A&p Commission - Regular Meeting

One person is

ready. Oh, I thought it was. I never looked at the time. Today is Tuesday, October the 21st of 2025. It is 4:00. It is the parks commission meeting. Could you call the role please?

Sure. We have Bobby Price here, Jennifer Travis. Martin here. Cinderell and Otis Edwards. We have a quorum. I have a motion to approve the minutes from the last meeting.

I will make that motion. I'll second. Mr. Price. Yes. M. Travis. Yes. M. Martin? Yes. Spell? Yes, Mr. Edwards. Yes. Unanimous. All right. Committee reports. Freedom committee. Trails committee. Nothing to report. Treat committee. Nothing to report. Recreation committee. Nothing at this time.

Do I have any items that need to be added to the agenda? Well, can we have a motion to have a discussion of the loop trail? I'll make that motion. I have a Motion and a second. Miss Pros, yes. Miss Travis, yes.

Miss Glenn, yes. Missa, yes. Edwards, yes.

Financial update. I'm gonna make this really quick in that we're going to have a budget discussion. So, I just wanted you to one of the things that we want to point out is that we are listing under restricted funds the Michael City Lake Trail sign. Back in 2023, there was some monies that was collected through donations. Those monies were not being reported. They're on the balance sheet. And what I'm trying to do is focus you on the fact that there's $2,690 there that has been collected and it's going to remain there until such time as the decision is made as what to do with those funds even though it has been restricted by resolution from the city council for that purpose on city trail. So that's something for you to decide or discuss current time and future budgeting. I just wanted you to know when it happened and now it's being shown to you restricted funds. These are now all of your accounts that you have control over. And so the first thing to point out was that your balance as of 930 is 458,000. 362% decrease from what you started with. Mostly it's coming from events such as the CSU parks amount have dropped significantly and there's some other things that were involved in the splash checking. We started at 480,000. Right now there's 115,25 remaining. That's good news. No other bills come in between now and

that's going to drop you money. Right now your budget for 2025 is 300 all in these funds were all at 319,000. predicting to be by the end of the year. So just wanted you to know that the amount that's sitting here 190 as of 930 has a potential pick up of 115,000 you already sales. It's just the money that will be residual going back as far as the reported city council for the third quarter financials. This is just giving you a little look at all of those accounts that are virtual accounts. They're not accounts that are actually in the bank. These are accounts that are within the general fund that you have control over those specific purposes by resolution. So, they were shown the 2025 beginning balances for each of those. Here's your month revenues that went into those accounts. This is expense that came out and whether you're experiencing a surplus or deficit in those savings or overspending balance which ties to where we are and where we stood as of end of the third quarter 2025's budget surplus deficit would be what you predicted those accounts to be like I said the 345,00 That's where the splash we projected $487,000. That's where the $150,000 is coming into play. Your ending fund

balances as projected by the actual budget for 2025. You see, we discussed where those were ended up. So the budget is just a guesstimation for what those are based on some calculated expenditures and predicted revenue streams. You'll also notice that the sign is als And we move into the budget show that these are the funds you actually have ultimate and absolute control over resolution. The parks department however is operating department and this is what you don't have control over. You have control over the expenditures that go in there in the revenue streams revenue stream for that 90% made up of your county sales tax revenues. That's that first line that you have there. And I show you that revenue because that's dictated to you by the city council. to you, but based on a percentage of the county sales tax, all of the munded You're going to be budgeting flat this year. All departments are going to be budgeting whatever we have collected this year. That's what we're going to go ahead and budget for next year.

As far as the where you stood as of right basically through September 930 you were 30,000 over deficit of 30,000 from your revenue stream you had 28,000 for September budgeted your revenues came in at 58,000 for the year 241,000 is your revenue collected for 9 months your expenditures for 9 months was 258,000 1600 deficit and interestingly enough the budget that you had was 19,000 for the entire year. So you're still you're stilling about where you were approved to spend to an approved deficit of 1918. I think you're at your current spend and your current revenue stream. You probably will be right on that. Those are what you control and I'll save the rest for the presentation discussion. Are there any questions? The next thing on the agenda is I'm moving if it's all right. Can I move

if there's no objections? Is there no objections? We'll start.

Okay. So, what were the comments? Okay. So

Casey Are we talking to the homeowner or are we talking with the city attorney? Who? Who is it? clarification once we've been working hard to prove this. We're good to go.

So, do we have a So, Homes hasn't necessarily said no. We're just trying to get a hold of them to get the answer at this point. Or what's so like as far as the easement goes from homes like they haven't said no, we're not going to provide it. It's just we can't get a hold of the right person to get the permission. Gotcha.

So, if they don't provide it, we would we get our city attorney involved? So basically nearly 10 years a little bit How long has she owned the property?

I mean, was it before the trail was in existence? Okay, Casey, just so I can be clear, are we talking about the trail actually all the way through the oaks? Uh so this specific right. So but we do we have easement for everything through the oaks where it is currently paved

city. Well, the reason I'm asking the oaks was all homes property to begin with. I know that it's been kind of split off some of it at some point and I don't He was so good to work with us initially that I would be surprised if we didn't have an easement in place for that part of it. That's what I was was concerned about.

Yeah. easements, but they're on the gravel area. Okay. Right. So, when you went from the point of gravel to all the way to the other trail head of Bell Park, that's that whole stretch that the study was done on and then this was revealed. Oh, no easements ever through there. Okay.

Do you have a diagram? I'm a visual learner. Yeah, that'd be great.

Cost side exceeding the I don't know how many feet that's going to be or how much. So, I use a bunch of trails. I have yet to ever seen one that had a handrail on it due to steepness. Like, why is it all a suen? This

pave

is it a grant related requirement? What's the lifespan of that trail after you pave it since it has such a slope? I imagine a bunch of water runoff. I mean, is that five year, 15 year, 30 year? Yeah. Yep. Do you have plans to put drains underneath it or I mean to kind of redirect some of that because some of the places along that trail there's there's wash out and I mean it's

Yeah. It's like you would need ditches and is is it engineered already? And this is concrete or is it asphalt? Is is there a plan set?

Okay. Okay.

Hey Casey, like as is being soft surface, how many hours a year do you think your guys spent on maintaining that? We're actually going One is 250. I don't think so. Okay. All right. Is there anything else that you feel like we need to be aware of anything? Can I have your names for the record?

Yes, sir. My name is Jimmy Atkins. Jimmy Atkins. Leighton and Harelson. Okay. Do we have any other questions? I just curious how how wide would that be when you guys is that gonna be like

So that's a R dot requirement. Okay. You confirm that Casey that it has to be 10 ft. Okay. There's a lot of information.

Thank you so much for sharing that with us. An interesting Let me ask you this before I let you is there to break it up into smaller portions construction like phases phases instead. Does it really need to be done at all time?

Right. Well, that's hard. talk about that. Thank you guys. We appreciate you.

The next item on the agenda. Yes, you get to go. Like I said, we don't normally have an audience. Uh the director The Ed Wilson pavilion plaque discussion. The Ed Wilkinson pavilion discussion.

We talked about this. I guess this kind I just want to open it up.

Did this maybe come up when AML planning meeting happened and there was no identification. I figured that's probably what prompted it. I know there's reason building I think it's long past due and I think we need to address it. What would be the approximate cost?

Is that what we're spending on the splash pad one? Yeah. Also, I mean, is there an option for a cheaper one that can be mounted inside that's doesn't have to be weather? Sure. Probably cut in half. get surprising design too for us.

Do you think it would be just a list of whoever was in there at the time or just the city council? Traditionally, it is city council, parks director, mayor elected official elected official the elected officials on there any parks would there have been a parks department at that time park commission we were talking about that earlier and I'm not sure when the park there was a parks committee for sure involved but I don't know that it was commissioned yet I don't remember exactly what the date commission is this commission was established in 2012 I think

well I want to thank the board you something like I would I want to follow protocol so no one gets their feelings hurt so kind of give us some options give us a little bit of research finding out just make sure that everybody who had participation I don't know whoever whatever grants or anything like that. I don't know whatever all goes on. Let's make sure that we I don't want to offend

anybody on that. Okay. I guess I'm in the minority, but I'll go ahead and speak up. Um it seems like our budget is already tight for this coming year as it is, and I wouldn't think that the plaque would be a problem. Okay. Secondly, if we put a plaque on a nice building, it shouldn't be a cheap plaque. So, in my opinion, you wait till you can afford a nice plaque to put on the building. But I'll let the I majority rule in the in the interim just print something off and put it in a page protector and just coming soon.

I mean, I'm in agreeance with that. doesn't seem like we have the budget to be spending on a placard that we're not even really sure who else needs to be on it at this point.

Perhaps this could come from whomever brought the um suggestion. Would that be the mayor? The mayor's budget. That'd be great. was established in 06 2012. And do you know when the building was actually built?

That's what I have in my mind, but I'm trying to find something that will tell me. I can't there was a condition. I mean, I can dig in records and find out when it was completed in the minutes. You know, we'll reveal who was in there at the time.

Term renewals for Brandon Tate and Bobby Price. We expire this month. You're expiring already so the the way that I understand the process goes Bobby would you like to continue another three year yes term okay I would like to take another three years term so do we have a motion motion to accept to accept those I like that motion A motion to add a second. I second. Mr. Price. Yes. M. Travis. Yes. M. Martin. Yes. Bell.

Yes. Mr. Edwards. I will take that on to the city council for confirmation. That's all. It will have to go before the city council of course. Okay. The third or fourth item on the agenda is the budget.

We had a items from the way things are right now. Probably the best choice a little bit help dig a little bit. We found a month. Unfortunately, some of these utility bills I haven't seen. So that's 2,800 bucks probably. That's all. And with that, that's still your guys still keep their own the cell phones,

right? With that reduction, would they be opposed to just like getting like a $30 a month stipen and use their own phones to cut that a little bit more? There's a legal issue with their personal not and they would have the option to object out of it, but then you have no way. No, you provide them a phone, but you they want to get the extra 30 bucks a month, whatever it is.

They'll both It's worth the ask. It's roughly $100 a person. So if you I mean I'm just throwing out a number like at my place it's like 40 I think if you want to use a company phone obviously you don't get that but if you opt out of it you can use your personal and just get extra 40 bucks a month. I mean,

parks, parks department, which I understand this is city government, so it's a little bit different than a private corporation, but it's definitely a discussion that could be had. I think it might need to be in included in our personnel policy type stuff because uniform reimbursements, boot, those kind of things. And they have to go through payroll when they're like that. They're, you know, a tax item then. Yeah. Because it's income. Yeah. So, we need to explore that, too. You know, everything's got to be hard. Yeah.

Just I was an hourly guy. But I have a better ide Let me show you what was presented to the city at the last meeting. So this was what this is what your budget was up until we just had this discussion. I'm going to show you some suggestions happening the dynamics in play. The balance budget means that not these not these accounts right here. These are the ones I just showed you and you're not going to overspend them. You're either going to get to zero or you're going to have to finance or do something in order to do something on these projects. For instance, if you wanted to go ahead and do a city sign and it cost $10,000, you got to find out how you're going to get it. You're either going to have to raise that money or you have to borrow that money. That would require city because the city. However, that's how you would

raise that. This money right up here is the general funds unrestricted monies that you as a parks commission or your operations county sales tax to cover that. So, you can either go approach them to get more of the pie in order to offset that because you're getting right now isn't enough. I will having a discussion with them during our hard conversations regarding the budget as soon as I know what general admin budget is going to come at us with or come at that fund with as far as surplus is concerned. Um, but there's two items on the county sales tax side that's distribution and that's that's something we could consider because one of it is the Boys and Girls Club. They're being paid out sales tax before any distribution goes below that to the department. That distribution also includes a lot distribution which really benefits only fire and police. And we could be looking at that distribution without any predistribution amount. And we could say we could throw another 90 almost $100,000 into that pot. to all of the individual departments. That's that's a that's a proposition that we they could entertain. It's totally their decision in their control. We used to based on the historical that I looked at there's a line for senior center that was pulled and now that's totally on the general fund under contract. We now have a contract with boys and girls

club too. So why is it sales tax for them and so we'll have that discussion. I'd love to hear their thought on that. That's one way you can generate some additional revenue to offset some of this. However, you and all the other department I went and looked at and I'll share it with you. By the way, I want you to Remember this. They were given this. This is the state law. It prohibits deficit spending. That's what we've been doing for years, but we've been covering it with the amount of money that we have tucked away in the unrestricted general fund. We just said, "Okay, you're overspending, so we'll pull the money out of there." And that's how we balance the budget. Budget is balanced every year, but it's balanced with money. in the unrestricted fund to cover your deficit. It's never good practice to do that. A balance budget says in short, a municipality generally cannot spend funds it doesn't have. It also goes on to say future funds that it does not currently have budget. You can't say, "Well, we're we're going to go ahead and budget it and we hope that the county sales tax rises and we're hoping that it's going to get much higher than we anticipated. We're going to budget flat, but maybe those funds will come in that you can't do that either. You can't hedge a little bit for future tax." So, I wanted to show you where we are as of In this case, this was what I presented to them. The amount that we're looking at right now for what was presented to the city

council and it showed the parks department currently at $35,222. You see that number this is fluid because this changes with revenue that comes in and expenses that you actually incur. So since that time I showed you the city financials. This is as of now 35,222. We're the unassigned general fund if we were to stop operation right now would be 1 million1 and we have a contingency established a threshold established at a million. So we carried that over and we look at what's budgeted right now and this 249,000 that's a 25 that's the current budget number that I just carried over for placeholder because I don't have their budget. So if that were to happen the general fund that $100 would drop to 289,000 we would be depleting $867,000 out of million. In order for us to have a balanced budget, that general admin surplus, which would be this number right here, would have to be $1.11 million. Guarantee they're not going to come to us with a budget that's going to say we're going to cover all of it for 1.1 million. We're going to generate that surplus. That's a 74% decline in our actual general fund. Even if we made that and we did the best we could and that budget was off by 50%, you're still reducing it below almost to

the point of it being a million dollar. So that's I'm just saying you're a small player in this number because your budget right now stands at 19,000. So I looked at what your history has been. The parks department budgeted a 6,000 this is 24 budgeted 67. We came in at 25,000 deficit. In 2025 we budgeted at 19,000 deficit. We're coming in right now 3522. That number is fluid. That will change. And now next year you're budgeting at 19,000. There's nothing that indicates that you won't come in at that you're had that same conversation with this 890,000 on the police department as he said in the city council meeting you guys approved me to have that deficit you guys council and they did that's the budget that's the amount of budget that they were allowed to that's in their budget to spend $890,000 above their revenue and look where they are. That's their right now deficit. So I can't fault them because he's right. That statement is 100% correct. And you were allowed to go 19 and you're right down as I showed you 930. You were 16. Now you're 35. But that number is going to change because not all the revenue comes in at different times. So, what I'm trying to get to is we showed you a contingency calculation and the contingency calculation by the guidelines would be about a $200,000 because I pulled a out of this because that's not what those monies are for.

That's more restricted for events. So if you just took the parks and city sales and use tax to come up with an annual budget and take average monthly expense, your two months annual expense would be estimated at 188,000. So I would round that to about 200,000. That's if we do it individual departments. But the real suggestion would be we don't do it by departments. We do it by all of the all of the departments or cost centers as I like to refer to them within that unrestricted general fund. These are the ons and admin department. So you're looking at 6.3 million. That would be 527,000 per month average. And that means you're right at a million, which is the number that I've been pushing for years. That number cannot go below that one. That's the contingency. That has an incredible impatency.

So that's why it's a million. A million is what I said, but the actual strategic calcul I mean I was wondering where it came from. Does that make sense? That's the that's the general accepted standard. Okay. So the recommended contingency based on you know that number is going to grow as our population.

So we're at a contingency recommendation that I would drop it to 200 because we have no contingency and that will not farewell next. But they could have a trend and they're looking at our numbers. They look at our we have to send it to them. And when they look at those numbers, they can go and I guarantee you when they talk to us, they already know. They want to know what what our take on it is. But they're they really and for purposes they're That's ins.

So ultimately though, we have no control over how much the police spend. Um, so we're focused on this 16,000 or 19,000. So we need to look through here and try to find some ways to cut that. Is that is that our task?

Right. Let me show you what this is. The guideline for how you should should do their budget. You assess current revenue sources which we've done. We've identified current and future economic trends. You've seen that economic financial report. Review and prioritize the essential services and first allocate funds to those essential services. So you look at your budgets on all of your even your um at this point I'm only looking at the department and you allocate money to operate effectively and efficiently. And then you look at your needs and wants everything else down to one. So like that person need another another half or fulltime equivalent. If you don't need it then that's where you probably exactly what he did this and then you implement costsaving measures wherever possible. But I want to caution to cut just to cut. You don't want to undermine the quality and level of expected goods and services to the citizens. So, you have to keep that in mind. Um, engage the community, which you can talk to you guys, talk to people that you know what what do you think the parks department's priorities should be. Find out you're the ones that are representing them. So find that out in your thought process budget conversations come up monitor expenditures you do that explore grants on that always grants so you're already doing a lot of that so I looked at section five of the city sales and use tax because it's been a topic of discussion right now and it reads this way parks and recreational purp

is what section five says that tax is for. It includes particularly without limitation acquiring, constructing, improving, expanding, equipping, furnishing, operating, all the costs that go with operating and maintaining new or existing park and recreational facilities. So, you just don't build a pavilion and then throw all the cost to operate it over to the general and Steve made that comment. the last city council meeting when we said you have to consider your city sales and use tax to to be able to manage and operate the park to maintain the park and it's maintained with the tax dollars you collect including it says parking landscaping signage drainage trails bike trails lighting concessions road and utility improvements related there to or in support thereof And it shall only it's prohibiting is it can't be used for the payment of salaries and wages andor salaries wages related. We wouldn't want to say the retirement program should be paid by city. So it's salaries, wages and related costs to that which basically says we should be looking at your budget right now and we should be thinking about what is to be permanently moved as an expense covered under sales and tax to relieve that if I did right now and I'll show you how I calculated this but that 19,000 I could move about 28,000 of it and generate a surplus of 8,000 just by shifting 28,000 more money over to your city and use tax and you have room for it to be there but it belongs there based on that tax and I'm doing the same thing for fire. Don't think they're getting away

with this either. The recommendation would be anybody that has the city sales and use tax use the city and use tax for what taxing document said it was to be for. We can't keep shifting it back and forth just to play the over here. That would include all of the repairs and maint maintain that there. If we did that, that would add another generate nice surplus. And don't think of it as, well, we're giving up that money. No, you're not. You're just not into it. You're helping build back the amount that needs to be driving the contingency. You're not using that money that the city and that tax go stabilize the city's general fund. So that's what your budget for what you don't control would end up being before the serious discussions on how much money should be actually. So when we go back to the general fund moving a percentage between fire department and police or parks or animal services or planning because they need more or they don't need as much. See they're already a surplus. So we'll take a percentage from them and give it toss. You're really not affecting this bottom number here. All you're doing is moving

it between two cost centers within the general fund. So it while it makes a cost center look good, it's not it's not serving the purpose other than making the cost. So we have to we have to really attack these numbers and there's there's consideration for this number right now. They went back to the drawing board and I'm in the process of implementing some of their changes. But like I said, you go with the philosophy you don't ask, you don't get. We really need to be more responsible with these numbers. Everybody's going to it's going to be hard. Everybody's going to have to look at it. So with the changes pending city statement, I've restated the fire department already moving what I think should go over there. I have presented it to them yet, but that would generate 24,000. You guys are small players. This is the big player in where we need to be. So I could generate 24,000 there, 8,000, maybe even 30,000 on your side, which might be 925,000. But that number that's sitting there is the number that has to go here in order to balance. Anything right now that you would come up with short of $157,000 would drop us below. So if I added 157 to this number, we would be down to 700 just shy of $800,000. That's what the general side. So, this seems like a no-brainer. I mean,

yeah, sounds like it's the only choice.

And then you pick up that 15,000 tax,000. You will be well over 350. You can probably get better,000 loan. One of the bad news I wanted to share with you is I just got the new programs

tech connect well I just got what your cost would be unfortunately $500 where is that software Or is it service comp? No. Yeah.

It was a lot cheaper before. Did you see this? This just It it was sent to a bunch, but and I thought Casey was included on the email. It was earlier today from Hunter. So that's not in your budget. The current software

and you'd be getting rid of that. 6051. No,

computers and IT expense back. It's not. That's your current budget. Sounds like what we were just saving on bright speed. How ironic. So that's kind of what I was looking at doing so better. At the last meeting or one of our meetings, you talked about a plan in case we had a tornado. Is that part of that 200 300 that we haven't set or do we need to be sitting maybe not this year but maybe in the years to come sitting around 10,000

this year 10,000 next year just to kind of build that in case

we're going to present a plan for two departments do their own The problem with that is you had major catastrophe. Let's say you've only tucked away 200,000 and the council would control that because they want to make sure you don't spend it on contingencies based on the based on the ordinances and you had $300,000. What do you So if you put it all together and let the larger managers build help build that up. You could pull the money and this would be a poolled approach that you see up there. Now, that would be a poolled approach to it. And then you could get 300,000 out of that because you're pulling out of the pool if it only affected you. And if that were the case, then you are responsible to put that back. So, whatever you take out, you're having to have a funding plan for it. How many years are you going to take? And then you have to literally have to budget a payment back to the contingency.

And what I would do is I would take that million and I would isolate it to a contingency by the city. So that's a second way of It's all it has to be.

We used to have money in reserves until that lawsuit took millions from us. Oh. And then we had to pay out over 15 years.

What we don't have I also want to do right now we're not at the point where I think we can do it but we need to have fun. We don't have that. So the minute you buy a large piece of equip, we should immediately do the depreciation imped so that when it comes time to replace it, you already have money. I call it most people doing that because that was forced upon them when we set the rates they have the ability to generate their own revenue loss. So, do we need a vote on moving the money over like you talked about?

No, I'm just discussed it with you so that you'll see you'll see the impact when we do it. that happens to present. But I think the right thing will Some of those contend that happens. Do we have any questions? Any comments about this or anything like that? So for clarification, just make sure that I fully aware next budget session or next council meeting or next They'll have us a new budget that has kind of a new scenario in it.

We could do that so that we could get you on a city. November 18th is the next parks commission meeting. So just so you know, I mean session when you're done it all that way. You want to put on the next agenda? Yeah. Okay.

All right. Any other questions or concerns? All right. Uh, foundation reports. No report. Director's reports. Fox Road has been

nice. That makes me feel better because when I walk up there, I see water dripping down. Also goes down the thing. Is that us? That's something else. Well, I guess it is.

That's groundation for that project. They like an insane amount. The first thing they put on the ground or gigant we're not losing one drop of warm city

just evaporation. It kind of makes it hard for the future though if there is a leak, huh? It'll be like, "Well, is that ground water?" Well, you can always go test the water. The water has

Are you on that Fox run? you know you got to leave that open that guy get to his house are you going to block that other part to get on up into the parking lot of

so the idea is to put some signage on the entrance of the Just let people know and then we'll walk. But you uh you'll have driver will have access to the parking lot of the splash bed if you don't seal that. You know, you know what I'm talking about. I'm just thinking about kids. I'm still teacher. They they'll find a place to hide.

Yeah. Yeah. That's what that's what I'm basically asking. One question. I I think when I drove up there after just recently, I noticed that on that side road, the original road that goes to the house, there's an area there that's got a wash. Was there is there potentially a culvert going to be put in there or not? Are you talking right at the right where you turn off onto that dirt road right there? The water's coming over it.

Okay. I'm I'm sure there's enough water there. It's going to have to or it's going to be chronic and that guy is not going to be able to

get to his house. I was going to I know where they since you brought it up.

Yeah. $1.6 million is not in our budget. Do we have another option? I mean, are we like in bed with them? Do we have to go? I would think that would be cost. Yeah. Do we know how much we spent today with all this? Okay. So, we could

I I would like to come with other options. I could tell.

Yeah. I was I mean [Music] If it is that we just have to grad the whole project started changing left. They're doing a great job. They're doing what they're supposed to.

375. Yeah. that 375

but the big problem is we don't even know if we can at this point with the home saying no I mean is the trail even technically supposed to be open right now with that because I mean I don't know if the rest of us know that old man spent the night out there because he wrecked on that trail so that's why we're Was he driving a motorcycle? He was like on an electric scooter. It was on something that shouldn't have been on that trail, but he wrecked at some point and they found him the next morning. So, just like a citizen or something.

Yeah. So, we need to figure out who actually owns this trail and maintain it because that could come back and bite us in the ass if it's rutdded out like it is. Yeah. Just keep up. If nothing else, we need to put signs up at the Yeah. No motorized, no bikes. I think there is signage. Well, I guess at the trail head, but if you don't start at the trail head Yeah. Okay. Uh yeah. Oh, somebody's trying to get in. Casey. Ashley. I don't know.

It's Mike Mallister. Yeah. Yeah. Get him. Oh, he actually just texted me.

Oh, that's right. very positive news inclusive park. We have actually been invited to present for the state park as it stands currently 98% and I'm hoping that after meeting tonight that So how much is the actual 2% of it roughly?

Okay. [Music]

Price hikes. or anything.

The only tricky thing I know me and Tom probably ago farmers think the way they do their $100,000 every year for 10 years. Not every 10 years. Okay.

But if we get this grant, I mean, they'd still give it to us, but yeah, there you go. Put it away. Great.

10,000 of it. A year and a half ago, we were When will you hear about this grant?

I do want to acknowledge that the AMP commission gave them $4,000 over into the inclusive park fund account. The last meeting they had. They really do try to put their leftovers in there. It's great. They do have a heart.

Update on Fest. We actually have 83 vendors this year. So, I think I have everything. Thank you for promoting the tree giveaway. Absolutely. The dates of the fall festival is Yeah. And so you're in a better spot with the Halloween trail being moved. Yes.

I know. liners that have lights that we can kind of go along that I know we're going to post things on the sides and make it a little bit more festive on that. So, we're doing that. So, but everything for the Halloween trail. Only thing that I'm concerned about is the rain that may coming in this weekend.

Can we make sure that under the bridge everything is cleaned out or anything? You know how much just because I don't know. We're moving the football game. Yeah. What about some signs for the upcoming tax vote? Can we put some Are we allowed to do that? I mean,

also We can

the city money spending on his heart. Yeah. The city supposedly is not supposed to spend its money to promote the tax. So that's why we get a group together. So if he wants to get a hold of Bob Pervvis, he's got a campaign going of private individuals that can pay for that that he could probably ask him to do that. Okay.

Is the time going to be involved in this fest or time change? It's the day after our fall fest will be on Saturday. Time will be on Sunday. Whatever. But that time changes.

Do we need to add it to the agenda? The discussion of I don't even know where it's at. I can't remember where it left off. Mike, do you remember kind of what was your intention when you came? Can we add it to the I think we can. There's nothing. We'll just do it on comments. Under comment. Can we ask questions? Oh, yeah. Uh the next thing will be under our next thing is comments. Would you like to come to the microphone? All right.

I don't even know if that thing's on. And I asked him to come to our committee because at their committee they have made a suggestion and I wanted everybody to hear from their side what they're feeling everything and so that we can all be on the same page. The commission is propose still getting your money put it into a separate account and you have grown and then whatever money we grant you comes out of that certain account. You're not losing any money. I'm not voting.

You say that's the way it was. Used to be like that. Yes, sir. Give us this big chunk. Yes. And then we started doing it, lost accountability, so they went back to it. So just clarify. It really wasn't just used to be like that. Sorry. The Freedom Fest only. We would hold money back to make sure we could pay for Freedom Fest. Kept track of that throughout the year so that we made sure that 50 grand or 40 grand or whatever it was, 35 grand was sitting there available for them by the time Freedom Fest came around.

But what I understand is way you're wanting to do it is sort of treat it like that, but 45% going in there all the time. amount of money. My concern and I want to see what if we do something that the committee does not like. Does that money get held back that y'all do not have? For example, we want to do a half a day freedom festival and the committee doesn't feel they want to pull that. Would the committee have that? No, they've got no control over that. Okay. they have is how much we look at the dollar amount where it's going

okay if it's not you know buy a load of dirt well on that to that that point I know that you give us our money and that we spend it but I my my opinion and I I'm not trying to shoot the messenger or anything like that things that we've used for in the past we Like I know that there was concern about rocks that were bought or something gravel or something for our disc program. Is that that was a concern that I that if I remember was brought up correct? It was it was something it was something like that. But if we're using it in the parks department,

you can explain it to that fine. But we send Miss Casey has sent us a budget of what we sent you about what we've spent our money on. Is that not doing the same thing that you're asking? Once we give the money to you, we lose control. So someone ask you $50,000 that money. We can't say we don't know where that's but we but we're send the parks then we send you but if we send you what we're going to I can propose whatever y'all want. I can propose it to the commission and see what they think make a proposal. Okay.

What about that suggestion I had to always code whatever am parks is spending am on as a project. So you'd always know they're not spending money unless you can see the project. Is that not a good law? You can spend money on anything you want. Yeah. doesn't feel you can buy baby diapers. It doesn't matter how long you're buy. I think in all fairness it's really I mean if it's the same form that I filled out it's really not a big deal. It's just a paper trail. Casey's already giving us this detail like we're spending this on this I mean for the freedom committee. I mean it's just reling.

We really don't have the money. you know, the money's there, but we're not 100% sure we're going to get it all. That's the only part I can see on your part. I think I think my concern, Mike, and I've I've said this to you personally. I it it's my understanding that AMP commissions were set up initially by the state and and all of the laws passed about them and and at that time it was understood that approp appropriately monies could go to parks for anything. Parks are something that AM can give monies to and we can spend them for for dirt if we need the dirt for parks. I mean, parks is something that promotes the community and brings people into the community all the time. Uh not just a one-day event. I mean, this that brings people in all the time. In my mind, that's something AM should should be happily endorsing and promoting and and funding, not delegating. This has to go to Freedom Fest. This has to go to this particular scout project. You can only spend it for this part of the project, but you can't spend it for this part of the project. I I just have a real problem with it as as to how it's being approached.

I think it's just the accountability is what they And and I think my definition of accountability is a lot different than yours because I feel like we have been accountable for fiasco. You know, we didn't have any idea that the freedom fest was cut in half. Facebook. So that really come we did not mean it in that way.

No, I don't never intended to be a scene in any way. Uh, we were just trying to live within our our budget and you you have to live within a budget and everything and stuff like that. So, that was not the intention. And I'm we apologize if that's the the taste that y'all have. But I also want you to know we're not trying to jip

themp. Well, I just want you to make sure that you know that we're not trying to jip the when we do spend money. I know that you that it was brought up that someone brought up that talked about um that we bought paint brushes and stuff like that. I asked Casey about it and it was for a boy scout project if I remember correctly. It was for Steuart Bryant Sun project. So that was part of that and they they have built those kioses and everything up there which is really great because when I'm up there walk walking in in the mornings you see those or even in the afternoons you see those people playing that disc golf and everything like that. So that is that you don't see. So what you want us to say is paint brushes for Boy Scout project.

I mean, okay. So we could add that to our things and stuff like that. That's not a big deal. But we're I mean, they just want they just want to kind of see where the money's going. Going for dirt. Hey, we bought a load of dirt from the disc golf. You know, we're filling this off. Okay. And also, it's just like when we I think it was Sammy who brought it up that what we spent on Freedom Fest this past year is probably going to cost us more next year just because the economy and everything everything just keeps going up. So, it's hard for us to budget if we have to. So,

I mean, if y'all got something you want me to propose to them, I'll be happy to. If we provide you with our 2026 budget ahead of time and say, "Here's what we propose spending this money for from AF." Is that okay? You think that would cover that? you would tell us like that and we would have Casey would be glad I'm speaking you for Casey that we uh like every two months this is what the&mp money has been spent for if you wanted to put paintbrush for boys and scouts projects that that's what

okay and that way y'all are able to keep accountability and if y'all have any questions you're always welcome toever call on us or come and see us or whatever We want to we the parks department wants to promote Greenwood just as much as themp because we have the splash pad which thank you for helping with that. You know that's bringing a lot of people in

$400 and the new park that we're building. But that was for the inclusive park, not the splash pad.

Yeah. Exclusive park. Yes. And thank you for helping with that. That y'all throw in all the money that you can on that because I think that's going to bring people into it, you know, and we I hope that I think we feel like every time we do a Freedom Fest fall uh Christmas that we are promoting and saying thank you to the commission. like that. I just want you to know that we're here to support just as much as you are, but we also want to have the freedom to within our budget, but we want to you to be comfortable with it, too. Okay.

We should have our budget probably set by November and everything and we can have that if you would like. to to see that and that may be what would be needed. Their next meeting is not until December. Yeah. But and we want to thank you for everything that y'all do, you know, because I I know that Jolen is excited about the Halloween candy trail and all that stuff and that's going to bring in a ton. Well, thank you for coming. Yes. Thank you. In fact, I had on my calendar Friday.

We appreciate you coming and no problem. All right. But if you have any questions for us, we're always here. We're always available and we will be glad to answer you have a question. Why did y'all spend it on that? We'll be glad to try to explain. All right. I mean, I'm a liazison. I can ask for you even. Yeah. You know, I'm in both commissions exeicio. But we do appreciate you. We appreciate the committee and all the things that y'all are doing for the city. Does anybody have any other questions or comments? We do appcate. Thanks, Mike. You can get out on your own. You just can't get in.

Oh, okay. All right. Um, do I have any other comments? I do have one. All right. Just an update on the pavilion conversation from earlier. I looked in the minutes while we were doing Y'all all think I'm playing on my phone all the time, but I'm usually reading minutes. Anyway, uh the pavilion was said at the August 2011 council meeting by Michael Jong that it was complete, substantially complete. That is done. August August of 2011. Oh, so before the commission was Yes. The commission wasn't established until 2015. I mean 12.

And then Doug Kinslow, of course, park director. D Gabard was the mayor. Wilma Joe Cab was the city clerk. M Cami was the city attorney. It was Rod Pal, Lee Johnson, AC Brown, Tim Terry, Lance Terry, and Jim Gossit that were the council members. And uh I just wanted you to have that information because it was fuzzy earlier. Who's going to be on the plaque? Well, just so that he doesn't have to do a whole lot of weird digging. That's that's in there. You're welcome. Yes. Yeah. And then uh

Yeah. So, you know, I asked the mayor if he would like to I texted him and asked him if he would like to get on the phone and talk to y'all on here during the meeting, but he just landed in Virginia. So, I did tell him an update on kind of how that panned out. And so, so him and Tom can out. I guess Tom, and I know I'm I know I'm asking I'm just asking the question. If we make the changes that we have to the budget, would we be able to find $3,000 to do that? If we did that,

I'm not saying that we're going to do it. I'm just wanted to know if that was a possibility.

How much of insurance.

No, no, no, no, no, no. All right. Is there any other comments? So, this is the John thing. Yes. Is there any any closure going to happen to this? I know they originally watch Tammy originally proposed 40 to $50,000 for the sign. Oh yeah. You know where that where all that gravel is? They were they they got quite a they got quite a sign designed somewhere. I don't know what it was a big one, but it was 40 to 50,000 and we uh it was we were kind of boked on that. Similar style to the entrance sign, I think. Yeah. Yeah.

To the city. So, what I'm trying to say is that 2,000 some dollars that we have, that's not going to amount to Hill of Beans. Can we Can we move the money? Can we spend it for the pavilion on the Ed Wilkerson building? It was donated for a purpose. Michaela instead of a signing. That's not what they So, unless we raise 35 $40,000, we're not going to ever have one. Unless we raise 30 $40,000, we're never going to have one.

I'll say being a friend of Michael, that's not what you would want either. Michael, that's what Tammy want. that kind of start thinking about it possibly. It may not be this year, but something that we can start.

Yes, he'll get that fixed. Are there any other comments? Do I have a motion to adjurnn? I so move. Secondbody said yay and I