evening. Committee and Finance committee meeting like to start introductions to my left. Thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN Mike district 24, thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN Pollen, a district went right. Thank you, MISTER Chair in a Allen District. 15. Thank you. MISTER Chair d# # # Roberts has worked for. Thank you. CHAIRMAN Andy Nelson District 14. Good evening, Scary Kristen Carlino District 11 West Side. Good evening. Maggie Lewis. Frank Miscarried history. 19 I thought was Missus, Missus, Wells. Now officially s name changes. Take time. Welcome to our newlywed we have 3 things on their or you present all 3, just the first proposal. 3 you're on the hot seat. Europe
Pozil 3.28 Good evening. My name is Jason Bay. Deputy controller in the Office of Finance Management. I'm presenting proposal 3.28, this is the year-end omnibus fiscal similar to previous years. This fiscal transfers budget between characters and the only additional appropriation is for grant awards. These transfers are required to allow agencies and departments to fulfill their commitments and maintain their services until the next fiscal year. Coming to the end of the year agencies and departments MAY need to realign their budget from how we originally built in 18 months ago. So this fiscal does And any new local dollars to the budget. Only shifts existing appropriation to the correct character and fund. So the budget is aligned with the agency's operational
needs before we enter into the 2026 fiscal year. These transfers MAY be needed for a variety of reasons. The most common action here is to transfer funds from character, one to 3 for additional contractual expenditures and services. We want to complete before the end of the year the one thing that stands out I want to draw attention to is the total the reduction and the total column. This is a reduction in the mayor's budget of 343,000. That is meant to. Partially offset the additional appropriation and the proposal 3.29 ccs requests for additional dollars. And then the last table is we have one grant appropriation for
for the coroner's office it's a it's a state grant. There are. Representatives from cia's agency. If there's any questions with that, that's the end of my slides. And they very Jeanne, council, questions. Seeing none anyone from the audience questions. And a motion, MR. CHAIRMAN, I move after post number 3.28 To the full council. What they do pass recommendation so moved. And second, all those in favor say Aye. Aye opposed thank you. Who's next? Close 3, 3, 29 to I sleep any would you say you should Guevara that? Isn't this. Is Jake McVeigh year? For a colleague to apparently.
a second. Thanks, Erica. Good evening. Kyle's first. Here to talk about ccs fiscal proposal for Biden. Which you 29 2025. To on his border coverage of view about what we use our understand from character, one to character, 3, which will be exclusively litigation related costs. The Jacob, we going to school. Have a sure. Thank you. Council. Lady had it. My no. That they did. And it for There you and that's going Yep. That's it. It's that is what? What was it like? Starting to be yes, yes, All right. Where was great part good with anything. Counselors. This is a request
to transfer our character. One understand. So care to 3 to cover costs related to our litigation contracts. Ok, us a preview and kind of a sample of what he says. Look like here, the opposite of Corporation counsel. So in the past couple years, especially with Haitian costs, have increased due to the cases that we've seen over the past couple years make it some information about those. In addition, litigation costs and thus climate economy have certainly certain skyrocket. And we're doing our best to try to navigate mitigate those well, providing a full and robust defense of the city of the cases that we get against us. I particularly want to highlight 2 cases in particular that do cost at least in this fiscal year 2025. A lot of money I will have to be a little bit vague about the middle for answers. Many questions they can. But
just to give you a sense, these are 2 suits that were filed by an out of state, large national against the city. Both cases involve a very specific subject matter. So we had to find a local council local from here that we thought would meet and has been against this from before. That was the to get them. Not only is it a specific type of such a matter involving law enforcement issues. It also subjects the city to a significant about a liability in the 10's of millions of dollars. So it's important for us to get people who are experts and attorneys who are experts in this area to defend the city on these cases. In addition to that, that's why no to these cases are unique in the sense that they're based on allegations of events
that occurred over 20 years ago. So in addition to all the litigation costs of it, we've had to time and resources to find witnesses that have located all throughout the country. We've sent our attorneys is cheaper than sitting from attorneys to partner on these cases to go find these witnesses conducted positions, do witness interviews and things like So these 2 cases we do expect in 26 because we spent so much resources on them this year will die down. But this has put the city of really advantageous position for both cases that we will. Hopefully they're completely eliminate the liability, the city or the significantly reduce that liability that, yeah, we are facing with those 2 cases. In addition while there's been an overall uptick in lawsuits filed against the city,
generally the past 2 years particular since 2020 nationwide has been an uptick in law enforcement specific cases because the city oftentimes a lot of these are result of the beginning cases because the claims are there. But where he on litigation? But that still takes time and resources away from our occ litigators Houston time find this procedural motions and spending time doing initial discovery in this case is to get that and to get resolved we also do well, we've increased our litigation step this year. So the process of doing that there are still vacant positions, which is why this character Transfer is available. But also kind of we try to match that cover what we have that outside counsel well, so let's talk about what we often have to do, which is higher conflict counsel. And covid Council is actually part
of our local ordinance this essentially is that if you are employed employee of the city county you are sued for actions, you've taken your official capacity. You are entitled to representation by the Office of Corporation Counsel and sometimes cases present either ethical conflicts under rules of professional conduct or by local ordinance where we could be conflicted from representing his client. So in that case, we have to get outside counsel for them order to give them what they're entitled to, which is a defense of any claims they have against them. Example, to kind of put that in context and say more common one, unfortunately is one where we get a case against the impd and individual officers are also named as defendants in the civil case. Subsequently, those officers have been charged with a criminal
offense because of that potential conflict and to give those officers fair representation, which is our duty. We want to get them conflict counsel so they can be representative appropriately and not. Brian, at least during the time of have criminal charges proceeding against them into the case that the city attorneys are occ. Attorneys are representing impd. That's just one example where we do part and we get called the Council for for officers. Did briefly kind ticked through and not for you all with litigation, but Discovery Costa trial costs too deposition Costa, certainly increased within the past year past 2 years, actually, we do have some of these funds. We going to pay? We have hired and found a good deal with our our internal well contracted court reporter. But other depositions. But obviously we
defendants in the case. Oftentimes Players Council higher their own transcription services that we have to pay for those transcripts and things to do for litigation. In addition, one big x potential fee that talk about issue a lot expert witness fees have significantly increased just since 2023. So that's something we have to pay for. Whitney died, I just think, for most cases, it's not practice not to try a case without expert witness. You're just getting yourself in advantage. So in addition to hire an expert to be always try to keep local to do the review and provide extra report pay for their time to go sit depositions of trouble today as well as pay for their time to sit and trial and to get testify and testify at trial. And finally, this
request will help cover. So her ongoing contracts that we just have ever hear that have been higher in the past 2 years. Inside senator role. First. Our litigation team does not have capacity to the plaintiffs. Attorneys. They are defense fall from exclusively. So we do have cases where the city I was entitled to money through collections actions. What risk on things like that? So we do have trees that we cover tater to help to initiate cases on behalf of the city to get what we believe are legally entitled to from businesses or whoever. And additionally, as you all probably know, this past 2 years have been cycles of collective bargaining. So we have had a labor attorney who engaged since way before my time, who has experience with are those contracts particular that builds at
trust level from the set from the offset from whatever union were negotiating with. And so she hissed phenomenal and helping us just go through our collective bargaining agreements and those I don't think there was one set for next year, but that should go down that we've had 2 years of giving all of our union contracts renegotiated for to 24 the rest of the end of this year. That's kind of show. What? Well, that is. And questions councilors. And can, No, sir. Thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN, I think that this is probably just a but drafting error. But I think in section to the proposal, I don't know which one is it? In fact, to $130,000? Additional preparation? You're anything about that yet. The one first one, they have character one
the have a lot. Sorry, I it in the in the actual text. It says 740,000 and then in the digits at the actual is 8.38 So just was making sure he ok, cool. I just I am. I know we can settle that later. I just wanted to make which one was right. And it was more. Just a note. Counselor. Believe. Yeah. Just what thank Council Pierce. Thank you, CHAIRMAN. Thank you. Any other questions? I have one. How many outside attorneys you hire life years? A labor attorney is that and staffers and some of are outside. We were trees outside. That's a separate outside attorney. As far as the workers comp one we've had for years is retiring this year. So we are I actually just a day ago, new contract workers comp and elections attorney and the the other ones are well part of
it. As far as in the most law enforcement cases, we go through the firm Frost, Brown Todd receives bulk of where this Karen, 3 us. Have so many law enforcement cases. They helped us out for so many years. And do we have have the expertise? So as far as the number had to cut the contracts that as far as attorneys who are helping us routinely to those law firms MAY be 10 to 12 during and what Brown is. The one is sheriff uses. So they expertise within making any other councilors questions seeing none anyone the audience and speak on is seeing none entertain a motion. So second and second, all those in favor say Aye.
Aye opposed. Thank you very much. One more to go proposal. 3.30 Information technology. A in charge of this microphone you know, we had a conversation about that today. 2 things. They're missing all over near it. Back to mission and a bigger well, it's technically the microphones are building authorities. We need to get that all right. You know the table. All right. One 0nd to get And I passed out yeah, you most of you the presentation. Well, good evening. Thank you all. Appreciate the opportunity come before you present or you're in a At the at the summary of what this is is requesting over 4.8 million dollars in additional appropriation $515,000 are
from the enhanced Access fund. And just over 4.3 from the county General Fund, there is a slight movement within our characters, as you can see below 50,018 1000 moving into character, from under spend with a character. One character, too. I will not probably talk about these again unless you all ask us for or get into it. But as far as the bigger costs what's coming from the county general fund and why we're asking for that, we'll probably spend a predominant amount of time here talking about what that is. So about 13, 14 years ago, we did an rfp. We we awarded a contract to our previous property tax, current property tax under that has run its course. And after a certain number of refills in contracts, you have to go through the rfp process in order to to get to a new And
so that's what we undertook this year. We included people from I say, the Otter daughters office, the assessor's office treasurer's office d-Md and Bns in order to select a vendor forward for the system and it was open to anybody who would apply for it after a long and lengthy process. We ended up selecting a new vendor by the name ex office. They are currently Italy. 84 counties within in Indiana. There recognizing certified by the and the vast majority of our this school is paying for the licenses and software and installation of that new system. This is a known expense that we knew about and cooperation with them back in 20 4, we had talked about adding what a
potential to our budget on what the costs would And instead of doing that to 25, we decide that with the best course of action is once we knew at that number was was to come for a fiscal at the end of the year this year in order to get that put into this year's budget so we can pay for that initial sum of money the second piece on happy to talk more about that. Is the address, impartial modernization initiative. This is something This is so within the city county, we use every systems a lot for our GIs systems and they are used by a vast majority of departments and agencies maps Indy's archivist powered by it. This is a significant improvement to our address and our our personal. It's called the parcel fabric and that as re
address, data management. And so will help with the accuracy address space routing within our system. So when you think of the systems that use that not necessarily the assessor because that's more on the personal side. So that would be parcel 5 or peace. But the address in peace will be used by vast majority of the other city and county units business. If you think of even even with a can or a mess of psc, we send information over from our GIs systems to them so that they can be ready in emergencies that more appropriately. This goes to 3 rout street mapping and updating center lines, which is really nerdy stuff if you wanted do it. So I'm gonna try and avoid it. But that is $500,000 request. But goal here is that we will update
this address and parcel information so that the new property tax management that sits on top of it will be more valuable to the residents to the city county. That's the idea behind that is we have just recently gone through year and a half a grade of our gis systems that's taken some time. And this is the last piece that we want to incorporate order to make sure that our systems are working appropriately. And finally, on the 3rd piece, there is the Indigo Blue Line. You're wondering why that's on on my budget request. So we have 5 or that runs between most of the central area of of Indianapolis so that we can connect all are just 8 build buildings and it kind of running our own fiber network. A lot of that runs along where the blue line is going. And so we have to pay contractors in
order to move that around. So we don't disrupt the network that the city county grounds on. And so that is $380,000. And then finally, the enhance after enhanced access fund. I have come to this committee before an enhanced access requests. The goal enhance access is a state statute that allows for a certain fund to be created and poor things that will improve more access to services of of the city county or of any local government for that matter there's a committee that would cause before that committee is a sub to the it board. It goes to the committee for approval. Once those are approved to goes to the it Board for approval and then finally comes the council for approval of the appropriation of funds but the whole point of these things are things that will help residents and staff have better access to electronic records is really what it comes down to. There are 4 things on their. The first one
is dot maps. Nasa is already in use by the currently to help with road closures and permit handling 2 so the public can see where permits are being being used. This is actually for $150,000. That's an improvement to that. They are going to take it right away. Permit applications through the system in order. So to have a better integration with this, there will also be a new interface on the dot maps application where residents and the public can see what area what permits have been given to certain areas within the bat that's on there. You can draw draw a square and any permits that are in that area will light up and you'll be able to look and see what permits have been issued in that area in regard to right away from it. So that's a that's the exciting development. Next one docu
sign. Some of you MAY be aware that what Docu sign is it's not just sunny documents. However, if there is a workflow piece to it as well. And so it is a kind of a where the idea here is with the workflow and the building design documents electronically, this will replace a lot of what we use for forms on the website potentially enhance other government services. Our Web site, as you MAY have seen, has its been in existence now for about 7 to 8 years that website is almost 99% can play on accessibility requirements, particularly if that's a deadline that we have at the end of APRIL of next year work on excessively both internal
and external applications and our website, this piece will help not only with that, but it will also we use an application called Screen Door, which is one of the forms with you. Never use it for Monday. The dot Gov. That's that's what we use. That form will be will be replaced by Docu sign peace and allows the departments and agencies to create their own forms and put them on to the Web site for to use them for other services as well. So I believe this one was for $125,000. And that is for the first year. We have several use cases that we're trying to get off the ground this first year to prove its worth. But the screen or application that we pay our Web site b# # # # # is $150,000. So there's already a savings that were able to switch those out. Moving forward. The next one on there
is open U.S. Open got is currently in use by 2 departments purchasing and dmt dmv is using the permitting and licensing piece to do some internal work within with within their organization. I think there is a public-facing piece to it, but you can't I can't get into all that detail. Just don't know it as well. But that purchasing pieces for procurements. So then ERs are able to go to a website now and look at the available rfp is calls quotes whatever and submit their applications or the responses directly on that website at routes through this next piece that we're asking for funds here. That's $125,000. As for the contracting piece, so we will go directly from procurement to contracts and doing additional contacts with everyone in the city county. We currently do have
additional contract portal. However, it is outdated and a little a little difficult to work with. But this is will not only will give us that contract. Peace decide. But once the contracts done, it will post them on its own website on open dot Gov. That is not only searchable like our current website does, but you could actually browse it and be able to see quickly the value of certain contracts. So we're really excited about what that will look like. That is 125,000. And then finally, the last one on there is preserve a ca preserve daca so currently within the city county, we store document retention with application called filed that it is very it's old. It's been around for a while in it is not quite it needs to be improved on and we haven't had that improvement that we've been looking to find. There's a lot of people
who don't like the interface. It's difficult to use those challenges with it. Preserve a ca is looks very much like a share point. Ship went online type of style. This allows for document storage and archiving on im. Not only on premise were piled, it is but in the cloud, it also makes the ability to have public archives available. You can set up. These are documents that we want the public to be able to view and be able to get easily. And that allows for that as well as internal security documentation that were story in perpetuity. For example, payroll a payroll of anything related to someone's payroll. They have few. We have to maintain and keep that for 75 years past their death. So like there has to be a place perpetuity to store these documents and this will
be the new peace at a high level. These are the improvements that we're asking for here. And I think deeply a little bit more on all these. And that's what the remainder of that power point slide is. But for the sake your benefit in to talk about it, I want to pause here and what it is that you wanted to stick it out. Thank you. Questions counselors. The sure you can get things also what I can do Yeah. Anyone from audience likes peak on an emotion so moved. And seconded. All those in favor say All right. Thank you very much. Very, very informational. Kept short,