Board of Mayor and Aldermen - Regular Meeting

in the whale. Mhm. And he came was there and it just seemed like he used to be didn't say anything crazy.

It is 6 o'clock and I will call the water and wastewater committee to order. Ricky to talk about um like about three or four weeks ago Anthony Telum War County Utility District reached out to me. They have a water line that's on a bridge there. If you were on Bluff Springs Road there where Charles I think it's Charles Creek with the old hotel they got a creek a creek crossing there that has been jeopardized. either the bridge is settled, they got some settling there and it's jeopardized the water line. So, he had asked me about the city purchasing 56 services from them that we could serve from Faulner Springs Road, which we also kind of connect on Pikeill Road. So, we could actually tie that in there. So the the services would be on uh Pike Hill for the Smith Highway down high back around um to upper Faulner Springs back down to Bluff Springs at Francis Berry Road and he would pick up also Academy Lane kind of back behind where Scotty's computers used to be. Um he priced that at $1,000 per service. So, it be $56,000 plus the cost of the meters. Of course, we would do have to do a meter change out, but that would be contingent upon his board approving that.

Well, they still have not approved it.

They're they're interested. He just wanted to see what the city stance would be about purchasing. This would be very similar to back in 2016, the city of Magnum was sold off Rolling Hills. There was 101 services there and we sold them to Warren County Utility because of a of a crossing that had that blew out and uh so he's in the same situation there uh to do that bore. He said it would probably be over half million dollars for him to do a boore there. It's not feasible for the 56 customers. We do have a an old master meter just past the Catholic church on Bonner's factory that years ago that served all of that in which we would serve that through that old master leader now and then eventually we would tie everything back in on high and then maybe in the future everything from where custom vinyl is back up the hill back up to a factory. Currently, that's two dead ends there. But, uh, but he just wanted to see what the thoughts on the board would be about it. And they have a board meeting next Tuesday, and I told him I would report back to him. I don't believe it'll be a problem with people. Samantha will run some numbers based on the 56 service act. Ask him for revenues.

The revenues will be roughly about $26,000 a year on those 56 services. Any questions for Nikki? How do you feel about it? This is I'm good with it. I don't have a problem. Some of their infrastructure down lane, there's some two and a quarter inch cast lines, but it's like anything else. You know, we have a leak, we'll fix it. And they could purchase the water through that master meter, but they would be paying us, you know, the full price and they would be taking care of that infrastructure. And it's, you know, it's not feasible for them. So, I'm I'm totally fine with it anytime we can pick up that many customers.

Do I hear a motion? Motion to approve. I'll second it. I have a motion and a second. All in favor? I. Motion passes and B, uh, discuss water deposits and service fees. Samantha's got you a bunch of notes.

Okay. So, typically whenever a new customer comes to the city to start water service, whether they're a homeowner or a renter, they have to pay a deposit and then a $50 service fee. A renter pays $150, homeowner pays $100 with proof of deed or something in their name, a closing paperwork. Um, we hold that money indefinitely until they turn off service, which at that point we will apply to their final bill if they don't already pay it or don't have it set up on bank draft. Um, and then we send them a refund for the difference. Those checks remain uncleared for a long amount of time and then we finally void those checks, try to get back in touch with the customer if it does get returned to us. But we're realizing a lot of mail is getting lost and never returned back to us. So the customer never gets that money back and eventually the state of Tennessee gets it and we actually just paid pretty large amount to the state of Tennessee as we're required to do annually on those customer deposits that were never claimed. It's not the city's money. We're just the holders of it until there is a delinquent account or it's time to send that back to that person. So, after we've looked at some numbers, a lot of utilities, including gas, electric companies are going away from holding that customer's money because it takes a lot to manage it and keep it organized and filed. They're going away from deposits and doing credit checks or they'll do a deposit and then after you have three or six months or maybe a year of good payment history, they'll go ahead and apply it back to your account. Um, what we're suggesting is increasing our service fee from $50 for a new service up to a hundred and not doing deposits at all. So, we get that money on day one versus six months or three years down the road. Um, realizing that revenue at the very beginning and then that customer instead of paying $200 to get water turned on, they're only paying $100 to get water turned on. Instead of paying $150 for a homeowner, they're

only having to pay that $100 service fee. The question then becomes if they leave us with a bad debt. How do we collect that? And the answer to that is if they ever try to turn on water service on our system again, of course they have to pay any bad or delinquent accounts in their names. We would collect it at that point or the increase on that service fee would offset that with just a tiny bit extra to the city in the end to help offset that quote revenue loss. Um, and then also something else that we have on the schedule is we pay or we receive $25 if a customer is cut off for non-payment of their bill. So twice a month we cut off an average of 60 people for non-payment. We charge them $25 extra and they get their water turned back on whenever they pay. We're supposed to be charging them $25 to cut off and then $25 to cut back on. So, I'm asking that we uphold that $50, which would feel like a $25 increase for those people. Warren County Utility, I believe, just up there to $100.

Um, we're paying someone two hours overtime plus on call to carry that phone to come in and turn those services back on, and it's only costing the customer $25. We're not recovering our cost on paying our guys to come in and do that for them. So, we're just requesting to do away with the deposits and then increase the new service fee from $50 to $100 and then the cut off from $25 to $50. Because when we do shut off for non-payment, we're going and turning it off and then someone else is going and turning it back on. So, it's an automatic two trips versus a new service is one trip out. You get a reading and you and you go back and and do whatever else is on the task list for the day. Um, we have about 850 new services every year within the deposits. Um, and then the current deposits we have on file is about $600,000. Those would be applied to current customer accounts. So those deposits would just be applied to if you've got a deposit right now within the city of Minnville, we'll start at A and we'll start working down that list of 6,000 something customers and we'll apply your deposit. when we get to your name and that way there won't be a cash flow issue in the water and sewer revenue side if that's something you'd like to consider.

It's going to make it easier for a person to get into a home and turn on. It will. But is it going to make it harder for us? Are we going to lose money in the end?

I don't believe so because a lot of people are sitting up on bank draft anyways. So a lot are having their bills automatically drafted. So, I'm I'm literally signing a check of $100 that they paid two years ago. And then that check is sitting outstanding for months. I mean, months and years. And then we get it back. We have to rec like recognize that coming back into the city, reorganize it, and get it sent to the state on claimed property. And then for them to get it from the state is a ginormous loophole to get prove. You have to prove that you live there. You have to prove who you are, who the name is. A lot of times last names change, especially with marriages. It can be a little bit of a challenge. Um, it will actually save us some manpower on our side from having to keep up with all of that account and keeping it organized.

Any other questions? So, right now you have this money where you've collected all these deposits that have not even been transferred over into the water department. It is in the water department. It's in the water department. Okay. It is in the water department. Yes. We manage that within our fund balance over in the water department, but it's not the water department's money. It's not our money to spend. We're just the So you But it's like set aside. So as they use it and you credit them, you'll just take it out of our little savings for over here and put it into their department. Yes. Okay. We applied as a receipt as if they walked in and paid, you know, $100, whatever that final bill was.

Okay. Thank you. And the the shut off fee is explain that again. So, currently we charge $25 if you're shut off for non-payment. Our code reads that we're supposed to charge $25 to shut you off and then $25 to cut you back on. Right.

We have not done that since I've it's I don't think we've ever done that in our code. That's how it reads though. So, I'm requesting that we adhere to that code and go up to that $50, give our customers a month or two notice printed on all the bills and just recognize that that $25 is not covering the manpower to shut those 120 people off every month. If they especially on nights or weekends come in after hours, we pay that guy two hours of overtime to come in and do that work. That $25 isn't covering that. It's not like they're coming in and you know this, well, we'll just wait till we get four or five of these and we'll do all five of them at one time. A lot of these are just one at a time and they go home and they're home 30 minutes and they have another call, they go back out and that's another two hours.

I like that we do that that promptly, you know. Yeah, that's good. And I learned through research that a lot of utilities no longer offer night or weekend emergency service for non-payment. you have to wait until the next business day. I didn't realize that that was a thing because we will come in at 3:00 a.m. and turn the water back on if if you've paid that payment.

Well, that's one of the things that makes it nice to live here. Um I have make a motion to approve if nobody has any questions. I um the $25 extra I'm hesitating on personally. Can we split those two and vote on them separately? What do you want to be?

Like I want to vote on the deposits. Like I'm okay with the deposits because quite frankly, you're right. Like probably most people aren't getting those back anyways. So, if you apply it to the bill, it's probably in everyone's best interest for you to do that. Um or and then everybody hereafter you're just taking the $100 recognizing it as income and then it doesn't get applied to the bill. It just is. And mostly it would cover if someone defaults. it would offset a little bit to our I mean within a few thousand dollars to our favor of any write-offs we would complete.

Um so I want to separate the deposit from the service fee increase. I want to separate those two votes. I mean people I understand the cost that you're talking about but most of the time these people are having a hard time. And so, you know, this board has been very against increasing fees at all. So, why is this one okay? I would like to separate it. Can I make a motion to separate the water deposit and the service fee before we vote on it?

Can I ask a question? Sure, please. Do you want to lower the service fee? Just leave it as it is. Oh, okay. I didn't know if you meant to. Well, she's wanting to increase it to 50, right? Because it doesn't cover our our service. We'll have to amend the code. Isn't it currently 50? It's currently 50, but we don't enforce the 50. We enforce the 25 only.

Either way, maybe. So, I think the motion will be there will be a motion to do away with the deposits and we can vote on that and then we can make a motion to amend our code to decrease the $50 service fee down to 25 for new for shut off payments. I don't know that I want to decrease it. I mean, you're not enforcing it as it is. So, I think we need to make it correct no matter which direction to make it official. Mhm. Okay. So, I now have a motion to separate these two items. Yes. Do I have a second?

Second it. Okay. All in favor? I motion carries. So, now we're going to go with the deposit first. Is that correct? Yeah, I'll make a motion to approve that. I'll second it. Have a motion and a second. All in favor? Motion carries. And now we need to um have a motion for the service fees. That'll have to be a recommendation to the full board to change the code.

Okay. I think all of it will be a recommendation. Okay. Do we need to revote on the water deposit and reward it as a recommendation? I'll just let the record reflect that it'll be a recommendation to the board. Okay. So, now we have a mo I need a motion, I guess, for the service fees. I'll make the motion that we amend the service fee to reflect $25 flat. And do I have a second for that?

I thought we just said we had to look at the whole statute or did I miss something? They want to re They want to reward the statute. They want it to whatever we do, they want it to reflect accurately. But if you don't I'll second it. Okay. I have a motion and a second to keep the service fee at $25. Is that correct? And for the ordinance to be amended to reflect that and to take it to the full board. Okay. So all in favor say I. I. Have it. Okay. Is there any other business to come before this?

Thank you. And we are journed. 617. We will call to order the tourism and marketing committee for the purposes of considering the ice skating rink and all pertinent equipment as surplus property.

Correct. So this piece of equipment was purchased in 2022 by the now defunct tourism development board and upon the transfer of the tourism department to the city it became an asset of the tourism department under the city. Uh the city has operated it for approximately two two years fully and it had been operated two years previously by the tourism development board. Um, I included within your packets attendance numbers, uh, expenses associated as well as revenues over the last four years. And it's pretty apparent that after the first year, attendance dropped significantly. Um, cost did not. So, revenues have not raised, expenses have remained the same. And additionally, it's in a state where it truly does need some capex. So, we're looking at additional costs above just the regular operating costs we've seen the last four years. So, I would just ask that you would consider uh naming this as property so that we can list it for sale, get the revenues off of it, and then stop those expenses coming out of the general fund.

I will make a motion that we approve her recommendation to sell. Have a motion. Second that motion. I have a motion and a second. Any other questions or discussion? It's my understanding it's in pretty bad shape all the way up.

From what I understand from the parks and rec maintenance team, at this point they're going to have to drill all new holes in it. Uh we have to buy new pegs. I assume it's going to need to be resurfaced in short order. It's just we're going to have to put a lot of money into it um for it to just even continue to function as it kind of has been the last couple years. So, I would expect the expenses in the coming year if we chose not to sell it to go up notably.

All right. All in favor? I I motion passes. Thank you.

And if there's nothing else to come before tourism and marketing, we will adjourn the meeting. project.

Yeah, sure. I guess that's cuz you Well, I thought something didn't say. Maybe you should just take the clickers there. Scroll down. Oh, it's back behind. We'll figure it out. It's really hot. It's really hot. It's hot up here. It's really not. Oh, it is down. I don't know. Don't y'all feel it? 60. Feels like 88. But anyway,

some years. Um, it's 6:20 and I'm going to call the streets and sanitation committee meeting to order. The first item on the agenda is to consider the recommendation to award the paving bid.

Yes, paving bid. Tinsley was our only bidder for that. U they went up in pricing as noted in your budget financial impact. Every single item that they have went up somewhat in pricing. To give you an idea, we we really only use the D& mix. That's your paving mix and your top mix for your potholes and things like that. Your 307s out at the bottom. Those are binders. We really don't use that unless it's a gravel road and we're going to put binder on top and then put the top finishing coat. So, we really don't use that at all. The coal pling planing, that's what it should say. Cold planing, that's your mill. So, every time they come and they mill our roads, that's how much it costs per square yard on it. But, uh, everything's pretty basic on here. They went up in pricing. We still expect to pave the one mile roadway that we expected to do. Nothing nothing changed. Just cost a little extra. I'll make a motion that we accept the bid and send it to the full board.

Have a motion. I second it. Have a motion and a second. Any further discussion or questions? Hearing none, all in favor say I. I. I. Motion carries. Wonder why no one else bids on that. H wonder why no one else bids on it. I when I send it out I send it to Tinsley. I send it to Rogers Group. There's PRI out of Gallatin. I try to send a bunch of different people and try to get them to come in a bid. And Tinsley is always the only one. I don't know. Next item is consider recommendation to award the street strip in a bid.

Yes. This is a company out of Crossville. only got one bid about 25 cents per linear feet. We're only doing double yellow lines, no white lines on the ends. So 25 cents per linear foot, $1320 for every mile that we want to do. Expected about 10 miles in 2026. So we'll spend about $15,000 yearly for streets traffic. Uh, similar to Rogers Group and Tinsley, I sent it out to a bunch of different companies and only one replied.

Make a motion recommended to the full board. I'll second it. Have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? All in favor say I. I. Motion carries. Uh the third item is to consider recommendation to award the solid waste contract.

So we have a transfer station. We didn't have a contract with these solid waste companies. We sent out a proposal to see what companies would want to operate a transfer station. Help us dispose of our garbage things along that. We end up getting three proposals on this. One from Capital Waste Services, which is what we were currently using, one from Waste Management, and one from Meridian. Once we analyzed and looked at it all and ran the numbers, waste management ended up being the cheapest and utilizing our staff and our current equipment, we project estimate to save upwards of $100,000 a year using waste management into our solid waste fund. With us today is Mr. Tom Brandon. He's an executive with waste management in this that manages the Tennessee area. U if you have questions that you'd like to ask him, he'd be more than happy to answer them while he's here. If not and you recommend this to the full board, he should have a presentation ready to go for the next board meeting and answer questions you may have at that point as well.

He laughed when you said executive. He's not important. He's an important man. He don't let him Don't let him be humble. He's very important. I'm glad he's here with us today. He waste management appears to be quite a great partner for the city of McMinnville and it's been a pleasure to you talk with them and work with them here recently because we talked about that maybe there would be some recycling on the table with this group. So that was exciting for me to hear. I agree with you. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

Tom, would you like to come up and talk about your recycling program that waste management does? Yeah, I'll have a full presentation, but we are the uh largest waste and recycling company in North America. Uh you know, we partner with a lot of communities throughout Middle Tennessee. And so, you know, every county, every municipality is a little bit different. Uh you know, one of the you know, I I don't want to get full-blown into the opportunities here, but you know, the county does uh they do recycle. Uh so, it may be a good opportunity. I don't want to get into what you really should do. But, you know, that that'd be a good partner where you offer maybe uh do some of the same things they're doing with cardboard, paper, aluminum, those kinds of things. Uh we do have a full MURF uh in Nashville. Logistically, that might be a little bit of a disadvantage because transportation is is money. So, you keep it simple. Cardboard, that's your biggest commodity right now, your biggest opportunity. And with the transfer station now you have, you know, you the sky's is the limit there. You know, you know, changing the mindset with your community. Uh we'll be glad you'll see us in the you'll see us in the community. We'll whatever uh you know, payers you have, we will we will show up and try to change that mindset uh one conversation at a time uh of those kinds of things. So, you know, I know every community is different. So, I want to help. I want see what your vision is and then we can partner with that. Does that make sense? I mean I'm trying

any questions right now or is that street pickup availability for recycling? Yes. So cur curbside so you know curb of course you got to do your own curbside trash but

definitely single stream recycling would be an opportunity for you. There's a lot of grants out there that that Linda's aware of with where they would potentially provide you with the grant money. Well, I don't know if it's some of it's matched, some of it may be. So, I'm not getting some of some of you could they maybe uh give you money to buy a truck, supply carts, that kind of thing. And then uh then we would help you with you know the destination whether you take it to a yourself and sort it or if you want to coingle it single stream and take it to a murf which which we would have.

So single stream means yeah all goes in one can. Yeah. So single stream is combining all your recyclables into one coingling. Okay. Instead of uh single stream cardboard, aluminum, plastics, u paper, this is something cardboard. That'll be considered single stream instead of source separating cardboard here aluminum at at the source. Does that make sense? Yes, that does. And they separated at their MURF in Nashville. That's right. Y it's a Murf.

Thanks. It's a material. It's a uh material recycling facility. Okay. Sorry. A lot of acronyms. I'm excited to partner with you guys for a long time to help. So, sounds good. Thank you.

Okay. Do I have I need a motion? Yeah. I'll make it a motion to approve. Um I'll second it. Have a motion and a second. Any further questions or discussion? Hearing none. All in favor say I. I. Motion carries.

Okay. Now to consider the request for crosswalk between 204 and 203 East Morford Street. To give a little backstory, we quickly get requests downtown, you know, crosswalks, things like that. You're going to start seeing several more come come through here as we continue to grow downtown and we continue to see businesses and things happen down there. Uh most recently, the treehouse has come to me wanting crosswalks. But before that, I got a request about a crosswalk connecting a parking lot to another parking lot and businesses downtown. I know personally I've driven down there and just see people darting across the road all the time and I've even had so some people tell me that they that they feel like it needs to there needs to be something there because they're trying to get from point A to point B and you know I tend to agree with them as well. So met with T dot it meets all the standards that they need 100 ft from any intersection check. We got the two signs up by Sparta Street where Sparta and Morford connect. Advanced warning pretty much says all traffic yields to pedestrians. So the signal was the blinking lights and things like that I was told from T do meeting with them is optional. They choose to do that we can. That's why when you see the budget financial impact it's $3,000 if we do decide to put the flashing lights there. Everything else is paint and ordering a couple signs the and a couple of cuts in the side. That's it. 10 foot wide and however long that road is 20 probably 24 ft long and the city would do this project.

When do you decide if they're going to do blinking lights? Do you decide that or We would We would decide that. Okay. It's It's really It's really up to our discretion. When I met with T dot downtown, they said that it doesn't hurt to have them if we wanted to go that route. Okay. I don't really want this.

Well, I know where that is. I've run across it many times. I'll make a motion to approve. I'll second that motion. I have a motion in a second. Any further questions or discussion? Hearing none. All in favor say I. I. Uh motion carries. Uh the last item is to consider T dot lane configuration proposal for the south side of the intersection of South Chancery and West Main Street.

So when I say I've got a GR with T DOT, I do. And so when they come to town, we discuss state projects, things that they want to do and whatnot. And I've got a I've got several more in the works that I'm talking with them about, trying to figure out the kinks and everything in it. But this is one that seemed very much a slam dunk for us. So as you see that's the current configuration of South Chancefree Street intersection. Go back Sam. That's the current one right there. You see you got the yellow lines. You know you can see how it is. You know you get a lane shift to to continue down south chancery if you're going north. So, how many times have we you sat there to go straight and someone in the turn lane to the right of you go straight and then you just got this weird

dance of trying to get to that over there. So, in discussions with T DOT, go ahead, Sam. Slide it over. They'd get rid of that entire lane to go forward. Instead, the ent the right furthest lane would be the only lane to go straight, only lane to go right. So it lines up well with South Chancery Street right there and right next to the library just to go straight. So you don't have that merge and that cross traffic coming in. In addition to this, you know, we've got the bells right there on that corner people get hung up on.

You'll have an extra swing area with those dotted white lines. Little extra swing area for trailers and things to get through there and mosy on down South Chancery Street down to Coffee Street. So there's just one lane going north. It'll be just one lane going north. Is that not going to back everything up twice as bad? Well, not quite sure if it will or not. Didn't they talk about the fact that changing this to two lanes going south would remove the backup on the other side coming from the north? Yeah, you see that a lot too. I see that more than I see people trying to go straight on

like from me across that way. Um they thought that this would help that but maybe it'll back up on the other side. This is also no expense to the city. T dot will do this in house at their own expense. So one goes straight and one goes where? No, just two goes south. Yep. Oh, two goes south now. Yes. Oh, and that allows that semi that always gets hung on the bell or whatever to not get hung on the bell because there's another lane that they can use there.

That's the single most common complaint that I feel personally as an alderman are the bells, especially that one. Yeah. And if you see those bells down there, they're black from where people keep hitting them. And if you look at the actual sidewalk, there's just tire tracks over it. So I mean it's ballers if you drive on the street. I know. I mean I'm just kidding. Work working with T dot. This was a suggestion and a request that they believe would alleviate the issue out there and change the traffic flow.

It's hard to change traffic flow around here. But there's I feel like there's so many people from out of town recently. Well, that's true. And especially coming this direction when it it alters the the pattern of both of those are uncommon and it just really throws off people that aren't from here. I wish the people uh that were coming from the town area up by the library would stop where they're supposed to. Oh, instead of jetting out. instead of getting up here with the other people that are going to when they're going to turn down Main Street because when you're driving and you're going to make that turn,

that's a big swing. It's a tricky spot. Very tricky. 18 wheelers that are flying through the narrow shouldn't be there. Well, I mean, they're going to pay for it, right? Yeah, we're not doing the only thing that we have to do is there is a sign up at the top that shows how traffic is realigned. We just take that down. That's it. That's all we'd have to do for this entire project. So, since there's no money involved, is that just us voting on it? We just we vote still or we just do we have a choice or are they going to do it? No, we have a choice. I'm I

I'm a little on the fence about it because I think it's going to be worse coming up from Caldwell. coming up from Cobble Street on when you come up to West Main or Main Street, but I mean, I guess I I'm willing to try it. Yeah. Can we take it back? I'm sure we just may have to re we just may have to paint it back. That's all. And make sure we keep the sign if we take it down, put it back up.

I think T Dot would just like a letter or something stating that the board is on board with that change. I I don't mind trying it if we change it back if it doesn't work or creates another problem somewhere else. But the Ballards will stay there, right? Don't worry, those bills aren't going anywhere. If those go away, we'll have a tractor trailer in the middle of Gibson Insurance.

Yep. and look at the poll at the corner of the black house and that will tell you what would the other ones would look like if we put the ballers away. Yeah. I just had several people call me today about what we're talking about. More traffic downtown, needing more crosswalks. They're running with their strollers. Yeah.

Um Bearport bruise between Yeah. the the young lady the young mothers with strollers are speaking out. Yeah, the the treehouse that's going in out there on Sparta Street, they've requested some crosswalks. So, I'll be talking with T dot designing that, trying to help them. So, when they're open, they'll be able to have the the kids and the mothers coming through there, too. Um, so I guess we need a motion. Do you have any more questions or I I'll make the motion. I guess we need to send it to the full board then just so everybody's on board. No, no. I'll just draft a letter and send it to T dot.

I'll second it. Have a motion, a second. Any further questions or discussion? Hearing none. All in favor say I. I. Motion carries.

And I think that concludes this committee. Thank you, L. Thank you. All right, this is 640. We'll call the finance committee meeting to order. We have some review some budget recommendations and Sammy want to

Sure. Do you all want to go overview or would you like to go department budget by departmental budget? Y'all tell me where we want to head. Say it again. Do you want to go just an overview of the funds or would you like to go department by department? I know we've all been in the departmental budget meetings, but if you want me to overview those, I'm happy to. I mean, I'm okay to do it either way. Um maybe we got 20 minutes, so maybe for public awareness, we ought to go through each one.

Sure. So overall, the budget is structurally balanced. our revenues equal our expenditures for next fiscal year. So there's no change to the proposed fund balance in the general fund. Um that's something we're excited to bring you. Um the department has worked really hard to itemize their expenditures and make sure there's not money in the budget just because there's always been money in that budget line. So next year our proposed operating revenue is $19,710,000 and the proposed expenditures are exactly that same amount. So, our fund balance will not change from July the 1st to June the 30th. It will change throughout the year, but starting and ending will be the same at a bare minimum. Typically, we don't spend a full 100% of our budget. So, of course, we expect that to be higher June 30 of 2027 next year. The minimum, as we've talked about before, is 15% fund balance as a percentage of total expenditures, and we're meeting that and exceeding it by almost twice. So, we're at 29% versus the 15% minimum. And um there is a decrease to capital capital expenditures for next year. Um instead of over a million dollars, only requesting 245,000 in one-time projects or items. That includes a truck for the fire department. That includes a vehicle for the police department. That also includes sand filter replacement at the Ghillie Pool. um various things of that nature and also a strategic plan update that we are due for in the upcoming fiscal year. There is u grant money available. I don't want to say a significant amount but there is grant monies available in the police department and also in the fire department to provide some one-time things that they are requesting. If

those grants are not awarded, the expenditures will not be made. So that is one-time funding that will only happen um if the grant is awarded and of course the expenditures will then happen thereafter that. We are proposing to continue the transfer to the capital projects for a future police station and future fire apparatus as we've been doing over the past fiscal years. Um, Nolan, do you have any other onetime summaries to add? It's a very lean budget. There's not a whole lot to discuss individual. I don't really have anything to add.

The headcount is staying the same with the exception of our parks and recreation department and adding in a custodian to our facility maintenance department, formerly known as the urban forestry department. um keep that department functioning smoothly there. Outside of the general fund, drug fund, street aid, solid waste and tourism are all special revenue funds. So they are funded by street aid, for example, is gas taxes. That is the money that is used to fund the TOT projects we have ongoing. Highway 70 and highway 56 signalizations are still on the table. Um, Highway 56 will be started in this fiscal year and Highway 70 should be completed late May, although we won't realize all of that expense until June or July, probably July or August of next year. So, that money should be coming in and that project will be completed. But, we expect Highway 56 to start very soon thereafter and have that completed before the end of the fiscal year. And that state street a tax money will be then able to be dedicated to in-house projects to complete the Magnus drive sidewalks. Sparta street sidewalk expansion and then any other crosswalks that the city would like to use and hopefully start moving some paving over there. Solid waste is funded by the user fees. So the garbage collection fees in which our residents and some commercial customers pay on their water bills. Um that fund does include two evacuator trailers,

ejector, ejector trailers, so sorry

to assist in the transition as we go to a different provider for disposing of that garbage. Otherwise, it still has a positive fund balance um there a positive change to fund balance. Then of course tourism is funded by hotel, motel and short-term occupancy taxes within the city of McMinnville. Um we expect about the same type of revenue next year and there's also some grants that come into that fund that that will be utilized to fund some one-time projects over there as they wrap up the strategic plan. The water and sewer department is our only enterprise fund and it is of course funded by water and sewer user fees. And now that we can increase the revenue over there from the new customers um and even before then the water service fee is acting completely independently and the water treatment plant is estimated to be completed by June 4th of this year.

December December the 4th I'm sorry December 4th of this year. So we will have realized we will have realized all of those expenditures within this fiscal year and be up and operating before this time next year. So that's exciting news on that department. I don't have any other one-time things to highlight. Um I just pulled up the spreadsheet here. Um one thing that we I would like to highlight is the animal shelter upgrades that'll be finished. that's in there for $30,000 for completion of the climate control heating and cooling. So, I think that'll complete that project. Yes.

Overall, the budgets do combine or combined all of the budgets equal a 3% increase to staff wages for one step per person that follows our pay scale plan. There isn't anything additional in there for employees other than if they're receiving some sort of a professional designation or certification, then they receive that additional step in accordance with those policies. So, if they receive a water distributor license or things of that nature, they will get that additional step as they complete those things. Otherwise, it's a single step for everyone hired before April the 1st of this year. Did we need to discuss the um recorder and admin?

Oh, yes. Piece in this meeting. Okay. So, that proposal um in front of you tonight in the budget that's presented has a savings from the city recorder position that was originally budgeted at $110,000 all in and an administrative assistant position to move in at $57,000 roughly. So there's a savings between those two numbers that has been applied to the public works other materials operating budget this year from what you seen in committee meeting last Tuesday. So that is on line and that goes to concrete. Yes.

Uh concrete, wood, things like that. Mostly sidewalks, but you go for sidewalks. You got some for head walls for storm water head walls, things like that. That's on page eight of the blue lines, line number 490 for other materials. Well, that would be a nice amount to give the jungle gym some upgrades. What line did you say?

490 on page eight in the blue lines, the expenditure pages. I think in the packets that we provided for the board, it's okay. It's numbered page eight of on the printout. I don't know what page in the PDF. I can get that real quick. Um, it's it's 490. materials on page eight, but it's is it 19 $19,037?

Is that the number? No, it's $78,246. That's where that additional $54,000 was placed. The difference between those two salaries. I see that. Okay. Or not necessarily salaries, but all the wages for that those two positions. So if you wanted to change that, we would need to make a motion in the full board to change that to some other line item. I think it's landed in a good place myself.

I mean, it's just a suggestion. We didn't have that many before and we have it now. And they said to re I think the last thing the guy said was to redo the children's side, the young children's side of the uh jungle gym was about $100,000. So,

so I'll make a motion that we Oh, do I need to be on the finance committee to say that? Yeah, never mind. Well, and we just need to double check and make sure everybody's aware about nonprofits also that we passed a resolution. Was that a resolution last about the fact that we if if if our budget is not in the black, then we then there are no money to any nonprofits

other than what we're our maintenance of effort that we're required to do. So there's a few the library chamber um those that get money because of our agreements but all others if there's no money left over then then nothing goes to the nonprofits and and that's what we voted on. So the full board meeting tonight will be a time to discuss that if you if that's not something that everybody likes or agrees with. Yeah.

So now we need a motion, a second to recommend this to the full board. And I want to underscore as well, I should have put this at the beginning. There's no tax rate increase. It will be the same tax rate as last year. The 1.3212 is what I believe it is exactly. That will be in this vote also. I'll make a motion. Have a motion. A second. And a second. Any further discussion? All in favor say I. I.

Opposed? Motion carries. Anything else? We still need motions to approve these um committee budgets to the full board from the finance committee. I was all okay if you want to do however you all want to do it. I mean, each of the committees voted in those meetings last week to pass these up, right, to the finance committee, and the finance committee is now passing it to the board.

Good. There's nothing else come before the finance committee. We stand adjourned.

It is 7 o'clock. We will call to order this regularly scheduled meeting of the McMill City Board of Mayor and alderman. The first item on the agenda is roll call. Mayor Chastain, present. Dieter Dunlap, present. Rachel Kirby, present. Steve Harvey, here. Carrie Morton, here. Sally Brock, present. Carrie Young here. Next item on the agenda is consent uh approving of the consent agenda, which includes approval of minutes from the April 28th session. If there are no requests for additions, corrections, or deletions, I entertain a motion to approve it as read. Make a motion to approve.

Motion by Miss Morton. Uh second by Miss Dunlap. Any questions or discussion? Hearing none. All in favor? I. Motion passes. Item three is recognition of visitors. If anyone wishes to address the board, please approach approach the podium and state your name for the record.

Hello everyone. Um, I wanted to come tonight, uh, for Major McMinnville and introduce our new executive director, Hannah Jones. Um, so I'm just going to let her tell you a little bit about you, about her, um, so you get to know her. Thank you for having me tonight. I'm Hannah Jones. I'm from Warren County, center town area. I see some familiar faces. I've worked in Charleston for a few years in preservation and tourism, and I've moved back to my hometown, and I'm excited to get to work. We have a lot of exciting events coming up this summer and I know that we work closely with the city. So, please feel free to reach out anytime. My door is always open. Yeah, we're really excited to have Hannah. She is going to be an awesome asset just with her background. She has grant writing background, um, historic preservation, um, she's worked with other nonprofits and things in the past. So, we're really excited to have her. And, um, we also did just release our Main Street Live lineup yesterday. Um, so you can find that on the journal and our Facebook. Uh, but concerts start June 12th. So,

thank you guys. Welcome.

My name is Trinidad Ramirez. How's everyone doing today? Good.

I want to thank you all for this wonderful opportunity. As a veteran, uh, we all know that the care here in McMinnville and Warren County for veterans is gone. And I want to instill in you the importance of caring for our veterans. It's it's really tough to um to abide by all the regulations that they have to begin with. But my main purpose here today is the Constitution and that everybody knows what the Constitution really is. It's very important in our training with law enforcement. So, I brought a piece of uh information to give law enforcement free training from the federal government about our constitutional right to travel. I bring this up because traveling is very important and especially when this letter here is sent out to a governor of North Carolina and it's just about the Constitution because none of you all pay for the freedom that veterans pay for. We're the only ones that pay for freedom. Our blood that we spilled, none of you pay for it. So what we're asking is that if you could take a look at this because here it tells me that I can travel but I must change my status and as a disabled 100% disabled veteran I can't go to any m municipality and ask for this kind of information because most of the people don't know it and what I'm asking for is that why is not law enforcement receiving this free information that they can have free training about foreign nationals and American nationals traveling versus driving or a motor vehicle.

And it's I just want to share this with with everyone because there's a big change happening in our nation across all 3,143 counties. And if we're not operating by the Constitution, then I just want to ask, is my service null and void? Because I'm 100% disabled. Living in this manner in this system where they don't take care of the veterans is horrific. It's horrific. So all I'm look asking for is for us to take a look at the constitution and to change our patterns within our agencies and the entities that make our state, our federal government and our municipalities. It's just about the constitution. And so, um, in my closing statement, if I could, Mayor Chastain, to ask you because it's very imperative that you, uh, the city manager and the city attorney have an appointment at your leisure, but not to wait a month, not to wait three or four weeks. This is very important information that I want to honor you. I don't want to dishonor you here because I've already I'm already dishonored already. But if I you can give me an appointment so I could show you this information that is that is code of federal regulations. I didn't write them. It's just it's telling me one thing and I just want clarity. That's all I'm looking for cuz as a veteran I just want to know that if I'm working for a federal corporation that's over 50 corporations is my service null and void. That's so important to me because like I say, I'm broken and many of us are broken and and it's not your fault. We're not saying because you're not servants uh uh as veterans, but we need your help holding up the Constitution the way we did it in a foreign land. And that's all I'm saying. If you can give

me that appointment, you you know how to contact me. I don't answer phone calls that just have the number. So, you'll have to go to someone that has my number so I can identify who they are because I don't want a contract through tacid agreement. And that's all I'm saying. Thank you very much for this time today. Thank you.

Have a great day. Item number four is petitions. Item 4 A is a request from McMinnville Rotary uh for trash pickup from the annual river cleanup that will be held on Saturday, July 19th. Uh and then trash pickup is requested to be on Monday, July 21st. This is something we've done for a long time now. Any questions or concerns from public works? All right. I'll entertain a motion to approve Rotary's letter. So move. Motion by Miss Brock. Second. Second by Miss Kirby. Any questions? All in favor?

I. I. Motion passes. Item five is discussion items. Item 5A is to consider proposal to dissolve the beer board and give authority of the beer board to the board of mayor and alderman.

Yes. So with this, I would look at under PCA 575 if we can, this board can act as a beer board. So if we did that, that could be added as an agenda item on here noted that it is a beer board and the beer board would be approving it as in you were acting as a beer board. This switch would allow for two meetings a month. They're already scheduled. We wouldn't have to worry about posting another agenda, creating another agenda, another seven minutes, all those other factors that come in with those approvals. So that makes it easier for both new approvals and if there was a violation to present that to this board in a more timely manner. Do we need a motion to discuss it? Yeah, I'll make a motion.

Motion by Miss Young Bloodood. Second. Second by Mr. Harvey. I don't think that the be your board was aware. I wanted to bring this to see if you guys were going to be open to it or not. And then I can reach out to them and discuss it and then I'll give them the reasoning why we're we're looking at doing this. So, yeah. I mean, I don't have an issue with it. I think it just helps streamline the process. And I know sometimes they have uh issues with quorums because the meetings are in the middle of the day and stuff like that. Will people present to us? Yes.

Yeah. It will operate the same way. The exact same way. It'll just be on Tuesday night instead of in the middle of the day when they normally meet. There's no committee. It's just all of us. Yeah.

Well, I I don't know. I I mean, I don't think it's a do or die issue, but you know, I like the separation of committee structure. You know, I mean, that's how we've gotten into some messes is that I mean, I know it's not, like I said, a live or die issue or a live or die board, but it is the way it's set up that that people make decisions out here and then bring it here. That's just my background.

Just to clarify, we have this on here to discuss. So, there's no vote or anything required. Well, that's my two cents. Um, the question I was I'm sorry to interrupt. The question I was going to ask is something Cara just said. Uh, so it would not be like a new committee. No. No. So instead of having the beer board be appointed members of the public, this board would be the beer board. Okay. And so the vote on those action items on the agenda would be as beer board, not as the board of mayor. So as people currently approach the beer board, they will just approach us instead. It would be another item on the agenda.

Well, I was a commissioner, but that's how it worked. The commission we had we had a committee. What do we I mean if we were to do this what do we is there a resolution or a ordinance that

we'll have to do an ordinance because we'll have to change our city code because it's written that we would have a separate billboard set up. So if you guys want to move forward with this in the next meeting we could have that ordinance to be changing that. It just kind of takes the public out of the you know don't want to get I don't want to do a lot of those things where you take the public out of the process that when they you know when they have willingly participated over the years I know there's you know bumps and things but anyway

y'all get it but forgive me there did not need to be a motion to discuss it there would need to be a motion I guess to have this well Um, we do that next time. We just put it on the agenda uh as an action item next time and then go from there. I mean, is this any is there any other drawbacks to leaving it the way it is? I mean, are people are you are they having a hard time getting people to meetings or

it sometimes we have quum issues and then uh uh getting signatures afterwards. Um, so with the beer board, since Lester's a chair, if he's not available to meet at the meeting, then we got to get him later to get the signature. And so there's just sometimes time delays and that type of stuff. There's also staff time allocated during the meetings and leading up to the meetings. Sam, if you'll just put that as an action item for the next meeting, we'll discuss it more officially then. Thank you.

Item six is action items. Item 6A is resolution number 2026-28, resolution to appoint Samantha Moore as the treasurer and city recorder jointly. I have a motion to approve. Motion by Miss Krie Morton, second by Mr. Steve Harvey. Any questions or discussion? Is she good for Is she good with that? I've got my seats on. Okay. Yeah. Okay. We've got a new thing there ready to go. There's no questions or discussion. We'll call for the vote. Carrie Morton, yes. Steve Harvey, yes. Dietra Dunlap. Hi. Rachel Kirby, yes. Sally Brock,

yes. Carrie Younglood, yes. Mayor Chastain, I. Motion passes. Item 6B is ordinance number 2026-04, an ordinance to amend the tourism and marketing budget.

Yeah. So, it's a little unfortunate that this has to occur at the same time that we're looking at a new fiscal year budget, but it's due to a grant cycle. So we had been awarded the tourism enhancement grant in 2024. Uh the project had started the but due to a partnership with TWWA and the loss of one of their employees to another area of TWWA, the project was really stalled. Um just now we're able to pick it back up. So we're going to be able to complete the grant in this fiscal year, but I in order to get the reimbursements, the entire project needs to be installed and paid for. So, I'll not be able to get the reimbursements until the following fiscal year. So, year-over-year, there's no difference to the fund balance than what we anticipated. It's just a difference between this fiscal year and next fiscal year. So, we'll have more expenditures this year, more revenue in the next one.

What is that, Grand? Uh, that was two projects. One at Rocket Park for the new concrete boat ramp and the gravel loop down there. And the second is the adaptive kayak launch install at Riverfront Park. Awesome. So, because TWW is doing the vast majority of the labor of that for us for free, it just got pushed back because they're busy. They lost an employee that was working with us on it. And so, it the timeline just got pushed back. So, we can complete the project in time, but I can't get the reimbursements. How much are they? Say it. How much are they? The entire cost of the project.

Yeah. The cost of the project budget is going to be $100,000. The reimbursement is going to be $95,000. So the total change of the fund balance is only $5,000 in the end, which we have already anticipated. So it's really just pushing back the reimbursements about a month. I'll make a motion to approve it. I'll second it. Motion by Miss Young Bloodood, second by Miss Kirby. So, so is this a So, is this amending the budget that we're about to pass? No, it's amending our current year. Okay, I got you. It's just changing her fund balance and we're at such a small fund. It's a significant decrease to her ending fund balance that we need to Okay.

make the controller aware of. Any other questions or discussion? Hearing none will call for the vote. Cara Younglood, yes. Rachel Kirby, yes. Dedra Dunlap, hi. Steve Harvey, yes. Carrie Morton, yes. Sally Brock, yes. Carrie Young, oh, I'm sorry. Mayor Ting, I motion passes. Item seven is recognition of employees and departmental reports. If anybody has anything for the board, come on up. Mr. Bean, do you have anything from the board? No. Mr. Purle? No. All right. If there's nothing else for us, we'll stand ajourned. Thank you all.