[00:00:01]
          RIGHT. UBER EATS COMES. JUST KIDDING. I EAT LUNCH. ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE, AND 
          [1. CALL TO ORDER]
WELCOME TO THE NEW ALBANY ANNUAL BUDGET PROGRAM FOR 2025. THE ROLL, PLEASE. MAYOR SPALDING HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. BRISK HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER DEREK HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. FELLOWS IS TRAVELING WITH WORK AND IS REQUESTED TO BE EXCUSED. COUNCIL MEMBER. KISS HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SCHULTZ HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. WILTROUT HERE. I HAVE SIX PRESENT FOR THE NOVEMBER 12TH, 2024 ANNUAL BUDGET MEETING. WE'RE STARTING AT 1:12 P.M. ALL RIGHT. I WOULD MOVE THAT. WE EXCUSE THE ABSENCE OF COUNCIL MEMBER FELLOWS. SECOND. MAYOR SPALDING. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. SCHOR. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. WILTROUT. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. KISS. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. DEREK. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. BRISK. YES. SIX YES. VOTES TO EXCUSE. COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          [3. ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE AGENDA]
FELLOWS FROM TODAY'S MEETING. ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE AGENDA. WOULD ANYONE FROM STAFF OR COUNCIL LIKE TO RECOMMEND ANY ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE AGENDA? I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY 
          [4. DISCUSSION OF DRAFT BUDGET AND PRESENTATIONS BY STAFF]
REQUESTS. THAT TAKES US TO DISCUSSION OF DRAFT BUDGET AND PRESENTATIONS BY STAFF WHO WOULD LIKE TO KICK US OFF. I WILL. ALL RIGHT. IS SOMEBODY OPERATING THE POWERPOINT? WE'VE GOT A COUPLE GOING AROUND. IF YOU JUST WANT TO SAY NEXT SLIDE, I'LL RUN YOU FROM HERE UNTIL WE PASS OFF TO STAFF. GREAT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO THESE FIRST COUPLE OF SLIDES SHOULD LOOK FAMILIAR TO YOU. THESE ARE TYPICALLY THE SLIDES THAT WE SHOW EVERY YEAR OTHER THAN THE PICTURES CHANGE. 
          BUT I WANTED TO REVIEW OUR VISION ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS AND STRATEGIES THAT WE TYPICALLY RELY ON AS WE'RE FORMULATING THE BUDGET. FIRST WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INVEST IN PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS THAT ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR OUR BUSINESSES AND THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THOSE BUSINESSES. SECOND, WE WANT TO INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ENCOURAGES PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT. THIRD, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE SERVICE AND OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS. FOURTH, WE WANT TO MAINTAIN EXCELLENT STEWARDSHIP OF OUR FUNDS AND FIFTH, WE WANT TO INVEST IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE WELL-BEING OF OUR WORKFORCE IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THOSE OTHER MANY OF THOSE OTHER ITEMS THAT PRECEDE IT. IN 2024, AT A HIGH LEVEL, OUR CITY ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE MANY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUCCESSES, INCLUDING NEW NEW BUSINESSES COMING TO THE CITY, EXISTING BUSINESSES EXPANDING, AND THE ADDITION OF INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE. WE'VE WE'VE HAD SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR PARK, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, RELATIVE TO THE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT WE'VE COMPLETED, TAYLOR FARM, AND WE'VE CONTINUED TO MAKE ONGOING IMPROVEMENTS TO ROSE RUN PARK AS WELL. COMMUNITY PROGRAMING. WE HAVE THE EXAMPLE OF DIWALI THAT WE JUST RECENTLY HAD. THE SECOND YEAR OF DIWALI, AND THAT HAS HAD MAJOR SUCCESS. JUNETEENTH AS WELL WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL. UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO THE WEATHER, OKTOBERFEST WASN'T QUITE AS GOOD THIS YEAR, BUT WE'VE HAD A TRACK RECORD OF SOME VERY SUCCESSFUL EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY TO THE POINT THAT WE'RE ATTRACTING PEOPLE FROM WELL OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY TO OUR EVENTS. WE HAVE WE'VE WE'VE DONE QUITE A BIT OF HIRING AND LOGISTIC RELATED WORK RELATED TO HIRING AND STAFFING. WE'LL GET INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE AS WE AS WE GO THROUGH EACH OF THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS BUDGETS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR. WE'VE HAD NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED STAFF AWARDS. JOSH, EVERY TIME HE GOES AWAY, HE COMES BACK WITH MORE HARDWARE. WE NEED A BIGGER CABINET FOR HIS, FOR HIS SUCCESSES AND HIS TEAM'S SUCCESSES. AND THEN WE'VE WE'VE DONE SOME SIGNIFICANT THINGS RELATED TO SUSTAINABILITY AND IDEA PROJECTS WITH ELECTRONICS RECYCLING AND HAZARDOUS HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COLLECTIONS AND THEN ORGANIC MATERIAL AS WELL. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO WITH THAT, I WILL HAND OFF TO BETHAN. OKAY. SO WE ARE GOING TO DIVE RIGHT IN TO THE GENERAL FUND. 
          AND SO THE OVERVIEW OF THIS IS PAGE 64 THROUGH 66. I'VE HAD TO ADD AN EXTRA PAGE. THIS YEAR IN ORDER TO DETAIL THE BALANCE THAT WE HAVE IN THERE. MARK CAN YOU DO IT. THANK YOU. OKAY. NEXT SLIDE. ALL RIGHT. JUST AS A REMINDER, THE GENERAL FUND IS THE MOST CRITICAL INDICATOR OF 
          [00:05:01]
FINANCIAL HEALTH. OUR PRIMARY SOURCE OF FUNDS FOR CITY SERVICES AND OPERATIONS. WE HAVE A STRONG OVERALL FUND BALANCE THAT EXCEEDS OUR 65% RESERVE. THE ADDITIONAL EXCESS IS INTENTIONALLY MAINTAINED TO PROVIDE FOR POTENTIAL TAX REFUNDS. DOWNTURN OF THE ECONOMY, SIGNIFICANT UNANTICIPATED EXPENSES. BUT ALSO WE ARE SETTING ASIDE MONEY. 
          WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO USE THAT FOR ADDITIONAL CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE COMING DOWN THE LINE. IN 2025. WE HAVE A $12.5 MILLION OPERATING REVENUES OVER OPERATING EXPENDITURES PROJECTED, AND THAT'S BEFORE CAPITAL AND TRANSFERS. THAT'S EVEN WITH MULTI-YEAR STAFFING INCREASES AND ENSURING THAT WE ARE PROVIDING FOR WHAT WE NEED WITHIN OUR OPERATIONS. NEXT SLIDE. SO. I'M SURE THAT YOU HAVE SEEN THIS OVER THE LAST YEAR OR TWO. OUR INCOME TAX HAS BEEN INCREASING. SO I HAVE PUT ADDITIONAL THOUGHT, ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS INTO OUR INCOME TAX PROJECTIONS FOR 2025 AND BEYOND. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE CONSIDERED, I WANTED TO FOCUS ON SOME OF THE KEY BUSINESSES WITHHOLDING TRENDS. AND I APPLIED THOSE INDIVIDUALLY TO THEIR PARTICULAR PROJECTIONS OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL OVERALL AGGREGATE INCOME TAX. I DID A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF CURRENT CONSTRUCTION WITHHOLDING. SO THIS I HAVE ANALYSIS OF INTEL SPECIFIC CONSTRUCTION. OTHER PROJECTS THAT I AM MONITORING WITH RITA. 
          OUR META, GOOGLE AND AMAZON, THE PROJECTS THAT THEY HAVE GOING ON. AND THEN THERE'S OTHER MISCELLANEOUS CONSTRUCTION OR CONSTRUCTION THAT I HAVE JUST FLAGGED A COUPLE OF CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES TO JUST SEE WHAT THEIR HISTORY HAS BEEN ON THAT. ANY NEW CONSTRUCTION FROM NEW JOBS HAVE NOT BEEN CONTEMPLATED. SO ANY RECENT ANNOUNCEMENTS? AMGEN PHASE THREE AMERICAN REGIONS PHASE THREE RTS, MICROSOFT. I'VE NOT PUT ANY NUMBERS OR ANY PROJECTIONS INTO THESE NUMBERS FOR THOSE. YOU LOOK LIKE YOU HAVE A QUESTION. SO SHE'S OBVIOUSLY YOU KNOW, CAME IN PRETTY FAST WITH THEIR CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE AND THEY AT LEAST BEING ON A COUPLE OF THOSE SITES LOOK LIKE THEY BROUGHT IN SOME CONTRACTORS WE'VE NOT SEEN BEFORE. SO HOW DO WE HOW DO WE TRACK THAT WHEN A BRAND NEW COMPANY COMES IN THAT WE'RE WE'RE JUST HOPING THEY'RE FILING WITH RITA. SO ACTUALLY, INTEL HAS REALLY GIVEN ME, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT THERE'S SO MUCH CONSTRUCTION GOING ON THERE, IT'S REALLY GIVEN ME THE SITE TO ACTUALLY TRACK THIS. 
          EVEN MORE THAN I HAVE IN THE PAST. AND SO WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTACT THE MAIN CONTRACTORS AND GET SUBCONTRACTORS, BUT I GO A STEP BEYOND THAT TO WHERE WE HAVE SOMEBODY AT. RITA DEDICATED TO OUR CONSTRUCTION, WITHHOLDING AND MONITORING. AND SO THOSE FOUR PROJECTS, THEY ARE ACTIVELY REACHING OUT TO ENSURE THAT THOSE PARTICULAR CONTRACTORS ARE REGISTERED. I SEE IT KIND OF FROM AFTER THE FACT. I'M MONITORING ANY NEW TAXPAYER THAT COMES IN, AND IT'S A IT'S A CONSTRUCTION FIRM OR HAS OR COULD POSSIBLY BE A CONSTRUCTION FIRM. I DON'T NECESSARILY ASSIGN THEM TO A PROJECT, I JUST ASSIGN THEM AS A CONSTRUCTION FIRM AND THEN WE'LL PROBABLY DO A LITTLE BIT MORE WITH THE NEW PROJECTS COMING IN. THIS WAS KIND OF A NEW PROJECT THAT WE DECIDED TO DO TO TRACK THEM INDIVIDUALLY, JUST TO SEE WHAT IS COMING IN BETWEEN THE PROJECTS AND HOW MUCH THAT'S INCREASING, BUT ALSO TO KIND OF GET AN IDEA AS THE PHASES OF EACH OF THOSE CONSTRUCTIONS GO UP AND GO DOWN, TO BE ABLE TO SEE HOW THAT APPLIES WITH THOSE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. SO. I CAN SAY THAT OVERALL, FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR, YEAR TO DATE LAST YEAR, THE CONSTRUCTION FIRMS THAT I'M TRACKING, WE WERE AT ABOUT THREE AND A HALF, $4 MILLION IN WITHHOLDING FROM CONSTRUCTION FIRMS. YEAR TO DATE, WE'RE AT ABOUT 8 MILLION IN TOTAL. AND SO THOSE CONSTRUCTION WITHHOLDINGS THAT FOLLOWS OUR NORMAL ALLOCATION FOR INCOME TAX BETWEEN OUR GENERAL PARKS, VILLAGE CENTER AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, JUST WE I WAS GOING TO ASK A QUESTION ALONG THAT SAME LINE, GIVEN THE 
          [00:10:01]
SCALE AND MAGNITUDE OF THE PROJECTS, UNTIL ESPECIALLY BUT ALSO SOME OF THE OTHERS. HAVE YOU GIVEN ANY THOUGHT TO AT SOME POINT CONDUCTING AN AUDIT TO GO INTO THESE FIRMS AND SAY, LET'S LET'S SEE YOUR PAYROLL RECORDS. LET'S SEE HOW MUCH WE'VE RECEIVED IN TAX REVENUE, HOW MUCH? NOT IN A CONFRONTATIONAL WAY, BUT I THINK KEEPING THEM AWARE THAT WE WATCH VERY CLOSELY AND WE DO PERIODICALLY AUDIT HOW HOW YOU CAN DO THAT WITH STAFF OR WHATEVER. I THINK I MAYBE IT'S A THIRD PARTY FIRM YOU USE OR SOMETHING, BUT I DON'T THINK IT HURTS TO KEEP THEM APPRAISED OF WHEN THEY BRING A CONTRACTOR ON OR A SUB. I THEY BETTER PAY REAL ATTENTION TO IT BECAUSE THERE IS SOMEBODY WATCHING. YEAH. I THINK THIS STEP THAT WE'VE TAKEN WITH RITA TO ACTUALLY BE PROACTIVE IN REACHING OUT WITH OUR BIGGER CONTRACTS OR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALREADY SEEN, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE PEOPLE WOULDN'T HAVE REGISTERED BEFORE THAT WITH, YOU KNOW, GAINING ACCESS TO THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR TO GET THE SUBCONTRACTORS. RITA, ACTUALLY, THE MY CONTACT DID A PROJECT OR ANALYSIS A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK WHERE HE JUST WANTED TO SEE, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH WITHHOLDING DO MUNICIPALITIES ACTUALLY COLLECT THAT'S DUE TO THEM BASED ON CONSTRUCTION AND HIS FINDINGS. I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFICS, BUT HE, YOU KNOW, HAD SAID IN GENERAL, ABOUT 50% THEY ONLY COLLECT 50%. I SAID, WELL, THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME. AND SO THAT WE NEED TO AND THAT'S WHEN I STARTED ON THE PROJECT WITH INTEL AND, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO TRACK AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH IT. LAST, LAST QUESTION ALONG THAT LINE IS, IS THERE A PENALTY IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T COLLECT. AND WE FIND OUT LATER ON. YEAH OKAY. YEAH. THERE'S A PENALTY ASSESSED AND INTEREST THAT FOLLOWS OKAY. 
          WITH IT. GREAT. SO. DOES RITA OFFER SOME SORT OF AUDIT SERVICE LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER DIRKS SUGGESTED? I MEAN, IT MIGHT NOT BE A BAD INVESTMENT TO I. CAN I CAN LOOK INTO IT, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST HAVE TO DO IT ONCE OR TWICE TO GET EVERYONE ELSE'S ATTENTION. YEAH. I MEAN, IT IS THE COMPLIANCE DEPARTMENT THAT'S HELPING ME. AND THEY HAVE ONE SPECIFIC PERSON THAT'S DEDICATED TO NEW ALBANY OR, I MEAN, I, I DON'T THINK IT'S ITS ONLY JOB, BUT, YOU KNOW, HE HAS A FOCUS IN HIS JOB FOR OUR REGION. SO BUT YES, I CAN LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE WHAT TYPE OF SERVICES THEY COULD HELP. THIS THE YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO THE CONSTRUCTION WITHHOLDING, I'M NOT CONSIDERING NEW JOBS AND THE REVENUE THAT COME ALONG WITH THAT. SO AS JOBS CONTINUE TO OR AS BUSINESSES CONTINUE TO BECOME OPERATIONAL AND, AND BUILDING THEIR STAFF, I DON'T HAVE ANY SORT OF PROJECTION RELATED TO THOSE NEW COMPANIES COMING IN IN ORDER TO BE CONSERVATIVE, JUST NOT KNOWING THE TIMING OF WHEN THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. NET PROFITS AND INDIVIDUAL BASED INCOME TAX, YOU KNOW, THAT'S YOUR THE THING THAT CAN GO ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, DEPENDING ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR ECONOMIC ECONOMY, I GUESS I SHOULD SAY. AND SO I'VE JUST REVIEWED THEM TRENDS AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, BASED ON AN AVERAGE OF THE LAST 3 TO 5 YEARS, AND TRIED TO APPLY THOSE INDIVIDUALLY TO SOME OF THE COMPANIES, BUT THEN DO A GENERAL PERCENTAGE IN ORDER TO ALLOW THAT. I'VE BEEN VERY LOW ON THOSE ESTIMATES THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT I'D RATHER BE LOW BECAUSE THERE ALSO IS THE POTENTIAL FOR REFUNDS THAT ARE THEY CAN CARRY FORWARD THERE ANY NET LOSSES TO, YOU KNOW, MORE YEARS. SO OVERALL IF YOU KNOW LOOKING BEYOND 2025 AND THE 26 TO 28 INCOME TAX PROJECTIONS, THERE'S CONSERVATIVE GROWTH IN ALL AREAS DURING THIS PERIOD. 
          AND THEN IT DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR, AGAIN, NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION WITHHOLDING. AND JUST A REMINDER, THOSE THREE YEARS IT USED TO BE WHERE I DIDN'T PUT AS MUCH THOUGHT AND IT WAS JUST A GENERAL PERCENTAGE APPLIED THE NEXT YEARS. BUT BECAUSE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON AND BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN PERSONNEL AND MAINTAIN OPERATIONS, WE'VE PUT, YOU KNOW, MORE THOUGHT INTO THAT. BUT STILL, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL BE REVIEWED AND ADOPTED ON ITS OWN TIME. WHEN WE GO TO LOOK AT 2026 AND BEYOND BUDGETS. SO ONE OF THE REASONS I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE A MORE CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO REVENUE ESTIMATES WAS THAT WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL OVER THE LAST THREE, 3 OR 4 YEARS, AND REVENUES HAVE GONE UP PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY. AND WE DON'T KNOW HOW HOW LONG THAT TREND IS GOING TO CONTINUE. 
          SO WE ASSUME FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE THAT THINGS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE KIND OF ALONG THE SAME LINE THAT THEY HAVE RECENTLY. BUT AT SOME POINT THEY'RE GOING TO LEVEL OUT. AND WHAT I DON'T 
          [00:15:04]
WANT TO DO IS GET CAUGHT SHORT AND ASSUME AN OVERLY ROSY REVENUE PROJECTION SEVERAL YEARS OUT, AND THEN FIND OUT THAT WE'RE UNPREPARED FOR THAT TIME WHEN THINGS START TO LEVEL OUT. 
          SO I WOULD RATHER TAKE A MORE CONSERVATIVE APPROACH UP FRONT. AND THEN WE ALSO ALWAYS HAVE THE ABILITY TO AMEND OUR OUR REVENUE PROJECTIONS TO BE MORE CONSISTENT WITH WITH WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING. BUT AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT OUR FUTURE EXPENSES IN THOSE OUT YEARS, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ALIGN APPROPRIATELY WITH WITH A MORE CONSERVATIVE SET OF REVENUE PROJECTIONS. I THINK THAT'S HOW WE'VE DONE IT FOR AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CITY AND I THINK IT'S SERVED US WELL. HAVING A MORE CONSERVATIVE BUDGET BASED ON CONSERVATIVE NUMBERS AND THEN BEING PLEASANTLY SURPRISED. AND I PERSONALLY HAVE NO ISSUE WITH THAT AS LONG AS THERE'S SOME SCIENCE BEHIND THE, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE CONSERVATIVE AND WHY. SO I WOULD SAY THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT I'VE BEEN OFF AS MUCH AS I WAS OFF FOR 2024, BUT TO BE CLEAR, YOU WERE OFF WITH THE REVENUE COMING, RIGHT? WERE YOU OFTEN THE WAY I WAS? RATHER, I WAS OFF THE IN THE BEST WAY, PROBABLY. I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE'RE ON FOR IS BUDGETING THE SERVICES THAT ARE GOING TO BE NEEDED. AND I SEE A HEALTHY INCREASE AMONGST POLICE AND, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SERVICE. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. RIGHT? YEAH. YEAH. SO WE'RE READY FOR WHATEVER. ALL RIGHT. SO. AN OVERVIEW OF THE 2025 OPERATING EXPENSES. JUST KIND OF A REMINDER OF WHAT THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THINGS THAT THE GENERAL FUND PAYS FOR. OBVIOUSLY A BIG PART OF THAT IS PERSONNEL COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS. 
          PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. YOU'LL SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN IN THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WE HAVE THE BEST PEOPLE HERE AND THEY HAVE THE BEST TOOLS THAT THEY CAN USE. ALSO PROFESSIONAL CONTRACT SERVICES RELATED TO OPERATIONS. AND THEN WE DO HAVE A BIG PROGRAM OF ANY ASSETS, THE MAINTENANCE THAT WE HAVE. THERE'S SOME INFRASTRUCTURE. 
          UTILITIES FALL IN THAT LINE. FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE. ALL RIGHT NEXT SLIDE. AS FOR PERSONNEL THERE IS A 3.5% COLA THAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET FOR NONUNION. 
          THERE'S NO INCREASE TO HEALTH INSURANCE. ONCE AGAIN THERE IS CONSIDERED AN ONGOING COMPENSATION MARKET ANALYSIS. THERE'S A COUPLE OF GRADES THAT WERE ADJUSTED WITHIN THIS. AND THEN WE'RE CONTINUING TO RIGHTSIZE STAFF AND MUNICIPAL FACILITIES TO SUPPORT THE EXPANDED INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE IN OPERATIONS AND PROGRAMING THAT WE HAVE GOING IN PLACE. JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION. WHEN WE SAY NO INCREASE TO HEALTH INSURANCE, THAT'S NO INCREASE TO HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS. YES. SORRY. ALL RIGHT. NEXT, I'D LIKE TO REMIND YOU HOW CONSERVATIVE WE USUALLY ARE COMPARED TO OUR BUDGET VERSUS ACTUAL. THE SLIDE ON THE OR THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT IS OUR ESTIMATED REVENUE. GENERALLY, WE'RE ABOUT I'M SURE 2024 IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT, BUT OUR ESTIMATE IS USUALLY ABOUT 9.3%, 3.7% LESS THAN WHAT WE ACTUALLY COLLECT IN REVENUE. AND THEN IN OUR APPROPRIATION SIDE OF THINGS, YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE WE BUDGET FOR IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE SPEND IT. AND SO WHILE OUR BUDGET, YOU KNOW, INCREASES AND YOU CAN SEE THAT SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM ACTUAL TO THE BUDGET FROM, YOU KNOW, 2023 ACTUAL TO 24 AMENDED AND 25, JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT GENERALLY WE WILL LAPSE APPROPRIATIONS. WE WON'T SPEND IT JUST BECAUSE IT'S BUDGETED. THERE'S CONTINUAL, I GUESS, JUSTIFICATION TO JOE FOR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BUDGETED. BUT THEN ALSO WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONSERVATIVE WITH THAT, TO MAKE SURE IT SHOWS THAT WE CAN AFFORD IT. NEXT SLIDE OKAY. IN THE GENERAL FUND YOU'LL SEE ON 65 THERE'S SIGNIFICANT TRANSFERS OUT GOING TO SOME OF THE USUAL FUNDS THAT WE TRANSFER TO. SO WE HAVE 6 MILLION TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. THERE'S 1.73 TO CAPITAL EQUIPMENT. AND JUST AS A REMINDER A CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FUND MAINTAINS A BALANCE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO REPLACE ON A SET SCHEDULE ANY EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE. SO IT TAKES THE STRESS OFF THE GENERAL FUND. WE MAINTAIN THAT AND A COUPLE YEARS BACK WE INCREASED FROM A 1% INFLATION FACTOR TO 3%, WHICH WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE AT THAT TIME. IT'S STILL, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN LIKELY, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO ADD AND, YOU KNOW, 
          [00:20:06]
SOME THINGS MAY COME IN MORE THAN WHAT WE HAVE SET ASIDE, BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SHOW THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REPLENISH THAT FUND IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THE CAPITAL EQUIPMENT, GOING OUT INFRASTRUCTURE REPLACEMENT. WE'RE STILL SETTING ASIDE MONEY FOR FUTURE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN NOW, JUST THE MAINTENANCE OF, YOU KNOW, ONCE THAT GOES AND NEEDS IT, DEBT SERVICE LOOKING AT OUR GENERAL FUND, WE ARE ONLY TRANSFERRING $432,000 TO OUR DEBT SERVICE. SO ON A WOULD YOU SAY YOU SAID 50 MILLION FOR 40? YEAH, $50 MILLION BUDGET OR YOU KNOW, THAT PORTION GOING TO DEBT SERVICE. EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE FOR DEBT, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT DEBT, IT'S NOT HAVING TO COME FROM THE GENERAL FUND. THERE'S NOT PRESSURE ON THAT. WE HAVE OTHER SOURCES THAT ARE PAYING FOR IT. AND THEN WE DO HAVE THE SET ASIDES FOR SEVERANCE. THE AMPHITHEATER GETS SUPPLEMENTED AND THEN THE CANINE PATROL. WE DO ALSO HAVE AN ADVANCE TO THE VILLAGE CENTER FUND. THE NEW FUND THAT WE CREATED LAST YEAR THAT'S COLLECTING 1.5% OF INCOME TAX. THE PROJECT THAT WE HAVE PLANNED FOR THAT, AND WE'RE STILL BUILDING THOSE REVENUES AND SO WE WILL ADVANCE $2 MILLION TO THAT FUND FOR THEM TO PAY BACK OVER TIME AS THE INCOME TAX COMES IN. AND THEN THERE'S RETURN ADVANCES THAT ARE COMING BACK FROM THE TIF FUNDS THAT WE HAD ADVANCED TO PAY OFF SOME OF THE DEBT ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE. COULD YOU EXPLAIN RETURN ADVANCES TO A KINDERGARTNER? SO JUST LIKE WE ARE ADVANCING $2 MILLION TO THE VILLAGE CENTER, IMPROVEMENTS FUND, WE ADVANCED MONEY TO BOTH OR TO ALL THREE OF THOSE. THE OXFORD SCHLEPPI AND VILLAGE CENTER, TWO TIF FUNDS. 
          YEAH. IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PAY DOWN DEBT THAT HAD HIGH INTEREST. OKAY. KNOWING THAT WE'RE GOING TO COLLECT MORE REVENUE IN THOSE FUNDS OVER TIME SO WE CAN PAY THE GENERAL FUND BACK. OKAY. FOR THOSE. SO IT'S JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR DEBT AND FOR EXPENSES OUT OF THE CORRECT FUND. YEAH. BUT THEN BASICALLY THE GENERAL FUND IS GIVING THOSE FUNDS A LOAN OKAY. THANK YOU. NO PROBLE. OKAY. SO ONE OF THE BIG THINGS WITH OUR GENERAL FUND WE HAVE CREATED SEVERAL SUB FUNDS AND THESE SUB FUNDS BEGIN ON PAGE 68. AND THEY ARE THE IT FUND THE COMMUNITY EVENTS AND GRANTS SENIOR CONNECTIONS IDEA IMPLEMENTATION BOARD AND SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD. THE LAST FOUR OF THOSE HAVE ALL HISTORICALLY BEEN INCLUDED JUST IN THE GENERAL FUND AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DEPARTMENT, BUT IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, WITH US TAKING ON, YOU KNOW, SO MANY EVENTS AND PROGRAMS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO TRACK THOSE SEPARATELY AND UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH WE'RE SPENDING AND BUDGET FOR THEM, WE WOULD WE ARE PUTTING THAT ACTIVITY INTO A SUB FUND. SO THE RATIONALE GOING ON FOR THE IT CURRENTLY ALL OF THE IT COSTS ARE RECORDED IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIVISION WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND. AND THAT'S ALL OF THE IT COSTS FOR THE CITY. AND SO WE'RE LOSING THAT CONNECTION TO HOW MUCH EACH DEPARTMENT'S IT IS COSTING THE CITY. SO IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO BRING THAT BACK OUT, TO BE ABLE TO TRACK IT AND REPORT ON IT QUICKLY, WE HAVE A SUB FUND SET UP FOR THE IT COST THAT WILL THEN PLACE IT IN THE DEPARTMENTS THAT IT. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT PAGE YOU SAID THAT IT WAS ON, 66 OR 68 THROUGH 72. SO IN EFFECT RELATED TO IT? IT'S THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. YOU CAN TRACK YOUR TOTAL IT EXPENSE FOR THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION, BUT THEN YOU CAN ALSO TRACK BY DEPARTMENT WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THAT TOTAL IT BUDGET IS APPLICABLE TO EACH DEPARTMENT. RIGHT. AND SO THERE IS STILL AN IT DIVISION WITHIN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES. BUT THAT IS COUNTING AND TRACKING THE OPERATIONS OF THE IT DIVISION, THE SALARIES AND WHATNOT. RIGHT. IT'S NOT LIKE THEIR SOFTWARE COSTS OR THEIR THAT TYPE OF THING. IT'S YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME CONTRACTS IN THERE AND THEN THEIR PERSONNEL FOR THE COMMUNITY PROGRAM TRACKING AND REPORTING. I DID SEND OUT A JUST A REPORTING AND AN UPDATE ON THE DIFFERENT BREAKDOWNS OF EACH OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO WITHIN THAT DIVISION OVER THE SUMMER. IT WAS LIKE 
          [00:25:01]
BACK IN AUGUST WHERE I GAVE YOU AN UP TO DATE. WHAT HAVE WE SPENT SO FAR ON THESE THINGS? COMMUNITY EVENTS, YOU KNOW, CONNECTIONS, IDEA, IMPLEMENTATION, SUSTAINABILITY, AND SO THAT INFORMATION TOOK A WHILE TO PULL TOGETHER. AND IT WAS VERY MANUAL. AND SO BY CREATING THESE SUB FUNDS AND BEING ABLE TO PUT THAT INFORMATION WITHIN ITS OWN CATEGORY, WE'RE ABLE TO TRACK THOSE AND REPORT ON THOSE QUICKLY TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE TRANSPARENCY TO YOU GUYS ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITHIN EACH ONE THING THAT YOU KNOW TO BE KNOWN ON THIS IS WE ARE CONSIDERING THEY'RE ALL A PART OF THE GENERAL FUND. AND SO ANY APPROPRIATION, IF FOR SOME REASON THE BUDGET NEEDS TO BE ADJUSTED FOR ANY ONE OF THESE SUB FUNDS, WE CAN TAKE MONEY FROM THE SAME DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE 101 OPERATING IF WE NEED TO, OR FOR PERSONNEL. IF, YOU KNOW, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT ARE BUDGETED WITHIN OR I GUESS ONE PERSON IN THE COMMUNITY EVENTS AND GRANTS SUB FUND, AND THEN SENIOR CONNECTIONS HAS A COUPLE. AND SO IF SOMETHING HAPPENS WITH LIKE THEIR SALARIES AND WAGES, WE CAN MOVE THEM BETWEEN THE 101 FUND AND WHAT THESE ARE CALLED, IT'S 110 111 112. BUT THEY'RE ALL 100 SERIES GENERAL FUNDS. I KNOW THAT'S A LOT OF ACCOUNTING TALK, BUT JUST JUST SO YOU UNDERSTAND IS WE CAN REPORT ON THE TOTAL GENERAL OPERATIONS, INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY PROGRAMING OR AND WE CAN ALSO PULL THIS OUT IN ORDER TO REPORT ON THEM SEPARATELY HOW THESE WILL ALSO BE FUNDED, BECAUSE THEY HAVE THEIR OWN ACCOUNTING. MOST OF THEM WILL BE JUST FUNDED BY AN INTRA FUND, A LOT OF ACCOUNTING. I'M SO SORRY. AND SO IT MEANS IT'LL GO FROM THE MAIN GENERAL FUND TO WHICHEVER FUND THAT NEEDS SUPPORTED. SO FOR THE COMMUNITY EVENTS AND GRANTS, THE IDEA IS TO TRANSFER THE HOTEL TAX TO THAT FUND. AND THAT WOULD BE GENERALLY WHERE WE'RE GOING TO PUT THE OKTOBERFEST, THE JULY 4TH, THE GRANTS, THE GRANTS, PROGRAMS, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE SAID WERE HOTEL TAX MONEY IN THE GENERAL FUND. NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TRACK IT, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE HOW MUCH WE SPEND OF EACH OF THAT. YOU KNOW, SENIOR CONNECTIONS. 
          THERE'S SOME REVENUE THAT COMES IN WITH THAT. BUT IT'S GOING TO NEED SUPPORTED BY GENERAL OPERATIONS AND SO WE'LL BE FUNDING THOSE CONTINUALLY TO MAKE SURE, MAKE SURE THAT THE SUPPORT IS THERE. BUT WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO TRACK THINGS SPECIFIC TO THOSE. SO LIKE THE CHARGES FOR SERVICES THAT WE GET FOR SENIOR CONNECTIONS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO PULL THAT OUT QUICK. ANY SPONSORSHIPS OR DONATIONS OR THINGS THAT COME IN FROM SPECIFIC EVENTS. WE COULD PULL THAT OFF QUICK IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THAT. SO THAT'S THE MAIN IDEA BEHIND THE SUB FUNDS. 
          I KNOW IT'S KIND OF A DIFFERENCE, BUT CAN I YOU WANT TO FINISH BEFORE I ASK OR CAN I ASK YOU? OH NO, I'M GOOD. SO I LOVE THE TRANSPARENCY THAT IT'S GOING TO GIVE US AND THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO REPORT ON IT AND REALLY FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING. I HAVE A QUESTION, THOUGH, IF THESE ARE GENERAL FUNDS, BUT SORT OF SUB FUNDS OF THE GENERAL FUND, ARE WE GOING TO THEN FULLY FUND THEM WITH THEIR BUDGET AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR? ARE WE GOING TO TRANSFER MONEY IN AS NEEDED AND IF WE PUT MONEY IN, IS IT TRANSFERABLE BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND? IF WE DECIDE THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE USING IT? THE HOTEL TAX THING KIND OF CONCERNS ME ABOUT THAT. THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING HOW DOES ALL THAT WORK WITH IT BEING AN INTRA FUND AND THE WAY THAT WE'RE SETTING UP OUR LEVELS OF BUDGETARY CONTROL IN OUR ORDINANCE, WHICH IS A REVISED FROM THIS ONE THAT WAS IN YOUR BOOK, THE WAY THAT WE'RE SETTING IT UP, IS THAT ANY SORT OF MOVEMENT BETWEEN THESE SUB FUNDS, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT HITS THE APPROPRIATIONS THAT NEED TO BE AMENDED OFFICIALLY BY COUNCIL. AND SO AS FAR AS THE HOTEL TAX IS CONCERNED, YOU KNOW, I'D HAVE TO I CAN VERIFY WITH THE AUDITOR. BUT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT LEGALLY SETTING THAT AS A LEVEL OF BUDGETARY CONTROL, WE CAN MOVE THE FUNDS AS NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT BETWEEN GENERAL FUNDS, BETWEEN GENERAL FUND FUNDS AND THE SUB FUNDS. THAT'S THAT'S WHAT YOUR BELIEF IS, AT LEAST. YES. CAN I ASK JUST A BACKGROUND QUESTION WITHIN THE OVERALL REVENUE OF THE CITY FOR THIS YEAR, DOES THAT INCLUDE THE HOTEL TAX? OKAY. WHICH ONE IS THAT UNDER. 
          [00:30:01]
IS THAT CHARGES FOR SERVICES OR SUCH. SO IF YOU LOOK AT PAGE 64 SO THIS IS YEAH THAT'S OUR HOTEL TAX ACTUALLY FALLS UNDER OTHER REVENUES. THANK YOU. SO I'M RIGHT THERE. BUT I DID HAVE AND I'M NOT I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO EXPLAINING THE HANDOUT THAT I GAVE YOU YET. BUT THAT'LL GIVE YOU AN IDEA LIKE I DO HAVE THE HOTEL TAX REVENUE AS A SLIDE LATER ON WITHIN ADRIAN'S PRESENTATION, LATER TO SHOW THE HISTORY OF IT. I THINK THERE WERE A COUPLE OF OTHER QUESTIONS THAT YOU ASKED, THOUGH. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE ANSWER THOSE SO WE WILL APPROPRIATE WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET, WHATEVER THAT NUMBER TURNS OUT TO BE, WE WILL APPROPRIATE MONEY FOR EACH OF THESE PROGRAMS. WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO INCREASE APPROPRIATIONS AT ANY TIME DURING THE YEAR. IF WE DECIDE THAT WE NEED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR NEW PROGRAMS, CURRENT PROGRAMS, WHATEVER. AND THEN, AS BETHANY SAID, I BELIEVE THAT THESE ARE GENERAL FUNDS. 
          THEY DON'T CEASE TO BE GENERAL FUNDS BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN MOVED TO A SUB FUND. SO IF THE FUNDS ARE NOT USED FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY REMAIN IN THE GENERAL FUND. THEY JUST BECOME BASICALLY UNAPPROPRIATED OR UNENCUMBERED AT THE END. IF THEY IF THEY ARE UNENCUMBERED AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THEY REMAIN A PART OF THE GENERAL FUND. THEY DON'T THEY DON'T GO ANYWHERE. 
          OKAY. AND, BETHANY, JUST A QUICK QUESTION ON OTHER REVENUE. THOSE ARE PRETTY MUCH THE EXACT SAME IN 2025 THAT WE HAD IN 2024. CORRECT. WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THEM, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY OTHER DIFFERENCE. YEAH, I THINK SO. SO IF WE SEE A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN OTHER REVENUE FROM WHAT WE BUDGETED TO WHAT WAS AMENDED, IT WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO COME OUT OF ONE OF THOSE ITEMS. CORRECT? YES. AND I CAN SAY THAT GENERALLY WHAT ENDS UP BEING HIGHER, WHAT HAS ENDED UP BEING HIGHER RECENTLY HAS BEEN OUR REFUND FROM RITA. SO WE GET A RETAINER. WOULD THAT BE UNDER REIMBURSEMENT THEN IT WOULD BE UNDER REIMBURSEMENT. OKAY. THAT WOULD EXPLAIN MY QUESTION. THEN I NOTICED A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM 1.5 TO 1.9. SO IT'S PROBABLY RITA. OKAY. OKAY. ANY MORE QUESTIONS ON THAT? WE'LL GET INTO THE DETAILS AS WE GET INTO THE DEPARTMENTS. BUT JUST A AN OVERVIEW. SO JUST A REMINDER THE LAYOUT OF THE BUDGET WE HAD THE BUDGET MESSAGE IN THE BEGINNING. OUR COMMUNITY PROFILE SUMMARIES FUNDS DEPARTMENTS CAPITAL DEBT AND APPENDICES. THE APPENDICES ARE I THINK, ARE HELPFUL IN GIVING YOU THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. IT GIVES YOU YOUR THE LIST OF IT COSTS THAT ARE BROKEN DOWN. IT GIVES YOU THE BREAKDOWN OF POSITIONS AND THE HISTORY OF THOSE POSITIONS WITHIN DEPARTMENTS. YOU GOT YOUR WAGE SCALE, YOU HAVE DIFFERENT FINANCIAL POLICIES THAT ARE IN THERE. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT SUMMARY PAGES THAT BREAK DOWN SALARIES AND WAGES ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION AS A WHOLE, NOT JUST WITHIN EACH DEPARTMENT. SO THAT IS IN THERE. AND THEN AS A REMINDER, ANYTHING WITH A GREEN HEADING OR A LIGHT GREEN HEADING IN THIS CASE AS WELL, BECAUSE WE ADDED THE SUB FUNDS, INDICATES THAT IT'S GENERAL FUND. OTHER FUNDS ARE BLUE, ORANGE OR BROWN BASED ON THE FUNCTION AND THE FUND CHART THAT YOU WOULD BE FOLLOWING AND THE STRUCTURE OF HOW THIS BUDGET IS BUILT IS ON PAGE 57 TO SHOW YOU WHAT WHAT CATEGORY EACH OF THOSE FALL IN WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE FUND SUMMARIES AND A REMINDER, YEARS 26 THROUGH 28 ARE SHOWN TO PROVIDE DIRECTION FOR PLANNING PURPOSES, BUT THEY ARE NOT TO BE ADOPTED. WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THOSE IN THE IN THOSE YEARS. OKAY. I THINK ADRIAN, WE'RE SO I WILL START US OFF WITH THE COUNCIL BUDGET THAT YOU CAN FIND BEGINNING ON PAGE 149. OH, OKAY. SO I THINK THERE'S A HANDOUT THAT PROVIDES A LITTLE MORE DETAIL. BUT IN GENERAL YOU KNOW, TWO YEARS AGO WE TOOK FUNDING FOR A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND INVESTMENTS OUT OF THE COUNCIL FUND INTO THE COMMUNITY PROGRAMING DIVISION. AND THAT'S WHAT NOW WE HAVE SINCE SEPARATED OUT INTO THESE SUB FUNDS THAT BETHANY JUST DESCRIBED. SO WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE COUNCIL BUDGET IS IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT 
          [00:35:03]
THAN IT USED TO BE. IT'S A LOT MORE SIMPLER. SO ON PAGE 151 IS THE CHART ESSENTIALLY WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IS UNDER PERSONNEL SERVICES. I'M SORRY, IT'S NOT ACTUALLY 153 IS THE IS THE PAGE YOU WANT TO LOOK AT. YOU'LL SEE THE 3.5 COLA THAT IS ALSO PROPOSED FOR THE REST OF NON-BARGAINING STAFF. AS A REMINDER, THAT IS SOMETHING COUNCIL SEES AN ORDINANCE ON EVERY JANUARY. CLARK MASON PROVIDES THAT, BUT WE BUDGET FOR IT IN IN CASE THAT ORDINANCE IS APPROVED. THIS ALSO REFLECTS AN INCREASE IN THE DECISION TO EXTEND HEALTH INSURANCE TO COUNCIL MEMBERS. SO YOU'LL SEE THAT SHOWING UP UNDER PERSONAL SERVICES AS WELL. AND THEN THERE IS A SMALL INCREASE IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE DEPUTY CLARK MADRIGUERA IS INTERESTED IN SEEKING GIS CERTIFICATION. SHE HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB WORKING WITH OUR GIS TEAM TO LEARN THE SOFTWARE AND IS UPDATING OUR BOARD AND COMMISSION DASHBOARD, AND I LOVE THAT SHE'S HAD THIS INTEREST IN TAKING ON THIS NEW CHALLENGE AND LEARNING THIS ENTIRELY NEW FIELD FOR AN ATTORNEY TO START WORKING ON GIS. THE OTHER THINGS YOU'LL SEE UNDER MISCELLANEOUS THAT ESSENTIALLY IS DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FOR LIKE THINGS LIKE THE TABLE AT TASTE OF NEW ALBANY. 
          AND THEN THERE IS SOME FUNDING HERE FOR COUNCIL'S PARTICIPATION IN EVENTS LIKE THE INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE AND THE HORSE AND WAGON FOR FOUNDERS DAY. AND SO THOSE ARE THE MAJOR EXPENSES IN THE COUNCIL BUDGET. I BELIEVE THERE'S ALSO FUNDING AS PART OF THE COUNCIL PARTICIPATION IN. 
          PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. SO THERE'S THE PARTICIPATION IN THE COMMON GROUP, THE CENTRAL HALL MAYORS AND MANAGERS GROUP. AND THEN ALSO THE US CONFERENCE OF MAYORS. SO WE HAVE ALL OF THAT COVERED. THE QUESTION ON THE ITEM ON CONSULTING SERVICES, CONTRACT SERVICES, DOES THAT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ANY HIGH LEVEL SEARCH OR OTHER ADVISORY SERVICES WE MIGHT ENTERTAIN IN THE COURSE OF THE YEAR? IS THAT SUFFICIENT FOR THAT? SO I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE UNDER ADMINISTRATION. I DON'T BELIEVE WE PUT THAT UNDER COUNCIL AS LONG AS IT'S COUNTED SOMEWHERE. 
          I JUST WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION. YEAH. THE STAFFING ANALYSIS AND THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES RELATED TO SUCCESSION PLANNING. AND THOSE WERE THOSE UNDER ADMINISTRATION. IT'S UNDER ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES. YEP. THAT'S FINE. I DIDN'T THINK THE TEN WOULD HAVE COVERED ALL THAT. 
          YEAH. YEAH. THAT IS THAT EXPENSE IS MAINLY THE CODIFICATION THAT WE USE WITH MUNICODE TO CODIFY ORDINANCES. OKAY. SO AS FAR AS 2024, MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE MEMBERS OF TWO ICAC TASK FORCE, INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN. THERE'S A FEDERAL ONE AND A CENTRAL OHIO ONE. SO THAT'S BEEN UNFORTUNATELY THEY'VE BEEN ALL TOO BUSY THIS PAST SATURDAY. 
          CASE IN POINT THERE WAS A AN ADULT MALE THAT CAME TO NEW ALBANY IN HOPES OF MEETING A 14 YEAR OLD GIRL, AND HE WAS PROMPTLY ARRESTED. SO BUT THAT WORK CONTINUES. AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT BUSIER THAN WE WOULD LIKE HUMAN TRAFFICKING OPERATIONS. WE DID TWO OPERATIONS THIS YEAR. THAT'S THE ONES WE DO AT THE HOTELS TYPICALLY, AND WE. IT'S TECHNICALLY CALLED AN ARREST, BUT WE TOOK IN TEN PROSTITUTES AND ALL TEN OF THEM ACCEPTED SERVICES FROM THE SALVATION ARMY. AND THESE CASES GO TO WHAT'S CALLED CATCH COURT. AND BASICALLY IT TRIES TO HELP THEM GET OUT OF THE OUT OF PROSTITUTION AND KIND OF GET THEIR LIVES ON TRACK. IS THAT A FRANKLIN COUNTY PROGRAM? IT'S ACTUALLY AS WELL THAT FRANKLIN COUNTY HAS A TASK FORCE AS A FEDERAL TASK FORCE. BUT THE INITIATIVE AND THE DATES WE COORDINATE WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. SO ALL OVER OHIO, THESE OPERATIONS GENERALLY HAPPEN ON THE SAME DAY. OKAY. WE WILL DO SOME KIND OF OUTLIERS IN ADDITION TO WHAT THE STATE ORGANIZES. BUT THAT'S GENERALLY WHEN WE DO THEM. IT'S USUALLY ABOUT TWICE A YEAR. HIRING SUCCESSES. WITH THE HELP OF LINDSEY AND MANY OTHERS, WE HIRED FOUR DISPATCHERS, ONE CLERK AND ONE POLICE OFFICER. THIS YEAR, SHE GRADUATES FROM CPD ACADEMY THIS FRIDAY, SO 
          [00:40:05]
SHE'LL BEGIN HER 15 WEEK FIELD TRAINING COME MONDAY. COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENFORCEMENT. YOU KNOW THE TRAINING FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENFORCEMENT. IT'S ABOUT TWO WEEKS LONG THAT WE HAVE TO FOR PATROL OFFICERS EXTRA. WE WERE KIND OF GEARING UP AND SENDING OFFICERS TO THAT TRAINING. IT KIND OF COINCIDED NICELY WITH SOME COMPLAINTS THAT WE RECEIVED ABOUT COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC AND SINCE THEN THEY'VE BEEN THEY'VE BEEN VERY BUSY. WE'VE TEAMED UP WITH THE STATE HIGHWAY PATROL, THE FRANKLIN AND LINCOLN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION TO DO QUITE A NUMBER, A NUMBER OF BLITZES WHERE THEY'RE ALL OUT TOGETHER AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, CHECKING ON THESE TRUCKS. AND THEN ALSO DURING REGULAR PATROL AS WELL. 
          COMMUNITY OUTREACH. THIS IS IN ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH, BUT WE PUT SOME HIGHLIGHTS UP THERE. SYSTEM POLICE ACADEMY IS FULL STARTS NEXT YEAR EARLY NEXT YEAR. WE HANDED OUT ABOUT 400 OF THE BIKE COUPONS THIS YEAR AND 244 WERE REDEEMED FOR ICE CREAM. THE COPS AND BOBBERS THAT WAS OUR, I THINK OUR SECOND YEAR THAT WAS SUCCESSFUL. AND THIS YEAR WE ALSO ADDED THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS POLAR PLUNGE, WHICH WAS A WHICH WAS A LOT OF FUN. IT WASN'T EXACTLY COLD, SO WE HAD TO THROW ICE INTO THE WATER TO MAKE THE WATER COLD. IT WAS COLD. YEAH. THEY HAD TO MAKE A LITTLE BIT EXTRA COLD FOR MAKE AN IMPRESSION, BUT THE TOY DRIVE, THIS IS OUR THIRD YEAR, THIRD YEAR OF THE TOY DRIVE. AND THAT IS COMING UP DECEMBER SEVENTH. SO. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          SO AS FAR AS OUR GOALS IN THE COMING YEAR, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON OUR PROVEN STRATEGIES AND MAYBE ADOPT SOME ADDITIONAL ONES TO ADDRESS TRAFFIC THEFTS, WHICH IS PREDOMINANTLY OUR MAJOR CRIMINAL OFFENSES AND THE COMMUNITY'S CONCERNS. IT COULD BE ABOUT LIKE LIKE MOST RECENTLY, TRUCK TRAFFIC, COMMERCIAL VEHICLE TRAFFIC. WE ALSO WANT TO FURTHER PREPARE OUR COMMUNICATION CENTER FOR THE CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING WITH 911, THE AND ALSO THE COMMUNITY'S GROWTH. BUT THE STATE 911 IS LAID OUT SOME GUIDELINES THAT WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THOSE. AND LASTLY, AS THE DEPARTMENT HAS KIND OF REFINED ITS OPERATION AND EXPANDED ITS OPERATION, YOU KNOW, WE BECAME ACCREDITED IN 2019. BUT WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS, IS THAT WE HAVE GONE DEEP INTO A LOT OF THE DIRECTIVES AND PROCEDURES THAT TAKE US TOWARDS AN ADVANCED ACCREDITATION. SO THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW MANY, BUT OVER 100 MORE STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE TO COMPLY WITH. SO WE KIND OF WE FOUND THAT WE'RE ALREADY DOWN THAT ROAD PRETTY FAR. SO ONE OF OUR GOALS IS TO BASICALLY KIND OF MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED AND, AND REALLY NAILED DOWN ABOUT 25% OF THE ADVANCED STANDARDS. THAT'S PART OF A LONG TERM GOAL, A FOUR YEAR PLAN TO BECOME ADVANCED ACCREDITED. 2025 CAPITALS. THERE ARE THREE WORK STATIONS, FURNITURE WISE, IN THE RADIO ROOM. TWO OF THEM ARE ARE COMPLETE AND IDENTICAL. THE THIRD ONE IS MORE OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE STATION. IT DOESN'T. IT'S MISSING SOME SOFTWARE, THE RADIO THAT THE DISPATCHERS USE. SO WE ARE GOING TO FULLY OUTFIT THAT THIRD STATION. THAT WILL HELP US, PARTICULARLY IN TIMES WHEN WE'RE REALLY BUSY, WHERE WE CAN PULL PEOPLE IN AND THEY CAN OPEN UP THAT THIRD STATION. DRONES. SO THERE ARE TWO DRONES THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO PURCHASE. THE FIRST ONES I WOULD SAY MEDIUM. IT'S ABOUT A LITTLE SMALLER THAN A THAN A MANHOLE COVER. THAT ONE HAS A NIGHT VISION. AND OUR INFRARED FORWARD INFRARED CAMERA. AND THE SECOND ONE IS A VERY SMALL ONE THAT CAN HELP US WITH BUILDING SEARCHES AND GETTING INTO TIGHTER AREAS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR WALKAWAYS OR LOST CHILDREN, AND PARTICULARLY IN TREED AREAS. BOTH OF THESE DRONES ARE THE ADVANTAGE OVER THE LARGE DRONE THAT WE HAVE IS THESE CAN BE PUT INTO A CRUISER. SO WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST IS THAT IF WE'RE OUT ON THE SCENE, SOMEBODY HAS TO BRING OR GO BACK AND RETRIEVE THE LARGE DRONE FOR THE NIGHT VISION AND BOTH THESE DRONES ARE SMALL ENOUGH THAT THEY CAN FIT INTO A CRUISER OR GO OUT ON PATROL. AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THE OTHER DRONE? ARE WE JUST GOING TO KEEP IT AND CONTINUE TO USE IT? WHERE APPROPRIATE OR. YEAH, THE LARGE DRONE IS VERY HELPFUL, PARTICULARLY DURING SPECIAL EVENTS, SEARCH WARRANTS. THE OPERATION THIS WEEKEND WHERE THEY ARRESTED THE GUY FOR COMING TO MEET A JUVENILE TO NEW ALBANY. SO THE BIG DRONE IS IT'S PROBABLY OFF ITS USED AS MUCH OR MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN SOME OF THE SMALLER ONES. THERE IS A MEDIUM SIZED DRONE THAT'S SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT WE WANT TO PURCHASE. I THINK THAT JOSH AND HIS TEAM HAVE EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN THAT ONE, BUT AT THE TIME THAT WE PURCHASED THAT, IT 
          [00:45:05]
WASN'T CAPABLE OF CARRYING A FULLY IR CAMERA. SO AS WE'VE USED THE DRONES, WE'VE DISCOVERED NEW OR ADDITIONAL NEW THINGS THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO USE THEM FOR. SO I THINK NOT ONLY CAN JOSH USE IT, BUT I THINK MIKE SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE IT FOR SOME OF HIS ACTIVITIES AS WELL. DO DO THE DRONES LIKE RECORD EVERYTHING THAT THEY PICK UP, OR IS IT JUST THE LIVE FEED, OR DOES IT DEPEND THEY RECORD THINGS LIKE SPECIAL EVENTS. IF THERE WAS NOTHING REMARKABLE DURING LIKE LET'S SAY, THE 4TH OF JULY THERE, IT'S DELETED. BUT IF IT'S LIKE THE ARREST THIS WEEKEND WHERE THEY'RE DOING AN OVERWATCH FOR AN ARREST, THEN THAT IS KEPT IN AN EVIDENCE FILE AND FOR A COURT THAT COMES UP. OKAY. AND ARE THOSE ASSETS THAT, LIKE NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS THAT YOU SHARE WITH EACH OTHER? WE HAVE THEY DON'T OPERATE LIKE WE DON'T LOAN OUT THE DRONE FOR SOMEBODY TO USE. BUT WE HAVE GONE TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS TO HELP THEM. REYNOLDSBURG, WHICH I THINK HAS STARTED A DRONE PROGRAM NOW, GAHANNA, COLUMBUS AND SOME OF THESE AGENCIES HAVE THEIR OWN DRONES, BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY THAT WAS AVAILABLE TO FLY THEIR DRONES. 
          SO IT'S AND THAT'S AND THAT'S TRUE OF YOU KNOW, K-9S, GENERAL EXTRA STAFFING FOR ACCIDENTS, THINGS LIKE THAT, IS THAT THE MUTUAL AID CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE IN BOTH COUNTIES KIND OF REALLY HELP COVER THAT. OKAY. SO THE RADIOS ON THERE ARE RELATED TO THE NUMBER OF CRUISERS AND TO THE NUMBER OF NEW OFFICERS THAT EACH OFFICER HAS A WALKIE. AND THE CRUISERS OBVIOUSLY HAVE RADIOS THEMSELVES, THE VEHICLES TO BE REPLACED. WE ARE IT'S NICE TO SAY THAT AFTER THE TROUBLES THAT WE'VE HAD WITH ACQUISITION, YOU KNOW, ACQUIRING VEHICLES THE LAST 4 OR 5 YEARS, THAT SEEMS TO BE LOOSENING UP A LITTLE BIT. SO WE HAVE A BACKLOG OF CARS THAT WE ORDERED. SIX OF THEM WERE DELIVERED THIS YEAR. SO THE VEHICLES THAT ARE BEING REPLACED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET ARE MAYBE A LITTLE BIT NOT THE MARKED VEHICLES, ADMINISTRATIVE VEHICLES, UNMARKED VEHICLES, ONE OF THE SPEED TRAILERS THAT WE USE. SO THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF VEHICLES THAT ARE BEING REPLACE. 
          AND WE HAVE A BREAKDOWN. WE'LL HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF ALL OF THOSE FOR YOU UNDER THE EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT PART OF THE BUDGET. OUR IT REQUESTS SO THE ANNUAL COST FOR MAINTENANCE SUCH AS FOR 901 THE RADIO ROOM CONSOLES CAT ARMS, BODY WORN CAMERAS. THERE IS A MORE THAN I COULD LIST THERE THAT WE HAVE FOR MAINTENANCE COSTS ON SOFTWARE AND CERTAIN SPECIALIZED ITEMS THAT WE CONTINUE TO USE. THE POWER SWEEP PROGRAM. THIS IS BASICALLY AN EXTENSION OF AN EXISTING SOFTWARE THAT WE HAVE. IT WILL ACTUALLY REPLACE A COUPLE STANDALONE SOFTWARES THAT WE HAVE. BUT THIS THIS POWER SWEEP PROGRAM WILL GIVE US AN ADDITION TO WHAT WE'RE ALREADY USING A MODULE THAT THAT ALLOWS US TO TRACK AND MANAGE USE OF FORCE AND PURSUITS, AND ALSO THE BACKGROUND PROCESS, THE BACKGROUND PROCESS FOR HIRING IS RATHER LENGTHY AND INVOLVED IN THE SOFTWARE WILL WILL HELP TREMENDOUSLY IN ORGANIZING THAT. AND ALSO SAVING TIME. THE SOLVE INTERFACE. SO THE SOLVE INTERFACE IS ACTUALLY A STATE SYSTEM. SO YEARS AGO THE WE PURCHASED A SOFTWARE THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO USE E-TICKETING. SO THEY DON'T WRITE THE TICKETS OUT ANYMORE. THEY PRINT THEM IN THE CRUISER. THEY'RE FASTER THAN WRITING THAT. THAT SOFTWARE HAS REALLY NOT LIVED UP TO ITS PROMISES. AND A LITTLE BIT UNRELIABLE. AND THERE'S BEEN SOME ISSUES AT THE SAME TIME, THE STATE HAD A E-TICKETING SOFTWARE, WHICH WAS KIND OF VERY BASIC AT THE TIME. AND SO WHAT'S HAPPENED IS THAT THE STATE SYSTEM HAS REALLY ADVANCED AND IS REALLY A NICE PRODUCT. RIGHT NOW. WE HAD TALKED ABOUT SWITCHING OVER TO THE STATE SYSTEM FOR A LONG TIME TO SEE IF THIS WAS ANY BETTER. WE ACTUALLY MOVED A COUPLE OFFICERS WHO ARE PRETTY ACTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO TRAFFIC MOVED THEM OVER TO USING SOLVE, AND THEY THEY HAVE FOUND THAT IT'S VERY EFFECTIVE. AND WE KIND OF VETTED THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WOULD BE IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, GOOD FOR US. AND THEN ADDITIONAL LICENSES AS THE STAFF INCREASE, WHETHER IT BE SWORN OR NON-SWORN, A LOT OF THE SOFTWARES THAT WE USE, WE NEED TO PURCHASE ADDITIONAL SOFTWARE OR ADDITIONAL LICENSES FOR THEM TO USE THE SOFTWARE. JUMPING BACK TO THE SOLVE INTERFACE SOFTWARE THAT WILL ACTUALLY SAVE US MONEY BY MOVING TO THAT SOFTWARE SYSTEM. YEAH, THEY'RE QUITE A BIT. SO PERSONNEL. SO I THINK WE, I THINK WE WENT THROUGH A BLEW UP A CALCULATOR TRYING TO FIGURE OUT POLICE MATH. THIS TIME, IF THERE'S FIVE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, ALL FIVE 
          [00:50:01]
COME UP WITH DIFFERENT ANSWERS ON THE NUMBERS. SO BUT WE THINK WE GOT IT NAILED DOWN. LINDSAY WAS REALLY HELPED HELPED CLARIFY THIS. AND SO WE HAVE CURRENTLY WE'RE AUTHORIZED FOR 26 OFFICERS. WE'RE REQUESTING AN ADDITIONAL 3 IN 2025. TWO WOULD GO TO PATROL AND ONE WOULD BE WOULD GO TO A DETECTIVE. SO HOW MANY DO YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW? STILL ACTIVELY WORKING FOR US SWORN OFFICERS? YEAH, JUST OFFICERS, NOT SERGEANTS. AND WE HAVE 12 OF THE 26 NUMBER THAT YOU SAID WAS AUTHORIZED. HOW MANY OF THOSE 23 ARE FILLED? OKAY. 23. ARE WE CLOSE WITH FILLING THE OTHER THREE? YEAH, ACTUALLY. SO IF YOU WERE TO ASK ME A YEAR OR TWO AGO, I'D BE I'D BE CLOSE TO DEPRESSION OVER THE HIRING. I KNOW IT WAS AN ISSUE. THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING. YEAH, IT HAS, IT HAS. AND I THINK THAT THE, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE LAST 4 OR 5 YEARS, IT'S REALLY IMPACTED NOT ONLY OUR RECRUITMENT AND HIRING, BUT DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE NATION. SO RECENTLY IT'S BEEN THERE'S BEEN AN UPTICK. SO WE HAVE A LOT MORE. WE HAVE QUALIFIED APPLICANTS TO PICK FROM. THERE SEEMS TO BE QUITE A FEW MORE THAN WE HAD IN THE PAS. 
          SO IT'S ACTUALLY LOOKING UP. WE HAVE WE HAVE AN INTERVIEW THIS WEEK AND WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING CLOSE TO RECEIVING A CONDITIONAL OFFER. SO YEAH, THAT WAS THAT WAS LOOKING PRETTY ROUGH FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. I FEEL A LOT BETTER ABOUT THE NUMBERS AND FILLING IN. THANK YOU. SO YOU LIKE TO GO FROM 2 TO 3 DETECTIVES THEN? YES. YEAH. AND THE DETECTIVE ONE THAT'S ACTUALLY SO THERE IS A THE NEXT BULLET POINT IS THAT WE WANT TO ADD A SERGEANT. SO THE DETECTIVE IS THE LAST IN THAT CHAIN. THE EMPHASIS IS REALLY ON PATROL FIRST. AND THE SERGEANT AND THE OFFICERS, THE TWO OF THE THREE OFFICERS ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON GETTING PATROL WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE. THEN ONCE THAT'S A THAT'S A COMPLETED, THEN WE'LL MOVE TO THE DETECTIVE AND THAT WE HOPE THAT THAT'LL BE LATER THIS LATER IN 2025. WORST CASE SCENARIO IT'LL BE IT'LL GO INTO 2026. AND THEN ALSO AS FAR AS THE DETECTIVES GO, THERE'S A DETECTIVE SERGEANT WHO ALSO CARRIES A CASELOAD AS WELL. IT CARRIES WHAT CARRIES A CASELOAD. 
          SO WE HAVE A DETECTIVE SERGEANT AND HE ALSO WORKS CASES. OKAY. AS I MENTIONED, THE SERGEANT, WE SO WE HAVE TWO SERGEANTS ON SECOND, TWO SERGEANTS ON THIRD. THIS IS PATROL. THEY HAVE OFFSETTING DAYS OFF TO PROVIDE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF COVERAGE FOR SUPERVISORS. AND WHAT WE'RE WANTING TO DO IS ADD A SECOND SERGEANT TO FIRST SHIFT FOR THE SAME REASON. OFFSETTING DAYS OFF TO PROVIDE COVERAGE. AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS KIND OF A BEST PRACTICE FOR ONE THING. BUT THE WHEN A SERGEANT IS NOT THERE, WE HAVE SIX OFFICERS IN CHARGE. AND ADDING THE ADDITIONAL SERGEANTS HAS REALLY BEEN A REALLY BEEN A BENEFIT TO US. AND I THINK I THINK WE HAD SOME CHALLENGES WHEN IT COMES TO IMPLEMENTING THE OFFICER IN CHARGE. JUST JUST A QUICK ONE. JUST IF YOU FEEL THE OPEN POSITIONS THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR ON AVERAGE, HOW MANY CARS ARE OUT ON THE STREET ON A TYPICAL SHIFT? WELL, THAT THAT VARIES WIDELY. SO THERE'S ACTUALLY MORE OFFICERS SCHEDULED ON SECOND AND FIRST AND THIRD. JUST ONE MORE. RIGHT. BUT THAT VARIES ON TRAINING AND LEAVE. 
          AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF BABIES AT THE DEPARTMENT THIS YEAR. SO THEY'RE THERE. SO IT'S I WOULD PROBABLY SAY THAT 4 TO 5 IS THE IS WHAT WOULD NORMALLY BE SCHEDULED. BUT THERE CAN BE TIMES WHERE YOU DROP DOWN TO THREE AND TWO. IN THE WORST CASE SCENARIO, THAT'S CARS NOT INDIVIDUAL. YEAH. OR THE CARS. DO THEY ALL HAVE TWO PEOPLE IN THEM. NO. THEY JUST HAVE ONE PERSON. THAT'S ONE PERSON. WE WERE YOU KNOW, I SAW A COUPLE OF YOU THE OTHER NIGHT. WE WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE I THINK FOUR OUT THAT NIGHT. TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. LET'S SEE HERE. AS FAR AS DISPATCH GOES, WE ARE ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL DISPATCH SUPERVISOR AND ADDITIONAL DISPATCHER. SO JUST A REMINDER, THERE IS A THERE'S A THERE'S A DISPATCH MANAGER. SHE MANAGES THE RADIO ROOM AS WELL AS THE CLERKS. BUT THESE WOULD BE SHIFT SUPERVISORS. WE HAVE WE HAVE ONE. SO WE'RE LOOKING TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL SHIFT SUPERVISOR FOR THE RADIO ROOM. THIS TAKES US CLOSER TO AND THE ADDITION OF DISPATCHER TAKES US CLOSER TO WHAT THE STATE IS REQUIRING FROM US. AND ALSO IS REALLY HELPS US ACCOUNT FOR EVERYTHING I JUST MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THE VACATIONS AND LEAVES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO AS FAR AS PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE I THINK FOR, FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER, WE REALLY EMPHASIZED EDUCATION AND TRAINING. THAT WILL REMAIN A FOCUS FOR US. WE IN THE YEARS TO COME, WE'RE REALLY GOING TO FOCUS ON IDENTIFYING, TRAINING AND MENTORING THE NEXT GENERATION OF ACCIDENT INVESTIGATORS, DETECTIVES, SERGEANTS AND SO ON. YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF LOOKED AROUND THE DEPARTMENT AND 
          [00:55:01]
REALIZED THAT A LOT OF THESE A LOT OF THESE SPECIALTIES OR RANKS OR PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW, HAVE, YOU KNOW, WELL OVER 20 YEARS OF SERVICE SO FAR. ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE DEVELOPMENT? NO. IT'S KIND OF UNUSUAL. I'M USED TO BEING STUCK BEHIND YOU FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF. ALL RIGHT. I HAVE ONE QUESTION. THEN I'LL JUST JUST JUST TO SO YOU CAN WAIT A SECOND. THEY HAVE CITYWIDE INTERNET PHASE TWO FOR THE POLICE. THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. SO WHENEVER WE DO UPGRADES WITH ANY OF THE DEPARTMENTS THEN THAT GETS CHARGED BACK TO THAT DEPARTMENT. IS THAT WHY THAT'S UNDER THE POLICE FOR THIS REPLACEMENT? AM I READING THAT RIGHT? YES. THAT'S SO THAT'S THAT NEW STRUCTURE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT THIS YEAR SO THAT YOU CAN AGAIN TRACK THE WHOLE IT BUDGET, BUT YOU CAN ALSO TRACK THAT PERCENTAGE OF EXPENSE THAT IS APPLICABLE TO THAT PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT. OKAY, OKAY. THANKS. 
          THANKS. SO JUST TO GO OVER THE OVERALL FUNCTION OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMEN, AGAIN, WE HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES LOCATED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT PLANNING, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ENGINEERING SERVICES, ZONING AND BUILDING ARE ALL ENCOMPASSED IN ONE PLACE. SO THIS BUDGET DESCRIBES ALL OF THOSE KEY FUNCTIONS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT ITSELF. OUR THREE GOALS ARE REALLY CUSTOMER SERVICE ORIENTED, AND THEY ALIGN WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE GOALS THAT THAT WERE ALREADY DESCRIBED. CERTAINLY, ONE OF THEM IS TO EXCEED THE INDUSTRY STANDARD AND PROVIDING EXCELLENT AND TIMELY CUSTOMER SERVICE. THIS IS BOTH TO OUR RESIDENTIAL AND OUR CORPORATE CITIZENS. ALSO TO SERVE THE NEED OF RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES THROUGH APPROPRIATE DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS, AND THEN CREATE A HEALTHY BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT THAT PROTECTS THE LOCAL TAX BASE. HUGELY IMPORTANT GIVEN ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, I DO WANT TO CALL ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THE TABLE IN THIS PRESENTATION HAS BEEN UPDATED, AND FROM THE TABLE IN YOUR BOOK, WE WERE LOOKING AT THE MONTHLY REPORT AND REALIZED THAT WE HAD BEEN CAPTURING TOTAL PERMITS ISSUED. AND SOMETIMES YOU CAN DO MULTIPLE PLAN REVIEWS IN ORDER TO GET A PERMIT ISSUED. AND SO WE DIDN'T THINK THIS WAS THE TABLE THAT'S IN YOUR BOOK WAS REALLY ACCURATELY DESCRIBING THE SHEER VOLUME OF WORK THAT WE'RE DOING WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. AND SO THAT WILL BE UPDATED ACCORDINGLY. BUT IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE COMMERCIAL SQUARE FEET UNDER CONSTRUCTION NUMBER, I MEAN, THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST INDICATOR OF THE BUSYNESS IN THE DEPARTMENT AND THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT WE ARE DOING AS A GROUP. 2024 WAS ANOTHER BUSY YEAR. MANY OF YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE US 62 FOCUS AREA PLAN, THE FIRST PUBLIC MEETING, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE LARGEST PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT WE'VE EVER HAD ATTENDANCE WISE FOR A FOCUS AREA PLAN. IN FACT, THERE WAS OVER 170 PEOPLE THAT SHOWED UP THAT NIGHT. WE HAD SEVERAL DIFFERENT STATIONS AND GOT A LOT OF GREAT FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE DEVELOP IN THE 62 INTERCHANGE AREA. WE ALSO, BECAUSE OF A LOT OF THE NATURE OF A TRANSITION AREA AND WHAT WE SAW AS WE WENT THROUGH THE HAMLET PROCESS WANTED TO TRY TO PULL THE PUBLIC AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND WHAT VALUES THEY HAD AND ■WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO THEM. SO WE DID A SERIES OF ONLINE SURVEYS. WE DID AN INTERACTIVE TYPE OF ACTIVITY AND WE RECEIVED OVER 700 PARTICIPANTS BETWEEN THE PUBLIC WORKSHOP AND THE ONLINE ACTIVITIES THAT WE DID. THIS IS STARTING THIS WORK THAT WE'RE DOING VERY MUCH MIRRORS WHAT WE WOULD DO IN A STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE. THAT'S THE LEVEL OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE WORK THAT'S GOING INTO THE 62 PLAN. WE'RE REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF THE COMMITTEE. THE STEERING COMMITTEE HAS BEEN GREAT. THEY'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD AND DOING SOME EVEN TAKING FIELD TRIPS. WE SENT THEM ON A FIELD TRIP TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, AND THEY HAD TO COME BACK AND REPORT TO THE GROUP WHAT THEY FOUND. SO IT'S BEEN A GOOD EDUCATIONAL PROCESS FOR THEM AND ONE FOR US AS WELL. WE ALSO WORK TO CREATE AN INTRA CITY CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL PROCESS WHERE WE CAN CREATE A REPORT FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND TRAFFIC IMPACTS TO COMPANIES IN THE BUSINESS PARK. THIS WAS ACTUALLY AT THE SPECIAL REQUEST OF ABERCROMBIE AND FITCH. WHILE WE TALK ABOUT ALL THESE GREAT PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON, ABERCROMBIE IS STILL OUR LARGEST EMPLOYER WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO US. 
          WE DO HAVE REGULAR RETENTION MEETINGS WITH THEM, AND THEY REALLY ASKED FOR MORE TARGETED UPDATES THAT THEY CAN SHARE WITH THEIR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR ASSOCIATES IN ORDER TO HELP THEM DO BUSINESS BETTER. AND SO THE TEAM WAS ABLE TO COME UP WITH THIS TRACKING REPORT, AND WE'RE SENDING OUT REGULAR UPDATES, WHICH IS BEING RECEIVED VERY, VERY WELL. THE BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION PROGRAM KICKED OFF LAST NOVEMBER WITH A LAUNCH, A NEW A NEW INITIATIVE TO REALLY HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE BUSINESS RETENTION ACTIVITIES. SINCE THAT TIME, OUR BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION MEETINGS HAVE TRIPLED. AND SO WE ARE IN FRONT OF OUR 
          [01:00:06]
EXISTING BUSINESSES. WE'RE UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEIR EXPANSION NEEDS ARE, BUT I THINK MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE'RE ABLE TO SPEND THE QUALITY TIME WITH THEM THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO CONNECT THEM TO OTHER RESOURCES IN THE REGION IN ORDER TO HELP THEM DO BUSINESS BETTER. SO WHETHER IT'S THE MANUFACTURING EXTENSION NETWORK, WHETHER IT IS COLUMBUS STATE AND THE NEW NORTHEAST TRAINING FACILITY THAT THEY HAVE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REALLY WORK TO CONNECT THOSE PARTNERS TOGETHER. WE ALSO INITIATED A PROCESS THIS YEAR, WHICH WAS TWO YEARS IN THE MAKING TO UPDATE OUR ECOS PROGRAM. THAT'S OUR SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM FOR ALL OF OUR MANUFACTURING PROJECTS. YOU RECALL THEY HAVE TO MEET A EQUIVALENT LEED CERTIFICATION LEVEL IN ORDER TO RECEIVE INCENTIVES. WE WERE CONCERNED WHEN WE FIRST BROUGHT MANUFACTURING INTO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT CLEAN MANUFACTURING WOULD BE AND HOW WE CAN HELP OUR BUSINESSES MAINTAIN A CLEAN STANDARD. AND SO THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN VERY IMPORTANT FOR US. AND WE REALIZED THAT OUR OUR PROCESS IS A LITTLE OUT OF DATE. SO WE'RE WORKING TO UPDATE THOSE STANDARDS NOW AND THEN. WE DID COMPLETE THE DESIGN WORK FOR SECOND AND THIRD STREET. THE EXTENSIONS AND THE HISTORIC VILLAGE CENTER, WHICH IS PRETTY EXCITING TO SEE ACTIVITY MOVING ALONG IN THAT AREA. AGAIN, ASIDE FROM US 62, PLAN, WE'VE BECOME SOMEWHAT EQUIVALENT OF LIKE A DISNEY ATTRACTION. WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A FAST PASS AND HOW TO DO THIS, BUT WITH THE HELP WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THE SHUTTLE PROGRAM, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT DOUG WHITMAN AND HIS WILLINGNESS TO DRIVE WHENEVER I GIVE A TOUR, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. BUT WE'VE REACHED OVER 900 PEOPLE IN JUST 2024 ALONE THROUGH OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS, WHICH INCLUDED 26 BUSINESS PARK TOURS. SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, THAT'S ALMOST IN THE IN A YEAR, THAT'S ALMOST A TOUR A WEEK, RIGHT? AND THEN 18 PRESENTATIONS AND TWO OF THEM WERE AT NATIONAL CONFERENCES. SO WE'RE WE'RE GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT THERE. WHAT I THINK IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE MOST PROUD OF, JUST IN ADDITION TO BEING ABLE TO BE ON THIS NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT AND TO BE PRESENTING OUR COMMUNITY AND THE GREAT THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE, IS THAT A LOT OF COMMUNITIES FROM AROUND THE STATE OF OHIO AND EVEN ADJACENT STATES ARE COMING TO US AND ASKING US ABOUT OUR SECRET SAUCE, AND WE ARE SHARING THAT INFORMATION. I MEAN, THIS WAS WE CREATED THIS AND WE HAVE THIS COUNCIL WHO'S BEEN UNBELIEVABLY SUPPORTIVE OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WE THINK WE DO HAVE A SPECIAL RECIPE HERE. AND SO WE WANT THE ENTIRE STATE TO BE SUCCESSFUL. WE WANT OTHERS TO BE SUCCESSFUL. AND SO WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE OUR MODEL AND HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO, YOU KNOW, RISING TIDES RAISE ALL SHIPS. WE ALSO WORKED REALLY HARD WITH THE GIS DEPARTMENT AND CREATED A BOARD AND COMMISSION DASHBOARD. IT LAUNCHED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE THIS YEAR. THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR THINGS WE'VE DONE. IT'S SO SIMPLE, RIGHT? BUT WE WERE ABLE TO CAPTURE A WAY. CHRISTINA ALSO WORKED VERY, VERY HARD ON THIS AS WELL TO REALLY SHOW PEOPLE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN REAL TIME WITH APPLICATIONS. ALL OF THE SUBMITTALS, AND BEING ABLE TO CONNECT THEM TO THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED. SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO RELY ON US TO SEND THEM APPLICATIONS OR THEY DON'T HAVE TO CALL THE CLERK'S OFFICE. IT CAN ALL BE THERE AT THEIR FINGERTIPS, AND IT'S ALL TIED TO GIS SO THEY CAN SEE HOW THAT IMPACTS THEM. REAL TIME. WE ALSO LAUNCHED THE FIRST PHASE OF DESIGN FOR THE LARGEST INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT THAT THE CITY WILL EVER WORK ON, WHICH IS THE MORRIS EXPRESS. AND THEN WE HAPPILY TURNED LEMONS INTO LEMONADE. AND WE LAUNCHED INNOVATE NEW ALBANY AT BRICKHOUSE BLUE. IT'S A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CIC, THE CITY, INNOVATE NEW ALBANY, AND A CO-WORKING PARTNER HERE. 
          THAT'S LOCATED WITHIN CENTRAL OHIO NAMED BRICKHOUSE BLUE. WE'RE TRIPLING THE SIZE OF THE CITY'S INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM, AND WE HAVE NOW A BROADER COMMUNITY OUTREACH THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO OFFER. MEETING SPACE AND DAY WORKING PASSES AND JUST LOTS OF DIFFERENT FUN THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE, TO BE ABLE TO WORK THERE AND USE THAT SPACE AS WEL. 
          AND WITH THAT, WE ANNOUNCED THAT BARRY BAGELS WAS GOING TO BE OPENING A FACILITY THAT WILL BE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC IN THE IN THE LOBBY OF THE WATER'S EDGE. ONE BUILDING AND ALL OF THAT IS EXPECTED TO LAUNCH IN DECEMBER WITH A SOFT LAUNCH WITH OFFICES AND BARRY BAGELS. AND THEN THE MEETING SPACE WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR RENT IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2025. 
          AND THEN ANOTHER LITTLE THING GOING ON IS INTEL. SO WE HAVE REACHED 75% COMPLETION ON THE FIRST PHASE OF THE PHASE ONE PROJECTS THAT WERE APPROVED BY THE STATE. SO WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER TO GO WITH SOME OF THE COMMITMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE. BUT THIS IS A HUGE MILESTONE. IT'S A $300 MILLION GRANT, IF YOU RECALL, THAT WAS GIVEN TO US BY THE STATE OF OHIO IN ORDER TO BUILD ALL OF THE PHASE ONE PROJECTS TO SUPPORT PHASE ONE OF INTEL AND TO BE 75% COMPLETE IS A HUGE MILESTONE. AND THEN SPEAKING OF INTEL, SINCE 2022, THE TEAM HAS REVIEWED 277 PACKAGES SO THEY DON'T SUBMIT PLAN REVIEWS IN THE SAME WAY THAT OTHER COMPANIES 
          [01:05:02]
DO. WE HAVE A WHOLE DIFFERENT SYSTEM FOR THEM. AND SO 277 PACKAGES FOR PERMIT MIGHT ENTAIL A DOZEN PLAN REVIEWS WITHIN THAT PACKAGE. AND SO JUST THINKING ABOUT THE MAGNITUDE OF THAT AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR OUR STAFF AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT. SOME OF THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS, I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THEM A LITTLE BIT. 
          BETHANY TALKED ABOUT THEM EARLIER, MICROSOFT, AMERICAN REGIONS. THIS ONE IS THE ONE THAT NEEDS TO BE CELEBRATED, THIS $276 MILLION INVESTMENT. IT'S ONE THING TO WIN A COMPANY THE FIRST TIME WHEN THEY'VE NEVER BEEN HERE. THEY'RE TRUSTING YOU. IT'S A BIG DEAL TO TRY TO PROVE TO A COMPANY THAT YOU CAN DO SOMETHING THAT THEY'VE NEVER HAD EXPERIENCE DOING IN YOUR COMMUNITY BEFORE, BUT I WOULD ARGUE THAT A BETTER AND BIGGER DEAL IS TO HAVE SOMEONE THAT'S ALREADY LOCATED IN YOUR COMMUNITY, WORKING WITH YOUR AMAZING TEAMS OF PEOPLE, AND THEY LOVE DOING BUSINESS SO MUCH THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO INVEST ANOTHER $275 MILLION INTO YOUR COMMUNITY. IF THAT'S NOT A TESTAMENT TO ALL OF THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND WHAT WE DO ON A REGULAR BASIS, THEN I'M NOT SURE WHAT IS. SO I'M JUST GOING TO TAKE A SIP OF. SO LOOKING AHEAD, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO. SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THOSE THREE GOALS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS PRESENTATION. A BIG PART OF THAT IS TRAINING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST INCREASE THAT YOU SAW WITHIN OUR BUDGET. WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN ALL THE PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS THAT OUR STAFF HAS GROWN OVER THE YEARS. WE NOW WILL HAVE IN 2025, 27 FTES. AND SO MOST OF THOSE FOLKS HAVE TO BE CERTIFIED IN SOME WAY WITH CONTINUING EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS. WE ALSO ARE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THE CONSULTING AND CONTRACTUAL SERVICES. KEEP IN MIND THAT THAT'S A ONE OF THE BIGGEST PARTS OF OUR BUDGET, BUT THAT ALSO INCLUDES ALL OF THE PLAN REVIEW AND CONTRACT INSPECTIONS THAT WE DO. SO A LOT OF THAT BUDGET IS PASSED THROUGH. IT GETS PAID BACK BY THE FOLKS THAT ARE PAYING FOR PLAN REVIEWS. AND SO THAT THAT BULK OF THAT GOES TO THAT SERVICE. AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE OUR ANNUAL PLANNING PROJECTS. SO THIS STEVE AND I LAUGH ABOUT THIS. YOU KNOW, HE AND HIS TEAM DO SUCH A GREAT JOB OF COMING UP IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR WITH A LIST OF THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, AND IT BLOWS UP USUALLY BY JANUARY 31ST OF EVERY YEAR. AND TYPICALLY BECAUSE WE HAVE EITHER SOME GREAT OPPORTUNITY THAT WE NEED TO EXPLORE. COUNCIL HAS AN IDEA WHICH IS FINE. YOU KNOW, AND SO SOME OF THESE HAVE BEEN SITTING ON THE SLATE FOR, FOR QUITE SOME TIME. AGAIN TAKING LIKE THE IDEA WITH THE US 62 PLAN. AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN AREA FOCUSED PLAN AND IT BLEW UP INTO A BIG COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY. AND SO THAT HAS TAKEN THE PLACE OF SOME OF THESE OTHER THINGS THAT WE WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE DONE THIS YEAR. BUT WE ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON CITY PARKS AND TRAILS AND SIGNS, WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH ADMIN AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME PRELIMINARY STUDYING ON ROSE RUN PHASE THREE. IF YOU CAN BELIEVE A VILLAGE CENTER SIGN STUDY, WHICH HAS BEEN ON THE BOOKS FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND THEN THE EVER SO POPULAR SOLAR PANEL CODE UPDATE. SO THOSE ARE THE BIG PLANNING INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE LOOKING TOWARDS IN 2025. AND THEN FINALLY, WE JUST WANT TO CONTINUE WITH SOME OF THE SAME THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING. THE BRT PROGRAM. THERE'S AN EVENT THAT YOU JUST RECEIVED AN INVITATION TO THAT IT'S A CANINE COMPANIONS. THIS IS A NONPROFIT EVENT BECAUSE WE GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS FROM OUR NONPROFITS ABOUT COMPANIES THAT ARE RECEIVING INCENTIVES. AND DO WE REQUIRE THEM TO PARTICIPATE? AND WHILE WE HAVE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION STATEMENTS IN ALL OF OUR AGREEMENTS, WE CERTAINLY BECAUSE OF LEGAL REASONS, WE DON'T REQUIRE THEM. WE CAN'T DO A QUID PRO QUO. SO WE DON'T REQUIRE CERTAIN THRESHOLDS, BUT WE DO REQUIRE PARTICIPATION. SO WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE ALL OF OUR BUSINESSES AND INVITE THEM AND HAVE ALL OF OUR NONPROFITS WHO ARE INTERESTED. IF WE LEFT ANYONE OUT, THEY'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO PARTICIPATE. WE WERE JUST GOING OFF OF THE LIST THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER WITH THE CHAMBER AND HAVE THEM HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE THEMSELVES BEFORE THESE BUSINESSES AND SEE IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOME CONNECTION THERE AND SOME SYNERGY. CANINE COMPANIONS WILL BE OUR HOST, AND THEY WILL BE PRESENTING AND THEN WE ASK THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION TO PRESENT AS WELL, SINCE THEY REPRESENT A LOT OF THE NONPROFITS THROUGH FUNDS THAT ARE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. SO I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. YES. JUST A QUICK ONE. GOING BACK TO SLIDE WHERE DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS, WE ALWAYS HEAR A LOT ABOUT ACCESS TO INTERNET AND MOBILE PHONE SERVICE AND THE CHALLENGES THAT PRESENTS TO RESIDENTS. IS THERE ANY ACTIVITIES YOU PLAN THERE TO HELP SORT IT OUT OR IMPROVE IT? I KNOW IT'S NOT TOTALLY UP TO US. I KNOW IT'S THE INTERNET PROVIDERS ET CETERA. BUT IT CONSISTENTLY COMES UP AS AN ISSUE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. YEAH. SO I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT WE ACTUALLY DID HAVE THAT BUDGETED FOR 2024. AND WE HAVE CONTRACTED WITH A CONSULTANT. IF 
          [01:10:04]
YOU REMEMBER, THAT'S BEEN ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITIES IN THE COUNCIL CAPITAL RETREAT OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. SO I DO APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IT UP. WE DID HAVE TROUBLE ADMIN AND DEVELOPMENT, WORKED FOR A LONG TIME TO TRY TO FIND A CONSULTANT IN THIS SPACE. THERE'S VERY FEW CONSULTANTS THAT THAT DO THIS KIND OF WORK. WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY ADMIN PARTICULARLY, WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY A CONSULTANT THAT WORKED WITH DUBLIN. AND SO WE DID GO THROUGH THE CIC. THE CIC IS MANAGING THAT PROJECT. AND SO WE CONTRACTED WITH THIS INDIVIDUAL AND IN FACT A SURVEY JUST WENT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. I THINK IT WAS ON SOCIAL MEDIA TWO WEEKS AGO ASKING FOR FEEDBACK ON WHAT PEOPLE WERE EXPERIENCING. I THINK WE HAVE A DIFFERENCE OF THE CHALLENGE OPENED UP A LITTLE BIT ONCE WE STARTED TO TALK TO PEOPLE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR ISSUES WERE. WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT THAT COUNCIL WAS TALKING ABOUT A FIBER TO THE HOME AND HOME SERVICE TYPE OF INITIATIVE, BUT IT TURNS OUT THAT THERE'S PEOPLE THAT ARE ALSO EQUALLY UPSET ABOUT THEIR OVERALL ACCESS. AND SO THE VERY, VERY FIRST PART OF THIS PROJECT IS TO REALLY ASSESS THE NEED. IS THIS JUST ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE AND THERE'S A FEW SPOTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE SERVICE ISSUES. OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S OF REAL CONCERN AND THEN BEING ABLE TO TAKE THAT INFORMATION BACK, SYNTHESIZE THAT INFORMATION AND COME UP WITH SOME HIGH LEVEL CONCEPTUAL IDEAS FOR HOW THAT MIGHT BE SOLVED. CERTAINLY, TO YOUR POINT, THERE'S NO QUICK AND EASY ANSWER. BUT BUT ONCE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ACTUAL DATA SAYS, I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE A MORE INFORMED DECISION ABOUT HOW WE COULD POTENTIALLY MOVE FORWARD. GREAT. THANK YOU. 
          WE REALLY NEED TO PUSH THAT SURVEY OUT OVER AND OVER, BECAUSE I I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE THAT COMPLAIN AND I SAID THE SURVEY CAME OUT AND I KNOW WE CAN DO THINGS A MILLION TIMES AND NOBODY CATCHES IT. BUT I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING, OH, I DIDN'T SEE THE SURVEY. SO I THINK I WILL SAY IT RAN THREE WEEKS IN A ROW AND CONNECTS. AND I CHECKED IT CLOSED ON FRIDAY. I CHECKED MAYBE TWO DAYS BEFORE IT CLOSED. WE HAD, I THINK, 186 RESPONSES, WHICH WAS I WAS SHOCKED. AND ANOTHER INTERESTING NUMBER. ABOUT HALF OF THOSE PEOPLE ACTUALLY LEFT WRITTEN COMMENTS, WHICH IS REALLY UNHEARD OF IN A SURVEY. SO THE DATA JUST AT FIRST GLANCE IS REALLY FASCINATING. LIKE WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THEIR EXISTING SERVICE VERSUS WHAT THEY THINK THE CITY SHOULD BE DOING FOR THE FUTURE. AND WE ACTUALLY ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO PRESENTING THAT TO THE CIC AND THEN COUNCIL AS WELL. THOSE THOSE SURVEY RESULTS. SO I WAS REALLY PLEASED WITH THE PARTICIPATION. IT IS GREAT NEWS BECAUSE WE DO HEAR A LOT ABOUT IT FROM PEOPLE. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT THIS IS THEIR OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, SPEAK NOW. SO WE HAVE THAT DATA. I WANT TO MAKE ONE OTHER COMMENT. 
          IT'S NOT A QUESTION, BUT I THINK COUNCIL SHOULD KNOW THIS REGARDING OUR NEW INNOVATE SPACE. JENNIFER KIND OF GLOSSED OVER, BUT SHE DID NOT GIVE HER AND STAFF CREDIT FOR THE AMAZING SUCCESS WE'RE ALREADY SEEING. WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO SEE IT THIS WEEK, AND WE HAD KIND OF, IF I RECALL, TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF IT TOOK US A YEAR OR TWO TO GET TO 50 TO 70% OCCUPANCY, WE'D BE OKAY. IT WOULD START TO GET A LITTLE ROUGH, BUT WE NEED THAT TO HAPPEN. WE ARE ALREADY, I BELIEVE, ABOVE 50% OCCUPANCY AND WE DON'T HAVE THE BUILD OUT DONE YET. WE ALREADY HAVE COMMITMENTS FOR OVER 50% OF THE SPACE RENTED WITHOUT THE SPACE. SO THAT SAYS SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT JENNIFER AND EVERYBODY ELSE ON STAFF HAS CREATED AND DONE. AND I THINK WE SHOULD ALL FEEL REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. SO I WANT YOU TO I WANTED YOU TO ALL HEAR THAT IT'S A BIG DEAL. NOT TO MENTION THAT IT'S INCREDIBLE SPACE AND EVERYBODY THAT GOES THROUGH IT IS JUST LIKE WOWED BY IT. SO THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR COUNCIL SUPPORT. WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE THIS AND BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT THE SUPPORT FROM COUNCIL. AND WE WENT AFTER SOMETHING BIG. AND I THINK HAVING YOUR SUPPORT BEHIND THAT IS GOING TO BE A DIFFERENTIATOR FOR US COMPARED TO IF WE WOULD HAVE JUST GONE IN AND DONE TRADITIONAL OFFICE SPACE AND NOT MADE IT SOMEPLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANTED TO, TO GO. AND THE OTHER THING THAT I FOUND FASCINATING IS THAT THERE'S LIKE A BUNCH OF BABY SHOWERS SCHEDULED IN OUR CONFERENCE ROOMS. PEOPLE ARE LIKE RENTING THE SPACE FOR THOSE KINDS OF EVENTS. SO IT SHOWS YOU WHAT A NEED WE CLEARLY HAVE. SO I DON'T KNOW THAT. YEAH, THEY TOLD US. THEY TOLD US AT THE TOUR. I WAS LIKE, WHAT? UNBELIEVABLE. AND 100% COMPLETE. FIRST QUARTER OF 2025. YES, YES. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OFFICES THAT ARE READY TO BE LEASED IN DECEMBER. AND THEN THE MEETING SPACE, THE MEETING ROOMS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE LAGGING A LITTLE BIT BEHIND. OKAY. BUT AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, BARRY'S IS FIRST QUARTER OR SOONER. YEAH. STEVE'S SAYING YES. AND SO STEVE SAYS YES, I SAY YES. MORE 
          [01:15:05]
IMPORTANTLY, WHEN CAN WE GET A BAGEL? EXACTLY. THAT WAS CASEY'S QUESTION. YEAH. SO ONE QUICK MINOR DETAIL ON PAGE 176. THE BUSINESS RETENTION VISITS ARE UNDERSTATED. WE'RE GOING TO CORRECT THAT THAT GRAPHIC THAT'S PART OF IT'S IN STAGE 176. SO THEY THAT DOESN'T REFLECT THE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT'S ACTUAL ACTIVITIES IN TERMS OF BUSINESS RETENTION FOR 2024. SO WE'LL WE'LL UPDATE THAT FOR YOU. THE. THIS A SMALL DETAIL. THANKS. JENNIFER, YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT CHRISTINA HAD HELPED WITH THE GIS PROJECT. IS THAT ON OUR WEBSITE NOW THE DASHBOARD. YES IT IS. HOW DO YOU WHAT DO YOU SEARCH FOR? BECAUSE I CAN'T FIND IT. I ACTUALLY HAVE A LINK IN MY SLIDES. SO IF IT WORKS, I'LL BE ABLE TO SHOW YOU. OKAY. OH, I'M SORRY I TOOK YOUR THUNDER. 
          THAT'S OKAY. IT WAS SUCH A GREAT COLLABORATIVE PROJECT. IT'S A COLLABORATION. IT WAS THEN I WILL WAIT. ARE YOU GUYS RUNNING THE SLIDES FROM OVER THERE OR DO WE. SURE. OH, OKAY. THANKS. ALL RIGHT, SO. SO, ADMIN SERVICES, I'M GOING TO TAKE YOU THROUGH A WIDE ARRAY OF FUNCTIONS HERE. SO JUST TO REMIND YOU, WHEN ADMIN SERVICES WAS CREATED IN 2017, IT HAD H.R. IT AND MAYOR'S COURT. 
          AND SO WE'VE GROWN QUITE A BIT SINCE THAT TIME. WE STILL HAVE ADMIN UNDER ADMIN SERVICES IN THE BREAKDOWN IN YOUR BUDGET INCLUDES EXPENSES RELATED TO HUMAN RESOURCES AND THEN, YOU KNOW, CITY WIDE OPERATIONAL SUPPORT THAT THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE DOES. ALTHOUGH WE CONTRACT MAYOR'S COURT OUT, WE STILL HAVE A MAYOR'S COURT BUDGET THAT WE FUND. AND WE HAVE OVERSIGHT FOR OUR CONTRACTS AND THE KIND OF OPERATIONS OF MAYOR'S COURT IN GAHANNA. WE ALSO HAVE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND THEN OUR GIS FUNCTION, WHICH WE JUST ADDED A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND HAVE MADE, YOU KNOW, REALLY BIG LEAPS AND STRIDES IN IN GETTING THOSE KIND OF FUNCTIONS ON BOARD. AND THEN THE MOST RECENT ADDITION A COUPLE YEARS AGO WAS COMMUNITY PROGRAMING. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT STARTED MAINLY WITH BRINGING ABBY ON BOARD TO RUN A SENIOR PROGRAM AND IN A COUPLE OF YEARS. SO IT'S GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY IN THIS YEAR. AGAIN, WE'LL TAKE YOU THROUGH KIND OF THE BREAKDOWN OF THE SUB FUNDS. SO WE HAVE OUR COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS AND PROGRAMING, WHICH IS KIND OF THE BASE LEVEL, THE CORE SUPPORT. AND THAT THOSE KIND OF EXPENSES. 
          BUT NOW WE HAVE THESE FOUR SUB FUNDS THAT ARE COMMUNITY EVENTS AND COUNCIL GRANTS, THE SENIOR CONNECTION SUB FUND, IDEA IMPLEMENTATION PANEL, AND THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD. 
          AND AGAIN, THIS WILL JUST MAKE THE TRACKING OF THESE EXPENSES A LOT EASIER. EXPENSES RELATED TO AN EVENT ARE ARE NUMEROUS. WITH ALL THE VENDORS THAT WE HAVE. AND I THINK THIS WILL MAKE THINGS A LOT SIMPLER TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT, THEN WE ALSO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR COUNCIL INITIATIVES. SO YOU KNOW, MANY YEARS AGO THAT WAS THE DORA THAT WAS DOING THE RFP FOR HOLIDAY LIGHTING. WE EXPANDED OUTDOOR SEATING FOR RESIDENTS AND FOR BUSINESSES DURING THE PANDEMIC. WE'VE ALSO HAD A BIG FOCUS ON PARKS THAT AT COUNCIL'S DIRECTION OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. SO THAT INCLUDES TAYLOR FARM, ALL THE POCKET PARKS AND THEN ROSE RUN, YOU KNOW, PHASE ONE WHEN THAT WAS COMPLETED. AND THEN WHERE WE ARE WITH PHASE TWO, THAT ALSO INCLUDES THE COUNCIL INITIATIVES THAT THE BROADBAND INITIATIVE THAT JEN JUST DESCRIBED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. SO I'LL TAKE YOU THROUGH ONE BY ONE, OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THEN OUR GOALS IN EACH OF THESE AREAS IN TERMS OF AIR THIS YEAR, WE HAD 37 HIRING PROCESSES, WHICH SURPRISINGLY IS THE SAME NUMBER THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR. YOU KNOW, WE THOUGHT MAYBE HIRING WOULD WOULD SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT. WHAT HAS BEEN INTERESTING INCREASE OUR ACTUAL NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS. WE HAD JUST OVER 500 LAST YEAR. THIS YEAR WE HAD 707 APPLICATIONS FOR OUR POSITIONS. I THINK THAT SHOWS A GROWING INTEREST IN IN CITY JOBS HERE. BUT IT ALSO MEANS THAT'S OVER 200 MORE APPLICATIONS TO REVIEW AND SCREEN AND PASS ALONG 
          [01:20:02]
TO THE DEPARTMENTS. AND SO THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WORK. BUT THE INTEREST IN THE CITY AND I WOULD SAY WE ALSO ARE SEEING INTEREST FROM OUT OF STATE AND OUT OF TOWN APPLICANTS. THAT IS AS IS NEW FOR US. AND IT'S BEEN INTERESTING TO EXPERIENCE. AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT PEOPLE LEAVING AND RETIREMENTS, YOU KNOW, IN BRINGING PEOPLE ON BOARD, WE'VE ONBOARDED 43 POSITIONS THIS YEAR AND THAT IS WITH WITH LINDSEY AND THEN MANDY. THAT IS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NOT TECHNICALLY FULL TIME HR, BUT THAT BASICALLY IS HOW MOST OF HER WORK OCCURS RIGHT NOW. WE ALSO HR LED RFP FOR A NEW INSURANCE BROKER, AND THAT REALLY WAS TO HELP US ANALYZE OUR EXPENSES RELATED TO HEALTH CARE AND OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE CONSORTIUM. AND THROUGH THAT PROCESS, THEY'VE MADE SOME GREAT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR US TRYING TO IMPROVE OUR EFFICIENCY AND KIND OF OUR OPERATIONS AND OUR PROCESSES. ONE OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, WE WERE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THIS YEAR, AND THAT WAS THE ONLINE OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR EMPLOYEES. THE BEST THING ABOUT, I THINK, TWO REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS. ONE, WE WOULD ALWAYS GET THE QUESTION DURING OPEN ENROLLMENT WHEN IT WAS PAPER BASED, WHAT BENEFITS DO I HAVE? WHAT WHAT HEALTH PLAN AM I ON? PEOPLE WOULDN'T KNOW. THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT. AND THIS SHOWS EVERY BENEFIT YOU HAVE FROM, YOU KNOW, OUR SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE TO HEALTH CARE. AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE FOR EMPLOYEES AND PEOPLE WILL START THAT WILL SINK IN AND THEY'LL REALIZE, OH, THESE ARE THE BENEFITS I HAVE. AND THEN ALSO THE WEEK AFTER PAPER OPEN ENROLLMENT IN PAST YEARS, THE NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS IN THE OFFICE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD HAVE TO MANUALLY ENTER ALL THAT DATA INTO LIKE 3 OR 4 DIFFERENT PLATFORMS. AND THERE'S A TON OF QUESTIONS. AND DID YOU DO THIS AND DID YOU GET TO THAT. 
          AND ALL OF THAT IS INTEGRATED NOW. AND SO IT REALLY IS A BENEFIT FOR NOT ONLY THE HR SIDE OF THINGS, BUT ALSO OUR EMPLOYEES. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE LIKE TO MAINTAIN AN UNDER 10% TURNOVER RATE. AND WE WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT IN 2020 FOR IN TERMS OF GOALS FOR NEXT YEAR, WE WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THIS, THIS CONSULTANT, WE HAVE TO EVALUATE OUR HEALTH INSURANCE TRANSITION. 
          WE'VE BEEN LINDSAY AND BETHANY HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CONSORTIUM TO UNDERSTAND OUR CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP AND KIND OF WHAT OUR CLAIMS EXPERIENCE IS, AND GIVING US OPTIONS AND CONTINUE TO EVALUATE WHAT THOSE OPTIONS COULD BE IN THE IN THE COMING YEAR. WE ALSO WANT TO CONTINUE TO MODERNIZE OUR INTERNAL PROCESSES, AND THAT INCLUDES ON OUR ONBOARDING DOCUMENTS. AND AGAIN MAINTAIN THAT UNDER 10% ANNUAL STAFF TURNOVER. FROM AN IT STANDPOINT, PRIOR TO THIS YEAR, OUR WORK ORDER SYSTEM HAS BEEN LAUREN CELL PHONE NUMBER AND SENDING HIM A TEXT. AND THAT'S NOT THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO TRACK THOSE REQUESTS. AND SO WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED A NEW WORK ORDER SYSTEM TICKET SYSTEM. GETTING EVERYONE TO USE IT WILL BE A FOCUS OF 2025. BUT I THINK ONCE PEOPLE GET USED TO USING I, EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, MUCH BETTER DATA AROUND, YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF REQUESTS WE'RE SEEING, WHERE WE'LL BE ABLE TO REPORT THAT. AND THEN I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS ABOUT WHETHER IT'S STAFFING OR OTHER RESOURCE. THE OTHER FOCUS ON THIS YEAR, AND I DON'T THINK IT CAN BE A HIGH ENOUGH PRIORITY, IS CYBER SECURITY. CERTAINLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, REGIONALLY HERE WITH CYBER SECURITY RECENTLY. SO WE HAVE STARTED A COMPREHENSIVE FISH TESTING PROGRAM THAT ALSO INCLUDES MANDATORY TRAINING. AND THAT'S SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO EMPHASIZE. AND WE WILL CONTINUE ON INTO THE NEW YEAR. 
          AND WE HAVE BUDGETED FOR THE NEW YEAR TO BRING IN A TRAINER JUST TO DO SOME SORT OF KIND OF SCARED STRAIGHT TYPE OF TRAINING FOR ALL OUR STAFF ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF CYBER SECURITY IN ADDITION TO THE MONTHLY FISH TESTING THAT WE'RE DOING AND THE ONLINE TRAINING THIS YEAR, THE IT. SO TWO PEOPLE IN OUR IT DEPARTMENT REPLACED ALL THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S BODY AND CRUISER CAMERA SYSTEMS, AND THAT INCLUDES NEW MODEMS IN EACH CRUISER. SO THAT'S A BIG IMPLEMENTATION, A BIG LIFT IF YOU THINK OF EVERY CRUISER WE HAVE AND ALL THE SOFTWARE AND EQUIPMENT THAT ARE IN EACH OF THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CAN DO THEIR IMPORTANT WORK. AND EVEN, YOU KNOW, THE E-TICKETING ALL OF THAT IS EQUIPMENT THAT IS IN THE CRUISER THAT NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED. AND THEN FROM THE NUTS AND BOLTS STANDPOINT, WE DEPLOYED 16 NEW SERVERS, RETIRED, TEN REPLACED 23 PCS, AND THEN WE ADDED THE PHELPS 
          [01:25:07]
HOUSE AS AN ADDITIONAL WORKPLACE SITE. MOVING ON INTO 20 OH. THEN ON THE GIS STANDPOINT AND LET'S SEE IF THIS LINK ACTUALLY WORKS. MAYOR. HOPEFULLY IT DOESN'T TAKE TOO LONG. SO ON OUR WEBSITE, THERE IS A GIS GALLERY THAT I THINK YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO JUST SEARCH FOR. AND THEN THIS SHOWS ALL OF THESE KIND OF ONLINE DASHBOARDS AND GIS SYSTEMS THAT RYAN KELLY, OUR GIS MANAGER, HAS CREATED IN JUST TWO SHORT YEARS. SO THE BOARD AND COMMISSION ONE IS RIGHT HERE. AND THIS THIS HAS BEEN, I THINK, VERY WELL RECEIVED BY THE PUBLIC. LIKE JEN SAID, IT IT IT GIVES YOU UP TO DATE INFORMATION. YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE PROJECT. HOPEFULLY IT LOADS IN A DECENT AMOUNT OF TIME. THERE IS A TON OF INFORMATION IN HERE, BUT YOU CAN SEARCH BY, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ZOOM INTO THE MAP, YOU CAN SEARCH BY CASE NUMBERS. IT TELLS YOU YOU KNOW ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO SEE. I CAN'T SEE THAT FAR. SO IT TELLS YOU EVERYTHING THAT IS PENDING HERE. SO IF YOU WANTED TO LOOK INTO ONE, IT ZOOMS INTO THE MAP AND THEN TELLS YOU WHAT THE HEARING SCHEDULE IS LIKE. IT GIVES YOU JUST A TON OF INFORMATION. SO I THINK IT'S A GREAT RESOURCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. IT'S GREAT FOR BOTH THE APPLICANTS AND DEVELOPERS AND THEN RESIDENTS AS WELL, TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT INFORMATION. AND THIS IS WHAT CHRISTINA HAS, YOU KNOW, WORKED REALLY CLOSELY WITH RYAN TO IMPLEMENT. JUST LOOKING AT THE PAGE REFERENCE, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE OUR WEB PAGE. SO THIS EXPERIENCE WITH IT'S A MICROSITE. SO IT'S ARCGIS WHICH IS THE GIS PLATFORM THAT WE USE. BUT IT SHOULD IT JUST TAKES YOU FROM OUR WEBSITE TO THE MICROSITE. IF YOU GO TO OUR WEBSITE, IT'S ON THE HEADER LISTED AS MAP ON THE MOBILE. IF YOU CLICK ON THE HAMBURGER MENU, THE THREE LINES, IT'S ONE OF THE DROPDOWN OPTIONS IS MAP. JUST GOOGLE FOR INFORMATION. IT'S HYPERLINKED ON OUR INFORMATION PAGE AS WELL. COULD WE I MEAN I GUESS I WOULD TYPICALLY JUST GO TO THE SITE AND TYPE IN GIS AND THEN SEARCH BAR. AND THAT DOESN'T GET YOU THERE. YEAH. YOU DO MAP. IT DOES. BUT YEAH PUT MAP SLASH GIS. I FEEL LIKE MORE PEOPLE KNOW MAP THAN GIS THAT AREN'T IN THIS ROOM. IT DEPENDS WHAT YEAR YOU'RE BORN, RIGHT? CAN YOU CAN YOU, LIKE SHOW US WHAT WOULD YOU MIND SHOWING US? THE INTERFACE RIGHT FROM OUR MAIN WEBSITE. WOULD THAT BE TOO HARD FOR YOU TO DO FROM THERE, OR IS THAT I THINK THIS IS LIVE OR NO, THAT'S IT. THIS IS FROM OUR MAIN WEBSITE. RIGHT. JOSH, JUST GO TO THE HOME PAGE ALBANY, OHIO. ORG AND THEN SHOW EVERYBODY AND THEN MAYBE THEY'LL BE MORE COMFORTABLE IF YOU WHO HAS THE KEYBOARD. YEAH I DON'T SEE IT. SO EVEN IF YOU TYPE IN MAP IN THE SEARCH BAR IT DOESN'T SHOW UP. THOSE DON'T REALLY ENCODE INFORMATION. STORMWATER STREET IMPROVEMENT, HAMLET, SUGAR RUN SPECIAL HALLOWEEN. IT'S AT THE TOP. THERE. MAP MAP. NO, I'M JUST SAYING IF YOU SEARCH LIKE TYPE MAP IN THE SEARCH BAR, NO RESULTS COME UP FOR. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE SEARCH BAR NOT SEEING THE MAP HYPERLINK YOU SEARCH. YOU SEARCH FOR MAP. IF YOU IF YOU SEARCH FOR WORDS MISSIONS, WOULD IT SHOW UP THOUGH? GO TO MAP SEARC. LET'S SEE. WE'RE LIKE REAL TIME MAP. FIGURING THIS OUT. GO TO MAP AND IT BROUGHT IT UP. MAP. YEAH. THE MAP LINK AT THE TOP THAT THEY'RE SAYING IF THEY SEARCH THE MAP THEY WANT TO SEARCH I'LL LOOK INTO WHY IT'S NOT SHOWING UP IN THE SEARCH RESULTS. BUT YEAH, FOR THE PURPOSE OF TODAY JUST CLICK ON MAP OVER THERE. THAT'S WHERE IT IS RIGHT. YEAH. OH WE'LL LOOK INTO IT. WELL AGAIN THANKS TO STAFF TO FOR DOING A GREAT JOB WITH THE SIGNS THAT WE PUT OUT WHERE THERE'S A ZONING CHANGE O, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THESE LITTLE QR CODE, PEOPLE CAN WALK BY AND TAKE A PICTURE AND ACTUALLY GET MORE DETAILS. THIS WILL HELP PROVIDE THAT SAME OPPORTUNITY JUST FROM YOUR, YOU KNOW, THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME. YEAH, I SAW A SIGN THE OTHER DAY AND I'M LIKE, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING UP THERE. DO PEOPLE ASK YOU ALL THE TIME? THEY ASK ME ALL THE TIME, YEAH. SO YEAH, THIS WOULD BE A GOOD WAY. WHERE, WHERE LIKE, LET'S LOOK AT THIS TOGETHER. WELL, NOT ONLY THAT, YOU CAN USE THIS SYSTEM TO SEE WHAT ANY PLOT OF LAND, A PLOT OF LAND IN NEW ALBANY IS ZONED AS. 
          [01:30:04]
SO IF YOU LOOK, YOU CAN DRILL DOWN ON A PARTICULAR PARCEL AND IT'LL TELL YOU NOT ONLY THE ZONING, BUT THE HISTORY OF THE ZONING. AND THEN ANY PENDING CASES ON IT. VERY HELPFUL. NICE TO KNOW ABOUT THE HISTORY. YEAH, YEAH, IT REALLY GOES A LONG WAY IN TERMS OF TRANSPARENCY AND SHARING INFORMATION WITH THE PUBLIC. SO THE MAP GALLERY, YOU SAW EVERY DASHBOARD THAT'S ON THERE. IT'S EVERYTHING FROM THE BOARD AND COMMISSION DASHBOARD TO OUR COMPOSTING DASHBOARD TO THE LEAF PICKUPS. YOU CAN SEE THE ROUTES. AND WHEN THE LAST TIME YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A PASS BY YOUR HOUSE. SO REALLY, REALLY GREAT STUFF. AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THAT RYAN HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO IN TERMS OF GOALS FOR NEXT YEAR. WE WANT TO CONTINUE FISHING AND INTERNET SAFETY TRAINING FOR ALL EMPLOYEES. OUR CONTINUE THE PENETRATION TESTING TO LOOK FOR SECURITY FLAWS, BUILD REDUNDANT PATHS TO CITY FACILITIES, EXPAND OUR TWO FACTOR AUTHENTICATION AND THEN WE'RE ALWAYS WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON LEADS COMPLIANCE. 
          SO WE'LL CONTINUE THAT ON ONTO THE NEW YEAR FROM A GIS STANDPOINT, WE WANT TO THAT EXTERNAL MAP GALLERY YOU JUST SAW. WE WANT TO CREATE AN INTERNAL ONE FOR THE WE HAVE SOME OF THOSE SAME TYPE OF DASHBOARDS THAT REALLY ARE JUST USED INTERNALLY FOR OUR OPERATIONS. AND WE WOULD LIKE TO CONSOLIDATE THAT INTO A MAP GALLERY TO MAKE THAT EASY. AND THEN A NEW DASHBOARD THAT WOULD BE PUBLIC FACING THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO DO IS A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT DASHBOARD. SO SIMILAR TO HOW YOU JUST SAW THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PUT EVERY CITY PROJECT, ROAD PROJECT, PARK PROJECT, YOU COULD EVEN PUT PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT ONCE THEY'VE BEEN PERMITTED AFTER THEY'RE PASSED THE BOARD AND COMMISSION STAGE. SO IF YOU DON'T SEE THE SIGN, BUT THEN YOU SEE SOMETHING HAPPEN, CONSTRUCTION HAPPENING, THERE'D BE A RESOURCE FOR YOU TO GO AND GET INFORMATION ABOUT STATUS AND BUDGET AND TIMELINE AND ALL OF THAT. SO THAT WOULD BE A GOAL FOR NEXT YEAR. AS WELL. ALL RIGHT. SO I DID NOT HIT ON MAYOR'S COURT, BUT THAT IS IN THE BUDGET. AND IT ESSENTIALLY IS A FLAT BUDGET FROM FROM LAST YEAR. BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE FOR YOU FROM A COMMUNITY PROGRAMING STANDPOINT, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE JUST A FEW HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT WE'VE DONE THIS YEAR FROM THE EVENT SIDE OF THINGS. WE DID FIVE CONCERTS AND THEN WE HAD THE TAYLOR FARM PHASE TWO OPENING. WE HAD GREAT ATTENDANCE AT THE CONCERTS. YOU CAN SEE FROM THE JUST REALLY FUN, LIKE I THINK THE TOP LEFT ONE IS PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN WITH THE BEACH BALLS IN THE AIR. I THINK EPIC EAGLES WAS OUR HIGHEST ATTENDANCE FOR A CONCERT. WE HAD OUR DANCE PARTY JUST IT WAS REALLY A GREAT SUMMER AND I THINK PEOPLE STARTED GETTING IN THE CADENCE OF COMING EVERY TWO WEEKS TO THE CONCERT. SO THAT WAS FUN TO SEE. OUR GOALS FOR NEXT YEAR IS TO CONTINUE TO GROW ATTENDANCE, AND THEN WE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO OFFER FIVE SUMMER CONCERTS. WE DID A SURVEY ABOUT A MONTH AGO, AND WE ASKED PEOPLE WHAT KIND OF BANDS THEY WANT TO SEE NEXT YEAR. I THINK THERE WAS LIKE A PARTY BAND WAS THE TOP. WHAT WERE THE OTHER TOP GETTERS? WHAT'S A PARTY BAND FOR A THROWBACK PART? SO LIKE LIKE A BAR MITZVAH. LIK. YEAH. SO I THINK WE'LL HAVE SOME GOOD DIRECTION ON THE TYPE OF ACTS THAT THE COMMUNITY IS LOOKING FOR, BUT IT SHOULD BE FUN. AND THEN THEN SENIOR CONNECTIONS WHERE COMMUNITY PROGRAMING ALL STARTED. THESE ARE AMAZING PICTURES AND IT JUST CAPTURES A FEW OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT THE SENIORS DO. WE ARE OFFERING FIVE DAY A WEEK PROGRAMING OUT OF THE HEIGHTS CENTER, WHETHER IT'S A BOOK CLUB OR A CARDS MAHJONG WATERCOLOR PAINTING. WE EXPANDED FITNESS PROGRAMS THIS YEAR, SO THEY'RE REALLY DOING A LOT OF THINGS. I DON'T KNOW, ABBY, IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THESE PICTURES. SO THE TOP WE'VE GOT, WE STARTED INVITING OUR SENIORS TO THE COMMUNITY CONCERTS AND THEY LOVE IT SO MUCH BECAUSE SOME OF THEM JUST NEED SOMEBODY TO GO WITH. SO THEY COME AND SIT AT TABLES TOGETHER. THAT'S FRANKIE, THE NEXT ONE ON THE TOP IS ACTUALLY JEN. WHEN SHE CAME AND TALKED TO THEM, GAVE THEM THEIR ANNUAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UPDATE. AND THEY LOVE HER SO MUCH. SHE IS THEIR TAYLOR SWIFT, WHICH THAT'S WHAT THEY CALL HER. THEN WE'VE GOT 
          [01:35:07]
OUR BOOK CLUB WHICH IS RIGHT THERE. IT'S BEEN GROWING. WE'VE GOT MORE AND MORE PEOPLE. THEY PICK THEIR OWN BOOKS, THEY DO A GREAT JOB. THE FINAL TOP ONE ON THE RIGHT IS A NEW WATERCOLOR CLASS THAT WE STARTED. IT'S A WEEKLY CLASS. WE'VE GOT BETWEEN 16 AND 20 PEOPLE COMING IN EVERY MONDAY AND TAKING WATERCOLOR LESSONS AND THEY ADORE IT. THE BOTTOM ON THE LEFT. THAT WAS WHEN WE WATCHED THE SOLAR ECLIPSE TOGETHER IN THE MIDDLE HERE, SORT OF ON THE BOTTOM. 
          THIS IS OUR SENIOR CONNECTION STAFF. IF YOU HAVEN'T MET THEM, FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, IT'S HOLLY DAVE, KATE, WHO'S OUR NEW FULL TIME PERSON WHO'S RUNNING IT. AND THEN ALLISON AND WE'VE GOT TRACY OVER HERE. THIS WAS HER TEACHING. SO ANOTHER NEW PROGRAM THAT WE STARTED THIS YEAR WAS A MONTHLY CRAFT CLUB. AND WE TAP INTO OUR MEMBERS TO SIGN UP FOR A MONTH. AND THEN THEY TEACH THE CRAFT FOR THAT MONTH. THIS IS A FREE PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE TO ATTEND. WE WORK WITH THE WITH THE SENIORS TO GET THE SUPPLIES THAT THEY NEED TO DO IT. AND SO THIS ONE WE DID NAPKIN FOLDING. 
          AND THAT IS AN ACTUALLY A NAPKIN THAT THEY FOLDED INTO A ROSE. AND THEN OVER ON THE RIGHT, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A FOCUS ON HEALTH AND WELLNESS WITH THE PROGRAM. THAT WAS PLAGUE TOWNSHIP CAME AND WE DID CPR. SO THE SENIORS, IF YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST, IT'S SO FUN TO GO JOIN A PROGRAM. I KNOW JEN AND THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TEAM DO IT EACH YEAR AND HAVE A GREAT TIME. 
          PRETTY MUCH ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. SOMETHING'S GOING ON, BUT THURSDAY MORNINGS ARE THEIR WEEKLY PROGRAMS, SO STOP BY AND PARTICIPATE AND YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE A GOOD TIME. AND THEY THEY REALLY DID LOVE GOING TO THE CONCERTS AND HAVING THE TABLE RESERVED FOR THEM. SO IT WAS FUN. THEY WERE EVEN LIKE GETTING THE BAND TO SIGN MERCHANDISE FOR THE EPIC EAGLE CONCERTS. SO FROM AND GOING ALONG WITH THAT, JUST FROM A NUMBER STANDPOINT, OUR MEMBERSHIP DECREASED A LITTLE BIT. BUT LOOK AT THE TOTAL VISITS FROM 2023 TO 2024, 1900 TO 3400. AND SO I THINK THAT SHOWS JUST, YOU KNOW, INCREASED PROGRAM, BUT ALSO INCREASED ENGAGEMENT FROM THE MEMBERS. THEY'RE GOING TO YOU KNOW, PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY A WEEK OR MULTIPLE DAYS A WEEK, WHICH IS GREAT. AND THEN OUR NUMBER OF PROGRAMS HAS INCREASED AS WELL AS WE'VE EXPANDED INTO EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK. AND A LOT OF THAT WAS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE RENEGOTIATION, RENEGOTIATION WITH HEALTHY NEW ALBANY CONCERNING WHEN WE CAN USE THOSE SPACES. SO THAT'S BEEN REALLY BENEFICIAL TO GROW THE PROGRAM NEXT YEAR. WE JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO GROW IT. WE WANT TO INCREASE THE MEMBERSHIP ENGAGEMENT. AND THEN WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO GROW DONOR RELATIONSHIPS WHEN POSSIBLE. SO THAT IS ONE AREA IN COMMUNITY PROGRAMING IN THAT BUDGET. THE NEXT AREA IS THE IDEA PANEL AND IMPLEMENTING THOSE THREE PROGRAM LINES. SO FROM AN EVENT STANDPOINT. SO THESE ARE OUR CULTURAL AWARENESS EVENTS. THIS YEAR WE DID THE EMPOWER EVENT IN IN THE SPRING JUNETEENTH AND THEN THE DIWALI CELEBRATION THAT WE JUST HELD, YOU KNOW ATTENDANCE OVER 3000 AT THOSE THREE EVENTS. WE DID OUR NEW ALBANY 101 SERIES THIS YEAR IN IN ATTRACTED 350 RESIDENTS TO THOSE EVENTS. AND THE GOAL OF THOSE IS CONNECTING RESIDENTS WITH GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES AND FACILITIES. AND THEN OUR COMMUNITY CONNECTOR PROGRAM THAT WE JUST LAUNCHED, WE HAVE 42 INTEREST FORMS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE SHOWING INTEREST IN BEING COMMUNITY CONNECTORS, AND WE LOOK TO REALLY BUILD THAT PROGRAM OUT NEXT YEAR. SO AGAIN, GOALS FOR NEXT YEAR IN THIS AREA IS TO CONTINUE TO GROW RESIDENT AWARENESS AND PARTICIPATION. AGAIN, LIKE SENIOR CONNECTIONS, INCREASE OUR DONOR RELATIONSHIPS AND THEN LOOK FOR NEW FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES. WE DID GET SOME FUNDING FROM GREATER COLUMBUS ARTS COUNCIL THIS YEAR, GCAC FOR OUR EVENTS. AND SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO LOOK AT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL. AND THEN SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD. SO COLLECTED A LOT OF FOOD WASTE, 45,000 POUNDS OF FOOD WASTE IN OUR COMPOSTING PROGRAM. WE DID OUR WE DID FIVE WASTE DRIVES THAT INCLUDES THE E-WASTE DRIVE HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE. SO E-WASTE WAS OVER 7,000 POUNDS OF E-WASTE AND THEN OVER 23,000 POUNDS OF HAZARDOUS HOUSEHOLD WASTE THAT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO 
          [01:40:07]
DISPOSE OF IN A SAFE WAY. WE HAD OUR FIRST YEAR OF OUR SLS GRANT SO THAT STUDENTS, LEADERS AND SUSTAINABILITY GRANT, WE HAD TWO RECIPIENTS OF THAT GRANT THAT DID REALLY GREAT THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY AND IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE LAUNCHED OUR INVASIVE TRADE IN PROGRAM. 
          UNFORTUNATELY, WE'VE ONLY HAD ONE PERSON TAKE US UP ON THE INVASIVE TRADE IN PROGRAM. I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS CASEY OR NOT. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE NEXT YEAR. BUT WE PROBABLY NEED TO REEVALUATE THAT. WE DID EXPAND OUR DROP OFF COMPOST PROGRAM TO INCLUDE A SITE AT TAYLOR FARM. WE CREATED A GREEN GUARDIAN PROGRAM, WHICH SEEKS VOLUNTEERS TO COME TO ALL COMMUNITY EVENTS AND WE HAVE RECYCLING, TRASH AND THEN ALSO FOOD WASTE. AND SO THEY THEY KIND OF WALK. PEOPLE LIKE THAT CAN BE RECYCLED THAT CAN THAT CAN GO IN THE FOOD WASTE CONTAINER. AND THEN WE DID GET A GRANT FOR THE WATER MONSTER THAT YOU CAN SEE A PICTURE OF ON YOUR LOWER LEFT HAND CORNER, SO THAT PEOPLE CAN BRING A WATER, THEIR OWN REFILLABLE WATER BOTTLE, OR WE HAVE RECYCLABLE CUPS THERE AS WELL. ALL OF OUR EVENTS. IT WAS REALLY HOT THIS SUMMER AND SO IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE WATER THERE FOR BOTH THE PERFORMERS AND THE ATTENDEES. ATTENDEES AS WELL. SO THAT'S EVERYTHING RELATED TO COMMUNITY PROGRAM FROM AN ACCOMPLISHMENT STANDPOINT. I DID WANT TO RUN YOU THROUGH EACH OF THESE SAME AREAS AND WHAT THE PROPOSED BUDGETS ARE FOR NEXT YEAR. THIS IS MORE DETAILED THAN THAN ANY OTHER PART OF THIS PRESENTATION. I WILL THESE WILL ALIGN WITH BEGINNING ON PAGE 205. I BELIEVE OF YOUR BUDGET BOOK. AND SO THESE ARE THE FOUR. WE'LL GO THROUGH THE FOUR SUB FUNDS FIRST. AND SO THIS FIRST SUB FUND IS THE COMMUNITY EVENTS. AND COUNCIL GRANTS. SO YOU CAN SEE THIS HAS EXPENSES RELATED TO OUR SUMMER CONCERT SERIES. 4TH OF JULY PARADE AND FESTIVAL FIREWORKS FOR THE 4TH OF JULY OKTOBERFEST. SO WE HAVE INCLUDED JULY 4TH AND OKTOBERFEST IN THIS BUDGET. GIVEN THE DECISION BY THE CHAMBER NOT NOT TO PRODUCE THOSE EVENTS ANYMORE, BUT ALL OF THIS IS UP FOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION. CAN YOU TELL US THE PAGE AGAIN, PLEASE? WE'RE SO DEFINITELY NOT TWO OF YOU. SO 205 IF YOU SEE THIS BOTTOM NUMBER. SO THIS IS MORE DETAILED THAN WHAT'S IN YOUR BUDGET. YEAH THAT'S. YEAH. SO OUT OF THE MISCELLANEOUS THE NUMBER AT THE BOTTOM. OH RIGHT. THE TOTAL OPERATING AND CONTRACTUAL SERVICES. YOU'RE BREAKING THAT OUT. YEAH. SO IF YOU SEE THE 444 750 WILL CORRESPOND TO JUST THE OPERATING AND CONTRACTUAL SERVICES THAT ARE IN THE BUDGET BOOK. IT DOESN'T INCLUDE ANY PERSONNEL OR OTHER EXPENSES, BUT THIS IS A BREAKDOWN OF THE 444 750 THAT'S IN YOUR BUDGET BOOK. ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? NO. 
          THAT'S PERFECT. THAT'S JUST YEAR TO YEAR. SO JUST HARD FOR ME TO REMEMBER. BUT LIKE LAST YEAR, WHAT DID WE PLAY? WHAT DID WE SPEND ON 4TH OF JULY PARADE AND FESTIVAL. SO HIGH LEVEL? I THINK IT WAS ABOUT $52,000. WHAT HAS ALWAYS AND IF I NEED ACCOUNTING HELP AND ASSIST, I'LL, I'LL ASK YOU GUYS. WE ARE BUDGETING WHAT SHARI'S WHAT THE CHAMBER'S TOTAL EXPENSES WERE. WE DIDN'T ALWAYS FUND THE TOTAL EXPENSE THAT THE CHAMBER. SO THAT'S THE IN THE PARENTHESES WHERE IT SAYS 31,000 IF CITY REVENUE AM I. YES. YEAH. GLASSES ON. BUT YEAH. SO WE HAVE BUDGETED FOR THE EXPENSES FOR ACTUALLY PRODUCING THE EVENT. AND THEN ALSO INCLUDING THE COST THE CITY HAS FOR THE CITY SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE, MAINLY WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. DO WE ANTICIPATE HAVING ADDITIONAL EXPENSES KNOWING THE CHAMBER'S NOT GOING TO BE INVOLVED? THIS YEAR? I BELIEVE THIS CAPTURES WHAT WE THINK ARE GOING TO BE THE TOTAL EXPENSES FOR THE 4TH OF JULY PARADE, AND YOU KNOW, WHETHER WE WANT TO DO THE FESTIVAL OR OR WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. BUT WE CAN WE CAN DO AT LEAST WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN THE PAST. I MEAN, IT'S DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHAT THE BUDGET WOULD BE BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T PLANNED THE EVENT. SO SHOULD WE TALK ABOUT IF THAT NUMBER IS SUFFICIENT NOW OR DO WE ANTICIPATE DOING THE SAME EVENT NEXT YEAR? I KNOW JOE 
          [01:45:03]
AND I HAVE TALKED TO HEATHER GARDNER AND AUBURN SYMPHONY ABOUT DOING A COMMUNITY EVENT THE NIGHT BEFORE, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE 4TH OF JULY GETS A LITTLE, LITTLE. THERE'S WE HAVE A LOT OF GUESTS THAT LIKE TO COME IN AND ENJOY OUR FESTIVITIES. SO MAYBE DOING SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE INTIMATE IN THE AMPHITHEATER WITH A CONCERT AND A DRUM SHOW. 
          I MEAN, THAT CERTAINLY IS GOING TO BE AN EXPENSE THAT WE DON'T KNOW YET WHAT THAT WILL BE. I JUST, I MEAN, I JUST DON'T KNOW. YEAH. I MEAN, THOSE ARE ALL GREAT QUESTIONS. I THINK THOSE ARE SOME FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, NEED TO BE ANSWERED. AND WE CAN SEE HOW THAT WE CAN DISCUSS THAT. NOW, I KNOW JOE DID SEND SOMETHING TO YOU IN AN EMAIL LAST FRIDAY. WE WERE ABLE TO PULL SOME DATA, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY INTERESTING FROM A WEBSITE OF SERVICE CALLED PLACER.AI. AND SO WE REALLY WERE TRYING TO LOOK THROUGH THIS IS WHERE WE'VE GOTTEN OUR ATTENDANCE NUMBER. WE ALSO ARE ABLE TO BREAK DOWN TO THE LOWEST GEOGRAPHIC LEVEL, WHICH IS THE ZIP CODE. SO THIS ALSO SHOWS THE BREAKDOWN OF WHAT ATTENDEES FROM 454 AND IN, NOT FROM FOUR AND OUTSIDE OF 454. SO I THINK IT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF THOSE ANECDOTAL, YOU KNOW, STORIES FROM EVENTS, BUT THIS IS THE BEST AVAILABLE DATA. IT USES CELL PHONE DATA TO REALLY KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHO IS ATTENDING OUR EVENTS. SO LIKE IN GENERAL, I WOULD SAY FOR THE PARADE, IT'S ABOUT A 5050 SPLIT OF PEOPLE WITHIN FOUR 354 AND OUTSIDE OF FOUR 350 FOR THE FESTIVAL HAS FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT ABOUT 70% FROM OUTSIDE. FOUR 354 AND ABOUT 30% FROM INSIDE FOUR 354 ZIP CODE. WE HAVE WE HAVE THIS. WE BASICALLY PULLED THIS FOR EVERY EVENT THAT WE COULD. SO IT INCLUDES EVENTS IN THE AMPHITHEATER. IT INCLUDES THE, YOU KNOW, FOUNDER'S DAY. IT INCLUDES ALL OUR COMMUNITY CONCERTS. SO IT'S I THINK IT'S A GOOD TOOL TO HELP MAKE DECISIONS. I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE AND VERY INTERESTING THAT CLEARLY WE'RE A DESTINATION FOR A LOT OF OTHER COMMUNITIES IN TERMS OF THE QUALITY AND BREADTH OF EVENTS THAT WE OFFER. WHICH SPEAKS TO SPEAKS TO THE QUALITY AND BREADTH. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CONTROL THAT ANY DIFFERENTLY. WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING GOOD, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SHOW UP. YEAH. I DON'T WANT TO CONTROL IT. I MEAN, PERSONALLY, I LIKE IT WHEN PEOPLE COME AND VISIT AND EXPERIENCE NEW ALBANY, ESPECIALLY IN THAT SETTING. I GUESS ONE QUESTION I'D ASK ON THE LIST UP THERE, IF WE'RE SPENDING ROUGHLY 117,000 OR BETTER ON 4TH OF JULY, WE'RE SPENDING 118 ON OKTOBERFEST. YES. SO ONE DIFFERENCE THAT, YEAH, WE HAVE BUDGETED FOR THE FULL AMOUNT OF EXPENSES. THIS IS JUST EXPENSES. IT'S NOT SHOWING REVENUE. SO WHAT THAT CAPTURES IS THE EXPENSES FOR BEER SALES AT OKTOBERFEST THAT WE WILL HAVE TO BUDGET FOR. BUT THEN WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THAT. FIRST OF ALL, HOW HOW TO DO ITWE'VE NEVES A CITY. BUT THEN ALSO HOW DO WE BOOK THAT REVENUE THAT WE'LL GET? SO BEFORE THAT WAS ALL CHAMBER EXPENSES AND CHAMBER REVENUE GENERATED. SO WHEN YOU ADD ON THAT TO WHAT WE THE EXPENSES THE CITY REIMBURSED THE CHAMBER FOR THE BEER. BEER PURCHASES AND THEN THE CITY SERVICES, IT GETS YOU TO A TOTAL EVENT COST OF ABOUT $118,000. SO THIS IS JUST LIKE IF EVERYONE CAME AND WE GAVE THEM FREE BEER, RIGHT? THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE THE BEER. NO, THIS IS JUST FREE BEER FROM AN EXPENSE STANDPOINT, RIGHT? NO. LIKE WE'RE GIVING AWAY THE BEER LIKE, THIS IS LIKE WE'RE BUYING. NO, NO, THIS IS BEER. THIS IS THE WE HAVE TO BUY THE BEER AND THEN THERE'LL BE THE BEER WILL BE PURCHASED, WE'LL GET REVENUE. OKAY? WE WOULD SELL BACK WHAT WE DON'T USE. RIGHT. SO THIS ISN'T THE NET COST. THIS IS THIS IS THE EXPENSE. THIS IS GROSS EXPENSES. GROSS EXPENSES. WE DON'T HAVE REVENUE IN THERE. WE DON'T HAVE SELL BACK REVENUE. THAT'S RIGHT. THAT CHAMBER KEPT THAT. YEAH. WE DON'T HAVE THE EXPENSES FOR THE BEER AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE WOULD BE USING THE REVENUE FOR. NO, THAT'S IN THERE. NO, THAT'S WHAT I JUST ASKED. YEAH. THIS IS THE EXPENSES. IT'S ALL THE EXPENSES. NONE OF THE REVENUE. 
          SO YOU'RE RIGHT, BUT IT'S AS IF WE WERE GIVING AWAY FREE BEER. DOES THIS INCLUDE THE BEER THAT WE WOULD SELL? YES. IT'S THE COST OF THE BEER WITHOUT THE REVENUE FROM SELLING IT. SO IT'S ALMOST AS IF SAYING IF YOU WERE GIVING IT AWAY BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE REVENUE BACK YET. IT'S JUST THE EXPENSE. YEAH. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. THERE'S NO REVENUE, RIGHT. SO IF YOU 
          [01:50:04]
TOOK THE IF YOU TOOK THE BEER PART BACK OUT, WHERE WOULD WE BE? DO YOU HAVE THAT BROKEN DOWN SEPARATELY. SO LAST YEAR WAS NOT A LOT OF REVENUE BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER, BECAUSE OF ATTENDANCE. 
          I FEEL IF I REMEMBER IN THE PAST, SHE'S MAYBE BUDGETED 30 IN REVENUE, ABOUT 35,000 IN REVENUE FROM BEER SALES. SO IF THIS SO WE IF WE WANTED TO LOOK AT THIS FROM THE CHAMBER'S PERSPECTIVE, WE WOULD SUBTRACT 30 FROM THE 118 TO GET THE FULL TO GET THE NET OF WHAT THE EVENT, OF WHAT THE EVENT WOULD BE ABOUT 90,000 INSTEAD OF WHAT WOULD COST THE CITY WOULD COST THE CITY. I JUST I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE COMPARING TOTAL COST. YEAH. AND THIS IS JUST SHOWING BECAUSE WE NEED TO BUDGET FOR THE APPROPRIATION, WHAT OUR TOTAL EXPENSES WOULD BE, THE BEER THAT WE'D HAVE TO PAY TO SELL. YEAH, BUT NOT THE REVENUE THAT WE MIGHT GET FROM IT. THAT'S RIGHT. 
          SO BETWEEN 85 TO 90, 85. OKAY. NOW IT'S FREE BEER. SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE TO EXPLORE. IF IT'S FREE, I, I THINK THAT'D BE REALLY GREAT TO GET THIS YEAR OUT OF CITY MEMBERSHIP. SOBER LIVING TAX. I THINK IT WOULD INCREASE CITY. ONE MORE. I'D LIKE TO SEE THE PLACER.AI DATA ON THAT FREE BEER. MAKE IT A LOT MORE LATER. MIGHT LOCK UP OUR DORA. HEY, THAT'S WHERE I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING WITH THIS. NO NO NO, NO, THAT'S REALLY FUNNY. THAT THAT'S WHAT YOU THOUGHT LIKE. NO NO NO NO NO. ADRIAN. REAL QUICK QUESTION ON THE PROGRAM PART AT THE BOTTOM WHERE YOU SEE SANTA'S HOLIDAY LIGHTS AND DORA. YEAH, THAT EQUALS 52,500, BUT YOU HAVE A BUDGET OF 122 500. IT'S YOUR WHAT ARE WE MISSING? SO WE JUST BEFORE THIS WE HAD 70,000 HERE. 
          THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN ANOTHER SUB FUND. SO I TOOK THAT OUT. BUT I DIDN'T TAKE IT OUT OF THE SUBTOTAL. 122 DOWN. THANKS FOR CATCHING THAT. WHICH THEN WOULD REDUCE THE 444 BY 70. NO, THE 444 IS ACCURATE. THAT IS ACCURATE. YEAH. SO IF YOU TAKE 70 OUT OF 122 I HOPE THAT THAT YEAH. WOULD YOU I DON'T KNOW SOMEONE CAN DO THE MATH FOR ME. AND HOPEFULLY IT ADDS UP TO 4447 50 I THINK THAT'S WHAT. SO I GUESS IT BEGS THE QUESTION THAT CAME UP IN A COUNCIL MEETING BEFORE, DO WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO SPEND 80 SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS ON OKTOBERFEST OR REVISE IT? I MEAN, IT'S LAYING THERE AS A DEAD FISH ON THE PLATE. LET'S TALK ABOUT IT. ACCORDING TO MATT'S CALCULATOR FROM THE BERLIN WALL. YOU'RE RIGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE NOT. CAN I ASK THE QUESTION? WHAT? WHAT IS THE TOTAL YEAR TO DATE? I MEAN, WHAT IS THE YEAR YEAR TO DATE TREND OF THE REVENUE FROM THE HOTEL BED TAX? IS THAT ON ONE YOU HAVE THIS. WHAT PAGE? WELL, THIS PRINT OUT HERE. YEAH. IT'S UP T. I NEED TO GO GET MY GLASSES. IF YOU REFER TO YOUR HANDOUT IT'S AT THE VERY TOP. WHERE IS IT? OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ON THE BACK. BY 525. SORRY. 525 521, 550. NEXT YEAR, IS THE PROJECTION. ALL RIGHT. SO THAT'S THAT SHOWS THE INCREASE OVER TIME, WHICH TECHNICALLY, LORD WILLING WILL BE AT HOTEL ON BEACH ROAD SOMETIME. I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE INCHING BACK TO PRE-COVID AMOUNT. SO IF YOU SEE 2019 WAS VERY SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN EACH OF THE YEARS. SO WE'RE GETTING BACK TO PRE-COVID, I'M A LITTLE SURPRISED BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE KEPT HEARING WE WERE GOING TO NEED SO MANY HOTELS FOR ALL THESE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS THAT I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WE'D BE SOLD OUT ALL THE TIME. IT'S KIND OF THROWING THAT PART THROWS ME OFF. I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT OR INSIGHT AS TO WITH SO MUCH CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, WHY THE HOTELS AREN'T JUST BOOKED SOLID ALL THE TIME. 
          FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THE MAJOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS THAT YOU MIGHT BE REFERRING TO IS INTEL, AND THEY DIDN'T START RAMPING UP THEIR FULL CONSTRUCTION UNTIL THE SUMMER THIS SUMMER. CORRECT? YEAH. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY DATA ON THAT. AND I'M JUST CURIOUS IF YOU HAD ANY THOUGHTS. 
          NO, I MEAN, I THINK THAT THE ONLY CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN CIRCULATING IN THE REGION AND THIS IS JUST, AGAIN, NOT NECESSARILY DATA BASED, JUST ANECDOTAL, IS THAT WITH ALL THE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON, NOT JUST IN NEW ALBANY, BUT IN, IN CENTRAL OHIO, THE CONSTRUCTION JOBS TEND TO BE A LITTLE LESS TRANSIENT BECAUSE OF THAT. SO YOU CAN HAVE A SPECIALIZED ELECTRICIAN, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT MAYBE THERE'S ONLY A HANDFUL OF THEM IN THE STATE. IN FACT, I THINK THE MAYOR HAS A STORY ABOUT RUNNING INTO SOMEONE AT A RESTAURANT AT THE BEGINNING OF INTEL, AND THE GUY CAME OVER AND THANKED THEM FOR BECAUSE NOW HIS FAMILY CAN STAY HERE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS AND HIS KIDS CAN GO TO SCHOOL. AND THEY'RE NOT NOMADIC, YOU KNOW, LOOKING 
          [01:55:03]
FOR JOBS. SO I JUST I THINK THAT THE VOLUME OF CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY IN THE REGION IS CHANGING THE COMPOSITION OF THE IT'S INTERESTING EMPLOYEE PROFILE. AND SO IT'S NOT AS TEMPORARY AS WHAT YOU WOULD SEE IN SOME OTHER AREAS. AND IN THE HOTELS THAT WE HAVE IN NEW ALBANY ARE NOT NECESSARILY GEARED FOR LONG TERM STAY AND OR AFFORDABLE LONG TERM STAY. 
          RIGHT, RIGHT. SO THEY'RE NOT REALLY GOING TO I MEAN, DEFINITELY IN AND OUT BUT NOT NECESSARILY LONG. YOU KNOW, FOR AS LONG AS THESE FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE HERE NOW, CAMPSITES, CAMPGROUNDS LIKE WITH RVS AND LIKE A LOT OF THE CONSTRUCTION FORCE LOOKS TO STAY IN PLACES LIKE THAT FOR LONG TERM BECAUSE FAR MORE INEXPENSIVE. SO FOR THE 550,000 OR 5, 25 THIS YEAR FOR THE BED TAX, DOES ALL THAT MONEY GO IN HERE? ARE WE STILL PAYING MONEY TO THE CHAMBER OUT OF THA? HOW IS THAT? HOW DOES THAT 550 BREAK DOWN. THAT IS THE 75% THAT GOES INTO THE GENERAL FUND. SO THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT ON TOP OF THE 550 THAT GOES TO THE HOTEL EXCISE TAX FUND. I WISH I KNEW THE PAGE NUMBER, BUT THAT IS IN YOUR FUND SUMMARY SECTION. AND WHERE DOES THAT GO? IT GOES TO THE CHAMBER. CHAMBER. OKAY. SO THE CHAMBER IS GETTING 200 AND GETTING 25% OF THAT FOR WHAT IT IS. THE REQUIREMENT TO GO TO. THEY WERE PERFORMING OUR COMMUNITY EVENTS. THE, THE TOURISM PIECE. NOW THEY'RE NOT TO DO SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT MONEY IS GOING, WHAT THEY'RE DOING TOURISM. AND SO THERE IS AN EXISTING AGREEMENT THAT IS WAS SEPARATE FROM THE EVENTS THEY DID FOR US FOR SERVICES RELATED TO TOURISM. I THINK SHERRY, SHERRY CAME A FEW MONTHS AGO. SHE USED TO COME MORE REGULARLY. I THINK IT'S AD PLACEMENT IN MAGAZINES. SOME OF THE EVENTS THEY DO, BUT THE PURPOSE FOR THE AGREEMENT IS THAT PORTION OF THE BED TAX GOES TO THE CHAMBER TO INCREASE TOURISM IN THE COMMUNITY. I GUESS I'D ASK THE QUESTION TO HAVE SOMEBODY LOOK AT THAT AGREEMENT AND EITHER THE EXPIRATION OR RENEWAL OR REWRITING OF IT, GIVEN THAT THEY'VE CHANGED THEIR PERSPECTIVE ON DOING CERTAIN THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY AND WHETHER WE HAVE A NEED TO CONTINUE TO PAY THEM, WHAT IS IT? 200 AND SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS? IT'S PROBABLY 150,000. IT'S ON PAGE 90. AND REALLY, WHETHER THERE IS A NEED FOR THA, FOR THAT PURPOSE. AND IS THIS AN INPUT IN PERPETUITY AGREEMENT OR WHAT? I GUESS WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT TO DO THAT AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO DO THAT. YEAH. I THINK WE SHOULD CHALLENGE THAT. AT A MINIMUM. I, I DON'T REMEMBER IN THE PAST, DO WE SEE A BUDGET FROM THE CHAMBER, YOU KNOW, EVEN NOW, YOU KNOW, PRIOR TO US, NOT THEM NOT TAKING ON THE EVENTS. 
          BUT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE IT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN A GRANT THAT WE ASK THEM TO FILL OUT APPLICATION FOR WITH BUDGET AND, YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT WE'RE SPENDING THE MONEY ON. SO YEAH, I THINK THE TRANSPARENCY WOULD BE GOOD GOING FORWARD. YEAH. AND I THINK LOOKING AT THE AGREEMENT TO SEE WHAT THAT OUTLINES IN TERMS OF REPORTING WOULD PROBABLY LEAD US TO UNDERSTAND THAT, OKAY, WE'RE PROPOSING ABOUT 200,000 FOR 2025. BUT YEAH, FOR THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY, I THINK WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE GETTING. AND WHAT THE TERMS OF THAT AGREEMENT IS AND WHETHER WE SHOULD RENEGOTIATE. YES. OKAY. WE'LL DO THAT. AND WHAT IS OUR CURRENT BED TAX RATE. IS IT 3% OR IS IT HIGHER THAN 3%. WE ARE AT 6%. SO THAT MIGHT BE PART OF THE COMPLICATION. I JUST I'M NOT A BED TAX EXPERT, BUT MY MEMORY IS IF IT'S OVER THREE, YOU MAY HAVE TO DIVIDE IT WITH A VISITOR'S BUREAU, WHICH WOULD BE THE CHAMBER IN OUR IN OUR. YES. SO THE 3%, THE ORIGINAL 3%. YOU HAVE TO SPLIT THAT ON TOURISM ACTIVITIES AND YOU COULD PUT THE REST IN THE GENERAL FUND TO SPEND ON WHATEVER. IF YOU LEVY AN ADDITIONAL 3%, THAT CAN ALL GO IN THE GENERAL FUND. AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE GET 75% OF THE 6% TAX. AND OF COURSE, THE CHART THAT JOE SENT US WITH ALL OF THE PARTICIPATION IN OUR COMMUNITY EVENTS FROM FOLKS OUTSIDE OF NEW ALBANY, CERTAINLY CERTAINLY SHOWS AND INDICATES THAT WE'RE DRAWING IN PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE OUR COMMUNITY. GREAT. SO THAT IS THE BREAKDOWN OF THIS SUB FUND, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THE EVENTS THIS YEAR, BUDGETARY STAGE RIGHT NOW, WE CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, JOE AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE LOOK AT GETTING A SMALLER GROUP, A SUBCOMMITTEE TOGETHER. IF WE DO WANT TO DIG INTO WHAT DOES JULY FOURTH LOOK LIKE? WHAT DOES OKTOBERFEST LOOK LIKE? IT'LL BE THE FIRST YEAR WE 
          [02:00:01]
MAY BE DOING THESE, AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD WAY TO HONE IN ON THE DETAILS OF, DO WE WANT TO DO THE SAME THING AS WHAT'S ALWAYS BEEN DONE, OR DO WE WANT TO MAKE CHANGES IN THIS FIRST YEAR OR NOT? AND SO WE'RE OPEN TO ALL OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND FEEDBACK AND IF THAT'S SOMETHING COUNCIL WANTS TO DO, WE'LL WE'LL FIND OUT THE RIGHT STRUCTURE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. I THINK OUR GOAL IS TO TRY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH BENCHMARKS THAT YOU COULD REFERENCE AS YOU WANT TO DIG INTO IT AND MAKE MAKE DECISIONS GOING FORWARD. I JUST WANT TO MAKE ONE COMMENT BECAUSE I'M LIKELY NOT GOING TO BE ON THAT COMMITTEE. BUT BUT I KNOW, CASEY, YOU MADE A COMMENT EARLIER AND I AGREE WITH YOU, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE WHEN WE, AS WE DO COMMUNITY EVENTS. I THINK THERE'S A PLACE FOR BRINGING PEOPLE INTO TO SEE OUR COMMUNITY AND BRING THAT TO BUSINESSES, AND IT'S GOOD FOR TOURISM AND IT'S GOOD FOR OUR REPUTATION. I HOPE WE CONTINUE TO DO SOME OF THAT AND SOME OF LIKE WHAT SLOAN WAS TALKING ABOUT, WHICH IS ALSO THINGS THAT ARE MORE INTIMATE AND THEY'RE MORE FOCUSED ON ALLOWING JUST OUR NEIGHBORS TO GET TOGETHER WITH EACH OTHER WITHOUT A HUGE CROWD COMING IN. I THINK THERE'S A PLACE FOR BOTH OF THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY EVENTS, AND I THINK WE'RE DOING THAT, BUT I HOPE WE REMEMBER THAT AND TRY TO DO BOTH. I THINK THEY'RE BOTH BENEFICIAL IN DIFFERENT WAYS. LAST THING, JUST BECAUSE CHIP'S NOT HERE, I FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO TAKE UP THE MANTLE. OH GEEZ. LET'S TALK ABOUT HOLIDAY LIGHTS. LET'S MAKE THEM ANY BRIGHTER AND ANY BIGGER. THEY'RE GOING UP. I KNOW IN THE PAST WE'VE TALKED ABOUT EXPANDING TO POTENTIALLY SOME AREAS THAT WERE YEAR ROUND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE'VE GOT THE UP LIGHTS, WHICH ARE YEAR ROUND. THOSE ARE A LITTLE UNDERWHELMING. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BECAUSE THE TREES AREN'T BIG ENOUGH YET AND IT'S JUST MISSING. AND BUT IT'S I DON'T KNOW IF THAT DOES A WHOLE LOT AS FAR AS THE YEAR ROUND PIECE, BUT I KNOW I FEEL LIKE WE TOUCH ON IT EVERY YEAR, MAYBE LIKE A SELECTED AREA, LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, JOE'S ROUNDABOUT AND, YOU KNOW, DOWN IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL AND ROADS AROUND THERE, MAYBE LEAVING SOME LIGHTS UP YEAR ROUND. AND DID WE BUILD THAT INTO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET OR IS THIS JUST THE SEASONAL FOR THE 50,000? I THOUGHT THEY TOLD US IT WAS A BAD IDEA BECAUSE THE TREES HAVE TO GROW. YEAH, YEAH. AND I MEAN, MAYBE THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE BUDGET AS YOU PUT THEM ON, AND THEN YOU WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO REMOVE THEM AND REFIT THEM ANNUALLY, MAYBE AS THE TREE DOES GROW, IT'S NOT ACTUALLY LEAVE THEM UP THERE PERMANENTLY. BUT I THINK THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE BUILT INTO THE COST OF LEAVING THEM ON FOR THE YEAR. I FIND THE HOLIDAY LIGHTS, THE DRABNESS OF FEBRUARY TO BE KIND OF DEPRESSING. I KNOW THAT SOME MIGHT EXPERIENCE THE OPPOSITE RESULT, BUT I FEEL LIKE WITH THE WITH THE BARE TREE, I DON'T KNOW IT DOESN'T IT DOESN'T GIVE THE SAME GLOW THAT IT WOULD DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON. OH REALLY? THAT'S JUST I LOVE IT. I LOVE THE SOFT. I KNOW, I KNOW, OTHERS DIFFER. IT'S A PERSONAL PREFERENCE. WINTER. I MEAN EVEN SUMMERTIME AT NIGHT, LIKE EVEN THE STRING LIGHTS WE HAVE ACROSS THE BRIDGE RIGHT NOW. YEAH. SO I LIKE THAT. IT'S REALLY COOL. LIKE, SO DOES IT HAVE TO BE TREES? MAYBE. MAYBE THAT'S THE QUESTION. MAYBE WE WANT SOME SORT OF SOFT STRING LIGHTS. I THINK THAT THAT JUST ARE IN THE CENTER OF THE CITY SOMEWHERE. YEAR ROUND. YEAH. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY I LOVE THE IDEA OF THE WOULD BE KIND OF THE NATURAL PLACE TO DO IT. AND THEN BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE A COOL IDEA. 
          BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE I KNOW WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS BEFORE, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF WE ACTUALLY LIKE CANTINA LIGHTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. YEAH, WELL, WE HAVE THOSE FOR THE AMPHITHEATER FOR DIWALI, AND I THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE VERY BEAUTIFUL. NOW THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE CANTINA LIGHTS. NO, WE HAD SOME SORT OF LIGHTS. WE HAD SOME PATIO LIGHTS. YEAH. SO THIS TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THIS 50,000 IS FOR THE HOLIDAY LIGHTING AND THEN OUR, OUR ATTEMPT FOR THAT YEAR ROUND WAS THE LIGHTING OVER RAINS CROSSING. AND WE WERE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE TREES DURING THE HOLIDAY. MAYBE FEEL A LITTLE MORE SUMMERY, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT GETS DARK SO MUCH LATER IN THE SUMMER THAT YOU DON'T GET THAT SAME EFFECT. WE DID AN RFP. I THINK IT WAS WE MAYBE THREE YEARS. THIS MAY BE OUR THIRD YEAR, AND I THINK THAT GAVE US THE ABILITY TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT FOR THREE YEARS. SO WE DIDN'T BUDGET TO EXPAND IT THIS YEAR. BUT, YOU KNOW, IF PEOPLE HAVE IDEAS ABOUT WHAT WE COULD DO. BUT WHEN WE TRIED TO DO IT RAINS CROSSING IN THOSE KIND OF PATIO LIGHTING WERE THE WAS THE IDEA THAT WE CAME UP WITH. I THINK WE GET I ALWAYS HEAR TREMENDOUS COMMENTS ABOUT THE HOLIDAY LIGHTS COMPARED TO OTHER COMMUNITIES, AND HOW GOOD IT LOOKS. I THINK IT'S A GREAT THING. I THINK THAT YOUR COMMENT ABOUT ROSE RUN IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOLS AND WITH ROSE RUN TWO COMING AND THE VETS MEMORIAL, 
          [02:05:01]
THAT SOMEHOW I THINK IT WOULD BE WISE TO SOMEHOW PUT YEAR ROUND LIGHTING OF SOME SORT NOT NECESSARILY SAYING LIKE THE TREES, LIKE CHRISTMAS, BUT SOME LIGHTING THAT CONSISTENTLY GOES ON IN THE EVENINGS TO ENHANCE THE AREAS WHERE PEOPLE WALK AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS. I THINK WOULD BE A GREAT ADDITION TO THOSE OFFERINGS IN THE CITY. I THINK YOU MIGHT LOOK AT THAT AS YOU DO. ROSE RUN TWO AND THREE OR ON, BUT I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A, YOU KNOW, TO BUMP THIS UP A LITTLE BIT IN THE BUDGET TO TRY AND FIND SOME THINGS. I MEAN, WE'RE NOT POOR. 
          I THINK WE CAN AFFORD A FEW DOLLARS THERE. OKAY. YEAH. IF YOU'D LIKE, WE COULD WE COULD DO A COUPLE OF WAYS. ONE WOULD BE TO PUT SOME PLACEHOLDER AMOUNT IN THERE TO TRY TO TALK TO THE LIGHTING CONSULTANT AND SAY, WHAT, WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU RECOMMEND. AND THEN BRING THAT BACK TO COUNCIL AND GET IT APPROPRIATED, OR JUST PLUG A LITTLE BIT LARGER NUMBER IN THERE AND SEE WHAT WE USE? WE COULD DO IT EITHER WAY. EITHER WAY IS FINE. BUT I THINK I THINK CASEY IS RIGHT. I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA BECAUSE I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE ALL WOULD LOVE TO SEE BECAUSE WHATEVER, WHATEVER THAT ENDS UP LOOKING LIKE THE GRINCH. NO. WELL, WE ALL ACCEPT. 
          ANDREA WOULD LIKE TO SEE A TREE LIKE I, YOU KNOW, LIGHT EVERYTHING ELSE UP. BUT DON'T, DON'T, DON'T PRETEND THAT TREES ARE DECORATED YEAR ROUND LIKE, I DON'T KNOW. IT'S BAD FOR THE TREES. THE TREE LIGHTING IS. YOU KNOW WHAT, CHIEF? WOULD YOU WANT ME TO TALK ABOUT? THE TREES TOO? SO, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S GREAT. AS ADRIAN SAID, I ASSUME THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO DIG INTO THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE INTENSELY. I ASSUME THERE'D BE SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT THE GENERAL BUDGET. WE CAN TAKE THAT IN EITHER DIRECTION, TOO, IF YOU WANT TO SPEND THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS DIGGING INTO THIS, WE CAN. OR IF YOU WANT TO, YOU KNOW, SET A BUDGETARY LEVEL AND THEN COME BACK AND DIG IN A LITTLE BIT MORE IN SEPARATE COMMITTEE STRUCTURE. WE COULD DO THAT AS WELL. DO YOU MEAN FOR LIGHT SHOW? I THINK THAT'S THE FIRST PART OF THAT. I DON'T THINK HE'S JUST LIGHTS COMMUNITY EVENTS. THE COMMUNITY EVENTS BUDGET IN GENERAL BECAUSE THERE THERE ARE MULTIPLE ASPECTS OF THIS. YEAH. WE HAVEN'T TOUCHED ON ALL OF IT YET. YEAH. AND WE CAN COME BACK. 
          THERE'S FOR OTHERS TO GET THROUGH AND WE CAN COME BACK AS YOU KIND OF GET THE FULL PICTURE OF EVERYTHING. IF WE WANT TO HAVE MORE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS SUB FUND, I JUST HAVE A PERSONAL SERVICE QUESTION FOR YOU. I NOTICED THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ADD A COMMUNITY PROGRAM SPECIALIST, AND I KNOW YOU'RE DOING IT BY REARRANGE. IT'S NOT AN ADDITIONAL PERSON. WOULD THAT BRING YOU TO THREE THEN. SO WE HAVE PROPOSED IN THIS BUDGET TWO NEW POSITIONS RELATED TO COMMUNITY PROGRAM IN ANTICIPATION OF US ADDING THESE TWO NEW EVENTS. IT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL SPECIALIST. AND THEN IT WOULD ALSO BE AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT. AGAIN, THAT'S MAINLY FOR THE PURCHASING ASPECTS OF THIS WORK BECAUSE IT'S QUITE INTENSIVE. AND THEN HOW DO YOU TAKE THEIR SALARY, PENSION BENEFITS AND ALL THAT? IS IT A PERCENTAGE THAT YOU THEN MAYBE APPLY TO THE COMMUNITY EVENTS AND GRANTS AND THEN SENIOR CONNECTIONS, OR DID YOU JUST MAKE INDIVIDUALS YOUR THINKING HOW YOU'RE GOING TO BUDGET THAT WITHOUT HAVING DATA GOING IN THE ESTIMATE THAT I PUT IN, I PUT IN ONE COMMUNITY PROGRAM SPECIALIST INTO THE COMMUNITY EVENTS BOARD. AS THERE'S BEEN SOMEBODY DEDICATED TO THAT. BUT THEN I ALSO TOOK THE OTHER SUB FUND THAT I PUT SOME PERSONAL SERVICES IN IS I PUT THE SENIOR CONNECTIONS. SO PEOPLE THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY WORKING ON SENIOR CONNECTIONS, HOWEVER, THERE ARE TIMES THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS DO POTENTIALLY WORK ON OTHER THINGS. RIGHT. SO THIS WAS REALLY JUST A MATTER OF PUTTING SOME SORT OF PERSONNEL EXPENSE IN THERE WITH THE IDEA THAT WE'LL MAYBE REFINE IT OVER THE YEAR AS WE. YEAH, I THOUGHT PERCENTAGES MAKE A LOT OF SENSE BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE SO MUCH CROSSOVER BETWEEN THEM. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND. BUT TO CLARIFY, NONE OF THE OTHER EVENTS OTHER THAN SENIOR PROGRAMING HAS A FACTOR IN IT FOR OUR CORPORATE PERSONNEL. AND THE EXPENSES AS OF YET. RIGHT. YOU DIDN'T LIKE LIKE IF IT SAID HOWEVER MUCH FOR IDEA OR OTHER THINGS, THERE'S NOT A FACTOR IN THEIR INTERNAL PERSONNEL COSTS. OKAY. NO. THE FACT THAT WE THEY ADDED A COMMUNITY PROGRAM SPECIALIST FOR COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT WAS WHERE WE PICKED ADDING THAT POSITION IN. SO THERE'S ONE IN THE COMMUNITY EVENTS AND COUNCIL GRANTS AND THEN IN SENIOR CONNECTIONS. RIGHT. BUT NOT BUT NOT EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING ELSE IS JUST IN THE OVERALL GENERAL FUND. YEAH. EVENTUALLY WE SHOULD PROBABLY WORK TOWARD THAT I 
          [02:10:06]
AGREE, BUT WE'RE JUST NOT. YEAH, YEAH I'M SORRY. PART TWO QUESTION. AND THEN ABBY, MAYBE YOU AND YOUR TEAM CAN FIND SOME TIME TO MEET WITH HANS SHELL AND HIS GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE STILL WANTING TO BE INVOLVED, TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT AND TALK ABOUT WHAT THE 4TH OF JULY AND OKTOBERFEST OR WHATEVER MIGHT BECOME OF THAT. WHAT WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE. OBVIOUSLY, THEY WERE WORKING WITH THE CHAMBER, BUT THEY MAY HAVE THEIR OWN IDEAS. I WILL MOVE ON, BUT IF WE NEED TO COME BACK TO THIS ONE, WE CAN. THE NEXT SUB FUND IS SENIOR CONNECTIONS. SO YOU KNOW, GENERALLY MOST OF THESE COSTS ARE RELATED TO SUPPLIES LIKE THE CRAFTS AND YOU KNOW, EVERY PROGRAM, ESPECIALLY THURSDAY MORNINGS, HAS A FOOD AND BEVERAGE COMPONENT. AS OUR MEMBERSHIP GROWS, THOSE THOSE EXPENSES HAVE GROWN AS WELL. ANOTHER BIG ITEM HERE IS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. SO THOSE THAT'S INSTRUCTION. SO FEES FOR INSTRUCTORS THAT COME IN TO TEACH A CLASS. OTHER THINGS ARE MARKETING AND PRINTING. YOU KNOW THERE'S A WEEKLY AND A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER THAT IS SENT VIA EMAIL. WE ALSO PRINT IT TO HAVE IT AT THE HEIGHT CENTER, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OUR MEMBERS LIKE TO HAVE A PRINTED COPY TO TAKE HOME WITH THEM. WE PAY SOME FEES TO HEALTH NEW ALBANY STILL MAINLY RELATED TO THE USE OF THE REGISTRATION SOFTWARE, WHICH IS CALLED REC DESK. SO WE PAY A PROPORTIONAL A PROPORTION OF OUR REGISTRATIONS RELATED TO THEIR OVERALL REGISTRATIONS. THAT IS JUST SO PEOPLE CAN HAVE ONE LOGIN AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A LOGIN FOR HEALTH NEW ALBANY PROGRAMS AND SENIOR CONNECTION PROGRAMS. WE ALSO PAY THEM THE CREDIT CARD FEES THAT ARE GENERATED BY OUR REGISTRATIONS. SO ALL OF THIS WE HAVE BUDGETED $15,000 FOR ADDITIONAL PROGRAMING. IF WE WANT TO EXPAND OVER THE YEAR. WE USED A LITTLE BIT OF THAT THIS YEAR. AND SO WE'VE REDUCED THAT ADDITIONAL PROGRAMING BUDGET AND MOVED THE REST INTO OTHER LINE ITEMS. ALL OF THAT COMES UP TO $77,700, AND THAT SHOULD RECONCILE TO YOUR CHART ON PAGE TWO OF SIX. AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST EXPENSES. BUT WE ARE ESTIMATING THAT WE'LL GENERATE $26,000 IN REVENUE FROM OUR REGISTRATION FEES AND OUR MEMBERSHIP FEES FOR NEXT YEAR. ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT SENIOR CONNECTIONS? JUST AN ANNOYING ONE I SEE. LIKE CHARGES FOR SERVICES AND 5000 FOR REVENUE. IS THAT I KNEW THAT WAS COMING. OKAY, SORRY, I DON'T REALLY. I'M JUST BEING ANNOYING. NO, I SO WITH THE REVENUES THAT WE DID NOT GET TOGETHER ON THE REVENUES AS FAR AS THE ESTIMATES, I WAS JUST GOING BASED OFF OF WHAT I WAS ABLE TO TIE OUT REVENUES AND PUTTING OUR REVENUE PROJECTIONS IN HERE. SO WE WILL UPDATE THOSE FOR THE FINAL. SO THE PICTURE IS GOING TO GET EVEN BRIGHTER. EVEN BETTER. YEP. THAT'S ALL I NEED. MAYBE WE CAN SELL T SHIRTS AND GET PICTURES GOING TO GET. I WOULD BE VERY CONSERVATIVE AND UNDERESTIMATING. WHAT WOULD YOUR WOULD YOUR TRANSFER IN GO UP IF THOSE REVENUES WENT DOWN? I'M ASSUMING IF THE REVENUES WENT DOWN THE TRANSFER IN WOULD GO U? YES. IF THEY GO UP, THE TRANSFER IN WOULD GO DOWN. YOU WANT TO LAND ON THE 293 BASICALLY IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING FROM A REVENUE PERSPECTIVE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. OUR NEXT SUB FUND IS RELATED TO THE IDEA IMPLEMENTATION PANEL. SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WORK WITH THE PANEL STARTING AT THE KIND OF END OF EACH SUMMER TO START PLANNING FOR THE NEXT YEAR. THIS IS RELATED TO THE AUTHORITY THAT THE PANEL HAS WITHIN THE THREE PROGRAM LINES. SO WE HAVE OUR CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS AND INITIATIVES, THE NA 101 SERIES, AND THEN THE COMMUNITY CONNECTOR PROGRAM. SO THIS IS A COMBINATION OF PROGRAMS AND EVENTS FOR NEXT YEAR. THE PANEL WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE WITH OUR JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION. THE DIWALI CELEBRATION. AND THEN THEY WANT TO KIND OF PUT A SPOTLIGHT ON ACCESSIBILITY FOR NEXT YEAR. AND I THINK THAT IS MORE OF AN INITIATIVE. I WOULDN'T THINK OF THIS AS AN EVENT, BUT IT COULD BE A, YOU KNOW, A SIX MONTH OR EIGHT MONTH LONG INITIATIVE THAT PARTNERS WITH WHAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT 
          [02:15:03]
ALWAYS DOES, ALREADY DOES WITH SPECIAL OLYMPICS. MAYBE IT'S HAVING A SPEAKER SERIES OR A PANEL DISCUSSION, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE BASED IN NEW ALBANY DOING A LOT OF WORK IN THIS AREA. MAYBE IT'S A COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGN. SO THERE'S STILL A LOT TO DEFINE THAT THE PANEL WOULD DIG INTO. IF THIS GETS FUNDED. SO THOSE WOULD BE THE THREE CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS AND INITIATIVES THAT THEY WOULD PROPOSE TO DO NEXT YEAR ONE, TO CONTINUE THE NA 101 SERIES. WE DO WANT TO FOCUS. WE HAVE TWO YEARS OF TRIAL AND ERROR NOW. WE WANT TO FOCUS ON THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN MOST POPULAR AND SUCCESSFUL, THAT HAS BEEN THE SUPER SUPPER AND THEN THE BUSINESS PARK TOURS, WHICH YOU KNOW THAT SELL OUT OR THE REGISTRATIONS FILL UP ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. AND THEN WE HAVE BUDGETED A SMALL AMOUNT, $1,000 IF WE WANT TO DO ANOTHER NA 101 SERIES DURING THE YEAR. IN THE PAST, WE'VE FOCUSED ON LIKE NEW CITY FACILITIES OR CITY PROGRAMS. SO IF SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD OCCUR THIS YEAR, YOU KNOW, WE COULD ADD AN NA 101 PROGRAM AND THEN FINALLY, AGAIN, THE COMMUNITY CONNECTORS, WE LAUNCHED IT AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, BUT THIS WOULD BE OUR FULL FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION. SO WE HAVE TRAINING TO DO WITH THE CONNECTORS. WE DO HAVE SOME MATERIALS AND PRINTING. AND YOU KNOW WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE BUSINESS CARDS. SO THESE PEOPLE ARE OFFICIAL AND YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THEY'RE WORKING IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. AND SO THE I THINK WE BUDGETED $10,000 FOR THOSE EXPENSES HOLDING FLAT AT 100,000 BUDGET, WHICH HAS BEEN THE BUDGET FOR THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS OF THE PANEL AS WELL. IF I COULD JUMP IN FOR JUST A SECOND, I'VE HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF YOU THAT THERE WAS AN INTEREST IN MOVING THE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION INTO MORE OF A CATEGORY OF JULY 4TH, OR OKTOBERFEST, AND TAKING THAT EXPENSE WITH IT. SO THIS BUDGET HASN'T MADE THAT DECISION YET. SO JUST JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE THE FUNDING, THE $100,000 IN, IN EXPENSE OR IN FUNDING INCLUDES JUNETEENTH BEING FUNDED FROM THIS SOURCE OF FUNDS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH WITH THAT THOUGHT OF FUNDING JUNETEENTH ALONG WITH JULY 4TH AND OCTOBER OKTOBERFEST, THEN THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY FREE UP WHAT WOULD BE SPENT ON JUNETEENTH FOR OTHER OTHER PROGRAMING. IF YOU WOULD CHOOSE TO DO SO. AND AGAIN, THIS IS EXPENSES ONLY. WE DID THIS YEAR HAVE SOME REVENUE FROM SPONSORSHIPS THAT, YOU KNOW, MIGHT VARY YEAR TO YEAR BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GUARANTEE WHICH SPONSORS YOU'RE GOING TO GET. 
          BUT IN GENERAL, ALL OF OUR EVENTS CAME IN UNDER WHAT WE BUDGETED THIS YEAR DUE TO JUST GOOD BUDGETING. BUT ALSO BECAUSE OF THE SPONSORSHIPS THAT WE DID GET. AND THEN IN POWER HAD SOME REVENUE BECAUSE WE DID SELL. WE DID HAVE A NOMINAL COST FOR THAT AS WELL. SO THE FIREWORKS FOR DIWALI ARE INCLUDED IN THAT'S INCLUDED. THAT'S WHY THAT. SO WE TRY TO WE'VE BEEN SPENDING LIKE $25,000 EVENT HAS BEEN OUR BUDGET NUMBER. BUT FIREWORKS ARE EXPENSIVE. AND SO THAT'S WHY THAT ONE IS 35. WE DID GET 9500 IN SPONSORSHIPS. THIS YEAR FOR DIWALI. AND SO THAT KIND OF COVERED THE FIREWORKS EXPENSE. AND WE ALSO GOT WE RECEIVED 6000 RIGHT FOR JUNETEENTH. NO, WE GOT HOW MUCH WE MAYBE THIS JUNETEENTH. I THINK IT WAS. 8200 WAS OUR SPONSORSHIPS FOR JUNETEENTH. THERE STILL MAY BE SOME OUTSTANDING SPONSORSHIP MONEY THAT WE NEED TO COLLECT. 
          ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS BUDGET? ALL RIGHT. I'LL MOVE ON TO STATE SUSTAINABILITY. AND THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT ALL OF THEM. SO THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD LIKE THE IDEA PANEL STARTS THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY WANT TO DO IN IN THE END OF SUMMER. THIS BUDGET HAS THREE AREAS I WOULD SAY AS WELL. WE HAVE THE TOP SECTION WHICH IS CORE ACTIVITIES. THEN WE HAVE OUR ONGOING PROGRAMS AND THEN AT THE BOTTOM NEW PROGRAMS THAT THEY'VE PROPOSED FOR NEXT YEAR FROM OUR CORE ACTIVITIES. THESE ARE THE THINGS WE'VE DONE SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THIS BOARD. 
          IT'S THE EARTH DAY TO ARBOR DAY ACTIVITIES. SO THAT INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, OUR E-WASTE DRIVE, OUR HAZARDOUS HOUSEHOLD WASTE DRIVE. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME MARKETING AND PRINTING COSTS 
          [02:20:02]
THAT GO ALONG. WE DID A BIOBLITZ THIS YEAR DURING THAT PERIOD, WHICH WAS REALLY SUCCESSFUL OUT AT TAYLOR FARM. THAT ACTUALLY GOT SOME SOME PRESS AND PICTURES OF IT HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, BOTH ON THEIR ON THEIR WEBSITE AND THEN SOME ANNUAL REPORT THAT THEY DID, WHICH IS PRETTY COOL. WE ALSO HAVE OUR SEASONAL COMPOSTING AND RECYCLING PROGRAM. SO YOU PROBABLY SAW THE ELECTION SIGN BINS OUT FRONT. THE PUMPKINS ARE GOING ON. 
          THAT'S ALWAYS FUN TO SEE THOSE BUILD UP AT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, WE'LL HAVE THE HOLIDAY LIGHTS RECYCLING STARTING RIGHT AFTER THANKSGIVING WHEN PEOPLE START GETTING THOSE OUT, AND THEN OUR DROP OFF COMPOSTING PROGRAM BUDGET IS ALSO IN THE CORE ACTIVITIES. BUDGET FROM AN ONGOING PROGRAM STANDPOINT, THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE THE SLS GRANT. THEY'VE RECOMMENDED $10,000 BUDGET. PREVIOUSLY, WE HAD BUDGETED 20,000, BUT WE ONLY SPENT 3000. WE ONLY HAD TWO GRANT APPLICATIONS AND SO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT IT GROWS AND GETS, YOU KNOW, MORE INTEREST FROM STUDENTS OVER TIME, BUT FROM AN ACTUAL EXPENSE STANDPOINT, THIS YEAR, WE EXPENDED $3,000 ON THAT PROGRAM IN A SIMILAR FASHION. THE INVASIVE TRADE IN PROGRAM, WE BUDGETED 11,500. THIS GIVES A REBATE OF $150 TO ANYONE THAT TAKES OUT AN INVASIVE SPECIES, LIKE A BRADFORD PEAR OR A HONEYSUCKLE ON THEIR PROPERTY. 
          IT'S FRANKLIN COUNTY SOIL, AND WATER IS MANAGING IT FOR US. THAT'S THROUGH OUR OUR ANNUAL CONTRACT WE HAVE WITH THEM. AND THEN YOU CAN GET $150 REBATE. IT'S BEEN IN SOCIAL MEDIA AND ON OUR WEBSITE, BUT IT'S ONLY GENERATED ONE ONE PERSON SO FAR TO UTILIZE THE PROGRAM YOU MENTIONED THAT WAS CASEY, BY THE WAY. I'M GOING TO BE THE SECOND. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT A BRADFORD PEAR IS. OH MY, MY OGDEN WOODS HOUSE WAS THE DRIVEWAY WAS SURROUNDED WITH THEM. I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS AN ISSUE. AS SOON AS I SOLD THE HOUSE, THEY TOOK THEM ALL OUT. 
          SO AND THEN THE OTHER EXPENSE IN THIS IS OUR GREEN GUARDIAN PROGRAM THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER. WE HAVE TO BUY A LOT OF HAND SANITIZER AND A LOT OF GRABBERS FOR THE PEOPLE THAT THAT ARE BRAVE ENOUGH TO VOLUNTEER BECAUSE THEY ARE REACHING INTO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE PUT FOOD WASTE IN A BIN THEY SHOULDN'T. AND THEY'RE REALLY GOOD ABOUT DIVING IN THERE AND MOVING IT TO THE RIGHT BIN. AND THEN FROM A NEW PROGRAM STANDPOINT, THE BOARD WANTS TO FOCUS ON TWO AREAS. THESE AREAS HAVE BEEN THEIR FOCUS FROM THE BEGINNING. THAT IS NATIVE, NATIVE OR SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPING. AND THEN ALSO COMPOSTING. THIS YEAR OUR BUDGET WAS A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN WHAT IS PROPOSED FOR NEXT YEAR BECAUSE THIS WAS A STUDY YEAR FOR THE BOARD, THEY WANTED TO REALLY DIG INTO HOW WHERE DO WE TAKE OUR OUR COMPOSTING PROGRAM. 
          AND SO WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY EXPENSES RELATED TO THAT. THE RESULT OF THAT STUDY, WE DID A COMMUNITY SURVEY IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO PILOT A CURBSIDE COMPOSTING PROGRAM. SO A LOT OF OTHER COMMUNITIES, BEXLEY DOES THIS UPPER ARLINGTON DOES THIS. 
          THEY'RE SPENDING ABOUT $200,000 A YEAR FOR CURBSIDE COMPOSTING FOR THE ENTIRE CITY. SO BASED ON OUR SURVEY RESULTS, THE BOARD HAS IDENTIFIED THE WINDSOR NEIGHBORHOOD AS A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD TO MAYBE PILOT A CURBSIDE PICKUP PROGRAM. SO ESSENTIALLY, YOU HAVE YOUR I DO IT IN UPPER ARLINGTON, SO IT'D BE THE SAME. YOU HAVE A BUCKET, YOU GET YOUR LINER, YOU PUT YOUR FOOD WASTE IN IT ON TRASH DAY, YOU PUT IT AT THE CURB AND THEY TAKE IT AWAY. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE CURBS, RIGHT? IT'S BACK IN THE ALLEY. WILL THAT WORK? WELL, THEY THOUGHT THE ALLEY MIGHT EVEN BE BETTER BECAUSE TO GET THE TRUCKS OFF. YEAH, BUT BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T GET TO MAILBOXES OR ANYTHING. YOU CAN'T GET MAIL DELIVERED, SO YOU PROBABLY CAN'T GET YOUR FOOD WASTE PICKED UP. IT'S GOT TO BE ABLE TO GO AROUND THE BACK. THIS ALSO DURING THIS THIS STUDY YEAR, WE'VE HAD LOTS OF DISCUSSIONS WITH SWACO BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS ITEMS THAT THE BOARD WRESTLED WITH IS YOU DON'T WANT TO PILOT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN'T SCALE. AND SO HOW DO YOU SCALE THIS WITHOUT IT BEING KIND OF A BIG COST FOR THE FUTURE? SWACO HAS INDICATED THAT IN OUR NEXT CONSORTIUM BID CYCLE, THAT THE PREP FOR THAT WILL START IN AUGUST OF 2025, THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO INCLUDE CURBSIDE COMPOSTING IN THOSE BIDS. AND SO THAT WOULD BE A WAY TO SCALE IT 
          [02:25:01]
TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. AND THEN WE'D HAVE TO WORK OUT THERE'S STILL A LOT TO WORK OUT COSTS AND ALL THAT STUFF. THE BOARD THINKS PILOTING A PROGRAM THIS YEAR MIGHT GIVE US GOOD DATA TO UNDERSTAND INTEREST USE. SO DO PEOPLE WANT TO DO IT? BUT THEN OVER TIME, THEY THEY THEY THEIR INTEREST DROPS OFF. AND SO THIS WOULD BE A PILOT PROJECT TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO IF WE WANTED TO SCALE IT THROUGH OUR CONSORTIUM TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. SO THAT'S THE CURBSIDE COMPOSTING. ADRIAN. YEAH. GO AHEAD. MIKE. I GOT SOME QUESTIONS JUST WITH RESPECT TO THAT. AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW HOW BIG IT COULD BE OR NOT, BUT I THINK THAT DOING WINDSOR IS PROBABLY A GOOD TEST. IF IT'S $20,000 TO DO WINDSOR, FOR EXAMPLE. I KNOW THESE ARE HYPOTHETICAL NUMBERS, BUT IF IT COSTS 20,000 TO DO WINDSOR BEFORE WE JUMP TO LAUNCHING SOMETHING THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, I THINK WE HAVE TO EVALUATE IF WE'RE AT A QUARTER OF $1 MILLION OR SOME BIG NUMBER, WHETHER THAT MAKES SENSE OVERALL OR NOT. SO I'M OKAY WITH THAT. BUT IT SHOULDN'T BE JUST THE CATALYST TO JUST GO. AND AGAIN, YOUR IDEA OF HAVING IT DONE WITH TRASH AND INCORPORATE IT INTO COST IS A POSSIBILITY. BUT I THINK WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE COST BEFORE WE JUMP TO DOING IT CITYWIDE. SORRY, NO, I THAT EXACT SAME FEEDBACK AND I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IF WE WOULD LIKE TO WAIT UNTIL WE SEE WHAT YOU KNOW. SWACO OR I SHOULD SAY SWACO, BUT WHAT RUMPKE PUTS IN THE BID, LIKE WHAT THAT WOULD COST MAYBE FOR US TO DO IT FOR OUR ENTIRE CITY, WE MIGHT GET THAT FIRST AND THEN SEE IF WE WANT TO PILOT IT AS A AS ANOTHER THOUGHT. SO WHEN THE PILOT PROGRAM HELPED GAUGE INTEREST IN THE COMMUNITY. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, I MEAN, IT WOULD DEFINITELY IT BEING INVOLVED WITH THE CONSORTIUM IS A GREAT OPTION. BUT YOU KNOW WE COULD HAVE IT TODAY. THERE ARE COMPANIES THAT PROVIDE CURBSIDE COMPOST PICKUP TODAY REGARDLESS OF THAT. BUT IN THE YOU KNOW THE BOARD IS UNDER NO ILLUSION THAT IF THIS IS SUCCESSFUL, IT'S A GUARANTEED. YEP. WE'RE GOING TO ROLL THIS OUT TO THE CITY. A LOT OF IT WILL COME DOWN TO, YOU KNOW WHAT? IN A LOT OF THESE OTHER ONES, SOME OF THE COSTS DOES FALL ON THE, YOU KNOW, THE CITIZENS, IF YOU ARE PART OF THE CURBSIDE PICKUP, YOU DO KICK IN SOME MONEY FOR THAT. NOW THE CITY USUALLY OFFSETS THAT. SO IT'S NOT 100%, BUT SO THOSE ARE ALL QUESTIONS THAT WE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE DOWN THE ROAD. IF THIS IF WE ROLL THIS OUT AND THERE'S NO INTEREST AND PEOPLE DON'T DO IT OR ARE NOT WILLING TO PARTICIPATE, THEN IT'S BASICALLY A NON-ISSUE. AND WE THAT'S WHY IT'S A PILOT. WE'RE GOING TO TEST IT AND GET THE DATA. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THERE WILL BE A WHOLE NOTHER SET OF QUESTIONS THAT WILL COME BACK IF IT IS INDEED SUCCESSFUL AND WE CAN DETERMINE COST AND ROLLOUT IF AND WHEN THAT BECOMES APPROPRIATE. I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO DO IT THE WAY YOU'RE PROPOSING, WHICH IS TO TRY IT AS A PILOT WITH A MINIMAL INVESTMENT AND SEE IF PEOPLE IT'S GREAT FOR EVERYBODY TO SAY, YEAH, I WANT THIS, BUT WILL THEY REALLY FOLLOW THROUGH AND DO IT? AND THAT'S YOU'LL GET A SENSE OF THAT. I DO KNOW THAT TO YOUR POINT, A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITIES AROUND US ARE DOING IT, AND IT SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING PEOPLE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN. SO AND I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED THIS, THIS NUMBER. SO SWACO GAVE US A PERCENTAGE OF COMMUNITIES THAT DO OFFER IT. WHICH PERCENTAGE OF THE HOUSEHOLDS TAKE IT, DO THE CURBSIDE. SO THIS ESTIMATE IS BASED ON THAT PERCENTAGE. I CAN'T REMEMBER IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. AND THEN WE DID REACH OUT TO SOME PROVIDERS. AND SO THE COST IS BASED ON IT WOULD BE IT WOULDN'T BE EVERYONE IN WINDSOR WOULD BE ABLE TO DO IT. 
          IT WOULD BE YOU KNOW, THIS NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS AND YOU HAVE TO SIGN UP AND SO IT WOULD HAVE A MAXIMUM OF HAVING CURBSIDE I THINK WOULD MAKE IT A LOT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO DO IT. 
          AND I THINK IT WOULD REALLY INCREASE PARTICIPATION AND WOULD BE A REALLY GREAT BENEFIT FOR THE CITY. SO WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS, ROUGHLY 200,000 NUMBER THAT YOU CAME UP WITH, ARE YOU SAYING THAT'S THE CITY'S BURDEN IN BEXLEY OR UPPER ARLINGTON, OR IS THAT THE TOTAL COST? AND THEN RESIDENTS ARE PAYING FOR PART OF THAT. SO IN UPPER ARLINGTON THERE'S NO COST TO RESIDENTS. THAT'S THE CITY'S COST. BUT AGAIN, THEY'RE 35,000 RESIDENTS. IS, YOU KNOW, OR I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR HOUSE NUMBER IS, BUT IT'S A BIGGER GEOGRAPHY. BUT THAT'S TRUE. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY OF UPPER ARLINGTON IS BEARING THAT COST. BUT DOES IS THAT ALL OF WASTE MANAGEMENT OR JUST THE DIVERSION. SO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT'S JUST THEIR COMPOSTING PROGRAM. SO YOU AS A RESIDENT STILL PAY FOR YOUR TRASH PICKUP. YEAH. SO THEORETICALLY YOU'RE REVERTING TO THAT. YEAH. IF THEY'RE DIVERTING ALL THAT TONNAGE FROM THE FEES, SHOULDN'T 
          [02:30:01]
THE HAULER BE GIVING YOU A REBATE? THAT IS I THINK AN INTERESTING THING WE NEED TO EXPLORE WITH OUR NEXT ROUND OF BIDS. BECAUSE IF YOU'RE IF YOU HAVE YOUR WASTE, YOU HAVE RECYCLING, YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, HOW IS THAT GOING TO AFFECT THAT. AND I, I, I, I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH SWACO TO TRY TO FIGURE THAT OUT. AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE, ANY COMMUNITY HAS DONE THAT THROUGH THE BID PROCESS YET. AND SO THERE'S A LOT TO LEARN THERE. 
          AND I, I IT SEEMS LIKE THAT COULD BE BENEFICIAL. BUT IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING TO DIG INTO. I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW MANY SURVEYS DID YOU GET BACK FOR THIS? OH MATT, THAT WAS LIKE IN FEBRUARY I DON'T REMEMBER. I CAN I CAN PULL THAT INFORMATION ENOUGH THAT THEY WANTED TO DO A PILOT PROGRAM. NO, I'M HAPPY TO PULL THAT AND SEND THAT TO EVERYONE. GREAT. THANK YOU. IS THIS A COYOTE COYOTE ATTRACTION? BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT ABOUT COYOTES, ABOUT COYOTES. S. 
          I GUESS THE SAME AREA. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT POCKET PRAIRIES ARE AND WHAT YOU'RE SPENDING THAT MONEY ON? YES. SO THAT'S THE OTHER NEW PROGRAM THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO IMPLEMENT NEXT YEAR. SO PETE BARNES, OUR ONE OF OUR MEMBERS, COINED THAT TERM POCKET PRAIRIE. SO WE'VE BEEN CALLING IT THAT. BASICALLY IT WOULD BE SOME I'LL CALL THEM DEMONSTRATION GARDENS OF DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS OF NATIVE LANDSCAPING. AND SO WE PRICED OUT THREE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. 
          ONE WOULD BE A SMALLER I WOULD CALL IT A POLLINATOR GARDEN. SO IT WOULD BE SMALL. IT WOULD HAVE PLANTS THAT ARE CONDUCIVE TO POLLINATORS. AND IN OUR NATIVE LANDSCAPING THAT WOULD BE ONE APPLICATION. THERE'D BE AN APPLICATION THAT COULD BE MORE LOOK AT SOME CITY OWNED LAND THAT COULD BE TURNED FROM TURFGRASS INTO MORE LIKE A PRAIRIE. YOU SEE, METROPARKS DO THIS A LOT. WE'D HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD WILL HAVE TO IDENTIFY WHAT LOCATION THAT WOULD BE IN. AND THEN THERE IS ANOTHER APPLICATION OR DEMONSTRATION GARDEN THAT WOULD BE OUT AT TAYLOR FARM. SO THE IDEA IS TO SHOW PEOPLE AND THEN THESE WOULD HAVE SOME INFORMATIONAL SIGNAGE THAT TALK ABOUT WHAT ARE THE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE PLANT SPECIES HERE, WHY ARE THEY BENEFICIAL TO THE ENVIRONMENT. YOU KNOW, HOW DO THEY REPLACE NON-NATIVE YOU KNOW WHAT? HOW ARE THEY MORE BENEFICIAL THAN NON-NATIVE SPECIES. SO IT'D BE A SERIES OF DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY THAT HOPEFULLY AT THE END OF THE DAY, ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO USE MORE NATIVE OR SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE MATERIALS IN THEIR OWN LANDSCAPES. AND I GUESS WHAT'S DRIVING THIS, MIKE, IS, YOU KNO, INSTEAD OF WE'VE GOT A LOT OF TURF IN NEW ALBANY, LIKE IN ISLANDS THAT REQUIRES IRRIGATIO, MOWING, PESTICIDES, TREATMENTS. 
          YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE APPLICATIONS THAT WE COULD TEST IN THESE AREAS THAT LOOK GOOD, THAT OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, MEET THE COMMUNITY STANDARD, AND IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO LOOK LIKE A BUNCH OF WEEDS OUT THERE. SO THAT IS THE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM. IS TO HAVE THESE KIND OF TEST AREAS WHERE WE CAN DO THESE NATIVE LANDSCAPING, SEE HOW THEY'RE RECEIVED AND, AND LOOK, AND THEN POTENTIALLY DOWN THE ROAD, IF WE COULD ROLL THOSE INTO SOME APPLICATIONS ON OUR ROADWAYS AND IN THE FUTURE, IT COULD POTENTIALLY BE A COST SAVINGS DOWN THE ROAD AND ALSO BE SUSTAINABLE. OKAY. AND MY TEAM ASSISTED ME. WE HAD 245 RESPONSES TO THIS SURVEY. I WAS THINKING AROUND 300. YEAH, THAT'S GOOD. I THINK I HAVE ONE MORE AND THEN I'LL STOP TALKING. 
          SO THIS IS BASICALLY EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S LEFT THAT USED TO ALL BE IN COMMUNITY PROGRAMING. 
          WHEN YOU TAKE OUT ALL THESE SUB FUNDS, WHAT'S LEFT ARE THE OUR AGREEMENTS, THE WITH THE MCCOY FOR MAINTENANCE AND THEN CAPITAL MAINTENANCE. THIS IS WHERE THE CONTRIBUTION TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS GOING TO LIVE IN THE BUDGET. AND THEN WE ALSO THIS WAS THE 70 000 MATT THAT WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE FIRST CHART AND PUT HERE. WE'VE ALWAYS BUDGETED FOR MISCELLANEOUS COUNCIL INITIATIVES. SO SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN THE DOOR YOU KNOW, CAME UP DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, THIS IS WHERE WE TOOK THE FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT THAT OUT OF. AND SO THIS ALL REMAINS IN THE GENERAL FUND RELATED TO COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS. DID I EXPLAIN THAT ACCURATELY? YEAH. 
          THIS IS THE MISCELLANEOUS FOR THE GENERAL FUND. OKAY. IS HAVE WE TYPICALLY SPENT THAT 70,000. 
          [02:35:02]
IS THAT NUMBER LARGE OR LIGHT TO WHAT WE MAY OR MAY NOT DO IN THE COURSE OF A YEAR? I THINK I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T HAVE A BENCHMARK. YEAH. I, WE DON'T TYPICALLY SPEND ALL OF IT. IT'S, IT'S MORE OF A WE KNOW IT'S THERE IF WE NEED IT. THE DOOR IS THE LAST WELL HOLIDAY LIGHTS INITIALLY FOR SEVERAL YEARS CAME OUT OF THAT. SO THAT WOULD BE A $50,000 HIT. WE HAVE USED IT IN THE PAST BECAUSE THE OKTOBERFEST IN JULY 4TH HISTORICALLY HAS SPENT MORE THAN WE BUDGETED FOR. 
          SO WE HAVE TAKEN ANY OVERAGES OUT OF THAT. THOSE KIND OF USES. SO IT'S SORT OF A JUST IN CASE WE NEED IT FOR PROGRAMING, RIGHT. FUND FOR RAINY DAY. WE CAN LEAVE. I THINK I HAVE ONE MORE AREA. WE CAN LEAVE THIS HERE. AND YOU GUYS CAN THINK ABOUT IT OR WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT. IT'S UP TO YOU. I DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IT. I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF IT WAS ENOUGH. YEAH, YEAH. OR WE CAN TALK ABOUT ALL OF IT. OH, NO. I'M FINE WITH IT. I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF WITH MORE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS OR WHATEVER, YOU'D HAVE TO ADD TO IT. DO YOU? IS THIS. ARE YOU SAYING THIS IS THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING? THIS IS IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING RELATED TO THESE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, THIS WOULD BE THE TIME. OKAY. OR WE CAN WE CAN TAKE A BREAK OR WE CAN TAKE A BREAK. I WOULD VOTE FOR A BREAK, A RESTROOM BREAK, PERHAPS. ALL RIGHT. IT'S 348. F. 
          ALL RIGHT. WE ARE PUSHING SOUND. WE'RE PUSHING SOUND. ALL RIGHT, ROCK N ROLL. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND RETURN TO THE BUDGET PROGRAM. WORKSHOP. IT IS 4:06 P.M. FOR THE RECORD. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR JOLLY. ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON THE ADMIN PROPOSED BUDGET? SO THE ONLY TWO THINGS I'LL SAY THE LAST RESPONSIBILITY WE HAVE IN OUR DEPARTMENT ARE IMPLEMENTING CITY COUNCILS INITIATIVES. SO OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS THIS YEAR AS WE OPENED UP THE WINDSOR PLAYGROUND, WHICH IS SO GREAT, I JUST GOT AN EMAIL TODAY SAYING HOW WONDERFUL IT IS. SO I, I THINK IT'S BEEN GETTING A LOT OF USE. SO THAT'S FANTASTIC. WE DID OPEN UP PHASE TWO OF TAYLOR FARM PARK, THE BROADBAND INITIATIVE. WE KICKED OFF THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, AND THEN WE WORKED FAIRLY EXTENSIVELY WITH NACO TO ACQUIRE OR ACCEPT DONATIONS OF TWO ACRES TO EXPAND ROADS RUN NEXT YEAR. 
          IN TERMS OF COUNCIL'S INITIATIVES, WE'RE REALLY HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO REIMAGINE ROADS RUN TWO AND THE VETS MEMORIAL WITH THIS ADDITIONAL LAND THAT THAT WE HAVE, TAYLOR FARM PARK, WE HAVE SOME MONEY IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET THAT WE'RE GOING TO ENCUMBER TO DO CONCEPT PLANNING WITH THE COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT WHAT PHASE THREE WOULD LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF THE FARMHOUSE AND IF THERE IS A BARN RELOCATION OUT THERE. THIS IS HIGH LEVEL PLANNING WORK. I THINK IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET, YOU GUYS PUSHED THAT TO 26. SO THIS WOULD JUST BE HIGH LEVEL WORK, MAINLY WORKING WITH HEALTHY NEW ALBANY TO SEE WHAT THAT WHAT COULD HAPPEN WITH THAT FARMHOUSE. WE WILL CONTINUE OUR BROADBAND INITIATIVE AS JEN DESCRIBED IT. WE'RE JUST WE'RE KIND OF IN THE WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW DATA GATHERING PHASE THAT WILL LEAD US TO A DECISION POINT OF DO WE LOOK AT A FEASIBILITY STUDY? WHAT OPTIONS DO WE HAVE? AND SO WE EXPECT TO GET TO THAT POINT IN 2025. WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE OUR WORK TO INVESTIGATE OUR HEALTH CARE INSURANCE OPTIONS AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE CITY BASED ON THE SIZE WE ARE NOW AND OUR CLAIM, EXPERIENCE AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO START WORKING ON SUCCESSION PLANNING BASED THE OUTGROWTH OF AN ORGANIZATIONAL STUDY THAT WE'RE DOING AND LOOKING TOWARDS WHAT THE FUTURE MEANS IN A COUPLE OF YEARS. ADRIAN, IS THERE ANY TRY THAT AGAIN, ADRIAN IS THERE ANY MONEY IN THIS BUDGET TO MAYBE GET A COUPLE EXTRA OUT AT TAYLOR PARK DOG DISPOSAL, MAYBE 2 OR 3 MORE? I'VE NOTICED JUST A COUPLE DAYS AGO THAT THERE'S QUITE A BIT ON THE SIDEWALKS THAT PEOPLE AREN'T DOING, AND MAYBE ONE, MAYBE OVER THE BRIDGE. YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE THERE MAYBE ONE WAY IN THE BACK WHERE THERE SEEMS TO BE PATHS THAT ARE LEADING TO IT FROM SOME OF THE OTHER AREA HOUSES, JUST SOME AREAS THAT MIGHT HELP. I JUST NOTICED THAT WHEN I WAS OUT THERE, I MEAN, WE HAVE A LOT OF THEM OUT THERE, BUT THERE MIGHT BE 2 OR 3 SPOTS WE COULD MAYBE HIT TO HELP. 
          YEAH, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT. AND I THINK THE SERVICE OPERATIONAL BUDGET COULD PROBABLY INSTALL THOSE. OKAY. THANKS. SO IS THIS THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T TALK 
          [02:40:05]
ABOUT? SO I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT JUNETEENTH AND THE IDEA OF BUDGET. I KNOW SPOKEN WITH MANY OF YOU ABOUT SORT OF CHANGING, TRANSFERRING JUNETEENTH FROM AN IDEA PROGRAM TO A PROGRAM UNDER THE GENERAL COMMUNITY EVENTS FUND. GIVEN THAT IT'S A FEDERAL HOLIDAY, GIVEN THAT IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, A VERY WELL EXECUTED EVENT FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, I THINK WE WANT TO GIVE THE IDEA PANELISTS, A REALISTIC IDEA OF WHAT MONEY THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE CREATIVE IN SPENDING WITH. 
          AND I THINK THAT AT THIS POINT, JUNETEENTH IS A HOLIDAY THAT RESIDENTS WOULD OVERWHELMINGLY WANT TO GO ON AS A STATIC BASIS. SO I THINK THAT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE MOVE THAT INTO THE GENERAL EVENTS BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR. I'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU ALL THINK. NOT EVERYBODY WANTS. 
          I MEAN, I DO THINK YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THIS IS AN INTRO INTO A MORE GENERAL DISCUSSION ABOUT WHERE EVENTS BELONG AND WHAT HOW IDA SEES THEIR EVENTS GOING FORWARD. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S FANTASTIC. THE EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN LAUNCHED SO FAR HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AND WELL ATTENDED. SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF INITIALLY THEY WERE INTENDED TO BE, YOU KNOW, DYNAMIC EVENTS WHERE THEY DO THEM FOR A YEAR OR TWO AND THEN IT ROTATES OUT TO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, BUT YOU'VE ALMOST BECOME A VICTIM OF YOUR OWN SUCCESS, WHERE I THINK THEY'VE BECOME PERMANENT EVENTS. AND I WOULD I DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM GO AWAY, ESPECIALLY AS WELL AS THEY'VE BEEN RECEIVED SINCE OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS GROWING WITH ADDING 4TH OF JULY AND OTHER EVENTS. I THINK THIS WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE TIME IF WE ARE RESIZING, ENGAGING TO REALLOCAT. IF AND I DO AGREE THAT JUNETEENTH IS AN ANNUAL EVENT, THAT IF IDEA IS NOT GOING TO PUT IT ON AND SOMEBODY IN THE CITY NEEDS TO PUT IT ON. SO I WOULD I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT SENTIMENT. AND THEN I GUESS THE QUESTION BECOMES, WHAT DO WE DO WITH LIKE DIWALI AND SOME OF THE OTHER ONES GOING FORWARD? YEAH, DIWALI I THINK HAS I THINK FOR THIS YEAR WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT JUNETEENTH. I THINK DIWALI HAS A LOT OF REALLY GREAT SPONSORSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVES THAT ARE WORTH EXPLORING FOR THE NEXT YEAR. SO FOR THIS NEXT YEAR, I'D LIKE TO KEEP THAT UNDER THE IDEA BUDGET. AND I KNOW THAT THE IDEA PANELISTS ARE EXCITED ABOUT PUTTING THAT ON AS PART OF THEIR IDEA BUDGET. YEAH, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE STARTED OUT WITH WE'VE DONE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT INITIATIVES. SOME HAVE TAKEN OFF, SOME HAVEN'T, AND I THINK IT REALLY DIDN'T COME FROM US OR IDEA INITIALLY. THE IDEA OF MOVING JUNETEENTH TO A CITY EVENT, BUT IT DOES HELP US AND GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO BE THE FRANKLY, THE DIWALI JUNETEENTH PANEL. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO LIKE WE SAID THIS YEAR, WE'RE REALLY THINKING ABOUT DOING SOME ACCESSIBILITY INITIATIVES. WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT, THAT MOVIE THAT YOU ALL GOT AN EMAIL ABOUT THAT'S GOING TO PREMIERE HERE NEXT YEAR. AND MAYBE TYING THAT IN WITH VETERANS AND DOING DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT. THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS WE WANT TO DO DIFFERENT COMMUNITY OUTREACH, AND IT WOULD BE NICE TO BE ABLE TO ALLOCATE THAT MONEY AS WE MOVE ALONG TOWARDS OTHER ANGLES NOW AND OTHER WAYS OF INCLUSIVITY RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, JUNETEENTH, SINCE EVERYBODY SEEMS TO FEEL THAT IT SHOULD BE A CITY EVENT, THEN THAT GIVES US THAT FREEDOM TO DO SOME OTHER THINGS WITH OUR PANEL. I'M OKAY WITH MOVING AN EVENT OVER TO THE ACTIVITIES OR EVENTS DEPARTMENT AND BUDGET. I THINK OVER TIME IT'S EASIER TO LOOK AT EVENTS WHEN YOU HAVE IT ALL UNDER ONE BUDGET AND YOU'RE SAYING, HERE'S ALL THE EVENTS, AND HERE'S WHAT ABBY AND HER GROUP ARE PLANNING AND WORKING ON, AND HOW MUCH MONEY WE WANT TO ALLOCATE. I DON'T REALLY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT. WHETHER DIWALI STAYS THERE, I THINK YOU CAN MAKE THOSE DECISIONS DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THEY'RE ALL IN ONE PLACE. IT HELPS US TO SAY WE WANT TO KEEP DOING X OR Y OR NOT DOING SOMETHING. I THINK YOU CAN ALWAYS ADJUST. I GUESS THE QUESTION I'D ASK HERE IS, ARE YOU ASKING TO MOVE THE EVENT OVER AND KEEP THE MONEY IN THE BUDGET, OR ARE YOU THINKING OF MOVING THE BUDGET AND THE ACTIVITY OVER TO THE CITY? AND WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS THAT WE'D LIKE TO MAINTAIN THE SAME BUDGET THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS AND MOVE ON TO OTHER PROJECTS AND NOT HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR JUNETEENTH. SO, YEAH, WE'RE ASKING FOR THAT MONEY SO THAT WE CAN DO THESE OTHER DIRECTIONS AND TAKE THAT MONEY TO DO THINGS. I THINK THERE'S A VERY IMPORTANT THERE'S 
          [02:45:05]
AN IMPORTANT CONCEPT THAT I FEEL LIKE GETS MISSED WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IDEA. IDEA HAS A VERY NARROW FOCUS AND A VERY NARROW AUTHORITY. AND WE ABIDE BY THAT VERY STRONGLY. BUT THE, THE PURPOSE OF IDEA IS NOT A PARTY PANEL. IT IS NOT THE SAME AS DOING 4TH OF JULY OR OKTOBERFEST OR YOU KNOW, ANY FUN EVENT. IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT. THAT MONEY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE COMMITTED BY COUNCIL FOR US TO DO INITIATIVES TO SHOW THE WORLD AROUND US AND THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT WE BELIEVE IN DIVERSITY AND WE BELIEVE IN INCLUSIVENESS, AND WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. SO SOME OF THAT MIGHT BE BOOK CLUBS, SOME OF THAT MIGHT BE THE PANEL SPEAKER FOR EMPOWER. SOME OF THAT MIGHT BE TOURS OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY. SO PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO GET INVOLVED IN LEADERSHIP AND KNOW ABOUT INITIATIVES WE DO. SOME OF IT MIGHT BE NEXT YEAR LEARNING HOW TO DO THINGS THAT MAKE IT EASIER FOR FAMILIES WITH ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES TO COME AND ATTEND THINGS. SOME OF IT MAY BE A PARTY, OKAY, BUT IT'S NOT A PARTY BUDGET. IT'S NOT AN EVENT BUDGET THAT TYPICALLY SHOULD COME OUT OF OUR HOTEL TAX. IT SHOULD BE ABOUT INCLUSIVENESS AND DIVERSITY AND WELCOMING PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY. SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAINTAIN OUR SAME BUDGET. AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS THAT AT THIS POINT, JUNETEENTH SEEMS TO HAVE TAKEN ON. AND AGAIN, THIS DIDN'T COME FROM US. WE'VE HEARD THIS FROM OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS. IT SEEMS TO HAVE TAKEN ON AN INDEPENDENT, YOU KNOW, LIFE OF ITS OWN FOR, YOU KNOW, LACK OF ANOTHER THING. 
          IF THE CITY WANTS TO DO IT, THEN WE WOULD LIKE THE CITY TO DO IT AND LET US DO OTHER INITIATIVES. 
          SO I GUESS I WAS I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE EVENT WENT THERE. THE BUDGET WENT WITH IT. 
          AND I MEAN, IF WE'RE JUST GOING TO LEAVE THAT 25,000 FOR A TBD EVENT, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THAT. LEAVING A 25 IN THE IN THE IDEA BUDGET ABOUT 18 OR. WELL, I THINK IT'S 25 ON THIS BUDGET. IF YOU IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT WE ACTUALLY PAID FOR JUNETEENTH, THEN IT IS LIKE 25 MINUS EIGHT, WHICH IS SUBJECT TO ON THE FLY. 17. SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, I, I MEAN, I WOULD HAVE TO SEE SOME SPECIFIC PROGRAMING FOR WHAT THAT WHAT $17,000 IS GOING TO GO TOWARDS. IF WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE THAT MONEY IN THE BUDGET AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT. SO WHEN, WHEN WE FIRST DID THE IDEA COMMITTEE, I THOUGHT THAT IT DEVELOPED IDEAS AND PROGRAMS AND CAME TO THE CITY FOR FUNDING. BUT MY UNDERSTANDING COULD BE WRONG. I'M I'M JUST GIVING YOU MY THAT'S WHAT I REMEMBER. AND THAT WHEN THOSE EVENTS WERE RAISED, WE PUT ASIDE FUNDING FOR THEM. 
          AND I THINK THAT IF WE MOVE THIS PROGRAM OVER WITH THIS BUDGET, THEN I THINK WHEN THE IDEA COMMITTEE HAS OTHER PROGRAMS AND WANT FUNDING, MAYBE WE DO THAT OUT OF OUR $70,000 FUND OR WHATEVER TO SAY, HERE'S THE HERE'S THE EVENT AND HERE'S WHAT WE THINK WE WANT TO SPEND ON IT. 
          AND COUNCIL HAS THE ABILITY TO SAY, YES, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA OR NO, IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA. IT'S MY IMPRESSION THAT WE PUTTING THE MONEY IN. IT WAS MY IMPRESSION THAT WE HAD A PLACE MARK FOR A BUDGET, FOR THE IDEA PANEL TO KNOW THAT THEY COULD WORK WITH, AND THAT AS WE DO THINGS, WE BRING THEM TO COUNCIL AND MAKE SURE THAT COUNCIL IS ALIGNED WITH WHAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DO. BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT KIND OF MONEY WE HAVE TO WORK WITH, THEN WE DON'T HAVE THE IT REALLY GIVES US NOTHING TO START TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. IF YOU NEED SPECIFICS OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO NEXT YEAR BEFORE YOU CAN BUDGET IT, THEN YOU CAN'T BUDGET IT, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T EVEN BEGUN TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION WITH THE PANEL, BECAUSE WE'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT NUMBER WHAT WHAT KIND OF MONEY WE HAVE TO WORK WITH. I YEAH, IT'S MORE OF A QUESTION, LIKE A PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTION, LIKE IF SOMETHING GRADUATES OUT OF THE IDEA PANEL AND WANTS TO BE A ONGOING CITY HOLIDAY, NOT JUST OWNED BY IDEA, YOU KNOW, DOES THE FUNDING STAY? DOES THE IDEA HAVE TO KEEP PAYING FOR IT? RIGHT. DOES THAT MEAN AND I THINK PANEL JUST KEEPS SHRINKING. THERE COULD BE AND I MEAN I, I RECOGNIZE YOUR NEED FOR CLARITY ON WHAT WE WOULD SPEND THAT MONEY ON. AND I THINK THAT WE COULD CERTAINLY BRAINSTORM AND THINK ABOUT WHAT WE WANT. BUT I, WHAT I, WHAT I WANT TO JUST EXPRESS IS LIKE THE, THE, THE CONCEPT OF HAVING THAT BUDGET TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE PANEL TALK ABOUT, LIKE, WHAT THEY WANT TO DO IS, IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S WE'RE WE'RE WORKING WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE SAME BUDGET YEAR OVER YEAR. AND MAYBE, MAYBE IT SHRINKS FOR THIS YEAR. AND 
          [02:50:04]
THEN WE COME UP WITH PROJECTS AND IT INCREASES LIKE SUSTAINABILITY OR LIKE OTHER PANELS, YOU KNOW, THEIR BUDGETS INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR. MAYBE, MAYBE THAT'S A BETTER IDEA. I COULD THINK OF WAYS THAT WE COULD INCREASE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE WELCOME GIFT. WE COULD DO MORE COMMUNITY OUTREACH. WE COULD DO MORE SUPPORT FOR NEIGHBORHOOD EVENTS WITH THAT MONEY. BUT OBVIOUSLY, I DON'T WANT TO JUST GIVE THESE THESE THINGS OFF THE FLY. AND IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION, I THINK YOU COULD GET THAT. I THINK THE PANEL'S BEEN WAITING TO KNOW WHAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING TO KNOW WHAT THE BUDGET IS TO DISCUSS WITH THE PANEL OPTIONS IN TERMS OF WHAT KINDS OF THINGS THEY WANT TO DO WITH THAT. WE KNOW GENERAL DIRECTIONS THAT WE'VE TOLD YOU IN TERMS OF WHERE WE WANT TO GO, BUT UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT KIND OF FUNDS WE HAVE, WE REALLY HAVE NOT GOTTEN THAT. THAT'S TOUGH. I I'LL JUST JUMP IN. I THINK IT SHOULD. I'M FINE WITH MOVING JUNETEENTH OVER. I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE. AND I ALSO REALLY LIKE THE FACT, AND I'D BE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF IT COMING OUT OF BED. TAX. I THINK THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE FOR THAT, FOR THAT ACTIVITY. HAVING SAID THAT, AND KNOWING THAT WE HAVE A FINITE AMOUNT OF NUMBER IN BED TAX, WE PROBABLY HAVE TO GO BACK AND REALLY REVIEW THAT LIST TO SEE WHAT WE THINK MAYBE SHOULD BE IN BED TAX, OR MAYBE SOMETHING THAT MIGHT HAVE TO HAVE A DIFFERENT FUND BECAUSE IT IS A FINITE, YOU KNOW, NOW IT'S 500,000 PLUS. THIS IS AN ADDITIONAL 25. YOU KNOW, MAYBE LOOK AT THOSE THINGS. MAYBE WE HAVE SOMETHING SEPARATE OF FUNDING. I MEAN, I KNOW IT ALL COMES I MEAN GENERAL FUND FUND, GENERAL FUND, FUND FOR MAYBE A COUPLE OF THOSE OTHER ITEMS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE OCTOBERFEST AND JULY 4TH GET FUNDED IN A DIFFERENT MECHANISM OUTSIDE OF BED TAX. IF WE FEEL LIKE THIS IS A BETTER USE OF BED TAX. SO I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER DISCUSSION TO HAVE. BUT I DO AGREE MOVING THAT OVER BED TAX MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. I WILL SAY. HAVING SAID THAT, I WAS ALSO UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THAT 25 WAS GOING WITH IT. YEAH. SO WHY WOULD THE BED TAX BE BETTER FOR JUNETEENTH AND NOT LIKE OKTOBERFEST THOUGH I GUESS I DON'T. I MEAN, I JUST USE THAT AS AN EXAMPLE. I MEAN THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU'RE EVER. YEAH, I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. I JUST MEANT WE'D HAVE TO REEVALUATE THAT JUST TO SEE. 
          BUT SO BUT WHAT WE'RE EFFECTIVELY DOING IS WE ARE SHRINKING THE IDEA OF PANEL'S ABILITY TO DO PROGRAMING, BECAUSE THE WHOLE POINT FOR US WAS THAT WE'VE HAD SUCCESS HERE. 
          THE CITY WANTS TO TAKE THIS ON. IF THE CITY DOES AND WE SHOULD BE ALLOWED, THEN TO HAVE THIS PANEL DO OTHER INCLUSIVE PROGRAMING. IF EVERYTHING WE DO IS SUCCESSFUL AND WE KEEP MOVING IT OUT, THEN LITTLE BY LITTLE WE HAVE LESS PROGRAMING LEFT. I MEAN, THAT'S YOU'RE TAKING AWAY 25% OF OUR ABILITY TO DO MEANINGFUL PROGRAMING NEXT YEAR. I GUESS I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF IT. IN THIS MEETING IS TO PROPOSE YOUR BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR. SO IF IT WAS UP TO THE SAB, THEY WOULD HAVE DONE A PILOT COMPOST PROGRAM IN AUGUST OF THIS YEAR. BUT WE PUT IT OUT AND WE PUT IT ON NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET TO COME HERE. PRESENT. IT'S $21,000, YOU GUYS. WE DISCUSSED IT. WE FULLY SAID NO. IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T WANT TO EXPLORE NEXT YEAR. SO NOW IT'S NOT IN THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR. AND THAT MAKES SENSE I HEAR YOU, BUT NO, BUT WE'VE NEVER DONE IT THAT WAY BEFORE AND WE'RE JUST NOT AT ALL PREPARED TO DO THAT. SO NOW WE'RE KIND OF IN THIS POSITION WHERE YOU'RE I FEEL LIKE THE RULES JUST CHANGED ON US, AND WE'VE HAD THAT BUDGET EACH YEAR AND WE NOBODY HAD ADVISED US AHEAD OF TIME THAT WE WERE GOING TO CHANGE HOW THIS WORKED. SO LET'S LET'S, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, JUST TO CASEY'S POINT ABOUT BEING, YOU KNOW, HAVING SUCCESSFUL EVENTS AND THEN THE COMMUNITY'S EXPECTATIONS THAT WE KEEP FUNDING THEM. I MEAN, MY MEMORY OF IT ALWAYS WAS, LET'S DO AN EVENT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. AND IF IT CAN SURVIVE ON ITS OWN, THAT'S GREAT. THAT'S OUR THAT'S OUR GOAL. SO EVEN IF JUNETEENTH SORT OF MOVES OUT OF THE IDEA BUDGET, IF THERE'S NO FUNDING FOR IT NEXT YEAR, IF THERE'S NO CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP, THEN I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A PERMANENT EVENT. THAT'S GREAT. SO WE AGAIN, WE NEED TO PUT A FRAMEWORK AROUND THIS. AFTER TWO YEARS OF IDEA SPONSORING AN EVENT, IT MUST, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S A THIRD YEAR THAT HAS SOME LEVEL OF CITY SUPPORT, BUT IT'S GOT TO BE PREDOMINANTLY FUNDED BY OUTSIDE ENTITIES. IF, IF, IF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO SUPPORT THE EVENT, THEN GREAT. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY IS THAT FOR EVERY COMMUNITY, NO, JUST THAT COMES OUT OF THE IDEA COMMITTEE. 
          RIGHT. SO IF THE IDEA COMMITTEE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, MY THOUGHT WAS WE'RE GOING TO ALWAYS LOOK FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SHOWING THAT WE'RE WELCOMING COMMUNITY TO A BROAD RANGE OF PEOPLE. BUT TO MARLENE'S POINT, I MEAN, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO PUNISH THE IDEA COMMITTEE BY THEN TAKING AWAY THE FUNDING, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME LEVEL OF RESOURCES TO PLAN 
          [02:55:02]
FOR THE NEXT POSSIBLE EVENT, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE SOME COMMUNITY EVENT. SO, YOU KNOW, WORST CASE, IT'S A PLACEHOLDER. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 10 TO $20,000. MAYBE WE PUT A PLACEHOLDER IN THERE OF A CERTAIN AMOUNT, MAYBE 10,000. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE AT LEAST THAT TO SPEND. AND YEAH, WE AS A COUNCIL CAN ALWAYS APPROPRIATE ADDITIONAL FUNDS IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT COMES FORTH THAT THE IDEA COMMITTEE SUPPORTS. YEAH. AND THE COUNCIL ADOPTS AND MOVES FORWARD, I WOULD I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A STRUCTURE IN PLACE BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING THIS EVERY YEAR IN THE BUDGET CYCLE. AND BEING HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS, NOT KNOWING WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE, I THINK I THINK THAT'S FINE. I THINK JUNETEENTH IS A SPECIAL SITUATION BECAUSE IT IS A FEDERAL HOLIDAY. IT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IS RECOGNIZED BY, YOU KNOW, SORT OF NATIONALLY ALREADY. AND SO, I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF WE WERE LIKE TO TAKE LIKE 15, WHICH IS BASICALLY WHAT THE COST TO THE CITY WAS A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN WHAT THE COST OF THE CITY WAS FOR JUNETEENTH, WE COULD HAVE THAT AS A PLACEHOLDER AND WE COULD THINK OF YOU KNOW, WHERE THAT WOULD GO. WOULD THAT GO TOWARDS MORE SUPPLIES FOR NEIGHBORHOOD EVENTS? WOULD THAT GO TO, YOU KNOW, A NICER CANDLE IN THE WELCOME BASKET STUFF LIKE THAT GOING FORWARD? AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IF THIS HAPPENS AGAIN, WE CAN WE CAN REVISIT IT, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE IDEA AND THE OTHER PROGRAMS AND IS THAT IT IS IT'S A IT'S A DYNAMIC PLANNING YEAR, RIGHT? WE'RE THINKING ABOUT WHAT TO DO DURING THE YEAR WITH THAT MONEY. RIGHT. IT'S NOT WE'RE NOT WE DON'T HAVE THE LIST OF ITEMS THAT WE WANT TO DO EVERY YEAR. 
          WELL, I DON'T I DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH US FLIPPING THAT IN THE COMING YEARS. THE WAY THAT THE WAY THAT SUSTAINABILITY DID IT THIS YEAR. YEAH. BUT IT'S JUST NOT HOW WE'VE EVER DONE IT. 
          IT WAS NEVER PART OF A DISCUSSION. WE WEREN'T EXPECTING THAT WE AND WE HAVEN'T PREPARED FOR THAT. SO FOR US TO SAY TO YOU RIGHT NOW, HERE'S THE THINGS WE WANT TO DO. WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SAY THAT TO YOU, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS WITH STAFF AND WITH THE PANEL AND BRING THEM BACK TO COUNCIL. BUT WE HAVE SINCE 2021 DONE IT THE OTHER WAY. SO NOBODY EVER TOLD US THAT WE NEEDED TO BE PREPARED TO DO IT THIS WAY RIGHT NOW. SO YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THE ACTUAL MONEY IN TRANSFERRED OVER FROM IDEA IS ONLY 82 BECAUSE WE HAVE BROUGHT IN REVENUE FROM OTHER SOURCES AS WELL. SO I THINK JUST TO SLOAN'S POINT, MAYBE AS A SUGGESTION, I THINK PUTTING ASIDE OR PUT $10,000 IN THE BUDGET FOR THIS COMING YEAR TO FIGURE OUT WHAT KIND OF PROGRAMS YOU WANT TO DO. BUT I THINK GOING INTO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, BUDGET CYCLE, IT SHOULD BE THOUGHT THROUGH DURING THE YEAR. WHAT YOU WANT TO DO THE FOLLOWING YEAR, JUST AS SUSTAINABILITY AND WHEN YOU COME FOR MORE MONEY, YOU HAVE A PROGRAM JUSTIFYING THE AMOUNT YOU WANT AND WHY YOU WANT TO DO IT, AND THEN WE CAN VOTE ON THAT. YEAH, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. LIKE I SAID, LIKE EVERY OTHER. I THINK THAT'S FIN. IT SHOULD FUNCTION LIKE SUSTAINABILITY AND PLAN WHERE IT'S GOING. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. BY YEAR, THE SUSTAINABILITY DONE THAT EVERY YEAR BEFORE THIS LAST YEAR. SO I NEVER WAS AWARE OF THAT. NO. 
          AGAIN, NOBODY'S EVER HAD THAT DISCUSSION WITH US. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. BUT WE'RE JUST NOT PREPARED FOR THAT. TODAY IS ALL I'M SAYING. AND I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE. BUT TO GO TO OUR PANEL AND SAY, WELL, WE DON'T HAVE ANY FUNDING UNLESS WE GO AND ASK FOR SPECIFIC FUNDING FOR THINGS. I JUST DON'T THINK IS THE RIGHT MESSAGE. AND I STILL I, YOU KNO, I'M GOING TO SAY AGAIN, IT'S LIKE WE I DON'T KNOW, I JUST IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE KEEP GETTING TO THIS PLACE OF, WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT EVENTS IT WAS NEVER MY I WAS NEVER THE ONE THAT SAID, LET'S DO THE JUNETEENTH AS A CITY EVENT. THAT DIDN'T START WITH ME. AND I WAS VERY PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT COUNCIL THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA. IF COUNCIL DOESN'T THINK THAT THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, THEN IT STAYS AN IDEA UNTIL WE DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH IT. BUT I DO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ONLY THE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE ONLY TALK ABOUT IDEA PROGRAMING AS HAVING TO EVENTUALLY FUND ITSELF, AND I DON'T QUITE GET THAT. IF IT'S A FEDERAL HOLIDAY, IF WE WANT TO MOVE IT INTO A CITY INITIATIVE, IF WE DO, AND IF WE DON'T FIND. 
          BUT IF WE DO, I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHY. THAT'S THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS TO FUND ITSELF. I HAVE A REAL PROBLEM WITH THAT. I DO NOT GET WHY WE KEEP GETTING TO THAT DISCUSSION. WE CAN TALK ABOUT $90,000 OUT OF POCKET FOR OCTOBERFEST, BUT WE 18,000 FOR JUNETEENTH. WE'LL HAVE TO FUND ITSELF WHERE IT GOES AWAY. I'M NOT GETTING WHY THAT'S HAPPENING. WELL, AND I THINK THAT'S THE DISTINCTION THAT WOULD BE MADE IN MY OPINION, WHEN IT MOVES OVER FROM AN IDEA LIKE I DO THINK THERE ARE DIFFERENT CRITERIA FOR AN ID EVENT, WHICH I THINK I'VE HEARD YOU GUYS ECHO, RIGHT, THAT THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SEE, WE GET THEM UP AND RUNNING, RIGHT. 
          AND, AND PERSONALLY, I THOUGHT THAT THE INITIATIVE TO BRING IT OVER AND MAKE AN EVENT LIKE JUNETEENTH, A CITY EVENT, WAS NOW IT'S NOT UNDER THOSE SAME GUIDELINES. CORRECT? I AGREE, 
          [03:00:03]
BECAUSE IT'S DIFFERENT LIKE 4TH OF JULY DOESN'T HAVE TO FUND ITSELF, RIGHT? CORRECT. SO I GUESS IF WE DO MOVE IT OVER, I DO THINK IT BECOMES IN A DIFFERENT CATEGORY. NOW, DIWALI STILL I WOULD SAY 2 OR 3 YEARS. CORRECT I AGREE, I ABSOLUTELY AGREE AND I AGREE UNLESS THE CITY CHOOSES TO MAKE IT A CITY EVENT THAT WE BELIEVE AS A COUNCIL SHOULD BE A CITY SPONSORED EVENT. PART OF OUR AND COMING OUT OF THE HOTEL TAX AND BEING A CITY, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM ENDORSED EVENT UNLESS THAT HAPPENS, THEN WE HAVE IDEA HAS TO WORK AROUND DO WE CONTINUE TO LOSE MONEY OUT OF OUR BUDGET FOR PARTICULAR EVENTS, OR DO WE FIND SPONSORS, OR DO WE MOVE ON TO SOMETHING ELSE THAT BECOMES OUR PROBLEM? AND AGAIN, IF THAT'S WHAT COUNCIL WANTS, WHERE COUNCIL WANTS YOU TO REMAIN THAT CERTAINLY COUNCIL'S PREROGATIVE, BUT JUST NEED TO KNOW ONE WAY OR THE OTHER WHAT THAT IS. AND AGAIN I ALSO AM FINE WITH NEXT YEAR US COMING. I DID NOT KNOW AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. I DIDN'T KNOW SUSTAINABILITY CAME IN WITH THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL. I JUST NEVER SAW IT LAST YEAR. I DIDN'T LOOK AT IT. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH US DOING THAT. BUT YOU CAN'T HOLD ME TO THAT TODAY BY DECEMBER 3RD BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO IT. SO AND I JUST DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO OUR PANEL AND SAY, WELL, WE DON'T HAVE ANY FUNDING UNTIL WE GO, YOU KNOW, PROVE PROVE IT WOULD MUCH RATHER NOT BE THERE. WOULD YOU BE OKAY WITH LIKE A, LIKE A, LIKE A $15,000, YOU KNOW, SO HERE'S MY AND THIS IS WHY I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT AND I, I DON'T WANT IT TO SEEM LIKE, OH, I'M SUSTAINABILITY. AND YOU KNOW, WE DO. IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, GENERAL DISCUSSION. I THINK THAT PROVIDES A REALLY GOOD GUARDRAIL. ABSOLUTELY. FOR ME TO COME IN. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE PRESENT THE SUSTAINABILITY BUDGET AND SAY THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND ON. AND IF YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT THE BOARD WANTS, WELL, COUNCIL MIGHT NOT AGREE WITH WHAT THE BOARD WANTS. SO IF THERE'S AN INITIATIVE IN THERE THAT YOU KNOW IS INAPPROPRIATE OR THAT WE DON'T AGREE WITH, LIKE WE ASSUME THAT OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE ON THE SAME PAGE, BUT SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, IF YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME PEOPLE ON SUSTAINABILITY THAT ARE WANT A FAR MORE AGGRESSIVE ROLLOUT OF CERTAIN INITIATIVES SO THAT DETAIL IN THE BUDGET PROVIDES A GUARDRAIL WHERE WE CAN COME AND PRESENT TO YOU ALL AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA SPEND MONEY ON. DO YOU AGREE WITH IT? AND ULTIMATELY WE HAVE THE FINAL SAY AS TO WHETHER THOSE FUNDS GET ALLOCATED OR NOT. IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE. I JUST WISH SOMEBODY HAD POINTED THAT OUT. SO IT'S LIKE I SAID, WHAT I WOULD 3 TO 6 MONTHS AGO, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN READY FOR THAT. IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE FOR ME. THAT'S WHAT EVERY DEPARTMENT'S DOING TODAY. THE QUESTION IS WHAT ARE WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO RIGHT NOW FOR THE COMING YEAR? WE'VE NEVER DONE THAT IDEA BEFORE. WHAT WE'VE DONE HAS BEEN THE OPPOSITE. WE'VE COME TO ALL OF YOU GUYS AND SAID, ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THIS DIRECTION? WE WANT TO GO THIS YEAR. IT'S NOT ABOUT HOW WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT. IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU KNOW, THE VISIBILITY AND IF THERE'S AN INITIATIVE THAT THAT IDEA COMES UP WITH, LIKE BECAUSE IN THE PAST, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE NECESSARILY PRESENTED AND SAID, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE PLANNING ON DOING THIS EVENT. I MEAN, IT JUST KIND OF HAPPENED, AT LEAST INITIALLY. AND THEY'VE BEEN YOU KNOW, AND I'M NOT SAYING IT'S A BAD THING. I'M JUST SAYING GOING FORWARD BEFORE THE EVENTS ARE OFF THE GROUND, IT'D BE, YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD BE THE TIME THAT WE COULD DISCUSS AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE JUST LIKE, WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS OKTOBERFEST, WHICH WE CAN DEFINITELY VALUE ENGINEER AND CUT A LOT OF MONEY OUT OF THAT BUDGET, WHICH WE NEED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. SO THESE OTHER INITIATIVES, IT WOULD JUST BE ANOTHER DISCUSSION THAT WE HAVE. AND THAT'S I JUST DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. IF WE JUST SAY, ALL RIGHT, HERE'S $15,000 EARMARKED AND THEN WELL, WE WOULD COME TO YOU WITH EACH EVENT AND SAY, WE CAN DO THAT THIS YEAR. WE CAN COME TO COUNCIL WITH EACH EVENT ONCE THE PANEL HAS A RECOMMENDATION FOR SOMETHING AND SAY, THIS IS THIS IS WHERE WHERE WE'D LIKE TO BE. AND I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, BUT THEY STILL HAVE TO HAVE A CONCEPT OF WHAT KIND OF MONEY HAS BEEN SET ASIDE FOR THEM TO POTENTIALLY WORK WITH. THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO SAY YES TO ANY PARTICULAR THING, BUT I DON'T. YEAH, PERSONALLY, I'M I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH WHATEVER YOU THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE IN THERE AFTER JUNETEENTH WAS PULLED OUT. I MEAN, I GUESS WE'RE HAVING TWO CONVERSATIONS. 
          I GUESS COUNCIL NEEDS TO AGREE ON JUNETEENTH AND WHERE TO WHERE THAT RIGHT DO WE PUSH JUNETEENTH UP TO THE COMMUNITY EVENTS? RIGHT. WE NEED TO HAVE THE NEXT CONVERSATION. AS TO THE FINAL BUDGET FOR IT. SO LET'S START WITH THE FIRST ONE. ARE WE MOVING JUNETEENTH OUT OF IDEA? LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT. I SAID EARLIER, I HAVE NO ISSUE WITH MOVING IT TO THE CITY EVENT, BUT I THINK WE ALSO HAVE TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE THERE SHOULD NOT BE AN INFERENCE BECAUSE IT'S GONE TO THE CITY THAT THIS IS AN EVENT THAT WILL FOREVER AND ALWAYS BE DONE. I THINK WHATEVER EVENTS WE PUT ON, WE USED TO HAVE EASTER EGG HUNTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN SOMETHING GOES ON FOREVER JUST BECAUSE IT'S MOVED OVER TO THE CITY BUDGET. I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT THAT. I, I AGREE THAT'S ABOUT EVERY EVENT WE DO. YEAH, 
          [03:05:06]
WE CAN CHANGE, BUT I THINK THERE'S A CITY EVENT SAYING THAT IT'S GOING TO GO ON JUST BECAUSE IT'S THERE. IT'S GOING TO GO ON. BUT HOW LONG IT GOES ON IS A SUBJECT FOR FUTURE DECISIONS. 
          OKAY, I AGREE WITH THAT. WE LOOK AT EACH EVENT EVERY YEAR, CITY EVENT WISE. SO I'M NOT IS ANYBODY OPPOSED TO MAKING JUNETEENTH BE A CITY EVENT UNDER THE COMMUNITY EVENTS? A CITY PRODUCED EVENT, CITY PRODUCED EVENT. UTILIZING TAX MONEY? NO, I'M NOT I'M I DON'T I'M OPPOSED. 
          I MEAN, I'M IF IT'S A CITY EVENT IT WOULD COME OUT OF BED TAX MONEY. RIGHT. OKAY. RIGHT. OKAY. 
          SO GREAT. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH A 15,000 MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSE CATEGORY FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET? KNOWING THAT I WOULD COME OR MARLENE WOULD COME AND SORT OF IT WOULD BE A CONDITIONAL USE VARIANCE TYPE THING. WE WOULD COME AND ASK, WE CAN DO A MORE FORMAL, MORE FORMAL ASK FOR THAT MONEY, WHICH I THINK WOULD GO TO I HAVE NO LIKE I SAID, I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE. IT'S JUST AT THIS POINT I CAN'T DO IT IN ADVANCE OF THE BUDGET ON DECEMBER OR WHATEVER. KNOWING NEXT YEAR IT WOULD BE A MORE. IT'D BE WE'D FOLLOW OUR SUSTAINABILITY BRETHREN WITH OUR BUDGET. DOES ANYBODY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT? AS LONG AS WE HAVE VISIBILITY INTO THE PROGRAMING, I'M FINE WITH THAT. I LOVE GIVING COUNCIL REPORTS AND KNOWING THAT IT MAY OR MAY NOT BE APPROVED. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A FULSOME DISCUSSION BECAUSE THE FUNDING IS THERE. IT MAY OR MAY NOT BE. YEAH, NO, I THINK IT SHOULD BE A MATTER OF PUBLIC RECORD. I'M TOTALLY I'M ACTUALLY MAKES TOTAL SENSE TO ME. I IT REALLY DOES. LIKE I SAID, I WISH IF SOMEBODY HAD POINTED THAT OUT TO ME AND THEN I REALIZED WHAT SUSTAINABILITY WAS DOING SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, WE COULD HAVE PLANNED FOR NEXT YEAR. BUT WE'RE GOING TO NEED A TRANSITION YEAR TO GET THAT ACCOMPLISHED. ARE WE SO? SO FOR THE PURPOSE OF CLARIFYING MY UNDERSTANDING, DID I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY THAT THE PREFERENCE WAS NOT TO PULL JUNETEENTH OUT OF THE IDEA BUDGET? NO. IF IT MEANT THAT THE FUNDING HAD TO COME FROM THE BED TAX, IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID MEANT? YEAH, I WOULD I SUPPORT MOVING JUNETEENTH OVER AS LONG AS THE BED TAX FUNDS ARE USED TO SUPPORT IT. OKAY. SO THEN WE WOULD BE MOVING JUNETEENTH OVER FUNDING IT WITH BED TAX MONEY AND THEN ADDING SOME DOLLAR AMOUNT TO THE IDEA BUDGET. SO IT WOULD COME FOR US TO USE AT SOMETHING FOR US TO USE. YEAH. FOR, FOR US TO USE PENDING COUNCIL'S APPROVAL FOR OUR PROGRAMING. AND WAS THAT 15 OR I HEARD 15. I HEARD THAT 1015 OKAY. WE TALKED ABOUT TEN. AND THEN I ASKED ABOUT 15. WOULD ANYBODY IS EVERYBODY OKAY WITH 15, 20? DO I CAN KEEP GOING HERE? 2015. DID YOU SAY FIVE? RIGHT. OKAY. SO WE'LL MAKE THAT ADJUSTMENT. WE'LL MOVE IDEA OVER TO COMMUNITY EVENTS. USE THE BED TAX MONEY TO FUND THAT. CAN I JUMP TO A DIFFERENT CATEGORY FOR JUST A SECOND? MAYBE. MAYBE THERE'S MORE DISCUSSION THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN ON THIS. BUT I ALSO HEARD THAT THERE'S A DESIRE FOR ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR LIGHTING, TREE LIGHTING OR SOME TYPE OF LIGHTING. DO YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR NUMBER THAT YOU'D LIKE US TO ADD TO THAT, OR WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE US COME BACK? IF YOU WANT TO REACH OUT TO US LIKE SOAP AND WATER? I MEAN, I THINK WE HAVE TIME AND JUST GET A GENERAL BALLPARK, AND THEN THEY COME BACK AND SAY IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE 100 GRAND OR SOMETHING. THEN I KNOW, GO. BUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT I COULD DO, LIKE, YOU THINK JUST LIKE STEPPING UP CIRCLE YEAR ROUND AND TAKE THE LIGHTS OFF AND PUT THEM BACK ON A COUPLE OF TIMES. YEAH, YEAH. SO WE COULD START SMALL. YEAH. I'D LOVE TO DO THE TOP OF THE BUILDINGS AND MARKET STREET, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD STAY AROUND ALL YEAR AND LIGHT UP EVERY NIGHT, JUST KIND OF OUTLINE THE ROOF ALL THE WAY ON ALL OF THEM. I MIGHT WANT TO DO SOME LIGHTING AT SUGAR RUN TOO. ONCE THAT'S UP AND GOING. SIMILAR TO LIKE WHAT YOU SEE. I PERSONALLY LIKE SOMETHING AROUND THE GOVERNMENT AREA ALSO, BUT MAYBE WHERE MARLENE LIKE AROUND HERE, LIKE AROUND YOU KNOW, AS ESPECIALLY IF WE START, YOU KNOW, THE SORT OF OUR MUNICIPAL AREA AND THAT'S GOING TO BE WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL THIS AREA OVER HERE. MAYBE THAT'S LIKE A, A FUND THAT WE HAVE YEAR ROUND AND WE JUST INCLUDE SOMETHING NEW EACH YEAR. CAN THAT BE PART OF THE COUNCIL WHERE IT GOES? MONEY THAT 70 GRAND. I MEAN, WE HAVE THAT MONEY. DO WE HAVE TO APPROVE BEFORE WE PUT THE MONEY IN? WE COULD HAVE FLEXIBILITY. YOU HAVE A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY ON THAT. WE COULD JUST LEAVE THAT WHERE IT IS RIGHT NOW. YEAH. LET'S SEE IF 
          [03:10:01]
WE CAN GET SOME ADDITIONAL I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THESE THINGS COST, BUT RIGHT. ASSUMING IT'S $10,000, I THINK WE COULD PAY FOR THAT WITH THE 70,000 MISCELLANEOUS COUNCIL. I THINK IT'S GONNA BE MORE THAN THAT. I THINK IT'S GONNA BE MORE THAN THAT. OH, YEAH, IT'S GOING TO BE MORE THAN 50 JUST FOR THE HOLIDAY MONEY. I THINK IF WE GOT SOME IDEA FROM LIGHTING COMPANY, I MEAN, TO MATT'S IDEA OF LIGHTING EITHER THE ROUNDABOUT OR DOING ABOVE THE BUILDINGS OR SOMETHING, GET SOME IDEAS. IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, GIVEN WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR BUDGET, IF SOMEBODY CAME BACK AND SAID, IT'S 20, 30 OR $40,000 AND IT'S YEAR ROUND LIGHTING, WE CAN AFFORD THAT OUT OF THE BUDGET WITHOUT TOUCHING THE $70,000. WE ARE NOT STRAPPED FOR THINGS TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IF IT'S GOING TO BE AN ONGOING PROGRAM, DO WE DO WE CONSULT MCCSC AT ALL WITH OUR CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AND OUR HOLIDAY LIGHTS AROUND TOWN? I THINK WE JUST DID IT ALL RIGH. 
          PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE A BAD IDEA JUST TO REACH OUT AND MAKE IT LOOK STUPID. THEY LOOK GOOD, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE LIKE CHRISTMAS VACATION, DRIVING THROUGH NEW ALBANY LIKE, THIS IS LIKE $1,000 IF YOU JUST CALL THEM HOA. AEP WILL COME AND THANK US. YEAH, WE NEED THAT. A SUBSTATION TO POWER OUR CHRISTMAS LIGHTS. MUCH LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER KIFF. LIKE, I WANT INFORMATION BEFORE WE MAKE THIS DECISION. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST BEFORE WE MOVE ON WITH THAT. AND WE'RE. AND WHERE WE'RE PUTTING IT. YEAH. WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE. AND IF IT'S GOING TO BE SAD IN FEBRUARY. SO WE HAVE WE HAVE ONE CHANGE IN THIS AREA OF THE BUDGET THAT WILL MAKE FOR BEFORE YOU VOTE ON THE FINAL BUDGET. YES. AND FOR THE MOVING THE JUNETEENTH, YOU'LL SEE I'LL HAVE TO INCREASE THE EXPENSE FOR THE FULL AMOUNT, BUT I'LL ALSO INCREASE THE CHARGES FOR SERVICES OR DONATIONS. SO IT WON'T AFFECT, I GUESS, THE TRANSFER COMING IN. 
          RIGHT. IT WOULD BE SUPPORTED BY THAT. YEAH. BECAUSE WE CAN TAKE MOST OF THE MONEY THAT JUST CAME IN AND PUSH IT ON OVER THERE BECAUSE WE MADE THAT MONEY. FOR THE RECORD, HAVING IT DOWN. WHAT WAS THE JUNETEENTH OR SORRY, WHAT WAS THE SUPPLEMENTAL AMOUNT? WAS IT 15, 14, 15? THANK YOU. 3015 IT WAS 15. IT WAS 115. SUBJECT TO ROBUST DISCUSSION. YEAH, THAT WAS GOOD. THAT WAS GOOD DISCUSSION. AND IN TERMS OF THE INDIVIDUAL EVENTS, THAT WOULD BE FUNDED THROUGH THE BED TAX, IS THERE A INTEREST IN DIVING INTO THAT MORE THIS THIS AFTERNOON, OR WOULD YOU RATHER DO THAT IN A SUBSEQUENT MEETING, WHETHER IT'S A COMMITTEE STRUCTURE OR WHATEVER YOU'D PREFER? I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED TO HEAR WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT OTHER EVENTS AND BED TAX FUNDING, LIKE WHERE WHERE WE ALL ARE ON THAT. I HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE FOUNDATION ABOUT SHIFTING RESOURCES TO PAY THE KAPPA FEES. SO I THINK I'M NOT SURE WE WANT TO DELVE INTO THAT RIGHT NOW. TODAY, THERE'S NO EXACTLY WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE. THAT'S THE GRANT, THE FOUNDATION. THAT'S A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF GRANTS. IF WE'RE GOING TO PICK UP MORE OF THE COST, THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO WORK OUT. YEAH, BUT THE GRANTS ARE VERY SMALL PORTION OF THE BED TAX. SO THAT 20 OR 30,000 RANGE, I THINK IT'S MORE DO WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT EVENTS AND WHETHER THE FUNDING TO THE CHAMBER. IS THAT ALL SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE DISCUSSING, OR IS IT TOO SOON? FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, I MEAN, FRANKLY, WE'D BE HERE ALL DAY. 
          IF WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO THIS DISCUSSION, WE STILL HAVE TO GET THROUGH THE CITY'S BUDGET. THAT HAS TO BE APPROVED BY DECEMBER 17TH. SO MAYBE WE SHOULD TABLE THAT FOR ANOTHER DISCUSSION. AT THE TIME. TO YOUR POINT EARLIER, IF WE GET SOME INPUT FROM HANS AND SOME OF THE VOLUNTEERS FOR SOME OF THE OTHER EVENTS, MIGHT BE HELPFUL. SO ARE YOU. ARE WE SUGGEST, ARE YOU LIKE, WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT THIS AFTER WE KNOW WHAT THE ACTUAL REMAINING BED TAX MONEY WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE TO SPEND ON EVENTS TO SEE WHICH ONES WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND OUT OF THAT, OR WHICH ONES WOULD BE OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND. DON'T WE HAVE A SUBCOMMITTEE THAT LOOKS AT THAT EVERY YEAR, KNOWING THAT BED TAX MONEY WE HAVE ALLOCATED FOR IT, AND WE ONLY SPEND THE MONEY WE HAVE? I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER DRAWN IN ADDITIONAL FUNDS. IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT GRANTS, THOSE ARE GRANTS. BUT WE HAVE A COMMITTEE, A GROUP THAT LOOKS AT IT. I DON'T THINK WE EVER HAD ONE. OH, I'M SORRY, THIS IS FOR THE GRANTS. NOBODY'S EVER LOOKED AT. I MEAN, REALLY, THE EASY THE EASY ANSWER IS IF WE MOVE THAT 25 OVER, YOU JUST REDUCE OUR $100,000 BUDGET IN THE GRANTS. 
          YOU GO DOWN TO 75,000 AND THEN EVERYTHING'S WITHIN BUDGET. WE JUST REDUCE OUR OUR GRANT BUDGET FROM 100,000 TO 75,000. I THINK. I THINK IT'S WORTH TALKING ABOU. LET ME HANDLE IT. THAT'S THE EASY ANSWER. EVENTS LIKE WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT JUNETEENTH VERSUS THE OTHER EVENTS AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD BE FUNDED BY BED TAX OR NOT. I THINK THAT'S WORTH TALKING ABOUT. WE DON'T I MEAN, MAYBE NOT TODAY, BUT I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN HEARING PEOPLE'S 
          [03:15:02]
THOUGHTS ON THAT. I DO I DO THINK WE ARE TALKING ABOUT 200,000 ALSO. WE HAVE ALWAYS CONSIDERED THE COMMUNITY EVENTS BOARD, LIKE THE JULY 4TH AND THE OCTOBERFEST, FUNDED BY THE HOTEL TAX, THE BED TAX, RIGHT. SO YEAH, I WOULDN'T CHANGE THAT, BUT I'M JUST I'M SAYING THE EASY THING IS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SITTING HERE AT 444,000 ON A 525 BUDGET, I THINK, OR 500 WHATEVER. AFTER THE 100,000 WAS OUT, HE JUST REDUCED THE 25 OFF OF THE 100 OR WHATEVER TO STAY WITHIN BUDGET. AND YOU DID IT. AND EVERYTHING CAN REMAIN THE SAME. BEFORE WE DO ANY ENGINEERING OF COSTS AND OTHER STUFF, WHICH I'M SURE WE COULD DO, AND GET SOME OF THAT OTHER STUFF DOWN. BUT TO YOUR POINT, WE PROBABLY DON'T NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT TODAY BECAUSE THERE'S AN EASY FIX. IF WE HAD TO BEFORE WE EVEN GET INTO THAT CONVERSATION. AND I MEAN, CERTAINLY WHEN YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF PASSION ON THESE EVENTS, AT THE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S NOT A WHOLE BUNCH OF MONEY, RIGHT? I MEAN, NO, IT'S NOT, IT'S WE CAN FIGURE IT OUT. 
          YEAH. BARKER'S GOING TO BUY ONE TRUCK AND THEN IT'S DONE. RIGHT? I THAT'S ALMOST A PERFECT SEGUE. 
          SO WE HAVE TWO MORE ASPECTS OF THE BUDGET. ONE IS, IS COMMUNICATIONS WITH JOSH IS UP NEXT. IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE MOVING ON FROM THIS PART. YEP. BUT YEAH LET'S LET'S I MEAN THAT'S FINE TIME CLARK. MASON, IF YOU CAN LOOK INTO THE AGENDAS MOVING FORWARD TO CARVE OUT SOME TIME AT AN UPCOMING COUNCIL MEETING TO TALK ABOUT THIS, MAYBE WHEN WE HAVE A LIGHT AGENDA, THIS IS CERTAINLY A ROBUST DISCUSSION THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER TO WORK OUT. THANK YOU. I'LL TRY TO KEEP MINE SHORT AND SWEET SO WE CAN GET MIKE BARKER. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF MY TEAM AND OUR EFFORTS LAST YEAR. AT THIS TIME, WE WERE A TEAM OF TWO PEOPLE, ME AND SAM. AND WITH THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF EVENTS WE'RE DOING AND THE COMMUNITY PROGRAMING THAT WE'RE OFFERING, A TWO PERSON TEAM FOR COMMS JUST ISN'T SUSTAINABLE. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT FOR THE ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OF MY TEAM. 
          WE ADDED KATIE EARLY IN THE YEAR AS A PART TIME POSITION, AND WE ADDED MADISON IN SEPTEMBER AND BOTH HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, AND WE ARE REALLY FOCUSING ON THE AREAS THAT OUR RESIDENTS TOLD US THAT THEY NEED US TO PROVIDE THEM INFORMATION IN AND IN OUR COMMUNITY SURVEY THAT WAS IN SOCIAL MEDIA AND IT WAS IN THE NEWSLETTER. THOSE WERE THE TWO PRIMARY AREAS WHERE RESIDENTS WERE RECEIVING COMMUNICATION FROM US. SO THAT'S WHERE WE FOCUSED OUR EFFORTS OVER THIS PAST YEAR. WE DID MANAGE THE REFRESH OF THE CITY WEBSITE. I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON THAT, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO FINE TUNE THAT BASED ON OUR CONVERSATION EARLIER TODAY, I SENT AN EMAIL TO OUR SUPPORT TICKET AT BUCKEYE INTERACTIVE TO FIND OUT WHY THE MAP IS NOT SHOWING UP IN THE SEARCH RESULTS, AND IT'S BECAUSE IT'S LINKING TO AN OUTSIDE LINK, ESSENTIALLY, AND IT'S NOT A PAGE ON OUR SITE. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CREATE A PAGE SO THAT IT'S SEARCHABLE WHEN SOMEBODY SEARCHES FOR MAPS. SO ALWAYS FINE TUNING THAT TO MAKE SURE IT'S AS EFFECTIVE AS POSSIBLE. WE ALSO CONDUCTED THAT BIENNIAL COMMUNITY SURVEY, WHICH PROVIDED SOME INVALUABLE FEEDBACK FOR US WHEN IT COMES TO OUR COMMUNICATION EFFORTS AND THE OTHER EFFORTS ACROSS THE CITY. WE DID INCREASE ATTENDANCE AT INTERNAL STAFF MEETINGS. OUR LAST STAFF MEETING ECLIPSED 90 PEOPLE, SO IT WAS A GREAT TURNOUT AND WE FOUND THOSE TO BE EFFECTIVE MEETINGS FOR US TO UPDATE OUR EMPLOYEES ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY, AND ALSO TO JUST MAKE EVERYBODY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE PART OF A TEAM AND HAVING A GOOD, SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCE HERE AT THE CITY. SO WE'VE REALLY ENJOYED THOSE. WE DID PICK UP FOUR MORE AWARDS AT THE NATIONAL, THREE CMA CONFERENCE, SO WE'RE PROUD OF THAT. WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A FOCUS ON DIRECT MAIL BECAUSE OUR RESIDENTS TOLD US THAT THEY'RE ALSO RECEIVING INFORMATION THROUGH OUR MAILINGS, THROUGH THEIR COUNCIL LETTERS THAT WE DO ON A BI MONTHLY BASIS, ON THE POSTCARDS THAT WE SEND OUT TO ADVERTISE OUR COMMUNITY EVENTS. SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND ACTUALLY INCREASE THAT A LITTLE BIT IN 2025. IN TERMS OF DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS, WE'VE PRODUCED 72 VIDEOS THIS YEAR. WE'RE ALMOST AT 7 MILLION SOCIAL MEDIA IMPRESSIONS, WHICH HAS SURPASSED LAST YEAR'S NUMBER. AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IMPRESSIONS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CONTENT THAT'S SHOWING UP IN YOUR FEED. SO NOT NECESSARILY CLICKING ON IT OR LIKING ON IT, BUT YOU'RE SEEING IT IN YOUR FEED. BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET OUR CONTENT IN FRONT OF A LOT OF EYEBALLS. AND WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT IN ABOUT 7 MILLION CASES. WE HAVE 37,000 PLUS ACCOUNTS FOLLOWING US ACROSS OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. SO THAT HAS INCREASED OVER LAST YEAR, AND WE'RE EXPECTING THAT TO INCREASE SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE COMING YEAR. AND WE HAVE SENT OUT 43 CONNECTS E-BLASTS WITH AN OPEN RATE OF 67%. AND THE GOVERNMENT AVERAGE IS ABOUT 28, 29%. SO WE'RE DOING JUST FINE. THAT'S GREAT. THAT'S GREAT. IN TERMS OF OUR GOALS AND REQUESTS FOR THIS 
          [03:20:06]
YEAR, I AM NOT ASKING FOR ANY ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL. WE DID ADD ONE AND A HALF EMPLOYEES THIS PAST YEAR, SO WE'RE WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT THAT'S GOING TO GET US THROUGH THIS NEXT YEAR. 
          AND MAYBE WE CAN ANALYZE AND REASSESS FOR 2026. BUT THAT'S WHERE WE ARE, RIGHT NOW. WE ARE PLANNING TO ADD AN ENHANCED SEARCH FUNCTION ON THE CITY WEBSITE IN THE FORM OF A CHAT BOT. THE ESTIMATED COST OF THAT IS ABOUT $15,000, BUT JUST LOOKING FOR OTHER WAYS WHERE PEOPLE CAN FIND WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ON OUR WEBSITE, WE ARE EXPECTING TO PUT A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY BEHIND PAID BOOSTS ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS THAT WE'RE DOING. SO RIGHT NOW. 
          WE HAVEN'T BEEN PUTTING MUCH MONEY BEHIND OUR POSTS, BUT THIS IS A WAY THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO GET MORE IMPRESSIONS BY ESSENTIALLY DOING DIGITAL ADVERTISING BEHIND SOME OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS. SO WE'RE ANTICIPATING ABOUT A $10,000 INCREASE IN THE BUDGET FOR THAT. 
          WE DID PUT SOME MONEY INTO OUR STUDIO SPACE THIS PAST YEAR, AND WE'RE HOPING TO COMPLETE THAT HERE IN 2025. AND WE'RE ALSO INCREASING OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BY ABOUT $5,000 TO ACCOUNT FOR THE ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM. ALL IN ALL, NOT TOO MUCH OF AN INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR. ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANKS GUYS. DOING GREAT. NOW THE STAR OF THE AFTERNOON HAVE SOME MORE OF THAT. SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST MIKE BARKER. I WAS ADVISED TO BE QUICK ON FINANCE THOUGH. ALL RIGHT. SO BEST FOR LAST. SO WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS GOOD. ALL RIGHT. SO. AS FAR AS OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES YOU KNOW REALLY JUST TO JUST TO MAINTAIN THE MAINTENANCE AND THE LEVELS OF EXPECTATIONS IN A MANNER THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE CONTINUED GROWTH OF THE CIT. I THINK THAT I THINK THAT OUR TEAM, I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF OUR TEAM. I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS INVESTMENT. I THINK PROBABLY NONE OTHER, NONE GREATER THAN POTENTIALLY ANGIE HOBART SITTING, SITTING BESIDE ME TO JUST MAKE ALL OF THESE THINGS HAPPEN. IT'S REMARKABLE. SO REALLY, THESE ARE JUST KIND OF A LIST OF ITEMS THAT YOU SEE. 
          JUST CONTINUE TO GROW YEAR BY YEAR. THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, ANGIE AND I HAVE DISCUSSED AND HAVE PLANNED FOR AND HAVE LONG TERM MAINTENANCE PLANS AND PROGRAMS IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE THEY'RE MAINTAINED TO THE STANDARD THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT HERE IN NEW ALBANY. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ANGIE HELPS MAKE VERY EASY. SO I APPRECIATE HER EFFORTS AND THOSE OF OUR TEAM. SO I GUESS JUST, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE COMMENTS THERE WERE JUST, YOU KNOW, MAINTAINING THE QUALITY OF SERVICE, MAINTAINING THE DEPENDABILITY OF OUR UTILITIES AND PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE. AND THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE RESIDENT SERVICES FOR, YOU KNOW, THE LEAF REMOVAL, SNOW REMOVAL, JUST MAINTAINING SAFETY, KIND OF THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WHICH I THINK WE'VE DONE A REALLY GREAT JOB OF THIS YEAR, JUST KIND OF TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE'VE WE'VE HAD THIS YEAR AS A TEAM. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION OF THE US 62, STATE ROUTE 161 INTERCHANGE. THAT WAS A MULTI-YEAR PROJECT THAT WAS EVEN MORE YEARS OF COLLABORATION. WE DID HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A SLOWDOWN JUST TO HAVE A DIRECT SUPPORT TO ODOT'S PROJECT ABOVE, WHICH IS THE WIDENING OF THE STATE ROUTE 161 OVERPASS AREA. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING FINAL PUNCH LIST ITEMS AND KIND OF CLEANING THINGS OUT YET THIS YEAR. BUT THAT'S BEEN A GREAT PROJECT, VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH THE SUPPORT OF CERTAINLY OF OUR CITY MANAGER AND OUR CITY COUNCIL, WE WERE ABLE TO BASICALLY DOUBLE THE SCOPE OF THE ANNUAL STREET PROGRAM THIS YEAR. I THINK EVERYONE HERE HAS HAD DIRECT EXPERIENCE WITH JUST THE SCALE, JUST THE MAGNITUDE OF THAT PROGRAM. THIS YEAR, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S PATIENCE. 
          I KNOW THAT WE DID A FAIR AMOUNT OF WORK ON SOME OF THE MAIN ARTERIALS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. 
          THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR TEAM TO GET THOSE KIND OF UP, UP TO A STANDARD THAT WE REALLY WANT TO MAINTAIN AS PEOPLE ARE DRIVING THROUGH OUR CITY. AND I ALSO WANT TO JUST POINT OUT THE EFFORTS OF JORDAN GAMBLE AND JUSTIN WILKINSON ON THAT PROJECT TO REALLY MAKE THAT HAPPEN. IT WAS A TREMENDOUS EFFORT FROM OUR TEAM, AND WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE A GREAT CONTRACTOR IN SHELLY AND SANDS, SO THAT WAS A PHENOMENAL THING FOR US. LET'S SEE, WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH OUR PAVEMENT TECHNOLOGY SOFTWARE TO IMPROVE OUR ROAD MAINTENANCE BUDGET AND SCHEDULES. MY GOAL IS TO BASICALLY BRING A NORMALIZED BUDGET TO COUNCIL, SOMETHING THAT WE COULD WE COULD LEARN TO ANTICIPATE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS 
          [03:25:03]
THAT IDENTIFIES REALLY THE TOTAL NEED TO KIND OF KEEP US WITHIN A QUALITY AND CHARACTER. AND THAT WE WOULD EXPECT RATHER THAN HAVING, YOU KNOW, THE JUMP THAT WE SAW THIS YEAR. I REALLY WANT TO KIND OF GET US, GET US CAUGHT UP TO A KIND OF A BASELINE AND THEN MOVE FORWARD, REALLY WITH A KIND OF A REPEAT TYPE BUDGET. I THINK THAT'S IN EVERYONE'S BEST INTEREST AS WE MOVE THESE FORWARD. JUST A POINT TO NOTE IS THAT LAST YEAR, WE ASSESSED THE CONDITION OF OUR PAVEMENT AFTER OUR STREET PROGRAM WAS DONE IN 2023. THE RESULTS INDICATED THAT WE HAD AN AVERAGE PAVEMENT CONDITION INDEX OF 77. WE'RE ALSO SEEING THAT OVERALL, THE CITY, JUST BY HAVING NO WORK DONE AT ALL, IS SEEING A DEGRADATION RATE OF AROUND TWO POINTS PER YEAR. SO IN OTHER WORDS, IT WAS 79 AND 2022 AND IT WAS 77IN 2023. WELL, THIS YEAR, AFTER ALL OF THE WORK THAT WE DID, WE'VE NOW BASICALLY BOOSTED THE SCORE TO AN 81. SO I KNOW THAT 77 TO 81 IS WELL, IT'S JUST FOUR POINTS. BUT ACTUALLY IT'S CLOSER TO SIX POINTS BECAUSE WE'VE KIND OF CUT OFF A YEAR OF THAT DEGRADATION OVERALL AS WELL. SO I THINK WE'VE REALLY MADE A TREMENDOUS STEP FORWARD AT, YOU KNOW, CATCHING UP AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE STAY KIND OF ON THAT, ON THAT PATH MOVING FORWARD. SO APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT ON THAT. YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE HIGH LEVEL RESPONSE AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR SNOW AND ICE AND ALSO FOR LEAF COLLECTION. WE'VE HAD PRETTY FORTUNATE SEASONS, BOTH IN LAST WINTER AND THEN SO FAR THIS FALL, I THINK WE'VE BEEN IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN VERY WELL MANAGED. I THINK WE'VE BEEN REALLY DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB FOR OUR RESIDENTS. WE DID RESTORE SOME BRICK SIDEWALKS AND TREE WELLS IN THE VILLAGE CENTER AREA. THIS IS MORE SPECIFIC TO THE AREA OF 62 AND HIGH STREET IN AND AROUND EAGLES PIZZA. THAT AREA JUST WAS KIND OF DUE FOR SOME MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE KIND OF REESTABLISHING A LOT OF THE FLOWERS WITHIN THE TREE WELLS AND JUST DOING AN OVERALL CLEANUP. WE'RE GOING TO BE CONTINUING THAT WORK INTO MORE OF OUR VILLAGE CENTER AREA IN NEXT YEAR AS WELL. SO MORE MORE TO COME. WE ARE WE EXPANDED OUR UTILITY INSPECTION TRAINING AND MAINTENANCE PROGRAM. WE HAVE ON ANOTHER SLIDE, MEMBERS OF OUR UTILITY TEAM HAVE ALL ACHIEVED DIFFERENT CREDENTIALS TO HAVE CERTIFICATIONS AND UTILITY INSPECTION AND UNDERGROUND CONDUIT INSPECTION. SO NOT ONLY ARE WE INCREASING THE SCOPE OF OUR WORK, BUT THE SOPHISTICATION AND WE'RE REALLY WE'RE REALLY FOLLOWING WHAT IS AN INDUSTRY STANDARD. SO WE HAVE IN MY OPINION, I THINK WE HAVE A PRETTY GREAT BENCHMARK TO KIND OF GUIDE US AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES. WE DID RECONSTRUCT AND EXPANDED THE INTERSECTION OF HIGH STREET AND CHAPMAN GREEN DRIVE. THAT WAS THE ALSO INCLUDING THE DROP LANE THERE FOR THE SCHOOL. THAT WAS A GREAT SUCCESS FOR US. AGAIN, AN AMAZING CONTRACTOR WITH COMPLETE GENERAL AND AN EVEN BETTER ENGINEER WORKING ON THAT PROJECT. AND JUSTIN WILKINSON. 
          SO THAT WAS A WIN. WE STILL HAVE SOME FINAL PUNCH LIST ITEMS. THERE'S SOME OTHER AMENITIES THAT ARE GOING TO BE LAYERED IN THAT WERE LONGER LEAD TIME ITEMS. THEY ARE ALL DIRECTED AT PEDESTRIAN SAFETY MEASURES THAT ARE GOING TO EXPAND THAT. THAT IS THERE NOW. SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, I'M VERY PROUD THAT WE'VE KIND OF TAKEN ALL THE TOOLS OUT OF THE TOOLBOX. AND AT THE END OF THIS PROJECT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, IN MY OPINION, A VERY, VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT PROJECT THAT REALLY PRIORITIZES PEDESTRIANS AND CERTAINLY JUST THE SCHOOL AS A WHOLE. WE DID ADD FOUR MID-BLOCK CROSSINGS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. THESE CAME AT THE REQUEST OF RESIDENTS JUST IN DIFFERENT AREAS WHERE THEY MADE SENSE. SO WE WERE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THOSE. WE DID ADD AN AUDIBLE CROSSWALK AT DUBLIN-GRANVILLE ROAD AND FOSTER ROAD AGAIN, THAT WAS A SPECIFIC RESIDENT REQUEST. SINCE THAT TIME, WE'VE WE'VE DECIDED THAT THAT IS REALLY NOW THE BASELINE OF PACKAGE THAT WILL BE WILL BE INSTALLING WITH EVERY NEW TRAFFIC SIGNAL GOING IN AND AT THE SAME TIME TOO, IN TALKING THINGS OVER WITH JOE, WE DO INTEND TO GO BACK AND ADD ADD THOSE INTO SOME EXISTING SIGNALS OUT THERE. IN PARTICULAR THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL AT NORTH HARLEM ROAD AND DUBLIN-GRANVILLE ROAD. AND THEN I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN TO PRIORITIZE THE OTHER SIGNALS IN AND AROUND THE SCHOOL CAMPUS AREA TO GET THAT MOVING FORWARD. SO, HEY, MIKE, IS THERE A WAY TO KNOW HOW MANY TIMES THOSE MID-BLOCK CROSSINGS ARE PUSHED? I DON'T KNOW, I CAN 
          [03:30:07]
CHECK. SO JUST WONDERING FROM, YOU KNOW, HOW OFTEN THEY'RE USED, LIKE WHICH ONES AND WHICH ONES GET THE MOST USE. JUST KIND OF CURIOUS. YEAH. LET ME CHECK INTO THAT. I KNOW A LOT OF THOSE HAVE A LOT OF DATA AVAILABLE, SO WE'LL HAVE TO DIG IN TO SEE THAT. BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO SEE HOW HOW UTILIZED THEY ARE. BUT I WILL SAY THAT WE'RE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT MINIMIZING THE AMOUNT OF MID-BLOCK CROSSINGS. THEY'RE NOT IDEAL, BUT I THINK WHERE WHERE THERE ARE PATHS THAT ARE DEMONSTRATED THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO CROSS THERE ANYWAY, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE NEED TO DO OUR BEST TO PUT IN PLACE A SAFE, A MUCH SAFER CROSSING. SO I DO THINK THE ONES THAT WE'VE BEEN THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED HAVE BEEN PRETTY WELL USED, JUST GIVEN THE FACT THAT THEY WERE UTILIZED IN THAT WAY FOR MANY YEARS. SO I AGREE, WRONG BUTTON. 
          IS THERE ANY WAY FOR US TO HAVE A SENSE OF WHETHER PEOPLE PUSH THE BUTTONS ON THOSE ONES WHERE WE HAVE THE LIGHTS, YOU KNOW, IE ACTIVATES THE BUTTON, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING WE DON'T HAVE CAMERAS OR ANYTHING OUT THERE TO KIND OF TELL US OTHERWISE. BUT, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN IT MANY TIMES WHERE PEOPLE ARE IN A CROSSWALK AND THE LIGHTS AREN'T FLASHING. SO, SO PEOPLE ARE I WOULD SAY MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, THEY'RE NOT PRESSING THE BUTTON. AND THAT IS CERTAINLY NOT THE INTENT. SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE IS THERE IS OTHER TECHNOLOGY THAT WE COULD HAVE PROXIMITY SENSORS. YOU MIGHT RECALL THAT WE HAD INSTALLED THEM WHEN WE FIRST OPENED MARKET AND MAIN STREET ROUNDABOUT WOULD TURN OFF. THEY WERE KIND OF A DISASTER. SO I THINK JUST THE TECHNOLOGY AND WIND AND WEATHER AND TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK IN TO SEE IF TECHNOLOGY MAYBE HAS ANYTHING DIFFERENT IN THE WAY OF JUST PROXIMITY SENSORS TO FORCE THEM TO GO OFF. HAVE WE DONE ANY KIND OF A PROMOTION? I'M SORRY, EXCUSE ME. JOSH, HAVE WE EVER DONE ANY KIND OF A PROMOTION OF. PLEASE PRESS THE BUTTON? YEAH, YEAH, WE'VE PUT OUT SEVERAL PEDESTRIAN VIDEOS, BUT WE MY TEAM WAS ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT THIS RECENTLY ABOUT PUTTING TOGETHER A NEW VIDEO FOR THAT. SO IT'S ON OUR RADAR. AND WE ALSO HAVE SOME PEDESTRIAN SAFETY SCHEDULED TO GO OUT THIS WEEK IN OUR NEXT EMAIL AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA. OKAY. SORRY. GO AHEAD. OKAY. GOOD. JUST SOME OTHER QUICK NUMBERS. ONE MORE QUESTION ON LIGHTING. DID THE LIGHTS IN THE TOWN CENTER TURN ON WITH A LIGHT DIMMER, OR IS IT SET TO A SPECIFIC TIME? NO. SO THERE ARE NO TIMERS. THERE ARE PHOTOCELLS IN PLACE, SO IT'S NOT BASED ON TIME OF DAY. IT'S BASED ON BASICALLY THE. SO DAYLIGHT SAVINGS DIDN'T CHANGE THAT. THEY STILL TURN ON AT THE SAME TIME. THAT'S CORRECT. NOW THE ONLY THING THAT IT DID CHANGE IS OUR SCHOOL ZONE LIGHTS, BECAUSE THEY ARE CONNECTED TO A TIMER. BUT THEY'VE BEEN THEY WERE ADJUSTED. 
          BUT EVERY OTHER, YOU KNOW, SAFETY LIGHT OR STREET LIGHT IS GOVERNED BASICALLY BY A PHOTOCELL. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. JUST SOME JUST SOME QUICK FACTS HERE WHICH I'LL DO MY BEST TO MAKE QUICK. OUR STREET THE SIDEWALK IMPROVED THIS YEAR. WE'RE IN ROUTE TO IMPROVE OVER 13,000FT OF RESIDENTIAL SIDEWALK. YOU SEE THAT IS DOUBLING BASICALLY WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH LAST YEAR FOR ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT LESS MONEY. SO I THINK WE'RE REALLY FINDING A SWEET SPOT IN KIND OF UTILIZING A LEVELING PROGRAM AND THEN SOME SELECTIVE TEAR OUT WHERE WE'RE LEVELING DOESN'T DOESN'T ADDRESS ALL OF THE ISSUES WE CONTINUE THIS YEAR WITH OUR STREET LIGHTING PROGRAM, THE STREET LIGHTS. WE HAD 223 PAINTED THIS YEAR. YOU SEE, IN 2023 WE HAD ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER AND THEN WE WENT AND ALL OF OUR FIRE HYDRANTS, WE GOT A GOOD START ON IT LAST YEAR, BUT WE ARE ABOUT OVER 250 OF THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN BASICALLY STRIPPED AND COMPLETELY REPAINTED. AND REALLY THEY'RE EFFECTIVELY BRAND NEW FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES. SO I THINK VISUALLY IT'S A HUGE THING, AND I THINK JUST THE MAINTENANCE OF IT IS FOR SUCH A CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE ELEMENT. I THINK IT'S MUCH DUE WE CONTINUE WITH OUR STREET TREE PRUNING PROCESS. YOU SEE, WE ARE STILL DOING A MAJORITY OF THE PRUNING IN HOUSE WITH OUR STAFF DOING ABOUT 1800 TREES THIS YEAR, AND THEN JUST UNDER 1200 TREES ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING PRUNED BY CONTRACT. I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT A LOT OF THE CONTRACT WORK THAT WE HAVE UNDERWAY IS A I THINK IT'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF PRUNING. SO IT'S ACTUALLY A SO SOME OF IT IS PRUNING, BUT OTHERS ARE STRUCTURAL PRUNING. SO BASICALLY THAT IS WHERE YOU HAVE THESE LARGER TREES. AND THEN THEY ACTUALLY GO INTO REALLY THE KIND OF THE CONE OF THE TREE CANOPY. AND THEY DO SOME INTERNAL TRIMMING OF THE TREE. AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY AS THE TREES AGE, BECAUSE OVER TIME AND WITH THE SEVERITY OF STORMS THAT WE SEE 
          [03:35:02]
IN THE CITY NOW, YOU END UP WITH SITUATIONS WHERE YOU COULD HAVE A REALLY SIGNIFICANT TREE BRANCH OR FAILURE OF A TREE THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY LEAD TO THAT TREE HAVING TO BE CUT DOWN ENTIRELY. 
          SO THE STRUCTURAL PRUNING IS REALLY AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE LIFE CYCLE OF OUR TREES, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT ALLOWS THEM TO, YOU KNOW, ACHIEVE THEIR MAXIMUM LONGEVITY AND CERTAINLY HELPS THE HEALTH OF THE TREE JUST OVER THAT TIME AS WELL. SO, SO A LOT OF THE CONTRACT WORK IS SOME OF THE HEAVIER LIFTING WHILE WE'RE DOING MORE OF THE OF THE PRUNING, WHICH IS REALLY THE STUFF THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S CLEARING FOR TREES AND OR CLEARING FOR TRUCKS AND OTHER OTHER EQUIPMENT, BUT ALSO SOME HIGHER LEVEL PRUNING. WE DO HAVE CLIMBERS ON OUR TEAM AS WELL, SO THEY GET KIND OF UP IN THERE AND DO A GREAT JOB. BUT I JUST WANT TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE TWO WORKS. THERE ALSO. YOU KNOW, JUST OUR OUR INFRASTRUCTURE CONTINUES TO GROW. AND I THINK OUR UTILITIES TEAM CONTINUES TO JUST KNOCK IT OUT OF THE PARK. SO JUST SOME SOME BIG NUMBERS. 
          STORM STORM CATCH BASINS INSPECTED 1700. STORM CATCH BASINS CLEANED 1500 OUR OUR TEAM HAS HAS IN HOUSE REPAIRED 199 CATCH BASINS. THIS YEAR. SO WHAT YOU'LL WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS THAT GENERALLY IT FOLLOWS THE STREET PROGRAM. SO IF WE HAVE A MILL AND OVERLAY PLANNED FOR A CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL AREA, WE'LL GO IN AHEAD OF TIME. OUR UTILITY TEAM GOES IN AHEAD OF TIME. THEY WILL BASICALLY RECONSTRUCT ANY OF THE CURB INLETS OR CATCH BASINS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, THAT HAVE SETTLED OR ARE UNEVEN IN SOME WAY. AND THEY THEY BASICALLY HAMMER EVERYTHING OUT, TEAR IT ALL OUT, KIND OF REBUILD IT UP, POUR CONCRETE, REFRAME IT OUT. AND THEIR WORK IS REMARKABLE. THEY CONTINUE TO JUST EXCEED MY EXPECTATIONS. REALLY. SO SANITARY SEWER IS NO. 
          IS EVERY BIT AS GOOD IF NOT BETTER THAN OUR STORM SEWER? WE INSPECTED 748 MANHOLES THIS YEAR AND A LITTLE OVER 21 MILES OF SANITARY SEWER MAIN LINES. SO WE HAVE ROUGHLY 85 MILES OF SANITARY SEWER IN IN THE CITY. SO WE'RE WE'RE APPROACHING THIS, YOU KNOW, ONCE EVERY 4 TO 5 YEARS, EVERY INCH OF SANITARY SEWER IS BEING INSPECTED. IT'S DURING THAT TIME THAT THEY'RE DOING THEY'RE RUNNING THE CAMERAS THROUGH THE LINES. THEY'RE IDENTIFYING AREAS WHERE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S SOME DAMAGE TO A PIPE AND THERE'S A LOT OF WATER OR OTHER THINGS COMING IN. SO IT INFORMS OUR MAINTENANCE PLAN TO GO IN AND MAKE THOSE REPAIRS. IT ALSO, YOU KNOW, IF WE SEE THAT THINGS ARE ACCUMULATING WITHIN THE PIPES OR IN THE MANHOLES, THAT THAT'S OUR CUE BASICALLY TO GO IN THERE AND CLEAN IT OUT, BACK IT OUT, FLUSH IT OUT, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. SO AS THEY'RE DOING THESE INSPECTIONS, THEY'RE SIMULTANEOUSLY INFORMING A TO DO LIST OF THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO COME BACK AND DO. SO I MEAN, IT'S A IT'S A TREMENDOUSLY PRODUCTIVE PROGRAM. AND AGAIN, IT'S ONE THAT YOU DON'T REALLY APPRECIATE UNTIL YOU YOU APPRECIATE IT, YOU KNOW. SO I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT OUR, OUR SEWER SYSTEMS ARE IN ARE IN VERY GOOD CONDITION. WE DO FLUSH OUR HYDRANTS EVERY YEAR TWICE A YEAR. THAT WAS THAT WAS A RECENT CHANGE. IT USED TO BE THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PLAIN TOWNSHIP FLUSHED ONE TIME A YEAR. I'M NOT SURE IF IT WAS SPRING OR FALL, BUT WE HAVE ASSUMED BOTH OF THA. AND IT'S AT IT'S AT THAT TIME, TOO, THAT WE GET TO EXERCISE ALL OF OUR FIRE HYDRANTS. AND YOU SEE THAT THE NEXT ONE IS OUT OF SERVICE HYDRANTS REPAIRED. SO BASICALLY IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVE THESE HYDRANTS THAT ARE JUST BROKE DOWN ALONG THE ROAD. AS WE'RE FLUSHING THESE HYDRANTS, WE'RE IDENTIFYING AND TESTING EVERYTHING. IS IT LEAKING AT THIS LOCATION. DO WE NEED A NEW STEM AT THIS LOCATION. SO ONCE AGAIN THE HYDRANT FLUSHING IS INFORMING THE MAINTENANCE NEED OF OUR FIRE HYDRANTS. SO WITH THAT SAID, ANYBODY PULLS UP TO A FIRE HYDRANT. IT IS AS DEPENDABLE AS THEY GET BECAUSE WE'RE GOING THROUGH IT WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB TWICE A YEAR. SO AGAIN, KUDOS TO OUR TEAM. AND ANGIE MAKES ALL THE STUFF HAPPEN. LOOKING AHEAD. SO THIS IS OUR 2025. LOOKING AHEAD. 
          WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF A REALIGNMENT OF OUR ENGINEERING FUNCTION AS A WHOLE. I DO APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF CERTAINLY OF OUR CITY MANAGER AND OF COUNCIL TO ALLOW US TO GET THIS GUY HERE BACK ON STAFF. RYAN OLLIE, VERY HAPPY TO HAVE HIM BACK WORKING WITH WITH US AT PUBLIC SERVICE AND KIND OF REALLY BEING THE GLUE THAT REALLY WILL, WILL KIND OF BRIDGE OUR DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND OUR PUBLIC SERVICE DEPARTMENT. SO RYAN BRINGS WITH HIM A LOT OF EXPERIENCE DOING JUST THAT. AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HIS INVOLVEMENT AND, AND TO REALLY HELP MAKE OUR ENGINEERING FUNCTION AS A WHOLE MUCH MORE EFFICIENT, MUCH MORE USER FRIENDLY THAN, THAN IT HAD BEEN. SO, SO WITH THAT, WE ARE REQUESTING IN OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR TO ADD A PROJECT MANAGER POSITION. THIS ONE IS TARGETING PRIMARILY A SUPPORT PERSON FOR JUSTIN WILKINSON. JUSTIN IS HE'S DRINKING FROM THE FIRE HOSE OF NEW ALBANY AND HE'S HE'S HE'S 
          [03:40:05]
DOING HIS BEST, BUT REALLY WANTING TO JUST GIVE HIM A DIRECT LINE OF SUPPORT FOR ALL OF HIS PROJECTS. JUSTIN'S BEEN JUST A GREAT A GREAT STEWARD OF A GREAT RESOURCE FOR THE CITY AND JUST WANT TO EMPOWER HIM TO DO DO THE THINGS THAT HE CAN THAT ONLY HE CAN DO. SO WE'RE REQUESTING A PROJECT MANAGER TO KIND OF HELP BACKFILL THAT ROLE. WE ARE ALSO LOOKING TO ADD TO CREATE A POSITION OF SUPERINTENDENT AND TO ADD ANOTHER MAINTENANCE WORKER, REALLY JUST TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR EXPANDED OPERATIONS AND OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTUR. 
          SO THE SUPERINTENDENT POSITION IS SOMETHING THAT ANGIE REALLY IS IN NEED OF. SO RIGHT NOW, ANGIE DIRECTLY SUPERVISES ALL OF OUR FIELD SERVICES TEAMS. SO EVERYTHING FROM RIGHT OF WAY FORESTRY, UTILITIES, SPECIAL PROJECTS, STREETS, FORESTRY. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY. WE GOT A LOT OF THEM OUT THERE, BUT SO AND ANGIE HAS BEEN REMARKABLE AT AT PUTTING TOGETHER PROGRAMS AND PLANS AND SCHEDULES AND KIND OF GETTING THINGS DONE. SO REALLY I WANT TO BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE HER. 
          SKILLS IN THAT AREA TO CONTINUE TO, TO, TO PLAN, PROGRAM AND REALLY ADMINISTER ALL OF THESE FUNCTIONS OF THE CITY. AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT SHE HAS, YOU KNOW, THAT DIRECT LINE OF SUPPORT IN THE FIELD TO HELP FACILITATE A LOT OF THAT DIRECT FIELD SPECIFIC WORK. IT'S AN AREA THAT SHE IS VERY DANGEROUS IN RIGHT NOW. SHE DOES A GREAT JOB OUT THERE, BUT I THINK THAT HER HER TIME IS PROBABLY BETTER USED IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF THINGS. ALSO, WE ARE LOOKING TO HAVE TO HIRE A SUPERINTENDENT POSITION THAT THAT HAS SOME DIRECT PARKS EXPERIENCE. SO PARKS OPERATION, PARKS MAINTENANCE. WE ARE KIND OF IN A NEW ERA WHERE ESPECIALLY NOW WITH TAYLOR FARM PARK, YOU KNOW, IT IS IT'S AN ART AND WE'RE THROWING EVERYTHING WE HAVE AT IT. AND WE'RE DOING OUR DARNDEST TO, TO MAKE SURE WE MEET THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE CITY. AND WE'RE WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB AND PROUD OF THAT. I, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO DRAW TO BE ABLE TO BRING SOMEONE IN THAT HAS A LOT MORE OF THAT DIRECT EXPERIENCE TO HELP LEAD US IN A DIRECTION. I THINK WE HAVE GREAT IDEAS OF WHAT THAT NEEDS TO BE, BUT I THINK WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY DONE THAT. SO WE REALLY WANT TO FIND SOMEONE, LEVERAGE THAT SKILL AND KIND OF HELP BRING SOME EFFICIENCY TO OUR PARKS FUNCTION AS A WHOLE. SO THAT'S REALLY ANOTHER ELEMENT OF THAT SUPERINTENDENT POSITION. YOU'VE SEEN MARKET STREET EXTENSION CONSTRUCTION HAS STARTED. WE'RE GOING TO BE THE SCOPE OF THAT WORK IS GOING TO BE INCREASING HERE IN THE COMING WEEKS WITH WITH THE CITY'S CONTRACTOR OUT THERE AND POTENTIALLY EVEN SOME WORK ON THE PRIVATE SITE RELATED TO THE, I'M SORRY, THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AND THE EYE DOCTOR PROPERTY. SO LOOK FOR THAT TO BE COMING. WE WILL BE DESIGNING A INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT AT BILLHEIMER AND WALNUT, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE NECESSARY TO SUPPORT. JUST THE CONTINUED GROWTH OF THE AREA, THE CONTINUED ACTIVITY AND CONCENTRATION OF TRAFFIC THAT CAN HAPPEN DURING THOSE THOSE TIMES OF ACTIVITY AND THE EXPANSION OF THE JPD WITH THE FIELD HOUSE THAT WILL BE IN CONSTRUCTION AS WELL. AT THE SAME TIME, WE'LL BE SUPPORTING CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THE EXPANDED SMARTRIDE PROGRAM THAT HAS REALLY REEMERGED. IT'S WE'VE WE'VE GAINED QUITE A BIT OF RIDERSHIP OVER THE PAST YEAR, SO PEOPLE ARE DEFINITELY COMING BACK TO IT. AND I KNOW THAT THAT JEN AND THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW THAT COULD BE TWEAKED AND 
          [03:45:02]
MODIFIED TO MEET SOME OF THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF OUR OF OUR BUSINESSES IN THAT AREA AS WELL. 
          SO WE'LL BE LOOKING TO WORK WITH THAT TEAM AND RESPOND TO THAT AS NEEDED. YEAH, THIS IS EXCITING. 
          WE ARE GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTING A RETRO REFLECTIVITY INSPECTION PROGRAM FOR ALL OF OUR REGULATORY STREET SIGNAGE. SO BASICALLY THIS IS JUST SOMETHING ANOTHER ANOTHER SAFETY ELEMENT, YOU KNOW, AND ALL OF OUR REGULATORY SIGNAGE HAS A LEVEL OF RETRO REFLECTIVITY IN AT NIGHT. SO, YOU KNOW, STOP SIGNS, SPEED LIMIT SIGNS, THINGS LIKE THAT. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE ENSURE BY BY ACTIVE INSPECTION THAT ALL OF THAT IS STILL MEETING THE STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE. SO WE DID PURCHASE IT'S CALLED A RETRO REFLECTOMETER THIS PAST YEAR. IT WAS APPROVED IN LAST YEAR'S COUNCIL. IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET. AND WE ARE IMPLEMENTING THAT TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THAT COVERED TO ENSURE THAT VISIBILITY OF OUR OF OUR REGULATORY SIGNAGE IS, IS, IS MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES. JUST BEFORE YOU GO OFF THAT SLIDE, IS ANY UPDATE ON SOUTH HARLEM. YEAH. SO AGAIN THIS IS JUSTIN WILKINSON. HE HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS WITH THIS PROJECT. BUT SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE PAVING IT BY THE END OF THIS WEEK. AND HE DOES EXPECT THAT THE ROAD WILL BE OPEN. SO SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE THIS WEEK. OPEN TO TRAFFIC. THE ONLY INCOMPLETE ITEMS WILL BE OF COURSE THERE'S PUNCH LIST ITEMS, VINYL, YOU KNOW, RESTORATION AND ESTABLISHING GROUND COVER, THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THERE'S ALSO A SECTION OF THE LEISURE TRAIL ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF THAT PROJECT THAT DOES HAVE, AS YOU GET CLOSER TO US 62, THERE'S AN AREA WHERE IT GETS VERY CLOS. 
          THERE'S A STREAM THAT COMES IN KIND OF VERY CLOSE TO THE ROAD. WE DO HAVE TO BUILD A SMALL BOARDWALK STRUCTURE TO BASICALLY SPAN THAT, SO I EXPECT THAT THAT WORK WILL BE HAPPENING OVER THE WINTER. AND THEN AGAIN, SPRINGTIME. THAT SHOULD BE FULLY OPEN ALONG WITH ALL THE RESTORATION WORK. SO WE THAT IS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. WE HAD ORIGINALLY CONTEMPLATED SOME OPTIONS WHERE BASED ON, YOU KNOW, THE CONTRACTORS AVAILABILITY OR, YOU KNOW, ABILITY TO MOVE THE PROJECT FORWARD, WE MIGHT BE DRIVING ON JUST THE CONCRETE BASE THIS YEAR, BUT AGAIN, COMPLETE GENERAL, THEY'VE KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK AND WE'RE GAINING SEVERAL MONTHS ON THAT PROJECT TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT OPEN THIS YEAR. GREAT. THANKS. OKAY. AND THEN SOME MAJOR CAPITAL AND IT EXPENSES THAT WE ARE REQUESTING IN 2025. SO WE HAVE A ONE OF OUR BUCKET TRUCKS. WE NOW HAVE TWO BUCKET TRUCKS. ONE HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE. IT'S USED BY OUR STREET DEPARTMENT, OUR STREET TEAM AND IT'S PRIMARILY USED FOR THINGS LIKE YOU KNOW STREET LIGHTS, TRAFFIC SIGNAL WORK, SIGNAGE, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. THE SECOND BUCKET TRUCK THAT WE HAVE IS DEDICATED TO OUR FORESTRY FUNCTION. SO JUST JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR, I AM REQUESTING A REPLACEMENT OF THE AERIAL LIFT THIS YEAR. IT WAS DUE FOR REPLACEMENT, I THINK THREE YEARS AGO. AND JUST AS WE KIND OF LAYER THINGS OUT, I THINK THE TIME IS NOW TO GET THAT REPLACED JUST BASED ON HOW OTHER THINGS STACK IN THE COMING YEARS AS WELL. WE DO HAVE A SHUTTLE BUS THAT IS NEAR NEARING ITS LAST LEG, SO WE ARE REQUESTING TO HAVE THAT REPLACED THIS YEAR AS WELL. WE'RE REQUESTING TWO ADDITIONAL FLEET TRUCKS AND THEN ONE TOOL TRUCK FOR OUR FACILITIES TEAM. SO THE TOOL TRUCKS ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE THE LOCKABLE DOORS ON BOTH SIDES. AND THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY SHELVING AND CONTAINERS FOR, FOR ALL OF THE TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT THAT OUR TEAMS USE SPECIFICALLY, SPECIFICALLY FACILITIES AS THEY COME TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND THEY HAVE ALL THEIR TOOLS WITH THEM. SO WE'RE REQUESTING AN ADDITIONAL FACILITIES TRUCK FOR THAT PURPOSE. AS WELL. WE ALSO HAVE TEN HANDHELD RADIOS THAT ARE, I THINK, I THINK THEY WORK ABOUT A THIRD OF THE TIME. AND THEY'RE THEY'RE PAST THEIR PRIME, TO SAY THE LEAST. WE DO USE THOSE A LOT SPECIFICALLY WITH THE SPECIAL EVENTS WHEN PEOPLE AREN'T IN THE VEHICLES. SO THEY ARE SOMETHING THAT WE ARE USING A LOT MORE OF THAN WE HAVE IN THE PAST. SO THAT'S THE REASON THAT WE REALLY NEED TO GET THOSE KIND OF UP TO UP TO SPEED SO WE CAN COMMUNICATE FOR THESE. AND THEN SIMILAR WITH WITH SPECIAL EVENTS, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO GROW WITH THE EVENT OFFERINGS AS THE CITY. AND THERE'S ALWAYS CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. THERE'S ALWAYS MESSAGING THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN SPECIFIC TO SPECIAL EVENTS. WE CURRENTLY HAVE NINE OF THESE PORTABLE CHANGEABLE MESSAGE BOARDS. AND IT WAS IT WAS A CHALLENGE. THIS YEAR, A CHALLENGE THAT I DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND. BUT ANGIE HAS LIVED. 
          SO WE ARE REQUESTING AN ADDITIONAL TWO PORTABLE, CHANGEABLE MESSAGE BOARDS JUST TO SUPPORT ALL OF THAT. THE FLURRY OF ACTIVITY THAT WE SEE EVERY YEAR, I DON'T THINK OUR OUR STREET PROGRAM DID ANY FAVORS TO IT THIS YEAR EITHER, BUT CERTAINLY THEY ARE VERY EFFECTIVE IN COMMUNICATING WITH THE PUBLIC AND GETTING SOME ADVANCED NOTICE OUT THERE. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? ALL RIGHT. SOUNDS EASY. ALL RIGHT. OH, JUST ONE QUESTION. I MEAN IT'S NOT A BIG LINE ITEM, BUT WHAT IS A PLASMA TABLE. SO A PLASMA TABLE. SO ONE THING THAT OUR FLEET TEAM DOES A LOT OF IS METAL FABRICATION. SO PARTICULARLY ON SNOWPLOWS. SO OUR OUR SNOWPLOWS, THEY, THEY BREAK IN A LOT OF WAYS THEY'RE DESIGNED TO, TO BREAK. SO THERE'S A LOT OF REPAIR WORK THAT HAPPENS DURING SNOW AND ICE EVENTS. SO A, A PLASMA TABLE IS ONE THAT LIKE A FABRICATOR WOULD USE TO BASICALLY LAY OUT AND MAKE THEIR CUTS AND BASICALLY ASSIST WITH KIND OF THE WELD AND THE REPAIR WORK THAT WE DO. SO WE'RE DOING MORE AND MORE OF THAT. ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF IT IS THIS YEAR, WE I'M SORRY, AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, WE DID RETROFIT OUR EXISTING LEAF MACHINE. SO IT USED TO BE THAT WE HAD THE SEAT KIND OF IN THE 
          [03:50:01]
BACK. IT WAS SORT OF A NOT REALLY AN INTUITIVE PLACE FOR THE SEAT. IT WASN'T. I THINK OUR TEAM DIDN'T FEEL AS THOUGH IT WAS THE SAFEST, THE SAFEST LAYOUT. SO OUR FLEET TEAM WAS ABLE TO BASICALLY BUILD ON ONTO THE FRONT OF THIS MACHINE, BASICALLY A CAGE AND A SEAT AND EVERYTHING THAT THAT HOUSES THE OPERATOR TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT KIND OF WORK. SO THE VALUE OF, OF OUR, OF OUR TEAM'S ABILITY TO, YOU KNOW, FABRICATE TO RESPOND TO THINGS THAT ARE, THAT ARE BROKEN AND GET THINGS ON THE ROAD MORE QUICKLY. BUT LONG STORY SHORT, A PLASMA TABLE IS SOMETHING THAT IS USED IN BASICALLY MAKING THOSE MORE SPECIFIC CUTS AND HELPING TO FACILITATE THAT. YOU KNOW, THE WORK IS DONE AS ACCURATELY AS WE CAN. SO BUT WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM OF, OF WELDERS AND IT'S, IT'S AMAZING. JUST IT'S AMAZING TO SEE IT HAPPEN. SO YEAH. OKAY. 
          COOL. THANKS. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN THIS SECTION JUST BECAUSE I'M PRESENTING NOW JUST MOVING AHEAD. OUR OUR PUBLIC SERVICE DEPARTMENT REALLY CONSISTS OF TWO DEPARTMENTS. THERE'S OUR PUBLIC SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHICH IS REALLY MOST OF THE OPERATIONS. BUT THEN THERE'S THE LAND AND BUILDING MAINTENANCE. SO GENERALLY SPEAKING THIS IS THE ANYTHING RELATED TO FACILITIES MAINTENANCE. SO ALL OF OUR CITY OWNED BUILDINGS AND PARKING LOTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THEN ALSO OUR PARKS AND OPEN SPACE MAINTENANCE ARE ALL REALLY ACCOMMODATED IN THIS BUDGET. SO LAND AND BUILDING MAINTENANCE ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2024. SO WE WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE REMODEL OF THE FORMER MAYOR'S COURT SPACE RIGHT BEHIND US HERE AT VILLAGE HALL. 
          WE EXPANDED THE EMPLOYEE AND VISITOR PARKING AT BOTH THE PUBLIC SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUILDINGS, WHICH WAS WHICH WAS A WELCOME CHANGE TO BOTH LOCATIONS. WE DID BASICALLY OVERSEE AND MANAGE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BOARDWALKS, HANDRAILS, LEISURE TRAILS AND PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES AT THE TAYLOR FARM PARK, NAMELY THE ONES REALLY AT AT HARLEM ROAD. AND I THINK THE COMPLETION OF THOSE WAS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE A CONTINUOUS PEDESTRIAN CONNECTION BETWEEN TAYLOR FARM PARK AND OUR VILLAGE CENTER. SO I THINK THAT'S BEEN THAT'S BROUGHT A LOT OF VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE DEVELOPED A SAFETY CAMERA LAYOUT FOR TAYLOR FARM PARK, ROSE RUN PARK AND PICKLEBALL AND THE PICKLEBALL FACILITY. I AM REQUESTING SOME FUNDING FOR THAT TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT ALL THOSE CAMERAS AND PART OF OUR NEXT BUDGET PRESENTATION AS WELL. BUT WE NOW HAVE A KIND OF A UNIFIED, A CONSISTENT APPROACH TO HOW WE INTEND TO ADDRESS THIS, THAT WE'LL BRING TO YOU, BRING TO YOU FOR SOME CONSIDERATION AS WELL. 
          AND THEN WE'LL IMPLEMENT THE ACTIVE MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE. WE HAVE DONE THAT. 
          IMPLEMENT THE ACTIVE MANAGEMENT MAINTENANCE OF TAYLOR FARM IMPROVEMENTS. THIS YEAR. SO PHASE TWO IMPROVEMENTS ARE CERTAINLY COMPLETE. AND THERE THEY ARE A LEVEL OF DETAIL THAT THAT THAT WE'RE READY FOR. AND WE HAVE AN ACTIVE EYE ON THAT AREA. I THINK ANGIE SPENDS A GOOD BIT OF TIME. WE HAVE RICK GOLDHEART AND OTHER PEOPLE FROM OUR PARKS TEAM ARE JUST FULLY INVESTED IN THAT AND WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT TRULY IS THE AMENITY THAT THE CITY INTENDS IT TO BE. SO WHICH THAT DOES REQUIRE VERY ACTIVE, VERY PROACTIVE MAINTENANCE. SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THAT THIS YEAR. ALL RIGHT. LOOKING AHEAD, WE ARE HOPEFUL TO BE ABLE TO FACILITATE THE CONSTRUCTION OF A STORAGE BUILDING AT OUR PUBLIC SERVICE FACILITY. THIS HAS BEEN IN OUR BUDGET FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW. THE BLAME IS ON ME ENTIRELY. I HAVEN'T HAD THE TIME NECESSARILY TO FOCUS ON MOVING THIS FORWARD, BUT WE ARE AT A POINT WHERE WE HAVE A VERY MUCH A GROWING FLEET, AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF VALUE TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF CLEAN UP THE AREA WITHIN THE YARD AT OUR SERVICE DEPARTMENT FACILITY, BUT ALSO TO BETTER PROTECT OUR EQUIPMENT JUST FROM THE ELEMENTS. WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS THAT SIT OUT FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. WE DO A LOT OF SHUFFLING. IT'S KIND OF LIKE IN THE WINTER, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT STORAGE TANKS THAT ARE CRAMMED FULL OF YOU KNOW, TRACTORS AND LAWNMOWERS AND DIFFERENT KINDS OF TRUCKS. AND THEN WE KIND OF REVERSE EVERYTHING IN THE SPRING. THAT PROCESS ISN'T THE MOST EFFICIENT OF THINGS. IT AFFECTS OUR ABILITY TO POTENTIALLY PERFORM SOME KIND OF MAINTENANCE IN THE WINTER. JUST BECAUSE GETTING TO OUR EQUIPMENT ISN'T ISN'T AS CONVENIENT AS IT CAN BE. SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PURPOSE TO HAVING AN ADDITIONAL BUILDING OUT THERE JUST FOR SOME STORAGE OF OUR EQUIPMENT. WE WILL BE IMPLEMENTING SOME BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS AT THE HEIGHTS CENTER, NAMELY THERE'S A FAIR AMOUNT OF CARPET THAT HAS SEEN ITS SEEN ITS TIME AND IS DUE FOR REPLACEMENT. WE WILL, AS I MENTIONED, BEGIN THE 
          [03:55:02]
INSTALLATION OF THE DESIGNATED PARK CAMERAS WITH COUNCIL'S APPROVAL. OF COURSE, MOVING FORWARD. AND THEN AGAIN, WE'LL BE ASSUMING THE MAINTENANCE OF A NEW ELEVATOR WATER STORAGE TANK THAT'S IN CONSTRUCTION. I THINK JOSH HAD A VIDEO ON THAT WHERE THEY WERE RAISING THE BOWL A FEW WEEKS AGO. SO I THINK THERE'S STILL SEVERAL MONTHS OF CONSTRUCTION LEFT ON THAT. BUT WE'LL BE ASSUMING THAT SOMETIME IN 2025. AND THEN JUST CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THE NEW ALBANY PARKS FRAMEWORK PLAN, WHICH IS KIND OF WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT WITH TAYLOR FARM AND OTHER AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS. SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE. OKAY. 
          SO WE'RE PUSHING THE LIMITS OF OUR OUR SCHEDULE TODAY. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN PUSHING THROUGH, WE'RE REACHING THE LIMITS OF OUR OUR SCHEDULE TODAY. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN FINISHING UP WITH FINANCE, THAT'LL JUST LEAVE US WITH A FEW OF THE NON-GENERAL FUND FUNDS TO COVER AT THE NEXT MEETING. WOULD YOU LIKE TO KEEP GOING? I'M FINE. I'M FINE WITH DOING FINE. 
          YEAH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. YEP. I'M SURE ALL YOUR NUMBERS ADD UP, SO IT SHOULD BE EASY. OH, WE HAVE 30 QUESTIONS FOR BETHANY. SO I SHOULD GO EASY FOR A COUPLE SLIDES. I DON'T KNOW. ALL RIGHT, SO KEEPING WITH THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS THERE ARE A FEW ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE'VE HAD WE'VE HAD ON OUR REPORTING OUR AQUIFER IN A REPORT. WE HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE 2023 THE AWARD FOR THE GFOA AND THEN ALSO THE AOS DISTINGUISHED REPORTING THAT 2023 HAS BEEN SUBMITTED. 
          AND THEN ALSO ONCE WE GET I GUESS WE HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF 23. WE WERE NOTIFIED OF 22 THIS YEAR, BUT ONCE THAT IS APPROVED BY GFOA, THEN THE STATE GENERALLY FOLLOWS WITH A DISTINGUISHED REPORTING BECAUSE IT RELIES ON THAT THAT AWARD FOR GFOA AS WELL. WE DID GET THE 2024 DISTINGUISHED BUDGET. AND THEN ALSO SOMETHING THIS YEAR. AND IT'S BEEN IN THERE IN THE PAST. BUT THE CASH VEST AWARD IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE MAINTAINED A SCORE ABOVE 90 AND HAVE GOTTEN AN ANNUAL AWARD FOR THAT FOR THE PAST 2 OR 3 YEARS. THIS YEAR, FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE HAD 100% STARTING IN QUARTER TWO OF 2024. SO THAT PARTICULAR AWARD TALKS ABOUT ESSENTIALLY MAKING GOOD USE OF THE CITY'S INVESTMENTS, BANKING RELATIONS, LIQUIDITY US, ELECTRONIC FUNDS USE, INVESTMENT POLICY, MAKING SURE IT'S UP TO DATE AND IT ALLOWS FLEXIBILITY. SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MEET ALL THAT CRITERIA FOR THAT. IN 2023 REPORT, WE DID HAVE A SINGLE AUDIT, WHICH IS OUR FEDERAL AWARDS. I THINK WE WAS AT 40 MILLION THAT THAT PROGRAM EXPENDED IN 2023. WE DID NOT HAVE ANY COMMENTS, ANY VERBALS, ANY CITATIONS FOR THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT REALLY KIND OF ATTESTS TO EVEN, YOU KNOW, THE CITY AS A WHOLE AS FAR AS MANAGING THOSE PROJECTS, ESPECIALLY DEVELOPMENT AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE GET ALL THAT WE NEED TO WITHIN OUR CONTRACTS AND COMPLIANCE RELATED TO THOSE THE BOND ANTICIPATION NOTES WERE RATED ON A SHORT TERM BASIS. THE SP ONE, WHICH IS THE ONE PLUS, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST RATING. AND WE CONFIRMED OUR TRIPLE A RATING WITH S&P. WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF AUSPICE RELOCATION AGAIN. IN FACT, O'REILLY WAS JUST OUT HERE DELIVERING OUR FURNITURE THAT THEY DISASSEMBLED TODAY. SO IT'S NOW READY FOR BEING ASSEMBLED TOMORROW. AND IN ADDITION, WE'VE HAD ADDED NUMEROUS CAPITAL PROJECTS WITH WHICH WE HAVE TO DO A SET UP WITHIN AND TRACK WITHIN MUNIS AND THEN WE'VE SUPPORTED ED RELATED FUNCTIONS WHERE WE'VE ADDED ETHAN AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO UTILIZE HIM WITH A COUPLE NEW PROJECTS AND BEING ABLE TO CATCH UP ON THINGS THAT WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO. HE'S COMING UP ON A YEAR IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO, AND IT'S BEEN A PHENOMENAL ADDITION BECAUSE IT'S STUFF THAT USED TO BE, YOU KNOW, SOME STUFF THAT I HAD TO DO. AND SO IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS ABLE TO GET A BETTER FOCUS JUST ON THAT PIECE. WITHIN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT. I'VE ALSO HAD JEREMY ON OUR PROJECTS AND 
          [04:00:05]
FINANCIAL REPORTING AND THAT HAS BEEN HELPFUL TOO, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE CAPITAL PROJECTS AS WELL. SO A LOT OF INVOICES AND CHECKS AND WIRE TRANSFERS. IT I. YEAH. SO THE INVOICES, THEY DON'T STOP, THEY BECOME GREATER. THE WIRE AND ACH THAT WELL WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT ON ANOTHER SLIDE. 
          BUT THE WIRE AND ACH TRANSACTIONS THEY'RE ALL DONE MANUALLY RIGHT NOW. SO WE INDIVIDUALLY ENTER THEM. THAT DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE PAYROLL EVERY EVERY TWO WEEKS. THAT'S AN ACH FILE THAT JUST GETS UPLOADED WITH ALL OF THE ACCOUNTS. BUT ALL OF THE INDIVIDUAL WIRE TRANSFERS THAT WE DO FOR CONSTRUCTION FOR PAY APPS, WE DON'T WANT TO SEND A $6 MILLION CHECK IN THE MAIL FOR THESE CONTRACTORS. SO WE HAVE THE DIFFERENT TOOLS AND CONTROLS IN PLACE TO MAINTAIN THAT INFORMATION IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PAY THEM EFFICIENTLY AND IN A TIGHT TURNAROUND, WHICH HAS BEEN HELPFUL. WE ARE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS, WHICH I WHICH I COULD NOT DIFFERENT, BUT I'LL EXPAND ON IT IN A MINUTE. SO THIS PARTICULAR PICTURE IS NOT NECESSARILY UP TO DATE. AND OH, YOU KNOW WHAT THAT WAS I GUESS WE'RE DONE. WE'RE DONE. 
          BUT THIS IS NO TAKE BACKS. I FORGOT TO PUT A LINK TO THIS, BUT IF YOU GO OUT TO THE TRANSPARENCY PORTAL THAT WE HAVE ON OPENGOV, WHICH FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, I'LL LET YOU GUYS GO AND DO IT YOURSELF. BUT BUT THAT PARTICULAR THING, WE DO HAVE A REPORT, CAPITAL PROJECTS, ACTUAL PAYMENTS OUT THERE THAT SHOWS YOU JUST FOR SAKE OF TIME. THAT PICTURE IS ACTUALLY ONLY UPDATED THROUGH JANUARY 31ST OF 24. SO IF THAT TELLS YOU HOW MUCH YOU KNOW, THAT WAS JUST ONE MONTH OF WHAT WAS INITIALLY PUT IN. SO WE'VE GONE WAY ABOVE THAT AND ARE PROBABLY SURPASSING THE ORANGE FOR THE OTHER FOR THIS YEAR. IT IS UP TO DATE NOW. AND THEN OUR 2025 GOALS. WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO MAXIMIZE OUR THE SOFTWARE AND AVAILABLE DATA THAT WE HAVE CIP REPORTING AND TRACKING. I IMAGINE IN CONJUNCTION WITH ADMIN AND GIS. AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE KIND OF STARTED OFF AND ON ON THAT PROJECT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT TIMES, YEARS. SO I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONTINUE THAT AND BE ABLE TO GET THAT PRODUCT OUT. DASHBOARDS FOR INDIVIDUAL THINGS THAT MIGHT BE RELATED TO THAT. WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE, STREAMLINE OUR BUDGET PROCESS. SO THERE'S FUNCTIONALITY WITHIN OPENGOV THAT WE'VE USED FOR THE WORKFORCE PLANNING, WHICH IS PHENOMENAL. IT'S REALLY HELPED WITH PINPOINTING DOWN THE EXACT COST PER EACH POSITION. AND IT DOESN'T INVOLVE ME DOING A 20 SHEET WORKBOOK THAT LINKS TO A BUNCH OF OTHER WORKBOOKS. SO IT'S BEEN SUPER HELPFUL, BUT THERE'S OTHER TOOLS WITHIN THAT THAT WE CAN USE FOR BUDGETING AS WELL. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. JUST TO CONTINUE, WE I FEEL LIKE THROUGH THE TURK PROCESS THIS YEAR WITH HAVING ETHAN, YOU KNOW, HE'S BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH ALEX AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM TO BUILD CONTINUE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE BUSINESS AND WITH THE PAYROLL PEOPLE THAT REPORT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED FOR THOSE REPORTS. SO JUST CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT. WE'RE BETTER AT TRACKING AGREEMENTS AND MONITORING THOSE. YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SOME DIFFERENT YOU KNOW, ETHAN'S BEEN ABLE TO PULL UP TRENDS AND KIND OF LET US KNOW, HEY, THIS ONE'S NOT TRACKING WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE. DO WE NEED TO CONTACT THEM, THAT TYPE OF THING. SO THAT'S BEEN HELPFUL. WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO ENHANCE OUR GRANTS AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT. THE INCREASED ELECTRONIC PAYMENT METHODS. WHILE THAT SOUNDS VERY SCARY IN SOME RESPECT, JUST BECAUSE OF ALL THE COMPLIANCE AND THE AND THE FRAUD AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT COME ALONG WITH THAT. BUT WE HAVE CONTRACTED WITH A AND I'M GOING TO A NEW SOFTWARE SERVICE WHERE IT'S CALLED PAY MERINGUE. AND ALL OF OUR PROCESS WILL BE THE SAME ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH RUNNING A CHECK RUN. BUT 
          [04:05:05]
WHEN WE GO TO CLICK PRINT CHECKS, INSTEAD OF DOING THAT, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT FILE AND WE'LL SEND IT OVER TO PAY MERINGUE. AND THEN THEY WILL DISPERSE THE FUNDS. SO WE'RE SENDING ONE LUMP SUM AMOUNT OVER TO PAY MERINGUE. AND THEN THEY HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CONTACTING THE VENDOR IF THEY WANT TO DO ELECTRONIC OR CHECK OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO THAT MEANS WE DON'T HAVE TO MAINTAIN ANY BANKING INFORMATION ANYMORE. ALL THE RESPONSIBILITY IS ON THEM. SO THAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, NUMBER ONE, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THE MANUAL ACH AND MAINTAIN THAT INFORMATION, BUT ALSO THE AND IS NOW BEING TRANSFERRED ACCORDING TO THAT CONTRACT WITH THEM. IT WILL, YOU KNOW, THE TIME THAT IT SAVES WILL BE YOU KNOW DEALING WITH VENDORS FOR FINDING PAYMENTS AND THAT TYPE OF THING, BUT ALSO A COUPLE HOURS A WEEK OF PRINTING CHECKS, STUFFING ENVELOPES, GETTING POSTAGE, ALL OF THAT. SO WE ARE GOING TO DO A SOFT ROLLOUT HERE IN DECEMBER FOR A COUPLE OF THINGS, BUT WE'RE HOPING TO GET EVERYTHING GOING IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 25. WELL, THANKS FOR TAKING THAT EXTRA STEP. I MEAN, THERE'S BEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN FRAUDULENT TRANSFERS AND VENDOR REDIRECT SCHEMES. THE BAD GUYS ARE GETTING SUPER CREATIVE ON WHAT THEY DO. I MEAN, I AND, YOU KNOW, VOICE SIMILAR CIVILIZATION AND ALL THAT STUFF AND EMAIL SCHEMES ARE EASY. BUT WHEN SOMEONE CALLS YOU A VOICE MAIL AND IT'S LIKE IT SOUNDS LIKE TED AND YOU'RE SENDING THE MONEY TO A NEW BANK ACCOUNT, RIGHT? YOU'RE NOT GETTING THAT 6 MILLION BACK, RIGHT? YEAH. I MEAN, AND WE DO. WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHER METHODS OF WHERE WE FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT WE'VE DONE. YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, I GUESS ATTEMPTS AT IT TO WHERE OUR CONFIRMATION METHODS HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, REVEALED THAT IT WAS NOT A CORRECT SOURCE OR, YOU KNOW, WITH US CALLING THE PERSON ON THE CONTRACT WITH OUR INFORMATION, THE CONTACT INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE, WE ARE NOT RESPONDING TO AN EMAIL THAT'S SENT OR WE'RE NOT. EVEN IF SOMEBODY WERE TO CALL US THE DIRECTION IS WE HANG UP WITH THEM AND WE FIND THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO CALL THEM THROUGH THE CONTACT INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TALKING TO THE RIGHT PERSON AS WELL. THERE'S OTHER METHODS, BUT YOU KNOW, IT, IT IT JUST MADE SENSE FOR US AND FOR OUR DEPARTMENT AND, AND THE THINGS THAT WE HANDLE. IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY OUT THERE TO TRANSFER THAT RISK AND ALSO QUITE HONESTLY, MAKE OUR RECONCILIATION PROCESS, DEALING WITH VENDORS LIKE IT, IT'LL HELP IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON OTHER THINGS AS WELL. SO THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE LOOKING INTO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING TO SOUND LIKE CENTRAL PURCHASING, BUT IT'S NOT. WE'RE LOOKING AT FORMALIZING THE PROCUREMENT FUNCTION AND A SOFTWARE SOLUTION WITHIN THAT BY, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND DIFFERENT THINGS. JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE PROCUREMENT, YOU KNOW, CODIFIED ORDINANCE, YOU KNOW, THAT THE PURCHASING CODE AND WHAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS ULTIMATELY THAT WE UPDATE AS A FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND THE ACCOUNTABILITY ULTIMATELY FALLS ON OUR DEPARTMENT FOR THE FINANCIAL REPORT AND THE ACTOR AND EVERYTHING. AND SO WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME COORDINATION, SOME ASSISTANCE WITH THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO STANDARDIZE SOME OF THE PROCESSES THROUGH WHAT DEPARTMENTS DO YOU KNOW THEY WOULD STILL HANDLE THEIR MAIN YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD HANDLE DOING THE CONTRACT, GETTING THE QUOTES, DOING ALL OF THAT, BUT ASSISTING THE DEPARTMENTS IN FIGURING OUT A WAY HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS A SIMILAR PROCESS THROUGH EACH DEPARTMENT AND THEN ALSO PROVIDING SOME SORT OF SOLUTION THAT WE CAN ALWAYS HAVE VISIBILITY ON IT? THERE'S A LOT OF DUPLICATION THAT HAPPENS RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS BEING ABLE TO TRACK THOSE. AND NOW THAT WE HAVE JEREMY THAT CAN, YOU KNOW, FOCUS ON THE ACTUAL PROJECT AFTER IT'S DONE, THERE'S STEPS LEADING UP TO AWARDING A CONTRACT THAT WE'RE KIND OF MISSING AND DUPLICATING. AND, AND WE WANT TO GIVE THAT AND WORK ON A SOLUTION TO BE ABLE TO PUT SOME VISIBILITY ON IT, BUT ALSO ASSIST IN IN HAVING THAT INFORMATION FLOW SIMILAR WITHIN EACH DEPARTMENT. SO DOCTOR MARSH IS SMILING AND I KNOW AND YOU KNOW THE IT'S NOT A FULL CENTRALIZED BUDGETING OR CENTRALIZED PURCHASING. YOU 
          [04:10:03]
KNOW, IT'S NOT US SAYING, WELL, EVERYBODY HAS TO PURCHASE FROM THIS VENDOR AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. BUT WHAT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS VISIBILITY ON WHAT WE HAVE. AND SO WE CAN HAVE ANYBODY GO IN AND SAY LIKE, OH, THESE ARE ALL THE CONTRACTS WE HAVE. THESE ARE ALL THE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE ABILITY AND HAVE THAT ALL CENTRALIZED IN A LOCATION THAT PEOPLE CAN ACCESS AND PEOPLE CAN TRACK AND SEE AND BE ABLE TO SHARE INFORMATION AS WELL. SO. THAT SORRY, I DIDN'T END OF DAY ONE PRESENTATION. A GOOD STARTING POINT. YEAH THAT'S A GREAT STUFF. SO WE HAVE THE WE HAVE A FEW OTHER ITEMS IN THE BUDGET THAT WE TYPICALLY HANDLE ON THE SECOND DAY. WE TYPICALLY INCORPORATE INTO THE UPCOMING COUNCIL MEETING. SO IF COUNCIL IS COMFORTABLE WITH THAT WE'LL FOLLOW THAT SAME PATTERN. AND THEN WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO WRAP IT UP. WHAT TOPICS ARE LEFT. 
          YEAH. GENERALLY WE'LL GO OVER ALL FUNDS AND THEN THE CAPITAL WHERE THE CAPITAL DOLLAR AMOUNTS LANDED ON PROJECTS. OKAY. SO IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE AFTER YOU GET DONE WITH ANY ADDITIONAL REVIEW OF THE BUDGET BOOK, AND YOU WANT TO HAVE INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS, WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE THOSE MEETINGS. IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE ADJUSTED IN THE BUDGET, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT. THERE ARE STILL SOME LITTLE TWEAKS THAT WE'VE WE NEED TO MAKE BASED ON OUR ONGOING REVIEW. WE ACTUALLY HAD A REVIEW RIGHT BEFORE THE COUNCIL MEETING EARLIER THIS MORNING. SO IT'S STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS. WE'RE HAPPY TO MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS THAT YOU LIKE. YEAH. AND I WOULD SAY FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THERE'S NOT NUMBER CHANGES. IT'S JUST MAYBE IN THE NOTES AND THE NARRATIVES. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FROM. ALL RIGHT. 
          WELL I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION. LET ME TURN MY MIC ON. APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AGAIN. THE PROFESSIONALISM BY WHICH THE BUDGET IS PRESENTED IS SO AWESOME. I REMEMBER IN YEARS PAST IT WAS IT WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE PAINFUL. WE HAVE WE'RE OVERLOADED WITH DETAIL NOW, WHICH IS GREAT. THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TEAM'S EFFORTS IN GETTING THIS ALL PUT TOGETHER. OBVIOUSLY TODAY'S CONVERSATION, YOU KNOW, BROUGHT UP A COUPLE OTHER POINTS THAT WE'VE BEEN STRUGGLING THROUGH FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS. SO WE'LL ASK THE CLERK TO TRY TO FIND SOME TIME IN AN UPCOMING AGENDA TO WORK THROUGH SOME OF THOSE IN MORE DETAIL. IT FEELS LIKE WE MADE A LITTLE BIT OF PROGRESS TODAY, BUT THERE'S STILL SOME WORK TO DO. ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF THE GROUP? ALL RIGHT, THEN I WOULD MOVE THAT WE ADJOURN. SECOND, WE ARE TURNING BACK. OOPS. YEAH, WE ARE TURNING AT 5:42 P.M. THANK YOU
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.