City Council - Regular Meeting

I call to order this regular session of the Vienna City Council. Having taken a role in having a quorum, we will proceed. Uh the first item on our agenda this evening is public forum. Many of you may not know, but I'll take the time to introduce our speaker this evening. Henry Sassin from Vienna, West Virginia, is a proud resident and has come to share here on uh behalf of his opinion of what's going on in the city. Y [laughter] ask Russ. He could he could have done an impression of an announcer. I can go. There we go.

Hey, uh couple things real quick. Uh it's not really good, but hey, the Y held their penguin meet for uh high school swim. 17 schools, packed auditorium, packed in a lobby, gym, the big gym was full of kids and parents. The little gym was full. They basically shut the whole wide out. So it was crowded. So nobody from the school board was there. would have been good to see the lack of facilities that we have, but what we're still able to, you know, accomplish. The other thing, too, is uh prior week they had the uh Patriot meet at uh Boys and Girls Club. There was seven schools there because there was also a huge meet going on over Morgantown. And so, it was pretty cool. I mean, the best seat in the house is timing. I had lane three and it was the fast lane. All the action got wet, but who cares? Uh, so anytime you have a chance to volunteer down there to time, they'll give you half the meet. You do the other half. I did the whole thing. So with a big meet like you had, I was there from like 9:00 till 5:30 in the evening. That's number one. Number two, with snow apocalypse,

could you put out onto the website and you know your Facebook and everything else is I'm already heading. Clear the roads. Yep.

You got a driveway. Sorry about the inconvenience. park your vehicles as of Saturday night on your driveway to allow the plows to properly clean the roads that everyone's going to be having. [clears throat] And then the other item is this past Tuesday I was down at the board of education meeting to talk to him about the swim meet and some of the things that both high schools need from the school board. But prior to going up to talk during the public forum, which he asked Rodney, I signed up to talk and I did. Uh the school said that again at the end of this year, they dropped in population by 254 kids. [clears throat] So last year's, you know, calendar school year 2024, 2025, and 2025, 2026 down 254. So I went out with my same speech as I always did. you know, you're getting a new school not because, you know, of a good thing, it's because of a bad thing of consolidation because population shrinking. Um, state shrinking, county shrinking, cities are shrinking, and what's left in the cities is the older people. And I mean, so if we're not careful, we're going to be in trouble. So, I did uh talk to Superintendent uh Christy Willis afterwards and then she talked to me the other day and maybe we get uh the city officials and government officials of a school board together and start putting our heads together before things really got out of hand and we became you know like a city or town like Martins or Martinsville which is dying Peyton city you know you got Sistersville I mean even my own hometown of West Virginia up in Hancock County used to be the biggest employer in the state of West Virginia 6,500 00 people when it's desolate enough. They put in a battery plant there now. But still, we can't let that happen. And the only way you're going to do it is we got a lot of riverfront property down in Wood County. You know, where the old Ford Warner GE plastics plant was where Dupont Kamores is. You need manufacturing. Manufacturing brings families. That that also brings stable homes and people want to come here. And [snorts] to get people to come here, you

need to have things to attract people. That's all I got. Thank you for the reminder on that again. And a resident had also sent me a suggestion in the way of snow removal if they have u fire hydrants in their yards that if snow gets too high, they may want to clear out around. But we'll put all of that out um with that. But thank you. No one else has signed up for the public forum. Uh the report of the minutes from the January 8, 2026 meeting have been pro printed, posted, and circulated. Are there any corrections to the minutes? None. [clears throat] We'll let the minutes stand as submitted. Uh the report of the treasur was given at the first of the month. Um and we have no business on that. There's no unfinished business. So we'll move on to new business. Uh the first item on the agenda uh was to be a presentation from uh Dr. Tory Jackson and Lindseay Piol. Um sickness has hit uh the area with the flu and um some other things have come up around. So we will not be able to have that presentation tonight, but it has been rescheduled for um the first meeting in February. Did you have any other information on that, Rodney? I think that was it.

Moving on to item number two is the ordinance first reading approving uh the rideway and easement for WVUP Foundation.

And I'm I'm just going to read the title and section three the findings because I think those are gerine to the meeting tonight. And if anybody has any questions about the rest, just let me know. Uh this is an ordinance conveying a road a road rightway and easement to WBO Partnerswork Foundation and the West Virginia nonprofit corporation. City council finds and determines that the conveyance of the rightway and easement serves a valid public purpose purpose namely to provide a road to service of proposed elementary school WBP both of which provide educational services that benefit the public to the city of Vienna recognizing demonstraable need for the property to serve the public. Pos County Elementary School project and the renovation of WVUP and WB of Parkersburg Foundation Inc. property. Three, the conveyance is supported by good valuable consideration. Four, WB of Parkersburg Foundation Inc. is a valid West Virginia nonprofit corporation. Five, the conveyance is in the best interest of the city of Vienna and the citizens of the city of Vienna. So the ordinance you're essentially whatever you do any kind of transfer of property by statute um either selling or giving away by the city and even then you have to do it by reading by two ordinances um we've attached or I've attached a copy of the deed that was drafted with my approval um by Mr. Hardman and uh the attorney for WBUP and in accordance with our ordinances 107.04B 4B. It has the right the reversionary clause. All of this is a lot to say we're giving them a road so that the state will pay for it. Then that road will be conveyed back to the city of Vienna. That's the intent. That's not what this ordinance does. This ordinance just conveys the road um to the foundation so that it can be built. But that's where we're at. And so it's just you're approving the deed and making the findings that you have to per our ordinance. Do I have a motion to accept the ordinance as on first reading as submitted? I have a first

and a second. Tammy beat you. Yeah. Got to be quick. Yeah. But valiant effort. Good job. E forever. All right. Having a first and a second. Uh open for discussion. Do you have any questions, Mr. Morrison? Just something really simple. I'm sure it's not a big deal. As I was looking at the exhibit, I noticed the uh it includes all of the tracks involved in the actual road rather than just the two um for the easement. That's just so that to show you where it's going. It's not. Yeah. It we're just we can only give them what we have. Right. Right.

You can't convey more than what you own. So, we're just giving them the the right way to put put that put the road on the property that we own. Yeah. That's it. That Well, I That's all I got. Thank you. With something like this, is anything have to go into the paper or No. Um, off the top of my head, I don't believe anything has to go in the paper as far as conveying the property. Okay. Because it's going to a nonprofit. It's not auction. It's not, you know, it's not a public transfer. To the extent, that's not accurate. It's a transfer that occurs in the public, but it's not you're not selling it. So,

and that's probably a reason for them to that we have to read it twice. Yeah. Well, by statute, we have to do any transfer of property by ordinance, which is requires two readings. So, I think it's West Virginia code 8118, but don't hold me to that right now. Any other questions, comments, concerns? Have a motion in a second. No other discussion present. Uh all those in favor of uh accepting the ordinance as uh submitted, please signify simply by saying I. I throw I was throwing you off. I was seeing you get your hand up quick. Yeah. [snorts] Okay. Six to zero. Right.

Six to zero. Okay. Sorry, it's wrong. It say 128. It's okay. I did put it down.

Thank you. The next item we have on the resolution is an order to authorize the election and to renew the existing levy forta. Um, this is a resolution to to adopt an order authorizing election for renewal of an existing levy under the provisions of West Virginia code chapter 11 article 8 section 16 16 to provide for the continued operation of the mass transportation system. Again, I'm not going to read the entirety of that order. That order has been provided to you. It's the same basically the same form order that we've been using for at least the almost 20 years that I've been here. I will point out that Amy and I have gone over the numbers a couple of different times and we've discovered something new about the auditor that I'm not going to say in public, but the number that's actually going to appear in the ballot that's in section 11 under special levy election. Um that number reads 1,ion421,42,9456 per year. We went back through and reviewed the numbers through no fault of Mr. Wolfker. Um the the numbers that were provided show a $20 difference 1,ion42,7282. That's the number that would be uh placed in the uh that'll be placed on the ballot. And as long as you all understand that you're voting to pass the resolution and that the number that's going to go on the ballot is $20 less than what is in the paper that's in front of you, then we don't have to do anything else. Do I have a motion to accept the resolution as submitted? M

second. Uh we we're going to give that one to Tony. You already had one tonight. And we'll give the other one to Henry. We try to be fair. I have a motion in a second. Is there any discussion? Henry, did you want to ask the question about when it would come up again? Well, that ties in with it says physical year. So, I'm assuming that's July 1st through June 30. It'll be July 1st, 2027 to June 30th, 2028. So, then it'll be I'm assuming that this will be placed on the ballot the next presidential election. I'm sure.

That's what I brought up the last time there. It's just we would have to change. We can I I suppose in 2028 we can start doing these at four years, but you're gonna have to get Parkersburg to get on board with doing it as well. I can go to public. They have a very interesting They're only going to let you talk once. You can't talk. They're not going to let you talk before now.

You can't say but in Vienna I'm allowed to. Um, I do want to say, you know, thank you for adding the senior center route um on that uh that we're going to continue to promote and and get more individuals to to use that. They're going to have to learn that it's there. Uh, but thank you for listening. Thank you for responding and thank you for making that happen. Uh, I will take you up on your offer for the standing structure of a bus stop. Uh, and I CC our public works director on that, but obviously we have to wait for fairer weather a little bit before we can we can do our concrete pad and we'll get that on there and that way people can wait on the bus at the bus stop at the senior center and that makes me happy. So, thank you uh for that.

You're welcome. Thank you. Is there any other discussion having Rod? Would you like to do hands rather than I? Yes, please. Okay. See, look, I can accommodate. I'm good. You seem to be in a good mood today. I I was in a kind of in a good mood. Okay. Did you have something else? Parkersburg. They go down by name. Yes. No. Yes. That that seems like a little bit much. Let's land this plan. Yeah. So, having a motion and a second. Having a motion and a second. No other discussion. All those in favor of passing the resolution as written, please signify by raising your right hand. Okay. Did you see it? Yes, ma'am. Yes, sir.

Okay. [clears throat] The next item on our agenda is a resolution uh to [groaning] Oh, is it a resolution or just a presentation? It's a resolution. It's a resolution. But are they we going to have them say anything this evening? Would we like them to speak from that? I'm asking you, Rod, you were part of that selection. Uh yes. I think if we have questions, they're here. Okay. Does that sound okay with you? Oh, an opportunity to talk. Okay.

Shocking. Um, do I have a motion to accept uh the resolution as submitted from Thrasher Group Professional Services for an engineering contract. So, we got a first and a second. Uh, open for discussion. uh if you'd like to that way if you have any questions. Does anybody have any questions this evening or did I move him to the podium just to have him walk across the room?

Yes. Before he speaks, I'd like to just make a comment. We had three um engineering firms that we interviewed and quite frankly all three um would have been fine. But I think where this uh Thratcher group uh stood out from my point of view is that they offered uh some um grant opportunities. Uh the is it the Adler grant? Amler

AMR AMR grant which is deals with mine subsidances and things like that. Right. Yeah. So, Wood County has one. So, we uh uh there's a possibility that we can uh be apply for that. And I just thought that showed me that you have a partner in this uh that really is concerned for the success of of that area. And um I just want to be on the record. I really appreciate that. Means means a lot to me. So what this allows us to do is um when passed would when we start a project at Spencer's Landing rather than having to go out and get indep individual engineering firms to be able to give specs and what have you. This would designate Thrasher to um our point of contact to be able to go and then they would work up all those specs, what the what the cost would be and all of those various things. Um you know, I'm I operate and you know, I just kind of like to look and go, we need a bathroom there. Let's go build a bathroom. um but especially in the area that it's in and the concepts that's there, we can't do that in that particular area with what's going on. So, this will give us a direct line to an engineering firm uh so that we can get those things done and we'll be able to move on them very quickly and it cuts out the whole searching every time we want to do something. It will also give us continuity because they will know obviously they have a very uh close um grasp of what the the concept of it is but it'll keep everything in line so that everything that's built uh and put in at Spencer's Landing will have the same appearance resemblance and and flow all together which is very important. Does anyone have any

questions? I've got a comment and a question. Go ahead. First I'd just like to say thank you and You know, I'm really pleased myself that you all won the bid. I um I have a lot of faith in your company and from your designs and things that you've talked about before. I really feel confident that you all would do a really good job. Thank you. The second question I had is really not much of anything, but when the bid was done, it was for Spencer's Landing. And because this agreement does not mention Spencer's Landing in it, does that limit us in any way or is this more of an open contract and something could be done in 12th Street?

Well, I'm not familiar with how you solicit your bids to solicit the engineers. I can tell you what this agreement is because that's what was presented to me. But what this basically is is a framework contract that that basically enters into an agreement for five years with Thrasher to do un to do to be specified uh engineering projects that are based on task order. So what that means is there's no guaranteed work. The city's not obligated to pay any to issue any task orders. Uh the task orders are going to control the scope and cost. Each project will require by council approval. um uh the task for have to specify what the scope of services are going to be, what the schedule's going to be, the compensation amount, and basically what you're doing is you're you're entering into an agreement where you're not paying Thresher until the project is solicited and bid, but you're keeping them essentially on retainer that if we need engineering services. So, if you want to do Spencer's Landing, you can. If you have just as as the mayor said the bathroom project maybe in a park or something else thrasher would be on call to provide the engineering services for the city much the way we have uh Burgess and Niple for the utility board.

I guess my question is it just that because Spencer's Landing is not specifically stated in this contract to do projects there does that limit us from doing something say like at 12 Street? No, that's exactly what I'm saying is it opens it up. You're you're not limited to Spencer's Landing. If you want to do something at 12 Street, you could. If you want to do this somewhere else, Mathers may have some information maybe to CL. The RFQ for this project for this project was specifically for Spencer. Yeah. But the contract was done in such a fashion that it gave us more options. That's why I was asking.

Okay. Go ahead. So, does [clears throat] this does the contract mean that uh if we wanted to do a project that was over our threshold, it wouldn't necessarily have to go out for bid. Is that is that like say say something we were going to do something down at Spencer's Landing that was more than the $25,000? No, you're going to always have to bid. You're going to have you're you're they're not doing the work. They're not building it per se. They're doing the engineering design work. That's what this pertains to. Okay. So then they wouldn't be you wouldn't be subleting. They wouldn't be summing out the the actual construction portion of it. They're just doing the engine.

How how this is how this is going to work is we go to them with a project and we say we want you to build four bathrooms at Spencer's Landing. I No, I'm that's not a project I'm just throwing out there. We want you to build four bathrooms Spencer's Landing. um we it needs to meet all the ADA requirements and what have you and we want them located here. And then Brancher would go down and go, okay, so this is what you want four bathrooms. This is what it would look like at that location. This is the setting that you're going to need to make sure that you comply with. This is generally what the construction costs are going to be to build an ADA compliant path. That comes back with a task order and then we say, "Okay, now we want to bid out the actual construction of the project." So then they we create a draft or bid of documents and we send that out to contractors and then they they contract it. But the document specifically says that thresher is not going to be obligated to price which you know I wouldn't expect them to be because the market prices might change but but generally that's what the process is.

Nobody ask question. Okay. You have questions you want to answer? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because we have a first and a second. This is a discussion. So from an engineering standpoint, um kind of I'd like to know your opinion on what you think ideally would be the first thing we can work on,

maybe even the second thing. So the task orders can be if we can agree on that [cough] orders can be started. That way we can get something going on and not waiting two or three months down the road again that we can something that we grab on to. Makes sense. So, there's a couple couple ways we could go about this. Um, and you know, it's good reason to have put this in front of council as far as the task orders go. Um, we have an approved concept, you know, based on the previous work that was done. Um, since then, you've had a couple events um down at the down at Smith's Landing. And so, logistically, you know, you've had a new event with the with the balloon festival, which is something you haven't had before. Um so one of the first things I think would be what we should do is meet with a group you know focus group or stakeholders or some you know somebody and understand if there's any modifications anything that we need to reconsider with the concept in order to lock that down to a final site design because a concept is just that it's a concept um you know it's the framework is there but you know I don't I don't think it has to be constructed exactly the way it's shown on this document here right Now, if there's things, you know, that need to be realized, if some bathroom locations need be changed or what whatever it may be.

I I I I just have a question for Mr. Mats because I never received a copy of the RFQ. Does the RFQ just limit it to engineering services for projects at Spencer's Landing? That's the way the RFQ was written

and it doesn't allow for it didn't solicit for anyone else for any other possible projects in the city. It was it was for Spencer Landing Spencer Landing. Well, I don't know. I um I'd like to see the RFQ. Could I mould I ask council if we could take a moment to go into executive session to talk about a legal matter? So, I just want to make sure I'm clear on something. First first we'll be back going on executive session.

Let the record reflect that we came back to council at 6:32 p.m. uh from executive session. Um and no decisions were made. Uh continuing with our discussion in regards to uh the contract at hand and the scope of that contract, I'd like to make an amendment uh just to clarify in the contract that the scope of practice will be limited to Spencer's name. Okay. Is there a second? Second. [snorts] Any other discussion on the motion?

U, so just just so we're all clear, when the uh when this was sent out and the RFQ was sent out, the solicitation for the request for qualifications or request for engineering services limited this to engineering services to be provided at solely at Spencer's Landing. Um, so that's what uh that's what our agreement if we adopt it would be for is just for engineering services at Spencer's Landing. So, any other discussion on the amendment? Having a first and a second on the amendment to specify the engineering services to Spencer's Landing. All those in favor signify by raising your right hand. Motion passes. So, the amendment's been moved and seconded. It's been passed

and we're passing it that the entire resolution. Yep. And any other discussion on the resolution now that is specified to Spencer's Landing? Go ahead. Uh, is the steering committee for Spencer's Landing still is this still active? Is that still something that we can plan with or plan around to to try and get back together? I know that was something we had formed two year and a half ago now.

Yeah. The steering committee itself was the the intent and purpose was to get the overall concept. If we want to talk about, you know, if there are just as he he brought up um some some changes there be or that could be recommended to be made and I think now having uh two or now actually three because Jack, what have we done? Two glow on the O's and one Freedom Festival.

Yeah. Um it uh it gave us a very uh eyeopening uh account of the space and what's used and how we used it. So there are probably some some changes uh to that. None of those changes would be made solely upon the decision of um any one particular person or the engineering. All those decisions would have to come through through council as a a whole and as presented. Uh could we uh reunite the steering committee? Yes, but we don't necessarily need uh or have the need to rehash everything as a whole, but simply to address and we can do that as council. Um address any concerns that we have in the way of parking facilities, um you know, where we may want to shift, you know, a a play area or where we want to shift shift restrooms to. So, I'm confident that, you know, everyone on this council is extremely vested in this uh and we have clear goals set um and that we can convey that to um Thrasher on on what that is, then they can bring that concept to us, then we can vote as a council on that.

Is that a long way going to say we don't really I don't really think we need it, but we don't need it anymore. I think that makes sense. Yeah. Okay. Okay. And I have another one if that's okay. Oh, sure. Go ahead. Um, come back to me. [laughter] Should it? Okay. I have You got one more? Yeah. [snorts] There's some things that's been happening and from my point of view only. Okay. And I just like council to uh to think about this that um I know in the survey if I can remember uh restrooms was a big thing. Yeah.

And I like I would would like when we get to the point of doing task orders or making a recommendation um I would like for Thrasher to put something together as far as a restroom um down there. Um also um the um the stage area that that was initially um was one of the focus points. Uh through the Freedom Festival, we're finding out that the the stage has tripled to rent. Um and it's about like that everywhere. And I think we can get a stage down there. Um, [clears throat] pretty reasonable and not not complete the whole thing. Uh, but you have the Thrashers's recommendation as far as how that stage should look that that would help us for future any events. Any events, not just Glonia, not not just the Freedom Festival, but anything that uh someone wants to have down there. You don't have to worry about renting something or getting something or where we're going to put it. It's going to be there. Uh so those are two things that from my point of view I'd like council to consider. I would think that once uh we vote and accept this motion to uh to move forward on this, we could very easily put together a list of priorities that uh we feel are important and uh then be able to hand that uh to thrasher and say these are the priorities we've identified and take them you know step by step by step and if along the way we get a huge benefactor that says yes I would love to write a 5 million million dollar check to the city of Vienna. Um then we can adjust fire as as necessary or we come across grant money that may show up. You know, we can adjust that, but we can put together our level of priorities that would direct our the

phased approach to get all that done. Um, and I'm confident we can we can address that u, you know, very simply and because again I I believe we all are are confidently agreed on where we need to go with this. Did it come to you? I remembered. Yeah. See, you just needed some time. Yeah. So, well, it was the money talk is what got me going. As a council, we have committed [clears throat] $2 million specifically for the purpose of developing Spencer's Landing. I wanted to ask your opinion if you thought that was a pretty healthy sum to, you know, use for the grant finding money that, you know, that we had talked about several months ago.

Yes. Um, a lot of the grants, especially Amler, um, you know, specifically that that we've been talking about, um, a lot of these grant applications are very competitive. Um, you know, there's a lot of count with Amler, there's a lot of counties throughout this throughout the state. I think 53 of the counties are are eligible. Um, and you know, most everybody has projects that they that they are bringing to the table. Having money committed, um, already having a concept plan developed, you know, having a council who's on board with the future development there, all those things put you in a in a much stronger position right out of the gate. Um, so yeah, so having having that money, you know, committed already definitely helps your standing and and all the application pools that that you're going to be a part of.

And we have it's actually 2.5. We've got the two million. Then we have an additional 500,000 that's earmarked u specifically for matching grants and you can use that $2 million however but we have access to 2.5 um that we can pull from for that in that sense.

And is [clears throat] in your in your experience right now because we were kind of told the grant climate was poor at the end of last year. uh is it seemed to be making a little bit of a turnaround coming into 2026 that you're aware of? Have you seen and also in addition to that is this something that um Thrasher would be uh lumping in with their engineering design whenever you know is that is that all part of the scope?

So to answer your first question um the grant comment is still um not as robust as it was. Um it's still limited. Um, a lot of there's a lot of agencies that are still trying to figure out their their funding, make, you know, understand what their budgets are. Um, Amler is one of the more stable programs that that we're a part of. Um, they have they have solid funding that's been committed. Um, and it's it's dedicated to, you know, projects like your specifically for economic development of communities in West Virginia. Um, and that's that's one of those, you know, they offer up the two million dollars for for projects. Um, and again, you having money committed for that really really helps your case. Um, some of the other some of the other grant applications, you know, that's it's not as good a climate. Now, that's one of the strongest ones. We thank and think we think it will be a really good fit for what you're trying to do. Um, what was your second question? I'm sorry to get this but oh as far as helping with grant applications um so with the task order project um understanding the priorities and understanding what we're going to do um you know what's your priorities here to get your first phase of construction um I think refining the concept plan into a final master plan making whatever tweaks we need to make um based on feedback from the council and people who have been part of those u you know the festivals and the events there we need to refine that and then understand what goes out to construction. And I think that would be um a really good scope for the first task order. As far as assistance with like the AML grant application, I we wouldn't lump that in with that task order. That is something we would just help you with. Um that, you know, that's something that we help with. You know, we already have the concept plan. Um we can help the application as far as writing it, strategizing, um putting together documentation. That's one of those things that we we just that's more of a service that we offer just as as a teammate is being part of this to help

you pursue those grant applications and we'll do that with Amler and if there's other applications that come coming there we will help with that as well. And I guess and to to clarify I guess more of the question wasn't so much as you helping with the writing of the grant but um the finding of or you know having the knowledge of these grants existing. I don't know if that's somebody that you guys have employed that's constantly, but is that is that also something that uh as they become available, you guys would have knowledge of and be able to pass that along?

Yes, we absolutely would share that information. Um I mean, this is a long-term project. Um you know, it's a five-year contract that we have. I mean, it's it's in our best interest and your interest for this project to be funded and move forward. So, anything we can do to help with that, we will do um to help with that. So as you know as funding sources become available grants that we see and there's the standard players you know land and water conservation fund block grants you know there's a certain funding mechanisms that that are pretty common throughout the throughout the state um when those windows are open you know if we think there's there's parts of this going to be that are good fit we will absolutely bring that to the table that's all I got thanks

anybody have any questions for me about the actual agreement itself [clears throat] Okay, having a motion and a second. Um, and having no further discussion, all those in favor of passing the resolution as submitted, please signify by raising your right hand. As amended. As amended. Yeah. All right. Motion passes. Thank you. Thank you. Hey, thank you, Mark. Get ready to get to work. Absolutely. We're excited because as you could tell by the conversation of Rod, we already have some projects that we are hot and heavy to get started on

as I believe that the Vienna residents are very anxious to see happen. Moving on, we have an ordinance first reading authorizing the limited internal budget revisions with departments without prior council approval providing and providing for reporting requirements. Mr. Sogstead.

Um I'll just read it by title and then I think the most important part uh an ordinance authorizing limited internal budget provisions within departments without prior council approval and providing for reporting requirements. Um basically section two during any fiscal year internal budget revisions within a department may be made without prior approval council provided that the aggregate amount of all such revisions for that department does not exceed 20% of the department's approved operating budget. Um section three of the exclusions. U the following require prior approval of council and shall not be authorized by this ordinance. Any internal budget revision involving a capital expenditure. Any internal budget revision involving a personnel line item or any revision that increases or decreases the total amount budgeted for personnel or capital expenditures within a department. And then um section, let me see. Yeah, section four just requires that any budget revisions have to be reviewed by the mayor and the finance director prior to implementation. And five, all internal budget revisions made pursuant to this ordinance shall be reported to council on a monthly basis and included within the city's short budget report.

Having heard the ordinance as submitted, do I have a motion to accept? I have a motion and a second. I think their hands went up at the same time and I think got it. [snorts] Did Tammy get it? Wow. Carrie got it. Harry, I have him first. Oh, okay. So, you knocked Tony out of it. Oh, way to go. I heard her. Did you? [laughter] That's my good ear. Tony, she was quick. This is my bad eye. I can't see over here, but I can hear you over here. That's fabulous. Uh having a mo motion and a second uh to approve the first reading of the ordinance. Um open for discussion.

Yes. Oh, sorry. Go ahead. What's driving this?

So what's driving this is efficiency and actually have something in place because we don't have anything in place. There's nothing that we have in ordinance or policy that actually addresses how we do any type of any type of revisions. It doesn't exist. uh we have standard protocol that we've kind of over the years has been followed because that's the way you know it's it's either been done or or shifted around but we've never had anything in writing to say this is the protocol this is the process and how it's done when we first started talk we've been talking about this for what six months

it's been a while yeah

it's been six months or so since we started talking about this because what was what had happened in the past um was a situation where you um something came up and you if if you dig into this it's a very limited number of line items that this actually can affect very limited um you know vehicles you know vehicle maintenance and and operational cost you know building maintenance um you know supply uniforms I think those are really the and if you look at it it's very limited. You can't do anything with personnel. You can't do anything with capital expenditures. And what it what it allows to to happen with a legitimate course of action behind it is and I'll use the example that just came up. Um over the past two days, I've held meetings with departments as a whole. I've met with them and it got brought up during one of the department meetings that uh a large portion of the department needed coveralls. Not that it was overlooked intentionally, not that anybody was being neglected. It's just something that hadn't got brought up. So, you know, it got brought up and you said, "Okay, who, you know, who are new hires and such that need these, you know, coveralls?" So that comes out of you know a separate line item we need and it was good and what brought it up was the impending storm that we have coming and there was concern and I had even noticed and brought it up when guys were out working in the cold where are your coveralls? Um so it got brought up we need to do that. So when we identified say like there's 20 people that need coveralls. Well if I go to that line item and this is purely an example. Well, if I go to that line item and there's not enough money to buy 20 pair of cover rolls,

you have to do a budget revision to be able to move money into that so that you can do that. Now, if we just operated on the the scenario of okay, budget revisions go to budget and finance, then they then they go to to council. You can be six weeks out on a very basic function of that. In six weeks, I don't need coveralls. I needed them today. There have been, you know, scenarios where there's not enough money in a line item. It's a we, you know, we always go to we always go to Russ and say, look, this is the situation we're at. Russ, you know, can deem it as a an emergency under the you know, the definition um and we can do it. then we got to come back to council and say it was an emergency situation, we paid for it, but now we have to do the the the internal resolution. I'm not exceptionally comfortable with that and I believe that's a situation where you get the cart before the horse because some things do pop up unintentional

and not every situation is that needs to be serviced is an emergency. So it may not fit the debate prediction of an emergency because it's not something that's imminent, but it is something that needs to be done. something that needs to be done in less than two weeks

to be able to do. I think a good example of that was we had a situation with our internet and our internet service provider. We had to to pay a service fee or whatever at one point and it was we either do it or we don't have we don't have that. And what this also does is it limits the amount of money that can actually be done with that. It puts it puts a cap on it at 20%. for what that request may be so that it then it's not open-ended. When I did budgeting and finance for the federal government, you the Congress passes the overall defense spending bill, right? So, they pass the defense spending bill. It trickles down to the various agencies. It goes to the secretary of defense. Secretary of Defense puts out that money to the various agencies, Army, Air Force, blah blah blah, you know, right? So, it goes out. So then when it trickles down to the people that are actually using it, I have a budget and say I have uh travel pay and allow, you know, I have pay and allowances, I have travel, I have supplies and I've, you know, I've got miscellaneous. If I have a situation where I have to transfer money from say supplies into miscellaneous or miscellaneous from supplies and I'm just using these as generic titles and it doesn't have anything to do with paying finance. I don't have to go back to Congress and ask for reauthorization for more money that can be transferred. Paying allowances is something completely different. uh you know that has to do with manpower and incentives and pay and all of those things which should always be a decision of this council if something should come up. This gives a very limited window a very limited window with a very measured response that if something comes up and we have to deal with it and it fits within those we have a framework

to be able to address it deal with it and move on. transparency is still there 100% because we submit a report will be submitted to you council and will go in the record every month on what that is. So you will clearly be able to see what's being what was transferred and where it was moved and why it was moved with that justification. Um so it a provides greater efficiency. Uh B, it allows us to address it without having to address it, then go back and readress it in a scenario, which I'm I don't like and that's what brought all of this up. Um and actually gives us the framework which we did not have before. Um

question. Yeah. Um do you know the line items that's applied to this ordinance that we can It's going to be everything that's not a personnel salary type line item and a capital expenditure. And a capital expenditure is anything that any capital pro not project any capital good that is going to be depreciated or put on a depreciation schedule. Typically, I think Amy said those are items that are in value of more than $5,000 that that get scheduled for depreciation. But beyond that, I don't know the specific line items. It's um I mean

building it's building and maintenance it's uh vehicles it would apply to um education and uh supplies. So this would be like capital outlay. Is that what

it it the specific definition is a capital expenditure means any project or expenditure classified as capital outlay under the city's budget or accounting policies including not but not limited to expenditures in excess of $5,000. and those are specifically exempt. Uh they have they're still going to require prior prior approval of council. So basically it's going to be the majority of it's going to be items or services but particularly well it's going to be services and it's going to be any item that wouldn't be on our uh depreciate that wouldn't be eligible or available for depreciation. So, a department head can't have put in for three trucks, decided they were only going to buy buy two. Say then say, "Well, I still have $40,000 in capital, you know, improvements. I'm going to move that over into supply that doesn't or salary, it wouldn't apply. Anything that's on that capital [clears throat] U expenditure list that they that they submit separately, that's all off of the table. This is you're not going to be able to buy a car that's $5,000 or more. You're not going to be able to buy a bulldozer that's $5,000 or more. You know, that kind of stuff.

So, so those are capital. Those are capital goods that fall on the depreciation. We can't do that. So, I guess what I'm asking is can uh somebody mayor you or Russ? Well, it's not Russ, it's Mayor. Well, what I'm getting at is can somebody send to council what the actual line items that this applies to to simplify it? Well, I'm I'm sure you could ask Amy to send that because it takes this takes two readings and would that would be here for the next the next reading. We could just say this applies to line items blah blah blah. So when Henry gives um the monthly update in finances, you know, that would be there, right? So it could be reported as an FYI to us.

It's going to be on the short budget. whatever the expenditures are that's going to set out. I I I I think it would be because I don't know what accounting practices are going to look like in the future as far as saying specific line items. I don't know that we're always going to use I don't know line item 54 for salaries and then put that in the ordinance and then 10 years a new accountant comes in and says, "Well, actually, we're changing all of our line items." But to put C I I think categories would [snorts] be would be something. Yeah. But even if we're tell the number and in parenthesis put what it is. I mean at least gives people an idea, right? But I think what he's saying as far as line items like you could say you could say [clears throat] 40- Yeah, you could say um

I think you know uh building maintenance and supply that's a specific you could list that. So yes uh we could specifically have that if that's what you're asking. Yeah. I I just want to make sure everyone understands and even the citizens uh understands what what's going on. Absolutely. 100%. There's no appearance that we're trying to do one thing or trying to, you know, slice something or

and what this also does is limit because there's, you know, there's always that concern that I try to budget high over here so at some point I can move money over here, right? That's always the complaint um that you get when it comes to to budgeting and expenses. This limits that to that 20% category. So they can't they can't overinflate simply to be able to have a future knowledge of being able to move that around and do anything that would be out of the ordinary and those things are going to be all reported to you um on a monthly basis.

Really what this does is it caps the 20 it obviously caps under 20% of the budget. So and I can't remember exactly what the police department budget is but let's say it's a million dollars. So they would be able to move $200,000 around to do some training or whatever if they needed to without coming back to council which is something they would have had to do in the past. So what the way your system the way the system works now is you guys adopt the budget, you send it out and you say this is what the expenditures are and the only way that those expenditures can be changed is to come back to council through budget through the budget revision process. And typically what we do is we we get a bunch of those budget revisions and bring them to council. Um well depending on the year I guess but sometimes it's one, sometimes it's two or three items that come before council at one time. So what this does is this allows the finance director and the mayor to make some of those adjustments to the budget and then report to you what it is instead of coming directly to council. So if you have instances where something is not necessarily an emergency, but it's still something that needs a little more expediency, this allows for that. But and but to be fair, um you're uh you're taking the direct management of the budget and you're giving some of that discretion to the executive to the mayor um to implement the budget that you've passed. And that's the question, that's a philosophical question. That's really what you have to ask yourself. Do we have an issue with giving the mayor the authority and the autonomy to make some of these changes or department heads to ask the mayor and the and the finance director to make some of these changes up to 20% not including capital outlay expenditures meaning those items that are on the depreciation schedule that are in excess of $5,000 and it prevents uh department heads from making salary adjustments. They're like, "Well, we have $100,000 in this here. Here, I'm

going to get rid of these five line items that give the employees a pay raise, which this specifically would prevent from happening. But that's essentially to summarize it. That's about as good as I can get. [snorts] Okay. I I apologize. I don't want to belittle this, but I know you have definitions here. It is. Would it be acceptable to have a definition of what this applies to? Absolutely. We have non this non that. Yeah. I just drafted I just drafted something for you guys to to look at to work on.

Can I request that? we have additional definition send me a send me an email to tell me what you want and then I'll get with uh the finance director tomorrow or and get you something um that you all can look at to to clarify the definitions and the way that process would work is that the department head makes the request it goes to finance finance looks at it uh sees if it's a legitimate uh request in in need based upon their recommendation then it would come to my desk then I would sign off on it. The report then would be included to council and council would would be aware [snorts] of everything that went on.

Yeah. Nothing's going to be done in the dark. It's just it may be done sooner um than what council would normally expect to see. You're still going to have council's still going to get a report. Any other discussion?

I just have a quick comment. I just I've [clears throat] been listening to everything that's being said and and taking it all in and uh just the initial as soon as I got this um the agenda last Friday was, you know, kind of scanning through it and I see the title here, you know, and I'm sure all of us probably had this kind of knee-jerk reaction. Well, what's this? And then I I read over the ordinance. I feel like there's still, you hit the uh the word There's still plenty of transparency here. We're always going to know what's going on um as far as the internal budget moves. I think it does help with efficiency. So, I think this is a sounds like a solid plan.

All right. Any other discussion? Having a motion and a second. Um all those in favor of passing on first reading um the ordinance as submitted, please signify by raising your right hand. Motion passes. Well, yeah. With additional comments and that'll get made Yes, I was prior to just send that the second reading and then I'll get with the finance director. She doesn't like her name mentioned in me. [laughter] Uh that concludes the items that we have on the agenda. Do we have any reports from standing boards or committees?

Uh the planning commission will be meeting next Monday, January 26 at 5:30. Um that will be the meeting that we um vote on the amendments to the comprehensive plan to be sent to council. So and there's a public hearing at 5:30 before the meeting will start as soon as that's over or at 6 o'clock where here council chambers council. Anyone else? Henry Rodney, our budget and finance meeting for February.

Uh that would be February the 3rd. It's the first Tuesday. So that still holds that's still open. Okay. At 4 o'clock here in the council chambers. Did you have something? Yep. Go ahead. Uh baseball and softball signups are live. Wow. Sweet. is the season. Winter's almost over.

Again, we want to remind everybody that's out there uh watching, snow's coming. Just as Henry brought up earlier, if you have the availability to keep your cars off the road, putting them in your driveways, it will make the ease of removing snow that much easier. We're going to get a lot of snow. Check on your neighbors, check on your friends, check on your family, especially if there's elderly. Uh check on them as well. If you have furry friends that you love and adore, they don't like the cold anymore than we do. U so bring them in, keep them warm, and take those precautions. We are on it. Uh our public works director, Craig Mets, sent me a very detailed report today of where we're um putting our focuses on in the area of snow removal. It's very comprehensive. Um and we should be able to address all needs as they come up. Anything else?

Council comment. Yep. I have [clears throat] one. Yeah. Good. Uh so this Saturday uh two days two days from now uh the bowling bash is taking place at Pike Street Lanes. It's for uh it's a free event put on by the Wood County Prevention Coalition actually sponsored by the city of Vienna. I believe uh mayor is planning to attend. I will be there.

Uh but uh it's a free event for uh uh school age kids. Uh bring your kids out. They can bowl for free, get a free pizza. Uh, it's a lot of fun. We have all of the lanes and it's completely free. I think you'll even get a a t-shirt or a sweatshirt. So, you got any kids, grandkids that have free Saturday afternoon before the snow hits, come down to Pike Street Lines 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday. Henry,

when we work on the budget for the upcoming year, it's something that we may want to do before the calendar year ends. Uh is there any way to look at summer interns? For example, bring somebody out of college that's maybe their sophomore finishing up her sophomore year for budget finance to get them to start learning as to what the real world's like.

And even with Craig Mets, a picker in streets and they have pumps and tanks and you know maybe you get somebody that's a civil engineer or a mechanical engineer that's local. I mean, get the kids to work 12 12 weeks out of their summer. Uh, but if you do something like that, you have to get something posted and get it out there for people to be interested because a lot of times kids already have stuff on a on a, you know, a plan for the summer, usually by Christmas, and those that don't usually try to get that nailed out and locked down by spring break. Yeah, absolutely.

Done it in the past, but you know what better way to try to get kids to be interested in staying locally by, you know, trying to educate. Absolutely. Good suggestion. Anything else? Going once, going twice. Have a good evening. This meeting is ajourned.