City Council - Regular Meeting

All right. I'm going to call the meeting of the Essex Junction City Council to order for Wednesday, March 25th. Any agenda, additions, or changes? Regina? None for me. Council? No, nothing for me.

Okay. All right. We'll move to public to be heard. Um, if there's any public that would like to be heard, please raise your hand online and I will call on you. I'm not seeing any. Some of you guys don't. Okay. I don't want to make that assumption. All right. We're moving on to business item 5A, which is discussion on Essex Westford School District request to voters regarding annual meeting day change. WE'RE VERY EXCITED.

We've been waiting for this one. A vote. Yeah, perfect timing. So, it's like you were waiting to walk in to be like again. You heard the call. You came in. So, that's perfect. So, come right here, Jamaima. So, welcome. Thank you. So, first off, I want to say thank you. Uh, city council Regina as well too. Thank you so much for having us. Uh, I'm Mara Versami. I'm the vice chair of the associate school board.

I'm Jamaat. I'm the clerk. And uh yes, we wanted to bring forth to you guys as you know that we have a ballot initiative on the April 14th ballot to um ask the community to move uh the vote if they want to to move it to town main day uh starting in 2027 and forever forward in that point. Um so it's going obviously to all three communities. Um we've know there's been a lot of conversations in the past um for us here in the city. Um we had a good robust conversation around it and we feel that um you know while there was definitely a lot of issues at the state level that made it hard for us to make that move earlier, we feel we are in a position right now to be successful in making that move and we know that there's definitely a lot of um yearning for that in the city to make that happen too. So we wanted to come uh before city council so we can survey questions that you may have, the community may have. We were happy to answer that about what it means. Um yeah, I think that's pretty much the long and the short of it. or anything you want to add?

No. Uh, this is something that we're hoping to do to streamline the process and I mean we don't need to really explain it to you, but this will save us a little bit of money and hopefully make voting a little bit easier for people so only have to go once or you know not repeatedly every month. Yes. Perfect. So would that open questions to the council? Does any counselors have questions? No. Well, I think we've all been waiting and hearing and longing for this for a number of years. If if you want to say your disclosure now, I want to keep it as it is. I'm happy to put that out there.

I do appreciate that. We spoke previously and you said, you know, you felt like one more year. So, for that to have come to fruition is fantastic. There's uh always a lot of media attention around town meeting day. Uh and so if we can get as we keep our voting aligned with your voting to get that move to town meeting is fabulous. There was a time when Essex Junction residents voted five times a year and this change is something that we have been trying to accomplish for I don't know eight or so years when we the governance long time

the Essex governance group had a one of their findings and recommendations was have a single voting day. So, thank you. And we know how long it took and how much I mean, every time you tried to think about it, something else came and took your complete attention away. So, thank you for getting there. And we've been happy to wait.

And I just want to say thank you also the council. I know that there's probably some pressure on all of you to to move forward uh from members. I know we've heard it too on the board as well. Um so, we want to thank you for um being mindful of that and as we try to figure out the issues uh at the state level uh for our board. Um I will say this that you know um for school boards across the state there's about 122 votes overall between districts and supervisory unions and then districts inside supervisor unions. There's a lot that goes on. So with that being said out of that about 109 districts vote on town meeting day. So for us we definitely would be in line with the majority of the districts across the state. So we feel like we're really equipped to go forward with that there. So that at least from that standpoint the district is ready to move make that move and agree that you know from a streamline standpoint cost standpoint and then be able to get advertising across the board. we think it's the right move to make and it's going to help uh not only us and hopefully if the council so chooses to also move the date there I think it'd be great for everybody as a group and I think definitely our community would benefit from it in the long run.

Y absolutely anybody Brian? Yeah and we I've heard it said sometimes that um it that one of the delays from the EWST perspective is that uh it having it a month later makes it easier for budgeting purposes for you. Is there any concern on the EWD board on on that topic or is that um come come to terms with it moving forward?

That concern's come up. It definitely has. Um I can speak not just as the vice chair but also the chair as our finance committee uh working with Heather Bushy, our finance officer, who again is absolutely amazing and does a lot of work on the state level too. Um her team and the board are prepared to make that shift. We know we're going to have to get if after the budget vote, if it passes, we're going to hit the ground running for next year right away. Um, so there'll be uh no rest for us in there, but I think we're ready for it and I know that we're going to support the district to the best of our ability, so they're ready to go to be in line with the majority of the state going forward. Nice. Well, it does have the advantage um in the in the hopefully unlikely um circumstance that it goes down. It gives you more chance to have another vote, more time to have another vote before

it gives us flexibility on that avenue. Also, internally, it makes our processes actually a lot easier if we're voting earlier. Um takes a lot of pressure off of our staff. Um, again, we never hope for a bill budget vote, but if on if it were to happen, um, we'd be better equipped for a revote and not having to have to, uh, rush the process. Um, we saw that happen in the community two years ago and when we had a filled budget vote, uh, it makes it very, very stressful. And while any fail budget is always stressful, um, we'd be better suited for it if the vote was in March versus April. So, yeah. Great. Any thank you. Any other comments from the council? Okay. Uh,

um, can I just add? Absolutely. Just for folks if they're not aware on the city side, there is no question in front of the voters because the city council has the authority to change the annual meeting date. That's a um charter change that we made a couple years ago. So depending on where this vote goes, the city council is um uh able to just make that change on their own. So thank you. All right, I'll open it up to public comment. Anyone online? Please raise your hand.

Not seeing any with that. Again, I just want to thank uh the council uh and again looking forward to the 14th uh for both of our votes and maybe the last time we vote in April. Uh we'll see how things go with the community, but again, appreciate uh your patience and working with us in that there the last few years. Um, I know it hasn't been easy, but thank you for the work that you guys have been doing and thank you for being supportive for the district over the years. So, thank you guys for coming. Turn that around, too. And thank your board for getting to this point where you're you feel like you're in a position to do this at this point. So, it was hard work. A lot of hard work and a lot goes into it. So,

hats off to Mark and his team or Dr. Haldick, our superintendent, the team. They've done a lot of work and it's been it's been prior to the prior, you know, um, superintendent copy before they were the work was already in process. So again, it's been a team effort and we're happy to be able to bring this to the community to have the final say on that. So thank you again. Thank you very much guys. Have a good night. Feel free to stick around, but also feel free to go enjoy your You know, you know what to mean is like we're going to go things. I do. Appreciate everybody. Take care. Thank you very much. Have a good night.

5B library trustees brief to the council. Karen, you're up. Okay, I'm gonna try and pull up your slides here. Um, and Karen, you can't see this, but Wendy is online. Great. Hi, Wendy. Okay, great. There you go.

Thanks for having me. Um, I was asked to share some challenges and some successes on behalf of the Brownell Library trustees. So, we can run through these um and I will answer questions afterwards. Trustees have been busy the last year. Um, really trying to strengthen our governance and community outreach. Community outreach is included in the strategic plan and governance is something that we have been working on with city council and amongst ourselves to create policies and procedures that are clear. We're trying to trying to sort of formalize and get some clarity around our organization and our parameters. So that's been that's been a lot of work in the past 12 months. Um we are trying to take a bit of a load off of staff. So we are streamlining our reporting for meetings. We don't want library staff to spend hours and hours preparing a packet that only trustees um look at. And so we're trying to fold in or I worked with staff to fold in what they do already and then create a packet based on that so that there's a little less

time there. So that's been a success. Um and the library foundation, we have a new supporting nonprofit policy. I'll speak a little bit more about that, but we are working with the library foundation to align with that policy and budgeting and aging building needs sort of were handinand the budgeting process has been ongoing. was more successful this year it felt like as a committee um that that also has the underlying you know underlying challenge of we're having to choose between some building needs and the collections and there's not a lot as I presented in my last presentation to you all um there's not a lot of wiggle room there so it's it's been a challenge trying to figure out what to prioritize um ongoing and limited understanding of library funding. That's been sort of part of community outreach, our strategic plan with regards to education amongst the community. What what does funding the library look like and why do we have to do it in the way that we do? So that's been a challenge. And if we move to the next page, our achievements. Sorry, I'm working in a not awesome prop like

format here. There you go.

Um, one of those achievements is that we we are, I think, doing a lot in with regards to education. Both of the trustees, I'm not going to go in order here, but second from last, um, we started including a trustee education. So a staff member from Brownell comes to our meeting and every other month we have sort of an education piece and so they teach us something with regards to the library which is helpful for trustees to go out into the community and then share with neighbors and community members and friends. Um so that's been that's been a highlight of trustee work. Um starting back at the top strategic planning goals that's been really positive. um checking in with library staff and and being a supportive board um with regards to strategic planning. We sort of reframed the strategic plan this year, so it's sort of a two-pager, so it's a lot easier to digest and it's easier, I think, for trustees to help support the plan. Um we do have three new library trustees. They're bringing lots of new energy, perspectives, dynamics. Um and it's a really energetic board. Um again with the governance and aligning that's been really really helpful. So that's been an achievement we have. Um governance we created a trustee job description which found sounds very official but it also you know when we have two two types of trustees we have a permanent board and we have elected board members. And so when somebody says, "I'm interested in helping at the library. I want to be a trustee. What does that mean?" We never had a formal document that explained that. So we have created that which is really helpful. We're also working with our teen trustees to have a teen job description which um they sort of requested and I'm helping support on that. So teens that

are interested will also have a clear understanding of what that means. um just passed this new supporting nonprofits of Brownell library policy. The trustees just adopted that and really that is to help support library staff to set parameters and guidelines of what it means to support Brownell Library as a nonprofit and um protect the library from organizations that might want to that might purport to help but have other plans on you know what they what their real mission is. And so we want to just make it really clear by way of this policy um and so that the library director and staff have documentation and proof that it's a legitimate organization and also some parameters of working together um having anou in place having trustees aware of these organizations that come forward and want to help the library. So that was a big achievement and I really think has some protections for library staff and li the Brownell library. Um so that was nice to put in place. Um we are having a year-long celebration for the 100th year anniversary of Brownell Library. Hope you guys can come to some of the events. Um we're going to have we had a kickoff party. We're going to have a birthday party. We're going to have a celebrate the 1920s party. Um, we're gonna have a lot of parties this year at Brown now. So, really trying to get some community engagement and support behind that and really celebrate the fact that it's been around so long and been a really important part of the community. So, that that is exciting. Um, and improved communication that's been an initiative along with governance between library staff um, trustees, city

leadership. I think there's been a lot more cohesive collaboration and that felt like a big achievement in the last year that has felt really good on all sides. Um trustees have participated in several community events. They try we try to table we try to be seen in the community, answer questions, education going back to the strategic plan. So, um, meet me on Maine was a really fun event that we attended every week and, um, so many other events and looking forward to more. Um, I talked about the trustee education and the friends of Brownell Library were relaunched. We re launched that organization to support some fundraising and community engagement. Um, that's been successful so far. that started at the end of 2025 and has about 40 members to date and um donations are coming in and we're just trying to support the library. Lots of people are engaged in that way. So, a lot of good work and I'll answer any questions if

you have any questions. Go ahead, Elen. Can you Karen, thank you. Yeah, all these great highlights. Can you tell me the difference between or maybe the the relationship between the new policy for supporting nonprofits and the friends in the foundation?

Yes. Uh so the the new policy the non the supporting nonprofits of Brownell library policy sets the guard rails for nonprofit organizations to to be in existence um on behalf of Brownell Library um and to protect Brownell Library from an organization that says Hey, I want to help and then truly doesn't. And so part of part of this policy is that the trustees have to recognize the organizations that come forward and say they want to help. Part of the policy includes the documentation that the library director needs. Um, articles of organization and the board names and um and also set some parameters around working with the library in terms of if if the organization wants to have a booth or a room in the library, what are those parameters? and the there's anou that the trustees, the library, and the nonprofit all have to agree upon um create and agree upon. So it's kind of um it's like guardrails

for so the friends and the foundation are the two nonprofits currently that are supporting Brownell Library and we just want to have a policy in place for library staff to know okay here's here's sort of the rules of engagement in participate you know like engaging with these two organizations here's what they can and can't do that hasn't been clear to date

and so this policy clarifies it and embedded In the policy is the requirement that these organizations have to establish anou and the director has to periodically review them. The trustees have to annually review this policy and make sure that they still um are in good standing with the library staff. Okay. Can I ask a followup on that? Not to interrupt. I just because we're here if you don't mind. Sure. Go ahead.

Just real quick. this particular agreement and policy, is this something that also comes through city administration? Because again, I know that this is a complex relationship that we have. Um, but just thinking about the fact that nonprofits coming on to city/ library property and and doing these things are, you know, is is the administration in that circle? Yes. Um, city council, not city council,

legal city legal council advised us on this policy. So, we wrote in a policy and then legal council amended it and we took it to the trustees and they approved the policy. So, city was involved, Regina was involved and aware that this policy was being written um and many communities have this policy to protect the libraries. Yeah. Thank you. So, would it be possible to get a copy? Just I don't think we've seen it. I just be I just found it. Oh, yeah. I was just looking for it. Yeah. Okay. It's online.

Um, and this might be too weedy. So, if it is, we can take this offline. But at you were saying that the friends have been reinstated and at one point the foundation and the friends were merged together into one entity. So now there are you're back to having the friends and the foundation and they're two separate entities. Can you just very briefly say what their roles are, what they do? They both um support Brownell Library

in terms of fundraising, providing support. Um currently the foundation um holds the trustee funds. The trustee does the book sale every year. The foundation runs the book sale room in Brownell Library and so they have some fundraising. Um, and the foundation was a was originally created to have large endowments and amounts of money held.

The friends was originally for smaller fundraising events, you know, to cover certain small requests on behalf of Brown Library staff. Um and so it was relaunched in order to provide sort of that pass through of the library has asked for several small things um and to help with the 100th anniversary. We really felt it was important to have some have some significant fundraising so that those events dur during the year could be paid for and um so okay. And so the friends in the foundation are separate from volunteers who volunteer and shelf books and and Yes. Okay.

And there is crossover. I mean we have some volunteers that are on the friends and um and and sort of do those in tandem but Okay. It's it's two unique positions. Okay. So to speak. Thank you. That was helpful. Lot going on. Any other questions for Karen? Yep. Go ahead.

Karen, thank you. Um, I do have a couple of questions. So, you brought up community outreach and so I'm curious and um, Regina, this might also be something I just want to understand the community outreach piece for the library. Um, because I I can see a role that the administration could potentially play in this. Um, and you know, we've heard many times about staff being thin. So therefore, I'm being conscious of like, okay, who's taking care of what and how this is being done. So I'm just curious about how we're managing this internally. Do you mean for the Brown Lund specifically or do you mean something else?

No, just community outreach in general for the library. Um because I didn't hear it as though it was specific to the hundth. I heard community outreach as a whole. So that's why Yeah. in terms of their tableabling and getting around to different events. Yeah. Um I I think for the most part the city is the city administration, meaning this side of the parking lot, I'll say, um is fairly hands-off um on that and the library mostly handles all that themselves. Okay. Okay.

I think it's also just when there is a citywide event or when there are community events, the library, we sort of take the trustees sort of take the lead of library staff. And if Wendy says, "Hey, there's an event at the high school. Would you guys like to attend?" Um, knowing that staff is stretched thin, we've sort of decided as a group, it's important for us to step up and be visible in the community, ask, you know, answer questions, be available. Um, same thing with Meet Me on Main. A staff member couldn't attend every week and so we filled in with the trustees and volunteers. Okay, great. So really just trying to be a presence and supportive um branch of the city, you know, city department. So okay, thank you.

Yeah, that's all I got, Tim. Brian. Okay, thank you Karen. Thank you very much, Karen. Yeah.

All right. Next, we have 5C, which is library department head brief to council, and we have Wendy online. Welcome, Wendy. Thanks. Um, so I I my memo was in the packet. Um, I so I um I can review that. Uh, let me just find it here. Um, but I can just like say we're Brenell. I feel like we're back to a very brisk business. um post pandemic um our visitors are much more of a diverse group um than I would say we've had pre- pandemic and in many wonderful ways but also some challenging ways um and some people need more support um there's a lot of government services that are available only online um there's a lot of confusion for people so um taking time to sort of direct people if they need to be on a computer, if they what are what are the skill sets that they're bringing to um using a computer. Um and then a lot of printing forms um and just general questions, a lot of referrals to um the outreach team if people are willing to talk to somebody. Um, we haven't had as much I think we've just had more people sort of like not in crisis necessarily, but potentially on the verge of crisis. So, um, people were familiar with that we know might um have some struggles being in a public space and then sort of the stress involved especially when there's multiple people. but um working just to check in with

people with the um seeing what they need and just making sure that everybody can use the building um peacefully. Um we are as Karen Karen mentioned the strategic plan initiatives. It was a great process that we went through. I really appreciate the expertise that Karen brought to it to sort of really get everyone's um top views of what the the survey results were um questions and um priorities and so that's been great and it's a short document so we can refer to it easily and so that's been very helpful and we're moving forward we um communication I think one of the things that came out of the survey is how many services people wanted that we also we actually offer. So it was interesting to us to be like, okay, we've tried that or we did that or we do that. Um so trying to figure out how to communicate better that these services exist and programs exist and that we have materials um that they've seen other places and we we don't have for the materials great space for display. So we're trying to be creative about that. Um and we also reorganized our circ desk. So staff are a little bit more up up in front to greet people and be able to help them and it has a um a lower area. So if people have a longer question, they can um sit down with or the idea is to be able to sit down with somebody um and then not have to bog up the line of people that are just trying to s get their items and move out um onto their days. Um, as we had a rough winter with the water in the build, um, from coming off the building. Um, hopefully the roof project will address some of that

because it was constant and um, the rain the melting off of the roof would just wash any salt away and because of the incline of the um, approach to the main door, it would just go away. And so staff would regularly have to go outside and then there was a point where the salt wasn't working and so we had dirt and that was getting dragged in. So, it's been a um outdoor maintenance has been something we haven't really it's it's just getting more um so we're looking forward to the roof project should be done by June. So, um we were really disappointed last year when we were not able to um get that accomplished because of the business that we had contracted with breaking the agreement. Um we're uh in a situation where our ILS that we share is the original team that um started it in 20 well before that it launched in 2010 and has grown to 70 libraries. So there's a lot more energy and expertise across the state that is getting involved um beyond the original team. So that's been great to see that flourish um and have people excited to help including our own staff. I was involved with um implementing the project and it's been amazing to see so many new faces and old faces just coming um to just make it a better system um in general like the education the we have a staff site that um Hannah our assistant director um helped kind of get um that moving forward and so it's been a helpful way to kind of tighten up how this shared system works. because libraries share everything. And so we've created a lot of systems um that the department of libraries has some but they're um they have not really taken a lead in um

shared resources like our um ILS and I started the courier service back in the I think 2016. Um the state's doing that now. So there's it's just working towards sharing more resources um because that is the value of libraries in many ways. Um, and then looking ahead, we are um we the roof replacement is hopefully going to happen sooner than later. Um, we're going to be working on getting a new carpet, which is going to have to be moving everything um downstairs. So, um, we're waiting right now to try to limit how much, um, is down there and then sort of deciding if we want to keep it in the same sort of footprint that we have it or if we want to move shelves around and what we might want to do. So, that's been um, been kind of fun to think about and reimagine or not. Um, but the strategic plan surveys did say people are really interested in having it be not quite so dark and um, better lighting plants, that sort of thing, just because it is it's I mean, it's a nice basement, but it's still a basement. Um, we have a a couple of staff working with trustees on the 100th events and so that's been positive to hear what's going on and and who's involved. Our next event's going to be um the S6 historical society is doing a trivia night and so we're that'll that should be a fun time. um our longtime assistant youth librarian Erna is retiring and so that's sort of a big big change coming up that we're getting ready for and um and just kind of enjoying our last year with or less than a year now with a seeing like she really takes her work seriously and really enjoys every every season she celebrates with the kids and so we're down to our last couple with her. Um and we're also 50% through the

sustainable libraries initiative. um CR certification which is a it's that's been a rewarding and Ernest been a like really a great project lead with that and Hannah our assistant director is taking over that. Um, and we're we just keep trying to think how we can serve the community better and what we can access. Um, and seeking donations and grants when possible. um and trying to improve services both um inside the building and around the building to um pursue just making us more accessible to everybody um regardless of your socioeconomic status. Um yeah, and I think those are kind of the highlights. I think if anybody has questions or

questions, Marcus,

Wendy, I do have a question concerning and Karen, you might have some thoughts on this, too, but I'm I'm thinking about the future of the library from the standpoint of, you know, as we saw in this year's budget and again, thank you for the hard work on on the budget because your department did a really great job of bringing in, you know, in line and then really making it work. But obviously the digital part of your inventory is expensive. Uh but more importantly, it wouldn't surprise me and it sounds like based on the feedback that I've heard there is the demand is continuing to grow. And if that's the case, I'm just curious what your thoughts are about the future. What does the library look at look like moving forward? Are we transitioning? Are we going to be transitioning from a library of real books to a library of digital ones or what is this going to kind of look and feel like?

Um, I think paper's not going away. I would say that for sure. Um this has been an ongoing discussion ever since ebooks came around and while the increase there is definitely an increase in use um there's I think a lot of people are screened out by the time they get home and this has been very true of Junction I would say like our electronic resources really lagged behind other libraries like up through like co just changed a lot of like the resistors had to finally bend to the to the to the devices. Um, but there's a lot of people that don't like they just want to have a book. Um, I I'm I'm a big advocate of like you can just have you can have 50 books on your Kindle and it's going to weigh the same and um and if you get bored with one, you can switch it up. So, I I like that flexibility, but a lot of people find comfort in um a printed material. And I know even like kids growing up are really like they don't want to read ebooks at all. And so that's been a I think they're just screened out at school. Um, and so there I think looking at the upcoming generation, I think that I've I've been surprised because I was you think of like, oh, they're just always on their phones or whatever, but kids really want to have that book. And I think there's a comfort like there's definitely a comfort and like you can look at any sort of like early literacy stuff that even like turning the pages of a book um um is something that brings people comfort. And if you have like Alzheimer's, then you may not be able to read and retain something, but you can still flip a page and that's a familiar activity whether or not you absorb the story. So, I think there um there's definitely um drawbacks for sure to electronics um like if you are in a situation where you don't want to carry a electronic like a Kindle

around or whatever because it could break or get stolen. Um, so there's I don't I think it's an ongoing discussion and I think for the most part it's just mostly very frustrating because there's just more demand for more types of formats as people like some people feel better listening to something and or kids that have like any sort of um learning disabilities might want to listen and look at a book at the same time. So, it's just as as we recognize the um diversity of our our society, this the formats just keep multiplying. But I I don't see an end with a print just because of how many people I think find comfort in it and don't want to have that light in their eyes. Um so, yeah, that's a good question. Mhm.

My experience and you know watching uh the young people in my life and crossing paths with they're all very much into their electronics whether it's reading a book or not. And so it just as I was reading through the packet and thinking about this. It was one of the things that that came to mind for me. So I appreciate your comment on on the generation that you're seeing youth actually grabbing books and flipping pages cuz Yeah, that's a good sign. I appreciate that. Thank you. Yeah, I know when the the state colleges were going through their troubles, they were looking at having a library with no books and that did that landed poorly, very poorly. And

I just also Wendy, we've talked about this as well, but just in doing research about electronic books with AI and libraries, I think there is a big push across the country to democratize the price of them. And so I am hopeful that while we see this increasing price pattern right now, I am hopeful that eventually that will even out and be a little more um manageable for libraries across the country so that they can serve many different formats. So that'd be great. Just want to add that in awesome AI recordings and all that. So

yeah, there is more national that I think there was a big effort in the 2023 about uh conversation of how because every everybody's struggling with how to afford the formats um across the country. It's not unique to our region at all. Um and so there is definitely something and and but the publishers aren't doing great either. So it's it's I don't know where things will go. But I do know that I feel like the youth and also are rebelling against licensing and just wanting to have something that they know the corporations aren't changing because that's happens as well. Like DVDs are becoming popular again because you can't get a lot of them. Um and yeah, and then the like a book might change if something happens and like a like somebody disagrees with it. So having that original copy that nobody they'd have to track it down and take it away instead of just like changing the licensing and the text in it. So there's there's a lot of weird conversations and points about all of it, but I think that there's definitely like more resistance at this point of having everything be digital just because of the controls that are out of everyone's hands.

Thank you for the feedback. Anybody else? Okay, that was kind of good. Thank you, Wendy. Thanks, Wendy. Thanks, Wendy, for taking the time. Thank you, Wendy. Thank you. Never a shortage of activities coming from Brown. Enjoy the rest of the hopping place. Sometimes evening or you can feel free to hang around for the discussion and consideration of the FY27 Enterprise Fund. That sounds like a doesn't it? Fascinating. Yeah.

All right. 5D. I think this is uh 55th time of discussion in consideration is the FY27 Enterprise Fund operating and capital budgets. I'm not reading all of it and war in the public hearing. Yeah. Jess, hello.

So, this is actually version three. So, I know it feels like 55, but yeah. Um, I'm actually gonna switch things up a little bit. I have Mark on. Um, we're gonna hit the EJRP program fund and senior center fund first, uh, because I think that will be fairly quick and then he can not have to sit through the enterprise funds if he doesn't want to. Um, so in your packet, this actually in the in the narrative is starting on page 15 if you want to reference that. Um, but uh Mark and I have spent a lot of time over the last couple weeks just sort of catching up and and doing crash courses on various things budget related. Um so the big change from well the only change really from the budget that you saw in February is that we um updated the allocations for the some of the citywide shared expenses. Um, so we have a couple more things that we added in this year. If you'll recall from prior years, uh, Brad and I had been working each year to kind of, uh, phase in some of these shared costs so that it wasn't one hit all at once to the program fund budget. Um, so this is kind of the final year of that phase in. Um and we will continue as we go forward, we'll continue to look at those and evaluate those allocations every year during the regular budget process. Um so with all of that being said, the EGRP program fund um as a whole is just around a $33,000 deficit. Um if you'll recall, we started um on budget day at a $68,000 deficit. So,

some improvement there. And um this deficit still can be covered by the the fund balance in the program fund. It's about a million dollars right now. We have a a few other things that are going to be coming out of that fund, but still plenty left to cover this deficit. Um and then the senior center fund, again, no change here. Um I basically just updated the current balance, which is 17,317. um plan is to be using that for uh furnishing of the new senior center. Um so that is it for program funds. Mark, did you have anything you wanted to add or are you good?

Uh I'm good. Uh thank you for that and thank you for for you and uh Brad Luckerman and Gina for all your hard work and putting that together and I'm just happy to you were able to help me kind of figure some of those those things out. Awesome. Thanks. So, we uh while Mark's still on, we can take any questions from the council on EGRP specifically questions. Can I just say welcome Mark to the budget

to the circus or Yeah. No, and and congratulations and it's great to see you in this particular role. So, I just want to say that while you're here in front of us um and really do look forward to hearing more about your vision. Um but uh really looking forward to the senior center opening and seeing how EGRP continues to be the gem that it is for our municipality. So uh thank you again for stepping up into this role. So thanks. Yeah, thank you very much. Uh happy to be here and uh a lot of exciting things happening uh in the very near future with EJP.

I'll echo I'll echo what Mark has said 100%. I'm very pleased with uh Mark No. Okay. Um Mark's going to jump off. I'm just going to open up to public comment just for this particular piece before he jumps. Anybody in the public? All right. I'm not seeing any hands raised, so you're good, Mark. Thank you. All right. Thank you very much. Have a good night. This is his first pass. The next one he's going to be on for hours. You can still hear that. I heard I heard that. I'm still on.

All right. So, we can go back to the top now. and Chelsea's on as well for um I'm sure mostly the conversation will probably revolve around storm water, but um I'll just kind of run through the high points from the narrative and um we'll end with storm water and capital and chime in if you have questions when I when I go through each um individual budget. So, uh, page 11 in your packets, the beginning of the narrative, we are at a combined utility rate. So, this is water, wastewater, and sanitation. Um, is at a 7.6% increase um or roughly $62 per year for an average household. Um, within the water fund, we had changes from the last budget you saw in February. um of about 50,000 $51,000. And so those changes were we reduced the capital transfer um and we also reduced a postage expense related to the utility billing. Um so we're ending about the same as we were in the last budget version at a 3.8% budget increase and a 6.2% fee increase. Um in the wastewater fund, we went through that budget also reduced about just under $5,000. Um we did add a maintenance management program uh within this the wastewater fund only and then we also reduced the capital transfer and we're able to reduce the estimated storm water fee for the wastewater fund based on the the updated and um finalized storm water

budgets and rates. Um, so again here we're at about the same budget as you saw in February with a 3.2% budget increase and an 8.2% fee increase. Um, in the sanitation fund, we have uh cut about 53,000 from this budget. So we were able to increase the two-party revenue. Um so this was a project as you've know we've been working with the town um to kind of figure out the correct calculation and really come up with a formula that can be used from now going forward. Um so Chelsea did a ton of work with the town. I just checked math. Um she did all the hard work. So we were able to increase that revenue line. Um and then on the expense side of things, we did increase for a root cutting nozzle, uh which was in capital previously. Uh we were able to reduce the postage amount in here also for the utility billing. Um and then we also reduced the capital transfer in sanitation as well. So the sanitation budget is coming in lower than the last budget you saw in February. So we're at a 7.2% 2% budget increase and a 9.4% rate increase. Um and then lastly for operating budgets um the storm water fund has seen the biggest change um and that is an increase total increase of $77,000 to this budget. So we increased for um the vac truck camera uh and then decreased for professional services R&M

repairs and maintenance and some other maintenance um categories and we did increase propose an increase in the capital transfer here. So overall this budget is an increase from what you saw last in February. Um it's a 78.4% 4% budget increase with a 63.7% rate increase. Um so with the annual account review process that we did with the third party vendor that we've been using um we completed that review have all of the impervious area erus um everything recalculated and confirmed for the next year. Um the rate is as proposed as increasing to $88.91 per ERU. Um and even though there was a significant increase in the budget itself because of that account review and the the recalculation um of credits and and impervious areas, we are just not even a we're like 40 cents more than we were in February per u on the rate. Um so I it's up to you guys. you would you like we can go on to the capital reserve or we can take questions on the operating side of things first. Okay, great. So in the capital enterprise capital funds this is starts on page 14 of the packet. Um we have um basically I'll just kind of summarize the detailed list that's in the packet, but we have updates in the capital plan um or plans for current fiscal year amendments that the council has made. Um

updated pricing. We've we were able to obtain um current pricing on vehicles and equipment. uh updated our debt payment schedules and also made some updates to more realistic project timing. Um so as I noted previously in the operating budgets uh we removed the vac truck camera and nozzle from capital um and move those to the operating budgets because they didn't meet the capitalization threshold. So once we kind of narrowed down those numbers and um got all the information we needed, we determined that we needed to move those to operating. Um and then we as I mentioned the the um capital transfers from operating to the reserves have changed in various funds. So in the water fund, we determined that we could level fund that transfer from FY26. So there's no increase there. Um we were also able to level fund the wastewater capital transfer and the sanitation transfer. We couldn't level fund um but we were able to reduce it. Um, so we're still seeing a $20,000 increase in that transfer over FY26. We had originally proposed a $50,000 increase. Um, and then storm water, we have uh added quite a bit to capital. And so this was an effort on our part to just sort of give a realistic picture of what cash is required to fund all of the projects that we know of right now. Um

and the schedules that we are somewhat tied to with some of these projects. Um so the to follow up on Amber's question from the last presentation uh that question was about what would it do what would increasing the capital transfer have um an impact on the potential bond vote specifically for the Hayawa project. So, um, in the memo, I've kind of spelled out a couple different options just to give you an idea of the cost. Um, and I'll hit those really quickly here. Um so in order to do that Hayawa project on the timeline that is required in 2028 uh we could one absorb the full amount in FY27 or spread the cost over the two fiscal years FY27 and FY28. Um, if we go with option one, the rate would end up being $286 per ERU per year. Um, if we spread that cost over two years, the ERU rate this year or for FY27, sorry, would be um just under $215 per ERU. Um, and then there is a note just for reference in the narrative that $50,000 in the storm water operating budget equates to $7.71 on the ERU rate. So, a change in either direction would be $7.71 on the rate. Um, and I think that's it for the summary. I don't know Chelsea or Regina

if you have anything else you wanted to add. Um I'm just going to add Jess on Monday night at our informationational hearing. Um I think I gave you guys a you know we have been showing that preliminary impact on voters altogether tax rate change plus the two other changes and I think I said that it had gone up but now that I'm looking at it again like we were talking um

it's going to go down. it's closer to 215 in total because the utility cost is only up 62 and the storm water even though we did a bunch of adjusting we put a lot more capital in there with the other changes um Jess was able to make we were able to kind of keep that set so you're looking at $215 again for an average home this is different for everybody individually but $215 between these enterprise side of the things plus the tax side of things. Yeah.

Any Yeah. Go ahead. I'm I'm just trying to wrap my head around the storm water thing. And when we first started the storm water utility, the eru rate was something like $50. It was in the $50 range. Is that about am I remembering correct? I think that's where that's where we landed. I mean, that's where we landed, but when we first proposed it, it was $80. It was like $75 80. Yeah. Out of it to ease people into it the first year, right? Okay. And then um we're in the second year of that. Yep.

Y and it's looking like we will have to do the Hayawa project. And so in the space of two to three years, the ERU rate is going to go up to almost $232. And I just can't even imagine how our rate payers are going to deal with that. That was a Yeah, that that's if we didn't I'm sorry. Go ahead.

Yeah. So that was a question that I asked because I was trying to figure out I don't I guess it goes back to I think you might have asked this question at one point about how many how many things can we bond essentially like is that capacity right and so I was thinking about that as as we have to do the highwa project I don't think there is an option we have to do the higher project the question for me was how do we not bond for it and that's what that $200 I mean that just is astronomical and but not bonding for it you're saying by doing it over two years exactly exactly yep

there's just no pay. I mean, I can't imagine that a rateayer would like I'm sure they'll understand like what we have to accomplish, but to do a a 1.1 $1 million project by shifting funds to capital over the course of two years, I mean, it's just Yeah, it's too much. Yeah. And it was just that was just to point out, yeah, the hypothetical what if, right? So, we didn't opt to bond for this project that needs to be done. Here's what it would look like in in the form of a utility fee. Yeah. Okay. Which is uh Yeah.

I think the thing for me is that um I mean somebody can correct me if I'm wrong, but I I think we're not we are going to see this kind of increase next year as well. I mean to be in that to be in the $80 um year is going to be or for ERU is where we're going to have to be if not more. we kind of in hindsight probably shouldn't have fa shouldn't have phased it as much as we did. Um and so now we're kind of picking back up from that. So, but I agree. I don't I don't see I don't see an ex a time in which we say let's just not bond and we'll charge 230 bucks. I think

there's no there's no way to to go below the 88. We can't we can't not put the extra money in there to fund those projects through FY27. Any other questions, comments, concerns? I have a process question.

Okay. Um so in the motions so what struck me was so we're going theoretically if we if someone makes the motion the motion is to approve the operating and capital budgets um but then we're going to warn the hearing on the rate setting if we get public feedback on the rate setting that is not that it's like no or f no. Um I feel like by approving the the budget, we're doing it out of order. It feels like we need to have that public hearing first and then upon that feedback approve these budgets. Am I off base? I'm sure that this is probably how was done in the past, but it just struck me as I was reading the motions that it felt a little out of order. I'll let Regina answer that.

Yeah. And I'm going to pass it to Jess if there's any logical reason why it functions this way. It um your question makes very good logical sense. Um but we've got to set the budgets first in order to be able to figure out what the rate is. And the public hearing requirement is technically on really only on the large water user rate which really is only global foundaries in our current they're the only person who qualif or are tagged with that definition essentially. Um so we have been in the practice of doing a public hearing just for all of them just because why not? But it is a little bit of a um confusing kind of process. Um Jess, I don't know if you have anything to add. The Yeah, the only other thing I would add is just a reminder that um the technically again, not that this is the best or perfect scenario for the city, uh but technically the council is in charge of um setting the enterprise budgets and rates. Um it's not something that is voted on by the voters of the city. Um so again definitely want public input to the process. Um but that is kind of the the reasoning behind how and why and when this all happens

and and and while my 55 was not right we have had three separate rate conversations and that does that include budget day? Yes. Okay. So actually Yeah. So it we might actually be on version four now. Amber, I was wrong. Closer to 55. Yeah. Yeah. No, totally understand. I just I wanted to be able to, you know, again, reading the motions, it felt like if we were responding to public comment, if we needed to respond to public comment,

then we have to undo our approval. But it doesn't sound like that's the case because we're just having a little theater. I guess I'm sorry it sounds terrible, but it's essentially it.

The other thing to keep in mind with with these enterprise budgets because they are set by the council, you can reset, you can go back to this process any time during the year. Um, so if we got even six months into the next fiscal year and something big happened and we were like, whoa, we need to pivot and readjust, um, we could rebudget and reapprove at that point even. I think the tricky thing about these is that there's no ability. It just feels like there's no ability to do anything different.

Yeah. all if we sit here and we say, "Well, we don't like we don't like $88." Like, that's just too high. The the ramifications of that are next year it'll be 100, right? Next year it'll be hundred and we can't do the projects that we need to do to meet our MS4 or whatever it happens to be. Um, and so it's just Yeah, I feel like there's there's like this is a bad seat to be sitting in in that regard. Um but yeah, no, I I absolutely agree and I knew coming into this year after we decided last year to defer some of this that we were going to get this hit this year.

Um so no, I totally understand. I just wanted to clarify the process for myself if nothing else. So okay, appreciate it, Brian. Yeah. And just if I may rephrase what you said just so that I understand it. What what I what I what I heard you say was if we have this public hearing and we get and we get negative feedback we can go change it. That's why it's done in this order. Right. So that we can address Marcus's concern if necessary. Is that right? Yep.

Yep. Yeah. And we are ahead of schedule for historic. Uh if we look historically um that was very intentional one. We're trying to get these budgets on the same cycle as the general fund so that voters, residents, taxpayers, rateayers have all of the information at the same time. Um, also it allows us to communicate this information much sooner than just sending an insert in the June utility bill. Um and then even further than that, this doing moving all of this timeline up a little bit gives us more space when um audit time comes and if we do end up moving to town meeting day, everything will be in sync. We're kind of teeing up for um that potential change as well.

Great, Tim. No, I'm not.

Okay. All right. I will open it up to public comment before I bring it back for motions. Anyone online? Not seeing any hands. Marcus. Um I'm going to move that the city council approve the FY27 Enterprise Fund operating capital budgets for water, wastewater, sanitation, storm water, and EJRP program fund as presented. I'm going to move that the city council warn a public hearing on April 29th, 2026 for FY27 rate setting for the water, wastewater, sanitation, and storm water funds.

Second. I hate to be that guy, but at those two motions, you want two separate motions. Yeah. Okay. Does that will take the um we'll take the enterprise approval of the enterprise fund budgets. Okay. I'll second that. Okay. Thank you. Uh all in favor? I I Okay, that's unanimous. So then the second is the public hearing warning. So April 29th, you want me to reread it? I don't think you need to. I think you read it. Okay. We're just going to take it separately. I'll second the second half of his mot of his original motion. Thank you. All in favor? I Okay. So, both were unanimous. Thank you, folks. Thank you, Jess. Thank you, Chelsea.

Thank you. Thank you. Okay, moving on to consent. And I get a motion to approve the consent. So moved. I'll second. All in favor? I. All right, that is unanimous. Council member comments and city manager report. Regina.

Um so just remind folks that we've got our vote coming up April 14th. So hopefully um everybody can get out and vote. Um, also I just wanted to uh highlight for the community the third item in the reading file. It's a new grant program. Um, I believe Locomotion is leading that and it's really a small grant opportunity for community members to um do like block parties and streets, revitalize streets for people is the whole concept. Um, so we put that in a reading file because it's not necessarily something the city would do, but folks can go ahead and use that program themselves. So, um, just wanted to bring attention to that. And that's all I've got.

Anybody else? I just want to take the opportunity to remind folks that we are continuing to do the food drive until March 30th here at TU Lincoln um, to benefit Heavenly Pantry. So, please drop some food off here. Appreciate it. And with that, I will entertain a motion to ajourn. So moved. I'll second. All in favor? I I All right, that's unanimous. Thanks everybody. Have a good night.