City Council - Regular Meeting

you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Yeah, it's like you don't have to go home. Can you turn on your microphone please?

Sorry. Good evening. This is the hour of 7 p.m. Having arrived, I will call to order this regular meeting of the Keene City Council. This meeting is being broadcast live on the city of Keene YouTube channel and spectrum channel 1302. The video is also streamed on the city's website and is posted by the end of the next business day, barring any technical difficulties. If you would like to receive an electronic City Council packet to reference while viewing future broadcasts, please contact the City Clerk's office during business hours or go to the City's website and subscribe to the City meetings email list. This agenda is also accessible from any mobile device. I'd like to ask the Clerk to please call the roll.

Randy Elfilio. Here. Michelle A. Chalice. Here. Katherine I. Workman. Here. Brian J. Lake. Here. Jacob R. Favalese. Here. Laura E. Tobin. Here. Robert C. Williams.

Here.

Phillip M. Jones. Present. Chris E. Roberts. Here. Bettina A. Chaddorn. Here. Edward J. Haas.

Here.

Laura E. Ruttle-Miller. Here. Molly V. Ellis. Here. Thomas F. Powers. Here. Mitchell H. Greenwald. Here.

We are a quorum of 15. I'd like to ask Councillor Roberts, would you please lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. 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. Okay, I'd like to recognize Councilor Greenwald for a motion to adopt the minutes of our previous meeting.

Thank you, Your Honor. Move to adopt the minutes of the May 21-26 meeting as presented. Second.

Seconded by Councilor Powers. And all those in favor of accepting the minutes as presented, the motion carries unanimously. Thank you. OK, some announcements before we get into our public hearing. Tonight is the season opener for the Keene Swamp Bats. And seeing as we're all missing it, your next opportunity is June 6 at Alumni Field. And let's support the team that brought a conference championship to the city of Keene last year as they defend their title. Also coming up this weekend on Friday evening is the start of the Keene Art Walk. It's sponsored by Monadnock Arts Alive. The Art Walk continues through June 14th, Sunday. Also, this weekend, on Saturday, is the Taste of Keene Food Festival. It begins at 1130 and runs to 330. You can buy your tokens online at tasteofkeene.com. That's one word. tasteofkeene.com they'll be on sale during the event at the event headquarters which are going to be located at the head of central square by the flagpole where they were in the past year so if you order them in advance you'll be at a will call and it'll go faster a quicker line than waiting for the same day and Also, this Saturday at 10 a.m., the Parks and Recreation Department will be sponsoring a Goose Pond Spillway dedication. And you'll recall that that is a donor-sponsored contribution to the city to add that spillway to the walk. And for those of us who have been around Goose Pond a lot, taking off your shoes and walking on your heels and getting across the spillway. This is a vast improvement. Thank you very much. And thank you, Savings Bank Walpole, who was a generous donor for that project. And also on Saturday, for those who recall the Second World War and the D-Day entry onto the European continent, it is D-Day Remembrance Day on June 6th. So turning to next weekend, in advance of our next council meeting, we've got, on the 13th, the annual Keene Outdoor Craft Fest and Classical Muscle Car Exhibition at the Keene Middle School. That is also the night of the Keene Jazz Orchestra's concert at the middle school, both of which sound like interesting events. And on the 14th, the U.S. Army will be celebrating its 251st anniversary. And then next Friday, the 19th, well, that's after our 18th meeting, but get it on your docket, the Juneteenth celebration sponsored by the Keene Human Rights Committee will be held at Fuller Park. at the Parks and Recreation Department's outdoor amphitheater. And, yes, it's always a good event. Okay, other dates of interest for the council. We have a fiscal policies workshop on June 30th at 6 p.m. here in the council chambers. A couple other announcements. If you had a chance this last weekend to enjoy the Monco Arts production of a Midsummer Night's Dream, there are some things that just make a small city seem big. And the 150 kids that participated in that event, dancing, hip-hop, ballet, and tap, It just, what an enriching experience for those kids in our community. And then I wanted to also highlight that the Monadnock 250 celebration, if you are planning to have an organization march in the parade, your deadline for signing up is this week. So please go to the Mnadnok250.com website. That, too, is one word, www.Mnadnok250.com, and register your organization to be part of the event. The organization will receive a banner to use as they march down the street. Anything else, Molly, that we should cover?

Registration ends tonight.

I'm extending it by one day. Not really. While you're listening to this meeting, please sign up. We are about to have our public hearing on the budget for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. Before we move on to that public hearing, I want to point out that there are copies of the budget book that were available. I don't know if they're still at the table. well we did have those available if you wish to look at this while we're going through the meeting there is a QR code and it's the QR code in the room It's over on the table as you entered. If you go to the QR code, it'll give you the site on which to download the budget book, and you can peruse it as we're going through. I'd like to ask the clerk to read the public notice of the hearing.

Certainly. Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held before the Keene City Council relative to Resolution R-202609, which at the time of the printing of this notice would require that the sum of $32,434,768 be raised by taxation during the current year, which together with $47,345,766 FOR ESTIMATED OPERATING REVENUES, AGGREGATING $79,780,534 IS HEREBY APPROPRIATED FOR THE USE OF THE SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY And further, that the sum of $5,446,533 be appropriated for capital expenditures and capital reserve appropriations in the city proprietary funds, funded by the use of capital reserves, fund balance, and current revenues for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, per order of the Mayor and Councilors of the City of Keene this 7th day of May, 2026. Thank you.

So I'll be going through the budget department by department, sort of following the budget book outline. And I'll be asking if there are members of the public who wish to come forward and testify or offer comments on any section. But we'll move through section by section. Please come forward and let us know. know that you have an interest in speaking by section. Okay. Let me say that this hearing is coming at a point in the process where the city manager presented a set of recommendations to us. You'll see those clearly pointed out in the budget proposal in the book and what's on the website. The Finance Operations and Personnel Committee spent a good month going through section by section, hearing from department lead directors about their budgets, any changes, accomplishments over the past year, and goals that they have for the coming year. There were opportunities then for committee to make amendments to the budget they had been made at the last meeting and so that some of the numbers that were just in the public notice have been altered and I'll hit that highlight that I think it's the most significant change that is reflected in these two figures and uh following this evening uh there will be no further public testimony unless it is in a written form there is no further consideration by the finance committee the next consideration of the budget will be by the full council on june 18th and the public must comment by june 16th by at 1 pm to the city clerk

It's actually going to be June 9th. And the reason is those comments get acknowledged at the Finance Committee meeting and filed. Okay. All right. Thank you.

Thank you. Updated note. Thank you. Right. So the updated note is that if there are written comments, they need to be received by the city clerk's office by Tuesday, June 9th at 1 p.m. Those written comments must be signed and submitted to the city clerk, and they will be read then into the record of the finance committee at its June 11th meeting. Okay. Okay. I think we can proceed. Good? Yes. Councillor Jones.

Thank you. If I could make a request, although the public is more than able to make generalized questions or generalized comments, but if they're speaking to a specific line item, could they or staff tell us the page and line item so it's easier for us to follow along?

Sure enough, and I will be introducing each section by page number as well. I want to introduce Carrie Chamberlain, who has joined us at the podium, and she is our finance director, done a great job on pulling this together, and, yeah, is available if we need to call on her. Okay. We're going to first hit some overview points that are covered in pages 6 through 33. So, the proposed fiscal 27 operating appropriations of all funds, the number is now $80,225,389 with only $32,941,678 raised by property taxes. So you may wonder the difference there. The operating budget has about $20 million of funds that are raised in other manners. Our intergovernmental transfers, grants, and license fees, etc. That brings us that general operating budget up to approximately 52 million. And that total amount that's raised through property taxes is less the amount that goes to the war services credits. So the total amount, the gross property tax effort is $33,381,578, and that includes $439,900 for war service credits that are authorized by the state and the city council. So overall, this budget is increased by $2.6 million over the budget of fiscal 26. That represents an 8.3% increase in the overall adopted budget. That sits within our fiscal policy guidance and has a tax impact of $1.14 on the city tax rate. to cover what are the major drivers to the $2.6 million increase. $1.4 million is for salary and benefits that are either negotiated or part of a 3% general increase on salary. There is a $560,000 staffing increase for the fire department to lift the staffing levels per shift to 12 from the current level of 11. uh... and then the remaining uh... six hundred thousand dollars is distributed uh... to cover all other kinds of expenses some program increases if it's a program change uh... i will highlight that this we go through the budget uh overall uh the proposed tax rate when you include local uh education tax the state tax uh the state education tax the county's increase that this will have a overall increase that is 9.86 percent over the fiscal 26 rate and i just want to which brings it could bring the rate to uh over $37 per thousand, but I want to remind the public this is a re-evaluation year, and we won't see that number in the end. The re-evaluation will drive that number down by, you know, it could be by 30% based on our current numbers. Department of Revenue Administration guidance as to where we sit on valuations to market. Okay. Debt service is also included in this budget and sits within the 12% cap that is set in our fiscal policy guidance. The debt level is at $4.9 million. That is a part of this operating budget. Uh, if you want to see what the, uh, capital appropriations are for fiscal 27 through 33, uh, you can find that detail on pages 48 through 52, uh, in the budget plan. Uh, in order to, uh. cover the costs of our downtown project uh... there are dollars added uh... into uh... this budget uh... that is a part of the overall debt financing and uh... a use of fund balance as well So in this budget and in the CIP plan, there's $5.6 million appropriated to the downtown project. That's added to dollars that previously were assigned. And I think the council was aware of that last week when we adopted the proposal. okay i think that that covers the general budget uh highlights that i needed to be covered good moving on uh The we're going to look now at the elected and appointed officials budgets. These run on begin on page 40 and run through page 72. The smallest part of the budget are the mayor and council's part of the budget. It has a total appropriation of $287,548. The Finance Committee added a couple of dollars into that budget that were left out, $3,500 for training expenses that were opportunities for the mayor and council for attending meetings. events and conferences and training there is also a $3,000 increase for the Human Rights Committee and a reduction of $450 that eliminated a sentinel subscription that was offered at a discount for council members so that's been eliminated that covers that portion of that budget uh... there uh... then if there's no questions on that uh... all moved to the outside agency funding uh... that is covered on pages forty three through forty five uh... recommended this year is a total funding of three hundred and thirty four thousand seven hundred sixty four dollars if folks uh... want to come forward and talk about that uh... that uh... budgets are described, what those outside agencies are, beginning on page 43, with their budgets shown on page 45. Any outside agencies, folks wishing to testify on this part of the budget? move on to community funded events you can find those community funded events on pages 46 through 48 I'll remind yeah so that the summary of those events are on page 46 it includes the support for the july 3rd independence eve fireworks for four on the fourth for the clarence tomorrow marathon keen music festival and these are mostly where the city is putting forward some in-kind services that are budgeted in fact through this appropriation If there are no, any testimony, I see somebody coming to the podium. Our first guest, thank you, Mr. Strohschein. Please introduce yourself.

Alan Stroschein, 27 Salisbury Road here in Keene. I am the race director for the Clarence DeMar Marathon and a proud member of the Keene-Elm City Rotary, which is the direct beneficiary of this particular event. I'm just simply here to thank you all for longstanding support of this event, your continued support of this event. We are well on pace to run our 48th Clarence DeMar Full Marathon. It'll be our 12th half marathon and we will have our kids event and our super senior event all scheduled on Sunday, September 27th. I told this to the finance committee when I appeared in front of them, but I will extend it to all of you as full council that I am eternally grateful for the relationship we have with the city. The partnership we have with the city makes our event better every single year. We spend a lot of time together with city staff going over and updating and improving protocols so that the community is safe, that our runners are safe, and our visitors are safe, and it's a very successful event. So I'm just here to extend that thanks. We do not take this support for granted at all and are grateful for it. So thank you very much.

Thank you for your testimony. And it is good to point out these dollars that the city puts forward are minuscule to the total effort that goes into this. The volunteer effort and the funds raised independently by the sponsoring groups far surpass whatever the city is putting forward.

uh... so thank you and the recognition that it brings to the city to host to host these events uh... is significant and and as we we do need to be grateful mister mayor to that point uh... through registration through today we have we'll have thirty five states represented here on race weekend as well as uh... canada and the u k so uh... we usually get into the forties by the race weekend come so we bring a lot of people to our beautiful little corner of the world here. And it's a proud weekend for us. So thank you. Thank you.

Mr. Remy.

How's it going? Michael Remy, 55 Castle Street. I'm here, two hats. I'm the vice president of the board for Let It Shine, who puts on the Pumpkin Festival, and the president of the board for TOK Inc., which is the organization taking over Taste of Keen starting next year. So KYPN has run it for the last five years. They're breaking it off into its own organization. I wanted to make sure this group was aware of that. So it'll be TOK Inc. going forward hosting that event. Same event. In both cases, both for the Pumpkin Festival, working around the construction of however we possibly can, getting creative with the placement of the tower, but working through that with the protocol team here. And then for the Food Festival, I couldn't pass up the timing that the Food Festival is in two days, so come check it out. It's this Saturday. Please come check it out, 1130 to 330. This year is hosted by KYPN. Next year will be hosted, and that's what we're talking about tonight, is next year by TOK Inc. Yeah, thanks for all the effort you put into this.

It's really, it's a great kickoff to our summer season.

I get to take this year off and go have fun at it, so. Any questions?

Thank you. Thank you. Councilor Jones.

Thank you. I just want to remind the public and our newer counselors that anything on that community events page, although we have numbers on there, we don't pay money out. It's in-kind services that we perform for that group, and just for accounting purposes, we put a number on it. Just making that clear. So it's not money being paid out.

Indeed. Okay. We're moving on then the capital appropriations I already mentioned. You can find those on pages 49 through 52. The capital appropriations not funded by debt and in this budget total $7,367,049. Just a couple of things that can be highlighted here. This includes sidewalks and street improvements. There is funding for the Robin Hood Park improvements. These are all capital and were covered in the capital improvement program. If there's anything really covered through operating funds that requires some highlighting, I'll get to those. So we now move to the assuming no questions there. We'll move to the, uh, city managers part of the budget, uh, that is on pages 55 through 60. The recommended appropriation is $863,022. Uh, this includes the restructuring of the energy management, uh, program. that is administered there. This actually manifests a savings in the city manager's budget for the coming year. The next charter officer's budget is the city attorney's. budget it is on pages 61 through 64 the total amount recommended is four hundred and eighty nine thousand two hundred seventy five dollars and there are no significant changes in that budget we have then the city clerk's budget which includes uh... document storage that those budgets are on pages sixty five through seventy two uh... or sixty three through seventy depend on the in the online version of this uh... that total amount for fiscal twenty seven is seven hundred ninety six thousand eight hundred eight dollars and i'll take a pause there for anybody who wishes to provide testimony or comments on our charter officer budgets. Seeing none, I'll move to administrative services. Under this category, which largely falls under Ms. Chamberlain's direction, includes assessing the finance and human services budget, the human resources budget, and information technology. actually it has discrete sorry sorry Dan and Andrew and so under the assessors budget you'll find that on set pages 72 through 76 the total amount for the assessors budget is four hundred and eighty three thousand seven hundred ninety nine dollars there's no significant changes there yeah other than to say that the Revaluation year is this year and there's some additional dollars, small amount that's been added to the budget. Under the finance department, Ms. Chamberlain. We have both the Human Services and the Collections Office. These budgets are covered through pages 77 through 87. The total amount recommended is $4,066,899. And in this section, one can observe a increase to the human services budget that includes $50,000. It's the amount that the city set aside this year with an operating budget change to support the warming center in collaboration with 109th Shelter and United Church of Christ and a number of other volunteer organizations in the city. There is the human resources department's budget in the online version, pages 89 through 92 in the council book, 90 through 94. And that budget for human resources is $794,877. This includes some of the benefits programs that the city offers to employees. Following that on pages 93 through 97 in the online budget is the information technologies department. That total budget is $2,187,156. It includes dollars for Moving some services to cloud-based software, which is enabling some workplace efficiencies in a number of departments in the city, as well as some cybersecurity provisions now that we're in the cloud-based world. So between those, that is $107,000 to cover those kinds of increased expenses in the coming year. So I'll pause there for administrative services if there are any comments from the public on that portion of the budget. Following that, we've got the community services, which include police and fire and library and parks and rec facilities, departments under the city. I'll begin with the fire department. In the book, it begins on page 102. In the online version, on page 99. And that total budget is $10,489,601. And included in this is the $525,460 addition for four additional firefighters. And this includes bringing those people on in their personnel expense uniform and training expenses. And I'll add that this is adding to ‑‑ it's substituting for a significant overtime expense which exceeds the budgeted amount increase that we're talking about here. And that is ‑‑ largely due to emergency services, ambulance services that the city has picked up with the loss of a private provider. And safety is job number one for the city. And the fire department, if it's going to have three If it's going to staff emergency services over three shifts and have sufficient staff to cover those overtime needs, this is this 12th. person on each shift is an essential part of the budget so that's where we are adding these four uh... additional firefighters uh... in addition to this uh... there is an increased dispatched expense uh... and these are dispatched services that were billed for uh... that's a hundred and three thousand dollars in this budget That is, if anybody cares to comment on fire departments' increased staffing in this budget. But this proposal was adopted at the last Finance Operations Personnel Committee meeting after a significant amount of study that was done by the department. Okay, we'll move to the library's budget. The library budget can be found on pages 110 in the bound book, in the online version on page 107. The total amount required for the library in the coming year is $2,031,983. There is no significant change here. What was significant is what happened in the last year, where a number of volunteer and part-time staff were brought to a full-time... No, not right. Well, we did some staffing adjustments to the library in the last year, and those have been absorbed into the operating budget. No questions on that. Move to the Parks and Recreation budget, which is on pages 115 in the book, 112 in the online version. This budget totals $2,366,304. It includes a $15,000 appropriation to replace the boiler at the Sumner Knight Chapel in the cemetery on Washington Street. So that's a necessary improvement there. And it includes some resurfacing at the Wheelock Park and Night Street courts, the recreation courts at those two locations. There were some significant programming suggestions as to how the programs might change for after school programming, enhanced summer programming, and activating a volunteer network that are all part of the program for fiscal 27. No comments on that. I'll move to the facilities part of the budget. That has a $1,898,777 appropriation. This includes $25,000 of a request to repair the geothermal system, which is needed to be done at the Public Works site on Marlboro Street. And then finally, the police budget, which is on pages 136 in the book and 133 in the online version, the total amount recommended for the year is $9,520,965. Hold on. something there yeah this is actually a decrease in the police budget year-over-year because of vacancies that have been unable to be filled and yet there are sufficient funds to fill the additional vacancies that exist within the department. In other words, if you know somebody who's interested in joining the Keene Police Department, please talk to Chief Stewart. There's sufficient funds here to flush out the staffing and it's a multi-year challenge to do that. Seeing any comments from folks on these significant parts of the city's budget. Seeing none, move to the municipal services part of the budget the most significant portion of the eight million five hundred and twenty thousand dollars for municipal services which includes airport uh community development and the public works department the total amount here uh yeah which is public works takes up the bulk of this money is eight million five hundred and twenty thousand eight hundred and forty eight dollars The budget for the airport from the operating budget is $902,000. Moving to the community development department, that budget is $1,693,000. It includes a movement of a part-time planner position in the department that's currently funded out of the general fund. That that position would move to a full time assistance sustainability planner with additional duties that support the department. That additional funding is part of a donation that was solicited by the Energy and Climate Committee that carries a three year $25,000 commitment. And that is enabling us to move that to a 100% time position. So that should help us as we implement our master plan efforts and the major initiatives under environmental. And then the Public Works Department requires an appropriation of $5,924,121. You'll find that on pages 163 in the book and page 160 in the online version. This includes additional dollars for tree replacement, $30,000, and additional dollars of $75,000 for street light replacements with LED fixtures around the city. Any further comments? I see a hand up.

Peter Hansel 61 Bradford Road I don't know whether I missed the time to get up but I was mainly talking wanted to talk about the sustainability officer which is a part-time position to start and just encourage you to keep that in the in the budget I was helpful in raising some of that private funds that are that are going to this position and I think it's a unique opportunity for Keene to demonstrate to other communities around the State the possibility of having a public private venture like this And I think you mentioned $25,000 that's per year for three years That's the commitment that the private people have made to the to the budget for the three-year period We're hopeful that this position will demonstrate savings to the city and and other useful opportunities to be more sustainable as we go forward. We have a wonderful plan for achieving energy sustainability in Keene, and we've taken a very leadership position in the state on that vein. This would allow us and the Energy and Climate Committee to be more effective and do more than they can with just volunteers now. So I urge you to keep that as part of the budget. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hansel. We have another comment.

I'm Dee Robbins, and I'm from 11 Hancock Street in Keene. I've been a resident here since 2004.

Can you turn on your microphone, please?

Now it's on. Do it again. D. Robbins, 11 Hancock Street. I've been a resident of Keene since 2004. And I'm here to support the position for the sustainability coordinator. I have been involved with the Clean Energy Team since its inception in 2017. And a couple points I wanted to make, which is there I – one thing is I wanted to read from – I was studying the – everything from the 2007 Climate Adaptation Plan to the 20 Forward Visioning Plan. And it's very consistent in a couple of things. One is this is hard work. There's a lot of facets to it. And it really needs a sustainability coordinator. In the 2007 climate adaptation plan, I read here, first steps to begin implementation and ensure long-term success. To ensure the longevity of the city's climate protection planning efforts, Keene should consider hiring a sustainability coordinator as recommended in the CCP action plan and reiterated in this document. So it's been a long, long time that this sustainability coordinator position has been suggested as an important part for implementing both the energy plan from 2020 and also for this visioning. The forward visioning says that I think there's also a lot of public support. My experience from 500 people marching in the climate march in 2017 to more than 40 people on the clean energy team, that were here and involved with the resolution for 100% renewable energy. And myself, with the Clean Energy team, we had a special climate cafe as an interfaith community. There were over 100 people that attended from five different faith traditions, plus a Pentecook Abbenaki female speaker. Wherever I go, whatever I'm doing, I hear plenty of support for that. And in finishing, I just say from the Vision 20 forward, the six strategic pillars, the flourishing environment, I quote, there is an established, a strong environmental stewardship ethos in Keene. Absolutely, that's my experience, and I hope that you take that seriously as the public understands hoping that we can move forward with this energy plan. Thank you.

Thanks for your testimony. We'll move now from the operating budget to the enterprise budgets. These are self-supporting entities that include water and sewer utilities. To support the budgets for these two services, there is recommended a 5% rate increase over most of the charges that are for sewer and water in the coming year. As offered testimony, these are trying to play catch-up for our failure to adjust rates in past years and is a second year of moving towards trying to recover not just the inflation over this anticipated year, but trying to recover a couple of percent per year for our lack of... increases in the past so the increase uh... you can see the uh... sewer fund uh... is being covered on pages two sixteen uh... in the council book begins and uh... on the online version of page two hundred and eight The sewer fund is covering $6,948,343. And there are a number of specific project improvements there. Insulated doors at the loading dock for increased costs related to chemical expenses for the wastewater treatment plant. increased fees for sludge hauling and disposal and some solar devices that are being acquired to save additional operating dollars in the future. In the capital projects that are being taken on for fiscal 27, there are a couple that are really significant to the city's future. One is at the Black Brook pump station. That's a long distance to get to the wastewater treatment. So upgrading that pump station is a pretty important step to further development in that area. and sustaining the development that we have. And then there is the Martel Court Bypass Project. This is providing some insurance for us to make sure that the wastewater that needs to get to the plant is in fact reaching there and that we don't have a single point of failure in our system. Any comments on the sewer fund? Move to the water fund, which is covered on pages 232 in the council book and 223 in the online version. The water fund is raising $5,310,000 in the coming year. This includes dollars that relate to paving that is an increased expense related to water main breaks as we've experienced several over the year and they have a lot of experience as a result as to what it's costing them for those paving improvements. or replacements. There is an ongoing effort to refurbish the Court Street pump station that's requiring additional expense in the coming year. and they are also facing increased chemical testing expenses and that's important as well. So capital improvements that are being covered that are a part of the improvement program for fiscal twenty seven include uh... the fox avenue and glen road pump stations i know uh... the from experience this last year uh... these they were points where uh... improvements need to be made and then some other improvements that relate to being able to distribute water on a more regulated basis with valve replacements and instrumentation along the way. So that covers the water fund. We have some internal chargeback systems and you can find, I should have paused on water. Any questions about water, sewer? Seeing none, move to chargeback systems. We've got a chargeback for our PC improvements and replacement programs. That begins on page 189 in the book and 196 in the online version. raising seventy two thousand dollars in total appropriation for the year and the fleet equipment services that's all the vehicles that the city uses for our emergency services as well as our public works department. That budget is $3,022,997 and again is mostly on a chargeback system. And then some other revenue funds, I assume there's no questions, I sort of paused. And then a couple of special revenue funds the parking fund you can find on page 182 in the book and 176 in the online version The parking fund is raising 1 million two hundred and sixteen thousand dollars this coming year and that includes dollars for the capital improvement on the city parking structure which we can observe is ongoing currently and it and then we have the solid waste department and the solid waste department you can find that uh... which includes the uh... landfill and uh... transfer station uh... you'll find those uh... budgets on page two hundred and two in the book and a hundred ninety five in the online version uh... the total amount being raised here is six million twenty six thousand nine hundred eighty four dollars That includes a reduction in personnel expenses relating to some transition in personnel. And it includes, for fiscal 27, climate controlled processing project as well as important project for fire suppression systems and we know the problems that we've experienced whether it's from lithium batteries or other failures to have adequate suppression systems at the disposal station. That covers every inch of the fiscal 26-27 operating budget. I'd like to offer another opportunity was if we went through this too quickly and you had a comment that you were unable to provide as we went through that specific part of the budget, feel free to offer that now. And I see no further comments at this time. So I will reiterate. And I will close the public hearing at this point, with the exception that written comments can be accepted until 1 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9th. Written comments, again, I'll repeat, need to be signed and submitted to the city clerk by that date and time in order to be included in the public record, which will be read into the Finance Committee's agenda and record of June 11th. No further public comments will be accepted after the submittal deadline. I also want to remind our counselors that as we continue our consideration of the budget, that our rules of order require us to submit written communications to the city clerk containing any proposed amendments to the budget resolution. That deadline for the submittal of any amendments is 4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16th. So I'd encourage you to submit any proposed changes as soon as possible so that those can have adequate staff consideration in advance Any communications that are received will be placed in the June 18th 2026 council agenda for consideration prior to the adoption of the budget resolution And finally, I want to remind us of our rules of order on voting and conflicts of interest in Section 16. It's been provided at your desks. Uh, for your reference. So please review that and ensure that any conflicts that relate to you or household members have been disclosed, uh, prior to the event, uh, prior to us voting on the budget, particularly those that relate to any outside agency receiving funding from the city's budget, as we will need to acknowledge the conflict and vote on those allocations separately, uh, so that we can allow for recusals. And that might include several council members. We are concluded with the operating budget review. If we need a break, I'd offer it. If not, we can plow ahead. I'd like to ask the clerk to cover our nominations and confirmation for the evening.

Certainly, we have a confirmation to the Asheville River Park Advisory Board, and it is for Richard Roth, who would serve through December 31, 2027, in slot 10 as an alternate.

I'd like to ask Councillor Greenwald for a motion. Are you on? Second.

Whatever.

Thank you. Thank you, Councillor Lake. Seconded by, so motion made on confirmation by Councillor Greenwald, seconded by Councillor Powers. Any comments on the nomination before us this evening? Yeah, you know what, it isn't reflected here, but okay. I had pulled forward, but never mind. Okay, this requires a roll call vote. for the clerk, Claude Laronne.

Certainly. Councillor Filio? Yes. Councillor Chalice? Yes. Councillor Workman? Yes. Councillor Lake? Yes. Councillor Favalese? Yes. Councillor Tobin? Yes. Councillor Williams?

Yes.

Councillor Jones? Yes. Councillor Roberts? Yes. Councillor Chadbourne? Yes. Councillor Haas? Yes. Councillor Ruddle-Miller? Yes. Councillor Ellis? Yes. Councillor Powers?

Yes.

Councillor Greenwald?

Yes. Motion carries unanimously. We'll move on to communications.

And our first communication is from Pablo Fleischman of the Keene Music Festival, and this is their request for their annual license to use downtown city property on September 5th to conduct the Keene Music Festival.

And we'll refer this to the Planning Licenses and Development Committee. We have three items, three additional communications that all will be referred to the same committee, but I'll ask the clerk to read them into the record.

Sure. Our first communication comes from Councillor Haas, and he is requesting that project information signage be posted at construction sites and that enhanced public outreach for capital projects as they move from concept to final design and construction be done. Second item is from Elizabeth Hansel on behalf of members of the St. James Church Creation Care Committee, and they're requesting consideration for adoption of resolutions regarding single-use plastic reduction. And the final communication is from Skye Stevenson. Ms. Stevenson is requesting that the city plant one or more Liberty Elm trees as replacements for some of the trees that were removed along Maple Avenue.

All of these communications will be referred to Municipal Services, Facilities and Infrastructure Committee. Moving forward next to our committee reports. And unless anybody has an objection to want to talk about the next three items that are recommended as informational, to be filed as informational, we will take them all up together.

So our first informational report from the Municipal Services Facilities and Infrastructure Committee.

Can you turn on your microphone, please?

Sorry. Our first committee report related to a request to address nuisance dog barking during daytime hours. The second informational report is a report out relative to concerns relating to cars congesting Royal Avenue during school pickup. And finally, the third MSFI committee report is an NHDOT project update on the reconstruction of Route 101.

And these reports will be filed as informational. Moving on to D4.

And D4 is a Municipal Services, Facilities, and Infrastructure Committee report relative to the Court Street water main replacement project, Project Easements. And on a vote of 5-0, the Municipal Services, Facilities, and Infrastructure Committee recommends the City Manager be authorized to do all things necessary to negotiate and execute temporary access agreements and permanent easements with the affected property owners necessary for construction and future maintenance of the Court Street River Crossing water main replacement project.

I'd like to recognize Councilor Greenewald for a motion.

Moved to carry out the intent of the committee report. Second.

Seconded by Councilor Workman. Thank you. Councilor Greenewald.

Clerk really explained it in her introductory comments, some work on the water main and these are easements to be discussed and negotiated.

Any comments from counselors? Seeing none, all those in favor? Motion carries unanimously. Moving on to the next two items, which are recommended as informational. Would the clerk please read these?

Certainly. The first is a Municipal Services Facilities and Infrastructure Committee report relative to a staff report out on chemical detections in groundwater. And the second is also for municipal services facilities and infrastructure, and this is a downtown infrastructure project update.

And both of these were recommended as information and shall be filed as such. D7.

The D7 is a finance organization and personnel committee report relative to the appointment of and Emergency Management Director, effective July 1. And on a vote of 3-0, the Finance Organization and Personnel Committee recommends, in accordance with RSA 21P-39I and City Code of Ordinances Section 30-58A, the appointment of Rick Wood as the City's Emergency Management Director, effective July 1, 2026.

I'd like to recognize Councilor Powers for a motion.

Thank you, Your Honor. Move to carry out the intent of the committee report. Second.

Seconded by Councillor Greenwald. Councillor Powers?

Thank you, Your Honor. This is a little bit different than normal for us because the position is directed by a statute so the in our case it's the City Council make the appointment and it'd be managed by the city manager's office and whenever and you don't hear about it often because there's seldom a vacancy but it's some retirements and some changes So Mr. Wood will take over July 1st. Thank you.

Any comments further from the council? Seeing none, all those in favor? Motion carries unanimously. On to D8.

And this is a finance organization and personnel committee report relative to the execution of a contract for design services for the Asheville at River Park green space playground consultant selection. And on a vote of three to zero, the finance organization and personnel committee recommends that the city manager be authorized to do all things necessary to negotiate and execute a professional services contract with Lula Studio for conceptual design services required for the Ash Wheel at River Park green space project for an amount not to exceed $34,980 with funding coming from Project Cost Center 65M002BB300521020. Councilor Powers for a motion.

Thank you, Your Honor. Move to carry out the intent of the committee report. Second.

Seconded by Councilor Lake. Councilor Powers.

Thank you, Your Honor. This is another step in this great project, Green Space Playground. The process was used to select somebody that would help us out, get a lot of input from public, from those mostly students and youth who would want to use that area. And Lulu Studios came up on top through the selection process, and it sure sounds to us It's going to be a great project when she and he gets done with presenting something to us for a final contract. These funds, $34,980, are in the current budget in the project. Please pass.

And as noted here in your testimony, this is funding from an anonymous donor.

no further comment all those in favor motion carries unanimously d9 this is a finance organization and personnel committee report relative to the execution of a contract with the fire department for professional health services and on a vote of three to zero the finance organization and personnel committee recommends that the city manager be authorized to do all things necessary TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH PROFESSIONAL HEALTH SERVICES TO PROVIDE NFPA 1582 OCCUPATIONAL MEDICAL PHYSICALS.

I RECOGNIZE COUNCILOR POWERS FOR A MOTION.

THANK YOU AGAIN, SIR. MOVE TO CARRY OUT THE INTENT OF THE COMMUNITY REPORT. SECOND.

SECONDED BY COUNCILOR LAKE. COUNCILOR POWERS.

Thank you, Your Honor. This is a three-year contract. This firm will come here, work with the fire department to put everybody through a physical that meets the NFPA standard. It's not like the physical you or I are going to take. It's much more stringent. It's much more concerned about the exposure each of the members has been Through in the last year or two years as they work through their position at the fire department This is a different firm. Although three firms are solicited this Contract that was offered to the city was the best service and they will come here and everything will be here ready to go And this will be for three years and the money is in the budget each year that the physicals are done Thank you

Thank you. Any comments? Seeing none, all those in favor? Thank you. D10.

This is a Finance, Organization, and Personnel Committee report relative to the acceptance or the application, actually, for a 2025 FEMA Safer Grant. Now, on a vote of 3-0, the Finance, Organization, and Personnel Committee recommends that the manager be authorized to do all things necessary to apply for the 2025 FEMA Safer Grant.

Calls for powers.

Thank you, Your Honor. Move to carry out the intent of the committee report. Second.

Seconded by Councilor Lake. Councilor Powers.

Thank you, Your Honor. Citi has applied on several other occasions to this granting process at the federal government. We've come close the last time around, and we hope that this is the best one. When you get a report back from the agency that awards these, sometimes you get some good pointers. And we've also had an opportunity to speak with others who've gone through the same process to look for some points that may be very helpful. So by authorizing the manager to sign this when it's put together, this time for the fire department, we hope that it will bring forward a funding process that grants Funds over a period three-year period diminishing amounts, but it will certainly help us out with trying to establish the Staffing level that looks to be required on an everyday around the city.

We've been in town for the last couple of days It's pretty busy here Thank you Any comments seeing none all those in favor Motion carries

D11. D11 is a finance organization and personnel committee report relative to the execution of an agreement with Wright Pierce for engineering services during construction for the Martell Court Pump Station. On a vote of three to zero, the finance organization and personnel committee recommends that the manager be authorized to do all things necessary to negotiate and execute an agreement with Wright Pierce for the scope of engineering services during construction for the Martell Court Sewer Pump Station bypass force main project in an amount not to exceed four hundred and sixty five thousand dollars Thank You counselor powers

Thank you, Your Honor.

Move to carry out the intent of the committee report.

Second. Seconded by Councillor Lake. Councillor Powers for the committee.

Thank you, Your Honor. This is the next step in trying to come up with a great solution to the issues at the Martell Court. You heard last year the issue we had with the system not quite working and trying to do some quick repairs to ensure that we didn't have overflows. So they put together a project that's coming up in our budget and throughout the work years going forward to work on this particular project that will be a safeguard if, in fact, there's a problem. We can bypass the plant and keep on moving. $465,000 is in the current budget. This is for Wright Pierce, which is a well-known agency that's worked with us in the past, and they will help us build the proposal. At the same time, the Public Works Department is making grant applications in all the various agencies that would be covered by the sewer fund expenses. so that when we have the final product from the engineering firm, and if we have a grant, we'll be able to move forward. So we recommend that this be passed. Thank you.

Councillor Haas.

Yeah, thank you, Your Honor. Yeah, I just want to emphasize that this is building resilience into our systems. You know, a lot of times capital projects get done and they get put in and things get forgotten that they have to be maintained. You have to have a way to bypass things when they're maintained. Now, some things you don't care. You can shut it off for a while and just leave it off. But things like sewer treatment, like water, other critical utilities, we have to be able to maintain them, and we have to have the ability to take them offline at that point. So as we look forward into future capital expenses, we always have to think about, all right, what's the bypass here? What can we do if something goes wrong? So I'm sure this will pass, but let's keep it in mind for the future.

Thank you. Seeing no further comments, all those in favor? motion carries unanimously folks if you have if you're wearing a jacket and wish to take that off it's getting a little toasty we move on to item d12 with objection

THIS IS A FINANCE ORGANIZATION AND PERSONNEL COMMITTEE REPORT RELATIVE TO THE EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT CHANGE ORDER FOR CONSTRUCTION SERVICES WITH VORTEX FOR THE FY26 STORM WATER SPOT REPAIRS PROJECT. AND ON A VOTE OF 3-0, THE FINANCE ORGANIZATION AND PERSONNEL COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY MANAGER BE AUTHORIZED TO DO ALL THINGS NECESSARY TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT CHANGE ORDER WITH VORTEX IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $78,000 FOR THE FY26 STORM WATER SPOT REPAIRS PROJECT.

And Councilor Powers, once again. Thank you, Your Honor.

Vortex has been in town for almost a couple years now. They were hired to do a particular project, and they did a very good job, excellent jobs with great results on time and certainly within the project budget. We found some other work for them to continue to do, and that was continued on to the point where right now WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR HERE IS SOME USING EXISTING DOLLARS IN THE BUDGET TO DO SOME REPAIRS TO SEWER STORM DRAIN INLETS, ETC., ETC., THAT WERE FOUND BY THE public works division as they were looking to the future to be able to do these projects in a much more efficient way and vortex is the way to do it rather than us trying to dig each one of those separately and do it on our own so this is existing dollars in the budgets it's seventy eight thousand dollars and it's from the stormwater spot repairs project thank you recognized council in late

Councilor Powers, I think we need a motion on the table.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Let's carry out the intent of the committee report. Second. Seconded by Councilor Light. Motions on the table and comments have been offered. Any further? All those in favor? Motion carries unanimously. We can now move on to a city manager report. Standing in tonight, is Assistant City Manager Rebecca Landry.

Thank you. I think tonight you will find on your desks a binder. As the downtown project has evolved over the course of the past few years, one of the things city staff has done is looked at other communities that have done similar projects. What has gone well? What can we learn from them? And this is one of the takeaways from that. The public works team has pulled together this binder, and there are some pages in here, but over the course of the coming months and phases of the project, the downtown businesses will have the opportunity to add documents to this binder that are important to their understanding of the project and the impacts it will have on their businesses. So the intention is for these to be a handy reference for business owners affected by the project. So that's the intended audience. Currently it contains an overview of the projects and background information, contact lists, and that type of information. As more info becomes available, such as detailed construction schedules, staff will distribute content that can be added to the binders. Section 5 is currently empty. At the request of the downtown business group, that section will be reserved for information that they wish to disseminate to the business owners as well. That's it.

Thank you. Okay, we can move on to reports from city departments, and we have a couple.

Our first is from...

I'm sorry, our first report is from the fire chief, and this relates to a previously approved grant award for the 2025 Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Grant Match, and it's a correction to the record.

Councilor Powers, will you offer a parliamentary motion? yes sir move to suspend the rules section 26 of the rules of order to introduce an act on the correction of a grant match second second my counselor Lake you know who got that Toby thank you motions on the table you can see the dollar differences that there are here Small but important to document accurately.

Suspend the rule first.

This is to suspend the rules. Takes a vote. Would the clerk call the roll?

Councillor Filio? Yes. Councillor Chalice? Yes. Councillor Workman? Yes. Councillor Lake? Yes. Councillor Favalese? Yes. Councillor Tobin? Yes. Councillor Williams? Yes. Councillor Jones? Yes. Councillor Roberts? Yes. Councillor Chadbourne? Yes. Councillor Haas? Yes. Councillor Ruddle-Miller? Yes. Councillor Ellis? Yes. Councillor Powers? Yes. Councillor Greenwald?

Yes.

Motion carries, and we'll ask Councilor Powers to offer a motion.

Thank you, Your Honor. Move to correct the prior approval of the 2025 Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Grant to reflect the correct in-kind soft match amount of $1,799.25, an authorized correction of the background information previously provided to Council regarding this grant award. Second.

Seconded by Councillor Lake. All right, motion on the table. Any comments? Yeah, all those in favor? Motion carries unanimously. And one more. The annual.

Yes. The final report is from my office. It's from me, and it relates to the warrant for unlicensed dogs. And we are requesting this be referred to PLD for authorization to issue the annual warrant this year.

And we will refer that to PLD. But I'll note to everybody, notice the number here, that if you were keeping track of numbers in past years, this is down. So congratulations or thank you, people who are dog owners, for complying to a greater extent than in the past.

Yes, we're very happy about that.

Moving on to J, Section J, and that is ordinances for a second reading.

And our first ordinance is coming out of the Finance, Organization, and Personnel Committee. And on a vote of five, or I'm sorry, on a vote of three to zero, the Finance, Organization, and Personnel Committee is recommending the adoption of Ordinance O-20-26-07. This is an ordinance relating to water and sewer utility charges. And we have before us Ordinance O-20-26-07.

Recognize council powers for a motion.

Thank you honor move to Recommend the adoption of ordinance 2 0 2 6 0 7 with an effective date of July 1st 2026 great Second my calls for late council powers Thank you, Your Honor. This is about 5% across the board for the various fees and the water consumption and the sewer discharge. We haven't raised the rate for that particular utility in the last few years, and given the increased costs almost on a daily basis of what it costs to operate those, it's important that we do this at this point in time. I think over the last three or four years, we've tried to move these kinds of increases, changes in rates. It's always coming at July 1st, so budget increases, et cetera. So we've got a plan that works forward. So this is the effective July 1. Also remember that you get your bill every three months. So your first bill might be just a little bit different because it's for two months of the last rate, et cetera, et cetera. But it all catches up in the final analysis. And it looks like, based on the cost of doing business, this 5% increase is probably going to be necessary for the next few years. But once set, you can address it at any time in the future. Thank you.

And we are covering this in the budget as well. So if there's any discussion at this point, seeing none, would the clerk please call the roll?

Councillor Filio?

Yes.

Councillor Chalice? Yes. Councillor Workman? No. Councillor Lake?

Yes.

Councillor Fabulis? Yes. Councillor Tobin? Yes. Councillor Williams?

Yes.

Councillor Jones?

Yes.

Councillor Roberts? Yes. Councillor Chadbourne? Yes. Councillor Haas? Yes. Councillor Ruddle-Miller? Yes. Councillor Ellis? Yes. Councillor Powers? Yes. Councillor Greenwald?

Yes.

Motion carries 14 to 1. Sorry if there was a comment that wished to be made. Okay. Moving on to the wage schedule proposed.

And this is a Finance Organization and Personnel Committee report relative to Ordinance O-2026-11. And on a vote of three to zero, the Finance Organization and Personnel Committee recommends the adoption of Ordinance O-2026-11, an ordinance relating to class allocation and salary schedule.

Councilor Powers? No. We are tabling this item until the June 18th meeting. And it will be taken up after we approve a budget allocation that incorporates these recommendations. Okay, we're moving on to resolutions.

Now our first resolution comes from the Finance, Organization, and Personnel Committee. We have a committee report requesting termination of state of New Hampshire policies and down shifts that burden local property taxpayers. And on a vote of three to zero, the Finance, Organization, and Personnel Committee recommends the city manager be directed to introduce a resolution for consideration at the next council meeting. requesting an end to state downshifting and unfunded mandates that increase pressure on local property taxpayers. And along with that report, we have Resolution R-202623, a resolution requesting termination of state of New Hampshire policies and downshifts that burden local property taxpayers.

And Councillor Powers for a motion.

Thank you, Your Honor. I move to carry out the intent of the committee report.

Second. Seconded by Councillor Lee. Councillor Powers?

Thank you, Your Honor. This was brought forward by Councillor Jones, brought it to our attention, and we discussed it at one FOP meeting. However, all the parties that we wanted to be there at the time it presented itself and it actually gave us an opportunity to spend a little more time get a lot more input and you have before you a resolution that is pretty pointed in terms of the issues that we are wrestling every single day and it's going to go forward to those folks in concrete that make a lot of decisions and i think it really shows Some emphasis on the part of the community when it's passed by the City Council go forward and that's why I would like to see unanimous Passage of this resolution.

Thank you Thank you counselor Jones Thank You mr. Mayor this is just it's a communication tool to our our state legislators, executive counselors, and the executive level, being the governor. We're not the first to have mentioned these problems. Back in March and April when the SB2 towns were doing their towns, there was over 50 Warren articles that came out supporting these same issues. It's ubiquitous across the state, the problems that are hampering the cities. So this is a communication tool that we're going to send to all the above mentioned people, just letting them know that we're concerned about what's happening and what's downshifting down to us at this level. And I have to tell you, being up in Concord, all these other cities, they are not reaching the legislators. We have agreed at the meeting that we would send it out to all the legislators, executive counselors, and the governor, and try and express our concerns to all.

Councilor Jones, thank you so much for bringing this forward. I think this is a sign of leadership that whether this, by the city of Keene, whether this has an impact immediately or it's a cumulative impact effect that other towns will join over the next legislative season. I think it is an expression that many towns ought to be wanting to reiterate on their behalf. If you put these two dollar amounts together just for room and meals and for the retirement expense, this would take out of our city tax rate about, this accounts for, it's like 4% of our city budget. a couple million dollars, and it's having to be compensated by a tax rate. And so this is significant. The impact is significant. Councilor Haas.

Thank you, Your Honor. I appreciate the detail that's in this now. This is a living document that we should all carry with us as we go around the state and visit with other communities or other people and make them aware of what these numbers really are. So we've got something that's hard copy now that we can really work with. So I thank the committee for putting it together, for Councillor Jones for initiating it.

And the city manager, for hearing testimony about, let's get more specific, because I think now we can cite the $2 million impact. I can do the math fairly quick, but this is like 7% of our tax rate is wound up in compensating these downshifted costs. Councilor Fevelis?

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Mayor, just real briefly because I will be out of town next week and won't have an opportunity to address this at the committee level. I do think one of the things we should think about moving forward is whether specifically addressing this to Governor Ayotte by name is helpful or harmful in our focus on the kind of issue and message here. So just something for the committee to think about moving forward. Thank you.

I guess I'd appreciate any comments. specificity you wish to offer on that or anybody else wishes to offer on that. I think the intent of this is that the communication be sent to all 430 elected officials in the state. Councillor Fevelys.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I just noted in reading the therefore be it resolved section, the governor is the only individual called out by name and that drew my eye. So I think something for the committee to consider.

I see. Would you like to offer that amendment? Councillor Jones.

It's actually meant for the governor in general, but we specifically have one governor. That's the only reason why the governor is named there. We can change it and generalize and just call the governor if the council so wishes. We can make that amendment. I'M NOT MAKING AN AMENDMENT BECAUSE NOBODY'S NOT. COUNCILOR RUDDLE-MULLER.

Yes, I mean, I, thank you, I feel like my interpretation of this and the reason why I think it is so important is that for this year's state of the state to have our executive stand up and say that the reason why costs are unmanageable is because of all of the cities and towns, and it has nothing to do with the state level, so I think this is, direct reflection of comments that our current sitting governor has made about our local governments and that doesn't just have to do with us as elected officials it has to do with firefighters police officers people who do make their own budgets and that seemed kind of like a slap in the face to all of the people who work for municipalities across the state so to me leaving her name in directly as the person who stated that the state government has nothing to do with the affordability crisis in this state is appropriate at this time

Councillor Tobin.

Thank you. I have, I guess, a couple of thoughts about that. So first of all, I want to say that reading this, I felt like it was really strong. It articulated a pattern throughout time and the impact, and I really appreciated that. In terms of Councillor Fevelice's comment, Part of me is kind of inclined to agree with that. And I think with respect to what Councilor Ruddell-Miller was saying, I think that oftentimes we have to choose between whether we want to, so whether we want the actual problem fixed or whether we are angry and want to sort of almost pay back that person because of something that they said. And so I think I just want to be careful that the issue that we're addressing is the actual problem itself. And I can imagine that whereas we mentioned other roles here, it really is only one individual. It's not the governor. It's a specific governor. And I guess I would kind of add on that when we show a pattern of history, we go back to 1967. And going back that far, it's not just the one governor who has kind of been responsible for making all of these decisions. We have one governor right now. But I guess that would be my point.

Councillor Jones. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Our background notes will show that it was our intent to send hard copies to our local legislators and a hard copy to the governor. So when we do address it, it will be to a specific governor. All the rest would be getting it digitally. So I just wanted to point out that we are sending a hard copy to the governor, so it would have her name on it.

Thank you. You're right with the electronic letters to all else. Councilor Roberts.

Good evening. Mr. Runtz, my fellow councilwoman hit it right on the head. This is not a Republican payback, and this is not a Democrat payback. It's been all the governors. Because in 2010, when we had a Democratic leadership and we had a Democratic mayor, that's when the budget was changed to remove the retirement funding and stuff. I also remember the Speaker of the House says, this is the education funding. I think it was something like $1.2 million, created a committee, and that committee said, this is what an adequate education would be. It wasn't the other way around. So there's been people on both sides of the aisle for political reasons who have not looked at a lot of the small towns and cities. And so, yes, all the governors going back have to be called out because in a lot of ways they acted the moral courage to take care of the towns and the citizens of New Hampshire.

So it seems like what we were debating here, or at least commenting upon, is the keen call upon the governor as one option, or as it is currently stated, call upon Governor Kelly Ayotte. Councilor Fevelys.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor, for a parliamentary inquiry.

Sure.

So my understanding of where we're at and why I made reference earlier to not being here next week to address this at the committee level is that we have a committee report in front of us that has not yet been adopted. The mayor asked would I be interested in moving an amendment, and so I'm a little bit confused about whether or not we're going to be taking a vote on the resolution now or if it's going to be going back to committee for another look and then coming back.

No, the intent of this evening is that there be a vote. On the resolution. On the resolution. And it is recommended that this resolution has been prepared. Go ahead. The city attorney looks like she's primed and ready to bail me out.

no yeah the intent is that it be adopted tonight it's in response to the committee process where a resolution was requested the city manager did submit this draft resolution for carrying out tonight in response to that there is a process where this resolution could go through the typical process being referred down to committee and coming back but the intention was since there has been so much conversation and the intent has been clear it's available to be adopted tonight thank you council workman thank you your honor

In regards to whether we leave the governor's name in or not I think the overall document highlights that multiple governors are at fault here, but the line what we're asking is We are calling upon Governor Kelly Ayotte. We're asking for immediate action. That's our governor right now. So that's who can act on this right now. So I think leaving her name in is completely appropriate. Thank you.

All right. We got second and third and fourth times. So, Councilor Jones.

No, I just wanted to remind everyone that we're not here to lay the blame. We're not looking at, and yes, the blame goes back. We're looking, it's a communications tool to those who are presently there who can make these corrections or help us with these corrections or address these corrections. So it's not blaming it on others. It's addressing it to whoever is there. And that's it. Councilor Riddle-Miller.

Thank you. I just want to clarify for the record, since there was some commentary around something I said, and I want to make sure that it is clear that this is not me thinking that this is like a payback situation. However, I do agree with Councilor Jones that this is the current sitting governor, so I'm not really sure who else we would call upon without making a specific reference, unless we're saying all future governors here Henceforth. Um, but that that's it. This was not me saying, I hope we get payback on somebody. I want enough. I want recognition from our executive level that, um, things are becoming untenable for normal citizens in this state and it needs something needs to change immediately.

Calls for Lake. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I think I'd actually kind of broach this topic a little bit the first time it was in committee. My feelings were that we probably should just generally refer to the governor. If this was just a one-time letter that we were sending out, I think I'd be more okay with calling out the current sitting governor by name. But this is going to be a resolution that's on our books going forward. there's no end date to this so i i do think that it is more appropriate to call on the governor so with that i'll move to amend the resolution to strike governor kelly ayotte and replace it with the governor second seconded by counselor roberts

We've had significant conversation on this. Are there any other comments that can be beneficial to the vote? Councillor Haas.

Thank you, Your Honor. Just a question on the amendment. Will the word governor still be capitalized, as are the other elected bodies? I would think it should be. It should be. Thank you.

So it will remain capitalized. Councilor Jones.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor, and I'm fine with the amendment. It's still going to get mailed out. It's got to put her name so we know where it goes. But I'm fine with the amendment staying the way it was suggested. Thank you.

All right, we have an amendment that we're voting on. Call upon the governor and remove the words of her name. This will be a show of hands. Thank you. All those in favor of the amendment? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. 11 in favor. All those opposed? One, two, three, four. That makes sense. Eleven and four. Okay, we have an amended version of the resolution before us. Again, significant conversation on this so far. Any further comments? Seeing none. Oh, Councilor Jones.

I just want to know, would this be called A? A version?

Yes.

Thank you.

Thank you. I'll ask for a vote on resolution 2026-23A. All those in favor? And I appreciate the unanimous vote. I think that's important to come from the committee and the note that transmits this can reflect the unanimous vote of the city council. Thank you. Okay, moving on to D3.

I just want to make sure we didn't miss anything.

Yes. They did. Would you state your question?

I just wanted to make sure we actually voted on carrying out the intent of the report before we took up the resolution for adoption. Did we take that vote? And I just missed it.

I don't think we did. I don't think we voted before the amendment, before we began the discussion.

I apologize. I should have noticed that, but I got swept up in listening to you all.

So can we take that now?

Sure, yes. All right. Yep, there was a motion already on the floor to carry out the intent.

Okay. So we're now voting on carrying out the intent of the committee report. All those in favor? Motion carries unanimously. Are we okay?

Yeah, just to clarify. The conversation that happened at the committee that supported the resolution that you just adopted was to have the city manager submit a resolution. So we kind of did those in the inverse, but just to dispose of that item rather than just leaving it hanging on the clerk's office, it's for you to accept and carry out the committee's recommendation. So a little redundant, but proper procedurally.

We just, with the intent. Yeah. we just we're good yeah thank you all bases covered covered these k2

Now item K-2 is a Finance, Organization, and Personnel Committee report relating to Resolution R-2026-24. And on a vote of three to zero, the Finance, Organization, and Personnel Committee recommends that the presentation regarding fire department staffing be accepted as informational and that the city manager be directed to introduce a resolution for first reading at the next city council meeting related to funding fire department staffing.

I recognize Councilor Powers.

So we don't get in trouble again. We just recommended that the report was informational, so we covered that, correct?

No, we have not on this side.

I want to carry out the intent of the committee report. Second.

Seconded by Councilor Lake.

All right. And that resolution calls for the resolution and directs the city manager to introduce a resolution for first reading at the next council meeting being this evening to fund the fire department staffing changes. So as you know, we've talked about this on a number of occasions this year and in the final analysis last week, Decided that this should come forward for those additional personnel and in order for us to vote on the entire budget in a couple weeks We've got to get it into the plan. So that's what we're trying to do this evening the rest of the budget items will be tables So we come back Thank you All right.

So the first vote here is to carry out the intent of the committee report. Let's get past that all those in favor Okay, so that's unanimous vote to carry out the intent of the committee report. We have a resolution in front of us, and I think the intent on the part of the city manager was that this be adopted this evening so it can be incorporated into the budget. Okay, so I will ask Councilor Powers for a motion unless there's an inquiry. Councilor Jones.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Hasn't it traditionally been that you say we will file the report and then we make a motion to adopt the resolution?

That's where I'm looking for Councilor Powers to make that motion.

Okay, but I think we haven't had a motion for the report, for the intent of the committee. That should be a filed report, correct? That's what we just voted on. Yeah, usually we don't vote on that. That's why. Usually the mayor says that we'll file the report, and then we get a... The report will be filed. We move for the adoption of the resolution. Sure enough.

I just want to jump in and clarify. The committee's recommendation was to take an action. It wasn't just an informational report, so it didn't require a vote to carry out its intent. Which we just did, so we're good.

All right, moving along. I think we know where we're at next. Councillor Powers for a motion.

I would move for the adoption of resolution R2026-24. Second.

Seconded by Councillor Lake. Councillor Powers.

Thank you, Your Honor. This resolution... will appropriate the sum of $525,460 to be raised by taxes during the next current year. And that's for the appropriation of the fire department for four additional personnel. And the breakdown is $483,900 for salaries, et cetera, and operating expenses of $41,560. So we want to pass this so that we can put it into the budget that we'll deal with next time around. Thank you.

In which we reported on, it's part of the $80 million that we discussed early on in the meeting.

I just want to agree to this and express the importance of adding these four firefighters. As some of you may not know, back in the early 2000s, I was one of the members of the call company. We were all certified firefighters. There was 27 of us. So at any particular call, we had 27 certified firefighters that could go to that scene. That's gone now. For whatever reason, people can't get out of work. Employers aren't letting people go. new generation comes forward like you're doing what for free uh... so this is extremely important because not only down what looks like eight firefighters we're really down an extra twenty seven from the early two thousands and the calls have doubled since then so as much as a lot of us are trying to be as tight as we can with our belts with taxes this is imperative that we pass these funds for the extra four firefighters thank you

And if you hadn't had the opportunity to be a part of all these conversations, what I heard was that our existing firefighters are putting in 60 to 70 hours a week. These are people that we are counting on to be very specific in how they are helping us in dire circumstances. So I cannot speak strongly enough to the fact that we are protecting our current employees by hiring additional employees to make sure that we have a safe working environment to make sure that we are treating our current employees well and allowing them to be human beings and It's just critical.

Thank you Seeing no further comment With the clerk please call the roll

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Motion carries unanimously. Thank you very much. It will be included in the budget. So our finance director doesn't have any alterations yet. Okay, on to K-3.

Item K-3 is a finance organization and personnel committee report relating to bond resolutions. And on a vote of 3-0, the finance organization and personnel committee is recommending the adoption of Resolution R-2026-10, a resolution relating to appropriation of funds for the Asheville River green space. It's further recommending the adoption of Resolution R-2026-12 relating to the appropriation of funds for the Downtown Infrastructure and Improvements Reconstruction Project. And R202613 relating to the appropriation of funds for the Gilboa Solar Pavilion project. R202614 relating to appropriation of funds for the Lower Winchester Street reconstruction. R202615 relating to appropriation of funds for roadway preservation and rehabilitation program. R202616, relating to appropriation of funds for the Robin Hood Park Improvement Project. R202617, relating to appropriation of funds for the Stormwater Resiliency Program. R202618, relating to appropriation of funds for the Martell Court Bypass Project. R202619, relating to appropriation of funds for the Down sewer improvements program and our 2026 20 relating to the appropriation of funds for the water distribution improvements program and further there is a recommendation for the withdrawal of resolution our 2026 11 which relates to the Asheville River Dam repair or removal project okay

We need to accept the withdrawal of that one project. The intent then for the remaining resolutions is that they would be tabled until the June 18th adoption of the budget so that we know that we've got the funds raised to defuse the bond payments. But we need to adjust the budget for this withdrawal. Councilor Powers for a motion.

I move to recommend the approval of the withdrawal.

Second. Seconded by Councillor Lake. Any questions on that? Councillor Reynolds-Miller. Thank you.

Thank you. May I just get some clarification around the withdrawal on this, seeing as how I have heard in my short time on council that this comes up like a bad penny, apparently? Thank you.

Thanks for asking.

I believe the answer to that question is it's not going to be included in the next budget year, but it's being pushed out.

And I think for the same reason that it's been pushed out in the past, I don't think that there's a clear resolution to what the recommendation would be for replacement or removal. So we get another year. Okay, all those in favor of withdrawing project 2026-11? That motion carries. And for the remaining bond resolutions, again, they will be tabled until the June 18th meeting. Okay, we are on to item K-4.

Item K for is a finance organization a personnel committee report relating to resolution our 20 2609 be not a vote of three to zero the finance organization personnel committee recommends the adoption of resolution our 20 2609 be we have before us our 20 2609 be a resolution relating to the 2026 2027 fiscal year budget And we have before us 2026 see

which is the version that we want to be adopting ultimately on June 18th. So I'll ask Councillor Powers to recommend that the B version be amended. Councillor Powers.

Thank you, Your Honor. I move to recommend the amendment to... our resolution to a C version.

Second.

Second by Councilor Filio and Councilor Powers.

So the reason for this is that we did a number of calculations just before we passed that budget at the finance meeting, and all the numbers are correct, just we don't have them in the right columns. So what you're going to vote on in the final analysis in two weeks is correct, but we just didn't have included THE INCOME AND THE EXPENSE AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WAS READ OFF IN THE RESOLUTION. SO THAT WILL BE FIXED WHEN IT COMES FORWARD TO FINANCE NEXT TIME AND WHEN IT COMES TO CITY COUNCIL AND WHEN SOMEBODY ADDS A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS FOR US. THAT'S WHAT YOU WILL SEE FOR THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.

THANK YOU.

OKAY. So we need to accept the amendment and then the resolution will be tabled until the June 18th meeting. So let's act on the amended version. If there's no, to amend this version to the C version, okay? All those in favor? that motion carries unanimously. So I will ask that we table to the June 18th meeting further consideration of the amount to be raised through taxation until we take that up with the budget. Okay, which gets us to K-5.

And this is a Finance Organization and Personnel Committee report relating to funding for the Downtown Infrastructure Project. And on a vote of 3-0, the Finance Organization and Personnel Committee recommends the adoption of Resolution R-2026-21. And we have before us R-2026-21, a resolution relating to the funding for the Downtown Infrastructure Project.

Councilor Powers for a motion.

Thank you, Your Honor. I move for the adoption of Resolution 2026-21. Second.

Seconded by Councilor Lake and Councilor Powers.

Thank you, Your Honor. Very quickly, we actually talked about these budget items at the last council meeting the day that the bids came in, or in that process of the bids. But these are the additional dollars that are necessary to carry out the project as the proposal was sent forward by the contractor and an award of the bids coming out fairly quickly here. SO THAT CITY MANAGER REPORTED US THAT NIGHT, THOSE AREAS WHERE SHE WILL BE ABLE TO FIND THE MONEY TO COVER THESE COSTS, THEY'RE ALL LISTED IN THE RESOLUTION AND DID A GREAT JOB BEING ABLE TO CAPTURE THESE FUNDS AND CONTINUE TO DO OUR DAILY WORK AND GET THIS PROJECT GOING. I RECOMMEND THAT THIS BE A UNANIMOUS RESOLUTION IF POSSIBLE. THANK YOU.

We'll do a roll call on this one. It has a lot of budget moves. Councilor Filio.

Thank you. Well, it's no secret that I made some comments that there are still parts of this project that I seriously have issues with. This particular resolution I feel we need to pass because no matter whether there's parts of this project I liked or didn't like, This will bring down the cost to the taxpayer. So it's important that we pass this resolution because these monies will come from unextended funds or unexpended funds, but something the taxpayer will not have to pick up. So I hope we will pass this.

Okay. We are ready to call the roll.

Councillor Filio?

Yes.

Councillor Chalice? Yes. Councillor Workman? Yes. Councillor Lake? Yes. Councillor Favalese? Yes. Councillor Tobin? Yes. Councillor Williams? Yes. Councillor Jones? Yes. Councillor Roberts? Yes. Councillor Chadbourne? Yes. Councillor Haas? Yes. Councillor Ruddell-Miller? Yes. Councillor Ellis? Yes. Councillor Powers? Yes. Councillor Greenwald? Yes.

Motion carries unanimously. And we have finished our agenda for the evening. We do have a non-public session that we will move to. I'd like to ask Councillor Greenwald for a motion.

Just when you thought it was over. Move to go into non-public session to discuss land matters pursuant to RSA 91A-3-2D and legal matters pursuant to RSA 91A-3-2L.

Second.

And with the clerk, oh, seconded by Councillor Chalice. Thank you, Councillor, for working. Thank you. And with the clerk, please call the roll.

Councillor Filio.

Yes.

Councillor Chalice. Yes. Councillor Workman. Yes. Councillor Lake. Yes. Councillor Fevelys. Yes. Councillor Tobin. Yes. Councillor Williams. Yes. Councillor Jones. Yes. Councillor Roberts. Yes. Councillor Chadbourne. Yes. Councillor Haas. Yes. Councillor Ruddell-Miller. Yes. Councillor Ellis. Yes. Councillor Powers. Yes. Councillor Greenwald. Yes.

Thanks for your enthusiastic votes. I'd like to ask Carrie Chamberlain and Paul Andrus that they remain for the discussion of the first item. Would you like a five-minute recess? Five seconds.

Really good.

Just Carrie Chamberlain at the first one. We'll let the other two come in after. We can tell. It's okay.

Thank you.