo with the borders. So, I don't know exactly how deep it is.

I'm blanking. Go to Harry. Harry. Yeah, there you go. Um, I'm not familiar with that particular park. Where where would that be located? Done that. It's uh kind of off of whatever I can't remember the name of the road even. That's off of Robert Small Road Extended. Oh, okay. So, up up I was going to say they're I've got Google Maps up. That's why I'm that's what I'm looking at up here. So, the uh so they're they're kind of pointing it out to me up. So, so up here it's a very narrow road which is one of the um Oh, they're Yep. So, thanks Dan.

It's going to be up towards Anakus. Yep. Right there. Town Road. Well, that would I I was going to say because that would be that that would be interesting to see how that that ties in. I don't have You'd think as much as I've seen the comp plan and everything else, I'd have I don't have the I don't have the zoning and stuff memorized for that section.

Okay. If if that outline is the property, the entrance is right about there. And immediately to the right of that entrance, the property descends make a great sledding hill as well. uh down to the bottom. That square that's been blocked out looks like an existing house.

What I saw as the entrance uh is a former farmhouse that was torn down. So that's then and that that I believe is still is part of our property. Now to the left of that entrance, you see the kind of question mark shaped Yeah. entrance. Yeah.

Road. Immediately to the left of that is the flat land that is good for ball fields, parking. uh even like the the uh dog trials and those kind of things to keep them out of Memorial Park when they're got ball games going on and things there. I was just say not not to not to get get sidetracked on on on park stuff for the moment for for this, but I I would say my my only concern at the moment is uh with this um would be the fact that it is comparatively kind of out there.

Yes, it is. And we've got a we've got a we've got a park already that's kind of out there. Yeah. And that it's also very popular. That's that well the park that's kind of out there you can't ride your bike to. You can't do any of that stuff to get to. People do and it's very popular. Um he's he's right actually go to because I wouldn't ride my bike on that road, but that's just me. He's he is he's not wrong about that though. A lot of people go there. Um, and when when a bunch of the things grow end up growing there in the next like year or two, it's probably going to pick up because it's going to it it should get pretty pretty nice.

I mean, the main the main issue at Festival Park is the cost of the water and etc. So, and energy and and just to speak from my office for instance, um, for me the main issue with the festival park presentation is is I don't I haven't seen a demand from residents regarding it. Um, again, we we have a pretty strong demand for stuff like recre like a recreation facility and whatnot. More fields.

Yeah. More specific fields. And again, while I've I've known about the festival park um idea for a while now, um, and all the conversations I've had and even where I'm currently leaning towards now is the removal of festival park from the CIP. Um and the basis for that would be the demand for recreation and indoor recreation availability is much higher than an amphitheater demand for instance. So I guess my question to you would be again when we're seeing at the council level and the elected level that people are looking for indoor recreation facilities um you know how how do you wrestle that with your with the want for the festival park to continue? I said this is a in my view the way I saw it when I first saw that piece of property. I understand and understood at the time that was a project that would take more time than Balier Park. It's an extended slowly progressing piece of work. Oh,

not like, you know, going out tomorrow and putting a shovel in the dirt. That's not going to happen. That wasn't even in thought that it could happen like that. It's going to take time. But in the meantime, we have the expansion to Memorial Park, which has been stuck due to contractors delaying. Should have been opened

it last summer. It's not contractor delay. It's it's it's government. Actually, it kind of is. It's contractor and government. It's It's a contractor's been drawing salary, drawing pay for the project for over a year, maybe more. Yeah, they've dropped the ball a couple times.

And yet there's not a shovel one shovel of dirt been moved. There is a need for an indoor recreation facility. Problem is, there's not a piece of property within town limits except for the barn, which I think 15, 20 years ago was when they stopped using it as the haunted house. uh was declared unsafe for occupation. So, how much is that going to cost to repair? probably could if we could find a suitable piece of property. You could probably erect a steel pole building big enough to hold the basketball court and a couple of offices and a meeting room or two or a lot less than tearing down the barn and trying to build something there.

I've got one. I I understand the financials and I understand the needs and I understand the wants. We need more indoor facilities. Don't have them and at this point there's no way to get one or more. why our basketball programs and volleyball programs are using spaces out in the county that

because park a little bit. Uh I I see you also said something about providing incentives to attract both small and large businesses. What ideas do you have uh related to that? Pardon me. I'm sorry. So uh in in what your action plan basically uh uh one of the items you you said is to provide incentives to attract both small and large businesses. Yeah. Like what what kind of ideas like what what are we talking about? Uh like Manchester and Hamstead are doing. They're bringing in small boutiques. Uh

is the city is the city leading that out of curiosity or or are they coming there because the space is available and they and they have uh uh new business and commercial development or or just the space in general that they can move into new I'm talking new businesses moving in recruiting chamber of commerce recruit helping to recruit entrepreneurs who wish to open a business who can help Spain our main street.

You know what incentives they're giving them?

Uh depends on what they can offer us in return. They can offer unique opportunity new uh situations there. Some sort of an incentive to move here might be a good deal for the town. I'm open to it, but it depends on the situation. Depends on who is what type of business the local is it a chain store is it you know somebody from town want or an existing business want to enlarge spread out any of those I'm open to all of it

come back y no I'm good I'm good I'm good you have any question.

I just want to say I know I've known Bill for a number of years. He's always serve the town very well in any capacity he's been asked to serve. I think he has vision and and dedication to this town. He's a longtime resident. I think he would make an excellent addition to our council. had some balance that we lack and I think he has some good ideas to bring before us. It's maybe a little unfair to try to pin him down on particulars not having the background necessary to make some of those decisions. But his overall contribution to the city has been outstanding and u encourage you all to consider him and in the future.

Any additional questions from council? No, I'm good. Nope, I'm good. You're good, Bill. Thank you. Thank you all for your time. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Appreciate the opportunity. Thank you. And if I may be excused. Yep. You're you're fine. Thank you. I know it's it's getting late, so you know, as you guys are done, if you have to go, you know, feel free to

Well, good evening, mayor. Good evening, council. My name is Alex Kelly. I'm uh currently one of the applicants for the city council position that you guys have open. Um I'll keep things pretty short and sweet to the point. Um prior to even hearing your uh proclamation tonight, most of what you said is exactly what I'm focusing on, which is infrastructure and safety for the town. We're definitely in a crossroads at the time where there are external forces that want to have our town grow, and some of that can be good, some of it can be concerning. uh and we need to be smart about our infrastructure and future planning. So, you know, if appointed, my main focus is making sure we progress forward on the bypass and have infrastructure that works for our town. Uh furthermore, because that's really my main focus, any of the other secondary objectives that you guys have kind of mentioned, um I don't have a huge uh you know, one way or the other. So, you guys already have a lot of uh items on your itinerary to accomplish this year. I'm not looking to bring more things for council to handle. I'm looking to help serve what's already being uh focused on. Uh with that being said, I'm open to any questions or comments you guys have um regarding myself or this position

this way this time. McCarron, do you have anything? Oh, I don't have anything here. Um, we are we are facing a a decent amount of growth. Um, how would you what what not looking for details, but what what's your overall philosophy on what what we need to do uh where what would be a good direction for uh for the town in in the growth that uh that seems to be coming down the pike.

No, that's a good question. So, first off, I'm not any kind of anti-developer. I just want to be pro like smart growth. Uh I know there's multiple communities that are uh poised to come in and definitely would have some uh additional conject uh congestion as everything would feed into the main road essentially because all the developments are further away from the main road. So I know that the there is a master plan for the main road to go potentially four lanes instead of it currently two or I should say one and one. So two and two. Um the main thing kind of um falls around that bypass. I mean how it's exactly developed if we're going to do four lanes, if we're going to do two lanes on it. Um that's also going to shape how growth is going to be because if given the choice of either a having a home, you know, past um in the Stumptown area, which is one of the areas you guys are having in the plan, or having something south of the town that gets you right on to the main road to Westminster, people are going to naturally choose that. So, it's it's really just how do we help the flow of traffic and one of that ways is just get rid of the trucks off the main road. But you can only do so much because that is a state highway and not a cityrun road. So, it's you encourage alternate paths. It goes back to uh if you guys have ever studied any kind of uh infrastructure on freeways, you could make there's a whole thing about a 100 lane freeway. Any type of freeway you make, it meets the demand. meaning that when you open up a new road, the demand immediately fulfills and then you need to make it bigger. So I'm not saying we need to have a 100 lane freeway, but naturally increasing the capacity somewhere else drives demand to go that faster route if that makes sense. Um what what about the uh the balance between uh between business and uh and

residential growth? What what are your feelings on uh on business growth? Some businesses or some segments of business will naturally come here when growth occurs because it's going to be based on population. Like if you ever look at any statistics for like uh Walmart or Target or any I'm not saying we're going to have anything like that here. They do studies on what capacity can they get from a customer. Uh what what is the ultimate like you know when you have a town of 10,000 people, how many of those people are going to shop at a small store? How many are going to shop at a tobacco place? How many are going to shop at, you know, a grocery store? Do you need more grocerers because of this capacity? So, really, businesses are going to be driven based on the resident population. And we are a bedroom community. So, if we're looking at smart businesses, we obviously want to have businesses that allow people to buy within the town. that is our biggest detriment from a road standpoint is that most people, myself included, when we want to have an amenity, we go to Hanover or we go to, you know, Westminster when there is current capacity for that business to happen here. The problem is there isn't a huge enough town for some businesses to actually thrive. So, we're always going to be at that crossroad of do we want to become a big town? Most people are going to say no. Do we want to be a manageable town? Most people are going to say yes and certain businesses are going to come here and certain businesses are not. As long as you're open to um working with any businesses on a government level, then it will take care of itself.

Okay, I'm good. Rachel, um so obviously you know our main street's struggling a bit. Um, how do you see economic vitality moving forward in the next couple years from a government standpoint or just overall? From the government standpoint. Oh, we need to get out of their way. I mean, that's that's as simple as it is. Mainstream's going to thrive when we get out of their way. If we try to dictate what Mainstream is going to be like, Main Street's going to be like, uh, we're going to create roadblocks that don't need to happen. Um, we still need to be available to to foster how a business can run, meaning like be facilitating questions, you know, reduce permitting restrictions, but really we just got to get out of their way.

That's it for me. Nick, do you want to go or I have a question? Trevor, you brought up smart growth. Can you uh elaborate on that a little bit? what are some of the principles that that in your mind uh would satisfy smart growth with respect to not just I guess cities but Tony Town specifically?

So smart growth would typically be uh best described as rate of growth. So I know in Carol County they typically have a limitation or they have a plan for how many homes are built per year. Um, and at the end of the day, growth, if you build a hundred homes, you're going to have a bunch of people coming here. If there's no homes being built, then you'll still have some level of growth as families, you know, start moving into the homes. More people might be in the same house. Um, so it's making sure that we work with our comp plan on what stages or what benchmarks we want to meet for, you know, growth. A, so like, you know, say we want to have 500 homes built. Well, do we want to accomplish that task in five years? Do we want to accomplish that task in 15 years? What uh track do we want to have? Like if you go back and look at historical data from like the 2010 um master plan for Tony Town, we have all of these great visions and all of these wonderful plans breaking down the numbers. Um but we don't ever follow through on the execution of it. So, we just need to figure out what growth do we want. Do we want to have 10 homes built per per year on average? Do we want to work with six developers at the same time? Do we want to only work with one developer and make sure one community is built at a time rather than multiple uh developments going simultaneously? So, I would say it's knowing what the developers want to do and then setting some form of a guard rail on how many homes do are we going to necessarily want to have and do we want to have x population and do we have the capacity for water for that population? Do we have the capacity for the police services for that population? So, it's setting those parameters. exactly what you have, I don't know, but I'd be open to reviewing any information you have on what parameters you want to set.

Are there any ways that you think that the city can be smarter in general, not just with it with respect to growth, but I mean, you've been around for a little while, so

Well, I mean, our our role as as people in the council and the government would just be going over policy and budgets. So, I mean, truth be told, it's just making sure we're smart with our funds. I was thinking the entire time when you were talking about the economic developer position and I was like, well, if that costs $70,000, that's essentially every resident spending 10 bucks a year. That's essentially what that correlates to. So, it's just keeping the resident in mind. I mean, there's a lot of great things this town can do, but there's a price tag for every single one of those things. So, to a degree, how do you minimize the burden on the the taxpayer, the resident, and how do you maximize service? uh we can't accomplish everything every resident wants because somebody has to pay for it. So we have to think about well if this resident had their water bill go up or their electric bill go up because you know everyone really loves PTOIC Edison right now um you know how do we serve the the town? Is it building a amphitheater? I mean what does that cost or is it better to keep our property taxes low so people can use their money how they want to? And that's the dilemma for towns. making sure we minimize our residents expenses by minimizing their taxes.

So, I have a question and it goes back to what you were talking about the main street part um because I've heard this before. How how has the town been in the way of main street economic development? So government works best when we clearly clarify what we're doing and what we're not doing. So part of the problem with any project that we want to do would be we're not clear. We're we're gray. So if if the government wants to say, "Hey, look, um we want to encourage uh Main Street. We want to have a board and we want to give it $20,000. We want you to accomplish X, Y, and Z." Having clear objectives will get you clear outcomes. If we say, "Hey, we want mainstream to be successful, but we don't define what that is, we're never going to be successful." On the flip side, if we say, "Hey, look, we want to step back and we want residents to run what Main Street looks like." People will rise to the occasion once we set a very clear vision and clear objectives that need to happen to accomplish said goal. What exactly do we want to do? I'll leave that up to everyone. But we just have to set the plan and make it very narrow so people can follow it and execute it in their own manner.

Any additional questions? Good. Thank you. The only thing I want to just kind of close with, I mean, because uh whether or not you guys appoint me or not, I'm I'm good to serve on any additional committees or boards you guys want because this is a service-based position. Um I know I talked to a few of you before. I was never planning to come up here uh and do this. I was planning to run in 2027. That's still my plan. So, I just hope you guys pick the right person for this job that furthers all of your guys' goals. And I appreciate everyone's time tonight. Thank Thank you.

Thank you. I wrote down a couple things. How are you? I'm well. How are you?

Good. Thank you all for having me. It's nice to be here with Mr. Mayor, Mayor Prom, and the council here. Um, my name is Kimberly Craft, and I appreciate the opportunity to be considered for this vacant position. Um, I would love to serve in a manner that was steady and thoughtful. My background includes community volunteerism, treasure, as well as um fundraising leadership. I work well with teams and I believe that good governance is really a collaboration. Um I would be a good steward with the taxpayer funds. I know we had a conversation about that. Um and we'll listen to the residents. You know, it's not just my opinion. That's, you know, what the residents think and believe and need and I would be ready to jump in and help make a difference and would love to know what you guys think is most important for someone in my position for the next three to six months if I was appointed.

I'll start this time because again, I know we uh we met back when Meech was here and again I know I remember some of your volunteerism back when the uh old Main Street Board was around. Um, so again, I want to thank you on that part. Um, so I guess my question to start off with, again, you live in the Main Street area. Um, what do you I guess what do you think is the largest obstacle that Main Street's facing as far as its um I guess revitalization goes?

I think the traffic has a lot to do with it. Um, I know I meet people all the time who come and read the sign outside my home and a lot of them get scared just when the large trucks come by and the noise and you know and a lot of people are concerned about walking up and down the sidewalk. I pulled somebody out of a car once, got into an accident right there in the intersection. So busy place never stops being busy. Um I'll start. McCarron, do you have anything?

Ask Kimberly, what what what do you feel like the uh biggest opportunity for Tony Town to accomplish in the next few years would be? What if you had number one goal? What would you like to see?

I think greater collaboration and communication. I think um involving the town more um and having their voices heard. It's sad not to see many community people here. Um you know, but to have more input from our fellow neighbors, I I think would be our greatest ability. Plus, I believe in a strong volunteer force and I think a lot of people would step up if they had, you know, direction and a framework. I think we could get get a lot done.

Harry, um, what do you uh what would your vision for a Main Street area? What what would your vision be for that? Again, broad strokes. I'm not looking for like I'd want that to be a photo hut and that would So what uh broadstrokes what uh what what would your vision for for the the main street downtown type area be?

I think I'd love to talk to the businesses there and the people that occupy them and find out what their needs are as well as residents and what would interest them to make them want to come downtown and go from there. I mean, I can give you my wish list, but what I personally want really doesn't matter. It's about the people.

Okay. Um Yeah, cuz we've got um like I like I said before, we've got uh growth opportunities both economically and uh and residents uh wise. What uh what's an what's an overall idea for uh for for the town? What what uh what ideally I mean and this is this is asking you just um what ideally what would what would your direction be for just an overall where where we're looking to go? Yeah, I think having a plan um as Alex pointed out um smart growth um is important. I think preserving the charm of Tawny Town. I have grown to love it here. Um you know, it's got its quirkiness, but I believe we can capitalize on it.

Yeah. And um Yeah. So, I think just we have more development coming. So, I think doing, you know, proper traffic studies and the like and get, you know, professional opinions on what we need to do from an infrastructure standpoint. You know, I mean, we're never going to become Westminster or anything else. Um, but we can be the best Tony town. Thanks, Rachel. I I did notice in your resume that you focus a lot on uh main street vitality and economic development. Uh how do you feel about the rest of Tony Town when it comes to economic development, not just Main Street?

Oh, I think there's so much to Totty Town. Um I go regularly to the dog park and I absolutely love it there and parks and wreck did a beautiful job. Um so it would be all people. Um a lot of people who are on mainstream main street can be transient as well because of the accommodations there. Um so it can't all just be Main Street. I mean we need a strong vital Main Street. Um but everybody needs to count.

But I know a lot of the businesses can struggle with that that aren't on Main Street. They always feel like well always the focus is always on Main Street and uh when a lot of people don't see Main Street as being this vital piece to Tony Town um it's real important to keep the other businesses in mind because we do have like Flowerve and uh VCO that are like the big leaders and work like providing jobs to their Absolutely. Yeah. Just you also brought up smart growth. What does smart growth mean to you?

I think just preserving the charm of the city, not getting beyond what we can support um from a logistics and operational standpoint. Um but most of it is just finding that perfect balance of what infrastructure and what businesses can come here to help support the town and what that would look like. Um, but I would like to see an an eye on, you know, some preservations of, you know, charming parts of the town. What are those?

What are they? I love the mural. The mural is amazing. Love the clock. Um, I love my personal home, but everybody's supposed to love their home, right? Um, but and the parks, I think the parks are beautiful. I was born on the 4th of July, so I love the fireworks. So, thanks for throwing them for me. Appreciate it. Any additional questions down there? Well, I appreciate your all's time. If you have any questions later, please let me know. But I am ready to jump in.

Sorry, I have actually one more question for both you and Alex. So, sorry, Alex. I know you already sat down, but let's say you let's say you were appointed to be on council. What uh what liaison position interests you? I think wherever I was needed the most. Um I would like to make a difference and become, you know, if there's a subject matter that you want me to become an expert of, I'll do a matrix download and work with my, you know, counterparts um to come up to speak quickly. I appreciate it. Sorry, I'll ask Alex, too, because and I know Bill's already gone, but I should ask him.

I mean, he he kind of made it clear with parts. I mean, honestly, we kind of knew that words out of my mouth. It's wherever y'all need me. I mean, I have a a preference towards like long-term vision. So, you know, anything that accomplishes long-term goals and making sure we're data driven, I'm good for, but wherever the need is, to be honest. Exactly what Kimberly said.

Okay, sounds good. I appreciate it. Um council, you know, the ask is to consider this over the week weekend. Um we'll have further discussion on Monday and I'll entertain motions on Monday as far as appointment goes. Um so again, think on it. Look at the applications and uh what we heard here tonight. And again, if you are looking to make a motion next week, um just be prepared to do that when asked if there's any motions. Um that said, we have two more things and we're going to go through them real quick here hopefully. Uh, Memorial Drive water improvements bid award. Uh, anybody have any comments, questions, concerns regarding this? No.

Hearing none, I'm proceeding forward crossing guard discussion. I just want to get a quick council consensus. Um, again, this isn't going to have a real budgetary impact since we can use revenues from the speed camera currently. Um, but is there any objections to funding the second crossing guard position? And my ask as well would be for us to start immediately exploring the rapid flash and beacons in that Kings Drive area for the school crossings there. Um, I think the beacons are a really good idea actually, especially with that one crossing against across the like King's Drive. One's pretty

Yeah, there's I think there's three crossings there, but again, we can't we can't fund three crossing guards. the one right next to where you turn into elementary. Um, again, the school believes they have somebody who can fill the role, so that's why I'm asking now. Um, uh, yeah, I was going to say it's the only way we're going to get a crossing guard. Yeah, I mean, it is that's the only way you're getting a crossing guard out there. McCarron, uh, does anybody any objections to us starting to explore and potentially fund the rapid flash and beacons? Um, again, there's no budget amendment that I believe would be needed to it because we already have those um funds from what's coming in. So, if everybody's okay or if anybody has an objection to them.

Um, my I I have a side comment. Um, do we have an idea what the revenue from the uh cameras that I don't like uh is is actually going to be. So, they'll have uh TPD will have a a new formatted uh police report on Monday when they present that for the council reports. Um I wouldn't try to base what it is now because what you're going to see is a steady decrease and I'd probably start basing it at the 5 to 6 month mark, but I can tell you now um again the average citations when they did their original study was about 200 plus to 270 during that study at the height of it. Um they're currently from uh talks to the TPD they're down to 100 citations a day currently.

My only caution would be for us to not get too far ahead of our skis on on this without knowing what we're going to be getting from this before we start allocating. Okay, we're doing the crossing guard and we're doing lights and we're doing the we just need to Yeah, we just need to make sure we don't get ahead of it. Yeah. Again, we're I think the idea is to more of budget what we have had come in versus what trying to anticipate what we're going to get. So that's why again looking at the FY27 budget, we're probably going to budget what came in at the FY26 and then go off of that essentially. So again, personally, I don't I don't think we should be projecting the cash flows on this until we have a couple years of data because we don't know what it's going to be. So

exactly that's that's what we're not going to make it make it an enterprise almost like

any kind of projects. Um, even some of the stuff that I mentioned today, I again some of the presentation that I plan to present is more percentage based rather than number based. Um, again, that way we're steadily working at these items, but we're not necessarily over budgeting for numbers we don't have. Um, so that's going to be kind of my presentation is a percentage based rather than a number based um allocation. Um, so just be aware of that. And uh again, we're we'll see how it looks when we get to the FY27, but I'm going to tell you that the crossing guard, it's never not going to make enough to fund the cross. It's like 8,000 for the crossing guard and the rapid flash and beacons I think are like 3,000 each. Um so I think those are ones that can be funded without any worries currently. Um but again, those are immediate things that can help with that school area currently. Um, so yeah, just wanted to give if everybody's okay with that, we'll explore those two. Um, I'll let the school know we're good on the crossing guard. Chief will start getting that together for next week. Um, and Jim, um, have DPW start looking into the rapid flash and beacons for that street. Um, additional comments, questions, concerns from council?

Nope. Looking for a motion of adjournment. So moved. Looking for a second. Second. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. We are journ. Thank you everybody.