Village Council - Regular Meeting

Hello everybody. Council and development authority working group.

Oh, sorry. Will you do the call to order, please? Roll call, please. Daniel here. Here

we can do it. Are we taking two separate sets of should we do roll call as well? It's Linda here

sent a message with family and Okay. Who can make any motions or voting on anything? Just stand al for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

I got to tell you that was pretty cool. So, we're gonna open up this group discussion. Let's just try to be if you want and at any time the uh you know the chair can take over. I kind of I knew that uh we'd be covering a lot of stuff so I kind of made some talking points. Have cheat sheet for everyone here. If the audio isn't great at home, this is kind of a working group. There's no mics on the table. So that intent is not necessarily

actually before you start council to make it clear at the last attorney. So that is not something that can be used as leverage. So it's going to be a consensus that they just want to record that is fine. has to be about the person and about the person's real com

the presiding officer is I just make sure

Yep. All right. So um again as a reminder uh for working groups or any kind of special meetings we can only discuss the items that are actually on the agenda. The only item that's on the agenda is the discussion of this dual rule. There's no not going to be any vote. It's really you know for an open discussion between the two bodies to discuss uh to discuss this uh because I know a lot of things happen individually and both groups had expressed that they would like to uh talk together. So, general rules. Um, and these are just, you know, I know that I I know that some people said they've never done working groups before and they've never done this kind of thing. So, I just wanted to kind of cover some of uh the general rules usually when you're doing these kind of things. So, start with our shared purpose. Everyone just, you know, we remember that uh everyone here wants a thriving downtown. We want a strong local economy. We want transparent governance and we want an effective director in this role. Uh and all of our discussion should support and uh lead to these shared goals. Uh we want to respect each body's legal role. Uh the council and DDA members should speak from their statuto role, not beyond it. Acknowledge DDA's focus on downtown district and PA57 obligations. The council should acknowledge their responsibility for village policy and budget. We're going to speak from our own seats, not from someone else's. Members communicate with their board's perspective not on behalf of other boards, staff or residents unless explicit explicitly authorized. Uh avoid assuming motivations or positions of other members of bodies or bodies. One voice at a time, no interruptions. Uh we're going to try to do it a little more casual. However, the chair has the you know can recognize speakers to maintain order and ensure everyone is heard. We want to keep our comments focused on the topic. Uh stay within the agenda item. Avoid drifting into unrelated grievances. issues unless directly relevant and constructive. Want to try to use eye statements which means

we want to speak from our personal observations and experiences and we want to avoid generalizations like everyone thinks or business owners believe. Talk from your own personal standpoint. Assume good intent. Enter the conversation with mindset that all participants are contributing in good faith. Uh avoid assigning assigning blame or negative emotions or motives. Be solutions oriented. Identify issues but always pair them with potential approaches or recommendations. Avoid getting stuck on problems without exploring options. Uh clarify before challenging. If someone something is unclear, ask questions first like help me to understand. Should I proceed? Uh I disagree. Um data and documents are anecdotes. When possible, let's rely on our PA57 requirements, the job description, the master plan, budget constraints, tiff plans and goals. This keeps discussion factual rather than anecdotal. Uh respect the staff roles. The myself um Lisa you know we can provide our administrative interpretations but um we should not be asked like directly I mean it should be the conversation should be amongst the boards um operational disputes should not be really hashed out within this meeting uh be honest and acknowledge our capacity and limitations recognize this director is one person that might be serving two bodies discussion should consider realistic workload and expectations I know we have our own, you know, priorities, but we want to make sure we acknowledge other people's points of views and acknowledge what those limitations might be. Uh, no surprises. Like I said, we have to stick to the public agenda, save new topics for future meetings unless everyone agrees. Well, not even if everyone agrees to take them up. We need to just stay on the agenda. We need to seek alignment. But we probably won't ever get to total uniformity. The goal is not to have identical viewpoints, but a shared path forward when we're done with this. Uh consensus where possible, clear documentation of disagreements when necessary. And then we want to try to

end with clear expectations on the next step. So uh we want to determine what was agreed upon, what remains unresolved, who's responsible for followups, what the next point is if we get to that point. So just I've kind of gone through some uh I've got some uh some like notes for everyone to kind of use scratch on. I've taken some of the uh problems that were brought to me by the DA or council and I've kind of um boiled it down into talking points to kind of start the conversation in different areas. Uh if we'd like um you can also just completely scrap this and you know go whatever direction the chair wants to go or the boards want to go but I felt figured at least I would give some kind of structure to this uh as we move forward if that is all right with everyone. So the first one uh point that I kind of wanted to talk about or bring up was um with this role the uh statuto DA obligations or P57 compliance. So, you know, this job description will make the DA director directly responsible for directing the DBA activities under state law, providing regular reports to DDA board, managing a budget, financial reports, maintaining the DBA website and public information compliance, attending all DBA meetings. I know we're going to be all over the place here because we're want to talk about different things, but the talking point with this is we'll add adding villagewide initiatives to loot the capacity to maintain these requirements uh and get and provide accuracy and meet all the deadlines because that was one thing that was brought up uh you know several times by DBA members like can someone do all of this additional work and I figured that's just a great starting point you guys wanted toh discuss All

right. Who wants to kick this one off? Can I see a hand?

Do you guys want to see what I mean? Maybe uh council member window has a point if you guys if you feel like it's a more effective way to start is maybe you can start at where everyone is currently sitting at the table like just briefly like your initial thoughts. I mean that that could be a place you could start because I feel it should be right now you guys have been without long enough I think there Next year we can reeval but at the same time maybe take some of the development and ramp up our initiatives for that. Um because we have taken alleviated some of the some of the items that that the director was responsible for before our committees have taken on. Um which would allow them the time that they need to possibly focus more on economic development. Maybe um you know appeal to candidates that have more experience with economic development. agree

that we do. Another thing I would like to see once I think the issue I see is we have you always hear And I think there's ways we can fun with someone else who I was talking to you. So they're going to be working very closely. So I think it makes sense to I say this already is not anybody who actually is very double the salary they pay for I think that would be good. But as it stands in a year, let me just ask this in a year.

So I do think that I agree with Trina that this is not the right amount of money for dual but I would like to see happen in my experience of research I do think that agree I don't know how contally might be out. So I think the planning should go one way or the other because if we director 55,000 but we really want to do a role that they should be making we are not justice to anybody and I am sorry I think that this should have been taken care of well before I got appointed or should we have these discussions July and August 100% I think everybody is on the same given that the village and I could be wrong on this but given that the village is a larger employer they have access to different types of benefits and things like that. package that currently our employees get awesome. It is a great outward medical director in a perfect world would be to do mostly things but we have businesses

that sit outside of the districts and I think it's a perfect am I married to it? No, I'm not a business owner. what other people say, but as someone in00 I think that a dual role would work in the future, but in place is the most important matter at the moment. I'm not really married. one idea. However, I have been doing research on dual roles and as somebody whose job is to advocate for our taxers financial choices, I think a dual role will help us best in that and I think somebody in the office with village staff can help advocate for the DA as well. I agree with the salary not being enough, but I think that there are ways that we can pitch into that. I think if

we really want somebody who is good at grand writing, who does have experience with economic development, we're going to perspective actually certainly help.

I'm sorry. Could you put the other points back up while we're having discussion so that the DA council maintain everyone organizationship. I do not foreseen that I mean even when we did our building departments and we just spent over Excel spreadsheet first employee.

Yes. I feel I've had these conversations previously as some of you may or may not know. Linda and I met with Tim and talked about a lot of this early and I still stand for my personal opinion that is we need a DA director. Economic development is a large part of what a DDA director can and should be doing. Um I don't know that we've had a lot of that in our past directors for whatever the structure may be or whatever, but I feel that the council and the DDA board are now in a different mindset and I think economic development is where we need to go to help grow the community and grow the tax base and grow revenue and all the things that come with that and I feel a DA director is responsible for part of that. I don't know that it needs to be a dual role because right now as I've discussed previous conversations let's start with the DDA boundaries because I don't know that we've done a lot about economic development in the past and let's startwhere start with the DA director. Let's start with someone that has economic development experience and let's focus on the DA boundaries. As you know, we can't spend our money outside of our DA boundaries. So, let's get that up and running. Uh, and maybe down the road, the village will be in a different spot. It might be a city, who knows? And then we can maybe be to the point where we just have an economic development person and hire that person to just focus that would include the whole village at that point or city. So I just feel that a lot of what I'm hearing people wanting a DDA director economic development

director to do is already in the job description for just director move forward. Yes, there's partnership. Yes, there's collaboration. Yes, they will be working closely with our building manager and our clerk treasurer to deal with all the things. But I think that's the biggest missing piece right now is let's get a DA director. Let's put that in the job description, hire someone at what we can afford to pay and take us down the path as far as we can go until we're all financially fluid and continue to grow. And let's start working together against each other. everything. I do think that we need a director. We need somebody to get our house in order to help us um get caught up on a lot of things to help us with grants. Um I I'm not aware of a lot of the economic development opportunities right now outside of the district and I do believe that if we really focus them on the DDA district we are going to help the village and you know we can grow revenue and grow tax base in that area it helps everybody so I really think we need to be focused on that but again I economic development is a pillar it's one of the pillars of our director and a huge part of the responsibility so let's just make sure that they're working on the wants us to work on in the DBA district. We really have to be careful um and making sure that we're following the law. Um yes, it's nice to offer kinds, but that's not enough. It has to be financial

portion. So, I mean something in the future. hire an assistant director, then maybe this person can spend more time on the DVA if the village is contributing towards people that are overworked. All I really care is that we have a qualified applicant, good references, we don't for a good enough to dest ensus that they want a terrible I don't know that let's be deliberate. Let's pick something and stick to our plan. So Tim with and we can only talk about what's on the agenda is appropriate or inappropriate to discuss a job posting for just a DA director

director is on here but it also says you guys discuss it but you can't do anything discussion and all

yes the job descriptionific is that I mean the DDA comes out of this meeting with the kind of the consensus understanding that that's the direction that council's leaning they kind of know where they should go at their next meeting or special meeting so they can do the appropriate vote forward It looks like you have something. Yeah. So, I actually have the job description for the for the director that we approved.

So, would you like to make you possibly make us some copies so we can look over it

and then maybe you guys can tell us where we're lacking or what you would like to see in addition to what we already have, you know? slashno instead of just saying a dual ro does say dual I'm just saying

yeah Daniel most of us have that we are limited to what is on here and it doesn't have to be everything we wanted you know, let's say we were doing the dual ro that were previously in the old dual job posting that would be okay. We want you to take out the dual role and do just the DEA director. Sounds like it

we've never voted on actually having a dual role or anything like that. I think the intent was to kind of hash out those expectations and so that is the to have this discussion kind of lead which way we wanted to go as a group and I think everyone kind of should be asking to keep us in line with making sure

however all my good work goes up but that's good to go faster I I will so one of the things I will while Lisa is making those copies we did talk in services a little bit and so like the things that are not you know not not all this is being charged to the DVA now but it may be in the future that's another discussion we're have at a later date but part of this job description was so the administrative management services my time treasur time administrative staff official when we're doing HR work all that DBW's maintenance of downtown infrastructure snow removal seasonal support trash general again some of it's charge some it's not event support all the events that are going on barriers uh things like that um

and we should talk about those and we should have a potential service exactly absolutely

and so that's um I think so yeah staff recommends cost share memorandum that so we were talking And then again the meeting space that is utilized the office space conference room storage utilities administrative work insurance retirement um IT communications legal assistance as appropriate um all all those things those are things that I I understand that you're looking at a budget looking these are things that are not necessarily being yet charged to the DA but these are things during the budget sessions that we've all talked that will be coming toward you guys.

Yeah, we could get whatever your thinking is on that before we start those budget discussions because then we can make decisions too, you know, perspective on

to that point. I just as I have shared with you in the past, we have asked you for these numbers already and we haven't gotten anything. So the sooner we could get something, I hate for it to come before us just before budget time and you say, "Well, this is what it is." Um because I will tell you that legally, we have the opportunity to um to them as well. Uh and I only speak of that because I used to sit on DA and we had some of those same situations go on there and it wasn't because of or anything like that. It was like we had a DPW there that seemed to be kind of ours and that is not enough people, too much work to do and all that type of thing and then they were going to bill us for say watering the plants. Well, we went out and got for that and actually hired an outside company that we were able to achieve what needed to be done for the village within our budget and at the same time it actually rel anyway.

Exactly.

So, and we had people doing it that actually understood the plans. So, um you know, you have professionals. So, so there's options here that we can work through. We just can't wait till last minute for those numbers because we have to have time to search that of Some of them are the same for holiday decorating because we actually had DPW doing the holiday decorating around putting the lights up and all that. We already beond that having an outside company, but maybe down the road DPW will have enough staff that they'll want to back on that and say, "Hey, we just like we have here we can hang in September."

So, um, initial thoughts on what we're looking at here. Does anyone have anything? What I heard a lot of starting on your experience. I think we have to be careful because they only work with you guys how you could adjust that $75,000. If they were doing lower% increase years ago it was you know this is five years aine it can change for economic circumstances there's a wide variety of things how you can just a guideline. So it's not like we do at this point $7,000. So

we would Yes, we have the money in our budget. We could increase that number. Right.

So, um I remember you were doing applications last time. So these qualifications do it or is this something really mentioned before,000

realistically the bachelor's degree or whatever qualification everything else kind of budgeting skill in developing public relations like that's not like oh you need a PR degree this degree and some specific amount experience that look at their history of success wherever it is that they were at the salary based on the experience. Sure. So that's another expense to incurly may speak. Um, I would like to see them either have the degree or for sure either have the degree or the equivalent experience. I mean, that's pretty common, you know, in jobs because like I might

have a degree, but I might apply for a job because I have 20 years of experience in the field. You know what I'm saying? Um, I mean either or on that would be for sure imperative if we're not you know I mean because if we have somebody that has for example the five years of experience um and maybe I don't I don't know I agree I as I leisary Even though I have eight years of college and at that time everybody thought to do things I'm finding now that there's only 30% maybe jobs out there that you really need a degree for the rest of student loans and so forth and so if the person has capacity to learn and they have been doing a job that is very similar maybe they just have a twoear degree more on what they're able to do and what they've proven.

I think I think you're absolutely right, but I'd also think that somebody with that kind of experience, we're looking for somebody that's economic development. You're not going to come out at 22 years old because you read a couple books and think that you know how that works. So I think there there needs to be a little bit of emphasis on education as well and just reading through this I agree. I mean I work But um there's like somebody could be a project management years experience. in this field. So, did you guys revis this job posting is weak? needs to be

pointed out, you know, kind of qualificing businesses the success of businesses. And then at the bottom of the page, appropriate public agencies at the local, state, and federal levels to obtain funding for private public funding through grants and other sources. These are not limited to design assistance, infrastructure improvements, promotions, building rehabilitation, working district. This will require grant writing administration and management projects. Um,

yeah, and I do think that we definitely rely on the grant money to make a lot of these things happen. So for me, a big that they they have grant writing experience. Um maybe they can show us some level of success with that. Um because I mean we need money for to do the infrastructure and the bigger project there's also grants. So it's not just for management and as we've learned um I mean I still don't know all of this PA57 and I mean we've learned quite a bit but for them to have that knowledge of deadlines for submitting the paperwork that we need um compiance with getting reports to council um you know we need somebody that knows all of the things so that all that there's not anything overlooked as far as that goes because I think that it would keep a more transparent and fluid relationship between us. How do you guys feel about candidates? How do you feel about hybrid as far as work? However, you're working weekend. Yeah, I think we would certainly work with that because we know that's

where we are. It's where we are.

And I also think that if we do raise the salary, I think we might have a better of a current EDA director from another municipality which come at this point. interview.

Or there might be like an assistant DA director that's looking to further their career, you know, that would be my target. So the hybrid careful accountability and not being not being available for weekend. I'd like to maybe work into a hybrid position because at this point we need somebody with feet on the ground visiting our businesses. I mean we we've got a major we've got a lot of ground to cover as far as getting back and all day because I mean or maybe even a six month because it's going to take I mean It's really important to me that we have somebody going around physically talking with our business owners because that's what everybody's past directors and they can't do that month.

with the remote position. I think that Lisa and I just not present and like it's hard for us to do initiatives together when we might see them once a week for an hour or so or two and that's all we see them and So having them around and also frustration I' not so they're living and they're working here they're working for you know what is your ideal schedule I would I mean I would like them to be available similar to staff Monday through Thursday obviously you know they flex you know when they have the weekends and all of that but that doesn't mean they have to be in the office they should be in community so I would expect them to do more than county places.

If they if they worked or worked on Fridays when the village offices are closed to catch up on you know I would be fine with that but I mean we definitely need somebody that's going to be around getting our business owners on the ground.

So then we need to make sure that we're clear on that. not a hybrid position because it sounds like they want someone in the office at least four days a week and this needs to have access to the office. I'd also like to say though that Friday office district Daniel,

are we just ask I did a real estate just know

I'm just event

weekend that's why we need to trust our department like know that hey if I'm working for example next week although we have a holiday for us I'll still be working and such and so you know utilizing comp time and all of those things knowing you know like maybe Monday I'll be like you know so and again it's it's having that trust in your employees and you know not micromanaging them but monitoring trust but verify you know that they're putting in the time and that you know we know ahead of time you know before the week what what their schedule's going to be you We don't have any 40 hours.

Well, we don't have any events until February.

Is there anything else in here that you'd like to see adjusted?

Not necessarily in here, but maybe as procedural. So I know three times you offered positions to people and each time those were shut down for whatever reason. Did you not have a second and third? I mean it's pretty standard procedure in hiring that you have somebody as a backup. We did that when we hired the village manager and Lisa. We had one, two, three. So that if that first person did not make it, we had a backup so that we witt for three months coming up with more, you know, paperwork and things to do. I think I would advise that be pretty standard procedure forward on this couple different options so that we're not our role in this is a little different and that is when you folks were hiring you were the final say we're not fines the I say when we choose individuals, how do I say this? If I was the next person in line and I watched the first choice go through a selection process and then get shot down, I'm not going to raise my hand, let me go next. You know, it's not. So, it's totally different setting whereas we're not the final with respect to necessarily valid.

Well, there's there's a little bit more to it than that, but my point is it's different than a direct direct hiring and so to run some because it's going to take a month or two

to go through the process. because I can't say okay we're call this one doesn't work out you know I mean we could but it's a little different I guess is what I'm trying to say I understand what you're saying I do agree with what you're saying but our process is a little different because it's so dragged out because by the time we do the interviews and then make a vote and select and then it has to go to council for approval's timeline stretch out. So we can just hold that in my first Spanish teacher. That's what they You could do a joint special meeting. You could have a joint special meeting at the same time. would vote and then immediately follow so that everyone's in the same room as well. Additionally, I was going to let you know so you know as doing my job like I went to like a couple weeks ago I went to the main street authority conference just their networking event. I gave out my cards you know for that. I've also been talking to other managers and so I already have like four or five four

candidates that are you know regardless which way we would be interested right so um yeah I mean it's based on like I'm going to the uh every month or every like we have all open county managers I had someone say text me two candidates they wanted to bring up tomorrow at our election. So kind of shared like hey this is the history of it know before we don't know where we're going this is.

Yeah. No I just wanted and um I wasn't a part of the committee for the later one but the one that I was Honestly, I mean, we put the best that we had forward. You know what? We're not point of order. We're not supposed to discuss previous decisions. Yeah, let's get back on target here. Council and DA, is there anything else here? very important. It almost

is typical for job postings.

Well, I mean we did because this isn't everything either, you know, and you're right because I can qualifications. Do you have anything specific that you would like us to?

No, like I didn't say as a bad thing. It just means like you know it's pretty pretty broad. could find different things and say, "Oh, this could fit underwouch for crawl at least in there matter. taste. But I do like um the other one that Tim does specifically proven track record because somebody in this job does have to be able to work a project start to end.

So yeah. hands and fingers.

The only thing that I don't see you guys I think our employees for the village have a $100, right? So that's why it's salary. Yeah.

I'm just putting it out there. You can have Thanksgiving approximation hours, you know, with the candidate. They could be walking in like, "Oh, well, I'm only working 40 hours a week." Again, I think we're looking for somebody who's got experience, so they would know. I mean, I gave you guys back. So, I mean, that's what you guys say. 40 hours. I'm going to hold That's hold you guys. 40 hours.

Right. I do it all the time. Amazing to watch that ship. Does everyone have to review?

Yeah. If anybody has any suggestions director, I don't know. if anybody has any direct suggestions of what they would like if they take it home and they

so my take is I think we have a really good opportunity but mistakes have nothing serious but there's has been overlooked. He said he doesn't want to pass on to someone else. I think that's really what someone will Mr. Ryan's point about services. So there wouldn't be a net cost coming out and I think Mr. point about the uh delay I had brought up. Let's see if we can do meetings twice a month. We had that five hour meeting and staff response was it's just too much workice. I think if we have someone else will help and someone else that can help everything's just more fluid anyways everything goes through the detail. So you want everything already We just wanted a year and it would seem weird and seems to me that

I feel like you would get so much done with an assistant that you guys would have to I mean that's just what it sounds like director.

I agree. rules. And I'm not saying that I'm saying the way that you feel like person that's why I was saying let's add something about being whatever it is something so the entire village will benefit as well describe the ground that you want someone to do because I don't know what he doesn't want them to do.

So what I've explained in the past is that an assistant manager has historically having been an assistant manager they almost always get like complaints you know hard to deal with because you know so the manager can priorate stuff but it's really hard and even if I went in there with the I said I would end up doing that too. I would hand off like the difficult people the nuisances kind of thing and that's why rather than moving it forward with a because originally came to me they wanted to be consistent. I said well I'd rather give it a narrow scope I'd rather be economic development so that at least they know what where their parameters are working towards economic development whether it's in the DDA or community as a whole. So that's why I said well I can still work with that because I can still many other ways but at least for myself for the person we would know what their scope would be so that's why I requested that shift to rather's district and I want to make sure I don't think that we can actually hire someone to work on.

First of all, not everybody wants Further speaking the attorney there are ways to do ital there's ways to do things in a minute but basically anybody who's director can say

well because we usually maybe we should ask them what hours how many hours director going to have to do visiting the businesses in the district itself, making sure they do the grant writing for the group itself and everything. Are they going to have extra time to I would say so the answer to that is I could stay here 247 and a DVA director be very similar and any one of our staff would be similar. So that is really just knowing what your roles and responsibilities prioritize or listening to your council or your board to kind of you know like make sure that you're staying that focus. A lot of stuff does drop off because we are such a small staff and we have like so many things do all the time. So you're never going to be able to quantify an exact amount of time. That's why we use a 40hour work work standard and they just know that these are the requirements that they have to get done during that time. I don't I don't think you're ever going to be able to go seven hours doing this, three hours because it's such a flexible position.

And the second part of this that was just like they've been without director for a year now. So imagine if we didn't have these for a year.

Does anyone have any further comments? I'd like to get to it because we're not supposed to be going over historical decision. I'm not going over historical decision. I said that we haven't had director for over a year. So, let's not concern ourselves with dual rosel. Let's just get director and let we might do a dual roll down the road, but right now we just need Okay. And you have a comment on this?

That's what I was trying to say is that make com. So in regard to the shall be eligible to participate in retirement insurance programs. So does that mean that in shall be eligible? I'm just asking

so that we can it's reason the language is in there is to allow mers otherwise for our retirement system would not allow someone that is not employee part to be eligible to participate. There are many DAS throughout the state that do not provide any kind of retirement or healthare services. I know gray areas can be places. Any further comments on the contract? Just clarification. So I feel like everybody is talking about maybe in a year

I don't feel like I thought I didn't think

well the average of a director is what two to four years. So I mean when we're interviewing we could maybe inform them that we are we are potentially going to move in this direction just to kind of you know but I don't think that um I mean at this point I think we should just hire a director and then later on maybe we could revisit it um if our director leaves or I mean it doesn't have to be a c I don't know where my decal to that that were interested they were interested they were interested if it could economic development that village role because of that natural transition because a lot of the people that are looking to do DBA are looking for a village manager role or a city manager role and part of the qualification is they have to serve as an assistant city manager development role or something. So that's why having it as that title on there is an incentive and I think as far as duration I think duration is whatever your contracts are. So you contract three contract that's really I mean that happens to all of us right I mean so it doesn't mean that we couldn't know addons possibilities to them and

give them a bump. You know, at that point, if we really think that they're doing a great job

am I condensing down so it's not such a long read and then should we take our mission statement off of here I mean we could always give that to them separately. You know, if they get selected for interview, we have a cont approved and it's not

it doesn't specify any incentive to have contract.

What's your input as kind of field? You know I mean you know can be risky for them as a manager no manager contract it's always like two or three years you know because and it's usually a certain amount of votes because the problem is because with a TVA board or a council board you don't So you're signing up for the current council. You don't know what the next council's going to be and all that. So you want some kind of stability. So

maybe that's something good that I just wouldn't want to have to for two years of contract. So I don't know how you protect yourself,

but I understand what you're saying.

I think right now everyone feels rather fragile and starting off kind of Well, I just feel like talking about the conting in the pastified.

Yeah. And so if I'm understanding right

for example when you're talking You have to do you have to do a budget amendment before you have to sign contract. You can do a posting contract. You have before you sign a contract, you would have to approve this much money.

It might be part of I'm saying to Ideally, you would budget for it all before. If you wanted to do it, you know, before you sign the contract, before you obligate those funds, you have to have as far as signing a contract, but we don't know what we do. I just want to make sure that we're not going to get in trouble by going to council says I mean feel like it

so we could just be up to x amount of dollars you know obviously it's based on experience a I was just going to say that we approved this budget. I mean amount based on what our budget and what we felt based on our other research directors. So We'll keep it directorates. Do they know the amount? I mean I provided I provided both or just one

I don't know I don't know about you but you have

it was there was no like I said it's a DA position however some of them had expressed like one of them was an actual manager from their state over here that was interested but they were interested that's why they had zero qualifications Yeah,

I in your budget thing. I just I did a fast Google search. salary for a director 674 in what state average so we had somewhere area.

The audience for public comment at this time of the may

I did. So speaking comments will not response for public comment at this time. Members of the public shall state their name and address any public com.

It's not Anna Matson 15091 Western Valley. Um, so going through old news articles, I actually found one from 2003 um that said new position casualty of village budget cuts. In this case, the last in was David PL who was hired as a community development director in March. His his position was eliminated at the May 27th VI village council meeting. So this is pre208. So, I'm glad that we're moving in the direction of just a DDA director because the village is broke and I would hate that the village, you know, go in on this partnership and then have to cut because you guys have to budget like within this next six months. And as a village resident, I've been really disappointed that there hasn't been talks about what we're going to do about our budget. I've just seen increase after increase after increase. Spend, spend, spend. And that's all I'm seeing. And I wish the amount of effort you put in today to try to increase your budget, you would put that effort to try to decrease. Um, you know, I just it's also hard because I when you guys were hiring a village manager, I heard over and over and over again, we want someone to do grants. We want someone to do economic vitality. So you hired our village manager with that intent. So if it's a time issue or he's not performing that task. That's a different conversation that the DDA doesn't need to be a part of. You guys need to talk to your employee about that. So, as a citizen, I would like a report on what grants have we tried to get. Did we h do we get any yet from our village staff? So, these

are the things like the village has its own problems and you guys really need to look outside the box instead of just going after the DDA's money because that's all this looks like to me. And one thing that wasn't brought up, I don't know why, um, in previous council meetings, I'm pretty sure the DDA offered to buy the depot. So, so it's like if you guys need revenue, there you go. Like, let's have those discussions, you know? Thank you. I have no skin in the game. I'm not on council. I'm not involved with anybody from Oh, sorry. Angel Ball 709 Beard Street. Sorry. Thank you. Um, I have no skin in the game. I'm not a DDA person. I'm not a council person. I'm just a regular person in the community looking and I can understand why nobody trusts anybody up here after this meeting and hearing well we want this and then we want this there's definitely two sides that are drawn and I as a just a person am tired of being like are you on the side of the DDA or you on the side of the village we just heard the village of village of village village we didn't hear any like work together there's no working together in this group. I I did not come I'm I'm sitting there going there's no working together. My question from the DDA I went to the the um ladies night. I heard one business person say, "I hope people come down here and they don't just come down here for the free bags and I hope that they spend their money down here." Well, that's great, but give us a reason to spend our money. There was no sales. There was nothing to draw people like me in. I did not feel welcome down there at all. Zero.

Also, when I was looking through the bag here that they gave away and I have the only advertisements in here are for people in a twob block radius downtown. Like the the passport was literally for Ma Maple Street, Broad Street, Sagena Street, and Battle Alley. There was nothing that said go to Midtown, go to Uptown. There's nothing. There was not one advertisement for anybody from Uptown. There was one advertisement in here from a Midtown. That's it. The rest of them were that one block where all of you guys who are on the DA are owners. So, it really looks like from and this is just me looking on the inside that you're all only. You're not there to make the DEA better. You're there to make your businesses look better and to get money for your own businesses. I have no skin in the game. I don't You know, y'all's businesses are your businesses. Some of them I come to, some of them I don't. I'm telling you what I see looking as a personal person looking in. I'm tired of I can't be friends with Amy Hillman and friends with April and friends with Hillary and friends with Amber. I'm tired of feeling like that is somebody from this community. I'm tired of the discord. I'm tired of the fighting. And that's all I hear. If I talk to Amy, somebody's saying, "Oh, well, I guess you're not on team April." Or if I talk to April, god forbid, I can't be friends with Amy Hillman. And I try to be friends with everybody in this room. Everybody. I don't feel like I can be that with you guys.

All right.

All right.