All right. Council Cormian >> present. >> Council Brooks >> present. Uh announcement. Opening meeting recordings and recording this meeting. No, we will wave the reading of the announcement. Reading of minutes prior meetings. There are no amendments
prior meetings. The first item on the agenda is FY 2027 budget meetings. We will start with the commission on disability. Have anyone to speak on the council of disability? Nope. Then we will move on to the council of aging.
Let me go first. >> Yeah. If that's okay with you. >> No. No. >> All right. To the golf course. >> Good morning. >> Good morning. Um, as far as budget goes, it's it's
always kind of brief with the golf course being an enterprise budget. Um, our surplus right now, which we take pretty serious, is a little over a million dollars. Um, so we kind of operate it like a small business within the municipality. Um, we're steady right
now. We have another 700 members already this season. We'll probably try to get that number to about 750. Um, and that's the majority of our revenue right there. because that is upfront money and then it's cart rentals and then it's tokens
and then they bring other people. Um so that's a huge chunk. So if we're already at 700 going into the end of the fiscal year wrapping up this entire season um that's really strong. Um we're continuing to spend money as it comes in. Um upgrades to buildings, upgrades
to the pump house irrigation system. Um and we've recently um took out a bond for some equipment. keep upgrading the equipment. Um, people are getting paid, which is good. Um, so we're we're putting back into the to the system so that when times do get lean again, which
they will, um, we're bolstered up a little bit. Um, our entire staff has basically returned um, from last year to this year. So, we're incredibly solid on staff, um, buildings, irrigation,
equipment. Um, and like I said, budget-wise, we look good. Um, we're going to have to make a couple transfers here before the end of the fiscal. Um, just where we've gone over in a couple line items, equipment, um, and like I said before, the pump house situation.
Um, but going forward budget wise, we look good. >> Okay. Is there any questions? Uh, yeah. Uh, first just a comment that I've noticed driving along Green Street looking across the golf course, you folks have cleaned out
a lot of the underbrush and and I guess I just noticed it this in within the last year how far you can see across the course compared to how it used to be where the you know you have the the underbrush that
made each fairway a little private. So, it's just it's an impressive more impressive look. >> So, and it's it's for we finally caught up on some work, but it's for a practical reason. Um, when COVID hit, you hear this every year from me, we got
crazy busy. So, on a really long day, call it July. >> Yep. >> On a Saturday and Sunday, we will do over 300 rounds. >> Wow. >> So, that's 4:45 a.m. to 700 p.m. Boom. Boom. Boom. If we have a bunch of
branches and brush and weeds along those fairways and people hit their balls in, they'll look for them for a long time. So from a practicality standpoint, pace of play is everything. Y >> So that's what we've done. And in turn, obviously, yeah, visually it looks great. >> Yeah. Good.
>> Good crew. Y um and and just a question on on the mayor's request and I'm I'm just looking at these budget numbers for the first time on the department salary is 58,000 for the year which to me isn't
right and it should be that's not a year's wage. So is that I would just I would just suggest you check on that. >> Um >> there's not a reason for that. So, I have two different ones.
You're saying mayor's request all the way to the right 58. Is that what you're looking at? >> That's what I'm looking at. >> Yeah. I don't know. >> I don't know if there was a change in accounting procedures or >> that makes two of us. >> Okay. >> I'm going to c I'm going to circle and check that one. >> You might you might Yeah, that I know
you have a personal interest in that. >> Maybe I'll text him after this. >> Okay. >> Understood. >> Yeah. And it and it in some respects it doesn't matter because it doesn't matter in the sense that it's coming out of the enterprise fund. >> Sure. >> It's not costing the city anything,
>> right? >> Okay. >> Yeah. Which is something obviously and I say this every year that we do take serious. We don't ever want to have to come to the city. Um we kind of want to run it on our own. So >> thank you. >> Sure.
>> Uh I did not have any other questions. That was the only question I >> Okay, thank you guys. >> I'll be over in about 20 minutes. place another pack of lunch. This is good. >> Morning, gentlemen.
>> I use the term loosely. >> Um, well, there's there's really not a a lot to say uh about the mayor's budget. I think that uh across the board it represents a 4% reduction in where we are right now. To date we've spent um
and by to date I'm talking as of May 31st we do rigorous financials for the Council on Aging spent $231,4956 and this budget goes down by about $9,000. Um, and it has me worried and uh I know
some things are going to change in FY27, including our location, but just to give you an example, our repairs and maintenance this year alone was $18,571 after we made some adjustments to reclass some of those expenses into
because we had a little bit of flexibility into other accounts. Um, but my budget was 13250. I mean, in total, we're going to be about $20,000 in repairs and maintenance. We still have a elevator inspection coming up on June 24th. Um, so we'll incur expenses from
American Alarm, the FM generator, and uh, Otis. So, we are estimating those costs to be around $2,000. So, that's where the the uh 20,571. To date, I've spent 18,571 trying to
reclass expenses and keep that, you know, relatively manageable, but it's pretty unmanageable. And the other big one is utilities. I mean, this year we spent $21,000 to date. Um, I still have the month of May and the month of June
bills to pay. Doing an analysis, we do a trend analysis based on the last three years, looking at where expenses were for those months or that duration, 11 months, 10 months. Every month we do projections just to kind of compare and look at what our increase or decrease is
from year to year. We're about 24% higher for UNATIL, 13% higher for uh NRG. Um our solar is the only one that's gone down. Our solar expense, it's gone down by about 8%. But all the others are
averaging like huge increases. So the budget going in this year shows a 4% reduction from last year. Um FY26 we had 145 in our budget. We put in the the 4% 3% reduction. So the mayor's proposal is
14065. But we haven't hit 14065 in 3 years. Um in FY25 my utility costs were 17,195 and we were budgeted 14. So um I understand there's a process. I'm not critical of the process. I'm just want
to make sure that you know and have um you know complete transparency and awareness that in FY26 I submitted a request already to the city auditor and the mayor to ask for a supplemental um of about $14,000 to cover those
additional repairs and maintenance expenses and utility expenses. We're just we're just so way over budget. I think you've probably seen that on utilities like utilities are utilities. Um it we haven't gone to a new vendor. It's
just the cost of the commodity is so much higher. Uh the only thing I would uh say about this year's budget other than we're we're going in we're trending again asking for less money than we know we're going to spend. Uh I would put a caveat on that because we don't really know what we're going to spend if we
should move into Waterford on July 1st. um that's all up in the air, but if but presuming that we're going to stay at 294 uh and based our budget is based on that, we're we're just we're just too low. There's there's no way
except maybe shutting down the facility for, you know, 50% of the time we're open now that we could cut back on the utilities, for example. And then one last thing on repairs and maintenance, we did have two very extraordinary expenses this year. was two extraordinary expenses amounted to about
$13,000. $2600 for repairs on the fire escape out back that the treads had just rusted too much for us to safely use. So, we had to get a welder to come in um and replace those, you know, re reweld the treads on
um so we can open that fire escape. And then our manifold completely disintegrated at the senior center. with the manifold problem. We lost two circulating pumps um in in a very cold winter. We put some stop gap measures
together. We circulated air so that our um we didn't have any zones that were freezing until the the repairs could be made, but that was a $10,000 repair. It was a big item. Yeah, maybe with those two items gone, we would have been within budget. Um but we're also trying
to be very creative on where we do it. in the mayor's request. Um there I've I've communicated with the mayor on this and I know he's actively pursuing this but I wanted to make you aware as well. Um we have some discussions on the department head salary and what uh step
you know I should have gone in that step is not reflected in the mayor's budget but I know he's in and I was just saying that mayor came in that you and I have talked and we've um brought that issue up. The mayor's request is a salary based at step two. Um, but with my prior
experience and the 3/4 uh time committed because of a calculation or it really should be step three. So that salary should be really around 715 if the mayor agrees to that and all things move ahead. Last thing about budget, just want to let you know what you see are operating expenses, but all our program
expenses go through our enterprise fund, our revolving fund. Um this year we took in about $80,000 worth of revenue, but we we flip that out. So what we take in we spend on programs. Um so it's, you know, is it building up a little bit?
Yeah. Some days it looks like it's very high, but that can go out in a day. I think our handover theater expenses alone were $22,000, right, for trips and excursions. We also have formula grants. Um the formula grants help pay for our instructors and some of those program
costs. And then I have a gift fund. So those aren't reflected in the budget that the mayor proposed, but I wanted to make sure full awareness um and transparency that you know that we also have those things that are very specifically designed and dedicated for
program. And you'll see there are no program expenses in the mayor's um in in the city's budget that all of our program expenses come out of the other accounts. Morning. >> Good morning. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
>> Uh, so we already discussed the golf uh budget. Councelor Brooks had one question about your budget versus the rest of it. Um, department uh the department head. >> Yes, that's one that's currently in
negotiations with the um with the department head that was level funded because it's still an active negotiation. >> Okay. and and I looked at it and it looked like there was a reduction. So that's I'm just >> No. Yeah. >> I I just suggested you go back and look at it, check with you on it. That's all. >> Thank you. That's the golf course or the
senior center? >> That was golf course. >> So you'll probably hear >> Did you have anything to add for the council of aging's budget? >> No, not on that one, Mr. Chairman. Just uh as the director said, those other programs are funded out of the different
accounts, but since those aren't paid for out of the general fund and out of those revolving accounts, they're not allocated for in the actual budget document. Do >> you have any further questions? Council works. >> Yep. So, so we're you you're overspent
this year. I understand why. Not not that it's logical. When do we expect I'm assuming there'll be a money order coming? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yep. And I think you should also know that you know we work really hard especially in the months of April, May and June to
see if there are any reasonable expenses that we can legitimately move out of operating account to some of the other funds but they are very strictly kind of mandated. Do we have some fluid like trash bags? Could I you know and and we
did we moved like trash bag expenses but it was a lot. It was like I think we, you know, we made a transfer of like $2,700 already out of the city's operating maintenance to other line. I mean, other other funding um for those
kinds of things that would normally be paid for out of maintenance or supplies that were and we're still working on that. I think we'll have some additional transfers, but it's not going to be thousands of dollars. So, cool. Thank you. Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> That's like record time. >> Um, Greenwood Memorial Pool. >> I'll take that one, Mr. Chairman. Uh, most of it is uh very similar to last year. I think the only difference that's
reflected in the pool's budget uh that you see before you is the increase in uh lifeguard salaries reflective of the new ordinance that was recently adopted. Uh supplies went down a little bit just for budget constraints. Uh but everything else is pretty much the same.
Any questions? >> Yes. So, how for this summer, >> who's handling the pool? >> Uh, right. There is a proposal pending before the appointments committee to transfer the handling of the pool from the HR director to the youth center
director. >> So, currently the HR director is, but uh she has been running everything >> because we're in the hiring phase. >> Correct. Yes. So, the HR director has been doing everything, but she's also been doing it sitting down with the youth center director. That way, if he was to get, you know, if everything moves forward and the vote happens, he's
already up to speed on everything that's going on. >> Yep. Okay. >> Yeah, that's Yeah, and we changed we changed the salary ordinance last year so that that this wages are already increased and I'm assuming it's effective >> for the whole season, not not a July 1st.
>> Correct. >> Yeah. Thank you. That's it. >> Um, do you mind going back to the disability? >> No, not at all. >> Commission. >> And I do apologize for being late. I had a meeting at Waterford Street that uh went long, so I apologize for that. But
uh the disability commission is also, let me just put up the correct page on page 10. Uh it's level funded from the previous years. Uh that was there. the um commissioners are being more active. Uh
so I could see a potential of slight increases uh maybe in future years, but for this year with what they have planned and where they're going, it's level funded at the $500 from the previous years. And I say that that I have no problem with I think when I was working on
budgets back in the dark ages. A lot of these commissions we would do that just fund something minimal. if they had activity, we could always throw in because usually what they needed was another couple thousand dollars, which I realize is money, but in the scheme of
things from from the city auditor seat, it was not critical to find it. Um, so yeah, that's the way to go. Then they have the ability to spend if they want to spend. >> Okay, on to historical commission.
>> Actually, I wouldn't mind if you would take employees. So, >> and just before we start, I just want to disclose that I am a trustee of the Levi Haywood Association.
>> Um, I'll add um for the for the library directors um asking you the libraries budget um director Clemens has been doing a tremendous job over at the library. I've been super happy with the work that she's done. Um, we weren't able to fund one of the requests that
she had this year that I think we need to be making a full plan toward working. And I think if this can be something that's done in next year's budget, um, that this is something that should be at the top of the priority list, but increasing the hours for the teen librarian. I think the teen librarian, the new program that uh, director Clemens has started at the library has
been hugely successful. the partnerships that have been done uh over there particularly with uh you know some work with the youth center some work uh just outside the community and even just beginning programming and doing the calendar of programming that that position has done I think it warrants the extra hours uh because of the funding constraints that we had and the
revenue projections that we currently had uh with the governor's numbers because that's what we're using for state aid uh to make this budget so those are you know could fluctuate depending on what the uh house and senate do moving forward we know what the house has done we know what the senate has done it's gone to the conference committee now. So, there's
some changes that may come up in revenue, some that we just don't know yet because the numbers are just so far apart from each other that we use the governor's numbers to be safe. Um, but I do think that uh the uh numbers that are here that the director can speak to um
is something that we really do need to be working on. There's a it's not included here uh because of those funding constraints, but I do believe it is something that's needed here. Um, and again with everyone else, uh, if a position is currently not in negotiations, uh, the policy is we have to level fund until the negotiations are
done, transfer the money in at that point in time. Everyone else is based off of the ordinance that was passed last year. Uh, the library is one of the departments that does have minimum funding standards. I wouldn't call them specific um, requirements because there's you don't have to, but there's
ramifications if you don't. But this is one that we uh, try to get as best as we can. So I I I don't want to take the director's thunder away from her too much, so I'll let her say the rest. >> Thank you very much. Um I'm very proud to tell you that in 20 FY26, for the first time in many years, the library
was able to open for 50 hours a week, which is um the number of hours that the state recommends for a city with our population and further that we intend to open on Saturdays throughout the summer this year. Um, this has been our fourth
year in a row of increased program attendance. And in particular, as the mayor alluded to, uh, we had nearly two and a half times as many teens at our programs in FY26 as we did in FY25, which of course is not including the
numbers for May and June. Um, our third annual summer reading kickoff block party will be on Wednesday, June 24th, uh, from 5 to 7 pm. So, uh, the mayor's budget puts us in a good position to meet the state
certification requirements and maintain our current staffing levels. In addition to open 50 hours a week, the state requires a minimum that of 13.5% of the overall budget be spent on circulating materials um which is the books and periodicals line in the budget before
you. Um the which it hits that 13.5% of the total and the library foundation has committed with the help of the friends of the library to make up the remaining 15% that will bring us into full compliance with the state requirements.
Um, you will see again, as the mayor alluded to, there's a difference of $8,165 between our departmental request and uh the mayor's budget request for the um
let me just make sure I'm getting it right here. Sorry. For the senior library technician salary, that would be the difference in bringing the team staff member up to 25 hours a week. instead of the 18 that they're at now.
Um that would allow her more time for program planning, collection development, and other administrative needs. I understand that that may not be in the cards this year, but given the increase in teen attendance that we've seen since we hired a teen staff member in September, um I can promise that it
would be an excellent return on the investment and it will be in this year in next year's budget request if it isn't possible this year. Um, other items I would like to bring to your attention are 52110, the energies
and utility fund, and 57500, the general liability fund. The general liability line is used to fund the library's insurance. I just met with our agent yesterday, and that will be approximately $19,300 this year. Our spending on energy and
utilities in fiscal year 26 to date has been 51,610. The portion of these expenses that are not funded by the city budget will be covered by the library state aid funds. Um however, it is important to note that
the library association counts on those state aid funds as well to fund the repair and maintenance line. Um, items that fall under repair and maintenance include paying for maintenance of the grounds, the elevator, and the library's
HVAC system, which is 22 years old and end of life and will likely need to be replaced in the near future. Um, can I answer any questions for you? >> End of life has been a new library.
>> End of life of the HVAC system. >> Sorry, I just had to. I yes I think I think what the director has said is is uh very much to the point being on the trustees and and hearing and seeing what what's going on. I think
we have a great resource there. I think we were fortunate 20 plus 25 years ago to to have committed to and built the library that we have uh because I think it is it is a real gem in this community and I think more recently there's been a real effort
to uh make more use of the library. Um, in some of the some of the uh mail we get as a city council, they're talking about seminars where where they talk about using the library as a community center and other things you
can do. And I think that's become a recognition now in gardener that it's more than just a place where you read books and you hear the librarians going sh. >> We try very hard not to do that. >> Um, so so can be a meeting place. there
are rooms that people can can use for various appropriate uh events or or meetings. Um and I and I think we it it's it's a gem and I think we need to make sure we we take care of it. Um, we're fortunate
that a lot of libraries are set up differently in every community and I think Gardner is often the case in in this case as well is unique and um, excuse me, the um, fact that we have an association that
owns a building. We just have to make sure that we're cognizant of the fact that the association needs to retain some means of maintaining the building. And I think we're that this budget recognizes some of that. and I think we're all trying to work toward the same goal. Um, so I I'm very pleased with
what's going on. >> Do you have a any highlights of what the team program has been offering? >> Um, that is a good question. So our uh recurring programs we have a uh queer media group which works as a book group.
The kids bring in what they've been reading, watching, viewing to discuss it. Um we have started a teen advisory board that uh to get feedback from the 12 to 18 demographic about what they would like us to be doing more of in the
library. Uh we've started a program called the literati where uh library users can subscribe to get a bag every week with excuse me every month where the teen librarian uh selects books
based on their interests for them as well as some snacks and prizes. Um we've also been bringing in programs. We had uh Fidelity Bank come and uh do an educational program about cash and use and finance which as an absolute shocker
had 18 people come. It turns out kids are really interested in learning useful skills which is wonderful to see. Um we had a successful Dungeons and Dragons club for a while. That one is sort of in an E period because our dungeon master
got a job. We're very happy for him. We're we're hoping that that might pick up again if there's uh interest in it from a different group. >> Great. Thank you. >> Uh just to clarify on the actual budget sheet too, Mr. Chairman, you'll notice that there's no um the 3% non- salary
reduction that I asked for most departments. I don't ask that of the library because of the minimum funding standards uh that we have for them. So that's why that's something that wouldn't meet the standard there too. So we'd ask them not to do that part. >> Thank you.
>> All right. Thank you so much. Thank you. >> Please put that. Thank you. Uh first of all, I'm here representing the uh historical commission. Uh the chair Chris Perah regrets he's unable to attend due to such a short notice and he was not able to re uh re rearrange his work schedule
this morning. So he asked me if I would just uh uh appear before the committee committee has any questions. Obviously, our budget is very simple and I just you have the documentation I believe that was submitted >> the um as I've said in a couple other
meetings before all of the professional development and travel line items have been consolidated into one of the mayor's unclassified accounts sim similar to the termination leave account that we have in the classified. So the $98 request that the historical commission still put in is still in the budget. it's just located in the unclassified account instead of here to
allocate it separate so we can track across the city uh professional development and travel in a more cohesive unit. Uh so that's uh not allocated here but it is allocated up above in the inclassified account. Um clerk agnelli as I enjoy getting to call him again um
has you know has cleri chair perah uh and the historical commission have made clear their vision for where they'd like to see the commission move forward. So, I understand the $16,000 uh request for professional services, what would go towards uh I'm glad we were able to make the free cash appropriation that we made
last year. Uh I know that the commission has recently presented me with their new master plan for the old burial ground uh and the work that needs to be done over there to restore that location there, too. Um again, with the funding constraints that we had going off of the revenue projections that we had on our local receipts, the governor's money for the cherry sheet and things of that
nature, that's why you see what's in front of you here, too. Um, but I don't uh discredit that there might be other ways that we should be taking a look at to see if we can knock some of the things off the list in the 16,000. Whether it be uh funding for the archive buildout at Waterford Street, uh funding
for the old burial ground restoration and things of that nature as outlined in the narrative submitted by the historical commission. Um while it's not included in this budget, that doesn't mean that we shouldn't be looking or aren't going to be looking at other potential funding sources for at least some of the stuff on the checklist.
Thank you. >> Any questions? Council? >> Yeah, and I say this is this this is an example talking earlier I think of the histo of the disabilities commission where if you look at the historical spending has been zero and I know we've been budgeting few thousand dollars to
it every year thousand and and it just it just was never spent but it was there in case and you have a group that starts to do things they want more. So let's let's have this discussion about what what you want to do. There's no point in budgeting money if they're not going to spend it. But if they are, let's let's
talk about it. That's fine. I'm fine with this. >> Yeah, it's pretty simple. Any questions? >> Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. >> Closing remarks on any budgets? >> Uh on these budgets, uh not too much. Uh
Mr. chairman. I mean, the just kind of the the stuff that I've already said, the professional development and travels all been consolidated in the mayor's classified budget. Uh the uh other items that you have before you were pretty simple and uh the departments were very good to work with through the budget
process this year. >> Any questions, counselor, comments, concerns? Motion to >> Oh, yes. I'm sorry. Motion to move to >> second. Motion by councelor Brooks. I have a second to adjurnn. All in favor?