##VIDEO ID:LS73nB5zyNk## 30 seconds late how am I doing so far great fantastic I'm car I would expect nothing less okay it's Wednesday November 13th 11 o'clock in the morning we'll call to order the city of Brainard personnel and finance committee meeting and start with introductions car Terry W one I'm sorry Alder M large Gavin stun Connie hman City Finance director Chris Schubert HR Director Nick broal City administrator and Gabe Johnson shair of the committee we have items the first of which is to ratify the hiring of Brandon bergau as a police intern Chris yes we conducted the hiring process for our 2024 fall police intern position we had two candidates apply and we offered the internship to Brandon bergau um we are asking that the council ratify the his hiring effect of November 19th uh and just to let you know this we did apply for sarell funding and we were approved to receive up to $15 per hour during his employment I so move second any discussion all in favor say I I that motion carries next up is to ratify the hiring of Nicholas Carelli as a Apprentice line worker Chris on October 7th the council authorized staff to conduct a hiring process for our Apprentice line worker position we received two applications for the internal job posting sta staff offered the position to Nicholas Carelli at 358 per hour um how that that is reached is there is a first six months Apprentice line worker Pro progression schedule in the Union contract and it states that it has to be at 72.5% of the line worker step five wage lot of information but that's how we got to that wage so we are asking the um committee to for a motion to ratify the hiring of Nicholas Carelli as stated so move second have a motion and a second any discussion all in favor say I right that motion carries next up is an Mo MOA with the IBEW Union Chris on October 21st the council approved a job description for our new administrative assistant position and also authorized staff to negotiate an Mo MOA with the Union the union has agreed to our Mo MOA and a signed copy of that Mo MOA is in your packet we are asking that the council approve the uh MOA with the Union setting the wage the 24 through 26 wage for the administrative assistant position also to authorized staff to conduct an internal hiring process as required by the Union contract for this position I so move second any discussion all in favor say I I oppose that motion carries next up approved deferment of Assessments Connie so the city received an application for deferment for pay year 2025 related to the new Improvement the South Brainard reconstruction that was completed in 2025 2024 staff used the resolution that was attached in the packet um we feel that we that staff has determined that the resident meets all criteria of the resolution and therefore recommend approval of the application for deferment of Assessments payable in 2025 for the applicant at P ID 41250 586 second any discussion all in favor say I I that motion carries next up civil attorney contract City administrator thank you Mr chair uh the current contract for civil Legal Services is held by ratwik rosac and Maloney and it expires at the end of this year December 31st the city last issued an RFP for civil legal services in 2013 to begin in for services to begin in 2014 RRM the our Law Firm has performed said Services since that date 2014 uh city has historically issued this contract in twoyear increments um Council has a few options um um as we come as we approach the end of this contract number one you could begin a competitive RFP process for delivery of services beginning in 2025 number two uh you could choose to remain with our current law firm and staff can begin negotiations with them and present financials to the council for consideration at a future date or three um considering ongoing activities around arbitration um could you guys could direct staff to negotiate an extension to the current RRM contract for a specifi amount of time as determined by Council so staff is just looking for some uh guidance from this body and the greater council at large okay any discussion or questions so um I'm not sure of the amount does it say on here but do we have to go through an RFP process is that required this it is not required this is a service we would not have to competitively bid it if the council chose not to okay thank you and we would continue with a two-year contract if if that plan would be we could go with a two-year contract that's what we've historically done but certainly this body and the council is not precluded from coming up with any agreement that they wish to come up with I motion to stay with a two-year contract and elect to and do number two I'll second that so just to remain with rat Wick and not go out for correct not to go for an RFP I'm going to vote no I think we should issue an RFP just to just to price check the services for if nothing else but and I would probably do that um in normal circumstances but since they've been involved in our y um all the stuff we have going on currently with negotiations and such I would keep them just because they have the historical perspective yeah okay very well all in favor say I I poose same sign all right that motion carries brings us to item number six budget and Levy discussion Connie yeah so at the November 4th council meeting um staff advised Council that as of October 29th the levy had been reduced by $ 73,4 51 and gave an update on the proposed Capital um as well um Council requested that staff sent out an email to council to include in the email in this Council packet which it was attached that email was sent out on November 5th staff continues to review budget line items and the current Levy amount has been reduced by an additional 4 $ 6,684 for a total reductions of$ 11 17,1 35 since September the information from the email has been updated and additional changes are noted in the explanations and capital is now at 2,242 $2,242 n0 um the council set the preliminary airport level at Levy at $1,000 which together with the adjustment made by staff brings the current 2025 Levy to 7,200 6 7,122 a 4.43% increase over the 2024 Levy um at the October 24th PNF meeting the committee wanted to look at the street Capital tree budget and reduce it from 25,000 to 15,000 currently is still in the capital budget at 25,000 since no formal action had been taken so the action is um to discuss the 25 uh budget and Levy to discuss the street tree budget and a motion establishing the levy the amount to be used for the budget public hearing to be held at the December 3rd council meeting okay thanks actually that is the December 2nd council meeting my air I will get that corrected okay so this committee already took action on this Capital Street tree budget we just got to get that in front of the full Council y so does anybody have any questions or discussion ond or Levy good job I just said okay yeah I like I mean it looks like right now currently all the actions we've taken it would be a 4.4% levy increase to fully fund the city of Brainard for next year personally I would like to see the capital Levy cut by probably about $100,000 we have more than enough capacity in that Levy to fund everything and still set aside hundreds of thousands of dollars every single year is the attachment in there in perpetuity so I just don't I think we're over taxing the citizens in the capital Levy and I think that should be reduced to by about $100,000 because if we reduced it $100,000 to 1,180 we would just have to reduce that set aside for Parks which was would still be $400,000 a year and we would still be above water on everything I think with the amount we've been taxing on the capital Levy it has encouraged or open doors for staff to slide capital projects in like the bathrooms that they added into the Public Works garage like the impound like the street scan software there's a lot of things the council didn't take action on individually but was slipped into the capital budget because there is capacity there so I think that just shows that there's too much capacity in the capital budget y um and so for the funding for the airport at 100,000 currently it's at 1,000 right yeah so we would believe we' need to fund the airport the city's contribution yes or no I guess you know I we still don't have a clear understanding of how much taxpayer dollars are going to our staff time at the airport so so if we could get that number or something close we could talk about the airport a little more yeah I'm not comfortable passing this without that information for the airport and knowing what that amount should be is there any how do we get that number I mean something just close well we did have a rough estimate presented at the last meeting and that was 36,000 40 25 25,000 which I had I have a hard time believing to be the true numbers because staff came to us two years ago and said the airport is just so too much work on staff and it's so much of a burden and then they come back and well actually we don't really do anything for the airport I don't know which is which is true if we do not pass this what's going to change for getting more getting numbers well what Cony wants is Direction on what percentage she needs to present for the public the public hearing on December 2nd right and I'm I'm nervous to put that forward at the 4o whatever it is because that doesn't include the airport amount and so it's not I don't think an accurate projection based on what we need to cover not that kindy you've done anything wrong or anything else it just doesn't include airport funding happened to so what are we asking them I'm wondering what the levy amount percentage would be including the the amount we need to fund the airport so what amount are you looking at funding the airport at the request was 200,000 you guys requested 150 Gabe proposed 146 keeping it flat so what what amount do you want to use to fund the I think and commissioner stun or council member stck I think we talked about the 150 to provide a little bit of an increase but not the full amount that they were asking no so I I still stand on am won happen right right but I would like to see the 150 versus the 143 or whatever but especially if we can make the numbers work well you guys can make that motion we've we've we've recommended that to council once already I know so if we have $150,000 in for the airport Levy and if we reduce the um Capital Levy by $100,000 we'd be at 5.13% no no we're not saving a taxers any money either it's it's better than where we were at before the preliminaries was set at 8% yeah and last year increase was 8% well I'm not I'm not trying to backtrack but we've already put it in front of the council even though I'd like to 150 we put it in front of the council and it got voted down to stay at 143 so I always we're like beating a dead horse again yeah well I since 150 already failed I don't see it passing I think we if you guys want to see the 150 and how about we take that $50 less the $25,000 we're already taxing our citizens in staff time and put the the the money we transferred to the airport at 125 and see how that goes at Council sure I could live with that that's reasonable I can live with that so funding the airport at 1225 yes reducing the capital Levy by $100,000 we're at 4.77% I don't mind that still sucks but it's better than where we were at before let's let's run with that and see what happens on Monday yeah we're halfway there so let's use 4.75 okay 475 perfect I a motion to make to recommend those changes and do the public forum at 475 so go you do second Motion in a second any other discussion do we want to update the agenda before it goes out on Thursday to say that this was what was presented PNF committee wants to do X Y and Z or just leave it as it was presented to you guys and you guys make the changes at Council yeah I I would I think you add one other sheet to the agenda of what the changes that the this committee is recommending so have the current one still leave that Y and then show what we're recommending okay okay all in favor say I I oppose same sign that motion carries next meeting Connie the next meeting will be Wednesday November 27th at 11:00 oh you well that's yeah you'll be prepping Thanksgiving the day won't you oh no I got staff don't worry about that I just walk around and go do this do that this that okay with that we're adjourn thank you don't we have to do the election thing yeah it's 15 minutes I need to cook cuz we posted a public meeting at 11:30 I got 15 minutes offered to give you a ride to your seat yeah should I try to