##VIDEO ID:https://stpaul.granicus.com/player/clip/5053?view_id=37&redirect=true## committee to order. Good morning, everybody. I want to appreciate you for being here coming off yesterday. And what I'm sure is a lot of people to process. I think that for today what we want to do continue doing what we do every day, which is showing up is carrying local government for our constituents for that. And they really want to thank every single person here today on the staff side, our council members who show every day for our community, everyone here making this broadcast happened. We're here in chambers together and we're going to take it in our time today. So want to offer that care and thoughts ahead of our conversation. What we're doing this morning is that we're going to continue in our budget process. Been having these weekly meetings with departments to understand the proposed budgets and how that fits into our work every day for Saint Paul. We will first hear from our regional Water Services board proposed budget and will move to the city attorney. So with that, I'd like to turn it over to our partners at the water board. Thank you for being here. Good morning and welcome. Good morning. Thank you for having me. I bet most of you, some of you are on our water board. So thank you for being willing to hear this all over again. for all the feedback that has brought us to today items recalled ask Em our general manager first time here first year and this rule. So appreciate the opportunity and excited to share with you the product that our team has been working on for many months. Very quick overview. I know like many of the other city departments right now. It is very much a time of change. There's a lot going on. A lot of significant projects. And so you'll see some of those throughout our budget, but want to highlight really are our highest priorities and where our attention are going. 2 large ones that I hope you're aware of. Our lead free program and are in the care and treatment plant two-thirds of the plants being rebuilt right now? In addition to that, we have a significant amount of other aging infrastructure that is also reaching the end of its useful life. So that's not unique to us. That's very common across the entire water industry right now. And it's something we need to be paying attention to. We also have meters and every single one o our 96,000 customer homes and those meters are also reaching the end of their useful life. So we will need to get into every customer's home over the next 7 years to replace their meters. Another large capital investment, unnecessary product. We have a brand-new Kushner portal launching for those of you who live in Saint Paul and had to bear with us through our existing one. Thank you for the patients we regularly hear. It's from the 90's because it is and the technology in the options available to customers are very limited. We aiming for a Mid-JANUARY launch of that for that we very exciting. We also unlike some of the other city departments are regional entity. So we serve not only Saint Paul but 13 other communities as well. And there is a lot of talk in the Northeast Metro about the need our help potentially as they experience issue. So the potential of further expanding our service area is very real and will be into the next few years. Affordability is a huge topic for me or boards very aware of that. And I'll talk about that later. Today is one of the biggest pieces and changes in this budget that I'm proposing. Cyber security as well as well as p fos which has been all over the news. Luckily for us, are not currently in the Mississippi River at a concerning level, which is what our water sources. But it's something we'll have to watch into the future and last but not least over 40% of our workforce has been with organization less than 5 years. So we are very green. We are very which it's exciting. There's a lot of energy, it's important that we focus on that. I just add the slides that you can see. You know, our focus is aligned very deeply what the water industry as a whole is going through aging infrastructure and need for investments. There is not unique to us. During each budget cycle with our Board of Water. Commissioners are trying pick out a few larger topic. Debatable items to really, really dig in and look for feedback that we dug into this year. The 2 biggest changes are additional investments into our capital. As well waterworks commitment, waterworks is our low-income assistance program. These are 2 large topics. I hope that you have a budget letter in front of you should look something like this. Document is what will pretty much walk through today and really outlines the budget itself. And then the big changes. Pretty straightforward, though, obviously spending equals financing. Our budget would be around 100 million dollars if it weren't for a lead program. So lead represents about 35 million on each side of the budget in this year's proposal. The Great news is that there that 35 million dollars is completely grant funded through the state. So it does not have a great impact on our customers. We are able to provide the lead free program at no cost. The right side of the bdget. Talks about the rate changes specifically. of course, and presentations. We look at the real numbers, but it equates to a 9 and a half percent across the board on the consumption fee. And on the base fee, you can see in the bottom, right? And on the backside of the budget letter, we break that all the way down for what that means for our customers. So ultimately 9 and a half percent rate increase equates to a $3.12 cent per month. Increase for our customers. First and foremost, how we how we finance the majority of our work is that we are an enterprise unit and we funded through the sale of water. This chart shows that the consumption of water has remained very steady. When we do a five-year look back until we used constant consumption projection. I will say that I'm sure the population of our area is growing cnservation efforts are as well. And they seem to be offsetting each other very well. High-level budget overview a plan to skim through a lot of this and have plenty time for questions. If if you have them. Salaries and French where our largest increases as you're aware, because we're in our 3rd year now, this contract, these were pre negotiated wage increases. Certification pays incentive, pay a lot of exciting things to really focus on building in retaining our staff, but 9 and a half percent significant in next year's budget. Services. We work really hard to cut where we could. One significant thing worth noting is that we do hve $120,000 in this budget to pay a consultant to work with them on a rate study wich I'll talk about Morris tied to our affordability, work. And look the last category of all. And I'm obviously as materials. We have specific material that we can't really work around. And that is our chemicals for treating our water. And then all of the last 3years we have seen significant price hikes on the chemicals that we use to treat water to. Again, you'll see a pretty significant increase there. Overall, a 7.4% increase on the biggest piece of this that we really have control over. Besides what we what I showed on the last slide is how much money we're investing. Our capital. So walk us through that decision-making. Obviously, when we're talking about 2 sides of the budget on one side, the of capital investment on the other capital assets or anything more than $5,000 projected to last more than a year. And our plan is supposed to help us have an outlet of 10 years at a time. You know, we're talking about assets with long, useful lives. And so how are we prioritizing investing money in those assets? One of the largest projects tied to capital is the capital of our service lines, which we know 26,000 of the 96,000 in our service area are composed of lead. The great news here, as I mentioned, as we've been able to obtain first arpa funds and then now state revolving funds to fund this program, therefore, being able to offer the full line replacement to customers for free. So you will not see that lead free, even though a very expensive 400 million Dollar project does not ultimately have an effect on our budget at all, including all of the salaries, wages, fringes tied to the employees doing this work. The second large capital projects that we're doing right now is rebuilding two-thirds of our water treatment plant. We've been talking about this one for years. We will finally be pushing water through that new plant this coming spring so says along way in the works. You can see that the bulk of our debt is tied to that. So currently same Chargers is sitting on about 214 million dollars in debt. We watch that closely. We've worked worked with all of U.S. Office to maintain a aaa bond rating. As we've done that. But you can see that about 16 million dollars a year we spend on our debt service to pay off that loan and that's intentional. We want to spread out who's paying for that plant over the next 20 years? Shipboard again can answer our questions. We haven't. Well, those are 2 very exciting projects. Each 3 to 400 million dollars. They are only a fraction of the assets that we manage as the water department. So this pie chart helps to show that. While it's easy to think, well, they're gonna have a brand new plan. Things are great. You can see the light blue. The plant is only a small section of our total assets. The large a good chunk of that is the water means so not the service is coming off the main into individual homes. But the man's that take the water from our plant out to every street of our city. That's really where we're having the largest issue and where will talk about capital investments. A water main is expected to last 100 years and wall Saint regional archers has done a wonderful job of maintaining low water rates and low rate increases. The investments being made into in the past have not been at the level that they could have been. You can see on this pie chart that a significant percentage of the water mains in our system right now are already passed that hundred-year useful life. And so you're playing a little bit of a gamble. They're waiting for those assets to fail, which we know significant mean bricks can shut down. Neighborhoods can shut down businesses. And so we do our best to try maintain and watch those main breaks into what we can to But until we can actually replace U.S. Infrastructure, it's a risky. It's a risky game of catch-up that we're going to be playing. So takes us to the biggest request, which is to invest more in capital. This chart. Here is the 10 year Capital investment plan of our prior leadership team. They we're taking a very set level of capital in just placing an inflationary cost on it, but not looking at actual project needs actually useful life of specific assets. This was the waterworks model. So we use a water finance system to really help us design rates. But I want to point out on this chart is the black solid line is our cash balance and what it needs to be is above the dotted lines. You can see that our cash balance is actually pretty steady and actually has a tale that's increasing at the end, which is not what we'd like. That means that we have cash on hand that we could be investing. Meanwhile, we know we have assets that need to be invested in so trying to balance those 2. So we've completely revamped our entire asset management plan. The 10 year plan went from being one page spreadsheet to 100 page document that calls out every asset. Those water means the pump stations, the water towers. The mains that bring the water from the Mississippi River to our plant. And now we're actually looking at risk factors, useful lives in designing a plan that's project specific instead of just bucket specific. This is just a snippet from that new 100 page document. Obviously there's a roll up, but there's pages and pages of the projects we actually want to prioritize over the next 10 years. So once we did that, we identified all the projects. We came up with 2 models for our board to review. As far as how we do that. One is the accelerated implementation. Everything that we think needs to happen right on time aggressively handling this backlog of vast infrastructure. The other is a more progressive transition, you know, building off instead such a drastic increase. Milwaukee very quickly through both of those, the first way to do that, to do our work in the aggressive method would have required pretty significant rate increases. You can see an 11%, 2 years of 11%. So significant rates and more than we wanted to put on to our customers. The second alternative would have been to lean into that cash balance and try and keep rates a little bit lower. You can see that are solid cash balance line dips below the dotted line. So in both scenarios doing the dream list of all the work that we wanted to do wasn't going to be reasonable. It would either be too high of rate or too much demand on our cash. Which leads us again and to scenario to which is the pitch that made and was approved by our Board of Water Commissioners and what that required us to do is pull back on the capital dreams. So what were some things that we could stretch out to life a little bit further? You can see that landed on here. We have the rate projections of what we will need to find our utility into the future and actually meet those asset needs the way that we need to to ensure our system continues. Running. Chart just shows, you know, capital investment 28 million dollars a year. So these are significant by chart here. Blue is about the old plan was yellow would have been the aggressive plan in Green is the compromise that we think is the right answer to meet the needs of the infrastructure, but also monitor the impact on cash in rates. I won't go through these, but you can see these. These are not insignificant cuts. It was delaying projects our team would love to do now, but just trying to be reasonable and stretch things as far as we can. That's it on capital cap and investing a lot more money and kept those a huge again. Like I said, there's 2 big topics in budget. That's one of them answer more questions. The second piece of it is our water works funding program. So for about 20 years now, supervision or services had been putting. Between 5 $50,000 a year into a low-income assistance program. Customers through community action and they're eligible for up to $300 a year of assistance at $50,000 that we were putting into it was gone by APRIL of every year and then the rest of the year people were not getting the help that they need during covid lie walk was available. Low-income assistance program to the federal government and we saw our customers use $400,000 in 2023 of low-income assistance of people were qualified for it and needed the help and were able to utilize that. That's what the orange bars are as the lilac funding. The federal government stop to that program. We've been advocating to get it back. I have a feeling tat advocating will get a little bit which is why we're really proud of this program that we're putting through, which is a commitment for us internally to fund that program. We will continue to advocate for state and federal assistance. But if it doesn't come, we can't waiOur customers need assistance. We have to make sure water stays affordable for all. And so I proposal is that we tie a half a percent of the revenue we generate from the sale of water. We take that percent and we put it into the water works funding program for this year's budget and this proposal that's $375,000. So significant increase from the $50,000 that we had been previously. That allows us to ensure that everyone qualify hopefully can get the help that they need to make the bills more affordable. I will note that there were some flaws in my opinion on the old program. If your water bill is $150 to one, applied for help, you could wipe out your whole water bill until you had used the 300. So in theory, your first 2 quarters could be wiped out. I-43 and for your assistance was gone. And now you are stuffed with your full bill and we saw a lot of those customers continue to either get shot off, are certified to taxes. So I proposal here is not to wipe out the bills using that $300 but rather help make them affordable for our customers. So for the math, it ends up being that a customer would get a one 3rd, 33% reduction on their water bill each quarter to ensure that the assistance is actually available throughout the entire year. We project that a quarterly bill will be about $200 next year. So the question would get a $67 reduction by paying from the water works program and that will help make the bill again affordable So I think it out so we can help them throughout the whole year. 2 ways. And we've worked very close with the attorney's Office on on how we do. This will be the first in the state to be doing a program like this and really proud of it. I'm sure there's some risks that come with this. Want to make sure that we we thought this through through early 2 ways. And been funding that program historically as we allow cell phone companies like Verizon and t-Mobile to put their devices on top of our water towers, it's a revenue source that's not tied to our rates. And so it's a revenue source that the attorney's office feels comfortable with us using that to fund a program like this. So while we're using the half a percent of revenue to figure out how much to use are actually taking it from that bucket. The other thing worth noting is this is tied to a commitment by our organization to stop water Shut-offs permanently. We stopped them during covid. Everyone did across the country. Many have returned to it. But in the state of Minnesota, we have the ability to certify on paid utility bills to property taxes that year and and so because of protection that we have, we would like to commit to never going back to water shut offs as long as the data continues support that decision, we were spending about a million dollars a year. Rowling trucks out fixing infrastructure that would break and turning water off. And we're also losing public trust and putting people in their homes at risk by turning their water off. So instead of spending that million dollars a year, reactive Lee to people not paying. Let's spend money proactively to help them stay on top of their bill throughout the year. So too 2 great arguments when it comes to a and Aro y on by investing in this program makes sense for us. Affordability has been a huge topic for us for for a year now until I share this because the industry metric to really When I say that we were starting with affordable bills, we really were. And so while a 9 and a half percent rate increase is sgnificant, the great news is because they hadn't been doing rate increases for many, many years. You can see here that this calculation is industry standard. It takes an industry standard for how many gallons of water household would use and comes up with the cost for the year versus the lowest 20th percentile income earners and hours exact service area and gives us a household burden you can see on the chart up above. The goal is to keep that burden well below 7 in the 2024 budget were at 2 and a hlf. And with this increase of 9 half percent, we're still at 2.6 0 again, significant rate increase is to make sure we can invest in the capital to keep the water moving. But that news is according to industry standards, we are well below and affordability concern. I don't want to take that for granted. Which is why at the same time will also be investing. Our water works program. And Chris, to that, so happy to filling in more any topic if there's questions. Thank you. Thanks best. So I'm sorry. Missed this at beginning of your presentation. One thing we've been doing throughout presentations by department and by like entities that are partners is an overview of just funding sources. So for all the operations you described the investments, all the capital infrastructure. Is there a overview, a good start? And I think I just honestly most of do What portion user fees that they're paying? What portion is like state? Another source is what portion city funds could you help us understand that? I just want to focus on that for sec is a ground for a fact that would be helpful to go over guests. Wonderful. Thank you for the question. It would be most helpful if you grab the first page of this budget letter. You can see that we equate spending to financing. So on the financing side of the equation is where we break that down. And so the first 3 categories are the ones most specifically tied to this to a rate increase that we have control over. So Salem waters consumption based so based on continuing to sell 12 billion gallons of water at the rate that we're setting, that's our largest income source. The second water service space for for risk. Minimization water, utilities use of a regardless how much more you can We collect the base fee from every home for having the infrastructure available. Next is a water main surcharge. This was implemented about 10 years ago. Now in the first identified that that investment in water mains was not what it needed to be. And so this money specifically has started to help us invest in means the way it needs to be. So that's very that 3.6 is a full commitment to capital. The other 2 buckets could be hitting either. So the budget. From there, it's worth noting that we do collect revenue that passes to other city departments. So we do all the building for the city of Saint Paul sewer departments with some of what's on our bill is theirs the right away. He is one of those. So we we collect that. But then it goes right back out to the city of Saint Paul. Miscellaneous revenue where that grant funding is. So of that 40 Million. 35 of that is the state grant for the lead program this year. Did you see that was miscellaneous revenues? Yes. And you said it was like 35. 35 see that is the grant funding at the other things that make up the other 5 million in that category is that revenue from our antennas. We have revenue from plumbing inspections, the interest that we make for the cash we have those are the other large buckets within that 40 Million. But again, that 35 is our largest chunk. It is important worth noting. i'm sorry, I cash reserve. You can see there that we're spending down 7.8 of our cash next year. We've done that intentionally. So when we first decided to build a water treatment plant, we started putting through rate increases before the launch or even issued. And we built up a cash balance that we could dig into that offset rate increase needs. As we brought that plan to mine to last year, we dug down 7 and a half million this year will spend down 7.8 million. We're sitting on about 70 million dollars of cash currently. So that's about a 10% decrease. And then those waterworth models. We're watching that very closely to ensure that we can't keep enough cash on hand, but also spend it down to offset the need for rate increases on our customers. So in terms icy members MAY have questions try to finish up my quick in terms of where our constituents directly paying with their dollars as the main area, the top category Salem water, where they're just paying their water bills and creating the top for you that way or where the ones we are. Constituents city dollars directly go. Great. Thank The top 3 categories there, sale of water, the base fee and then that water main surcharge are the 3 that again, each of those categories is increasing by 9 and a half percent in this in this bill which equates to $3.12 per month for for conditions. Thank you. That's very helpful for just understanding how the people we represent fit into what the information we're getting? Are there other qestions from members right now? Go ahead. COUNCILMAN Things come present director. Thanks for this very substantive presentation. I appreciate it. I'm curious when you talked about capital investment models and you talked about the moderate version of the 3. Can you tie that back to the financing source? So what is the increase? Look like to afford the moderate capital investment scenario? And where does that come from? Great question. Thank you. On the left side on the spending side, you can see that we have the 3 large categories is what we think of salaries, fringes, material services. The debt is the debt we owe on the plant project primarily and that 3rd category of capital investment is where we're proposing to last year. That number was 23.7 million. The proposals to increase that towards 28 million really a 10 year goal to get that up to 40 million so there's a huge increase there that's being funded through the sale of water. So b increasing rates, we're able to take that money and allocate part of that increases to cover increases that we walk through. But part of that goes to covering the increase in capital expenditures. As follow-up, do we make those investments using? Using debt, using bonding, using cash. I notice there's no additional that shuns been proposed in 2025, thank you. Another great question. It's important as a forever business that has ongoing capital investment life cycles that we attempt to build those ongoing life cycles into our ongoing budget. So you'll see that we will focus on taking debt only when we're talking about assets that are significant, such as water treatment plant to transfer those costs out. Otherwise the goal would be a water main is supposed to last 100 years. So in if every year we can replace one percent of the 1200 miles, we have you get on the cycle where every year you're replacing the right amount and that will go on forever and forever business. So the goal would be to not use debt unless a significant project that would really. Really change that number significantly. Go ahead. MISS Dose. Thank you. Chair and thank you is to ask you for being here. I think I just have a couple on the water board. Want to thank you for all your in all your staff, all your hard work And thus U.S.. APRIL, maybe even before that the years go by really fast. And we worked on this quite a bit at the board. And I just want to say that this is just really, really great to to work with you and to kind of go through all information and especially appreciative of te all of our discussion around the decision to eliminate water shut-offs think that that was the right thing to do and also around our water works program. The one coming is going to say just kind of in response to consular maker was the, you know, some of the rate increases in the decision to go with like one scenario or the other might. My understanding was also tied to car capital investment program in trying to transition 180 year replacement cycle on our distribution system. Transition from that to 100 years. And that takes a significant amount of investment. And so I'm really glad that we're doing that. That's super important. Thank you. A gun out of his Johnson. Go ahead. thank you for 30. Councilmember Jones. I also had a chance briefly for shorts that welcome bring us out, serve on the water board. And I know that there was several discussions regarding some of the the capital investments and got a chance to learn way too much about had but politicians better to so. Just genuinely really. Understanding, I guess some of the steps we're taking towards those capital investment. And I think I sure this at the at the board, but think it's really important we uplift the work that is investing your team to have a multi-year strategy. I think that's a really unique approach also really vital to maintain the quality of our water, but also like making sure that families are not seen to substantial increases I their water bill overall. So I just up with 10. Appreciate them all to your approach to it. The one question that I just want it 30 of context behind just because I was wanting to know that change for the excuse me side, the waterworks the program structure because you just show a little bit about how maybe what steps because took to inform that process like was there more interest in seeing that support over time this is like having up 200 at the beginning. I'm just kind of wondering what different factors played into making that change. Wonderful. Thank you for the question. This has been and I came as a yearlong process of a deep dive to understand affordability. I think tat there we don't make assumptions about what means. But actually start diving into what that means. Something different for every single household assign specific number. And so we have actually built out. It's a a member of our team spent a year on it. Affordability, dash burger. We have sliced and diced. What's going on with our customer base. No fool. Who and where are the customers who aren't paying? How much are they ending up having to pay in late fees and fines when that happens? What's happening to those getting tax certified? How long does it take to get revenue back after smeone's been certified to taxes? So really slicing and dicing that information as much as we can as well as well as working the community Action Partnership group set that administer this program from us in hearing from them. They also I joined a fellowship for the Center for Water Security. It's national group that's working on this topic together and so would be happy to share that we have a a pretty robust access and affordability plan. This is one step of of focusing on affordability for our customers. But there's a five-year road map of a variety of different goals that we have to really focus on affordability and ensuring those in need have the support that they need. The factor for me and wanting to change to require the match along the way. Was that a significant percentage of the customers who are receiving waterworks funding in quarters one in quarter 2, we're still getting shot off or still getting certified to taxes because they weren't paying their bills. And q q 4. So while we help wipe those bills out at the beginning of the year, we weren't helping them budget in balance and keep things affordable. Long-term. One of the things on the five-year road map is moving to monthly bill and we have to get our our meter technology replace first. Story short. But within 5 years, my goal is to move us off of quarterly building into monthly because that in of itself helps a lot from affordability standpoint, those that show up once every 3 months, surprise all of us and our larger opposed to learning how to budget a monthly bill. Does that answer your question? And there's there's a lot there and i could talk about it all day because it's probably top of most passionate about. Yeah, it does. I think, you know, it just raises when I look at when I looked at this, this slide itself, I'm just, you know, a little concerned about the continued growing of. But like the amount that I guess I'm glad that we have an increased amount of people being assist. And when it comes to just our ability to be able to assess more people, I'm just a little concerned about that number continuing to climb and what that kind of says overall for people's inability to pay for basic needs like water in their house. And so just overall that something that doesn't fall on deaf ears when can see, you know what, these 2 places, there's really an increase of need. So I think that it's my question. I appreciate it. Thank you. The bottom charges is the one that I lose sleep over when it comes to this and and went back and forth on this decision to stop water shut offs, water shut offs. Are 99% effective within 24 hours, people pay you. But what have you force them to give up to get their water back on? So choosing to rely on this ability to certify the taxes it's better, right? Or is it just kicking the can down the road for these customers now have a larger property tax bill until we've really been working on this internally. I don't want to just take that for Will get paid. And so our team has some pretty significant will set for ourselves to stop the climate. That bar. It's going to be more like more people will get certified to taxes. If we don't do shut offs. But we don't want to let that number grow out of control, which is why that this five-year road map involves a lot of education awareness, making it easier to apply working with other utilities and organizations. So when you qualify for one thing, you also qualify for things like we want to get as many people, the support that they need to stand up of their because I don't want to just rely on that and let it continue to climb. Thank you. Great questions great insight here. Any other questions from counselors and what we've heard so far? as best just in, like a closing summary way, could you share what your main ask of the council is today or what you want us to be thinking about as we head into the rest of budget season. Sure. Thank I think our my my biggest focus again with this budget, we see water utilities all over the news right now. What infrastructure fails. It is dangerous. it is detrimental to businesses and so coosing to support this investment to get ahead of our aging infrastructure to start climbing the mountain that we've been left with is an important investment and one it it will be paid one way or another and doing it proactively and not waiting until things fail is more cost effective way to do it. And then as well your support and helping ensure that the water works program, people are aware of it and actually utilize it. Plan to continue to monitor that program adjusted into the future. Maybe we had more money. Maybe it's 400 ares you instead of 3 and so would love your feedback from what you're hearing from your customers as bills will rise with the rate increases for for the infrastructure appreciate their questions. And having me here today. Thank you as best key. And we have a lot of council representation on the water board. So grateful to my colleagues who served there to help us inform those discussions and will be taking that to heart. And in our deliberations. Appreciate being here this morning. Thank you. All right. Our pesentation is from our city attorney's office who supports our work and uholds the interests of the city so many avenues in arenas. Do their work as our official attorney. So want to welcome our city attorney herself. Lindsay Olson, thank you r being here this morning. And we welcome you for your proposed budget presentation. Good Morning Council. PRESIDENT Council members. Office in an log in a minute. So no problem. Want to get too far ahead him. In fact, I think Jay did tell me he needs a second to transition. So. My sorry, but you're right up to We we have presentation capability set up. So go ahead. Ms Olsen, we look to you for. The next steps here. could end here. And that's in face mostly on the request that we got from council. How we looking out. A quick review on a mission and values. I won't read that to you. You're probably familiar with that. We did. Those in 2018. We're very proud of that and belief that are. Our priorities reflect. Our values and our mission. Our priorities remain committee. First public safety initiatives like our gun violence reduction will be talking about that a lot here and the Focus and Genesis, which is new. And procedural justice remains huge focus for us in everything we do in every division. And - specifically within the criminal division and how prosecute and how we think about review of our case us. Building prosperity is our other main focus. And that includes the development projects are legislative initiatives. And we've gotten few g program leading just deeds for the city put a plug in for that today. And I I hope that you all will leave here with a plan for your constituents to review their properties as well. Our challenge is we have 6 erp funded positions that will will be losing that funding within the next year. Those positions have been really key and using our backlog and and reducing the caseload for ever increasing caseload our judicial districts. our challenge is o. We're taking those positions. We have several grandson of physicians as well. And we'll continue to. And search and apply for grants. Of course. But we continually. In danger of losing those funds. And one of our key goals shifting. Services that we are statutorily required to do. Over to fte positions. So that will not continually relying on grants that MAY not continue. For support of the Technology is also huge. Issue that we face. So as you can imagine, the more we rely on video. For each case, the volume of that evidence becomes a lot. Baker for our teams. That review and want to be really sure that we see and understand all the evidence. And just understand the acronyms. Bwc is body worn camera icsc. What's icc? Icc is the in-car camera in car camera. Got see that one yet. Thank you. And the city cameras just wanted to make sure I knew with Ackerman's afternoons. Sorry that Cummins ahead. Thank you. Thanks for that clarification. I'm sure there are other people that have that question to you. Because we have such a focus on procedural justice. This is really important for us. And it's something that takes our chef a lot of time. And that has changed and and put place a higher burden on folks to ensure justice in each case. And along that line, staffing continues to be. One of our challenges and I'm sorry, missiles cuncil verbally with the church and go because the press at quick question around the city cameras are police cameras are these like city attorney cameras? Do they share that information that's accessible city campus. Thank you. Councilmember. So the city cameras that I work that we have right now are the cameras that te police department has anything from like those mobile cameras that you see, you know, John, 15 seater. Other cmeras that might be around facilities. Things like that. We don't have any cameras in the city attorney's office that or accessed by the city attorney's office on any regular basis. We get access to camera footage for case us. And then finally in our challenges on this implementation of new program. So as you guys are all aware, there have been several programs implemented throughout the city. That are. Lawyers do support both in. Our civil division as well as litigation when necessary. And we have not added any staff. Along with those new programs, even though it's at working out of support for our team. Our opportunities. Are you a grandstand funding from outside sources that we continue to? on. We're continually working on technological innovations getting out into the community more for community engagement. Here's a brief orchard. Nothing here has really changed. Just a note. For the council, as was previously here and gave you a separate briefing on homework. And I want to on cntinues to be a part of the city attorney's office, but I will be speaking about her work since you've already heard from her. If there are questions that that go into that program, I will do my best to to answer those questions for you or what we can come back on. Anything that you have questions about. I will clarify when some of the monetary pieces on because we worked with all us to try to. Really make it more as clear as possible. So what what is Cao, Maine? And then what so just as we go through. So here's our Co Maine. And that means the U.S. Does not include us. And this is just summary snapshot here of our gross. Same here at $10, a set of people. So the majority of our budget. Is and court funding supplies and other internal. Apartments. We don't. We don't take in any revenue. So any cases that we? Have either criminal or otherwise. None of that comes into the budget for the city attorney's office. Thank And I have a question from COUNCILMAN Acre. Go ahead. Thanks. Comes PRESIDENT Director us the previous slide. You showed a growth. A 15 ft the department since 2020? Can you clarify where those have been added in terms of they are charged in the different divisions within the city attorney's office. Thank you, COUNCILMAN. Yeah. So those fit enough to ease have come from all divisions. And and program so. The includes The Immigrant refugee program that includes. Primarily a few attorneys. Several special fund or central service and attorneys. So. development group has grown substantially over the past 6 plus years from one attorney too. I think it's 6, 6 staff and manager that manages that group specifically. So that that accounts fr a big question that we also have an extra 20 that is funded through Dsi. Ad a few that. And water. This year added a new journey as well, added funding in for an attorney. We have that position. We have added support staff in the criminal division as you'll see when we get into those slides are cases there. And our court appearances and hours for cases continue to increase. And one of the really final things tat we feed for 20 support that support staff helps review all those all the evidence I was just talking about and things like that. So those are the 2 main, the main areas that we've increased staff and I can get you more very specific information on that. A few. We need it. That's Thank And this is General Fund Budget actuals and just to last couple of years. You'll see our variances. They're always in the as this does include a line. And so you'll see a very large number there for Fy 2022, which accounts for several open positions that that onus was working to hire at that point that money to come back he's as a surplus into the city that year. And here's income has a budget summary for the fine lines. They're different advice. You will see change to salaries. And that was coming from this year. We did a solid change for several attorney classifications that happened during the year. It resulted in memo you with the union faced equity. Keeping case. Different cities for attorney salaries, following quite the hand and hey, and her 10, meeting. So. I see a question from the sneaker. Go Because PRESIDENT, what Jack Thompson, what's fun to 11? It looks new I believe. It's Arafat yet. They to Yeah, those are rare future new. So that's 6th has a different name. Then it used southeast. We are different. So here's our 2025 proposed budget highlights. We're requesting to add a victim. Witness support. Staff unity flared adding a new fte in terms And new body that in the office, this individual already works to. What we're doing is shifting and individual from a grant-funded position to have to position. And this is a strategy that we would propose that would incrementally move these folks grant funded positions into ft. Physicians to ensure that we don't. Fail in our statutory duty to support these victims. And as you'll see when we get into some of the numbers in the coming vision. Those supports are continuing to increase both in the number of contacts with you checked in and the number of cases. Our other proposed budget highlight is And we have requested a line item for that. And I know you familiar with that project. We included a separate think of the question So I signed this bill. You have a question and I tink seeing no, okay. So we'll go to MISS. But think PRESIDENT Has question or on the victim. Witness support staff. Is this person already higher? Yes, you can see Continue on with the same staff but just transferred with the sorts of Yes, councilmember. So there's a person currently in that position that method funding. Their salary is being shifted. Again. For the East Coast line item. We're requesting to actually have a line item added to the budget. As you know. We began this program in 2019 and we never had a line item for it. So we did the best we could Cavett funded by grants. We generously receive money from the council in a previous year. That was one time funding that grant money is going away. We have you stepped any of that was vantage West and council. And we really want to see this program continue and grow and the way to ensure that is to make sure that we and continuing line item in the budget and so $70,000, I'm going ask and then we have a one, 30,000 at after this year so that we can move towards shifting more of that work in house, which helps save money for the program over time. And here's some specific information for our community division. We've got I want to highlight or community justice unit because and we shifted how that. Unit to work in 2019 and all that unit ad those folks guide our 9 tradition, prosecution efforts, which and go directly to our mission for procedural justice and ensuring we get folks next opportunity to. To reintegrate Help them face the substantial challenges that they have in the system in a way that's most beneficial. The community these folks having these folks dedicated to reviewing those cases has helped us to. Criminally over time continue to grow those programs. And ask is a follow-up What does it look like for someone to interact with the community? Justice unit successfully and then how does this? I just I think I just need a refresher since it's been a minute since talked about this. How how does this work with the county attorney's office, if at all to like actually helped divert people? I just want understand a little better. Could you remind me how this works from like a person perspective? Say that you need to justice units Primarily. case reviews and determines, you know whether or not. Cases be shifted to any kind of non-traditional prosecution. And that includes are again Division, Genesis Program on to more traditional diversion or specialty I would say in terms of interacting with county attorney's office we have a continual relationship for the change when we need to. Based on case work, we do a lot of work with them around gun violence reduction as well as the specialty in the specialty court. Our city prosecutor sits with the county prosecutor. And they do a lot of things case cases together and but as far as face other programs that have city jurisdiction, our jurisdiction is separate from the county's jurisdiction. So we don't often interact in terms of case review necessarily. Unless we have an offender that might have multiple cases and within that structure, what type of ofense is what a PRESIDENT Interacting with cj you like, what are they? Potentially being treated like non traditionally prosecuted I just haven't coming up with one of the examples of fences that So there's a wide variety offenses that might come into any one of those programs, anything from thefts, petty Assaults disorderly conduct. Yet we've a lot protest-related cases through non-traditional prosecution. and again, the screening of those cses the community, Justice prosecutors might not always be the members of the community would interact with. So. The numbers that community that are coming through the system interact with all of our prosecutors in in different ways. People who come east of Rarely operator after the prosecutor at all. That is recharge programming. And so those are screened early they would then interact with the community members that are part of the circle ad possibly some of our staff. They don't they're not interacting with prosecutors when they're in that program. Thank you. That helps me get a clear picture of what our residence. Are doing. That might end up with them, interacting with cj you and then how we're trying to ultimately coming a rabbit, a better prosecutorial response to that. So and I am familiar with those within that. So thank you. All right. I see question for council and go ahead. Thanks, council PRESIDENT For that for that update on the cj. You ice have questions particularly around the budget. Like you have numbers connected to how much this unit cost annual basis. We don't have been broken out that way, but we can certainly provide you with information is a follow-up. I will say that non-traditional prosecution days pass more in time a small long tradition prosecution. But our belief is what we see is that particularly in recidivism rates. So if you look at the for citizen rate is about 9% mean only 9% of those folks are going to get program comebacks. And as for as a hose to about 30%, 32% regular prosecution. And those numbers, I think, you we would see. Past all of us running these programs still, there's substantial savings and and much public safety outcome for our communities. And then tradition, prosecution. follow question. Can you explain just the model is just like a rfp partnership for you. We have assigned staff to this. And I really, really prioritize this actually seen in live action of how our community Justice unit was formed years ago in 2019 and and how we use like not traditional practice I sp circles and a lot of the first order of practices that we see adopt it. Can you share just like what are what are range of community partners? And how's the city interacting of growing that potentially adopting that model and Yes, we have several partners. In in that work, one of our partners, our newest partners is Urban Ventures. And they are at a Minneapolis, but their model is nationally recognized we've had so far in extremely. Great partnership with They they have our so within we have kind of an offshoot that is again diversion program that is. Nation leading. We used restorative justice practices in Gunnedah version the only pogram that the American Association is aware of. That. Does this work the way that we are doing we've grown out were our initial pilot into what is now the Genesis Project. And that is our partnership indentures, which allows really comprehensive wrap-around services to be added to alternative to traditional prosecution. So really excited about the outcomes for folks ability to work. Also with Police Department to identify and off and folks from trajectory into we also have worked for years with dispute resolution center has deep roots here in Saint Paul. And really helped us to build as a neighborhood based program. Our goal remains without programs that we have. a roll Good cross section of this community that can serve on these circles. And that cases that come before those circles and we can have community impacted community in those circles. That does include folks lived experience, those that have gone to the justice system. We often have people that go through the eso's program and really want to get trained to participate in that program. Has circle member. So That's a bit about our community involvement with those programs. Another note on the traditional diversion side. Justice has a piece of reference service programming for tat. And that is districtwide programs from a contract that's out of the county. And that's by Just want to give attention to folks we have at least 30 minutes left. And we have, I think, over a dozen sites to get through and want to really be able to dig into our areas. But it's for the budget. So I I find the updates for helpful to the journal saying I really appreciate that. I also think we could spend maybe a little more time is just what are you asking for this year from the council in the budget I want to still I do want to to the programmatic a feature that helps us get a sense of how that informs that. But and then if folks don't mind holding questions or just helping us get through, this will further so we can keep moving. Thank go ahead. Thank you. So the proposed budget highlights side are 2 asks for this year. And that includes the shift for the victim. Witness staff. The one fte from to shift to general fund and then also the ufo's establishing the line item. And is that so that I understand this is a current. The victim witness support staff as it currently grant-funded position that we want to continue to offer support to victims that is just going into general fund and then doesn't just to continue one time. The program operating I just want to make sure what that means in terms of operations and ensure and people doing this Thank you. So that ufo's line, is a request for ongoing funding and that's the $70,000 to establish an ongoing line item in our budget yearly. That would be The $70,000. And then In working with the mayor's office because we have $100,000. And head of that $30,000 and one time and then $70,000 in ongoing. And that is due to working to bring more of the work and which brings the cost down. Goodness Taker. Thanks. Cause Pershee digging into the budget signed a little bit more so I'm trying to understand has has, is is a current program. Yes. So. How has it been funded to date? It's been through a grant that we receive from the doj as well as a one-time funding grant from the council prior budget year. We also have taken in some money from other line items in the city attorney's office is needed we've never had and operating budget for program. The reason why that can't. Continue is because the grant is expiring contract. It it would be helpful to just see a breakdown o that. As has been Billy, as for the defense budget and then just where those dollars have been coming from to date. So we can understand the proposed shift. I can get that for us. Thanks. I see counsel Johnson go ahead and that this is also redundant. But could you just again remind me of the size of the ft capacity for the program. And how many people support the space? Yeah, coming after these are currently 3,000. Just We have one paralegal position that doesn't ministration for that program. Okay. And then just kind of looking at the updates. That's amount of people being served by the program. Is that paralegal also part of that or is that services that have been provided by urban pictures? Nope. Inventors is brand this past year that use numbers all face and the paralegal does administration, for all of those cases that use that you see push later. Okay. And then the just fall of the total served since 2020. It does that add on tat cumulatively or is that like is it 50 and cumulatively 112. Inclusive of the 58 year after. Yeah, those are focus. Okay. Thank you. I wanted to just add just a thinking out loud, touching that. So it's my understanding with the those 2, because I you're gonna give us a break out of the budget and all that. And I appreciate that. That. Part of the value of this program is that it actually enlists community members want to participate in restorative justice to build relationships and literally through the circle model. Go through a restorative justice process with the person who committed an offense and they. Create accountability and they divert that person from the system and like the cost that that occurs on that person and their life. And also on the system and that a lot of the reason this program works does is because we have like community members who just participate in it because they want to is that. Different now? Is that not correct? It just I or I have I watch this program grow over the years and I want to just reconfirm understanding today because that was my understanding. Last few times we heard about how it's operating. Yes, yes. So all of folks that serve circles are number within the community of Saint Paul. From various different neighborhoods and walks of life and they volunteer their time and they do get seconds for. Circle. But they are volunteers that sign up to get rain and there have been trained tus far dispute resolution And we have a contract with just a solution center. She do that work. Thanks. Helpful to just reroute myself and what it is and for all of us. Go ahead. MISS Johnson, thank you. City I guess my my question that I about to see and I think it's more a follow-up is just you mentioned that the previously had approved grant as well. I believe fom the city Council previous council and I just love to. Knd of find out more about that. I have to head out for a gold line Quarter commission meeting. So I will have to have put out a little bit early for your presentation, but I just would love to get follow up on. What that was and what the decision was made So I can learn more about allocation. And Thank you. So a cuple of years ago we received $100,000 council that. We the council had decided provide support to build, continue to build the program. Ad that was during covid. So we were able to kind of stretch that money out to couple of years. And so the remainder of that money, I think we had a little bit lost at the beginning of this year, but we shifted. I 22 to 23. We used part of it. 22 part of it. 23. And then a little tail of it. And the beginning of this year if, fact so. That was something that was extremely helpful for the program and did allow us to expand, continue to expand during that time. You can see our numbers put it in past year. Continue Thank you. Yeah. Just booked a. I think the importance of really diving into it. You know, just some of the data that you provided here in the presentation and then I've been kind of skipping ahead to some of overall just like. That block numbers, the amount serve. It just seems to something that has been impactful. So but love to just kind of get a better sense of Financial support. Thank All right. And thanks for helping us understand. Like with in all the good programmatic updates are about to get. I just wanted to make sure we're holding like what? What if this is resulting in a budget request? But let's keep working through the programmatic updates getting questions and appreciate you. Taking this at the pace we're trying to create thanks. Channel 4 here. Okay. I just want to spend it on. This is us the questions on the impact team out here. So. What Councilmember Johnson is mentioning, our total served since 2020. So did get the program up and running in 2019. And of course, we ran into covid in 2020. So. We start out smaller 58 and then you can see that we've we've had a mission to continue to grow. Even through the challenges of covid. And we continue to do that. Now we're one 92. So that's pretty exciting. We want to continue to move as many cases into the program as we can. We did give you guys all a separate that we knew there would be time to go over there. So many. Exciting participant reviews in each person who you see and hear. We did get permission. I obviously names attached, but we did that get their permission to share that. But we frequently asked participants about their experience and we really want to make sure that this program is highly relevant people. You know, a good news story to share. And I hope you enjoy reading and the time that that you have later. And this slide does include both a participant, a victim and a community circle member defended. Share the perspectives of each of those folks in in working and that program. And get through to overall diversion stats. So this diversion. This is the diversion program that the county runs for the district. This is the program that councilmember boy and mentions Justice point. Does the reference services for and we do refer as many folks as we can into that program, As we can. And you can see our by the your numbers and those are all cumulative. So. It's each year the amount of people that patients. I did mention some of the here. This is version that is now the Genesis Program. And as a reminder last year, there was money that was granted Ball 4, this the Genesis program from the mayor's public safety aid. as well as on to partner on this for eighty-four 1000 the to 250,000 that goes into it for 3 years to build that portion. And just to be clear, the Genesis Program is separate from So while it uses an component of are sort of justice triples, it is a separate version. And here's a little bit more honored and diversion stats. This program, as you know, is fairly new. We've worked in conjunction with The spd to identify appropriate cases and reviewing those cases for inclusion. So are says are approved cases. Here is a total of 31 and we've had 13 complete the program safer. And here's a breakdown gender race and age. You can see that pulls the unknown that we review in total and approve cases and a crime cases. Com. A majority for from young black Can I ask of a just like basic question as we understand the and this is just meant to trying to understand the gun diversion. Program. So it says to keep low-level nonviolent gun offenders from re-entering the system. What is a low-level nonviolent, a gun offender? What does that mean? Like what offenses are they committing Gun-related, but nonviolent and low-level possession. So they're basically they haven't like fired their gun at someone they haven't committed any type of gun violence, but they have illegally. They have illegal possession of a gun, correct? And they are just in violation of that focus and then so what we're doing here with this initiative is we are instead of sending them into a criminalization route. We're saying we're just going to divert you from that from that nonviolent offense and make sure that you're not like incarcerated or are caught up in that cycle. Thank you. That is intent. That was the missing foundational is having trouble understanding. Thank you for helping understand COUNCILMAN Thank you. And it's that life isn't fair to assume that MAY be potentially the declined cases are because more than buck the offense is more than that. Like what kind of leads to the growing decline case? There might be there MAY be a number of reasons why cases are declined and we I can set up a separate. I'm with you to kind of dig into that, too. If you're. Interested in, we have a document that we with sapd where we go through and look at. What might qualify someone to be in the program. And we started pretty conservatively. So there are a lot of people that. If they had a prior offense, for instance, I think and I don't know this for sure. A lot of what you're seeing is probably if people had another parish they wouldn't have initially the knowledgeable now we're expanding that criteria. So right now with Genesis, we're beginning to expand that criterion. Ws really important us was to treat this concept and threw it in a way that was safest for public safety. And the reason program is important is the same reason why we started out really conservatively, which is there's a high correlation. This information is from. Independent Research done by Joyce Foundation, Yale places that are really involved with looking at and statistics. And what we know is that almost every single person who ends firing a gun and street gun violence has started out as a possession That doesn't mean everyone has a possession charge and that in street violence, right? You know that. Hope with this program is that wrking collaboratively with police department with on who's really that community and working with those folks that gun violence that we can helped identify people who are on the edge who are moving into that life, moving in those circles and really help off-ramp So. In the world community violence intervention that we can intercede here and offer a different opportunity that gets at. This is the strength of adventures is that they're working with these to, you know, just to do work and deeper it to look at what are you know, what's bringing them into? Funnels ation and help them to build. A better, a better life themselves and base. So here's a note about victim services. And again, this this your budget ask here. So We have a requirement to assist victims under Minnesota statutes. 6.11, a and that's for reason why program is really important. We want to make sure that we're meeting our trade mission and protecting the rights of crime victims, giving An individual in the system can help help them through this process. Our current staffing is we have to t's on the general Fund 2 f that are on of open grant that - is expiring in 2025 and we won't have money to. Pay for the integrity of those fte is with major of the year. And then we have an aarp funded individual that as well. This is why we're looking at moving those folks mainly over too. Chief positions not reliant funding. City to Nielsen as we're talking through this just another point of understanding for me. I was recently I think it was this week, maybe last week at 5th annual event where they celebrate their work and recognize survivors and so they were talking about the victim services. So I guess my question would be how you victim services within the city and within c a l work like what type of things do they do supporting victims? How do they coordinate with those organizations that also do similar work? Could you just help us understand the distinctions? I would like to understand that better as someone who supports having this capacity on staff but wants people to explain the differences try to keep this table. And just to say spits work. I mean, we all work you know, within the team in different ways to support victims its fixed work is an advocacy role. they are a victim advocates the victim witness role here I would say a support role. That's not advocacy. If that distinction make in You know, does work more in the community said helping victims maybe find housing You know, deal of financial concerns and other safety concerns. Our role would be. Assisting that person understanding the system in understanding their role in the case and in supporting then in court often are a victim witness. Folks are sitting, you know, that person right in addition, support alongside of them. And so World. Helping them to really guide them through. The stuff that process. And also, I think create a bridge between. Our staff they kicked in and prosecutors sometimes it can be really intimidating and scary for a victim to speak to attorneys, to and and try to understand that. And so are victims are victim witness folks to really good job assisting victims understand that. And to. Kind take it to more a personal level, someone that they can. They know they can call, you know, they say Metro's my person that I call it the city attorney's office that feels a lot better than you know, wondering what you're going to get on the phone when yu're trying understand what's happening to you. If is heavily focused on domestic violence is victim services within Cao on all types of victims to like not just domestic violence. But if you are, you know, involved in or got hurt in the shooting are other things that are not domestic violence case. Yes, just really help also So so it's it's helping people who are victimized by crimes to have an understanding of how they participate in the legal process where as our organizations that also do victim services and that we partner with they're more focused on helping those folks get resources and access understanding that correctly, ok? I'm getting the yet let that sounds like face. There's some overlap there that, yes, that is yes, yes, great because that because humans lead human lives that are not single issue or category. Yeah. And as you point out, role is specifically for gymnastic things and it doesn't they don't assist with that. Yeah. For Yeah. The distinction here is helpful for me because I think until this conversation I sort of unofficially tought it meant like primarily assault or domestic violence victims. And now I see it. It's much broader. And so going make or basis for on this slide, just to be clear, we're talking about. To have to ease are funded by this grant. That expires next SEPTEMBER. Yes, they're funded through next SEPTEMBER and in the budget asks, there's an estimate of one of them to the general Fund for the entirety of next year. into the general Fund me. Right. So can wear that with the fact that they're all funded? They're bth funded through SEPTEMBER and there's 2 of them and just try to understand what our plan. Yes, so they're not fully are are asked in that grant that grant And and the 30th SEPTEMBER, which doesn't take us through the hole here. And that doesn't fully fund both in any event. So we had asked for almost $170,000 and we got about 135 and You know, I think as far as the exact break out of percent o position, I can't tell you that my head, but I can certainly get it to you. If you want to see that. The other problem that we have, the grant is that we can't partially fund people and then partially fund with. City dollars. Those grants don't work that way. They take them from If we do that. And We so in order to preserve. One of these fte we you know, we we need to move them over to Jen Services. Even while we have the grant. If we wait until it's completely expired, we don't have a way to pay that person at all. That is prt of days, phones safe for things other than salaries so they can to. Other supports him and things like attending community events where we can get the word out about the services and things like that's part of the money that we received to things like that as well. And so in terms of the other Ft, that will also not be funded and currently isn't fully funded by the grant. Is there. A plan shift that person as well hours. That position just go away. Yes, we would like to shift that person as well. And how will that work? We're fine You're talking about to be an extra special. well, we're hoping that we make the request again next year. And for the next individuals walls, faith. And I'm not and cares about that. The gap, though, between SEPTEMBER the end of the year they were describing that doesn't work for one of them. That seems to work for the other one to keep them on board. Yes, it's a problem. So if I'm understanding correctly, hoping it might mean like to have to use going into next year, grant continues from one of them. But is under funding essentially. But continuing that work ft from general Fund for the other because you can't combine it, correct. And then that grant will will. Time now. And then you want to continue on to the next year's budget. Ask would include continuing that onto the ice here for preserve that grant. And then the next. Request to be full. aarp individual. And then the remaining grants. Individuals. So a 2 year path to keep these of tease. Yes, and have We can't. If we don't get the in trance if we didn't get and transformed into t's, we have it. We would end up losing those positions. So we would end up losing that support. Victims. So just question, sir, by mking one of Nft a general fund funded fte next year, does that mean relieving some of those grant dollars on the table? just Tara, if you they work with the grant specifically and so could probably explain more specifically exactly the breakdown dollars just a few. Thank you. Thank you. Councilmember maker Jessica Mcconahay. I and Deputy city attorney in the criminal division. I assure you we will not be leaving that grant money on the table the way to these federal grant work, as you well know, their you're their grant years different than fiscal year of the city. So they grant years typically runs from OCTOBER. First of that year to SEPTEMBER, 30th of the following year. And so a lot to approve x amount of dollars in the grant that, you know, is that the the last quarter of the city's fiscal year? And then the first 3, 3 quarters of the next year. And so our current victim services grant tat that we just received that expires on SEPTEMBER 30th of 2025, it wasn't x amount of dollars and that x amount of dollars does not pay in for the entirety of the end for the 2 Ft. Ease that are doing this work doesn't doesn't pay for the full year for both of those individuals, it pays a portion. So we knew that there is going to be a gap there. What it also does is pays for some direct victim services. So like when there's emergency situation and we need help a victim, by a phone or maybe have and oernight hotel because they need to get out of that situation. But they need to come to court. So some direct victim services, what it also pays for is training and education for our team so that we are a victim that we employ a victim centered approach to the work that we do. So when you look at this slide, what you are seeing is showing you the breakdown and why this ask is is dire okay. So the 2 fde is that are currently being funded under this federal grant. Okay. It doesn't pay in full for their salaries for the whole year. It pays partial. So we're we're kind of playing the shell game. We also then have the situation with the aarp funded which also expires at the end of next year. So the ask and the support of the mayor's office was to move one point. Oh, victim witness position off of that federal grant and put it in the city's general fund so that we can sustain this rather than having to chase after grants and has everybody in this room knows. Grants are great, but they're never a guarantee. And what I what I will say is even over the last 4 years, we have seen reductions in the amount of grants that have been available specifically for this work to victims. I stand here as a concerned citizen and as the deputy of our criminal division, that fully anticipate that that trend is going to continue starting from now draw your own conclusions. So anything we can do to help support sustain these positions. You're going to see a slide where you're going to see the numbers are 5 victim witness individuals working with all of the victims that that that that we encounter on our cases, the victim to the staff member to victim racial. Those numbers are very and I do tire little bit. Team is overwhelmed. They are just overwhelmed. So this is our attempt to try to stabilize and at a minimum, keep the folks that we have that are doing this front. I appreciate that. I think they got a very comprehensive answer to a question that was more simple. It was just what are we going to do with the grant dollars that we are no longer using to cover that position if are making it a full-time position. Not at all questioning the need for this program and value of having it. The sustainable south, maybe that's something we can follow up on. I just want understand where those dollars are going to go. If they're not going to Thank you, councilmember hopefully we're going to be able to pay this other in full through SEPTEMBER because when the grant if we aren't able to find other funding self. Thank you, GOD. Thank you. So we'll go Till 11, 40 just to allow some additional time and then will have pre council at 11. 45. So why don't I guess missiles and if you want Select some highlights that you also want us to understand should respect to the budget and other important updates on the work that affects our constituents. I do want to make sure any other time for general discussion or questions we can get to that at the time we have left. So want that community and because we have 6 books that were brought and we are asking to keep those folks not this year, but Our as you know, the air, he within the next year. continue to work and the backlog. But we we still have As you can see, cases that are outstanding. Part reason that is because we continue to take hand cases and work on those back, she sees as we can we have stats here and you can pre saying at your leisure. But these really show I want to highlight the amount of cases that we handle per year for the prosecutor. Which is the American Rescue Association aba recommended 400. And Prosecutor. So keeping these folks is also pretty dire and ensuring that we can do the work the way that we intense. I will and skip through the Civil Division updates. Pretty quickly. We've done and continue to do. Well, I work on shelter unsheltered working and encampments downtown mobility issues, problem properties some your face is also a large. Area work. We're working on rent stabilization, - cannabis legislation. I the basic thing that I want as a takeaway here for you this think about is that. The programs that we have added as a city, which I know I think are very value. Add. I have not. Resulted in additional attorneys to support those programs. That continues to add stress and strain to the civil Division. It's also question from the snake or go ahead. Thanks, cuts. Present. I'm just going back one side director center the Eye you Skip pass the ordinance changes. But I I was curious how much time and and staff resources and are going into supporting the Council of legislators changes. And been concern about how long it's been taking to get ordinances through the city attorney's office. And I'm curious if that's a metric that you use as a key performance indicators. So how much legislation initiated by this because I think both of these here were not initiated by body how many of those ordinances has your office worked on? How many have been seen through to completion and how long has that process taken? You do measure that. Is it? As a metric of performance or pay attention to changes and that over time. thank you, councilmember. I think, you know, we do pay attention to and how long things take. But I would say that. You know, we work To a certain standard of excellence and not to a particular time frame. So each each kind of issue and case is different. And so what you know, things can be a lot more complex than they might seem sometimes. You know, we were. And to your question, do we work You know, those changes for council. We we should be involved in working on every single ordinance change in the city. And as part of what we do. And, you know, could the city attorney's office use more support? Yes, the civil division is extremely busy. And that doesn't count for timeline sometimes. But you know, other things can account for those timelines as well. I think sometimes when we receive. Partially completed ordinances are completed. Our noon says it can be as complicated are more complicated to work through those Henry do then as if we had initially drafted So. You know, I think continuing to partner and work together on the best way that we can meet, you know, timeline expectations as well as ensure complete research. And and we will work. You know, we'll we'll continue to partner with Thanks. And just to add on to that comment and just reflect back some of the budget process this year, he's also aye, I think, you know, that's just You know, our memo. He sent to the mayor back in JUNE where we had basically taken crystallized a bunch of different priorities across members, many of which are in the budget. We're working through that out. But one of the top things I heard from members is that just more capacity to do our policy work within cao would be incredibly valuable. And we're working to hire a chief policy officer on our end, who can take on the bulk of the actual like research contacts, data and substantiating of the public policy problems. We want to us off with you and with the administration, but we also won't be able to make those policies reality without the capacity. And I just say that from the places shared concern for all residents and that we I've had the chance to work with really great city attorneys in my time at the council, we work with Ms Carter very closely worked with previous attorneys and and when our city attorney I signed attorney is on vacation, gets sick or something else happens. I often feel at risk of like all our work grinding to a halt because that one person is carrying so much and the people that support them are also carrying it. But that is a concern area for me and we get somebody to fill in to just help us run our meeting and helping us run. Our meeting is like The absolute bare minimum procedural requirement because there's so much other work that we're doing is the of the city's so I'm committed to proving that with you. I just wanted to say that out here in this space because I think it is another area of deep desire for members to talk to in the coming budget cycles. This one an ongoing around yu know, there's there's there's policy capacity if t understand the legal implications. And then you also look at the financial implications and like ordinance is just a simple as let's just write it on this can get in here. Like I I understand that we understand and want to work with you on that. So I just want to express these sentiments as the related to the topic because I think it's important keep working through that together. Deeply appreciate all that you're fielding. You know, where we're working through a lot of this. We just got to civil division after talking through all that good work happening in criminal. So be hearing this replace a partnership. But this is something that members I think really need supported if we want to be able to pass gun policy in partnership. So. Yes, thank you, council you know to that and looking at, you pass a ministry of citations and and uk MAY hurt. And that means for that. And that will take. Additional folks civil division as well. And we'll be pushing hard to get additional staff for that to support that work throughout the city. I'm certainly in support adding individual Civil division that can help support county. And, you know, the work that you all do. We're as you plan n in a position to be too deep into every single initiative that we're working. So that. You know, every single time someone indication or has a medical issue or something that. And you know, we we do have backups that are identified for everyone. And that's right. All the departments that we support. That off. And, you know, there is a lead attorney or someone that's working on something in. If they do go out, we really really think it's important for people's mental health and wellness that they are able to take vacations and there we can time and have family time. And we want to really support that and that they're able to do that, too. And so. As I said, we'll continue to partner with you. And you know, you can always reach you know, we're we're doing the best we can what we've got at the mment that we're always as far adding individuals that can help them one. That's and that's great for me to hear, because, you know, we said very clearly at the outset of this budget process, we are very interested in that capacity. And we would like to work with you to to get there. You know, let's work through that and this cycle in the next one. But thank you for being clear about where you stand. And I know there's more discussion to come so that we can get good work done for the community. Including the ordinance is ahead of us at the 330, create your help on thanks. Due to time check, it's 11 38. So we did say we do pre Council at 11 45 and want people to have chance for a break. I guess. Are there other key updates here you want to cover in that time and then we should probably wrap for now. Sure. I want to That's what I did. I just want put plug for Jesse's initiative because I think it's this is foreign is important, too, be able to remind folks that this isn't all city initiative that the city attorney's office that has to do with our racial covenants that are in several of our deeds. 2500 of them throughout Saint Paul. We launched this in 2023. And so far we've had 260 property submitted. We've been able to work for 160 of them. But as you can see it, a small portion of the entirety, what we've got in the city and that means that racial covenants still exist and several of the city, lots people's homes. And it's something that. Really deeply affects our community. And we're committed to working folks for banning. So that means you submit it to the city work with you on the application and it's of no charge to within the city. So I want to put that plug in the it's very easy to do. There's a website online and please, you know, at your community meetings remind folks that this is out there and it's something that that they can do. To, you know, increase equity within our city. In we would love to get that information out to property owners who want to take that stuff. And just expunge that system. Every deeds and title certificates. This is a great thing to see. Are there other point to want to highlight today as we head to close all Saints? We just had litigation. And laughed and I'll just give this highlights live that are lawsuits that we have pending. You can see the breakdown of different types of cases and we work very closely with you all and where we're at with me. These cases are resolutions in 2024, you can see these here, obviously assessments is going you know, shift in the coming years. This was a big year for for assessments, that will shift as we move into. You know, off of those cases and into the new the new program that the city has. We continue to have high rate of favorable decisions and you know, pretrial settlements we're very proud of the work that that goes into these cases. As you know, we're primarily defensive litigation so we don't control what comes in. But had to get success for the every time. Thank you for your attention. Time this morning. Thank As we close, I didn't want to just also draw customers attention in the presentation that over the years we've worked together to also support immigrant refugee program within your office. Yes, and think it's important to highlight that we've been able to build out initiatives with window and with his team on really supporting our immigrant and refugee community and I feel proud and encourage today that we have capacity to support our residents to the next 4 years in any way they MAY need in partnership with our congressional representatives and everyone committed to all residents regardless of immigration status. I wanted to also just personally appreciate your division and the work they do and make sure our counselors know just like with just the diversion programs, these resources for people to access naturalization, things that the city attorney office has to offer for. Our residents. We continue to be here after that. So I wanted to make sure we wrapped on that bring it more broadly to work the refs to a personal. Thank you council PRESIDENT For that. She absolutely. Yeah. From immigration staffer and Ryan Curry. And so I think it will become more important than always on the mind. Well, this brings us a closer budget discussion for today. We'll take a couple of minutes breaking councils at 11. 45. Appreciation to all our partners here in your great work. We are adjourned.