City Commission - workshop

Good afternoon. Today is July 14th and the time is 12.07. Madam Clerk, can we get roll call please? Commissioner Bass. Here. Commissioner Santiago.

Here.

Commissioner Irvin. Here. We'll have an invocation by Dr. Charlene Bass. Commissioner Dr. Charlene Bass.

Father God. Father, we just want to say thank you for truly this is a day that you have made. Father God, we just ask you to continue to be with us. Continue to bless us, Father God. Father God, draw us near to you, cover us in your blood. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. The Pledge of Allegiance. Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. If there's any public comments at this time, not seeing any, we will go to our proposed 2027 budget presentation. Madam Managers?

Yep. Good afternoon. At this time, I'll turn it over to our budget administrator.

That's one component. Good afternoon, commissioners.

Good afternoon.

I'd like to present to you the 2027 proposed city manager's budget for fiscal year 2027. We present a balanced budget. This is a workshop that we get to discuss what's in and get your input as well as public input into the fiscal 2027 budget. We start by giving some general information on the budget, what's included, summaries, and then we'll go division by division to look at what's included in each division's budget.

Okay.

Madam Mayor, Commissioner?

Yes.

What is the silence? Very quiet.

Yeah, I think they're trying to get on the same page, IT and the budget director for the

Okay, so overall health of the city is looking pretty good. We, we have an estimated budget of 71Million dollars combined. We're proposing a fiscal year 2027. Of that, there's 32Million dollars for general fund. And we are proposing a no change in the minutes rate for 2027. No change.

No change.

Same military 8.9, 7, 9, 7. Wow.

Sure. Go ahead. Thank you. I surprised that we have that good new, the city look very good. To me, this country, well, whatever changes that we have for, for next year. Or with the revenue that we're going to receive. I think they're going to cut a lot of things that, you know, come to the city. It's not yet, but that's what I say. He's talking about the property taxes.

Okay. The property taxes won't take effect until 2028. If it passes.

Oh, okay. Well, I don't know that. I believe they're going to take over right away in January 1st, 2027. But if it's the 28th, it's fine.

Yes, but those figures are for 2028 fiscal year. So those will be assessed for 2027 calendar year, but the taxes will be imposed for 2028 fiscal year.

Very clear. The tax, our budget for the 27 is going to be approved by October 1st, this year. We're going to be okay. We're going to have the amount that we need. Yes, sir. All right.

Excuse me, the page that's up on the board now. What what page is that here? Is that here?

No, that's just a PowerPoint. So the next slide shows you or break down comparison year over year between 2026 and 2027 proposed year of major general fund revenues. For property taxes, we'll collect $1.3 million additional with the military staying the same. Franchise fees, 2.6. Permits, 1.2. Just a slight increase of $35,000 over adopted fiscal year 2026. And fines and forfeitures will be reduced. And that's primarily due to red light cameras. The red light camera program revenues have been declining month by month in this fiscal year. So, in 2027, we don't expect them to be going back up.

Question. Yes, sir.

Go ahead.

Okay. That I understand this is a workshop, and I received my workshop, you know, agenda today, like two hours, you know, before this meeting. But why that page is not including here in this book? Why? It is? It's here? Oh, but that's what you said. It's not here. But it's here, no?

So what he's doing now is an overview, and then he's going to get into the actual book.

But I want to be sure, because I heard from Commissioner Irving, and he said the page is not there here. Okay. But it's here. Page 27. Okay, thank you. I want to be sure that anything that we talk is here in this agenda.

To be clear, they're not going to match is what you're saying, right?

The format is a bit off.

Okay.

Would the pages be the same number? The number would be correct?

The number would be correct.

Okay.

I think what he's saying, what he has is separate from what we have. The format is different, but the amount and everything is the same, right? So, yeah, our book is different from his. It's the same book, but I just condensed it. We got you.

Okay. And we may not have said the mayor of the great city of Palac is here with us. I'm here. Thank you. Thank you.

there is also a transfers of 3.6 million dollars proposed in 2027 compared to 2026 that was 6.7 million dollars and that's due to surplus in the debt service fund because we no longer have any debt in the general fund so all that money is going back to the general fund from the debt service fund so that brings the total proposed for 2027 to 30 million dollars in revenues for the general fund can you say that one more time please the total revenue is projected for 2027 is 30 million dollars no the one before that about the debt that service uh their transfers of 3.6 million dollars coming into the journal fund from the disservice fund can you tell us why so the debt service fund has no no more pledge debt with it so the revenues that's going to be collected over there is going to come back to the general fund thank you

There's a decrease.

I wanted him to say that. You wanted to say that we are out of debt.

General fund wise. I understand.

I just wanted you to say it. What I see here, I mean, in 27, we're going to have less money than 2 million. Yeah, that's correct.

And a part of that is driven by the red light cameras. Those revenues are declining monthly. Currently in FY26, we budgeted $1.2 million for that. So far, we've only collected $400,000.

And the last meeting that we have, I think we touched a point about the school, the school's sum that we don't receive any revenue for them. No, we do have revenue for it.

However, so the school's feeding program, was not included as part of the 2026 budget. That program went operational in November. We started receiving revenue since November, and so far we have collected roughly $220,000. However, we still have to pay the vendor at least $110,000 of that. Those bills are currently outstanding that we haven't paid since November. In addition to that, we still have to send the state's portion to the state, the school board's portion to the school board. So the net effect of that is probably like $15,000.

If I may say, Ashley, in a minute, we're going to owe them.

That's bad. Go ahead.

Do you have other questions? All right. All right.

So our general fund revenues are declining, proposed declining because of fines and forfeitures primarily driven by red light camera system program that we have. Also, as I said before, we will collect $1.3 million additional in keeping the millage rate the same.

Madam Manager.

Mr. Mayor.

You know, I feel about the trade. I wanted to decrease it.

If that's the will of the commission, then we need to go through this budget book and let me know what items we're going to have to cut, because we would definitely have to cut in order to reduce that millage.

Mr. Mayor. Yes, I know. I know this is, you know, one of your ideas. about the million raise. We have another Cali that they, you know, can think and in the future, you know, giving the opinion about that. Seeing that we had two million less already, okay, reducing the millage rate is going to make a hole to us, okay? Now, I don't know how we're going to do it, but I think that we already passed our I'm not suggesting for that, no. That we are putting down the military, no? No.

Not yet. It will be coming to the commission.

Okay. All right. Leave it alone. Okay. Yeah, that's a decision that we're going to take, everybody.

We can go through the book, but I just want to say how I feel about it. I want to make sure our residents have relief. We still have the highest. We've reduced it, but... We can, I see you looking, I get it.

Okay. I don't think it's a good idea right now because we have to be waiting for, you know, what are we going to have for the next 28, in the 28 or whatever. Yeah, let's thinking about it, you know, to do the best that we can for the economy or the budget for the city. And plus, we have to go and look for other resources, okay, to get in revenue for the city.

out of the boyar that we have Madam Manager I was a little late for the party so we going department by department we just started and what he's doing now is doing an overview and then we'll go into the department how much longer on the overview before we can start the department we can start when you're ready if you want okay yes I was thinking the same thing let's talk about the department because the overview is yeah We can start with whoever you want to start with. I think the first on the list is City Commission. City Commission. Who's presenting that? What's that? 33? Page 19. No, no, no, no. On four point.

There you go.

Okay, good.

Okay, so the Commission budget increase year over year from $176,000 to $346,000. That increase is the proposed charter amendment for the additional $1,500 a month and insurance costs that is being proposed by the Commission. So if it passes, it would be included in the budget rather than doing an amendment. That's a major increase in the commission's budget.

If I may. And if it doesn't pass, then what happens? That money just, we take it from out of here and put it back like a general funds or something? Like where does it go? Budget amendment.

We could do a budget amendment and put it to contingency or whatever the Commission wishes. Okay.

Okay. Yeah, that's in case it is now pass. Yeah, we are we putting back like that we reduce the $2 million. Yeah.

That's the major increase in the city Commission's budget. Any questions.

No, it looks like majority of everything has stayed the same outside of the travel.

Yeah. Travel is the same.

Oh, no, travel is the same. Travel is the same. Yes. Everything stayed the same.

So operational wise, we try to keep all operational expense the same, except for contractual salaries that increase.

Okay.

Go ahead. Go ahead, Commissioner.

I just got my book too, so I'm looking as we go. General expenses, the commission is going up?

It's the same. No, he said everything is the same. The only thing that he increased was the salaries for the commission. And just in case it passes, if it doesn't, then it goes back to wherever the commission says. Outside of that. The only other question.

I'm looking at 26, right? When I look on here, I'm looking at FY26?

Yes. 27 proposed.

26 is now.

27.

27. Okay. I got you.

Question. The only other item that went up was postage.

Yeah, go ahead.

Okay. Um. By curiosity, I want to ask you that question. Um. Days ago, we'd be talking about the 7200 dollars that we have to add it to the commissioner. Okay. Do you including that by casualty in the 27 budget?

For the stationary? You're questioning the paper?

Yeah, I remember the $7,200 and then, you know, like we want to add it to, I think that's for the commissioners. No, that was for a budget amendment. It's two different things.

Right. So we kept the budget the same, $1,500 for office supplies. Same thing. Okay.

It's not, you're not adding anything for? No.

It's not added to this upcoming budget, but it is included in the budget amendment.

In this fiscal year?

For this fiscal year.

So this is for next fiscal year we're discussing.

Yeah, I understand. Yeah, we do that because we say that we need it for ending the 26th budget year. Yeah, but what about 27? 27, we're leaving it as is at $1,500. Yeah, and we don't make any decision about that. Okay.

thank you all right so it looks like everything when i see the footnotes are the same as far as the travel um office expenses membership fees and and everything like that and the monthly allowance so we can move on to the next item which is the city manager

Excuse me before we before we move on to have one question. The the $300 that we get to do things with in the city where does that fall here. It just falls on a monthly.

Reimbursement right okay.

City manager's budget. The city manager's budget overall declined and that is primarily through eliminating a assistant city manager's position that was in FY2026 budget. So we've eliminated that position and created some savings there. Okay. Operational wise, just a minor increase due to postage and freight.

Okay.

Any questions? All right.

None department. So this division covers expenses that cover citywide costs, electricity, water, property taxes, any services that can be tied to a division per se. This is where most expenses will come from. For example, other contracted services that increased. The reason for that increase is that this is 2027 is the year we start paying back the state of Florida for the red light program fund money that weren't remitted back in earlier years. And the agreement is that we have to pay them $250,000 per year for the next 10 years. Wow.

And are we doing a lump sum payment or are we going to do it over a monthly payment? Monthly. Monthly, okay.

Contingency is at a million dollars. We have a million dollars contingency in the budget for... natural disasters or any emergency that might occur during the fiscal year. We can move to cover expenses as needed by the commission.

Do you think that would be sufficient?

We won't know. Well, yeah, but but it's it's a it's a placeholder which which is looking good. So far in the past couple years, we haven't needed it that much. Right.

So so what was the regular that we needed? if we haven't gone that far as a million. It doesn't have to be exact, just roughly.

Common practice is at least 60 days of your net origin expenses.

And that would be?

Close to $2 million or more in the general fund.

But you just said a million dollars. Yeah. Okay. Okay.

Mr. Mayor. Mr. Santiago.

I remember everything that we're talking in that meeting that we have for us. And we've been talking about, you know, energy. Yes. Okay. A lot of expenses that we have in the cost to mobilize, you know, all the vehicles that we have for, you know, Police Department published work. I know that. What is the amount of gasoline that we are spending here a year for that number? Do you have that number here?

It's in the public works budget. We'll get to that.

We're not there yet. We're not. Oh, okay. We're not. Okay. That's in the equation.

Currently, I want to know. Currently, we have $211,000, $212,000 budgeted for electricity citywide. For the electricity? How much? $212,000. $212,000? Yes, sir. A year?

Okay. And that's a slight increase over 2026 of $206,000. Wow. Okay.

Okay. Yeah.

Okay. The electricity. Well, all right. Let's see if we can go to solar energy to reduce us amount of money in the future. Okay.

Any other questions on the manager? I'm sorry. Non-departmental. All right. We can move on to the city clerk.

City clerk, the salaries went up a bit due to contractor increases for staff. Then operational expenses went down considerably because of the other professional services. There was a consultant that is no longer needed for 2027. So the overall budget actually went down from 696 to $690,000. SAVINGS OF ROUGHLY $5,000. OKAY.

DOES IT STILL INCLUDE THREE AIDES TO THE COMMISSION?

YES. STAFFING HASN'T CHANGED. OKAY. WE'RE KEEPING STAFFING AT THE SAME LEVEL.

OKAY.

MR. MAYOR?

IF I MAY ASK, I SEE OFFICE SUPPLIES JUMPED, IF I'M LOOKING CORRECTLY, FROM 4700 TO 9500? YES.

And what do you see as why. That is a very and then be when you bring that.

Commission items for the agenda stuff like that is increased. Because of people the cost of paper is also increase as well.

So, you know, with paper.

So, media tell us that they need stationary. So we have provide for them.

Office supplies does not only include paper, though. It's office supplies, pens, paper, staplers, staplers, all type of things. And the more staff you have, the more supplies that you will need. So if you're bringing on the other staff that hasn't been hired as of right now, that's going to increase the supplies as well.

Okay.

Any other questions? Yes. Commissioner Santiago.

Let me be sure something that I see here in office supplies. This year, what we amended is stay the same team. 4,700. And now in 27, we're going to have 9,500. Yeah. Okay. You're asking about that.

Yeah. What is the increase? Can I hear it again? So this number, the $4,700 was when you had one Commissioner 8. Since you've hired additional Commissioner 8. Yeah, but it's a big jump from 47 to 9,500. Right. But they need supplies. desk calendars, staplers, pens, highlighters, all that stuff. And more paper for the printer. For the commission, for the city clerk. City clerk. City clerk. Mr. Mayor, if I may.

So, yes, The paper is one item and this would be regular copy paper. So when the city clerk's office makes copies on behalf of an elected official, all these special events that we're making copies of flyers, thousands of flyers at a time. That is a cost. That is more paper that we're using. It's not just for one individual. This is for the city clerk's office. This is for the elected officials. We don't separate the use of that copy paper and that doesn't come out of the commission budget. It all comes out of the clerk's budget. Yes, there's a substantial need to increase and that is not just for the clerk's office. This paper is also used for members of the city commission. You know, we do have a lot of events. You know, sometimes we get requests for flyers and, you know, to pass out throughout the community. So that is a cost to that. And that needs to be, you know, taken into consideration as to why we need this increase in that line item. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

You see, Mr. Mayor, you know, sometimes you have to ask him. Because it's something here that is not normally. Okay, from 47, now we have to 9,500. We're talking about close to $5,000 more. Okay, in that budget. And she explained it to us. It's not only for the city clerk's office. It's people that we use in things that we're not supposed to use. Let's be clear. Let's be very clear.

miss smear um i i didn't say in things that it's not supposed to be used for because obviously if you want to get the word out to the residents you know you require flyers for events i'm just saying there is an increase in the demand for flyers which you know obviously there's going to be a cost associated with that not only in in paper wise but also you know our copier our copier we get charged per copy. So obviously on that side is going to increase as well. So that's just, I'm just giving this information so that the commission is aware as to why that increase is taking place and it is needed. So I would appreciate if we can, you know, support that line item because it's not only the clerk's office that this is increasing, but also the commission. When we make copies, we're not purchasing the paper out of the regular copy paper. out of the commission budget. All the copy paper comes out of the city clerk's budget. Got it.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Well, what I want to be sure, Mr. Mayor, okay, if we are supporting that item is the paper, yes, that we need. What the commissioner and the mayor need some paper for, okay, for events that we do yearly, the events, okay, some workshop that we make, something like that. But I don't want anything to be used for any personal items, okay, that we have. And I don't know if you're unclear or you don't understand where did I come from. But the only way that I be with this, $9,500 approved, is if they're going to be using it the right way. The right way. And the commissioner approves. items, the events that we have, the events, events that are totally different for anything that I want to do myself.

Mr. Mayor?

Madam Chair,

So I just want to be clear that anything that we do in the clerk's office is not for personal reasons. It's all city related. So it's city related and it serves a public purpose, I guess. I just want to put that out there.

Got it. All right. Thank you, Madam Clerk, for the detailed explanation. Do we have any other questions or concerns for the clerk's budget? Hearing none, we can move on to the city attorney's budget.

The city attorney's budget only included a cost-elevating increase for professional services and city attorney litigation costs. The retainer hasn't changed. So that's the only increase to the city attorney's budget.

Got it. Any questions to the city attorneys? Okay, moving on to human resources.

So the human resources department budget increase in personnel and in cost. In prior fiscal year, we had a consultant as human resources director. Now we've brought that position in-house. And also, they have assumed the position of risk manager as well. So they got the director that's in-house now and the risk manager.

And just to add to that, the risk manager position was in finance. Now that we have an in-house HR director, that position will go back to HR where it should be.

I mean, we redo the cost for that department when we hide in the in-house position.

The in-house was... Before we used to have somebody for outside. Other professional services.

Yes. Okay. I think the cost of, you know, money for us, you know, now we have inside. Yes. Okay. The cost now for getting inside is less, no? Than what we paid before?

No. We paid $165,000 to the outside personnel, which didn't include benefits. So now we have salary and benefits. with a inside employee.

Mr. Mayor. So for those two positions, the now risk management and the permanent HR director is the reason for the $234,000 increase. That's correct.

Yeah, but one of those positions is coming from finance. They would already budget it under finance. So it's just transferring from finance to HR.

The risk manager.

So you'll see that reflected when we get to finance, that it has been removed.

Okay. I'm not complaining about that because I think that I see the department in the last six months working very, very, very perfect.

Yes.

Okay. That's my point of view. I'm not complaining. I'm only asking questions. But the department is running the right way.

I just got one question. You can give me the 30 second response. I see helping hands. What is that? I'm sure it's a recognition for employees because that's what it's listed under. I just want to know the words.

Where can you see that, Mr. Mayor?

On the detail sheet. Page 58. It's an employee recognition. I'm not against it. I'm sure that's for the employees.

The employees that pass away, the employees that pass away, the commission did legislation and title helping hands.

Okay. Okay.

Mr. Mayor, just, okay. I'm looking at where it says other professional services and there's no dollar amount. We're not, what is, explain it to me.

That used to be where we paid the contractor services for an HR director. We paid from last fiscal year.

Okay.

So we no longer have that service because we have a director in-house. So we unfunded that. That's negative.

Thank you. No problem.

All right. Any other questions for HR? All right. Moving on to finance.

The finance department salaries has reduced due to that transfer of the risk management position to HR. However, there are still some nominal increases due to contractual services, contractual obligations for AFSCME employees and the 2% that is built in as well. Operational wise, they have increased slightly. We have included $50,000 for credit card fees just because even though we are moving to a new ERP software, which will eventually get rid of credit card fees or expense, it won't be on October 1st. So there will be some expense carried over. And rather than coming back for an amendment, we'll include it just in case. If there are savings, we can move it to whatever the commission wishes.

All right.

So I know we talked about this last. I'm so sorry, Mr. Mayor. I know we talked about this last time. What you mentioned about credit card fees, is that where the credit card fees are now going to be sent to the people that's using the credit card and not us? Okay. Okay. Thank you.

All right. The only question that I do have about the finance department, we answered both of them, which is Markham and Caballero. But in case the, what's the thing we're doing now? The efficiency audit. Efficiency audit is not completed by October 1. Are we prepared to take on an additional cost? I don't want to say reflect it. Or do we anticipate them to be done? You anticipate to be done prior to October 1? Okay. All right. Got it. That's my only question. I didn't see it reflected, but thank you.

So the bottom line number decreased? Yes, it did. Because of the transfer? Okay.

All right, we can move on to community development.

We need development. Slight increase in salaries. Operational wise, a slight reduction as well. We've reduced their general expense to $2,000. And they have no grants. So they have no business grants.

Yeah, I see that there was a mandate. We moved that under social services.

Okay. Staffing is still the same.

Their budget reduced. And the historical grant, we moved that to social services too? That's done? That's completed? Okay. Okay.

question. Community Development, that's the other part of the Mr. Gates running? Yeah. How many employment that we have there? Five?

You have a director, the secretary, economic development, city planner, and a zoning official.

Yeah.

And that's enough employment for that department to make that department, you know, running and be more efficiency with all the projects that we have in the city to creating more revenue, like, you know, impact fee. I think that's, you know, his department and all that, because I know there's a lot of, you know, Well, comments, you know, around that we take so long, you know, to do things out there.

They had a vacancy for quite some time. That vacancy has since been filled. So they should have the proper staffing to do what's needed in the department. Should there be a need for it? Should there be an increase in services? Then we can always revisit it. But they have filled their vacancies. So they're fully staffed now.

I'm sorry.

You say they had some vacancies? They had a vacancy.

It's filled now. He needs to fill it out. It's filled. It's filled. Yes. Does that mean they're going to make that department better in the future? More efficient? Okay. If it does, it's okay. No, it's fine. What I say is it's going to make that department to be better. They should run more efficient. More efficient, yes. Yes, okay. They're good, but I say more efficient to try to, because I know they generated a lot of revenue if they had the power to go through with the plans that they have. Okay. No more questions.

My favorite one is next. Housing and social services.

Yes, sir. Staffing is still the same too. One is currently vacant right now. So we only have one active employee in that division. Okay. Salaries increased slightly. Other than that, they have stayed the same operational wise. Reflecting the residential assistance grant and the hope assistance grant that is funded as well.

So the grants that we're rolling out this year will be the same. So it's the The residence assistance and the HOPE fund. Yes, sir. Those are the only two. Correct. And what about the business facade that's coming up on the island?

No.

Because it was removed from Mr. Gay's budget.

And placed here.

Where here? Under these two grants.

We're funding these two grants. They funded these two grants.

Oh, it funded these two grants. Correct. But what about the business community? We don't have something for them.

If I may, if that's the will of the commission to have something for the business, we can look at. other professional and other contracted, those numbers were placed there because it's a new division and we didn't know what services they would need in the beginning. So if that's the will of the commission to have something for the business community, then we can probably look at those line items in Hosen within that division.

I would say not right now for that because like you said, we don't know where this is going. So I guess we can revisit that later.

Yeah, because I cannot, we cannot at this time increase that budget. Social Services has taken everybody's money, Mr. Mayor.

Yeah.

Well, Mr. Mayor, in the meantime, could we possibly look to see if there's grant money out there for that purposes with just businesses?

Mr. Cave have been assisting

um residents and business owners through other entities and we can we can definitely look at that too which is good because we're doing other professional services so contracting with another agency to help um you know with that process the chamber the small business you know the people the bank that we the credit union yeah yeah he has been working with those other entities yes okay that's I'm happy. You happy?

Yeah.

Moving on to building a license.

Ooh, that's a good one.

I love that. She said don't touch her budget.

Well, I don't know where the question is coming from. Go ahead. Yeah, present him first.

The only thing missing from their budget is that they requested 2 vehicles. Which we couldn't fund.

Oh, man, I am, but when I ask you a question, what, why. The other part, I mean, you to make it for, why not to for the. No, I only ask you for the inspector. So.

It was just brought to my attention on yesterday when I returned to the office. We will look at one, but not two at this time. We cannot afford to take on two brand new vehicles. We can try to look at one and since we can, they can probably alternate or use because they have a vehicle now that the housing inspector is using. So we can possibly look at buying one new vehicle.

Can we repurpose what we have from?

We don't have any to repurpose. That's the issue. You mean from where? I'm sorry, Mr. Mayor.

Police. The ones that were broken down?

No, we got rid of those. Those were, yeah. They were not. I'm sorry, Commissioner.

Thank you. Let me find out. Okay. Are you asking you why? Okay. You're talking about the need for the inspector that we have. Okay. But I know that we have some outside inspectors. Outside that we, that we are hiding the encounter that for another city.

Yes. The ones he referred to are our employees, the housing inspector. That's the city of Opelika full-time employee and the building official, which is Mr. Abia. And those are two full-time positions. Those are the ones that they're requesting vehicles for.

What happened with all this vehicle that we have before, even they. Auto service, they are more there because I see PublixWork fill a lot of vehicles. They are parking all the time. What are we going to do with that? We can fix it. We can put it in service again.

The vehicles that we have that's at PublixWorks there, and Mr. Austin can speak to them. I mean, you can speak better than me, but I can go back to what Mr. Austin told me, that they're not to be repaired. We're spending a lot of money on repairs to those vehicles.

And when we purchase any vehicle for any major dealer, they don't come in with a warranty, you know, to fix anything? No, they come with a warranty. Yes. They come with a warranty. Yes.

Well. But if I may, those cars are out of warranty and they're, I find they're older cars, which the warranty wouldn't, wouldn't help. Sound like they're ready for a Cairo lane.

Yeah, I know. Well, yeah. Hey, when we purchase, you know, cars for the police department, for public work, okay, any dealers and any company, they know that they're going to be using for a public service in the city. I mean, they're going to have miles. They're going to have, and by the future, whatever purchases that we do, less thinking about to get some kind of a warranty that they added miles, okay, because we use it for work, you know, for the public. But that's in the future. Okay, right now, okay, whatever we have there, I don't know what they're going to do, but they don't do anything there sitting down, you know, sitting in the parking lot. I don't know the idea that you have in the future, okay? You can make money, you know, to selling all that stuff. Please, okay? Just make some money for that to see if we can buy another car for the other part of me.

Yeah, we're going to have a surplus auction. Mr. Austin can speak to it, but we're having a surplus auction with vehicles and some other items that we will be bringing to the commission.

Yeah, thank you. And another big question that I have for that department for building a license. And I've been talking to Mr. Gay about that before. And Mr. Gay said, no, the one that's in charge is Maryland. We have a new law in the state that's affecting us a lot. Okay, with the $7,500,000 work, that anybody for the residential, we're talking about residential, I don't think that applies to any business, but residential, that's going to affect a lot that department. Okay, if they don't need to come here and get a permit.

Yeah.

Yeah. I mean, we have to be, you know, careful with that to see if we can, you know, keep on going. And if that love is not affecting, yes, hey, let's try to get any revenue that we can get before that thing hit to everybody and we lose money.

It already started July 1st, but the staff is aware of it.

Okay. Yeah, we have to be sure that we can move out of that department the quickest we can. Thank you. No more questions.

All right. Favorite department, the police department. Yeah, that's a good one. Chief looking like, don't come over here.

so the police department is our biggest expense in the general fund and recently we had to assume a 17 increase in salaries for police officers so their salaries are going to jump a lot negotiation right uh yes magister yes yes all right okay for question we go no no he's gonna okay there is also 150 000 included to upgrade their radios and body cams over the next five years we're going to spend at least 150 000 a year we have reduced the red light camera expense to match the red light camera revenue. Since we're not getting enough tickets, the expense is going to be reduced as well. And their vehicle expense increased because this past January they received 11 new vehicles. We received what?

11 new vehicles in the police. In this year or the next one?

This year. So their vehicle expense went up next year because of that.

Okay, so I only have two, one statement, one question. Madam Manager, to Commissioner Irvin's point, I think maybe we need to... The police body cams and radios, let that be one of our appropriation requests. Because we know that Tallahassee has an appetite for police departments. And usually when we put that through, it comes through.

I hear you. We can do that, but we kicked the radios down the street from last year. Oh, okay.

Keep it here because you said it's $150 over the next five years. $150,000, yeah. Yeah, so I'm just saying keep it here, but just...

Yes, we can definitely apply. $150. We can put that money back. Go ahead.

And also, if we can, you know, talk to a lot of the different officers and they have a concern about their tasers that's included, that's included in that.

I just want to make sure that that's been taken from another fund.

OK, that's necessary to have that money officer.

Yeah. And also, if I may ask, The thing that's your point, the speed thing.

Oh, yes.

The radar.

The radar.

It's here.

Do we have, it's there? It is. Okay.

Now, what I was looking for, Madam Manager, is my education grant scholarships for police officers. We took that out. We graduated three officers in this. The academy. The academy. That's the FBI academy. Okay. Is it employee recognition?

No. No, the police academy, when we sponsor the officers to go through the academy?

It's not here, unless I'm missing it, but I don't see it.

I thought we didn't have money for that this year.

We actually did it this year.

I mean, for like the next year, I don't think we have money for it.

And... We have to just keep in mind, once we do that, we're bringing on more bodies, which is also another expense. That's more cars. That's more equipment. That's another expense.

So I guess my next question, are we fully staffed with the police department?

They have vacancies. They have some vacancies. And Chief can speak to her vacancies.

Because the purpose of that piece was to fill, to help fill the vacancy.

But the, with the vacancies, can they only be filled through putting people through the academy?

No, no, no, no, no, no, no. We wasn't getting people to work.

So currently, we do have three vacancies to our command staff, and then we do have one full-time vacancy available. We do currently have approximately 15 reserves. In the event that we're able to expand that number, then, of course, we can take from the reserve.

Got it. All right. All right. So we just want one short. All right.

We can ask him now after you.

No, I had to wait for the green light from you. Okay. I know that you say before, yes, wait for a week, come to Polish work. Okay. To talking about something, but that's regarded to our police department. What I see for the next fiscal year, okay, for me it's not too much what they're going to need in comparison for last year. Because the police department, one of the departments that we had, they worked 24 hours. All day in the road, seven days a week, 365 days. Service the public, made the city safe. But we can get, you know, some way to, you know, to reduce the spencer in that police department. And we can do, you know, better. And the budget that they really need. And what I heard that we have three vacancies, three vacancies out there. Okay. It does mean that we need more police officers in the police department. Yes or no?

Juan.

Only one? Yes. Only one. Okay. Yeah, I'm going to have some questions with you and the police chief, okay, between me, you, and the police chief about the department, okay? Now, when we get to police work, I know, and I'm asking for that number, and I don't have that number yet with me, okay? And I need to know what is the experience that we have in the police units, not police work, the police units, okay? Okay. That's police unit. They be using it to go home, okay, to do what we call in... The extra hours, what we call it?

Off-duty.

Off-duty, okay? They use the police cars, let's be honest. And I like to bring a point. Okay, when I have the number for the gas that we are spending in that car, repairs, it's not only the gas, the repair, the maintenance and everything for these units, okay? I noticed something when I asked a question to the chief. OK, chief, I see something, you know, very unusual every day. OK, when I see, you know, cars for your police department parking. OK, in the lunch break. Any break that they take in the car, they own. They out of the car eating, but the car is they own outside on. Why the police do that?

That's the conversation we just had today.

Yeah. I don't know why, but I see that all the time. And I say, what are the countries doing? Let me tell you what happened with this. We put in a lot of hours in that engine, okay, doing anything. That's one. And we're ruining the car because the car is standing and on, on the AC, on everything. That's something that I see, and I see it a lot of times all over the city.

I just talked to you. Through the city manager? Yes, I totally agree with you. I have a problem with it myself. The city manager and I did have a conversation. There was a policy put in place over a year ago. However, that's going to be implemented. It's going to be going to the city attorney for review. But there will be a policy put in place for idling of the police vehicles.

Good. But how is it too long to make something work properly? Because that's inside of the city, inside of your department. They have to come through us.

Once a directive is sent out, there will be a directive, which I previously prepared, that will be sent out to all staff, knowing that they cannot idle those vehicles. Following the directive, a policy will be implemented, and they will have to sign for that policy, showing that they received it. When you say that... They will be written out.

When the chief say the policies, the manager, okay, my question is, okay, they prepared a team with the city attorney for what? You know, that's between you. That team had to come to us, to the commissioner?

The city attorney still needs to review it. It needs legal to review it. It's a policy. And if we need the city attorney to review that, if it's challenged, our city attorney has to be able to say, yes, it's suffice. So, yes, I do support it going to the city attorney.

My question again is, OK, that's going to be bringing to the commissioner chamber. No, it doesn't have to go to the commission, but we need legal to review. That's between inside, okay, nothing to do with us. That's my question. If it's necessary to bring a resolution about that, I bring it. But what I say, that's what I see, and that costs a lot of money to your department.

Yes, sir, I agree. And through the city manager, there will be a directive sent out today.

Good. Now, another thing is, okay, why we had to let people take the car home. Because I see cars sometimes all the way down, you know, fall out of there or whatever, you know, and I say, what are they doing here?

This is a previous agreement that was done through the PBA. So this is something that is being negotiated. In addition to other requests that we had, that's been submitted to the PBA for the officer's responsibility to take care of as well.

Yeah, because if we calculated, I believe my manager, all that thing that we're doing right now, out of the order that we need to do, it costs a lot of money to the city. A lot of money. Probably we're going to save a lot of money for that department if we do that thing right. I love the police department, but any department here has to go by the rules. Especially now that a lot of things are going to be cut. And I don't want that, you know, affecting our police department. It's going to be so unaffecting. And we have to be prepared for it. Thank you.

Madam Chief. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Madam Chief. So I did have a conversation about the idling of the cars with some of the officers, and they both said the same thing. So I think we need to also take certain things in consideration. if they're on a call and they want their blue and red lights to just to be on idle, if you turn off that car, the amount of power that the lights take is going to kill the battery. from what they told me, if you leave that car, if you turn off that car, but you still have to have your, I'm calling house lights and you still have to have your house lights, it's going to kill the battery every time. That's what one of the things that I was told. So I think if that is the case, we need to, when you're doing your policy, we may need to let it reflect if they're on a call and they need to have the house lights on that, I don't know. I'm not a mechanic, but I'm just saying if that is true, that we may want to look into.

With all my respect, Commissioner.

Just to be fair. Yes.

Let me say that. This is not what we're talking about before. Okay, if they are working and they are in an emergency, in an accident, whatever, and they have to be there under the investigation of what's going on, and they have their lights on, it's fine to have the car on because they're working. But what I'm talking about is I saw cars, the people, they're sitting, eating an hour, eating, okay, and the car is on outside, okay? That's not an emergency. This is nothing to do, okay? They use the car to be sitting, you know, 24 hours in the 24-hour club. That's what we're calling up there. Okay, well, they can be outside, inside, or whatever. Okay, that's my point. If they are in the personal car, I don't care, but this is a city car.

If it's an emergency, it's fine, Commissioner, and I'm sorry to... No, it's okay, because I've shared the same sentiments with the manager just a few weeks ago, so I agree. Yeah, there's nothing wrong with that.

Emergency, that's emergency, Chief. Work is work. But when they're not working, they're eating, they have an hour. That's you giving an hour lunch?

Yes.

An hour lunch. It's an hour.

In event they have an emergency, they still have to leave. But if I, through the city manager, I have never heard anything in reference to officers keeping their vehicles on and then the batteries go dead. I would definitely have to lean towards Mr. Austin and his staff. But the 37 years I've been in this profession, I've never heard of that.

Okay. Thank you. All right. Madam Manager, Chief, don't leave. really quick so i would like we know that open locker is a logistical hub and i talked about the commercial unit so i don't see that reflected in the budget and the other thing i'm gonna give you all of it at one time um we talk about we need to bring in more um funding the pal program is a non-profit that most police department has as their non-profit arm that's not reflected in the budget So that's another easy low-hanging fruit grab, but we should start that up. And another one, forfeitures and seizures. It's not here. Forfeitures and seizures. All of these things would allow our police department to bring in, but we're not utilizing these resources, if you will, that we have.

As far as the PAL program is concerned, a complete bylaws have been completed pending the review of the city attorney.

Okay, so I guess Madam Attorney and Madam Manager, can we work to bring that forward? Because we've been talking about PAL program for like over a year now.

Yes. Yes. Also, I would like to hear about the commercial unit. Because I've been asking about that myself.

The traffic enforcement unit.

No, the commercial.

Commercial. So that's a part of traffic enforcement unit. So we've already implemented the traffic enforcement unit.

But specifically for...

Not specifically, that's traffic overall. So anything related to traffic, that is the traffic enforcement unit that deals with that. A commercial vehicle enforcement is a part of traffic. So it will fall under that umbrella. It's not a separate unit.

Are we doing that now?

We are doing it. We are going to be redoing it again. We're going to try to do it once a month. um sergeant gonzalez is overseeing that team and he's already aware of doing the commercial vehicle so we are fully equipped with the weights and and uh as far as the weights are concerned we're still looking into the way that's what i'm talking about but there's an extra mile so that yeah as to where that is going to take place okay somewhere within the city and that has not been determined yet got it yeah

Madam Chief. Okay. That's a good point. Okay. The area that you need to, you know, to make that, you know, work. Do you be thinking about that area and 135th Street? Because that's the mobile places that we have, you know, heavy duty truck pass by and all the way. And we're spending a lot of money in that beautiful road that we have there in Cairo Lane and 135th and 127th. And I love to see that be in place as soon as we can because we don't want to lose that road again. And now, listen to me. I'm sorry, Mr. Mayor. I know this is coming up. Also, are we going to have revenue soon for the parking regulation that we have in this main road that we put the signs already that the sweeper passes? They put only the sweeper. It's a picture of the sweeper, but they don't say... They say the day, but they don't have no time. And we're supposed to have time to let them know people, hey, get out of there from 8 to 9 or whatever. That's something that I don't see that you see it, but I hope you put a sticker with the time that the sweeper is going to pass by.

We're going to get money for that. Yes, if you're parked out there within those times and the stripper can't pass, but I'll work with you.

Where is that funding going to the general fund to help any department?

Mr. Mayor, I have a quick question. Do we have the equipment necessary for the heavy trucks?

No, we do not.

What that looks like, the budget for that? If you can, if not, it's okay.

I would want to be fair and not to give an estimate because it wouldn't be right for me to say a lower number or a number too high because I really don't know.

Okay, I respect that. And another question would be, do you think we will be able to bring in enough revenue to cover it?

I am sure. However, there's a lot more research involved behind it. So I will reach out to FHP, the resources I know there, and I will collaborate with the departments here to see how I'm able to get that done.

Okay, because... I agree with everything you just said as it relates to the revenue, bringing in the revenue. So my thoughts will be maybe later on that we, I don't care if it's a loan or credit or whatever, to be able to get that equipment once it could pay for itself, plus having a profit.

Yes, we're definitely looking to it just to get more information. And I'll present it to the city manager.

Thank you. The last one is the forfeitures and seizures. I've been asking about that for forever, too, because it bothers me that the county comes in, assists us with a bus. We'll go with a bus. And then what we collect, they take. But it happened in Opa-locka.

Mm-hmm. So based on my experience and having been involved in that with the city of Miami, that is something that has to go through legal. And legal department does all the legal backing behind that. That is not anything that the police department would actually do.

Okay. If I may. And by the manager.

Wait, one second. She asked first. Yeah, yeah, no problem. So go ahead. I just have to go.

I just have.

No, we're going to figure it out.

I just have one really quick question. I noticed that our Explorer program has 20,000. Last year, did we come close to filling that?

We are probably maybe about 10,000 shy. We just purchased a lot of equipment, bags, and things of that nature for our Explorers.

Okay. And I know we're still growing, so I just was curious how much did we possibly spend last year? Okay. Thank you. All right.

Yeah, let's close it out. Okay, Madam Manager, in the future, we're going to be together, okay, to discuss about the projects for the chief of police, for waiting for the trucks. Okay, that's going to come on a very good idea. They probably, you know, we don't have to go and get a lot of money, you know, to be paying and all that. But we're going to come with something great, okay, for the city to create revenue free, okay, to us. Now, we don't have to, you know, probably, you know, pay for it. Okay, but we're going to come in with that. Okay, that's one of the things. And for now, yeah, we're going to get together and talking about that, okay, for the future.

All right, moving on, close, moving on to the next department, which is in recreation. Oh, it's called Comply.

Oh, oh, oh, we're not there. Oh, yeah. Sorry. That's a very rich department.

For code staffing and stay the same. We have also included $30,000 to update their radios so they can have communication between them and the police department.

Not update because they don't have any to get them to get radios because they don't have any.

I'm sorry, just so I understood correctly, you said parks, radios to be in communication with the police department. Oh, because I thought it was the same radio.

All right. Okay. All right. Cool. My mistake. We're not there yet.

All right. So body cams and and coder and radios. Yes.

But that's including in the cost before that we're talking about the police department. Okay.

Anything else you want to highlight or any other major changes?

That's a major change. I have a question. Other contracting services.

That's what I was going to ask too.

The other contracted services is for to do a study within the code enforcement division to see if they can better processes and get their department much more efficient.

Right. So that's something that I'm requesting for codes.

Got it. Okay. So then I guess my last question for Cole, you said the positions are staying the same. Are we fully, we're fully? Just fully staffed.

I heard another one today, yesterday.

And that is inclusive of the borrowed CRA officer? Yes. Okay. All right. I'm good. All right. We can move on to the next one, which is Parks and Rec. We have another budget hearing, right?

We have to submit this to the state before August 1st.

So this is the last one?

So the plan is to have, we can have another one early next week, but we have to have it on the agenda on Wednesday for the commission agenda because we have to send it to the state.

August 1st.

We late. Can we just put it, even if we have to cancel, at least it would be there?

We have to, we have to pass it unless we're going to have a special commission meeting after the 22nd.

That's not what I was asking. I was asking because you have here the events and I know there's going to be a long drawn out conversation. So I wanted to make sure that we don't, you know, cause I know it has to go before August, but I just wanted to make sure that we don't as a commission belabor this time on this. Cause we have a tendency to do that.

Well, we have to go through the events.

That's what I'm asking. So go through it and then we'll skim through it real quick because we got a lot to get through.

So for parks and services, the change is mainly contractual in regards to salary increases for AFSCME employees. We've only added some money to the pool maintenance account to take care of some issues with that. So the what? Pool maintenance.

Are we fully staffed with parks now? Or we still have vacancies? I think they have one or two vacancies. And the part-time? Yes. Oh, lifeguards. Oh, the two lifeguards. Okay. All right, the two lifeguards. All right, and then I see that, okay, the summer is the same, so nothing else has changed. All right, so the part that we like real quick, which is the events. We left that the same. We didn't change it. Everything is the same.

We finished with the swimming pool?

Huh?

We finished with the swimming pool already?

No, he said they put money into going forward that we are doing maintenance on the swimming pool. Right now, yes. But this is for next year. But he's asking, what about the swimming pool now?

Yeah, right now, this is swimming?

Yes. Okay. I can speak on it. I can speak on it. So when I returned on yesterday, I had a phone call with the owner of the pool company. He did go provide details on where we are. They will be back on Thursday to do the remaining work that's requested from the company. However, Mr. Carney requested from the Department of Health if they can come out on next week to do their inspection. Because once the Department of Health do their inspection, then we're done. They told Mr. Carney they cannot come out on next week. They gave him the week of the 27th. Mr. Carney sent them another request telling them that it's urgent, asking if there's anything that they can do to accommodate us, to help us. We're still waiting on a response. They have not responded to that latest email, which he sent today. And that's it. Once the pool company come and do their their work on Thursday, they said the pool has to be running. So to make sure the levels and everything is right. So that's why Mr. Carney asked the Department of Health if they can come out early next week. They responded and said the earliest they had was a 27. We're still trying to see if they can come out sometime next week because once they're done, then we're done.

Madam manager, okay, yeah, I heard your concern, okay, about it. But my concern is why we have to begging that company to go in and maintenance output in the park.

We're not begging the company. It's the inspector.

Department of Health. Department of Health. Oh, okay, but that's not a company that they are, okay. That's the department, okay.

Yes.

Yeah.

All right, so you got your answer?

Yeah, I hope that don't happen in the future again.

All right. So looking at all of the events, you said everything is the same. The only thing, Madam Manager, we talked about moving money for the businesses. You have the $284,000 for the Arabian Nights and Citi's birthday. So staff put everything the same, but we would like for you all to go through it. There's no challenge. I was going to say, can we reduce that? No, no, no. That's what I'm asking.

No, that's what we want. We put everything the same with hopes that the commission will go through it and say, you know what, this year we may not want to do this, or this year we may want to cut this. That was our hope.

Okay, so we went big because it was the 100. I know we want to continue the Arabian Nights Festival, but without the donations, where did we land today?

Without the donations, we would have went over.

We would have went over. Yeah. So did we do the $250,000 or we went a little under? We spent the entire budget. We spent the entire budget. So can we remove the $20,000? No, sorry. That's not $20,000. That's $30,000. And just make it the $250,000? So that'll give you $30,000 right there. I knew you was going to make us do this. That's why... I think our biggest expense, well, bingo is a 22, but, you know, we can't. What is this, 4th of July? Did we, 4th of July? Did we use everything?

4th of July.

I want to go from the big expenses.

I believe we did, but we did have some money from Juneteenth that was brought over to 4th of July. So 4th of July did not go over, I can tell you that. But we have to keep in mind that I don't know if 4th of July should be cut because of the cost of fireworks. Yeah, I don't think that should be cut.

Alright. Question. I don't see where you can cut other than an Arabian Nights and 50th birthday. the toy drive six down to lighten someone in one. Easter 25 Juneteenth. Labor Day.

Okay, who are you going to miss the mayor man. You know, I struggle with my with our largest Is bingo. I think that I want to take my 850 and for Memorial Day and move it over to bingo. The 850 for Memorial Day pool party. And I'll figure out, I'll figure that out going forward.

The gun buyback, we didn't do this here. So, and normally that's through the police department, but I asked it to be an event. Actually, we haven't done it in two, three years, three years. So I guess we can move that. Also the mayor's business luncheon or next, the new one wants to do it. So that right there is 2,500. You also have the 5K run bike. walk unless urban is going to take it or okay we can leave that then you have so that right there my manager you have um so far 30 to 500. uh anything else that you you you you pay you make the payment so any other events that you think we can actually cut what's your recommendation or decrease

If I may, Madam Manager, please be frank with us.

So the events, the numbers that you see here are not actual numbers because it does not account for staff overtime. Our staff overtime is a large expense because we have staff at all of these events.

And I think we talked last year this time about including that number within the the proposed budget for EVAN.

May I ask you a question before we continue to asking to the manager? To the finance department, Madam Manager. Oh, I see. For the fiscal year 2027, we budgeted money again for Arabia 9. That's what we were talking about before?

That's correct.

Correct. It's me. I see Arabian Nights is going to have a game. Christmas, at every night, we're going to have $280,000 again.

So, yes, that's what was mentioned. Staff left everything the same with looking for a direction from the commission on telling us what we what you all want to see. If you want to see these numbers reduced, if you want to see the event go away. But we need some direction from the commission.

Good. Okay, that's my question. I know that we already passed through that, Mr. Mayor. But let me say that, okay. I believe that the amount of money that we use this year is because we have the anniversary of the city of 100 years to celebrate it together.

Yes or no? Yes, but the Arabian Nights Festival itself is a lot of money as well.

I don't think that we need that type of money for the next year to celebrate that again. We have to go down and reduce that amount because what we can use is try to do it with private entities that they want to come and cooperate with us and celebrate something for the whole community, for everybody.

What's your recommendation?

My recommendation, $280,000 again for that type of event at Evian Night, not good. I want to reduce it to $50,000.

No way. I don't think so.

Oh, yes. Let's get it. Let me tell you something. I believe by January 1st, 2027, That event right there is not in the list for the event, okay, that the federal governor or the state government, they want to all celebrating. Like, Mayor, like, 4th of July is an event that is going to be covered. Yeah, because 4th of July, that's a national day. Okay, but Arabian night is not a national day. I'm very sorry for that. It's not a national day.

Okay, Madam Manager, I hear you, Commissioner Santiago.

Mr. Mayor... Right now we are in a position that we need money for other problems that we have in the city. I think that we spent a lot of money in that week out here. And the next celebration, you know, for the Arabian night or the 101 years for the city, okay, we're supposed to, you know, reduce it and celebrating locally here in the city. I'm not happy to bring another festival like that for $180,000. No way. Commissioner Irvin?

I would like to say to leave it the same. And we do it in May. If we don't spend it all, then we do a budget amendment and shift whatever we don't use to a place that we could use it. I'd rather us have the money and don't use it all than to not have it but still use it. Because I don't see this being, and it's a staple of our community. It's been around for years, even though it took a hiatus. But to drop it drastically or to drop it, period, and then we need it. If I may, you may not know the information offhand, but Madam Manager, do you know how much we receive in donations? I do not have it offhand. I do have it, but I don't have it. No, no, I figured you wouldn't, but it wasn't like no $50,000, $60,000, $70,000, no? Well, it's pretty good.

It was probably close to 50, but I don't have the exact number.

The problem that we had, even when we were begging because we were last minute, and even now, most people are doing their budgets. So if we're going to seek donations, it would have to be now. We should be sending out letters, which we've tried to start already. sending out letters to everybody to say, put us in your budget, because everybody's doing this process. But the problem, we're a little behind the eight ball, which is why I say that we're going to cut just the $30,000, which was for the birthday part of it, take that back. But the $250,000, I think, should remain. And like Commissioner says, if we don't use it, then we put it back. But if we have it and don't need it, then we need it and don't have it. And then we can cut other places.

What places you want to cut?

That's what we were doing before you went back to it. We started off with $30,000, then we found $2,500, and we were going through it.

Mr. Mayor and my colleagues, let me ask you, Madam Manager, what kind of benefits or profits do we do in the last pass of celebration or... Arabian night. Yeah. What positive we have that we receive that donation that we're talking about? You don't know the number exactly?

Budget just gave me the number. It was $55,000.

$55,000. Okay. Is that me? What kind of help is that for the city? Because even you reduce $55,000, okay, that we receive, we are still spending like $230,000 in that night. He's not helping us.

Commissioner Santiago, I think we all understand what you're saying, but Arabian Nights is our culture. We wanted it back.

Arabian Nights is your culture? No, it's not your culture. It's a culture for everybody here in the great city of Guadalajara. Let me tell you this, okay? If we're going to talk about, you know, culturally, I believe culturally is the month that we're celebrating that is being approved for the federal government, okay, the Afro-American month, okay? The Black History Month. Okay, that's one. Okay. Arabian night is something that we do here in Opalaca.

Yes, the city's culture. Okay. We celebrate the city's history.

But we can't celebrate it, you know, when that cost is too much money, sir. And let me tell you loud and clear. Okay. I really know that this year we're going to have changes, okay? I don't know what kind of changes, but we're going to have changes here in this chamber. And that's going to be the responsibility for whoever take over, okay, that seat there that you're sitting right now, okay? And it's going to be in the... And the charter of that person, okay, all the expenses that we're going to have next year. Okay, that's your responsibility.

No, I don't respond to messiness and pettiness, but I will say this. I'm still the mayor now. I know. So, yeah, there will be changes, but we have a fiduciary responsibility right now to pass a balanced budget. I know. So that's what we're doing now. So we're not talking about what's going to happen, the changes that are coming down the pipe, but we're here now. So if you have a suggestion, you have a suggestion to decrease it, we've heard it. We've heard it, and we're listening to it.

Okay. All right, Fifi. That's the way that you say it. I only tried to tell you what is the reality of that. $280,000 is too much money.

We heard you loud and clear. We all agree. Hence why we're trying to figure out how can we remove some of this money.

Okay. Thank you, sir. I'm sorry, Fifi. That's it.

Moving on.

Hope it works, Edwin.

Mr. Mayor? Ma'am, sorry. I didn't do it, ma'am.

though I'm not sure where monies for a swearing in ceremony after our next election will be included if it will be included under special events but I know we didn't require one this current budget year because we only have elections every two years but I'm asking if there can be monies allocated towards a swearing in ceremony which we do have every two years alright so madam manager

I mean, Madam Clerk, how much do you normally use?

I'm not sure what was budgeted for last time, but I mean... Madam manager, do you have a figure?

We would have to take it from, and Floyd, you can correct me if I'm wrong. In the past, we've taken it from non-departmental general expenses. That's correct.

We have funding to the side there. We have it. So the mayor's business luncheon is $1,000. The buyback program is $1,500. So that right there is $2,500. You think that's good enough for us right now?

Just keeping in mind that, you know, we normally get food, decorations and twenty five hundred dollars may not cut.

No, that's not going to cut it. But we have to take it from non-departmental, which we have thirty seven thousand dollars. Not to say we're going to spend the whole thing, but because we have other expenses that come from that line item. But we do have funding there.

Okay, so you also was asking for a recommendation as it relates to the events. So whatever you decide, Madam Manager, I think the budget, I like what Commissioner Irvin said, I'd rather have it and don't need it than need to don't have it. But I would not mind you taking the $30,000 away and just making it like it was before for the last two years, the $250,000. And then that'll free that up.

Maybe we need to separate... The Arabian Nights from a birthday celebration.

That's what I was saying. Take away the city's birthday celebration. I mean, the $30,000, just take it away.

But this year, the upcoming budget, it shouldn't be so big because it's not a centennial. So it should be something very small.

Yeah, that's why I said take the $30,000 and we can do something else.

Like a one-day event instead of a weekend.

I have a question. It's really not. It's Parks and Rec, but it's not events. Madam Manager, I think that and we have to hire somebody. I'm assuming I don't know if will do it. I think that needs to have a professional. Electrical company come out and survey that building because I'm like, I was told from the. The pool guy that it was sent too much voltage. That's what the pool pump last week.

We only had half the building and we had to call back out to address that issue.

And every night. For whatever reason, we can't turn off the lights. In the auditorium, so I think that that building really needs to have a. I don't know what it would cost us. I don't know if they need to be reflected here in the budget, but that building needs to be evaluated. But electrical wise.

Yeah. Question madam. In the maintenance that we have in police work. that we don't have a professional electric person certified for the city? How are we fixing the problem that we have in all the buildings that we have?

The city has an electrician, but the issues that Commissioner Urban is referring to was something that was done by FPNL. So I think she, and I can't speak for her, but she's asking if we can have somebody look into what the issue is. So when I spoke to the pool company yesterday, he also told me that FPNL put too much voltage in it, and that's what blew out the pump. And then we had an outage there. Mr. Carney had to call FPNL back out. They had to correct some issues that was on the FPNL side. It wasn't the city side. So we do have, to answer your question, yes, we do have an electrician, but the issues that Commissioner Irvin is referring to were not something that our electrician can do. It was an FPNL issue.

The FPNL issue, whatever they do there, it's affecting our building. It's only burned the swimming pool system. What about the rest of the building? It's not affecting because of that? No, it did not affect it.

The lights were out. The lights were out in half of the building. So it did have some impact on the rest of the building, and we had to call them back out to adjust it.

I only mentioned that because I believe in prevention. So if we can prevent anything major from happening and maybe FPNL come out and do it for free.

So they did come back out. The pool guy did tell me that they had to have FPNL come back out because the voltage that they put in there was too high. So they did adjust it. So it's right now. It's correct. Okay. And that was based on my conversation on yesterday morning.

Okay. I would still like for us to look into if just having that building evaluated to make sure electricity is where it's supposed to be and whatnot.

All right. Mr. Mayor, I just have a quick question since we're still in parks and I know my colleagues probably not will not agree with this, but I'm just wondering why is it that we're paying for uniforms for so many activities? And does any of the cost go towards the parents?

When you say... If I may, Commissioner...

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I can... I think the pause that Commissioner Bass is referring to is the cheer, soccer, we don't have soccer, so we're not paying uniforms.

I'm trying to figure out where's the uniforms.

Page 98. Baseball. The Optimist clothes. Uniforms.

and mr griffin yeah i'm just curious because my grandson pays and we play he plays but we paid so i just want to know i'm not saying not to help our community but i wanted to know if this is partial or we're taking on the whole brunt of um uniforms and because everything look as if the city's paying for it so i just want to know i understand your question um

When it comes to uniforms, the parents pay for the game jerseys and stuff like that. But we have practice uniforms that we want to have our kids look the same and try and compete with some of the other parks in the area. So that's probably what that $3,500 is for. I thought I said your question.

Okay.

to the stalker uniform cheerleaders uniforms um basketball uniforms i i just think that we're taking on a bit much again i'm not saying not to help but i'm thinking we can pull from this i mean if they can't afford the whole practice uniform if we do half yeah but i think this is a bit much because if you really want something you'll work for it and you'll get it because

I agree, but from my experience, Opa-locka is a little different.

Yeah, but we can't- No, no, no, no, no. We got to raise the bar.

I completely understand, but go ahead.

Mr. Mayor, if I may. We have uniforms. We do. They belong to the city of Opa-locka. And every now and again, we have to change those uniforms. So if you see where kids get like right now, they have a cheerleading package going on now. But that is for stuff that the students, I mean, the players, the residents keep. The uniforms you see here is what we loaned them to play games and stuff like that. And then we have to maintain them, which I'm still trying to get that washing machine connected. So they bring them back. We take them from them after the game, stinky and all. And then we wash them and have them ready for the next game. And then those kids borrow those uniforms again. And we do the same thing every week. It's not theirs to keep. It's ours. And we just, we act, we maintain them. They belong to the city, not to the residents.

And everything isn't free. They do pay for, like you say, packages for football. They have their pregame, which is the tops and the bottoms and whatever jackets and stuff that we have per team or organization. The cheerleaders wear their warm-ups and jackets, and they have different things, cheer competitions, stuff like that. So the parents do pay.

Mm-hmm.

It's not free, but we took that on because you go to Pimer Pines and everybody have practice outfits, stuff like that. So that's what we wanted to put in.

I understand that. And thank you for the clarification, because I assume that, you know, we purchase and we just give it out. Oh, no, ma'am. We purchase and we keep.

It's cities.

Okay. Thank you.

But it's budgeted. If the partner pays it, okay, where does the money go after the partner pays that? Back to Parking Recreation or to the general fund? No, they just said that there's two sets. And now the new one for the 27 is going to be $1,605,649. That's the cost that we have every year to run in Parking Recreation, Madam Manager? Yes.

Yes, including special events. That's including the special events. Yes.

That's the money that we're spending in parking recreation. That's not only Chabandi. We're talking about Helen Miller, Ingram Park. What about the Butterfly Park? That's part of us? What are you talking about?

What is it we're spending every year in parking recreation? The barge. The barge.

Uh-huh. No, I don't know. That's another part of the city parks. And I have a lot of complaints about that little part.

Yeah.

Okay. It's only a question. What are they talking about? What are we spending in parking recreation every year? And salary and everything is $1,605,000 we're going to have.

Yes, sir. Okay. With 390 being special events.

Yeah. Yeah. And that million something dollars is including the $280,000.

$387,350 total. Yes. Okay. Good. No more questions. Mr. Mayor to the manager.

I see we have like $1,000 here for golf cart repair.

We have to find a way... and I know it's not, we don't have it in the budget, but if by chance we get the opportunity, I know we have John Deere for the golf carts, but when there's an event over in the pavilion, they load up all the tables and all the chairs on the back of the golf carts and take them over there. And I'm hoping that one day a little piece of small two seater pickup truck can come our way. We don't, it'll have to be new. It can be, it can be on this last leg cause we just need to move it from the, the building itself to the pavilion. I just never think that it's, um, safe. for us to do it, but it's the only way that we have to move our equipment back and forth. And I don't think that even though it's a John Deere, I don't think it's meant for that. Maybe because it's John Deere, there's an attachment that maybe we can order to put on the back of it that allow us to safely transfer things over. Just something for us to look at, hopefully. Or maybe we can, I'm sure Bobby can make it happen.

No, Bobby. You can't. It was a joke.

You know, Bobby to fix it, man. But just something to get to be a little safer.

Okay, so we're moving on. Vacation. Vacation.

beautification. We've increased their contracted services to cover the increased cost of landscaping services. Okay, billionaire peer maintenance as well. And some maintenance supplies.

Got it. And Madam Manager, I know that we had a... And we can move on. Just a quick question about the... Oh, God. He said the... What was the first thing he said? Landscaping. We had an issue with the dumping. What was it? The pickup of excess... Oh, God. What did people do to the alleys? Oh, yes. In their agreement, yes.

But they've been performing that service for us. Okay.

But I'm saying, is this budget inclusive of that number? Because I'm...

I'll check with, I know he's basing it on our spending trend, but I'll definitely check with him.

Okay, that's my only question. Any other questions about building and maintenance? Yes. Beautification, I'm sorry.

Yeah, we're in the beautification. And budget, very important because the city have to maintain, you know, clean all over the realm as a manager. And he touched something about the alleyways. Okay, about the alleyway. What are we talking about there? You know, the maintenance and the alleyway.

So their current agreement, they cut the alley, but if it's furniture and debris in the alley, their current agreement does not call for them to remove it. So I have since told Mr. Carney to make sure that they provide that service to us. It's not including their agreement, but we are paying for them to remove it now.

Very good point. Where is all that items coming from when they found what you're talking about, you know, furniture that they're throwing from where? It's illegal dumping. And what are they finding in the middle of the alley? Yes. In the middle of the alley? Yes.

It's in some of the alleys, yes.

Well, I believe if they are in the middle of the alley, somebody had to, you know, see a co-enforcement, you know, like probably they coming from the back yard for somebody out there that they throwing out. Let's go after them because the other day we sighting somebody, okay, that he has some kind of boxers. in his front of the garage, that it match with the same boxes that the other guy have across the street. Yes or no, co-enforcement lady? Yeah, and we found out what is the situation is. With this type of problem that we have in the alley, if I found anything behind my house, it have to come from my house or from the other side house? I don't know if you understand, you know, like illegal dumping. The only thing that I see illegal dumping is next to the alley, but outside of the street that people pass it.

No, it's definitely in the alleys, too.

In the alley, yeah, but that had to come from that. And what are we going to do about it? Public Works is going to take care of that?

Removing it? Public Works doesn't remove it. It's the contractor that's removing it. the contractor that cuts the alley, they're removing it as well.

How are we going to know that they say the truth? Are we going to have proof that they pick it out or whatever?

Yeah, Mr. Carney has pictures. They provide pictures when they give them an invoice.

And it's not there anymore. Hey, not there anymore.

Yeah, hey.

That's a good one. That's a good one. Let's be careful with that. And Who do the medias?

The medias, the same contractor.

The same contractor. But what is that median? It's only, I think that's a portion of 27th Avenue?

27th.

Yeah, from where to where?

Mr. Carney?

The jurisdiction of the city of Oplaca, 151st to Northwest 127th Street. On 27th Avenue and also 22nd Oplaca Boulevard to 151st. To 151st.

Yes, sir. Okay. Okay. Under that contract, Madam Manager, I want to see, oh, really, you know, the maintenance doing right for that two rows in the city because that's one of the main interests that we have. And I see Mr. Ong, okay, like, I don't know, but I don't see it as good maintenance and clean out these two areas. And I need to see more action out there. What about Shadassar?

Same contractor. I could provide all the pitches you want. Every area has a cycle of two weeks of cutting.

Okay. Yeah, that's part of the beautification of the city. I'm going to be on top of that. Especially in Charizard that I see all this apartment now abandoned. Do you see that? Yeah, it's bad. It looks very bad, that area right there. Yeah, we'll pick it up too. Yeah, let's pick it up and let's sign it and let's get, you know, see whatever we have to do to collect some revenue for them.

if I may say, as we all know that it's summertime. My husband just cooked the grass Thursday or Wednesday before we left, and we got back last night, and it's high. So it's summertime. Weeds also grow faster than grass, and I think that's a lot that we have to take consideration of. I could tell that while I was gone that they cut the grass Old City Hall. But I can already see the weeds also are coming up because weeds grow faster than grass. And I think it's some things that we have to look into. It's not going to always be a clean cut because in two weeks a lot can happen. So I just kind of want us to keep that in mind too when we start complaining about the grass and the overage of looking bad. It's not that it looks bad. It's just that the weeds are growing faster because some of my other colleagues have complained and that's what it's about.

Yeah, it does. Grass group that's put and what we do in consideration in the summertime, they cut it twice. They increase the cutting over the summertime and more rain season.

Gotcha.

Okay.

Any other questions about that part? Moving on to public works.

Public Works admin. The major change to that is we've moved the $115,000 for the consultant to the stormwater fund.

Can you repeat that again, please? Oh, when you permit. Go ahead, sir. Thank you. We have removed $115,000. We will remove $150,000, mean less. They're going to have less budget? Yes.

But that expense is now in the stormwater fund. That was for engineering services.

And why we, why we reduce that or what we're taking from there?