City Council - Special Meeting

Meeting to order September 8th, 2026 at 530 p.m. On the agenda for the special meetings is one matter. It's council order number 090800, public hearing potential action on order authorizing issuance of up to $3,860,443. the city's general obligation bonds to finance the acquisition of miscellaneous equipment and street, road, sidewalk and other municipal infrastructure improvements. We have a memo from our deputy city manager and our finance director, and we also have our city manager here. So, Charlie, I don't know how staff wants to kick it off.

Great. Question for you, Charlie. Just to confirm, the reason we needed to call this special meeting was in order to get the bond paperwork done by a specific deadline?

And when, so we approve this bond, it doesn't, we don't, but then we don't draw down on it until we vote to appropriate the funds. And at that time, it's, you know, looking at these projects, they each, they all have different scopes, right, in the length of time. And I know we talked about not wanting to bond projects longer than the life of the project. So for example, local roads, 10 years.

So it's not one bond. If we were to then draw down on it, we could then select the length of time.

Thank you. Any further questions from council for Charlie or, you know, we do have our finance director and our deputy city manager here as well if you have any questions that they might be able to answer. Councilor White.

Okay. Thank you. Good question. Any further questions from councillors? Councillor Halloran?

But we're also not taking out any debt right now. No. It's just to authorize us to be able to have the option to take down the debt.

Well, if I understand, it allows us to be part of this package of bonds that the bond bank is going to be putting out. Right? That's the purpose really, to be able to take advantage of their buying power, so to speak.

And on Councillor Halloran's question, so any municipality that is in this bond pool doesn't know the rate yet. And nothing obligates us from, if they came out with a rate that was something that we didn't believe to be, you know, it was too high, nothing would obligate us to use any of the bond, correct? That's correct. So we could say, no, thanks, we'll pass on it? Mm-hmm.

Is that total, Chris, so $250,000 savings?

Any further questions from council or any of city staff before we go to public hearings? Councilor howell.

Okay. Any further comments, questions from council? Seeing none, this matter notices a public hearing. If you'd like to provide any comments on this agenda item, please approach the DS, provide us your name and town of residence, and then we ask that you keep your comments to three minutes or less.

So Michael, we'll answer your questions at the end of public hearing. I mean, it's a simple question.

Further public comment? Seeing none, I'll close the public hearing. So we had some questions I think we can answer now. And I don't know, Charlie, if you want to take that.

Do you want to run through them just real quick again?

Just real quick, Charlie. For that one-year road plan, we have identified specific roads, correct? Correct. Maple Street, Gary Moore Road. Correct. McKenzie Avenue and Red Ridge Road.

Just on that, while I'm all for supporting local banks, we don't need to ban if we have a bond. And in doing so, our finance director is estimating savings of upwards of $250,000. Just to clarify, rather than paying that to local banks, we can bypass that process and go directly to bond. And then if we want to draw down, we don't have to.

Great. Okay, so... Do we have a question in the audience? The public hearing is closed, Steve. Sir, the public hearing is closed. We're not going to entertain any further questions. No, sir. Please respect our rules. I allowed you uninterrupted time to provide your questions and comments. Now is the time for the council to deliberate.

So... Sir, please stop disrespecting the council and our procedures, and we ask that you allow us to deliberate. Thank you. And the staff's happy to talk to you after the meeting. So, anyways, council, we have – I just want to note for the record, too, that while I know some people may not be happy with the Courthouse Road, I'm still very much in support of it, as, again, the council did vote 6-1 for it almost two years ago. I think it's a fantastic opportunity for the city to invest in our future both for the courthouse for 100 years to come and also opening up an area potentially to signific

I'll add a couple of comments having reviewed many versions of the capital investment plan and the bonds that we're looking at. Just three points again about the courthouse I I agree this came to light originally looking like a classic nimby issue of the neighbors not wanting the courthouse in their backyard and the more we listened the more there were really strong valid points as to why it shouldn't be in the Surrey road that there shouldn't be that kind of an investment in what is a rural neighborhood and it doesn't add to the core of the city at all and the process we took landed it right

Further councilor comment? Questions? Councilor Shea?

Okay. Further councilor comments or questions before we move for a vote? That would anyone entertain advancing a motion? We have a proposed motion on page seven of the materials provided by staff.

We have a motion and a second to table. There's no further discussion on a table. All those in favor? Opposed? Motion fails. I'd entertain a motion, someone to advance the motion as proposed by staff. Mr. Smith?

Sure. I beg your pardon. I thought I had it right up. Okay. I move to approve the order authorizing the issuance of up to $3,860,443 of the City of Ellsworth's general obligation bonds to finance the acquisition of of miscellaneous equipment in street, road, sidewalks, and other municipal infrastructure improvements as presented and as specifically listed on pages three and four of this document.

Motion and second. All those in favor? We're gonna voice vote, Carol. Excuse me. Can I just get a voice vote for you because you're on? Yes. Aye. Thank you. All those opposed? Motion carries 5-2. Last agenda item, adjournment. I have a motion to adjourn.