10/28/2026 - City Council Regular Meeting — Transcript
Full transcript
- 0:42Thank you.
- 0:43Thank you, Julia.
- 0:45>> [laughter]
- 0:50>> Thank you.
- 0:54>> [laughter]
- 0:58>> She'll be streaming in tonight. Okay.
- 1:02Thank you.
- 1:07My computer isn't working, so I'm going
- 1:08to be referring to my phone
- 1:12and notes.
- 1:14Um, I think it's time.
- 1:16Yes. Ready, Julia?
- 1:19All right. So, welcome everybody to our
- 1:22regular City Council meeting on today,
- 1:24Wednesday, October 28th, 2026
- 1:28at 6:00 p.m.
- 1:31Um, we'll go ahead and call this meeting
- 1:33to order. I'm going to ask our city
- 1:35clerk to initiate roll call.
- 1:38Councilor Chavez.
- 1:40>> Here.
- 1:40>> Councilor Zucati.
- 1:41>> Here.
- 1:42>> Councilor Vasquez.
- 1:44>> Here.
- 1:45>> She is.
- 1:46>> Councilor Dolan.
- 1:47>> Here.
- 1:48>> Councilor Galvan.
- 1:49>> Present.
- 1:49>> Deputy Mayor.
- 1:50>> Present.
- 1:51>> And Mayor.
- 1:52>> Present.
- 1:53>> And then, Karen, just so you know,
- 1:54you're going to have to
- 1:56keep your camera on.
- 2:00>> Okay, I'm on the road now, but I'm going
- 2:02to do.
- 2:03>> Okay.
- 2:04We'll make sure we don't forget to refer
- 2:06to you over there.
- 2:08Councilor Vasquez
- 2:10Um
- 2:13So, moving on to number two, agenda
- 2:16approval. Um approve the city council
- 2:18regular meeting agenda for October 28th,
- 2:212026. Can I entertain a motion?
- 2:24>> Um I make a motion to approve the
- 2:26council regular meeting agenda for to
- 2:29October 28th, 2026.
- 2:32>> Is there a second?
- 2:34>> I'll second.
- 2:36>> Okay. Motion by Deputy Mayor, seconded
- 2:38by Oops, Council Vasquez.
- 2:41Is there any discussion?
- 2:48Hearing none.
- 2:50Councilor Chavez
- 2:51>> Yes.
- 2:52>> Councilor Vasquez
- 2:53>> Yes.
- 2:54>> Councilor Vasquez
- 2:55>> Yes.
- 2:57>> Councilor Dolan
- 2:58>> Yes.
- 2:59>> Councilor Galvan
- 3:00>> Yes.
- 3:01>> Deputy Mayor
- 3:02>> Yes.
- 3:03>> Mayor
- 3:03>> Yes.
- 3:04>> Motion carries.
- 3:05>> Thank you, Katie.
- 3:07Moving on to invocation, is there
- 3:08anybody here?
- 3:10Okay, there he is. Please approach the
- 3:12podium. Um
- 3:13please stand if you're able to remain
- 3:15standing for the Pledge of Allegiance
- 3:17after invocation. Thank you.
- 3:19>> Can I just ask a quick question? It's
- 3:20Mr. Polakis, but the first name is
- 3:23>> Nick.
- 3:24>> Nick. I had Peter, Paul, and Mary, but I
- 3:27did not have Nick. Thank you for doing
- 3:29this for us.
- 3:31>> Our heavenly Father, we thank you for
- 3:33the opportunity that we have here today,
- 3:35and we thank you for our community.
- 3:37We ask certainly for grace and mercy on
- 3:39our town, and we think now of our
- 3:42first responders. Father, we just pray
- 3:43for their safety. We pray for their
- 3:45guidance.
- 3:47Father, we pray for the city manager,
- 3:48and we pray for uh the decisions that
- 3:51are made, and the upcoming ones, and
- 3:53just that you'd be with each of them.
- 3:55Uh we think of our staff here, and we
- 3:57just pray for their uh well-being
- 4:00overall. Father, we just ask you would
- 4:02touch them and grant them godly wisdom
- 4:04and that you grant them safety as well.
- 4:07Uh we think of the city council members,
- 4:09Father. Thank you for them and we just
- 4:10ask that you'd help them as they make
- 4:12their decisions for us.
- 4:14We think of our schools, certainly, and
- 4:16all the kids at school and we know
- 4:18especially this time of year, it's uh
- 4:21with Halloween coming and all the kids
- 4:22are excited and so we just really pray
- 4:24for their safety as they're out
- 4:26trick-or-treating and so forth.
- 4:28We think of our local businesses. We
- 4:30thank you for the new ones that we see
- 4:31opening and we see new homes coming and
- 4:34all of those things and so we just ask
- 4:35your blessing upon each one of those.
- 4:38And then Father, we just think of the
- 4:39upcoming elections and just that your
- 4:41hand would be on those as well.
- 4:43So again, we thank you for this town in
- 4:44Jesus' name. Amen.
- 4:46>> Amen.
- 4:49>> I pledge [clears throat] allegiance
- 4:50>> to the flag of the United States of
- 4:52America and to the republic for which it
- 4:55stands, one nation under God,
- 4:58indivisible, with liberty
- 5:00>> and justice for all.
- 5:09>> [clears throat]
- 5:10>> Okay, moving on to item number five,
- 5:12proclamation presentation. Um so
- 5:15council, uh there are two proclamation
- 5:18proclamations in front of us. The first
- 5:20one was submitted um just um this
- 5:23afternoon for the National First
- 5:25Responders Day proclamation and the
- 5:28second one there on the list is Red
- 5:30Ribbon Week proclamation, which is drug
- 5:33prevention awareness and that one was
- 5:35submitted by one of our partners, um
- 5:38United Unidos and I think I see some
- 5:40members um
- 5:42uh from the organization here with us.
- 5:44Um
- 5:46can I entertain a motion to approve both
- 5:49proclamations and submit it to the
- 5:52record?
- 5:55>> I'll I'll make that motion.
- 5:57To enter those both in.
- 5:59>> I'll second.
- 6:00>> Okay, motion by deputy mayor and
- 6:01seconded by councilor Galvan. Is there
- 6:04any discussion or any comments?
- 6:08Around either proclamation.
- 6:11>> I on on the one I know
- 6:13>> Your your mic.
- 6:15>> Let's put it down here where my big
- 6:17mouth is.
- 6:18Um
- 6:19as far as like the
- 6:21first responders day proclamation in
- 6:25the state of Washington that was a
- 6:28uh put in place a few years ago when
- 6:30Christine Gregoire was the governor and
- 6:33it's it's
- 6:35we the Lions Club and I'll just
- 6:37say this
- 6:39immediately started celebrating it by
- 6:41having dinner for the first responders
- 6:43at least
- 6:45close close to the day it's kind of
- 6:47moved rotated around but the policeman
- 6:50and the firefighters
- 6:52are all invited to dinner. I don't know
- 6:54the date for this year
- 6:56but I'm certainly certainly happy that
- 6:58the proclamation is here for us.
- 7:00>> Thank you Deputy Mayor. Any further
- 7:02discussion or commentary?
- 7:04>> I was just wondering if anybody
- 7:07regarding the other proclamation
- 7:09cuz I just actually found out I think a
- 7:12couple of weeks ago at the meeting what
- 7:15what the Red Ribbon Week was about so I
- 7:17don't know if they want to
- 7:19or if that's going to be read into
- 7:22what it's about. I don't know if they
- 7:23wanted to say something.
- 7:24>> We can go through the motion and then we
- 7:26will we can call them up to the podium.
- 7:27Yeah.
- 7:29>> Sounds good.
- 7:31>> You know I'm excited for both
- 7:32proclamations um
- 7:34you know first of all for our first
- 7:36responders thank you guys for always you
- 7:38know being here and helping our
- 7:40community.
- 7:42Without you guys it's it's it's going to
- 7:44be tough.
- 7:46I we appreciate that and
- 7:48thank you again
- 7:50for Red Ribbon Week. I've been part of
- 7:52Red Ribbon Week for
- 7:54many many years. I I used to work at the
- 7:56school district so we were part of that.
- 7:59We did a lot of activities within the
- 8:00kids so I'm excited that it's getting
- 8:03recognized. So
- 8:05we're we're getting ready for that so
- 8:07hope thank the ladies for coming in for
- 8:09that.
- 8:14>> Anyone else?
- 8:15>> Um
- 8:16yeah, I echo what my fellow council has
- 8:18said. And do we Who's the
- 8:22the member of the council that goes to
- 8:24the United Unidos meetings?
- 8:26>> It's Counselor Sesasti attends. I
- 8:29usually attend because
- 8:31I I really appreciate what they do.
- 8:33Counselor Charles is there, but I know
- 8:35you go and represent
- 8:36your your work for the most part.
- 8:38>> I do. I have been a big part of
- 8:40Sunnyside United Unidos for
- 8:42probably over 10 years. Brenda Barrios
- 8:45was there. Um
- 8:47you know, Cathy Kelly. So, I go way
- 8:49back. Blanca. So, I go way back. And um
- 8:53I've been a part of that for a long
- 8:56time. I wasn't able to attend
- 8:58the last one. I Have you guys all know
- 9:00that I was out for surgery, but
- 9:03I I haven't missed any. They're they're
- 9:05a lot of information.
- 9:07Actually, I wanted to go to the next one
- 9:08because there's some stuff that I want
- 9:10to present to them. So,
- 9:11I'm glad they're here. But it's pretty
- 9:13cool.
- 9:14>> All right.
- 9:14>> Yeah.
- 9:15>> Thank you.
- 9:16>> Yeah.
- 9:17>> [clears throat]
- 9:18>> Anyone else?
- 9:19Looking at Counselor Dolan.
- 9:21Okay.
- 9:23Hearing none.
- 9:25I just You see some of us wearing red.
- 9:28My pants are red.
- 9:30>> [laughter]
- 9:31>> I couldn't find a red shirt. It's
- 9:33probably It's probably in the washer or
- 9:35something.
- 9:36>> It's in the dryer.
- 9:37>> It's been a long week. Um but thank you
- 9:40all for for those who joined in on the
- 9:43on the red on the redness.
- 9:45Uh
- 9:46Sunnyside United Unidos did encourage us
- 9:48to to wear red in in support of of the
- 9:51proclamation and um the awareness around
- 9:54such an important topic, which is drug
- 9:57awareness. And especially when it
- 10:00pertains to our youth in community. Um
- 10:03so, this is what the red symbolizes. And
- 10:07I just echo my fellow council members.
- 10:10Thank you
- 10:11Chiefs of Police Police fire department,
- 10:14nurses, um, are also
- 10:16um, anyone in the medical field is also
- 10:18first responder. There's nurses in in
- 10:21the room with us today. So, just thank
- 10:22you for all you do, um, and for your
- 10:24service. Um, y'all definitely, um, you
- 10:28know, do what it takes to keep our
- 10:30community safe and going. Um, and United
- 10:33We Stand, United We Fall, thank you all
- 10:34for all you do, um, in community. I I
- 10:36was able to to attend uh, the CATCO
- 10:39conference, um, because of y'all's
- 10:40invitation um, to get more, um, up to
- 10:44date with, um,
- 10:45the
- 10:47catastrophe that is, um, fentanyl in our
- 10:50communities and and its impact on
- 10:52everyone. And, um, and so so thank
- 10:55things for extending that invite and
- 10:57anytime that I
- 10:58assist in y'all's meetings, I get to
- 11:01learn a lot more. And, um, thank you for
- 11:04all you do for for for the schools. And,
- 11:06um,
- 11:07seems like we have a hand up before
- 11:09>> One more, um, just one for the record.
- 11:11My tie is in regards to Red Ribbon Week
- 11:14and for the kids who have struggled, um,
- 11:17that I've had the opportunity to work
- 11:19with for many, many years. Um, this is
- 11:22in representing of them.
- 11:24>> Thank you, Counselor Chavez.
- 11:26Okay. So,
- 11:30no [clears throat] further discussion?
- 11:31We'll go ahead and initiate roll call.
- 11:34Counselor Zepeda.
- 11:35>> Yes.
- 11:36>> Counselor Vasquez.
- 11:37>> Yes.
- 11:38>> Counselor Dolan.
- 11:39>> Yes.
- 11:40>> Counselor Galvan.
- 11:41>> Yes.
- 11:41>> Counselor Chavez.
- 11:42>> Yes.
- 11:43>> Deputy Mayor.
- 11:44>> Yes.
- 11:45>> And Mayor.
- 11:45>> Yes.
- 11:46>> Motion carries. Thank you. I will go
- 11:48ahead and read both proclamations now
- 11:51into the record. I'm going to go ahead
- 11:52and start with National First
- 11:54Responders. And we have two copies here
- 11:57for, um, Chief Fabrick and for Chief
- 11:59Lehman.
- 12:01Um, actually, um, before I do so, do
- 12:03either of you have anything to to add?
- 12:07Can go ahead and give y'all the mic. No?
- 12:09Don't be shy.
- 12:11>> Just say thank you very much.
- 12:14>> Thank you for for all you've done,
- 12:15especially over the course of the summer
- 12:16with all the wildfires.
- 12:19>> Same, thank you guys. I know the staff
- 12:21appreciates being recognized, so thank
- 12:22you.
- 12:24>> Thank you, Chief Lehman.
- 12:25Okay.
- 12:27Whereas, first responders serve on the
- 12:28front lines of emergencies and
- 12:30disasters, often placing themselves in
- 12:32harm's way to protect the lives, health,
- 12:34safety, and property of others. And
- 12:36whereas, first responders include
- 12:38firefighters, law enforcement officers,
- 12:40emergency medical services personnel,
- 12:42911 dispatchers, and other emergency
- 12:44response professionals who dedicate
- 12:46themselves to serving their communities.
- 12:48And whereas, these individuals
- 12:50demonstrate extraordinary courage,
- 12:52professionalism, compassion, and
- 12:54commitment while responding to fires,
- 12:56medical emergencies, traffic collisions,
- 12:58natural disasters, and other critical
- 12:59incidents. And whereas, substance use
- 13:02prevention requires a united effort to
- 13:04educate and empower young people,
- 13:06strengthen protective factors, support
- 13:08families, and provide opportunities for
- 13:10youth to make positive and informed
- 13:12decisions. And whereas, the work of
- 13:14first responders often requires long
- 13:16hours, personal sacrifice, and the
- 13:17ability to make difficult decisions
- 13:19under challenging, and dangerous
- 13:21circumstances. And whereas, the city of
- 13:23Sunnyside recognizes that first
- 13:25responders are essential to the safety
- 13:26and well-being of our community, and
- 13:28their service extends beyond emergency
- 13:30response, to public education,
- 13:32prevention, preparedness, and community
- 13:34engagement. And
- 13:36whereas, National First Responders Day
- 13:38provides an opportunity to express our
- 13:40gratitude to these dedicated
- 13:42professionals, honor those who have made
- 13:44the ultimate sacrifice in the line of
- 13:45duty,
- 13:46and recognize the families and loved
- 13:48ones who support them in their service.
- 13:50Now, therefore, I, Vicki Farias-Stoops,
- 13:52mayor of the city of Sunnyside,
- 13:53Washington, by virtue of the authority
- 13:54vested in me by the laws of the state of
- 13:56Washington, on behalf of the city
- 13:58council, do hereby proclaim October
- 14:0028th, 2026 as National First Responders
- 14:03Day in the city of Sunnyside, and
- 14:05encourage all residents to join in in
- 14:07honoring and thanking the first
- 14:08responders whose work tirelessly who
- 14:10work tirelessly to protect our
- 14:11community.
- 14:12In testimony whereof, I have hereunto
- 14:14set my hand and cause the seal of the
- 14:16city of Sunnyside to be affixed this
- 14:1820th day of October 2026.
- 14:22Thank you all so much. So,
- 14:24round of applause for our first
- 14:25responders.
- 14:29Okay.
- 14:30Uh do we do pictures just here in a
- 14:32little bit? Yeah, okay. I'm just going
- 14:34to move on to Red Ribbon and then we'll
- 14:36we'll we'll follow up and round up with
- 14:38with some pictures.
- 14:40Whereas
- 14:41Red Ribbon Week is a nationally
- 14:44Actually, before I do this, do and do
- 14:46you do any of you want to step up to the
- 14:48podium and say a few words?
- 14:51Come on, Norma Jean.
- 14:55I don't
- 14:56Don't be shy, girls.
- 15:05>> Name Say your names, too. Don't forget.
- 15:08>> Yeah.
- 15:08>> Norma Jean Rios.
- 15:10And um
- 15:12Red Ribbon Week for us is uh prevention
- 15:15in alcohol and drug
- 15:16awareness for our Sunnyside youth.
- 15:19And I've been with Blanca for the get-go
- 15:21from the very beginning. So, I'll let
- 15:23her say a little bit more about when we
- 15:25started off together.
- 15:26>> Thank you.
- 15:28>> [clears throat]
- 15:28>> Blanca Hernandez, and um
- 15:31thank you for having us here. Um and
- 15:33also receiving
- 15:35um the proclamation as well.
- 15:37Um Sunnyside United Unidos is
- 15:39is really excited to receive it. Um Red
- 15:42Ribbon Week
- 15:44um is something very important um to our
- 15:47to our students and also in the
- 15:49prevention club. Our kids in prevention
- 15:51club also wanted to be here, but they
- 15:53are at the summit um
- 15:55>> [clears throat]
- 15:55>> this
- 15:57this week. And so, um Red Ribbon Week
- 16:00has a lot to do with what we do with our
- 16:02students.
- 16:03Or um they are out there promoting and
- 16:06showing
- 16:07um about drugs and alcohol. And
- 16:09something that is very important uh to
- 16:12us. And so, I really appreciate it.
- 16:14Every year it's something that um our
- 16:16students like to um go out and promote.
- 16:19And thank you for
- 16:22just being there and supporting us.
- 16:24Supporting our students.
- 16:26>> Thank you both so much. Go ahead,
- 16:27Debbie.
- 16:28>> I was just wondering what
- 16:30I know there's always some activities
- 16:32that are uh
- 16:33arranged around Red Ribbon Week. Can you
- 16:36give us kind of a clue of what might be
- 16:37happening this week?
- 16:39>> The last week
- 16:41um
- 16:41they
- 16:43they ended up at the so at the high
- 16:45school
- 16:46I do know that they had something
- 16:47prepared
- 16:48to do
- 16:49>> Mhm.
- 16:50>> last Thursday which was glow out
- 16:52at the high school and it's just
- 16:53promoting about the awareness and
- 16:56showing the stuff that the students do
- 16:59as well. So I know that there was one
- 17:00big activity but also during the week
- 17:03they do activities
- 17:05at the high school and also
- 17:08in the middle schools but I do know that
- 17:12they do do activities inside of the
- 17:14school
- 17:15during the time
- 17:18during the time of school.
- 17:20So they do have all week they're doing
- 17:22all kinds of activities inside with the
- 17:24students whether it's during lunch time,
- 17:26passing time, they have something going.
- 17:29>> Okay, thank you.
- 17:32Do you Okay.
- 17:34Go ahead and approach the podium.
- 17:39>> Hi, Raquel Izquierdo Lopez. I am also on
- 17:41the coalition for Sunnyside United
- 17:42Unidos. Unfortunately this week or this
- 17:45month it it landed on
- 17:47conference week. So there would have
- 17:49been more activities Thursday,
- 17:51Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
- 17:52However, there's no school tomorrow or
- 17:53Friday. So there wasn't many activities.
- 17:55There was a big one like Blanca said
- 17:57last week but due to some grant issues
- 18:00it had to be cancelled. So we're hoping
- 18:02to follow up with that and get that
- 18:03going again. On behalf of Holly and Ray,
- 18:06thank you. They are at the summit as
- 18:07well and they weren't able to make it
- 18:09but thank you for for doing this.
- 18:12Oh.
- 18:13>> Thank you all. We definitely extend our
- 18:15biggest congratulations for all the work
- 18:17that y'all are doing and and and then
- 18:18thanks for the work that you all
- 18:20continue to do. Seems like the kids are
- 18:22busy right now.
- 18:23So, we'll go ahead and read this into
- 18:25the record and we'll sign it off and
- 18:27then give it off to you all so you all
- 18:28can go back and share it with with the
- 18:30coalition.
- 18:31Um
- 18:32here we go. Whereas Red Ribbon Week is a
- 18:35nationally recognized campaign observed
- 18:37annually from October 23rd through
- 18:39October 31st dedicated to work to
- 18:42raising awareness about the dangers of
- 18:44substance use and encouraging
- 18:45individuals, families, and communities
- 18:47to make healthy drug-free choices. And
- 18:50whereas the health, safety, and
- 18:51well-being of our youth are essential to
- 18:53building a strong, thriving, and
- 18:55resilient community. And whereas
- 18:57Sunnyside United Unidos, a
- 18:59community-based prevention coalition,
- 19:00works collaboratively with schools, law
- 19:03enforcement, families, youth, local
- 19:05organizations, and community leaders to
- 19:07prevent youth substance
- 19:09through education, awareness, positive
- 19:11youth development, and community
- 19:12engagement.
- 19:14And whereas substance use prevention
- 19:16requires a united effort to educate and
- 19:18empower young people, strengthen
- 19:20protective factors, support families,
- 19:21and provide opportunities for youth to
- 19:23make positive and informed decisions.
- 19:26Whereas Red Ribbon Week Oh, it's a
- 19:28tongue twister. Red Ribbon Week provides
- 19:30an opportunity for the Sunnyside
- 19:32community to come together, celebrate
- 19:33healthy lifestyles, recognize the
- 19:35importance of prevention, and
- 19:36demonstrate a shared commitment to a
- 19:38safe and drug-free future. And whereas
- 19:41the City of Sunnyside recognizes the
- 19:43dedication of Sunnyside United Unidos,
- 19:45its community partners, educators,
- 19:47parents, and youth advocates who work
- 19:49throughout the year to create a
- 19:50healthier and safer environment for
- 19:52future generations. Now, therefore, I,
- 19:55Vicki Grouse, the mayor of the City of
- 19:56Sunnyside, Washington, by virtue of the
- 19:58authority vested in me by the laws of
- 20:00the state of Washington and on behalf of
- 20:02the city council, do hereby proclaim
- 20:04October 23rd through the 31st, 2026 as
- 20:08Red Ribbon Week
- 20:10in the City of Sunnyside and encourage
- 20:12all residents, schools, businesses,
- 20:14families, and community organizations
- 20:16um to participate in Red Ribbon Week
- 20:18activities, promote substance use
- 20:20prevention, and stand united in
- 20:23empowering our youth to make healthy
- 20:25choices.
- 20:26In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my
- 20:28hand and cause the seal of the city of
- 20:29Sunnyside to be affixed this 20th day of
- 20:32October, 2026.
- 20:39So, we have a a few copies here that
- 20:41Katie printed out for you all. Um, do we
- 20:43want to you want to come on up and we'll
- 20:44start with you all for for a picture
- 20:46with the council?
- 20:51>> We stand up here or go down there?
- 20:54Is this where you want to be? Okay.
- 20:57>> Oh, I'm sorry.
- 20:58>> It's getting
- 21:04Okay.
- 21:04>> Do you want to sit here?
- 21:05>> Or down there?
- 21:06>> It's up to you.
- 21:07>> Do you want to come down there?
- 21:08>> Okay. I'm going to go.
- 21:10>> Go down there.
- 21:11>> I'm going to go.
- 21:11>> Go ahead.
- 21:12>> Oh, thanks.
- 21:13Yeah, whatever was easier.
- 21:14>> Use the handrail here.
- 21:17>> Are you borrowing my hat?
- 21:19>> I think it has to be mine.
- 21:22>> I'm going to go ahead and pick it up.
- 21:23>> have it as your underwear.
- 21:25>> Yeah, that's the only place in Europe
- 21:26seen it.
- 21:28>> [laughter]
- 21:29>> Good. I don't think I want to.
- 21:32>> Well, the visual's all worked out.
- 21:34>> That is that what
- 21:36>> We'll figure it
- 21:37>> Yeah, the visual aid worked.
- 21:39>> Oh, yeah.
- 21:40>> They're going to spend some time.
- 21:42>> They're going to go over it.
- 21:43>> Mr. Mesa
- 21:44>> Yeah, I'm going to think about
- 21:45>> He's going to
- 21:47>> Yeah, I am not spending time.
- 21:51>> It's okay.
- 21:52>> We'll keep it a little bit.
- 21:53>> I am ready.
- 22:03>> Yes, I am.
- 22:05>> Thank you.
- 22:05>> Thank you.
- 22:07>> Thank you.
- 22:10>> Thank you.
- 22:11>> You're welcome.
- 22:14>> Thank you. Can you hear a little bit?
- 22:16>> Yeah, I did.
- 22:16>> Congratulations, school board member.
- 22:22>> Press, press, press, press.
- 22:24>> He's saying it.
- 22:26>> Get one more picture with the Ritchie
- 22:27scene.
- 22:34>> You guys good to see me?
- 22:38>> Oh, we have one more, you guys.
- 22:39>> Oh, Brad. Jeez.
- 22:41>> I'm sorry.
- 22:43>> Up to soon.
- 22:44>> Oh, what?
- 22:45>> Oh, for
- 22:46>> First responder.
- 22:47>> First responder.
- 22:49>> Sorry. Sorry.
- 22:55>> Mhm.
- 22:56>> Well, I don't want to go there.
- 22:56>> All right. Okay.
- 22:57>> I like to go to bed.
- 22:58>> No, I didn't say she's going to fall.
- 23:09>> Everything seen and unseen to be united.
- 23:11>> Thank you.
- 23:16>> Thank you for everything seen and
- 23:18unseen.
- 23:32>> I'll be at both of them.
- 23:35>> Okay. Moving into public comments for
- 23:37active agenda items. Hector, would you
- 23:39mind um
- 23:41passing on
- 23:42the list if there's anybody for the
- 23:44active agenda items.
- 23:50You can go ahead, Darin.
- 23:52>> Is that other sheet up there still?
- 23:55>> Yeah.
- 23:56>> It should be.
- 23:58>> for non-agenda and a public hearing.
- 24:03>> Okay.
- 24:04So, there is nobody on our list for the
- 24:07public comment on active agenda items.
- 24:10Seeing none, we'll move into item seven,
- 24:13consent agenda. A, set public hearing
- 24:16date for the city of Sunnyside 2026
- 24:18periodic update to the comprehensive
- 24:20plan, critical areas ordinance, and
- 24:22development regulations.
- 24:24Um
- 24:26Do
- 24:27I just read through them or is Hector
- 24:29going to address any of these?
- 24:31>> No, we're just going the recommended
- 24:33motion at the bottom.
- 24:34>> Okay.
- 24:35>> Everything under the consent agenda.
- 24:37>> Oh, I see what you did there. Okay.
- 24:39Um
- 24:40So, set November 25th, 2026 um for the
- 24:44date for the public hearing to consider
- 24:46the planning commission's
- 24:47recommendations on the 2026 periodic
- 24:49update to the comprehensive plan. Again,
- 24:51critical areas ordinances and
- 24:53development regulations. Item B, set
- 24:55public hearing date for Catholic
- 24:57Charities housing
- 24:59uh services planned unit development and
- 25:01preliminary plat.
- 25:02And this is to be set again on November
- 25:0525th.
- 25:07And minutes, minutes of the October
- 25:0914th, 2026 regular meeting, minutes of
- 25:12the October 23rd, 2026 special meeting.
- 25:15Uh D, payroll vouchers, approve payroll
- 25:17voucher numbers 120065
- 25:19through 120075.
- 25:21And wire transfers is listed for
- 25:24$795,000,
- 25:26$756.53
- 25:28for the period ending October 10th,
- 25:302026.
- 25:32Last, E, claim vouchers, approve claim
- 25:34voucher numbers 115147
- 25:37through 115209.
- 25:38And wire transfers is listed for
- 25:40$328,235.36
- 25:44for the period um of October 12th, 2026
- 25:47through October 19th, 2026.
- 25:49And approved claim voucher numbers
- 25:5111797, 115210 through 115239.
- 25:55And wire transfers is listed for
- 25:57$237,183.40
- 26:01for the period of October 20, 2026
- 26:04through October 26, 2026.
- 26:08Could I entertain a motion?
- 26:10>> Um Madam Mayor, I I approve the uh
- 26:13public hearing dates for
- 26:15uh November 25th, the minutes, the
- 26:17payroll vouchers, and claim vouchers as
- 26:20presented on the consent agenda.
- 26:23>> I'll second.
- 26:25>> There's a motion by Deputy Mayor
- 26:27seconded by Councilmember Galvan. Is
- 26:29there um
- 26:31any further discussion on any of these
- 26:33items?
- 26:36>> Just uh
- 26:37thanks to Councilor Dolan for stepping
- 26:40in for me for the um
- 26:42finance committee. I've been uh
- 26:45preoccupied with personal stuff and he's
- 26:47been uh able to attend those meetings
- 26:48for me. So,
- 26:50uh thank you, Councilor.
- 26:52>> Uh anyone else?
- 26:53>> I I'd also like to thank the mayor for
- 26:55stepping in for for me for the finance
- 26:57committee this week. Um
- 27:00under the weather in a serious way. So,
- 27:02thank you very much for stepping in for
- 27:03me.
- 27:04>> Yeah.
- 27:04Of course.
- 27:05And um like always, [clears throat] uh
- 27:07Jessica and um
- 27:09>> Oh, thank you guys. Awesome work.
- 27:11>> You'll do a really great job at
- 27:13streamlining and being responsive to to
- 27:15some of our questions. So.
- 27:18Um okay. Hearing no other points for
- 27:21discussion, go ahead, Councilor Dolan.
- 27:23>> I'd also like to thank Jessica and the
- 27:26rest of the crew on finance uh for
- 27:28putting up with me.
- 27:31>> [laughter]
- 27:32>> Yeah, we want to thank you for putting
- 27:33up with that.
- 27:34>> Yeah, we want to thank you.
- 27:35>> We do. We thank you.
- 27:36>> We all
- 27:38He makes it fun and exciting.
- 27:39>> He makes He makes it fun and exciting,
- 27:41yeah.
- 27:41>> He asks a lot of questions.
- 27:43>> [laughter]
- 27:43>> Okay.
- 27:46All right, hearing no other comments.
- 27:49Councilor Vasquez.
- 27:52>> Yes.
- 27:54>> Councilor Dolan.
- 27:55>> Yes.
- 27:55>> Councilor Galvan.
- 27:56>> Yes.
- 27:57>> Councilor Chavez.
- 27:58>> Yes.
- 27:59>> Councilor Zucconi.
- 28:00>> Yes.
- 28:00>> Deputy Mayor.
- 28:01>> Yes.
- 28:02>> Mayor.
- 28:03>> Yes.
- 28:04>> Motion carries.
- 28:07Okay, moving into active agenda.
- 28:10Item A, fire department ladder truck
- 28:12repair.
- 28:13Um Chief Labrecque.
- 28:16>> Yes, thank you, Mayor and Council. Um
- 28:19here to you tonight under some
- 28:20unfortunate circumstances regarding our
- 28:22ladder truck. Uh we've been having some
- 28:24issues with the ladder controls, um
- 28:27which have made the uh aerial portion of
- 28:29the ladder truck, which is its primary
- 28:30function, uh inoperable.
- 28:33Um so, the uh truck has been uh, sent
- 28:35down to the uh, certified uh, technician
- 28:39uh, that operates on those vehicles and
- 28:41they've gone through their diagnostics
- 28:42and were able to provide us a quote for
- 28:44a cost of repairs, which exceeds my
- 28:46spending authority. So, I come to you
- 28:48for authorization for the expense for
- 28:50those repairs.
- 28:51>> Thank you.
- 28:52>> Initial questions? Go ahead, Counselor
- 28:54Dolan.
- 28:55>> You might share um,
- 28:57our conversation about the um, EVT?
- 29:00>> Absolutely. So, with with emergency
- 29:02vehicles, pretty much anything behind
- 29:04the engine compartment um, and even some
- 29:06parts of the engine compartment require
- 29:07specialized technicians to work on them.
- 29:10Um, they're referred to as EVTs or
- 29:12emergency vehicle technicians, which is
- 29:14uh, it's quite the process to become
- 29:16certified as an EVT. Um,
- 29:18and so uh,
- 29:21we don't have the ability to take it to,
- 29:23let's say, a local mechanic or or any of
- 29:25that nature. That we have to take them
- 29:26to a specialist. And so, not only does
- 29:28that ensure repairs are done
- 29:29appropriately, but also for um,
- 29:32liability if if, you know, something
- 29:33were to go wrong and it wasn't um,
- 29:35repaired or or uh, service was conducted
- 29:37by a uh, an EVT, then um, we run the
- 29:40risk of uh, of
- 29:42liability for not seeking appropriate
- 29:44uh, mitigation.
- 29:46So.
- 29:46>> Okay.
- 29:47>> Go ahead, Counselor Dolan.
- 29:49>> Isn't this a fairly new ladder truck?
- 29:51>> Uh, it's a 2016, so it's about 10 years
- 29:53old. Um, unfortunately, I I I like to
- 29:57equate owning a ladder truck to like
- 29:58owning a boat. Um, they're fantastic to
- 30:01get to have and uh, they can be
- 30:03necessary in certain occasions, um, but
- 30:05uh,
- 30:07but unfortunately, there's a lot of
- 30:08moving parts, a lot of that goes into
- 30:10it. Therefore, to translate it, a lot
- 30:12that can go wrong. And so, um, this is
- 30:15the first time we've had significant or
- 30:17what I would consider significant repair
- 30:18needs for it. Um,
- 30:21but that's unfortunately where we're at
- 30:22right now.
- 30:22>> And you said that it it's already there
- 30:24in Hillsborough, I believe.
- 30:26>> Correct. So, we we sent them with with
- 30:28the problems that we had noticed. Um, us
- 30:30not being EVTs, we weren't able to
- 30:32diagnose. So, they've done the
- 30:33diagnostic process. Um, they put
- 30:35together what is needed to get it back
- 30:37into service and so that's what I
- 30:39present with you tonight.
- 30:41>> Go ahead, Deputy Mayor.
- 30:42>> Uh,
- 30:43>> [clears throat]
- 30:43>> thank you, Madam Mayor. Um, the the
- 30:46amount of money that's within the
- 30:49somewhere in our budget and in the fire
- 30:51fire equipment
- 30:52uh
- 30:53>> So, there will be so the the line item
- 30:55that is utilized for repairs and
- 30:56maintenance um
- 30:57was at the beginning of the year 23,000.
- 30:59Some of that has been used approximately
- 31:02uh
- 31:02apologize here. I believe about 10,000.
- 31:05Sorry, 13,000 remains in that fund. Um,
- 31:08so to for the difference we would have
- 31:09to do a budget amendment. Speaking with
- 31:11finance, they're asking to do that as a
- 31:13as a lump. So, tonight I'm not asking
- 31:15for the budget amendment. That would
- 31:16come um when we do the
- 31:19bulk amendment if I'm describing that
- 31:20correctly, Jessica.
- 31:21>> I Yeah.
- 31:22>> Um, but uh but yes, that's our that's
- 31:25our intent.
- 31:26>> Thank you.
- 31:27>> So, Counselor Dolan.
- 31:28>> I uh
- 31:30the conversation I had with Chief
- 31:32Horvath was uh
- 31:34what's the chances of getting some of
- 31:35our mechanics trained in EVT and and uh
- 31:39possibly doing some of the work here.
- 31:41There's three different He explained
- 31:42there's three different stages for that
- 31:44training and
- 31:46that's why it's so expensive because you
- 31:48have to have those certifications in
- 31:49those areas
- 31:51to keep uh the city from being sued
- 31:54for
- 31:56uh
- 31:57non-compliance.
- 31:59And so,
- 32:00if the down the road if there's a
- 32:02possibility of putting some of our guys
- 32:04in there and giving them that training,
- 32:07the expense is pretty high, but the
- 32:09payback I think in the long run is for
- 32:11well worth it.
- 32:15>> Go ahead, Counselor uh Gotone.
- 32:17>> Being that it is the only ladder truck
- 32:19that we have, what's what's the
- 32:20turnaround? When when are we expecting
- 32:22it back?
- 32:23>> So, I don't have a clear answer on that
- 32:24from True North, but typically by the
- 32:27time that once I give them
- 32:28authorization, which I'll be doing first
- 32:29thing in the morning should it be
- 32:30approved, um they already know what they
- 32:33need, so it'll be ordering the parts. I
- 32:34would anticipate it seen back at the
- 32:36station within two to 3 weeks,
- 32:38realistically.
- 32:39>> Okay.
- 32:39>> 3 weeks.
- 32:41Thank you.
- 32:45What is the desire of council?
- 32:48>> I move the city council authorize the
- 32:50the interim city manager to sign a quote
- 32:52with True North Equipment for ladder
- 32:55truck repairs for a cost of $23,012.58.
- 32:59>> Uh motion by Councillor Galvan. Is there
- 33:01a second?
- 33:02>> I'll second.
- 33:03>> Seconded by Councillor Dolan. Uh further
- 33:06comments?
- 33:09Hearing none.
- 33:11Councillor Dolan?
- 33:12>> Yes.
- 33:13>> Councillor Galvan?
- 33:14>> Yes.
- 33:15>> Councillor Chavez?
- 33:16>> Yes.
- 33:17>> Councillor Zepeda?
- 33:18>> Yes.
- 33:18>> Councillor Vasquez?
- 33:20>> Yes.
- 33:20>> Deputy Mayor?
- 33:21>> Yes.
- 33:22>> And Mayor?
- 33:23>> Yes.
- 33:24>> Motion carries.
- 33:27Okay, moving on to B. Resolution
- 33:29authorizing application submittal for
- 33:31DNR surplus engine grant. And this is
- 33:34again
- 33:35yours, Mr. Hambrick.
- 33:37>> Thank you again, Mayor and Council. Yes,
- 33:39Mr. Dolan?
- 33:40>> Uh just to take a step back, I
- 33:43I was told a while back that having that
- 33:46ladder truck here in Sunnyside
- 33:48helps bring up the numbers for all the
- 33:50fire stations within the within our
- 33:52scope.
- 33:54Is that
- 33:54>> If there if we do have uh mutual
- 33:56automatic uh aid agreements, which we do
- 33:58with our neighbors, yes, it does.
- 34:03Um so, this will look very familiar. Uh
- 34:06this is a request for a grant
- 34:07application. I uh brought this to you
- 34:09guys last year. Unfortunately, we were
- 34:11not successful um in receiving the
- 34:13grant. It's a very highly sought-after
- 34:15grant um by all Washington agencies. And
- 34:18uh full disclosure, you will see this
- 34:20from me every year until they get tired
- 34:22of hearing from me and just award us the
- 34:23grant. So,
- 34:24>> [laughter]
- 34:25>> um but uh reiterate for those who are
- 34:26not in council or present at this time,
- 34:28this is a a surplus grant through the
- 34:31Washington State Department of Natural
- 34:32Resources for a type five brush engine.
- 34:35Um this is to add to our fleet. Um it's
- 34:37a little smaller uh chassis than what we
- 34:39currently have of our our current brush
- 34:40truck. Um there's no cost to apply or
- 34:43receive the grant.
- 34:45Um what I did add in there is um if we
- 34:48were to be uh awarded the grant, there
- 34:50would be approximately $10,000 worth of
- 34:53outfits. Um should we do however the
- 34:55truck is deliverable um ready for use.
- 34:58It would this would just include
- 34:59graphics, you know, if the radio needs
- 35:01updates, stuff of that nature.
- 35:04>> Any initial questions for Chief Hubrick?
- 35:09>> I I just want to I if it Madam
- 35:11>> Yeah, go ahead. Sorry, there was two
- 35:12hands going up at once. Sorry, go ahead.
- 35:14Go ahead Deputy Mayor and then I'll go
- 35:15to Counselor Dolan.
- 35:17>> Thank you. Um
- 35:19I was [clears throat] just going to say
- 35:20this is I know that we've gone after
- 35:22this particular grant a number of
- 35:23different times. We've several years ago
- 35:25we were successful um
- 35:27with getting some money. So as um I'm
- 35:30glad that your uh termacity is to
- 35:34uh keep going. Keep going. Don't give
- 35:36up. Right. Right. Thank you for doing
- 35:38that.
- 35:41>> Go ahead, Counselor Dolan.
- 35:42>> You.
- 35:43>> Well, I was just wondering cuz I've this
- 35:45is my first year here. So have we
- 35:47received the grant before or you just
- 35:49keep trying?
- 35:50>> We have not received this specific grant
- 35:52before. We've received other very
- 35:53similar grants for equipment um cost
- 35:56match on on personal protective
- 35:58equipment um
- 35:59stuff of that nature. Um we've uh gone
- 36:03through the federal surplus for our
- 36:04current brush truck which is a a surplus
- 36:06military vehicle that was retro'd into a
- 36:08a brush truck. Um so that's been a a
- 36:11great asset to the city and so we're
- 36:12hoping to add that fleet by similar
- 36:14route. Um
- 36:16if we were to go purchase a brush truck
- 36:17similar to this or similar to the one we
- 36:19have now, um
- 36:21anywhere between 250 and 400,000.
- 36:24Um Counselor Dolan, you'd know just as
- 36:26well as I do. What do we have into our
- 36:28current brush truck? About 14,000?
- 36:30>> I think it's 16,000 but it
- 36:32[clears throat] was a fun project.
- 36:33>> Yep. So uh obviously going this route is
- 36:36a significant savings to the city and in
- 36:38the case with this um again this truck
- 36:40if we were to go purchase brand new
- 36:42right off the lot, you know, outfitted,
- 36:44we're looking between 250 and 300,000,
- 36:46so
- 36:47uh if we're awarded, it would be a it
- 36:49would be a good benefit and
- 36:51a significant cost savings.
- 36:52>> Councilor Guaman.
- 36:53>> So, just a clarification, uh Councilor
- 36:56Hart, we're not receiving money, we're
- 36:59just we would be receiving equipment.
- 37:02>> Correct.
- 37:02>> Yeah.
- 37:02>> Okay.
- 37:03>> Yep.
- 37:03>> But we have
- 37:04have in the past received equipment. I'm
- 37:07sorry, but I misspoke on the money part.
- 37:13>> Uh
- 37:13any any other commentary?
- 37:16>> Just keep trying every year.
- 37:18>> Yeah.
- 37:18>> I I figure that if it keeps going,
- 37:20they'll finally just get tired of seeing
- 37:21my name, my application. Let's go, let's
- 37:23just let's just give it to him, so he
- 37:24stops bugging us.
- 37:25>> [laughter]
- 37:26>> Whatever it takes.
- 37:27>> Okay, thank you. What's the desire of
- 37:29council?
- 37:30>> I move the city council approve
- 37:31resolution resolution authorizing
- 37:34applications submittal to the Washington
- 37:36State Department of Natural Resources
- 37:38DNR surplus engine grant.
- 37:41>> I'll second.
- 37:42>> Okay, motion by Councilor Guaman, by
- 37:44Councilor Sasati.
- 37:45Um
- 37:46further discussion on this item?
- 37:49Okay, hearing none.
- 37:52Councilor Guaman?
- 37:53>> Yes.
- 37:54>> Councilor Chavez?
- 37:55>> Yes.
- 37:56>> Councilor Sasati?
- 37:57>> Yes.
- 37:58>> Councilor Vasquez?
- 37:59>> Yes.
- 38:01>> Councilor Dolan?
- 38:02>> Yes.
- 38:02>> Deputy Mayor?
- 38:03>> Yes.
- 38:04>> And Mayor?
- 38:05>> Yes.
- 38:06>> Motion carries.
- 38:09Okay, so now we are going into
- 38:12public hearing.
- 38:14Item C, public hearing an ordinance
- 38:16renewing an emergency moratorium on
- 38:18acceptance of applications for certain
- 38:20essential public facilities. I'll go
- 38:23ahead and toss it to you, and then we
- 38:24can go ahead and open up the public
- 38:26hearing.
- 38:28Open up and then go ahead Okay.
- 38:30Thank you for that, Katie. So,
- 38:33this public hearing is being held to
- 38:34receive public comments and
- 38:35recommendations concerning an ordinance
- 38:37renewing an emergency moratorium on
- 38:39acceptance of applications for certain
- 38:41essential public facilities.
- 38:44The concern is that this hearing be fair
- 38:46in form and substance as well as
- 38:48appearance. Council members, do any of
- 38:50you have a conflict of interest
- 38:51concerning this issue? Do any of you
- 38:53stand to gain or lose any financial
- 38:54benefit as a result of the outcome of
- 38:56this hearing? If your answer is yes,
- 38:58please speak now.
- 39:02Council members, can you hear and
- 39:03consider this in a fair and objective
- 39:04manner? If your answer is no, please
- 39:06speak now.
- 39:09Audience members, is there anyone in the
- 39:11audience who objects to my participation
- 39:12or any other council members
- 39:14participation in these proceedings?
- 39:17If there are objections, please approach
- 39:19the microphone, state your name and city
- 39:21of residence, and state your objection.
- 39:28That somebody was that Counselor
- 39:30Vasquez?
- 39:32Seems like it Counselor Vasquez. Okay.
- 39:35The time is now 6:
- 39:3838 and the public hearing is now open.
- 39:44Okay. So, this
- 39:46want to provide the
- 39:48staff report on this item, Mr. Mayor?
- 39:50>> Yes, ma'am.
- 39:51Uh good evening, mayor and council
- 39:53members.
- 39:54Uh this ordinance establishes a
- 39:55temporary 6-month or moratorium
- 39:58on the acceptance and processing of
- 40:00applications related to essential public
- 40:02facilities, including secure community
- 40:05tran- transition facilities.
- 40:08Under state law, cities are required to
- 40:10plan for essential public facilities.
- 40:12However, our current municipal code does
- 40:15not contain a specific siting criteria,
- 40:17zoning standards, or reviewing
- 40:19procedures tailored to these.
- 40:22At this At the same time, we are in the
- 40:24process of updating our comprehensive
- 40:25plan and continuing border land use
- 40:29review.
- 40:30This moratorium gives the city time to
- 40:32carefully evaluate
- 40:34uh appropriate zoning regulations, uh
- 40:37com- capability standards, public safety
- 40:41considerations, development criteria
- 40:43before any such applications vest under
- 40:47the existing regulations. Uh the
- 40:49ordinance uh, temporary pauses
- 40:51acceptance of permits or development
- 40:54applications
- 40:55related to essential public facilities,
- 40:58declares an emergency, so it takes
- 41:00effect immediately.
- 41:02Uh, limits the moratorium to 6 months
- 41:05unless earlier replaced by a permanent
- 41:08regulation.
- 41:09This action does not prohibit these
- 41:11facilities. It simply ensures that if
- 41:13and when applications are submitted, the
- 41:15city has clear legally sound standards
- 41:17in place to review them responsibly.
- 41:22>> Okay.
- 41:23We'll go to audience members. Is there
- 41:25anybody who signed up for public comment
- 41:27on this issue?
- 41:30>> No one.
- 41:32>> Okay. Confirm if there's anybody who
- 41:33wishes to
- 41:35Is there anybody in the audience that
- 41:36wishes to do public comment?
- 41:44Hearing none, council members, any
- 41:45questions or comments on this item?
- 41:48Thank you.
- 41:50Go ahead, Councilman Galvin.
- 41:52>> Just want to thank uh, Hector.
- 41:54We're planning a meeting here in the
- 41:55next week or so so we can uh, talk about
- 41:58a more permanent um,
- 42:00solution to this because this is the
- 42:01last time that we could do a moratorium
- 42:03for for this uh, particular situation,
- 42:06so
- 42:07uh, we're hoping to have something
- 42:09by then, right?
- 42:10>> We are hopefully to have it something
- 42:12uh,
- 42:12in concrete and getting our
- 42:14comprehensive plan ready to um,
- 42:16obviously public works uh, review
- 42:19committee and uh, safety uh, committee
- 42:22also and then to count uh, planning and
- 42:24then to council.
- 42:25>> Right. Planning Commission. Thank you.
- 42:28Thank you for your work on this.
- 42:31Anyone else?
- 42:34>> Just just have have um, Madam Mayor,
- 42:37thank you. Um, have you had any folks
- 42:41um,
- 42:42uh, approach the city with applications
- 42:45at all?
- 42:47>> This time, no not to my knowledge that
- 42:49we have had any.
- 42:50Um, but we want to prepare ourselves.
- 42:52>> Exactly.
- 42:53>> You do not want to um
- 42:55happen to what other cities have come
- 42:58to.
- 43:00That's why we want to be proactive
- 43:02instead of reactive. So, we're we're
- 43:05working on it.
- 43:05>> Okay.
- 43:07Thank you.
- 43:08>> [snorts]
- 43:09[clears throat and cough]
- 43:10>> It's like
- 43:11Okay.
- 43:12Councilor Vasquez,
- 43:14any any commentary? Just don't want to
- 43:16miss you, so I just keep looking up that
- 43:17way.
- 43:18It's okay if you don't.
- 43:20>> No, not right now.
- 43:22>> Thank you.
- 43:24Okay.
- 43:26Any other comments?
- 43:28Questions?
- 43:30Okay.
- 43:31Hearing none, we'll go ahead and close
- 43:33the public hearing.
- 43:35Uh there being no additional comments
- 43:36from the public or council, let the
- 43:38record show that this public hearing is
- 43:39now closed.
- 43:41And the time is 6:42 p.m.
- 43:46Okay.
- 43:48What is the recommendation of council?
- 43:53>> I move the city council adopt an
- 43:55ordinance renewing a 6-month moratorium
- 43:58on the location and siting of secure
- 44:00community transition facilities on the
- 44:02filing acceptance, processing, and
- 44:05approval of related building permit and
- 44:07development applications.
- 44:09Adopt findings of fact and work plan,
- 44:12declare a public emergency, and declare
- 44:14an immediate effective date.
- 44:17>> Thank you. Second. Okay. Seconded by
- 44:20Councilor Chavez.
- 44:22Uh further comments?
- 44:25Hearing none.
- 44:27Councilor Chavez?
- 44:28>> Yes.
- 44:29>> Councilor Zepeda?
- 44:30>> Yes.
- 44:31>> Councilor Vasquez?
- 44:32>> Yes.
- 44:33>> Councilor Dolan?
- 44:34>> Yes.
- 44:34>> Councilor Gowan?
- 44:35>> Yes.
- 44:36>> Deputy Mayor?
- 44:37>> Yes.
- 44:37>> Mayor?
- 44:39>> Yes.
- 44:39>> Motion carries.
- 44:42>> Thank you.
- 44:44>> Moving on to item D, interlocal
- 44:46agreement for the Yakima Valley Local
- 44:47Crime Lab.
- 44:49Chief Layman.
- 44:51>> Uh this is a interlocal agreement to um
- 44:54for the police chief to manage the crime
- 44:56lab directly with the city of Union Gap
- 44:58being the fiduciary.
- 45:00Cost of the crime lab for Union Gap to
- 45:02run it is a 5% fee for their
- 45:04administration services. Right now, I
- 45:06think that
- 45:07um
- 45:09WYDCog is who we're moving away from
- 45:11just had a recent study and they're
- 45:12they're asking for a 15% fee, so this is
- 45:14financially makes sense for us.
- 45:17Um
- 45:18This [snorts] is a temporary solution
- 45:20because
- 45:22the police chiefs along with the fire
- 45:24chiefs are looking at building a board
- 45:26that's going to manage the the crime
- 45:28lab, the real-time crime center, and
- 45:29dispatch. And I'll talk a little bit
- 45:31more about that at my report at the end
- 45:33of the meeting. But so this is an ILA,
- 45:35it's gone to several council councils
- 45:37already that have passed it, but it's
- 45:38just a pretty much a standard ILA.
- 45:40There's a slight increase over last
- 45:42year, but this has been in the budget
- 45:43for the last 4 years. There's no it's
- 45:45not a new expense or anything like that.
- 45:48>> Any initial questions for Chief Layman?
- 45:51Uh Mayor
- 45:52>> Go ahead.
- 45:53>> Um the amount of 28,501,
- 45:57that is
- 45:58you said it's a slight increase over
- 46:00last year?
- 46:00>> I think it's 8 to 10% increase over last
- 46:03year.
- 46:03>> Okay, and
- 46:04>> cost.
- 46:05>> And we've been members of this crime lab
- 46:09for about what, 3 4 years?
- 46:10>> Since its inception 4 years ago.
- 46:12>> 4 years ago. Okay.
- 46:16Can I ask one one more question?
- 46:19So I understand that there's some
- 46:22moving away from Cog's handling of the
- 46:25the fiducia- the money's for the crime
- 46:28lab to Union Gap.
- 46:31Um I think you were going to say you
- 46:32were going to talk about that later in
- 46:33your report.
- 46:34>> Um just talk about the consolidation of
- 46:37dispatch and some of that kind of stuff
- 46:38that's going on in my report at the end
- 46:40of the meeting.
- 46:41>> Okay.
- 46:42>> The the ultimate goal is to have one
- 46:44board that manages all three of these.
- 46:46Um
- 46:47the crime lab, the real-time crime
- 46:48center, and dispatch.
- 46:50>> Right. Real
- 46:54>> Did I see Councilwoman want to raise
- 46:55your hand
- 46:56>> No.
- 46:56>> Okay. Um I I did have a question. Um
- 47:00just for for clarification since we pay
- 47:02into the YV COG membership, is there an
- 47:05MOU or any document that exists that we
- 47:07are parting away from our money going
- 47:10into the crime lab?
- 47:11>> So, the crime lab is separate from the
- 47:13YV COG membership. Once the cities all
- 47:16sign this MOU, then there'll be a notice
- 47:18to YV COG. They know it's We've been
- 47:20talking to YV COG about it for 6 months.
- 47:22I met with Julia about it at Starbucks 2
- 47:24months ago because she's on the YV COG
- 47:26executive board, so she knew this was
- 47:27happening. Yep.
- 47:29>> Mhm.
- 47:30Okay.
- 47:32Any further comments for Chief Lehman?
- 47:36Questions?
- 47:37>> I have a question.
- 47:38>> So, when will we see the report that
- 47:41you're talking about?
- 47:42Uh in regards to the
- 47:46So, my question is where what are we
- 47:48changing in regards to money on this?
- 47:51>> To money on this?
- 47:52>> Yeah. What is the difference on on what
- 47:53we're paying now to what we're going to
- 47:55be doing? Paying 28,000.
- 47:57>> There's That's a 5% per 8 to 10%
- 48:00increase over last year. That That's all
- 48:02there is. We We pay that to YV COG right
- 48:04now. The police chiefs are an advisory
- 48:06board to YV COG, but YV COG has ultimate
- 48:08control over the crime lab. The police
- 48:10chiefs are looking to have more control
- 48:11over it because they have the expertise
- 48:13in
- 48:14evidence processing and those types of
- 48:16things. And so, that's why we're looking
- 48:17to move away. This is a short-term fix
- 48:20that is under Union Gap until we get
- 48:21this other board set up.
- 48:25>> And and if I recall correctly from our
- 48:28executive session with YV COG,
- 48:31um
- 48:32they were kind of in favor of this, and
- 48:35Union Gap was was willing to take on the
- 48:39fiduciary for the time.
- 48:41>> Yeah, so basically at a police chiefs
- 48:43meeting we talked about who All right,
- 48:44who Who's interested or or their city's
- 48:46financial department has a capacity to
- 48:48take this on. And um Union Gap currently
- 48:51runs our SWAT team finances, and so
- 48:53that's why they were selected.
- 48:55Apparently, they have a robust finance
- 48:56department. I don't I don't know, but
- 48:58they were willing to take it on, and
- 48:59they'll pay the day-to-day bills. The
- 49:01employees have to be employees of
- 49:02somebody's, they'll be employees of
- 49:03UniGad.
- 49:05Uh so, that's how this is set up.
- 49:09>> Thank you. Okay.
- 49:11So, what is the recommendation of
- 49:13council?
- 49:15>> I move the city council authorize the
- 49:17interim city manager to sign an
- 49:18interlocal agreement for management of
- 49:21the Yakima Valley Local Crime Lab for a
- 49:23cost of $28,501.
- 49:26>> Motion by Council Aguilar one. Is there
- 49:28a second? I'll second. Seconded by
- 49:30Council
- 49:31Cespedes.
- 49:34Discussion?
- 49:36Hearing none.
- 49:38Council Cespedes?
- 49:39>> Yes.
- 49:40>> Council Vasquez?
- 49:42>> Yes.
- 49:43>> Council Dolan?
- 49:44>> Yes.
- 49:45>> Council Aguilar?
- 49:46>> Yes.
- 49:47>> Council Chavez?
- 49:48>> Yes.
- 49:49>> Deputy Mayor?
- 49:50>> Yes.
- 49:51>> And Mayor?
- 49:52>> Yes.
- 49:52>> Motion carries.
- 49:55Okay, moving on to item E, renewal
- 49:57agreement with Axon.
- 49:59Uh this is again yours, uh Chief Lehman.
- 50:01>> Yeah, so I was hesitant to put that
- 50:03number in there, but uh that number
- 50:05looks very large, but that number is a
- 50:07uh over a 5-year contract. And
- 50:09[clears throat] the reason that we
- 50:10signed 5-year contracts with Axon is
- 50:12you're amortizing a lot of equipment
- 50:13over 5 years. So, you take that amount
- 50:16and did it in a shorter contract. I
- 50:18talked to Council Chavez about this a
- 50:20little bit. The amount of equipment that
- 50:22you'd be paying $300,000 a year. So,
- 50:25what happened is Axon actually
- 50:26approached me and said, "Hey, what are
- 50:28you guys using? What are you not using?"
- 50:30And I said, "Well, we have too many body
- 50:31cams. We got body cams for the jail, but
- 50:33because they're going into people's
- 50:34living spaces um constantly, where they
- 50:37actually shower and everything, we we
- 50:39have not deployed those body cameras."
- 50:40Okay, so what are you doing with them?
- 50:41Well, they're sitting in a closet. We're
- 50:42paying for 12 body cams we don't use.
- 50:45Okay, are you guys using license plate
- 50:46readers on your on Axon in-car cameras?
- 50:49No, we're not because of the new laws,
- 50:51they're we can't use them. They we'd be
- 50:53violating the law every time we drove by
- 50:54a school or or a doctor's office or
- 50:57something. That's why we shut them off
- 50:58months ago. And he says, "Okay, well, we
- 50:59You want to pay for those things.
- 51:01Um
- 51:02what do you need? And I said, well, we
- 51:04we can change to the newer Taser and
- 51:06that's um, just on the Taser contract.
- 51:09And then I said, but what we really need
- 51:11is when they
- 51:12did this original contract, they did it
- 51:14for um, like eight less patrol cars than
- 51:17we have.
- 51:18I said, so we need to get the rest of
- 51:20the the fleet outfitted with dash cams.
- 51:23And I said, um, what I'd really like is
- 51:25some of that virtual reality training,
- 51:27the headset that you guys have with it's
- 51:29got a hand gun and a Taser and a rifle
- 51:31and you can run them through scenarios.
- 51:32The jail can do scenarios with cell
- 51:34extraction and things like that. And you
- 51:36have a a supervisor, actually a council,
- 51:39you guys will be able to use this, so
- 51:40we'll be able to get you on it, but
- 51:41they'll have an iPad and as you say
- 51:43things or direct the person or they they
- 51:45respond or don't respond, the situation
- 51:47can change. So if you say something that
- 51:49aggravates somebody, they can um, you
- 51:52know, it's going to be real world
- 51:53scenarios.
- 51:54So I said, I'd really like to have that
- 51:55included. So he came back with a number
- 51:57and I said, that is not going to work. I
- 51:59said, there is no way I'm going to get
- 52:00that past council, I can tell you right
- 52:02now. And it was about 25,000 more a
- 52:04year.
- 52:05So I said, sharpen your pencil, see what
- 52:06you can do. And
- 52:08it took him about two weeks and back and
- 52:10forth about three times, but this
- 52:11actually is um, the first year we get
- 52:13credit for some of our current
- 52:14equipment. So that's uh, we would pay
- 52:1779,000 in the first year.
- 52:20Um,
- 52:21the uh, where did I do it?
- 52:25We currently pay 126,958
- 52:29a year.
- 52:31So that's So with that credit, next year
- 52:33we'll actually have a about a $46,000
- 52:36decrease.
- 52:37And then the actual fee for the
- 52:39following four years is
- 52:41um, about $700 more than we pay now. So
- 52:44I told them I got them down to basically
- 52:46what we're paying now and we'll be able
- 52:47to add those um, the VR headsets, which
- 52:50is what we currently don't have. We'll
- 52:51upgrade the Tasers and we'll get the
- 52:53rest of the fleet outfitted with dash
- 52:54cams.
- 52:55With that contract, if there's a new
- 52:57body cam that comes out, they
- 52:58automatically upgrade us.
- 53:00>> Hm. So.
- 53:03>> Any initial questions for Chief Layman?
- 53:08Go ahead, Councillor Choice.
- 53:09>> So, I know that me and the Chief had a
- 53:11conversation in regards to this. I
- 53:14The Chief knows how I am about 5-year
- 53:16and 10-year contracts and stuff like
- 53:18that, and that's kind of like my pet
- 53:20peeve. Um but I sat down with him and I
- 53:23I with this one I really have to agree.
- 53:25So, um you know, I'm really up for it.
- 53:28>> If this eases your mind, we have 2 years
- 53:31left on our current contracts. You
- 53:32>> I think this is only a 3-year extension.
- 53:34>> Yeah.
- 53:35Yeah, we did uh he we did talk about
- 53:36that. So, you know, I appreciate
- 53:38[snorts] you bring that bringing that
- 53:39in. So,
- 53:40I'm good for it.
- 53:44>> Just going off the comment about the
- 53:455-year um
- 53:47what are the provisions for opting out?
- 53:50>> Um it's basically um the same as Flock.
- 53:52If if funds are not available, you can
- 53:53get out of it. And that's at the
- 53:55second-to-last page, I think, if I
- 53:57remember right, cuz I talked to him
- 53:58extensively about that because I said
- 54:00um I have one council member that has
- 54:02concerns about long-term contracts, and
- 54:04I have two. I've I think when I was
- 54:05interim city manager, I brought up
- 54:06several times I don't like 20-year
- 54:07contracts because you don't know what's
- 54:09going to happen in 5 10 years. Um so,
- 54:11that was one of the things I brought up
- 54:12to him.
- 54:14Wrong contract. Sorry, that was dial
- 54:15eight. Um and and it is in there. It's
- 54:18on
- 54:20I think it's on the very last page.
- 54:23>> [snorts]
- 54:31>> Um
- 54:33>> It it was in here. I read it, and I'll
- 54:34make sure it's in here before we sign
- 54:36it.
- 54:36>> What one of the one of the questions I
- 54:38have, Madam Mayor, um is that
- 54:42with a 3-year contract, do we get a
- 54:45kind of as it goes along, do we get a
- 54:46decrease, or are we always going to get
- 54:48an increase?
- 54:49>> No. So, uh the first year, it's the
- 54:5179,000, which is the credit for
- 54:54equipment. And then after that, it's uh
- 54:56127,664
- 54:59annually, and that is the set rate for
- 55:02the following 4 years. The big thing
- 55:04that uh Japheth and I talked about quite
- 55:06a bit is this actually contract also
- 55:09stores all of our digital evidence.
- 55:11So, any pictures we take, any say we
- 55:14have an incident and we
- 55:16I come to your house either my car got
- 55:18broken into and I've got it on my ring
- 55:20camera.
- 55:21I can text you from my evidence.com
- 55:23account a link. You go to that link, you
- 55:26upload the camera, it's automatically in
- 55:27our evidence system.
- 55:29And every department in the county is on
- 55:32Axon, so are all the prosecutor's
- 55:34offices. So, they have access to pull
- 55:35our digital evidence straight from We
- 55:37don't have to This actually helps our
- 55:38public records a lot because they can
- 55:40just send them a link to the case, they
- 55:41get all the
- 55:42electronic evidence sent over to them. I
- 55:45talked to Jaffet about what that would
- 55:46take as far as if we didn't use Axon for
- 55:49electronic evidence and he said the
- 55:51number of servers for the amount of
- 55:53videos and things that you guys collect
- 55:54would be astronomical.
- 55:56If if we left them, we have 30 days to
- 55:58get all our evidence off their system
- 56:01and I don't even know if he could get a
- 56:02big server up and running in 30 days,
- 56:04so.
- 56:06>> Go ahead, Counselor Goldman.
- 56:08>> Um, Chief, is is there a state law that
- 56:10we
- 56:11we need to have the body cams?
- 56:13>> There's not a state law that you have to
- 56:14have body cams, but there is a state law
- 56:16that you have to record the interviews
- 56:19of any juvenile and anybody that you are
- 56:22investigating for a felony. So, if you
- 56:23don't have them, I'm not really sure how
- 56:25you do your job. So, which is basically
- 56:28made a mandatory across the state. I
- 56:30think everybody in the state pretty much
- 56:31has them at this point. When when those
- 56:32laws changed four or five years ago, it
- 56:34pretty much everybody got them.
- 56:37>> And and and with the being in the server
- 56:39with with Axon, is there like certain
- 56:41amount days that we could go back for
- 56:43the for those records?
- 56:45>> Uh, um, once they have it on their
- 56:46system, I can go back and look up
- 56:47anything we've ever stored on it, yeah.
- 56:49>> Okay.
- 56:50>> Um,
- 56:51as far as camera, I guess
- 56:53>> camera, yeah.
- 56:54>> I guess for our body cams, they delete
- 56:56after a certain period of time. So,
- 56:57traffic stops, they hold for 90 days.
- 56:59Um, if I do it if uh,
- 57:01I have an accidental like
- 57:03I would one time that DEA was here going
- 57:05to interview somebody they didn't have a
- 57:06camera, so I just let them use my body
- 57:08camera while I was showing them how to
- 57:09turn it on, and then I just turned it
- 57:10right back off. It was only a 5-second
- 57:12clip. That's an accidental um
- 57:15it it deletes after 7 days. But, if it's
- 57:17involved in a case, that it'll stay in
- 57:19there indefinitely. We tag our
- 57:21um
- 57:22our videos based on the type of crime it
- 57:25is, and that
- 57:27fol- follows a retention follows a
- 57:29retention schedule.
- 57:30>> Okay.
- 57:31>> Thank you.
- 57:33So, just a follow-up question about the
- 57:35body cams. What's our policy around uh
- 57:37the usage of body cams right now for the
- 57:38police officers?
- 57:40>> I can send it to you. It's about a
- 57:41six-page policy.
- 57:43>> Okay. Yeah. Um so, are they just
- 57:45required to have it on at all times?
- 57:47>> Um when they're contacting the public.
- 57:48>> They're Okay.
- 57:49>> Yeah.
- 57:51>> Thank you.
- 57:53Any other questions? If not, what's the
- 57:55recommendation of council?
- 57:57>> I move that uh city council to
- 57:59uh authorize the interim city manager to
- 58:01sign a 5-year agreement with Axon
- 58:03Enterprise
- 58:05uh for body cams, dash cams, tasers,
- 58:07evidence storage, and training equipment
- 58:09for a cost not to exceed 5 590,281
- 58:15and 33 cents.
- 58:17>> I'll second.
- 58:19>> Motion by Council Chavez, seconded by uh
- 58:22Council Cesati.
- 58:24Is there further uh discussion around
- 58:26this?
- 58:28>> You know, I wanted to I I I I did want
- 58:30to talk about it because
- 58:32I did sit I did sit down with the chief,
- 58:34and we went over this quite a bit. And I
- 58:36think I asked a lot of questions, and um
- 58:40you know, I was really sold on it
- 58:41because
- 58:42I it's something that our community
- 58:44needs, it's our city needs, and it's
- 58:47I think it in the long run where it's
- 58:48going to pay off for itself because we
- 58:50got to understand we have to have
- 58:51cameras at all costs with when we were
- 58:54interacting with the community.
- 58:56Um it's a safety not just for our our um
- 59:00our uh police officers, but it's also a
- 59:04tool for our community, also.
- 59:06>> Thank you, Council. Chavez, any any
- 59:08further discussion?
- 59:11Okay.
- 59:12Hearing none.
- 59:14Council Vasquez.
- 59:21Yep, technical difficulties.
- 59:22>> He's got on mute.
- 59:24>> Thumbs up.
- 59:25>> Yes.
- 59:26>> Oh, yes.
- 59:26>> Okay, thumbs down. Uh Council Dolan.
- 59:29>> Yes.
- 59:30>> Councilor Galvan.
- 59:31>> Yes.
- 59:31>> Councilor Chavez.
- 59:32>> Yes.
- 59:33>> Councilor Zisette.
- 59:34>> Yes.
- 59:34>> Deputy Mayor.
- 59:36>> Yes.
- 59:36>> Mayor.
- 59:38>> Yes.
- 59:38>> Motion carries.
- 59:41Okay, moving on to item F, submittal
- 59:44Washington State Department of Health. I
- 59:46think it's supposed to say health here.
- 59:49DWSRF
- 59:50funding application for well number 14
- 59:52equipping project, Mr. Mejia.
- 59:57>> Yes, thank you Mayor and council
- 59:59members.
- 1:00:00Uh the city submitted a congressionally
- 1:00:02directed spending request for the
- 1:00:04drilling of new well number 14, which is
- 1:00:07actually going to be 15.
- 1:00:09Um in April of 2025.
- 1:00:11The city has since been informed that
- 1:00:13the project was awarded 2.1
- 1:00:15point one or
- 1:00:162 million 114,000 to complete a well
- 1:00:19drilling project including design and
- 1:00:22construction manager.
- 1:00:24Uh well development projects are scoped
- 1:00:26to be completed in two phases, well
- 1:00:28drilling and well equipmenting.
- 1:00:30The second phase well equipmenting
- 1:00:32equipment includes the design and
- 1:00:34construction of a well house, site
- 1:00:36improvements, piping, and installation
- 1:00:37of a required well pump. This portion of
- 1:00:40the work is currently unfunded. Uh to
- 1:00:43complete the overall project to provide
- 1:00:45a much needed additional well for the
- 1:00:47city's water system, city staff
- 1:00:51Excuse me.
- 1:00:52Are uh requesting to submit an
- 1:00:54application to the Department of Health
- 1:00:57Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
- 1:00:59DWSRF program in the amount of 2,889,400
- 1:01:05dollars.
- 1:01:06Uh the funding terms and the city's
- 1:01:08ability to secure partial grant funding
- 1:01:11for the project will be determined by
- 1:01:14DWSRF
- 1:01:15staff during applications review.
- 1:01:18Uh for comparison purposes, the city
- 1:01:21executed a funding agreement with DWSRF
- 1:01:24for well number six rehabilitation
- 1:01:26project in January of 2026. That
- 1:01:29includes a 35% grant and a loan portion
- 1:01:32portion
- 1:01:34was a 20-year loan with a 1.75 interest
- 1:01:38rate.
- 1:01:39Uh if the funding application
- 1:01:40successful, future resolutions will be
- 1:01:43required to execute a funding agreement
- 1:01:45with the DWSRF program
- 1:01:48and to execute a task order for the
- 1:01:50design and construction engineering
- 1:01:52services necessary to complete the
- 1:01:54project. HLA
- 1:01:57will prepare and submit the
- 1:01:59DWSRF funding application under the
- 1:02:02city's existing general service
- 1:02:04agreement not to exceed the amount of
- 1:02:07$7,500.
- 1:02:09Um and I also have Marla Menza and Rob
- 1:02:12Scott who will be helping me with this
- 1:02:15and we do have a PowerPoint uh
- 1:02:18presentation for you guys.
- 1:02:19>> Oh, good.
- 1:02:20>> Good.
- 1:02:21>> Let's see it.
- 1:02:22>> So we're prepared today.
- 1:02:25>> Information.
- 1:02:25>> Yeah, go ahead and approach uh
- 1:02:27approach the mic.
- 1:02:29>> Evening. So I am Rob Scott here with HLA
- 1:02:31to talk through some of the information
- 1:02:33on this well number 14 development
- 1:02:35project. Um if you want to go to the
- 1:02:37next slide.
- 1:02:38So the information that was in the
- 1:02:40packets gives the general overview for
- 1:02:42this. The city is in need of an
- 1:02:44additional well to be drilled and
- 1:02:46equipped. The city was successful in
- 1:02:48being able to get some money for the
- 1:02:49first part of that project and so at
- 1:02:52this point we're just looking to find a
- 1:02:53way for the city to be able to finance
- 1:02:55the second part of that project so you
- 1:02:56can get yourself a new well up and
- 1:02:58running.
- 1:02:59So the project need, this is information
- 1:03:01out of your water system plan. Right now
- 1:03:03you operate eight wells and based on the
- 1:03:06analysis from a couple years ago when
- 1:03:08that plan was completed, when you when
- 1:03:09your largest well, well nine, is not in
- 1:03:12operation, you actually don't have
- 1:03:14enough pump capacity on paper to operate
- 1:03:16your water system.
- 1:03:18And so that as identified there right
- 1:03:19now, without that you are short about 5
- 1:03:22to 600 gallons per minute in theory
- 1:03:25based on your peak day use. Next slide.
- 1:03:31And so this this is information again
- 1:03:32out of the water system plan and so it's
- 1:03:34identified as one of the highest
- 1:03:35priority projects for the city's water
- 1:03:37system was to drill and equip a new well
- 1:03:40and we don't know until the drilling
- 1:03:42occurs and testing happens on that newly
- 1:03:45drilled well how much capacity that well
- 1:03:47would have. For planning purposes for
- 1:03:49filling out all the tables in the water
- 1:03:50system plan, it's assumed that would be
- 1:03:52approximately the same size as your
- 1:03:54large capacity well nine at 1500 gallons
- 1:03:57a minute. And so once that well is in
- 1:03:59your system, you then meet the
- 1:04:01Department of Health requirement for
- 1:04:03redundancy again.
- 1:04:04Next slide.
- 1:04:08So as uh
- 1:04:10as was mentioned previously, so your
- 1:04:12well number 14 or I guess well 15 it'll
- 1:04:14be called uh the city's applied to the
- 1:04:18congressionally directed spending
- 1:04:19request in April of last year and you
- 1:04:21were selected. At this point you don't
- 1:04:23have a funding agreement for that 2.1
- 1:04:25million dollars, but my understanding is
- 1:04:27it's in the the fiscal year budget and
- 1:04:29so it just they're the process of
- 1:04:31actually completing that documentation
- 1:04:32is undergoing
- 1:04:33uh at this point. So at this point you
- 1:04:36have your drilling money I secured. It's
- 1:04:38just a matter of getting the the
- 1:04:40remaining funding.
- 1:04:42>> When did that money come in? What
- 1:04:44>> Uh
- 1:04:45the funding came in in uh
- 1:04:48>> Was that earlier this year?
- 1:04:49>> It was 2026.
- 1:04:51>> Okay. Okay. Thank you.
- 1:04:54Approved.
- 1:04:54>> It was approved. When did we receive it?
- 1:04:56In July?
- 1:04:57>> July yeah.
- 1:04:58>> In July of next year.
- 1:05:00Okay. Approved approved in January.
- 1:05:03>> Well received July of this
- 1:05:04>> Okay.
- 1:05:07>> Thank you.
- 1:05:07>> And then that what I presented you guys
- 1:05:09with the letter saying that we will have
- 1:05:11zero match for that. So.
- 1:05:16>> Sorry.
- 1:05:16>> Okay. No no problem. Okay. So the as he
- 1:05:19mentioned yes, the match for that money.
- 1:05:20Originally, there was going to be match
- 1:05:22as part of that, but then during the
- 1:05:24discussions, that match was subsequently
- 1:05:26waived. So, uh next slide.
- 1:05:30So, the phase two funding at this point,
- 1:05:32after you have a drilled well, the
- 1:05:34design and construction of the well
- 1:05:36house and site improvements connecting
- 1:05:39into water system, all of that, the
- 1:05:40estimated cost from your water system
- 1:05:42plan is approximately 2.9 million
- 1:05:44dollars for all of that.
- 1:05:46Um and then that at this point, there
- 1:05:49are potentially other funding sources,
- 1:05:51but the DWSRF program is tends to be the
- 1:05:54program that most municipal water
- 1:05:56systems get their funding and their
- 1:05:58projects completed through. If you were
- 1:06:00to not pursue this funding, there's
- 1:06:02potential for others like the public
- 1:06:03works board,
- 1:06:05um you know, would be another option.
- 1:06:07But, at this point, uh the Department of
- 1:06:09Health has their DWSRF application cycle
- 1:06:11every November, and so talking with city
- 1:06:14staff, they thought this would be a good
- 1:06:15project to try to get the funding
- 1:06:17secured for that equipping project.
- 1:06:19Um at this point, the guidelines don't
- 1:06:21guarantee what your loan term and your
- 1:06:24uh potential to receive grant would be.
- 1:06:26You did sign a funding agreement for
- 1:06:28another project at the beginning of this
- 1:06:30year, and the terms you actually
- 1:06:32received 35% grant, which was uh higher
- 1:06:34than expected, so that was great news.
- 1:06:36And then the loan uh interest rate was
- 1:06:381.75% on that. So, for planning
- 1:06:41purposes, that's what we were you know,
- 1:06:43that's kind of what we're thinking you
- 1:06:44would get from this. I don't think the
- 1:06:46uh the financial situation of your water
- 1:06:48system probably hasn't that much. And
- 1:06:50so, we would think this would probably
- 1:06:51be comparable to what you would receive
- 1:06:53if you were selected for funding.
- 1:06:56Next slide.
- 1:06:59So, the schedule at this point, the
- 1:07:00application would be due November 30th.
- 1:07:03There's a lot of financial information
- 1:07:05that needs to be filled out by city
- 1:07:06staff, and so the being able to start
- 1:07:09work on that sooner rather than later
- 1:07:10make sure that you can get that
- 1:07:11completed in a timely manner. And then
- 1:07:13there is a resolution required to
- 1:07:15authorize that submittal including the
- 1:07:16application amount. Um and then we'd
- 1:07:19identified this here. We didn't know
- 1:07:20what meeting this was going to be
- 1:07:21presented at, so we'd identified the
- 1:07:23preferred council action was going to be
- 1:07:25at your November 11th meeting thinking
- 1:07:27that this was going to be a part of your
- 1:07:29study session and so no action could be
- 1:07:31taken. If it is possible to have action
- 1:07:33taken at this meeting, that would be
- 1:07:34great. Otherwise, uh
- 1:07:37trying to do it after the November 11th
- 1:07:38meeting would be a a burden probably on
- 1:07:40city staff to get it done in time. So.
- 1:07:44And I believe that's the last slide.
- 1:07:46>> Thank you. Are there are there any
- 1:07:48questions from council?
- 1:07:51Okay. Um
- 1:07:53>> Go ahead.
- 1:07:54>> Well, Galvan, you had your hand up
- 1:07:55first. Then then Mr. uh
- 1:07:58Dolan.
- 1:07:59>> Can you go back to the slide? Um I think
- 1:08:00it was phase one.
- 1:08:05I think one of them was acquisition of
- 1:08:06property. Um
- 1:08:08>> Yes, that that is scoped as part of the
- 1:08:11first phase, the drilling and securing
- 1:08:13property.
- 1:08:15>> I I just imagine that the city have
- 1:08:18a some sort of an idea where we could
- 1:08:20put it and and we might already have a
- 1:08:22piece of property,
- 1:08:23you know.
- 1:08:24>> Yes. So, we do have an idea.
- 1:08:27Um
- 1:08:28there are
- 1:08:29uh talking that we'll be talking with
- 1:08:31their uh Port of Sunnyside um
- 1:08:35to be up on
- 1:08:36that'll be the south side. Uh
- 1:08:40excuse me.
- 1:08:41>> By Upland?
- 1:08:42>> No.
- 1:08:43>> No.
- 1:08:43>> No, no. Over by uh the new uh
- 1:08:46development that's going on.
- 1:08:48The our development that we just uh the
- 1:08:50speaker that we took over
- 1:08:52>> Over there?
- 1:08:52>> to by past on the other side of
- 1:08:54Midfield.
- 1:08:54>> Yeah.
- 1:08:54>> Yes. Uh so, we can get some of that
- 1:08:56fluorine get pushed back this way into
- 1:08:59town.
- 1:09:00>> Talking with
- 1:09:01>> Okay. What did you have another anything
- 1:09:04Okay, Dolan.
- 1:09:06>> Talking with uh
- 1:09:09um maintenance or
- 1:09:13>> Lorenzo?
- 1:09:13>> Public Works.
- 1:09:15There's been a space up there uh
- 1:09:17up on the other side of Upland that's
- 1:09:19been
- 1:09:20>> the back
- 1:09:21>> taken care of.
- 1:09:22>> Yes, so that is for the water tower.
- 1:09:24>> Oh, I see.
- 1:09:25>> Yes, the water tower is
- 1:09:27>> And you need to put the water tower
- 1:09:28>> Yes, that's my destination for the water
- 1:09:30tower. Cuz if we take the water tower
- 1:09:32and put it out there by the Superman
- 1:09:33tower, the to get the transition and
- 1:09:36back into town is going to be
- 1:09:38astronomical.
- 1:09:39>> They said they've been mowing that
- 1:09:41to maintaining that property for like 30
- 1:09:43years, so
- 1:09:44>> Yes, sir.
- 1:09:45>> It's all ready for a
- 1:09:47>> So, we just need to bring dirt and get
- 1:09:49it leveled and we can but I am working
- 1:09:51on getting funding with the through
- 1:09:53Capital Path for federally to get that
- 1:09:55funded.
- 1:09:55>> Great. Great.
- 1:10:00>> I didn't see any hands up there.
- 1:10:01>> Yeah, I was just going to say um
- 1:10:03it's always good to have a little bit of
- 1:10:04property on the side um if we need it
- 1:10:06and I understood that the water tower,
- 1:10:09that's the storage
- 1:10:10>> Correct.
- 1:10:10>> uh unit that would be up on Upland
- 1:10:13>> Yes.
- 1:10:13>> next to the current Skyline. Is that
- 1:10:16Skyline?
- 1:10:17Kind of in that neighborhood
- 1:10:18neighborhood. So, the new well the fifth
- 1:10:22uh what where's 15? What did we do with
- 1:10:2414?
- 1:10:25>> 14 is actually uh it wants cuz we run 12
- 1:10:28and 13 together, so it I was told that
- 1:10:31it makes it to 14.
- 1:10:32>> Okay. All right, I don't know how you do
- 1:10:34that math, but okay. So so so um the uh
- 1:10:38well 15 is going to be that out on
- 1:10:40Midvale on a piece of property we own on
- 1:10:43or is that Port District property?
- 1:10:45>> Well, it's Port District property, but
- 1:10:47through the whole Midvale construction
- 1:10:49sewer
- 1:10:51somehow there was talks about
- 1:10:53>> trading or
- 1:10:54>> giving something, yeah.
- 1:10:55>> Right.
- 1:10:56>> Or um
- 1:10:56>> Okay.
- 1:10:57>> Or but we we will have property
- 1:10:59somewhere that's near or we'll see where
- 1:11:02we all have property and be able to use
- 1:11:04the funding there.
- 1:11:05>> Just true. May I just on the Superman um
- 1:11:09uh water
- 1:11:11tower thingy, is that a water is that
- 1:11:12storage or is that actual well?
- 1:11:15I think this it doesn't that belong to a
- 1:11:17private company?
- 1:11:18>> a private company. That's where one of
- 1:11:20the destinations was picked for the
- 1:11:23water tower.
- 1:11:24>> Okay.
- 1:11:25>> Way out of our
- 1:11:26>> That's what you just got done Okay.
- 1:11:28okay. Now, I had to visualize a little
- 1:11:30bit. Thank you.
- 1:11:32>> Go ahead. Counselor Beva.
- 1:11:34>> So, I do have a question, Rob. Um
- 1:11:37couldn't we just use the the the the
- 1:11:39signs for um well nine in order to save
- 1:11:43some money? Um just copy and paste um
- 1:11:46for for this particular project?
- 1:11:48>> So, I mean every project is its own way.
- 1:11:51The majority of what that cost is is the
- 1:11:53construction cost. This isn't I mean
- 1:11:55it's by no means just the design.
- 1:11:57Um I'm a big piece of that does come
- 1:11:59down to the actual construction cost to
- 1:12:01build the well house and um
- 1:12:04when the the most recent well house, I
- 1:12:05believe our firm has seen a bid for was
- 1:12:09in the city of Grandview and it was I
- 1:12:12believe it was about 2.6 or 2.7 was the
- 1:12:14construction cost that came back on
- 1:12:16that.
- 1:12:16>> I think I heard that.
- 1:12:17>> And and I also want to make sure that we
- 1:12:19we we know our our past, right? And I
- 1:12:21believe there's a well that we don't use
- 1:12:23because there's too much um methane.
- 1:12:26And well, so I I
- 1:12:28>> That is that is the one that is uh
- 1:12:30right now collapsed within itself. Um
- 1:12:34so, that is uh off the top of my head, I
- 1:12:36think it's 10.
- 1:12:37Um
- 1:12:38>> But, I just want I just want to make
- 1:12:39sure that that that we're aware that and
- 1:12:42and and and make sure that doesn't
- 1:12:43happen, I guess.
- 1:12:44>> No, correct.
- 1:12:45>> before this new for this new well.
- 1:12:47>> No, yes.
- 1:12:48>> Okay.
- 1:12:49>> Well, well, well, well, well.
- 1:12:51That's all.
- 1:12:54>> Any other questions
- 1:12:57for Mr. Rob?
- 1:13:00>> I have a question, Rob.
- 1:13:01>> Sure thing.
- 1:13:03>> While we pursue other funding uh so that
- 1:13:06we don't lose the federal funding, can
- 1:13:08we go ahead and drill it
- 1:13:10and still pursue the other funding for
- 1:13:13construction of the pump house or do
- 1:13:15they have to have both in order to start
- 1:13:17the project?
- 1:13:17>> No, and it and in fact, typically the
- 1:13:19drilling has to be most of the way
- 1:13:21complete before you can start the design
- 1:13:23on
- 1:13:24parts of the equipment at least because
- 1:13:26you need to have the well drilled to be
- 1:13:28able to do water quality testing and be
- 1:13:31able to There there's project specific
- 1:13:33information like the the electrical for
- 1:13:35instance for the well pump. Until you
- 1:13:37have the well drilled, you don't
- 1:13:38actually know what it's going to
- 1:13:39withdraw. We'd love to be able to say we
- 1:13:41want this gallons per minute. This is
- 1:13:43the well we're going to drill. Often you
- 1:13:45go out and drill it and you find out
- 1:13:46what the well hole can actually
- 1:13:47accommodate. So there's some amount of
- 1:13:49designing the well house around it, but
- 1:13:51some of the critical pieces like the
- 1:13:53electrical and the selection of the pump
- 1:13:54to be used are dependent on having the
- 1:13:56well drilled first and so there there's
- 1:13:59some amount that you could get started,
- 1:14:00but it sounds like if you're not going
- 1:14:02to see your well drilling money until
- 1:14:05What did you say it was the beginning of
- 1:14:06next year? July of next year. So you
- 1:14:09wouldn't have this funding available to
- 1:14:11you until close to that time anyway just
- 1:14:13in terms of them ranking applications
- 1:14:15and actually getting a funding program
- 1:14:17together for you.
- 1:14:18>> So you said that if we don't get this
- 1:14:20grant, we could go after other things,
- 1:14:22but this is the more common source for
- 1:14:25this type of funding. And I just don't
- 1:14:26want to lose that federal
- 1:14:28funds that has already been dedicated to
- 1:14:30us. We We can still use that for that
- 1:14:33drilling.
- 1:14:34>> Right. Yeah, absolutely.
- 1:14:36>> Mhm. Um go ahead.
- 1:14:38I don't know if anybody else has
- 1:14:40Dolan has his hand and then I have Go
- 1:14:41ahead Counselor Dolan.
- 1:14:43>> Um [snorts]
- 1:14:45kind of like changing
- 1:14:47lanes a little bit here. I Is there any
- 1:14:49way of of uh
- 1:14:51Have you already gone through well 10 at
- 1:14:53the airport that one that that's fall
- 1:14:56it's collapsed?
- 1:14:58>> The well uh well nine's at
- 1:15:00>> The one we looked at that was collapsed
- 1:15:01already.
- 1:15:02>> Oh yeah, that is well 10.
- 1:15:03>> Yeah.
- 1:15:03>> Uh we have not videotaped it. Um
- 1:15:06obviously that is something we're
- 1:15:08looking into. I just want to make sure
- 1:15:10that I'm able to have the funding. I'm I
- 1:15:13don't want to exceed our funding with
- 1:15:15this year being so close to the end. Um
- 1:15:18and uh so it is something talks that I
- 1:15:22have been uh talking with Piccadis to to
- 1:15:26look into that. Um trying to get an
- 1:15:28estimate Um that way I can bring it to
- 1:15:30council to see what it would cost to see
- 1:15:33how and what's wrong with it.
- 1:15:35>> Possibly deepen it or
- 1:15:37do you ever pull up
- 1:15:39pull up a casing and
- 1:15:41try to redo your wells that you've
- 1:15:43already got a hole in the ground for?
- 1:15:46>> Actually, I
- 1:15:48I know
- 1:15:49from my past
- 1:15:51working down in Grandview, we did have a
- 1:15:53collapsed well down there.
- 1:15:55Um
- 1:15:56it was very challenging to get that
- 1:15:58casing out.
- 1:16:01Essentially, we just ended up just
- 1:16:02leaving the case because it was the
- 1:16:04suction of it and everything that's
- 1:16:05collapsed around it.
- 1:16:08We were
- 1:16:09going to do more harm than good.
- 1:16:11Um but there again, we don't know what
- 1:16:14the the situation is in well 10
- 1:16:18until we video camera.
- 1:16:20So that and that is something that we
- 1:16:22can definitely look into.
- 1:16:24>> Was that the artesian well that we did
- 1:16:26down there?
- 1:16:28>> Artesian
- 1:16:28>> an artesian well
- 1:16:30at I believe it was nine and
- 1:16:33>> A nine?
- 1:16:34>> We
- 1:16:35Well, the one of those two well heads
- 1:16:37wasn't artesian. I was asked to come
- 1:16:39down and cap it.
- 1:16:40>> Oh, that yes, that was nine. That was
- 1:16:43nine over at the airport.
- 1:16:44That's the one you and I had discussed
- 1:16:46with Lorendo. Yep, I remember that.
- 1:16:49>> Deputy Mayor
- 1:16:50>> Uh yes, I just was curious to going back
- 1:16:52to well nine.
- 1:16:54Uh we still have some money for well
- 1:16:55nine
- 1:16:56coming. Is that Did I misunderstand
- 1:16:59that?
- 1:16:59>> Well, well six
- 1:17:00>> Well six
- 1:17:01>> Well six, excuse me. Well six. So we
- 1:17:03have money, that's all money that we
- 1:17:06have secured, no match to
- 1:17:09take care of well six.
- 1:17:11>> Yes, we were just waiting on direction.
- 1:17:13I know we had
- 1:17:15had discussed what we were waiting on.
- 1:17:19We brought a presentation to you. We
- 1:17:20have not moved forward cuz we didn't
- 1:17:22have direction from council stating
- 1:17:24whether we need to move forward or what
- 1:17:27council wanted to do.
- 1:17:29Like I said at the time, everybody was
- 1:17:31wondering what we were going to do
- 1:17:32there. We Um, did a tour. Um
- 1:17:36and So, we need to bring that back? Uh,
- 1:17:39yes. Okay. So, we need to I mean, it's
- 1:17:42already been voted for. It's already
- 1:17:43been voted on. It's been approved. I
- 1:17:45just want to make sure council is all on
- 1:17:46the same page that we are going to move
- 1:17:47forward with well six. Okay. Okay.
- 1:17:49That's a different That's a different
- 1:17:51issue.
- 1:17:51>> here.
- 1:17:51>> Yeah, I'm I'm sorry, but I just I keep
- 1:17:54them back to this one.
- 1:17:55>> Go go ahead, Counselor Galvan.
- 1:17:57>> No, I mean, I'm I'm good with the motion
- 1:17:59if uh so, I move the city council
- 1:18:01approve a resolution authorizing the
- 1:18:03interim city manager to submit a DWSRF
- 1:18:06application in the amount of $2,889,400.
- 1:18:12>> I'll second that.
- 1:18:13>> Okay. Um, there is a motion on the table
- 1:18:16by
- 1:18:17uh Counselor uh Galvan and then seconded
- 1:18:19by Deputy Mayor.
- 1:18:22Okay. Any further discussion on this
- 1:18:23item?
- 1:18:25Returning to well number 14.
- 1:18:28>> [laughter]
- 1:18:28>> Sutter wells.
- 1:18:30>> Sutter wells.
- 1:18:30>> And we need a lot They all need a lot of
- 1:18:32work.
- 1:18:34Okay. Hearing none, go ahead, Katie.
- 1:18:37Counselor Dolan.
- 1:18:39>> Yes.
- 1:18:40>> Counselor Galvan.
- 1:18:41>> Yes.
- 1:18:41>> Counselor Chavez.
- 1:18:43>> Yes. [clears throat]
- 1:18:43>> Counselor Zepeda.
- 1:18:44>> Yes.
- 1:18:45>> Counselor Vasquez.
- 1:18:46>> Yes.
- 1:18:47>> Deputy Mayor.
- 1:18:48>> Yes.
- 1:18:49>> Mayor.
- 1:18:50Yes. Motion carries.
- 1:18:52>> Thank you so much.
- 1:18:54>> Thank you, Rob, too.
- 1:18:58>> Okay. Moving on to item G, 2026 budget
- 1:19:01update and 2027 draft budget proposal.
- 1:19:06Uh, Mr. Haley.
- 1:19:08>> We have uh
- 1:19:10our financial consultant, Mike Bailey,
- 1:19:12working with us, and he has uh
- 1:19:17been contracted to draft our 27 budget.
- 1:19:19So, he'll be participating in this uh
- 1:19:22presentation, giving us an update on the
- 1:19:2526 budget.
- 1:19:26Uh, the status of it.
- 1:19:28And um
- 1:19:30giving us a
- 1:19:31strategy, a plan of moving forward for
- 1:19:34our evaluation of our 27 budget.
- 1:19:36He is handing out or what is being
- 1:19:38handed out is a
- 1:19:40basically what's called a management
- 1:19:41letter.
- 1:19:42And that is a letter to
- 1:19:45uh
- 1:19:45>> [clears throat]
- 1:19:45>> on representing myself along with Mike's
- 1:19:49um
- 1:19:50assessment of our situation.
- 1:19:52And so Mike's going to make a
- 1:19:53presentation here to
- 1:19:55talk about 26 and how we move forward in
- 1:19:5827.
- 1:19:59Mike?
- 1:20:01>> Yeah, thank you Pat. I appreciate that.
- 1:20:04As Pat said um
- 1:20:06with Adam becoming busier at Toppenish,
- 1:20:11um
- 1:20:11he asked me now several weeks ago
- 1:20:15if I would be able to support the city
- 1:20:17in their budget work and I I agreed to
- 1:20:19do that. Um it became clear not too long
- 1:20:24after that that
- 1:20:26Adam
- 1:20:27has
- 1:20:28essentially no time to spend supporting
- 1:20:30the city
- 1:20:31in this budget work and that and that
- 1:20:34the bulk of the work would be
- 1:20:38you know, I'd be involved in working
- 1:20:42with Jessica. So
- 1:20:44that was a very small window of time.
- 1:20:49However, I immediately began getting a
- 1:20:52lot of information from Jessica and
- 1:20:54others at the city to kind of see where
- 1:20:56we were and how to proceed.
- 1:20:58Um and the information I got caused me
- 1:21:02to
- 1:21:03realize that there's a fair amount of
- 1:21:05work to be done here and work that
- 1:21:07wouldn't be uh done well in too short of
- 1:21:11a period of time.
- 1:21:13And so what essentially we're
- 1:21:15recommending this evening is that the
- 1:21:17council adopt a 2027 budget that is a
- 1:21:21stopgap type budget. In other words,
- 1:21:24there'd be more work to be done
- 1:21:26um on that budget after the first of the
- 1:21:28year. And I'll walk through a memo that
- 1:21:31we just distributed look like
- 1:21:34um
- 1:21:35and kind of give you the background both
- 1:21:37in terms of how 26 looks but also um
- 1:21:40kind of you know, what we're
- 1:21:41recommending for 27 and why that's the
- 1:21:43case.
- 1:21:44In doing that since I'm remote
- 1:21:47and and these kinds of interactions are
- 1:21:49a little bit awkward as a result I'm
- 1:21:52going to go slow and permit
- 1:21:54opportunities for people to ask me
- 1:21:56questions of clarification.
- 1:21:58So that if I'm saying something that is
- 1:22:01confusing or not clear, let's clarify it
- 1:22:03right then if and then when we want to
- 1:22:06talk more generally about the
- 1:22:08recommendation and kind of where we are
- 1:22:10and and those kinds of issues that would
- 1:22:13probably be a better discussion to have
- 1:22:17at different intervals
- 1:22:19in this in this work.
- 1:22:21With your permission I'll proceed.
- 1:22:24So in the memo I talk about the fact
- 1:22:25that um
- 1:22:27the this budget process that we're
- 1:22:29proposing is not typical.
- 1:22:31Typically cities would start their
- 1:22:33budget work in
- 1:22:35certainly by the beginning of summer.
- 1:22:37You know in and June May or June or so
- 1:22:41and
- 1:22:42and departments would have had time to
- 1:22:44put together proposals and and things of
- 1:22:45all that sort. That time is you know we
- 1:22:49have not had that time.
- 1:22:50And so we haven't been able to put that
- 1:22:52kind of work together.
- 1:22:54As a result we're recommending a stopgap
- 1:22:56budget. So that's essentially what the
- 1:22:57first paragraph says.
- 1:22:59There's a couple reasons for this. One
- 1:23:01is as we talked about it it became clear
- 1:23:04that as we continue to work our way
- 1:23:06through getting the city's financial
- 1:23:09situation back on solid footing your new
- 1:23:12city manager is going to want to have a
- 1:23:14say in how this work occurs and is
- 1:23:16certainly going to want to participate
- 1:23:17in in understand much better the city's
- 1:23:20overall financial situation and and
- 1:23:23plans. And so
- 1:23:25enabling time for that person to get on
- 1:23:27board and to participate in this work
- 1:23:29seem to make sense.
- 1:23:31Moving on to number two there as I
- 1:23:33mentioned already Adam has been very
- 1:23:35helpful up to this point. And I'm sure
- 1:23:38Jessica's already conveyed that
- 1:23:39sentiment and Pat as well. And but
- 1:23:42there's only so much he was able to do
- 1:23:44and now that he's even busier at top
- 1:23:46anish he's he's
- 1:23:49you know only available to Jessica
- 1:23:51basically
- 1:23:52as a as a resource to answer questions
- 1:23:55and things of that sort.
- 1:23:56So therefore that's why I've gotten more
- 1:23:59involved in this in this budget work.
- 1:24:02Um
- 1:24:03I will say that in my in my working with
- 1:24:05the staff and I was there last week on
- 1:24:07site and saw a couple of you and
- 1:24:10was helping
- 1:24:12and pull some of this together. I
- 1:24:14continue to believe that the city's
- 1:24:16financial operations are solid. And that
- 1:24:20there doesn't appear to be problems per
- 1:24:22se
- 1:24:23in the way the city's finances are being
- 1:24:25managed and in conducted. One of my
- 1:24:28first questions when I go into cities
- 1:24:30that have transitions of this sort is
- 1:24:33how long ago was it that you reconciled
- 1:24:35your bank accounts? Because it's often
- 1:24:37an overlooked but essential element in
- 1:24:40in the city's relatively current. And
- 1:24:42and so again I don't have concerns
- 1:24:44having you know I haven't audited the
- 1:24:46city but I have but based on what I have
- 1:24:48seen I don't have concerns that there
- 1:24:50are any problems of that nature.
- 1:24:53That
- 1:24:54again that said the budget work
- 1:24:57should have been ongoing you know for
- 1:24:58months now and and hasn't been able to
- 1:25:01to be going forward. And
- 1:25:04and also as a part of that budget work
- 1:25:06and and working to get to 2025 annual
- 1:25:09financial report completed. There's been
- 1:25:12as I think we talked when I was there at
- 1:25:14your retreat and we looked at kind of
- 1:25:17how cities do this work. That there's
- 1:25:20you know it needs to be some continue
- 1:25:22continuing clarification around where
- 1:25:24where the city is and and
- 1:25:27and kind of what what is financial
- 1:25:28outlook
- 1:25:29is. So moving on then to the condition
- 1:25:32of the city's general fund it looks to
- 1:25:33me like again based on records that I
- 1:25:35saw that that that are the city's
- 1:25:37records. You know again I've done no
- 1:25:39investigation of the records or or
- 1:25:41whatever with the transactions or
- 1:25:42anything of that sort I just looked at
- 1:25:43reports. That the city looks like the
- 1:25:46city ended 2025 with a general fund
- 1:25:49deficit of about $228,000.
- 1:25:52Um, and in in the 2026 budget, I looked
- 1:25:56at that budget document and it was, you
- 1:25:58know, it was very nice budget document.
- 1:26:00Uh, but there was a couple of things
- 1:26:02that
- 1:26:03that are
- 1:26:04inconsistent with the way the finances
- 1:26:07actually turned out. Uh, for instance,
- 1:26:09it anticipated beginning the year 2026
- 1:26:12with $300,000 in the bank
- 1:26:15in your general fund. And so instead of
- 1:26:17a $300,000 positive fund balance in your
- 1:26:19general fund,
- 1:26:21you actually started 2026 with about a
- 1:26:23$228,000 deficit, uh,
- 1:26:26$1,000 deficit in the general fund. So
- 1:26:27that's a swing of a half a million
- 1:26:29dollars.
- 1:26:30And
- 1:26:31and so I think the city is generally
- 1:26:34aware that
- 1:26:35there has been some
- 1:26:37uncertainty [clears throat] about
- 1:26:39city finances and as a result they've
- 1:26:40been working to contain costs and I've
- 1:26:42heard tonight a lot about
- 1:26:45containing costs and being careful with
- 1:26:47spending city money.
- 1:26:49And
- 1:26:50while that's always important, it's even
- 1:26:53it's even more important of course
- 1:26:54whenever you're working to resolve a
- 1:26:57deficit in a difficult financial
- 1:26:59situation.
- 1:27:01There are some issues with the 2026
- 1:27:03budget that were adopted. I'll talk
- 1:27:05about those in just in just a minute.
- 1:27:08And and so therefore there's some
- 1:27:10uncertainty and again, I'll talk about
- 1:27:12those what those issues are. And what
- 1:27:14prompts that uncertainty here in just a
- 1:27:15moment. Uh, but that causes, you know, a
- 1:27:18risk that 2026 could add to that
- 1:27:21deficit.
- 1:27:22So remember we started the year with a
- 1:27:24$228,000 deficit.
- 1:27:26Uh, depending on how things go in 2026,
- 1:27:29that deficit could grow. Uh, it wouldn't
- 1:27:31surprise me if it did. It would be
- 1:27:33actually it would be um,
- 1:27:35a uh,
- 1:27:36um,
- 1:27:38very good job,
- 1:27:39for lack of a better way to put it,
- 1:27:41uh, if if in fact the city is able to
- 1:27:43live within its 2026 revenues and not
- 1:27:45have that deficit grow during 2026.
- 1:27:48But if it does grow, then of course
- 1:27:49whatever deficit that occurs in 2026
- 1:27:53will be added to that deficit that we
- 1:27:54started with and we'd start 2027 with
- 1:27:56the with with whatever that number ends
- 1:27:58up being, potentially a higher deficit.
- 1:28:02Moving to page two, um as as these as
- 1:28:05costs escalate in all cities and all in
- 1:28:07you know, all cities except those that
- 1:28:09are you know, having game buster growth
- 1:28:11uh with no apartment buildings largely
- 1:28:13in the PUD sound area
- 1:28:15uh are there all the other cities are
- 1:28:17facing fiscal difficulties. This this is
- 1:28:19a very typical kind of scenario we're
- 1:28:22seeing around Washington. Um I
- 1:28:25understand there's been news uh lately
- 1:28:27about for instance Pasco's budget. Uh I
- 1:28:29worked with I've worked with the Yakama
- 1:28:31and and so I'm pretty familiar with some
- 1:28:33of the challenges Yakama's had in
- 1:28:35dealing with its budget. And so uh
- 1:28:37having um
- 1:28:39a a difficult budget um environment is
- 1:28:42is not unique to uh to Sunnyside.
- 1:28:45At the top of page two, it looks to me
- 1:28:47like if we were just to approve a sort
- 1:28:49of a rolling forward budget
- 1:28:52assuming cost escalators
- 1:28:54um as they would typically appear in
- 1:28:56city budgets uh which I'm pretty
- 1:28:58familiar with and assuming the revenue
- 1:29:00growth that would uh would also grow, it
- 1:29:03looks like the 2027 budget um
- 1:29:07would uh present a deficit of about 1.8.
- 1:29:11It's about which 1.88 million. In one
- 1:29:13place I say 1.8, another place I say
- 1:29:151.9.
- 1:29:16Uh but to be a
- 1:29:18put another uh digit to it, it's a it's
- 1:29:20a 1.88 million dollar deficit for 2027.
- 1:29:24So again, let me repeat that just to be
- 1:29:26clear. If we were to presume traditional
- 1:29:30revenue growth from 26 to 27 and
- 1:29:32traditional cost growth
- 1:29:34maintaining the current levels of
- 1:29:35service and levels of staff, no changes
- 1:29:38from 26 to 27, then the 2027 budget
- 1:29:41would be out of balance
- 1:29:43by 1.88 million dollars.
- 1:29:45And that's the point at which you know,
- 1:29:47I contacted Pat and Jessica and said,
- 1:29:49you know, we probably need to look at a
- 1:29:51different approach here
- 1:29:52because we just don't have time to deal
- 1:29:54with that kind of a challenge.
- 1:29:56Again, that's not a unique challenge, uh
- 1:29:59but it's a challenge nonetheless and it
- 1:30:01would take um a fair amount of work on
- 1:30:03the part of the leadership team to be
- 1:30:05able to bring recommendations to the
- 1:30:07city council as to how to resolve that
- 1:30:10that deficit. That deficit equates to
- 1:30:12about um
- 1:30:1412.5% of your general fund budget. So,
- 1:30:16you'd be about 12.5% out of budget if we
- 1:30:19just rolled everything forward.
- 1:30:21Um
- 1:30:22excuse me and and you know, of course
- 1:30:24state law requires we pass a balanced
- 1:30:26budget and um and that's uh
- 1:30:29you know, uh
- 1:30:30again, what we propose to do, albeit a
- 1:30:33soft gap type resolution.
- 1:30:36Um so, if we were to pursue this
- 1:30:39approach that we're recommending, uh the
- 1:30:41the ra the rationale for doing so is
- 1:30:44one, it would be a legally balanced
- 1:30:45budget.
- 1:30:47While it's legally balanced, it's not
- 1:30:49fiscally uh sustainable, right? I mean,
- 1:30:52the the recommended
- 1:30:54budget appropriation for the general
- 1:30:56fund
- 1:30:57is is 12.7 million dollar or 12.7% less
- 1:31:01um 1.88 million dollars less than what
- 1:31:04it would really take to run the city for
- 1:31:06a full 12 months. It would actually run
- 1:31:07the city through probably October.
- 1:31:10Um and and so, while it's legally
- 1:31:12balanced and therefore passes muster
- 1:31:14with the state law, it's not fiscally
- 1:31:16sustainable.
- 1:31:17And so, it the work needs to be done to
- 1:31:20come back um and and make changes to the
- 1:31:23budget that would uh adjust revenues and
- 1:31:27expenditures such that the budget would
- 1:31:29be balanced throughout throughout the
- 1:31:31year 2027.
- 1:31:32So, again, the recommendation is a soft
- 1:31:34gap budget. We'll come come back to that
- 1:31:36in a minute.
- 1:31:38Um
- 1:31:39so, that takes us through
- 1:31:41uh
- 1:31:42most of the uh of the rest of page two
- 1:31:45there.
- 1:31:46Um on page three, we we kind of dig into
- 1:31:50where we are in 2026
- 1:31:52with the general fund and I've got a
- 1:31:53I've got a um table there that's going
- 1:31:56going to be the same approach to
- 1:31:58presenting this financial information to
- 1:32:00you for all the funds we're going to
- 1:32:02discuss.
- 1:32:03And so, we've got a little bit of
- 1:32:04history there.
- 1:32:062024 actuals were audited.
- 1:32:09And so, these are numbers from the
- 1:32:11audited financial statements from 2024.
- 1:32:14And the 2025 numbers are from our
- 1:32:16financial systems, but are not yet
- 1:32:18audited.
- 1:32:19And you know, one thing I'll point out,
- 1:32:21you'll see that the ending fund balance
- 1:32:23from the end of 2024 should be the
- 1:32:25beginning fund balance of 2025, right?
- 1:32:27That's the logic, that's the way this
- 1:32:28works. But, you can see there's a pretty
- 1:32:30big gap there.
- 1:32:31And so, understanding what that gap, you
- 1:32:35know, what caused that gap and why
- 1:32:36that's the case, because obviously if we
- 1:32:37start 2025 with $345,000,
- 1:32:41um you know, rather than a million,
- 1:32:44almost seven, then that
- 1:32:47that helps contribute to the deficit
- 1:32:49that we end the 2025 with.
- 1:32:51So, 2025 has not yet been audited. As we
- 1:32:55as the the books get audited and Jessica
- 1:32:57works through
- 1:32:59try to better understand what happened
- 1:33:02to cause these differences between the
- 1:33:04ending
- 1:33:05position in one year and the beginning
- 1:33:07position in the next year,
- 1:33:09then then that will help us better
- 1:33:11understand kind of how that flows
- 1:33:13through.
- 1:33:14Um
- 1:33:15that not only happens here in the
- 1:33:17general fund, you'll see it in a couple
- 1:33:18of of these other funds that we'll be
- 1:33:19taking a look at here in just a minute
- 1:33:20as well.
- 1:33:22So, in the middle paragraph there, I do
- 1:33:24a little bit of explaining about kind of
- 1:33:26what some of the challenges are in the
- 1:33:282026 budget. You'll notice that in the
- 1:33:312027
- 1:33:33proposed budget, revenues are $15.023
- 1:33:36million. Do you see that?
- 1:33:38Well, that's
- 1:33:39you know,
- 1:33:40two almost $2 million less than the
- 1:33:44budget from 2026.
- 1:33:47And the reason for that is there's a
- 1:33:49couple of challenges with the 2026
- 1:33:51revenue estimates.
- 1:33:52And one of the
- 1:33:54items in 2026
- 1:33:56as a revenue item as a $1.579 million uh
- 1:33:59uh grant from the State Department of
- 1:34:01Commerce.
- 1:34:03I think staff is still discussing what
- 1:34:04the status of that grant is and and
- 1:34:07you know, so that was a discussion that
- 1:34:09kind of started when I brought this to
- 1:34:10their attention last week.
- 1:34:12That number is not repeated in the 2027
- 1:34:15revenue estimate. We don't have such a
- 1:34:18you know, such an estimate
- 1:34:21revenue item of
- 1:34:23of that grant. So, that's accounts for
- 1:34:25$1.5 million of the difference.
- 1:34:28In addition, in the 2026 budget
- 1:34:31the revenue estimate for interest
- 1:34:33earnings was a million dollars even.
- 1:34:36Well, the city hasn't earned over
- 1:34:38quarter million dollars in interest in
- 1:34:40the last several years.
- 1:34:42And in fact when they did earn 230,000
- 1:34:47dollars in interest, that's when the
- 1:34:49city had much larger fund balance bank
- 1:34:51balance.
- 1:34:52And so, that million dollar interest
- 1:34:54revenue estimate is clearly an error.
- 1:34:57And you know, why it's there I have no
- 1:34:59idea, but but it's not one we are you
- 1:35:02know,
- 1:35:03recommending we repeat in 2027.
- 1:35:07On the other hand, when I look at some
- 1:35:09of the more detail and we can certainly
- 1:35:11provide the council more detail about
- 1:35:13some of the you know, numbers that make
- 1:35:14up the total revenues and and the
- 1:35:17projected expenditures.
- 1:35:18When I look at that the sales tax
- 1:35:21revenue
- 1:35:22I do see that there is
- 1:35:24good news there. Sales taxes are
- 1:35:26beginning to grow.
- 1:35:27And that's not only good from a revenue
- 1:35:29standpoint, that indicates you know,
- 1:35:32a growing local economy.
- 1:35:34It's a direct reflection of retail
- 1:35:36activity of course in in your city. So,
- 1:35:38that's a good news and in fact many
- 1:35:40cities are just now beginning to see
- 1:35:42some
- 1:35:43um
- 1:35:44growth in their sales taxes again,
- 1:35:46especially in Eastern Washington cities
- 1:35:48where post COVID there's been a bit of a
- 1:35:50decline.
- 1:35:52And so, it's nice to see that turn
- 1:35:53around.
- 1:35:55In this in addition, I know the chief is
- 1:35:58going to be recommending some revision
- 1:36:00to the jail rates and there's some other
- 1:36:02revenue options that the council will
- 1:36:03have an opportunity to look at and talk
- 1:36:05about that will help improve, you know,
- 1:36:08the uh, opportunity to to uh, balance
- 1:36:10this budget.
- 1:36:12With respect to uh, general fund
- 1:36:14expenditures, um,
- 1:36:16several department budgets from 2026
- 1:36:20were did not seem to be consistent with
- 1:36:23either past budgets or past activity.
- 1:36:27Uh, many were seemed to me to be
- 1:36:28arbitrarily low. And so the next to the
- 1:36:31last paragraph there discusses the fact
- 1:36:33that several department budgets are
- 1:36:34arbitrarily low. They've already
- 1:36:36exceeded their budget through the end of
- 1:36:38September in in many cases. Um,
- 1:36:41and um, those departments that have
- 1:36:44arbitrarily low budgets and um, you
- 1:36:47know, why they were low, again, we don't
- 1:36:49know, right? Because we weren't around
- 1:36:50when these numbers were put together.
- 1:36:52But the numbers I am um, presenting to
- 1:36:56you tonight for 2027
- 1:36:58adjusts for and corrects those numbers,
- 1:37:01those arbitrarily low budgets. It I'm
- 1:37:03not carrying that arbitrarily low number
- 1:37:05into the 2027 estimate.
- 1:37:08Um, so I'm I'm correcting those
- 1:37:10departmental budgets um, in that 2027
- 1:37:13estimate. The one that again, as I said
- 1:37:15before, would be about a $1.88 million
- 1:37:18deficit.
- 1:37:20Um, so as a result of those being
- 1:37:22arbitrarily low and and by the way, as
- 1:37:25it might be no surprise, there's no
- 1:37:27no budgets that are arbitrarily high.
- 1:37:30You know, there's no budget that's that
- 1:37:32where it's higher than what would make
- 1:37:33sense. There's some that are seem right
- 1:37:36um, and those departments um, you know,
- 1:37:38are managing those budgets and they're
- 1:37:40doing well. But as I said, uh, there's
- 1:37:42several departments that have already
- 1:37:44overspent um, budget through September
- 1:37:46because the budget numbers were just
- 1:37:47low.
- 1:37:48So they're working hard to control costs
- 1:37:50so that uh, we can uh, maintain our, you
- 1:37:53know, fiscal stability as much as
- 1:37:55possible as we work through uh, getting
- 1:37:58back on on track and and having uh, our
- 1:38:01our fiscal situation um, solidify better
- 1:38:04than it has over the last year or so
- 1:38:06during these various transitions.
- 1:38:08So, that's it on the general fund. I
- 1:38:10have other funds city the city course
- 1:38:13has numerous
- 1:38:14funds uh
- 1:38:16with the activity in them and and I'll
- 1:38:18walk through some of the bigger ones
- 1:38:19what we call major funds
- 1:38:21um
- 1:38:22uh in a minute, but I wanted to stop
- 1:38:24because the general fund is such an
- 1:38:25important focus and that's where the
- 1:38:27majority of the challenges are to see if
- 1:38:30there are questions about um
- 1:38:32my comments so so far.
- 1:38:36>> Initial questions for Mike?
- 1:38:39Go ahead.
- 1:38:39>> Ma'am, um thank you, ma'am uh Mayor. Um
- 1:38:42it seems like that $1 million that you
- 1:38:45were talking about here um
- 1:38:47that was
- 1:38:49>> Oh, okay.
- 1:38:50>> clearly a mistake.
- 1:38:52>> Yes.
- 1:38:52>> I'm thinking I'm thinking that that was
- 1:38:54an attempt to use interest from a
- 1:38:59uh
- 1:39:00>> 31?
- 1:39:01>> I mean a bond that was maturing and that
- 1:39:03was a 100 was a million dollars.
- 1:39:07Does that show up in your in your study
- 1:39:09yet or
- 1:39:11>> Yeah, you know, that's
- 1:39:12>> What was
- 1:39:13>> I'm sorry for interrupting.
- 1:39:15>> No, go ahead. I'm just asking the
- 1:39:17question.
- 1:39:18>> I appreciate that's a common question I
- 1:39:20get um because um
- 1:39:23I I um
- 1:39:25we have a bigger discussion about this,
- 1:39:27but basically the city manages all of
- 1:39:29its
- 1:39:30cash in a common pool.
- 1:39:32>> Right.
- 1:39:33>> So, all the funds cash are combined into
- 1:39:35a common pool. You only have, you know,
- 1:39:38one main bank account. I don't know how
- 1:39:40many actual bank accounts you have, but
- 1:39:42cash from all the various funds are in
- 1:39:44the same bank account. They're in the
- 1:39:45same pool and it's allocated within that
- 1:39:48pool based on the, you know, again the
- 1:39:50accounting records.
- 1:39:51And um and so that's invested
- 1:39:54investments are from that pool of cash.
- 1:39:56So, when you have a million-dollar bond
- 1:39:58maturing that bond is likely um
- 1:40:02you you parts of the general fund, the
- 1:40:04water fund, the sewer fund, the
- 1:40:06ambulance [clears throat] fund.
- 1:40:08And so it can represent a variety of
- 1:40:10multiple funds, and typically it always
- 1:40:11does.
- 1:40:12And then when that bond matures,
- 1:40:15one, the million dollars is just
- 1:40:16returning your principal, so there's no
- 1:40:18increased revenue as a result of the
- 1:40:20million dollars coming back into your
- 1:40:21cash account. But the interest earnings
- 1:40:24on that million dollars gets parsed out
- 1:40:26into the various funds.
- 1:40:28The city does have an opportunity to
- 1:40:30pool interest earnings into the general
- 1:40:32fund as well, but that's something we
- 1:40:33probably want to talk about a different
- 1:40:35time different day. That could be an
- 1:40:36option for helping to balance the
- 1:40:38general fund.
- 1:40:39But but it I've worked with other cities
- 1:40:41where they presumed that since we had a
- 1:40:43million-dollar bond maturing, that
- 1:40:45that's a million dollars we can add to
- 1:40:47revenue.
- 1:40:48And that's just not the case. It adds It
- 1:40:50adds that cash back into your cash pool,
- 1:40:52but it's not new revenue, and therefore
- 1:40:54can't be used to pay for expen- you
- 1:40:56know, future expense expenditures.
- 1:40:58>> Okay, thank you.
- 1:40:59>> Sure.
- 1:41:04>> Any other initial questions regarding
- 1:41:05the general fund?
- 1:41:09>> So moving on to page four, the street
- 1:41:11fund, again, I've I've called out
- 1:41:14various what we call major funds, and
- 1:41:17these are either major funds because we
- 1:41:19think they're major, they have staff
- 1:41:20involved in providing service,
- 1:41:23or they're significant to the city's
- 1:41:24operations, and I think the street fund
- 1:41:26is certainly one of those.
- 1:41:27You can see the street fund activity
- 1:41:30over the last few years. It's had a fund
- 1:41:33balance a healthy fund balance.
- 1:41:36And
- 1:41:38and in the 20 2026
- 1:41:42revenue estimate, there's a $700,000
- 1:41:45presumed transfer in.
- 1:41:47You see in 2026 budget,
- 1:41:50you see the beginning fund balance of
- 1:41:52621,000,
- 1:41:541,913,000
- 1:41:56in assumed revenues.
- 1:41:59Well, of that 1,9, $700,000 of that is
- 1:42:02the transfer in from the REET one fund,
- 1:42:04a capital project fund.
- 1:42:06And I talked to Hector, and and that's
- 1:42:08one that's not typically done.
- 1:42:10Uh
- 1:42:10it it'd have to be a pretty unique
- 1:42:12circumstance under state law for that to
- 1:42:14even be permitted.
- 1:42:15And uh and Hector was unfamiliar with
- 1:42:18why that assumption was made in the 2026
- 1:42:21budget. So as a result, um we don't
- 1:42:24anticipate we're going to collect a
- 1:42:25million nine uh in revenue in 2026.
- 1:42:28Instead, we presume it's going to be
- 1:42:30about $700,000 less.
- 1:42:32And um and therefore um it's going it's
- 1:42:36going to have a declining fund balance
- 1:42:38um in 2026. It's going to move the fund
- 1:42:40balance from a million to down to
- 1:42:42600,000.
- 1:42:44And beginning '27 with 600,000, but then
- 1:42:48if we um
- 1:42:49if we appropriate at the consistent
- 1:42:52level as we have with prior years, then
- 1:42:55um then in fact that would consume the
- 1:42:57rest of the fund balance in the street
- 1:42:59fund.
- 1:42:59So the street fund is solvent.
- 1:43:01Um it has uh it has resources in it now
- 1:43:04depending on how 2026 turns out, uh that
- 1:43:08will carry help carry forward into 2027.
- 1:43:10And I presume we won't spend all the
- 1:43:12money. In fact, we'll have a better
- 1:43:13beginning position in '27. But but
- 1:43:16again, that's another fund that needs
- 1:43:17attention because if we continue to
- 1:43:19spend at the current rate, then we'll
- 1:43:20deplete the existing fund balance there
- 1:43:22as well. Um I make a comment at the
- 1:43:25bottom of that paragraph uh there before
- 1:43:27that line across and we start the public
- 1:43:29safety tax fund, but before we before
- 1:43:31that,
- 1:43:32um
- 1:43:34that um you know,
- 1:43:36the
- 1:43:37if in fact
- 1:43:38the city's interested in looking at a uh
- 1:43:41fund transfer, you want to be
- 1:43:42double-checking to make sure that's okay
- 1:43:44with the consistent with state law.
- 1:43:46Typically, read read monies are used for
- 1:43:47capital improvements, not operations.
- 1:43:49And the street fund is an operating
- 1:43:50depart operating fund.
- 1:43:54Moving on to public safety uh tax fund,
- 1:43:56um
- 1:43:57again, that's got some staff in it and
- 1:44:00um and it's significant to the city's
- 1:44:01operations.
- 1:44:03Uh that fund is um healthy.
- 1:44:06And uh we're recommending a budget
- 1:44:08that's consistent with prior years.
- 1:44:10And um I had a a nice chat with the
- 1:44:13chief about kind of the status of that
- 1:44:14fund and how it could support some of
- 1:44:16the other things the goals he has and
- 1:44:17whatnot.
- 1:44:18Uh so that fund um looks to be in good
- 1:44:20shape.
- 1:44:24On the next page, the water fund um
- 1:44:28is
- 1:44:29um
- 1:44:30Uh
- 1:44:31we were just talking about in the water
- 1:44:32fund with your wells.
- 1:44:34Um you can see that the fund balance, if
- 1:44:36you look at in that table of numbers at
- 1:44:38the very
- 1:44:39the last row of numbers ending fund
- 1:44:40balance, you can see how that declines
- 1:44:42over time.
- 1:44:43And so that's an indication that
- 1:44:47um
- 1:44:47that that fund needs um some attention
- 1:44:50to sustain itself on a going forward
- 1:44:53basis.
- 1:44:54It's uh it's fiscally solvent
- 1:44:56um and but it is um
- 1:44:59again its fiscal health is declining.
- 1:45:02And so a rate study is probably in order
- 1:45:05to understand how the current rates will
- 1:45:08uh or what rates would support the
- 1:45:11continuing sustainability financial
- 1:45:13sustainability of that fund.
- 1:45:16Um
- 1:45:17I think the fund can support the you
- 1:45:19know the projects you were just talking
- 1:45:20about. That's a conversation Jessica and
- 1:45:22I had earlier today. Uh so I don't see
- 1:45:25any concern with proceeding with those
- 1:45:26projects that you were talking about.
- 1:45:28But but again, I would come back and
- 1:45:30look Excuse me uh the potential for
- 1:45:34uh rates or rate study um next year.
- 1:45:38>> Mhm.
- 1:45:39>> I had a question.
- 1:45:40>> There's a question, Mr. Bailey.
- 1:45:41>> Sure.
- 1:45:42>> [clears throat]
- 1:45:42>> Go ahead.
- 1:45:43>> So I'm looking at your water fund and
- 1:45:45you you stated that we needed maybe
- 1:45:48uh
- 1:45:50to look at the budget with the with the
- 1:45:51maybe a rate increase. What are you What
- 1:45:54are you looking at uh amount in
- 1:45:56percentage what we would need?
- 1:45:59>> Uh well, it's hard for me to say. There
- 1:46:01are
- 1:46:02you know there's transfers out of this
- 1:46:03fund into other funds um and I presume
- 1:46:06those are necessary for capital
- 1:46:07improvements and for debt service.
- 1:46:09Um that you know that'd be one thing I'd
- 1:46:11scrutinize for instance. Uh the other
- 1:46:13thing I noticed uh here, and again this
- 1:46:15is another
- 1:46:17issue where the ending fund the ending
- 1:46:19fund balance from 2024 is quite a bit
- 1:46:22higher than the records indicate a
- 1:46:25beginning fund balance for 2025.
- 1:46:27And so
- 1:46:28um
- 1:46:29and so I would
- 1:46:31I would make sure that probably where
- 1:46:32where I would start, you know, to make
- 1:46:34sure
- 1:46:35that those numbers, you know, the 2025
- 1:46:37numbers are accurate, and again that
- 1:46:39would occur as part of the audit.
- 1:46:41Uh because you know, it's a decrease
- 1:46:43there you can see of a million dollars.
- 1:46:45At the end of 2024, we illustrate almost
- 1:46:471.5 million of of fund balance or, you
- 1:46:50know,
- 1:46:51cash, savings, call it what you will.
- 1:46:54And in beginning 2025, it's down to less
- 1:46:57than 500,000. So so you know, that'd be
- 1:47:00one thing I'd I'd take a look at if in
- 1:47:02fact
- 1:47:03you know, that $484,000 number needs to
- 1:47:06be increased to be accurate. Um you
- 1:47:08know, that would certainly again
- 1:47:09contribute to the health of the bottom
- 1:47:11line. Um
- 1:47:12in terms of getting back to your
- 1:47:14question, you know, the the fund balance
- 1:47:17in the last um
- 1:47:20well, in 2027, would decline by about
- 1:47:2310%.
- 1:47:25Uh you see going from 700,000 down to
- 1:47:28400,000, 764,000 down to 393,000.
- 1:47:32That would be a decline of about 10 10%
- 1:47:35a little less than 10% of your
- 1:47:37expenditures of 4.7 million. So you'd
- 1:47:40probably be looking at, you know,
- 1:47:426 to 8 8% increase to prove those
- 1:47:45numbers up if in fact, you know, that's
- 1:47:48uh
- 1:47:48a
- 1:47:49a deeper investigation doesn't provide
- 1:47:51more clarity.
- 1:47:57And then moving on to the sewer fund,
- 1:47:59again another healthy fund. You can see
- 1:48:01the bottom line in that table is
- 1:48:03growing.
- 1:48:04And so the sewer rates are
- 1:48:07sustaining
- 1:48:09sewer operations at this point.
- 1:48:11Um and I I point out as I do in that
- 1:48:14last sentence on that page
- 1:48:16that the this budget uh 2026 budget does
- 1:48:20not
- 1:48:21um include any transfers out for
- 1:48:23capital.
- 1:48:24Um and um and typically there's, you
- 1:48:27know, there are capital improvement
- 1:48:28needs in a sewer fund.
- 1:48:29And so um that would be something to
- 1:48:31take a look at, but but again, that fund
- 1:48:34looks like it's in a pretty good
- 1:48:35position.
- 1:48:39On page uh six, the garbage fund is
- 1:48:42next, and um and again, there's a place
- 1:48:46another incident where the ending fund
- 1:48:48balance from 24 is different from the
- 1:48:50beginning fund balance of 25.
- 1:48:52But at the at the end of the day, um
- 1:48:55you know, again that bottom line running
- 1:48:57across is growing, and so again another
- 1:49:00fund where the rates are are providing
- 1:49:04enough resources to pay the bills, and
- 1:49:06so that's another healthy healthy fund.
- 1:49:10Likewise, the ambulance EMS fund uh
- 1:49:12again a growing fund balance across the
- 1:49:14bottom row of in that table.
- 1:49:17And so again another fund that's uh
- 1:49:19that's healthy, and um and the way this
- 1:49:22fund interacts with the fire department
- 1:49:24and the general fund might be a place
- 1:49:26for you to look at and kind of
- 1:49:27understand um you know
- 1:49:30how a healthy EM ambulance EMS fund
- 1:49:33might be able to um help support a uh
- 1:49:36not so healthy general fund.
- 1:49:40So those are the major funds that um
- 1:49:44I wanted to call to your attention.
- 1:49:46Uh the budget ordinance itself will have
- 1:49:49all the city's funds
- 1:49:51um and um and and uh again as I said, uh
- 1:49:56the one fund that's going to need
- 1:49:57attention
- 1:49:58um sooner rather than later is going to
- 1:50:01be the general fund.
- 1:50:03Um
- 1:50:04typically on page seven, you see uh talk
- 1:50:07a bit about our general fund targets,
- 1:50:09and remember in our retreat we talked a
- 1:50:11little bit about this as well.
- 1:50:14Um you typically want to have between 12
- 1:50:16and 20% of expenditures. So, take the
- 1:50:20expenditure budget and multiply times
- 1:50:2312% or 20% or someplace in between
- 1:50:25depending on your your preference. It
- 1:50:28varies city by city. That's where your
- 1:50:30target would should be for what your B
- 1:50:32in your projected ending fund balance.
- 1:50:35And of course with you know, with a
- 1:50:37deficit, that doesn't work. But
- 1:50:40certainly zero doesn't work either.
- 1:50:42Um and so, the way cities tend to kind
- 1:50:44of respond to this, first of all, in
- 1:50:46Sunnyside, uh it'll be very important
- 1:50:49for a new city manager uh to work with
- 1:50:51the staff to create a solid, you know,
- 1:50:53sort of financial footing and and clear
- 1:50:56understanding of what is what all the
- 1:50:59issues are and kind of where we are
- 1:51:00really and and things of that sort. Um
- 1:51:03and and get a firm grasp on the
- 1:51:07overall financial picture and financial
- 1:51:09plan for the city across all its funds,
- 1:51:11but especially in the general fund where
- 1:51:13there's so much activity and so many
- 1:51:14staff are paid there and there are so
- 1:51:16many essential services that are
- 1:51:17provided through the city's general
- 1:51:18fund. So, it'll be very important for
- 1:51:20that person to get on board and to and
- 1:51:23to get themselves up to speed on these
- 1:51:25issues and to help work with the council
- 1:51:27to come up with a way to balance the
- 1:51:29general fund on a going forward basis.
- 1:51:31Having said that, typically the way
- 1:51:33cities then go about building their fund
- 1:51:35balances back up to their targets in
- 1:51:36between 12 and 20%, which in your case
- 1:51:39would be about $2 million.
- 1:51:41Um is typically uh over, you know, a
- 1:51:44period of a couple years looking at
- 1:51:47budget savings and things of that sort.
- 1:51:49Uh some cities uh have decided, well, we
- 1:51:52want to balance our budget and we want
- 1:51:53to include some money that would be
- 1:51:55dedicated to growing the fund balance
- 1:51:56and that's a possibility as well. I
- 1:51:58mean, certainly you could do that.
- 1:52:00But um but all the money you set aside
- 1:52:02to put in the ending fund balance is
- 1:52:04money that would, you know, would not be
- 1:52:05able to be available for providing
- 1:52:07services, of course.
- 1:52:09And so, that's why often times I get
- 1:52:11asked, how much should we, you know, set
- 1:52:13aside for fund balance and and and and I
- 1:52:16um again typically recommend
- 1:52:19that unless there's, you know, it's
- 1:52:21severe fiscal distress and
- 1:52:23>> [clears throat]
- 1:52:23>> and I've seen I've seen much worse.
- 1:52:25So, so you're you're not in severe
- 1:52:27fiscal distress
- 1:52:29uh and you have options and whatnot.
- 1:52:32Um
- 1:52:32that that I would just recommend
- 1:52:34managing your budgets tightly and
- 1:52:37anticipating that budgetary savings will
- 1:52:39help build back up your fiscal reserves
- 1:52:42and get you back into the target areas
- 1:52:44that that the city feels comfortable
- 1:52:45with.
- 1:52:46While this is true of the general fund,
- 1:52:48as I said,
- 1:52:49walking through it, the street
- 1:52:50operations fund is one that needs to
- 1:52:52have its reserves rebuilt. And the water
- 1:52:55and storm water funds have sufficient
- 1:52:58reserves, but they have declining bottom
- 1:53:01lines, if you will. And so those are
- 1:53:03those are four funds, the general fund,
- 1:53:05the street fund, fund, water fund, and
- 1:53:07the storm water fund are funds that um
- 1:53:10that certainly should be
- 1:53:12uh
- 1:53:12foremost on your radar screen for for um
- 1:53:15dealing with the challenges.
- 1:53:18Um
- 1:53:19the um let's see here.
- 1:53:23The storm water fund I I was I Hector
- 1:53:25advised me there was a recent rate
- 1:53:27change and that may help the storm water
- 1:53:29fund get back level.
- 1:53:31And um and so again, that would be
- 1:53:33something that you could take into
- 1:53:34account.
- 1:53:36So, that's it on the on the operations
- 1:53:38budget. Um
- 1:53:40and uh and then we also wanted to
- 1:53:42propose a capital improvements budget
- 1:53:44that again would get the city started uh
- 1:53:47in 2027 with those projects that are
- 1:53:49already in motion. I worked with Hector
- 1:53:51to come up with a list of those
- 1:53:52projects. Um
- 1:53:54uh we have attached uh a proposed budget
- 1:53:57ordinance,
- 1:53:58a list of the capital projects um for
- 1:54:01your consideration. The budget ordinance
- 1:54:04uh aligns with that list of capital
- 1:54:06projects.
- 1:54:07So, there's there's consistency there.
- 1:54:10And um and so those capital projects are
- 1:54:12those that are
- 1:54:14um already planned for and in motion and
- 1:54:15where funding has been identified. We've
- 1:54:17also included a list on the list. Yes.
- 1:54:20>> I have a question. Um
- 1:54:22attachments You said that there's some
- 1:54:24attachments in
- 1:54:26>> Yeah, if you don't have them now then
- 1:54:27they're they'll be available soon.
- 1:54:29Um, the city has them, so
- 1:54:32so, uh
- 1:54:35uh, and I I guess I defer to
- 1:54:38Gabe or Pat uh, in terms of what's been
- 1:54:41handed out to you since I'm not there, I
- 1:54:43don't know.
- 1:54:46>> Well, we must have
- 1:54:49neglected to getting these attached to
- 1:54:51here. Okay.
- 1:54:53Uh, I've seen this list and it is it's
- 1:54:57in our hands uh,
- 1:54:59and we will get that back to you
- 1:55:00shortly. Uh
- 1:55:01>> If you guys would like it now, I can
- 1:55:03forward it to you. I can email it right
- 1:55:04now.
- 1:55:06>> Yeah, I I would, mhm. And the another
- 1:55:09question if I may, um, Mike, you you
- 1:55:11mentioned a a retreat.
- 1:55:13>> We had a retreat.
- 1:55:14>> Well, it was a workshop.
- 1:55:15>> Workshop, did I miss it?
- 1:55:16>> No, you were there.
- 1:55:18>> August was in August, you were there.
- 1:55:20>> I think you were on you were still in in
- 1:55:24Alaska fishing. Cuz you were on Zoom.
- 1:55:27Yeah.
- 1:55:27>> It was It wasn't like before that we
- 1:55:29have the whole day retreat about the
- 1:55:31retreat. It was more of a
- 1:55:33>> It was pretty We started at 10 and we
- 1:55:36went until about 3. [clears throat]
- 1:55:37>> 3, right. It was on a Friday.
- 1:55:39>> It was a while It was like early August.
- 1:55:42It's kind of
- 1:55:42>> Maybe mid-August. Forgot the date.
- 1:55:44>> I was in line in Alaska.
- 1:55:46>> You were You were It was in August. You
- 1:55:48>> You did Zoom in.
- 1:55:49>> Yeah, and you did.
- 1:55:50>> I'll go ahead uh, counselor uh, Travis
- 1:55:52has his hand up.
- 1:55:53>> Mike, I've been taking some notes here.
- 1:55:55Um, I just missed two of them. Okay, so
- 1:55:58I'm looking at the water funds. You said
- 1:56:00you you stated that we need
- 1:56:02to work on that. Needs an an increase
- 1:56:06according to my notes here. I didn't I
- 1:56:08must have been out of the the room when
- 1:56:11What How are we doing with the street
- 1:56:13fund and
- 1:56:14and the public safety?
- 1:56:17>> So, the street fund needs attention as
- 1:56:20well. You can see it's got a declining
- 1:56:21financial position. And in fact, uh we
- 1:56:24adopt the budget we adopt the budget, uh
- 1:56:27if we adopt it at the current level of
- 1:56:28service, the the recommended 1.898
- 1:56:31million dollars, then if in fact the
- 1:56:34street department spends all that money,
- 1:56:36they'll end the year with a zero uh
- 1:56:39balance.
- 1:56:40And again, ideally you'd want to be
- 1:56:42between um you know, 12 and 20% of the
- 1:56:451.9 million dollars or you know,
- 1:56:48uh
- 1:56:49>> Yeah.
- 1:56:49>> So,
- 1:56:50>> And I did circle uh 700,000. How do we
- 1:56:53get that number?
- 1:56:55>> I I don't know the answer to that. The
- 1:56:56700,000 dollars again is in your um
- 1:57:00records uh as a uh revenue projection
- 1:57:05re- reflecting a transfer out of the
- 1:57:07read one fund, fund 304, which again is
- 1:57:11dedicated by state law to capital
- 1:57:12improvements and into your street
- 1:57:14operations budget. Uh that's in your
- 1:57:162026 budget. And so, that was and that's
- 1:57:19the only place I in in it's in your as a
- 1:57:21result it's in your records. Your your
- 1:57:23your budget records. But, that's the
- 1:57:25only place I've seen it. There has been
- 1:57:27no transfer.
- 1:57:28Uh and so, as a result we don't
- 1:57:30anticipate that the um
- 1:57:33that the 2026 revenues will be what uh
- 1:57:36the at at the budgeted level because
- 1:57:38that 700,000 dollar transfer is not is
- 1:57:41not anticipated to occur.
- 1:57:44>> Okay, with my follow-up um my public the
- 1:57:46public safety fund. Yes. Tell me a
- 1:57:48little bit about that really quick on
- 1:57:49that one. How we doing with that one?
- 1:57:50>> Yes, sir. So, that's the 3/10 sales tax
- 1:57:54um and other dedicated criminal justice
- 1:57:56fund monies that come from the state.
- 1:57:58And um and so, that's got again looking
- 1:58:01across that bottom row in that table,
- 1:58:03you can kind of get a feel for how the
- 1:58:05fund is doing and with a growing balance
- 1:58:08uh across there, that's a healthy fund.
- 1:58:10Uh and again, that fund can be used uh
- 1:58:13to leverage um some of the initiatives
- 1:58:15of the of the city and and the chief in
- 1:58:17the police department and corrections,
- 1:58:19all all public safety related. Um so, so
- 1:58:22that's a that's a a good news situation
- 1:58:25there.
- 1:58:26>> So, chief, please don't ask us for
- 1:58:27money. Haha.
- 1:58:28>> [laughter]
- 1:58:30>> Okay, so
- 1:58:31>> Okay, thank you.
- 1:58:32My pleasure. Yeah, and with respect to
- 1:58:34the capital projects list, again, it's a
- 1:58:36list. I'm presuming the projects won't
- 1:58:38look I'm Let me back up. The projects
- 1:58:41will look familiar to you. I'm sure
- 1:58:43they're things you've discussed you
- 1:58:44know, for the most part. Um and as I
- 1:58:47said, there's on the list the top half
- 1:58:49of the list is projects that there is a
- 1:58:51funding associated with those projects
- 1:58:53on the bottom half of the list uh there
- 1:58:55are projects that are in the works, but
- 1:58:56funding hasn't been identified yet.
- 1:58:59Uh those that have funding, again, the
- 1:59:01funding amounts are consistent with the
- 1:59:03budget ordinance that we're proposing.
- 1:59:05Um
- 1:59:06So, typically, um you know, councils get
- 1:59:09a budget proposal. Uh the proposal is
- 1:59:13required by state law to have a a
- 1:59:15memorandum from the city manager that
- 1:59:17this serves that purpose.
- 1:59:18And um and typically, uh councils then
- 1:59:21have workshops and discuss with staff,
- 1:59:23you know, well, gee, how how will this
- 1:59:25budget help you, you know, continue to
- 1:59:27serve our community and and we know what
- 1:59:29new things are here, what you know, what
- 1:59:31things are are taken out in order to
- 1:59:32make a balance. But since we don't have
- 1:59:35a full budget, you know, we basically,
- 1:59:38again, have a placeholder budget. It's a
- 1:59:40stopgap type
- 1:59:41solution. Those kinds of conversations
- 1:59:44probably will be different. And yeah,
- 1:59:47again, you're looking at about a 12%
- 1:59:49deficit um for 2027.
- 1:59:54And so, to the extent the council
- 1:59:55decides you want to have workshops, I'm
- 1:59:57not sure kind of what the nature of that
- 1:59:59discussions would be.
- 2:00:01Uh I think again, one of the other very
- 2:00:04important contextual things is that it's
- 2:00:07very important for the city to kind of
- 2:00:08get its, you know, um get clarity around
- 2:00:12where we are in uh
- 2:00:14in these um in some of these accounts.
- 2:00:17Um the the big differences between
- 2:00:20ending balances from an audited 2024 and
- 2:00:22beginning balances from an unaudited
- 2:00:242025
- 2:00:25um you know, is is a place that needs
- 2:00:28some further investigation.
- 2:00:30And um and then um you know from that
- 2:00:33clarification that will help one
- 2:00:35tighten up
- 2:00:36fine-tune these numbers
- 2:00:38but to continue to provide more clarity
- 2:00:40around you know the city's fiscal
- 2:00:42well-being.
- 2:00:44Having said all that and again I'd be
- 2:00:46glad to facilitate any kind of questions
- 2:00:48or discussion but you know the motion
- 2:00:51does include recommending some hearing
- 2:00:53dates. The council does need to adopt a
- 2:00:56property tax ordinance which I've
- 2:00:57prepared and provided to the city.
- 2:01:00You'll need to have a hearing on that
- 2:01:03and you need to have two hearings on the
- 2:01:04budget. Those hearings I see are the
- 2:01:07dates are proposed in the agenda for
- 2:01:09you.
- 2:01:09And and so those are things that
- 2:01:13you know council will probably want to
- 2:01:15take action on so that you can
- 2:01:17procedurally proceed with adopting a
- 2:01:19budget consistent with the state
- 2:01:21requirements.
- 2:01:23And I'm done with my presentation.
- 2:01:26>> I I I I have a question just going off
- 2:01:29of the proposed workshops.
- 2:01:32We had one in August and Mike you just
- 2:01:35mentioned
- 2:01:36when counselor Chavez asked about the
- 2:01:39public safety fund. Seems like it's a
- 2:01:42healthy fund. And
- 2:01:45then we all you also touched base on on
- 2:01:47how it could be used based on our
- 2:01:48initiatives and the council's goals. So
- 2:01:52my question to
- 2:01:54Mr. Haley and you and and Jessica is are
- 2:01:58we going to make room for
- 2:02:02other workshops to
- 2:02:04be able to dialogue about those proposed
- 2:02:07well the proposals from staff but also
- 2:02:10to hear about the council's
- 2:02:12goals around the money for 2027?
- 2:02:20>> Mike if you have some thoughts on that
- 2:02:22but basically
- 2:02:24we don't that's that's what he's saying.
- 2:02:27We don't have time
- 2:02:28to have those discussions
- 2:02:30prior to the day requirements of
- 2:02:33submitting the 27 budget.
- 2:02:35So, those those things can be amended in
- 2:02:3827.
- 2:02:39Uh you can
- 2:02:41the new city manager and and the council
- 2:02:44can uh go through a process of looking
- 2:02:47at what you want to accomplish as as it
- 2:02:48relates to goals for 27.
- 2:02:51Uh priorities that you might have in 27.
- 2:02:54And amend the budget to accommodate both
- 2:02:56some of those goals and to address this
- 2:02:58$1.8 million deficit.
- 2:03:01Uh when you have an
- 2:03:02$1.8 million deficit, that becomes
- 2:03:05really the priority.
- 2:03:07Uh because you just can't have that in
- 2:03:09existence. So, Mike said that we don't
- 2:03:12have time
- 2:03:14to address how we're going to resolve
- 2:03:15that
- 2:03:16in the time frame that's necessary for
- 2:03:18us to comply with certain regulations of
- 2:03:20submitting a 27 budget.
- 2:03:23>> So, if I may um add just a bit to that.
- 2:03:26Um
- 2:03:28as I said, councils typically now have
- 2:03:31workshops to discuss
- 2:03:32budget proposals and recommendations.
- 2:03:34Instead, this you've been given
- 2:03:37you know, a different kind of
- 2:03:39presentation. You don't have a budget
- 2:03:41like you got last year for instance for
- 2:03:42those of you that were on the council
- 2:03:43and you saw the budget book and how nice
- 2:03:45it was and all that kind of stuff. You
- 2:03:47know, unfortunately it wasn't you um it
- 2:03:49had some problems with it. But but you
- 2:03:52don't have time to kind of go through
- 2:03:53that kind of thing. What you could do in
- 2:03:55a workshop is one, have more discussion
- 2:03:59uh of the nature of which we're having
- 2:04:01now. Uh kind of you know, what is the
- 2:04:03status of the different funds? You know,
- 2:04:05what about this? What about that? And
- 2:04:07ask ask questions and and and allow us
- 2:04:10to dive deeper into some of these things
- 2:04:11that maybe are, you know, they have
- 2:04:13questions about. But and certainly you
- 2:04:16could talk about how you want to work
- 2:04:18toward getting um resolution to these
- 2:04:22issues that we're bringing to you. Um
- 2:04:24and so those are the kinds of things
- 2:04:26that maybe a workshop might be helpful
- 2:04:28um with respect to
- 2:04:30um other than, you know, talking about
- 2:04:33um you know, how how to spend
- 2:04:37uh um
- 2:04:38money because again that's
- 2:04:42that's probably going to be more
- 2:04:43appropriate when a truly balanced budget
- 2:04:46is brought back to the council. And
- 2:04:49again, my recommendation would be
- 2:04:51soon after the first of the year.
- 2:04:54>> Go ahead, Council Galvin.
- 2:04:56>> Um, first [clears throat] off, Mike and
- 2:04:57and and Jessica and everybody in the
- 2:04:59finance department, thank you for for
- 2:05:01your hard work. But it just seems like
- 2:05:03another band-aid, another budget,
- 2:05:04another band-aid.
- 2:05:06Um,
- 2:05:06we're going to be kicking the can to
- 2:05:08January, February. I mean, we have tough
- 2:05:11decisions.
- 2:05:12Um,
- 2:05:13we know we're in the deficit. We we know
- 2:05:15where we're at. We have 60-some days
- 2:05:18before we have to, you know, pass a
- 2:05:21a balanced budget.
- 2:05:23I don't I I just don't see, you know, I
- 2:05:25I know you guys weren't around when when
- 2:05:28um
- 2:05:28we passed the '26 budget and and and
- 2:05:32obviously the '25 budget.
- 2:05:34We can we keep getting band-aids to
- 2:05:38a bigger situation that we have at hand
- 2:05:40and I think
- 2:05:41um I think it's time we we have these
- 2:05:44hard discussions and these decisions as
- 2:05:47to what we need to do.
- 2:05:48I mean, I don't
- 2:05:50I don't like this stopgap thing. I mean,
- 2:05:53um
- 2:05:53you're saying it because we don't have
- 2:05:55time. But we have 62 days.
- 2:05:59That's all I got to say right now.
- 2:06:02>> Go ahead, Council
- 2:06:03>> 62 days don't account for like out of
- 2:06:06the 62 days, there's only a certain
- 2:06:08amount of days that we actually do meet
- 2:06:10or that you guys can meet it with study
- 2:06:12groups and council meetings. And so
- 2:06:15the budget for it to be passed requires
- 2:06:17certain amount of hearings, a certain
- 2:06:20amount of
- 2:06:21work study if it does.
- 2:06:23So we're late in the year to do the work
- 2:06:25studies that it requires or it doesn't
- 2:06:27require the work studies, but it does
- 2:06:28require the hearings. And the hearings
- 2:06:30are the ones that cause an impediment.
- 2:06:33That's the first thing. The second thing
- 2:06:34is that we are getting a a a city
- 2:06:36manager. And the new city manager
- 2:06:39hopefully will come in with a a clear
- 2:06:41head on his shoulders and set
- 2:06:43expectations for us, especially budget
- 2:06:45wise. And if we were to implement any
- 2:06:48kind of budget now, he would come in and
- 2:06:49do the amendments that we're going to do
- 2:06:50then.
- 2:06:51Um so those are some of the things that
- 2:06:54come to mind to me.
- 2:06:56>> Jessica, and so for the public hearings,
- 2:06:58do we we need the like the two-week
- 2:07:00notice before every every hearing that
- 2:07:02we're going to set?
- 2:07:04I [clears throat] can't believe it.
- 2:07:05>> Just isn't
- 2:07:07You need a two-week notice for the
- 2:07:08revenue hearing the on the property tax.
- 2:07:11Um that's
- 2:07:12>> Wow.
- 2:07:13>> So you have to have published note
- 2:07:15hearings, but again I think Katie's got
- 2:07:17a handle on that.
- 2:07:18Um you've got to have the property tax
- 2:07:20ordinance uh adopted by the middle of
- 2:07:23November so the county has time to take
- 2:07:25action on it.
- 2:07:26Um and so there are some date
- 2:07:29limitations.
- 2:07:30Um and I hear what you're saying about
- 2:07:32um frustration with kicking the can down
- 2:07:34the road again. That's probably exactly
- 2:07:36what's happening.
- 2:07:37Um I think uh
- 2:07:39you know um
- 2:07:42That's obviously up to the council. Not
- 2:07:45sure what could be accomplished to come
- 2:07:46up with a a um sound financial plan for
- 2:07:50the city's general fund in the next, you
- 2:07:52know, 6 weeks, but but um that's that
- 2:07:55would be the alternative.
- 2:07:59>> [clears throat]
- 2:08:05>> I think uh
- 2:08:06>> So what what we're meant to do today is
- 2:08:08set the the hearing dates for November
- 2:08:1012th and December 2nd.
- 2:08:13Um to consider an ordinance of adopting
- 2:08:16the budget for the fiscal year
- 2:08:18commencing January 2027.
- 2:08:21>> [clears throat]
- 2:08:22>> Um
- 2:08:24>> Can we
- 2:08:29Yeah.
- 2:08:30>> Can't do that at the workshop meeting.
- 2:08:32>> [clears throat]
- 2:08:32>> As we
- 2:08:32>> No, we can
- 2:08:34correct. The idea was to do a special
- 2:08:36meeting right before our study session.
- 2:08:39>> I'm sorry.
- 2:08:40>> The idea was to do a special meeting
- 2:08:42before our standing session that way we
- 2:08:44could hold a public hearing.
- 2:08:46>> Right.
- 2:08:46>> Yeah, the final budget hearing has to
- 2:08:49happen on or before the first Monday in
- 2:08:52December.
- 2:08:54But you all could approve it
- 2:08:56all the way up until December 31st. So
- 2:08:59you all did it December 29th last year.
- 2:09:01>> I think that's what we did last year.
- 2:09:03Well, I wasn't on council yet, but I
- 2:09:04believe we were sitting right over there
- 2:09:06and we were doing this at the last
- 2:09:08minute.
- 2:09:09>> Yeah.
- 2:09:10>> And I I you honestly I did I felt very
- 2:09:12uncomfortable. I think we need to be
- 2:09:14able to give ourselves some time because
- 2:09:16we shouldn't be pushed into something
- 2:09:18like this and we should maybe move
- 2:09:20forward and addressing it sooner.
- 2:09:25>> Mhm.
- 2:09:26>> You should also know that Mike's
- 2:09:28involvement isn't ending here with this
- 2:09:30budget.
- 2:09:32He has a an agreement we have a have an
- 2:09:34agreement with him for us to continue
- 2:09:36this process through 27. So he'll be,
- 2:09:39you know,
- 2:09:40consulting with us on recommendations
- 2:09:43and guidance
- 2:09:44through
- 2:09:45the through the year as well.
- 2:09:48>> So I'd like to make a motion.
- 2:09:51>> Yeah, just very before you do that is
- 2:09:53there
- 2:09:54so I I I get Counselor Galvan's
- 2:09:57frustrations because I have been here
- 2:09:59since we began with, you know, the
- 2:10:03kicking the can down the road and I mean
- 2:10:05we've been dealing with with with the
- 2:10:07deficit ever since we came on council.
- 2:10:09So it's been it's been pretty difficult
- 2:10:11to to rush through things and then
- 2:10:13get to a point where, you know, we we
- 2:10:14then we now have all of these um
- 2:10:17I don't know if I'd call them surprises,
- 2:10:19but but they have been in during our
- 2:10:20budget review or budget workshop in
- 2:10:23August there were some things that, you
- 2:10:24know, Mike brought to our attention and
- 2:10:26it was
- 2:10:27it was just those moments of
- 2:10:28disappointment. Like here we are again.
- 2:10:30Um
- 2:10:32in between like what what could we do,
- 2:10:34Jessica? I mean we have the finance
- 2:10:35committee and I know Counselor Galvan
- 2:10:38has raised some concerns about, you
- 2:10:39know, pass passing this
- 2:10:42short gap and not coming back to it
- 2:10:45because it seems like it just kind of
- 2:10:46happens that way. And then, you know,
- 2:10:48all this year we have been dealing with
- 2:10:50Well, we haven't had these
- 2:10:51reconciliations, so it kind of pushes us
- 2:10:52and pushes us along. And we don't we
- 2:10:55haven't, you know, had the time to meet.
- 2:10:56So, here we are. I can't believe we're
- 2:10:58already nearing the end of the year and
- 2:11:01I totally understand the time
- 2:11:03constraints, um
- 2:11:04but
- 2:11:05could we solidify a time frame? Cuz And
- 2:11:07we talked about this during budget
- 2:11:09workshop as well. Mike brought this up
- 2:11:12about um
- 2:11:13creating um
- 2:11:15like a timeline or or a time frame of
- 2:11:17how often we begin we can come back
- 2:11:21together to address the budget and how
- 2:11:23often y'all are advising us and
- 2:11:27and if if we have like a hard stop, I
- 2:11:29don't know, the first quarter of of the
- 2:11:31year to come together and and and make
- 2:11:33any proposed amendments.
- 2:11:35Um it is hard when you feel like you're
- 2:11:38in this again.
- 2:11:40And then you're only going to continue
- 2:11:41going through the year and then we're
- 2:11:43not planning accordingly. Uh because
- 2:11:47you know, we still don't really know
- 2:11:49what we're working with, right?
- 2:11:51So, I'm just trying to figure out how we
- 2:11:53can dialogue around this and any
- 2:11:55proposed
- 2:11:56solution Well,
- 2:11:58I don't know if it's solutions, but
- 2:12:00workshopping the issue as we continue so
- 2:12:02we make sure we have these check-ins
- 2:12:03that are needed.
- 2:12:05>> Yeah.
- 2:12:08>> Adam
- 2:12:09>> What Mike said
- 2:12:11>> help has done today and just this past
- 2:12:14time that he's been with us, I think has
- 2:12:15been like the most information you guys
- 2:12:17have received in a while.
- 2:12:19And I think it is bittersweet. Um
- 2:12:23But
- 2:12:24excuse me, [clears throat] I think that
- 2:12:25it's a great start. And I think
- 2:12:27continuing the same thing would be would
- 2:12:30be amazing for all of us. Um
- 2:12:34He's going to continue to help us and
- 2:12:35he's going to continue to
- 2:12:37give us guidance and and continue to
- 2:12:39work on us with the budget. And
- 2:12:42this is This specific request that we're
- 2:12:45we're doing is is basically to make sure
- 2:12:47that we're following the budget
- 2:12:49requirements for the end of the year.
- 2:12:51That's basically.
- 2:12:53>> And I would also like to say that we
- 2:12:56have now in place the team to solve the
- 2:12:58problem. We have not had that in 26. We
- 2:13:01we were deficient in all sorts of
- 2:13:04leadership in every department. And so
- 2:13:06yes, it is a kick down the can process,
- 2:13:09but we didn't have
- 2:13:10quarterbacks. We didn't have coaches. We
- 2:13:12didn't have anybody in place. We have
- 2:13:14that now in place.
- 2:13:16And so I Michael say yes, sometimes this
- 2:13:20is not an overnight fix, but it we're
- 2:13:23you know, there's some optimism that we
- 2:13:24can now get back on track. And we have
- 2:13:27the team in place to help solve some of
- 2:13:29these problems. And you know,
- 2:13:32next year 27
- 2:13:35will be a lot more better position.
- 2:13:38>> What's good?
- 2:13:39>> Those are good points.
- 2:13:40>> And what I can say too to your point
- 2:13:42mayor is
- 2:13:44I can put together
- 2:13:47some
- 2:13:49recommendations with respect to that
- 2:13:51timing that you talked about and kind of
- 2:13:52what when, right? So that it gives the
- 2:13:55council some comfort that there will be
- 2:13:59progress occurring in the next
- 2:14:02let's say 3 to 6 months where you'll be
- 2:14:06feeling much more comfortable about one
- 2:14:09where you know,
- 2:14:10what the true
- 2:14:12circumstances are. We'll resolve some of
- 2:14:14these mysteries between ending balances
- 2:14:16and beginning balances and some of that
- 2:14:17stuff, but certainly give the council an
- 2:14:20opportunity to go back and take a look
- 2:14:22at
- 2:14:23you know, the challenges of having of
- 2:14:25right sizing the budget so that it can
- 2:14:27fit within the revenues
- 2:14:29and all that sort. So so if that helps,
- 2:14:32that's something we could do
- 2:14:34and and use and we can have a discussion
- 2:14:37around it. Do those dates look like you
- 2:14:39know,
- 2:14:40provide [clears throat] the comfort that
- 2:14:41the council is looking for and and
- 2:14:43certainly from our standpoint something
- 2:14:45we can honor uh a staff commitment
- 2:14:48standpoint.
- 2:14:50>> Okay.
- 2:14:54I'm agreeable to that. I don't know.
- 2:14:57>> Yes.
- 2:14:57>> I agree with Council Member
- 2:14:59>> Okay.
- 2:15:00>> I think so. And and the idea of having
- 2:15:03>> Pardon.
- 2:15:03>> I can
- 2:15:04>> Uh go ahead and then I'll go to Council
- 2:15:06Member Sassati and
- 2:15:06>> Oh, no. Go ahead. That was done. I don't
- 2:15:08know what
- 2:15:08>> Okay. Oh, sorry. Yeah.
- 2:15:09>> I was just going to say if we do the
- 2:15:11preliminary um special meeting before
- 2:15:15our work study on is this November 4th
- 2:15:18or would we have it another work study?
- 2:15:20Could we have another one like on the
- 2:15:2118th before
- 2:15:23um
- 2:15:24the council meeting on the 25th?
- 2:15:27>> No. So, what's proposed is we're going
- 2:15:29to do the uh revenue and the preliminary
- 2:15:32budget hearings on November 12th, which
- 2:15:34is our regular meeting. That's a
- 2:15:36Thursday.
- 2:15:37And then December 2nd, which would be a
- 2:15:40special meeting before our study session
- 2:15:43to do our final budget hearing.
- 2:15:47>> Okay. Public
- 2:15:50So, the public hearing the first one on
- 2:15:52the 12th, which is a Thursday.
- 2:15:54>> Correct.
- 2:15:55>> Okay. And then the [clears throat]
- 2:15:55second one would be
- 2:15:57>> on December 2nd. Cuz we have to meet
- 2:16:01before the 7th of December.
- 2:16:03>> So, there's a little
- 2:16:05Okay. So, that's the final one. Okay.
- 2:16:09>> [snorts]
- 2:16:10>> So, there is a little bit of time if
- 2:16:12this 12th before our meeting on the 25th
- 2:16:16in March, there might be a little bit of
- 2:16:17room that we could kind of
- 2:16:20kind of look and you know, if something
- 2:16:22changes. I can't imagine somebody brings
- 2:16:25out their magic wand and fixes it. Um
- 2:16:27but something along those lines if we
- 2:16:29could do something on the 25th if we
- 2:16:32needed to maybe massage it a little
- 2:16:35more. Does that sound
- 2:16:37at all possible?
- 2:16:38>> We can punt to the finance committee.
- 2:16:43>> I mean, if they think a miracle can
- 2:16:44happen, but
- 2:16:45>> And [laughter] we it would
- 2:16:46>> be really amazing.
- 2:16:47>> Hail Mary in football?
- 2:16:49>> Gosh, we still have the audits going on
- 2:16:51is that right? We do.
- 2:16:52>> Yeah.
- 2:16:53>> And the audits they're they're they're
- 2:16:56more in-depth than the first one. The
- 2:16:58first one was just a compliance audit.
- 2:17:00This one is fiscal, financial, and
- 2:17:02accountability audit. So, this one's
- 2:17:05going to require way more work from the
- 2:17:07staff um to get everything together. We
- 2:17:11do have um somebody coming in as a staff
- 2:17:13accountant as well. Um so, that that can
- 2:17:15alleviate some of the help uh that I
- 2:17:17need um
- 2:17:19but um from here to then, I
- 2:17:22I don't know if there's much that we can
- 2:17:24do.
- 2:17:25>> Okay.
- 2:17:26>> And I don't want to commit to something
- 2:17:27that is is not feasible.
- 2:17:29>> Mount some property in here.
- 2:17:32>> [gasps]
- 2:17:34>> I just want to uh make a comment or a
- 2:17:36thank [clears throat] you, Jessica. I
- 2:17:37think that you and your team and Adam
- 2:17:40stepped into a hot mess.
- 2:17:43Um
- 2:17:44you know, the person or people before um
- 2:17:48you know, some of us thought they were
- 2:17:50doing a great job and
- 2:17:52when you started and explaining and had
- 2:17:55the answers right there and then, you
- 2:17:57know, and just how well your team works
- 2:17:59together, how quick you can get a
- 2:18:01response,
- 2:18:03you can see off the bat that you guys
- 2:18:04are just on it and don't stutter or
- 2:18:07don't, you know, to get a response to
- 2:18:09us. I just want to say thank you for all
- 2:18:12you guys' hard work and dedication.
- 2:18:15>> That being said, [clears throat] you
- 2:18:16cannot quit.
- 2:18:17>> And thank you for your honesty, I mean
- 2:18:18>> Yes.
- 2:18:19>> always rely on that
- 2:18:21um over here. But I do appreciate Mike's
- 2:18:24um proposal. I mean, I think that that's
- 2:18:26what we're we're able to do and then
- 2:18:27maybe through the finance, you know,
- 2:18:29continue oversight on the proposals and
- 2:18:31the continued work with the finance
- 2:18:33department. Um so, we make sure we we
- 2:18:36continue you know, the the the timeline
- 2:18:38or the time frame that's proposed to us
- 2:18:40so we can continue moving the work along
- 2:18:42and we don't let anything drop through
- 2:18:43the cracks. So, um with that said, I'm
- 2:18:46going to go ahead and ask the council
- 2:18:49what the recommended motion is.
- 2:18:51>> I um I move the city council
- 2:18:54set public hearing dates on November
- 2:18:5612th, 2026 and December 9th, 2026.
- 2:19:01>> Um,
- 2:19:03it's [clears throat] up there. Counselor
- 2:19:05Chavez
- 2:19:05>> My eyes are out of my set public
- 2:19:08hearings on November 12th, 2026 for the
- 2:19:10revenue and preliminary budget hearing
- 2:19:12and December 2nd, 2026 for the final
- 2:19:15budget hearing to consider an ordinance
- 2:19:17adopting the budget for the fiscal year
- 2:19:19commencing January 1st, 2027 and ending
- 2:19:22December 31st, 2027.
- 2:19:25>> I'll second.
- 2:19:26>> Got a motion by Counselor Chavez and
- 2:19:28seconded by Counselor Zepeda. Is there
- 2:19:31any further discussions? Questions for
- 2:19:33Mr. Bailey. Go ahead Counselor Galvan.
- 2:19:35>> Just because I do know the the hard work
- 2:19:37that you guys are doing and and and the
- 2:19:39audits that's going on.
- 2:19:42Um
- 2:19:43But just
- 2:19:45let's get this let's get this ball
- 2:19:46rolling.
- 2:19:47I mean come January, February, February,
- 2:19:50March, let's not let it go past those
- 2:19:52months. I know we've been told before
- 2:19:55not from from from you guys, but we've
- 2:19:57been told before yeah, we will do it
- 2:19:59every quarter, you know, but
- 2:20:01>> We need to
- 2:20:02>> We we
- 2:20:03definitely count on me holding you guys'
- 2:20:05feet to the fire, right? So
- 2:20:07Um, but yeah, good good job and and and
- 2:20:10thank you for all the hard work that you
- 2:20:12guys are over there.
- 2:20:14>> I agree with Counselor Galvan. Can you
- 2:20:16guys hear me?
- 2:20:18Yes, I had my hand up a few times, but
- 2:20:20you guys kind of covered some points.
- 2:20:23But I agree with Counselor Galvan
- 2:20:26If we cannot if we can just all
- 2:20:29you know, try not to get past the first
- 2:20:31quarter of the year and get this
- 2:20:32resolved as soon as possible. Especially
- 2:20:35you know, mentioning that we will be
- 2:20:36having a new city manager and let's also
- 2:20:39not
- 2:20:40continue to just you know, move stuff
- 2:20:42into the new year further down than the
- 2:20:44first quarter and I would just I think
- 2:20:46if we can get it done and wrapped up
- 2:20:48before the first quarter will be good.
- 2:20:51>> Go ahead Counselor
- 2:20:52>> So is there any way we can schedule
- 2:20:54something on our calendar that way we
- 2:20:56hold our self accountable for that um um
- 2:20:59>> [snorts]
- 2:21:00>> Katie.
- 2:21:02>> Sure, that's not a problem with me.
- 2:21:03>> And I think if we put it on a calendar,
- 2:21:05we we meet for that meeting, and that
- 2:21:08way it I I I hate to put that on you
- 2:21:10like that. I'm I am sorry, but I just I
- 2:21:13I think if we put it on on our on our
- 2:21:15calendar, at least it kind of puts us on
- 2:21:17that fire to say, "Hey, we got to hold
- 2:21:19our self accountable." Not only are our
- 2:21:21our staff and finance, but also us as
- 2:21:23council, to be able to address this,
- 2:21:25because if we don't put it on on our
- 2:21:27calendar,
- 2:21:28we're going to roll through that, and
- 2:21:29we're going to I don't want to go
- 2:21:31through that. We we went through it, and
- 2:21:33I've seen it go.
- 2:21:34>> No, definitely. I think Mike did mention
- 2:21:36coming up with a couple dates.
- 2:21:39Um so I I I'm sure that he's he's going
- 2:21:41to be on it as well.
- 2:21:43>> Right, I'd imagine that every workshop
- 2:21:45meeting that you have in that first
- 2:21:46quarter is going to cover this topic.
- 2:21:48>> Yes.
- 2:21:49>> So yeah, we'll rely on him and Katie and
- 2:21:52everybody.
- 2:21:53>> Get it tattooed on a t-shirt.
- 2:21:55>> Well, I was just going to say, you know,
- 2:21:56that you know, with the finance meeting
- 2:21:59now weekly where I think I had asked um
- 2:22:03Council Galvan a few months ago how
- 2:22:05often they used to meet. It was like
- 2:22:07every 3 months or so, and then it went,
- 2:22:09you know, I mean, when I started, I
- 2:22:11think it was every 2 weeks, and now it's
- 2:22:13weekly. So I think we're on it, and then
- 2:22:15once you have really good updates and
- 2:22:17whatever recommendations we get, then we
- 2:22:20could, as a finance department, probably
- 2:22:22say, "Okay, let's set a date. There's
- 2:22:24updates. There's this information, and
- 2:22:26we can go from there."
- 2:22:28>> Yeah. Um Madam Mayor, one one more thing
- 2:22:31here to add to that. I think that uh
- 2:22:33we've been very
- 2:22:35um
- 2:22:36diligent about checking the things, and
- 2:22:39you folks have been very diligent about
- 2:22:41bringing us information to
- 2:22:43keep us on track for what's coming next.
- 2:22:45I do appreciate all of that uh effort,
- 2:22:48because it makes it so much nicer to
- 2:22:50know
- 2:22:52and not be blindsided by something um
- 2:22:54that you've asked met multiple times and
- 2:22:57I not gotten an answer to.
- 2:22:59And uh this is this is not this is not
- 2:23:02the playing ground now. This is way
- 2:23:04different and we really appreciate the
- 2:23:07the uh more professional approach to it.
- 2:23:10So, thank you very much for that.
- 2:23:12>> Go [snorts] ahead, uh Counselor Galvan,
- 2:23:13and then Counselor Dolan.
- 2:23:15>> Um
- 2:23:15I I would also recommend that we we
- 2:23:18before these hearings that we post these
- 2:23:20documents online for the public to see
- 2:23:22and have a chance to to actually go
- 2:23:25through it. I mean
- 2:23:26we we were just, you know, presented
- 2:23:27with these with these documents, you
- 2:23:29know, 30 minutes ago and then your email
- 2:23:32just did come through, but um
- 2:23:35just give give the public some time to
- 2:23:37to review it. Um, you know, maybe not a
- 2:23:39couple days before the hearing, but a
- 2:23:41week at least before.
- 2:23:45>> Uh go ahead, Counselor Dolan.
- 2:23:47>> I just want to um
- 2:23:50put it out there that I'm available to
- 2:23:52sub for anybody if you need tomorrow.
- 2:23:54>> [laughter]
- 2:23:55>> Be happy to show up for those.
- 2:23:59I have lots of questions for the
- 2:24:00>> I think that's
- 2:24:02I think it the substitution that we've
- 2:24:03been doing on the Finance Committee has
- 2:24:05allowed all of us to have uh a clearer
- 2:24:08picture of where finances are and I'm
- 2:24:11I'm glad that uh we were able to to
- 2:24:14achieve that because it's
- 2:24:16it gets everybody a chance to look at
- 2:24:18the the the big picture. So.
- 2:24:21>> Thank you.
- 2:24:22>> And and and thank you, Tom, for your
- 2:24:24your your time.
- 2:24:25>> And thank you, everybody, for for the
- 2:24:27discussion. Um
- 2:24:28>> Where are we at? Do we have to vote?
- 2:24:30>> um there's a there's a second No,
- 2:24:31there's already a motion and a second.
- 2:24:33So, um we can go ahead and initiate roll
- 2:24:35call. Okay, Counselor Galvan.
- 2:24:37>> Yes.
- 2:24:39>> Counselor Chavez.
- 2:24:40>> Yes.
- 2:24:41>> Counselor Zepeda.
- 2:24:42>> Yes.
- 2:24:42>> Counselor Vasquez.
- 2:24:46>> Yes.
- 2:24:47>> Counselor Dolan.
- 2:24:48>> Yes.
- 2:24:49>> Deputy Mayor.
- 2:24:50>> Yes.
- 2:24:51>> Mayor.
- 2:24:52>> Yes.
- 2:24:52>> Motion carries.
- 2:24:53>> Thank you, Katie.
- 2:24:54>> Thank you.
- 2:24:55>> Thank you, Mr. Bailey, for staying on
- 2:24:57the line with us.
- 2:24:58>> Yeah, thank you.
- 2:24:59>> My pleasure.
- 2:25:01>> All right, moving on to
- 2:25:04>> Good night.
- 2:25:05>> All right, we're nearing the end of our
- 2:25:07agenda here and we're going to um
- 2:25:10we're going to kick off with public
- 2:25:11comment for non active agenda items.
- 2:25:13Would you mind checking the list for us,
- 2:25:15Hector? Thank you so much.
- 2:25:21Okay.
- 2:25:25I think as well as it could have. Yeah.
- 2:25:29Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Hector.
- 2:25:32Okay.
- 2:25:40Yeah, I think Lisa?
- 2:25:42Lisa, okay. All right, yeah, she did.
- 2:25:45Okay. So, public comment for non agenda
- 2:25:48items. Citizens are advised that they
- 2:25:50must limit the remarks to the city
- 2:25:51council to 3 minutes. Council may refer
- 2:25:54items to staff to review and or research
- 2:25:55for the presentation at a future council
- 2:25:57meeting. We'll go ahead and start with
- 2:25:59Lisa Fairborn on our sign up sheet for
- 2:26:04from Sunnyside.
- 2:26:06Go ahead and approach the mic and state
- 2:26:08your name and
- 2:26:09city of [clears throat] residence.
- 2:26:10>> Good evening. My name is Lisa Fairbarn.
- 2:26:14I am [snorts] from Sunnyside and I am
- 2:26:16here to talk to you this evening to
- 2:26:18discuss the city's social media. I had
- 2:26:20to write some notes down cuz I feel like
- 2:26:22I'm going to get you really nervous and
- 2:26:23get off track if I don't.
- 2:26:25As I'm looking at your social media and
- 2:26:28I'm just going to say Facebook, I
- 2:26:30[snorts] go through it and I noticed a
- 2:26:32lot of the things that are posted here
- 2:26:35relate to the city. Like police
- 2:26:38department, fire department, what
- 2:26:40community center.
- 2:26:42But something that um really caught my
- 2:26:45eye was something that was posted last
- 2:26:49week.
- 2:26:50And it was on city property.
- 2:26:53My question for you is
- 2:26:56are all events that happen in the city
- 2:26:58allowed to share their information on
- 2:27:01the city's social media pages?
- 2:27:03So, it just to be clear, if I'm a
- 2:27:06non-profit organization or an individual
- 2:27:09having a fundraiser,
- 2:27:11am I allowed to have the city posted on
- 2:27:13their social media pages?
- 2:27:16I feel the precedent has been set to
- 2:27:18allow this to happen.
- 2:27:21As I go through, like I said, most of
- 2:27:23these are city related. However,
- 2:27:26there was an event that was posted a few
- 2:27:28days ago,
- 2:27:29and it appears to be a city function.
- 2:27:34As there was no other logo with it.
- 2:27:36There wasn't a poster, flyer, nothing
- 2:27:38like that.
- 2:27:40However, I later saw that that not only
- 2:27:42was not a city event, it was a political
- 2:27:46event on city property.
- 2:27:50This is a city and a state violation.
- 2:27:54This is not the first time that this has
- 2:27:56happened.
- 2:27:58The first time this happened, I
- 2:28:00understand the city received basically a
- 2:28:03slap on the hand. Shame on you.
- 2:28:07Why was this political event allowed to
- 2:28:10happen for a second time on city
- 2:28:13property?
- 2:28:15The city of Sunnyside does not have any
- 2:28:19extra money sitting around to pay for
- 2:28:21fines from the state.
- 2:28:24We cannot afford to make a mistake like
- 2:28:27this
- 2:28:28or break the law that is going to cost
- 2:28:30us money.
- 2:28:33I just heard from Mike, "We don't have
- 2:28:36money."
- 2:28:37So, I ask you, please, please be careful
- 2:28:40in what you are doing and making sure
- 2:28:44that we are not breaking any laws or
- 2:28:48uh anything that's going to cost us more
- 2:28:50money.
- 2:28:51Mike Bailey and the finance department,
- 2:28:54I want to thank you very much for all of
- 2:28:56your time on this budget. I couldn't
- 2:28:58have picked a better meeting to come to.
- 2:29:00I get really super nervous. I'm shaking
- 2:29:02up here right now, but I just want to
- 2:29:04say I appreciate that.
- 2:29:06And I really thank you, um, Jorge, that,
- 2:29:09um, you're requesting that information
- 2:29:12be shared on the city's page because
- 2:29:15people need to know. So, thank you for
- 2:29:17your time.
- 2:29:17>> Thank you for your comment.
- 2:29:21And next up on our list, Sandra Lindy,
- 2:29:23you haven't been around for a while.
- 2:29:25>> I haven't, but I'm happy to be here
- 2:29:26tonight. Just to let you guys know, I
- 2:29:29thought it was good that you had the
- 2:29:30meet and greet for the candidates that
- 2:29:32are running for city council. I was
- 2:29:33happy I couldn't visit very long, but we
- 2:29:35were able to go to meet. I also think
- 2:29:37that you, the gentleman that you picked
- 2:29:39is going to be a good fit. So, I just I
- 2:29:42remember being on the school board, we
- 2:29:44had to pick two superintendents while I
- 2:29:47was on it, and that's a hard job. And I
- 2:29:49really appreciate what you went through
- 2:29:51and what you're doing. And I also think
- 2:29:54what you guys are doing on your budget
- 2:29:56is very
- 2:29:57correct.
- 2:29:59So, thank you, city council.
- 2:30:01>> Thank you.
- 2:30:02>> Thank you, Melissa.
- 2:30:05Okay.
- 2:30:06That is
- 2:30:07the end of our public comment list. Uh,
- 2:30:10moving on to items from council members.
- 2:30:13Um, I will go ahead and start at the end
- 2:30:15over there with counselor Chavez.
- 2:30:19Oh, actually, hold on. I'm getting ahead
- 2:30:20of myself. Sorry.
- 2:30:22A [laughter] mayor's appointment for
- 2:30:23boards and commissions. Um, uh,
- 2:30:26recommended. Okay, so we are
- 2:30:28recommending a motion for a
- 2:30:30reappointment for Sandra Benitez. Um,
- 2:30:32Katie, could you fill us in as to why
- 2:30:33she's back on on the agenda?
- 2:30:35>> Sure, you all reappointed her last, uh,
- 2:30:38meeting on October 14th. I was unaware
- 2:30:40that the housing authority has such a
- 2:30:42different term.
- 2:30:44Uh, they serve a 5-year term, and which
- 2:30:47ends on September 7th every year. Um, so
- 2:30:51what you had approved last time was June
- 2:30:5330th of 2030, and so I just would like
- 2:30:57you guys to amend her term.
- 2:30:59>> Okay.
- 2:31:00>> Thank you. Um, so with that said, could
- 2:31:02I, um,
- 2:31:04entertain a motion from the council?
- 2:31:05>> Um, Madam Mayor, I'd like to, uh, amend
- 2:31:08the motion from October 14th, 2026
- 2:31:12reappointing Sandra Benitez to modify
- 2:31:15the term to expire on September 7th,
- 2:31:182031.
- 2:31:20>> Okay, got a motion by
- 2:31:22Deputy Mayor Hart. Is there a second?
- 2:31:24>> I'll second.
- 2:31:25>> There's a second by Councillor Sasati.
- 2:31:26Is there any discussion on this item?
- 2:31:30Hearing none.
- 2:31:32Councillor Chavez.
- 2:31:33>> Yes.
- 2:31:34>> Councillor Sasati.
- 2:31:35>> Yes.
- 2:31:35>> Councillor Vasquez.
- 2:31:40>> Yes.
- 2:31:41>> Councillor Dolan.
- 2:31:43>> Abstain.
- 2:31:45>> Councillor Govan.
- 2:31:47>> Yes.
- 2:31:48>> Deputy Mayor.
- 2:31:49>> Yes.
- 2:31:50>> Mayor.
- 2:31:51>> Yes.
- 2:31:52>> Motion carries. Thank you, Katie.
- 2:31:54Now, we'll move into other reports,
- 2:31:56announcements, or questions by council.
- 2:31:59Um
- 2:31:59go ahead, Councillor Chavez.
- 2:32:03>> Um
- 2:32:05you know, I know that uh we
- 2:32:08we all came in agreement with our new
- 2:32:10city manager, you know, for
- 2:32:12for Katie, for all of you that really
- 2:32:15put in the work for that, you know, it
- 2:32:17was amazing. It was good. We appreciate
- 2:32:20it. I know the the hard work um to the
- 2:32:23your team, to the finance team. You guys
- 2:32:26are made doing awesome. Appreciate it.
- 2:32:28Um
- 2:32:29and to our council, I salute you guys.
- 2:32:32You guys I honestly think that we did uh
- 2:32:34we did good with uh with with our
- 2:32:36candidate. Um
- 2:32:38it was a long, long day for us.
- 2:32:43And um
- 2:32:44>> Longer because you were not feeling
- 2:32:45well.
- 2:32:46>> And and right now, I'm honestly I'm kind
- 2:32:48of a little bit not feeling well again.
- 2:32:49Um
- 2:32:50>> Good teamwork.
- 2:32:50>> For who does not know, I had surgery
- 2:32:532 weeks ago today, so I'm still
- 2:32:55recovering. Um but thank you guys all.
- 2:32:58Appreciate it.
- 2:33:00>> Good, Councillor Chavez. Um Councillor
- 2:33:01Sasati.
- 2:33:02>> I too was just going to uh give thanks
- 2:33:04to the staff, um Katie especially,
- 2:33:07um
- 2:33:09for putting everything, you know, the
- 2:33:11meet and greet together, and whoever
- 2:33:12helped you.
- 2:33:14Um and uh the Friday, everything that
- 2:33:17went through. It was
- 2:33:19an exhausting, draining I think I would
- 2:33:22say the last 2 weeks were a little
- 2:33:23exhausted and draining having to go
- 2:33:24through the binders and stuff, but
- 2:33:27um I think we all came together as a
- 2:33:29team
- 2:33:30as we should, and um
- 2:33:33I just want to thank you all.
- 2:33:35Thank you, guys. That's it.
- 2:33:37>> Thank you, Counselor Susanti. I'm going
- 2:33:38to move to Counselor Vasquez.
- 2:33:41>> I have nothing to report for today.
- 2:33:43>> Thank you.
- 2:33:45Counselor Dolan?
- 2:33:47>> Well, I have something to report.
- 2:33:49Um I found out that the
- 2:33:52poles that we were prep prepping for the
- 2:33:54shades at the parks
- 2:33:57uh they're not going to meet
- 2:33:58specification for
- 2:34:01the engineering
- 2:34:03um
- 2:34:03on the other hand, Rotary Daybreak
- 2:34:06Rotary is stepping in, and we're going
- 2:34:07to do four parks.
- 2:34:09They're going to cover that for us.
- 2:34:12And although that's taking place
- 2:34:15I do have a repurpose for those poles,
- 2:34:18and I want to continue
- 2:34:21as soon as you're better.
- 2:34:22But uh we are going to be fencing in the
- 2:34:26perimeter of the museum.
- 2:34:29And so we have the ability to use
- 2:34:32uh re- repurpose poles for that, and
- 2:34:36we're going to do uh a surplus on
- 2:34:38fencing that was taken down
- 2:34:41quite some time ago. It's all a good fit
- 2:34:43for
- 2:34:45the fencing the property and and uh
- 2:34:48being able to work in there
- 2:34:50to make our museum a little better. We
- 2:34:52have some ideas about a train car and
- 2:34:55all kinds of fun stuff. So,
- 2:34:57um
- 2:34:57I I would I'll be putting together a
- 2:34:59schedule.
- 2:35:01And uh I'm sure you all can paint,
- 2:35:03especially you, Julia.
- 2:35:05Yeah. And so,
- 2:35:07uh
- 2:35:07>> I'll schedule my carpal tunnel surgery
- 2:35:09around that.
- 2:35:10>> Okay, I appreciate that.
- 2:35:12>> [laughter]
- 2:35:12>> It was a great uh I enjoyed our last uh
- 2:35:16That was that was really [snorts]
- 2:35:17teamwork.
- 2:35:18Um
- 2:35:19Like I said, we won't put you on the
- 2:35:20grinder next time.
- 2:35:22Um but it was it was
- 2:35:25it was encouraging. We got a lot more
- 2:35:26done than I ever expected to happen and
- 2:35:29and I feel like we've got a little team
- 2:35:31together now and so
- 2:35:33we'll
- 2:35:34as soon as I get a schedule put
- 2:35:35together, I'll share that all with you.
- 2:35:38>> Thank you, Council Dolan.
- 2:35:39Uh Council Galvan.
- 2:35:42>> No, just um
- 2:35:43once again, thanks Council Dolan for
- 2:35:45stepping in, but I've started some
- 2:35:47treatment and hopefully I'll be good
- 2:35:50even if they have to wheel me into City
- 2:35:51Hall. I'm not going to miss a finance uh
- 2:35:54meeting from here until we get this
- 2:35:57straightened out. So
- 2:35:59um
- 2:36:00I guess I I think we have them set for
- 2:36:02an hour those those meetings.
- 2:36:05Uh maybe count for like an hour and a
- 2:36:07half or so. So
- 2:36:09let's get to work
- 2:36:10and thank you everybody else for for
- 2:36:12your hard work and um
- 2:36:14Katie also echo my counselors.
- 2:36:17Um it was a good good event Friday last
- 2:36:20week and even at the community center,
- 2:36:22you know,
- 2:36:23public got to meet the the candidates
- 2:36:25and
- 2:36:26I think we made a a good choice and you
- 2:36:29know,
- 2:36:30let's get to work and we'll we'll get
- 2:36:33this straightened out.
- 2:36:35>> Thank you, Council Galvan. Coun- Deputy
- 2:36:37Mayor.
- 2:36:38>> Wow,
- 2:36:39uh again I just I'm really
- 2:36:42want to echo my
- 2:36:44colleagues
- 2:36:46kudos to staff and to our to the people
- 2:36:50who put this whole together.
- 2:36:52Um I think we really spent the time we
- 2:36:55needed. We spent the time we doing our
- 2:36:57research. Um and so I think that we just
- 2:37:02now of course have
- 2:37:04got to wait to hear a yes.
- 2:37:06So um
- 2:37:08so I really other than that I'm I'm
- 2:37:11I
- 2:37:12The only thing is I would like to say
- 2:37:14for the work study uh
- 2:37:18meeting on that's on the
- 2:37:20Wait, I got to look at my calendar here.
- 2:37:22On the on the 4th.
- 2:37:24Um just for the work study, we're going
- 2:37:26to have kind of a little presentation
- 2:37:28about the comprehensive growth plan.
- 2:37:30Just so the count the
- 2:37:32the council knows where we're at and
- 2:37:35what what it what it's sort of going to
- 2:37:37involve because in on the 25th of
- 2:37:39November, we're having an We're going to
- 2:37:41have public hearing on that. But I think
- 2:37:43it would be behoove the council to also
- 2:37:45know what's comprehensive plan
- 2:37:48before before going in. So I understand
- 2:37:50Hector is going to do a little
- 2:37:52presentation. And I really appreciate
- 2:37:54Hector. You You've worked really hard on
- 2:37:56that.
- 2:37:57And with the I understand that Joseph
- 2:37:59Calhoun won't be able to be here with
- 2:38:01us, but I think we can You'll do a
- 2:38:03You'll do a fine job. So I'm excited
- 2:38:05about that.
- 2:38:06>> Do my best.
- 2:38:07>> Thank you. That's all I have.
- 2:38:09>> Deputy Mayor.
- 2:38:10>> Um so you'll have said it all very well.
- 2:38:13We came together and after a very long
- 2:38:15day of deliberation, we finally came to
- 2:38:18a consensus
- 2:38:19on our
- 2:38:21decision, our collective decision for
- 2:38:23for the next manager. Um and
- 2:38:27with that being said, just yeah. I echo
- 2:38:29just thank you to staff, Katie. They
- 2:38:31kept saying that they had an amazing
- 2:38:33experience and
- 2:38:35the hospitality was was great. So
- 2:38:37that's all because of you all. So
- 2:38:40thank you very much. And um
- 2:38:43I see Counselor Troise over there kind
- 2:38:45of hurting and kind of moving around. Uh
- 2:38:47we're going to try to move us along here
- 2:38:49and go into the upcoming council
- 2:38:52meetings announcements. Um next one is
- 2:38:55Wednesday, November 4th. You just
- 2:38:56mentioned that, Deputy Mayor. Um we're
- 2:38:59moving into Thursday, November 12th for
- 2:39:01our regular meeting
- 2:39:02right after Veterans Day and Wednesday,
- 2:39:05November 25th regular meeting. And yes,
- 2:39:08it is the night before Thanksgiving.
- 2:39:11Um so
- 2:39:12>> Bring pumpkin pie.
- 2:39:13>> Yeah, some whipped cream and pumpkin
- 2:39:15pie. And um so we're we're moving into
- 2:39:18city manager reports and then we are
- 2:39:20going to be moving into an executive
- 2:39:22session.
- 2:39:23So, go ahead, Mr. Haley.
- 2:39:24>> Um I'll just quickly go through staff.
- 2:39:27Just Jef Fett, anything?
- 2:39:29Um
- 2:39:32Jez?
- 2:39:34Jef Fett?
- 2:39:36>> All I have is uh we've uh
- 2:39:38done a lot of prep work to
- 2:39:40uh be able to move to 365, but we are
- 2:39:43finally finally able to start moving
- 2:39:46mailboxes. So, you'll see some
- 2:39:48communication coming through about that.
- 2:39:50>> Mhm.
- 2:39:51>> Um and uh I'm hoping to
- 2:39:54be able to present a couple other
- 2:39:55projects um here soon.
- 2:39:58That's all I got right now.
- 2:40:01>> Jez, got anything more? Okay.
- 2:40:04Hector?
- 2:40:06>> I'll I'll send an email out with all the
- 2:40:08stuff. I don't want him to hurt anymore.
- 2:40:10>> [laughter]
- 2:40:12>> I'm going to go quick. I got a little
- 2:40:13list. I'm sorry.
- 2:40:15Um
- 2:40:16the fire chief and I are going to split
- 2:40:18a trailer from the office of emergency
- 2:40:19management. I talked to public safety
- 2:40:21committee about this. It's $3,000. It's
- 2:40:23going to be a mobile command post. We're
- 2:40:25going to be able to buy it out of
- 2:40:26enterprise funds. It won't come out of
- 2:40:27the general fund. It's within our
- 2:40:28spending limit. I just wanted to let you
- 2:40:29guys know if you see a 24-ft I think 22-
- 2:40:3224-ft trailer running around, that's
- 2:40:34what it is. Yep.
- 2:40:35>> Is that over at the yard right now?
- 2:40:37>> No. It It It's at the office of
- 2:40:38emergency management up in Yakima.
- 2:40:40We're buying it from them. They got a
- 2:40:41new trailer. They They've got some old
- 2:40:42ones they're getting rid of. Um
- 2:40:44trunk-or-treat's tomorrow night from
- 2:40:455:30 to 7:30 downtown.
- 2:40:48Um
- 2:40:49the uh the fire chief uh Horbrook has
- 2:40:52asked for a public safety committee
- 2:40:54meeting. So, we'll get together tomorrow
- 2:40:55morning. Maybe send you a couple dates.
- 2:40:57So, if we can get an answer back when
- 2:40:59you guys want to do that.
- 2:41:01Um the
- 2:41:03radio tax that was passed uh last year,
- 2:41:06the county commissioners just 2 days ago
- 2:41:08selected I I believe it was yesterday or
- 2:41:10day before maybe uh Raycom as the vendor
- 2:41:12that's going to put in it's like a
- 2:41:15several million-dollar project, 30-40
- 2:41:17million-dollar project, but that's going
- 2:41:18to be paid for by the radio tax. So,
- 2:41:21you'll see that forthcoming.
- 2:41:23The county also just hired federal
- 2:41:24engineering a consultant for
- 2:41:26consolidating dispatch to determine how
- 2:41:28much staff needs to be in that dispatch
- 2:41:30center, how many agencies can be on how
- 2:41:32which channels, all of that kind of
- 2:41:33stuff. So, that's going to be moving
- 2:41:35forward. Jail rates are going to go up
- 2:41:3730% and the main reason for that is we
- 2:41:39no longer have dispatch, so our
- 2:41:40dispatchers aren't there monitoring the
- 2:41:43jail, so we had to move some of them to
- 2:41:45jail staff, so that increased our jail
- 2:41:46costs. So, we've reflected that in our
- 2:41:49jail rates.
- 2:41:50>> Do you know when that goes into effect?
- 2:41:52>> The 30%? First of the year. We sent the
- 2:41:54letter uh Katie's sending the letters
- 2:41:55out. We got them to her yesterday. We
- 2:41:57usually send out a letter just here's
- 2:41:58your new rate, but because it's such a
- 2:41:59large increase, I wrote a letter to the
- 2:42:01police chief of every jurisdiction we
- 2:42:03contract with letting them know the
- 2:42:04reason for the increase.
- 2:42:05>> It's about 20 of them, right?
- 2:42:07>> Yeah, it's about 20 contracts.
- 2:42:08>> Yeah.
- 2:42:09>> Um and then Saturday I went to Dungeon
- 2:42:11Boxing event and the Dungeon Boxers were
- 2:42:15two wins, one loss. It was a great event
- 2:42:17down at the community center. If you
- 2:42:18ever get a chance to go to that, I
- 2:42:18recommend it. That's all I got.
- 2:42:20>> That sounds fun.
- 2:42:22>> Katie?
- 2:42:23>> Uh we're still accepting LTAK 2027
- 2:42:25funding applications. Uh November 12th
- 2:42:28at 5:00 p.m. is the cutoff for that.
- 2:42:30Uh and then uh next week the 2027 paper
- 2:42:34of record RFP is going to go out in the
- 2:42:36Sun and on the website.
- 2:42:39That's it.
- 2:42:42>> Okay, we um
- 2:42:44we're trying to wrap up some things here
- 2:42:47in the transition to a new city manager
- 2:42:49and uh that's including labor contracts.
- 2:42:52We're finalizing the CBA.
- 2:42:55The collective bargaining agreement with
- 2:42:57the public safety um supervisory
- 2:43:00contract along with the firefighting
- 2:43:02union.
- 2:43:03And hopefully we'll start with the
- 2:43:05police skilled coming up here later in
- 2:43:07November and December.
- 2:43:09Multiple sessions that that usually
- 2:43:11involves.
- 2:43:12I have a draft that I'll be presenting
- 2:43:14here for the new revised council rules
- 2:43:16of procedure
- 2:43:18along with a revised personnel policy.
- 2:43:21And um
- 2:43:23a race to the finish here.
- 2:43:27>> All right. So,
- 2:43:29executive session.
- 2:43:32Everybody, we will be moving into
- 2:43:34executive session with
- 2:43:36the initial initial 20 minutes with the
- 2:43:38possibility of extension setting RCW
- 2:43:4142.30.110
- 2:43:42subsection G to evaluate the
- 2:43:44qualifications of an applicant for
- 2:43:46public employment or to review the
- 2:43:48performance of a public employee.
- 2:43:51And RCW 42.30.110
- 2:43:54subsection I to discuss with legal
- 2:43:56counsel representing the agency matters
- 2:43:58relating to agency enforcement actions
- 2:44:00or to discuss with legal counsel
- 2:44:02representing the agency litigation or
- 2:44:03potential litigation to which the
- 2:44:05agency, the governing body, or a member
- 2:44:07acting in an official capacity is or
- 2:44:08likely to become a party when public
- 2:44:11knowledge regarding the discussion is
- 2:44:12likely to result in an adverse legal or
- 2:44:14financial consequence to the agency.
- 2:44:17Asking everybody to please exit the room
- 2:44:19and take your belongings and um we will
- 2:44:21be motioning if we need an extension to
- 2:44:24anybody out in the lobby. Um seems like
- 2:44:28staff is leaving. Um
- 2:44:30but
- 2:44:31we will have uh
- 2:44:33Katie are you staying
- 2:44:35in the executive session?
- 2:44:37>> I'm fine with that. Yes. Uh Katie is uh
- 2:44:40part of our transition teams.
- 2:44:41>> Okay.
- 2:44:42Thought so. Okay. So, Katie and uh Pat
- 2:44:45will both stay um in the executive
- 2:44:47session.
- 2:44:49>> See you actually.
- 2:44:53>> I don't know what the hell's going on.
- 2:44:57>> Good.
- 2:44:59>> This is good.
- 2:45:00>> I'm going to try that tomorrow.
- 2:45:03>> [clears throat]
- 2:45:07>> All right. I think good work, everybody.
- 2:45:10Good work.
- 2:45:15>> We should take on another town and have
- 2:45:17a
- 2:45:17>> [laughter]
- 2:45:17>> Oh god.
- 2:45:19>> They would run us out so fast, kids. I'm
- 2:45:21telling you.
- 2:45:24>> Oh, okay.
- 2:45:26Katie said hurry up.
- 2:45:28Okay.
- 2:45:29We're back from executive session and um
- 2:45:32we are
- 2:45:34resuming back at 9:42
- 2:45:37p.m. There will be no action taken.
- 2:45:41So, to conclude, if there are no is no
- 2:45:43if there is no objection from the
- 2:45:45council,
- 2:45:46we will go ahead and conclude. I see no
- 2:45:48objection.
- 2:45:50Thank you everybody for joining in
- 2:45:52today. We were go go We are going to go
- 2:45:53ahead and adjourn. I can't even speak
- 2:45:55anymore at 9:42 p.m.
- 2:45:57>> Another quick fix. We need to do
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