City Council - Regular Meeting

Mine's acting kind of funky. I got the agenda out, but I just I can't seem to You just let me know. And depending on how you behave, I may or may not share my screen with you. I can't seem to get here. If it moves, we'll be all right. All right. I am 7:00. We'll call the meeting to order. Start at the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, Teresa. Please take the role. Okay. Mayor Jones here. Bowen here. Project here. Matson

here. Shilling here. And Kayla is absent with notice. All right. Do we have any additions or action on the agenda for tonight's meeting? Motion to approve the agenda as presented. Second. Two seconds. That's fourth. All right. All right. Any discussion? Hearing none. We'll vote. Shilling. Yes. Rach, yes. Bowen, yes. M. All right. How about the minutes from the 10:21 meeting? Motion to approve previous minutes on 102125. Second. Any discussion? Hearing none, we'll vote. Matson, yes. Bowen, yes. Harajek,

yes. Shel, yes. All right. Any bills? No bills. Public comment for anything that is not on the agenda. Yes, sir. Come on up to the You got time now. Or do you want to do your closing first? Oh, that's where that's where we're at. Okay. All righty. I was here back in July. Yeah, I was a personal back in July. I was here. Yep. Complain about all the water that was coming off that black tent states property there.

Um I talked to I stopped in city hall I don't probably 4 weeks ago. I was looking for dirt to fill in for the ruts out there. They gave me Craig's number, called him uh cuz I just want black dirt to fill in all the wash outs out there. Um Justin called me a few days later said, "Let's meet." So we met on the 22nd of October. Um I left that meeting pretty pissed off, I guess. Um basically they told me it's my fault out there that the water washed in my field. So um I guess it's my fault. I'll take care of it. I'll just go. I got excavator coming on Thursday. We'll rip that culvert out up there at black tie and we'll have our problem solved if that's all right with you guys. What cover are we talking about?

It's got to be for that um retention pond that the retention pond between Swansson's and Winstein's ground there. And that'll solve my problem with the water washing through my field if that's what you guys want to do. That's private. It's not ours. Yeah, it's not it's not our ground, right? It's black ties ground. You guys allowed allow that in there, though. So, how come you guys don't have any jurisdiction over them? You can't regulate that. Can't regulate the water flow coming out of there. I know there was a report. Okay.

So, background. Go ahead. Michael noted in the meeting the plans for black tie and central states were reviewed uh based on what the design engineers submitted. Peak flows are less than the existing flows. They are not. How am I getting flooded at all? Two years in a row. That is not that's a trend. I'm getting flooded out two years in a row. That's a trend. You can't tell me that's just coincidence. That's a trend. And this wasn't even a wet year. The last two years weren't even wet. I mean, what's going to happen when it really does get water here? Well, last June we had record rainfall in the region and this year was a very wet June. It wasn't all that wet. We're average rainfall for the year here.

We had some dry years prior to. But as as noted in that meeting, both those detention plans both for central states and black tie were reviewed. I'm getting more water out of there. I don't know why you guys can't understand that there more water comes out of there than what used to be there. And that's why I don't understand. You guys can't tell me how much water was coming across before you developed it. And I guess that's my problem. I don't understand how much water before and you guys tell me it's the same amount or or less than what was coming. But I have a hard time believing that when I'm getting flooded out when I never got flooded out there before. Have you talked to And I'm just out of curiosity. Have you talked to I'm sure you've talked to Blacktai cuz it's That's not my job. That's your guys's job to talk to them.

Okay. Well, I don't think it is our our job to talk to them. I mean, it's cuz it's the water's running off of their property onto the land that you're But you guys allowed it. So, you should take care of it, not me. I shouldn't have to go out there. That's your guys's You're getting the tax money off of all that. Why do I have to go do your job? I was not in on the meeting. I know these guys had a meeting and I thought you guys had this. Why don't you let Michael finish talking went through? started with we we looked back historical imagery all the way back to uh 2007 or before uh on your land north of what was like 263rd 258

258 and and Vandenar uh back in 2007 or so up to 2015 there was a grass soil from the covert under 258 uh to the north um which uh conveyed the water. Uh after further discussions with you uh 2015 2017 or so you installed tile from that culvert uh to the culvert running east west undermark um and then began to uh mow that gr not mow sorry

we the grass we farmed it all right took it out because we didn't have an issue with the water that was coming before. So why should we leave a grass waterway in order to even farm it? And now the last 2 years we're getting flooded out. And you guys don't need to leave a grass waterway like it was before. What's the difference? 300 ft is not going to slow the flow of water that was coming in there. I'm still going to have a rut. It's still going to wash that grass out. Look at the ditch in 258 there. That's 1,000 ft from where it comes in from the ditch and comes to that culver. That's 1,000 ft and there's a rut in there. So you going to tell me that that water isn't going to do that to my same field with a grass water laying in there? Was it when you started farming it? Was it was it right up through there? No, it wasn't.

And your upon discussions with you afterwards, it was the running that was the issue through the farmland. Yes. And the flooding down there last two years has flooded about an acre or two down there because of all the water down there. Well, as far as the ring issue, as as we noted, the grass water was going to control that much better. How is it when it's got thousand feet in a ditch and it's already got a rod in it? I really like to be able to hear you. Can I'd like to listen. But I think I mean All right. Is this in your report, Michael? This is in the email that Justin provided to you. Uh Craig, I got that. In in the report like for this evening or just in this?

Yes, in the report for this evening. It is not on the agenda in any way, shape, or form. We're going to have to probably set up another meeting and talk about this deal because we're not going to get it solved right here in the next 5 minutes. Sounds like, right? No. Well, we can't take any action anyway, right? Can we delay it till next two weeks? We're not going to decide anything tonight. It's not on the agenda. We're not going to decide a thing. All right. Can we put on the agenda though or not? Or you got to decide that later? I mean, yeah. Do you want it on the agenda for the next meeting? That'd be the best bet. Let's do that. Then we'll make sure we have Michael here, all the parties here, and we'll talk about it during the regular meeting, not during our public comment. All right. Good. Do that. All right. Thank you. That's on the 18th. Anybody else?

All right, we're at the We're at the 705 public hearings for applications, hearings, liquor license renewals. They're in your packet. Make a motion to renew liquor license as presented. Or do we have to do each one? No, you can make a motion to approve all license as presented. Second. Any discussion?

I'm sorry, my computer's running really, really slow. Did you second? I did second. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Sorry, my computer's running so damn slow. Can't even get to the next thing on here. Maybe we should just call. No. Can we We can't call him now. All right. No discussion. Hearing no discussion. We'll vote. Shilling. Yeah. Parach. Yes. Bowen. Yes. Matson. Yes. This is why we had the conversation Craig when we were walking in.

Sorry about that. All right. Next up, we have resolution 2025-10. This is for the assessment on 12th and Oak Street, I would assume. Is that why uh Eric, you guys are here? Yep. You want to start or Sure. Yep.

All right. Sure you guys all know I am Eric Burman um president well will be the coming president of the Hartford area foundation uh here to discuss the street assessment for the properties along North Oaks. Um, as you guys know, the city received grant funding to help cover the cost for improvement, uh, which is which has already allowed the perennial foot assessment cost to be reduced significantly significantly. We appreciate the city's efforts to secure this funding, um, with the assistance of the Harford area development foundation. Um, grant funding strengthens cities by improving vital resources that support infrastructure improvement improvements, community development, and long-term economic economic growth without increasing financial burden on the taxpayers. I feel this assessment is contradictive to what we as the HADF and the city are trying to accomplish. Um, I guess in my memory of how this went, how this grant went to begin with, the HADF was wanting to submit submit this grant. Correct. Amy was the Amy was the city employee. We wanted to wrap 12 Street into that grant. So, the city

it flipped and the city became the applicant. the city took it. So, let's just say the city did not take that grant and the HADF ran with it. We accept and we were awarded that grant to run Oaks. To me, this assessment wouldn't even be a talking point. Would it if if the HADF put that street in versus the city? Correct. You guys it had to be a city vote that applied for the grant. I going to say in order to get ADA live grant the city had to apply and you were a co-licant because it was through your land. That's what I mean. I was That's where I'm trying to for memory,

right? I recall that they EDA was the one that said I without regard for 12th Street or am I missing something? Man, that's been No, 12 Street was included right out of the gate with I say they both were included right together. We wanted to do 12 and no was always Yeah, but I think they were the ones that said we should either co-licant or make the city the number one applicant, right? Yes, EA did because of those 12. I understood it had to be a city. That was my understanding. I thought in order to get that grant through was that the city had to be the

other one because we're using disaster funds provided to communities is where okay money come from with EDA got the money. It was from disaster funds but either way I guess we're here just to request that city wavel assessments on other folks. Um we've had a lot of traction out there. I mean, Arty sat in on a meeting. Y last week, we have a purchase agreement on another,

it's not signed, but it's in the attorney's hands going back and forth on another three and a half acres. Um, ideally, we, you know, just kind of like to keep some of our funds because we're going to have some expenses moving forward if we want to move forward with some more ground and some more development in the future. And um we just asked that the city wave those assessments. Um I mean there was a group there was a group of businesses here not long ago also asking for wave assessment and we did it's a little bit different situation situation.

Um but this is also a unique situation too. This is a group of volunteers that are trying to make the city of Hartford better. And we feel like it's just by assessing this property and you know essentially having most of this property covered by that grant. Um we feel that's just kind of contradictive for what's the total um what would be the total cost to the HADF on HADF is about 36,000 that's a lot um there are several right

for a few different tracks of land I guess my question I'm not sure about the beginning of the conversation because if HADF would have gotten that grant you would had to pay this the full amount of stuff. All the to me like let's take for instance on um Windsor Heights if those guys put their own street in you guys are going to go and assess that street. Well, it's a public so the assessment street that assessment amount that money doesn't exist. You wouldn't have gotten that through the grants. So you would have had to as HADF put enough whatever that remaining balance was yourself. What do you say in like0000?

Well, the city had to put 152,000. If you would have been the grant donor putting in the street, you would have had to put 152,000. So, you're actually paying less than if you had gotten a grant by splitting it up among all the businesses. So, just tell you, so the city does have cost in this. It's only a 90% grant. So, we had to pay the other 10%. Plus, we had some change orders in it. Um, and then we have our assessments. So really the city ends up paying 261,000 and like I said if we wouldn't have do that grant that would have been all on the HDF if you would have been the right but on a but on a on a developer if the developer puts a street in the developer is not paying an assessment are they?

No, but you got to pay for the street. So you would have the full cost of the street. That's what I mean. We applied for the grant or the grant you would you would have this $261,000 to pay. Yeah, that that's what I'm trying to Yeah. So yeah, HDF was a developer. They're putting the curb and and if they would have got and all they would not have to pay you're saying the 10% would have not been on the city would have been on you guys right in here. Yes. Cuz we ended up paying what' you say the number 26,000.

So I mean I hear you. Nobody likes to have their streets assessed as we found out when we did this deal up here on Western. Uh if we ever want to fill the hall here, that's all we have to do. But that, you know, I mean I mean I think this is a great deal for it's a win-win. I you got new street curb and gutter and French and it's only you know $28 a foot compared to other assessments where we would have had $250 a foot that other people have paid throughout town. Um, what is there? What is you guys' hold? Do you have you added it up, Amy? It's close to 60,000. 60,000.

52 and then appropriating mean 8,000. So, yeah, you're right.

And then just to clarify, this is just for the HADF street assessment, not the other businesses on there. Is that just to clarify? Okay. I mean, you know, before we did this project, we had to pass a resolution in necessity and we before we even decided to do the project, you know, took the money that was back in November. We sent out very similar an assessment like this that showed we at that time it was just an engineer estimate the cost being $39 a foot. And this went to every single property owner, including the HADF, you know, for agreement. We didn't have anybody protesting it. So, we went ahead with the project. Luckily, bids came in low. And so, now it's 39. It's actually only $28. So, it I mean, even thankfully for the city and for the property owners, it's even lower. So, but I mean that went out in November for before we ever

So, what how did that um I guess I'm a little confused where the 10 why the where the 10% came into into play. Why did they because that was that was EDA's grant guidelines that they only correct%. Yeah. Almost everything we do has some matching. Call it whatever you want. Matching strings, matching fonts. Call it whatever you want. And there's a few things that it didn't cover like the pre-esign work, engineering didn't cover some of the testing. It it always has and that's every grant has different stipulations. So there's always at a cost in there. Yeah. I just it's still a great deal for the city. Yeah. I mean I think back to and obviously Western Avenue is a whole different animal. A whole different animal. Not there's already a road there. Not comparable,

right? But um I just wonder if there's um an because I understand, right? So, the HAF is a nonprofit organization. It's run by volunteers um trying to obviously grow that industrial park. I just wonder if there's a Well, I think it's a unique scenario, right? I mean, it's it is a different I think the I think it's a different I think it's a different scenario than a private developer who's um self-funded doing those things. So, I I I see the reason for asking for it because it's not I mean, if it was Eric Bartman developing that, you probably wouldn't be here asking for that, right? Um, so I just wonder if there's I get it's a great deal. I'm just causing discussion because

well I mean I think it's a good question and rather than not assessing it could it be assessed at the time the parcel is sold or the parcel is sold by square footage into your Well, the whole deal is in one year we're going to get build by the county no matter what. We have a resolution passed on an assessment policy. So correct you'd have to change that resolution in order to Yeah. Right. How much you give them that that budget time? You have budgeted 100,000 for growth of the city. Haven't come and ask for that.

Slow down. We were here in August. We were here in August 24 open, right? What was it? 5590 in August 24. But yeah, we were approved for that. We never got that. H. So, we could use those funds to go towards those. We could probably leftand right hand, right? Keep in mind, guys, you also got a free road out of this deal. Basically, what's that?

Keep in mind the free road that you guys got out of this. That's a big consideration. It's a nonprofit. It's going to continue to develop. It's going to bring property tax dollars, sales tax dollars. This isn't something that's just for no gain to the city whatsoever. There's true benefits that are going to be realized. I get it. And but you have to understand, we got to be careful when we do stuff like this because the next developer that's standing up there is going to say, "Hold on. You guys did this for the HADF." I understand totally. And I think it's a I think it's a a difficult precedence to set that was basically already set. But you also got to look at not only Oaks, but what was done with 12. And 12 is benefiting way more people than those business owners.

Yeah. Yeah, way more people. The NAS landing people are using it like crazy. And the part you see a lot of traffic past there, Lisa, all the time. Yeah, they're I mean that's might control. And the amount of people It's not busy out there. He's here too. We'll talk we'll talk to him shortly. It's not busy out there. Traffic post, but I mean the amount of people that you can use that for walking and you know walking their dogs out in there. I mean obviously as that get developed that you know people are going to run their dogs out in that open area but um 12 street is definitely benefiting the yeah residents more than the businesses.

Do we have a deadline on when we have to have this decision made? Catherine for our policy only gives till October 1st of next year. Yeah. Oh, no. That's what I didn't mean. I guess my question tonight is I think we need to make the assessments because I think we're asking for trouble if we start making special considerations. And then you've already done I think the question for me is do we want to do something else with HAVF? Right. Only caveat that I'd say Cindy is the fact that you're right. There is a special situation here. A little different than it is on Western.

Very different. The argument that I would say though is you're doing this for a nonprofit that's trying to better the city. A private developer. That's a different story. It's a different circumstance altogether. So to be clear, you're asking for HADF, not anybody else on the list. Yes. And then there was a paved street in on Western Avenue. There was a a brand new pave street with this area. We we do the same thing in residentials though. Once they paid for it, they don't pay for it again. If they haven't paid for it, if there's no road there, they pay for it. I've paid for it. Probably half people here. Maybe not. I paid when my road got paid. We do. So, I think Western is completely different. There was no road there.

So, for my clarification, once I paid for 12 street, I don't have to pay for that again. Like down the road, it gets it's curved and guttered. maintenance, but every council can change, but that's a policy we've gone by. Like for instance, just for clarification, like for um duck circle, yep. When he put that in if that needs repaired, redone down the road, will that get assessed to those owners or did he already pay an assessment for those? He didn't assess it cuz he built it. So, if those need fixed down the road or will those residents happen,

that's where you get into the sticky deal cuz once the developer builds it, curb and gutter paves it, guess what? They sign it over to us. Same as uh Jeff's going to do on Second Street, right? Once that's built, he signs it over to us and then it becomes the city's responsibility. So, it's my understanding if we need to fix it. That's on us. So, how did I mean you're you're probably talking about part where you paid for yours, right? Nope. I lived my first house was up on um Soft Fighter and that was not paved initially. Neither was Mickelson when I built. Yeah, it was gravel. It was

both were gravel. A lot of the newer developments. I mean, if if there was a developer doing it, but in that case, there was lots. It wasn't a development. Yeah. And this is where like these assessments and I think it, you know, it's kind of interesting because um if I use Oaks Avenue every day and I don't live on Oaks and that road is done every street. No, I know that. I'm just But it's an interesting idea. If I I use Oaks every single day, but if they go and they tear up that whole entire road, all those property owners are paying for that. But me, that's what I mean. Is I live a block off. I don't care about there was ground.

No, I it's a I understand that it's it's policy, but is it the right policy? Right. That's Yeah, that's the question. Has been for right. It has been that way for a long time. What I'm ask I'm asking all of you, is it the right policy moving forward? Is it something that maybe needs to be looked at and addressed? Because it's

I'm just going to use P Street as an example. everybody except I mean now that you guys do have an you know an access on there but there's not that many accesses on 12th in that section that you guys have done there and I mean like the HADF they're paying for frontages of ponds you know there's not even any usable property there it's ponds for for the 12 street assessment So, it's benefiting other residents, but the land owners are paying for it. And is it like you said, your example with those? Is it the is it the right policy to have in place? Is there a different way to make these assessments and pay for those?

Typically though, Eric, it comes down to dollars and cents. We got to figure out how we got to pay for all this stuff, too. That's what And but our assessments our assessments don't even cover a barely a fraction of the cost, right? I mean, if we wanted cuz we've had we have this conversation every year and it's a Yeah, but this is a you know, we could charge we could charge $500 a linear foot and maybe be within the market of what it cost, right? I mean, I'm just throwing out a number, but I know like our our assessments compared to the actual uh construction costs are maybe a third, maybe le maybe maybe less than that, Michael. Right. Right. Yeah. a new road is about $1,000 a foot, but then that that's just construction.

So that's what I'm saying. So our assessments, you know, are are are truly a not not a fraction, but a small part of of that. I mean, I'm Exactly. Because the city pays all that of the difference. All that extra cost, we pay engineering fees, we pay testing, that all gets thrown on the city because we put the max at 250 a linear foot. If this was a you know it's like a street maintenance deal maintenance sale gravel but still it doesn't cover the cost moving forward though as the city of Hartford evolves. How many streets will the Hartford be not the developer?

You're you really only got um you got railroad meth gravel yet. So those if they ever get done or when they get done they can be assessed. City owns a majority of it. the school owns a portion of it. There's some homeowners along there on Kelly that would have to pay an assessment on it. Um you got Jennifer Drive which if we ever did something up there that we all assess the homeowners. You've got four street um well look we've been talking about Kelly Kelly Avenue because all those property owners will get assessed right if when when or if we redo and that's because that's not a standard streets we have left.

That's not a standard road. That's why they would fall. I got a question though for Teresa. Hold on one second. I want to Okay. How does this work when we have a uh what do you call that? A resolution. What do we call it? Resolution. Excuse me. I should have remembered that. So basically with that resolution, we said we are going to assess the joining proctor. That's how we're going to pay for this project with and also city funds. I guess I can read it. Yeah. But I'm asking Teresa is can we with that paperwork in place basically what Eric's proposing is is that we're picking and choosing. I I don't think you can.

I the question that's what I've been sitting here trying to figure out if we already had everybody on the assessment, right? Yeah. I think the discussion here is um obviously we have to do an assessment but then I think the further discussion what you brought up is you know is a city willing to help out. Well, I don't I don't think we can pick and choose. We either got to assess every We got to assess everybody the same. Whatever. Not whether you want to give up money for that. Correct. We can we can ask for our 2024 budget request that you guys have already approved the allocation.

That's so that's so how does that we have a budget, right? So I but I think there's I think like there's further conversation with that in terms of it doesn't even have to be in budget right it doesn't have to be in yeah it doesn't have to be in budget but I think I think like to move forward we have to assess it just so we don't set the precedent and then you know if there's an appetite for the council to have further discussion about um you know we're taking money from we're taking money from this supporting yes from the agenda to request the allocation from 2024.

I think that I I think that is a better route than saying you know what we're cuz we would have to change the policy on this. We would have I don't like we and that would take a long time and a big process and then also we're setting the precedent um to future developers, future land owners and doing those things. So I have a much easier time saying yes, we are going to assess the HADF and because if we weren't then we have to change a polic and I'm not saying we have the right policy either. I'm not I

I'm not saying we have the right policy. I if someone has a better idea of like how do we actually assess roads send me an email because I don't know I I don't I'm sure there's some other ideas out there. I mean, we're doing I mean, I don't know how you would do it on a tax standpoint, but for instance, as the for economic development, if there's any sales tax that you use for economic development, there's got to be a way that if you could get that you're able to pull tax dollars from the residents out of RT and out of Duck Circle, you know, to help pay for street projects down the road because essentially all the all of the residents in the city are using those streets, not everybody everybody pays taxes, so they We are every time we do a project,

right? But why are the people that are living next to that, you know, in front of that street, especially the people on Western, those business owners, uh, you know, why why are they the ones paying for that assessment when I I think it's two different situations between Western. It is. It's totally different situation and they didn't pay. So they didn't pay. But it's no different than than Kelly when when you guys go and for for Railroad Street. When you guys go and pay for Railroad Street, why are those there's no road there?

No. Why should be assessed to those land owners? Why can't there be a better policy to spread the out? I think that's the discussion that Teresa is saying we had back when we did the resolution of whether or not it was appropriate in this instance to do the assessment and we all agreed at the time it was. So when we go to do railroad we'll have the same discussion. What other factors is it appropriate? But to your point though Cindy it's not that we're completely 100% cotton drive because Western we made the decision. It's every time after after every tree project has to pass a resolution and necessity before the final paper that's why we when we had that discussion question correct

and we made the decision right I guess I would I would rather and I could I mean back with Western I mean I'm sure those property owners when that resolution was passed they probably weren't in here when you guys were reviewing Not the first one, the first reading. No, the second reading. They don't know. They don't know it until it's actually in front of them and the bill is sitting in there. When they get that letter in the mail, yeah, they got the letter in the mail. It was just one reading. It was a resolution. They showed up. We had that discussion and decided not to assess them for varying reasons.

And that was, you know, a thorough what they call a thoroughare or a arterial road. Arterial road. Yep. Um, so it's it's it's totally different in it's totally different in terms of the use of those two roads. I think the point is and I and Yeah. I mean I Have you guys seen this before? No. Yeah. I mean it's seen the before you got the letter. You had seen nothing else back in November. It was Yes. Yeah. Yes. No, we have. No, I said I think you told about Yeah, cuz when we do the resolution of necessity, right, they

afford the project. Yeah, they get contact. I got to send businesses new to come. The same exact form goes out, but it had $39 a foot cuz that's what we estimated the cost to be cuz we hadn't bid it yet. We had done the project. So, yeah, went to every property owner and this doesn't have to get paid. follow up next October. They have Yeah, they have to.

So, I mean, I I think cuz obviously we have to eventually move on, right? Like I I think what I and I'm just talking to the council. I I think I I think the appetite would be I I think it'd be hard to say no, we're not going to charge an assessment because now we're setting a precedent. What I would like to do is is to make some action but then also have the HADF come back and we've got a year, you know, we've got a year before that check has to be written and then I think if there's appetite with the council to have a conversation, then let's see if there's an opportunity to possibly lower that burden. Does that make sense? I I mean because I as much as I would like to say and I get it, right? It's a nonprofit ran by volunteers. as much as as as I would like to say, hey, let's just completely forget it, then I just I I know that if I, you know, in the next year or so when things happen, it's going to come back to bite us on other projects.

I understand that. Yeah. Um like, yeah, there's probably some but I think there's probably some that we could probably use for, right? I and I think we should get that on the agenda and let's have a conversation. And yeah, I mean it's it's a unique scenario, but what I'm asking is since Travis is gone and we got one empty seat, do we want to make this vote tonight? Do we We don't have No, we don't have to. We don't have to. Why? Yeah. I know. I'm I was planning to vote tonight. I I also agree with Sean. I'm willing to talk about HDF other alternatives

if we fund them something that might help them offset this cost eventually. Can we request our 2024 allocation of We'll get you on the agenda. That has to Right. We can't request that tonight. And it won't be a request for your 2020. Yeah, it wouldn't be a request request funds. It would be a request of just general funds and I can put that on the next agenda. Yeah. requested in 20 or approved in 24, right? Yep. So, with that being said, do those funds have to be used in 2025 or will they carry over into 2026? Nothing carries over in the budget. So, those 2024 funds have not carried over. So, you're just going to come with a new request from the council asking for funding to help.

I mean, we're if we change the budget, we have to do some work too in order to do But this is 20, right? We can't But this is 24 allocation that was in the budget in 24. It wasn't it was in the budget, but it was never paid out. Nobody, but I mean the funds stayed in there, so you just asking. Okay. I I mean I How much funds do we have in that because it's in that first or second? Third penny. Third penny. Third penny. How many do you know how many funds we have available? Right. Just off the top of your head. Couple dollars. Couple dollars left.

Third penny. We as of last month we have right under 84,83. What we saw in that is there's other things budgeted. I mean you you don't have to have just third penny. You can use general funds too as well, right? Yeah. Correct. All right. And I will I'll make the motion to approve resolution 2025-10, the special assessment for 12 and Oak Street project. second. And any other discussion,

I guess. Um I wonder and I know I'm going to throw a curveball here, but we haven't had a curveballs for a while on here, have we? Um I I think with um obviously the conversation we're having, we have a small council already. Um it I I think it would be good to have Travis here. Obviously the the most full council we can have and then maybe we can knock out two birds with one stone at the next one. You know, knock out two birds with one stone. I understand I'm on the different side of that. But

there's a way to that's there's a way you can take care of that because with four of us four of you here, guess what? One no. Yeah. So, what would it kill it? But we could put it What happens if we kill it? Can we put it back on now? You're going to have to do new notices and for a new resolution and everything. Yeah. You you resolutions only have one reading and if you kill it, it's done. I mean, we can send out another notice and try to do the very same thing. We just have to go through the whole process again. Oh, that seems like a pain in the tokus. Yeah, I think discussion is good, but I mean ultimately Yeah. Anything else?

And and too, I mean, we've got other things to discuss tonight. So, is it that is that going to be the process for all of our voting tonight? Right. You know that. Well, that Yeah. I mean, let's get someone for Ward One because you know, if we are like, "Hey, we all have to agree." Well, guess what? We're in politics and it probably ain't going to happen. We're going to be in a situation, right? Uh, you understand that I'm asking people and nobody's saying yes. I know you are. I'm asking you to ask people. And I will tell you, can I tell you my next thing? I'm sick of asking. Camera, did you get that? All right. Anything else? If not, we'll vote. Shelly, yes. Yes. Bowen, yes.

Matson, yes. All right. And so do you want for the next agenda? They have them on. Okay. Yeah. 18th. Thank you. See you tomorrow. See you tomorrow.

All right. Next up, resolution 2025-1, creation of tax increment financing district number three. This is the Windsor group TIFF. It's basically this is the change that we have been discussing. This will allow second street to come into the tip. So they added funds to they will do second street then the developer will using tip funds. Um so basically the only things that really have changed since we look back at this you know earlier in the year was the tip amount because they've added second street another couple million and then the life of the tip went from 20 years to 25 years otherwise everything else has stayed the same as the first request and this is just creating that boundary right what's going to be the tip district the Windsor group still needs to come back to both the P&Z board and the city council and present the final tip plan which is going to be very similar what's in your packet and a development agreement basically that we agree to you know what they're going to do what they're not going to do just um kind of some nuances of developing the land but that's all got to be agreed on with the P&Z board and come before you again like I said this just creates the district basically sets the outline of where the tiff is

can we can we keep if if we pass this tonight when they come with the development agreement. Can we uh revisit the 25 versus 20? Cuz I thought we have 15. I thought cuz we have 15 on originally 20. We have 20 on there. They This one was originally 20 when they came and they moved it up to 20 can be re readressed cuz this t this tip plan is just an example for your reference that this isn't final. So that can be changed. Let me just clarify. This is just to represent a district from the boundary.

This tiff itself anything in regards to the actual tiff is not in this will be in the development with this. You're not agreeing on the dollar amount. You're not agreeing on the terms. This is what they're suggesting in their plans. But that could all be discussed and negotiated with the development. And it could be that there is no tip at all. It could be. Yeah. We don't come into agreements about it. Okay. It doesn't happen. This this just creates the boundary and the plan and development agreement still needs to be approved and you can make changes along the way with that. That was the only thing when I looked through it that I thought Yeah.

I don't know that I'm particularly fond of stretching it to 25 years. Yeah. And Yeah. And that's something that Yeah. needs. So it goes through the PNZ for I mean and I'm So it goes through the PNZ and Okay. Yeah. Does the actual tiff go through the P&Z as well? First and then we approve it. Then we've had to It only comes to us if they approve it. Yeah. Right. If they deny if the PNZ kills it. Yeah. Then they basically they wrangle that. Is that same with district too? Like they approve this denied the tip district. It wouldn't even come to us. Right.

Yeah. Cuz they're the first stop along the way and if they approve it, it comes on to the city council. So, yeah. What the plan that's in here is for just for reference. Anything in that can be changed going forward, but you're just at this point just approving the outline of where the district is. So, it's going to be that north and south parcel of the Windsor group and Second Street. Who knows what the atmosphere is going to be like in here, right? With tips. All right. Any action from the council?

Um, I'll make a a motion to approve the creation of the tiff district number three. Second. Any more discussion? Hearing none, we'll vote. Matson, yes. Bowen, yes. Yes. Shelly, yes. All right. Get us through those three. Yep. Is that you're going to? That's the third run at it. I think that's why we're calling it three. It's only our second one in the city. Maple pass was first. Um the Windsor group submitted one that we originally approved but it didn't meet

the state's criteria. So we had to dissolve tiff 2. So we have to move on to tiff number three. We couldn't reuse the number. It's only the second one. Yep. I think the big and I whoever the the developers I mean we have our tiff standards. They know that. So going from 15 to 25 is a that's a jump. I mean that so if there was some conversation I mean yeah we put a lot of thought into that and obviously that's all negotiable but Yeah. All right. Good enough. Thank you. You bet. Uh we'll move down to reports. Deputy Rectenbar, how are you tonight? Good. How are you guys tonight? Wonderful.

Um so in the month of October took this report from October 1st to the 31st. There were 234 calls for service, which was a decrease of 32. Uh there were two accidents. Both of them were without injury. Um there's three suicide attempts or threats. Um there were two DWIS. Uh we made five arrests which was a decrease of four. There were uh 19 case reports which stayed the same. 14 citations and two warrant services.

Sounds like you've been busy. It was a slow move a little bit. There's a busy week or two in there. Uh I'm going to circle back to one of their questions maybe Lisa or one of them made. Uh do you get up there on 12 Street? Drive it every once in a while. Yeah. Yeah. We have too many nice roads. I was going to say they like that. We need to start throwing speed bumps down. I suppose I can order stop signs. I'm surprised on 12th and Oaks that there's not a four-way there just cuz it's like heavy trucks coming through. Yeah. Just going across there, it's just like weird. You like feel like you need to stop at

It's a big intersection. Yeah. Yeah. It just feels like a four-way stop. I mean, well, that's something we could always review, right? And I don't think yet with that like there's not a whole lot of houses up there yet, but if there are in the future, that's probably enough. Yeah. More businesses get up there with truck traffic that may be something. And I'm pretty sure that since that's been open that the folks over at Naps and Parti are using that. Oh, I'm sure they are using that road like crazy. Oh, yeah. Kind of like me using Mickelson. I was going to say it's like everybody that comes in on now because I mean they avoided it before when it was gravel and all full of rust but

I mean you know how much that don't live down mud oh I everybody uses the roll every chance I get I drive down your street Michelle squeal my tires Oh wait no I don't I know I catch you on my camera all right anybody got any questions for the deputy tonight. Nothing. Keep at her. Thank you, Jonah. All right, most exciting part of the evening. Let's go.

Good evening, everyone. We'll move right into project updates. Be pretty quick this evening. Uh, water resource recovery facility, uh, sledge force commissioning is underway. Uh, did hear from Ari that it does sound like we're still a little light on sludge. It's going to be probably spring for

Yeah. So that's uh that's just a capacity equipment coupled with just Hartford's wastewater characteristics. So continue to monitor that and get that direct list. Uh but otherwise, punch list uh is moving along very well. Uh moving along to Western Avenue. Uh so the city's portion of that product is substantially complete. Uh punch list has been provided. I did walk that with them last uh two weeks ago, Thursday. Now uh that punch list been provided. Uh, and Tim has indicated that they they've started working on that. They had it out there today just showing them exactly what we wanted done, getting that going. Um, wrapping up the sidewalk, all that all that good stuff. So, is the state ahead on their part of the project?

I think they're about where they plan to be or hoping to be. The other big plan was getting traffic on the getting those those ramps done to get and get traffic up there. So they're uh it was a little shaky for a bit, I'll say, but they're I mean they're they're in a good spot for next year. They raised that quite a bit, didn't they? Yep. Is that so Traced again? Yeah. So

that continually LOWER IT. I think that was the first thing that they said when they were talking to us about the project is is once they got the humble bridge raised that this was the next one to raise cuz this was they knew once they got that one raised this one was going to get it you know however just considerable like when you drive it and you see the differences it's just it's kind of mindblowing.

Yeah. The other thing is is as you're coming off those exit ramps it's still it's still a little bit up but sight lines should be a little bit better. I know before if you were um you know headed north end of town off that that west side off ramp looking left it was it was tough to see colors uh sometimes so that that's another thing that the projects in the fixed so yeah it's it's coming along well for for this size of project uh back to city's projects uh put on the Swinson Park uh project closeout documents are included following the report for council approval uh a seed warranty letter has also been provided by Zachariah's construction just doesn't come back in the spring just with winter or whatever it may be, they'll come back come back out and maybe that uh make sure that that heat establishes. So, that one's sitting very good. Uh citywide water model uh A2S did provide the uh preliminary projects uh for the report and anticipates having that report uh next week for city review. Um lastly, on the shared use path, continue to push that forward with the DOT. uh still plan on design this this fall winter uh with bitting and construction starting in the spring. Quick report. That's all I have. Happy to answer any questions.

Any questions for Michael? And then I see we got some uh pay requests. Do we have the cabinets in the wastewater treatment plant yet or December? So February then we're goodbye. Yeah. For no questions. As the mayor noted, couple couple action items. Uh first is change order one that construction. This one's a part. It's a deduct of $3,2210. Essentially just as I noted, closing out the project, rectifying project quantities based on what was actually installed. All right. Make a motion to approve change order number one to Zachariz construction for a deduct of $3,2210.

Second. Any discussion? Hearing none, we'll vote. Matson, yes. Bowling, yes. Parach, yes. Shilling, yes. All right. Number two, what do you got there? Uh, next is pay application number one, design uh for the project in the amount of $139,791.80 uh for coalition. All right. I'll make a motion to approve pay pay application number one to Zacharias construction for $139,00079180. Second. Any discussion? That was terrible. That was terrible. You got through it.

You did get through it. Yeah, that was all that matters. Hearing no discussion, we'll vote. Shilling, yes. Harrace, yes. Bow, yes. Matson, yes. All right. What's the third one? Uh third and last one is application number seven to DNG concrete for with the Western Avenue Reconstruction Project in the amount of $200,24346. Uh really this is the east half of of Diamond Trail as well as just some carryover work that they completed on other parts of the project.

Motion to approve pay request number seven to DNG Concrete Construction for $200,24346. Second. Any discussion on this one? Hearing none, we'll vote. Matson, yes. Bowen, yes. Yes. Jill, yes. All right. What else you got, Michael? Nothing else. Go ahead. All right. Thank you. Thank you. And I would assume you'll have discussion with uh Craig and these guys on this.

I don't think there is any more discussion. That's my opinion. I mean, they did meet with them and Michael's trying to explain the facts. Um, was that email I could forward to the rest of the council to give you kind of just to kind of summarize it for your knowledge and we can put it on the came on the agenda for next week if you want. But after reading through that, I really don't think it's the city's issue either. But when you send it off to them for recently, make sure you go back to the previous I'll just show the history. Okay. Do you want to do that or you want me to do it? Can I ask a question? Sure. Absolutely. We're still on engineering board.

Um, so you talked about or I feel like something was mentioned about the gentleman installed drainage tile. Drain tile. Drain tile. What when was that? 2015 or 2015. So in 2015 there was issues with drainage thus in installing drain types. Correct. Yeah. Yeah. As I so as I noted there was from that culvert under was it 258? 258 under 258 from south to north.

Uh there's there's a covert there which conveys water. Um doesn't quite there's no additional along north Vandermark there. So it outlets to his property. Uh prior to 2015 when the drain tile was installed, there was a grass area where that water ran uh ultimately to a covert uh a little ways north running under Vandmark from the west to the east actually Craig's pond. So this isn't just a couple years. This is Oh, this has been going on for a long time. They have so worked it up and now it just won't hold. I mean, every time it rains or anything like that, the drainage goes through there, which you can see it coming down through his field from his higher ground. It gets right in that same area and congest and it just washes the trench in there.

Well, let's get the get the information together. Let's get him on the agenda. Let's get it get it taken care of. We need to look at that. Right. All right, Craig, you're up next, but uh your report was Did you hand it out? So, I don't have a computer. Plus, I was injured last He was out last week and they are bad excuses. He was in Germany.

So I just jotted down a few things that are coming up. Um I got A and B concrete's coming um next week or this weekend actually to start forming up out sports complex. Plus we're going have to do the little pour on a sidewalk and then they're going to do that curb up here that we had to cut out. We took that out ourselves and got that ready for them. So, we'll get some concrete work done here next week. Um, all the parks are shut down and winterized. Uh, Sanders are in, ready to go. Uh, the good news is that we are discharging from both ponds two and three right now. So, we should have them empty or just about empty by the end of November. So, your samples came back good. I talked to Danner today and got permission to discharge. So, we are discharging.

Awesome. Um the only other thing that Michael didn't bring up was uh Neil sent construction is getting they're going on their cold sack up there. They've got the sewer in. Water's in. They still got some service to hook up. We took a sample in today so that if that passes the water will be all ready to go online. Uh they are working on storm sewer. They had should have that all in except for the boxes. So you'll probably see curb and gutter next week up there. That's how fast they're moving.

Are they trying to put houses in before it snows? I think they're going to try to get something in cuz they're pretty. Once they come in, they just got they just got a crew that just keeps moving. So, one guings, next one's foundation, then they got or construction guys doing framework. So, we'll move right on through. So, it's pretty fun to see them go as fast as they are up there. So, that's all I got for my makeshift report. No, that's fine. Any questions for Craig? All right. Thanks, Craig. Uh, next up, finance officer report. Karen.

Yep. My report's in the packet. Um, I did want to add that I got notification from First Interstate Bank yesterday that our money market rate for November did drop to 3.1. It was at 3.25. So, okay, for the next 30 days and then they'll re-evaluate. Okay. Other than that, if we could if we can keep that up over over three, that's a that's better than zero, right? Sure is.

All right. Any questions for Karen? All right, Teresa, what do you got to add to your report? Um, not a whole lot to add. Um, I kind of sent out a text to let you know. Um, our new public works assistant is planned to start on the 17th here. So, we will looking forward to getting him added after Craig is very much to get him up and going and get him working. Um, and then I just did I put in my report Daryl was right. St. George did change their date. They came in after the council meeting and said they were uh I think they're going to spend some time in the spring. Is that what they were talking about?

February is what he thought. So, we just told them just come back to us when they're ready for the new date and then we can work it again. So, um we are working with Tom as far as um the new election criteria that was passed this last year. Um in January, I've mentioned this before. We can no longer have our elections in April, which is how our ordinance has stayed now. We either got to move to June or November. So, we'll have that discussion in January because we need to set it in January. um what date we want to go with. Um but before they actually have an election, the municipal league, the state, they're referring us to our city attorneys. There's a lot of gray area in the law about how to combine the elections. So there's I think there's going to be more information coming out as we go. They're trying to get an attorney general's opinion just because like if we would combine with the school, we have overlapping districts. So how does that be on one ballot? How do you have a role book? Who you know what the different there just a lot of things that need to be worked out which I I think they're working on. So um we're going to keep working with Tom and just make sure we we do it correctly there. Um otherwise I don't have much more in my packet. Landfill passes. I contacted Sou Falls to see if we can get the free passes again and basically they says now with their new system we don't even have to apply for them. They just automatically are giving them to all the cities in the in the county that are within Minia County. You know, if you're a resident in Minia County, you come show your driver license with your address, you automatically get a free dump. So, we don't have to even go through that application process anymore. So, that's kind of good on our part. Kind of makes simplifies stuff for us. And then, um I didn't let you know Craig and I did do sidewalk inspections for Ward One, um this year. And so, letters were sent out. know you hear anybody talking about them, you know, our policy right now is

we notify them if they got an issue with their sidewalk, stating that per state law, it's their liability, but we don't have anything in ordinance yet that mandates it. We just notify him and it kind of clears us as far as insurance wise if you know somebody would happen to get hurt. Well, we've got a record. Yep. They were notified about this. it is their liability. But so and we've been doing this for quite a few years now. So, but just let you know that why um

why are is our code enforcer because so like I and I'm just asking a question. So we got two of our highest paid people in the city doing sidewalk inspections doesn't make a lot of sense for like the use of time. So like we've got kind of two part-time coding for what commercial. Is there a way to make that? I mean, I I just I don't know why, you know, or you know, maybe started doing it and we've got it done. YEAH, I GET IT. WE GOT IT PRETTY QUICK. We No, NO, I BELIEVE YOU. I believe you do, but it just seems like we have a code enforcer like it takes two people really to do it because it does cuz one's driving and you're looking at

both sides of the streets and writing. It does take two people. I believe is it, you know, are you guys the two right people to do that? You Yeah, you guys have a bunch of stuff to do. I can pass, but I'm sure you guys love it. I just All right. I don't care who does it. Just we've got a quote. Why is he not doing it? Um especially, you know, if if we move Kylie, they definitely will have time to do some of those extra duties. So, yeah. All right. Good point. Anything else for Teresa? Is the sidewalk committee still U3? No, I'm not on there. Oh, you got I heard you talking earlier. Are you going to try to get a meeting set up? Yeah. Okay. For Monday.

All right. If you want my opinion, though, you can You're not going to be on the committee OR I appreciate that. Yeah, you got booted. Okay. All right. We have no old business. Under new business, we have one item. Review approve the billboard lease renewal for Golden West Communication. Uh I'll make a motion to approve the billboard lease renewal with Golden West Telecommunications. Second. Any discussion? Hearing none, we'll vote. Schilling, yes. Parach.

All right. Uh, under correspondence, I think Teresa put this in her in her update this week. We got an invite to the HADF annual meeting which is uh two weeks from tomorrow night, Wednesday, November 19th at the golf course. And I think it said on there they wanted us to RSVP or you only you need us to know you need to know. So I need to know so we don't got a quorum, right? Um, just to make sure. I will I have another uh meeting that night so I will not be there. I will be out of town. Bijibody here. Oh, thanks for sharing.

Fun facts about my life. So th those two are out. Even if you guys decide to go, we'll be fine. We will be fine for as far as quorum wise. So um yeah, if you do want to if you do want to go and if you want to RSDP, I think that best you go ahead then. All right. Um, I have a couple matters for executive session for legal and uh economic development if somebody would like to make that. Um, motion to go into executive session for legal and economic development. Second. All in favor?

I told Travis I said I was kind of mad. He said, "I'm just trying to keep you from getting beat up." Okay. Motion to adjourn for a second. All in favor? I