City Council - Regular Meeting

All right, at 602 and I'll call this meeting of the Mount Vernon City Council to order. We do have a quorum present. Dear Lord, we just want to first thank you for bringing us here safely together tonight. We ask that you guide us through our decisions and help us make decisions to help better our community. We thank you for all the blessings that you cast upon us each and every day. We also ask that you watch over our children, our family now that they're back to school. And finally, Lord, we just ask that you watch over us as we drive home safely tonight. Jesus name. Amen.

Amen. Please join for our pledge. All right. I know we have a on our revenue and expense report. We have a an error in that. So, we won't get that updated. So, I think the council's had an opportunity to review the regular session minutes and the special session minutes. Of course, that revenue expense report and check report. Mary, would you like to make a motion on

I'll make a motion to accept the minutes but not the revenue and expense report. Okay. Have a motion. Second. Second. All in favor? I.

All right. So, on items of community interest, does anybody have anything they'd like to share tonight? I don't. Anybody any visiting have anything like share this this month? All right. We don't have anybody here for citizen participation. So we will jump right into our items to be considered. Um consider an act upon approval of transferring certificates of deposits numbers 8811 8812813 to the textar logic account. These CDs we've talked about before several meetings yield essentially nothing. And that text account yields I think it's 4.25%. So and it also puts it somewhere we have some flexibility to use it if we need to at times. So,

I'll make a motion to move it, but with council approval to spend it. I'll second. Okay. So, we have a motion and a second. I think that's good. Add. All in favor? So, we can jump right into our discussion items.

Yes. tax rate. This is the voter approval rate. That's what we can go up to without peration. bring it to a total of 5871 or something like that. So recommendation we're not sure what that'll look like. We don't need to make a decision on this tonight as we have done historically approved or tax rate. What is that change in revenue if we stay at the no tax rate 1943 1943 and

did you ask That's the value.

I just calculated it on the on the voter approval. I didn't calculate it on the revenue. Um I calculated on yeah I got 1.168 and then 288,000 would be the portion and I think last year our voter approval almost

well That's what we have on the financials, but that it's it's 1.168 on the 198. And if you use even the total uh without taking out homestead exemptions, you're only at um a million 59 for the M portion. So, we're overstating our revenue on the budget. Yeah, but proposed is over again. I wouldn't go any higher than a million,

right? But I'm saying we take this worksheet and go up to even if you don't back out the um homestead exemptions. If you use the re the number on line 18e which would be total taxable values and multiply it at the voter approval rate of 44239 you're going to get a million59489. So to me you can't we don't want to put more in the budget

because that's money we're not going to have it. overstating our revenue. So I I calculate it somewhere between 880 and the million 59 which is what needs to be on the budget. When we expect to see the homestead that

I thought the homestead was just school district that the city has a $3,000 $3,000 is going to the homestead exemption only affects the school district. It goes up 40. It's going from 100 to 140 or 150. But that's only school district. City has an exemption of 3000. I got that city for over 65 and ours is 30,000. We will make sure that those numbers are

That's the high go that high. capital request as the first one I want to address that list called me and said just take that off next So there contractor. So you want to come up talk about the So mine I had asked for parttime county I dropped these rescue tools at 45,000 that is a necessity but think that station

would need some things What would you be giving up? What would you be giving up tools? Yeah,

we're giving up the rescue. We've got two sets of tools. maintain gas power We usually do house fires or we'll try the battery. They're not used of

these are just items that are older years old.

We need to have an eye on it, but as far as the first software, that's something we've been looking at for a couple years. We like to start inspection and the current software we have now if you go and do a survey somebody's business but station are to the station. So, we're doing today beds for each room. Drop that down. Bluetooth headsets. You'll see fires on a

dispatch. Right now it's kind of when you're sitting back and forth back and forth. That looks good.

Good work. On that software, what do you think? You said something about that's a collection software. What would you be able to recoup by being able to use that?

Well, it just helps us document right now. to go. So this allows us to each year it depends on how far the city would like to go with this inspection program starts off as a service each year that this at the same time it also allows for this this particular program also allows for station learning. So whenever we do or whatever right now we radiocow everything takes all the different programs that we have actually inters Usually the semi trucks that come through

the other one definitely did us a lot more options.

I like the idea of you guys having more of those electronic format for keeping up with you. I invite you guys in once a year to go through these old buildings we have. It just makes gives me peace of mind just look what we might need. Helps us prepare fire. We have two iPads in each program. So they'll be able to take these out. We can keep sending a great job. Appreciate you going through the list, too. Okay. Sheriff wants to go ahead and drop the drone. That will just keep the cameras for right now. We don't have any traffic stops

off the streets. That's all we're asking for. You don't have too that you have a drone for make sure you have what you need. Yeah, we got Yeah, you better come up there.

Yeah. Okay. They don't want anybody. Some of them say use it for five years. say anyway on that also couple American American And for that reason, I just It won't hurt. Thank you.

Thank you. last month. So, We are 300. What's it cost to calibrate them?

New one would have to be calibrated. heater. How much burn? analyzer. All right. What is that meter versus the one you just bought?

reason. Governor right now. do stir up the What happens?

So is it just not So it is notic. So, there's three chambers. I think there's It is. Would it help save time?

How much is he? Yes. One of the reasons why Is there an advantage to replacing them all at the same time? Maybe I think they've been down for years. They haven't been a water

kind of a fun murder. It's the new word of the month. But it does feel like we need to at least take a step forward if we can put in this year's budget to at least get one of these run next year. Well, they were using chemicals. It's not that the work wasn't being done. They were using chemicals to replace it. Yeah.

Right. Yes. What I feel is the same size. Let's explore a little bit. First time I've had it brought up in few years. I've never heard of

Don't be afraid to bring stuff up. Don't be afraid to bring stuff up for share like this. I mean that's we had no idea that there's four broken pieces of equipment that are important. Use less chemical in the process. I think everybody likes to see water clean chemistry going into it. I'm a chemical guy. It's just it's a bandaid that we're spending money on chemical instead of having the plant working efficiently.

And how much have we been spending on Double chemicals coming down. Anybody else? Thank you. Okay, you want to talk a little bit about the animal farming. I would put that as number building that would be my first escape. So those are the air ventilator system and

I'm not sure that we actually system I don't know we have got two need a generator. At least one generator service. Kelly Certified First thought was something.

that would be animal cats and dogs. We have 24 dogs and 16.

Thank you.

James, he's not here. Basically, he's asking for stations. questions. Hot We don't need to make a decision today. When do we have to have this final final decision? by the first meeting

by September in September. Oh, in September. So, we'll need to have what each requested from the county as well.

A lot of information that shows up in those our revenue on hot funds has gone way down. So, can we base it on last year's revenue? That's what I would I mean, I know there's some more in the fund, but I mean, if if we're going to keep losing revenue and going up twice as much or the requests are twice as much, we're not going to be

there's a couple of them that have gone up substantially. Not that they're not valid, but there's no money there. Well, I thought that youth baseball I thought they were asking for funds to redo the fields. Oh, they are. Well, that says sporting events. That was last year, I think. Oh, okay. But I thought in the hot funds, we don't I mean, we don't own the field, so we can't give money for redoing.

But I thought they requested the money to redo the fields. Is that Well, they have. I mean, that thing's been neglected for 10 years. It needs new, you know, Lowe's is the one that sponsored it last time, but it's billboards.

Okay. But in the hot it says that you can't use it to improve fields if you don't if the municipality doesn't own might follow up on what she said.

Make part of our decision easier. I just want to walk us through walk through a couple things. that comb. I want to kind of give you an update on where we are that the county uh has my understanding county judge that they have put $450,000 in their budget for department and it looks pretty solid so far and I think that they're going I think they've had their public hearings and everything else on it looks like they're moving forward with that. So our fire department budget they will will about 45% the city would fund about 45% and then Blake and I are meeting with the board of Franklin County Water District on 26 and they come on board they're coming in at 10% and that's about 9612.

So we have more revenues that are coming in there that aren't shown on this yet. So you have another 550,000 coming in on that. The next thing that I wanted to point out had to do with on administration increases special projects. The first one is 5100 special projects permanent notes. We were increase the special projects up to $45,000,000. We added another 25 and that was consulting expense for the creation of public districts consulting expense financial management evaluation recommendations for improvement. We plan to share that cost um and So we put that in there. Um the city attorneys which is 5100.0 has also been increased from 30 to 40 and that is to cover any legal fees associated drafting of economic development agreements for geo frame which we will be doing looks like early next year and any additional legal work on the public improvement districts. Um, the next one is I put the wrong number on there. It uh

it's it's not library services. It is inspection services and we increase that and these are flow through these we get revenue back for these costs. This is for inspection services increase from 70,000 to 100,000 and that was to offset inspections that will be coming this year. We wanted those budget um the next big change and these are the ones that I put in school training and travel. Uh we wanted increased from I think seven to 15,000 uh increased training load for administrative staff municipal finance training municipal law leadership management practices bump that up and then the final one was the tax attorney that I think it was 800 to 13,000 and this is for costs that are associated with properties. So those were the main ones on administrative council and obviously we talked about some capital expenses. A lot of those going to be changed that are currently in this proposed budget because there was some cuts made by staff on that. Next thing I wanted to talk about is police vehicles. We cut vehicles by four or five already. We're looking at more probably at least two more

there costing that. Next thing I wanted to mention has to do with our sanitation. I want to mention I want to put a bug in your ear. I want to put a bug in your ear about services. We're getting ready to see construction. We're getting this possibility that we might see a start on a a large project at at the spur 30 this next year and there be some need for some dumpsters out there and we're losing a lot of franchise revenue right now by letting you knowbody service lose potential revenue through sanitation solutions. When did that change? solutions. Sanitation. So, some of these projects are going to be level project. So, just put a bug in your ear thinking about that. Uh I understand you know about the control cost.

But I just hate to see us lose money. We don't need to see that. Oh, a reminder on the animal shelter county. They pay a third of the operating cost a third of the operating cost but they also% that we just got budget number request third and they have been about making sure they're famous. I mean they've been great partners and hopefully the county be a great partner with us on fire departments and recend $125,000 $100,000 match if we should start on the first phase next year. We're not sure on that. $25,000 is an estimate at city. Those are the big capital requests there. Oh, and on the utility revenues and water and sewer revenues, um we we're holding off on projections

on what those rates might look like and what our total revenues might be an analysis from new strategies and we've have that promise to have it back within two weeks. We should have that those numbers by the workshop and that'll be good. Also by the workshop we'll go through this budget proposed budget again and kind of trim and recalibrate everything so that we'll have a little bit more companies coming in. I know one time we talked about impact but that Didn't they do we can't do that anymore?

Well, they put on I don't I don't understand that because it's going to cost us more to have them here. Somebody's going to pay for anyway. Anybody have any questions? Can we can we comment on the proposed budget? Yes, absolutely.

I I've just been looking at the numbers and I I think our revenue numbers be need to be a little more conservative because I think they're too high on a lot of them. Like um sales tax collections, we've got it in at 1.1 million. We we've never collected even when Lo's was still in business for a full year. It was our highest was 796,000. So I don't see how we're going to go from that to 1.1. I think we need I mean we can't we can't base our budget expenses on revenue that we're not going to get.

Absolutely. So, I think first of all, we need to trim down these revenue numbers. Well, I I put I put 900, but I I think that's still even a little high because we haven't even hit 800. So, I mean, I'd rather be I'd rather have it lower and collect more than not hit it. And then we based our expenses on revenue we're not going to get. Yeah. 4001

uh 4,0 1.1 million and we we've never we haven't we haven't ever hit 900. The highest was 813, I'm sorry, not not 795. Then building permits, uh we've got that at 200, but This year is 150. I don't But he was mentioning that permits the companies coming in that you had that on that. That was inspection fees, wasn't it? 100,000.

Well, permits permits will go with Okay. I don't know if I'm

the franchise taxes. Is that not the franchise fees?

Those are franchise taxes. Okay. And we've got that So that's at 165. We never hit that. That ought to come down. And then there's just a lot of little ones like our thousand or 500, but we don't collect them, we might as well get them out. line.

Oh, the franchise taxes it's 49. We've got it at 165 and most we've ever collected was 152 back in 2021. Curious. I think that's where we have to start. We have to start with the revenue. Get good revenue numbers and then you can decide what you how much you have to. It ought to be pretty much a zerobased budget this year. slowly tell you something for these inspection services. That sounds like another tax.

I'm just I'm just asking. There's a line item on here at zero.

Okay. Credit card processing in there at 5,000 and we collected $4 this year. So take that one out. Credit card processing 44. I mean, just just from what I put in, I came up that lowers revenue by 5.56, but that um I took out the 100 for the for those zoning fees, but you explained what that was. So, if I leave that, our revenue is going down about $456,000. It would be good to see real numbers from our water first days of implementation. So sorted out

that 456 is just in the general It sounds like I'm picking on the fire department. I'm not. I'm trying to think about this software and what it might help move here. So 4031 is fire and you know last year was right 14,000. This year we had for 15,000. So that is that soft help that revenue stream increase.

4031 is that insurance.

Do you see that? You I can show it to you here. It's a little bitty, but I can show it to you. Oh, he can look at it right here. Okay. Okay. It's on the revenue. I If you have that sheet down here, fire calls. Fire call fees. Yeah, we collected 139 this year. We're budgeting 15. Because if that software helps, it might generate a little more revenue. So that's all I'm

So it doesn't do anything for that. Okay. So if the county is more than the outside.

So if the county is going to be paying $450,000, is this line still going to be here? Does it go away?

We will We will continue to do that. So we will still generate a little No, I'm just trying I'm just reading on starting with the right revenue so that we know what we got to spend and I'm just trying to see okay there's places we can have to reduce or places we can add to it.

So like I said I would not try to keep it coming back up here. I'm just curious. I think that I would think 4026 as a revenue. I'm not sure why that's there.

So that would make up what you said. I'm trying to look at my phone because that's not proposed. The revenue we get from the county.

So that's going to be about right at We created line items for I mean you could create an account from for each one which like we did for Paul's in Franklin County for the animal shelter where you could see exactly how much each one of them contributing. I think I'm not sure why zero doesn't need to Like you said,

I chose

because they're going to get taken out of that pages. So that way you keep balances. I wouldn't put them together. I figured you'd come with an accent. Glad you in your water. Pour out in your water again. We'll have a good worksheet. 26 25th workshop. So, we kind of sit down and go line by line

because like I mean I just saw some things like in expenses like um I think in court there was like 8,500 for special projects. We could take that out. There was like 8,500 in special projects for Start adding all that up.

Yeah, it's under core Kathy. Um, special projects 8500 because it has to 26 next week. All right. You ready to

make a motion? [Laughter] Motion from Mark and a second.

25th.