Common Council - Regular Meeting

and maybe look at some of these items that are of an issue with the beach house right now and maybe we can correct it and get it going in a little better direction. I agree. Thank you. your way up. Want to watch twice? Three times close. Communication from the mayor. We just approval messages.

Thank you. Uh Mr. can ask me just to address some of your concerns. The beach house uh licensing agreement was actually put into place last year for I believe it council agreed on a 5year term. Um so that was looked at last year and had that brand new lease with an alcohol was she have to have the lease in the tenants name. So we couldn't just transfer that lease. But the the issues that you did raise concerning some of the issues that we had over the summer are things that we are certainly looking at at addressing with the current licensing license, I guess. Um, so there are things that we're looking at for the boardwalk. Again, I'll point out that we've been asking council for over a year. um myself and the city attorney, there are five, I believe, leases at the boardwalk that we've been looking for dollar amount rates for um as brand new leases down there and gotten very little feedback from anybody. I think council was the only one who addressed that with us. Um so we are looking at different avenues for obviously increasing the rent down there. Also Tim Hortons that I think is a 30 plus lease and it for itself every five years. We just looked at that two years ago. Uh there was a question about how much they were paying but it does increment incrementally go up just not as quickly as you know inflation has gone up. So certainly it's on our radar for that as well. And then thank you to Revitalize. Obviously we appreciate everything that you do for us. um make our city a much more beautiful place to live in. We love to see the little areas of flowers, although we can't see it now than it is now. Which leads me to my next comment. Uh just to remind the public to be mindful of alternate parking and that

the sidewalks in front of your homes are your own responsibility for plowing. We do have sidewalk plows. We try to do in front of the schools. That doesn't necessarily always happen. Um so please be mindful. There are a lot of people in this community that currently walk to a lot of their appointments. Um, I would also encourage drivers to be mindful as well because a little bit slippery when the lights comes. On that note, I want to thank DPW Scott, uh, my secretary Carol, everybody who chipped in for the holiday parade on Christmas on Central. It was a great turnout. A great turnout for the parade. It was great to see so many people. I know we had a little bit of weather issues with some of the lighting um on the big trees outside. Unfortunately, the wind doesn't cooperate with us when we wanted to. Snapped all of our wires on the trees, so we just had to end up lighting the two small trees. But I appreciate everybody's time and patience, all the vendors, everybody that came out. Uh Erica, who was out, I'm sure, freezing all day long with s Mr. for Santa and the reindeer and the elves. Um, we really do appreciate everybody's work and telling that it's such a great fun to have. And I think that's all I have.

Thank you. Communications for public petition. We have none. session standing committee. Reports of standing committee boards and commissions.

Oh, excuse me. A new move. First and last time reports of comm committees and commission. Yeah. Board commissions. Um yeah, amidst all the financial strain, um there is still so much going forward that establishes Dunkerk as a viable and progressive city with the help of the mayor, the council, and the administration. How does one find out at the economic development committee meeting? Um held almost each month, everyone always invited. for example, thank you Ben our director of economic development for the diligent work in acquiring the ARC ready to grow grant in the amount of $412,000 across the Middle. This will be used towards our new government resource planning software which will be friendly friendly to our residents when roll out. Another thanks to our fiscal clear um the highly recommended New efficient software recommended by the controllers's office of the entire city hall will combine separate and several current softwares together produce effective and timely audit save money through only this one program and streamline the creative systems we have. Merry Christmas and happy holidays. or

I don't have anything. Thanks. Doing a great job. Um I don't know if Randy has any updates for um DPW for safety as we end uh the month of December and beginning January. Since this is our last council meeting and we have a chance to ask you with drilling questions, you want updates on which part of the DPW, whichever you would like to speak on. Um, Mrs. said,

I don't have a lot to report. I'd like to thank um I would like to thank uh the DPW crew for uh taking good care of the of the escort. We don't like to mention but it comes anyhow. Um we have thanks to council we have uh two new salt trucks. One of them's up and running a little bit of rewiring uh from the court helped to do that. So, I'd like to thank the council for supporting public works, especially the streets division and the excellent streets drivers. We saved quite a bit of money by having our guys go pick up the trucks. Uh Steve and Nick and Tim went and got them in Alra and brought them back and so they got a good workout on the way here and they like them. So, it's going to be great. Um so that's the primary focus right now is uh it snow snow removal and snow tendance. Um there's a lot going on in all the divisions and uh um won't really get into it um right now but I think that I thank you for the opportunity to thank the crews for handling this stuff

and we do have we're still looking good as far as our sales concerned with such an early winter

even though it's not winter. Yeah, we we we we have salt. We're going to probably be over budget. We're going to have to switch things around in DPW. It it's going to balance out at the end of the year, but we're over the line on salt because it's been, if you remember, the early part of this year, it's a very cold weather. And what you really need to do is just sometimes there isn't enough snow to plow, but you got to get the salt down to get the trash. So, that's an issue. You never know exactly what you're going to need on salt. Um, one of the and then also because of our extra extra activity with salt. Um, we need a new loader. Um, the loader that's there is 30 years old and it's been pretty much rusted with salt and a lot of beach activity. We were able to save a lot of money with chips, which is eligible to use to buy this loader. Even with even with that expenditure on the state contract, we would save about $40,000 over what a contractor could buy us for with a government price. And it would be a new loader. And then the older one could be still be used on the beach, but it gets damaged on the beach because there's a lot of sand in there. So, I want to concentrate my comments all on salt, snow removal, and snow control and stuff like that. I'd like to thank our first responders for calling us when the weather bad. We don't have around the clock crew. We've been trying to watch the overtime council's asked us to do that. I'd like to commend my provision and everybody that's been watching that to try to keep that in the minimum. Um, so it the eyes and ears are first responders. And also many of you have called so you see you're getting icy and we send the solders out as soon as we can. Um so control that's our main

focus. Thank you.

And then has there been any update on the replacements for the street lights that are still out? I know there were um several dozen that were going out and still out. The parts for those just arrived last week or maybe the week before that and we're scheduling one of those to be reinstalled on the cold where where they failed. Um so I can get a better answer. Mr. Stoy asked me the same question. Um it's kind of hard to get work done in this type of weather, but when uh we had a pole kind of lean over about 25 degrees on the pier was dangerous. We closed the pier. We got that down. It's being fixed. to get it back up. Uh, so we did that one first, but it was dangerous. The others uh are are being addressed and I'll get you the exact date and those are going to be fixed um tomorrow. I'll let you Mr. Thank you. Um, Chief Nick, I don't know if you have any words of wisdom and safety for the upcoming holiday season that you'd like to share with our viewing audience and those that are here. Well, just wish everyone a safe and joyous holiday. Um, be mindful. A lot of cooking going on. U, safe practices with that and as well as the weather turning home heating. Um, just be wary of uh any issues related to heaters. Keep the space around your heaters um so we don't catch anything on fire. And also with the holiday decorations, electrical safety, just watch your extension cords. Make sure you unplug those lights when you go to bed and all that kind of stuff.

And then we'll move on to Lieutenant Arana. Do you have any words of wisdom and knowledge to share the upcoming holiday season?

Um, I'll just be mindful of alternate parking. Um, time is about 5:00 p.m. We usually give a little leeway before and after. Um, there's any there's a snowstorm and your car is hampering snow removal, try to make contact with you first. They probably might have to. So, just try to get out there and get the car. Um, if there's a weather event, just try to drive slow, plan extra time um to get to, you know, where you're going and uh Thank you. My last sort of subject that I'd like to talk about is our um the trauma and drama that we're having with our dog control officer. And I I do hope that um we can find some direction that um she can uh get to uh the means and the ways and means that she needs to keep that shelter going and not using funds out of her own uh pocketbook. I don't know who is her boss, who she looks for guidance. I know where it was in past years with um working with all of them that were our ACL at the time. uh there were supplies available to her. I don't know where to turn. I've been in almost daily contact with her and I'm trying to do the best that I can with the knowledge that I have, but I don't know who directly she can be involved with to get the answers that she needs. I've been in contact with Ellen and there is um a small supply line that's left for the the remainder of the year. I don't know if she has to come in and sit down with you and have a discussion to do it that way, but I don't know who her alternate boss is or her genuine boss. Whether it be the mayor, whether it be Randy, whether it be the police chief, I don't know what direction to give her. I was not unfortunately having my surgery when she did meet the council at the time. So, I couldn't help her along.

So, and as a momage, it's been a pleasure working for Dun for Judge, Abby, Emily, all of you. All of you. Merry Christmas. Thank you. [applause] I'm glad you're here. [laughter]

I hope especially your shift because your shift is amazing. your always kept me apprised of the your activities at night and very active that I'm very proud of those guys and I uh I told you before you're running a police department like a police department I worked so close with uh Chief Moralano and Chief Edwards I hope you guys I hope we were able to get you guys what you needed the equipment and funding that you needed to do a job properly and professionally. So, I wish you all the best in the future. You're going to need it. And to the rest of you people,

God bless you. Thank you. And you, God bless you.

And that's all I got. I'm finished with this. Local law number 4-2025. local law amending the city code of the city of Denver to revise certain fees and establish new fees. Any question right? motion. I made a motion.

Motion. We need a motion to bring it off the table. Keep going. I did make a motion. Second in favor. Council member Leo. Hi. Council member Zorski. Hi. Council member Stoyle. Hi. Council member Nichols. I prefer. Now we vote. [clears throat] Okay. group effort.

I make a motion to accept local law number 4-2025. I second it. So move. Council member Lalia. Hi. Council member Zorski. Hi. Council member Doyle. Hi. Council member Nichols. Hi. Yep. I'm glad this is the last [laughter] file resolution.

Resolution 73-2025, resolution authorizing lease agreement for office copers at the Dunkford Fire Department. Any discussion? Any discussion? Yeah. Yeah. I'm going and let's see a nickel. Call the roll. Council member Lisa. Hi. Council member Zorski. Hi.

Council member. Council member Nickel. Hi. Resolution 73 is voted out. There you go. Resolution 74-2025 resolution authorizing cost reduction change order and ship payment for 2025 DPW saving program. I have a motion. I need a motion. Council member, hi. Council member Zorski, hi. Council member Doyle.

Hi, Council Member Nichols. Hi.

Resolution 75-2025. Resolution authorizing milling for [clears throat] revitalized numbers discovery trail access at Point Branch. I have a motion. Sattorki and Nichols. Call. Council member Leo. Hi. Council member Satski. Hi. Council member Stoyle. Hi. Member Nichols. Resolution 76-2025 resolution authorizing easement for well ice cream motion.

Council member Letoy. Hi. Council member Zorski. Hi. Council member Soy. Hi, Council Member Nicholas. I resolution 77-2025, resolution authorizing a lease agreement for the office copier in the building in the building and zoning office. I have something to say.

Um, it says here on the second paragraph, um, numerically it has 177 per month, twice, but then the board is 159. I don't know it like that or it was having it. We can make it make a motion to approve it based on changes.

Then I can fix it. So, which is the correct number? Honestly, I don't know. I have to ask Wanda 77 plus the um you know the perression impression charges. I didn't work on that contract. I know that it's the bill39. I worked with Wanda on that. So, she did tell me Oh, it's 159. Okay. Okay. It's actually cost savings compared to what we're paying now.

Okay. machine.

Abby also did co-sponsor, but her name's not on that resolution as well. Could that be added at the time? Sure. Thank you. You have a question.

Yeah. Okay. Council member Lia. Hi. Council member Zorski. Hi. Council member. Hi. Council member Nichols. Hi. Resolution 78-2025. Resolution authorizing purchase of new yard loader for DPW streets division. I have a motion. No question. Yes. Randy, do you want to um be specific on this and where the funding is coming from for the um

Yeah, it's uh thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk a little bit about it before. Um just to add um Um it's on state contract uh for $157,91 with the all the attachments we need for material handling and working at the yard and also on streets. Uh the old one is 30 years old and it would be good for parks division to use on the beaches. Um but it's not reliable to keep our salt carts, especially the new ones loaded up with salt. Um so we have one that we found in stock. state contract and we have about $400,000 in chips money. Um, right now we have we have some expenses. We have about $600,000 in chips money. We have about $400,000 of that uh paid out. And so I still have some money to roll over in the next year um when we get another twothird of a million dollars in April. Um so we can afford this right now. need it right now and it's available right now and it's coming out of chips money and we'll get the money back in 30 days.

Thank you. Just to make it perfectly clear that it's being paid for through chips fun. Thank you, Councilwoman. It's it's we pay for it first and then it's first. I just want everybody aware of how that works. Thank you. But we still getting the money back into the city account. We take the money out first. It does take a while for it to come back. Right. Correct. Just like everything else. Have a motion to accept this.

Call. Council member Loia. Hi. Council member Zorski. Hi. Council member Stoyle. Hi. Council member Nichols. Hi. Walk in resolution 79-2025 walk-in resolution authorizing employee assistance program contract.

No motion to accept the walk in make a motion. Yes. I I make a motion. You make a motion for second. Council clerk roll. Council member Lgo. Hi. Council member Zorski. Hi. Council member Doyle. Hi. Council member Nichols. Hi. Any questions? Council questions on the resolution. The agenda.

There's another block, isn't it? Second,

council member Lcco. Hi, Council Member Zorski. Hi, Council Member Stoyle. Hi, Council Member Nichols. Hi. Walking resolution 80-25. [clears throat] Walk-in resolution establishment of fire equipment reserve fund. Motion to accept the walkin. I second it. Okay. Council member Loya. Hi. Council member Zorski. Hi. Council member Nichols. Hi. Council

member. Yeah. I'll make a motion to accept resolution number 80. You want a second?

Council member Leo. Hi. Council member Zorski. Hi. Council member Doyle. Hi. Council member Nichols. Hi. Walkin resolution 81-2025 walk-in resolution authorizing fire department to purch purchase turnout gear. I have a motion accepted. I I make a motion to accept the walk. Second. I second. Council member Lgoia. Council member Zorski. Hi. Council member Sto. Hi.

Council member Nichols. I question to resolution. We have a motion to accept the second call. Council member Loya. Hi. Council member Zorski. Hi. Council member Doyle. Hi.

Council member Nichols. Hi. Walk in resolution 82 bond resolution for the statistatorial authorized deficit financing 2025. Do I have a motion to accept this?

Council K. So to address these last two resolutions, um they are from our bond council and we have the opportunity to get into deficit financing. We won't have an actual party to be named to purchase the deficit bonds, but this is the last step of what we've been working the last two years to obtain. Uh one of these resolutions is to appoint Ellen as a CFO for the city. Um because everybody knows Mark is retiring come January. So, we need a CFO appointed to get into deficit financing. And then the other is allowing the city to borrow up to the $17 million for the deficit financing that the OSD has approved us for.

I I accept it all except it says here in the letter that um send us the deficit finance bond resolution email. That should be your sec the second the second letter that you have. There should be two letters

there. It came today because we have the way that they normally show up. So this is 82 is we did this for the last borrowing. Um, so this is the bond resolution authorizing the city to get it to borrow the 17 million deficit financing and then the other one is appointed and the god

otherwise we have to have a special meeting before the end of the year [clears throat] to deficit financing. Why does it have to be before the end of the year? because we have to issue our deficit bonds by December 31st, 2025. Well, I think with all this that's here that we have to read for it to get handed to us 3 minutes before the meeting starts where we don't even have a lot of time to just the email is it was just another email that came with the second part to that. It didn't. There's Well, because it actually came to the people that are Oh, I see.

And then there's a bunch of people that are CC on the weather. No, I understand. Well, we can I mean we can just host another council meeting before the end of the year. this the um at the finance meetings when we were discussing buying into that one company that would um hope we could have a reserve run through. Is this the same affiliation with this? No.

So for clarification, this was like the rand that we borrowed only this is our deficit bond. This has this will pay off the state loan for $13.7 million and pay back a good portion of our back retirement pension obligations that we still have. This is to get us to that zero that we've been working so hard for for the last two years.

But where does that set the city financially as far as paying back that? So, we're hoping to get a better interest rate on our deficit bonds and our payments should be about the same as they are currently. We would borrow up to the $17 million. So I know that the controller at high school why is it such a rush for us to get our money because we lose our we lose the doctor fiscal recovery act if we don't get our deficit bonds done by December 31st of 2025. This cannot be split into two different resolutions.

I don't agree with the resolution. I'll make a motion to accept 823. Wait a second.

We have a motion and a second. We have a second. According to this paperwork, it said in other words, the bond resolution must receive at least four or per votes and we would have four votes here anyway.

Are we going to have to table this? All right. I have a motion to table this resolution. All those in favor. Council member Goa. Hi. Council member Sourky. Hi. Council member Stoyle. Hi.

Council member Nichols. Hi. No pressure. I have a motion to adjourn and apologize for my inactance, but it was a total surprise that was going to be there. Council member Leo. Hi. Council member Zorski. Hi. Council member. Hi. Council member.

Hi. Merry Christmas.