Common Council - Regular Meeting

26 budget. So, we'll begin as quickly as possible. I'm just kidding. Um, it's a much uh much better night than talking about budget because one of the favorite things we get to do is uh present the John Minky Award tonight. So, we're looking forward to that. Uh, welcome to Tuesday's December 16th uh city council meeting. We are streaming live on City Madison YouTube channel and we're archiving the meeting there. And uh like with all of our prior meetings, we would invite you to stand and recite the Lord's prayer followed by the pledge of allegiance. Thank you.

Our Father, who art in heaven, be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

I feel like you were sick the last time we were here. Yeah, I was. Thank you. Uh, clerk, may we have a roll call, please? Yes. Patrick Tanau, here. Carla Krebs, here. Uh, Lucid Datillo's absent. Josh Schaefer here. Joel Storm here. Jim Bartlett here. And Josh Wilbur is absent. Um, council, have you had an opportunity to review the minutes from Tuesday, December the 2nd? If so, we'll have a motion to approve. I move that we accept the minutes as as presented. Second. Any discussion? All in favor, please say I. I.

Any oppos? Thank you. Uh, like I said earlier, tonight's a special night, we will be um honoring and remembering John Minky with the John Minky award presentation. Before we begin, I'd like to read the proclamation. And uh, you want to do the video first? And let's go straight to the video. We'll do the proclamation and and then recognize our honore tonight. While while Mindy's getting that, I also want to welcome Dan Minky, John Minky's father. So Dan, thank you for being here. Uh, please give our regards to Paula. Thank you.

Specialist Jonathan Daniel John joined the Indiana National Guard on March 15th, 2004 and was first sent to Kuwait in 2008. He was stationed in East Baghdad, Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom, serving in the 38th Military Police Company, 95th Battalion, 18th Brigade with the Danville, Indiana unit. Specialist Jonathan Daniel died Monday, August 4th, 2008 while defending our nation against global terrorism during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Specialist Meni was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, and the Combat Action Badge. It is in his name and memory each year that we honor veterans today. Born on June 15th, 1945 in Jefferson County, Thomas J. Greenwald was raised by his parents Bernard and Mildred Greenwald as one of eight children. His father worked at the local power plant and his mother owned Hillrest Flower Shop. From an early age, Tom learned the value of hard work, service, and commitment to community. Tom was deeply involved in school and church throughout his youth. He was active in 4, served as an alter boy, was an honor student, held several class offices, and earned varsity letters in basketball, track, and cross country at Shaw Memorial High School. Following graduation, Tom attended Betterment College for two years, earning varsity letters in track and cross country while also working. He later transferred to

Western Kentucky University where he graduated in 1967 with a double major in sociology and psychology. During this time, he worked at the Kentucky Museum and was accepted into graduate school. However, during the Vietnam War, Tom was not granted a draft ferment. Rather than wait to be called, he chose to step forward into leadership. Working with his recruiter, he enrolled in the US Army's officer candidate school through the college option program, a demanding, fast-paced path designed to develop commissioned officers. Tom trained at Fort Benning, the primary hub for infantry officer candidate school, where future frontline leaders were prepared for combat. After completing basic and infantry training, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant on June 3rd, 1968. then attended airborne school and the special forces officer course, earning his green parade later that year. In February 1969, Lieutenant Ringwald was deployed to Vietnam and on June 6th of that year was commissioned first lieutenant. He served in Tian Province before his brigade was transferred to Song Bay and later Fui. Over two years of combat service with the first cavalry division along the Cambodian border, Lieutenant Ringwald served as an infantry platoon leader and company commander. He led search and destroy missions in company sized units through jungle terrain and assumed command leadership responsibilities. Because of his experience and leadership, Lieutenant Ringwald was hand selected to serve as a brigade to division liaison officer, an essential role acting as communication link between tactical units and division command. With 120 days remaining in his service, he declined reassignment as a

training and casualty notification officer. Instead, he chose to remain in Vietnam as an education director in Buenov, a position typically filled by civilians, but one that the army relied on military leadership to perform at that time. He extended his service before returning to the United States in 1970. Returning home during a period of widespread Vietnam War protest was difficult. Still, Lieutenant Rainold has always remained proud of his service, his combat infantry badge, and his Purple Heart, and of serving in defense of the freedoms we enjoy today. In the early 1970s, Lieutenant Ringold pursued his passion for travel, visiting Europe, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East, and Egypt, followed by extensive travel throughout the United States and Canada. In 1974, while owning a pizza shop in Hanover, he met Beverly. They married in 1978 and together have one daughter, three grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. Lieutenant Ringwald's leadership continued long after his military service. In 1980, he became owner and principal broker of Madison Realy Company. He was an active member of the Homebuilders Association, the Jefferson County Realtors Association, and the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce. In 1984, he was named Realtor of the Year and earned his graduate Realtor Institute designation. In 1986, Lieutenant Ringwald closed his real estate business and relocated to the south suburbs of Chicago, where he worked with large real estate companies until 1999. During this time, he was highly active in the Chamber of Commerce, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Military Order of the Purple Heart. He served as the director of the Will County Chamber of

Commerce, and as its president for two years. He also served as BFW agant and trustee and with the military order of the purple heart as chapter commander twice executive board member and member of the national executive committee for seven years. He chaired multiple committees across all three organizations. He was the top fundraiser for century 21 Easter Seals for the Chicago area Veterans Hospital School for the Blind. His MLP chapter hosted annual picnics, dinners, and dances for students at Hines, purchased police vehicles, and a fire engine for the village of South Chicago Heights. Hosted the Eddie Murphy Golf Tournament benefiting Happy Day Center for Disabled Children, and sponsored awards for outstanding military cadets at the Glenwood Military Academy. In 1999, he and Beverly sold everything, purchased a motor home, and spent two years traveling the United States and Canada, including two summers in Kodiak, Alaska, where their daughter and grandchildren lived. Lieutenant Ringwald now has traveled to more than 30 countries, all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and every Canadian province, including the Arctic Circle, and has documented those journeys with more than 6,000 photographs. In 2000, he and Beverly returned to Madison and moved back into his former home. He continues to serve as a life member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the First Cavalary Division Association and is an annual member of the American Legion. He has served the military order of the Purple Heart as a chapter commander and agent for more than 10 years as Indiana State Commander and senior vice commander through the Jefferson County Veterans Council. Lieutenant Ringwald worked alongside co-chair Leon Perry to help

finance and design the Purple Heart Memorial Monument at the local veteran cemetery. He also helped raise funds for and design the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at the Jefferson County Courthouse. In addition, he has personally presented Purple Heart plaques to the families of 11 local soldiers killed in combat, including the Many family. With his travels around the world nearly complete, Lieutenant Ringald has one item left on his bucket list, a return visit to the battlefield where he once served. thoughts by a young veteran. The years others knew as youth I spent learning the meaning of death. The times others spent learning to love. I passed hoping to live through endless nights. The moment others remember as laughs in classrooms I remember as forgotten hopes long ago crushed by the reality of war. The unfilled dreams of others are yet to be thought by me. I am in search of my elusive youth, looking for years lost in combat which are no more and will never be. First Lieutenant Thomas J. Ringwald, thank you for your service, your leadership, and your lifelong dedication to the community and country. It is our privilege and honor to present you with the 2025 John Nanki Award. That was amazing. That was amazing. I'd like to read the proclamation now. Before I do, I just want to thank you, Mr. Ringwolf, and your family being here, our veterans who are here, our active service military. Joel, thank you

so much for serving our country. It's a it's a privilege and an honor to read this proclamation. Whereas John Minky exhibited the finest traditions and Dan, thank you again for being here. Uh United States and the city of Madison in volunteering for military service to our country. He paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country while serving in Baghdad, Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Whereas Specialist John Mkey's sacred memory should live on through the recognition of the acts of service and sacrifice through others. Whereas Thomas J. Ringwald was born on June 15th, 1945 in Jefferson County and raised as one of eight children, learning early the values of faith, service, hard work, and commitment to community. During the Vietnam War, Mr. Ringwald was not granted a draft deferment and chose to step forward in service by enrolling in the United States Army Officer Candidate School where he was commissioned as a second lieutenant on June the 3rd, 1968 and later earned his Green Beret. Whereas Lieutenant Ringwald was deployed to Vietnam in February 1969, serving with the first cavalry division along the Cambodian border as an infantry platoon leader and company commander, leading combat missions under hazardous conditions and was commissioned as first lieutenant in June 1969. Lieutenant Ringwald was selected as a brigade to division leaison officer and later extended his service in Vietnam as an education director, placing duty above personal interest before returning home in 1970. Lieutenant Ringwald has remained proud of his service, his combat combat infantry badge and his Purple Heart has continued a lifetime of leadership and advocacy for veterans through the military order of the Purple Heart, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion and civic organizations. Whereas through the Jefferson County Veterans Council, he helped finance and design the Purple Heart Memorial Monument and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and has personally presented Purple Heart plaques to the families of fallen soldiers, including the Meny

family. Now, therefore, First Lieutenant Thomas Ringwald embodies the spirit and purpose of the John Minky Award for Military Service. And on behalf of the city of Mass, we proudly present you the 2025 John Minky Award for Military Service. Mr. YES. SAY A FEW WORDS. SURE. I'd like to back around if you got it. Yes.

Got it.

Been a while since I've had a speak and a microphone. Uh thank you uh Mayor Courtney for bestowing this award on me. Uh thanks very much to the professionalism and the hard work of Hannah Christian and Mindy that that slipped by me. Um, and I think it was in 2008, I had the honor of presenting a Purple Heart plaque to the Mankey family. And then few years later, I had a uh plaque that I presented to Mike and Franny Schoolcraft when John was KIA in Iraq. And both of those were people I knew from high school days on. So that that was really tough to get through those. But thank everybody for coming. my family, my friends, military associates, and you all have a great day,

MAN. All I got to say is wow, amazing accomplishments and dedication to our community. And um honestly, we're reminded of the service of our community every day. I have trouble with my microphone. Every day I drive around Madison or I'm in an event or I'm going somewhere. just a reminder of just the quality people we have in our community. They care about our community. They care about others in our community and they are serving all of us wherever we go. And I think that's uh amazing. And Mr. Ringwald, you you embody that and you embody uh definitely the the spirit of the award of the John Minky uh military service award. So, Mr. Mickey, thank you again for being here. This never gets old. Uh, now we get to the boring part of our agenda tonight. No one's required to stay, but you're welcome to. We do appreciate everybody being here. And thank you. Safe travels. We have some business to take care of tonight. And uh, we have two resolutions. We have res first up is resolution 2025-21c, which is miscellaneous year appropriation transfers. Mindy,

good evening, council. Um these are your appropriation transfers. These will be appropriation lines that um we needed to move some money around and and cover where the expenditures need to be. Uh pretty straightforward. Not a huge amount of money that we need to transfer at this year end, which is great. Um the first section would be police officer salaries. We just needed to drop a little bit more in there. Uh we have two payrolls that have not hit yet on our report. So we're making sure that we have enough to cover all that and the rest is mostly FICA PERF which we've talked about many times. This was a me issue in terms of budgeting and the dollar amounts budgeted just getting all that covered. Um and then just some miscellaneous dollars. The largest one really is the MBH uh salt transfer for 25,000 and that is because we had to order salt before the end of the year. We obviously got hit with some snow and needed some salt. So, we we're going to go ahead and pay that bill and not wait until next year. I don't think it's actually even due till January, but we don't want to take it out of next year's budget. And the BPW budget had the money left in it to cover it. So, we're going to go ahead and pay that bill. So, happy to answer any questions on the appropriation transfers. In total, $130,000 out of this was all general fund money mostly. So, you know, a 7.2 or 7.4 million budget. We had 130 in the wrong spot.

Council, any questions? Just a general one at this point. Are we thinking we're good for the year? We're done. Good. We are done. It has been um a couple of weeks of work. everyone in the clerk's office, myself, the mayor, I mean, everybody has worked really hard on estimating, making sure we knows what we know what bills we're running through. Um, I think we have a really good handle on it and we're in real good shape.

Yeah, I just want to echo that. Uh, Shirley, thank you and your department that we intentionally started working a few months ago for a smooth year end. So, a lot of focus on it and a lot of department uh conversations um and uh a lot of chewing up as well as efficient processing of year-end payables uh with the board of public works. All of that is I think contributed to pretty good fourth quarter. Uh we're ending on a great note. So, any other questions on resolution 2025-21c. If not, we'll entertain a motion to to approve. I move that we approve resolution 2025-21C. Seconded.

Any discussion, comments or questions? Roll call. Patrick Tavana. Yes. Carla Krebs, yes. Josh Schaefer, yes. Joel Storm, yes. Jim Bartlett, yes. Thank you. Now we'll move on to our last transfer for 2025. It's resolution 2025-22C, year-end fund of fund transfers.

Yes. So these are your funds. Um doesn't really have anything to do with appropriations. It's all the fund balances. So again, um the county So what you're looking at in your book now is an updated fund to fund transfer. I was able to these numbers change every day. Um, after this packet went out on Friday, we got the breakdown from the county. So, I was able to go look and see what money is going to come in, make sure we're going to cover all of any negative fund balances, and um, it actually covered some that we had on here to transfer. So, that's good. Um, the planning department brought in enough revenue in leans and other fees to cover theirs, so they're not on here anymore. I was able to reduce the Sunrise uh transfer and I I will tell you that's that's really a just in case. I think that they're going to deposit the money they need to cover the balance, but I won't have a chance to ask your permission again. So, we're going to leave it on there and um transfer it if if we need it. And um on the MVH restricted, I just wanted to explain that a little bit. So, the state looks at MVH as one fund, but the sub fund is restricted. the money when it comes in has to be divided equally in both places, but we spend more out of the regular MBH fund than we do the restricted fund. So, we are allowed to transfer a certain percentage um into the regular fund. And that's just what I'm doing here to cover some expenditures in the the regular MVH is the fund that we use to fund the other part of the street department, BPW and MBH. So there's a lot of experience.

I just want to extrapolate maybe a little bit on what you said which is between these two resolutions 22 C and 21 C. Uh these are estimates not to exceed but as you and Shirley go through the balance of the year and do the final true up. You may not need to transfer that amount of money or uh I just wanted to clarify that these are the maximums here and does that I state that properly? Surely from your

We're going to talk about that, aren't we? We're just we're just um going to be flexible with, you know, if you don't need the money, we don't have to transfer the money, but this is something that um I mean, the resolution is calling for the money to be transferred. If by chance we we transfer everything and you don't need it, we can leave it in the fund and at a later time transfer it again to the fund that you do need it in. I just didn't want to miss the opportunity to do this. So, if we need it, it's there. I think it's the safest way to do it. we'll transfer it all over and then if you do need it somewhere else, we'll just transfer it out again.

And I would follow up on to what the mayor said in terms of our department heads. Um I had conversations with more than one of them this week that I'm I'm officially off your back. Those who have NRO's that fund themselves through revenue, I I have been on them all year about making sure that revenue is created and deposited. So um they are learning more about how their budgets work and watching those fund reports and the appropriation reports and they are doing better and better about that which makes our job easier. So very happy with all of our department heads as well especially I got to say Roger at Sunrise this is to me this is monumental that Sunrise has covered its own bucket. I don't know that that's ever happened. So they're making their own way. looking forward to 2026. Council, any other questions, comments or questions from the audience? Hearing no, we'll entertain a motion for approval.

I move that we approve resolution 2025-22C. I'll second. Any discussion? Roll call. Patrick Tanau, yes. Carla Krebs, yes. Josh Schaefer, yes. Joel Storm, yes. Jim Bartlett. Yes. Thank you. Uh Mindy had one other item you want to talk about which is encumbrances. A note for council.

We have not um done this before either, but we have some bills that came in late. We also had some um two HVAC systems that decided to leave us last week. Um Steinharts were able to come in and get them replaced right away. Uh, but that was an $8,100 and a $9,100 bill on the second week of December, which is big fun. We had the money in in the appropriations this year to take care of it. So, we're going to go ahead and encumber those and get them paid so we don't have to use our building and structure money for next year to do that. Um, and then the rest of these, it's uh pretty self-explanatory what they're for. We are going to have to get a new website next year. It's more expensive than the current one that we're using. So Hannah is um we're pulling some of her remaining funds over to help with the cost of that. Um we have already authorized sidewalk work that they are doing right now. Uh Allstar is still in town from doing their main street work and so it saves us money on mobilization and demobilization to have them go ahead and do some work while they're here. So we've authorized the work, they are doing the work, but we're not going to have those bills. So, we're encumbering the money to pay for those so it won't affect our infrastructure dollars next year. And um the money that is there for planning preservation and design and the de economic development money is for the contract that was just approved yesterday with uh Taylor Cer Williams for the planning department and um those two HVAC units are the other two. So, we'll encumber these funds with your permission and surely we'll get them in the they'll show on your report next year in the encumbered line.

Yeah, just one clarification here. These are carrying over 2025 appropriation so that when we get the bill in January, we pay the bill. Uh but it doesn't affect a 2026 appropriation. And this is a a note or a memorandum to council that we're doing that. No, no approvals necessary.

Correct. I just want to jump in also and say this also prevents us from next year having to do an additional appropriation process. The lengthy where you have to put a newspaper article in. You have two readings of an ordinance. This prevents that. It's already put in the encumbrance. It's already told to DGF. We have the funds available beginning of next year and they are tied to specific invoices or contracts. So surely we'll have all that documentation. And it's not just we're pulling it forward just in case we need it. They are for specific items. That was my question for the the community relations and the PPD one specifically. Yes,

we do have in the contract there that payable or I guess due up front that is due this year that we can show that I guess um there they'll be they'll be due in January. Sorry. Sorry, not due, but invoice. Invoice the the work there is some portion of the work being done in this year to make it. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. I understand what you're asking. Yes. I phrase that. We're incurring a li we're incurring liability contract or an invoice with a contract. Right. So, if we've got a contract or an invoice, whether the work starts now or starts in January, we've got a contract dated this year, but the payment's not going to be till 26. So hopefully

So yeah, just to put in layman's terms for you people at home, these are bills that are happening in 2025, but we're probably not going to get the physical bill until January, and we don't want the money to come out of our 26 budget because it was in our 2025 budget. So we're putting back money to pay bills that are happening now, but we don't have the physical bill yet to pay it. Thank you. Anything else on incumbrances? Any questions? Okay. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you. Uh, council, any reports, recommendations, or other business from standing or select committees? Not, I'll invite Emily up here. We do have one riverfront liquor license renewal for River Oak Chop House.

Good evening, council. Um, if you'll remember back in July, you all approved the addition of two new licenses into the Riverfront Liquor License Program, granting us the ability to do 12 total licenses. So, just a quick update on that. That would mean that up to five of those 12 could be used for the cultural experience venue category. And so, right now, four of those are taken. So, one of those remains available. And then for the restaurants, we have four restaurants that currently have licenses. So, three of the restaurant licenses are still available. Um, and then tonight you have before you uh River Oak Chop House that is up for their annual renewal. Um, their application, including their financials, have been reviewed by the economic and redevelopment department and the mayor's office. They meet all the qualifications and exceed them for um restaurants within the district. So, we're recommending for their approval tonight. This is the renewal.

Yes. Council, any questions? And if you want to review any of the information, you can coordinate that directly with Emily. Yes. Other than what was provided in the package. Yes. I have their financials if any of you are interested to see them. Great success. Hopefully everybody here has had a chance to to uh experience Rogue Chop House. Uh there aren't any questions. will entertain a motion to approve the renewal as requested for River Chop House. I move that we approve the Riverfront license renewal as requested. Second. Have a second. Any discussion? Comments or questions? Are you done? Roll call. Patrick Tean? Yes. Carla Krebs?

Yes. Josh Schaer? Yes. Joel Storm? Yes. Jim Bartlett? Yes. Thank you, council.

Thank you. And really our last point of business is just an an update uh in your package is a report of the um if you recall we we've actually been working on this for about four years. This is the American Rescue Plan Act um uh investment plan that we adopted several years ago and I'm giving you a 2025 update. And what it shows is that we still only have two categories left to fund out of all of the uh approvals. And the one is the Cricut Creek and Stormwater Master Plan. We're still working on that. There's $41,000 remaining in that category. And the only other category with remaining funds, all of this has been obligated but not spent, and that is $75,000 toward uh public safety, which was the purchase of an emergency watercraft, which was ordered in December of 2024. So, we we're working on that. And the obligation here is uh all the money had to be obligated by the end of last year and has to be spent by the end of 2026. So, we're on target to do that. This is just an update. And you'll see a refresher as a refresher all the other categories with regards to uh storm water infrastructure and planning matching grant funds speeding the recovery of tourism premium pay for essential workers public sector revenue loss due to COVID and city mass parks improvements. 50% of our $2.7 million went to parks and the other was spread across um these different categories. happy to answer any questions, but this is really for just information only.

You mentioned the watercraft. Do you have any brief update on what the status of that is? Uh yes. Uh it is due to be delivered in March or April of 2027 and uh we our next installment toward uh the watercraft is due by the end of 2026. So there'll be two more payments of of a percentage of the cost in 2026 and actually did I say that March of 27. So the final payment would be due then.

Oh, gotcha. Any anything else? Everything's working as planned. Uh moving on then. No bills on second reading. And included in the package is a list of the 2026 city of Madison Common Council meeting updates. Um I'm sorry, meeting uh schedule for 2026. That's an FYI. And now we'll go to public. Did you have something to say? Yes.

Yeah. The meeting. So, I just wanted to talk to council about and I talked to Bob and Minnie about the the potential of doing this for the last meeting of the year. Last year, we received our last tax settlement from the county. That's the second installment of the taxes. We get one in spring, one in fall. Last year, we received it December 20th. This year, we got the estimate on Friday. um what that does to us. We have an estimate it's a pretty solid estimate and so we feel confident as of Friday but it is a very very tight type timeline to get all the departments to get all their things in last Tuesday. Kind of pushed them to their limits. We weren't able to take any more bills in um after last Friday or last Tuesday which was the 9th. So it's kind of tight for us. I know was one curious to see Mindy suggested perhaps talking to you all seeing if we can bump the very last meeting of the year to the week between um Christmas and New Year's. So it would be the 29th instead of the 22nd. That would give us a little bit more solid ground. we'd know exactly what the number is that's coming in from the county and it would allow us to really look at the fund accounts and see where the funds are landing, how much you are getting in. It's always a guessing game. Who's paid their tax bill, who hasn't. So, just for comfort, leave it up for discussion.

I know I personally tend to be out of town during that week between Christmas and New Year's. Yeah. So, we just need a quorum of four. Yes. Yeah. Exactly. I should be here ne next year. I think maybe we could keep our regularly scheduled meeting and then just have a note for us to be aware if we need an extra special meeting depending on when that timeline is.

I I think there's plenty of options. I appreciate uh Shirley bringing it up because settlement is variable. We don't know the date. So, but but I think we publish this uh as we get into the next year. we can chew it up chew it up as well and decide whether we want to have a special meeting or just push this back a few days or a week and we'll coordinate with everybody's schedules too. I think it's a it's a legitimate u item to to be prepared for. Yeah. Yeah.

Difficult time of year to get a quorum. It's I mean the work they've had to do, you know, because everything is moving around and we have, you know, again, we only get tax settlement twice a year and it depends on uh the county, but it also depends a lot on the state with regards to the whole process of of settlement. So, um I think it's great that we're talking about it now because that means we're planning for a even a better execution in 2026. Yeah, it's it's much more comfortable than it was last year, our close last year. So, I think we're all looking forward to next year being even smoother. Thank you. Thank you. Um, Councilwoman Krebs, I'll turn it over to you for public comments.

I don't think we had anybody sign up, but she's going to double check.

Okay. All right. Well, then the floor is mine. I want to thank uh everyone for being here tonight and particularly thank our street department. We've already had three winter storm events uh in the month of December which has required a lot of attention on on streets and roads. uh all of the crew, the streets, utilities, parks, um administration, everybody has just been on top of it and I think they've done a phenomenal job of of making sure our streets are clear and safe for travel. Uh want to mention too that the three interlocal agreements that we adopted about a month ago have been fully executed by the other three units of government, the county commissioners, county council, town handover. So happy to get that uh resolved and very grateful for all three of their participation in those interlocal agreements. It it literally took almost an entire year to wrestle that down, finalize the interlocals and then take them through four different governing bodies uh adoption processes. You've probably seen and I think we've talked about this that the CCMG application for 2026 was not funded. So, we will not be receiving any CCMG funding. However, that doesn't mean that we won't be doing road work next year. Uh, part of our Main Street master plan uh moves us from the Broadway to or Mil Street to St. Michael's corridor uh to the west end, which is basically Craigmont to the west end of Main Street. So, we're working on that now. And uh it'll also mean that we'll be doing uh quite a bit of road maintenance rather than road replacement and resurfacing next year. We'll be doing more maintenance items which is critical too for maintaining uh the condition of

our roads. We are um about to begin the UDO adoption process. We've had two very good public meetings uh one with local officials, the other one with the open house last week at Hunter Hall. And now we'll go through the formal adoption process which are also public meetings and uh each of those will allow additional public comment. Uh we will be presenting for adoption to the plan commission on January the 8th and then it'll begin its uh process assuming that goes well uh I believe at the February 3rd city council meeting January 8th and February 3rd. And then lastly, state of city is February 24th at Fairfield. Uh council, do you have anything to add? I want to thank everybody for a great year. We're ending the year really well. We'll we'll do a recap uh in first quarter. I want to thank everybody who's here tonight, but uh a lot of work has gone into the city uh this year by so many people and I'm very grateful and I want to wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy new year. Merry Christmas. Council, the floor is yours.

A motion we adjourn the meeting. I'll second the motion. All those in favor say I. I. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas, everybody. Merry Christmas.

Patrick, you should have sent us a memo about the sweaters. We would have all worn sweaters. Yes.