WEBVTT 00:00:01.580 --> 00:00:02.280 Are we ready? 00:00:02.560 --> 00:00:02.760 Yeah 00:00:02.760 --> 00:00:13.040 All right, being it's 530, we'd like to call the Finance Committee of the Whole meeting to order, if Madam Clerk, if you could take the roll, please 00:00:13.040 --> 00:00:14.300 Mayor Miller 00:00:14.300 --> 00:00:14.940 Here 00:00:14.940 --> 00:00:18.920 Alderperson Clemm is absent, Johnson 00:00:18.920 --> 00:00:19.520 Here 00:00:19.520 --> 00:00:21.900 Simmons is absent, Parker 00:00:21.900 --> 00:00:22.780 Here 00:00:22.780 --> 00:00:23.520 Stacy 00:00:23.520 --> 00:00:24.380 Here 00:00:24.380 --> 00:00:24.940 Shadle 00:00:24.940 --> 00:00:25.420 Here 00:00:25.420 --> 00:00:28.300 Sanders is absent, and Sellers 00:00:28.300 --> 00:00:28.620 Here 00:00:28.620 --> 00:00:30.920 We do have a quorum, though 00:00:30.920 --> 00:00:35.240 Thank you. If we could join me for the Pledge of Allegiance. 00:00:36.520 --> 00:00:50.240 I pledge allegiance 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. 00:00:54.820 --> 00:00:58.180 Thank you. And if we could have approval of the agenda. 00:00:59.140 --> 00:00:59.860 So move. 00:01:00.040 --> 00:01:00.500 I second. 00:01:00.500 --> 00:01:29.860 That's a motion by Sellers and a second by Johnson, all in favor? Aye. And opposed? That's approved and we need approval of the minutes from November 3rd of 2025. So moved. Second. Motion by Sellers, second by Parker, all in favor? Aye. And opposed? Seeing none, that's approved. We have item six is public comments for agenda items. 00:01:30.500 --> 00:01:32.140 There were none signed up 00:01:32.140 --> 00:01:32.900 None signed 00:01:32.900 --> 00:01:35.200 I see nobody in the audience 00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:43.240 And then item seven is discussion of the library budget by Director Huffines, please 00:01:43.240 --> 00:01:55.560 Good evening 00:01:55.560 --> 00:01:58.160 Let me see if I can do this 00:01:58.160 --> 00:01:58.620 Yep, okay 00:01:58.620 --> 00:02:03.400 So the library works a little differently than the city 00:02:03.400 --> 00:02:08.540 Because we have one main source of revenue, which is property taxes 00:02:08.540 --> 00:02:18.000 We do not receive any funding from the city's budget for our operating expenses or for our capital improvement projects. The library is self-funded. 00:02:18.640 --> 00:02:37.700 So there are a few lines that I'm going to discuss regarding the library's budget. So we're going to start with the payroll lines. And this is I'm just reading straight from the memo. And on the screen, we will still be able to see all of the expense lines for our personnel, 00:02:37.700 --> 00:03:06.180 L, which is what we're starting with. So items 5,000, 5,010, 5,195, 5,210, 5,215, 5,220, 5,230, 5,235, 5,245, and 5,295 are all our payroll expenses. And you'll notice that in FY 2025, we totaled 00:03:06.180 --> 00:03:29.000 $788,660 for payroll, including benefits. And in FY2026, we're projected to be spending $809,329 for a total increase of $20,620,665. 00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:36.780 dollars. I'm going to keep going and when I'm done going through the memo we'll go back and talk about 00:03:36.780 --> 00:03:44.360 if you have any questions when it comes to the rest of the budget. So for non-payroll related expenses the 00:03:44.360 --> 00:03:50.240 majority of our expenses are remaining the same or have small increases. I'll discuss the larger increase 00:03:50.240 --> 00:03:58.840 but please ask any questions related to items I do not explain. Line item 6395 is our 00:03:58.840 --> 00:04:28.740 insurance other than employee benefits, which includes our liability insurance for our building and grounds, as well as the insurance coverage we have for the executive director and the board of trustees. In FY 2025, the cost is $45,360. We're actually spending $55,000. So that was under budget this year. Well, I mean over budget. And then in FY 2026, we rebudgeted that line 00:04:28.740 --> 00:04:36.380 to $60,000 to make sure that we're including all the increases we've seen in the past two years. 00:04:36.520 --> 00:04:49.780 So the total increase is going to be $14,640. In FY2026, we will transfer $52,265 from our reserves to help cover our budget. 00:04:49.780 --> 00:05:06.860 The Van Raiden Fund is from our history room which covers the history expense line which is line item 6379 for $5,000 and that is special reserves that can only be spent in the history room 00:05:06.860 --> 00:05:18.740 Our IMRF reserves the total that we have in our budget this year is $13,130 and that's line item 5195 00:05:18.740 --> 00:05:25.500 And that's completely going to be taken from our reserves, which is also restricted and can only be spent on IMRF 00:05:25.500 --> 00:05:35.620 We're taking capital equipment funds of $9,000, which is reserved from a tech grant that we received in FY 2024 00:05:35.620 --> 00:05:40.180 And we'll be spending the rest of that down on new patron computers 00:05:40.180 --> 00:06:05.770 And then our building fund, we're taking $20,135 for capital outlay, which is line item 7040, and we're using that, it's completely restricted funds that can only be used on the building, and we're using that for our bathroom remodels. 00:06:05.770 --> 00:06:30.270 And then we have our liability and insurance slash FICA reserve of $5,000 to cover insurance other than employee benefits which is this year we were at $55,000 so we rebudgeted it for $60,000 and that extra $5,000 we're going to take from our reserves to help cover for that. 00:06:30.270 --> 00:06:51.910 And in coordination with the Library Board of Trustees, I ask the City Council to approve the FY2026 budget when it is presented at an upcoming City Council meeting. And then this directly reflects with a responsive, efficient government for our strategic plan. So any questions on the budget? 00:06:52.310 --> 00:06:55.870 All of each other. 00:06:55.870 --> 00:07:11.850 Yeah, just like to know the increases, are they because, are they there because of you have more programming or you have more people or, you know, what's the increase of all these line items? Is it because of those things? 00:07:11.850 --> 00:07:40.770 So the expense line is just we renegotiated with AFSCME. And then it's also just the general payroll increases for health insurance, retirement, Social Security, Medicare, all of that. And then the insurance is insurance, all kinds is going up, you know, car, building, health, all of that is rising. So the two main areas that we've seen increases in are not directly reflective of the programming that we have. 00:07:40.770 --> 00:07:42.290 Okay, thank you 00:07:42.290 --> 00:07:44.850 Holderman Stacy 00:07:44.850 --> 00:07:49.790 Yes, Ashley, per your MI conversation 00:07:49.790 --> 00:07:58.810 And you had shared that taxes were going to go up 4.96% 00:07:58.810 --> 00:08:01.630 I think it's 4.94 00:08:01.630 --> 00:08:04.010 4.94% 00:08:04.010 --> 00:08:10.240 That is a levy, the levy conversation 00:08:10.240 --> 00:08:43.200 but I will still answer any questions about it the levy is next on the agenda okay I'll wait for the levy because it may get answered okay there was several items you said you were going to spend out of reserves what is that total up to the items that we're spending out of our reserves our fund balance transfer for FY 2025 which is current 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:53.060 now is $81,665, and in FY2026, we're spending $52,265 out of our reserves. 00:08:53.720 --> 00:09:01.340 And that's as the budget stands, you need that to make up? 00:09:01.520 --> 00:09:01.960 Correct. 00:09:02.440 --> 00:09:02.760 Okay. 00:09:05.630 --> 00:09:06.110 Thank you. 00:09:06.170 --> 00:09:06.850 Anything else? 00:09:09.960 --> 00:09:16.080 That's the end of that one, and then we'll move right into item eight with the presentation of the library tax levy. 00:09:30.840 --> 00:09:31.400 Okay. 00:09:31.760 --> 00:09:58.800 So the city council adopts a separate levy for the library operations each year. In 2023, the library reduced our levy request for Medicare, liability insurance, unemployment, and Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, which is IMRF, in order to spend down our prior reserves in these areas. At the time, we informed council that these rates would need to increase when the funds were exhausted. 00:09:58.800 --> 00:09:59.960 the 00:09:59.960 --> 00:10:27.980 were exhausted. The EAV equalized assessed value for the city of Freeport has decreased by $105,004 over the past year. Due to this decrease, any additional increment from the rising property values is not available. The other alternative is to increase the tax rate. As the 2023 levy was decreased previously in order to spend down reserves, the library would like to increase the rate for 2025 paid in 2023. 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:57.620 The library may increase their tax rate but only in an amount under 5% of the previous level. Based on this information, the library's levy request for 2025 paid in 2026 is $1,114,500. This increase would generate $52,500 more in property taxes from last year and the property taxes make up about 84% of the library's income. 00:10:58.000 --> 00:11:05.060 A house valued at $100,000 would see an increase of $6 on their library portion of their tax bill. 00:11:07.880 --> 00:11:14.240 And then you can see the information about the rates up there on the screen. 00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:18.340 And I will entertain questions. 00:11:22.660 --> 00:11:23.240 I'll hear you, Stacy. 00:11:23.680 --> 00:11:24.160 Thank you. 00:11:25.160 --> 00:11:27.520 Does this happen automatic? 00:11:27.520 --> 00:11:57.500 I mean is there a vote other than the council? There's first the library board also has to vote to approve this we meet on Wednesday depending on the schedule of meetings year by year sometimes the library meets first sometimes the library the city council will have their first reading then the library will approve will have their meeting and then the city council will have their second meeting. 00:11:57.500 --> 00:12:05.020 needing to do the second reading. But this year, we're able to have the cow before the library meets on 00:12:05.020 --> 00:12:12.020 Wednesday. So I'm going to be able to take your feedback that you give me here to the meeting on 00:12:12.020 --> 00:12:27.610 Wednesday to discuss that with the library board. I guess what I'm asking is whether or not the homeowner 00:12:27.610 --> 00:12:34.570 taxes go up. Is that determined right here? Yes, that's what the levy is correct. 00:12:36.310 --> 00:12:42.390 It's a little bit different because the city can just make their own decision about their levy and it's just 00:12:42.390 --> 00:12:49.430 totally you and you don't have other boards that are approving it. The library board is the only other 00:12:49.430 --> 00:12:54.770 board that does the levy. So it's the library board doing their own levy and then you have to approve 00:12:54.770 --> 00:12:59.950 for what they bring to you. If you don't approve it, the library has to go back and redo it. 00:13:04.120 --> 00:13:09.320 And there's no other avenue or no other source? 00:13:10.100 --> 00:13:27.020 The only other source would be is if some of the other taxes that the city gets, I am not an expert in this, Michelle would more be an expert in this, is if any of those funds can be given to the library. 00:13:28.380 --> 00:13:33.480 I know that their budget is very tight. That is not something that we have discussed or that we're 00:13:33.480 --> 00:13:41.980 really planning on doing. But to answer your question, the tax levy is pretty much the only, 00:13:42.220 --> 00:13:50.780 it is the number one source of income for the library. We do our best with going out and getting 00:13:50.780 --> 00:13:56.900 grants. We also have support from our foundation, but our foundation doesn't even have enough money 00:13:56.900 --> 00:13:58.660 for us to operate for one year. 00:14:09.540 --> 00:14:14.500 And that budget includes expense for new books, new magazines? 00:14:14.800 --> 00:14:29.270 Correct. It includes all of those things. All of our new materials, all of our personnel, and taking care of the building, the programming as well. 00:14:35.880 --> 00:14:38.820 And the general public have no say so in this month? 00:14:38.820 --> 00:15:08.660 The general public, it would go to a vote if we went above the 5%. So we don't ever go above the 5%. There's two rules that we have to follow. If you look at the top line where it says Library Corp, and then there's a tax rate all the way to the right where it says, I don't know if you can read it, it's pretty small, but it says .00345154. That has to be below .004. 00:15:08.820 --> 00:15:40.540 which we always keep that below .004. And then the other rule that we have to follow is the percent change from prior year, the total tax levy on the bottom, you'll see the highlighted where it's the total dollar amount. And just to the right of that, you'll see the 4.94%. That cannot go over 5%. So the two things that we are legally required to do are happening. 00:15:43.010 --> 00:15:53.620 If we went above 4.94, we would have to go to a referendum. 00:15:55.040 --> 00:15:57.460 And that's where the public vote would come in. 00:16:01.330 --> 00:16:02.630 So what if... 00:16:02.630 --> 00:16:04.190 Go ahead. 00:16:04.530 --> 00:16:13.680 What if this don't pass? 00:16:15.200 --> 00:16:20.980 If it doesn't pass the city, we have to go back and we would have to cut $52,000 out of our budget 00:16:20.980 --> 00:16:22.960 and try to figure out how to make that happen. 00:16:22.960 --> 00:17:02.310 we would do things like not spend the money for capital outlay we would do everything we can not to cut any of our services that's what would happen if we did not spend the money I mean is there something wrong with the computers that we have yes 00:17:02.310 --> 00:17:18.690 The tech grant that I'm talking about, we have to spend that by June 2026 because that was awarded to us from the state of Illinois. So that $9,000 will get spent even if we don't pass this levy, if we change the levy. 00:17:18.690 --> 00:17:36.250 There are other things that we can do, looking at other opportunities that are out there, but that's not guaranteed funds at this point. It's still a grant process where we have to fill out an application and we have to wait until June to know whether or not we actually get the money. 00:17:37.990 --> 00:17:40.570 So did the library have a separate grant, right? 00:17:41.310 --> 00:17:46.500 Yeah, me. I write the grants. 00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:49.040 Go ahead. 00:17:50.100 --> 00:17:50.880 Alderman Sellers. 00:17:50.880 --> 00:18:10.700 I'd just like to say that right now, you know, my vote would be yes. All the great things that I heard this summer and the excitement that came out of the young lady that always comes and speaks, you know, all the great things that the library does for our children, and that's our number one thing. 00:18:10.700 --> 00:18:38.840 We want to make sure our kids stay in a place where they can keep their minds and imaginations going, so $52,000, yeah, I'd like to have it, but I'm saying for the library right now, I think it's a no-brainer, really, because we got to keep our kids involved in the things that they do at the library, and they're doing some great things at the library, so that's my vote, I know already, so. 00:18:38.840 --> 00:18:40.600 Thank you 00:18:40.600 --> 00:19:17.240 I just want to say that I think I was at the library every day this summer with my grandson and I appreciate all the effort that goes forth in planning but being a single person now and having to figure out so much more with one 00:19:17.240 --> 00:19:21.130 make concerns me. 00:19:21.130 --> 00:19:21.630 Yeah. 00:19:21.950 --> 00:19:23.930 And I understand that. 00:19:24.090 --> 00:19:30.050 I know that any vote that you make is not going to be necessarily that you don't support the library. 00:19:30.230 --> 00:19:30.670 Yes. 00:19:30.850 --> 00:19:31.170 Yes. 00:19:31.690 --> 00:19:41.050 Because I don't know that I can afford my taxes to go up. 00:19:41.170 --> 00:19:41.490 Mm-hmm. 00:19:42.850 --> 00:19:48.590 And if they go up anyway, will I have lights? 00:19:48.590 --> 00:19:53.770 or the water bill is ridiculous, running water. 00:19:55.550 --> 00:19:58.010 I think 00:19:58.010 --> 00:20:09.720 And I think, I don't know, a five-pound bag of sugar is now four pounds, and it's more than the five-pound bag. 00:20:09.720 --> 00:20:14.760 Yeah. And I mean, that's also something that we're dealing with at the library. The cost of everything 00:20:14.760 --> 00:20:21.060 is going up for everything that we do as well. And I understand everything that you're saying, 00:20:21.060 --> 00:20:51.040 and I you know we feel it every day we see it in our invoices that we and that we are using and we're trying to be responsible we cut back on our levy because we were levying too much money it was just constantly going into our reserves where we spent that down and so now we have to bring it back up to what it should be over the past from 2020 to 2025 there's a 00:20:51.060 --> 00:21:12.540 There's actually been a decrease of $15 per house that's worth $100,000. And then this year we're asking for the what would equate to potentially a $6 increase. Let's put that still at over six years, a negative $9 per $100,000 home. 00:21:12.540 --> 00:21:50.750 um but I hear you you know we see we work with a lot of uh strict income at the library so I hear you and I understand what you're saying Cecelia I mean Alderman Stacy. Thank you and we go to item nine the presentation of the city tax levy manager Boyer and director Richter. Um thank you Mr. Chair. Uh 00:21:50.750 --> 00:22:20.730 The City Council has reviewed all the sections of the proposed budget. I'm sorry. And we're now finally doing a lap here with the EAV. So we've received an estimate for 2025 equalized assessed value from the county. The EAV is our tax district has decreased by $105,000 over the last year. So based on this information, the city's corporate tax levy for 2025 00:22:20.730 --> 00:22:50.690 paid in 26 would be $2,976,000, a decrease of $1,400. A house valued at $100,000 would see no change in the city's portion of their property tax bill as long as their assessed value does not increase. And during the past nine years, city council has kept the tax rate for the corporate levy the same or slightly lower each year. So just letting you know that the tax levy is down slightly, but it's leveling off and it's 00:22:50.690 --> 00:22:53.730 but there's no recommended change at this time. 00:22:56.080 --> 00:22:57.060 Any questions? 00:22:59.060 --> 00:23:05.580 Just a reminder, Alderperson Stacy, would you lower your microphone if you're going to have a question? 00:23:05.880 --> 00:23:06.480 Thank you. 00:23:06.780 --> 00:23:07.140 Sorry. 00:23:12.740 --> 00:23:13.060 Okay. 00:23:15.560 --> 00:23:23.640 We move to item 10, the summary discussion of any changes to the 2026 budget since the first presentation. 00:23:25.380 --> 00:23:27.920 Manager Boyer and Director Richter. 00:23:28.340 --> 00:23:58.040 Thank you, Mr. Chair. We had a number of changes. Obviously, we got the EAV, which was a little bit lower. Those changes are now integrated in our revenue side. Also, we're seeking to use $1.3 million in fund reserves to pay for capital investments, such as replacing the salt shed, doing tuck pointing at City Hall, and upgrading or working on the City Yards facility. 00:23:58.340 --> 00:24:04.360 and as well as equipment and vehicle needs for police department and for the street department. 00:24:06.770 --> 00:24:12.770 Also, I wanted to highlight that this year we also negotiated with the insurance company successfully. 00:24:13.050 --> 00:24:15.130 However, there's an increase across the board. 00:24:15.770 --> 00:24:23.450 It was projected at 16.1% increase and we were successful in reducing that to 6.9%. 00:24:23.450 --> 00:24:29.550 So a bit of a, let's say, a deferred or a reduction in the rate of increase. 00:24:29.810 --> 00:24:59.210 I'm talking let's go ahead and move down to the various funds I want to start out with a city clerk we had a full-time employee to be shared between the clerk HR and finance that position was removed we also so that was the primary change in the city clerk's budget city manager mayor we made some minor changes to the fringe and the calculations on that nothing major there 00:24:59.810 --> 00:25:14.050 Then in communications, we had budgeted for 90 hours total for an intern and then increased of $1,500 with fringe and reduced the expense to cover that. 00:25:14.050 --> 00:25:23.830 So finance, we had a full-time employee to be shared between the clerk, HR, and finance. We removed that position. 00:25:23.830 --> 00:25:55.540 We have a handful of other small changes within finance but most of them just either minute or we reduced on the machinery and equipment as an example that was reduced. Under government buildings we added $50,000 for repairs for the PD and then we are adding the $800,000 for renovation of the salt sheds at Iowa. 00:25:55.560 --> 00:26:25.080 Island, as well as $100,000 for the building at Island. There's some problems there that need to be remedied, so we're budgeting for that in the 26th budget, as well as improvements here at City Hall. We budgeted about $100,000 for tuck pointing. Originally, we had had a little bit more in the budget. A lot of the changes also reflect the AFSCME wages and fringe change from the new contract, so those have been incorporated in with the changes. 00:26:25.560 --> 00:26:57.680 and we also made some changes to the sidewalk reimbursement program we upped it slightly and we're going to also increase the funding for the sidewalk program per square foot so we'll be doubling that so we'll see how that goes that will encourage people to replace their sidewalk moving on to again cemetery we had adjustments to AFSCME wages and fringe there as well as forestry we made some adjustments to the budget related the clam truck originally 00:26:57.680 --> 00:27:29.120 we had planned to do a major replacement on the clam truck we're going to defer that at this point under community development again we incorporated the AFSCME wages and we have included essentially the hiring of a grant writer with some of the savings that we will receive in past budgets compared to what we're paying for the lobbyists so we've removed the lobbyist and then we have 00:27:29.120 --> 00:27:59.100 added a grant writer to work in community development. And then also MSA Engineering has done a lot of our grant work for that department. One of the jobs that this grant writer will do will assume some of the work that MSA has previously done. So we took the savings on that and put that toward a grant writer. But we did plan or reduced MSAs to about $40,000 so we can finish out the current grants that we have available or that are currently in the 00:27:59.100 --> 00:28:28.340 Work. Police, again, updated with the AFSCME wages for the dispatchers and the records clerks. In addition, we've reduced the machinery and equipment to $35,000 and we removed a couple of speed signs and a previously budget for awning that's been done already. And fire, again, we've updated with payroll information, recent staff changes on fire. 00:28:28.340 --> 00:28:56.520 so there's some changes there then under just moving down building department animal control those are same with asking changes then we have human resources so we had a full-time employee again the same one that we're going to share with the HR and the finance we've removed that person that position in addition IT has removed the summer help we had a part-time person in for summer help for IT that's been taken out 00:28:56.520 --> 00:29:20.020 Interdepartmental, we had a transfer of funds from interdepartmental to, we'll get to it a little later, but essentially we were transferred from general fund of $460,000 and decreased the vehicle line item by $465,000. 00:29:20.020 --> 00:29:26.220 that just reflects the changes that we made to the vehicles that we no longer plan to purchase. 00:29:28.540 --> 00:29:34.260 We had a couple of dump trucks that we deferred. We're going to order, we had three dump trucks and we 00:29:34.260 --> 00:29:42.980 reduced that to one, but we also kept the F-550s and the other pickups that we need to maintain. 00:29:43.340 --> 00:29:49.600 So those are still in the budget. On the grant side of things, not a whole lot of changes there. 00:29:49.600 --> 00:29:53.520 We had just the police donations. 00:29:54.180 --> 00:29:55.880 There's a restricted fund that's collected. 00:29:55.880 --> 00:30:20.000 There's a restricted fund that's collected for a speaker for the Freeport School District 145. So that's there. We had a slight decrease in the grant amount at the Pretzel City Transit. So we're continuing to track our expenses there. And we're hoping to include a fixed route that'll help that'll lower our total cost of operations. 00:30:20.000 --> 00:30:53.230 and I think we're getting down toward the end here going down to capital equipment funds as I mentioned we've made the appropriate adjustments having removed two dump trucks from from our plan to purchase and police pension fund and fire pension funds the police and pension or the police fund will meet Wednesday and then we'll finalize the pension budget then and the same thing with 00:30:53.230 --> 00:31:19.190 Fire. We don't expect any real changes to that. And then on water, again, we made the adjustments for AFSCME, the new AFSCME contract. So that summarizes all of the changes we've made so far, mostly kind of reducing things and making sure that we're living within our means. This time, if you have any questions, we'd be happy to answer. 00:31:19.190 --> 00:31:49.190 Sellers. Yeah, I know you were talking about the changes in the community development. I just want to make sure that we still announce that we are still adding the nuisance person to help and we're adding a grant writer in those departments, correct? Yes. Okay, that's all. Oh, and then I'd like to know, what is the total 00:31:49.190 --> 00:31:56.150 Do we know the total amount that we are decreasing from all these things put together? 00:31:56.270 --> 00:31:57.930 Is there a total, you know, like? 00:31:59.510 --> 00:32:01.650 I think it was approximately $3 million. 00:32:02.270 --> 00:32:02.550 Oh, okay. 00:32:02.770 --> 00:32:09.810 But there's a, yeah, I think what Alderman Sellers is asking is how much do we have to cut out of the budget? 00:32:10.190 --> 00:32:10.490 Yes. 00:32:11.050 --> 00:32:12.110 About $3 million? 00:32:12.570 --> 00:32:15.010 Well, that's not the total and complete. 00:32:15.010 --> 00:32:22.790 We moved some items into capital that are going to come from fund reserve. 00:32:22.890 --> 00:32:32.250 As I mentioned, the salt shed, city hall duck pointing, the updates and construction at the city yards, and the PD and street department vehicles. 00:32:34.270 --> 00:32:35.310 One more question. 00:32:35.770 --> 00:32:39.350 I know you talked about the salt building or whatever. 00:32:39.350 --> 00:32:49.650 or are you going to give more information on why we are spending that much for the salt so people can understand why we're putting that kind of money into that building? 00:32:50.250 --> 00:33:05.070 Absolutely. We have two salt sheds down at 1001 Island Avenue. They are a pole shed construction and they are very old and the salt has rotted away or contributed to the rotting away of all the posts. 00:33:05.070 --> 00:33:09.130 So at this point the sheds are starting to come apart and fall down 00:33:09.130 --> 00:33:16.830 So this is important because this is where we store our salt during winter snow removal operations 00:33:16.830 --> 00:33:21.620 Oh, and Stacy, yeah 00:33:21.620 --> 00:33:31.800 Did I understand you to say that you have removed the lobbyists? 00:33:32.340 --> 00:33:32.580 Yes 00:33:32.580 --> 00:33:38.700 Did he ever bring us anything? 00:33:38.700 --> 00:34:03.540 Well, the lobbyists did their, they had done a lot to make us aware of different grants and things, but we, they had not necessarily contributed to anything that was outside of grants that we were already pursuing, so, so essentially, I, the reason we're not renewing their contract is performance related 00:34:03.540 --> 00:34:07.640 When he was hired, he was hired for how many years? 00:34:08.700 --> 00:34:10.540 No, it was just a 12-month contract 00:34:10.540 --> 00:34:14.080 So he got that 70-whatever thousand 00:34:14.080 --> 00:34:22.350 Anything else? 00:34:22.690 --> 00:34:24.050 Could have gave it to the library 00:34:24.050 --> 00:34:26.030 Alderman Johnson 00:34:26.030 --> 00:34:35.810 I know I talked to Rob some about some of the overtime lines on here and I know he's working with that to try to decrease the overtime in some of those areas 00:34:35.810 --> 00:34:39.670 So I appreciate that and I would like to see that, you know, further than the days ahead 00:34:39.670 --> 00:34:44.370 I know there's some times when you can't help overtime, but there are some ways maybe to cut some of that 00:34:44.370 --> 00:35:18.120 so I know that'll be worked on in the next year here. Okay. And we go back to item 11, public comments. Seeing none, I would take a motion for adjournment. So move. Second. All in favor? Aye. And opposed? We are adjourned. And then we'll start up as soon as IT.