City Council - Special Meeting

total deficit spend of about a half a million dollars, just short of a million, half a million dollars. Since I was given the order to go back and look at a critical eye on the budgets, the operating budgets for just the um this was the general unrestricted funds uh departments. I went back and did a critical review of those and came back and presented that to you. And then we decided that you guys decided that it would be best to have them relook at their budgets and come back with some suggestions. And as a result of that and some of the things that I'm proposing andor have done to this uh [clears throat] projected budget, we have saved about $360,000 from what was originally submitted. Um in doing so, we dropped the total deficit spend to 138,000. Remember that is a projection and a lot of it is the fact that we're looking more critical at our revenue streams and we're being a lot more conservative in what those numbers are. We're not being aggressive in what we think our growth would be. We're budgeting all tax dollars flat. Um largely due to the fact that we don't know where the uh rebates are going, where the audit was going. Um, but I will tell you that um, we got some news on the horizon about what our early collections were for January, and I'll share those with you shortly. Um, so our revised budgets, when you look at the uh, contingency calculation, this comes off of just the operating departments and it comes off of uh, every operating department except water, street, and sewer. for all the operating departments, we were looking at well over a half a million dollars uh in where the contingency needed to be based on. And

with the cuts that we made, the operating departments have a budget of 4 million [clears throat and cough] on that 15% budget that you gave me the edict to go back and the permission to change to. uh that would have been about a $746,000 amount that we would be looking to obtain as far as where our budgets come in at. So right now our budgets come in at 732,000 which leaves you a shortage of 13,441. Here's your first suggestion that I want to make. I made several changes to get there. Let me just show you on the notes [clears throat] down here. The first was that I propose the proposed budget that I have in front of you. The numbers have contain a general insurance premium inflation percentage of 5% down from the eight which impacts all departments within the city including water sewer street but it also impacts mostly the um fire police uh anything that has a general insurance vehicle insurance or equipment insurance tag to it including parks. So that number radically changed and it I went ahead [clears throat] and made the decision to do that for a lot of reasons. One in particular is the fact that we could go back and relook at certain things or elements within the policies in order to see if we can make some savings up if that comes up higher than in August higher than where we uh believe it should. And then there's some other things that are built in here into this budget and things you need to be considering. One is um I reduced the parksto street contribution for assisted services to $2500 from the 7500. Um anything that you shift out of the general unrestricted to a a fund that's not retained by the general unrestricted or supported by that is a is a good thing for the general side. So moving

the lowering the amount that's paid for services from the parks department to street to 2500 is something that would benefit the unrestricted general fund. [clears throat] Um don't think that's set in stone. If we need to later in the year adjust that we can. We we do that as we see how our revenue streams are going. The next thing I wanted to talk about was the adjustment to the LPY contribution for police fire. And that ly contribution we have amassed a reserve in that account of about $60,000. That account is funded by the salary levels and it's by the numbers that we have budgeted in there are budgeted numbers to be a zero. In other words, for what whatever we pay LFY, we take from the fire and police departments based on um the employees that are covered under the LOFY program for both of those departments. Well, what I've done is I've lowered that by $40,000, that $60,000 reserve, which we have been maintaining for several years, and that lowered that to roughly about $20,000. And we're going to leave that there. If we need more, it will come out of the police and fire departments because we have to pay from that account that we uh fund. However, that $40,000 makes a big difference to their expenses that were budgeted this year. So, the LPY contribution will drop uh from what they have to support, not what we pay LPY. We're going to we're going to pull in 40,000 less from [clears throat] those departments because we have 60,000 in reserve. So, that was one of the um items that also helped. Um the other things that I want to cons that I want you to consider is this. I'm going to go to it right now. It's right here. This is your county sales tax. About three years ago, one of the things

we did to bolster the sidewalk fund, which right now has $400,000 in it, is um we gave admin of justicees 1% [clears throat] we gave to the sidewalk fund. And by doing so, that was to put about 2725 27,000 dollars in there. 25 I think 25720 in order to help maintain sidewalks. Well, also the street department has [clears throat and cough] been funding that 150,000 over the last three years for the uh phase two and phase three of the sidewalk projects that are right now on a little bit of a hold. So what I wanted to do for this year is to see if you guys would be amanable to redistri redistribution of this 1% to the police department. Make that 51% and that would help reduce some of their burden that they have on their um their deficit spend. So by doing so, if I go back up to this, I was right at it. This 25,000 would then exceed the amount that we're short. The shortfall of 13,000 is we would actually have a contingency surplus of 12,279. Don't go hog wild on that, but that will help later in areas that if we see for instance the let's say the insurance comes in at 8% that 25 $12,000 there could help defay that or offset some of that overage if it happens. First thing I would do though is I would go look at our policies and we would look to see if we could glean some savings on manipulating some of our terms within those policies. One of the things that you could as additional considerations if you wanted to was you could look at the cola and reduce the cola but for every onetenth

of a percent in other words if you take it from 2.5 to 2.4 4 or to 2.5 to 2.3. Every one tenth of 1% is $4,500. It's really insignificant as far as that's concerned. It is more significant to morale and to seeing as though we're not giving any merits at all. So, uh, still it's on the table. I wouldn't recommend that. As far these are things that over the last three days I've been putting in, taking out, moving around, but I really wanted you to know that with permission to do this 25,000, you're actually now achieving your 15% contingency where you've establish that level. Yes.

The [clears throat] when you said you moved 1% from the administration of justice to the sidewalk, how was that done? And that's not a required that no that the distribution of that is totally under your control city. What does it pay for? What is what? The administration of justice. Whatever that fund was that you said you transferred in sidewalk. That was the fees for the municipal courts. Not you know the what we get admin of justice pays for the all the court stuff. It pays for jail fees. Jail fees.

Yes. So what we what we did is over time that amount of money that was being put in there by the county sales tax that 1% we we had amassed just like we did in Lafy a large amount of money. We're playing that down and once we get to where it needs to be funded again which won't be this year we'll go ahead and make a a recommendation to rem reput it back up. But right now, sidewalk is not in need of it. And so what I wanted to do is shift it back over to the unrestricted general fund specifically for police. That's one of the considerations. [clears throat] If you give me the go-ahhead, I'll I'll make that happen. And that will adjust both the sidewalk budget and the police department budget by $25,000. Could we just

put it over for the year of 26 and then turn around and re-evaluate in 27 as the budget this time next year? Exactly. I think that's probably a good suggestion to do it for the year of 26 and leave lots of breadcrumbs for us to go back and recreate that in the next budget.

Okay. Couple of things that I wanted to point out too is the city sales and use tax collections for January is 4.5% above 2025. The 26 collection that we just received. So um the city sales and use tax actually is ahead of a zero based no growth budget [clears throat] by four and a half%. Which is phenomenal considering that we have been experiencing rather large rebates in the past. Um, I'm not saying that's a trend. Rebates hit us large usually in February's collections. So, I'm waiting to see what that number is going to be. That's usually the largest month for a rebate. So, still holding my breath there. That has little to no impact on on your uh unrestricted general fund because those are restricted monies for three departments. However, the next line does. The county sales tax collections were up 1% over last year. um last month. [clears throat] Uh 1% is fairly significant in the county side and that benefits all departments. So that'll that revenue will automatically this January came right into every one of the operating departments in that distribution that I just showed you right here. Every department that has a percentage gets a percentage of that 1% increase. And then if we continue with a 1% over averaged for the whole year, that would be wonderful. Anything above zero is additional revenues we didn't count on in this budget. So it could be helpful down the road when we look at a [clears throat] resolution to maybe put some back. Um, so I want to go back to you and point uh point out the last thing is that the the police department in the discussion I think Rod may have mentioned it or Steve one of you about the hiring when how long will it take to

hire a police officer and bring him on where the budget right now has the open position budgeted for 12 months. They did a calculation and just the savings alone on the delayed hiring they calculate based on where their intended hiring date would be $12,000 savings just in the salary side. That does not factor in how it impacts the end related cost which are the ly fees and the benefits and so forth [clears throat] that that rolls with. So that's just the salary side. um that's not factored into this budget, but it is something that um I left out of it for specific reasons. One is we don't really need it right now, but police department went through and I mean they bare boned their budget based. they took what you guys said and what I said to heart and um that 12,000 could come in handy for them in maybe if they go over on vehicle um fuel for instance [clears throat] because they they they gave up that $5,000 gut feeling cushion that Brad mentioned and that would be one way they could recoup that just on that savings from their operational budget. So, I didn't need it, so [clears throat] pull it in order to make that happen. But, it is something that's still in their budget. So, that's where we are as far as how the contingency is looking. I would recommend though as I did before that you strongly consider now with that 15% instead of 20 is that we look at and I will present to you and the next city council meeting I'll give you a copy of a very high level AML modified contingency uh ordinance for you to look at and some

recommendations for a a policy that will dictate how we uh set trigger points and then you guys can tear it apart, do whatever you need to it and um not [clears throat] going to hurt my feelings one way or another on it. I don't own it. I just giving you suggestions for it. We're going to put that on for the first reading for February. Okay. If you guys are amunable to take your time on it. Yeah, there's no rush at all. We can take our time. We'll spend the full three months if need to. We can table it. We can massage it to the way we want it. Right. But you're going to present it with your recommendation in the beginning. Correct.

Okay. Makes sense. Okay. So, with everything that's there except for the $25,000 [clears throat] because that's not in these numbers because I haven't made that yet. I needed your permission to be able to shift that and I'm assuming that you are all in agreement to that. You'll be voting on that in a little bit. Me and Steve were the electrical engineer and the bunny conservator down there. I don't know. We didn't hear anything. I have no idea what that means. I think we're a lot of us are in that same I'm fine with it. I'm good. You say you don't like

that was an inside joke. Okay, honey deer conservationist. [laughter]

So what I wanted to show now is a [clears throat] couple of things. This being the daily surplus unrestricted fund. This is the whole all all departments in this is what was originally presented to you and you see the very negative trend line. We were coming in at an original budget of 136381 deficit per day on average um deficit. And what when sharpening the pencils, what happened is we shifted that to it's right now $380, but it's it's that's what's making that 15% contingency line. Remember, we were at a million, but we've we've modified that with the changes and the ordinance that we were going to propose. We're on a better path now. And the reason I wanted to show you these two graphs is even though you know the number uh is this here, this one, this 1363 is below the trend line and it it's pulling that trend line down and it would continue to do that even though we rebounded from last year. Anything below isn't helping you as much as if you were to have something go the other way. There we go. go above the trend line. So now we're pulling the trend line up. We got a much more favorable um budget than [clears throat] we would have had. It's hard to overcome that amount of a deficit per day or a half a million dollars. And we've we pretty much have done as much as we could in the short time that they had to sharpen their pencils. But I think we've got a plan now and I think we're on the right path. So, or the city is so we don't continue this u this decline that we've had over the last several years. And now what I want to show you is Yep. I'm right some of the numbers. This is what your budget with all departments. This is the city budget, the state of

the city as the proposed budget has projected with the changes you made and maintaining that 15% um the 15% uh contingency fund. So what you see here is the amended budget for 25 and the actual revenues. We budgeted $17 million in revenues. We came in at 15 million. A lot of that is there was some grants that didn't come in or does didn't happen. Parks had a couple that they didn't even go after and use. Um but those revenues are projected into the budgets, those grant revenues. So we missed that budget along with the city sales and use tax being down because as you see, city sales and use tax is factored into our revenue projections. Um we missed it by $1.5 million. But this year's our proposed budget is 15710 15,710,000 and that's slightly above the actual revenues from last year. So we highly conservative in our and not as aggressive in our revenue projections. So that's what they're having to live on live by. Everything you see with an O over here on this side is operating. This these are the operating revenue streams for each of the operating departments. Has nothing to do with these restricted accounts. They're not factored in. Neither is water, sewer, streets, um city sales and use tax and city sales and use tax and sidewalk for the street department. Just the actual O andM accounts. So our budget with the on andm accounts for all departments is 11 million five of that 15 million. So you know basically what the proposed budgets revenue stream is, how much comes in from other sources that are restricted

monies, not monies that drop into the O andM. So then we go into the expenditure. Oh, there's your growth. Okay, so here's the deal. In 2025, [clears throat] we missed it by 9.3% as far as our budgeted to um actual actual to budgeted. We missed that by 9.3%. As far as our operating revenues, we missed it by 9.28%. Pretty consistent. Sort of like the operating monies kind of fell right in line. So this year we're budgeting a 1.4% uh all departments, not just the operating all departments budgeted to actual we're budgeting a 1.4% increase and a 2.81% increase on the operating side. That's what those numbers represent. I will remind you that our revenues are 11,589. Now, I'm going to show you your expenses. And if you just quickly drop down to the operating expenses, we're 11,618. Much closer than we've ever been pretty much in the past from the operating side. Now we look at we're

still operating at a daily negative though. Two 200 I [clears throat] think it's three three. Yeah, I had it up here. I forgot what it was. [clears throat] 380 380 is what you said. Let's see. 38059. You win. Missed 59.

You missed the 59 cents, but that's close enough. Um, so yes, we are, but we're going in the right direction right now. It's hard to pivot when you were down 2400 from last year. As far without um impacting critical services. Just wanted to throw that in there. As far as your operating department's expenditures are concerned, this is your budgeted expenditures by operating department. We budgeted 20 million. We actually came in at 158. We missed that by 4.9 million. A lot of that had to do with the capital expenditures. they're in there on that city sales and use tax side. [clears throat] Um, and mostly it was capital improvement projects. Uh, they only accomplished water sewer for instance, a little over 50%. We were not far behind as far as overall total city. So we we had a variance. It is considered a favorable variance because you spent less than you budgeted, but you spent less than you budgeted on projects that you really should have spent money because it's dedicated funds. But that's 23.6% 6% lower. Right now, we're budgeting an 11% um budget to 26 budget to 25 budget. Uh let's see, 2.4. That's the variance. We're budgeting at 23 uh 11.75% increase or a $2.4 million over the 20 last year. Again, a lot of that has to do with this $8 million up here in the water sewer side because that's the money that they're budgeting for their capital projects. It significantly influences this. So, our total overall budget's 23 million too, but that's all these capital projects built into that as far as the city. Now, we're not just looking at general fund. We're looking at every thing in the city.

Okay. as far as your um this is how there's a difference. This shows you this is your department expenses and revenues and where the shortfalls were. So when you look at a number that's in red, this is the only time when red numbers mean good things. That means your revenue exceeded your expense and they do not have to fund in order to make sure that the 1.5 million covers the 1.1. They have 342,000 that they're not having to use to cover the budget because the revenue streams in the general and admin is sufficient to cover their expenditures. Okay. Same thing with planning. They're 23,000 ahead. Police department when that number was over 8006. As far as the animal control, fire department 87,000 water department by 300. So the sewer department every 28,722 negative we're having to fund with available funds 28,722 in order to be able to have a balance [clears throat] by the funding overall in the city department but as an overall $2800

[snorts]

And that's how you say this totally major negative like it was in the past you would be looking at saying well we have a deficit budget but we have a balanced budget and expend This would be everything outside of the operating department just operations. You add everything back in $7 million short. So the $15 million revenue is short of what we need in order to cover the expenditures. And you see real quick where that line number falls out. Falls out from the water department. They are well aware as far as their profitability this year. A lot of it has to go to service which potentially looking at down the road. I think they'll be able to push that off. That's on [snorts] most of it comes from the capital expenditures on the water sewer department side. We um

at a rate of 50% they should be okay. They're you'll see in a minute they're about Let me just show you their fund balance and you'll see what what's the issue. These are the fund balances. The numbers one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, and eight represent all of the actual live accounts that we have over at Farmers Bank. These are the real bank accounts. Now, under these accounts, like street department, I've defined the accounts that they have control over, but it all is listed or sits within the street department. General fund is the same way. The general fund's balance proposed at the end of 26 is 2.5 million. We've had over four million in that account. A lot of it is the assigned, committed, and restricted funds. That's where the majority of the money falls. Those are monies that have to be used for what you or the state or the taxing document said the money is to be spent on. However, [clears throat] the unassigned unrestricted money, that's the ones that you have the ability to control. And right now, that amount is now back up to 732,000. Then if once I move the 25 in there, that number will become over the 750,000 mark, which is why I said now that you've given me the go-ahad, I'll make that move on that 25,000 and that will in fluctuate that'll positively impact. Oops, that I clicked it. I shouldn't have. So, what you're seeing is a reduction in the general fund both for the restricted and the unrestricted of 402,000. You see the five million sitting here for the um they have three million now. Their proposed budget is to spend 2 to spend $5.5 million and end a deficit of 2.3 million in that account. So, they're going to be bringing their overall funds

down to $1.7 million, which is an $864,000 uh reduction. The city sales and use tax, water, sewer restricted, that's the amount that has to be adjusted in or be monitored. Now, if they only do 50% of that, that would help, but I don't know how rapid their projects are going to be accomplished. they are indicating that they are only budgeting those projects that are in progress, nothing new. And so those projects should wrap up sometime in the year. And if that's the case, um they are going to be looking at some deficit or some way in order to maintain this and future expenditure obligations. As far as the street department is concerned, the city sales and use tax street funds, that's the the problem. This $587,980. They are they get all the city sales and use tax for the three departments bring in is over just about $550 to $560,000 a year. That's what the tax brings in. So when you look at a deficit here, they're going to end a year with that's this amount of money plus the 500,50 that they get per year [snorts] and then they're spending 587 more. So that this is where they they're going to be that's the turnaround. That's their change in their fund. a million one

and that what does that account for? What what are the details on that? Those are all the street projects that they have that are in, you know, the drainage, the mostly it's the Nashville, but you got you got some other projects. Um, is what about Fox Run? That's in there, too, isn't it? That's been moved. the [clears throat and cough] Yes, there's some residual amounts that are the held back monies that are in that budget both for that and for [clears throat]

yeah the final fin the final ounce on those. But then again, you know, we've told you the last several years that they're in a they're on a path where the expenditures for a mile of road is far exceeding the amount of money that they bring in in the tax and the turnbacks. Um turnbacks account for about $800,000 a year. And you did a road that cost you a million, just one road. And the turnbacks for streets are per capita, right? And we're

I'm going to be moving those off into a We're still four years away from that changing, right? for the census [clears throat]

and the other funds are little immaterial. The AM tax revenue fund, the payroll bank account and these miscellaneous funds are the CDs and the things that are not actively used and utilized mostly. They just grow by interest.

Is that one separate account? No, those are those are those are several CDs that we have. Okay. Money's in those CDs. Um bond funds on our books usually are what they support. And then there's um petty cash, two petty cashaches that are in there. Both one for water sewer and one for general. Those are already in cash. But I just wanted you to know all the funds. That's if you were to go to our balance sheet and add up all the cash fund accounts, that's the amount of money you'd come up with. So real accounts, not virtual, but real. We have eight eight real accounts. They're all at farmers. They are all at farmers.

Yeah. Eight individual distinct accounts and then the virtual operates within those. Within those. Correct. Okay. So, as you see this city sales and use tax street here, yeah, if they do spend that and they end the year with a deficit of 587,000, they have the money in the street fund in order to cover that, but they would be using non city sales and use tax monies to cover these projects. And we would not leave. I I do this for illustration purposes because I want you to see the spend, but it's absorbed in this and we would make the transfer in order to fund that.

Well, it's really good to see it that way.

So, that is a 60% reduction in your fund balance. Now, yeah, the money's there and it's supposed to be used. That's why they gave it to you, obviously. That's why a contingency fund is very important. But um this this is relative to several different things. The the slowdown in the revenue streams from the taxing uh dollars and the other is the increase due to inflation of the cost of actually doing things. So you're in a train wreck right now between the amount of it what it cost you in expense to what you're basically [clears throat] bringing in. And so we're spending down about $6.6 million of our fund balance or 60%. Let's go to compensation. This is the other ones that I usually bring in the state of the city. It's actually fairly good. Uh the lines that you have here, 21, 22,3 all the way up to 26 shows what our total budgeted payroll for all departments was during all this period of time. You see that our growth to 4.6 million was only a 2.55% increase which is the lowest it's been in several years uh since we've been keeping these records mostly due to the fact that there is no merits factored in here except for the water sewer department has some budgeted pools of money. However, the 2.5 really is related to the cola. The 0.05 05 is the amounts allocated through water and sewer. Everybody else budgeted zero for merits. So that's fairly reasonable. And as far as your capital is concerned, these are the cap the each of the departments and what their capital expenditure budget is and what their

capital improvement budgets are. And you'll see the budgeted expenditures for capital expense is 271,000. Those are the hard assets. And then you have the projects 10 million6 for a budgeted um amount per capital of 10 million9. And then you see the percentages here of 52% from the water department, 26 for sewer and then parks. Those are your three uh to street rather parks would be your fourth. These are the ones you would expect to have the capital projects in it. And the largest ones being water, sewer, and street and that's falling right in line with what we would normally look at. So that gives you what the budget's capital [clears throat] is way down from the 15 million that we had last year. And then what I was showing you then, I kept this slide in here. This is technically where we still are with Street only because Street didn't impact the general fund unrestricted which is where most of my uneasiness and issues were and we didn't have the contingency built in and we're now at least back up to where it's a reasonable um 15%. We'll work on getting it up there in next year's budget. But this is the street department and what is needing to be really looked at is the operating revenues and expenses. So what I am going to do this uh year and I'll do it with your approval of an ordinance is take the turnback monies into a separate restricted account pull it out of the O andM so that we have a true operating expense O andM because what needs to be differentiated is how much of this operating expense is related to drainage roads and stuff that's built into the O andM through the

revenue stream. The matching concept says that your expenditures has to align with your revenues. You can't have a revenue in one account and the expenses in the other. They have to match. So, what I'm looking to do here is move both of that out so that on and m their actual management of the department outside of restricted monies what that would look like and I would get back to you at that with the ordinance. And would it have to be an ordinance or could it be a resolution? According to Charlotte at the last meeting, she said it's done by ordinance. Well, it sounds great. Well, I don't know if that's way we're doing it or not, Charles. It's up to you. That's

any bank account that's set up or virtual account has to be an ordinance because it's something that makes it happen, not just your wishes. Can we put that on as well in February? I don't know if you have time to Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Will and it won't be an emergency. We can spend three months, right? Yeah. the the quicker I get it moved over, the easier will be for you to see what's I'd [clears throat] like to get it done by the uh March budget study session so that you can see what their budgets look like now revised with the two off.

Well, let's get it on for February and then we'll see what kind of emergency we feel like it is. Okay, so that's all I have as far as the budgets are concerned. Like I said, these changes that I made are highly temporarily put into a proposed budget off of the real master, which isn't changed. Um, you had the opportunity or still do the opportunity to say, "Nope, and we're going back to square one." But you only have a week to do it.

Tom, sometime in this first half of the year when you have time, you don't need to spend a lot of time, but could you give us an idea what we'll be facing if the sales tax doesn't renew. Absolutely. So, we kind of have an idea when we're sitting here next year what how ugly it's going to be. You know what? because it's going to be ugly. So, it would definitely impact services for sure andor future planned projects. At least we kind of can start preparing ourselves so [clears throat] November the 4th we can go I won't be here

some may not be appreciate all the department heads working on yes not putting everything on our back so and we appreciate you this year for doing the soft things turning the lights and watching gasoline. What we're just watching all your expenses. So, we know you don't have much cushion. So, you know, when that thing happens, we realize you don't have much cushion. You know, you're just going to have to bring it to us and we'll figure out how to pay for it.

So, Brad, you're the biggest one. So, you know, with something that might happen. I'm optimistic about that. Optimistic coming back for you. First quarter more than just [snorts]

you'll know. You can watch our economy and if our economy is growing, you know, that's the time to come and throw these on. throughout the year. Yeah, that's what I meant. You know, just when [clears throat] you see something happens because we know y'all don't have much cushion. I wait till Bronze opens and Tim finds it. It's all on your shoulders.

No problem. I can smell the hamburger. Cheap ice cream. Now, I do have the revised budget with all these numbers in it. If you wanted to look at any one individual budget, I can do that. I can throw it up on the screen. I just being working from home, I didn't have a printer to mass produce these. You could have done a digital PDF and that doesn't require I could have done a lot of things but I was working on this up till 30 minutes before this meeting. Okay, that's fine. But I just want to state for the record the treasur has not seen this budget. I'm stating for the record, Tom, you don't need to say anything about it.

I I just want to state for the record I've not seen it. Good enough to see it. They I I serve them. Okay. Not you. I appreciate your crunch during and I serve the public snow days when you couldn't when people can't access the office, it's everything's great. So,

I need I need to make a comment if just just on behalf of all employees and and you know me, I'm all about raises all the time for everybody that can get them at any time and I'm all about raisins. I've said that many times. Uh, I'd love to see the cola stand for sure, but I want to make sure that the council and and you may know, Tom mentioned it while ago that the water sewer commission has approved. Can you throw that up there or not? They they have you [clears throat] c called it a uh pool of money

a pool of money and we kind of re they renamed it not necessarily to be raises but I just want you to know that they have the ability to give raises during the year from that pool of money where nobody else does. Uh, so as the mayor and of all employees, I just need to say that that you know what you're voting on. And again, this is not anti water wastewater. Those guys, I don't want their job. I would never in the world would I want to be out in this trying to fix a water line. Uh, but I just for for fairness and for everything, I just think you need to know that there's there's a pool of money there for that. It was named what?

Well, still on this one, Merit. incentive, but it was named employee development. Yeah, you're HR.

Um, again, I'm grateful for anything that we can get and I always feel like I need to speak up of our employees as director. That's normally how they do it. They put it in the pool so that way you as the council or whoever does not see how much or how much to me that's not appropriate. We've said that It needs to be broke out just like every other department does. But again, they are their own their own bill. And again, I also agree. I would not want to be out there working this and they deserve a raise. I think everybody who comes to work and does its employees, okay? Includes full time and time. That does not include our volunteer. You're

[clears throat] to give employees an employ what what is their race whatever they choose $1200 amount of people and they're they're they're using that to Yes sir to to try to incentivize and they, you know, they're there's some critical employees and boy, right now those guys are critical. I understand. So are the rest of us.

Not everybody. I'm sure that we have some that may not really need one, but there's a lot more of us that deserves one. respectfully

and and and water has a luxury of of changing their rates and and we more respond to public being so high has the potential of getting they they could go a year and not touch that. And again, I love the water department very much. I think Kenny Dorsy, I'll say right now, is the best employee that this city has. And I'm not the only one that feels that way. But it's not right. And it doesn't look good. And it's going to raise. I mean, I guess I just need to know what I need to not respect.

And you know, you said there was 20 employees in the first just estimating. I mean, I'm count [clears throat]

that's not sewer. That's just water. Okay. I'm sure has the same. I think sewer is I think sewer does as well. They have some also. Every department of all the departments have a pool. That's just the pool for that department. This is water. This is when you said every department, not water distribution. Just water department. Yeah, just water. Just water sewer departments. There are five departments. I'm seeing two open positions on your little ledger there. They're new. Yeah, that's fil. Those are filled.

One started week. The other one was supposed to start Monday, but then you had others. We [clears throat] had a bunch of new hires. Yeah. As we're hemorrhaging money in every department, not just waste, water, and water. Every department's got a bunch of new I don't I know a couple of those guys, but the other ones are 50 plus. And they've been here. Vince has been here 30 years, I think, almost. And Kenny's been here 23. I'd rather get new cars than new hires. But again, I'm grateful for their service as an as an employee, as HR director. They are they are great employees. I'm not I'm not saying that they're not. I'm just letting you know that

what we're going to have to deal with. And that's fine. That's my job. I'm happy. I just need to know what keep their eye open for job openings over there. Maybe they can go to water department. Well, they can they can affect their rates and they've done that. and the water that commission is not underneath. We don't get to control their budget. So, they have the luxury of

approve. Well, we approved the budget. If if we were to say we would approve it without that $12,000 in there, but but again, they've got the funds to do it because they set their rates. And and it may be that years down they may be in a tighter position because of what they've done here, similar to what we've kind of done by advancing our salaries so fast. But but again, they set their own rates. We can't set rates here. We're we're just looking in the

My thing is I don't I don't see a day where the rest of the city employees are going to get a merit and the water sewer is not. I just think it's my my opinion as a team as a city team we either all do or we all don't. We're all the city agreement. The mayor is the mayor. He is the boss of all of us. Even if there's commissions, even have who tell him every day that that is not his boss. At the end of the day, he's the one that goes to Liver. He's the one that's responsible. So, we all are one team, one city.

So, so could the city I mean, can the council not approve that budget with that merit pool in there? Not approve or approve it without it? Uh I'm just saying if if if if we're having a potential issue in morale because one department it's not going to be potential. It's going to be okay. So every year we've never done this I' been here 10 years never done. That's what she's saying. You're asking I'm asking if they've ever had a merit pool where there's a possibility of giving out incentive raises just in the water.

Water does that every year. They do it every year. I I request I requested about That's why I wanted I requested about five years that they regardless it's them getting an incentive and they've always I requested about five years that they did not do that. I didn't I didn't I didn't like the way it looked. every other department you can see on the budget how much each employee is getting it is that's all thank you very much I mean itful way I really do

so what are what are our options on on this particular item yeah I'm just I guess I'm proposing you can you don't have to here's what I think Tom you can tell me or Charlotte whoever guys that are more on this passing the budget you can pass the budget as it is that that budget or I you have the ability to remove that and and pass it without it they could still get it from another line item put it back in there they could lower their line item and put it in there true

their bottom line is what matters. Those commissions, both of them. So, we've already stated that any new hires need to come before us. A replacement needs to come before us. Correct. And did we Okay. Well, well, we were saying that we didn't we weren't concerned about the volunteer system of stewards, but in if someone were to quit this year before they're immediately replaced, we wanted them to come before the council. If there's a need for a a merit incentive, I think that needs to come before the council.

It would be neat for us to know what they got the merit instead of money for, not just, well, they approved it, so Monday, here's a check for $800. Go buy you a new doggy carrier. That's that's to my point. And I will say that I want to go on record, too. I'm saying that this is in my opinion, this has never been abused. It's not like because I think most of the time Tom if I'm maybe right that a lot of times that money is still there at the end of the year either all of it or some of most some of it. [clears throat] So give it all out.

Nobody nobody in those departments are going out and and giving a big old raise. Uh truly it's just doesn't happen because they they scrutinize and they make sure that the guys or gals whoever they are earn the raise. That's that's what I've witnessed anyway. So, I think it's just more about the the look and and we get it. We understand the fact that it's a commission and they are control of their their funds and uh but over my my comment was to say overall it it could be an issue and and at the end of the day if it's an issue I I'll deal with it morale-wise. That's my job and or have the department head deal with it. And and I have said, and Danielle knows this for sure. Uh if anybody because once upon a time there were some issues with the street department. You weren't there, Jeff. Uh the guys were complaining and and this sort of thing. And I said, "If you want a job in the water department, apply for it." Was simple as that. So if you if if the grass is greener, try it. So there I don't I don't think the world's going to end by any means, but Danielle is correct as far as there will be some morale, but again, I'll pass that on to the department heads and we'll handle it. I

I like what Mr. Miker said that we're a team. It would be nice if we could all do the same and play by the same rules, but with commissions, that's not necessarily the case. So, I realize they're a commission, Charlotte, but you said that as long as their bottom line is how do we change that? You don't. I mean, it's Well, you just don't have a commission. Well, that's the way they operate because they're in charge of all of their But we're approving the budget based on each line item value, right? No, we don't do a line item budget. Well, I mean, We're approving each one of those. Each individual line in that budget is being approved.

We used to have the line item language and we don't anymore. That's what I'm saying. If you do that, maybe that will change it. It used to not be when I first started this then it went to line item for the reason you were fixing to talk about. Yeah. Away from Was it Clarksville? I mean, Clarksville has still got a commission, but their budget is approved by line item. I mean, the com the city council still approves each each line in that budget. Yeah, their commission is a little different for some reason. I I remember their commissions are more advisory like where's the water wastewater commission money that we approve? Can you get to that real quick?

Is that possible? Or the parks commission or the whatever [clears throat] commission there's a number that in this budget that we have to approve that they can draw from and spend from and isn't there or is there not it's the be the whole budget right

their money's come in from city sales and use tax permanent goes to them and then it's for capital but it's also generated by water systems revenues which are their billing to their customers and like like was said, they control their they control those rates. Um they don't do it willy-nilly and halfhazardly. I mean, there's obviously public hearings that have to be done in order to get that approved. Um they don't have to vote on it, but you don't want to price yourself into a situation where no one wants to move to your city either because you've outpaced the cost of neighboring. So, they have to be responsible for that. Even bond. If you put a debt right now, the the customers are bearing the cost of debt service in those rates that they ultimately will have to go out and get in order to do betterments and improvements and potential even growth. And what was made uh well known by Mr. Bailey uh is that he's adverse to doing any kind of debt because right now the debt is for betterments and improvements of existing infrastructure which doesn't really generate you any return. Um in in addition if you were to go and put debt service into future growth [clears throat] the future growth will generate future future revenues. So it makes more sense to do debt service on growth than it is to on betterments and improvements. But you got to do what you have to do when 11 years went by and you didn't do anything.

So when they come in with a water rate increase, sewer rate, whatever, if we're tired of them giving out merit raises and we can just vote down those rate increases. Um, and then they had to figure out a way to pay to get the state lawund, right? Then you got to figure out you have to adjust to figure out how to get that state law. [clears throat] The state had more to do with setting the rates than they did.

That mandated a rate study, but we had control over what went into that rate study. What was our future capital needs basically how we were going to fund it and what we were going to do to pay for it. what we projected our operating expenses to be over the next five years, which included salaries and maintaining or retaining your employees. That's all built into that rate along with contingency fees. That's already built into their rate along with replacement reserve on their their capital assets or what's called funded depreciation. That's all built into their rate. Whereas that's what I'm trying to do for the general fund, right? So

I I want to say this resolution adopting this budget says in adopting this line item budget. It does say those words, but city attorney would have to opine on what that means necessarily. It also says exhibit A is attached here too. And I just want to note that it's not.

The only thing that the city council the the problem with a line item budget comes into being when we have to do mass quantities of resolutions by line item when the line item is over budget. And a lot of it is over budget as you know. estimations. You have um the last quarter of the year is when it all flurry starts happening because their normal operating expenses like utilities for instance goes up and they don't they don't have hardly any control over that. They have little turn off the light maybe but bottom line is things cost more. You have a a car breakdown. They have to come to you with a resolution. They're going to be spending hours doing resolutions and we are going to be presenting them because at the end of the year I have to have a resolution for every line item that went over their budget. That is cumbersome. It's inefficient. It's ineffective if they're staying within their bottom line. Now the only thing you once we did make that change several years ago, two years ago I think it was, you said you wanted line item on capital only. I remember you um Rod telling us that you wanted to not take an underspent money and throw it back into operations. You wanted to keep it as something that could be redeployed or reallocated for future assets

because it does give them a point to abuse it. They can over overestimate their project. Next thing you know, they're tooling around in a new truck and you're going, "What the heck was that?" Exactly. Right. So that was the only thing. That probably was actually the case. Pardon? That probably was actually the case maybe for for some of them. So, we also lent to Miss Codings a lot. Um, hey, I don't have a budget there for it, so I'm going to put it here and hopefully finance won't find it.

And and we have been in the exact situation that you were talking about where we did a true line item budget and it was cumbersome, but and Clarksville sometimes you have to do that. I mean, when things get so bad, you just kind of have to do it. But there was everybody was bringing in changes and then next thing you know, the next year, everybody had this expansive, you know, fund for miscellaneous. And the miscellaneous kept growing and growing and growing and next thing you know, the miscellaneous is what was being attacked for people not, you know, you know, doing I I'm not going to say anymore. Anyway, we we've been there. It

sometimes you have to do it, but it does it's not an efficient way to operate. So, you do see their line items every single month. You get a report that has everybody's spend for the previous period and for year to date. So, you know where they're trending. They know where they're trending, too. There was actually one year we passed it by ordinance. Now, that's really hard because then you got to do all your amendments by any subtle minute change has to be published, read for third readings. Uh there's money, we're spending more money publishing it, you know, a change than and most cities don't do that anymore.

No, and it's not recommended by the municipal league to do that anymore. They they want you to do it by resolution so you can adjust it. We're too big to get there now. But the times were what they were. So what we could do is is, you know, since we have no control over the $12,000 pool or what the merit pool, just adopt this budget with the recommendation from the council that that money not be used for merit. Just free just freeze.

We recommend the recommendation water. Our recommendation that they freeze that money in the water sewer because nobody else in the city is getting a merit raise and and then they that it would be at that point upon them whether or not they check your keys. If that does leave the door, that does leave the door open to where they couldn't come to us and say Rob Robbie Jones is going to leave us to go to Fort Smith Water Department.

You know, if if we don't get him get him to X amount, we could approve it or just say, "Well, y'all are just going to have to put an ad in the paper and try to find somebody else in That's I know that is part of their worry about losing people to Fort Smith because Fort Smith's desperate for people. Nobody going nowhere any department. So maybe the cops that that's it. Maybe you lost to to state police. Well, that's we can't do anything about that. We're not going to be able to match state police. I understand what [clears throat] you're saying to them

and again that's you you we we have said if you've got something we know that you don't have much cushion you can bring it to us. Did we get a code enforcement officer [clears throat] in planning or something? I think I think for this year code enforcement ought to be totally removed. Did we Is it in planning or where? I believe we did

it. It's still in planning as a budgeted amount for $20,000 for a June start, but um that's $20,000 in the budget right now that if it were removed, you're still covering it and it's right now it's being covered under Danielle's line item that we separated now. It's called salaries code enforcement and it's under general because that's where anything that she turns in is being put. But that's in the budget. So 20,000 is in the budget for code enforcement. It's got to be in there one way or another, whether it's under planning or it's shifted over to general, because you're still incurring cost for it.

Well, if they don't start till June, is there any reason that that young lady that works out there in the front couldn't do it? Because she's there from Look at me. She's there from when to when you do that. pull from her job and then we're not going to have anybody answer

right now because I already am HR director and mayor's assistant which is a full time as it is. And so we've not had anybody has given it to me to do and so I'm only being able to do it part time as much as I possibly can go out and check yards and take the calls and take complaints and send letters and follow up and all of that. So either I can continue to do it until June and that's fine. I'm doing the very best that I can and assist me and when they spot something that's not something like building things more or less watching for grass or parked vehicles trash issue trash and so right now I'm being discussed with you previously like a paycheck like You couldn't find anybody else.

I can I agree that the that the receptionist out there could do it too though. I think I'm a real good I mean I think we have you know yes we all I think all the city employees can be you know the eyes to as far as uh infractions out there and stuff you know uh and u I I I you know I'm thinking that's where in the case where you know sometimes we all have to wear multiple hats you know and I think that's where you know I already the receptionist she can wear two as well

but again if you take her she does help me occasionally if she's out store She might tell me, "I saw a yard." Or she goes up, "I saw a yard." But if I put that on her tad resident to help them to answer the lines and she's only

I still think you can get, you know, say as the police department. Hey, can can you can you run by there and see that? There's nobody there to do that. We've discussed all of that. Sure. There is they're on patrol. Okay. I think I think I think the chief has spoke that they cannot let him check yards and take and safety

and especially with growing season coming a couple months. and get busy. But that's what I've been doing for now. I mean, I could utilize one going after the people that don't pay for privilege licenses, but I don't have anybody. I mean, I don't want to I even asked Daniela because I mean send her out. She's not doing that confronting people thing anyways. It's just really letters. I mean, we're handicapped right now is what I mean. Well, I mean, I get it. I say the importance of the code enforcement officer position, but I mean you've seen what we're trying to do with the budget this year. I mean moving

running. You got somebody I did put together in this situation underneath. department building over their first year, second year transition building, whatever they succession within our department building inspector responsible for the building that may be on vacation on the road that are familiar in that territory. But als we we made great strides, you know, and we did come from a long ways, you know, from uh where we were last year to where we are now, but we're still not at a true balanced budget. I mean, we're we're at a deficit spend at $380 a day.

Let me ask you this. Somebody's delinquent on some taxes getting turned in. Um, Lafayette still. They haven't paid their city sales tax. We think they're short. City sales tax. Whatever. Whatever. I don't know about city. Oh, but that's that's totally a different that's theirs to distribute and theirs to follow up and we are now enforcing that starting who goes and tells them they need to start they're behind well department of finance and administration Arkansas department I thought you were talking about just general sales tax I'm talking about something that's got something to do with the city

the only thing they could be behind on that we'd go after him for is just privileged license and then would go after him for go down there and give him a letter I was but uh not anymore. Thank goodness that finance department does that now as of January 1. Haven't seen any effects of it. We're taking it over this year. He's got he's got a new employee over there. So they're not going to make a personal hands on deck. No, we're just going to have we're going to have Travis. And you're using them as an example, correct?

Yes. Okay. I'm just I say all that to say this. If she's got somebody that's delinquent on taxes or there's somebody that's been behind on their privilege license, I feel like you could call Chief Hobs. Hey man, these folks aren't paying. We used to have a officer. I can't imagine that the Green Police Department doesn't have time to get in their squad car and run down to um whatever and say, "Hey, you need to pay this $25 $50 license." They've done it before. Thank you. And then run it back over here. I mean, 15 minutes. [clears throat] I'm not saying it should be a police. It's been a long time. Yeah.

But the business privilege license and ordinances are the laws of the city and the police department's job is to uphold the law. Well, I would think that the laws of the city be right in your wheelhouse. Well, city attorney is usually the one that hops on the train when they're delinquent to the point of we're having to chase them. Okay, I agree with all that. Then after the third letter in the 120th day, veto, somebody needs to show up with a badge. City attorney actually just, you know, my There you go. Right.

We're going to put a lean on research. Well, I'm not saying you guys don't have a lot to do, but I feel like a five minute run down to the monograms and more is, hey, y'all owe us 25 bucks. Well, we have the process all spelled out in our criminal penalties ordinance for AMP. You had follow what it says to do and that's what we're supposed to do. Well, I thought this was a what's the job we're talking about? Code enforcement. Shannon said that normally I think once they get letters they take care of it. I have sent letters to get on. [clears throat]

Yes, he used assist. It's not code enforcement. Okay. Yep. I used to utilize code enforcement for that. I just it's because it's our city without having to to to flex muscle with without having to flex muscle when a policeman shows up for the city of Greenwood. That generally tells somebody they kind of mean business. I wonder what all these seven letters I've been getting mean. Now I get it. It was a lot better than just getting a letter in the mail they ignored. Right. And

I'm not saying it should this I'm not saying code enforcement should be down there, but I'm saying there should be some situations where we need to kind of let them know we're serious and the attorney's fifth letter didn't count. [clears throat] [snorts] with the flooding issue and and going up there and actually really doing some inspections

and the and the savings that you get in that personnel is the not spending the couple hundred thousand here to fix this drainage, couple hundred thousand here. It's kind of a risk management really. It's worth the extra body and the employee to save this money over here of of not going out there and doing the inspections or not getting up on the roofs like a commercial buildings, you know, collapsing during storms or or whatnot. So, I think that's where the money savings comes into play uh as far as going out and constitutional law is always going to uh dictate what we do. So, we have to have the authority to be in the pos where we're at to enforce the law. So, it's almost like I probable cause, reasonable suspicion. I need to have that to even be there to enforce a law. So, there that's what I was saying. I want to research, talk to Travis. I'm I know she was taken up for me and I I appreciate that, but I like to speak to that. Uh I'm not I don't ever say no. I'm a person about how do we get to yes, not just me. how do I get to yes, but how do all of us get to a yes? So, that means we all work together.

And that's that's who I am. But I think it's kind of like kind of like Mr. Tom's position over there in his place. He proved to y'all the added benefit of that. They're going to start taking over. It sounds like they're going to they got a plan in place to take over that uh to to get the finances or go out there and and get the uh taxes paid. That's really the same same thing as this code enforcement position is it could help hunter check these roofs, do all these inspections. Uh so that was if that makes sense to you. Maybe I danced around it, but that's what I was meaning by saying I'd like to research it first. Absolutely.

Yes, sir. I just I don't think my sweet I love her. She works hard. She's the best animal control animal service officer I think Greenwood's probably ever had. I'll tell you right now, I don't know if she's meant to go out there and enforce building codes with [snorts] the gruffest of men. I guess what I would say if that makes sense. You know what I'm saying? So

Tom, as the budget stands right now, you [snorts] said, well, if I understood you, there's $20,000 for that position, and that is to reflect a June hire. Am I is that right, Sunny? So if you took if you took that out somewhere,

right? No, I understand. So I've got to I've got to either in enforce or have Danielle do it or Aaron. Either one. It doesn't matter. Somebody's got to do it to to the degree that they are capable of doing. And I don't want Aaron or Danielle doing what the chief just said either. Neither one of Not because they're ladies, it doesn't matter. But that they're not trained to go out and and enforce the the code that we as these guys as department heads see and know and especially Hunter know recognizes in Sunday too uh the importance of this thing. And again, I know we kind of go on like it's just grass. Well, it's just absolutely not just grass. It's so much more. And I will I'll tell you AML [clears throat] and I I [snorts] know I lean on AML quite a bit these days more than I ever have before or or get information from them, but they will tell you in a hurry too. You got to be careful not having somebody in a position such as that because you you're going to quote unquote mess around and get yourself sued somehow by not inspecting these things. So I I guess I my question is do you know what we paid Danielle to do total last year.

So, whatever. About $300. So, I [clears throat] guess my my question to the council is or or to the folks that Yeah. what what we have doing it whether and Aaron has done it whether it's Aaron or Danielle is they're they are just focusing on as she said grass and and trash and dilapid or vehicles and things like that which is important to the city uh but we're we're not taking care of business and I and in a year when we're trying to cut

I'm not I'm not even suggesting that we we can do a fullblown position either. I just want to know what it looks like with or without that 20,000 5,000 votes,

right?

Because I'd like to get out of that 300 whatever it is a day that we're over budget also. And certainly everybody can pitch in and and and I don't expect the the patrolman to give a report every day. Could they? I guess they could. I've not talked to Chief about that about what they see. But that's that's not the hard part of the job to be honest with you is driving around. Takes time, [clears throat] but that's not the hard part of that job is driving around and making a list.

When you walk up to house on block sitting there. You knock on the door. I don't get to go there and for good reason. Joseph handled that. We got very a lot of compliment how the city looked of the fences that were going up buildings in the backyard, the houses demolish that we got down on Main Street. Those are the things that that are far and above mowing the lawn. And when the people of citizens see that presence, neighbors see that happening, they'll be more apt to keep themselves in line. I mean, we're missing that portion of our part of this city that needs to get.

So, this is line item budget. It says it in the resolution. I mean, I suppose you can take out what you want and put in what you want, but the city attorney will have to opine on whether or not that merits can be removed and stay that way. And that was just for your information. That was not asking you to do anything particular. the part.

Yes. I make a motion that we adopt the resolution for the uh 2026 budget as presented with a I know like what Ralph said, you know, just say that, you know, if the uh water department, you know, uh or water commission uh just use good judgment and try not to uh you know, do the merits just I'll second it. And we've already agreed on all your $25,000 the original rigor ran you had showed us that's

administrative justice moving that. Yes. The 1% for to get the 15%. Okay. Yeah. You put that motion to to move that 1% over to police. That' be a 51%. Move 1% from where? Administration of justice. Yeah. From the administration of justice. No. From sidewalk. Oh, sidewalk. Excuse me. I'm sorry. Justice from sidewalk to police. Yes.

Would be 51% police department. for the year of 26. We decided it was for the year 26 and then we revisit it. [clears throat] Uh we have a motion and a second, right? Second, Mr. P. Any more discussion? If not, call for roll call. Mr. Brown, yes. Mr. Maker, yes. Mr. Terry, hello. Mr. Rainwater. Yes, Mr. Tadford. Yes, Mr. Pal. Yes.

Passes by majority.

Thank you. Uh I want to reiterate what Mr. Tom said earlier to thank there's been a lot of shaving and whittling and I don't have to name you, but I will you all did that. Everybody had took their budget back uh at at the council and Tom's request. everybody and did a tremendous job getting it to where it is. And I know it's been a struggle this year. It's always a struggle, but this year seems like it's just been a little bit harder for some reason, but we all came together at the end of the day or the end of the night and and got this thing passed. So, I wanted to say thank you to all the department heads. You guys worked hard and thanks Tom for for what you've done and thank the council for motion. So, I'm looking forward to sales tax revenue going up. Ron's opening up. Tim and I go going out there and getting a hamburger every day.

If they call you for like a first guy in line, you must call me. I will leave work. Okay. I want the dollar in the sign thing. Make a note. We got a trolley, don't we? We do. Come pick you up. We got a Bron getting ready to open up. While we're talking about That's true. While we're talking about cuts, I just want to compliment Tom on the new haircut. Oh, that's nice. Beautiful. Well done. You You recognize Tom? I already got chastis here.

Uh I do want to say too, I know we're trying to get out here and thank you guys for coming out. [clears throat] We had a great conference in Little Rock recently. Mr. Tedford, Mr. Pal was able to attend. I know not everybody can, but it was a great conference and and some good breakout sessions. So looking forward to another one in June. If anybody as many as you can go as you try to go because they're planning even a bigger bigger and better one too. So thank you all very much. Thank you for braving this night. I would entertain a motion to adjourn. Tell you one thing, mayor. Yes, sir. Just mayor did a really good job representing the city of Greenwood. He did. So Yep. [applause]

Right. better better I've seen. Thank you. Thank you very much. Yep. My last two. You'll be a has been I'll be I am I so I've been told by several past presidents that I am far enough into it that I might as well be a past president. That's just that's where you get real quick within with lame duck within your first year. But it's been a it's been a tremendous honor. Thank you, Mr. Pal, for that. I appreciate that. Make a motion with your motion. Second. Thank you all very much. City Council meeting Monday night. Yes. Weather permitting. Weather permitting. Yeah.