City Council - Regular Meeting

from city council to order for the March 2nd, 2026 work session time and place as advertised. If you'd please stand and join us in reciting our pledge of allegiance. the pledge up here to your left. I aliance 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.

Councilors Forestman and Council President Clayberg have an excused absence. Although councelor Forsman may join us at 3:01. I was running.

Oh, there she is. Council President Cleber will join us here shortly. Our next order of business is citizen comments. This is an opportunity for citizens to address the council on agenda items or other matters they wish to bring to the council's attention excluding those scheduled for public hearing as there may not be another opportunity comment. Individuals are encouraged to speak at this time. Individuals are encouraged to discuss operational issues in advance with the mayor in consideration of others wishing to speak. Commentary is limited to three minutes. If we have any citizen comments today or if you're asked to present to the council, just keep in mind that those green saucer looking things on the ceiling, that's the microphone. So, we just need you to make sure you project your voice, speak up loudly and clearly. Um, and then the council here, those listening can hear what you have to say. Do we have citizen comments today? Anybody that would like to stand up and address the council? Okay. Hearing one, we'll move on to the next agenda item council discussion items. Item A under Roman number four is an update on the Brighton Canyon Golf Course update presentation regarding current management and operation of Brighton Canyon Golf Course. This is an action item. We have our parks and recreation director Justin Glenn with us here today to present. Director, welcome. Please introduce yourself for the record and if you'd like, you can even roll that thing out a little bit so we can see a little bit better. Yeah,

that will hit the back of your head. Um Justin Glenn, Parks and Recreation. Uh thanks for having me. Good to see everybody today. Today we're going to present an update on Briden Canyon. I wanted to preface this with a couple of uh important notes that uh we entered into a professional management agreement with Corsco in April of 23. We're in our third year of that agreement which expires in September 30 with seven additional one-year terms uh available with that agreement. Um this is not a lease or a concession contract. It is a management agreement. What we get is that we ensure the city maintains ownership and policy authority while leveraging private sector operational expertise. Right now our commitment is $7,000 a month for management fees and 1,200 for accounting service fees for about $8,200 a month. But all those revenues we we get and aggregate out of the golf course, they all go into one pot. And that pot includes green fees, rentals, tournaments, any lessons, any concessions, revenues they make out of the snack bar operation there. They are deposited into that operational account. All expenses, including any staffing and management fees are paid out of that account. So most of the golf course itself, operating expenses and revenues go into one pot. The exception there, the biggest hits to the golf course as far as the city standpoint is the lease agreement that we have with the airport and then the water that is operated that we pay for to keep the golf course operating in green. My kind of bottom line as I've been reviewing the contract agreement is that the city retains financial upside. However, there's a couple minor financial risks, but that's any risk you would take with golf course operations. seasonality, critical infrastructure breaking down. And what I've observed so far, having managed overseen golf course

operations previously, is that right now I think this is a good deal for the city. Uh, and I'm going to introduce um Mr. Mike Sharp. He's the CEO for Brighton Canyon, and he'll give a presentation on more of the operations day-to-day uh for Brighton Canyon Golf Course. So, Mike, come on. Right. You need to introduce yourself.

All right, I can do that. Michael Sharp, CEO, president of Corsco, uh your golf partner at Brighton Canyon. Um good afternoon, mayor, city council. Thank you and staff, uh for giving us an opportunity to bring it bring you an update on the golf course. So, just a refresher on whose go is um uh or code of golf management found in 1989. We have four core values. I think it's one of the reasons you selected us to operate your golf course. perform financially, environmental stewardship, um community engagement, and also envir um stakeholder communication, which we're doing today. This is a great opportunity for us to share what's been going on the last three years. We're very proud of the work that we've done at Bright and Can last three years. We've done quite a bit. I'm going to go to the next slide. Probably helps a little bit better illustrate what we're doing. Uh but since we came in day one, uh we've had a great partnership with the city. Loen and working together to enhance the overall experience. When we came in um three just just over three years ago, we were following up from a lei who had been at the property for several years prior. So we came in and with the city of Loston identified areas that we needed to address whether it was safety concerns, it was some some cosmetics, some enhancements, and some equipment. So we were able to work together and to and over the three years pretty proud of the stuff that we've we've done together. And in future slides, I'll go through some of those improvements. But overall, we've been able to every year increase our rounds, increase our revenue, and ultimately increase our bottom line. Um, one of the questions that came up uh last time we met and with the director earlier today was kind of what does the agreement look like? How does the financials work? And so I'm going to take a stab at that to explain and articulate that. But as Justin pointed out, all the revenues coming to the golf course, all the

expenses at the golf course um come out of that and what's left is about 100 to $125,000 profit coming out of the operations at the golf course. And that's what CORS goes responsible for. Our team here today, by the way, I have Rob Hayes, our general manager, superintendent, and Kevin Ner, our senior operating manager that operate the facility. But at the golf course level, what we're responsible for of course go in our contract is that bottom line from revenues minus expenses including our fees in there comes to about 125 net profit from that that goes to the city and then the city as Justin pointed out um pays the water bill and pays the rent uh to the airport whatever that that is. I think at one time it was 30 it might be up to 85,000 or something like that now. Um so the overall when you look at Brighton Canyon Golf Course you know serving 30,000 people um in the community that play golf affordable and accessible it comes to a net net probably somewhere around a subsidy from the city if you take that all into consideration somewhere between 30 to 50,000 in that number is is what I can put together when I get the city's numbers on top of our golf course numbers. Again, like I said, the last few years, uh, we've seen uh, continued course improvements. The the turf conditions are getting better. The overall experience is getting better, and we can see that in the topline revenue. Net operating income continues to increase. So, we're pretty proud of that. first quarter just to show you how we're doing. We're slightly off the budget, but that's really just a timing issue on expenses, but we feel pretty confident um especially the weather of late uh that we'll be able to continue to exceed our budget projections that we've put forth every year. Uh one of the things that we are very proud of and when you hired us when we went through the RFP process was just our commitment to the community. We know that only 10% of the population

typically play golf at a public golf course. And so what do we do for the other 90%. So we have rich programming to address that. And in a moment I'll show some more pictures of some of the things that we do for the non-golfers to get the community out there, whether that's birthday parties. Um we just recently had baby showers um and non-golf events. Very important to us to also drive youth golf. And so we do a lot of free junior golf clinics out there. In addition to we're partners with the youth on course which allows youth to play the golf course for just a few dollars. These are just some of the pictures, some of the fun stuff that Rob and his team do up at the golf course there. These are some of the flyers that we do. Whether it's decorating cookies, it's breakfast with the Santa and so forth, Easter egg hunt, some of the tournaments that we do up there, some of the events that we did around our 50th anniversary. And this is uh some of the work that we've done together. Some of the improvements made in the last three and a half years, pretty substantial. Um and one of the things that to help validate for us if we're doing a good job or not besides the financials is getting the guest feedback from our customers and what are they saying. Um and here are some of the survey scores right here and we started at 3.74 and raising that. This is really a testament to Rob and his team um their hospitality and delivery of that at the course. Then we also do secret shoppers out there where we have a third party come in and then they audit the facility not from Corsco, not from the city but a third party. And we're very proud of those scores. Again, we have like a core mission there to be affordable and accessible um there and you know make sure that we're serving the entire community. I think uh in closing and I can answer some questions and maybe Justin can help too is that we're very proud of the work that we've done the last three years um

what Rob and his team have been able to deliver. We hear anecdotally also from the guest and from the residents about the improvements to the golf course and the vibe up there um and it's just been a really good partnership and with that I'll open it up to questions and thank you. Thank you Mike councel questions. Councelmire I have a question for the director. Okay. Yes, sir.

So, I guess for me what would make more sense is if we saw the costs. Um, we had a whole list of capital improvements that were made to the golf course, which were all taxpayer dollars that paid for those improvements. I'd like to see how much the city, the taxpayers have invested in that golf course and what their return on it is. Okay. um we're getting we're seeing the return on what course go sells a um you know their cost and their expenses but it doesn't show the city's annual that $50,000 increase in our lease um how much money we're putting into all those capital improvements. Okay, I can do that. Thank you. That's no problem. Any more questions?

Thank you, director of council. Other questions? Comments? No. Well, I'll tell you, director and uh Mike Corsco and the entire crew out there. Um I do go out there once in a while to have a hamburger and just look around and the food is very good, nice portions and very friendly. So, I've been impressed with the cleanliness and just the professionalism out there. So, it's not a sales pitch for you. I go out there and I I'm this I'm the secret shopper too because I try to walk around look and uh I've just been very impressed the way that this uh property's been turned around and it's making money for us and I think it's going to continue to grow. So I certainly have confidence in what the business model is and the folks that are running it. So thank you director.

Thank you. Appreciate it. Councelor Forsman has a question from Kevin I believe. Uh, I have a question for you. For Mike? Yeah, for Mike. Thank you. Sorry. Um, I know when we first were talking about you when you guys were taking over and having events and I heard you mention a birthday party. Are they still looking at uh more bigger events like weddings or and kind of providing venues for that?

Yeah, I think the the frank answer is we would love to do it if we could. I don't think the infra the infrastructure for weddings um probably isn't conducive to hosting a wedding with the with the the size of the footprint that we have originally when we discussed and I still am kind of bullish on that vision is to have an event space up there an enclosed event space so that we could do the larger uh weddings and events um but the the the way that the facilities orchestrated now makes it challenging but we do have we do encourage and promote um smaller events there. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for the kind comments.

Thank you for taking Thank you to see us. Appreciate it very much. Councilor, next up we have item B, introduction of ordinance 4958, introduction of proposed ordinance number 4958 relating to an amendment to city code. Section 21-2 to the definitions of vendors. Sections 21-66 and 21-69 relating to the regulation of temporary vendors. sections 21-73 and Lewis and city code chapter 21 article 11 relating to the regulation of mobile vendors in section 31-74 relating to temporary uses of the rightway by mobile vendors. This is an action item and our city planner uh Mr. Joel Pascon is with us here today. Joel, would you please come up to the podium here? Introduce yourself for the record. Remember to speak up loudly and clearly. The floor is yours. Thank you.

Hello. Joel Plasone, city planner. Um, staff has recently been encountering more vendors who want to operate that don't just sell food or drink. And current city code doesn't recognize that. It's uh specific to food and drink for mobile vendors. So, we drafted some code amendments to broaden the scope um to recognize those vendors who don't sell just food or drink. Um, so that's what we've got for you today. There are two um sections of it. One is dealing with mobile vendors on private property. That's chapter 21. And then at the end, there's another piece that deals with mobile vendors in street rides of play. I don't know if you had a chance to read the draft ordinance yet, but we wanted to give you a heads up before we scheduled it for first reading. So, we're bringing it to you at work session. Um, I can walk through the changes or do you have questions about specific pieces of it? Council, it's uh up to you if you want to get kind of a quick briefing on this and then Mr. Flask said he'll bring it back for a first reading at a later date.

Councelor Forceman. Um I'm trying to find it, but in here I noticed it said not required to have a permit if you have a license, right? A business license. And you don't also have to have a permit. Is that the revision I'm using? If you have a license, you don't need to have a um a temporary vendor permit. Okay. Is there I didn't notice anything wording to the other way. So, I don't know if we do we ever have instances where um someone maybe doesn't want to go for a full business license because they're only doing it every I don't know year, couple years where they bring a little stand out. Yeah. Would you be able to allow someone to get that? Yeah, we have an event license for that.

Event license. Okay. I didn't see. And that's not in here. That's like a separate. Okay. Yep. Awesome. Thank you. That's all right. Thank you. So, I've I've seen some models talking with Valley Vision where there's these sort of popup little areas where maybe multiple businesses pop up there for a certain season. And and we sort of did that in the mall. I think this Christmas I noticed something pretty similar to that. So is that to address scenarios like that? No. No, those are event licenses as well. Event licenses.

Yeah. This is merely to broaden the scope of what our code currently calls mobile food v vendors by basically striking the word food everywhere it appears. So that it it broadens it so that people can do sell books or what have you as a mobile vendor instead of out of brick and mortar. Okay,

councelor Klein, I just have a comment. I think it's great that you guys are doing this and allowing more business in town and using using the code and opening it up to more opportunities. Good. Yeah, we try to be proactive and react to what the community is asking for. All right, council. If there's no further comment, Joel, we'll see you at the first reading. Okay, thank you. Thank you for being

council. Next up, we have item C, request for reconsideration of zoning code amendments or amendment Z8-01-25, request from city staff to reconsider amendments to Louisa city code section 37-153 relating to landscaping. This is listed as an action item. Doesn't require council action today, but our city planner Joel Plascon is here again. And Joel, you may get a question on this one. So, if you could please uh take the podium and uh be prepared for any questions you might receive from the council. Council, any questions? Council Specier. Thank you, Mayor.

Um, so Joel, I was just curious. Um, it's been 7 months. I'm just curious what brought up the issue to reconsider this. It's been this long.

Yeah, we've kind of been moving in this direction. Um, a lot of the things that are in the failed ordinance 4942 have recently been adopted by the council. Um, and that was ordinance 4959 in February this year. Um, so but there were still some outstanding pieces and we thought we'd bring it back to you just because the original ordinance that we brought to you came from the comprehensive plan work plan committee and the planning and zoning commission um with a lot of input. And so we wanted to give the council another chance to reconsider making those amendments that were supported by the other two organiz the other two committees. I guess follow up, counselor. Um, and like you were saying that the ones that we just adopted in February, those are the ones that were in question back in June, weren't they? The how many spaces were allowed?

Um, some of them were and some of them were not. For example, in the failed ordinance 4942, we have on page three items E, F, and E1. one were all adopted in February. And then on the last page, item I was also adopted as well as item F3, but the rest of what's in there was not adopted.

I think the ones that the issue I think there was council right that had made an amendment to that. That was what was changed. It didn't pop. Is that right? what I I don't recall. I know I had made an amendment, but I I thought it didn't get I thought it didn't go through, right? Yeah,

I think u but yeah, that was to the number of parking spaces. Yeah. Bill, would you yield the floor to our community development director, Shannon Gro, who doesn't know I'm going to call on her? Sure. Shannon Director Gro, would you be willing to come up uh just for a minute uh and maybe for my benefit especially um remind me why um this may be of benefit to all of us to take a second look at some of this and how we got here.

Sure. So the original ordinance came to you and it was a kind of a result of the year and a halfl long e effort for the comp plan comprehensive plan. And from that comprehensive plan then the council created a subcommittee of folks to work on how do we implement that plan. And so this was one of those subjects landscaping. and we had the subcommittee work on it, but we also invited um landscape ar landscapers and um also people from our urban forestry committee to give input on what we would like to see with this code change. It went through planning and zoning and then it came to council and it kind of was one of those things kind of like the parking lot where it didn't fail because you didn't want it. It failed because there was kind of an impass. And so we just would like to continue this effort. um you can make adjustments to it. We'd like to have some resolution to it.

Councelor Forsman, um if I remember this conversation correctly, I think the concern centered around businesses, right? Because how many um they were required to put in? Is this going to cause a financial strain or make it difficult? And so I heard we who we invited to those meetings and we said landscapers and um can't remember what else you said. Uh, but I didn't me I didn't hear any uh like business owners and I would have been curious before we go and and let this happen and go through with this that I think that we should have had business owners involved to see if this is something that would cause uh them to kind of step back and maybe not build or if it's going to cause any red tape that unnecessary tape red tape for them.

That's what I would like to see if we were to if we were to go through this. So, one of the things that Valley Vision asked us to do as a city um but mostly with planning and zoning type of code changes is that we created the ability for folks to sign up to be notified of um code changes coming up. There haven't been many, but we would like to start a more concerted effort on getting the word out. Hey, these code changes are in front of council or maybe they're, you know, from P&Z then to council just to give people a heads up of what they are. And oftentimes we will put like the redline version so they can see what we're doing. Um, like Joel said, most of the stuff that we do is proactive of what we've heard from the community and um sometimes it's not we're refining some codes because we found they don't work or there's um places where they conflict. And so part of this process is going through public hearings and and that's probably what we would do with this one as well if the council was okay with letting us continue re kind of retake up this effort. Um certainly if you have issues with some of it um please let us know and we will make amendments to it because of that parking code ordinance that just went through. We think we may need to just go back through P&Z again anyway um just to have kind of a fresh start with it. So it would go through two public hearings plus the three ratings on councel

forman

and and I'm trying to remember and understanding looking through this was it required of um existing businesses or I should say people that are renting out or leasing their property to businesses for them to put any kind of shrubbery or uh trees whether that's be like in a planter or anything or is that not a thing? Typically what happens is somebody will ask for a building permit. They're doing either a complete rebuild of a parking lot. Um they're looking for a building permit to uh change of use on a property. So sometimes things trigger um landscaping requirements, but no, we we don't go out and say here's the law now, you must do this. That's not how it goes.

Okay. So it when they're getting their business license, that would not tick that. It would be I'm gonna do some kind of construction on the building. Yeah. Does it say and maybe it's just I'm missing it. Does it say in here what like Yeah, there's thresholds of when that thresholds come into play.

Dive deeper then. So for that Okay. Um because the only reason I mentioned that concern and I cannot remember the restaurant, but there was that burger place like up on Bane or whatever across from Dutch Bros. They're not there anymore, but they had just random trees and I was told that they had to have them there in these planters and it it didn't even really look well. Yeah, they started to die. So, I just want to make sure that wasn't something that because of our code we were forcing that kind of um and may have been, but that's what I would like to prevent as something like that. So I'll definitely dive deeper into this and for sure I'm fine with them moving forward my opinion but and going back to the drawing board saying

council right

thank you. So my my concern is pretty similar impact to impact to business because a lot of this requirement on parking lots when it comes to landscaping um that it's expensive and and you lose some of your parking lot because of it as well. Um, I I will agree that it makes a parking lot look nicer, especially a gigantic parking lot. There's probably some merit to, you know, temperature control and keeping areas cooler, especially as we have more and more asphalt and concrete around the city. Um, but it there is a cost to it. And there's language, if I if I recall correctly, there's language in here about having to bring in a landscaping group to tell you what you need to do and to pick the right kind of vegetation, the right kind of trees. And then you have all of the cost of ongoing cost of water and maintenance of your water systems. Um, so I mean that was my main concern and and it was really just the purpose portion or or one of the main pieces was the purpose portion. Um, should do we have a right to beautify or is our is our duty more to um what's a good way to put this handle storm water and runoff and things of that nature? Um, so that that was one of the areas where I was a little concerned if that if that is our purpose to beautify or not. And it

seems to me it's it's not necessarily. Well, it is definitely our purpose when we have the MS4 permit for storm water, right? And oftent times those are in grass swailes and those types of things if you don't have you can you can handle them in those types of ways. And as far as trees, yes, that does provide some shade and some um cooling, if you will. And yeah, you can ask yourself, well, is that really where the government should, you know, interfere, if you will?

Um should we leave this to the private sector to determine, do they think their business will get um customers either way, whether they have trees or not? So, this is policy. This is city code. And so uh you have what we're asking from you is maybe what are you comfortable with and what would you like us to explore further otherwise it stands as it is. Yeah I can I can send an email on what sure some of my thoughts are

yeah just an observation if I might. Uh one of the uh consequences um that actually reduced the amount of landscaping um came as a result of the the code change we made last year to reduce the required size of parking lots. We cut it in half. So by virtue of the fact that the parking lots are smaller by as much as half um there's less landscaping required. So I just wanted to point that out.

Thank you Joel. council, I think um what staff and I'll throw myself in that group are asking you uh you can do it with a head nod or you can make a formal motion to reconsider these amendments, but um Council President Kleberg is going to be serving on this comprehensive plan review group as well as myself. And so we'll have another chance to look at this, talk about it, but it'll go through planning and zoning this comprehensive plan rewrite group which basically implements envision uh 2044, right? Did I get the year right? which is our city comprehensive plan that's been passed. That is our comprehensive plan and so we have to follow that and if we need to make changes to that we can certainly do that and that's what this is asking to do but it it should go through proper discussion with planning and zoning then the comprehensive plan review group and then it comes back to council again. So if you want to give them a head or a motion either way just let me know and we'll we'll send them on their way.

We comfortable. Thank you. Okay, Joel, looks like we're going to ask you to bring that back to us through the process and we'll take another look at it. Appreciate all your work on that. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you, Director Gro. Also, council, next up we have item D, introduction of zoning code amendment C8-04-25, introduction and request for direction relating proposed amendments to Louis and city code chapter 37 article 17 associated with telecommunications facilities of broadband infrastructure to comply with legislative changes. We have our assistant city planner with us, Miss Katie Hollings. Katie, welcome. Please introduce yourself for the record. The floor is yours.

Council Katie Haulings, assistant planner. Um, so much like Joel said, um, we're going to start bringing these items to you for discussion prior to scheduling the public hearings in front of you. So, this has already gone in front of our planning and zoning commission. Um this amendment affects um chapter 37 um section 215 which is currently called wireless communication facilities regulations. This change is being uh made because of changes made at the state legislature um end of things where they have um updated their code regarding telecommunication facilities and so in turn we are making those same updates to our code. So in the packet I included the redlinined version of the code. So this shows what is currently in code. All the red items are what the proposed changes are. So our code um is currently called wireless communication facilities. So we'd be changing the title of that to telecommunication facilities and broadband infrastructure. So again it matches state code. Um so you'll see that a bazillion times because it says it a bazillion times within the code. Um so a lot of it is just changing that title. There's also some changes being made to definitions adding um broadband adding broadband infrastructure adding broadband provider um and then similarly removing um definitions that we previously were using that were sort of similar so that not to repeat. Um so removing operator, removing provider, uh removing wireless infrastructure provider and then um kind of the most I think are the most important items are there are a couple sections where state code um is implementing shorter um review times than we had in a couple of

sections. Um, for the most part, um, the review times are more restrictive to staff and how much time we have to process an application, provide an answer back to the applicant whether or not it's complete, and then do the full review or schedule a public hearing or do whatever is required for that application. Um, but there were two sections that the state um put into their code where it is a shorter time frame than we previously had listed. Um the time frames are kind of um I'll say they're a misnomer because our permitting time frames are actually shorter in most cases um than uh what is provided in the code. So we're completing these things in a more timely manner than what is listed in the code. So under get back to the actual section so under towers which is section 37222 under alternative sites which is E. So under D under that E listing um this would be for a sitting for a sighting application. So that's where you're putting up a new tower that requires a conditional use permit. The governing board shall within 30 days hold a public hearing to approve, approve with modification or deny an application. So that would be the scheduling time we are allowed to schedule public hearing from the planning and zoning commission for a conditional use permit for an alternate site. And then a little further down um also under that alternate site and conditional use permits for towers. So this is H just further down the line um adding the 30 days again for the public hearing portion of it. And then there's one more in here because I think we want some something went to 21 days.

Yeah. So under section 37 um 229 eligible facility facilities modification request um that provides a 21day um 21 business day uh for the tolling completeness. Like I said we usually complete that much faster. So the tolling complete list is um saying that an application has all the items that are required for the full review and kicking that back to them if it does not have all the items that are required by like the FCC or whatever it is. I think that might be the last one. Nope, there's one other spot. Um and then under a collocation application, so that's 37232. Again, changing that tolling time from 30 days to 21 days. And then the total review time from 90 days to 60 days. But like I said, none of our review times is 60 days. None of our review times are 90 days. Um but yeah, changing those tolling times. So those are the proposed amendments to again match what state code has in title 67. Um it's title 676540 is where they're adding that section. Um and that's what we are going to bring in front of council for a public hearing at a later date. Council questions.

Mayor, councelor Klein. Um, so I was wondering, so is our code more restrictive than the state code? Is that why we have it or is it something that we could um do away with like we did the the childcare facility? Like

so our code is more restrictive to like staff. So the whole reason this code went in in 2020 um was there was something called the Spectrum Act that came out at the federal level. Um, and so that was a situation where jurisdictions, not necessarily ours, but jurisdictions in general, um, were being sued by telecommunications providers, um, because they would sit on an application. They wouldn't process it. They wouldn't make a decision, right? They would just let it float in the wind. Um so the spectrum act um developed a lot of different standards so that you can both say if an application is complete and if it's not you have a certain amount of time to kick it back to that applicant um or to do the review process in total. And so, like I said at the beginning, our code is more restrictive to us as staff to make sure that we are following those federal guidelines for getting applications processed quickly because a lot of times, so we haven't had a a tower go in in the six years we've had this code section, right? Um, but if we were to have a tower, this provides us a very clear path on how we get that processed quickly so that an applicant can come in and figure out where they can put a tower, figure out all those regulatory steps to do a tower and get that process moving in a timely fashion rather than us running around with our heads cut off and being like, well, where is it appropriate to have a tower? Well, who are we going to affect with this tower? You know, all those sorts of things. So, this lines all of that kind of stuff out really well. Um, and in all actuality, like yes, could we make changes to it? Probably. Is that really staff's priority right now? No. We have a lot of other things going on. Um, we also are aware that there is additional legislation kind of being talked about at the state level right now that could bring more changes that we'll have to address. Um, so we wanted to make these immediate changes so that we match state code because that's requirement. Um and then we would probably revisit um depending on what happens during this session to see what other changes they decide to make. I

would say in general most of the applications we get in this area for towers are either a collocation or what's called an eligible facilities request where it's the same company just going in and replacing their equipment with newer equipment. But I think councelor to answer your question, Miss Hollings had said that our permit review times are shorter than the states. So we are actually more generous that way. You know, where we put ourselves to a higher standard than what the state code is on that council, do you have any direction for Katie other than wish her well on this? She has a lot of work to do.

Just had a question, counselor. Um I was just curious in here and I know the public one of the questions and I couldn't really hear what the mayor said but one of the questions the public will be with this signing of this bill will that mean um a push for more towers in Lon or is that just correcting a lot of the updating the actual um issues that go around the towers you know and everything. I would say it's just matching state code. Um like I said, we have not had a tower application in the six years we've had this code. I don't I don't foresee like I think it was a thing where everybody thought 5G was going to come and it was going to come quick and fast and a ton. That is not what has occurred in our particular jurisdiction. Um and I don't think that is what is going to occur in our particular jurisdiction.

Thanks Right. Thank you. Are there restrictions that we have for where a tower can be built? Yes. within so many feet of a school. Okay. Yeah, there's a couple that's um so in that section there's like the tower section. Yeah. Um there's different areas that are listed as the appropriate locations. And then there's that section that says alternative sites.

And so for an alternative site, like you have to go through some steps to show why you can't do it in something that's been deemed an appropriate location, like not next to a school or not in a residential area or whatever. um and why whatever your alternative site is is needed. So yeah, so we have both um an outline for where a tower can go without any additional stuff and then all the steps that are required if you don't want to put your tower where we said it's appropriate to go. Thank you, Cerman.

Um reading here. So, if someone did come in and they're wanting to put a tower somewhere, they do go through the certificate of appropriateness path, conditional use permit. They do get a conditional use permit. Okay. So, I guess um because that's basically those can be revoked, right? That's what conditional use permits like if they're I don't know doing something that was not they can be denied. Yeah. what they can't be taken away once they've gotten so a conditional use permit once it's approved runs with the land unless a condition is made that it's only good for like so many years which is unusual

um but normally conditional use permit runs with the land and so it'd be good for ever okay perfect I see that thank you

Katie is there anything else you need from council this moment. Just wanted to introduce it and then like I said, you will see it for public hearing probably at the end of the month. Thank you. Thank you, Kitty. Council, next up we have item D, traffic control plans for public assemblies and parades. Discussion regarding traffic control plans related to public assemblies and parades in city code, chapter 9, articles 9 and 10. We have our public works director, Dustin Johnson, with us here. Welcome, director.

Good afternoon, city council mayor Dustin Johnson, public works director. Um, I'm going to try and buzz through this. I don't want to belabor and make this meeting any longer than we need to. So, um, if I start talking in circles or I go over something you want to go into more depth, just stop me or just throw something at me. That that'll work, too. That'll get my attention. Um so the nexus of this was uh we obviously uh downtown traditionally we get a lot of events uh events parades and the mayor was kind of reviewing the uh the the code and was asking some questions and uh and I I'll skip to the end and it and my review I think we do need to update the code uh but so I don't have any code proposals or amendments to lay out to you because before I started working on it wanted to generally get the feed feedback from you guys before I started making any code amendments to find out what you're comfortable. So, I'll give you a little bit of history and uh the purpose of what we're what we're here for today. Um, so I guess generally I'm going to outline kind of what what we see every day or not every day but every year annually. Uh, what the process is, what the code reads, uh, kind of get your feedback on what what are you what you think uh, is some code amendments that are are are worthy and maybe some stuff that you're comfortable with as it's written. uh and then kind of how that code uh relates to our um operations because generally uh the way the code reads and the way we operate don't necessarily blend. Um and so I guess that's in a nutshell is why we're here. So what does the code actually say? It's spelled out and I did include I'm sure you guys memorized it. It was in your packet a nice big thick section of all the code uh articles of nine and 10 of the city code. So parades and public assemblies are uh you're gonna have to throw further than that. Parades and public assemblies are in two se separate

sections. Uh but they're basically administered kind of similar uh just because they're a parade is a public assembly that moves down the road. Um there is an application that is required that includes a traffic control plan. And that I guess that is our first uh hint at kind of where things diverge from way the code is written and and what we actually do. Um there are insurance requirements, there are restrictions, appeals. Uh not that we've ever had to do it, but there are some enforcement measures. If somebody doesn't follow through with their permit, we would revoke it. Uh there, you know, if somebody applies for a permit, uh and it's denied, there's an appeal process. Um and and you know really in the the the permits go through the public works director. So I sign off on it. Every permit, every parade, every public assembly goes through our office. It's routed through and ultimately I sign it. Uh and there's 14 criteria uh within the code that I review. Well, I mean I kind of know them generally. I mean it's the same parade. So it's not like I deny the roundup in 27, but approve it in 26. But there's 14 criteria that they have to meet in order to to be approved. Operational concerns. So again, why we're here today, uh, as I've already kind of alluded to, there's areas of vagueness in responsibilities in the code. I think primarily the one that I'm I'm I'm focused on is who's paying for traffic control. The way the code reads, and I've read it multiple times, it doesn't specifically say the applicant's required, but in infer in the language, it infers that the applicant pay for traffic control or is responsible for traffic control. In practice, the city does all the traffic control. In general, there may be a couple exceptions and work with LCSC or or you know, obviously the roundup parade is a big event, pumpkin poo is a big event. uh we obviously coordinate with any of these these uh event planners, but ultimately the city takes the

responsibility to set up the barricades, shut down the street, detour traffic. That's how it's operated since I've been here. And so in in if if we do accomplish anything, clarifying the code that says exactly who's responsible for what even if it is continuous the way it's operated to be clear in that the city will will will be responsible or the city won't be responsible. Um there is no defined boundary or no defined limits in the number of events. Uh we've just kind of been, you know, it's a calendar. Uh we're going to celebrate pumpkin palooa the Saturday before Halloween. The Roundup Parade is uh September. I'm not I'm blanking on the specific, but it's the same Saturday. Um Veterans Parade is obviously right around Veterans Day in November. So, these are all traditional events that are done every single year. We've had a very few conflicts where events want to be done at the same time. Um we've only actually had one in my time. Uh and we've not we've only have a limited number of events that have been come in as new events. Um, and so that opens it up. So, if we're going to sponsor and and facilitate the the roundup parade in our but we're not matching the code, what would prevent somebody to come in and say, I want a a a parade that meets the 14 criteria. Uh, and then we would permit it. And maybe it's not a parade that, you know, Lewon wants to be attributed to, or it is. I you know it it it it sets ourselves up for a little bit of a gray area where the citizens may not support this particular parade for for you know my grandpa's parade. We're going to celebrate. We're going to close this down Main Street. It it checked all the boxes of of the criteria and we're going to let them do it even though the citizens don't really care about my grandpa's parade. So I'm going to go buzz through all these real quick. I'm sure most of you are aware of them. Roundup parade, hot August Nights. Uh those are those are big parades. Hot August night is or uh

hot August nights are is our biggest event because it's a multi-day it's a weekend event. Uh and I listed these are all of the gatherings parades that we code in our our tracking software. And so um these are like LCSC moving day. We only shut down uh the the parking off of fifth the the grade right there. So that's you know I've got the cost. I'll show you. Um there's not much to that. the Disney celebration that was a a one-time thing. I haven't heard I haven't gotten an application. There was talk that it was such a a fun successful event they want to repeat it. I haven't seen it. So, that may just be a one and done and it goes away. Crazy Days in the last couple years they were uh doing a concert on F and New Six back there and so there was some street closures on that. The Crazy Days typically don't have a street closure. NIA World Series. Most of that I think we've had a parade or something downtown or street closure one a pep rally in the past but most of that street closures all up there obviously by Harris Field um where the LCSC is managing that event. Uh Seapport River Run that's the bridge uh run across the bridge. So we facilitate traffic control on that. Art and the Elms that's just parking that we traditionally close uh working with LCSC on that. Winter Spirit, that's an event uh you know down here uh locomotive park. We don't really get involved with that, but there was a fatality I think in 23 or 24. And so we've worked with the the the winter spirit folks, uh ITD, that is ITD rightway, Idaho Department of Transportation, uh Highway Patrol, and then we had some PD presence on that. And so you'll see we we we do a little bit. We've put our put out our our readerboard signs to warn people of pedestrians and that's only for opening night. That's not the entire uh winter spirit event. Veterans Day parade, that's another street closure. That one um is probably our third biggest event.

Pumpkin Palooa has really ramped up in popularity. That's not a parade, but event downtown where we do close Maine and I don't think we don't close D. That's just Maine on that one. And then ArtWalk. Um we've had some parking closures, some detours, but no, um actual street closure. So in your packet there was uh included the the breakdown of all the costs. So you can see 24 25. So we're not I mean in the big picture of transportation. This is just absorbed in transportation's budget. There is no specific line item called for special events. It's just that's what we spend on an annual basis. So you spread that across. That's not a huge hit to our transportation budget, but you know, it is just absorbed. Um, and that is absorbed just like if you know the windstorm a couple months ago, uh, snow, you know, we we saved a lot of money on snow this year, so maybe we we come out ahead this year. But, um, there's a lot of unknown events that transportation and streets respond to that's just absorbed in our budget. So, we don't have particular line items to everything and we don't have line items on this one. So you can see uh costs go up every year um just depending on the number of events and the hours that it's required to do that. Um so there you go. Um we can go back to this slide, but this kind of shows you generally uh one we're kind of early in the fiscal year as far as parades go. Um so I don't have the you know roundup parade goes right at the end of our fiscal year. Um but you don't see a lot of um obviously all these things haven't happened yet, but you can kind of compare where we have been over the time. It's somewhat consistent. Um there is one exception. You'll notice uh the Veterans Day parade. Uh so you can see the cost was right around 23 $2,200 to set that up. And then FY26, which would be last November, it was $4,000.

Um and the driver behind that is uh working with those in in setting that up, working with PD, um kind of utilizing equipment to better secure the entrances. So you see Main Street coming off the Blue Bridge. We route them onto the bypass. Um we've started setting up right now dump trucks, heavy equipment to to further um establish a secure edge to these events. We put them at the top of the fifth street grade, any other areas where traffic could get in and and um you're seeing that actually across the board in a lot of um bigger venues. So, you know, Super Bowl, big big football games, public gatherings, you're starting to see hardened edges just to keep a harder delineation of vehicles go here, pedestrians go here. U and that's moving dump trucks around and equipment. Uh that's just more costs. And so you can see our costs uh we went up what is that 1,700 $1,800 uh in that one. And you can expect to see the same thing for anything that requires a full street closure. So Hot August Nights and Roundup Parade will probably be doing the same thing. Um and Chief Kusik wasn't able to make it, but Chris Reese is here. Um if you have from a PD perspective, but Chief Cusk has been doing a lot of uh looking into these types of barricades. Uh I've been to a couple larger uh events on college campuses and Bourbon Street, uh New Orleans, where you're seeing these types of barricades. They fold up and they go into a trailer. Um and they're they're somewhat they're heavy enough where nobody's going to walk off with them, but they're mobile enough where you can wheel them out. And so you can see where the barricades are set up and if a car would hit that, it folds up and you can't the car just wedg it wedges up underneath the body of the car and they can't go any further. So that that's something that um CUSIC chief cousic's been looking at. Um and that's that's kind of a PD thing. Um but you know, we

haven't even figured out who would set those up or how those would be managed. So questions for uh well with those barriers is the intent to to is the intent also to save cost.

Yeah, I I I think yeah the C I haven't seen his his he got a quote. They're not cheap. Nothing is cheap anymore. Um uh but yeah, they that they instead of having three dump trucks moving to three different intersections, you could have a trailer of these and a crew of two roll them out and they they fold out, you put them up, then you drive off. And so yeah, you're still putting things up, but we're also doing traffic control at the same time. So you wouldn't have to have a separate crew doing traffic control and dump trucks. you would have traffic control and then the barricades kind of the same thing. So I believe I've kind of outlined all the points that I was looking for. So I've kind of just recycle this slide of uh from the council's perspective, how are you comfortable managing these these events? Uh and what from your perspective you think we need to solidify in the code and then outside of the code. But I mean obviously you want to want operations and the code to match but how do you think we should be operating these these public events? I will say this has come this is this is I think the first time this council excluding maybe uh council Kleberg uh probably 2017 maybe before my time but I was in the valley this came up before the council was interested in not paying for this and there was I mean the the Roundup parade and a couple other uh local parade I think it was hot August nights and roundup parade said that they felt this is a city's responsibility to sponsor that you know this is a the community event that that we should be covering the the the costs. Um, you know, and and there is an application fee. I think it's 200 bucks for a new parade or new event and I think 60 or 80 bucks for a recycled one. And that's, you know, like the Roundup parade, it's the same traffic control plan every year. And so we don't have to really

scrutinize it like a new event. And and so it's a very quick turnaround as long as they provide the same one. Nothing's new. So that's why it's a different price. But that price is only paying for the review and turnaround of the actual application. It's, you know, $200 is obviously not covering nearly hardly probably nothing of that um traffic control setup. So that's all the things I wanted to get out, but now I want to hear from you.

Let me make a quick comment. Um I'd asked the director about this a couple of times about who's paying for this and it's overtime. We're paying overtime for traffic control. And my interpretation of the code as I read it is that the applicant is to submit a transport a traffic control plan, then they also need to implement it, including taking it down when the event is over. And the the code is not written clearly. It could be cleaned up a little bit. Uh but it it to me it brings up other questions. So, you know, is this something that we should be paying for out of our overtime budget for the streets department? Um and then if we do it for one or we going to do it for all. So there has to be some decisions to be made on that some guidelines. And then how do you do that? And then also do we look at possibly increase if we're going to pay for traffic control plan then do we increase the permit fees to help recover some of those costs. So that's what I brought to the director and that's why it's here today. But uh at a minimum we need to clean the code up. So specime. So, I guess the question is, can the people that are putting on the parades afford to pay? Now, I I think it's the city's obligation on a lot of those to support the parades, but I can see the costwise, but could they truly afford the $4,000?

Well, u So, let me give you my response. U like the hot August nights, I think they have an entry fee or something. So, there's money that's exchanged as my understanding. Uh so we do have those types of events that go on. Most of the Seport River run would be the same thing. Uh some of these others where there may be some uh money involved with it, you know. Uh it would be harder for a smaller group to pay that to pay those fees. Um yes. So that that's um that would be my response to that. But again, um um I think we I need to have an understanding of how who's going to pay for it and when. Um because we could have more than a dozen applications come in. We just have to be prepared to pay for it. And Chief Husk's not here, but Captain Ree is with us here today. Captain, I don't know if you have any comments to make about the barriers or anything about what the LPD's emphasis might be, but we're certainly seeing a change when it comes to safety and uh for good reason, I think. Captain Ree,

uh Chris Reese, Captain Police Department. Um, yeah, the PD's portion of this is is primarily in public safety. And over the years, we have, and I'm sure you guys have seen on the news, where these vehicle born attacks where people are just mowing through crowds are becoming more and more um prolific. And aside from directed attacks, but we could also have someone who's an impaired driver. We could have someone who is having a medical emergency and just start plowing through people just the way that we're currently set up or what we have been. Obviously, we're working with public works, excuse me, uh and they're doing a fantastic job in as far as setting up the dump trucks and whatnot, but that comes with a cost, that comes with overtime, that comes with manpower. Um, and Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies are definitely uh recommending that one way to deter, you know, a vehicle plowing through a crowd is to set up the roadblocks as far as what we're looking at. And they're not cheap. They're they're not cheap. Um but uh looking at what we have available and the resources and what is available to the city and and and to law enforcement, obviously we can't do a permanent structure. We can't do um anything that is uh you know remote. We've seen uh lately in the uh the Bourbon Street attacks where they actually set up these remote control barriers that raise that's out of the question. So these movable barriers uh that can be set up and taken down within a certain amount of time. That seems to be the most feasible option as far as the public safety standpoint goes for for for our area.

Council questions for Captain Ree. Councelor my you say that these portable road blocks are expensive. They're certainly not nearly as expensive as a dump truck whenever gets broadside and taken out of service.

Uh correct. Um, but we also have to look at the availability when it comes to are these dump trucks available? Is one of them out of service because of mechanical issues? Uh, and you know, we I think we ran into that uh just this last goound where one of the dump trucks wasn't available. So, we had to modify our plan around that. So, uh, yeah, I mean, you're you're exactly right. We're we're looking in the long term as far as a more permanent solution where we don't have to rely on having people come out with dump trucks and driving them there and then leaving them there. And I know speaking of Gene Harrington, the risk risk management person, he was also concerned about if we left there, people climbing on them, them getting hurt. You know, we we we have to have those uh monitored whenever that they're there and that just incurs the cost, but it's a valid point 100%. So, are you looking $1,500 a barricade?

Uh, no. They're about uh they're about 20,000 the last time that we checked for what? Correct. Pull that picture back up. Cuz I think I found a new job. Yeah. Yeah. You're telling me each one of those plast barricade or I don't know if those are the I have Chief Kuzzik had a a personal matter that he had to deal with. So, he's not here. So, I'm not sure. I I don't believe those are going to be the exact ones. Okay. No, those are not the exact ones if I'm not mistaken. They're better. I I have seen very similar to these in person uh both in Boise and Seattle and they do work quite well. Oh, yeah. The traffic.

Yeah. And uh Chief Chief Kuzzuk, he's he's a the driving force as far as doing the research. So, uh I'd venture to say that what he found would probably be the best suitable for for our area. Thank you. Thank you, Council President Clayberg.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, far as who needs to pay for it, I can say that, uh, those of you who've been around long enough, Elaine probably, uh, when I had my bicycle shop and we had an active bicycle club here in town, we hosted a bicycle race every Memorial Day where we would close down Main Street, which required a pretty extensive traffic control plan, but our group paid paid for it because we took it out of the the entry fees from the cyclists that came in to do it. On the other hand, what we did was we brought in a a triple axle trailer loaded with hay bales and we put hay bales around every light pole, anything that a cyclist could crash into and smack themselves. So, and we cleaned it all up. you know, at the end of the day, we had all the signs out the street and the city came down at their leisure to pick up the signs. So, you know, looking at it, it was that wasn't really a forprofit event. Um, it did generate I think it generated a pretty good e economic impact for the community. Um, but as you look down this list, I mean, Rhonda prayed, hogous nights, I mean, there's several events on here that are definitely forprofit and I would think that they could certainly find that in their budget to cover the cost of road closures.

Council forman.

Yeah, I'm seeing here on average, you know, $2,400 or so for those kind similar barriers like that. Um I'm wondering if that's something that either they can bring it, the the events coordinator can bring the barricades and then they don't have to pay the extra cost or maybe it's part of the rental fee that you rent those barricades uh and maybe a little cost to set up. I definitely think it's worth looking at how do we get these costs evened out a little bit and and revisiting this. It's I've seen other cities have mixed things that do that. They some of them will require you to pay it and the city is not responsible. Some still incur the cost. So

yeah, everywhere I've worked the city has covered that. Not to say that that's the norm. I did I have not reached out. We actually had conversation this morning um kind of you know Moscow has their farmers market, you know, every Saturday in the summer. There's a couple other events similar to that that um who's paying for what. Um and you know one of the things is there's a steeper application fee for the the traffic control than to a certain you know certain amount of time that covers you know because like hot August nights is a weekend versus the Roundup parades a morning. So, you know, an escalator that, you know, yeah, there's there's not just a one-sizefits-all application that, you know, there's a, you know, the like a taxi, you know, raise the fair, start the fair, and then at some point this is, you know, you you pay additional in the past, you know, some of these, you know, LCSC um are minor events and they they they handle some of the stuff with it. Some of it is city city sponsored events. The only ones that were kind of the I don't want to call them oddballs was uh BDL's pumpkin palooa and artwalk an organization you would you would need to find you know pumpkin palooa in particular that's just a community event. There's not a people don't come and pay to to trickor treat downtown. So that one would be the outlier that would be a challenge to find that but

sure right.

Yeah. So I I would think sort of step one would be building trying to build a tier system in this. So structuring like what are city sponsored events that the city potentially would pay for and what are not city sponsored events? What are just somebody wants a permit to do something in a section of the street? Um, so I think that would be the first step and and maybe that's already the case, but I would think from a legal standpoint, maybe that would be the first step so that we're not um, you know, getting a whole bunch of applications and like, well, we don't want that to occur here. We don't want to pay for it and it becomes sort of a problem because

yeah, clear language. You know, it's funny how in public works can you can pretty much get into first amendment pretty quick, which you wouldn't think, but you know, trying to you can't exclude any anything that you know you want, but you're also trying to mind the budget and not not pay for things that are frivolous. So, um I I obviously would be spending some substantial time with legal to trying to discern what is in the benefit of the taxpayers versus the comm community as far as expressing, you know, community events kind of thing,

right? And it and it kind of leads into my second part of the where the money is coming from. Is this something where we need a a specific spot in the budget? That is this is what we'll we allocate for parades and city sponsored events so that it's not just coming out of certain groups budgets. Councelor, that's a good question. And I'm going to ask uh Director Johnson to put a line item in his budget for grades so that you the council have information and you know what you're spending on these types of events. You know, if that's the decision you make, right? Yeah, makes that makes sense. Yeah.

Otherwise, you might say, well, why is overtime so high? I would say guys are busy. Yeah. No, what are they doing? So councelor Forceman,

I would I would just echo councelor Wright as far as the tiered system just looking into the avenues of how do we how do we determine that this is truly a public event. Um but then maybe that be that they don't have to pay for it to and it's um really community engaged. So maybe that means you don't pay a certain fee. Um things like hot August nights, they do like the mayor says make some profits from that. I don't know if they make profits per se, but they there is like sign up entry fees and stuff. And so kind of trying to figure out what that would look like legally, I think would be a good avenue to start.

That's probably a good idea. I um obviously want to work with, as I said, legal on that. Kind of find some benchmarks. I may need to come back once I've kind of done my homework and found out where these things fall. Um, the attorney is usually pretty good about telling what I can and can't do. So, that's a starting point and then come back. I think u I'll I will start working on the code amendments. Uh, if it it comes out cleaner than I think it's going to be, I'll probably just take it to you at a regular work at a regular session. But more than likely, I'll probably run into a few things where I need some feedback and maybe I'll just have a very concise these are the three questions I need to work through before we completely refine it. But like community development bringing these code amendments to you early probably helps us get these across the finish line in a cleaner fashion. So

director or counselor right you can be the public I do have one other one that might be a little controversial but I I'm curious about the rules. So, if we have a shutdown downtown because we're having an event like Hot August Nights for example, what are the options with waving open container laws that we have because there's bars in various places throughout there and somebody walking from one bar to the next bar, things like that. So, I'm just curious. Different part of code. Okay.

They don't let me handle alcohol. Jennifer Tangado, city attorney. That's regulated by state code. So unless the state legislature had a change of heart on how it handled those, then the Lucid Police Department and city wouldn't be able to do much to change that. Gotcha. Okay. Thank you.

Do you feel like you have firm direction, not clear, but firm direction from the council? I think I have enough direction that I have a starting point. Um, I I need to to look I need to work with Jennifer to find how we can set bookends on what we can and can't restrict and how we would want to restrict that and then I can take it back to the council to see how how how restrictive we want to be. But what do you mean to be I need to know too what do you mean by restrictive?

Can we exclude future events? Can we specifically say we're going to have four main street closures a year or um you know and and we're gonna charge public entities uh a reduced rate. Can we do that um versus a private because uh I think Hot August Nights is not a nonprofit. Some of these are nonprofits. Some of them are us. So can we charge people's different rates? She's probably over there telling she's answering her questions right now, but I need to talk with her. I mean, those are the types of things that I think we probably need to work through of what what are the boundaries that we can can have because I'm afraid if we start picking through who pays and who doesn't pay or who pays a reduced rate, I I don't know that we are going to be setting ourselves up for success. But I I think there's a way that we could probably be uh clear enough in the code amendments that we can probably get something that would be more functional.

Councelor Klein, I think what we really want to avoid is sponsoring like doing the barricades and stuff for controversial like parades and issues like you know the Hell's Angels wanted to have a parade down here and or hate groups you know.

Yeah. And that's where one thing that I was leaning on and I can't find it on the spot, but the the 14 criteria, one is um um concern for public uh violence or or or something to that, you know, that there if it was if you wrote Hell's Angels and we just want to have a street fight, that would give me a clear reason to deny that application. So, some of the language is clear on that. I can't. Oh. Um, uh, parade would unreasonably impact private businesses. Parade presents an unreasonable risk to public safety. Parade would cause damage to public property. So, a lot of those things. Um, you know, but it if you wanted to advocate hate speech, that's harder to for for as a public works director to say, "What defines hate speech?" That's not what I went to school for. So, that would be a a gray area. Right.

Thank you. So, one thing as we get into the discussion, well, as you start going down the path of do we do we pay for or not pay for or expect reimbursement for the the traffic control, um it seems that kind of the likely next step to me if I was the person putting on this parade, I'd be asking myself, well, if the city's going to charge me $3,000, I could hire this group over here. They'll only charge me $500. So, how do we want to address that piece? Is it a restriction of saying, "No, if traffic control is needed, that's the city's job. Will, you know, if we charge them, like we're going to charge you, you can't have someone else do this, or do we allow contractors to do that?" So, that's something to think about.

That is something. And tra traditionally, you know, the city prefers because that's we have a a a whole department. That's what they do is, you know, set up detours and they're they're licensed and they that's what they do every single day. Um and and yes, there's traffic control, uh a couple of them out there that do traffic control, um a as a private industry or private company. Um and so relying on them, that would be fine. It's just who's now watching, you know, to make sure as a city who signed off on the permit to close Main Street. It is it's ultimately our street and our responsibility to make sure that everything has has been followed. Um, and so there's there's a certain thing of I I think definitely it's reasonable to expect if a if a third party or event coordinator said, "Yeah, I'd like to bring in my own." I think we'd probably be okay if they wanted to pay for their own private company. But then when they were like, "How much are you going to charge?" I think I can do that cheaper. I think me and my my uncle, we have a truck and some folding chairs and well, I got a can of orange spray paint and that's that, you know, there's there's specific standards that you need, you know, reflectivity and MUTCD, which is uniform traffic code that you want to make sure that you you you check that box because if there is an accident, somebody's going to be coming and looking for, you know, did you follow all the all the rules for a street closure?

Yeah. So, I'd make sure we address that, too, in case somebody wants to hire someone.

Yep. I think that's always I think that should always be an option. Um, you know, the issue is these rates are are public rates. There's no markup on any of this and so it'd be hard for me to say Roundup Frey could probably do it cheaper because there's no markup. We we do it. It's all kind of canned that we've done it so many times. Um, but if they wanted to to do that, I think we could probably be immunable to to especially somebody like the Roundup. So, I wouldn't want to raise prices to to uh to make it so that these events don't happen. They're great community events and it brings a lot of revenue into our town. So, and it makes sense for us to um I think it makes sense that 16,000 or whatever it added up to is a small price to pay for all the business it brings into this town. Um, I just would hate to make the cost so high that like the Veterans Day parade doesn't happen now because they have to pay a fee.

Yeah. Yeah. And I I I could probably I mean I I it would be in my best interest before I come back and we start putting anything really firm down is to reach out to some of these um you know because again they're the same the same people. Um yeah, and yeah, the Veterans Day parade be would be one entity that probably, you know, they're not taking application um fees like a car show or something. So, I don't want I don't want to chase anybody out, especially a traditional um community event that brings that draws people here. Oh, sure. For Horseman.

Um, I definitely think it's smart though that we're looking through this because if you do have someone that comes in and maybe maybe they're riding that line of a kind of a protesting their beliefs or whatever and then now we have no way to say we can't pay that because of this or and it kind of puts us in hot water especially for the taxpayer because they may be like I don't want to fund this thing like you were saying. And so I think it is important that we

find a way that we can control that and have a little bit of Yep. I think that that was that was exactly where this started. It actually was the Disney celebration that you know that we just do it. Well, what if the anti- Disney came in and it was, you know, something that we didn't want. So, uh, you know, trying to, um, trying to forecast out, you know, what are we willing to pay for or not shouldn't say what are we willing to pay for, what do we, as a community, what and then that's why we're here, you know, the public and the council to say this is this is what we we envision for a community event and this is how we're, you know, shephering the tax dollars and being responsible for with them.

So, tractor, can I ask you to have that ready for the a what is this? March April work session then I won't be there. You won't be there. I'll be on the April 20th special work session. So, when would you like to bring it back so we can get this resolved? April April 20th. April 20th. Sound good? April 20th, I think, is fine. That's when he's going to be able to present. Is that a It's a special meeting. Sure. We're not going to do it on a special meeting. Oh, okay. Um, that's a special work session that we have, right? For budget, though, right?

That's um what do we put on there? Elna and then Brighton. Okay. April 20th. Yeah. All right. Public works. Stand up there the whole time. All righty. April 20th, council. Thank you, director. Yep. Council, next up, item F, on city properties. discussion of onus city properties requested by councelor Specier at the January 26, 2026 city council meeting. Thank you, Captain Ree for being here today.

Councelor Spickle. Yeah, Mayor. I guess my reasoning for um bringing putting this on the agenda is we do have some unused properties, but I am not really looking to just sell property to sell property. I think if we could take maybe one or two unused properties and the money we gain from it, apply that to like the cemetery fund to help reduce their impact on our tax dollars, property tax dollars in the future. Every year I think we it's about $100,000 a year that from property taxes go for the cemetery fund support. So instead of the sale just going into the general fund, um maybe an impact from the sale um to help that Other council comments about surplusing properties. We have a number in town we've looked at before. I think councelor Klein brought this up previously and we have a short list of properties that might be good candidates today. You know, put them back on the tax roles and uh use those dollars elsewhere. So, um I guess what we would need, the council would need is they probably need a specific property so that they could take action on those, you know, and we have some right.

Yeah. So, I would along those exact same lines just how to how to bucket this stuff. So, maybe going through a process of, you know, step one, does the city have a current or future use for this property? Um, if the answer is no, then there's a there's a potential where we can look at, okay, do we want to retain this property or or not? But kind of getting that baseline first of, you know, do we have a current or future use plan for it? Mayor,

counselor. Um I'm kind of wondering too if like uh for instance we sold uh that Brighton plot could we use I don't know if we could use those funds specifically for the cemetery or not. It' be interesting to know what rules and guidelines we have. I you know like if it has to be on the cemetery and we sold that can that then be used or is there certain um criteria there? So, I I think it'd be interesting to know how we can allocate those dollars and whether we can set them to certain things. So, who could answer that?

Councor, I I'm not sure that we can do that, but um our finance director, Amy Gordon, is here. She was jumping up and down earlier and we'll see if she can come up to help us. Um director, please uh introduce yourself. Welcome.

Uh Amy Gordon, finance director. What I can tell you is when the property at Fifth and Brighton was purchased, it was purchased out of the general fund. It seems like the fund should go back in there. I can't answer today if it has to go back in there, but one way to work that is if you were to sell the property and say it sold for 500,000. And so that is now money in the general fund, you could do a one time every year. You get to decide how you allocate your property taxes. So maybe in that subsequent year you allocate an additional 500,000 to cemetery and reduce the general fund by 500,000. So you can do it in how you allocate out property taxes. There are some restrictions on your levy rate for cemetery. So we'd have to make certain that that's not an issue, but um you know you could structure it over a couple years. But um so as long as we don't have any levy rate cap restrictions, you could certainly do it with property taxes.

So we have other smaller ones, not necessarily the the fifth and one, but some other smaller properties. Would it have to go through the same process? That makes sense, you know, to bring the money in and then just allocate it later. Is it kind of the same? And like I said, I don't know for certain if there's a you know, obviously if you've used property taxes to buy the property that's um potentially going to be surplused, it should go back into that prop a property tax supported fund. If it has to go back into the same one, I can't answer that today. We'd have to do some research. Um remind me what your question was again. I think I distracted myself.

It was all the other smaller properties we have. and follow the same process. We need would need to figure out what the source of funds when we purchased that property was. We're going to have to do some we would have to do some research on that particular property.

Jennifer Tangano, city attorney. I was just going to state what um finance director Gordon was just stating that first we want to look at how we acquired the property, but otherwise under state law um we can do with the proceeds as we would any other revenues coming into the city. And so, um, you know, once we've sold the property, depending on, um, the costs associated, how much we receive, and then ultimately, you know, is this something that we got through some other funding source, do we have to return it back to that funding source? Um, if there's no restrictions on that, then it would go into our general revenue and we could use it as we saw fit. Council President Clever.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, I just like to remind the council that I understand that that property was bought with general fund money for a specific purpose that was to build a fire station. And over the years, we raised money and set it into a dedicated fund for a new fire station. Since then, fire station got voted down and we've whittleled away at that. Doesn't change the fact that we need a new fire station. Where's that money going to come from? We keep whittling away at that fund. We're be further behind the eightball when it comes time to fund another fire station. I just want the council to be aware of that.

Councelor Speckleer, I guess mine my really attention wasn't to that property. was a lot of the other smaller ones we have. And I guess the question now that you brought up is how would you identify that if it's have has a use for it. Um who would do that? Would it be parks and rack be our best one to determine the usage of it or how do you determine that? Well, councelor that is a good start. So why don't we ask our parks and recck director uh Justin Glenn to come up and he can answer that question because property is more than just land. It includes buildings too that we may need to surplus and maybe he could give us just kind of a quick take on that. Director, please.

Justin Parks and Recreation. So, leading into this, I I received kind of a list of about 11 properties. I think a lot of them are probably what you're referencing, council member. And um my team is proactively going and putting eyes on each one of these to say is this useful space for parks and recreation or for the city to build any infrastructure on and then assessing and coming back and then going to our partners within the city is this good for storm water is this good for a utility easement or whatever those are. So we're actively doing that and so I do appreciate the conversation for a new director. It helps me learn the lay of the land a little bit. I will say there are pieces of properties that are on this list that I believe have already been presented previously by the parks and recreation commission or at least brought in front of them where they've said yeah I think we can divest of that if there's interest. Trevet Park is one of those which is uh over there by the Baldridge building and the new owner is interested in potentially procuring that. So in my eyes, there's opportunities like that where if it makes good sense where we're investing time, resources just for maintenance purpose, there's no real true return on that investment for the greater good, at least through a a quick ROI metric. Then I think that discussion needs to be had. And the way I understand it is most of these that are just blank undeveloped areas are part and have been part of our open um spaces and parks master plan which we just kind of wrapped up as you know is looking at some of these older spaces and be like man that's 2 acres on a hillside who's going to want that or who's going to get value out of that so we're actively assessing that. So I guess a followup or to the council then would it make sense to have the director provide us with a list of his identified properties?

I think so for

sorry I don't really have to do that. I just want to make sure I'm not panicking anybody. Uh, I was using Brighton as an example because that's where my brain went because I drive by it every day and no way was I having any vision in my head of getting rid of that or selling that. But I just was trying to use it as an example visual. Just want to make that clear. Um, but I also think it's important that if we have vacant lots that we don't have, as you said, intended counselor, right, intended purpose for it. It's just sitting there empty. Then we are wasting money on it and we should be looking at getting rid of it. don't I don't see a point in having us think of properties that we have no intended oh maybe on a rainy day we'll find something to do with it. So if we have property like that I think it's worth getting uh diving into and getting rid of if feasible.

So I guess director another question to you is that the discussion about supporting the cemetery fund does that make sense to you? It does make sense. I think the goal the goal I believe for any of the inventory of properties or or programs that are fall within parks, recreation and facilities is where can we gain the most efficiency um and where can we recognize recapitalization opportunities and cemetery is one of those opportunities as you all know. So if there is a a chance where we can benefit and move some taxpayer dollars somewhere else because we can be more self-sufficient in that regard, I would support that.

Also, President Claybrook. So, I guess something for people to remember also is the city does own land. And there's one thing the good Lord isn't making any more of is land. Before we go into selling off a bunch of property, people need to think long and hard about what it could be used for and what are we ultimate ultimately getting by disposing of the property. It's just money for the cemetery. I think probably pass a cemetery district and that would take care of that. Every town around here has got one. So, um, yeah, that's all I got.

Council, right? Yeah. So along those same lines, I mean when you if we identify what are these properties, what's the current use or the future use of the property? Um, if it's a way way out future use, we could look into I guess it would be a legal question to an extent, but leasing out that property instead of selling the property and then we would make some revenue on that property uh while we might have a use 20 or 30 years from now. Mayor Councelor Forsman,

I don't know if this applies, but I know when we did a conditional use permit with the lease, we were not allowed to make revenue. I'm not sure if that applies to every scenario or if that was maybe just that scenario, but I do know we ran into that with that. So, Jennifer Tinkano, city attorney, um the considerations that councelor Wright is discussing is typical of the process of do we sell land or do we lease it? When we sell land, we have to make a determination that it's excess and what's not needed um anymore for the city. And then same thing when we lease land, we need to um make an evaluation of whether or not it's not currently needed for city uses, but there's not necessarily a restriction on the revenue side of it. We could lease it at um a value. You know, we'd want to look at what fair market value would be for that property. Um, as far as the specific situation that you're speaking about with um, the conditional use permit and then the subsequent lease, it wasn't a matter of the profit side of things because that was for a nonprofit organization. There was the community need for the the um, particular project. And so we were looking at it of we can lease it for an amount that we determine. The question is what is appropriate for the purpose of the lease you know who is the lei and what is the ultimate value to the community um in at least in that particular instance where we did a less than fair market value lease because there was a greater benefit to the community at whole

very unique yes in your own situations

and and regardless of what we do whether it's leasing the land or selling it you know it would um be in our interest to determine what the value of that property would be on the market. Um, typically when we buy property, we don't pay more than like an assessed value. Um, because, you know, we're acquiring it for public purposes. So, um, we look to what an assessed value is unless there's a justification or a reason why we have to proceed at fair market value. But um in most instances, you know, when when we're leasing land, it's not necessarily about a profit or not for profit as far as um the amount that's being leased because ultimately we are generating profit by leasing it instead of just letting it set vacant or unused. So what you're thinking of is our service fees. Councelor Forsman. Um I think this is a good avenue that we're going down as far as just looking through it, find that we just start selling land off, but I'm definitely saying if we intend to keep it, there should be a vision for that piece of property. If we cannot at all find vision, then I don't I feel like the taxpayer should we see our 20 4040 visions. This is what we intend to do with our city. And if we don't have that, it just I don't know how we feel like we can justify it to them. It's my concern. So I think that this will help when you come back that information. This is going to help us decide that go down which avenue

question for Amy. I was wondering like with the with the Fifth and Brighton um property since that was it was supposed to be for a fire station. Um could we um create an investment fund uh to have that put into so that it can gain interest um while they while we wait for a new fire station location to to come available. If you were, you mean if you were to sell the property, you could certainly put it into an investment account.

So, it's just dedicated. I know that's that's a big concern for for our fire chief is losing out, you know, losing that money that's invest already invested into that property and not being able to have anything for if something does come available. And I'm pretty certain that that particular property was purchased from the assigned building fund. So you know and you you guys have that written in code what the purpose of that fund is which is any you know city buildings or infrastructure just so you know

council if it help um I don't know what we have on April 20th besides the um special meeting and now parades but um I will uh I will commit to working with Director Johnson or Glenn, pardon me, and we will bring you a property at the April 20th meeting for consideration. How about that? All right, we're going to do it. April 20th, we'll get this ball rolling. Thank you. Thank you,

council. Next up, item G, airport ownership and cost discussion related to city's ownership of the airport and review of the city's airport related costs for the last four years, including the fiscal year 2026 lease cost associated with the airport is requested by council at the February 2nd, 2026 city council meeting. Council, I'll turn this over to you. I do know that we have some representatives from the airport with us here today. Um, but I'll turn it over to you. Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor. And I was going to say that see director Isaacs and a couple board members. I guess my big concern about the airport I think um for me I felt that when we went through the um United Airlines process, the city's decision not to go forward was I'll say upsetting to the board. Um, and I think there's a couple other things that have come up that the city having three owners or three decision makers on that airport stifles the progress and the growth of the airport. Um, I truly think it should be down to one. Um, and with the city with the city being the city taxpayers get double tax on the airport is that we also pay the um county taxes city and county. So, um, we're getting hit for a large portion of any money that goes towards the airport, but to me, um, what I'd like to do is, um, meet with the commissioners, and I've talked to one of them, um, meet with them and discuss the options available and what they thought about it, and even with the board and the director, um, what's a good move moving forward for the airport. Um, just up for discussion. Uh, councelor Spicer,

councelor Forsman, is is the thought is maybe because you say one ownership obviously is the thought that maybe the county or or just the city either one decides to take full ownership or consume full ownership. Is that kind of what the discussion is, Senator? Well, I had originally thought just the county cuz they had expressed an interest in that one ownership, but one of the commissioners had mentioned, well, maybe um looking at a the port taking it or even the district um you know, to help consolidate the ownership and give better direction on where they're going to move with the airport. Councelor Porchman,

I'd like to know about a district. I don't I don't know how that I haven't looked at any any of that, but I think it would be interesting uh if that would be feasible and if that would make more financial sense for every party involved. I'm not sure. Um but I definitely think exploring the avenues isn't isn't a bad idea. Making sure you have those that are affected obviously um part of the conversation. I don't know if that looks like a little small committee that's going through and and thinking about how they could do it or if that's just going to the prop the airport meetings. Not sure what that would look like, but seems worth continuing.

Council, would it be appropriate to ask um Mr. Peters if he has any input on it? I I Mr. Peters can choose to speak or not. We can put him on the spot. Gary, are you um

happy to might be better off, but apologize. I've been hauling manure all morning, so this is what you get. Gary, welcome. Please introduce yourself for the record. The floor is yours. Uh, Gary Peters, airport authority board chairman. Um, quickly off the cuff, I mean, it's it's probably ultimately up to up to you as one of the sponsors. Um, I know I've heard ideas or uh, you know, floated ideas would have, you know, back of course go back into a bit of the days when maybe the sponsors weren't getting along quite as well as we'd all hoped. I think probably one of them would have gladly taken it off one of the other's hands, but I don't I I don't think we're quite in that scenario anymore. Um I think I think we've made great strides in the last six or seven years as to keeping our sponsors um apprised as to how an airport operates and how the funding mechanisms work and what's tied in with grant assurances and and things like that where I think in the past that was really kind of the thing that brought them to loggerheads was no one really understood how an airport actually worked and and the funding and if you remember right the the board was really formed at the direction of the FAA to get it out of city ownership in order to have a separate set of books and so that federal funding with grant assurances weren't intermingled with city funds to where they got you know in a little bit of trouble and some accounting uh issues. So that's kind of where the authority board, you know, and and this is way before my time, but it was really it it Jim Jim, Mayor Cleber could probably or excuse me, councelor Cleleberg could probably then mayor, he could elaborate. It was an it was a an advisory board in the beginning as they kind of took those steps to separate it up from city sole ownership and then it turned into authority board. And if I

remember right, that authority board was kind of designed after Sun Valley Airport. They they did a similar uh makeup of Touque city, two county, and one at large. So that's kind of where we are, how we got to where we are today. Um I can appreciate Council Spammire's comments and wanting to alleviate any tax burden for his constituents, which I think is wonderful. Um I think it's no secret the county um maybe with the commissioners they have right now are are very pro airport. I obviously Commissioner Gish was a would you huge proponent and part of the airport's turnaround if you will um commission currently commissioner Havens was always very supportive of the airport I think councelor Leki you know she was our le lays on so there I think they're all very comfortable and have a good idea of how the airport operates um so yeah I I think it's ultimately up to you I don't think the FA would have any problem who the sponsors are Mike jump in if I if I get out of bounds um I think it's up to us to tell them how we are going to be organized and then we just operate accordingly. Obviously the JPA would need to be readressed for one sponsor and you know if you look at other surrounding airports that even other airports that are owned by different agencies such as the airport to the north you know they they aren't necessarily made up of of county and city appointees. they have atlarge business, you know, executives that or university executives, for example, that weigh in as part of their board. So, I don't I don't think the FAA will care one way or the other. They'll they'll let you or the county see it uh run it as you see fit. I know Joe has mentioned the port several times and I I think from where his perspective is just more from a funding mechanism. You know, maybe there's more more uh buckets to to pull from when we when we need to because obviously the in order to get

flights back, we're just never going to get over this 100,000 employment hump that we're on. And as you know, it's going to cost two to four to5 million to get that other flight in here, which, you know, we were close. we kind of clawed our way back to about 83,000 which was kind of pre 2018 numbers you know when we lost Alaska but it's just it's going to take some it's going to take some dollars to get over the hump um you know we're working working tirelessly at a state level we and I honestly believe myself that's where the money needs to come from. I think Idaho needs to find it in their surplus and rather than all those property tax from the airlines sitting on the tarmac of Boise or their surplus, I need I think that money needs to go into a fund. And if we just look at how, you know, the United Service that we lost went to the city of New Mexico, they did it through a state grant program, which is exactly what we are asking them to do for us. and and you know, Pocutello, Twin Falls, Idaho Falls a little bit, they're kind of over the hump now with implainments, you know, Sun Valley with their let's just call it horsepower. I don't think they'll have any problem ever with flights just because of the the type of people that have properties in that area. But, um, yeah, I think that's where the funding is going to need need to come from. Um, unless something drastically changes in the airline world, but I don't I don't foresee that happening. the Jets aren't going to get any smaller, you know, they're just going to get bigger and bigger and and it's going to be harder to to fill seeds. So, um, yeah, we're we're all open or I I don't think anyone has any negative real feelings toward you guys having those discussions and we'd love to be a part of them. And I'm sure Mike is, you know, he has a great relationship with all sides of the FAA right now. we can as as questions come up as you work through that process, we can we can definitely keep the FAA breast and and make sure there's no roadblocks or or gotchas that uh we fall into, but we would we'd love to explore it with you. And I I don't see any downside personally. So,

stand for any questions if you have any. Sure. Um so, you're saying you didn't think that the FAA cared who c who gives funding to the airport. So, for example, who owns the airport or Oh, okay. So, do they care who

Yeah, they're they're going to they're going to have a say in how they fund it just because the the AIP dollars and it is grant fund. We will apply for the grants to do projects and obviously they'll they will manage that like they do now through our engineer but as far as who owns the airport, I don't I don't think they care. So I guess for what I was trying to think of for example let's say just example the college was like we want to put in to help I don't know sponsor is the right word the airport or u some local businesses want to put their kind of name in the hat to help uh keep the airport going. Is that something that FAA would gladly take their money? Okay. FAA doesn't care about.

No. we we would throw it in an MRG fund and we could dedicate those dollars towards marketing or even purchasing, you know, taking United's deal on the table to add bring Denver back or add maybe a second Salt Lake, add a second Seattle, things were working, anything like like yeah, that would have nothing to do with the airport itself and our infrastructure like we would match the FA's 93.75%, you know, we would match that with passenger facility charges as well as the money that comes comes from your M that you support us with. But if someone wanted to donate money like that, I'm sure we would set that up into an MRG account would would be be my guess. So,

other question. Yeah. I'm just just curious about um because of the way with the the Pullman airport and it seems Pullman and Moscow have a relationship of some kind with that airport. Have Have we ever discussed with Clarkston their interest in in the airport? Anything?

So I can kind of So they are one of the rarest, if not the rarest airport in America in the fact that two different states own them. And so, yes, and and with that came a lot of political clout that was probably allowed them to do what they did and sneak a hundred million dollar project into an airport that was not near the airport of our airport which is 30 miles away. But when you have Senator Murray and and Senator Canwell, both of which are WSU alma mada, and all of a sudden a very large employer of the area and the region wants a larger airport, the hund00 million started to flow fairly quickly. But that project happened because we said no. And I just I want everybody to hear that. We'll kind probably talk about that a little more in the future, but we had every opportunity to slam that door in 2010 when let's whoever whoever was in charge of the airport. It was before my time, but we had a very large business owner, maybe one of the largest in the region approach our airport about expanding and building a facility along with hangers and development in exchange and do a land swap for our park area to a different park area. and they were well down the road with a committee and they said, "No, we can't do that. We're done working." And so that certain individual drove 30 miles north and and the process was started in 2010 to get that hundred million dollar project off the board. And so so yes, it was it was done through you mentioned you have two states. you have twice the chance of getting money out of the feds when you have when you have twice the people back lobbying for money especially when you have several powerful ones that have been there for many many years. So yes, it's a huge advantage, you know, and all you got to do is watch elections and midterms and then you watch where all the flights show up right after the elections. All of a sudden all these cities in Kansas

and these cities in Illinois and these cities in Missouri and Mississippi all of a sudden have air service that no did not have air service. So it's very very very political. So, so yeah, there is some definite advantages. I would love to have several more senators and congressmen that we could call and ask for funding and favors, but uh I with a Soten County, obviously, I don't I don't know that they're swimming in money to be honest with you. So, I I don't know if it would be something along the lines of we will sell you half the airport for a dollar and and away we go or uh you know that that probably would have to be about what the proposal would be for them to be interested would be my guess. But that's my two cents on the politics in the airport.

Forman. So am I to understand then mo and I've tried to do as much research as I can on this but um airports obviously are all airports are pretty much underfunded as far as I

not necessarily. No when you Jeff I might or council Jeff Galloway is here from Spok I don't believe Spokane is I think they operate in the black. Yeah. I mean, when you when you get to be about 100,000 employments, I mean, that's kind of the number, you know, and if you looked at our budgets and asked them if we if we could have got to 100,000 employments or close, we we could have been close to quit asking for money, you know, that's about the magic number because that's when it kind of starts to snowball. You know, that's when the PFC's, you know, start to get high enough that you can match all the all the AIP projects, the airport improvement projects. So, the rebuilding of the taxiways, runways, you know, the terminal rebuild projects come around. But then you start to make like if you if you just look at parking alone, even our little parking lot, which I I think that's Spokane's number one revenue generator is parking.

And if you look at our little parking lot that we didn't charge parking forever and ever and ever. And of course, you know, we we instituted parking probably at a time when the airport was a four-letter word and we got a lot of crap for it. But if you look at what that I mean we generate a couple hundred thousand almost $300,000 a year in parking and then you parlay that into the 93.75% we've basically been able to overhaul the entire airport in the last six years. Like we're down to our last AIP project this year on taxiway Delta and literally the entire airport both runways all taxiways taxi lanes are completely rebuilt. new asphalt, new LED lights and done where we were kind of we were turning those projects away prior to that just because they weren't really willing to put in the work and they didn't have the extra dollars. So, so yes, I think an airport can stand on its own two feet at some point, but we're not there just yet.

So, they're funded by passengers,

parking passengers, commercial real estate. I mean, if we were to lease out Hathaway Park and put a hotel, if we were to um you know, just keep leasing property, you know, like like for example, the two new Schwitzer hangers on the south side that are, you know, 85% complete. You know, they approached us in August wanting to build, you know, roughly 40,000 square foot of hangers and I believe in less than 24 days they had permits and we're breaking ground. Like that's how fast we are trying to move to develop that southside. And you know, those hangers are multi-million dollar hangers that are going to generate, you know, roughly, I'm going to guess approximately $15,000 a year each in property tax would be my guess. Um, you know, we have room for 40 more. So, so that's that's how you start to make and unfortunately we don't get a lot of that money. We get the ground lease, which is peanuts compared to the property tax, but but it all adds up. you know, next thing we probably get what are they 5,000 a year off the Schweitzer hangers approximately each off, you know, which can directly to the airport, but then the city and the county are collecting a lot of property tax off those expensive buildings. So, just got to keep saying yes and figure out how to do it. You know, the next thing you know, you're you're in the black. So, Jennifer Tangano, city attorney. One of the things that we did too when um United was asking for the MRG is we reached out to the Boise airport to see how their structure was. We reached out to the other small airports in Idaho. And one of the big differences and kind of one of the misconceptions is comparing ourselves to Spokane and Boise. Well, I don't know specifically about Spokane, but I'm going to guess that they're similar to Boise. airports don't or we don't pay or we pay our our airlines to essentially be here one way or another. In Boise, airports are scram airlines are scrambling to be there. So,

it's a completely different situation. So, you're talking about a wholly different market when you're comparing Lewon to Spokane. And really, what we should be doing is try to compare Lewon to other small airports um that service smaller populations. Um, and so where, you know, we were asking about the MRG with the Boise airport and the Boise city attorneys, they they don't have that kind of problem because they have competition amongst the airlines about who's going to pay them, that being the, you know, the Boise airport, who's going to pay them more for particular spots within their airl their airport. And so, um, I again I I haven't checked with Spokane, but I'm guessing it's probably something of a similar structure where airports or airlines want to be at that airport and they're going to buy over more valuable positions as far as within the terminal contributing to uh terminal expansion and so forth. And until we have that kind of driver here in this area, you know, looking at them and seeing how they're successful, it's helpful, but it's still going to be very different in how this particular airport operates because we're not in that quite the same position where airports or airlines are vying to be at our particular airport.

We're kind of saying the same thing. 100,000 p 100,000 passengers a year and that's kind of the break even point. And they obviously have that because they have the population centers to support that. Yeah.

And which we don't right now. We were close. We were we got up to 83, but then of course we have a competing regional airport 30 miles away from us. And let's face it, us and Pullman fight over the same exact people. So whoever's going to win that fight is probably going to get over the hump. That could be solvent at some point. But you're exactly right. Those large communities don't have that problem. And and the one of the biggest issues too is that Washington state the way that it's a state constitution is is um structured is a lot different than Idaho where they do permit their u public funding to be used for private purposes as long as there's ultimately a public benefit. In Idaho, we don't have that same ability. So, you know, even at a at a the top level, the way that Idaho can fund different things is entirely different. And so we're prohibited in the way that we spend some of our money um in the ways that Washington is not. And so even on there, we're not even on the same playing field. If you're going to compare, you know, even just Pullman to Lewon, Pullman has a lot less restrictions on how it spends its public funds where Idaho is a lot more restrictive.

Thank you, Chad, for sure. Gary, can we ask Mike to come up to the sir podium? Thank you, Gary. And um Director Isix to finish the second half of this question here. Thank you, Gary. Um part of it is to talk about the city's airport related costs for the last four years, including fiscal year 26 lease costs. Could you just give the council kind of an update on um any revenues that you receive from the city or things we're paying for or lease costs maybe?

Uh yeah, Mike Isis, airport director, we're still working with a couple key leases for the airport with the city, uh the airport park. We're trying to get that one ironed out. I believe Justin's we're we're trying to parcel out portion of that and give it back to the airport. So we're we're still working on that. We haven't been paid, I believe, since last year on that for reimbursement. Uh the golf course I think is solid. I think we're at that lease is done. We've been working on that for a couple years and got that knocked out at I think it was about 85,000 or $80,000 a year for that one. Um the and the fire station is is flat. I think that's been in place for five years now or six years. Uh and that's that's pretty set. I think that's about $6 or $7,000 a year for that as well. Is that what you were asking?

Yeah. And did we uh I don't think we gave you M this last year. Yeah. Uh M I did need 353 354,000 this year. In the last six years I've been here, there was three years where we used at least three years that we covered our ML and capital with grant funds. So we didn't request anything for those three years. Uh this last year we needed 353 or 6,000 per sponsor and that was split into all co related funds. So yeah, those were co live related funds that we used to cover our our shortages for those years.

Spec questions for director. Yes, council. It it sounded like we haven't paid our lease on the the halfway park.

Haway Park is is a done deal there. That was the Haway Park and Airport Park were combined at one point. Then the the city went away with they they gave back airportway Park to the to the airport. That was 2017 something like that. Um that lease was a little bit messy where the numbers accidentally transposed. The city said we're going to give you halfways Haway Park back, but we're going to give you we're only going to charge you Hathaway Park's fee for airport park. So, we ended up with a transposed number that was oneird 2/3. So, at that time, Dan Marsh, we had a an agreement, just a verbal, actually written agreement that he would just pay for it. So, we're cleaning up that language, getting that all messed up. We're we're cleaned up and we're going to just start fresh with this new lease.

So, to clarify, the city has paid the current lease term. It's just um what uh Mr. Isac is talking about was um the numbers were were informally changed. So that didn't go before the governing boards. It was an agreement between the bookkeeper and Dan Marsh that they would pay a higher rate and the city has asked for us to um do the original contracted rate. And in the meantime, we've been working with the airport to get a new contracted rate because they wanted to increase it above uh or to match what fair market value was. And we've been negotiating over about a year and a half or so about, you know, what that would look like. And then actually, we've changed it. So, we're reducing the footprint of what the city would be leasing. And so, we're working on the details of figuring out the exact square footage for that. Um, and then going off of the um, uh, a fair market rate for that one,

the one where we're breaking it into like three pieces. Yes. The 2/3 remainder of what the city would lease. Um, that's what we're getting. We proposed a rate that was an approximate area and the airport requests an exact area. So, we're working on that right now. Okay. Thank you. We're getting close. So, yeah, we're getting close. Well, our city surveyor is working on that exact area and that's the last thing that we're waiting on for the most part um for this. And then we'll need uh board approvals, the airport authority board and the city council. Okay.

And then that sorry and then that agreement will contemplate um the difference between what was agreed to in that agreement and then what we've paid. Um unfortunately we can't go back prior fiscal years because we've already closed out those. So it'll be from October 1st of 2025 um to present. Gotcha. So we're we should get it done um this fiscal year. So they'll get the the back payment for the to October 25. Gotcha. Okay. Thank you. Thank you.

One last thing I'd like to bring up is there's a portion there's airport property that could be surplused that we did give back to the sponsors to consider selling that. I'm I'm full of stuff. So that is actually probably one of the first properties we will probably bring to you to sell. Um as a part of a different as a part of a different thing we worked on um that particular area on the other side of Brighton. So it's on the east side of Brighton kind of uh north of Walker Field. Um, it's a large parcel, but Walker Trail goes through it. And, uh, Mayfair Court and Preston Avenue both have end points that the city would like to connect as a part of a fire safety plan and future development of that roadway. U, we have the road mapped and we were kind of considering swapping it for a different parcel of land, but that's not going to um, happen anymore. And so we're at a process where we need to get um permission or a dedication from Nespurst County um to dedicate an area for a roadway. That particular roadway would they'll create a remnant parcel and that remnant parcel can be sold um as a part of any surplus that the city and the county would like to do. And so we already have the legal description and the mapping done. We just got to get the dedication process done um with Nespers County and the city. And then once we do that, then we'll have a legal lot created that we can sell and we'll maintain um the fire safety access for Maker Court and Preston Avenue and also maintain the Walker Trail um that connection between where Walkerfield is and there's a roadway down there that ends and then we could eventually connect the two.

That's where we're at on that process. airport doesn't need it. Thank you. Sorry. Yes. Counc. Yeah. Just one other thing. U storage facilities on the airport is another area of of revenue which we've talked about before, but that's another thing.

Yeah, we developed our own storage lot uh on the back side there by the admin building. Uh it's about 30% full right now. So, it's uh we've got 66 spots. We started with a hopeful closer to a 100, but when you line up trying to back up a 20 foot camper or 30 foot camper, you you want to have a little bit more space around them. So, we we suppress uh spaced out the spaces a little bit more. So, we got 66 lots and there's room to expand it. We can continue on. In fact, all the all the asphalt millings were free. They're from the construction project and they were dumped there uh for no charge and uh so there's great field material and and uh we can expand like I said we could put easily get another 100 spaces in there so that'll generate uh good good revenue.

Yeah. Great. So it brings up another one. So, the old um roller coaster storage units um I had heard and I I had to ask you the question about it that I had heard that they were um going to be removed. Correct.

Yes, that's what I got a call last week from the owner and uh they were indicating that they are planning on tearing down those the older dilapitated buildings. So, um that that's all I know. It would be sometime this summer. I noticed that they have two leases. They have a lease for the big lot and a lease for the offices. Uh and one of them I think this the offices is expiring this year. So, uh they have another year on the on the bigger storage lot. But that that's my understanding. Property we could or you whoever could level out and actually make it um useful.

Well, if Dustin was here, he'd probably say absolutely not. It's landfill material, so it's going to be continue to haunt us. President Clayberg, thank you. Yeah, I was going to add We got the letter from airport in his face. We got until July 31st or 30th or whatever. Yeah, get my stuff out and start throwing it in the room. So, can you still reach the door? You're gonna have to cut the door out before I get in there.

Director Isaac, thank you for being with us here today and chairman Peters. We appreciate your time and your interest. And Gary, can I ask you who's sitting beside you because I'd like to know who's in the room. So, this is our lead new lead council, Jeff Galloway. I'll let Jeff introduce himself. Hi, Jeff Galloway. Would you mind me because I'm sure we're going to have conversations at all. Mayor, thank you very much. Uh, good afternoon, Jeff Galloway. I'm just new council for the airport. Just getting up to speed on some things. Um, so but I have nothing additional to add. I echo all the comments that have been made here this morning or this afternoon. Appreciate it. We look forward to working with you. Thank you as well. Thank you very much.

Welcome. Okay, council. Last item. H budget discussions. our director to finish out the last one. Um, do we need to make a motion or something if we wanted to have a meeting with the commissioners or to discuss the airport ownership? I can set that up asking for if everybody thinks it'll be appropriate

time on their calendar. Yeah, I can work with uh city clerk Rocky and um uh Stephanie over at the county and see if we can find a time to talk about that. Yeah, happy to do that. Rocky, will you help me remember? Thank you. Our last item, budget discussions. Uh finance director Amy Gordon is with us here. This is at the request of councelor John Speckleer. discussion of the city's budget as requested at the February 9th, 2026 city council meeting. Director Gordon, welcome.

Thank you, mayor, city council. Um, councelor Specer shared some thoughts that he had regarding the budget and I thought maybe the best way to approach it is to walk through the budget process and then that would then open the door for any um ideas or comments that councelor Speckleer might have or any other members of council. And I wanted to start by walking backwards through this um process so council has an understanding of um our timeline and why the timeline might be the way it is. And uh our one of our final steps in our budget process is certifying our taxes to the county. So we have to um per state code the Thursday before the second Monday of September certify our taxes. That's our last day to certify. So last year the date that fell on was September 4th. So we kind of have can sway that September 4th was like the shortest time frame we have to certify. This year is one of the longer time frames that we have to certify. So because of this date we um use the month of October to get a adopted budget. So what um I mean by adopted budget is we have two budget related ordinances. One's our appropriations ordinance, one's our tax certification ordinance. We also have an ordinance related to budget amendments, but we won't talk about those today. So in my time here at the city, um as far as I know, the city has always had three separate readings of the budget. They've never chosen to combine a reading, wave a reading. They've always had their three separate readings, three separate nights. That gives your public, your citizens three nights to come and speak um with any concerns or comments that they may have on the budget.

So to accommodate that, we start by having that first reading along with the public hearing on your first regular council meeting in August. Then we have a special meeting the um third Monday of August. And then we have the third reading and adoption on your second regularly scheduled um meeting in August. So this year the way that would work is August 10th, the 17th and then the 24th. So because your budget requires a public hearing uh and we have to publish this public hearing twice. They have to be published at least seven days apart in the list of morning tribune. So we publish on August 2nd and then again on August 9th. And that puts that second publication the day before public hearing. So to be able to meet that publication deadline, we aim to have that to the Tribune for this year. We'd be looking at July 20th. The tribune is that's not a hard deadline and they are very accommodating, but because our public hearing notice is so large, we try to give them as much time. So, we try to give them at least 10 business days to find the space for that public hearing notice. And when we talk about public hearing, what I want council to know is what goes into that public hearing is a mayor's proposed budget. because what he's doing is bringing a proposed budget to council to consider for adoption. And once we put that public hearing in the paper, we've publicized it, we've made notice of our hearing, we cannot change those budget numbers. So they go to public hearing at the numbers as published in the paper and at that point

council can reduce that budget, but you cannot increase the budget. So, we try very hard, myself, the mayor, staff, to make really clear what we plan to go into that proposed budget with. If you recall the mayor's first two years, he put forward a proposed budget that had a 0% property tax increase in it. So, we wanted to make really it make it really clear to council, this is a plan. If you have any concerns, let us know before we go to publication. Last year it was the opposite. We went in with the full tax increase in there. Um, and we wanted council to be aware of that. That's a little bit easier one because you always have that ability to trim that one back. But if we were going forward with 0% and kind of limiting what you can do with the budget, we want to make certain that everyone's really comfortable with that. So, we'll have those discussions during that final work session on the budget. Um, one of the things I wanted to mention too is in order to make certain we have our public hearing notice prepared, it's approved, uh, we've got all our numbers correct. Ideally, we'd start working on that July 13th, midmon, so we could send it off to the most tribune around the 20th. Once we have the public hearing notice drafted and um sent, that's when we start then putting our budget documents together. So, we can try to get these out shortly after um public hearing notice publishes. We try to release these about the same time as that publication. This one, if council recalls, it's more of a um story of the budget. And this goes in the tribune that same day as a first public hearing notification. And then we develop out the more

detailed um budget document. This is was really initially designed for council but we do try to make the information and the content of it appropriate for the public. So we have several um tables in here where we provide all the revenues by fund and by sources and the same with expenditures. All the expenditures by fund and category and then we take that and we compare it to the prior year budget. So you can see where the increases are in those revenue sources, decreases. Same with increases and decreases on the expenditure side. And then we go further and we break it down by department. this is what the proposed budget is for this department and this is what it compared to last year and whether it was an increase or a decrease and then we'll break that down by category by divisions. So we try to give that um we're trying to provide council a roadmap to where those increases in the budgets are to help you see what's kind of driving the budget that year. Um, one of the well, one of the comments I want to make is so pretty much about mid July, we have to have that budget locked and then it stays locked until we get to public hearing. So the mayor once he sets his proposed budget, we publish it, it comes to council for consideration. So during that time frame, it remains locked because it goes to public hearing and at that point council can discuss it and you can make amendments to those budget ordinances that we bring forward. And as I mentioned, we try to put this document out about that time. We provide it directly to council. It's also though available to the public. It's on our website. Um, going into setting the mayor's proposed budget, we do have work sessions with

council where we discuss a variety of topics. A couple of years ago, we we changed it from a department focus to a category focus. There was a time that we would have some departments come in and present, but not all departments. We thought, well, that's let's have all departments come in and present. And then it was like, well, some departments just don't change much year to year. my department really nothing changes in a year-to-year. So a couple years ago we went to a category focused um work session. So where we talked about the things that really drive the increases in the budget. So personnel cost that's the primary one. U internal service rates those are impacted by personnel costs. So then those will change. Um insurance uh maybe council's entered into some lease agreements that we know will increase each year. where we um try to have a discussion on those because we know those are things we have to build into the budget because we have uh pay scales and labor contracts that um we have obligations for. We did a work session on capital projects that covered all the projects in the capital fund for that year as well as the utility funds. They each have their own funding mechanism for capital projects and capital projects they can go up some years, they can drop some years. Some years you're saving up for a bigger project and then all of a sudden that bigger project hits a budget and it looks like the budget's going way up. And so we like to walk council through all of the capital project plans for the year so they can understand those sways in the budget that are driven by capital projects. Those will then impact utility rates. And so part of that um work session will discuss utility rates. And then we had last year we just had those three work sessions. And then the last one was funding the budget. And we really spent a lot of that work session talking about property taxes because

that's really what a lot of people want to know is how it's going to impact property taxes. And part of that picture is are we going to use some reserves to help balance the budget? Are we going to have to increase property taxes? What other sources of revenues do we have? Do we have other revenues we can tap into before property taxes? So, that's kind of just a recap of what we did last year. That doesn't mean that we have to do it again this year. If council has different ideas, different areas that they would want us to focus on, we um can do that because we have not set this calendar for this year yet. Um, one of the things we didn't bring into work session last year was budget request. And part of the reason for that is it's really hard to cover all the requests in a budget work session. I mean, that'd be a three four hour work session of we had every director get up here and go through each and every one of their budget requests. What we did last year is we handed them out to council during the June work session so that you would have time to review them prior to the mayor setting his proposed budget, provide him some comment and feedback on how you felt about various um requests so that could help he and I decide what we wanted to include in the proposed budget. Um, and then after he had his proposed, the mayor had his proposed budget set, we then emailed out those requests again showing what had been funded versus not funded. What had been included in the proposed budget versus what hadn't been. Um, just make sure I'm getting everything I wanted to include here. Um, there's a few areas I do have some notes on a few areas that we could provide some additional information this year. So, I've kind of got some ideas for work sessions, but really I would move forward with the same

topics, but only if that's what council wanted. If council has other areas they want us to focus on, this would be a great time to let me know because I'll be developing out that calendar and then we can figure out how to get that information to you in the work session. What I have here on this slide is we um in lie of having as many work sessions as we had had in years prior at the request of council, we provided more information to you guys in written formats. We prepared it in packets, provided it to council so that you would have this information to refer to throughout the process um so we can provide more information in written and format as well. Um, one thing to mention to council is we're currently working on budget. We've started that last month with the departments. They're all reviewing their fees and rates so they can determine um what we need to bring forward to council in regards to a fee resolution this year. If you recall, last year we went to a citywide fee resolution. So rather than having multiple public hearing requests for various um fee categories like cemetery fees, park and recreation fees, public work fees, we combine those all into one resolution so we could have one public hearing. Ideally, we want to bring that to you in early June so that we can have those fees adopted and know that they're um what their impact would be to the budget before we finalize budget. Uh those are a separate public hearing though from the budget. Um I think that about covers everything I had for today. I don't know if that hit the nail on the head on what you wanted, but I thought it would at least open the door for you guys to discuss ideas you have.

I guess it does. And what brought up my interest in it is that every year I think this will be my fourth one or but every year the mayor tells us that this budget's the council's budget and I always feel at the end we don't have much input. We're just going to approve the mayor's budget and cut it back where necessary and I just don't know and we do all of our presentations. They're great, but it doesn't seem like we ever um discuss or eliminate things at that point. We only have the chance to eliminate or reduced it spending until the readings. And I might be wrong and we might be doing it wrong. I don't know. I'm just wondering how we get more involvement um the council could get more involvement in the budget.

Yeah. Um, well, one of the things I wanted to make certain to mention to council is the last couple of years when we've built up the agendas for the budget work session, we put up a specific agenda item on there for budget discussions for council. Um, and in those moments of the meeting, that is open for council to discuss any part of the budget. So whether it's that day's topics or any topic that you maybe want to discuss further or provide direction to staff to bring the information to you. Um so really we're using these work sessions to provide the information but not to steer budgetary decisions that I mean that's the process that we follow is the mayor presents a budget for adoption but council certainly has the ability to amend the budget. So that's really how it works. we provide a proposed budget from the mayor's office for council to consider or amend. But um one thought I had today when I was working on the presentation is you know we worked at getting this document together and it's usually done two or three weeks before the public hearing. Like we could always set up a budget work session right before the public hearing where you could ask questions about the docu, you know, the numbers here to know to help kind of lead your decisions on amending the budget

or answering questions that you have about the mayor's proposed budget. Maybe to get more substance behind the numbers. I think it'd be beneficial to have input before that. I think you said it was the July 12th lock date or something before mid July. I mean it can move some but that's about the target

instead of getting to the last the um readings just seems so frantic and everyone's grasping for straws to figure out how to reduce you know the budget a little bit. Um you know let's not buy a cop car. So you know it's there isn't really any logic in how we're approaching our reductions. Everyone just wants to reduce it a little bit. You understand what I'm saying? And then you guys are strapped with trying to redo totally redo it and come up with a new proposal for the next reading. It seems out of place. If I was being 100% honest with you, in a perfect world for me, we would have a proposed budget that council was already y,

you know, ready to adopt. But, you know, there's some, you know,

do politics. But yeah, I mean there. So that is really though the feedback I'm looking for. I'm not going to speak for the mayor is if you're not going to pass a budget with a 3% tax increase, let's figure that out before we get to the proposed budget. And so that's kind of why we've got that on the agenda so you can kind of speak up with your feelings on that as well as like any other items. A lot of the stuff though that we talk about like when we talk about personnel cost some of those are already decided through labor contracts or we're talking about you know like um fleet rates I mean those are really driven by the size of the fleet. So is when you get to the those are areas that you we could look at year round on if I mean I guess I would say like as a council we could you could look for areas to make processes more efficient throughout the year so that when we get to the budget season those efficiencies are coming into the budget and helping offset other costs. I guess finally, my last one before I'll give up is that, you know, you listen to everybody's uh through the election process and there isn't anybody on this table that hasn't said they're going to work on helping with the property taxes. So, you know, right up front, you know, I guess that's our number one job is to do it and do it early instead of waiting till that last day. Councle wondering when do the individual apartment departments um finalize their budget like

so we'll um start we'll create our budget projection here in the next week or so and then we'll start setting up meetings with the departments and kind of giving them their marching orders or instructions. Um and what departments will do is they'll just review their budget. They're looking at their narratives. um if they know that they've got an increased cost over in supplies, but they feel like they can um cover that from their contracted services, they're allowed to move money around. Um and then if they need to increase their budget for anything with the exception of personnel costs, they will submit a budget request. And so we'll probably be looking at giving them the end of March and April to work through those. So we'll get those numbers back probably mid to late April and then we'll start building them into the budget so we can kind of see how the revenues compared to the expenditures and then we start working on ways to balance the budget

follow. So would it be possible to like when when they when they get them done to maybe look at look at what they need to increase for each department. Um they do that through their budget request forms. Okay. So we'll see the budget requests in in one of our work sessions.

Uh we could try to bring it to you in a work session. Last year we had so many requests it was it just wouldn't have been feasible to have council sit through a work session to go through all those requests. Um when we build out the budgets we have as I mentioned the departments will get their budgets to review. They're not allowed to make any increases but what is carved out of that budget is a personnel cost. Then finance goes through and we recalculate the entire personnel cost because that's the area that you could you know is our largest cost in our budget. So we reconstruct that to make certain we're capturing all the turnover. So somebody retired at a step 10 and they were replaced by somebody at a step three. We want to factor all that into that budget and then we'll load that into the budget and from there we have to figure out how to cover those increased costs. So like with the general fund we have multiple departments and we have some revenues that aren't defined to specific departments. So, property taxes, um, state shared revenues, but we're looking at those kind of as a whole and not a department by department level. So, we don't like allocate a certain amount of property taxes to each department. We're looking at the fund as a whole when we balance it. But, you can I mean, we can certainly we finally get it to this point. So, we can say, "Yeah, this department's payroll costs went up this much. This department's you know, payroll costs went down this much." And then here's all the revenue sources we're going to use to fund that. Mayor

funds budget. Forman,

I'm wondering if um like obviously you mentioned there was certain budgets that we can't really move, right? Because we already agreed to those dollars throughout the year as you say contracts or we already agreed to buy a dump truck physical year this or whatever. So we already know where that money is going and have allocated it through the year. But when it comes to actually our budget at the end that we can move around, so the department's request, I'm wondering if it would make sense if we got that list of requests before like we did get last year, but I I didn't feel like we got it very early. And I don't know if that's just me not remembering correctly, but having that as far as advance as we can and then the council can look through and maybe I don't know go through ton uh Tanya and say these are the things we want to focus on and bring to a work session and talk about maybe that would narrow down the list of things and then anything that really wasn't

the council's interest could just we don't want to fund those kind of thing.

We could certainly do that. Last year, I think you guys had a a budget work session the second Monday of June. I think it was like June 8th or 9th. And that's when we provided you the budget request. Um, but we also one of the things we did last year is we had our funding the budget was in the fourth Monday of June, but we had reserved a couple days later in that week if council had wanted to have another work session. And we can do that again, too. like, you know, here's where we're planning on having our funding the budget work session, but if you want us to come back and clarify anything or cover any additional topics or discuss certain budget requests, here's some optional dates for you. So, we can certainly do that as well.

And I guess another one I guess is for the mayor. Um, I think it would be beneficial to hear what your plans are like for FY27. Um, you know, so what's our plan? What are we going to use potentially use our transportation fund for or the unassigned building fund or you know, do you want to build a statue yourself or I don't know whatever. If I could get Elaine to step out of the room, I'd be happy to talk to you counselors. just like our ears are really

um so just looking ahead I think it's going to be tight year that's my expectation um we're going to feel pressure in our payroll costs for sure um I think that's going to be a big driver in the budget this year a lot of decisions and I don't want to say that we're going to have to look at cuts but we may have to you look at cuts to get things to balance out. Uh it depends on what some of the department needs are moving forward. Uh we'll all have the same opportunity to look at those at approximately the same time. You know, we'll get an early feel for what the needs are going to be, what the demands are. Uh and then we have to find a way to pay for them. And so I think that discussion will happen early. You know, um are we looking at another increase to the budget, the property tax budget? Possibly. Um, we have a lot of capital needs that we still have to fund. We haven't been successful at getting our bond to pass for streets, you know, and infrastructure, and those needs are not going away. And I think we were pretty clear uh with the public that we told them that there's really one of two ways to pay for this. we can bond for it, you know, with the um we couldn't promise, but it was our intention to pay for that, repay that, service that debt with within our current budget, not raise taxes to do that. So, those as long as that, um that need is sitting out there, we're going to have to look at ways to increase our base to to pay for these services. So, uh I'll be taking a look at that for sure.

So, that I can say. for with our reserves. Was this year a poor year for reserve interest earnings? Um, well, I'm not certain what your question is. Are are you referring back to the our financial presentation last investments? Yeah. Well, we came out better than budget on interest earnings.

We um our 25 budget we built to utilize reserves, which we often do. we used less reserves than what we had budgeted. So, we came out ahead on our budget. So, um like I don't know if you're referring to our presentation we had from the auditors where they said, you know, we dipped into our assigned building fund by or sorry, not our assigned building fund, our unassigned fund balance by 700 and some thousand. That's actually really good news because I believe your original budget had like 1.3 million in there to use in reserves. So, we came out better than we had planned. So, we, you know, we had several departments that spent less than what they had in their budget. Um, we had some revenues that were more than what we had budgeted, such as interest revenue. But when the mayor says this budget's going to be challenging, it is going to be challenging. We've been leaning really hard on interest revenues the last couple years, and those rates are coming down, we should probably look at adjusting the budget accordingly on those. We have not benefited off the re how the state reallocated state shared revenues a few years ago. It's just it's not getting any better for us. In fact, it's getting worse. So, we may need to look at lowering those revenues. So, when you have to lower those revenues, you have to supplant them with some other revenue. And unfortunately, that's often property taxes. So we have to either look at where we can find efficiencies in the budget so that we don't have to look at property tax dollars or we need to find some other revenue sources. So it will be it will be a challenging year this year

enforcement.

Um I will just note the last several budgets um sess times I have met with the mayor and asked to meet with him so that I could sit down and say the my P's and Q's and what I think should be funded or done it. Um and he's we've met and he's taken notes and taken that back so that I feel like I'm prepared when it comes to budget which any of us counselors can do that. um it's really helpful to kind of sit down and go through it. Um having the request ahead of times was great because I could sit down with him. I highlighted what I wanted to talk about and go through it. So um but maybe we can obviously work that through in a a budget session with all the council in some format. But yeah, but that is available for all all council members. And my office is always available too anytime that you need want to come in and try to understand numbers or have questions about certain numbers or programs or um any of our revenue sources, you're always welcome to set up an appointment and come in and speak with me and I do my best to help you out there. Right. Well,

thank you. We're We're about ready to enter the budget zone, huh? We're there. Yeah, we're there. I try to give myself one week between the financial report and the budget and so that week ended last week. So, here we are. You're prepared. Get prepared. Thank you so much. Thank you. Anything you know, I'm just teaching. She's like, I didn't care. I don't know. Huh? an article. Yeah.

Okay. Council. Next up, Roman number five. Unfinished in new business. Item A, city councelor comments. Comments shall not be related to an item currently for the council or item coming before the council in the foreseeable future. It shall be limited to comments, not discussion. Counselors, no. Going to keep moving. Okay. City boards and commissions, lay us on updates. I don't have any meetings.

None of those. Okay. Mayor comments. Council, I want to share with you as in the past, Carolyn Eids uh made a nice cake for us and brought some milk. It's in the back there still. Um if you'd like to share in that, but she always has a message and um I know we're going to leave here shortly, but you know, she's just encouraging us uh to be model of good works and you know, others do our jobs with integ dignity. So, we appreciate that. And um you know, just to be positive in all that we do. Again, she says, "I want to express my gratitude and respect that I have for you in making Lewis a safe and positive city to live and raise our precious children." Sincerely indeed. So, I'll pass this around if you want to take a quick look at it. Are there any agenda topics, counselors? Okay. Roman number six. I would entertain a motion for adjournment.

So, move second. It's been moved by council president Clayberg, second by councelor Specar to those in favor, please signify by saying I I post. We are. Thank you. Caugh