Remarks by Doug Rempp
88 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 2 of 4
Currently, I see some of them are retired.
Couple follow-ups, if I could. When was lead piping outlawed?
And if I had a home built before 1950, how would I as a homeowner self-inspect that?
But they're... I don't know, lead is magnetic and- Yes.
I'm just trying to increase my knowledge, and thank you.
bringing in a professional engineering firm or consultant for that because none of us are water experts and- Yes. Above our pay level anyway, our pay grade.
We'd be on the verge of losing our payments on the $18 million of debt, the debt that expires in 31. But we'd be, as it stands right now, looking at adding approximately 58 million.
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
Just a follow up, Mayor, if I could, and it's probably more of a comment. But again, the commission back in 2014 talked about that eight miles per year. The need hasn't gone down, if anything, I'm not going to say dropping the ball. I'll say different priorities over the last five years. Our miles per year really has kind of fallen off the falling way off the pace of where we need to be.
One final point I want to make on behalf of the community. We have some real costs coming up. With the new water plant, I've heard fire station number five mentioned. I've heard in conversations gone by the possibility of a new police station. We're talking about the new maintenance facility. All projects that run extreme dollars. Now somewhere along the way, I think priorities have shifted a little bit. During that time period where we talk about the money not going as far, we did find $15 million, give or take, for the river renewal to go into that bucket. I believe about $9 million in…
That brings up one final thought, and maybe I said that a couple minutes ago as far as a final thought. But with the mayor's comment, I don't have any agenda against deal. But there's a rumor out there that they're subcontracting the water line work. And I know contractors use subcontractors all the time.
I know the people on Dover are eager to see it come to fruition, obviously.
Does that help bring out a more honest conversation? I'm kind of joking, having it in the church.
Backing up just a little bit. The .1 sales tax.
Does that mean if the rate right now hypothetically is we have a 9% sales tax, it would become 9.1? Yes. Okay.
Well just on that I guess I'd like it as an option. We have a high percentage of seniors in our community, and I think as a rule, they spend less money, because they have less money coming in, so it would impact them less, perhaps. Just throwing that out there.
Quick question before we wrap up. Plan C. Pros, design and manage in-house. Cons, requires two additional in-house staff. So you're saying you could manage it, but you'd have to hire additional personnel.
Start to my left or right? Sure. Doesn't matter. I have one or two. The 2027 budget, if the shelter were under the city control, and I'm glad we're here today to talk about approving this RFP, but the 2027 budget of $1,020,000 and less the fees, $858,000 and change Did that include anything for a vet? Because I know it had been talked about adding a vet to our...
Animal control, as it has been, seems to a lot of the community that has needed help has been less than responsive. And I'd like to think under the purview of the police department, available or responsive. I don't know what they might get wrapped up in in the shelter. I would think in the police department world that the chief will find something for them to do in their free time, but it seems like when a call came in they could be dispatched probably a lot quicker than what they are currently. And one One final comment before I'm done is, you know, it really is unfortunate with everything…
Mr. Mayor, before we go to the community, I see Brandon getting out here. Do we have any questions for Brandon, or does Brandon want an opportunity to speak for a couple minutes?
I'll move. that the City Commission accept the Prairie Paws proposal and direct staff to begin drafting a contract to be brought back to the City Commission for approval as soon as possible.
I have one. Natalie, the COLA, the 1.5%. Yes. If somebody's performance is not meeting the standard for unsatisfactory, do they still get a COLA adjustment?
All right, just my gut would be that anybody, if their performance is not satisfactory, I just, yeah, I don't think they should be getting any raise. And I know it's COLA, but anyway, just my thoughts.
Thank you. Well, on that same topic, I think if we were going to do that, that somebody should still be able to sign up on the day of the meeting, at the start of the meeting. I think we could ease into it by even just having a list on a clipboard where they would put their name, print out their name, perhaps phone number, and just a topic they want to talk about. But they could do that on the day of meeting. First one arrives at the meeting would be the first one at the podium, if they so choose. That form could state that we're only gonna have, or we're only gonna allow perhaps five…
Yeah, and I really don't have any problem with either way. I think the mayor has, I think the current policy already covers The way things should flow, he has the autonomy to take corrective action on the spot if it needs to happen. Again, I think we need to be more responsive and I would be fine. In fact, I would prefer no change at all, just everybody to be civil, which has already been mentioned at least once, perhaps twice by the other commissioners.