City - Regular Meeting

Call me stand for the pledge. It didn't get to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right, everyone is here tonight. Um, we don't any additions or subtractions from [clears throat] the agenda at this time? Don't we have to move the um savings transfer thing down to approve that? Yes. [clears throat]

Yep. That will be in 15B. Sure. So, you have the oversized meters. No, that's the transferring of the Yep. funds. I was just adding a couple things to your Yes. And then the oversized meters. Yep. And then if you guys want to charge a fee um approval of the 2026 legal service contract, schedule special meeting [laughter] and then if you guys choose to name the club is what I have for additions.

I'm sorry Jud meters. What was the third item? Yep. Over size meters. And then it's um charging a fee for the property owner that doesn't connect to our water meters. Oh, good. And then the approval of the 2026 legal service contract. I believe Bobby sent that to And then the Yep. what Brian said, the form or the doing the grand fake money market and and then a special meeting to interview um first assistant slash secretary and then name the plow and then name the plow if you guys want to do that one too.

So six new ones. One, two, three, four, five. Yep. Yep. Okay. I need a motion to accept the additions to the agenda. I'll make a motion to accept the additions to the agenda. Second. Have a motion to second. Any other discussion? Hearing none. All in favor indicate by saying I. I. I.

Any nays? None. Okay. So now we're going to open up for a public hearing for the tax 22026 tax lev budget. So open this up again for personal comment. Um three minutes. If you wish to address the council, please step to the podium. Give your name and address.

[clears throat] Public comment going once, public comment going twice, going three times. We'll close the public hearing on the 2026 tax levy and budget. Okay. Resolution 2025-35, acceptance of November 2025 donations. And we have a $500 [clears throat] donation from Paula and Mark Bomber. Warner. It should be right. Yeah. Can we have a um a motion to close the hearing? I'll make a motion to close the um public hearing for the truth and taxation.

I'll second it. A motion, a second. And all in favor indicate by saying I. I. I. Any nays? Thanks, Judy. Yep. And how do you pronounce that last name? It should be Warner, right? Yeah.

So, it's spelled wrong. I'll make a motion to accept the resolution 2025-35 accepting the donations the $500 from Paula and Mark Warner and an anonymous cash donation of 64.93 for the [clears throat] Rockville Veterans Monument. The 500 was to the Rockville Fire Department. I'll second that. Okay. A motion and a second. All in favor indicate by saying I. I. I. Any nays? Hearing none.

U approval of the November 2025 bills paid. Can I ask a question on that one? Yep. Um, last month we um, and I just want to make sure that I didn't misunderstand, but I thought I misunderstood this is I thought when we did the um, relief for the audit, I thought that I had the understanding that was coming out of the general fund and it looks like it came out of the relief fund. There was no motion to take it out of the general. There was motion to approve, but you guys did not make a motion to look at the minutes. What did the minutes say?

The minutes just say that there I read through the minutes cuz I wasn't here. Um the minutes say that it was it was approved to pay it, but it didn't specify what fund at all for it to come out of. Um when I was part of the last finance uh meeting that I was at back in October, their recommendation was to take it out of the general fund if I remember correctly. So I don't know if we can you guys have to make the motion motion to to um use the general plan. Okay. Otherwise it will be coded where we're supposed to code it

for the auditors require us to code it when it it if it's indicating as a certain fund we need to code it unless the council makes a motion to say hey we want to pull it from X Y and Z. You guys have to make that motion. Okay? Otherwise we have to pull it to where we're supposed to. Okay. So then can we make that motion tonight as we're approving this saying that we want to change that line item? I would do a separate one. I would just go and do your um bills [clears throat] approve that part of it and then just maybe add it to the agenda. Okay. So you have a separate line item and then it's more clear. Okay. I just want to make sure but that was my only because I didn't remember where saying that was coming out of the fire relief. That's why I was questioning it.

Yep. Do you want to add it to an action item then? Yeah, we can do Yeah, down on the bottom is fine. Okay. Do you want a motion to do that as well or just under other at the end? Yeah, whatever. However you guys want to do it. Or if you want to just do these bills and then just say, "Hey, I can we have a motion to approve the pull out of the general versus the fire department. We can just like do an 8A to add." That's fine. Okay. All right. Then in that case, I will um make a motion to approve the November 2025 bills paid. I'll second. Okay, we have a motion, a second to pay have the bills paid. Any other conversation? Hearing none. All in favor indicate by saying I. I.

Any nays? Let the record show that I abstain from check numbers 23915 and 23928. Thank you, Brian. Okay. You want to make that? Yep. I can make a motion then um to change that the audit the relief audit of 4,72528 be taken from the general fund then from the relief association from the fire department.

Yeah, from the fire department. Okay. No, wait a minute. Is it coming from the general fund of the fire department or the general fund of just the general fund of I guess I was understanding it was just coming from the city general fund. So you got fire department. You don't have a relief fund, right? The relief is the fire department. Okay. So it's coming we currently are pulled from the fire department. So now you want to make a motion to pull from your general fund and move it into the fire department. That is correct. Okay. So, we want to take it from the general fund and move it into the relief. We'll get it into the fire department. Fire department. Yes. Sorry. The fire department of the $4,72528.

Okay. I'll second. Have a motion, a second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor indicate by saying I. I. I. Any nays?

Hearing none, we'll move on to the consent agenda. So that's approval of the Rockville City K city council minutes from November 12th. Uh acknowledgement of the 2020 November building permits, the November sheriff's report. Uh resolution 2025-36 for the tobacco licenses for uh Stonies and Loves. uh the revol resolution 2025-37 for the refuge hauler license and the acknowledgement of the month end reconciliation. I'll make a motion to approve the consent agenda. Second.

We have a motion, a second. Any other discussion? Hearing none. All in favor indicate by saying I. I. I. Any nays? Seeing none. Okay, we're on to the department report. You're up, Mr. Cody. Good evening, mayor and councel. Uh our first item is the pay application, final pay application for the lift station rehab project. Uh the contractor for that project uh completed their final punch list um in the month of November and everything has been approved and ready for a final pay application for this project. So, if there's any questions from council, I'll answer them now. Otherwise, uh that is ready for council action.

Is this all the retainage, everything? This all the retainage. Correct. Yep. And we'll be ready to uh start the process of getting that final um draw from the um government appropriation grant. I'll make a motion to approve the final payout. include the amount. Yes. $91,187.

That looks right to me. Y I'll second that. We have a motion, a second for that final payment. Any other discussion? Hearing none. All in favor indicate by saying I. I. I. Any nays? Okay. And then the invoices for the design phase of the water treatment plant.

Yeah, that's the second item. It's in the packet. It's uh all of the invoices it looks like here that were combined from August, September, October, and November. On the very first page, uh at the very bottom, it shows the current outstanding amount. Um that is Rockville's 24.6% 6% portion of the design to this uh date here. So um if there are any questions I can answer otherwise uh that is uh what we need council action is that final dollar amount at the bottom the first page.

So if I'm not mistaken what this is is Rockville's responsible for 24.6% 6% of the 30% design fee. Correct. Correct. Okay. Does everybody get that? Yeah. And then this is And why is it so many? Why we consider this past deal? Did we not get the notice that we weren't getting? Yeah, we weren't getting them. Okay. I just want to make sure that that's clarified. Okay. So, what we owe right now is 52,779. Correct. 61. Correct. Correct. And that that initial design is not done as of yet either. Correct. Correct. [snorts] Okay. So, we need a motion.

I'll make a motion to pay the um [clears throat] outstand or the with all the charges for the design for responsible for Rockville 52,779.61 for the design of the new wastewater treatment plant. I'll second. Okay, we have a motion, a second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor indicate by saying I. I. I. Any nays? We'll get paid. All right. Thanks, Cody. Julie,

uh, fire department report. Um, I couldn't tell any calls. There was put, if anyone knows, Thanksgiving weekend, there was a two accidents over here on 47. um that they got called out in the middle of the night and then early morning just that you guys are aware of that. And then um there was a meeting on Monday, I shouldn't say a meeting, it was a training session on Monday for the fire department and it was talking about stroke and um heat exhaustion and cold weather um to help train on all that situations. Um they've had quite a few calls on strokes this last month. So, just that you're aware it must be because of all the weather that's going on. Um, there is a meeting next Monday that is our quarterly meeting and our relief meeting and I believe that was 6:30 but it is next Monday.

The 15th. The 15th. Okay. You have do you have a call report? How many calls last? No, he didn't give it to me this time. Okay. [clears throat] That is it. That's it. No action recorded there. Mr. Mayor. Yes, sir. If I may, Cody, were we on a update to on the FEMA stuff for Lake or Egg Beach?

Yeah, we finally got an email back from FEMA, I believe, two weeks ago, and it was our FEMA representative that's been kind of our contact. Um, and they told us specifically that they were not allowed to provide an an update on an ongoing review. Wonderful. So that means is they are still reviewing it. That's what we heard, you know, could tell, but that's they couldn't provide an update. I know it wasn't on the agenda, but I wanted to bring it up because there's a million people that are going to I should say a million, but there's going to be residents asking where things are at. So,

and obviously it got delayed with the federal government shutdown and [clears throat] that's latest we've heard. Okay. Yep. Thank you, Brian. Thanks, Cody. Okay. All right. Action items. A setting the 2026 full-time employee cola. Um, I did send Bobby some questions on this today and I didn't realize she was not here. So, uh, can we table this until next month or not? Or does this have to be done in your budget? What do you mean? It's in your what you're going to be passing.

No, I understand. I just had some questions on the step increases. Is there step increases in what employees are covered by the union? We don't have a don't have the union at all. No. Okay. So, the step increases are all full-time employees. Okay.

So, it all depends on where you're at on your step. There is some employees that are don't get any more steps. And then there's other employees that if they have a review that is a positive review performing, then they get a step. Okay, but this is talking the cost of living. What we're talking here, right?

The cola is a cost of living. So if you don't include the cola, there is people that will not get any rates because there's no cola. So if there's a person that's on or two people or four people that are at their max step, they don't get a raise because there's no pull out. Mhm. So, is it a step or a cola or or is it and it's you can't eliminate um you have if you're going to do a cola, you have to give it across the board. Um steps are

performance. So historically [clears throat] we've always passed the cola in December and a few it was what nine years ago when there was a big the council prior to that didn't do any cola stuff. They didn't do any what you know they just felt it wasn't necessary. Well, then in one year they did roughly it was about a 30% increase in all of this full-time staff to get caught up to everybody else around the area cuz people were leaving because the city wasn't keeping up. So my opinion is we can pay a little bit now or we can pay a lot later. That's basically what happened eight nine years ago and it was a big I mean it was a big impact.

Mhm. So there just being with HR in the past, we've [clears throat] we've sometimes taken into account of when we get employees that are at the top of the step that maybe it's time to relook at the steps and see what we need to do to adjust that to make room for because like Judy said, when you get someone that's meets the top, that's as far as they go and if you don't give them any cola, they don't get anything.

No. And I don't have any problem with it. I I'm just I'm questioning the and I realize the step process and the cola process, but I look at just from an industries, I'm seeing a lot of those colas at maybe one and a half to two and a half. So, I'm just I'm I'm just asking what do we need to go to 3%. I'm just asking the question. I think I just heard that the county is at five. So

yeah, they're at 5% and they get five wellness days. So it doesn't matter if I started today, I get five wellness days. We have a plan here that um we don't call it wellness, we call it personal day. And one to three years you get one. Four to 14 you get two. 15 plus you get three. And I mean you have to have that service. But in regards to the county you don't doesn't matter. One day you immediately get your five wellness days.

What's the council want to do? Well, I'm going to make a motion that we approve the 3% call. It's in the budget. It's already there. We've already collected for it. It's just sitting there. This way it keeps our employees happy and so we don't have to go through the hassle of trying to replace it. Can I ask where the 3% come from? It was just a number that the finance decided on or was that what we've always done in the past is the 3%

to um cost of living. Um at the time that we do the budget itself, we check the the state cost of living and at that time I believe they were like 3.2. Um so we kind of hover into that three. Now let's say the state dropped around that time when we do research it was let's say it was at 2.5. We would propose 2.5. It's it depends on the the actual market at the time that the state has it out there. And again, you guys can do whatever you want. This is what we threw in there. If you choose to go lower, you go lower. If you choose to remove it, you remove it. [clears throat]

I don't think personally I don't think it should be removed, but I don't know if I am on board with the 3%. I'm going to be honest with that. Um, it's currently at 2.6%. 6%. So, I'm I'm also fine at 3%, but Is that a second? Is that a second? I will second it. Yeah. What's it been the last couple of years? I mean, like, has this historically been 33 33 going backwards or

I think it's been three for the last two years. It's been around in between 2.5 and three I would say on average. Go ahead. Go ahead, Jim. Go ahead. Social Security just gave us 2.8 retirees. So that's very close. Yeah, it might have been three depending upon what month they figure it in, you know. Yeah. And I just got the formal notice. And I'm not arguing the three. I'm just question the question.

Yeah. I'm just questioning it, too. I mean, I'm just, you know, I mean, personally, on a personal level, I don't get a cost of living every year, you know. So, it's kind of one of those things. So, that's where I'm, so that's my issue. But, you know, if anyone else is fine with it, I will go the way everyone else likes it, you know. All right. So, we have a motion and a [clears throat] second for the to approve the 3% cola. Um, any other discussion? Hearing none. All in favor indicate by saying I. I. Any nays?

Hearing none, we'll move on to resolution 2025-38, adopting the 2026 tax levy and 2026 annual budget. Do you want to speak again, Jim, on the numbers again? If you want me to. Otherwise, sure. Okay, we'll go over that again.

All right. At the October um finance committee meeting, we reviewed the proposed budget which we had given you at $2,318,024 which was a 5.69% increase over 2025. um reviewed some of the line item budgets, had discussions with department heads and city staff and came up with a final recommendation of $2,268,024 which is a 3.41% increase over 2025. The reductions total $50,000 taken in two areas. The fire department truck and equipment fund was reduced from 180,000 to 155,000 and the streets and roads machinery and equipment savings fund was reduced from 125,000 to 100,000. Both of those were discussed with the department heads who agreed that they were fine with those numbers and that their goals of paying for their new equipment could be met easily at those rates. So, we are recommending that the 2026 budget be set at $2,268,024, which is a 3.41% increase over 2025. Any questions on that?

Thank you, Jim. Thank you. Okay, so again, we need a motion to approve the operating tax levy at 2,268,024. I'll make a motion for resolution 2025-38 to adopt the 26 2026 tax levy um at $2,268,024. I'll second and I just want to add um thank you to Jim and the finance committee and all of our city workers for having open dialogue around it. It's

good conversations. A motion, a second and any other discussion? Hearing none. All in favor indicate by saying I. I. I. Any naysay? Hearing none. Move on. And I will second that as well. Jim, thank you to you and your group for the everybody. It was very nice to have everybody as open dialogue in those meetings. So, thank you again for your time and thank you Mark and Ashley for being there and helping out sharing your thoughts. and Brian.

All right. Um, approval of and violation of the codification with civics plus. So, that is a n it's a $9,200 bill to finish up our reg ordinance book. Correct. Is that what that's for? Mhm.

So, previously we had the cotification um and we're they almost to the point of being done and then you guys decided that we're going to switch the ormend the comprehensive plan and the zoning book. Um, that being said, Bobby reached out to them and provided that information and um, they came back and said, "Well, we won't be able to give you a number until we actually codify it." And then Bobby said, "Well, just to let you know that there's potential that the council will move forward with it." And then that's when we got that information back saying that they're willing to wade and um, the fee would be at roughly 9,152. Um, and that would be codifying the current new ordinance with what we have with the basic code.

Okay. We're looking for what was the dollar amount again? 91. You said 9152. 9152. And we already paid 9,36, right? Mhm. Okay. So, we're looking for a motion to do that final payment of 9152. [clears throat] to make a motion to approve. I will second that motion. Uh motion a second. Any further discussion on that? It was my understanding when I read through that that that number might change though. Correct. Potentially. Um so does our motion need to be different if that changes or

um yeah my understanding too and I just quickly because I didn't know that it was coming to this meeting tonight. So, I was kind of trying to prepare myself. Um, is is that once they codify it, because I think she is saying that it's like $26 per page after the 352. So, once they actually gather all the information, it could be it could be less, it could be more. Yep. But I don't know because we won't know until they codified it all together. I just want to make sure we don't hold up the process for them. Right. We need to make an amendment then probably. Huh. On that motion.

Okay. So, what? Okay. But this email, but doesn't it say contract provided the finished coding of 420 pages contracts for? So is that 420 figuring that that's a 9,152?

Is it saying that it's it seems like um your code will exceed the number of by the 352 at $26 per page total excess page charge. I think we just go with this here and if there's an adjustment later, we can always adjust it. Reapprove it. Yeah. Okay. So, we have a motion and a second for now. Um, any other discussion? [clears throat] Hearing none. All in favor indicate by saying I. I. I. Any naysay?

Hearing none, we'll move on to so the the siren maintenance agreement. We talked about some other options with Sterns County of possibly having a repeat repeater so they know if it's working. So, Bill was going to get back to us. So, we're going to table this until January. I'll make a motion that we table it. I'll second it. Motion a second to table it. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor indicate by saying I. I.

I. Any nays? No. Okay. Uh, we need to schedule a public hearing for 2026 city fees and charges. Um, you have to go back to your other Yeah, your additional six items. I put it in the other. Sorry. That's what I did, too. Yeah. [clears throat] So, you want to go through the transfer of the funds first? Yeah. Okay.

All right. And you want to for the transfer the funds to the highinterest variable account. You want a dollar amount, Judy, or do you want just a motion to put the max amount that you can in there. Yeah. Um do you want me to um verify you can put some in the high variable and some in that lock it at that 2.65 or whatever versus leaving it at the 1.27

I think because it's do from dollar one we're we can't go backwards on it. We So the only thing that would happen is in 30 days if the interest rate went to 2.6, we could go go and move it to a locked account at that point, right? And I I think we'll see some delineation of of interest there over a 12-month period, but I don't think we'll see it go down to 2.6. So, we're not going to I say I guess this is my opinion is if it's free to move around between our accounts, then let's try to maximize and move it all whatever currently is in our money market, move it all to the variable.

Y okay. That to me makes the most sense. If if what you're saying is true that we can't go backwards, that we just lose the interest, why wouldn't we try to regain everything we can? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, even if the interest I mean, we got interest at four this month and interest went to one next month, we can make another adjustment at that point. Well, we can yeah, definitely look at what's going on. And right now, I mean, the interest of it, even if it dropped down to the 2.65, we're still more than at the 1.27. So, we're still I still ahead of it all. I mean, my only concern is, like I said, make sure that, you know, it's verified that we're not going to be charged for transfers,

you know. Okay, I know you're going from your check into your money market, you know, type thing. Just make sure of that. Okay. But I would say yeah, go with the variable at least at this time. We can always change it in six months if we find it's not the right way for us. Yeah, there was no other penalties correct with that account. They never said anything and I can, you know, I'll write a note too to verify any penalties. Um just and if for some reason they said yes, we'll we'll send you guys an email saying hey just pause it until next month if we have to or whatever. Yep. That's fine. I but I think we should do it. I think we should too. So do you you want an official motion then to put transfer everything to the variable account? Yep.

That that that's in our money market currently. Currently. Yep. That stay at the granite bank but go into a variable. Yeah. Okay. I'll I will make that motion to transfer our the funds we have sitting in a money market to a variable comp variable interest at current rate of 4% 4.03% 03% you said correct that's what they had given us on whatever email date that was 122 so now if it has changed I don't know okay but still I mean going to the variable it's going to be a minor adjustment so I'll second that motion okay a motion and a second any further discussion

hearing none all in favor indicate by saying I I any nays hearing none we'll move on to the water meter built. Um the additional Let's see. I got to get back to that. So, are you are we covering the oversized meters first? Is that the one we're doing? Yeah. Whatever you guys would discuss. Yeah. And what was that dollar amount, Judy? Just trying to

3,000 something, wasn't it? Yeah, I want to say 3276, but let me just verify, Brian. Uh, $3,276. Well, I [clears throat] make a motion that we move forward with that that dollar amount. We're so close to having this done, you know. Yeah. Get it done. I I'll second that motion. The motion is second to approve that additional oversized meter bill of 3276. Any further discussion? All in favor indicate by saying I. I. Any nays? Hearing none, we'll move on.

And then you were looking for what to do with the charges for the is it just the two? So the two I don't necessarily need a motion regards to what you know the that are we're unable to reach out to them. It's just basically are you guys okay with those two sitting out there until either somebody purchases the home and all that and we'll not take that on the actual utility billing end of it. Um I we would just need a motion in regards to let's say the 27 do not connect. Um are you guys wanting to charge a fee? I think we should because we're going to get charged over and above correct

what what I think we should just put it at cost plus whatever they bill us that's what they're going to have to pay. So what do you mean by whatever they bill? So whoever we have come in to change those meters. If they're not at $56 anymore and they're $156, the homeowner is going to pay that. Right. But this would be a this would be a fee that they would pay until they get that meter changed. That was more of a fine, wasn't it? That you were like a fine per month. Oh, I see. I see. If it hung out there and they said, "Nope, I'm I'm never switching." Then that's going to be a cumulative month after month. So, I see I see where you're going with. So, we need to set that amount. I mean, I kind of agree with the $100,

you know, because we're we're not billing every month. We're billing every other month. That gives them two months to get to us and say, "Okay, I'll have them come in now and do it." Yeah, I mean because this is a a large project that's been going on and yes, I understand mail gets, you know, put aside and whatnot, but if they've sent notices and tried knocking at the doors of these people and they still can't get anybody, this is now that they don't want to be notified. They just want us to leave them alone.

We currently charge um for shut off $100. If we do actually shut them off, we currently charge 100 But this wouldn't shut them off, right? It would just charge them $100 a month until they switch. So, can we can we set a a buy date? Like, I mean, I I don't know how many you for there's 27 left to hook up. Can we reasonably assume that they will all be hooked up by end of Februaryish? Could we start the $100 to be effective as of March or I mean those are example dates but

so our understanding or I should say my understanding from Barry is is that M&R RMR okay um they are giving us a twoe window and once that two weeks are up then it's on our Okay. Yeah. So good to know. Okay. Yep. So, we would be changing them out, not them. And these are people have just said no or just have stuff in the way because there's a couple instances where those people are working on having stuff moved for us, right?

Yep. There's a couple people that are working on getting access to it. Um, and um, of course, we've given them several times because of all the notices that you guys are we mailed out. So, they had several times of getting that done. Um, and then there is a few that have not there's no connection whatsoever with them.

Well, I would say the ones that we've been in contact with and they're going to move or whatever, I would say give them a deadline and at this point going forward, it will be $100 fee because I would say we have to be courteous and say, "Okay, that if it's not done by the first of the year, you are going to be charged going forward because I mean, we can't let this drag out for another 3 years." I mean, because it's not fair to our maintenance people and it's not fair, you know, because everyone switched. We made the decision to switch everyone. We didn't say, "Okay, we're only going to do six of you now, and two years from now, we're going to do another six." We said, "We're going to do everybody." The handheld um that we currently are using that expires as of February 1st. We don't have any um service whatsoever with them.

So, we Yeah. So, something goes wrong with that handheld and these people are still on the other meter, we won't we wouldn't be able to read them if something went wrong with the hand. So, I would say yeah, I think that we should by the first year contact those people that said, "Okay, we'll move it, move what'sever in the way. If they don't have it done by the first year, then we're going to start charging you till it does get done." And then the other ones I I mean, I don't know what else can we do to try to get a hold of them. Have you tried? You said we have RMR for two more weeks. Yeah. Well, or they have a twoe window. Yeah. We have not set a twoe window yet. So, I'm assuming because of the holiday coming, they might do it after, but I don't know for sure.

Um, but yes, they'll give us two weeks once you guys approve this. Um, and then I don't I believe they'll send out another notices or um I'm going to say these 18 that are the um the bigger meter, the oversized, I can't foresee them having issues getting those guys hooked up because they were they did call. We're because of being oversized. We didn't have it. So, I don't see an issue with that. I would It's the other 27. Those nine ones that are sitting up there because the two just went away because you guys were okay with getting them as it is. So, really, it's only nine

residents besides those oversized ones. Okay. So, it's nine residents. So, we're looking at nine residents. You can't tell us the names. I know that. But are they people that don't pay their bills or whatever? Um, I really didn't go in depth much of them. I'm going to say probably I'm going to say yes, they pay them. Okay. So, it's not like they're ones that are always behind on that type of thing because if they're that people, we know we're not going to get anything. It doesn't matter what we do, you know. So I guess if they're ones that you know pay their bills, is there a way we can reach out to those nine customers you know residents and just ask say this is our situation that you have till this date and if it doesn't get switched by this date you will be charged

I mean that's the court thing to do my but if this company's willing to do it after the first year for the two weeks and say okay we don't have to do it before the holidays we can do it but this is our only two weeks we can do it. So, um, you're saying basically is start charging them after the that two week period of the company that's coming in, then start charging them the fee of whatever you guys choose. Correct. Okay. Yeah. Does that sound Does everyone kind of agree with I agree. I mean, because it's only really eight because you, like you said, you've been in contact with the bigger ones already. So, we don't think that's going to be the issue. It's just these last eight people. And then, Julie, were you thinking $100 per billing cycle or $100 per month? I think per billing cycle. I mean, if you want to go 200, there would be per month.

And yeah, I I think the $100 that's enough to catch their attention. Yeah. And [clears throat] Yeah. And once if the wasn't enough the first time, the second time certainly will. Yeah. Because now it's going to land on if it goes into a second time, you know, it's going to now go back [clears throat] onto our staff to do it. All right. So, we need a motion to charge a penalty for anybody not hooking up. That is going to be $100. I'll make that motion. Cycle. Okay, we have a motion. I made that motion. I can second it. Motion to second. Any [cough]

So I just one quick question. Do we know what it like? Okay, so after the twoe window, what the cost is going to be to hook them up? I mean, if it's like a $300 cost or something like that, then we may we would be hooking them up. I think we'll be on the hook to do them ourselves. But then do we know what that cost is? However much time it takes them. Yeah. Yeah. But I mean it's not unreason like $100 a month will be covering that or $100 a building cycle would cover. That's what I'm asking. I mean I don't know. Have you had them out to your house? I mean they were in and out in less than 10 minutes. N that's you know. Yeah. Then I think the $100 per billing cycle is fair. No. And then being that we're on meters I um we should probably try to get people to connect to that app. Um it's

it alerts them if they have a leak. It's it's amazing. And you know, they can't call down here and say, "Well, wait a minute. You know, my bill is now this amount." We'll come back and say, "Did you download the app?" Because the app would have told you that you have Well, it doesn't tell you that you have your toilets running, but it tells you that you have if your water use is going up. Remember that the guy handed us? Is that information on our website? Yes. Yeah. Okay. That I just want to make sure. And can we put something on our billboard out here just to remind people? I believe it is. I will double check, but I believe it is. Um I will double check. And is there anything that we can do on our water bills except saying download?

Yep. On the water bill, you know, because I'm just saying I mean I know the guy handed me the papers when he walked out of the house, but I wasn't really thinking about it. I really haven't looked at it. It's laying there. Yeah. and then maybe at your guys's council meeting for the next couple of months that you guys just re announced that hey if you haven't download that app that's we need to do it. No, that's a really good idea. Thanks for bringing that up. You're bringing it up. Excellent. Thanks, Judy. Okay, so we have a motion and a second. Any other discussion? Hearing none. All in favor indicate by saying I. I. I. Any nays? Okay. Uh the next item is a legal fee contract. That was Bobby sent that today, wasn't it?

Yeah. Or legal services contract. This is through Quival and Hughes. It looks like they're raising the rate to a little bit to $295 an hour for next year. I'll make a motion to accept the 2026 legal service contract. I'll second it. Have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor indicate by saying I. I. I. Any nays? Hearing none. Okay. We need to set a date for the special meeting for interviews. Right. For the two

public hearing. Public hearing. The fees. Did we? I don't think we did that. We haven't done the fees. We haven't done the fees. But we have another fire department. We can set the we can set the public hearing for the city fees and charges and you want is set for 11416 26. Is that right? That's our next conference meeting I believe. Yeah. So I'll make a motion that we set that schedule that public hearing.

Second I'll second or JC you got a second. Okay. Any other discussion on that? A motion a second hearing. Uh all in favor indicate by saying I. I. Any nays? Hearing none. Now we need to set a special meeting for the applicants for first assistant chief and secretary. Secretary. Correct. For the fire department. Yes. We received two applications for first assistant. We did not receive any applications for the secretary. Okay. And we're setting this will be a closed meeting or is this just an HR meeting? Nope. It would be open to the

um so interviews are open to the public. So it's not a closed. So it can be done at next month's meeting. Correct. It could be done at next month's meeting or wait until after the holidays before you get there's no hurry on this. I would say

so if you guys want to do a separate meeting just to do the interviews and then bring it to council at your January 14th meeting for approval. Um you can do it that way or you guys can interview prior to the workshop uh in January. Being that there's holidays coming, I'm sure that people are going to be out of town. In the past, we've done it separate. Yes. And then brought and then had the interviews and then just took action at the council meeting. I think that'd be the best way for possible. [clears throat]

But being that it's not a scheduled council meeting, if you choose to do, you know, the interviews, then you would want to schedule it so that we can have it posted. Yeah. And then the one thing about doing one of a special council meeting like that, that's the only agenda items that are on it. You can't add to it, right? So, what are you thinking like for January 7th? That'd be the Wednesday before our council meeting. I am I will be out of town. I could do the 6th, but the 7th I am gone. I can do the sixth as well if everybody else can. You okay, Jason?

I'm okay with that. Yeah. Sure. Sorry to let's just do it for the sixth then. Sixth. Okay. So motion for January 6th for the interviews. We have finance. I was going to say potentially that day. I don't know if we're holding a meeting yet, but Okay. So, could we move it to the 13th? So, that' be the day before the meeting. The day before, the special meeting. Yep. Sure. Are you guys good with the 13th? Yeah, I can make the 13th work.

Okay. So, we need to make a motion to set the special meeting as well. Okay. I'll make a motion for a special meeting for the fire department interviews on January 13th at 6:30 p.m. Okay, I'll second that one. You want to do a time slot? Half hour 15 minutes. What have you done in the past, Brian? Y I think it's been like 15 20 I don't remember to be honest with you. Last time we did it was when it was the chief and that. Yeah.

Okay. We have a motion, a second. Uh [clears throat] any discussion? Any other discussion? Hearing none. All in all in favor indicate by saying I. I. I. Any nays. Okay. And then the last thing on my list is name the plow. Do we want to do that tonight or you want to push it off until January? Why don't we do it tonight? It's here. Sure. We got the names. Yep. Okay. What was the names one more time, please? [laughter] Um I think one was Orange Crush. The other one Catch My Drift. Catch My Drift.

Rock the Plow. Catch my Drift. Orange Crush and Warlock the Destroyer. Is there

We're going to put the name on. I think we should putting the name on. Put the name on the truck then, right? Yeah. It's not going to be like an expensive, right? What was the first one again? Orange. Catch my direct orange crush. Warlock the destroyer. You want Can we do like a Does anybody want to do a paper ballot or or just and then discuss it or how do you want to do this?

Sure. You want to do that? I don't know. Oh, I like two of them. Got paper. Well, there's one I definitely don't like. [laughter] Yeah. Pass full sheets down. She's got ballots. They're real official. Mhm. Cash. Pass it to Mark. He gets paid the big money.

Yep. [laughter] This is the most important vote we've had all day. It's like survivor. [cough] [clears throat] All right, we have uh we have three votes for Catch My Drift and one for Orange Crush and one for Rock the Plow. So, I think we have we just need to make a motion that Catch My Drift is the winner. I'll make that motion that the official name the plow is catch my drift by a three to three to three to one [laughter]

by a three vote. Yeah, by a three vote and I'll I'll second that motion. Uh any other discussion? Hearing none. All in favor indicate by saying I. I. I. Any nays? Hearing none. Do you want to like call the person that submitted? Do you want to take a picture with them once we get the thing? I think we should. That be cool. I think we should for the meeting if we if we can have it all ready to go. I think that'd be great. Okay. And just a special thank you to everybody that participated and took the time. I think that was kind of a cool little community project. So,

for sure. Is there anything else? Yeah, there's a schedule. No, I think that was it. Did we? Oh, yeah. We did do the schedule. Schedule. I think we're done. That's it. Okay. I make a motion to adjourn. I second it. [laughter] Hearing. No. And it's that discussion. No discussion. All All in favor [laughter] by saying I. I. Thank you all. Yeah. She and I were just like, "Get out of here." [laughter] I just wanted