City Government - Regular Meeting

uh this afternoon. It went out early afternoon. Uh could you kind of indicate that you might like a minute to look at that? Okay. Let's take a minute to look at that and uh have a bite of pizza and just review these. And mayor Yes, sir. If I could um I think that we're going to go through the different cores individually. So I think that'll be a time when they could be reviewed that in that instant just on the specific um sections that we identified at the retreat. Okay.

So I think we can talk through this and if you if you don't mind we'll go through a couple few slides and talk about where we started where we're getting to and how we'll do that's

okay. So you want to start that? Yeah, that's very fact. So, you know, the one of the main things that came out of that is the city council went out and value statement. Uh the statement that was developed on in January instead sheet uh we value the natural resources throughout our community, the health and wellbeing of our citizens, including those most vulnerable. We want to build a long-term sustainable healthy community. My vision for that is that it'll be included as part of the resolution that gets adopted that signifies your goals for the for the upcoming fiscal year. The one change that we did make this year just as a note is we tried to move the goals for me to end the world to coincide with the fiscal year which I think that lines up well for us that allows us to have that four years opportunity to know what we're working on and try to get some things. I think we'll hopefully see some better benefit out of that as we move forward. When we moved into the development process, we looked to develop the core strategic priorities, the goals, deliverables, outcomes, metrics, and if they were smart goals. Um, help me with the definitions.

Realistic realistic time. Time out. So, that's it. make sure that the girls had that kind of opportunity which I think we accomplished with the first round and what we had established. Uh through that we had actually moved on to identify the core strategic priorities financial sustainability community engagement and communication infrastructure economic development housing. If we go to the very first one financial sustainability there were two goals that were uh two main goals. evaluate all revenue streams to maximize long-term sustainability prior to annual limited implementation. Um we will be working on that all in the next section and then maintain user fees rates to sustain critical water waste water waste and other infrastructure and continue seeking additional supplemental funding sources. out of that I reached out to staff and had each staff member kind of provide what we thought deliverables deliverables might be um and came up with these deliverables which if you're following along on the spreadsheet is on that section um the city manager's office will work with appropriate members of leadership team to determine focus areas for revenue maxim maximization for fiscal year 2027 in areas where the city has control over user rates Um that's one movable. Uh if revenue maximization efforts are not sufficient to meet the need, then city manager office will engage with city council in spring of 2027 to evaluate revenue options that require lower approval reductions depending on the preferences. And is it all right if I turn it over to you to absolutely describe those out just

so kind of along with the theme of right sizing government you know there's a lot of ways we can do that and what we have done in Miami for many years is is we just we get by on a shoe string and um the shoe string is just really thin because our operations haven't grown enough where what we have is layer upon layer and layer of extra duties and we have this buildup. There's of stress and and need and that's really one of when you hear Todd say right sizing government that's what we're trying to solve. Um but even though our revenue sources have grown, right? They've grown in terms of having online sales tax, you know, and that's really helped. We were able to get that invested back into people. We've made some positive growth. We've added an arts and direct director, which we didn't have a community and economic development director, some positions to support those. those are really foundational, right? That we didn't have that for so long says something. And so we're about at that point at this budget year um that we've invested almost as much as we can um with the revenue streams that we have. And so we'll be looking to maximize the things that we do have control over in a way that residents um will support because it doesn't do us any good, right, to come up with plans that we don't think our community can support. And so that's where we're going to look first. Um, if we need to start looking deeper than that, um, or if you all have policy visions that are maybe outside of our existing revenue sources, that's when we take a look at maybe just initiating voter app through taxes as a recommendation. And if that is something that the council would feel um is wise, then we might start looking at where we could make some reductions in services that are a little bit less essential or less utilized so that we can grow in areas that really are community priorities. Um but that's going to be a long and windy road with lots of discussions and um lots of internal

conversations as well. And so we just we feel like we need to start down that journey and have those real and open and honest conversations. And I think with that in mind and with suggestions uh recently heard from uh council members for us to find ways to be more supportive to development etc. That's why we considered adding resource and financial development as one of our public goals since it is so intricate and people don't seem to understand the intricacies involved and they sometimes act like we're the fairy godmother and we can just make it happen. So that's why we added that. We know that that runs through everything, but we thought to pull that out because it is over the next two years going to be quite a challenge.

Yes, I could add something there. I love what you just said, which is, you know, um it it's so integral to what we do, but we we want to make it look almost like magic because it's so well planned and it's so well thought and we put so much care into it, right? And so we don't want to talk about these things in a way that is scary or off-putting or, you know, puts that financial always first like the hammer that maybe was common in like the 1980s or something like that. We want to have it be something that's more intentional so that when we get there, you're right, maybe it does look like we worked magic, but we really didn't, right?

We just were right planners. And I I I appreciate the recent changes over the past few years to make it more and more open. And I think it helps people be more realistic about their expectations. So, I don't want them to get in the middle of the drudgery of it all, but I do want them to see uh the uh finesse that goes into uh right sizing a city. Thanks very Now is probably a good time to hear from the counselors if there's any changes, anything you suggest, if there are any questions. Oh, I guess we could talk about the next section. Um, by August 1st, 2026, S manager's office will work with appropriate members of the leadership team to update the 10ear financial plans for each utility service, ensuring that operational capital needs are met. Um, as we've worked through the budget process, uh, Director Wade and myself have talked a lot about how do we manage the 10-year plan for water, waste water, and solid waste and make sure that our capital plans are measured so that we don't put too much impact on the users. But there's also a chance that we might have to look at those rates and decide where we're going to fill with those rates. Um we're like like is discussed there right sizing capital budgets unnecessary build up reserves and planning for significant contingency. One case in point that we do have to take a bite at is the replacement of the water treatment plan. Um, we've been through an optimization study here just recently, but it's time and just as a fair warning, that may be as much as $100 million project,

right? And it is time for Laramie as a community to start building up its resources to get that replacement plan in place. And so that's one of the areas that we'll need to work on both. Um and then in January, yes, counselor,

there's been discussion about moving the water treatment plant closer to Laram. So, oh, sorry, closer Laram. Would that be something that we're considering as we look towards because I don't want to spend $100 million, you know, 10 miles away when we can, you know, then move it to, you know, closer to Larony later on. Is that going to be does the study indicate that that's a possibility or what what's the thoughts there

may you come for showing it will take a study to evaluate what the best placement method for the water treatment plant is you know when it takes into account as you're going to have take the the point sources you know uh Laram's water reservoir is snowpack right so often times you're going to want to be as close to that snowpack as you can to prevent contamination sedimentation and get it in treat and get it piped. And so I could assume that there were lots of great reasons why that water treatment plant was so far out there. Um there's evaporation, there's all sorts of things. There's ditch loss. You know, you just there's a lot of reasons for a water treatment plant to land where it was. Um as we start to study that, we will look at different options for sure about that opportunity. But uh we will it won't be something that we make as staff you know there'll be design engineers and planners and large decisions that are made but we have to start that process now because we as leadership of this community right now need to make sure this community is safe for many many many many years.

Vice Mayor Richardson.

Thank you Mayor. Uh, I recognize this is getting into the weeds just a little bit, but thinking about a hundred million dollar project, if things were continue financially the way that we have been, the path we've been on, how long do you anticipate something like that being like, how far out into the future would that be in funded or starting to pay, right? I don't want to speak for director way but in our discussions we've talked about the need to put four to5 million dollars away for the next 10 years so that we have a sizable match contribution just some sort of a whether it's from the federal government or the state to make sure that the large fund is a reality.

Thank you councelor Shley. Now I won't be here when the time comes but I was thinking you know most of the water that's stored for the water treatment plant store I was thinking we could maybe move through pipelines the water that's uncontaminated closer to the city and then stored in a and then you know treated and then moved to the city. So it doesn't have to necessarily be the treatment plant out there, but it' be where we capture the water, move it through pipelines to towards the city, and then treat it and move it into our water system within the city is a possibility.

Appreciate that. And then in January and February, uh we'll of course come back to the council with ordinance changes that may be in line with the decisions that have been made around those tender talks. So, and now is probably a good time to ask, stop and ask under financial sustainability, does council feel pretty comfortable with these goals as they've been stated and he look forward to meeting and to be an extension. Yes, counselor.

Oh, thank you, mayor. I was just giving my thumbs up. Yeah, it's showing

$100 million is daunting, but Campbell County received a $100 million grant for water water supply distribution in their county. So, we need to maybe remind the state legislature for grants or whatever so that we can do that without a huge impact on the city. We'll move on to the next section. Community engagement, communication. Um, we'll I'll change this up a little bit. We'll each hit each goal and then we'll talk about deliverable individually. um update digital infrastructure to increase our online presence, amount of communication and transparency, which truly I believe that the city of Lar's come light years over the past few years and our digital presence. Um as I've been out with the uh divisions and apartments this spring and visiting, you know, for me it's about how we get the city of Laramie to break through all the noise that everybody's here. Um, we talk a lot about uh we had a survey not too long ago and where people got most of their information is from their neighbor, right? Well, your neighbor often times may not have the right information and so we're trying to figure out how we break through that. I think it's important that we maintain and secure um a public information officer who Owen's been doing a fantastic job as our acting public information officer. It's important that we maintain that we work with appropriate leadership team. IT, city manager's office and management team to make sure that we have deploy enhanced permit focused communication. Um here just recently um you know engineering had advertised and mailed out notices on the snow range water project. Um and when I went to the public meeting

they only had two public uh public members show up for a massive project similar to Third Street, right? And so I came out to engineering like guys, you're going to have to walk down every one of those business and drop off a flyer and talk to them. Sorry, we can't get through. We have to get through the information. You mail something from the city, it often times goes in the trash. Uh you send them an email, they don't read it. So we had to get to them. And so they have done that. And I've received a couple comments that they appreciated being thrust into that position because it had to we had to break the news of what was coming with that water project cuz it's going to be impactful on Snow Range Road. They called me.

They called me.

Yeah. And I couldn't participate that day. Um and I was actually driving out that way a little bit later and I saw them walking. I just I just had no time to do that kind of tour. But then they called me a few days later to see if he could meet with me because he was still going to be in town till about 1. So I called him and I said, "No, I cannot." I said, "But he said, well, we're not Zoom meeting. We'd like you to be involved in that." So I gave my email so they're going to keep me in um a breast of all the issues, but I saw a lot of people out there that day and I appreciated that. And I said, I just so so we know what's going on. We won't surprise us with the shutdown on our streets. We need to know so we can plan ahead. That's all I ask is that we you know if you could do that because it's gonna be huge you know they are going to be impactful. I was actually most shocked I visited Brandon Spade at West Fly Store and said I asked him specifically I said I was at a public meeting on Sn there. He goes, "I don't know what you're talking about." And so I grabbed him by the shoulder. I was like, "Brandon, you got to get involved." You know, I didn't actually grab by the shoulder, but uh we we visited about it. I told him what was coming. And that was just, you know, that's a kind of a West Lammy staple, right? And if that business owner didn't know, we obviously didn't break through the noise that is affecting the rest of so we had to get out there specifically. So,

thank you, mayor, and thank you, city manager. I I really like your approach to breaking through the noise because I think that's probably what council members hear the most about. And it's an easy target. I mean, you can you can spend a million dollars on communication platforms, you can still not reach someone. You can spend all of your staff's time every day knocking doors and still not connect. And so, it's kind of a black hole um in in my mind, but it's something that's really important to try to track down those avenues. and really appreciate the communications happening. And one question, well, one one idea, one question, um, is Owen's position, is he the current public information officer? Is this something we're trying to figure out and do more capacity? Um, our council Owen's position, he's a management analyst. And if I was put into action, it would be public information, I'm sure, and we did secure that for the one more year allocation, right? And I think you'll see in this upcoming budget um or I can add it. I don't think we'll see it specifically because we have plenty of budget to cover because request but the requests are there to improve visibility to create video and that's the information that's hopefully going to help get us through to that next one. Great. Yeah, I always support you know a public information officer and their own position to support you know the mission of all the departments and city managers. I think it's a great idea. My only thought is I've reviewing these goals and wondering, you know, we hear so much about I didn't know about this or why are we just hearing about this now, you know, and I know there's stuff posted everywhere. I wonder if like a city city owned property we could almost have like a kiosk like digital kiosk or something. Not everywhere, but somewhere downtown in like a parking area or it's somewhere in West Larby, but one of the parks where there's like a digital information booth and maybe that city hall and I know you know Nancy, the clerk's office, people post all that stuff in city hall

and you have to go in the doors. You know, we don't have massive billboards where you can you can look at that. In fact, we that was one of the things last year, but I'm not advocating,

but I'm just thinking of of centralized location where someone's walking their dog or, you know, someone in West Larry is driving down the street. I I don't know, maybe it's a long shot. Again, it's a black hole if you start thinking of resources and time to to reach all 30,000 plus people in our community. But I don't know. and to council read. I think one of the things that I'd be remiss in in not noticing is that there's a provisional employee at the parks and rec that's also their digital presence and uh got to visit with her just last week. I think one of the things that's really going to be helpful is if we start to tie her under the leadership of Bowen to help guide and direct and together they can find a way to pierce through that noise. Um, I do love your ideas, council agree, but sometimes I just, you know, it's hard to get my head wrapped around about what's the right place for the right location. What's the your uh your advertising?

What's Taylor? Taylor and she's been doing some pretty fantastic stuff to you guys. And we're so different in what they pay attention to. And as far as signs go, I just naturally walk them all along. I don't see any of them. They don't penetrate my I just it's as if I drive through town and there are no signs. So I would never see something like that, but I would pick it up in the paper or might pick it up online or something like that. So trying to figure out how where people are paying attention.

Yeah. Thank you, Mary. And I guess I'm more thinking of places that people gather. The first street plaza now not now trying to catch drivers attention, people in the community that are out. Maybe that's that's one of the parks of Washington Park where there's so much activity always happening. Freedom has birthday events, people renting it out. I was trying to think of places in the city owns property, tons of people congregate that we could facilitate information transfer. But that's again the magic wand of city staff, right? I know that we have limited resources time staff, you know, and to go put money and been researching that. I don't know how viable I just need to throw my ideas at city staff.

Well, maybe we throw ideas around and vice mayor.

Thank you, mayor. I um I actually have a question on this one. Um because when I'm looking at this update digital infrastructure, I feel like when we first were talking about this, there was some thought and and correct me if I'm wrong, council, about like a the website and just like when I'm thinking about digital infrastructure, it goes beyond um online communication. Um and so am I wrong on this? Do other people? Yeah, I think I think the conversation at least the oh sorry the conversation that um I think the mayor and I have had I have to use chat GBT to find stuff on our website right or I have to so making that I think more user friendly finding some of the stuff I think was part of that like I know like maybe where to kind of find a form or whatever right and then you go there and it's not there so I just go to check and make it find a form Um, so I think like making our website maybe a little user friendly sometimes.

The city staff has been evaluating uh AI box to look into this and so we are evaluating that and I believe budget allocation for the AI that's not for the website review at this point. I think we're going to have to use that website norally.

Yeah. Um, I think it's it's a wellestablished Boulder website that is very dense with a huge amount of information and I think that's going to be a major job to upgrade uh the search capability but possibly with the AI and the AI bots etc. It's going to make it a lot easier. I think two years ago it would be almost insurmountable but right now I have to go in the back door to find I have to use AI to find it and vice mayor

thank you that that because I think an update to that would take so much money because all so I did see that that would be benefited now but to know that there's um kind of thoughts on how to make it more uh user friendly it It helps me think that we are encompassing. So maybe if we got deliberal deliverable, we add something around the what we're attempting with the website through your council. So I've added that as an uh research implement deploy AI support for the website. Also, as I envision this, I I envision deploying brand and own shield to work with it. They've done some, but just a good job. And to be honest with you, uh, it did recognize the need to redo the website, which we did not move through in the city manager's budget recommendation. um just simply because of what staff's been under the past few years with software and another change is a little bit daunting at this point.

You're asking Oh, thank you everybody. I I might have lost my train of thought or I was going to say something sassy about a digital billboard. Yeah, I did have one thought and forgive me, mayor, but I mean because we are kind of in a council retreat part two session. Yes. Would it be appropriate for us to suspend our rules so we can have discussion and not have to push everything through you? I think it would be I was about to suggest lift. That would be nice. We could all back off our mics a little bit if you think the game is too.

I'm I'm sitting here reading this and council Dhorty's going, "Oh, someone wants a question." So, I think that sounds good. Can we have a motion and a second then motion?

The end of the table. Yes. I'll uh Thank you, mayor. Um, I will motion that we suspend our rules of procedure in terms of uh Robert's rules addressing comment and conversation so we can have an open discussion. I have a motion from I think on second vote. So, can I do a voice? Voice vote. All in favor? Opposed? That motion passes. Be curious to know if that microphone is picking up well enough.

There's a control panel back there, right? Yeah. I don't know how to use that one, but I don't know. I wonder if our other directors would come up here so that we wouldn't need the mics except for what's picking up there. I think we approve. I do think online we have quite a lot of the drug safety commission and ranch advisor here and people online notice even smaller setting it's just the owl it's hard so these really few

so I think what Chris was telling us is to not have the microphone pointing up but have it like that right there it's broken that's the wrong place it's down I lost a bunch of

board. That just puts another microphone closer to gives us two sources. Do

you think it's all right if we move with councelor bowling? messing with microphone. Nancy the next section was uh we had to educate the community on the importance of the fifth the six and pennies. Of course the six pennies comes up in May. I don't know when we're going to have the goals to council ahead of that down to just fifth penny and this is similar to what we've had in past years as far as the election cycle. you know, work with Albony County Commissioners for the imposition of any obligation tax and then community meetings, digital advertising, public meetings, etc. And that stuff will come through the city manager's office. So,

just as a friendly reminder, Owen sent an email that to record he he directed us to record specific lines. So, record your line. So you need a video of my views. That's what my only video would be. Yeah, like we can work together. I'll work it out. He adjusted some stuff. So that makes difference. Um, thank you. So on that

community I see part A and then there's part B work it's work with already

oh I get it okay work with I see I mean we have to the county the county and the city would and Rockford Burger would have to agree to do the any on the ballot again that has to be in a greenway agreement or two valid but but it's not the business of the allocation because that's built in right correct right the the hard part is we don't know government this penny um I believe it's scheduled to be in November the people's initiative property tax will be on the November ballot tours.

We were going to have a at freedom has a birthday five pay five cents and get to dunk a counselor uh tank and and that's how you learn about the fifth penny. So pay a nickel. Pay a nickel per ball from counselor and then then you get a hand out. The chief said the chief said to make sure you have a good cushion cuz when you fall it starts to hurt your bum. Yeah.

Yeah. Those microphone pick up is really in this room. Um the next one continue to educate engage with boards and commissions on city priorities and for that the deliverable is present or provide council goals to all boards and commissions. I think we should add another one is ensure staff and counselors uh fulfill their responsibilities with allations. Does that sound fair? Yeah. And um also part of the process has been that we present and preside pro provide the council goals to all boards and commissions as the foundation for their developing uh uh their compatible uh goals for each coordinate commission. And then finally, celebrate the 250 50th year of America's declaration via promoting volunteerism. Of course, we've started on that already with the American 250 challenge, which is the volunteer challenge, but there'll be some stuff up birthdays and other things. So, um I think we've already deployed that initiative. We just got to continue to advertise and get it moving. I do. I was told just last week that there's a school with 250 students that are going to go out and pick up trash for one hour.

I love it. I love it. That's perfect. City manager, do we have a way to give like quarterly presentations or numbers about volunteer metrics that people are signing up through the city's portal? Like I would just love to to share that out. Maybe that's annually. Yeah. You know, that gives me something. I don't know how freaking frequent that would need to be, but I I feel like people are using council has already been out doing trash two days in a row. Yeah, you I think you know that's maybe separate from 250 all together, but just share that out with the community if it's really important. So maybe

how about if we do it add to the goal and just uh report volunteerism city manager what school is doing 250 volunteers I'm not sure if we could do that and challenge we could do that and challenge the other schools to match that we would have you know quite the core councel visit with

and do you know if uh during cleanup when they were uh bringing him through the app were we concurrently promoting the 250 challenge? Perfect. Yes sir.

Perfect. Any questions on or changes to section B? We'll move on to C uh established citywide parking plan by fiscal year 28th. This is one that I think I would like to talk about maybe scoping it down a little bit. It's a massive goal. I would like us to maybe direct to look at two sections and then hopefully in a year we could look at another section. So if there's anything that I would encourage here is establish a parking plan for downtown and the UW area if that was amendable to the groups to the council and councelor Lockard. I know this one's near and dear to your heart. Does that sound exactly to you?

Say that again please. So, we're going to change that scope to where we focus on the downtown and then the residential UW interface if that's all right. Yeah, I think that's more doable, especially by FY28. I still think it'll take um forever and nobody will be happy.

I've got a plan. Next, next week we'll be at the work session and the the point of the work is to establish the scope, develop the timeline and who's going to be on the task force and then that'll give us a chance to hopefully be focused, nimble, and timesensitive to get some stuff back to council by this year for those two areas. So, that's the goal at that point.

I have a question on that task force. Is that intended to be kind of a temporary task force or something that is ongoing? I I guess I would see that it we would do it based on the scope that we initiate first downtown and residential and then maybe we establish another one that looks at whether it's RV parking or junk on the streets that type of thing and we have it change up just a little bit as we go through and as the scope changes for the parking issues. So, I'd imagine once we get a solution in place and figure out where we're going that it would be a new task force to take over. I'm I'm I'm not really promoting a new border commission to

that's what I I'd like the task force to be limited to the scope that we de that we just striking city and it's is there a point that we start thinking about a parking deck excuse me is there a point that we start thinking about a parking deck in the downtown area parking structure parking that honorable mayor to you. Interestingly, I was down at a meeting with some folks in Glean on Friday and we were talking about public private partnership. Um they had actually just recently constructed a parking structure in Gley was $68,000 per space.

How much?

68,000 per the concrete I understand is like 20 to 30 years of the pre-cast concrete. So people don't think about the maintenance. So it's a extremely expensive thing that that you have. It's not like you just build it and then you don't have to worry about it. So I I don't see how we like that when the downtown businesses are saying the rents are going up. So I don't know how that I don't have a negative connotation of parking structures. I was in Castro when they built their downtown one. They obviously had some concerns, some mistakes. I was in Chan when they built the one downtown and it actually turned out to be beautiful in its functionality. Um, so I I believe there's a value to the apartment structure. For me though, in a community like Laramie where unfortunately we're already starting behind the eightball when we're missing 30% of our property tax,

it's a difficult venture to pick up unless we have that philanthropy. Now, I'm visiting with the folks at the public private partnership. They they talk about a lot of ways to do stuff. You know, you will do they build the police department and we lease it back from them and they use that revenue to offset the parking structure. There's all sorts of ideas out there to try to work on some ways to do it. Um, do I think it has value in our downtown? I absolutely do think it could have some value in our downtown, but this comes down to that costbenefit analysis that has to be done to make sure that it happens. Thank you.

I don't get weeds too much, but I I feel like my my research and kind of city manager says most parts never pay themselves off in lifetime. kind of like we're ending with the lifespan, but I I guess with the amount of money that that would cost or or maybe depending on what this task force would create, the public transit options that could be a fraction of that cost to hopefully move people effectively with stops in front of businesses downtown I think would be way better, but I'm reading and council agreed. I do want to this is about the task force discussion. That task force may come forward and say the city needs to actively work towards the parking structure, right? And then we we can start figuring out that work. But it's I have I I don't have a problem stretching and doing exciting stuff or big stuff. But uh there's there's stuff that I love in this community. Um water treatment, plant replacement. I love stretching and thinking about that. The reconnect west plan when I talked about another exit out of Western parking structure. I love those grand ideas and that's what makes Lar great. We just have to figure out how to get there. City manager can have a you don't know the whole history of Laram. You can see them. But feel like arcing my 15 years here has always been an issue. Do you know any parking plans or studies or you know a ball market that we've tried to work on in the city?

I do not. I don't I know there's been two there's been some different plans, some different ideas, but I think it's often times you get through these processes, you run into those pitfalls or those blockades and nobody can get move forward. We just got to make sure that we have the resolve to break. I keep using breakthrough, but we got to find a way to break through to do the neck. And you know, um, you know, Chief Brown and I can probably differ an opinion. I think the best parking uh, correction of inappropriate parking is consistent, fair, and forner. Well, that he's also of the generation he likes a little technology. So it would like AI to do that. Well, I don't know that AI solves it, but you know, we we have to figure out how we do that, right? All right. We will keep moving along. Establish surface water. um establish a surface water drainage division utilizing assigned reserves to provide for enhanced maintenance of the surface water drainage system. Um while preparing the fiscal year 2027 budget recommendation develop a budget. Uh council will see that um as part of the 2027 budget adoption commit general fund reserves to fund this enhanced level service for a period of 3 to four years. council will see that then as financial activity is recorded in 2027 ensure all cost of performing surf water bringing maintenance are transferred to the division for that over here and so that's the plan with surf water bring to this

and I thought we talked about and this may be covered with what we were talking with with the uh communications person but I think it has to be a real deliberate thing of showing what has been done. I would love for those videos of you. Here's what this storm water um drain looked like before and here's what happened. Here's how many miles we've done. We again wash it. We did good for the city. It's hard. So, I think it I would like it to be really explicit that we need to demonstrate to our constituents what we're doing with storm water and why we do it. So,

I absolutely to mention there's a rumor that's horribly wrong on the internet currently. Um, our spent isn't going towards the labor of this, it's going to capital projects, right? Um, and I just want to make sure that's clear to any public who's watching or that might watch later that our spent six penny will not fund the this department. that will fund capital projects and I just want to make sure that was

I just to add add to this and I know director web isn't weird um but just talking about the amount of streams that we sweep in the miles I mean the way your feet is it is incredible it's also a never- ending job um and so sharing that story and also you know I this is maybe one of the city council thrown an idea up hoping someone can hit it. But, you know, trying to figure out a way if we do um if we do get a new division to to create some sort of street sweeping plan or even, you know, I know that director Reb and other folks have been thinking about that for a long time and and they they have planned, but I guess updating that to be a broad schedule that says, you know, here's when your street is. You know, maybe we start with a small couple blocks and see what that looks like. But again, that goes back to our communication issue. How do we get people's cars and RVs and stuff? But I mean that's that's such a big part of that. Maybe we have a a drainage division that could tackle some counc that is number five under that session. So the plan is to work with the public works director by evaluating the current program and then work on operational efficiency staffing and other resources for industries. months.

If we keep moving, support the reconnect funding, planning, construction related specific projects indicated in the plan. You know, the one thing that I will say this that I do love is the city went through and managed the plan and approved the plan and now council's actually taking the action to implement some of those pieces. So through the fiscal year 2027 budget recommendation specific language supporting the reconnect west Larmy plan and specific capital projects will be highlighted the city manager's office will work with appropriate members leadership team to evaluate prioritize and fund other projects developed in the plan. Um those are just so you know we uh director Bourke had a pre uh pre- bid meeting on the west side west larie connector uh just last Friday. We have seven land holders that we're hoping to see bids from in two weeks, I would assume.

May 5th.

May 5th. So, we should be opening bids on that project. And through the budget and upcoming budget recommendations, we'll probably be needing some budget amendments and some stuff to make sure that project goes. So, that is the first critical project we have. Then after that, we've got projects that are detailed, maybe not in fiscal year 27 because this one's going on, but in future fiscal years to help make that connection become a reality. I'll keep moving. The next one's about uh community continue the conversation with the University of Wyoming to support recommendation of the public transportation plan through increased community bus stops and routes. And I think the mayor, the vice mayor, and myself will continue to collaborate with the president, the transportation team on the addition of future routes and discussions. Um we had heard recently that there was some discussion about potential route into West Laram. So that we appreciate that, but we've got to continue those discussions. And then finally, after we skip over number five, um continue improving parks, trails, facilities, and recreation programs, and uh support the upcoming parks, trail, and recreation projects with the fiscal year 27 budget adoption. Support grant acquisition through the approval of resolutions that support these projects. And I think council's been good about that. But that also puts CMS on staff to continue to look for additional funds to make sure that these projects are the value that we've seen in the past.

I will not blunder yet, but I will say that director B had a a presentation for parks trees that was really I think um highly regarded about the infrastructure projects that parks trees and I are working on and so it seems like that the public is from that that board members there I think people are really excited about them. Any questions, suggestions, changes in that section of this book?

We'll move on to economic development. I think one of the things that you'll see as a redundancy through the next two codes and evaluate the unified development code and proposed change to become more permissive towards commercial development fiscal year 27. uh support staff in the implementation and developer focused meetings used to generate concepts that move toward more permissive changes in unified development code. Uh one of those most notably is that we're going to have to probably potentially start looking about at for commercial and residential is the infrastructure requirements and how they're funded. um we are going to have to make some decisions and get that money deployed that has been set aside so that we can start to see some housing starts come into this place. Um one of my ideas I do not want to see that just go out as grandpa. I want to see some kind of revolving loan fund

so that that $5 million is not just flat $5 million that we can turn it into 10 12.5 whatever we can turn it into through partial repayments to try to make sure these projects get going. Um I do anticipate that you may see a project or a request from community um development on a project here soon to deploy some of that funding. I think the I do believe that uh the outbreak meetings the that the community economic development building department are having are leading towards that. We just on Tuesday night you heard from about building code changes that we're doing forward based out of those needs and I think that's our best bet to make the changes that are going to be needed. um evaluate and implement a sustainable financial plan of unachievable recommendations from the community sports facility study by fiscal year 28. Um so director Bor's working currently working on that.

Yeah, let's hear the update. So we are I would say kind of midstream right now on the We're about midstream right now. Oh yeah, there we go. All right, we're far back.

We're continuing to work. In fact, this weekend, um, we have one of our last, uh, full big community engagement pushes. We're going to be doing a popup engagement activity on Friday. Um, we're still trying to determine a location, but we're planning on something downtown. Um but and then we're also going to be at the home garden show uh and collecting community engagement uh if you come by and fill out a survey if you haven't already. Uh this is the short onepage survey. We're giving out one of those uh uh camera bird feeders. Uh that uh Yes, I'm pulling fill out the survey. Yeah, I know. Sorry.

So excited. Um, but we also have gotten our uh feed or our results back from our statistically validated survey as well. Uh, nobody except in house staff has seen that yet. I was getting ready to pass it on to the city manager. Um, very interesting. Made 355 responses which gives us a 5% plus or minus margin error with a 95% uh durability of of the survey. I I don't want to spoil the surprise, so I'll wait on some of the the big results uh when we make a a community presentation. We've also been very engaged with the University of Wyoming students in the works program. We've had three uh students that are working on their Tax Stone project. Uh so they've been doing a lot of community engagement both on campus and uh around the community. In fact, they're wrapping their their program up. they're going to be presenting to the park stream rec board at their May 13th uh PTR board meeting. Um and so it is it is moving along. Uh part of what's going on this week also is we have one of our consultants in town right now. They they just got here uh doing our our park survey uh and and a conditional analysis. We've had uh um park rigor seat here working on our facilities survey uh and and conditional analysis. So, it is moving along. We still anticipate to be on track for a August or September uh final results and presentation to uh the council. But, uh I can tell you just as a teaser that the results are very compelling uh for the statistically validated survey results for top priorities, but it also dove into uh usages and usage trends and barriers to participation and lots of other uh really good uh meaty data. So I'm really excited to to see that coming along.

Thank you, director. One one note to this is, you know, with the change in city manager and change in operations, director way and I this are basically proposing a budget, a one-year budget, not a bannual budget. And what that allows us to do is work through the study, evaluate and then make changes in the fiscal year 28 to try to look at what projects are sustain are feasibly financable and sustainable for moving forward. And this was one of the reasons you see so much changing in our world that we wanted to have that flexibility for the next couple years to try to line up a plan for I love all the hings. anybody ask questions kind of overarching but I you know here director board talk about surveys I feel like we do a ton of surveys and that's really the rounds that we get feedback right I mean we utilize um not contractors consultants maybe to facilitate surveys and and I'm just thinking of my wheels are turning I I I want to see how we can consolidate those surveys maybe already someone in that role that together like that's awesome to hear the success and surveys and getting that out and getting participation that we can then lean on that time in our community. So I really appreciate that and councelor Freedom I hear you're worried about the quantity of surveys that the city's doing.

Well I I always said more because it's such a passive way to get feedback. Uh I mean I guess it's an active way too but I more so how do we how can we maintain that we can get you know 355 participants or how do we get you know where do we get 3,000 participants? Could that even happen in a community of 30,000? You know, I don't know the answer. You know, I'm sure there's someone who studies that, but uh I I just appreciate George Bor statistically accurate, whatever whatever that means, you know, uh but being able to like stand on that because that really informs city staff and city council of, you know, what what people are saying. You get 300 responses, you know, versus 20 comments in a a public meeting. I mean that's that seems to be super helpful in determining where we spend our time. Yeah, absolutely. I think the hard part around surveys when you talk about what's statistically valid and the profession that we're in, you know, data is what it's all about. Get as much data as you can survey with the data. Um, and admittedly so, probably data and the desire to read data and use data has never been high on my priority list since I always thought we had a regular confusion of what's right. Um, so that's been one of the things that I've often times struggled with. I concern myself that we've oversaturated the survey data, you know, that whether it's public meeting after public meeting or survey after survey, if there's some exhaustion in the community about questions that are being asked, you know, so it's that balance statistically validated survey like director Bor did, you know, those come at a pretty significant cost, too. And so we've been using Zen City to provide that survey at a little bit lesser cost, a little bit more organic through social media. um to drive the to get the data that we need to make some of the decisions that we make. But uh that's a I understand what you're

saying. I I wish I knew the right way around it. Like I was I was thinking as a bridge. Um I think what is true is that we all have a sincere desire to listen to people and sometimes we don't know how you know to go get that feedback that we're looking for. We've had a lot of engagement with the comp plan and then we've had a lot of engagement with the parks and rec study, both of which have been conducted by consultants. And so there probably are some seeds of ideas there that we can deploy um on our own without a lot of extra resources in a way that feels like us and feels really person like personable and we're still getting out and connecting with community members. So that it's not the data of the past, which I also kind of have a revulsion against. So I understand that. Um, but I think we can copy and mimic some of the things that we see are working and even if they're not a perfect application, perhaps we get more that we all can work with to make better decisions.

If I could add that sports complex, I have a couple friends that are really into it. They they watch the city council meeting as far as, you know, they know about the survey or, you know, what's been going on so far. They asked me and they're really happy about it and they even said they would like to start if it does start going into fruition a committee or an organization helps raise funds privately. They're like waiting to they're like we will do this you know it's something we need. So I was really excited to hear something like that. So I'm excited to see where it goes from here so I can we can keep them informed of it because enthusiasm people will get behind that. Let's just find out how much it's going to cost you. But I think it really get it would get him excited.

You know, on the streets, don't get them excited. That just And uh Erin and I were at the library, the grand opening uh from the renovation. And much of that was possible through uh private foundation and funding and a federal grant and a huge federal grant. But it would not have been the federal grant would not have carried it through without that uh funding. So to have some people ready to to do a a group

along those funding lines. I think that the parks and recreation department like no different has shown a real affinity for grant acquisition to support projects as we move forward. It's just about where you line it up and make sure you're in the right place. So we have those opportunities also. Thank you councelor. Um the final one under economic development is identify and support infrastructure for development zones to provoke commercial events. Um you know one of the ones that we've done by that is the specific purpose excise tax of bill and I um specific portion of that is from I think we've got it listed from 3rd to 15th but it's been the 15th. you know, the the whole portion of that actually opens up commercial area for us in a new part of town. Um staff is working and you will see some information coming through on potential 30th Street or 30 30th Street interchange with wide do which opens up another commercial zone. And then as I'm sure you've all heard me probably adium is that we need uh population to drive commercial development. Um I know a lot of the focus seems like it's on west side or west lar but as we can gain population there the biggest thing that I hear when I'm out is the city needs to put a grocery store in west Laram. The city doesn't place commercial places, right? The city provides the infrastructure and development for the commercial places to land, but they do their market research and they know what's available. I truly believe that if we can continue to increase the density west side, west that we can get a grocery store or some anchor commercial to land in that area to provide that business. And so we've got those opportunities. We continue to work with the the country club and a land owner out there about water provisions

and development opportunities that can drive those numbers that are out west that will continue to add to that number that will hopefully drive that commercial and that's where I see the city have the best the best involvement. I thought Bill N was for residential.

So, councelor Dhy remember the the bill N we counted out in phases. Phase one was the far east. Phase two is the I'm going to say the Middle East, phase three is the Middle West, and then phase four is the west. The one that we carved out specifically for Bill N and the specific purpose access text is more related to commercial development than residential. The the other section of streets that have bill 9 indicated in it which is the phase I'm going to say the middle west is residential based. Phase two and phase one are residential based. But it's such a large corridor that when it gets down towards uh it's already developed from 19 to 15. And when you go from 15 to 9, that's built more for commercial. Right through that section, we'll move on to housing. Um, use existing new tools. Uh, Albony County Housing Land Trust tax financing feed the floral to increase housing availability within the community. Um, I think it goes without saying that we've been doing that. will support the Albony County Housing Land Trust. Uh work on the Westside Tax Increment Financing Project, any future tax increment financing requests, uh updating the website with information and programs like Peter Burough to make community more aware and desire to develop policy around a $5 million fund. And that $5 million is not enough. I'm going to tell you that right now, but it's the start for what we can do. And this lands counselor Richardson with your comment last night that we have to find a way to provide those resources. Um I know the north north side al north

fall line was discussed last night that heavily um if you think about it it's easements that have been holding that up. I believe that we're financed we're kind of under design. We just can't get the east locked in and get that done. And we were able to finally get them with the north side water tank and I believe we will get them with the north side out ball which is the sewer for that provision. It's just taken a little bit of time to get those. I really like that this is one of our goals because I was talking to the vice mayor and council Lockhart today and I think as this plan continues it would have made last night's vote at least for me easier and a different vote that voted because there would be a plan and funds to kind of help that plan. So, I do really like that the $5 million fund, you're thinking more of like half, however that looks. So, we can build that. So, the next time something like that happens, oh, you need a station, build this application out, right? So, I I like the forward thinking here because it will help future council make harder decisions

a little easier. Absolutely. If we continue to seek new resources, tools and ideas housing construction and learning research and find tools that could promote housing construction learning, including pre-manufacturers or other forms of housing construction. Uh evaluate the provision of approved plans for homes that could be easily permitted and constructed on city flooded lots. and uh planning division has been working on that currently and getting ready to bring forward a council a contract to a group to have somebody design some off the shelf plans for houses so that if you do have a city lot and you know what size it is, you come in, you pick your plan, you buy it for whatever the cost is, it's permitted in 3 weeks or two weeks and away you go.

Wow. So, heck yeah. Yeah, it's easy in concept. Sure, very difficult to do, but it'll be a process that we'll be working through.

And then finally, evaluating the unified development code, you know, proposed changes, become more permissive towards housing development. And that again continues with the meetings, the discussions, just everything we can do to try to become more permissive to make sure that we can get those housings going. Um, I truthfully can envision a way where, you know, quite frankly, this council and future councils over the next few years might be pushing to hard decisions where you have to look at removing some code requirements that are nice, but they also do provide some in some inhibiting factors towards housing development. And so, unfortunately, we're going to have some hard decisions. We do have a fantastic code that builds fantastic stuff and creates for great development. But if we want to solve this, it might be time to become radical and figure out what changes we need to make. So get housing in place.

I have a video idea that just popped to my head. Um, and I think it goes along with this. You know, we always hear that council doesn't listen or city staff doesn't listen, right? we could put a a video together that was like, "Hey, here's what came out of those like um contractor meetings and here is what council just changed, right?" Kind of to get ahead of some of that. Council doesn't listen, staff doesn't listen. And I think it would be like public facing of no, we did listenit, but here's what we changed already. And I think it might make some of those future conversations maybe a little easier, maybe not. But just I thought

we can play 24/7 on that digital billboard that Jim's going to put. That's so funny.

Maybe it not distracting drivers. would like to and long because I'd like to go back to the commercial and report a little bit of success because and I did call Director Wade yesterday and tell her about one thing that I'm incredibly proud about. I just hope it comes to fruition, but I'm sure you've all seen the two commercial buildings on Grand Avenue or this right that have sat empty since 2014

or not, I'm sorry to Imperial and Sherman Hills Road Imperial Heights. If you drive out Grand Avenue on West, those properties were bound up because they didn't get built to the site plan and the owner didn't want to make the corrections and staff was a little bit bound up on how to do that. Um, we were able to get everybody together, turn the view upside down, get to improve site plan, submit all the new SSI, and get those projects moving forward to where that contractor is planning on finishing up the site plan. And hopefully those buildings will be on the market. They're used by commercial three, four months. So, wow.

Where is it? Who owns those? Max. Oh, that's Max. So, what's across street? Do you know where is there's two little brick commercial buildings kind of across from where Grand Avenue Nursery was at one point right there. So, I just every time I went by unfulfilled they had like a door that comes out. So, clearly yeah wasn't used. Okay. I didn't know.

Yeah, those are commercial buildings. So we we have managed to get an approved site plan, approved SSI, and that contractor has all the permissions to move forward to finish out and get those site plans in place. So I'm pretty excited about that because it's it's been a long time coming. So, and it shows a change in city staff as far as becoming a little more permissive and understanding what's so like commend for stepping through that door. That's great.

What kind of business has been building? I can see dental offices. So maybe some kind of accounting the church. We really need special.

I'm pretty excited about that. Yeah, that's good news. With that, um I think we're at the end of what were the goals. Um, I feel like we've got consensus around those, like we can get those moved into resolution. But I do know there are some other goals that counselors would like to talk about, add, and we can do that. Move through. We'll give you about four minutes. As Jim made every every month when we look at that financial report the mayor and I are like oh you know how much we're spending on on pallet and it's just it's not

phenomenal. So I would like to have seek opportunities to reduce energy consumption and or supplement power with our you know local generator the lights. I wrote it.

Yeah. for us to really look at how we can get those numbers down. And and we know that if that sailor solar project goes through, if we could get if we could dedicate some portion of whatever we gain from that lease to say we're going to fill up every rooftop that we um so that we can help control this cost because it's just gone up. and they just announced that they're not going to be easily available with Rocky Mountain Power. So, um so they're the the cost has gone up. So, I I would really like to have a gold seat opportunities put on our solar I mean we see the size of that roof as the out here and how little 25 kilowatts is on that roof. Um and we have so many we have such a big footprint anyway and so many buildings that need power and we notice that for the IC and events center and for the um rec center you know we have 25 kilowatts at each of those sites but we noticed that there's two bills

there's two meters so is that two meters there's two bills and events and there's two bills there's two so that it indicates that there's two meters there. And that's how we interp and we're talking like $12,000 per meter and so do we only have 25 and are we allowed to have 25 per meter?

So has two electric fields and when we asked about that it it's going to be 2 meters. Well, we assume it's two meters. Yes, two. Yeah, that's that you work that we've done. I'm not aware of there being 2 meter. So I don't know why it's broken into why it's broken into you get above a certain amount then they go to a different rate.

I just this is I wish this is the first time I'm here this certain I guess. So, this was a question at the last finance committee meeting and because I've been writing the budget book, I haven't even looked that in and so I I can't give you feedback on whether that's right or not. Okay. Um, we can do it later, but I will look at that and I will respond

because we're curious about the double bill and why is that? Then is it 2 m? And you're saying with the work that it isn't, but it could be. And the other thing, if it was, then would we qualify for another 25 if there were 2 meters? And then the third question that we had was um I know that out of the airport when they did uh an efficiency check on their solar they were not getting what they thought they were getting.

They didn't they weren't connected back to the they weren't getting credited. They weren't putting power back to the grid. And so, so do we need to maybe do a check on ours uh for efficiency to make sure we're getting everything we can out of it?

I appreciate hearing that and we can definitely check on that. I think that putting a goal under financial sustainability about uh efforting ways to reduce energy consumption through ether renewables or however we do it. Again, I I hope the decisions that we make and continue through the curve will be better for us. I I have to tell you through the city the city hall annex project, the heat loss change that we're solving is going to be pretty phenomenal and I hope that we'll see that. But

for us to move through is going to be important. So I think under for me counselor Dory, what I hear is under financial sustainability that we add something in there about reducing energy consumption

and you said you do that as a matter of course. I would like but that's what you do. you're not going to say, "Oh, that's waste some more energy." But I want it to be explicit in our goals because our constituents would like us to save energy, too. And um you know, and also like King of Sale solar if that goes and we get if we could dedicate some of that revenue toward making our own energy, I think that would be a win. counselor already the hard part in solar that's part of the water enterprise. Oh. Oh. But we also could use solar at the um ranch because I know those pivot irrigators take a lot of energy. So,

right. Okay. Want to spit that out?

I I think we need to have a conversation with Rocky Mountain Power. My understanding is uh renewables are being subsidized because it's more efficient and less expensive to use the you know the the sources that most people use. And so we're going to switch over to wind, solar, and all that. It may be more expensive in the end because of the cost and in time for recapture of the investment. So I think we need to be careful. We don't just go all all into solar, all into wind and all into that, but look at what is the most cost effective way for us to to do that. I think conservation is very important, you know, to make sure that we're using, you know, we're doing things that are conservative in the use of our energy, but not to go and invest in something that's going to be more expensive in the long run. Um, I I have to counter that because the the states where they are using alternative energy like Texas, their rates are coming down. And then when Rocky Mountain Power just said we're going we have to stick to coal. Coal, you have to keep running that all the time. You can't just turn it on and off. You got to keep running. And so, and it's costs more than the renewables. Places that have renewables are bringing their prices

is different than Yeah. Utah. Um, okay. Anyway, I'm sure a lot of people with a lot of effort into this that look at it very carefully and we need to make sure that we have that convers conversation before we make a big investment in wind and solar. We I have no problem we can get that under fiscal responsibility fiscal financial sustainability. Okay. Yeah, absolutely. So, I just want to just because it came up and I I I don't remember exactly the question from finance committee and I'll look at that probably sometime

there is only one meter at the ice center. So, I did just confirm that just I don't want people to worry. Um I just looked at the invoice. Okay. So somehow the invoice is broken into two parts and it probably has to do with the rate for the different you know how once you get above a certain amount different are there other goals that we want to try to add at this

I just am wondering if there are some environmental goals that we want to expl replicate uh such as our to continue to enhance recycling. Uh I mean are there other environmental goals? We've done the update of the Casper aquifer protection document. Are there legislative things that we need to do to bring that forward into ordinance? Are there things that we need to do to for the next step of the path

like supporting monitoring? Exactly. And then we've got the well thing that's going and that's going to be big and um stuff we're doing. So there are suggestions of what we need to do. It is there ordinance work that we need to do so that we're able to require these suggestions that came out in the cap. I don't know. It was my understanding that the next step would be legislative.

Mayor, I can hear you're talking about two bills. So under environmental we had uh continue to enhance our recycling program and then number two uh some stuff that we've been cap with some major goals with the well monitoring ordinance changes that we need to do. Okay. But nobody is there anything else environmental?

We can we can make sure those goals are included in the resolution and give you a quick review before they come true. For sure. Um, do we want to state that we continue to work toward u carbon neutrality by but I think if we reduce our energy we are

okay Any others? The other one I put in um so many of our reports talk about quality of life our plans and is there anything under safety, well-being, and quality of life that we want to explicitate that we want the public to be aware that There are things that we're definitely doing to move quality of life forward. It's such a prominent part of the plans, but maybe the plans are as inclusive as we need to be. I'm just asking, do you think that under safety, well-being, quality of life, these were in 2025, so I went back and just looked at some previous goals that we'd had, and I'm just wondering if we think we need to do that. I think we certainly cover it in our mission, in our vision statement.

I think we cover it in our vision statement. Um, I think we I think we address all of those things um throughout this entire process. And so I think for the sake of just kind of being concise and efficient, I mean, we can all explain to constituents like why housing um addresses wellbeing and um quality of life, the parks quality of life. Yeah. That it's throughout everything. Okay.

Mud, you know, our goals to If we wanted to include everything that we do, this goal sheet would be I don't know 100 pages, right? And I think that's where our public um our new Owen new Owen position. Um I think that that position alone is going to help let the public know like hey this wasn't a goal. however like they've been council has been working on XYZ why we're working on ABC and I think I really do love that idea of oh and getting ahead of some of that stuff

to where now you know one thing that I've heard since I've been on council is we have 50 goals right and we accomplished four of them I thought we encompassed virtually all of them though we did accomplish that one from start to finish. Right. Right. Many are ongoing and the public doesn't see that. Right. So I think I do like the breaking this up fiscal year because now we can say we did achieve this. However, the ongoing stuff that we're still working on is this. Right.

Right. So the two biggest um the place where most of our money goes is police and fire and we don't even mention that we'll be doing anything about police and fire and yet we do a lot for police and fire like we hope to build a new I mean stuff that you're doing anyway but we don't want to put this because we want this to be nice and short but every time we do anything at city council you bring something to us that says it's based on goal this And I think it's good for people to know that we're not just like,

oh, Aaron Tippy stuff with the energy. Well, no, we, you know, we support infrastructure. We we do have the roads and the and the storms. So, but we are going to continue to support public safety. You know, you know, we don't have anything above that and the and the mental health stuff with the police. I mean, that's a really big deal. employed version of the of um you know people that get in the system. Those are I'm so proud of those things. I would like that to show as a goal since that's where most of our money goes police and fire. It should be reflected that we support that. Yeah, that's a good

So we're proposing to build a new police station, a new fire station and we don't have anything in our polls about that. I think you bring up a better point. I think it's it's kind of we all the it's just we take we don't do we have one we call public safety and it not only includes fire and police but it could also be storm water because that's avoiding that's public safety as well. um

continue to like responsibly use taxpayer dollars to improve public safety, infrastructure, um programs, social services, yeah, etc. And then the deliverables would be toward the the new police station, uh, animal control, that's about public safety, uh, the fire station. Yeah. And, you know, it gets too long, but I think people need to see if we're spending zillions of dollars, that should probably be in our goals.

I don't think it adds that much. If you make it just kind of one chunk thing like supporting public safety and then it's ongoing support of XYZ I I don't think that it's adding a huge I don't think it's adding a lot but it's it's just it's addressing technology

I guess I would also add and I don't know man it feels like we're we're going down a road I think it's important to go down but also we we lean on so many of our nonprofits we provide community partner funding for a nonprofit to enhance the public safety and wellbeing of everyone in our community. That is the the workforce arm of kind of how we can operate in a community where social services are are being felt in addition to police and fire and safety response. You know, there's so I'm just throwing that out there that way and that could be encompassing that deliverable as well without getting too in depth without getting too in the weeds. You can can do that pretty

pretty. I think that can be easy and there's a number of things the mental health uh counseling that that case worker program all of that kind of fits under public safety and those are our deliverables. Yeah. Yeah. That we're already delivering. So we're going to deliver nonprofits in the VA and support fire police and shelter CIT training. We've made some notes. We'll get those in. I think the that we have a large

uh environmentally concerned constituency in Laram and a number of organizations and I think we've hit on two of the ones that people are really concerned about is the Casper Rocker Protection uh to enhance recycling and the third that they're concerned about is uh to promote alternative energy sources and that kind of hits multiple organizations and groups that are working and they're very active and they so I think it it uh addresses things we're doing but it puts it out there. We're doing it.

Absolutely. We're going to have that waste characterization study results coming in soon. Now you know why there were ancient scrolls. It's that and counselors I understand what you're saying then we can do that. We can get these on goals and make that something that we can work on and get there. So I think it'll be but that's not too much. You're doing it. Let's get the credit for it. You know

I'm I'm wondering to simplify it. Not this time obviously but maybe next time. It's two documents, right? One of them is like this one because it's pretty simple and we can and then you have the ongoing goals that it seems like since I've been on council this has been a goal and we achieved XYZ and then the next council to make a progress.

Right. Right. I wonder if if that would made if that would make this easier for newer council members when they take less. uh that way, you know, cuz then you come in, you're like, I don't know what goals to work on. And this was kind of a problem with me. Well, here's like the ongoing goals of counseling, right? So, I wonder like maybe next time if this is like two documents, like here's the ongoing ones that have been goals for a while. Here's the short-term goals that we want to achieve in this fiscal year.

Yeah. And the ongoing ones are really the goals of a municipality. They're the standard goals that you have to have in a municipality. And then the details within that are what change. So I like that. Don't go into a brand new idea. Oh, did you pick something up in there? I'm gonna go drive a sweet go up big lights.

We're gonna have We could do like that 307 meet and we can do do the truck and we go park it all over town. Be in the trailer. glass trailer and I and we just place it, we take a message and we drive it around town and then all we have is just the canvas and we print that out and we put it on the sign and we drive it around for a week. That's your kiosk. Yeah.

Okay. We just get AI little little machines that just drive around town has, you know, information about the city on it. That's where they spend their money and everything. See manuals, let them out city hall around downtown.

I do I do have a goal question though if we could because council bowling brought it up. I really do think something about the six the sp needs to get here because I know we talk about um the fifth penny, right? I really truly think like um council Bolan said like we'll be responsible with that money. I think that really does need to be a goal because there's a huge push back and you know like the responsible use of taxpayer dollar right so I think that should really be an ongoing goal of counc the projects themselves or

no just being just responsible with the taxpayers money that's a huge that could be something sustainable so everybody gets build an office. Yeah. Yeah. I think that as a goal though or a responsibility because I don't think of that. I think that's our I think it could be a dook. It is. How would you word it as a goal under the smart?

Would it be okay if I asked a few more questions? Can we listen to that a little more so we really understand what you're going for? So when you when you first said that, I thought, well, oh, obviously. We'll just add a goal about making sure that we really do a good job prioritizing the SPE and we really look at how we're going to deploy those resources to get the best value out of them. Um, but I'm not sure that's what you need. And so could you talk a little bit more about what what you'd like to see? No, I think that I think that hits it because it's like

Yeah, I think that hits it because you know the push back that um I've seen online is well don't vote for this tax because council has never done the project they said or or wasn't fiscal responsible with the money whatever however that looks right. So I think I think I stopped looking. I I struggle with that a little bit though because then you like goals you goals are out there to hope to meet but you don't always reach them. So to put that as a goal that we're hoping we're fiscally responsible

doesn't feel appropriate to me. Like that is our responsibility. It is not my goal. It is what I am here to do. Whether it looks like what you think it should look like or not is a different thing. But to have that as goal, they're confident a little like so you're hoping you

could just be demonstrate under the deliverables demonstrate you know like with our public whatever information office like you've been doing with you know like include maybe number one I be I make a B demonstrate the fiscal anyway demonstrate that you really the way you said it. But

Brandon, I didn't I didn't realize that's what I was saying. I was just kind of speaking out the dome. But I think I if it if what we're trying to say is that we want to just make a statement that we are responsible stewards of the financial resources provided to us by the pack there that goes in value statement it goes

you know I have been watching the specific purpose talks for 20 years I don't see any time that I've ever diverted money to you know that was specified for a project to something that we have not indicated. I think what we have to do is say we will remain committed to spending money on the specific purpose tax for the intended use and and I I don't think that we have any history of of diversion which and you you've indicated chancellor uh that there people saying that we do that and I don't see I don't see that we've ever done that. It's always in fact money left over we have to say we can't spend it on this we have to spend it on that because that's what the ballot says and that's what everyone so to for for us to to to say that they are right they are not right they're wrong and so we will remain committed to using specific purpose tax for the purpose that has been indicated on the ballot and leave it at that It almost sounds defensive.

Yeah. Like you're trying to defend yourself against the very few people that make those allegations. So I wonder if in the value statement we could just at the end add true legal responsibility for maybe it doesn't. But I think I also think it it replaces the value. You said something a few minutes ago that sounded more like a valued statement. fiscal stewardship was yeah we could just add that and that would

yeah we'll write it in the way that you all intended and so I think we captured that spirit I do think what we can always do better and you see us doing more and more of this if I think back even to the last sped um you know I I don't know that there was a point after the voters approved it that we really sat down in a public meeting and talked about strategically how those resources were deployed. we didn't I don't know that we took the time to tell that big picture story. We just went out and did it. Um that's not what we'll do this time. Um and and I think that that will really help and we can continue that narrative if we have council transitions. Make sure we're talking about that frequently because I think if you're talking about those kinds of things frequently and from the beginning, there's just less soil that a seed like that could grow in to begin with.

Yeah. Well, I wonder. Sorry, please. Go ahead. I was saying she can't do anything without the internet being accessible, right? Well, and I wonder if there are opportunities because right now we have the little um yard things up that say this was made possible six penny and while it's in progress, we have that, but can we have something up all the time that says this? I mean, I think about the passport. You walk into it and they have a penny above the door that that is like this was made possible because of your your penny tax before all the pennies go away. People don't know what a penny is.

I don't know. Not as expensive as the penny building, but something that so people all the time that and are reminded of it like the stuff during the great depression all that stuff, you know. sometimes. Any other comments or suggestions, questions?

This is awesome. Um, yeah. Is there any public comment on this agenda item? Hearing none. Uh we're not going to give updates because this is a special meeting. So I would say this meeting ajourn Nancy.