County Council - Regular Meeting

Hey, Clay. Have you heard from Joe? He's on his way. Okay. Hi. Hi. I have a couple of things for you up here. Christmas. We'll see. Let's see what that is. All right, everybody. It is 6 o'clock. So let's get started on the uh work session and um get through that part and then we'll if we have any time left um we'll take a break in between now and uh the meeting um say that for the record.

So first item on the work session any Mr. breaker. Is there for me? I guess. Well, wait. Mr. Swanson, do you have anything? No, sir. Mr. Hammond. Yeah. Okay, hold sight then. Uh, regarding the tip, the tip. Yeah. Uh, I'd like to uh know what's going on with the

just Joseph Road. Joseph Road. Yeah. John, he will be dropping his kids off.

Oh, okay. you and he might be better to answer, but I'll go ahead and give my answer. So, it that project is on the tip. Um I know it has federal funds, so it's a safety project that got East West Gateway federal funding a few years ago. Um those funds are need to be spent this year. Uh they I think they had to get an extension for that. Again, John would know more. Um so that is that is part of the tip, I guess. What other I don't know if there's other questions for me. I can try to answer those. Otherwise, it's probably John Lions with direct project specific things.

Well, my question is what are the what are you all going to do with those two businesses there that you're cutting off the road to and I I don't know the answer to that. John would be John or Rob would be the better people to ask about that. What was what was the question, Councilman? the two businesses on the corner where they're straightening the road. I want to Wartman and Josephville. Yeah. Josephville Road.

We we did not uh the project was engineered so that we did not need anything from the businesses in terms of a right ofway or a construction easement. So it was uh we're not doing anything. I can, but if I can step in, the the business owner that you're referring to, um, Council Member Hammond, has retained counsel and that attorney is in talks with an attorney from my office. So, as of right now, there isn't anything to report to the council, but except that a proposal has been received and it's being reviewed.

Well, that's been going on for a while. I I sure would have liked to known what's what the plan is there. But I guess nobody's got answers. I I would just refer to my previous remarks. We've received a proposal very recently from the the business owner and it's under review right now. So it there is no update to provide to the council as I sit here today. So, would you say we're in negotiations? I would say that that is a reasonable way to describe it. Yes. Okay. Anything further?

No. Okay. Mr. Brazzle, um, we skipped you on the way. Any any items for the work session that you want to bring up? Well, I had a list of them. Um, okay. Did you provide that u the topics I want to talk about? Mhm. Do everyone not? No. Okay. Okay. Um, so did you share with administration everything or Yes. Okay. So, want to talk about corrections. Um, wanted to talk about some issues with the parks. Um, wanted I have a list and I I thought we'd have it out, but I guess I didn't ask you to do that. Um,

I don't the one that I asked you to the one I asked you to print out for me. I was specific on and I want to talk about the lobbyist in the in the budget. Is that in there? Yeah. Right. Um you saw we sent you answers to all those last week and I was asking Yeah. Claire for the for the copy of my I I retired so all my stuff's changed, my computer, everything. I got to find new emails. It's been a big pain in the butt. So, um, you know, um, so I don't have my nothing's been the same. So, it's been challenging. But anyway, um, do you have a a first one?

Well, we can talk about we can talk about correction. If you want to talk about corrections, this is is this what you're talking about? But on some of the things on corrections, um, here's Lori. That's Lori. Um, she can give you the list and we can just start and work our way down. Okay. Um, is this the list we're supposed to have, too? I'm sorry. Is this the list you said you sent to us? I Yeah, didn't we send it to administration? I not exactly sure what you're referencing. Well, you have it right here. There's some answers and stuff, but I want to go over some of the stuff. Is that the list that got sent to administration?

Yeah, I suppose so because they answered some of the questions. But um and we got all the questions. I copy it. If you guys want to start with this, we can talk talk about the lobbyist. Okay. You guys go down from there. Yeah, you got a copy of these. I don't but uh I know it was on the email before.

Okay. So, um on the lobbyist, what I want to talk about a couple things. Um I asked who uh and you answered all these but it's still worth it's still worth a um conversation. When we hire lobbyists who is it the executive who makes the um what their scope of work is or is it is it the executive with the council? Well, Councilman, the the ordinance that authorizes their contract specifically said Oh, thank sorry. The ordinance specifically says that you're authorizing the county executive to execute contracts with lobbyists, but that I know of anytime the council's had something that they wanted uh followed or um pushed through, uh our lobbyists have had that main node to them. Last year, Mr. Baker came to our meeting with the uh the lobbyist and the members of the legislative delegation that showed up and he had he had three different things he wanted to uh make sure they were aware of. So, if anybody else wants to do that, we're have a meeting next week, don't we?

Yeah. Or no, this week. So, you got a bill you want uh you want our lobbyists to be aware of this? Well, we've been working on this annexation laws in in the state of Missouri and and the charter counties are the annexation annexation law. Yeah. Is that the one that you had me draft the Richard West has talked to us about that. So has Wendy Houseman.

Exactly. And and it's been working on for like three years and I don't believe our lobbyists have done anything about it. And I was told that Gibbons is working against it um against and I don't know if that's true but that's what I was told by by Tilly. And so what I need to know is if we're trying to have s super goals and Gibbons is working against us on stuff that we're trying to accomplish by on these annexation laws that are disadvantage to St. Charles County. I you guys know that but there's several counties where they made them lax for other counties and we're one of them which at the time they did it it might have been necessary. I don't know but it's not he's talking about he's he's representing another client against it. I don't know if he's doing as representing us, but if that that if that's not true, I apologize, but

he needs to he needs to be if he's representing the m the municipal league or something and representing us and that's going to be a conflict of interest, but I have no idea. I'm just I'm just asking these questions. So, the other question is why do we have lobbyists when we have three county administrators? That's another question because it seems to me that they'd be more effective if the county staff was going down there and lobbying stuff because it I don't even know. Did you do a list Joan of what their accomplishments were? Do you got that in here?

Yeah. I mean, the biggest thing you have to realize that the lobbyists do is represent us four days a week in Jeff City from January through the middle of May on stuff that's being proposed on a daily basis and that comes up and is either passed or defeated fairly rapidly. There's no possible way that we could run what we run and go be in Jeff City 4 days a week. They're on the phone to us about these things. But last year there were 2620 bills and 97 of those started in the Senate. Just probably 150 to 200 were bills that we had on some level of follow and were trying to deal with people either messing with our charter, messing with county ordinances, you know, those types of things. So they were not things that this council had ever expressed an interest in changing. They were just we were kind of fallout from other jurisdictions where they wanted to change something.

But do you have an do you have a specific accomplishments that they I mean is there stuff that they actually can cl claim victory to or is it just they're just there and have a presence?

They're they're playing defense. So, yeah, we can find bills that uh that we were concerned about that they uh got involved in that didn't end up passing. Um, you know, I was I went up last year and testified for Senator Snelling's bathroom bill, okay? Because I I thought that was an important bill. I went up and testified the year before. I was up there probably three or four times uh on the uh training center trying to get the get that lined up. So, uh, yeah, I mean, you can go up and make an ask, but somebody needs to be there on a dayto-day basis to follow up. And when somebody offers an amendment, do you want to, you know, to what you want to do, let us know. And then if we have to, we can go back up.

When is the meeting? Wednesday. Okay. I didn't get What? You guys are having a meeting? What? What? What meeting? Wednesday with the lobbyist. Is that what you said? This Wednesday. Well, with the delegation and the lobbyists will be there this Wednesday. Mhm. What where is it going to be? It's in your office. In my office. Have the council members been invited to it? I mean, because I mean, we may just I'm just It would be nice to know got Mr. Baker's stuff from last year. I mean, if we're voting to pass this stuff to spend a couple hundred whatever it is on these lobbyists, we need to kind of I think that it has to be a collective uh that we what what bills would you like to Well, the annexation one is one of the is very

Well, that's going to be on the discussion. In fact, it's I can show you the thing we've got u put together today. Annexation is one of the uh is one of the bills and and we talk about it. We got a thumbs up, I think. Is Kevin here? No. Does anybody got any Mike? Did you guys get any questions about the lobby stuff? No. Okay. Then the next one was um I'll send you I'll send you what we're going to show them. Okay. Still want to be there? That's fine. Yeah, that'd be fine. Can you let us know what maybe let Can you let us all know what time?

What's next? How about How about if we send you a text message? Yeah. o'clock on Wednesday 10:00.

The um next issue I was asking about is corrections uh on bud on the budget purpose. Um the 14 the 28 day cycle versus a 14-day cycle. And when you told us that the other when we were having this conversation several months ago, um I think it's completely unfair to get have a guy have a 28 day cycle. And what that means is if if you guys know if you work 40 hours and you put 50 hours in a week um for the four weeks and if your kid breaks his arm and tell me if I'm wrong or your wife gets sick and you guys are in the fourth week and you're on day 27, your your one week of your one day of overtime every month gets re they don't get their overtime. that goes to straight pay, which I think has nothing to do with having a per taking a personal day if you have to have a personal day. From what I understand, the police and the correct and the sheriff's department do not have a 28 day cycle. It's a 14-day cycle.

No, that's not true. The police are on a 28 day cycle. Well, no, they got a policy that they write that they write in there to change it where it's a 14-day cycle. The way they write it up, it is not a 14-day cycle for patrol. They are on a 28 day cycle. Well, if it is, then it should be changed because it's not right. And and that that law is is not required to be followed that you're talking about in it's a Fair Labor Standard Act. It's not required to be followed.

It it is a Fair Labor Standard Act allowance for law enforcement and for others in public safety. And uh the county has had it in its ordinances since at least as long as I've been here, which is a little over 30 years.

Well, what you said to me at the last meeting is I said that I think that's completely unfair. I think it's a very bad rule and that's why we can't keep correction officers. One of the reasons there's just bad policies in place. And you said, "Well, Councilman, you voted for it." And I said, "Well, if I did, it was a terrible vote." So, what I need to do if if you're saying that the council made an ordinance that requires these guys that they lose their overtime if they if they have a personal day within that 28 day cycle, then I would like to change it to a 14-day cycle. I know the sheriff's department has a 14-day cycle. So, it should be fair across the board for everybody. And um I just don't think that's fair. I don't think it's fair at all. And these guys said, "If you're doing mandatory aids, we're doing mandatory aids, right?" So these guys are working eight hours and then they say by the way Tom Smith didn't come in today you got to put in the next shift that day and they you know they have to do it and so you're mandating overtime and you're taking it away from them if they take a personal day and that 28 day cycle that's just not right.

So most of corrections just so that we're on the same page is not on eights. There are some officers on eights but most the correctional officers are on twelves. That's what they complaining about when we were here. They wanted eights, but they didn't like that they were on twelves. When everybody showed up that night from corrections, that's one of the things they complained about. They wanted eights. They didn't want twelves, right? Whatever it is, Mike, if it's 12 or eights, they still lose their overtime. Okay. So, and that's the that's the point that I think is wrong. So, if you're saying, Joanne, that the county council made that ordinance, then that I suppose we can change that ordinance. Is that what you're saying?

You can do that. I would suggest you ask the departments for an evaluation of what it's going to mean both. How would it cost anymore though? Because if it's we're talking about budget, it's they're planning on getting their time and a half anyway because you made them work. And so at the end of that 28 day cycle, it's not a budgetary item. It can't cost us any more money. They work 168 hours before they accumulate to time and a half. They work 168 hours at straight time.

Okay, I I know that's 42. What is that? 42 hours a week, right? So, that's the same thing. What I'm saying is is you cannot take someone's overtime away from them if they take a personal day. It's just not right. It's wrong. Cuz one doesn't have to do with the other. They did their time. They take they they they paid their they got their time and a half for working more hours than they planned on. and they should get their time and a half period. And so if you're saying I mean I'll whatever the council decides is what's going to happen but I'd like to change that ordinance

there. It is a policy decision has to be changed in ordinance. It is a policy decision that goes back many many years to when I was county counselor. You all don't allow certain hours to be claimed. So you don't allow if people have taken leave during that week, but they come back in and work, they don't get time and a half. So you know, there's you just need a layout of the whole thing before you decide what direction you want to take. Well, that's fine. We But but you did say at the last meeting, well, I was the one that voted for it. That's why it's that way.

You you've been here almost as long as I have, sir. So virtually everything that's been voted, in fact, unless you were missing that night, everything that's happened during the last 30 28 years has been something you've had to vote on, right? Okay. Joan, is have you guys met with the uh the union recently? Does it mean did this come up in discussion? Can you talk? Yeah. Microphone. It wasn't. When you talk, can you lean in? Oh, I'm sorry. Okay, I got my answer. you something to add?

No, I was just going to say that we did miss I I see Mr. Reagan in the background here. We've met with the union on a number of occasions and I know Dan Keen, Director Keen and his staff have met with the union since they came up here to discuss what were nearly four Dave chime in here five six pages worth of concerns that they raised and we track those as we move forward. And so we've been working on a lot of different initiatives. That's part of what you see as the package in front of you. Part of the push from the corrections staff is to be considered public safety employees. And that's why you see some of the benefits that public safety gets as part of this budget proposal. Part of that is also this this schedule. So, you know, there's there there's a little bit of weight given to all the different things that we look at budget-wise and kind of the way that we do what we do. So, nothing is in a vacuum, I guess, is what I'm trying to say. This isn't as simple as just one oneoff conversation.

And if I could just mention when we had that meeting that Dave's representatives that he brought in from the correctional officers were very articulate. And one of the things we asked him to do is to kind of prioritize what were the top things that they were interested in. And I think we hit the top three that they asked for, which is the correctional officers are being reclassed. It's about 331,000 uh to to do that. And then they really wanted um and this will be retroactive for them. They wanted lateral entry because if they had experience as a correctional officer someplace else and they got here, they didn't necessarily get any credit for that. A few of them had gotten an advanced starting salary because we were at a time when they could negotiate that. But so they we've got that in and then they wanted their degrees to be uh given the educational attainment and we did include that as well.

So that is in the budget and I do appreciate all three of those. I do know that and I and I appreciate that you guys did do that and I appreciate that. That's a good move. I'm just trying to re keep these employees retained when we don't want to be a training field and then leave. And so I believe that this 14-day cycle is one of the things that should be changed because we're so understaffed in corrections. And so those are some of the things we can do to build boost morale and and uh have more interest in applicants. And so I would like that the council we we so if you want to if we have a work session on it, if there's two other people who are interested, I don't know who's all interested in this, but we'll I would love to come in and you lay out the groundwork and tell us what the options are.

Absolutely. And there are some options. I mean, there's other ways too than getting rid of the 28 day cycle to recognize uh that overtime that's done because what's not counted towards the base that then boosts somebody to overtime is separate issue than the 28 day cycle. Well, we'll go over all that, but the same thing if the police department's having the same issue. I didn't think they were because they got some other way to getting around it. But if that's if that's the truth, then we got to work on it with with them, too, because it's just not right. Mr. Do you have something? I was just going to say, could we just uh have it the executive team get back to us on on the impact and then have a work session on this so we have more detail?

Well, she didn't say there's an impact. She said there's not a financial burden. It's a financial impact. You owe the money anyway. I mean, when if they time and you don't it would increase the overtime over time, there would be. No, no. If they if they didn't take a personal day, what the the intent is they worked their time and they're getting their time and a half. And if they didn't take a personal day, you're going to own that money anyway. I mean, you own time and a half, but but what you're complaining about is that they have taken time off, so they're not getting time and a half, right?

No. If they take if they take a personal day for something, their kid breaks their arm, their wife gets sick, and they miss a day in that cycle, they lose all their overtime. Not well not all of it just up to the 168 hours. Well, yeah, but I mean they still lose it and and so it's just in my view that's just one be an eight hour difference per week though potentially. Is it is it per week or is it still too much? What she's saying is you have a 168 hours that you work. Anything over the 168 hours is what you get over time. What you're saying is if somebody misses a day, they're going to lose that. Well, they'd lose eight hours of that 168

they'd have to, I guess, redo before they would get to overtime. So, that's what you're both saying the same thing, but you're saying it wouldn't be a financial impact. They're saying if we if we ignored the one day that you're talking about, it would still be a financial impact because you're paying time and a half for those eight hours either way that right now they wouldn't be. Is it the one day Mike or is it the if they had three days so they lose all three or is just the one day? It's hours worked. So if you take time off it's not counted as hours worked and your overtime kicks in after a certain number of hours worked. Correct. But but those over time is mandatory. Right. In most cases

no it's if Dan was here he could explain it and Dave could explain it too. They have a system where you can volunteer and if you volunteer, you go to the bottom of the pecking order for mandated overtime. So, I'm sure if Dave came up and made the argument, he'd say it's it's not really mandated, but it kind of is because people are taking volunteer time and substituting it for mandated time. But really, the amount of man truly mandated overtime compared to all the overtime is very low if you look at it. Can I can I question?

Mr. Mr. Baker brought up if they get all the stuff together, we can do a work session and go longer in this. Are you going to make an motion during the meeting to amend the budget with this information or is this just information that you want to have? I was wanting to see if it impacted the budget, but we don't know. So, there's nothing I can do about it right now. So, okay. Yeah. So, can can we move to the next? I don't want to run out of Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Next. Yeah. Does anybody else have any questions? Well, we're going in order. You were number two and you the longest list. Well, no. Okay. Window replacement, I think, would be next. The Yeah, the window replacement, you guys, if I recall, you have $1.8 million in there for in the budget.

It's 1.3. Is it 1.3? And And the budget, if if these are your or did you have true these are true bids is what you're what you're saying or what are these? So this year when the HVAC system took away that old cooling tower outside, uh, we put the windows that had been removed from the building back in. So the estimate was done based on that bid. Obviously, it'll go back out to bid because there's a lot more windows in But these are budgets. These are not real bids. Correct.

That there's no bid yet. Yeah, because I did a I did make in high school and it was three stories and it was 1.2 million and this is near not nearly the size and these this number just looks really really big and so I just was wondering when we budget those big numbers what happens what happens to the money that's not spent let's say it's 98 let's say it's 600,000 we 1.2 two or 700,000, whatever. What happens to that extra three or 4 hundred,000, it it would simply lapse, just go into the general fund. Where would it go into the capital improvements fund? Well, actually, in this case, it'll go into the parks and recreation fund. Yeah. Okay,

Joe, I I just wanted to elaborate just a little bit more on the the cost of it. So, we actually did talk to two different contractors to obtain pricing. One was a lesser cost to it. One was a higher cost, more of a union base, but these are custom windows. These are not a standardized size. We've got the the arched windows and in several arched windows and in all of the um historic stuff. Are you doing historic stuff? Yes, they're all wood

on the interior with cloud on the exterior. So, these are not a typical window that, you know, we would put an admin or somewhere else. This is something very specific for this building. So, it is a higher cost than what I would see somewhere else, but there's there's reason for it. And yes, when we bid it, it is what the bid will come in and then we'll we'll move forward from there. Okay, that makes sense. I was just curious. It just seemed high, but I do know historic windows are a lot more. And then on the NEC, is Ryan here? He is.

Ryan, what's the overall plan? I asked this at when we were talking about this um for the NEC when you you the actual 5-year plan had like $30 million being spent on it. So um and I did ask that question administration and you guys said it was just a placeholder, but I still think there should be a plan, an overall plan and the specifics are in what we sent. I know, but it still needs to be talked about. Do you want this? It's at the bottom paragraph. What would be the overall plan, Ryan? Putting $30 million into ECC. $30 million

over five years. Yeah. What's going to be the value to what's the value to the citizens on that? The the big issue that we have with the facility is is updating it right now. I mean, we have structural issues. Um we have structural steel that I can stick my hand through. Um we have u systems upgrades. when we bought the SS or bought the building, we had a whole bunch of uh code things that we had to bring up. Um so electrical systems, plumbing, HVAC, um the building um needs new roof. Um so uh as you can imagine, re-roofing 4 acres under a roof. Um it's a pretty good chunk of change. Um so basically, when you say when you say needs a new roof, it's a metal roof, right?

Yeah. That currently leaks every time it rains. So, um, right now, I mean, our our goal is to turn this place into one of the premier national or equestrian centers in the nation. Um, and so we're looking at trying to upgrade the facility to where it's uh it it it meets those that criteria. So, um, replacing stalls and, uh, you know, making sure that the horses are on stable footing and, um, so there's a whole laundry list of things that we that we need to improve out there. Um, so we're chipping away at it this year. Um we have some money in there this year to address some of the exterior issues. Um so uh looking at replacing and improving um the trailer parking. Uh you know a lot of the people that come in here they bring their horses. They have live-in trailers um you know that they bring in. Um so basically every time we have a show out there we're blowing electrical panels and the water system is hooked off a garden hose and um there's all sorts of things that need to be updated out there. Um, so that's the first phase is just working on the exterior, um, you know, parking lots, uh, RV, uh, access in and out of the facility, and then, uh, we're currently in engineering and design to to address some of the interior issues,

Mr. Chairman, right? Yes. Muire, yes. Um, would it be say, you know, I remember John Grace, who went out and looked at that building, came back and said lot of lot of deferred maintenance, correct? Uh, but it was structurally sound and that's why we went ahead with it. Yeah. Would it be safe to say that the deferred maintenance was even worse than uh than we anticipated at first? Yes. Yes. A deferred um we had a we had a roof that caved in. Correct. Yeah. We we had a some supports that uh caved in. We got other places. We want to make sure the roof doesn't uh doesn't cave in. But the thing you left out, the biggest thing you left out is the pet adoption center.

Yep. I don't know how much of that 30 million is for the pet adoption center, but I think everybody would agree that's probably a good good place to have one and a and a good thing to Yeah. Have we had that uh facility long enough to know how much money we're generating there? Um we provided some numbers uh for the last year. Um so we've only operated it for a year uh right now. So yeah, we've we've uh provided some numbers. I don't have them in front of me right now. Um but um we got those together. Can you give me a ballpark figure? Uh, not it's been a while since I I can go get it at the break if you want. Send it. Didn't you send it to me? Yeah. Yeah. Just during the uh one I just asked him because we had a really good month in October. Yeah.

And uh and I said, "Yeah, because I wanted to I wanted to show you that we don't it's not all money going out. There's money coming in." Yeah. and the the deferred maintenance that the county executive was talking about. Um when we found the structural the structural issues um it was buried under dirt and stuff that we we weren't able to see when we were going through things. So we we've got some issues that we're wanting to correct. So I don't have a problem with the horses and I just want to understand the plan because we've increased our park budget by 138% in the last couple years and and our and our numbers are down. So it's got to be our our visitation numbers is in the report. They're down a little bit from uh 24.

Yeah, I think we dropped like a 100,000 or something. We're going to be over 4 and a.5 million again this year. But what's the plateau though? What I'm saying is if we're doing all these improvements in the parks and the numbers are going down in the visitation, not by much, but a little bit. But you're doing all these improvements. What's the long range plan? Like like if we already maxed out at what the visitations are because so much so much time in a day by our residents taking our kids. Once again, I I don't think saying that park attendance is going down is an accurate assessment of what's going on. It did go down. It did go down. I I'll agree, but since 2020, we've averaged around 4 and a.5 million people every year for the last 5 years.

I'm not criticizing, Ryan, but let me question this. If you're plateaued at 4 million and it went down to 380 or whatever, I don't have the numbers in front of me, but I I read it and I know they went down. Are we at a plateau where we're doing spend all this money on all this different skate park and all this different stuff? What's the range? What's the long range plan on?

I mean, I can't guarantee, you know, our tennis is going to go up. I mean, it depends on usage, but I can tell you that, you know, at Kinetic, we did a whole bunch of improvements through there. We eclipsed our annual total at Kinetic in the first four or five months of the year this year. So, we've we've invested in our parks. We have a lot of people coming into our parks. A lot of people are coming into our parks to participate in, you know, all sorts of different events from outside of our area. It brings in a lot of tourism and and money for people staying in hotels, whether it be at the NEC or these disc golf courses. Um, we had, I think, five people from out of the country come last year to play in our disc golf tournaments. So, I mean, we've had a lot of people coming in. I think the more improvements and things that we make, the more additional parks that we have. Our tennis is going to continue to go up. We've added more programs, um, you know, recreational opportunities, we've have classes, we have all sorts of things that continue to drive people to our parks. Um, and the good thing is that we see now is, you know, we've been around for 25 years or so now. So, we're starting to see the second generation of St. Charles County park users ad, you know, appreciate our parks and so now they're bringing their kids and stuff, too. So, it's a long-term investment, but it's a generational investment. So,

I'm just cautioning the council that it's like the family arena. It's been nothing but a loser, right? I'm not saying the NEC is a loser, but I'm just pointing out that that cost us what? 2.2 million this year without the without with losing the opportunity cost of sales tax or any kind of taxes on it. So, it's a bigger loser than $2 million. It's probably three or 3.5 a year. And then you got the NEC, which is now we're not getting taxes on that either. So, not not only we're putting all this money into it, but it's a loser in that instance, too. So, I just was wanting and I I I like the horse. I'd like the horse barn. It's it's in my district and I know people horse people out there. I'm not criticizing. I just was we talked about this when we were doing the long range plan. I'm like, what is the goal? What is the objective? I mean, you're going to throw a million out here and a million out there. Well, what's the goal? I mean, but no one ever gave us that. No one told the council exactly what the long range plan is.

When you say our long range plan, are you talking like for the department itself or for the NEC specifically? How many shows are you going to have? How much money do you think it's going to generate? What are the benefits? He's asking you are you asking parks itself or the NEC itself is what he No, in this particular instance NEC.

Oh, I mean I I I we have you know 50 60 shows a year roughly right now. Um and every weekend it's booked and usually sometimes in in a week we have multiple shows in there. Um we're going to be limited we're going to be limited by the number of weeks in a year that we can host shows out there. But that's not to say that the improvements and things that we are going to do out there aren't going to drive bigger and better shows to the NEC. Um which I think is the reality. Um you know talking this past year we've learned a lot about the horse industry. Um you know we uh we didn't know you know a lot about the horse industry.

I understand not I'm not disagreeing. I know. And I think like I said, the more that we improve out there, the the bigger shows that we're going to get, the national shows, the championship level type shows that are bringing people in from all over the United States. Um those that's the reality I think that the NEC could bring. Um we're located in an area that's, you know, it has heavy commercial. It's easy access from the roadways. Um so people want to come here and show. Um unfortunately um you know when we we took it over there was a lot of deferred maintenance. The facility started to get a little bit of a bad name to it and um we wanted to correct that and you know we want to put the NEC on the map and St. Charles County on the map that says hey if you want to have a premier horse show um come to the NC and uh check us out. So that's our goal. um when you say you know like attendance numbers and those sorts of things um you know it's gonna vary by the shows and obviously people coming in and out but sorry

I think Dave asked what kind of numbers it was producing so it'd be nice to see a flowchart like what's your goal is in 26 like by doing these improvements okay here's here's what it looked like in 25 here's your chart right and then 26 look like this we spent whatever two million on it 27's going to look like this after we improve is 28 that's the kind of thing I'm like what is the goal like what are benchmarks. And so by spending all this money, that's what I'm asking for. I know. Yeah. Bob wanted to chime in on this real quick. Oh, okay. My bad. I'm done. I mean, you guys my He Tim's got some wall stuff or whatever. I don't want to

Well, the the only thing about Yeah, that'd be great. The only thing about the NEC um from my standpoint, the reason why I voted for us to buy it

wasn't so much about the horses was about the pet adoption center because our current pet adoption center is one of the most popular things that we do with the county and we're landlocked. We can't expand it. And the larger we grow, the more need we have for that. And when we talked about it, this was the area that had room that we were going to expand out there. And it was my understanding that was part of the money that's in parks for that area is we were going to build this expanded pet adoption center. That was my part. Did anybody have anything else about NEC that you want to ask? Parks. All right, Bob.

Um, this is quai parks because the arena's in parks budget now. But Joe, you were talking about losing $3.5 million a year. No, no, I was use an example. I believe we're spend two aren't we spend 2.2 2 million on it up this upcoming year or something like you're talking about the arena now. No, I know family arena. Aren't we two million? There's there there are some provisional capital items in there. Yes. Yeah, I think it's 2.2 million. But what I was saying is the example is is that's been a and it's not you didn't I know when you were councilman you didn't I don't that was before you didn't vote for it. I didn't vote for it either, but it was already there so we're stuck with it. Right. It was there when you got here. It was there. I voted for it.

Well, whatever. I mean but that was a long time ago. But I mean it seems to me that it's just it's nothing but a loser and and so I always question that it doesn't make us money, right? I mean it loses money. The arena historically well I mean I I took over overseeing the arena in 2015 and the the losses were substantial. They were between a half a million and a million dollars a year in some cases. Absolutely.

Um I took an active role in that. The operating losses in the arena have ranged anywhere from a low of $60,000 a year to $300,000 a year, 350, something like that. In the in the scheme of things, um it it is a destination. There's a lot of people that come there. Um and it it offers something to our residents and the residents in in the St. Louis area uh that brings people here. um you know uh the the purpose of government isn't necessarily make a profit. It's to provide services well balanced services and and you know an assortment of different things. NEC is a prime example of that and I think the family arena does it too. Uh but but I I just wanted to clarify the three and a half million because we're not losing three and a half million dollars a year. We never

No, I meant we're putting two million in and then then if it was if it was owned privately, we would be getting taxes off of it. We have a tax base. So, we're losing opportunity cost as well. You're losing sales tax on the ticket revenue and real estate tax, but yeah. And but I I was just looking at the longer picture, but I don't disagree with some of the stuff you said. So, I'm just it's like you're we're starting to accumulate all these different things, which is good. department department's doing a great job, but there's it's a snowball effect where if there's a time where we're not having as much money coming in from taxes, it's going to become a problem. And I'm just saying are there projections where and I'm not Mr. Negative at all. I just want to have a future plan on what the right direction to go in. That's all like what the benchmarks are and what we're going to do and that sort of thing.

Mhm. I mean, it's just business, you know? I know we're not a business, but you can't be doing stuff knowing you're going to lose hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars a year, but we're not. Parks doesn't have that problem. This is true. Right. So, to that point, I found the revenue um report that Ryan sent back in October for the NEC. So, I'll just read the figures really quick to kind of answer your question, Councilman Brazzle. So, for 2024, revenue generated was just under $2 million. So 1.996 essentially our expenses were 1.5 million that gave us a net profit of 420,946 for 2024. This was the NEC.

This is the NEC and this is not capital. This is just revenues versus expenses. 2025 year to date through the end of September $1.669 million was our revenue. $1.3 million was our expenses. So far year to date 353,000 and some change to the So that's not a loser really at all. Yeah. Well, that's good to know. That's what those Yeah. Those are the projections that you want to and I can send this to to all the council. I can share it with all of you, too. All right. So, you're good. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Patty, I have nothing. Mr. Baker. Yeah. I guess we're going to talk about sound balls. Is that you?

So, um, we have some residents that have come forward and said they've had, uh, uh, issues with sound, and I know Councilwoman York brought up the idea, what what if we started funding a little bit every every year. So, I guess that's what I'm here to ask the council. I mean, we've got an area off Noc Court that is very bad and they deserve a sound wall. MDOT's dropped the ball on them. So, I'd like to find money in the tip to to start funding soundwalls. I mean, we fun we fund economic development at a tune of I I believe $10 million and I I I feel it's disingenuous if we allow these people to experience the sound level that they're experiencing and MODA's not doing anything. So, I'd like I'd like to get uh gauge everyone's opinions on that.

I got a question. Yes, sir. Um whoever Joanne or Steve, whatever. Back to the lobbyist. That's one reason that struck my what you just talked about. If we have lobbyists working for our county and the the from around what you said Tim, I believe that the decibel level is is over five or something or 50 or whatever it is. It's over 80. No. What's the rule though that you're supposed to sound? I don't know the the criteria. It's three-fold. It's one of the criteria uh is that it has to benefit a certain number of people before it's economically viable. Hang on a second. If what is your question?

My question is is if we have lobbyists that work for us, right, and MDOT's not putting soundwalls on these state projects, why isn't the lobbyist shouldn't that be part of the criteria where they should be working MDOT and the legislators to make sure I know the legislators don't have anything to do with MDOT funding anymore because it's all screwed up, but that they shouldn't the lobbyists be pushing for that, Mike, for the soundwalls in our county? I mean, I'm just asking. Well, Amanda, do you want to come because So, let me let me Okay, maybe didn't wasn't uh didn't Gryu get uh Tom Dempsey involved in this at some point? I mean, he may have I'm sure Tom

Dempsey Tom Dempsey does, you know, he takes Gary Elmstead spot and yeah, he he met with him. We told him that we would support this if if they would do it.

No, I know that. But so why why is talked about doing a it mod has to f follow federal guidelines or it's like the wild west of sound walls. So I mean not to be like whatever but there's certain guidelines that come from the federal I think USDT do guidelines. It's a CRF something something something um that say this is the criteria for a sound wall on a federally funded project. So they they are not built on non-federally funded projects. They are only built on federally funded and they have to exceed a certain decel level. I think it's 67. they have to go if they do not exceed that it has to be an increase of at least 15 um from before the road was built. If it's um you have to have a reduction of five for the front rows.

Okay. Back to what you're saying. This one's 89. Okay. This one. So it's 89 like at a point in time. the when we do that in our study, you stand out there for 15 minutes and you let your meter go and it gives you an average equivalent. So, it's not the height that hits, it's the average.

Yeah, it's like an average over time. So, it I'm I'm guessing it's in the 70s. I'm not going to deny that. I'm guessing that average is in the 70s. But MDOT has to follow these requirements. And if they don't, then they're going to have to build sound walls everywhere or they're going to get sued um like all the time. And one of my concerns with this is like Route End is going to have a sound study. I don't think the route end corridor should qualify for soundwalls. It doesn't it's it's not that kind of, you know, it's not going to be that kind of corridor. But if we start building sound walls for people, then we're going to have people coming in and being like, well, you know, you got a sound wall here. And what's how do we distinguish? How do we say no to somebody if we've said yes does not meet the criteria?

It's not just dec.

It's not just no, there's other criteria. I I mean but so I mean we have these people that that I mean the the the case that I've been met with the people I it's like I said 89 on his front porch not even at his mailbox and the mailbox a lot closer. So we have people I mean I think some people came last time that complained about the sound. They live I believe off Dunsmore Place which is the the highway is a lot higher than their than than their their house. But this is a case where it's bad. And you I just I just personally feel that if Mod's not taking care of these people and we're just going to say too bad, so sad. And and and if you look at it, we're we're funding road improvements inside the Riverp Point development, which is great. But we're doing that because we the the the the developer doesn't want to do it. and we've got an issue with our soundwall where people are experiencing levels that will cause hearing damage and we're up here doing nothing. I I just think it's disingenuous and I think we need to I know Councilwoman York caught brought up the idea of well let's what but if we put some money aside for this I mean we put it up for economic development. We could put some money aside and and if it meets the decel requirement not the east west or east west gateway or federal requirements but our requirements for our money then I think we ought to do that and that's something I think we as a body would need to decide if that's something we want to partake in. Steve,

how about if we do this? How about if we we go out I mean, uh we we got on the computer last week and looked at all the neighborhoods in the county where the backyards or the front yards are right up against Highway Rideway and you saw those, right?

Yeah, I saw. Okay. So, if we go ahead and go out and test all those with the same routine, same average, whatever, find out if some are worse than others, find out if they're all as bad as as the one in your district. Uh, but then we'll know exactly how big a bite we're taking out of our road our road uh funds. I mean, uh, I know, um, Councilman York was excited about the roundabout, okay, on on on First Capital. Well, you know, we can do we can do, uh, sound walls and and not roundabouts or or we can do more of this or more of that. I mean, that's that's open. But the fact of the matter is, uh, you've done a great job of of trying to get something for your folks. You represent folks in your district.

Well, they're actually in my district. They're Mike's district. Oh, they are. Yes.

Okay. Well, the point is each of you have your district. I have to look at the county as a whole and and uh whatever the cost is on this one. I have no idea what what that cost actually is, but I definitely don't have a cost. If we set an example here, how do I explain? Okay, you know, we're taking care of Mr. Baker's problem, but we're not taking care of Councilman York's problem. Uh, I mean, we got to do it all or nothing. So, maybe if we get a a price tag on what it would cost to do the all and then if you guys uh you know, if that's what you want to do, if you've got the votes, you know, at least we'll know exactly what we're getting into.

Councilwoman York,

I just wanted to say that when I was mayor, we we had a lot of storm water problems and so we did a study. We said, "Let's see what all the storm water problems are in the whole city and what would it cost and how long would it take?" And it was something like a 22-year project to get everything done. And it was oh, it was like in the almost a half a billion dollars. It was a lot of money. We just said, "Can we do all of this or you know, how do we structure this?" and ended up going I I think eventually they went out for a tax and got a tax to start paying for some of this money or some of these major projects and that was just in the city. So I can't imagine in the whole county but I think this is a good point if we could look at some of those areas that look like it could be that way and we could at least get an idea. Are we talking half a billion dollars or are we talking you know 12 years to get things done and where do you start you know and and maybe then what we do is we figure out a criteria do if this is something we do want to do we have some criteria and we have a general idea what we're talking about. Um, when all that was going on, uh, you did ask for a tax and it was a tax for parks and storm water

and storm water and I love park so I voted for it because I like parks. Okay. But the point is that anything you want pass the statute that allows a a a tax for for parks and storm water applies only to municipalities and not to counties. Oh, there you go. Right. So, we'd have to find another another source of the revenue. And I'm just saying if that's what we want to do, we just need to find out what we're talking about costwise. Okay. Amanda, I want to understand your comment that we're going to get sued. I mean, so hang on. She said I thought you said MDOT would get sued. She said MDOT would be sued. Yeah. Oh, I don't care about that's that's

No, that's why they didn't that's why they didn't do the sound walls because if they did one and they didn't do the others, they would be sued for all the other places that would qualify. That's what she was saying.

Well, my point is, and this is just a general, we can put a period on this. I don't I mean I think we need to we need to figure out what the impact is because I you know based on I think some conversations that I've had with uh Councilwoman York Joe and some others that you know maybe sound walls is something that we need to look at. I mean we if these people are experiencing sound levels that could cause hearing loss and we're doing nothing about it. I think that's disingenuous. So, and my initial thought was could we put money into account and just as as the criteria as a soundwall area fits the criteria, we got a little little bit every year and it gives these people hope right now. They they're told by MDOT, too bad. You you're not getting anything. And and I just think we have the ability to to start giving these people hope that yeah, we're on you're on the list and we're going to get to it. And I think that's something that we should do.

Go ahead. Can I ask you um MDOT does do some sound walls, correct? It just has to meet federal guidelines. It has to meet this Yeah. the specific criteria. And another thing, the the neighborhood obviously have to vote like the people that live in the neighborhood have to vote that they want it. So sometimes it's not wanted and then that's done. I don't know what happens if somebody moves in later and the people didn't want it, but it is it is a vote. So, any other comments, Mr. Chairman? Yes, sir. Inquire. Mr. Baker. Yes. I've been told that several of these folks are in fact most of them have actually moved into these houses after the after the road was built.

Yeah. So, I mean, if you if you if you take nuisance law, of course, you know, that's called coming to the nuisance. So, I mean, but I don't think these people knew how loud the road was going to get, too. I mean, the traffic the traffic and the noise level, I'm sure, has increased from when they moved in. And I I mean, I can I can hear the road from my house, and I'm I'm I'm probably a half a mile away from where these people live. So, I know it's bad. I've been out there. I I I've been out there where you couldn't talk to people. And I just think it's a shame that that MDOT has has dropped the ball on. I think the criteria that it doesn't impact them that that it's not worthwhile for the number of people that it's benefiting is is tell that to the people experiencing the sound level.

Well, and I guess the other thing is I mean how many how many people do we have living along our arterial roads, Mexico road and places like that that also have backyards uh uh right along a five uh a fivelane road. Now, it's not quite probably as bad as well. And that's when Patty said the noise level. I don't I honestly have no idea what the noise level is on that kind of roadway. So, if we do go out, I would suggest we go out and test those kind of places. Also, just

again, I suggest we get the numbers. And I also suggest that at some point, uh, they're going to MODAT's going to need to put a third lane out there. And they're probably going to come and want us to help them. and and when and when they do that then we'll make a sound wall one of the conditions of any help we give them.

Well, so what I understood in my conversation with MDOT is it can't be restudied until there is a change done on the roadway and then when a change is done on the roadway it would automatically trigger a restudy. So it could qualify at that point. But does MODOT have to allow us to build in their sound in their rideway? Like if we if we said, "Hey, we'll pay to build the sound wall." Do they have to allow us to build? I have no idea. I wouldn't I I would assume not, but I have no idea. Okay. I don't think we've ever asked. And one last question. Yes.

If the if a city owns any of the right away, then the county can't necessarily tell the city we want a soundwall there. I mean, I the city applies to the roadboard. So, I I I would think the city could make that decision and then if that we're giving funds for Samuel to the county, I think the county says we want to build it, but it's the city's right of way, right? Oh, I don't I don't know that either. Okay. Okay. Sounds like there's a lot of questions.

Well, again, um you know, I don't ever we've never done this and I certainly don't want to start it. I mean, we've never broken it down to see who gets, you know, which district gets the most money and which one gets a little bit more because my guess is one year uh Mr. Baker's district gets more than anybody else and the next year is Mr. Brazzles and then Mr. Elums and and and u but you know, I mean, I guess if what you're telling me is you'd rather you'd rather have sound walls than than roads in your district going forward, we'll we'll consider that. I'm not saying I'd rather have sound walls instead of roads. I think that that right now we can't have both. Huh? We can't have both. We can't have both. Which one do you want?

Well, I mean, I guess if I was to if you were to ask me that question, I would say let's not give the money for economic development. Let developers build roads and we build sound balls and roads. That would be my my my opinion. So, well, all right. Any other questions? Anything else for the work session? With that, we'll wrap up the work session and we will start our meeting in two and a half minutes.

Oh my.

Yes. Where did they all go?

Come on. Thank you.

Yes, sir. That's a good question. It's not one of the allowable things.

Okay. Let me get your opinion on this. Yeah.

Think so. Yes. But I think his question was about per capita would

tip ask that way that doesn't mess with the agenda. Yeah,

we have my summer I think doing

did you tell Michelle that's how much I don't have the balance you you can also move to amend the agenda saying hey I noticed that the collector's here tonight and she's let me know she'd right there. So, which do you want to do? You want him to call her up or you want to amend her agenda?

Yeah. Ready? No, our phones do that automatically.

Good evening everyone. Welcome to uh the Monday, December 15th, 2025 St. Charles County Council meeting. The last one of 2025, I think. We'll see what happens tonight. Uh could be an audible. Um with that, we will start with our invocation. Uh Chaplain Pat Turner is joining us from St. Charles County Police Department and our pledge of allegiance will be held uh led by Councilman Matt Swanson. Pat, thanks for joining.

My pleasure. Thank you for allowing me to be here tonight. Uh before I pray, if we may just bow our heads and take a moment of silence for the things that's happening in our world, for the Jewish people that were killed in Australia, for the three Americans killed in Syria, and for the shooting at Brown University. Just bow our heads and have a moment of silence, and then I'll pray. Heavenly Father, I pray that the county council from Steve Elman to every council member that they will have a productive meeting this evening. I pray that they will be able to discuss and tackle the important things they need to tackle and be efficient in handling those things. I also pray, Father, that you give them the grace to come with the best possible and morally right solutions that would best benefit the people's needs and interests of St. Charles County. Please remind the council father that they are in their positions not to be served but to serve the public just as Christ who is king came not to be served but to serve and ultimately die on the cross to save us. May the council always make the decisions that are right in your eyes God in Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Amence 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. Amen. Thank you. You may be seated. Thank you, folks. Uh we will start off tonight with a public hearing on the 2026 budget for St. Charles County. I'll I'll do roll call. Oh, sorry. Councilman Swanson here, ma'am. Councilman Brazzle, here. Councilman Hammond here. Councilman Elim here. Councilman Hollander. Councilwoman York here. Councilman Baker here.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program before I jump the gun on the budget hearing for the county.

First speaker is Arie Dino. Good evening, members of the county council. Mr. Chairman, um I'm here to talk about the budget hearing and the notice that was uh publicized for the 2026 uh budget. This budget is going to be uh projected expenditures um in the amount of um well, it's kind of decisive here. They say deduct approximately I believe $104 $105 million maybe more in some other funds. We have a healthy reserve balance which is way above what the state minimum is. The state minimum recommended by the state legislature and by the state auditor is 3 months 90 days of operating expense in case of a catastrophe, a tornado, something that is unseen or unforeseen circumstances. This year we're going to end a balance of approximately $30 million. And I feel like we're going to go into recession uh this uh winter. I feel like our sales taxes for every year over the last 15 years, we have set record setting historic uh income on sales taxes. And I think going into the winter, we're going to face another 2008 with reduced sales tax revenues, with a housing crisis that's going to um fall down like a a a pile of cards uh with the housing market. I think a lot of these people that have been buying 6 and a half% interest rates or 6% interest rates for housing, I think they're going to be in a lot of trouble. So, diving

into that, um, be cognizant of sales tax income and a shortfall in sales tax. I project that that's going to happen this year. The economy of scale, I'll tell you what, if Amazon is laying off 55 to 57,000 employees, three weeks or actually it's they did it about a month ago, 6 weeks before the the holiday season, something is definitely wrong with our economy. That's a lot of jobs to be laid off by Amazon. You would think they'd be adding 55 or 57,000 jobs, not laying off. And that affects St. Peters. That's going to affect our economy and that those employees in St. Peters at that warehouse to expend those type of funds for our county, our local government, and our state governments. Um, I ask that this council look at serving people and solving real life problems rather than buying country club horse farms and putting $30 million into a park without a plan. That really puts up a lot of red flags for me and it's uh really concerning that we're allowing the parks director to get away with that without any type of plan. Storm water uh surface water protection. Um, Mr. Baker, the county council member. It affects his district most likely uh most of all in Heritage Place, but there's pockets all over our county that people every time it rains, they pray to God that they're not going to have an influx of water into their basement, into their foundations and ruining their uh capital improvements or their assets. And so, we need to look at ways we need to serve people rather than serving politicians. It seems like the county executive and the administration always want a huge pay raise. The pay raise compared I'm going to get into the salary of payraises. It seems like the preparity of our administration and our department heads giving them that that two and a half percent versus somebody that's

about a two and a half% on a 150,000 uh to 200,000 salary is way it's about400 to about $6,000 pay raise where the people in the trenches are police officers, our corrections officers, our public safety officials, they're getting in the range of $50 to $80,000 and they're about a $1,500 salary increase, but we have a director of administration that now that's now this year will be topping in excess of $255 to $260,000 plus benefits. She's really building up her three-year average of her loggers along with the two directors of administration, the county executive who's going to get a huge $30,000 pay raise in this budget to be over $215,000 in which we're all running for to be the next county executive. Um lobbyists, I'll get into uh in a moment. Um the Missouri Equestrian Center, um it's $30 million. And did we buy an eyesore? Did we buy something that has liabilities? And I heard the county executive on the way down here saying that we have collapsed buildings, collapsed barns, collapsed infrastructure. Did nobody inspect this property before we bought it from one of his political buddies over there that owned it from the family that owned it? Um, we really need to be cognizant of how we're spending the money. Just like we wasted about $150 million at our county jail just down the hill uh in retrofitting it when we could build the state-of-the-art, the envy of the country in terms of the latest technology and the best corrections facility we could have built out of Fallon for about half the price of what we're putting into a dinosaur on Second Street. our historic courthouse. We spent what 230 250 million or $250,000 on painted murals. Now we're buying

stained glass. We're buying new windows. I thought all the windows in this room were just recently replaced. So when are we going to stop thinking about ourselves and about country club living and thinking about the 435,000 citizens who elected you to represent them individually? Um, salaries I touched upon. It's the preparity of the administration and the department heads versus the people in the trenches, the people doing the grunt work, the people serving our citizens countywide. We need to be cognizant and I think 2 and a half% is just not enough for them. economic development arm of the county. That economic development run over there on Mid River Small Drive has no accountability to our taxpayers, but yet we fund it as a private society and as a country club over there. And their executive director feels that they're exempt from open the open meetings act in compliance with chapter 610 of the revised state statutes of Missouri. They work for us. He, the county executive, funds them with your blessing in the 20266 fiscal budget. But when I say I want to attend their meetings of that entity, the economic development arm, I'm rejected and I'm told that if I show up, it's a private meeting and the police will be called in St. Peters and I will be removed from the meeting for attending a meeting that should be in compliance with the open meetings act. There needs to be no secrets, no closed documents with that economic development arm of our county. And as a matter of fact, I'd recommend in this fiscal year budget that you as county council members that you establish the Department of Economic Development to be true, to be accountable and responsible to you, the county council, and to the taxpayers. And let's not fund a private entity that doesn't want the public mixing in or mincing in their business down there on Mid's Mall Drive. Secret

meetings in no complex will not be tolerated any longer by that entity. And I will not feel as a citizen unwelcome to attend those economic development meetings or those committee meetings that they hold down there as a secret society, a secret country club. As a matter of fact, it's right in front of a country club uh right there in Kadoville. Family arena expenses. You know, I heard uh uh uh the former director of finance now retired, now he hires him a consultant to evidently run the family arena. I feel that it's in the red and he says, "Oh no, we've made a profit this year and we made a profit that year and it's so low numbers." Well, the numbers that I've seen, the numbers that I look at, we're three to four million in the red, have zero return on investment, and we're funding that for through the general fund. And I don't know if you gave it over to parks, I guess, last year or the year before, but you're funding it with taxpayer money for paying sales tax for online purchases. And I think that Fabling Arena needs a toptobottom look and a toptobottom audit by our state a or our county auditor, uh, Brent Sadler, consultants. You know, you have Mr. Schnar as the consultant. Even though he's a retired loggger employee under the county and state system for uh county and municipal employees, he's getting a healthy salary from loggers, but yet you pay him a stipened, which I made a request to Joan Lyham, the director of administration. He was being paid $89 an hour plus expenses. I've asked her for that information, and she still hasn't complied with the sunshine law. and it's been one or two months since I've asked her after the county council meeting about what we're paying Mr. Schnar as a consultant as a intermediate assistant or deputy uh director of administration in addition to our two administrators uh that help Miss Lyum in managing the county and the

county executive. You know, these people are paid healthy. They're paid uh a lot of money. When it comes to soundwalls, I think we have a objective and we have an obligation to put people first. As I said, over politics and over elected officials, we need to put up these sound walls and take care of it for the infrastructure, for the enjoyment of these people uh and for their property values. Water surface control, as I said, in Heritage and other parts of the county. We need to be cognizant of that and we need to make sure that our citizens are being um listened to and that we're solving problems rather than building country clubs and things that people of elite money and elite status in our community are invited to those functions. Uh and uh that the rest of the public the heck with them. It's all about power, control, money, greed, and access. and the heck with following rules, problem rules and regulations, ethics, and being a good steward of the money along with being a good elected official. For those reasons, I ask that you take all my items into consideration. uh that we have a healthy budget, that everything comes here uh as a contract, that we're getting lots of contractors to bid bid on the projects rather than sole source contracts giving political patronage contracts to friends like the lobbyists. Um which as a matter of fact, I'd like to bring that up and then I'm going to close. Mr. chairman. Um, our lobbyist is ridiculous because they have no allegiance or are not even reporting in writing to you as county council members and elected officials. U, there was not a public bid for the two lobbyists that are on staff, but a gift to Steve Elman's pals, Charles Gibbons and Tom Dempsey, with zero return on investment. I talk to these

legislators. I have a personal relationship with 90 out of 163 legislators and they don't buy a word that Tom Dempsey says. They're playing politics with our dollars in my opinion. Now, let's go through the numbers. It's about political wealth, power, and control, awarding political patronage contracts. Mr. Charles Gibbons, whose wife by the way is the mayor of Kirkwood, uh has polit is getting a political patronage contract because he was speaker of the house and senate uh president of the Missouri Senate when Mr. Elman was a senator from St. Charles County. He's getting $48,654 plus expenses and travel money. Mr. Tom Dempsey, who used to be the president of the Missouri Senate, is getting $147,870 plus expenses, airfare, hotels, mileage, meals, no written reports. I've asked for these reports. The administration plays games because they don't want anything in writing. They don't He doesn't write reports and zero return on investment. He has 19 clients. And if you don't believe me, those 19 clients are right here on this piece of paper that I have obtained from the state of Missouri. It has the city of Lake St. Louis in which he gouges them for $30,000. A small community. He just landed a contract with the city of Darden Prairie for $30,000. and he's gouging us as taxpayers at the county level for a $147,870. But yet he's representing Excel Entertainment Gaming LLC, Amazon.com Services, Americanratom Association, Catholic Charities of the Dasis of St. Louis, the city of Lake St. Lewis

Compass Health Network, Confluence Charter Schools, Consolidated North County Levy District, First Capital Advisors LLC, which he owns, Greater St. Louis, Inc. Oh boy, we got some issues with them, don't we? Independent Electrical Contractors of Greater St. Louis, Missouri Association of Career Fire Protection Districts, Missouri Charter Public School Commission, Missouri Entertainment LLC, People United for Privacy. Boy, what's that about? We have a lot of secrets here, by the way. Sprinkler Fitters Union Local 268. Sounds like a Democratic entity to me. St. Charles County, Stride Incorporated. Boy, I'm going to have to look into that name. and the Habitat alliance. Mr. Gibbons makes his uh money from uh Audith Israel of America, American Codings Association Incorporated, Associated General Contractors of Missouri, Bearer USA LLC, Centine Corporation on behalf of its affiliates and subsidiaries. You get a ton of money from Medicare, I believe. Uh, CGI Technologies and Solutions Incorporated, Charter Plus, Cheyenne International, have no idea what that is, Delta Dental of Missouri, Enterprise Leasing Company of St. Louis, doing business as Enterprise Mobility, uh, Fortnet Incorporated, Gibbons Workman, which is his, uh, lobbying firm, Missouri Charter Public Schools Association. Oh, it's the same one that Mr. Dempsey is representing. Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. I agree with that organization. Missouri Employers Mutual Insurance Company. Are we gouging our citizens with insurance through state legislation? Missouri Small Flowers organization.

Sounds like marijuana to me. Peabody Energy, uh, Po Poet, PO E T LLC. SHI International Corporation, St. Charles County, the Dough Run Company. Boy, they have they're in big trouble with uh some federal and state agencies down there in Jeffco. Uh Tik Tok Incorporated. President Trump doesn't believe in Tik Tok. Now he's uh supporting them. TKFC doing business at St. Louis City SC. I believe that's our soccer club. Total Wine and More. Truman State University, United Capital City Athletics and Vapor Technology Association. So, folks on the County Council who are elected, this is the job of our $255,000 after this election, uh the county executive position, whoever it might be. I'll be uh campaigning and running for that position. $175,000 for two assistant director of administrations. You reported one at 107 last year, but they got a dramatic uh increase in salary in the midstream. And um I'm sorry, the $255,000 is for the county director of administration. It'll be $225,000 in this budget that you're giving to the county executive position, which I think is well well overpaid. And uh right now, if Mr. gentleman retires, he'd be making about $250 to $270,000 in four public pensions at taxpayers expense. Enough is enough. And those are my comments for this fiscal year. Thank you for considering them. And let's make the best of our uh taxpayer dollars and let's stop spending it on ourselves, but trying to provide real uh solutions to our 435,000 residents.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Next speaker. That's the only public hearing. Speaker, so that'll wrap up our public hearing on the budget. Mr. Dino, don't go too far. Public comment is next. Kevin Art.

Hi, Kevin.

Hi. Good evening and thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak tonight. I'd like to start with a short story. My wife and I love to walk. We walk to decompress, to talk, and most importantly to spend time together a as a family. We have a 16-month-old son and another baby on the way. Walking is how we introduce him and her to the world. Trees, birds, neighbors, and eventually places like Spring Ben Park and the Katy Trail. But right now, we're boxed in. Upper Bottom Road is the barrier between us and those community resources. When we go for a walk, we're forced to walk along the edge of the road next to speeding cars, broken debris, uneven ground, and sometimes we have to step into people's yards just to stay safe. It's uncomfortable as adults. It's frightening when you're pushing a stroller. And it's not something any parent feels good about. On the south side of Upper Bottom Road in the six houses on Upper Bottom Loop, there are eight young children, kids who are growing, gaining independence, and eventually looking for safe places to explore. These are future walkers, bikers, and trail users. Just recently, we saw two young boys walking their bikes along the south side of Upper Bottom Road. They hopped the guardrail to get where they were going. And as we watched them, my wife and I both had the same thought. That's our future, son. This isn't a hypothetical problem. Kids are already trying to access these spaces and they're doing it without safe infrastructure. Springbend Park and the Katy Trail are incredible assets. They encourage healthy families, outdoor activity, and community connection. But without safe pedestrian access, they're effectively unreachable to many nearby residents, especially families with young children. I also want to thank Councilman Tim Baker for raising this issue at the last council meeting. It meant a great deal to our neighborhood to know this concern is already being taken seriously. That's why we've started a petition urging the county to consider pedestrian access along the southern side of Upper Bottom Road. So far, 51 residents have signed with more

expected. This isn't just one family asking. It's a growing group of neighbors who believe safety and accessibility matter. We're not asking for luxury. We're asking for safety. A sidewalk that connects families to the park and trail turns a dangerous stretch of road into a community corridor. It tells parents that children matter. It tells kids they belong here. I urge the council to seriously consider the construction of a sidewalk along the southern side of Upper Bottom Road, not just as infrastructure, but as an investment in families, safety, and the future of this community. Thank you for your time and thanks for listening. Thank you,

Arie Deoff. regarding proposed ordinances and censorship.

Is this is the projector up by chance? It is. Okay, good.

There you go. Good evening, members of the council. Once again, I want to bring some conflicts of interest on the county executive's appointments. The first appointment I'd like to bring to your attention is the appointment of uh Mr. Joe Quinn uh of the planning and zoning commission. He's a real estate agent and I have some serious ethical questions about insider trading, insider information in planning and zoning matters and future uh subdivisions and that he's going to profit off of our commission. The next person to the uh for appointment on your consent agenda, which is like a secret society type place, who gives the most to the county executive and contributions, is real estate agent uh Denise Omera of unincorporated St. Charles County, who works for Keller Williams Realy West. I have some serious ethical concerns and uh serious issues with that. The former real estate agent works for Vision Building Capital and real estate investment firm. So, he invests in real estate, which is a serious conflict of interest. Um, Mr. Tom Dempsey has a conflict of interest being appointed on the consent agenda to our uh our county uh industrial development authority board. He's getting $1470 in taxpayer money for a lobbyist contract, but yet he wants to serve on a uh industrial revenue board. So that's highly uh conflict of interest conflict conflict of interest of u Mr. John Harsh Barger of unincorporated county on the duck creek sanitary district. Well right here you could see that Mr. Harberger is the chief engineer of public water supply district number two of both St. Charles and Warren County. And that's very concerning and very detrimental to the governance of the Ducka Creek Sanitary District. And I'd like you to

look at that and discuss that with the county executive before just putting your rubber stamp and being a puppet on the string cuz good old Steve wants you to vote that way. Bill number 54, uh I believe 18, uh changing the name of the county, uh road and bridges to the office of transportation planning. Um, I think we need to leave it alone so the public understands and knows what's going on here. Censorship is objectable, harmful, sensitive, inconvenient. US uh, suppressed information against me at both the November 24th and the December 1st meetings by banning, redacting, filtering to the public YouTube to control public opinion, conceal government actions, and prevent dissent. I'm stating the facts. no secrets. The deputy police chief were a ticking time bomb. They embezzled. They extorted for personal gain contracts for themselves. And so fire the firing of these two is ridiculous. And I'll make a more presentation at the next meeting.

Thank you very much. Thank you. That was final speaker. That was the final speaker. Thank you. So that'll wrap up public comments. Oral report from the county executive. I think Michelle McBride, Michelle, she wanted to be recognized, so I'll yield my time to her. Thank you.

We'll do both.

Good evening, distinguished members of the council. Um, I wanted to come tonight. There are a lot of untruths flying around online on various forums like Facebook and nextdoor neighbor etc. So I think it's always important that we try to put the facts out there because while the truth is busy putting on it shoes those lies are flying around the world very quickly. Um one of the things that has been put out on social media is that there has been a failure in the collector system. There has been no failure in the collector system. Tax bills were accurately calculated. Tax bills were mailed timely and that is what the law requires. We have ongoing software enhancements that are being uploaded into the system and there has been a few bills that are not available through the online payment portal. State law does not demand that people can pay online. That is something that we put there. We like to have it there available for our taxpayers and our constituents. And if people want to pay online, they can still pay online through their own bank's bill pay site which will cost them nothing. If they go through the collector's payment site, there's a processing fee because there's a third party payment processor. So, if somebody has a bill and they prefer to pay digitally online, we are highly recommending they use their own bank's online bill pay system because it's likely free for them and then they can still do it from the convenience of their home. We are suggesting that they initiate those before Christmas. And the reason for that is because too many Januaries come around and we people call the collector's office and say, "Well, I initiated that on December 31st and their bank's own website said it wouldn't be delivered till January." Missouri's law is an absolute delinquency date. Property taxes are delinquent on January 1st. So, if someone goes to their bank's website on

December 31st, it is not going to be delivered before that delinquency date and state law mandates the collection of late payment, penalty, and interest. That money is given out to the political subdivisions who thought they were going to get the collections with December money, but then we'll have to wait to get it till January's money, which doesn't get paid out till February. So, we are not saying that to tell people they have to pay before the deadline. We're saying that to help prevent any addition of penalty and interest that they weren't expecting because every year we get calls from people. I remember being on the phone with the taxpayer and their bank. We were doing a conference call and the lady was going, "Well, I initiated that and it should be timely and I asked the bank representative when the delivery date was and the bank representative said January 2nd. the taxpayer hung up. So the reason for our educating and the additional public service announcements are we don't want people incurring those late payment penalty and interest. We want to educate them on other options and make sure they don't incur those by waiting and doing it when it's too late and likely going to be after the delinquency date. This also happens a lot with the post office. There's recently been another bulletin put out by the post office. You may or may not realize that most of the mail that you deposit in the St. Charles County post or the St. Charles City post office right here goes downtown St. Louis

to get a postmark. And there is no guarantee that if you put that in that dropbox, and more than likely you put that in that dropbox after 5:00 on December 31st, it is going to get a January postmark. And state law says property taxes are deemed paid as of the postmark, the USPS postmark on the envelope or other cover in which the payment is received. So we are trying to educate the public because it's hard for them to know the laws. I mean it's hard for some of us to know all the laws. There's a lot of them. So if it's not something you work with every day, it's something that you may be out there misinforming others about when maybe you're not intending to. So I wanted to remind you all we have a January 1 absolute delinquency date in the state of Missouri. So that if you have constituents calling and complaining, that's why we're suggesting if you're going to use your own online bill pay, initiate before Christmas because they take those holidays. And if it says it's not going to be delivered till January 2nd, that means it's going to be late according to state law. And according to state law, that means late payment penalty and interest has to be collected. We do have a drive up Dropbox on Monroe Street. It's a one-way street. You do not even have to get out of your car. You drive down the street. It's on the driver's side of the street, reach your hand out, you deposit in the dropbox. Writing a check. Doesn't cost you any additional fees. People can b pay by mail. Again, we are bound by law to go by that USPS postmark. And there's many a case law that says a meter mark, a Pittney Bose meter mark is not a USPS postmark. So again, we're trying to educate the public so they're not blindsided, so they're not incurring late payment, penalty, and interest. It's not

something we like to have to impose, but we are obligated to uphold the law. Um, we do have some people have made comments about escrow companies, mortgage companies, taxing services. We provide those with different files than what we provide to the citizens. The files that the escrow company needs doesn't have all the details of the senior tax relief bills. If any of you have seen them, they actually show the the entity. They show the tax rate for this year. They show what you would have owed without the program. They show what your base year's amount is. They show what your credit is. And they show the amount due to get all of that online. The vendor is working on it. We can't guarantee that will be online. And all the bills were mailed out. So everybody had that detail and could make payment of their bill timely. We had a demo this morning. It looks like it may be there before the end of the month. I'm hoping for a nice Christmas present, but I'm not going to tell people wait and hold your breath. I'm going to say if you want to make sure you're not late, here are your other options. Uh we have a dedicated person who works with the mortgage companies, the escrow companies. When they contact us, we give them the information. They got a file at the beginning of December. They got another supplemental file this morning. So, we have a person dedicated to helping those companies make sure they're paying taxes out of escros timely. Um, those are the biggest things that I've seen. Uh, if anybody has any questions, I'm happy to answer them for you. I just want you to have the facts because there's too many untruths flying around.

Mr. Brazen. Yeah. I sent you an email I got from a constituent at copy council and sent it to you today. I don't know if you saw it but not yet. A couple things you you had on that letter coming from Pul. A couple things you said have coming from your office is that you guys don't respond to emails.

We when we get to this time of year, I have 20 staff members. Five of them are service window people. 15 are on the phones. The county's phone system will only allow a hundred incoming calls for the entire county. Twice today, we knew there were calls in the queue. We're trying to get them and all of a sudden the queue was dumped. So, we couldn't get to those.

We got over 200 emails over the weekend. So, when we get to this point in December, we cannot respond to every email individually. What we have is a response that says, "If you're emailing for this, if you're emailing for this, if you're emailing for this, if you're emailing for this, we give them all of the steps to accomplish what most people would be contacting us about. It also says on there that technical issues um doesn't negate late light fines. It doesn't specify where the technical technical issues arised from. So, does that mean that if it's technically on your part or their part?

It means if you try to pay online at 11:58 p.m. on December 31st and there's too much online traffic, that doesn't give you an extension to pay. Missouri has an absolute delinquency date of January 1st. Bills are due from the moment you get them till the time you pay them. I'm asking if you guys have technical issues because um like from what I understand people last week were in line two hours to pay in person and some people were just leaving and so you had a that's not a technical issue. That is a space conraint.

Well, but if then if a person like myself doesn't get online and do stuff like that and goes home and tries we have a dropbox in the lobby. We have a drive up dropbox on the street. If I had a 100 staff members, let's put this in perspective for a minute. We issue 400,000 bills. Okay, 400,000 bills. We have 20 staff members to assist at the window and on the phones. We have people that deal strictly with the incoming mail payments.

Michelle, this happens every year. So, it's not like this is not a surprise. Okay. So our job as elected officials and as people public servants is to serve the people. Okay. So you're sitting here sounds like you're making excuses because you're getting the volume that you get every year. And so I got customer not customers constituents calling me and saying how come how come you're giving estimated taxes. You're not giving them what they owe. I I sent the email to you today. It's a doctor that lives out in New Me. He's really upset because you cannot give him the actual money he's owed. Well, it's an estimated amount is what the office says. Well, what does that mean? How come you don't have the amounts that people owe so they can pay their bill? We do have the amounts that people, but some are getting estimated amounts.

Okay. Well, I'm going to have to look at your email because I've not seen it yet. I was busy doing an advance to the political subdivisions for their funds. We're giving away $44 million tomorrow in advance. What we do in December is we advance collections out to the political subdivisions on the bills. Every year it happens because every year we have hundreds of thousands of tax bills and I still have well last year I only had 17 staff members. Thankfully you gave me a couple more to assist with the 28,000 senior tax relief applications this year. There is a magnitude of bills. That's just the bottom line. There is a magnitude of bills and it all happens in a very short period of time. The collector's office is not guaranteed tax rates until October 31st. That's the statutory deadline to get tax rates.

You're also telling the senior the senior tax relief that if you don't get it on there, we'll you come revisit it and we'll re revisit it later at a later date. From what I understand, you're not giving them their tax relief, but you're going to adjust it at a later date. If we discover that there has been an error, we will adjust it at a later date. I've talked with my legal counsel about that already. It's no different than when somebody protests their assessment and they go file. I'm just saying we're the ones that get the brunt of your state. These kind of problems that come to us and everyone's complaining to us about dysfunctional information. And I'm trying to educate you so that you can answer them truthfully with the facts,

not just with blatant whatever mud you want to sling around. I'm not It's not my mud. I sent it to you and you didn't read it, but it it was a whole litany of stuff and it was based on coming out of your office. I will I will read it tomorrow. I mean, I made sure I was up here at 5:30 as I was asked to be for the budget meeting. There's only so many hours in a day, Mr. If I could. Go ahead. I'm done. No, I I just have a question for you, Mr. Brazzle. Is this dealing with the senior tax or just normal taxes? Are you referring to No, that was one portion of what that the list I sent you the letter as well.

Okay. Because I'll be honest, I didn't get mine in the mail. So, I did what I needed to do is I went online. I typed in my address. I got it. I saw what it was going to cost for me to pay by credit card and I gasped and I said, "Oh, I can pay by check." And I think it was $1.15. And I just put it in my checking routing number and everything else. And then I had an email confirmation in a matter of literally minutes.

I mean, I think a lot of us going digital from old school paper used to show up. I don't trust the USPS at all anymore. I don't know about how the rest of you guys feel. Stuff shows up late all the time knowing that I have to pay it on my own. I just went online and did it and it was done. Now my wife's hers showed up and she mailed it in. Um, you know, so be it. We're in the same house and I don't know why I didn't get mine or anything else. But I'm not going to blame the department. I blame USPS for it more than anything else. But for a $1.15 convenience fee, not to have to drive down and do the dropbox. I don't know about you, I'll pay the$15.

Those I said, "These are not my words." I sent it out to everybody. It was this guy, this doctor I've known forever. And he wrote everything down. It was very organized what he wrote out. And those are just his complaints. And if in fact they're true, which I'm assure they are, I I would think they are, that then they may or may not be true. Then he's got some you got he's got a lot of public that say things from this window at the assessor's office and their whole story changes by the time they walk 10 ft over to the collector's office. I'm not saying one way or the other. I have not read it. But I always thought in America you were innocent till proven guilty. Well, you're never getting proven guilty. You're just getting questioned on the the function the the functionality of your office. That's all. But any other questions? No, I'm I'm done. Any other Mr. Baker?

Yeah. Michelle, could you just reiterate? I know we've seen it ad nauseium, but how much of our tax bill does the county collect? Uh the county general revenue fund gets zero. Okay. Uh, and the senior tax bill. I know there's I've seen some I've gotten some complaints that, "Oh, I'm still getting I'm still paying more than I was last year." Can you explain that?

Yes. The reason some people's some individual tax bills are larger in 25 than they were in 24 is because the bonded indebtedness does not get frozen and the state portion does not get frozen. the state legislators exempted the state portion of your tax bill from any increase in valuation that might affect a higher tax. The bonded indebtedness voters approved bond issues and when they approve those bond issues, they're saying to that political subdivision, we commit to paying the debt and so we can't impair their bond contracts. The other side of it is some people don't realize that it's only the residential portion. So, I'm not sure if your district has a lot of mixeduse parcels that have residential and agricultural. I had a lady today I assisted. Her residential residential value was exactly the same in 25 as it was in 24, but her agricultural value went up. So, that means the new tax rates applied to that higher new agricultural value because we have to split the taxes between what's residential and what's agricultural for the senior tax relief program. So, even though people have had their taxes frozen, some are getting larger bills because the bonded indebtedness increased. There's a column where they can add up the credits and see what their savings were. And I I've seen bills with zero savings and then I've seen agriculture at the bottom that has increased the amount of the tax bill or the bonded indebtedness has increased it. Or if your assessed value went up, that 3% that goes to the state is going to go up. So that was all part of the state legislatores.

Did we not phrase the agricultural portion of tax bills? It's on the homestead, the residential value. It's just residential only. Yes. So that's what I'm saying. There's so much untruth. There were so many things that were thrown out. One by the media, one by legislators. I saw it in my own newsletters that I got at home where they were saying we froze the assessed value. No, that's not what happened. Some said they froze the tax rates. That is not what they did. and they exempted the state from it and of course we can't impair the bond contracts. So when those bonds get paid off then then assuming we don't have any other ones then these people will start realizing more savings. Is that is that what you think?

I believe savings will grow. Big things usually have small beginnings. You know this was year one. This wasn't meant to be a windfall. I don't believe in year one because you have to look at the flip side. the $5 million that the taxpayers saved means the political subdivisions who provide those services that you rely on aren't getting that $5 million. So, I believe it was meant to be a gradual savings um so as not to totally impair those political subdivisions. Thank you. Can everybody see Can seniors now see their tax bill online?

Not yet. We're still working with the the software vendor to have those available online. We're also working with our own IS department um because we have a reprint program where we can pull them up and so I'm trying to see if they can hook that to our website so they could at least view them online. Have they all gotten paper bills? Yes, all the paper bills were mailed out. Okay. So, paper bills were out and hopefully we'll be able to see online soon. That's the goal. We keep working with it. We had a a wonderful demo this morning that made it look much more promising than it has looked. Excellent. Any other questions? Yes, sir. Mr. Chairman of Choir, please. Uh Michelle, you came and talked to us what 10 days, two weeks ago, and you said you were having problems with your vendor.

You mentioned the vendor again just now. And also our is I just want to make sure. Are you getting the services you're asking for from our is folks? Our ISTP people have been very good about assisting and trying to fill the gap where the vendor has not. You'll let me know, right? Oh, absolutely. Yes. I mean, we started with the vendor. I turned this in in September of 23 when we passed the first ordinance and my I is representative and myself have been on them continually and we got a functional design in April. We marked it all up. We sent it back to them and said, "No, this has to work this way. This has to work this way." Then we got crickets. We took turns. My I is person would contact him. I would contact them about every other week and Gotcha. Well, thanks very much.

We can do for the update. Mhm. We appreciate that. Thanks for all the work you're doing. Michel County Executive, I believe you had something else. Well, Mr. Summers is available to make his report tonight if you if you want to hear. Otherwise, we could push you. He's on his way. There he is. Hello sir. Good evening. How are you doing this evening?

Well, that's good. Let's see if technology is working tonight. So, I have been asked to bring before you information about the finance department and all the many things that we do for the St. Charles County. So, just to let you know, the finance department was created uh under chapter 130 of the county charter. And previous to that, before December of 1994, these duties were the responsibility of the St. Charles County Treasurer. Right now, the finance department has 19 employees and they are responsible for securing and maintaining the assets and cash of St. Charles County government for the residents of St. Charles County. So now, as we go forward, I want to remind you guys and gals that numbers are fun. You have to keep that in mind as you see this presentation. So, uh, there are many things that the finance department does. Over the next three slides, I'm just going to show you some of the major things that we do here in the finance department. Of course, we create and help the county executive create the uh the annual budget for St. Charles County. In addition, we do the capital programs and strategic plan that you guys approved earlier this year. We are in charge of purchasing and procurement for St. Charles County. And of course, all the bids for St. Charles County do go through the finance department. Cash management is a big part of what we do in the finance department. And that includes not only cash receipts, but also cash dispersements. Uh part of what finance department does handle is the debt management of the county. Financial reporting is another one of the many things that the finance department does. Payroll checks. Once again, the responsibility of the finance department and the investments uh for the St. Charles County are also part of the finance department. We take care of the fleet management,

all the vehicles for St. Charles County. Fixed assets tracking is one of the many things that we do there in the department. We're in charge of the county liquor licenses. We are in charge of many of the Sunshine Law requests that come to the register's office in writing. And of course the personal financial disclosure that many of you have to fill out including the elected officials and c department heads that also happens through the register's office. So with the annual budget many times I am asked what is the total revenue for St. Charles County? Well, if you look at all funds going back to 2022 and going forward, you can see that it's nearly $400,000, $400 million a year for the annual budget for St. Charles County. when it comes to the capital plan and this is all the capital improvements and other capital expenditures which are proposed during the ensuing five calendar years. And when you look at the numbers there, you can see that this number basically is going to be about $90 million for each of the next five years as we go forward. As far as purchases and procurement, uh basically uh let's see here. Let's get to the next slide. There we go. Each year when you look at the number of purchase orders that are processed by the finance department, that number has exceeded 10,000. And probably for 2025, by the time we get to the end of the year, there'll be over 12,000 purchase orders that will be processed by the finance department. When it comes to the number of bids in St. Charles County, you can see over the last couple years, the number continues to increase and probably for the year

2025 will be around 175 bids that will be processed in the finance department. As far as cash management, that does, as I mentioned, include cash receipts. And just so you know, all funds received through the county are processed through the finance department to be deposited with the exception of the circuit courts, the collector of revenue, and the family arena, which do their own deposits directly. Right now, each year, the cash receipts clerk processes approximately 10,000 receipts on an annual basis. And just so you know, I'm not going to take that yawn personally. Okay? Sorry, ma'am. That's okay. It's been a long day. It has.

Uh, cash dispersements is also part of what happens in the finance department. Right now, we have two employees that receive and process all invoices to be paid by the county. And checks are issued twice weekly, averaging anywhere between 150 and 200 checks per check run. And the finance department also processes all petty cash reimbursements. And for the most recent complete calendar year 2024, we did process 425 petty cash reimbursements. And then when it comes to the number of accounts payable, checks and EFTs that we process, you can see this number also is continuing to be right around $20,000 20,000 checks and EFT EFTs that we process each and every year. As far as debt management, the finance department is responsible for the acquisition and payment of all debt incurred by the county after the approval of the county council and the county executive. Right now, there are five debt issues that the county currently has. Starting with the 2020 emergency communication center construction. It was refinanced for $13 million. That is going to be payable through October of 2029. We have the 2024 Justice Center and the Family Arena bonds back uh just a year ago totaling more than 30 million and those will be paid through April of 2044. And then recently there was the 2025 emergency dispatch radio system replacement totaling more than $15 million that's payable through April of 2040. And then in addition to that, there were two NIDs, neighborhood improvement disc district districts uh that were issued in 26 2006 and 2009 totaling 675,000 that are due in March of 2026 and March of 2029. So you can see that three of these debt management

issues will be rolling off the books probably in the next four to five years. As far as financial reporting, the finance department each year prepares the annual comprehensive financial report for St. Charles County. And once again, St. Charles County has received an unqualified opinion for their financial statements, which is the most favorable and commonly referred to as a clean report. St. Charles County financial statements that have been uh been presented, the excuse me, the St. Charles financial statements that are presented fairly in accordance with applicable accounting and standards with no material misstatements. And for the past 23 years, the county has received a certificate of achievement of excellent reporting from the Government Financial Officers Association of the United States. When it comes to paychecks, uh, currently there are two in-house employees that handle all the paychecks for St. Charles County. The financial finance department works with HR to process the employee changes, the new hires, the terminations, the direct deposit changes, pay adjustments, and for the most recent year, the full year, there's about 1,900 employee changes that did occur. Right now, paychecks are processed bilally for the county employees and as needed for the union workers at the family arena and for the election judges. For example, during the November 2024 election, the finance department did process payroll for over,200 election judges. And when it comes to the number of paychecks and direct deposits that are processed on an annual basis for our St. Charles County employees, you can see over the past couple years, that number easily exceeds 35,000 paychecks on an annual basis. And just so you know, at the end of the

year, approximately 2400 W2 forms are processed for and distributed to our county employees. When it comes to investments, the finance department's role is the cash management, which includes the investment of the county funds. All bank accounts for the county are maintained in interestbearing accounts insured by the FDIC and backed dollar fordollar by the US government securities for cash balances over FDIC limits. Funds that are not needed for immediate use by the county are invested in long-term high yield investments maturing in less than five years in accordance with the county investment policy. And right now, those investments at this time are in US government treasury bills and US federal agency debt issues. When it comes to fleet management, the finance department is responsible for acquiring, repairing, maintaining, and retiring the fleet vehicles for St. Charles County. And if you were curious how many number of vehicles the county currently has, you can see over the past couple years that number well exceeds 400 vehicles for our St. Charles County employees to be used. As far as fixed asset tracking, this covers buildings improvements, equipment, land, infrastructure, and construction in progress. Here's the numbers over the past couple years as far as the number of fixed assets that have been tracked. And that number will probably exceed close to a billion dollars here shortly. Uh the finance department each year, just so you know, tags all county equipment with the cost in excess of $1,000. So that's about a thousand tags each and every year that the finance department takes care of. And just so you know, the finance department also assists the departments with the disposal of surplus assets. Assets that still have any value are listed on the gov deals to be sold or through the county's vehicle surplus sale. And as I mentioned earlier, the county finance department also takes care of

the liquor license issued within St. Charles County. Right now, the number of liquor license continues to grow over the past couple of years. And probably very soon we'll exceed 1,000 liquor license. And keep in mind that's not only the brick and mortar establishments, but that's also your county fairs, your Sunday list beer license for church picnic and so forth. And then other licenses that are issued by the finance department includes auctioneer licenses, bicycle event licenses, ferry licenses, uh vendor licenses, medical marijuana business licenses, merch manufacturer licenses, uh solicitor licenses, and toll licenses. Also within the register's office, they, as I mentioned, take care of the written sunshine law requests that are received for the county. They take care of the PFDs, the personal financial disclosures with the Missouri Ethics Commission, but also the registar is responsible for analyzing, preserving, and archiving the pages for the county's history, which would include, of course, your county council meetings that you have each month. And right now, this number continues to grow and more than likely for 2025, that number will exceed 80,000 pages that will be archived by our county registar. So, with that, that's just a quick overview. As I said, numbers are fun. So, thank you for only the one yawn. I appreciate that. So,

any questions? Thanks, Mike. We appreciate it. Good job on that, Mike. Uh, County Executive, anything further? No, sir. That would bring us to the consent agenda. Any items to be removed from the consent agenda? I'd like I'd like to remove the um the appointees uh for conversation. All of them. Well, I I was just gonna have some questions, but yeah. I mean, well, let me go. Do you want to go through each one? You have you have plann Don't you got a Oh, I see. Um,

like, do you want to remove all of the appointees because you've got planning and zoning, CCB, the Industrial Development Authority, and Ducket Creek? Uh, the the Ducket Creek one. Um, this is the Ducket Creek one, I think. So, Ducket Creek. Do I have a second? Second. All those in favor? I I I. Any opposed? Okay. Anything else? Okay. Seeing none. No. I was going to make a motion to approve the rest of the consent agenda. Do I have a second? All those in favor say I. I. All oppose. Mr. Brazwell, we're back to you for the Ducky Creek appointment.

I would like I don't know this person. And I never met this person, but I I in fact if that person is an engineer with coal and he's serving on the Ducket Creek District board. Um I would consider that would be somewhat of a conflict, but I think maybe it's worth a conversation. I'm not saying I I I would I I'll either vote no for it. You guys proceed or have a conversation about it. Maybe call Steve and I'll ask him just a few questions. That's um I think it is might be a concern because Cole designs public water district 2 and this guy is getting on the ducket board. I don't know. I just it's questionable. I'm not saying there's anything wrong. I'm just saying it's questionable. Any other comments?

Well, I I know him. I mean, he's he's an engineer. Uh I think he's got the he has the ability to question some of the things that the districts is doing from an engineering standpoint. So, I think he's a valuable asset to Ducket Creek personally. Yeah, me too. I would agree. You could move forward then. Yeah. Well, I mean my my question would be who would you wouldn't you want engineers serving on the Ducket Creek board? I mean you wouldn't want me being on the board. I mean I could talk to him about broadband. I don't disagree. I don't know anything about water.

That's why we're up here is to ask questions. I mean it's it's I'm just saying that if you're an engineer for for public water you you're engineer in public water district 2 stuff. That's what Cole does. They're a subcontractor to to pub and so

yeah, I wish we had more engineers willing to serve. So I certainly would hope you would approve him and and he uh Mr. Brazzle, he would have to do exactly what you did a few months ago. You had a a conflict and you simply removed yourself from that decision. And yeah, if there was something involving his employer that was somehow in front of the of the board, he would have to uh recuse himself and not be part of the discussion. And I think uh uh again, I don't know him that well, but I think he's the kind of ethical person that would do the right thing. Okay, that's fine. Any other questions? I would entertain a motion. Motion to approve. Motion to approve. Second. Second. All those in favor?

Any opposed? That is approved. That would get us to bills for final passage starting with bill 5444. Bill bill number 5444 an ordinance amending sections 500.500 500.510 500.520 500.530 500.540 and 500.550 of the ordinances of St. Charles County Missouri to update and amend the property maintenance code of St. Charles County. Dave, I just wanted to say the uh St. Charles County Building Commission reviewed this and the recommended approval and so do I. Excellent.

Thank you. Any other questions or comments? Seeing none, please call the role. Bill number 5444, an ordinance amending sections 500.500, 500.510, 500.520, 500.530, 500.540, and 500.550 of the ordinances of St. Charles County, Missouri to update and amend the property maintenance code of St. Charles County. Councilman Swanson, yes, ma'am. Councilman Brazzle, yes. Councilman Hammond, yes. Councilman Elim, yes. Councilman Hollander, Councilwoman York, yes. Councilman Baker, yes. Bill number 5444 passes. That gets us to bill 5445.

Bill number 5445, an ordinance amending chapter 500, building codes and county building commission. Ordinances of St. Charles County, Missouri, by adopting St. Charles County amendments and modifications of relevant standardized codes. Mr. Hammond, again, uh the St. Charles County Building Commission recommended approval and so do I. Any other questions or comments? Seeing none, please call the role. Bill number 5445, an ordinance amending chapter 500, building codes and county building commission ordinances of St. Charles County, Missouri by adopting St. Charles County amendments and modifications of relevant standardized codes. Councilman Brazzle, yes. Councilman Hammond,

yes. Councilman Elam, yes. Councilman Hollander. Councilwoman York. Yes. Councilman Baker. Yes. And me. Councilman Swanson. Yes, ma'am. Save the best for last. There you go. Bill 5445 passes. That gets us to 5546. Bill number 5446, an ordinance amending the 2025 budget adopted as ordinance 24-106 as amended by transferring unencumbered appropriations between line items in the general fund and the fleet management fund. Councilwoman York, I would like to make a motion to amend bill number 5446 and replace it with substitute bill number 5446 that includes revised exhibits.

Second. I have a motion and a second. Uh any discussion? Um all those in favor? I. All those opposed. Any other discussion on this bill? Seeing none, please call the role. Substitute bill number 5446, an ordinance amending the 2025 budget, adopted as ordinance 24-106 as amended by transferring unencumbered appropriations between line items in the general fund and the fleet management fund. Councilman Hammond, yes. Councilman Elim, yes. Councilman Hollander, Councilwoman York, yes. Councilman Baker, yes. Councilman Swanson, yes, ma'am. And Councilman Brazzle,

yes. Bill 5446 passes. That gets us to bill 5447. Bill number 5447, an ordinance adopting and appropriating the fiscal year 2026 budget for St. Charles County, Missouri. Councilwoman York. I would like to uh make a motion to amend bill number 5447 and replace it with substitute bill number 5447 that includes updated figure adjustments. Second. Motion and second. Any discussion on that? All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed. The substitute bill is on the floor. Any discussion on the substitute bill?

Seeing none, please call the role. Substitute bill number 5447, an ordinance adopting and appropriating the fiscal year 2026 budget for St. Charles County, Missouri. Councilman Elim. Yes. Councilman Hollander. Councilwoman York. Yes. Councilman Baker. Yes. Councilman Swanson. Yes, ma'am. Councilman Brazzle. Uh, no. Councilman Hammond. Yes. Bill 5447 passes. Substitute bill passes. That gets us to bill 5448.

Bill number 5448. An ordinance amending sections contained within the personnel administration plan chapter 115 of the ordinances of St. Charles County, Missouri. Repealing sections 115.360, 115.790, 115.810, and 115.860. Repealing and replacing section 115.720, and establishing section 115.335, all concerning the personnel administration plan, including but not limited to benefits. Any questions or comments about this bill? Mr.

Question. Uh thank you Joanne for answering most of my questions. Um I have the one question that um I that you did answer but I still have question about it. It's on page 15 and it's paragraph H where you say in here that um records related to employment investigations to privacy integrity to encourage honest participation to prevent retaliation or gossip and to maintain fairness and objectivity. All investigations, memorandums, and materials related to an investigation shall be held confidential and not released absent permission from the director administration. Does this mean that um if there's questions that the council has um that you're going to hold consider that private and not uh include the council on close personnel matters?

You're about it during an employment investigation. That's what this says. as it says that yeah, if there's if there's a question like where whereas before the council would always be involved and let at least you would give us a heads up on what's going on. What this does is this lets you determine what is private and secret and not include the county council on that information which I think is 100% wrong. I don't think it says that at all. Well, that's how I read it. It says that you can determine what is what is what is privileged and what should be uh what related to not released absent permission from the director of administration. That means it that we wouldn't get wasn't a member of the public.

It does was it does tell me where it says it where it says that I mean it says it it says records related to employment investigation to preserve integrity to encourage honest. It doesn't say uh members of the public. It says in in general there isn't any requirement to to list every single member of the government when we're amending the personnel administration program. This is a confidentiality provision that's meant to protect the employees information. What you're doing is it has absolutely no impact. I won't support this bill. But if you guys council's authority changes or the ability to

to be briefed in a closed session, it does not impact that whatsoever. I won't support this bill because of that. It doesn't make any sense. Any other questions? Seeing none, please call the role.

Bill number 5448, an ordinance amending sections contained within the Personnel Administration Plan, Chapter 115 of the Ordinances of St. Charles County, Missouri, repealing sections 115.360, 115.790, 115.810, and 115.860. 860, repealing and replacing section 115.720, and establishing section 115.335. All concerning the personnel administration plan, including but not limited to benefits. Councilman Hollander, Councilwoman York, yes. Councilman Baker, yes. Councilman Swanson, yes, ma'am. Councilman Brazzle, no. Councilman Hammond, yes.

Councilman Elim, yes. Bill 5448 passes. That gets us to 5449. Bill number 5449, an ordinance approving the transportation improvement plan for fiscal years 2026 through 2028 and corresponding intergovernmental agreements.

This bill includes a revised exhibit one and accounts for the Lake St. Louis Boulevard funds that were moved to the highway in completion. With that, any questions or comments? Mr. Baker? Yeah, I' I'd like to add the uh the sidewalk along Upper Bottom to this this project to this tip. Um I you know, I know there's some concerns about the engineering, but I I don't think that there I don't think it's something we couldn't overcome. And and of all the projects that that we see that aren't funded, I mean, this one makes a lot of sense. I mean, like I said, Upper Bottom should have had a sidewalk when they built it. I get it why they didn't. It comes with funding. Well, we're in a position now we ought to fund it. We've got a a park that the neighbors can't get to safely. And I'd like to I'd like to add the funding for that sidewalk project.

What's the funding? How much? Mhm. Well, I I mean I I don't know if if Rob, have you guys looked at that? I know you we've talked about it and you've said that they are looking at it. We we do not have any uh hard dollar amounts for the project. I I mean from from a from a design standpoint, I would I would I mean 100,000 maybe in design and 300 in construction. I mean I wouldn't even hazard a guess. Yeah. Right away purchases design engineering.

I would think you don't have to purchase much right away if any. I mean you can build the sidewalk within the rightway. You may have to get some temporary easements, but I mean it's a much needed project. We've got a petition where 51 people have signed it and I think we we're not doing our job if we just allow projects that should be done and money sitting there not doing it. So I'd like to amend the tip to include that. Second. Yeah, I'll second. You got to have a dollar amount. You So we have we have a motion and a second. So now discussion. Go ahead. Can you put a placeholder in there for what? 400,000. 400. I'll second that. If that you want to add that to your motion. Yes. So second. So county executive.

Do we know whether we have the rightway or whether it's has to be purchased? You wouldn't have to put your purchase right away to do a sidewalk. You could put in a sidewalk easement if you had to, but you wouldn't have to purchase right away. And I I would suspect Well, I mean, some of our some of our easements are wide enough you can build a a sidewalk. Others the road is right up to the Well, that that may be the case. I I doubt it, but I mean it'd be unique from a from a I've seen it both ways, so I don't know. I haven't seen it that much. I mean,

it would take it from Spring Bend Park and I think there's some sidewalk that that just stops as you cross upper bottom. It would probably need a a crosswalk there and then the little sidewalk is the the project really is it's not that long. So, uh I think 400,000 would be would be ample for this. on on the condition that people donate any right away that's necessary.

Uh well, I I don't think we want to make that condition. I I think uh there's some abilities to to do some uh curb widening to allow people to walk safely without having to get right away. I mean, I'd have to I'd have to look at it and I'm sure John and his engineers can look at it, but I have to believe that there's room enough to to at least put the sidewalk in the rightway. There may be some temporary grading or or or whatnot, but uh take the money from Well, just put it to the tip. I I'd let Amanda figure out where the money I mean, I recall the last We can't just put it to the tip. You have to All right. Well, I make a motion we take it from the economic development fund and put it towards this. Go ahead,

Tim. I I I get what you're doing here. It's just we have no specifics. Again, we don't know how much this is going to cost. What if one of the residents don't want a sidewalk in front of their property and then we're going to have to fight through this? How long is it going to last? I I want to do your sidewalk. I really do. But there's no specifics. I would say, you know what, if you want to make this an item for next year to have it up there that this comes and gets fully funded and we have all the numbers in front of us, fully support you, sir. I do. But you're just throwing a number out there that I don't know if it's even accurate. Are you 200,000 over? Are you 200,000 below? What's the number? You're not

Matt. I I've done this for a living. So I I I mean 100. Okay. Then I I say we fund 100,000 for engineering. We'll know what the cost is a year from now when we're going to fund the construction. So I would like to fund $100,000 for the engineering of the sidewalk. This is what I do. So I' I've done sidewalk. Now see I know what the engineering now what you're talking about. I can get more behind because you're not funding the full project. You're saying we're going to go into the design phase of it. But it sounds like we probably have somebody who wants to weigh in on it by who just jumped up out of the audience. So I'll let the chair run this. Well, so here's a question. As soon as she gets done asking that question, then I have a question for her.

So well, the the first question that I would have Joanne,

it's okay. Don't we have the ability to amend the tip in the year? Can't we a So, let's say to what Mr. Swanson is asking of Mr. Baker said, "Look, we're on board with doing the sidewalk. We appreciate what the community wants and the 51 signatures that uh that are on that. I appreciate that. But and I appreciate this is what you've done, but to Mr. sponsor's point. We have no idea how much this is going to cost and what it's actually going to be. Can we not amend the tip within the year so we don't have to wait till this time 2026 to get it? But once we have the figures, can we then amend the tip to match the figures? So, we can do it.

You can amend the tip. There's nothing that prevents that. Um, we don't do it very often, but you can certainly do that. Um, I think what you're doing is kind of instructing the highway department to make the application through the road board because that I know of you've never gone around. The road is a recommended body and and so ultimately the decision rests with us if that's not am I correct? That's right. I mean, it absolutely rests with you in the end, but you've never before not let the road board go in and weigh in and give you I mean it

so we have to go through the process of them saying whether it's needed or not. Then it comes back to us and then we say we want it. So you don't have to do that. You don't have to do that. You do what you want. No, you don't have to.

We don't have to do that. It's if you go through the process, here's my only point is it lets our highway department whose pos this project would be fill out the application, estimate what the the um planning and engineering costs would be and then figure out what the application would actually be for the road for the pardon me, not roadway, but for the sidewalk to be put in. So, somebody's got to actually come down with these numbers that you're attempting to estimate. And I know with your background and what you do for a living, your estimates are probably very close, but they ultimately have to be in charge of having those dollar figures wrangled up and being able to bid the or put in the sidewalk.

But the the last thing I want is them to go get East West Gateway funding and then we have to put a 10-ft wide two-way back path through there. That's going to be enormous. Kind of like what they're doing on Guttermouth. I mean, I just I mean, I've given you what I think that what I mean 100,000 is is plenty for engineering on this. I mean, it's not that long of a road project. I mean, I guess we can have the highway department uh fill out the application, but ultimately we're going to go through that and it's going to come back to us and we make the ultimate decision. Yes, sir. But we have people serving on the road board and they are only advisory. And with regard to the soundwall, I asked you to go and pitch this to them and you did. I didn't. Uhhuh.

I didn't I didn't even know there was a meeting at regarding the soundwall. I learned about it after the fact. Yeah. Yeah. They they did at least discuss it. But and my point only my only point is in this case um you know um it's just it's just basically saying um we're going to go ahead and do something different and not even allow you to have an opinion on it. And that's well the motion's been made seconded. So it

and we're in discussion right now. So the what I'm trying to understand is where is the money coming from? I mean you Correct me if I'm wrong, but you've made two motions so far, and we haven't voted on the first one. So, your first motion was for $400,000 that Mr. Brazzle had you amend Mr. Hammond's second. Mr. Hammond seconded your first motion. Mr. Brazzle asked you for a dollar amount. You said 400,000. We got a second from Mr. Hammond on that. That motion was your first one. Then you made a motion for $100,000 of engineering. So we have

That's a substitute motion, I thought. Yeah. So I'm working on clarification here. Okay. So, right now, from what I understand, if I have your motion correct, you want to make a motion to move $400,000 for no $100,000. To do some He hasn't amended the first motion yet. I still have the other motion on the table for 400,000 that wasn't recalled. I'm not going to speak for Mr. B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B Baker, but I thought he was offering a substitute motion first.

Okay, here I'll make a form I'll formalize this. I'll make a substitute motion that we fund $100,000 for engineering for this trail that goes from upper bottom loop to where the sidewalk discontinues on upper bottom near the signal. Uh ft. 300. Oh, it's not point of order real quick. to go clean. Just remove the previous motions, withdraw both of those, and then start with a fresh one. Okay. Does that work for you, Rory? Sure.

Let me I'll remove my second withdraw all motions. I'd like to make a motion that Amanda and John Lions finds $100,000 in the current tip for engineering. And so that a year from now, we have an idea of what the construction costs are. Well, no. Is there a second? Second. Take the year. All right. We have a motion and a second in discussion. We don't have to wait a year from now. Perfect. Then yes, let's to put that in there. We do have to wait till next year, which is in 16 days, but Okay, fair enough.

We do have to wait for that. help me correct because I've I've never amended a tip at the end of the year like this before. So, I haven't either, but I think first time for everything. We know at least we have a number and we know where it's going to go. So, that's my question. Do we be Amanda create line 131 uh sidewalk on the south side? I believe you said. Well, I mean,

yeah, I mean, there may be some sidewalk. There's some work that needs to be done because a crosswalk needs to be done and some handicap ramps, maybe moving some guardrail, some some maybe curb lines change and some grading. Um, hang on. We're just making a motion for the engineering money at the moment, correct? Right. Okay. So, you don't have to add all that into this, but we do have to say where we're moving it from, do we not? Yeah. So my understanding was is that you were taking it from the uh 10 million economic development fund. You were reducing that by 100,000. Correct. Which is line 124. And that is Yes. Correct. Line 124.

Okay. I think we have a decent record now. So we can make sure it's clear. Okay. So, we're we're moving $100,000 from the economic development fund and moving that to do the engineering study for the sidewalk on upper bottom. I'll second that. I think Mr. Hammond already did. We're in discussion time right now. Okay. I'm just trying to get my head around what we just did and making sure that we're pulling money from a fund that we're supposed to be pulling it from and we're documenting it in the right place. Are you square on the substitute amendment? Yes, sir. All right. Any other questions? All right. On this issue, on this issue, don't move me to another really large.

Can you read exactly what we're voted on now? Sure. So, the motion is to amend the tip and to deduct a 100,000 from line 124, which is the uh economic development fund, reducing that to 99 0000 and then you are creating a new line item 131 which is going to be for sidewalk engineering study upper bottom road there. Perfect. Claire, you good on all that? And excuse me. And adding and adding,000 to that line. We're getting the notes down properly here since this was a little convoluted.

All right. Still in discussion. Any other questions at this point? On the tip. On on the tip. Yes. I would like to make a motion to Well, hang on. Are we We need to finish this one. Oh, I'm done. I'm done with the sidewalk. Can we vote on it? We got to vote on it. Yeah. No, you got to do we not need to We have to accept the amendment. Do we not? Correct. Yeah. Okay. Don't confuse me, Joe. So, all those in favor? I All those opposed. All right. So, the amended tip is now in play. Mr. Brazzle, sounds like you have another amendment.

I I'd like to make a motion to transfer $150,000 in for the wall on that Mr. Baker asked for on what location is that, Tim? Norwood. Norwood. No, Norwood. Norwood. Yeah. KN. And that money would come from Was it? We were going to pull it from Highway, but we want to move that already. Did we move that? I wasn't estimating last time. So, did we move that money already? It was moved from the from the Lake St. Louis Boulevard project. That that money got moved to Lake St. Louis. Okay. Yes. All right. Lake St. Louis Boulevard was defunded and moved to Highway in Okay. So, that's now funding your roadway. Okay. Yes. Uh-huh. So, the money would come from Tim.

I guess take it from economic development. Economic development. That would be my motion. Wait, is 150 that just for the sound study or what is that for? No, for the the wall. You said it was 650. Yeah, you said 150. No, I meant to say 650. I'm sorry. $650,000 from that line item on economic development to go in towards that wall on the tip project on that project. Do I have a second? Second. You have a motion and a second? Yes. May May I clarify? Are you creating a new line 132 for the soundwall? He is. And specifically for Noah Wood. Yes. Yes.

Okay. So, our motion would be to move $650,000 from the economic development line which was is that 120 124. Okay. So, we're moving 650 from there creating line 132 that is a soundwall fund and we are moving the money to there. Yes, sir. Wall um on No. What dimensions on what rideway would it be uh would it be built?

Um I don't have the survey. I don't know. That's what that was the number that we got from Amanda, I believe. Pardon me. That's the number that Mr. Baker came up with at the last meeting. You got it from her, right? Well, 550,000 is what I I understood the cost of the actual construction is with the 100,000 which is I threw in there for sound updating a sound study and let us know how high the wall needs to be and and you know if I'd like to make sure if we do a wall and we we pay the money to to damper the sound that we're actually making a difference. So, you know, there would have to be a sound study and that's the 100,000 and the construction. So, uh that's that was the my thinking.

The the cost in there was square footage for like what had in their original study just FYI. Okay. So, we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion on this? M. Yes, sir. Can we even build a soundwall there if it's in Mod Rideway? Yes. We don't know that yet.

So, we don't know. So, once again, we're allocating money for a project that we have no idea that we can do, which then sets a precedent to build other soundwalls throughout St. Charles County that are completely unfunded. So all those people who live in Cave Springs right next to I7 and have been there forever. Do they get a soundwall? Highway 364. Do they I live off Highway 61? We're expanding it. We have a meeting this Wednesday. We're going to hit that threshold, too. Do does all of Highway 61 get a sound wall? I kind of feel like I'm Oprah Winfrey here saying you get a sound wall. You get a sound wall. You get a soundwall. We don't have any stats behind this. Yes, you've got the noise level. We've got other emails that have come across that said we have areas that are in worse condition. I empathize with these people. I have people on I7 or next to a railroad track. Do they get a sound wall because when the train rumbles through there, it's too loud. I mean, where do we stop with building these soundwalls? There has to be a little bit of accountability. You move to a spot. You know what's there. I just don't see using taxpayer dollars. Mr. brows and myself have a lot of roads that need to be fixed that are for safety reasons. We had another massive accident on 61 last month or this month, I guess it is still. Where do we stop? I I I just can't. Tim, you know what you're doing and I appreciate it. You're fighting for the residents that are not in your district. I get it, but you're coming to us with not the facts of what we actually need. If you could give me hardcore numbers that say yes, we can build it. Yes, it's going to improve the quality of life. No, it's not going to disrupt other individuals in the area. You don't know what the consequences of it because no study has been done. You're just throwing $650,000 on a wall that fingers crossed it'll work. That is the worst use of taxpayer dollars.

But you're okay with the money that we we gave to the developer of River Point. Are you okay with that? That have nothing to do with safety. Okay. Now, you're mixing other issues and this is called distraction. No, we're talking about your issue that you brought forward that is not vetted. Period. It's not vetted. Can you tell me how long this wall is going to be? How high it's going to be? I don't. We're going to have to do the Oh, we don't know. So, let's put $650,000 of tax money. When we come to road projects, we don't know a lot of the details, Matt. Really? Because when we go through the rule, when they go through the road board and everything, that's when they do all the vetting. You're changing a tip at the last minute and nothing's been vetted. Well, actually, Matt, they don't do any engineering until it's approved.

Right. But you know what? By the time they get there, our staff has already gone through a lot of the numbers and they already know what's going to happen and not happen. Amanda is the one who gave the money though. Yeah, but she just said she doesn't know we can even build it. You can we can build it. MDOT doesn't care if they're not paying for it. That's right. Well, then we're going to get in the soundwall business just like we have to be in the ming of roundabout business. If the sound levels are as bad as what these constituents deal with, then we should be cuz Mo's not. Then put together a plan that we create a fund. The lobbyist. That's as simple as it can be. You can put together a plan, sir. Okay. Dave, I didn't just say let's call the question.

What' you say, Dave? He he called the question. That means we're Yes, sir. Well, I mean, I can't really add much to what Mr. Swanson said, and you know how I feel about this, and I'm looking at the precedent we're setting. And I mean, uh, if this passes, are each of you go, what are you going to say when people in your district call and say, I want a sound wall, too? Are you going to be able to tell them no? Are you going to be able to say, well, yours is needed as much as Mr. Baker's was, uh, since we don't have any way to compare. So, you know, you just have to in the future.

You just have to decide. But I think this is this is moving into an area if we're going to do it for mod. What about our own roads? I mean, we're we're building roads. What you know, uh we're building roads all the time and and we've got uh are we doing decel levels at 85 and higher? If we are, then shame on us and we should be doing sound walls. I mean to sit there and say just because we're doing one I mean my point is if these other areas that that we keep referencing are as bad as this area then somebody needs to do something about it. Mo's not.

You know you know that you can go out and and depending upon the time of day you're going to get a certain and and I'm you know if we can go out and do this the same way everywhere and you can come back and show that somehow this is is different than all these others then And I think, you know, I think you got a good argument. But at this point, we're just open up just open up ourselves to other people coming in and want the same wanting the same thing. And unlike MDOT, we will not have a standard. When they go to MDOT and say we want this, they say here's here's our our here's our formula. Okay? Right?

And uh when they come and ask us, we we're not going to have a formula to show. That's all I was asking earlier. if we go ahead look at all study all this get a formula you know and and if if and if and if and if and if and if and if and if and if and if and if yours is the worst one yours would get fixed and and we could turn down the rest but right now the way we're we're going at this I have a hard time with a straight face telling everybody else no we're going to do it here but not there but we're not we're not telling them do it somewhere there was a call to question there was please call the role oh sorry this is we're not calling the role we're still working on the amendment that Mr. Mr. Brazzle. Rory, are you clear on we've established 132 line?

Correct. For $650,000. We're pulling it from the economic development fund. $650,000. It's going from there. All those in favor say I. I. I. All those opposed? No. Uh that means it passes. Uh 4 to two. Uh any other amendments on the tip? You sure? This your last chance? No. All right. Um, any other conversation about the tip? Seeing none, please call the role.

Amended bill number 5449, an ordinance approving the transportation improvement plan for fiscal year fiscal years 2026 through 2028 and corresponding intergovernmental agreements. Councilwoman York, yes. Councilman Baker, yes. Councilman Swanson, no. Councilman Brazzle, yes. Councilman Hammond, yes. Councilman Elim, no. Councilman Hollander. So, it passes 4 to three. The amended tip. 42, not 4 to3. You said 43.

It is 43 cuz Mr. Hollander is not here. Therefore, he is an implied note. So it is 4 to three cuz she did call his name. So bill 5449 passes. The amended bill 5449 passes. That gets us to bill 5450. Bill number 5450, an ordinance authorizing the county executive to execute agreements for 2026 advocacy and lobbying services. Questions or comments? Seeing none. I I'm just going to say I'm not going to support this because um

Can you say it into that microphone? Yeah, I'm not going to support this because just this one issue there's but there's a lot of other issues where we don't see I hate to say this but ACO's right on some of this stuff. It's like there's there's there's no there's no reports. There's no flowcharts. There's no nothing. And it's like I don't know what's going on with with these lobbyist. And I think sometimes these work against uh my philosophy as a county councilman. Um and so I can't support this. I don't I think it's an unne unnecessary expenditure as well. All right. Any other questions or comments? Yes, sir.

The only thing I'll say is if uh if if we're unwise to hire these people, there's a lot of other clients that they are equally unwise and we have them all listed for us. So, I think they do a good job and apparently other people do as well. Sure. Can I They also work with our federal uh legislators sometimes too. Correct. Especially Especially Tom, not not so much Mike, not okay. The transportation part city, but Tom is transportation. He's been to Washington DC, right? You know, so so they're dual action. I mean, they're not just simply here in Missouri. They're also federal for us. Yeah. Appreciate that. Good.

Any other questions or comments? Seeing none, please call the role. Bill number 5450, an ordinance authorizing the county executive to execute agreements for 2026 advocacy and lobbying services. Councilman Baker, yes. Councilman Swanson, yes, ma'am. Councilman Brazzle, no. Councilman Hammond, yes. Councilman Elim, yes. Councilman Hollander. Councilwoman York, yes.

Bill 544 5450 passes bill 5451. Bill number 5451, an ordinance repealing the current chapter 122 in its entirety, enacting a new chapter 122 and amending section 115.710 ordinances of St. Charles County, Missouri. Any questions or comments on this bill? Yes. What's the purpose of this name change? I'm just curious. The uh name change, we have a lot of confusion. People calling in asking about pothole repairs and road repairs to Amanda's office, and that's not what they do. Makes sense.

So, um, really what they do is they plan for the future as is indicated by the tip for projects going forward. So, we thought that transportation planning fit the bill a little bit better. Thank you. Any other questions or comments? Seeing none, please call the role. Bill number 5451, an ordinance repealing the current chapter 122 in its entirety, enacting a new chapter 122 and amending section 115.710 ordinances of St. Charles County, Missouri. Councilman Swanson, yes, ma'am. Councilman Brazzle, yes. Councilman Hammond, yes. Councilwoman Elim, yes. Councilman Hollander, Councilwoman York, yes. Counciloman Baker, yes.

Bill 5451 passes. That moves us to bills for introduction, starting with 5452. Bill number 5452, requested by Mike Herlbert, sponsored by Mike Gilm, an ordinance authorizing execution of an agreement relating to St. Charles County's urban county community development block grant program or urban county CDBG program, namely a 2025 subreient agreement between St. Charles County and the city of St. Peters to operate and run the city's CDBG programs and services.

Any questions or comments about this bill? Seeing none, we move to 5453. Bill number 5453, an ordinance authorizing the county executive to execute an intergovernmental agreement with the curators of the University of Missouri Columbia contracting on behalf of the Center for Applied Research and Engagement Systems. Questions or comments about this bill. That gets us to 5454. Bill number 5454 requested by Sheriff Scott Sheriff Scott Lewis, sponsored by Mike Elim. An ordinance amending section 285.0 010 ordinances of St. Charles County, Missouri, establishing the St. Charles County Sheriff's Department civil process fee schedule.

Any questions or comments about this? Just real. Sheriff, do you want to say anything or are you just good? Perfect. All right, that wraps up bills for introduction. We will vote on those next year.

Uh, that gets us to announcements and miscellaneous. Which staff has something to read? Election results. Abolishment of the Wsville 2 Transportation Development District. Number one, certified copy of the official results of the mail and election received from the director of elections of St. Charles County. Pursuant to sections 238, 215.4, and 238, 275 RSMO. And on behalf of the St. Charles County Election Authority. Please find the attached certified copy of the election results for the recent mail and election held regarding abolition of the THF Winssville 2 development LLC transportation development district. A certified copy of these election results has been filed with the county registar and spread upon the records of the county council.

Thank you very much. Yes. If I can staff, I had a resident reach out to me asking for the specific location of this. Reading through the packet, it didn't give a specific location. Do we know? Because they THF has like four different areas over there and I didn't know which one this was. Is this the one they did for Crocki? These are all his. But they also took money for the for the civic center. They went in money for Kronkey's development and they and the other half went to the went to the civic center. Is that is that what this one is?

Well, see, I think the previous one we had was where Dearberg sit has that has fallen off and I didn't know if this is the one where Shnooks or if it's across the street and reading through it, it didn't give an exact location. So, that's why I was going to acquire. I'm sure I can call city of Wville and they'll know. Would you look at I'll look at it, but I don't know if I Okay. If you could send me an email on that, that'd be great. That way I'll let the resident know. Thank you. Any other announcements or miscellaneous? Yes, sir.

Yes. So this Wednesday 4:30 6:30 Wville City Hall MODOT will be there to discuss the Highway 61 improvements which will be an overpass at Highway W outer roads on the western half a small outer road on the eastern half. It'll give an opportunity for all res to go out there and see what this new will this new area will look like. It's going to change dramatically. Highway A/Well Parkway will also be redone and they're looking at going three lanes north and three lanes south. I do believe is that correct Amanda in the many year time frame when they have

right so this is we have a lot of stuff happen out there with the I70 interchange the pedestrian walkway over and now this it's it's exciting to see all the stuff starting to move forward finally so that's all that's happening hope to see you there on Wednesday any other comments yes I'd just like to wish everybody a happy holidays thank you very much yes Mr. Drake.

Yeah. I just want to mention the tragic passing of Sarah McCarthy in our ambulance district. It was a she was a 23-year veteran. She served our community uh honorably and such a sad tragic loss. So, uh just my heartfelt uh sympathy goes out to the community and especially the the co-workers of the ambulance district. It was very tragic. So, just want to mention that. Any other comments?

I just want to thank uh my fellow elected officials. I've learned a lot this last year. Uh, but I know how much time and effort you put in serving our community as well as the county executive, others who are elected to these positions, Michelle, all the others. Really, a big thank you to the staff. Um, I've learned a lot. You've been very patient with me and with all of us because, uh, we come up with some pretty goofy questions sometimes, I'm sure. Uh, and we blame it all on our residents. That That's what the question was goofy. Uh but again, uh thank you for everybody and a very blessed and uh holy holiday season to all of you.

Um yeah, I'd like to thank Chief Fritz and and Sheriff Lewis for contributing to our our Christmas parade. It was a great turnout. The uh St. Charles County Police Department color did an awesome job as they always do and so did the police department correcting our directing traffic and so forth. So thank you guys for that. Yes, sir. Follow up to Mr. Brazzle. I'd just like to thank our sheriff for not being in jail. Yes. Thank you. We're glad to have you here. Keep doing a good job. It's a high bar, Sheriff. That's it's where we are these days. All right. With on that note, I would entertain a motion to dismiss. Motion to journ. We're ajourned.