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[music] [music] [music] [music] Heat. Heat. [music] >> [music] [music] [music] [music] >> I think You too. Just kidding. Emily, Emily, Emily,

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Emily, do you have anything? Do you have anything under reports? You go. >> All right, we'll call the meeting order. Please stand if you're able for the pledge of >> allegiance to the flag of the United States of

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America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Good evening. Welcome everyone. Uh, Bri, take the roll call, please. >> Mayor King,

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>> present. >> Council member at large Austin, >> present. >> Council member Waller, >> present. >> Council member Baskin, >> Council Member Posma, >> present. >> Council member Hely, >> present. >> Council member Obala, >> present.

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>> Council member Fischer, >> present. >> Mayor King, we have a quorum. >> Thank you, Bri. Number one's a motion for the adoption of our agenda. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? I >> opposed. Motion carries. Item number two is a motion approving our minutes from our May 18th, 2026 meeting.

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>> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> opposed. Motion carries. Under uh item number three is our consent agenda. Need a motion. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I opposed. >> Motion carries. On to recognitions and

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awards. Item number four. Uh we have a new fire chief. uh our new fire we have interim fire chief and we have a new firefighter Matthew Hatton interim chief Troy Tigner. What do you got for us brother? >> Mr. Council member and mayor today we are proud to recognize engineer Matthew

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Hatton. Matthew joined our department in January of 2024 as a payown call firefighter. Before that he served in Maple View. In April, Matthew accepted a temporary full-time position with our department and shortly after uh

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retirement, he was appointed to the permanent engineer position. Outside the fire service, Matthew has worked as a mechanic restoring tractor since 2020, which will be a big help with his mechanical ability at our fire department. His wife and family members are here. Sydney uh will be have the

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honor of doing the pinning of him. Mr. Hatton, you want to come up here? And your wife Okay, family wants to take some pictures. >> [snorts] >> There you go. [applause] [applause] >> You're definitely getting younger.

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>> Congratulations, Matthew. And do you want to say anything, Matt? You're welcome to department. >> Absolutely. And you got a great department out. You're obviously well aware. It's a great department there at Austin Fire. >> Yeah. Just thank you for this opportunity. I'm really grateful to get to work with the fire department and for you guys. and I'm looking forward to

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serving the community for hopefully around 30 years would be my goal. So, >> let's make it happen. >> Sounds good to us. >> Got you got great support with your fellow firefighters here and I know your family some family members and friends here too. So, it's good to see that and congratulations. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. [applause]

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[applause] >> And on to item number five under that uh presentations we have Patty Mueller. Representative Mueller is here. Welcome. >> Uh thank you everyone and uh thank you for giving me a moment uh to give you a

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little update from the end of session. Um this will just be it won't be as fast or won't be as fast as what we've done the first three items so or four items but uh hopefully it will be good and informative for you. Um we ended our session um on uh May 17th and uh ended

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the bienium and sin died on that day. Um, after having a historic tie, it was rather interesting session to be able to see how we could bipartisanly work together to get things done for Minnesota. Um, I will say that um, I'm very proud of the things that we were

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able to do as a as a body um, during the first bianium, making sure that we are able to keep essential services, but also cutting the budget by5 billion this session as it is. Uh, oh yeah, [laughter] >> I was expecting that. So,

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>> it's okay. I get it. [laughter] Um this session is uh normally uh reserved for policy changes or from or bonding and um the house had a pretty strong um uh belief that we were since we were tied

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that we needed to make sure that we did as much obviously we had to do bipartisan work as possible which meant that a lot of our bills were single subject and small in nature. I would like to say that we had several um really good wins for Minnesota. So the first one is that we got to pass his office an inspector general bill. Many

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people have been following this um for the last several years and um I believe that with the um work that the bipartisan and biccameal committee did over the last year and a half that we have a pretty decent um uh IG that will

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make sure that we can have accountability for our agencies that is uh regardless of who is in office. This is an independent office inspector general with subpoena power and is able to be able to look at anomalies and be able to talk and um hold our um anything that's [clears throat] happening in our

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agencies um and other people who are are committing fraud accountable. Um we know that with uh uh we wanted to be able to kind of offer a little bit of relief of what's happening in our in our state and so um we were looking at about $400

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million of tax relief. This is includes 125 million in property tax relief and 250 million in car tab fee redu reduction. This is only one time and we'll start January 1. Um and then some of the other things that I think that you guys would be interested in is um

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increased medical assistant rates for rural and critical access hospitals and building on some of the investments that we did during the first year of the bianium where we invested heavily in updating the SSIS system for our counties. We did some more IT modernization so that you're able to

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update any of your IT. If you talk to county um uh workers who are trying to um give out benefits, many of our counties have um working on systems that were from the late 80s early 90s and um

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I know that at that time I was in junior [clears throat] high. So, it's one of those things where probably one of those uh uh uh operating systems is not equipped to handle what we do in 2026. Um major investments in IT modernization, which is really really

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important. We had some really good safety for school safety measures that were passed such as about uh $12 million for um school uh for uh mental health services, about $5 million for anonymous threat reporting, and another uh $8

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million for mobile health crisis um money funds. And then um there was also um uh $10 million in compensatory funding of which um Austin will be receiving some of that money, some of that funding. Uh probably one of the things that is the most exciting for

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here in Austin is that we were able to get some uh $1.2 billion in infrastructure funding and uh that includes being able to get some funding for Blooming Prairie, but also for you guys, we were able to get $4 million for the Hormone Institute and their INbeck Center. And so that was a really um

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important investment for them as they continue to work on their education um center as they continue to work towards getting a fully operational um imbec uh the bioiming center that will be literally leading technology in our region not just in our state not just in

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our you know but literally in the Midwest whole part of this area we are um attracting uh scientists and uh you know researchers from around the world and that's been really exciting. Um, and

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then, okay, so I was trying to remember all of the different provisions in the housing bill, which I think is really exciting. There was $100 million in housing infrastructure bonds to build and preserve affordable units. 40 million for the family homeless and

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prevention assistance program, 14.3 million for workforce housing for greater Minnesota, and $4 million to improve infrastructure of manufactured um home parts. Now, what was really exciting about this is that [cough] the funding [clears throat] bill um did not

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draw from taxpayer revenue. Instead, Representative Igo and Representative Howard bipartisanly found that there was $99 million in interest that was sitting in the Minnesota Department of Housing [snorts] because during the um previous benium

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there was a billion dollars put into housing for the Minnesota for for in that area and you can't physically spend that much in two years but there was millions and millions of dollars of interest acrewing and so now rather than having uh um something that is going to

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go from our general fund. We were able to secure funding by reclaiming interest earned on state funds and repurposing unused settlements. And so I think that's going to be a really um good precedence as we start looking um towards the future of how we can make sure that we use our funds wisely. Um,

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with that, overall, I'd really like to thank you for um your work as a city council, knowing that you guys have been tireless in um advocating for some of the things that you have been working for, such as any type of increase in LGA

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or any type of uh county funds. It's been a difficult year. I know that you wanted to also get approval for the local option sales tax, which also got um kind of blockaded. working in a tie means there's a lot of different consensuses and um some of that means we

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don't no no one gets all that they want which is really difficult. Um but thank you so much for your work and thank you for um for being good advocates for your area if you have any questions I'd be happy to do that before I jet off to Brownsdale. >> Thank you Patty. Representative Mueller

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I I would like to know you know the lost local after sales tax. Yeah was I know you push hard for it. I appreciate that. It was just the tax chair I think was the one that wasn't letting it get pretty heard. But, you know, the the the even and odd years get mixed up between budget and policy. Are we able to come back again in 2027? We got to wait till

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2028 for that. >> No, you can always you can at any time you can always go ahead and and um request a bill to be written up for getting approval of your local options sales tax. And so, if you if that's something that you're wanting to take another crack at in 2027, that would be

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totally appropriate to do. Um it's just a matter of who's the chair of tax of the tax committee. Um hopefully there isn't a weird tie like we've had in the like we've had these last two years and that we'll be able to um be able to convince whoever is the tax chair at

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that point to be able to hear those. I do I do like to say that Representative Davids who does represent the farthest east side of Mo County who was the Republican tax chair at that time u for uh for this these two years that he was very much in support of the local option

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sales tax and made sure that there were two days that was nothing but hearing local option sales tax and I know uh uh city minister Clark uh had to wait around until the very end and then got like I think 35 seconds to be able to give your to give your case. Um, but as

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I said, we've done what we could in in the constraints that were given to us. >> Well, I appreciate your efforts on that and all the efforts for representing us. Anybody else have anything? Representative Mueller. >> Well, thank you. >> Thanks for coming. >> Thank you so much, guys.

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>> All right. Looks like uh under petitions and request, we have requesting approval of an ordinance amendment to the city code chapter 11. Ali Yes. Uh thank you, mayor and council members. [cough]

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[clears throat] This amendment uh is uh to facilitate expansion of housing options and allow a diverse range of housing types compatible with existing residential neighborhoods. Twin homes, also known as zero lot line two-unit town homes, provide attainable home ownership opportunities and utilize

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existing infrastructure efficiently while maintaining compatibility with single family residential districts. These housing types have previously been utilized successfully in the community. However, our zoning code did not explicitly allow zero lot lines to accommodate a shared wall, which is a defining characteristic of this type of

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home. [clears throat] The uh ordinance amendment will apply to single family and multif family residential zoning districts. And the ordinance will be effect upon publication and apply retroactively to twin homes in the same districts. [snorts]

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>> Very good. Anything uh council questions item number six? All right. They're looking for a motion for the preparation of the ordinance. >> Some moved. >> There second. >> All in favor? >> I >> opposed. >> Motion carries. Uh also for a resolution

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for adoption of the ordinance. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Bri. >> Council member Posma. >> I. >> Council member Hely. >> I. Council member Obala. >> I. >> Council member Fischer. >> Hi.

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>> Council member Waller. >> I. >> Council member at large Austin. >> I. >> Adoption of the amendment to city code chapter 11 is approved. >> Thank you. On to item number seven is adoption of our 2045 comprehensive plan. Ali.

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>> Yes. Um we started this project. Uh it was the city of Austin, Mer County, and Impact Austin collaborated uh on our comprehensive plan updates. The all of the information about the plan has been on our uh project website throughout the project. Um the final draft plans are also available online and then

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interactive story map uh which gives kind of an overview uh that's a little less uh dense uh if you want to just get a a general idea of the plan. Um the uh so the pro procedure to adopt the plan

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is to have a public meeting which we had May 12th uh with the planning commission. Um the planning commission made a recommendation to council to adopt the plan. The plan was then presented again to council at our work session on May 18th [snorts] and the council voted to move it forward to this

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meeting and where we are asking for approval of the plan. >> Thank you. Yes. A formal resolution of adopting the 2045 comprehensive plan. I'd like to thank Holly and then Nick Noatne Val Sheet is here. Uh tremendous amount of work. I think it we were told from our um consultants was the first

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time a city and county ever came together for these this kind of an activity and I know there was about 8 billion touch points. Uh Nick was there for all eight billion of them. Um just a tremendous amount of work and we're hoping to utilize that uh as we move forward into 2045.

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>> So Mr. Mayor, you're joking a little bit about 8 billion, but I did hear some push back from the community that we were rushing into this plan. And I just find that what I mean, what was the true number of community touch points? >> The plans combined it was 16,000.

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>> Yes. So, there were 16,000 chances to give input on this plan. Um, we worked on it for a couple of years. So, so I guess I find the criticism that we haven't really thought this through to to just not hold any water. [laughter] Agreed. >> Wanted to get that on the record.

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>> I appreciate that. [snorts] >> All right. Anything else? Looking [clears throat] for resolution on the matter. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Great. >> Council member Posma. >> I. >> Council member Hely. >> I. >> Council member Obala.

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>> I. >> Council member Fischer. >> I. >> Council member Waller. >> I. >> Council member at large Austin. >> I. >> Resolution passes 6. Thanks, Bri. Item number eight allows the uh planning and zoning department to the power to contract for removal of the junk and or

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legally stored vehicles at the location of 6076th Street Northwest the wind property. Need a motion. >> So move. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I opposed. Motion carries. Item number nine is approving our Ellis ditch

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climate resiliency study. Diva, >> at the last council meeting, council reviewed and approved a grant from the MPCA, which was a climate resiliency grant for the Ellis Ditch area. That grant, the total amount of the grant was $16,000.

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and a portion of that uh $96,581 was grant dollars and $9,658 was either to come from our storm water utility fund or inind services from our city staff. So before you tonight now is

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a proposal from WHKS to complete the work that is part of the grant. It involves evaluating rainfall events in that Ellis ditch area and coming up with ways to lessen the impacts to our residents in those neighborhoods with

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storm sewer improvements, sanitary sewer improvements, roadway improvements, possibly some some ponding and water storage as well. That will all come as we're working through the the study of this work with WHKS. This project is identified in our 5-year

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CIP and uh we look to move this project forward with the help of WHKS. Their proposal before you tonight is in the amount of $96,600 and it would be covered by the previously approved resiliency grant and we'd request approval.

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>> Very good. Thank you, Stephen. Council, any questions, Mr. Lang? >> I was looking for resolution uh approving item number nine. So move >> second >> three. >> Council member Posma. >> I. >> Council member Hely.

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>> I. >> Council member Obala. >> I. >> Council member Fischer. >> Hi. >> Council member Waller. >> I. >> Council member at large Austin. >> I. >> Resolution passes 6. >> Thank you. Bri item number 10 is approving our central garage roof

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replacement. Stephen. This is identified also in our five-year [clears throat] CIP for 2026.0 [cough] set aside for roof replacement at our central garage. That's where we store all of our equipment from our snow plows to our our um our trucks and our

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loaders. And that that building was built in 2003. It was that roof was there was some maintenance work done on it in 2020 and now it is planned for removal. So, with that, we'd recommend council approving this contract with

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WHKS in the amount of $9,300 to develop plans and specs for bidding out the re- roof of this project. Uh costs for the the funds for this will come out of the project budget which we have set aside at $500,000 and we'd request approval. >> Excellent. Appreciate that. Thank you,

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Stephen. Council, any questions of Mr. Lang? Uh looking for resolution moving it forward. So moved. Second >> Bri, please. >> Council member Bosma. >> I. >> Council member [snorts] Hely.

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>> I. >> Council member Obala. >> I. >> Council member Fischer. >> Hi. >> Council member Waller. >> I. >> Council member at large Austin. >> I. >> Resolution passes 6. >> Very good. Thank you. Moving on to citizens addressing the council. Part of

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our agenda. There's any citizens here in the chambers wishing to speak with council on items that weren't on the agenda. >> Sure. Come forward, please, and just uh give us your name and address for the record. >> Okay. [clears throat] My name is Heather Noach and my address is 611 14th Street

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Northwest, Austin. Um I'm Good evening, Maron City Council. I'm My name is Heather and I am a resident here in Austin. and I'm standing before you tonight as a homeowner who is being directly severely and negatively impacted by the new point of sale

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ordinance that took effect on March 1st. This past year has been the most difficult. Um, I inherited my home from my dad who passed away April of last year. Over the next 5 months, I poured my entire savings into cleaning up that property, clean it out so we could stay

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there and then sell it. This then in October, my mom passed away. and neither one of them had any life insurance. So, I was left with the bill for both. Um, we put the house up for

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sale once it was ready and then in April we finally received an accepted offer on the house and that's when we were hit with the unexpected city mandates. Um, I was shocked to learn that under the new ordinance, the previous [snorts] sump inspection was no longer accepted and I would now have to pay for that out of

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pocket. On top of that, I was hit with the new requirement of the full sewer inspection and the camera footage. And right now, I owe Patterson Plumbing $700 just for those inspections, a debt I am struggling to pay while barely managing my monthly bills. Because of the delays

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and the issues, my buyer backed out. And to make matters worse, the sewer line inspection failed also due to an intentional drill hole at [snorts] the top of the line right before the city man in the road alongside some other chips. I've hired another plumber just

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to start the repairs, but before they even touch the line leading to the main, I'm already an additional $4,800 in debt for the basement cleanout, new concrete, and inspections. And I can't even get an estimate for the rest of the work until that first phase is finished. The appeal

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to the council, I am losing money and I do not have every single day. This ordinance has caused me severe financial and mental hardship. It is actively harming me and I know for a fact I'm not alone in the community. >> [snorts] >> Um, the city ordinances are supposed to protect and improve our community, but

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this one is punishing and working residents and I'm caught in impossible situation. It's supposed to help homeowners and [snorts] the grant there's no grants available. The lowinterest loans are only digging us deeper into debt and I'm asking the

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council to listen to the real people telling you we can't afford this. I ask that you review the financial hardships this ordinance is causing in grandfather and recent prior inspections which now doesn't affect me [snorts] but it could someone else and establish the true

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grant assistance for the residents facing thousands of dollars in mandatory repairs. I just thank you for your time. >> Thank you, Miss Novak. Sorry about your loss of your parents. Stephen, are you aware of her situation or and you it's probably too early to have the insurance portion of this, but I got it anyway,

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but were you aware of her situation? So, this particular one? No, not specifically. Um, the only thing I'll add is from the description, she described a hole in the top of the pipe, which is what we've been finding. That's

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where footing drains are connected into the sewer services and entering clear water into our system, which is what we're looking to try to eliminate as part of this program. >> Right. You know, personally, Miss Novak, I can just sympathize with you. Again, sometimes we sit up here as a council and try to always we try to do the right

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decisions, make the right decisions, but um these are things that nobody likes to hear and expense nobody likes to see. 700 bucks though was just for your inspection. >> Just inspection. >> That seems high. seems very high. >> I've heard two inspiration.

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>> Appreciate that. So, you know, this is a new ordinance to the city. Uh the other cities certainly have it. We did a pretty nice I thought uh deep dive into trying to make it work and had some interplay back and forth with some mortgage folks and some realators and city staff and come up what we thought

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was the best. Um just started April 1, so it hasn't been a >> March 1st. March 1st hasn't been a ton of time. I'd like to see it at least six months through before we really look at addressing it differently. Um I haven't heard directly from any realtors other than Molly Cass sent something. But I'd

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certainly like to I'm okay with readressing or looking at like to give it some more time. The instances where I've heard I heard from one I turned it over to Mr. Lang and he did tell me the other side of the story too. So there is always both two sides. So what do you got >> Chris Hikel? I just want to address we

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would love to have I reached out to Craig about this too that we'd love the work session that was together to get back together again just to address the things that we're seeing and what is happening um over the course of what have we been two months 3 months um just to work through through some kinks. I

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mean as you know nobody in our industry is supporting the point of sale but here we are is is where we are at. Um, our goal with the work session was to make it the best thing that as good as we possibly could. Um, it's

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now been a few months. There are issues. We would like to sit down and resolve those issues to the best of our ability. Um, working with the city and with the council um to try to make these things happen. Uh, closings have been delayed. Um, unfortunately, I think we're at a

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what two and a half week turn time, Stephen, would you say? right now for no what what are turn times >> this is >> I'll let you finish >> okay um but sales have fallen apart because of this um unfortunately this has nothing to do with the council

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but just to give you real life experiences they're escrowing for these things to happen postc closing it happens postc closing people's landscapes are being tore apart uh plumbers then go in and unfortunately have to take out drywall then the

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drywall is not being repaired So then now we have new buyers that agreed to have this escrow thing happen and now they have a property that was not at all what they were expecting to have. Um agreeing to do it postc closing. Um I'm not a realtor. I'm obviously a lender.

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So I don't see the minute details that the realtors do, but I do see delays in closings and just closings falling apart altogether. um extensions that have to happen on people's loans, block extensions that they have to pay for. Um

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I was under the impression, and maybe that is incorrect, that it was about two and a half weeks is what the turn time was for um sewer scoping, but maybe that's or for the approval or denial from the city. >> Thank you, Miss Eel. Stephen, do you have something?

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>> Uh I do have some information. Um [snorts] we have conducted 197 inspections in the first three months of the program. Uh 85% of those have been turned around in 6 days or less.

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The other 15% have taken longer for reasons of large quantities generally. Um but 85% are turned around in 6 days or less. uh some more information on how the program is going. Again, 196

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inspections, 128 or 65% of them have passed. 38 of them or 19% have failed. So, one out of every five sewer service is failing because of issues that we are

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wanting to try to address as a part of the program. and then 30 of them or 15% are incomplete for some reason. Um that reason is generally due to not being able to see everything we need to

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see on the video. So again, just looking at those numbers, 65% are passing, 19% are failing, and 15% are incomplete. [snorts] Um out of those, again, 196. So that's

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just some stats on where we're at with the program to date. >> So could you clarify too that the the 15% or sorry 19% that have failed that means that we know that that home is introducing clean water into our

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wastewater or it might be some other reason that it's failed. >> Um the main two things that we're looking for are the clean water entry. So we're looking for illicit connections. The second is we are triggering where there are failures in the pipe where there are offset joints

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that are that could cause blockages to the new homeowner and things like that. So, we're looking for those are the two main factors that are causes of failure. Roots are not a cause of failure. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, I guess I would I would be in

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favor of maybe getting that group back together again. Uh not waiting the six months. I think I mean 196 in this shorter period of time I think that's a a pretty good number. Um and there's some other items that have come up uh

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glitches or problems that some people have seen that maybe we need to address. So I don't know that we need to wait another 3 months to get the group together. Maybe if we could get together sometime this month that and get talk about some of these things I think it

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would be worthwhile. Um I agree with um um councilman at large. I think we have heard a lot of story that um a lot of people they may not have the opportunity to come and speak up here especially those are closing delay and offer. Um I

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would love to see this um group come back sooner uh to see because there's a lot of um um issues we're seeing out there that individuals like what has been shared in front of us here they may not have the courage to come and share it in public.

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Um I think um um the intention before I look at it on both side but seeing um and now in real life you know we have seen a lot of um seem like it's a punishment for other people. I think it would be love to see you to look into

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more ideas where we can move forward instead of waiting another six months. >> And yeah I have no no issue if that's what the council wants to do is is hook that group up again. But the the city has shown light onto the issue. Now, if

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you're a home seller and a home buyer, regardless of the ordinance, I think this is on their radar. You're going to have someone do a sewer line inspection inspection and it may fail and that might cause delays or or cancellations. So, it's I don't know that the ordinance is hampering that because the light that

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was shine has shown onto this issue. So, again, I I'm in the camp of it's it's new. Uh, we're obviously turning it around at a decent rate. Um, but I get the hardship, but I'm I'm interested in reviewing it, but I'd sure like to get this ordinance a little bit more time before we jump to get that group back

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together again, but I don't mind >> if I make a couple comments quick. >> Sure. >> Um, Matt [clears throat] Breth, all of you. >> Nord Real Estate Group. Um, Joel's been swamped recently and uh, as Chris said, we we've got a couple that have taken

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like two weeks. I got two right now I haven't seen in a couple weeks. So, Steve, I know you guys are maybe thinking about having Tia help out with reviewing those videos, but seems like we might need another person on staff to handle the workload. So, I got one

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closing on Friday and we don't even know what's going to happen with the sewer yet. >> Um, >> is some of this because it's new ordinance? Is that why we're under the gun a little bit? It's >> it's closing Friday and you haven't gotten anything back from us yet? >> No. Okay. So, explain more.

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>> Submitted 11 days ago. >> It was just submitted 11 days ago for the first time >> for review. Yeah. >> The first review was submitted to us 11 days ago. >> Correct. >> Okay. And your closing is when? >> Friday. >> So, you're So, two weeks before closing,

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we received the video approximately. >> Something like that. It was a quick one. Yeah. But [clears throat] that's I I have a lot of them if you want me to put together a list. >> Yeah. >> But I think there should be a process for priority review based on closing

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date put into place or considered as well. >> That makes sense. >> Yeah, I can understand that to a point too. >> Get 10 of them. It's not the order they came in, but the order of the closing date. >> Sure. Uh sometimes there is circumstances that aren't in the home

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sellers's control, but again it's somebody we do need to have a plan. When you sell a home, you think generally you plan for it, but maybe there's cases. >> You have to doing everything you can to help them out. >> I >> I think Joel's a little overwhelmed right now from >> I hear good things. I do um when I did I

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I have heard of one property um through a what's the Horell buyer? They they they leased their real estate out to >> Alter Altier >> and it was a delay on their end, not ours. But we did move that one up uh [snorts] for a priority sake. >> Yeah. >> That that individual.

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>> Yeah. I think on the I think some kind of a system. I know with um the home ownership uh board and improving some of those loans, we get them kind of short notice because of closing dates and we're kind of rushed on those. It's not necessarily first come first serve, but

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we do have to kind of prioritize some of those things and maybe have to look at that on with this too as well. So, >> thank you. >> Yeah, I think the council will discuss an option of of when we do get back together if we want to get back together and we'll you guys be the first ones to

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know. Molly, >> hi. Um, Molly Cass, I just wanted to say that we were told this would take two to three days when this happened. I don't know if you remember that or not. So, There's that. And there are is issues. I

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was part of the Altter one that there were issues because we couldn't there were three plumbers there that couldn't get their cameras around the corners and so they would hire another plumber. Couldn't do it and it's another corporation, right? So, it takes longer to hire it. [snorts] Um, I was not the

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listing agent, [clears throat and cough] but my buyer made some phone calls and got that one processed right away. I'm wondering why that person was able to get that one processed right away, but others aren't.

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>> I don't think you probably want that information out there. >> It was a call to a council member who was able to get that move forward. Yeah. >> Right. So, I will say that I have not had a seller that hadn't hasn't had their closing

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happening on time because I do tell them to do it right away. But now plumbers are telling my sellers, "We're two, three weeks out before we can get there." So, this isn't because we're negligent on getting it there. There's a lot of circumstances and sometimes we have two week closings. That just

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happens. >> Yeah. We're not alone in this ordinance. Other cities have it. So, I'm maybe it's just growing pains. I'm not sure. Well, I do think that there's a lot of time spent of agents, lenders, title companies, buyers, sellers making phone calls to Joel saying, "Hey, where's this

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at? I would like to see something that we could reference to, hey, this address, here's where you're at. Here's where you know, we received both portions of the inspection. You're 15th in line." Just so we're not bugging him

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all day long. I try really hard not to email him every time I have a question or call him every time I have a question because I know he's busy, but two weeks being told it was going to take two to three days, that's a huge difference. And I disagree with Matt. I don't think

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we need to hire anybody else because this is the busiest time of the year. There's going to be times where Joel's bored with in sewer inspections. It's going to get slow in the next couple months for sure that this he started drinking from a fire hose. This is our

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busiest time of the year. But I think if we would get some processes in place, some something that we can all reference of even if it's a Google doc, he's got this one. He's got both sections because there's some agents out there that are really

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not good, right? And there's people from out of town selling houses here that don't know what they're doing. So, there just needs to be more information for all of us to be able to reference without having to bug Joel every time we have a question. >> Thank you. Yeah. Thank you, Millie. Joel is our complete housing resource

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officer. He's doing this as a welcome to the neighborhood. This is your you're now your new task, but we he will not be bored once this is over. >> Uh Stephen, what else do you got that you could talk to about a queue? Some kind of a cue or information that could go out weekly, couple times a month. I

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don't know where they're at, where they're at in the standing. Yeah, Molly has has asked about that. We've inquired with the county of any ways to to post information there, and I don't think that's real time enough for what we're looking for. So, we'll have to research

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a way. I I agree that would be a good a goodformational tool if we can find a platform that can where information can be entered and they can see it in real time how theirs is progressing through

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the process where it's at. Um just need to find something that fits for that type of use. I I wonder if maybe our new Civic Plus partnership would have something, you know, if we brought it to them what we're looking for. But yeah, I think it

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would save it would [snorts] save Joel and Steven time and it would save all of our realtor friends time as well. [snorts] Craig, do you have something? Anybody else have anything? All right. Thanks for your folks's uh comments and thanks for showing up. We'll be in

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discussion a little bit further on this issue. Thank you. Um on reports and recommendations, >> uh thank you mayor, members. Uh come to a close here. Wednesday will be my last day. It's bittersweet after 11 and 1/2

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years. Uh this isn't just a job that you do, but something that you invest yourself personally in. Um my kids grew up in Austin. Uh Emma, my youngest, was a first grader when we came to Austin, now graduated this last Friday. Um, so a

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lot of memories that um that have uh happened here in Austin. Met some really amazing people. The people of Austin are hardworking people and uh worthy of great recognition. Um just thanks to all that supported me in this position and

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encouraged over the times. Um this position can often be contentious and long hours, but the push for a stronger Austin is well worth it. I want to thank my wife Anita, my children. Thank you.

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Thanks, Greggy. >> Congratulations on your new position. >> Right on. >> Wish you the best. >> Thank you. Uh, anybody else have Julie have anything? >> Uh, Julie?

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>> Yeah. He's followed up. [laughter] >> We'll get back to it. Wanted to make sure we knew that summer reading started today. >> So June 1st through August 8th. >> That's all you got, Julie? After this, that's all you got? That's all you can do.

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>> Summer reading is a big deal. [laughter] >> Oh, thank you. I think Emily had something to believe. >> I have a little more than Julie, I guess. Um so as you know over the last six months since I started in December

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um finance has kind of uh been just constantly trying to keep up. Um and we are definitely not short of talent by any means in our department. Um we've got uh Kim and Melissa who are both um very good at what they do and

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have been here both 18 years. Um, with my arrival at the end of December and Tom's departure in September, there was a little bit of a gap between when he left and when I started. And um, with that, you know, [snorts] there's been

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some catchup and a learning curve. And um, as you know, the the audit has been first and foremost as far as uh, tasks go for the last six months. Um, one area that we are working on with the auditors, um, we have kind of, uh,

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played with the idea of possibly requesting an extension through the, uh, state auditor's office just to accommodate, um, the learning curve and working out some of these spreadsheets and different workpapers that we need to

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get to the auditors. Um, with that extension, we would be afforded a few more weeks to get the audit finished without any penalties. Um, the state auditor's office, you know, it's not something that we want to make a habit, of course, but the city of Austin, uh,

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does not sound like has ever requested an extension. So, uh, this would definitely not be a new trend or it would not be something, you know, that we're habitually doing. So, um I just want the council to be aware that that is an area that we are kind of playing

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with. And then with that extension, we would also request an extension from the government finance officers association. So that way we can keep our um excellence award for our uh annual comprehensive report. One area that I

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also would like to uh maybe have the council consider as well. Um right now we are you know really knocking out as much as we possibly can. We did lose 30 years worth of knowledge um when Tom

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left and sometimes it um you know it's it's a humbling thing to admit but sometimes it's just easier to go to the subject matter expert on some of these items. and um you know consulting with individuals who have the knowledge readily available would be very helpful

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for us to get through this audit so we could progress onto the budget process and kind of get things going get you know set up for success for the 2026 year. So, um I guess my ask of council is um well, first of all, thank you for being patient with us for the last

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couple months because we have, you know, been a little tardy on some reports and things um keeping everybody in the know. So, we are getting that caught up. But, uh, my primary ask is just, um, you know, if you're willing to entertain the idea of us maybe getting some outside

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assistance to get this audit wrapped up and, um, you know, keep moving forward and and getting on track with the 2026 or 2027 budget process. We greatly [clears throat] appreciate that. >> You said that by asking for the

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extension, we wouldn't face any penalties of any kind. They uh the only time that it starts getting into territory where there would be penalties was would be if we pushed it out past September 1st, September 1st, the OSA will send a letter to all

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of the mayors who uh are in cities that have not submitted their reports. at which point um if you do not adhere to the letter and get the reports to them by September 30th, then there is a possibility that they will withhold your LGA contingent upon submitting that

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report. >> I don't foresee us going into August at all. Um I think you know that September would be worst case scenario and um you know I don't think we're we're to that point. I I know that we can crank it out

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in the next, you know, six weeks at the most probably. So, um >> I guess I wouldn't have any problem reaching out to Mr. Danker. I think he'd more than willing to help out. And I'm kind of disappointed that we haven't uh taken on his services before this, especially given the fact that there was

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a considerable gap between him leaving and you coming. Um I mean he best darn resource for this transition that I think and uh best training you could have had it was to learn from him and so if we can get that get him

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engaged in this I think that would be fantastic. He uh we've been meeting with the auditor too so they're well aware that the extension's coming give us till July 31. Uh Craig has invited and I know Emily's met with the finance director of

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Albert Lee. Thank you Albert Lee for allowing that person to come over and help uh get us through this. Uh Mr. Dankard has always been in the mix. Uh so if he can be of assistance that's great. Um but I think we'll we'll get through it. We'll just have to file that extension and move on.

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>> Thank you. >> Thank you. Anything else? >> So is there a specific ask for help? Are you asking for a temporary hire? Well, you know, with the 2027 budget process coming up, you know, finance

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never slows down, but um I think we are staffingwise in a better place than we were a couple weeks ago, maybe. Um but you know I'm also being conscientious of the the budget that we currently have for this

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year and you know the personnel or I guess uh salary situation where we don't really have the means to bring somebody on temporarily in a perfect world. Yes, that would be great if we could have um you know summer temporary person come in

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and help us. But knowing that the budget doesn't allow for that, um I think you know we are on [cough] track now. [clears throat] Um you know we have our our days where Melissa and Kim are both here well after 5, sometimes well into the evenings, a

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lot of weekends. We do a lot from home. We you know it's it's a collaborative effort that I don't foresee being a permanent situation hopefully. Um, but you know, if we could bring in outside help, a resource that can efficiently

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get us the information that we need, um, that would be ideal and that way we can just kind of keep plugging through it and get it finished as accurately and quickly as possible. So, >> in other words, we should reach out to Mr. Dankard and ask him if he's available.

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>> Well, I guess I'm confused about the the budget piece of this. >> Yeah, I feel like this is important enough. we have some contingency monies like if there is, you know, a temporary, you know, obviously Mr. Dankard has his own big full-time job right now, so I'm

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sure he's very happy to pop in and answer some questions, but I I'm getting the impression that you could use somebody who would be hourly billing us to help during the workday. Is that correct? >> Yes. If I mean, if that is on the table, that is definitely not something

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>> is there a place that we could find somebody with those skills? There's been some discussion. Craig can elaborate. >> Yeah, I mean, we're committed to bring whatever resources are necessary to be able to complete the audit and and be prepared for the budget. Um, so that's

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that's not we're we're not operating on an assumption that we wouldn't be able to bring that forward. >> What's that vendor? There's some outside that do. >> Abdo [clears throat] does it. There's a couple others that do it as well. So, um, we're just trying to narrow down what it is we have to finish and how we

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can get there. So right >> and would it include talking with Mr. Dankard as well? >> So um Mr. Mayor if we we know already um what we expecting if that we met the deadline. So knowing that where we are

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now we are pressured with time instead of waiting the last minute to reach out to the person or the resources we need to complete the job uh I think will be wise enough for us to make that decision now uh instead last minute August coming

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and then we are reaching out the person declined um I think it would be good what we need to do to complete this work we started now instead of waiting the last minute um especially if Mr. Danker he offered to help because we haven't

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heard from him yet because we have not make that um reach out yet. >> Well, let me just be clear with Council Member Obala that we have not waited till the last minute on this. This has been a moving parts, moving pieces along the way, the whole way, understanding that Emily might be, you know, certainly

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behind the A-paul uh coming into this, but there's been a lot of discussion on uh how to help and if there is need for help that those discussions have happened. Uh, so we've trusted along the way that we're going to get there. >> Let's let's get moving with some help. >> Let's talk about the help and get her

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some help. >> So, the department some help. >> Yeah. I'm concerned that there's a message out there that there's no funding for this. The council has not been asked to fund anything. >> I would suggest then that we really look closely at Abdo doing it all. >> Coming in and doing it all.

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>> Great. >> It may it may come to that. >> At least get through this. All right. Well, more to come. Certainly on to uh reports and recommendations. Start with you down there, Rebecca. What do you got? >> I just want to say thank you, Clark, for

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all your [clears throat] appreciate everything and I wish you luck in the future. >> Thank you. Yep. >> Thank you. Um I uh actually I bet Laura's going to talk about Fourth Avenue Fest, so I'll let her have that one. Um, I'll also appreciate uh giving

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my thanks to Craig for the many years. You know, I was fortunate enough to know Craig before I even got started in um you know, some of this civil service as neighbors and having the Clark family over to our house and um just going to miss seeing them around, but it was

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great to watch their kids grow up. Um watch their dogs get walked by my front door. They've been great neighbors, so we are going to miss them. >> Thanks, Mike. Jeff, >> yes, Mr. Clark, thank you for your your time here in Austin. Um, you definitely were very dedicated to the city and did

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your best to to help improve where you could. Um, having been on the council when you were hired, I guess I've been here through your whole tenure. >> Yes, that's right. >> And do appreciate what you've done for us. Uh, and want to say thank you. Uh, sincerely thank you and wish you good

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luck in your next endeavor. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Laura. [clears throat] >> Uh, so it's June. I want to officially say happy pride to all who celebrate. Uh also congratulations to all the high school and college graduates uh including at least one in this uh room.

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Um it's a great month. Uh as uh post Mr. Postman said I'll be um talking about 4th Avenue Fest. It's coming up in two days. So Wednesday June 3rd 4 to 7 in the Horus Austin Park. That's the one between the pool and the library. It is free. It is a rain or shine event. And

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we're going to have um lots and lots of family activities, uh arts, culture, healthy living, um all kinds of things, including our brand new ladder truck um from the fire department. So, um hope to see everybody out there. Um we are

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grateful to the Austin Area Foundation and Friends of the Nature Center for for help with funding uh that particular um item. And then um finally, thank you to uh Craig Clark. Um, I uh I too worked with Craig before I was on the city

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council um back in the vision 2020 days and um he was one of my favorite people to sort of talk about uh the wow idea like wow what if we could do this um and I know he really has a heart for Austin and I also appreciate um what he was

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saying it's a a city administrator uh job is not just Craig's job the whole family is part of the package and um saw many of you over the years helping out with various things and and being involved in things and I I appreciate that as well. So congratulations and

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good luck to you. >> Thank you. Thanks Laura. >> Um I have two thing. Uh first Mr. Clerk, thank you for everything you have done. Uh especially for putting Austin on the face of the map of United States to be a welcoming city. I do remember my first

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time when I moved here running around to where to get involved. Um I received your first phone call, you know, getting especially on the committee starting from the um Austin Human Right Commission and um finally when I talk to

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the mayor. So I have seen all the work you have done. Um a lot of people in Austin, especially someone who look like me when they come to the city hall, you're always there to answer their question. You're going to be missed and uh wish you all the best in everything.

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uh you're going to do I know you will put the next city to be a welcoming city too. Just continue those in your heart um knowing that you're not just looking outside of people but you also looking what is in there. Second thing I want to thank the people or the team of um POS

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for continuing the advocating um not giving up. So I know there are a lot of work that has take place in the background but continue advocating um if something issue come up. Looking forward to hearing more where we can see because we want to bring people to in Austin

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their job offer being declined due to not getting the house they want. So looking forward to hear more um through your work. >> Thanks a lot Paulie. Um Craig, thank you. I got on council I think whatever

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nine 10 years ago when you were new here. We developed a great friendship together. I've enjoyed you as a city administrator. Sar Falls Wateroo is very fortunate to get you. They're getting a probably one of the best city administrators they could get. Um,

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obviously we'll be in contact, >> but thank you. >> Thanks. >> You're a good friend. >> Thanks, Paul. I got several things here. I'm going first lead read the June anniversaries. Uh, uh, Trish Weakman, Trish Weekman, 26 years. Congratulations. Human resources. Kim

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Hansen, finance, 19. John White, park, wreck, and forestry for 10 years. Steven Schmidt, wastewater treatment, 10 years. Megan Evenson, library, nine years. Dwayne Natz, park, wreck and forestry, four years. Ryan Hansen with the police, three years. Chad Peterson, wastewater

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treatment, three years. Terry Duo, uh, human resources, one year. Steven Lang. Steve Lang. Steve Langy. There's two of you for one year. >> Of course, there's two of us. >> There's two of you out there. >> So, great. There's two. >> Street street maintenance for one year. L

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Steve Lang. Justin Bickler paid on call fire 13 years. Nate Peterson paid on call fire 13 years and Ernie Hammer also paid on on call fire for 11 years. So we thank you those folks for years of longevity even though it's been one year or 26 years. We thank those folks. Uh on

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to Craigy. You know I got to start out by saying I tried a beer commercial so I'm hoping I can get through this. But uh uh Craig has been just an outstanding person. I when he came to us, I was a council member and and certainly there's some exposure to the city administrator as a council member, but nothing like

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being the mayor. Uh Craig has been my absolute right hand. Uh never leaves me without any information. Uh always in contact. Uh just the the amount of work that this this man does is outstanding, unbelievable. Um always giving of his

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time for the best interest of Austin. There's no doubt about it. His heart is absolutely in Austin. I'm going to miss the heck out of him, but he has been my guiding light um throughout and and just a buddy. So, >> thank you, Craig. And I got a key to the city, which I'd love to have his family.

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We got we got Payton, Emma, Garrett, and Anita in the audience. I'd love to take a picture with Craig getting the the uh key to the city right in front of us here. You want to come up? >> You got to go [clears throat] down. >> And council, if you want to join us, you're welcome to join us today.

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Swear not. Yeah. Christmas [laughter] [snorts] [sighs] All right. Well, with all that circumstant uh make

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a note that we are having a a going away celebration for Craig on Wednesday, June 3rd in the council chambers. It'll be a Steve's Pizza extravaganza between 11:30 and 1:30. You're all welcome to attend. And we thank Craig for his years of service. And just uh just a few

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initiatives that he did uh spearhead were the mill on main project one and two. who I remember our first field trip over to Mano to drum up a developer to to help us with that and he uh along the way called me fidious and once I went home and looked it up he he's right I am

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I am fidious so I I learned that word on our first first field trip but you know also I think new tech uh going forward with that that that huge development and them coming here was Craig had a lot of impact whether in our our housing uh getting our tax abatement through and some of our street assessments the way

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we really assess and do things differently. A lot of credit goes to to Craig for those things. So, we we as citizens of Austin certainly benefited by your time here and you've always been a visionary. Help me. A lot of conversations I have with Craig. Well, he'll see something and and it's he's right. I don't see it that way because

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I'm kind of a native and I see it as differently and it can't be changed, but Craig sees it. Hey, if we do that here, what about what does this look like over there? And he he does plant some seeds in my head there. So, I always appreciate that. So, thank you, Craig. And you're all welcome to come for the

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pizza party on June 3rd.